Hey, let's do a roll call real
quick. Just turn around to somebody in
your area. If you're in physical location,
if you are watching online before or after the fact that
I preached it. I want you to just put your
first name from and your city your first name from and your
city do it right now turn around and tell somebody my
name is. Tell him I come from. And tell him I'm here to praise the Lord. I'm here. Come on state your intention. Tell him I'm here to praise the Lord. Tell him I'm glad to be with
you, but I'm here to praise the Lord. I didn't come to look at you. I didn't come to listen to you. I didn't come to hear a
preacher in a plaid jacket. I came to hear from God and
give him glory. That's what I came for praise the Lord. Let's get into the word of God
remain standing or stand up. If you didn't yet shake off all those lazy devils and all of those get that sleep
out of your eyes. It's right wipe it right out of
the inside of your sockets and get ready because God is
going to speak to I thought about texting you all that are
going to be on the stools in a minute. You should have put a 5-hour
Energy drink in your omelette today. You should've just cooked it
right into your omelette because I've got Quite a few quite a few miles
to cover today. Are you ready? Are you ready? now I've been I've been teaching
and preaching in a stream about making room for the new things that God is
doing in our life. I want to continue in that
stream and I want to share a story that is really really a lifesaver. It's really a lifesaver. And so don't underestimate the
power in this little story. I wonder if you've ever heard
this one before it's not very well known but I think it's very very rich in second Samuel 21 verse 15. Did I give you my scripture yet? Or was that the first time I
said it? Okay.
I'll give you a second. I've been in the scripture so
long. I feel like we I feel like we
just we've been together all we because while I've been
preparing it I've been picturing you and praying and hoping that God
would communicate it. So they move my camera way back to
the back of the room. Like it always was for four
months. I had it real close but let's
just say there's no distance in the spirit. All right, so wherever you're watching
this were right there together. Second Samuel 21:15. If you're in Philippians just
look at the screen because you will find it. Once again. There was a battle between the
Philistines and Israelites and David went down with his
men to fight against the Philistines and he became exhausted. Everybody feels that that
scripture is not about David. It's about you say Amen real
quick and Ishbi-Benob, one of the
descendants of Rapha Who's bronze spearhead weighed 300
shekels and who was armed with a new sword said he would kill
David. He threatened to kill David
King David. But Abishai, son of Zeruiah came to David's
rescue. He struck the Philistine down
and killed him. Then David's men swore to him
saying never again. Will you go out with us to
battle so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished. there's quite a few preacher
cliches and I like them they're really cool I like to
use them in my sermons because they stick things that you might hear preachers say like I don't know what tomorrow holds but I Know Who Holds Tomorrow and it's true I think that's
very true I think you could make a Biblical case for that and I liked it but sometimes you want to kind of
ask the preacher who saying that what could you Still the
one who holds tomorrow ask him what I should do today
and ask him to let me in on it because I had some decisions to
make amen. I heard another one one time. I've said this one before I
actually confession time. I said it's not a setback is a setup. Your setback is a setup for a
comeback. It's like I see what you did
there but I'm broke right and the light company doesn't
take Mother Goose Bible verse spin-offs for payment. You know, I got paid the bills how many of that The one that I've heard a lot
and I found it to be partially true is they'll say when you're moving forward in
your relationship with God you'll experience increased
resistance, right? And that's not necessarily A
Sign you're doing something wrong. It just means that you're
advancing. And so every time you go higher
you have to fight harder and the way that I've said that
before in heard it said is I wonder if you've heard this
one new levels. New Devils. Have you heard that before? It's true on Mario Brothers,
you know, the the more you win the bigger the bosses get and that's true in life. I'm not discounting that fact,
but today I want to preach a little bit differently levels
new Devils instead the Lord the Lord sent me with
this passage to talk to you about same devils. new levels father what you gave me was
good. Don't let me mess it up. The needs are too great. So I put it in your hands. I know that you will multiply
it and feed your people now all over the world in Jesus name everybody. Say Amen. Come on.
Say Amen say Amen in the chat. You may be seated reminded me of Thanksgiving. When I think the Detroit Lions play
every Thanksgiving, is that right? My Thanksgiving memories consists of going over to Uncle
Tommy's and Aunt Mary's in Florence, South Carolina. Been feasting but always Uncle Tom be had. The NFL on TV. It was always the Lions the Detroit Lions. We will know that Jesus is
about to come back for real when the Lions don't play on
Thanksgiving. A lot of crazy crap has
happened over the last 12 months, but when that happens
to sign for this coming or near and my papa. At the end of his life, he
would he would play dumb, but he would know what was going
on in his mind was sharper than he would let you think
and he'd sit there for a long time and then he'd say
something kind of funny just to mess with you and one Thanksgiving. I must have been about 11 or 12. We were watching the Lions. I don't know why I remember
this now. You just remember little dumb
stuff. It's like the spice of life
these little weird memories and he goes, he looks at the Lions playing
football on Thanksgiving and he goes There's still going at it after all these years. They're still going at it. He's messing with us. They're still going at it after
all these years. I kind of felt like that when I was reading in second Samuel 21 because if you'll notice how it
starts it says once again put it on the screen, please once again, and I'd love for you to write
those words down or just put it in the chat right now once
again. it kind of signifies a cyclical
struggle once again put it on the screen one more
time please just to make sure that it sinks in I'm going to
use repetition here because it's describing something that's repetitive in David's life is
that he's fighting the Philistines now all of you Bible students
are like hey wait a minute he can't be fighting the
Philistines he killed the philistine in 1st Samuel 17 and Pastor Steve I'm not so
good at the Bible or theology but II Samuel 21 comes way after 1 Samuel 17 so David can't be
fighting the Philistine in 2 Samuel 21 he killed him
in 1 Samuel 17 his name was Goliath he was nine foot 3 by
some traditions at least 6 foot 9 by the lowest estimate He had a big ol 600 shekels tip
of his Spear and he came at David talking trash and he
defied the armies of the Living God and David had five
stones, but he sold the other for on eBay as member Miracle
memorabilia because he only needed one. So you're correct. You're correct. You're correct. You're correct. He's fighting a different philistine. The same enemy the same the same opponent. The same thing had these
moments in my life now where I'm like really still this. So it doesn't surprise me like
new levels new Devil's like okay. Well, yeah, I've never done
this before. Yeah, of course. It's just kind of hard. But can I be honest with you when I
find the same insecurities? That I was dealing with as a fifteen-year-old and they're still running after
me running after running after me. When I find when I find those
kinds of things that are still on my heels, and I've been running with the
Lord for 25 years. So when I called the message
saying Devils, I knew that you would know what
I was talking about because every once in a while
you get a look at yourself in the mirror and you see some things that
have changed much to your Chagrin and then you see several things
that you're like still this really and so where I want to get us
in the sermon today. God being my helper. Fortune is I want to get us from verse
15 put it up, please once again, there was a battle
between the Philistines in Israel and I want to get us and you
and your family and me and all of us crazy people. I want to get us all the way to
verse 17 and verse 17 right in the
middle of the verse. He says never again. So so that's what I'm
interested in today is I want to get from verse 15 where it says. Once again, you ready? Are you ready to verse 17 where he says never again now, I need a loudmouth person
to Shout Never Again. All right, so sit down and
let's get there because this is going to be a rough Journey. He is fighting the same Giants now, it's not
that it's not Goliath Goliath is dead and his heads cut off
and he doesn't come back. But but it lists here in second Samuel
21 some of the people who were who were kind of like Goliath. They were kind of like Goliath the descendants of raiffa not
the tennis player chunks different different guy. It's it's kind of like Goliath but it's not Goliath and David has changed but some things about him are
still the same and so you kind of surprised
sometimes every once in a while to see what still the same end what
has changed. I mean for David, he's come a long way to be the king of the United monarchy, you know, he's got
the Southern and Northern Kingdom together. He's 40 years old now. I relate to David in this way
not in many ways. I don't have a harp in my music room
David played harp. I do.
I've never done that. I played acoustic guitar. So it's kind of like that. I don't relate to David all the
way. I remember somebody telling me
one time, you know, we shouldn't compare
ourselves to the Bible characters then what are we
doing study in history? God gave these people to us as
examples the good and the bad. And so I relate to David in
certain ways in some ways. He's very different than me. I don't have his fighting skills or anything. I have his temper, but I don't have his Acumen. I relate to him in the sense
that you know, he had a sense for what God wanted him to do
as a teenager. I relate to that I started sensing what God
wanted me to do early. I even relate to the fact that
in some ways. He didn't fit in because you can feel like that
sometimes I don't relate to bringing the
Ark of the Covenant back. I've never done anything that
big in my life. I really have started a YouTube
channel. I never brought the Ark of the
Covenant back. So in a way I relate in a ways
much different, there are some things about the story that are
probably just to show me a bigger picture of what God
has always been doing and and that part I don't relate to
so much but when it said once again, there was a battle between the
Philistines and I realized that David was still fighting over two decades later. with some of the same Giants that he killed at age 17 I related to that so we may want to give this
message a subtitle it's the same devil is just dressed different once you begin to understand
that the devil is not creative God is you can more easily discern
when he's bringing a different flavor of the same Temptation
into your life in a different season And I think that's important
because otherwise you will become like David exhausted trying to fight every new Devil. But but once you recognize that this is the same fear
that's making me drink too much that earlier in my life was a
part of how I grew up or once you realize this is the same
fear that's making me push people away. At age now. Here's what happens though. See like it's the same stuff we
deal with right? It's the same exact stuff the
World the Flesh the devil and I say that the World the Flesh
the devil only three enemies the World the Flesh the devil
the world is the system. The flesh is the patterns and
the devil is that other thing that other thing that we can't exactly pinpoint on a person but once you understand that
that's all the devil has and it just comes back and forth
in your life in Four Seasons and dresses up in different
disguises and when you're younger the devils are less expensive. So when you're younger and you
want attention, you just act out in class and
you get detention. That's it. That's it. You just want attention. That's what you want. So you do something stupid and
you get detention and that's it. But what about 25 years later? when the same need for attention outside of your marriage doesn't end in detention it
ends in divorce. Do you see what this country
preacher is trying to say to you it's
really simple. It's the same devil. It's just coming at you at an
entirely different expense. The stakes are higher. That's why I love like
elevation youth. because while my kids are young I want to teach them they can
pray of that anything they can ask God for anything
they can trust God with anything they can go to God
for anything they can find everything that the world
falsely advertises in the house of God and you have to
run from your calling you can embrace it because you got it
on the inside I don't know if you know this
but the same passion that made David Gray as a teenager to kill Goliath
which was his first giant that he killed almost got him killed a little later in his life See, he's on he's conflicted in 2nd Samuel
21 because he's not a Shepherd boy anymore. He's a king now. He's not in a wheelchair. When I first wrote read this I
was like and David must have been really
old that he got so tired in battle. Then I thought he was weak, but I read it a few more times
and it didn't say that it said once again, there was a battle between the
Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to
fight against the Philistines and he became the Bible says exhausted. I didn't say he was weak. That's not almost what got him
killed. David was not weak. He's one of these guys, even if
you thought that you wouldn't say it to his face. He wasn't weed. And he wasn't lazy. The Bible doesn't say that
David was careless. It said he was weary. There's a big difference
between weak and weary. It's like the other day. Me and my partner who's also my
firstborn son. We're pumping some big weights
in the pound. That's what we call the work the room. We work out in the place of
ultimate natural development pound. It's an acronym have a good time. You got to have a good time in
life. You can't preach all the time. Yeah, use your creativity and
other ways called the pound. And I said, what would you do right now? If I put a video of you curling these five-pound
weights? but see when I tell you he was
curling five-pound weights what I didn't tell you is it was the fourth exercise in a super super super Satin if you had walked in at that
moment where you saw him with the
fives you'd be like haha look at you do you even lift this like yeah
I was Lifting for 5 minutes before you got here you just walked in at the end so here we are. I'm curling tens
he's curling fives and were laughing at ourselves but
knowing we're much stronger we're now weak we're just weary I thought you'd be happy I'm
letting you off the hook That's why you did the dumb
thing that you did yesterday. You are not a weak person. You are strong. How can Christ live in you? And you be weak? It's not possible. That's not possible. How can greater is he that is
in you than he that is in the world. How could The Great I Am be the spirit that brings life
inside of you and you be weak David wasn't weak. And neither am I I feel weak when I get weary. And I get weary when I've been
fighting the same battle over and over and over again and
then people walk in on you and they're like, why would you do
something so dumb? Oh God, why would you do
something like that? If you would have saw the three
sets I had to do before you got here. Yeah, I used to want to walk out because for years I preached
three services or four services and I used to want to walk out
to the 11:30 on the third service and go can y'all be nice to me today? I mean, I barely have a voice
left. I drank all the throat coat
that they make in the I'm practically like living off of
Ricola cough drops to even get these words out. Can y'all please not sit there
and look at me cross-eyed and crossed arms looking at me
like I stole something out of your house and you want to
throw me in prison. Can we please not have you
looking like a terrorist? On the front row of the church
today while I'm trying to preach, you know, just like pity me. I'm tired. Please help me help me help. I'm person. David's a person. You're a person. if this treasure in Earthen vessels Yeah. And you get tired? The only thing I hate is when I
see you getting tired over battles that you don't even
have to fight. I hate that for you. some battles you have to fight when you're running back and
forth to the nursing home where your mother is and she's
an hour away and then you're coming back home and you don't
have enough to give and your spread thin and that's one thing but then to have imaginary
battles that you fight alongside the real ones so where in my life am I being defeated because I'm drained What a question right? Where am I stronger than what I am acting like, where am I? Where am I actually I remember when I went over to somebody's
house one time in their kid was acting so colicky and bad
at the probably like a six month old kid,
and they said I promise they're good They just they just need a nap and sometimes I want to like
apologize for myself like that. I promise I'm good. I just need a nap. I just need a bubble bath. I just take a walk with Holly. I just need something. And yet so much of it if you'll
notice in the passage so much of it is solved. When we allow the strategy to match the season. And that's what drew me to the
the challenge of this text was that David is doing what he has
always done and what has made him successful up to this point and it almost gets him killed. So here's how God showed it to
me. The thing that got him crowned
almost got him killed. He was crowned for killing a
giant which was what he was supposed to do in that season
of his life. But now we find him almost died
David almost died. He almost died. He almost died before he did
everything God called him to do. He almost died anointed and he
almost died. You can be anointed and
exhausted and if you don't know what to do in those
moments, then the thing that that crowns
you in one season can kill you in the next. Can I share this personally? When covid-19 with says it are
y'all sick of even hearing that can we call it something
else? When the plague broke out on the earth for four weeks and you'll
verify this I went on Zoom to every meeting
in the church every meeting it was it was me
creeping on every meeting where we talking about today. I think the eKidz logo should
have a slightly lighter shade of yellow because I was scared because they told me we
couldn't open the doors of our church. And I spent almost 15 years. This church will turn 15 next
week. Oh, yeah. We killed some giants too boy. We killed some big ones. some big ones now back in those days. I was in every meeting at my kitchen table with no office. I mean and I'm not trying to
make the sermon about me. I know I'm not David but I just
relate to trying to do something that made you successful in one
season, but you don't have the strength for it in the next
season and you can't figure it out Why is this killing me? So I was trying to run the
church how I used to run the church just like you're trying to live
in your marriage like you did when you were single. You don't get to keep the same
schedule as a married person as you did as a single person. That will kill the love that you
had in your marriage. I feel it in my legs. I don't know why so so for a few weeks, I was going
to every meeting you remember I was going at every meeting I
was going to every meeting and I think I needed to for a
minute just to stabilize but then there came a point where I became. So exhausted from doing what I
did 15 years ago to start the church and I realized and
maybe it will help you realize that you have your own version
of this that I'm killing my creativity. That God needs me to use to do what he called me to do. Can you relate I'm not David I never fought what's his name
Ishbi-Benob I never. I can't even pronounce it. Let alone. Can I kill him? I never thought something like
that. All right, but what I can
relate to. Is trying to use an old strategy in a new season. And like if you've lived
through any kind of scarcity, this is a big temptation
because you can have enough but not know what to do with it. You can have a phone full of
people who would love to hear from you and tell yourself the lie Nobody wants to talk to me. Because maybe at one point in
your life. Nobody would talk to you. And you're still 15? And you're 40. You 45 you here's what I'm trying to
say nicely you're running out of time to upgrade weapons. Cuz Ishbi-Benob is coming for everything you
have one version says he cornered
David and some of you were feeling
cornered right now, and if you don't figure out
what to do in this weary place. That same Instinct that God
gave you for survival that David had remember. He said I killed the bear. I killed the Lions. Papa said they're still going at it was
the Lions. That's what made me remember it
because David was killing Lions, right? But now if he tries to fight in this
season like he fought in that season, he will die at the hands of his
own instinct. You want to go home or you want
me to keep going? So I realize I can't keep going
in all these meetings. It's just taken off. So I want to ask you the
question again. Where in your life. Are you using an old strategy
in a new season? Where does that need to be
upgraded? You know like when you do go
through the Legend of Zelda? This is a current pop culture
reference here. Okay, for all the young people when you do go through a video
game, you got to pick up all the
weapons along the way. And now the shame of it is when
you're fighting with an inferior weapon. Because it reminds you of
Goliath, you know, when you're when
you're defensive, but nobody's attacking you that's bad the whole thing of whether
David lives or dies the whole thing on whether your joy lives
or die the whole thing on whether or not you make it the
whole thing on whether or not you live to show your kids
something different. See I feel sorry for David. He doesn't know how to be a
king in this way. he had a bad example in Saul he was only the second king
that Israel ever had the whole reason Israel wanted
a king was because the Philistines were oppressing them the whole reason the
Philistines were oppressing them is because the
Philistines were metal workers so they had more weapons the
Israelites didn't have the weapon so they wanted a king
but they got a bad King because they selected on the
basis of height not heart when David came into the throne
he had the heart for it but he didn't know how And that's the thing about the
people I pastor I have the heart to be a good
dad. I have the heart to be a good
woman. I have the heart to be a good
employee. I have the heart to make it. I have the heart to break these
chains. I want to get free but I never
saw how so now. I'm out here fighting 40 year
old giants with 15 year old tactics. And you can't fight grown-up
battles with teenage tactics. You've got to grow into this
season. You've got to grow into this
challenge. You've got to grow into this
assignment. You've got to grow into the
anointing that you've had all along. It's not automatic. It's not automatic. And whenever I face something
that scares me, you know what I do. They say same same. What is it new levels new
Devil's no. when I hit a new Devil I sink back
to the same level. I go back to the sewer, you
know. I go back to the dumpster back when I was emotionally
homeless and had nothing to eat. I'll go back inside myself and
keep council with the most unreliable person that I know
me unchecked. New lev new dev. How does it go? See all these crazy things
preachers say? New levels, new devils. So I wanted to show you on one
hand how This is not Goliath. It just reminds you of him. And that you have grown. But really what I want to show
you is what God did for David when he was cornered and I
believe he's going to do it for you. I know what we want to happen. That is not going to be what
happens we want when David's got a
sword to his throat. Remember this guy, this is Schleich out his name starts
with ish because we're all dealing with some issues,
aren't we? That's the part of his name. I can say somebody put in the chat newish. Same God ha ha ha. All right. Stop stop it. He had a sword 300 seconds. Can you believe that? That's seven pounds. Can you believe that? Goliath was 15 pounds 600
shekels. It was only half the size of
Goliath's sword. So why couldn't David beat him? I should be able to do this. I should be able to movement. I always did it this way before
and I got up and you know my get up and go got up and went
well, we're doing cliches. You know, what's happening
right now? Why isn't this working? Because it sucks because the moment you master the
strategy is chefs. So like when my when my when my
oldest became a teenager, I'm so proud of him, but I didn't
know how to raise a teenager and you have I start Tommy
just give him his space. His face, so let me get this right this human being that gave me
no space. Or sleep for the first two
years of his life now suppose just back off. That's that's hard to do. Why are you looking at me crazy? You can't parent
fifteen-year-old the way you parent a two-year-old. I see people try to do it. And then I see the kid explode
when they get out from under that supervision because you
did not shift the strategy to match the season. Do you think pastoring this
church now is like how it was pastoring when we had 19 people? Imagine if we imagine if we
tried to have the cookout on my grill after the sermon like
we did back then there's not enough propane in,
North Carolina. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha So what you have to do is what
what what Abishai I want somebody to name their
baby that I wish I would have named one of my kids. I have a shot. It's a good name know what's a
good name. It means father of a gift. and what I wanted for the Bible
to say because when I feel like the
enemy is closing in on me. And I'm tired. and I'm spent and I'm out of ideas. And I'm sick of people. I want him to send me an angel. God did not send an angel to
rescue David. He said Abishai. God did not send an angel. He sent a person. What David does? When Abishai comes determines
whether he lives or dies. Are you pushing your Abishai
away? Because it's like I'm waiting
on God, you know those stories that man was dying and the Lord sent
him a helicopter and a house the story go Danny you heard
it before he's like God if you'll save me
he's dying. He's about to drown and helicopter flies by he says
no I'm waiting on God boat comes why I'm waiting on
God jet ski comes by he says I'm waiting on God and he dies. And it gets to heaven. And they said Lord I waited on
you. You said I sent you a helicopter and a boat and a jet
ski. I sent you Abishai, but you know what you keep
doing. You keep reverting back to when
you had no help. How stupid does a king look with a sling like this? You know how stupid we look
when we start trying to fight things in the flesh. I'll show them I got in a fight
with a woman the other day not a physical fight or anything. She was just talking crap. She was saying some stuff and I
checked her. It wasn't inappropriate. You wouldn't have been ashamed
to call me your pastor, but I - I checked her enough enough enough. And do you know what I got for
it dollar clapping y'all are carnal. Y'all are real carnal. Y'all are real carnal just like
me. I got two hours of an elevated
heart rate. Good job. Didn't get a check didn't get a
royalty didn't even get a belt, you know, like nothing no metal. No nothing. But that's what I'm used to
doing. Right? That's what I'm used to doing. I'm going back to what I used
to do in some cases that's worked. Well for me, you know in some cases that's
what I had to do, but you don't always have to in some cases you had to make
it alone, but maybe you don't have to right now. Maybe God's got somebody
carrying the father's gift. Abishai. Abishai. Pray for the next seven days. God make me aware of the Abishai the help that you sent in my
life. Pray it and see what happens. Get some cards get two or three
cards and and hand write some notes
to people who have been in Abishai for you in a season because at the moment that that
David would have died in steps Abishai. And I wish I was like no no, no, we can't let the light go out. David is symbolic of the land. He's the one who keeps the
Covenant for Israel. He's the one that God gave they
were protective of their light. Are you protective of your
light? He said you can't put verse 17 up. You can't go out to battle like
this anymore. You can't keep doing this like
this anymore. You have got to upgrade how you
do this or the light is going to go out. And what I'm seeing in this
season of being a pastor if I can be honest with you, I'm
seeing a lot of people's lights go out. I'm seeing the light in their
eyes go out. I'm seeing the light in their
mind go out. They're not thinking clearly. They're just tripping over
stuff in the dark. Just getting getting real
Reckless right now getting real crazy going back to stuff. They left alone for six years
going back to stuff. They hadn't thought about in a
long time because that's what you do in survival. But you're in a different
season now, you've got to abishai now. God has put something between
you and your enemy I'm talking about Jesus. I'm talking about the grace of
God. Because while I was praying for
those who are alone God said if they
don't have a human Abishai, I'll be their Abishai. I will stand between them and
the pestilence and The Sword and the depression. I will stand between you and
the Darkness. Stop pushing. Abishai away. I'm waiting on God. No, God has given you some help in the form of humans. And if you keep pushing people
away, like you're pushing people away. You will die at the hands of a
giant that is under your feet. One more layer of this sermon. I want to show you. Skinner it got so good to me and every word I was seeing was
showing me something everybody say same devil new level. It means that yes, I'm dealing
with the same thing. Yes. I'm dealing with the same
uncertainty. No, there is no Abracadabra
anointing. I wish I had that power man. I'll sprinkle it all over all
y'all I just be out sprinkling and all through the hospitals
all through the streets all through the divorce courts all
through the custody course all through everything. You're going all through the
unemployment lines. I just Close Abracadabra is
gone, but God sent him Abishai. Abishai, and what really got my attention was not only did. Ishbi-Benob have a sword half the size of
Goliath but look what it said in verse 16 You ready? Is it bad that I'm this giddy
over a scripture? Okay. I feel bad. I feel like I'm like being corny cuz I'm like
excited about the Bible and stuff the word of God and all
that stuff. I'm as like I'm paying too much
attention to the word of God. All right, it said That he was armed. with a new sword I'm wondering. Why does it matter? Is this new or used? Why did it say new sword? I believe God is using the new sword that the enemy had to point to a deeper reality. Not only did the enemy have a new weapon. So did they then? Not only did the enemy have a
new weapon. So did David. Remember, this is the same
David that struck down the lion the same David that struck down a bear the
same David that put a smooth Stone and Goliath forehead. You remember when he when he
came up on Goliath and Goliath is coming closer closer closer,
but David doesn't let him come all the way. David is practicing watch this
spiritual distancing. Spiritual distancing it's a
David ran to the battle line and he took a stone and he hid
him from a distance because look look look look,
you got to keep your enemies out there and your Abishia is here. Many of us do the exact opposite we bring our enemies right here
and we keep our Abishai size out there. So what will do we will go and
spend five hours on Facebook having imaginary battles with people. We don't know and wouldn't like
if we did or somehow we think we owe the
universe and account of how we spent our day and our money and
our week so I don't go on social much
anymore. I was reminded why the other
night somebody in our family we were And a Friday night dinner. We had a very very busy
fruitful week last week. I can't wait to share what we
created this amazing. One of my favorite things I've
ever been part of greed and I can't wait to share it with you. But right after that right
right after that while I was trying to rest somebody in our
family was like, oh somebody saying something bad about the
church on social dada dada da and and I noticed in that
moment. I had a decision to make I had
a decision to make in that moment. Do I want to be a part? Of a gang fight in a fish tank. Because if I choose to do
better listen to the man of God, this is wisdom for your
life if I choose to at that moment. I can go so deep into this who
said what and they said this and they said that and then
when I'm preaching to you today, I'm mad and you didn't
even say anything but praise the Lord so now I'll be
fighting you in the Pulpit. So I said, I don't hear any
more. I made a phone call I said, hey if anything happens
about this, let me know if anything comes of it. now let's go watch that movie because I had told the kids that we were going to now for
us movie night is like a big Endeavor anyway I mean game night is like hiking in the
Himalayas we don't even try game night anymore that's a
bloody sport in the Furtick family we can't do game night but movie night, I just said hey
y'all want to watch a movie tonight everybody's still in
it we had this big week as a family ministry God's doing a
great work in our church and I can't wait to share with you
but we all experienced it together I said let's watch a movie tonight and
they said okay I said without our phones they're like okay you would have thought I
said let's go on a mission trip right like this is some
huge thing like we're gonna watch it to our
like just very very very very brave of us and I said what do y'all
want to watch and then I realize don't put it to a vote
I said I'll figure out what to watch and while that was
happening somebody said hey so-and-so is saying someone so
about so-and-so and so-and-so and I said stop They don't get to come to my
movie night. haha You get it. They don't get free space in
the movie theater of my hand if they want to take it. They gotta buy it. Ah, no right there. Are you don't come in the front
door? So so what about you because I'm meeting a lot of
people and they are letting all these voices come all in and you are dying at the hands
of ish. pushing away the gift of the father It's complicated. It's not easy David got this far by fighting. But the stay alive. He sang freaking Philistines the same habits these same 15 this again. Really? So God said it's the same devil. but I want you to fight it at a new level because if you don't come up
higher and see it from God's
perspective and seek him and be with him and start your day different
injured a different and make some adjustments you'll be walking around with a
slingshot when you're supposed to be
wearing armor the Lord said put down the sword put on the armor Say it with me put down the
sword put on the armor when David fought Goliath he
tried on the king's armor, but it didn't fit him yet it fits now. If it's not. I said it fits now. You're not that scared little
girl anymore. No. No, you're not that weak little
defeated little anemic. I'll take every crumb you you
are not that now it fits now now step into this season with
the confidence that you have the anointing for this
assignment. Come on. Let the weak say I am strong
that fits me now. I got a little tired, but I'm
strong I A little vulnerable, but I got the victory. I got it. I got it. I got it right now. I got it. I got it get back devil. I got an Abishai I've got an anointing. I got the shield of Faith. I've got the helmet of
salvation. I got a new wardrobe. Yeah. I'm dressed different now. I don't have the rags of my
filthy unrighteousness. I'd come into the presence of a
God who that is righteous. I got it same David. new sword same David new sword same you. New altitude same you new Focus same devil. Same insecurities same problem. Yeah, same problem. No passion. I want you to protect your light this week. I want you to take Abishai's
advice, man. Remember what you asked me the
other day on the campus Pastor call what happens when we see
people who are really strong fall. I think they don't take Abishai's
eyes advice. They keep going out over and
over again to fight the wrong battles and pushing the right
people away. At least that's what I've
noticed. I told you I did answer you and
that's my answer. That's God's answer. Are you pushing Abishai away? Abishai wasn't an angel. Abishai was just one of David's guys, you know. One of those dirty he would not he was he was a
fighter. like David He said stop letting people get
your light. Stop letting things steal your
light you remember in Revelation 2
where the church at Ephesus they're
having trouble keeping what what the author calls your
first love. That's what the angel said. He said you're losing your first love and he gave a warning and
Revelation 2:5. Did I want to show you before I
pray for you today? Because I know somebody's been
caught in cornered on the battlefield and you are very weary. You're very weary. Not calling you weak I'm saying you're weary not because you've been
fighting for a few days. You've been fighting for almost all your life. And the way the Lord said it. In the in the Revelation to John he said consider how far you
have fallen repent and do the things you did it first. If you do not repent. I will come to you and remove
your lampstand from his place. That's not a threat from God. It's a warning. It's a warning if you don't guard your light
and I wrote down three things for light. You can write them down later. Just receive it right now. I said that light represents
perspective. It represents passion it represents purpose. So when they said stop fighting
these battles this way and that might mean a lot of
things for you, you know. Like a lot of times we'll say
well I prayed about it. Did you? like a real prayer like a real not not you know
where your plan out every worst-case scenario in your
imagination and calling it prayer because you said dear
Lord when you started that exercise, but like did you really say God? I mean I was coming in today to
preach. Right? And the Lord is like this
message is good, but you hadn't really asked me much
about it. I said, all right. Let's go. Holy Spirit felt like Abishai came in the
room. Right? Like you need some help right and when we get back to that
when we get back to it wasn't anything wrong with
David wasn't that he was wasn't that he was a bad person. It's just that if he kept
fighting not from a distance, but in the
way he was fighting. The light would go out. Have you lost your perspective? Have you lost their light? He said repent come up higher change levels repent You see it in the text repent consider. How you fallen consider where you brought your
enemies too close and kept your Abishai at a
distance. And I'll bring your life back. I hope you start seeing clearly
again. You'll know what to do in this
season. You'll know what to do. I'll give you an open door for
how to win your kids heart back. I'll give you an open door for
how to win your wife's heart back. I'll give you an open door for
how to re-establish yourself as the leader. I'll show you how to start
spending your time. Since you have a lot of free
time. I'll show you how to reinvent
yourself for a new career. Since things are happening that
are beyond your control. I will give you your life back. That's what God wants to do, but not if you keep fighting
battles at the wrong level. same devil Are you saying when I go home
that all of my Giants will be dead? Nope I'm saying that between once
again. And never again. between once again and never it's not about a devil. It's about a decision. You've got a decision to make you going to keep coming down
to these battles. Keep coming down to these
streams keep coming down to these sewers or you coming back up and
getting where the light is. Are you swinging stuff in the
dark? Ah? No, God. I thank you today. That Abishai is coming to help your people not just Kings and leaders certainly not just preachers or
parents, but for every person in the
room, I pray that you would send a
sign an Abishai to their life. I thank you Lord. I thank you that Abishai is
standing by for someone who will open their eyes and see. Oh, I don't have to fight this
way. Oh, I don't have to do this
alone. Oh, I don't have to fight it
like I used to fight it. Oh, there's there's no Leverage
there's new levels. There's new awareness. There's new weapons. Not only does my enemy have a
new weapon. I have a new weapon. I have the blood of Jesus. I have the righteousness of
Christ. I have the new mind. I have the new heart. I am a new creation. Same David new sword same David new sword same devil. New level, you're raising us up. We're seated with you. We don't have to be afraid. We don't have to die by the
sword. We can put on the full armor of
God and stand you don't have to die David. But you got to stop pushing
Abishai away. You've got to let God fight for
you. Sometimes you have to ask for
Abishai. You have to tell people what
you need. I don't mean be needy. We all have that friend. I mean, sometimes you need to
reach out. Stop telling everybody. I got this. I'm David. I've got a smooth Stone right
now you're weary and you need to
receive the help that God has given you. Stop letting your enemies close
and pushing your friends away. Receive this word. It came just for you at this
time. He has given me a tongue to know how to encourage the weary and he sent this word for us
today. Are you weak no
You just weary But God has given us new
weapons now lift your hands. all over the world wherever this word finds you
today. I want you to know you're not
alone. You have an Abishai you have an elder brother Jesus? You have a great salvation. You have an unlimited Grace. You have a fresh anointing. You have the Holy Spirit. Lord is you open the eyes. Of every weary Warrior this week to see the help that is already
there. I thank you for the testimonies
that I'm going to receive where people are glorifying you because they thought it was over because ish came with a new
sword, but we came with a greater weapon. But you spoke a better word and
that but you sent your help. But you sent your word, but you sent an army, but you sent Deliverance, but you sent an instruction, but you sent a Grace but you
sent a mercy and when the enemy came in like
a flood you raised up a standard and David didn't die and we will live in the
name of the Lord. so the Holy Spirit stopped me
in my tracks and there's two things we're going to do in
response to this work because I do think That somebody's life is in the
balance. And if not your physical life
your spiritual one. So what I want to do is this week. I want our prayer team to stand in agreement with those who need God to show you an Abishai in your life. And right now if that's you look at me, you're not alone. You're not alone. You're weary. You're confused. You're conflicted your between
two things. That's all right, but I want
you to put your name in the chat. And if you do that right now, then I'm assigning our prayer
teams. We have hundreds of people
around the world who are here just for this and they're going to pray for
you this week. Specifically God show them their Abishai. Now. This may not be a boyfriend or
a girlfriend or husband or a wife or something like that. It may not be what you expect but something to stand between
you and your light going out. We stand in agreement with you
this week. God show me my Abishai. If you have the guts for it. There's a second prayer that we will pray for you this
week. And you know what it is already. God show me where I need to be Abishai for somebody that you've called
me to fight for. I'm all right. Because I'm sick of seeing
David's die in the absence of Abishai. So would you be that too? I don't want it to be creepy
like we're running around and Valentine's like be my Abishai be my Valentine not like that. But we need to pray about this
is it's real out there right now. People are turning the crazy
things in this season and they're reverting back to
old ways. And can we stand in the Gap as
a church this week and just pray for the people around us. Can we do that? I don't want you to die at the
hands of a giant that God gave you the victory over. I want you pulling out
slingshots. That should be in a trophy case. I want your strategy to match
your season. I want you to embrace who you
are now and be that person be that
parent be that manager, you know be that in the season. I'm sorry. I can't make the Devils
abracadabra Advocate ever away. But I am praying that God would
give you have a shot. a father's gift after all if a 600 shekel tip of a spear couldn't kill
you. What makes you think this issue? Will you made it through a whole lot
crazier? You made it through a whole lot
crazy stand right now all over the
world living rooms kitchens hospital rooms. Pull your car over pull over pull over. Pull over let me pray for you
and then our teams will take it. Lord I ah wow. I feel like really I just began
to unpack some of the things that we learned from David. But I pray that the one thing
that they needed to hear that it won't get snatched up
now. And that they won't stand up
and say I've got this and pretend like they don't need
help give us the humility to receive
your help. Give us the boldness to believe that we've got it. I thank you that. These enemies that we face. We don't look them in the eye. But we stand on the promise of
your word and we will not run from a defeated foe. Thank you for standing between
me and the Darkness. Thank you for giving like back. Thank you for giving light back
to Holmes light back to Church's light back to pastors. I feel an anointing to pray for
pastors right now. There are pastors who are dying
in this season. Your light has gone out. You haven't been protecting it
you've been you've been trying to do the old stuff. But this is a new season. God has given you fresh red a
fresh word God's gonna give you your passion back. You're gonna get happy to
preach the word of God again works of leaders. faster faster God's gonna do it God's Gonna
restore it God's gonna like your laugh again you're not
out of oil not yet the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost is come upon you in Greater measure than ever
before and I pray for you right now I
pray for parents pastors teachers School teachers
business owners I thank you for him Lord I Thank You For
Students sick of being in and out of online class sick of
having to wear masks or not no sick of God we we come into their life and we
stand this in Abishai to say you can't have these children
you can't have this generation you can't have what we've
worked so hard to build We thank you for the victory in Jesus name. I pray Amen Let me hear your testimony this
week. We want to hear from you. We love you. We bless you in the name of
Jesus. It's not over. You've got the same Spirit. You killed the lion. You killed the bear you
thinking a lot of Philistines down and this one can't kill
you. Either be blest We love you.
