WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: An Army that Proclaims Publishing Date: 2025-04-27T06:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/an-army-that-proclaims/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:21.040 One of the things we want to do before we leave today is to just pray for the elections tomorrow. 00:00:21.040 --> 00:00:28.320 Not that we say that one party should win or the other, but that let's see how we pray. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:37.680 But we will just pray for it tomorrow because, again, seek the welfare of the city that we live in. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.920 Today we start with 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:49.520 An Army That Proclaims. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:55.520 An Army That Proclaims. That's the title. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:05.120 And so when we talk about the Great Commission, which is in Matthew 28, 18-20, 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:15.120 when we talk about the Great Commission, which is in Matthew 28, 18-20, if you want to read it, 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:21.120 Matthew 28, 18-20, Matthew 28, 18-20. 00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:31.120 It says that, 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.120 Then Jesus came to them and said, 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:37.920 All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:45.920 So the Great Commission is actually, it's actually the, actually marching orders, 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:51.920 marching orders for the church. 00:01:52.320 --> 00:01:56.320 Marching orders for the church, or in other words, it's Jesus. 00:01:56.320 --> 00:01:59.520 We don't think like this, but I'd like us to begin to think like this. 00:01:59.520 --> 00:02:07.520 Jesus declaring war as in the triumph of a risen king, 00:02:07.520 --> 00:02:17.520 the triumph of a risen king over every power hostile to his reign. 00:02:18.320 --> 00:02:22.320 Hostile to his reign. 00:02:26.320 --> 00:02:30.320 We don't think like this, but Jesus does. 00:02:30.320 --> 00:02:32.320 He has always been a warrior king. 00:02:32.320 --> 00:02:34.320 He's always been a warrior king. 00:02:34.320 --> 00:02:40.320 And so the Great Commission, we love calling it the Great Commission, 00:02:40.320 --> 00:02:46.320 and yet the very idea of commission carries in this sense of marching orders. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:51.120 He says all authority, as in he's letting you know that as a risen king, 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.120 I now am the sole ruler of the entire universe. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:03:01.120 Every other, every other, every other power is lesser, is counterfeit. 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:07.120 There is only one who rules the entire universe and that's me. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:13.120 And from that place, he says, now that I have all authority, go therefore and make disciples of all nations. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.320 And so the Great Commission is actually marching orders for the church, 00:03:16.320 --> 00:03:21.120 as in if you were in a platoon or if you were in a brigade and you got your marching orders, 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:27.120 what it meant was you were being sent to the field and you were sent with a specific mandate saying, 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:31.120 this is what you need to do now, and then you would march off into that place. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:36.720 So it's marching orders for the church and it exempts nobody. 00:03:36.720 --> 00:03:42.720 All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, therefore go. 00:03:42.720 --> 00:03:47.520 Not therefore some of you stay, not therefore some of you pray, therefore go. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:50.720 While you're going, you can pray, while you're going, you can stay somewhere, 00:03:50.720 --> 00:03:55.720 but therefore go and make disciples of all nations. 00:03:55.720 --> 00:04:00.120 Try not to create an image of what go looks like in your head because that can come later. 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:04.720 For different people, the go is different, but the go is for everybody. 00:04:04.720 --> 00:04:10.720 So it's marching orders for the church, Jesus declaring war, and that sounds like so not Jesus. 00:04:10.720 --> 00:04:15.720 He's not supposed to be anything but peaceful, nice, gentle, like a domesticated cat. 00:04:15.720 --> 00:04:19.720 He's not that. 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:27.720 One of the intents when he rose again is, hey, I will take back everything that was stolen in the Garden of Eden. 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:29.720 I'll get it back. 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:33.720 And that all hostile powers will be subdued. 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:37.720 And in the process of hostile powers being subdued, I will get back what is mine. 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:39.720 And what is most precious to him? 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:42.720 Not the earth, not the mountains, not the water, not the rivers. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:46.720 It's people. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.720 Any questions on this? 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.720 We don't view this like this because we rarely view Jesus as a warrior king. 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:58.720 We rarely view Jesus as divine warrior or a warrior king. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.720 Rarely view him that way. 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:05.720 And yet scripture is just replete with him being warrior king. 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:07.720 He cloaks himself with zeal. 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:09.720 He wears a breastplate of righteousness. 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:11.720 He rides a white horse. 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:13.720 He has the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords written on him. 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:15.720 He's a jealous god. 00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:17.720 His name is Lord Sabaoth. 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:24.720 When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God raises up a standard against him. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:26.720 He sees himself like this. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:30.720 It's we who have gone soft. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:37.720 Okay. 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:39.720 So that's one part of the Great Commission. 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:41.720 Marching orders for the church. 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:43.720 Jesus declaring war. 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:45.720 How is he declaring war? 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:47.720 From a place of triumph. 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:51.720 The triumph of a risen king over every power hostile to his reign. 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:55.720 You guys have watched the lion, the witch and the wardrobe? 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:59.720 Remember Aslan lying on that slab? 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:03.720 And the enemy has thought that he's won. 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:07.720 And then what happens is a crack on that slab. 00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:12.720 Everything that the enemy thought he had won is lost in that one shot. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:13.720 And what's the shot? 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:15.720 Him rising from the dead. 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:19.720 Every hostile rule brought low. 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:21.720 Next thing about the Great Commission. 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:26.720 The Great Commission, let's just call it a GC. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:36.720 The Great Commission demonstrates, the Great Commission demonstrates the authority, 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:40.720 the Great Commission demonstrates the authority of the warrior king. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:42.720 Of the warrior king. 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:55.720 Of the warrior king as he asserts, as he asserts his power over the earth. 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:57.720 As he asserts his power over the earth. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:06:59.720 How does he do it? 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:00.720 It's crazy. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.720 It's just like how kings used to. 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:09.720 He asserts his power over the earth by sending out his people. 00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:16.720 By sending out his people to carry out his mission. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:26.720 The Great Commission is a demonstration of the authority of the warrior king as he asserts his power over the earth. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:33.720 The Great Commission is a demonstration of the authority of the warrior king as he asserts his power over the earth. 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.720 By sending out his people to carry out his mission. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:38.720 That's what kings used to do. 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.720 Alexander the Great, Nebuchadnezzar. 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:45.720 I mean take any emperor. 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:46.720 That's what they would do. 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:53.720 Send out his people so that they can carry out his mission. 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:55.720 And that's what Christ does. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:02.720 And so when his people don't go, the question arises, who is their allegiance to? 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.720 Is it to the world? Is it to themselves? Or is it to the king? 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:14.720 And so it's a common thing. It's a corporate thing. It's not selective choice. 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:22.720 I've said this before, one of the things I really like about Jesus Christ is everything he demands of us, he has done. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:29.720 But his demands are so strong. There's nothing weak about this religion, man. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:38.720 We're the ones who make it look weak. But he, the demands he places on us, gosh, allegiance matters, man. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.720 And allegiance always has feet. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:45.720 Any allegiance that does not have feet is not allegiance. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:49.720 So that's the second one. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:57.720 The third thing, the Great Commission, there's a mandate. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:08:59.720 The Great Commission has a mandate. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:04.720 All this is encapsulated in Matthew 28, 18 to 20. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:06.720 The Great Commission has a mandate. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:18.720 A mandate. A mandate is King Jesus commands people of the Spirit, meaning the Church, commands the people of the Spirit, 00:09:19.720 --> 00:09:29.720 or the community of the Spirit, or the Church, commands the people of the Spirit to baptize nations 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:47.720 and to plant congregations and to teach them everything he taught us. 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:54.720 That's the mandate. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:55.720 That's the mandate. 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:58.720 Matthew 28, 18 to 20. Go baptize them. 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:03.720 You baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, but what do you baptize them into? 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:04.720 What's he saying there? 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:08.720 Listen, I want you to go plant congregations. You baptize them into the body of Christ. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:11.720 And that's the mandate. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:18.720 King Jesus commands the people of the Spirit, you and I, if you're born again, you have the Spirit of God living in you, 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:22.720 commands the people of the Spirit to baptize nations. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:25.720 To baptize nations, not to baptize an individual here or an individual there. 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.720 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:36.720 So Cali matters. New York matters. Vancouver matters. All nations. 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:41.720 The crazy thing is this is what is demanded of us. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:45.720 And he's a warrior king. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:49.720 I mean, you want to see what he looks like? Just a picture of it. 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:52.720 Go to Revelation 19. Revelation 19. 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:56.720 Just so you don't think this is some kind of thing that we are creating. 00:10:57.720 --> 00:10:58.720 Revelation 19. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:03.720 Verse 11. 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:07.720 Revelation 19, verse 11. 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:11.720 I saw heaven standing open. 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.720 Just try to imagine this, eh? 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:18.720 Everything takes time. Imagination takes time too. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:25.720 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.720 You know, sometimes I wish someone here could be so AI 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:36.720 that as I speak these images begin to form on the back. 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:40.720 And there was a white horse. A tenoring white horse. 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:43.720 Come on Matt, it's about time. 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:44.720 Hmm. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.720 Not if Matt does it. 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.720 Okay. So till we get that, use your imagination, eh? 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:03.720 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:07.720 whose rider is called Faithful and True. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.720 With justice he judges and makes war. 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:18.720 His eyes are like blazing fire and on his head are many crowns. 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:24.720 He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:31.720 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the word of God. 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:37.720 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.720 and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:44.720 You need to understand that as soon as it says dressed in fine linen, white and clean, 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:46.720 we are not talking about angels. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:54.720 Dressed in fine linen, white and clean, out of his mouth comes a sharp sword 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:58.720 with which to strike down the nations. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.720 He will rule them with an iron scepter. 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:05.720 He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:09.720 On his robe and on his thigh he has the name written 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:12.720 King of Kings, Lord of Lords. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:16.720 He is the warrior king, he has always been that. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:18.720 This is not something new. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:24.720 The Great Commission, it's time we understood it from that perspective. 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:29.720 That's why I've titled this An Army That Proclaims. 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:33.720 Because at the end of the day, when this is our mandate 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:35.720 and this is what the Great Commission looks like, 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:41.720 then it requires that we understand preaching as warfare. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.720 Or proclaiming as warfare. 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:50.720 Why? 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:55.720 Strangely enough, it's through proclamation of Christ, 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:58.720 it's through the proclamation of Christ that 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.720 it's a means that Christ uses, 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:10.720 it's a means that Christ uses to do a few things. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:21.720 One, it's a means he uses to rescue captives from powers. 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:35.720 Two, it is a means he uses to call sinners to submit to his rule. 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:45.720 And it is a means he uses to enable them to renounce their allegiance 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:55.720 to renounce their allegiance to other gods. 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:03.720 Imagine yourself, imagine how you received Christ. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.720 Someone proclaimed Christ to you. 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.720 Someone at some point, anybody who's received Christ, 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:17.720 who's a believer in this room, at some point, someone proclaimed Christ to you. 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:23.720 When Christ was proclaimed to you, here's the fact, here's the truth. 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:26.720 You used to be in the dominion of darkness, 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:30.720 in the proclamation of Christ and you being able to receive it or believe it, 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.720 you got transferred out of darkness into the kingdom of light. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.720 It was through proclamation of Christ. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:42.720 It is also through proclamation of Christ that you decided that Christ is actually God 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:47.720 and I'm going to bend my knee and say, you alone are Lord. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:54.720 It is also through the proclamation of Christ that you realized that he can be one of many gurus, 00:15:54.720 --> 00:16:01.720 one of many masters, one of many mantras, one of many idols, one of many gods, that he alone is God. 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:08.720 And therefore, now you had the option of choosing, you had to make your allegiance known, 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:11.720 all through the proclamation of Christ. 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:15.720 This is why proclamation of preaching is actually warfare. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:20.720 It is the thing that will be most resisted in the entire universe. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:28.720 Because if it can be stopped, then, supposedly victory is not ours, 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:33.720 but the crazy thing is it doesn't matter whether it's in North Korea, Russia, it doesn't matter where it is. 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:39.720 Paul put it very succinctly when he said, the gospel will progress even though I'm in chains. 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.720 Because just one person needs to catch it and the seed begins to germinate. 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:57.720 So it can never be changed, but you must understand that the reason you and I struggle so much 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:05.720 with presenting the gospel in a way that is understandable, in a way that has content, 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:14.720 part of the reason we struggle, or part of the reason we find it so difficult to go out and do it is because it is resisted. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.720 You know, a soldier who's skilled loves fighting. 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:25.720 Some soldiers look forward to the battle. 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:30.720 I mean, I think of the Stanley Cup finals and I, she was just watching them. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.720 I mean, I've only watched it twice because it happens once every 32 years with the Canucks. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:42.720 But I think to myself, how do they go there and play the way they do under, there's this guy called Drew Doughty. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.720 Drew Doughty is a defense guy for LA. 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:51.720 We were playing the US. It is the final game. It's overtime. 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:54.720 Whoever shoots the next goal wins. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:18:01.720 Drew Doughty is sitting in the bench. He's got earphones on and he's listening to music and he's tapping his feet. 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:09.720 I'm thinking to myself, what kind of warrior is this who loves the taste of blood and the sound of the battle? 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:11.720 There are war horses like that. 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:16.720 We don't think like that. For us, this is such a struggle. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:18.720 And it is a struggle because preaching is warfare. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:25.720 And one of the things we need to understand is that proclamation is not, proclamation is not a calling. 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:29.720 Proclamation is your identity and I'll explain it to you. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:43.720 So evangelism requires a wartime zeal. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.720 Zeal. 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:54.720 And I must say, I don't have it. 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:00.720 I don't know what you'll say, but I want to admit that I don't have it. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:06.720 It's not a zeal. It's not a wartime zeal. It's not send me out there. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:09.720 It's a struggle. 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:19.720 I'll do it in obedience. I'll do it once God says, but it's not something I look forward to every morning. 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:26.720 You're so fortunate that you don't have a mic and you don't have to confess your sins while I do it here upfront. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.720 But it's a wartime zeal. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.720 It's a wartime zeal. 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:39.720 And missions, missions is the primary battleground. 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:47.720 Missions is the primary battleground. 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:56.720 Be it Cali, be it Richmond, be it New York, missions is the primary battleground. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.720 And this church must have both. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:03.720 Must have proclamation on a daily basis in the city that you live in where it's the toughest. 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:06.720 It's always where you are that is the toughest. 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:08.720 It's easy to go outside and do it. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:16.720 But it also needs to have mission and mission is the primary battleground. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:20.720 Be it Richmond, Cali or New York, that's the battleground. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:25.720 This is why any church that does not indulge in missions is a monstrosity. 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:31.720 It's a monstrosity. It's failed its very purpose. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.720 Any questions before we move on? 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:48.720 Who does this? Not a few professionals, not a few guys who get paid. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.720 Who does this? Everybody. 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:56.720 How we do it and the way we do it will be different. 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:00.720 Any questions? 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:17.720 So Christ is still establishing like he did in Luke 10. 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:19.720 Can you go to Luke 10? Luke 10? 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:26.720 Luke 10. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:34.720 Mike just sent me a picture of a horse that he created on chat. 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:38.720 I have opened a Pandora's box. 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.720 Luke 10. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.720 Luke 10. 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:48.720 It looks like a goat but we leave that alone for now. 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:52.720 I'm kidding, I'm kidding. It looks like a horse. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.720 Luke 10 verse 9. 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:02.720 Heal the sick and tell them the kingdom of God is near you now. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:04.720 Luke 10 verse 19. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:06.720 Luke 10 verse 19. 00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:12.720 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions to overcome all the power of the enemy. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.720 Nothing will harm you. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:27.720 Christ is still establishing, Christ is still establishing an army of, an army of disciples, 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:33.720 an army of disciples to fulfill. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.720 His commission. 00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:44.720 And when he does it, the very word commission means these things. 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:50.720 The moment he's at his commission, he expects you to follow. 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:57.720 He places you under order. 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:04.720 He trains you on the job. 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:13.720 He commissions you to have authority. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:22.720 And he sends you in the power of the Spirit. 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:28.720 This is what he does. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:36.720 You must see this as something that absolutely belongs to you, is the demand on you, is meant for you, 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:42.720 and that at the end of the day, when Ashish gets to heaven, when Prosper gets to heaven, 00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:55.720 when Anileh gets to heaven, this is what we will be given crowns or well done good and faithful servant. 00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:58.720 This is what it's about. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:01.720 Not a bit of worship here, not a bit of preaching. 00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.720 That part is the easiest part. 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:07.720 This is how we'll be evaluated. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:15.720 So Christ is still raising an army of disciples to fulfill his commission. 00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:21.720 And he expects, the moment he says the word commission, listen, it wasn't meant for the apostles. 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:27.720 One of the ways the church has avoided the whole thing is to say that it was meant for the 12 apostles, not for anybody else. 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.720 That's one way. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:36.720 Or it was meant for those that have gone to Bible college and not anybody else, in which case, Tuni is the only one who would make it. 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:46.720 But he expects all of us to follow. 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:51.720 He places all of us under order, which means there'll be someone who will help us. 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:53.720 Three, he'll train you on the job. 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:59.720 Four, you get commissioned to have authority over serpents and scorpions so that you can trample over them. 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:09.720 Because like I said, Proclamation and any part of this commission of Matthew 28, 18 and 20 will be opposed because it's the only thing that saves people. 00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:23.720 At the end of the day, when the jobs are done, when our bodies are old and in the grave, when all that is done, the only thing that matters will be, did someone receive Christ or did he not? 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:28.720 Does one enter the kingdom or does one not? 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:32.720 It's the treasure of darkness. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:35.720 When it says, I will give you the treasures of darkness, what is God talking about? 00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:36.720 I'll give you souls. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:42.720 Any questions? 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:53.720 First Peter 2, 9, you are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen generation. 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:54.720 To do what? 00:25:55.720 --> 00:26:00.720 To show forth or to proclaim the excellencies of God. 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:03.720 He's not saying that's your calling. 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:05.720 He's saying that's your identity. 00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:10.720 The moment you got born again, Jacob, your identity was that of a proclaimer. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.720 Proclaiming what? 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:13.720 The excellencies of God. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:17.720 Let's try it. 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:19.720 Aaron, proclaim the excellencies of God. 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.720 Putting you on the spot. 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:23.720 Anyone who yawns will be next. 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.720 Go ahead. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:30.720 Yeah, it's actually easy. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.720 It's actually easy. 00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:37.720 We just shudder when we have to say this to someone who's not a believer. 00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:42.720 Hey, proclaim the excellencies of God. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:54.720 Yeah, sometimes the creator thing may not work, but the moment he said my God, it was like a sigh of relief. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:56.720 People get affected by this. 00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:59.720 It's actually easy. 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:02.720 It's just that when we go out, it gets so scary. 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:05.720 And we do it because we obey. 00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:07.720 We don't do it for the thrill of the battle. 00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:21.720 It's like having a box full of weapons. 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:24.720 Put your hand in, pull out one. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:26.720 And if that doesn't work, take out another one. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:27.720 Throw spaghetti at the wall. 00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:29.720 See if it sticks. 00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:33.720 We've got an array of weapons. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:38.720 It's like Captain America or Iron Man. 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:43.720 See, these are the things I'd like on AI. 00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:47.720 With sound effects, if possible. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.720 That's how this works. 00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:51.720 Proclamation is critically. 00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:57.720 The way I wrote it down is proclamation is the tsunami of the kingdom. 00:27:57.720 --> 00:28:01.720 Proclamation is the tsunami of the kingdom. 00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:07.720 Proclamation is the tsunami of the kingdom. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:16.720 As in it is the mighty revelation of the eternal life. 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:36.720 The splendor of Jesus Christ made known through your words across the earth. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:44.720 Across the earth as the waters cover the seas. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:49.720 That's from Habakkuk chapter 2, verse 14. 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:55.720 Proclamation is the tsunami of the kingdom. 00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:57.720 As in it might seem small. 00:28:57.720 --> 00:28:59.720 It might seem like it's regressing. 00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:01.720 It might seem like it's being pushed back. 00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:05.720 My God, every time it's pushed back, usually someone arises. 00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:07.720 Or one church arises. 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.720 Or one man arises. 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:10.720 Or one nation arises. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.720 Or a Moses arises. 00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.720 Or a Paul arises. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.720 Or a Gideon arises. 00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:14.720 Someone arises. 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:16.720 Just when you think it's regressing. 00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:19.720 And then it comes forth with such force. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:24.720 And it makes known the mighty revelation of the splendor of who Christ is. 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:31.720 And as it begins to get known, the glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the seas. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.720 Everything gets inundated. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.720 That's how this works. 00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:39.720 But every day one needs to have the courage to be that man or woman. 00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:50.720 I was listening to this girl in Shillong talk about, I think I said it last time. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:53.720 She said her fear went away when they put a gun to her head. 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:55.720 Till then she was afraid. 00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:58.720 Well the day someone put a gun to her head because she was freaking, 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:00.720 she was afraid of what they would do to her. 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.720 She was afraid of what they would do to her. 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:06.720 And then someone put a gun to her head because she was freaking, the fear went away. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:08.720 I don't know how that works. 00:30:09.720 --> 00:30:11.720 You would think you would become more fearful. 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:18.720 Any questions? 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:23.720 Second Corinthians 520. 00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:26.720 I just want to show you how critical proclamation is. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:28.720 Second Corinthians 520. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:31.720 It says there that we are ambassadors of Christ. 00:30:31.720 --> 00:30:37.720 And then it goes on to say in verse 20, God is making his appeal through us. 00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.720 And what's the appeal? 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:43.720 Be reconciled to God. 00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:46.720 As in make your peace with God. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:47.720 How do you make peace with God? 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:52.720 By recognizing Christ whose blood was shed for your sins. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:55.720 And that way all hostility between God and man, 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:59.720 all sin that kept you away from God is now reconciled. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:02.720 As in the ledgers have been settled, the debt has been paid. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.720 Beautifully. 00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:13.720 But how can I be an ambassador that appeals on behalf of God without proclamation? 00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:17.720 Guys, try to wrap our heads around this. 00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:19.720 It is not our calling. 00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:21.720 It is our identity. 00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:23.720 It's like seeing, 00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:25.720 you know, there's this beautiful story. 00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:27.720 It's a horrible story. 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:29.720 But it's so brilliant. 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:32.720 There was a king, maybe I've said this to you, 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:36.720 there was a king who decided that in his land, 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:40.720 he'll make sure that there are no eagles left. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:45.720 So he sent out his soldiers and said, get rid of every eagle that exists. 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:48.720 They finally came upon a nest. 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:50.720 And it was the last eagle and its nest. 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.720 And there were three eggs in that nest. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:55.720 And the soldiers decided to break the eggs. 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:58.720 And once they break the eggs, that's the end of eagles in the land. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:01.720 And the king had a really wicked plan. 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:03.720 He said, no, don't break those eggs. 00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:05.720 Kill the eagle, bring the eggs. 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:10.720 And he decided, he put the eggs amongst chicken. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:15.720 And so these chicken who would scound and scratch the earth began to hatch these eggs. 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:17.720 The eggs hatched, the eagles came out. 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:24.720 They fluttered around with these chickens scratching for earthworms in a chicken coop. 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:28.720 Over a period of time as they grew, they didn't even know that they could fly. 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:32.720 They didn't even know that they could fly. 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:35.720 And every day the king would come and rub his hands with glee, 00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:38.720 saying, aha, I have them where they wanted them. 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:40.720 They're eagles, but they do not know. 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:42.720 What's the point of the story? 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:44.720 The point of the story for me is this. 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:46.720 Jacob, you have forgotten your identity. 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.720 You are waiting for calling. 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:49.720 You're waiting for a command. 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.720 You want to obey God. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:51.720 You want to do what he tells you. 00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:53.720 When you hear his voice, you will go out. 00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:56.720 All that is good, but there's something greater than that. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:33:00.720 And that is that proclamation is your identity. 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:02.720 It's not a calling. 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:03.720 It's not a demand. 00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.720 It's not obedience. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.720 It's my identity. 00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:12.720 One day one of these eagles decides when he's chased by an angry-looking rooster, 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:14.720 the eagle decides to flap its wings. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.720 And as it begins to flap its wings, it begins to fly. 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.720 It begins to fly. 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:20.720 And the rooster goes, cock-cock-cock-cock-cock-ock. 00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:22.720 I need AI for that, too. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:28.720 And this eagle begins to just soar, and that's the first time it realizes 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:30.720 that the chicken coop wasn't meant for it. 00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:41.720 I'm trying to work that into my head and into my heart, 00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:43.720 that, Jacob, proclamation is not your calling. 00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:44.720 It's not obedience. 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:45.720 It's not doing the will of God. 00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:47.720 It's not the duty that you are bound to. 00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:51.720 It's not some kind of thing you're called to in church. 00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:54.720 It's not some kind of evangelistic mission you're on. 00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:57.720 Listen, proclamation is your identity. 00:33:57.720 --> 00:34:02.720 It's very natural for you because you're a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. 00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:03.720 You've been changed. 00:34:03.720 --> 00:34:05.720 Something inside you wants to speak, wants to speak. 00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:09.720 The spirit of man, the spirit of God that I have within me, 00:34:09.720 --> 00:34:12.720 that has become one with the new spirit that I receive, 00:34:12.720 --> 00:34:17.720 it speaks, it speaks, it speaks, because it's after the image of God. 00:34:17.720 --> 00:34:19.720 And my God speaks. 00:34:19.720 --> 00:34:21.720 Everything he does, he speaks first. 00:34:21.720 --> 00:34:23.720 He created the earth through speaking. 00:34:23.720 --> 00:34:27.720 He got me saved through me speaking and someone speaking to me. 00:34:27.720 --> 00:34:30.720 It's my identity. 00:34:30.720 --> 00:34:32.720 It's not my duty or calling or mission. 00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:36.720 I sing. 00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:39.720 I sing because it's my identity. 00:34:39.720 --> 00:34:41.720 You play the guitar, I can sing. 00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:43.720 May not be the best one. 00:34:43.720 --> 00:34:44.720 Tony is better. 00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:46.720 Emily is better. 00:34:46.720 --> 00:34:48.720 But my God, I can sing and it's my identity. 00:34:56.720 --> 00:34:59.720 But like eagles that are growing up in a chicken coop, 00:34:59.720 --> 00:35:07.720 we've been tamed to sing. 00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:12.720 To think that every time we go out, it's like a big deal. 00:35:19.720 --> 00:35:22.720 Clumsy words are God's favorite thing to use. 00:35:22.720 --> 00:35:27.720 Second Corinthians 520, the other one was 1 Peter 2, 9. 00:35:27.720 --> 00:35:30.720 We already went over that. 00:35:30.720 --> 00:35:34.720 The next one is Romans 10. 00:35:35.720 --> 00:35:40.720 I'm just giving you scriptures where it's impossible to live this king 00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:46.720 and kingdom life without embracing and enjoying. 00:35:46.720 --> 00:35:51.720 I look forward to the day when I will first embrace and then enjoy. 00:35:55.720 --> 00:35:57.720 Romans 10, 14 and 15. 00:35:57.720 --> 00:35:59.720 Romans 10, 14 and 15. 00:36:01.720 --> 00:36:03.720 Romans 10, 14 and 15. 00:36:05.720 --> 00:36:09.720 How then can they call on the one they have not believed in 00:36:09.720 --> 00:36:13.720 and how can they believe in one of whom they have not heard 00:36:13.720 --> 00:36:16.720 and how can they hear without someone preaching to them 00:36:16.720 --> 00:36:19.720 and how can anyone preach unless they are sent? 00:36:23.720 --> 00:36:27.720 I think it's in the passion translation it says, 00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:32.720 how welcome is the arrival of those proclaiming the joyful news, 00:36:32.720 --> 00:36:36.720 as in how lovely on the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news. 00:36:36.720 --> 00:36:40.720 Another way of saying it is how welcome is the arrival of those 00:36:40.720 --> 00:36:42.720 proclaiming the joyful news. 00:36:42.720 --> 00:36:44.720 The proclamation is important because without proclamation, 00:36:44.720 --> 00:36:47.720 you know one of the scenes I had in my mind, this is just imagination. 00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:51.720 I was just imagining someone yesterday in that festival 00:36:51.720 --> 00:36:57.720 and there were believers there and one of them going and talking to somebody 00:36:57.720 --> 00:37:00.720 during the festival while they're eating at a food truck. 00:37:00.720 --> 00:37:04.720 Someone's talking to somebody, proclaiming Christ, leading someone to Christ, 00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:07.720 not knowing what awaited. 00:37:09.720 --> 00:37:11.720 These stories happen so many times. 00:37:11.720 --> 00:37:20.720 You know the owner of Bentol Towers here in Vancouver. 00:37:20.720 --> 00:37:28.720 They used to live in Seattle and so one of their relatives I think 00:37:28.720 --> 00:37:33.720 was driving down from Vancouver to Seattle and there's a soldier standing by the side of the road 00:37:33.720 --> 00:37:39.720 and he was coming a ride and finally a car, really good looking car stops by. 00:37:39.720 --> 00:37:42.720 The guy gets in and it's a long way and he's thinking to himself, 00:37:42.720 --> 00:37:44.720 should I talk to this guy about Christ? Should I not? 00:37:44.720 --> 00:37:47.720 If I talk to him, he may boot me out. He looks too rich. 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:51.720 He may not want me here. He begins to talk to the guy, tells him about Christ. 00:37:51.720 --> 00:37:56.720 And the guy doesn't listen, doesn't say anything, but he listens to him, 00:37:56.720 --> 00:38:00.720 drops him off where he wants to. He gets off and drives. 00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:05.720 Next day he finds out that just about two blocks down from where he left him, 00:38:05.720 --> 00:38:07.720 there was a semi that crashes into him. 00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:13.720 I mean we can hear hundreds of stories like this where God intervenes because someone had the, 00:38:13.720 --> 00:38:18.720 either someone obeyed or someone in their joy proclaimed. 00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:23.720 Find the joy of proclamation because it's part of your identity. 00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:27.720 Find it. Some things have to be found guys. 00:38:27.720 --> 00:38:33.720 Everything is not automatic. Find the joy of proclamation. 00:38:33.720 --> 00:38:38.720 Find the joy of proclamation. 00:38:45.720 --> 00:38:53.720 Isaiah 61. Do you know that in Isaiah 61 there are five places where it says proclaim 00:38:53.720 --> 00:38:57.720 and then five places where it says instead? 00:38:57.720 --> 00:39:02.720 When you read Isaiah 61, you'll find that the spirit of the Lord God is upon me 00:39:02.720 --> 00:39:08.720 for the Lord has anointed me to proclaim the good news, proclaim liberty to captives, proclaim. 00:39:08.720 --> 00:39:12.720 There are five proclaims and after the five proclaims there are five insteds. 00:39:12.720 --> 00:39:17.720 Now that I have proclaimed, here, instead of joy, go ahead Emmanuel. 00:39:23.720 --> 00:39:27.720 Oh the story. So the guy, sorry. 00:39:27.720 --> 00:39:33.720 Shoot, I didn't complete the story. 00:39:33.720 --> 00:39:40.720 That's terrible. Even AI can't help with that. 00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:49.720 So he goes two blocks down the road and then finds out that there was an accident and this man had died. 00:39:49.720 --> 00:39:55.720 But what he didn't realize is that between dropping him and getting there, 00:39:55.720 --> 00:40:03.720 this man calls his wife and tells him about this stranger who walked into his car and how he received Christ. 00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:10.720 He had no idea. He finds out later that the man had received Christ 00:40:10.720 --> 00:40:13.720 and that he had hardly two blocks to cover before he died. 00:40:13.720 --> 00:40:16.720 And it's someone from the Bentol family. 00:40:16.720 --> 00:40:23.720 I remember hearing this story the first time from someone who was aware of this about 30 years ago in Canada. 00:40:23.720 --> 00:40:29.720 Many such stories you hear, eh? Last minute reprieves because someone proclaimed. 00:40:29.720 --> 00:40:37.720 And so when it comes to Isaiah 61, five proclaims and so it's sequential. 00:40:38.720 --> 00:40:46.720 First, announce or proclaim and then instead, instead of mourning, give you joy. 00:40:46.720 --> 00:40:54.720 Instead of ashes, give you beauty. Instead of heaviness, give you praise. 00:40:54.720 --> 00:41:01.720 But it seems to be God's way of doing. It's almost like God saying, hey, if you don't proclaim, don't expect. 00:41:02.720 --> 00:41:09.720 He may out of his grace and mercy do things in people's lives through you even though you don't proclaim. 00:41:09.720 --> 00:41:14.720 But the pattern in scripture is very simple. Announce and I'll turn up. 00:41:14.720 --> 00:41:18.720 Announce and I'll turn up. Announce and I'll turn up. 00:41:18.720 --> 00:41:24.720 Matthew 10. Go to Matthew 10 verse 7. 00:41:24.720 --> 00:41:27.720 Matthew 10 verse 7. What does he say? 00:41:27.720 --> 00:41:37.720 Go proclaim my kingdom and then once you proclaim the kingdom, heal, raise, cleanse, cast out freely you have received, freely give. 00:41:37.720 --> 00:41:44.720 Go proclaim the kingdom. Go let them know that there's a new sheriff in town, that there's a new rule in town. 00:41:44.720 --> 00:41:50.720 And in this rule, strange things happen. People get healed, demons get cast out, lepers get cleansed, dead get raised. 00:41:50.720 --> 00:41:53.720 Go tell them. Tell them that it has arrived. 00:41:53.720 --> 00:41:57.720 Tell them that it has arrived. Once you announce it, then I'll do it. 00:41:59.720 --> 00:42:02.720 Mark 16 verse 16 to 18. Same thing. 00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:08.720 Go tell and once you tell, these signs will accompany you. 00:42:11.720 --> 00:42:14.720 Mark 16 verse 16 to 18 says exactly that. Go announce. 00:42:14.720 --> 00:42:26.720 Sometimes the reason, and there's not an excuse, sometimes the reason we do not see what Mark 16 says, we do not see what Mark 10 says is because of our fear of announcing. 00:42:28.720 --> 00:42:34.720 The fear of announcing what God will do prevents us from seeing what he will do. 00:42:34.720 --> 00:42:44.720 We try to do it the other way. Let me do it first. If it works, I'll announce. 00:42:46.720 --> 00:42:51.720 His thing is, announce it and I'll do it. Mark 16, 16 to 18. 00:42:51.720 --> 00:42:57.720 Go therefore into all the world and preach the gospel and here are the signs that will accompany you. 00:42:57.720 --> 00:43:01.720 Here's the crazy thing. Josh, just come out since you're sitting up front. 00:43:02.720 --> 00:43:07.720 Here's the crazy thing. Just hold on to my shoulder. Wherever I go, he accompanies me. 00:43:08.720 --> 00:43:13.720 Wherever I go, he accompanies me. It doesn't matter where I go, he accompanies me. 00:43:14.720 --> 00:43:18.720 Yeah? And this is so much fun. 00:43:21.720 --> 00:43:26.720 But I need you to understand that this is how Mark 16 verse 16 to 18 works. 00:43:26.720 --> 00:43:31.720 And these signs shall accompany you if you believe. 00:43:31.720 --> 00:43:36.720 These signs shall accompany you if you believe. As in, it never leaves you. 00:43:36.720 --> 00:43:41.720 The question is, what is your expectation? Get out of the way, Anna. 00:43:45.720 --> 00:43:49.720 Dennis, your mom must be thinking, my God, what church has my son joined? 00:43:49.720 --> 00:43:54.720 The point is, these signs accompany me. Again, it's not a question of calling. 00:43:54.720 --> 00:43:58.720 It's not a question of faith. It is a question of expectation because this is my identity. 00:44:01.720 --> 00:44:06.720 Read it. Go proclaim the gospel and these signs shall accompany you. 00:44:07.720 --> 00:44:10.720 As in, they follow you wherever you go. 00:44:11.720 --> 00:44:14.720 In my name, you will cast out demons. 00:44:14.720 --> 00:44:18.720 You will speak in tongues. You will lay hands on the sick and the sick will recover. 00:44:18.720 --> 00:44:21.720 You will drink things that are poisonous but they will not harm you. 00:44:21.720 --> 00:44:24.720 You will pick up serpents and they will not hurt you. 00:44:25.720 --> 00:44:32.720 And Jesus watched over what they proclaimed and made sure that he endorsed what they proclaimed with signs. 00:44:32.720 --> 00:44:34.720 I mean, why are you holding on to me, man? 00:44:35.720 --> 00:44:39.720 Sorry, Josh. I mean, I know we are friends, but I'm not going to lie. 00:44:40.720 --> 00:44:46.720 Sorry, Josh. I mean, I know we are friends, but we're in church, Josh. 00:44:47.720 --> 00:44:53.720 So, it accompanies us. 00:44:53.720 --> 00:44:57.720 It's such a cool thing to realize that these things are our identity. 00:44:57.720 --> 00:45:02.720 Proclamation is our identity. Accompaniment of signs and wonders is our identity. 00:45:09.720 --> 00:45:15.720 So, the first thing I would say is to live quiet lives and be in control of your actions. 00:45:39.720 --> 00:45:46.720 Just avoid it because we live in a pluralistic world where when Christians drink, it isn't very kosher. 00:45:46.720 --> 00:45:48.720 So, just avoid it. 00:45:48.720 --> 00:45:55.720 But other than that, and I'll tell you why it's kosher since I went down that road and Emmanuel asked me to finish the story. 00:45:55.720 --> 00:46:02.720 The reason it's not kosher is because there are religions that frown on drinking. 00:46:02.720 --> 00:46:16.720 And sometimes when they see Christians drinking publicly, they lump us with the same worldly kind of approach that people think the world has. 00:46:16.720 --> 00:46:21.720 There was a guy who used to come to Acts 29. He was from Turkey. His name was Ali. 00:46:21.720 --> 00:46:29.720 He went back to Istanbul and they tried to re-indoctrinate him back into Islam. 00:46:30.720 --> 00:46:32.720 They took him, put him in a room. 00:46:32.720 --> 00:46:35.720 And one of the things, I met him, I went to Istanbul and I met him. 00:46:35.720 --> 00:46:44.720 One of the things that they would do to him is they would show Ali videos of Christianity in North America. 00:46:44.720 --> 00:46:54.720 And most of it had to do with Christians, supposed Christians, drinking, partying, living a very different life. 00:46:54.720 --> 00:46:56.720 And they said, how is this different from the world? 00:46:56.720 --> 00:46:58.720 And I was fascinated by Ali's answer. 00:46:58.720 --> 00:47:01.720 We were a very small church then, about eight or nine people. 00:47:01.720 --> 00:47:05.720 His answer was, but these are not the Christians that I have associated with. 00:47:05.720 --> 00:47:09.720 They don't live like this. Their lives are different. 00:47:09.720 --> 00:47:12.720 So that's to deal with the drinking thing. 00:47:12.720 --> 00:47:20.720 And yet, the Bible doesn't say you can't. It's just Jacob saying it. 00:47:20.720 --> 00:47:24.720 But where would we be going before drinking? 00:47:24.720 --> 00:47:26.720 Yeah, we don't balance things. 00:47:26.720 --> 00:47:30.720 In Christianity, nothing is held in balance. Everything is held in tension. 00:47:30.720 --> 00:47:34.720 In Christianity, nothing is held in balance. Everything is held in tension. 00:47:34.720 --> 00:47:42.720 On one hand, I must live a life that is exemplary so that people can see my life and say, aha, that is what Christ looks like. 00:47:42.720 --> 00:47:45.720 Look at the way Dilna treats his dog. Look at the way he treats his children. 00:47:45.720 --> 00:47:48.720 Look at the way he works. Look at the way he pays his taxes. 00:47:48.720 --> 00:47:49.720 Look at the way he does things. 00:47:49.720 --> 00:47:53.720 You see in that man, a man who is honest, innocent and straight. 00:47:53.720 --> 00:47:55.720 And so they begin to imitate him. 00:47:55.720 --> 00:47:56.720 So that's one hand. 00:47:56.720 --> 00:48:05.720 On the other hand, without proclamation, this exemplary lifestyle will only help people understand that Dilna is a good man. 00:48:05.720 --> 00:48:07.720 But why is he good? 00:48:07.720 --> 00:48:16.720 If he does not proclaim, they will not know that he is good because of someone called Christ, 00:48:16.720 --> 00:48:20.720 because otherwise his goodness is the same as filthy menstrual rags. 00:48:20.720 --> 00:48:25.720 So we don't hold this in balance. We hold it in tension. 00:48:25.720 --> 00:48:32.720 And in the Western world, we've fallen for, let's just show them Christ with our lives. 00:48:32.720 --> 00:48:35.720 Because that's an easy way out, man. 00:48:35.720 --> 00:48:44.720 As long as, who was it? Martin Luther said that you can talk all about Christianity, Jacob, 00:48:45.720 --> 00:48:55.720 but in the one place that the world around you opposes you, if you are silent, then you are a coward and not a soldier. 00:48:58.720 --> 00:49:05.720 You can talk all about Christianity, but in the one area that the world around you or the country around you or the city around you or the people around you, 00:49:05.720 --> 00:49:10.720 the one area that they feel offended by, that they oppose, in that area if you remain silent, 00:49:10.720 --> 00:49:14.720 it doesn't matter that you've spoken about everything else about Christianity, 00:49:14.720 --> 00:49:20.720 in that one area when you decide to be silent, in that area you are a coward and you are not a soldier. 00:49:23.720 --> 00:49:25.720 Proclamation is identity. 00:49:32.720 --> 00:49:35.720 The other thing is, guys, perhaps, perhaps, yeah? 00:49:35.720 --> 00:49:39.720 Just think of this. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth, 00:49:40.720 --> 00:49:47.720 speaks. I mean, I don't know whether you bumped into Derek out there today. 00:49:47.720 --> 00:49:51.720 I don't know if you bumped into Evan when you were out there. 00:49:51.720 --> 00:49:55.720 Evan today would not have said a word. Why? Because the Leafs lost yesterday. 00:49:55.720 --> 00:50:01.720 Derek is the happiest guy on the planet. Why? Because Liverpool just won the Premier League. 00:50:01.720 --> 00:50:07.720 Out of the abundance of the mouth, of the heart, the mouth begins to speak. 00:50:10.720 --> 00:50:26.720 Out of the abundance, you know Jason from Calgary was supposed to meet me at Calgary Airport 00:50:26.720 --> 00:50:30.720 because I had a three-hour layover. Last minute he calls it off. 00:50:30.720 --> 00:50:38.720 And I'm sitting at the airport and he's texting me, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, and then I realised why he didn't come to meet me. 00:50:41.720 --> 00:50:46.720 Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:50:46.720 --> 00:50:53.720 Therefore, is it perhaps possible that Christ is not my magnificent obsession to the point 00:50:53.720 --> 00:51:01.720 where I can show forth His excellencies as naturally as I speak about hockey or about horses or about burgers 00:51:01.720 --> 00:51:05.720 or about planes or about stuff? 00:51:05.720 --> 00:51:09.720 There's another script in Matthew 15, 8, and here's what it says in Matthew 15, 8. 00:51:09.720 --> 00:51:14.720 The lips speak, but their hearts are far away. 00:51:14.720 --> 00:51:20.720 They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. 00:51:20.720 --> 00:51:29.720 Is it perhaps because God becomes less desirable in my life at times that I am not willing to? 00:51:29.720 --> 00:51:33.720 Why would you speak about something that's less desirable? 00:51:34.720 --> 00:51:42.720 So that's one side. The other side is the fear, because proclamation is war. 00:51:42.720 --> 00:51:47.720 Proclamation is war. 00:51:47.720 --> 00:51:55.720 Preaching is war. Forget the word preaching. Proclamation is war. 00:51:55.720 --> 00:52:00.720 And we can't have Mel Gibson rouse us up like Braveheart every time we go out, eh? 00:52:00.720 --> 00:52:07.720 This has to be a settled identity. The proclamation is my identity. 00:52:10.720 --> 00:52:14.720 It's critical in warfare. 00:52:14.720 --> 00:52:18.720 Why? Why? Because here's the thing, guys. 00:52:18.720 --> 00:52:23.720 Because Christ has caused Christ through the cross. 00:52:23.720 --> 00:52:32.720 Christ through the cross has paid for every human's sin. 00:52:32.720 --> 00:52:43.720 But the fact is that Christ has paid for every human's sin. 00:52:43.720 --> 00:53:04.720 But to transfer out of kingdoms of darkness into the kingdom of the sun, 00:53:04.720 --> 00:53:14.720 I need to hear it. 00:53:14.720 --> 00:53:22.720 Will you proclaim it to me? 00:53:22.720 --> 00:53:28.720 Colossians 1.13. Let's go there quickly. Colossians 1.13. 00:53:29.720 --> 00:53:38.720 Colossians 1.13. 00:53:38.720 --> 00:53:47.720 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun he loved. 00:53:47.720 --> 00:53:55.720 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun, the sun that he loves. 00:53:55.720 --> 00:53:59.720 So we need to understand that Christ through the cross has paid for every human. 00:53:59.720 --> 00:54:10.720 There's not a single human being on earth that presently exists or will be born tomorrow whose sins have not been paid for. 00:54:10.720 --> 00:54:12.720 As in, the ransom has been paid. 00:54:12.720 --> 00:54:20.720 They can be taken out of the house that they now dwell in and transferred into a house where they will be safe. 00:54:20.720 --> 00:54:22.720 But they do not know it. 00:54:22.720 --> 00:54:26.720 One of the strange things about the World War was when the World War II ended 00:54:26.720 --> 00:54:32.720 and Hirohito, the emperor of Japan, actually went and signed a declaration of surrender, 00:54:32.720 --> 00:54:38.720 there were still soldiers that were left in jungles that hadn't heard that the surrender had happened. 00:54:38.720 --> 00:54:42.720 They hadn't heard. And so they were still fighting. 00:54:42.720 --> 00:54:48.720 One of them, I was reading an excerpt on him just three months ago, one of them fought for nine years, 00:54:48.720 --> 00:54:51.720 till he was the only one on an island. 00:54:51.720 --> 00:54:57.720 But it was impossible to approach him because he would somehow get ammo and with his old rifle, anybody comes near him, he would shoot 00:54:57.720 --> 00:55:02.720 because he did not know that the war was over. 00:55:02.720 --> 00:55:05.720 You cannot transfer people out of the kingdom of darkness. 00:55:05.720 --> 00:55:08.720 And this kingdom of darkness has guardians. 00:55:08.720 --> 00:55:16.720 2 Corinthians 4, 4, it says that Satan has blinded the eyes of people 00:55:16.720 --> 00:55:21.720 and they cannot see the light of the gospel unless it's brought to them. 00:55:21.720 --> 00:55:27.720 Colossians 2, 8, it says we have been taken captive by the elemental spirits of the world, 00:55:27.720 --> 00:55:34.720 by philosophies, by traditions and the ways of men so that people are caught, they are trapped. 00:55:34.720 --> 00:55:42.720 And the only thing that removes the veil, the only thing that breaks through the blindness is when someone proclaims. 00:55:42.720 --> 00:55:51.720 And the moment the proclamation happens, these guardians, you read about them in Mark 3, 27 and Matthew 12, 29, 00:55:51.720 --> 00:55:56.720 what are these guardians? Josh, come. 00:55:56.720 --> 00:56:04.720 So Josh is the guardian of this entire row. 00:56:04.720 --> 00:56:09.720 He prevents anybody from approaching the three of them. 00:56:09.720 --> 00:56:16.720 Anyone comes and tries to force their way, he pushes back at them. 00:56:16.720 --> 00:56:20.720 He doesn't touch them, he pushes back at them. 00:56:20.720 --> 00:56:22.720 Yeah. And so now there's a problem. 00:56:22.720 --> 00:56:26.720 I cannot enter to rescue these three because they are protected. 00:56:26.720 --> 00:56:31.720 Matthew 12, 29, Mark 6, 7, talk about it. 00:56:31.720 --> 00:56:35.720 So do you know what I do? I go get someone stronger than me. 00:56:35.720 --> 00:56:41.720 Emmanuel, come. 00:56:41.720 --> 00:56:48.720 Matthew 12, 29 says, if you want to plunder a house and have the captives in that house escape, 00:56:48.720 --> 00:56:56.720 take someone stronger than you who is pretending to limp, but he's not really that way. 00:56:56.720 --> 00:56:59.720 Oh, you played today. Okay, wrong strongman I picked. 00:56:59.720 --> 00:57:05.720 And he now comes and he just binds him up and holds him steady. 00:57:05.720 --> 00:57:08.720 Now I can go and pull out Sen. 00:57:08.720 --> 00:57:12.720 Now I can go pull out the three of them. This is how it works. 00:57:12.720 --> 00:57:17.720 I know this makes it sound funny and all the stuff, but let me read from the scriptures. 00:57:17.720 --> 00:57:20.720 All of you can go back to your respective places. 00:57:20.720 --> 00:57:26.720 Emmanuel, yalla, yalla, run, run. 00:57:26.720 --> 00:57:33.720 Okay, let's turn to Mark 3, 27 and Matthew 12, 29. 00:57:33.720 --> 00:57:42.720 Mark 3, 27. Mark 3, 27. Matthew 12, 29. 00:57:42.720 --> 00:57:50.720 Mark 3, 27. Let me start at 26 or 27. 00:57:50.720 --> 00:57:55.720 In fact, no one can enter a strongman's house without first tying him up. 00:57:55.720 --> 00:57:58.720 Then he can plunder the strongman's house. 00:57:58.720 --> 00:58:05.720 Go to Matthew 12, 29. Matthew 12, 29. 00:58:05.720 --> 00:58:11.720 Or again, how can one enter a strongman's house and carry off his possessions 00:58:11.720 --> 00:58:16.720 unless he first ties up the strongman? Then he can plunder his house. 00:58:16.720 --> 00:58:22.720 You must understand that proclamation is a way of tying up the strongman. 00:58:22.720 --> 00:58:25.720 Please understand, proclamation is a way of tying up the strongman. 00:58:25.720 --> 00:58:28.720 When you proclaim Christ, the enemy has no other choice. 00:58:28.720 --> 00:58:30.720 I'll tell you why the enemy has no other choice. 00:58:30.720 --> 00:58:38.720 Because at the moment when Satan thought that the Son of God has been crucified and his reign is over, 00:58:38.720 --> 00:58:46.720 at that very moment he loses the entire battle. 00:58:46.720 --> 00:58:52.720 You should read Colossians 2, 15. Colossians 2, 15. 00:58:52.720 --> 00:58:56.720 It's so beautiful. Colossians 2, 15. 00:58:56.720 --> 00:59:06.720 Read it from the NIV and then we read it from the message. Colossians 2, 15. 00:59:06.720 --> 00:59:09.720 Starting at verse 13, reading from the NIV. 00:59:09.720 --> 00:59:13.720 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, 00:59:13.720 --> 00:59:16.720 God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. 00:59:16.720 --> 00:59:22.720 Having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us, 00:59:22.720 --> 00:59:24.720 he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 00:59:24.720 --> 00:59:29.720 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, disarmed the powers and authorities, 00:59:29.720 --> 00:59:33.720 he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 00:59:33.720 --> 00:59:39.720 Reading from the message. Starting at verse 13. 00:59:39.720 --> 00:59:45.720 When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. 00:59:45.720 --> 00:59:49.720 Beautifully. God brought you alive, right along with Christ. 00:59:49.720 --> 00:59:54.720 Think of it. All sins forgiven. How do you think that happened? Someone spoke to you. 00:59:54.720 --> 00:59:59.720 Just look at that again. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, 00:59:59.720 --> 01:00:04.720 you were incapable of responding to God. And then someone came along and proclaims. 01:00:04.720 --> 01:00:07.720 And the moment they proclaim, look what happens. God brought you alive. 01:00:07.720 --> 01:00:10.720 How did he bring you alive? With the words that were proclaimed. 01:00:10.720 --> 01:00:14.720 God brought you alive, right along with Christ. Think of it. All sins forgiven. 01:00:14.720 --> 01:00:20.720 The slate wiped clean. The old arrest warrant cancelled and nailed to Christ's cross. 01:00:20.720 --> 01:00:25.720 I love the next bit. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe 01:00:25.720 --> 01:00:30.720 of their sham authority at the cross and marched them naked through the streets. 01:00:30.720 --> 01:00:39.720 Beautiful, eh? That's why proclamation is so critical. And it is war. 01:00:39.720 --> 01:00:45.720 If I were the devil, why would I not prevent you from proclaiming? 01:00:45.720 --> 01:00:51.720 I would use everything in my arsenal to prevent you from speaking. 01:00:51.720 --> 01:00:59.720 Here would be my normal tricks. Your words are pretty clumsy. 01:00:59.720 --> 01:01:04.720 When you explain the gospel, my God, it's terrible. 01:01:04.720 --> 01:01:09.720 Two, what will people think when they hear you talk? 01:01:09.720 --> 01:01:15.720 They'll think you're a goody two shoes and you're holier than them and it won't be good. 01:01:15.720 --> 01:01:21.720 Three, don't you know that the rule is you're not supposed to talk to anybody about God and politics? 01:01:21.720 --> 01:01:25.720 Don't bring it up because it'll give you a bad reputation. 01:01:25.720 --> 01:01:29.720 Four, remember what happened when Tunis spoke about God at the office? 01:01:29.720 --> 01:01:32.720 They mocked him. You'll get mocked. 01:01:32.720 --> 01:01:39.720 Five, don't bring up Jesus because rejection sucks and people will laugh at your face. 01:01:39.720 --> 01:01:43.720 Six, why can't each one have their own beliefs? 01:01:43.720 --> 01:01:47.720 You have your beliefs as a Christian, Hindus have beliefs as Hindus, Muslims have beliefs as Hindus, 01:01:47.720 --> 01:01:51.720 Muslims, why mess it all up? Just let each one be. 01:01:51.720 --> 01:01:54.720 If God wants to touch them, he has amazing ways to touch them. 01:01:54.720 --> 01:01:59.720 Seven, let them see your life. Let them see how you type. 01:01:59.720 --> 01:02:03.720 And maybe they will be touched and they will become Christians. 01:02:03.720 --> 01:02:11.720 Eight, you go tell them that God heals and you pray for them and they don't get well, you're finished. 01:02:11.720 --> 01:02:19.720 Nine, look at your own life. You've got problems. Your dog doesn't like you. Why would they listen to you? 01:02:19.720 --> 01:02:25.720 It's just endless, see, the things that we come up with. 01:02:25.720 --> 01:02:33.720 I would use these tricks again and again and again and it would silence you. 01:02:33.720 --> 01:02:39.720 And as I'm saying these things, you realize that all of us are silent because of that. 01:02:39.720 --> 01:02:46.720 This is supposed to be something everybody does naturally. 01:02:46.720 --> 01:02:50.720 It is your identity. 01:02:50.720 --> 01:02:53.720 I've got to stop here because we need to pray. 01:02:53.720 --> 01:02:58.720 I'm going to ask Karen to come up to pray. 01:02:58.720 --> 01:03:01.720 As she comes up, I just want to read two scriptures. 01:03:01.720 --> 01:03:07.720 Here are the two scriptures. We'll just read them. I won't explain them. 01:03:07.720 --> 01:03:10.720 I love this line. 01:03:10.720 --> 01:03:15.720 It's not mine. It's too brilliant. 01:03:15.720 --> 01:03:29.720 We live out the Great Commission call to war 01:03:29.720 --> 01:03:42.720 by the Great Commandment call to love. 01:03:42.720 --> 01:03:46.720 We live out the Great Commission call to war by the Great Commandment call to love. 01:03:46.720 --> 01:03:53.720 As in at the end of the day, we follow the divine warrior into battle with hostile powers, not with people. 01:03:53.720 --> 01:03:56.720 We go out to war because we love people. 01:03:56.720 --> 01:04:04.720 That if they die without knowing Christ, there is an eternity waiting for them that is separate from God. 01:04:04.720 --> 01:04:10.720 No amount of ritual, no amount of tradition, no baptism, no river, no pilgrimage. 01:04:10.720 --> 01:04:17.720 Nothing is going to help me recognize, be with for the rest of eternity 01:04:17.720 --> 01:04:22.720 the one who made me and made me because he loves me, died on the cross because he loves me, 01:04:22.720 --> 01:04:24.720 and is willing to live in me because he loves me. 01:04:24.720 --> 01:04:28.720 Nothing. That is bothersome. 01:04:28.720 --> 01:04:32.720 The Great Commission. 01:04:32.720 --> 01:04:37.720 We live out the Great Commission call to war by the Great Commandment call to love. 01:04:37.720 --> 01:04:42.720 Yeah. Two scriptures I wanted to read out. First one is Acts 10.38. 01:04:42.720 --> 01:04:45.720 Acts 10.38. 01:04:45.720 --> 01:04:49.720 Try and learn this so that you don't forget. Acts 10.38. 01:04:49.720 --> 01:04:53.720 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. 01:04:53.720 --> 01:04:55.720 I love putting my name in there. 01:04:55.720 --> 01:04:57.720 God anointed Jacob of Vancouver. 01:04:57.720 --> 01:05:02.720 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. 01:05:02.720 --> 01:05:06.720 And he went about doing good. 01:05:06.720 --> 01:05:09.720 Delivering all those that were harassed by the devil. That's one. 01:05:09.720 --> 01:05:15.720 And then the other one is Acts 26.18. 01:05:15.720 --> 01:05:18.720 And it says, I am sending you to them. 01:05:18.720 --> 01:05:23.720 To do what? To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. 01:05:23.720 --> 01:05:26.720 From the power of Satan to God. 01:05:26.720 --> 01:05:29.720 I am sending you to them. 01:05:29.720 --> 01:05:33.720 To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. 01:05:33.720 --> 01:05:35.720 From the power of Satan to God. 01:05:35.720 --> 01:05:38.720 So that they may receive forgiveness of sins. 01:05:38.720 --> 01:05:42.720 And a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 01:05:42.720 --> 01:05:52.720 What does verse 19 say? 01:05:52.720 --> 01:05:59.720 What does verse 16 say? 01:05:59.720 --> 01:06:03.720 Can someone just read it out with a very loud voice? 01:06:03.720 --> 01:06:12.720 26.16. 01:06:12.720 --> 01:06:21.720 Can you read it from the NIV? 01:06:21.720 --> 01:06:31.720 Can you hear her? 01:06:31.720 --> 01:06:34.720 They're not doing what you're asking them to. 01:06:34.720 --> 01:06:36.720 One more time, Hamari. 01:06:36.720 --> 01:06:38.720 Read it, read it. 01:06:38.720 --> 01:06:53.720 I have appeared to you to appoint you as servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 01:06:53.720 --> 01:06:56.720 Keep going till verse 18. 01:06:56.720 --> 01:06:58.720 Till verse 18. 01:06:58.720 --> 01:07:04.720 I have rescued you from your own people and from the Ten Commandments. 01:07:04.720 --> 01:07:06.720 I am sending you to them. 01:07:06.720 --> 01:07:10.720 To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. 01:07:10.720 --> 01:07:13.720 And from the power of Satan to God. 01:07:13.720 --> 01:07:17.720 So that they may receive forgiveness of sins. 01:07:17.720 --> 01:07:22.720 And a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 01:07:22.720 --> 01:07:25.720 Amen. You can sit. 01:07:25.720 --> 01:07:29.720 Okay, so Karen's going to pray for the elections tomorrow. 01:07:29.720 --> 01:07:39.720 We aren't ones that subscribe to or promote one party over the other. 01:07:39.720 --> 01:07:44.720 So let's see how she prays. 01:07:44.720 --> 01:07:50.720 And then we can see what principles we can draw, yeah? 01:07:50.720 --> 01:07:52.720 This is a tough one to pray for. 01:07:52.720 --> 01:07:58.720 So what if you like the liberals and I like the conservatives and Jillian likes the greens? 01:07:58.720 --> 01:08:02.720 Yeah, becomes a problem. 01:08:02.720 --> 01:08:10.720 And some just walk out, they don't vote. 01:08:10.720 --> 01:08:16.720 Father, Father thank you for this country. 01:08:16.720 --> 01:08:20.720 Some of us were born here, some of us have come here. 01:08:20.720 --> 01:08:24.720 You've given us a good place to live and we're grateful. 01:08:24.720 --> 01:08:31.720 We're grateful for the opportunity that we have to elect a government here. 01:08:31.720 --> 01:08:34.720 Some of us get the opportunity to vote, not all of us do. 01:08:34.720 --> 01:08:38.720 But we can all pray as you've commanded us to. 01:08:38.720 --> 01:08:46.720 We are so grateful that nobody comes into power unless you put them there. 01:08:46.720 --> 01:08:56.720 That the people, the men and the women that are going to be elected tomorrow are there because you are choosing them. 01:08:56.720 --> 01:08:59.720 But Father, you ask us to pray. 01:08:59.720 --> 01:09:03.720 And so we humbly come before you. 01:09:03.720 --> 01:09:06.720 We say Father have mercy on our land. 01:09:06.720 --> 01:09:12.720 There's many things that have been done in our country that are not righteous. 01:09:12.720 --> 01:09:16.720 But Father, we know you hear our prayers. 01:09:16.720 --> 01:09:24.720 We know that you are a good Father and that this country is important to you as are all countries. 01:09:24.720 --> 01:09:27.720 But this is the place that you have placed us. 01:09:27.720 --> 01:09:34.720 And so Father, we humbly ask that you would have mercy on our country. 01:09:34.720 --> 01:09:47.720 That you would put people into places of power and influence that would bring honour to your name by the decisions they make, by the actions they take. 01:09:47.720 --> 01:09:53.720 And so Father, for those of us that have the opportunity to vote, whether we voted already or will vote tomorrow, 01:09:53.720 --> 01:09:58.720 we ask that you give much wisdom and insight and that your will would be done. 01:09:58.720 --> 01:10:02.720 That your kingdom would rule here in this country. 01:10:02.720 --> 01:10:12.720 That even as our country was called the Dominion of Canada because it was about you having dominion from sea to sea, 01:10:12.720 --> 01:10:15.720 that Father, that that would be true. 01:10:15.720 --> 01:10:20.720 That you would have dominion from sea to sea in this great land. 01:10:20.720 --> 01:10:28.720 And that Father, that we would, that we would stand on guard for you because you have given us this place to live. 01:10:28.720 --> 01:10:31.720 We thank you for that now. 01:10:31.720 --> 01:10:34.720 In Jesus' name, Amen. 01:10:34.720 --> 01:10:36.720 That was actually a very cool prayer, right? 01:10:36.720 --> 01:10:41.720 Yeah, I think, so one, thanking God for the freedom we have in this land. 01:10:41.720 --> 01:10:43.720 It's huge. 01:10:43.720 --> 01:10:46.720 Some of us come from countries where we don't have that freedom. 01:10:46.720 --> 01:10:54.720 And I sometimes think every grade 10, 11, 12 should be sent to another country for three months and they'll be ever thankful for Canada. 01:10:54.720 --> 01:10:55.720 So that's one. 01:10:55.720 --> 01:10:58.720 Two, oh God, show mercy to this land. 01:10:58.720 --> 01:10:59.720 Yeah? 01:10:59.720 --> 01:11:02.720 And when he says show mercy to the land, we're talking about people. 01:11:02.720 --> 01:11:07.720 Three, what are the principles that this country was formed on that agree with the kingdom? 01:11:07.720 --> 01:11:09.720 Dominion from sea to sea. 01:11:09.720 --> 01:11:12.720 It's on the parliament building in Ottawa. 01:11:12.720 --> 01:11:16.720 So we take what this country was built on and say, oh God, remember. 01:11:16.720 --> 01:11:24.720 Four, we're supposed to pray for the ones who come into places of power so that in their decision making, 01:11:24.720 --> 01:11:29.720 they do things that align with the kingdom and are conducive to the spread of the gospel. 01:11:29.720 --> 01:11:31.720 If not, we still go on. 01:11:31.720 --> 01:11:46.720 Five, all power and all authority on earth, sometimes even when it's corrupt, is because God allows it and it requires us then to live either with them or in a way that aligns with the kingdom. 01:11:46.720 --> 01:11:47.720 So that is a really good prayer. 01:11:47.720 --> 01:11:49.720 It's hard to pray for these things, eh? 01:11:49.720 --> 01:11:51.720 So well done, Karen. 01:11:54.720 --> 01:11:57.720 If you need prayer, there'll be someone here to pray with you.