Transcription
Hey y'all. This is Troy.
So, I've got a word from God to share with you today. And let me do a quick uh couple announcements and then we'll jump right in.
First off, uh some of y'all have seen the scaffolding on the White House uh that being reported in the news uh this week and how people have been kind of making a big deal out of it or trying to. Uh well, three months ago, I shared a word. This was streamed three months ago and it's called "God Show Me the White House and a Coming Sign." And yes, that sign was scaffolding. Uh a sign having to do with scaffolding and a sign having to do with uh you know certain things happening. And so very interesting that uh you know we're seeing that now.
Obviously uh you know uh we we'll do a longer followup on this later but uh I like to point these things out while they're happening at least so y'all can go back and watch the videos if you want. I do apologize in advance. The prophetic word I got or the word of knowledge I got in that video. I share half of it at the start and then the Holy Spirit took me on like a 30 minute tangent and I end up sharing the second half of it like about three-quarters of the way through the video. So, I apologize for that. I know that happens sometimes. Sometimes that's me, you know, and it's my bad. Other times the Holy Spirit just starts speaking and I have to go with what he's saying and you know I eventually get around to sharing the rest of the word.
Uh, a couple other quick announcements. I the pre-order for my new book, "Mystery of the New Babylon," is available on Amazon. Y'all go check it out. uh and pray about getting a copy of that. I honestly believe this is a word in due season for the body of Christ right now where we are. Also, I have a live event coming up in January. You can find out more information on troyblack.org. So, there's that.
Let's jump in here. This word is going to be a little bit heavy, but there's also a lot of grace that comes with it. There's a lot of joy. There's a lot of encouragement as well. And this is one of the reasons why uh as Christians we need to be testing prophecy is that uh the the tone of a prophetic word does not judge whether that word is true or not. And sometimes we you know we wind up in a camp that does that. You know, there was the fire and brimstone uh teaching phase and there there's there's still camps that do that and it's like everybody they say, well, the true word is it sounds like fire and brimstone, but what about the verses that say the Holy Spirit builds us up uh in faith in our inner man, you know, and the ones that say he's our counselor, he's our comforter, you know, it's like they leave no room for that, right? So, it's not a tone or and it's not the other way either. It's not a watered-down version of the gospel that never challenges us and never convicts us and never changes us. Right? So it's not the tone of the word. It's it is it truly coming from the Holy Spirit or not. And that is why it's critical for us as believers to be hearing his voice.
The Lord asked me to share this simple encouragement before I share this word. It's going to take me one minute. We'll see if that works or not. But he said he he said to tell you that many of his teachers have taught wrong. Okay. Now this is not everybody obviously and this is not the Lord's not uh focusing on the negative here but what is he what is he talking about? He said through what they've said they have implied on purpose or not that that it is hard to come into my presence and hear my voice. So he's addressing this issue that has been taught wrong or preached wrong or just left the truth of it's been left out in the church at times. This is a charismatic church you know because the non-charismatics don't even talk about the voice of God, right? Or they they just bash it. But some people have made it seem like it's hard to come into his presence. It's hard to hear his voice. And that's just not true. It's not true. Why? Because you can't ever earn your way in. It's actually impossible to come into his presence or hear his voice on your own. It's impossible for us to get to the point where we have that access, right? We either come in by grace through faith and we rely on what Jesus did or we don't come in at all. And we can strive our whole lives and work and work and fast and pray and try all the things like, "I'm trying. I'm trying to get there. God, I can't get there." Just give up. You can't get there. Give up and fall on your knees in front of the cross. Fall on Jesus and say, "I am taking your yoke upon me. You've given me access." The word says we have confident access in him. That's in in Jesus. It says we come boldly before the throne of grace. So we can hear God's voice and we can come into his presence and we have access through faith, not through striving, not through effort, not through our works, not through perfecting ourselves. It's because of the blood of Jesus.
And so if we keep that, why is it important to see it that way? Well, here's why. If we think it's hard and it's difficult and it takes years of striving and months and days of fasting and all that, we're going to use that as an excuse never to actually do it. We're say, "Well, I don't have time. My meeting's in 10 minutes. you know, I need to hear from the Lord now. You know, I don't have time to to fast and pray. I don't have time to." But it's easy. It's easy. Why? Because it's by his grace. And when we understand that, what do we do? We actually start to believe that we can sense his presence. We actually start to believe. We can hear his voice. And what does the word say? Nothing's impossible for those who believe. All things are possible for those who believe. So, we start to expect something different. And that's what God has for us as as his children. We should expect to hear from him. We should expect to be welcomed in into his presence. And when we expect it, guess what starts to happen. Why? Because we're actually walking in faith. We're actually walking based on what the word says.
So this is the word I got on October 19th. And then I got another word today. Okay? So this was like three days ago. And then I heard a word earlier today. They both have to do with the United States. They have to do with what's happening uh soon. But one has to do with what's happening soon. And the other one has to do with what's happening over the next couple of years. Okay.
I saw a vision of of graves on a hill that were spread out. Now, I realize in the in the photo I put uh pictures of of stone graves, but I I saw that as well. But this one, the graves were flowers, okay? They were like bunches of flowers, but they were spread out and there were graves all over a hill and they were small graves, right? And then I saw a single large stone grave or it could have possibly been a monument. I couldn't tell which one, but it was laying flat on the ground on a hill and it had uh flowers all around it. They were planted in like rows or circles like around it. And I heard this. The Lord said, "The men and women who have who paid a heavy price for the freedom of this nation and nations like it will never be forgotten. But a new round of soldiers will one day pay a very similar toll to keep the peace, to keep freedom from failing."
So, I know that this sounds heavy. It sounds harsh. You know, some people may say, "Hey, well, you're you're speaking negative words and God tells us never to do that." But how many times in the Old Testament did the Old Testament prophet did God speak negative words through the Old Testament prophets and they actually came to pass? Like that would be my question is if we're not allowed to speak truth, you know, we're not allowed to speak negative words and we can never speak the truth about something that may actually happen. And we need to face up to that as Christians. We need to realize that yes, life and death are in the power of the tongue. But just because God tells you something's going to happen and you say it out loud, you didn't make it happen. If God said it was going to happen, he said it. So, it's like either we realize that he's sovereign and he's in control or we think that we still have all the control and we don't. Now, are life and death in the power of the tongue? Yes. But that's more generally speaking about that's not saying like, "Well, well, I hope I hope I don't get hit by a car today. Oops, I said that out loud. I might get hit by a car now." It's like, no, that's not how that works. That's talking about what you generally proclaim from your lips to be true. It's not, this is not superstition. This is what are you proclaiming as the truth over your life? What are you speaking as the truth? Are you speaking the word of God? Are you speaking the gospel message? Are you are you speaking truth into other people's lives, to your family's lives, your children's lives? So this is not this does not limit God from being able to predict something or prophesy something ahead of time or even speak about current events that are sometimes good, sometimes bad. So this is this is what I heard. I'm just being obedient to share what I heard. Okay.
Um I heard this. The Lord said, "Pray in every way possible." And he said, "Keep praying as I put it on your heart." So this is something the Lord is asking us as a church to pray about. Now I would say for you, put that on a shelf. pray about even that. Ask and see if the Lord leads you to do that. I believe he will, but be led by the Lord personally.
U and then and then I heard this is not a scare tactic. I heard the Holy Spirit say this. This is not a scare tactic or an unreasonable prerogative to pray. It is a serious warning of what may come and what will come. Even through the prayers, something will still happen. But I have set my church up to move in power and not only alter the course of history through her prayers, but I have also set her up to alter the course of a person's history and destiny in the Lord. So he's talking about the church having an effect and our prayers have an effect on what's happening in the world and the protection of people's lives, but also the Lord is talking about u and even the things happening within nations. But the Lord is also talking about the church's spiritual responsibility to reach the lost, right? And then the the Lord said told me to to say this. He said, "There's a reason I'm having you share this now at this time." And so there's that word. That's October 19th. I know it sounds it sounds heavy. I get that, but there's a reason. There's a reason the Lord's asking me to share it.
Here's what I heard today, October 22nd. And the good news is coming. Okay, this is not all heavy. We're going to get past the heavy stuff and we're going to get to the good news. Okay.
October 22nd, uh I heard this today. The Lord said, "There is a firestorm coming to this nation." Talking about the US. He says, "And many na in many places around the globe. A wave of unrighteousness rising up to challenge the reigning powers. Yet I am with those who call upon my name and I will continue to be with them." And then I heard, "I am with you," says the Lord.
He's talking to his people, talking about to Christians. And if you're not saved today, if you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, right now is the moment of decision. Today is the day of salvation. And I'm going to finish this word in a second. Give me 20 seconds. God loves you, my friend. He has a plan for your life, a purpose for your life, and he's not left you alone, and he's not forgotten about you. And he has not missed one thing that's happened in your life. But the answers you're looking for, the answers you're seeking are found in him. To find those answers, you're not going to find them out there. You're going to have to go back to the one who made you, who loves you. And he's already shown that love because he came to the earth as a man and he suffered and he died. And he did that specifically for you. He did that because he loves you. And he did it for every single one of us. But he did it for you. And when you realize that he is the safest place you could go with those hurts and those fears and those doubts and he loves you, call upon the name of the Lord today and you will be saved. That's what the word says. He's waiting for you and he's made it so easy for you to come back. Jesus already paid the full price for your sins on the cross. He's not left you out. He's included you. He loves you. So if you need that today, don't put that off. Go to him.
But I heard the Lord say this. He October 22nd earlier today. He said he's talking about this firestorm coming to the nation in many places around the globe, right? And firestorm could has, you know, you can go look up the definition of that word that has a variety of meanings there that it could mean. Uh but he said this, he said this is in the next couple of years timeline, a rising force meant to disrupt the powers of the earth and to cause havoc. And then he and so that's the physical side of it, right? Okay. And then he said, "The spiritual realm is looking to set the spirit of fear on the throne in people's hearts." He said, "Yet my spirit uh reigns over my church, my people, and I still hold everything in my hand." Then I heard, "I have called my people to be voices of freedom and care in the midst of a hurting and desperate world."
So, I've shared a few words before about 2027 specifically. I mean, it's 2025 now. We're getting to the end of the year. I've I've shared a few words. You can go look those up. I've actually gotten another word recently about 2027. I'm going to share that soon as well. I believe this falls in that same category. I honestly think that that's what this is and that goes along with those words and that um the Lord is preparing us ahead of time for what's coming. So, with that being said, what did he say? He said, "I've called my people to be voices of freedom and care in the midst of a hurting and desperate world." So God is setting us up for victory even in the time in history we live in the place in the world whether you're in the United States or not wherever you live God setting you up for success in him and victory yes even even now in this time in history but also ultimately in eternity.
This is acts 18. This is how this happens is is that there are a lot of us who are looking for an earthly deliverance, an earthly version of the deliverance. Right. And God is setting us up for a spiritual deliverance, but not just to be delivered spiritually, but to be the hands and feet of Jesus, who is the deliverer. So God called us out of Egypt, but there's many people still in Egypt spiritually speaking. And he's saying, "Go back and say, 'Let my people go.'" Like that is the church's role in the in the earth. The Lord's saying, "Let my people go." She's She's coming home. She's the the the harvest is is is coming in.
So, look at how we're meant to do this. This is See if I can share my screen real fast. Um there we go. This is Acts 18. It says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses." Okay? You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. So, it is not a this is not a game of escapism. It's a game of leveling up and being empowered to fully live out everything that God has called us to do and accomplish. And it this is a picture of uh not somebody running away and retreating. It's a picture of some of the armor of God coming onto a person. It's it's a picture of the power of the Holy Spirit coming over a person. It's a picture of somebody being equipped with everything they need to stand firm in the day of evil. That's the picture here that God is that God is painting. Uh we see that in Ephesians 6:13 where God describes his desire for believers. He he says put on the full armor of God. Why? What? Watch this. When the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground. That's why when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground. So it's not saying the day the day of evil might come. Saying at some point it's going to be here. It's there's going to be evil days that we walk through. But that's the point. We're going to walk through them. We're going to walk through them. We're going to go through the midst of them.
Let me let me show you this. This is uh Isaiah uh 43 says, "But now this is what the Lord says. He who is your creator Jacob and he who formed you Israel, do not fear." So this is a promise to under the old covenant to God's people, but we are God's people today, those who know Jesus. So this is a promise for us today. "Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine." Don't you think God protects his own? That God stands up for his own. But he it is not ju is this is not just a picture of deliverance. I'm going to pull you out, right? He pulled us out of Egypt spiritually speaking, but but some of us we're still walking through a wilderness season. Some of us, we're still going into the promised land and there are giants there, right? Like there are still things that we face, but it's it's the God who created us, who loved us, who redeemed us, who delivered us, who is with us. And this is what it says. It says, "I've called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." It doesn't say you if you pass through the water. It says when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.
See, we've got to fall so madly in love with the presence of Jesus Christ. And and we've got to make it our desire. I just want to be with the Holy Spirit. I just want to be filled with the spirit. Why? Because when the day of evil comes, that is what's going to cause us to stand. And listen, today is a day of evil for some people. You woke up this morning and your tube of toothpaste that would not it would not come out, right? Like it's like stuck in there and you're like, "I can't afford a new tube yet. Like I've got to get some more out, right?" And something it's like that's a funny example, right? But it it's like for some of us the the stresses and the and the things and the there's so many things that we feel like have have been waged against us that even the smallest thing is is enough to push us over the edge. And the answer when it's the it's something like that is the filling and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as silly as that sounds but the but when we get that if you get bad news or something crazy happens or you lose your job or there's a loss in the family whatever it is it's like what what is the answer on that day? It's the same thing. It's a filling of the Holy Spirit, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And it's his friendship. He's right there with you. He's right there with me. And he never left. But there's a greater awareness that God has for us as believers of his presence that he wants us to walk in. Why is that? Well, it's because God wants to equip us with everything we need to stand.
You know, the full armor uh is it's talking about the basic Christian beliefs. That's what it's talking about. Basic Christian beliefs. He he wants us to understand we have the the breastplate of righteousness. We're guarded and our value is found in Jesus's righteousness that was gifted to us, right? But one of those pieces of armor is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And so the the Holy Spirit equips us to be able to fight our battles. Not just defensively with faith, right? But offensively, how is that? Through his empowerment. He gives us an offensive plan and through his voice, the word of God. That's the written word and that's the utterance of the Holy Spirit where he says, "Okay, um, this looks bad, but God allowed this for a reason, and he's got a better plan in mind. That's why this is happening and here's your next step." What is that? That's the utterance of the Holy Spirit. That's his voice leading us. That's his direction. That is the offensive plan. And we can stand in the day of evil. And and God can take something that looks evil, what the enemy meant for evil, God can turn it around and use for good. And the day of evil becomes the devil's day of disaster. It's it's it's a disaster for him. What he thought was going to be good, right? and it doesn't work out the way he thought it was going to work out. That's what happens when the church gets filled with the Holy Spirit. And we don't don't get me wrong. If you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. But God wants to us to be filled to the full and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were clean because of the word Jesus spoke to them. But he said, "Wait in the city till you receive power from on high, then go fulfill the mission." So that's not a one-time call. Ephesians 5 says, "Be filled. Be filled. Be filled. Be continuously filled with the spirit." That's the that's the original language there. Uh and so it is a walking with him daily and an understanding that if I'm holding his hand, even if I'm going through the fire, the water, and whatever it may be, I'm going through rough times, I'm not going to be overcome. I'm not going to be overwhelmed.
So the Lord the Lord said that uh he talked about this uh he said he said uh my spirit reigns over my church. He says, 'I still hold everything in my hand.' So the Lord is holding you together when you can't hold yourself together. He's holding me together when I can't hold myself together. But are we letting every part of us fall on him in those moments and say yes, Lord Jesus, this is hard, but if you're asking for my yes right now, you have it. So there's Jesus. The picture is Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, right? where he has to decide, do I take the easy route or do I say yes to the Holy Spirit, yes to the father's will for my life, and I lay my life down and I lose my life for his sake. And Jesus asks us to do the very same thing.
Uh look at this. This is Romans 8:14. So there are there are days Well, I'm going to read that other verse first. Um Matthew 10:39. It it says uh "the one who has found his life will lose it and the one who has lost his life on my account will find it." I heard the Holy Spirit say this. He said the losing starts today. So this is not on the day of evil when we go Lord uh I'm making the decision now to lay my life down like this is hard and you're asking me to walk through something hard and I'm I'm going to endure. I'm going to persevere. I'm going to make the right decision even when it's tough even and I'm not going to compromise. You know, it's like yes, we have to make a decision that day but the losing of our life starts today. Whether we're in a hard time or a good time, we say, "Lord, I'm choosing to lose my life today for your sake because I want to walk with you and I want to walk on your path and and in and in your the destiny you have for me every day. I don't want to miss out on that in the good days or the bad days because there's going to be both." You know, we're going to have times of plenty and and times of of uh you know, things being stressed, right? Like that's what Paul the Apostle talked about. He said, "I'm content all the time. I have contentment through Christ all the time." Because it was about the relationship he had with his savior. It was about walking with him. The Israelites in the wilderness seeing the glory of God and that being the thing leading them. It wasn't they weren't journeying to the next rock, you know, that was like supposed to give them water or the next place to get the mana. They were journeying after the spirit of God, the glory of God. And those things just happen like God caused that to happen along the way.
Look at this. This is Romans 8:14. This is what the Holy Spirit does for us. Uh "for all who are being led by the spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again." So you should never have to be afraid of anything else in the rest of your life. Now is there a natural fear that is healthy and normal and fine? You know where it's like we react, our bodies react to there's a car coming, I jump out of the way. Absolutely. That's fine. That's not what God's talking about here. He's talking about the spirit of fear that tells you you are not okay in God's hands. Something in our hearts that tells you that tells us you've got to you better protect yourself because God's not going to do it. The Lord is saying that spirit is not for me. I never I never give you those thoughts. It's never from God. We are always able to be okay resting in his hands.
Look at this. "If you are, you who are being led by the spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear." Again, that's a the slavery is is you do all the work. You're carrying the weight. That's the mindset there. But it says "you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, 'Aba, Father.'" So somebody else who has a place for you for me has done taken the necessary steps to bring us in to the family and now the responsibility falls on his shoulders. That's the spirit of adoption where we realize I'm I'm coming freely into the house now. I'm spending time with my king. Yes. My master. Yes. I'm a bond servant. I've chosen to serve him. Yes. My savior. Yes. But also my father and my friend. And it's a good place to be. And it's a place of rest and safety and strength and security and assurance and life and hope and peace. And I never have to be on the outside in fear again.
Look at this. It says, "The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God." So, how does the spirit fix 97% of our problems? By reminding us you've been adopted. By reminding us you've you've been accepted. You're accepted in the father's house. He does not reject you anymore because of what Jesus has done. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to say that on a regular basis to us in our hearts and that's how that's what he it says if children heirs also sorry it says we cry out aba father right that's what it says uh we cry out aba father we allow him to say that in our hearts most of the leverage the devil has over us is broken off and it doesn't work anymore it's it's stamped invalid void you know it will not work here this this this card is declined, you know, like I like it's a it's a fake check. I'm not going to I'm not going to accept that. And he's not able to uh get one over on us anymore because we go, "I don't need what you're selling, devil, because I already have it. I already have what I I already have what I need. I'm accepted in the father's house. I'm accepted in the father's family. I'm never rejected because of what Jesus did." And so, where am I going to run when things are good? Well, I'm going to run into his presence. Where am I going to run when things are hard? I'm going to run into his presence. Where am I go? Where am I going to run in the in the mediocre times? I'm going to stay in his presence because it's easy because Jesus has made a way.
Look at this. Does it does he promise that it's always going to be easy in the flesh though? Well, no. Okay. "And if children, heirs also heirs of God and fellows of Christ. If indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." This is scripture. This is not just somebody's commentary. This is the word. It says there's going to be suffering that comes. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability and we're empowered to endure. We're empowered to walk through the middle of the fire, walk through the middle of the waters. And the spirit of God is with us. And God actually wants to he want, let me say it this way. This is what the Lord was showing me earlier. God wants us as his children to expect protection. Now, does that mean that God always delivers physically? No. Why? You see Jesus going to the cross, right? Right now, we see in uh Nigeria that Christians are being killed. That's happening in the world and people aren't talking about it, right? So, does God always deliver physically when we want him to? No. But as Christians, does God want us to expect protection and deliverance? Yes. Even physical protection and deliverance. That that is the pattern we see over and over and over and over and over again in scripture. And yet when the gospel comes, we see the pattern shift slightly and there are a lot more martyrs for the faith after that than there were before. Why is that? It's because the kingdom of God, Jesus says the kingdom uh you know the violent take it by force. It's because the kingdom of God is accelerating. That's why on the earth and the gospel message has accelerated the ability of the kingdom to to grow and to spread everywhere. And the devil's going to be fighting as as as fiercely as he can to try to stop that. So we live under a different covenant. And so there are different expectations there. But that is why we come we we expect protection. But what but what do we do? We say exactly what Jesus did: "If there's a way for this cup to be taken from me. But if not, your kingdom come, your will be done." You know, we lose our lives today. And then if if God says, "Okay, this I've allowed this to happen at some point in your life." Like that's his sovereign decision that he makes. It's not up to us. But until that moment, here's the truth of the matter. Nothing's going to nothing's going to be able to touch us. Nothing's going to be able to hurt us. Why? Because that's not God's God's sovereign will is to protect us. God's desire is to protect his children. So, we can say, "Hey, if it's my time to go, if if that's what God says, that's fine. Okay, I'm just going to go be with him. But if not, what am I worried? Why am I so worried? Why am I still caring about putting so much effort into what's happening here and now instead of looking at what's happening there in his heavenly kingdom and bringing heaven to earth by getting my orders from him."
And this is what it says. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption and the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Well, that's pretty cool. You know, it's easy to gloss over these verses, but it's literally describing the freedom of the glory of the children of God. That's pretty awesome. So, what is it describing there? Well, oh, let me let's think about it for a second. When people talk about the glory coming, what are they talking about? They're talking about the presence of the Holy Spirit. They're talking about the power of the Holy Spirit, right? And sometimes it's signs and wonders. His power, his presence is demonstrated in a visible way. Other times not, right? Other times it's through healings. Other times it's through the gifts of the spirit, you know, uh what deliverance, whatever it may be, salvation, right? But what does the word say? It says uh "where the spirit of the lord is there is freedom." So it's describing an eternal state of a believer who's been adopted in the family of God and how we have access to his spirit both now and then in eternity. What's our inheritance in Christ? It's being with him. What's the down payment of our inheritance? The Holy Spirit being in us, right? And so what should we expect? Well, we should expect sometimes suffering in this life. Absolutely. But also walking in the glory of God. We should expect the Holy Spirit to empower us to be able to do everything that God calls us to do.
Look at look at this in uh verse 23. Uh "and not only that" talking about uh creation groaning and suffering and pains of childbirth, "but not only that we ourselves also uh we also but also we ourselves having the first fruits of the spirit even we ourselves grown within ourselves." So there's there's a lot of different translations that people uh try to bring to that, you know, but one of the things that happens within us, the Holy Spirit literally gives us words to speak that we don't fully understand, but he's speaking in a language that only God understands, right? And other times it's in a language that people on earth understand as well. You know, it's a sign and a wonder. But at the same time, the Holy Spirit wants to speak the very thoughts of God. 1 Corinthians chapter 2 says, "And sometimes it's just a feeling. Sometimes it's just a groaning. Sometimes it's just a I'm getting in line with him because I've had enough of this world and I don't want to be like it. I want to be like him. So whatever he feels about this current situation, I want to feel. Whatever he says about it, I want to say and I'm going to allow him to change me from the inside out. And I'm going to start to act differently. I'm start to look differently. Why? Because I've spent time with the Holy Spirit.
Look at this. It says uh "waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters." So there is a greater uh revelation and manifestation of the glory of God in our lives is coming. Right. The redemption of our body. So the suffering is going to end someday. Look at verse 24. "For in hope we have been saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see through perseverance we wait eagerly for it." So there's an eagerness and there's a hope. There's a constant eagerness and hope that we have and it causes us to persevere in the Lord. Uh and and while we're waiting and persevering, guess what happens? Says, "Now in the same way, the spirit also helps our weakness." The spirit also helps our weakness. "For we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches the heart knows what the mind of the spirit is because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." So the Holy Spirit gives us, he helps us to walk in line with the father's will for our lives, but he also helps us to renew our mind, our hearts to change. He sanctifies us and and and he makes us into an image of Christ.
Look at this. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." So no, it's like the water and the fire and everything, the persecution, everything God caused us to work together for our good ultimately. "For those he whom he forneew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son." Do you see that? Look at this. "These whom he predestined, he also called. These who he called, he also justified. And these he justified, he also glorified." He also glorified. That's the presence of God, the glory of God working in our lives, the Holy Spirit with us. And this is the sanctification he's talking about. We're conformed to the image of his son. So what is the result? Right? Paul's talking about there's going to be suffering in this life. There's going to be all these things, but the Holy Spirit is the one empowering us to be like Jesus in the earth today. That is what this chapter is about. And what's the result? Well, he says, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, which he's just said he is, and he's in you, and he's empowering you to be able to stand up against everything that comes on the day of evil, everything the devil may throw at you, you do not have to be afraid of one thing because you are adopted. You're in the family of God and God is with you. So what then? It says, 'If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own son but delivered him over for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?'" It says in verse 37, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us." So hard things come, but we've already conquered them. Why? Because Jesus conquered everything on the cross. And then because of what his victory that he won, the Holy Spirit is able to live inside of us. And so we have the conqueror living inside of us and walking with us. So in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer and nothing's able to separate us from the love of Christ. This is good news.
I heard the Lord say this. He said today, earlier today, he said, "Speak life, hope, and liberty to the captives. Set the captives free." He's talking to us as the church. And he's talking about this is our calling on the earth today. Like many of us have a hard time speaking life, hope, and liberty to the captives because we still feel captive and we need somebody to speak that to us. And listen, that's okay if that's where you are. Let's be honest about where we are, right? But the good news is is the Holy Spirit wants to be the one to speed up that process by becoming the voice of God in our hearts that is speaking life and hope and freedom to us every day. And then what's going to happen is as we start to believe that we start to walk in the truth he's revealing to us uh in in the inner man, we're built up in faith and it starts to come out and we start to just it bubbles over and we start to say it to other people. Like I got some good news for you, okay? Jesus loves you and he died for you and and he's paid the price for you to come into the family of God and God still loves you. And then the and you know what's going to happen in that moment? The Holy Spirit's going to start giving us the gifts of the spirit. The word of knowledge is going to come and you're going to look that person in the eyes and you're going to say something like, "That mistake you made 3 years ago does not define you anymore," and their their heart is going to be melted. Why? Because they're going to realize uh God showed up. But but it's that's not something we make up. That's not something, oh well, that'd be cute if I said that. No, it's if the Holy Spirit speaks, and he does, and when he does, we're just led by his spirit. And God is able to speak truth and life to somebody that needs it in the moment. And that's that's the role of the church. That's something we get to do.
The the Lord said this. He said, "This is the reason you can get up in the morning with a smile on your face because I've called you and delivered you out of Egypt, and I will set you on high and give you a place among the righteous, among those who have been favored by the king." He said, "Yes, even in the land of the living." He's talking about eternally, but he's saying, "Even in the land of the living." This is God's plan for your life, for my life.
Look at this. Psalms 27. This is described as a psalm of fearless trust in God. Fearless trust. God's not given us a spirit of timidity or fear, but he's given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Those things come from knowing who's we are and where we are positioned in him in Christ. When the when the boat starts to rock, I look at my savior. When the world starts to crumble, I look up at my father. Like, "I'm in your hands. I'm okay." Okay. I just, you know, I know you know and I know, but I'm I'm looking at you uh just to remind my heart today. Just to remind my soul. He's looking right back. He's like, "You're good. You're good. You're good." Some of us need to hear the Holy Spirit saying that it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay because I'm with you. That's what I hear the Lord saying.
This is uh Psalms 27:1. It says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?" Do you do you see how the lack of fear is directly tied to who the Lord is to the psalmist? The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? He's he's not even gone into the Lord is going to cause my enemies. Like he'll go into this, right? He goes into but he's not even said yet the Lord's going to cause my enemies to fail. The Lord's going to get me out of this pit. No, he he just says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?" Because this is who the Lord is. I don't have to be afraid. And here's the good news. This is why we never have to fear as Christians. Now, we're going to have days where we doubt, right? We're going to have days where we feel fear, right? But we don't have to have that. Like, we technically don't. We And when we do, guess what? We have a solution is to get into the presence of God and remember who he is and that he's with us and that he's filling us because of what Jesus did. Not because of our efforts, not because of our works, not because of the law, but because of the law of liberty, because of the freedom we have.
in Christ Jesus, because of the grace of God, because we've been favored in the family of God based on the blood of Jesus. So he says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation." Those things never change. God never stops being your light or your salvation. So what does that mean? Whom shall I fear? Applies all the time. The Lord is my light and my salvation still today. So whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread?
So now he's getting a little more practical now. He's saying, now I'm going to apply this to my current situation. God is my defense. Whom who whom shall I dread? I'm not my defense. My arm is not my defense. My government's not my defense. My neighbors are not my defense. Like my family's not my God is my defense. Whom shall I dread? When evildoers come upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumble and fell. If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear. So he's saying, despite what it looks like on the outside, my heart's not going to be afraid. Why? If war arises against me, in spite of this, I am confident.
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in his temple. For on the day of trouble, he will conceal me in his tabernacle. He will hide me in the secret place of his tent. He will lift me up on a rock. So, it's talking about the evil day. It's talking about the day of trouble here, right? He's saying on that day, I'm going to be found. Now, don't miss this. He's saying, "I'm going to be found in the presence of God. He's going to conceal me in his tabernacle, right? It's lang metaphorical language for his presence." And that's how we see this today under the new covenant. You don't have to go into a church to feel the presence of God, right? You can behold his be the beauty of the Lord. You can meditate in his temple. Why? Because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit now. So, you can meditate on his word and his goodness and in his presence anytime. You can you can worship him anytime. You can you can you can talk to him and he's going to talk back any time. Why? Because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Right?
But what is what is he saying? He's saying on the day of trouble, he will conceal me in his tabernacle. He will hide me in the secret place of his tent. He will lift me up on the rock. But look at this. He's and then he talks about I will offer sacrifices his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing. Yes. I'll sing praises to the Lord. So this is what he's he's talking about hiding in in his in his tabernacle in the context of singing praises to him, right? Enter his course with thanksgiving. His enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. Right? But look at this. One thing I have asked from the Lord that I shall seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. See, what did the Holy Spirit say? He said, "The losing starts today." Or we choose, "I'm going to lose my life for your sake and then I'm going to find it." What does that look like? Well, when life is bad, God is going to conceal me in his tabernacle. Absolutely. God's going to hide me in the secret place under the shadow of the Almighty. I'm that's where I'm going to be safe. But when life is good, I'm saying, Lord, today I'm going to lose my life for your sake. Today, I am going to hide myself in the courts of God. Today, I'm going to dwell in the house of the Lord. All the days of my all the bad and the good. When it's good, I'm making the decision because it's not I'm not being forced to do it. because I recognize that's where my life comes from. I recognize today that's the best place I could be. See, that's what the psalmist is saying. One thing I've asked from the Lord that I shall seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. See, he's even asking God for help to do it because he knows his frailty. It's a human weakness, right? But it's the grace of God that that comes through here. He says, "One thing I've asked from the Lord that I shall seek." So he's he's seeking after God, but he's also asking because he realizes apart from him, he can't do it.
So we come boldly before the throne of grace to find mercy and help in our time of need because of what Jesus did for us. Look at this. Look at verse 13. I I certainly believe that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. So there are promises from God in scripture that he wants to protect his people. Yes, in eternity, but also here and now. Now, is there a sovereign decision he makes when it's our time to go? Yeah, he does. But that's not our decision to make. That's his. But just like Jesus in the boat was, he was not going to go drown because his God's plan for his life was not over. So he had no fear whatsoever. Even the disciples even though the disciples were so afraid, but they had a very limited view of God's plan for their lives and for Jesus's life. And when when we allow the Holy Spirit to expand that view, we become fearless. And I heard the Lord say this. He said this starts today. This wholehearted giving up of oneself and trusting in a good God who can shelter and protect you. It doesn't start then. He's saying he's saying it doesn't start during the day of evil. Starts now. Now, for some people, you're already there and God's got your back. God's got a good plan and he's pulling you out of it. He's not going to leave you there. He's not going to leave you alone. He's not going to leave you unsheltered. But for many of us, this starts today.
I heard the Lord say this. He said, "But when the nations tremble, my people will rise up like a resounding voice and be ready to conquer evil with the love of Christ, to conquer the darkness with light." I heard the Lord say this. He says, I he said, "I want to give you comfort every day." And then I heard with me, peace is always available. You don't have to settle for less than that. So this is a promise from God and it's found in scripture. And then I heard the Lord say this. He said, 'The peace of God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus as you wait for me. And I heard this is a promise to you from me. I heard the Lord say this earlier today. The peace of God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. So we wait for him.
Let me let me show you this and we'll finish come back to that. This is Philippians 4:4. It says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." Again, I will say, "Rejoice." Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. So, this is not for the good day, right? Why? Because if you're not facing anxiety and you're not facing a rumbling, why do we need to be reminded to be gentle? Like, if things are gentle around us, it's easy to be gentle, right? If there's no anxiety, it's easy not to be anxious, right? If there's nothing causing the fear, it's easy not to be fearful. But this is for the difficult day. And this is the promise the Lord makes. Rejoice in the Lord always, bad days and good days. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do you see how the confidence is found, the the gentleness and and the the rejoicing is found in the nearness of God. It's not just a promise. It's not just a promise. It's not just I put that the verse on my mirror and I'm going to read it to myself. Yes, do that please. It's part of the Christian walk, learning the word of God. But it's it's it's a promise of his nearness, of his empowerment, of the presence of the Holy Spirit, power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension. That means everything your brain is doing and everything your emotions are feeling. Guess what? God's peace surpasses all of that. It overcomes all that. It overrides all that. And look, and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Not it might, not it will some days and maybe not all days. No, it will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. As we choose to turn to him, as we choose to wait upon him, as we choose to focus on his nearness, draw near to me and I will draw near to you.
The word says, this is Isaiah 40:31. It says, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. And they shall walk and not faint." And I just hear the Lord saying, "Some days it's a run and some days it's a walk, but I'm I'm with you. I'm right alongside you in the mix. No matter what the day looks like, I want to help you to conquer that." I hear the Lord saying, "It's my spirit empowering you that gives you the ability to rise above, to climb to new heights, to be obedient. Yes, even when it's hard, I I hear the Lord saying, "I will never leave you or forsake you. I haven't left you alone." And for those that feel like you're waiting on the side of the road right now, you think you've been left on the wayside. You're afraid of moving forward. I've been sitting with you the whole time. I just see a picture of the good Samaritan. What many of us don't know is that the good Samaritan, yes, is a representation of what we were meant to be for the lost and the hurting, but it's also a picture of Jesus coming and bandaging us us up when we were lost and hurting spiritually speaking. But that is also his heart for the church today. He found us where we were. He still finds us where we are today. And he picks us up. He puts us on his donkey. He gives us oil and wine. He takes us to an inn. And guess what? He pays the bill. And ultimately, he paid that price with his own life. And Philippians, you know, 4 says, "The Lord is near." The question some of us need to ask is, "Lord, how can I draw near to you right here where I am right now and not wait for things to get better, not wait for things to get worse? Everything is found, everything that God has for us as believers is found in the knowledge of his son. What he did for us at Calvary. If you're in that space, I encourage you to read the Gospels and and allow the Holy Spirit to tell you this is why you have access. This is why you can come boldly before the throne of grace and why nothing's going to stop you. There is no evil force. There's no angel that can stop you from coming into God's presence because the blood of Christ speaks a better word. He has the name above every name. He holds all authority over all powers, all rulers. Jesus is the king of kings and the lord of lords. And he's led you in. He's taken you by the hand. He's pulled you into the presence of God. There's nothing that can keep you out. It's by his mercy. It's by his grace that he's found a place for you, for me. And we can walk in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit simply believing that, by taking advantage of what he's done, by saying yes. That's the word that God gave me to share with you today. I hope that's okay. Um, I love y'all so much and I'll see you next