Pastor Steven Furtick (Assistant or Co-Speaker) (36:18)
I'll just have one. I'll just have two. And by the end of the night, that little boy gets her to compromise something she said she'd keep sacred till marriage. And when she's walking home to her apartment that night with Grandma, her dad gave her a promise ring when she was 8. She takes it off and she throws it in the woods because she feels like she's forfeited any future based upon that past mistake. And when she lays her head in the pillow that night, she cries herself to sleep. She's soaking the pillow with her tears. Can you hear her cries? That's the sound of the demons across the lake. And when she wakes up in the morning, she's praying that it was just a nightmare. But it wasn't. Because that little boy took photos and he already circulated him. And she's called every name you could ever imagine. And before her feet even hit the floor, she wants to kill herself because she feels like the only way out is that. But she realizes there was one other friend at school. She invited me to this place called Elevation Ballantine. And as somebody who normally sits in our student section and that little girl walks up to this building. Who better than you to welcome that little girl? And the reality is, that story is so familiar to so many in this room. And that part of you that you want to hide, that you never, ever want to share, is the very thing that Jesus needs in the boat. And if you don't let Jesus into that room, all it will ever be is pain. But when you put it in the boat now, you find purpose. Who better than you to be out front welcoming that little girl? That thing that you said, I got to take a step back. I got nothing to offer, is the very thing Jesus wants to put out front. Who better than you to lead a youth girls E group to comfort others with the comfort that you have received? Say, Holy Spirit, show me the rooms. I've not let you in. An invitation starts with an admission. What are the rooms that you're not letting Jesus in? What are the spaces that you've not let Jesus into? An unnamed enemy will never be defeated. And what do we do with an enemy? What do we do with a friend? We cover them. What do we do with an enemy? We expose them. The admission is to say, I've got this room, but somebody in this room is 45. And you're like, I can't. I can't tell anybody. What are they gonna think of me? You will help them go like, oh, that's why he's acted like that for 22 years. You give some understanding to stand to your feet at all of our locations without anybody moving. This is a holy moment. And I'm gonna give two opportunities to respond to this sermon today. The first one is for those that you've got a room. I've got rooms, I've got houses. But what's one room that you know that you need to let Jesus into? Maybe today would be the day that you let Jesus. You'd hear him knocking. I've been knocking for years. I've been knocking on the door of your life. Let me into that marriage. Let me into that relationship. Let me into that thing. He'll come in and he'll touch you. It doesn't mean the pain goes away, but it does mean you can find purpose in it. And then the second invitation is for those of you that have not placed your faith in Jesus. You know that you're separated from God. You've been playing religious activity, you've been checking boxes of going to church, go to the bank, go to the grocery store. But you've never confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. And believe it in your heart that he was raised from the dead. And if you need to begin that relationship with Jesus, I'm going to give you that opportunity as well. But bow your heads, close your eyes, put your hands in front of you like you're holding a gift. Make some room for Jesus in your hands. Is that room a space that you need to let Jesus into? You've covered it. Not because you don't love God. You just kind of despise yourself and he wants to come into that. Father, I thank you for your sons and daughters right now that are walking in boldness, fear. But I thank you that you're a loving God, that you will gently come in. You're not going to kick down a door, you're knocking on it. Why? Because you want to come in, in a fellowship with them and I thank you for the confession, the admission. There's a space in her life that we need you to touch. I pray that they would move beyond just this moment and they would invite another person into it today, somebody in this room or somebody online. May they share that room so they don't have to fight in isolation or being alone any longer. Now, for those of you that need to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ, I'm going to lead us all into prayer for people to begin that relationship. To confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that he was raised from the dead. If you say these words and you believe it in your heart, you will be saved. Pray this with me, church family. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the grave to forgive me of my sin. I give you my life. I give you my sin. I give you my shame. Forgive me and I'll spend my life following you with your head still bowed and your eyes still closed. If you just placed your faith in Jesus or you're coming back to Him. I am going to count to three and without hesitation, once I get there, boldly shoot your hand into the air. 1, 2, 3.
