Chosen City Church Sermons
Welcome to Chosen City Church Sermons!
We're thankful that you've joined us in listening to our sermons and pray that your spirit is blessed!
Every week the latest sermon is uploaded, and if you're ever in the Charlotte, NC area feel free to visit us on Sundays for Sunday Service at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and/or 1:00 PM ET. We also have Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 PM ET.
Chosen City Church
13925 Erwin Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28273
Chosen City Church Sermons
The Favor Of God | John 15:16 | Pastor Walter Bowers Jr. | 2025 Easter Sunday
God's favor is freely given, undeserved kindness that looks beyond our faults and sees our needs, unlike rewards based on good behavior. This message explores how to receive and walk in divine favor during challenging times.
• Favor requires genuine connection to God, not just church attendance
• God prunes both dead things and dying things in our lives to increase fruitfulness
• Remaining connected to Christ produces an overflow of joy that becomes our strength
• The redemptive power of favor is seen in Christ's atonement for our sins
• God's favor reveals His purposes and plans for our lives as we obey
• You are chosen and appointed by God for a specific purpose that comes with an anointing
If you need a fresh connection with God or want to experience His favor in your life, we invite you to respond today. God has not brought you this far to leave you - your answer only needs to be "yes."
Welcome To Chosen City Church! We are excited to you have worship with us today and we pray that this sermon blesses you!
Partner With Chosen City Church:
https://www.chosencitychurch.com/part...
Support Chosen City Church:
https://www.chosencitychurch.com/give
Podcasts and More:
https://linktr.ee/chosencitychurch
Connect With Chosen City Church
Website: https://chosencitychurch.com.com
Instagram: @ChosenCityChurch
YouTube: Chosen City Church
Facebook: Chosen City Church
Intro and outro created by Joe Anderson Jr. of Truflava Productions
thank you, lord, for your presence in this space today. Thank you, lord, for your presence in the overflow sanctuary today. God, I pray for our sisters and brothers that are worshiping in the overflow that that your spirit will be so powerful over there that when these students and administrators return on tomorrow, they'll know that something happened in that room. I pray that your spirit is so powerful in this sanctuary that we will know that we had an encounter with you.
Speaker 1:God, I thank you for every soul that you brought here today, every man, every woman, every child. You brought them here for a reason, god, I pray, in the name of Jesus, that we won't miss this moment. God, I come against all distractions right now, in the name of Jesus, that we won't miss this moment. God, I come against all distractions right now. In the name of Jesus, god, I pray that we have a divine focus, because there's something that you want to say. Speak, oh Lord, like only you can, and at the end of the day, we'll be careful to give your name all the glory, all the honor and all the praise. For, as in the matchless and undisputed name of Jesus, we pray that the people of God say amen, amen, amen To God, be the glory To God, be the glory To God, be the glory To God, be the glory Family.
Speaker 1:There's a word today found in John, the 15th chapter, verse 16. We're just going to be reading one verse. It is our custom here to read the word of God out loud together, because it helps it to stick. It helps us to remember and recall what the Lord is saying. Helps us to remember and recall what the Lord is saying and I don't want this to just be just another moment in church for you. I pray that you can open your spiritual ears so that you can receive that. God is saying something to you and something to your family John 15, verse 16. We're reading it aloud from the New Living Translation together Ready set, set.
Speaker 1:Read you didn't choose me, I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit so that the father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name, and I would just like to use as a sermon topic today, as the Holy Ghost would allow, the favor of God, the favor of God. You may be seated in the presence of our Lord family. I'm here to tell you something today that may seem like a simple truth, but God has really placed this burden on my heart to tell you in 2025, you need the favor of the Lord. In 2025, with everything that's going on, with all the division in our country and all the craziness going on um, for some, you can't even worry about what's going on in the country because you got stuff going on at your house I'm here to tell you that you need the favor of the Lord. What is favor? It's something that we hear in church. But to understand what I'm saying, that you need, I think we got to look at the word of God to understand what favor actually is.
Speaker 1:Favor in the Bible is translated as God's grace, freely given, undeserved kindness and blessings. While I like this, while grace is given freely, there's something different, I think that I want to highlight as it relates to favor. The one thing about favor to me that stands out to most is that favor is unique because it cannot be earned. You, you can't, you can't buy this, uh, you can't work for this. It is when God looks beyond our faults and sees our needs and decides to bless us anyhow. Now all of the parents in the room may help me to preach this portion. Think about it.
Speaker 1:More often than than not, we award our children usually based on good behavior. I know the school system operates that way because I'm glad that finally somebody say finally, finally, all three of my boys were able to receive that little. You know what's that thing? They stick in the yard these days my kid is the best kid and your kid is not signed. Whatever they call it, I it, I don't know, but finally all of my boys, at some point in the journey. They received it because, according to that teacher, that week they their behavior, um uh was should have produced an award. But favor doesn't work that way.
Speaker 1:Favor looks at you on your worst day. Favor looks at you when you're doing the absolute opposite of what God has called you to do. Favor looks at you when you're doing the absolute opposite of what God has called you to do. Favor looks at you when you make bad choices, and bad decisions on purpose. Favor looks at you when you are covered in the stench of last night. Favor looked at you when you came in with the stench of last night on you this morning I'm sorry that's me. I'm the only one that came in church in a posture that wasn't holy. Favor looks at the ugliness and the nastiness of who you are and saying, in the midst of all of that cold, I see a diamond. Do I have any people in the room that got some ash on you, got some soot on you? But there's a diamond on the inside that only God can see. And God says I'm going to look beyond your faults and I'm going to minister to your need. And the reason we celebrate resurrection Sunday is because we are literally celebrating God's favor when he elected to send Jesus down through 42 generations to die for a sinner like me.
Speaker 1:Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I'm see. Can I give it to 2025? Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a dude that still make bad choices as recently as this morning. Like me, I once was lost. Then I got found, but then I got lost again. Then I came back and I said I wasn't going to do it no more, but then I did it again. Then I said I wasn't going to smoke it no more, but I smoked it again. I said I wasn't going to drink it no more, but I drank it again. I said I was't going to drink it no more, but I drank it again. I said I was going to keep myself and focus on my own house, but I messed up again. I once was lost and sometimes still feel lost, but still in the midst of it, all your grace has favored me. Yeah, if that's somebody's real version of it this year, yeah, and that's what favor favor looks like, and I'm here to remind you that God is saying that we need this favor.
Speaker 1:I want you to understand something that you're not here because you elected to come to church this morning. You're not, I'm sorry. You're not here because you met old girl that do y'all still go to North Lake Mall? I don don't know Wherever y'all go, the Galleria of South Park. You met an old girl at South Park Mall. She said come to church if you want to impress. That ain't why you're here. You're not here because your children were up to sing and you hadn't seen them sing in a while.
Speaker 1:And the wife said now, bill, if you don't come this week, I'm going to cut you off. I'm going to cut you off. I'm going to cut you off. And so you're trying to keep peace at your house. So you showed up. No, you are here because God elected you. Do you not realize that? That's the part that we miss. We don't choose God. God, in fact, chose us. We are the elect of God, and because he has elected us, he says I favored you. That's why I kept my hand on you when you forgot about me. Yeah, he said, but when you hadn't thought about me in a long time. I have been covering you up into this moment Because I knew a day in the Kairos would show up, where I would have one of my servants who has gone through some stuff to be able to tell you that there is no secret to what I can do. The same way I turned it around for others. I'm about to do the same thing for you.
Speaker 1:I wish I had some prayer warriors in the room that don't mind interceding with prayer. Right there they say God is about to turn some stuff, not tomorrow, but today. Today is Resurrection Sunday. I feel a shift in the house already when my prayer warriors at Y'all. I call on prayer warriors. Those are the people that got crazy faith. Those are the people that y'all gonna look at and say you done lost your natural mind. I know you didn't believe God. For that, one of my people like that in the room.
Speaker 1:I need your help early in the sermon because we got to shift this atmosphere until God births a miracle in his place. We got to shift this atmosphere until somebody gives their life to Jesus. All my prayer warriors in the room make some noise. That's it, yeah. Yeah, because we have to understand. God brought us here. He kept us for this moment because he wants to favor your life, but men and women of God.
Speaker 1:In order and in order to get this favor that resurrection Sunday brings to us, we have to understand what favor requires. And the first thing that favor requires is favor requires connection. Somebody say favor requires connection. If I'm going to receive God's favor in my life, I have to be connected to God. This year, like no other time in my life, can I ask you a question? Let me, I don't want to mess with y'all. Can I mess with the people across the street? Hey, over across the street, what's y'all connection game? Look like how connected to y'all are to God. Now I'm gonna mess with the people in here. What's your, what's your connection? Get, how connected you are you to God.
Speaker 1:John the 15th chapter is an interesting passage of scripture because we're reaching that point where Jesus is telling the truth to his disciples that he didn't come here to stay, that he's about to transition and go on to glory. He reminds them that their heart should not be troubled because if they believe in God, they ought to believe in him, and in his father's house there are many matches that if it were not so, he wouldn't have told us. He goes to prepare a place that he can receive us unto himself. But he understands something. He spent 33 years living in this earth, so he understands something. He understands what it feels like to be betrayed by friends and frenemies. He understands something. He understands what it likes to do, what it's like to be in situationships. He understands something he understands what it's like to lose a father or a parent at an early age, because after he turns 30 years old, we don't hear from his father anymore, which suggests that Joseph had died in the earth. So he understands something he understands when people turn on you and want to kill you just for being you. He understands something. He understands what it feels like to be anointed by God, pastor Chris, to be anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit, but suddenly for God to take you after you leave church and take you into the wilderness.
Speaker 1:He understands something. He understands being misunderstood. He understands being not received in his own hood, because the Bible says that a servant is not received in his own hood, because the Bible says that a servant is not received in his own hometown. He understands something he understands temptation, because the Bible says that he dealt with all types of temptation. So he understands something he understands trying to pay bills. He understands something. He understands trying to pay taxes. He had to go to the mouth of a fish to find a coin to pay his own bills. He understands something. He understands trying to pay taxes. He had to go to the mouth of a fish to find a coin to pay his own taxes. He understands something. He, in a nutshell he understands you.
Speaker 1:And on this journey, aren't you glad that you have not a high priest that does not understand the human existence? You have a high priest that understands some stuff. You have a high priest that understands you, as you have a high priest that understands you as a matter of fact, would you just take about 15 seconds and say I thank you, god, simply for understanding me. Oh, y'all got to do better than that. Let me see if I can say it like this. Then you know that person that came in that's sitting next to you. Don't look to the left or to the right. I know you love them, but the raw and the real straight, no chasing. It's some stuff about you that they don't understand. But it go both ways, because it's some stuff about them that you don't.
Speaker 1:There is only one person that understands everything about you. He says the very hairs on your head are numbered by the lord. And he says I understand you, I understand this world, I understand government issues, I understand it all. But even in the midst of everything, he says I'm going to give you a plan so that favor will be your lot, in the midst of what you're going through. So the first thing he says is that you've got to be connected.
Speaker 1:And in John, the 15th chapter, he gives us an example of the grape and the vine. He says I'm trying to help you all understand that with every, I know what you're going through. He said the only way you're going to make it and receive favors, you've got to be connected. John 15, he says it like this Listen, I'm the, I'm the grape and I'm the. I'm the. He said I'm the grapevine and my father is the gardener. He said this is what God does. He says my father cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more fruit.
Speaker 1:Y'all walking with me, jesus painted a picture. Y'all know he was a wonderful picture painter. He says look at it like this. He says imagine myself as a vine. Right? He says look at it like this. He says imagine myself as a vine. Right, you know, for the ladies in the room who, who? Y'all spend them Saturdays at the vineyard drinking that you know. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Y'all know, out there in the vineyard they got those vines and they got the grapes. God said that. Jesus said that's me. He said but my father is the gardener. He said what he does is every person that is not fruitful. He removes them from being connected to Jesus. He said OK, I can see that that makes sense. Anything that's in this dead, I'm going. He's going to cut it all cool. But then he also goes and says but that's not the only cutting I'm doing. He says I'm also cutting you so that you can produce more fruit, also cutting you so that you can produce more fruit.
Speaker 1:There's a book called Necessary Endings, dr Henry Cloud. Maybe I'll be saying this last name correctly, but it's called Necessary Endings and it kind of uses this analogy to talk about a person that's trying to grow roses. Yeah, it says if you're trying to grow roses, if you're trying to grow something, it says you're dealing with a couple of buds that you got to be mindful of. On a rose bush. It says you have the bud that is blossoming, you have the blood, the blood, the blood, um, the bloom that's on life support. And then you have the bloom that's dead. And it says the dead blooms you got to cut because it's dead stuff. And so that's what God says.
Speaker 1:I'm cutting all of the dead stuff in this season because the dead stuff is just in the way. Aren't you glad that God cuts dead stuff out of our lives? Amen, somebody. I thank God, allow God to cut some dead stuff. It's dead. So I'm gonna tell somebody. I know we talk about the resurrection Sunday, but I need to tell you on this resurrection Sunday, there's some stuff that's still on you and it's dead. And the Lord said I brought you here to cut the dead stuff off. Did you hear what I said? I brought some of you here because I'm trying to cut the dead stuff off. He says don't walk away, don't run away. That's why you can't um, that's why you're not getting what you need, because you move too soon while I'm trying to cut off the dead stuff. And and it makes sense. But but there's another um, um bloom, that's, that's on the flower and it's it's, it's dying and the hard choice is to deal with the stuff that's not dead but it's dying. It could go either way.
Speaker 1:In the book Necessary Endings it says for the, for the best blooms on the flower, you, not only you got to cut the dead stuff, you got to cut the stuff that's dying, it's still on life support. We got a elder Nikki in here. She, she's in the medical professional. Elder Sherry back there, a few others.
Speaker 1:They understand that, that that sound of a of, of someone who's passing away, that the heart rate gets a little bit slower, the, the breath, uh, shifts a little, a little bit. The breathing is, is labored, and what I'm breathing? I raise this because, uh, there are some stuff that I see on some of you all that's not dead but it's dying, it's laboring to breathe, it's laboring to live. You know what I'm talking about. You've been working on it for a long time but it's, it's like beep, beep, beep. I raise this because that author in that book says here's the danger of stuff that's not dead but that's dying. That's connected. What it is doing is sucking the necessary nutrients from the one thing that's trying to bloom and blossom and it says until you make the necessary decision to cut not only the dead stuff but the dying stuff it is. Then, and only then, will you experience the full bloom in your life. I want to say it again until you make the necessary decision. I know you've given chance after chance, justification after justification, but I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to your situation right now saying you know exactly what's dying and it's killing you on the inside.
Speaker 1:I had something last year in the business realm. I had to, I had to cut it. I didn't want to. But a man of God just said how much longer are you going to suffer before you do what God has called you to do? He said that to me. He said how much longer are you going to put up with this before you finally free yourself? Can I talk to somebody in the room and say resurrection Sunday is here for you to free yourself.
Speaker 1:I need about five of y'all to say I'm gonna free myself today. The Holy Spirit is gonna show you, in Jesus name, the stuff that is dying, so that can be pruned, and and then it says well, here's what, what you need to do with the stuff that is alive and well. Verse four says this he says remain in me and I will remain in you. In other words, now that you are willing to kill the dead stuff, now that you're willing to kill the dying stuff, stay connected to me, remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I am them look at the text will produce what Much fruit. But apart from me, you can do nothing.
Speaker 1:I want to talk to a business owner in the room and say the issue with your business is not your business plan, it's not the economy, it's not the interest rates. Your business is not rightly connected to God's plan. I know you want to do it your way, but I'm here to tell you as a man of God your stubbornness is impacting your productivity. I'm going to say it one more time your stubbornness is impacting your productivity. One more again your stubbornness is impacting your productivity. You have a great idea, but you want to do it your way. You see, you have this thing that you want to do, but you want to lean to your understanding. You don't realize that if you trust God and do it God's way, there will be an overflow, there will be an increase, there will be a supernatural impartation and God is going to supply all of your needs. How do I know? He says, because, apart from him, that we can do nothing. But he says, if we remain in him, we can ask for anything and it shall come to pass. He says that you will produce much fruit.
Speaker 1:Somebody say I'm going to produce a lot. Yeah, I'll say I'm going to produce this season. I'm going to produce with my children. I'm going to produce in my family. I'm going to produce in my spiritual giftedness. I'm going to be who God has called me to be, because it's production time. Can you tell somebody right now it's production time? Yeah, because God is saying that if you stay connected, you're going to produce like never before, because that's what I saved you for, I delivered you for. This is your season, this is your time if you're obedient to the will of God. So again, the favor of God requires us to be connected and you got to ask yourself am I really connected? Am I really connected to the local assembly? Am I really connected? Am I really connected to the body of believers.
Speaker 1:Believers because there's a crowd of y'all y'all. Y'all don't like people and stuff. You know, I know it's cool, we can be honest, y'all don't like people. So it's easy to find your space away from people. But the lord is saying I don't know why god does it. Why does god call people who don't like people to, to minister to people? How come he got so many introverted, holy, holy, ghost-filled people? I just don't know. But I'm going to tell you that sometimes you got to get beyond your introversion and be who God has called you to be.
Speaker 1:You are a gift to the body of Christ. The Bible says that there are many gifts in this house right now. Ask every gift present in this house right now. Do y'all know that there's somebody that has the gift of healing? Meaning you're not the healer, jesus is the healer, but you have this gift. If you pray in Jesus' name when he wants to heal, somebody's going to be healed.
Speaker 1:Did you know that you have the gift of discernment? You didn't call it discerning, but God kind of gives you a sense of something and you can kind of have this idea. You didn't know that's what it was called, but it's a gift of discernment. It's a gift for the body so you can tell other people in the body you better watch out. I wouldn't do that if I was you. You have this gift.
Speaker 1:Some of you have this prophetic gift, right. That means that God will show you what he's about to do in the earth so that the people of God can prepare you. You don't use churchy language like calling yourself a prophet, but you know God has shown you some stuff. Anybody that's unashamed to say man showing you some stuff, anybody that's unashamed to say man, god be talking to me. He's been showing me stuff in my dreams. I've confirmed it in the word. It's crazy. I don't know what it means. I'm trying to tell you what it means is that you have a gift and God is saying that's why the enemy has been trying to disconnect you. That's why he's trying to make you use stuff. Like I'm spiritual, I can do it all by myself. Because if you're spiritual, spiritually, do it all by yourself. Nobody else gets to benefit from your gift. And God is giving this gift to be not only a blessing to you, to be a blessing to this community.
Speaker 1:There are some change agents in this room. There are some shifters in this room there are some people that God is going to use to lay hands and you're going to do miracles in Jesus name, because there is a gift in you. There's some of you that's going to lead people to Christ. Because people believe your story. They know what you have been going through, they see what, who you was, and now they see who you are. And God says I'm going to use the essence of you to bring some people closer to me, but in order to experience God's favor where you can ask anything in his name, god is saying you got to be connected. I'm going to ask one more time, I'm going to leave it alone what's your connection game looking like? Are you connected to God for real? What's crazy about being connected to God is just, y'all would think that I'm talking to the people that we don't see all the time, but I'm more concerned about the people that I see every Sunday and still ain't connected. Amen, somebody Listen.
Speaker 1:Going into the Lamborghini dealership does not make one a Lamborghini owner. It takes a little bit more than that. And I want to talk to somebody in the room says showing up in the building does not want. That does not make one a holy ghost, feel fire.
Speaker 1:Baptized believer, there has to be some things that happen in our life that show us the essence of who we are and show us that we are who we claim to be. And I need some people in the room that say I don't want to look like it. I want to be what God has called me to be. I'm sold out. I'm fully committed to the will of God. I'm going to give you my everything, god. That's a confession right there. I need some people that say God, I'm gonna be real with you.
Speaker 1:Up until this point I have not been connected. Up until this point I have not been where you want me to be. But I want to experience the fullness of who you are. I want to be who you purpose me to be. I now realize that my joy is found in being who you call me to be. My joy is found in doing what you call me to do, god. Because of that, I'll say yes to your will. I'll say yes to your way. I feel some people that just said yes to God's presence. I feel some people that just said yes to God's will being done in your life. I feel some people that said yes to the call that's on your life Now, everybody in the room that's giving God a fresh yes. Why don't you make a sound? Just say yes, give him a fresh yes. Right there, come on. We can do better than that. Give God a fresh yes. Say yes, lord, I'll go. I'll be what you call me to be, because we are connected to God and as we being connected to me, so that you will be filled with my joy, yes, your joy will overflow.
Speaker 1:This is Jesus talking to his disciples about they're about he's about to leave. They're about to go through the darkest time of their life. Their leader is about to be executed. They are going to run because now the executors will be looking for them and it does not look like what God has prophesied that sometimes in your life your experience won't match up to the declaration that has come forth of concerning you. But the Lord said I'm telling you this stuff now so that the joy of the Lord will keep you, because there will be times where it don't feel joyful. But we have to remember what the word of God declared that the joy, the joy of the Lord, is what is our strength.
Speaker 1:And I want to encourage somebody today to say that's why, uh, the enemy stole your joy, um, in November. That's why the enemy stole your joy several years ago. And that's why you are weak in your natural body as well as your spiritual body, that you have a weakness that a gym membership cannot cure. You have a weakness that even though you eat healthy, it cannot cure. You have a weakness that medicines cannot cure. Your weakness is spiritual and you're weak because you have lost your joy and the enemy has come to steal your joy. He is doing everything, sending everyone against you, folks that you trust, folks that is in your inner circle, because the objective is to steal your joy.
Speaker 1:But somebody said thank God for favor. Yeah, because what favor does is that favor restores joy. How does favor restore joy? Because favor reminds us that, in the midst of my darkest times, that our God is up to something. Favor reminds me that my God has not brought me this far to leave me. Favor reminds me I just got to hold on a little while longer and everything is going to be all right. Favor reminds me that I just need to run on and see what the end is going to be.
Speaker 1:Can I talk to some of you, all in the room that have lost your joy because you are getting connected back to God. The Lord told me to tell you that your joy is coming back. And when your joy comes back, jesus said in verse 11 that this type of joy won't be just enough joy, it will be an overflow of joy. Did you hear what the Lord said? I didn't say it. It's right there in the scripture that when he shows up and he moves because when God moves it's always more than enough, and I thank God for an overflow of joy that means that the joy that I have, I can give some of that to my wife. The joy that I have, I can give some of that to my children.
Speaker 1:Because if I have been miserable, most likely everybody connected to me has been dealing with my misery. They have been dealing with my mood swings, they have been dealing with my nasty attitude. They have been dealing with my depression. They've been dealing with my anxiety. They've been dealing with my nasty attitude. They have been dealing with my depression. They've been dealing with my anxiety. They've been dealing with my fear.
Speaker 1:So the Lord says when I send joy into your life, this time it'll be enough joy, not only to fill you up, it'll be an overflow of joy that'll touch everything that's connected to you. You ought to touch somebody's hand right now and say overflow. Just say overflow. Say God is filling me up and it's more than enough for you. I wish I had some people that believe the word of God. Just say overflow, our overflow of joy, a joy that the world can't give and the world can't take away. I thank God that he is promising us that, if we stay connected to him, there will be an overflow of joy, because you need strength for the journey that is ahead. The assignment on your life is so great that you need strength to show up and deal with some of God's most trifling people. You need strength to deal with some of the folk that got the same blood that you got. Yeah, we're going to be real about it. You need strength to be who God has called you to be, and the Lord is saying that the favor that is coming your way is the type of joy that is going to pick up your bow down here, as a matter of fact.
Speaker 1:I'm going to move on, but I want to take about 20 seconds and come against depression right now, in Jesus' name. I want to come against anxiety. Right now, in Jesus' name, I want to come against mental health issues. Right now, in Jesus' name. We walk by faith and not by sight. That was for somebody that's a cynic in the room. He said how can he just say it and it goes away? We can say it because the Lord told us that we have the ability in the scriptures to bind and loosen. The Bible declares that whatever is bound in the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whether it's loose in the earth shall be loose in heaven. And I just come from the Bible. I just happen to be a pastor. You just happen to be at a church that believes in the Bible. It's not so much about being charismatic, it's just about believing what the Word of God declares. So if God said I can lock some stuff up down here, he gonna lock some stuff up down there.
Speaker 2:Then what are you waiting?
Speaker 1:on. I'm gonna lock up depression. I'm gonna lock up my insecurities. I'm gonna lock up my fears. You ought to be locking up some stuff right now in Jesus' name. That's what he died for. That's what he rose for. He to give you power over whatever has been still in your joy. Now it's your turn. Now you got to preach to your own situation. You got to preach to your own self. You know what's been stealing your joy. You ought to be declared decree and declaring right now in the name of Jesus.
Speaker 1:I hear a thousand voices. Y'all ought to be rocking like Wiley across the street. Y'all ought to be going crazy on social media because, in the name of Jesus, I'm coming against everything that's trying to steal my joy. I'm coming against everything that's stolen my peace. I'm coming against everything that's stolen my happiness. I'm coming against everything that has ruined my marriage. I'm coming against everything that's impacted my relationship with my children. I'm coming against everything that has ruined my marriage. I'm coming against everything that's impacted my relationship with my children. I'm coming against everything that's divided this nation. I'm coming against it in Jesus' name. I don't hear you though.
Speaker 1:I don't hear you, though. You got to talk. Now I need you to come against whatever it is that you need to come against, while you got soldiers on your side. You got soldiers on your side. You got people sitting right next to you. They're binding and loosing right with you because they've been where they are long enough. Why don't you help them out right now? Just start calling on the name of Jesus. Why don't y'all call on his name? Say Jesus, jesus, jesus. I need to hear a few more voices. Jesus, come on. Jesus. You've been where y'all long enough.
Speaker 1:Jesus, get comfortable calling his name Jesus. If you won't call him in church, you won't call him in your cubicle. If you won't call him in church, you won't call him in atrium health. If you won't call him in church, you won't call him on the highway. If you won't call him in church, you won't call him the highway. If you won't call him in church, you won't call him. When they call you, tell you that your child has been around today. Y'all better get comfortable calling his name. Jesus, jesus, jesus, jesus, jesus. Call his name until your joy comes back. Call his name until your joy comes back. Call his name until the tears dry up. Jesus is Resurrection Sunday.
Speaker 1:We can call some other names, but there is no name greater than his name. Cancer has to flee at the name of Jesus. Demons tremble at the name of Jesus. There is something about the name of Jesus. It is sweet.
Speaker 1:I know, oh, oh, how I love to call his name I feel some favor in the room because you were bold enough to call his name. I feel some deliverance in the room because you were bold enough to trust him at his word. This joy that I had, the world didn't give and the world can't take it away. God's favor is available to everybody that remains connected to the vine. God's favor brings joy and God's favor redeems. This is what Jesus said to his disciples. This is my commandment Love each other in the same way I have loved you, for there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Verse 12, he reminds us of the importance of having unity in the community. Somebody say unity in the community. Oh, listen, family. Yesterday we saw unity in the community. For those that were at the Spring Festival. We had sisters and brothers from all parts of Asia black, white, brown, yellow in between. Listen, it was beautiful, wasn't it beautiful? I saw stereotypes being broken. Y'all think it's just the brothers that can hoop. I saw a little. I don't know if he was Italian or white dude. He would take it. He was putting the business on the brothers. Yesterday I said I should have put him on my team. It was beautiful. What is the Lord saying.
Speaker 1:The Lord said yesterday to us, through that event, that this is what love looks like. We can't let political differences divide us. Real talk. At the end of the day, people in government I don't care what side of you on they ain't coming to see about you. It's the people that's in your neighborhood. If it go left, that's all you got is the people that you can reach. I don't care what side of the aisle you want call. Call it up the other day and see if they answer the phone. But if a hurricane hit, it's gonna be your neighbor that show up to make sure that you're good. We gotta love one one, one another. And then he says this. But he says but check this out, my first command is for you to love one another in the same way I've loved you. But he says I need you to understand what love looks like. He said there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friend.
Speaker 1:What he was talking about is the doctrine of atonement. Everybody say atonement. Atonement, or often refers to as at one meant with God. Kippur in the Hebrew means that there was a debt that had to be repaid in order to purify us. There's a debt that has to be repaid in order to purify us. There's a debt that has to be repaid in order to purify us. The debt that Jesus died for was the debt of sin From the moment that Adam sinned and sin entered humanity. It was a debt that had to be played. But I want you to remind you, god didn't have to figure out what to do. God always has a plan for as this Genesis around the third chapter, verse 15, he releases the prophecy that a child would be born and that child will be bruised in the process, but the enemy would be defeated, uh, through the blood of this child. Atonement before, uh, god sent Jesus.
Speaker 1:Atonement was done in the Old Testament by taking an unblemished lamb and a or unblemished bullock, and on the day of atonement, this unblemished lamb or this unblemished bullock would be sacrificed as an atonement for the sins of the world. In order for the atonement to happen, it was the only day that the priest would be allowed to enter into the holy of holies. That was the place back in the day before God dwelled. On the inside, he could get close enough to his people, but he couldn't get on the inward parts because Jesus had not yet atoned for the sins of the world. So where would he show up? He'd show up in the temple and on the day of atonement he'd be at the holy of holies. And they had this area called the mercy seat. And that's where we would ask God to have mercy on the people for yet another year. And on this day, and this day alone, that priest was allowed to enter into the holy of holies and they were able to take the blood of this unblemished lamb and they put it on the mercy seat with the prayer that the sins of the people would be forgiven. Now the priest was always afraid to go into the holy of holies, because if the priest was found to be unworthy, he would drop dead instantly. And the problem was that if the priest dropped dead, whoever went to rescue the priest would probably drop dead too. So what would they do? They'd tie a rope around that old priest and say good luck, we're praying for you on the outside and in the event you're found unworthy in the presence of the Lord, all we can do is pull you out.
Speaker 1:But I thank God that one day God himself said I'm tired of this process. He said I'm tired of religious gymnastics. I'm tired of people going to church and playing, says I'm tired of religious gymnastics. I'm tired of people going to church and playing church. I'm tired of this. He says I'm looking for a permanent sacrifice. Yeah, I'm looking for a real relationship. Yeah, I'm over this religious stuff. I'm over this church stuff. I'm over you following me because I gave you laws that you couldn't follow anyway.
Speaker 1:He said I want some people that have a heart for me. He said if you have a heart for me, I will forgive you. If you have a heart for me, I will use you. And so what did he do? He sent Jesus down through 42 generations to be the sacrificial lamb to cover and pay for the sins of humanity for all time. And when it required him to give up his life because the debt was so big, he did it just for me. Now, resurrection to hit you in your soul. If you think about what Jesus did for you. All of the sins that you committed, he died for that. All of the bad choices you made, he died for that. You ought to say God for dying for me. Come on now. Am I the only one in the room that made some horrible decisions, but his grace kept me. His mercy endures forever, and that's the doctrine of atonement.
Speaker 1:It required our loving God to send his son to experience the full wrath of God. Did you hear what I said? God's answer to sin was to send his loving son. But the problem was he couldn't just send his son, because God is a loving God, but God is also a just God. And because God is a loving God, he sent Jesus. But because God is a just God, jesus had to experience his wrath. Oh, I'm going to say it one more again, because you'll catch it in the car God is loving, so he sent Jesus, but God is just so. He sent his wrath One more time. One more time God is loving, so he sent Jesus. I got you that part preacher, but God is just so. He sent Jesus. I got you that part preacher, but God is just so. He sent his wrath. A just God always requires for somebody to pay for the cost of sin. A just God, because God and sin don't coexist. If you're going to get back into the presence of God, somebody has to pay for the sin.
Speaker 1:And when Jesus was on the cross, he went through this moment where he cried out, which is to say, where family? My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? Anybody ever know what it feels like to be forsaken by God? You know, when you pray for God to do something and he did not do it, you felt forsaken. You know why suicide rate is on the rise? Because there are believers who feel like they have been forsaken by God and they feel like the only way out is to take their own life. But somebody else said said we come against suicide right now in Jesus name. We come against self-harm right now in Jesus name.
Speaker 1:I know that you feel abandoned, but your God has not forgotten you and in the moment of Jesus feeling abandoned, he felt abandoned because, not that God had left him, because God had not left him. He felt abandoned because he was carrying the full weight of God's wrath. Oh, we Y'all have been through some stuff, but you have never experienced the weight of God's wrath. It's the only time in scripture we see Jesus say why have you forsaken me? In scripture we see Jesus say why have you forsaken me? And it was because he was carrying my mess up and your mess up so that we wouldn't have to experience the wrath of God. And you ought to thank God for the fact that he loved you so much to send his son so that you wouldn't have to experience the wrath. Somebody said God favored me. When we talk about wrath and stuff like that, we don't get excited and don't see favor, but ask the angels about it. Is that what you mean, pastor Walt? Look at your Bible when you go home.
Speaker 1:This week there's an encounter where Lucifer got ahead of himself, didn't he? And he thought that he deserved the same glory that God deserved. And you know what he decided to do. He decided to look at himself and he got the big head and he decided literally to try to take over the throne of God. And in this process, the Bible says one third of the angels made a bad choice. Well, if your parlay was ever wrong, it was that moment that you picked Lucifer over the Lord. These one-thirds in the bible, they choose to team up with lucifer and the bible says that after the archangel got through moving furniture and putting and casting the ain't, the satan out and a third of his angels, the bible said that they were cast into hell.
Speaker 1:I want y'all to see what god's justice required. God's justice required lucifer and those angels to be immediately removed from the presence of god. Y'all walking with me. If y'all believe the bible, god's justice required lucifer and the angels, these fallen angels. You know what a fallen angel is today. Y'all know what it is. Where my Bible study people at Somebody said it demons. You know that's literally what it means. You look up.
Speaker 1:We talk about demons a lot. It's a fallen angel. Those individuals that got everlasting eternal life but they couldn't be in heaven because of their mistake. The wrath of God puts them out of God's presence. Now I'm trying to show you something. They messed up. How many times Y'all say it back? I'm gonna go back and bring my microphone back there. How many times they messed up? They messed up once, and what was the penalty for that? One mess up, cast out. Won't even call them angels, no more. We be like yeah, I cast you out, damon, in the name of Jesus, so check this out. How many times? I ain't gonna go too far back. How many times this week did you mess up? How many times this month did you make a bad choice? How many times in the last 10 years did you deserve to be cast out of God's presence?
Speaker 1:I hope you can understand atonement and redemption a little bit better, because for the angels and the demons it took one time. But when God looked at his best creation in you, he saw something that he didn't even see in the angels. When he looked at his best creation in you, he saw something that he didn't see in the well. When he looked at his best creation in you, he saw something that he didn't see in the trees, and he said what's in you is so valuable that it's worth dying for. That is worth dying for and it's so valuable. Instead of making you die for what you did, I'm going to send my son to replace you, and you ought to be thankful about that.
Speaker 1:On a resurrection Sunday and every now and then, the redeemed of the Lord ought to say so. The redeemed of the Lord ought to say so. The of the Lord ought to say so. The favor of God. Not only does it redeems, as it reveals, and the Lord is saying this I'm about to reveal some things to you. Now he says verse 14 you are my friends, for if you do what I command here, it is. I want you to make sure you miss this. God is saying that the relationship that you have with him. He's going to reveal some things to you. Look at verse 15. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the father has told me. Here it is in the reality. Go back up to verse 14. You are my friends if you do what, if you do what I command. Here is the reality Obedience has always been better than sacrifice.
Speaker 1:The reality is, many of you will sacrifice some stuff, but you won't be obedient to the thing that God's called you to do. Matter of fact, some of y'all, instead of tithing 10%, you're tithing 55% if it keep you from doing the one thing that God was required of you. And I want to talk to some people in the room and say God wants to favor you so much, but you're going to have to be obedient in order to receive the favor of God. Don't you want God to speak to you? Don't you want God to answer the question? Think about when Abram was in the book of Genesis and he said, abram, I'm about to bless you Glow to a land and I'm gonna make you the father of many nations. And Abram had a lot of questions, just like you do. But God said, abram, I ain't showing you nothing until your feet start walking in the direction that I told you to go.
Speaker 1:I want to talk to some men in the room. There is a word for your family. There's an answer to your problem, there's a solution to your struggle, but it starts with being obedient. I want to talk to the ladies in the room. There is a reason that you have been going through. There is an answer to the question, but God is waiting on you to give him a full out.
Speaker 1:Yes, when it's scary. Yes, when it doesn't make sense. Yes, when you're the only one. Yes, when you're standing alone. Yes, when it doesn't make sense. Yes, when you're all alone. Yes, I'll say yes to your will, yes to your way. Yes, I'll go, yes, I'll obey. And then God will reveal some stuff to you. I'm here to tell you that I can tell you, as a man of God, the more that I submit myself to God, the more that he tells me stuff that comes to pass. I'm serious. God was showing me stuff. He even speaking to me in a way that I can't even tell y'all, because y'all will be thinking I was crazy and you might not come back anymore and y'all, everybody, ain't ready for your real testimony anyway. Amen, somebody. But I need some witnesses in the room that can testify.
Speaker 1:Don't you remember when you start being obedient to God and he started giving you more of a spiritual revelation? Do I got any people in there like you say? That was me, pastor Walt. I said God, I'm gonna start being obedient, I'm gonna start trusting you, I'm gonna start serving you, I'm gonna study my word, I'm gonna do what you call me to do. And all of a sudden he starts speaking to people like that. God is about to put a word in some of y'all mouth, simply because you are going to be obedient.
Speaker 1:And one of the things about favor favor is not always stuff in the natural. Sometimes favor is revelation. Yeah, I'm in a season of my life I ain't going to lie. I'm like y'all I need the bag, I need the money. But I realize if I get the bag and I get the money but I ain't got no revelation, I'm going to mess up my life anyway.
Speaker 1:And the favor that's about to hit some of y'all is a favor of revelation. Y'all ready for it? God of y'all is a favor of revelation. Y'all ready for it? Now God is about to reveal some stuff to you. Y'all ready for it? The reality of it is. Is this the revelation? Can I tell you the end from the beginning? Now, the end is you win in the end.
Speaker 1:The revelation, though, is that sometimes you got to go through some stuff to get to your victory, but you will understand, by being obedient when I'm going through, it's just part of my process on the way to the plan that God promised me, and I want to let you know the more that you obey, the more that God will show you. It makes sense, because why would God trust you with a larger revelation when you haven't been a good steward over the little that he's already shown you? He said you wanted me to show you the whole picture, but you won't be a good steward over the little piece. I need some of us in the room to be a steward over the little piece, and the more you're a steward over the little pieces of your life, it's like a puzzle coming together. It's going to be like coming together like one of them, jigsaw puzzles. The more you're obedient, the more God is going to show you why this had to happen, the more he's going to show you why you had to go this way, the more he's going to show you why this person left you, the more he's going to show you why he closed that door, the more he's going to show you why he opened that door, the more he's going to show you why he allowed sickness to come. The more he's going to show you why a traffic jam happened on that Tuesday morning, the more he's going to show you. And after a while you're going to look back and you're going to have a whole picture and what you're going to see is that the hand of God has been on your life the entire time and you're going to be able to see a head, that he's up to something, and you're going to start to shout and say thank you, god for favoring me.
Speaker 1:I need some people in the room y'all that are excited about the fact that in this season, god is about to reveal some stuff to me. Y'all gotta pray God, show it to me, god, show it to me Now. When you pray like this, you gotta also say God, when you show it to me, I'm gonna be obedient. Oh see now, y'all got scared on your boy when it required you to be obedient. Now you don't want to see it, but God gonna show it to you anyway, because God is tired of you being in a struggle. God is tired of you crying. God is tired of you being stuck.
Speaker 1:God has said that you are the head and not the tail, that you are above and not beneath, that you are an heir to the promises of the Father and the only way that you get everything that God has in for you, your answer has to be yes. Now, if you're willing to say yes when he tells you you got to leave, some people say show it to me. If you're willing to say yes when he tells you got to let some stuff go, say show it to me. If you're willing to go in another direction, even though you put a lot of investment in your current trajectory, if you're willing to say yes if he show you a different way, say show it to me. Oh, the saints got quiet, pastor Chris. Now they don't want to see it.
Speaker 1:I'm going to find some saints over here that ain't afraid of God to show it to you. Say, god, I know it might be scary, but show it to me anyway. God, I may not have the resources, but show it to me anyway, because I know, if you show it to me, you hadn't brought me this far to leave me. I know, if you show it to me, that you shall supply all of my needs according to your riches and your glory. I know, if you show it to me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper and a demon in hell can't come up against this. I know, if you show it to me, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. I know, if you show it to me, it don't matter Eldon Nakima, who else don't see it, because God showed it to me. I know, if you show it to me, even when I am fearful, I'm reminded that you didn't give us a spirit of fear, so I'm gonna do it anyway.
Speaker 1:Is there anybody in the room that, when God shows it to you, you say my answer will be yes. Say, show me God and I'll give you a yes. You ought to give God some glory right now. If you believe he's about to show you some stuff. You ought to give God some praise because he says I will build it to you now. Everything that my father has given to me is available unto you.
Speaker 1:And the last thing for the favor. People of God, men and women of God. As we get out of here, I remind you of the importance of being connected to experience favor. I reminded you that favor is about to bring joy into your life. I reminded you of the redemptive power of favor and I reminded you of the fact that favor is about to reveal some answers to some unanswered questions. And the last thing that I got for you on this Resurrection Sunday that you need to understand about favor is that favor is so important, that favor is so powerful that God doesn't waste his favor on just anything. God said I only favor those that I have elected. So the last thing that I want you to know is that favor has just chosen you. Can I say that again? Favor has just chosen you. I'm going to say it one more time Favor has just chosen you. Something that you can't pay for has just chosen you. Something that you did not earn has just chosen you. Something that is did not earn has just chosen you. Something that is going to provide for you for all of your coming days has just chosen you. The ability for you to get your joy back has just chosen you.
Speaker 1:Look at verse 16. And we're going home. You didn't choose me, I chose you. Did y'all read it with me? Y'all going to preach it? Y'all going to say, when grandma asked what you did at church on resurrection, say I preached grandma. Y'all ready to preach with me so we can go home? The name of this last mini-sermon because it's time to go home that y'all about to preach, it's called Favor Chose Me. Everybody say Favor, chose Me.
Speaker 1:Now look at verse 16, as you take your text now and you look at it and you'll say that the first thing that you want to point out is that I didn't choose God, but God chose me. I remember them boys in the streets where I come from. They used to say I didn't choose the game, but the game chose me. And even though I was not a gamer like that, I'm so glad that God has called me for something greater. Look at what he says in the next part of the text. He says that I appointed you to go out and produce everlasting fruit. Y'all can we highlight the word appointed Now, when you look at your life, because this is your sermon do you know the work that God has appointed you to?
Speaker 1:That's a real question. Do you know your sermon ain't no good now if you don't know what God has appointed you to. For me, as an example, he's called me to be a witness and tell the world that he's been especially good to me. He's called me to let you know that there is no secret to what my God can do. The same way he rescued me, there is a rescue available for you Now. The question is do you know what God has appointed you to do?
Speaker 1:I heard somebody in the room say pastor, I've been appointed to be a business owner so that I can help my community and I can provide jobs to the jobless. I heard somebody else say I have been appointed to be an educator so I can help this next generation of students be everything that God has called them to be. Somebody said I have been appointed to be an elected official so that there will be justice in the courtroom and there will be justice in the halls that we call justice. Do you see your appointment in the text? Now, listen y'all. I'm trying to let you go home, but you got to know what you have been appointed to. Some say I've been appointed to work at hospitals so that, as I'm working on their healing in the natural, I can sneak in there and pray over them in the name of Jesus. Some have been appointed to law enforcement. I know that sometimes we have challenges in that field, but you ought to be glad that there are some police officers out there that are filled with the presence, the promise and power of the Holy Ghost.
Speaker 1:Y'all don't hear me up in here. I wish I had somebody that knew what God had appointed you to. As a matter of fact, if you know what God has appointed you to, turn to somebody right now and tell them what God has called you to do. Come right now, out loud. What does God call you to do? Come right now, out loud. What has God called you to do? Type it in on social media. What has God called you to do? Say it out loud. Lake Wiley, what has God called you to do? Because you're in a dangerous space If you don't know what your current appointment is.
Speaker 1:Lord, help the saints, because there are some people in the room right now. They are being honest in the room right now. They are being honest in the spirit and they say they don't know what they have been appointed to do. God, show them in the spirit, show them that one thing that get on their last nerve, that one thing that always bothers them. Tell them that's probably connected to their assignment, because they have been called to shift some stuff. Did you tell somebody what your appointment is?
Speaker 1:Now, if you know your appointment, y'all I got some good news for your appointment. Well, for every appointing there's always an anointing Good God, almighty. That's why you got to know what you've been appointed for, so that you can know what you're anointed to. When David was appointed to be the king of all Israel, samuel had to show up with the oil and anoint him for the assignment that was ahead. I want to talk to some people in the room and say get ready now.
Speaker 1:God is about to anoint you for greater. You're not here just because You're here, because God wants to anoint you. He wants to pour out his spirit on all here. Because God wants to anoint you. He wants to pour out his spirit on all flesh. He wants to anoint you. He wants to equip you.
Speaker 1:There's some men that will only listen to you. They won't listen to the preacher. There's some women that will only listen to you. They won't listen to the deaconess. But because there's an assignment on your life, there's an anointing on your life. There's a calling on your life. You ought to say thank God for my anointing and you ought to pray to anoint me afresh. Because when you get anointed to do this work, you get tired sometimes. When you get anointed to do this work, folks allow on you. Sometimes, when you get anointed to do this work, folks will lie on you sometime. When you get anointed to do this work, they'll put you on the cross every now and then.
Speaker 1:But I need to talk to the anointed people in the room and tell them to hold on a little while longer. Can you encourage somebody, y'all and say hold on a little while longer. Just encourage them like you mean it. You don't know what they're going through. Don't play church today. Look at them and tell them hold on a little while longer, rock them and shake them. Shake them and rock them. I got a feeling that everything is gonna be alright. Tell the next neighbor hold on a little while longer. I got a feeling everything is going to be alright.
Speaker 1:Your words just gave them life. Your words just gave them inspiration, but their God has not forgot. Good God, almighty. You ought to tell somebody else, the person in front of you, that God has not forgot that our God is up to something. And since I'm anointed, I'm built for this. Yeah, I'm anointed. Throw the arrows if you must, talk trash if you have to, but I'm built for this.
Speaker 1:Do I got any anointed people in the room that'll testify that you're built for this? That'll testify this ain't gonna break you. That'll testify this ain't gonna block you. You are built for this. Do I have any warriors now that'll give God glory and say because I'm appointed, because I'm anointed, I'm built for this. I got the power of the Holy Ghost operating through me. I'm built for this. No, this ain't nothing here. I'm built for this. I refuse to die. I'm built for this. I refuse to buckle. I'm built for this. I ain't worried about your commentary. I'm built for this. You ought to give God glory when you're built for this. I ain't worried about your commentary. I'm built for this. You ought to give God glory when you're built for this. I'm built for it y'all, because I'm covered with the presence y'all, the promise y'all and the power y'all of the Holy Ghost. Help me, holy Ghost. That's what we saw in the text. When you're built for it, you got the Holy Ghost that will make sure that this is your season to be productive. Look at what the text says. Because they were anointed, because they were appointed. It was their building season and they were able to be fruitful. They were able to produce and multiply. Can I just clarify that in your life? Get ready now. This is your season of productivity. Get ready now. This is your season of overflow. Get ready now for what God is about to send your way. I wish I had some people that could thank God on a resurrection Sunday that I was built for it. It all makes sense now. I was built for it. I'm coming up now. I was built for it. I was made for this one. I was built for it. I'm about to do it. Somebody said I'm about to do it. Somebody said I'm about to win. Somebody give God some glory, because you see what he's about to do, you see what he's saying, you see what he has in store, and all your answer has to be is a yes. So here's the crux of it all. As we stand to our feet here it is Check this out. God's favor is in this room today. The favor of God is in the room today, but it starts with you asking a couple of questions. Are you connected to God the way that he would have you to be? Real talk, not the way that you think it should be, but from a biblical perspective, are you connected to God the way that he would have you to be? And the Lord is saying he didn't bring you here to rebuke you or to chastise you. He brought you here because he loves you and he wants you to get connected so he can favor your life. So the first call that I have right now is for everyone in the room, even at across the street and even on live stream, to say you know what? I need God's favor in my life. I need God even beyond favor. I just need to be reconnected. The first call is just for you, because you have enough Holy Spirit boldness today to move in accordance with God's will, and the blessing is that somebody is about to walk with you. So someone here today that needs to be reconnected to God, somebody here today that has never made a confession with your mouth that you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died for your sins. We extend an opportunity, we extend an invitation to you, because God says I want to favor you. But you got to be connected. You need a church home. You need a place that's praying for you, that's covering you, that's challenging you, that's supporting you, that's loving you, that's got your back through thick and thin good days, bad days. God is saying you got to be connected. So if someone here today that's not connected today, I want you to be bold and step and step out into the aisle. Chosen city. Y'all know what we do. You check on your neighbor, say hey, fam, you got a church home. Say you're the first person that moves, always encourages somebody else. Why don't you be the first one to give God a yesterday hallelujah. Thank you, holy Ghost. Thank you, holy Ghost. Thank you, holy Ghost, thank you, thank you, thank you. There are many, many more. The Lord showed me that. But the connection. There's a fountain here today. There's a fountain. There's a fountain filled with blood and God has said it's up to you if you're going to jump into this fountain. There's no pressure, just opportunity to get connected, to be who God has called you to be. There's somebody here today maybe that has never been baptized. You never gave God a public yes, as commanded in his word. And if that's you and God is speaking to you about being baptized. Make it a public declaration that you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and he died for your sins. We extend this invitation to you as well. Hallelujah, god's favor is in this room, but it starts with you being willing to give him a yes. Chosen city, you got to check on your people. Now I want you to check on your people, say, hey, you good, you got a church home. If you don't have a church home, don't leave here uncovered today. Check on your people, check on your people, y'all checking on them. Hallelujah, I want the clergy to move through sin softly and generally, because there's some people that want to give God a yes today in Jesus' name, right now. Now we're available. That's what we say when we give God a yes. Even if you didn't come for that, he came for you use me, lord, show some, walk away and today I say Elder Mark can go down this road right here.
Speaker 1:Elder Mark, go down this right here, yeah. Somebody say I'm available to you today, god.
Speaker 2:And I am available to you. Come on to you. Come on, oh, sing Lord, I'm available to you if you're available to.
Speaker 1:God and you don't have a church. I'll give him a yes today my will I give to you.
Speaker 2:I'll do what you say you do. So use me, lord, to show someone the way and enable me to say my story and enable me to say oh, my storage is empty and I am available. Oh, my storage is empty.
Speaker 1:If you just told God you were available and you have been baptized in accordance with the scriptures, give him a yes today. If you need to be recommitted, if you need to rededicate, if you need a church home, this is your moment. Every last one of us needed this opportunity. Y'all pray for the sisters and brothers in the room that may be wrestling to hear from the Lord right now. Y'all just pray for them. Y'all just for the sisters and brothers in the room that may be wrestling to hear from the Lord right now. Y'all just pray for them. Y'all just pray for them. Y'all just pray for them.
Speaker 2:Y'all keep praying. Y'all keep praying.
Speaker 1:There's some others today that may want to give their life to the Lord. You don't have to leave here like it came in Jesus name, my story. You don't have to leave here like it came in Jesus name and I am available somebody say I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god. I'm available to you, god.
Speaker 2:And I am available Sing yes, lord.
Speaker 1:Yeah, somebody say yes to the Lord right there. Someone say, yes, lord, yes, Lord. If you don't know it, the words are simple. From the bottom of my heart.
Speaker 2:From the bottom of my heart, to the depths of my soul, to the depths of my soul, yes, lord, yes, lord, yes, lord, completely, completely, yes, completely. Yes. My soul it says yes, sing, yes, lord, sing, yes, lord. Somebody out here today ought to say yes, some more. Sing, yes, lord, from the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of my heart, to the depths of my soul, to the depths of my soul. Oh, yes, lord, yes, lord.
Speaker 1:I'm pleading it. I'll keep the answer. I'm pleading it. I'm pleading it. I'm pleading it. It's just a lie. Sing, I love you, I love you. Sing, I love you, I love you. Somebody else I love you, I love you. Somebody else wants to say yes today, from the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of my heart, to the depths of my soul, to the depths of my soul, I love you.
Speaker 2:Sing, I really do, I really you Sing, I really do, I really do. My soul, my soul, my soul says yes, sing. My soul, my soul, my soul, it's changes, it's changes, it's changes.
Speaker 1:My soul, my soul, it's changes, it's changes. Listen, family, we got two things to do when we're out of here today.
Speaker 1:Number one I want everybody in here to come to the altar and then, right after that, we'll do worship through giving. But I wanted to say I want us to come to the altar for those that can, and at Lake Wiley, one of the elders, if you can, go ahead and leave that altar moment. I want everybody to get to the altar because we need God's favor in 2025. I want everybody to get to the altar because we need God's favor in 2025. I want everybody to get to the altar as close as we can, everybody that can, everybody that can, everybody that can, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar. Bring your children to the altar, bring your family to the altar, Bring your boyfriend, bring your girlfriend, bring your husband, bring your wife, bring the family member to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar, to the altar.
Speaker 1:Hallelujah To the altar to the altar to the altar.
Speaker 1:To the altar, father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for what you've done in this place on today. We thank you for the move of God that we felt all day long. But, lord, your people are at the altar because, as we prepare to leave here and go back to handling business and doing what you've called us to do, god, we need your favor. God, we need your spirit. We need your spirit to fall afresh on every person under the sound of my voice. So much so, father god, that they will want to be reconnected or connected to you in ways in which they have not been connected in years. God, I just pray that your holy spirit will shift minds and hearts so that all of us will start putting you first on our calendars. Shift minds and hearts where you become the priority once again, because, god, we love you and we need you and we need you now. God, there's too much going on in this world right now for us to leave here without your favor. There's too much going on in this world right now for us to leave here without your power. So what I'm praying over, god, right now, in the name of Jesus, is that your Holy Spirit will sweep across this room right now, in the name of Jesus. Sweep across like never before. God, only you can do this. You are the author and finisher of some a move like this. You are the atmosphere shifter, father God. So I pray that you will sweep across the room right now, in the name of Jesus. I pray that you'll sweep across the overflow right now, in the name of Jesus. God, remember in Acts 2, when you swept across the people that were gathered for various reasons, and even though they were gathered for one thing, you had something else in mind. God, we are here at this altar with a lot of things on our mind, but come for us, god, rescue us. God, sweep across the room right now, in Jesus' name. I pray that your Holy Spirit will saturate every mind right now, in the name of Jesus, until that mind shifts, until that mind thinks differently, until that mind is able to articulate a vision, until that mind is able to be what you've called that mind to be. God, I pray that you touch every mind right now, father. God, fear is gone. Right now, in the name of Jesus, new deposits of ideas, new deposits of energy to do your will in the earth. God, sweep across the room and touch every heart.
Speaker 1:There's some people at the altar, god, who have a broken heart, god, because they've gone through so much. But when your glory sweeps across the room, god, you fix broken hearted spaces across the room. God, you fix broken hearted spaces, god, I pray that your glory sweeps across the room and touch all of our children right now. In the mighty name of Jesus, god, I see even a rise of autism, god, so I pray that you touch all of our babies that are dealing with autism. I pray that you touch all of our babies that are dealing with anxiety in school. There's a sweeping that's happening right now. In the name of Jesus, god, I pray for all of the caregivers in the room, god, there are some people that are taking care of their mother and their father or their grandmother, and it's wearing them out, god, and I pray that you will give them a deposit of energy, but also send them help right now.
Speaker 1:Sweep across the room, father, god, in the name of Jesus, god, there was somebody that prayed for their loved one to come to worship today. They prayed that you would speak to them, lord. Speak to them right now, in Jesus' name. Let them know that, while they are here, let them know that you are up to something. Send your revival right now, in Jesus' name. Let them know that the past is past. Right now, let them know that you make all things new. Right now, let them know that they're about to go forward right now, in the mighty name of Jesus. Sweep across the room, father God, until they get their strength back. Sweep across the room, father God, until their prayer life is restored. God, I pray God that they will pray like never before and God, I pray that they will hear like never before. God, we come against everything that has been blocking our ear gates. We come against everything that has been stopping us from hearing from you, god. Have your way in this space right now, in the name of Jesus. Sweep across the room, lord, save, set free and deliver.
Speaker 1:I come and I pray for every father right now, god, some married, some single, but they're just trying to do their best job that they can. I pray, god, for every father will be the man that you called them to be, that they will be who you called them to be, in the spirit, god. They're tired, they're frustrated by systems, so we come against systems right now, in Jesus' name and that every man will take his rightful place and we will be the head that you called them to be. Thank you, god, for every man that is in this room, every man that's across the street. We stand with the men of God in this space, god, they will be who you call them to be.
Speaker 1:I pray for all of the women in the room, god. I pray, god, that we see the emotions of their tears, the strength of their tears. But, god, they're at the altar now. They don't have to be strong at the altar now. The men don't have to be strong at the altar. The children don't have to be strong at the altar. We're at the fountain now. Fill us up, god, with overflow. Fill us up till we love better. Fill us up, god, till we feel who you've called us to be, until we do what you've called us to do.
Speaker 1:God, I see a shift in this congregation today. Shift them right now, in Jesus' name. Wrestle them out of the hands of the enemy in Jesus' name. Pull them away from addiction in Jesus' name. Enemy in Jesus name. Pull them away from addiction in Jesus name. Pull them out of that bad relationship in Jesus name. Rescue their life in Jesus name. Turn it around for them right now in Jesus name. Turn it around right now in Jesus name.
Speaker 1:In Jesus name, god, we're careful today to give your name all the glory. We give your name all the honor and we give you name all the praise, for it's in the undisputed name of Jesus, we pray Y'all. Let's give God some worship right here. Give God some worship. Give God some worship. If you believe God is giving you favor, if you believe that God is giving you a fresh wind, if you believe God is giving you a joy back, why don't you give God some glory in this place? If you believe God for that, give him some joy in this place. Give him some glory in this place, yeah, yeah. If you believe your family is about to shift, give him some glory in this place. If you believe he's about to get better, give him some glory. Yeah, come on, give him some glory.
Speaker 2:Lift him up for every trial, for every trial, every trial. You see, it's good for every blessing.
Speaker 1:what do we say? What do we say for this God, for this, what do we say? What do we say For this God?
Speaker 2:For this. What's your this?
Speaker 1:What's your this? What's your mountain? What's your mountain?
Speaker 2:What's your? This Everybody got a mountain. What's your?
Speaker 1:mountain. What's your this? Oh, he's making a choir. Come on, come on, come on. You see this, do it.
Speaker 2:Come on, what is it? What is it For every blessing? Come on, what do we say? What is it For every blessing? Come on, what do we say? What do we say? What do we say?
Speaker 1:Family. We're about to go home.
.jpg)
