The Rock Family Sermon of the Week
The Rock Family Worship Center is a multi-cultural non denominational church led by Pastors Scott & Britt Silcox.
The Rock Family Sermon of the Week
Ordinary People - Pastor Jenny Errlingson
Pastor Jenny continues our series "To Be Contiued..." delivering a stirring message about faith and boldness, challenging us to stop exempting ourselves from what God wants to do through us regardless of our perceived inadequacies. She unpacks the powerful story of Peter and John healing the lame man at the Beautiful Gate not through their own resources, but through what they carried of Jesus.
• The disciples carried a promise of signs to follow, a commission, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit
• Boldness isn't about personality type but spiritual inheritance available to all believers
• What we cultivate in the secret place determines what we carry into the marketplace
• We can only give what we have, so proximity to Jesus is the prerequisite to operating in His power
• God responds to our hunger for more of Him, not our attempts to manufacture spiritual experiences
• Faith is attached to Jesus, not our past experiences or disappointments
• The world isn't ignoring the supernatural – Christians must not exempt themselves from their spiritual gifts
• Boldness begins with believing what God says about us and coming confidently to His throne
Let's open our hands to receive what God has for us, and release what doesn't glorify Him. Come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in your time of need.
Welcome to the Rock Family Sermon of the Week. For more information about our church, please visit therockfamilytv Now. Join us for a message from our special guest speaker.
Speaker 2:I'm excited to get to share with you guys. We're going to talk about faith and boldness. Today we're going to share, but I am just so thankful to be trusted to share with you guys. We're going to talk about faith and boldness. Today we're going to share, but I am just so thankful to be trusted to share on the stage, and there's going to be several of us, different people, who are going to be coming in to share with you on Sundays, and this is so beautiful because we're an example of this very beautiful body that we have not just worldwide but in this church. And so my prayer is that what I release to you, that God breathes on it and I'm giving you a different, maybe, facet of himself that maybe you haven't realized, because it's coming in this almost six foot tall Nigerian American package. You know what I'm saying. So I pray that you that something, that you receive something from that. But I want to encourage you that, even in the midst of my hey siblings, and in the midst of my stuttering and stumbling or my words, holy Spirit speaks a better word. So, in Jesus' name, lord, would you look into our hearts? Lord, I thank you for what you've been doing over these past few weeks and, honestly, over 25 years of this house, god, I thank you, lord, for stirring up hunger. God, I thank you, god, for setting our gaze on you. God, I thank you, lord, god, for all the things that you're trying to do in our lives to accomplish the things that you've set in place for us to agree with the identity that is ours, to step in Lord. So, even this morning, god, as we continue to go through Acts and continue to talk about your gifts, lord, god, I pray in Jesus' name. Holy Spirit, would you speak deeply? Would you continue to uncover? In the name of Jesus, would you point out the areas that maybe we've placed before you, god, would you loosen hindrances? In Jesus' name, god, would you, god, take off the covers and even the filters that we've looked at you through? In the name of Jesus, whether we've been a part of your kingdom for decades or this is the first day we're walking into this building, you have something for us and we're going to set ourselves up to receive in Jesus' name. Amen, to receive in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:So I want to read this word to you, found in Acts, chapter three. I love this because it makes me think of that song. Y'all remember that old song, kirk Franklin Silver and gold, right, silver, and yeah, okay, anyway, I'm going to read it, I'm not going to sing it, I promise, I promise. All right. Acts three. I'm going to start with verse one. Now.
Speaker 2:Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer plug for Tuesday nights, the ninth hour, and a certain man, lame, from his mother's womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called beautiful, to ask alms from those who enter the temple who, seeing Peter and John about to go in the temple, asked for alms and, fixing his eyes on him with John, peter said look at us. So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking, leaping and praising God. This is an incredible miracle that takes place through the obedience, the boldness of Peter and John. Now the disciples have come from this moment.
Speaker 2:Pastor Chris talked about it last week. Pastor Lisa so beautifully opened up this series for us, talking about the Holy Spirit. But they've come where. What did Jesus say to them? Right, wait on me, I'm going to come upon you, I'm going to bring the Holy Spirit upon you.
Speaker 2:We're going to go to those verses in a moment, but I want to remind you that in this instant he was saying yes, multitudes are coming to my church. This is a global movement that I'm doing, but it's also a personal abiding that I want to have with you. I want to do things through you personally. Right, I don't want it just to be this group where sometimes we can disengage. We're like well, god's going to do it through them, god's going to do it through Sicily, right, god's going to do it through Samson, he's going to do it through Silas, and we step back and exempt ourselves from receiving what God has for us. My encouragement for you today I'm just going to go ahead and give you the end at the beginning is that you do not exempt yourself from what is yours and what God has called you to walk in. Right, because the enemy can't do it. Right, if you call yourself a believer, you have stepped into a new kingdom. Right, there's an inheritance that is yours. But what we'll do is exempt ourselves and say that doesn't apply to me. Right, that's somebody else.
Speaker 2:Because what do you guys bet? Let's talk about this. This is what was displayed in Scripture with Peter and John. But I bet you, among the group that stayed in that upper room, how many of them had similar stories? Among the group that stayed in that upper room, how many of them had similar stories Going back in their everyday lives fishermen, artisans, tent makers, working in the palace how many of you guys want to bet they had encounters with the Lord? They said that in boldness with other people, and healing came right In other situations. Just because we're reading about Peter and John here does not mean it wasn't happening with other people, does not mean God doesn't want to do it through you, right? So, but let's go back a little bit.
Speaker 2:So let's go to the next slide. I want to. Let's go on the journey to see kind of what God has said throughout the scripture. Okay, he was setting them up for more. So Mark 16. And these signs will follow those who what Believe, follow those who what? Believe. All right. So, like, if you're a believer, there should be an expectation. God, you're going to do something, right? Remember, I just told y'all right, it doesn't matter where you are, turn aside to look. Oh, okay, there's prophecy, okay, there's a tongue. My God, that messed me up, right, right so, and so, god, like, turn aside and look and see what God's doing In my name. They will cast out demons. I love there's. I think it was babe, what was it?
Speaker 2:The easy to read version, I think we put it on the prayer guide. It said I think they will push out demons. What was it? They'll force them out. They will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents and if they listen because I know we had denominations I don't know where you came from, but it says if okay, please, don't step from this place, go to some kind of little cesspool, pick up a serpent.
Speaker 2:No, don't do that, okay, please, please, don't do that, right, don't be like my son trying to bring in every spider and fly and insect and lizard into our house in Jesus' name, trying to pick up worms, like one day in Iceland. My husband sends me a video and that child has the biggest earthworm I've ever seen in his hand wants to adopt it as his pet. And I said, in the name of Jesus, no, no, that's not happening. Y'all anyway, y'all know how I feel about worms, the only like thing that the Lord mentions in hell. Right, the worm does not die. What man say less? Right, say less, I ain't going. Okay, goodness, all right, okay, it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
Speaker 2:I love this because, like, the prerequisite is not necessarily the doing of those things, but it's just belief Believe and these things will follow you. It takes a little bit of the stress off, right, because maybe we're just like okay, god, how do I, how do I? He's just like believe in me, follow me, and then these things will follow you, I'll take care of it, all right. Then he says to them, when he appears to them before he ascends peace to you, as the Father remember this has sent me. Think about what he did when he was sent I also send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them in anticipation of the outpouring at Pentecost and said to them receive the Holy Spirit, receive the Holy Spirit. And in Acts 2-4, it says and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This is what was taking place before this encounter in Acts 3. Veterans this is what was taking place before this encounter in Acts 3. Opening up my hands to receive is such a big part actually of, like, my devotional life, my relationship. Right now I mean physically I'll keep my hands open because I don't want to exempt myself from not only receiving what God has for me, but releasing what it is that I need to release.
Speaker 2:And talk about words of prophecy. Many of you guys probably know this if you've read one of my books or maybe you've heard me say this before, but I want to share it. On the overflow of Pastor Chris talking about prophecy, last week there was a moment I don't know how many years ago now we were actually at a friend's house having a worship night. Maybe some of you guys remember that she hosted this for our Verge team, and so we were there worshiping and Adam, I think, was singing worship and I remember seeing the Lord come to me like a lion, just in my thoughts, like I was, just like he was just approaching me and he said, jenny, I'm roaring away all the lies you have believed, because out of that, no, a few years before then we had some deaths happen and friends close to us. And I remember thinking, like you're, this line of the tribe of Judah, but I don't feel very safe with you, like you're just, why are you not showing up? Why are you not bringing healing? Why did you not bring resurrection? But that line came to me and said he said I'm roaring away the lies.
Speaker 2:And so after that night, when we were leaving, my friend, ms Sheba, because she calls me out I love it, no one else will call me out like she does I heard mm-hmm, you know, you know, lindsay, after that service or after that worship time, she said I have a word for you, but it's kind of hard to say this to you, but I want to be obedient to what God's saying, I want to operate in boldness. And she said that basically I'm not going to go into all the details of it, and I was dealing with so much we were processing through Iceland. Do we do this? There were things going on in my family where I was kind of getting triggered, if you will, by the past holding so tightly, even when we would discuss Iceland, I was just like, nope, don't want to hear it. Nope, wall up, I'm not even going to approach that right. I think I was dealing with a little bit of postpartum after my third, a little bit.
Speaker 2:But she comes to me and says the Lord says that your hands are like this around your husband's neck in this season. Where he goes next is up to you. And she had no idea that we were praying about Iceland. No idea then also that the Lord, thank God, had just come to me like a lion, saying I'm roaring away the lies, and she's like you have your hand around his neck like that and you're believing lies, like, say less. I cried, I repented, all those things.
Speaker 2:That word, that boldness of my friend, set me on the path to begin, to turn aside, to look right. And so I said, god, even if I don't understand what's going on, I don't want my hands like this on any situation anymore. I'm going to keep them like this. God, some of y'all have even asked us in the past few months so y'all here, here, what are y'all doing? I'm just like. Y'all see me, like, listen, whatever he says, I'm not going to put a timestamp, nothing, whatever he says, because I just don't want to be surrendered, god, I want to be a carrier of your presence, right, I want to have my hands positioned. And that's what this is about, about people right After Pentecost came. They'd been with Jesus, right, and now they were carriers of something. And I think that's something for us to even hold on to, because we talked about this even in our conversations about call versus assignment.
Speaker 2:We felt called to Ison and Ison's still there. We're going to be in Ison in two weeks to oversee a children's conference. Ison's still a part, but we begin to discuss that it's more than a place or position. It's like our call actually is what we carry, right, what we bring into the room, what do you bring into the room? Because for them they were like silver and gold we don't have, but what we have we give to you.
Speaker 2:And so, out of the overflow of all of this, what are some things they were carrying? They were carrying a promise of signs to follow a commission ascending out, indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He wasn't just going to pop on them like the Old Testament, right For a little for a specific assignment and then jump off In dwelling of the Holy Spirit, god given boldness to preach the faith, to heal in Jesus' name. This is what they were carriers of and this is what we saw in that instance. So let's go back to that verse again. Then Peter said silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you boldness.
Speaker 2:Boldness. I love this because they were being a lot of times when we were dealing with insecurity. Right, a lot of times we will shy away or we'll try to project something that's not real. So there's a level of boldness to say like no, I ain't got that right. I don't have, maybe, that money, I don't have that certain platform, I don't maybe have that influence. So there's boldness there to say this is what I don't have. I'm so sorry, but what I do have is this the boldness to be so secure in who you are, in Christ, that you're not intimidated by what other people have.
Speaker 2:My sister over here earning her PhD right, but like I know who I am First of all. I'm big sis first of all. So that's I mean, that's that right. But because this is what she's carrying in this season, right, that's what she's carrying. I'm carrying something else PhD I do not have, but what I do have is four kids that you can be the best aunt to right and that you know, like this is what I have, or what I do have is encouragement for you when you need it right. And so, as a body of Christ, there's something bold there, because we are a body and with varied, beautiful, multifaceted gifts. We need you. We need you. Don't exempt yourself from engaging in what we're doing together, because the kingdom is here in this room, but it's out there too. Thank you, jasmine, for that reminder. Right, james Clemens needs her.
Speaker 2:For some of y'all, it's other schools. Maybe it is your home school You're needed. Your workplace needs you, and there's a level of boldness that comes not just from your skill level or ability, but just that. God, you have placed me here and I'm carrying something into the room. I'm carrying something into the room.
Speaker 2:Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you, and here's the faith in the name of Jesus Christ. The faith is not attached to the ability, it's not attached to my works or what I can do or perform. In the name, in the fullness, the authority right of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. That's where our faith is attached to, so where we're thinking like I don't have the faith. Faith is a gift, it is a gift. Boldness is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Again, you don't have to work up to it, it's just God, it's you, it's attached to you In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Rise up and walk. That's what our faith is attached to, because sometimes we're so focused on what we don't have that we can't even finish the statement. Right, we exempt ourselves and we say again I don't have this, so therefore I can't. I don't have this thing, so therefore I can't speak to that person. Boldness is not my personality, so therefore I don't have to share the gospel. Y'all know that boldness is not a personality type, right, it's not. You can be the shyest is not a personality type, right, it's not. You can be the shyest, quietest little church mouse, right. And boldness is still part of your inheritance. Boldness is still what you've been called to walk up into. Consider them.
Speaker 2:So after this incident, right, they began to stir the attention of the religious leaders. And it says in Acts 4.13 that the religious leaders, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, perceived that they were. Y'all listen, the Bible gives you multiple opportunities to be offended. Right, perceived that they were uneducated. Why, how, like? What do you mean? Whether the clothing, I don't know, but it's like golly. I mean, we're going to talk about a few more where it's like man okay, I'm just going to shake that off but perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men. Basically, they hadn't gone through the same steps and all that that the other men had. They had gone on to be fishermen, right to do other things. So they marveled. But there's the beautiful part they realized they'd been with who. They'd been with Jesus.
Speaker 2:Man, we can have all the titles in the world, we can fulfill all the different roles, but let it be said of me, like I think about my kids, right, the people following along beside us, the people that we do life with. Let it be said of us, right, babe, the guy in the airport where you were helping to calm him down because things were going on on your last trip back, and he's like what did he say? The little Jesus vibe, whatever that you have going on, I'm so thankful for that. But, right, he could tell you'd been with Jesus. Acts 4, 18 to 20. Us they saw and heard things.
Speaker 2:It makes me think about Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Remember, he said that if I do not speak, it's like fire shut up in my bones. Right, we can't help but speak. That's what the boldness is. I can't help but share my testimony. I can't help but share what God's doing. I can't help but even pierce through this everyday, normal circumstance with the power of God. I can't help do those things. And we know too that even Jesus said in John 5, 19, that he only does what he sees the Father doing. So we're continuing to follow along that path as he did that. Now they're saying we're only doing, and saying what Jesus did and said silver and gold I do not have, but what I have is what, what I have.
Speaker 2:Do we believe that what we have is going to change somebody's life? Right, they believe that, or they wouldn't have said anything. Do we believe that what we have can actually bring someone freedom? Someone? Freedom that what we have can set someone up for encounter? Right, what we have can shift the atmosphere? And this all comes from proximity, from putting the Lord's words into practice. So we're going to do a little exercise.
Speaker 2:Y'all ready? Y'all ready? I'm going to drink some tea. We're going to change the slide. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:All right, I feel like I'm in junior high again. It's awesome. Okay, here's a way to pray, the text right, based on Acts 3.6. Y'all ready? Now listen for my people and Christian. Is this not out of context? Is this okay? Is it good? It's fine, awesome. Great Christian was one of my junior high leaders back in the day.
Speaker 2:Yes, right, yeah, you stayed in my. You didn't rotate, you stayed in junior high in helping. So, thank you, you see, you're welcome. And now here you are. All glory to God, all glory to God. But so, but?
Speaker 2:So then don't this is not like a formula, right, don't, don't, don't put your life on this. I'm just saying I'm giving you a way to ingest this verse. Then insert your name, said Now, you name the supposed strength. Think about it right now, what is it that you do not have? What do you not have? Think about that. This thing I do not have, but what I do have is name the gift, the blessing, the revelation, the provision, the promise, and that I give you in the name of Jesus Christ. Name the action, y'all. Feel me, this can be applied to our lives. It's not just for Peter and John, right, this same. And again, it's not about the words, it's about the principle, the belief, the action. Now let's apply this right.
Speaker 2:Think about David in the Old Testament. He's been, you know, serving the sheep, taking care of the sheep, goes up he's also been playing for Saul and then goes up to bring some snacks to his brothers. Right, what was he bringing? I don't know what's in y'all's pantry? Goldfish, some applesauce pouches, some fruit roll-ups? You see my household, right, I have some almonds. All right, bring whatever little snack. And he's like why is this Goliath guy, who is this uncircumcised Philistine who is spouting off of the mouth at God's people and against the Lord? And so he goes in there.
Speaker 2:And then, you know, through those events, saul's like well, here, take my armor right. And so you can apply this to say where. David's like hey, hey, the strength and the ability to wear your armor I do not have. But what I do have is a fact that in my time taking care of sheep, I've been killing some bears and some lions. I do have that.
Speaker 2:So what is this Goliath to me? Or, let's go a little bit earlier, right, what I do have, saul, is this presence of the Lord. I've been cultivating in this secret place, a heart of worship that I have been stirring so that, even though you're choosing not to obey and even Samuel said to you that your lack of obedience is like the sin of witchcraft but what I have to bring into this room, at least when I'm in the room, I'm going to be a carrier of peace because of what I've been cultivating in the secret place. So I may not have the type of standing that had me called first with the rest of my brothers, I may not have the type of standing that makes you think I can defeat Goliath, but what I do have I bring. And that's him, that's him.
Speaker 2:And did y'all hear what I said? It was cultivated in the secret place. It was cultivated in his normal, everyday, probably mundane life. To go a little further back and y'all know I'm going to bring her in because that's how I love my girls up in the Bible. But maybe you could say like JL, right, hey, okay, I know when y'all hear us ladies like, cheer for that, you're thinking why are y'all so violent, like? Why Like? Because when you read the story the Bible is not exactly PG. You know what I mean. But we know, okay, I'm not even talking about Deborah, right, she's part of the story too, but I'm not going to talk about her. Okay, my favorite. But JL.
Speaker 2:So the enemy's defeated. The enemy comes to because her family was on kind of friendly relations with the enemy. So the leader of the enemy is fleeing from the Israelites who were defeating them, ends up at her house and asks for a glass of water to be hidden. Right? So you can apply this here and say what I do not have is a glass of water, but what I do have is a glass of warm goat's milk. So, in the name of Jesus, I'm going to give this to you and you're going to lie down and sleep. Then I'm going to give you something extra. Okay, I'm going to give you more than what you came for and actually pin you to the floor.
Speaker 2:Judges 4, go ahead and read it. Judges 4, right, right Again, like I said earlier now, I know I'm being funny right Again, y'all don't come at me with emails and stuff. I know, right, I was a junior high pastor. Okay, that's like bringing the illustration, but what it shows us again is that we are not exempt. Jl was not exempt just because she wasn't maybe in the heat of the battle, riding in the chariot with Deborah and Barack, but when the enemy came to her doorway, she knew exactly what to do. And that is where the rubber meets the road. Right, that is what gets cultivated in the secret place.
Speaker 2:When you decide that even your household it's not about appearances, but the enemy will not have a foothold even in your household and maybe that thing right, that you thought was boring and convenient. Well, when this be over, I'm done with this season of putting and tearing down these tents that God was strengthening your arm in the process so that when the enemy comes to your doorway, you know how to drive someone's head to the floor. That's been an enemy to not even fully her people, but the people of Israel. Right, how does that apply for you spiritually? Think about all the things, maybe for some of y'all that have been like, maybe messing up your sleep, messing up your body, attacking your family, hurting your finances. Maybe it's time to unexempt yourself from the battle and say you know what? I may not have all these things. I may not have maybe the training that some of the pastors have, or the experience, but by God, what I do have is Him. In Jesus' name, I'm going to do this thing. I'm going to do this thing. You are not exempt. What do you care? You can only give what you have.
Speaker 2:Recently, david Hall, he posted about a guy it was like an old school film, I don't know if some of y'all saw him recently post this guy and his name is Cobus Van Rensburg, and he said this get go, signs will follow. Get go, signs will follow. This is something that God really encouraged me with on our way to Iceland, because I was struggling with a lot of the details of it and I remember being in our house the house that we had just bought and we're going to sell six months later because we were moving and I was like God, how are you going to do all this? How is all this going to happen? We're going to this expensive country. We don't really have too many contacts besides the people like my husband, Like, how is this going to happen? And God said when you go, more will follow. When you go, more will follow.
Speaker 2:And I think that's important, even when we look at what the disciples had what do you carry? You can only give what you have. Jesus is like. I recognize you're about to step into a new season. Something new is happening and I need to equip you. I need to give you what you need to carry into this new season. See, if we're not intentional about our proximity, about cultivating that time in the secret place, about hearing from him, then we will grip remember my little grip story with tight hands, the methods and the tools of the past, expecting that to work as well for the future. I'm not saying that everything that we did yesterday is wrong, and a lot of times it was the God thing. But even God's like listen. I moved on from that. I need you to hear what I'm saying. So, disciples, I need you to wait in that upper room. Can I have somebody come in? Not just a thing, but someone coming. I want to equip you for this new season.
Speaker 2:Y'all, our church, is in a new season, right, and sometimes it's really hard to tell right, and we don't maybe always have a really significant way to tell when the new is coming and the old is passing, but over a year ago we had a passing of a baton. I think that's a pretty good indication, right? Right, there we're launching a school, right? Maybe there's certain things in your own life where you just feel the shift, you feel the transition. Life where you just feel the shift, you feel the transition.
Speaker 2:God wants to equip you for what you're walking into. Right, god wants you to carry something into that season. God doesn't want you to strive or even to get yourself caught up in what you don't have. He's like he's ready to equip you with something amazing. Today I'm here to remind you that you're being positioned to receive. This church is being positioned to receive and I even dare say, for a lot of us, maybe we're being positioned to break off a poverty mentality, that where we think, because we don't have, then God can't do.
Speaker 2:When God says I am quite aware of what you do not have, right, I'm quite aware of what you don't have compared to someone else, but what you do have is more than you can imagine, more than you can imagine, I can say that as a mom, right, I'm like, what I do not have is a time for all these questions, nor the margin, right, mama, where y'all at I know the daddies, y'all get it too, maybe aunties, uncles and all that little friends but, right, like, okay, let's apply this as well. Right, so we're doing a little work, workshopping. Okay, this is me. When I give a little tight smile you have to say I'm like, okay, I'm about to lose it, but I'm not going to lose it because of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, lord.
Speaker 2:Right, listen, chicken tenders and fries I do not have. Okay, I do not have. Right, here's the freezer. I don't have it. Nor will I drive to Chick-fil-A today, okay. But what I do have, what I do have is some Hebrew National Hot Dogs. We like them, kosher. Okay, I got a pouch of Go Squeeze applesauce, all right. I got a little fruit that y'all better eat today before it gets molded, okay, okay. And I got a prayer to bless this food and that you'll be less picky and thankful. Okay, it applies. You see what I'm saying? You see what I'm saying, but I mean for real, because it's like, how do we put this into practice in that everyday life in the house? Okay, every day, like this is what I do not have, but what I do have I give to you. Right, in Jesus' name, come, sit at this island, stop complaining, eat this food and be grateful, okay, okay, all right, all right, all right.
Speaker 2:Let's take a moment of silence for all the ones in the trenches where you're wearing earplugs to reduce the noise, you are allowing that Forrest Frank song that you've heard. You love him, but you heard it 500 times. Let it be worship. Let it be okay. It's worship right. The same moment of silence for all our kids. We are so grateful. We love y'all, love you okay, love you all right. Our belief is tied to our willingness to receive right and honestly y'all and I know we're laughing about it, but this is how we put it into practice. This is how we help our kids put it into practice, help our families.
Speaker 2:Whoever you're around maybe you don't have kids in this room, and let me pause right there, because I just felt this in worship, as I was even just maintaining on this message about carriers. I don't know who it is and I'm not going to call anybody out, but I just was like God. I just feel like God's, like I am about to a new season for you, for carrying that child you've been praying for. So I don't know, I'm just going to put it out there. Step out in bonus. In Jesus' name, in Jesus' name, lord, let it be. I want to go to this quote by Sean Smith. I love him. Can I talk about our house. Let's talk about someone who was a big part of our house.
Speaker 2:If you have power in the secret place, you will have power in the marketplace. Man, I love it, it wasn't even just like. You'll have power in the church, in the marketplace, all of you. You are not exempt, even in the shadows, where I can't see people sitting. Right, god is equipping you with something that you're going to carry into the rooms of your board meetings, of your business transactions, of you teachers who are prepping for the school year, right Of even us as a church, with our finances and with our ministry. Right, we're not exempt, god. We want to be carriers of your presence. But, god, help us to cultivate that in the secret place. Help us to cultivate that in the secret place. Lord, we don't want anything, god, to go to the side. We don't want to ignore God, what you're doing. Even now, we want to turn aside to look God, even now. Thank you, lord, for your people, for what you are stirring, for the dreams that you're breathing life into, for strength and encouragement for those who thought they were exempt because they'd passed a certain age or maybe had made too many wrong turns and wrong decisions. God, they are not exempt, nor are they out of your reach. In Jesus' name, In Jesus' name, I don't care if this is the first time you've graced these doors. God has an invitation for you. God is positioning you to receive salvation, deliverance, freedom. God, I thank you for what you're saying. Silver and gold, I do not have. What I do have.
Speaker 2:I love this one, um, this story, because we'll talk about how Jesus kind of sometimes offends you, even for the one on the receiving end. The story in John, chapter 7, where the Syrophoenician woman so she was a Gentile woman was asking the Lord for prayer because her daughter needed deliverance. And so in John 7, she goes to him and says, lord, would you bring healing? And this is what Jesus says. And this is why man, sometimes the questions he asks are not intended to drive you away, but for you to search your heart, are not intended to drive you away, but for you to search your heart. And he says, well, I can't give the food from the table to the dogs. You'd be like what, what was that? Earlier, in the ready room sitting where you were, I was like excuse you, what, what happened? And a lot of us would be like all right, jesus, fine, I didn't want your help anyway. Right, we would do Right. Pride would rise up. But thank God for her, desperation overwhelmed her pride and she said so.
Speaker 2:Let's apply the same thought. The right bloodline and cultural background I don't have, but what I do have is faith that even the crumbs from your table, jesus, is enough, because even the dogs eat the crumbs from their master's table, right, and the word says that Jesus marveled at her faith. He's up there hanging out with his disciples and said I have not seen faith like this. Don't exempt yourself. It doesn't matter what your background is, what your line is.
Speaker 2:Let desperation for change, maybe in your family, in yourself, in the world around you, like, I don't know about you guys, but yesterday, man desperation and just this grieving for what took place in Texas, and I know things are going on everywhere. But yesterday, man desperation and just this grieving for what took place in Texas, and I know things are going on everywhere. But I thought, oh my gosh, just like we're talking about these kids at camp, there are girls who went to camp and did not return home, who are being looked for still from the floods. What I don't have is the ability to go there and to dive into water and to save them. But, god, what I do have is a direct line to you Holy Spirit, would you bring comfort? Would you bring rescue? Would you bring peace? God in Jesus' name, would you send your angels? Would you part waters, god? Would you bring closure, bring deliverance? I don't have the means to get to Texas, but I have you. I have you. What are you carrying? You are carrying a personal, living, breathing relationship with the creator, the king of kings, through Jesus Christ and then his Holy Spirit living inside of you, Living inside of you. This woman said I believe that you can bring healing to my daughter just from your crumbs. Just from your crumbs. Are you bold enough to believe today? Are you bold enough to receive this gift of faith?
Speaker 2:One of my favorites, favorite evangelist ministers is Reinhard Bonnke. I almost said Daniel Kalenda, but that's who took over Reinhard Bonnke. And Reinhard Bonnke said this Wait for that next slide. I love it y'all. This is, I believe, because a lot of his ministry was in countries in Africa, specifically in Nigeria, but he was in multiple places, saw millions of people, even at one time, give their lives to the Lord. But he said this if you pray for 99 and no one gets healed. Pray for the next one as if all 99 were healed. God's word doesn't depend on your experience. Thank God, because we do get disappointed, we do get hurt, we do get frustrated, but thank God, his word does not depend on that. So, god, help us in our belief to continue to cry out and to grab a hold to faith and say God, would you move? Would you move? And I dare you, I double dog, dare you.
Speaker 2:If you're looking for something to read to get you stirred up, his biography is this thick Living a Life of Fire is incredible, incredible. If you don't know who he's got, y'all YouTube him Like. You'll see miracles upon miracles, the joy, the smile on my face this week reliving some of those moments that I've seen before on other broadcasts, but the joy on people's faces as they're healed. Right, the one man who was blind for years, years got freedom, got healed, and then Reinhardt said can you see me? He's like I can see you. He goes. You're a white man, he's like that. I am right that I am.
Speaker 2:Or the story of a pastor who I think he had a motorcycle accident, if I'm remembering correctly, right Ended up dead, but his wife was not giving up. Carries his body to the meeting place He'd been dead for three days already in bombs Carries his body to the basement of the meeting place because the ushers were just like, nah, you ain't bringing that, we not not, and I get it. I mean, it would be, it would be uncomfortable, right, I mean. But they were like you can take him downstairs. I appreciate that, right, there was a solution. What I do not have is the ability to put him in a chair, but what I do have is the basements. Okay, we're going to put him in the basement, right, it's Miracle Sunday and it feels like Christmas. I feel like that's how we go. We had to get it, get the word in, right. So what I do have is the basement.
Speaker 2:Reinhardt is preaching he doesn't really know what's going on Just boldness, declaring the word of the Lord, all of that, and an eruption occurs because that dead man was walking was no longer dead, y'all after three days. So when people say that the signs and wonders are not for today, I'm like I don't know what. Today you're living in, right, we ain't doing like multi-dimensions, this ain't Marvel, okay, like, this is the world that we're in. And today, yeah, god is still moving and doing things through us, through our hands, through our hands, all right. So, god, help us to pray boldly, even when we're disappointed. Right, just like God said, I'm roaring away the lies because you're disappointed. Maybe you didn't see me move the way you wanted me to move, but it doesn't mean I'm not moving still, all right.
Speaker 2:And so proximity is the prerequisite to operating in His power. It has to be close to him and with him, and y'all this is so important. I love what Pastor Scott said earlier, that we cannot ignore the gifts. Right, because the world is not ignoring the supernatural. I'll tell you that they're not. But what we do is not. We're not trying to gain more power like a deck of cards that we get to shoot out when we like. That's not what we're doing, right, we're not trying to gain superhero abilities, but we're trying to operate the way he operated, to do what he did, to say what he said, to pierce darkness, to bring freedom, to expand his kingdom. And that has to be with him, y'all, it has to be with him. It has to be with him. All those means whether and I'm not going to even call out, y'all know what I'm talking about right.
Speaker 2:The things that we do outside of him end up being practices that are not under his authority. And the problem is we think that we're in control when we're operating in that way. But you're not in control, you're a slave. The true freedom is when a heart submitted in humility says Lord, I believe in you, I'm following after you. Whatever you decide to follow me, that's up to you. But I just want to be willing to have arms hands out that receive and also release God what you called me to you. But I just want to be willing to have arms hands out that receive and also release God. What you called me to release. It's all under submission, it's all under authority, it's all under his kingdom.
Speaker 2:It's so important Don't let the world deceive y'all to think a little crystal, a little card is going to change your life Like. No, it's going to lead you to slavery, to slavery. It's going to lead you to slavery, to slavery, and it's becoming more and more out there. This is so important, y'all, but it's also why, again, we can't ignore it, because this is our inheritance right. Everything else is a counterfeit. This is the one that brings freedom and light to darkness. We've been called to steward. This God's saying what I have, I give you what I have, not what you're trying to control or drum up yourself. What I have, I give you Again.
Speaker 2:Verse Acts 4.10,. Let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that, by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom you raised from the dead by him, him, this man stands here Again. Let it be known to you all. Boldness, whom God raised from the dead. Faith, it's by him. The faith is attached to him. The boldness is attached to him. Y'all. That's the key to him. The boldness is attached to him. Y'all. That's the key, that is the core. It's all about him.
Speaker 2:So, thankful to how God's been moving these past few moments we've been together on Sundays, especially on our Tuesday night prayers and our different gatherings, because it's not just about the gifts that we've been seeing in operation, that's just an outcome. Right, it's our inheritance and what he does is the outcome, the beautiful outcome. But what he's doing is responding to your hunger for more of him, being willing to receive, to say God, I want more of you, and whatever you do with the more of you that you're pounding on me, lord, god, I'm willing to walk out in God and in that same breath, because you're moving, I'm opening my hands to release what it is that you don't want me to have. We want to carry something. How about we release, maybe, our insecurity? Can we release our fear? Can we release our control? You want to speak his words. Can we release the words? Can we release our control? You want to speak his words. Can we release the words that haven't glorified him?
Speaker 2:I remember having a dream years ago where actually I don't know if you guys know him I know they will Joel Stockstill was in my dream and came to me and said Jenny, you're speaking with a forked tongue. And I was like, oh my gosh, a forked tongue. Basically, you're speaking words of life, but also death in this season. And I was like, no God, I want to speak words of life. So are we willing to release the words that don't reflect him, that don't glorify him? Are we willing to release the heavy weights right in order to carry what he's called us to carry?
Speaker 2:And when they prayed it says in Acts 4.31, together in unity. The place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness, with boldness and that's my prayer for all of us in unity, as we're here together, as we're gathered, as we're a church that, as we pray for more boldness, that we see God move, that we see God continue to shake things off, boldness becomes a fruit of our faith, and here's a full circle. I want to leave you guys with so we can pray. Are we bold enough to believe so, even before we speak, even before we carry something into a room, even before we step out? Are we bold enough to believe what God has said about us? Are we bold enough to believe that we are not exempt from what he has for us?
Speaker 2:Hebrews 4, 14 through 16 says this seeing, then, in Hebrews, that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted, as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Maybe our first act is just to come boldly to him. You're wondering, like God, how can I do this? How can I step out? What do I carry, god? What am I holding onto that you don't want me to?
Speaker 2:Maybe your next step is just to come to him boldly to receive. Remember, hands open, not clutching control anymore, because control just makes you a slave anyway, right To your fears, to your insecurities. But when you open your hands to receive and release, but when you open your hands to receive and release, you're setting yourself up to be a carrier of his presence, into whatever room you walk into, to whatever step you take on the way to prayer, like Peter and John encountering this lame man, or maybe in your household encountering your children. God, we ask you for more boldness for our lives. We ask you for more faith, god, but more than anything, god, may we come boldly to you to know that we have a place and position there. Just as you are not exempt from operating in those gifts, you're not exempt from his presence. Through Jesus Christ. You have a place there, you have a seat there, you belong next to him.
Speaker 2:Shake off religion, shake off your preconception. Maybe this is the day that you've been waiting for. You've had questions, you've had walls up. You've been watching and now this is your day, to turn aside and look to receive what God has for you. I believe you're not in this room by accident, and so I invite our elders, even our pastors, if they want and I want to encourage you. I have for this first prayer if you need to know Jesus, if you need to find yourself in his arms, if you need to make him the Lord and the authority over your life, I invite you to come.
Speaker 2:If, perhaps, maybe the things that you do not have, maybe you do believe, but what you do not have has been so overwhelming to you that you haven't been able to even ask for anything else, you haven't been able to see beyond that thing. Maybe it is the child that you've been praying for, maybe it is a spouse that you don't have the financial provision that you really need. Right, we're not saying the circumstances are not real, but do we believe in God enough that he can pierce through even the reality of our circumstance and set things in order with his authority? Do you believe? Do you remember what it is that you do have? The one who said, for the joy set before him, endured the cross for you. You have him.
Speaker 2:So, if that's you, you're in need of salvation, you're in need of prayer or the third thing. You're like, you know what. I need some impartation Because you know what, like I'm aware of what I don't have, but I want a revelation of what I do. I want more boldness, I want more outpouring, I want more wisdom. I want to desire the gifts we're going to talk about that more over the next few weeks but I want to see more happen. Right, I want to be more aware of the signs and the gifts that are following me. If that's you, I invite you to come. No pressure, no rush, but we want to agree with you. We want to pray with you as they did. We want to see your life shaken through the Holy Spirit In Jesus' name.
Speaker 1:We hope and pray this message was encouraging and impactful. Join us live on our website or Facebook on Sundays at 9 and 11 am. You can stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram at the Rock Family. Have a Jesus-filled week.