Part 3: The Season Of Open Doors 

Posted on September 20, 2024 by growintheword

 

Synopsis of Sermon 9/15/24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III 


Revelation 3:8 
“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

I.         INTRODUCTION

  1. One of things that God values is Faithfulness is our unwavering commitment and trust to God.
  2. We have obedience to his word even in the midst of changing times. Faithfulness comes by faith, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God. Obedience to God’s word produces
  3. The more you trust God, the more God can trust you with.
  4. This is about a season of open doors. God is ushering you into a season of open doors. God has taken note of your faithfulness and is about to open doors on your behalf.
  5. Revelation is an apocalyptic book written by the apostle John. Most of the leaders of the early church were executed. John, on the other hand, was exiled to the island of Patmos.
  6. John began to write to the churches. The church of Philadelphia was a small church. When he writes Philadelphia, there is no condemnation in the letter. Unlike his letters to some of the other churches, John’s letter to Philadelphia was all positive.
  7. There were Jews and Messianic Jews. The regular Jews struggled with Jesus being the real son of God. The messianic Jews believed God was the Christ, the son of the living God. This caused them to have problems with Rome. They were prohibited from coming into the synagogue because of this belief, but God opened doors for them anyhow.
  8. Despite all the opposition, they didn’t stop declaring His name. Living in a culture where they really didn’t want you to praise the name of the Lord, they praised the name of the Lord anyway. God reminded them that God sees your work.

II.         THE RECOGNITION OF YOUR WORK

  • Areas where they were showed faith:
    • Faithfulness despite limited strength.
    • Obedience to God’s word.
    • Perseverance and endurance.
    • Seizing evangelistic opportunities
  • When you are truly excited about Jesus, you should share with others.
  • Why should we make sure our work is done right? It’s because:

A.  Your Ministry Matters 

  1. All ministry matters no matter how big or how small. Remember the scripture that talks about all the members of the body being important?
  2. When you do ministry, it produces fruit. We are trying to get you out of fixing to do it and move you into actually doing something.

B.  Your Fruit Gets God’s Attention 

  1. God will hold us accountable for what he places in our hands. Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV says “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’- Whatever God gives to you, it should be better when He comes back for it.
  2. If God gives you money, you should multiply it. In other words, you should always end up with more than the Lord gave you.
  3. We must be fruitful with the talents he has blessed us with. Gen 1:28 NKJV says, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
  4. God is going to assess everything that He put into your hands. God will hold you accountable for what He put you over. We want to hear Him say “Well done our good and faithful servant”
  5. It is your outcome that gets God’s attention, not your income.
  6. Fruit doesn’t lie. People don’t have to like you, but they can’t refuse seeing your fruit.
    1. John 15:8 NKJV says “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”- God is glorified when you produce fruit. What did you do with the gift God put inside you? We must live full and die empty.
  7. Produce without excuse. God said he knew their works. This was the works of the church of Philadelphia.

III.         THE REPOSITIONING TO A NEW THING

  • Once you are fruitful, God will reposition you for something new and fresh
  • God will arrange things to put you into position to be blessed.
    • Even doors have evolved over time.
      • Remember the wooden doors that used to be hard to open? What about revolving doors?
      • Then there’s the sliding door.
      • And what about the revolving door, where only one person can go in at a time? This door takes a little time to get through, but it is part of a process for crowd control.
      • Then you have the electric door. You can open it from your app on your phone.
      • You even have the touch-less AI door. You don’t have to touch it at all. All you have to do is be in position.

A.   Your Next Blessing Is Closer Than It Has Ever Been 

  1. The reason things have been rough in your life is because you are close. Your blessing is closer than it’s been!
  2. Your open door is about:
    1. God’s providence
    2. Proximity
    3. It’s personal

B.   The Enemy Can’t Close What He Does Not Control 

  1. When God opens a door, no devil in hell can close it!
  2. All parts of the door are important. You can go without a lock, or maybe even a doorknob, but you can’t have a door without a hinge.
  3. It is important for us to stay hinged. When we become unhinged, like the door, we are not able to operate the way we are supposed to.
  4. How do we end up unhinged?
    1. Prayer – Without prayer, we lose our ability to be poured back into. You can’t minister empty.
    2. Obedience – We have to follow God’s plan.
    3. Trust – We have to trust that no matter what it looks like, God has everything under control.
  5. Just ask the Lord to keep you hinged.
  6. People will try to shut you out. If a door closes on you, it just means that this wasn’t your blessing. When God opens and closes the door, He is working on your behalf. Man will manipulate doors that they open for you.
  7. Remember the church at Philadelphia was small, but they were strong in their faith.

IV.         THE REALITY OF YOUR WEAKNESS

  • Faith comes with a cost. Faith can be draining.
  • It is not unusual to show up on “E”.

A.  God Knows When You’re On “E” 

  1. God will give you what you need.

B.  You Can’t Pour Out Without Being Poured Into 

  1. We go to church, like you charge up your iPhone. We plug into a power source to recharge our phone and in like manner, we go to church as a source to get recharged.
  2. Moses went to Mt Sinai to get poured into. Jesus went to the Garden and even up on the mountain to pray. He needed recharging.
  3. Airplane personnel will tell you to put your oxygen mask on first, before helping someone else put theirs on. You can’t help anyone if something happens to you, so you have to take care of yourself, before you are able to help anyone else.
  4. Everyone is going to come to the end of their rope, where they need God’s help.
  5. People think you do what you do in your strength, but it’s really the strength of God. Somebody else couldn’t do all that you do, because God anointed you to be able to do what you physically could not do.

V.         THE RESILIENCE OF YOUR WITNESS

  • It’s what he gives us that allows us to remain resilient. Though the church of Philadelphia had little strength, he allowed them to

A.  Keep Standing On His Promises 

  1. The Bible has 7000 promises in it. Here are a few
  2. Promises:
    1. Promise of Provisions – Phil 4:19 says “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
    2. Promise of Peace – Isaiah 26:3 NKJV says “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”
    3. Promise of Strength – II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV says “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
  3. Faithfulness is tied to faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The word of God will last forever!
  4. God’s Word is like a meat pizza. We want a lot of meat on it. When it comes to God’s word, I want extra toppings!

 

 

B.  Keep Lifting His Name 

  1. God told Abram that He was going to make his name great. We always want a title, but God didn’t say He was going to make your title great. He said he was going to make your name great!
    1. Revelation 3:5 NKJV says “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” – Lord let my name be in your book!
  2. The Bible says that the church of Philadelphia, didn’t forsake His name.
    1. Remember it was Rome that killed Jesus, and the traditional Jews didn’t see Jesus as the son of God. It was the Messianic Jews that believed that Jesus was the son of God.
  3. Can God trust you if he blesses you?
    1. The attributes of his name. – God’s name encompasses everything we need.
    2. The authority of his name. – God has authority over the demons in our home.
    3. The awareness of his name – His name is the reason I have what I have. He is the reason we are where we are in life.
  4. Story:
    1. When Frankie Beverly came to Nashville to give a concert, Bishop didn’t have a ticket, so he called him. Frankie told him that he would take care of him. He told him to go to a certain door when he got there.
    2. When Bishop and his wife got to the venue, they saw this massive line. They decided to do as Frankie said and go to the certain door that Frankie told him about.
    3. When he got there, they asked for Bishop’s name. Bishop told him and they let him in, because his name was on the list. Bishop didn’t have to worry about a ticket or the line, because someone had prepared a door for him to go through. God does the same for us. It doesn’t matter what your situation looks like. God has prepared a door just for you. God will open doors for you!!
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Posted on September 13, 2024 by growintheword

Part 2: Keep Knocking On The Door 

Synopsis of 09/08/24 Sermon

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III 

Matthew 7:7-8 
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

I.          INTRODUCTION

  1. One thing essential to a Christian Life is faith and pray. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV says 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
  2. When faith is present, we have to have the determination to believe God will deliver what we pray for. It demonstrates our position to keep knocking until the door is open.
  3. This word today is about prayer, faith, persistence. Keep praying until the door opens. Just because it takes a while, doesn’t mean God won’t come.
    1. This deals with seeking and knocking.
  4. This text was written by Matthew referred to as Levi was a Tax Collector and Tax collectors weren’t normally liked. They were somewhat considered corrupt.
  5. Jesus passed by Levi’s booth and asked him to follow Him. Levi dropped everything to follow him.
  6. Jesus was showing us how to take the outcast and bring them into leadership. No matter where you are in life, God has the power to change you.
  7. Matthew writes under the backdrop of hospitality. God is not one to leave you in the cold. God will make what you requested available.
  8. Matthew 5,6, & 7 are a group of teachings that take place on the mount, hence the sermon on the mount. After chapter 4, he brings the disciples together and teaches them things that they needed in order to minister.
  9. Chapter 5 is called the Beatitudes, because we have to focus on who we are, before we go out and do ministry. We must be who called us to be, before we do to what He told us to do.
    1. We have to ask God to help us be better, before we do better.
  10. Back in this day and time, they would teach from the Torah. They felt the the Torah was an ongoing journey of teachings.
  11. Jesus says here, “If you ask it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door would be open”.
  12. It starts like this:

II.          PRAY HIS PROMISE

  • You can’t just ask God for anything, and he do it for you. It is about alignment and

A.  Believe What His Word Says

  1. When I pray, my prayer is rooted in faith. I know by faith, when I pray, it will be available to me. I don’t have to see it first.
  2. When I pray God’s word, that means that I know His word.
  3. When I pray, I know:
    1. I have access to it.
    2. This also means that I know God can perform it.
    3. This means I can ask without apology.
  4. Praying is like having an app to a restaurant. When you download the app, you can order in the app, even though you are not at the restaurant. When you download the Word into your life, you know you have access to it. You don’t have to be in a particular location to receive it.

B.  Declare His Word Back To Him In Prayer

  1. Because God’s word is in alignment with His will, I can ask for what’s on the menu. Therefore, I can’t pray for anything that is outside His will
    1. You can ask for ribs at chick filet, but you won’t get it, because you can only order what’s on the menu. In like manner, you can only pray for what’s on the menu. The 66 books in the bible is the menu. What you pray for must be on the menu.
    2. If the menu is in you, you can declare it, and when you get where you’re going, God will already have your blessing prepared for you.
  2. Ask what God’s word is. If you don’t know what God’s word is, then you don’t know what to pray for.
  3. Always seek God’s will for your life.

III.          PURSUE HIS PLAN

  • When pursuing God’s plan, we have to ask, “Is this the door you want me to go through?” or “Is this the lane that you want for me?”
  • Just because it looks good on paper, doesn’t mean it’s God’s will for you.

A.  Ask God To Reveal His Plans

  1. Jeremiah 29:11NKJV says 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
  2. Three ways God reveals his plans
  3. By Scripture – Psalm 119:105 NKJV says 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
  4. The Holy Spirit – John 16:13 NKJV says 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. – The Holy Spirit is intelligent. He is your sixth sense. He tries to lead you and guide you.
  5. Circumstances – Romans 8:28 NKJV says 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His – God will use life events. You know that it was a lesson in it and a blessing in it.
  6. It is not about how big the opportunity is. It is about what is up the road. He knows our end before our beginning. Make sure it is His will for your life before you do it.
  7. God never gives us something for our right now. It’s for our not yet.

B.  Align Your Plans With His

  1. Whatever your plans are, they must submit to God’s plans. Sometimes you will have plans, and God will disrupt them.
  2. You have to come to a place where it is about God’s will and not your own.
  3. It is about:
    1. Focus – Colossians 3:2 NKJV says 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. – What you are focusing on my not be God’s will for your life right now.
    2. Faith – Hebrews 11:6 NKJV says 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Even if I don’t see his hands, I still know that its whats best for me.
    3. Flexibility –Proverbs 19:21 NKJV says 21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. – I’m willing to yield my plans to God’s plans. Always be flexible for what God wants to do in your life.

 

IV.          PERSISTENT IN YOUR PETITION

  • This is about Knocking doesn’t get on God’s nerve.
  • There are two types of times:
    • Chronos time – This kind of time deals with days, months, and minutes. This is what we deal in from day to day.
    • Kairos time – This is not about minutes. It is about moments. It is about Gods timing.
      • For example, if you go to a train station, you will see the map. It may be complicated, but it is a map about getting you somewhere you need to be, at a time you need to be there.
      • When the train shows up, just because it shows at a certain time doesn’t mean everyone will board it at the same time. We are concerned about when we are getting aboard. It was Job that said, “I will wait until my change comes”. When God shows up, it is in his time, not ours, but when he shows up, it will be on time!
    • God shows up in His time, which is always on time.
  • It is about Perfect Timing.

A.  Remember God’s Timing Is Not Ours

  1. Creation didn’t happen the way we see time today. Remember that a 1000 yrs in our time is as one day for God. Understanding this, know that everything God did, He did so for what was about to happen next.
    1. Day 1 – God made light. We needed light for things to live.
    2. Day 2- God made the sky, waters, and the air. God knew that this would be necessary to grow things.
    3. Day 3 – God made the land, seas, and vegetation, such as grass and trees. God knew this would be necessary to feed something that would be coming soon.
    4. Day 4 – God made the sun, the moon, and the stars. God knew the celestial bodies would regulate the seasons.
    5. Day 5 – God then made the sea creatures and bird. He knew that these creatures would provide food for people that only ate certain things.
    6. Day 6 – God made the land animals and humans. God knew ahead of time we needed the vegetation to eat and animals to provide meet for us to eat.
      1. God did all of this in order, because he was preparing for something that was coming later. Sometimes, we want to skip steps or take shortcuts, but when we do, we miss out on things that we will need to sustain us.
    7. God is putting things in order for a reason. For example, when God says “Be fruitful and multiply”, he wants us to achieve the fruitful part, before multiplying, otherwise, we produce other stuff that isn’t fruitful. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV says 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
    8. Move in sequence. Allow things to come in the order and season that God plans for them to come. This allows us to have:
      1. Patience and Trust – James 1:3-4 NKJV says 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.– The things that God allows to come your way is just building you up.
      2. Preparation and growth – Preparation allows us to move in a situation and grow from it.
      3. Understanding delays and denials – We have to understand that delays and denials are for our good. It is not meant to tear us down, but instead allow us to end up were we are supposed to be.
      4. Trust in God’s sovereignty – Trust that God knows what He is doing, and He knows what’s best for us.

B.  Keep Praying And Don’t Give Up

  1. Don’t stop trusting God. Whatever he says He will do, He will do. Don’t give up!

V.          PRAISE HIM FOR WHAT HE PERFORMS

  • Knock and the door shall be open.

A.  God Will Do What He Said He Would Do

  1. Performers have to become something different than what they are to perform. It’s like you have to become something different to be successful. For example, one might use a stage name. God doesn’t have to become anything, because He already is all that we could ever need.
  2. God will do what He said He would do
    1. Numbers 23:19 NKJV says 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
  3. 1 John 5:14-15 NKJV says 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. – God hears you!

 

B.    Testify To What You’ve Seen Yourself

  1. You’ve seen God open doors. God has you on the right service today.
  2. God wouldn’t send this word, if He wasn’t going to make good on what He
  3. Story:
    1. Bishop ends by telling the story about his Ring Camera. He had a friend that wanted to borrow something out of his house, but Bishop was not at home. Bishop and his friend had talked on the phone, so Bishop knew his friend was on the way over his house.
    2. With the Ring camera, Bishop can not only hear him and see him, he also can unlock his door. When he heard his friend coming, he unlocked his door remotely, so that his friend could go in and get what he needed.
    3. Here’s the point. What Bishop’s friend needs is in the house. Bishop didn’t have to be present to open the door. Bishop’s friend just needed to be in position, at the right time in order to access the house and get what he needed.
    4. Just like this story, God can unlock doors for you and He doesn’t have to be present when He does it. He can do it from anywhere at any time! Keep knocking on the door!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Part I: THE BLESSING IN BLOODY DOORS 

Posted on September 6, 2024 by growintheword

 

Synopsis of Sermon 9.1.24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III 

Exodus 12:1-8,12 – 13
Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:12-13 KJV

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

I.            INTRODUCTION

  1. Be very clear that God is a God of covenant. A covenant is an agreement. When we come into agreement with God, then or relationship becomes reciprocal. By this we mean, we do what we do and he does what he does.
  2. It is also about having a covering. Obedience is the key. Do what He assigns you to do, when he tells you to, whether it makes sense or not.
  3. Sometimes God will tell you to do stuff that is unorthodox. God has plans to get you out of situations. This time, we see the bloody doors as being something unorthodox.
    1. One example of God asking somebody to do something unorthodox is when God asked Naaman to dip into the Jordon River 7 times in order to help his situation.
    2. On another occasion, Jesus asked Mary and Martha where they had laid their brother Lazarus. God then asks them to take Him to the graveyard. This was unorthodox. Then Jesus told Lazarus to come forward, and Lazarus rose from the dead.
    3. On another occasion, God took clay and spit on it. Then he put it on the man’s eyes, so that he could see again. This too was unorthodox.
  4. You can’t focus on the myth and miss the miracle.
  5. In today’s sermon, you will learn about the Passover. God is committed to getting you out of unhealthy situations. It’s about the power of covering and the power of obedience according to what God is going to show you.
  6. The Children of Israel were incarcerated because of their growth. In other words, they were enslaved. The new Pharaoh was intimidated by their growth in numbers.
  7. If God be for you, He’s more than the whole world is against you. God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. Pharaoh is stubborn and would not let them go. As a result, God sent 10 plaques and finally, Pharaoh decided to let them go. The 10 plaques are really important. We will elaborate on them later.
  8. The Children of Israel found out that they had to participate in their own deliverance.
    1. They were told to take a first-born lamb without spot or blemish. At a specific time, God wanted them to kill it as a sacrifice, and then put the blood from it on the door post of their home.
    2. God was going to send a plaque that would kill all the first-born male children and animals, but when the death angel come by, he would pass over all the houses that had the blood on the door post. After this, for generations, they would celebrate this Passover.
  9. Remember they were supposed to take the first-born lamb and sacrifice it at a certain time.

II.            CHARACTER TO DILIGENTLY PRESENT YOUR OFFERING

  • Your offering speaks to your character. One thing that upset God at one time, was people were bringing in offerings that had flaws and defects such as missing eyes, missing limbs, etc… This showed the negative sense that they showed towards God.
  • We must be consistent with our offering and our sacrifice.

A.   We Should Be Consistent In Our Stewardship To God

  1. God wants us to show up in our best self. If you can’t give your all to Him, don’t give at all.

B.   We Should Always Give Him Our Best

  1. When we give God our best, 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV says 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have [a]refused him. For[b] the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
  2. We ought to give with:
    1. Generosity – John 3:16 KJV “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
    2. Integrity – I’m not going to act like I gave when I didn’t.
    3. First fruits – Proverbs 3:9 NKJV 9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10“So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
    4. Cheerfulness – 2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV 7 So leteach one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [a]necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. – We ought to be thankful that you have something to give.
    5. Faith – My situation might not be ideal, but I project my faith on what I give.
    6. Purposefulness – We are intentional about what we give to God.

 

III.            CONTENT KNOWING GOD DEALS PROVIDENTIALLY WITH YOUR OPPOSITION

  • God deals with my enemies.
  • He fights our battles. He is our Covering.

A.   God Does Not Tolerate What Refuses To Liberate You

  1. Pharaoh was determined not to release God’s people. The enemy wants to keep you under control. He is intimidated by you.
  2. Liberation – God is on the side of the oppressed.
    1. Luke 4:18 NKJV says 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me [a]to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are [b]oppressed;– When you grow in your relationship with God, you won’t allow yourself to be bound.
    2. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV says 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For [a]if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
    3. John 8:32 NKJV 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” – Wherever there is a word, there is liberation.
  3. You’re on your way out of your Pharaoh Situation!

B.   It May Take A While, But Let God Handle It

  1. It took 10 plaques for them to come out of Egypt. Pharaoh had to go through 10 plaques before he was willing to release the Children of Isreal.
    1. Water turning into blood – Exodus 7:14-24
    2. Frogs – Exodus 8:1-15
    3. Gnats – Exodus 8:16-19
    4. Flies – Exodus 8:20-32
    5. Death of livestock – Exodus 9:1-7
    6. Boils – Exodus 9:8-12
    7. Hail and fire – Exodus 9:13-35
    8. Locust – Exodus 10:1-20
    9. Darkness – Exodus 10:21-29
    10. Death of the firstborn – Exodus 11, 12:1-30 – With this, God cuts the bloodline off. Stops them from being able to reproduce.
  2. God made provisions for his people while the plaques came. His people were in Egypt, but they weren’t in Egypt.
  3. God reminds them to:

IV.            COMMIT TO PUT THE BLOOD ON YOUR DOOR POST OFTEN

  • On the 10th of the month, the lamb had to set there until the 14th of the month. They had to inspect the sacrifice during that time. Exodus 12:3 NKJV 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.
  • Twilight was when they were supposed to follow God’s instructions.
  • In the middle of the month is when it is a full moon. God was going to bring them out at night and use the moon to light the path.
  • It’s important to do this at the right time and right place.
  • The blood from your door, came from your sacrifice.

A.   Cover Your Access Points

  1. The door is an access point. The entry ways to your life have to be covered.
  2. We must Cover:
    1. Our Minds – He will keep you in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on him.
    2. Our Emotions – If we don’t cover our emotions, we will make bad decisions.
    3. Our relationships – Anything that is not good for me, Lord please don’t let it get past the blood.
    4. Your digital Presence – Our children are restyling with their own identity. We allow a lot of crazy stuff to come in through our digital components.

B.   The Blood Represents Power And Protection

  1. The blood is so powerful, it is a forecast of the blood that Jesus would shed for us as our savior.
  2. You will know the blood because:
    1. The blood reaches – It reaches to the highest mountain and to the lowest valleys.
    2. The blood redeems – When I shout like I shout, I do what the scripture says. Scripture says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”
    3. The blood is a reminder – We overcame by the Blood of the Lamb.

V.            CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT DEATH HAS PASSED OVER

  • When the death angel came, the Children of Isreal were passed over.

A.   Whatever Happens To Your Enemy Will Not Come Near You

  1. Whatever happens in the world, won’t come to you. When someone dies in the Lord, they don’t die, they just transition. They are asleep. I Thessalonians 4:13 NKJV “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”

 

B.   I’m Alive Because God Made Sure I Survived

  1. Death and the grave had a conversation. When Jesus was crucified, Death said, “I’ll sting him” and the then the Grave said, “I’ll hold him”. The Grave held him Friday and then Saturday, but when Sunday came, Jesus was gone. He rose from the death.

    Just like this, God is going to allow you to overcome that which is trying to overtake you! Thank God for those Bloody Doors!
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Part IV: God’s Got Somebody Looking Out For You 

Posted on August 30, 2024 by growintheword

Synopsis of Sermon 8.25.24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III 

Acts 27:42-44 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 “and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.”

I.               INTRODUCTION

  1. The plan of God over our life’s is always progressing. God will impose his will to show us that He is in control. No matter the circumstances that occur in your life, understand God is in control.
  2. Every part of your journey is controlled by God. He will place and assign people along your path, at the right time, to help you get to your destination. This is why it’s important not to be mean to people. You never know who God has connected to you, to help you get what you are supposed to be.
    1. It could have been a teacher or custodian or maybe even a stranger who got on your nerves. When you look back over your life, you thank God that they got on your nerves. They may have been one that God assigned to you. God places people at the right place and at the right time to help us get where we are supposed to be.
  3. Paul writes a 3rd of the New Testament. He started as a terrorist to Christian’s. His name was Saul, until after having that experience on Damascus Road with God. During this experience, his name was changed to Paul, and he spent the rest of his life lifting up the name of God.
  4. In this scripture today, Paul is in prison for his stance on Christ. He has a right to appeal his case in Rome. He wants to declare his case to Caesar.
    1. Nero is the Emperor at this time. He was so cruel, he made a sport out of persecuting Christian’s. He would persecute Christians in an arena and allow crowds to watch, like it was a soccer game.
    1. He would even set Lions loose in the arena to attack Christians.
  5. As a prisoner he went before the local courts. Felix and Fetus try him in their courts. Paul realized that they were biased, so he asked them if they could go before Caesar and plead his case.
  6. Now Paul is on a boat ferrying with other prisoners. He’s on the boat with 276 people (King James says two hundred threescore and sixteen souls).
  7. They encounter a storm in the sea. This was like a tropical depression. It lasted 2 days. Eventually, it broke the boat into pieces. The Leader gave the command to kill all of the prisoners, so that they would not escape.
    1. What’s important about this is, in Rome, if your prisoners escaped, they would kill you too. This is why when Paul and Silas sang hymns at midnight, and the chains came off of all the prisoners, the Guard was about to kill himself.
  8. There was one Centurion named Julius who wanted to save Paul, so he said, “Those that can swim, swim to the shore. The rest of you that can’t, float to shore on the broken pieces of the ship’.

II.               RECOGNIZE THE PLOT OF SATAN

A.    Storms Will Bring Out The Best And Worst In People 

  1. Storms will show who is with you and who is not.
    1. Your Mind—What Do You Really Think About Me? – Your realities show up in the storm. The enemy wants to make sure you don’t get where you’re supposed to be.
      1. If God let you survive, it ought to indicate to you that you’re going to make it. You’re still here!
    1. Your Motives—What You Want To Do To Me – What is your hidden agenda?
    1. Your Morality—What Is Your True Moral Compass? What are you willing to stoop down to?

B.    The Enemy Wants To Kill You Before You Reach Your Destination 

  1. The storm came to take them out, but God saved them.

III.               REALIZE GOD’S GOT A PERSON SITUATED

  • God has someone situated to remind you that God is sill God.

A.    Even Your Enemy Knows You Are Anointed

  1. When you are anointed, you don’t have to say anything. Psalm 20:6 says “Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; He will hear him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.”Psalm 20:6 KJV
  2.  
  3. God will save you just because you’re in the presence of someone anointed. God will save the whole operation, just because there is one person there that is anointed!

B.    God Will Send You Help From Unlikely Sources 

  1. God Will Often Use The Assistance Of A Stranger – Many have entertained angels unaware. Many have gotten help from someone that they haven’t seen before, and they never saw them again.
  2. God Will Use Your Adversary Strategically – God will make your enemy your foot stool. God will good out of what the enemy meant to be bad for you.
  3. God Will Use People Assigned For Your Season – If Julis the Centurion hadn’t got that assignment, everyone would have died.

IV.               RECEIVE THE PROVIDENTIAL STRATEGY

  • God is the ultimate strategist. God uses Julius to put forth the ultimate plan.

·      God Gives Directives According To Our Abilities

  1. When you give directives, you do so according to people’s abilities. The Centurion said those who can swim, “swim!”.
    1. This is not like swimming at the YMCA. It is like swimming in the ocean, with waves coming over your head and currents pulling at you.
  2. The ability to swim in these conditions is a spiritual skill set. This is just like somebody being able to pray and praise when they are under attack! We can admire people like this.
  3. God, being a strategist, makes accommodations also for those that are not that strong. They told those that couldn’t swim to float on the broken pieces. There are those that can swim and the rest just have to float. God makes a way for those who are weak.

·      There Is A Blessing In The Brokenness 

  1. Often, we see the brokenness, but we don’t see it as a blessing. You must know that broken stuff can still bless you. For example, on your cellphone, your screen can be broken, but you can still get calls. Your lens on your glasses can be broken or scratched, but you can still see.
  2. People are just like this. They are broken, but they still keep showing up.

V.               REJOICE ON THE PIECES YOU SURVIVED ON

  1. Some people complain, because things are not like they used to be.

A.    It May Not End Like You Thought 

  • You don’t always know how the journey is going to turn out. The route may change, but the destination is still the same.
  • Paul never expected to experience a storm like this.

B.    You Are Going To Get There Unscathed 

  1. The Bible says that they all made it safe to land. Would you please remind your hater that you’re going to make it and God loves you so much, He is going to let them make it too, just because of you. Everyone made it to land unscathed.
  2. Even those on broken pieces made it. Everyone on your row is going to make it.
  3. When surfing, the thing you are depending on may lose its way, such as a Surfboard. Every now and then, a surfer may have to swim in, because he or she lost their surfboard.
  4. This requires stamina and courage. It’s called paddling in. You might be navigating some crazy places in order to make it in. If you lost your board, the water isn’t going to be gentle. You may have to navigate against some high tides and some big waves. You may even have to navigate around rocks and reefs.
  5. Just like this, know that a lot of people reading this came paddling in. They had to navigate through some rough stuff to get here. When you paddle know that you are a survivor.  
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