WEBVTT 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.039 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worship and warrior. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.400 Embrace the power of God's word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.920 Today be encouraged with a word from my guest speaker. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:21.199 Welcome to the Born for War Podcast. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.559 For those who are new, my name is Pastor Steve Holt. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:37.359 I got a little tan over the past couple months. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.200 Now, that Portugal heat is no joke. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:46.000 But I'm playing. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:55.920 So my title for today is Becoming a Kingdom of God Revolutionary. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:03.600 If you've been in this church long enough, the Kingdom of God Revolution should be something that you've heard a lot. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:07.200 Because Pastor Steve, I think, says every single time he speaks. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:12.239 And if you want to understand our church, you need to understand that statement. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.599 This church exists to have a kingdom of God revolution in the Rockies. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:22.560 That's why we have the Unveiled Worship Conferences, the God Sex and Science Conference. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:25.680 We have the Men's Advance and the Wilderness Encounters. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.239 We have Pam and the Radical Resilience Ministry. 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:31.840 We have Church Voter Guide. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:39.519 All these things we do in this church is to make that a reality, having a kingdom of God revolution in the Rockies. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:41.920 And so if you understand that, you'll know why. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:43.680 There's always something going on. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.760 Like we just had Praise of the Pros like two weeks ago. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.319 There's another conference coming up in the fall. 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.239 There's always something going on. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:58.319 So that's the heartbeat of the church, and that's what the uh God gave Pastor Steve. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:04.480 But one day, as I was doing camera, I used to be on tech for those who didn't know that. 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:10.080 I was on this camera, this used to be my fun camera, because this you're mobile, you can get any shot. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:17.840 I was standing over here, and I think this is as far as I can go because I'm black, and if I go any further, I'll be in the dark. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:21.439 So always stay in the light. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:23.280 That's another message. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:26.400 Alright, let me get my that's there you go. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:27.919 But I was over there. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:32.080 So I was over there trying to get a shot of, I forget what I was trying to do. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:41.599 I was trying to get a shot of the stage, and the Lord told me this when you speak on that stage, I want you to speak on becoming a kingdom of God revolution. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:43.039 A revolutionary. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.199 And I was like, uh what? 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.199 This is about a year and a half ago. 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:52.560 There was no shot in my mind that I'll be doing what I'm doing right now. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.479 But he was so confident obviously he knows what he was doing. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:11.759 So I'm standing over here, I guess, kneeling on the side over there, and getting the shot, and trying to get the best angle I can, and then he tells me this, and I'm like, okay, we start this dialogue, and I ask him, like, what, why? 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:13.520 Like, why that message? 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:15.520 And this is what he tells me. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:24.560 Becoming a kingdom of God revolutionary in today's age is the most important thing because you do that by the way of the cross. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:29.120 You if you want to have a revolution, a revival, that's your answer. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:34.319 Prayer meetings are great, and they that is needed, but that's the first step. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:42.639 And we have so much, so much going on as far as trying to see that, but we skip like the basic steps. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.080 And actually, and then he added this. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.560 I was gonna skip this, but I think it's important. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:55.919 He said this for Christ to do what he did on the earth, he had to go to the cross. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:58.400 Why do we think we're any different? 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:04.319 Why do we think that we get to avoid the cross if he had to go to the cross? 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:05.759 Are we special? 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.360 Is it 2023 we've changed our ways? 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:11.759 Because the Bible never changes. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:19.600 We must go to the cross, just like he did, because he's our template, he's our example. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:22.879 Matthew 16, verse 24. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.319 Let's turn there real quick. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:26.720 Look what he says. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.279 Matthew 16, 24 to 26. 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:39.279 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:46.720 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:52.560 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:56.639 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:03.839 If anyone desires to come after me, do we really want him? 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:07.040 Or do we just want what he can provide for us? 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:14.319 The more we desire him, the more we sacrifice for him. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.639 So I just got married about two weeks ago. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:24.079 Thank you. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:30.720 And you know, when you're single, I guess when I was single, I thought I was the most sacrificial person in the world. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:40.240 And in my two weeks of being married, you know, you learned a few things. 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:45.120 You have come to see, I was not as sacrificial as I thought I was. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:47.360 Picture this. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:58.240 You just got your, you know, you're on your couch, you got your blanket, tea for me, coffee for y'all, croissant, I love croissants. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:00.000 Sat down. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:04.000 I'm about to watch my show, I'm excited. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:14.399 And you know, without naming names, they ask, honey, and it's always so nice. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:18.079 Honey, could you go get me whatever it is? 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:20.959 And I'm like, I just I'm tucked in. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:24.000 Like, I'm committed to my spot. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:32.319 But the more you desire someone, the more you can sacrifice for them. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:37.439 So, you know, yeah, I had to get up. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.600 I had a little attitude, I'm not gonna lie. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:44.800 But the more we desire Christ, the more we can sacrifice for him. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:52.319 Do we want him bad enough that when he asks us to move to another city or country, we will? 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:59.519 Do we want him bad enough that when he asks us to stop playing games or whatever your favorite hobby is, you will? 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:03.439 Or give up someone, which is always a hard one. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:05.439 How bad do we want him? 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:08.879 Like I've mentioned, revival right now is a buzzword. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:13.199 Everybody is revival this, revival that, revival this. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:14.160 And it's good. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.439 Revival is good. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:23.439 For there to be a revival and a kingdom of God revolution, there must be people who have gone the way of the cross. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.759 It starts and ends with the cross. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:29.360 So why the cross? 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:31.600 Why is the cross such a big deal now? 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:39.199 If you look at the tabernacle of Moses, there were seven key elements in the tabernacle. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:43.839 When you walked in, you first encountered the bronze altar. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.959 And then after that, you encountered the labor. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:48.639 And so this was in the outer court. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:56.000 And then in the holy place, you had the lampstand, the table of showbread, and up ahead you had uh the altar of incense. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:57.279 Oh, yeah. 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:01.600 And then in the holy of holies, you had the Ark of the Covenant. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:14.560 And the historians say that between the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place was a carton, and the burning incense was right there, it was right in the carton. 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:19.439 Because prayer and worship is what God loves, and it feeds him. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:26.560 And even in Revelation, you'll see that in Revelation 5.8, right at the throne of God there's a golden bowl full of incense. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:28.720 Prayer and worship is huge. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:31.759 That's why Brian exists. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.399 So we can have worship. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:38.240 That's why Josh Floyd is employed, so we can have prayer. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:45.759 And they're important, but the very first thing you encounter is not prayer and worship, it's a bronze altar. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:52.000 We somehow just skip over that and go all the way to prayer and worship. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:57.919 You can't be in the throne room without going through the altar, is what the tabernacle is telling us. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:14.240 You first sacrifice yourself, and then you wash yourself with the word, which is what the labor is, and then you go into the holy place and you encounter the revelation through the lampstand, and then with the table of showbread, you eat his body, you become one with Christ, and then you can pray. 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:19.360 But these steps that we skip and we just go at the end. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:26.799 For us to be effective in the kingdom of God, we must first be a sacrifice. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:30.000 That is the most important thing. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:37.360 The bronze altar is telling us deny yourself and pick up your cross. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:45.120 The bronze altar is telling us what Christ just told us in Matthew. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:50.480 If anyone desires to come after me, you gotta pick up your cross. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.559 Do you want him bad enough for that? 00:09:54.080 --> 00:10:04.000 So the reason why we deny ourselves and take up our cross is when we are taking up our cross, we're declaring one thing that God loves to hear. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.039 We are declaring our dependence on him. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:26.639 We are saying, God, I don't know exactly what you got planned, I don't know exactly what my future holds, but this is what you're asking me to do, and I'm gonna pick this cross and say no to the things that the enemy is trying to make me say yes to, and say no to the lures of the world, and just look at you and my and the cross. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:29.200 That's what denying ourselves looks like. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.399 That's what when you're declaring your dependence on God looks like. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:36.399 Because in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3, we lost that. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:43.840 We lost that dependence on Him because before the fall, God did everything for us. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:48.320 Adam just showed up, he had food, he had everything that he needed. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:50.320 And then our wife poop showed up. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:52.240 I wish it was that easy, right? 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:57.120 Just wake up, oh, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.240 But that was life before the fall. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:10.240 Then after the fall, we declared our independence from God and told God, I know you did everything for us before this, but we got it now. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:11.600 We'll take care of this. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:13.440 Just watch me do me. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:16.240 Which is like the new phrase, let me do me. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:21.360 And then God one day hit me, he said, I'm a let me be God. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.519 And I was like, Okay. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:31.360 That is what denying ourselves and picking up our cross looks like, saying, God, I need you. 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:33.600 I'm dependent on you. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.600 In the garden, God was our everything. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:40.879 But today, God is our sometime. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:50.320 We sometimes worship him, sometimes pray to him, sometimes rely on him. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:53.519 You know, I feel like it. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.679 I mean, I wake up in the morning. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:59.759 No, I don't want to read my Bible. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:01.759 I'll save that for later. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:09.519 For a lot of us in this room, God is not our king, he's just our genie. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:16.639 When I need something from him, is when I gotta pray, I gotta do my PB and J. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:19.039 I gotta do the things that I know I need to do. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.519 Only when we need something. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:30.639 The way of the cross, which is supposed to be the way of the believer, is a life of total dependency on him. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:38.960 Y'all remember that rich young ruler when he came to Christ and asked him, What must I do to be born again? 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:40.720 What did Christ tell him? 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.440 Go sell all your stuff and come. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:49.039 And we all know what he says, he went away sorrowful because he had a lot of wealth. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:54.399 When you have nothing, it's easy to trust in God. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.840 Because there's no really that much sacrifice because you're already at the bottom. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:06.639 But when you have a lot to give or a lot that you've acquired, then that's when the test comes. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:16.159 See, when I moved here from Cincinnati, the Lord told me, I want you to move to Colorado Springs. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.440 I said, Okay. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:19.440 I was very full of faith. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:22.320 I'll go to Colorado Springs as you've instructed me. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:31.120 Quit my job, I had a Chrysler 200, packed everything up in that tiny car, and drove across country with my sister and cousin. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:37.039 So, you know when God tells you to do something at the beginning, it's all you're excited. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:38.960 Yes, I'm gonna do it, you're fired up. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.559 And then when you're about to do it, it's like, oh crap. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.840 What did I say yes to? 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:47.120 So that was me. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:50.399 Like we, because it's a 20-hour drive from Cincinnati. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:55.039 So we got in the car, and all we put in the GPS was Colorado Springs. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:57.600 Because I didn't know where to go, I didn't have a place. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:03.039 So we hit monument, and then my sister asked me, what address should I put in the GPS? 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:07.519 I just like, yeah, we need an address. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:11.039 And that's like when it really hit me, like, what are you doing? 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:15.679 I just left everything to move here, and that's when you really tested. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:27.600 So we end up putting an address for a holiday in, and they left the next morning, so I was just left by myself with my thoughts and my reality. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:30.799 Like, what am I going to do? 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:33.519 I just moved here because I believed God. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:36.639 So at that point, it's very easy because I didn't have anything. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:38.080 Like I have nothing to lose. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:44.639 But to finish the story, oh, I forgot to tell you this. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:46.080 So, tradition. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.399 I'm gonna do this so that to keep in tradition. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.080 In Kenya, when you're telling a story, the first thing you say is story, story. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.480 And then the people respond story time. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:55.840 So, story, story. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:57.679 Story, story. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:01.759 Ah, imagine I just told the story now, we're back to me. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:14.559 So I'm I'm in my hotel room and I'm just thinking, like, what am I going to do? 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.399 And this is how God is good. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:22.000 This is why the way of the cross is so much, it's very hard, yeah. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.559 It's you have to make difficult choices. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:26.399 But he got you covered. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:33.840 Because what happened was my roommate in college, his parents had just moved here maybe like three months before I moved. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:39.360 And he I told him just in passing, I'm gonna move out here, and that was it. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:43.360 And so one day he just texted me, asked me, bro, when are you moving to Springs? 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.840 And I just chosen a date, August 28th or 29th. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.200 And so we're like, perfect. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.759 I think I'll be in town that week, let's meet up. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:56.480 Like, we did not communicate, it just happened to be here, we just happened to be here the same week. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.399 So we I move and I go hang out with his parents, and look at God. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:15.200 So his parents just moved here and they were working as mission, they're working in a mission organization, and I we were hanging out, and his dad was like, let's go to my office and see what's going on. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:18.080 And so he's just showing us around and all these kind of things. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:22.799 And the lady at the front desk, the original lady was not there that day. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:26.559 There was this uh like a fill-in or temporary job. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:29.039 I forget what her title was at that time. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:30.639 She was just there for that day. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.120 She's never there, she just happened to be there. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:39.360 And so my friend's dad tells her my story, and she goes, We have a huge house in Black Forest. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:40.879 You can come stay with us. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.120 And I'm just like, What? 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:49.919 But God already had everything planned because I completely depended on him. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:56.080 Like I knew it was crazy and stupid to just move cross-country, but I trust God. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:59.679 And that's the why, that's the way of the cross. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:04.000 God tells you, I want you to go, quit your job and go here. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:08.640 You do that because we depend on him, because he's our everything. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.839 When he's your sometime, you'll probably say no. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.759 Like, no, I don't want that. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:20.799 But when he's your everything, you do whatever you have to do to fulfill your calling. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.599 Galatians 2.20. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.960 Let's go over there real quick. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.000 I've been crucified with Christ. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:32.160 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:41.039 And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:48.480 This has probably been my most impactful verse in my life. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.640 I've been crucified with Christ. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:56.480 I've been crucified with Christ. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:58.400 A crucifixion sucks. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:12.400 A crucifixion is a stripping process where he gets to expose everything in your heart, where he gets to expose your wounds, the things that you've hide for years. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.279 That's what being crucified with Christ means. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:23.839 Because Christ died naked on that cross, he was stripped naked for each and every one of us in this room. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:34.400 And when we say we're crucified with Christ, we let him strip us of everything. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.279 We all know that phrase. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.680 Uh just put it on the altar. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.319 Like whatever it is, I'm just gonna put this at the altar. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:43.839 And that used to be my phrase. 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:50.160 And then one day the Lord told me, you realize when you put things on the altar, you get to decide what you put on the altar. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:57.920 So the better way to do it is if you stay on the altar and let me pull everything out that I want to pull out. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:10.559 And man, when I said yes to that, it began like so the past two years, I call it my heart surgery season. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.599 Where God was just going to town. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:16.960 Like I'm like, Lord, I think I'm good. 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:21.440 Like, give me a break, because it will feel like every week he's just exposing stuff. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:25.359 I'm like, man, no, I'm only human. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:38.160 Like, and it will feel like if you're uprooting a plant, like when you're just pulling a weed out of the ground, just that that ripping motion, that's how we feel like. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.400 And that's when I learned true crucifixion. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:47.039 When we say I'm crucified with Christ, it's you on the altar and just God just yanking everything out. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:51.680 When you're crucified with him, you're completely stripped naked in front of him. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:04.319 We are totally dependent on him because the biggest thing that, like the biggest barrier between you being crucified with Christ is you're afraid. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:07.359 You're afraid of what you'll find. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:16.480 You're afraid that if you let him in, you'll maybe see what you've been trying to avoid for the past couple years. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:22.880 Or maybe sometimes we're afraid because we think that we are not who we think we are. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:32.880 Like when he starts exposing us, like all these different lies that have kind of prevented us from looking our true selves in the mirror, we'll be exposed. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.640 Because that's like the hardest thing ever. 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:40.319 When you come face to face with who you are, the crucifixion fixes that. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.680 Denying yourself and picking up your cross daily is saying, Lord, this is me. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:50.480 And then he, I'll tell you, I'll share this. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:54.720 I don't, God knows how to just make you share stuff you don't want to share. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:00.480 But as you see, I'm black and I'm from Kenya. 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:14.720 And one of my biggest lies that the enemy just used for some reason to prevent me from being who God called me to be was, and I don't even know where I picked it up. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:20.640 It was this lie that told me because I'm Kenyan and because I'm from Africa, I can never amount to much. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.359 And it just weighed on me. 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:24.400 And I didn't even realize. 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.319 Like I was saying no to things and opportunities. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.839 I was like, I can't do that. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:30.960 But then the crucifixion process started. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:35.519 And then I saw that that was a lie that just dominated me. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:41.839 And we all have those lies that you just somehow pick up through life, like you don't even know, I don't even know where it came from. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:50.559 But I remember one day, because I the Lord showed it to me, and I was just doing everything I can to avoid that. 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:54.400 Because I'm like, I am not trying to deal with that right now. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.759 And he just just he just taught me one day and he was like, listen. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.319 Listen, for you to be everything that I've called you to be, this is something that you have to deal with. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:10.079 You have to deal with this, you have to get on the cross. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.200 And obviously I did. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:15.279 And obviously I'm here. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:18.160 But we have to do that. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:29.759 And that's why crucifixion, as much as it sucks, we have to go through it because you, you honestly, it's you preventing yourself from being everything that God has called you to be. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:37.200 So one day I was, I used to have like an hour drive to work. 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.599 So I had a lot of conversations with the Lord. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:44.720 So all these stories that you're hearing is from that hour commute. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:49.839 But in that hour commute, ah, story, story. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.160 Story, story. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:58.480 So in the hour commute one day, the Lord asks me this. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:02.240 Son, you know I can see everything in your heart and in your mind. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.839 It's like, yeah. 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:06.319 Then why don't you share stuff with me? 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:10.240 Why do you feel the need to hide things that I can already know is there? 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:15.920 And as parents, obviously I'm not a parent, so I cannot relate. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:21.839 But you guys, with parents, with kids, you'd rather if your kid owns up to something than if you find them, right? 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.680 And it's the same thing with the Lord. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:28.000 He'd rather us bring whatever it is to him than him finds out. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.559 Or like he catches us in the act. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.559 Because that's what crucifixion is. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:35.279 He's saying, Lord, I'm bringing everything to you. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.039 You don't gotta find me out. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.559 And that's just being intimate with him. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:43.359 That's just saying, come on in. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:47.279 Because remember, in Revelation he tells us, I stand at the door and knock. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.200 Who will let me in? 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:55.519 And so in the same verse, Galatians 2.20 says, But Christ lives in me. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:59.359 We must be Christ inside minded. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:06.319 When we focus on everything that's going on out here, we'll be completely distracted. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:11.200 And we'll completely miss our aim or where we're trying to go. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.880 Because he's in us. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:15.359 The God of the universe, he's in you. 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.079 Not out there. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:21.200 Well, he's out there too, but he's in here too. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:24.720 So we have to focus in here. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:36.880 We need to realize, actually, until you realize that you are with Christ and He dwells in you, you will not be able to deny yourself and pick up your cross. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:43.279 He must be your all, everything must be focused on Him. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:46.079 And especially the times that we live in today. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:56.240 I feel like that was an incentive enough to just focus on Christ just because there's so much crap going on in our world. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:02.000 How are we not choosing to go the way of the cross? 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:10.480 How are we not saying, God, I'm gonna hide in your shelter because you know the way. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:24.720 As since I already said I lead the young adults, I get to see a lot of our young adults just try to find answers everywhere but the right place. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:28.160 And all of you can relate, you've been there. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:31.279 You it's everything by Christ. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:34.559 And as a parent, I'm sure you guys can you know that hurts. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:40.319 If your child goes to everybody but you for answers, that has to be disappointing. 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:48.480 And that's how God feels when we go to everything but Him, everything but the one who has all the answers. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.960 How would how would you feel? 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:55.279 Only Jesus, Jesus is the only way. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:26:03.039 That's why Jesus told the disciples, if you want me, you must pick up that cross. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:10.240 Because our our answers, our solutions to everything is found in that cross. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:16.880 But because we're so afraid of that crucifixion process, we just steal from it. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.359 You can never know Christ until you go to the cross. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:24.960 You can never know who you are until you go to the cross. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:30.480 Your life will never be what he intended until you go through the cross. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:37.279 It's painful, it sucks, yes, but there's more much more in the cross. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:44.960 One of the mandates that Christ gave each and every one of us is to go in the world and make disciples. 00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:51.359 That's what I know, Kenny, that's what's fired up for Marcus. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:53.839 Everybody's, we should be focused on that. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:27:02.319 But we can never truly be disciples getters, if that is a proper English term. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:05.440 If you don't go to the cross. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:09.279 Because if you don't go to the cross, everything is on your time. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:12.720 But when you go to the cross, everything is on his time. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:14.240 He's number one. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.480 Now whatever you want to do. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:24.319 The laborers are few because nobody wants to pick up their cross and become a kingdom of God revolutionary. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:34.480 I'm just, in full disclosure, about two weeks ago, my barber, I get a haircut every week, as you can see. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.200 God be fresh. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:42.079 He uh he committed suicide. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:47.759 And I guess something has shifted in me. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:52.640 Because I I mean I knew him every week we're talking. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:28:05.920 But I was always focused on making sure I look fresh not focused on bringing the kingdom of God in the barbershop. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:16.240 How many of no I don't try? 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:24.960 How many of us have chosen ourselves instead of the cross and let opportunities pass us by? 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:27.599 The time is short. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:31.920 We don't know what tomorrow holds. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:38.880 We don't know, like I had no idea he's gonna do what he did. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:43.200 Is it about us or about him? 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:57.359 Is it about having a kingdom of God revolution in our city, our job, or about having a personal revolution? 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:08.480 I'm just on another, since that everything is that's the only thing that matters to me right now. 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:28.799 Because I don't know if I'll see you tomorrow, but he knows that, and he might tell us, I need you to go speak to this person today because they needed to hear what you had to offer, but because I'm afraid, because I don't want to be embarrassed or look foolish, I say no, and I miss a God opportunity. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:42.960 We all want to walk in the same anointing as an Elijah or Elisha or the people in the Bible or the apostles, and that's a great desire to have. 00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:46.720 But are we willing to pay the cost that they paid? 00:29:48.319 --> 00:30:01.119 I mean, if you look at the Fox Book of the Martyrs, what people did or are doing right now for the cross is way more than what we're doing. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:05.680 It's time. 00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:13.599 It's time for all of us to stop living in our shadows and step in the light. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:21.920 Thank you for listening to the Foreign for War podcast. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:25.599 We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world. 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:31.519 To connect with pastors to use sermons, books, and blog visit default online.org.