Speaker 1: Amen, bona Sifui, amen, bona Sifui.
Speaker 1: Tenor Amen, look at your neighbor.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor you're still looking good.
Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, better than this morning And better tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Shiny, shiny, sparkle, sparkle, matter matter.
Speaker 1: Give your neighbor high five.
Speaker 1: Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen.
Speaker 1: While we are still standing, we want to read the scripture, second Chronicles 32.
Speaker 1: One to eight, second Chronicles.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this After all that Ezekiel had so faithfully done, senakerib, king of Assyria, came and invaded Judah.
Speaker 1: He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to himself to conquer them for himself.
Speaker 1: When Ezekiel saw that Senakerib had come and that he intended to wage war again as Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.
Speaker 1: They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land.
Speaker 1: Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water, they said.
Speaker 1: Then he worked hard, repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it.
Speaker 1: He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the city of David.
Speaker 1: He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
Speaker 1: He appointed military officers over the peoples and assembled them before him in the square, at the city, at the city gate, and encourage them with these words be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with them.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor, there's a greater power with us than with them.
Speaker 1: With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord, our God, to help us and to fight our battles.
Speaker 1: And the people gained confidence from what Ezekiah, the king of Judah, said Amen.
Speaker 1: And then the next verse later, when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Ezekiah, king of Judah, and for all the people of Judah who are there, this is what Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says.
Speaker 1: On what are you basing your confidence that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?
Speaker 1: When Ezekiah says the Lord, our God, will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria, he is misleading you to let you die of hunger and thirst.
Speaker 1: And the story continues, because we'll talk about that story later.
Speaker 1: This is God's word and God's prophecy.
Speaker 1: Amen, we may be seated in God's presence.
Speaker 1: Glad you came today.
Speaker 1: Look at your neighbor.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor when is your birthday.
Speaker 1: Hello, if your birthday is this month of June, i want you to know that we are going to cut cake today.
Speaker 1: We are going to cut cake today, daily, neighbor Kuna Keki.
Speaker 1: Amen, of course, those watching us online.
Speaker 1: We also want to tell you Kuna Keki Virtual cake And we want to wish all those celebrating their June birthday happy birthday.
Speaker 1: Do we have any of them in the service?
Speaker 1: I wish my many to honor, just so that we know how much cake we need.
Speaker 1: Amen, god bless you.
Speaker 1: I am going to please be seated, So I want to share our word and then we'll celebrate that cake.
Speaker 1: But today we want to talk about unleashed courage.
Speaker 1: Our theme has been empowered obedience, unleashed courage.
Speaker 1: We want to talk about unleashed courage.
Speaker 1: Another place where we find God saying be strong and courageous is in Joshua, chapter one.
Speaker 1: Let me read verse six, joshua, chapter one, verse six, and he says this be strong and courageous Because you will lead these people to inherit the land I saw to the ancestors to give them.
Speaker 1: That's one part.
Speaker 1: He says it Later, in verse seven, he says be strong and very courageous.
Speaker 1: Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses, gave you Do not turn from it to the right or to the left that you may be successful wherever you go.
Speaker 1: Then, in verse nine, he says it now the third time He says this have I not commanded you be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go.
Speaker 1: Now this verse gives us the basis of courage.
Speaker 1: Courage does not depend on what you have.
Speaker 1: So tell your neighbor.
Speaker 1: Courage does not depend on what you have.
Speaker 1: Courage does not depend on how big your army is.
Speaker 1: It doesn't depend on how much money you have.
Speaker 1: It doesn't depend on how much majority votes you have Hallelujah.
Speaker 1: It doesn't depend on that.
Speaker 1: This verse says courage depends on who is with you.
Speaker 1: So let me repeat that courage depends on who is with you.
Speaker 1: Another verse is Romans, chapter eight, verse 31 and 32.
Speaker 1: You know this verse well.
Speaker 1: As we talk about unleashed courage.
Speaker 1: You have courage.
Speaker 1: The Bible says in Romans 8, 31 what then shall we say in response to these things?
Speaker 1: If God is for us, who can be against us?
Speaker 1: The next verse says he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Speaker 1: And then he lists some of the challenges we may face Round verse 35.
Speaker 1: Go to verse 35.
Speaker 1: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Speaker 1: Who shall trouble or hardship or persecution of famine, or nakedness, or danger or swords, as it is written, for your sake, we face death all day long.
Speaker 1: We are considered a ship to be slaughtered.
Speaker 1: No, in all these things, we are what We are, more than conquerors.
Speaker 1: Through him, who loved us And many, he now gives that last statement, for I am convinced that neither death, no life, neither angels, no demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, no depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Speaker 1: Your courage depends on who is with you.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, and I want you to know that in life you can count on this fact, that is, if God is for us, who can be against us?
Speaker 1: Many times, sometimes we think in terms of our religious minds, so we think spiritually.
Speaker 1: When we face things that are not spiritual, we lose courage.
Speaker 1: We are challenged by issues of rent, challenged by issues of politics, challenged by issues of uncertainty in the world, money markets and all kinds of things that cause you to stop being courageous.
Speaker 1: Let me tell you this if God is for us, who can be against us?
Speaker 1: And it's sometimes being able to convince you that God is really with you.
Speaker 1: God is with us.
Speaker 1: I'm saying God is with us.
Speaker 1: The Bible says greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
Speaker 1: God knows how to fight a battle, and so this story of Hezekiah.
Speaker 1: The Assyrians attacked him and he gathered his army together.
Speaker 1: They put protection, they did everything they needed to do, and then he made a very interesting statement and said to the people even though we have prepared enough and I want to say this when you are dealing with a situation, prepare, get ready, but remember your help is not in those things, your help is in God.
Speaker 1: So let me read what happened in 2 Chronicles 32, verse 7 and 8, because Hezekiah was now encouraging the people.
Speaker 1: This is what he said.
Speaker 1: He said be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria And the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.
Speaker 1: With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord, our God, to help us and to fight our battles.
Speaker 1: Now I was reading the next few verses later because of what happened.
Speaker 1: Something happened because the Nakharyb begins to mock Hezekiah and it begins to tell the people Hezekiah is lying to you, this is not going to happen.
Speaker 1: We have been destroying all kinds of armies.
Speaker 1: What do you think Hezekiah can do?
Speaker 1: Let me tell you this Sometimes, when God tells you I'm with you, there are people who come to tell you when did he help you?
Speaker 1: You are in this problem.
Speaker 1: It has never left you.
Speaker 1: You are in this challenge, it's not going anywhere.
Speaker 1: And they begin to mock you And sometimes, in the mocking, you now become afraid and discouraged.
Speaker 1: By the way you start saying by the way, i've not seen God coming through for me.
Speaker 1: I've been praying about this thing and nothing seems to happen.
Speaker 1: Let me tell you this God fights at his own time, hallelujah.
Speaker 1: God comes through when he wants.
Speaker 1: He's not forced to fight.
Speaker 1: God comes through when he wants to come through.
Speaker 1: And I want to tell you this God will come through for you When he wants to come through for you Hallelujah.
Speaker 1: Now see what happened in verse 20.
Speaker 1: Now this is where God comes in Our second chronicle, 32, 20.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amos, cried out in prayer to heaven about this, because they were being mocked.
Speaker 1: And the Lord sent an angel who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and the officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.
Speaker 1: So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace And when he went into the temple of his God, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with a sword.
Speaker 1: Hello, so the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others.
Speaker 1: He took care of them on every side.
Speaker 1: I want to talk to somebody here.
Speaker 1: God will take care of you on every side On the financial side, on the health side, on the work side, marketplace side, home front, on every side.
Speaker 1: And he's saying why?
Speaker 1: Because I am with you.
Speaker 1: Happen, happen.
Speaker 1: Nobody can threaten you.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor, nobody can threaten me When God is on my side.
Speaker 1: Therefore, you better be on God's side, by the way, amen.
Speaker 1: You better be on God's side because that's what unleashes courage.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, that's what unleashes courage.
Speaker 1: There used to be a boy in class six.
Speaker 1: Every time he went to school he got bullied.
Speaker 1: Every time They would take his lunch, they would throw his bag down.
Speaker 1: You know, it reached a stage.
Speaker 1: He really didn't like going to school.
Speaker 1: One time his big brother said why don't you like school, why don't you go to school?
Speaker 1: And you know, his brother was a guy who liked to go to the gym.
Speaker 1: So he used to walk with his aunt's bread.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, he was a gym guy.
Speaker 1: So this boy says you know, i can't go to school.
Speaker 1: These guys bully me all the time.
Speaker 1: Take my food, eat it.
Speaker 1: And he told the boy tomorrow you go to school, i'll follow you.
Speaker 1: So the boy goes to school And guess what?
Speaker 1: The bullies show up and they are ready to just mess him up Before they could even grab him, voila, the brother walks in, muscles big and he tells him.
Speaker 1: Now the boy, when he saw the brother unleashed courage, showed up.
Speaker 1: In fact he's the one who was telling them ah, ebuja ribukun ishika.
Speaker 1: Ah, you've been.
Speaker 1: The brother was there and it was the presence of the brother that caused these kids to scatter on every side.
Speaker 1: No wonder we say let God arise and let his enemies be scattered.
Speaker 1: This God is in your midst.
Speaker 1: Come on, you better give God a big hand.
Speaker 1: This God is in your midst And sometimes your enemies don't see them because this God is invisible.
Speaker 1: This God is not seen, but he is there.
Speaker 1: Sometimes you go for an interview and the interview seems to be very challenging and you're sitting there and everybody around you looks more intelligent than you Hallelujah.
Speaker 1: And you're wondering I'm not going through this thing.
Speaker 1: But guess what?
Speaker 1: You're not in that interview alone.
Speaker 1: God is with you and he's saying if God is for us, who can be against us?
Speaker 1: Your courage does not come because you're smart.
Speaker 1: It doesn't come because you are so able.
Speaker 1: No wonder the Bible says I look up to the mountains.
Speaker 1: Where does my help come from?
Speaker 1: My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Speaker 1: He doesn't sleep, he doesn't slumber.
Speaker 1: He who watches over you doesn't slumber nor sleep.
Speaker 1: This God, let me tell you this he loves you so much.
Speaker 1: He's for you, he's never against you.
Speaker 1: And sometimes you feel you may have disappointed him, sometimes you feel you're not worthy of his help.
Speaker 1: But God says I'm here because I love you and I'll fight your battle.
Speaker 1: I'll fight your battles and there's nothing that can separate you from me.
Speaker 1: You know there are.
Speaker 1: Sometimes we live life as if the devil is stronger than God.
Speaker 1: Hello, the devil is not stronger than God.
Speaker 1: In fact, god never wants to fight the devil, because it is a mismatch.
Speaker 1: Hello, that's why he gives you the authority to handle the devil.
Speaker 1: That is why he says I cannot deal with the devil, it's too small a thing for me to handle.
Speaker 1: So he says I give you authority over all the power of the devil, trumple upon his necks and scorpions, and nothing shall harm you.
Speaker 1: This God that we serve is the one they call the almighty God, the eternal one, the one who is king, the one who is overall, the one who was able to stand with Joshua in every battle he took.
Speaker 1: He said Jericho is nothing, you don't need to do anything, just walk around it once a day and the last day walk seven times and then just shout.
Speaker 1: The walls will come down.
Speaker 1: This is the God you serve.
Speaker 1: This is the God.
Speaker 1: When you have an obstacle in front of you.
Speaker 1: Don't look at the obstacle, look at God.
Speaker 1: He's with you.
Speaker 1: He's with you, he's present with you, and sometimes you don't even have to call him and say oh God, come, come.
Speaker 1: He's already there, because he said I'll never leave you, i'll never forsake you.
Speaker 1: He said I'm with you always, even to the close of the edge.
Speaker 1: And sometimes you may not sense him, you may not feel him, you may not hear him, he may not even be saying a word.
Speaker 1: But let me tell you this He's in your presence And sometimes all you need to do is just to believe and say God, thank you, thank you, you're with me.
Speaker 1: I don't feel you, i don't hear you, but I know you're right here And, dear Lord, my help comes from you.
Speaker 1: So as I handle this situation, we are handling it with you.
Speaker 1: Those guys has a key.
Speaker 1: I did not throw any spear.
Speaker 1: By the way, if you read it in another, in another, there's another book.
Speaker 1: It actually tells how many soldiers were killed.
Speaker 1: It was about 185,000 were killed in one night by one angel.
Speaker 1: If you have 185,000 problems, god is about to sort them.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 1: In one night, tomorrow can be a very different day from today.
Speaker 1: This is the kind of God we serve.
Speaker 1: And so when people are mocking you and people are standing against you and people are saying your God can do nothing, you know God takes it personally.
Speaker 1: Hello, when somebody begins to raise their voice and mock your God, it's not about you God begins to take it very personally.
Speaker 1: He begins to say when do these people know that this is my son, this is my daughter?
Speaker 1: God does not send angels.
Speaker 1: He decides to show up himself.
Speaker 1: And when God shows up himself, he comes with solutions.
Speaker 1: He comes with answers to those problems God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or imagine.
Speaker 1: So this courage that God is giving us functions in five areas that I want to show you.
Speaker 1: Number one you need to unleash this courage to conquer.
Speaker 1: That's number one.
Speaker 1: This courage or this God enables you to unleash the courage to conquer.
Speaker 1: Number one.
Speaker 1: Number two unleashes the courage to pray.
Speaker 1: Number three unleashes the courage to trade.
Speaker 1: Number four unleashes the courage to disciple.
Speaker 1: And number five unleashes the courage to be godly, the courage to conquer, the courage to pray, the courage to trade, the courage to disciple And the courage to be godly.
Speaker 1: Let me start with the first one, the unleashing the courage to conquer.
Speaker 1: We already mentioned those verses Romans 8, verse 31 and 32.
Speaker 1: Let me read them one more time God gives us the courage to conquer.
Speaker 1: You are created to win.
Speaker 1: I'm saying you are created to win.
Speaker 1: I'm saying you're a champion.
Speaker 1: You're a champion before the battle even begins.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, you're a winner.
Speaker 1: So God gives you that courage.
Speaker 1: It says what then shall we say in response to these things?
Speaker 1: Now, if you want to see what these things are, he starts them in verse 28.
Speaker 1: This is what he says in verse 28, because he builds up something and says be in light of these things.
Speaker 1: He says, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Speaker 1: Then he says for those, god for new he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters, and those he predestined he also called, those he called.
Speaker 1: He also justified.
Speaker 1: Those he justified he also glorified.
Speaker 1: Now remember they are all in past tense.
Speaker 1: God is not planning to glorify you In Christ, he has glorified you.
Speaker 1: Now, sometimes, when we read some of these statements, sometimes theologically, they really create problems.
Speaker 1: It says go to verse 29.
Speaker 1: So that verses like those should not sumber you.
Speaker 1: For those, god for new he also predestined.
Speaker 1: Now, many people think that God decides beforehand.
Speaker 1: Those will be saved and those will not be saved.
Speaker 1: So it's not that they are saved.
Speaker 1: If God decided you are not getting saved, you will not get saved.
Speaker 1: And if God decides you're going to get saved out of the banging gape, you will get saved.
Speaker 1: But my brother Elijah, he's not talking about that.
Speaker 1: He's not talking about saved or not saved.
Speaker 1: He's saying this verse for those God for new, he also predestined to be what To be conformed to the image of his son.
Speaker 1: All right, now, those who bake cakes, you know sometimes when you're baking and sometimes not even cakes, biscuits, whatever, you know sometimes you want to put them in a shape.
Speaker 1: So you want to put in the shape of a person.
Speaker 1: So you, you create a shape of a person.
Speaker 1: So whatever you're going to put, once you, who's a corrigo cake in, have it to come, i so, hallelujah, you put everything in it or whatever it is like, all the ingredients, everything.
Speaker 1: You start that fast.
Speaker 1: When you finish, you have a particular shape in mind.
Speaker 1: You want that cake to look like, so you put it in a mold.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, that is shaped like a person.
Speaker 1: So you know what you're doing.
Speaker 1: You are making this in this, whatever this mixture to be conformed to the shape.
Speaker 1: So, no matter what happens When you put it in a mold, hallelujah, that is shaped like a person.
Speaker 1: So you know what you're doing.
Speaker 1: You are making this in this.
Speaker 1: Whatever this mixture to be conformed, when you put it in the oven and let it comes out, they will all pop up with that shape.
Speaker 1: In other words, that mixture has conformed to the image you wanted.
Speaker 1: Now that image for us is that God put a mold, not a mold looking like pastambra, and it was not a mold looking like pastashira, and it was not a mold looking like anything else.
Speaker 1: It is a mold that looked exactly like Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: So when God had it's quite some ingredients, he for knew you and he worked all things together for good to those who love the Lord.
Speaker 1: Then he took all that and predestined it to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ And he knew whatever happens once it goes into the oven.
Speaker 1: Okay, if you go to the next verse, once it goes into the oven.
Speaker 1: Those he predestined look at the next statement.
Speaker 1: Those he predestined verse 20, 30.
Speaker 1: Go to verse 30.
Speaker 1: Those he predestined he then justified They are in the oven, they needed to be conformed to the fast, but among many brothers, who is Jesus Christ, go to the next one.
Speaker 1: And those he predestined he also called.
Speaker 1: So those are predestined.
Speaker 1: He called Those he called.
Speaker 1: He justified.
Speaker 1: Those he justified, he also glorified.
Speaker 1: Now, if God is able to do this, if God is for us While he was baking, he was for us While we were in the oven.
Speaker 1: he was for us When the kabel rang that the cake, imaeva hello Akatutua.
Speaker 1: We were completely looking like Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: Somebody better give God a big hand.
Speaker 1: And that is why, then, he says in verse 32, he says this He who did not spare his own son But gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Speaker 1: So if it is victory that he gave Jesus, that victory is yours.
Speaker 1: If it is blessings he placed in Jesus, those blessings are yours.
Speaker 1: If it is opportunities he gathered and put them all in Christ, those opportunities are also yours.
Speaker 1: That means you are safe, that means you are good to go.
Speaker 1: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
Speaker 1: So, number one once you are saved Once because salvation is a choice The moment you make that choice of salvation and God saves you, then God begins to put you into this mold that you must end up looking like who?
Speaker 1: Like Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: So you have courage to conquer, because Jesus conquered.
Speaker 1: He rose from the dead.
Speaker 1: So if he conquered, you will conquer.
Speaker 1: If he won the battle, you will win the battle.
Speaker 1: That is why we read Hebrews chapter 12.
Speaker 1: If I may read those verses Hebrews 12, verse one and two The Bible says this very quickly.
Speaker 1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of faith.
Speaker 1: For the joy said before him he endured the cross, scawning it shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Speaker 1: Keep going.
Speaker 1: Consider him Who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Speaker 1: He conquered.
Speaker 1: You must conquer.
Speaker 1: Guess what?
Speaker 1: He rose again.
Speaker 1: You shall rise again.
Speaker 1: He sat at the right hand of God.
Speaker 1: Guess what?
Speaker 1: You're sitting at the right hand of God, hallelujah, not because of you, but because of what Jesus did.
Speaker 1: In Jesus Christ, the victory is your victory.
Speaker 1: I'm saying you can walk out of this church totally confident that you have won the battle, because Christ who has won it for you, for you.
Speaker 1: So unleash your courage to conquer.
Speaker 1: Don't be afraid.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, all authority is given to him, in heaven and on earth.
Speaker 1: God already has made a way for you where there seems to be no way.
Speaker 1: The Bible says trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Speaker 1: Don't rely on your own understanding.
Speaker 1: In all your ways, acknowledge him.
Speaker 1: He will direct your paths.
Speaker 1: You may not know what to do, you may not even have wisdom, but let me tell you this That moment, when you need that wisdom, it will show up.
Speaker 1: When you need that breakthrough, that breakthrough will do what Will show up?
Speaker 1: because Christ has gone ahead for you.
Speaker 1: So that is one part Conquer.
Speaker 1: The other part is praying.
Speaker 1: Unleash the courage to pray.
Speaker 1: In other words, you can pray and expect God to answer, because Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God saying Lord, i support what my son is talking about.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this in James, chapter 5, talking about prayer.
Speaker 1: Let me read those verses.
Speaker 1: This is the story of Elijah and about prayer, and it says this James 5, verse 16.
Speaker 1: We start with verse 16.
Speaker 1: We'll go to verse 18.
Speaker 1: 16, 17 and 18.
Speaker 1: Prayer, therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Speaker 1: Then he says the prayer of a righteous person is what It's powerful and effective.
Speaker 1: Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
Speaker 1: He prayed honestly that it will not rain.
Speaker 1: So remember, this is a very.
Speaker 1: This is not that prayer you pray when you are talking and fellowshiping with God.
Speaker 1: This is not the prayer you tell God.
Speaker 1: God, father, i really love you, i really appreciate you.
Speaker 1: Thank you, my father, and see us are joy to be in your presence.
Speaker 1: No, this one.
Speaker 1: You pray honestly.
Speaker 1: Now some of us pray some prayers instead of fellowshiping with God and just talking to nicely.
Speaker 1: You are honestly fellowshiping with Him.
Speaker 1: You do not honestly fellowship with people.
Speaker 1: I don't know if you understand what I mean.
Speaker 1: Imagine going home and honestly talking to your wife.
Speaker 1: So here you're dealing with a situation that needs to be changed.
Speaker 1: So you deal with it with honestness.
Speaker 1: This is an honest, fervent prayer of a righteous man.
Speaker 1: You're saying God, block the heavens.
Speaker 1: We take authority over Satan.
Speaker 1: You don't casually talk with the devil.
Speaker 1: You honestly stop him in his tracks, hallelujah.
Speaker 1: So let me go back into that verse He says this He prayed.
Speaker 1: He was a man like us.
Speaker 1: Then says go to the next statement.
Speaker 1: Again, he prayed.
Speaker 1: Go back, verse 17.
Speaker 1: Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
Speaker 1: He prayed honestly that it would not rain.
Speaker 1: And he did not rain on the land.
Speaker 1: For how long?
Speaker 1: Three and a half years.
Speaker 1: Then the Bible says go to the next statement.
Speaker 1: It says this Next verse, verse 18.
Speaker 1: Again, he prayed.
Speaker 1: Now he doesn't say honestly, but if you actually read the text, he was a serious, honest prayer.
Speaker 1: His head was between his knees and he prays.
Speaker 1: He tells the man can you check if there's any rain?
Speaker 1: He comes back.
Speaker 1: He says there's nothing.
Speaker 1: He prays again.
Speaker 1: He says check, is there any rain?
Speaker 1: He comes back.
Speaker 1: He says no.
Speaker 1: He prays again.
Speaker 1: He says go check, there's nothing.
Speaker 1: He prays again.
Speaker 1: You know, there are some things that require you to pray again and again and again.
Speaker 1: The seventh time he prayed.
Speaker 1: The guy comes back and says there is a small cloud rising from the sea and Elijah told Ahab take off, there's going to be abundance of rain.
Speaker 1: These are what we call honest prayers.
Speaker 1: This is where you unleash your courage.
Speaker 1: When the situation does not seem to move, get hold of your courage and begin to speak into that situation until something shifts, hello, until something shifts.
Speaker 1: On Sunday we were praying for passports.
Speaker 1: I pray that you have a passport and if you are sitting here and you have a passport that has never been stamped, hello, yeah, it is very clean.
Speaker 1: Look at your neighbor, ask your neighbor, do you have a passport?
Speaker 1: If they have one and it has never been stamped, anybody here who has a passport that has never been stamped?
Speaker 1: Okay, we took care of yours.
Speaker 1: So you are going to Canada?
Speaker 1: Where do you want to go?
Speaker 1: my sister, sweden, amen.
Speaker 1: The sister behind me Where, uk, united Kingdom, yeah, take these nations.
Speaker 1: And you know when you are praying for this nation and you're saying, lord, ask me for the nations and I'll give them to you as an inheritance.
Speaker 1: You don't pray casually, you pray honestly.
Speaker 1: You begin to decree, you begin to declare Some of us have been denied visas several times, don't worry, keep believing God, hallelujah.
Speaker 1: So last Sunday we were praying for passports and visas and things like that for people to go out.
Speaker 1: And then this guy calls me on Monday.
Speaker 1: He says for some bros, you cannot imagine what just happened.
Speaker 1: My visa to Canada came through On Monday, came through.
Speaker 1: They are more.
Speaker 1: The most amazing thing is that he had sent the documents last week, less than a week, his things were cleared and, i'm told, with the Canadian visas they don't just come out like that, but you know, when we are dealing with a God who is in our midst, the one who is with us is greater than the one who is on that side.
Speaker 1: Let me tell you this Those are the things that give you courage and you're able to pray and believe God for the impossible, because God is in business handling impossible things, and they become possible.
Speaker 1: Unleash your courage when you pray and I'm telling you, in Jesus name, your prayers are not in vain.
Speaker 1: I'm saying your prayers are not in vain.
Speaker 1: Why?
Speaker 1: Because Jesus prays for you.
Speaker 1: He prays for you.
Speaker 1: Let me read this verse Hebrews 7, verse 25.
Speaker 1: He's praying for you in heaven.
Speaker 1: He's saying God here, my daughter's prayer.
Speaker 1: He's praying So he says.
Speaker 1: Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to do what?
Speaker 1: To intercede for them.
Speaker 1: So you're not praying alone.
Speaker 1: God, jesus is praying for you.
Speaker 1: Can you imagine Jesus being your prayer partner?
Speaker 1: Now, most of us, we have prayer partners.
Speaker 1: There are people we go to.
Speaker 1: They are praying for us.
Speaker 1: So we tell them, by the way, i'm going through this thing, be my prayer partner.
Speaker 1: You pray Now.
Speaker 1: Imagine Jesus himself being your prayer partner.
Speaker 1: He's interceding for you.
Speaker 1: Now, not only is Jesus interceding for you, guess what, the Holy Spirit is also in that.
Speaker 1: In that process of interceding for you, go to Romans 8.
Speaker 1: I'm telling you, the devil has no chance in prayer.
Speaker 1: You have two people praying for you.
Speaker 1: Seriously, it says this Romans 8, 26.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this Romans 8.
Speaker 1: It says in the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
Speaker 1: We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself does what Intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Speaker 1: And he who, such as our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.
Speaker 1: That's why we are saying if God is for us, who can be against us?
Speaker 1: Jesus is praying, the Holy Spirit is praying and we are praying.
Speaker 1: So we are three of us, we are two or three gathering his name and they ask.
Speaker 1: Whatever they ask, it shall be done.
Speaker 1: God, the Father, is now receiving the intercession.
Speaker 1: My friend, the devil has no chance.
Speaker 1: So you have courage to pray.
Speaker 1: Number three you have courage to trade.
Speaker 1: This is important.
Speaker 1: God wants you to trade with a gift and the talents he has given you.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this in Proverbs 24, verse 3 and 4.
Speaker 1: How do you trade?
Speaker 1: The Bible says by wisdom.
Speaker 1: A house is built, and through understanding it is established.
Speaker 1: Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
Speaker 1: The wise prevail through great power.
Speaker 1: Those who have knowledge master their strength.
Speaker 1: Surely, you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisors.
Speaker 1: Wisdom is too high for fools.
Speaker 1: In the assembly of the gate They must not open their mouths.
Speaker 1: But when we are with Jesus, he gives us wisdom.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor, you can trade with God's wisdom, hallelujah.
Speaker 1: Let me read Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 7.
Speaker 1: Again, a very beautiful verse.
Speaker 1: It says the beginning of wisdom is this Get wisdom.
Speaker 1: Though it costs you all you have, get understanding.
Speaker 1: And so as you trade and as you use your gifts and talent, ask God to give you wisdom.
Speaker 1: Ask God to give you grace, because he will teach you how to profit.
Speaker 1: Some of you are in business and you're wondering who will teach me.
Speaker 1: Who is my wisdom advisor in trade, in the marketplace?
Speaker 1: God is.
Speaker 1: He'll give you wisdom.
Speaker 1: Let me read this verse Isaiah 48, verse 17.
Speaker 1: Again, talking about trading and God teaching you, he says this is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, i am the Lord, your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
Speaker 1: Now let me read this in the New King James, if you were able to put it for me New King James, verse 17.
Speaker 1: It says that says the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, i am the Lord, your God, who teaches you to do what To profit.
Speaker 1: Let me ask you do you think God wants you to profit?
Speaker 1: Do you think God wants you to prosper?
Speaker 1: Do you think he can teach you to do that?
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's exactly what you are saying.
Speaker 1: He leads you by the way you should go.
Speaker 1: So unleash your courage in the marketplace.
Speaker 1: Speak to your items, those things you're planning to sell.
Speaker 1: Talk to them and tell them you are sold out, in Jesus name.
Speaker 1: Tell them I need new stock, so you need to be sold.
Speaker 1: You're actually sold And I call forth your buyers.
Speaker 1: Your buyers are coming And the buyers show up and your stock is cleared.
Speaker 1: You get new stock.
Speaker 1: God begins to teach you how to profit.
Speaker 1: So take courage, hallelujah.
Speaker 1: The Bible says be fruitful and multiply.
Speaker 1: How Simple The Bible says.
Speaker 1: And God bless them.
Speaker 1: And God said be fruitful and multiply, be creative.
Speaker 1: You're a creative person.
Speaker 1: So look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor I'm so creative.
Speaker 1: You have no idea who I am.
Speaker 1: Just repeat it to them, because they just ignored you.
Speaker 1: Just tell them I'm so creative.
Speaker 1: You have no idea who I am.
Speaker 1: New thoughts are coming through you, new ideas are coming through you, new innovations are coming through you.
Speaker 1: You're creative.
Speaker 1: And you say but I'm not creative.
Speaker 1: No, no, no, the one who is in you is creative.
Speaker 1: Yeah, give God a big hand.
Speaker 1: The one who is in you is creative.
Speaker 1: And God gives you different talents.
Speaker 1: Some of you can write like Pesambres that I write For me.
Speaker 1: Writing is so easy because the writer is in me.
Speaker 1: Hello, writer is in me.
Speaker 1: Composing songs for me is not a problem.
Speaker 1: Hello, i can write a whole song under verse, just like that.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah.
Speaker 1: I sing them alone in my house.
Speaker 1: I create them and I sing them alone to the Lord.
Speaker 1: I make a joyful noise.
Speaker 1: But God has blessed you.
Speaker 1: The Bible says the Lord will bless the work of your hands.
Speaker 1: So be strong and courageous.
Speaker 1: I'm saying be strong and courageous.
Speaker 1: Number four have courage to disciple.
Speaker 1: Second Timothy 2.2.
Speaker 1: As we put this message together Second Timothy 2.2,.
Speaker 1: The Bible says this, and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Speaker 1: In other words, god is saying take what I'm teaching you and share it with others.
Speaker 1: Be a disciple maker, make disciples of all nations.
Speaker 1: I've given you authority.
Speaker 1: Make disciples.
Speaker 1: Somebody is following you, if you did not know.
Speaker 1: Somebody is imitating you, if you did not know.
Speaker 1: Somebody is looking up to you, if you did not know.
Speaker 1: Hello.
Speaker 1: So what are you releasing out there?
Speaker 1: Because somebody is watching you.
Speaker 1: Somebody is going to repeat exactly what you do, exactly what they see you do.
Speaker 1: So carry yourself in such a way that the people who you disciple will look like Jesus, and if you look like Jesus, they will look like Jesus.
Speaker 1: If you look like the devil, pretty soon they will also look like the devil.
Speaker 1: Hello.
Speaker 1: So tell your neighbor.
Speaker 1: The devil issue is not my portion.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you are of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: So take courage, disciple, make other people be touched by what has touched you in Jesus' name.
Speaker 1: And then, finally, courage to be godly.
Speaker 1: God wants us to be godly.
Speaker 1: I want to read 1 Timothy 4, verse 12.
Speaker 1: Paul is talking to Timothy.
Speaker 1: This is what he tells him.
Speaker 1: He says don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Speaker 1: Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of the scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
Speaker 1: Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Speaker 1: Be diligent in these matters, give yourself wholly to them so that everyone may see your progress, watch your life and doctrine closely, passavere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Speaker 1: In other words, god is saying be courageous to be godly.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to be godly.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to stand out and tell somebody Jesus is my personal savior.
Speaker 1: It takes a lot of courage because they will laugh at you.
Speaker 1: They will say, in this age and time, what is this thing you are going around, jesus, jesus, jesus.
Speaker 1: It's okay, they don't know what they're doing, but it takes courage for you to persist.
Speaker 1: It takes courage for you to pray for food when you're in Java.
Speaker 1: Hello You, just it is there, na muna and alaya.
Speaker 1: But it takes courage for you to just lower your head and say, father, thank you for this food.
Speaker 1: I bless it in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1: And you continue eating.
Speaker 1: It is less than one minute.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to do that.
Speaker 1: But sometimes somebody may see you do that on wonder.
Speaker 1: What is that guy doing?
Speaker 1: Doesn't he know that we don't have to pray for food?
Speaker 1: We worked for it How?
Speaker 1: And you've paid for food.
Speaker 1: Why are you praying for it?
Speaker 1: And you paid for it, but even that money, god enabled you to get it.
Speaker 1: The appetite you have, god gave it to you.
Speaker 1: How that food will be digested in your system?
Speaker 1: God will enable it to be digested.
Speaker 1: If there was food poisoning in it after the blessing, god would have pulled it out.
Speaker 1: Everybody else will be visiting the toilet very soon.
Speaker 1: But you thank you, jesus All because you did what You blessed your food.
Speaker 1: It takes courage.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to stand out for Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to be godly.
Speaker 1: It takes courage for you to come to church on a Wednesday like this, when everybody else is doing other things.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to tell your friends you're not going to do what they are doing.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to make certain decisions.
Speaker 1: It takes courage to be godly, but let me tell you this it has great dividends.
Speaker 1: I'm saying it has great dividends.
Speaker 1: God will multiply back to you.
Speaker 1: Press down, shake it together.
Speaker 1: His glory will rest upon you in a mighty way.
Speaker 1: So unleash your courage.
Speaker 1: Hezekiah unleashed his courage and said don't worry about Sennacherib, by the way, if you read in another book about that story, because it gives more details.
Speaker 1: Sennacherib had actually written a letter and it was very degrading.
Speaker 1: And Hezekiah got scared.
Speaker 1: He actually took the letter and brought it in front of God and said God, you can read.
Speaker 1: Ebu, read this.
Speaker 1: Sometimes somebody can send you a very discouraging email and you want to reply to them immediately.
Speaker 1: Before you do, just tell God God can you read this email?
Speaker 1: Just read it.
Speaker 1: Or a WhatsApp message God read this.
Speaker 1: Let God read it.
Speaker 1: And then tell God see you, so treat out, because God knows how to fight your battles.
Speaker 1: God knows how to carry you out of the pit and place you on top of a mountain in Jesus name.
Speaker 1: So be strong and courageous.
Speaker 1: Tell your neighbor, be strong and courageous, for the Lord, god, is with you.
Speaker 1: If you believe that, you better say I receive it in Jesus name, amen.
Speaker 1: Let's give God a big hand.
Speaker 1: So five things Your courage.
Speaker 1: Number one, to do what?
Speaker 1: What is the first one?
Speaker 1: Your courage.
Speaker 1: two, to conquer.
Speaker 1: Number two, your courage to pray.
Speaker 1: Thirdly, your courage to trade for your courage to disciple and, lastly, your courage, and in the moment you'll have courage to eat the cake In Jesus name, amen.
Speaker 1: And I really wanted us to cut this cake because next Wednesday I'll actually be at the airport on my way to the US, so I'll not be here next Wednesday.
Speaker 1: That's why we say this cake has to be cut today and we want to celebrate this cake.
Speaker 1: And those who are having those birthdays, please come here, because we want and there are two of them, these are big cakes because we want everybody to have a peace.
Speaker 1: So I'm about to pray, but let those who are the June babies please show up here.
Speaker 1: Some of you will be here, some of you will be there.
Speaker 1: We're going to cut this cake for you.
Speaker 1: We celebrate you in Jesus name, amen.
Speaker 1: There are some of you I'm seeing.
Speaker 1: I need to ask for your ID to just find out if you're actually born in June.
Speaker 1: Okay, where are my singers?
Speaker 1: Mugokaribu, we want to do this very, very quickly.
Speaker 1: Those watching online.
Speaker 1: We also praying for you.
Speaker 1: If you're having a birthday, we bless you big time.
Speaker 1: Those cakes look wonderful.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 1: One of you has to get that knife.
Speaker 1: We're going to cut this cake and then it's going to be distributed to all of us.
Speaker 1: And, by the way, last week we were here talking about mantles.
Speaker 1: You remember mantles, and we have a card that is available later when we are leaving, where you'll be able to get a copy of that card plus a booklet on father, the father's blessing.
Speaker 1: Is that what you have?
Speaker 1: Okay, and if you need a copy, they will tell you what it is for.
Speaker 1: But get a copy, give it to somebody else.
Speaker 1: Of course, it is not free, so when you're passing there, they'll tell you how much it costs, but it's just a hundred shillings the father's blessing and the card of mantles.
Speaker 1: But we want to really bless you.
Speaker 1: Hey, mukoengi, what was June?
Speaker 1: So may the Lord bless you.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday, in Jesus name.
Speaker 1: So we're going to sing, please, we are.
Speaker 1: We're going to sing as we cut.
Speaker 1: So one of you choose somebody to hold that knife as we sing.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday to you.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday, dear love.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear love, makofe.
Speaker 1: Okay, so stretch your hands as we pray for the June babies.
Speaker 1: Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for the June babies.
Speaker 1: We celebrate life, we celebrate victory.
Speaker 1: We celebrate their joy.
Speaker 1: Lord, regardless of what they may be going through today, you love them.
Speaker 1: You bless them, enlarge them, increase them A lot.
Speaker 1: Even as we share in this cake, may we remember that, lord, you have good things in store for us, so much more, and we want to just bless these ones with your peace, with your presence, with your grace, with your abundance.
Speaker 1: Show yourself mighty on their behalf and, lord, even in the next year, as they look forward, may they see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Speaker 1: So we bless you, indeed, in the name of the father and in the name of the son and in the name of the Holy Spirit and God's people say amen, makofe.
Speaker 1: Amen, so that we're able to release each one of us.
Speaker 1: Please stand, we're going to give the benediction and then our Diana Kiki for to the ones who are having the birthdays, and then, as you take tea, please come.
Speaker 1: This cake, all of this cake must be cut.
Speaker 1: You must get a piece.
Speaker 1: So tell your neighbor who see, and they be like peace, amen.
Speaker 1: So happy birthday again.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday, amen.
Speaker 1: So let's release us with a blessing, dear father.
Speaker 1: Indeed, we may be threatened left and right, like Seneqarib did, but the end result was that you fought our battle.
Speaker 1: You came through for us, you came through for Hezekiah, you'll come through for us, because he who is with us is greater than he who is in the world.
Speaker 1: So far they've been.
Speaker 1: As we release each other with this blessing, i declare to each one of us may the Lord bless you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you.
Speaker 1: May the Lord be gracious to you and give you peace.
Speaker 1: May the Lord bless you coming in, bless you're going out as you sit down, as you rise up.
Speaker 1: May the presence of the Lord accompany you.
Speaker 1: Blessings in your homes, blessings in your workplace, blessings in the city, blessings in the countryside, blessed with victory.
Speaker 1: You are triumphant, for the Lord fights your battles.
Speaker 1: So receive this blessing in the name of the Father and in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit, and God's people say it my coffee, amen.
Speaker 1: So please remember pastambra's.
Speaker 1: I'll be going to the US, speaking there in Virginia to the Kenyan Christians who are there.
Speaker 1: then I'll be going to Dallas to see Lisa our daughter is there with Martha and Caleb.
Speaker 1: Then we shall go to Phoenix to visit some Kenyans in Phoenix, arizona.
Speaker 1: Then come back to Dallas, then from Dallas to Nairobi, from Nairobi to Parklands, then to Kangemi, and we just want to thank God.
Speaker 1: So remember those journeys as we do those travels.
Speaker 1: Okay, so God bless you so much.
Speaker 1: Look at your neighbor.
Speaker 1: Until your neighbor, surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life and you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever, and there's nothing the devil can do about it.
Speaker 1: You are blessed to be a blessing.
Speaker 1: You're lifted to lift others, your favorite to be favorable.
Speaker 1: In Jesus name and now made a grace.
Speaker 1: Our Lord, jesus Christ, and the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore.
Speaker 1: Amen.