WEBVTT 00:00:06.006 --> 00:00:12.974 I will be ever only all for thee, ever only all for thee. 00:00:12.974 --> 00:00:30.617 Hey man, look at your neighbor. 00:00:30.617 --> 00:00:41.429 Tell your neighbor you sang well, join the choir, give God a big hand. 00:00:48.360 --> 00:00:51.027 By the way talking about the choir. 00:00:51.027 --> 00:01:00.048 We are still, pastor Riggs That 100 people choir, keep thinking about it. 00:01:00.048 --> 00:01:02.914 Hey man, one has a few. 00:01:02.914 --> 00:01:11.893 We have a lot of choir material in here, but also we have those who are in the group of those who make a joyful noise. 00:01:11.893 --> 00:01:37.341 And to the Lord, look at your neighbor, tell your neighbor you're looking good, better than yesterday, and tomorrow You will shine in Jesus' name, Matter matter, sparkle, sparkle, shiny, shiny, wear shades. 00:01:37.341 --> 00:01:38.444 Give God a big hand. 00:01:38.444 --> 00:01:53.353 It is always a pleasure to be in God's house, praising, celebrating, giving, praying together and hearing God's word. 00:01:53.353 --> 00:01:58.207 So, those who are online as you join us, thank you for connecting with us. 00:01:58.207 --> 00:02:00.212 We celebrate you big time. 00:02:00.212 --> 00:02:05.135 Those in person, those at the pavilion, we celebrate each one of you. 00:02:05.638 --> 00:02:27.292 Today We are reading from the book of Joshua, chapter six, verse one to 11, as we continue to unpack this theme empowered obedience, And today I'll be speaking about empowered obedience strategy And so I read this amazing story of Joshua. 00:02:27.292 --> 00:02:32.768 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. 00:02:32.768 --> 00:02:35.853 No one went out and no one came in. 00:02:35.853 --> 00:02:46.413 Then the Lord said to Joshua see, i have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with King and its fighting men. 00:02:46.413 --> 00:02:51.228 March around the city once, with all the armed men. 00:02:51.228 --> 00:02:58.979 Do this for six days, half seven priests carried trumpets of ram's horns in front of the ark. 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:06.514 On the seventh day, march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. 00:03:06.514 --> 00:03:14.854 When you hear them sound a long blast of the trumpets half the whole army give a loud shout. 00:03:14.854 --> 00:03:22.000 Then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up everyone straight in. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:33.000 So Joshua, son of Nun, called the priests and said to them take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carried trumpets in front of it. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:41.960 And he ordered the army advance march around the city with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord. 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:54.395 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward blowing their trumpets and the ark of the Lord's covenant followed them. 00:03:54.395 --> 00:04:01.000 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets and the rear guard followed the ark. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:17.718 All this time the trumpets were sounding, but Joshua had commanded the army do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. 00:04:17.718 --> 00:04:19.000 Then shout. 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:25.651 So he heard the ark of the Lord carried around the city, suckling it once. 00:04:25.651 --> 00:04:29.699 Then the army returned to the camp and spent the night there. 00:04:31.122 --> 00:04:34.831 This is God's word and God's people say it Amen, amen. 00:04:34.831 --> 00:04:37.163 We may be seated in God's presence. 00:04:37.163 --> 00:04:55.925 Shall we pray, father, we are very expectant because we know the Holy Spirit has a word for us Every Sunday as we begin the week. 00:04:55.925 --> 00:05:03.000 We know, the Lord, you have a word that will guide us through the couple of days that are ahead of us. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:09.624 And so, lord, i just want to appreciate what you're doing This far in the year. 00:05:09.624 --> 00:05:23.000 And so, lord, i believe, even today, those who are connected to this word, something will connect in the spirit realm in a mighty way for them, and all glory goes back to you. 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:24.526 We thank you for hearing our prayer. 00:05:24.526 --> 00:05:49.384 Holy Spirit, unlock this word for us, feed our spirit, encourage our minds, strengthen our bodies, and may we arise and shine, for our light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us, and we have prayed all this in Jesus' name, and God's people say it Amen, amen, makofi Kwaesu one more time. 00:05:54.742 --> 00:06:07.254 Today we are continuing to unpack this message on Joshua, and one of the things you cannot go through Joshua without visiting is the battle of Jericho. 00:06:07.254 --> 00:06:17.855 And that was an amazing battle because Jericho was a city that was a gateway into the promised land. 00:06:17.855 --> 00:06:25.934 You remember that 40 years before that they had tried to come in, but then they got a bad report. 00:06:25.934 --> 00:06:37.956 Giants in the land fortified cities and people got scared and God said you're going to go back into the wilderness 40 years. 00:06:37.956 --> 00:06:46.995 And now, 40 years later, they again on the brink of entering the promised land, but Jericho stands in front of them. 00:06:46.995 --> 00:06:55.033 I don't know what is standing in front of you as you face God's breakthrough in this month of June. 00:06:56.199 --> 00:07:04.041 It could be a city called Jericho, and different cities have different entities When we look at them. 00:07:04.041 --> 00:07:04.742 You know. 00:07:04.742 --> 00:07:10.713 For example, when you hear Los Angeles, it has an entity in itself. 00:07:10.713 --> 00:07:13.944 You talk about Hollywood, talk about entertainment. 00:07:13.944 --> 00:07:20.153 When you hear cities like Las Vegas, you talk about casinos and all kinds of things. 00:07:20.153 --> 00:07:25.971 Look at cities like New York you're talking about business, talking about Wall Street and all those kinds of things. 00:07:25.971 --> 00:07:32.529 Think about cities like Jerusalem and you think about the coming reign of Jesus Christ. 00:07:32.529 --> 00:07:34.834 Conflict, all kinds of things. 00:07:34.834 --> 00:07:37.107 Cities have entities. 00:07:37.107 --> 00:07:39.423 Nairobi has an entity. 00:07:39.423 --> 00:07:40.747 What do you think Nairobi stands for? 00:07:40.747 --> 00:07:45.625 A city under the sun? 00:07:45.625 --> 00:07:50.745 Okay, the city with an expressway. 00:07:50.745 --> 00:07:52.529 Thank you, jesus. 00:07:52.529 --> 00:07:55.307 So cities have an entity of their own. 00:07:55.307 --> 00:08:07.271 Talk about Cape Town, talk about Cairo, talk about London, talk about these cities of the world, and I want you to know that cities of the entity and Jericho had an entity of its own. 00:08:08.641 --> 00:08:14.814 And so in Joshua, chapter one, verse one, god is talking about this city because he's the one who has brought these people this far. 00:08:14.814 --> 00:08:20.980 Remember, god had told Joshua every place your food trades upon, i have given it to you. 00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:25.177 So they're facing Joshua, chapter six, verse one. 00:08:25.177 --> 00:08:32.552 God is giving them some instructions and this month we're talking about obedience, obedience, obedience, obedience, obedience. 00:08:32.552 --> 00:08:35.063 And he's telling them about this city. 00:08:35.063 --> 00:08:38.551 And God is speaking to your city today in Jesus' name. 00:08:40.201 --> 00:08:44.551 He says this now, the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. 00:08:44.551 --> 00:08:49.221 No one went out and no one came in, the Bava Suze says. 00:08:49.221 --> 00:08:54.913 Then the Lord said to Joshua see, i have delivered Jericho into your hands. 00:08:54.913 --> 00:08:58.808 It's kings and it's mighty fighting men. 00:08:58.808 --> 00:09:01.764 In the New King James he says men of valor. 00:09:01.764 --> 00:09:03.469 And so they are cities. 00:09:03.469 --> 00:09:05.933 But some of those cities are gateways. 00:09:05.933 --> 00:09:14.193 For example, jericho was a gateway and yet it was also fortified and nobody was going to go through. 00:09:14.193 --> 00:09:19.792 Some cities are fortified cities which are cities of opposition. 00:09:19.792 --> 00:09:21.203 Okay, they're going to oppose you. 00:09:21.203 --> 00:09:28.773 You cannot go through Cities of oppression, cities of resistance, cities of bondage, cities of limitation. 00:09:28.773 --> 00:09:32.528 But God is saying I have given you the city. 00:09:32.528 --> 00:09:35.687 I don't even talk into somebody today. 00:09:35.687 --> 00:09:41.190 God is saying I've given you the city and it is all relying on your obedience. 00:09:46.543 --> 00:09:58.255 I received a testimony just this morning about a lady giving a testimony concerning the theme of this theme that God is giving us. 00:09:58.255 --> 00:09:59.802 I'm powered obedience. 00:09:59.802 --> 00:10:00.787 Listen to what she says. 00:10:00.787 --> 00:10:06.633 She says I want to take this opportunity to thank you for being my pastor. 00:10:06.633 --> 00:10:08.866 Thank you, god bless you, my sister. 00:10:08.866 --> 00:10:09.581 He says. 00:10:09.581 --> 00:10:12.870 Last Sunday you took us through the theme of power of obedience. 00:10:13.542 --> 00:10:16.649 The character of Joshua was from the book of Joshua, chapter one. 00:10:16.649 --> 00:10:29.414 You declared that we are entering a new season and told us that God can sort us out in one year for what could have happened in 40 years, and even prayed for those who had turned 40. 00:10:29.414 --> 00:10:31.264 Thank you, jesus. 00:10:31.264 --> 00:10:39.570 And then she says I turned 40 years in January And I'm so happy to be in that category that you prayed for. 00:10:40.380 --> 00:10:57.514 I started applying for jobs last year because the environment at my place of work had become very toxic And my boss wanted to get rid of employees who had worked in the organization for so long that now he could now be able to employ cheaper labor. 00:10:57.514 --> 00:11:09.375 I was called for an interview last month by one of the best international NGOs in Kenya for a job that I had applied for, and I did a series of interviews and trusted God for the post. 00:11:09.375 --> 00:11:26.956 On Friday, the 9th of June, i was informed by the HR of that organization that they had considered me for the role and they sent me an offer letter with one month notice to report by 10th July. 00:11:26.956 --> 00:11:29.927 God has given me a managerial position. 00:11:29.927 --> 00:11:32.263 Amen. 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:39.184 Tell your neighbor God is coming through for you. 00:11:39.184 --> 00:11:46.751 By the way, pastor Simon, we get excited when God answers prayer. 00:11:46.751 --> 00:11:48.888 God opens a door for you. 00:11:48.888 --> 00:11:51.000 And I want to say God is opening a door for you. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.849 It doesn't matter what cities are facing you. 00:11:53.849 --> 00:12:02.974 God is saying I have given you the city, the king and his mighty men, and you're coming through. 00:12:02.974 --> 00:12:07.000 And what God was saying is this I want you to obey. 00:12:07.400 --> 00:12:24.332 Now, just before Jericho, joshua had an encounter, and one of the things we need to have is really an encounter with God, our own personal encounters with God, because sometimes we rely on other people's encounters and yet God wants you to have a personal encounter with God. 00:12:24.332 --> 00:12:28.549 Just before Joshua chapter 6, there was Joshua, chapter 5. 00:12:28.549 --> 00:12:30.001 In verse 13,. 00:12:30.001 --> 00:12:42.000 This is what the Bible says Joshua had an encounter with this person from another world, and I want you to know that we have the spirit world and we have this physical world. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:49.000 Now, in that verse he says this Now, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man. 00:12:49.221 --> 00:12:53.000 Now, he had said it to a man, but he looked like a man, but he's an angel. 00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:06.000 Now, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drone sword in his hand, and Joshua went up to him and asked are you for us or for our enemies? 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:14.980 Neither he replied, but as commander of the army of the Lord, i have now come. 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:23.875 Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence and asked him what message does my Lord have for his servant? 00:13:23.875 --> 00:13:30.884 The commander of the Lord's army replied take off your sandals, for the place where you're standing is holy. 00:13:30.884 --> 00:13:34.711 And Joshua did so. 00:13:34.711 --> 00:13:42.272 And that's when you go into chapter six, verse one, and you know when God wants to give you an instruction, god gives you. 00:13:42.272 --> 00:13:42.552 God. 00:13:42.552 --> 00:13:47.610 You have an encounter Now this, there's a similar story that it also happened to Moses. 00:13:49.214 --> 00:13:50.056 Moses, chapter three. 00:13:50.056 --> 00:13:53.850 He's tending the flock and then he sees a burning bush. 00:13:53.850 --> 00:14:04.383 He goes to that place, he sees a fire burning The bush is not being consumed and then a voice comes out saying this is holy ground, remove your shoes. 00:14:04.383 --> 00:14:10.541 And then the angel of the Lord speaks, gives Moses an instruction, and the rest is history. 00:14:10.541 --> 00:14:12.746 Joshua is facing the same thing. 00:14:12.746 --> 00:14:14.270 He's about to enter a city. 00:14:14.270 --> 00:14:17.738 Maybe he was anxious, maybe he was worried. 00:14:17.738 --> 00:14:25.888 Maybe he was saying God, is it your will for us to take this city And while he was walking around, he has an encounter with an angel. 00:14:26.549 --> 00:14:29.777 And the angel said I'm the commander of the armies of heaven. 00:14:29.777 --> 00:14:30.927 And guess what? 00:14:30.927 --> 00:14:33.717 We are invisible, but you have soldiers who are visible. 00:14:33.717 --> 00:14:34.883 Just know this. 00:14:34.883 --> 00:14:36.187 You have a backup. 00:14:36.187 --> 00:14:38.373 I'm talking to somebody. 00:14:38.373 --> 00:14:42.644 I'm saying you have a backup, hallelujah, You have a backup. 00:14:42.644 --> 00:14:47.639 So as you make these, these steps of obedience, you have a backup. 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:49.104 God is backing you up. 00:14:49.104 --> 00:14:50.567 You're not fighting alone. 00:14:50.567 --> 00:14:53.153 Somebody is watching your back. 00:14:53.153 --> 00:14:54.957 You're coming through in Jesus name. 00:14:54.957 --> 00:15:07.567 And so, later than Joshua gives his army instructions and he tells them by the way, we are going to go around this city, this is what you're supposed to do, and God had already given him those instructions. 00:15:08.410 --> 00:15:14.729 One of the things I want to say today is this God has given us his word as his instruction. 00:15:14.729 --> 00:15:19.158 Let me say that again, god has given us his, his word. 00:15:19.158 --> 00:15:26.238 This book That's what he told Joshua This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. 00:15:26.238 --> 00:15:30.350 Meditate on it day and night, think through it. 00:15:30.350 --> 00:15:35.578 Let it soak you Like those who cook in the kitchen. 00:15:35.578 --> 00:15:41.053 Let let this book marinate you, just be marinated by the word. 00:15:41.053 --> 00:15:45.528 Just let it soak inside you, because, as it gets inside you. 00:15:45.528 --> 00:15:52.567 When somebody now squeezes you, that's what will come out Hallelujah. 00:15:53.688 --> 00:15:59.868 So, as I share about obedience and the strategy God was giving this gentleman, i want to talk about three things. 00:15:59.868 --> 00:16:06.586 Number one, in terms of the strategy there was a time to meditate. 00:16:06.586 --> 00:16:09.071 That's the strategy, a time to meditate. 00:16:09.071 --> 00:16:11.635 Number two, a time to march. 00:16:11.635 --> 00:16:15.249 And number three, a time to make sound. 00:16:15.249 --> 00:16:22.549 So there were three things that needed to be done First of all, meditate, a time to be quiet, a time to be silent. 00:16:22.549 --> 00:16:24.774 Secondly, a time to march. 00:16:24.774 --> 00:16:27.519 And thirdly, a time to make sound. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.807 That's God's strategy. 00:16:28.807 --> 00:16:31.472 Tell your neighbor, it's God's strategy. 00:16:31.493 --> 00:16:45.888 And you know, when you have an encounter with God, sometimes, pastor Simon, sometimes, when we have an encounter with God and God reveals to us something amazing, and we just, it's just, god just touches us We want to immediately tell everybody. 00:16:45.888 --> 00:16:56.613 And God is saying, uh-uh, don't tell everybody, just let it marinate inside you, just let it soak inside you. 00:16:56.613 --> 00:17:03.070 And so Joshua knows that his soldiers would want to go into Jericho immediately. 00:17:03.070 --> 00:17:05.257 So he gives them instructions. 00:17:05.257 --> 00:17:08.467 He says you're going to go around the city? 00:17:08.467 --> 00:17:09.469 how many times? 00:17:09.469 --> 00:17:11.654 Let me? 00:17:11.654 --> 00:17:14.942 let me ask again So tell your neighbor. 00:17:14.942 --> 00:17:24.920 Be still, joshua told the his soldiers each day you're going to go around the city how many times? 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:35.125 Okay, so now let me just read the Bible again. 00:17:35.125 --> 00:17:47.420 Okay, now, vastirita, is this March around the city once, with all the armed men. 00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:48.806 Do this for six days. 00:17:48.806 --> 00:17:58.867 So let me ask again Joshua was telling his soldiers you're going to go around the city how many times in a day? 00:17:58.867 --> 00:18:02.292 Once, just once. 00:18:02.292 --> 00:18:10.428 Some people estimate that Jericho was about an average of 20 acres. 00:18:10.428 --> 00:18:14.461 Don't know, that's such a big, this is like Westlands, all right. 00:18:14.461 --> 00:18:18.453 So it's not just that, that is not like Nairobi, it was like Westlands. 00:18:18.453 --> 00:18:20.380 So go around the city once. 00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:22.365 That was the first instruction. 00:18:22.365 --> 00:18:26.722 Then he said as you go once, don't make any noise. 00:18:26.722 --> 00:18:29.503 Okay, that is in verse 10. 00:18:29.503 --> 00:18:31.165 So let me read verse 10. 00:18:31.165 --> 00:18:39.866 In verse 10 he says this Joshua had commanded the army Do not give our cry. 00:18:39.946 --> 00:18:41.792 Let me read it in the New King James version here. 00:18:41.792 --> 00:18:58.807 It says this New King James Okay, now Joshua had commanded the people saying you shall not shout or make any noise with your voice. 00:18:58.807 --> 00:19:07.810 No, shall a word proceed out of your mouth until the day I say to you shout, then you shall shout. 00:19:07.810 --> 00:19:10.215 So that was the second thing he said. 00:19:10.215 --> 00:19:11.940 Number one don't make noise. 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:16.513 Number two walk, march around the city. 00:19:16.513 --> 00:19:19.461 And then he says, on the last day, do what? 00:19:19.461 --> 00:19:20.663 Shout. 00:19:20.663 --> 00:19:22.127 So those are the three things. 00:19:22.127 --> 00:19:23.511 Number one meditate. 00:19:23.511 --> 00:19:25.519 In other words, be quiet. 00:19:26.241 --> 00:19:29.311 And you can imagine these soldiers Soldiers were used to making noise. 00:19:29.311 --> 00:19:31.579 They make noise. 00:19:31.579 --> 00:19:37.616 They are macho guys, they are powerful guys, they are ready to fight And especially know when you're going to war. 00:19:37.616 --> 00:19:38.527 You psych yourself. 00:19:38.527 --> 00:19:43.787 You're coming out of the gym or coming out of the locker and you're just you psych yourself. 00:19:43.787 --> 00:19:45.410 Then you're ready to fight. 00:19:45.410 --> 00:19:50.519 Then you're told today you go marching quietly. 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:54.089 And that needed discipline. 00:19:55.153 --> 00:19:58.046 And you can imagine they went around walking, walking, walking, walking. 00:19:58.046 --> 00:20:00.210 They're quiet, they're not talking to each other. 00:20:00.210 --> 00:20:06.833 By the way, the people on the on the walls The walls were huge and they are out there shouting at them. 00:20:06.833 --> 00:20:13.753 These people are quiet, but the guys on the fortified walls are shouting at them Hey, look at you. 00:20:13.753 --> 00:20:15.336 Oh, what are you doing? 00:20:15.336 --> 00:20:16.640 Come on, talk to us. 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:27.123 And they were even maybe throwing eggs at them, hello, but they were quite a distance so they could not have thrown arrows and hit them, but these guys just walked quietly. 00:20:27.123 --> 00:20:35.471 And then can you imagine, when they went home past the, simon and their wives asked them what happened today And they remember. 00:20:35.471 --> 00:20:36.596 Joshua told them to do what? 00:20:36.596 --> 00:20:44.724 To keep quiet, because if they went home and their wives started talking to them and they started saying, ah, can you imagine what Joshua told us? 00:20:44.724 --> 00:20:50.305 And Joshua told us that we walked just around and those wives would have created problems. 00:20:53.073 --> 00:20:58.344 If you're sitting next to your wife, celebrate her, because God is a good God, hallelujah. 00:20:58.344 --> 00:21:06.741 So just don't talk, because I want you to meditate, i want you to marinate and just believe. 00:21:06.741 --> 00:21:12.012 Begin to align your mind to the mind of God. 00:21:12.012 --> 00:21:14.337 That's what silence was for. 00:21:14.337 --> 00:21:22.238 The Bible says this in Isaiah 55, verse 8, about really getting to understand the thought of God. 00:21:22.238 --> 00:21:31.723 And the Bible says this ah, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, no, i'm my ways, your ways, says the Lord. 00:21:32.346 --> 00:21:40.532 And many says in verse 9, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 00:21:40.532 --> 00:21:45.286 And God knows that many times our minds are not thinking about his things. 00:21:45.286 --> 00:21:55.348 And so he told them keep quiet, meditate on God, begin to see that God is bigger than this fortified city. 00:21:55.348 --> 00:21:59.898 Begin to think that God is able to give you this city. 00:21:59.898 --> 00:22:02.746 He has already said I'll give you the city Now. 00:22:02.746 --> 00:22:03.667 Don't doubt it. 00:22:03.667 --> 00:22:04.657 Don't talk to your neighbor. 00:22:04.657 --> 00:22:18.125 By the way, as they were walking and you know some of them are friends as they were walking they also told don't talk to one another, just be quiet, meditate, believe in God, let God touch your heart, let God be the one to psych you up. 00:22:18.125 --> 00:22:20.116 Don't let circumstances psych you up. 00:22:20.116 --> 00:22:23.027 You know, just trust God, just believe God. 00:22:23.368 --> 00:22:32.419 Remember the Bible says you know, you shall meditate on his Lord day and night, meditate on the word of God, and many times that's one thing we don't do. 00:22:32.419 --> 00:22:34.664 We don't sit and meditate on the word of God. 00:22:34.664 --> 00:22:37.904 For example, meditate on Isaiah 46, verse 1. 00:22:37.904 --> 00:22:40.954 Now let me read that and you just meditate on it and think through it. 00:22:40.954 --> 00:22:43.159 And the Bible says this. 00:22:43.159 --> 00:22:49.828 It says not Isaiah Psalms, sorry, psalms 46, verse 1. 00:22:49.828 --> 00:22:51.195 That Psalm is amazing. 00:22:51.195 --> 00:23:02.868 It calms you down when you're facing such a challenge And it says this God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. 00:23:02.868 --> 00:23:04.113 You're just meditating on that. 00:23:04.113 --> 00:23:07.280 Therefore, we will not fear. 00:23:07.280 --> 00:23:26.449 Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters row and form and the mountains quake with their surging, there is a river whose streams make glad, the city of God, the holy place where the most high dwells. 00:23:26.449 --> 00:23:29.919 God is within us And you can say God is within me. 00:23:29.919 --> 00:23:31.965 You know God is within me. 00:23:31.965 --> 00:23:33.390 I will not fall. 00:23:33.390 --> 00:23:36.618 God will help me At break of day. 00:23:37.161 --> 00:23:38.964 Verse 6, and you're still meditating. 00:23:38.964 --> 00:23:42.614 Nations are in a pro kingdoms fall. 00:23:42.614 --> 00:23:45.138 He lifts his voice and the earth melts. 00:23:45.138 --> 00:23:50.067 And then verse 7, the Lord almighty is with us. 00:23:50.067 --> 00:23:53.098 The God of Jacob is our fortress. 00:23:53.098 --> 00:23:59.518 Verse 8, he says come and see what the Lord has done, the dissolations he has brought on the earth. 00:23:59.518 --> 00:24:03.566 Verse 9, he makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. 00:24:03.566 --> 00:24:08.023 Verse the next statement he breaks the bow, shatters the spear. 00:24:08.023 --> 00:24:09.788 He burns the shield with fire. 00:24:09.788 --> 00:24:11.674 He says what? 00:24:11.674 --> 00:24:13.398 Be still. 00:24:13.398 --> 00:24:16.928 Hey, stop stop agitating, stop, stop running in your head. 00:24:16.928 --> 00:24:20.717 Be still and know that I am God. 00:24:20.717 --> 00:24:25.872 I will be exalted among the nations, i will be exalted in the earth. 00:24:25.872 --> 00:24:27.455 The Lord almighty is with us. 00:24:27.455 --> 00:24:37.478 Can you see how many times I repeated that He says as they were walking God is with me, god is with me. 00:24:37.478 --> 00:24:39.221 These guys let them shout. 00:24:39.221 --> 00:24:41.605 They are ready, ours, hallelujah. 00:24:41.605 --> 00:24:43.576 We have already taken the battle. 00:24:43.576 --> 00:24:45.602 I've already gotten this job. 00:24:45.602 --> 00:24:47.126 Thank you, jesus. 00:24:47.126 --> 00:24:49.252 I've already gotten this job. 00:24:49.252 --> 00:24:50.678 I'm talking to somebody. 00:24:50.678 --> 00:24:52.163 I've already gotten this job. 00:24:52.163 --> 00:24:54.795 I've already gotten that resource, that money. 00:24:54.795 --> 00:24:55.659 I've been waiting for a long. 00:24:55.659 --> 00:24:56.584 I've already gotten it. 00:24:57.268 --> 00:24:58.674 You know you're meditating in your head. 00:24:58.674 --> 00:25:01.909 You know this sickness is already healed in Jesus' name. 00:25:01.909 --> 00:25:03.174 You know you're meditating that. 00:25:03.174 --> 00:25:07.192 You know the doctor has given you a bad report, but you're walking around meditating. 00:25:07.192 --> 00:25:09.298 You're not telling everybody about the bad report. 00:25:09.298 --> 00:25:14.826 You're not running from an uncle to an auntie, to Pastor Simon, to Pastor Ambrose and you're giving them a bad report. 00:25:14.826 --> 00:25:22.307 No, you're just meditating and saying the Lord is my shield, the Lord is my battle, the Lord is my healer, the Lord is my restoration. 00:25:22.307 --> 00:25:30.144 By the time you come to Pastor Simon and Pastor Ambrose, you are so charged with who God is so that when they pray in agreement with you, it is a done deal. 00:25:30.144 --> 00:25:35.719 I'm saying it is a done deal in Jesus' name, hallelujah. 00:25:37.782 --> 00:25:41.836 There's a lady the other day when we were celebrating grandmothers and she came to me later. 00:25:41.836 --> 00:25:45.194 She says Pastor Ambrose, me, me, i'm not a grandmother, i want to be a grandmother. 00:25:45.194 --> 00:25:54.199 Please pray now in Jesus' name that my son will get a wife and will get children in Jesus' name, and in fact I need about four of them. 00:25:54.199 --> 00:26:03.551 Hallelujah, I told her you'll be a show show. 00:26:03.551 --> 00:26:06.135 You will be a show show. 00:26:06.135 --> 00:26:09.326 So don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. 00:26:09.346 --> 00:26:10.490 Help God in that process. 00:26:10.490 --> 00:26:16.784 Go telling your son, say, kizzah, you cannot be walking, walking around like this. 00:26:16.784 --> 00:26:19.528 You don't tell your daughters. 00:26:19.528 --> 00:26:24.310 And some, many of many of our girls also told us listen, get a husband. 00:26:24.310 --> 00:26:27.077 And if you don't get a husband, just get somebody to give you a baby. 00:26:27.077 --> 00:26:33.327 True, i'm talking to you. 00:26:33.327 --> 00:26:38.759 Just look at the ladies, the mamas, the mamas. 00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:41.250 Just look at one of them because they may be culprits. 00:26:41.250 --> 00:26:41.954 Just look at them. 00:26:41.954 --> 00:26:44.779 They look very innocent. 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:52.353 You know you want to help God in this process. 00:26:52.353 --> 00:26:56.605 Let me tell you this God wants you to meditate and just believe that God is able. 00:26:56.605 --> 00:26:59.013 You said, go, go. 00:26:59.054 --> 00:27:06.605 And of course, in this era and this season where ladies are getting children and they don't care about husbands, they don't, they don't want husband to support them. 00:27:06.605 --> 00:27:09.780 They are career women, they are doing well, everything is fine. 00:27:09.780 --> 00:27:10.923 All they need is a baby. 00:27:10.923 --> 00:27:12.108 They don't need a husband. 00:27:12.108 --> 00:27:15.096 Or sometimes they go get a spam donation. 00:27:15.096 --> 00:27:17.280 They get children and life goes on. 00:27:20.086 --> 00:27:21.388 Am I talking to a foreign church? 00:27:21.388 --> 00:27:31.823 And it's not bad to help yourself get a baby. 00:27:31.823 --> 00:27:39.808 But I want you to know that there's a God who is able to come through for you, there's a God who is able to open doors for you. 00:27:39.808 --> 00:27:43.561 That God, there's a God. 00:27:43.561 --> 00:27:59.016 Yes, you can use your own parts and get your own children, do it your own way, but just remember there is a God who wants to glorify himself And of course, we know that there are. 00:27:59.016 --> 00:28:06.131 There are people also who have challenges just just getting pregnant, and so there are ways of being able to help them get pregnant and things like that. 00:28:06.792 --> 00:28:23.150 But with all that in place and you're facing a city that is fortified, a door that is closed, god is saying match around the city, quietly, meditate on my word, believe my word. 00:28:23.150 --> 00:28:28.061 And sometimes it can be tiring, because can you imagine they did that for how many days? 00:28:28.061 --> 00:28:34.940 Six days Go once, be quiet, go another time, be quiet, go another time. 00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:39.698 But whole week they're not talking, nothing is happening, joshua saying nobody speaks. 00:28:39.698 --> 00:28:42.384 Then the last day they went. 00:28:42.384 --> 00:28:43.027 How many times? 00:28:43.027 --> 00:28:45.854 I'm still talking to you. 00:28:45.854 --> 00:28:47.076 The last day they went how many times? 00:28:47.076 --> 00:28:54.769 Seven times, and at the seventh time Joshua said gave the signal. 00:28:55.316 --> 00:29:07.525 But that first part of what I'm telling you is this meditate, marinate, let God's word sink inside you, because this is the word that will uphold you in the days to come. 00:29:07.525 --> 00:29:13.259 Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses. 00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:17.586 Another good verse to meditate on is Psalms 27. 00:29:17.586 --> 00:29:20.839 Psalms 27 is a good verse to meditate on. 00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.548 Let me just read the first few verses. 00:29:22.950 --> 00:29:26.259 The first few verses are saying this The Lord is my. 00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:28.863 Okay, let me read it again. 00:29:28.863 --> 00:29:32.347 The Lord is my light and my salvation. 00:29:32.347 --> 00:29:34.415 Whom shall I fear? 00:29:34.415 --> 00:29:38.747 The next verse says the Lord is the stronghold of my life. 00:29:38.747 --> 00:29:41.153 Of whom shall I be afraid? 00:29:41.153 --> 00:29:54.239 And then he says verse two when the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 00:29:54.239 --> 00:30:04.640 The next verse though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear, though we'll break out against me. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:08.105 Even then I will be confident. 00:30:08.386 --> 00:30:11.217 Then verse four one thing I ask from the Lord. 00:30:11.217 --> 00:30:23.644 This only do I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. 00:30:23.644 --> 00:30:35.179 For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in His dwelling, he will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. 00:30:35.179 --> 00:30:39.387 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me. 00:30:39.387 --> 00:30:43.221 At His sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy. 00:30:43.221 --> 00:30:45.247 I will sing and make music to the Lord. 00:30:45.247 --> 00:30:50.565 Hear my voice when I call Lord, be merciful to me and answer me. 00:30:50.565 --> 00:30:53.498 My heart says of you seek His face. 00:30:53.498 --> 00:30:56.125 Your first Lord I will seek. 00:30:56.125 --> 00:30:58.673 Do not hide your face from me. 00:30:58.673 --> 00:31:00.698 Do not turn your servant away in anger. 00:31:00.698 --> 00:31:02.362 You have been my helper. 00:31:02.362 --> 00:31:05.390 Do not reject me or forsake me. 00:31:05.390 --> 00:31:07.275 God, my Savior. 00:31:07.275 --> 00:31:08.517 That's an amazing chapter. 00:31:08.517 --> 00:31:11.000 Just meditate on it, marinate in it. 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:17.355 God will cause, fight your battles, because the battle is whose Is the Lord's. 00:31:17.355 --> 00:31:20.388 So look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor a time to meditate. 00:31:20.388 --> 00:31:23.126 A time to meditate, amen. 00:31:24.244 --> 00:31:28.528 Don't spend your time meditating on the headlines of newspapers. 00:31:28.528 --> 00:31:30.608 That's what you rush to read. 00:31:30.608 --> 00:31:36.047 The moment you wake up in the morning, open the newspaper, look at the headlines. 00:31:36.047 --> 00:31:38.412 You start having anxiety, panic attacks. 00:31:38.412 --> 00:31:45.532 You turn the next page, go to read about that page, about the world. 00:31:45.532 --> 00:31:48.413 This is what is happening in the Middle East. 00:31:48.413 --> 00:31:49.167 This is what's happening. 00:31:49.167 --> 00:31:51.372 There's more heart attacks. 00:31:51.372 --> 00:31:59.017 Then you go immediately to the obituaries to find out who died. 00:31:59.017 --> 00:32:03.349 One day you'll find your own face in that obituary. 00:32:03.349 --> 00:32:07.419 You'll get shocked. 00:32:07.419 --> 00:32:09.548 I say, hey, people are dying, banna, people are dying. 00:32:09.548 --> 00:32:16.231 The beautiful ones are dying, the handsome ones are dying And you start having these panic attacks. 00:32:16.444 --> 00:32:25.770 Let me tell you this When you wake up in the morning, just wake up and say this is the day The Lord has made. 00:32:25.770 --> 00:32:28.173 I will rejoice and be glad in it. 00:32:28.173 --> 00:32:32.653 Don't go to the mirror and look at yourself and start looking at the wrinkles in your face. 00:32:32.653 --> 00:32:36.006 Ho, jehovah, jehovah, more than you are. 00:32:36.006 --> 00:32:45.009 Go to this word, meditate on it. 00:32:45.009 --> 00:32:46.549 This word will lift you up. 00:32:46.549 --> 00:32:51.050 That doesn't mean you're ignoring the circumstances of the earth, but this word will give you perspective. 00:32:51.050 --> 00:32:53.470 This word will give you perspective. 00:32:53.470 --> 00:32:58.012 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away. 00:32:58.125 --> 00:33:06.073 But secondly, not only were they told to be quiet, they were also told to do something, to march, so you don't just sit there meditating the rest of your life. 00:33:06.073 --> 00:33:11.411 There's a time to arise and shine, for your light has come. 00:33:11.411 --> 00:33:13.509 So they were told to walk. 00:33:13.509 --> 00:33:14.888 So they started walking. 00:33:14.888 --> 00:33:15.949 They did something. 00:33:15.949 --> 00:33:18.811 Tell your neighbor, after you have meditated, do something. 00:33:18.811 --> 00:33:25.031 Tell them, when you have been married, entered in the word of God, take action. 00:33:25.031 --> 00:33:29.695 Let them talk. 00:33:29.695 --> 00:33:34.813 I'm giving you time to talk to them, hallelujah. 00:33:34.813 --> 00:33:39.086 Tell them, talk to them, take action. 00:33:39.086 --> 00:33:43.492 And you take action, not according to what people are saying. 00:33:43.492 --> 00:33:46.252 Take action to what God has revealed to you. 00:33:46.252 --> 00:33:49.092 He's a revealer of secrets. 00:33:49.092 --> 00:33:52.633 He knows what you need to do, when you need to do it. 00:33:53.845 --> 00:34:06.616 I remember one time, and in Kitambo, my early days, those days when I had just become a pastor, just gotten married, and I didn't have a lot of money. 00:34:06.616 --> 00:34:13.396 I didn't have cash, but there was something pressing that I needed money, sap. 00:34:13.396 --> 00:34:14.469 I needed money quickly. 00:34:14.469 --> 00:34:17.849 So I thought of my friends, i thought who could give it to me? 00:34:17.849 --> 00:34:24.094 I thought, i thought and I thought, and I thought, and I didn't want to borrow, i wanted to be given. 00:34:24.094 --> 00:34:30.648 Tell your neighbor, that is a good strategy. 00:34:30.648 --> 00:34:35.117 I didn't want to borrow. 00:34:35.117 --> 00:34:37.552 So I'm praying, i'm saying God, who can give me money? 00:34:37.552 --> 00:34:38.568 God who can give me money? 00:34:38.568 --> 00:34:42.213 And it was stressing me and the need is just approaching me. 00:34:42.213 --> 00:34:45.469 The days are just coming, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, and I don't know what to do. 00:34:45.885 --> 00:34:51.753 And then God said Ambrose, just calm down, don't let this be the biggest thing in your life. 00:34:51.753 --> 00:34:54.753 Every time you think about it, money, money, money, money. 00:34:54.753 --> 00:34:59.534 Meditate on me, meditate on me, because I can give you money any time. 00:34:59.534 --> 00:35:07.327 But stop looking at the money, look at me Be still, be, still, be, still, be still. 00:35:07.327 --> 00:35:10.550