WEBVTT 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:05.120 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:06.879 Thank you so much for listening today. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.519 We hope it encourages you and inspires you. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:11.359 Here's today's message. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:18.320 With every hand lifted up, I want us to be a moment that we all can participate in. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.440 We're just inviting the presence of God in here to do what only He can do. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:29.920 You see, right now what is happening in the throne room of heaven is that there are angels that are declaring the holiness and goodness of God. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.200 And for the longest time, I used to believe that they were created to do it and they had no other choice. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:47.759 But what I've come to understand is that they're not doing it because they don't have a choice, but they have a they have a reverence and a revelation of the power and the enormity and the gloriness of God that it compels them to come to a place of worship. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:54.240 You see, what I want us to understand is that what the day of Pentecost is for us, it's the day where the veil of the temple was torn in half. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:01:02.479 It's a moment when we're getting to recognize that we get a chance to get a glimpse of the throne room of heaven and we have access to it because of the blood of Jesus. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:13.439 So when we say all hell, King Jesus, it's because God, by the death of Christ and his resurrection, grants us access into the throne room where we get a chance to see the sacrifice of Christ. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:15.760 We get a chance to see the glory of God. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.400 We get a chance to see miracles that have taken place. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:23.519 We get a chance to see that the architect of life is still available to every single one of us. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:32.159 I'm talking to a couple of people in here that knows what it's like when you're at the end of the very end of your rope, but God comes through and performs a miracle on your behalf. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:37.920 I'm talking to a couple of people that may have had an encounter with God that radically changed everything in their lives. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:40.400 Father, you see every hand that's lifted up. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:45.519 We celebrate the goodness of God and we are gloriously thankful for what you've done. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:48.000 We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:54.239 We're so grateful that you would pour him out and make him available to empower us to do what you've called us to do. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.480 We couldn't do this in our own strength. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:03.120 So, Father, it's only the response of your people to say, Oh hell King Jesus, you are truly worthy. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:08.319 You are glorious, that you would allow us to partner with the vision that you have for all of eternity. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:22.400 God, who is man that you are mindful of us, but but yet here you are with us, walking with us, Father, and we stand on the truth of your word that you will never leave us nor forsake us, that we may walk through dark times, but you are the architect of life and you are with us. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:27.840 So it's in that space that we give you all glory, all honor, and all praise. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:31.680 A faithful church says, Amen, amen, and amen. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:32.719 God bless you guys. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:34.960 Let's put our hands together for the goodness of God. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.000 Amen, amen, amen. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.159 I want to invite you guys to go ahead and take your seats. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:55.439 We're gonna we're gonna share an abbreviated message and we're actually gonna get back um into um a time of worship at the end that I believe that God really wants to do something, um, something powerful in every single one of us. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:03:02.719 I I can sense that that God is already speaking and stirring and doing some things uh amongst our community. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:17.039 You know, today is the day of Pentecost, and and and maybe you've heard that phrase, maybe you've been around church for a period of time, and maybe you're you're familiar with what today represents, but I do want to take a moment to just give you some context on why we celebrate today. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:20.800 Why is it such a big deal in the body of Christ? 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:26.080 You see, there this the day of Pentecost is the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:30.719 Ultimately, what the day of Pentecost represents is the birthday of the church. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.000 We we often celebrate Christmas, and and we should. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:37.680 It's the birth of Christ and everything that we now have access to because of that. 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:44.159 We we celebrate resurrection Easter Sunday because of the empty tomb and what that means for us as followers of Christ. 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:49.599 But but we also celebrate the day of Pentecost because that's the birth of the church over 2,000 years ago. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:04:01.520 That's when we became an assembly of people that that gather, where evangelism and mission work, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit and the varying gifts and the ways that we function now that continue to express itself. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:02.879 So we celebrate that. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:06.560 And I want to take us back to when it all started. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:09.360 In Acts chapter 1, verse number 8. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:20.399 This is after Jesus has has already died and he was already resurrected, and he spent some time around his disciples, um, preparing them for this next stage, preparing them for the church. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.879 They spent about three and a half years following Jesus, being mentored and discipled by him. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:31.600 But but then Jesus says that there's another step before you guys are activated to go out into the mission field. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:44.720 At Acts verse 1, chapter 1, verse 8, it says that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:53.199 Jesus gave them very specific instructions that there's something that I need to pour out and put in you before you can do what I've ultimately called you to do. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.399 And what's so fascinating about this is they do it. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.920 I want to give you guys a very quick life hack. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.040 You can write this down, and I want you to embed it into your mind. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:08.160 If you want to see a move of God, move to the places that he tells you to move to. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:10.160 Let me say that again. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:15.040 If you truly want to see a move of God, then we have to do what he told us to do. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:19.360 I think oftentimes we're asking God, why haven't you moved in this situation? 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:22.560 And he's asking, Why haven't you moved in this situation? 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:31.920 Why haven't you positioned yourself in the environment that I told you to go into so that you can anticipate and expect that I was going to pour out and do what I say I was going to do? 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.439 What the Bible says is Jesus tells them to go back to Jerusalem. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:38.560 This environment that would have been very scary for them to go back to. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.439 This is the very space that Jesus was killed in. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:46.639 This is the very space that they were being hunted down and they could have been viewed as the next up. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.680 But Jesus tells them to go back into the space that you're afraid of. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:57.920 They go back to this upper room where Jesus takes them and has his last supper with them, and there they wait for 10 days. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:08.560 They're just there waiting for 10 days, and and and they're gathered together and they're waiting and they're patiently waiting, and they remind themselves that we're not going to move until the Spirit of God shows up. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.480 I don't believe that they knew that it was going to happen on the day of Pentecost. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:19.279 I think they were just being obedient, but the Bible says in Acts chapter 2, starting here at verse number one. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.800 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:28.639 Suddenly, the sound of a violent rushing wind had came from heaven and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:38.959 They saw tongues like flames of fire separate and rest on each of them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in different tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:41.439 The Holy Spirit was poured out. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:45.279 What I want to encourage you to do is read all of the book of Acts. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:07:02.319 That would be my first thing to encourage you to do, but but at minimum, at least read all of Acts chapter number two, because you then get a glimpse of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the instructions that Peter gives to church, and then subsequently how the church is birthed and moved and why we function the way that we do even now, 2,000 years ago. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:08.800 The book of Acts is a beautiful illustration of the early church that I believe God wants us to function in even to today. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:18.399 I I want to speak to us for just about 10 minutes or so because I want to get back into a space of worship and do our best to just be sensitive to what God wants to pour out in us today. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:22.720 But I do want to speak to us and give us some context around the day of Pentecost. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:26.720 And if you're taking notes, I want you to write down this message title. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:32.639 Turn to someone next to you and say, There was a sound. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:37.839 I want you to say it in a very studious way, the way that we say, There was a sound. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:40.560 There was a sound. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:48.240 The whole day of Pentecost, it was all inaugurated, it was all activated by that phrase, there was a sound. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.360 And then God showed up and everything changed. 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.680 Lord, I thank you so much for your word. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:55.680 I thank you for this incredible community. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:04.079 And we're so thankful for the day of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and and who he is and what he means to us individually and corporately. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:07.759 Father, I just pray over the next few moments that you give us open eyes to see you. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:13.120 I pray for open ears to hear you and open hearts to receive everything that you want to deposit in us today. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:14.399 Holy Spirit, you're welcome. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.439 We we decrease, we ask that you increase. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.879 We we want to be a blank canvas for anything that you want to do in us today. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:22.560 It's in Jesus' name that we pray. 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:23.360 Amen. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:25.439 Amen and amen. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:31.759 My family and I, we we just got back um from a family vacation. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:36.559 In fact, we we literally just got off of our cruise ship um late yesterday afternoon-ish. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:41.120 Um so if you see me up here wobbling, I'm not drunk in the spirit, and I'm not drunk with anything else. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:47.600 I'm literally just trying to get myself re-established with being on the ground after being on a ship for the past about seven days. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.480 That last night coming back in, man, we hit some rough water. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.879 So, like it, your boys, your boys floating right now. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.720 So y'all just y'all just pray for me right now. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:02.559 Um, but we just came back, and here's a couple of things that I've that I've learned that we have now this annual rhythm of going on vacation as a family. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.559 Vacations are a lot of work. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:15.440 Um and and I'm and I'm coming to the conclusion that um I need to take a pre-vacation before I go on vacation, and I need to take a post-vacation when I get back from vacation. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:19.279 Because everything that goes into it, it can sometimes be stressful. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:28.559 Like when you when you really consider everything that goes into it, and and all of us, we're we're busy, we're we're working, we got life, we got so many things that are going on, and then all of a sudden that vacation day is coming. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:34.639 And so while you're prepping and while you're trying to pack and you're getting everything in order, it can it can create a little bit of tension in the household. 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:47.840 So while Megan and I are trying to pack and prepare, our our children are packing and preparing, for whatever reason, we're supposed to be so happy, but there's beef because somebody didn't do the dishes, and and and there's all this other dynamics and drama that just begins to rise up. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:56.240 And so I remember on that final day as we're about to leave for vacation, this moment that we had already paid for, this moment that we had been excited about, I'm like, man, I don't want none of y'all to go. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:59.759 I don't know if I want to be on a ship for seven days with y'all jokers. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:04.639 Like, I don't even know if I want to go right now, but but here we are, I've already paid for it and there's no refunds, I check. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:06.159 So here we are. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:12.639 We're we're we're riding, we're riding down the street, and as we're riding, that's when like Megan's like, hey, do you did we did we unplug the iron? 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.519 I'm like, I hope so. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.120 Because I'm not turning around. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.600 At this point, man, the house isn't sure, it'll all work itself out. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:20.720 Like we're we're just riding. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:22.720 Did we let the garage door down? 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.159 I hope so. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:27.840 If not, man, then it's just God's blessing for whoever because we were negligent. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:28.720 I don't know what to tell you. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:29.440 We're just going. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:30.799 So we're riding down the street. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:35.120 There's this tension in the room, and and I can't even remember what the argument was about. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:40.399 But I can I'm 95% sure that I was right and Megan was wrong because that's pretty much how all of our arguments go. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:41.519 Because I'm I'm never wrong. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:43.759 I'm preaching, I have the microphone, and this is my truth. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.000 Um so we're we're riding. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:52.480 But but Megan in her divine brilliance, as we're riding and the vibe is off, we're just riding and everybody's there, kind of silent. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:55.919 She puts on our vacation playlist. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.840 Does anybody have like a vacation playlist? 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:02.320 Let me let me pastor y'all for those who don't. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:03.840 They like, what's vacation, man? 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:04.720 Okay, let me help you. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:08.559 There's a time when you take a break from work and you go somewhere other than where you live. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:09.840 That's called a vacation. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:14.399 The best thing you can do to support that is have a vacation playlist. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:17.679 A couple years ago, we put together a vacation playlist. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:20.080 And and I don't know what I don't know what it is. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:21.120 Y'all have to forgive me. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.919 I don't know what it is about Bob Marley. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:35.279 But anytime, I don't care what my mood is, when I hear don't worry about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:39.840 It ministers to my soul in a way that only gospel music traditionally could do. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.600 I don't I don't know what else to say. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:47.519 I'm riding and I hear that, and all of the stress and worry and anxiety begins to wear off of me. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:50.799 All of a sudden, I'm transported to a tropical island. 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:53.360 I I got a daiquiri in my hand, it's virgin. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:56.639 Um see y'all thought y'all caught your boy tripping. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.919 I know in my audience. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:59.279 I'm I'm I'm I'm good. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.279 I got my feet up, I am, I am chilling. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:01.919 It's amazing. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:02.480 Watch this. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:09.360 It's amazing how the sound of something can transport you to a different place because it communicates something so powerful. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:17.600 We we all probably have heard songs and and commercials and jingles that we hear to this day, and we're immediately transported back to childhood because we remember it. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:24.559 It's something powerful about the way that sound has the ability to take you from where you are to another location altogether. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:32.399 You see what I'm saying is that God speaks to us in scripture through themes and and patterns and types and shadows, what we call it. 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:39.679 And there's something to be said about whenever there's a significant move of God, there's always a sound that takes place first. 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:41.039 There was a sound. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.519 When the children of Israel were about to invade the promised land, there was a sound. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:49.279 That that when Gideon was about to go off into battle, there there was a sound. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:13:00.559 In fact, even in Leviticus chapter 19, when God descended onto the mountain and gave the Israelites the word of God, when he gave them the law, it was initiated with a sound. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:09.360 In fact, when you look at the descriptions of that sound, that sound that they heard in Leviticus 19 is the identical sound that we read about in Acts chapter 2. 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:13.120 And that sound was literally the sound of the throne room of heaven. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:15.200 Think about this for a moment. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:24.159 That when God manifests himself, he typically manifests himself with the power of wind, he manifests himself with fire, and then there's this sound that ushers him in. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.840 Even Paul says that when Jesus comes back, he will descend from heaven with a sound, with a shout. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:34.480 Whenever there's a major move of God, there's a sound that has the ability to shift the atmosphere. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:50.320 So for the people that were in that room who were students of the Word of God, when they heard the sound of the rushing mighty wind, when they saw the fire that came down in the form of the Holy Spirit, they immediately recognized that this sound transported them into the throne room of heaven. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:54.879 In this moment, they recognize that heaven has now visited earth. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:14:01.360 That this idea when Jesus says, on earth as it is in heaven, that's happening right now. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.919 This is a powerful moment that they're now being able to participate in. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:11.840 And the day of Pentecost is another symbol of the power of the presence of God being poured out on his precious community. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:20.879 You see, the day of Pentecost, it was a feast that was celebrated that acknowledged the provision of God, it acknowledged the direction of God, but it also acknowledged the power of God. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:22.320 It spoke about deliverance. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.200 See, there's another link that we see in the day of Pentecost. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.200 Pentecost literally means 50th. 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:30.879 This took place 50 days after Jesus was resurrected. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:36.720 It took place, uh, the initial one took 50 days after the children of Israel were set out of Egypt. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:40.399 There's something that God is communicating to us through that number 50. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:46.720 In fact, every 50 years in the Israel country in the Israel culture, it's the year of Jubilee. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.559 Watch this, this gets even better. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:15:00.480 Did y'all know that the way that God created that system was that every 50 years, no matter what your debt was, no matter what your bondage was, no matter what your struggles were, they were all wiped clean. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:03.360 Every 50 years, they call it the year of Jubilee. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:10.480 So that meant that even if you sold your family off into slavery, because that was a custom back then, every 50 years everybody got restored. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:19.120 So when we think about what the day of Pentecost represents for us, it is a day that we celebrate the freedom that God has given to us. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:23.519 But we don't have to wait 50 years to experience that our debts have been paid. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:33.919 We don't have to wait 50 years for us to experience the freedom that the chains that may be on us have been broken off, that every day we have access to the freedom that God makes available to us because of the Holy Spirit. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:40.960 The Holy Spirit literally allows us to inhabit all of these beautiful, precious holidays all in one single moment. 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:44.240 And what those are are those ingredients for revival. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:48.240 We we often talk about what does it take for us to experience revival? 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.279 What is the adequate definition of revival? 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:57.519 We we love the concept of revival, and and when we look at what revival really is, it's the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.960 It's studying the book of Acts. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:07.279 Revival is found where there's repentance, revival is found where there's generosity, revival is found, there's a lot of different components that are connected to revival. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:16.879 But there's three things that we see in this text that help us to really get an understanding of what biblical revival looks like and how we can activate it in our own lives. 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:18.799 Here's the first thing that we see in this text. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:21.759 If we're talking about the ingredients of revival, unity. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:29.200 The Bible says in Acts chapter 2 that they were all together in one accord. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:33.279 Now I want you to understand that unity is not uniformity. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:47.440 They were coming from different cultures, different backgrounds, different regions, and many of them had different languages, but somehow the Holy Spirit brought them all together, and there wasn't a diversity of perspectives, but there was singularity of vision. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.840 And that vision is that Jesus is Lord. 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:58.639 When we're talking about us trying to figure out how we can be a people that can experience revival, how how can I experience revival in my own family? 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:01.679 It's only going to happen when me and my wife are unified. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:05.039 How can we experience unity and revival in our church? 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:07.359 It only can happen when we become unified. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.079 How can we begin to talk about revival in our city? 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:17.359 It's when the churches stop functioning like businesses and we start working together, and then we can begin to see revival takes place in our city. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.279 That's how we begin to transform states. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.119 That's how we begin to transform our country. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:29.599 That's the only way we're going to see revival, is that we actually come together instead of exalting to things that want to separate us, it was coming to a place of unity. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.920 Where there's no unity, there is no revival. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:37.599 And what God is looking to do is He's looking to bring His people together so that we can experience true revival. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:41.359 I want us to think of each one of us as instruments in God's orchestra. 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:52.880 And we all have different sounds, we all have different melodies, but as long as we're reading from the same sheet and being led by the same conductor, God can use those distinctions to create a beautiful symphony that draws people closer to him. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:58.400 But we have to be people that are willing to play our part and stop trying to step on other people's toes. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.519 There was unity in that space that activated revival. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.400 The other thing that's an ingredient for revival is prayer. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:07.279 Where there is no prayer, there is no revival. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:12.400 That prayer is actually the ingredient that helps us to stay ignited and fired up. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:16.240 The Bible says that they were in this room for 10 days. 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:18.000 Ten days. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.680 Now I have been raised under the discipline of prayer. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:26.720 My spiritual father taught me that it's important that we prioritize praying to God. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.640 So I pray all the time. 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:32.480 I I literally believe when Paul says pray without ceasing, that's something that we do. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.440 Sometimes I'm praying in a spirit, sometimes I'm praying in understanding. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.240 Sometimes I'm praying walking in a store, but I'm meditating on God. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.920 I believe in the power of prayer. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:41.519 But let me be honest with you. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:48.400 Like if I were to tabulate like my longest, like straight time prayer, like if I were to put it on a clock and say, How long have I ever prayed? 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:50.720 I would say maybe two and a half hours straight. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:52.799 Maybe three. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.640 Ten days? 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:01.039 Like you're in a room praying and worshiping God for 10 days. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:10.559 Now, I I I would love to believe that I have a measure of patience, but I'm the type that's like, man, if I prayed for two hours and God didn't move yet, then it's time for me to move on. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:14.000 But but what if God wants to do something on the third hour? 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.640 What if God is looking to move on that fifth hour? 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:19.680 What if God is looking to move on that sixth day? 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:26.319 It makes me think about that story of Jacob where he's wrestling with God and he says, Lord, I will not let you go until you bless me. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:34.720 That that Jacob made up in his mind that I'm not gonna pray once and let it go, but I'm going to pray until I see a radical transformation take place in my life. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:39.839 I I know that some of us need revival right now, and maybe we're thinking to ourselves, I prayed about it already. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:46.559 I've talked about it already, I've invited somebody in on this soul situation already, but I want to encourage you to continue to pray. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:51.599 Prayer is the flame that allows our fire inside to continue to stay kindled. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:56.559 If you think about a campfire, it requires us to tend to it before the flame burns out. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:01.920 I've found just quite practically wherever people are struggling the most is the areas where they're praying the least. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:10.720 But if we can become people who learn how to pray and seek after God and his ways, it not only changes us, but it draws us closer to him. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.680 That prayer is absolutely an ingredient for revival. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:18.720 But the other thing component, the most important component, is the empowering presence of God. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.000 See, that third component is something that we can't manufacture. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:33.599 In all of my years of ministry, I've I've I've often seen and read books and heard people put on conferences on what's the secret sauce on on how we can get the presence of God in our churches. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:39.839 And somewhere along the lines, 15, 20 years ago, we we said, hey, you know what will help God along? 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.839 Let's let's put smoke machines in. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:42.799 That'll help. 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.839 We need to help God out. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:48.319 Let's put a whole bunch of flashing lights to create. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:49.920 We need to help God out. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:59.920 And we call it setting the atmosphere, but I've I've learned nothing sets the atmosphere for the presence of God and for Him to move more than obedience, prayer, repentance, and people that are unified together. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:10.559 I I don't I don't want to be a church that manufactures a moment in the presence of God that you can't stimulate in your home and you're wondering, well, how come you're not experiencing revival in your household? 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:17.440 I would much rather teach you how to pray in silence than allow us to create something that you are unable to sustain on your own. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:27.680 What the Bible says is that while they were together, that they were praying and seeking after God, and there was a sound, the presence of God came in and it literally shifted the atmosphere. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:33.359 What I want you to know is that this is something that He's enabled and empowered and equipped every single one of us to do. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:45.599 What it says is that the Holy Spirit poured himself out and that the gifts of the Spirit were activated, that Peter preached the most profound gospel message that has ever been spoken, that 3,000 people got saved in one day. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:55.599 The same Peter that rejected and denied Christ a couple of weeks ago was the first one to preach that gospel message in that context, and 3,000 people got saved. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:59.680 How good is the God that we serve, that He's not holding our faults against us? 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.319 But he's looking for the people that are the most available. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:04.400 That's encouragement for every single one of us. 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:06.640 The Holy Spirit is poured out. 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:14.559 Lives are transformed, gifts of the Spirit are activated, and people begin to get clarity on the mission and the vision that God has given their lives. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:16.240 There was a sound. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:19.279 That sound radically shifted the atmosphere. 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:20.240 There was a sound. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:30.640 That sound ushered in the presence of God and it and it gave birth to the church and it bring it brought healing and gifts to people that allowed us to now activate and work as ambassadors of God. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.240 There was a sound. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:42.559 And what I've learned about these sounds that God will often come in that that lets us know that the presence of God is in the room is that that sound is not something that is ever silent. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:49.519 See, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:54.799 And sometimes it may not be an audible sound, but it may be a sound that you hear in your spirit. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:23:02.960 And as I draw near to God in His Word and I begin to strengthen my discernment, there are times that I can hear things in my spirit that maybe my ears don't hear. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:09.759 And right now, as I look around this room and as I begin to sense the activity of God, I can tell you there's a sound. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:13.359 There's a sound of the presence of God that is moving amongst every one of us. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:14.640 There is a sound. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:17.680 And that that sound is a sound of freedom. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:19.759 That sound is a sound of healing. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.519 That sound is a sound of breakthrough. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:23.519 That that sound is a sound of miracles. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:25.759 That that sound is a sound of signs and wonders. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:28.079 There's there's a sound amongst us, church. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:35.920 There's there's a famous um there's a famous thing that I read about an air base that was planted in the middle of a community. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:40.960 And that they would do their their training and their drills at all times of the day and night. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:48.000 And before long, the the neighbors had begun to complain about the sound, which I completely understand, but but there's literally nothing they could do about it. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:56.480 And so so somebody on their media team decided to put a billboard up and said, Pardon the noise, it's the sound of freedom. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.359 I like that media team. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:11.359 I'm sorry that the sound may be a little aggressive, it may be a little bit loud, but but this is a sound of us strapping our discipline so that we can be in a position to defend us in a moment's notice if something were to jump off. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:16.240 I believe that that same that same message is here for us right now. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:26.400 For some of us, as we begin to lift our hands up and praise and worship God, it may sound like noise to somebody else, but it's sounds that are going into heaven that's ushering in the very presence of God. 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:29.839 Pardon my praise, but it's the sound of freedom. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:34.960 Pardon my worship, but it's the sound of me giving God all glory, honor, and praise. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:40.000 Pardon me, giving God reverence because I know where I've been and I know where God's leading me to. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:47.440 Pardon me as I begin to lift my hands up and give God all glory and honor because I know the restoration and what he started in me, he's going to finish. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:48.880 Pardon the sound. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:53.200 And as I look around this room, there's a sound that God is speaking over every one of us. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.119 I believe that there's a sound of gifts being activated in some of us right now. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:59.920 I believe that there's a there's a sound of healing. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:01.599 I believe that there's a sound of restoration. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:06.160 I believe that there's a sound of us experiencing revival. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:11.039 We're gonna take a moment and we're gonna go into some time of worship. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:19.759 And what I want us to do is every one of us collectively to take a moment just to begin to meditate on what is it that God is speaking to you. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.720 This altar is going to be open. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:28.400 The last service we had, we had so many people that came down to the altar, and here's the thing that I'm gonna do differently. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:36.000 I I'm not going to beg, I'm not gonna convince, I'm I'm simply going to make it available. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:45.680 What I know is that as we step out to meet God at the place that he invites us to meet him at, he meets us there. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:49.680 The altar is simply the meeting place with God. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:54.480 Maybe you're in here right now and you simply just need a touch from God. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:58.000 Maybe you're in here right now and you just want to be spirit-filled. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:01.440 Maybe you're in here right now and you just want direction or clarity. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:05.039 Maybe you're in here right now and you need something restored in your life. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:20.319 What the day of Pentecost made available to every single one of us is the empowering presence of God that activates gifts, that brings healing, that gives us direction, that gives us vision, that empowers us to be who God's called us to be so that we can do what God has called us to do. 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:23.839 I want to invite us all to stand on our feet as we prepare to go into worship. 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:25.839 The team is going to lead us now. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:34.000 And as they lead us, I want to I want to invite you to just take a step out, to come down here and meet me at this altar. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:40.319 As we are worshiping, I'm gonna come up and I want to pray for a couple things specifically, but believing that God is gonna move and do some things. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:57.519 But what I know is I know that there's a sound, there's a sound of of restoration, there's a sound of healing, there's a there's a sound of revival, there's some things that God is stirring and doing, and it's gonna require us to get out of our comfort zone and and to step up and meet God where He's speaking to us at with an expectation that He's gonna pour His Spirit out. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:59.839 Heavenly Father, I thank you. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:03.200 We thank you, Father, for the day of Pentecost. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:06.720 And Lord, is it's always been my heart's desire. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:12.960 As Pastor Vinny preached last week, we don't want to lead the people to just an experience. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:15.519 Holy Spirit, you're so much more than that. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:23.200 Father, we're looking for life transformation, we're looking for revival, we're looking for chains to be broken off, God. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:28.799 And I hear the sound of revival, I hear the sounds of miracles, I hear the sounds of healing. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:38.319 So, Father, as you begin to minister to us, allow us to be like those saints in the book of Acts where allow us to simply be in a position where we're unified together. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:46.240 Allow us to be people who are simply praying and not fainting, who are standing still with hands lifted up, declaring the goodness of God. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:28:04.319 And Father, we're believing that your spirit is gonna fill this room, that you're gonna empower your people, you're gonna pour your spirit out, and that blind eyes are gonna be open, God, that we're gonna see some signs and wonders and miraculous things that take place that we can say, surely we have been in the throne room of heaven, and the power and presence of God is on the inside of us. 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:05.920 So, Father, have your way. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:07.839 We wanna be blank canvases. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:14.160 Speak to us, stir us, meet us where we are as we speak Jesus over our lives and over our church. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.920 Come on, church family, let's worship. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:17.119 Thanks again for listening. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.880 We hope you enjoyed today's message. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:23.279 We'd love for you to subscribe to our podcast and review and share what you heard today. 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:29.200 If you'd like more content like this, or you'd like to connect with us, go to celebrationorl.org. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:30.640 We hope you join us next time.