WEBVTT

NOTE
Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver
Episode: Breaking In
Publishing Date: 2021-01-10T05:00:44-08:00
Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca
Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/breaking-in/

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.520
I want us to take this to heart during this week.

00:00:08.520 --> 00:00:14.920
I was watching someone preach and while they were preaching, they put images behind them

00:00:14.920 --> 00:00:26.760
of mothers fleeing with their children as married, pregnant mothers unsure of what will

00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:33.560
happen to their child because they were poor.

00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:40.600
Long arduous journeys that refugees were taking, nations where persecution is happening.

00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:45.560
These were the pictures that were being cast on the screen as the person was preaching.

00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:50.640
And it's very unreal for us, like I said, because of our romanticized stained glass

00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.920
version of the nativity.

00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:59.200
I just want to read this scripture and I pray that almost all of us, without exception, will

00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.320
be able to partake in these scriptures.

00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:10.360
So I'm reading from Matthew 25 to 40.

00:01:10.360 --> 00:01:14.480
If you haven't watched this movie, and it's a really old movie and people laugh at me

00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:20.400
every time I repeat it every year, it's called The Fourth Wise Man.

00:01:20.440 --> 00:01:25.520
You should watch it, it's a Martin Sheen movie and it kind of goes down this road.

00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:29.320
So let me just read it.

00:01:29.320 --> 00:01:35.360
Matthew 25, 35 to 40.

00:01:35.360 --> 00:01:38.760
For when you saw me hungry, you fed me.

00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:42.760
When you found me thirsty, you gave me something to drink.

00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:47.280
And I had no place to stay, you invited me in.

00:01:47.320 --> 00:01:51.480
When I was poorly clothed, you covered me.

00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:55.320
When I was sick, you tenderly cared for me.

00:01:55.320 --> 00:01:59.240
When I was in prison, you visited me.

00:01:59.240 --> 00:02:02.240
Then the godly will answer him.

00:02:02.240 --> 00:02:06.160
Lord, when, that's godly as in you, then the godly will answer him.

00:02:06.160 --> 00:02:12.560
Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or give you food and something to drink?

00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.000
When did we see you with no place to stay and invite you in?

00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:19.400
When did we see you poorly clothed and cover you?

00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:25.120
When did we see you sick and tenderly care for you or in prison and visit you?

00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:26.840
And the king will answer them.

00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:27.920
Don't you know?

00:02:27.920 --> 00:02:33.240
When you cared for one of the least important of these, my little ones, my true brothers

00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:37.400
and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.

00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:38.400
Love that line.

00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:39.400
And the king will answer them.

00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:40.400
Don't you know?

00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:45.600
When you cared for one of the least important of these, my little ones, may you find the

00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:51.800
least important in the eyes of the world who are highly treasured in the eyes of the

00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:52.800
king.

00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.080
May you find them between now and Christmas.

00:02:55.080 --> 00:03:00.000
May you find at least one that you can be Christ to.

00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:01.000
Yeah?

00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:01.360
Cool.

00:03:16.600 --> 00:03:23.200
Hey guys, before I preach, I just thought I'll throw this up on the video.

00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:26.240
I really liked what Josh and Charlene did.

00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:31.600
And if you haven't already watched it, here's a chance to watch it.

00:03:31.600 --> 00:03:33.600
It's pretty good.

00:03:34.600 --> 00:03:51.600
The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.

00:03:51.600 --> 00:04:07.600
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter's night that was so deep.

00:04:07.600 --> 00:04:16.600
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.

00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:24.600
Born is the king of Israel.

00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:40.600
A look at up and saw a star shining in the east beyond them far.

00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:56.600
And to the earth it gave great light and so it continued both day and night.

00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:05.600
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.

00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:13.600
Born is the king of Israel.

00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:29.600
Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord

00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:37.600
Who has made heaven and earth of nought.

00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:45.600
And with His blood mankind has bought.

00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:54.600
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.

00:05:54.600 --> 00:06:11.600
Born is the king, born is the king, born is the king of Israel.

00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:26.600
Whoo!

00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:39.600
I was trying there, but we should leave the singing to Charlene.

00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:49.600
Okay guys, today's teaching if you want a title is Breaking In, Breaking In, Breaking In.

00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:56.600
Guys, Christmas is a breaking in of the kingdom.

00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:58.600
Christmas is a breaking in of the kingdom.

00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:10.600
If you go to Galatians 4.4, Galatians 4.4.

00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:17.600
It talks about how at a certain point in the fullness of time,

00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:24.600
when the set time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman, born under the law,

00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:29.600
to redeem those under the law that we might receive adoption to sonship.

00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:38.600
So it's the breaking in of something that God had promised when He spoke to Adam and Eve when they fell.

00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:43.600
That the seed will come and He will crush the serpent's head.

00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:49.600
And so Christmas is the breaking in of the kingdom and Mary actually recognized this.

00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:56.600
Mary recognized this and she sings it in Luke chapter 1, verse 50 to 55.

00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:59.600
Luke chapter 1, 50 to 55.

00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.600
Mary recognizes it and she begins to sing.

00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:09.600
She sings of a flawed world into which a new king enters and he turns things upside down.

00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:11.600
That's literally what she's singing.

00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:17.600
Few think that Mary was actually prophetic, but in this song of praise she's actually prophetic

00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:19.600
when she says that,

00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:35.600
He has lifted up the humble.

00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.600
He has filled the hungry with good things, but sent the rich away empty.

00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:44.600
He has helped His servant Israel remembering to be merciful in Abraham and his descendants forever,

00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:46.600
just as He has promised our ancestors.

00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.600
So in this she's talking about a flawed world into which a king enters,

00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:56.600
who throws the tyrants off, brings in new order, who takes care of the poor and the wretched,

00:08:56.600 --> 00:09:03.600
who brings to pass exactly what Jesus later does in Matthew 5 when he talks about the Beatitudes.

00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:10.600
This was something that was already spoken of in Haggai chapter 2, verse 22 and 23.

00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:16.600
Guys, I've got an echo on this thingy if I could not have it somehow.

00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:21.600
Haggai chapter 2, verse 22 and 23.

00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:27.600
You see mention of a new king and a new kingdom in the form of Zerubbabel.

00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:32.600
Haggai chapter 2, verse 22 to 23.

00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:38.600
I'm just bringing all this up so you know how neatly the Old and the New Testament are tied up together.

00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:42.600
And so it says in 22 and 23,

00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:47.600
I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of foreign kingdoms.

00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:53.600
I will overthrow chariots and their drivers, horses and their riders will fall each by the sword of his brother.

00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:59.600
On that day declares the Lord Almighty, I will take you, my servant, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord,

00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:04.600
and I'll make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord Almighty.

00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:13.600
And so we see Mary singing of a new king and a kingdom breaking into a broken world.

00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:20.600
And whenever God wants to break into your life situation,

00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:30.600
he does it through the spirit and the spirit broods or hovers or overshadows whatever God is planning to break into.

00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:36.600
And to the degree that the vessel that is going to be broken into responds,

00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:39.600
to that degree God accomplishes or births his purpose.

00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:45.600
So if you go to Luke 1.35, if you go to Luke 1.35, you see that happening with Mary.

00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:48.600
I'll read from the message, Luke 1.35.

00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:54.600
Luke 1.35.

00:10:54.600 --> 00:11:01.600
It says there, the angel answered,

00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:11.600
The angel answered,

00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:21.600
The angel answered,

00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:29.600
And so grasp this principally, that whenever God wants to break into something,

00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:36.600
into your life, into a situation in the world, what he does is, before even people know of it,

00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:49.600
before anybody catches whiff of it, he already has the Holy Spirit brooding over or hovering over that which he wants to affect.

00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:53.600
So that his desire may be birthed.

00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:55.600
And the same with us.

00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:59.600
First he wants to break into my life,

00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:04.600
and after breaking into my life, he wants to break into lives through me.

00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:13.600
First he wants to break into my life, and after breaking into my life, he wants to break into lives through me.

00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:19.600
Far before God reveals to me that he wants me to change or become something or do something,

00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.600
the Holy Spirit is already brooding and hovering, saying,

00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:26.600
Alright, I hope Jacob sees what I'm trying to say and responds.

00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:31.600
And the moment he does, the Spirit of God is able to bring the change.

00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.600
And then we are supposed to function the same way with others,

00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:40.600
where we function like the Spirit, brooding over them, hovering over them, releasing the word,

00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:44.600
waiting for the moment when they open up.

00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:51.600
One of the things I sense God saying, and sometimes dislike using words like this,

00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:54.600
but what do you do if this is what God is saying?

00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:59.600
I sense God saying, Listen, there's an anointing for breaking in that is present today.

00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:02.600
An anointing for breaking in that is present today.

00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:08.600
As in, I am present with my power, that is what he means by anointing.

00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:13.600
I am present with my power to break into your lives in certain areas

00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:20.600
and then break through your lives into other lives, other situations, other nations, as individuals and as a church.

00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:23.600
And my power is present to do that.

00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:29.600
We read that in the Gospels where it says, And the power of God to heal was present with Jesus.

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:34.600
And I'm saying to you based on faith and what I heard,

00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:42.600
that the anointing to break into your life and then break through your life into nations,

00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:46.600
people's, family's situations is present here today.

00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:51.600
And I'm hoping that at the end of the service, we are able to respond.

00:13:51.600 --> 00:14:00.600
So here are some of the conditions that really catalyze the hovering of the Holy Spirit over you

00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:02.600
and the breaking in of the Holy Spirit over you.

00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:04.600
Here are some of the conditions.

00:14:04.600 --> 00:14:10.600
Rafful, can I have a tiny bit of volume or let me hear myself a little better?

00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.600
One or the other?

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:24.600
So the first principle is know your beginning.

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:26.600
Know your beginning and I'll explain it.

00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:31.600
Sounds kind of weird, but know your beginning.

00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.600
Know your beginning.

00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:46.600
If you go to Genesis 1, verse 1 and 2, know your beginning.

00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:49.600
Genesis 1, 1 and 2.

00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:55.600
It says first, Genesis 1, 1 and 2.

00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:58.600
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:02.600
The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep.

00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:05.600
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:10.600
Know your beginning, as in know the areas of your void.

00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:13.600
Know the face of your waters.

00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.600
Know it. This is my condition, O God.

00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:26.600
One of the things that happens when we don't know our condition

00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:29.600
is we don't know that we require surgery.

00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.600
We don't know we require replacement.

00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:33.600
We don't know we require change.

00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.600
One of the ways to know your beginning or know your condition

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:42.600
or know your void or know the face of the waters in your life

00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:47.600
is the Word because the Word is a perfect mirror that exposes things.

00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:52.600
That aside, there are others in your life that can help you see areas

00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:58.600
where there is a void or where the face of the waters in your life need to be changed.

00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:00.600
Know your beginning.

00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:05.600
If you haven't already begun the process, which we started at least two weeks ago

00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:08.600
in this church, then find time.

00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:12.600
Because otherwise, next year will be a repeat of this year without COVID.

00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:13.600
Know your beginning.

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.600
Know your void.

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:15.600
Know the face of your waters.

00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.600
Know the areas that you've been failing in.

00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:23.600
Know the stubbornness, the frustrations, the areas that haven't changed.

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.600
Know it.

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.600
And the Spirit of God is pointing it out.

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:28.600
He's pointed it out many times.

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:37.600
And He gives you opportunities to correct it.

00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.600
And He gives you opportunities to correct it.

00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:46.600
Once you know your void, the next thing to know is know the words spoken over you.

00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:48.600
Know the words spoken over you.

00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:51.600
Know the words spoken over you.

00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.600
Know the words spoken over you.

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:04.600
A void is something the Spirit of God loves to fill.

00:17:04.600 --> 00:17:08.600
The face of the water is if turbulent, He loves to calm.

00:17:10.600 --> 00:17:15.600
But one of the things He wants to do before that is to have you go and check the words spoken over you.

00:17:15.600 --> 00:17:17.600
So that you may agree with Him.

00:17:17.600 --> 00:17:21.600
Agreement with God is what causes God to begin to move in with you.

00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:24.600
Because it says in Amos 3, verse 3 I think,

00:17:24.600 --> 00:17:27.600
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

00:17:27.600 --> 00:17:29.600
Know the words spoken over you.

00:17:35.600 --> 00:17:39.600
It causes the hovering of the Holy Spirit now to become a breaking in.

00:17:40.600 --> 00:17:43.600
Function the same way with others.

00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:46.600
Function like the Spirit over others.

00:17:47.600 --> 00:17:49.600
Discern their Genesis point.

00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:51.600
Discern where they are at.

00:17:51.600 --> 00:17:54.600
Discern the void in their lives.

00:17:55.600 --> 00:17:58.600
Discern the face of the waters in their lives.

00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:01.600
It's not one size fit all.

00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:07.600
It's one of the favorite things I like doing as I sit with someone new, as I sit with a stranger.

00:18:07.600 --> 00:18:10.600
Father, what is the void in their life?

00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:13.600
Father, what is it that is happening in their lives?

00:18:13.600 --> 00:18:15.600
Can you show?

00:18:15.600 --> 00:18:21.600
Because once He shows, now you can say or do things just like the Spirit of God would do with you.

00:18:22.600 --> 00:18:27.600
Where initially you speak a word that they may be able to receive or will receive later.

00:18:28.600 --> 00:18:33.600
Once they do that, you keep meeting them with them again because the Spirit of God broods.

00:18:33.600 --> 00:18:38.600
The word brood has in it patience and long term patience.

00:18:38.600 --> 00:18:41.600
Where over a period of time people begin to change.

00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:45.600
Function like the Spirit over others.

00:18:45.600 --> 00:18:47.600
Discern their Genesis point.

00:18:47.600 --> 00:18:49.600
Discern the direction of the Spirit.

00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:56.600
Isaiah 28, verse 23 to 29 puts it so well in terms of not treating everybody

00:18:56.600 --> 00:19:00.600
just as you were treated or just as you think they should be treated.

00:19:01.600 --> 00:19:09.600
Isaiah 28, verse 23 to 29 is so instructive and it comes from the Lord it says,

00:19:11.600 --> 00:19:14.600
Give ear and hear my voice, give attention and hear my speech.

00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:18.600
Does he who plow for sowing plow continually?

00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:22.600
Does he who continually open and harrow his ground?

00:19:22.600 --> 00:19:25.600
When he has levelled its surface, does he not scatter dill,

00:19:25.600 --> 00:19:31.600
sow cumin and put wheat and rose and barley in its proper place and emmer as the border?

00:19:31.600 --> 00:19:34.600
For he is rightly instructed, his God teaches him,

00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:38.600
dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cumin,

00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:41.600
but dill is beaten out with a stick and cumin with a rod.

00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:44.600
All these things are totally unfamiliar to me.

00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:45.600
I know salt and pepper.

00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:47.600
Does one crush grain for bread?

00:19:47.600 --> 00:19:50.600
No, he does not thresh it forever.

00:19:50.600 --> 00:19:54.600
When he drives his cartwheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it.

00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:56.600
This also comes from the Lord of hosts.

00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:59.600
He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:00.600
Brilliant!

00:20:01.600 --> 00:20:03.600
This is how the Holy Spirit deals with us.

00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.600
This is how we deal with others.

00:20:04.600 --> 00:20:08.600
We're not just talking about the Holy Spirit breaking into my life.

00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:10.600
We're talking about the Holy Spirit breaking into my life

00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:16.600
and then me being able to break into other lives, into other situations, into other nations.

00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:20.600
Acts 29 must have a sense of the Genesis point of nations,

00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:24.600
of the face of the waters and the void in nations

00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:28.600
so that at the appropriate time we are able to enter

00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:31.600
precisely as the Holy Spirit wants us to

00:20:31.600 --> 00:20:36.600
because he is brooding over certain nations, certain situations,

00:20:36.600 --> 00:20:38.600
certain families, certain individuals.

00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:51.600
The strange thing is the Holy Spirit chooses to work through people.

00:20:51.600 --> 00:20:53.600
He can do it himself.

00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:55.600
But he chooses to work through people.

00:21:00.600 --> 00:21:04.600
The next principle that really helps us

00:21:08.600 --> 00:21:13.600
become absolutely pliable to this hovering of the Holy Spirit and His breaking in

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:16.600
is to be a unified man or woman.

00:21:16.600 --> 00:21:19.600
A unified man or woman.

00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:25.600
In Psalm 86, verse 11, David says,

00:21:25.600 --> 00:21:29.600
Unite my heart to fear you, O God.

00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:31.600
Unite my heart to fear you, O God.

00:21:31.600 --> 00:21:35.600
There is something to being a unified man.

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:40.600
And I think it's important for us as we go forward into 2021 as a church.

00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:43.600
A unified man.

00:21:43.600 --> 00:21:48.600
As in, let your outer man, let your outer man,

00:21:48.600 --> 00:21:57.600
let your outer man, that is, your will, your thoughts, your emotions,

00:21:57.600 --> 00:22:04.600
let your outer man and inner man,

00:22:04.600 --> 00:22:07.600
as in the new spirit man,

00:22:10.600 --> 00:22:12.600
be in sync.

00:22:16.600 --> 00:22:18.600
Be in sync.

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:23.600
Quite often our will is more conditioned to the buzz of the iPhone

00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:25.600
than to the buzz of the Holy Spirit.

00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:31.600
I mean the way we react to everything is dropped because the iPhone is buzzing.

00:22:31.600 --> 00:22:34.600
It doesn't matter how loudly the Holy Spirit buzzes.

00:22:34.600 --> 00:22:39.600
It's odd how our outer man, our will, thought and emotions,

00:22:39.600 --> 00:22:43.600
is so conditioned to things that are on the external

00:22:43.600 --> 00:22:47.600
and therefore once you're divided, it is very hard for the Holy Spirit

00:22:47.600 --> 00:22:50.600
to break into your life even though He's brooding and hovering.

00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:53.600
You see this with Mary and with Zechariah.

00:22:53.600 --> 00:22:57.600
Mary was someone who was able to unite

00:22:57.600 --> 00:22:59.600
her outer and inner person.

00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:01.600
Zechariah wasn't even though he was more learned.

00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:05.600
Both of them were asked the same question.

00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:07.600
How can it be?

00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:10.600
Zechariah was told your wife is going to have a son.

00:23:10.600 --> 00:23:13.600
His question was how can it be because he couldn't believe.

00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:17.600
Mary was told you are going to have a son and you're a virgin,

00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:18.600
yet you're going to have a son.

00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:20.600
She asks the same question, how can it be?

00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:24.600
But somewhere in her heart, she was able to take what she felt

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:28.600
in her will, her thoughts and emotions and match it with who she was.

00:23:34.600 --> 00:23:39.600
The Holy Spirit loves working with those that are able to let the inner man

00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:44.600
rule over the external, rule over the will,

00:23:44.600 --> 00:23:46.600
rule over the thoughts, rule over the emotions.

00:23:46.600 --> 00:23:50.600
He loves it because now he's not dealing with a divided person.

00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:55.600
It's much easier to break into a person who is one than a person who is divided.

00:23:55.600 --> 00:24:00.600
When a person is divided, there is a need to work on the will, thought and emotions

00:24:00.600 --> 00:24:04.600
because the inner man knows what is true, but now you have this battle with,

00:24:04.600 --> 00:24:06.600
but this is what I want.

00:24:06.600 --> 00:24:11.600
But these are my thoughts, these are my desires, there's this clash.

00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:14.600
I have to learn how to unite my heart to fear God

00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:17.600
so that the Holy Spirit finds me very easy to work with.

00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:21.600
Because almost everything he asks of me will be beyond my logic,

00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:26.600
beyond the five senses and contrary to my fleshly desires.

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:38.600
The soul, if allowed to dominate, is like an octopus

00:24:38.600 --> 00:24:42.600
that covers the ears and eyes of the spirit.

00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:46.600
The soul, if allowed to dominate, is like an octopus

00:24:46.600 --> 00:24:50.600
that covers the eyes and the ears of my spirit

00:24:50.600 --> 00:24:55.600
with tentacles of logic, with tentacles of desire, with tentacles of five senses.

00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:58.600
It just blinds me and deafens me

00:24:58.600 --> 00:25:01.600
so that the Holy Spirit now has to pull double time

00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:04.600
because he's got to first make my will pliable.

00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:06.600
He has to renew my thoughts.

00:25:06.600 --> 00:25:11.600
He has to get me to a place where my emotions and my desires don't drive me.

00:25:11.600 --> 00:25:16.600
He has to get me to a place where five senses aren't what dictates my direction.

00:25:16.600 --> 00:25:22.600
There is so much more work involved if my person is not united.

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:25.600
If you want God to hover over you

00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:29.600
and if you want God to take you through a process without striking you dumb,

00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:31.600
like he did with Zechariah,

00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:36.600
then uniting your outer and inner man is critical.

00:25:37.600 --> 00:25:42.600
I remember saying this line four or five years ago, and it's a brilliant line.

00:25:42.600 --> 00:25:49.600
Things which are seen in my life must not be made from things that are visible.

00:25:49.600 --> 00:25:56.600
Things which are seen in my life must not be made from things that are visible.

00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:59.600
Hebrews 11.3 talks about it.

00:25:59.600 --> 00:26:03.600
Significant things in my life, significant events in my life,

00:26:03.600 --> 00:26:07.600
significant movements in my life, significant progress in my life,

00:26:07.600 --> 00:26:11.600
significant challenges in my life, significant adventures in my life,

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:17.600
significant directions in my life must not be made out of that which is visible.

00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:24.600
It must be drawn from a realm that is invisible but is solidly rooted in God.

00:26:24.600 --> 00:26:29.600
When that happens, my life begins to show God.

00:26:29.600 --> 00:26:33.600
When that does not happen, my life shows you the best of Jacob.

00:26:33.600 --> 00:26:41.600
And the best of Jacob is like filthy rags on his best day compared to what God can do.

00:26:51.600 --> 00:26:54.600
The third principle that really helps the life of the spirit

00:26:54.600 --> 00:27:01.600
to hover and then break in and flow through you is the idea of operating in order.

00:27:01.600 --> 00:27:04.600
The idea of operating in order.

00:27:04.600 --> 00:27:13.600
Wherever there is order, it provokes the anointing of the spirit and it forges unity.

00:27:13.600 --> 00:27:23.600
Wherever there is order, it provokes the anointing of the spirit and it forges unity.

00:27:23.600 --> 00:27:36.600
Wherever there is order, it provokes the anointing of the spirit as in his presence and it forges unity.

00:27:36.600 --> 00:27:43.600
wherever there is order, it provokes the anointing of the spirit as in his presence and it forges unity.

00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:49.600
Psalm 133, verse 1 and 2 give evidence of this where it says,

00:27:49.600 --> 00:27:55.600
Sure, it starts off with the idea of how blessed are the brothers and sisters who dwell together.

00:27:55.600 --> 00:28:00.600
So it starts off with the idea of unity but then it talks about how the unity is achieved.

00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:06.600
Unity is achieved because the body is connected to the head and the oil that flows from the head begins to go down the face,

00:28:06.600 --> 00:28:09.600
down the beard, into the garments, into the body.

00:28:09.600 --> 00:28:16.600
The idea is wherever there is order, whenever there is divine order anywhere,

00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:24.600
and the kind of order that is prevalent because of a culture of honor,

00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:31.600
order that is prevalent because of fear, order that is prevalent because of forced submission,

00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:40.600
order that is prevalent because of dictatorial leaders is not the kind of order that is tethered to the nature of God.

00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:53.600
Order that is tethered to the nature of God has in it on one hand an arrangement or a hierarchy that is based on the principle of honor both ways, bottom to top, top to bottom.

00:29:02.600 --> 00:29:06.600
Wherever there is order, you will find two things happening.

00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:16.600
One, the Holy Spirit turns up and two, he forges the kind of one accordness or unity that can only be achieved in the church.

00:29:20.600 --> 00:29:31.600
Only the Holy Spirit knows how to connect one bone to the other the correct way, to reform the structure of the bones, to revive dead bones as it says in Ezekiel 37.

00:29:31.600 --> 00:29:38.600
One of the things you can be assured of in Acts 29, I'm not saying it because I'm the pastor, I'm not saying it with any degree of pride,

00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:45.600
but the thing is if you join this church you will find that regardless of the condition of the bone that you are,

00:29:45.600 --> 00:29:50.600
whether you're decaying, whether you're thriving, whether you are lost, whether you are found,

00:29:50.600 --> 00:29:56.600
any bone that enters this body will by the power of the Spirit be located correctly.

00:29:57.600 --> 00:30:02.600
If you are a fibia you'll be placed next to the tibia.

00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:05.600
Both bones are wrong.

00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:08.600
But the point is you'll fit correctly in this body.

00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:13.600
Not because the body has amazing leaders and stuff like this, they do,

00:30:13.600 --> 00:30:17.600
but because the Holy Spirit knows how to put bones together in this body.

00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:20.600
You will always find your place in this body.

00:30:20.600 --> 00:30:24.600
This is a gift that the Holy Spirit has given to this body.

00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:27.600
You will always find your place.

00:30:27.600 --> 00:30:33.600
You will always know where you best fit and in that fit you will begin to grow.

00:30:35.600 --> 00:30:37.600
Guaranteed.

00:30:37.600 --> 00:30:40.600
There's one catch though to this whole order thing.

00:30:40.600 --> 00:30:49.600
You can isolate and submit to order or you can be vitally connected and you can submit to order.

00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:53.600
In both cases the benefits are the same, but the experience is different.

00:30:53.600 --> 00:30:55.600
I'll illustrate this from the scriptures.

00:30:55.600 --> 00:31:03.600
This is so important for all of us listening and for some of us it is even more critical for you in the coming year.

00:31:03.600 --> 00:31:11.600
Because this church, surprisingly, is a church that cherishes order.

00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:18.600
But make sure that in your submission to order you're not isolated,

00:31:18.600 --> 00:31:23.600
but in your submission to order you are vitally connected.

00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:26.600
The benefits are the same, but the experience is different.

00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:28.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:28.600 --> 00:31:30.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:30.600 --> 00:31:32.600
It doesn't mean you can't do it.

00:31:32.600 --> 00:31:34.600
It doesn't mean you can't do it.

00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:36.600
It doesn't mean you can't do it.

00:31:36.600 --> 00:31:38.600
The experience is different.

00:31:38.600 --> 00:31:40.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:40.600 --> 00:31:41.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:41.600 --> 00:31:43.600
It doesn't matter how brilliant you are.

00:31:43.600 --> 00:31:45.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:49.600
Don't isolate yourself.

00:31:49.600 --> 00:31:51.600
Look at Numbers, Chapter 11.

00:31:54.600 --> 00:31:57.600
You'll get all the benefits, but the experience is just not the same.

00:31:57.600 --> 00:31:59.600
Numbers, Chapter 11.

00:31:59.600 --> 00:32:15.600
Verse 16 and 17 first, and then we'll go to 25 and 29.

00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:17.600
Then the Lord said to Moses,

00:32:17.600 --> 00:32:24.600
Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them,

00:32:24.600 --> 00:32:28.600
and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with me.

00:32:28.600 --> 00:32:30.600
Again, there's an arrangement.

00:32:30.600 --> 00:32:32.600
An order always has an arrangement.

00:32:32.600 --> 00:32:36.600
And it is not a structure that doesn't change.

00:32:36.600 --> 00:32:42.600
The idea of God when it comes to arrangements is that we continuously move upwards to His calling.

00:32:42.600 --> 00:32:46.600
And so initially He calls, verse 17,

00:32:46.600 --> 00:32:48.600
And I will come down and talk with you there,

00:32:48.600 --> 00:32:52.600
and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them,

00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:55.600
and they shall bear the burden of the people with you,

00:32:55.600 --> 00:32:57.600
so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

00:32:57.600 --> 00:33:04.600
And so when a people appear before God in order at His command,

00:33:04.600 --> 00:33:08.600
God begins to pour His Spirit who has been hovering over them upon them.

00:33:08.600 --> 00:33:11.600
But now look at 25 to 29.

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:16.600
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him,

00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:20.600
and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.

00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:25.600
As soon as the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not continue doing it.

00:33:25.600 --> 00:33:31.600
Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad.

00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:33.600
And the spirit rested on them.

00:33:33.600 --> 00:33:38.600
They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent.

00:33:38.600 --> 00:33:40.600
And so they prophesied in the camp.

00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:42.600
The benefits were the same.

00:33:42.600 --> 00:33:44.600
And a young man ran and told Moses,

00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:46.600
Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.

00:33:46.600 --> 00:33:50.600
And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth said,

00:33:50.600 --> 00:33:52.600
My Lord Moses, stop them.

00:33:52.600 --> 00:33:53.600
But Moses said to him,

00:33:53.600 --> 00:33:55.600
Are you jealous for my sake?

00:33:55.600 --> 00:33:59.600
Would that all the Lord's people were prophets that the Lord would put His Spirit on them.

00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:02.600
And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

00:34:02.600 --> 00:34:08.600
The point here being, Eldad and Medad did choose for whatever reason not to go up

00:34:08.600 --> 00:34:10.600
when Moses summoned them up the mountain.

00:34:10.600 --> 00:34:11.600
They stayed in the camp.

00:34:11.600 --> 00:34:13.600
They had the Spirit of God fall upon them.

00:34:13.600 --> 00:34:14.600
They prophesied.

00:34:14.600 --> 00:34:16.600
But guess what they missed out on?

00:34:16.600 --> 00:34:19.600
You can have the benefits, but you can miss out on the experience.

00:34:19.600 --> 00:34:21.600
And what is the experience?

00:34:21.600 --> 00:34:24.600
The experience was being in the presence of God,

00:34:24.600 --> 00:34:29.600
being consumed by the same Shekinah cloud that Moses was to experience later.

00:34:29.600 --> 00:34:32.600
Being in the presence of God and having something happen to them.

00:34:32.600 --> 00:34:36.600
And being away from the presence of God and having something happen to them.

00:34:36.600 --> 00:34:37.600
The benefits were the same.

00:34:37.600 --> 00:34:39.600
The experience was completely different.

00:34:39.600 --> 00:34:41.600
I plead with you.

00:34:41.600 --> 00:34:45.600
And I know I'm getting bolder sometimes in my preaching.

00:34:45.600 --> 00:34:46.600
But I plead with you.

00:34:46.600 --> 00:34:48.600
Stop your isolation.

00:34:48.600 --> 00:34:50.600
Be vitally connected.

00:35:03.600 --> 00:35:06.600
Just on a point on the side, I love verse 29.

00:35:06.600 --> 00:35:08.600
Moses said to them, are you jealous for my sake?

00:35:08.600 --> 00:35:12.600
Would that all Lord's people were prophets that the Lord would put his Spirit on them.

00:35:12.600 --> 00:35:15.600
And it did happen on Pentecost, man.

00:35:15.600 --> 00:35:20.600
And it is okay and normal for Christians to prophesy,

00:35:20.600 --> 00:35:25.600
encourage edification and exhortation according to 1 Corinthians 14.

00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:28.600
It is something that churches must engage in.

00:35:28.600 --> 00:35:32.600
That everybody in a church prophesies,

00:35:32.600 --> 00:35:39.600
or prophesies particularly along the lines of 1 Corinthians 14.3 is very normal.

00:35:39.600 --> 00:35:40.600
It should be the norm.

00:35:40.600 --> 00:35:42.600
It's not abnormal.

00:35:45.600 --> 00:35:49.600
Just because the prophetic is abused does not mean that it becomes untrue.

00:35:49.600 --> 00:35:51.600
Only that which is true is abused.

00:35:51.600 --> 00:35:55.600
So that it may get a bad rep and maybe put away.

00:35:59.600 --> 00:36:01.600
The next point.

00:36:01.600 --> 00:36:02.600
What are we talking about?

00:36:02.600 --> 00:36:10.600
What helps the Holy Spirit who hovers over us to break into our lives with ease?

00:36:10.600 --> 00:36:11.600
What helps?

00:36:11.600 --> 00:36:13.600
What catalyzes it?

00:36:13.600 --> 00:36:18.600
What makes it something that you enjoy entering into an experience?

00:36:18.600 --> 00:36:19.600
What makes it easy?

00:36:19.600 --> 00:36:21.600
The next one is rest.

00:36:21.600 --> 00:36:23.600
Rest.

00:36:23.600 --> 00:36:24.600
Rest.

00:36:24.600 --> 00:36:30.600
Rest really helps the Holy Spirit do what he wants to do.

00:36:30.600 --> 00:36:34.600
Rest is desisting from self-effort.

00:36:34.600 --> 00:36:38.600
Rest is to desist from self-effort.

00:36:38.600 --> 00:36:41.600
Rest is to desist from self-effort.

00:36:41.600 --> 00:36:43.600
To forsake self-effort.

00:36:43.600 --> 00:36:46.600
To move only when the cloud moves.

00:36:46.600 --> 00:36:50.600
To move only after hearing a proceeding word.

00:36:50.600 --> 00:36:55.600
Exodus 40, verse 36 and 37.

00:36:55.600 --> 00:36:59.600
Israel learned that and every so often forgot that.

00:36:59.600 --> 00:37:04.600
Exodus 40, verse 36 and 37.

00:37:04.600 --> 00:37:08.600
Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle,

00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:10.600
the people of Israel would set out.

00:37:10.600 --> 00:37:15.600
But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up.

00:37:15.600 --> 00:37:20.600
As in, if it stayed put for 40 days, there ain't no movement for 40 days.

00:37:20.600 --> 00:37:23.600
Can you imagine that kind of life?

00:37:23.600 --> 00:37:30.600
That is when you forsake self-effort and you move only by the cloud and the proceeding word of God.

00:37:30.600 --> 00:37:36.600
Rest is critical to the Holy Spirit who hovers over you coming into your life.

00:37:36.600 --> 00:37:42.600
Because guys, we don't think like this, but God has appointed times for everything.

00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:47.600
And the reason he has appointed times is he knows when the moment is mature.

00:37:52.600 --> 00:37:58.600
So the disciples waited in Jerusalem 10 days after the ascension.

00:37:58.600 --> 00:38:05.600
They didn't leave. They went up to that mountain, saw Jesus disappear behind the clouds.

00:38:05.600 --> 00:38:11.600
And they could have gone back to their old ways, but he had told them, wait in Jerusalem.

00:38:11.600 --> 00:38:16.600
And so they wait. One day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, seven days.

00:38:16.600 --> 00:38:22.600
Surely seven is God's favorite number. Time to leave now. No, eight days, nine days, ten days.

00:38:25.600 --> 00:38:31.600
And then suddenly the wind of the Spirit breaks in, in the form of tongues of fire.

00:38:31.600 --> 00:38:36.600
And it changes the entire world. Guys, it changes the entire world.

00:38:36.600 --> 00:38:41.600
Do you know the number of people that leave a day before it is actually going to happen?

00:38:41.600 --> 00:38:54.600
I remember this really sad story told by a friend of mine in South Africa who had a man who was trusting God for a change in fortunes and nothing happened.

00:38:54.600 --> 00:39:03.600
And then two weeks before the incident occurred, he comes up to this pastor called Seigi and he says, all this stuff is so untrue.

00:39:03.600 --> 00:39:07.600
It's not real. God isn't faithful and all this stuff. And he leaves.

00:39:07.600 --> 00:39:16.600
Two weeks later, a man comes to him, comes to the pastor with an envelope with a check that is so massive.

00:39:16.600 --> 00:39:21.600
And he gives him the check saying, I want to give it to this man. And he names the man.

00:39:21.600 --> 00:39:26.600
But the man had left. He did not give a forwarding address. He was very upset and he leaves.

00:39:26.600 --> 00:39:34.600
That story makes it a little more tangible. What about intangible things that we can't measure in terms of money and stuff like that?

00:39:34.600 --> 00:39:40.600
The number of times people leave because they cannot rest anymore.

00:39:40.600 --> 00:39:43.600
And when they leave, what are they leaving to?

00:39:43.600 --> 00:39:54.600
They're leaving to engage in frantic activity to bring to pass what God had said because resting ain't cutting it because it feels like you're doing nothing.

00:39:54.600 --> 00:40:05.600
But the strange thing is inactivity from God's point of view is some of the best times to learn his nature.

00:40:14.600 --> 00:40:25.600
Rest is a time of training and building where you possess nothing but God and his nature by faith through his word.

00:40:25.600 --> 00:40:34.600
Guys, for me, when COVID began, it was like a horse with a bit in its mouth.

00:40:34.600 --> 00:40:39.600
I was traveling every two and a half weeks. I was pleading with God. Please send me somewhere.

00:40:39.600 --> 00:40:43.600
It's okay. I can go during COVID. Let me serve you during COVID.

00:40:43.600 --> 00:40:48.600
I tried every trick in the book to manipulate him.

00:40:52.600 --> 00:40:56.600
It's been 10 months since I saw the inside of a plane.

00:40:56.600 --> 00:41:01.600
And it has been some of the best months of my life.

00:41:01.600 --> 00:41:08.600
One, because I get to spend it with you. And I mean that in such sincerity that even I am a little surprised.

00:41:09.600 --> 00:41:18.600
And two, it's just enriched my life and has enriched others' lives because of what God has been able to do.

00:41:21.600 --> 00:41:27.600
The point being, rest is a time of training and building where you possess nothing

00:41:27.600 --> 00:41:34.600
but God and his nature through the word by faith.

00:41:34.600 --> 00:41:38.600
And times of rest precede burning bush encounters.

00:41:38.600 --> 00:41:43.600
Hear me, hear me, hear me. These are patterns in the word.

00:41:44.600 --> 00:41:48.600
Times of rest precede burning bush encounters.

00:41:48.600 --> 00:41:53.600
I've experienced this in my life. I've seen it in the Bible. I've seen it in other people's lives.

00:41:53.600 --> 00:41:56.600
It precedes burning bush encounters.

00:41:56.600 --> 00:42:00.600
It preceded Moses' burning bush encounter. 40 years of rest.

00:42:00.600 --> 00:42:04.600
It preceded Jesus' encounters. 40 days in the wilderness.

00:42:05.600 --> 00:42:07.600
It precedes Paul's encounters.

00:42:07.600 --> 00:42:11.600
Years spent in the deserts of Sinai and in Damascus.

00:42:12.600 --> 00:42:16.600
It precedes the revelations of John on the island of Patmos.

00:42:24.600 --> 00:42:31.600
Moses in Exodus 24, 15-18, God calls Moses up the mountain.

00:42:31.600 --> 00:42:33.600
But Moses is smart. He knows how this God works.

00:42:33.600 --> 00:42:40.600
If you go to Exodus 24, he won't move till he hears the command.

00:42:40.600 --> 00:42:42.600
It is a hard thing to do.

00:42:42.600 --> 00:42:48.600
It is like horses that are trained not to move a muscle till you say so.

00:42:48.600 --> 00:42:53.600
So God's already called Moses up, starting at verse 14, chapter 24, Exodus.

00:42:53.600 --> 00:42:57.600
And he said unto the elders, wait here for us until we return to you.

00:42:57.600 --> 00:42:59.600
And behold, Aaron and Her are here with you.

00:42:59.600 --> 00:43:01.600
Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.

00:43:01.600 --> 00:43:05.600
Then Moses went up to the mountain and the cloud covered the mountain.

00:43:05.600 --> 00:43:07.600
As in, go ahead.

00:43:08.600 --> 00:43:14.100
Yeah. So what if you did not wait and you moved on ahead,

00:43:14.100 --> 00:43:20.600
and now what happens? Does that change the situation for you?

00:43:20.600 --> 00:43:34.440
What community or

00:43:34.440 --> 00:43:41.160
and now what happens? Does that opportunity that you missed come back? How does that work?

00:43:41.160 --> 00:43:48.520
Different ways. One, God sends the opportunity your way again because God is interested in your

00:43:48.520 --> 00:43:55.640
growth not in time. So He has all the time in the world so He'll have the same opportunity come again

00:43:56.440 --> 00:44:02.120
so that you may have another shot at it. Hopefully by now I've learned because I can again make the

00:44:02.120 --> 00:44:09.880
same mistake. God keeps bringing back opportunities into my life. The only difference is the more

00:44:09.880 --> 00:44:17.400
opportunities I squander the lesser time I have to accomplish what He has set for me. So if there

00:44:17.400 --> 00:44:22.360
was a task I was supposed to do over a period of seven years and I kept messing up the first three

00:44:22.360 --> 00:44:28.280
years and finally get the hang of it, I now have four years to do it when I could have had seven

00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:37.000
years to do it. Now the way He restores is by giving you back the years the locusts have eaten

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:43.240
because sometimes missing an opportunity comes to sheer disobedience and rebellion and that is when

00:44:43.240 --> 00:44:48.440
locusts enter too. It's not just missing an opportunity because you were stubborn or because

00:44:48.440 --> 00:44:53.960
you squandered something out of just callousness. This is deliberate rebellion and disobedience.

00:44:54.040 --> 00:45:00.600
In times like that even with Ahab, a very evil king, God would give them another opportunity.

00:45:01.560 --> 00:45:05.640
He would try to restore the years the locusts have eaten. That's the second way it happens.

00:45:08.840 --> 00:45:17.640
The third is to beg with tears saying, oh God I missed out please, please, please,

00:45:17.640 --> 00:45:23.560
please father, please can you come back and give me another shot at it. And like Hezekiah,

00:45:23.560 --> 00:45:28.680
you can get another shot at it. But if you make a habit of it then another scripture from Hebrews

00:45:28.680 --> 00:45:36.200
13 kicks in or Hebrews 12 kicks in which says that Esau begged with tears but it was of no avail.

00:45:38.760 --> 00:45:47.000
So God doesn't mind being taken advantage of, God doesn't mind being exploited but God is not mocked

00:45:47.000 --> 00:45:53.000
and there is this fine line between taken advantage, exploited and mocked and it is when I

00:45:53.000 --> 00:46:03.480
cross into the mocking that things become a little difficult. Moses would not go up.

00:46:04.360 --> 00:46:10.760
So verse 16, the glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days and on the

00:46:10.760 --> 00:46:15.080
seventh day he called out to Moses out of the midst of the cloud and here is Moses waiting.

00:46:15.640 --> 00:46:21.720
I'm talking about seven days man, he's waiting on the mountain. God already said come up but he won't

00:46:21.720 --> 00:46:27.640
step into the cloud till he hears the proceeding word saying come. Then he steps up. Six days he

00:46:27.640 --> 00:46:33.480
waits. Seven days he steps into the cloud and then he's in the cloud for 40 days and 40 nights.

00:46:33.480 --> 00:46:39.480
What is this cloud? The cloud with the absolute glory, the Shekinah of God that Moses now enters.

00:46:42.680 --> 00:46:49.400
There is this thing to resting till God says come or till God says go and it is such a hard thing

00:46:49.400 --> 00:46:56.680
to learn because most of us want to be wild stallion thoroughbreds who roam the

00:46:58.360 --> 00:47:02.680
whatever stallions roam and God's really not interested.

00:47:08.840 --> 00:47:18.680
That aside, rest if learnt. Disadvantage is the devil. Rest if learnt. Disadvantage is Satan.

00:47:19.400 --> 00:47:27.240
Because he can't use external circumstances to bait you into error. He can't use external

00:47:27.240 --> 00:47:33.080
circumstances to bait you into error because now you've learnt rest. You ain't moving till you hear.

00:47:33.080 --> 00:47:37.720
You ain't moving till the cloud moves. You ain't moving till you know that the Spirit of God is

00:47:37.720 --> 00:47:44.600
saying all right time to move on. Now that that happens Satan finds himself as a at a disadvantage

00:47:44.600 --> 00:47:51.400
because he's not able to use logic. He's not able to use your natural desires. He's not able to use

00:47:51.400 --> 00:47:58.360
your five senses to draw you into failing aimlessly or exerting yourself or using your

00:47:59.160 --> 00:48:04.920
human strength and your mental powers to bring to pass what God has ordained.

00:48:07.880 --> 00:48:14.440
It puts him at a disadvantage. This is why Saul lost his kingdom. He was told specifically wait

00:48:15.080 --> 00:48:22.200
Samuel will come and offer the sacrifice. Saul couldn't wait. It gets to you man.

00:48:23.560 --> 00:48:31.000
This idea of doing something is so important. Activity is seen as growth and progress and

00:48:34.120 --> 00:48:38.440
strength in God. Inactivity is the hardest thing. Activity is easy.

00:48:45.480 --> 00:48:50.920
Inactivity is not the absence of a work ethic. You still work hard

00:48:53.160 --> 00:49:00.440
but you work as you are told. Holy Spirit loves it when I can walk like this because now I'm not

00:49:00.440 --> 00:49:07.560
tinkering with what God does perfectly. Holy Spirit loves it that I wait because now that he can tell

00:49:07.560 --> 00:49:12.840
me when where it's optimal it happens exactly as it's supposed to happen.

00:49:17.240 --> 00:49:23.160
I'm always reminded of Mongolia. That was something else man. Talk about rest.

00:49:25.080 --> 00:49:31.160
Landing there being taken to a hotel having no contact except this one person that I emailed

00:49:31.160 --> 00:49:35.080
and he sent someone to pick me up and I'm sitting in my hotel. First day goes by, second day goes

00:49:35.080 --> 00:49:39.960
by, third day goes by and I'm getting scared. I've got to do something. I've got to make something

00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:44.760
happen. I can't go back to Acts 29 and say God send me to Mongolia but I have nothing to show.

00:49:44.760 --> 00:49:52.280
I stayed in a hotel and came back. That would be embarrassing. And on the third night this pastor

00:49:52.280 --> 00:49:57.960
emails me saying I'll come and see you on the fourth morning. He comes and the first question

00:49:57.960 --> 00:50:04.040
he asked me is why are you here? What have you come to do? I'm saying got nothing

00:50:05.720 --> 00:50:10.520
that I've come to do and he says that's not possible because everybody from the West

00:50:10.520 --> 00:50:17.160
who comes to Mongolia comes with an agenda. I'm saying I don't have an agenda and he takes me

00:50:17.160 --> 00:50:23.960
for a long walk in proper shoes throughout Mongolia. Couldn't tell a stranger that this

00:50:23.960 --> 00:50:34.600
is not my favorite mode of transport. And after walking for two or three hours he brings me

00:50:35.400 --> 00:50:38.440
back to the hotel and says if you're doing nothing you can come to church.

00:50:39.320 --> 00:50:45.640
Thinking really? That's all? So I turn up at church. Doesn't give me a front seat sitting in the back.

00:50:47.720 --> 00:50:49.480
Tells me to sing a song in Hindi

00:50:50.280 --> 00:50:52.520
which I do. So I was part of the cultural thingy.

00:50:54.760 --> 00:51:03.480
I'm thinking to myself boy this trip sucks. And so I'm leaving the next day evening and after

00:51:03.480 --> 00:51:09.000
all that is over he calls me home and I found out later that when you're called home it's usually

00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:15.480
a sign of some respect. And then he says these words that two years ago someone came to this

00:51:15.720 --> 00:51:23.480
church and said there will be a person coming from a place that is on the same latitude as

00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:31.640
Ulaanbaatar and when he comes to your church listen to him and do whatever he asks you to do.

00:51:31.640 --> 00:51:35.960
And he says I've watched you for two and a half days you actually don't have an agenda

00:51:36.520 --> 00:51:41.000
but you are welcome to use this church and tell us what to do and we will do it.

00:51:41.800 --> 00:51:46.520
That is the beginning of a four-year journey where from 2013 to 2017

00:51:47.560 --> 00:51:51.080
we kept going back to Mongolia. People from Acts 29 went too.

00:51:53.240 --> 00:51:58.280
This is what I mean by the Holy Spirit brooding over you,

00:52:00.440 --> 00:52:06.440
seeing that you're at rest, that you're not jumping the gun and swooping in like an eagle

00:52:06.440 --> 00:52:13.800
and doing what he wants to in seconds. This is a great thing with rest. People who walk in rest

00:52:13.800 --> 00:52:20.680
can accomplish in five days what it takes others three years to complete. I'm not kidding you man.

00:52:20.680 --> 00:52:25.720
And so what does that do? So Jacob what's the advantage of rest? If you finish in five days

00:52:25.720 --> 00:52:30.360
what people take three years to do you realize how many extra days you have to do nothing and to

00:52:30.360 --> 00:52:34.760
watch hockey and to do things. And so you're not going to be able to do anything.

00:52:37.400 --> 00:52:42.120
You get so many more days to do nothing and you get so many more days to do a lot.

00:52:47.240 --> 00:52:52.920
Fourth point, perseverance, perseverance which is very similar to rest. Perseverance.

00:52:54.040 --> 00:52:59.160
The Holy Spirit can break into lives. The Holy Spirit who hovers over us even before we know

00:52:59.320 --> 00:53:08.200
something is going to happen can break into our lives when we persevere and don't amend what God

00:53:08.200 --> 00:53:15.560
is trying to accomplish because we do not have the endurance and the patience to walk through it.

00:53:16.680 --> 00:53:27.000
In Genesis 8 verse 1 it says, God remembered Noah and sent the wind 12 months and 11 days

00:53:27.160 --> 00:53:36.680
later. That's how long that a lockdown lasted 12 months and 11 days. God remembered

00:53:38.440 --> 00:53:43.640
Noah and sent the wind 12 months and 11 days later and Noah and his family disembarked from the ark.

00:53:43.640 --> 00:53:48.440
The guy had the ability to stay. What if he decided this is getting too much? No more masks,

00:53:48.440 --> 00:53:53.400
no more sitting in the ark. Let's just step out. Didn't happen that way man. Somewhere between the

00:53:53.720 --> 00:54:00.760
somewhere between the word that is released and the word being realized our minds resign

00:54:00.760 --> 00:54:05.400
because of the delay. Somewhere between the word being released and the word being

00:54:06.040 --> 00:54:14.040
realized our minds resign because of the delay. And once you resign it doesn't matter that you're

00:54:14.040 --> 00:54:21.800
walking. Once you resign your walk is slow, your face is glum, your mind is resentful and your heart

00:54:21.800 --> 00:54:30.120
is closed. My problem is not that I might have times of down feelings like ah shucks lot this

00:54:30.120 --> 00:54:34.440
is taking too long. My thing is doesn't matter that you're feeling this way can you keep your

00:54:34.440 --> 00:54:40.680
mind active about what God has said so that you don't resign in your mind. The moment you resign

00:54:40.680 --> 00:54:49.160
in your mind remember your walk slows down, your heart closes, your mind is resentful.

00:54:52.280 --> 00:54:57.160
I love what Abraham does in Genesis 15. Genesis 15 God comes and tells him hey Abraham I'm going to

00:54:57.160 --> 00:55:02.280
give you a promise but before I confirm that promise to you here's what I want you to do.

00:55:02.280 --> 00:55:06.680
I want you to take some animals bring them cut them in half and lay them before me and I also

00:55:06.680 --> 00:55:12.280
want you to bring some birds and I lay them before me and so Abraham does that. So you go to Genesis

00:55:12.280 --> 00:55:14.280
15 and you read it.

00:55:21.800 --> 00:55:34.040
Genesis 15 verse 5 and he brought him outside and said look towards the heaven and number the stars

00:55:34.040 --> 00:55:38.600
if you're able to number them then he said to me so shall your offspring be. So this begins let's

00:55:38.600 --> 00:55:43.320
assume let's say it's a Saturday this begins on this begins on a Saturday night because God calls

00:55:43.320 --> 00:55:49.400
him out into the open and shows him the stars and this doesn't end on a Saturday night. The next day

00:55:49.400 --> 00:55:55.000
Abraham and so then God says bring me a sacrifice Abraham brings him a sacrifice verse 10 and he

00:55:55.000 --> 00:56:00.520
brought him all these cut them in half and laid each half over against the other but he did not

00:56:00.520 --> 00:56:04.920
cut the birds in half and then the birds of the prey come birds of prey don't come at night they

00:56:04.920 --> 00:56:10.440
come during the day so he started on Saturday God has shown him a promise he knows God is going to

00:56:10.440 --> 00:56:17.720
turn up he has to persevere he stays he he takes branches he takes clothes he starts driving away

00:56:17.720 --> 00:56:23.560
the birds of prey it's through the night onto the day the birds of prey come he keeps chasing them

00:56:23.560 --> 00:56:31.560
away where verse 12 as the sun was going down a deep sleep fell on Abraham this is the next day

00:56:31.560 --> 00:56:36.520
Sunday evening and behold dreadful and great darkness fell upon him it is the dread of the

00:56:36.520 --> 00:56:43.000
God of Jacob as in the fear of God that falls upon him and then in verse 17 you see when the sun had

00:56:43.000 --> 00:56:50.120
gone down and it was dark behold a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces

00:56:50.120 --> 00:56:56.200
and God confirms his covenant to Abraham guys if you want to walk in covenants that God wants to

00:56:56.200 --> 00:57:02.520
establish with you persevere persevere persevere chase away the things that come to draw you away

00:57:02.520 --> 00:57:05.160
to distract no you got to persevere

00:57:09.320 --> 00:57:16.040
in 2012 we'd been praying for Australia for years it was one of the first nations we began to pray

00:57:16.040 --> 00:57:21.880
for was praying for Australia for years you can ask Heidi and a few others who were there at that

00:57:21.880 --> 00:57:27.000
time we had a flag from Australia that we would gather around and pray for and finally felt go to

00:57:27.000 --> 00:57:32.040
Australia land up in Sydney again just like Mongolia two days go by and nothing happens

00:57:32.040 --> 00:57:37.240
and I'm getting scared and I remember asking this question from Jeremiah chapter one verse 11 God

00:57:37.240 --> 00:57:43.640
asking me what do you see and in my eyes with my eyes closed I'm saying father I see a lighthouse

00:57:44.200 --> 00:57:50.280
and I'm walking the streets because when you don't know anybody you can't sit in a hotel for more

00:57:50.280 --> 00:57:55.720
than 48 hours so you actually do things you don't like like walk and so I'm walking the streets

00:57:55.720 --> 00:57:59.960
and I've just asked God's asking me what do you see and I say I see a lighthouse and I'm thinking

00:57:59.960 --> 00:58:03.720
to myself okay father what that's what you're shown but what does it mean and I come to this

00:58:03.720 --> 00:58:08.440
place called Darling Harbour and I've just told the Lord I've seen I see a lighthouse and I turn

00:58:08.440 --> 00:58:13.800
around the corner and there's a maritime museum and as I turn around the corner there is this

00:58:13.800 --> 00:58:20.520
lighthouse that they've taken from some coast and placed in the maritime museum and as soon as I see

00:58:20.520 --> 00:58:25.320
it God says to me you have seen correctly don't worry that nothing's happened over the last two

00:58:25.320 --> 00:58:32.920
days persevere and I'll bring to pass what I want to in Australia years later eight years later

00:58:32.920 --> 00:58:39.160
now when I see what's happening in Sydney in Brisbane I marvel at God's faithfulness guys

00:58:39.160 --> 00:58:43.880
we sometimes think God is not faithful because we do not know how to persevere to see God's

00:58:43.880 --> 00:58:48.040
faithfulness because there are so many things that are happening at the same time when God is doing

00:58:48.040 --> 00:58:53.720
something God isn't just interested in proving to you that I am faithful he ain't going to jump off

00:58:53.720 --> 00:58:59.080
the steeple every time you want proof for his faithfulness when he is about doing something

00:58:59.080 --> 00:59:03.720
with you he's also doing it with 40 50 60 and sometimes an entire nation

00:59:05.800 --> 00:59:12.600
2012 August was when I went the first time to Sydney eight years later eight and a half years

00:59:12.600 --> 00:59:19.080
later I can say to you that what God is presently doing in Sydney and Brisbane is beyond what you

00:59:19.080 --> 00:59:24.680
and I could imagine and it's not even started birth remains because there was a promise given

00:59:24.680 --> 00:59:31.640
by more man called Paul in India that out of birth will come such rich stock that you and your church

00:59:31.640 --> 00:59:43.800
will be blessed that word was given in 2009 in 2010 I remember having something called the state

00:59:43.800 --> 00:59:49.000
of the union some of the guys like Marcus and Heidi and Chris and all I remember where this promise

00:59:49.000 --> 00:59:59.480
was given that out of Australia we will have a lot of stock st ock it'll come to pass the faithfulness

00:59:59.480 --> 01:00:12.920
of God is often seen through perseverance there is something to persevere till the fullness of

01:00:13.000 --> 01:00:17.480
appointed times like it says in Habakkuk 2 3 this vision is for an appointed time

01:00:20.040 --> 01:00:23.400
do not worry it will come to pass there is something to waiting

01:00:24.120 --> 01:00:27.720
till the fullness of appointed times and as young people learn it

01:00:32.920 --> 01:00:38.760
that we must learn so that God can bring things together into maturity so that God can bring

01:00:38.760 --> 01:00:45.400
things together into maturity I used to have this recurring dream for years where every few months

01:00:45.400 --> 01:00:50.840
I'd have this dream for years on end after I became a believer and in the dream I'd be chased

01:00:50.840 --> 01:00:56.280
by people or what looked like people and I'd come to the edge of this cliff then I'd jump off the

01:00:56.280 --> 01:01:01.560
cliff and every time I'd jump off the cliff I land in this most beautiful valley on my feet

01:01:01.560 --> 01:01:07.160
and it's the most amazing beautiful valley that I could ever have landed in and I used to think

01:01:07.160 --> 01:01:13.880
ah so God wants me to jump off cliffs and he'll make sure he has me land in amazing valleys till

01:01:13.880 --> 01:01:18.760
one day God said to me no what I'm trying to convey through this dream over and over again to you

01:01:18.760 --> 01:01:23.160
and you don't seem to get it is why is it that you always jump off before I tell you to

01:01:24.920 --> 01:01:31.560
that I'm having you land in decent places is my grace but can you stop jumping off till I tell you

01:01:31.560 --> 01:01:39.000
to can you persevere can you wait because my life was a series of incidents or events during

01:01:39.000 --> 01:01:44.440
that time where God would say something and I would immediately do it the idea of timing was

01:01:44.440 --> 01:01:52.600
missing perseverance has the ability to take what God is saying take time take obedience put it all

01:01:52.680 --> 01:02:02.280
together and wait for things to mature go to James chapter 5 verse 11 James 5 11

01:02:10.280 --> 01:02:13.480
I'm reading from the passion translation James 5 11

01:02:13.480 --> 01:02:25.480
actually I'm reading from the message James chapter 5 verse 11 from the message what a gift

01:02:25.480 --> 01:02:31.000
life is to those who stay the course you've heard of course of Job's staying power staying power is

01:02:31.000 --> 01:02:36.840
perseverance what a gift life is to those who stay the course you've heard of of course of

01:02:36.840 --> 01:02:42.120
Job's staying power and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end that's because

01:02:42.520 --> 01:02:49.880
God cares cares right down to the last detail sometimes when we don't persevere we don't get

01:02:49.880 --> 01:02:59.640
all the details you get something that does not have the cumin and the dill added in it gets

01:02:59.640 --> 01:03:07.720
baked before all the ingredients go in and then it doesn't taste good last point if you want the

01:03:07.720 --> 01:03:12.120
Holy Spirit to break into your life or break into anything you're building if you want the

01:03:12.120 --> 01:03:17.560
Holy Spirit is hovering over things to enter into your life and then through your life flow into

01:03:17.560 --> 01:03:24.120
others guys I love this one and this is something that I pray God that we do at Acts 29 you do at

01:03:24.120 --> 01:03:29.480
your house churches whatever you're in charge of make sure that you build by pattern that you build

01:03:30.280 --> 01:03:35.640
by pattern there's two um two

01:03:37.720 --> 01:03:41.560
ways you build by pattern one by building according to his nature

01:03:44.520 --> 01:03:48.200
and two by building according to his plan

01:03:51.080 --> 01:03:55.320
it's not enough to have one or the other it has to be both you have to build according to his

01:03:55.320 --> 01:04:01.640
nature meaning God can give me a plan and I can be a slave driver as I drive you into that plan

01:04:02.280 --> 01:04:07.800
and that does not it is not conducive to the work of the Spirit

01:04:10.920 --> 01:04:15.800
I need to have the plan that God gives and I also need to have the nature that God

01:04:15.800 --> 01:04:23.560
has if something is to have the Spirit of God absolutely validated nor can I have just the

01:04:23.560 --> 01:04:28.920
nature of God and not have the plan of God because then I do have God's nature but I don't know where

01:04:28.920 --> 01:04:33.800
I'm going it has to be both whenever you build build according to pattern and the Holy Spirit

01:04:33.800 --> 01:04:41.080
will come upon it like a ton of bricks you see that in the Bible Moses built by pattern

01:04:41.080 --> 01:04:45.640
you look at Exodus 25 Exodus 25 verse 40

01:04:48.600 --> 01:04:50.440
Exodus 25 verse 40

01:04:53.560 --> 01:04:55.560
Exodus 25 verse 40

01:05:00.680 --> 01:05:04.600
God says to Moses hey Moses as I um go ahead

01:05:14.280 --> 01:05:15.800
how can you make the difference between

01:05:15.800 --> 01:05:16.040
me

01:05:20.920 --> 01:05:28.040
how do we know the difference between God having us wait and God and the devil delaying plans

01:05:29.800 --> 01:05:35.400
what I do when things don't happen is I go and ask God so how come it's taking time father is

01:05:35.400 --> 01:05:43.960
this you trying to sort out details sort me out or is this the devil trying to interrupt and stop

01:05:44.920 --> 01:05:52.920
because based on what you uh based on the answer you arrive at will be your response if it is the

01:05:52.920 --> 01:05:59.320
devil doing it then we need to combat it and drive him out of it so that things begin to flow

01:05:59.960 --> 01:06:04.040
if it is God doing it then I have to make the changes that I need to make you see this with

01:06:04.040 --> 01:06:09.560
Nehemiah there was a time when Nehemiah was building the wall and they a guy who's friends

01:06:09.560 --> 01:06:14.360
with Tobiah I think comes to Nehemiah and says to him hey Nehemiah it might be best that you

01:06:14.360 --> 01:06:20.040
stay within the temple because people are out to kill you so stay in here and Nehemiah realizes

01:06:20.040 --> 01:06:26.520
this ain't from God and he says am I going to hide this is a method being used by the enemy

01:06:26.520 --> 01:06:31.480
to cause me to hide so that they will go and say Nehemiah is hiding don't worry nothing is going

01:06:31.480 --> 01:06:39.240
to be built Nehemiah knew that it was a trick of the enemy so one asks God when things get delayed

01:06:39.880 --> 01:06:45.160
is this something that you are trying to prevent you are trying to sort out you're trying to fix

01:06:45.160 --> 01:06:48.280
you're trying to show or is this the enemy and if it is the enemy father

01:06:48.920 --> 01:06:52.200
show me how to combat it and if it is you show me what you want to change

01:06:57.720 --> 01:07:03.160
we must get to a point where when we talk like this we don't think it is a hard thing

01:07:04.120 --> 01:07:09.000
because when we talk like this we think oh so I got to go talk to an invisible God who will then

01:07:09.000 --> 01:07:14.600
speak back in an inaudible voice how's that going to work we don't think like that because

01:07:14.600 --> 01:07:17.880
we know it works and that it is becoming more and more normal

01:07:20.520 --> 01:07:25.880
so we don't even go down that route of this ain't going to be easy this answer won't come

01:07:25.880 --> 01:07:27.640
this will be guesswork again not true

01:07:30.280 --> 01:07:36.200
first corinthians 2 says spirit people will be shown spirit truths by the holy spirit who lives

01:07:36.200 --> 01:07:38.920
within you who knows the mind of God and reveals it to you

01:07:45.400 --> 01:07:50.440
building by pattern so exodus 25 40 God says see that you make everything that I've told you

01:07:50.440 --> 01:07:56.040
according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain when he disappears into that cloud God

01:07:56.040 --> 01:08:00.920
begins to show him the pattern according to which things have to be made Moses does it exactly as

01:08:00.920 --> 01:08:07.960
he's told go to exodus 40 exodus 40 verse 34 whenever you build according to pattern see what

01:08:07.960 --> 01:08:19.400
happens exodus 40 verse 34 I started verse 33 then Moses set up the courtyard around the

01:08:19.400 --> 01:08:25.160
tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard and so Moses finished

01:08:25.160 --> 01:08:30.840
the work then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle

01:08:30.920 --> 01:08:35.080
guys it doesn't matter whether it's your business it doesn't matter whether it's your baby it doesn't

01:08:35.080 --> 01:08:40.040
matter whether it's acts 29 it doesn't matter whether it's your travel plans whenever you build

01:08:40.040 --> 01:08:48.600
according to pattern God by his power by his glory descends to validate what you have built

01:08:48.600 --> 01:08:54.760
because whenever whenever anybody takes the plan of God and the nature of God and employs it in

01:08:54.840 --> 01:09:01.560
building anything God says this piece was created by me I need to sign it so that they know this

01:09:01.560 --> 01:09:11.400
piece is authentic in every area of life if you're a businessman my God build according to the nature

01:09:11.400 --> 01:09:21.800
of God and the plan of God if you're planning to start a business same principle applies man these

01:09:21.800 --> 01:09:27.480
things that I'm saying these principles are so precious for life it could give us such a smooth

01:09:27.480 --> 01:09:36.280
2021 with only the devil to deal with which is easy in the name of Christ it is us that's hard

01:09:36.280 --> 01:09:38.840
to deal with

01:09:38.840 --> 01:09:45.560
now the example is David David makes this really cool statement in first chronicles chapter 28

01:09:45.560 --> 01:09:51.960
verse 10 even when he got directions for the temple man God literally gave it to him I don't

01:09:51.960 --> 01:09:59.720
know how he gave it to him go to first chronicles 28 it's fascinating how the Bible just slips in

01:09:59.720 --> 01:10:06.760
these lines as if it was matter of fact so David is a very good example of how the Bible was

01:10:06.760 --> 01:10:13.160
just slipped in these lines as if it was matter of fact first first chronicles 28 verse 10

01:10:19.880 --> 01:10:25.480
so he's telling Solomon listen consider now for the Lord has chosen you because David's got all

01:10:25.480 --> 01:10:31.720
the stuff to leave for Solomon and consider now for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as a

01:10:31.880 --> 01:10:34.280
and do the work goes go to verse 19

01:10:38.200 --> 01:10:44.120
and he's explaining to Solomon listen follow the plan and then he says all this David said I have

01:10:44.120 --> 01:10:51.160
in writing as a result of the Lord's hand on me and he enabled me to understand all the details

01:10:51.160 --> 01:11:00.040
of the plan just imagine this you think God is not willing to let you in on his plans then why does

01:11:00.040 --> 01:11:05.400
he say stuff like Jeremiah 29 11 my plans are good for you really father what are those plans

01:11:05.400 --> 01:11:11.800
oh I won't tell you no his plans if they're good if they're meant for a future are meant to be

01:11:11.800 --> 01:11:16.840
revealed to you if he can do it to David in the old covenant how much more to Jacob in the new covenant

01:11:21.720 --> 01:11:27.720
look at what David is saying all this David said I have in writing as an as God dictator or as God

01:11:27.720 --> 01:11:32.360
showed guys started writing why because he's got to leave it for Solomon we got to leave plans for

01:11:32.360 --> 01:11:42.600
the generation after us so that they don't have to start from scratch so that they can build a

01:11:42.600 --> 01:11:51.160
second tier not the ground floor I have in writing as a result of the Lord's hand on me and I don't

01:11:51.160 --> 01:11:56.040
know what that meant whether it was like Ezekiel the Lord's hand was on me or the spirit of God

01:11:56.040 --> 01:12:03.240
showing him or a vision and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan as in

01:12:03.240 --> 01:12:07.720
almost like an architect or an engineer David was able to understand what God was saying

01:12:07.720 --> 01:12:14.200
and he began to write it down so that he knew how round what the diameter of the bronze lava

01:12:14.200 --> 01:12:19.080
was supposed to be how the pomegranates were supposed to be how the pillars were supposed

01:12:19.080 --> 01:12:25.640
to be everything in detail and the spirit of God enabled him to understand it and look what

01:12:25.640 --> 01:12:32.520
happens when Solomon decides to build according to plan first Kings 8 11 first Kings 8 11

01:12:38.920 --> 01:12:41.000
oh my god man this is something else

01:12:43.160 --> 01:12:49.160
when the priests okay so Solomon has now built the thing built the temple

01:12:49.800 --> 01:12:56.760
um and then he brings the ark into the temple and starting at verse 9 first Kings 8 verse 9

01:12:56.760 --> 01:13:01.800
there was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb

01:13:01.800 --> 01:13:05.400
where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt

01:13:05.400 --> 01:13:11.000
when the priest withdrew from the holy place the cloud filled the temple of the Lord and the

01:13:11.000 --> 01:13:15.640
priests could not perform their service because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the

01:13:15.640 --> 01:13:22.680
temple do you see it's a standard line the glory of the Lord filled the temple the Moses the glory

01:13:22.680 --> 01:13:28.440
of the Lord filled the tent of meeting Solomon the glory of the Lord filled the temple you build

01:13:28.440 --> 01:13:35.400
according to the plan of God that constitutes two things contains two things the nature of God

01:13:35.400 --> 01:13:40.680
and the actual schematics of God you build according to the plan of God the glory of the

01:13:40.680 --> 01:13:47.960
Lord will fill the temple every time acts 29 employs any schematic that God gives for the

01:13:47.960 --> 01:13:54.360
building of this church and does it according to the nature of God it does not matter how

01:13:55.560 --> 01:14:03.480
uneducated and illiterate your leaders may be if it is built this way God turns up and he validates

01:14:03.480 --> 01:14:10.280
what is built and how does he validate it with his glory and what is his glory his glory is his

01:14:10.280 --> 01:14:17.240
presence his glory is his power his glory is his goodness and his glory is his laughter I don't use

01:14:17.240 --> 01:14:23.320
the word joy because joy has become so Christian that we don't even smile at it except when we

01:14:23.320 --> 01:14:33.720
sing joy to the world laughter God's glory is God's presence God's power God's goodness and God's laughter

01:14:34.440 --> 01:14:38.760
God validated and then it doesn't matter that you might be a fisherman with no education

01:14:40.280 --> 01:14:48.120
you suddenly have the greatest weapon of the kingdom dwelling upon you the glory of God it

01:14:48.120 --> 01:14:51.320
is the greatest weapon in the kingdom it is the greatest tool of evangelism

01:14:54.360 --> 01:14:58.520
it breaks upon you you wear it and then it breaks through you

01:14:59.240 --> 01:15:01.560
you wear it and then it breaks through you

01:15:03.480 --> 01:15:06.760
it becomes your sword it becomes your sickle it becomes your plow

01:15:07.960 --> 01:15:12.760
the glory of God becomes your sword becomes your sickle becomes your plow

01:15:15.800 --> 01:15:21.480
this picture that I put up on the screen I don't know if you can see it but the idea of this

01:15:21.480 --> 01:15:29.960
picture was the ability to break in doesn't matter how hard things are God has a strange ability

01:15:29.960 --> 01:15:38.840
to take you a tender shoot like his son was as it says in Isaiah 53 a tender shoot he takes and he

01:15:38.840 --> 01:15:48.600
has the power to break into hard nations hard situations hard lives but let him first flow

01:15:48.600 --> 01:15:55.800
to you so that you begin to open up and once you open up he can take you and put you into the

01:15:55.800 --> 01:16:02.920
hardest of nations hardest of grounds hardest of lives hardest of situations and you end up cracking

01:16:02.920 --> 01:16:10.840
the foundation of that place take these points man sometimes when I teach these points I think

01:16:10.840 --> 01:16:14.520
to myself oh shucks this is brilliant where did this come from

01:16:18.600 --> 01:16:26.280
so like I said before we started the power for breaking in is here the anointing for breaking

01:16:26.280 --> 01:16:34.040
in is here it is here and it is present and therefore it is there in your house and it is

01:16:34.040 --> 01:16:41.160
present and he hovers over us right now the Holy Spirit in God's faithfulness hovers over us

01:16:42.120 --> 01:16:47.880
the promise is I want you guys to become a people who can break in

01:16:49.400 --> 01:16:55.480
the situations I have placed before you in 2021 but first allow me to break into your lives and

01:16:55.480 --> 01:17:02.600
the response is Luke 138 look at Luke 138 and then we'll pray Luke 138

01:17:02.760 --> 01:17:15.080
it's Mary's response and her response is I am the Lord's servant Mary answered may your word to me

01:17:15.080 --> 01:17:22.680
be fulfilled may your word to me be fulfilled so I'll just let you pray quietly for a minute

01:17:22.680 --> 01:17:27.240
and then I'll end up praying and what are we praying the Holy Spirit you who brood over us

01:17:27.240 --> 01:17:33.800
right now you who hover over us so that you may break into our lives

01:17:34.760 --> 01:17:42.520
bring forth fruit and then break into lives through us this is something that you want to

01:17:42.520 --> 01:17:48.840
give us an anointing for as in you're giving us the power to do that not starting on January 1st

01:17:48.840 --> 01:17:55.720
starting today but continuing into 2021 some of it may show forth in healing but you may not

01:17:55.720 --> 01:18:02.920
make sure forth in healing some in prophecy some in comfort some in teaching some in helping the

01:18:02.920 --> 01:18:11.000
naked the prisoners the poor but you will have us break into hard ground that needs just a touch

01:18:11.560 --> 01:18:19.240
from the master so just pray on your own in your house for a minute and then I'll conclude

01:18:25.720 --> 01:18:26.860
you

01:18:55.720 --> 01:18:57.560
you

01:19:25.720 --> 01:19:35.720
Father, we thank you for your words. We thank you that you're doing something new, Aba.

01:19:35.720 --> 01:19:45.720
Yes, you're doing something new. It's almost like we're at that place where you're saying,

01:19:45.720 --> 01:19:53.720
Allow me, allow me, if you allow me, the long desires of your heart for many, many years,

01:19:53.720 --> 01:20:00.720
the things that you wanted to see, even as it says in the book of Haggai,

01:20:00.720 --> 01:20:10.720
where the days of latter glory, which will be greater than the days of former glory, that is going to happen.

01:20:11.720 --> 01:20:21.720
Father, none of these things can happen without us giving you time. None of these things can happen without us yielding to you.

01:20:21.720 --> 01:20:33.720
So right now, right now, as a body, as a people, as Acts 29, we say, Yes, Father. We say, Yes.

01:20:34.720 --> 01:20:43.720
I want to give you the time, Aba, for your seed to break forth. We want to give you the time for your seed to break forth.

01:20:43.720 --> 01:20:50.720
We want to allow you, God, and we want to say our emotions, the ways we feel about things, the ways we hear sometimes,

01:20:50.720 --> 01:20:56.720
sometimes it being mutated by the ways of our old thinking. No, no, no, we are surrendering that.

01:20:56.720 --> 01:21:01.720
We are surrendering that because Jesus, you're saying, I'm going to break forth a new thing.

01:21:01.720 --> 01:21:05.720
Life is going to shoot forth and I want to surrender everything, Father.

01:21:05.720 --> 01:21:12.720
So even right now, even right now, all of us at Acts 29, regardless of when and where we hear from,

01:21:12.720 --> 01:21:19.720
we say, Yes, Holy Spirit, break forth into my life, break forth into our lives,

01:21:19.720 --> 01:21:23.720
so that through our lives, others' lives will be broken open.

01:21:23.720 --> 01:21:25.720
So that others' lives will be broken open.

01:21:25.720 --> 01:21:33.720
Father, I pray that this week and moving forward, let there be stories about, stories of healing breaking open,

01:21:33.720 --> 01:21:39.720
stories where addiction stop, stories where heaven comes down,

01:21:39.720 --> 01:21:44.720
stories where the treasures of earth are exposed.

01:21:44.720 --> 01:21:46.720
The treasures of earth are exposed.

01:21:46.720 --> 01:21:50.720
Father, I ask you for your eyes so that when we go out into the world,

01:21:50.720 --> 01:21:55.720
we will see the treasures of the earth, the treasures of the dark places,

01:21:55.720 --> 01:22:00.720
which is lives, lives, lives that Jesus is wanting to break into.

01:22:00.720 --> 01:22:05.720
Oh, Father, I thank you. I thank you that you have given us this word today.

01:22:05.720 --> 01:22:10.720
And we surrender, we surrender individually, we surrender corporately,

01:22:10.720 --> 01:22:14.720
and we say yes to your breaking into our lives.

01:22:14.720 --> 01:22:17.720
Yes to your breaking into our lives.

01:22:17.720 --> 01:22:19.720
Yes to your breaking into our lives.

01:22:19.720 --> 01:22:21.720
Enough is enough, Father, enough is enough.

01:22:21.720 --> 01:22:24.720
We have heard much. Now we want to do.

01:22:24.720 --> 01:22:27.720
Now we want to act. Now we want to see.

01:22:27.720 --> 01:22:29.720
Now we want to see, Lord.

01:22:29.720 --> 01:22:35.720
And so when we go forth, when we are out in the world, we expect to see,

01:22:35.720 --> 01:22:43.720
we expect to see the treasures of darkness coming out, because you're seeing appear, you're seeing come out.

01:22:43.720 --> 01:22:50.720
And so our words will say the same words, appear, come out, prison doors broken open,

01:22:50.720 --> 01:22:57.720
blind eyes seeing, ears hearing, because the word of the Lord is going forth.

01:22:57.720 --> 01:23:02.720
Father, we say yes, we say yes.

01:23:02.720 --> 01:23:06.720
Father, I say one more thing, and this is my prayer for Acts 29,

01:23:06.720 --> 01:23:13.720
that when these things happen about, let us not hide it and say this is a small thing,

01:23:13.720 --> 01:23:18.720
oh yeah, it happened, something else is going to happen after, and then I'll share it with others.

01:23:18.720 --> 01:23:25.720
No, no, no, come out, speak it, speak it, speak it, speak it, speak it from the rooftops.

01:23:25.720 --> 01:23:29.720
Let others see, let others hear the goodness of God.

01:23:29.720 --> 01:23:31.720
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.