Transcription
Are we good church? How about the rest of you? You good? I, I want to lean in. As I said, I think that this, this what the message that Father has, um, wants to release right now is necessary; that the first service is listened to. Would you agree, Pastor Joe, that we need to, um, and I think you're going to make it available? I encourage you to listen to that because it's an essential. But I only got partway through it. So I'm doing the, the second part today. But it's, it, it's—I want to lean into this. And as I step into it, I feel the Holy Ghost say it's very important that we hear this statement. We need to hear what God is saying and not what we think God is saying.
Yeah. The, the Bible says in Habac, chapter 2, and a lot of people quote verse two, "Write down the vision, make it plain so that people can run with it who read it." Does anyone know that scripture? "Though it awaits at a point of time, wait for it, it will surely not delay." It speaks of the end. "Though it linger, it will, it will surely come to pass." And people talk about writing down what God has said. Write down the prophetic statements. Write it down. But it's not what it says. It says, "Write down the vision." Vision is to do with sight, not to do with hearing. And if you read in verse one of Habac 2, uh, Habac says to the Lord, "I will look to see what you will say to me." Everyone listen. "I will look to see what you will say to me." That's not right, is it? You mean, "I will listen to hear what you will say." You don't see what someone says, you hear. Are you with me? But he said, "No, I will look to see what he will say to me." And the Lord's response is, "Okay, great. Write down the vision, what you see, and write it down because you can run with that."
And the Lord spoke to me this, and I just wanted you to hear this really, really clearly. Faith comes by hearing. That's what Romans 10:17 says. But fulfillment comes from seeing. Because you can hear what God says. And Habac goes, "I'm hearing you, God, but it looks different." Come on. The circumstances, situations look very different in life. And so I don't understand. I can't work out what's actually going on. And he says, "So I'm going to actually look to see what you will say to me." And we need people that not only hear what God says, but see it from God's perspective. Does that make any sense? Cuz otherwise, we hear what God says, we self-interpret it, and it doesn't work out, and we get frustrated, and then we question, "I mustn't have heard what God said." And God said to me, "No, Steve, it's not that you didn't hear. You didn't look to see what I was saying."
And the Lord started to explain this to me. And I'm just going to—I, I, I want to get into this, but I feel there's something on this right now. So, I want you to hear this cuz I believe the difference between frustration or fulfillment in God is the difference between seeing or not seeing what God has said. And I said, "God, you have to help me understand this." And this was the Lord to me, and I want to release it to you right now. The Lord said, "Steve, imagine someone gets a prophetic word: 'You will have significant influence in Africa.'" Now, they heard the word and the next day they go out, they resign from their job, they buy a ticket, they jump on a plane, they go to Africa, and they start something new. And through that new thing that they started, they had a significant influence in Africa. And the Lord said to me, "Steve, is that what it could mean?" And I said, "Yes, Lord." He says, "Scenario two." The same person hears, "You will have significant influence in Africa." And that person says, "Okay, I know what that is." And the next day they go out, they resign from their job, they buy a ticket, they go to Africa and they join an existing ministry organization and through joining an existing ministry, they have significant influence in Africa. And the Lord said to me, "Steve, is that what it could mean?" And I said, "Yes." And the Lord said, "Scenario number three." This is exactly what he said here. Scenario number three. Someone hears, "You'll have a prophetic, um, you'll have a"—what did I say—"significant influence in Africa." And someone that is so graced by God in business—oh, they go, "I know what that is." And, and they, they grow a kingdom business that through the giving that they give into Africa, they have a significant influence in Africa through their giving. And the Lord said, "Steve, is that what it could mean?" And I said, "Yes." And he said, "Number four." He said, "Imagine that someone hears the same word, 'You will have a significant influence in Africa.'" And that person is so graced by God to sit across the table and just disciple people and love them deeply and call out what God has placed in them; and through what someone they've sown into greatly, that person goes and through what they've sown into them, they have a significant influence in Africa. And the Lord said to me, "Steve, is that what it could mean?" And I said, "Yes." And the Lord says, "So the difference is not that they heard, it's what they saw." And he said, "So many people have gone when I actually wanted them to sow or to disciple others. Have said, 'I'm just going to stay and do my little part here and give to the mission,' but I've actually called them to go." They've all heard the same word, and they said, "This is what it looks like." And the Lord said, "Unless we look to see what God is saying to us, we will self-interpret it." And the difference is frustration, not fulfillment.
So when God speaks, go, "God, how does this look to you?" Because please watch me. When God speaks to us now about what he's calling us to, we're in 2025. Maybe it's something for the future. We go, "Oh, maybe it might look like this. Maybe it might look like that." But God is an eternal, omniscient, omnipresent God. Does anyone believe that he is from everlasting to everlasting? He lives outside of time. I'm equipping you right now and hearing God and seeing in the spirit that God lives outside of time. He is not confined by time. Literally, he is in the past and he is in the future right here, right now. Does anyone believe that? Cuz he is omniscient. So when God speaks something prophetically and we hear the word, we need to pause and say, "Okay, God, show me what that looks like to you." Because here's the deal. When God speaks of a future time, to us, it's a future possibility. Watch me. But God is in my future now. He's there right now. He's in the 10 years right now. He's when I'm 60. He's there. When I'm 70, God is there. And when he speaks, he's not saying it's a future possibility. He's saying, "Let me tell you what it looks like from where I'm standing." Huh, that's big. When God speaks and we go, "I have no idea what that looks like," how about we ask the one who's there now? We say, "God, how does this look to you?" And when God speaks, then God says, "Now write down that vision." Not what you hear, but what you see. Does that make sense to anyone? Some of us have gone, "Man, I thought God said, and it hasn't turned out." I want you to go back to the word that God has given and say, "God, did I see it correctly?" Not, "Did I hear it correctly?" But, "Lord, how does this look to you?" Because I tell you right now, even though it awaits a point of time and it linger, it will not delay. Though it linger, it will not delay. Which means it's right on time with God's timing. And many times it's later than we think because God is doing something deeper in us than we are aware of. God always knows what he's doing. Amen.
So let me get into this now. And I want to get into it with that in, in your mind that God's about to speak. We're going to talk about a transition of seasons. And the reason I'm saying that is—don't conclude something that God's not saying when I say a transition of season. But the reality is everyone in this room will go through seasons. Every one of us in this room will go through transitions. So I, I just pray that you'll hear the heart of the Lord as we speak into this. And I believe there's something prophetic for you as a church and for you as individuals. The first thing that God wants to say is that God is a God of seasons. Do you know that the right place to start when we talk about anything is God? You guys are quiet. You're listening. Praise the Lord. The right place to start is always God. In the beginning, God. In the beginning, God. And we talk about transition, or we talk about seasons. We start to talk about transition. We start to talk about seasons. No, we need to talk about God. That God is a God of seasons. Genesis 1:14 says, "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night.'" How many people know—talking about the moon and the stars and the, the sun—and God created them to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and seasons for days and years. God is the God of seasons. We know it in the natural. We know there's spring, summer, autumn, winter. How many people know they come around every year? The difference between a season and an era, e r a, era, a new era and a new season, is a season is a cycle that comes around and comes around and comes around. But a new era is from that moment everything changes and it will never be the same again. Are you with me? And God is a God of seasons and he's got a new era. When you were born again, it wasn't a new season. It was a new era. Come on. When you are filled with the Holy Ghost, it wasn't a new season. It was a new era. Does this make sense to anyone? But we also need to understand that God is a God of seasons. Cuz if we do not, we will misdiagnose what's going on. And we need to understand that this is God's pattern. This is God's, um, way of doing things. Even in creation from the very beginning, there's times, there's seasons. And so, let me just read some statements that the Lord spoke to me that I, I just feel he wants to speak into our hearts. Here's the first one. "A change of seasons is not a mark that a previous season was wrong." These statements, hide them up in your heart. Take a note of them because you will go through seasons and you will go through transitions of seasons and this church will. But we need to understand this that a change of seasons is not a mark that a previous season was wrong. A change of seasons simply means that it's a different season. Ah, that's deep, isn't it? A change of season simply means it's a different season. And God created seasons. There's too much of a mentality as a change of seasons is almost like the past is wrong, the present is right. No, the past was a season. The present is a season. Can I hear an amen? This church, you've gone through seasons and you will go through seasons. Your life, you've gone through seasons and you will go through seasons. Don't make it right and wrong. Make it a season. Now, it's another season.
In a transition of seasons, some things look the same. In a transition of seasons, some things look the same. Can I just tell you right up front with what I'm leaning into here? I don't even know fully what I'm saying to you in your context or in the context of this church. Can I—is that okay? I just feel I know that God has spoken. So, I know there's many individuals in this room or watching online, many—and for you as a church that God will speak things into you that I do not know. I don't need to know. I just need to pass the mail on. When God speaks to you for someone, a word that you go, "I had no idea what that means." Therefore, I won't pass it on. Your job is not to know what it means. It's just to be obedient to pass it on. I, I'm really—I just feel an equipping, um, in, in the spirit here. Some of us have known that we, we felt God say something, but because it doesn't make sense, we've sat on it. God says sometimes it's not about it making sense and understanding. It's about that obedience to pass it on and release it because God is always doing something wonderful. So in a transition of seasons, some things look the same. When God said that to me, I'm going, "Okay, God, what's the significance of that?" And he just reminded me—uh, on March 1st—uh, when summer changed to autumn here in Australia, we still enjoyed some summer weather. Come on. You're still enjoying some summer weather right now in Melbourne. We're still enjoying some summer weather right now. But I also remember in January, one of the days when it was 16° and rainy, I'm going, "Hang on, that shouldn't be right now because it's the wrong season." How many people understand that when you're in a season, you can say, "This is how it should look," but things are in that season. We go, "That shouldn't be in this season. It should be in a different season." We need to understand what God is saying in a transition of seasons. Some things look the same because otherwise we, we think, "Okay, it's a transition. Okay, everything has changed." Some things change, but sometimes you still get some of the days that you had in a previous season. I, I feel this is a word that's going to set some of you up to not misdiagnose what's going on. Don't misdiagnose the season because some things are familiar.
The next thing which, uh, I, I, I feel is—I just want to take a few moments to really lean into and unpack. I think this is one of the most important statements that the Lord has ever said to me. It was a couple years ago, two and a half years ago. And I find myself asking it all the time. And I believe it's significant in your life. Young people, you grab hold of this, and I tell you right now, it will mark your life. Older people, grab hold of this; it will mark your future. It will mark our present. It will mark what happens in this church. And it's a, and it's a question, and it's up there on the screen. It's the next time. "What is it time for?" It's very different to "What time is it?" Most of us ask, "What time is it?" We almost do the—we do something based on what time it is. The better question is, "God, what is it time for?" If you're doing something right now, what is it time for? And let's lean into this. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, it says, "There is a time for everything." Everyone say, "A time." Say, "For everything." "There is a time for everything and there is a season for every activity under the heavens." I got to read it again. Please. Do you know the scripture? "There is a time for everything and there is a season for every activity." I just feel like the Holy Ghost go, "Speak it into them, Steve. Speak it into them." So I'm saying that, young lady, young lady, young man, listen. I'm speaking into you. "There is a time for everything and there is a season for every activity," but don't forget the last few words, "under the heavens." What does that mean? It means authored by God. There is a time and there is a season for everything that God authors. And I am convinced that many times I'm running out of time. Not because there is not time for everything, but there's only time for everything that is authored under the heavens. Many times I'm getting stretched beyond capacity, but it's only ever when I am either doing something that God has not called me to do in that season or I'm trying to do it in my own strength and not in the power of the Holy Ghost. I just feel we need to get really real right now. You have time to do everything that God has called you to do. If you go, "No, no, no. I can't even—I don't even have time to read the Bible," that's only because you are giving time to something that God is not asking you to do. I've got to be really honest because I want to empower us today. I only do not have time to do what God has said if I'm doing something that he has not said. But that's why I need to say, "But hang on. I've got all these responsibilities and commitments in life." Yeah, but hang on. What is it time for? Because if you read the next, um, seven verses of Ecclesiastes 3, which I won't right now, it talks about a time to plant and a time to, um, reap. It talks about a time to sow and a—it, it, it talks about a time to lay down and a time to pick up, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. In other words, it's not all about the next, the next, the next. Sometimes it's a time to step back. Sometimes it's a time to lay down. I believe in the body of Christ, one of the things that God really needs to get our attention on in our lives is it's just as spiritual to lay something down as it is to pick it up. It's just as—it's just as spiritual to stop doing something that we have been doing than to start something. But what we do is we—so, it's always about taking more ground, more ground, starting, starting something. And God sometimes needs to get our attention when something's in decline. It's almost like that's the only time we stop. And God goes, "How about I get your attention on the when it's still flourishing?" I say, "Lay it down." But no, no, we—God would never say, "Lay it down when it's flourishing," but he might want to place something else in our hands that he can't because we're doing something that he says the season is finished. It's time to understand the times and the seasons; and says, "There's a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens." Three things that God spoke to me on that which I just want to talk about and what is it time for. Can I just—so I make it really clear? I'm talking day by day as I'm going through my day. I find myself often saying, "God, what is it time for?" You know, when you're in transition, you have just finished something. Okay, God, what is it time for? Because many times it will—the Holy Ghost will whisper something to me that I wouldn't have chosen to do. But when I follow his leading, not my desire, guess what? The fruits attached to his leading. And the problem with this, and I mentioned in the first, is we have actually replaced this submission to the lordship and this keeping in step with the spirit almost as legalism. But that's where the life flows. God knows me better than I know me. God knows you better than you know you. And God is doing something in your life and God is doing something in the lives of those around about you. He knows exactly when a word is needed. How many people have had a—you, you're doing something and you got a deadline or a task or you're just consumed with doing something and someone's name pops into your mind and it's like you should give them a call. I go, "Yeah, yeah, I'm busy right now. Maybe later." Is that just me? Is that just me? I put off. That was just me. That's just my thought. Maybe it was God saying, "Right now is the time because they need something right now." God is looking for some people that are willing to let some things drop to the ground in order to be his hands, his feet, his light, his life in the life of someone else. He's looking for some people that will turn at a whisper and not need three signs of confirmation. Come on. Does he have you at his whisper or does he have to get your attention through writing on a wall with a finger? God is looking for those that just hear that whisper. How many people know what Psalm 46:10 says? Says, "Be still and know that I am God." Anyone know that scripture? But that's only the first half. The second half is that "He may be exalted among the nations and he be exalted in the earth." How many people want God to be exalted in the nations and exalted in the earth? Does anyone else want that? And then in the days that we're living in, these darkening days that we want God to be exalted. Anyone? How does that happen? It happens by, "Be still and know that I am God." Because then, then we're going to know what he's saying to do in the moment. He's will know what it is time for, what it is the season for, what he wants me to do, what he doesn't want me to do. The result is that he will be exalted. He will be lifted up. But the phrase "be still" in the Hebrew is three things. It's cease. In other words, you got to stop some things. It's hush—is stop talking. "Let me talk," says God. "I, I know what you need. Before you ask, how about you do some listening?" Be quick to listen. But the third thing is to let [Music] drop. "Be still" means you got to stop and you got to listen. And you got to be willing that some things are going to drop through the cracks, fall through the cracks, not get done. I, I've spoken to many pastors and leaders and many people in churches that there's a whisper that, "But I feel God's calling me this, but I can't do it right now because if I do that right now, this won't get done. This won't be done. This won't be done. This won't be done." And God says, "You got to be willing for some things to drop in order to obey me." Because the life is attached to your obedience, not to your service. Obedience is better than sacrifice. And God is looking for a people who understand. What is it time for right now? If you're in the middle of a conversation, the Holy Spirit whispers, "Don't say that." What is it time for? Is it time to speak and let them have a piece of your mind because after all, they deserve it? Or is it a time to say, "I don't fully understand. I think this would help them, but I'm going to stop saying it." I got family members that are not walking with the Lord. And I remember the time I just go, "Man, this is what I do for a living. I talk to people about God and how people connect with God. So, I'm thinking if I say the right thing, they're going to hear." And one day, the Holy Spirit said to me, "Steve, I'm a better Holy Spirit than you are." After I got off the, the shock of that statement, he said, "I want you to keep your mouth shut unless I tell you to say something specifically." What is it time for? This is time to speak. This is a time to refrain from speaking. And here's the deal. You don't know. And I don't know what time it is. The spirit of God knows what time it is. Don't violate that whisper that seems to be insignificant or unspiritual. You have that whisper during the day on something that it's not even to do with anything. Listen, don't just say it's my conscience. I, I, I remember the most important thing the Holy Spirit ever said to me on hearing from the Lord is one day—and this was many years ago—He said, "Steve, get rid of the separation between your natural and your spiritual life because you've only got one life and you're always you." He said, "I died for you, not for an event in your life. But you think I'm interested when you're preaching and praying and reading the Bible, but not when you're going to the shops and watching a movie and hanging out with friends. But you are the common denominator in all of that. And I died for you, not an event." And so if I—you feel something and it's not composed to my scripture, rather than start with the question, which is what mankind does, "Is this God?" Start with a statement, "This is God," and just do it in obedience.
Knowing that Philippians 3:15 says, “if you who are mature think differently than you should, then the Holy Spirit, he’ll make that clear to you.” God is looking for some people that actually go, “This is God.” And do it. Praise the Lord.
So, there is a time for everything and there’s a season for every activity under the heavens. Wonderful. My friend on the keys could come back. And to quote my dad, I’m heading towards the eventual possibility of a probable close. Don’t diagnose, sorry, don’t misdiagnose what God is doing. If we’re going to understand the seasons, don’t misdiagnose what God is doing. Pruning is different to cutting off. Come on, man. I feel like I’m just being cut right now. Is it pruning? Is it cutting off? Is it pruning because you’re fruitful and God’s cutting back to make you more fruitful? Or is it cutting off because you’re out of alignment? And God says, “No, we want to get rid of that.” This is why we need to say, “God, what are you saying? Show me what you’re saying.”
Repositioning is different to a closed door or rejection. I believe I’m speaking things into where the church is at, where the church is going. So, I want us to hear prophetically and for your life. Repositioning. Moving from this place to another place is different to a closed door or rejection. They’ve moved me out because of… We got to understand what it is time for, church. Cuz sometimes God will reposition you because he wants you to flourish in a different season, a different place, and he wants to put someone else in there because he has something to do in them. None of us own a department, a program, a people. We are all here to serve. And God, if you want me serving here, I’ll serve here. If you want me serving here, I’ll serve there. If you want to move me, God, move me. I just feel in the spirit right now that you’re coming into a time, even over the next 5 years, there’s going to be uh several significant repositions. It is not a sign that we’re off track. It’s a sign that we’re understanding that it’s a new time and it’s a new season. Let’s celebrate what happens when that happens. It places someone in a different position. I just want to be where God wants me to be. Anybody else? I don’t want to hold on to something that goes, “Steve, I finished there. It’s time for a new thing.” It’s time for a new thing. Huh?
Betrayal by people is different to abandonment by God. I just feel God’s just can talk to people in these last few minutes. Betrayal by people. This is all about not misdiagnosing what’s happening, what is time for, what’s actually happening. Lord brought Joseph back to my mind. How many people know that he was betrayed by people, but he was not abandoned by God? But he easily could have concluded, “I’ve been abandoned by you, God. You gave me a vision. And look, I’m even honoring you. And now I’m in prison because I was accused of rape that I didn’t do. And in fact, I was running and keeping my integrity. And that still didn’t work out.” But betrayal by people is different to abandonment from God. We need to understand what’s actually happening because otherwise we can attribute to God what God’s heart grieves over just as much as our heart grieves over. Don’t delay when God initiates change. God’s timing will often be different to our timing. Anyone live long enough to say amen to that? My dad has always said that God is never late, but he misses some golden opportunities to be early. It’s true, but God’s timing. When we help God out with timing outside of his timing, it ceases to be his will. Just ask Abraham with Hagar. Come on. We got to trust God’s will, but also his timing. Don’t let logic rob you of faith steps and miracles. This is all under understanding what it is time for. I just this transition of seasons, this God saying there’s a time and a season for every activity under the heavens. I want to encourage you individually and as a church to not let logic rob you of faith steps and miracles. Do not remove the miracle margin. Again, quoting my dad. He’s—I say unashamedly because he’s my he’s my hero. He’s the one I just love to walk with. He said, “Everyone wants to walk on water, but not many people want to get out of the boat.” God, I want to see miracles, but I’ll manage my life in such a way that no miracle is needed. And when God, you say, “I want you to step out,” and we go, “I can’t because of finances,” and I’m going to call that stewardship. God calls that disobedience because I want the miracle of God’s provision, but I want to manage to make sure that we can do the spreadsheets to add up. I’m not saying stewardship is wrong, but stewardship is taking care of what God owns. It’s different to provision. Some of you young people, God’s going to call you to do something. You say, “I can’t right now because I don’t have…” Sometimes God provides after you’ve taken the step. We want God to provide, then I’ll take the step. And God is looking for a people that will actually trust him enough to say yes without qualification and then let him be Jehovah Jireh, our provider.
Don’t resist what God is doing now in the transition of seasons. Don’t resist what God is doing now. Celebrate the past, but embrace the present and have an eager expectation for the future. Can I say that again? Celebrate the past, embrace the present, and have an eager anticipation for the future. Some of us need to receive this in our own lives personally right now. Maybe what you’ve been going through, you felt has derailed you. And if that’s you, I just want to pray for you in a moment. We’re about to pray together because I just have the sense that God is for you. And I just want to speak that over you. God is for us. Who can be against us? And he who gave his own son, will he not freely give us all things?
There is a need for spiritual discernment into the plans of God. I wonder if we can just close our eyes and have a moment as Pastor Joe comes back in a moment. But there’s a need for spiritual discernment into the plans of God in your own personal life. This is for you as much as it is for me. It’s “Father, what are you doing now?” Father, what are you doing now? Not what have you done, not what will you do, what are you doing now? Step by step, moment by moment, since we live by the spirit, we’re going to keep in step with the spirit, which means I’m listening, Lord. I’m listening, Lord. I’m listening, Lord. Father, what are you doing now? And Father, what do you require of me in this season? I heard the Lord say, “You don’t need to work it out. We just need to walk it out.” God, we walk with the one who knows. We walk with the one who’s been there, who is there. And God, my prayer is that we will flourish because we understand what it is time for, what it is the season for. Father, I just pray by your Holy Spirit right now for some that have felt the difficulty, the challenge of the season, the hurt, the pain, the questions that have caused them to even doubt your goodness. Would you just pour out your grace right now, God? We don’t just need a message. We just need that touch from you, that revelation that even as Pastor Joe read before, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil because you are with me. God, release healing, I pray this day and even over this week. Lord, bring a tenderness and a gentleness from your spirit, from your heart to these precious people. And for us as a church, God, we’re asking for 100-fold fruit. We celebrate the 30, the 60, but God, we’re crying now for the hundredfold fruit. God, we’re crying out for more souls and more freedom, greater discipleship. And may we all, Lord, desire to be, yearn to be, and follow after being that salt in that light so that people can encounter you through our lives. Lord, I release your blessing upon this precious people. Lord, you love them. I love them. Would you bless them? And would they this week draw closer to you in your word to know what you said and by your spirit to know what you’re saying? And may we be ones asked the question, “What is it time for?” Jesus’ name.