Win Before You Begin (Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr.)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Elevation with Steven Furtick

Episode: "Win Before You Begin" (Guest: Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr.)

Release Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Pastor Steven Furtick
Guest Speaker: Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr.

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Episode Overview

In this dynamic episode of Elevation with Steven Furtick, guest Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. (Voo Church, Miami) delivers a faith-charging, practical message titled “Win Before You Begin.” Drawing from Deuteronomy 20, Pastor Rich unpacks how to develop a victorious mindset before stepping into life’s battles. He explores the power of internal victory, the importance of community, and practical strategies to anchor faith above fear and anxiety—delivered with humor, stories, and reminders of God’s steadfastness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Perspective and Community (02:00–06:12)

• Pastor Rich welcomes all listeners, stressing the impact of magnifying God’s name in our lives.
• Theme: “Whatever you magnify gets bigger.” Bringing attention to how we must focus on God, especially amid problems.
• He honors Pastor Steven Furtick and encourages the congregation to celebrate their pastor’s global influence.

Notable Quote:

“Proximity brings perspective... For me, as I come here year after year, I get excited to share the word, but equally, I get excited to take a moment just to put honor where honor is due.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (05:00)

2. Win on the Inside First (07:49–09:52)

• Christian life isn’t a dance, it’s a battle—the most crucial one is internal.
• “You don’t change your life by changing your life. You change your life by changing your mind.”
• Observes cultural busyness and restlessness, emphasizing the need for peace only God can give.

Notable Quote:

“You can be warring on the outside, but you can still have peace that passes all understanding on the inside.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (09:11)

3. Battle Briefing: Fight From Victory, Not For Victory (11:07–14:35)

• Moses’ “battle briefing” in Deuteronomy 20 prepares Israel not just with weapons, but with set mindsets.
• We do not fight for victory, but from a place of victory because “God is for you.”

Notable Quote:

“God wants you to win on the inside before you ever see a win on the outside.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (10:00)

4. Don’t Let What You See Shake What You Know (14:13–16:17)

• Life’s battles are inevitable; you can’t choose your fight, only how you show up.
• Fear often starts through what we see, then gets amplified by the stories we tell ourselves.

Notable Moments:

• Illustrates with relatable life scenarios—overreacting to ignored texts or bills.
• “It’s not just what we see, we script things.”

Notable Quote:

“Faith doesn’t deny what you see. It’s just confidence in what you already know.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (15:58)

5. Let God’s Word Be Louder than Your Worry (20:08–28:16)

• In Moses’ instructions, the priests—not generals—are sent before battle to speak God’s word.
• “Every warrior needs a preacher before the war.” Church and the spoken Word prepare you to face your week.
• Worry “strangles”; to counter, what you repeat in times of peace becomes your reflex under pressure.

Memorable Illustration (25:57):

• The “flip and read” method for finding a word from God is unreliable—real strength comes from rootedness in Scripture.
• Fruit of the Spirit (“believer juice”) sees faith, love, peace squeezed out under pressure.

Notable Quote:

“If you don’t train in the Word, you won’t triumph in the wilderness.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (25:02)

6. Shape Your Environment, Shape Your Mindset (29:55–34:02)

• People tend to shape their external world to match their internal state; maturity is reversing that, letting external cues—like worship music or scripture—reshape your heart.
• Practical advice: Don’t sleep with your phone, place your Bible on your nightstand as a reminder.

Memorable Moment (32:33):

“You can't defeat the enemy if you’re sleeping with the enemy.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr.

7. Order is the Antidote to Anxiety (35:55–41:53)

• God doesn’t just raise up fighters; He values families, enjoyment, and order.
• True victory happens when your life becomes whole and integrated—mind, body, spirit in alignment.
• Set priorities: God, spouse, children, then ministry/work.

Notable Quote:

“Order is the antidote to anxiety. We don’t serve a God of disorder, but of peace.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (39:31)

8. Fear is Contagious: Check Your Circle (41:53–44:27)

• Those full of anxiety or fear were removed from Israel’s ranks to protect others from catching it.
• What we “catch” from others—fear, worry—did not originate with us, nor does it belong with us.

Notable Quote:

“Some of the things that you’re carrying, you didn’t start with that, you caught that along the way.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (43:06)

9. Growth Through Repetition: Keep Facing the Battle (44:27–49:15)

• Victory isn't about removing all battles, but maturing in them.
• Shares a personal story about his son’s fear of Space Mountain and how facing the fear led to joy—it wasn’t the battle that changed, but his son.

Notable Quote:

“It didn’t get easier, you got stronger. The battles won’t get lighter, you’ll just get wiser.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (48:29)

10. Tag God In: Victory Through Christ (49:15–51:38)

• As the message closes, Pastor Rich urges the congregation to “tag God in” like a wrestling match—let God fight on your behalf.
• Faith means facing your challenges, expecting God’s active involvement.

Notable Quote:

“All you gotta do is tag God in. Because when that partner gets in the ring, momentum is about to shift. A miracle is on the way.”
— Rich Wilkerson Jr. (51:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:00 | Opening reflections, honoring Elevation leadership | | 06:14 | Main text — Deuteronomy 20:1; setup for the sermon | | 07:49 | Christian life = battle; internal victory first | | 14:13 | “Don’t let what you see shake what you know” | | 20:08 | The priests’ battle briefing; power of the spoken word | | 25:02 | The word as a weapon in spiritual battles | | 32:33 | Practical advice on habits and external environment | | 39:31 | Godly priorities and order as peace’s foundation | | 43:06 | Contagious nature of fear and anxiety | | 48:29 | Growth and wisdom through repeated battles | | 51:03 | “Tag God in” metaphor wraps up the message |

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Additional Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On handling technology and anxiety:
  “You can't defeat the enemy if you’re sleeping with the enemy.” (32:33)
• Faith under pressure:
  “When you squeeze a believer, you ought to get believer juice... Believers ought to have fruit.” (27:43)
• Re: the cross and our battles:
  “While I was stuck in my sin, Christ died for me. When I couldn’t get to Him, He came to me and He reached out. All you gotta do is tag God in.” (51:03)
• On facing, not fleeing, challenges:
  “He didn’t give you armor on the backside... He never meant for you to turn from this thing—He meant you to face it. And God says, if you’ll face it, I’ll fight for you.” (50:09)

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Episode Summary Statement

This episode is a powerful call not just to prepare for life’s battles but to win them by securing the inside—your thoughts, your faith, and your confession—before the external challenge begins. Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. encourages listeners to magnify God, embed Scripture deeply, reorder priorities, and bravely “tag God in”—reminding us the battle may not get easier, but we get stronger, wiser, and more victorious when we face it anchored in Christ.

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Transcript

[Host/Lead Speaker]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Scott Hanson]

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[Narrator/Announcer]

The NFL International Games continue on NFL Network. And here our stars come out in the morning. Week 10 Bajan Robinson and the Falcons Touchdown Atlanta take on Daniel Jones and the Colts in Berlin.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Fireworks in the fourth quarter.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Then in week 11, Jaden Daniels and the Commanders touchdown once again. Face Tua and the Dolphins in Madrid.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Snooze off.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Game on it's Sunday morning football continues November 9th at 9:30 Eastern only on NFL Network.

[Podcast Outro Host]

Hey, this is Stephen Furtick. I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

How good it is to be in God's house today. Anybody thankful to be in the Lord's house on this Sunday morning, clap your hands.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I want to welcome you to church right here. I'm at the Valentine campus, but all of our friends on the EFAM and really all over the world, all of our locations, we're so grateful that you're tuning in. And I'm just thinking about the psalmist.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

As he says, oh, I want to magnify the Lord. Let us exalt his holy name.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

How many of you know that whatever you magnify in your life gets bigger? There's something about as we begin to worship God, we start making the name of God bigger and bigger. In our situation, you might have some problems, but Come on. Your God is bigger than every problem you have.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Come on and give him praise.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Today. I think it's powerful that you're in church. The psalmist says, let us. Let us exalt his holy name. You know, that faith is not just individual. Faith is communal, that we need each other. And today, as we've gathered in God's house, I believe he's right here with us and he's going to minister. He's going to speak to us. Can we thank God for just the best worship team ever?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Shout out to Leland in the house. My friend Leland.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Leland sings like he's in heaven.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I don't know some of those notes.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

That he hits, but I'm like, dear Jesus, Dear Jesus, my name is Rich. If we've never met before, I hail from Miami, Florida. I lead a church called Voo Church. And what an honor. Thank you so much. What an honor it is to be with you today. And if you got a Bible, quickly turn to the book of Deuteronomy. We're going to read God's word from a standing position this morning. Deuteronomy, chapter 20. I want to give you one verse, and then we're going to look at about eight verses today. And as you're turning there, it is always such a great privilege and such a great honor to stand behind this pulpit. I thank God for this house, and I thank God for the ministry. Ministry the life and the leadership of Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick. It is Pastor Appreciation Month, and your pastor is not just your pastor, but really, he pastors so many people all around the world. Can we thank God for his life and can we thank God for his ministry? Can we clap our hands and make some noise today? It's always funny preaching at elevation because there's very few pulpits in the world that when you walk up to it, there's almost like a gasp, like, oh, someone drove in today from Omaha and they were hoping to hear Pastor Steven. And you got rich. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But I do believe that God's going to minister to us. And I was thinking about your pastor walking in, because for me, as I. As I come here, year after year, I get excited to share the word, but equally, I get excited to take a moment just to put honor where honor is due. I remember some years ago when the Miami Heat, when they were good, pray for them. They were in the Eastern Conference finals, and my dad, he scored some tickets, and my dad's balling on a budget, and so he got us Nosebleed tickets. In fact, we weren't just. We weren't sitting up high. In fact, the seats, you had to stand up in the arena. Okay. But we were just happy to be in the room. But I remember watching the game from a distance. It was almost like watching the game on delay. You're so far away from the court. There was a couple times I was like, I bet I could hang with these guys. That's from a distance. Since that time, I've had a couple opportunities to sit on the court. And how many all know sitting on the court, sitting on the wood is a totally different game. You can see guys sweat, drop. You can hear what they're saying.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

One time I was like, foul.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And the guy looked at me. I just sat down, never spoke again. Okay. I was like, here's what I want you to hear. Same game, different perspective. Proximity brings perspective. And let me just say, as a friend of this house, I've been up close and personal with your pastor. He is a man of faith. He's a man of integrity. He is a man of courage. And I'm so grateful for what God has done in his life for me. He's one of my heroes. He's someone that I look up to. And I just always want to say to Elevation Church, you better take care of that man. Pray for him. Stand with him. We love you, Pastor Steven and Pastor Holly. Come on, can we make some noise.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

If we're grateful for the life and the leadership of Pastor Steven Hollyford. We love you guys.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

We got your back today.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Let me give you one verse today.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And I'm gonna preach it like I feel it, and I feel it today. Deuteronomy, chapter 20, verse 1. It says this.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

When you go to war against your.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God. Oh, I like this.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Because the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt will be with you.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Yeah, you should just clap your hands.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Is that good? Is that good?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I want to speak for a few moments today from this subject. When before you begin.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Win.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Before you begin. Would you pray to me, Lord? We thank you for your word, God. We believe it's sharper than any double edged sword. Speak to us now, Lord, as we read it, we invite it to read us. May we leave here different from how we came. Speak to us. We love you, we praise you. And all of God's people said. All of God's people said, if you.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Love Jesus, make a little Bit of noise today.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

All right, high five a couple people and say you're gonna win. Say you're gonna win in the chat.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Say, you're gonna win, you're gonna win.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You're gonna win.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Win. Before you begin.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I love the fact that all throughout the scripture, God invites us and tells us that we're going to win. But notice he never says that we won't have to fight. In fact, the longer I walk with Jesus, the more and more I recognize that the Christian life is not a dance. It's a battle. And the first battle that we must always fight is not an external one. It's always an internal one. It's always the battle in your mind that you have to fight the war on the inside. I think many times we go, I wanna change my life. Listen, you don't change your life by changing your life. You change your life by changing your mind. How many out there? You could just use some more peace. Anyone? Just. You could use a little more peace in 2020. Like, not me, Pastor. I'm good. I think most people I talk to could use more Peace in 2025. It seems like everyone I talk to is dealing with this mild grade of anxiety level of just a restless soul. In fact, you can just see it as you talk to people. Like, you ever ask someone, how you doing? How you doing? Busy. Moms are busy, you know, dads are busy.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Everyone I talk to you, how you doing?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Busy. I talked to a student in our youth ministry that day, 16 years of age. I said, how you doing? Bro? Goes, busy. I was like, bro, you're 16. You ain't got no job, you ain't got no wife, you ain't got no kids.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You aren't busy, you know?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

But I think he speaks to a culture that's moving so fast that what comes up and spills out of his life is a restlessness of going, I could use some more peace. Anybody thankful for a God that says, you can be warring on the outside, but you can still have peace that passes all understanding on the inside? My Bible says that his peace transcends understanding. Let me make that modern day. You might be in a battle today that doesn't make any sense. You might be up against a challenge today that is ill. But praise God for Jesus, we can be right there in the midst of something that is illogical, but right smack in the middle, he can give you.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

A peace that doesn't make any sense.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I need you to clap your hands.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Stir your faith a little bit.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Today. God wants you to Win on the inside before you ever see a win on the outside. Deuteronomy chapter 20 is powerful because if you know anything about the book of Deuteronomy, it is the book of instruction that God is giving his law, he's giving his commands. And here in Deuteronomy 20, what we're discovering is that Moses is giving a battle briefing before they go into war, which I like that it's like before they actually step into a fight, he's giving them instruction. He's teaching them how to win before they begin. And what's really interesting, as he begins to teach, long before he actually puts weapons in their hands and he's wanting them to win the war in their head before he puts weapons in their hands, he wants to deal with the worry in their heart. I think, as we teach in this day and age, I think we all need a framework from wherever we're operating from that we're not fighting for victory, we're fighting from victory. And the only way you're gonna fight from victory is when you actually believe.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

That God is, is for you. I know that kind of sounds maybe.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Cliche to some people, but many people.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Don'T live with that revelation. God is for you.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Recently I had a little battle briefing of my own in my house. Not with soldiers, but with my children. I've got four kids, Wyatt, Wild, Waylon and Wolfgang. And our last name is Wilkerson. Those are preacher's kids right there. Everything's got a rhyme or be an alliteration. I had to grab the three bigs. I had to do a briefing with them. I had gotten information from the babysitter that particularly my daughter Waylon had been pretty difficult all day long. And so in my house, I am the general, if you know what I'm talking about. And so I lined him up and I said, waylon Wesley Wilkerson, I said, were you being bad today? Is this really true that you were throwing tantrums like this and all of a sudden she just turned instantly into these beautiful princess tears?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Daddy, I don't remember any other parents out there.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Your kids got short term amnesia.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You don't remember?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

So I looked at her older brother, his name is Wild, and trust me, he lives up to the name Wild.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I said, yo, Wild, was your sister bad today?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

He looked at me, said, oh, dad.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

It'S been such a long day.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Homie.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

It'S 2:15 in the afternoon.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I love my son Wild, because what's interesting is that Wild can fight all day long with his sister, but the moment he senses that there is judgment or someone potentially coming after his sister, he says, not on my way Watch. Let me tell you something. Brothers protect, but fathers fight. And I need some people in this room to understand that when the enemy comes after your life, whatever battle is coming your way, you need to settle once and for all.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

There is a God who says, I will be with you. I will get into that fight, and I will fight on your behalf. So before the enemy attacks, before the temptation comes, why not settle it in your heart? God is for me. And if God is for me, come on, who can be against me? Clap your hands. Give God some praise in this house today.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Win.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Before you begin, I want to make.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

A couple of observations today. I want you to take some notes. But the scripture begins here in verse one, and Moses comes out, and the.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Instruction is, when you go to war, not if, but when. Because you need to understand that battles in life are not optional.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

They are inevitable. Like, you don't get to choose the fight. All you get to choose is how you'll show up to the fight.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

How you gonna show up to this fight?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And notice what it is that he says.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He says, when you go to war.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, please write this down today. Don't let what you see shake what you know.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Don't let what you see shake what you know. When you see the chariots and when you see an army greater than yours.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

How many all know that fear begins with your sight?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

What you see, it starts in your eyes, and then it moves to your mind.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Is there anybody out there like me that all of a sudden you can see something, and as you see it, you can make it far worse. Your imagination can run in the wrong direction. You can take one little thing that you see and turn it into an entire Netflix series. Just me.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You see a text left on red, and you're like, that's it. Relationship's over. I'm gonna be living with my parents forever. You see one unexpected bill, that's it.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I'm done.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I'm never gonna make it. Dave Ramsey was right about me.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You see one uncomfortable conversation at work, like, that's it.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

They're gonna fire me. They're probably clearing out my desk right now. Why is it?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

It's because it's not just what we see. We don't just see things. We script things. We have a tendency that something begins.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

With our sight, but then all of.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

A sudden, it's not the site that's the problem. It's the story we attach.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

And here it is God saying, if.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You want to win before you begin.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Do not let what you see shake what you know. You're going to have to understand that.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Faith doesn't deny what you see.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

It's just confidence in what you already know. Yes, I see chariots, but I know my God. Yes, I see problems in front of me, but I know his promises. Yes, I see the odds are stacked up against me, but I know the one who. Who has already overcome. Is there anybody in this house who says, I want to have an unshakable kind of faith? Listen to the command. He says, do not be afraid. Do you know that this is the.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Most common command in all of scripture? Some 365 times, the Bible says, do not be afraid. Why? Because the Bible wants to remind you.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Every day of the year not to be afraid. Because if fear doesn't take a day off, faith shouldn't take one either. And it's not just what you see, it's what you say. And you ought to start getting good at saying God's word over every situation of your life. I will not fear. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

[Worship Leader]

Oh, come on.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I'm going to preach myself happy. I will not fear anybody out there today in a valley. You could be in a valley. And right there from the valley, declare, I will not be afraid. I know who my God is. Not just what you see, it's what you say.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

But fear shakes us. Faith stands. You ever play that game Jenga? I can't play it anymore. It increases my anxiety. When that thing starts wobbling, I'm like, oh, no. It's like, Rich. It's not a real tower, man. Chill out. But what I've learned about the game is, as you pull out bricks, the top can be wobbling. But watch this. If the foundation is sturdy, it doesn't fall. I want to encourage you today that faith does not deny what you see. Faith doesn't even stop the shaking. What faith does is it gives you sturdy and stable ground to stand on. I want you to see the sturdy ground that Moses gave. Moses said it this way. He says, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord, your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. See, this is the thing with faith. Faith firmly looks at a situation, and.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

It can be shaking.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

But it makes a decision that I'm building my life on the word of God on the rock of God. And so I don't always know what it is that God is doing. I can't even always see what God is doing, but I do know what he's done. And here comes Moses, he's like, I know you can't see the battle in front of us about how God's going.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

To do it, but you do know.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

What he has done.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

So you might not be able to see God's plan, but you do know his power. And you might not be able to.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

See your future right now, but come.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

On, you can remember your freedom. And you might not be exactly where you want to be, but can anybody testify? You know you are not where you used to be. What a miracle. He came in fast. I want to encourage you to operate.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

In faith today because you don't have to see what he's doing, but you know what he's done.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You know enough about God to understand he's going to get you through this thing. If he brought you up out of Egypt, he'll bring you through whatever circumstance you're in now. If he parted the Red Sea, he could part your situation. If he was faithful back then, he'll be faithful right now. If he did it then, anybody believe he could do it again.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Don't let what you see shake what you know. But watch what Moses does here as he continues to speak. Let's look at verse two. I haven't read this to you yet. Verse two says this.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

When you're about to go into battle.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

The priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say, here, Israel, today you are going into battle against the enemies. Do not be faint hearted or afraid. Do not panic or be terrified by them. Write this down. This is important. Don't let your worry be louder than God's word. This is unique. They're about to go to battle. They don't send out a general, they don't send out a colonel. There's no sergeant that comes out. Moses sends out the priest. Can you imagine if you're in that army like, well, what's up here? What's going on here? You're sending out priests. Yeah. It's because every warrior needs a preacher before the war. The word, that's what I love about Sundays. I'm so proud of you for being in church today. I'm so proud that that's the habit of your life. Because as we gather here today, we're not just merely putting on a church service. This is the briefing before the battle. This is the strategy. And God's strategy is his spirit. I don't think I'm speaking to spectators. I think I'm speaking to soldiers. Anybody fighting for something today? Anybody fighting for purpose? Fighting for your calling? Fighting for peace, Fighting for joy? Anyone fighting for their marriage? Fighting for their family? Are there some dads out there that are fighting for their kids? Come on.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

If you're a fighter in this house, clap your hands. We're fighting.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

It's funny, sometimes on Instagram, people will comment at me.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Why you always yelling? Calm down, bro. And I'm like, I'm yelling because every week when people come into church, I want to make sure that my voice is louder than whatever they've been up against all week long. I want you to know there is a God who is for you. There's a God who's fighting for you. You don't have to be afraid. He's gonna get you through this thing because we live in a noisy world. And all week long, you're gonna leave here and you're gonna tune off from the link today. And all week long, you're gonna be dealing with algorithms and people at work. And all of the voices you're gonna.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Hear is gonna be the voice of worry. Even some of you right now listening today. It's your own inner critic that speaks to you, and it's the voice of.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Worry all day long.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

That word worry comes from an Anglo Saxon word which means to strangle. How many of us? We're being strangled by worry. We're being strangled by the pressures of this life. I wonder what's louder in your life, God's word or your worry? Write this down. This is important. What you repeat in peace will become your reflex under pressure. Let me say it one more time. Put it in the chat. What you repeat in peace will become your reflex under pressure. This is really important, because when life hits you, what's gonna come out of you? We could look at the life of Jesus, right? Jesus in the wilderness. Remember that after Matthew 3, he's baptized and the Father speaks over him.

[Worship Leader]

He.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And immediately he goes into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Notice whenever Satan comes to attack you, he always attacks your identity. So the last thing that Jesus heard the Father say is, this is my son, whom I love, and I'm well pleased. The first thing out of the enemy's mouth is, if you are the son of God, gets you to question, what's this?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

The word of God?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And what you'll see there in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted for 40 days. And what Jesus is Actually doing is. He's illustrating for us how to win. Because remember the Israelites, they went into a wilderness for 40 years, and they had been given the book of Deuteronomy, the Book of Instruction, but they never obeyed it, they never used it, they never applied it. And they found themselves delayed forever, never getting out. An entire generation. But here comes Jesus, and He doesn't take 40 years. All he needs is 40 days. And every time the enemy comes and tempts him, all Jesus does is he says, it is written. Why? Because it is written before it is wonderful.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

The word of God must come first.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And what's really fascinating is that as you study that entire dialogue back and forth between Jesus and the devil in Matthew 4, what you find out is that every scripture that Jesus quotes is from the book of Deuteronomy, as if to say, you always had the answer.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

The same word I gave you back.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

There in the wilderness is the same word that I'll use to defeat Satan. See, Jesus understood that the word is a weapon.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You do get that, right? That this is a weapon. And if you don't train in the.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Word, you won't triumph in the wilderness. Let me just go a little bit further. Satan, when he comes to attack Jesus, uses the Word.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Meaning, you can't just read the word, you gotta learn the word.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

We got a lot of immature believers in 2025. God bless everybody. But sometimes we're just like, you ever need a word from God? You're like, God, please.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Oh, God, God, God, God.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You know, where are you, you, you, you?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I need a word.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And so you ever do flip and read? Yeah. Elevation. Way too mature today. Never flip and read. Flip and read goes like this, you know, it's like, oh, God, I need a word. I need a word. And you just flip. And then you just. Hopefully you get a good word from God. But that's like Russian roulette, man.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

God, I need a word. I need a word.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Flip and read. And Judas hanged himself.

[Worship Leader]

No.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I need another word. I need.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Okay, go and do likewise. Wait.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

No, friends. It's not enough to read it.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You gotta learn it. It's a weapon. And as you train in it.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Come on.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You become lethal. That when the enemy attacks you, you have a word to fight back.

[PayPal Advertiser]

Come on.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

When pressure hit Jesus life, the word came out of him. Pressure doesn't remove what's inside of you, it reveals what's inside of you. What happens if you squeeze an apple? You get what? Apple juice. Look at this. This is an amazing audience today. What happens when you squeeze an orange, you get what? Orange. My goodness. Give him a big round of applause today. Wow. What happens when you squeeze a Christian? Complaining. Fear. Trouble. No, friend. When you squeeze a believer, you ought to get believer juice. Believer juice. Believer juice. Believer juice. You ought to get believer juice. Because believers ought to have fruit.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Yeah. If you're a believer, you ought to.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Have fruit of the spirit, which means.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

When attacks hit my life, when people lie about my name, when they accuse me, when life squeezes me, I want love to be the result. When all of a sudden I'm dealing with the sorrows of life and the pressures of life, I pray that joy would be squeezed out of me.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Believer juice.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I pray that when anxiety wants to hit my life, I pray that all of a sudden, when I'm feeling strangled by worry, I pray that peace would begin to erupt.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

It's believer juice.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

But how much more for kindness and goodness and gentleness and faithfulness, self control. Come on, all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Because last time I checked, the fruit of the Spirit still grows under pressure. Come on and clap your hands. I want to make sure that fruit shows up.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And so God has the priests go forward.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Can you imagine being in that army? Like, what's going on here, man?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

They're sending out the preachers.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Yeah, we're going to battle.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Okay, we need a strategy. No, I'm gonna give you a sermon.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

A sermon.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

But what is God trying to do? God is trying to get his external world into their internal world. God is trying to get his external Word inside to shape their internal world. I gotta get the Word in you. Because as the Word takes root in you, something's going to grow. Faith is going to grow. I have a friend who's a performance coach and I love him so much. And he said to me something the other day that really struck me. He said, rich, have you ever noticed that people tend to shape and design their external environment to mirror their internal one? Now, all of the gospel, just as we understand, is about inside out change, that I have to have my heart changed. And Jesus does that. But that shouldn't stop us that once we've had that moment of salvation take place, maturity would say, let me set up an external world that impacts and influences my internal world. But so many people, if you just look at it, it's like their whole life is in chaos. Watch. Their environment around them will be in chaos. So many people, they start going through worry and so what do they do? They feed into that worry. Many people, they feel lonely. So what do they do? They isolate. So their external environment begins to. To mirror what's happening on the inside. You know this to be true. That's why when you're having a bad day, it's like, alexa, play my depressed playlist. Come on, dope. And some of y' all got crazy. Alexa, play I Want to Cry in the Shower playlist. You ever heard that term misery loves company?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

It's true that what we're feeling, we want our outside world to look like that so often. And so all of a sudden, I'm feeling fear. So I put on the news to feed my fear. I'm upset. So now I go to TikTok and I scroll and I death scroll, just so I get angrier and angrier and angrier. But maturity, somebody who wants to win before they begin, they say, all right, I don't feel this, but I gotta play faith. I don't wanna worship, but I'm gonna play worship. I want to set up an external world that changes my internal world.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I think sometimes we can overthink this, because sometimes we can start thinking to.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Ourselves, all right, that's it. I gotta change my environment. I gotta move cities.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I gotta move churches. And sometimes those things are required. But more often than not, it's smaller things. It's just creating small little habits to say, let me just do things that all of a sudden I can create an external world that begins to change, Let his word on the outside get in and shape my heart on the inside. One of the most practical things I think we can do, my friend here, Adrian's got his phone. Is we can start with this thing.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Right here, this little devil in our pocket.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I just go for the next 15 minutes about how bad the iPhone is, you know, no, that's not the point. But this right here is one of the leading causes of our anxiety, of our restlessness. This little thing we carry with us all the time, just little people, you know, just all day long. Let me just tell you, when it comes to this thing, like, here's just a basic thing you could. I had a friend tell me, you got to parent your phone, Rich. I said, what does that mean? He said, well, your kids go to bed before you, don't they? I said, yes. He said, you wake up before your kids, don't you? I said, yeah, I do. He said, why don't you do that with your phone? For some of us, it's like, just quit sleeping with your phone. Yeah, some of y' all got your.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Phone on your pillow at night. I Don't know why I'm anxious.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You don't. Come on. Can you imagine if you're an alcoholic? It's like, man, I'm really struggling, but I sleep with Jack Daniels every night. You can't defeat the enemy if you're sleeping with the enemy. Come on.

[Worship Leader]

Come on.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

No, you gotta put it to bed at night. And maybe it shouldn't even sleep in your room.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Maybe you should tuck it in in.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Another room, unplug it and say, good night.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Little phone. I'll see you in the morning.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

In fact, just little things. Just change your environment.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Instead of putting your phone on your.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Nightstand at night, why not swap that.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Out and put this on your nightstand at night?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Why not just make a decision, even right here today, I want to win.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Before I begin, I'm going to go.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Biblical before I go digital. Meaning, why don't you just put your Bible on your nightstand? Even if you don't read it, even if you don't get to it, let it be a trigger on the external side of you that before I go to bed at night, it's the last thing I see. And when I wake up in the morning, it's the first thing that I see. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. I might not feel it on the inside, but I want to put it on the outside to trigger my environment to say, I want God's word to.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Get on the inside of me.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Come on, clap your hands. Make a little bit of noise. Make a little bit of noise. Sometimes it's just a little cue. Sometimes it's just a little thing that the priest would come out before them. They might not have wanted a sermon, but they needed a sermon. In fact, the more and more I grow in my life, when I'm feeling lonely, when I'm feeling depressed, I don't want to say, alexa, play my depressed playlist. I want to say, alexa, play my faith Filled Elevation Worship playlist. Jesus be the name. Who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm just grateful for you. They say gratitude is the right attitude.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

When I hear that song, I want.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

To run through a brick wall.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Why?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Because faith has a sound, peace has a sound. And what you play starts to shape your environment. It starts turning things around. You gotta get God's word louder than your worry. Let me hear the sound of faith. Let me hear the sound of peace. Let me hear the sound of joy in this house.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I play it when I don't feel it. Who am I that you keep me on your Mind God, I'm just grateful for you. What a miracle. What a miracle. How did you do this in me? And yeah, I got some battles in front of me. But Lord, what I've seen you do.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Time and time again is I know what you brought me out of. I don't know what you're doing, but I know what you have done. And if you were faithful back then, you'll be faithful. I need you to praise God in faith today.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Win before you begin. Grab a seat, grab a seat. Let me give you this last one. Look at verse five with me. We're just walking through the text today. Just a Bible study on a Sunday. Pastor will be back soon. Please come back to church. Look at verse five. This is very interesting to me. The officers shall say to the army, has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home or he may die in battle and someone else marry her. This is a very fascinating part because this is before the battle has begun. And here is the strategy of winning. I believe this last thought. I want you to get this deep in your heart. It's simply this. Don't let your anxiety overthrow your order. When you study the word of God and you see when it says, do not be anxious, it can be translated, do not be torn apart. Because that's what anxiety does. It makes us feel thin and it separates us. But if you really want to win in life, you really don't win until you become whole. Everything about our gospel is about an integrated life. Mind, body, spirit and soul coming together on all cylinders. And what's taking place here is that they give these instructions to the people and they say, hey, has anyone, like, built a new house and you haven't.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Gotten to living yet?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Leave. Has anyone about to get married and.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You haven't gotten to be with your.

[Pandora Jewelry Advertiser]

Leave.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

If anyone's planted a new vineyard and.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You haven't enjoyed it, leave.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

What's happening here? What I want you to see in the text is that God is not just interested merely in raising up fighters. He also is raising up families. And when we talk about things like contending and fighting back, it's not merely always in life about enduring, it's also about enjoying. That's what I love about elevation Church. You don't just have to come to church. You get to come to church here. We're not just suffering through it. No, we enjoy the presence of God. God is into your enjoyment. In fact, all the pleasures of life, every good gift came from above. What's meant to happen in the life of a Christian is every good thing that he's given you. Relationships, family, jobs, blessing. It is supposed to roll back up into praise and adoration of him that.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I would give glory unto God.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I'm blessed to be a blessing. But just see this category here. You've got a house, you've got a spouse, and you've got a vineyard. By the way, if you got a house and a spouse, all you're missing is a vineyard. But your house speaks about your home life, your spouse speaks of your relationships, and your vineyard speaks around your work and what God is saying. He said, I care about all those things. Listen to me. One of the most spiritual things you will ever do in your entire life is go back home and get your house in order. If your home life is in chaos, your peace will always be in confusion. And many of us, sometimes we think it's the really big, massive thing, but often it's the small thing. God is a God of order. I don't have enough time today, but I want you to hear this. Order is the antidote to anxiety. Order. We don't serve a God of disorder, but a God of peace, meaning that when I get my life in order, peace will be the result. And I see so many people today, and they're wondering why I feel so afraid, why I feel like I'm up against so many challenges. And it's because they're missing that peace. Peace on the inside. But if you want to win before you begin, you better get your priorities set.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Everything about God and his book is about priorities. Seek first the kingdom of God and.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

All these things shall be added unto you.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

We have a whole generation that's chasing.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

After the added things.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

But God says, if you'll put me first, I'll handle all of the additions. What is tithing? It's about putting God first. What is Sabbath? It's about going, God, I'm a cease one day of the week, and I'm gonna trust you like Chick fil a that as I work for six days and I take one day off, you're the God who can show up. You're the God who can do exceedingly.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Immeasurably more than we could ever ask or think. It's about Order. And even for me, it's just good. Like the order of my life. Number one, God told this to my church today. Number two, my spouse. Number three, my children. I got four of them. Wyatt, Wild, Waylon and Wolfgang. Number four, my family and friends. Watch this. Number five, my church. Number six, the community. There's a lot of preachers today that if they're not careful, they will prefer God's bride over their own bride. It's not noble. It's dangerous. I can't take care of God's children if I don't first take care of my children. Listen, this is one of the things I love about your pastor, is that he's got his priorities set. He doesn't bend to culture. He doesn't bend to naysayers and critics. He understands the assignment of God. God, and with it, he's a leader worth following. Because you don't want an anxious priest. You don't want a disintegrated preacher. You want someone who's integrated and whole. Because you teach what you know, but.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You reproduce who you are.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

So God says, I want you to go home because I want to make sure that you are whole before you fight. Let me show you this verse. It's verse. I think it's verse number. Is it verse number eight? Can you bring that one up? Yeah. Verse eight. Is anyone afraid or faint hearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened, too. I just want to remind some people that Elevation Church and those watching online, fear is contagious. And so he says, yo, if there's.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Anybody in the camp who's afraid, leave now. Because I can't let the rest of.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

The company, that's who you are, a group of soldiers. Not a crowd. A company. I can't let you catch that. About two weeks ago, I woke up with a sore throat. Couldn't believe it. Went to the doctors. They said, rich, you have strep throat. I said, I'm 41 years of age. I didn't know you could get strep throat at 41 years of age. They're like, we might have to take your tonsils. I said, you, the devil is a liar. You should have come for me when I was eight.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

There is no way you're having my tonsils, bro.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Well, it just so happened that about seven days prior, my son Wyatt, my oldest, he had strep throat. It wasn't random. I caught it from Wyatt. I wonder today, some of the things that you're carrying, you didn't Start with that. You caught that along the way. You caught fear. You've been examining something outside of God's word that's feeding your fear. A co worker gave you that. A fearful friend gave you that. An absentee father gave you that. The betrayal of a man or a woman. Something else gave you that. Because my Bible says that you are not given a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and sound mind.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Come on and clap your hands if you believe our God has the antidote. He says, get your life in order.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I just feel like telling some people, there's some folks in your life right now.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You got to let them go. Check your circle. Fear is like secondhand smoke. It might not have started with you, but it doesn't mean that it won't affect you.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And some of us are inhaling something from afar, and all of a sudden it's getting down into our heart and it's leaving us in a restless place. I think many times we find ourselves.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Going, God, just take away the battles. But that's not the point of this message. It is one battle after the next. You're in the fight. It's a battle.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

But what you have to learn is that God wants to mature you in the battle.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He wants to strengthen you in the battle.

[Worship Leader]

He.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He wants to give you peace and joy and love right there in the middle. All the water in the ocean can't.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. I love how Pastor Steven's been preaching about same lies, new loops. Because here's what's funny. I went to the doctor for my strep throat, and at this point, I'm just like, I want immediate results. I'm like, give me the shot, bro. He's like, we're so sorry. We're on back order with shots. We gotta give you antibiotics. I'm like, okay, two pills a day for 10 days. Well, five days in, I felt good. I went to Elevation Nights, had the spirit of God. I forgot that I had ever been sick. And then last week, the virus came back. Today, as I stand on the stage, I'm back on antibiotics. See? Rich, why are you telling me this? I'm telling you this. That sometimes we have to face the same fight again and again and again, and we have to keep coming back to it. Because if you don't confront it, you can't change it. And if you keep denying it, you'll never, ever be delivered from it. I want to say to some people right now that are running from some stuff. Listen to me. When you Numb the pain. You also numb the blessedness. When you try to escape the trial, you're also going to escape the teaching and the lesson in it.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

They go hand in hand.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

In some fights, you just gotta keep fighting. Some things you gotta keep coming back to.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Some things you gotta keep going. God, I gotta apply your word again.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I was laying in bed with my son about two weeks ago, my oldest son, Wyatt, and we were recounting his really first trip to Disney World. I took him when he was four years of age, and I really traumatized him. I apologize for that. At four years of age, I took him on Space Mountain. I said, you're gonna love it. He came off. You ever cry so hard you convince yourself you have asthma?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I hate you.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

He's in therapy, so that's going good. But said, dad, I hate that ride. I'm so sorry. And every year we would talk about it, and I'm always like, wyatt, you gotta go on it again. You'll love it. You'll love it. You'll love it. He's like, no, Dad, I don't wanna go on. I go, you'll love it. You'll love it. Well, we just went back, literally maybe six weeks ago, and at seven years of age, I had to bribe him a little bit. I said, I'll get you two toys. One from Star wars, one from Marvel. Don't come at me in the comments. I'm just trying my best out here in these streets.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He's like, you promise?

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

He's like, crying. I'm like, you're love it. You know? But he went on Space Mountain. Of course, as we came off the ride, he's got his hands up, laughing.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Looks at me, goes, dad, again, Again, again.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And I was like, son, I want to go again. But the way my budget's set up, I only got one lightning pass. And so that's it, bro. Just next year. You know, I tell you that because the other night I was laying in bed with him just two weeks ago, we were talking about Disney World. I said, wyatt, what's your favorite ride at Disney World?

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He said, space Mountain.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I said, wyatt, that makes me laugh because you told me that you were so afraid of it that you hated it. He said, I know, dad, but I think they changed the ride. I said, no, son, the ride didn't change. You changed. You changed. It didn't get easier.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

You got stronger, and the battles won't get lighter.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You'll just get wiser and circumstances won't change.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

But you will. You will grow from the End inside out. You will win from your mind. And even before you get in the battle, even before it begins, you're walking in with a winning mindset. I know who my God is. And if my God is for me, well, he's brought me through in the past, he'll bring me through again. I know there's a mountain in front of me, but all I gotta do is agree with the word of God. And even this mountain has got to move. Anybody feel like like moving some mountains today? Clap your hands, give God some praise.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

As you stand to your feet all over this place. One verse I did not read and let me speak it over you as we come to a close. Deuteronomy, chapter 20, verse 4.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

The Lord your God goes with you.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

To fight for you, to give you victory. May you step into this week knowing that you have a God who will fight for you and with you and he will give you victory. I know it feels like it's been battle after battle, but I think a faith filled person looks back on their story and says, actually it's been victory after victory after victory after victory.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I'm getting stronger.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

I'm getting stronger.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

And if you'll face it. Listen to me, if you'll face it.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

God will fight with you.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He didn't give you armor on the backside.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

You go back and read Ephesians 6.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

There is no back plate because he.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Never meant for you to turn from this thing. He meant you to face it. And God says, if you'll face it, I'm a fight for you. I'm a fight for you. I'm a fighter. Fight for you, I'm a fight for you. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with professional wrestling. Don't you tell me it's fake. It's real, it's real. I used to love the tag team, Legion of Doom, Road Warriors. I'll keep going, but I'll stop. There'd always be this moment in a tag team match where the guy's down, he's down, he's down, he's down. He's tired, he's weary. What? His partner, he's outside, reaching, reaching. Kind of looks like the cross. While I was stuck in my sin, Christ died for me.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

What a miracle. When I couldn't get to him, he came to me and he reached out. And all you gotta do is tag God in. Because when that partner gets in the ring, momentum is about to shift. A miracle is on the way. I came all the way to Charlotte, North Carolina to tell some people, tag God In Jesus is here and if you tag him in, victory is on the way. Lift your hands, lift your voice. Come on and worship God.

[Worship Leader]

Hey, wanna pray? Oh, how great the love of the Father oh, how great the gift of the Son O great the power of Jesus. What a savior, what a savior what a savior I was lost in sin and you found me Hallelujah. You saved my soul I was dead and gone and you raised me. What a miracle. What a miracle what a miracle what a miracle. What a miracle. What a miracle.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

What a miracle.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

God is.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

Tag him in. Tag him in. Thank God for Jesus. Thank God for Jesus. With your head bowed and your eyes closed at all of our locations and online. Thank God for Jesus, for peace is.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Not a concept, it's a person.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

He is the prince of peace.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

And the cross was God saying, you can tag Jesus in. If you'll face it, he'll fight with you. Victory is in front of you. I don't know what battles you're stepping into this week, but you can win before you begin. It's a battle briefing. You're getting battle ready. It's a battle plan. God, we thank you for your presence. God, anything's possible when your people show up and your presence shows up, it's an atmosphere of possibility. And so, Lord, I pray for people today that are fighting, people that are dealing with anxiety, people dealing with fear. But I pray that your word would get into their heart and begin to shape and reshape their internal world even now. Peace that transcends, peace that passes. What a miracle. Who am I that you'd love me? Holy Spirit, I just sense you at work today. People facing so many things. Would you meet them here, right here, right now, today, with your head bowed and your eyes closed? Before we dismiss and before we get out of here, I just want to give people an opportunity. The Bible says, believe in your heart and confess with your mouth and you shall be saved. You can't achieve salvation. You receive it. It's by grace, through faith, so that no man can boast. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. That's the message and the anthem of Elevation Church, and that's what we bring week in and week out. If you're online or right here in the room, and that's you today, you say, I want to surrender my life over to Jesus on the count of three. I want to give you an opportunity just to lift your hand up high enough and long enough just to say, I want to put my trust, my faith in Jesus. It happens in a moment. It's called tagging God in. You're getting stronger today by faith. On the count of three, if that's you today, say, rich, would you pray with me? I want to receive grace. I want to receive Jesus. On the count of three, ready? 1. The Bible says today is that day. 2. Don't look at your neighbor. It's not about your neighbor. It's between you and Jesus. Ready? One, two, three. If that's you, lift up. That's me. That's me. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus. Online. Right there. Come on. Elevation. Lift your hands towards heaven.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

We're gonna pray this prayer and we'll sing this chorus. Say, dear Jesus, today I give you my life. I turn from my ways and I receive your word. I believe and confess you are who you said that you are. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for saving me.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Today.

[Host/Lead Speaker]

I ask that you would give me the grace to follow you. Thank you for your peace. Thank you for your joy. Thank you for your word. What a miracle in Jesus name. Come on, everybody, give God praise.

[Podcast Outro Host]

Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to Give now or visit elevationchurch.orgpodcast for more information. And if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it with your friends. You can click the share button, take a screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag us.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

Levation.

[Podcast Outro Host]

Thanks again for listening.

[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

God bless you.

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[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

12:31 see paypal.com promoter points can be.

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[Rich Wilkerson Jr.]

This is an iHeart podcast.