The Damascus Road Experience

how's everybody doing this morning hey come on make some noise come on while we're what we're clapping let's go ahead and welcome our South Shore family come on make some noise for our family south shore we love you I missed you guys come on make some noise our family down south woo tell you it would be out of place dividing honor our lead pastor my lead pastor let's go ahead and give it up for pastor Greg and pastor Tamara we love you Pastor yes yes I am so glad to be in the house this morning the house of God a man you know and for those of you that may not know me my name is Hector Rivera I am the South Shore campus pastor and it's just a blessing for me to be able to do ministry alongside an amazing congregation and an amazing staff I'm honored if you haven't been here for the last couple of weeks so if you haven't heard we just purchased some property down south like roughly about a mile or less from our campus currently now and we're just blessed that we're growing so rapidly in that region so we if you haven't been come check us out it's been a blessing we've been growing and growing and growing so we're expecting great things here in the near future amen now where's where's all the man in the house can a man make some noise really quick amen listen we had our first staking games this weekend yesterday at 8:30 in the morning we had a healthy competition between South Shore and Tampa amen and a bunch of man came in man that sometimes wouldn't even come to church or possibly haven't even stepped in the church in a while so we we heard an amazing word from pastor Greg and he poured into us we had chef Gaston cook us some steaks it was just an amazing time amazing timing as I mentioned there was a little a little healthy competition between South Shore and Tampa him and I listened I I didn't come here to brag this morning at all a man cuz I wanna I want to be a humble pastor a minute oh oh my god can i brag just for a little bit South sure we did it hey my goodness thank you Rick amen I I repent I I'll start being humble now amen amen amen so we had an amazing time yesterday if you missed it there's always next year you don't want to miss it now let me get in a quick word of Prayer so we could jump right in is that Alright amen all right Heavenly Father god I thank you for this morning lord I thank you for the word that you're getting ready to bring forth father God it isn't me I'm but a shell father God that you shall use this day Lord and I thank you for using me to speak Lord I have spent as always many hours over 40 just on this message nor die I have pray to have fasted I have studied father God but have your way Lord use me father God use as much or as very little as you wanted this message but all I ask father God is that you step in and you preach to your people and that includes me in Jesus name Amen amen amen amen yeah you can clap amen through y'all hallelujah praise God praise God praise God let me ask you guys a quick question have have you ever been heading in a direction down a road or a path and come to find out you were heading the wrong way the whole time has that ever happened or maybe maybe you've been in a situation where something has happened and you say to yourself at the end of the ordeal man I wish that I asked just a few more questions ahead of time have you ever been there it's happened to me in fact Father's Day this year I had one of those moments where I wish that I asked a few more questions I was at it was Father's Day and Father's Day for me listening is special because it's like having a second birthday you know what I mean I get to eat I get gifts and join my family and that day I was I was ready to get to my mother's house my mom can cook y'all so I got there and I'm I walk in I say hello to everybody and as soon as I walk in I'm just checking out the spread of food and I look to the side and I had one of those glory choir moments you know like oh right I saw this red velvet cake to my right and then I was I was caught between the two I said should i eat what should I eat dessert first the Bible says pray about all things so I did I started to pray and I said lord give me a sign well he said son red signifies the blood I said my god Jesus yes Lord I said talk to me Jesus I said what does the white me and he said purity I said yes Lord so I went through the red velvet cake I took it out my family is just staring me down I'm thinking they're jealous amen so I pressed in I started to cut a piece of this cake and I felt like the Lord said son I give good gifts until my children take a double portion so I took twice as much of the cake amen and then I thought to myself I said God if you can multiply and and create some ice cream out of that box I Lord you said ask and I shall receive so I opened the freezer and my mom had bought a tub of vanilla ice cream praise God I took it out and was the one that was sugar-free amen so I have to compensate I put two scoops on my cake and I grabbed it and I walked away and they're just staring at me I'm thinking these jealous folks a minutes my day so I'm walking into the living room and my nieces and my brothers are sitting there and my niece's are kind of staring and and grinning at the same time I sit down a man I don't eat cake and ice cream with a fork I get a spoon so I'm getting ready to dig in and my oldest brother leans into me he says what are you doing and I said yeah I'm getting ready he says we were gonna use that cake to celebrate a birthday today what are you doing I feel horrible but pray for me Amen cuz I ate that cake even my mom's just watered a little bit you see oh my goodness I it was so good pray for me amen cuz I ate it bless him amen I ran out and I bought another birthday cake I did I bought a real birthday cake don't bring red velvet around me praise God but have you have you ever just planned out your life have you maybe you said hey I'm on a five year maybe a ten year plan I'm gonna get married I'm gonna have a three kids two boys one girl the home with the beautiful white picket fence in the front and years later your your your marriage isn't panning out the way you'd like you're you had one girl you're still working on the other two or maybe you you said you know what I'm gonna start making six figures a year from now amen in three years later you're still not there or maybe maybe you're in college and you said you know what I'm when I graduate I'm going to be or become a man but you you haven't reached that point yet have you have you ever thought to yourself that maybe your plan might be hindering you or possibly others from fulfilling your full potential and destiny in Christ have you ever thought about that you see there's a man by the name of Saul now Paul he will saw before he came he became Paul and he was on this road to Damascus and he had an experience you see he thought he had it all figured out but when the plans changed he decided to do something about it in fact he asked so today I'm gonna read to you out of the book of Acts the ninth chapter now listen I'm gonna read to you out of the King James and New King James and man because it has that extra anointing my god right no I'm just kidding it it it here's the reason why all jokes aside I'm gonna read to you out of the New King James Version today because I believe this is my opinion that some versions sometimes can miss out or leave out key verses and/or specific portions of Scripture and I just I just don't want to be the one to sell you short of the gospel amen so I'm gonna give it to you the way that God is giving it to me I'm going to talk about three different points the first point I want to talk about is an experience because it all starts with an experience and I'll read out of King out of the New King James Acts the ninth chapter starting at the first verse and a Bible says then stall still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus so that if he found any who were of the way whether men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem so he saw persecuting the church verse 3 says as he journeyed he came near Damascus and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven and he fell to the ground he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me and he said he answered and said who are you lord when's the last time we asked who are you lord the there's some theologians that would say that there's at least 3,300 questions in the Bible questions like how many times should I forgive my brother or sister seven times questions like like dear Lord what must I do to be saved a good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life but you see these are not the questions that Pastor Hector asks whenever I get knocked off of my horse and I have an experience I have a a bit of different questions that I asked maybe it's just me but I asked why God why would you have let this happen in my life how come these things that happen to God if you loved me how could you allow for this experience to take place how come this is happening to me you see those are the questions that I ask so are we asking the right questions are we asking the right questions you see I believe that the problem is we have an expectation of how things should be or how they should turn out and when they don't turn out that way we like to shift the blame on God and ask him questions like these but when's the last time we asked who are you lord once the last time we asked Lord who are you in my circumstance when's the last time that we said God who do you say that you are pertaining to my marriage who are you in my finances Lord who do you say that you are pertaining to my help learn who are you you see the problem is in my opinion is sometimes we have experiences and stop at the experience and never press in to know him and the more you see but when you ask questions God will answer if we ask the right questions and he replied to Saul he said then the Lord said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting here's the second portion of that verse that's missing in just about every vs. F King James and New King James he says is it hard for you to kick against the gold or the pricks and some versions and why is this significant you see though it is a it's an eight foot to that and that a shepherd would use to shepherd ox that they would be yoked together so he'd just prick them so that they can go in the direction and they're supposed to go in but you see the problem is this that when and when when an ox kicks back when the animal kicks back against that print it actually tears him to the scanner deaths more damage than the tool was intended to do you see and I'm hard-headed amen pray for me cuz I like to kick back on God sometimes because my plan is a whole lot better than his you see because I don't want to ask questions I want to I want to give complaining questions so whenever I kick back it actually does more damage than it was intended to do and I know I'm just preaching the Hector this morning a man but who are you Lord the Bible says in verse 6 and I'm going to read through the whole verse but the first portion of this verse is missing and here's why is significant to me and I'll read so he trembling soul trembling and astonished said Lord what would you have me to do then the Lord said to him arising going to the city and you will be told what you must do the first portion of that verse to me is so significant and I think it should be for us you see the Bible says that he was trembling soul was trembling and astonished astonished means to be greatly surprised and pressed or amazed you see I believe that saw wasn't trembling because he was scared I believe he was trembling because he had just had an experience with the God that just created something in this life he stopped him right there on his tracks you see here's the question Lord what would you want me to do I said Lord why why would this verse be missing or why is it hard for us to ask this this question and I believe the Lord said because everybody wants to tell me what to do imma let that sink in a little bit I'm just gonna be real with you a man I hope you got your steel toe boots this morning I may step on some toes praise God you see we don't like to ask that question because it challenges us we'd rather tell God here's what I need you to do God hears we may not say it that way but we do say it our plans are better than his you know can I just can I just talk with y'all for a minute you know I when I was born I didn't the first words weren't Jesus there were mommy I wasn't born spirit-filled Amanda the only close thing I had the spirit-filled was was Southern Wine & Spirits maybe a man I was lost and one day somebody invited me to go to church and I went I don't even remember what the pastor said but at the end of the service he he had an altar call and my buddy turned to me and said you want to go up and I said absolutely not but my legs got up and in my mind I'm saying don't do it and we turned to the right and I walk down there the our way in and there's empty seats right on the highway and my mind is saying stop sit but I just couldn't I had an experience I promise you I tried to stop something told me don't do it I got to the front there was about seven or eight of us and I went to the side there to me to my left and listened I was that guy that used to watch Billy Graham and Benny Hinn and they lay hands on people and they'd fall out and I just giggled I thought it was the funniest thing I didn't believe it amen but that day I woke up on the ground looking up with a little blanket on me any man that man laid hands on me and I saw I remember him and the first thing I went for was my wallet I said my goodness we'll have that did somebody get me I never ate it was one of them good churches any man I still had my wallet but listen to me I was I said what just happened I had an experience with God and it changed my whole view my whole view I said God how can I know you more how can I went to my pastor and I said hey how can I know you more you know what he said he said man I need somebody to cut the grass man and I cut the grass with a push lawnmower three locks for years that's how I started in ministry the Bible says in verses 7 & 8 it says and the men who journeyed with him stood speechless hearing a voice but seeing no one then saw the rose from the ground and when his eyes were opened he saw no one but they led him by the hand and brought him into the Mascis listen to me his eyes were open they just hadn't come into focus just yet you see God doesn't inflict plain pain on Saul he simply blinded him to his own nature so that he can see God fulfill his glory through him you see our old nature just won't do anymore you see this experienced church can catapult you into your destiny you see God is trying to blind us so that we can see it so that's why we hear our pastor come up here and he talks about the acrostic all the time see that s EE to be spirit-filled emphasis on prayer and people to expand the kingdom so that we can see look at your neighbor and say neighbor I want to be blind come on blind me Jesus my goodness the Bible says in John 9 verses 39 through 41 it says that Jesus came into this world don't believe me look it up he said he came into this world so that those that can't see that they would be be made to see and those that can't see that he would make blind read it listen you want to have an experience with God Southshore you want to have an experience with God come to noon prayer you'll have an experience with God at noon prayer amen amen all 12 of y'all clapping amen thank you Jesus I'm telling you you want to have that experience listen Saul had an experience with God on that road to Damascus but it you see it started a little earlier and Acts the seventh chapter is started with an example with a man by the name of Stephen here's my second point an example we must lead by example I'll give you a little background in Acts the seven after this is amazing men of God named Stephen and if you go back to the chapter before to the end he's being accused of blasphemy for sharing the gospel for speaking Scripture so they bring about these men before the council and they ask them to lie on him you ever been lied on before and they they asked them to lie on him that he was speaking blasphemous and they bring him and and right before this is what what rattles my brain they bring him before the council and they they look at him and a Bible says that his face was at the face of an angel and yet they still tried him for this crime you see he was speaking Scripture against the enemy listen to me what if we started quoting scripture what if we knew scriptures so much that when the enemy began to attack us and our loved ones and those around them we started to speak scripture against the enemy what if we knew Scripture what if we spend time in the word so much then when the enemy started trying us we speak that word again would it begin to rebuke by way of the Holy Scripture here's what verse 54 says in Acts the seventh chapter when he was quoting scripture here's what happened when they heard these things that were cut to the heart and they gnashed at him at the teeth but he being full of the holy spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God you see the Bible doesn't say that he was partially full of the holy spirit that there was a portion of the Holy Spirit but the Bible says that he was full of the Holy Spirit look at your neighbor and say neighbor you're full of it full of the Holy Spirit that is you see I I don't want to have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof anymore I don't just want to know about it Jesus amen that I just read a bottle here about I want to know him I want to lead by example the Bible says in verses 56 and 57 and says and he said look I see the heavens open up and the son of man standing right at the right hand of God and they cried out with the loud voice stopped they stopped their ears and rented him on one Accord let me let me say something to you when you start seeing visions when you start speaking of prophecy when you start laying hands on sick folks I promise you that they are going to be gnashing of the teeth they're going to come after you on one Accord and then when you start walking in your miracles signs and wonders I say that a lot because I walk in them and so can you when you start doing that I promise you they will come after you because they don't understand that God that's in you but if we can lead by example maybe a few just a few amen we'll catch on come on verse 58 says and they cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul Saul of Tarsus listen to me for just a moment that's the same Saul we just read about an accident ninth chapter he was the ring leader they laid their coats at his feet in other words you are leading us now and he was standing by as they were persecuting Stephen the same song that we read about in acts the ninth chapter that just had that experience here's what I significant I'll read to you verses 59 and 60 the Bible says and they stoned Stephen and as he was calling on God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit listen to me they're beating him down and he takes the time as he's not even dodging stones and beatdowns and pulling of him and dragging of him he is praying to our Heavenly Father Lord Jesus receive my spirit he says then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice Lord do not charge this him against them and when he had said this he fell asleep in the midst of him catching a beatdown he took the time to intercede and pray for those that were persecuting him listen to me why this is so significant what if Stephen would have never prayed for those that were persecuting him we might have never had the soul that turned into Paul and thirteen epistles later you see if we took the time to get down in the midst of our beat down and seek God's face if we learn to lead by example on our knees amen that's not a sign of weakness when we learn to lead God when we look to lead by example by prayer things change that man was spared because he prayed that's the song of accident 9 chapter and the great Apostle Paul that he became because one man said Lord don't hold this sin against them there's many of us in the house that are praying maybe for family members children that have went astray don't stop praying you know you hear me say this from time to time I'm a mama's boy listen I love my mom I love my mama amen amen you clap for that that's that's good I appreciate it but here's why I say this you see my mom she prayed for me you see my mom learned how to fight wounded through prayer my mom while she was catching a beatdown raising three kids on her own she prayed for me you see the reason why I'm I pissed by the grace of God but it's through the prayers of my mother Amen that brought me here you see because when I hit that ground that day Amen and I woke up looking up they prophesied that one day I'll be right up here preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ we had to lead with an example and ask the prayer here's the last point and encounter it's time for us to have an encounter I'll pick up in action tonight chapter starting in the ninth verse and it says and he was three days without sight and neither ate nor drank the Bible says he neither ate nor drank he went to this house and was sitting there with no food and water for three days without sight and verse 10 says now there was a certain disciple of Damascus named Ananias and to him the Lord said in a vision Ananias and he said Here I am Lord so the Lord said to him arise and go to the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he is praying listen to me that word behold that word behold means something significant when I hear the word behold it's it's almost like saying hold on stop what you're doing for just a second I need you to see observe this remarkable impressive thing that's taking place behold for he is praying imagine if God would find us and say behold for pastor Hector is praying behold for the church is praying behold for the region is praying behold our County our state behold our country is praying what if he found us and he said behold they are praying what if what if this happened you know why he said behold because it's a huge piece that's all hadn't done until that time we're in a season where we are fasting and praying listen to me if you want to have an encounter with God let's start fasting and praying more let's turn that plate over I promise you you'll have an encounter with God but how bad do we want it the Bible says in Matthew 6:6 that when you pray go into your room and shut the door behind you and pray to your father who is in the secret and who sees in secret and he'll reward you openly you know what you find in a secret place his presence his presence God I want it all over me you know what you find in a suit kept in a secret place his glory his majesty he's more than a Sunday morning sermon my little girl nine years old me nine years old the other day were nine years old the other day I'm driving I'm driving them to school and at 7:30 in the morning I'm driving them in my little girl nine years old she says to me poppy you know what I learned this morning I'm thinking of myself what cuz she had learned at 7:30 in the morning I'm just baffled right now I'm like I got to hear this one you know it's just one of those mornings and I'm I said why baby what what did you learn this morning and she said I learned that the only the only necessary thing you need is to be in the presence of God that's what she told me and and I looked back and I said what did you say I said I kinda need it that word and I said what did you say and I said did you say that the only thing you need is to be in the president if she said no poppy nine years old going on like 21 correcting me real quick she said no papi that's not what I said I said the only necessary papi she said papi the necessary thing you need is to be in the presence of God and I said why is that as well and she said because when you stay in his presence can't nothing else bother you I said tell me how I'm just digging I'm just digging I took the form of a child then I was like make it simple Isabel tell me why and she says well poppy is kind of like what you do she said when when we misbehave she says even though we misbehave you still love us and I said my goodness Lord you still love us Lord you still love me even when I misbehave God still loves you even when you misbehave listen to me you pray in that secret place and I promise you I promise you that God will reveal his presence it'll be so real you can touch it oh my goodness those are the encounters that I listen that was two weeks ago that my daughter mentioned this to me and it's still breaking me verse 12 and I start landing the plane verse 12 says and in a vision histor Lord speaking to an announcer says in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight then Ananias answered and said lord I have heard from many about this man how much harm he has done for your Saints in Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name but the Lord said to him go for he is a chosen vessel listen you need to hear that word today go for you are a chosen vessel for the Most High you have been chosen to go in and preach to speak to minister to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles to Kings you are a Chosen Southshore you've all right shows and vessel you you you and you and you but a 16 says four I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name sake that's something we don't like to hear I don't want to suffer God sufferings for the week I'm strong I don't want to suffer there's no point in suffering why must I suffer listen I used to suffer in the world but I didn't have a daddy to suffer with oh man I want to be like like Paul I want to say Lord I'm much glory in my infirmities in my reproaches in my de-stresses for your sake for when I'm weak then am i strong I want to suffer with him when I read about Paul and his stories I never think of him suffering I rejoice you see I don't know what ever happened to the woman with two mites but I know that in the Bible she gave more then everyone else had given I don't know what happened afterwards but I know that she had an encounter and that encounter changed the way that I give you see since I've read that I now give with a cheerful heart you see I I don't know whatever happened to the woman that had the issue of blood but she tried everything and she said if I can just touch the hem of His garment I just know I just know this issue will go away you see I don't know what happened beyond that point but the encounter that she had spoke to my life and when I need healing or interceding for healing for somebody else I know that if I can just touch the hem of His garment if that person child to be healed I don't know what happened to the kiss but he said if I can just climb that tree I just want to fix my eyes on Jesus but his encounter changed my life or the men the Centurion that said to Jesus Jesus if you would just come with me and heal my servant and Jesus said no brother I'm just gonna speak the word of life you see that encounter changed my life because I don't have to be present because he is ever-present in a time of trouble I can send the Word of Life I want an encounter I want an encounter with God the Bible says in verse 17 and Ananias went his way and entered the house and laying hands on him he said brother saw the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit listen when we pray for God to blind us so that he can restore our sight man he was more than we that we asked for that man just wanted a sight back I said I'm gonna give you your sight and imma give you the baptism of the Holy Spirit to brother cuz you're gonna be like amazing the Bible says if you keep reading that salt as soon as he when he met with her with the disciples in Damascus and began to speak the Word of God immediately saw had he not I had this encounter I wonder if he ever would have became that Paul but had Stephen not led by example through prayer I wonder if he didn't even be in here now and was reading about him see I don't know where you're at today I don't know if if you walked in and you're saying Lord I I'm looking for I'm looking to go beyond this experience the Lord you know I know I need to start leading more by example through prayer in my house and in my community with the person next to me right now like I felt something there that's for somebody I felt something next to the guy next to me and and and I should say something God would you help me to be bold so I can pray for him that's where somebody do it in the name of Jesus that's for you you know come on now that's for you listen to me I promise you that if you step out and you have an encounter with God it'll change somebody else's life amen I'll say this our Savior knows our breaking point in the bruising and crushing melting process that is designed to reshape and strengthen us not to ruin us it's not easy but now that what's going to the cross you see sight is a function of the eyes but vision it's a function of the heart [Music] so unless God opens our eyes we will not see but he is offering sight to all that would receive it today so I want us all to stand here and that South Shore which we all just stand together let's all stand together stretch them legs amen I don't know if you don't know this savior of ours but man I pray I pray that today you have such an experience with God that that your legs will have a mind of their own that your mind will will not be a a complication and you will say man that's me I want to know this Jesus this guy's talking about so let us all pray this here and that sounds should say dear Lord I know I fallen short Lord I repent forgive me of my trespass but God I thank you for sending your only Son that by his blood that was shed for me I can now be saved and healed Lord I welcome you into my life lead me and guide me the rest of my days in Jesus name Amen amen now listen to me if you prayed that prayer for the very first time listen to me please listen to me please hearing that sound sure if you prayed that prayer for the first time I'm asking you to be bold I'm asking you to be like Saul and be bold I want you to raise your hand on the count of three here and that South shall raise it tall for me because we want to celebrate you a man so on the count of three raise it for me one two three where you at come on raise your hand tall for me I see you little man come on where you at come on where you at anybody in the back thank you brother come on raise your hand tall for me come on keep clapping god is so good come on I'm gonna ask our prayer partners to make their ways up if you've if you if you want to have this experience with God if you're there and you want to press in beyond it if you if if you're feel like it's time to lead by example through prayer if you feel that it's time to have that encounter I'm gonna ask you to make your way up here with these folks here so that they can pray for you I'm asking you to just be bold and come up if you're anywhere in there make your way up so that they can pray for you if you gave your life to Jesus Christ listen to me it's the greatest thing you ever did I I always pray for just one it doesn't matter if you did this or not amen if you did that for the very first time I'm gonna ask you to make your way up and see one of our prayer partners so that they can pray with you a man and fill out that connect card with you and listen if you don't remember anything I've said to you today remember that it all starts with an experience we have to lead by example but don't you ever forget the income god bless thank you

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Length: 40min 20sec (2420 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 31 2017