Pastor Ray…
This morning, I saw this in here… Every single one of us, we can’t stay the same. We can’t stay wherever we are. We have to take steps. And I just saw this. It was like a step that was being taken, but it was kind of locked down. And so, I looked up some scriptures… This is not about me or just the us. It’s about the body of Christ. So I wanted to give you these scriptures from Nehemiah. But first of all, we want success in our steps, whatever they are. And we will be taking steps. So we all do. And so our next steps … that’s what I was kind of getting at. The next step, let it be right.
Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” We just give you the steps. We know that you have the plan. Put the plan in us. We believe to walk it out.
1st Kings 2:3, “Observe what the Lord your God requires, walk in his ways, keep his decrees and commands, his laws as written in the law of Moses so that you may prosper in all that you do wherever you go.” That’s His plan for us, for sure.
Luke 16:10, 11, “Whoever it can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches?”
Sandy was watching something on TV this morning, and they were saying integrity … when nobody’s watching. No one’s watching, but He is. So that we do the right things when it doesn’t matter to anyone else. They don’t even know what we’re doing, but He does. And so we know that He’s leading us and He’s guiding us and it’s up to us to be faithful to do what He’s calling us to. Hallelujah.
Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear for I’m with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen and I’ll help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Jeremiah 17:7, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Deuteronomy 8:18, “But remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. And so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers as it is today.”
Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Because they’ll be His desires!
Proverbs 3:1–4, “My son, do not forget my teaching. But let your heart keep my commandments for length of days and years of life and peace. They will all be added onto you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablets of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”
James 4:10. “Humble yourselves before the Lord and then he will exalt us.” Let’s let Him do the exalting. Just be humble. Keep looking up.
Over in Nehemiah, just a couple of things. I love how he said this and it’s so right for today. All the enemies were going to come. So he’s building the wall. And the enemies said, “They’ll not know or see till we come into their midst and we’re going to kill them and stop their work.” That was their plan. But the people that were outside of Jerusalem, they heard and saw what was about to happen. So they let Nehemiah know. So he sat armed men (verse 13) behind the wall in places where it was least protected. And then he said, I even thus used the people as families with their swords, their spears and their bows. I looked them over and rose up and said to the nobles and the officials and the other people “Do not be afraid of the enemy.” He’s exhorting the people. “Earnestly remember the Lord and imprint him on your minds, great and terrible and take from him courage to fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” Then in verse 23, “So none of us, I, my kinsmen, my servants, nor men of the guard who followed me, took off our clothes. Each kept his weapon in his hand for days.” Another part says, they worked on keeping the weapon in one hand and working on the wall with the other.
And we can take that as something for the days that we’re living. It reminds me of Ephesians. Just put on all of your armor… keep the armor on. We’re not using physical weapons. We’re using spiritual weapons. And it’s by faith that we overcome. And these words are all true for us. If we believe them and use them. So do you have anything else you bought Nehemiah? It just seems like you do.
Jeannie…
Well, when Nehemiah said, “Why should I come down?” And, when the people wanted him to come down, they were in the valley of, “Oh no!” And if we stay in “Oh, no, Oh no. Oh no.” If we say there, we will stay in the valley. But if he tells us that we pass through the valley … (tongues) Don’t come down. Stay. Somebody, the enemy has been lying to you and saying you’re not in the right place. You’re not in the right place. But like Nehemiah, because of all “oh no’s,” the echoes of “Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.” You say, “Why should I come down?” Because what I’m doing is an assignment from God. And if what you’re doing is an assignment from God, it’s going to succeed.
Father, I thank you for finishing grace. I thank you for a happy race. (tongues) Swift strength… swept strength… (tongues) that the Church does not come down to the valley of “oh no.” But we say yes to you, Father, and we continue to build the wall. We build because there is much work to be done. And we are strengthened to do it. And it’s a happy race and we have smiles on our faces.
Father, I thank you that strength rises up within us. Joy rises up within us. We have hope for today. We have hope for the future because the future is bright and everything is being made right. Stay the course. Don’t go down to that valley of “oh no.” Those people seemingly had credibility. They lived there for a long time. People that … I don’t know. You know, credibility. What is He telling you to do? What is He sharing with you? Go with that. And you say, “Why should I come down?” That’s a great question. Because the answer is “No! I’m not coming down. I am staying the course with joy.” And it is finished, and it has to being finished. And you are moving forward. And things are working out. In fact, massive breakthrough for those that say “I’m not coming down today.”
I think there has been a deception that we’re just going to be on the wall forever. No. There’s a party going on. Father, I thank you for the party on the wall. I thank you that we’re having a party while we build the wall. Weariness has to go right now. I thank you for connections. I thank you for strength and joy and hope and peace in the Holy Ghost. Weariness wiped away and the power to stay.
Pastor Ray…
Neh. 6:15 “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us feared and fell far in their own esteem, for they saw that this work was done by our God.”
They didn’t come down, they kept on and kept on, kept going, kept moving, stepping into what God was working with them to do.
“They fell far in their own esteem for they saw that this work was done by God.” Hallelujah.
That’s the same for us today in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, the whole body of Christ. We’re not coming down. We’re not going back. We’re not walking around with a big fat frown. For the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Pastor Tim led group in worship…
♪ We’re not going back. We’re gonna go forward. We’re gonna move forward. We’re gonna run on race. We’re gonna finish our course with strength and with joy. See the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of every stronghold. We are the righteousness of God… we’re joint heirs with Jesus… ♪
Jeannie…
I have been on in John 2 forever. And I’ve been asking God, “Why did that end up in the Word?” And it’s when Jesus was about to show up on the scene, but He only did it because Mary wouldn’t accept no for an answer. Because it goes against all of our theology. It does! Jesus said, “It’s not time.” And Mary said, “Do what He says to do.” And it ended up happening. And the Word says that God did so many things that not even all the books in the earth could contain it. Yet that ended up in the Word! And it was like the pinnacle point moment when Jesus was about to be revealed. I mean, it was the very first one and it happened when Jesus said it’s not time. And Mary said, “Do what He says to do.” And that’s related to the Church needing wine. The church being out of wine. The wedding feast. And Mary’s saying, “It’s not okay for there not to be wine.”
But, Jesus co-labored with Mary. There’s this necessity of us co-laboring with Him. It’s the necessity of faith, the necessity of saying, “Why should I come down?” Because He chose to do it this way. He chose to do it with you and through you. Our cooperation is vital. In fact, it won’t happen without it. Did you hear me? It’s not going to happen without your cooperation, without your co-laboring. It’s not going to happen.
But the co-laboring comes out of relationship. It doesn’t come out of theology because it doesn’t match your theology. It doesn’t match mine. That God is God and whatever He says is how it is. Does it? But here’s the deal. Mary knew He was the Son of God. Hello! If anyone was going to know that, it’d be Mary. And she had relationship with Him from His onset. She probably had the most intimate relationship of anyone else at that time. She probably knew more than anyone else who He was. And she reached a point when she said “We have to have it now.” And co-laboring began. I don’t care where it came from. I have to have it now. And Jesus responded with “her faith was great.” The woman with the issue of blood, “I don’t care how illegal, how wrong it is… If I might just get near you.” And Jesus had to find her and talk to her in the middle of all of it.
Father, we thank you that you have now given us the name above every name, the name of Jesus. And we co-labor with that name and we get out of religion because it doesn’t match our theology at all, to not take no for an answer. And we declare today that it is a wedding day and we need wine. We’re out of wine and it’s unacceptable that we do not have the Holy Spirit to the measure that we have to have it. You have told us that awakening is happening. You have told us the awakening has already begun. And we are telling you, whatever He says to do, do it! And we have your Word. That the awakening has begun. We have your word that these things are going to come to pass where I35 and the river intersected. We have your word and we are here to say, do as He has already said to do.
It wouldn’t have mattered if the water would have turned to wine the next day. It had to be now. We co-labor out of intimacy with the Father, out of intimacy with the Holy Spirit and we say “It’s time for the best wine.”
We wipe away disappointment and we lean into your Word and your finished Word. It is time. It is time. It is time. I don’t know, was Jesus winking at Mary when He said it? I mean, it’s in there! You can’t get away from the fact that it’s in there. We can’t tip toe around it. It’s in there! And when Mary refused to accept delay, He made the way! Her hunger for wine on behalf of the wedding feast… She wouldn’t accept, “It’s not time.” She wouldn’t accept it. So what did she do? She put it back in Jesus’ hands. I think it’s hilarious. She’s like, “Well, I’m putting it back on you. Whatever He says to do, do it.” A stranger couldn’t have said that, but it was relationship. You know, if you have a relationship with Jesus, you have a massive responsibility right now… to declare and enforce His goodness. It is so apparent that we’ve got to have wine. That wedding party was counting on Mary’s relationship with Jesus. Is our country counting on our relationship with Jesus? Why should we come down? We’ve got to have wine now.
Pastor Ray…
Just say this after me, please.
“My time is now. I’m not coming down. I’m staying in the flow. I’m taking the right steps. I’m staying in the know, And I’m answering my call. And I’m going all the way like they did with the wall. Build it and build it and walk in the fullness of it. I shall overcome because the blood already overcame. I will stand strong. I will be covered in the blood. And that joy is in me and bringing strength through me for others wherever I go.”
Pastor Tim led group in worship…
Jeannie…
In Matthew 15, we know that Jesus was led only by the Father. And it says in verse 21, “Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.” He met this Canaanite woman who was not legally allowed to receive from Jesus. And then she wanted to receive from Him and He kind of said, “No, it’s not time.” Yet, it says that He withdrew and He went right where she lived.
Is He challenging us to get away from religion? Is that how we receive? Is that what great faith is? To get completely away from religion. She had to have known He was there for her. Yet Jesus said, “You’re a Canaanite. Sorry, not gonna happen.” And she’s like, “Uh, yeah, it is going to happen.” Then when she said, “Oh no, actually I have to have it.” He said her faith was great. The thing that’s stunning to me though is that Jesus withdrew to get to her. And she wouldn’t let the law get in the way. Mary wouldn’t let anything get in the way. She had to have the wine now. Because she had relationship with Jesus and the Phoenician woman wouldn’t let the law get in the way because her desire was beyond the law.
Let the Church get to the place where the desire for new wine is beyond the law… is beyond the optics … is beyond the money. Father, we let you into our hearts right now. And Holy Spirit, you rush in. And as we draw near to you, you draw near to us because you already come. And we are saying, God, we have to have more. We have to know you more. And Father, we thank you that we will not accept anything but intimacy. We will not accept anything, but your Word coming to pass here on the earth. We’re being led by the Spirit. We’re being fed by the Spirit and we’re being filled by the Spirit. And out of that place we go. And out of that place, we know. That also ended up in the Word. That was another one.
Someone else He said no to that wouldn’t accept it. You know, He’s not saying no to us. All of His promises are yes and amen. All of them. And we’re not going to accept no ever again. We’re not gonna accept “Oh no” ever again.
Pastor Tim led group…
Man…
If you want faith, you’ll have to get into joy first. Because faith lives next to joy. If you want to get into joy, you’ll have to take peace that passes all your understanding. Because peace lives right next to joy. But if you want peace, you’re going to have to take righteousness first. Righteousness lives right next to peace. Peace lives right next to joy. And joy lives right next to faith. They’re all from God. They’re all gifts. Hallelujah.
That’s why the Devil hates the blood. That’s why he hates righteousness. But our righteousness is in the blood. First as a gift. And then as the sanctifying power to make us holy. And make us hate sin and love God. It’s all in the blood. The blood is what changes our personality and changes our thinking. If you want to think like God, you have to go through the blood. Because when He thinks about you, He goes through the blood. He sees you through the blood. He really believes you’re His child. He really believes you’ve been saved. He really believes that you have eternal life. He really believes that you’re a new creation. After all, He said it. But He believes it. Faith is simply agreeing with God. You just believe the same thing He believes. Faith is not blind. Some people, say faith is blind. There’s nothing blind about faith. Unbelief is blind. Faith sees. When you see it …
I had in my heart for us to pray over Ken. Come on up and stand around him. God’s called him. He said, “Yes, Lord.”
Group gathers around Pastor Ken and begin to pray…
And if you want to be friends of God, you’re going to need to be happy because God is a happy God and happiness comes on the inside, not from our circumstances, but it comes from God Himself. The joy of the Lord is the joy of the Lord. We don’t make it up. Because God is inside of you, joy is inside of you along with righteousness, peace. And in that presence of the Lord, this is where faith rises. This is where our minds are renewed. This is where we go from hell to heaven. It’s on the inside. It doesn’t matter if there’s hell going on in the earth around us, but the kingdom of God has come. The kingdom of heaven is inside of us. And we are repenting from looking to the outside because that’s not where heaven is right now. When we get to heaven, heaven will be all around us. Right now heaven is within us. And God wants to give us the full presence of God and the full, full fellowship of the Holy Ghost and the full, full anointing that comes from Him. It’s Him. It’s Him. We just yield to Him. Hallelujah.
We’re just beginning … we don’t take the burdens. We give the burdens to God. Hallelujah. He’s the burden bearer. He’s the taker of burdens. Sometimes we fellowship with Him in the burden of the Lord, but it doesn’t put us down. It lifts us up and the strength of the Lord comes to carry and it’s to carry in prayer. But that prayer is going to be carried in the presence of the Lord.
A lady came to me and said, “Oh, I’m an intercessor. I’m so sad. And it’s the burdens are so heavy.” And I thought, “Oh my God.” I was a young pastor. I said, “Lord, I don’t ever want to be an intercessor if it’s like that.” Because I saw several of them. But I knew somebody else who walked 24 hours a day. And, whenever I saw him, I saw the joy of the Lord. And, he went to heaven right from the pulpit in this church. I thought, there’s something real. There’s something powerful. There is a place to live. Hallelujah. And he got so used to it… I’m talking about Phil Halvorson. He got so used to it, God just took him home. Just like Enoch. Enoch walked with God, and then God took him.
Well, I thought, “Lord, that’s what I want.” Hallelujah. We’ll walk with God and then God will take us. And that’s in this prayer room and that’s in the prayer ministry of this church. If the foundation is so deep, you don’t have to make up another prayer life. You just step into the anointing that has been planted here.
