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Lee will share a bit about his story, but uh his faith journey started in this house, and it's taken him uh to be the leader of our Hillsong Bible College. And uh because of his fruits, there are leaders throughout the world. Uh so would you stand to your feet today? And I pray that you have a sense of expectation and belief for what God's gonna do. Keep put your hands together as we welcome Lee to the stage today.

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Oh, you're amazing, thank you. Hey, good morning, everyone. How are you all? Uh it is a uh it's an honor to be home. And uh thanks for bringing me to church, Dad. Wherever there you are. There you are. It's more the other way around. I brought him to church. Amen, amen. God is good, God is good. Let me pray and we'll get started. Father, we thank you. Lord, for the honor it is always to come around your word and uh open up your word, allow your word to encourage us, build us, strengthen us for the mission that you've called us to, to be the church to the world. And Father, I thank you for all that you're gonna do over these next few moments. Lord, the miracle month of May, Father, I pray that you would stir us. Holy Spirit, that you would stir within us to move through us in the areas that you've called us to reach. Father, I pray that where there's sickness in the room, that your healing would be uh made whole in Jesus' name. According to your word, we are partakers of your divine nature, and Father, we pray that for that divine nature to pass through bodies, bringing about every cell, every bone, ligament for which it's divinely created. Father, we thank you that you are the miracle working God, that not only through healing, but also you are the divine provider, the divine protector. And Father, I pray that you would show yourself in whatever area your people need you today. We thank you for it in Jesus' mighty name. And a faithful church said together, Amen, amen. Say hi to the person next to you, give them a high five, a hug, whatever works for you this morning, and you may be seated. Thank you, band. You guys are incredible. Thank you for getting here early. Let's thank the band for getting out of bed at probably 6 a.m. to be here to service. And swear, thank God I'm not a musician. Amen. It's good to be back here. Aki, last time, last time I was here was that other guy was running the church. He got rid of him. For those of you that don't know, Sanger is my best friend. And uh we went down to Hillsong College together back in 1997. And um, yeah, we uh it's funny, living with Sanger, he uh he's he lives in like this perpetual harvest season where he prays for stuff and it happens immediately. And uh, and as students we would pray for you know provision predominantly, and and Sanger would pray for provision, he'd get checks in the mail where people owed him money. NRMA was one of them, and all the and he would get checks in the mail. I would pray for provision, I'd get extra shifts at work, and so it was always really frustrating being around Sanger. It was like, you know, the Bible says God doesn't have favorites, but I started to question that after a while. Like I thought, God, I'm starting to think you do have favorites. But we're coming into this month of miracles, and uh, and to be honest with you, God is always a miracle working God, and uh and sometimes I believe that if we're not careful, we can get so caught up on God doing the miracle in us that we can miss the opportunity to be the miracle in someone else's life. And I want to talk to that end today. If you want a title for today's message, it's simply the church is spirit-led and advancing. Spirit-led and advancing. We're all spirit-filled as believers, but are we spirit-led as believers? You see, spirit-filled is to help you or empower you to do the work of the ministry. In other words, to go out and be Jesus hands and feet in your workplace, your university, your high school, whatever it may be. It's not for the person who comes here of a Sunday and holds the microphone only. It's for each and every one of us to go out and be the church. And I believe that the more we do this, the more we see the kingdom advance. You see, sometimes we can get so caught up in what God's doing in me that we forget that God actually doesn't want to just work in me, but he wants to also work through me. And sometimes we can be so focused on ourselves that we miss the Spirit's direction towards helping and serving other people and seeing the kingdom continue to advance. About a hundred years ago in America, in LA, there was a revival. It was known as the Azusa Street Revival. Most of Pentecostalism, our denomination, would trace its roots back to this revival that happened right back in 1906, where an African-American man by the name of William Seymour moved from uh down south over in Texas, moved to LA, and uh and began to believe God to do something in the church that he'd never seen before. And so he got together with a group of people in a little house in Bonnie Bray Street, it was called. No one's ever heard of it, no one knows the house. It's it's unknown. But he got together with a group and they began to pray that God would use them in order to reach uh LA with the gospel message. And as they began to pray, they weren't planning for a revival, they weren't planning for a movement, they were just hungry for God to see God work not only in them but through them to reach a world. And as they continued to pray and hunger after God, the Holy Spirit fell in that little house. And when the Holy Spirit fell, they began to pray in other tongues. Neighbors heard the noise and thought, what is going on in there? And they came in and they were hit by the by the Spirit of God, by the presence of God. Now, when I say hit, it doesn't necessarily mean that they were and fell over. It just means that they were, what is going on here? There is something different in this room than what's going on out there. This is how I came to know Jesus. I went to a little Catholic church up in Cardiff Street at the top of Main Road. I went to this little Catholic church, and it was there that I sensed the presence of God for the first time. I knew there was something different about this place than what I'd experienced in the carpentry workshed five days a week. And it was this thing called the presence of God. Well, after a while, neighbors began to line up around this house in Bonnie Bray Street, and uh people began to wonder what is going on. So many people lined up on the porch that the porch caved in and uh and it collapsed under the weight of all the people. And uh and so they had to move from Bonny Bray Street to what is now known as Azusa Street, and they bought a little shed there, and and there the Azusa Street revival began to kick off. But as William Seymour reflects back on those years at Azusa Street, he began to realize that he thought originally that he was bringing something that he caught over there in Texas, in Houston, Texas, something that he caught. He thought he was bringing it to LA. But the more he reflected on it, the more he realized that the spirit was already moving in LA. He just came to participate in what the spirit was already doing. You see, often as believers, we can think that it's our job to take the Holy Spirit into certain areas, but I want to challenge that thought today, church, and question or ask you uh or challenge it you're thinking on maybe, maybe the Holy Spirit's already working in your workplace. But he's looking for you to participate. Maybe he's already moving in your high school, but wants you to start a lunchtime group. Or maybe wherever it is that you go, maybe the Holy Spirit's already moving there and looking for your presence and participation more than he's looking for you to bring something in to that situation. Go with me to Acts chapter 10 this morning. Acts chapter 10. Is everyone good? Amen. Let's have a look at this situation that happens with this guy named Peter. Now, Peter's one of the apostles, he's one of the uh uh one of the big twelve, one of the big twelve that uh walked with Jesus, and then on the day of Pentecost he got up and he preached, and 3,000 people came to know, or 3,000 Jewish people came to know Jesus as Lord. But here he is now in Acts chapter 10, and he's gone into Samaria because Jesus said to them that you'll be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and you'll be witnesses from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. And so in Acts 8 we see him in Samaria, but now in Acts 10 we see him go to what the Jews considered the ends of the earth, the Gentiles. And Jews didn't like Gentiles, they thought they were filthy animals. That was kind of the language that they referred to Gentiles in. And so we've got a situation now where the Holy Spirit is directing Peter to a Gentile home of a man by the name of Cornelius a centurion. And so let's pick up the story and have a look at what's going on here. It says in verse 1, at Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius a centurion in what is known as the Italian regiment. He and all his family were, notice this, devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Now, for Peter, there is no such thing as a Gentile who is God-fearing and devout. So this is something new about to happen. And it says, one day about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to him and said, Cornelius. And Cornelius stared at him in fear. What is it, Lord? He asked. And the angel said, Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Jopa to bring back a man named Simon, who is called Peter. He's staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is by the sea. Now, throughout Luke Acts, you see the angel of the Lord turn up to people like the Mother Mary. You see it turn up to Zachariah in the first two chapters of Luke. You never see an angel turn up to anyone outside of the Jewish faith. But here we have now an angel turning up to a Gentile. Now, to a Jew reading this for the first time, they'd be like, What? Get out of here. There is no way that there is a God-fearing, devout Gentile. These guys are filthy animals. And so this situation happens where Peter falls into a deep sleep, and Jesus has to come and speak to Peter. And he says to Peter, he pulls down this blanket. I'm just telling the story because I've got to get to the end of the chapter. And they started the clock. Hamish told me the clock was broken, but they started it. And so I can't go through the whole chapter with you this morning. But Peter's in this deep sleep, and God comes to him as this blanket of animals come down, and God says to him, Eat, Peter. And Peter says, Surely not, in verse 14, surely not, Lord. I have never eaten anything impure or unclean. And God says to Peter, Don't you call unclean what I've cleaned, or what I call clean. And so here's a wake-up call to Peter that the mission that you call to is now beginning to commence outside the borders of Israel. Now we're starting to go into Gentile territory. Now let me cut the story short for one moment. Jesus has to do this three times with Peter. Three times he brings down the sheet of animals and says, eat. Three times Peter says no. This is the second, second lot of three where Peter's denied Jesus. The first one was when the rooster crowed, and here he is again doing the same thing over again. You see, every time Peter's called to do something new, he always leads by his suspicions. Well, I don't know whether God's into that. I don't know whether this is gonna happen. And so God has to talk to Peter in ways that he understands. And so go over now with me to um verse 28. And Peter gets up and he begins to talk to Cornelius and his household, and he says, You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. So here we are, Peter. The Lord is already moving in a Gentile household. The angel of the Lord has already come to this guy by the name of Cornelius. And Peter, through a vision three times now, has begun to realize maybe God's in this thing. And then he ends up in the household and he gets the revelation that hang on, it is against our law, but it is not against God's law. It is against how we frame God, but it is not against God himself as creator. And Peter's getting the revelation that his Jewish exclusive framework where he thought he was the one, he was the people, he's beginning to realize that God's bigger than his one, that his people, that God is uh the the Lord of all earth. And now it's beginning to blow his mind. Now you would have thought Peter would catch this three years walking with Jesus. He reached a Syrophoenician woman who's uh outside, who's up in Syria, who's outside of Israel. You see, Jesus reaching a Gentile centurion. You see, Jesus worked this way over and over again. You would think Peter caught this, but he didn't. He kept going back to his small framework through which he saw God, through which he thought God could operate. But what the Holy Spirit wanted to do was stretch his framework to become Lord, not only of the Jewish people, but of the whole earth. Genesis 1 2, right here. And so Peter is getting challenged to reach the Gentiles, having already been told this is the reason that he's filled with the Holy Spirit. And then it says here in verse 44, while Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all, Jew and Gentile, who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come, this is the Jews, came with Peter, were astonished that the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. And then Peter said, Surely no one can stand in their way from being baptized with water. So in this situation, we see the Holy Spirit fill this Gentile household. But what actually happens, and my paraphrased version of this is because of Peter's suspicion, when you look at the patterns throughout the book of Acts, you see people get saved, you see people water baptized, and the Holy Spirit comes on them. But in this situation, it's a bit of a reverse pattern. That Peter preaches the gospel message, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, then Peter's like, well, if God's already reached them, who am I to would uh hold back being water baptized? And you see what's happening here is Peter's still suspicious. He's probably dragging his sermon out to see whether God's really in this thing. And it's like God goes, Oh Peter, shut up. I'll just fill them. And his presence fills them, and Peter's like, oh my gosh, the circumcised believers are like, What? The Holy Spirit's come on them just like he did ours. You've got to be kidding me. And then Peter's like, All right, God, you showed me. And he gets the revelation that the mission that Jesus is about is called to the ends of the earth. You see, it's a funny story that we often miss. It's Peter's suspicion towards a certain people group, or Peter getting caught up in his exclusive Jewish framework and holding back the mission of God and the Holy Spirit, having to uh speak to Peter and challenge Peter, encourage Peter to step out of the things that he knows about God and believe to see God move in and through not only uh the area that he's called to, but the known world at the time. Let me ask you the question, church. Where are you boxing God? Where are you holding God back through unbelief? Where are you framing God? God can reach these people, but not these people. What people have you written off thinking it's impossible for God to reach these people? You see, this happens over and over again to us as believers, as Christians. We box God into small thinking, and the result is that we hold back the mission that He's called us to. And I believe for each and every one of us, church, that if we will wake up throughout the month of May, if you'll wake up every morning and not pray, God, what miracle are you gonna do in me? But God, how can you use me today to be a miracle in someone else's life? You will see divine opportunities open up before you over and over again. About two years ago, I just began to cut uh wake up over morning and pray this very prayer. God, use me today to be a miracle in someone's life. Use me today that where I need to pray for healing, pray for healing. But where someone needs to be encouraged, where someone needs to be strengthened, where someone needs some sort of word, allow me to speak the word of encouragement into their life. And I have found that God has used me more in the last two years than the last 28 years, just by simply getting my focus off myself and putting them on his people. So, three things I want to challenge you with today, if that's alright. Just bump the person next to you and say, This message was so for you today. Because, church, if we can be aware of where the spirit is moving, we know that the small part that we play is gonna bring about the expansion of the kingdom of God in one way or another. And so, number one this morning, the spirit moves ahead of us. The spirit is never behind, never with. He's always ahead. And uh and this story is reflected on by Peter when you go through chapter 11. He's got to give an account as to why he went to a Gentile's house, and he has to give an account to the Jewish uh the uh circumcised believers again and say, listen, guys, God was in this thing, and he and as he reflects back, he begins to realize that the spirit was already moving before he even got there. And so we see that Cornelius was already moved by God before Peter had arrived. I wonder how many people walk around Newcastle knowing there's a God, but waiting for someone to come up and tell them about him. How many of them are already believing, just waiting for you to bump into them, pay for their coffee maybe, and they see something different? But hang on, that's not that's not normal. What's different about you and come to know Jesus as a result? You see, I'm a bit of a coffee snob, and uh I like coffee, but I'm not a snob in the in the sense of quality, I'm a snob in the sense of quantity. I I like a lot for as little as possible. And so the cafe that I get get to go to uh every day or every time I need to, it also has petrol. And uh and so I get I go in, I fill the I fill the car up. You picked where I'm going. But this day I pulled into 7-Eleven and I just went in and did the normal, grabbed the large, hit it, and uh full cream, go for it, and uh and I went over to the uh to the guy, and he's behind this big um, you know, covert kind of screen, and uh it's just this massive, big room where where I had to pay, and uh and and I went I went in and I said, Hey, I just want to while I just want to grab the uh the petrol and the coffee, and uh and he goes, he goes, Oh, what number car are you? And I said, Oh, I'm not sure, legend. Let me let me go have a look. And so I went and uh had a look. I come back and he goes, Don't worry about it, you're number six. I said, bro, how did you know that? He said, You're the only car here. I said, Man, is that why you get the big office with your name on it? Far out. You are you you are the sharpest knife in the drawer. And uh and he just starts laughing and he goes, Hey, hey, you people um uh beat beat our people in cricket this week. And I was like, Well. Who's my people? Who's your people? And uh and he said, Well, you're Ozzy, right? And I said, Yeah, yeah. And I said, What are you? And he said, I'm Indian. And I said, Oh, okay. And I said, Man, that's a that's awesome that we beat you in cricket. You guys are the best in the world. And so thank God for your team making us look that good. And uh, and he's like, Oh man, we didn't want to, but it hurts, it hurts. And uh, and and we start having this uh this conversation about cricket. I said, Look, I'm not that big into cricket. I said, but my son married a Sri Lankan girl, and uh and their family is huge into cricket. And uh, and and he's like, Oh wow, Sri Lanka! And I said, Yeah, Sri Lanka, and uh he said, Yeah, they they want to be good in cricket, and I said, I know, I know. And uh, and we're having this this funny discussion, and uh, and he goes, Hey, can I just ask you a serious question? I said, Yeah, go for it, bro. And uh, and he goes, just out of curiosity, how do you feel when you see someone like me in your country? And I said, My country? I said, I'm from Scotland, bro. And uh and I said, We we stole we stole the sheep off the English who stole our land, and apparently we're the bad guys, so they sent us over here to uh to kind of build uh Australia. But uh but when the English got over it, there was already a people group here, they're amazing people, the First Nations people, and before them, God. And he's like, Oh man, that is so good. He said, You believe in God? I said, Yeah, I do. He goes, Yeah, me too. I said, Can I ask you a serious question? He goes, Yeah, yeah, anything. I said, You can't get offended. He goes, No, no, I won't. I said, the the yellow dot, what's the yellow dot mean on the forehead? I said, is that like a like a class thing or how does that work? And he said, no, no, it's like it's like um like Christians have denominations. Um, you know, you you can you got the yellow or you got the red, and it's just different uh denominations of of Hinduism, and uh and we just began to have this discussion about about the gods, and uh, and we as we um began to to chat about it uh he began to realize that I kind of knew a little more than the average Aussie on on this subject of God, and uh and so he he begins to to chunk down on me and uh and and he says, So God, um you know? And I said, There's just the one, just the one. I said, If there's more than one, then you just get confused. And uh he's like, Yeah, yeah. I said, and he said to me with the yellow dot, he I said, why do you put it on there? And he said, It it reminds me uh each day that that I've done my morning prayers, and uh, and it reminds the gods to to bless me because I've done that. And uh and I said, Really? Like the gods have to see the yellow dot, they don't know, they don't know without it. And he's like, Yeah, I don't know. And and I said, You're telling me that your gods forget pretty quickly, and uh he's like, Yeah, right. And uh and he goes, What what what do you do? And I said, Oh, I just pray and uh I've got full confidence that God hears my prayer, and uh and I walk around with that full confidence and assurance every day. And he's like, Wow, that's amazing! He said, Do you go to a church around here? I said, I do. And uh and he said, he said, what church do you go to? I said, just a little local church over the road. And uh, and and uh he said, What's it called? I said, Well, it's called Hillsong Church. He's like, Oh my god, I've heard of Hillsong Church. He said, I I I hear it's amazing. I said, It is, bro. I said, I've been a part of it for 30 years, it's incredible. Raise my kids, got grandkids coming through now. I said, It's amazing. And uh, and and and he goes, I would love to visit one day. I said, come and visit. And he goes, Am I allowed to? I said, Of course you're allowed to. And he goes, Do I have to fill something out? Do I have to pay something? Do I have to do something before I actually go? I said, No. I said, bro, just walk in. I said, in fact, if you grab a coffee from next door and walk in just looking at the coffee, I said, people already think that you're part of the church. I said, but if you walk in and you do this one, people are gonna know you're new straight away. And uh and I said, just walk in with confidence. And he said, No one will even pull me up or kick me out. I said, no. And he goes, Man, that sounds amazing. Man, what an incredible church. And I said, That's not the church, that's the kingdom of God. So that's what the kingdom of God is like. God is always wanting to fellowship and commune with you. The problem is, is we keep boxing him down into this is what we think he looks like. This is how we think he he should be. I said to him, Bro, let me tell you, God is not ethnic. He loves me as much as he loves you, he loves everyone equally and wants to have relationship with them. And he was like, Man, this is an amazing conversation. He said, I'm gonna go to church this Christmas. I heard you guys put on amazing things at Christmas. I said, bro, I'll be on the front door waiting for you. Church, I never got to see him. He he told me to come back next Monday and have a conversation. I went back the next Monday, he wasn't there. I went back the next Monday, he wasn't there. I went back ten Mondays in a row and he wasn't there. I don't know whether he turned up to our church or not, but I know this he heard the gospel message. He heard the gospel message that the gods are not as exclusive as you think it is, that God is all inclusive and wants you to participate in the kingdom of God. Did I take the Holy Spirit into that situation? No, the Holy Spirit was already moving. I just went in and played my part in participating in the kingdom of God. Amen. Amen. One of you, one of you might be down in seven hills and pull in for petrol one day, and you might go up and hey, legend, I'm here to pay for the petrol, and you might have a similar conversation and lead him to Jesus. You see, I sowed, you come along, you water, and then God brings the increase in Jesus' name, amen. Our part is to play our part in the kingdom and just sow seeds of the kingdom right throughout Newcastle, and who knows, God will continue to bring the increase in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. The spirit moves ahead of us. Number two, the spirit stirs within us. We've lost the clock again. All right, just put your hand up when it's two o'clock. Number two, the spirit stirs within us. I'm worried that I'm gonna keep you guys. Can you throw my phone up to me? Thank you, baby. Yeah, I know what you people are like. It's good until you get to 11:30, then you all start to fidget and get hungry and hang on, I need coffee, and yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been around for a while, I've been around for a while. The spirit stirs within us. Smith Wigglesworth, one of the great uh healing revivalists back in the last century, says this the Holy Spirit is more eager to work through you than you are to be used by him. Holy Spirit wants to work through you. I always find that that moment of hesitation that God is about to do something exceptional, that God is about to do something that's gonna blow the framework of my theology. And can I encourage each and every one of you that when it comes to the Spirit moving ahead, to also allow the Holy Spirit to move within. Begin to pray prayers like, Spirit, direct me to the right person today. Direct me to the person that you want to bring into the kingdom today. Direct me to the right person where I can sow a seed of the kingdom of God into somebody's life today. You see, the moment you obey, you find out that he's already prepared the way. The moment that you begin to obey him is the moment that you begin to realize that he's already prepared the way for your conversation. He's already got the heart ready, he's already sent the angel. You're just there to participate and bring about the right words in order to bring the gospel message to realization in Jesus' name. A couple of weeks ago, I was down in Melbourne at our uh Greater West campus and I was walking through uh Melbourne City and I was just praying that simple prayer. I found a 7-Eleven right in the main street of Melbourne. I was like, What? That's a sign. So I went in and got coffee, and and uh God just knows me. And uh and so I I was I walked out of there and I said, God, if there's an opportunity, bring someone across my path. And uh and so I was walking through and I saw this older lady, she would have been no offense to anyone, she would have been in her mid-70s, and uh, and she she had this uh photocopy of a Gregory's. Now, kids, if you don't know what a Gregory's is, ask your grandparents. And uh and so she had this photocopy and it's blowing in the wind and she's got red pen written all over it, and she's got this big circle in the middle of it, and and you she was looking up and she kept losing a beanie and picking it up, and and I walked past her and I just felt the Holy Spirit say, Go, that's the one. So I went back and I said, Excuse me, ma'am, can I help you with wherever you're going? And she said, I'm trying to get to the Boyd Center. And I said, Oh, okay. And she said, I think it's that building right there. And I said, Okay, cool, cool. I said, show me your Gregory's, and she showed me, and uh I said, gee, that's a hard one to follow. So I pulled up uh uh Google Maps and I said, Listen, the that's not the Boyd Center. The Boyd Center is actually about 500 meters away, just down on your right. And uh and she said, Are you sure? Because I'm sure it's that building. I said, No, Google Maps is telling me it's that building. I said, Listen, I'll walk you down there anyway, and if it if it's the wrong place, I will piggyback you back to this back to this building. And uh and she just starts laughing and says, I think I'm a bit old for a piggyback. I said, You're never too old for a piggyback. And uh, and so we uh we start walking down to the Boyd Center and we're having a conversation about um Melbourne, and and she says to me, she says, you know, the problem with the world today is you just don't see beautiful young men like you anymore. I know, I know. And uh and I said to her, Well, not in Melbourne, you don't. I said, but if you go to Newcastle, they're everywhere. And uh and she said, Oh, if I'd have known that, I would have been there 50 years ago. I said, I said, we've got a saying in Newcastle, never too late to move. And uh she said, I've actually never heard that. I said, No, we don't tell too many people. And so we're having this combo, and uh, and she tells me how her father moved over in the 50s. I said, Oh, okay, Italian? And she said, Yeah, Italian. How'd you know? I said, Well, I kind of picked up on the accent, and uh, and we're talking about the Italians and the migration in the 60s and and sugarcane farms and everything like that, and and um and then I began to tell her about my family, and I said, Well, I've got a daughter-in-law who's Sri Lankan, I've got another daughter-in-law who's uh South African, I've got a possible son-in-law, we'll see how things go in the future, who's Argentine, and uh, and I said, So we've got we've got the nations in the Burns family, and told her that I was a grandfather, and she was like, No, no, how old are you? I said, You don't want to know, and uh and I said, I'm 52, and she said, You do not look 52. I said, There is nothing wrong with your eyes, don't get them checked. And and so we we get to the Boyd Centre, and it's a little old church. And I said, Shivers, the Boyd Centre's a uh an old church. Are you going to Mass? And she said, Mass? I haven't been there for years. I said, Well, it looks like you're going. She said, No, it's it's not a church anymore, it's a it's a plant centre. And I said, Oh, I like the Garden of Eden. And uh, and she goes, Yeah, yeah, like the Garden of Eden, I guess. And uh I said, Listen, there's a little coffee shop there. Can I get you a coffee before I go? And she says, No. No, could can I get you a coffee? I said, No, I know I've had enough coffee for today, thank you. I'll still hold my 7-Eleven large. And uh, and and uh and she said, Well, we'll probably never see it see one another again, and so all the best. And I said, Oh, we'll see each other again for sure. And she said, How do you know? I said, Oh, God's just got a way of making stuff happen, and uh and she's like, Yeah, yeah, all right. And I said, Well, before I go, is there anything I can pray for? And she goes, No, my prayer's already been answered. And I said, Are you serious? You woke up this morning and said, God, help me meet a beautiful young man. I said, far out. And uh, she's like, No, I just said I need the Boyd Center and you bought me here. I said, Well, you got the double portion today, didn't you? She literally, like, all right, I'll see ya, and just walks off. You might be the next one in Melbourne who sees a little lady looking after a photocopy Gregory's trying to find the Boyd Center, and you might be able to bring further direction. You see, our goal is, church, to just find out what is it, God? Like, where are you moving? What are you doing? I had a great conversation with her. We shared about family. I would love to say that I brought her to Jesus. I tried everything I could to bring her to Jesus, but she just wasn't there at that point. But I sowed. Someone else will water, and then God will bring the increase. You see, the spirit moves ahead of us, the spirit stirs within us. And number three this morning, the spirit moves through us. You see, God doesn't need your perfection, church, he needs your participation. He's not looking for you to get your stuff right before he uses you. No, the amazing thing about God is that he works in you and through you at the same time. And he wants to work in you and through you to continue to restore and reconcile and heal mankind. Every one of us is spirit-filled for that reason. And uh Smith Wigglesworth once said this: God can do more in a moment when you are yielded to the Holy Spirit than you can do through a lifetime of planning. You see, church, I believe that if we will walk out in the world, into our workplace, more spirit-directed, more believing God to work through our conversation, to sow seeds of the kingdom, that we'll begin to see miracles everywhere, begin to see more miracles around us everywhere we go. You see, I talked at the beginning of the uh introduction about sometimes it's not about God wanting to do the miracle in you, but you being the miracle in someone else's life. Well, about 25 years ago, we had three couples over to our church. They were new to Australia, and uh, and and my wife had invited them over to our house for for dinner. Now, Cherie and I, like we are not even we're not good cooks at all. I mean, we don't cook, we heat and boil. They're about the two things that we can do well, and uh, and so I'm like, Cherie, what are we gonna give these people to eat? I mean, they they'll they're from South Africa, so that they they eat the best meat over there, and uh, and so they they came over and and they were just telling us, you know, of the hardship of moving over to Australia and what was going on in South Africa at the time and the Rand and all of those things, and uh, and and and so they they kind of let on that they don't have much, you know, and uh and Cherie and I had just got married at this point, and we didn't have anything. Any any furniture we owned, I'd built. And uh, and so we um at the end of the night when I went to open the door to let the uh you know to say goodbye to them, the uh the first couple they begin to leave, they walk out with uh uh a bread maker that we owned. And uh and I said, Oh, did Cherie give you the bread maker? They're like, Yeah, yeah, this this will come in handy. I was like, Well, hopefully you work out how to use it. Uh, we didn't, but uh, but good luck. And then the second couple walk past, well, they've got our stereo, right? Now, now, this is a thing back in the day, this is 25 years ago, it was a CD with dual cassette, right? Kids ask your parents, and uh, and and so they walk out with our only stereo that we have. Well, the third couple are walking out with our television. Now, our television's about 42 centimeters. It wasn't a big one, but it was the only one. With the tennis and cricket in summer, you're like you can't even see the ball, and uh, and so so they're walking out with our television. And uh, and I'm like, oh shivers, like, are you borrowing the television? They said, No, Cherie gave it to us. I was like, oh my gosh. And uh, and and and they walked out, and and I shut the door and I said, Cherie, why would you give away our television? And they said, they didn't have one. And and as I looked at the empty cabinet, I knew exactly how they felt. Now, now this is a true story, and I never tell this part of it because I don't want anyone to think that if you do this, God will do this. That's not how it works. But I literally the next day walked into work, into church, and someone came up to me in the front foyer. We'd just arrived, someone came up and said, Lee, do you guys need a television? Well, the first thing I asked was, How big is it? Like, I don't need another 42, I need something that I can watch, see the ball at least. And uh, and she said, I don't know, it's about this big. I said, We'll take it. That's not how God works, it's not you do this and God will do that, but man, it's amazing the way God works. And we didn't give a little television, believing for a big television, we gave a little television because someone needed one. You see, sometimes when it comes to miracles, we pray a lot. God, I want to see the miracle. When God's simply asking us, just use what's already in your hand. Use what's already in your life. You see, some things I believe, church, you don't have to pray for. You just gotta do it and be the miracle in someone else's life, amen. I'll get the band to come up and join me this morning. So when allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, the greatest fruit of the Spirit is always seen in reconciliation, restoration, which obviously includes uh healing as well. But Church, can I again encourage you? Tomorrow morning when you wake up, rather than be me focused, be kingdom focused, God, how can you use me today? And I can guarantee you, Church, just like my television story, Cherie has continued to give stuff away all of our married life, 28 years, but we have never gone without. God always shows himself as provider. Whenever I'm stuck with Cherie, we don't have that anymore. It always seems to come back into our lives. You see, there is is this not working? Is that better? Well, still sounds the same to me. I sound like an 80s robot. I don't know where I was up to. But all that to say, whose miracle can you be this week? Church, if you can be the miracle in someone else's life, you'll find that you don't have to pray for the blessing. The blessing just continues to follow you in Jesus' name, amen. Just like the psalm says, blessing and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, or blessing and goodness will follow me all the days of our lives. I always picture two little dogs that you just walk and those two things just follow you all the days of your life. Blessing and mercy, blessing and mercy. But so often we become so focused on ourselves that we miss the kingdom opportunity. I'm gonna ask you all to stand in this place this morning. As you do, again, just turn to the person next to you and just let them know. That was for you this morning. That was for you. Let's help them with a little bit of conviction. Well, Father, we thank you. We thank you for the honor it is always to participate in your kingdom. Lord, we know that we are spirit-filled, to be spirit-led, to a world that so desperately needs you. Father, I pray for every person in this room. Lord, spirit-filled this week, that Lord, we would look for those divine opportunities. We would yield to that spirit direction. Lord, to be the hands and feet of Jesus where needed, where healing is needed, Father, may we continue to pray. Pray through and see that you are indeed Jehovah Rafa, the Lord that heals. Where people are lacking, Father, I pray that we continue to pray through, to see that you are indeed Jehovah Jireh, the Lord has provided. Father, where there's fear or stress or anxiety, Lord, we know that you are our divine protector. We know that you are the way maker that split the Red Sea and brought the children of Israel into the promised land. Father, I pray that you would continue to show yourself as the way maker, Lord. That where there's cloud of confusion, that you bring about clarity, that Lord, where there's uh maybe unanswered questions, that Lord, you'll be divine wisdom. Father, we know that it's all available to us in and through your Holy Spirit, and I pray for your Holy Spirit just to move right now. Lord, in the lives of your people. If you are in need of healing this morning, just raise your hands to the Lord. Father, you see every hand raised across the auditorium. As Luke records it, the power of your presence was there to heal. Father, I pray for that presence right now, that healing presence. Lord, in and through your people. Lord, that you will continue to reveal yourself. Knowing that you took our sins and diseases on the cross 2,000 years ago, that today we may walk in that divine wholeness, that divine health. Father, I speak it over your people. Lord, where there is lack in this room today, the where people desperately need provision. Father, I pray that you would show yourself as provider. Lord, either miraculously or miraculously through your people. Father, I thank you for what you're doing in and through Hillsong Newcastle. Lord, that you continue to inspire us, encourage us, build us to be the people of God that you've called us to be, to see your kingdom realized, or to see your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Father, we know there's no need in heaven. And Father, we pray for your divine provision upon your people this week. The Lord, where there's stress, anxiety, fearful situations, Lord, we know that fear will try and rob us of faith. And Father, today, Lord, that you would encourage your people to step away from fear and step into faith. Lord, as young Joshua, as you spoke, be strong and courageous. Knowing that the battles are ahead, yes, but you go before us in battle as our divine warrior. Father, I thank you. I thank you for what you're doing in and through your people today. Lord, I pray for that confident assurance. That confident assurance, Lord, that you go before us, that you continue to encourage us and inspire us, strengthen us, to go with you. And Lord, that you continue to open up divine opportunities to sow seed, to sow kingdom seed, that you may continue to water and bring the increase. Father, I thank you for all that you're doing in and through your people. In Jesus' mighty name.