He knew I needed it , Sermon11/24/19

Posted on November 27, 2019 by growintheword

“He Knew I Needed It”

Part IV of the Covered series

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, D.Min.

Sermon Synopsis 11/23/19

 

Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.”

 

I.          Introduction

Sometimes it is unclear what we need. In times of trouble, we often we find ourselves defaulting back to what is comfortable. Going back to what’s comfortable winds up leading us to be frustrated, because it is unable to provide what we need to solve our problem. We then find out that it is God that has what we need.

 

We must let God be our source and our answer. This Psalm is powerful. It is known also to be the longest Psalm in the Bible. In this Psalm, we find that all the things that may challenge the believer is countered by the authority of the Word of God which is hid in our hearts.

 

The Word of God allows you to live out your life. It strengthens you and elevates your mind. It provides revelation of truth.

 

Sometimes God reveals things that we don’t comprehend until later. For example, God will allow you and someone to break up. God knew you needed it ahead of time. You go through counseling trying to get over this break up. 5 yrs later you see the person you broke up with and you begin to thank God for His intervention between you two!

 

We must learn to stop crying and start calling upon the Name of the God, because He knows what he is doing.!

 

God is providently moving in everyone’s life, however, there has to be evidence of acceptance.

 

II.          The Evidence of Acceptance

This is accepting that God governs my life.

A.    This was a necessary season

  1. This season was trial by season to see if we were ready for the next level.
  2. Peter 1:6-7 (NKJV) 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [a]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, – You had to go through fire to refine you for promotion.
  3. The heat is designed to remove impurities out of your life. Normally they will heat the gold up with fire until it turns to a liquid. Once it has turned to liquid all the impurities will float to the top and they are then able to skim all the impurities off the surface and then let the gold cool back down to a solid state. The good thing is, now the gold is better and more valuable than it was before it was put to the fire.
    1. There are things you have a problem letting go of, so God made it let us go!
    2. God wants us to start looking like gold. Not fake gold, but real valuable gold. The kind of gold that has been through the fire.
  4. You got to get good letting stuff go. If you allow yourself to stay in despair, you will never get to a place where it blesses you. When God has you to let stuff go, it humbles you, it does not hinder you.

 

B.     It worked out for me when I became good with it

1.      Romans 8:28 (NKJV) 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 purpose. – You’ve got to trust God when you can’t trace God. Trust that God has things under control, even if you don’t see him working.

  1. Can God trust you to make him look good? When you exhibit the strength to move on, you will know that there were benefits from your affliction.

 

III.          The Effects of Affliction

A.    What I went through didn’t make me bitter, it made me better

  1. You are better off that you didn’t’ get that job, because God had a better one for you. You are better off that you didn’t close on that house, because God had a bigger house in mind for you.
  2. “Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces.” ― Matthew Henry – God allows you to go through those seasons not smelling like smoke and not looking like you’ve been through the fire.
  3. Paul had a thorn in his flesh. He asked God to remove it. Corinthians 12:8-9(NKJV) 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 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. – It might not be for you, but God gave them a level of grace to be able to walk through their circumstances. God is the grace that makes us able to withstand it.

 

B.     The affliction was connected to my assignment

 

  1. Your affliction ushers you into your assignment. It was never designed to destroy you.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV) 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, – There is a weight to God’s glory. People see your glory, but they don’t understand the weight that comes with it.

  1. They don’t understand the weight of your glory was an indication of the weight of your story (your affliction).
  2. When the student is ready, the teacher will come. God will show up when you are ready for him to take you to the next level.

 

IV.          The Education of the Acts

A.    The Lord didn’t block it so He could let it develop me

  1. God will deliver you when he is ready. Stop asking people to ask God to take you off your cross before its time.

2.      Psalm 34:19 (NKJV) 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. – You have to look back to see the revelation in your life.

  1. There was a time you had to develop film in a dark room. In order for the picture to develop, you had to place the film in a dark room, absent from the light. Like this, God has to take you thru a fearful season, a season where you have to experience some dark times.
  2. Remember that we can’t get to the picture, unless we first experience some darkness.

 

B.     I had to learn it in order to live it

 

  1. If you let it teach you, deliverance can reach you.
  2. Revelation is a powerful thing. Lots of people say they don’t have to go to church, because they can read the word out of the bible for themselves. This is true, but just reading the word only gives you knowledge. God anoints somebody to deliver the same word you read, but he enables them to provide you with revelation.

a.      Jeremiah 3:15 (NKJV) 15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.– You come in the house or the church, because there is an anointing that brings forth revelation there.

  1. God says you ain’t done, until God gives you an experience to match the revelation you are about to get. The experience brings about your testimony.

“The school of suffering never graduates any students, so ask God to teach to you the lessons He wants you to learn.” ― Warren W. Wiersbe

  1. Out of our affliction, we learned:
  2. How to have Prayer over Worry
  3. How to have the Posture of a Winner
  4. That Praise is your Weapon
  5. The Power of Worship

 

 

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Overcoming Doubt – Bible Study 11.20.19

Posted on November 22, 2019 by growintheword

2-Part Series: Defeating Doubt and Discouragement

Part I: Overcoming Doubt

Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, DMin.
November 20, 2019

Bible Study Synopsis

Psalm 42:11, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”

       I.          Introduction

  • Some things in life cause us to doubt what we believe. You must recognize at this point that doubt has creeped in on you.
  • Doubt unfortunately is part of our human make up.

Here are two examples of doubt found in the bible.

  1. Gideon – Shies away from God’s call.
  2. Gideon tested God twice (in the scripture below) because he didn’t believe that one man could go against a predator of God’s people.

Judges 6:36-40 (NKJV)

36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.  – God removed Gideons doubt by responding to his fleece test and by using him to lead God’s people to victory.

  1. Sarah – Doubt caused her to laugh at God’s promise
  2. God spoke to Abraham and Sarah saying that they would birth a son at their old age. Sarah was 89 and Abraham was 99 at the time.

 

Genesis 18:10-15 (NKJV)

10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and [a]Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” -God hears Sarah laugh and he asks Abraham is there anything too hard for him.

  1. Where there is doubt, you question the character and power of God.

     II.          What is Doubt?

  1. Defining Doubt
    The secular definition of doubt is: to call into question the truth of: to be uncertain or in doubt about.

    1. Doubt in the Scripture can be seen to be characteristic of both believers and unbelievers. In believers it is usually a weakness of faith, a wavering in the face of God’s promises. In the unbeliever doubt is virtually synonymous with unbelief. – Scripture looks at doubt for what it really is. It doesn’t downplay doubt as we usually do.
  2. Doubt vs. Unbelief
    1. Does doubt make me a non-believer? Being a believer doesn’t mean that you won’t have moments of doubt.

John 10:26 (NKJV)

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, [a]as I said to you.  – These were unbelievers

Mark 9:24 (NKJV)

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” – He is a believer that had some doubt.

Matthew 14:31 (NKJV)

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Peter doubted in a certain moment. Doubt is not the absence of faith; it is instead moments of unbelief.

  • Hang around doubters long enough and you will start to doubt.
  1. Characteristics of Doubters

Four Characteristics of Doubters
1. Doubters are uncertain about decisions.
2. Doubters are distrustful.
3. Doubters tend to call on logic and reason.
4. Doubters hesitate before acting.

Some scripture examples of doubt

Matthew 14:31 (NKJV)

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 12:38-42 (NKJV)

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

Matthew 21:21 (NKJV)

21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

Mark 11:23 (NKJV)

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

 Luke 24:38 (NKJV)

38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

John 20:27 (NKJV)

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

    III.          How Does Doubt Affect the Believer?

  1. Instability in Your Faith

James 1:6-8 (NKJV)

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – Wherever there is doubt, there is no stability. This means that you are easily swayed.

  1. Falling Short of the Goal

Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – I’m not going to be distracted by past things. I’m constantly pushing towards what God has called me to.

    IV.          How to Overcome Doubt

  1. Learn to Trust God
  2. Do you really trust god? Jesus tells the disciples, let us pass over to the other side. Jesus then gets on the ship and goes to sleep. When the storm comes, the disciples panic and then they go wake up Jesus and ask if he cares that they might perish. If Jesus has said us (keyword) is going over, then why do you let what happens in between, make you doubt what he has said.

Soren Kierkegaard once stated, “Every mental act is composed of doubt and belief, but it is belief that is the positive, it is belief that sustains thought and holds the world together.”

  1. Five Ways to Overcome Doubt
    Have faith – You need to have faith in God and in yourself. You have to believe God has equipped you. God knows everything about you, before he calls you.

    2. Stop worrying about what others think. The reason why you doubt him is because you are worried about the crowd response (This is something I personally have had a problem with all my life).

    3. Move from contemplation to action. Move from contemplation to action. Stop talking and thinking about it. Just do it.

    4. Don’t be afraid of failure. You will never know if God can do it, if you don’t try it.

    5. Stop wasting time investing in doubt

 

  1. Combat doubt by re-realizing the truth. You have to let it go.

 

  1. Here are some scriptures about re-realizing truth.


Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [a]direct your paths.

John 20:31 (NKJV)

31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Romans 4:20 (NKJV)

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

 

“Face your fears and doubts, and new worlds will open to you.” – Robert Kiyosaki – Abraham had to leave his country on Gods command. He was blessed, because he didn’t doubt what God had told him to do.

     V.          Stop Worrying and Stand on His Word

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. – Everything that God promises had a yes attached to it.

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; – Doubt dilutes the promise of God concerning your life.

Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)

25 Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. – Faith itself is your greatest weapon towards doubt.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. – Now faith is the first two words in this scripture. The word “Now” deals with current, immediate, or right now. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God according to the book of Romans. – We are going to dissect the meaning of this scripture.

 

The word of God is a revelation. It is a living word. There can be no relevance if there is no revelation.

Now the revelation is our foundation. When doubt comes in, the revelation is our foundation. Our revelation counters the doubt. We have a living word inside of us. When doubt comes in our revelation which is our foundation counters it. For example, when doubt says the bill won’t be paid, the revelation says God will supply all my needs.

Now faith is: The revelation I am standing on, is. In other words, we are not waiting to be healed, we are healed. When you lay holt of this revelation, you won’t have doubt on your life, no matter what anyone says.

Your revelation changes your situation. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the substance of hope. What fuels this is the foundation. It causes us to hope when the evil is attacking you.  This is why the enemy is after your hope. When a person is ready to jump, he has lost hope.

Where there is doubt there is no stability or foundation. My revelation reminds me of who I am.

Evidence of things not seen: Our whole life we been trained to respond to what we see. This is why the enemy tries to show you things that lead to losing a hold of our hope.

We don’t look at things the way others look at things. We expect miracles. Where there is no revelation, there is no expectation. We have to let you know that we expect something to happen.

An act of faith. You drive to the gas pump, because you need gas. You put your debit card in the pump and then you swipe it. You believe by faith that what’s in the gas pump is actually pumping into your car. You don’t see the gas, yet you believe. You drive all-around town just because your indicator says your tank is on full. You might not see the miracle now, but you have someone by you that is like the fuel indicator in the car. You might not see the wind, but the leaves will testify that the wind is blowing.

We see Peter walking on the water. He gets out of the boat, but do we really know Peter saw Jesus. Maybe he didn’t see him at first. We say this, because the scripture says they thought they saw a ghost and Peter said if it be you, let me come. He stepped out on the faith that this was Jesus.

We have to walk in faith and starve our doubt. Don’t let your doubt cause you to miss what God has promised you.

 

God bless!

 

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When Nothing Else Will Do , sermon 071419

Posted on July 30, 2019 by growintheword

 

Part II of the sermon series entitled “Closer”

Synopsis of July 14th sermon

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, D.Min.

 

Psalm 42:1-5, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”

 

      I.          Introduction

  1. Everyone comes to a point where their appetite changes.
  2. Sometimes you can get exposed to a different type of food and suddenly your appetite changes. As a result, you now desire greater food and now you won’t except things below what you know is possible to obtain.
    1. For example, if a woman meets a King that treats here like a Queen, she will no longer accept
  3. Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) says 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord isgood; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! – When you taste of the goodness of God, nothing else satisfies you. Today we are privileged to eaves drop on the Psalmist. In the scripture we see that the Psalmist loans to be back into relationship with God.
  4. The writer is in a dark place, the place of
  5. He is taunted by those that used to go with him into the temple. They don’t understand his season.
  6. It is one thing to walk with those that don’t know, but it’s another thing if it is people that is supposed to know you, yet can’t understand you and your situation.
  7. For the believer, he or she is like the deer is panting for the water. He now needs refreshing. The writer uses this illustration to illustrate how he longs for God.

 

    II.          Desire for the Living God

A.    What I run to can keep me alive

  1. This is a time to run to God. Water represents source. The body can’t live without water and in the same manner, the soul can’t live without the presence of God.

 

  1. John 4:14 (NKJV) says 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
    • When God gives us fulfillment, we will no longer have need of anything.
  2. Some people are thirsty, and they think they can go around on just a drip instead of a drink.
    • With all the hell you are dealing with, a sip ain’t going to get it!
  3. The Lord doesn’t need you being thirsty.

 

 

B.     Thirst for what’s real will lead to being filled

  1. You can’t expect people to quench your thirst. We think people can fulfill it for us and they blow it every time.
  2. Both the Husband and the Wife go out to work these days. They leave full, but we come back empty.
  3. Only God can fill you up. When you walk through life whole, you don’t wait for people to fill you. You are are already
  4. In this day and time, we think tangible stuff makes us fulfilled.
  5. How odd it is to use the word “drip” to define our stuff. If it is just a drip, then you still end up
  6. It’s not the things that money can buy, it’s the things that money can’t buy. If I focus on the things that money can’t buy, then if I lose everything I have, I won’t lose my mind, because I know where my fulfillment comes from.
  7. God will give to you in a way where you won’t need again. You are about to embark on a season where you won’t need for anything. When God becomes our fulfillment, we don’t have wants, because we are connected to the source.
  8. Have you come to place where you think it doesn’t make sense?

 

  III.          Dealing with Distress Led to Remembrance

A.    Your enemies desire to see you defeated

  1. It is important to know what your enemy is up to. Your friend-enemies have one goal, they want to steal from you. Stealing from you can also be taking years off your life.
    1. Remember the Psalmist was being ridiculed by people who use to run with him.
  2. Why do our so-called friends try to condemn us? Know that God will cover you.
  3. Psalm 27:5  (NKJV) 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.- Remember the times God hid your issues from others?
    1. Know that some flashbacks you have will free you?
  4. If you ever calm the chaos long enough you will come to this place. Philippians 4:8-9  (NKJV) says 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things arelovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.- You got to learn how to think yourself out of a dark place.

 

  1. Your mind will play tricks on you. You got to arrest those thoughts and think yourself When we do this, you mute the noise behind you.
  2. We think like we think. We have to think like we are trying to think ourselves out of this dark place. If you think, you will thank! In other words, if you are thinking right, it will eventually bring you to a point of thanking God!

 

 IV.          Decision to Lift Up Praise

A.    Encourage yourself to escape it

  1. One of the things the enemy wants to do is to get you to isolate yourself. Get your own party hat and encourage yourself.
  2. If you care about what others think, you will always be their prisoner – las Tzu . Caring too much about what others think will have you asking questions like: What wrong with me? Why am I looking like this?
  3. Stop allowing the hell you are going through be inside you.

 

 

B.     Look like He lifted you out of it

 

Start looking like you’ve been lifted out of it. Now how do we do this?

  1. By running after darkness is over. Once the storm is over, we ought to give God praise for all that he has done for us!
  2. Declare that I may get discouraged, but I will never disconnect. I will not let my situation change my relationship with the one that can change my situation.
  3. Know that when you lift Him up, he will lift you up!

 

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A Blessing at My Breaking Point

Posted on July 23, 2019 by growintheword

 

Part 1 of the Closer series

July 7, 2019  Sermon Synopsis

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, D.Min.

 

Matthew 11:28-29, “28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

I.          Introduction

  1. Breaking point – This point where you reach your max point as it relates to things that you can

 

  1. When the foreclosure sign was put in your front yard, this is an example of a breaking point. When no financial aid has come in and it is time to start class, this is an example of a breaking point.

 

  1. All of us have experienced moments where we have been pushed to the edge. God is sending you this word today to let you know that your breaking point is about you being closer to Him.

 

  1. Know that whatever is challenging you, will not be the end of your vision and it won’t be the end of you.

 

  1. Rest mentioned in verse 28 implies support and exchange. In other words, give it to him and God will give you something you can bear.

 

  1. The scripture says “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. When you see the word rest, think of the word peace. God is saying to us that at our breaking point, he will give us

 

  1. “Take my yoke on you” the scripture goes on to say. The yoke was the thing that was placed on the ox’s neck to control them. This yoke would cause the ox to go in the direction that the farmer wanted them to go. God will put a yoke on us, and He will guide us and lead us. He will try to show us how to live a life that is free.

 

 

 

II.          Comfort for Laborers and the Heavy Laden

 

A.    You have to come to the Lord to receive from Him

  1. You must get closer to the Lord. He is not a harsh teacher. He instead nurtures you.

 

  1. What you are burdened down with, you can no longer handle. You can’t deal with this without a
  2. Even though it is free, you have to RSVP. The Lord won’t just assume that you want this peace in your life. You have to ask for it.

 

  1. Scripture References: John 16:24  (NKJV) says 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

 

  1. Matthew 7:7  (NKJV) says 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

 

  1. Mark 11:24  (NKJV) says 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have   – Everything you need is in Him. It is not in the other people you often go to. The answer is in God. Your peace, your healing, your breakthrough is in him.

 

B.     Rest is available for those who are ready

  1. Are you ready?

 

  1. You have got to get to a place in your life where you are willing to allow God to do what’s necessary to distress you.

 

  1. David was acquainted with stress. He got a revelation. He realized that the Lord was his shepherd.

 

  1. David realized that the Lord would make him lie down in green pastures. When God is ready for you to rest, he will make you rest. Whether its voluntarily or involuntarily, you will rest.

 

  1. When you lie down and rest, God will restore you. Too many of us are trying to get restored on the run.

 

  1. Sometimes God has to treat you like a car that is not running correctly. He has to put you in the garage and jack you up, so He can take a good look at the problem.

 

  1. There is a little control freak in all of us. When you are ready to relinquish control, God will step in.

 

  1. Scripture Reference: Psalm 23:2-3  (NKJV) says 2 He makes me to lie down in [a]green pastures; He leads me beside the [b]still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

 

 

III.          Command to Learn from the Lord

A.    Be steered by what’s right instead of being controlled by what’s wrong.

 

  1. We often stay in the rut, because we continue to do what feels is right to us. We find out later that doing what we thought was the right thing was not necessarily doing the right thing, because God never intended for us to be slaves to anything.

 

  1. Think about it. You can even do dysfunction the right way, but it will still be the wrong thing to do.

 

  1. Scripture References: Leviticus 26:13  (NKJV) says 13 I amthe Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk [a]– God wants you to be free of bondage, pressure, and sin!

 

  1. James 1:12-14  (NKJV) says 12 Blessed isthe man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

 

  1. When the Lord leads you and guides you, you will be led in the right direction.

 

B.     His guidance is a gift that is gentle

 

  1. Scripture Reference: Psalm 23:4  (NKJV) says 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You arewith me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. – God brings correction in the areas of your life, when you are out of order. When the sheep was out of order the rod and staff corrected them. The rod was for correction and staff was for

 

  1. How many times have god hit you with rod? How man times have you felt the staff pull you right back into position?

 

  1. God does this to bring you to a place of humility.

 

IV.          Contentment to Live this Life

 

A.    Nothing compares to the contentment of the Creator

 

  1. Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 6:6  (NKJV) says 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.– Stop living your life to impress others and learn to impress God.
  2. Hebrews 12:1  (NKJV) says 12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, – I have my own race. I have to learn to stay in your own lane.

 

  1. God is trying to work things out in your life, but you keep looking to everyone else for the answer to your problems.

 

B.     You will be free from it, when your soul finds rest

 

 

 

  1. Scripture References: John 8:36  (NKJV) says 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
  2. When a slave was about to get free, they got a blow to the ear. The slaves were good with this, because this meant freedom was close. Just like this, the Lord never intends to put you on a platform without a test.

 

  1. What are you willing to go through to get what God has for your life? God uses the trial to set you up for what you are about to go to.
  1. Psalm 55:6(NKJV) says 6 So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. – There is a moment where you realize there is a need for peace.

 

  1. There are many of you right now that need peace. You got to bring it to the Lord.

 

  1. The benefits of being Committed
  2. The breakthrough is for the obedient.

 

  1. On the other side of what you are going through is the the greatest thing you have experienced in your life. You’re about to find peace, once you turn this stuff over to the Lord.

 

  1. This is the 1st month of the second half of 2019. I declare this half will be better than the first half! God has moved you from your breaking point to your

 

  1. Breakthrough is about to hit your house! You got to decide, “I’m letting go of everything that stresses me and am going to align with things that blesses me”.

 

  1. Rest in him now. The best season is around the corner!

 

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