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ACAST powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend. We're reconsidering everything right now. What is time post Covid? What is truth in Trump's America? Is yous've Got Mail Secretly, a movie about a creepy gaslighting stalker? We can't answer the first two questions, but we have opinions about the third. We on Hot and Bothered are revisiting romance movies of the past and asking, what were these movies teaching us? What did we not even realize they were teaching us? Hot and Bothered is me, Vanessa Zoltan, a pop culture critic and nice lady with opinions, and Hannah McGregor, a bonafide professor of media studies, loving love stories and also just a little bit concerned. Come listen to Hot and Bothered. ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast. I want to talk about the power to change the power to change. Proverbs 13 and 12 out of the new King James version says hope deferred makes the heart sick. Sick. But when, but when. But when the desire comes. It is a tree of life. I want to read it in a different translation. I want to read it in the message translation. The message translation. It reads, unrelenting disappointment leaves your heart sick, but a sudden good break can turn life. Lord, you love your people. You love your sons and daughters, each and every single one. Under the sound of my voice now and those who will be under the sound of my voice later. You are radically in love with them, and I pray that they would feel your character as I speak these words. And I pray from this place of surrender that the words, my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in your sight, aligned with your heart, with your will and your agenda, and ultimately with your face. I want to face what you are facing and therefore, God, since I know this is a prayer you will answer. I thank you for the spirit of wisdom and revelation and insight and knowledge and prophecy, full access to heaven's resources. God, that I might give a word to those who are weary. And even more importantly, that it would be a word of alignment that your church, your people would be postured properly in this season for the great exploits that are assigned to our lives. We love you and thank you and may you be glorified in this. May you be lifted up, God, for if, if that happens, he will draw all men to you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. God bless you. Please be seated. Something is about to break. We're on the cusp of a real significant, powerful breakthrough and we are in a season literally of a breakthrough unlike anything we've ever seen before. And this breakthrough, and it is, I'll be honest with you up front, is bigger than you getting a new house. It's bigger than you finding love. And I pray that all those things happen for you. It's bigger than you getting a car or a pair of shoes that you have been praying for. With all due respect, this breakthrough is going to bring you into a whole new realm of existence. It's going to bring you into a whole new level. A level that is exceedingly, abundantly above what you can ask for or imagine in power, in situation and in fruit. Can we track together and have a very real true kingdom conversation? And the reason why I'm level setting with this truth, and this is a prophetic declaration, is because it is important that we are aligned with what God is going to do in the earth through us. This breakthrough is not going to be automatic. In other words, you are not going to be able to sit on the sidelines and it just happened to you. This is something that we're going to have to participate in. And in order to participate in this thing that God is doing through his people, through his church, and that is going to bring us into a new dimension, a new level of power, of situation and of fruit bearing, we're going to have to create space for it. That's why it says in the prophet when he's speaking to the barren woman. I believe it's in Isaiah 58 or 54, read your whole Bible, you will find it. But he says you're going to have to enlarge the place of your dwelling. You're going to have to stretch out your stakes. In other words, you're going to have to create room. Come on. You're going to have to create room and capacity for what I am doing. That's why we are on this fast. And I call this fast not having the prophetic insight about us being on the precipice of breakthrough. And here we are today called on a ten day fast. And the fast is all about creating space. And if you're not on this fast, I beseech you, there is a sensitivity and a strength that you are going to need. A spiritual vitality. Can I just talk to you for a minute? This is not a cute little religious church fast. Oh, I'm fasting with my church because my church is on the fast. No, you're going to need the oil that this fast is going to produce for your life, for Your assignment for your car. I will never call something just to call something. I would love to be eating some fried chicken right now or peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, candied yams, greens, and no, I'm kidding. I don't even eat like that no more. Some fish, come on, somebody. And some veggies. Somebody said boo. But what I'm getting at is we're going to have to create space for what God is doing. And I want to bring up really quickly those fast points. And I want you to go. You can go to the QR code, sign up for the fast, because you're going to not only get information about the various types of fast that you have to be calling us, and that was about the fast. Sign up for it. It's important. Do that. I want to state in this message, but here's what we're praying for. Wisdom, to discern the times. That's what fasting and praying for clarity, for personal vision, strength, for endurance. We're going to have to endure faith, to walk boldly in our calling, in your calling and spiritual growth and alignment with God. This is the power of fasting. That's why we're on it. Because as I mentioned, we're going to have to participate in this breakthrough because watch this. This breakthrough requires you. It requires you. A lot of times we think breakthrough is something that we can just sit and do nothing and God is all of a sudden going to break through. You know, there's a passage of Scripture where David calls God the Lord of the breakthrough, but he doesn't call him the Lord of the breakthrough. And that's in second Samuel 5:20. Study it when you get a chance. He doesn't call him the Lord of the breakthrough because he was just sitting on his hands and God broke through. No, he sought the Lord. He prayed to the Lord. He asked him about something he got in his presence. He got wisdom from God, and then he postured himself in obedience and got the victory. And he doesn't claim it as his victory. He says he calls him BAAL Perazim, the Lord who breaks through. So my point is, we cannot sit this one out. Breakthrough is not going to come to you. You are going to lean in and participate in this breakthrough. And. And that's why we need to have a fasted spirit in order to do so. Can we walk and talk a little bit? So fasting is about capacity. And one of the things that God told me as it relates to this season is that we're going to have to make room and in order to make room, we're going to have to do what the Bible calls. We're going to have to be diligent to know the state of our resources. Oh, I'm gonna teach this thing today. Proverbs 27, verses 23 through 27 says, Be diligent to know the state of your flocks. In other words, right now I need Mishebro. I need to be in tune with everything under my control. You got kisses? I need to be intimately connected with all of my resources. I need to know where everything is. Let me read this real quick. Proverbs 27. It says, Be diligent. Be diligent. In other words, this is not a casual pursuit. This is a pursuit of intentionality. To know where I am, how I am spread out, because I'm gonna have to galvanize all of myself to point it at something. Ooh, you gotta catch this today. Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds. For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations. There's so much there. In other words, when it says for riches don't endure forever, in other words, I've got to manage my resources. The reason why Egypt was able to prosper unto Joseph is because Joseph had a prophetic dream. And in the prophetic dream, he saw seven years of plenty, and he saw seven years of famine. So he instructed Pharaoh on what to do in the seven years of plenty. Do A, B, C, and D. Come on, somebody. And when the seven years of famine came, everybody else was in the famine. They were prospering, but it necessitated diligence. Are we tracking? And so we're going to have to be diligent to examine our state and know where we are, because we're in a time where we're going to have to bring all of ourselves. Hear me. We have to, all of ourselves, to this moment of breakthrough. Oh, I feel this right here. All of ourselves. I gotta create capacity. Watch this. I have to create capacity in my spirit. I don't even have the luxury to hate. Hey. To hate and to be offended, to be distracted and to be arguing about something that ain't got nothing to do with you. I don't even have the capacity for that because I have to bring all of myself to the moment that I am standing in. I gotta create space. Are we tracking? And I want to be honest with you, Lord told me that we're going to have to be real about things that aren't working in our lives. In this season. Now let me qualify that and we're going to get into the text in a minute. Qualify that. Some things aren't working now, but will later. But there are some things that aren't working because they're not anointed to work. I'm trying to help you along the way. There's some things that aren't working because God didn't give it to you. And in a time of shaking, the Bible says that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. And he tells us what those things are. Those are the man made things. Things that are made, not prophesied. So you might be investing your time, energy and money in something that you made. Watch this expending resource and capacity in something that God will not bless. Because God is a businessman and he will only invest where he sees vision, his own vision. That's for somebody that's a part of being diligent and knowing the state of your flocks. We are in a season where you have to check everything. Check where your money is going, check where your time is going, check where your heart is going, check where your attention is going. Because I got to bring all myself to this moment, to this moment where we are on the precipice of incredible breakthrough. Are you hearing me? And this is kind of interesting because God has scheduled this prophetic word this season of breakthrough amid the backdrop of some very unsettling times nationally, internationally and individually. Isn't that interesting? It's almost like God, how can I be on the precipice of crazy blessing, crazy spiritual blessing, crazy spiritual power and impact and breakthrough on the backdrop of cray cray, on the backdrop of confusion, on the backdrop of despair. And you shouldn't be surprised because Jesus told us that In Matthew chapter 24, he said, you know, the PT translation, it's going to get real cray cray and it's going to get even more cray cray. You know? You understand what I'm saying? For those of you that haven't read your Bible in a long time, Matthew 24 describes a set of very, very unsavory circumstances. Things are going to get hard and difficult. False prophets everywhere. And now it is so easy to be a false prophet. All you need is an Instagram account or a Facebook account or YouTube. There was a time when, when, you know, you couldn't even if you would go to somebody's church and speak at the church, first of all, to get the mic would be a hard. You, you'd have to fight to get the mic they'd have to know you that. They'd have to know your mama, your grandmama, they have to betray. They'd have to trace you. And then sometimes when they give you the mic, they wouldn't even give you the mic. They would extend the mic to you just in case you went a little left, they can yank it right back. Now everybody's got a mic and all you need is a little gifting and know how to put a little something together or to find somebody else who's gifted and has influence and use their influence, content and scandalize it in some way. But Jesus said there gonna be many false prophets. He said there gonna be wars and rumors of wars and all these things are gonna nation against nation and hate and all. He said these things were gonna happen. And then Jesus says, but don't be worried. He said, don't let that trouble you. Why? He said, because these things must happen, but the end is not yet. And then if you keep reading later on, it says, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world and in every nation. And then the end will come. Right? There is evidence of what I'm talking about. The greatest spiritual breakthrough that's so powerful that it will literally reverberate across the world is going to happen in the backdrop of chaos. And here is the catch. It ain't going to happen without you. Can we talk and walk a little bit together? However, this still doesn't take away from the struggle, from the confusion, from the blurriness, from in some cases, the hopelessness of the moment that we're standing. And sometimes the moment before breakthrough feels like anything else. But the moment before breakthrough isn't that interesting. Be honest. Can we have just a real conversation? Anybody feel a little stuck in some area of your life? Just a little stuck. Thank you for being honest, ma'. Am. I see you. God bless you. Thank you for being honest. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's. I get it. The moment that precedes breakthrough can feel like being stuck. And we gonna understand why in a minute. Unclear. How about that? Maybe you don't feel stuck, but maybe you don't feel as visionary as you once did. Maybe you don't feel as clear about tomorrow as you once did. Hope deferred, expectation deferred. I can't wait to unpack that. Right. I want to describe it so that we're on the same page. Maybe you can't see clearly the path to the future you desired. You used to be able to see it really clearly. So clearly that you would run when you saw it. But if you're honest, the world seems to be closing in on you, getting smaller and smaller. You hardly praise like you used to praise. It's just because the walls are beginning to close in and you're feeling a degree of pressure and uncertainty. These are symptoms of a sick heart. Stay with me. Stay with me. And the thing is, in that tight space which represents the moment before breakthrough, in that tight space, what you do in that moment will determine whether or not we get to experience this immense blessing of breakthrough. Stay with me. I'm unpack this. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. We are all susceptible to sick hearts. Sick hearts and watch this. And sick hearts can't see God. Oh, I need to take my time in here real quick. Just. Let's just go on a journey real quick. I promise it'll make a whole lot of sense. Hope. Deferred. Hope. That Hebrew word literally means expectation. Hope. Hope. Deferred makes my heart sick. That word that was translated, sick means sick. But it has the idea to be worn down sometimes when you have been waiting for a long time. Sometimes our expectation has a time limit on it. And if we don't understand that space, that space that feels like stuck, but something is happening in that space, if we don't understand it, if we don't have the right revelation about that deferred moment, when expectation is deferred, and deferred, by the way, does not mean denied. It means not yet manifest. Come on. Deferred. Okay. If we don't have the right perspective in that moment, our heart will begin to be worn down. And we will watch this. When our heart is worn down, we will not be sensitive to the awareness of God. And that's why the Bible says, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Your greatest asset as it relates to spiritual discipline is the integrity of your heart. That's why the Bible says in Proverbs 4, 23, are we tracking together? That's why the Bible says in Proverbs 4, 23, it says, Keep with all diligence. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. So that's why it says, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So. So what comes out of you is predicated by the heart within you. And when the expectation has been deferred beyond your timeline, because you don't have a revelation about the faithfulness of God or what God does in a deferred season, your heart will get sick. And you will miss God. Are we tracking? So what is that? So it says hope deferred. Hope means expectation. Deferred is interesting. Deferred, it means to drag on. It means that this is prolonged. And the word has the idea of sowing in it. And if you don't understand the principle of sowing, then you can't get excited about the imminence of reaping. So in my season where I feel stuck, my expectation deferred. Again, not delayed. Not even delayed. It just means not yet manifest. So really, your idea about delayed comes from your own construction. Because in God's mind, it's not delayed. In fact, in God's mind, it's not even deferred. In God's mind, it's scheduled. And it was scheduled before the foundation of the world. It's just on the schedule. But oftentimes, our schedule, or what we believe is appropriate schedule, is out of sync with God's schedule. Are you hearing me? So I have to understand that what God promised me is on the calendar. His, not mine. Now, I believe that one of the reasons why we are on the cusp of breakthrough, even though it feels tight, stuck, there's a lot of tension in there. In some cases, what appears to be lacking is in there, is because that space. I gotta say this right, that space of tension calls upon something that is in you that you didn't even know was in you. Oh, I gotta say this right, that there's some things that cannot be activated with the exception of being under certain circumstances. Meaning you think that there's nothing going on, but there's something happening in the tension that you can't see that's moving you closer and closer to the moment of breakthrough. Tension is the precursor to transformation. We see it in science. If I go into your kitchen right now, you're like, well, it got to be my kitchen. Why can't it be your kitchen? If I go into your kitchen right now and I get a pot and I put water in that pot and I turn the burner on for a while, the water's not going to change. It looks like there's nothing happening because the consistency of the water is the same. But as soon as that water hits 100 degrees Celsius, or 212 degree Fahrenheit, all of a sudden it's going to go from stillness to boiling in an instant. Even science proves this. When you think about a seed, you put a seed in the ground, the seed looks like a seed. There's a promise in it, but there's nothing externally different or distinct. Even when it's at the moment where it's getting ready to break through and sprout up all the pressure. Study it. All the pressure is happening on the inside. So from the outside looking in, nothing is happening because it's happening on the inside. And when the pressure gets just right, it will sprout up and be what was there already. Are you tracking with me? Even the way our brains work, when our brains are brought into something new, initially, it feels stuck. Wait, I've never. Wait, what is this? Right? And it looks like, Wait, I can't. This is not working. I can't. This don't make sense. I can't. I can't. You know, I don't get it. You feel stuck. Like, you know, and they talk about how this is plateau. There's like a plateau you get to where something is new is introduced, and you get locked up in it. And there's this moment. But what's happening when something new was introduced is your neurons are being rewired. Don't play with me today. They're being rewired. And watch this. And with repetition, there comes a moment. Boom. A breakthrough of understanding. Come on, somebody. Because you didn't give up simply because you couldn't see or perceive or understood, you stuck with it. And I feel this prophetically for somebody. You've got to know what to do when you are in a stuck state season. When you're in a stuck season, resist the temptation to tap out, but tap in because you are on the cusp of a breakthrough. The moments that precede breakthrough don't look like breakthrough. That's why it's called a breakthrough. It's got to break through a hard, dark, seemingly unpenetrable situation. Are you tracking with me? Can I teach a little more? Because we're going somewhere. You got to understand this. So this place of tension that you're finding yourself in, you got to know what to do. You got to understand this deferred thing. And I can't emphasize this enough. You got to keep your heart healthy. I want more than anything else for you to keep your heart healthy in this season. Because in that moment of tension where you can't see, what happens is. Watch this. Watch this. You stop believing in the power of change, and it happens subtly. It happens subtly because you've been in it for so long. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. You worn down. You did all right when it was six months. You put your expectation out there, Courtney, for six months, and you did alright for six months. Month number nine, your heart's starting to get worn down a little bit. And God forbid it, it goes on for a year, your heart gets worn down all the more. The heart gets sicker and sicker. Two years. Oh my God. And before you know it, watch this. You got locked in. You didn't even see it happen because it happened like that pot. It was a slow, slow boil. You didn't even know what was going on. But your expectation was slipping away. It was leaving you. And watch this. And you didn't even realize that you were changing, not the person you used to be. Don't pray the way you used to pray. Don't expect the way you used to expect. Don't have the faith. And ultimately what happened is you lost your belief in change. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. And when I'm going to be honest with you, when any of us as human beings, when we lose our belief for change, it takes us to our worst state. Sometimes a hater is not a bad person. Sometimes a hater is someone whose hope has been deferred and their heart just got sick. Because when you don't believe in the power of change, when you don't believe that change is your portion, it makes you a hater. And you can no longer look at somebody else succeeding and winning and feel good about it because. Because you're bitter, because your heartsick. Are we tracking Kingdom people? It brings out the worst in us. It makes us hate. It makes us divisive. We're not trusting in God for the outcome anymore. Somehow we won't say it. We're too religious or spiritual to say it, or too religious rather to say it. But we're not really believing in God. So we have to take matters into our own hands and we have to trust in man's system to do kingdom work. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Produces jealousy, envy, evil, division. And so this is why when we find ourselves in the tension that I'm talking about, got to tap in. I want to take my time and walk this thing out, right? Because we're going to get there. So it's all so dangerous. I want you to have all of this. And what I don't get tonight, we'll finish up on Wednesday. But that space where there is tension, it's where things get tricky. It's a tricky space and I'll be honest with you, it's a little dangerous. And the stakes are really, really high in that moment because the difference in outcome between A healthy heart and a sick heart are dramatic, are drastic, rather. And you have to. What the Bible calls. You have to walk circumspectly in that space. Watch this. You're vulnerable when your heart is sick. Oh, God, help me today. You're very, very vulnerable when your heart is sick. And you have to be careful. You have to be careful. I'm thinking about, you know, because really, in that moment of tension, what it really is, is transition. And you just don't know it's transition. You're on the brink of something. You don't know what it is. And that's why it's so dangerous, because that's when the enemy comes and he starts whispering. And so you almost have to kind of be like Jesus. And you study this when you get a chance. In John chapter 20 and 17, this is after he was resurrected but not yet ascended. He was in transition. And one of the women came and tried to touch him, and he said, don't touch me. I have not ascended yet. In other words, I'm in transition. And when you're in transition, you have to be very careful about who's trying to touch you, whose ear you're listening to, because you're vulnerable. You're vulnerable, so you have to protect that vulnerability. When Jesus was in transition between being led of the Spirit and walking out in the power of the Spirit, he went alone into the wilderness. Now, I'm not saying that it is a good time for you to be lonely all the time, but I do think that you need to select the people wisely and properly. And there will be moments where the only one is going to get it is you and Jesus. You got to protect yourself during these times because it's tricky and it's dangerous and you're vulnerable. So let's see where we are. So here's a few things. Remember, being stuck is not the end. It's the evidence that something inside of you is preparing to break through. We're going to rewire our minds about this stuck season, this tension season, this deferred season, if you would. I want you to understand that feeling stuck isn't permanent. It's a temporary space that contains the tension, the tension needed to unlock our ability to manifest what we're carrying. We're carrying something, but that has to be unlocked, and it's unlocked by the tension. If we keep our hearts healthy, are we tracking. So this pressure, it's not meant to paralyze you. It's not meant to paralyze you. It's designed to provoke the power in you to break out. Okay, we're rewiring now. Ephesians 3:20. What am I talking about? It's designed to provoke the power in you. Ephesians 3:20. It's powerful. But we miss something in. Says now to him who is able. Watch this. Now, to him, that's God, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think it sounds like this season we're talking about, it says, watch this, though. It says, according to the power that works in him. No, it says, according to the power. Here we go. According to the power that works in us. So God is going to do what he's going to do through us. So he's put power in us that is so powerful that it will do exceedingly, abundantly, far above what we can ask for or imagine. That's what's in you. What's in you is bigger than you. What's in you is bigger than your problems. What's in you is bigger than what you are complaining about. Just give me 12 more minutes. So what is. What is this power that is within you that can do all these things exceedingly, abundantly, far above. We got. What is this power? Creativity. Let me explain it. Creativity through the Holy Spirit, of course, but creativity, because the agent of the Holy Spirit is creativity. Stay with me. Don't you miss it Here. It's the power to create. The first time we see the Holy Ghost in scripture. That's my girl right there. The first time. Meshiladambro. The first time we see the Holy Spirit in scripture is in the context of creation. Stay with me. I'll show you the connection between creation and change. The very first time we see him. Right. There was nothing in Genesis 1. And the earth was void and without form. And darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Holy Ghost hovered over the face of the water. And next thing you know, the spirit hovers. The spirit surveys. God speaks. Watch this. And creativity produces change. Oh, you're not ready. Just turn to your neighbor and say, I got the power to change. There was nothing there. Darkness was everywhere. The earth was formless and void. Kind of like how some of y' all feel right now. Say hello to Mia. Hey, there. Mia runs a pet grooming service in Chicago. But getting new clients was rough until I started using acas. I recorded my ad, targeted pet owners in the area, and let ACAST do the rest. Now people all over the city know about my grooming services. Mia's business is looking sharp. What's your secret for happy pets and happy clients, a fresh cut, a friendly vibe and a well placed podcast ad. Get the word out about your business through Acast. Visit go.acast.com advertise to get started Formless and Void I used to have form. I used to kind of be able. But I don't feel steady. I don't feel secure. I don't. I. I wear my form. I and void. Nothingness. The notion of lack, the perspective of lack is all around Creation itself, talks to us about us. Because we are a part of creation. Everything in there is speaking to us. But the Spirit is there, hovering over that blank space, over that formless space. Surveying. Got it covered, got it figured out. Ain't worried, don't see what we see. We see lack. The Holy Ghost sees opportunity. So you have the power to change things through the Spirit who is in you. You were created in the image and the likeness of the Creator, which means that you are a little seed creator. You were made. You were born to create stuff. Now when you create, you automatically change things. Oh, I wish I could say this better. To create in a context changes the whole context. I got to say this right. When you create something, you have now produced something that changes the whole form of which that thing was created into. So creativity is change. If we go back to the beginning, it went from formless and void. That was the environment, that was the reality. But when the Spirit speaks and starts creating, it goes from formless and void into the universe that we are now living in. It changed it forever. So being a human being is to be an agent of change and transformation. That's why if you see something broken in the name of Jesus, create something that fixes it. Because you got the power to change. When we create, it changes the space. It changes the situation. It even changes ourselves. Isn't that something? We got the power to change ourselves. I was in here a couple of Sundays ago and ran one of them videos back of me and the word was good, but I had a little overage down here. I'm going to be vain for a minute. I'll come back. I could come back, but it's related. I had a little overage right here because I hadn't worked out because I had that pinched nerve. I hadn't worked out and my eating was a little funny. And Dr. G, I didn't like what I saw so I changed it. I'm talking about the power to change. And let me just say that while we on the practical side, you know, I Love our church. And we started this prayer bank. And so while service is going on, people can call in and pray. And we love to pray, and we love to pray. And we are taking inventory some of the prayer requests that are coming in. And we pray and we touch and agree with all of them. But some of them are things that possibly they don't really need God for. Some of them. And we'll pray for. We got you. We there to pray for you. But some of them things, a little discipline, a little eating right. Come on, somebody. A little exercising, little good money management, good stewardship, good. You know what I mean? We got you covered. But sometimes we might, when we get off the phone with you and Father, we just pray that you make them a better steward. Father, we pray that they would join the gym, get a better routine. Okay. Too far. I just love you, that's all. I just want you to live long. And prosperity. We're almost there. Four minutes. So. So. So humanity is created in the image of God, who is a Creator. Genesis 1:26. He creates them in his image. They are little sea creators. And then what does he do? He says, go and have dominion. In other words, go and shape the world. Take that creativity. Shape it the way that I'm commanding you to shape it. Right then in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 3. This is important. It talks about how the worlds were framed by the word of God. Word of God ties into Proverbs 18 and 21, which says death and life are in the power of the tongue. Which means that. Watch this. Change starts with your mouth. What are you saying? Are you complaining or creating? Your words have to align with what you are manifesting and creating in the earth. Are we tracking? So? So? So? So it's my. It has to do with my words, how I speak. Every word you speak creates an atmosphere. That's change. It changes something. You can be happy. You ever been happy? Having a good time. And then somebody come into the room and say something unsavory. And what does it do? It changes the atmosphere. Or it can be a room that's down and you walk in and say, oh, God's gonna fix that. Don't you worry about a thing. What does it do? It changes. You got power to change. And a decision, a decision. There's little more powerful than a decision than making up your mind and making a decision. See, when your heart is sick, you have what they call decision fatigue, where you don't want to make a decision, you just don't want. You got decision Fatigue. You don't even feel like it's going to work. It doesn't even matter. Why should I even try? Because my heart is sick and I'm not gonna make a decision. But there's something powerful about decision. Because decision is connected with change. And a decision is also connected with creating. Because if you break down that word to the Latin decision, it literally means to cut off. It means you break down. To Latin it means to cut off. It's from two words, to cut and to off. So. So to make a decision, watch this is to become a sculptor. You're cutting off what is not profitable, to create what is. I feel the Holy Ghost. Yeah, you're changing something. You're cutting off what doesn't serve. Watch this. To make room for what does. You got the power to change if you keep your heart healthy. Every decision you make shapes your environment, your relationships and your future. We're almost there. So. So. So. So. Last thing I want you to understand about this deferred place and what happens in this deferred place is you're taking notes. Write this idea down. Pain is the predecessor of progress and lack is the launching pad to abundance. Hear me clearly. Pain is the predecessor of progress and lack is the launching pad to abundance. And when I say lack, I mean the perception of lack. If you have a healthy heart, the discomfort of pain and the presence or the perception of lack begets questions and it initiates quest that births answers and new solutions. How can I say that Sometimes when God wants you to know something, he doesn't tell you, he motivates your questioning. It says it's to the glory of God. This is impropers. I didn't put up. Just find it when you get a chance. It says it is to the glory of God to conceal a thing and it is to the glory of kings to search it out. So when you're in that tense space, that dark space, that void space, what it's doing is it's producing questions and passions that unlock answers and solutions that God wants to give to you. Are you hearing me? Pain and lack. And you thought that pain and lack, and none of them are fun, but you thought they were your enemies. They're your activators. If you keep a healthy heart, if you don't let the hope that's deferred to keep your heart sick where there is nothing. Watch this. We imagine, we innovate, we create. If you keep your heart healthy, lack is the soil where the seed of creativity grows. Uh huh. We see it in the hood man, we used to make all kind of stuff. I used to make. I used to love Bruce Lee and kung Fu, but Bishop, I couldn't afford no nunchucks. Not a problem. You got a broom, you got a chain, you got a nail and you got a hammer. Yep. And some. Some. What does that take? Electrical tape. Five minutes later I got some nunchucks. We would make mini bikes. We make all kind of stuff. Why? Because lack, if you keep a healthy heart, sparks something and it leads you to abundance. Because lack makes you realize that if I don't see it, I can produce it. Baby, if. If your heart is healthy, God doesn't waste momentary lack. It becomes a training ground for ingenuity, resilience and faith. I gotta land this plane. So, so, so. So I want you to understand that when it's quiet and when it's void and when it's dark, something is happening in the background that you can't see. And with a healthy heart, that lack and that tension and that pressure becomes the womb of invention. Say hello to Samantha. Hi there. Samantha built a SaaS platform that helps small businesses manage their workflow. But she needed a smarter way to reach decision makers. That's where ACAST came in. They helped me produce a professional audio ad which played to business owners and ops leads using their audience attributes targeting tools. Suddenly, my platform was showing up in the ears of the exact people I needed to reach. Now that's streamlined marketing. Samantha, what's your tip for scaling smart, solve a real problem and make sure the right people hear about it. Promote your business with podcast ads on Acast. Get started at go.acast.com advertise Paul said, I'm landing. Paul said, I'm not afraid, I'm not ashamed. I Romans 1:16. He says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, for it is the power of God unto salvation. He's talking about change. Salvation is change. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Preaching the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel message is about transformation. Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost. And we are called to preach the gospel of the kingdom and to advance the kingdom of God. Why? Because the kingdom of God is the power of transformation. So in other words, if I stay on my square and I keep my heart healthy, and I don't look to man or man's systems, but I keep my eyes lifted unto the hills from which cometh my help, realizing that my help cometh from the Lord, and I don't take my hand from the Plow. But I keep seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness. Consciousness transformation will be what I see next. Are we tracking? And that's what we're assigned to, and that's what we're called to. Never stop believing in the power of change. Keep on speaking it. Keep on prophesying it. In Revelation, chapter 11 and verse 15, the prophecy is this, that the kingdoms of this world shall be the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. The kingdoms we've already seen the end. The kingdom of God. The transformation agency of God through us. Through us. Preaching and teaching and living and blessing and feeding. We will look up when it's all said and done. And we will have changed everything if we keep our heart healthy and we keep prophesying the prophets. I'm done here. The prophets prophesied for years before they saw manifestation. For years before they saw manifestation. Don't stop believing. You preach it until you go in your grave and pass that mantle of faith to your kids. Because we will see everything that God saw, spoke. Don't let your heart get sick because your expectation is deferred. It's going to come. A few things really quickly, a few things I want to do. If you're here and you have never opened up your heart to Jesus, I cannot even fathom living in today's world right now without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I can't even. I couldn't even get up out of the bed if I did not know that I was in a covenantal relationship with Jesus. I couldn't even get up out of the bed. I'd be afraid to walk out the door. If you're here and you have, you've been touched by the Spirit and you're like, I want faith like that. I can't deny that something is engaging me. If that's you and you're here and why don't we all stand for a moment? If you don't have to leave, we're done here. But if you don't have to leave, don't leave. If you're watching via live stream, don't, don't leave. And also if you're just coming on live stream and you didn't get a chance to give, do give and be a part of that blessing. In fact, if there's some who came in the room and you didn't have an opportunity to give, don't miss this opportunity. It's critically important and I'll come back to that. But right now, if you say, you know what, pt, I get it, I Need. I need. I need. You can't even describe it, but I need this. I need the one that I feel right now. I need him. And I want to say yes to Jesus. I believe that God loves me. And he loves me so much that he sent his son, Jesus, who died on the cross for my sins, who died so that I didn't have to die for my sins, who will receive me into heaven at the unknown hour when I have to transition, none of us know. God bless you. I see you. And if you're here and you just say, I want to receive Jesus into my heart and I want faith, and I just want you to come listen. I was nine years old. Everybody who is a believer now had a moment where they heard the gospel. They heard the gospel, and it resonated in a way that transcended religion. It resonated in a way deep inside of you because God knows you. God knows how to talk to you. It's man's words, but it's God speaking through that person. And he knows us. He knows us from the inside out. God bless you. And so if you're here and you say, you know what? I am not stepping out of this building. I am not logging off of this stream until I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have Jesus in my heart. And here's the awesome thing. The moment that you open up, Scripture says, he says, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice, I will open the door and I will come in. Right? The moment that that happens, he never leaves. I'm talking about a friend that sticks closer than a brother that will walk with you, you through every season of your life. And the Holy Spirit who we receive, he is called the comforter. He comforts us. He walks with us, he talks to us. He tells us that we are his own. I can't even imagine doing life without Jesus. And I have a lot of things in the natural that are seemingly working out. None of that means anything if I didn't have Jesus. If that's you, I just want you to come. If you're watching via live stream and you say, you know what, pt? I'm opening up my heart to Jesus. Just put right there in the feed. I receive Jesus. I receive. And we're gonna pray for you and there's information for you there. Second point is invitation. If you're here, and I think that there are more people who need to open up their heart to Jesus. I almost. I don't want. This is too important. This Is too important. This is too important. I'm gonna move on to the next. But I'm still talking to that person who's never opened up their heart. I feel the enemy. I get it. It's intimidating. I get it. This is a big room. There's a lot of people. And, you know, you're more of a. Maybe an introvert or you're more of a. This is not the type of thing that you do. But maybe, just maybe, it is in you taking that step outside of your comfort zone that will produce that breakthrough. Maybe, maybe your tension in this moment is the tension in this second here. You feel God drawing and calling. I feel you so strong. I feel you. You're in this room, and I love you too much to rush past this. You got to get to a place where you're living for an audience of one. You don't care who's looking, doesn't matter. God, you're just. It's just about obedience. I'm just going to be obedient. I feel God stirring me. I feel him calling me. And, you know, I don't care what it looks like. I want God. If that's you, come and meet me. Come on, let's celebrate. I knew you were here. Come on, let's celebrate. I see you. I'm proud of you. Everybody starts at the altar. Everybody starts at the altar somewhere. Welcome, welcome. Come on, come on, let's celebrate like heaven is going off. Come on, come on, let's celebrate like heaven is rejoicing. Because it is. Because it is. Welcome home. Come on. Welcome home. Welcome home. All over this place. Welcome home. Welcome home. Welcome home. We got you. We got you. We got you. Welcome home. Welcome home. Welcome home. This is your father's house. He loves you. You. And so do we. Welcome on. You just keep coming while I'm talking. Come on. I see you, sister. Come on. Come on. God bless you. Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. We're saying, Jesus, we receive you. Jesus, our healer. Jesus, our savior. Jesus, the one who died for our sins. Jesus, the one who's full of grace and mercy and truth. If you hear and you have opened up your heart to the Lord at one time, but hope deferred make your heart sick for some reason. And you've been away. Maybe you got disappointed. Something happened. I get it. Life happens. Like the message translation. Disappointment sometimes is relentless. Like man, another disappointment. I get it Makes your heart sick. Your heart gets sick and you get numb. And when you get numb, you just kind of just drift with the wind. And I Say to that person, there's never a better time than now to come home. I get it. There's no condemnation. I get it. We've all been there. The Bible says, like sheep, all have gone astray. But you got to come home. If that's you, I want you to come and meet me here at this altar as well. If you're watching via the stream, say, that's me, P.T. i'm coming home. Just say I'm. Just say, I'm coming home. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. Coming home. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. The last point of this invitation, and I can say this with confidence, the Potter's house, a wonderful house of worship. If I wasn't the co senior pastor, I would be a member. It's a wonderful house. And I would not invite you if I didn't think it was safe. I wouldn't invite you here. I would just say, God bless you. There's a place right down the street. But it's a safe place for your soul. It's a safe place for your heart. It's a safe place for your vision, for your dreams, for your family. And now is not a time to be a straggler. Not a time to be a spiritual vagabond. Now, come on. Welcome home. Come on. Welcome home. Welcome home. Now is not a time to be on the fringes. Come on home. And our commitment to you is to fast, is to pray, is to truly live for you. That's the call. The call is not to live for ourselves. Live for ourselves. We'd be in Turks Caicos somewhere, chilling with our feet up, drinking virgin daiquiris. Or out back in corporate America, already a billionaire, something like that. No, no, no, no. We exist. We exist for you. And that's the whole. That's the whole story. That's the whole story. That's the whole story. And we pray for you every single day. And we war for you and we struggle for you. And we fight the devil for you. And we'll keep on fighting the devil for you. Because God loves you. And he died for you. And so on our level, we'll do the same. Come home. Is there anyone else? Come on home. Come on home. This is your house. Welcome to the house. Come on in. Open the refrigerator, get you some juice, grab a couple of grapes, pour you a bowl of cereal, take off your shoes. It's home. Come on. Pray for you Father. The safest place to be is in your presence. Safest place to be is in your will. Safest place to be is in your house. Both your spiritual house, more importantly, your spiritual house. Thank you for those present, those who are watching who said yes to you, Hallelujah, gave you their hearts. I know what that's like. And you have been faithful all of these years. You've never been inconsistent. You've been there every time I turned around. High times, low times, obedient times, disobedient times. You have been the one constant. And I thank you that that's going to be the portion of those who have given their hearts to you today. They're going to taste and see that you are good. Those who are rededicating their lives. I thank you, God, that you're going to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. That when you get finished with them, it's going to be like they didn't miss a beat. In fact, they're coming home right on time. Hallelujah. For those are making this house their house. God, I thank you, God, that not only are they going to get what they need, spiritually and otherwise, but that the gift that they are, the unique talent and grace is going to make this house an even greater house. We love you and we thank you. Now I just want you to repeat after me. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your love. I feel it. It's undeniable. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your words to me. I receive them, let them take root and bear fruit in my life. Heavenly Father, I thank you for Jesus. Thank you for making him who had no sin, all of mine, all of my weakness, all of my limitations, all of my shortcoming, all of my brokenness, all of my hurt you placed in his body, nailed it to the cross, put it to death. And as he was raised up free and victorious, because I'm in him, I have a seat in him. I therefore am raised up. Now, Holy Spirit, fill me to the overflow that I might walk in power, clarity and in wisdom. Father, I thank you that you've created me in your image, which means that I have the power to change things. Lord, guide me in this season. Identify those things in my life that would hinder my journey with you and God. Identify those things that are within reach, that will draw me closer and align my steps with your path for my life. Lord, I love you and I thank you and I receive you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Really quickly. You know, we baptized over 162 people yesterday, and someone drove all the way from Missouri to be baptized. They're here today. And they said, is it too late? We said, absolutely not. We'll get that thing going today. And so if you want to be baptized, particularly those of you who are giving your heart to the Lord, we've got all, everything you need. We've got clothes, we've got towels. If you want to be baptized, if you're joining the church, you want to be prayed for, Pastor Dobbins is there, Pastor Williams is there, Pastor Frank is there. Just go to the left and you can be a part of that baptism service and get connected. We love you so much. If you haven't sowed, please do so. Particularly if you're watching, you haven't been here. May the Lord bless and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious towards you. May he lift up his countenance over you and grant you holy shalom. Shalom in Jesus name. God bless you. Love you very much. See you Wednesday night for walk it Out Wednesday. And let's fast. Let's fast. Acast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend. Hey, everybody, I'm Naomi Ekparigan. And I'm Andy Beckerman. We're a real life couple and a real life couple of comedians, and we're the hosts of the podcast Couples Therapy. We're the only comedy relationship podcast ever. Yeah, I said it. And we're so good. We've been written up in both the New York Times and we made Grindr's list of top podcasts. Yes, we're giving you that high, low appeal trust on the show. We talk to guests like Bob the Drag Queen, Angelica Ross Bowen Yang, Janelle James, Danny Pudi, Darcy Carden, Paul F. Tompkins, and more. All about love, mental health, and everything in between. And we answer your relationship questions. We are two unlicensed comedians just trying to help you out. So open your hearts, loosen your butts, because we got a lot of laughs and a lot of real talk just for you. 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