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Walking on the Storm | Pastor John Harke | Faith Church · Faith Church Podcast

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This morning, I'm going to take a text that many
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of you have heard. I'm going to preach it much
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differently than you've ever heard before. I
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want you to turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter
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14, verse 22. I'm going to read out of the NIV
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tonight, this morning rather. Very familiar passage
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of Scripture, but let me give you a context.
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Let me contextualize. I want to remind you out
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in the foyer, I have a brand new book called
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Taught by God. And it's out there. You can see
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Meliana at the end if you'd like to get a copy.
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But listen to what it says here. Immediately,
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Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and
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go on ahead of him to the other side. Everybody
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say, go to the other side. Let me give some context.
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Jesus had just fed the 5 ,000. How many want
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to multiply? How many don't care if you multiply?
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Come on. Most of us in this room want to multiply.
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And Jesus teaches me something when he multiplied
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the five loaves and two fish about multiplication.
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I want to multiply. I want Pastor Darren and
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Pastor Cammie to multiply. I want everybody in
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this house to multiply. And a lot of times we
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have an assignment from God. We have a call from
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God. But yet what we have in our hands is not
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enough to do the things that God has called us
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to do. For instance, the five loaves and two
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fish cannot feed 5 ,000. It's mathematically
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impossible. Even if you go to school in Illinois,
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it's still mathematically impossible. Come on.
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And so you have to, because, you know, Common
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Core, you know what I'm saying? They still do
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that, right? It's whatever you think it is, right?
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But Jesus receives what can't meets the need.
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And I love what he does. Because how many know
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that life and death are in the power of our tongue?
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He doesn't curse what doesn't meet the need.
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He blesses it. Because what I bless multiplies.
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You follow me? That's why I want to bless my
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country. That's why I want to bless my marriage.
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That's why I want to bless Sister Kathy. That's
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why I want to bless the church because I want
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the church to multiply because if I curse it,
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it doesn't multiply. I want to bless my kids.
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I want to bless my grand, especially my grandchildren.
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I really want to bless my grandchildren, you
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know. And so I blessed them. Come on. And so,
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however, when he did that, when he fed the 5
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,000, as we read that he dismissed the crowd,
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however, There's something that began to transpire.
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Because he met the need, people followed him
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not because he was a lord of lords and the king
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of kings. They followed him because all he did
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is meet needs. And this is something that we
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can understand because how many know that Jesus
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can meet every need? How many know that Jesus
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can meet every need? But there comes a time in
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our life when we're not seeking him to meet our
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needs. We're seeking him because we want to obey
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him. We're seeking him because we want to worship
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him. We're seeking him because we want to know
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him. Come on, are you hearing what I'm saying?
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Not just that he meets my needs. Because every
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one of us in this room have needs. We all have
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need. If you don't have a need, you're probably
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not alive. Come on. We all have needs. And so
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what God is doing with the disciples when he
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tells them to go to the other side because the
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crowd started following him because he gave them
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free food. And so what happened, because I guarantee
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you, you put a sign up there, free food, the
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church is packed. Come on. And so what happens
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is, at that process, he wants the disciples to
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graduate from the ministry of need to the ministry
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of maturity. And he wants them to go to the other
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side. Now, notice what he says. Then he says,
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after he had dismissed them, he went up to the
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mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night,
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he was all alone, which means he's praying for
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the next assignment. But here's where it gets
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interesting. Here in verse 24 of Matthew 14.
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And the boat was already a considerable distance
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from land, buffeted by the waves because the
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wind was against it. Everybody say the wind was
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against it. Now, how many believe in fasting
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and prayer? Why do you fast and pray? Because
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there are things in our life that are buffeting
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us from getting where we need to be. Right? That's
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why we believe in fasting and prayer. So think
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about this. These disciples are actually in the
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boat of obedience. They're actually doing what
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God has called them to do. They're not resistant
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to the call of God. They're saying yes to God.
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They're getting the boat. They're going to the
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other side. But sometimes the tendency is, if
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I am doing everything God has commanded me to
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do, then guess what? I am now immune to any kind
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of warfare. Are you hearing me? I'm in the will
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of God. For instance, I'll give you an example.
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You know, my wife is a righteous woman. She's
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a holy woman of God. She's a giver, but she still
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gets cancer. Are you hearing what I'm saying?
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And there's a tendency, especially within our
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Western culture, to think that as long as I'm
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living perfectly, as long as she, as long as
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I'm doing what God called me to do, I'm now immune
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to any kind of warfare or any kind of storm.
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Come on. And so Meliana, I want to tell you something.
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Meliana got cancer, but guess what? She got healed.
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Come on. She doesn't have cancer. She wanted
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to make sure I was aware of that, you know. But
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here she is in the will of God, but she's still
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under attack. You follow what I'm saying? And
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a lot of times, a lot of times we think, oh,
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what have I done? What should I have done? And
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what we do is we stop rowing to the other side.
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Because we're trying to figure out why we're
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in the middle of this mess and why we're in the
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middle of this storm. Come on, are you hearing
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what I'm saying? Because every one of us in this
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room is in a storm. And let me tell you something
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right now. The fact that you're in the storm
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is saying that you are in the will of God. Because
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the storm is exposing the opposition. Doing God's
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will is going to expose. This is a real enemy
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that doesn't want to get this church to the other
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side. Can I hear an amen right now? I feel like
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preaching. I thought I was in a Pentecostal church.
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You should be running by now. Come on. But here
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they are in the will of God. Doing everything
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God says, and there's this opposition, this thing
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that is buffeting them. And so we find out the
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famous, the only place in the Bible where this
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is recorded. We find out that here they are.
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Because sometimes we go, God, why is obeying
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you so hard? Because there's a real devil and
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a real darkness that doesn't want to get me to
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the other side. Church, can I tell you something?
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You know, I'm a fundamentalist conservative and
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by political stance. But I can tell you something
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right now. You know what? Even the fundamentalist
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conservative media didn't post the Democrats
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and Republicans worshiping God together. That
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was never, never said. I was there. I watched
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them lift their hands. I watched a congressman
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say, I'm a Democrat and I love Jesus. Come on.
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You follow what I'm saying? No, I don't believe
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that, but he does. No, I'm just kidding. I'm
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just kidding. But here they are, buffeted by
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the waves and the winds against them. But listen
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to this, verse 25. Shortly before dawn, Jesus
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went out to them, walking on the lake. Everybody
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say, walking on the lake. Well, here's something
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I realized. Because why isn't Jesus calming the
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storm? Wouldn't that be a lot better? Wouldn't
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that give a little bit less drama? A little anxiety
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and worry and fear. If you just calm the sea,
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everything is going to be fine. That's a lot
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easier. Why aren't you calming the storm? Why
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are you walking on the water? I'll tell you why,
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ladies and gentlemen. Because sometimes Jesus
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doesn't calm the storm. And because I'm a prophetic
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voice, I'm going to tell you the truth that Jesus
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doesn't always calm the storm. He can. He can
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do whatever he wants to. He can solve the problem.
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He can fix it just like that. But this is exactly
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what he's doing. The reason why he's walking
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on top of the water is he's telling us, guess
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what I'm doing? I'm walking on top of the storm.
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Come on, are you hearing what I'm saying? Because
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he's trying to teach me. He's trying to teach
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you and I that guess what? There are some storms
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that I'm not going to calm. But I want to teach
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you how to walk on top of it. Come on. Because
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there's something in the water. There's something
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that's hindering the church from getting across
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to the other side. And what I'm telling you is
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I'm telling you that you have dominion over this
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storm. That this storm doesn't have dominion
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over you. You have dominion because you belong
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to me. And I'm showing the disciples that as
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I'm walking over the storm, so you can walk on
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top of the storm too. Can I hear an amen right
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now? If you're suffering from depression. You
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can walk over depression. If you're suffering
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from financial lack. And abandonment. And all
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kinds of stuff that you've gone through. I'm
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here to tell you. Jesus is your model. Jesus
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is your guide. Jesus is supposed to look for.
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And as he walked on water. He's saying I want
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you to walk on the storm too. Why is that? And
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it is as if. He's not even paying attention to
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what's under the water causing all the chaos
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and disturbance. As if he's not disturbed. We're
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so easily disturbed by what we don't understand.
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Let me tell you what happens here. It's very
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interesting. Because what Jesus is doing is Jesus...
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Showing me that I don't have to be conditioned
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by the conditions. Are you hearing me? Jesus
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showing me he's demonstrating his dominion over
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the disorder. Listen to this. Verse 26. When
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the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they
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were terrified. It's a ghost, they said, and
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cried out in fear. I'm not talking about the
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unsaved. I'm talking, the disciples say, oh,
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he's a ghost, and cried out in fear. Well, let
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me tell you what happened. Last October, I was...
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I was visiting my grandchildren. All five of
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my grandchildren are now in Florida. I praise
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God they're in one place going to one church
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because my son and my daughter and my son -in
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-law are all on staff at one church. And I'm
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so thankful for that because I don't have to
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go all over the country chasing my grandkids.
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Just go to one place. You know what I'm saying?
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And so I'm very, very thankful. And so we took
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Monday through Friday off to not to speak so
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I can go and visit them. And so on Tuesday morning,
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I get a phone call from a friend of mine in Santiago,
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Chile. I've known him for a long time. He has
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a church of about 800 in the capital of Chile.
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He calls me up and he says, Prophet John, I'm
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sorry to bother you, but is there any way you
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could come to Chile? I said, I'd love to come
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to Chile. When? He goes, today. Right? I said,
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what do you mean today? I thought you were doing
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a conference. He said, yeah, but one of the speakers
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had something happen in his family. He can't
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make it. Is there any way you could come today?
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And then, of course, I'm thinking, oh, man, I
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took this time off to be with my grandchildren,
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and I don't want to disappoint them. But under
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the circumstances, I said, yeah, I'll do it.
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So he said, I'll get your ticket. I'll send you
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a text with your ticket, and you'll fly out this
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afternoon. So this is like 7 a .m. in the morning.
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I go in the room. We're staying at my other home
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where my kids live in Florida. I start packing.
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I end up waking my wife up, and she says, what
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are you doing, and where are you going? I said,
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I'm going to Chile. She says, I'm not. And I'm
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staying here. So, you know, I get on the plane
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to go to Chile. And, of course, we're on the
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phone a couple times with each other a day. And
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then she looks that, you know, because we were
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going to leave on that Saturday, and I'm in Chile,
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and we were going to go other places. And she
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said, honey, I looked on our calendar, and we're
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going to be on the plane four times in seven
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days. I'm just going to stay with the grandkids.
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I said, okay. So that night after church, and
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you know how on your phone you'll get a memory
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picture will come up. And a picture came up of
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my wife's beautiful face looking all elegant
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and stylish and beautiful and Polynesian as she
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does. And I don't post on social media. So I
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decided to post her picture on social media and
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put a caption, missing my wife today. You know,
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that's what I posted. So I wish I never would
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have posted, Pastor Darren. Because when I posted
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that. All of a sudden, Meliana saw it. She didn't
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say anything. She didn't think anything. All
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of a sudden, threads started coming up, and half
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the people in the thread thought my wife was
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dead. Or sick. Come on. Dead or sick. And I realized
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something about human nature with these disciples,
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ladies and gentlemen, that our default, I thought,
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what we're saying about this church is called
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faith assembly. It's not called fear assembly.
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It's called faith assembly, right? I like that
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name. Come on, I like that. We're assembled under
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the canopy of faith. Come on. Are you hearing
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me? But what I saw is that, Pastor Darren, that
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the disciples' default and the human default
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is not faith. It's fear. And many of these people
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that posted were pastors and leaders and worship
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leaders across the country. And I was completely
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shocked. So then I had to rewrite it. Come on.
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But no, she's not dead. And she's not as sick.
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That was the last time I posted on Facebook.
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Really, I'm serious, you know. And so I'm done
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with social media. Because I don't want people
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thinking my wife's dead, you know. She's very
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alive. But what is that? That's the response
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of fear. Oh, there's no way anybody can walk
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on this storm. There's nobody that anybody that
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can walk on water. It has to be a ghost. And
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these were church people. These were not worldly
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demonic people. They were people that saw miracles.
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Because God wants to do something in us and you
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and I where we all of a sudden realize that faith
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has to become our default. Come on. You know
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what? I'm just going to say something. You know,
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we don't understand. You know, Kathy, I had my
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best friend pass away in front of me on February
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8th. We don't understand why that happens. But
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God wants my response. Not to be fear. God wants
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my response to walk in faith. Come on. I don't
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understand everything. Come on. I don't understand
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why a man of God goes and leaves a widow. I do
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not understand that. My 64 -year -old best friend,
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pastor friend, on Sunday morning falls dead,
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has a massive heart attack right in front of
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me on February 8th. I don't understand that.
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And then I go to the hospital, and for two hours,
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I pray that he would be raised from the dead.
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And then nothing happened. Come on. I don't understand
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that. I had faith for him to rise from the dead,
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and nothing happened. But guess what? I am not
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going to allow fear to control me. You follow
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what I'm saying? The pastor's wife, come on,
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the pastor's wife was just at our house. We were
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there also on Monday and Tuesday because I was
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only preaching an hour away. We spent the whole
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day. On Monday night, she led prayer meeting,
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and on Wednesday night, she preached after losing
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her husband. Come on. Because she understood
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something. I've got to walk upon this. I've got
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to walk upon this storm. I can't let the storm
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walk over me. Can I hear an amen right now? It's
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a ghost, they said. And cried out in fear. Now
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they're really in trouble, Meliana. They're in
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a storm and ghosts are coming at them. They assumed
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he was a ghost. Isn't it interesting that our
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assumptions can promote our fear? But Jesus immediately
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said to them, take courage in his eye. Don't
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be afraid. Everybody say, take courage in his
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eye. Sit in, take courage in his eye. Why does
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he say that? Well, obviously, the New Testament
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is written in Greek and the Old Testament written
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in Hebrew, but there's kind of two, it's different
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language, but they mean the same. When Moses
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met the Lord on the burning bush, he asked who
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he was, and God said, I am that I am. Well, that
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word in Hebrew and the same what Jesus said in
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this text, take courage. It's me saying, it's
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the I am talking to you. It's the I am walking
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on your storm. Because notice where he's walking
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toward. He's not walking across the lake. He's
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walking towards his church. Oh, come on. Because
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he wants his church to get across the lake. He
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wants faith assembly to get across the lake.
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He wants faith assembly to accomplish everything
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that he called them to do. And guess what? I'm
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walking towards you. I'm not walking past you.
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Even though you're in fear, I'm not going to
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walk past you. I'm not leaving you. I'm not forsaking
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you. I'm walking directly to you. Can I hear
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an amen right now? I'm not bypassing you. I'm
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not giving up on you even though you're in that
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state. Take courage in his eye. If I've got a
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word for this house, take courage. Take courage
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in his eye. Now, you're in the middle of the
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storm. Notice he has never said anything about
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calming the storm. He hasn't even acknowledged
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the storm. What he's saying is take courage.
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Because your fear will kill you before I get
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there. Now, think about this. When he says this,
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take courage of your desire, don't be afraid.
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Because you've got to understand that it's directed
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toward every single person in the boat, every
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disciple in the boat. And you have to begin to
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think like, okay, what would you do if God said,
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take courage of your desire? But sometimes, We
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can be so engulfed in the storm. We can so internalize
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the chaos that we don't even hear the words of
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Jesus. So I've got to ask myself this question.
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What was different about Peter? Because that
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word, take courage, it is I, was directed to
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everybody. They all heard it. But they heard
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it, but it didn't mean anything because the fear
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had so gripped their soul and gripped their mind
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that it didn't enter in and didn't produce faith.
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Unless this were true about Peter. Because when
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Peter heard it, this is exactly, this is what
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separated Peter from the rest of the disciples.
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When Jesus said, take courage in his eye, He
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got a vision. He got a vision. He got a vision
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that could it be that if he's out there, I could
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go out there too. Oh, come on. Could it be he's
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trying to tell me that there's no courage in
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this boat that I'm stuck in right now, that the
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courage is actually being with his presence?
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Because let me just tell you right now, I would
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rather be with Jesus, even if he's out on the
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water, than be in the boat when Jesus is not
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in the boat. Come on. You follow what I'm saying,
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ladies and gentlemen? Because what was different
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about Peter? What was his mindset? What was he
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thinking? What was going through his mind? Because
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he doesn't have a reference point. He doesn't
25:40
understand everything. But he heard, it is I.
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It is I. Take courage. It is I. Let me just tell
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you something when you really get that in your
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spirit. All of a sudden, you can go through hell.
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You can go through anything. But all of a sudden,
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something rises up within you and say, guess
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what? Storm, you're not controlling me. Cancer,
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you're not lording over me. Sickness, disease,
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and death, you're not telling me what to do.
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I'm telling you what to do. Because I just heard
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my Lord say, take courage. It is I. Come on.
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Come on. It is the I am. Because if the I am
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is not over your life, then you are over your
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life. Come on. So notice this. So if something
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happens, a vision happens, I can go out there.
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That's why Peter said, Lord, if it's you, tell
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me to come on the water. Why? Because again,
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God doesn't want to be the only person walking
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on water. Because he's showing us, I have dominion
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over the chaos. But not only do I want to walk
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on the storm, I want you to walk on the storm.
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Notice that he doesn't even tell Peter, if you'll
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step out, I'll calm the storm. That he invites
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Jesus, he invites Peter, excuse me, he invites
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Peter out of the boat. Come on. Even when his
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life is a mess. Oh, man. And because sometimes
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we're waiting for the perfect moment, the right
27:38
extent to step out in faith. Come on. That is
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not faith. Faith steps out when it looks crazy.
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when it doesn't make sense, when you don't even
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have enough, but all of a sudden you heard God
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say, come. Lord, if it's you, cause me to come
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upon the water. Because Peter had the proper
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theological understanding that faith is not an
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intellectual concept. It must be walked out.
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For instance, I'll give you an example. Here's
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a perfect example. You know why people don't
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tithe? Because they don't have faith. Yeah. Because
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if they had faith, they would tithe because they
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would believe that if they tithe, they give 10
28:28
% of their income, that God would open the floodgates
28:31
of heaven and pour out a blessing that they can't
28:33
contain. Right? That he would provide for them.
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But because of the fear of not having enough,
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It puts them in a boat where now money is their
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God instead of Jesus being their God. And so
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they don't see God, I mean, because he reigns
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on the just and the unjust because of his grace.
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However, they don't see God's intervention in
29:02
their life like they could be because they haven't
29:05
given up. their financial stronghold and have
29:09
them say, God, I'm going to be committed to giving
29:12
to you. And when I'm giving to you, this is what's
29:15
going to happen. You're going to bless me. Come
29:17
on. They don't believe that. And so, for instance,
29:23
when Peter said, if it's you, bid me to walk
29:29
on the water, or let me walk on the water, he
29:32
was actually saying, I don't want to just know
29:35
you intellectually. That faith is not an intellectual
29:38
concept. Faith must be walked out. Or it's not
29:45
faith. It must be walked out in my actions. So,
29:52
when God said, come, everybody say, come. That
29:57
invitation wasn't just for Peter. That invitation
30:01
was for everybody in the boat. Now, think about
30:05
this. Think about this in this room. What would
30:11
it look like if everybody at Faith Assembly was
30:15
walking on water? Or just one person was walking
30:19
on water? What would glorify God the most? Come
30:23
on. It would glorify God the most when everybody
30:26
stepped out of the boat and said, I'm walking
30:28
out on the water. Come on. We don't need this
30:31
boat. We've got Jesus. Come on. So, when God
30:37
said, come, Eliana, this is what Peter does.
30:41
Peter then got out of the boat, walked on the
30:45
water, and came toward Jesus. Why is this important?
30:50
Because this is exactly what Jesus is trying
30:53
to teach Peter. Peter, you know I have dominion
30:56
over everything. But I'm giving you dominion
31:00
over everything too. I'm giving you dominion.
31:05
over what's under your feet. Come on. Because
31:10
sometimes in Pentecostal churches, we don't speak
31:14
enough about dominion theology. God said this
31:19
in Genesis 1, 26. I've created man in my image
31:23
and likeness and gave them dominion. Come on.
31:26
That means sickness shouldn't have dominion over
31:29
you. Doubt shouldn't have dominion over you.
31:32
Depression shouldn't have dominion over you.
31:34
Divorce and brokenness and fractured soul should
31:37
not have dominion over you. You should have dominion
31:40
over it. Come on. I understand that we are emotionally.
31:44
I understand that things happen. When you lose
31:46
your spouse, it would be easy to get depressed.
31:49
You know what? You know what? We had the widow
31:51
over at our house. She's sitting at the counter.
31:55
We're fellowshipping. And she says, I haven't
31:58
got rid of Pastor Steve's clothes yet. And I
32:04
mean, I can't imagine that. I can't imagine getting
32:09
over, getting rid of Melianas' clothes. But I
32:16
do know this. When God invited Peter and God
32:19
invited the disciples, he says, I'm going to
32:21
even have dominion over what's hard. I'm going
32:25
to give you dominion over what you don't understand.
32:27
Come on. I'm going to give you dominion what
32:30
you don't have a reference point for. I'm going
32:32
to give you dominion. But then this question
32:36
has been stirring on the inside of me. I've been
32:42
wrestling with it inside my soul. Because he's
32:48
walking on earth. He's coming toward Jesus. But
32:53
verse 30 is what I've been struggling with. But
32:59
listen to this. But when he saw the wind. Everybody
33:03
say, but when? He saw the wind. Wait a minute.
33:12
Wait a minute. I've never seen wind. I've seen
33:16
the results of wind. I've felt the wind, but
33:22
I've never seen the wind. Have you? Has anybody
33:28
in the room ever seen wind? We live in Illinois.
33:32
Come on, maybe we can felt the wind. I'm so thankful
33:35
it was warmer today. Come on, most of the time
33:37
I come here, I'm freezing. It doesn't matter
33:41
where I come from, I'm always cold in Illinois.
33:45
And I'm just waiting for it to thaw out, and
33:49
it never does. Come on. But what do you mean,
33:53
saw the wind? What does that mean? What is that
33:58
implying? Because see, when he saw what he was
34:04
supposed to have dominion over it, the Bible
34:07
says when he saw the wind, he began to sink.
34:12
You know what's causing people to sink? They're
34:15
paying attention too much to the wind. And then
34:21
I have to ask myself this question. This is the
34:23
question. What is under the water that is pulling
34:29
Peter down? What's under the water that's pulling
34:34
you down? Pulling me down. Pulling my precious
34:39
wife down. What's under the water that's attempting
34:41
to pull Kathy down? Because there's something
34:45
under the water that's trying to pull us down.
34:48
Oh, come on. And see, nothing was going to pull
34:54
Peter down as long as his focus was on Jesus.
34:58
Are you hearing me? As long as he looked toward
35:01
Jesus, but when he saw the wind. Can I tell you
35:05
something? That's why I believe that the media,
35:08
oh, I got to tell you this. I'm not going to
35:10
preach it, but I want you to hear this. You know,
35:12
Meliana has English as her second language. And
35:17
sometimes, you know, when we drive back to the
35:19
hotel or back home and I'll come up and I will
35:22
critique her because I want her to critique me.
35:24
And sometimes she has a way of saying opposite
35:27
or not using her S's and R's and all of that.
35:31
So, you know, I talk to her on the way home and
35:34
sometimes I pick my times when I do. Sometimes
35:38
I don't because I want to sleep that night. Come
35:40
on, you know what I'm saying? And so, but when
35:44
she's in a good mood, when she asked me, honey,
35:48
what could I have said? We will critique each
35:51
other to be better public speakers. And so the
35:55
other night, Melianna reads this scripture out
35:59
of 1 Chronicles 10, 13, which says, and Saul
36:04
died because he was unfaithful. He did not heed
36:07
the word of the Lord. And he even went and saw
36:11
a medium for guidance. So instead of saying medium,
36:17
Meliana says media. That's what comes out. And
36:25
see, I'm sitting in the front row. I go, oh,
36:26
Jesus, come on. So I run up to the platform.
36:31
I actually show her the text on my iPad so she
36:36
can read it, right? I'm kind of like, I'll tell
36:40
you this. You know? And so then I go back and
36:43
I sit down. And you know, when you're a public
36:46
speaker, it's really advisable to understand
36:50
what words mean and what they don't mean. Right?
36:55
So ladies and gentlemen, you want to hear something
36:57
crazy? I look up the root word for medium. And
37:05
the root word for medium is media. I'm sorry.
37:13
I'm sorry if I said that. I blew your bubble.
37:17
But the root word for media is medium. They're
37:24
root words. Come on. My wife in her broken English
37:28
was correct. Come on. You heard what I'm saying.
37:34
And she didn't even know it, you know, under
37:36
the Holy Ghost. You know what I'm saying? And
37:40
this is the problem with America. We're looking
37:44
at the wind. The wind is determining the narrative.
37:52
Instead of this man, Jesus, who's saying, I'm
37:54
going to give you authority and dominion over
37:57
the narrative. And certainly he begins to sink.
38:02
And when he begins to sink, ladies and gentlemen,
38:05
Lord, save me. Because there was something pulling
38:12
him down. I call it Leviathan. I don't have time
38:15
to go into that. But that's why Israel didn't
38:19
have a navy. That's why Israel was afraid, deadly
38:23
afraid of water because they believed that the
38:25
demon, the serpent, the snake, however you want
38:29
to call that, lived in the water and caused the
38:31
chaos. Can I tell you something right now, ladies
38:34
and gentlemen? There's some people that God is
38:37
going to raise up in this church. They're going
38:39
to have dominion over Leviathan. They're not
38:42
going to let Leviathan pull them down. They're
38:44
walking on top of the water. Can I hear an amen
38:47
right now? Now, I'm so thankful because all of
38:55
us aren't just thankful. This is why when pastor
39:01
told us to get up and come to the front, I'm
39:04
going to come to the front because you know why
39:06
I'm coming to the front? Because I'm so thankful
39:08
that God pulled me out of chaos. When I was sinking,
39:13
he pulled me out. When I was lost, he found me.
39:16
When I was blind, he put eyes on me. When I was
39:19
lame, I got to walk. When I was depressed, he
39:22
gave me joy. Come on. When I was distraught,
39:25
he gave me a purpose. He gave me meaning. Are
39:28
you hearing what I'm saying, ladies and gentlemen?
39:30
That's why I can't help but praise God. Because
39:33
he didn't have to pull me out of the chaos. He
39:35
didn't have to pull me out of jail. He didn't
39:38
have to pull me out of my dark pit. He didn't
39:40
have to pull me out. When I said, Lord, save
39:42
me, that's exactly what he did. I'm not going
39:45
to let you get swallowed by the enemy. I'm going
39:47
to pull you out. And when he pulls him out, why
39:54
are you out? Peter, you have little faith. I
39:57
said, Jesus. Why do you call Peter of little
40:00
faith? He just walked on water. I mean, we don't
40:03
know how long, at least for a few seconds, you
40:05
know. That's pretty cool. But the Bible said,
40:11
in verse 32 of Matthew 14, that when they climbed
40:16
into the boat, the wind died down. I'm thinking,
40:21
Jesus, why didn't you cause the wind to die down
40:24
in the beginning? It would have been a lot easier.
40:33
Why do you have to wait till you come in the
40:36
boat to have the wind die down? You can walk
40:38
on the water once you stop the wind. I mean,
40:44
are you into drama, Jesus? Do you like drama?
40:49
It seems like you like drama all the time. You
40:53
know why he waited for the wind to die down?
41:00
Because he wanted to show me. Are you going to
41:05
walk on the water even when the storm and the
41:08
wind is all around you? Or are you going to only
41:13
serve me when the wind dies down? Think about
41:18
this. Think about this. The wind dies down, very
41:24
profound. Then those who are in the boat worshiped
41:29
him, saying, truly you are the son of God. A
41:33
few moments, a few seconds ago, he said he was
41:35
a ghost. Let me ask you a question. Is Jesus
41:42
the ghost or is he the son of God? Now think
41:49
about this. These are the disciples. It's interesting
41:56
that they worship him when the wind dies down.
42:02
That's not worship. You're worshiping circumstances.
42:10
I don't want to worship God just because he calms
42:13
the wind. I want to worship God when it's windy.
42:20
I want to still worship. Kathy didn't have to
42:23
come to church today. She just lost her husband.
42:27
You know what I'm going to do? She didn't have
42:30
to come. Family's here. All of these kinds of
42:33
things. But you know what she's saying? She's
42:35
saying, guess what? I'm still going to worship
42:37
God in the middle of my wind. I'm not going to
42:41
just wait for everything to get calm and everything
42:43
to settle down before I worship God. I'm going
42:47
to worship God in the midst of the storm. Do
42:49
I got anybody at Faith Assembly that is going
42:52
to worship God in the middle? I'm not going to
42:58
wait until everything's perfect. Look at it.
43:03
They said, truly, you are the son of God. Why
43:05
didn't you tell us? Why wasn't he the son of
43:07
God when he was walking on water? So now that
43:12
he calms the wind, then he solves my problems,
43:15
that now he's the son of God. No, he's the son
43:19
of God whether he heals my body. He's the son
43:21
of God whether he does anything for me. He's
43:23
still the son of God. Because I'm going to tell
43:26
you right now, God healed Meliana. But if God
43:29
did not heal Meliana, he's still the son of God.
43:32
Are you hearing what I'm saying? Are you hearing
43:35
what I'm saying? He's still the son of God. I
43:39
don't question what he does or what he doesn't
43:41
do. That's not my job. My job is to acknowledge
43:44
you are the king of kings and lord of lords.
43:46
Whether you do anything for my life or am I just
43:49
coming to get free food. He is the son of God.
43:57
Truly you are the son of God. Why didn't you
44:00
say that? What would have happened if he would
44:02
have said that when they were buffeted by the
44:05
waves and the wind? You're the son of God. But
44:11
here's what happened. Write this down, please.
44:16
Write this down. Because there's a sequence that's
44:21
happening here. Very clear sequence. They get
44:27
a revelation of Jesus. Not only do they get a
44:31
revelation of Jesus, but they recognize Jesus.
44:34
So recognition. Revelation. Recognition. Worship.
44:40
Say that with me. Revelation. Recognition. Worship.
44:47
Now I can tell you, I'm not trying to pick on
44:49
you, I'm just telling you the truth. They're
44:53
all up here worshiping God. This young lady that
44:56
was worshiping God has such a beautiful voice.
44:59
We could feel the weight of the presence today.
45:03
But yet there were people who were oblivious.
45:07
They weren't entering in. Why is that? I'll tell
45:12
you why it is. They don't have a revelation of
45:16
Him. And they don't recognize Him. Because if
45:20
you had a revelation of Him and you recognize
45:22
Him, you would worship Him. You worship that.
45:28
We worship this. This is in our face. All the
45:31
time. All the time. Right? What does that tell
45:37
me? I don't want that to be my place of worship.
45:41
I want the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to
45:44
be. See, I want to come to church so I can get
45:47
a revelation of him. So I can recognize him more
45:50
clearly. So I can worship him now. This is exactly
45:54
what happens. I've got to move on. There's a
45:56
lot into this. But as soon as they get Meliana,
45:58
as soon as they get a revelation, as soon as
46:00
they recognize him, as soon as they worship him,
46:02
they're on the other side. Oh, come on. Are you
46:07
hearing what I'm saying? Because how many want
46:09
this church to get to the other side? And it's
46:12
not just one couple. It's not just Alexandria.
46:15
It's every single person in this room. Come on.
46:18
I mean, faith. Come on. I'm sorry, that was your
46:22
sister. You forgive me. But anyhow, when they
46:30
get to the other side, very interesting, and
46:34
I've got a couple more verses. And this is what
46:37
they said. When they crossed over, verse 34,
46:40
and landed in Janzarat. See, that may not mean
46:44
anything to you, but it means a lot. Because
46:48
this is what it means. Because the last time
46:52
they were there, it was called the Gadarenes.
46:59
And then Jesus put his foot down, and, you know,
47:03
a demon that didn't have any clothes on came
47:07
running at them. Now, ladies and gentlemen, can
47:11
you imagine having a greeter that's demon -possessed?
47:17
Come on. And doesn't wear any clothes. Come on.
47:21
I'm not coming to that church. Come on, are you
47:23
hearing what I'm saying? That runs at them. They
47:28
landed and this guy comes running out of the
47:31
tomb, stark naked, demon possessed, screaming.
47:37
And one translation says that when the disciples
47:41
saw him, he turned around and ran back to the
47:45
boat. I would too. Come on. They went from worshiping
47:52
to being back into fear. Come on, act quick.
47:55
Take your call. There's a lot into that, and
48:02
I don't have time after another sermon. But,
48:06
you know, Jesus heals him, completely delivers
48:11
him. I mean, he just completely delivers him.
48:15
He's standing there all by himself. Where's my
48:17
associate? Where's my worship team? They all
48:22
left me. I'll have to deal with this by myself.
48:25
Come on. I've had that happen to me a few times.
48:32
A guy levitated. A guy levitated in Idaho. And
48:36
the whole half the church took off. Right at
48:38
the altar. Like right here. Like picture this.
48:40
You're all here. And this guy comes up. I prophesy.
48:42
He falls out and levitates. And the whole church
48:44
comes back up. I thought you read the gospel.
48:48
What happened? Obviously, you probably thought
48:52
it was science fiction. Come on, I guess. You
48:55
know, it's real, right? But anyway, anyway, anyway,
48:58
he cast the devil out of the sky, goes into the
49:00
pigs, and he's sitting there in his right mind
49:03
fully clothed. I love that. Everybody say fully
49:08
clothed. You know what that means? That Jesus
49:12
didn't just deliver him. Jesus fully empowered
49:14
him. Not just put clothes on him, but actually
49:20
clothed him and empowered him to do the will
49:22
of God. So it's interesting that when the pig
49:29
farmers went and told everybody, they all came
49:31
out to see this guy, fully clothed, sitting in
49:35
his right mind, and the Bible says they were
49:39
afraid. Everybody say, afraid! I'm thinking in
49:46
my mind, what kind of people are these? That
49:53
they are, they weren't afraid when he was demon
49:56
possessed. Why he was, why he was running around
50:06
naked. They were kind of used to it. You know
50:12
why? Because we've normalized evil. And there
50:19
are people sitting in this room right now and
50:21
people online watching. You know what? This is
50:25
what's happened. We've become more familiar with
50:28
the demonic than the power of God. We're more
50:31
familiar with the chaos than we are God walking
50:35
on water. Are you hearing what I'm saying, ladies
50:37
and gentlemen? And we have to change the narrative.
50:40
This is why I have a microphone. This is why
50:42
I believe God called me, because I want to be
50:44
more familiar of freedom than I am chaos. I want
50:48
to be more familiar with healing than I am disease.
50:54
Come on, come on, church. And then, not only
51:02
that, because they were afraid, they asked him
51:05
to leave. Jesus just leaves. Let me guess. How
51:14
many churches in Lincoln, you'd say? 35 churches?
51:21
How many of the 35 churches have asked Jesus
51:24
to leave? Now, I don't mind if you leave. Pastor
51:31
would. But I don't want Jesus to leave. Because
51:36
if Jesus leaves, we're really in trouble. Let's
51:43
kick the presence of God out and keep the demons.
51:47
I mean deacons. No, I didn't say that. I didn't
51:50
say that. And keep the demons. Which tells me
51:57
something. They saw Jesus as a threat. Not as
52:02
a deliverer. Because they were more familiar
52:06
with chaos than they were the power of God. That's
52:14
why the media are mediums. Are you hearing me?
52:22
Because you will not hear this. You're not going
52:25
to hear this, but I don't mind saying it. I don't
52:30
have no mind saying it because, listen, I believe
52:35
that God's raised the church up at this hour
52:38
to speak the truth. Come on. And we cannot water
52:41
the truth down in order to peace people who don't
52:45
want Jesus around. And that's why, you know,
52:48
that is why I tell you that Illinois needs a
52:53
move of God. The state of Illinois needs an awakening.
52:57
And Chicago needs a revival. Springfield needs
53:02
a revival. We need a move of God where this state
53:06
becomes more familiar with the power of God than
53:09
they do the power of the enemy. Otherwise, they'll
53:11
kick God out. Come on. Your own governor said
53:15
this during COVID. We need to close the church
53:18
down for four years. He said that out of his
53:21
mouth. What does that tell me? You know what?
53:24
If the church was operating in power, nobody
53:27
could ever say that. Don't blame the governor.
53:33
He's not saved. We can look at the church because
53:37
we're more familiar with chaos than we are the
53:39
power of God. Why don't you leave? I'm the guy.
53:45
I mean, he's sitting there clothed fully in his
53:49
right mind. His life is back. His life's been
53:52
restored. I want to go with you, man. Who wouldn't?
53:57
And besides, They're kicking you out. Don't leave
54:01
me here. I mean, who wants to stay in a church
54:05
where they kick Jesus out? You know they kicked
54:10
him out. Churches kicked him out. When they say
54:14
that God doesn't heal, God doesn't raise the
54:16
dead, God doesn't redeem, God doesn't speak.
54:19
They kicked him out. We can't, we can't. Let
54:25
me tell you something. When they kick him out,
54:28
what do they have? All they have is religion.
54:34
There's no life. I'm not saying people are bad
54:37
people, but guess what? They're then open to
54:39
demonic counsel. I don't want to stay here. You
54:48
know what Jesus tells them? No. You stay here
54:51
and you go tell everybody what God has done for
54:55
you. Because sometimes, because we can sit here
55:02
and soak in the presence of God under this atmosphere
55:07
and this worship team. But sometimes God wants
55:10
our obedience as we go out of these four walls
55:14
and tell everybody what God's done for us. Come
55:18
on. That's more of an act of worship than sitting
55:22
down, listening to good music. Come on. And so
55:27
now they're back in that region. They're back
55:33
in that region. And the reason why I believe
55:36
that that storm that they were in, that Jesus
55:40
walked on water, is the enemy did not want the
55:44
church, didn't want the disciples to get to the
55:46
other side because the enemy doesn't want to
55:50
see how effective your labor was. Because sometimes
55:57
in the middle of the storm, there's a tangible
56:00
thing. I'm not making a difference. Nobody's
56:04
getting healed. Nobody's getting touched. I'm
56:05
in this blue storm. What is my life worth? Come
56:08
on, where's my purpose? Where's my meaning? And
56:12
the enemy wants to keep you blind to the impact
56:16
that you have given somebody else. And so when
56:23
they get to the other side, there's an impact
56:25
that happens because of this one man's testimony.
56:29
Listen to this. And when the men of that place
56:33
recognize Jesus, Meliana, everybody say recognize
56:37
Jesus. It's interesting Jesus is walking on the
56:40
water to his disciples. He's a ghost. But these
56:42
people, they recognize him as soon as he shows
56:44
up. How do they recognize Jesus? By that man's
56:51
testimony. Oh, come on. They sent word to all
56:56
the surrounding country. People brought all their
56:59
sick to him. And they begged him to let the sick
57:07
just touch the edge of his cloak. And all who
57:12
touched it were healed. Everybody say all that
57:19
touched it were healed. Last November, I'm going
57:27
to close right now. I'd like the praise team
57:30
to come up to the platform. Last November, my
57:35
wife and I, right before Thanksgiving, Sunday
57:38
before Thanksgiving, had the privilege to speak
57:40
in London, England. We spoke at a church there
57:44
near Wembley Stadium. After that, we got on a
57:50
plane and flew to the island of Malta. And the
57:56
reason why we flew to the island of Malta, we
57:59
were in England, it's very inexpensive when you
58:02
get into Europe to fly to other places around
58:04
Europe. Because of a number of years ago, I had
58:09
preached a message out of the book of Acts about
58:13
Paul being shipwrecked in Malta. And when he
58:17
landed on that island, a snake comes out of the
58:21
fire, bites him. And a poisonous snake, he doesn't
58:27
swell. He shakes it off, keeps right on doing.
58:30
The people falsely assume that because the snake
58:34
came out and bit him, he must be a murderer.
58:36
And so after they sit there and wait, he doesn't
58:39
swell up. Nothing happens. He just continues
58:43
to go about what he's doing, gathering wood.
58:45
And at that moment, what begins to take place
58:48
is he then, they deem him to be a god. And so
58:55
now he's got some supernatural power. And even
58:59
though their theology was messed up, it gave
59:02
him the opportunity to start praying for people.
59:07
And he starts praying for people. And the Bible
59:09
does say, everybody on the island that were sick
59:13
were healed. I wanted to go there. I wanted to
59:17
go there. You know why? Because that's not just
59:22
a historical story. That scripture that I just
59:25
read to you in Matthew 14, it's not just something
59:28
that happened in the ministry of Jesus and something
59:30
here historical. I want everybody in Lincoln
59:32
healed. And let me just tell you there's an anointing.
59:38
There's a healing anointing in this church. There's
59:44
an anointing for people to get healed. I want
59:48
to see our brother's blind eye open. Come on.
59:51
Don't you want to see that? Don't you want to
59:54
see that? But ladies and gentlemen there's something
1:00:01
I have to understand something. The enemy is
1:00:07
trying to buffet us so we won't believe. The
1:00:14
enemy sends storms so our focus will be on the
1:00:18
wind instead of having dominion over sickness
1:00:22
disease. And so we don't actually take on the
1:00:29
inheritance or don't spend the inheritance that
1:00:33
we've been given by the cross. Can I say, I'm
1:00:41
going to say this. When I was sitting in D .C.,
1:00:43
we were there on a Wednesday night, all day on
1:00:48
Thursday, and then we left on Friday. We had
1:00:52
four meals. One was with the president, the other
1:00:56
was with different people and dignitaries from
1:00:58
all over the world. Had people sitting at my
1:01:01
table that I, I said, Lord, what am I doing here?
1:01:07
And he said, oh, you're, You're here, John, to
1:01:10
prophesy over them. You're here to give them
1:01:13
the word of the Lord. I said, okay, God, that's
1:01:15
what I'll do. I didn't have to get invited. I
1:01:19
didn't have to get invited. There are great voices
1:01:21
around the country. I felt honored. I want to
1:01:27
see this nation get on the other side. I want
1:01:32
to see evil destroyed. Come on, I want this nation
1:01:35
to get healed. Come on. You know, people need
1:01:38
to get healed in Washington, D .C. too. I think
1:01:43
the president needs to get healed after hearing
1:01:44
him. Meliana likes him. I tolerate him. He was
1:01:53
supposed to speak 20 minutes. He spoke an hour
1:01:55
and 17 minutes, you know. And I don't know what
1:01:59
he said. Come on, I'm just kidding. He just rattled
1:02:02
on. But then all of a sudden he said something
1:02:05
that everybody stood up. Because on May 17th
1:02:09
of next ethnic month on at the Washington Mall
1:02:12
there in DC They're going to dedicate the United
1:02:17
States of America as one nation under God the
1:02:20
God Under God one nation under God No president
1:02:27
has ever done You don't have to like him. Sometimes
1:02:31
I see says stuff. I said, oh Jesus help him.
1:02:34
I mean doesn't he have a speech therapist? Come
1:02:37
on Isn't there somebody that writes this? Nobody
1:02:39
does that. It's Donald Trump. And I have to tell
1:02:46
you this. When he said that, I said, oh God,
1:02:50
I'm so thankful to be alive right now. Because
1:02:55
I want to see in my lifetime one nation, what
1:02:59
a nation looks like when it's under God. What
1:03:02
a nation looks like when it's under God. Not
1:03:06
under the demonic, not under evil, not under
1:03:09
unrighteousness, but under God. What happens
1:03:14
when a nation is under God? That is why we have
1:03:19
to walk on top of the chaos. Oh, come on. I'm
1:03:25
telling you. I'm telling you, if we don't walk
1:03:29
upon the chaos right now, the chaos will walk
1:03:32
over us. Lift your hands to Jesus all over the
1:03:36
house. Father, we thank you for your word. It's
1:03:40
a lamp unto our feet. And it's a light upon our
1:03:43
path. I thank you for your sons and your daughters.
1:03:48
And I thank you for who they are and what they
1:03:51
do. And I thank you for giving them dominion
1:03:55
even right now.