good morning church family and ministry
friends I am Pastor Steven Brooks and
welcome to today's online Internet
church service I am so happy that you're
here today I have some things to share
with you some good things from the
scripture today and why don't you just
grab your Bible if you want grab
yourself something nice to drink and
let's have some turps together today as
we are joining together from around
america and also from many different
nations around the world as we come
together as a body of believers and what
a wonderful thing that we can do as we
are a church family put together by the
Lord Jesus Christ hallelujah
now today let's receive the holy tithes
and offerings I would like to read a
verse to you from Genesis chapter 22 and
share something that may seem to be a
little bit challenging but I believe
you're up to the task
hallelujah let me share this this is
pretty neat Genesis chapter 22 verses 1
through 3 now it came to pass after
these things that God tested Abraham and
said to him Abraham and he said Here I
am then he said take now your son your
only son Isaac whom you love and go to
the land of Moriah and all for him there
is a burnt offering on one of the
mountains of which I shall tell you so
Abraham rose early in the morning and
saddled his donkey and took two of his
young men with him and Isaac his son and
he split the wood for the burnt offering
and arose and went to the place of which
God had told him now this is amazing
because it says that God tested Abraham
and this would be the test of giving up
his Isaac and maybe you've heard that
statement if you've been in the church
for a while that sometimes you'll you'll
meet somebody and they said well you
know the Lord told me to surrender my
Isaac to him God told me to give up my
Isaac or put my Isaac on the altar and
that that's a statement based out of
Genesis chapter 22 where God would ask
us to give something to him
that would have perhaps what we would
call the greatest value in our lives and
here we see that this in the life of
Abraham would be his son and it's a test
because God doesn't want us to worship
anything or anybody or anyone except for
himself and so this is a test that God
brought forth to Abraham as you know
he's going to pass the test but I don't
believe it was easy I believe it was
something that really stretched him
because this would be the greatest love
in his life outside of the Lord but the
Lord just wants to make sure that things
are in the right order now let's go down
to verse 9 then they came to the place
of which God had told him and Abraham
built an altar there and placed the wood
in order and he bound Isaac his son and
laid him on the altar upon the wood and
Abraham stretched out his hand and took
the knife to slay his son so he is at a
point where there's no turning back he
already knows what he's going to do even
before he gets there he's fully
committed to doing what God has asked
him to do verse 11 but the angel of the
Lord called to him from heaven and said
Abraham Abraham so he said Here I am and
he said do not lay your hand on the
ladder do anything to him for now I know
that you fear God since you have not
withheld your son your only son from me
so here's something that I believe is a
good question to ask first of all before
I present the question let me just say I
think that the test really is a
privilege you can't make up moments when
God asks you to do this I believe there
are promptings of the Holy Spirit
where God would ask you to do this but I
can't I don't think you just walk into
something like this I think it has to be
prompted by the Holy Spirit and this is
something that God initiated which would
be the Abraham surrendering his Isaac
now let's go back to the question the
question is this because we're gonna
receive the tithes and offerings today
into the storehouse of God if if you're
not at either in other words if if
you're not obedient
the Lord in giving 10% how could you
ever give your Isaac so stop and think
about that just for a moment if if you
cannot give 10% which is only 10% if you
can't give 10% how in the world could
you ever possibly give and Isaac you
can't and you wouldn't and so I think
these are things that we need to come to
grips with Abraham was at either we see
it revealed in Scripture Abraham gave
tied to McKissack now Melchizedek was a
type a shadow of Christ some theologians
actually say that he was Christ a
theophany I don't think that's the case
I don't think he was at the Alpha knee I
think milk isn't it was a real person
that was his real name and he was a high
priest of God just like it says he was
but nevertheless we know that Abraham
was at either tithing prepares you to go
into greater financial glory tithing
prepares you to go into greater
experiences with the Lord where you have
possibilities to go into greater realms
of impact of greater realms of just God
releasing really heavier blessings upon
your life but how could you ever go into
these types of realms how could you ever
go into these experiences where God
would even allow you to experience the
tests if you're not at either so stop
and think about the deceptive nature of
the enemy to MU lies to people all the
time well if you wouldn't the lottery
then you can't I you know all these
crazy lies and it's stuff that's never
going to happen it's all a make-believe
fantasy world and it's never a place
where the rubber meets the road where
you have the reality of life where are
you going to obey God right now with
what you have right now and so if you're
not at either giving God 10%
systematically of everything that comes
into your life then there's no way
there's no way you're ever going to be
able to give up an Isaac because an
Isaac if that's
like your biggest everything and the tie
there's only 10% and you can't tie well
you'll never release an Isaac unto the
Lord even if you think you will you
won't you won't because that's a great
thing
tithing is just an introductory level of
demonstrating your faith to God that he
is Lord over your life even in the area
of your finances praise the Lord you
know I just returning from California
spent some real quality time with
apostle Gary Greenwald a great man of
faith who really knows about miracles
he's seen all kinds of miracles but you
know we talked about a lot of things
together in really it comes down also
knowing the Lord and Apostle Gary was
sharing that and we talked about it at
dinner because there's still a funny
story about the time that they needed to
raise money for the new facility that
they were wanting to get into and to be
able to prepare it appropriately and and
stuff like that so that they were they
were going to have a fundraising event
and the Holy Spirit moved upon apostle
Gary's heart I want your Isaac and so
immediately apostle Gary knew what his
Isaac was and it was his Porsche he had
a beautiful Porsche I can't remember
what model it was but it was it to him
was the thing that was the emblem of his
success he used to own a very successful
sign company before he went into the
ministry so back in those days he was
making a lot of money and he with that
good income he bought himself this
beautiful Porsche but now he finds
himself in the ministry full-time he's
no longer has a business but he still
got that beautiful car and that car was
his Isaac and some ways he even talked
about maybe he loved it too much you
know almost like bowing down to it and
cleaning the tires and you know all that
stuff where it just had really captured
his heart and the Holy Spirit said I
want I want your Isaac so he went before
the tour before the church and he said
you know he said the Lord has told me to
give my Isaac
this offering and I'm going to give my
Porsche and he gave it you know he
didn't drive it up on the stage it was a
commitment to give it and he did but he
gave it before the people made that
commitment with tears he was actually
shaking because that that vehicle meant
so much to him
it really was his Isaac and just like
the father gave his son you know was
interesting with Abraham because it was
a test and and the angel of the Lord
stopped stopped Abraham from bringing
the knife down but God the Father let
the sacrifice of his son Jesus go all
the way through and that would be what
you would call a burnt offering the same
thing with the Paschal Gary that car was
something that you give it and there's
no getting it back this is something
that you release it and it's it's gone
it's a seed sown into the ground well he
did that with great sacrifice and when
he did that the Holy Spirit touched the
people there in the service that day and
the in that one offering over seven
hundred thousand dollars came in which
was unheard of he had never seen
anything like that before
he also admits that later he faced a
different test just a few days after
that he received a phone call at the
church office and it was from somebody
that was in the service a lady and she
said you know what she said I was so
impacted by apostle Gary's sacrifice of
giving his car that she said I want to
give the amount of money that the car
was worth let him take his car back and
I'll just give that amount in cash into
the offering so he could have his car
back she said it really you know hit me
heavy that seemed up there you know
we've been in crying and I want him to
have his car back so she was willing to
give a cash equivalent so that he could
get his car back in an apostle Gary very
wise said absolutely not he said that
was a devoted thing and in the scripture
when something is devoted you give it
it's it's gone usually also in the Old
Testament it would be something that
would be burned in the fire and you
couldn't get it back so he said no I
can't get that back that that was a
devoted item that I gave and so it's
it's the Lord's all the proceeds go
towards the project praise God and that
was also a temptation so you have to be
very very careful with things like that
because those things are very sacred and
holy to the Lord I was in Israel one
time with another Minister this other
Minister had brought along with him some
of his this was a very large tour but he
had brought along with him some of his
television crew and you know there the
camera operators but he could only bring
their feet oh well I'm not sure how many
he didn't bring a few he brought a lot
but even with the group that he brought
you know it was very privileged to be
able to come because he's you know
paying for you to come and work and
covering your airfare for his employees
to come but there was one man who was a
camera operator that worked for him that
wanted to come so desperately to Israel
that he volunteered to come and work for
free and he sold I can't remember what
the exact testimony was but he sold
almost all of his possessions and gave
it a just cleared everything out drained
all accounts and so that he could come
to Israel to the holy tent a holy land
which was a lifelong dream and so I was
there with this other minister and word
had gotten out about what he had done
that this other cameraman and I was on
the bus with some ladies that you know
that ladies have a soft heart and these
ladies said you know what would either
take up an offering for him so that we
can cover for everything that he gave
away and cover for his expenses and I
knew the moment they were talking about
though that's oh no no don't do that
you'll mess up everything that he's sown
and they took their idea presented it to
you know his employer which was the
minister that I was speaking for at this
conference in Israel and he he said oh
no he said do not do that for him
he explained to the ladies that what
that man had done was unto the Lord and
if he was trying to explain to the
ladies if you just go give him a bunch
of money you'll you'll mess up the
sacrifice that he has done why it was a
devoted thing it was a voted thing you
must let the Lord bring it back his way
you can't fabricate these things and you
have to let the Lord do it so another
good example praise God
again I'm talking about people that are
tithers you you could never give an
Isaac if you're not a tither apostle
Gary Greenwald a great tither
not just a tither but one of the most
generous givers in the body of Christ so
when you're looking at the surrender of
an Isaac which is really a privileged
opportunity to step into greatness and
God gives you an example - it's not an
example but God gives you an opportunity
- so an Isaac which is something very
sacred yes it's a test but it's a
privilege really to be even allowed to
take that test and of course if you pass
it you absolutely are promoted to a new
level but you know stop and think about
it again how could you ever give an
Isaac if you can't even give a tithe
it's just not it's not going to happen
so this again we need to face the
reality of the way God works his
principles the way his kingdom operates
on a very smooth efficient system Jesus
said my yoke is easy my burden is light
he's asking for 10% and it's a
commandment that carries from the Old
Covenant through the cross into the New
Covenant and it's something that if you
do you will be blessed so I just want to
invite you come on into the kingdom
principles the Kingdom of Heaven the
kingdom of God what is it in a sense
it's God's way of doing things every
Kingdom has a king that's over the
kingdom and every Kingdom has rules and
ways of operating it's different from
nation to nation is different from
continent to continent but every
government has their own form of
functioning well the Kingdom of Heaven
which is the Kingdom that's above all
has the most effective the most
efficient
the best way of operating and in God's
kingdom there is the tithe then when
God's people are tithing it works well
for them and when God's people are
tithing it it causes what we could maybe
call the priesthood or the ministry to
operate very smoothly I also know that
from a New Testament perspective we now
consider the something that could not
happen in under the Old Covenant under
the Old Covenant you could be a king but
you could never be a priest under the
Old Covenant you could be a priest but
you would never you could never be a
king they were they were different
lineages that were separated and you
could not cross over but in the New
Testament we are kings and priests in
Christ Jesus I tell you what this new
covenant really is an amazing thing so I
I want you to come into this new
covenant and experience all the
blessings but work work God's way of
doing things be at either be a tighter
and you come into the financial
stability that's anchored from heaven
itself in the kingdom of heaven glory to
God you'll have stability and peace and
joy and overflow in your finances glory
to God hallelujah thank you Lord Jesus
thank you Lord Jesus father I just thank
you that you're speaking to hearts right
now because I know there's some they
were inconsistent tithers maybe they'll
tie the once every now and then they'll
think well nothing's really happening
father well we know it's because they're
not they're not consistent they're not
systematic in their tithing therefore
they're not tithers so father help them
to come in into your system which always
works which is very smooth very fluent
and of course very proven effective
father we thank you for those father's
that have never tied before but are now
learning about your kingdom principles
let them come on in hallelujah we thank
you they've learned about the blood of
Jesus the forgiveness of sins but let
them come on in also to the
understanding of the principles of the
kingdom hallelujah which will get them
up and running smoothly in their
finances so father we thank you
we thank you in the name of Jesus and
father for those that are established in
tithing we thank you that perhaps
perhaps in the not-too-distant future
there could be an opportunity to give an
Isaac
those are things only generate it by
your Holy Spirit and reveal by your Holy
Spirit but we do thank you for those
special moments as well so father we
give you praise in the name of Jesus we
all shout and say amen and amen now
those of you that are honoring the Lord
with your tithes and offerings and you
would like to mail them in please send
them to Steven Brooks International p.o
box seven-one-seven Moravian falls North
Carolina zip code 286 by 4 again peel
box 7 1 7 Moravian falls North Carolina
2 8 6 5 4 2 8 6 5 4 hallelujah want to
make sure I get that difficult right
sometimes I've got all kinds of
different numbers going through my head
zip code 2 8 6 5 4 thank you for being
patient with me today praise God now if
you would like to bring your tithes and
offerings in online which is very safe
very secure we have an encrypted website
and that links right into our online
giving which is highly encrypted you can
do that at the ministry website Steven
Brooks org there is a link on the home
page called tithes and offerings
so in reap and you can go there now
anytime day or night and bring them into
the storehouse of God Father bless your
people bless your people father we just
thank you that we open our hearts to
continual teaching by your word by the
Holy Spirit and of course through the
ministry office of the teacher so we
thank you Father that you teach us how
the tap into your very best that you
have for our lives we give you praise we
thank you that we can honor you and give
to you what rightfully belongs to you
first and we thank you Father that you
take really really good care of us we
give you all the praise in Jesus name
Amen
say I'm blessed hallelujah let that be
your confession today let's let's turn
to this is this is easy let's turn the
Genesis chapter 20
one we received the tithes and offerings
from Genesis 22 let's turn to Genesis
chapter 21 I want to talk today I felt
leaded the Holy Spirit to talk about the
necessity for you to cross the finish
line I'm not talking about the finish
line as in you know when you take your
last breath you lived your life out and
then you die and you go to be with the
Lord
well that that certainly would be a
finish line your race at that point on
the earth would be complete that that it
is not the context though I'm referring
to I'm talking about crossing the finish
line on assignments that God has given
you on a task that God has directed you
to put your hands on and you have to
stay on that covenant promise you have
to stay on that thing until you cross
the finish line
because as you know a church it can be
easy to get distracted and perhaps you
like myself you've seen people that
bounce from this thing that that thing
to this thing that that thing and they
are trying to do so much that they
actually accomplish very very little so
you need to be focused and you need to
really stay in the race that you're in
right now on the task that God has got
you right now and you're going to get it
done you're going to cross that finish
line but I want to encourage you before
you try to join all kinds of other races
or get involved in all kinds of other
stuff complete complete what God has
called you to do in this season and at
this time in your life Genesis chapter
21 Heavenly Father by your Holy Spirit
opened the scriptures let the eyes of
our understanding be illuminated by your
Holy Spirit
we thank you Father for the spirit of
wisdom and revelation flowing into our
understanding right now in Jesus name we
all agree and say amen Genesis 21 verse
1 and the Lord visited Sara as he had
said and the Lord did for Sara
as he had spoken now this is very
important your faith has to be based on
something that God said or something
that God revealed to you and his word
and a lot of people they're trying to
reach and grab for things that maybe are
out of bounds or not even in that season
of their life and it can end up where
there's frustration and even
disillusionment because they don't have
a clear word from God to go for it and
it's better to move more slowly and
cautiously not not fearfully but to move
cautiously and be a little extra slow
and make sure you've heard from God
before setting out on an assignment or
putting your hand to a task than it is
to just rush into something and then you
get into it a little bit then you're
starting to think you know that I
actually hear from God or not and you've
got a lot of people that do that in the
church they they rush into things and
launch into this and proclaim that
they're going to do this thing and they
get down the road aways and it seems
like nothing is really happening and
that's not a good place to be you want
to clear up any doubt before you ever
start praise God and this is why Sarah
was able to bring that promise that that
ship of promise eventually into the
harbor of benefi station why she heard
from God she heard from Lorna as a
matter of fact you probably remember the
story she heard it in her own ear as her
husband Abraham was talking to the Lord
in the tent and she's on the other side
and she's listening and she actually you
know initially thought it was a pretty
wild idea that she was going to have a
child and just sing maybe even crazy and
and she laughed and land later
Abraham confronted her and said you
laughed what he gave that promise oh oh
no I didn't yes you did
he heard it and he told me that you
laughed and well she's like well yeah I
did laughs III have to admit that's kind
of beyond me right now but you know
there came a point where she realized
you know God said that and if God said
it he has the power and the ability to
fulfill it so what I'm trying to get
across to you is something very basic
but yet very important your your faith
will not work beyond what God has spoken
to you or what God has revealed to you
as being his will and that's very very
important so settled that before you
start the journey lest you get into the
journey and you never really got
information from headquarters before you
hit it out maybe you are right maybe you
did pick up on the leaving of the Holy
Spirit and you you you you caught enough
to get you going in the right direction
or maybe maybe it was just selfish
ambition which is not good maybe you
just wanted to prove to somebody
something well all of that will
evaporate under the trials and the
difficulties that are associated with
doing any any type of an assignment so
you want to know that you've heard from
God and the Lord visited Sara as he had
said and the Lord did for Sarah as he
had spoken so any major thing that you
grab a hold of make sure that you have
the word of the Lord on that that would
of course Intel waiting on the Lord
praying to get the direction of the Lord
spending time in the Word of God and
just you know really wanting to know for
sure and there could also just come on
knowing that you know on the inside
where the Holy Spirit just gives you
such an overwhelming peaceful sensation
that that it's solid you feel it's solid
this is it and you can go so that's very
very important now verse 2 for Sara
conceived and bore Abraham a son in his
old age at the set time of which God had
spoken to him well here it is there's a
set time it was off in the future or
little ways and you realize that
the promises of God they are manifested
through faith and patience you're going
to have to have both here's here's
what's amazing even with a word from God
how about this even with a personal
visitation from the Lord that perhaps
you have a vision and you see Jesus and
Jesus tells you something you know what
you're still gonna have to use your
faith the promises of God what God said
whether it's Jesus speaking it to you in
a vision which would of course would be
a very dramatic experience or God
speaking something to you revealing
something to you from his word either
way however it comes however the word is
received maybe an angel comes maybe a
very heavyweight prophet gives you a
dramatic word and you know it's gone in
excites your spirit either way the way
that you're going to manifest what was
said or spoken or revealed to you is
through faith which means you believe it
you take a hold of it and patience
understanding that this is not a
100-meter dash this is a marathon
experience I'm not saying it's gonna
take 26 years but I'm saying it could
take a year it could take it could take
three months it could take three weeks
but sometimes on something that say more
of a larger thing that God has assigned
you to you just have to really lock in
praise the Lord and stay focused on it
really if you can on a daily basis that
would really help you because if it's
something that's larger something like
what Sarah is facing believing God for a
baby when you're barren and also now
you're in your really old age well this
is something that you really need to
build your faith up on a daily basis go
back to what God said what did God say
because that word will bring faith into
your spirit and that word has energy it
actually has supernatural power and you
just get that word back into your spirit
again you meditate on it spend some time
with the print well
in the Lord with prayer and discuss that
word and before you know it it's like
your battery got recharged and you know
I've got a pretty modern cellphone
but even as modern as it is with the
great battery it has it still eventually
it's gonna run down so I've got to plug
that cell phone in get my cell phone
charged back up fully get it a full
charge
give it time don't rush it give it time
to stay plugged in get that full charge
and now I'm good to go
for you know another day and a half or
something like that but it's very very
important that you keep your faith up
and that you're patient
don't try to rush it don't try to force
it there's a set time and when there's a
set time the angels behind the scenes or
choreographing everything where it's
going to all come together at the right
time right place and the right way and
it'll dovetail and it'll fit really
really good and there'll be a lot of joy
in it if you try to rush it if you try
to get into it prematurely you'll know
something's not right about it it won't
have the joy though there will be
unpleasantries associated with it and if
you get it that way you can leave it it
could actually leave a bad taste in your
mouth
why wrong timing wrong way guts not in
it so let let let the Lord do this part
that the Angels do their part you stay
on faith you do the good works that
would be associated with moving it
forward but you know just don't rush it
just not Russia keep working it keep
working it
keep working it's not a 100-meter sprint
it's a marathon keep working it and
eventually you're going to cross the
finish line
praise God first stream and Abraham
called the name of his son who was born
to him whom Sarah born to him Isaac now
he was instructed also to give the child
this name and Isaac means laughter I
think there's something special about
that that when the child is born okay so
now you have you brought it forth you
actually crossed the finish line
now now it's really a time for rejoicing
now you really came laughs I think
there's something very very special
about that verse 5 now Abraham was 100
years old when his son Isaac was born to
him verse six and Sara said God has made
me laugh and all who hear will laugh
with me so here's the thing when you
cross the finish line and you bring in
the manifestation that that thing that
God tasked you to that thing got
assigned you to that thing that was your
faith assignment when you cross the
finish line with it you really do get a
release of joy it's it's amazing watch
for it it'll come by the spirit there
will be a release of laughter a release
of joy and that comes when the timings
right when you're in that set time
you've done it the right way and you've
had faith you've had patience you've
you've you've done the works that we're
associated with it and now you've
crossed the finish line
there's your Isaac what does it mean
it's time for laughter and the Holy
Spirit will bring that laughter for and
I believe just as spirit fill laughter
can be contagious
I believe that faith is contagious what
is going on here what is going on is
that we finally have what I would call a
complete testimony I have to be honest
I've had I've had people share they're
not everybody some some do have the
complete testimonies but I've had other
people that they don't know what this is
and they've never crossed the finish
line but yet they want to share their
testimony sometimes they've wanted to
take me out to lunch and pastor Stephen
I want to share my testimony with you do
you have you ever like a kind of can you
have lunch with me now I want to tell
you my testimony I think I'm thinking
okay this would be good it's always good
to hear a good testimony something
amazing that God did but when they're
telling their testimony I'm kind of
waiting for the the breakthrough moment
the Isaac was finally born moment and
you know what they finished their
testimony and it really all it is is
it's kind of like a journey of their
life experience but they've never
they've never done anything it's kind of
like you're waiting for the the
fireworks and there's no fireworks and
they're not getting it this is not a
testimony
this is actually an incomplete story
and there's no finish line moment so
that's really I don't even I don't even
categorize that as a testimony don't try
to meet mean to a person that would
would share something like that I just
smile and you know if they're paying for
the lunch I'll enjoy the meal hallelujah
but that's that's not something that
lifts anybody and that that's the thing
a true testimony will lift people will
inspire people it's contagious
it was just like Isaac being born when
when Sarah told it it made people laugh
they start laughing with her like
they're happy for her and something
something gets on them also and they
start thinking now wait a minute this
this was this is a miracle
if God did it for her God did it for me
and now you've got a bona fide real what
I would call genuine miracle testimony
and that helps people praise God and
because it's contagious its contagious
you've got your Isaac you've got your
miracle boo thank you Lord Jesus God
wants you with your assignment with the
thing that he's promised you and I know
you have responsibilities in life maybe
you've got to raise two children maybe
you got to get them to school in the
morning maybe you got it ladies you got
to do the laundry
maybe ladies some of you run a business
men you're busy doing things you know
all the things you've got to do in life
but still in the midst of that you have
you have something that God said hey
I'll do this for you just believe me
this thing up that you're desiring for
I'm gonna do it so stay in faith stay
patient you know keep doing the works
that would associate with your faith to
keep moving it forward eventually we're
going to get there so what I'm trying to
say is that you've got to stay on that
don't be distracted you've got to stay
on that until you bring that all the way
into the finish line don't be lazy with
it don't be sloppy with it don't try to
rush it either but keep working that
keep working that thing because there's
an enemy out there that that a lot a lot
of Christians they succumb to this is
not going to be your portion but I've
seen it really just
chained themselves to quite a few
Christians and you know what this enemy
is called this enemy is called average
while and the enemy the enemy wants you
to never step into the great destiny
that God has for you he wants you to
live your life out
Minoo if you're saved and born again hey
he's got to let you go you're saved
you're washed with the blood of Jesus
you're going to heaven he knows that but
he wants you in that condition in your
safe condition just to live your life
out in a place called average where you
you just live and die as an average
person and the great destiny even the
things that the Holy Spirit would unveil
to you you never step into them the the
great promises that God would even give
to you even powerfully through prophecy
through a prophetic utterance through
the Holy Spirit revealing something to
you you catch a glimpse of it you see it
or or maybe even a visitation of a great
encounter it just never happens why you
just you just settle with being average
yeah so you know that's something that
is a great enemy it's it's the enemy
that's called average so watch out for
that stay on this assignment that God
has given you you must move forward with
it this is something that God has given
to you as a treasure you must bring
forth your Isaac Isaac your Isaac it's
going to be a blessing to you it's gonna
make you very very happy and your Isaac
is gonna make a lot of other people
happy
your Isaac is gonna make some people
stop crying it's gonna pull them out of
the doldrums I'm out of depression and
say I've had it with messing around I'm
gonna live my life for Jesus like you're
living my life for Jesus because if God
did that for you
I believe God can do it for me well your
shall today and say I'm gonna cross the
finish line again we're not talking
about the finish line when you die and
go to heaven we're talking about the
finish line of manifesting that thing
that God has told you that he would do
for you praise God
God has made me laugh and all who hear
will laugh with me glory glory to God
glory
to God hallelujah you're going to make
it you're going to make it hang in there
hang in there I know you're running I
know you realize it's not a 100-meter
dash it's not just one time around the
track but you're running you're running
the marathon you're gonna cross it you
gotta cross the finish line it's not
until you cross the finish line you have
no testimony well I've had some miracles
along the way yes you have but you still
haven't manifested it yet so it's not
it's not full it's not fully there so in
some ways you don't even need to tell it
because there's no conclusion to it wait
till you have the conclusion wait till
you go across that finish line and then
you will receive amazing refreshing from
the Lord Himself glory to God glory to
God you know I had an experience with a
good friend of mine we were back in
college and we were on the the track
team and we had we had a really good
track team and were ranked very high
high in the nation some of the runners
on our track team were Olympians we had
Olympians we had Olympian sprinters we
had Olympian guys in the field events
like you know the shotput and stuff like
that we had a lot of depth on this track
team so it was a lot of fun to be on a
winning team like that well I remember
it was I think it was during the summer
yes it was during the summer time where
there was a big marathon in Dallas Texas
and we had a friend of ours who was just
winning all of these track meets he
would go he would run that he would win
the 10k and he would win the 5 5
kilometer and he would also win the
cross-country events he would just he
was winning every single race and we
thought you know he would probably be
really good at a marathon and there were
two college professors they taught
political science and they they actually
said hey we're going to be running in
that marathon so if you know if you guys
eat if you guys want to come down and
run it with us that would be a lot of
fun well they're just running it like
recreationally they're you know they're
not gonna even go to break three out
you know but they would run and train
maybe 50 miles a week but you know there
were no threat to you know cracking the
top 100 or anything like that baby then
they knew that there for them was just
more like a climb Mount Everest
running a marathon you know type of
achievement they like doing marathons so
they went they went to the marathon and
we decided hey me and my friend decided
hey let's get so-and-so let's take him
to the marathon and just put him into
the race get him registered and just
let's just see what happens let's just
see what happens so we did that he came
down there with us his name was Mike
this marathon that this you know
collegiate track star and he was from
South Africa and so nobody really knew
who he was when he showed up there's
probably about 3,000 people in the race
and there were there was an
international field you had a lot of
really good runners distance runners
coming in from various countries because
there's prize money
there's prize money and this was kind of
funny also because we never stopped to
think what would happen if he won this
is this going to violate NCAA rules and
regulations we thought well I guess it
doesn't really matter because it's
probably not going to win so it doesn't
even matter well long story short he
ended up winning and it was quite an
event I remember um you know the race
starts 3,000 people take off and you
know you go you go through the first ten
kilometers 6.2 miles
the crowds beginning to thin out but
there's maybe maybe like 50 people up
towards the front still all running
going through the 10k in like 30 minutes
flat you know good a good fast pace low
5 minute mile pace and he's still he's
still running and he's looking really
comfortable and so what's going on is me
and my friend we rode our bicycles along
to kind of like you know along the
racecourse you know because all the
streets were blocked off by the police
and if there was some area where the
street was completely blocked off we
could zigzag through the neighborhoods
and subdivisions and pop out at another
area where there was a long stretch and
you know kind of just get back on that
race route and follow along with the
runners over
riding the bikes along the side well you
know you get to 13 miles 13.1 miles and
he's he's still really doing good and
now there's the lead pack has gotten
down to about 10 people and he's looking
mike is looking really really good
and this kept on going you get 20 miles
and he's looking really good he got
about 22 miles and dropped down the
three guys and he's still there he's
working he's sweating he's really
working hard he's he's never raced a
full marathon before but he's looking
really really good at this point we
thought he could possibly win it and so
you know we actually were there at the
finish line when he crossed the finish
line and he won the whole thing
of course you know there was the
situation of be an NCAA athlete and he
got some prize money I think he kept it
wasn't that much really but he got a big
pendant big on a necklace like a it was
gold and I remember laterz we're back
hanging out in the room together we're
all thinking a wonder if it's solid gold
he said I think it is I like well that's
wonderful enjoy so um you know I laid a
big spaghetti dinner and he got reloaded
with carbohydrates but the thing is is
that as well as he was doing and as
surprising as he was doing because when
he won ever you know suddenly all the
newspapers like wow who was this guy
this guy is really good this guy can
totally go pro level and he went on to
have a stellar career as he finished up
his his racing there at the University
and we had quite a few sponsored
athletes we had athletes on our track
team fully sponsored by Nike one of my
friends was fully sponsored by Puma
he had so many Puma shoes and a boom
boom out outfits that he was always
giving me all these really cool shoes it
was a lot of fun
and so on these guys were doing really
really well and me and the other guys
some of the other guys on the team we
were like the mortals these these other
guys were like superhuman we were just
like the mortals trying to struggle just
to kind of keep up with these other guys
and practice and also at the events so I
was no threat to any world record did
okay but not like some of these guys
that had that special touch
God but you know what no matter how well
you're doing until you cross that finish
line you can't celebrate fully and my
friend even as surprised as we were is
how well he was doing it ten miles in it
to the halfway point and getting far
into it at twenty miles and 22 miles
thinking he's probably gonna win this
thing
you know what until he crossed the
finish line he can't get he can't get
the gold medal he cannot get the
testimony so this is what I'm trying to
tell you today you have to push and you
have to stay on task and push and keep
using your faith and stay patient though
some days are not gonna be firework days
you're gonna have to still stay in the
game stay on assignment keep your hands
on it until you actually cross the
finish line and then when there's the
finish line moment and you have the
victory trust me there will be the joy
there will be the tears of joy and you
can imagine the tears that Sarah was
shedding it happened as she's pushed the
baby out and she's holding this miracle
this child that is an absolute miracle
well now you crossed the finish line now
you're happy hey let's leave me let's
name him laughter hallelujah because
we're all laughing and it's just now
you've got the testimony and my friends
you know what you you would have to have
the complete testimony you you I want to
say you're not allowed to leave this
planet okay until you cross the finish
line I I know in I know when you look
across the church the panorama of the
church you're gonna have a lot of people
that never cross the finish line in the
sense where they saw the manifestation
of that thing that they believed God to
do but you are you are you're going to
get it done and I believe that all of
heaven is behind you cheering you and
that God has connections on the earth to
help you and the the people that you
need the resources that you need and
it's going to happen for you but you're
gonna have to stay in faith just gonna
be patient because this this is a
marathon okay you have to stay on this
thing until you cross and break that
tape across the finish line and
the ribbon now you can relax now you can
praise God and now you can receive and
enjoy this great thing that God has done
in your life
praise God thank you Lord Jesus I am
absolutely 100% convinced that in order
to do it you're going to need the Holy
Spirit I think today in the church in
America I can't really speak for other
nations on I I don't have my I don't
have the the reading of the thermometer
of how the Holy Spirit's doing in other
nations I travel to other nations
but I'm mainly here I think in the the
the thermometer of the American church
it's the Holy Spirit is not popular
there is a lot of there's a lot of flesh
there is a lot in the church there's a
lot of brilliance of human ingenuity and
there's a lot of brass that's trying to
substitute for gold gold is divinity and
the brass is just like a gong a brass
gong that makes them it doesn't make a
pleasant sound why it's not gold and it
may look like gold but it's not gold and
so we have a lot of things in the church
that are fabricated that are
manufactured why because because we're
not relying on the Holy Spirit and so
people are relying on their own
creativity maybe their own charisma of
their of their own you know unique
talents or whatever that might be
they're relying on their natural
connections and who they know and you
know and all this rain gleams and all of
these dealings and stuff like that and I
am absolutely convinced that you can't
do what God really wants you to do we'll
bring him great glory and we'll be
something that is a great testimony for
your life you're never going to get it
without the Holy Spirit you were going
to absolutely need the Holy Spirit in
order to cross the finish line so you're
gonna need to work with him you're gonna
need to be taught by him you're going to
need to heavily rely on him
because it's just I I'm convinced you
can't do it without the Holy Spirit he's
too vital he is key he's this is what
I'm trying to say let me boil it down to
this he's not optional he is a necessity
he's not optional he's vital you're
going to have to have his leadership and
his guidance and his wisdom because the
promise that God gave you
just like the promise that God gave to
Abraham and Sarah is beyond your natural
ability okay this thing is in the mirror
look around so if you want to go there
trust me you cannot get there without
the Holy Spirit's Hill so lean on him
and embrace him and trust him he knows
more than you and I will ever know and
he is so smart he is so brilliant he
knows everything he's God he's the third
person of the of the of the deity of the
d of the of the Godhead of the Trinity
praise God Abba Father Son Jesus and
Holy Spirit thank you O God Heavenly
Father I pray for those that are
watching today that they'd be inspired
to keep on running I pray that your Holy
Spirit would come and get behind them
and help them to quicken up the pace
without being more laborious I know in
the natural father if we try to run
faster it could be more difficult
because we were used to a set pace but
I'm actually asking that you would help
your people to pick the pace up the run
faster and and to even do it without as
much energy then it would be a real work
a real a real lifting of your holy
spirit thank you Oh God take them all
the way across the finish line where
they have a bonafide genuine valid
miracle testimony of something that you
have done in their life that brings you
glory that brings them laughter and it's
so genuine and it's so of you that it
makes others laugh when they hear about
it and it inspires the faith of others
when they hear about it now we thank you
Father no more dead end testimonies
which are not even true testimonies
no more dead-end stories of life
experiences that end it with no note of
victory we thank you Father we refuse to
settle for that thank you Father God we
thank you I think you Father God for a
basket I see them the like around
Thanksgiving what's called the
cornucopia it's it's like a horn of
plenty with its it's this thing that's
stuffed full of all kinds of bounties
provision of overflowing fruits and the
best of the land I see a cornucopia of
miracle testimonies of real genuine
miracle testimonies of all of your debts
paid off of your house paid off of your
student loans paid off of all of your
credit cards paid off I'm talking
because you're using your faith and
you're exercising patience and you're
walking in the wisdom of God I see real
miracles not not just the natural
mechanics of something slowly getting
paid down for a hundred years but no I'm
seeing an invasion of God's Spirit
helping you to step into real miracles
where it's just gone it's all paid off
overnight it's gone just like the
Egyptians washing up on the shore after
the installation have crossed over and
all the Egyptians are dead it's over
with
it's it's all over with you're out of
Egypt finally I see all of your debts
getting paid off I see real valid
genuine miracle testimonies I see you
stepping into the Promised Land I see
you possessing great things I see you
becoming the man the woman that God's
called you to be hallelujah please do
not settle for normal you're getting
robbed and ripped off if you do and then
God's got so much for you go for it go
for it but keep on task
stay on your assignment don't let the
enemy pull you off of it it's gonna be
an amazing thing you're going to have
your Isaac a father I pray for your
people bless them but perseverance bless
them with faith and patience and
rejoicing in Jesus name Amen and amen
praise God let's take communion today
because God is going to do it
just like Abraham and Sarah they you
know that chapter starts off by saying
God did what he said what God said the
word he said it came to pass and it's
going to happen for you too hallelujah
it's going to happen for you too now say
Amen hallelujah so let's celebrate the
Lord's faithfulness because he's going
to do it and already it's unfolding as
you continued to move forward I see some
of you picking the pace up so much
you're even gonna begin to get up on the
balls of your foot as they say running
on your toes you're gonna you're not
even striking your heel you're up on the
towards the front of your foot
hallelujah glory to God notice that some
of the world's leading marathon runners
there he'll never strikes the ground now
you know that for sprinters they're up
on the ball of their foot the entire
time because you don't have time to go
through that whole rolling motion when
you're sprinting but the world's best
marathon is there he'll also will not
touch the ground it's halfway forward of
their foot and and forward they they
never have a heel strike very
interesting biomechanics of running
that's a different subject there's a lot
of science behind success in sports as
well as sports sciences begin to decode
why are some runners better why are they
more efficient why are they saving more
energy while they run there's a science
behind all of that some of that you can
teach some of you can't it's just the
way God has created certain ones to have
that little special touch
praise God but I see you in the spirit
on the assignment that God has given you
getting up on your toes you're going to
start to run a lot faster say Amen
Heavenly Father we thank you for this
juice and bread we pray over it we bless
it and consecrate it it is now the flesh
and blood of our precious Savior Jesus
thank you father all of your promises
are yes and amen
we received them by faith your healing
is coming hang in there it's coming we
know it was accomplished at Calvary but
your faith is tying in to the promises
of God your faith is getting stronger
and stronger and you'll hit that finish
line moment boom with that miracle
manifest and you'll know it praise God
stay faithful stay in the race praise
the Lord father we just think
for the body of Jesus we receive it now
with great Thanksgiving we receive your
promises not doubting anything you've
said we give you praise in Jesus name
that is agree together and say Amen
let's receive
praise the Lord I think your enemy
called average would be an Ishmaelite
ham struggled with that so I you know we
can identify with that
Abraham basically said God you know I've
got a son you know through Hagar you
know that the servant girl so you know
Lord let's just work with him you know
what God said
he said no hey you know and that's it
you can't argue with God he God just
said no he said your seed will be
through the promise child
Isaac I've chosen to work through Isaac
and I'm not working through any other
option so no you're not you're not going
to get off the hook we're just having a
normal life
no because the cut he's and God so nice
he said look he said I know you I know
you love Ishmael I know he's actually
your son so look I'm gonna bless him he
will become a great nation and he will
beget twelve princes but despite all of
that which is nice the promise I'm only
making a covenant what promise with
Isaac who's going to be coming on the
scene eventually that's the only
covenant I'm making with you through a
son and that's going to be through him
only praise God praise God
Ishmael never had a spiritual bone in
his body the promise was through Isaac
the spiritual one praise the Lord what
the understanding of the promises the
understanding of God the the respect and
reverence for the holy spirit
praise the Lord thank you Lord Jesus
father we thank you we thank you Father
God that we refuse to settle with some
kind of a low level of living when you
have provided so much force through the
redemptive act of Christ at Calvary we
thank you Father God in the power of the
Holy Spirit that you've given unto us a
father we can have so much more and we
access it my faith and patience we thank
you we give you praise we receive
together the blood of Jesus the blood of
Jesus we thank you Father God that the
veil of the temple has been torn there
is no more veil anymore we have full
access to you through the shed blood of
Christ
and we take advantage of that father we
come into your presence and we receive
refreshing and blessing hallelujah we
give you praise thank you Father God you
give strength we ask that you would
release grace right now that we would
stay consistent until we cross the
finish line
we thank you Father but your Holy Spirit
always rewards with much joy and
laughter along with that manifestation
of that promise we give you praise thank
you father in Jesus name let's drink the
blood of Christ praise the Lord praise
the Lord okay get back on task don't
neglect the promise and the high calling
that God has given you don't get so busy
that you drop the main thing while
you're tinkering around over here with
minor things no stay on the major thing
give that the priority and then when
that's that's all in its proper place
and moving forward properly then take
care of these other little things we
thank you God we thank your father
father bless your people in Jesus name
Amen
thank you for watching I look forward to
seeing you back next time till then you
be richly blessed bye-bye