Gateway Church Live | Presbytery | June 2

All right, Gway Church, how we doing today? Come on. I believe the presence of God is in this place. Do you believe that? We don't serve a God who decides to drop in from time to time. We serve an omni-present God. And so, we believe his presence is here in this place. And I'm a firm believer, church, that what you look for, you will find. And so, if you're looking to have an encounter with the God of the universe, church, I believe that you're going to find that tonight. So let's posture our hearts and let's worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Amen.

Spirit of God, we thank you that your presence is in this place, God. God, we open our minds and our hearts to hear from you. Holy Spirit, have your way in our lives. Holy Spirit, have your way in this place. And in your resurrected name we pray. Amen.

Come on, church. Let's worship. Come on, clap. Hey, I've got the joy of the Lord. Oh, this is the day you made. So I will rejoice and be glad. Rejoice and be glad in it. For this is where I believe that you are more than enough. More than enough for me. You are faithful to your promise. You are strong when I am. I'm standing in your praises. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Jesus come with me. You are worthy of worthy of all my praise. You are faithful to your promise. You are [Music] so Yeah. Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Yeah. [Music] Heat. Yeah. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Yeah. Heat. Oh, heat, [Music] heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Oh, heat, heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] [Music] I need you in his face. He's worthy to be praised. Come on, we bless his name. Hallelujah. Jesus, we thank you that you are more confident than the sunrise. That you are more faithful, Lord, than ever than my very next breath. Lord, we love you and we rejoice in you tonight. Glory to you, Jesus. You are the one creation obeys. When you speak, dark turns to light, death comes to light. Jesus, when you you are the one calming the wind and you'll make a way. Promise you, God, you never change. We believe it cuz you were you are you always will be God alone seated on the throne king of all majesty. You reign in victory. You are You are You always will be alone. Seated on the throne. Jesus we glorify forever lifted [Music] high the stor away Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, in the shifting and the shaking, your kingdom remains. Your kingdom remains, Jesus. Come on, lift it up. All the glory. All the glory is yours. Yeah. All the glory is yours now and forever more. All the glory is yours. It all belongs to Jesus. All glory is yours. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] Heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat up [Music] here. Heat up [Music] [Applause] here. [Music] Heat up [Music] here. is [Applause] better. Your way is better. Jesus, your way is better. Jesus, your way is better. We lay down our striving. We lay down our toiling. Trying to figure it out. Your way is better. Your way is [Music] better. Your way. All the glory is yours. Come on, lift it [Music] up. All the glory is yours now and forever. All the glory is [Music] yours. All the glory is yours, Jesus. All the glory is yours now and forever more. All the [Music] glories.

Can we just stay here just for one minute? I feel like people have come in with weights, our own effort, our own plan, our own agenda, wanting things to be a certain way, things that we can't control. And the Lord is saying tonight, give them back to me because it's better in my hands. It's better in my hands. It's like my little kid. I have a 2-year-old and sometimes he'll try to do something with his toy and he just can't quite figure it out and he gets so frustrated. He'll get so mad and I'll say, "Let me help you." "No, mama. No, mama." And then he continues to try and he continues to get more frustrated and all he has to do is give it to mom. So tonight, if that's you, you've come in with a weight. If you've come in trying to figure something out, if you've come in with questions, if you've come in with disappointment, put it in his hands. He's way more capable. He's way more able to deal with the things that we don't have any control over. But you know who does? He does. Jesus, we give it to you. We thank you, Father, that you were, you are, and you always will be. You have not fallen off your throne. You are the King of glory and every knee will confess that you are God. So Lord, forgive us for trying to take your place. We know that we can't do it without you. So we surrender everything to you. We surrender our plans. We surrender our children. We surrender our families. And we thank you, Father, that they are better in your capable hands. And I surrender [Music] all. I surrender all and all to thee. My blessed Savior I surrender all. Sing that one more time. Oh, I surrender all. I surrender all. And all to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. [Music]

Just a heart song singing out of town. I remember the simplicity. Just to feel you here was everything stunned by your view. beauty. God, this is my offering. Not for anything that I could get, just to honor you and bring you praise. Like a fragrance broken on the floor. May this worship be [Music] pure. There's no motive. There's no hidden catch. Here's my all and I don't want it back. Like a fragrance broken on the floor. May my worship be pure. [Music] God find me like a child again. Full of wonderful innocence before anything got in the way. Any dream or any accolade. [Music] You make it easy. Yes, you do. So easy to bring me. Not for anything that I could gain just to honor you and bring you [Music] praise. Like a fragrance broken on the floor. May my worship be pure and pleasing to your heart. And there's no motive. There's no hidden catch. Here's my all and I don't want it back. Like a fragrance broken on the floor. name I worship you. Yes. Pure thanks, pure praise with nothing in the way, nothing in the way. Tonight, my heart, my love, oh, this is what you want from me. This is what you desire from me. You just want my heart. You just want my heart. And you can have it, Jesus. You can have it, Jesus. You can have whatever you desire tonight. More than a song, more than words, you can have it all. Oh, you can have it all. [Music] More than a soul, more than words. We give you our heart, [Music] Jesus. All about you. And it's all about All about you. All about you. And it's all about all about you. All about you. And it's all about you. Every eye is on you tonight. Jesus. It's all about All about you. All about you. Yes. It's all about you. It's all for you. It's all for you. It's all about all about you. All about you. It's all about you. Not for anything that I could gain, but just to honor you and bring you praise. Like a fragrance broken on the floor. May my worship be pure. And there's no moan and there's no hidden [Music] catch. Here's my all and I don't want it back. like a fragrance broken on the floor. May my worship be pure. May my worship be pure. I bring you more than a song. For a song in itself is not what you require. Oh, we give you our hearts, Lord. We give you our hearts. We give you our praise, our adoration. It's all about you. It's all It's all about you, Jesus. It's all you. Here we are. Here we are for you, Jesus. Here we are for you, Jesus. Everything. Oh, we give you everything. We give you everything, Jesus. Like coil upon your feet, like wine for you to drink, like water from my heart. I pour my love on you. If praise is like perfume, I lavish mine on you. Till every drop is gone. I'm pour my love. I call upon your feet like wine for you to drink. Like water from my heart. I pour my love on you in the praises like perfume. I lavish my own you till every drop is gone. [Applause] I'm [Music] call from my heart for my praise for you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat up here. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat [Music] up here. [Music] Yeah. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Yeah. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] worthy to be worthy tonight, God. We say you're worthy, God, in our highest of highs and our lowest of lows, God. You're worthy, God. Whether this week has started out like we wanted to or not, God, you are worthy, God. Despite what we're facing, God, you are so worthy, God. When we don't have anything else to say, we simply say, God, you are so worthy. You're a good, good father. Come on, church. Right now in just your own way. Just come in and tell him how worthy he is. Just tell him how worthy he is. Thank you that you've been worthy in our circumstance. Thank you that you've been worthy in our [Music] situation. God, you're a faithful God. No matter what's facing us, God, no matter what's ahead of us, God, we say that you're worthy. We declare that you're worthy. Whether we feel like it or not, God, you're worthy and we lift up your name in this place. In your holy, holy name we pray. Gateway Church, we all said, "Amen." Amen. Is he worthy tonight, church? Come on. Listen, it's an honor to worship with you. Hey, do me a favor. We're going to go ahead and go into meet and greet right now. Uh, do find somebody that you don't know, shake their hand, give them a high five, let them know that you're so glad you're here. Welcome to night two of Presbyter. It's going to be an incredible night. [Music]

All right, church. Well, welcome to tonight of our presbyp services. Presbytery. Presbytery. I never know how to say it. It's like caramel or caramel. Caramel is the right way, but I'm not sure the right way of how to say uh preset. So, you're going to hear me interchange both of those. But, welcome tonight to uh I don't know if you were here last night, but it was a really beautiful, beautiful night with our church family. And um this whole weekend really was a beautiful weekend. Show of hands. How many you of you were here this weekend uh to hear from Pastor Daniel and that message that he preached you was incredible. Listen, uh if you weren't here, let me just be the friend to encourage you to go back and watch this message. Uh he preached these five points for us as a church that are never going to change and what we as Gateway Church will be known for. He said we're going to be known for our love for God. This will never change. He said, "Our love for people will never change. Our love for God's word, this is what we will be known for." And then he preached, he said, "Our love for one another, how we treat one another, how we love one another, and our love for God's presence." How many know there's some good things that won't be changing in our church? Amen. Things that we're going to be known for. And I've been thinking about that last point, point five, our love for God's presence. And church, let me just tell you something. Over the past 12 months, what I've loved about this family is how we have leaned into God's presence like never before because we understood our desperation for God's presence. I've been so proud of our church family, the way that we have leaned in. And what I love about Presbyter is that it seems that during this time, we all lean in a little bit more, right? We all become just a little bit more hungry for God's presence, to get a word from God, to have an encounter with God, to be used by God. And that's what I love about this time. It's one of my favorite times that we do as a church family. Maybe you're new here and you have no idea what's going on. I'm so glad you came. I'm so glad that you're here. I remember one of my first ever presetry services. I was just I was unfamiliar with the I was familiar with the prophetic, but I was unfamiliar with the way some churches did presby services. And if I'm honest, I thought, what in the Hogwarts is going on right now? I had no idea. And then I came to Gateway Church and I saw the way that we do prespetry and I just fell in love with this time and this season in our church. Here's what prespetry is and here's what it isn't. The prophetic, it says this in 1 Corinthians 4:13. And it says, "But one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, their encouraging, and their comfort." Those are good things. Amen. I grew up in a Pentecostal church, and I grew up around the prophetic, but I was always worried that when somebody was going to speak a word over me, it was not going to uh be encouraging. It was going to be exposing. And I made some good decisions as a as a young boy, but I also have a perfect attendance to every single one of my sins. And I thought that they were just going to expose every single one of my sins. And I it wasn't even the fact that they were going to do it in front of the whole church. It was like, don't do it in front of my mom because y'all, Hispanic moms don't mess around. And Grace Hernandez did not play. There was no timeouts in our home, if you know what I'm saying. So I was like, do not do this in front of my mom. But that's not it's not what it is. It's not to expose you, not put a a spotlight on you, but to highlight you, to strengthen you, to comfort you, and to encourage you. And I don't know about you, but I think we could all use some of that tonight. Amen. And so, I just want to orient you and let you know how tonight is going to go. Maybe this is your first presetry service. And like I said, welcome. We're so glad that you are here. We're going to have three candidates come up to the platform, one by one. And one by one, our our prespits are going to speak a word over them. Now, here's the deal. I want you to know this again if this is your first time. Our presptors had no idea who the candidates were weeks ago. They just said, "We want you to pray for a word for candidate or couple number one, couple number two, and couple number three." Like 5 minutes before we walked out here, uh I handed them an envelope that let them know the names of the people that they've been praying for. I felt like I had like the the winner of American Idol in my hand. And so that was the first time they got the names. And so they've been praying over those names. And so we get to see the Lord confirm some things in these beautiful couples and we get to be encouraged right there with them. After that time is over, we're going to go into a time of words in due season where our prescators have walked around or they're going to they're praying that God highlights um some of some of us in the room and they're going to speak a word over y'all. They're going to encourage you guys, strengthen you and comfort you. Some of you came tonight so desperate for a word. Some of you came tonight leaning in wanting a word from God tonight. And here's what I want to say. If you hear a word spoken over here to an individual over here, and maybe you're sitting right over here, and that word resonates with you, we give you full permission to go in and take that word for yourself because we believe that God is, yes, speaking to certain individuals, but he's also speaking to all of us. So, if there's a word that resonates with you, take it. Two years ago, there was a a prespit that spoke a word to an individual right here in the center. It it it resonated with me, and all I knew is the Lord told me to write it down. And I didn't know why, but it resonated with me. Two years later, I am seeing now why that word was so important. So, if you hear a word and it resonates with you, go ahead and take that for yourself. Uh, I want to invite our our prespits up to uh the platform right now and introduce uh introduce who's going to be giving uh these words. We have Mark and Sandy Joe. Pastor Mark and Sandy Joe ahead uh that are also going to be here. Sy's going to be doing some words in due season, but uh Pastor Mark and Sandy, there's a there's a I have a whole list here of things that I could read. Um and yeah, know I know. Um but I just want to say to the to the two of y'all, u pastors Mark and Pastor Sandy, you guys are leaders of leaders and pastors of pastors. You guys are pillars in this house. I for one Yeah. I for one am grateful for your leadership in my life, but for your leadership in this house. Thank you for everything that you do. And then we have Stephanie Henderson. Stephanie Henderson, she's an author, a speaker, a ministry leader with over two decades over uh of experience. You have a ton of accolades here, uh Stephanie. But what's impressed me the most is you've not only been here eight times with us. And so that's impressive as well. What impresses me the most is your friendship to this house. Not just in this season, but over the years. It means the world to us. We're so honored that you're here. Can we give Stephanie a round of [Applause] applause? And so now I uh I want to actually, let me see, Pastor Charlie Elliot, we are also in during words in due season. Pastor Charlie Elliot and his wife Kelly are also going to be um doing words in in due season. So I want to honor them as well. Uh, Pastor Charlie is the executive pastor over global. Is that what is that? Am I right on that? Okay. Sorry. You know, things are changing every now and then. Uh, executive pastor over global uh, ministries, but him and his wife, his wife, Kelly, um, they're raising four or three teenage boys. Four teenage boys. Pastor Lorena said last night, let's pray for them. But let me just say, as a spectator who gets to watch, you guys are parenting extremely well. And Britney and I have conversations all the time about how we want to be the kind of parents that you guys are. So, you guys are incredible. I honor you guys. Let's give them a round of applause one more time. I've talked a lot. My mouth is dry. I want to introduce to you um our candidates for tonight. Our first candidates for tonight. Derell and Alyssa. Can you go ahead and make your way to the platform? Let's keep the applause going because then it's just going to get awkward when it dies down and they're still making their way up to the platform. Awesome. If you guys can be seated and church, I'd love it if we can pray over them. Can you extend your hands as we pray over them right now in this moment? God, we thank you for what you're about to speak tonight. God, our hearts are open. We thank you for even the things that you're going to be confirming tonight. Holy Spirit, we are leaning in to you. Have your way as you speak over this incredible couple. in your name we pray. Amen.

Hey guys, how you doing? Derell, right? Okay. Well, I when I was praying over you, I I kept getting this um uh picture of what's called D-Day, June the 6th, 1944. I'll go on record as saying neither one of us were alive at that time. But I I kept seeing this this war zone and this um I I know there are movies about it, so that's probably what I what I saw. But I've seen actual photos of of what happened on D-Day. It's the day when Allied forces invaded the beaches of Normandy, France. This was the first significant breakthrough of Hitler's stronghold to begin the liberation of Europe. in the end of World War II. Very strategic day in world history. I've been to several cities that were devastated by Nazi Germany. I've been to concentration camps. My heart's been stirred by our history, our world history. And this is where I believe you fit in. There's coming a D-Day for you. A day of breakthrough that will lead to the liberation of many. I saw you helping to gather others around you like allied forces to help set people free. I saw you mentoring and training uh leaders and groups upon groups with battle gear on, spiritual battle gear, and they were all unlocking prison doors to set captives free. What you're called to do, you cannot do alone. The scripture says, "One will turn a thousand, but two will turn 10,000 to flight." I just saw you training people to open prison doors. I don't know if you've walked in in in bondage in your own life and been set free personally. You don't have to have walked there to know how to set people free. All you have to do is understand the power of the keys in your hand to walk into the dark places and set people free. I saw you gathering your army, teaching them to do what you do, and multiplying your efforts. Your D-Day is coming. I just I I want to salute you. I don't even know if you were ever in the military, but in my heart, I feel like I'm in I'm in the presence of a general in the making. If I could see your uniform, there's there's just a lot of decoration on your uniform because you fought the enemy and you've won so many times. And the enemy is afraid that if you really catch on to who you are in the spirit, you will wreck havoc on the kingdom of darkness. Go for it in Jesus [Applause] name.

Alyssa, did I say that right? Why are you crying, girl? Do we have any Kleenexes up here? We might need some. A whole box. A whole box. Thank you. Tears sometimes are a sign and wonder that the Holy Spirit's moving in your heart because we know we don't know anything. But let me just say here's what I saw when I was praying for the first couple female. This is what I got. Just like just like there are modern day knights, there are modern-day princesses. I saw a crown laying on a table and you refused to put it on because you didn't feel worthy. You were born into poverty, but born again into dynasty of the king. We were all born into poverty. So, I'm not talking necessarily about your physical home, but we were all born into poverty, but born again into the dynasty of the king. The favor of the Lord is on you. He doesn't just listen when you pray. He's waiting to move on your behalf. It's like I I saw the Lord ready. What do you need me to do? What do you You know, it's just I I believe what happens is the Lord sends angels to fulfill the answering of prayers. We sensed even tonight during worship that the heavens were going to open and there would be angels working in this room. I'll say for for a fact, I believe that every one of us have angels that that um protect us and walk with us and they don't stay outside when we come to church. This place is packed right now. Can you know? Can you know that? Is that okay for me to say? This atmosphere is packed with the presence of the Lord and with angels. He's waiting to move on your behalf. I saw you putting on the crown. I saw you stepping into your rightful place as a daughter of the king with authority in prayer. I saw you. I saw fresh vision and anointing to walk out the plan of God for this next season. Just as a reminder, Prince says it's time to stand up straight, head up, shoulders back, and walk out who you are. It's like a posture change. I love it. Don't let the enemy talk you out of your calling. It's time to put on the crown, the crown of beauty. Isaiah 62:3 says, "You shall be a crown of beauty in the hands of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hands of your God." God bless you. [Applause]

Hi guys, how are you doing? Not only do we not know your names, we have no idea what each other is going to say and we don't share notes and I'm just in awe. I I had a in my heart as I was praying for you, I thought you would be a much older couple. I'm like, these are young people. These are young people that have been somewhere that have encountered some things. So in age maybe, yes, but in your spirit and what the Lord has trusted you with, you're much more mature than most. That's a blessing. That is a blessing. I heard the word boldness. Boldness over both of you. That you are a fierce couple in the kingdom. Do you feel fierce? Sometimes. But that I I want to just speak over you to what the kingdom sees when they see you guys operating together in tandem. You've been tested. You've been refined. Everybody loves the silver once it's been refined. Nobody loves it in the fire. Nobody loves it. Everybody wants out. We're running running for the door trying to get out. But you have gone through a refining process with the Lord. I heard the Lord say that you both are trusted in this house. That's a big deal. You're trusted. Take that in. I hear the Lord saying that you have measured words that you will think before you speak. I'm a verbal processor. That doesn't work so well for me. But you have measured words. You think before you speak. And I also see that a lot of times you question yourself because you think and think and sometimes you can have a tendency to overthink things. And I hear the Lord just saying to you, Lord, just trust me. I've measured you. You're measured by me and you can trust that. I see hearts surrendered, laying things down. You've had to surrender some things in your life. You've had to give up a dream. You've had to give up something that you thought was going to happen. An imagination maybe of what you thought it was going to be and you've had to surrender that. I had a vision, Pastor Mark, of them being at a war and it was like a movie scene and you're you're surrounded by smoke and there the war is over and you're just standing in it by yourself and you're waving a flag. An enemy wants you to think that you're waving a flag of giving up and surrender, but you're not. You're waving a flag of victory. It doesn't mean that there's not smoke. It doesn't mean there hasn't been a battle, but you are not going to finish and give up. You are not defeated. I hear the Lord saying that you are not defeated. There are victories plural on the way in your life because you've been trusted in battle. You know how to equip others in battle. You're a trainer of people who also need to know how to overcome the things in their life that they feel so surrounded by and so outnumbered by. You didn't lose. You surrendered it to God and he gave you victory. I see where the enemy has come in and and tried to tell you that you lost because it didn't come out the way you wanted it to and the Lord is saying absolutely not. This was exactly my plan that you executed. The Lord trusts you. You accomplished the assignment. I also want to say to you that nothing is unfinished there. I sense that there is a sense of we didn't do it quite right. We didn't do it the way we thought. We we didn't quite finish the way we thought. It doesn't look. And the Lord is just saying to you, nothing is unfinished. He sealed it. He's gone, "Good, done, check. Good, done, check." You sewed and you watered. And I saw you both in a field and the field was just it was dirt. It's like in the very beginning of planting season when all you see is dirt, but you've sewn all the seeds down the rows, but the roots are growing underneath. You just haven't seen them yet. And you've been trusted to water the that crop that the Lord has given you, that assignment that he's given you. And I want to just encourage you with this. You will see the harvest of what you've dreamed. It will it will come to pass. It's not going to look the way you want it to look. It is going to be the sweetest surprise that you have ever encountered in the spirit. But continue watering, continue sewing, and continue surrendering to the Lord and standing in victory. Amen. Amen. [Applause]

My name is Dustin. I was the pastor on uh staff here at the South Lake campus for almost nine years. And this is Derell and Alyssa. It is Derell, not Daryl. I have um more than one occasion misspelled that. And if Derell had a nickel for every time that I mis pronounced or spelled his name and he were to tithe, he could he could redo all the seats in the whole auditorium. They sit right over here. So, this is a special section right over there. But um you guys nailed it what the Holy Spirit just put on your all's hearts and to speak over these guys. Uh Stephanie, one thing that you mentioned was uh silver and the refining process. And as I was driving over here, I thought there's not a better term to describe Derell and Alyssa than pure. I mean, the purest of pure as far as their hearts go. The way that they've allowed the Lord to just steward them and move them. The way they came here to Texas is is incredible. The way that they parent their children with intentionality. The way that Durell oversees his business. The way that Alyssa runs the home. The way that they give generously and serve uh with everything that they have in this house. Um I could list off how disciplined Derell is serving in the Lord's army. I mean, he his coat would be weighted down with badges if if he had his spiritual military jacket on. And um they've served in groups. They they've served in making sure that caffeine is full on Sunday mornings for all of us. Uh they've served in our our stewardship department. Derell's obviously served a men's ministry. And um they're a dear part of this house. And um they're the types of people where they sit they sit at the end of the table because they know that that it's a place of humility and when the king invites them to the front of the table, they do have to adjust their their stance and they're worthy of those seats. And so if you guys would stretch your arms out, we're going to we're going to pray and solidify these words over Derell and over Alyssa. Father, thank you that you see them. Thank you that you encourage their hearts. Thank you that you have seen the journey that they've walked on, the refining fire and the process that they've walked through, the yeses that they've said when nobody else is around. Lord, the way that they pour into one another in their marriage, the way they pour into their children to raise up a generation that fears and knows you and is aware of the love of the father's heart. Lord, we pray that you would uh continue to lead and guide them in their future, Lord. That you would bless everything that their hands touch, Lord, as they continue to fight the battles that you put in front of them, Lord. We thank you that they have victory over victory in Jesus precious name. Amen. Can you give a round of applause one more time? Thank you'all so much. You know, I think they said this, but it's important to know they do not share the words that they get with one another at all. So, it's really cool to see how the Lord kind of similarly speaks a a similar thread. When Pastor Mark was up here sharing about, you know, the the military, the army, Stephanie looked back at me. She said, "Wait till you hear my word." So, it's really uh it's really exciting to see how how the Lord operates that way. Are we having fun yet? Come on. Come on. All right. Uh, please welcome to the platform with me Max and [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Linda. Oh, you're keeping it going. There's some people that are keeping it going. I love you. You guys are my people. Thank you for that. That is good. That's awesome. We can have fun in church, right? Come on, Max and Linda. Welcome. We are so glad that you're here, church, as they are finding uh their way to their seat. Can you go ahead and extend your hands as we pray over them right now? Holy Spirit, we just thank you so much for Max and for Linda. God, we thank you for the words that are about to be spoken over them. God, we lean in to listen to what you are saying, God. Holy Spirit, have your way. In your name we pray. Amen.

Hi friends. I'm so glad to meet you. Thank you. The word I have with for you tonight starts with Genesis 16:13 and it's a story of Hagar who finds herself in the middle of the wilderness sitting by a stream after she has just come through such rejection. But an angel of the Lord appears and and she has this encounter and and the angel calls her by name and she says, "You are the God who sees me. I have now seen the one who sees me." And it's just this beautiful name. And in that passage, she names God the God who sees. And I heard this from the Lord for you both. Your gifting is unique because before you hear people, you see them. You see their soul, their hurts, their countenance does not trick you. I I when I was praying for you, I see you in a crowd of people and you can just pick somebody out and say they're not okay. Even after you say, "How are you doing?" They say, "Oh, I'm good." And you're like, "I don't think so." You see their soul, their hurts, their countenance. You see prophetically the Lord has given you both a gift of prophetic vision. I feel like a lot of times that that has been a place of confusion because you think you've thought to yourself, does anybody else see with this? Am I the only am I imagining this? And and I just felt like the Lord wanted to just remind you tonight, absolutely not. He's trusted you with a vision. He's trusted you with what he sees beyond the surface, which is a precious, precious gift. You have a developed discernment. And I love that. Whenever our discernment is developed like yours, it's because you've had to learn the hard way to not trust and to trust. Say, "I knew it. I should have paid attention. I shouldn't have And so you have a developed discernment. It you know that's where our strength comes from. It's not from doing everything perfectly the first time, but it comes from allowing the Lord to strengthen those weak places that we have. And then there is no fooling you. There is no fooling you. I know as a as a parent, my my children, especially when they were teenagers, would try to trick me and say, "Mom, we really weren't in your bed." Well, then why are there crumbs in my bed? Developed discernment spiritually. While listening to people, I the Lord said, "You are given a vision of the answer to their greatest need." While listening to people, the Lord has trusted you with a vision of their greatest need. I see people coming to you and they don't even know why they're troubled. They don't even know that it's a problem. And you have a way, both of you, of drilling down and just saying a word that is like a little sword that cuts through all of the excuses or cuts through all the lies of the enemy and you're just able to pinpoint something in people's lives. You yourselves have not always felt seen in your past. I I sense growing up maybe being looked over or being called by another person's name or or maybe not sure that God completely saw you in times of need. And I want to speak this to you. In those times, the Lord was teaching you and giving you empathy for the people that you would encounter who would also not feel seen. It wasn't wasted. It was used. It was a it was a tool that God was putting in your toolbox to be able to minister in a mighty mighty way. Giving you have given out of not what you have received but you have given out of what God has done for you which is a greater gift. Because with that comes a heart of gratitude, a heart of thanksgiving. And in that, the Lord has protected you from becoming cynical or becoming resentful. You've you've you've carried I just see the Lord carrying saying they've carried a heart of gratitude for me all the days of their lives. What a testimony and a beautiful place that is with you. I just want to encourage you in this. Your your job is not done. Your job is not done. This is not retirement for you. If ever more we need the wisdom and the strength and the gifting that God has placed inside of you. So don't look at the recliner too quickly. You're meant to still run, my friends, because the kingdom needs exactly what you have. Amen. Amen. [Applause]

Hey, Max. Um, I just had such um endearment come up in my heart when I saw you tonight. And I I didn't know you were going to be a candidate, but when I saw you down here, I was so drawn to you. And I had thoughts of my childhood um back before seat belts when I would stand next to my grandfather in his old Chevy truck. He was my seat belt and I'd stand next to him and he'd drive down the road and we'd go dump the trash at the the local dump and he'd scare me to death cuz he had the trash in the back and he'd look over the seat and just back all the way up to the cliff. You know, I thought we were going over every time. Then he'd take me down to the store and buy me a cookie and I can still remember how he'd just tell everybody how much he loved me and then introduced me as his grandson. I can just remember those those memories come flooding back. And the reason I saw them connected to you was the impact that you're going to have in this next season of your life in the lives of young men. I saw kids on your knees and you were you were bouncing them and talking to them and hugging them and kissing them on the cheek and and talking to them about the things that you've learned in your life. And you you think that your past the past that was lived is over. But I'm telling you, there are nuggets of gold and truth from your past of things you've walked through that are keys for people today. I wish I would have slowed down in my 20s and 30s and 40s and listened to my grandfather. Matter of fact, I'd be better off financially today if I'd listened to my grandfather. But there's wisdom in you that the next generation needs. And the only way they're going to get it is if you open up and talk. Does that make sense? Something I'd written down about you was I saw you like a freedom fighter. One that was willing to go into the fire to to capture people and bring them out much like a fireman would do. And what you're going to sense is sometimes those that you're talking to, they're in a horrible, horrible place. And if we as older men correct them, we drive them further away. But if we listen to them and offer wisdom, we have their undivided attention. God wants to use you mightily in this next season. I really want to pray that God puts grace and and truth on you. So, you know, it's like a it's like a big um ring of keys. I can remember when I was a kid, I thought the janitor at school was the coolest guy because he had this big ring of keys. And what I didn't know then was every key represented responsibility. You got a big ring of keys, but you know how to use every one of them because you're full of grace and truth. God bless you, sir.

Linda, I heard the verse mercy. My mercies are new every morning. And I thought that's such an interesting verse because the context of that when we think about mercy, what I kept seeing was the Lord pouring pictures of mercy on you. Now, when we think about mercy, we think, well, that must be some sinner needs all that mercy. All that mercy, all that mercy. But here's what I understand about you. It's not the case with you. It's the open door of your heart for the Lord to be able to pour his presence upon you. Let me let me explain. Because you don't feel like you deserve his presence. However, your theology allows for mercy. So the Lord says to then, I'm going to pour waves of mercy on you. I'm going to pour times of refreshing from my hand upon you. And it's going to come through mercy. And it's like you saying, "Oh, mercy. Okay, I can receive that." And with it, the Lord's pouring his goodness and his presence and his love and his joy and all the things that you need. But his mercy is calling to you. I want to say it like this. Deep calling unto deep. You've always been a prayer warrior. But this next season of your life, I saw you zeroing in on some subjects and praying until you had peace. And I saw the Lord answering some very difficult situations in some close relationships that you have. You you wish you could say something to them, but the Lord holds you back and drives you to your prayer closet. And what you're able to say to the Lord, he's able to say to them. The Lord's calling you to deeper relationship. I saw a shift inside of you. I saw you saying, "What can I do for God? What can I do for God?" And your focus most of your life has been, I'm going to be a good girl and I'm going to perform and I'm going to do the things to make papa proud. But here's what I heard the Lord say to you. Your f your focus will no longer be on performance. The Lord says, "Lay it all down. Just come and spend time in my presence because it's relationship that I desire." And you're going to find a personal just a settling of your heart in this next season of your life. Y'all need to slow down. I know life slows us down, but you listen. It's gotten real busy here lately. And I want you to slow down. Have those times of face-to-face conversation. Take walks together. Talk about the things that matter. All those big list of things that have always plagued you, the Lord said they're going to narrow down and you're there's going to be about 10 things you're going to focus on. And God is going to use them like like like bullets, like gold, like power source to to answer these prayers that are heavy heavy on your heart. All right, God bless you. I hope that makes sense. I I Let me add one thing to that. I saw those 10 things on a piece of paper almost like bucket list. These are the things that we are going to spend our life doing this next season. God wants to simplify it. Okay. All right. God bless you. [Applause]

Well, amen. Hello everyone. My name is Becca Mo. I am um the lead pastor for our South Lake groups team. And one of the gifts that I get to steward is to serve our prime time community, which is um our community of those 60 and 70 plus. Um, and Max and Linda Ficken have been faithfully serving our prime time community here at Gateway for more than 11 years. It was about back in 2014, um, Linda got picked out of the room and volunttoled that she'd be taking the class while a pastor went on sbatical. And um Pastor Mark and Stephanie how you shared um for both Max and Linda that I heard them both speak to like pointed bullets or pointed arrows or a sword uh that's pointed at specific topics. You know, when they asked Linda to teach, something

That stuck with me when I was visiting with her, um, is that they took her to the bookstore and said, "Pick out a book and you can teach from a book." She said, "No, I won't teach a book, but I will teach the Bible." And we know that the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. And so I just honor you, Max and Linda, for the time and investment that you've poured in. We have more than a hundred seniors that attend our Prime Time every week. And Linda still, 11 years later, teaches chapter by chapter, writes all of her own content, and teaches the word of God. And it does have a prophetic edge. It is a pointed arrow. And Max and Linda, we honor you for your investment here. Max also was a leader, I learned today, in our original Men's Brigade. So, shout out to our men's team that's still alive and active here at Gateway. And so, yeah, we bless you both. We bless you both. I'm going to pray for you. If you'd stretch your hands out to Max and Linda.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray your peace would rest on Max and Linda today as they receive your words over them. Lord, I thank you for the eyes that you've given them to see, the ears you've given them to hear, the heart you've given them to discern what you're saying, both to a room full of people and especially to the one across the table from them. I pray, Lord, that as they go from here today and as they digest these words, Lord, that these words would be pointed arrows for their hearts. That they would slice through to pierce, uh, the soul of their hearts and that they would separate bone from marrow and that these words would come alive. That those 10 things that Pastor Mark talked about for them to focus on in this next leg of their journey, Lord, would come alive to them in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

[Music] [Music] Let's give it up one more time for Max and [Applause] Linda. Awesome. Will you guys do me a favor and help me welcome our final couple for the night, Chris and Angie Swindle? [Applause] There's a fan [Music] club. Where's the good side? All right, do me a favor. Can y'all extend your hands as we pray for this couple?

Spirit of God, I just thank you so much for this couple. God, I thank you for what you're going to speak into their lives tonight, God. God, open up their hearts to receive from you. Holy Spirit, you are speaking, and we are listening. So God, we thank you for the words, and we thank you in advance for the words spoken over Chris and Angie. In your name we pray. Amen.

Hi Chris and Angie. Y'all look good on your couch. You look all comfy. I was praying for you, my married couple number three. And, and I was a little concerned when I got to this text for you guys because it was out of the book of Job. I know, but it's really a good word, so be encouraged. Job 19:25 says, "I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand on the earth. In my flesh, I will see God. I myself will see him. How my heart yearns within me." And it's such a beautiful passage when Job is just pouring his heart out before the Lord and, and just proclaiming in that moment, "I know that my redeemer lives." And I heard the Lord say this over both of you from that passage that you are steadfast. You're steadfast. You're mature. And the Lord has given you an unwavering faith. I see you, Angie, as, as a woman of prayer and a woman of detail. I see lists in your, in your life. And you love. Let me ask you a question. Do you make lists? And if you forgot something, do you add it just so you can check it off? Okay. I do. I like, I'm with you, girl. But I see a detailed woman of faith. And the thing, the reason why that is so beautiful is because you're able to mark off and see all the places where God was faithful. The problem with it is that sometimes that list can remain in our spirit and it's like, "Well, what about this? This hasn't happened yet. I'm still waiting. I'm still waiting." And I just hear the Lord say for you, "Just give me the whole list. And trust me, if it's not marked off yet, it's because it's not time to be marked off yet. And the Lord has that for you."

I see that there has been a storm that you guys have encountered. And as I was praying through it, the Lord said, "They've been forged in the storm." And it's not like a little rain shower like you guys get in Dallas. It was a tsunami. It was something that came that, that really the enemy crafted it to take you off your feet. And the Lord said, "Uh-uh, that's not what happened. I developed a strength inside of them that they would never have had if they had not gone through the storm."

I see the Lord saying that, that you are trusted in the heavens. You're trusted, man. You're a man of integrity. You're a man of your word. You're a man of honor. The great thing about that is that you sleep well at night. The hard thing about that is that sometimes people don't understand that level, and, and I sense that you have come under attack even for being the man that God has called you to be. However, it has not caused you to waver. You've, you've gone through the test. And, and the Lord is just saying, "He's trusted. I trust him." You haven't done things perfectly, but you've done things positionally, meaning that you have stood in your identity as son and daughter of the Most High. Man, that's so beautiful.

I had a vision of you guys and, um, with an imagine a picture of a of a neighborhood where a tornado has ripped through and you see the devastation all around, and then for some reason, there's a random house that's standing in the midst of it. And the Lord said, "That is, that's Chris and Angie. They're the ones who have stood. They've stood the test, and they've become stronger through that." Like Job, you have questioned why. There's nothing wrong with asking the question. You've questioned why. And I want to say this to you. It, when the Lord brings difficult things, it's not a punishment. It's not a punishment. So many times we think we deserve to be punished. And so we, we can have a tendency to see God through that lens. And instead, the Lord is saying, "No, it's an assignment. It's an assignment for both of you."

Many who are tossed to and fro like the wind, believing every wind of doctrine. We know from scripture. And we see people, we meet people that they, they believe God one day, and they're, they're believing something else the next. And the Lord has placed both of you in the lives of people like that because you are the steady that holds them. You don't really understand the impact that your life and your testimony has on the hearts of other people because you won't see the fruit of that maybe until heaven. But you are called to be that house that's standing in the midst of the des, the desperate times. You're the stabilizer. Your faith has made you strong. And I hear the Lord saying this, "Honor is bestowed upon both of you." There's such a, I, I don't have an English word for it. What I see about both of you in the spirit, but is this place of honor that neither of you have chased or sought after, that's not who you are, but the Lord has placed that and bestowed that upon you. Amen.

Beautiful. Chris and Angie, when I look at you, my, my heart just lights up. It's like you've been hidden in the shadows for so long. And all the things that God's done in you as a couple is now coming to the forefront. And you've got so much wisdom to share, uh, with other couples, with, with other marriages, with, I could just see you sitting on a couch like this, leading groups, and people coming for miles just to hear your wisdom. And Chris, I just believe God's calling you up. He's calling you out. It's a new season here, uh, at Gateway. And, uh, levels and levels of, of past leaders are gone. And God's, God knew this. It didn't take him by surprise, but he has those in the ranks, and I saw you as one in the ranks that would step into a place to share who you, who you are and what you know and the things you've walked through and the battles you fought. And I just, I don't know, I just got excited when I saw you guys. Okay. And, um, I don't have a, a verse from the book of Job, but I, I thought, how would you like to have the last name Job? Right. I've read the book, though. It turns out okay. All right. But I do have a verse out of Joshua. Joshua 3, uh, starting in verse 6. Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and they went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all of Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses." Is, I saw, like I said, God calling you up and, and reestablishing you as a man who hears God, a man who, um, loves the presence of God. There's a lot to you, sir. The Lord's called you to leadership. You feel very inadequate at times, wondering if you're equipped for the task. And, and it's not a paid or an unpaid position. Has nothing to do with that. It has to do with you living out the call of God on your life. The Lord says to you, "You're not only equipped, you're anointed. You've learned to trust in the presence of God. The presence of God goes before you. He goes with you. It goes behind you. What you will accomplish for God will be by grace and mercy and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Stay close and intimate with the Holy Spirit. Let the word of God sink deep into your heart so that you're ready to obey the promptings of God." I saw a fresh gift of faith and prophecy released in you. And I saw your eyes light up, and you knew it was because you saw something fresh in the word of God, and then you had the faith to speak it out and act upon it. I just saw you full of fresh vision. The, the thing that hurts my heart is that there have been seasons where you weren't just hidden. You were covered. You were covered over. You were overlooked. Everybody else was picked on the team, and you were left standing. But I want to tell you, it was the hand of God that protected you. He kept you. Best wine's the last wine, right? So, I'm going to go back to this phrase. I saw your eyes light up, and I knew it was because you saw something fresh in the word of God, and then you had the faith to speak it out and act upon it. Just like King David, you were faithful in the field, and now you'll be faithful in the house. I hope that speaks to your heart.

Angie, this last season has been difficult on all of us, but especially you. You don't do well with uncertainty. There's been a lot of uncertainty, like shifting sand. You've not been able to get your footing, but you have a strong gift of faith. And even though you didn't know where the Lord was leading, you still knew He was leading. Something has shifted inside of you since January. In John 14, when Jesus told the disciples that He was preparing a place and that, and that they knew the way, Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way?" And Jesus answered and said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." You know this passage. It's very familiar, but I believe the Lord wants to lift something out of it for you. He goes on to say, "No one comes to the Father except through Me. And if you really know Me, then you would know My Father as well." This last season you've walked through, your relationship with Jesus has shifted. It's made you more confident than you've ever been before. Let me read on what I said because here's the transition: "From now on, you do know Him and you have seen Him." From now on, from this place forward, you have a relationship with Jesus and the Father that you didn't have before. Looking back on this last season, your relationship with Jesus changed. Your relationship with the Father changed, and your relationship with the Holy Spirit changed, and you, you're more confident in who you are. All that has changed. Where there's been uncertainty, there's now stability. He's settled your heart. He's made you ready for this next season. I, I had this picture of you trying to reach out and do something out of the creativity of your heart. You knew you'd heard the Lord, and you, you knew if I can just get a hold of this and do this, it's going to make everything that I touch in my world better. But when you'd reach out, you'd get your hand slapped. And the Lord said, "Don't worry about that anymore. But put both hands on the plow and take off because your leadership is appreciated. Your creativity is appreciated. Who you are in this house, both of you, is appreciated. It's a new time to serve. Serve with all of your heart. God bless you." [Applause]

So good. So good. Well, my name is Amy. I'm the kids pastor here at the South Lake campus, and I have the honor and privilege of, uh, being both Chris and Angie's oversight here at, at Gateway. Angie, um, also is my twin sister. Everybody say yes. That makes sense now. So, don't worry if you've had a conversation with her thinking it's me. It's no big deal. It's perfectly fine. But I have the honor and privilege of overseeing both of them and getting to be their family. And, and Angie is such a special individual. So Angie, um, not only just recently, she's been on staff here for about eight years, but she's just recently, in the last year, taken on the kids pastor role for elementary here at the South Lake campus. And I've seen her grow, and I've seen her love. I've seen her lead. Well, if you ever get into a conversation with Angie, you're going to leave with a smile on your face and feeling blessed in your heart. The other thing that I believe that the God, that God has really, really blessed Angie with is, he's blessed her with a brilliant mind. There is no problem she cannot solve. There is no process she cannot put into place. And in fact, you know that cereal commercial, "Give it to Mikey, he likes everything." In kids, we say, "Give it to Angie. She can do anything." And we've put a plaque on her desk that says "Fixer of all the things." She really, really has that brilliant mind, but she goes so much deeper than that. She loves well. She leads well. And I've seen her soar over the last, over the last few, uh, months. And when you said lists, this is you. You, you read her mail. You read her mail. She is very organized, and she keeps me organized. She keeps our team organized. And I believe that that organization is another gift from the Lord. So I'm super blessed that I get to not only do life with you, but I get to work with you and serve the Lord with you, too.

And Chris, Chris is a volunteer on our kids team. I've seen him serve the littlest babies. I've seen him serve in elementary. He comes in on his time off and helps families during child dedications get to and from where they need to go. I've been working long hours with Angie before, and Chris just pops up out of nowhere and says, "How can I serve y'all?" I've seen him do manual labor for the kids team. And I also believe he is the nicest man on the planet. His heart is there. And if I think of one word about Chris, just like you were saying, the, the word that comes to mind is servant. He is a true servant, not only to his family, but to the Lord in this house. He's just a true gift. And so, uh, Gateway family, this is a power couple. Watch out for them. They're going to take back some ground for the Lord for sure. So, would you mind, uh, reaching your hands forward to them? Let's pray over this couple and my family.

Jesus, we just thank you. We thank you that that this, this couple is such a powerhouse for you, Father God. I pray that the words that have been spoken over them today that they just unpack and that they resonate deep in their hearts. Father God, I thank you for the giftings that you've put inside of them, from the organization to the brilliant mind to the servant hearts that they both have. Father God, I just thank you that you have put them together, that they are serving not only their families, but they're serving this house in such a mighty way. Father God, I just pray that their leadership continues to just take off and soar like we've seen it. Father God, I just bless them for the blessings that they have been to not only me, this house, their family, but everybody that they contact with. Father God, that the families that they serve. And so Jesus, we just love you and we thank you for this beautiful couple. And it's in your name we pray. [Music] [Music] Amen.

One more time for Chris and Angie. Can you give them a round of applause? Well, church, there's more, uh, strengthening, encouraging, and comforting that's about to take place. We're going to go into our words of due season. Pastor Sandy and Pastor Charlie and Kayla are going to be joining us as well for this time. So, uh, y'all, I'm just going to go and cut y'all loose. Is that okay? Okay. Awesome. [Music]

My brother right here. Tell me your name. Hugh Hunt. Hugh. Hugh Hunt. Good to meet you. I feel like I should have met you already. I don't. Maybe I have and don't remember. So, forgive me. But I know you're a regular around here. I've seen your face many times, but I haven't met you. Um, this is the, the, the scripture I'll add, and I'll, I'll share that. I'll give you kind of the impression I had. This Genesis 8:22 says, "As long as, or while the earth remains, there will be seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease." So there's a pattern and there's a rhythm that God established of seasons and, um, especially that seed time and that harvest. Um, you know, when, when you enter a harvest season and you gather in a harvest, the purpose of that harvest, part of that harvest is to enjoy and to sustain. And part of that, you know, he, there's another verse that says he gives bread to the eater but seed to the sower. Part of the harvest is to plant for the next season. And I just, the word I sensed for you is that God is not done with new seasons. And, um, you might be at a place and you might be at a vantage point in life where you think, "I've done enough reps. I've done enough laps that I kind of know the rhythm and the stride and the way things are going." But one of the rewards for a season of faith walked out well is a new season that requires new faith. It's not always just to, to do the same old thing again and again. And I just sense that the Lord is leading you in with the blessing of the harvest of the season that you've been in and walking through, but He's going to lead you into planting for something new to walk out. And He's not done just revealing wonder, excitement, and things that you've not yet seen. Your eyes have not seen. Your ears have not heard. You've not imagined the things that God has prepared. Bless you. Yeah. [Applause]

Tell me your names. D and Germaine, would y'all stand up? You know, when I looked at you, I, um, just, I felt like the Lord just showed me something that, that there's been some that you've all but carried to the foot of Jesus. He's healed areas of their lives, done great things, answered so many prayers, and they turned and walked right back into bondage. And I feel like the Lord just wants to encourage you tonight to not to carry the pain of that, that even, even if they're family, to give them to Jesus. He says in Isaiah 55:11 that "so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth. It's not going to return void." So the seeds that you've sown, the laps that you've taken, the prayers that you've prayed, the tears that you've shed have not gone unnoticed. Just keep watering those seeds. He's going to bring a harvest. Amen. God bless you guys.

I have a word for you, sir, right here. Tell me your name. Mr. Charles, it's nice to meet you. Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches. To have to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." And I hear the Lord saying this over you, Charles, that you matter. Your life matters. Your name speaks only to the introduction of your identity. You are so much more than what people have known you to be in your life in the kingdom. Your name is a place where your testimony begins, but not where it ends. The Lord has given you a story, Charles, and that story is to be shared with other people, and it's to bring glory to Him. And, and I really sense that there's times you haven't been really proud of that story and you wanted to hold it back, and the Lord is like, "Absolutely not, sir. You bring that story forth. The Lord is going to begin to put people in your path who need exactly what you have walked through, and you just trust the Lord and share your story with them." Mr. Charles, may God bless you. God bless you. Amen.

All right. Way over here. This young man here with blonde hair. What's your name? Zack. Zack. Good to meet you, sir. Zack, I heard the Lord say, "There's a calling on your life." And let me explain what that means. When I was a teenager, God began to speak to me about my future. And I knew that I would one day be in ministry. Back then, we called it "called to preach." And I do a lot of preaching, but it's more than that. It's called to serve the King in a very special way. You can do it in full-time ministry. You can even do it in business. But the fact of the matter is, when God calls you, there's a special touch of God on your life to do the things that He has for you to do. It probably will include a revelation and understanding of the Bible to be able to help other people know it and to, and to understand it. And it probably will mean that you're going to help people, uh, come into the kingdom of God, which means help them get saved and, and know the Lord. All those things will be wrapped up in your future. Okay? And here's what I saw about you right now. The scripture says, "Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled." I saw you knocking on the doors of heaven, refusing to be left out, and the door opened. In John 10:9, it says, "Jesus said to them, 'I am the door.'" What I saw was you were knocking, knocking, knocking, and all of a sudden, He just turned around. He was the door all along. I saw you having one-on-one intimate time with the Lord. He wants to introduce you to the Father. You're going to have a relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And all three are going to meet different needs in your life. Okay? But I saw you knocking on heaven's door. The Lord says, "There's a place for you in the presence of the Father. Come and visit often and don't hold back." All right. God bless [Applause] [Music] you.

Get my verse here. [Music] Sir, you here in the black shirt. Uh, the phrase, I'm sorry, what was your name? Aaron. Aaron. Good to meet you, Aaron. Um, this is the word that I had for you. Word was "no limits." Or another way to say that was, "God wants to remove the limits." There's a, a verse in Psalm 77:41. It talks about Israel. They're in the desert. And it says, "Again and again, they tempted God. They limited the Holy One of Israel." And that's an amazing verse because He's Almighty God. And they were slaves in Egypt. And He worked all kinds of miracles to take them out. And He prepared a promised land for them. And that in-between season where they were going from what He took them out of toward what He was leading them to, there was a struggle and a fight. And their, their struggle there is the only thing that li, it actually limited the power of the Holy One. And what God, what God wants to encourage you with is this: That there's nothing in your past, and there's nothing that you've, of, of what you've known, what you struggled with, what God's brought you out of, that disqualifies you for the future that God has. And the only fight is to lay aside every lie and everything from that past that says you're not worthy, you're not qualified, you're not going to get there, you're not whatever enough. And God wants to take the limits. Any limit that comes up in your mind that says you can't do this, you're not going to, you won't make it, if only. No, no. God just says, "Remove every limit. Remove every limit." If I've done everything I have, I can continue to move you into everything I have for you. So, take off those limits. Bless you.

Hi. Tell me your name. Diana. Diana. Nice to meet you. Were you here last night? I was not. You were not. I shared that, um, for some reason the Lord wakes me up at 4:00 in the mornings. Oh, yay. We could be prayer partners, but, uh, He just seems to speak to me at that time of morning. And this morning, you were my 4:00 a.m. conversation with the Lord. This is what I wrote for you. He even told me where you were going to sit tonight. I love it when He does that. I always ask Him, "Can you just put a neon bulb on people's heads so I'll know?" But He showed me exactly where you were going to be. So, thanks for sitting there. I wrote, "I don't know why some people seem to have to experience super hard situations. We might not know each other, but I believe the Lord wants to remind you that He knows you. You're the apple of His eye. Your name is engraved on His palm." He says, "And He says that in Isaiah 49." And He took me to the story. It's one of my favorite Bible stories. I actually love the word of God. But I love the story about Naomi and Ruth. I encourage you to read that. It's so good. I, I was reading that for us this morning. But it says, "Naomi and Ruth knew extremely hard things. And Naomi was so hurt over all the things the Lord took her through that she said, 'Don't call me Naomi anymore. Call me Mara.' Mara means bitter. Because the Lord has dealt with me." She wanted to change her name because of the pain that she had known. But the story changes. You know the story well. I can tell by looking at you. Ruth meets Boaz, and he becomes the kinsman redeemer. And the Lord says that instead of your shame, Diana, that you're going to have a double portion. The Lord loves justice, and He is fighting your battles. He will take your ashes and give you beauty. That's a really good trade-off. He promises joy for mourning. And then I thought about this commercial, you know, where sometimes we get sucked into the, the ads on Facebook or whatever we're looking at. It says, "But wait, there's more." And I wrote that for you, Diana. It says, "But wait, Diana, there's more." In Isaiah 61:7, He says, "Everlasting joy will be yours." That's an amazing gift that He's going to give you everlasting joy. The Song of Solomon 2:11 says, "For lo, the winter is passed. The rain is over and gone. Flowers are going to begin to appear, and the birds are going to start singing again." God bless you. Thank you.

I have a word for this gentleman in the salmon colored shirt. Would you just come over here for just a moment? Tell me your name while you're walking. Come on, Bob. It's nice to meet you. Ecclesiastes 9:17 and 18 says this, "The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war." And here's what I hear the Lord saying over you, Bob. The Lord has deposited within you a gift of leadership. I feel like in my spirit that you have, you don't see yourself quite as a leader because maybe you're, you don't have the words of other people that you see leading, or you don't have the accolades or those things. But I want you to know that there is quietness and strength that the Lord has placed inside of you that He desires more than accolades of men. Don't hesitate. Stop hesitating. Say yes to the things that God is calling you to do. You have already got everything that you need to accomplish what He's asking you to accomplish. The person that you have to begin believing is the person you see in the mirror, and change that language and step in faith to what God has called you to do. There are people waiting for what's inside of you that need, desperately need what God has given you, Bob. Yeah. Say yes. Amen.

Miss Anna Bird, would you stand up for a minute? Girl, I got to tell you something. When you started singing tonight, it took my breath away. I said, "Lord, something's fresh on her. Something has shifted on her. You've always been anointed." And, uh, there's another worship girl that might be my favorite, but you might be my second favorite. Okay. I just want to tell you, I'm so proud of you. And here's what I feel like I got from the Lord. You've walked through the fire. You've walked through the deep waters. But look back. You were not consumed, and you didn't drown. He's been with you all the way. You didn't lose your faith. You've always been a woman of faith, but now you are a woman of tried and tested faith. And what I saw on you was new authority. I saw you gut punch the enemy. Something has shifted in you, and it's good. Well done, my sister. Papa's proud of [Applause] you.

Courtney. This is what I had for you. Hebrews 4:3, "For we who have believed do enter that rest." Um, and just that it goes on to say other things, but it, throughout this chapter, He keeps talking about that God has prepared a rest for His people. Later He says, "So we should work diligently to enter into that rest." And, um, this is, this is kind of the, the picture I had. Have you ever tried to sleep in a room? Um, maybe there's not a fan, and there's a mosquito in that room, and it's buzzing in your ear. Yep. And it just, it just will wake you up. And you go back to sleep, and it wakes you up. And it's, um, in a way, it's tormenting, but it's not, it's not a big torment, but it's just tormenting your sleep. And there's another verse that says, "Perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment." There's a way that fear wants to torment us. And I just, I just saw it's not big, terrible torture. It's little buzzing thoughts, little nagging thoughts, little something that just wants, ever so often you think it's gone, and it wants to come back by and buzz in your ear, and it's tormenting you. And the Lord wants to deal with that and extinguish that. He wants you to believe that you can lay that aside and enter His rest. Leave you with that. Bless you. Yeah.

I have a word for you, sir. Tell me your name, Jim. Do you mind standing up? Nice to meet you. This is what I wrote for you, Jim. "You're not beyond His reach. You're never beyond His grace. You've not exceeded His mercy. He promises new mercies every morning." It's been kind of a theme tonight. I've heard the verse several times. The enemy has fought hard for your soul. But look at you. You're here. Not necessarily standing here tonight, but you're here. You're alive. You didn't think you'd live this long. You didn't think you'd live to see this day. You're still pressing through. God will be faithful to you. He can, He can restart the dream that you feel is shattered. He can mend the broken heart. We think we arrive when the struggle stops. And that's not so. The struggle may never stop, but neither will His grace. And I just feel like the Lord just wants to come tonight and, and encourage you. And I just pray in the name of Jesus that He increases your strength and gives you fresh courage to keep pressing on. Amen. God bless you. Thank you. Amen.

Each night we pray together as a team and just say, "Lord, is there something in a corporate setting that You want to say to more than one person?" Tonight, as we were praying, Kelly, uh, who is Charlie's wife, she really caught on to something that we felt like this is important, super important, because we all need to hear from the Lord. So, I'm going to ask her to minister this word, share this word for a minute, and then we'll kind of monitor where we are and bring things to a close. But, Kelly, why don't you go ahead and take the— Yes. I just wanted to, um, encourage everybody. First of all, you guys love the voice of God, or you wouldn't have come to this on a Monday night. So, you wanted to hear from the Lord. And I just believe there's so many people that are walking through situations, and you need to hear a word from God about your situation. And there's not enough people and enough time to pray over every person in this room. But I want to encourage you that you can hear directly from God about your situation tonight before you leave. And I really believe that, um, Proverbs, one of my favorite verses in Proverbs says, "Acknowledge Him in all of your ways, and He will direct your paths." And I've always told myself that I can hear God on my worst day because a lot of days are not my best day. And for some reason, you feel like, "Oh, if I feel super spiritual on that day, I can hear the Lord," but it seems like it's, you need to hear Him on your worst day, and that's the day you feel the least spiritual, able, at least spiritually able to hear Him, but that's the day that you need to hear Him. So I've always told myself, "I can hear Him on my worst day," and wow, how many bad days have I had where I've actually ended up hearing the Lord. Um, I want to tell you guys that every single person can hear the voice of God. You were designed to hear His voice. Um, two quick things. A few years ago, they mentioned earlier that we have four teenage sons. One of them has given us a run for our money. Um, that child we have been praying over for so many years. And one year, one specific year, everything was going haywire. And I went in this prayer room, and I prayed every type of prayer I knew how to pray, everything I've ever been taught about prayer. I prayed all of those different ways. Finally, I quieted myself and I said, "Okay, Lord, what are You saying about this child?" And as clear as day, I heard, "Send him on a mission trip." And I actually thought the Lord was going to tell me how to discipline this child. Like, "Try this. You've tried this. Now do this." That's what I, I thought we were talking about this. And the Lord says, "Send him on a mission trip." And I was like, "Oh my goodness." And the Lord was like, "Put him where I've made him to be and watch him come alive there. And all this other chaos is just going to fall off. This is just distraction of the enemy. Put him where I've called him." And I was like, it was a game changer. That year was a game changer. A couple weeks ago, um, one of our other sons had had four surgeries in one year. So that was a doozy. So here I am sitting on the couch. We just got home from the fourth surgery. I'm worn out. I'm a little discouraged. I'm just sitting on the couch, and I have this thought come into my mind, "I'm going to bring you a buyer." Well, I'm a real estate agent, and I know what that thought means. "I'm going to bring you a buyer" means someone that needs to buy a house. And I was like, "Okay." I wasn't really trying to hear the Lord, but that was an encouraging thought to me as I'm sitting on the couch discouraged. And two days later, a buyer, um, contacts me that I, I didn't know, and, and all of this. And so I'm actively working with them right now. We have their home under contract. All of that to say is that God can speak to all of us about all things all the time, and He can speak to you on your worst day. So I want to just lead you in a moment real quick. Whatever is on your heart, whatever you feel burdened about, whatever you need to hear from the Lord about direction, let's do it right now so that you don't leave without a word, right? So you don't leave without hearing the Lord. So let's just take a moment.

Father, we just come before You right now, and Lord, You know that situation. You know that hard thing that we're carrying. You know that burden. You know, that thing on our list, the number one thing that, that bothers us pretty much constantly throughout the day. It's just there, just, just pecking like a woodpecker at us. God, we bring that before You right now. And Lord, like I said to you about my son, God, we just ask You, what are You saying about this situation? We just ask You right now, God. What are You saying about this situation? I thank You, Lord, that we can hear from You right now. We can hear from You on our worst day. We certainly can hear from You in this sanctuary. Thank You, Lord, that You speak to every single person. Lord, what are You saying about this situation? Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. I thank You, God, that Your sheep hear Your voice and they know it. Your sheep hear Your voice and they know it, God. We know Your voice. Thank You. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. If you feel like you had a thought come in your mind or some kind of direction, just raise your hand right now while we're praying. Just raise your hand if you feel like you had a thought [Music] come. Okay, there's a lot of hands. If you feel like you still need to hear that voice, you still need to hear from the Lord, raise your hand. You feel like that time, that first time, they just didn't take. That is okay. We're going to pray again, guys, because I believe God's going to speak to you. I know He's going to speak to you. So let's pray again, right? Sometimes we're just training our ears. We're just practicing.

Father, we just thank You. I thank You, Lord, that You speak to every person in this room. We open our hearts to You, Lord. We open our hearts to You about this situation. God, help us in our time of need. Speak to us, Lord, direction in Jesus' name. Thank You, Lord. [Music] Thank You, [Music] Lord. Guys, if you feel like that second time around you heard something from the Lord, raise your hand. And there's no pressure. There's none. Good. Good. Sometimes we just need to keep practicing because we're training our heart, our ears, our mind. We're tuning in to the supernatural, right? We're tuning in. We, we just practice. We just practice. I say all the time, I, I keep, um, a journal on my phone now. I used to write it all down, but sometimes my notebook's not around, but my phone is always around now, so I keep it there. Um, and I'm just writing words, and I just sort of keep a log, and, and some of them are off. Sometimes some of them are wrong, and I'll know that over time I'll like, "Oh, okay. Well, that was a mess up." But then I'll have several right ones, and I'm like, "Oh, yeah, that was the Lord. It was the Lord." And I'm, I love showing those ones to my husband. I'm like, "Look, this is the word." Guys, God's going to continue to speak to you. Just keep it, keep that before the Lord. If you have a prayer language, I want to encourage you just to be praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit and just keeping your spirit tuned to His voice. Amen.

Thank you, Kelly. Thank you so much. Thank you, Kelly. You know, as she was sharing, I, I had the thought that scripture Sandy had mentioned that same scripture to me tonight that Kelly just quoted. "My sheep hear My voice." It goes on to say, "I know them, and they follow Me." Could it be? Could it be that you don't hear the voice of the Lord because you're not a sheep? I remember when I was not a sheep. I remember when I didn't know the Lord. And I remember when I first began to hear the Lord, He was talking to me about how much He loved me, how much He wanted to forgive me, and how much He wanted to have a relationship with me. It wasn't a condemning voice, but I knew, I mean, I don't know if you've ever heard the word "conviction." It, it means you kind of start feeling guilty about your sin, but I didn't feel guilty in the way that I wanted to run from God. I felt guilty in the way that I wanted to be forgiven by God. And I just wonder in a crowd this size, the presence of the Lord is here. We're about to say our final amen here in just a few minutes, but I wonder if there's anyone here tonight. You'd say, "I don't hear the voice of God. Matter of fact, I don't even know the Lord personally. Maybe you feel distant from God. Maybe you feel guilty for the things that you've said and done." Can I tell you tonight that the Father's arms are wide open? He wants to forgive you. He wants to cleanse you. He wants to adopt you. He wants to begin a relationship with you. And so I'm going to ask you for just a minute, bow your heads with me because I want to talk to those of you that that identifies you. You'd say for me, you'd say to me right now, "Pastor Mark, I don't believe God speaks to me. I don't believe I know Him that way. And tonight, I want to know Him. Pray for me." Would you just slip your hand up and slip it down all over the auditorium? I want to know God like that. One, two, three, four. Anyone else? Five. Keep them up so I can see you. Six. Seven, eight, nine, ten. Anybody in the back? I want to know God like that. Eleven. Twelve. All right. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to pray a prayer out loud that you can pray as well. Every one of us in here, we're going to pray this prayer together. And what you're going to do is you're going to invite Jesus to come inside your heart, forgive you, cleanse you, and adopt you. And you're going to become a sheep tonight. You're going to become a child of God tonight. And you're going to start hearing the voice of God because that's the way it works. So right now, I want you to pray this prayer after me out loud. Every one of us in the room, I want you to say, "Heavenly Father, I want to have a relationship with You. I believe in You. That's why I'm here. I ask You to forgive me. I ask You to cleanse me. And I ask You to come into my heart, save me, change me, speak to me. I accept You, Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."

I want you to stand to your feet if you would. We're going to end tonight with an altar team, a prayer team down front. And as we do this, as we close tonight, we're not going to go back into worship. They're just going to play softly. If you need to leave, you leave. But if you prayed with me just now, inviting the Lord in your heart, I want you to come down and tell one of our prayer team members because we have what we call "next steps." Things we want to help you with moving forward. All right. So, Matthew, do you have anything you want to do helping us in tonight? You sure? I want to invite all of our altar workers, our prayer team, to come forward. And if, like I said, if you prayed that prayer with me and you asked the Lord to come into your heart, you asked Him to save you and change you and forgive you, we want to know. All right. And I'm going to ask any other staff members that we have that would be willing to pray for some. I don't know if our prayer team's, a lot of our prayer team is here tonight, but we want to know who you are. We want to help you. So, Father, we just ask right now in Jesus' name for courage. And Lord, we ask in the name of Jesus that any prayer need that's in this room that we could agree with, that those that need those things that, that we could pray for, would come forward. And Father, we ask You for that courage in Jesus' name. Amen.

If you have a prayer need, come forward. Otherwise, you're dismissed. And we'll see you back tomorrow night, same time, 7:00 p.m. God bless you. You're dismissed.