Transcription
But I'm going to the book of Habakkuk, chapter 3. Habakkuk, chapter 3. And God knew who would be in this service. And God knew who would be at our campuses. He knows your name, your address, and he knows where you are right now.
And in Habakkuk, chapter 3, verse 1, "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet on Shigionoth." Verse 2, "O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid. O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years make it known."
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"In wrath, remember mercy." Verse 3 is remarkable. "And God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light, and he had rays flashing from his hand." Verse 3, "God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran."
I'll explain what that means, but I want to talk to you for a few moments this morning. I took this outline in my Bible weeks ago, literally weeks ago, and I had no idea how I would feel walking up here. And didn't even plan, gave no heads-up to anybody because I didn't know that we would be praying for people. But the Lord just quickened something to me and reminded me of this little message, and I want to share it with you.
I'm preaching today on the power of short prayers. The power of short prayers. If I can get you to start praying not long prayers, not hours and hours, that'll come. The more you spend with Jesus, the more time you want to spend with Jesus. But if I could just get you to start acknowledging Him every day in short prayers, the power of short prayers.
Short prayers produce profound results. In the Bible, Elijah prayed a 64-word prayer contained in one chapter, and fire fell from heaven. Simon Peter prayed a one-sentence prayer, and a man who had never walked, lame from birth, got up and put the bed on his back and ran through the streets shouting praise to Jesus. The Apostle Paul, in Acts chapter 16, cast the devil out of a woman who was a fortune teller, operating under a demonic spirit of witchcraft. He prayed a 14-word prayer, and the demon-possessed woman was set free from 14 words of prayer. Hezekiah, in Isaiah chapter 38, prayed a 29-word prayer, and God added 15 years to his life. 39 words of prayer, and God gave him 15 more years.
The prayer of Jabez, one of my favorite prayers. I pray it every day of my life. It's 29 or 30 words. It's 30 words: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be upon me, and keep me from evil." And God granted him his request.
The Lord's Prayer is just 68 words. 68 words. When Jesus said, "If you want to know how to pray, pray this." And He didn't give us seven, seven chapters of a prayer. He didn't give us nine books of a prayer. He gave us a prayer of 68 words. And He said, "If you pray this every day." You can pray it as the, as the blessing over the food, and it's done in 20 seconds. And yet, it's a short prayer that if you would just start praying short prayers, it would release God's miraculous power into your life, into your family.
The Apostle James put it like this, in the book of James, when he said, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much." The red-hot prayer, the effective prayer. One translation said, "The passionate prayer that is on purpose." It proves it provides much. It prevails much.
Habakkuk, in this chapter, prayed a 33-word prayer. It began by him saying, "Revive Your work. Send revival to the nation. Send revival to the families. Send revival to the lost. Send revival to the backsliders. Send revival to those who are lukewarm, and those who have been serving God a long time, but the fire is just flickering, barely hanging on. Oh God, will You revive Your work?"
That short prayer often has an urgency that long prayers do not have. It's like a mother seeing her child walking out in front of a bus or a car, and she just says, "Jesus!" It's passionate. It's powerful. It's short, but it can be effective. We've all experienced that driving our car or something, and you see a car coming right at you. "Oh God, in the name of Jesus!" And when you do, there's such passion. It's not a long prayer. It's not the length of the prayer. It's the passion, the heartfelt, purposeful prayer.
God, the scripture said, "When he prayed, God came from Teman and from Mount Paran." What does that mean? It means God will leave where He is and come to where prayer is. When you pray, and you don't have to. He was a minor prophet. He was, he only wrote three books in the whole, or three, not three books, three chapters in the whole Bible. And when he prayed, God left. And I know God is omnipresent. One little kid asked his mama, "Mama, where did God come from?" She said, "I can show you. He came from Teman, because the text said God came from Teman." But God's omnipresent.
But what I'm telling you is this: Teman was a horseshoe of mountains. Included in that horseshoe of mountains, on one end was Teman, on the other was Mount Paran. All of that would be today what we call, and what the scripture refers to, all of that mountainous horseshoe region would be Mount Sinai. That's where God would come down on that mountain. He met face to face with Moses on that mountain. He said to the people, "Don't come up, lest you die," because the mountain would be filled with trembling, and, and, and the glory of God would be on top of that mountain. That's where God does His stuff. That's where God's writing the Ten Commandments with His fiery finger. All God's living up there.
But when a minor prophet prays a short, 33-word prayer, God said, "I know I'm doing my purpose and my big stuff up here, but everybody matters to me. And if they will pray." I heard a man pray, a minor prophet pray, and he's, "I know I'm doing big stuff up here. I know my glory is up here. I know I'm running the universe up here. I know I'm speaking galaxies into existence, and I'm taking care of everything on the planets. I'm in charge of everything large and in control." But when He heard a prayer, a short prayer, God left Teman and came to the prophet.
I want you to understand today that when we pray, God will move. When we ask quick in prayer, short prayers with passion, God will leave His purpose and come to a possibility. When we pray, God loves prayer so much that He will leave creating the stars and galaxies and come to us. God will leave His purpose to come work with a possibility because He loves us.
July 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. He said these words: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Later that day, he admitted that he also said these words: "Good night and good luck, Mr. Gorski." To understand why he said that last sentence is to go back to his childhood. Neil Armstrong and his brother and family lived beside a couple by the name of the Gorskis. And he was a fantastic guy. He would play with the kids. He would throw baseball with the kids. He was a very kind man. He would show them how to fix things and just take time with them. But Mrs. Gorski was what he called Neil Armstrong, "the wicked witch of the west." He said she was mean, she was ugly, she hated kids, and she particularly hated the Armstrong kids.
And one day, they threw the baseball over the fence. And Neil Armstrong jumped over the fence. And he went over to the window. The window was up of the Gorski's home. And under the shrubbery, he saw his baseball. And as he's listening, they're having a huge argument. And he said, Mrs. Gorski is furious with Mr. Gorski. And he's saying things like, "I want to get the story right." He's saying things like, "How long is it going to be before you give me some loving?" "How long is it not..." I won't fill in everything, but you understand what's going on here. And she is furious, and she is cold, and she is indifferent. And he's begging her, "I just want a little hug. I just want a little kiss. I'm gonna give my version of it. Amen. I just want a little sugar. When, how long are you gonna be upset with me?" And she said, and Neil Armstrong was listening at that window, she said, "I'll tell you when I'm gonna give you some loving and some sugar. When that dumb Armstrong kid stands on the moon, that's when I'll give you all the loving you want."
So when Neil Armstrong stood and he said, "One small step for man, and one great leap for mankind," "Good night and good luck, Mr. Gorski." He was saying, "I hope you get some sugar tonight."
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Why did I tell you that story? What I'm trying to tell you is, you never know who's walking into your backyard. You never know who the next possibility is going to be. You never know when somebody has been called of God to do something that is impossible and never been done before. And you never know when you're that person. But if you ever learn how to pray, God can do miraculous things because you are a possibility. And God will leave His purpose and come to a possibility where that person prays. If you're young, pray. If you're old, pray. You don't have to be a preacher to pray. But if you'll learn to pray, even short prayers, you will be amazed at the possibility. God will see in you.
A man. True story. A man was on the side of the road. His hood on his, on his engine of his car was up. And he was trying to get his car started. Behind him pulls a long stretch limousine. A chauffeur, chauffeur gets out, opens the door. A man steps out in a three-piece suit, necktie, looks like a million bucks. Walks over, sees the man trying to fidget with his motor and get it going. And he says, "What's the problem?" And the man looks at him. He can't believe this guy in the limousine has stopped to help him. And he says, he says, "Well, uh, sir," he says, "I can't get it started." He said, "Uh," he said, "Well, would you sit in the car and let me, let me, I know a little bit about these engines." And he said, "Sure, okay." And he said, "In there." And he said, the man, fidgeted around a little bit and, and, and said, "Try it now." And as soon as he tried it, he hit the starter, and the car started right up. And he took his white hanky out and was wiping the grease off his hands and about to walk off. And he said, "Hey, hey, wait a minute. How much do I owe you? And why did you do this? Look at you. Why, why did you fix my car?" He said, "My name is Henry Ford." And he said, "I can't stand to see one of my creations broke down and sitting on the side of the road when it's supposed to be moving."
I don't know who I'm preaching to today, but your Creator will not allow you to just sit on the side of the road, broke down. He sent me to tell you. He knows. He's the Good Samaritan. He knows how to pour in the oil and the wine. He knows how to get your back going again. And if you'll pray a short prayer, God will leave His purpose and He will find the possibility of you and a brand new life, a brand new marriage, a brand new family, a brand new start. It's not impossible. It's not impossible with God, if you will pray.
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Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Turn to somebody and say, "God can fix it if you will pray." Every time you think about it, instead of worrying about it, pray about it. Every time it crosses your mind, instead of wishing and wanting and longing, just open your mouth and say, "God, revive that situation. God, take control of that done, that situation. Take control of that son, that daughter, that grandchild. Oh God, I pray Your will, Your will, Your will." It's all you got to do. "Revive Your work."
Jesus had three years of ministry. That's not long. I mean, He, He, everywhere He went, He was on a purpose. He had three years to get the job done. And He was interrupted over and over and over and over and over and over and over. God put kingdom work over and over and over. He was going everywhere. He was going because He only had a certain amount of time to go where He was supposed to go and leave the stories He was supposed to leave. And every time He's going somewhere, He's getting interrupted. And He stops where He's going, His purpose, for a possibility. Woman with the issue of blood, not on the schedule. He's busy. He's the King of Kings. He's God Almighty walking in flesh. And you're not that important. You're broke. You're sick. And He really doesn't have time for you. But when she touched the hem of His garment, He put on the brakes. And He said, "Who touched Me? I've got to leave My purpose. I feel a possibility of somebody getting healed in this room today."
Oh God, turn to somebody and say, "Everybody counts." Everybody counts. Say it again. To God, He may have important things He's doing, but everybody counts. And "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Call on Him right now. Sometimes it's a quick, passionate, "Jesus!"
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I, I saw a, a movie about, um, the blind singer that sings. Georgia. I can see him. I can't think of his name. Ray Charles. Thank you. It's a funny line in that, you know, I'm not making this up. He, he loved women. I mean, that was part of his struggle. He loved women. And somebody asked him, they said, "You, you go, you like all kinds of women. Little women, big women, middle women, whatever. Every color, every, every way. You like women." You know what he said? He said, "I've never seen an ugly woman. It's amazing how good people look when you get blind to what they look like." Well, that touched me. Some of the people we don't think are so good and so important. It's amazing how good people look when you get blind to what they look like. Right now, see, you see what they are right now. But God sees a possibility. God sees what His grace can do. God sees what His blood can do. God sees what His word can do in that life. And they may not look good to you, but God sees a possibility.
Calvary. I'm almost done. I've told you 15 minutes, and I'm going to hold myself to it. So that means, come out, come out wherever you are. Ray Charles. Calvary was His purpose. Watch this, watch this. Give Bill a big hand. Calvary. Calvary was His purpose. How many of you would agree with that? I mean, if you want to sum up why Jesus came, Calvary was the big deal. Calvary was everything. But watch Jesus on Calvary, bleeding, dying, suffering. Two sinners, thieves on crosses. One curses Him. Calvary was why He was here. And suddenly, one of those old thieves that had lived a miserable, wretched life says, "Praise!" A nine-word prayer. A nine. Talk about the power of a short prayer. "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." That's it. You're dying. He hasn't prayed his whole life. And he prays one short prayer with passion. And Calvary was His purpose. But God, Jesus puts His purpose on hold. And says, "I've got to hold the whole thing up. I so loved the world that the Father sent Me to save the world. But I can't die right now because I'm gonna leave My purpose for one little possibility hanging on this cross." This thief, because everybody counts. He's interested in billions, but He's interested in you. He knows the number of hair on your head or on your arm. Jesus refused the narcotics that would have made Him unconscious. He said, "One more time before I leave this planet, I'm going to be interrupted. Even though My purpose is to die on this cross, I see a possibility." He's a thief, and he's a good one. And he's so good, this thief is going to steal heaven. The thief that stole heaven. His last breath, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said, "Put everything on hold. I'm coming from where I am to where a possibility, a passionate prayer is spoken." And He said, "This day, sir." I mean, think of that. When Jesus went walking through the gates of Paradise, He wasn't alone. But I can see that old thief riding his coattails, saying, "And everybody, all the angels, and all the elders, and all the millions of saints are shouting, 'King of Glory! Who is the King of Glory?' Open up the gates and let him come in!" And here he comes. And then here comes this, "Pray nine words of passionate prayer." And he was the first one to be covered by the blood. Jesus is here this morning. God will put on hold all that He is doing to fix one marriage this morning. You may be watching me by television. You may be watching me at one of our campuses. But He'll put everything on hold to fix one center.
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To set one captive free. I have three altar calls. I wrote this down about four weeks ago. The Lord said, "I want you when you preach this to do three calls: a healing call, a family call, and a salvation call." A healing call. If you need healing, all you have to do is pray a short prayer and receive.
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If you need a miracle in your family, a family call.
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I can't talk about family the way I used to talk about family. I can't preach about family the way I used to preach about family. I've gone through, and Sharice has gone through, and we have gone through so much that it's indescribable. I feel numb sometimes. I feel, I don't, I don't feel anything. I just operate by faith. But all I know to do is when I think about it, and I think about what Satan has tried to do, I can worry about it, or I can pray about it. And I'm learning the power of short prayers. That every time I think of a member, or one of my kids, or one of my grandkids, instead of worrying, I'm learning to just say, "Lord, revive Your work. Take control. I trust You. I plead Your blood over my family." That's it. I can't, I can't cry anymore tears. I can't, I can't change nothing. I can't. But I can pray. And I'm dangerous because I can pray. Because I know how to come boldly unto the throne of grace in the time that I need the most. A miracle. And I don't know what you're going through. I don't know what your family's going through. I don't know what you're personally going through. Anxiety, fear, panic attacks. Stuff just hits, and life just compounds, and it can be brutal, brutal. But I'm telling you, you have not because you ask not. And I'm telling you that I believe in counseling. I believe in getting all the help that human ability can provide. And certainly, there are people who can help. But it's all going to come back to the cross. It's all going to come back to an altar. It's all going to come back to the presence of the Holy Spirit, molding and shaping and emptying and cleansing and delivering every one of us. And maybe you feel alone. Maybe you feel forgotten. Maybe you feel lost. Maybe you feel like you're that guy on the side of the road with your hood up, and every other car is passing you by, and happy families are passing you by, having a wonderful life. But I'm telling you today that every person is sitting in this service, you, every person counts. Every person counts to God. Pray a short prayer and invite Him. He's ready to pull over. He's ready to get out of His limo. He's ready to step off the clouds, off Mount Teman, and come to you in your house, in your life. Do you believe He loves you that much? I do. I know He does.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Oh, can we worship Him just a moment? I feel His presence right now. The sweet presence of the Lord filling this room, filling every campus. Just stand to your feet all over the room and lift up your hands like antennas, lift up your hands like satellite dishes. Lift them up and begin to worship Him and pray just a moment. Just give Him a short prayer. What, what is the need of your life? Is it financial? Is it physical? Is it a family call? Is it a, is it a, is it a, is it a marriage call? Just ask Him. Tell Him how you feel. Just say, "Lord, I, I really need a breakthrough. I really need an answer. I really need a sign. I really need something. I really need encouragement." Sometimes that's all you need to keep going. Is just, just do something in a way that I get a message from You. I promise you, if you'll ask, you'll receive. So ask Him right now. Ask Him bold. Ask Him big. Ask Him for miracles. Ask Him for the power of God to be loosed into your home, into your family, into your life, into your anxiety, into whatever's causing you to fear and feel ashamed or afraid or embarrassed or humiliated. That's not from God. He said, "For your shame, I'll give you double."
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Glory to God! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! So this is a family call. This is a healing call. And this is a center, salvation call.
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If you have any of those needs in your life, get out of your seat and come stand on behalf of that need. Why do you like altar calls? Because I've seen God do miracles in altar calls. That's why my faith is there. I have to operate where my faith operates. My faith operates down here. Faith can move a mountain. Faith can change. Faith. I saw chains break. I just saw James pray. The Lord said, "I'm gonna, I'm gonna be a chain breaker in the service." Oh, glory! Oh, glory! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Now throw up your hands and throw it up in a prayer and call Him your chain breaker right now and say, "Lord, I just receive it right now for my family. I receive it right now for my marriage." Right now, if you're lost, if you're, if you're backslidden, get down here. Come as close as you can. Come because God sees your physical posture in response to His word.
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He'll come where prayer is. He'll come where someone calls on His name. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Now all over this room, lift up your voice. I don't want the music to do it for you. I want you to pray. I want you to pray about everything you've been worrying about this week. Close your eyes, open your mouth, use your vocal cords and pray. And if you're struggling, say, "I'm struggling." "Jesus." "Pray a short prayer." "Jesus." "I need Your help." "Jesus." "Save me." "Jesus." "Remember me." "Jesus." "Help me." "Jesus." "Break through." Let me hear it. Let me hear it. Get the song now. Whatever we're going to sing. Lord, in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. I don't hear you praying. I want to hear you pray. Short prayers right where you're standing. Ask Him. Call your family's name now. Call their name out right now. Call their name. If you've got an addict in your family, if you've got someone depressed and suicidal, if you've got a marriage, or you have anyone in your family that is going through major marital conflict right now, call on the Lord. Call and say, "Revive Your work, Lord. I know You started it. I know You did it. I know You blessed it. Now it needs a revival. Now it needs a coming alive again. Now it needs something that brings a fresh breath of fresh air. God, would You revive Your work? It's Your work that the enemy tried to destroy. It's Your work. It's Your work. God, would You revive it?" Pray that prayer like Habakkuk.
Hallelujah!
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Thank You, Jesus.
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Yes.
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Pray about everything and worry about nothing.
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You may not think you're that important, but Jesus can be interrupted. If the Bible proves one consistent thing about Jesus, He can be interrupted with short prayers. Come on.
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I believe You're still moving.
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Is
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Jesus, come alive.
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Nothing's impossible.
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I still believe.
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Oh.
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What a friend we have in Jesus.
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All our sins.
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Is
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That's so true.
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Oh.
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Sing another verse.
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We should be discovered.
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Who?
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Jesus.
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Sing one more verse. Sing the last verse.
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Oh.
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I can take it to the Lord in.
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Thee. Somebody break your heart. Take it to a moment.
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Hallelujah.
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Wow. Wow. Do you love Him today? Thank You, Jesus. I know we need to go, but boy, this feels so good. Can we sing one more? In His presence, there's joy beyond all measures. At His feet, peace of mind can still be found.
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If you have a need.
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I know He has the answer. Reach out and claim it.
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Child, you are standing on hold.
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We are.
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And I know that men.
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Let us. Jesus.
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His presence.
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I walked in the room.
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I felt His presence. If you know it, sing. And I knew this was the place. The grim shop for this is the temple for this is, this is my parent. This is Steven. Jehovah dwells here. He's here. He's here right now. We are standing in His great presence.
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So.
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Jesus.
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We are sad.
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Is one holy.
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You love Him today? Raise your hand and receive this blessing now.
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The Lord has heard your cry.
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I can tell you that things are turning. Not going to. They are turning.
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Tell somebody by faith, say this. Tell somebody around you, "The turning is here."
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Boy, it's hard. The presence of the Lord is just. I know He's everywhere, but when His glory comes, there's a, there's a, His weightiness is not everywhere. He's everywhere, but His, uh, His full attention is on His people that pray. How many of you will do your best to pray short prayers this week? Raise your hand. If you have to make a sticker and put it on your car, or put it on your work computer, "Pray short prayers." Pray short prayers. When you get up in the morning, put one in your shoes if you have to. If you're not used to it, I'm serious. If you're not, you have to establish a habit. I mean, at some point, if you're, if you're a chain smoker, at some point, you don't have to remind yourself to smoke. It's just natural. You get up, it's the first thing you want. That's how real prayer can be. If you don't get your prayer fix, you feel funny. I can go a day, maybe, but something. Not that I'm some super Saiyan or nothing, but it's just part of, of, of who we are to talk with the One we love.
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So receive this blessing. You've been an amazing audience. I'm kind of shocked. Sharice, you know me. You never, you know me. And I've been looking. I'm not even going to tell you which, but I've been looking, and I keep looking, and I keep seeing, and I kept seeing. I shouldn't say this publicly, but I've never had this happen. And when we were singing the song about the angels, I looked up and I saw in the balcony, in the back of this building, someone in white. And I looked down and I said, "Did I see that?" And when I looked back, they were gone. And they didn't have time to get out. I don't care if you, I don't know. I'm not trying to impress you. I'm too old to care what you think. But I'm telling you, the angels of the Lord are in this place today. They're encamped around about us. And the turning is here.
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I don't fight my battles on my own. "Be still and know that I am God." I don't look for angels. I never said anything like that. My whole ministry, my whole ministry. So if you want to say he's a fanatic, say I'm a fanatic. I don't care. You're going to see them if you get to heaven. So don't be surprised. "Every once in a while, we entertain them unaware." That's a Bible verse.
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Reach over and touch somebody and say, "I just want to make sure you're real." If it's your wife, say, "You look like an angel." Amen. It's a good moment right there. Mr. Gorski. Hallelujah! What do we do? I guess we need to go. Y'all go. I don't know. Am I still on?
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I love You, Lord. I love You, Lord. Come on, lift up a song of praise.
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Worship Him. Worship Him. Worship Him.
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Be filled with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Receive you the Holy Ghost.
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My.
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There's a centerpiece.
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Some of you really need to enjoy this moment. Some of you have spent a long time since you felt refreshing. But God heard you when you read that scripture, "Revive Your work." If He's ever worked in your life before, He can revive it.
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This is.
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How.
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Come on, sing it with them. You.
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I'm.
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And now, just raise your hand. Now, just raise your hand.
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And now, may the Lord bless you and keep you. He's going to keep you. He's going to protect you. He's going to rebuke demons, demonic activity. Oh yeah, that stuff's real.
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The Lord bless you and keep you and yours. Make His face shine on you. Be gracious unto You. Lift up His countenance upon You. Give you peace. I want us to close with one more song. It's the one about, "Come on, my soul, don't you get tired on me," or whatever it is. Can we end with a shout of praise?
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Is.
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Is.
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Don't you get started.
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Two things. Two things. Next Sunday is one of the most exciting series we do every year called "At the Movies." We've already filmed these. They're done. They're ready to go. And the first one is going to be incredible. You don't want to miss it. And that's going to be a powerful series. They're free tickets. It's just a way of you to advertise. Bring. It's a beautiful time to bring people who don't go to church normally. Never been. They've never experienced anything like it. Normal praise and worship, but "At the Movies" is a message that I'll be sharing connected to a movie. It's powerful. And we're going to do that for the next three weeks. We started something a week ago called "Mentoring Moments Podcasts." Well, and it is getting a tremendous response already. And if you want to kind of get behind the scenes and check that out online, it's "Mentoring Moments Podcasts." Is that it? With Jensen Franklin and Marcus Meachum. And Marcus is a dear friend. Used to be a youth pastor here. Now pastor Seven Hills Church in Kentucky. And we started something. We don't know where it's going, but God is. It's all about mentoring business people, mentoring, uh, church leaders, mentoring young pastors. And we talk about everything. If you've not heard the first session, you ought to listen to it on your way to work tomorrow. It'll mess you up. You'll be crying and stuff. So it'll bless you. But it's heart-to-heart talks that are real and raw and powerful about what ministry is like and different things are like. Last but not least, thank you for getting the word of overcoming when you feel overwhelmed. The new book is out there and available. Pick it up. Read it. There's truth in that book that will change your life. I love you all. Get out of here. Go to the lake. What's wrong with you? Oh, I forgot. You're supposed to give an offering as you leave. So give an offering. And we believe in tithing around here. I don't care what new little thing people come up with. I'm a tither. I'm gonna die a tither. When my kids get their inheritance, it will already be tithed on because I don't even trust them enough to tithe it. But I will tithe for them. Amen. Because I'm convinced the blessing of the Lord is connected to our obedience, not our salvation. I'm saved by the blood. But boy, if you want the abundant life, you need to learn to be a giver. God will bless you. Thanks for giving. Online giving. In stations around. Be blessed. Thank you. Thank you. Help us with our work all over the world. Thank you.
What a powerful service. You know, when we start service with prayer and anointing oil, it's going to be good. It's so powerful to see how many people are coming to the altar and just laying things at the feet of Jesus. I feel so emboldened to pray those short prayers. And I want to encourage you that even if you don't feel like you have the words to pray those short, short prayers, the best prayer that you can pray is just the name of Jesus. So let's go into this week with that mindset.
Yeah, absolutely, guys. And listen, I sense that right now, God is calling many of you that are watching into relationship with Him. You see the altars filled here, you see people responding, but this is your opportunity to respond, to make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life. So whether you're watching by yourself, maybe you have the whole family, gather them in together. I would encourage you to repeat this prayer after me: "Dear Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. You walked the earth. You lived a sinless life. You healed the sick. You raised the dead. Thank You for taking the punishment for my sin. I put my trust in You. I want to live for You all the days of my life. In Jesus' name, amen." And if you said that prayer, you probably can't hear it, but all of heaven is throwing a party right now. And you probably can't hear it, but other Free Chapel folks, they're celebrating too. And you can let us know about that decision so that we can partner in prayer with you. You can text YES to 510-510. Or if you just need some prayer today, we encourage you to text PRAYER to 510-510. And those links are in the chat as well.
Absolutely. And before we go, guys, I want to say a huge thank you to our generous givers. You are what makes the ministry here at Free Chapel possible. We are really able to embody the hands and feet of Jesus because of your generous giving. So thank you so much for entering into that with. We know so much prayer. And we just thank you for answering that call that God has placed on you. Yes. We pray blessing over you this week in your family and in your job. In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen. Have a great week, guys. We will see you next Sunday for the start of our "At the Movies" series. Don't forget to invite a friend. And we'll see you soon. All right, bye.
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