← Victory Church: Paul Daugherty
Victory Church: Paul Daugherty
THE GOD WHO EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS | PAUL DAUGHERTY | EPHESIANS SERIES PT. 3
00:54:37
Loading summary
Transcript62 lines
- [00:00]
Pastor Paul
Foreign. We are in a series on the book of Ephesians. If you got a Bible, go to Ephesians, chapter three. Come on. We always shout for the first scripture in the message. It's like our first touchdown. It's like our first first down. And if you got a paper Bible, hold it up so I can see all the physical Bibles. If you got a digital Bible, hold it up if it's on your pH. There you go. Come on. The Bible is so powerful when we read Scripture, it has the power to transform our lives. And so we've been studying the book of Ephesians. This was a letter written by the Apostle Paul from the prison in Rome. He started this church, and years after he started it, handed it off to a couple whose initials were P and A, kind of like Paul and Ashley, but it was Priscilla and Aquila. And so Priscilla and Aquila were carrying on the church. The city of Ephesus was a large city. There was wickedness, darkness, occult practices. There was immorality, all kinds of junk. But the church was planted to be a light in the darkness. The church was growing and it was reaching people. But Paul was writing this letter to remind the church where their salvation comes from. Because what happens is over time, once you hear a message, if you don't hear it enough over and over and over and it doesn't get ingrained in your soul, you start to drift from the message. So he was calling them back to a place of, hey, it is bygone grace. You have been saved. It is your faith in Jesus Christ, not your works, not your behavior, not all the laws of Moses that you followed that earned you this salvation. It was a free gift from God. It was the blood of Jesus that paid for your forgiveness. And then Paul ends Ephesians 2 talking about how God is building a temple through you and through me. And we go to Ephesians 3, verse 1. He says, When I think about all of this, the salvation, the grace, the hope, the mercy, the church. He says, when I think about all of this, I, Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, for the benefit of you Gentiles. Now, Paul was a prisoner in Rome, but Paul flipped the script on who he was really a prisoner for. He changed his perspective. In other words, wherever I am and whatever I'm doing, it's for Christ. If it's a hard job, if it's a difficult task, if I'm in a season where I feel like I'm frustrated, even when I feel like I'm a prisoner in my Season. I am a prisoner for Christ. Paul found purpose even in the prison. He turned his pain into a purpose. He said, I'm not in prison for Rome. I'm not in these chains to become discouraged and depressed. I'm in these chains to share the gospel. I'm in this prison to be a light, to be a witness. Paul says, it is for your benefit that I am here. And I have, by the way, I'm assuming that, you know, God gave me this special responsibility, extending his grace to you Gentiles. So Paul says, this grace has been extended to you. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. I love these words, mysterious plan. Paul talks about the mystery a lot. I love a good mystery. The other night, I took our five kids, if I haven't told you. We got five kids, and they are amazing, full of energy. We went over to BB's house. My mom and my mom was watching a mystery, a Hallmark mystery movie. And the kids just, they were pausing in the living room. They're like, can we watch the mystery mystery with Bibi? And I was like, I don't know, Bibi, is it a good mystery? She's like, oh, it's a good one. You know, edge of your seat, thriller. You don't know what's going to happen next. And, and the mystery. And it's got. It's got all kinds of twists and turns. Paul says, there's a mystery that's greater than any mystery you've ever heard before. It is the mystery of the ages. So Paul starts talking about this mystery. It's God's mystery. He says, as you read in verse four, what I have written, you will understand my insight into this mystery regarding Christ in verse 5. God did not reveal it to previous generations. There were people who wanted to know what God's up to. They wanted to know what's coming around the corner. What is the surprise? What is the mystery? But now, by his holy Spirit, God has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. In other words, Paul was saying, there is something happening in our generation right now that generations for hundreds of years have been waiting and hoping and anticipating to see. And they didn't see it. But you're about to see it it. And I sense in my heart God has something in 2025 for this generation that no high has seen, no ear has heard, no mind could perceive that God has you here for such a time as this. Paul wrote in Romans chapter 8 that the world is groaning, the earth is groaning to see the sons and Daughters of God revealed. Either you believe you are here for such a time as this, or you think you missed the window of what God's going to do and you're here on accident for an accident or. But I believe by scripture we are here on purpose, on assignment. We are preparing for the day that Jesus returns.
- [05:00]
Worship Leader or Assistant
You are here right now. You are not born on accident for an accident.
- [05:04]
Pastor Paul
You are here on purpose. And can I tell you, generations have longed to see what we are about to see in our life. I believe there's revival that's sparking not just in America, but in Brazil, in Peru, in Ecuador, in Africa, in Asia. God is on the move, Church. God is about to do things that no eye has seen. And it's going to happen sooner than you think. So Paul says, listen, listen. God's on the move. Something great is happening. In verse 6. This is the mystery. Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the good news. What's the good news? The good news is Jesus. The good news is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose from the grave, purchased our salvation. Paul says, both Gentiles and Jews who believe in the good news are now brought equally. We all stand on the same ground. We all stand on level ground at the foot of the cross. Not one person is better than another person. Not one person is more holier than another person. We all stand to receive the same mercy and grace from Jesus Christ. He says, the riches of God have been given. The inheritance of God has been given to both Jews and Gentiles both. Everybody say both. Both are part of the same body. Both get to enjoy the promises, the blessings, the covenant. Because now we belong to Jesus Christ. Now here's what happened in the Old Testament. The nation of Israel was the chosen nation that God had picked. And they were special and they were set apart for a purpose and a plan. In the New Testament, when Jesus came, he starts sharing the good news with Samaritans, non Jews. He starts sharing the good news with people that weren't necessarily part of the nation of Israel, like Abraham's kids. And then when he dies on the cross, John writes in John, chapter 3, verse 16. For God so loved the world. This kind of bothered some people because they were like, hold up, this is only for us. This is an exclusive thing. It's not for everybody. It's not for Russia or China or North America. It's not for those people over there in Oklahoma. It's not for the Californians. Is it like they. They felt like this is only for Us. But Jesus said, no, this is for the whole world. And in the book of Acts, God reveals this to Peter, who thought it was only for the Jewish people, only the circumcised by physical nature. And God says, don't call unclean what I've called clean. God calls Paul to speak to the church. He says, don't push the Gentiles out. There's room at the table for them. I'll never forget being on a missions trip in Nicaragua and we were with a group of people from all over the world and we were sharing the gospel. And we were at an orphanage. And it was a beautiful like utopian orphanage. We walls all around. They had dormitories, they had school, they had church all inside of this nice. It was almost like their own village within a village. And there was like, you know, supporters and partners and people that worked there and served there and helped raise these kids that had been abandoned. And it was a beautiful place. But I'll never forget seeing this kid who had climbed on top of the wall. It was like a 10 foot wall and he was peering in and he was watching us. And we were sitting at a long table outside. We were eating chicken and rice. It was the best chicken and rice I've ever had. I still remember the chicken and rice. And the kid was watching us and I could tell he was almost like drooling like he wanted some of the chicken and rice. And he was on top of that wall, peering over and I didn't know if anyone else saw him. And the guy next to me was the leader of the trip. His name was Jimmy Miyato. He leads an organization called Compassion. And he stands up and he starts walking towards this kid at the wall and. And I saw the kid jump off the wall and he disappeared. And Jimmy ran towards the door where the security guards were and he said, open up the door. And so I wanted to follow Jimmy, who was following the kid to see what was going to happen. Jimmy runs out the door. I follow Jimmy, he's running down the street, the kid's running really fast. And Jimmy finds the kid. He runs into a shack, a very poor shack with several children and a single parent mom. And they didn't have anything. I mean, there was no food, no shoes, no shirts. They were very poor. And Jimmy starts talking to them in Spanish because he was from, I think he grew up in Guatemala. So he starts talking to them in Spanish and they're having this conversation, I'm trying to understand. People start crying. He lifts them up and he Starts walking down this dirt road with this family towards this orphanage. And the mom's crying and the kids are coming. There's like five kids and the mom. And I remember he walks them in and I said, what did you say to them? He said, I told them there's a seat at the table for them. I told them there's a spot waiting for them, that they are welcome to come and eat with us and fellowship with us and dine with us. They are not excluded, they are brought in. This is what Paul is telling the church. He's saying, stop pushing people out, bring them in. There's room at the table. The message of Christ is for all people who believe. And then he says this. By God's grace and mighty power, I've been given the privilege of serving Jesus by spreading this good news even though I'm the least deserving of all God's people. Paul had a self awareness. He was like, I am a dirty sinner. I'm a recovery. Like I have been saved by the grace of God. It is only by the grace of God that I get to share the good news.
- [10:15]
Worship Leader or Assistant
How many all know you are.
- [10:17]
Pastor Paul
You are only here by the grace of God. I know I'm only on this date, but is the grace of God like every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. We gotta remind ourselves, even though we're not who we used to be, we're still not who we want to be. We're a work in progress. We're being sanctified. How many y' all are still a work in progress. Like the roads of Oklahoma, under construction for the rest of our lives. Till death do us part. So Paul says in Ephesians 3, he says, Listen, I'm the least, I don't deserve this. But God's grace has given me the privilege to talk about the endless treasures available to all of us in Christ. Endless treasures. Everybody say endless treasures. I want to title this message, when God exceeds your expectations. When God exceeds your expectations. God wants to blow your mind with what he's going to do in you, through you, for his glory. What Paul's talking about here, I mean, we're going on an airplane ride like Paul's got us on a plane. Buckle up, buttercup. We are going somewhere. He's going to talk about some pretty high lofty things in the word of God. Ephesians 3 is one of the most profound chapters in the Bible. And we're going up and we're going somewhere important. By the end of this chapter, Paul's going to talk about the exceeding abundant riches of God. It is a limitless supply. He says, I've been tasked by the grace of God to talk about the endless treasures. This morning we woke up early, my son and I, and we were driving down the road. He said, dad, tell me about Pizza Hut. I was like, pizza Hut, Hut. Or driving past Pizza Hut. And all of a sudden these memories start popping up. Y', all, when I grew up as a kid, Pizza Hut was the spot. My dad and mom would take me there. It was my favorite. It was my birthday spot. The buffet. We get there at noon and you could have limitless pepperoni pizza, limitless cinnamon rolls, limitless, like, all the cinnamon bread, all the stuff. I mean, it was a limitless supply. God says, I'm better than Pizza Hut. I'm better than Golden Corral. I'm better than Cracker Barrel. I'm better than the Mexican restaurant with endless supply of chips and salsa. I've got all that you need. There's endless treasures. In verse nine, Paul says, I was chosen to explain to everyone the mysterious plan that God, the creator of all things, has kept secret from the beginning. And here it is, verse 10. God's purpose in all of this was that the church would display the wisdom of God in its rich variety to the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. There are. There is angels and demons at war over our souls, over the city of Tulsa, over America, over the nations of the earth. Paul talks about in Ephesians that there is this principality and power, and there's this battle going on for Ephesus and for the church. But Paul says, I want you to know the angels are watching you, the demons. They are subject to your rebuke in the name of Jesus Christ. You have power. You have wisdom. You have authority.
- [13:17]
Worship Leader or Assistant
You have endless supply of joy, of peace. You don't have to live tormented or addicted or afflicted or depressed or discouraged. You got the victory. You didn't show up to victim church. You showed up to Victory Church. You didn't show up to defeated church. You showed up to Victory Church. He says, let me tell you something.
- [13:38]
Pastor Paul
This is the eternal plan which Jesus, which God carried out through Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of Jesus and our faith in Jesus, we. We now can come boldly. We can come confidently. We don't have to walk into church ashamed. I got in a fight on the way to church in the minivan. I said something I shouldn't have said. My kid was having a meltdown in the lobby. We're not worthy. Hey, y'. All, Our kids have meltdowns in the lobby, like, every week. You're in good company. What Paul's saying here is we don't have to approach God based on how good our week was or how good we've been. We get to approach God based on who he is, not who we are. Can I tell you? God is a good God. My dad used to tell me when I was younger, he would say, you can always come to my office. Anytime you need something, you can come to my office. I remember going to his office one time, knocking on the door. A businessman opened it with a suit and tie. He said, your dad's busy. Shut the door on me. And I was like, 16 or 17. I was like, okay, I'm a big guy. I can handle that. So I walk away. But I was still kind of sad because I was like, I just wanted to talk to my dad. And next thing I know, I feel this presence opening the door, walking down the hall real fast, and, like, kind of almost pushed my back. He goes, hey, Paulie. It was my dad. He called me Paulie. I said, hey, Dad. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'm sorry. I know you're in a very important meeting. Business people and stuff, Suits and ties. He was like, stop it. He's like, you're my son. You can interrupt me anytime you want. He said, what do you need? I said, I just came to talk. He said, I love it when you just come to talk. What do you want to talk about? This is what Paul's talking about. That we can come to God and not feel intimidated or ashamed or unworthy or we're not valuable or our needs aren't that important, or that we've come to God and we're just like a nuisance to him and he's annoyed by us, and he's angry at us, and he's bipolar and he's changing his mind if he likes us every day. No. God is a consistently loving, good, amazing.
- [15:36]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Father who cares about you, who is looking to help you. Oh, God. I pray that we would get this. I pray that our eyes would see how good and loving you are. So Paul says this. He says, we can come boldly. We can come confidently into the presence of God. He says, don't lose heart. Don't get discouraged. I know I'm going through trials. You're going through trials.
- [15:59]
Pastor Paul
I'm suffering. You're suffering. He says, but we should feel honored. We should feel honored that we're a part of what God's doing right now in our city, in our nation, in the world. Verse 14, he says, when I think about all of this, I fall to my knees. This is where it gets really good. Now Paul's about to take us into like 30,000ft. We are flying. Y' all ready to fly? Let's go. I feel like this is an orchestral moment. I wanted the band to stay out here because I feel like Paul's building something here. In verse 14, he says, I fall to my knees and I pray to.
- [16:29]
Worship Leader or Assistant
The Father, the creator of the heavens.
- [16:31]
Pastor Paul
And the earth, the creator of the galaxies and the cosmos.
- [16:34]
Worship Leader or Assistant
And he says, I pray that God, from his glorious, unlimited resources, he would empower you through his holy spirit. And I pray that he would strengthen you. It's one thing to be strong from going to the gym. It's another thing to be strong from being in God's presence and being in prayer and understanding how much God loves you. Paul says, I pray that you would have true strength, not just physical strength, but spiritual strength. He says that Christ would make his home in your hearts. Just like Ashley was talking about earlier with Gianna opening the door and saying, jesus, make your home in my heart.
- [17:09]
Pastor Paul
Come in, God.
- [17:10]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Change me, renew me, revive me, make me more like you. Paul says, I pray that you would grow deep into God's love. That your roots would be grounded in God's love for you. Not your love for God, but God's love for you. That it would keep you strong, that you would have the power to understand as all God's people should. How wide, how long, how high, how deep. The Father's love is his agape, unconditional love. And may you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully, but you would be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we could ask, hope, dream or imagine. Glory to God in the highest. Glory to God in the church through Jesus Christ for all generations. Come on, let's just worship God. Just take a praise break. Take a moment. God, I thank you, Lord, that you are good, you are loving, you are kind. God, I thank you for your salvation. I thank you for your forgiveness. I thank you for your freedom. God, I thank you that. Not finished with me yet. God, I thank you, Lord. You're just getting started with what you want to do. Praise you, God. Praise God.
- [18:35]
Pastor Paul
God, I pray that you would speak to us, God, out of that beautiful chapter of Ephesians, God, that we would see you are the God that exceeds our expectations. God, that you are more than able, more than able to do exceedingly, abundantly. Above all that we could ask, hope, dream, or imagine. I pray that we would take off the limits, that we would lift the ceiling just like the guys that lowered their friend through the roof. That we would just raise the roof, break the roof. God, that we would let you do what you want to do in and through our lives for your glory. In Jesus name, everybody said, amen. Come on. How many all just felt God's presence right there, man.
- [19:16]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I felt it.
- [19:20]
Pastor Paul
All right, keys. Will you stay up here? I want to go into worship in just a little bit. But before we do, I want to share this word with you. I want to share this word with you. God wants to exceed your expectations. God wants to exceed what you expect him to do. This summer, our family was on a road trip, and we ended up stopping at the ocean. And I was so excited to take the boys and our daughters swimming. And. And Ashley and I, we were trying to think of fun things to do. And Ashley says, hey, do you want to take the boys fishing? She said, I'll stay with the girls. You can take them fishing. I was like, yeah, that'd be amazing. We don't have poles. She was, you know, she was like, well, maybe we can rent some fishing poles. And I was thinking, like, just standing on the side on the beach, just throwing it in. She was like, what if we could get in a boat? I was like, babe, we can't afford that, you know, I don't know. So she finds this cheap deal. This guy's boat was an ugly boat. I wasn't sure if it was going to sink, if we were gonna make it. I was like, hey, at least we're paying a cheap price for this situation. We get in this boat, it's me, Liam, Benai, and Mac. And she was like, this guy, he's gonna do it. He's gonna take you guys. At 6:00am in the morning, you're gonna go out there and you're gonna try to catch some fish. And I was like, that's the word right there. Try. Try to catch fish. Like, I don't, because I've been fishing before and we've caught nothing. Well, I remember when I was younger, we took a moment, a deep sea fishing trip, and I caught no fish. So I, you know, I thought it would be important to pass on to my boys my personal experience. I said, don't get your hopes up. Now you hear where I'm going with this message. Because parents, we do this to our kids. We take our personal disappointments and place them as limitations on our children. Don't get your hopes up. God doesn't heal cancer like that. Oh, yes, he does, my friends. But if you've been disappointed by prayers that you prayed that never got answered, you start passing on to your kids. Now. Don't get your hopes up. God doesn't just. Money doesn't grow on trees. God's not just gonna solve your problems. He's not gonna get you out of debt. He's not gonna give you a car. He's not gonna bless you, so don't get you. So I was like, boys, don't get your hopes up. I've been fishing before out on the ocean. I don't know if we're gonna catch anything. And my boys were like, dad, speak life. You know, they're like, our best days.
- [21:27]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Are right in front of us.
- [21:28]
Pastor Paul
I was like, okay, all right. I was like, you got me.
- [21:31]
Worship Leader or Assistant
And they're like, you say it every week.
- [21:32]
Pastor Paul
Come on. I was like, you're right. So I said, let's grab hands, let's pray. So we pray. And this 21 year old dude that's on the boat is just watching us pray. He's kind of confused. And I said, lord, I just thank you that you're able to help us catch maybe one shark. One baby shark. Baby shark. In Jesus name, amen. We prayed. And I meant my prayer. I was sincere. I was also fine if it didn't happen, because I just know not to, like, think it's gonna happen. Doesn't happen. And I was shocked, y'. All. Within 30 minutes, we caught a baby shark. It was a baby shark. It was about this. And I was so amazed. Oh, my goodness. Art. The boys were like, that's amazing. I was like, this is it. We can go home now. And the guy, he was like, that's all you want. I was like, it's been my life dream to catch a shark. I just fulfilled my life dream. He's like, you're gonna settle for a baby shark when you could have a mama shark. Doo, doo, doo, doo doo. A daddy shark, a grandpa shark. I said, I don't know. I don't know if that's possible. He said, just. Just watch. And within 10 minutes, we caught a bigger shark and then another shark, y'. All. We caught 17 sharks in a matter of one hour. It was. It was shark week. It was crazy. It exceeded my expectations. It got me thinking in, in the stories in the Gospels, twice this happens, where they're on a fishing boat and Peter's like, we've been fishing all night, caught nothing. I don't expect anything. Jesus is like, trust me, take me at my word, throw your nets to the other side. And when they did, they caught a net breaking boat, sinking load of fish. That happened twice to the point where their eyes were open. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask, hope, dream or imagine. So don't limit God. Don't limit God. He can do it. The question is, will you ask for it? Will you believe it? Had a friend in Nashville, Tennessee who was casting a vision to his church this last year, sharing that they need a certain amount of money and it was a lot of money, saying, hey, if we're going to build this church and rent this space and reach these people and pass out flyers and try to bring more people to Christ in this city, here's what we need. After church, he was a little discouraged. No one said anything to him. No one thought it was like a great vision that he cast it, that. So his family, they were eating at Cracker Barrel. Come on, Cracker Barrel. They were having biscuits and honey and Cracker Barrel should pay me for how many times I've mentioned them today in church. Give me a free meal for my kids. That's all I need. So they were there and they were eating and this guy comes up to him and says, hey, I was at church today. He said, you know, what do you need right now? And the guy was kind of looking at the pastor was looking at this guy and he was like, I don't want to ask him him for too much. And he starts thinking like, what should I say? He knew what he needed and really what they wanted to reach the people they were called to reach. But he decided to give kind of a more conservative and yet very high number. And it's going to sound high. He said, man, like, honestly, right now, just for us to keep going this month, we need $5,000. And the guy looks at him, he said, done. Starts writing the check. And the pastor was like, are you serious? His mouth drops. He's like, what? And he was so excited. And the guy's like, yeah, man. He's like, I got you right here, writes the check. He's like, is this really? He's like, yeah. He goes, I got one question before you take this. And the pastor said, what is it? He said, in church, you Gave a number that was way higher than 5,000. He said, so why didn't you ask for that number? When I asked you what you really need? He said, and the guy, the tender in the check. He said, I would have written the check for everything thing you were asking for had you told me. The pastor goes, I think I made a mistake. Can I get a second chance? The guy goes, no, because I want you to remember this. He said, I'm gonna keep giving, and I'm gonna make sure that the vision continues to move forward. But he said, I want you to remember that sometimes you're asking God for less when he wants you to ask him for more, because he's able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you ask. Hope, dream, or imagine. I remember in 2009, when my father passed away of cancer. And I remember coming into this room and just feeling so discouraged and feeling so overwhelmed. And I remember my mom meeting with me in the next couple years, saying, paul, you're going to become the pastor of this church. And I felt that calling. I felt unqualified and still struggled to feel qualified at times in the eyes of people. I know God qualified me, but I remember coming in here and just feeling so overwhelmed. And I said, God, if we could just survive, like, if we could just survive. I don't want to have to shut down the school or the Dream center, the camp, because we were barely paying the bills at that time. I said, God, if we could just survive. Not only have we survived, but God has exceeded my expectations. During COVID we built a new building for our youth. Just this last year, we completed a new athletic. Athletic facility. I remember when the. The school came and they said, we need an athletic facility. I said, how big does it need to be? They said, well, just about this size, about 20,000 square foot. I said, okay, yeah, let's. Let's stick with that. And an architect came to us, and he said, what do you really want? I said, no, no, it's not what we really want. It's what we need. He said, yeah, but what do you want? Like what. What could. What could be done in this facility? I said, well, we got a lot of teams that would play volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, football. It could be a great discipleship tool for the students. We got golfers, and we got, you know, all kinds of sports. He said, well, let's open up our eyes. Let's raise our thinking. Let's expand. Maybe what God's able to do. Y', all. That. That facility over there that says It's a good day to be a conqueror. If you haven't driven past it, you should drive past it. It's three times bigger than what we had imagined on paper we were going to build, and it's debt free.
- [27:42]
Worship Leader or Assistant
And the whole ministry is debt free and we don't owe a dime to the bank. And we had more than enough. All the finances came in and God doubled our Dream center with the West Dream Center.
- [27:53]
Pastor Paul
And I hear God saying, I'm just getting started, Paul. Don't limit what I can do. Don't ask, I don't want to get to heaven one day. And God say, hey, Paul, why didn't you ask me for what you really want, wanted? Why didn't you ask me for what you knew I was able to do? Why did you limit me? I don't want God to say, why did you only ask for a few people to get saved at revival nights? Why didn't you ask for the whole city of Tulsa? Why didn't you ask for the nations? Why didn't you believe for more marriages to be restored and healed and more addicts to be set free and delivered? Why didn't you believe for more missionaries to be sent out from the church and help more pastors? Why didn't you believe to help pay for kids to scholarships at college?
- [28:34]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Why didn't you believe for more?
- [28:36]
Pastor Paul
Well, God, I just. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I. I don't know.
- [28:39]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I guess I was disappointed over some times and some things I walked through.
- [28:42]
Pastor Paul
And I limited you. And I hear God saying, take the limits off what I can do. Take the limits off. In the Old Testament, there was a woman who was never able to get pregnant, and she was taking care of a prophet named Elisha. And her and her husband, they were good people. They had learned to be happy and content with no children. And they made a room in their house for the prophet Elisha. And they were happy to just have the Word living in their house. So Elisha would go out and do miracles, pray, preach, come back and stay at their house. They had a little apartment, and one day, Elisha's assistant, Jahaziah, he overheard the husband and wife talking that they couldn't have kids and it was never going to happen. It wasn't in the cards for them. So he tells Elisha, he says, hey, you know that lady who's been so nice to us, her and her husband, they can't get pregnant. They've never been able to get pregnant. Why don't you pray for them to get pregnant. So Elisha goes down. He prophesies, he says, by this time next year, you will have a child. The woman starts crying. She goes, stop. Don't lie to me, preacher. Don't get my hopes up. Those were literally her words. In second kings, chapter four, she says, don't talk to me like God can.
- [29:47]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Do something miraculous when he's never done it for my husband and I, I'm.
- [29:51]
Pastor Paul
Fine to just listen to your word, watch you do miracles for everybody else. I'm fine to support you, Elisha, but don't get involved in my heart because it's going to break my heart if it doesn't happen. Elijah says, mark my words, by this time next year, you will have a child. Within 12 months, that woman had a child. Her and her husband were holding the miracle baby that was prophesied. God exceeds our expectations. Some of you have been praying, standing, hoping, asking, waiting for things to come to pass. I think about the woman in the old testament named Hannah. Hannah had watched the girl next to her penida continue to have baby after baby after baby. And this woman just taunted her, you'll never have children. You'll never get pregnant. You'll never be a mother. Just making fun of Hannah to the point where it broke Hannah's heart. She's in tears, desperately. In First Samuel 1, she runs to the temple. The book First Samuel 1 is written by the baby that God would bring through Hannah's tears. Birthed in the secret place, Hannah runs to the temple crying. She says, God, I was fine not having kids until this woman next to me kept having kid after kid after kid after kid after kid, rubbing it in my face, taunting me like, you could never work in my life while you work in everyone else's life. God, if you gave me one baby, I would give him back to you. I would give him back to you. And he would be a prophet, he would be a priest, he'd be a servant of the Lord. God gets involved in our desires when we delight ourselves in him, when we come into the presence of God, like Paul says boldly, confidently, not because we've been awesome, but because he is awesome. I don't have to approach God based on how good my week was or how many scriptures I memorized, or whether I completed my bible reading plan today or whether I didn't get into an argument with somebody. I can approach God because he is full of mercy and grace. He is kind. He's close to the brokenhearted. So there Hannah is. She's talking to God. The priest, Eli walks over. Was it Eli, or was it Eli, Eli? He walks over and he goes, are you drunk? She goes, no, I'm pouring out my heart to God. I'm letting him know what I want. See, some of us are afraid to ask God for what we want because we go, well, it's not what I need. How many of you have children in the room? Anybody have sons and daughters in the room? How many of y' all were a child at one time, like you used to be a kid? That should be 100% of us in the room. Room. Some of us forgot that we used to be a child. You need to discover that kid in you again. But my kids, they tell me what they want, and that's okay. I actually like that. I actually like that. I'm not even like. I feel like I'm a pretty good dad. My kids tell me I'm a great dad. That's a big deal to me. That's a bigger title to me than being pastor. I want to be a great dad because my first church is my children and my wife. So if I can be great at that, I think the rest of it will work itself out. So when they say I'm great, a part of that is that I would sacrifice for them, that I would help them, serve them, provide for them, protect them, and occasionally surprise them. Surprise them. Say, hey, Gianna, what do you want? Not, what do you need? I know you need food today to survive. I know you need somewhere to sleep tonight so you can sleep in the crib that we provided for you. But what do you want, Daddy? I would really like a princess dress. I can't get her a princess dress all the time, but occasionally I can go get her a princess dress. And when I do, she's like, what? You did that for me? Some of us forget that God is actually a good father. He's not stingy. He's not sitting up there going, you better not ask me for what you want. Because I'm not getting involved in that just because you want kids. You don't need kids just because you want to get married. You don't have to get married just because you want to have a job or you want a scholarship. It's not like God's up there going, I don't like helping my kids. I want them to be afflicted, tormented, depressed, broke, impoverished. What gospel have you listened to? Because the gospel I hear is that Jesus came to give us life and life to the fullest. More abundantly, exceedingly abundantly. Above. When Jesus got involved in Peter's business, it exploded. Now he calls us to follow him and deny ourselves and take up our cross. But that doesn't mean he wants you. Depressed, tormented, afflicted, broke, impoverished, never have enough. God blessed Paul to have a side tent business that would prosper. His missionary travels and provide money for him to buy. Bless other pastors like Timothy that he was pouring into and mentoring and Priscilla and Aquila. Like God does want to help you, God does want to bless you. So Hannah's crying out, and sure enough, the priest says, by this time next year, you'll have a child. And that child will be used for the glory of God. What if the thing you want could actually be a part of God's purpose and plan? Because through Hannah's broken heart, asking for what she wants, God blessed her with a son named Samuel. Hannah gave Samuel back to God. He became the prophet that anointed David the second king of Israel. Through David came the lineage of Jesus Christ. In the book of Matthew, it all is traced back to a. A girl who was crying because she was provoked by jealousy of another girl who was having children. What if God's going to use broken humanity to deliver his plan and his purpose and his kingdom, even through the.
- [35:29]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Things in our hearts that we're afraid.
- [35:30]
Pastor Paul
To ask him for? If it could bring glory to God, why not ask him for it? If it could bring glory to God, why not ask him for it? And you would think that was enough, that God blessed Hannah with one son. We stop right there. Did you know God visited Hannah again? Gave her a second son, then again a third son, then again a fourth son, then again a daughter, then again another. Hannah had five more kids after Samuel. And we forget to talk about that.
- [35:56]
Worship Leader or Assistant
God kept showing up, blessing her.
- [35:58]
Pastor Paul
He exceeds your expectations. We had two friends in the church that had been believing God to get pregnant. And doctor said, it's not in the cards. You're never going to have kids. It's not going to happen. Don't get your hopes up. But they kept praying. Six, seven, eight years. Just kept standing, praying, believing. Doctor said, don't, don't, don't get your hopes. It's not going to happen. We were praying, and then. I'll never forget. We got a call from Harry and Katharine. They said, it's a miracle we're pregnant. And they said, we're not telling anyone because we want to get past the first trimester. And we're just believing that this baby, God, we're going to get to see this baby and hold this baby. Not only did they have little baby Hannah is what they named her, Hannah Sneed, but then God showed up again and they just gave birth to their second child, Harry Jr. Sneed.
- [36:50]
Worship Leader or Assistant
And God's not finished. He's got more the darty five on you in Jesus name.
- [36:57]
Pastor Paul
Some of y' all are like, no, we got enough. God wants to exceed your expectations. My son Liam. Three years ago we were going on a mission trip. He said, dad, what if God blessed Victory with like a 757 plane? I was like, I go, what? He goes, what if we could send missionaries on the missions field every week with our own airplane? He goes, scratch that. Our own airlines. Scratch that. We need an airport in Tulsa. Victory Airport. Victory Airlines sending missions for free all over the world.
- [37:31]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I was like, what? Come on. Ephesians 3:20. Some of us in this room is messing with our theology.
- [37:41]
Pastor Paul
We're like, I don't know if God wants to do that. What if he does? I don't know if God wants to give us children. What if he does? I don't know if God wants to prosper my business. What if he does?
- [37:52]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I don't know if God wants me.
- [37:53]
Pastor Paul
To be a bigger blessing. I don't know if God wants to save all the family members in my. What if God could lead every family member to Christ in your family? Even the ones that are addicted and broken and keep going back to the drugs?
- [38:04]
Worship Leader or Assistant
What if they were totally set free?
- [38:06]
Pastor Paul
What if they were?
- [38:07]
Worship Leader or Assistant
What if we took the limits off? Can you imagine? With all the faith in the room.
- [38:12]
Pastor Paul
God is more than able. So after the last service, someone heard that vision that Liam had and they came up and they said, Here's $100. They said, I want this to go towards the future Victory airplane that you guys are going to have one day. Said, come on, Jesus. This is going in the offering. This more. God has so much more. I could go through all the stories, but I want you to stand to your feet all, all over this room. I believe that the understanding that God wants to exceed our expectations comes from Ephesians 3:17, where Paul says, I pray that you would be rooted and grounded in God's love for you. The way to get to a place of faith where we actually believe God's a good father, a loving father and a generous father, a compassionate father that wants to get involved in his kids lives in a positive way comes from the right roots. The right roots produce the right fruit. When I'm rooted and grounded In God's agape love for me, his unconditional, compassionate, merciful, graceful love. Lamentations 3 says, his mercies are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Paul says in Romans 8. What could separate us from this love of God? I'm convinced that neither death nor life, depths or heights, sickness, nothing could separate us from this love of God. That he loves you and his love is strong. His love is wide and his power is limitless. Just close your eyes across this room. God's love is wide enough to include the worst sinner. God's love is long enough to last through all eternity. God's love is deep enough to reach into the depths of people that are broken and hurting and afflicted and to rescue them. God's love is high enough to take you to heaven. You could imagine every good thing that's happened in your life, everything you've experienced. God can do even greater. You could imagine things that are beyond your comprehension. God is above that too. You could imagine all the blessings, all the miracles that you've seen happen in other people's lives. God can do even Greater. In Ephesians 3, we're reminded that God's grace gives all of us an invitation to his table, his kingdom, his church, his body. Our faith in Jesus, not in ourselves, gives us good boldness and freedom to approach his presence with confidence. We're reminded through Paul's prayer that we have inner strength from the Holy Spirit to live a full life in God's love for his glory. And in that same prayer that we're rooted and grounded in his love so that we can believe and walk by faith, knowing that God is able to exceed our expectations. So let's believe for it. Put our faith into that. With heads bowed, eyes closed, I want you to imagine the thing that you need right now. Maybe you need a financial breakthrough. Maybe you need healing in your body. Maybe you need God to restore a relationship that's severed, that's broken. Maybe you need God to bring a family member to Christ that you've been praying for. Now go beyond what you need. Start thinking about what you would want that could bring glory to God. And I want to encourage you. Don't be ashamed to talk to God about it right now. Maybe you you're asking God for a promotion at your work. Maybe you're asking God for a better car. Maybe you're asking God for your mission strip, fully funded. Maybe you're asking God for your kids to have a scholarship to that school. Maybe you're asking God to get Married one day. And maybe you're asking God for, like, a good family. And maybe, maybe you're asking God today even to be able to bless your family, to be a blessing in the community. I just hear God saying, ask me, ask me, talk to me, bring it to me. And I hear God saying, I'm able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you could ask, hope, dream, or imagine. Get your hopes up in the Lord. Get your hope up in the Lord with heads bowed and eyes closed. If, if you're here today, you have something that you would ask God for, and you're willing and ready to walk by faith with boldness to talk to God about that, to bring it to him, the need, the miracle, the desire that could be for his glory, a testimony of his goodness, his grace in your life. If that's you, I want you to raise your hand. All across this room, you have a need. You need a miracle. I want you to raise your hand. You have an area in your life where you need God to show up. And you can. You can't do it in your own strength, your own finances, your own connections, your family couldn't pay for it. It would have to be God. Like God would have to do this. If you want God to get involved in your life in a supernatural way, I want you to raise your hand. If you need healing, if you have a family member that's not saved, if you got something going on in your life right now where you just need freedom, you're like man, There is an addiction, a habit that has been robbing me. I need joy, I need grace. I need freedom from depression. I need freedom from anxiety, maybe. Here's today and you say, paul, I need a breakthrough financially. I am barely making it right now. And I would love to be a bigger blessing to people around me, but I'm just. I can't right now unless God does something. If that's you and you want God to do something, I want you to raise your hand. If you raise your hand for any of those, I want you to leave your seat, come and meet me at this altar.
- [43:33]
Worship Leader or Assistant
This is an Ephesians 3:20 altar. This is an altar where we are believing. God is able to exceed expectations. God is able to do immeasurably, more exceedingly, abundantly above what you would ask, hope, dream or imagine. As you come to the altar today, you are believing by faith. God can. And God is able. God can do it, and God is able to do it, and it's for his glory.
- [43:56]
Pastor Paul
So God, have Your way in my life.
- [43:58]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Do something spiritually, physically, God in my life. That people would say that had to be God. That had to be God. If it wasn't for God's mercy and grace, that never would have happened. It was the goodness of God. It was the generosity of God, it was the favor of God. It was the Ephesians 3:20 blow my expectations away moment that God got involved and I released my faith to trust and believe he's able to do it. I believed in his love. I was rooted and grounded in his love to know he is a good father. He's a kind father. He's a compassionate father. And he cares about me and he cares about my heart. He cares about my dreams. He cares about my desires. God sees you and he loves you. Let's just worship God right now. Let's fix our focus on God in Jesus name. You are more than able. God, you're more than able. I'm believing for miracles. I'm believing for breakthrough. I'm believing for salvation. I'm believing for restoration. I'm believing for healing. God, you're more than able. You're more than able. You're more than able. You're more than able.
- [45:13]
Congregation Member or Worship Team Member
You are more than able. You are more than able. Who am I to deny what the Lord God, you can do it.
- [45:28]
Pastor Paul
You can do it.
- [45:29]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Lord, we release our faith in the God who exceeds expectations. Nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible.
- [45:38]
Congregation Member or Worship Team Member
You're more than able. You are more than able. You are more than able. And we're my. You deny what the Lord came to. Can you imagine with all of the faith in the room what the Lord can do? What the Lord can do. It's going to happen. Just let the way make it through. He's going to move. He's going to move. Can you imagine?
- [46:29]
Pastor Paul
Lord, I pray God, break through what.
- [46:32]
Worship Leader or Assistant
The Lord can expect your grace intervene.
- [47:12]
Congregation Member or Worship Team Member
Anything is possible. Anything is possible. Who am I to deny the Lord?
- [47:24]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Again?
- [47:28]
Pastor Paul
I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand, but if you're here today and you you need a physical miracle that doctors have said is impossible. Whether it's a sickness that needs to be healed or whether it's not being able to have children. I'm going to pray for you right now. I just pray right now for every person that's in the middle of a physical situation. God, that they feel Lord, looks impossible in the natural. But God, you don't operate in the natural. You operate in the supernatural. You are not an ordinary God. You're an extraordinary God. So, God, I thank you that you can do what science and doctors and medical teams have said is impossible. You can change the outcome. Lord, I pray God for miracles in the womb, miracles in the skin, miracles in the. In the blood, miracles in bones, miracles God in the brain, miracles. God in the heart. I pray in Jesus name for testimonies, God, where the doctors say, I don't know how it happened, I don't know where it went, but it's gone. And somehow this is a miracle in Jesus name, let it happen, let it happen. In our church, God, we believe you're able to do that. I pray for the person right now that's financially, God, in a very tight spot where they feel overwhelmed, stressed. They've had very discouraging thoughts about their life because of the financial state they're in. I pray God for a turnaround, a breakthrough. I pray God, that you would open the doors of heaven. I pray God that they would from the north, south, east and the west, that they would experience favor, unusual favor, God, that you would not only help them get back on their feet again, but help them to prosper, to be a blessing to people around them. God, that they would be able to walk in such a greater level of generosity and compassion towards others because you lifted them out of the pit of financial, God, just entanglement where they felt like they were trapped and not able to ever get out of this financial place. God, I thank you, Lord, you're going to bring them out of that and God, that you're going to like Joseph from the pit to the palace, God, you're going to put them in such a high position of favor that they're going to be able to help other people, minister to other people, bless other people, open the doors for other people. I pray that right now for a man in the room, for a woman in the room that's been battling just financial, just stress in Jesus name. I pray for scholarship, God, from. From different directions, God, random place like students in the room that need scholarship just to stay in Tulsa just to be in class this upcoming week. I pray God that you would, Lord supply you're able to do it exceedingly, abundantly above. I pray for the single in the room that's been standing and praying and believing for a spouse, God, that single man, that single woman in the room that has just been praying and believing one day to be married. And it's a dream in her heart, a dream in his heart, God, a good marriage, a good spouse, a good husband, a good wife. I pray in Jesus Name God, that it would happen sooner than they expect. I pray God, for miracles, God, Lord, in supernatural ways. I thank you, God, that you've got a mighty man, a mighty woman of God for that person in the room that's been praying for that in tears, praying and believing. I pray in Jesus Name, Name for the person in the room that's walked through heartache and heartbreak, possibly even divorce. And they found themselves just wondering, God, is there ever going to be a Lord, a future restored relationship for me to have? I pray, God, that you would do a miracle for them, God, that they would have a healthy marriage one day, a restored relationship. I thank you that nothing is impossible. God, I release my faith for the dreams that are represented in this room that are praying. God, Lord, I thank you that you look upon humanity and all of our flaws and all of our brokenness and you are filled with compassion. You are filled with grace and love and kindness and mercy. When the world throws stones, God, you lift up the broken and God, you place them in a strong spot. And God, you give victory in Jesus name. Jehoshaphat in the Old Testament was surrounded by enemy armies. And he began to pray and fast. And the Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat through a prophet and said, do not be afraid. The battle does not belong to you. The battle belongs to the Lord. Only believe and march out tomorrow and watch God move on your behalf. God said in this prophetic word, I will fight for you, Jehoshaphat. You will not have to fight, but you will have to show up to the battle. Only believe and watch what I will do. The next day they marched out. And as they were marching, Jehoshaphat said, we're going to worship in the front. We're going to start out with worshipers and singers out in the beginning, and they're going to lead the way. As they were singing and worshiping God, trusting in God, the enemy heard the worship songs, got confused and started fighting each other. The enemy destroyed themselves. So that when Jehoshaphat and the Israelites showed up, not only was the enemy completely defeated, they left all of their supplies and their spoils, all of the plunder. That day, the Israelites not only got the victory, but they got all the spoils. Jehoshaphat only asked to survive the attack. God not only answered his prayers of survival, but gave him victory and exceeded his expectations with treasures and supplies he didn't even ask for. Here's what I'm trying to say. Some of us in this room, we're in a battle and God's saying, only believe. Only believe. Put your faith in God. Trust in God. Show up to the battle, but watch what God will do. Trust in him. Worship him. Pray. Lean on him. Lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge that he's Lord and Savior. Jehovah, Jireh. God, I pray in Jesus name that we would see you this week at work in our lives, even during revival nights. God, we thank you in advance that it's going to be a week of miracles. Breakthrough. God, do a fresh genesis work in all of our hearts in this church.
- [53:42]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I pray that we would leave refreshed.
- [53:44]
Pastor Paul
Encouraged, reminded, revived God, because of your love and your power. Just pray this with me. Say Jesus, thank you that you're not finished with me. Thank you Jesus that you've given me the victory. I am more than a conqueror because you live inside me.
- [54:03]
Worship Leader or Assistant
I am not defeated.
- [54:04]
Pastor Paul
I am an overcomer.
- [54:07]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Thank you Jesus that you died on the cross.
- [54:10]
Pastor Paul
You rose from the grave and resurrection.
- [54:13]
Worship Leader or Assistant
Power lives in me. So I am not defeated. I've got the victory. I'm believing for miracles exceedingly, abundantly above God. I thank you that you can exceed my expectations. In Jesus name, amen and Amen. I love you, Victory. God loves you. Be blessed.