Developing Spiritual Maturity

so good to see all of you how are y'all doing anybody still had their Christmas tree up yeah me too how many of you never put up a Christmas tree mama yeah oh you you had one oh I didn't come see it okay sorry when we left the house and you know grew up and left the house she quit cooking and she quit putting up Christmas decorations so that's okay I've already quit cooking and my kids are still at home you know what I've had a little sinus trouble so I'm a little hoarse tonight but I told them to turn up the mic for me I know that makes me sound a little bit sexier but I'm not trying to do it can't believe I just said that but anyway but I just want you to know so anyway I wanted to are you ready to study the Word of God why don't you get it out get your Bibles out to soar the spirit amen it's our life it's our food it's our nourishment it's alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword amen and it's just a privilege to be able to study the Word of God and to be able to teach the Word of God and tonight I want to talk to you about developing spiritual maturity in your personal life you're gonna grow up tonight you're gonna start growing up this is gonna be your year where you grow spiritually more than ever before and we're gonna talk about look up stand up grow up show up and step up and you don't have to worry about writing those down I'll tell them to you all again but you can turn to Ephesians 5 and we're gonna read a good portion of this Scripture it's so good it has so much wisdom and practical instruction in it and and you know I just want us to realize that we all have to come to the place where we choose to grow to grow and mature spiritually it doesn't always come naturally you have to put in the time and the effort to do it and the obedience to do it and as believers we should not remain a baby Christian amen you know I thought about it what would happen if your child never grew physically are never you know matured emotionally you know what if your five-year-old was still running around in diapers or still had a bottle you know what if your teenager was still throwing temper tantrums like they did when they were two years old some of them still do I guess but you know there's a lot of baby Christians that are still wearing spiritual diapers and they need to grow up you know growth is a process and in the same way we grow physically and we mature emotionally we can grow spiritually and we do that by going growing closer to God and and by doing what pleases him and taking those natural steps to to mature and the things of the Spirit you know the Bible talks about how we're to grow in the knowledge of God how we're to grow in faith and we're to grow in our love walk I mean we shouldn't be the same place we were last year at this time and next year you should be more mature than you've ever been your love walk should have grown your faith should have grown you should have grown in your knowledge of the Word of God and so it's so important that we do grow the Bible says and I will let you know tonight I'm gonna read you a lot of scriptures you don't have to turn to him because there's so many but they're from different translations and I just want you to hear them this is one of them Hebrews 5 13 and 14 says this anyone who lives on milk being still an infant spiritually speaking is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness or right living but solid food is for the who mature who by constant used have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil we could say this who by consistent who by consistency has become mature consistency brings maturity that means you means you do the same things over and over you meet that means you do the right things over and over you continue in the word you continue in church you continue this pathway of growth and so consistency is so important in your life say I'm a consistent person I can be counted on but the Bible mentions three types of Christians that we know of it talks about baby Christians is the first one and they are new to the things of God and thank God for baby Christians because they have such a zeal and a joy I love it and they have to depend on believers other believers because they don't know much of the Word of God and that's the way it should be you know we have to be patient with baby Christians because they don't know how to act and do all that there are to do from the Word of God but we are to disciple them amen is your Rhonda here tonight Rhonda you're on to stand up way up there I wondered if you're here I was thinking about you Rhonda I met you Rhonda a Tagen when she was in the shelter here for the Harvey this hurricane Harvey and she was such a joy and you know God just joined us together and and she just gave her heart and live to the Lord and and she was so excited I loved watching her progress and she would ask me is this the right way to pray is this the right thing to do and but you know I've just watched over the last two years and she's grown so much in the Word of God and now she's a prayer partner and I'm so proud of you you Rhonda she's grown that's the way it should be is that we have this desire to grow in the Word of God and then number two there are carnal Christians you say what is that well they are people who profess to know Jesus but they tend to follow their own desires their own carnal desires their own fleshly desires instead of choosing to obey the Word of God you don't see much improvement in their life there's no real consistency and they haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to bring about change and produce fruit in their life we should be have the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our life and and God doesn't want us to stay in that place listen we can't pick and choose what we want to obey we need to choose to obey God fully amen and then there are mature Christians who continue to grow in the things of God who continue to grow in the the knowledge of God who are teachable and and they're not just hearers of the word they are doers of the word of God and so that's what we should work towards spiritual maturity and and let's let's let's not stay at the same level when it comes to maturing and the things of God so with that in mind let's look at Ephesians 5 verse 1 and as I said I'm gonna read a lot of this scripture but man it's so powerful it says this be imitators of God therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God but among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or any kind of impurity or agreed because these are improper for God's holy people nor should there be obscenity foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place but rather Thanksgiving for this you can be sure no immoral and pure greedy person such a man is an idolatry has any inheritance in the kingdom of God and in Christ let no one deceive you with empty words for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient therefore do not be partners with them for you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord so live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness righteousness and truth and find out what pleases the Lord have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them for it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret but everything exposed by the light becomes visible for it is light that makes everything visible this is why it is said wake up Oh sleeper rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you you see don't go to sleep spiritually speaking don't allow the world or the enemy to law you to sleep when comes to spiritual things be alert be mature wake up and Christ will shine on you the Bible says this is a wake-up call for some of you God just saying wake up I have more for you I want you to grow in the things of God be very careful then how you live not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord's will is do not get drunk on wide wine which leads to debauchery instead be filled with the spirit speak to one another in Psalms hymns and spiritual songs sing and make music to in your heart to the Lord always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that's good in it now I may not cover all that but I wanted you to hear it and maybe you can begin to read it this week and meditate on it listen where we're living in a day were sin and darkness and evil abound and yet we're called to be lights in this dark world Ephesians says be very careful how you live don't be foolish and unwise live like children of light don't fall into the trap that in the ways that the world would like to squeeze you into Jesus said you're the salt of the earth you're the light of this world and let your light so shine that men will see your good deeds deeds and praise your father in heaven in other words people will see how you live in they will desire to have what you have they will desire to live like you live and desire to be like you are we're to represent Jesus on this earth amen I want to give you five principles found in this passage that will help you develop spiritually help you mature spiritually in your personal life so that you can live a victorious and a blessed life that's what it's all about it doesn't mean we won't have problems it doesn't mean we won't have challenges but then the end God wants us to live a blessed and a and a life and a blessed life in an abundant life the world may be getting darker but the Bible says in proverbs 4:18 that the path of the righteous gets brighter and bran and so we want to go from glory to glory not mess to miss and and that's what happened sometimes we go from mess to mess when we try to compromise the Word of God or we try to do things our own way or we pick and choose what we want to obey out of the Word of God so we we have to realize first of all if you're gonna grow up you have to realize you can't just live any way you want to and expect God to put his blessing on everything you do you see we are called to walk in obedience to God we this is our mandate and this is our guiding light and so let's talk about these five principles how many of you are with me on this alrighty yeah I can tell you just soaking this in I love it I love it okay number one Ephesians 5 says that we are called to walk with focus so let's look up and keep our eyes on Jesus we're called to walk with focus so let's look up and keep our eyes on Jesus I said it last Wednesday but we we have to be laser focused on what is really important in our life verse 1 says be imitators of God you know to imitate one someone you have to watch them closely you have to follow them closely you have to learn what they're all about and so you have to keep your eyes on God and the things of God because it's so easy to get distracted in this busy world it's so easy because there's so many things that compete for our attention don't you feel that in life we could be busy all the time we could be entertained all the time and so there's so many things pulling at us but just because it's a good thing doesn't necessarily mean it's a god thing it doesn't mean it's the right thing for you and so you have to be laser-focused and say is this gonna pull me away from God is this gonna take me away from my time in the word with God is this gonna take me away from church and and that the things that are helping me grow in God amen Hebrews 12:2 says fix your eyes on Jesus you have to have that your eyes fixed there's a scripture in Proverbs that says don't look to the left or the right but keep your eyes straight ahead fix your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of your faith Isaiah 26:3 says God will keep you in perfect peace when you keep your mind fixed on him how many of you want to walk in that perfect peace you see we have to guard our eyes we have to guard our ears in our heart so that we will not allow the culture of this world to squeeze us squeeze us into their mold there's a scripture in Romans 12:2 I'm gonna read it out of the message Bible after I blow my nose Romans 12:2 in the message says this just listen to this don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking that's good can I read that again don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking instead fix your attention on God you'll be changed from the inside out where it really matters readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it unlike the culture around you which will drag you down to its level of immaturity God brings the best out of you and develops well-formed maturity in you Wow that's powerful listen when you keep your eyes on Jesus and when you follow him he will always bring the best out of you no one else can do that for you nothing nothing can do that for you like God can because he's your Creator and he knows why he created you and what's inside of you and what he put inside of you and he's the only one that can bring it out in the right way you see God will always bring out the best in you he will bring out purpose he will bring greatness out of you and so you may have to let go of some things that are distracting you from putting God first in your life I don't know about you but every few months I have to sort of reassess my priorities how about you because it can get so busy and I have to come back to the things that really matter in my life and you may need to change your schedule so that you can spend more time with God and in the Word of God whatever whatever it takes keep your eyes on Jesus keep your eyes on the prize amen not only and I want to just pull this out because not only should we you know keep our eyes on God but we all need godly men and women that we can look to people on this earth that we can imitate and David said in Psalm 101 verse 6 he said my eyes will be on the faithful in the land that they may dwell with me and he who's walked he whose walk is blameless will minister to me see I want to ask if he was ministering to you who are you allowing to speak into your life because everybody that you spend time with they will impart something into your life whether it's good or bad and so we have to be careful that we place ourselves under people mentors who will can bring out the best in us who can speak into our lives who can sharpen us and bring us up to a higher level and the things of God I love how Elijah found Elijah and he said man I'm gonna hang around that prophet because I want what he has in fact I don't only want what he has I want a double portion of what he has he pulled it out of Elijah you see there is an impartation that happens when you hang around people the people you admire the most are the people you will become like see that's why if you'll keep your eyes on Jesus you'll become like him you know when you hang around Jesus he starts rubbing off on you and you become more and more like him so let's look up and stay focused on what really matters in this life the second thing is this the second principle is this we are called to walk in purity this is so important so it's time to stand up for what pleases God hey don't be mealy-mouthed don't be embarrased to stand up for God to stand up for what is right to do what you know is right it not always be the popular thing but in God's eyes he will reward you and he will bless you for it amen we are called to live a holy life a life that is set apart to God in his ways Ephesians says this live as children of light don't be partners with those who are disobedient have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness you know you think about in our world today you know a people just that glorifies sin there's nothing wrong with it they glorify less they glorified greed that glorified material possessions but we must strive to glorify God the Apostle Paul outlines for us some of the things that we need to avoid and this is just a small list but I want to bring it out to you he said listen you need to stay pure and live a holy life and you need to stay away from any hint of sexual immorality now what does that mean that means sex outside of the marriage it means prostitution it means pornography it means adultery sex is reserved for the husband and the wife and there ought not be any hint of sexual immorality and then he said and there should be no hint of obscenity or obscene it obscenity my saying there right our indecency no kind of impurity no foolish talk no coarse joking no greed a greedy person who is someone who wants a position or fame or status or something more than he wants God more than she wants God that is why it's called idolatry and and so Paul said stay away from these things that will harm your life when we participate in these things the Bible says that we are sowing to our flesh and we will we will reap destruction and death but when we do the things that are pleasing to God we are sowing to the spirit and we will reap life and peace life in the spirit is a life of and God wants to protect you from falling into the trap of Satan because his purpose is to still kill and destroy you you know Samson was a young man in the Old Testament who had a great call upon his life but he kept making the wrong choices God said to his parents look he's don't cut his hair he's set apart to me he's to have no wine and as he grew up the Spirit of the Lord would come upon Samson and stir him and he would begin to defeat the enemy especially the Philistines but even though Samson had this god-given great call upon his life he kept making one foolish choice after another he had a problem with lust he would go to prostitutes he fell in love with a woman and he said he couldn't live without Delilah Delilah was one of the Philistines Delilah didn't even serve God Delilah was a part of the enemy and yet he said I can't live without Delilah listen you better be careful who you say you can't live without because God knows what's best for you amen Delilah didn't serve God and she eventually betrayed him into her own people into the hands of the enemy they gouged out his eyes they cut his hair they put him in prison his life was marked by instability and moral fate failure because he lived to satisfy his flesh see it didn't have to be that way Samson didn't have to live that way God would have your life doesn't have to be that way God will help you wherever you're at and He will give you a second chance wherever you're at in fact God did give Sampson another chance because his hair began to grow growing and they called him Antony he knocked down the whole Coliseum where the people were there for some kind of entertainment in fact they brought him out for entertainment he knocked down the whole Coliseum and he killed more in his death and in his lifetime but his life was cut short because he lived to please his flesh and so we need to live to satisfy God because he knows what's best for us do something I was studying this a little bit and it's so clear sin is never worth it you know the Bible says in James 1:5 that all sin you know it starts out little it feels good it seems right I'm gonna get by with this God doesn't know what he's talking about doesn't it yeah but it grows and it says all sin when it is full-grown it gives birth to death that doesn't mean physical death but sin eventually brings some type of destruction in your life sin means you're missing the mark did you know that sin means you're missing the mark you were missing God's the best for your life because God has so much more in store for you he can dream bigger plans and dreams for you than you could dream for yourself and so God is not withholding from you God created you he made this earth he set this world into motion he created the human race and he knows what it takes to live a blessed life and he gave us this wonderful manual called the Bible that tells us how to live a blessed life and when we try to cut corners we're compromising the blessings we're compromising ourselves our own blessings our own life so I say all that just say if you're here and you're involved in some kind of sin and you know it's not right today is a day for you to stand up and say hey I'm not gonna live this way anymore I'm gonna live to please God I'm not gonna live to please my flesh I'm gonna live to please Jesus amen so today's a new day for you the third principle is this Ephesians 5 says that we are called to walk in wisdom so it's time to grow up and start making better decisions so they grow up say I'm gonna grow up see Ephesians says be very careful how you live not as unwise but as wise with maturity comes wisdom and with wisdom comes patience so when we begin to mature and and be patient we start making better decisions and we start making better choices as we grow in the Lord because how many of you some know sometimes we make hasty decisions based on how we feel at the moment yeah all about feelings and then we make the decision when we think why did I do that why did I say that why didn't I wait why did not ask God about that you say we have to we have to come to the place where we say what does God's Word say God what do you think about this situation instead of making a hasty decision instead of calling all your friends and telling them what's wrong stop and say God what do you think what do you think see then in other words you won't be like The Lone Ranger making thoughtless and foolish decisions out there you got God on your side you can ask God what he thinks you know in Samuel 30 verse 8 the Bible tells the story about how the Amalekites raided King David's city of Ziklag and he they took the all the women and children captive and all their goods and their possessions while they were out to war and David when he came back he was devastated and he and all the men cried and they thought about stoning David and it looks so bad but the first decision he made David made changed everything the Bible says these few words he inquired of the Lord in his devastation in his depression in the in this time where men thought about stoning him he lost everything the Bible says he stopped and he inquired of the Lord he didn't act on his emotions he asked God for wisdom and direction and he said God shall I pursue the enemy because listen David didn't want to pursue the enemy if God wasn't with him and he said God shall I pursue the enemy and the Lord answered him back said yes you pursue them and you will certainly overtake them and David did and he recovered all see we need to take time to inquire of the Lord God what should I do what is your will in this situation we need to seek the wisdom of God proverbs 2 says this turn your ear to wisdom call out for insight cry aloud for understanding and God will answer you he said in Jeremiah 33:3 God said I call upon me and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know God will show you things that you need to know you see you can pray for wisdom like God did you need to acknowledge God and all you do pray that he will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation like the Apostle Paul encourages us to do and wisdom also comes from reading the Bible every day you see the Bible is a book of wisdom and every time you read the word you're filling yourself with the will of God you're filling yourself and your thoughts with the wisdom of God so then wise decisions become more natural to you you can stop and say oh I know what the Word of God says about this this is not you don't have to be a scientist and know what to do about this because my the Word of God tells me what to do and so I want you I want to encourage you to really cry out to God for wisdom and I believe that in 2020 you're gonna start making precise excellent decisions a min let's grow up and start making wise decisions number four the fourth principle is this from Ephesians says we are called to walk with purpose now it doesn't say that exactly in those words but it indicates it so let's show up for God let's show up for God studies show that most of success is simply showing up did you know that you don't have to you don't have to know everything you don't have to have all the skills if you'll just show up and be available you'll be successful listen show up for God be available for God Ephesians says don't be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is make them most of every opportunity I love what the message Bible says it says make sure you understand and what the master wants you see I want to ask you do you know what the master wants through your life if you don't begin to pray begin to ask God listen Jesus lived with a sense of purpose and destiny one day he was ministering to a woman at the well and and his disciples came and saw that he was talking to a woman and he hadn't eaten in a long time and they said master would you like us to get you some food and and Jesus said my food is to do the will of him who sent me my food is to finish his work you see Jesus lived with this sense of purpose and his his his desire was to to do the will of God that was his driving force in his life you say well that's Jesus but listen Jesus came to give us all purpose amen and in the same way we should live with that sense of purpose in our hearts they were not supposed to just you know we're not just supposed to be here to exist in life you know to get up and eat breakfast and go to work and eat lunch and and go home and eat dinner and watch TV and get up and do it all again we have purpose in our lives amen and so our purpose is to be a beacon of light that's to be an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ but to be a beacon of light that draws people to God that's one of the main reasons we're here on this earth but our destiny also is connected to our desires the desires that God puts in us that the gifts and the talents that he is implanted in you you see and we every one of us should seize those God opportunities to help him bless the people around us to use the gifts that God has given us if you're an encourage are being encouraged err if you'd like to do things for people do those things for people but show up for God be available for God amen when I was a young adult I sensed in my 20s I sensed that God wanted me to preach and teach just had that knowing but I was so nervous and I didn't feel qualified inside my spirit have you ever felt this way I feel excited about when we think about executing it it's a totally different thing I want to start a new business I feel like God is speaking to me but you're scared to do it well that's I I felt I felt it in my spirit and so I remember when my dad asked me he's at least I've got so much to do in the service he said would you do the offering and the announcements and the prayer time in all services so that meant Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night now to me that was like I can't do that that's a lot of material to - it's a lot of talking and I'm not used to that and so I even though I felt that way I made a decision that I was going to show up anyway and so I will never forget I said yes to my dad instead I was thinking why did I say that why did I say that but I said yes to my dad when everything in me wanted to say no and I found out there is something about showing up for God that changes everything when you show up God shows up and when you take a step of faith God takes a bigger step towards you amen and he will anoint you and He will give you the grace to do what he's called you today to do when I said yes to God let me tell you something that was my training for preaching he began to prepare me he got me used to being in front of all you people he got me used to speaking even though I was nervous and I was sweaty and you know and I didn't always think I did good and I probably didn't do good but the fact is I was showing up for Jesus and I just encourage you make sure you show up for Jesus amen make sure you make yourself available to him God has assignments for you he has divine opportunities for you in your everyday life so quit thinking about what you can't do and just do what you can do amen it starts somewhere start somewhere sing God I'm available to you and then the fifth principle is this we are called to walk in the spirit so let's step up and follow the Holy Spirit Ephesian says don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life instead let the Holy Spirit fill you let the Holy Spirit control you I like that scripture in Galatians 5:25 that says since we live by the spirit let us keep in step with the spirit that's a good word picture for us to keep in step don't let him get too far ahead don't let him get too far behind don't get too far behind but keeping step with the spirit here's another scripture Romans 8:14 it says those who are led by the spirit our sons of God see listen to the passion translation the mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit you see those little impulses are that knowing in your spirit that is the Holy Spirit leading you speaking to you here's another scripture I want to read to you you can look at it on the monitor Romans 8:5 I think I think this is the message I'm not sure those who live according to flesh those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires the mind governed by the flesh is death but the mind governed by the spirit is life and peace when you're led by the Spirit he will lead you to a life of peace it's life it's energetic it's energizing it's purposeful see that's the kind of life God wants you to have and then one more scripture Galatians 5:16 in the amplified bible it says this but i say walk and live habitually and the holy spirit be responsive to and control by and be guided by the spirit you know I've learned in my life by missing it you know I miss it sometimes and sometimes that's the greatest teacher is when we miss it when the Holy Spirit speaks to us and we didn't recognize it and we didn't listen and then we see that that was a Holy Spirit we can determine well God now I know how to follow you now I know how to recognize you we learn by trial and error but I have learned that I can avoid a lot of trouble if I will simply listen to the spirit if I will simply follow the Holy Spirit I remember many years ago I what planned it to take a group from the church to Mexico because this missionary friend had wanted me to come and preach a conference for him and so we decided that we were going to take a group together but as the time drew near I kept having this disturbance in my spirit every time I would think about it I think something's not right something's not right and so it was hard for me to do but I called him and and I just realized and I said to him I said you know something's not right I don't feel like it's the right time for me to go and you know I never like to let people down I never do that and so it was hard for me to do it but I had to be obedient to the Holy Spirit well he didn't really like it you know he was nice but he was a little perturbed and he told me that you know he tried to persuade me to change my mind and he said will you pray about it some more and get back with me and I told him I would but I didn't I I knew what the Holy Spirit had spoke to me but I wanted to do it out of out of a you know respect for him and so I called him back later and I said I'm so sorry I haven't changed my mind I just feel like I shouldn't come right now well when I hung up the phone I had so much peace just an overwhelming peace although I felt really bad for the pastor and I'm telling you I I will say sometimes it's hard to make those decisions it's hard to make those calls and you've already made plans or something that's said emotionally you think what god I can't do that but listen it pays to follow the Holy Spirit and I'll tell you what happened to this switch situation I felt so bad about it but in a few weeks after we should have been there for the conference he called me and he said Lisa you're not gonna believe this he said we had he said you did the right thing so he first told me he said we've had some problems with our staff and in our ministry things are just not going good and he said there would have been it would have not been a time to have that conference and he said you did the right thing you see when we follow the Holy Spirit he is helping us he was warning me he was keeping me from trouble so let's pay attention and be responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and our personal lives he's there to help as he's there to guide you he's there to teach you to warn you and let me tell you something the Holy thing the Holy Spirit knows things you don't know the Holy Spirit sees things you don't see and the Holy Spirit understands things that you don't understand and see the Spirit knows the mind of God he knows the mind of God so we have to step up when it comes to following the Holy Spirit in our lives you know I think it's a good time I'm closing now but I hope you just stick with me and don't leave yet because we want to do the Salvation prayer but I think it's just a good time tonight to let go of any inconsistencies that we have in our life you know and let's let's just make this determine decision that we're going to develop maturity we're gonna develop a consistency and our walk with the Lord and let's let go of sin and compromise let's go let's let go of doing things in our own strength trying to do it everything in our own way and not trusting God and not depending on God you know I I'm learning as I'm in the ministry more and more to depend on the Lord more and more but you know this Sunday after Sunday service I lost my voice and and I couldn't talk for a day and a half and then on yesterday on Tuesday I still didn't have my voice back completely and I didn't feel good and I I didn't have the time to study that I wanted to and you know there was a time I was just gonna I thought I better call Joe I better call Joe and tell him I don't think I'm gonna preach but you know I just sat back and I thought you know the Holy Spirit always helps me no matter what happens the Holy Spirit always helps me and so I just thought I'm gonna do it if I if I fluff love if it's a bad sermon they'll forgive me you know because I didn't feel like I had time to study but there's this sense of the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is there to help me and he will help me through that and you know and I didn't talk for two days and God restore my voice said look I lasted the whole time and I'm fine but I think I'm learning you know don't don't worry about this it's not all about you Lisa when you get up there the Holy Spirit will come up on you the anointing will rise up out of you the strength of God will be in me and it's so true and it's so freeing to know we don't have to do it on our own so many times we don't step out in faith and obey God because we're scared we think we don't have what it takes I'm not a great speaker I wasn't a great speaker when I started probably not a great speaker right now but when I'm saying God called me and when I stepped out he anointed me to do it and so if we don't step out and depend on the Holy Spirit will never will never experience the miracles of God and the great things that he can do in our life and so what if we fail you know we learn from our parents who is that John Maxwell says just fail forward just learn from your mistakes and move forward amen so let's allow God to take us to a new level of maturity I'm going to go over all I think they're so clever my little sayings I came up with look up and walk with focus keep your eyes on Jesus stand up for what pleases God and walk in purity grow up and start making better decisions show up and walk in your purpose and step up and follow the Holy Spirit that's pretty good in it sort of an easy way to remember things once you bow your heads were just a moment let me let me talk to you before we had this a vation prayer if you're here tonight you just say Lisa even as you were preaching I just felt convicted of some things and I can tell I need to let go of some things and I've been inconsistent in some areas and I just want to put my hand up real quick and put it back down and say I acknowledge it and God I'm going to change it do that right now just that no one looking around amen that's probably almost all of us really father I thank you that this is a new day for your people and father you see their hearts and you know what they're thinking right now and what they want to change and I thank you that you love them right where they are and you want to help them right where they are and I just thank you Father that they're gonna move into a new level of maturity this year and father you're gonna begin to reveal yourself to them in a greater way I pray when they open the Word of God that you would give them such a spirit of wisdom and revelation I pray that you would reveal yourself to them in a greater way I pray father that as they come into church that you will begin to speak to them and minister to them and father you will begin to use them stir up father the gifts that you placed in them stir up their their purpose in their destiny father and Lord Jesus I think that they're going to show up and do everything that you call them to do in Jesus name and father as a body of believers we say we're sorry for the sin in our lives we're sorry for missing the mark and father those that have struggled really struggled with with sin or lust or or anything that you that is not pleasing to you father I thank you that today you're breaking the chains in their life and they don't have to live this way they don't have to live with a struggle they don't have to live with these challenges the rest of their life because the Holy Spirit dwells in them and father I thank you that even right now you're setting them free and father you're breaking the chains of bondage 'iz and addictions and lust and pornography in the name of Jesus father even things like strife and division and gossip for the things that ought not be in our lives father I thank you that you're breaking those chains over their lives in the name of Jesus and I think you for bringing healing into them for bringing restoration and I pray that you'd use them greatly for the kingdom of God and everybody said amen with your head still bowed I want to talk to you a minute if you're here today and you said Lisa I don't really know Jesus I've never accepted him into my life if I died today I don't know where I'd spend eternity but I want peace with God and I want to pray this how they shouldn't prayer I want to know Jesus I'm gonna ask you in just a moment to raise your hand and in and I want to ask you another question if you're here and you've been in sin and you haven't been serving God and and you want to return to the Lord you want to rededicate your life to the Lord I'm going to ask you to raise your hand also because we're gonna pray with you we're gonna celebrate you and things are gonna change from this day forward if that's you you want to accept Jesus or you want to rededicate your life I want you to stand up why don't you just boldly stand up right now and admit that you want a touch of God god bless you god bless you bless you every one of you all over the bed and god bless you I'm just looking around that's so amazing remain standing just a moment the ushers are putting in your hands a book from my brother Joel that will help you on your Christian walk but let's make this prayer of salvation together everyone say dear God I come to you right now just as I am I'm a sinner I'm in need of salvation I'm in need of forgiveness I'm in need of a savior and I repent of my sin of my life of sin and I ask you to forgive me and I receive that forgiveness I thank you that you wash me clean by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus I need you I want you to be my Lord and Savior come into my life I want to serve you all the days in my life and god I thank you that now you're more than my god you're my heavenly father I belong to you I'm your child I am totally forgiven and I receive restoration in all of my life and I publicly announce Jesus you're my Lord and you're my Savior in Jesus name give him a good hand clap you may be seated thank you so much I love it I love it listen we encourage you to just come back and let us teach you the Word of God let us pray with you get involved we have so many things that can that can help you classes all during the week that can help you but I guess let's stand up all together y'all ready to go y'all are so good about not leaving I appreciate that gives us time for the Holy Spirit to move in fact in fact I forgot this let's just wait on the Lord just a minute when I was in worship and we were seeing singing that waymaker song one of my favorite songs I just felt like the Lord said to me that there's someone here and it may be more than one person and you just feel so down and devastated and you've even said there is no way I can get out of this situation there's no way there's no hope and God just wanted you to say he is the way there is a way because God can make a way where there is no way he is the way he is the door and so I just dispelled that hopelessness in the name of Jesus and I pray that you'll receive that word from God there is hope for your life there is hope for your future God has so many things in store for you and listen what what the enemy meant for evil God will turn around for your good and the enemy has shut doors God will burst that door right back open and he can do things that you could never think ask her imagine so be filled with hope don't be discouraged me filled with hope in Jesus name Amen I mean god bless you we'll see you next week at this weekend you

Channel: LisaOsteenComes

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Length: 48min 23sec (2903 seconds)

Published: Thu Jan 16 2020