Water To The Wilderness | Robert Madu

come on can we lift up the name that's above every name come on just take 10 seconds across every campus and give God your best praise come on God we magnify you today have your way in this place in Jesus name Amen you may be seated in the presence of the Lord don't get comfortable you might be back up again come on come on anybody excited to be in the house of God today I'm telling you just right at the onset let me send a shout out to everybody at our campus come on shout out to warehouse campus baker livingston parish mid-city Houma come on can we just make some noise for everybody that's tuning in I am I am red bull excited and expressed so elated just to have my face in the place this is a big deal for me to be at Bethany which I just think is such a legendary church how many know you're a part of something awesome here this is no ordinary Church this is an extraordinary church it's just amazing to see how you keep going from strength to strength from grace to grace and expanding and it's really amazing an honor to be here because pastor Jonathan and I we go back we go back like I mean 15 hours man we met for the first time last night but I was not the first time I heard of him his ministry and songs he's written just have really got me even through some seasons in my life and I just so celebrate who he is and his wife how many know you're blessed with awesome leaders come on that Shepherds you can we just take a moment across every campus can we give honor to our honors do and thank God for pastor Jonathan for Angie come on for who they are the life that they live y'all could do better than that I'm talking about your pastors your leaders now we honor you and thank God for you you're all so amazing absolutely amazing so man it really is a big deal for me even pastor Larry and his wife there just let me say it like a millennial hashtag goals for me and ministry in life and how they lead so it's an honor to be here I bring you greetings from the great country of Texas I have lived there my entire life where I'm married to the finest woman on the planet her name is Taylor we've been married for let's see 5 years 1 month 8 days 4 minutes and 22 seconds and she is so kind really to send me out and let me travel around the world and preach the gospel she's at home right now we're in a unique season we have three kids under three a man I've got a two-year-old daughter a one-year-old son and just six days ago had our third child a beautiful baby girl so excited so we're rookie parents you're not some rookie parents are suppose they have kids they think they're kids the most beautiful kids in the world always putting up pictures of a kid because I think everybody wants to see their children I'm not that dad Bethany you ain't gotta worry about me doing that I'm not gonna put my kids on the screen it's about me preaching Jesus not you seeing my children so we good we good that ain't true if y'all put my kids on every screen and every campus come on somebody hey Bethany I don't think you understand I made that I made that that's my baby girl on the left Everly Adair Madhu we call her Evie she's the reason that I pray more and I have a shotgun and that's my son on the right Robert Madhu the third my manchild my namesake and just five days old just put baby Remington Elaine and then we're blessed we're blessed so if you're wondering why I have this globe it's not because I use exfoliating skin products it's because man I am blessed and I think fatherhood is the best hood just nothing like being a dad a man all the dads make some noise across every campus that's what I'm talking about hey we're gonna have fun I want to jump straight into the Word of God I really feel like if you have an ear to hear what God is saying this message is gonna bless your life I don't know if you're new to church context but you don't have to be nervous over these next few eight hours that we have together you're not gonna get beat up you're gonna get built up you're gonna leave better than you came in hey man do you have a Bible with you come on across every campus you got a Bible if you got a Bible wave it in the air like it's just do care also some of your Bibles are glowing charged up your Bible this morning very good I want to look at Matthew chapter 3 today Matthew chapter 3 verses 13 through 17 in also Matthew chapter 4 verses 1 through 11 Matthew 3 13 through 17 and Matthew 4 1 through 11 while you're looking for it how many you've never heard me preach before across every campus can I see and never heard me preach Oh Lord that's almost everybody a quick disclaimer I am a holler back preacher so all that means is while I'm preaching it is illegal for you to just sit there and go that's interesting no if anything I'm saying is resonating with you are you feeling it you could say a man you can say preach that you could grunt you can stand up in the middle and go oh that was for me you can also stand up in the middle go oh that was for you one of those works just help the preacher out today Matthew chapter 3 starting in verse 13 and it says then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him and John tried to prevent him saying I need to be baptized by you and you're coming to me but jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness then he allowed him when he had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold the heavens were open to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my but another sort in whom I am well pleased it's exactly how God sounded that day by the way just in case you were wondering Matthew chapter 4 of Matthew 4 1 through 11 it says then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights oh just let that scripture hit you in the face for a moment forty days and forty nights that's a long fast that is a long fast earlier this year I did a 21-day Daniel fast Daniel fast and four days into the fast I was convinced that Daniel eight chick-fil-a and anybody judging me I struggled to fast for minutes but Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights and I love when the Bible is blatantly obvious it says afterward he was hungry I bet he was 40 days 40 nights with no food verse 3 says now when the tempter came to him he said if you are the son of God command that these Stones become bread but he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God then the devil took him up into the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he shall give his angels charge over you and in their hands they shall bear you up unless you dash your foot against a stone pause timeout did you reread just read Satan is quoting scripture to Jesus this is for free this isn't even part of the message today but I want you to understand that how you approach and how you apply the Word of God to your life is critical because if you have the wrong approach or the wrong application of the Word of God you can actually manipulate scripture to say whatever you want it to say and it is a diabolical scheme of the enemy to get you to adjust the Word of God to fit your life instead of adjusting your life around the Word of God come on somebody I'm already preaching in here today Jesus says back to him well it's written again you shall not tempt the Lord your God again the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and he said to him all these things I will give you if you will fall down and worship Me then jesus said to him away with you Satan for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered damned can you say hey man come on that is good stuff I want a priest see today just using this as a subject the water and the wilderness the water and the wilderness would you help me preach across every campus would you look at the person next to you giving their face get in their personal space and just say neighbor come on don't be afraid to talk to your neighbor in church come on say neighbor it's about the water and the wilderness okay just in case their neighbor was stuck up find you another neighbor hot you come on say other neighbor you're my second option but I want you to know it's about the water and the wilderness come on if you got expectation for God to speak would you give them some praise today come on let's pray before we jump into this father thank you for your word god I know that the grass where there is the flower phase but your word shall stand forever speak to us so clearly speak to us so succinctly God we've not come here out of religious routine or to be entertained we have come to be drastically changed and when we leave let us say it was so good to have been in the presence of Jesus and God because I am from Dallas I pray that today you would favor your team America's Team the Dallas Cowboys to completely jack up the Rams and everybody said hey man hey man come on you have not does you ask not water and the wilderness Bethany Church this year this year I will celebrate and commemorate 13 years of full-time ministry 13 years of full-time itinerant ministry for the last 13 years I've had the incredible privilege and opportunity to travel around the world and preach the gospel the good news about Jesus for 13 years and it's hard for my young mind to even believe that it's been 13 years because I first started coming to the church that I'm a part of in Dallas Texas when I was just three years old I preached my first sermon when I was 16 single scrawny still living at home with my parents now I am happily married 33 three kids under three one dog no cat one mortgage six chest hairs I'm a grown man now people I'm a grown man my 13 years of traveling there is a question that I've often been asked and it is a question based on an assumption and it'll generally happen after service especially if my father is traveling with me somebody won't evidently come up to me and say hey Robert how long has your father been pastoring or Robert how long has your dad been preaching and to some people shock I let them know that my father is not a preacher but my father is a firefighter for the last 32 years my dad Robert Madhu's senior has been fighting fires for the city of Dallas for the last 32 years come on shout out to all the first responders Amen now my father we have the exact same name totally different vocations the exact same name but distinctly different callings I think that's imperative for you to note this morning because in the unlikely event that your house should catch on fire and you're to be trapped inside of that house that caught on fire and for whatever reason you can only call a Robert Madhu to get you out o make sure you call the right Robert okay make sure you call the right Robert don't get me wrong both of us will do our best to make sure you get saved Church jokes like neither one of us would want you to experience the flames however how we accomplish that objective will be distinctly different okay my father Robert Madhu senior who's the fireman he is going to jump on a firetruck go inside the house and rescue you from the flames my approach gonna be a little bit different okay I'm just gonna grab a microphone and I'm gonna stand outside a considerable distance away from you that's trapped in a fire and I'm just gonna encourage you I'm gonna encourage you and I'm gonna say something like consider it pure joy my brother whenever you face various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance and perseverance patience I know you're in the fire right now but you're coming out as pure gold because of no weapon formed against you shall be hey but a prosper he changed you're not the only one that's ever been trapped in a fire y'all remember Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they were in a fire - and if God not me but get you out I'm a preacher not a firefighters that was fun anyway him all seriousness and all seriousness some of my greatest memories as a kid was when I would visit my dad at the fire station okay you gotta understand when you're a little boy and your dad's a fireman you get to visit him at the fire station people the fire station to a little boy is like Disney without the ticket prices okay I didn't Lehrer member running around the fire station I'm trying on that uniform I am pretend driving the fire truck I remember kids at school would be like hey Robert I got a new fire check for Christmas I'm like that's cute I dropped one hashtag dream bigger I mean it was awesome helmets that I'll never forget but hear me Bethany I will never forget the day I'm a kid I'm visiting my dad at the fire station I'm pretend driving the fire truck and all of a sudden without warning I hear on the intercom engine 26 five alarm house fire engine 26 by the alarm house fire and all of a sudden my father went from laughing and smiling at me pretend driving the fire truck - all of a sudden his Nigerian accent going son get up now he picks me up throws me out of the seat to my mom immediately firemen started coming out of the crevices and the corridors of the fire station like ants escaping an ant bed that had just been stepped on I saw two firemen who were playing ping pong they threw the paddles in the air and started putting on their gear one fireman was eating a turkey sandwich he stopped mid bite of the turkey sandwich and jumped on the fire truck and in no less than three minutes the same fire truck I was pretend riving was now peeling out of the parking lot and the same siren I was pushing for my entertainment was now being pushed for an emergency because time was of the essence and destinies were on the line and I will never forget the look on my father's face and the immediacy of the moment as he had to quickly transition from a moment of fellowship with his son to now racing to put out a fire that he didn't start sure my childhood memory with you today and a feeble attempt to accurately articulate the tone and the tension of what is happening today in Matthew chapter 3 with Jesus baptism and in Matthew chapter 4 with Jesus temptation and I need you to feel the whiplash of our Savior today because in Chapter three with his baptism he is in perfect fellowship with the father but in chapter four with his temptation he is racing to put out a fire that he did not start but was started in the book of Genesis when Adam and Eve were disobedient and took of the forbidden fruit and got all of humanity in the mess that it is in today and the tension is in his transition from Matthew chapter 3 to Matthew chapter 4 across every campus I hope you brought your scuba gear to church because I'm about to go deep if you can row rich a boy okay first of all one of the things I want you to understand at the onset is that the verse numbers and the chapter numbers that are printed in your Bible although sometimes they can be helpful sometimes they can actually be a hindrance and stop you from getting the context of the text that you're reading so if you're not careful you'll do what I've done for years which is to read about Jesus baptism in Matthew chapter 3 pause for commercial break and then read about his temptation in Matthew chapter 4 and you'll be tempted to look at these two events as isolated events that should be viewed independently but I submit to you today that these two events were never supposed to be viewed independently but rather interdependently because God has actually given us biblical blues clues as to what you're gonna face as a believer God has just letting you know that if you're gonna live a life of faith there's a trajectory there is a path that your life will go through all I came to tell you today is that there is a connection between the water and the wilderness the water and the wilderness the water and the wilderness are deeply connected maybe I read the wrong verse of scripture today and I shouldn't read Matthews account maybe I should've read my boy Marky Mark's account cuz look at how mark puts it in mark chapter 1 verses 9 through 13 it says it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan and immediately coming up from the water he saw the heavens parting and the spirit descending upon him like a then a voice came from heaven you are my beloved son and whom I'm well pleased verse 12 says immediately immediately no chapter break immediately the spirit drove him into the wilderness and he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan and was with the wild beasts immediately Jesus went from the water to the wilderness it is that immediately that irritated me in the text because I'm trying to figure out how in the world one moment he's being baptized the next moment he's in a battle one moment he is in total comfort the next moment he is in total conflict one moment he is in a cohesive community the next moment he is in complete isolation one moment he's hearing a voice from heaven the next moment he's hearing the voice from hell one moment he's in the water getting a word from heaven the next moment he's in the wilderness facing real warfare come on don't act like you ain't never been there before how in the world is it on Sunday you experience God's power and presence but on Monday morning it's like the enemy puts the laser beams from Hell on your forehead one moment you stepping out in great faith the next moment fear has gripped your heart one moment you want to pray for your enemies and bless them that curse you the next moment you want to look at all y'all haters and speak to them in a tongue that needs no interpretation come on somebody does anybody know what it's like to make the transition from the water to the wilderness is it that on the pathway to your purpose in a route to your destiny that the GPS system God's positioning system will always tell you I always tell you start on water Road then make a sharp right turn into the wilderness you always go from the water to the wilderness before I talk about what happened in the wilderness I first want to talk about what happened in the water now once you understand today that Jesus baptism was a big deal how many know it was a big deal as a matter of fact if you're here at any campus and you've put your faith in Jesus and you haven't gotten baptized yet what's wrong with you get baptized if Jesus got baptized you know you're cray-cray sail least to get baptized Jesus baptism was a big deal I knew his baptism was a big deal because the Bible says that when Jesus got baptized that immediately immediately the heavens opened up the heavens opened up come on you know when the heavens open up that the atmosphere has just shifted you know when the heavens open up something is about to happen in your life you know when the heavens open up you're about to get an announcement from heaven that will change your life forever come on I think that's why you came to church today not so we can have another cute church service but how many you want the heavens to open up over your life so you can experience God's power and his presence and his glory come on can we just take a praise break for a moment and just praise God across every campus like you want the heavens open in your life that's the best place you got some of y'all ain't been through nothing but some of y'all are going through some hell come on somebody when the heavens open up something is going to come on you do know the next time the heavens open up a trumpet is gonna sound and we are leaving this earth and going to our real home that isn't glory when the let me calm down when the heavens know Jesus baptism was a big deal simply because of who showed up at the baptism because for the first and only time in the New Testament the entire Godhead the whole Trinity made a cameo appearance at the exact same time cuz you got God the Father making a declaration from heaven you got God the son being baptized in the water and you got the Holy Spirit descending like a dove come on when the whole Trinity shows up this is a significant moment was a big deal simply because of what the father was declaring over the son see the father was not just speaking random words the father was declaring a truth that has to be the anchor in your soul whenever the vicissitudes of a life hit you in the face the father was declaring the truth so that you got to know that you know you know no matter what you're facing in here today and that truth is this I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me I'm gonna say until you get it I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me how do you know that truth right there will change your life forever okay like 14 of you know it the rest of you gonna find out in a minute I'm telling you the day that truth gets cemented in your soul that will change your countenance that will change the way you walk into a room that will change the way you hold up your hair but that you understand you are loved you're a child of God and he is pleased with you matter of fact Bethany is my first time here but I want to give you a dare free country but I want to give you a dare every morning you wake up every morning you wake up before you brush your teeth just go to the mirror and declare over yourself with just thank you breath and just say I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me how many know that would be a great way to start your day come on if you're thinking about if you're thinking about getting a face tattoo I wouldn't but if you want to anyway I have a suggestion of what you should put on your forehead you should put I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me next time you're at Starbucks and the barista says what name should I put on a dream you ought to tell her I got three I am loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me next time your Instagram or Facebook or Twitter and you're not getting the likes or the comments you thought you were gonna get on that particular post I dare you to cut off your smart device that's making you stupid and just declare to yourself I am living for other people's and likes because I'm already loved I'm a child of God and I'm getting excited off my own sermon I'm telling you y'all recording this i'ma watch it later is blessing me that truth will change your life forever what if what if what if you filtered every circumstance every negative comment from other people through the transcendent truth that you're loved you're a child of God and he is pleased with you come on you will lose your joy so easily if you were confident in that come on some of you weren't walking to church looking constipated like you've been sucking on lemons all morning that's if you knew you loved you're a child of God and he is pleased with you that means when people like I don't like you say that's cool I'm still loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me but I'm still loved I'm a child of God and he is pleased with me you know you ain't got no teeth I know but I'm still loved I'm a child of God and he say to me that truth change her life forever but hear me that is where most believers stop most believers stop at the water don't get me wrong the water is significant the water is paramount because the water is the place where your identity is confirmed the water is the place where you find out who you are and who's you are please note when the father makes this declaration over Jesus this is before Jesus has done a single miracle he's not walked on water yet hasn't calmed the storm yet he's not healed anybody yet he has not cast it out one demon yet he's not taking the two fish of five loaves and multiplied it made the first Red Lobster yet hadn't done any of that hadn't been to the cross or even gotten up from the grave and yet the father still says you're loved you're my child and I'm pleased with you how he ain't done anything I know this has nothing to do with performance everything to do with proximity and relationship to me you are still loved you're still my child and I'm pleased before you ever perform but that's what most believers stop we always stop at the water so you leave a service like this you're feeling real good about yourself you walk out you're like whoa did y'all hear the preacher today I'm loved I'm a child of God and he's pleased with me and you're skipping through the parking lot and you feel real good in the water but I felt the need to warn you then right after the water you will walk straight into the wilderness right after you hear the voice from heaven you hear me today you will hear the voice from hell and this is what messes us up as believers because it's like we've almost been programmed and conditioned to think that once I have the approval of heaven that means I won't have an attack from the enemy oh yes this ideology is even promulgated from pulpits today to the point that we have relegated the approval of God to a bigger house a better car a nicer job a check in the mail and blessing and who I got a check now must be pleased with me and we have relegated it to blessing don't get me wrong I'm all for blessings four blessings of blessings and blessings on blessings I believe God wants to get a blessing to you so he can get a blessing through you however the life of Jesus is proof positive that the approval of heaven does not absolve you from an attack from the enemy as a matter of fact I'll go further to say that the reason why some of you are facing what you're facing right now hear me it's simply because God is pleased with you yeah that's why he'll is coming against you you didn't do something wrong you did something right conversely the reason why some of you may be why life is perfect right now you just tiptoe through the tulips and you floated in the room and kool-aid coming out of your water fountain it might be because your life is stagnant it might because you're not a threat to the kingdom of darkness come on it's the fish that go upstream they got to fight through the most stuff come on whether you are really taking a stand for God come on when you say I'm gonna be a light in the midst of darkness when you start standing up for righteousness when you start kicking demons out your house and say ask for me and my house we will serve the Lord oh he'll get to know this and demons start to tremble I'm telling you it is it is the smile of heaven that attracts the scowl from Hell who tattle tweet I said it is the smile of heaven that attracts the scowl from Hell and all I came to tell you today has received a smile receive it but don't get shocked when you get the scowl from Hell well I'll be honest with you Bethenny I don't not like this message when I started studying it at all not told God I said God hold up timeout pause I don't want to go from the water to the Holderness if I can pick it I would rather have my water experience in the wilderness yeah that's what I told him is how we talk I said give me the water in the wilderness maybe I got too much imagination but I think this text would have read a whole lot better if it started off in the wilderness can you see it if it started off in the wilderness and as soon as Satan rose up on Jesus and says yeah you are the son of God then let a loud voice come from heaven and let God the Father interrupts Satan in the middle of him talking and say what you mean if God he is the son of God cuz I already said he was the son of God Satan I'm gonna tell you right now bro you better put some respect on Jesus name you better put some respect on his name if you don't respect his name all three of us Father Son and spirit not to mess you up Old Testament let there be water and then water shucks up in the wilderness and the whole Godhead takes Satan by the throat and just start drowning him I wish you would say if one more time after Satan's lifeless body is floating in the water that's when you call John the Baptist and say we're ready for the baptism now just think it would be better like that but I'm sorry it will not happen you will not get your water experience in the wilderness because God has this uncanny ability this profound proclivity to take you from the water to the wilderness from the water to the wilderness from the water to the weight is gone system to take you from the water to the wilderness from the water to the wilderness from the water to the wilderness from the water that will see it till it annoys you from the water to the wilderness put the water to what I want you to hear my voice and you're here tomorrow as you're pouring your coffee going but the water to the wilderness from the water it is God's system he takes you from the water to the wilderness you do know in my text today that John the Baptist baptized people in the Alera in the but when they asked John who he was he said I'm a voice crying out in the crying out prepare the way of the Lord what is the way of the Lord he'll take you from the water to the wilderness from the water to the wilderness from the water to the whip now I see why the children of Israel had to go through the red sea because the red sea is comprised of water and the water remember is the place where your identity is confirmed and favorite thought they were just slaves but they were not just slaves they were loved they were children of God and he was pleased with them and how many know when you are God's child there is no stronghold there was no bondage there was no addiction that can ever hold you down because whoever the son sets free oh come on somebody is free Moses had to lift up his staff to the promised land they went from the water to the in the wilderness 40 years Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days God always has this system taking you from the water to the wilderness I don't want to sound like a broken record today and I pray that I'm not bringing my own presupposition to this biblical passage and pericope but I told you earlier that I have three kids three kids under three the newest one is five days old pray for us and because my children are so young birth is not too distant of a memory to me so I don't even like to pose posit and postulate today that even the way we entered the earth is just a microcosm it's just a mirror of this transcendent truth that God always takes you from the water to the wilderness I wish I could preach it like I feel it come on you do remember how you would concede right you do remember how you were conceived yes you were conceived in your mother's womb identity confirmed in the womb we're having a boy oh we're having a girl and then it's funny in your mother's womb you were surrounded by so much so that when your head got too big and your birth was imminent your mama looked up over the dining room table and said oh my just broke and rushed to the hospital and do you remember your first birthday do you remember how you entered the earth how did you come into the earth did you come to the earth and laughing no did you come to your singing no did you come to the earth dancing no did you come to your other rapping started started from the belly now I'm here no no that's not how you came to the earth every single baby around the world comes into the earth just like this crying at the top of your lungs and no silly new parents look at a baby that screaming at the top of his lungs and we got the nerve to be smiling [Music] I am convinced hear me Bethenny I am convinced and if you could translate and transcribe the cry of every newborn baby the caption across the screen would read what you mean welcome to the world don't you mean welcome to the we spend your entire life wrestling with the weight and with the complexity of the wilderness that you were born into yeah learned in my life to be quick to love not quick to judge because you don't know the wilderness that some people were born into oh please believe me when I tell you the wilderness is a real place it is the heat of the wilderness that seeks to evaporate your experience from the water and it can leave you with daunting questions like Who am I where am I and how do I deal with what's been placed in front of me and here is the question that must be answered before we leave here today and that is how are you gonna handle the temptations that will face you in your wilderness how you gonna handle it some of you are shocked that I even asked the question you're like overall but what is this temptation that you speak of why how much child of the Most High God I floated in the room here today why I have come Union for breakfast I read my Bible every day I speak in tongues more than I speak in English like what is this temptation that you speak of I I'm in church today I know I'm glad you came but this is the water tomorrow you got to go to work that is uh come on help me preach in here today the tension is in the transition hurry I want you to see that the same spirit please don't miss this the same spirit that descended upon Jesus in the water is the same spirit that led him into the wilderness please don't miss Stan the Bible says the spirit led Jesus into the wilderness so if the spirits leading me there that means the wilderness is not the problem the wilderness is life the problem is who is in the wilderness post it up waiting on your arrivals oh please believe Satan was already posted up in the wilderness and was waiting for Jesus to get there and he did not open his mouth nor clear his throat until after Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights but understand he was already there in the wilderness the whole time just watching him that's what they made me does he waits he watches and then he attacks this is detecting the enemy he waits he watches he's the original creeper he watches and then he attacked is what the enemy does come on he did it to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden the original whole food market what did he do he's lifted up in there as a serpent and he waited he watched and then he attacked as a snake he did this just gonna mess you up I never forget watching the Discovery Channel and they did a special on snakes special snakes and I almost changed the channel because I don't do snakes but I'm bad I can't watch him because they said something that blew my mind they said there's snakes please don't miss this or one of the only species that never blink Bethenny this is a snake they don't blink they just watch and they wait for an opportunity to attack I watched another special I was not especially they did on snakes and this was about a lady who had a pet snake she had a pet a pet snake the animal that Satan chose to manifest himself through this is her pet that's a different kind of crazy and she ran into a problem because her pet snakes stopped eating her pet snake refused to eat and for several months it just refused to eat out of causing concern she takes her pet snake to the veterinarian she says veterinarian I have a problem said my snake refuses to eat the last several months won't eat anything veterinarian looked at the snake looked at the woman looked at the snake looked at the woman didn't begin asking her a litany of questions said ma'am by any chance have you been sleeping with your snake the lady said yes I have I gotta be honest he's a Python he's not poisonous and his cage is right next to my bed and there are some nights I'll let my snake slither out and come into the bed with me veterinarian said hmm said ma'am while sleeping with your snake have you ever woken up to your snake right next to you and stretched out beside you the lady said yes as a matter of fact the other morning I woke up and my snake was right next to me and it was stretched out beside me the veterinarian said hmm say ma'am I have some good news and I have some bad news so the good news is your snake is not sick she goes oh thank you Jesus said the bad news is the reason your snake refuses to eat is because your snake is preparing to eat you she said the reason your snake has not eaten for several months is because your snake is strategically orchestrating its digestive system to have enough room for you she said the reason you wake up to your snake right next to you and stretch down beside you is because your snake is sizing you up and is trying to see how big it has to get to swallow you home the lady's head and I think that's how some believers act as it relates to spiritual warfare and the attack of the enemy you think the enemy likes that you're in church on a Sunday morning you think he likes you're hearing the Word of God and lifting up holy hands and worship Him in spite of what you've been through now he is watching and he's weighed in and he's trying to attack but how many are thankful you don't got to be nervous or afraid because he's already been defeated because of the precious blood Jesus Christ so I can tell the devil no not today you can keep on watching but I'm gonna be everything that God has called me to be somebody give God a crazy praise in this place if you're thankful for God's protection keep on watching I'm gonna be everything that God has called me to be you can't just shout you need a strategy I'm asked to worship team to join me because it'll make me sound more spiritual but I'm gonna give you four points in four minutes or less for things that you gotta know if you're gonna win the war in the wilderness if you're taking notes get this down if you're not taking notes get this down number one you're gonna win the war near wilderness you must first know where you are you got to know where you are note when the enemy launches his attack on Jesus this is at the beginning of Jesus ministry they've just made the announcement he's the son of God that's come to take away the sins of the world it's his inauguration right after the inauguration comes temptation the enemy loves to battle you at the beginning how many you ever started something have you noticed right when you get ready to start something the enemy loves to bring an attack come on somebody knows what I'm talking about getting ready to start a business expect an attack getting ready to start show education again expect an attack getting ready to start a family expect an attack he loves to battle at the beginning some of you have wondered why it seems like from the day you were born all hail was coming against your life it was because the enemy knew the purpose and the plan of God that was over your life and he tried to stop you before you ever got started but how do you thankful by the grace of God here and you still stand and in spite of his attack he loves the battle at the beginning now just the beginning but even at the end he's always attacking but there are seasons where the attack is more intense he loves to battle you right at the end look at the life of Jesus he did it when he was on the cross through a voice in the crowd who shouted out he saved others how come he can't save himself trying to get Jesus to come off of the cross and abort his mission because he was right on the edge of our Redemption how many know sometimes it's right when you're at the finish line that the enemy attacks you the most that's why somebody listen to me across every campus you cannot give up today because you were right on the edge of your breakthrough come on you are right at the finish line don't you walk away don't you give up he loves to attack when you're right on the cusp of a breakthrough you got to know where you are if you don't know where you are what season of life is this for you you'll never know your pathway to victory where are you after Adam and Eve sinned you know what the first question of God was where are you he knew where they were he was trying to get them to realize where they were number two you go in the Warner wilderness you must know that the word is your weapon the Word of God is your only weapon and I can have Church on that point right there because with every attack the enemy lost what was Jesus response it is written it is written it is written it is written he spoke the Word of God it is your only weapon I found it intriguing in the water the word came over Jesus but in the wilderness the word came out of Jesus sea church people today get it twisted when we're in the wilderness what do we want we want a word over us oh yeah we're in the wilderness season we come to church I've seen you you come to church with your arms folded like hold the preacher better have something to say today cuz I am in the wilderness my kids are crazy my husband is crazy I'm telling this is the wilderness calm you better have something to say and I'm all for good sermons I love good preaching but can I tell you when you in the midst of a wilderness you need more than just the word coming over you you better have some word coming out of you and it can't come out if you've never taken the time to put it in you gotta eat the Word of God get it in your heart and in your spirit number three you're gonna win the war in your wilderness you must know what is at stake what's that stake can I tell you why I love Jesus so much so many reasons one of the reasons I love Jesus is because Jesus made decisions with my destiny and mine Jesus made decisions to the lens of his love for Humanity with every decision he knew that we were at stake that's why he got baptized that's why he didn't turn the stones into bread and eat of it because he would have been no better than Adam that brought sin into the world he knew with every decision we were at stake and cannot tell you when you are in your wilderness you cannot give in to that temptation because you got to know what is that stake you're not living your life just for you there are people that are watching you you're the only Bible they will ever read there are generations that are coming after you and the decisions you make today will determine the stories that you tell tomorrow don't you forget what's at stake when you're in the wilderness number four you're gonna win the war in your wilderness this is my shortest and my most favorite point come on you warn your wilderness you gotta know where your help comes from oh come on somebody is there anybody get here that knows where your help comes from I love it cuz after the enemy tried everything he knew how to try come on he even tried to get Jesus worship that was the final attack and that's when Jesus turned up all the way I said no away with you say - because that's what he wants he wants your worship he wants your Allegiance that's why he's attacking you with what he's attacking you with it's not about the issue he's trying to have that thing have your Allegiance and your worship because he wants you to be quiet and stop trusting and worship it in the midst of the wilderness but is there anybody in any campus that says yeah I might go through the wilderness but I'm not gonna let it stop my worship I'm not gonna let it stop my trusting God come on you got a worship even in the wilderness don't you let the enemy make you close your mouth oh stop lifting up your hands that's where your power is in come on your power is in your worship is there anybody in here that knows where your help comes from my help comes from the Lord somebody get up on your feet and just lift up your hands hallelujah trust you in the wilderness you're my strength your portion you're my Redeemer I'm not gonna let the chaos of the wilderness around me stop me from giving glory to the God who is in me and who was above me I'm telling you don't you lose your worship in the midst of the wilderness don't forget what your help comes from your help comes from the Lord I'm gonna ask across every campus what everybody's stand-in every head bowed and every eye be closed father in the name of Jesus thank you for your word and I thank you that we can put our hope and our trust in you not just in the water but also in the wilderness Jesus I pray for my brother I pray for my sister who's in the midst of a wilderness season if the enemy is so loud in their ear trying to get them to give up god I pray today they will reject the lie from Hell by holding on to the truth from heaven the truth from heaven is their loved there your child and you're pleased with them heads about also close but if you be so honest across every camp is to say you know what I'm in the midst of a wilderness season and I need supernatural strength to hold on to who I am and who's I am yes you are just lift up your hand right where you're I believe God's strength it's coming to you even right now just lift up your hand just as a sign of surrender saying god I can't do this in my own strength in the wilderness I believe this strength is coming to you even right now that's why you had to be here today don't you give up just because you're in the wilderness I know it's hard hold on to the truth from heaven heads are still bowed eyes are still closed fit here in this room or across any campus and Ubisoft say you know what I've never taken that first step which is to say Jesus my life is yours you made a declaration that said I'm loved I'm a child of God and he's pleased with me the reality is whether you attest to the fact that God is God you're still his child whether you like it or not because he created a song it's one thing to be a corrupt child by creation it's another thing to be a child by Redemption meaning that you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and he's coming back for you field here today and you've never taken that first step and surrendered your life to Jesus I'd love to include you in this closing prayer if that's you across every campus we just lift up your hand saying today today I'll surrender I'm giving him my life just lifted up high enough and long enough to where I can see it yeah yeah hands are going up thank you Jesus can we just pray this closing prayer as one big family across every campus we're all going to say it especially those of you who responded say this from your heart say dear Jesus thank you so much for living the life that I was supposed to live and dying the death that I was supposed to die you took my place so my response is to surrender all of me for all of you from this moment forward I'm Yours forgive me of my sin wash me clean make me new from this moment forward I trust you I trust you in the water I trust you in the wilderness I declare and hold on to this truth I'm loved I'm a child of God and he's pleased with me I'll say that again I'm loved I'm a child of God and he's pleased with me one more time in the enemy's face I'm loved I'm a child of God and he's pleased with me and come on across every campus would you put those hands together and give God the biggest praise hallelujah god bless you better

Channel: Bethany

Views: 43,887

Rating: 4.8911242 out of 5

Keywords: Jesus, Christianity, Church, Bethany, Bethany Church, Robert Madu, Speak

Id: T6VEHQV1cu0

Length: 50min 53sec (3053 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 04 2017