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Chosen City Church
13925 Erwin Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28273
Chosen City Church Sermons
I Think I Better Let It Go... | Isaiah 1:16-20 | Pastor Walter Bowers Jr.
"I Think I Better Let It Go..." from Pastor Walter Bowers Jr. at Chosen City Church is a powerful message on consecration, releasing burdens, and finding peace runs through our discussion today. The sermon encourages listeners to reflect on what they need to let go, highlighting God's boundless love and patience.
• Discussing the biblical premise of consecration
• The significance of letting go for personal growth
• Steps to overcome struggles and harmful patterns
• Emphasizing the need for learning to do good
• The importance of seeking justice for others
• God's invitation to resolve issues with Him
• Closing thoughts on beginning anew through faith
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Intro and outro created by Joe Anderson Jr. of Truflava Productions
spirit of the living God. Thank you for what you have already done and thank you for this life-changing atmosphere. God, I pray that you draw us in from all distractions. Focus us, father God, so that we can hear from you, and at the end of the day, we'll be careful to give your name all of the glory. Honor and praise for us. In the powerful and undisputed name of Jesus, we pray. Let the people of God say amen, amen, amen to God, to God, be the glory To God, be the glory To God, be the glory. My sisters and brothers, again, let's make some noise. Special shout out to all of our first time guests. We welcome you to Chosin City Church today. Make yourself at home, and I believe that God has you here for a time such as this.
Speaker 1:The scripture today will be found in Isaiah, the first chapter, verse 16 through 20. Isaiah, the first chapter, verse 16 through 20, and it's our. We like to read the word of God out loud, so, because it kind of helps everybody to remember it, help it to stick. So I want to do that right now. Let's do that together ready, set, read, wash yourselves and be clean. Get your sins out of my sight, give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the cause of the orphans, fight for the rights of the widows.
Speaker 1:Come now, let's settle. This, says the Lord, or your sins are like scarlet. I will make them as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat, but if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken and I would like to use as a sermon topic a continuation of something that we started on Wednesday. The sermon topic today, as the Holy Spirit would allow, is think I better let it go.
Speaker 1:Can you turn to somebody and say, think I better let it go, think I better let it go? You may be seated in the presence of the Lord. There was a keyboardist by the name of pray for me, pray for me. There was a keyboardist by the name of Eddie Noble and he worked with this individual by the name of Cecil Womack. You may not know Eddie and Cecil unless you just really into music like that. They were members of the Valentinos and they used to write all types of songs about how love can just bush you up and beat you down, writing songs about when you're connected to something and it hurts you. That's a pain that is certainly unbearable. Anybody can relate to that. You, they, they, they, they, they. They had this one song, that, that, that that they wrote but was made famous famous by an individual by the name of Teddy P.
Speaker 1:The song's lyrics, and I like looking at the story behind songs. That's why hymns are powerful, because there's often a story associated with the person that wrote the hymn. A person who wrote a hymn talking about God as a way maker is a person that was in a situation that only God could make a way. Some of you may know the words of Nobles and Womack's most favorite song. It says that, looking back over my years, I guess I shed some tears. I told myself time and time again this time I'm gonna win, but another fight, what things ain't right, I'm losing again. Takes a fool to lose twice and start all over again. Then what he say think I better let it go. Y'all know it. Look like what, looks like another, what love tko, yeah, yeah, y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all know it and uh. But look at, look at the lyrics. Y'all don't don't get excited. I'm not trying to take you back to where God delivered you from, but but I want you to see something. He, he said, he said tired, watch. He says try to take control of the love. But the love took control of me, cause you lose all thoughts since the time and have a change of mind, taking the bumps and the bruises of all the things of a two-time loser Trying to hold on. Faith is gone. It's just another sad song song. Think I better let it go.
Speaker 1:My sisters and brothers, we have entered this season of consecration, because consecration is a reminder that it's time to let some stuff go. There are some things that you have been connected to so long that you love it, but the Lord is saying that it's time to let it go. The psychiatrist and psychologist in the room could testify that the truth of the matter is that you could be miserable so long that you love misery more than you love being happy. Somebody say I think I better let it go. The truth of the matter is you've gotten so comfortable with the cortisones and other things that are released, and when you are angry like the Incredible Hulk, you kind of enjoy walking around big mad all the time. Tell somebody, I think I better let it go. Um, the reality is as much as you hear sermons about, uh, forgiveness, and you know that forgiveness is not for them, it's for who it's for, it's for see, you already knew it, but yet and still you won't forgive them. So I'm trying to tell you that consecration has come because guess what, you gotta let it go. There are several of you in you, in of you in here, that were really hurt by someone and the Lord is saying in this season of consecration, you got to let it go. In a season of consecration, you got to look at the woman of God in the mirror and realize that there are some things that are trying to kill your now as well as your next, and if you don't let it go, it will ultimately be your demise.
Speaker 1:Media team, can I throw you a curveball real quick? Can you throw up that sermon graphic again? I'm a person, I enjoy art and I enjoy things of this nature, and when I found this picture, I said to me this is where we are and why we are in consecration. Have any of you all ever held on to a rope, any zip lining or anything like that? Anybody ever get rope burn?
Speaker 1:Rope burn is about the most painful thing that you can ever experience, and you know the thing about rope burn. There is only one cure for rope burn. You know what it is. You got to let the doggone rope go. It's deep. It's a deep sermon, it's real deep, and I want to talk to somebody here today and say that, spiritually, you have been experiencing rope burn because you refuse to let some stuff go.
Speaker 1:You'll let it go for a few days and so every now and then a few weeks, but why do you keep going back to it? And the more that you go back to it, it is just putting a hole in your soul because it's burning you up on the inside. Tell somebody, I think I gotta let it go, and I want you to, early in this sermon, to think about the several things that you got to let go of because you have been walking, living this thing called life so long. Now. You've gone through a lot of things, haven't you? And the more stuff that you go through, the reality is the more stuff that you got to let go of.
Speaker 1:The more of your cousins I encounter, the more I got more folk I got to forgive, the more that I try to do what God has called me to do, the more I have to loosen myself of my thoughts and my ways. Every day I wake up, I realize that I have to experience consecration and let some stuff go in order to be who God has called me to be. And, truth of the matter, that's the reality of the text that we are dealing with here. We have a nation by the name of Judah. Well, we know the children of Israel and we are familiar with the fact that there were 12 tribes at some point, but this prophetic word is primarily written to the folk at Judah. The people at Judah were just like you and I. They were in relationship with God at some point, but then, when life started lifing, there was a shift in the relationship.
Speaker 1:I don't like to normally meddle with people that are here visiting, but today I want to meddle with some of you all that are here visiting. May I ask you a question out of love? I know you don't know me and I don't know you. If you are the person that I'm talking to, who hasn't in in God's presence in a while, if you, if you haven't been in fellowship with the saints in a while, I want you to know that God didn't bring you here by happenstance. He didn't bring you here because of a program. He brought you here because he had. He loves you so much and he has greater in store for you. He, he loved you enough to bring you here a place you didn't even expect to be at on today, because God is up to something. As a matter of fact, chosen city.
Speaker 1:Can you just briefly turn to tell? Turn to somebody, body and tell them that God is up to something in your life. Yeah, they need words of affirmation from you early on that God is up to something in your life. Yeah, they need words of affirmation from you early on that God is up to something in their life and when God is up to something in your life, he's not going to give up on you.
Speaker 1:How do I know that? Because the Bible teaches that God chastises those whom he loves. Okay, that's a King James version. Can I say it real plain? Do I have any parents or aunties or godparents in the room that you will chastise those who you love? You'll give them a little case of get right whenever necessary.
Speaker 1:Am I lying? It's funny how the Holy Spirit works, because I'm going to embarrass mine today so they don't ever do it again. I go out there right there to get my last little sip of tea and my little boy is over there hacking up a little bit. The devil is a liar. We don't get down like that. If you want this to be a good day, you better get right before daddy gets you right, because we don't play them type of games in the church. Some of y'all was raised, like me. You know that the last place that you could cut up was in the house of God, because if I love you, I'm going to get you right, amen.
Speaker 1:Somebody God is saying that he loved Judah so much that he had to get them right. And Isaiah, the first chapter. He starts to talk to him and he's he's talking to them out of frustration. He says I'm tired. Somebody said God was tired. God said I'm tired of you going through these religious ceremonies, he said when you come worship me, you put on this big parade, he said. But your gifts have become meaningless and just lip service because your heart is not in it. He says I'm tired. He said you, you. He said you celebrate these holy days and you do all this fasting, but then you turn right back to the same sin and the same attitude. He said I'm I'm tired. He says that I can no longer stand these annual festivals.
Speaker 1:At the time, our Jewish sisters and brothers and they still do were celebrating various festivals, and festivals are a good thing when your heart is in the right posture. But God is saying to the people of God what he said then, the same thing he's saying now. You're doing him no service by just going through the motions. He said I'm so tired that I'm tired of the smell of the, of the burnt offering that you give to me. He says I'm tired. He said yeah, he said it was given to you as a way to atone for sins, but now it's just become religion over relationship.
Speaker 1:He says I'm tired and that's what God is saying to some of us in the room is that I love you but I'm tired. He says I call Chosen City into this posture of consecration because I love the people that I have assembled there, but I'm tired of these games. He said I'm tired of seeing you struggle because of the decisions that you continue to make. I'm tired of your progress being stifled because you refuse to unify. I'm tired of you doing what you want to do instead of being who I call you to be.
Speaker 1:Somebody said he was tired, and I want to talk to some people in the room and let you know that God called us into this season of consecration because he is tired. He's tired of holding on to some stuff that we were supposed to let go of a long time ago. God reminds us in this text that there is a how to resolve the issue that we've been holding on for stuff too long, and the first thing that God tells us that we got to do, if we're going to resolve the issue of holding on to stuff too long, the first thing we got to do is wash. Everybody say wash, yeah. Verse 16, he says this. Here's the issue, since I'm tired. Consecration is a call to wash. He says this Wash yourselves and be clean. Just wash yourselves and be clean. Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
Speaker 1:Men and women of God, this is not a sermon of condemnation. It's a sermon of correction, starting at the pulpit all the way to the back, because God is saying I am going to bless you. The things that you have been waiting for will come to pass. But when you was listening to the prophet tell you about all the stuff that you was going to bless you, the things that you have been waiting for will come to pass. But when you was listening to the prophet tell you about all the stuff that you was going to get, did you forget when the prophet told you that to get it, you got to take a bath? Yeah, you're gonna get everything that was decreed and declared over your life, but for some strange reason, we skip over the part that in order to get it, you got to wash. And say it plain God ain't about to give you nothing as long as you stay funky. I'm just going to say it how I feel it. You wondering why the blessings won't flow in the city and in the field? Because you're nasty, your attitude stinks, you won't do what he called you to do. I'm just trying to help somebody See. That's why I'm messing with know. You might be at another church next year, next week, and they're going to tell you you're going to get all this stuff, but they forgot to tell you that you got to wash. The Bible says this I'm preparing your washing is preparing you for what I'm about to bless you with.
Speaker 1:There was a leader by the name of Moses. Some of you know, some of you don't. Moses was called by God to lead the people who were in bondage from a place of bondage to a land of promise. Moses led the people as far as he could before he let his own frustrations get in the way of him getting what was promised to everybody else. Can I talk to the leaders in the room? Leaders, you cannot let somebody else cause you to miss out on what God got for you when you're leading people. It's just, it's just a matter of time before you feel like busting somebody head to the white meat. Amen, if, if, all the leaders in all of us are leaders, you leading folk. It's just a matter of time before you had about as much as you could take, but I want to talk to the leaders in the room and say that you can't allow somebody else to block the blessing that God has for your life.
Speaker 1:Moses got frustrated with the people and because of his frustration he he disobeyed God, so to speak, when God told him to do something, to to tap or to speak to a rock to make water come, because the people had been claiming complaining uh, the complaints got Moses and instead of Moses speaking to the rock, he struck the rock and God said Moses, you still anointed, I'm still going to use you, but you can't see the promised land because you let the people cause you to miss out on your blessing. About 15 of you in the room you've been letting people cause you to miss out on your blessing. How much longer Consecration? Somebody said I think I better let it go. You better let it go. I'm not. From this day forward, you got to say I'm not about to let nothing or nobody cause my blessings to be blocked. Amen. Can I be real with you?
Speaker 1:Somebody on my, on my, on my, on my law side, sent me an email the other day that was sideways. I had to delete it four times. You know what I'm saying. Y'all know what I'm talking about. I'm from Bessemer, alabama. That's the country hood, hood and country mix. You don't want this smoke, my brother. But you know what I said. I can't block my blessing. I'm going to press delete and I'm going to put it in the Lord's hand. I want to talk to the people in the room. You better press delete. You better let it go. You better let it go. I'm trying to help you to get to where you're supposed to be. So, so, so so.
Speaker 1:Because his blessing was blocked, god raises up another leader by the name of Joshua and in the book of Deuteronomy is kind of Moses's farewell speech. Joshua takes over the command. Joshua says I'm going to take you to the place that was promised by God through Moses, and they start this journey. I want to talk to some people in the room. You're on a journey. Somebody say I'm on a journey. I'm going to tell you. I want to tell you in the spirit that you are almost there. That's a word that God gave me to let you know that you are on a journey and you are closer than you think. You are really on the edge of the promise. Do y'all ever see that in spirit? I want to toss some faith walkers in the room. It looks dark, but there was a saying that says it's always the darkest before the dawn. Tell somebody, you're almost there. I want to tell you that, in the midst of uncertainty, that, even though it looks dark, I believe that this could be a unique time for the people of God. If we trust God and not the reports on the news. I believe that this could be a unique time for the people of God if we do what God has called us to do and and obey his precepts and and concepts and everything that he's told us to do. Uh, and because you're almost there, he, he's leading the people and, and they're, they're on the edge there. Somebody said you're on there on the edge, they're on the edge of the promised land and it's time for them to cross over. I want to talk to you right now. I tell you, on the edge of the promise promised land and you're about to cross over.
Speaker 1:Joshua 3, around verse 5, I believe Joshua says something to the people. He says consecrate yourselves today for tomorrow. The Lord is about to do miraculous and amazing works in your sight. Did y'all hear what I said? The Lord told the people purify yourselves. Today, somebody say for today. Today, somebody say for today, your today represents the season that you are currently in. That's my today. Put it up for him in the King James Forum. The season represents my current condition. That's my today. My unanswered prayer. That represents my today. The thing that I'm waiting on God to do. That represents my today. Anybody understand what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:I got to get ready today because, good God, almighty, I just saw the Lord say that my tomorrow is coming. Can I talk to somebody in the room and let you know? I know you had to deal with some mess on the job today. I know you had to deal with some crazy people today. I know you had to deal with some mess on the job today. I know you had to deal with some crazy people today. I know you had to deal with some disappointments today. I know you had to deal with your own bad choices today. I know you got to deal with your own proclivities today. I know you got to deal with your own strongholds today.
Speaker 1:But we celebrate today. You know why? Because our tomorrow is coming and I need some people that can get excited about tomorrow. I need some people that can have great expectation for tomorrow. You know why? Because if I got great expectation for tomorrow, then guess what I'm going to do whatever I got to do today. And the problem is, I see it, you don't have expectation for tomorrow, so you don't see a reason to consecrate yourself today. But I want to remind you that your ladder shall be greater. I want to remind you that it is about to turn around for you. I want to remind you there is no way that God let you live through what you live through just to have a boring, mundane, unfruitful life. The devil is a liar. I want to remind you that your God is purposeful. He has kept you when you can't keep yourself. Can I be real about it?
Speaker 1:I was heartbroken yesterday when I saw the news about Angie Stone. Anybody see that heartbreaking news. That happened in my home state. She was leaving Alabama going up to CIAA and was in a sprinter van, like all of us have been in, and God called her home and that broke my heart. Her son's birthday, I guess, was either the day before or the day after something to that effect. It broke my heart because, you know, even though I never knew her, I knew her songs and through her songs I felt like I knew her. I had to turn on my YouTube music and listen to Angie Stone. I can't sleep, I can't breathe anymore.
Speaker 1:Some of y'all know what I'm talking about, but I bring this to your attention, to bring real life to you. What happened to Angie Stone? But, by the grace of God, there I go. It was just an accident. She was doing her job, she was blessing many and God called her home. Can I tell you something? Accident. She was doing her job, she was blessing many and God called her home. Can I tell you something? The reason that you didn't have an accident on I-85, the reason that you didn't have an accident on 277, is because the master is not done with you yet. He said that there is still something in the earth that you got to get done. He said there's still something in the earth that you got to do. There's still people that you got to bless. There's still people that you got to rescue. Now, with that in mind, I need some people in the room that can praise God that he kept you because you have great expectation that your ladder shall be greater, so for our ladder to be greater, we got to wash ourselves.
Speaker 1:How do we wash ourselves? We confess our sins, because bible says if we confess our sins, he's what faithful and just to forgive our sins. The bible says we have to get sin, we have to wash ourselves and be cleansed and and give up our evil ways. And in this season of consecration, I want you to pray that God will help you to change your ways. Mike had it right. I'm talking to the man in the mirror. I'm asking him or her to change their ways. You gotta pray um this week family, for God to help you change your ways. Can I? I can see if you walking with me is are you honest? Are there some ways that you have that, that that you need god to help you with? Uh, or some of y'all uh slack when it comes to doing certain things? Are there things that you don't like dealing with? Or are there other things that you are good over here but you struggle over there? God is saying I want to wash you, uh, so I can change your ways. David said create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. That ought to be your prayer today that, god, I got some dirtiness. I got some stuff that I need to be cleansed from. Now, can I help you to understand this even more? Now, this is what Joshua was trying to say. Because I get it, joshua. Thank you, holy Ghost. He said y'all don't understand why. He said you don't understand why I had to tell my people to wash in the first place. Perhaps, chosen city, y'all don't understand why. I'm telling you why this consecration is so critical.
Speaker 1:The people that Joshua were serving were the descendants of the original people that had spent their life in slavery. Well, that stuff sound real familiar, don't it? They are the descendants, because most of them did not get a chance to cross over into the promised land because at some point they stopped believing God. So, mostly, what we're looking here are the children, because they had spent some time in the wilderness. Remember, they were freed from their bondage. They spent 40 years in the wilderness, 40 years going round and around and around. It's interesting because, although they're in the wilderness, god kept them while they were in the wilderness. That's, that's a word for you to let you know that God keeps you in the wilderness. The Bible says that their clothes didn't even get torn up in the wilderness. The Bible says that he fed them the same meal daily, manna from heaven, while they were in the wilderness. And even though they complain, because they were tired of being in the wilderness and they wanted to get to the, to the promise, god kept them in the wilderness.
Speaker 1:Can I talk to somebody whose wilderness is unemployment? I want to talk to somebody whose wilderness is that you just lost a loved one your father or your mother just transitioned, or another loved one, can I, can I talk to somebody? Your, your wilderness is that you are in transition in life and you're trying to find which way is up that. I know the wilderness is not your final destination, but I want you to realize that God is keeping you while you are in the wilderness. He's not going to let you fall until you get to the place that was promised. There there was something promised to you and your God is saying I'm going to keep you until you get to your final destination. But check this out raw and real straight, no chaser.
Speaker 1:The Bible says that the clothes didn't get torn up, but if I'm not mistaken, I don't think it said that they closed. It wasn't dirty. In other words, can you imagine what your clothes smell like after 40 years? No Ajax, no Tide in sight, no Comet, no staff brand, nothing, just you and funk for 40 years? Can you imagine what it would look like to go from perhaps a place of civility where whatever latrine system they had in ancient Egypt was one thing, and now, when you got to go, you just go to the nearest tree and do whatever it is that you gotta do? Uh, can you imagine living in a wilderness where there are no fine dining and no tablecloths and and nothing of that? When a little rabbit ran by, you throw the rock and you bust his head and that was dinner for the evening?
Speaker 1:Can, can you imagine living in the in the wilderness, where, where your skin got, uh, got got, got got hot and and you dealt with blisters and and you had to deal with snakes in the wilderness, because the bible talked about sometimes there are snakes in the wilderness. Some of y'all know what I'm talking about. There are snakes in the wilderness. You said, pastor, I would be all right in the wilderness if it wasn't for them, doggone snakes. I heard the Lord say don't worry about the snakes, because the snakes are about to die. But in the wilderness, you got to deal with all of this stuff. In the wilderness, I got to deal with nasty creatures and in this wilderness I got to deal with nasty people. In the wilderness, I got to get with people who, uh, who've given up. God, it's crazy stuff that happens while you are in the wilderness. I don't shave when I'm in the wilderness. I'm not the same person when I'm in the wilderness.
Speaker 1:In the wilderness, my actions shifted because I was in survival mode and in the wilderness I do what I got to do to survive, just because I'm out here in the wilderness and I don't have a permanent residence, just because I'm out here in the wilderness and I don't have a permanent residence. So when God says I'm about to take you from the wilderness to your place of promise, I got to wash off my wilderness thinking. I got to take off my wilderness clothes. I got to get rid of my wilderness heart. Why did? Whatever I had to do to survive, I got to get rid of my, my wilderness mechanisms and mannerisms. And that's what God is saying to you.
Speaker 1:I cannot take you over there as long as you have the wilderness of your last heartbreak still on you. I cannot take you over there as long as you have the wilderness of what happened at the last job on you. I can't bless you in this new church as long as you are carrying the wilderness of church, hurt from the last place that you was, and you won't open yourself up to the new move of God. I can't bless you financially because in the wilderness you was hiding money in your sock, drawing in your in your breast pocket and, and now I'm trying to get you to wash that off so that you'll have a new mind, so that you won't run through what I'm trying to bless you with.
Speaker 1:Somebody said I gotta wash it off. Ah, for where you are trying to go, there are things about you that are not funny anymore. It's not cute anymore. You got to wash that stuff off if you want to get to the place that God will have you to be, and that's why consecration has come. Business owners there's some habits that you got. You can't run your business like you run your house. There's some can't you you got. There's some stuff that you did over there that won't work over here, and so consecration is God, show me me and help me to wash some stuff off. Somebody said I gotta wash it off. I know this is true because after he tells them to wash off everything that was uh, was there the next thing that he tells them is to become. Everybody say I gotta become. Verse 17 he says this learn to do good.
Speaker 1:A part of consecration after the washing is that we go into a posture of learning. I gotta learn to be who God has called me to be, which suggests that I'm on my own. I don't know how to be what God has called me to be, which suggests that I'm on my own. I don't know how to be what God has called me to be. Can I talk to some people in the room and say this is a season for great learning? Who are you learning from? Who are you sitting under? What are you listening to?
Speaker 1:Listen in this season, in this season of consecration? You know I'll be honest with you. I got confessions. You know I'll be honest with you. I got confessions for the. You know I mean y'all already know anyway I like a little. You know well, I like it before trap music, that's what y'all call it now. But I like a little Boosie myself. You know I'm from the deep south. I grew up on Master P, you know that was my era. I was in the era of Pock and Biggie. You know, I like that Wu-Tang, I like all of that and all of that is good. But this is what I'm doing for consecration, because I'm trying to learn something of God. I got to be mindful, boosie. This may not be the season for you right now. Boosie, I'm going to get back with you later.
Speaker 1:I'm not discrediting any of our artists, but I'm saying, when I'm in consecration and I'm trying to learn who God has called me to be, everything that I listen to, everything that I read, everything that I watch I can't watch Real Housewives of Atlanta this week. I catch y'all on the other side. I can't go through all the gossip on social media this week. I can't keep up with all this foolishness that's going on. You know why? Because I'm in a season of trying to learn how to do good. And you know why? Because I'm in a season of trying to learn how to do good and I want to talk to the people in the room and say real consecration is not just getting empty. Real consecration is learning to be who God has called you to be. I want to talk to some people in the room and remind you that this is the season to learn to be who God has called you to be. But he says as you learn to be who God has called you to be, there's something else that'll happen. You'll start to seek justice, you'll start to help the oppressed, you'll start to defend the cause of the orphans and fight for the rights of the widows y'all this scripture is one that came popular during 2020, during the movement as it relates to social justice. But I want this to be more than a popular scripture for us. I want it to be the way that we live.
Speaker 1:God is saying that some of you have been given a spiritual gift and a spiritual ability to help those who need help the most. In this time that we are living in and everything that you see going on at the White House, everything that you see going on in this world. Look at what the Bible says as it relates to those who may not have what you have. God is saying that I have kept you and I have consecrated you because this is a season for you to be seeking justice for all. Not for those that look like you, not for those that believe like you, not for those. That's the same sex issue. God is saying that justice is right and it's right for all because he is a just God just God.
Speaker 1:And what God is saying in this season of consecration is you got to stop thinking about what you need and think about the people that's around you. Yeah, you got to start engaging in this fight. Somebody says it's time to get in the fight. How much longer are you going to sit idly by and watch other folk make decisions that impact everybody else? Somebody says it's time to get in the fight. Yeah, how much longer are you going to stay on the bench and watch people's jobs get taken away? How much longer are you going to stay on the bench and watch people take away opportunity?
Speaker 1:The Bible says that it is our mandate to seek justice for the lost, the least and the left out. I wish I had some justice seekers in the room. I wish I had some people that'll come to church, not just so that you could be blessed, but so that you could be a blessing to somebody else. That's our assignment, that's our mandate, and when you come out of consecration, if you don't come out of it trying to think, what can I do to be a blessing to somebody else. I need you to go back for another week because God is saying this is our mandate. With everything that is going on, I'm so blessed today I think I think she's still here.
Speaker 1:I saw that one of the one of the Anderson's cousins by the name of Geraldine Sumter attorney something. If you still here, wave your hand in the air. Hey, she back there, she gonna get me listen. Um, I, I I mentioned her, uh, her name, because, uh, the, the law firm that she's affiliated with, uh, uh, uh, the original name, I think. Well, I probably apologize for not knowing all my charlotte history, but ferguson chambers and, uh, sumter, this law firm was, was, was, was was on the front line as it relates to some of the civil rights issues that we had.
Speaker 1:Do y'all remember when they finally said that school segregation was unconstitutional and everybody should go to school together? Well, y'all know what happened next. The problem is is that they didn't integrate the bus system. So, even though we're supposed to be an integrated school, how am I going to get there if I can't ride the bus? It was that law firm and others that stood in the gap and took things all the way to the Supreme Court because they understood that they were fighting not for themselves, because they was past the bus riding age. They was fighting for my children, they were fighting for your children and sometimes the fight that God has called me to it may not be a blessing for me, but it may be a blessing for the generation to come, and I'm trying to tell y'all that if we sit on our behinds, in the midst of everything that's going on, my babies and your babies gonna suffer through it so that's why you gotta consecrate yourself, so that you can keep the main thing, the main thing.
Speaker 1:Whoa? Can I say how I feel it? This is how the enemy works. The enemy want all your prayers and consecration to be about your own personal issues. The enemy like if I can keep them in a bad marriage, all they'll ever pray about is a bad marriage. If I can keep them broke, all they'll ever pray about is being broke. If I can keep them in a bad marriage, all they'll ever pray about is a bad marriage. If I can keep them broke, all they'll ever pray about is being broke If I can keep them sick in their body. That's all they'll ever pray about.
Speaker 1:There'll never be a shift in what they focus on. They'll never focus on learning to be who God has called them to be. They'll never focus on doing what God has called them to do. They'll never focus on purpose. They'll never get to thriving, because all they're doing is trying to survive.
Speaker 1:But somebody said a shift just hit this house. Yeah, a shift just hit this house, because what we're going to be is going to be a people that seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of my needs shall be supplied. I need to raise up some more prophets in this house. I need to raise up some more leaders in this house that can understand the concept that if I take care of the Lord's business, the Lord is sure to take care of mine. We have to wash, we have to be, and then we have to resolve. Everybody say resolve, here it is. Here's what God's saying to you, because there's a fight that you got to get engaged in. This is what God's saying to you because there's a fight that you got to get engaged in. This is what God's saying to you. He said come now, let's settle this. King James said come now, let's reason together. Jesus, you know what God's saying to you right now. He said let's talk about it. That's literally what God is saying to you right now. Whatever is going on that has you upset with the kingdom, whatever is going on that has you upset with God, whatever's going on that has you upset with the kingdom, whatever's going on that has you upset with God, whatever's going on that has you upset with whoever is in your life, the Lord just said let's talk about it. That's what he said. You're reading it right. He said come on. The Lord said let's settle this. As a matter of fact, I want to settle it right now in his spirit.
Speaker 1:Anybody in here don't mind being honest and saying that you, you came to church mad at God. You frustrated anybody. Don't mind being mad. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for being honest. I see a couple of hands.
Speaker 1:God is saying I understand that you come mad and I appreciate that you came, but let's settle this. Anybody got some. Anybody got some questions that God hadn't answered yet. Are you trying to figure out when God go? Thank you for being honest. God said if you came, thank you for being honest. God said if you came, thank you for being honest. And he said if you came with some unanswered questions, let's settle this. He said, because if we don't settle it, we'll never make the main thing the main thing. If we don't settle it, you'll never get up and be who God has called you to be. If we don't settle it, you'll never come up and be the next change agent. If we don't settle it, you'll never stand up and open the business. God said we gotta settle this today. And God is saying I want to settle it with you because you've been carrying it too long. You've been trying to figure out why God has not yet removed that chain. And God is saying this the reason that he has not yet moved it is because you need to stay where you are a little while longer so that on the next time this never happens to you again. Did I, did you hear what I said? This is a word from God. He, he heard you, he sees you, but he says I'm not going to allow you to go forward until you are ready, else something worse would happen to you. Did you hear what I said? He says I love you and I care for you, but you're gonna have to stay here a little while longer. I'm in the bible because when he had a plan for the people of God, when they got into Babylonian captivity, they called the prophets and the prelates and the apostles and the bishops, the archbishop, pooking them and everybody to pray. And God said they can pray as long as they want to, but they're gonna stay there for 70 years because that's the amount of time it's gonna take to get them ready, so they never go back to this again. Can I talk to you right now and let you know that your God is saying I'm gonna keep you right where you are, I'm gonna bless you right where you are, but you're gonna stay there until you are ready for your new next. Isn't that like God? Because God said I love you, not enough to make sure that you have to experience that same failure over and over and over again? Now, some of us that have experienced the same failure over and over and over again. So God said I got to wash you, it's time for you to be. He said let's settle it, let's reason together. The thing about reasoning with God is that you can ask God all kind of questions when it comes time to reasoning with him. It was Gideon that was trying to reason with God and said God, you called me to go into this fight against an army of over 10,000 men and you told me to take 300. God, have you lost your mind? Lord, in Jesus' name, with respect, and that's some of us, god has called us to do something different and the odds are stacked against us. I want to talk to somebody right now that God has told you to do something and the odds are stacked against you. What did Gideon do? He went to God to settle the matter. He said God, I'm going to ask you for a sign. And he asked God for one sign and God granted that sign. And then he asked God for another sign and God granted that sign, because God is saying we can talk about it, and I'm not saying that we always have to have a sign, but what I'm saying is that we can always talk about it. There was a time where our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. He had to have a heart to heart with his father, when the weight of our sins were on his shoulder and they had put the nails in his hands and the crown of thorns on his head and they had abused him for crimes he didn't commit. He had to have a talk with his God and the crown of thorns on his head and they had abused him for crimes he didn't commit. He had to have a talk with his God and said we got to settle this which is to say what, my God?
Speaker 1:my God, why has thou forsaken me? I need some people in the room that got some stuff going on and you, really you are hurt that God allowed it to go that way. Yeah, your theology is maybe that God didn't do it, but God allowed it. And you trying to figure out why God let it go that way. And he said let's settle this, let's talk about it until there's a shift in your theology. Let's, let's settle this and and and talk about anybody.
Speaker 1:Remember Job, we, we give Job a lot of credit for the beginning of his journey, but after a while, job got big mad with God, didn't he? Yeah, at the beginning he was like though he slay me, yes, will I serve him, hallelujah, I'm going to be all right. But after a while he's like my God, what did I do to deserve this? Y'all just like to read the first two chapters of joe. Read a little bit further, you'll see joe got mad with god. When you get mad with god if you lost your whole family and all of your money and everything and you haven't done anything. But god allowed it. And at the end of the book god said joe, let's settle this, and I want to talk to some of y'all in the room and tell you I got some good news. You read the end of this chapter. So the Lord is saying you can settle this today if you are honest in the spirit with God about whatever it is that's fresher than you. God said. I believe in the spirit. He said you can settle this today. I will give you the answer. You may not like it, but we can settle this today. He says come, let us do what reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. What was he saying to Judah? Judah, you made some bad choices, you made some bad decisions, and let's talk about it. And even though you made some bad choices and made some bad decisions, my blood is about to cleanse you. Can I talk to somebody in the room and let you know that you're not a bad person? But you made a bad choice under stress and duress. And then, when we make bad choices under stress and duress, jesus says come to me and and I'm going to, to make those sins as white as snow. What does that mean? It means that, even though I had made some decisions yesterday, those decisions will not defeat what God is trying to do in my life today. Did you hear what I said? I made some bad decisions yesterday, but they're not going to defeat what God is trying to do in my life together. Come now.
Speaker 1:Though those sins were like scarlet, those sins cost you a lot. Those sins cost you a marriage. Those sins cost you a relationship with your children. Those sins cost you a lot of money. Those sins cost you status in the community. Jesus said come to me. Though those sins were red as scarlet, I'm about to make them white as snow.
Speaker 1:I need some people in the room that don't mind being honest. Then your sins cost you something. Yeah, your sins cost you some time. Your sins cost you some friends. Your sins cost you a job opportunity. Your sins cost you to delay when you should have moved. Your sins cost you to delay when you should have moved. Your sins caused you to move when you could have stayed. I need some people in the room that don't mind being honest and say my sins cost me some stuff. Yeah, my sins cost me a few years, didn't it? My sins cost me a few dollars, didn't it? My sins put me behind bars for a little while, didn't it? But Jesus has declared come, let's settle this, though those sins cost you something. I'm about to make them as white as snow.
Speaker 1:What do you mean, lord Jesus? That means that your greater is on the way. How do you know this? Because in verse 19, he says for those that obey me, you'll have plenty to eat. That means that if you obey God in this season of consecration, god is saying that there will be overflow. Isn't that good news for somebody today that I wash myself? I'm committed to becoming. I resolve my issues with God and he says that if you obey me, there will be more than enough. It don't matter what they do in the White House, there will be more than enough. It doesn't matter what they do on your job, there will be more than enough. It don't matter what they do in the White House, there will be more than enough. It doesn't matter what they do on your job, there will be more than enough. It doesn't matter what the economy says, there will be more than enough.
Speaker 1:Whose report will you believe? Chosen city, I have elected to choose. The report of the Lord, and that's the call of consecration is for you to get to the posture where you're going to obey God no matter what, because verse 20 declares this if we don't obey and if we refuse to listen, then we'll be, we'll be, devoured by the sword of our enemies. Listen, family, and I'm pretty much done at the end of the day. It's just that simple. The enemy wants to keep you in a posture of disobedience because your disobedience is the only thing that can defeat what God is trying to do in your life right now.
Speaker 1:Do y'all not realize that the only thing that can defeat chosen city church is disobedience? You realize that you don't realize the only thing that could defeat your marriage is disobedience? You realize that you don't realize the only thing that could defeat your marriage is disobedience. The only thing that can defeat you is disobedience, and so the enemy wants to deceive you. So you operate in what disobedience? And so what consecration does? It? Makes sure that that we see ourselves for who we really are.
Speaker 1:Starting last night, god started to show me me, and he showed me some stuff that I got to work on. And that was just the first night, and I can't wait to get to the end of this week so God could show me some more of this, because I don't want to operate in disobedience. The enemy has come to steal, kill and destroy, and the way he's going to steal, kill and destroy is to have you lean into your own understanding. Some of y'all lean to y'all emotions and y'all feelings too much, and in consecration I stop leaning on my emotions and my feelings and I start listening to what thus saith the Lord I do it when I don't want to do it, because God said do it and that's the way I'm gonna be blessed. I do it. And when I, when, when, when I, when I don't have it to do it, I do it because God said do it. And that's how the door is going to be open.
Speaker 1:And that's my challenge for you in consecration is to see yourself and then do what God has called you to do. What if God shows you, shows you, you in this season of consecration, and you got to do something that you've never done in your life before? What if it's in this season of consecration, god says you got to go to a place that you've never been before? Will your answer be yes? What if God says, after this consecration, you got to be the oddball in the room, will your answer be yes.
Speaker 1:So what God is saying to us all as we stand to our feet is that this is a time for the people of God to really look and ask the question what is it that I really have to let go of? What is it that I really need to transition from? That's a very personal question. Everybody in the room. What is it that I have to let go of? What is it that I have to transition from? Because here it is. If I don't, it's going to burn me. Media team, throw that slide up one more time as we get ready to transition. If I don't let go of it, it's going to burn me. If I don't let go of it, it's going to burn me. I want you to look at that and I want you to ask yourself the question what is it that you're holding on to that you have to let go of in this season of consecration? That's why we're here, because if I don't let go of it, it's going to burn me.
Speaker 1:I want to extend an invitation to the altar, to the whole church to say Lord, I want to let go of some stuff. I'm going to bring it to the altar today. In the spirit and I'm not going to pick it up again I extend this invitation to the whole church. If everybody can't make it to the altar, that's fine, but I want to alter it in the altar because I want you to deal with that question what is it that I need to let go of? What is it that I need to be released from? If you're a person that is in the house of God that has something that you need to let go of? God bless you, woman of God. Come on, come on. Y'all can come. Y'all can come. Don't be ashamed. God has not given us a spirit of fear. There's nothing but power down here. There's a, there's a loosening down here in Jesus name, in Jesus name, in Jesus name, in Jesus name, y'all come on. Y'all come on. Y'all come on, y'all come to this altar.
Speaker 1:It's a time for holy consecration. This week week, every last person in this room, if you're being honest with yourself, has something that you gotta be washed from so that you can be who god has called you to be. Every last person, if there's something you know that you're wrestling with, do not sit in the presence of a holy and righteous God as if everything is alright, I'm the first one to say I got some stuff that I got to let go of. I'm the first one. And if I can do it, you can do it. Don't sit in front of a holy God and act like everything is alright when the truth of the matter is every last one of us. Listen we family in here. We ain't here for no show. We here to connect with God. Listen, we family in here. We ain't here for no show. We here to connect with God.
Speaker 2:We need to let go of some stuff. Yes, yes, I will trust you and obey when your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart and my answer keep playing softly.
Speaker 1:The first yes that you have to give God is the answer to the following question Will you let it go? That's the first yes. Before I can give him a yes to his will and his way. The first question is will you let it go? Man of God in the back, will you let it go? Will you let it go? That let it go? That's the first question. And truth of the matter is, if we're going to be honest, some people don't want to let it go just yet. God, god, is saying you have an opportunity to, but you got to have a desire to let it go. So the first question is will you let it go? If the answer to that is yes, give God a yes, just give him a yes, right there. Just say yes to your god. Just tell him yes, say yes, lord, I'm gonna, I'm gonna let it go. You've shown me some stuff about me. I'm gonna let it go. I'm gonna let it go. I'm gonna let it go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Now, because you have told god yes, I want to pray over you in jesus name that he will help you to do the rest. Father, in the name of j, I thank you for this worship and I thank you for this day. I thank you for your sons and daughters that are in this room as we journey into this posture of holy consecration. As we journey into this posture of holy consecration, god, we got to wash ourselves and we got to let some stuff go. It's some stuff that has been knocking us out. It's some stuff that's been burning us out. It's some stuff that's been burning us. It's some stuff that has been blocking us and truth of the matter is some of it we don't even recognize what it is. So I pray that your spirit, god, will sweep through this room and the stuff that we don't even know we need to let go of. God, speak to him right now. Speak to him right now. Speak to him right now all across the room so they understand what it is they got to let go of, understand what behavior that they got to stop and what has to shift right now. In Jesus name, god, I pray a shift in the room in our behavior. I pray a shift in the room in our thinking. I pray, god, that we let go God and we feel loosened in the natural and even the spirit because we finally let some stuff go. We don't care, god, if they never apologize, we gonna let it go. We gonna start running back to what you delivered us from. We gonna let it go. We're gonna trust you for what's ahead and not worry about what's behind, because we press toward the mark, because we have elected God to let it go. God, we let it go today, in the mighty name of Jesus. Let it go right now, god. I pray over your people, god, until they get free. That's the prayer. God Pray until they get free. They are letting it go right now in Jesus' name, and they're not going to grab it anymore because they tried to let it go before, but they picked it up. We ain't picking it up this time. We laying it down this time in Jesus' name. God, I thank you for what you've done in this house today. I thank you for the liberty that's hit this house.
Speaker 1:God, as we enter this season of holy consecration and prayer and fasting, show us ourselves so we can be a better version of ourselves. And, oh God, we're careful today to give your name all the glory. We version of ourselves. And, oh god, we're careful today to give your name all the glory. We're careful today to give your name all the honor we're careful to give your name, all of the praise. It's gone now in jesus name. It's gone now in jesus name. It's gone now in jesus name. We walk by faith and not by sight. We speak those things as though they were. It's gone now. Somebody say it's gone now in Jesus' name. It's gone now in Jesus' name. Chris, turn me up a little bit, because it's gone now in Jesus' name. It's gone now in Jesus' name.
Speaker 1:What kind of celebration should there be when God is, when you're finally free from it? Shift from that, shift from that. Turn me up, yeah. Shift from. Shift from that. Shift from that. Turn me up, yeah, shift from that. There, there it is. If I really believe I've been holding on to something for 20 years and it's gone, what kind of worship should that be? If I really believe I've been holding on for something since last year and it's gone, what kind of praise would that be? We walk by faith and not by spite. We speak those things as though they were. We walk by faith and not by sight. We speak those things as though they were. We walk by faith and not by sight. We speak those things as though they were. We walk by faith and not by sight. We speak those things as though they were Now. We also worship as if it's already done. We worship as if we let it go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the enemy going to try to bring it back today, but the devil is a liar. He's already defeated, it's already dead. It's a mirage. It he's already defeated, it's already dead. It's a mirage. It's not real, did you hear?
Speaker 1:what I said. It's a mirage. It's not real. When the enemy tries to bring it back, we walk by faith and not by sight. We, we speak those things as though they were yeah, we speak now. Start speaking to it. It said it's not coming back. Start speaking to it and say that it's not coming back. I'm gonna help you right here. We talk about that. We serve a God that opens doors that no man can shut, but we also serve a God that'll shut a door that no man can open and I just heard the Lord say he shut the door behind you and that stuff that you release, it can't come behind you this time.
Speaker 2:Now give god some glory, because it's shut out. It's shut out. It's shut out. It's shut out. It's shut out. Give god some glory in this place and consecration. It's shut out. Family's gonna be healed. It's shut out. I'm getting my joy back. It's shut out. I'm getting my healed. It's shut out. I'm getting my joy back. It's shut out. I'm getting my peace back. It's shut out. Oh, somebody's self-esteem just came back. It's shut out. You are beautiful. You are the head. You are not the tail. You are above. I can't help, they can't see it, but I'm here to tell you who you are. Don't worry about who can't see it. Your God says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and in this season of consecration, he's about to show you who you are. Now give God some glory in this place.
Speaker 1:Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Speaker 1:God Family, it's time to go home. Thank you for these worshipers, thank you all for being at the altar. If you're a man or woman of God and the Holy Spirit spoke to you today about being in partnership with Chosen City Church, I want you to wave your hand in the air. I want you to stand. Somebody's going to walk with you, even a partner right next to you, one of the elders, one of the ministers. If the Holy Spirit spoke to you today and said you know what? I need to be here, I need to be a part of this consecration. I need to get prepared so I can do the work that God has called me to do. If God spoke to you today as far as being a partner, put your hand in the air so we can see you. Come on. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Now I need the elders and the ministers to get. With the hands that are in the air, you can come right down to the altar. You don't have to leave here. Like you came in Jesus' name, there may be some others. The Spirit is talking to you today. Just give God a yes. The Spirit is talking to you today. Just give God a yes. Just throw your hand in the air and somebody's going to come right to you. Just throw today. Just give God a yes. Just throw your hand in the air, somebody gonna come right to you. Just throw your hand in the air, somebody gonna come right to you. Hallelujah, elders, ministers, if you see hands go up, go right to them. We want to welcome them to the family. You see hands go up, go right to them. We want to welcome them into the family. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. All heads bow. Let's prepare for the benediction.
Speaker 1:Father, we thank you today, we celebrate you today, we praise you today. We give you name all the glory, honor and praise today. Now, god, as we enter into this season of consecration, show us ourselves so we can let things go that are not like you. Show us ourselves so we can let things go that are not like you. Show us ourselves so we can be who you've called us to be. Show us ourselves so that we can do the work that you've called us to do, god, we thank you, god, for the people that was able to let some stuff go. God, we continue to pray that you break barriers. In Jesus' name, we're careful, god, god, to give your name all the glory, honor and praise.
Speaker 1:Now, father God, as we prepare to leave this place, but never your presence. We pray that the promise, the power and the fulfilling of the Holy Spirit will rest, rule and abide with each and every one of us, now, henceforth and forevermore. Let the people of God say amen, amen, amen to God, be the glory to God, be the glory to God, be the glory. Show three people some love on your way out the Show three people some love on your way out the door. Show three people some love on your way out the door. May God bless you. May God keep you and go in peace.
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