WEBVTT 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:04.160 Well, the sun is out, the barbecue grills are going. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.759 It is summertime, and that means it is summer at impact. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:16.000 A collection of messages that are designed to encourage you, to stir you up, and to get your faith focused on the fact that God's got an amazing future for you. 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:22.800 So today's word is gonna be tremendous because it's gonna launch you into the next phase of what God is trying to do in your life. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:30.480 But before we get into the word today, let me remind you it is open enrollment at Impact Christian Academy, our pre-K through twelfth grade school. 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:34.719 It just might be the right fit for your beautiful child or your beautiful grandchild. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:40.560 For more information, go to icajacks.com and we'd love to see you be a part of this great community. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:43.600 Now let's dive into this rich word today. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:10.719 And in the CSB it says, Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance in the sin that so easily ensnares us. 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:14.799 Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.920 It says it in a different way in the amplified. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:40.799 It says, Therefore, since we are again surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who by faith have testified to the truth of God's absolute faithfulness, stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence, the race that is set before us. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:55.439 Now the thing that jumps out at me and that I want us to focus our time on is that the author of Hebrews refers to the things placed in our path meant to slow us down in our race as weights. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:02:06.560 And in order for us to live in this year of fierce focus, in order for us to do what God is asking us to do, we have to give up the weights. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:13.280 And so today, if you're writing in your notes, or if you want to know what the title is, it's simply give up. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:19.199 Now, I don't know if you know me, if you've uh heard me speak before, maybe we've had a conversation. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:23.680 Something about me is that I used to run cross country. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:33.039 Now, don't ask me how I started, don't ask me how we got there, because I was just walking in the hallway one day at school in middle school. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.439 Uh everybody knew I wanted to run track and field. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:40.960 I wanted to be a short distance runner, 100, 200, 100 hurdles, 200 hurdles, that kind of thing, right? 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:52.560 And so somebody came up to me and they said, you know, the greatest way to prepare for track and field is in the winter you want to run cross country. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:56.719 Now, the people who are laughing know that that was a lie. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.319 Cross country sucks, okay? 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:08.159 Cross country, what you do is you wake up between 5 and 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:12.159 You're in middle school or high school, so Saturday is the most important day to you. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:17.680 And you go to some field somewhere and you just run a 5K. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:20.080 And then you're wondering, like, is that it? 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:21.360 Yes, that's it. 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.680 All you do is you get up and you run, and you do that again next week and the week after. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:30.800 That is not good training for short distance running, right? 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:35.439 And even worse than that is the stuff that they ended up making me wear. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:48.800 So I thought, see, some of you already know, I thought it was just gonna, you know, we wear our gym shorts and and you know, a t-shirt, maybe like, you know, a little tank top wife beater, that kind of thing. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:50.560 Tell me why. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:04:00.240 Have you ever seen a middle school boy wearing two-inch inseam butterfly shorts? 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:08.080 If you don't know what butterfly shorts are, it's where the outside of your thigh, the thing is actually higher than the inside. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:12.479 And then they had you wearing stringer tank tops. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:17.920 They're called stringers because it's a string that's holding it up on your shoulders, right? 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:31.120 And so I was asking, why on earth do you have me out here in what can only be described as undergarments running these long races? 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:34.079 Like, why can't we just wear our normal exercise stuff? 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:43.439 And how the coach explained it is because you're running long distance, any extra weight that you add onto your race could be the difference between first and second. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:58.399 And what I want to tell you today is I believe that God is saying the same thing that any extra weight that you add on your race pulls back the level of faithfulness that you're actually able to walk through with God. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:06.480 And I'm sure that many of you are accustomed, you might be asking, well, I know that weight vests are a real thing. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.600 I sometimes I go to the gym, I see people wearing weight vests. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:19.920 Sometimes, you know, if you've ever been to run club or you've ever been to a race, you'll see people with vests on that that weigh 20, 40, 60 pounds. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:22.079 You're like, what the heck are you doing? 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:26.079 I thought this was supposed, I thought we were supposed to be trying to win, right? 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:39.839 But many of them will tell you that weight when you're training is actually helpful because when you wear weights when you're training, it makes it easier on your cardio to run without them in your actual race. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:53.360 And what I want to submit to you is while extra weight has its uses in training, every athlete knows that when it's game time, you cannot afford to have anything slowing you down. 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:02.480 What's important to us is that right now you are not in practice. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:08.480 You are in your race, you are running your race. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:18.160 I don't know if this is just me, but many times God has revealed something to me, something that I should give up, something I should put to the side, right? 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:24.480 And and my response is, man, it's been going pretty cool without it. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.920 Like without without dealing with this weight, without dealing with this thing. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.000 And sometimes it's a lot of effort to deal with this thing in my life and all this stuff. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:38.959 But what I want to tell you is that when you're running a race, you cannot afford to have anything else on your back. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:46.160 In other words, give up the weights or give up the race. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:53.120 You can be performing, some of you are faster than you think you are. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:58.240 Some of you can handle more than you think you can. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:02.879 Some of you are destined for greater than where you are now. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:11.759 And the issue is not your capacity, the issue is that sometimes the weights hijack our capacity. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:15.839 So you may feel like you're weaker than you actually are. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:20.800 You're actually very strong with 60 pounds of weight on your back. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:29.839 I want to give us three areas in which I believe God is asking us to give up. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:37.680 And as we're saying these, I believe that some of these areas are not new for you, but some of them are reminders. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:45.519 What I want to challenge you with is it's so easy to just throw certain things on the wayside and uh, oh, I know we're supposed to do that. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.079 I know that that's kind of what God asks us to do. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.040 But no, really, let's examine our hearts today. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:57.920 Because I believe that God can do something amazing when your heart is connected to his word. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.399 So, first, let's say, give up. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.000 We are going to give up offense. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:09.040 We are going to give up offense. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:14.639 Many of you might know the story of the Tower of Babel. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:19.439 But if you don't, then I want to just go over some of it really quickly. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:24.879 In Genesis chapter 11, where the story is held, it says something really key for us. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:34.639 And in the first verse, it says, And the whole earth was of one language and one accent and one mode of expression. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:39.440 In other words, all of humanity was unified. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:45.120 It doesn't say that all of humanity was unified and doing great things. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:49.600 It doesn't say that all of humanity was unified and their motives were really great. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:52.000 It just says that they were unified. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:09:02.559 And so what they chose to do with their unity was they decided we're going to build a tower that's going to be so high, it's going to reach into the heavens, and we're going to be on the same level as God. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:07.200 They were trying to exalt themselves to the level of and even above God. 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:08.559 That was their motive. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:10.320 That was what they set out to do. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.240 It was not blessed by God, and this is how God deals with it. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:18.720 But he says some important stuff as we move on to verse 6. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:30.960 There the Lord said, If they have begun to do this as one people, all having the same language, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:39.360 Come, let's go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another's speech. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:45.440 So from there the Lord scattered them throughout the earth, and they stopped building the city. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:10:01.919 These people with terrible motives were all together, and just based off of their unity alone, God said, if they continue to do this, there's nothing that's going to be impossible for them. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:12.639 And so when God sought to derail their plans, he did not send a plague, he didn't cripple their physical capabilities. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:18.240 What he sought to do was he attacked the thing that unified them. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:23.840 He attacked their unity, he attacked the thing that brought them together. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:30.240 What I want to submit to you is that the devil does not have anything new. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:43.679 And that the same thing that God did to those who were wicked in Genesis chapter 11, the enemy's been running the same play on the body of Christ for years and years and years. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:44.639 How do I know that? 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:53.120 Because I have never met anybody who can outpetty a person from the kingdom of God. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:55.440 Never. 00:10:57.440 --> 00:10:58.080 Never. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:21.360 Which tells me that the enemy has been trying and attempting and has been working on getting a foothold in this area of strife, in this area of unforgiveness, in this area of offense, because he knows that when people are unified and especially unified under the banner of Jesus Christ, that there is nothing that is impossible for them. 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:32.559 But if you look around, there's there's so much disunity, and I believe that that comes from interpersonal strife. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:46.320 In James 3, verse 16, it says, Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every kind of evil. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:49.919 Every kind of evil. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:12:12.080 I remember when Pastor Wayne first showed me this scripture, and it was eye-opening because what it meant was that oftentimes the evil that we see in the world, the evil that we see in certain churches, the evil that we see in certain people, it can be traced back to offense. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.440 It can be traced back to bitterness. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:29.279 What I want to say to each and every one of us is this quote every single thing that God desires to do in your life can be derailed in your heart. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:46.399 The reason we have a responsibility to forgive is when we don't forgive, when we hold on to offense, we swing the door wide open for the enemy to wreak havoc in our churches, in our homes, in our relationships. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:53.360 And oftentimes it's a it's a trap because we feel like we deserve to feel that way. 00:12:55.279 --> 00:13:13.039 I remember it was some years back, I was dealing with offense with somebody, and unrelated, I was going to this church conference and um to see one of my mentors, and God moved so mightily, everybody falling out, speaking in tongues, all this stuff. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:14.159 It's crazy, right? 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:27.600 I'm kneeling before the Lord, enjoying myself in the presence of God, and I'm kneeling, and I know that I'm holding on to this thing with this person, and and I'm kneeling, I'm speaking to God, and I feel his presence and all these things. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.279 And he says two things to me. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:36.399 Number one, he says, You're offended with this person, and you need to give up that offense. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:42.799 I thought that I had a right to be offended because look at what they did to me. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.639 Look at how it hurt me, look at how it affected my family. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:50.480 But I knew that I was supposed to forgive. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:56.320 And so when God said that to me, revealed it to me, I was like, okay, you got me. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.080 I'll forgive, right? 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.519 I'll I'll easy enough. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:00.000 Great. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:00.799 I'll forgive. 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:03.279 I'll I'll do that thing, I'll check that off. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:08.080 And but the second thing that God said to me was, and you need to go to them. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.200 You don't even know the second part of what I said. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:14.320 That that hurts your oh talking? 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.039 Ah no, no, it really hurt. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:27.039 He said, You gotta go to them and you need to apologize for being offended with them because I told you to stop, and you didn't. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:32.559 I was like, that can't be right, right? 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:40.639 I that can't be right because I didn't do anything, they they hurt me, and so I'm struggling with this all the way home. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.080 The conference was in Daytona. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:45.360 Uh I uh it takes me almost two hours to get there. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:54.240 I can usually get back from Daytona in like one hour, don't tell the police, but but I was thinking, so I was going driving slow. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:06.240 Um, so I get home and I'm kneeling before God again, and and I'm like, Lord, I know this is what you told me to do, but my heart won't let me. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.879 Can I tell you that's what happens when you hold on to a fence for so long? 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:19.600 You hold on to it because you think you're entitled to it, and then when God asks you to stop, or when you know it's time to stop, your heart won't let you. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:21.440 That's why it's important. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:27.600 If you feel yourself beginning to get bitter, beginning to get offended, and you're in this place right now. 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.919 What I want to tell you is it's easier now than it will be. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:38.320 But I'm in, but I'm in this place, and I say, God, my heart won't let me. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:43.840 But this is such a picture of what God will do to a surrendered life. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.399 I say, I can't do this. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:52.879 But I will with your help. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.039 I can't do this on my own. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:00.799 There's there's no way that I can do this, but Lord, if you help me, I'm willing. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.200 And you know what happened? 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:10.559 That second, I can only describe it as God supernaturally softening my heart. 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:17.919 At that moment, my heart became soft towards that person, and I was able to carry out what God had for me. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:24.000 And can I tell you that there was so much blessing surrounded with that, so much reconciliation. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:34.879 If you can, and this is where the enemy gets us it's always better to walk with someone if you can. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:44.720 There are some people I can't walk with, but if I can walk with somebody, that's always gonna be better than just letting them walk by themselves and balking by yourself. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.799 And so there was blessing surrounded with it. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:47.759 But what do I want to say? 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:59.840 I want to say that some of us feel like it is impossible to forgive, it's impossible to let that thing roll off our back, it's impossible to let quote unquote let stuff slide. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.319 But if we are willing, then God will meet us right there. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:15.599 And it's important because, like we've said before, if you are struggling with offense, then the door is open. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:17.599 Let's close that door. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:20.079 Say, give up offense. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:25.359 Second, we have to give up secrets. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.160 We have to give up secrets. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:34.640 Everybody's throat is really not clear over here. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.000 That's crazy. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:39.119 Go on ahead, Jesus. 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:39.680 Okay. 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:54.480 In Matthew 12, Jesus has cast out a demon, and the Pharisees are saying, well, he was only able to do that because he's the prince of demons. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.839 And Jesus had to get them right real quick. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:09.599 And in verse 25 of Matthew 12, it says, And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:14.559 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.799 How then will his kingdom stand? 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:27.359 What Jesus was referring to is that the Pharisees accused him of living something outwardly that was not his inward reality. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.920 He was not the Prince of Dons. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:37.680 But what they were saying was, oh, he must be this, even though what his hands are doing is the opposite. 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:49.279 And what Jesus said is whenever the work of your hands and what you do behind closed doors doesn't match up with the truth that you know and you believe, eventually you won't stand. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.799 So what does that have to do with secrets? 00:18:52.960 --> 00:19:05.839 What we do, even behind closed doors, what we do with people we're not supposed to be with, what we do in situations that we're not supposed to be in. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:14.160 Especially for those of us who know Jesus and know his word and know what he's asked us to do. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:24.559 When we live in that tension between doing something we know we're not supposed to do, we are actually living in a way that is incompatible. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:39.599 Your actions not only don't match up with your inside, but your actions cannot allow you to walk in full health and healing if they don't match up with what you believe. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.759 It's an incompatible life. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:56.799 It reminds me of Genesis chapter 3, where amen, where Adam and Eve have sinned against God. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:04.319 They have eaten of the tree, they wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil, and they did the thing that God commanded them not to do. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:22.160 And it says it in verse 8, it says, Then the man and the and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:34.000 The first instinct that they had when they sinned, when they went against what they knew to be true, was that they isolated themselves and they hid. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:47.119 Can I tell you, when we take actions and choices that are incompatible with the truth, it does a few things first. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:50.160 Our shame reframes our identity. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:59.519 We begin to label ourselves whatever we've done instead of the label that God's given us. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.799 Shame will make you think that you are only what you've done. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:19.839 And when that's hidden from other people, when and that can't be corrected, the longer that you live with that hello, my name is sign hidden from people, the more it actually begins to seep into who you believe yourself to be. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:27.920 Next, we believe ourselves to be isolated from other people. 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:36.559 What happens when we live with secrets is it becomes us versus everyone else. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:59.759 As evidenced by as we go forth in Genesis 3 in 12 and 13, when God is pressing them as to why they ate of the tree, what Adam says is the woman that you gave to be with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:05.839 It's now I have to cover my back. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.200 It's me versus her. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:16.400 How often do we lash out of people thinking that we need to cover our back when really they're just asking if they can help us? 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:28.160 Because if you notice, he says that woman that you gave me, he's blaming God for asking what happened to him. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:37.680 The next thing that happens when we live incompatibly is that God's presence seems far away. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:43.039 God's presence seems far away. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:52.000 Adam and Eve knew God personally better than almost anybody that we read in the Old Testament. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:58.480 So if God is omnipresent, they walked with him in the cool of the day, all these things. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:02.319 Why on earth did they think they could hide from? 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:06.079 You see him every day. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:13.759 They thought that their sin drove a wedge in their relationship. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:20.240 Because the thing about God is that he could have popped up right in front of them. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:24.880 And another thing about God is he knew what they did wrong. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.279 So why is he asking questions? 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.599 What happened? 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.200 Why did you eat it? 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.640 Why is he asking questions? 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:37.759 Because at the end of the day, God was looking for them because he was concerned for them. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:46.720 But they believed that their relationship had been driven away because of the sin that they were trying to keep secret. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:56.240 And the last thing that happens when we live incompatibly is we begin to believe the lies that we tell other people. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.720 You ever told somebody you're good and you're not good? 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:04.400 For sure. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:20.559 But but so often when we when we answer these questions without engaging with them for real and really thinking about what we are, I've noticed sometimes I know I'm feeling down, and somebody will ask me how I am, and I'll just default to I'm great. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:26.079 I'm not sharing with them what's going on, I'm not sharing with them what's happening. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:34.720 What's going on is while the inside of me may be hurting, I know that this is the answer that quote unquote people want from me. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:36.559 People need from me. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.759 What would happen if we asked people truly how they were? 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:47.519 And people, knowing that we really wanted to know, we answered them. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.119 We begin to believe the lies we tell other people. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:25:00.559 The thing about secrets is they don't separate us from God. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:10.640 We separate ourselves from God because we believe that these secrets have some type of power to remove us from his presence. 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:24.720 In James 5, 15 and 16, it gives us the blueprint on how to get healing from these secrets, from the things that are hidden. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:34.400 A lot of us know verse 16, therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:38.319 The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:40.640 That's a verse that we often know. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:47.279 But if you go back to 15, it tells you the importance of this scripture. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:52.799 In 15, it says the prayer of faith will save the sick person and the Lord will raise him up. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:59.440 And then it goes to say, if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:18.000 The healing that James is referring to in the scripture is not just the kind of physical healing, but it's also a it's a it's a reworking, it's a restructuring, it's a reminder of your identity in Christ. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.559 God has already forgiven you. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:25.680 But do you remember when our pastor was talking about the journey of Peter? 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:31.599 And when he said that Jesus called for his disciples and Peter. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:37.359 Because Peter needed a reminder that he was still a disciple. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:47.680 In the presence of accountability and people who are real who will pray for you, sometimes you need a reminder that you're forgiven. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:57.680 And what secrets will try to tell you can separate you from the love of God, you will get a reminder that nothing can separate you from the love of God. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.720 Nothing can stand between you and the presence of God. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:05.359 There is nothing that's big enough, there is nothing that's bad enough to unforgive you. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:09.200 They would need to put Jesus on the cross a second time if that was true. 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:12.079 But he went once and for all. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:22.720 Now, it does not say that any person you're supposed to be real with. 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:38.960 It speaks about a biblical community, it speaks about people who are righteous, it speaks about people who are walking with God, and just really quickly, the four things that I look for in biblical community is number one, they desire God's will for your life. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.680 Not just their own, but God's will for your life. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.119 Number two, they're with you in mourning and in celebration. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:49.119 I know people who won't talk to me unless I'm doing something big on Instagram. 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:52.640 Those aren't your community. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:55.599 They're your fans. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:01.759 And the thing about fans is very rarely will a fan call you out. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:10.480 But you need people who are with you in your good times and your bad times, in your morning and your celebration, when you're on and when you're off. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:14.160 Third, they point you back to the word of God. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:29.039 A lot of people got podcasts, and they have some really good opinions, but at the end of the day, the opinion that you need when you are walking through something is the opinion of the Lord God Almighty. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:34.160 And last is they believe in the power of prayer. 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:42.079 Conversation is great, but it does not say that the conversation with a righteous person is very effective. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:45.759 It says that the prayers of the righteous are important. 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:50.559 And at the end of the day, we need God's power in these problems. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:29:06.960 There's a quote that our pastors say that Pastor Blue Win says, that Pastor Chris from Church of the Highlands says, and it sticks with me every time I hear it, it says, we are always as sick as our secrets. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:17.839 But when we're sick, there is good news is that when we confess our sins to one another, we're actually healed. 00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:24.799 And the last thing that we need to give up is we need to give up worry. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:35.680 I'm sure many of us know in Matthew 6 where it says, so don't worry, saying, What will we eat, or what will we drink, or what will we wear? 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:44.240 And I think it's so important that we actually jump in on this because worry and faith can't cohabitate. 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:48.240 Anything that you're worried about, you're not in faith for. 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:10.079 Which means that if our mind is fighting this fight of faith and worry, that's double-minded. 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:23.200 And so if the enemy knows that, if the enemy knows that nothing can stop someone who's in faith for the promises of God and walking upright with him, then what he's going to attack is your faith. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:30.880 He's gonna attack you with worry, he's gonna attack you with trying to figure it all out on your own. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:51.680 But God is a provider, but God has many names in the Bible that you did not decide to call him, but he called himself, he's your healer, he's your provider, he's your banner of victory, he's the Lord of heaven's armies. 00:30:52.799 --> 00:31:06.319 And I want to say this quote if you're struggling to figure out this worry thing, oftentimes the area in which we worry is an area in which we have not surrendered. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:17.119 If you're worrying and and you can't seem to slow your mind, if there's something that keeping that's keeping you up at night, then good news, you have the path out. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:19.759 You need to lay that thing down on the altar. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:25.519 It's a lot like owning a home versus buying a home. 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:30.799 I've owned my home for several years now, and in the winter my AC went out. 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:35.359 It's not a problem in the winter, it's the summer. 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:44.559 And I had to drop five figures on an AC. 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:46.319 It hurt. 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:50.400 It it legitimately my heart hurt. 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:56.160 I but I've been in other living situations too. 00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:02.400 I've lived with roommates, I've lived in other situations with renting and and subletting and all those things. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:13.039 But in those places, if if the AC went out, I would not call the AC manufacturer, I would call the landlord. 00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:17.039 And I would say, sir, your AC is out. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:30.319 And what I would do if there was any more struggle is I would show them the contract at the what I signed at the bottom line that said that they would supply any of the things that needed to happen in the house. 00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:39.599 And what I want to tell you is too many of us are trying to live with a landlord property manager mentality when our lives belong to God. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:48.720 And if my life belongs to God, that means that this sibling who doesn't do right, hey, this person that you created is not doing right. 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:53.200 And you know, based on the covenant I have with you, that you turn this around. 00:32:53.359 --> 00:33:01.759 When I don't have provision for my family, I say, Hey, this family that you gave me is struggling, and we need a move from God. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:14.400 I'm not trying to worry about all this stuff myself because I have a provider who makes sure that every need that I have is covered according to the riches in glory. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:32.720 There's a king in 2 Chronicles, his name is Jehoshaphat, and he's fighting in a war, he's fighting armies, many armies have have have come together just to take down Judah. 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:36.400 And Jehoshaphat, he does three things. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:40.000 The first thing that he does is he prayed. 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:42.559 That's right. 00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:45.920 I thought that was my son for a second. 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:47.759 Thought he was giving me my strength. 00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:57.200 Now, in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 and verse 6, he said, Lord God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? 00:33:57.359 --> 00:34:00.720 And do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:05.359 Power and might are in your hand, and no one can stand against you. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.240 What is he doing? 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:10.400 He's reading the contract, he's reading what God said he would. 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:13.679 He said, You called yourself a friend of Israel. 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:14.960 I didn't call you that. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:18.719 You called yourself the Lord of heaven's armies, I didn't call you that. 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:29.440 He goes on to say, Are you not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before, and your people Israel who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend? 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:38.480 The first thing that he did is he prayed, and he did not pray from a place of lacking confidence, but he prayed from a place of knowing who his God was. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:45.039 The second thing that happened was that God himself answered him. 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:55.360 There was a prophet who came up to Jehoshaphat after he prayed, and he said, Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. 00:34:55.679 --> 00:35:05.199 This is what the Lord said do not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God's. 00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:11.119 What happened is that the landlord came in and he said, You're right, I'll take care of this one. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:18.239 And the third thing that happened was Jehosaphat praised. 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:30.559 In verse 21, he said, Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of his holiness. 00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:40.159 When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing, Give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love endures forever. 00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:42.480 In verse 22, it turns around. 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:56.320 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord sent an ambush against the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Ser who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. 00:35:56.480 --> 00:36:07.119 Some of you have children who have not who have not submitted themselves to God, and instead of worrying on their behalf, you need to worship on their behalf. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:11.760 Some of you have job needs that you don't know how they're gonna get taken care of. 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:18.400 And instead of worshiping, worrying to try and figure out this job, you need to worship to figure out this job. 00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:25.039 They weren't praising just because they knew they were gonna get them out, they were praising because they knew who God is. 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:41.280 Great is his faithfulness, great is his ability to provide, great is his power to heal, great is his ability to deliver, he is Jehovah Rapha, our healer, he is Jehovah Jira, the provider, he is the Prince of Peace. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:48.000 If you haven't been sleeping, then you ought not to worry about it, you ought to stand up and worship about it. 00:36:49.360 --> 00:38:52.559 Because he is the God who makes the way out of nowhere, he is the lion of Judah, he is the lamb who is swayed, he is the sacrifice of Sister Road, He is the one who saves, He is the one who heals, He is the flood on your doorpost, He is the angel that delivers you, you wanna give him a shout Give him a shout out, so we're gonna go see the four years. 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:34.480 Just the voices, it's shocking We are crazy Come on all over the building, can you lift your hands? 00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:58.239 There is a God who loves you, there is a God who cares for you, there is a God who wants to meet you in the middle of your need, but it doesn't come when we worry about it, it doesn't come when we make our own way through it, but it actually comes the less you think about it, the more God does. 00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:06.400 Because when you worship God, you give him all of your attention, you give him all of your devotion, you give him all of your praise. 00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:07.360 Did you notice? 00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:11.440 We did not ask him to provide for us in that song. 00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:15.519 What we said is great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:22.960 So when a need shows up in your life, you say, Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. 00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:31.440 There is a God who loves you and He needs you to lock in with Him. 00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:36.800 This year of Fierce Focus, we are worshiping the King of Kings. 00:40:37.760 --> 00:40:39.519 You can take your seats. 00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:45.840 And as we take our seats, go on and bow those heads and close those eyes. 00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:53.599 I believe that for many of us, this was a reminder, but for some of us, this is the first time you've heard something like God loves you. 00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:56.320 That there is a God who cares for you. 00:40:57.039 --> 00:41:03.280 This might be the first time you've heard some things like he's the lion of Judah and the lamb that was slain. 00:41:03.760 --> 00:41:14.639 Well, I want to tell you right now, He loves you, He died for you, so that you could spend eternity, not in hell, but eternity forever with Him. 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:19.199 And not just that, He wants to take the weight you've been carrying. 00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:27.920 And so if you've never made that decision, if you've never prayed that prayer, I want to um put your attention to the seat back pocket in front of you. 00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:30.960 There is a card that says say yes to Jesus. 00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:32.159 It's a white card. 00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:36.400 And on the count of three, I'm gonna ask you to hold that card up. 00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:39.519 And all that does is just let me know who I'm praying for. 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:42.800 There's nobody looking around, trying to see whose hand is up. 00:41:42.960 --> 00:41:45.360 This is a moment between you and God. 00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:50.159 So on the count of three, lift those cards up for me. 00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:53.039 Three, two, one. 00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:54.800 Come on, lift it up. 00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:56.000 Lift it up. 00:41:56.159 --> 00:41:57.440 I see that hand. 00:41:58.800 --> 00:42:01.519 Come on, in the left section, I see those hands. 00:42:01.760 --> 00:42:03.039 I see that hand. 00:42:03.440 --> 00:42:04.800 Oh, this is amazing. 00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:07.039 God wants to do something great in this family. 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:08.079 I see that hand. 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:09.039 Thank you, God. 00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:09.920 I see that hand. 00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:11.039 I see that hand. 00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:19.920 Well, we're all going to pray together, and I'm gonna ask everybody to repeat after me say, Dear Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. 00:42:20.159 --> 00:42:27.280 I know I've messed up, but I know you sent your son to die for those mistakes. 00:42:28.159 --> 00:42:32.159 Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart now. 00:42:32.719 --> 00:42:34.400 Come into my life. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:36.159 Save me now. 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:45.119 I commit to following you for the rest of my days, and I know that right now I am born again. 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:46.719 In Jesus' name. 00:42:46.960 --> 00:42:48.320 Amen, amen, amen. 00:42:48.400 --> 00:42:52.480 Can we give it up to everybody who made that decision for the first time? 00:42:52.800 --> 00:42:55.039 Did you just make a decision for Jesus? 00:42:55.280 --> 00:42:56.559 Welcome to the family. 00:42:56.719 --> 00:42:57.440 We're so excited. 00:42:57.519 --> 00:42:59.360 Trust me, we're clapping for you. 00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:02.559 And we believe that you've made an important decision today. 00:43:02.719 --> 00:43:04.639 We'd like to help you on your journey. 00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:09.280 So if you'll follow the directions that are on screen, there is a free book you can download. 00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:12.480 It's going to take you five to ten minutes of your day for the next seven days. 00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:18.960 But our pastors have put together some amazing resources that we believe will help you on the journey ahead. 00:43:19.119 --> 00:43:23.760 If you don't want it, nobody's going to email you, text you, bother you, anything like that. 00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:26.960 We just want to make sure you are successful in your walk with Jesus. 00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:30.000 Now, let me tell you, one of the things you should consider is baptism. 00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:36.000 And if you're in the Jacksonville area, we do baptism after our first weekend service every month. 00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:40.000 And you can just scan the QR code that's on the screen, sign up for that. 00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:44.159 I'd love to be a part of that journey with you, or any of our ministers would. 00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:52.320 If you don't live in town, we do believe you should find a Bible-teaching church and at least go get baptized, even if you're still going to watch our service. 00:43:52.559 --> 00:43:54.719 But download that book, it's free. 00:43:54.960 --> 00:43:59.360 We're excited for your journey ahead, and we can't wait to be a part of that. 00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:03.920 Now, this is a part of the service where we also demonstrate our generosity. 00:44:04.079 --> 00:44:07.119 If you're just checking us out today, you don't feel any pressure to give. 00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:12.719 But for those of you, this is your church, you know that we are generous is one of our core values. 00:44:12.880 --> 00:44:16.639 And so you can give online or you can give through our app, which I really like. 00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:18.800 You have the Apple Pay option right on our app. 00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:22.960 Just go to your Google store or your Apple store, download the We Are Impact app. 00:44:23.039 --> 00:44:28.000 It's also a great way to study notes that um come from the sermons that you watch on here. 00:44:28.079 --> 00:44:30.400 And there's a lot of events on there as well. 00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:32.559 But you can give through that app. 00:44:32.639 --> 00:44:37.280 It's super easy, and we're just grateful that you partner with us week after week. 00:44:37.440 --> 00:44:39.280 Well, we're so excited you joined us today. 00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:42.400 Hope you have an amazing weekend, and we'll see you next time.