Full transcript
0:00Uh, grab your Bible, your Bible app, all
0:03of that. I want to I want to uh I want
0:06to say this. I'm I'm springing something
0:08on you guys today. This morning, I'm
0:10springing a a series on you guys. I
0:12didn't we didn't do any I just wanted to
0:15spring it on you because I feel like God
0:16has something to say to us. So, I want
0:18to give a um I guess I'll talk about
0:20that in a second, but first, I want you
0:22to know that we are being the hands and
0:24feet of Jesus. We are partnering with
0:26our friends at the uh Broward Outreach
0:28Center and we're going to serve there.
0:30So, I want you to I want you to do me a
0:32favor. I want you to the QR code is
0:34going to hit the screen right here. And
0:35if you want to be a part of outreach
0:37here at Fresh Church because we believe
0:39that church isn't just what happens in
0:41the four walls. We believe that church
0:43should happen all the time and
0:45particularly servicing those people who
0:47need it the most. So, if you're if
0:49you're a person that you love to reach
0:51out into the community and you want to
0:52be the hands and the feet of Jesus, I
0:54want you to hit that QR code. We got a
0:56few different things coming up. Um, so
0:58we'll make sure that we reach out to
0:59you. One of them is going to be we're
1:01going to be partnering with the Broward
1:02Outreach Center. They're actually having
1:04a graduation for the individuals who
1:06stayed inside of the recovery center uh
1:10and all of that for one year.
1:13That's a major deal. Imagine that. a
1:15person coming off of the street staying
1:17sticking into a program uh being sober
1:20for one full year and they're having a
1:22graduation for them. Yeah. Many of them
1:24are going and moving into their own
1:25apartment, got their own houses and
1:27things of that nature. Look at somebody
1:28and say that's outreach. That's
1:30outreach. So that's one of the things
1:32we're doing and then we're also
1:33partnering with the city of West Park
1:34and we're going to be helping uh
1:36distribute some food coming up real
1:38soon. So and then we got a number of
1:40things happen. It's a lot going on in
1:41Jesus name. I just wanted to make sure
1:44that you all are aware of that. Last
1:46announcement before we get into the
1:47word. Wednesdays at 7:30 we're praying.
1:51It's Fresh Word House of Prayer, right?
1:54Fresh Word House of Prayer. So, we're
1:56coming in for one hour of prayer. That's
1:59it. Pastor, what's on the program?
2:01Prayer.
2:03[laughter]
2:03Who's doing what next? We praying the
2:06whole night, right? Uh because we
2:08understand that there's power in prayer.
2:10So, I want to invite you to that.
2:11Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and we're doing
2:14one hour prayer. All right.
2:17I want you to grab your Bible Bible app.
2:21I have a word that I feel like God uh
2:25really tapped me on my shoulder.
2:28It's about last month
2:31and I've been waiting for him to let me
2:34know when is it time to kind of share.
2:38And I feel like God has something to say
2:40to us. So, uh, just at the outset, as I,
2:43um, kind of dive into this word, I want
2:46you to I want you to know that, um, it's
2:49kind of going in a different direction
2:50that, uh, I planned on for it to go. I I
2:53already see and sense that. So, just
2:55kind of roll with me a little bit. And I
2:57feel like God uh, is going to add, Holy
2:59Spirit is going to add some major value
3:00to our life. So, do me a favor. Uh,
3:02while you grab your Bible, would you
3:04join me in the book of First Kings,
3:05chapter number 19? And when you have
3:07first kings 19, it is our custom here to
3:10stand for the word if you can. Uh, first
3:12kings chapter number 19,
3:24first Kings 19.
3:35Before I read the word, I want you to do
3:37me a favor. I want you to just take
3:39about 15 20 seconds right now.
3:44I want you to close your eyes.
3:47Nothing crazy. I just want you to close
3:48your eyes.
3:51I want you to breathe in deeply. I just
3:54want you to just calm
3:58center.
4:02[snorts]
4:11First Kings, chapter number 19,
4:15verses 3 and 4. If you don't have it,
4:17it's going to be right here on the
4:18screen. It says this,
4:20"Leaving the servant there.
4:23Elijah walked a whole day into the
4:25wilderness.
4:27He stopped and he sat down in the shade
4:29of a tree
4:32and wished he would die.
4:36It's too much,
4:41Lord. He prayed,
4:44take away my life.
4:47I might as well be dead.
4:52Verse number four, Elijah walked a whole
4:54day.
4:56Elijah walked a whole day
4:59into the wilderness.
5:01He stopped and sat down in the shade of
5:03a tree and wished he would die. It's too
5:07much, Lord.
5:09Take away my life.
5:12I might as well be dead. I want to put a
5:15tag on this text and first installment
5:18of this series entitled Stuck.
5:21This series entitled Stuck.
5:24Lord, this is too much.
5:28On the way down to your seat, say,
5:29"Lord,
5:30this is too much.
5:35Lord,
5:37this is too much."
5:40Family, as we begin this series today, I
5:43want to start with a thought that I
5:45believe is simple
5:48but also is significant.
5:52And that thought is this.
5:55Sometimes you don't realize how tired
5:58you are
6:00until you finally stop running.
6:06Sometimes you don't realize how tired
6:09you are until you stop running.
6:14There is something that happens to us
6:17psychologically and emotionally after
6:19we've lived through prolonged pressure,
6:22prolonged stress, and prolonged
6:25uncertainty.
6:27You can spend so much time, watch this,
6:29operating in survival mode that survival
6:32starts to feel normal.
6:35You, you, you and I, we can get good at
6:38functioning. We can get good at pushing
6:41through. We can get good at showing up.
6:44We can get good at saying, "I'm fine."
6:46We can become fluent in functioning
6:49while foreign to our own feelings.
6:54>> That's a dangerous place to live because
6:56you can be functioning and still falling
6:58apart.
7:01You can be productive and still be
7:02depleted. You can be surrounded and
7:04still feel isolated. You can be, watch
7:06this, blessed and still broken.
7:11You can be moving
7:14and still be stuck.
7:17And sometimes life has a strange way of
7:19exposing what's really inside of us. Not
7:21just when the pressure is on, but when
7:23the pressure finally lets up.
7:26Let me say that again. Sometimes life
7:29has a strange way of exposing what's
7:32really happening inside of us. Not just
7:35when the pressure is on, but when the
7:37pressure FINALLY LETS UP. YOU ever
7:39noticed that you can hold yourself
7:41together through while you're going
7:42through it, BUT THE MOMENT YOU GET
7:44THROUGH IT, you fall apart.
7:48Okay, I got to work today.
7:51You You can You can make it through the
7:54meeting and then cry in the car.
7:56You can make IT THROUGH THE FUNERAL, BUT
7:58THEN BREAK DOWN THREE WEEKS LATER. YOU
8:01CAN HOLD THE FAMILY TOGETHER AND THEN
8:03LOSE IT WHEN YOU FINALLY GET HOME. YOU
8:05CAN FINISH THE PROJECT. YOU CAN CLOSE
8:07THE DEAL. YOU CAN PASS THE EXAM. You can
8:09make the sale. YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH
8:10THE SEASON. AND INSTEAD OF FEELING
8:12RELIEVED, you feel empty.
8:17Maybe you ask, "What's wrong with me?"
8:20Nothing may be wrong with you.
8:23You may simply be depleted
8:26from what you've been dealing with.
8:29There's a term uh that's that's often
8:31described uh that describes this uh
8:33particular thing, and it's called it's
8:35called postadrenaline crash.
8:38Postadrenaline
8:40crash that that that's when your body is
8:42producing the energy necessary to
8:43survive the moment but when the moment
8:45passes the energy drops and suddenly you
8:47couldn't feel why you couldn't feel
8:50while you were fighting u you couldn't
8:52feel but while you were fighting you
8:54felt strong enough to fight but now that
8:57the fight is over you feel weak enough
8:58and you're about to pass out
9:01>> and I think that's where some of us are
9:03some some of us often are confused
9:05because we thought that the problem was
9:07the problem but sometimes Sometimes the
9:08problem reveals the problem. Sometimes
9:12what happened to you exposes what's
9:15happening in you.
9:19Just kind of stay with me as I lay some
9:20foundation for this for this series.
9:22Some sometimes the situation isn't
9:25creating something new in you. Sometimes
9:27the situation is uncovering something
9:30that's already there.
9:36That's one of the reasons that I love
9:38the Bible. All right, y'all just kind of
9:40roll with me. I know this is a kind of
9:41lengthy introduction, but it's one of
9:43the reasons that I love scripture
9:44because scripture doesn't only just show
9:46us people's victories. It shows us their
9:49v vulnerabilities. I I love that. I love
9:52that because because it doesn't just
9:54show us the mountains, it shows us their
9:56valleys. It doesn't just show us public
9:58miracles. It also shows us we're going
10:00to see p private meltdowns.
10:04Scripture doesn't just show us public
10:06miracles. It shows us private meltdowns
10:08as well. And and watch this. Watch this.
10:11It it doesn't just show us public
10:13miracles. It shows us the private
10:15breakdowns. And I believe that
10:17breakthrough in any area of life
10:19requires confrontation.
10:23Okay?
10:25And if we're honest, many of us have
10:26experienced some public victories and
10:28private meltdowns. Not a meltdown of
10:31anger, but maybe a meltdown of anxiety.
10:38Anxious about what's next, anxious about
10:40my problems, anxious about my past,
10:43anxious about my finances, anxious about
10:45my relational future, anxious about my
10:48security, anxious about everything
10:51concerning life. But I got new I got
10:53good news for you. And it's found in
10:55Philippians chapter number four verse
10:57number six. The Bible say God this is
10:59good. The Bible says this. If you've
11:01ever been there, if you ever felt like
11:03God, what in the world are you doing? Or
11:05Lord, this is entirely too much. I got
11:07good news for you. And it's found in
11:09first in Philippians chapter number four
11:11verse number six. THE BIBLE SAYS THIS,
11:12BE ANXIOUS [screaming] FOR NOTHING.
11:17[laughter] OKAY? BUT BUT IN EVERYTHING
11:20by prayer AND SUPPLICATION WITH
11:24THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE
11:27KNOWN TO GOD.
11:30>> And Lord HAVE MERCY, THE PEACE OF GOD,
11:34>> WHICH SURPASSES ALL understanding
11:38will guard your hearts AND GUARD YOUR
11:41MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. CHURCH,
11:43don't church folk don't know when to
11:44shout. WATCH THIS. THE PEACE OF GOD THAT
11:47PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL GUARD YOUR
11:50HEARTS AND GUARD YOUR MINDS THROUGH
11:53CHRIST JESUS.
11:55>> PEACE IS GUARDING ME.
11:58>> NOW, SEE,
12:00>> I've always been hurt. I've always heard
12:02culturally we've heard you got to
12:04protect your peace,
12:07>> right? Uh-uh. I'm not going there.
12:09Certain environments, I'm not going. I
12:11got to protect my peace. Certain
12:12conversations, I'm not entertaining. I
12:14got to protect my peace. And I think
12:15that there's something to that. I
12:17understand that the the mindset behind
12:18that. But the scripture just told ME
12:20THAT THE PEACE OF GOD, watch this, which
12:23surpasses all understanding, will guard
12:25my heart and guard my mind.
12:28>> SO I'M NOT PROTECTING MY PEACE. THE
12:31PEACE OF GOD IS ACTUALLY PROTECTING ME.
12:36>> That's why Uh-oh. Lord, I supposed TO
12:39TEACH TODAY? THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T LOSE
12:41IT IN THAT LAST SEASON BECAUSE YOU WERE
12:44PROTECTED. THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T STAY
12:46DOWN WHEN YOU FELL DOWN BECAUSE YOU WERE
12:49PROTECTED. THE PEACE OF GOD WILL PROTECT
12:53YOUR HEART.
12:57>> The reason that I didn't throw in the
13:00towel is not because I'm so strong.
13:05It's because I'm protected. Yeah.
13:08>> The reason I can still love again after
13:11be after my heart being broken and
13:13destroyed is because peace is protecting
13:16me.
13:17>> The y'all ain't going to feel me. The
13:20reason you didn't slash the tire.
13:25[laughter] The reason you is is is
13:28because peace was protecting you. PEACE
13:33IS GUARDING ME. PEACE IS the scripture
13:36says Philippians says be anxious for
13:39nothing. THAT'S HARD TO DO. BUT IN
13:41EVERYTHING BY PRAYER.
13:44>> UH-OH. MAYBE SOME OF THE anxiousness
13:50is revealing the lack of prayerlessness.
13:56>> It's quiet. I said I I said maybe the
14:00the the THE THE THE
14:03VOLUME OF ANXIOUSNESS IS revealing a
14:07lack OF PRAYERLESSNESS
14:09AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK OUT IN OUR
14:11FLESH WHAT ONLY CAN BE WORKED OUT IN
14:14PRAYER.
14:16>> THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT CHANGING.
14:19>> IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY ULTIMATUMS
14:21YOU GIVE THEM.
14:26We're complaining about sometimes what
14:27we should be praying about
14:30>> and um and with prayer and supplication
14:33and thanksgiving. I got to hurry up.
14:35This is not even my text I came to pre
14:37uh let let your requests be made known
14:40to God. Very next verse. And the peace
14:43of God. Oh, go back to that. Uh let your
14:46requests be made known to God. Very next
14:49verse. The peace of God. Oh, that's
14:51good. Let my So that means when I bring
14:54my request to God, I leave it there and
14:57I pick up something else.
15:00>> I LEAVE MY REQUEST AND I PICK UP SOME
15:03PEACE. Y'all ain't saying nothing. I
15:05WISH THERE'S ABOUT 15 PEOPLE IN HERE
15:07THAT CAN SAY, "I MADE IT THROUGH THAT
15:09LAST SEASON BECAUSE I PICKED UP SOME
15:10PEACE. I DIDN'T DO WHAT I WAS GOING TO
15:12DO. I DIDN'T DO WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS
15:14GOING TO DO." LOOK AT TWO PEOPLE AND
15:16TELL THEM, "I GOT PEACE, BABY. I GOT I
15:18GOT PEACE."
15:20[laughter]
15:21SOMETIMES YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW TIRED
15:23YOU REALLY ARE until you stop running.
15:26>> You're so right.
15:27>> Not not because we've always been
15:29running indefinitely, but because we've
15:31been running incorrectly
15:35>> and you run through life in incorrectly.
15:37You end up taxed with energy. You feel
15:40targeted by the enemy and then you
15:43wander aimlessly
15:45because sometimes uh oh Lord, I don't
15:48know if y'all can handle this. I'm I'mma
15:50tell you something.
15:51Um, all right. I'll come back for my
15:54disclaimer later because sometimes
15:57we are spent
16:00and other times God has you still.
16:04And even other times we're stuck.
16:10>> Spent
16:13still
16:14or stuck?
16:18Where am I? Am I spent spent? Great.
16:21Spent is when you've given so much of
16:23yourself that you don't know or you
16:26don't have enough to give. You spent is
16:29when you've given so much of yourself
16:31that you don't have enough left to give.
16:34>> Yeah.
16:34>> It could look like you're functioning,
16:35but everything feels harder than it
16:37should. Small things start to trigger
16:40bigger reactions.
16:45>> You have little emotional margin.
16:48You want to withdraw not because YOU
16:51HATE PEOPLE BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE nothing
16:53left to give. Rest actually helps once
16:56you recover clarity and capacity. So so
16:58so when I'm SPENT
17:01SPENT A PERSON THAT'S SPENT THEY'VE
17:03EXHAUSTED THEMSELVES.
17:06What they're saying is I need to
17:07recover.
17:10>> I need to withdraw.
17:13I I need to recover. Some of us are
17:16spent. Some of us, watch this, we're
17:19still. Still is when God has slowed your
17:22movement because he's doing something in
17:26you that requires you to stop.
17:33>> It's when God has slowed our movement
17:36because he doing something inside of us
17:37that requires us to stop. Doors, this it
17:40looks like this. God, doors aren't
17:43opening despite your effort. You don't
17:44have clarity about the next step. God
17:46seems quieter than usual. You're being
17:48invited to wait, listen, pray, learn,
17:50and even prepare. So, what what STILL IS
17:53IS WHEN GOD SAYS, "WAIT,
17:57just
17:59just stay right there.
18:02Don't do anything." Now, the problem
18:05with still for some of us, if you're
18:07wired similar to how I am, I am, still
18:10does is not a spiritual fruit of mine.
18:15>> [laughter]
18:17>> just sit there and do nothing.
18:21I got to do something,
18:23right? And God says, "Sometimes I'll sit
18:26you in seasons
18:28because I want you to learn how to be
18:29still
18:31because you don't know why you always
18:34have to keep going."
18:41>> So when I'm spent, I need to recover.
18:44But when I'm still, I need to discern.
18:47I'll get to my text. I promise you, I'll
18:49get there. Um, some of us are spent.
18:52Some of us are still. Others of us, Here
18:55we go. are stuck.
18:58STUCK IS WHEN YOU KEEP CIRCLING WHAT GOD
19:00IS ASKING YOU TO CONFRONT.
19:04>> Y'all right?
19:06>> I lost the church just then. What
19:07happened?
19:08Stuck is when you keep CIRCLING WHAT GOD
19:11IS ASKING you to confront, to change, to
19:14release, or to trust.
19:20>> Let me say that again. I'm not going to
19:22yell at this time.
19:24Stuck is when you keep circling what God
19:26is asking you to confront, change,
19:27release, or trust. It can look like
19:29this. You keep encountering the same
19:30patterns.
19:33>> You know what needs to change, but you
19:35keep postponing it.
19:37asking God for a different outcome while
19:39preparing with the same behavior. We
19:41keep moving, but somehow we keep ending
19:44up in the same space.
19:48>> Okay?
19:49And when we're stuck, something needs to
19:51change. So spent needs, let me put this
19:54on the screen. Spent needs restoration.
19:56Still needs revelation. And stuck needs
19:59confrontation.
20:04Yeah.
20:05>> When I'm spent, I need to be restored.
20:08When I'm still, God is trying to reveal.
20:10And when I'm stuck, I need TO CONFRONT
20:12SOMETHING. MANY OF us are not still.
20:18>> WE STUCK.
20:21>> BECAUSE WE KEEP CIRCLING THE SAME
20:24BEHAVIORS GOD IS ASKING US TO CHANGE.
20:31>> OKAY. All right. Let me get to the text.
20:34I've been waiting to get this to y'all
20:36for a month. I promise you.
20:39HERE'S MY ARGUMENT. ALL OF THAT WAS MY
20:41INTRO. OKAY, HERE'S MY ARGUMENT.
20:46Not everything that looks like
20:47exhaustion is actually exhaustion.
20:51Here's my argument. Sometimes
20:55Can y'all handle I need to know. Can
20:56y'all handle this though? Are y'all I
20:58[laughter] I just need to know because
21:01All right, here we go. [sighs]
21:08Sometimes
21:09what we call exhaustion
21:12is actually evasion.
21:20>> Sometimes what we CALL EXHAUSTION IS
21:23ACTUALLY EVASION. WE'RE NOT TIRED, WE'RE
21:26AVOIDING.
21:28WE'RE NOT DEPLETED. WE'RE DISTRACTED.
21:30WE'RE NOT WAITING ON GOD. WE'RE AVOIDING
21:34WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY CALLED US TO DEAL
21:36WITH.
21:42>> Some people are stuck because they're
21:44exhausted, but most people are stuck
21:46because they're evading.
21:50>> Evading the conversation you need to
21:51have. Evading the forgiveness you need
21:54to extend. Evading the habit we need to
21:57break. Evading the healing we need to
21:59pursue. Evading the truth we are afraid
22:02to admit. Evading the formation that we
22:05keep saying we don't have time for.
22:07Evading the people that mean well for us
22:09by putting them in the category of the
22:11people who did not mean well for us.
22:13[screaming]
22:16>> So God is saying, I'M SENDING PEOPLE TO
22:18HELP
22:19>> AND YOU KEEP REPURPOSING THEM.
22:27And when and when Lord have mercy, this
22:31is not on the screen, but evasion is
22:34anything we use to avoid confrontation
22:36that could lead to our transformation.
22:39See, voiding the confrontation that
22:41could lead to our transformation. I'll
22:43get to my text in a second. Um, when
22:46you're evading,
22:48Lord have mercy. You're not stuck. It's
22:52not a season. I'm sorry. When you're
22:54stuck, let me say that. When you're
22:56stuck, it's not a season. It's a cycle.
23:00A cycle is when you carry the same
23:02behaviors into every season.
23:05Right? So, we can be spiritually stuck.
23:08We can be we can be um anointed but
23:11stuck. We can be called but stuck. We
23:13can be rich and stuck, poor and stuck.
23:16We can preach heaven down and still be
23:17stuck. We can sing like angels and still
23:20be stuck. We can lead and be stuck. Uh
23:22uh you you and if we're honest,
23:25sometimes we work ourselves to
23:26exhaustion
23:28so we don't have to sit long enough to
23:30hear ourselves think.
23:36>> Sometimes we work ourselves to
23:37exhaustion so that we have so that we
23:39don't have to sit ourselves down and
23:40long enough down long enough to think.
23:43You're not worn down.
23:47You're running.
23:52You're not You're not tired. You're
23:54running.
23:58No, no, no. You're not that exhausted.
24:01You're evading.
24:08You're not offended. You're running. But
24:11offense is an emotion we're most aware
24:13of. We're in tune with. It's almost like
24:16we tell couples, we're like, "Hey, when
24:17there's an issue, go ahead and talk
24:18about it. Don't wait till you're angry."
24:20That's what immaturity does. Immaturity
24:22waits until they get angry. Oh, well, I
24:23hate you. I'm leaving. Well, you knew
24:25you had a problem two years ago.
24:28>> But you see the maturity it takes to
24:30bring up an issue when there's really no
24:31issue there.
24:35>> Let me get back to the text or
24:36something. Let me open up the text.
24:39Okay. And in our text, we see an
24:41individual who shows us that being busy
24:43doesn't make you mature. And being still
24:45doesn't make you spiritual. Elijah
24:48shows us that exhaustion
24:51often comes from evasion.
24:55Um, you ever heard, we've heard people
24:58are doing too much. Like, you're doing
25:00the most. You're doing too much,
25:03and some people are, [laughter]
25:06but nobody ever told us how tired you
25:07can get from avoiding too much. Because
25:09Elijah shows us that avoidance takes
25:11energy.
25:15Let me give you a little snapshot of of
25:17Elijah. By the time we meet Elijah in
25:19First Kings, chapter number 19, I got to
25:21back up and give you a little bit of a
25:23backdrop on who Elijah is uh between uh
25:26the the previous chapters, right? So if
25:29you're a Jew, Old Testament and all that
25:31good stuff, when you hear the name
25:32Elijah, your ears would perk up because
25:34they felt like Elijah and for for great
25:37for great reasoning, they felt like
25:39Elijah is the most profound, the most
25:42powerfilled prophet ever to uh to ever
25:45to live. So literally uh when you said
25:48Elijah, you it was almost like you were
25:50saying Jesus in their minds. like it was
25:53that big of a deal when you talk about
25:55who Elijah was and what Elijah actually
25:57meant because Elijah is dope on so many
25:59accounts. The first time well one of the
26:01first times that we see Elijah is in
26:02first kings chapter number 17 uh it show
26:05he shows up because he he confronts a
26:07king. He confronts the king. He boldly
26:09confronts King Ahab and he declares he
26:12goes up to the king. Keep keep in mind
26:15this is a prophet going to the king and
26:17first UH HE SAYS THERE WILL BE NO RAIN
26:22UNTIL I SAY SO. That joker bad ain't it?
26:27[laughter]
26:29Elijah said Elijah got a word from God
26:32and he didn't play with it.
26:34>> HE WALKED UP TO KING AHAB. HEY YO, AHAB,
26:41THIS FAMINE THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH
26:43RIGHT NOW,
26:45watch this. THERE WON'T BE A DROP of
26:48rain until your boy say so.
26:52Uhhuh. Let your Ahab
26:55WALKS ON. LITERALLY, WHAT HAPPENS? He He
26:58THREW UP THE DEUCES, TOO. IT'S FIRST
26:59KINGS 17.
27:03And then
27:04GOD GIVES ELIJAH ANOTHER WORD. God says,
27:09let me let me draw it out for you. Let
27:10me draw paint the picture for you. So
27:13Elijah says, "King Ahab, no rain until I
27:15say so." Then as as Elijah was walking
27:18off, God gave Elijah a word and say,
27:20"Hey yo, Elijah, get out of there. He
27:23about to kill you." [laughter]
27:25SO ELIJAH STARTS RUNNING, RIGHT? AND
27:28THEN GOD TELLS HIM WHERE TO GO. GOD
27:29TELLS HIM TO GO TO THE BROOK CHERITH. He
27:32says, "I've commanded ravens, Elijah, to
27:35feed you there."
27:37>> Right? So Elijah runs to the brook and
27:40ravens bring him bread and meat in the
27:42the morning, bread and meat in the
27:43evening, this whole thing. And God
27:45commanded ravens, God commanded a bird
27:48to feed a prophet. That's crazy. Uh, you
27:51missed your first shot. God made an
27:53animal act outside of his NATURE AND
27:56PROVIDE something that's needed for his
27:58child of God. That means I DON'T HAVE TO
28:00BEG NOBODY FOR NOTHING. Y'ALL AIN'T
28:02SAYING NOTHING. GOD [applause]
28:05I'VE SEEN BIRDS FEED PEOPLE. I've seen
28:09people feed BIRDS, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN
28:11BIRDS FEED PEOPLE.
28:13>> But when God has his hand on it,
28:15>> he'll make a thing act outside of its
28:17nature.
28:18>> He'll make your boss bless you even
28:20though they don't like you.
28:21[cheering and applause]
28:24So Elijah, THIS IS ELIJAH. ELIJAH
28:27LITERALLY goes and uh there was a widow
28:29who had a son. THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH
28:31THIS WHOLE THING. THEY MAKE HIM SOME
28:33BREAD AND AND SOME A BISCUIT uh and and
28:36SOME FLOUR, SOME OIL and Elijah says,
28:38"Give me something to eat." She's like,
28:39"Yo, I'm about to eat this and die. What
28:41do YOU MEAN GIVE YOU MY LAST?" And uh uh
28:44they they do that. Anyway, long story
28:46short, the the the widow's son dies in
28:48the house.
28:50Elijah goes
28:53and revives the son.
28:56HE BRINGS HIM BACK FROM THE DEAD. Elijah
29:00a cold boy.
29:02Don't play with Elijah.
29:05ELIJAH
29:06SAYS, "KING AHAB, NO RAIN TILL I SAY
29:09SO." ELIJAH GETTING FED BY RAVENS.
29:14ELIJAH BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE.
29:18[laughter]
29:19Then we find Elijah
29:21in First Kings chapter number 18. He's
29:24not done. He goes to the 400 prophets of
29:27Baal and 450 prophets of uh Asher and he
29:31says to them, he he he calls down fire
29:35from heaven,
29:36>> burning all of them up. They all died.
29:40>> Elijah a bad boy. [laughter]
29:44I I don't want to mess with nobody that
29:45calls down fire,
29:47right? So he this this is Elijah.
29:52WE WE FIND THE PROPHET OF GOD WHO has a
29:56word from God WHO'S OPERATING THE POWER
29:59OF GOD WHO OBVIOUSLY HAS THE PRESENCE OF
30:02GOD. We find Elijah in First Kings
30:06chapter number 19.
30:09Now you remember King Ahab I told you
30:12about that Elijah went up and and said,
30:14"King Ahab, come on out. I got something
30:16to say to you. King Ahab has a wife and
30:20his wife's name is Jezebel.
30:23And um and and and and he comes home to
30:28tell Jezebel what happened with the
30:29prophets uh of Baal that J that Elijah
30:32called down fire to kill and the
30:35prophets of Asher. And uh I I I can I
30:39can imagine King Ahab walking in the
30:41house putting down his briefcase and uh
30:44and and his and his wife Jezebel says,
30:46"Okay, how was your day?" Not good. Uh
30:50we we literally are out of prophets.
30:54There's a vacancy of prophecy. And uh uh
30:57Elijah killed them all. Um called down
31:00fire and killed them all. And upon
31:03hearing that, Jezebel got upset
31:06>> because why? She's she she worshiped oh
31:09Bael. She she worshiped him and um and
31:12uh so here's what we pick up the text.
31:14First Kings chapter number 19. All of
31:16that was context. Here's where we pick
31:17UP THE TEXT. NOW AHAB, verse number one,
31:19told Jezebel everything Elijah had done
31:22and how he had killed all the prophets
31:24with a sword.
31:25So Jezebel sent the messenger to Elijah
31:29to say, "May the gods deal with me, be
31:33it ever so severely, if by this time
31:36tomorrow I do not make your life like
31:39that of one of them."
31:42Let me tell you what. Let me tell you
31:43what Jezebel just said. You see those
31:46prophets you killed? I'm coming to get
31:49you,
31:51right? You got 24 hours to respond
31:57THIS TIME TOMORROW. ELIJAH, YOU ARE
31:59DEAD.
32:05VERSE NUMBER THREE. WATCH THIS. CAN WE
32:08READ THE TEXT IN CHURCH? WATCH THIS.
32:10ELIJAH
32:12WAS AFRAID AND RAN FOR HIS LIFE.
32:19When he came to Beersa in Judah, he left
32:22his servant there. God,
32:25while he himself went a day's journey
32:27into the wilderness, he came to a broom
32:30brush, a a broom bush, sat down under
32:33it, and prayed that he might die. Lord,
32:38I've had enough.
32:40Take my life.
32:43I'm no better than the ancestors.
32:50CALLING DOWN FIRE, CONFRONTING KINGS, UM
32:54FED BY RAVENS,
32:56uh uh RAISING PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD, gets
33:01a threat
33:03from a woman
33:06AND SAYS
33:08BECOMES AFRAID AND RUNS FOR HIS LIFE.
33:12That's just I don't know who that was.
33:16I don't have time because this isn't
33:18key. This isn't Keysman. But if I did
33:20have time, I would talk about how all it
33:23sometimes all it takes is one piece of
33:25communication from the wrong woman.
33:34>> I ain't got time, but if I did, that's I
33:36would say something about that. Uh
33:39[panting]
33:40he has spoken the word to a king been
33:42fed by ravens. WATCHED THE WIDOWS OIL
33:45AND FLOUR MULTIPLY. PRAYED OVER DEAD BOY
33:48AND WATCHED THEM COME ALIVE AGAIN. STOOD
33:50IN FRONT OF 850 FALSE PROPHETS. CALLED
33:52DOWN FIRE FROM HEAVEN. PRAYED FOR RAIN.
33:55RAIN CAME AND THEN HE UH RUNS AHEAD OF
33:58AHAB'S CHARIOT. I AIN'T HAVE TIME. THIS
34:01MAN IS BUSY DOING THE WORK OF GOD. HIS
34:05GIFT WAS WORKING AND HIS SOUL WAS
34:07WEARING DOWN.
34:11>> And I wonder how many of us have not
34:15been giving attention to our soul
34:17because our gifts still work.
34:25>> God can use what's in you while still
34:28working on what's happening in you. You
34:29can be gifted and still need healing.
34:31You can be anointed and still need
34:33attention.
34:37Okay. So, so Elijah
34:40Elijah finds himself in a in a in a in
34:43in a precarious predicament because he's
34:46now on the run from a woman who said
34:50that he's going to die, but he's already
34:52faced death before.
34:55The question has to be asked,
35:01Elijah,
35:03like what happened?
35:06The the question has to be asked. I
35:08mean, you just called down fire.
35:12What is it about this threat
35:15that got you shook?
35:20What is it? You You We got to ask that
35:22question. Maybe maybe
35:26maybe
35:28one of the things that had Elijah in a
35:31most vulnerable position is BECAUSE OF
35:35EVERYTHING THAT we just talked about.
35:38MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE'S BEEN busy
35:42calling down fire.
35:45Maybe it's because he's been doing
35:48ministry.
35:50Maybe it's because he he's been you he's
35:53been a mouthpiece for God.
35:58Maybe it's because he's been winning all
36:00of this time.
36:04And and he doesn't realize when whenever
36:08you win, there's weight.
36:12There's weight for winning.
36:14>> I I I'll show you kind of what I mean.
36:17So, so Elijah shows us that what he
36:21shows us what happens when we're spent.
36:25When we're spent, we fall for traps that
36:29we would not have fallen for
36:34prior to us being spent. So Elijah gives
36:37us he God, I gotta give you I'm good on
36:40time. I gotta give you this. I gotta
36:41give you this. So she sends a threat to
36:43Elijah and Elijah gets stuck.
36:47Um and Elijah essentially says Lord this
36:50is too much.
36:53So so because avoidance is a part of
36:55what keeps us stuck. We need more than
36:58an explanation of stuckness. We need to
37:01know how to get out. [laughter]
37:05So the first thing Elijah gives us is
37:06shows us is that he he shows us uh the
37:09first way in which we can get out and
37:11that is stop that that is to pay
37:14attention to what's happening in you.
37:17So Elijah was afraid verse number three
37:19and ran for his life. When he came to
37:21Bethsheba and Judah he uh the servant
37:23there verse number four while he was uh
37:25while he himself went a day's journey
37:27into the wilderness he came to the broom
37:28bush uh sat under the tree prayed that
37:31he might die
37:35said Lord I've had enough. I'm no better
37:38than my ancestors. Elijah is running
37:41from something that he actually can
37:44defeat.
37:45But when you're tired, you don't feel
37:48like fighting anymore.
37:51So then you put up with behaviors you
37:53probably wouldn't put up with if you had
37:55your energy.
37:58Yeah. You let things slide that you
38:00probably wouldn't let slide if you had
38:02your energy.
38:05So, so, so I got to get somewhere. So,
38:09so Elijah said, Elijah shows us that
38:12that sometimes we need to stop.
38:15Sometimes, uh-oh, this the part we're
38:18all familiar with. Sometimes we need to
38:20rest.
38:22That that is to let God restore what
38:25avoidance has depleted.
38:32To let God restore what avoidance has
38:35depleted. Verse number five says this.
38:36All at once the angel touched him and
38:38said to him, "Get up and eat.
38:41He looked around and there was by his
38:42head some bread baked over hot coals and
38:44in a jar of water. He ate and drank and
38:46lay down again." Verse number seven, the
38:47angel of the Lord came back a second
38:49time and touched him and said, "Get up
38:50and eat for the journey is too much for
38:53you." So he got up, he ate and drank.
38:55Strengthened by that food, he traveled
38:5740 days and 40 nights until he reached
38:58Horeb, the mountain of God. Now I I
39:01don't even have time. I don't have time.
39:03But we see Elijah being fed natural
39:06food. We can see that as spiritual we
39:08can see that as spiritual food for us
39:12that that what happens when we're not
39:15nourished spiritually
39:18is we be in a compromised position.
39:22Okay. Okay. All right. I'm losing y'all.
39:28Sometimes we need to be restored enough
39:30to face what we've been avoiding.
39:34So, we need to rest. We need to stop. We
39:36need to reframe.
39:39We need to reframe. Watch this.
39:41Challenge the story you've been telling
39:42yourself.
39:46Challenge the story you've been telling
39:48yourself. All right. Um, he he replied,
39:51um, God, this is this is, watch this.
39:54This is a conversation that God and and
39:56Elijah have underneath this tree as
39:59Elijah is thinking about taking his own
40:01life from a threat that has been sent to
40:03him. Listen to what Elijah and God
40:05listen to what God is saying with
40:07Elijah. And the word of the Lord came to
40:10him. This is what God says. WHAT ARE YOU
40:12DOING, ELIJAH? Elijah replied, "I've
40:15been very zealous for the Lord God
40:17Almighty. The Israelites have rejected
40:18your covenant, torn down your altars,
40:20and put your prophets to death with a
40:22sword." WATCH WHAT ELIJAH SAYS. I AM THE
40:25ONLY ONE LEFT.
40:29You see what stuck makes you feel like?
40:32Stuck makes you feel isolated.
40:36So, one of the ways I know I'm stuck is
40:38when I disassociate myself from
40:39everybody.
40:43Listen to Elijah.
40:45I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT. WHO TOLD YOU
40:48THAT?
40:51Watch this.
40:52>> [laughter]
40:52>> WATCH THIS. GOD SAYS TO ELIJAH, "I GOT
40:56SOME HITTERS YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT."
40:59>> It's in the Bible. Watch. Watch what it
41:00says. Verse number 15. THE LORD SAID TO
41:03HIM, "GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME AND GO
41:04TO THE DESERT OF DAMASCUS. When you get
41:06there, anoint Hazel, king of Aram. Also,
41:09anoint Jah, SON OF NIMSHI, KING OF
41:11ISRAEL. ANOINT ELISHA, UH, ELISHA, I'm
41:14sorry, son of uh, Sheaphat, uh, from
41:16Abel. Y'all pray for me. Uh,
41:23ALSO ANOINT JAHU SON OF NIMSHI KING OF
41:26Israel and anoint Elisha son OF SHEAPHAT
41:30FROM ABEL MAHA TO SUCCEED YOU AS
41:33PROPHET. Verse number 17. JAHOO WILL PUT
41:36TO DEATH ANY WHO ESCAPED THE SWORD of
41:39Haziel and Elisha will put TO DEATH ANY
41:42WHO ESCAPE escape the sword of Jahoo.
41:45YET I RESERVE 7,000 IN ISRAEL.
41:49ALL [screaming] WHOSE KNEES HAVE NOT
41:51BOWED TO BAAL AND WHOSE MOUTH HAS NOT
41:55KISSED HIM. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD SAYS,
41:58"YOU'RE ACTING LIKE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
41:59ON THE ISLAND AND I GOT PEOPLE THAT'S
42:01WILLING TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
42:05[applause]
42:07YOU SO CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING WHERE
42:10YOU WANT TO BE, YOU DON'T SEE THAT I'VE
42:12GOT PEOPLE POSITIONED AROUND YOU FOR
42:15WHAT I'VE CALLED YOU TO DO.
42:20WILL YOU PLEASE ELISHA, LET SOMEBODY
42:23HELP YOU.
42:27>> AND WE HAVE BECOME MORE UN ASSOCIATED
42:30AND MORE FAMILIAR WITH BEING AN ISLAND
42:33THAN BEING A COMMUNITY.
42:38>> And God is like, "Will you let somebody
42:39help you, please? It's just me. Nobody
42:42don't understand what I'm GOING
42:43THROUGH." YES, THEY DO.
42:45THEY DON'T KNOW CUZ YOU DON'T SAY
42:47ANYTHING.
42:50>> Nobody cares. Nobody knows.
42:55[laughter]
43:00>> God asks Eli Elijah a question. What are
43:04you doing here?
43:06God's not seeking information. He's
43:08dropping revelation. He's saying,
43:09Elijah, what are you doing here?
43:14with
43:14>> with with all that I've called you to,
43:16what are you doing?
43:20>> So, not only do we need to rest, not
43:22only do we need to stop, not only do we
43:23need to reframe, um maybe we need to
43:26respond,
43:29that's by confronting what you've been
43:31avoiding.
43:34Jesus, I'm sorry. God tells
43:37Elisha in the scripture we just read in
43:40the I need you to see Elisha is
43:43underneath the tree like it's over for
43:45me. I'm done.
43:47>> Yeah.
43:48>> And guess I love I love the Bible,
43:51y'all. I promise you I do. God says some
43:54of the best most
43:57some some would say difficult advice or
44:00insight to Elisha. Here's what he says
44:02to him. He says, "Ela, what are you
44:05doing here?" Right? And then he says,
44:08"Get up and go back."
44:16He [laughter] says, Elijah like, "I
44:17can't believe it because Jezebel's going
44:20to kill me." And God says, "First of
44:24all, I got people you don't even know
44:27that's waiting for my say so." Now,
44:31here's what I need you to do. Get Stop
44:34crying. Wipe your little face.
44:36>> But you understand Jezebel offended me.
44:42Wipe your face. Get yourself together,
44:44Elisha.
44:45All right. We got ministry to do.
44:49>> Uhuh. But they don't like me. I didn't
44:50ask you that. What are you doing here?
44:54[laughter]
44:55Right. Are [clears throat] y'all right?
44:58He says, ELIJAH. SEE, WE DON'T KNOW THIS
45:00PART OF GOD. WE KNOW THE FLOWER WE IN
45:02THE IN THE GARDEN PART OF GOD. WE KNOW
45:05WE CAN DO EVERYTHING. God is with me.
45:07Yeah. Yeah. God is going to take care of
45:08me and everything that's happening. It's
45:10okay because it's in God's plan.
45:16GOD IS LIKE HERE. HERE ELIJAH IS
45:19BOILING, CRYING, UPSET, FRUSTRATED, MAD,
45:24ANGRY, FURIOUS. YOU FILL IN THE BLANK.
45:28SCARED
45:29AND GOD LOOKS at himself and says,
45:33"Do me a favor. Get up
45:37and go back."
45:40But God, get up. Come on, man.
45:45Get up and go back. [sighs]
45:47BUT MY LAST PASTOR, I DIDN'T ASK YOU
45:49THAT.
45:51>> Get up and go back.
45:55[panting]
45:56But get up
45:59and go back. Now see, we will cancel
46:01that God. That God is getting deleted,
46:03blocked, reported to spam. We have to
46:05find another God.
46:08If God didn't appeal to our emotions the
46:10way we wanted him to, we'd be like,
46:12"Okay, this ain't the God I know."
46:16God says, "Get up, Elijah. Go back. I
46:19got help for you back there.
46:27So he tells Elijah,
46:30"You can't confront
46:34what you keep covering."
46:40Every few years you go through this
46:43little cycle.
46:46You cool, then something happens that
46:48triggers something, then all of a sudden
46:51you're back infuriated again. So every
46:54job looks like the last one you left.
46:57And it's always the job's fault.
47:01Every supervisor you have is like the
47:03last one. See, that's why I don't be
47:04doing So maybe you have an issue with
47:06authority.
47:09Every leader is like the last one. Just
47:11because they said the same thing that
47:12the last one said doesn't mean that they
47:14meant the same thing the last one meant.
47:17>> Maybe there is an issue that they keep
47:18seeing and some of us are stuck in the
47:21same cycle. God, whenever you're ready
47:23to get me out, you can get me out. God
47:25is like, I've been ready,
47:29but you stuck.
47:32Whenever you want me to forgive them,
47:33I'll forgive them. God's like, I man,
47:36please.
47:38God says, get up. And I want to say to
47:41somebody
47:44with all the love that I have and I hope
47:46that you hear in in this
47:49conversation
47:51that your stuck season does not have to
47:53become your permanent story.
48:00>> Maybe you need to stop. Maybe you need
48:02to rest. Maybe you need to reframe.
48:04Maybe you need to respond. Maybe you
48:06need to return.
48:14At the beginning of the message, I kind
48:16of I started with a moment to um for us
48:18to kind of take a breath
48:24because I know
48:26the subject matter of this these few
48:29teachings,
48:31it's going to be what it is. I mean, but
48:33God wants us to he wants us to be
48:36unstuck. So,
48:39I wanted us to breathe for a moment
48:42because I want us to really think about
48:45honestly,
48:47honestly,
48:49how much of our exhaustion is due to
48:52evasion?
48:57How much of what we feel like now is due
49:02to what God has been trying to tell us
49:03about ourselves?
49:05And God has said, "I love you so much.
49:06I'm going to keep showing you. And
49:08that's not that's not like condemnation.
49:11That's love.
49:13He's like, I love you so much. I can't
49:15let you stay in that cycle. So
49:19So [snorts] I was writing and and when I
49:21was preparing and I wanted to kind of
49:24share a prayer that I was writing and um
49:38So, so I'll share a prayer that I was
49:40writing and then
49:44Father,
49:47I think that there are some people in
49:49this room who have been saying something
49:50for a long time that they haven't had
49:52the courage to say out loud.
49:56Lord, this is too much.
49:59Not because they don't love you, not
50:01because they don't believe in you, not
50:02because they don't want you. They are
50:04just tired.
50:08Tired of trying to hold everything
50:09together. Tired of pretending that
50:11they're okay. Tired of being strong for
50:14everybody else. Tired of starting over.
50:19Tired of even saying the same prayer.
50:20And father, like Elijah, there are
50:23people who have reached a place where
50:25they don't even know how to explain what
50:28they're feeling anymore.
50:31They just know that it's too much.
50:37So God, some of us are stuck because
50:39that's a different type of pain because
50:43we look at life and life is moving and
50:45we go to work and we come to church and
50:46we we worship and we smile and we raise
50:49our kids and we lead people and we
50:51preach and we serve and we post pictures
50:54and we say I'm blessed and then we go
50:57home and wonder
50:59what am I doing?
51:03So Lord, do me a favor and show us
51:04what's really happening in us.
51:08What have we been avoiding?
51:11What have we been afraid to admit? What
51:13conversations have we been postponing?
51:15What wound have we learned to function
51:19around? What decision have we made
51:22because we are afraid? What relationship
51:25have we stayed in because we are afraid
51:27to leave? What have we compromised
51:31because we are tired?
51:37Father, we don't want to live stuck. We
51:39don't want to live afraid. We don't want
51:40to live safe lives. We want to live
51:43freely.
51:46We want to live liberated.
51:51So God, remind us
51:53that that tree is not the end of our
51:56story.
51:58Remind us that you can meet us in the
52:00wilderness, that you can feed us in
52:02famine, that you can speak to us in
52:04silence.
52:09Here we are,
52:11not the polished us, not the productive
52:13us,
52:15not the strong us.
52:19Actually, the tired me, the confused me,
52:22the weak me, the disappointed me. I am
52:26here.
52:28I'm spent
52:31and I'm stuck.
52:37So God, give me the courage
52:40to take the necessary steps by your
52:43grace to move
52:46from stuck to success
52:50in Jesus name. Amen.
52:55If you would stand to your feet.
53:04Lord, this is too much.
53:12Some of us are feeling grief. We go
53:16through it
53:19and we feel like this is too much
53:23and some we we can feel it. It's it's
53:26like it's like sorrow almost.
53:33And um I want to pray for you.
53:37It's like episodic. It's like episodes
53:39of it.
53:41Episodes of of grief.
53:44Some of us, we're like Elijah.
53:47We're so successful, but then sometimes
53:49we still feel like it's not enough. It's
53:51like we're chasing something that we
53:52don't even know what we're chasing.
53:58And others of us are stuck because of
53:59what other people have said towards us
54:03and we hear that soundtrack.
54:06Well, I want to pray for you. If that's
54:08you, I want you to do me a favor. Would
54:10you meet me here at the altar? I want to
54:13I want to lay hands on you and
54:17and pray that
54:19God will move you.
54:22Come on. Come on y'all.
54:27I promise you I don't want nothing from
54:28you.
54:30I just
54:34Some of you have been saying, "I see so
54:36much of myself in Elisha's behavior.
54:40I see God doing great things in my life.
54:45But then if I'm honest,
54:49sometimes I feel like
54:56sometimes I feel like it's never enough.
55:06Some of us,
55:10some of us have been having
55:12conversations with people in our minds
55:16that we wish we can talk to physically.
55:23I feel you here.
55:26Some of us find ourselves literally
55:29playing and replaying conversations with
55:32people that we wish we could still talk
55:33to. And that's heavy.
55:36That's weight.
55:51Every eye closed, every head bow.
56:04Father,
56:10Father, as I lay my hands on on them,
56:15God, I pray that you would give them a
56:17peace
56:20that surpasses all understanding.
56:26God, as I as I touch them, I come into
56:29agreement with your word over their
56:31life.
56:32>> Yes.
56:34that you've called them to greater
56:41>> Lord. Yes, Lord.
56:43>> That you're positioning them for
56:45purpose.
56:47>> Yes, Lord.
56:49>> That you desire to do great things in
56:51and through them.
56:56So, Father, as as I lay hands on them, I
56:58pray
57:00>> Yes, Lord.
57:01>> That just like you did with Elijah,
57:03Elijah,
57:04>> Jesus,
57:05>> I pray that you will remind them
57:07>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
57:09>> of who they are.
57:11>> Yes, Lord.
57:12>> And remind them of who you are.
57:14>> Yes, Lord Jesus.
57:18>> In the name of Jesus.
57:20>> In the name of Jesus.
57:22Father, for every deficiency that they
57:24feel that they might have, God, we pray
57:27that you would allow them to see
57:28themselves through your lens, through
57:30how you see them.
57:32>> Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus.
57:34>> And God, for the hurt and for the pain
57:37that might
57:39>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
57:40>> That might be evident and might be
57:42present,
57:44God. We pray in the name of Jesus.
57:46>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. that you would
57:48send that peace now.
57:54>> Send as a reminder of who you are.
57:57>> Yes, Lord.
57:58>> How much you love them,
58:01how much you care.
58:02>> Yes, Jesus.
58:06Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
58:07>> God, I thank you.
58:11>> I thank you in
58:13>> the name of Jesus. Yes, Lord. I thank
58:17you.
58:18>> Yes, Lord.
58:22>> For putting in place
58:25the support system
58:29that will strengthen what you've called
58:32them to do.
58:33>> Yes, Lord.
58:34>> God.
58:38God, I pray
58:41that the same power that you've given
58:43them,
58:47the same power that you've given them to
58:50to access you and that you hear them.
58:53God, I pray
58:54>> Yes.
58:54>> that they realize that they not only
58:56have your power, but they have your ear.
59:02>> Yes. that they can that they can come
59:05directly to you and that you hear them
59:08and your desire is to bless
59:11>> and use in Jesus name. Father I pray.
59:14>> Yes Lord. Yes Lord.
59:18>> I pray.
59:20>> Yes Lord. Yes Lord.
59:24I pray against
59:30I pray against the spirit of
59:34the spirit that tries to come and make
59:36us think that we're not who you called
59:39us to be.
59:40>> Yes.
59:45>> God, we come against that now. we come
59:47against thee. And we pray now in the
59:50name of Jesus that you constantly remind
59:52us regardless of what's going on around
59:54us that you constantly remind us of who
59:57you have created us to be in the name of
1:00:00Jesus.
1:00:01>> In the name of Jesus. In the name of
1:00:03Jesus.
1:00:03>> That my that the situation does not
1:00:05dictate
1:00:07>> who you are to us.
1:00:08>> In the name of Jesus.
1:00:10>> So God, every now and then remind us.
1:00:12>> Yes, Lord. Lord, send some send a raven
1:00:15to remind us
1:00:18of who it is that we are
1:00:21that we don't let our situation dictate
1:00:24who we are in your eyes. [snorts]
1:00:31Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
1:00:43water. So,
1:00:45>> Father, I thank you.
1:00:49I thank you God
1:00:51>> that even as you did in Elijah
1:00:57>> even as you took him at his most broken
1:00:59place most broken point point
1:01:04>> and you loved him enough to give him
1:01:06direction.
1:01:09>> You not only gave him direction, God,
1:01:10but you gave him community. You gave him
1:01:12affirmation. You reminded him of who it
1:01:14is that you've called him to be by
1:01:16giving him an assignment to go back. So
1:01:18God, I pray that you would renew our
1:01:21strength
1:01:23for this journey.
1:01:25>> Yes, Lord.
1:01:26>> In the name of Jesus. God, sometimes we
1:01:29feel depleted like Elijah was.
1:01:31>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
1:01:32>> But God, we're praying for restoration
1:01:34of strength in Jesus name.
1:01:37>> Yes, Lord.
1:01:40>> He making ways in the wilderness.
1:01:45He bringing water to the dead.
1:01:51He making ways in [singing] the
1:01:53wilderness.
1:01:56He's bringing water to the desert.
1:02:00Yeah. He making ways in the wilderness.
1:02:07He's bringing water to the desert.
1:02:13He making ways in the wilderness.
1:02:17He's bringing water to the desert.
1:02:21Yes, Lord. He making ways in the
1:02:24wilderness.
1:02:26Yes, Lord. He's bringing water to the
1:02:30desert.
1:02:32Every dry place. He making ways in the
1:02:35wilderness.
1:02:39He's bringing water to the desert.
1:02:43Yes, Lord. He making ways in the
1:02:46wilderness.
1:02:49He's bringing water to the desert.
1:02:54Oh, he making ways in the wilderness.
1:02:59He's bringing water to [singing] the
1:03:01desert.
1:03:04Making ways in the wilderness.
1:03:09He's bringing water to your desert.
1:03:14He's bringing water to your desert.
1:03:17Yes, Lord. He's bringing water to your
1:03:21desert.
1:03:24He's bringing water to the desert.
1:03:27Refresh us, Lord. He's bringing water to
1:03:31your desert.
1:03:34Restore us, Lord. Water to your desert.
1:03:38Whatever we need. He's bringing water to
1:03:41the desert.
1:03:43Whatever we need water to the desert.
1:03:48Yeah. He's bringing water to the desert.
1:03:54He making ways in the wilderness
1:03:59and bringing water to the desert.
1:04:04He's making ways in your wilderness.
1:04:10He's bringing water to your desert. It
1:04:13won't always be like this. He's bringing
1:04:16water to the desert. Yes, Lord.
1:04:19He's bringing water to the desert.
1:04:25He's bringing water to the desert.
1:04:29He's bringing water to [singing] the
1:04:31desert.
1:04:35So, Father, we thank you.
1:04:41>> Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
1:04:43>> That just like you spoke to Elijah in
1:04:45that text. And
1:04:48God, you spoke in a still small voice.
1:04:54God, we thank you that you would you
1:04:56love us enough to do that.
1:04:58That you'll speak to us individually.
1:05:00You're speaking to our hearts. You would
1:05:02nudge us.
1:05:03>> Yes, Lord.
1:05:05>> You would help us to stop. You would
1:05:07help us to rest. You would help us to
1:05:09reframe. You would help us to respond.
1:05:12And you would help us to return
1:05:17in the name of Jesus.
1:05:19>> Yes Lord.
1:05:21>> Thank you that we can breathe again
1:05:24>> in Jesus name.
1:05:25>> Yes Lord.
1:05:26>> Amen. Amen. Come on y'all put your hands
1:05:29together if you receive that.
1:05:31>> Come on. You can do better than that.
1:05:43If you've never accepted Jesus as your
1:05:45Lord and Savior,
1:05:49you've never done that or or maybe you
1:05:52have and you
1:05:55you're like me, man. You want to you you
1:05:58would want to rededicate your life.
1:06:01you never accepted him. Meaning that you
1:06:04desire you are you desire for him to be
1:06:06your Lord and your Savior
1:06:12that you feel like you've been trying to
1:06:13do this thing on [music] your own.
1:06:14You've been been trying to figure it out
1:06:17and you've been doing the best you
1:06:18could.
1:06:22I want to give you opportunity to accept
1:06:24Jesus
1:06:27for the forgiveness of sin
1:06:32and allow him to give you the fresh
1:06:34start that only he can.
1:06:37If you've never done that, do me a
1:06:38favor. I want you to I want you to slip
1:06:40your hand in the air. I just want to
1:06:42celebrate that, man. Best decision you
1:06:44could ever make in your life. you've
1:06:46never done that or you desire to
1:06:47rededicate your life and say, "God, I
1:06:50know you never left me, so I'm running
1:06:53back to you."
1:06:55There's two ways you can do that. You
1:06:56can do that by slipping your hand in the
1:06:58air, or you can do that by hitting the
1:07:00QR code on the seat back in front of you
1:07:03and
1:07:05someone on our team will reach out to
1:07:06you and let you know that we're praying
1:07:08for you and pray for you. let you know
1:07:11that we're praying for you. We love you.
1:07:14Give you some next steps on what happens
1:07:16next now that you made that decision.
1:07:20And we want to be here. We want to be a
1:07:23spiritual family for you to surround you
1:07:24with some love and show you how show you
1:07:28that this what what does a fresh start
1:07:30actually look like on this side of
1:07:31things. So, would y'all put your hands
1:07:33together for those who are going to make
1:07:34that decision?
1:07:37Hallelujah.
1:07:39I'm excited about that. Also, I want to
1:07:41give you an opportunity to uh sew into
1:07:43the kingdom. Uh if you need an offering
1:07:45envelope, slip your hand in the air,
1:07:47wave it like you just don't care. I know
1:07:49somewhere about 85 90% of you uh give
1:07:52digitally. So, we have our ways to give
1:07:55right here are going to be on the
1:07:56screen, so you're able to do that.
1:07:57Here's what we've been teaching. Here's
1:07:59what we teach. Watch this. Here's what
1:08:01we teach about giving. We believe uh for
1:08:04the past few weeks, we we have been
1:08:06teaching on stewardship. We believe
1:08:09giving comes out of a heart that
1:08:11overflows.
1:08:13Yeah. So we give out of a heart that
1:08:16overflows. So it's not only about
1:08:19resources. We feel like God deserves
1:08:21everything.
1:08:23Right. So when we talk about giving,
1:08:25we're saying we ought to give cheerfully
1:08:27because the Bible says so. We ought to
1:08:29give sacrificially because scripture
1:08:31says so. And we all we ought give
1:08:33consistently because this is scripture.
1:08:36So we don't do beat you up giving. We do
1:08:39sacrificial giving.
1:08:42We do cheerful giving. We do systematic
1:08:45giving. Right. Uh why do we do
1:08:48systematic giving, pastor? Well, because
1:08:50the church is a spiritual organism.
1:08:53Absolutely. But it's also an
1:08:55organization.
1:08:57And when the church gives consistently,
1:09:00the church leaders know what we are able
1:09:04to do consistently. Does that make
1:09:05sense?
1:09:07When the church gives $2 today and then
1:09:10a quarter that day, it's like, which one
1:09:12do we have? Do we have the $2 budget or
1:09:14the quarter budget? Does that make
1:09:16sense? And what what consistency gives
1:09:19us the opportunity to do, that's what
1:09:21that's one of the blessings that's baked
1:09:22into tithing as well. Because what
1:09:24consistency gives us the opportunity to
1:09:26do, it gives us the opportunity to plan
1:09:28what ministry looks like. How can we
1:09:32plan for it? Now, we're going to the
1:09:34outreach center and we're going to be
1:09:35there to celebrate, but what would it
1:09:37look like for maybe the next graduation
1:09:39to be with us?
1:09:41What would it look like for us to maybe
1:09:44sponsor or have some type of scholarship
1:09:48for someone or somebody's to where we
1:09:51can purchase the furniture that they're
1:09:53getting into the new house?
1:09:56>> What would that look like? But that's
1:09:58what consistency does because we're
1:09:59like, "Okay, we can allocate this to
1:10:01that and and and we can feed this many
1:10:03people and this that and the third, all
1:10:05of those things." So, we always talk
1:10:06straight about resources. And then also
1:10:08then on the spiritual side, listen, God
1:10:10says, "I promise you if you you try me
1:10:13in this area, I'll bless you real good.
1:10:16>> [laughter]
1:10:17>> And if God says I'm going to bless you
1:10:19and God says he's going to open up a
1:10:21window of heaven and pour out a blessing
1:10:24that we won't have the room enough to
1:10:25receive. I want all that. So that's our
1:10:29that's our why behind giving. So if
1:10:32you're giving and you're giving
1:10:33sacrificially, we appreciate you. You're
1:10:35giving any amount. We appreciate you. Uh
1:10:37you're a tither. Tithers are being taken
1:10:39care of. God, I believe tithers are
1:10:41thrivvers. doing something major in the
1:10:43life of those who uh who desire to give
1:10:46God their first uh 10%. Tithing is 10%
1:10:50of their of resources. So, as the
1:10:52offering baskets are being passed
1:10:53around, I pray that you will be generous
1:10:55in your giving, sacrificial in your
1:10:57giving. Hey, Amy. So good to see you.
1:11:00Y'all make some noise for Amy. Amy was
1:11:02one of the OGs. OG fresh.
1:11:20Uh
1:11:21>> oh. Oh yeah. Amy moved away. Her and her
1:11:23amazing family moved away to
1:11:25Jacksonville somewhere. And yeah, and we
1:11:28love Amy and we love her babies. And
1:11:30>> I love y'all too. And I love my pastors.
1:11:32I'm I'mma talk and get my handkerchief
1:11:34because y'all know I'm a crybaby.
1:11:35[laughter] I just want to give
1:11:36encouragement to somebody who's in this
1:11:39room feeling stuck like what we talked
1:11:42about today.
1:11:44And I want to tell you that I just
1:11:47walked through a season.
1:11:50I can't even It's a whole testimony in
1:11:52of itself. And I just this week took the
1:11:54biggest L you could ever imagine. Like
1:11:58the worst L you could get. But I feel
1:12:01like I'm winning the Super Bowl right
1:12:02now.
1:12:03>> And everybody around me is handling me
1:12:06so delicately because they think that
1:12:08I'm gonna break. But I'm so strong
1:12:10>> because the same God that convicted me
1:12:13into obedience.
1:12:16>> The same God that gave me a Red Sea
1:12:18blessing to get out of a bad situation.
1:12:22The same God that sat me down like
1:12:24Elijah in Jacksonville to go rest and
1:12:27get strong.
1:12:29is the same God who healed me. And he's
1:12:33the same God that in this L I know he
1:12:37has something good for me because he's
1:12:39the same God that was good then and he
1:12:42is the same God that is good now.
1:12:46[applause]
1:12:47And you have to know that whatever is
1:12:51hurting you and trapping you and making
1:12:54you feel like you cannot breathe, that
1:12:56is a God that will come and he will get
1:12:58you and he will heal you. And if you
1:13:01don't know what to say,
1:13:04just like you sit on the bus stop and
1:13:05you don't know the schedule, but you
1:13:06know if you sit there long enough, the
1:13:08bus going to come. Get on your knees and
1:13:10just be quiet. And I promise you,
1:13:13>> he will come and he will heal [cheering]
1:13:16you. He will [applause] roar for you
1:13:18like a lion and he will love you like a
1:13:20holy sweet lamb.
1:13:23Be encouraged and I love y'all.
1:13:26[applause]
1:13:29>> Come on y'all step to your feet. Let's
1:13:31get ready to be dismissed. Thank you for
1:13:33that. God is something major. So we we
1:13:36we are in this stuck. So bring somebody
1:13:38to church next week. Amen. Bring
1:13:41somebody to church. Uh something amazing
1:13:43major is happening here at Fresh. And
1:13:45I'm glad to be a part of it in Jesus
1:13:47name.
1:13:48>> Amen. Amen. Listen, listen. Before we
1:13:50leave, listen. We're so grateful for
1:13:51you, Amy. So grateful for that testimony
1:13:54and a word of encouragement. Many of
1:13:56people in here don't know your story,
1:13:59but I promise you,
1:14:01uh, when you come out, you let God bring
1:14:04you out. [snorts] You look so much
1:14:06better on the other side. [music] And I
1:14:08want to tell you, Amy, you look so much
1:14:11better on the other side.
1:14:14>> [applause]