WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.360 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.839 We are so glad you've joined us, and we hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:11.759 Amen. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:16.960 If you have um the scriptures with you, I'm going to go ahead and jump into this passage right now. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.600 The Bible says this in Ezekiel chapter 37, looking at verses 1 through 10. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:29.440 It says, The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.799 It was full of bones, and he led me around among them, and behold, there were many on the surface of the valley. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:36.719 Behold, they were very dry. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:38.560 Somebody say, Very dry. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:42.640 And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.280 And I answered, Oh Lord God, you know. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:51.520 Then he said to me, Prophesy over these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:57.200 Thus saith the Lord God to these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:07.599 I will lay sinews upon you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.680 So I prophesied as I was commanded. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:18.719 I wanna I want to pause there for just a second because there's a there's an aspect of this that that that I think is worth exploring. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:31.439 You see, Ezekiel has been brought into this environment with basically a cemetery that have of people that had not been buried, dry dry bones everywhere, just decay and brokenness as far as the eye could see. 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.159 God gives him some very unique instructions. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:39.680 He tells him to to prophesy, to speak the word of God over what appears to be a dead situation. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:45.359 And and what the Bible says here at verse 7, it says that Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:56.079 There's there's no hesitation, there's no delay in his being obedient to what God's word said, even though, even though it did it looks like they didn't even have the ingredients to hear the word that was about to be spoken. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:03.439 There was no ear canals, there was no, there was no ligaments, there was nothing that would allow the word of God to be transmitted into the reality of their lives. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:15.599 But nonetheless, the Bible declares that that Ezekiel trusted what God said and he was obedient, even though from what he could see, it didn't look as if they had the ingredients that would be necessary for them to respond to the word of God. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:21.280 I've discovered in my life that it's not hard to be obedient to the word of God when we trust him with the results. 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:23.599 And and and I want to encourage somebody in here right now. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:32.879 I believe that when we look at our workplaces, sometimes when we look at our circumstances, we we see what God's word says, but we also see the the decay and the brokenness that is the reality of our own worlds. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:38.080 And if we're not careful, we won't speak the word of God over it because we believe that we won't see the results. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:40.479 But I want to challenge somebody in here today. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.080 I dare you to speak the word over your situation and trust God with the results. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:51.520 I I dare you to begin to look at the the circumstances that's in your workplace and just begin to declare the goodness of God over it and trust Him with the results. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:58.080 The Bible says that as an act of faith, that Ezekiel trusted God with the results, and he spoke the word of God, and there was something that came from it. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:04.000 It says that as I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied, there was a sound. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.560 There was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:14.800 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them, and but there was no breath in them. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:26.639 So he said to me, Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, O Son of Man, say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on thee slain that they may live. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:37.039 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them, and they stood and they lived on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:52.800 Such a such a powerful image of how something that appears to be dead and broken, just with obedience and declaring the word of God over it, allowed it to stand and to live and to be an exceeding great army. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:04:04.879 Today I wanna I want to talk to us about this important topic of how do we respond to the word of God, how do we speak the word of God, but then also how do we activate the word of God in our own lives. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.520 If you're taking notes, I want you to write this message title down. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.919 I simply called this the valley. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.280 Let's pray. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:13.039 God, I thank you for your word. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:18.560 I thank you for this amazing church, God, and I thank you for what you allowed us to be a part of. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:26.000 Father, I pray over the next few moments that as we hear your word, God, that much like Ezekiel, God, that we will we will begin to see things come together, God. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:29.120 We will see some things begin to take shape and take form, God. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.920 We're gonna be obedient and speak as you've commanded us. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.720 So, Father, I pray for open eyes that we can see you. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:41.439 I pray for open ears that we can hear you, God, and I pray for open hearts that we can receive the truth of what it is you want to do in here today. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.160 Father, we give this all to you in Jesus' name. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:45.120 Amen. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:46.959 And amen. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:54.560 You know, I I've I I've always loved this particular passage of scripture because of what of what it represents. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:00.959 When you when you look at this story, in and of itself, it's it's a powerful supernatural move of God, and and and we see that. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:06.560 But but what I love about it is I you get a chance to see the book ends of the kingdom of God at work with the story. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:07.920 And and here's what I mean by that. 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.839 You get a chance to see redemption as well as restoration. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:18.319 Now, I realize that when we hear that, and many times when we say it, myself included, we kind of use those terms interchangeably. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.879 Redemption, restoration, revival. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:22.399 We we kind of use them all together. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:24.399 They all start with R, it just all makes sense. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.759 But but the truth of the matter is there's a distinction between redemption and revival and resurrection. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:35.040 See, redemption is the transaction, resurrection is what you get as a result of it. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.120 Let me make it a little bit more plain. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:41.439 The Bible says it this way it says that the wages of sin is death. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:47.519 That means that the very fact that we were born in the likeness of man, of Adam, we inherited a sin nature. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:52.240 And so what the Bible says is that that payment, in order to cover our sins, something had to die. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:59.600 We see this in Genesis that the moment that Adam and Eve sinned, that there was nakedness, there was, it was, it was revealed to them that they were flawed and they were broken. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:03.120 So as a result of that, something had to die in order to cover their sins. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:09.439 So from that point forward, we kind of see what we call God's redemptive plan beginning to move throughout humanity. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:21.680 So it's this idea of understanding that when Jesus died on the cross, the Bible tells us in Mark as well as in the book of Hebrews that he gave his blood as a ransom, that he made the payment that was necessary in order to make us right. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:24.240 So that means that we have a part to play in all of this stuff. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:28.959 We have a part to play in redemption, we have to take it and apply it to our lives. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.240 But the moment that we do, we have access to some other things. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:33.600 It's it's kind of like this. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:39.279 If I, from the kindness of my heart, decided, you know what, I'm in Orlando now. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.839 I want to give everybody in here seasoned passes to the amusement park of your choice. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:53.839 We would all celebrate, we'd be filled with joy, and as you walked out, our guest services team would hand you the gift certificate that lets you know what you have in your possession now. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:55.839 Please don't actually expect that. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:56.720 This is an illustration. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:58.319 I don't want to break anybody's heart. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:07.199 But if we did do that, you would walk out and you would be given a gift card or something that would symbolize that a transaction took place. 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:16.240 It is now your responsibility to now take that and apply it to your account so that you can get access to all the things that are on the other side of the gates of the amusement park. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.199 This is the reality of what happens when we begin our relationship with God. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:28.319 It's because of the shed blood of Jesus, it gives us access to these things, but our responsibility is to take it and add it to our account. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.600 Because the truth of the matter is none of us could pay the costs. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:36.720 None of us could afford what it would cost in order for us to truly inherit the kingdom of God. 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:44.319 I can't be the only one that's ever been in a place where you've actually like gone shopping and then you've seen the price of something and you try to play it off like it wasn't that expensive. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:45.120 True story. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:51.279 Like my wife and I, not too long ago, we were when we were actually in the process of looking for a home here in Orlando, we were like looking all around. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:54.720 So we saw this one neighborhood and we kind of knew that it was out of our price range. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:55.759 But we're like, hey, you know what? 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:56.800 It doesn't hurt the dream. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:05.439 Plus, I still have this part of my life where I believe that I'll walk into like one of those fancy models, and there'll be somebody in there and be like, the Spirit of the Lord sent me here and told me you were gonna be coming. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:06.879 I've just bought this house for you. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:08.160 Like those things happen. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:10.079 I'm I'm still waiting for mine. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:14.959 So if the Lord is stirring you in any way, let me know what neighborhood to be at, and I'll meet you there. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:19.920 So I love the I love to go in and look at some of these neighborhoods and dream and get decorating ideas. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:23.759 So my wife and I, we're walking through this one, and it's it's absolutely beautiful. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:24.480 It is stellar. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:27.439 We're walking through, everything is so beautifully laid out. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:28.240 We're taking pictures. 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:30.879 They probably think we're gonna come back and rob the place, but it's okay. 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:32.639 So we're we're we're scouting it all out. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:39.519 We we come out, and then of course, it's like you you walk out into like the center, and everybody's there, and they're they want to start having a conversation with you. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:45.600 So as they start talking with us, and she starts like showing us the plot of land and the vision for the community, we're all into it. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:46.879 So I I get down to it. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:52.720 So I'm like, okay, so for the model that we just walked through, ma'am, tell me what's what's the what's the cost for something like that? 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:58.639 And she she looks at me and she says to me unflinching, for that, it's it's 1.5 million. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:05.120 Now, for some of you, maybe you got more money in your bank account than I do, so that may not be a thing for you. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:06.399 I'm in ministry. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:11.039 So when I heard that, there were there was a there was an aspect of that where I wanted to stumble back. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.279 But here's the thing I felt that when she said the statement to me, she was ready to judge me. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:19.200 So I had to like unflinchingly look at her and say, Is that it? 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:23.840 1.5 million? 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:27.919 How did you guys build this home for only 1.5 million? 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:29.840 Like, are you guys using quality products? 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:34.480 Like, now you gotta start like shooting darts at them in order for her to get defensive and start backing up a little bit. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:37.200 But like, oh, hey, okay, okay, look, let's let's get past all that. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:42.240 Um, can I buy two lots, put my house in the middle, and build a six-gar garage? 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:43.120 That's what I'm looking for. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.320 She's like, well, no, sir. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:45.840 I'm like, that's I can't take it. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:46.960 Okay, Megan, we're out of here. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:47.600 We can't. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:49.279 Here's what you've done. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:51.600 I've walked out and I've preserved my integrity. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:55.200 I'm surprised I didn't check our credit when we walked in, but nonetheless, it was all good. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:57.919 But but but here's the point that I'm trying to illustrate. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:02.559 There are moments where we walk in and there's such sticker shock that we know that we can't afford it. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:06.480 Well, that's exactly what it was with us as it relates to our walk with God. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:14.639 There's no way we could afford that all that God had for us, but because Jesus saw it, he paid the price for us, but now it's our responsibility to simply apply to our account. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:24.639 So when we look at this incredible story that that is laid out, this beautiful illustration of redemption and restoration and resurrection, there's a couple of things I want to I want to highlight to us. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:30.879 First first and foremost, we see that we see that this incredible miracle takes place in the valley. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:33.840 It takes place in the valley. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:39.200 And the reason I want to accentuate that is because there's a lot of connotation that's attached to the valley. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:46.799 Whether you're in the church world or not, we understand for the most part that when you think about valleys, it's it's it's a low place. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.240 It's a place where where there's not a lot of perspective. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:52.480 You just you just got to get through it, and we understand that. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:58.799 But then when you layer in the language of the kingdom of God, we often see that that valleys are used in contrast to mountains. 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:09.919 So now when we think about what we understand about valleys and mountains and valleys versus mountains, we all want to be at the place where we have this mountaintop experience, and we just want to get through the valley as quickly as possible. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:17.759 I understand that because the valley can be, it could be narrow, it can be, it could be lonely, it can be, it can be dark, it could be a place of frustration and disappointment. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:23.840 And but what I've what I've seen throughout scripture is that it's in the valley that people have experienced their greatest miracles. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:30.799 It's it's in the valley that people can have their greatest breakthrough, but I do believe it's all a matter of perspective. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.919 See, I believe that there's victory in your valley if you have the proper perspective. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:44.799 We see in several instances in the Bible, I want to highlight just a few of where we see that people had entered into the valley and yet they still experience victory. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:49.039 See, in Exodus chapter 17, the Bible tells us about the children of Israel. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.879 And they had just been liberated from Egypt, and now they're on this journey. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:57.039 And as they're on this journey, they find themselves going through this valley called Refidim. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:58.879 Refedim means rest. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:04.639 So if we put the language together, the children of Israel, they had been slaves for 400 years. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.639 And they finally have gotten liberated after several profound moves of God. 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:16.320 They're entering into this valley that is labeled as rest, and they're thinking after 400 years, we're finally going to get some rest. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:20.399 But it's while they're in this valley, the Bible says that they were ambushed by the Amalekites. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:22.320 They had never even been in battle before. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:26.720 They've never, they never had to wage war, they've never been in a situation where they've had to defend themselves. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.600 But here they are in the valley looking for rest, but now they're in the middle of a war. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:41.200 I'm not I'm not sure if you ever found yourself in one of those seasons where you felt like, okay, um I can finally get to this season of my life, and once I get there, whew, then I'll be able to breathe. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:53.600 I'll I'll finally be able to relax once I, if I could just get to the, if I could just get to the new year, because we all have our new year's resolutions, we have our vision, we have our dreams, and if I can just, if I can just get there, then I will have it all mapped out and all put together. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:58.720 I'll have it all figured out only for us to be ambushed by the enemy. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:06.559 The Bible says that while they were being ambushed in this valley environment, that that Moses took a different position, that he was actually on the mountaintop. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:13.519 And what the Bible says about Moses is that as long as his hands were lifted up on the mountain, there was victory in the valley. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:19.200 So while they were in the valley, there was somebody that was on a mountaintop with their hands surrendered. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:24.000 I don't think that it's something that we should look at as separate, but I think it's something that we look at together. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:31.120 That means that if we can still surrender to God as if we are on the mountaintop, I believe that we can have victory even while we're in the valley. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:37.039 Is it possible for you to be able to worship God in the valley the same way that you would if you were on the mountain? 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:44.879 Is it possible for you to recognize that even though I am in the valley, if I have a heart that is full of surrender to God, then maybe I can still have victory? 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:51.679 What's interesting is that when Moses got tired of having his hands lifted up, they didn't send reinforcements out into the valley. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:53.440 They sent reinforcements out to Moses. 00:13:53.759 --> 00:14:02.320 That means that he was surrounded by people that wanted to make sure, no matter what is going on in the valley of your situation, my responsibility is to make sure that you keep your hands lifted up. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.279 See, hands being lifted up is a sign of surrender. 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:07.200 It's a sign of victory. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:10.559 The Bible says we enter into the house of God with holy hands lifted up. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:15.919 This this is why when we come into worship environments like this, the worship team is leading you to lift your hands up. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.039 It's a sign of surrender, it's also a sign of victory. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:35.759 Because I believe it's when we surrender to God that we experience victory and we're sending a message to the enemy and letting him know though I may be in a season of opposition, I'm still giving God praise, I'm still giving God glory, I'm still giving God honor, and you may not understand it, but I believe that there's a victory in my ability to surrender. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.039 This all took place right in the valley. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:43.759 But in addition to that, I also see that it's in the valley that we have our greatest victories. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:45.519 We see this with with David and Goliath. 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:50.799 The Bible says that that for David and his team, that they were in the middle of the valley. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:15:00.879 And what the Bible says is that while they were in this valley, that Goliath came out, and for 40 days he would go out and just declare these negative things about God's people, declare these negative things about God. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:04.480 For 40 days, I want us to think about that for a moment. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:12.879 Because the way that our minds begin to work, they say that ideally that after we hear something 21 times, it is now built into our brains, and that becomes what we remember. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:16.399 We see it with advertisements, we see it with all types of things, 21 times. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:21.519 So it's almost double the amount of time that the children of Israel hear that they're going to be defeated. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.639 The children of Israel hear that they're that they're not worthy. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:29.360 So for almost 40 days, they hear this statement over and over again. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:32.480 And you know what happens when you hear something over and over again? 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.240 You you begin to believe it. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:35.519 You you don't you don't believe me? 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.000 Watch this. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:45.600 I don't know how many times I have been at a place where I've heard a song that I absolutely hate, but by the 30th time I hear it, I'm nodding my head to it, I'm singing along to it. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:45.919 Why? 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:51.279 Because it's gotten into my mind to such a point that I'm beginning to move as a response to what I'm hearing. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:16:00.000 What are we listening to that we've heard so much over and over again that it literally determines how we move and how we function and what our faith looks like? 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:07.679 The Bible says that with David, he came out on the back end of that, and because he wasn't he wasn't exposed to all of that negativity, that all he saw was the facts. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:10.480 We're in the valley, but I got God on my side. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:19.759 So instead of him being so consumed with what was being said by the enemy, he was more consumed with what God's word said about his situation, and he went into battle and he was victorious in the battle. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:29.039 What I what I love is that when David began to face off against Goliath, he said, That you come with a spear and a sword, but I come in the name of the Lord. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:32.559 David, David was battling and freestyling, and you didn't even know it. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.559 He said, You came with a spear and a sword, but I come in the name of the Lord. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.200 Like he was he was spitting bars and y'all didn't even recognize it. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:43.600 But what David was saying, he was saying, like, I don't care about what the enemy is showing me in my life. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:45.279 I'm not consumed about all the evidence. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:48.799 What I all I know is that I am entering into this valley with faith. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:59.440 And because I have faith, there's this knowledge of knowing that the battle is not mine, it is the Lord's, and I'm gonna go into this thing knowing that I am surrendered, I am victorious, and I don't gotta do it in my own strength. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.159 This all took place in the valley. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:08.400 See, I believe the enemy wants us to believe that if I'm in a valley season, that I just that I just gotta hunker down and get through it. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:16.640 But I believe it's through David's revelation of what happened in this valley when he defeated Goliath that that it inspired these thoughts that we see in Psalm 23. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:25.599 Yea, though I may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil because God is with me. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:30.799 I believe there's victory in your valley as long as you have the proper perspective. 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:40.720 But the truth of the matter is there's also attention that we have to manage because it's in the valley we can be exposed to a lot of different things, and we have to have the proper perspective of it. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:47.599 We see with the prophet Ezekiel that in just Ezekiel chapter 3, he's in what many believe to be the exact same valley. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:51.279 But when he's in a valley this time, he sees the glory of God. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:18:00.799 And what the Bible says is that the glory of God shows up, that it's it's so powerful that he humbles himself, that God speaks to him, lifts him up, and gives him vision and clarity for his life. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:03.920 The same valley, this radical encounter with God. 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:14.000 Then we we fast forward about 34 chapters, and now he's brought back to this exact same valley, and he's seeing brokenness and decay and despair. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:22.480 Have you ever been at a place where I'm in the exact same spot, but it's a different atmosphere? 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:29.680 I'm exactly where I was called to go, but I'm exposed to something different. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:31.839 This really speaks about seasons. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:38.160 And and and for the past two years, my my wife and I, we've actually been living in a in a state that has all four seasons. 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:38.960 Imagine that. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:44.559 And what's interesting about living in a place where you actually see all four seasons, you you gotta you gotta ride it out. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.839 You you have the summertime, you have the spring, you have the winter, you have the fall. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:55.680 But what you realize, especially when you look at like the way the trees grow and you and you look at the way the plants are, you recognize that every season serves a purpose. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:01.200 Same spot, same backyard that I'm looking at, but there's a season where some things may be dormant. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.279 But then there's another season when they begin to grow. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.200 There's another season when they begin to flourish. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:11.119 And what I want to encourage somebody within here, I just feel it in my heart, that right now you may be in a winter season. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.440 Winter isn't coming, it's arrived. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:18.079 And and and now that it's here, you you're you're looking at your winter season and you believe that it's dead. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.359 You believe that there's no hope. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:21.920 But I want to let you know that dormant does not mean dead. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:26.559 And if you can just recognize that maybe you're being exposed to a different season, but it's the same God. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:33.279 And I believe that your spring is coming, I believe that your growth is coming, I believe that your reproduction is coming, but don't leave in your winter season. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:38.079 That's what the enemy loves to stir us up to do, to convince us to step away, even in the winter season. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:48.640 And what we see with this passage of scripture is that Ezekiel has now been exposed to this brokenness and this and this death and this despair, and and now he has to navigate through all of it. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:58.559 What do you do when the valley that you're supposed to be passing through turns into the graveyard where it looks as if your hopes and your dreams are passing away? 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:06.160 Ezekiel was given the responsibility as a prophet and as a priest to now declare the word of God to God's people. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:11.119 They have been in bondage for about 70 years now in Babylonian captivity. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.920 They were 700 miles away from home. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:18.400 That means that they were far away from where they wanted to be and they'd been there too long. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:20.079 Their hope was gone. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:27.200 They felt diffused, they felt defeated, they felt deflated, but yet there was still hope because the word of God had then come to them. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:37.440 So when I when I look at when I look at what's going on, when when Ezekiel is exposed to all of these dead bones that are laying around, there's a part of me that can't help but to ask this question. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.559 How did they get there? 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:51.519 Like how how did this vast army of people end up there and they were not even given the courtesy of being buried? 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:59.839 We're aware that this is a vision that God had given to Ezekiel, but but you know what many believe in in many rabbinical circles in many rabbinical circuits? 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:06.640 They believe that that this was an image of a group of people that tried to leave Egypt before it was time to. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.359 Now, leaving Egypt, that's not a bad idea. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.559 Like, they have been in bondage for 400 years. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:16.880 Why would God not want them to be free? 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:19.920 Why would God not want them to break loose and to go into another direction? 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.079 Why like why would God not want them to do that? 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:27.039 But what they believe is that they broke free before the timing was right. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:32.480 You know, it's it's possible to be in the right place at the wrong time. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:37.440 And what I want to caution us with is make sure that your ambition doesn't outpace grace. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:47.200 There's there's moments where we can be, we can get a vision, we can get an idea of where we feel like we're supposed to be, and if we're not careful, we can allow that ambition to stir us up so much that we actually get ahead of God. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:56.160 And what the Bible is declaring is that maybe, just maybe that these men got out before the grace of God was with them and it left them to be exposed to an enemy that they weren't equipped to fight. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.759 Are you are you fighting a battle in your own strength because you stepped out before God? 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.119 God told you to do it. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:07.200 This is what many believe could be a possibility of what's happening here for these men of God that have been laid out there. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:17.119 So as they're laying there in this in this broken condition, as they're laying out in this broken spot, Ezekiel is given some instructions, and his instructions are simply this to go and speak God's word. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:27.279 But why but but but when we think about it, these men were left out, exposed to the heat, exposed to vultures, until there was nothing left. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:29.839 Nothing left but but bones. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:34.640 I'm not sure if you've ever been in a spot where you just felt like I got nothing left. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.640 I got nothing left to give. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:44.160 I just feel like I've been left out to rot and I have nothing left. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:47.759 And it's often in those spaces that we find ourselves to be the most desperate. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:54.160 But I believe that it's in that desperation we can actually get a breakthrough if the object of our desperation is the right thing. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:58.640 So I remember about 20 years ago from my wife and I, I got into a car accident. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:04.000 And when I got into that car accident, like it I wasn't able to work for about a year and a half. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:08.160 So in that year and a half, things got really, really tight. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:10.559 I mean like really, really tight financially. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.839 We we struggled. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:15.519 That's that's my that's my polite way of saying we were broke. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:16.799 We were broke. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:18.960 We were we were in the middle of the struggle for real. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.960 And and I remember there were these moments where we we we were desperate. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:25.920 We were we were desperate trying to figure out how we were gonna make ends meet. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.039 My wife was the only one working. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:35.680 I couldn't I couldn't work, the hernated disc in my neck, torn ligaments in my back, and for that whole year and a half, can you imagine what that does to the man's identity? 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:39.440 Can you imagine what that does to the man who's supposed to be the protector and the provider? 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:46.799 Like I not only am I dealing with pain going to physical therapy, I'm also just dealing with the the identity issues of feeling like I can't even provide for my family. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:49.440 I can't I can't even provide Christmas. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.960 Not that it's about gifts for my family. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.240 It's it's a it's a spot that I felt in and I was truly desperate. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:24:00.799 And and there were many instances where I felt like I was I was being compelled to just slow down. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:07.119 I I really felt like there was this voice that was telling me, like, man, you need to you need to stop going to church, you need to you need to scale back a little bit. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:14.240 Because we got to a point where literally going to church was a matter of me counting the miles to see if we had enough gas that could sustain us the rest of the week. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:16.640 So here we are, desperate. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:22.480 But every every single time, every time that I felt like there was a voice that was telling me, well, maybe you need to scale back. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:25.920 Here's what I'll tell you God will never tell you not to come to his house. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.839 So it became very simple to me. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:30.400 Is this God telling me not to come to the house? 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:31.599 Or is it the enemy? 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:34.799 Is it me looking at my true circumstances that's dictating it to me? 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:38.960 Because what I don't want to be is a person that allows my faith to be predicated by feelings. 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:44.480 So what I began to do is I said, God, I'm gonna go to your house and I believe that you're gonna honor me as a result of that. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:53.200 God, I'm gonna continue to give the little scraps that we do have, but I see it consistently throughout scripture that when you people give, it's because it's an act of worship and that you're gonna honor that. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.119 In my own strength, in my own logic, it makes no sense why I would do it in church. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:03.359 I'm not here to give you any get rich quick scheme, but what I can tell you is that God will meet you at the place of your sacrifice. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:05.839 And every time we showed up, God showed up. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:08.960 Every time we made an act of sacrifice, God honored it. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:13.920 I don't know who I'm talking to in here, but I believe there's a voice that may be compelling you and telling you to scale back. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:18.319 Ask yourself, is this God leading me to disengage, or is this the voice of the enemy? 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:29.839 I promise you, God will never leave you from a place that He's gonna tell you to stop being connected to community, he's never gonna lead you to a place, he's gonna tell you to stop being obedient to his word, he's never gonna lead you to a place that's gonna tell you to stop being obedient. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:35.920 So, what I'm asking you to do is allow the voice of God to be the narrative that you respond to as opposed to the voice of your feelings. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:41.519 This is the exact space that we that we find ourselves in, just wondering, what do you do in these in these broken moments? 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:47.119 But the Bible says that that Ezekiel was given this this commission to speak the word of God. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:51.279 And when he spoke the word of God, it says that that there was a sound. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:56.480 I want to submit this to you that there's there's a sound in this church today. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:02.799 There's there's a sound in this atmosphere today, and and I'm not I'm not sure if you can feel it, I'm not sure if you can hear it, but there's a sound in here. 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:06.000 See, sound precedes and move of God. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:12.240 We we we see instances in case after case that before God moves, there is this there is this sound. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:18.319 And and what I want you to know is that that word sound, when we look at it in its original language, it has several different renderings. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:23.839 The word sound in English is one way that we look at it, but another version of it would also be shout. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:26.079 There was this there was this shout. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:28.480 In addition to that, there's the word noise. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:32.559 So all three of those words are connected to the same Hebrew word that we see rendered here. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:40.640 So when it says that there was a sound as a result of God's word being spoken, we can interchange and say that there was a shout as a response of God's word being spoken. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:42.880 There was almost like this eruption of praise. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:48.480 And what's so fascinating when we look at it in its original language, it all starts with humanity. 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:55.920 Whenever you see the rendering of this word sound in its original language, it's not like a random sound, like something falling to the floor. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:58.559 It's always connected to humanity making a sound. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:06.240 So here's what I believe: I believe that when the word of God was spoken over a dead situation, that even the bones began to respond with praise. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:10.640 There's there's a power and our ability to respond with praise. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:18.400 We see throughout the Bible this this instance of us telling us to make a joyful noise or sound unto the Lord, Psalm 100. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:23.519 I think it's worth noting to let you know that your praise, even in the midst of your pain, it confuses the enemy. 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:25.680 See, 2 Chronicles 20 tells us this. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:34.079 It says that when they were about to go into battle, the children of Israel, that they they didn't have the skills or the people that would allow them to be successful in this endeavor. 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:38.720 But the Bible says that they sent Judah, which means praise first, into the situation. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:46.960 And the moment that they began to praise, it literally confused the enemy to the point that he turned their swords on one another and they began to destroy one another. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:53.359 I believe that when you are able to praise God in the midst of your situation, it brings confusion to the enemy. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:56.799 Because in his mind, he's saying to himself, I know what you're going through. 00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:58.720 I know that I hit you with my best shot. 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:01.599 How are you coming to church and you're still lifting your hands up? 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:02.960 It confuses the enemy. 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:09.519 When you continue to give God praise in spite of all that you're facing, I believe it makes the adversary wonder why are they filled with so much joy? 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:12.400 Why are they filled with so much peace in spite of what God is doing? 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:18.160 It's because those of us of the household of faith know that God inhabits the praises of his people. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:29.920 And I may be in a minute or in a moment where I'm facing opposition, but because I can declare the goodness of God in spite of all of it, that God shows up, and when he shows up, the power and authority of God shows up. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:35.519 That means that walls are gonna fall, that means the enemy is defeated, and I don't have to do it in my own strength. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:39.599 It's it's worth noting that that there's power, there's power in your praise. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:44.640 And I believe there's a reason why the enemy loves to silence our praise when you when you think about it. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:50.400 Regardless of what our our our our background is, it's it's a it's a it's a point of tension when we come into church. 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:57.279 Because when we all come in with our collective experiences, there's some of us that that are that are just demonstrative and waving our hands. 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:01.119 There's other of us that are that are chill, nodding our head, doing a one-finger thing. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:02.720 Like there's there's a reason why. 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:05.359 It's because sometimes it just feels uncomfortable. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.079 But I'm a sports fan. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:11.039 I've never had that behavior when I go to a sporting event. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:13.359 I've never had that behavior when I go to different instances. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:18.400 Why is it when we come to the house of God, that's the place where we want to be the most conserved and reserved? 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:21.920 Do it, Jesus. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:34.960 Did anybody see me like what are we doing that we can celebrate things in the world, but we can't celebrate what the army of the living God is doing on our behalf? 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:37.680 We're gonna do this right now. 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:40.559 I want everybody in here to just lift their hands up. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:46.000 My God. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:55.599 No one is a weird Christian, no one is weird, but look, but look at this: a room full of people that are surrendered to God. 00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:59.119 I'm surrendered to God, but do you know what your hands are also sending a message to? 00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:06.880 To the adversary saying that I am victorious in Christ Jesus, so I lift my hands up, regardless of what my preference is, regardless of what my comfort is. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:09.359 Can we give God some praise in this place today? 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:20.559 You see, these sounds, they they precede a move of God. 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:28.960 We see time after time that there's these moments where we hear about this move of God that takes place, but first there is this sound, there's a there's a power and you're praising. 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:36.960 And here's the thing that happens after this sound comes, after it erupts from the from the very bones, the Bible says that the ground begins to shake. 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:41.039 That it that the ground literally the ground literally begins to shake. 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:44.480 Now, now that that sounds a lot like an earthquake to me. 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:47.839 That sounds a lot like things being being shaken up. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:59.519 And and and what I know is like whenever the ground that you're standing on literally begins to shake, it's it's possible for us to lose stability, it's it's possible for us to fall down because because we're trying our best to balance ourselves. 00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:04.160 But but here's what I here's what I've learned about the way that you can survive an earthquake. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:12.960 It's imperative that whenever things are being shaken up, the best way to keep yourself from falling and being injured is to simply lower your center of gravity. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:23.200 And if I can somehow lower my center of gravity, even though everything is being shaken up, I have the ability to come at one with the thing that is being shaken. 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:35.119 And then somehow, because I have lowered my center of gravity, which is a posture of surrender, which is a posture of prayer, that is when I'm in this place where my center of gravity has been lowered, that is, God is shaking up the ground. 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:38.160 I believe that He is shaking some things loose off of my life. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:42.000 So while I am in this position, I'm saying, Jesus, shake it off of me. 00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:43.599 Any fear, shake it off of me. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:45.440 Any condemnation, shake it off of me. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:47.200 Any guilt, shake it off of me, God. 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:55.279 I'm asking you to shake it up, and I'm gonna stay in this position until all the things that have attached themselves to me that are not of you, I'm gonna ask you to shake it up, God. 00:31:55.440 --> 00:32:00.000 Shake it off of me, God, shake off the bad relationships, shake off the condom, shake it all off of me, God. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.119 I'm gonna stay here, God. 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:04.880 I'm not gonna stand and do it in my own strength, but I'm asking you to shake it off of me. 00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:11.759 And what I've seen in my life is when I've gotten this position and I've allowed God to shake things off of me, He also begins to shake things together. 00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:24.799 That means that things that should be disconnected, things that were not even in proximity of one another, because I'm in a position of prayer, then not only do broken things come off of me, but then God begins to bring things together that I could have never done in my own strength. 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:27.359 So now I shift to God, put it all together, God. 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:29.519 I know that you're working all things together for the good. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:34.960 And when I look at the puzzle pieces of my life, I would have never been able to orchestrate this in my own strength. 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:40.319 But because God began to shake some things up, because he shakes some things off, he's now shaking it all together. 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:42.559 God is shaking some things up in your life, church. 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:48.720 I believe that God is shaking some things off of you, and you may be losing stability and may not be comfortable, but lower your center of gravity. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:54.720 Trust God and recognize that he's shaking it off of you, he's shaking things up, but he's also gonna shake some things together. 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:58.400 If you believe that in this church today, would you give God some praise? 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.519 He's shaking it up, he's shaking it up. 00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:12.079 Here's four things that I want you to write down because the Bible says that when we engage into this relationship with God, it simply says that we are a new creation. 00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:15.279 Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17 says this. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:18.079 It says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:21.599 The old has passed away, behold, all things have become new. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:23.200 I want you to write these four things down. 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:26.079 I'm gonna invite the worship team to come out and join me. 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:31.119