ood morning church family and ministry
friends I'm pastor Stephen Brooks and
welcome today to our online internet
church service praise the Lord well we
can gather together literally from
around the world and have church
together through the blessing of the
internet praise God I am so happy that
you're here let's take our Bibles today
and go to Psalm 24 first one we're gonna
receive the holy tithes and offerings
we're going to bring them into the
storehouse of God and I would like to
share just a couple of scriptures with
you that will bless you and strengthen
your faith in the area of finances
because God wants you to be blessed
financially hallelujah
Psalm 24 verse 1 it says the earth is
the Lord's and all its fullness the
world and those who dwell therein well
that's a that's an amazing statement
listen to it one more time the earth is
the Lord's and all its fullness now
that's very interesting
since God owns everything everything in
the world God has created all the
mountains and the you know the oceans
and the lakes and all the beautiful
things but you know so many things that
we even make and produce it just all
comes out of the ground
so in essence God is overall so how can
you really give God something that would
move his heart when it really comes from
him in the first place how do you assign
value to something in giving when it's
originating from God it in the first
place in other words if we're going to
give God something and we give it to the
Lord and the Lord's like well that's
great but really it came from my planet
and it originates for me so how in view
of this knowing that the earth the
entire earth belongs to the Lord how do
we assign value to something okay let's
take a look at Haggai chapter two and
verse eight the silver is mine and the
gold is mine says the Lord of hosts
Pastor Steven I'm going to give God some
gold well
who made it where did you get it from I
got it from out of a Creek bread I was
out panning and I found some gold
nuggets I'm gonna give them the God well
you're just really giving to him that
that's nice but you're really giving to
God what actually is still his it all
comes from the Lord so when we're going
to give something from the Lord it's
really his blessing that allows us to
give what Pastor Steven I'm a little bit
confused in how how if it's all coming
from God as the source that's really the
core of where it's all coming from it's
coming from God then how can we actually
give something to him that would have
value in his eyes that's a good question
so how can we determine what is valuable
well I think this can help you if you
will understand that value of what's
what something is worth it's not really
determined by God but it's determined by
you and I whew okay so if it's if it has
value to you and I then God sees that
then God will assign equal value to it
praise the Lord I think this is a
fascinating insight into the mind of God
and into the heart of God now I want you
to see a little story very short I'm
only going to read a few verses from
first Kings chapter 17 that will help
you understand value in how certain
types of offerings empower you to move
the hand of God Wow praise the Lord
ooh now look at this first Kings chapter
17 you could probably tell I'm trying to
be careful with my words I want to word
something that's so special I want to
word it right and not displace this
revelation with wrong words so I'm
trying to speak it slowly that all
things belong to the Lord so if you give
something and it's originating from God
then how can you really give something
that in the eyes of
would have value okay in the eyes of God
it has value
if you assign it value now even
unbelievers can understand this because
in the world
let's take silver and gold you know they
both have value why they're rare and
it's not like their silver just laying
out on the streets somewhere so it used
it has to be mined it has to be
extracted from where from the earth who
created the earth God did but even
unbelievers know that silver has value
now they also know that gold has a
higher value why would that be because
it's scarce sir and it's therefore
considered a precious metal in other
words there's not that much of it so
this this is very interesting value so
in the world we have things that we have
assigned value to why because of their
scarcity their rarity and you know their
usefulness and so forth so we assign
value to certain things and some things
can have like a medium value some things
can have little value if you lost it you
wouldn't even care you go out and get
another one you know like a little toy
from you know getting a toy at the
McDonald's drive-through and they give
you a little toy you lose it where
you're like well it only cost three
cents you're not really worried about it
that doesn't have any value so other
things though if you lost them you would
be searching the entire house you you
would go through the card you would have
a flashlight you would be looking
through every nook and cranny trying to
find it why it really has a different
value but we're talking about the type
of AG of a gift or giving that moves the
heart of God let me show you this very
quickly first Kings chapter 17 verse 1
and Elijah the Tishbite of the
inhabitants of Gilead said to Ahab as
the Lord God of Israel lives before whom
I stand there shall not be dune or rain
these years except that my word and he
gave the word and there wasn't and this
is not just for a few weeks or months
this is years whew three years no rain
how about that because the Prophet has
closed up the heavens and they could get
airplanes up there and do cloud seeding
nothing's going to happen it's not going
to rain because he said it's not going
to rain and so he had locked it up now
you could imagine that in a famine
experienced that this is going to bring
drought and all the hardships involved
that everything now is going to have
scarcity and something maybe before that
didn't have much value like a loaf of
bread is suddenly gonna have a lot of
value let's continue on verse 7 and it
happened after a while that the brook
dried up because there had been no rain
in the land ah now water has great value
doesn't it ok verse 8 then the word of
the Lord came to him that would be the
prophet saying arise go to Zarephath
which belongs to Satan and dwell there
see I've commanded a widow there to
provide for you so he's like okay
somebody's going to take care of me
that's nice I'll pack my bag and I'll
leave it was nice if I got fed by Ravens
but now I'm going to go to somebody's
house verse 10 so he arose and went this
air fat then when he came to the gate of
the city indeed a widow was there
gathering sticks and he called to her
and said please bring me a little water
in a cup that I may drink and as she was
going to get it let's stop there just
for a moment she goes to get the water
he now he don't ask you for a gallon and
because he knows it's very rare but he
does say to her please bring me a little
water in a cup that I may drink there's
a there's not much water when you go
into these already arid areas and
there's no rain then you know you're
talking famine drought conditions really
quick so you're looking here at three
years of no rain and it hasn't been that
long yet but it already has been long
enough where water is now a scarcity but
yet when he asked her for a little bit
of water in a cup she is a giver so what
does she do she starts to go get it
whoo praise the Lord and you know what
that's a that's a good offering that
that's a good offering anywhere to give
water in the midst of a drought when
water is scarcity and you can go to the
grocery store and there's no bottled
water anywhere and there's no button you
know there's no tap water at anybody's
house you have to just get it where
you can get it and so nevertheless she's
gonna go and she's going to get him some
water I'd say that this lady has a
giving heart and maybe you're in a place
like that where you are a giver but you
can't you can't quite seem yet though
the breakthrough into that area where
you know there is the next level of
abundance or blessing that God has for
you and you do give good gifts and you
do so good seed you would even give
water in a time of a great drought but
sometimes it takes a prophet that has
revelation understanding and a word from
God to take you into the deeper realm
where you contact the glory realm of God
and where God's hand moves I want to
talk to you about that just for a moment
and as she was going to get it going to
get the little bit of water which shows
to us that she is a giver as she was
going to get it he called to her and
said please bring me a morsel of bread
in your hand and when he said that when
he asked for the morsel of bread that
hit the nerve in her that hit the
bedrock foundation of her heart and that
was the opportunity that she now has to
go over into the medical realm where you
moved the hand of God why pastor Stephen
because I'll show you why look at this
verse 12 so she said as the Lord your
God lives I do not have bread only a
handful of flour in a bin and a little
oil in a jar and see I am gathering a
couple of sticks that I may go in and
prepare it for myself and my son that we
may eat it and die she only has enough
for one last meal what does that mean it
means that the water she could probably
get a little bit more water maybe they
had a well that was really good that was
really deep and that underground spring
is still holding up so she can cover the
water it's scarce yes but she can still
get the water but the food hey we're all
on the edge here and this
she and her son are on the edge so much
this is their last mill and she
basically says we're gonna we're gonna I
was gonna cook this and we're gonna eat
this so we're and uh didn't you know
we're just gonna we're just gonna die
whoa glory to God what happened the the
meal the little meal was something to
her that was precious so when you give
the precious and you know what God won't
force you to do it angels won't force
you to do it although you could have
opportunity sometimes it comes as a
prophetic moment or maybe you catch that
prophetic revelation or a prophet even
could say this is the opportunity come
on let me pull you into a realm or you
can actually move the hand of God how do
you do that how do you how do you move
God's hand when it all comes from him
because God allows you and me to assign
value on what we give and while you
can't be a good giver if you want to see
God's hand move in your life into that
actual area of real bonafide genuine
miracles then the way that you do that
is that you have to give what's precious
and if it's not precious to you then it
will not be precious in the eyes of God
praise the Lord so that's how that works
if you if you're trying to think well
how can i really give God something that
will really touch his heart when it's
really all coming from him anyhow oh he
allows you and me to assign value and so
then if you give something that has
value
then God assigns value to it and that
really will move his hand and this is an
area that for some Christians probably
most Christians it can be a little bit
scary
which is why in verse 12 Elisha said to
her do not fear go and do as you have
said which is that she's going to go get
the little meal put together but make me
a small cake from it first and bring it
to me and afterward makes them for
yourself and your son and she obeys and
then she sustained all throughout that
drought and famine while others are
dropping dead and dying from starvation
so I think sometimes we have these
special moments where something that
would be considered very just very very
special we could call it precious that
we have an opportunity to give it and
when you do that that's when you see the
miracles happen that's how you get into
that realm
if you're curious that's how you get
into it you think about Hannah Hannah
was married to a very good husband he
was very gracious to her and made sure
that all of her needs were met but she
could not bear a child and she wanted a
son desperately and she just got to the
point after going up to the annual
pilgrimage of the feast of just you know
never getting the prayer answered being
a giver being a you know good Israelite
but just still never getting into the
miracle zone she just was at her wits in
and she just finally brought the thing
before the Lord and said Lord I'm you
know willing to do something I've never
done before I'm gonna make a pledge that
if you will fulfil this pledge and give
me a son I'll actually give him to you
all the days of his life that's that's
really touching that area again of
something that would be precious and she
had to do it on a faith pledge because
she didn't have like the widow woman
here had the little bitty final meal
that she could give away but she didn't
even have that so she had to say Lord I
don't I don't even have something like
that to work with so I'm gonna have to
even work with you on a faith pledge
basis but I really commit in my heart
that if you'll do it I'll I'll fulfill
my end of the deal so if you're willing
to pledge something sacred again it has
to be something that you would cherish
something very very special now that's
how you get God's hand to move now
there's a lot of people that are
Christians that they want God's hand to
move but they're not willing to actually
follow through Lord if you'll give me
you know a thousand dollars or ten
thousand dollars then I'll finally have
that seed that I want to sow and I'll
sew it well then you know the thing is
is God can do his part but if you take
that you take that seed and you don't
use it for that intended purpose you
might not hear from God again in this
type of area for a long
long time I'm talking years before maybe
another opportunity like that could come
around Matt maybe 10 years easily
because work takes these things very
very seriously even to the point when
God did give her a son and she got
pregnant and she had the child as she's
got little Samuel and she tells her
husband
I need the weaning first you know he's
breastfeeding and so forth so soon as
that's done I'll take him up there you
know to the to the man of God and then
he could just serve there in the
Tabernacle system and so you know her
husband Elkanah said hey um okay
you can do that but make sure make sure
that you you know soon as he's weaned it
you get him up there because you know
we've got a hot potato here we've got a
dedicated son and we're you know so in
other words don't hold that you know
that faith pledge when it's manifested
and there it is now you've got it don't
hold that in your hand start thinking
whew that's a lot of money lord I I told
you I give it to you about who this sure
feels good to hold it you know I could
pay a lot of bills off with this and I
could I could really have a very nice
shopping spree but see what it's
dedicated to God you have to move very
very quickly and follow up on your
pledge and then if you do that then
you'll see God's hand move praise the
Lord
but my friends this thing of something
that's cherished or something very very
valuable to you if it's if it's like
that to you and you're willing to give
that then God sees it then he'll assign
that level of value to it and that's
really when you get into the miracle
area there is the consistent tithes
there is the opportunity to give and so
good seed and you'll you'll be blessed
you'll have your bills paid you'll have
more than enough but if you want to get
into the area of heavy weight blessed
that's how you get there you get there
through giving something to the Lord
that's very very cherished is it easy to
do no which is why most people don't
enter into that realm but it is possible
it is possible so God can give you that
cherished seed and it's when you give
that that you see the hand of God move
you see all through Scripture and
that's really what God responds to so if
you've ever wondered how can I give
something to God that will move his
heart knowing that it all comes from him
anyhow that's how you do that
God assigns value to what you assign
value to and if it means a lot to you it
means a lot to the Lord if it doesn't
mean much to the Lord
excuse me if it doesn't mean much to you
then it doesn't mean much to the Lord
doesn't mean maybe that you shouldn't
give you know but remember this
most people they only ever give out of
their overflow in other words if they
have extra they'll give but they never
touch that area of what we would call
sacrificial giving or giving the
cherished thing and you know I've heard
I've heard scriptures taken out of
context sometimes people will say well
you know pastor Steven I'm gonna I'm
gonna give the Widow's offering you know
like she gave the two little pennies and
you know Jesus said she gave all she had
and you know and that everybody talks
about the widow's little bitty offering
but you know when somebody says pastor
Steve but all I can do is give the
widow's offering well I'm like well are
you giving your everything into the
offer because that's what she did she
gave all that she had hold oh I pastor
Steve I certainly didn't mean man I just
I just meant I just have a little bit to
give okay
well you know in context when she gave
her little offering that was her entire
livelihood she put the whole thing in
the offer and so sometimes people you
know they don't understand what they're
saying pastor Steve but I'm gonna give
the Widow's off for you Oh oh you mean
you're giving it at all oh what's that
no one Pastor Steven by all means that's
not what I meant see they'll only give
if they have like the extra the overflow
but you do have those moments those
opportunities where God can work with
you on something that's cherished praise
God and really the gospel the preaching
of the gospel moves on the wheels of
sacrificial giving woo thank you Lord
Jesus often giving beyond just your
surplus area often giving beyond just
you know well I've got some extra pastor
Steve and I'll give it
but even at times giving when okay this
dips into something that is very much a
part of me ooh praise God ah one more
story one more story I just this is just
coming out of my spirit today
my pastor many years back this would be
over 20 years ago when they were taking
a special offering for their new church
building and they needed to raise money
for you know everything from carpet to
sound system to everything that was
needed it was a very large facility and
you know that the offering was being
received and this was something that was
going to take place over a period of
time where funds were raised but not
much was happening until he decided that
he needed to needed to lead by example
and not just give you know well you know
I've got my needs are met so I've got a
little extra so let me give that little
extra no he decided that if I if I
really want to see God move in this
offering he says I need to lead so he
gave the thing to him that to him that
had the greatest value in his life and
that was his Porsche which he owned
debt-free and he he took the Porsche and
he sold it and he took every bit of that
money and he put it into the offering
and when he put it into the offering it
just ignited faith that all of the
people and with it when people when all
the church members saw his sacrifice and
knew that that was a sacrifice because
that meant a lot to him he was actually
crying about that pastor Stephen a man
shouldn't love a car like that
it's not like he loved the piece of
metal it's just that him to him that was
something that that he just cherished it
meant so much to him it was a sign of
God's blessing and God's goodness to his
life but he took the car and sold it and
put all of that money into the church
building fund and then then the hand of
God moved and provision just poured in
and I tell you what it was an absolutely
beautiful work that God had raised up
there hallelujah so my my friends I just
want you to understand that today as you
bring the tithes and offerings into the
storehouse of the Lord look for those
moments where the Holy Spirit would
highlight something that you would
greatly cherish maybe it's a you know
something like a vehicle or something
like that that could be sold I I know
people that have got boats and cars
extra car
just sitting in storage sheds and you
know and that they don't even use it
they just like knowing that it's there
and you know the thought of maybe
selling it and giving it to the work of
the Lord so that the gospel could be
preached and that you could have a soul
winners crown when you go to heaven that
thought never even crosses their mind it
wouldn't even cross their mind no more
than a maybe a meteorite shooting
through their bedroom they they just you
know but look my friends you can have
those moments fooled by the spirit when
you have an opportunity when you have an
opportunity to do something special and
if you'll do that you'll see the hand of
God move all right
Heavenly Father we thank you for your
word we thank you for insights into your
word of how you work with us here
knowing that you own all and that the
whole planet father belongs to you so
you give us opportunity still to
participate and even be able to do that
in a sacrificial way knowing that you
allow us to assign value father we give
you all the praise we thank you for
special opportunities outside of the
tide which already belongs to you we
thank you for those extra special
opportunities too so so that your hand
might move in our lives father we give
you praise in the name of Jesus amen and
amen
one more story hallelujah stories by the
Holy Spirit that are just fluttering up
in my spirit you know if you have read
by testimony which is in my book called
the sacred anointing years back I found
myself in a situation where I was
homeless I lost my job it was a perfect
storm a scenario where multiple bad
things came together at one time and hit
my life in a very negative way and I
find I found myself I ended up homeless
and so I you know people sometimes I'm
passing welcome you didn't ask for help
but trust me it was a perfect storm
where all kinds of things were involved
where it was just very difficult to get
out of the city
raishin that i was in and it was the
enemies very strategic very well-planned
I'll attack to take me out before I
could ever preached one sermon because
at that time I never had I didn't even
know at that time that God had a really
really didn't even understand that God
had a calling for my life but
nevertheless nevertheless the enemy
launched his attack and I found myself
at the lowest point that had ever been
at after I was homeless for quite some
time but went to a meeting a Bible study
it didn't tell anybody what I was going
through some of you know my story but I
went to that meeting hadn't eaten for
days I think it was at least three days
no food just drinking Creek water and I
show up to this meeting and an angel
behind me spoke to me in the meeting
during the offering while the offering
basket was being passed around and I
heard an angel speak to me and said give
your last four dollars in the offering
and that's all I had for $1 bills I'd
saved him for I don't know how long
because I always thought just like the
widow woman that if I get to the point
where I'm about to perish and die
I could go to McDonald's for one final
good meal I know that sounds silly that
that way of thinking sounds crazy but
that's actually was the way I was
thinking I was thinking about if I'm
about that least die from starvation
I could at least have one good meal
before I died praise God
so I'd saved those for $1 bills and had
never spent them even though I had gone
often days and days with no food but of
all things can you believe that a holy
angel told me gave me an opportunity to
move the hand of God by giving into that
offering now remember there's other
people giving in the offering and I'm
sure they could give and they felt no
sweat but with $20 in there and throw
whatever into the basket and yeah and
you know but maybe there was some that
could probably give $100 and they were
being very generous but I tell you when
I gave that four dollars I gave I gave
everything I had nothing else there was
no there was no bank account there was
no you know you know money in the glove
compartment of the car there you know
there was nothing four dollars is all I
had to my entire life's exist in
and when I gave it man that was just
like it's just like opening my heart
taking my heart out and throw it in
through the offering plate that was that
$4 was the most cherished thing I had in
my life at that time so so who gave the
most in the offering would not remember
God doesn't look at it always by
numerical value because numerical value
can have a can't have a weight to it but
but I out gave everybody that night in
the meeting why I gave all I had I gave
all I had so that matter if somebody
gave $40,000 out gave them why that's
all I had and unless they emptied their
tank they did not give me woo praise the
Lord
so remember it's that kind of giving
that moves the hand of God that's what
does it and I begin to have genuine
miracles that happened in my life you
could you could read the story I'm just
giving you abbreviated version but God
did miracles God gave me a home to live
in God gave me a full-time job God God
gave me a ministry calling and then God
began to fast-track me and begin to give
me a prophetic understanding and God
gave me a wife and then family and Here
I am today happy and I could I could eat
anywhere I want I might still drop by
McDonald's every now and then praise the
Lord and have more than four dollars to
spend for dinner or lunch or breakfast
if I want to eat whatever I want
basically that's not an issue today but
the thing is is that I know what it
takes to move the hand of God and that
is always that cherished thing whew
praise God thank you Jesus now father
again we just give you praise there's
somebody out there this is meant for
today father we have normal just tithes
and offerings and sometimes I can cover
that tithe and offering message in just
five minutes but today just kind of
floating around because there's somebody
out there that they've always wondered
why they've never seen your hand move in
the mighty way well father we thank you
that's why we give you praise in Jesus
name Amen hallelujah it really is the
way that
takes you into the deeper financial
glory it's it's touching on those things
of what's cherished greatly what's
sacred and means a lot to you that's
that's what God's looking for the other
stuff is good those things though are
the things that heaven stands back in
angels are like he did it or she did it
and you know that there's an eruption of
praise and shouts in heaven when
something like that happens because
heaven starts moving praise God all
right it's fun stuff those of you that
are mailing in your tithes and offerings
please send them to Steven Brooks
international peel box 7 1 7 Moravian
falls North Carolina 2 8 6 5 4 if you
would like to bring your tithes and
offerings in online you can do so
anytime day or night please visit the
ministry website Steven Brooks org
there's a link on the home page called
Titans and offerings sow and reap and
you can go there any time and bring them
into the house of the Lord thank you so
much for your giving there's also a link
at the website there's a hitter that's
called projects and if you click on that
you'll see the two projects that were
focused on we have the ministry fence
project which is to put a beautiful new
fence around the around the entire
ministry property and we're we've
already gone past one-third of what the
budget is on that we're going to go all
the way through the thirty thousand
dollar budget and we're past one-third
on that and we also have the ministry
aircraft hangar project that we are
believing God for as well and provision
is coming in towards that and that's
moving along quite well also so thank
you for sowing into that because these
are two needs that we have at this time
in the ministry praise God
father bless your people bless your
people in the name of Jesus whoo amen
and amen
today let's talk about experiencing and
maintaining prophetic vision you know
it's just like a new car you can go out
and buy a new vehicle and you can
experience the joy of having a new
vehicle that wonderful smell which is
actually you know they say it's just the
the smell of plastics and stuff like
that well you know to me
plastic never smelt so good as a new car
Alleluia Master Stephen it's not good
that you smell that well maybe it's not
but I certainly enjoy it praise the Lord
but even still with the new vehicle
you're still gonna have to do
maintenance you're gonna have to wash it
you're gonna have to change the oil
eventually unless the course is an
electric car but even even an electric
car it's going to need some maintenance
on some basic things so let's talk today
about experiencing and maintaining
prophetic vision whoo glory to God
Heavenly Father as we go into your word
today we ask we ask for the illuminating
power of the Holy Spirit to come and
just let your scripture be lit up like
neon laser lights hallelujah so that we
could not just see it but understand it
and really apply it today to our lives
in Jesus name Amen somebody you're gonna
get your edge back today and others of
you that are seeking to go further
you're gonna have the windows of heaven
opened up greater into this realm of
prophetic experience thank you Jesus
let's go today to Ephesians chapter 2
and let's drop down the verse 4 it says
but God who is rich in mercy because of
his great love with which he loved us
even when we were dead in trespasses
made us alive together with Christ by
grace you have been saved and raised us
up and raised us up not going to raise
us up he's already done it and raised us
up together and made us sit together
he's not going to make you sit if you're
in Christ are already seated there now
and made us sit together in the heavenly
realms in Christ Jesus that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in this kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus while it's
hard to stop in ephesians ephesians is
known by scholars as the book of
superlative upon superlative and it's
just you sometimes i tried to read a
sentence or 1 verse out of ephesians
it's hard to put the brakes on because
it just keeps escalating higher and
higher and better and better but let's
just stop there for a moment i want to
focus on verse 6 which tells us clearly
that we have been
seat it with Christ Jesus in the
heavenly realms some translations say
the heavenly places now there's a
reality of where you're at right now one
day we'll eventually go to be with the
Lord forever it will have glorified
bodies and now when I say forever that
doesn't mean that you can't come back
down to the earth you can still do that
if you want if you want to you can be in
heaven you will have a glorified body
and you can travel back to the earth and
visit and if you would so did I ever
choose you could travel anywhere
throughout the universe it's quite large
but you'll be able to get a get around
very very easily so there's going to be
a lot of fun things to do but right now
you're already in Christ through the
born-again experience and you are seated
with him in the heavenly realms because
of that that realm is your inheritance
praise the Lord this is very very
important understand I know that this
for some of you is basic its
foundational but this this is good to
know because there's a lot of people
that are in the body of Christ they are
unaware of the glory realm or the
spiritual realm or the prophetic realm
or what we would call the realm of
visions and seen into heaven and
operating in the gifts of the Spirit
word of wisdom and the the word of
knowledge and etc they're completely
knowing of that well the only reason
they don't know is they haven't been
taught and of course many the they drift
over somehow I believe it's really by
the leaving of the Holy Spirit to my
channel to my messages and they end up
getting exposure and the next thing you
know they're starting to get comfortable
that's what the Word of God does it
builds a foundation to stand on and with
that comfort with that strength they
begin to enter in praise God and that's
what God wants you to do he wants you to
enter in he wants you to know that
there's a window into heaven and that
you can go there by the grace of God and
experience the supernatural realm of God
some of you are watching and this may be
new to you and you're thinking pastor
Steven this is crazy
I just I probably should let you know
that if you're thinking that you're the
one on the outside looking in we're
already in and you're not going to
unconvince us of what we have already
received knowledge and revelation of
this is not something that you can talk
us out of because this is not based on
intellectual experience this is based on
spiritual reality praise the Lord it
kind of reminds me of you know some you
know around here there's a lot of
Baptist in there they're good people
they're saved they love the Lord but
they don't always have the the best
attitude towards maybe what we would
call Pentecostal or spirit-filled people
but I'm happy to inform you and let you
know that it's not like the Pentecostal
church is this tiny little thing anymore
there's hundreds of millions and
billions of Pentecostals so you know if
you're making fun of somebody you might
want to look back and kind of rethink
hey they're doing pretty good there's a
lot more of them than they are of us
praise God thank you Jesus that's not
boasting that's not being arrogant
that's just that's just basically saying
that you shouldn't you shouldn't make
fun of something that's flourishing and
prospering and actually doing quite well
it could be a possibility that maybe
maybe they know some things that we
don't know praise the Lord and so that's
why you find me amongst those that are
what we would call spirit filled
Pentecostal or tongue talkers or
whatever you want to call us I just
found out that this is where the glory
is at this is where the fullness is at
now I'll cross pollinate and I'll I'll
kind of like jump around here and there
I'll minister in all kinds of places but
I know that I'm going to be camping and
living where the glory is at and so
that's why I'm here
ministering the Word of God and
particularly just you know it says in
the book of Acts that when Peter got out
of prison through that miraculous escape
it says he went to his own company you
need to know who your company is and my
company is those that are still spirit
fields they are
they are believers in the medical 's the
power of God manifested today saint
power demonstrated in the book of Acts
same power is available today that's
where you'll find me amongst those that
I'm comfortable with
why because I can bring them into the
supernatural experiences of God now I
can bring others into it as well but
there have to also go to the door the
door of the baptism in the Holy Spirit
because these things really begin to
come alive when the Holy Spirit comes
into your heart with that baptismal
experience not just a salvation
experience but I'm talking about being
immersed in the spirit and when you're
immersed in the spirit this new language
begins to come out this called tongues
praise God and you begin to speak it out
you begin to utter it out that is the
evidence or the sign that you have been
baptized in the Holy Spirit praise God
now my friends understand that as a New
Testament born-again believer you can go
into this realm praise the Lord and even
watch this
even among what I would call
Pentecostals or spirit-filled people for
gospel people even in that realm you
have those that because they're not
sharp spiritually maybe they've fallen
behind and they're not really aware of
those who are pushing it or what God is
doing in this present hour and if you
are up to speed
it just seems normal but even in the
spiritual circles if you've been just
sitting back you know and you know rest
it on your haunches so to speak maybe
maybe you're not up to speed either
because there's a there's a lot going on
that used to be thought that how can I
say people who think well that would be
nice if it were true but it's too good
to be true no you find out actually that
it is true so all over the world all
over the world there are men and women
that are going into the heavenly realm
experiencing the deeper things of God I
would call it the caught up experience
no not physically all
though it can't be possible to have even
physical experiences of being caught up
I've been translated before even
translated to the point where my body
was taking other places that's a
different story but I'm talking about
not so much translation but I'm talking
about the visitations of God where maybe
it's not so much God coming to you but
it's you going to be with God and it's
the Spirit of God pulling you pulling
you thank you Lord Jesus and these are
things that we need to be very much
aware of see this is something that the
Lord walked me into and I'm not I'm not
gonna teach this line up online measure
upon measure because I think a lot of
you that are watching you've already
gotten that which is why you're watching
you just you just want more you want to
go deeper but it is possible to just sit
very calmly and wait on the Lord spend
some time in prayer you're all prayed up
you're very strong in the Lord and you
can sit and wait on the Lord and your
spirit will start to go up and you can
go into the heavenly places you can go
into the heavenly realm I remember when
this first began there really opened up
to me it was right around the year of
2001 that had just began to open up and
I could I could have prayer time with
God I would enjoy my prayer time and
then after my prayer time was over I
wouldn't leave I would just sit and I
would wait and I would my spirit would
begin to go up and I would begin to go
up and it's easier with your eyes closed
with my eyes closed as my spirit would
go up I would find myself in heaven and
there was a time for about three months
straight every day I would go up and I
would find myself sitting on a very high
throne and this is how I knew that
Ephesians 2:6 was so real to the
believer because it says that we've been
raised up together and he's made us sit
together in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus so I would find myself
sitting on this very high throne not of
course not higher than God's throne
God's throne is above all but these are
lifted up places in Christ where the
believers are positioned to sit and I
could sit on that throne and I could see
all different types of activity that
would
taking place in the heavenly realm and
it was fascinating just to sit there and
watch and I think one of the things that
that always stood out to me was all the
different types of clothing that are
available in heaven here's a little
insight for those of you that maybe
haven't had a peek into that realm just
yet not everybody in heaven wears white
robes now there are times when you'll
see a lot of what white robes but
there's other places of heaven where not
everybody is wearing white robes there's
even different types of robes that can
even look dark in color I'm not saying
they're black but I'm saying that they
can be like a dark like a dark red or
dark brown and there's just many
different types of colors and there's
many types of clothing besides just a
robe praise the Lord
so these are things that you can see
here's what here's what's amazing you
don't try to see something you don't
think well I'm gonna try to see what the
throne looks like of God I want to see
what what the Angels look like you know
you don't tried to see something you
just you just allow the Holy Spirit to
take you and you see what he shows you
woo glory to God because all of these
things are manifested by the Holy Spirit
anyhow and you can't make the Holy
Spirit do do anything you just go with
him and he unveils to you and he allows
you to see what you see mmm thank you
Lord Jesus
a few nights back I was sitting here in
the sanctuary I was actually overall on
this side of the sanctuary and while
sitting there after prayer time I just
my spirit begin to go up and I begin to
have visions and I can see into heaven
and I could see things taking place in
heaven pertaining to something that
meant a lot to me
I don't feel the freedom to share it
just openly but with the general public
I would probably share it in a small
group setting but the things I began to
see were absolutely marvelous to me as
God by the Holy Spirit allowed me to see
things that brought oh such joy and
comfort into my heart and things that
are so real hallelujah this is not my
friends make-believe fairy tales you
know an over
and over creative imagination no this is
nothing to do with that at all this is
your spirit which is born again this is
your spirit going up to be with God and
God allowing you to see by the Holy
Spirit things that he wants you to see
it's an experience some of those things
are for sharing with others and
sometimes some of the things that you
see are just for you and that is also a
part of the wisdom the God to know what
is what so there is the experiencing of
prophetic vision but there also must be
the maintaining of prophetic vision and
I felt like I should speak about that
just for a little bit today as well
please go with me to the book of James
James chapter 4 because as you know we
are coming into the Christmas season and
Christmas season which should be a time
of you know love and you know kindness
and sweetness it has been so hijacked by
the secular world and the darkness of
the world that has just turned into
nothing but consumerism and shopping and
if you're not careful that stuff will
try to get on you and before you know it
you get so busy and you get so caught up
with you know shopping or all this other
stuff that you can begin to lose that
spirituality and that prophetic window
can begin to close oh yes that's very
much a reality that prophetic window can
close and you don't have the perception
that God wants you to have you don't
have the vision that God wants you to
have you get grounded you're like the
Eagle that can't fly and you're just
walking around on the ground all the
time and that's not where you're
supposed to be at did you know that an
adult male eagle will be in flight at
least four hours every day so you're not
just destined to you know be on the
ground that I know there's a place where
we could say we need to take care of the
natural we need to work we need to have
a good marriage have a good family we
need to have the natural things in order
but you want to fly you want to have
that ability to go up when you want to
go up and so you've got to develop the
prophetic that's what the Eagle
represents in the
he represents the prophetic you want to
be able to operate in that realm doesn't
mean that your prophet a prophet is a
full-time calling into a ministry office
there's five ministry offices the
apostle prophet evangelist pastor
teacher
those are callings full-time by the
grace of God but even if you're not
called as a prophet there can still be a
prophetic anointing that could rest upon
your life and that's what God wants you
to have thank you Jesus James chapter
four and let's drop down to verse five
or do you think that the scripture says
in vain the Spirit who dwells in us
yearns jealously now why is he
yearning jealously he's yearning with a
great jealousy for us to be one
translation says for us to be faithful
really what that saying is that the Holy
Spirit has this very jealous yearning
that we always walk close with God and
that the spirit of the world does not
begin to permeate into our life to a
degree where now we're all distracted
and all we're doing is thinking about
shopping and thinking about movies and
thinking about sports and thinking about
all the things of the world that are out
there and then see there's something
wrong with going seeing a nice movie
there's nothing wrong with watching a
sporting event there's nothing wrong
with going shopping
but what happens is that the enemy wants
to steal your spirituality he wants to
take away your prophetic vision so that
you're grounded and that you can't go up
and you can't really be tied into the
heart of God and you know what it takes
effort to maintain that close walk and
the holy spirit with a great jealousy
knowing all of these things swirling
around us he wants us to maintain that
walk now remember remember Enoch back in
the Bible Genesis chapter 5 Enoch he
walks so close with God that eventually
for whatever reason God decided to take
him off of the earth he took him off the
earth while he was alive and translated
him directly to heaven even took his
physical body so that's an amazing thing
but Enoch walked with God but it says
also that he had he had a family so he
was mayor
and he had children so he knew what it
was like to juggle the responsibilities
of life and to you know have a job so
that you could bring in income in he
knew it all that was like but he's still
somehow maintained that deep walk with
God and the closer you get to the Lord
the Lord really likes that any he
doesn't want that separation he doesn't
want you drifting off he doesn't want
you going backwards he wants you to stay
there and stay very close to him and
when you're very close to him he wants
you to guard that with the great
jealousy and that's what the Holy Spirit
does you have to protect that
relationship because all those voices
out there they're gonna compete for your
attention and God wants his voice to be
above all he wants his voice to be above
the waters and waters in the Bible would
represent humanity or the peoples
particularly the Gentile peoples
the voices all of these voices like the
raging waves of the sea shouting and
hollering and all of the news and all of
the stuff and you know you need to have
the Lord's voice above all the waters so
that you can hear that and so you have
to stay very very close to him verse 6
but he gives more grace than now the
grace is gonna go to the humble not just
to the generic Christian but it gives
more grace therefore he says God resists
the proud but gives grace to the humble
this is a time it is it's odd but this
is a time during Christmas to actually
humble yourself woo I think that there's
something special when you have a
opposite flow from what the world is
doing when the world is all going this
direction and the world is trying to put
all the focus over here you'll actually
discover that there's a secret place
over here with God that he has a lot
going on over here in secret and while
all the attention is over here and the
worldly people think it's all going on
over here
rest assured certainly God has something
greater over here and if you have a
heart for him and tie in you'll find out
that while everybody's running over
there the real glory is actually over
here maybe not advertised
maybe not being shot at about on
television maybe not being heavily
promoted
maybe it's under under the current but
it's going on nevertheless and God wants
you to be aware of that and it says
therefore submit to God resist the devil
and he will flee from you you need to
let that humility come in let that
humility come in don't get all caught up
in you know fighting and competing for
you know you know coupons or you know
just you know getting all worked up
North the stress that comes with the
Christmas season skip all of that stay
humble stay sweet people may look happy
people may play Christmas music people
may drink hot lattes on cold winter days
but if you have the heart of God during
these times you'll actually notice that
many people are stressed out
many people are hurting many people's
marriages are struggling many people
have all kinds of addictions and
bondages in their lives and they they
are very much ripe for somebody to come
along not competing to grab that prize
to get that last remaining you know toy
off the shelf before they can get it
know let that person have it they
probably need it their kids need it more
than yours don't worry about it let
somebody else go in front of you if
they're that anxious they're that
desperate let them go ahead and get it
it's no big deal God's got better stuff
for you anyhow this is just very
temporary world that we're passing
through but my friends have a heart for
the Lord as you walk through these malls
and walk through these places humble
yourself humble yourself and say Lord I
know there's hurting people here Lord
let me just touch one Lord let me just
touch one person and be able to share
Jesus with them somehow someway to be
able to cut through all the noise and
all the chaos and all the activity Lord
whether it's a waiter or a waitress lord
let me but you know a cashier that's
totally stressed out Lord let me be able
to reach somebody with the love of
Christ today and get your love over to
them today thank you Lord Jesus
therefore submit to God resist the devil
and he will flee from you draw near to
God and He will draw near to you
cleanser
and you sinners and purify your hearts
you double-minded lament and mourn and
weep let your laughter be turned to
mourning and your joy to gloom humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord and
He will lift you up praise God
sometimes one of the best times to
humble yourself before the Lord is
actually during Christmas season whoo Oh
pastor Steve but not me not what
gingerbread cookies on the table and not
with all of them you know all of the
activity going on and no no no Pastor
Steven this time to get out and enjoy
yes it is a beautiful time
sometimes I wish Christmas could be all
year long because I like I like you know
I like the feeling I like I like the
nice atmosphere that it creates but all
my friends it could still be a great
time to humble yourself because the
world still has all of its problems
people are still all tangled up in sin
and if you could just say Lord is
beautiful but Lord I see through it you
see through all the plastic nosov it you
see through all the hype of it and you
see that people still need Jesus and
that without Jesus people will die in
their sins and go to hell even during
Christmas time and so you have to look
through it see I like amusement parks I
like going to Disneyland haven't haven't
been there in a long time but you know
if you go and you have a heart for the
Lord you go it doesn't take long then
look just to see through it like hey
this whole thing is just like an act
this this is not real this is like a
make-believe world and this is fun but
it's also these are characters and
costumes these are people that are being
paid to act happy that this is you know
this is just actually just a big
shopping place that you can go not just
to get on the rides but you know the
shop and spend money and stuff like that
and you you know as a man and woman of
God you see right through it is it the
world's happiest place yeah if you use
your imagination that it is but if you
have a heart for God and you really know
the Lord you're just like hey this is a
make-believe world these are people that
are you know doing all of this because
it's propped up you know to bring money
in and just to try to make people happy
but it's not going to be the
that people are looking for that's not
what they need they need Jesus
hallelujah they don't need a Mickey
Mouse although that's nice that that's
that's fun not against that that's not
going to get them to heaven and neither
is old st. Nick Santa Claus you know
it's not good it's not gonna be the
thing that puts people over it needs to
be Jesus thank you Lord Jesus and in a
culture today in America particularly
this trying to even take the word
Christmas out and replace it with quote
happy holidays unquote you know what we
need to get our hearts back to the Lord
even during Christmas time talking to
Christians I'm talking to Christians
because there's a lot of Christians
during Christmas that window or
prophetic gifting just closes why
they're all bit all caught up and all
the things that everybody else has
caught up in but you've got to keep that
anointing of the Spirit flowing all
through the year all through the year I
remember one time I fasted I fasted all
through Christmas and it was actually
I've done longer fast but this fast was
actually one of the hardest fast I've
ever done
why just all the food everywhere fudge
you know the big chunks of fudge and uh
cookies and uh eggnog and just you know
candy canes and just just candy
everywhere everywhere and just not just
in the house but anywhere you go it's
just all these wonderful things and I
was fasting because I was really sick
Lord and but I just stuff whatever
reason there was a grace the fast you
know a good little faster I would even
faster all through Christmas and it
wasn't easy but God got me through it
but I'll never forget on Christmas Eve I
had an incredible encounter with the
Lord where he took me to heaven whoo
glory I think the Lord just had grace
and mercy see if you if you humble
yourself God will lift you up yes pastor
Stephen God will lift me up and he's
gonna give me ten million dollars for
Christmas that's that's not what I'm
saying I'm saying he'll lift you up
it'll strengthen you in him to be the
witness that me the man or woman of God
that you need to be 24/7
sixty-five days a year regardless of
what day that is out of the year that
you're walking with the Lord hallelujah
filled up strengthen strong in him you
know
reception open every day of the year
hallelujah not not for me on Christmas
Pastor Steven not for me on Thanksgiving
I'm gonna stuff myself with turkey hmm
and you get so bloated with food and so
bloated with merriment that you can't
even hear from God my friends keep the
window open all the time but it was
Christmas Eve and late that night when
everybody was asleep kind of reminds me
of the Christmas poem you know not a you
know everybody was asleep and you you
know kind of like the night before santa
came well Santa never showed up he's a
you know he's not real
although Saint Nick was real Saint
Nicholas and a great man of God by the
way if you study about Saint Nicholas if
you've ever wondered we're gonna take a
hold of communion here in just a little
bit if you need another example to help
you with communion and understanding
that this is not just a cracker and
grape juice read about Saint Nicholas
who went thirty years with no food he
actually fasted for ten days and said
Lord I'm really liking this can you
sustain this and the Lord showed him
that it could be sustained through deep
fellowship and communion so he lived for
30 years no food and trust me they
checked up on him any of these any of
the Saints that tied in into that line
of no food and just living on communion
they were all investigated you know you
can't hide something like that so they
checked up on him but Saint Nicholas was
a great man of God no food for over 30
years and just lived off communion
praised God so I don't know how I got
off on st. Nicholas
but I'm just saying Santa Claus is not
real but the origins st. Nick that is
real he was a giver and he was also an
international peace maker he had so much
wisdom from God that he could keep
nations from going to war against each
other and was used as a mediator and a
counselor really to
be the man that God wanted him to be and
you know Swiss history owes a great debt
of thankfulness to his life of Prayer
praise God all right
that's a different story in church
history but my friends I was taken up
into heaven and Jesus he took me to an
area of heaven that would be the area of
paradise which is like it's it's not the
city area it's more like the park area
of heaven but when I what I say a park
you know that the size is just
indescribable there's a beautiful park
though but just goes on and on and on
but in the in the park the Lord
introduced me to a man that I had read
about in church history but I you know
of course didn't know me or anything
like that but he was in heaven because
his life he died and he of course went
to heaven because he was a Christian but
his name was Lonnie frisbee and I got to
talk to him there in Paradise and sat
down with him and even at a bench of
beautiful park bench you got to talk
with him and things like that and he
shared some neat things with me that
that helped my ministry and encouraged
my ministry and then after the
conversation was done he went about and
to continue doing whatever the things he
was doing
there in heaven and then Jesus told me a
little bit more about his life and told
me about some of the weaknesses that he
had some of the character challenges and
struggles that he had and Jesus told me
I even picked him on purpose knowing his
weaknesses his flaws that's amazing as
if the Lord made a mistake in choosing
who he wants to be a minister or not
pastor Steve and I don't think that
person on TV I don't like that Minister
well don't worry about it you didn't
choose him God chosen him or her that's
God's choosing so don't get in don't get
involved in criticizing people just
cause you don't like their hair or their
personality or their style got Joseph's
person I'm not saying I would have
chosen but I'm not you me aren't God
that's God that does all of that let God
be God and don't try to critique God
because if you're critiquing that person
God's put that person in that ministry
office and if you're critiquing that
person you're critiquing God who
actually placed them there and he's
their judge not you and me praise the
Lord okay well anyhow the next morning
during it you know it's Christmas
morning
you know everybody's opening up the
gifts but the the epic the epic gift
because I was at my my oldest daughter
Jennifer Jennifer's house her and her
husband and the the the kind of like the
special gift that she gave which was
kind of the Whopper gift of the family
she gave to him and it was a frisbee set
a frisbee golf like you know frisbee
golf was getting real popular to them
and I guess it still is today it's
probably a lot more relaxing than real
golf because real golf I'm told that
even if you're really good it still it's
so technical it's frustrating I've never
played golf except just a tiny bit many
years ago but frisbee golf you can get
out on the golf course steel and have a
nice relaxing thing of just going to
frisbee anyhow is it was a prophetic
twist because I had just met Loni
frisbee that night in a vision and the
next morning the Lord just gave us a
play look for those puns those prophetic
play on words God always does stuff like
that and the more prophetic you get the
more you'll start picking up on that of
how we tie he'll make your whole life
like a prophetic poetic rhyme and so of
course you know the main gift that
morning was a frisbee gift after having
just met Lonnie frisbee and it's kind of
it's kind of interesting because my my
pastor he's in his 70s today my pastor
knew Lonnie frisbee and they were
friends and I'll never forget the time a
couple of years back I told I told my
pastor that I met money first be in
heaven when I got caught up in a vision
I met him in heaven and Jesus allowed
allowed me to talk to him in my pastor
was like he said well you know I knew
Lonnie he said he made it I said yes he
made it I saw him there in heaven he
wasn't even sure if he made it or not
you know he was like a Samson he didn't
Lonnie frisbee had a phenomenal
anointing but his ending was not what it
was destined to be but he did even an
even in his short ministry life he still
touched the lives of many many people
and was a catalyst in the Jesus Movement
the hippie movement that took place on
the west coast of America spread all
over America and touch you even really
many nations around the world I I'd been
in Europe before and I've met people
that are that are in their 70s today
they were they were saved because of
what happened in the Jesus Movement
in America out there in California
during the days of Chuck Smith Lonnie
frisbee the birthing of Calvary Chapel
and all of that but it was just a total
hippie movement Jesus movement by the
way another one's coming back that's
going to be even bigger I know that
Woodstock changed you know it was
something that was a big mark on the
American culture it was really just you
know drugs and sexual immorality and
that shift in the culture of America
that went into that direction but
there's gonna come another what you
would call like a love fest that's gonna
break out over America you're gonna see
millions of young people swept into the
kingdom hallelujah pastor Stephen I
already know some of your thinking
pastor Stephen I sure don't see like it
you can't you can't judge the spirits or
whether report by what you're looking at
it today because today you could have a
totally sunny sky but if you don't but
the weather could say hey and five days
is gonna be raining ah it doesn't look
like it's gonna rain to me well you know
the Heavenly Mother report can be very
very different from the outlook of what
it may look like in the current
spiritual condition so don't go by the
way it looks about what you see on TV or
the news of the culture today God's got
some things planned and God actually has
some global things planned it's gonna be
really really good for all of us can you
say yes I'm not saying there won't be
also some challenging times because
there will be but all in all God's going
to have his way and the glory is going
to the it's going to be heavy upon the
endtime Church get ready for that thank
you Jesus so my friends there is the
going up and those times of fasting
those times of humbling yourself don't
be afraid to even throw that in even
during the holiday seasons because it's
easy to allow that prophetic window to
close and suddenly you can't respond
spiritually the way that you would want
to or maybe even need to because you
know you select yourself go for a couple
of weeks or maybe a month and and next
thing you know that you can't you you've
lost that edge you can't hear the way
that you need to hear praise God
so that's why that's why it says that
God resists the proud but gives grace to
the humble and then he says draw near to
God and He will draw near to you and he
most certainly will
how about yourselves on the side of the
Lord and he
we'll lift you up if you will do the
humbling God will do the beautiful
lifting up and there'll be strength and
beauty in your life freshness in your
life always all the time pastor Stephen
what's something I can do to keep this
sharp that keep that prophetic window
open I'm so glad that you've asked that
that you're thinking about that I want
to share something with you that really
helps me a whole lot and it's kind of
basic but know it works so I keep
working in its first Corinthians chapter
14 and it's verse 13 let's take a look
at it today we're talking about
experiencing and maintaining prophetic
vision by the way if you lean into this
and start moving into this into the
glory realm into the reality that you
are seated with Christ and that starts
opening it up if you're faithful to run
and go for it you will find that God
will bring those of like precious faith
into your life who are also running with
you running in the same direction for
the heart of God okay so if you're
willing to do that you suddenly if
you're flying like that you're suddenly
God will send other Eagles to your life
okay so look for that God doesn't want
you to be out there on your own you may
be in a church where you're thinking
pastor Stephen I like this I'm going for
it well go for it I'm not saying leave
your church but I'm saying sometimes
God's got to bring some other Eagles
along with you they help you fly so that
you have that stability I know the Lord
did that for me because you know there
was a time when the church was just kind
of like not really into the supernatural
not now the church is now the church is
wide open wanting the things of God and
now I wouldn't say it's popular but I
would say that it's grown by leaps and
grant bounds to the point now that if
you're not going that direction now
you're the oddball now you're the one
that's kind of like left out and also
it's quite obvious because there's an
anointing with those that are pushing
into this and running on with this and
those that aren't man you're talking
about some dead dried church services
not only those services did maybe
there's just done an anointing but even
the worship the price of worship is just
like stuff from yesteryear and the
anointing is not there so my friends
keep pushing on into the things of God
and that glory realm will open up and
God will always keep you fresh with the
dew of heaven praise God and look for
the other Eagles to be joined to your
life prophetic people that want to move
into that area glory to God thank you
Jesus
all right first Corinthians chapter 14
look how easy this is verse 13 therefore
let him who speaks in a tongue pray that
he may interpret how about that for if I
pray in a tongue my spirit prays but my
understanding is unfruitful in other
words whenever you're praying and let's
say you know you're the typical American
like me American spirit feel Christian
you're praying and you you pray some in
English and then you you know you pray
even more in tongues the Abbess shut up
a posse cat I'll be out you'll for
example well when you're praying in
English your your mind is fruitful
because your mind understands what
you're praying about because you're
praying in English but if you begin to
pray in the spirit or pray in tongues
you shine about but I can't I gotta quit
I but I well suddenly suddenly your mind
doesn't really know what's going on why
your spirit sprain and so God
understands it and your spirit is
praying but your mind is like hey now
you've gone beyond me you're in the
you're in the glory realm now can't hang
with that so you're told to pray that
you may interpret and there's an
anointing at times
we're inquiring minds want to know hey
wonder what I've been praying about for
the last 15 minutes if you've been
praying in tongues or I've been praying
in tongues for the last hour I wonder
what I was praying about well that's why
you're told to interpret now here's why
I'm sharing this with you and this is
why this will help keep that prophetic
window opened that apostolic grace open
and flowed into your life
anytime you pray in tongues you're
exercising faith because it takes faith
to pray in the spirit language to step
out and do that I remember the first
time I ever did it
whew it was like moving
Alton it seemed like that's how much
faith it took well today because I've
been doing that for decades now it's
just very very easy for me my faith is
very built up in that area just to step
out and begin to pray in tongues but
look just as it takes faith to pray in
the spirit of pray in tongues
it also takes faith you're exercising
faith anytime you interpret what you are
or have been praying in tongues okay so
when you finished praying in tongues
maybe for a longer period of time and
you think I wonder what I've been
praying well just stop and say Heavenly
Father I think that I've been praying in
tongues and now I'm gonna pray a little
bit more and I'm gonna ask that you give
me the interpretation okay so you can
just you can just sit there for a moment
and just pray Yashica but cut to quarter
and the interpretation will start to
come where in your mind it comes up from
your spirit goes to your mind and you
begin to get the understanding of what
it is you're saying so stop speaking out
in tongues and now begin to translate it
out or inter I wouldn't say translate
but I would say interpret it in
translation this is not word for word
this is putting words to what you're
getting in the spirit so it's different
from translating this more what we would
call interpreting so just begin to
interpret it out and now in English or
your native tongue begin to say what it
is thank you lord I just received that
lord I thank you that this is what
you're saying and begin to speak that
out well pastor Steve I'm afraid I'm
just gonna be making something up no no
you you interpret it by faith ah see it
takes faith to do that oh well if it
takes faith to interpret see this is
what I say if you work the basics you
get good at this then it's easy to start
going up in the spirit because it takes
faith to go up in the spirit majesty but
I just rather afraid that if I close my
eyes I believe Jesus lifts me up and I
see somebody just blessed my imagination
no no no well when you are strong in
faith and you are doing this often
didn't you build yourself up in that
area and trust me it's very easy to know
the difference between what spiritual
and what's soulish what
coming out of your soul what maybe could
be your imagination and you know now
we're talking about what's coming out of
your mind by the Holy Spirit what is
truly spiritual and it's very easy to
tell the difference and so you have to
get filled up with a spirit you have to
have some good prayer time and then just
watch what comes out speak some things
out in the spirit and then interpret
those tongues and that interpretation
will come and when you do that often
it's easy to go up in the spirit it's
easy after you're prayed up just to wait
upon the Lord and that lifting when it
comes to just lean into it and go right
up and then if it helps close your eyes
and just look at what the Holy Spirit
shows you and you can begin to see
things in heaven you can begin to have
visions and sometimes the visions are
about heaven maybe it's about something
about the family or maybe something
about the other side of the world or
maybe something about the church or the
ministry or the nation God will begin to
show it to you and you can just lean
into that you begin to see that whoa
what a blessing what a blessing and
don't rush through it just sit there
because I've had angelic visitations
before and sometimes the message that
the angel would speak it's not like he
just rattle off real fast like he's just
talking real fast now I have had the
Lord come to me and he's talking fast
and I'm trying to get it just as fast
you know as he's talking I'm trying to
get it but there's been other times
where angels have come and I really have
to focus and pay attention of what they
are speaking to me I'll throw this one
out there too some of you may think this
is crazy but just wait till it happens
to you in the spirit realm if an angel
comes even the Lord of course as well
but if it angel comes in God has given
that angel an assignment to give you a
message the angel doesn't even have to
speak to give the message when you're in
the spirit realm you don't have to open
your mouth and say things it's it's it's
going back and forth I don't know if I
should use the word telepathic but the
message is going back you can talk back
and forth and the spirit and you don't
even have to open your mouth and say
things pastor Stephen I don't know about
that oh just you we'll just wait till it
happens to you and you'll find out yep
that's true it's true now
other times you can still speak if you
want to but you'll find out sometimes
you're communicating in the spirit realm
and you don't even have to use your
mouth it's just it's just coming out
you're speaking it out by your spirit
somehow in your mouth doesn't even have
to move you just you're picking it up
whoo the closest the closest I can maybe
say is that like husband and wife you've
been married a long time you already
know you could just look sometimes and
it's like it's like coming back and
forth you you don't even said anything
but you're you know about each other is
thinking whew praise God you want let's
take that a hundred times higher in the
spirit realm and it's super clear thank
you Lord Jesus but sometimes when an
angel will come and we'll share
something maybe he'll just say a few
things and you're you have to really
focus to pick that up and you have to
wait and it might be two minutes before
he says something else so be aware of
that it's not always rapid-fire you know
here it comes
you know it's different at different
times why is that I don't know but that
is the way it is I think sometimes it's
like that in a slower sense because God
wants to keep you there help you develop
in that realm help you not just to get
the message and rush out but help you
develop in that area so that your faith
is strong in this air and this is just
as much as your inheritance as it is
divine healing even just as much as the
baptism in the Holy Spirit just as much
as salvation itself so there's a lot of
pack there's a lot packed into this will
be unraveling this and exploring this
for all the days of our life but we are
encouraged to delve into it just as much
as we can that's very strongly laid out
in James chapter 4 so my friends during
Christmas you know even Thanksgiving and
so forth though don't just get all
caught up in all of the stuff that's
going on it is good and this nice enjoy
the turkey enjoy the ham if you like ham
I don't not much of a ham person Kelly
she's been a vegetarian for years now
and I don't I don't really eat pork I
don't like the taste of it I'm not
saying that you know it's a sin to eat
pork of course it's not but I just don't
want to eat it
I do think funny it's funny sometimes
how some Christians they think eating
pork is a sin it's not you know it was a
few
years ago that the oldest man in the
world they interviewed him I think at
that time he was like a hundred and a
hundred maybe fifteen years old you know
if you get a hundred thirteen you're
like it the ultimate there's been just
we had one lady she was a French lady
she lived to be a hundred twenty-two she
passed away but you start getting past
113 especially that's that's a rarefied
air but I think this gentleman he was at
that time was in he was somewhere in
Asia and they interviewed him asked him
about his long life he was about a
hundred fifteen years old and they said
tell us what is the secret of your
longevity how have you been able to live
so long he said oh he said he said white
rice and good pork mmm Oh pastor Stephen
don't eat the pork it's not good for
your health well tell that to him he
lived to be 115 so there's more to
longevity than just than just food now
I'm not saying go out and now clog your
honor result pasture seven pastor
Stephen said it's okay to eat fried food
and clog your arteries of nothing
they'll remember the leading cause of
death in America is heart disease that's
attributed to all this stuff that people
are clogging their arteries up with I'm
not saying by any means do that but I'm
saying longevity is more than just
staying away from fried fried food
longevity a lot of it has to do with
happiness contentment not getting angry
and stay at staying staying with a good
attitude through life and I really think
this is just my opinion that the reason
many of these people that would be
living these long lives over 110 maybe
115 I really believe it's God's grace
that he loves these people so much that
he allows them to keep living a little
bit longer with the hope that they will
somehow hear the gospel and receive
Christ as our Lord and Savior I really
believe that God sees something in them
that he just that puts a smile on them
even though they're lost and they're
sinners so many of them but he wants
them to receive Christ so he just gives
them a little more grace and they keep
living and they keep living and they
keep living that's what it's all about
really behind the scenes God's giving
them extra
to receive Christ as as their Savior
praise the Lord but my friends keep that
window open of prophetic vision thank
you keep it open by walking with the
Lord throughout the entire year
praise God thank you Lord Jesus I even
found that it's good to humble yourself
even during times when most people would
think well this would be the last time
I'm gonna do it this is a time for us to
lift up and shout but sometimes God
willed he'll just notice it just like I
did that now that was the only time I've
ever fasted through Christmas and you
remember when you have family and things
like that and you also have to be
mindful of them but that was a time when
it worked and I did it and you know I
just drink my hot drink hot drink a hot
tea and everybody else was eating having
a good time and God blessed me for that
I had a very special experience and my
friends that window God wants it open he
wants that what he wants it open and he
could bring some gifts and surprises
there beyond anything you could put
beneath the Christmas tree so just
really seek the Lord
seek the Lord the the powerful man of
God dr. John G Lake he went to be with
the Lord in I believe it was 1955 don't
quote me on the exact year but it was in
the 1950s but he had had a very powerful
ministry he was a he was an apostle and
started many churches in a very powerful
healing ministry but he also met the
Christmas angel and there are Christmas
angels I know some people they say well
pastor Stephen Christmas is not in the
Bible and they're against Christmas or
that really against anything that's fun
but I like Christmas and I've had
encounters with the Lord during the
Christmas season and I know that there
are Christmas angels look anything that
helps people get closer to God and maybe
just makes them stop and think about God
a little bit then God's in that okay so
if Christmas makes people you know get a
little nicer maybe not quite be so hard
then God will use that as a special
leverage where the gospel can be more
effective during that time so I'm just
saying for believers let it be a time
when we could really be sensitive to
people because there's the two big times
of the year
that if people are going to go to church
it's usually Easter or Christmas they
may be the only two times they ever come
to church the only two times maybe
they'll ever think about God but let it
be a time where you can you can have a
heart for the Lord and your heart is
strong and on fire and you're able to
reach people look always be mindful of
eternity if you go if you go to heaven
and you have been involved in the
supporting the gospel and doing your
part I've also just sharing Christ with
people then you will have a soul winners
crown waiting for you when you get the
heaven and that's what you want you want
that crown it's a soul winner's crown
it's the most beautiful thing that you
could have in in the city of heaven
praise God so be mindful of that go back
go for souls praise God whoo thank you
Jesus and by the way everything usually
goes on sale in early January every
anyhow so no need to get caught up in
all the hoopla of all the sales and all
the shopping usually goes on clearance
soon as the holidays are over praise God
thank you Lord Jesus father we just
thank you we just thank you for open
vision clear vision I maintained vision
not a vision that's faded out
we can't even look through the mirror no
no father but the windows wide open
going up hallelujah and receiving fresh
revelation praise God father let there
be grace poured out there's some that
are pressing into this but they they're
they're still just barely getting
traction but let them come into their
inheritance in Christ in the name of
Jesus amen amen
you know what I don't care if people
persecute me and say I'm weird or funny
because I talk about going to heaven and
I've had many visions where the Lord has
taken me to heaven I don't care what
people think I know it's true I know
it's true and I'm not talking about just
sovereign experience where you know you
have something maybe once every 20 years
whoo-hoo I saw an angel but you know 20
years go by after that nothing ever
happens well I'm talking about more than
just sovereign I'm talking about leaving
into it accessing your inheritance in
Christ realizing that you are
with Christ in heavenly realms and
you're going up there and you're
exploring what's yours and you're
enjoying the Lord and the heavenly
realms praise God thank you Lord Jesus
hallelujah glory to God a move is on the
race is on whoo thank you Jesus
hallelujah
mm-hmm you know when I get around
friends of mine other apostles of other
prophets we talk about our trips we talk
about our visits we talk about our
experiences as it says in the Word of
God as iron sharpens iron so there's one
man sharpens another
so we sit down and we talk about divine
encounters and supernatural experiences
not just old ones you know hey tell me
that story again
that's fun but new ones new ones whoa
whoo reach it out grabbing ahold of the
Lord's garment saying god I want more
hallelujah praise God so go after the
Lord and you'll always get his best
father bless your people in the name of
Jesus amen and amen
whoo hallelujah mmm let's take holy
communion together a mystery a mystery
in itself we look at this and it looks
like a little piece of bread and a
little bitty cup of grape juice but but
the body and the blood of Jesus are
somehow veiled beneath what would appear
to be bread and juice and we could
receive supernatural strength grace and
blessing as we proclaim the Lord's death
till he comes back by receiving Holy
Communion so let's do it together
get some unleavened bread get some grape
juice if you're watching today and
you've never made Christ your Lord and
Savior don't put it off another day
you're not guaranteed tomorrow you're
not guaranteed tomorrow and if you're
not sure if your life ended today and
you're not sure where you would be then
that means your life is not right with
God if you don't know something's not
right
you need that look I know some of you
maybe you're watching me and you're a
religious person and maybe you were
raised in church and so you're as we
would say a good person but nobody is
good enough
to go to heaven if you've sinned just
once that one sin is enough to keep you
out of heaven because God is so holy no
sin can be in his presence that's why
the father sent Jesus to die as a
sacrifice to atone for our sins so that
as we put our faith and trust in him our
sins could be washed away and we can be
restored back to a right relationship
with God through his son hallelujah if
you've never made Jesus your Lord and
Savior let's do it
now get it right now so that you can be
assured that you're going to heaven
praise God not done going to church
doesn't make you saved okay maybe you're
Catholic maybe you're you know you know
you know Episcopalian or something like
that
god bless you but you've never made
Jesus your Lord and Savior and so that's
different see I can go stand in the car
excuse me I can go stand in the garage
it doesn't make me a car you go to
church it doesn't make you a born-again
believer you have to receive questions
through your heart pray this prayer
after me if you've never done this yet
say Jesus come into my heart wash all of
my sins away wash me clean Jesus I give
my life to you I accept you as my Lord
and Savior right now write my name in
your book of life thank you Jesus for
saving me hallelujah amen and my friend
if you prayed that prayer you now belong
to Jesus Christ for the family of God
and I'm so glad that you are my new
brother and sister in the Lord now let's
take communion together having a father
we thank you we bless the bread the
juice this is now the body and the blood
of our Savior we received the body of
Christ with great Thanksgiving we thank
you that we're on our way to heaven and
father while we're on the earth let us
be sharp in the spirit sharp in Jesus
name Amen
let's receive the body of Jesus whoo
you're going to get somebody saved and
one to the Lord
mmm thank you Jesus a soul-winners crown
Pastor Steven you shouldn't talk with
your mouth full excuse me I'm just happy
in my spirit mm-hmm hallelujah some of
you believers you've never won somebody
else to the Lord you're going to
hallelujah I believe you'll do it if
for now on Christmas you'll win somebody
to Lord hallelujah mm-hmm glory to God
father thank you for the blood of Jesus
washing washing all of our sins away now
say this after me say Lord Jesus forgive
me of all of my sins thank you Jesus
that you remember them no more thank you
Lord Jesus amen amen hallelujah we think
you will God for the blood of Jesus soul
cleansing power thank you Father God in
the name of Jesus father we thinking
that the blood silences the accuser of
the Brethren Satan himself is silenced
by the blood of Jesus Satan we plead the
blood of Jesus against you we are clean
and sinless in the eyes of God because
we are washed with the blood of Jesus
amen let's drink and receive the blood
of Christ praise the Lord hallelujah
glory to God my friends when you're in
the presence of the Lord and your spirit
is light and your spirit is happy and
your you've been in prayer and time with
God let the Holy Spirit lift you let
your spirit go up and just look at what
God would show you he'll give you
visions you'll find yourself going up
into the heavenly realm come boldly
before the throne of grace and while
you're there there can be those times
you even ask God for special things that
you desire
praise the Lord thank you for watching I
look forward to seeing you back next
time till then stay blessed
bye-bye