Hillsong Church - Brian Houston

[Music] are you ready to sing Church ok the front rows ready are you ready up the back to sing this morning so good anyone apart college team members it's gonna help me lead us in this first song but don't leave us hanging ready all right [Music] so remember this these are see [Music] no longer now Jesus me [Music] see see [Music] buddy [Music] snow me too is your sting No [Music] me [Music] to see the lot [Music] Oh Oh all of this for you [Music] [Music] now Jesus [Music] to see the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] Jesus innovation is funny but we're standing this way come on would you give thanks is anybody grateful for the name of Jesus [Music] when it's Christmastime we've been singing some Christmas songs but just a reminder from me your friendly neighborhood worship leader that's right Christmas songs are also a worship songs amen so when we sing these songs with Christ at the center we can sing knowing that we're speaking the truth about our Lord and Savior do believe that so come on give Jesus and ovation the spot [Music] [Applause] [Music] the king is born you have turn alone we see the light [Music] we fill in the shallot change 400 years [Music] the babies cry [Music] we see a menu up [Music] jeez [Music] [Applause] the Seneca he wanted me Lafleur's rupees his brown since I'm very insulted the king [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] gee [Music] is she [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] gee [Music] [Applause] [Music] I offered to okay well we don't worth could be [Music] he only swarthy sin together but the result is inscribed upon my this treasure [Music] three mother Lori well if you moisten [Music] this is well [Music] here [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] yeah [Laughter] freeze this seems fun [Applause] [Music] gee well if two of us around this room freeze [Music] [Music] the Germans [Music] the [Music] ski [Music] cries [Music] this [Applause] [Music] yes [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Thanks [Music] breathe [Music] [Applause] [Music] gee [Music] [Music] whoa no idea but your sickness freeze got this is crazy bug creatures [Music] priests careful Oh I'll lift your voice all around this room crazy [Music] [Music] - Burton came the [Music] come on we sing this morning church [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] your son you saw two [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we tell the story [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] what a joy Lord to come into your house and be able to sing our praises praise the father praise the Sun praise the spirit three in one well we're so grateful for God am I so grateful for the part you play in our lives we thank you Lord that you're working in our lives even women unaware of it lord I thank you in Jesus name for people all over the world who come to Hillsong Church today Lord in fact who were in your church of great church today hello I just pray in Jesus name the people will encounter you in a fresh way in a powerful way in a new way Lord do something new in our spirit of pray do something fresh in our lives Lord maybe you have a greater sense of the Holy Ghost working in our lives father I thank you in Jesus name can you say Amen come on put your hand it was these prayer requests there's always some of them come up on the screen there's always needs but people to be here from cancer and all sorts of other things Lord in Jesus name we stand on the name of Jesus because we know in your name there is an authority and Lord I take authority over sickness and disease and we thank you in the name of Jesus for healing we thank you lord right now that you already paid the price for us to walk in newness of life in salvation if victory in breakthrough and answered prayer Lord may we keep on hearing great stories of you answering prayer working miracles in the lives of people and we thank you for it in Jesus name Amen [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh welcome to church so good to see you here Sunday morning 9 a.m. great time to be in church you managed to get a little bit of a sleep in but you still get here on time which is fantastic we've been blessed in this service our service pastors of all of our services have pastors who rally the volunteers and do so much of the behind-the-scenes things including praying for the service and raising up volunteers and so many things for this couple here Nick and Vicky have been our 9:00 a.m. service pastors they're moving up Queensland well why would you do that it makes no sense to me Queensland is only there for one reason and that's to have a holiday and even then is every chance of my train so hey it rains Friday night after Friday night up there where we have church and after the big floods the Brisbane River flooded and in the terrible floods they head up there they put out an alert say literally over your radio and they put out alerts and stay home stay home and it happens Friday after Friday after Friday over you have to church why would you go there but anyway they're a blessing and they'll be part of our church there in Queensland so thank you and sitting right behind them as a couple called mark and Karen I knew Karen I just want to make sure that you remembered mark that your wife's name's Karen yeah they're gonna be that part of the team big part of the team all really they're going to become the service pastors so they're right here turn around so people can see who you are people could see who you are yeah fantastic all right tell the person next to you you've never seen them looking so young you've never seen them looking so fresh anyone like the good reports someone thankful for a new car new job good health and continual provision ha someone's praising God for healing from a long-term brain health issue someone else praising God for healing in a hip someone prays in God for 20 years of marriage someone praising God that after a long battle and lots of prayer that they're cancer-free someone else is praising God that the grandmas successful had a successful surgery someone's praising God for the sale of her land and someone else is praising God for the opportunities to bring many people to Jesus and I like that one by the way the opportunity to bring many people to Jesus welcome I said that already but you look great fantastic you know what we're doing this morning one of my favorite things as a pastor we're going to dedicate some babies to the Lord and it's amazing it's amazing now because so often I see people in our church who I dedicated a long time ago now having their babies dedicated so dedicating the babies of babies are dedicated that's pretty amazing right there so come on if you're having your children dedicated some of our pastors will come as well be prompt it's quite a long way when you live up there and the bleachers somewhere [Music] hi good you how was the 8 a.m. 8 a.m. service was fantastic it was alive exciting who says that like you're not alive but we're alive mm yeah we have um I think we have 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 is that right 7 2 4 6 8 2 4 how many people 7 we have seven families dedicating their children this money which is always beautiful like Brian Stann and so and we just want to welcome you anyone who's come to witness that friends or family it's really lovely to have you here this morning our prayer is that you feel at home amen Wow look at this how cold I got babies from pretty well every part of the world here incredible hello son you gonna play cricket for Australia oh yeah he will be playing cricket first right yeah yes give him a steve smith anointing I pray yeah what are we amazing if they came true you would definitely think I was the greatest prophet in the universe you only hope so because you know if he did that he'd make a lot of money definitely I [Music] well I listen there's the names of all the children who were dedicated right now and it's a great profit I look you guys getting your baby dedicated you impossibly are one of the babies are dedicated and now your baby is being dedicated that's incredible whereas back then you were just a naughty boy now look at you men of faith full of Asian and hello have you been in our church maybe six years six years incredible listen here they all are this kid he's awesome look at them a lot of boys today I notice Joseph Oh Joshua Oh Joshua na Beaulieu na bulu Maringa plus okay you try Joshua Angelo very good that's what I said fantastic I told a stem this but dedicate these children it's a great great thing to decide that God gave you this gift and you're gonna dedicate and back to God in Jesus name you brought the family with you fantastic all right put your dumb father won and honor to be able to pray for every one of these children your word says suffer little children to come unto me you use little children father as an example of keeping it simple is there any way we can come to you with father were the simplicity of a little child right now I dedicate them to you I believe father for your will to be done I pray Lord in Jesus name that he'll be a man of God full of faith Lord that you'll keep them healthy father in Jesus name have your way and Samuels life Lord a dedicate beautiful little isla to you and a pray father for your will to be done in her life in Jesus name are these parents know the wisdom of God I pray for Joshua father may be a mighty man of God full of faith and full of the Holy Ghost Father we thank you in Jesus name that your hand is on this life that you knew of him before he was born father and you've knocked him to serve you Father with whatever calling you have placed on his life lord I just thank you right now for a little Tyler James Manson and dedicate them to you and we thank you Father for your hand on his life Lord this beautiful little girl Billy Elaine father where fathers we just believe for these parents and their faith in you they're gonna see great joy in the raising of their little girl in Jesus name I dedicate young Smith Kingston Boland to you Lord may he be a mighty man in Jesus name we thank your father for wisdom and the raising of our children we thank you for the joy of raising their children Lord we just thank you you'll keep a well and healthy in Jesus name Amen amen families so many of you you look beautiful so we have a gift for you our pastors have been praying for you also and we've got a gift obviously a new Bible for the children first Bible and a certificate to mark today and friends and family we have refreshments for you afterwards if you want to stay in the Westin for you so be blessed how nice is that y'all having Party People no stake the church and then go home and party oh we love you give them a hand guys nice to be seen [Music] [Applause] I was born in 1954 how many people here were born before me 1954 ha that's awesome quite a few of the frontier that makes me feel young well you know what somewhere in a box somewhere at home I've still got my Salvation Army baby dedication certificate from 1954 that's pretty incredible Internet ok you can be seated many people here and the service would know of Peter Dooley Peter Dooley yesterday early very early yesterday morning went to be with Jesus really great man really tremendous he the way he raised his three boys filled early many of us know who's on the way back from South Africa with his whole family is a product of Peter Peter was a barrister and a incredible man who was as I said part of our church for a long long time he's in heaven he's rejoicing we're still here we're cheering them on but thank God for people who live the life of faith and move on into glory in Jesus name Amen so good I think when it comes to our worship they're giving at tithe how offering is one of the most physical ways that we can worship God really we can worship Him by raising our hands by a spirit of joy when it comes to physical ways of worshiping God but the Bible teaches us to worship Him by putting him first in our lives and I pray there'll always be the spirit of that church and coming into 2020 some of you would know Levi's lusts go a young preacher who's been here a couple of times he's fantastic and I was telling him in the middle of the year that I was having an operation on my eyes so now I'm a 65 year old who can see like a 30 year old which is pretty amazing and he says to me 20/20 vision for 2020 and I like that I went into my spirit 20/20 vision for 2020 so are we gonna go into 20/20 just roll into it and just more of the same or are we gonna stir the gift that's in us and decide they even when it comes to our giving we we look at where you are at and we decide that lord I just want to keep on moving out put some moving forwards and trusting you putting you first and believing it's gonna come back into my life press down shaken together running out all over if you'd like to get ready up on the screen they will never it's not there but it shows the various ways that people love to give and you can give on the app I'm going to take a moment more another minute and the team will just keep on paying and ministering to us on the instruments I will give you a chance to give then I'm gonna pray then we're going to receive the giving amen [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] amen father what an honor to battle put you first in our lives hello we worship You Lord in spirit and in truth lord I pray that will worship you in tangible physical ways hello that we will put you first in their lives and we will trust you with your word working in our lives and I thank you Lord in Jesus name for this great honor of giving into your kingdom honoring God worshiping you Lord through our finances we thank you in Jesus name Amen come on let's pass the containers along receive the giving you know what's happening tonight anybody you know what's happening tonight number one the Holy Spirit's gonna be here number two we're gonna anoint every person in the room every person in the room but 2020 in mind the Bible teaches the anointing of oil and that's what we're going to be doing and you might say well look I've done that many times many times in last year and I haven't had such a great year well can I I couldn't think of a better way to really say God I'm believing for your grace on my year than to allow yourself to be anointed with oil not only that these nights when we have them and we only do it once a year generally you know what more people give their lives to Christ you think I'm not gonna bring my friends it's one of those anointing with oil services I find these are the services where even more people make a decision for Jesus it's gonna be amazing night and I want to encourage you say I've done there other years maybe I don't need to do come on come on it's a fresh year too fresh time 2020 is right ahead of us 20/20 vision for 2020 let's decide let's decide though we're gonna really honor God and we're gonna trust God with our year ahead by being anointed at all and at the same time gonna believe the Holy Spirit's got a really ministered of people tonight in a really powerful way next week Church in the morning services is at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. 8 a.m. is in the hub not the theater and 10 a.m. is here only to morning services next week why because we've got three Christmas Spectacular throughout Sunday afternoon there's going to be all sorts of things happening out there outdoors there'll be all sorts of rides for the kids and incredible things happening rides for the adults as well and I'm sure that we food and everything else is gonna be happening out there three spectator at the beginning of last service 8:00 a.m. here Hills seven different packed out Christmas Spectacular there was less than 300 seats left and so I just hope that some of those 300 are still left because that was before the 8:00 a.m. service over there 7:00 totally packed services and so you better get in real quick if you want to be part of it and the crowd are excited I have seen some amazing things happening across the spectaculars because in some campuses they've already been happening and so thank God for that Christmas Eve Christmas morning to services Christmas Eve 5:30 and 7:30 people will come to church with you at Christmas yes let's keep making the special ton special so lots of planning has already gone into a beautiful Christmas Eve service one hour 5:30 or 7:30 and then Christmas morning celebrating Jesus [Music] at 9:00 and 10:45 thank you nine o'clock who was that who was helping me I was you thank you nine o'clock yeah you didn't gave me no help nine o'clock and 10:45 Christmas morning I'm gonna believe the place will be packed I'm gonna believe for many people who give their lives to Christ on Christmas time all right that's what a short touch news [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] yesterday we have Peck and rap across our church here hills other locations have done it at different times and we just linked to our entire church big hello to everybody and those online hey listen so many people turned up yesterday they staged it across the day and wrapped and packed Christmas gifts for a lot look at that a lot of people that's happening right across all the locations of our church so thank you to all those who were involved thanks for all of those who have contributed and it's still yes it's still possible to give online so you can still go online and decide you want to be part of bringing Christmas joy and a message of generosity to hurting needy people this Christmas time and it's so so easy to do like I say big hi to the whole church and I'm looking forward to preaching the word this morning father we thank you in Jesus name that your word speaks life to us and our pray Lord will come into this excitation with a spirit of ristic receptivity thank you in Jesus name Amen passions number one worst enemy I love being around passionate people I love being around people with fire in their belly people with determination in their soul a real grit in their spirit I love being around people who just have a zeal for life and living are you living life with zeal or you just letting life happen to you I love being around passionate people I always want our church to be a church where anything could happen and it probably will that's the kind of church I pray will be and that comes down to each of us individually I think the passions number one worst enemy is complacency complacent indifferent apathetic I hear to one person who was asked what do you thinks the biggest problem in the church today what do you thinks the biggest problem in the church today ignorant or apathy and I said I don't know and I don't care apathetic just letting life happen to you God deliver us from that never let us be those people let us never be a church that just falls into reach who routine let's be not the first Church of the complacent Saints hey let's be and anything could happen and it probably will type church but you were going to be like that individually we're gonna decide that's the way we're gonna live our lives proverbs chapter 1 verse 32 talks about the turning away of the simple will slay them but listen the complacency of fools will destroy them complacency patience number one enemy the complacency of fools will destroy them it's foolish in terms of the inspired Word of God for us to live our lives complacent complacent means you just do let life happen to you it is what it is there's nothing in your belly wanting to change wanted to grow wanting to go forward onee more more of what God has got for you complacency is satisfaction with things as they are and maybe your disdain for things as they could be I think when we live complacent often that energy is sapped I just lack energy you don't have that motivation anymore when it comes to putting God first when it comes to life in general when it comes to living out our faith your energy except your attitudes are dulled your heart is jaded your brain is disengaged your dream is on hold it's so easy to be in that place maybe you started off you were younger and you were full of passion with life but like I say life and what it throws at us sometimes can just take the edge of our passion a spare to passion and I pray God don't ever let us deliver us from living our lives mediocre deliver us from living our lives deci passionate you see I think that when we live complacent it's it's a resignation its acceptance and you know the levels that you accept today determines the life you're gonna live tomorrow and whether you enjoy life tomorrow or enjoy life tomorrow often comes down to whether or not we live complacency Roberts a passion I think the number one enemy to our church is not external forces another opposition of persecution I think the number one enemy to our church and to any church is complacency you've left your first love ah God deliver the first love is the best love and in your marriage and your romance you can't just be complacent and expect that first love to continue to frame your relationship you've got to decide you've got a input you've got to decide as much it's gonna happen to us marriages like anything will decay if we're just complacent about them anything left toward anything left to itself will tend toward decay it's called the law of atrophy anything you leave to itself will tend toward decay that includes your faith your walk with Jesus your relationship with the Holy Spirit your prayer life every part of your life reading the word oh yeah I know the Bible I've been a Christian a long time I know the Word of God hey we can get complacent about the word I went into last year I'd never done it before this and in something like two weeks maybe three weeks but I think less than three weeks or in the entire Old Testament through I've never done that so quickly before and it was a great way to set my year up let's not just go next year let's decide we're gonna lift our game when it comes to the word when it comes to the Scriptures getting them inside of us in Jesus name when it comes to church yeah well you know we've been we we used to come Sunday nights but really it's like hey we need your faith on Sunday nights we need your lean in we need your you to contribute one of my favorite peeves yes it is one of the things that makes me the man it's the person who lives just down the road and they're perfectly healthy and they watch the church online and nothing like being in the room nothing like it not only that what you can contribute gamma-sphere let's not draw back if you look at the contribution you were making and you've drawn back for that and it's not because of health or any other real reason like that then we need to stir up the gift that's in us in Jesus now when it comes to involvement yeah well you know maybe one day we'll get more involved when it comes to generosity when it comes to putting God first when it comes to other areas of our life like I said our relationship our marriage you get complacent about it it's gonna be going down with some backwards when it comes to our discipline when it comes to our self-control let's not let complacency frame our lives and frame our world yeah this complacency says nothing can change nothing's gonna change nothing needs to change well you trying to live in an old change from glory to glory he's changing me in other words change is an ongoing process and you maybe had radical change in 1997 when you gave your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and you may be still living off that change but God wants new change in our lives and in 2020 I'm believing the work of the Holy Spirit will be more transformed or more change than ever before that complacency that's all the stuff it robs us from and like everything else in tragedy and complacency rather the tragedy of complacency is the best fruit like everything else and complacency will never bring powerful of positive fruit into your line number one complacency is a world of indifference instant different you know for something you're not against it you're just indifferent you know what we can easily just live there in the middle with good people yeah we're not a wave from global not way up there in a world with good people we're good people so we kind of in the middle you know that's the worst place to be Jesus always saw the middle ground as the lowest ground he talked about love hate and lukewarmness and which one was it that he despised yeah I mean hot or cold a lukewarmness he said I wish you were hot or cold doesn't do it it's an Revelation chapter three is talking to the church and layer to seeing in verse 15 he says I know your works Jesus speaking and vision form to the Apostle John I know your works that your rather cold nor hot I could wish you were cold or hot so then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will vomit you out of my mouth there's a strong words what did Jesus think of indifference what does he think of lukewarmness he's saying oh it makes me want to puke I don't want to be lukewarm and it creeps up on you you know as a young guy was so full of fire and rebellion about serving God I was just so passionate about serving God and it's incredible human nature will always settle there and I have to fight settling down in my life because it's human nature gotta stir up what's inside of you he said because he say verse 17 I am rich have become wealthy and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched miserable poor blind and naked and naked Wow yeah I don't want to live my life lukewarm and I don't want to Pastor a lukewarm Church and I'm not accusing anyone of being lukewarm I just felt to stir up a spirit of life and anything could happen in a probably will and a spirit of excitement and expectation and so better to be hot or cold better to be cold then just be lukewarm at least that way we know where you stand Jesus I think doesn't want us to live our lives in different in different means but just doesn't move me it just doesn't touch me and the Old Testament he saw a lot of you would know the story potentially but he saw he was Jacob's brother and he saw he was a hairy guy who was an outdoors guy and scripted teachers here he went out hunting in the book of Genesis and he comes back and he's starving and his brother Jacob he's lit up the Barbie not during the fire bear though he's lit up the Barbie he's cooking up a stew and so Esau decides he wants some of that shoe well listen to the story it's Genesis chapter 25 verse 31 and Jacob said sell me your birthright because he saw one of some of the stew and so Jacob his name means schemer he decided that he would go after the birthright the right of the firstborn he saw as the older brother and as the older brother he had the right of the firstborn and so Jacob the scheming he decides that he'll trade some stew for Esau's birthright when in verse 32 he saw said locals I'm about to die so what is this birthright to me indifferent indifferent then Jacob said swear to me of this day so he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob in verse 34 it says Esau despised his birthright he despised his birthright indifferent indifferent that heritage that was on his life well you know what in Romans listen to what the scripture says in the book of Romans chapter 9 verse 13 he says as it is written Jacob I have loved but Esau I have hated that's what God say Jacob I have loved the Esau I have hated other translations say Jacob I have loved but Esau I have rejected I don't think God hated Esau in the sense that would be completely against the nature of God who is love to hate anybody what I think he hated was Esau's indifference and I think God still hates indifference whatever form it takes indifference it just takes the middle ground and you know it's not even a joyful way to live your life no fulfillment and living our lives in different living our lives complacent that's why I say God deliver us from that number two complacency loves to take it easy take it easy is that an actual song Lord it is yeah take it II there's a time there's a time to take it easy hopefully for some of you it's going to be right coming up now summer holidays there's a good time to take it easy I'm not good at it that mobile phone it will ruin your life the emails keep coming through the text messages keep coming through you kind of help yourself I'm not good at it but there's a time to rest there's no doubt about that but when it frames our lives you've decided to take it easy listen in Luke chapter 12 Jesus tells one of his parables one of his stories and it's about a rich man and notice the Bible says he was a rich man it doesn't say he was an old man and there's rich man he was very successful very very successful to the point that as an agriculturist his crops were so prosperous that he couldn't fit them all into his barn so he reasoned and his rationale was this order to build a bigger bond and so listen to it verse 19 Luke chapter 12 I will say to my soul so he's talking to himself there's the way he spoke to his own soul so you have many goods laid up for many years take it easy eat drink and be merry so just take it easy man sometimes I think we talk to ourselves a little like that just draw back just take it easy basically this is what the scripture says the scripture says about this man it says verse 20 God said to him fool for it's foolish to just want to take it easy until the younger people middle-aged people older people but effectively what this guy decided to do was retire here just get a bigger bad get himself more stuff and like I said have evidence a was an old man it just says he's a rich man my idea of retiring is requiring I've been going through life maybe you should go through you got meandering to new stages of life that David served God's purpose in his own generation and then he died and began to decay in other words right up to the end of his life he served as generation we only have our own generation we can have an impact on generations to come but I only have my own generation to serve and I think no matter where you're at in life yes maybe the season has changed but that's different than just deciding that I put my making a difference being an agent of change that hat on the hook and I'm just gonna take it easy it's it's not even a joyful way to live your life they just take it easy Amos Old Testament prophet he's talking to the people of Zion and he challenges them there's an Amos chapter 6 verse 1 woe to you who are complacent there it is those of you who are complacent in Zion and to you who feel secure about Samaria a false sense of security a belief that God's not going to interfere in your life on either a good way or a bad way here's the thing about these people it says your notable men of the foremost nation to whom the people of Israel come you lie on beds are donned with ivory and Lounge on your couches you dine on choice Lambs and fattened calves you drink wine by the bowlful I hope you don't and use the finest lotions but you do not grieve over the ruin of your nation over the ruin of Joseph you don't grieve you don't weep with those who weep you're not care caring about the world around and about you you're just complacent and you know the sad thing about this is we can become like that numb we don't even feel pain anymore you know something the worst thing worse than waking up in a hospital bed with terrible pain in your legs would be to wake up and not be able to feel your legs at all in other words pain could be a thing that causes us to draw back life has its seasons and we all at times face our pains and it can be the very thing that causes you to draw back because pain is not easy and so rather than face the pain rather than continue with the vision rather than keep on stirring up the gift that's in you you try to escape pain you draw back but I remember speaking about pain a couple of years ago the power of pain and talking about leprosy which today is called Hansen's disease and back in Bible days of course leprosy was such a curse and many people they they had no fingers or they'd lost a limb or they lost the whole hand or their digits their toes or something and against back then they thought that was the leprosy doing that but what the leprosy was doing was causing them not to be able to feel any pain and so he can't feel pain you could have your hand on a hot oven and not even realize it you could have a broken ankle and try to stand up not even realize that no wonder people were losing fingers and losing limbs and so on they couldn't feel any pain I think sadly well powerfully powerfully would be the right way powerfully pain can do in their life what nothing else can do pain can awaken something in us don't try to withdraw and become complacent because there's pain going on you're discouraged you're disappointed and disillusioned let's not decide to do that let's allow pain to have its way do its work God believe God will give us a way through pain bring us out the other side of pain but let's not ever allow anything to cause it to say I'm in a drawback I'm just gonna take it easy I I just don't want anymore it creeps up on you the way we talk to ourselves as so important the way we speak to ourselves at this time of the year the end of the year is so important whether or not we'll go into the new year with fresh resolve maybe you don't believe in new year's resolutions but resolve is always powerful and there's something significant it's only a date in the calendar there's something significant and fresh towards a new year and I pray will not as a church just become you know complacent about what's ahead of us but they will decide that we're going to be filled with resolve about what God is going to do what we're expecting the Holy Spirit to do in our lives in 2020 hey it just even sounds good 2020 I mean our year 2000 I remember thinking that was so far away year 2000 as a young lawyer thinking I'll be in my 40s in the year 2000 I couldn't imagine here we are on the edge of 2020 it's significant it's a significant year a year of significance let's decide we're gonna come into it filled with fire filled with the Holy Ghost filled with resolve we're not just gonna let the year just roll into it nah hey number 3 complacency can't feel I just mentioned how oftentimes people they withdraw from pain because you can feel pain I love the fact the New Testament Jesus himself the disciples the early apostles of the early church man they were filled with passion filled with passion they really were Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 is one of many times in the Testament Jesus was moved what moves you Jesus was moved with compassion in this particular instance he looked at the crowd and he saw them a sheep without a shepherd and he was moved with compassion I pray we'll always be people who can be moved yes who can be moved Paul went to Athens in Acts chapter 17 and in Athens I don't think there were atheists because they had a sign they had a memorial to the unknowing God maybe agnostic but not atheist they kind of believe there was a God up there but the spirit was one of philosophy and those the Epicureans who just anything goes whatever let it be and there were the Stoics who were much more into logic and reason and rationalizing and between them all Paul walks into it sees the sign to the unknown God and the Bible says his spirit was provoked Acts chapter 17 16 Paul waited for them at Athens his spirit was provoked within him he saw that the city was given over to idolatry given over to Isles hey what moves you what would provoke your spirit in a powerful way in a positive way Paul says to Timothy his son in the faith he says stir up the gift that's in you into chapter 1 verse sex hey let's be determined that we will be moved that we won't become indifferent we will be moved by the hurt of other people we will be moved in a wonderful way when we see God working in the lives of other people and in our own lives then we will know what it was is to have our spirit provoked Jesus wept John chapter 11 verse 35 and he wasn't weeping because Lazarus was dead he already knew he's about to raise Lazarus from the dead he maybe is weeping because of the unbelief around about him but what makes you cry I was one of those pastors who could always finish my message tears of eyes your hands it's just such a powerful way to finish I'm like God I I need to be softer I was in New York for a couple of days before Washington as a Robert and Amana folks that were there as well heavy what they call the forgot on there he has forgot on is they just input like relentlessly day and night into the chose to the key leaders to the team and it has such a big big impact so they were there I was there and as it turns out they opened brand new office space right in the heart of Soho which is ours through a miracle it is a story to it I can tell you this not one cent of the money came from Australia though so it's a miracle story and and here's the thing it was it was such a big deal for them there nearly ten years old as the church I look at how pastors Carl and Laura on this side they're both sobbing not just a little bit of Tears sobbing one of their key guys there John termini who was a big part of seen it come to pass that they have this new space in he's on the other side of him sobbing understanding their thinking geom hard you know what makes me cry happy things happy things if I saw you and somehow you'd been blessed and you were in your brand-new first home and you are so joyful about it of moocs that would make me cry I cry happy things but what moves you what would provoke your spirit hey what would stir up the gift that's in you what would cause you know we can we still weep over the heard of the world around and about us can we still weep about those who are nearest and those who are around us because in a mosques that was the point Zion Zion they had the sense of security they were complacent and they didn't grieve about their own nation they weren't moved by their own nation you got to stir these things up in your friend it just doesn't happen by itself you see a patient a person and you feel like wow I just don't have the energy for that or penetration can it express itself in so many different ways that the enemy to passion is complacency and complacency can creep up on us so easily in Acts chapter 8 Samaria the people are outside us they were Gentiles they were outside is one of the very first time one of the very first sign of the gospel go beyond the children of Israel and beginning to touch outsiders and Philip went down to this that's city Samaria and revival broke out multitudes of people giving their lives to Jesus Christ other of the Apostles came and those same people filled with the Holy Spirit there were miracles there were so many wonderful things going on in Acts chapter eight verse eight there was great joy great joy in that city hey there we go let's be people who determine I'm gonna be moved I'm gonna stir up the gift that's in me I'm gonna allow my spirit to be provoked I'm gonna weep when I see a time to weep and I'm gonna rejoice when it's a time to rejoice great boy it doesn't just happen joy is a choice often joy unspeakable and full of glory than old times of song joy unspeakable and full of glory full of glory full of glory there is joy unspeakable and full of glory today I'll tell you that's the day when songs were anointed hey was joy unspeakable and full of glory full of do you write that one Matt Crocker no you're sure did ah let's stir ourselves up stir it up stir it up stir it up yes complacency can't feel I think maybe the saddest thing it's not how short life is but how long it takes us to start living it or how little of our lives we actually rarely live it David served his generation right up to his death burn their deathbed served the purpose of God the word says right up to his deathbed I pray that'll be my story as well serve my generation it's the only generation I have to serve this side of eternity but by impacting our generation we can impact the generations to come thank God for that and thank God for the opportunities we have to live our lives on fire fire in your belly see the fourth thing is complacency misses opportunity opportunity is everywhere and the sad thing about living in different living resigned to whatever living complacent just settling into your levels settling into your groove the sad thing is you don't even know what opportunity you're missing but when we live our lives passionately it's amazing how opportunity God opportunity opens up in our lives you see passion it evokes hard work it evokes sacrifice passion it evokes commitment it evokes involvement because we're passionate and when we live our lives that way it's incredible what opportunity God will bring your way I think it's easy to look at Bobby and I and life and just think life's been good to us and I must say it certainly has been with pili challenges along the way but you've got no idea the fire in my belly when I was a young guy to serve Jesus and I don't want to say poor old me or just like to focus on me but how do we get to where we are today or we're not still 17 I went to Bible College my friends were going out traveling and doing what young people do I went to Bible College like a lot of young people do and it's one of the most powerful things I did it was life framing and life changing because I lived in in a live in Bible College and man there's nothing like all those other students done not some of the hard edges off me I went to Bible College right from there I started becoming a youth pastor before I was 20 years of age I think it does unpaid volunteer but I loved it I love to go set a fire in the belly I loved serving God I am I worked a day job when Bobby and I are about to get married she worked as well there were two night jobs my day job was selling soft drinks well my two night jobs were stocking shelves in a supermarket and cleaning the toilets in a car factory a Ford Motor Factory I married a girl who loved Jesus even more than I did best choice I ever made and to this day she's a challenge when it tries when it comes to trying to outdo her love and a passion for Jesus and anyone who knows that knows I'm telling you the truth that we are married with the call of God in mind yes we've had so much opportunity in life but it's the fruit of the grace of God the call of God and passion when we moved to Australia we were just in our early to mid 20s and when we we got here there were funny days bobby was very pregnant it wasn't long before I would go out preaching the gospel but I wasn't getting on a jet and going to the USA or Europe or Asia or no no I was gonna kill kandra waa waa Aubry are usually paying for our own petrol bobby is about 15 months pregnant with Joel we would go off if we were but we were loving it we were loving it and if they ever did give us a stipend it usually wouldn't even a covered our costs that we were passionate passionate about serving God and so some of you have heard that I used to support us fire cleaning shop front windows in Oxford Street and Paddington I'd get two dollars per window one shop front window two bucks I have one window where I made five dollars there was some sort of motor parts place in Bondi Junction well that's how we paid our rent but we're passionate we're passionate I look at my life now and I ask myself well you still got that fire have you still got that passion you know long before we started this church I served other pastors and other leaders and I did it to the best of my ability just like a lot of these guys do to the best of their ability tried to serve as faithfully as I possibly brilliant I did and then before we started Hills Christian Life Center Hillsong Church you know how we did we started a church when I was 26 Bobby would have been 23 near here on the Central Coast are still a thriving Church and then the next year 1981 started a church called today inspire Church then it was called Liverpool Christian Life Center still an inspiring joke to this day we're only in our 20s 29 we started what is Hillsong Church and you know what I started by doing truth walk in the area trying to find a hole to hire somewhere where we could just have church that's that's what we started that's what it looked like yeah we didn't have anyone else to lock up and clean the floor I remember having the broom and sweeping the floor in the old school hole myself well one of their campus pastors now Matt techni who was about 10 or 11 years old he'd be next to me while I was sweeping the floor yapping Jesse happened little 11 year old kid and now he's well in his 40s and he's still yapping he doesn't for a living now he just yaps hey but we were passionate we were passionate passion is the greatest motivator you could have and if passions worst enemy is complacency passions best friend is the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit that puts fire in a valley the Holy Spirit that puts passion and as Souls there's be people in the spirit let's be people who are moved who know how to stir up the gift who know how to provoke now they're a spirit to be provoked within us let's be people who know the power of great joy let's be a church of excitement not the First Church of the complacent Saints let's be me anything could happen and it probably will type truck let's be those kind of people and just believe God because huge opportunity comes from passion and now all these years on I asked myself have I still got that fire have I still got that passion yes life looks different now but am I gonna settle back take my ease I pray not I pray not I want to serve my generation and the purpose of God in my generation by the will of God Revelation chapter 3 is a finished the team here they are Revelation chapter 3 verse 19 it says I correct and discipline every one I love this is the same chat verses that were talking to the lower layer decisions about being hot or cold not lukewarm listen to it be diligent and turn from your indifference let's turn from indifference let's decide we're gonna stir stir the gift of God that's in us that we're going to come into next year with fresh resolve a newness of heart more even more even more open to the holy spirit than every ever before let's believe for 20/20 vision for 2020 can you say Amen come on let's stand together praise God praise God for his word [Music] stay with us a moment please we're gonna worship Jesus together [Music] yes Father Son and spirit 90 you know Oh [Music] you said me you wrote turned into Backman keys oh dear you you are in the first yeah [Music] [Applause] to [Music] to run uhh do [Music] Critias raised their hands for a moment toward heaven it's an act of surrender you know when you raise your hand I wonder speaking to the Lord what fresh resolve you have moving into a new year coming to the end of a year that may have left your weary and maybe even some pain the share is causing you to draw back Holy Spirit I pray you refresh and our spirits Lord I pray will be people who can be moved with compassion Lord I pray will be people who are not indifferent as spirit is provoked by darkness and a spirit is provoked by an head and need Father I pray they will keep stirring up that gift that's in us that we can weep at the pain of others weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice but I pray there will be people who the joy in our lives affects everybody around and about us lord I pray Hillsong Church will always be no matter what the season a church known for its excitement its anticipation it's spirit of faith it's joy Father and joyful people with the freshness of the Spirit breathing into our own spirits Lord Father I thank ask you in Jesus name Amen amen amen come on let's give Jesus a big ovation [Music] let me ask have you ever given your life to Jesus Christ have you ever encountered God in a personal way by encounter him I mean there was a moment there was a time when you know something changed Jesus came into your life I believe right now this service it can be that moment for people here and in every location where we joined and linked together he ever had that God encounter the Bible says of you ask Jesus to come into your heart into your life he will come in and you'll live in you and it's a promise the Bible says now you often put it on the screen at this moment if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God's raised him from the dead you shall be saved you will be saved not just saved from sin but saved into the will of God there's nothing like a relationship with Jesus to bring fire to your belly to bring passion to your soul I pray today people to make a choice for Jesus Christ in just a minute I'm gonna ask people who will say Brian when you pray for people to make that conscious choice for Jesus would you include me then in just a moment I'm gonna count to three and on three I'm gonna ask you to raise your hand and I believe there's gonna be a whole lot of hands right across our whole church all around their nation and wherever else we're meeting even in Fiji and in Tokyo and so many other incredible places hey listen I'm gonna believe people will make a choice for Jesus and maybe at some point you may pray to prayer like that you made a choice like that but somewhere along the way you lost your way and as known as that God moved he said I'll never leave you nor forsake you we make our choices and often our choices are alienating us from the center of God's will we're effectively backslidden we're effectively away from God he didn't leave you but sometimes our choices have us living destined making life choices that are taking us further away from God what a perfect day to come back to Jesus at the center can we have every eye closed every person in prayer and if you say Brian when you pray for people to make that choice for Jesus would you include me I'd love to include you and I'm gonna ask you on three to raise your hand every location wherever you are if you say Brian when you pray for people to make their peace with God that have that God encounter where you know that you know that Jesus came into your life would you include me in the prayer I would love to sir on three you raise your hand you say Brian when you pray for you to be saved to be born again include me on three raise your hand say Brian when you pray for people to turn from their backsliding to make the peace with God to come back to Jesus at the center to come back to living from an ongoing powerful passionate relationship with Jesus probably include me in that print I'd loved him so I'm gonna cut the three and I'm free you raise your head it's gonna be a whole lot of hands all the way around that church all through the nation and in Bali everywhere else and then I'm gonna pray a prayer for every person who raised your hand a pair of salvation a prayer of relationship with Jesus and a belief of many to respond so if you say Brian please include me in that prayer right now as I count to three you raise your hand in the air then we're gonna pray ready for it here we go one two three lift your hands there Brian include me beautiful beautiful I can see hands around here and it's fantastic what about were you guys are eurasia have like a choice for Jesus this is a great moment in their service of people turning from death to life old things pass away all things becoming you what a beautiful time can we you know the congratulations to those who raised their hands hey by the way here at Hills thank you for still being here because I've got two minutes overtime which we don't normally do and by often times a whole lot of you already have wandered outside you can awesome you get in better I don't have to throw my Bible on the floor anymore and kick the pulpit anymore come we're gonna pray if you raise your hand we're gonna pray this prayer our whole church we're gonna pray along with you this is a moment of death to life everyone pray these words dear Jesus this is the moment I surrender ownership of my life to the Lord Jesus Christ because of you Jesus from this moment my sins are forgiven I'm a child of God a new creation a follower of Jesus Christ thank you for your love and grace thank you for you give forgiveness and mercy I am a believer jesus is alive and may come on give him a big hand handy congratulations we're a generous church we're a generous church if you raise your hand like that prayer of salvation we'd love to give you a Bible and every location there'll be people in the foyer he'll be holding up Bibles we'd love you to take one and let it frame your life from this moment on in Jesus name we come are we gonna give them one more big congratulations and I'm gonna pray a benediction these guys are gonna keep on worshipping for a moment you're welcome to stay and worship you're also welcome to head out there get a cup of coffee get a cup of tea you know what pick up your children do whatever you gotta do but let's get passionate yes passionate father I thank you for your blessing on our lives I thank you Lord that you go before us you come behind us I thank you Lord that just face smudge your Canada smiles on us such a grace in your goodness I thank you Lord that the devil is a defeated foe that you working in US and greater than any opposition that comes against us I believe by the Montes for a week ahead of new life I pray for the year ahead it'll be a year of breakthrough victory new beginnings Lord in Jesus name have your way in our lives we thank you in your mighty name Amen amen amen tonight anointing service here at his dark messer be blessed come on [Music] [Music] you [Applause] to please you said [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh [Music] be blessed [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Hillsong Church

Views: 18,875

Rating: 4.9130435 out of 5

Keywords: jesus, hillsong, praise, worship, Brian Houston

Id: XHViJC5xlcI

Length: 93min 59sec (5639 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 14 2019