When Faith Falters and Prevails | Eugene Wilson | August 25th, 2024

e for for he for he [Music] good to see everyone in the house of the Lord today how are y'all doing today amen I'm glad to be in the house of the Lorden amen can we stand this morning I woke up this morning with a verse on my mind and I went digging for it and I think it's appropriate for various situations that I know that different ones are going through but in Hebrews 1212 it says strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed I I feel today that there's some people that you feel like I don't even qualify to be in church but you know what that's just the enemy trying try to further dislocate a hurt in your life today God wants to strengthen you emotionally he wants to strengthen you spiritually and when you begin to be strengthened emotionally and spiritually there's going to be a physical uplifting and the way that you begin to feel that is not to try to make anything happen but you begin to lift up your voice in your hands not to not to to show off anything to anybody but you just begin to lift up your hands even in your emotional weakness even in your your physical and spiritual weakness and you begin to say God I just want you to come and I lift up my hands and I will worship you I wonder from the beginning of this service today I wonder if we could begin to lift up our hands and open up our emotions to God you're not here to to try to impress anybody you are in the presence of Jesus Christ we're a group of people that's just coming into his presence and we're just coming to Magnify Him I wonder before we begin singing that you would just make up your mind and begin to do this right now come on let's just take a few moments right now Hallelujah right now Hallelujah God we enter into your with Thanksgiving we enter into your with prise Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah hallelu Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah we enter into your presence to Lord hallelu hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah I've already feel the presence of the Lord in this place this morning I wonder if we can just keep praising him as we enter into singing and lifting him up right now Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah [Music] Hallelujah come on praise him today with all of your heart come on if you want to get out of the aisle and worship God I invite you to do that I want you to give God some praise he's worthy oh for anyone who ever seen the mountain of their sins just disappear hallelu for anyone who's ever felt the hand of Heaven reached down through their tears and wipe their tears any life that once was empty now finds itself alive and full of song Victory song your understand the reason for the way the saints of God may carry on come on has God done something good for you wanted to praise him when I I'm from heart when I I'm running from a pass to the world it might look crazy there's just no telling what you're going to do in that moment Jesus get the of you come on would you just praise him right now Hallelujah we give you praise we give you glory and honor today for anyone who knows the hope that keeps moving all through trouble days come on do you believe that for anyone who knows they have a future and a hope beyond the grave listen every Life's a different story how he brought us out of Darkness into [Applause] light listen there's no way to keep Sil every of the CH to testify come on would you testify with your praise right now when I shout I'm [Music] shout Jesus I'm lifting you up God world just what going to do in that moment Jesus get a come on sing it with all of your heart when I shout when I shout know I'm shouting from a heart that's been washed clean when I run I'm rning for the P beening to the world it life look crazy there's just no telling what you're going to do in that moment Jesus get the come on give him some praise right now come on praise [Applause] him my past is he ra my name he changed come on can you just testify oh my pasty race my name he changed let's testify come on would you testify today oh my p he my name he Chas us testify oh sing it now my past is heas my past heas my name he Chang tesy come on sing it with us now when I shout no [Music] [Applause] sh I pr I'm worship [Music] Godus get the sing it in deare my P [Music] [Applause] my my name he let come say it Proclaim it today my past is erased my pastas my name he change let's testify come on one more time my P my P my name he Chang let testify testify t [Music] my heed my name he changed testify come on praise him right now come on praise him right now come on you got to read it the praise him you got a reason to praise him right now come on keep praising him right now keep praising him right now keep worshiping him right now Hallelujah come on keep this up keep worshiping him right now keep magnif in him right now come on you've got a reason to praise God you've got a reason to exalt Jesus Christ you've got a reason to magnify the King of Kings and the Lord of lords Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah come on keep praising him right now come on keep praising him right now hallelujah hallelujah come on magnify the Lord Jesus we worship you oh God [Music] when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over you you made a way and we're standing because you away [Music] you move mountains you cause walls to fall with your power perform mirales there is nothing that's impossible and we're standing here only because you may you you may made way when our backs when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over you you made a way and we're standing here only because you made away to the Fountain you cross you to with your power for there is nothing oh there's nothing that's impossible and we stand only because [Music] you you call the world to go your power you perform there is nothing nothing that's impossible and we standing only you make the way over and over again Lord you you made a way when I couldn't see away you you made a way is that true this morning can you give him some worship he's been so faithful don't know how but you did it you made a way I don't know how but you did it you made a way I don't know how but you did it made a way I don't know how but you did it you made a I don't know why but I'm grateful gr you made a way I don't know why but I'm grateful you made way I don't know why but I'm grateful you made way I don't know why but I'm grateful you made [Music] Mountain you you to go with your power for me go is nothing I [Music] de only [Music] you made a way in our when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over you you made a way and we're standing we're standing here only because you made a way come on can you testify of the goodness of God that he's made a way for you come on would you just love him right now come on just love him right now we worship you oh God you've made a way where there doesn't seem to be away God there you've been so good to us Lord we just want to praise you God come on take it take just another moment right now come on take another extended time of praise and worship you've been so good to us you've been so good to us Jesus I just want to praise you I just want to worship you oh God hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah we worship you mighty God we worship you mighty God we worship you mighty God hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah I just want to just linger in his presence for a little bit would you just lift your hands and open your hearts to Jesus right now I love you I exalt you mighty God I feel your presence in this place today I feel your anointing in this place today I feel the healing virtue to touch our minds and touch our hearts and touch our emotions today in the name of Jesus Hallelujah I give you praise today God I give you praise today Lord hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah bless the Lord bless the Lord bless the Lord bless the Lord we live in a day and age that we're we're enamored by the thrill we're enamored by well let's just say it we're enamored by Hollywood style T stunts and we are expecting big things to happen all of the time that's actually to our detriment because if we get so caught up in the thrill of things we'll actually miss some of the little moments in life that God's wanting to do in our lives can I can I just very kindly tell you today we've already felt the the most miraculous feeling in all of the world and that is the presence of Jesus Christ I I'm not up here to to have any kind of theatrics we're not here to entertain with the music and the singing oh it's it may be good but that's not the most important thing it's when we respond to the King of Kings and the Lord of lords that gave us the the ability to breathe the ability to lift up our hands and to magnify the Lord that's that's what's most important and sometimes even when we miss that little point we come to a time of prayer and we go God I've got so much that I need you to I need you to your help with I mean we could go around the room and just within just a few moments just every one of us naming our number one thing that we need from God and if if we're not careful we' probably get depressed because if we're not careful we'll think well how is God even going to touch my situation because I I wonder if he can take care of that one but can I give you some good news today God loves you the same as he loves the person standing next to you or the person across the aisle whatever there is nothing and we just s sung about it there is nothing that is impossible with God but what we have to do is position ourself and say God I come to you today I come to you today I don't have the answers I am powerless by myself I can't do it by myself I I'm tired of denying that I could do it on my own but God I'm stepping into a dimension that I may not be most comfortable with but God it's me and I need you to touch my life you've walked into this building today with emotional pain spiritual pain physical pain God's able to touch you today and we're going to go to the Lord in prayer today we've got some needs that we're going to lift up before the Lord on this that are going to be listed on the screen I believe God's able to touch these yes that we we keep them up not as a testimony of what has not happened but we keep them up there as a testimony that God's going to do it amen God's going to touch and deliver God's going to strengthen to today do you have a need today and you just want to let it be known by lifting up your hand I never want to embarrass anybody but I want I want you to be transparent with God and say God I need something from you and if you would like for us to pray today we invite you to step out of your your Pew and come down to the front we're going to pray the prayer of faith with you and for you today and I believe God's going to do something miraculous in this place can I get the church folks would you be just begin to pray right now let's go to the Lord in prayer right now and lift up our voices if I can have some women of God to come and pray right now in the name of Jesus we stand upon the authority of the word of God that no weapon that's formed against us shall prosper in the name of Jesus God you're able God to supply every need you're able to supply every circumstance oh God we give you the praise oh God for your goodness and for your mercy come on God's moving already right now come on let's keep praying right now in Jesus name [Music] [Music] the in thees oh God hallelujah [Music] hallelujah God thank you the Jesus Hallelujah hallu [Music] [Music] J [Music] [Music] [Music] lift your voice church God is doing great things in this building right now come on let's just love the Lord let's just create an atmosphere of his presence in this place right now come on Reach Out And Touch the Lord he's pass passing by hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah [Music] h [Music] thank you [Music] h [Music] Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah we worship you oh God Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah come on just keep worshiping him right now Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah come on keep worshiping him right now come on keep worshiping him right now Hallelujah keep worshiping him right now Hallelujah [Music] yes bow down and say you are God every bow down and say you are King so let's start right now why would we way kingom Glory F this place just want to be with you just want to be with you king of glory fill this place I just want to be with you just to be with you yes the world bow down and say you are God every bow down and say you are [Music] K so let's start right now why would would we wa we can Praise You Now viory [Music] King just to be with you I wish somebody would worship that king of glory that king of Peace he's so good he's the king of Victory somebody worship Jesus we love you Lord hallelujah Jesus you are the king of glory you are in this place Jesus just want to be with you just want to be with you will sing Hallelujah till you come again we will dance in your presence till you come again we will sing Hallelujah till you come again we will dance in your presence till you come again we will sing Hallelujah till you come again oh we're going to dance in will Dan your presence till you come again oh we're going to sing hallu We will sing Hallelujah till you come again someone dance in presence we will dance in your presence dance in your presence dance in your presence Dan in your presence [Music] [Music] [Applause] just king of glory GL this place just want to be with you just want to be with you [Music] king of glory F this place king of my peace fild this place he's the king of power oh he's in this place king of my joy he's in the room king of glory fild this place we just want to be with you I just want to be with you come on would you just lift your hands right now the presence of the Lord is in this building I just want to be in your presence Jesus I just want to be in your presence come on that's it come on just absorb the presence of the Lord come on just absorb the presence of the Lord come on take in breathe in the spirit of Jesus Christ come on that's it come on breathe in let the healing power let the refreshing power of Jesus Christ sweep over you right now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah we love you Jesus we praise you mighty God we praise you mighty God we worship you mighty God Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah you know the world is trying to tell us everything's going wrong but we just sung about I'm going to dance in your presence until you come again the greatest event that is ever going to happen is the rapture of the church we're going to dance in your presence until you come again I can't wait I know the I know the world I know the world is looking Doom and Gloom around me but let me just dance in the presence of the Lord for a little bit come on I I don't want to focus on what's going wrong I want to focus on what's going right in this world I'm going to make up my mind I'm going to serve Jesus Christ with everything that's within me hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah praise God praise God praise God I Feel Jesus in this house today I Feel Jesus in this house today I I I know I'm probably going to say something that's going to go against some of y'all's y'all's personality but you know it would be all right about this time if somebody just started dancing in the presence of the Lord beside the pastor you know I think it'd be all right if we just begin to say I'm in the presence of almighty God I'm in the presence of almighty God I'm not dancing for entertainment I'm not D I'm going to be I'm going to the joy of the Lord is my strength the joy of the Lord is my strength I I've been going through some things I need the joy of the Lord come on I'm going to dance in his presence I'm going to sing in his presence I'm going to be rejoicing in the presence of the Lord I was glad when they said unto me let's go into the house of the Lord I'm going to dance on my way into the presence of Jesus Christ Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah woo Hallelujah I I I don't want to belabor the point but would you just worship God for a little bit come on in his presence there's fullness of joy at his right hand Pleasures forever more come on it's been a while since you might have slowed down a little bit to feel his presence hallelujah hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah [Music] Hallelujah the name [Music] Jesus in the name of Jesus Jesus in the name of Jesus hallelujah hallelujah the home folk hear me say this a lot of times and I really do mean this I never want to make something happen but I do believe that we need as Holy Ghost filled people of God we don't need to be inhibited by our own fears but I do believe we can worship God uninhibited I do believe the Bible says let everything be done in decency and order I do believe that but I also believe that we can dance and we can lift up our voice and shout unto God with a voice of Triumph woo come on I feel something I feel something Brewing I feel something stirring in the spirit today there's some of you that you have been under such a weight there's been some there's some of you that's been under such a heavy burden that you you know what it probably would do you good just to let out an oldfashioned Yale thank you I was just Sister Kim said the word it's cathartic I'm not cussing it's cathartic it means it's healthy for you that when you are under pressure that you just begin to Hallelujah Hallelujah when when there's pressure all around you God I praise you it's okay that when the when the enemy comes in like a flood the name of the Lord is a strong power and the right I say this in just but I really want you to get what I'm saying this is not the first church of The Frigid a HJ [Music] I I like going to to Mexican restaurants that when they bring out the fajitas everybody starts looking and everybody starts smelling hey friend of mine I'm in the Church of the Living God I'm in the Church of the Living God the spirit of God that created this body he's not just around me he's in me I've got freedom I've got victory I don't have to live with shame I don't have to live with condemnation I am free I am [Music] free come on somebody needs to step out of your Pew right now somebody needs to step out of your Pew it's been a long time since we had a victory march it's been a long time since we got got out of the aisle and just begin to worship God come on who's going to be the first thank you brother Donald come on who's going to follow him you may not feel it right now but I'm going to praise him I'm going to praise him I'm going to praise him I just can't [Music] stop come on don't just do it because everybody else is doing it worship God can't stop pring my can't stop pra my St Jesus stop pra my pra my PR I I will pra the Lord with my heart I'm a king I will praise the Lord I will praise the Lord I will praise the Lord with my whole heart I will PR I will praise the Lord up PR my up PR my just Jesus stop stop stop the worship the way the battle this is the way fight you for the victory the weap we use Are My Worship the the battle this is the [Music] way for the victory lift up your heart and King For Joy your hands make joy [Music] for PR you for the victory lift up your voice King For Joy your hands for PR for the victory [Music] [Music] come on would you praise him right now come on praise him with all of your heart right now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah praise God praise God praise God come on there's something that's breaking today there's something breaking today there's something breaking Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah praise God I never want to fall into gimmicks what I'm about to say I'm not I'm not trying to create any kind of gim gimit or trickery or anything like that but if I had a gold a solid gold bullan that they had just taken out a Fort Knox and I said that this is going to belong to the person with the greatest enthusiasm in this building what would you be willing to do I have seen in contest people do some extreme things I am not one of them but I've I there's something more wonderful more valuable more pure more more intrinsic than something that's a gold bullion and I wonder sometimes do we allow our fears I'm not the preacher today but if you'll just give me a moment to let love on you for a minute if we will let if we let our fears inhibit us and we let our fears prevent us from moving forward we'll never en enjoy the purity of God's presence like he wants to give us today and that's why I'm not again I'm not trying to make anything happen but when we come into the presence of the Lord I Want to Be Free to lift up my voice I don't want to let my chair prevent me from worshiping God I've told the musicians I've told the singers don't let the microphones and the equipment inhibit you if God wants to do something step away because I don't want there to be anything that would inhibit the move of God I know you hear this a lot blind bardus heard that Jesus was coming by and the Bible tells my Bible tells me that he stood up took off the robe that identified him with what he was and said Jesus hush I'm not identifying with that anymore I'm getting to Jesus Friend of Mine when you feel like you're overwhelmed I want you to begin to worship God not just in this service not just today but from every day forward at the Pentecostals of bay toown you don't have to wonder is it in order for me to lift my hands it's always in order is it in order for me to clap my hands it's always in order I don't want to I don't want to mess up anybody's Harmony no sing unto the Lord a new song hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah one more time just lift your [Music] [Music] [Music] voice foree you have my attention I have come to heal I have come to deliver if you are heavy hearted I have come to lift that load today you have my attention but your faith must reach out let your faith touch me let your attention be connected with the let me do miraculous things in your life for my attention I have right on you lift your voice come on let your faith go right now in the name of Jesus he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah bless the Lord bless the Lord God increase our our faith today God we return our praise to you but increase our faith today oh God hallelujah hallelujah thank you for your Divine Touch thank you for the word thank you for oh God In The Name Of The Lord Jesus in the name of the Lord Jesus in the name of the Lord Jesus hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah how many of you feel the presence of the Lord today amen amen amen amen you may be seated today I am Overjoyed to feel God's presence in this place today and I'm thankful for what I feel and I'm thankful for each and every one of you to be here we are honored that you are all here we're honored that if you are a guest with us this is your first time with us we want to welcome you to the Pentecostals of Baytown a place of Refuge we're honored that you're here if you're returning today we're honored that you're here and I hope that after the service I'm able to greet all of our guests and then all of our church family I'll give you a hug too amen amen I'm glad that all of you are here in the house of the Lord we want to Worship the Lord in giving and just a moment and um uh I'm glad to see sister edwinna back up here [Music] amen amen we're glad to have her here back on the platform singing and uh uh well we we we sent Gracie to Bible College and uh I'm glad that she was here today to help relieve her mom on the keyboard for a few minutes we're glad to have her home glad also to have CNY with us she's a student at Texas Bible College we're also honored to have brother and sister Wilson with us today he's going to be ministering and um looking forward to hearing what what he or they have for us today I don't know I told told him last night I said I trust you you all and I'm ready to hear what thus sayith the word of the Lord for the Pentecostals of Baytown in this place today amen amen amen sister be would you update us on all the announcements well praise the Lord everybody I'm glad to see you all in church today um tonight at 5:00 P PM we have our Legacy small group it's going to be here in the sanctuary where the Tim Trimble is going to be taking care of that um for those of you that love those old songs that I don't really know how to play this is the kind of small group you're going to want to come to um they had a great time last time singing songs out of the song book and old songs that different ones could remember we have a lot of talented singers and musicians in our congregation that don't always want to get up here in service and hold a microphone but at Legacy group you can see all that hidden talent popping out and so um come tonight at 5 p.m. and we're going to have a great time with our Legacy small group here in the sanctuary if you have a song that that you would like us to reprise in something we haven't sang in a while or whatever let brother the Tim know he's a lot more uh gifted on the keyboard than I am so he can play just about anything you throw at him so uh we're excited about that tonight um and then coming up for September we will have our September announcements coming out next week but I want everybody to mark your calendar young people anybody over the age of 12 we have our first uh youth rally that's going to be here at the PO for this school year the first one supercharg is going to be on September the 28th it's a Saturday evening at 6 PM brother Seth Williams our Texas district youth president is going to be here he's going to be preaching that night um for those of you that have been in the past you know this is not a dressy type of service this is a casual tennis shoe sneaker uh athletic wear kind of service and we're going to have a great time in the Lord and when church is over it's games and food and we bring the fire pit out here maybe I shouldn't say that um we we hide the fire pit over here to the side and we Rose to hot dogs and we have marshmallows and all that kind of fun stuff and uh so it's going to be a great time if you know young people in this area that are looking for something amazing to do on a Saturday night mark your calendar for September 28th it's a great time of Fellowship but every single time we do one of these the Lord shows up and we have a great time in the Holy Ghost that's September 28th and then the very next day September 29th is our fifth Sunday friends day that's also our quarterly casual dress Sunday no ties required no ties allowed on the platform and then when um when fifth Sunday service is over we all stay around and we play games and we have a a meal as a church family and so it's a great time to invite somebody your neighbors your co-workers somebody that you want to introduce and allow them to fellowship with your church family friends day is the day to do that amen amen thank you so much for all that update amen let's Worship the Lord in giving ushers if you would come let's all stand and we're going to Worship the Lord in giving again welcome to all of our guests and this is an opportunity this is for our church family that we bring our tithe and our offering and we give we do have the text to give the online giving but also give you an opportunity that if you want to bring your contribution and bring it up to the front and put it in the basket you may do so but what we also do is we get out of our pew and we uh mingle around for a little bit a few moments greet somebody near us let them know we're glad to see them if it's somebody that you don't know it starts by saying hello my name is and then insert your name and so uh I'm hello I'm Eric glad to meet you we're glad that you're here today but I want to get around I know everybody else does for a few moments let's greet one another for a few moments and then we're going to worship and then we're going to get into the word of the Lord and I know that you'll be blessed today let's all pray over this offering today Father we are so thankful for your sweet and beautiful presence that we have felt in this place today and God it's now our privilege and our honor that we have to bring our tithe and return our offering to you I pray that you bless every gift that's given today but not only give bless the gift but Bless The Giver God you know every circumstance physical emotional Financial that we're all facing and I pray that you would bless the gift and The Giver today and we will give you the praise and the glory for all that you do in Jesus name and everybody say amen amen let's give un to the Lord get out of your Pew for a little bit and let's Worship the Lord in giving today [Music] [Music] what we're going to call an audible real quick we're going we're going to turn it over to brother Wilson right now all of our Sunday school can be dismissed and if you have Nursery if you are want to be in the nursery today or need Nursery Services you are more than welcome to go at this time amen amen amen I am honored to have brother Wilson by way of introduction he's Dr Wilson but that's that that doesn't impress me he's president of the Bible College that don't impress me but more than anything the most impressive thing is that he's my friend and there's days that he'll call check on me there's days I call and check on him while he's on the road and he has been a tremendous blessing in my life and I am honored today and without any reservation to bring him to this this pull pit would you stand in honor to the man of God and I want us just to lift up our voices one more time and let's just ask God to speak into this into this place today and open up our hearts remove every distraction that may come this way Lord we love you right now move in this place Lord we love you Jesus we praise you right now Hallelujah Jus amen what a beautiful presence of the Lord that's in this place today I want to say and I'm sincere when I say this there is an anointing on your pastor and on this church there is a special anointing and I believe that God wants to draw people who need healing that need hope deliverance and there is an anointing in this place amen if everybody out in the outside around here knew what was here not a presentation not a something to impress people but I'm saying what is here to deliver them to bring them freedom to bring healing into their life if they knew you wouldn't have enough room all of you have been around here a little while have to walk out there in the lobby and just listen to The Doors being open so they could set in here that's how much would pack this place out amen amen there is an anointing in this place would you lift your hands to heaven right now and just thank the Lord thank the Lord for that God we give you glory and we thank you God for that anointing that is in this place that you have placed upon this pastor God and this church God to reach people in this city God that are in need of healing and in Hope and we give you the praise and glory for it in the name of Jesus and everyone say amen amen amen before you're seated I want to remind you or not remind you I want to tell you of something that would help remind you of something that's very very important I know I appreciate so very much your pastor has done in this service and following the Holy Ghost I went to visit a lady her name was Sister Jones she was about 90 years old walked in her house she didn't get to go to church often she had all kinds of health issues and she would go maybe four or five times a year went to her house one day and I said sister Jones how are you doing doing and she smiled real big and she said I got Victory and I said well tell me about it of course when I'm saying this I'm saying tell me about it cuz she can't hear and we would have to yell at one another and she said oh she said last night she said the devil has been fighting me and fighting me and fighting me and she said I got so mad she said about 3:00 last night I got out of bed I walked around the corner and I grabbed the bed post and she said about 3:00 in the morning she said I started dancing she's 90 years old her dancing is not like her dancing is probably like this but at 92 years old she started shuffling her feet and she said and wo she said brother will she said God gave me Victory amen I just wanted to use that story to remind you it doesn't matter if you're 90 years old amen you may say well I I can't hardly shuffle my feet that's okay but when is the last time that you've been able to declare God gave me Victory something happened about 3:00 in the morning and I've got freedom now amen I want you to know here today that God wants you to have that kind of Freedom he wants you to live in that type of Freedom amen turn around to somebody near you and give them a high five and say that I was for you tell them said that was for you tell them that was for you you may be seated you may be seated what a delight to be here with your pastor and family and I love the B Anders and God connected us together I don't know six seven years ago and I have always thoroughly enjoyed uh being around him and conversations and of course with Gracey at the school and uh Emma she's she's somewhat but not think she's taking online and uh and then get to meet Kenny and we I've seen her in last couple days coming in students are arriving on campus but uh haven't been able to have uh much of a conversation and trying to remember names that's difficult for me and luckily for me though I remember that lady's name and uh I want my wife to come and greet you and I love my wife Carrie she is the program chair of Christian Counseling and and uh I I give her honor today and of course I should say too yeah you just said so I'll just leave it to you you probably to say I was just going to say it's good to see Ariana too she was one of my students and hope to see you back someday good to see um Cammy and Gracie and your sister Emma there we are good to see y'all uh so good to be here today with y'all thank you for allowing us to join with your church family and worshiping the Lord um it's so amazing if you um go to England and want an audience with the queen there's really a lot that has to happen for for you to even be able to do that I mean first of all I don't think that most of us or any of us would even be allowed an audience with with the queen um and then you know if we were a famous movie star maybe and then we'd have to do certain things to actually be able to to go into the courts where she was um but that's an Earthly royalty or whatever um but the king of kings is in has I mean we didn't have to go to God's throne room we just showed up in in in amongst the people of God and he came down to to us and has dwelt among us today and we didn't have to have a name we didn't have to have a pedigree we didn't have to be called duke or Earl or you know whatever all we had to do was need him and he showed up and he's made his presence known and I I'm so thankful that he's here today in our midst I'm thankful that God makes the difference he certainly does in my life and I don't know we all come from different walks of life we all have different stories and different backgrounds and different places from where we've come today and really that doesn't matter because all of us need him and I certainly do if I hadn't been for the Lord I really don't believe I would be alive today and um there's a lot to to that story that I won't take the time to share but I do have a story just like all of you and I'm very thankful that God reached down and he pulled me out of my pit and he saved me and he gave me a purpose he gave me a reason to move forward and to do something for him and I'm so thankful that he saved me and I'm so thankful that he called me and that's what he's doing for you here today so if you have allowed or if the cares of Life have become overwhelming for you your in the right place because the anointing as we said is here and the Bible says that it's the anointing that breaks the Yoke and so he's here to make a difference for you today so I hope you believe me I hope you believe me because it's true thank I'm thankful I'm thankful would you stand with me I want to turn to the Book of Joshua chapter n Joshua chapter n and I'm going to read just three verses of scripture and then um Minister from a a thought that the Lord has been dealing with me about for the last couple weeks Joshua chapter 9 and reading in verse 12 this our bread Joshua 9 verse2 this our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you but now behold it is dry and it is moldy and these bottles of wine which we filled were new new and behold they be rent and these our garments and our shoes are become old by the reason of the very long journey verse 14 and the men took of their vitual or their provisions and they as not the counsel at the mouth of the Lord I want to speak on this thought when faith falters and prevails when faith falters and prevails God I pray that you help help me today God to convey what you have been dealing with me about and even in this service speaking to me God help me to convey it help me to get out of your way let you do what you want to do in this place and we give you the praise and the glory in Jesus name and everyone say amen amen you may be seated thank you for standing the the Bible declares that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the Earth Moses however he was not born with this humility Instead This humility was forged in Failure forged in a season that lasted years 40 years to be specific in the wilderness the the early portion of Moses's life the first 40 years you find that Moses was a man who had a lot of confidence he was raised in the Palace of pharaoh and because of that because he was that household he had access to things that um made him feel very confident he had access to education he was a very educated man he could write speak they say in multiple languages he had a position of of power being raised in Pharaoh's household he had wealth he had influence so when it came to Leading at that point in time it's not a surprise that Moses would rely on his education and his wealth his influence his abilities his skill set his talents it's not a surprise that he would rely on that and because of a passion that God had placed in his heart for his own people the Israelites there came a day at 40 years old that Moses saw an Egyptian and he was beating a uh Israelite and Moses stepped up and he he slew the Egyptian he he may have thought we don't know it doesn't say in the text but he may have thought that this act of defiance against this rulership of slavery that somehow in this act that something would happen and maybe the people would stand up against their Egyptian task MERS and it would result in freedom but instead it wasn't but a short time later that Moses was fleeing for his life and he he ended up in a desert and for 40 years in this desert or this Wilderness Moses um dayf after day week after week month after month he's tending to sheep during that time his his his identity is Stripped Away the the lifestyle that he once had is gone he he's now living a life of of what we would say hardship it's a life of struggle it's it's a lifestyle in which he now daily is dealing with harsh reality of life as opposed to living in Pharaoh's household his his selfreliance that he once leaned on is gone if if you and I are to ever fulfill what God has for us we are going to encounter A wilderness in which we lose our sense of selfreliance and now we understand that for us to accomplish and do and become everything that God has for our lives it requires God Reliance doesn't mean that we don't do things does it mean that we don't grow our skill sets does it mean that we don't have talents and abilities it does it does it mean that we don't serve it doesn't mean that we don't work it doesn't mean that we don't get up and make some things happen as in get up and get dressed and hat out the door and go fill out the job application that you need to fill out in order to get a better job it doesn't mean that we don't do those things but the fact is is that we will never Ascend to the place that God has for us when we rely on those things does it mean that we don't have talents and abilities and we put them to use does it mean that we don't play and we learn how to play and doesn't mean that we don't speak and learn how to speak doesn't mean that we don't write and learn how to write it just simply means that in all of these things that it's not those things that accomplish what God wants us to accomplish but rather it is our Reliance on him it's not self-reliance but it's God Reliance and so Moses during these 40 years it's all Stripped Away it's ripped away it's taken away and now Moses shows up at a burning bush and he hears a voice speak and the voice says that Moses I have calling you I want you to go and I want you to lead my people out of bondage and Moses at that point in time doesn't say I've been waiting for this moment because I am well prepared I have education I have abilities I have talents I have a plan I have been planning this for a long time instead Moses uh reply to this voice is who am I I I I don't have the ability I don't have the talent I don't have the knowhow I don't I don't have the skill set I I can't make this happen and the reply of the Lord wasn't Moses you are because the question was who am I instead the Lord's reply was I'll be everything you need me to be in other words it really is not about you it's not about you Moses I I'll I'll be with you I I will be your mouth I will teach you what to say and and Moses then says well God if you're not going to tell me who I am why don't you just tell me who you are and and God's reply in revealing his name was this I am that I am meaning that I'm going to be everything that you need me to be now I want to just pause for a moment and say that when God is in it God is taking you places that you don't have the ability when God is in it God gives you a dream that you cannot fulfill when God is in it God calls you to a purpose of something that is greater than you but God wants you to know that if he's the one who calls you the one who gives you the promise the one who gives you the dream God will be the one who fulfills it it's not dependent upon you it's not dependent upon your talents it's not dependent upon your abilities it's not dependent upon your knowhow not dependent upon your educ ation but rather he is the one now I'm going to let you all listen in today okay because I'm going to preach to myself and I've already have and I am preaching to myself right now I'll let y'all listen in if it fits then wear the shoe God God speaks and God places us places and there are challenges that we begin to face and there are things that we go through and we wonder how in the world am I going to get over this how am I going to get Beyond this how what what what are you doing God but if God is the one who does the calling then God is the one who will do the providing if God is the one who sets us up then God is the one who will take us through if God is the one who says you will Ascend I will place you here I will do this through you I will do this through you and if God is the one who says those things then God is the one who will bring it to pass my wife knows I have over the course of the last I don't know 12 13 14 15 months been challenged with some things that the Lord has spoken regarding my own life and my future and I look at my wife and many times I say how how is that possible I I I look at challenges and I think how in the world and and I've asked that questions so many times that I'm I'm getting tired of it myself and the Lord just keeps saying back to me over and over again if I'm the one who's setting it up then I'll be the one who'll make it happen you don't have to do anything you don't have to make it happen it's not about you it's about me I'm like God but I'm not qualified he's God's basically saying well who said that your qualifications is what was going to make it happen anyway you you're never going to be qualified you're never going to going to have enough ability never going to have enough talent to accomplish what I have set before you but I will be the one who works I'll be the one who does this not you and and so you you find that and this is so interesting to me that it's not long after this moment that you find Moses standing before for pharaoh and he says I come with a word from God let my people go and Pharaoh says no but God has enough power to bring pharaoh to his knees and a series of plagues 10 of them to be exact brings pharaoh to his knees and Pharaoh says not only you may go but get out of here and and the children of Israel end up at a Red Sea and check this out they go from this moment that God is doing miraculous plagues to deliver them out of Egypt to now standing before a red sea and saying what are we going to do we're going to die we would use the phrase they were between a rock and a hard place and Moses steps up and says stand still and see the Deliverance of the Lord and God says what are you doing telling the people to stand still God was saying I didn't tell you to tell the people to stand still God says don't tell the people to stand still tell the people to go forward they see an obstacle and the immediate reaction is well God's going to take care of it but the word of the Lord to Moses was I want you to go forward I'm talking about when your faith falters or your faith prevails faith without works is dead it's not enough for us to say stand still don't do anything got to take care of it Moses is trying to reassure the people that everything's going to be okay God's going to take care of it and God was like yeah everything is going to be okay but it's going to be okay when you do what I want you to do and I don't want you standing still right now I want you moving forward and so God what do we do to move forward when we got Pharaoh's Army coming up from behind and we got the Red Sea in front of us and God gives Moses instructions and the next thing you know Moses is using his rod and the water's part and the children of Israel walk across on dry land you would think that After experiencing the in plagues and freedom from Egypt and now the Red Sea Waters when their faith is beginning to falter a little bit God what are you doing what's going on now you would think that after this the the The Parting of the Red Sea Waters you would think that on the other side that the children of Israel will B gung-ho man let's move forward God's Got Us God's going to take care of all of it now we'll just do what he tells us to do it's all going to work out we're going to depend on him and everything is going to be okay except for the fact that they said we have nothing to eat there no there no food they cry out to God and God provides Mana they walk out the next morning there's Mana laying around everywhere it's bread they're picking it up and man this is great of course self- dependency said let's just take more than what we can eat today and they ended up in trouble for that one because all they're supposed to do is just what you need today did I just pause and say that the way that we live here in America and our plans and our way to put everything together we start putting things together looking at our future I'm not saying it's wrong but I'm just saying that it starts affecting our walk with God to the point that we start planning for a future when God said I'll be your provider every day I'll take care of you every day when when the widow woman came to the prophet and he says bake me or the prophet went to her and he said bake me a cake and she said all I've got left is just a little bit of flour a little bit of oil and he says well my son and I are going to eat it we're going to die he says no bake it for me and and everything will be fine and she did when she went back to the barrel there was enough there to sustain her the next day I don't think check this out I don't think that that Barrel was full of flour and there is a full of oil I think that every day that she went back to the barrel there was enough for that day sometimes we think that the miracle is that someone's got to give us a check for a million dollars it could be that God's miracle for you is that I got enough to get me through today I got enough to get me through today next day I got enough to get me through today next day I got enough to get me through today and and so God provides Mana the next thing you know they're crying out because they're thirsty we need water God provides water and then they come to the promised land the border and Moses sends in 12 Spies they come back with a report and 10 of them say there are great cities with great walls and great Giants we're not able true you're not you wern't able to get out of Egypt you weren able to get across the Red Sea Waters you weren able to provide Mana from Heaven you weren't able to provide water from a rock you you you were not able but God is the one who sustained you over and over again God is the one who's provided for you over and over again and here you are right now able to walk into the promised land that God has promised you and has given you but instead of you following being obedient listening to God moving forward in it now all of a sudden you're ready to throw in the towel because you can't make it happen it's never been about you it's never been about your self-sufficiency it's always been about him why are you faltering now and because of that doubt the children of Israel spent 40 years wandering around in a Wilderness and this is what I was Mak a point about a minute ago when I said it's so interesting and that was my all of that has been my sentence since that moment it's so interesting that Moses spends 40 years in the wilderness nness having his self- dependency stripped away from him so that he could walk in dependency on God and with God and now he's got to walk another 40 years with a people who has to learn the same lesson that he just learned over 40 years there's some of you here right now that have been wandering around in your life unable to step into what God really has for you because of your doubt and your struggle with faith and there's some of you who have been ready to move over a long time ago but you're kind of held back right now because your spouse is not there with his faith my wife years ago go walked into the kitchen and I had a table there in the kitchen and I had all the bills spread on the table and she said what are you doing I said I'm trying to figure all this out we were in a transition we had just lost all total close to $100,000 uh a year and salary and it was all gone and now we were we had nothing we didn't know what we were going to do and I'm trying to look at all the bills trying to figure it out and and everything that we had planned it fell apart nothing would move forward and we didn't know what we're going to do and she looked at me she said I'll tell you what to do do she said have faith in God we sing it have faith in God have faith in God except for when you're looking at the bills I'm looking at all of it and I it made me mad I'm like what she doing telling me to have faith in God someone's got to pay these bills someone's got to call the Creditor someone's got to make sure that the electric stays on and and and and I replied back very very intelligent reply I replied back yeah right Faith does not deny reality it tick me off and Carrie give me stand up and give everybody the look you gave me come on stand up and give everybody the look just think about it right now give everybody think about it that right there does not not mean I agree with you that right there means I have something to say but I'm not going to say it right now and it is the next morning that I awaken from my sleep and she's sitting at the foot of the bed and she's got her finger pointing at me and she says you hold on to your reality I'm going to hold on to faith in God I want to tell somebody here this morning that you can hold on to your reality or you can hold on to faith in God you hold on to your reality it's going to falter your faith in your ability your talent your skill set all that it's not going to get you where God wants to take you instead you got to have faith in God Amen someone say yes say Amen say hallelujah and and and and so you would think you would think Pastor that after all these years 40 years we moved on Beyond now we past when they should have entered in now it's 40 years later they've got Mena every single day water flowing from a rock that followed him around every single day their shoes have not worn out it's like they're brand new 40 years their garments have not worn out 40 Years of God providing over and over and over and over again you would think we got the lesson we're not going to depend on oursel we're going to depend on God and sure enough Moses is fading off the scene and he goes and commissions Joshua and he says to Joshua that I want you to be strong be courageous do not turn to the left do not turn to the right listen to what God tells you to do and everything is going to be okay and the next thing you know Moses is off the scene and the Lord is reminding Joshua the same thing and he hear it over and over again be strong and courageous it happens many many times be strong and courageous and the next thing you know Joshua is standing before the Jordan River and the Jordan River is flooded and Joshua does not depend on self instead Joshua goes to the Lord and says what do we do and God says to Joshua I want you to do what you did before take Moses's Rod lift it up and the water is going to part you're going to walk across dry land no that's not what happened it was different this time God says I want you to get the priest and I want you guys step out into the flooded Waters everybody else in Israel all some three million plus people walked across on Dy land that day but the priest they stepped out into flooded Waters of the Jordan River God's going to take some of you through some experiences that others are not going to experience because God wants you to be the one who steps out you're you're going to walk in places where it seems like it's a little muddy you you're going to walk in places where there's more challenges than others are going to walk in but you're going to have experiences that others are not going to have they're just going to experience walking across dry land but you on the other hand are going to have the experience of stepping right out smack into the middle of the flooded Waters of the Jordan River and Watching God partk those Waters while you're standing there some of you are wonder I I don't that's not how it happened before before they was all it was all dry but but no this is not before this is a little different some of you are thinking well man you know I'd rather be back in the crowds that way I can make sure that everything's okay let some others go in front of me make sure everything's good before I step out there but no God may very well be calling you to step out into some places that no one has stepped into before and and they they cross over and and the next thing you know you got a battle with Jericho and and you would think that after the 10 plagues and you you would think that after The Parting of the Red Sea Waters you would think that after the lesson of the Mana and the water and and the watering for 40 years you you would think after uh crossing over the Jordan River you would think that you know they're going to depend on God and sure enough they do it's good they they go to to God and say God what what how what do we want to do this the Jericho it's a big city the the walls are are great and what are we going to do and God begins to speak and God says I'll tell you what to do he said I want you to walk around that City for seven days trumpets are going to blow but you're to be quiet and every day you just walk and they're pulling the trumpets and you don't say anything but on the seventh day on that seventh time around this day you're going to walk seven times not one time but you going to walk seven times around and on that seventh day on that seventh time around when they begin to blow those trumpets I want you to give up a shout and they did and the walls came down they depended on God and God gave them great Victory you would think think that after after the 10 plages after the Red Sea Waters after the lesson of learning that God is going to provide the Mana God's going to provide the water 40 Years of that you would think that after learning all these lessons of dependency on God and the crossing of the Jordan River and the Battle of Jericho everything is going to be great but the very next thing you see is that they come up against a little little town nothing big nothing great in fact we don't even send all the Army over there we'll just send a portion of them it's going to be very easy it's the Battle of AI and they go against the city of AI Kingdom of AI and the next thing you know they're running for their lives and the Israelites lose 36 men and Joshua goes out and Joshua begins to cry out to God God I don't understand I don't understand what's going on here why why why why did this happen and God begins to speak to Joshua that there's a problem there's sin in the camp and through a series of having different tribes and stand up and and come forth and then one after another they finally figured out an achen has taken of silver and gold from the Battle of Jericho that God says do not take and he's hidden under his tent and so they they they take care of the issue they they deal with it correctly according to the process that God had put in place and then Joshua gets the word for from God saying now go against AI not only that but you can keep the silver and gold what what achen had taken out of the Jericho because God said don't take it had cost him his life and his family's life now God says I'll give it to you meaning that there are some things that we try to take a hold of because we think we're going to preserve our future we're going to take care of our future and God say no I don't want you to do that I want you to trust me but later on God says I'll give it to you now now there are some of you that God has required you to give some things up but God's getting ready to give it back to you right now Hallelujah my God I I know this sounds crazy I know this sounds crazy but every now and then I just feel prompt and I feel like I got to tell it because I just want it to be on record but the Lord told me many many years ago I was at a conference and a prophet walked up to me and looked at me he said you will be wealthy one day I didn't even know the guy I ain't made one decision in my life that would move me towards wealth I wanted to be attorney God said be a preacher I said okay I would made a whole lot of money being an attorney than being a preacher God says go to Texas Bible College I'm like are you serious I'm going have to take a huge pay cut to go to Texas Bible College and I did and then my wife had to give up her job and she did I i' I've done this over and over again elected to a church but yet I went on staff at a church make half of what I would have made if I had become the pastor of that church didn't went a whole lot but I made half of that I've done this over and over again someone someone walks up to me and says you're going to be wealthy one day I'm like yeah whatever I start a nonprofit and a man calls me up and he gives me about $25,000 two different gifts calls me up and he says um how much money do you need to l launch your nonprofit the way you want to launch it I said I'm not going to give you a number amount he says blanky blank blank starts cussing me out he says I want a number he's a businessman he's retired we become friends I said I call my name I said I'm not going to give you a number if you feel led that you do something calls me back a few days later and he says I've got my account ready he said I've got $2 million in shares said I'm trying to figure out how to get over your account I call his accountant up it was out in in Maryland goes to non-denominational church I had fish with him one time I called him up I said I know you have to hold certain information confidential I said but I just need to know is this guy crazy he said no he's not crazy he said he said uh i' I've I've got it figured out he said and he tell me EXA it was going to be all 2 million he just said I've got 2 million shares and and and so I'm I I'm calling a couple days later to his wife I've never met his wife and I'm calling her and I said I need to introduce myself my name is Eugene Wilson I'm telling the story and she said we give she goes in fact last year we gave a family $220,000 to buy a new house she said we'd love to give and she said but right now he's having a bipolar episode and I said but I will not take a dime from him I connected him with missionaries because he wanted to do something orphanage he's given a lot of money I don't know the exact amount I would estimate two to $300,000 to missionaries in orphanage I've never seen another dime but I was riding down the road and stopped at a little car wash out in front of a car wash a few years back and called a friend up and or he had called me actually and he's a missionary over in Asian calls me up and we're talking and I just said to him I think I'm close to making about 200,000 a year and this was between myself and other things I was doing and my wife's pay and and I said and after living in a church I lived in a church for years and after doing this and that the sacrifice I said it's going to take a while to get retirement and build back things that we need to build back and I'm just saying on that and he just stops me and says brother Wilson the Holy Ghost just spoke to me he said that will be your tithe I'm like that's crazy I ain't never in my life tith 200,000 means two million I don't even connect it to the other story that happened years before decade or so before I don't even connect it about five or six weeks later I'm talking to another Minister and I made the same statement I feel like I'm about 200 about about ready to make about 200,000 a year and he says uh brother Wilson the Holy Ghost just spoke to me that'll be your tithe and I'm going like man this something was crazy a year year ago January that man calls me up because you remember about five years ago where we were having a conversation at your house we were up in the loft of your house and he said uh there's a little family room up there and he said we were up there and we're talking and and you said that you felt like you were about ready to make 200,000 I said that would be your title do you remember that I said yes he said I was praying for you today he said and I saw that same scene he said but this time you were telling me how it happened he go I know you don't live there anymore he said ' but you were telling me how it happened he said brother Wilson as a testimony that God is true to his word he said God is getting ready to shift some money through your hands and he said it won't be two years it won't be two months in fact the next couple weeks he said you're going to have some money shipped through your hands he said because God trusts you and what you're going to do with it would you know two weeks later I receive a phone call and the person on the other line said someone wants to give $800,000 what do you think about us spending that money and taking care of such and such and I make this statement yeah thumbs up I'm good with it I'm not tying all of it together and all of a sudden it begins to dawn on me that I will shift some money through your hands didn't even realize what role I had in that until later that my voice being a part of that it mattered and all of a sudden God took care of it today I have $2 million in my bank account my wife's laughing she knows it's not true I don't have $2 million I don't even know what all that means I've never made a decision for that I'm not chasing after that right now but I can tell you just a few weeks ago I was out west in Washington in a town check this out a town of 75 people there's one Church in this town the only way to get to the town is by a boat or by an airplane I took the boat an hour and a half nestled between mountains a river flowing out that enters into a lake the the third deepest lake in America I come up in the little town 75 people I preached to a Congregation of 35 people afterwards walked outside and the pastor's wife at the close of the service was making some announcements and said and could I just say this I think that we need to pray for the Wilsons they're getting ready to buy a house and they prayed I walk outside and a man in that church who's got a little business in this town of 75 people walks up to me and puts something in my hand and I look at it later and there was a check for $10,000 I tell the stories not that I'm trying to be something special I tell the stories to tell you that when God says something to you you can mark it down you can depend on God and God will come through and if it takes 10 years 20 years 30 years for God to bring it to pass you just hang on got to send you little signs and little words here and there to remind you that what he spoke to you he's going to fulfill and I feel that here today I feel that here today I feel the Holy Ghost here today I believe that God is wanting to speak to some people in this place to remind you what he's already told you is going to happen what he's already said is going to come to pass the promise that God has already given it is going to happen and in the midst of your journey as you walk like the children of Israel and you have those moments that I've got faith in God and you got those moments that God we're in the world are you whatever I'm going to do and you you you experience these moments of your faith it begins to seem to falter and and other moments that your faith prevails I just want to encourage you here today you just stay with it you just keep on following God you depend on him you don't depend on yourself God will bring it to pass you just stay in alignment with him I'm not going to be much longer I I I I I I know that I'm not preaching preaching I I could yell and scream and and and and I could I could do all that and I would lose my voice here in a little bit and and I'd get all sweaty and and man we'd all feel like man he he preached I just don't want to do that today I just want to stand here and do what I'm doing right now I'm just I just want to share I want to impart with you to you some things I believe that God wants you to hear today so so a can he loses it all he loses his W his his life he he loses his wife's life he loses the lives of his kids he loses it all for silver and gold for some possessions that would sustain him he didn't realize that it wasn't in the silver and the gold it was in God and following his word following his directives and only to see that just a short time later that God tells the children keep it it's it's about a lesson that we all need to learn and that is that it's not about self-reliance it's about God Reliance it's not self- dependency it's about God dependency and you would think after the 10 ples after the Red Sea after the Mana from the sky for 40 years and the water from the rock for 40 years and you would think that after the crossing of the the the Jordan River and you would think that after the Battle of Jericho and you would think that after the lesson with AI and and and and God gives them victory in this little town you would think that after all of that that somehow they would have the lesson down 40 years I'm I'm speaking again to myself right now I'm preaching to myself y'all can listen in you you would think that after all that God has done God called me when I was 17 years old started to call when I was 15 it was 17 and I finally got got it filled out my application for Bible College I said God has called me to preach that's how I told my dad was my pastor I left the application on his desk and went out of town for two weeks 17 years old and I went to Bible College then 40 years I'm 57 now for a couple days 58 on Tuesday 40 years 40 years went to Bible College came home and I assisted my dad work construction for several years got married taught Bible studies preached on Sunday did everything I could to help felt called to go Pastor left when I was 29 two months before turning 30 moved into a church short time later lived in the church for several years as I helped the church make it snowed and try to move things forward and then moved to Memphis because God called me to Memphis never wanted to leave where I was at I loved I wanted to spend all my life there but God called me to Memphis and I went through a time in Memphis where God told me to wait and my waiting I went back to school and I got my my masters and my doctorate and I accelerated towards a future that I never knew that God had for me in my season of waiting and and wrote a book and it was published in 2013 it was my first book and it became required reading for lure with the United Pentecostal church and it's translated in multiple languages and then I I wrote 70 and it's now required reading for your ordinations and it's translated in multiple languages and and and then all of a sudden God called me to leave and and then we go through this season of how are we going to handle everything and that's when I had all the bills out on the table and God how you going to take care of all this I I'll take care of it God and no I don't I don't want you to rely on yourself I want you to rely on me and I and I learned I learned the lesson babe I learned it you you you were ahead of me you were walking in the water I wanted to walk across some dry land but but I but I learned it and I moved forward and I trusted God and and and you would think after 40 years that I would get it I got this I got it down all of a sudden people come along start speaking to me this is your future this is what you'll do this is where you'll be this is what's going to happen and I look at my future and since last August I've been saying there ain't no way in the world I don't have the talent skill set abilities can't do that I look at challenges that I face I think how in the world am I going to get through this what are we going to do now oh yeah I find those moments that Faith prevails and I find those moments where it seems like my faith is faltering 40 years you think I'd have it down dependency on God or dependency on self you think that they would have it they got the lesson they learn and here come the gibeonites look when we left home our shoes were nice they were new but man they're they're worn out at our clothes when we left they were new but now they're they're tattered look at our bottles for our wine when we left home they were they were they were new but now they're they're cracked and they're the wine is seeping through and look at our bread we have home it was fresh but now it's it's moldy and the leaders look and they go yeah they examine the provisions yeah in Joshua 9:14 we read it they took no counsel with the Lord they didn't inquire of the Lord they didn't ask the Lord they just did like they had done before back in AI they never talked to the Lord they never inquired of the Lord they just made a decision and they made a decision they're signing the treaty only to find out that the ganit are live right next door they make a pack with the Enemy and the enemy now comes to them and says there are armies coming against us there were five kings that got together and they came against unites and because of our treaty you need to defend us and because they sought not the counsel of the Lord now they're spending resources and time and it becomes a distraction and they're they're caught up in things that they never should be CAU up in because they sought not the counsel of the Lord so here we are here we are we walk this journey and God's constantly trying to tell us it's about dependency on me does it mean you don't use your weapons does it mean that you don't sing it doesn't mean you don't shout does it mean that you don't walk does it mean that you doesn't mean that it just simply means that it's not about self dependency but rather God dependency so this past week sitting in the house I'm studying I've been I've been I read the entire Book of Joshua the last couple weeks I just been devouring I'm just digging and digging and digging God's leading me down this road and all of a sudden I made the statement oh oh and my wife says what are you doing and I say man the Lord just spoke to me this is what I wrote and I conclude where self reliance ends and God dependency begins that will be be the foundation of your success where self-reliance ends and God dependency begins that will be the foundation of your success where selfreliance ends and God dependency begins that will be the foundation of your success this is a journey I've been on a year and a half ago I'm standing in the altar it's a Sunday night service in ktie I'm over on this side and there it's during worship service and the Lord spoke to me very clearly and he said do you know why you are where you're at right now and I knew what he meant why you are speaking you're traveling you're writing you president at the school why why you're doing all these things you you know why you're where you're at right now and before I could answer he said do you think it's because of your education and I said no he said do you think it's because of your skill set no you think it's your personality no you think it's your talent no do you think it's and he just the list just kept going I kept saying no no no no and then God said to me are do you understand you are where you're at right now because my hand is on your life and he said that I said yes I understand that and then the Lord asked me a question he says so why is it then that you depend upon on your education and you depend upon your knowhow and you depend on your talents and you depend on your abilities and you depend and he went down the whole list of things he said why did you depend all those and this is what he said to me he said you can do that and you will have success he said but you will never go where I want you to go do what I want you to do become who I want you to be and obtain the success that I want you to have unless you depend on me I'm speaking to people in this place we are successful you got jobs retirement you got a family you got things together some of your younger ones you're learning new skill sets you're honing those skill sets you're growing in those areas you got it it's all good but you'll never never go where God wants you to go become what God wants you to be accomplish what God wants you to accomplish when you depend on you instead you got to depend on him what is God telling you is God wanting you to go teach a Bible study and you're saying I don't have the ability to teach that Bible study is God wanting you to go knock on the door across the street and introduce yourself and get to know somebody and build a relation ship and you're saying well God that's not my personality I'm a little scared over that what is God telling you right now what is God challenging you to do that seems to be outside of your comfort zone are you going to continue to rely on yourself your abilities or lack of abilities your talent or lack of talent your knowhow or lack of knowhow or are you going to start walking in the holy ghost following God Allowing God to direct your path when you wake up in the morning are you just going to get up with your checklist cuz some of you got one I know what it's like you get your checklist you know exactly what I'm going to do today are you going to get up and just go about your day just checking things off your checklist or are you going to inquire of the Lord God what do you have for me today I got a checklist but God if you want to mess that all up I'm not going to be upset because you disrupted my schedule instead I'm going to get in alignment with whatever it is that you're wanting out of me today is it a phone call that I need to make is it a conversation I need to have is it just the fact that I need to get on my knees and spend some time in prayer today for someone that you you've laid on my heart is that what you're calling me to do today what is it that God is telling you to do because whatever it is I'm telling you here today that if you will follow him be in alignment with him God's going to do something wonderful through you this city has yet to see what this church is getting ready to do I believe it with it I believe it I believe it this city has yet to see what God is getting ready to do through this church and people in this place when we get out of the way and let God do what God wants to do through us would you stand with me right now Throw Your Hands to Heaven I know I've taken a long time here today just throw your hands to Heaven I want you to tell the Lord God right now God I am solely dependent upon you I'll never become what I could become outside of you I can never do what you have called me to do outside of you God I can't do it it's not my abilities it's not my talent it's not my knowhow God it's you it's you it's you I'm dependent on on [Music] you I'm I'm going to be really really bold I'm going to be bold and I'm going to be blunt and I'm not I'm not trying to be offensive in what I'm going to say Say by any measure I I feel this so strong in my spirit right now and I'm just going to I'm going to follow the lord in what I feel right now I I understand I understand I I was in a church service the other night I was so exhausted that I I couldn't hardly even concentrate I mean I hadn't had much sleep and it it was difficult I walked out of there and I I didn't really connect I understand I I don't mean anything bad about that and saying that but there are people in this place here today I really believe this that this is a defining moment for some of you and what God wants to do through you and this church I feel that's so strong and it's not going to be everybody in here and I know that some of us are hungry ready to go eat I I get it I know it's late I'm sure it's later than your normal time of getting out I understand all that I'm not trying to berate something I'm not just I'm I I feel what you were saying earlier I'm not trying to make something I don't I'm not trying to do that at all and again because I preach to me it may just be me it may not even it may not anybody else in here I feel like it's more than that but but I think it would just be really good right now for us just spend some time in in making a commitment God I really am going to lean on you I am really going to listen to your voice I really am and so all across this house you may want to kneel where you're at you may walk down the front I know this is not like ending on a high we're not shouting but I think this is just a moment right now that we need to make sure that we we tell the Lord before we walk out of here God the struggle I've been facing I really am dependent on you God that answer that I've been looking for God you may give it to me today you may give it to me on down the road but God I'm going to be dependent on you I'm not looking elsewhere I'm not not not I'm not I am dependent on you God I'm going to do everything I can to develop my talents and abilities I I I'm going to do everything that I can to God that when you say pick up the sword when you say walk when you say God I'm going to do everything I can to be prepared for it but God I'm going to be waiting on you I'm going to be listening to your voice would you make that commitment here today if you just stand down in this altar if you'd like to come to the Altar and lift your hands and voices that is perfect if you'd like to KNE where you're at whatever you feel let it do I want you to make that moment of commitment here today God I'm going to follow you you I'm going to listen to your voice in the name of [Music] Jesus answer I saw the Lord and he heard and he answer i s the Lord and he heard and he answer that's why I trust you that's why I trust him I sought the Lord and he heard and he answer I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust him i s the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answer I S the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust him I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust in God my savior the one who will never fa he will never fail I trust in God my you're the one who will [Music] never he will never [Music] fail i s the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answer I S the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust him I S the Lord and he heard and he answered I thought the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust in God my savior the one you will never fail you will never [Music] fail I trust in God my savior the one who will never he will never fail [Music] i s the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust him I S the Lord and he heard and he answer I S the Lord and he heard and he answered I s the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust in God my savior the one who will never [Music] fail he will never fail I trust in God by save you're the one who will [Music] never he will never fail I trust in God my savior the one who will never fail he will never [Music] fail i s the Lord and He Hur and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I trust him I S the Lord and he heard and he answered i s the Lord and he heard and he answer I S the Lord and he heard and he answer that's why I trust that's why I trust in God my you're the one who will never fa you will never fail I trust in God my savior the one who will never fail he will never fail I trust in God my savior the one the one who will never [Music] you will never [Music] fa I trust in myi the one you will never [Music] fa never fa i s the Lord and he heard and he answer I S the Lord and he heard and he answer I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered that's why I trust him that's why I would you stand right now and just for the next moment would you just lift up your hands to heaven right now and just thank God for what we have felt in this place today Lord I Thank you thank you Jesus I trust in you I thank you God for the voice of the Lord the word of the Lord that's been spoken to our spirit today I will seek after you God I will be obedient oh God I will trust you oh God hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah I'm going to say today without any reservation all of us have received something from the word of the Lord today I'll just give you a little tidbit the Lord answered one of my prayers today my favorite scripture in probably the entire Bible that I say to myself on a regular basis is Proverbs 3 and5 trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding but in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He Shall direct thy paths I went to the Lord the other day and I said Lord this is my favorite verse I quote it more sometimes just out of wrot Learning Without truly doing what it says but you know what today God spoken into my spirit and giv me something that I'm going to hold on to I'm I believe God is speaking into every one of our lives and there are times one of the things that he I thought he was going to hit but there are times that we we feel like that our faith is so depleted how can I ever get up from here but today I want you to be encouraged God doesn't look at your failures God looks at your potential that's why Israel succeeded God wants you to succeed let's just make up our mind I'm going to follow I'm going to follow God regardless of what anything happens would you lift your hands in dismissal right now would you just lift your hands and just thank God for everything that we have felt in this place today Father we love you thank you for your divine presence thank you for your power that we have felt in this place God I thank you Lord I want this to be embedded in my emotions and in my spirit God let the principles of what has been preached into our hearts today by Brother Wilson God lord don't let it just be something that tickles our ears today but God let it be ingrained in our memories oh God for years to come Lord to remind us God that when our faith falters that there is a prevailing power that's able to S succeed through all of the circumstances I will trust in you I will trust in you I will depend on you hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah somebody leave here today with that confidence of knowing I'm going to trust in the Lord amen may the Lord bless you today I want you to greet somebody that today as you're leaving let them know you're glad to see them pray for them and remind remember those that are not able to be here today today may the Lord bless you I love you you're dismissed in the fear of the Lord e e