WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.959 Hey, it's an honor to be here. 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:02.399 My name is Dustin Stradley. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:04.080 Do we have a table I can put this on? 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:05.919 That's amazing. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:08.480 You got these teams are spectacular, by the way. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:11.359 Put your hands together and thank God for all the volunteers. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:16.559 For your pastors, Pastor Forrest and Emily. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:17.600 Let's thank God for them. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.839 The Bible says show double honor to those who teach and preach. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:24.239 And I am thankful for our friendship. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:25.120 It's been a year. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:27.679 I got to come here last November, I believe. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:32.640 And that's the last time I came to the uh the bluegrass cold weather. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:39.039 Um I tried to bring the 80-degree Orlando heat with me, but that did not succeed. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:47.280 But to see what God's done through you guys and through this church in just the past year is a miracle. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:57.359 And we are thanking God and celebrating with you all the way from Florida and our other locations because God really has his hand on this church over Multiply Church. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:00:58.880 So we're celebrating you. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:01.359 Let's thank God one more time for what he's doing in this place. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:02.799 That's like a golf clap. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.480 Come on, we can get a little bit louder than that. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:08.879 Pretend that your favorite NFL team is going to get a victory today. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:12.079 That same celebration you have on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:13.200 when your team wins. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:15.359 Oh, we can bring that to church. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:17.359 But I'm thankful for your faith. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:19.840 I'm thankful for your humility. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:30.719 I'm thankful for just how you continually make yourself available to God and how you stepped out to plant this church and now to see all the lives that have been impacted. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:32.879 This new building that you're about to step into. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:33.599 Praise God. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:34.400 What a blessing. 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:36.719 Do you guys know you're stepping into a building? 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:39.359 If it's your first time, now you know. 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:40.719 It's coming up soon. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:42.319 I got to tour it last night. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:45.760 I got to put the yellow hard hat on with a little X on it. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:47.840 I said, if we're going to do this, we've got to do it right. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:50.719 Gotta wear the multiply hard hat in this place. 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:53.840 But Frankfurt, Kentucky, had some good catfish last night. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:56.239 Some uh catfish and grits. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:57.519 Spectacular. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:58.079 I love it. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:01:59.680 And you guys are so hospitable. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:00.959 Let me show you a picture of my family. 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:02.000 Can I do that real quick? 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:04.159 Okay, good, because I am. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:07.040 This is my wife, Maddie, my daughter Jovi. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.719 Everybody say, Oh yeah, she's amazing. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:12.080 She's almost two years old. 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:15.360 She has an expansive vocabulary. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.000 She's so much fun right now, being that age. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:18.879 Just like your daughter. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:20.879 She's grown so much in the last year. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:24.000 But also, I met my wife at church, fun fact. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:27.680 So any single people in the place, never know what God can do. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:33.280 So when Pastor Forrest tells you to go out to the tent to get connected, you never know who you're going to get connected to. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:38.719 So this is a picture of me getting to baptize my wife in 2016. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:41.680 Now, I did not know she was going to be my wife at the time. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:45.039 I don't look at everyone like that when they get in the baptism tank. 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:49.680 I mean, I might look at you and say I'm proud of you, but that's a different look. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:59.120 And uh we've been now married for five and a half years, got our first baby girl, and we get to do ministry together in the great country of Orlando, Florida. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:00.960 Home of Mickey Mouse. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:03.919 If you ever want a little bit of warm weather, come visit us. 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:06.479 Just like I came to visit you in this 30-degree weather. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:08.319 My lips are chapped. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:12.240 Got the chills, but it's been a great time so far. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.639 Been on staff at Elevation Church for 10 years now. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:18.479 Never wanted to be a pastor, used to not like church, but God has a sense of humor. 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:23.599 And when God gets a hold of your life, just like God wants to get a hold of some of you today, He can do great things. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:24.560 Come on, amen. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:28.159 I love the atmosphere of preparation, by the way, today. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:36.719 From worship to communion to prayer to just feeling your anticipation, you can feel that God is in this atmosphere. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:37.599 Amen. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.560 You can feel that God wants to speak to someone today. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:45.439 Even if you didn't want to come to church today, it's not an accident that you're here. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:47.759 It's not a coincidence that you're here. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:49.759 God has you here for a reason. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:54.159 And I believe if you open your heart just for a moment, I'm only going to preach for five hours today. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:59.520 If you open your heart just for a few minutes, God's going to meet you in that place. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:04.400 And so I'm thankful for my pastor too, Pastor Stephen Furtick, my mentor, my leader, my pastor. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:07.280 And so make sure you continue to pray for your pastors. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:13.919 Continue to lift them up and pray for them behind the scenes because they're putting in the work and all the volunteers as well. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.399 But can I dive into the word God put on my heart for you? 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:23.120 This series, Bricklayers, because you are builders, multiplied church. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:28.079 You're getting a building, but it's not about the building, it's about the people. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.399 That's what the church is. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:31.680 It's the people of God. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:36.000 And this church is filled with builders, and God is building his church on you. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:39.279 So I love this series that you're stepping into with bricklayers. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:46.879 But as you could tell, about 20 minutes ago, I was ready to jump up here uh prematurely because God put this word on my heart for you. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:50.240 But it comes from 2 Kings 4, 1 through 7. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:51.839 If you have your Bible, you can pull it out. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.079 If you don't, you can follow on the screen. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:57.360 You can use your phone too if you would like. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.079 2 Kings 4, 1 through 7. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:01.439 You guys ready? 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:03.279 Guys ready? 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:04.720 All right. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:06.560 I'm going to get you to talk back to me a little bit. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:07.279 Is that okay? 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.920 It's like we're having a coffee together, and if I was the only one talking, it'd be a really boring coffee day. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:14.560 So let's just have some conversation today. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:16.560 2 Kings 4, 1 through 7. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:27.120 It said the wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:31.439 But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:35.120 Elijah replied to her, How can I help you? 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:38.240 Tell me, what do you have in your house? 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:45.519 Your servant has nothing there at all, she said, except a small jar of olive oil. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:55.439 You know, one of the greatest strategies of the enemy is to get you to focus on what you don't have, what you wish you had, what someone else has. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:02.959 She said, I have nothing at all, except a small jar of olive oil. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:08.240 So then Elisha said to her, Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:13.600 Don't ask just for a few, and go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:17.680 Pour oil into the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:25.439 So she left them and she shut the door behind her and her sons, and they brought the jars to her, and she kept pouring. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:29.120 She kept pouring. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.800 And when all the jars were full, she said to her son, Bring me another one. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:35.680 But he replied, There is not a jar left. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:38.639 Then the oil stopped flowing. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:44.079 So she went around, told the man of God, and he said, Go sell the oil, pay your debts. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:46.720 You and your sons can live on what is left. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:48.959 Father, we just thank you for your word. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.560 We thank you that you've poured out more than we can even receive. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:55.759 And so I pray that you'll pour into us right now in the name of Jesus. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:01.680 Every person in this room is battling something behind the scenes, something different, but you know their needs. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:02.959 So pour into them. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:05.040 Give them what they need in this moment, God. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:06.160 Open our hearts. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:13.439 Help us to put aside all the distractions, all the worry, and just fix our focus on you, the author and perfecter of our faith. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.279 It's in Jesus' name, everybody said. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:16.639 Amen. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:21.199 Title of this message today is The Pouring is Preparation. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.839 The Pouring is Preparation. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:25.199 Turn to your neighbor if you have a neighbor. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:26.879 If not, you can just yell down the aisle. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:28.800 Say the pouring is preparation. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:32.800 The pouring is preparation. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:38.959 This woman in the passage is discouraged. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.600 By the way, I got to preach in Brazil last week. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.839 I had a translator with me the whole time. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.240 So I'm getting used to not needing to pause. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.079 For you want Forrest to come translate for you in Kentucky? 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.160 Do you guys have like a different language in Kentucky? 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:55.519 Some of you say, Yeah, we actually kind of do. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:01.199 But this woman was discouraged. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:02.639 She was defeated. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:07.040 She was in her darkest moment of desperation. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.319 She just lost her husband. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:13.279 Now she has more credit card debt. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:14.480 She can't pay the mortgage. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:16.560 She has more debt than she can repay. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.160 So the government's about to take her sons into slavery. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:27.439 And in her darkest moment of desperation, she cries out to Elisha, the man of God. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:32.639 Now, Elisha was a representation of God to the people during this time. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:38.320 So her crying out to Elisha, Elijah was like her crying out to God. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:42.159 Where do you turn when the unexpected happens? 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:45.360 Do you go to God or do you go to people? 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:49.600 Do you go to God or do you go to Facebook? 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:55.120 Do you go to God or do you go to Netflix to numb the pain so you don't have to deal with the complexities? 00:08:55.440 --> 00:09:00.000 This woman in this moment of desperation, she cries out to God. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:04.559 She said, God, I don't know how I'm going to deal with this one. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.639 Where do you turn in your moment of desperation? 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:11.200 And maybe that's why some of you came to church today. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:13.120 You've been looking for answers. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.159 You don't know how you're going to work through this one in your marriage. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:21.440 You don't know how your kids are going to navigate the complexities they're fighting right now at school as they're being bullied. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.120 And you're crying out to God. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:28.559 And I'm here to tell you that God hears you, God sees you, God never left you. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:31.519 God will meet you in those moments of desperation. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:33.519 This also made me think of the woman. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:39.279 I know you guys are going to preach on Nehemiah throughout the series, and God's been preparing your pastor for it, and it's going to be powerful. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:41.519 But can we talk about some of the women in the Bible just today? 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:42.159 Just today. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:43.919 God's going to use them to minister to you. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.919 There's another woman in the Bible, a woman with the issue of blood. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:55.360 She had an internal bleeding that she was fighting for 12 years of her life. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.159 She went to every doctor, she got no answers. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.159 The Bible says that she did not get better. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:02.720 In fact, she only got worse. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:13.440 And just when you get a few steps ahead, you get knocked right back down to where you were. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:19.360 This woman was doing everything she knew how to get answers, but in fact, she only got worse. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.120 And we didn't even know her name. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:25.039 In the Bible, she's known as the woman with the issue. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:31.759 And some of you have been fighting battles for as long as you can remember, and you begin to label yourself according to your issues. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:34.240 I mean, I'll always be a procrastinator. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:36.159 I'll always be a terrible mom. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:39.440 I'll never be able to provide for my family. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:41.759 And I know what it's like to battle something for so long. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:43.120 I don't know how I'm going to shake it. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:45.600 I had an alcohol addiction for eight years of my life. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:48.639 I kept trying to fill this emptiness with turning to the bottle. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:50.000 I didn't know how to put the bottle down. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.159 So then I turned to sex, then I turned to drugs. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.080 I went everywhere but God. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.279 Then I hit rock bottom. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.960 And some of you are at rock bottom today, and you don't know where else to turn. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:00.799 And that's why you came to church. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.679 I used to hate church, but I had nowhere else to go. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:05.919 And my friend said, What you're doing's not working. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:07.759 You should probably try something different. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:09.360 So he brought me to church. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.399 And it's in those moments that God will meet you where you are. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.519 Where do you turn in your moments of desperation? 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.480 This woman, she cried out to God. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:24.639 Now, the woman with the issue of blood, she was considered ceremonially unclean. 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:28.080 So she wasn't invited to social functions like this. 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:35.440 If she so much is brushed up against someone, they would also be considered ceremonially unclean. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.360 But for some reason, she heard about Jesus. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.799 She heard that Jesus was going to be at a social gathering. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:45.360 So she shows up to the social gathering. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:46.720 She was an outcast. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:48.000 She was overlooked. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:53.919 And she gets down just close enough to Jesus to touch his robe. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:12:00.399 And immediately after twelve years of battling this issue, the bleeding stopped. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:02.399 She was healed of her issue. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:04.879 All it takes is one touch from Jesus. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.679 All it takes is one touch over your anxiety. 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:10.320 All it takes is one touch over your depression. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:12.480 How many of you need a touch from God today? 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.080 A touch over your family? 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:15.519 A touch over your marriage? 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.559 Not a rhetorical question. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.799 How many of you need a touch from God today? 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:20.639 A touch over your finances? 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:23.519 You need God to touch an area of your life. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:26.799 This woman, back to the other woman. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:29.759 I know there's two women, and we don't know either of their names. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:34.320 But in 2 Kings 4, 1 through 7, she lost her husband. 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:36.960 She's about to lose her kids. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:42.639 She cries out to God in her moment of desperation. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:46.639 So let's see how the man of God replies to her. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:49.919 In verse 2, Elisha replies to her. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.000 He says, How can I help you? 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:53.600 Tell me. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:55.519 What do you have in your house? 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:06.879 Your servant has nothing there at all, she said, except a small jar of olive oil. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:09.840 Didn't seem like much to her. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.480 But God said, I can do a lot with a little. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:18.240 God said, all it takes is a little bit of faith. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:23.759 God said, all it takes is the faith the size of a mustard seed. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:28.879 And you can tell that mountain to throw itself in the ocean and it will be done. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.399 Just ask David. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.879 David was facing a giant. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.559 David reached into his pocket. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:37.679 He said, Well, God, don't have a lot. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:39.840 Just a few small rocks. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:45.279 But God said, In my hands, take the little that you have, watch what I can do. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:52.480 David began to sling those rocks, and God said, That giant that's standing in front of you today, and some of you are staring at some giants today. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.519 You're staring at some pressure that you don't know how to deal with. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:58.320 You're staring at some pain that you don't know how to cope with. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:02.000 You're staring at some anxiety that you do not know how to overcome. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:07.200 But God said, Bring the little that you have to me, and He wants to take down some giants in your life today. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:09.919 God wants to take out some depression in your life today. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:12.480 God wants to take out some worry in your life today. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:14.720 God can do a lot with a little. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:16.720 Turn your neighbor and say, God can do a lot. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:18.879 With a little. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:21.519 All it takes is a little bit of faith. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:22.879 A little bit of faith. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:30.639 Just ask the disciples when they were staring at thousands of people, but only had a few fish and a few loaves. 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:33.679 Jesus, I don't know how we're going to feed all these people. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:39.600 But then in Jesus' hands, he took the bread, he broke it, gave thanks to the Father, he multiplied it. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:40.960 What's the name of this church, by the way? 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:42.480 Multiplied church. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.039 God wants to multiply some things in your life today. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:50.000 If you bring the little bit of faith you have to God, watch what God can do. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:52.639 So Elisha said, What do you have in your house? 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.519 She said, Well, not a lot. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:58.720 Just a little bit of olive oil. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:00.639 Not enough to pay off the debt. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.559 Not enough to feed my family. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.600 But what was little to her was a lot to God. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:07.519 Say that again. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.000 What was, let me think, what did I say? 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.120 What was little to her was a lot to God. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.840 God can do much with little. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:19.279 When God's in it, all things are possible. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:25.600 In verse 3, Elijah then tells the woman, he said, Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.600 Don't just ask for a few. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:33.120 I thought this was interesting. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:44.480 She came to God asking God to heal her of her issue and fix her problem and take care of her family. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.879 But then God tells her to go to people? 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:50.720 What happens when you go to God? 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.000 But God tells you to go to people. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.960 Like, God, do you know people? 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:03.120 God, have you checked in on the people in my circle recently? 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:09.600 Like the last time I shared that thing with my brother-in-law and ended up on Facebook. 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:13.120 The last time I got into one of those small groups. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.559 The last time I served on one of them volunteer teams. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.960 Like people, God? 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:22.720 And I realized it's really not that hard to go to God. 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:24.399 He knows everything anyway. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:28.799 Even when I was really far from God, I still knew there was a God and I'd say, God, help me with this one. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.320 I don't know how we're gonna overcome it. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:31.679 You know what's going on anyway. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:33.759 You know when I'm battling behind the scenes. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:42.320 But to go to people, it was bad enough that this woman just lost her husband. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:47.519 It was embarrassing that she didn't have anything to pay the bills. 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:57.120 But now you want me to go from house to house, neighbor to neighbor, and invite them into the struggle. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.080 God, did you think this went through? 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:03.360 I don't know that that's the best strategy. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:07.359 And I'm a pretty optimistic person, pretty positive person. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.759 So I see the glass half full, I can see the best in people, see the best in situations. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.240 But I don't know if I would have agreed with uh with what Elijah was asking of her. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:19.680 So to people. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:27.519 And it was a few years ago, I think it was probably 2000, 2019. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:34.400 I um and as much as I love people, because I do love people, I've always loved people. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:37.440 I love being around people in Kentucky, I love being around people in Brazil. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.880 Brazilians are crazy, by the way. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:41.680 They stay up till three in the morning, they don't eat dinner until 11 p.m. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.400 All they do is eat sushi and drink coffee. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.039 They're wild. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:48.160 But I just love all kinds of different people, different contexts, different cultures. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:49.279 I get to travel all over the world. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.160 I just love meeting people. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.119 I love people. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:55.200 But a few years ago, I found myself not wanting to be around people. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.240 Which is kind of hard when you're a pastor. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.039 I mean, I think Pastor Forrest would agree. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:08.880 It's like the day that he's like, Oh, I don't want to be around people, it's like, oh, okay, that's gonna be a little difficult because God's called you to lead a lot of people and take a lot of new ground. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.519 And I just thought, I'm having a bad day. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:15.680 So I put my smile on, came to church like many of us do. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:19.200 Smile on the exterior, but struggling on the interior. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:21.440 Maybe some of you are feeling that today. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:26.720 You gave a morning hug and said, Man, it's good to be here, but you're battling some things on the inside. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:30.799 And so I thought, I'm gonna go home after church, I'm gonna nap it out, and we'll be good to go. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.759 Good nap sometimes. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:32.880 Sometimes it's practical. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.240 You just need to get more sleep. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.279 You just need to put down the TV for a moment, just get get some rest. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.400 Like take take a nap. 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:42.880 Next day I woke up, really didn't want to be around people again. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.480 And I just felt something inside of me. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.559 I was like, man, I'm just having a bad, a bad week. 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:47.279 All good. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.680 You have bad weeks, you have bad days, you have bad weeks. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:51.599 That bad week turned into a bad month. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.319 That bad month turned into bad six months. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.599 Bad six months turned into two years. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.799 And I had this paralyzing anxiety. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.799 Now I'd had stressful moments, but I'd never dealt with anxiety before. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:11.759 And if you've dealt with anxiety, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.519 It's those panic attacks that sneak up on you when you least expect them. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:17.440 It's the 3 a.m. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:19.440 wake-up call that wasn't your alarm. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.000 It's just your mind racing and you don't know how to turn it off. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.960 And so I went to counseling. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.400 Didn't seem to help. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.640 I'm crying out to God, like, God, please take this thorn away from me. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.839 Whatever this is on the inside of me, take it away in the name of Jesus. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:35.680 I cast it out in the name of Jesus. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.640 Anxiety didn't go away. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.799 So then I started using some essential oils. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:46.240 I was like, all right, well let me put some therapeutic, you know, lavender, you know, take some deep breathing. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.839 And sometimes it's just it's practical. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:50.799 I just need to, you know, delete social media. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.799 Anxiety didn't go away. 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:56.559 And then I was hanging out with 20 of our pastors. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.680 We were at uh a house in the mountains and we were having a little retreat together. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:17.039 And one of the guys, JJ, um, Jonathan Joseph's, he just stands up spontaneously and he said, just because we're all pastors in the room doesn't mean we're not fighting battles behind the scenes. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.279 And he said, and one of you in this room has something right now that you need to release to God. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:25.599 And you need to share with the group, and we're gonna pray with you. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.319 Immediately God said, This is your invitation. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:33.039 And I said, Nope. 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.720 I'm good. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.039 I was like, maybe it's Victors. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:41.200 You know, he's he's he's been going through a lot. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.000 Tell him, bro. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:46.000 Everything you've been telling me, tell them. 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:51.279 So we stood there for about 20 minutes awkwardly. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.839 And he said, We'll wait. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.119 It was not awesome. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.799 Awkward. 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:03.279 Opposite of awesome, awkward. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:07.440 And then immediately God said, This is your moment. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:12.240 And I just stepped forward and uh I didn't cry a lot at the moment. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:14.319 I cry more now that I have a baby girl. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:16.000 A little more sensitive. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:19.279 I probably cried once a decade up until that point. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:28.960 But that that day I I cried, ugly cried, like the snot, you know, hyperventilation, you know, like and they were like, dude, are you okay? 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.680 And uh I said, no, I'm not. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:37.839 Um I have this uh uncontrollable anxiety and I don't know what to do with it. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.119 I don't know where it came from. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:41.359 I don't I don't know how to get rid of it. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:47.839 I've been praying, I've been going to counseling, and and he just looked me in the eye, and what he said, I'll remember forever. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:51.279 He said, um He said, God hasn't given up on you. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.480 Somebody needed to hear that this morning. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:56.240 God hasn't given up on you. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.480 And he said, and we haven't either. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.839 He said, You're not cursed. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:11.119 These men all came around me. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:13.680 They laid their hands on me. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.240 They were gonna speak the word of God over me. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:19.119 For the first time in two years. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.519 The anxiety was released. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.640 Some things can only be released through relationships. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:34.720 God did not create you to do life alone. 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:36.880 God created Adam. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:44.640 God created us for community. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:47.920 The enemy tried to use the pandemic to isolate us. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:51.920 Keep us in our home behind our screens. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.079 To not do this. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.039