1 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:16,200 Hallelujah. So we're going to start in 2 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:23,920 Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2 because this year, you know, and 3 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,200 if you have been in our corporate prayer, the Holy 4 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:34,080 Spirit gave me these scriptures in corporate prayer last week 5 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:37,040 and I believe it was the week before. 6 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,800 And so I know that this is something that He gave us 7 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:47,800 corporately through prayer so that the body can grab hold of 8 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,720 it and you need it for this year. 9 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:57,640 And so because I believe that he does want to do some new things. 10 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:07,200 He wants to do some new things in the new year, wants to do 11 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:14,200 some new things in the new year. And it's going to take faith. 12 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,800 It's going to take faith to get it done, to get those things 13 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:29,080 done that he wants to see in our life and get into places that we 14 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:36,240 have just been complacent with. Well, it is what it is. 15 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:41,520 Just like she said, you know if this don't change this year, 16 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:51,360 it's not up to God. God wants a new thing to change 17 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,720 in your life. Scripture clearly says it. 18 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,720 It's not up to God for those things to change. 19 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:05,120 It's up for us to believe Him and navigate in what it is that 20 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,039 He sees we need to do to accomplish the change. 21 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,760 Amen. You know, everybody sets their 22 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,280 goals for the year and everybody. 23 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,400 And I'm going to tell you change is happening. 24 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:28,280 Change is happening, period. And I'm going to tell you every 25 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:35,080 time God is trying to take people, His people into new 26 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:40,840 territory. Sometimes people can't change 27 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:48,680 and go in. And so change is happening all 28 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,880 around us. But we need to determine, are we 29 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:58,040 going to walk in the change and be together and doing what God 30 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,480 wants us to do together? Or are we going to step out and 31 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,520 do change on our own? Because change this way looks a 32 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:12,960 little bit bit different. And any times there's change, it 33 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,360 is a perfect opportunity for the enemy to come in and try to get 34 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,680 people because it's during transition when people are. 35 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,800 And we've been there, done that, seen it, and I'm telling you, we 36 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:36,920 are upon it again. And so we need to be locked in 37 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,520 into the throne room so that we can hear what the Spirit is 38 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:46,720 truly saying during change that is happening in each and every 39 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,720 one of our lives. Because change is inevitable. 40 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:55,440 Anything growing must be changing. 41 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:04,360 If you're not growing, you're not changing and things will 42 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:13,520 begin to die. OK, So we need to recognize, I 43 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:18,880 love what Pastor had been saying and teaching about the end times 44 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:24,080 these last few weeks at the end of the year is that we need to 45 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:34,320 recognize the time and the season that we're in, right? 46 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:39,160 They did not recognize their appointed time. 47 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,080 So even when there's change, when things are, we need to 48 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,960 recognize the time and the season and the things that God 49 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:57,680 is doing spiritually among his body, spiritually in the world. 50 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,920 It's not just recognizing the time and the season we're in 51 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:07,360 with what he's doing and wrapping this thing up, but what 52 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,640 is the time and the season of what's happening in the body of 53 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:18,280 Christ spiritually among us? Because if you don't recognize 54 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:21,680 the time and the season that you're in spiritually, this is 55 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,360 when the enemy will come in and get you off and get you 56 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:29,440 distracted and get you in a place lost in transition. 57 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,520 Lost in transition. And so this is this is a 58 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,160 prophetic atmosphere. And I'm not just saying this, 59 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,080 I'm telling you this by unction of the Holy Spirit. 60 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:47,560 So we need to be ever more diligent to pay attention to 61 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,520 what we are doing in this season of change. 62 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,640 Amen. So that we're not going to get 63 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,200 lost in the transition and that we're not going to get out of 64 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,280 place, but we're going to be right where God needs us to be 65 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,080 during it all. And then we're going to yield to 66 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,320 him. And whatever it is that he needs 67 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:12,240 us to yield to, to change, to grow, and to walk into the next 68 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,200 season, that's going to be upon us as believers. 69 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,760 Amen. Hallelujah. 70 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:26,000 So yes, I believe he is doing a new thing and wants to do a new 71 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:30,720 thing, but I do know that it won't happen outside of faith. 72 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,480 OK. And in Hebrews 12/2 it says 73 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:46,400 this, Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of what 74 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:51,520 faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, 75 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:57,200 despising the shame, He sat down at the right hand of the throne 76 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,840 of God. He's at the right hand of the 77 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:03,640 throne of God. And guess who seats, sits with 78 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,680 him in that seat on the right hand? 79 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,640 We are already in the throne room. 80 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:21,680 We are in a fixed position. Come on, in Christ he, we are 81 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:27,120 seated, Ephesians says, right, We are seated with him in 82 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:34,280 heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We are already seated in the 83 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,760 throne room and have full access. 84 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,880 Hallelujah, Glory to God, glory to God. 85 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,240 But he says here, let's look at the Scripture. 86 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:53,520 It says fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and 87 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,400 perfector of our faith. And when we were in corporate 88 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:02,560 prayer a few weeks ago, he said to us this that there are some 89 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:08,720 things that he wants to author in faith in your life this year. 90 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:15,160 What is author means there is some faith that he wants to 91 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:20,800 create within your life this year. 92 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:25,440 He wants to author it. He wants to authorize it. 93 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:30,640 Come on, glory to God. He wants to create a space in 94 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:35,000 you for faith to arise like never before. 95 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,400 Come on, what is the scripture said when the the the disciples 96 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:46,040 talked to Jesus, he they said to him increase our faith. 97 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:51,840 And there are some things that God wants to increase in our 98 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:56,280 faith this year. He wants to offer a new place of 99 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:04,200 faith to for us to walk into, for us to walk into. 100 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:11,080 Come on, so that's what that word author means. 101 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,840 Guess what else it means when you look it up in the Greek? 102 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,760 It is the beginner. There is some things by faith 103 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:24,360 that he wants to begin in you. We have not already obtained. 104 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,520 There's some faith, some new things that he wants to begin in 105 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,040 you. But if you're holding on to all 106 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:38,760 the other old things, come on, and you've not actually allowed 107 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:48,880 Him to complete in you some old faith projects, come on. 108 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:54,640 Because we are to go from what? Faith to faith, grace upon 109 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,640 grace, glory to glory. Come on. 110 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:03,320 That means there is a new place of faith that He wants to take 111 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:10,840 us corporately and individually. Hallelujah. 112 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:17,520 And so He wants to create that new space of faith within your 113 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,600 life. So that's what that means, 114 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,600 Author. He's the beginner. 115 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:25,400 You know what else it means? It means he's the originator of 116 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,960 your faith. He's the originator of your 117 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,320 faith. We've all been given the measure 118 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,600 of faith and measures can increase. 119 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,080 And so he's the originator of our faith. 120 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:43,040 But guess what? He also wants to continue to 121 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:49,120 increase our faith and our walk in the Kingdom of God. 122 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:55,560 And so it also means this author, he's the chief leader. 123 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,440 He's the chief leader of your faith. 124 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:08,360 Is he the chief leader? That means he's the one that is 125 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,760 allowed to lead me by faith into places that are uncomfortable, 126 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,400 come on, Places that I think I would never be able to walk into 127 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,560 by faith. But he's trying to create a 128 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:26,160 space within you, come on, to increase your capacity of faith, 129 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,520 to enlarge you into new territory. 130 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:35,640 Hallelujah. But we have to let him be the 131 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:41,840 leader, the chief leader in our life. 132 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:46,000 It also means the captain. All right, Lord, you're wanting 133 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:51,280 me to step out of the boat, come home by faith. 134 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:58,080 He's the captain. He's the captain of our faith. 135 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:04,640 It also means to steer. He's the one that's steering our 136 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,760 faith. So do we trust Him to be the 137 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,440 chief leader and the captain of our faith? 138 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:16,080 To steer us into a place of unknown or a place to create a 139 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,960 space of increase within our faith life? 140 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,840 Or are we just satisfied with where we're at? 141 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,320 We have enough faith just to believe God that when I die, I 142 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,440 get to go to heaven and believe. Come on. 143 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:40,160 Is that all the faith you have? No. 144 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,840 So he's the author. He's the one that wants to 145 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:50,800 increase and create a new space of faith for us to walk into in 146 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,160 this year. And then he says this the 147 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:58,640 perfector. He's the perfector of our faith. 148 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,880 So there are some things that God wants to do new within us 149 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,160 and create a new space for faith to arise within us. 150 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,800 But there's also a place with Him being the perfector that He 151 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:16,240 wants completed. That means enough is enough. 152 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:25,800 Let's finish what I started 10 years ago within your life. 153 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:32,920 Let's get some things completed that that's not going to keep 154 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,040 you bound anymore. Come on. 155 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,080 Or that addiction is not going to continue to rule over you 156 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,160 anymore. Or that mentality or attitude is 157 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,920 not going to reign in your life anymore. 158 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:52,280 That I'm actually going to allow God to complete within me the 159 00:13:52,280 --> 00:14:01,000 things that need to be done once and for all so that I can move 160 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,280 into the new. But if you don't allow the old 161 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:11,200 to be completed, there will be no place for the new to arrive. 162 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:20,640 So there's some things He wants to complete or perfect within 163 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:27,440 you to say, listen, I started some things in you by faith, and 164 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:33,160 you're not allowing me as the chief leader to complete some 165 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:41,480 projects within your life. So the perfector is broken down 166 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,400 in this Greek word means completer, trans. 167 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:50,000 Some translation says he's the author and the completer, the 168 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:56,080 another Greek word is, how about this finisher, finisher. 169 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,200 One translation says he's the finisher, and the Greek says it 170 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:03,920 too, that there's some things that he wants finished in your 171 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:08,720 life. He wants you finished with this. 172 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:15,120 He don't want you to, you know, drag this on into 10 more years. 173 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:21,240 He wants it finished once and for all within your life. 174 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:25,440 He's the finisher. He is the one that can bring 175 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:34,280 something to its conclusion. Can we finally just get to a 176 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:39,320 conclusion in your life concerning this situation or 177 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,080 that situation because you've allowed God to just complete it 178 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:47,760 within you and bring to a conclusion. 179 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:53,080 I'm done with that. I'm never going back. 180 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:57,000 Goodbye yesterday. Come on. 181 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:06,320 And then it says this Hallelujah, the perfector. 182 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:16,120 He's the one that creates and sustains our faith from God, so 183 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:21,640 that Perfector is the one that's creating and sustaining. 184 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,280 So that means we should never be in a place that we're not in 185 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,400 faith. Because the minute He completes 186 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:34,960 something in you, there's going to be new room for Him to create 187 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:43,760 another space of faith. Hallelujah, the author and the 188 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:52,120 perfector of our faith, of our faith, and the way we're going 189 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:57,520 to do that is recognize, listen, that there are new things that 190 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,600 God wants to do in our life this year. 191 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,079 Isaiah 42, nine and 10. Indeed, the former things have 192 00:17:04,079 --> 00:17:10,680 come to pass. Now I declare new things, new 193 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:16,040 things before they spring forth, I will proclaim them to you. 194 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,599 And then of course, if you were in our corporate prayer, I read 195 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:24,079 verse 10 because it says sing to the Lord a new song. 196 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:27,520 And I said he wants to do a new thing in your life and he wants 197 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,560 to put a new song in your mouth for this year. 198 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:39,480 He wants to do something new, and when he wants to do 199 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:47,680 something new, it can feel uncomfortable, it can feel 200 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,760 shaky. And what I've seen in the 30 201 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:55,360 years of pastoring people is that when God is trying to 202 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:01,240 complete something in someone and take them to a space where 203 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:06,720 he can create something new, that sliver of moment, people 204 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:18,840 begin to start getting shaky. And I like to call wiggy, they 205 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:24,000 start wigging out because this is the process. 206 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,200 OK, let's think about what Raphael said about the seed. 207 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:36,880 The seed has to what be planted has to die, and then it has to 208 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:38,680 what? Shoot forth? 209 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:44,080 What starts happening to the dirt when that little thing is 210 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:50,840 trying to pop forth? Come on, you start seeing the 211 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:54,320 the the dirt start moving. I mean, have you ever actually 212 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,360 been in a field and watched some new seeds start coming up? 213 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,120 You can literally start seeing the ground start to shake. 214 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,600 What is happening? The ground is shaking. 215 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,320 Your foundation is shaking and stirring. 216 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,680 Come on. Because God is trying to birth 217 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:19,600 something up out of you new. But it's in that shaking and in 218 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:28,800 that pushing through. People get lost and they get 219 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:37,560 distracted. They get distracted and because 220 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:42,040 they're not handling the, the anxiousness or the change, 221 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,160 something doesn't feel stable in my life. 222 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,880 That is God trying to do something in you. 223 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:53,480 That doesn't mean you've got to to, you know, quit doing what 224 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:57,080 you're doing and do something new because I'm going to tell 225 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:01,920 you if you start doing something that God is not asking you to 226 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:09,800 do. You can thwart or hinder that 227 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:14,960 new baby thing from growing up. You can abort it. 228 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:21,040 So that's why things don't get completed in you because you 229 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,160 can't handle the change of the process that God is doing within 230 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:29,400 you. And so you think I, I need to go 231 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,920 somewhere else. I need to get a new word. 232 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,880 I need you. And it's the worst time you 233 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:43,640 could ever, ever separate. It's the worst time because 234 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,840 that's how the enemy can come in and get you off and get you in a 235 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:52,920 wrong direction. During this time of uneasiness 236 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:57,800 or you know, a rocky stability in your life of not knowing 237 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:02,080 where you're supposed to go, you shouldn't move until you've 238 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:09,400 heard God. And through a a multitude of 239 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:16,480 wise counsel, Amen. Because that's going to keep you 240 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:23,320 safe in the midst of what God is trying to do within your life to 241 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:27,760 make sure that you're moving in the right direction and doing 242 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:33,320 the right things. And so anyway, so he says here 243 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:38,680 we're talking about indeed, I'm, I'm ready to do a new thing and 244 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,520 it's ready, right to spring forth. 245 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:47,760 But that's important in this timing when he's trying to do a 246 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:51,240 new thing within you. Again, we're going to have to 247 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:55,640 make sure we stay settled and set where we're at so that 248 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,640 everything that God needs to do within us during that process 249 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:05,760 and during that uneasiness and during that feeling of change or 250 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,640 whatever it is that God's doing within our heart. 251 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:13,200 How about this one where you just don't know, You can't 252 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,440 explain how you're feeling inside? 253 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:21,720 It's the worst time that you could ever do something 254 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:29,200 different. I've seen too many people get 255 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:34,680 off in that timing. No, you need to wait till you 256 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:40,680 have complete peace and let that thing get perfected within you 257 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:46,400 so that nothing gets uprooted outside of God's timing of what 258 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,160 He's trying to complete or birth new within you. 259 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,400 Amen. That's a word for some people, 260 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,120 if you'll receive it. Isaiah 43. 261 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:58,400 I had this down. Isaiah 43, which I think is the 262 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:03,560 scripture that Matt read. 18 and 19 do not remember the former 263 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,160 things. And again, this is where the 264 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:12,200 enemy wants to keep you trapped. He wants to remind you of all 265 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:19,680 the past, remind you you can't move forward because of all the 266 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,600 things you've done in the past. No, goodbye yesterday. 267 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,720 Come on, I'm moving in. Don't buy the lie. 268 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,160 Don't buy the lie from the enemy that you cannot move forward. 269 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,760 It says do not remember the former things. 270 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,760 Oh, ponder the things of the past. 271 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,240 Or ponder the things of the past that you know what that means. 272 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,680 Don't meditate on the things of the past. 273 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,840 Don't continue to think about the past and how the past was. 274 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,800 Don't continue to ponder on it. No, for you to move forward, 275 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:57,240 you're going to have to quit pondering and thinking on former 276 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:02,560 things or past things for you to move into a new place that God 277 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:08,320 has for you. So he says this, listen 278 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:13,720 carefully. See, during this time you need 279 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:17,160 to listen carefully. And what are we listening to His 280 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,400 word? What are we listening to His 281 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:21,760 Spirit? What are we listening to the 282 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,600 counsel of the Lord that God has put you up underneath to keep 283 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:31,320 you safe in this space. And during this time, listen 284 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:36,520 carefully. I'm about to do a new thing and 285 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:42,080 now it will spring forth. Will you not be aware of it? 286 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,320 This is why I'm telling you there's some shakiness happening 287 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:53,480 among people in this body. Will you not be aware of what 288 00:24:53,480 --> 00:25:05,760 God is actually trying to do? Be aware of it, listen 289 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,400 carefully. You see this and I will even put 290 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,920 a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. 291 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:19,280 That means he is going to make a way where you feel like you are 292 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:23,760 in the wilderness right now. Come on, He is going to make a 293 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,600 way for you if you'll listen carefully. 294 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:32,920 Come on, if you'll listen carefully to what the Spirit of 295 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:39,080 the Lord is saying and, and if you will allow him to do that 296 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,080 new thing, he's going to put you on a road. 297 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,440 He's going to make a road for you in the wilderness. 298 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:47,920 Well, you know what? You can just look back at the 299 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,120 children of Israel and think about the wilderness. 300 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:57,440 What is the the wilderness is where they were for 40 years. 301 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:03,120 And he's saying some of you have been in a wilderness position 302 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:07,160 spiritually for years. Going around what? 303 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:11,040 You know what Joyce Meyers used to say going around that 304 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,320 mountain every year. Here it is again. 305 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,360 Here it is again, here it is again. 306 00:26:19,120 --> 00:26:21,160 Why? Because we're not allowing him 307 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:28,600 to complete and perfect to take us into the promised land, the 308 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:37,240 new thing, the new thing. And so again, he wants to make a 309 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:41,440 road in the wilderness, but we have to be the ones that are 310 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,680 going to listen carefully during this time. 311 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:49,320 And then rivers in the desert. What does this represent? 312 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:56,720 A dry time. Maybe 2024 has been a dry season 313 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:01,800 spiritually for you. You've just felt dry. 314 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,120 You know what he's saying. I'm ready to give you rivers of 315 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:12,440 living water again. I'm ready to refresh you like 316 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,120 never before. I'm ready to spring up. 317 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:23,520 Come on some new fresh water from the Holy Spirit within your 318 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:24,880 life. Listen. 319 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:28,840 And the good thing is, is that if we are all filled with the 320 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,080 Spirit of God, we can just make a determination. 321 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,560 I'm going to stir up those whales. 322 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,280 Come on, I'm going to tap into that well. 323 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:43,280 I'm going to go deeper into stirring myself up in the Spirit 324 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:48,200 of God because the water had seemed stagnant, but you've got 325 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:54,480 a new fresh well of rivers of living water flowing, and I'm 326 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,680 going to jump in. Come on, I'm going to dive into 327 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:05,640 the river and of walking into a freshness of the Spirit of God. 328 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:11,240 Hallelujah, Hallelujah. What is he saying? 329 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,080 Even though we have to do it, He's saying I'll be there to 330 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:22,120 give it. I'll be there to give you fresh 331 00:28:22,120 --> 00:28:25,000 water if you'll just tap into it. 332 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:30,160 If you'll just tap into it, I'll give you some fresh water for 333 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,920 this season that it seemed as if it was dry. 334 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,560 If it's you've been living in a desert, come on for the last 335 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,320 year. But he's got some fresh new 336 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,360 water for you to tap into. Hallelujah. 337 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:50,520 And do you remember when you are so hot and thirsty and you're 338 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:58,000 out, you know, outside, say, and you take that first sip of fresh 339 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,280 water? Now, I don't know about you, but 340 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:05,280 I like ice water. I don't really care for room 341 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,760 temperature water because I feel like that's not as refreshing as 342 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,520 ice when you're in a desert, right? 343 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:19,440 I want ice water. And you drink that first glass 344 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,200 of refreshing ice water. I mean, just think it's 345 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,480 refreshing. And you know what? 346 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:31,680 Something else, a tradition which I'm giving away with my 347 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,440 family because my husband reminded me yesterday that 348 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,320 nobody said anything about it at the new year. 349 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:47,240 My kids and him always had a, what is that called tradition to 350 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,120 be the first one in the ocean for the new year. 351 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,000 And I hadn't heard, not one person say they've done it 352 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,800 because it's been a little cold this new Year, hadn't it? 353 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:03,240 Not like, you know, past New Year's in Florida, but it's been 354 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:08,520 extremely cold this New Year. And he reminded me yesterday, he 355 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,960 said I might go jump in that ocean because I hadn't heard one 356 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,280 of my kids text me and say they got in the ocean before me. 357 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,480 But when you jump in, you know, and y'all know, now they're 358 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,280 doing those, you know, the ice baths that really are popular, 359 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,320 you know, jumping in the ice. What is that called? 360 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:35,440 No. Yeah, the ice baths, it's really 361 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:37,520 popular now. It's but you're supposed to jump 362 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,080 in it. It's supposed to be shock your, 363 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:42,520 your nervous system, be good for your immunities and all this 364 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:48,520 stuff. And so, you know, go jump in an 365 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:53,080 ice bath to remind you of the refreshing that God wants to do 366 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,680 within you. Go jump in the Florida Ocean 367 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,400 over here. And you know how it feels when 368 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,680 you jump in and you come out and it's freezing cold and freezing 369 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:08,960 cold for me in May, right? And you jump out. 370 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:14,960 I mean, you feel, you know, when I give my dog a bath and I do it 371 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:20,040 with cold water, she gets all excited, you know, from that 372 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:25,160 cold water starts running around like a spring chicken, you know, 373 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,040 and she's 11 years old, but she'll take off and run around 374 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,800 the yard because it does something, it refreshes you. 375 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:39,520 It come on it, it wakes you up. And God wants to wake us up. 376 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:44,040 He wants to do a new refreshing thing within our life this year. 377 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,440 But we are going to have to do it by faith. 378 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:53,000 We're going to have to lock in and engage our faith to say I'm 379 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,760 going to grab hold of mine. I'm going to get mine right. 380 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,560 And so we are going to have to be those that will by faith 381 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,440 receive what it is that God wants to do. 382 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,680 So He's the author and perfector of our faith. 383 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,160 Psalms 138 and verse 8 says this. 384 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:16,720 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. 385 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:24,280 He will perfect or complete that which concerns me. 386 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:28,560 And that ought to be your faith this year and your confession 387 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:33,400 this year that God, whatever needs to finally be complete 388 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:37,560 within me, you will see it come to pass. 389 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:45,600 The Lord will perfect the thing that is concerning me, whatever 390 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:50,920 needs to be perfected within me. I am going to trust the Lord 391 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:56,840 that He will do it, that He will bring it into completion within 392 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:02,520 my life because He is all about completing something to take you 393 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:08,800 into another place, to take you in to another place. 394 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:14,720 And how are we going to be able to though during this time, 395 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:20,600 during this time for Him to get this accomplished within our 396 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:25,440 lives, we are going to have to fix our eyes. 397 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:30,000 He tells us the answer. We're going to have to fix our 398 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,200 eyes on Jesus. That means we're not going to 399 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,080 fix our eyes on what our circumstance looks like. 400 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:42,440 We're not going to fix our eyes on what reminds us of the past 401 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:46,720 or how maybe you're having marriage issues and you see the 402 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:48,720 same behavior. What do you do? 403 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,920 You see the same behavior, so you think there's no change. 404 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,800 So what are you doing? You're fixing your eyes on the 405 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,520 unchanged behavior instead of fixing your eyes. 406 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:03,200 Oh, Jesus, who is the author and finisher, my faith that I'm 407 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:06,960 going to be in faith that this thing is going to change within 408 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,360 my marriage. This thing is going to change 409 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:12,199 within my within this individual's life. 410 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:14,679 Now I'm no longer going to look at this. 411 00:34:14,679 --> 00:34:19,239 I'm going to look at this and I'm going to stay in faith. 412 00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:27,920 We have to be people that will fix our eyes on Jesus because He 413 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,000 lets us know in Second Corinthians chapter 5 that we 414 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:38,800 are to what for we are to walk by faith and not by sight. 415 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,920 We're going to have to fix our eyes on what the word of God 416 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,800 says, on what the Spirit of God has said. 417 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:50,600 We're going to have to fix our eyes, right? 418 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:52,320 We're going to have to say no. What? 419 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,520 I'm going to look at it, at Jesus. 420 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:56,679 I'm going to look towards his word. 421 00:34:56,679 --> 00:35:00,320 I'm going to look towards what he has said because I am not 422 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,960 going to look at this situation in this circumstance and get 423 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,880 focused on it. I'm going to focus on Jesus. 424 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:13,920 Hebrews 12/2 in the Amplified. I want to read it, it says 425 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:18,960 looking away from all that will distract us. 426 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:27,520 Wow. And that's the problem is that 427 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:30,280 we get our eyes on the distractions. 428 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:36,640 We get our eyes focusing on the wrong things during situations 429 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:41,440 that are going on in our life instead of no fixing my eyes, 430 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:45,360 focusing on it, not getting distracted about these 431 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:50,640 situations and circumstances and the things that I see going on. 432 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:54,840 No, I'm going to lock in. I'm going to fix my eyes on 433 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,400 Jesus. Come on, I'm going to look at 434 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,200 him and I'm not going to be distracted. 435 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:06,160 So he says looking away from all that will distract us, focusing 436 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:14,280 our eyes on Jesus. So focus, think about that. 437 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:19,760 If you have a camera, if you have a telescope, right, what 438 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:21,680 are some other things you can look through? 439 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,520 When I go to the eye doctor, I have to look through those 440 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:25,600 things. And he's what? 441 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:31,240 Tweaking all those little things so that I can focus, right? 442 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:40,640 I'm going to have to tweak my lenses so that I can stay in 443 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:47,920 focus with my eyes on what the prize is or what it is that he 444 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:53,400 says. Instead of focusing on all these 445 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:58,280 other things that are just trying to pop up to distract us 446 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:03,120 and get us unfocused, get us distracted, get us on things 447 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,160 that we don't need to be focused on. 448 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:11,400 We need to focus our faith on Jesus, who is the author and 449 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:15,120 perfector of our faith. Amen. 450 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:21,200 Focusing so that we don't get distracted walking by faith and 451 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,440 not by sight. What is faith? 452 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,920 I want to remind you, I think it was, I don't even remember, I 453 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:29,640 did a whole four or five week session on faith and maybe it 454 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:34,000 was over the summer. I would encourage you to go back 455 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:38,920 on iTunes or whatever it's on whatever platform and go back 456 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:46,400 and re listen to all 66 teachings on faith because he's 457 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:54,280 telling us to get our focus on faith this year on faith. 458 00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:01,400 So Hebrews 11/1 now. Faith is the substance of 459 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:05,520 things. What hope for the evidence of 460 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:10,280 things not seen. This is why he tells us to keep 461 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,800 our focus and to fix our eyes because when we are people in 462 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:24,200 faith, it's not seen. It doesn't look like what it's 463 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:30,240 supposed to look like. It's not changing and doing what 464 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:36,720 it's supposed to be doing during this time that I am now, what 465 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:41,720 exercise in my faith says it's going to be the opposite of what 466 00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:45,560 it looks like. So faith, we want to remind you, 467 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:50,720 is a firm persuasion. It's a confident expectation. 468 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:53,920 This is how you know that you're in faith. 469 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:59,320 I'm firmly persuaded that this situation is going to change. 470 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,000 Period. It has to change. 471 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:07,400 It has to change because I'm going to stay in a position of 472 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:09,920 faith. I'm going to stay fixed and 473 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:15,200 looking to Jesus. Come on, who is the author and 474 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:18,880 finisher of my faith in this situation? 475 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:22,880 It's not just a one and done faith. 476 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:33,840 Faith is something we are to keep activated, to live by, to 477 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:37,640 obtain the promises of God within our life. 478 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:42,600 And we will never obtain all the promises of God in our life if 479 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:48,040 we are not actively walking by faith in every scenario or 480 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,160 situation that we're encountering. 481 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:59,600 So we have to ask ourselves, is our faith activated? 482 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:04,920 Are we firmly persuaded that what God has said concerning 483 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:10,480 this situation or that circumstance will come to pass? 484 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:14,360 Amen. So we are going to have to 485 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:20,120 continue to fix ourselves, fix ourselves in a position of faith 486 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:24,480 and fix ourselves, our eyes on the prize. 487 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:29,560 Isaiah 26 and three says this. You will keep him in perfect 488 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:36,840 peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. 489 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:43,800 So where he says that we are to fix our eyes or get our eyes 490 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:51,880 focused also this means to turn our mind towards. 491 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:58,040 So it's not just about focusing your eyes, it's about resetting 492 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:02,960 your mind to turn it towards what God says instead of what 493 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:08,640 you're hearing in your mind. So we're going to have to turn, 494 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:12,840 not just fix, not just our eyes, but we're going to have to turn 495 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:22,160 our mind set on Him. Our mindset, Come on, we're 496 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:26,800 going to have to turn our mindset on Him because it's 497 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,040 where this is the enemy's playground. 498 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:34,240 Remember, He's going to tell you in your mind the opposite of 499 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:39,440 what you are believing God for. He's going to give you a picture 500 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:42,520 in your mind that it's not going to work. 501 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:50,280 That's how the enemy works. He comes to your mind to get you 502 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:55,560 anxious and overwhelmed and worried, but He's letting us 503 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:58,200 know we're going to have to fix our eyes. 504 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:03,040 And then we're going to have to turn our mindset and get it set 505 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:09,120 on what He has said and what He is doing and what cast down 506 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:14,360 every thought that's tried to come to our mind and line it up 507 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:19,920 with the Word of God, right? Corinthians, Second Corinthians, 508 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:24,360 I believe it is. Take every thought captive and 509 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,760 line it up to what the Word of God says. 510 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,360 And this is how we keep ourselves fixed. 511 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:34,920 We meditate in the Word, we read the Word, we see what the Word 512 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:40,120 is saying, and then we set our mind to meditate on it day and 513 00:42:40,120 --> 00:42:43,240 night. Come on day and night, that's 514 00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:46,400 what I'm going to focus on. I'm going to meditate on it, and 515 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:52,440 then I'm going to have perfect peace in the situation that I'm 516 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,320 standing upon. You know why I'm going to have 517 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:59,400 perfect peace with my mind stayed on what God has said. 518 00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:04,360 It's because then my faith is activated, and where there's 519 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:10,560 activation of faith, there's rest, rest, peace. 520 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:13,240 I don't have to be anxious. I don't have to be worried. 521 00:43:13,240 --> 00:43:15,520 I don't have to care what everybody else thinks. 522 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:19,720 I don't have to be concerned if they are in agreement with me or 523 00:43:19,720 --> 00:43:23,320 not. Come on, I'm in faith myself. 524 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:25,480 I'm at peace. I'm at rest. 525 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:29,200 I don't care, you know, about all these other things. 526 00:43:29,720 --> 00:43:34,800 I'm going to keep my mind set and I'm going to keep my eyes 527 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:41,440 focused and fixed, right? Because that literally means 528 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:45,440 when it says whose mind is stayed on you, it means to lean 529 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:52,480 upon and to rest on committed and focused. 530 00:43:53,680 --> 00:43:59,120 I'm committed to this thing to see it through by faith. 531 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,960 I'm committed to this thing to see it through. 532 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:07,000 But I'm only going to be able to see it through if I'm in faith, 533 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:11,560 resting and leaning on him, keeping my eyes fixed and 534 00:44:11,560 --> 00:44:17,200 keeping my mind set. Amen. 535 00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:21,520 I'm going to read US1 more scripture. 536 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:27,440 Hallelujah. Colossians chapter 3 Colossians 537 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:31,880 chapter 3 and verse 2 says this. Set your mind. 538 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:38,200 That's what that means. Set, get it set, get it in a 539 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:42,240 position and don't let it waver. Don't let it move. 540 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:47,160 Set your mind and keep focused. I'm reading out of the 541 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:51,600 amplified. So your mind and your your eyes 542 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:56,760 are one, so to speak. You're set in your mind and your 543 00:44:56,840 --> 00:45:03,360 focus, your eyes as one. And so he says, set your mind 544 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:08,320 and keep focused habitually on the things above, the heavenly 545 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:13,680 things, not on things of this earth which are only temporal or 546 00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:17,040 temporary or amplifies as temporal value. 547 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:21,680 So again, he lets us know we're going to have to set our minds 548 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:24,640 on the things above. We're going to have to fix our 549 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:29,280 eyes on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. 550 00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:33,040 We're going to have to be people that by faith, if we are going 551 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:37,160 to walk into the new things that he has for us, we are going to 552 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:43,000 have to be people that will actually set ourselves like 553 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:50,160 Flint. We're not going to be moved. 554 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:51,680 We're not going to come off of it. 555 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:58,800 I was sharing this in corporate prayer this morning, and I want 556 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:01,320 to encourage you. You should be in corporate 557 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:07,840 prayer. 9:30 We pray for 30 minutes. 558 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:11,800 Be in here. Do you believe that our answers 559 00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:17,280 come through prayer? Be here because God is always, 560 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:22,480 you know, here speaking to us, showing us things, giving us a 561 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:26,760 course, directions and things by the Spirit of God in prayer. 562 00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:29,600 You know, I've had so many people come to me and say I 563 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:32,360 never knew how to pray until I came to corporate prayer and 564 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:41,880 started learning how to pray. Come to prayer, people of faith, 565 00:46:42,640 --> 00:46:50,240 actually pray, not just about coming and hearing the word. 566 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:53,840 Why don't you come and activate your life of faith through 567 00:46:53,840 --> 00:46:56,040 prayer and believe God for some things. 568 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:59,480 Amen. And so I encourage you with 569 00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:02,480 that. Anyway, let me see what 570 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:05,840 scripture I'm going to talk about here and then we'll close. 571 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:16,880 I want to read James chapter 2 Faith, being firmly persuaded 572 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:20,160 that God is the author and perfector of our faith and that 573 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:24,120 there are some things that need to be completed within our lives 574 00:47:24,720 --> 00:47:30,400 so that we can move forward. We're never going to move 575 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:35,120 forward if we don't allow Him to get some things completed in our 576 00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:40,600 lives once and for all. And so James chapter 2 and verse 577 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:44,960 17 through 22 says this. And the amplified so to faith, 578 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:50,800 if it does not have works to back it up, is by itself dead 579 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:58,000 and inoperative and ineffective. I never want to be in a position 580 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:03,520 that my faith is inoperative and ineffective. 581 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:09,720 And it can be if we don't keep it activated. 582 00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:15,000 And we have to be intentional about that. 583 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:20,480 It says, but someone may say you claim to have faith and I have 584 00:48:20,480 --> 00:48:23,440 good works. Show me your alleged faith 585 00:48:23,720 --> 00:48:28,160 without the works if you can, and I'll show you my faith by 586 00:48:28,160 --> 00:48:36,400 works, That is, by what I do. So faith is not us just 587 00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:41,960 believing that God died and God raised him from the dead, that 588 00:48:41,960 --> 00:48:44,080 Jesus died and God raised him from the dead. 589 00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:50,200 Faith is not just that. Faith has action. 590 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:57,600 We are resting in faith in the finished work of Christ, but it 591 00:48:57,600 --> 00:49:02,480 will be inoperative in our life if we don't do something with 592 00:49:02,480 --> 00:49:07,840 it, if we don't do something with it. 593 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:12,680 And so we must be people that are going to activate our faith 594 00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:14,920 and actually do something with it. 595 00:49:15,080 --> 00:49:18,520 He says I'm going to show you my faith by my works. 596 00:49:18,520 --> 00:49:25,440 That is by what I do. And then he goes on to say you 597 00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:29,920 believe that God is 1. You do well to believe that the 598 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:34,920 demons also believe that in shudder, in all feared terror, 599 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,880 they have seen his wrath. But are you willing to 600 00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:44,160 recognize, you foolish, spiritually shallow person, that 601 00:49:44,160 --> 00:49:47,360 faith without good works is useless? 602 00:49:48,880 --> 00:49:54,160 Was our father Abraham not shown to be justified by his works of 603 00:49:54,160 --> 00:50:00,560 obedience which expressed his faith when he offered Isaac his 604 00:50:00,560 --> 00:50:03,960 son on the altar as the sacrifice to God? 605 00:50:04,360 --> 00:50:10,680 Verse 22 you see that his faith was working together with his 606 00:50:10,680 --> 00:50:16,320 works, and as a result of the works, his faith was what? 607 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:31,680 Reaching to it's what maturity when he expressed his faith 608 00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:39,920 through what faith without works or obedience to what God is 609 00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:46,160 saying to do in your situation or your circumstance is dead and 610 00:50:46,160 --> 00:50:56,480 inoperative. And so He cannot complete some 611 00:50:56,480 --> 00:51:02,080 things within us if there's no action behind us doing what it 612 00:51:02,080 --> 00:51:07,280 is that we're hearing to do in the situation, to see it come to 613 00:51:07,280 --> 00:51:10,440 pass in our life. If we're not going to be 614 00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:17,000 obedient to do what He's telling us to do, we can fix our eyes 615 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:22,120 all day long. Oh Jesus, I love Jesus, I love 616 00:51:22,120 --> 00:51:23,320 you. I love you. 617 00:51:23,440 --> 00:51:28,760 I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. 618 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:34,200 Come on, you can sing. I love you to Jesus all day long 619 00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:37,160 and not have obedient works of faith. 620 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:48,240 You can come to the altar every service and tell Jesus you love 621 00:51:48,240 --> 00:51:54,520 him and cry, but if you walk out and do nothing that he is 622 00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:59,160 telling you to do, it is ineffective. 623 00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:03,080 It's dead. I didn't say it. 624 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:07,600 James said it by the inspiration of God. 625 00:52:09,480 --> 00:52:17,400 So we cannot fool ourselves or deceive our own selves that 626 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:21,240 God's done it all and there's nothing we have to do. 627 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:26,520 That is not faith. It's not grace. 628 00:52:29,240 --> 00:52:34,640 We have to activate faith to live by it every day. 629 00:52:34,880 --> 00:52:39,640 And by living by it every day, that means that we are actually 630 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:45,640 going to be obedient to what God is telling us to do in whatever 631 00:52:45,640 --> 00:52:49,840 situation we are in. And we're never going to come 632 00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:55,280 on, we're never going to go into a new place of faith if we're 633 00:52:55,280 --> 00:53:00,760 not allowing this other place of faith to ever be completed 634 00:53:00,760 --> 00:53:04,720 within our lives. Of what does that mean? 635 00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:09,320 Things that you know, he's already spoken to you to do. 636 00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:18,760 And if we don't do it, faith is not active. 637 00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:24,640 And so therefore he can't complete a thing within you to 638 00:53:24,640 --> 00:53:30,240 create a new space to move you into, to increase you, because 639 00:53:30,240 --> 00:53:35,040 you refuse to do the very thing he's told us to do in the first 640 00:53:35,040 --> 00:53:40,440 place in obedience. Because faith works by 641 00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:46,720 obedience, works by obedience. Hallelujah. 642 00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:49,680 Not just being able to quote the Scripture. 643 00:53:51,840 --> 00:53:54,080 It's what is it that He's saying to me? 644 00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:58,320 I'm going to obey that I'm going to do it by faith, even though 645 00:53:58,320 --> 00:54:03,640 it may be seemingly difficult. Because nothing's too hard for 646 00:54:03,640 --> 00:54:09,200 God. Nothing's too hard when we tap 647 00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:17,640 into His strength, His ability, His grace to empower us to be 648 00:54:17,640 --> 00:54:22,240 able to do the very things that he's requiring of us to do by 649 00:54:22,240 --> 00:54:28,960 faith, then his grace is there empowering us to be able to 650 00:54:28,960 --> 00:54:31,640 accomplish the very things that he needs. 651 00:54:31,640 --> 00:54:34,720 I'm telling you, God wants to do some new things within some 652 00:54:34,720 --> 00:54:38,480 people's lives, but He's ready to bring some completion to some 653 00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:40,840 things. That's you just been taken to 654 00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:44,600 yourself year after year after year after year. 655 00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:48,480 And you're never allowing God to perfect those things within you 656 00:54:48,920 --> 00:54:52,080 and complete them. And He's saying once and for 657 00:54:52,080 --> 00:54:57,080 all, let's get these things complete within you so that I 658 00:54:57,080 --> 00:55:01,880 can take you into new territory. Come on, so that I can take you 659 00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:05,960 into a new song this year. Come on, so that I can take you 660 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:10,040 into some new refreshing water this year that I have for you. 661 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:17,160 Come on, so that I can take you into a place of increase in your 662 00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:19,800 life. Hallelujah.