You Are In A Struggle For Greatness

I found somebody you tell them he'll do just what he said that means we've got nothing to worry about because if the Lord said it then that settles it you can count on it a man you can take that to the bank you'll do just what he said come on let's give God a praise in this place on tonight and while we're praising God help me praise God for this tremendous leader this world shaper and tremendous aim an instrument of God the bishop a man come on let's give God praise for him Bishop Evans a man a man it is a joy to be with you and it is an honor to just stand in this great place I shared with Bishop I used to spend my summers as a kid coming up to visit my family in Jersey but more nor more near Newark and I never lived I never actually even ventured into South Jersey but what a beautiful place and it's an honor to be with you on tonight a man a man I want to get right to the Word of God I know how you all flow here you don't take a whole bunch of time a man because you want to get right to the point and that's to hear from the Lord and to celebrate his goodness and his presence and what a great opportunity to stand before you such a great church and I'm just really in all I could have just helped serve communion to help baptize some people I would have been fine doing that but it is an honor to stand to you or this tremendous man stands every Sunday what a tremendous leader teacher preacher business mind a man a man but the mere fact that he invited me a little guy from from Birmingham I'm honored and humbled at the same time I've been in much prayer about my time with you in fact this has been kind of a busy season for me I just got back from South Africa on last week and flew from South Africa directly to New York to do a taping there in New York and then went home and then also while I was traveling I turned 40 I celebrated my 40th birthday amen and hallelujah and I got home Amen Bishop Amen I got home and then my family and our church had a surprise surprise birthday party for me and it's just been a busy time but I just felt such a such an assignment and a leading of God to be with you and so I want to ask you first of all to grab your Bible and while you're grabbing your Bible let's just go to God in prayer father I thank you for just allowing me to be here I thank you for such a great church in such great people and such a great occasion to baptize new believers but to also celebrate your broken body in the blood that even gives us the ability to be alive and so God we honor you in this place tonight we we glorify you we lift you up we magnify your name but truly you are worthy to be praised now Lord I can do absolutely nothing apart from you and I pray that you would stand up in me and speak through me for one reason only and that is for your glory it's in Jesus name that we pray and those who agree say Amen amen grab your Bibles and I want you to go with me to the Gospel according to John John chapter 21 the Lord's placed this heavy on my heart I asked fish of what is what is the assignment he said share what God has given you and I want to do that I'm grateful for the book the people factor that's been impacting the lives of people around the world and so honored to be able to bring that tonight but I don't really feel let to share from that you can pick up the book and pray for me as I'm writing the next book now but I sense that this word is going to be an answer to prayer for some it's going to be insight wisdom for others and and there I even say prophetic for some of you but I want to share what the Lord has given me and I want to be obedient John chapter 21 beginning at verse number 1 John chapter 21 beginning at verse number 1 and I'm reading from the New International Version of God's Holy Word I don't know what the standard of the house is this is kind of mould faithful that I've traveled with we've seen God do some great things through this Bible amen so this is the NIV just follow along with me and whatever translation you have it says afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the sea of Tiberias and it happened this way Simon Peter Thomas called didymus Nathanael from Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples were together I'm going out to fish Simon Peter told them and they said well we'll go with you so they went out and they got into the boat but that night they caught nothing early in the morning Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus and and he called out to them friends haven't you any fish no they answer you get here the attitude to can't you know he said well throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some when they did they weren't able to haul in the net because of the large number of fish and then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter it is the Lord and as soon as Simon Peter heard him say it as the Lord he wrapped his outer garment around them for he had taken it off and jumped into the water the other disciples followed in the boat towing the net full of fish for they were not far from the shore about a hundred yards and when they landed look at this they saw fire burning coals there with fish on it and some bread and and jesus said to them bring some of the fish that you have just caught Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore was full of large fish 153 but even with so many the net was not torn jesus said come and have breakfast but none of the disciples dared to ask him who are you they knew it was the Lord and Jesus came and here it is took the bread and gave it to him and did the same with the fish this was now the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead as you take your seat look at someone near you and tell them you're in a struggle for greatness you look at somebody else and tell them you're in a struggle for greatness you're in a struggle for greatness I sense that I must be touching a vein in the spirit already you're in a struggle for greatness I I I'm honoured as I said a moment ago to be here particularly during this occasion I think that there is nothing more sacred and special than the celebration of those that are new to the family of faith and for us as people have gone to gather around the table this table that really is the core in the crux and the center of our faith it celebrates that the body and the blood of our risen Savior Jesus to Christ and and he says he says as often as you do it you don't necessarily only have to do it on the first Sunday you don't even have to do it only on a Sunday he just says do it as many times as you like but if there's one qualifier he says as often as you do it do it in remembrance of me and just that one verse alone is is power-packed it carries so much when he says to do it in remembrance of me because there's so many things that we could remember we could we could remember and reflect on his sacrifice we could remember and we could reflect on the power that we have as believers because we are in him Christ said this is no longer I who live but Christ that lives in me there's so much that we could spend time reflecting and remembering but for our time tonight I want us to remember and and really reflect on the fact that one of the things that that communion teaches us is that God does great things in unexpected ways I think that's something that we we have to reflect on because even as this wonderful choir Minister they they ministered to us talking about the Word of God and if the Lord said it you can settle it you can count on because he's going to do just what he said but here's the issue he will do just what he said but he won't do it often the way that we expect him to do it I don't expect y'all to really give dumb plays on that one but but but I want you to understand that because well God is more concerned about is not just where he's trying to get us but what he's also trying to do in us this is often why when I hear people talking about the vision that God has for them or for their family one of the things that we misunderstand is that vision is progressive meaning that before you possess it vision has to possess you meaning that sometimes God won't do it immediately equipped because he's first got to do the work in us I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 we know we know parts of that verse in Philippians where we get to the part when he says forgetting those things that are behind I press towards the mark of the prize of the high calling but but even before he gets to that verse in in Philippians 3 and 12 he says not that I've already attained it or either I'm already perfect but I follow after it that I may apprehend to get this that which apprehended me Paul is saying it is almost as if Jesus plays tag with us sometimes that that he comes and finds us where we are plays tag and says tag you're it takes off running because he wants us to follow him Paul Paul says if you really want me to sum up my life the truth is I was apprehended by Christ on the Damascus Road and the rest of my life is that I've been trying to apprehend that which every handed me I've been trying to just grasp that which blast me I've been trying to get to that which got to me do you hear what I'm trying to tell you because you're in a struggle for greatness but but the problem the problem when you are going through that process like the Apostle Paul describes the problem is Bishop is that many believers they often in the middle of that process play what I call the hokey-pokey with God I'm sure you don't know what the hokey-pokey is I know that this is an anointed place where nothing say they're all off your lips but but growing up in the south as a kid we used to play this game called the hokey-pokey you put your left foot in you put your left foot out you put your right foot in and you oh you do know that song see I really believe that that the challenge with with what not wants to do in our lives often is that we we play the hokey-pokey with God because we are believers in name but as we are on the road when God is doing stuff in us when we are pursuing that which which apprehended us often the times get challenging and difficulty and difficult and so we ultimately kind of just step in and step out we will step in on Sunday we put our right foot in on Sunday and then when Monday or Tuesday comes in the going gets rough then we put our right foot out we we we played a hokey-pokey with God and Jesus was was really trying to tell us that that's not the way to go and Luke 9 he he says in Luke 9 and verse 62 he says no one who puts their hand to the plow and looks back as is fit for service in the kingdom one translation says is good for nothing he says that that when you connect with me I want you to be all the way in not oh I don't want you to play with me I don't want you to be some timing you're not going to get where I'm trying to take you if you're not fully invested but this is the challenge this is the challenge with with many of us tonight and this is why I said at the moment in the beginning that this is going to be there a little bit prophetic because I know you don't know me and I don't know you but God has given me insight into to where some of us are tonight and it's the same place where many many believers are in the body of Christ it's the same place where Peter he is in John chapter 21 and it's interesting because when you study the Ministry of Jesus particularly in how he relates to Peter Jesus only calls Peter Peter a couple of times once or twice depending on what translation of the Bible you read he really the majority of the time calls him Simon or calls him Simon Peter the narrator Matthew Mark Luke and John they will call him Peter but Jesus only calls him Peter once or twice most translations have it have it twice he only calls him Peter twice why because Simon is the name that denotes where he's been peter is the name that denotes where he's going so often Jesus would call him not Peter he would call him Simon Peter because he knew that that Peter had one foot in his past and another foot in his destiny I'm coming to talk to some of you tonight and in the middle of where you are some of us got one foot where we been and another foot where we're going and in between your past and your future is the struggle for greatness this is this is not a highlight time in Peters life I know that Peter in the book of Acts is gonna be a stellar disciple but but this is a low moment in Peters life because because Peter is in the struggle for greatness he's he's frustrated and and Peter just says you know what forget it I'm just gonna go back fishing he says you know what this is a low moment nobody I think is really paying attention to me I'm frustrated I'm angry I'm a little disappointed and so I'm just going to go fishing translation forget this ministry thing a people just let me down so I'm just going to go fishing and and Lord knows can I just talk to myself for a second Lord knows I know none of you been this way but but but lord knows that I know how Peter feels I've been there I know you haven't but but I've been there I've been there sometimes when when people tell you that they love you and they really are just trying to set you up for failure look Lord knows sometimes I felt like Peter and I wanted to say you know what Jesus you can have this ministry thing I just want to go back fishing you know when there's more lying and treachery sometimes an arrogance in the body of Christ then there is in the world so I know y'all don't know what I'm talking about but sometimes I've just felt like saying Lord I just wanna I just want to go back fishin do you hear what I'm trying to tell you cuz sometimes you don't want to put on a good face and smile and pray for those that despitefully use you sometimes you want to take this off and say now wait a minute now he saved me from the streets but I go back there if I need sometimes you don't sometimes you want to say Jesus I just want to go back fishing Peter says forget it forget it forget it Peter says I'm going back fishing and I'm here to talk to somebody tonight you're in that place you may not be able to shout on this one tonight you may just have to cry quietly because that's what you are maybe it's in the marriage maybe it's in the business maybe maybe it's in another area of your life but you're your prayer just this morning was god I really just want to go back fishing you know what and God brought me all the way here to tell you you're just in a struggle for greatness cause I want to give you two things that I'll quickly get out of your way this struggle for greatness what's involved in it pastor van well number one it's a struggle to not go back it's a struggle and I go back this is one of the most frustrating times in Peters life and the reason that is frustrating is because the Messiah the Korea's Christos that we asked to tell you the the one that they had longed awaited they they had no idea that he was going to be crucified they had no idea that he was going to have to detect to carry that cross down the Via della Rossa they they had no idea that he was going to have to go through what he what he went through and so because of the frustration because things didn't work out the way that Peter expected that's why he goes back fishing because Peter didn't expect for Jesus to have to go to the cross this is why if you remember when when jesus is alive doing earthly ministry at one point he calls the disciples together he says hey what's the word on the street who the men say that I am and and nobody nobody gets it but Peter some say well you know maybe John the Baptist reincarnated or Elijah and Peter says no no no no I know who you are I know who you are you are you're Jesus to Christ the Son of God and he says well done Peter flesh and blood having revealed that to you but my father in heaven and upon this rock I'll build my church I mean he goes he gives Peter major commendation and then he begins to say now that you got it let me tell you how I'm going to get there it's not going to happen the way that you expect it I'm going to have to be crucified I'm gonna have to be betrayed and the st. Peter that just got commendation says no no no not gonna happen I'm sorry Jesus I just got to tell you like it is that we're not gonna let you do it and he turns around doesn't even call him Peter doesn't even address him he says get behind me Satan because you're mine there's other things a man instead of the things of God Peter never expected Jesus to go to the cross this is why even when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Roman soldiers come to to arrest him Peter pulls out the sword I like it because at least when Peter is wrong he's all the way wrong you know I mean when he's on his own and when he's all he's all the way off in the Garden of Gethsemane he pulls that sword out and says no if you're gonna get him you gonna have to come through me and Pete just cuts the ear off and Jesus says Peter Peter it's not it's not come on now not like that bro Peters frustrated he goes back fishing because things didn't turn out the way that he had expected them to and can I tell you something you don't really know hurt you don't really know disappointment until you speck expect one thing and you get something totally different you don't read oh really no hurt until you expect the Rays but you get nothing you don't really know disappointment until you expect expect to be recognized but you get looked over or you expect a pat on the back and you ultimately get laid off you expect fidelity and devotion to to death do you part and you don't get that that's the definition of disappointment and frustration and so Peter goes back to doing what he was doing before Jesus even came into his life because things didn't happen the way that he had expected them to and I'm teaching to some of you tonight and that's exactly where you are you expected something but what you've got was something totally different the God brought me all the way here from Birmingham to tell you that here's the good news even though you expected something different here's why you gotta learn to give him a praise even in the midst of him doing something different because God really works things out the way we expected him to he rarely does it bishop he rarely does it I figure this out see what we want is we want God to take us from no place to some place overnight we want God to turn it around overnight mm-hmm but but that's not how God words what some of you saying well how do you know that Pastor I don't even know you I don't know if I can trust this well I know this because there's a pattern in Scripture that God has established that shows us how God would not only work in the lives of the Old Testament figures but also in the lives of New Testament figures and in our life as well there's a pattern in Scripture can I show you what that pattern is that the pattern goes like this out of Egypt through the wilderness into the promised land I said it too fast here's the pattern out of the wilderness let me out of Egypt through the wilderness into the Promised Land yo y'all not talking to me over here can I give you the pattern again out of Egypt here's the pattern through the wilderness in to the promised land I know I am I got some Bible readers in the house some of you think about what about Deuteronomy 6:23 that he brought us out to bring us in yes but before you go in guess what you're gonna go you're gonna come out you're gonna go through then you're gonna go in he did it he did it for the nation of Israel he did it for the nation of Israel brought them out of Egypt but then the Bible says that he intentionally didn't take them at the short route he took them through the wilderness in order to bring them in to the land he did it for them he did it for Jesus did it for Jesus Jesus Jesus comes comes out of the water being baptized by John the Baptist the heavens open in a voice sounds from heaven and says that this is my son in whom I'm well pleased he comes out of the water and then the Bible says that the spirit not the enemy y'all you missed that one the spirit drives him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil then he comes out of the wilderness then he comes into his ministry that's when he begins to heal that's when he begins to deliver that's when he begins to move in miraculous fashion and and and Luke 4 and 14 if you're if you're taking notes write this down in Luke 4 and 14 it says that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee this is after the wilderness so where does the power come from he returned in power where does the power come from it comes from the wilderness I think I lost you okay Bishop we love to call acts 1 and 8 and after that ye shall receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon you we love the quote it but we don't ask the question God what do you mean after that as after your wilderness you do know that there was 40 days in between the resurrection the Ascension and the day of Pentecost don't you because what were the disciples doing in that upper room when they were praying waiting on the Holy Ghost it was a 40 day period of wilderness wandering yeah see he says he says he says after that and I think I lost some of you sent me back up Jesus is the pattern son took I got some help here Bishop Jesus is the pattern son first Peter says that he is our example in all things which means that the way that God worked in his life is the way that God is going to work in our life meaning guess what don't panic you're just going through your wilderness and when you come out you're gonna come into something but you're gonna come out with greater power you just miss it okay um part of the reason that there's so little power in the body of Christ is because nobody wants to go through the wilderness we talked about power but we don't operate in it okay let me back up I'm sorry uh Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 2 Deuteronomy 8 and 2 here's what God tells Moses to tell the nation of Israel says remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these 40 years why why to Humble you mm-hmm and test you in order to know what was in your heart here's the clincher and whether or not you would keep his commands God says I have to take you through the wilderness for a reason why because as in the wilderness that you demonstrate your faith yeah it's in the wilderness that you show God that I depend on you more than people it's in the wilderness that you develop a devotional life is it a wilderness that you really learn what praise and worship is all about you don't need goodness you don't need a choir you don't need a minister of music in the wilderness you know how to alert you raise your own him sing your own song raise your own all friend tell him thank you Jesus wipe your own tears and shout all around your closet by yourself in the wilderness in the wilderness he said I had to take you through the wilderness to see whether or not you keep my Commandments meaning that you get the commands on Sunday and God says so then I got to set up some wilderness time on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday I got to put the problematic people around you because that's your opportunity to walk in what you just learned don't suck okay all right let me say it another way I love this jesus says in matthew 16 and verse 24 he said to Matthew 16 and 24 watch as he says whoever wants to be my disciples you must deny yourself take up your cross and follow me says that's wilderness language he says if you're going to be my disciple if you don't follow me you got to take up your cross you got to deny yourself you got to follow me here's the thing about the cross looking for a cross in here's the thing about the cross when the cross when the cross is in a stationary position the cross is an addition symbol mm-hmm when when the cross is in a stationary position it's an addition symbol mm-hmm but if you're gonna take up your cross the call shifts when you put it on your back you ever seen somebody carrying the call when they carry the cross they don't carry it like it's an addition symbol when you put it on your back it shifts and it becomes a multiplication symbol when I'm trying to tell somebody tonight is you been praying for increasing multiplication and he says you don't even know that I'm getting ready to give it to you but you got to take up your call you got to take up your calls increase supernatural breakthrough it's coming but it comes on the backside of the wilderness oh so so Peter Peter Peters forgotten this Peter Peter struggling because he said let me let me just go back let me just go back this is too problematic for me I'm sick of dealing with people and and stuff and and I can't believe that they call themselves a Christian and they did what they did and I let me just let me just go back and then you know and I think Jesus in His wise Providence in him being fully human and fully divine he knew that Peter was going to go through this because if you remember earlier Luke 22 and verse 31 Jesus says to Peter he says Simon Simon there it is again he says he says Satan Satan Satan asked to sift you like wheat mm-hmm but I prayed for you Simon that your faith not fail and Lynn you've turned back strengthen your brothers notice that Jesus doesn't say I'm gonna take you out because there's a purpose to the wilderness he says Simon Simon Satan has asked to sift you like wheat but he doesn't say I'm gonna take you out I'm going to prevent it from happening he just simply says that I pray for you he says you don't have to go through the wilderness bro but I prayed for you I played for you just Satan has asked to to sift you my grandmother went to glory several years ago and my grandmother was an amazing cook and and I've used to love going over grandma's house unday afternoon that was what we did growing up we went to Grandma's house and she she I think I was her favorite I have to find out when we get the glory I think I was but but but she would always she would make a marble cake for me that's my favorite cake you know the chocolate vanilla swore she would make the marble cake and I used to love to go into the kitchen long before the cake was made because because when she was really in a good way you know she would let me lick the bowl and lick the beaters anybody knowing about I don't know yeah she would let me lick the beaters you know but when she was preparing the cake she used to have this old-school sifter it was that that silver head too low it was bent up you know all banged up you know had the handle had a little crank on the side you know and she would she would put the flower in the top and then she would and what would happen is is the large clumps the substantial stuff would be caught in the top and the light stuff would fall to the bottom Simon Simon Satan has to some of you wondering what's the shaking been about Satan's trying to sift you he's trying to separate you from what he knows you're getting ready to step in - why have I been going through what I've been going through it's just the enemy but then Jesus says that I prayed for you I prayed for you and when you turn back y'all went to sleep on me over here not and if and when you turn back God's got more confidence in some of you than you have in yourself God has not up in heaven toward the list I'm saying I hope they come through he said I know who my baby is I know I know what I put in them greater is he that is within you then he that is within the world he says so they may be shaken now but when they come out of this he says strengthen your brothers he says Peter you going through something and what you're going through is not just about you what you're going through is about everybody that's connected to you so when you come out Peter what I need you to know is that it's not just you that's coming out is everybody connected to you God I feel that in the whole eagle touch somebody and tell them when I come out of this wilderness everybody connected to me is coming out this struggle is not just about me it's about my baby it's about generations coming after me my whole family's coming Bishop I heard the Lord say that if the church would just be the church and just step up everybody's like what's gonna happen with the church this is this is a bad time this is not a bad time the world is waiting hmm on the church to stand up and when the church stands up everything connected to it is getting ready to come out I'm sorry I my own time let me hurry up hey oh it's just struggle to not go back touch somebody say don't go back let me give you this last point and then I'm gonna get out of your way and my okay Bishop on time it's it's a struggle it's a struggle of your will you're going to struggle for greatness first part of the struggle is the struggle to not go back don't don't go back there's nothing back there for you but the second thing is it's a struggle of your will because let me tell you what Peters really wrestling with on a psychological level Peters saying no wait a minute now I left my business I left my occupation as a fisherman to be part of this ministry thing Jesus and you're gone and it was your ministry that took care of us yes he don't let anybody fool you into thinking that Jesus was a beggar and then he was broke and I'm not I'm not a prosperity guy not I'm you know because I believe that God wants us to be whole in every area not just one area so I don't teach just one part of the Bible I teach the whole Bible but but I want you to understand that it is alive from the pit of hell for for people to think that Jesus was broken that the disciples were broke that that's not Bible not Bible first question is why in the world do you need a treasurer if you don't have any money come on Judas was a treasurer all of them all of them were entrepreneurs and business owners if I had more time I would go into that and teach that but the Bible even says that beyond them there were wealthy women that were the patrons that that were the underwriters of Jesus's ministry and so Jesus's ministry took care of them but not only did the ministry take care of them it was the ministry that promised a bonus okay I got to go to Bible on this one Luke Luke 18 verse 29 write this in your margin so you can study it when you get home Luke 18 beginning around verse 29 this is on the backside of the rich young ruler the rich young ruler comes warning up to Jesus and says what must I do to inherit eternal life Jesus says go sell everything that you have and you'll get it and the Bible says that he walked away real slow because he had many things many of us misunderstand that passage Jesus was not saying you can't have things he's just saying he don't want the things to have you and so the rich young ruler leaves puts his head down walks away and here's real Peter again Peter says uh uh um uh Jesus I got asked you a question because we just saw that whole exchange and so the question is what are we gonna get this is this is this is this is what Peter asked he says I just want to know because we left stuff too now I mean I'm just saying it's been in your Bible hold tight he says for real so so so what did we go get and here's what Jesus responses Luke 18 verse 29 he said to them assuredly I say to you there's no one who's left house or parents or brothers or wives or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who shall not receive many times more in this present time and in the age to come eternal life you missed it so he's saying before you start talking about I'm gonna get a roll you're gonna get a roll all God's children gonna get a roll when I get to him I'm gonna put on my robe uh time he said oh oh oh before you start on my pie in the sky when you get to glory please know that he promised some stuff right now in this day oh I wish I could teach it like I feel it look at somebody and tell him he promised to bless me he promised to bless me Oh bless folk let me tell you something can I just give you something that sets you free tonight stop hiding your blessings I'm not giving you a license to be arrogant and prideful that's not the Word of God either but stop hiding your stuff okay y'all know how we do you get something new and god bless you with it you know it's a beautiful dress on this whole thing it ain't nothing hey you know I'm just a sinner saved by grace no in joy what God has done in your life um this is liberating for somebody go on your vacation enjoy it and when you have haters that like well how dare you tell them you don't know what I gave up to go up me want to be you but they haven't gone through your wilderness and so tell them I get I got this because I came through some stuff through many dangers toils and snares ha ha I dare you ask them what are you willing to give up you got to give something up if you willing to go up but but but now but now but now but now that Jesus is gone the money is dried up Peter Peter says not wait wait wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute what a minute what am I going to do what am I going to do for money what am I going to do for for my livelihood what am I gonna do for my family and what Peter decides to do is the wrong thing he decides to take matters into his own hands and to go back to doing what he was doing before and the Bible says that they fished all night long and they caught nothing they worked hard they were sincere they were just sincerely wrong they wanted to catch something I hear that in the spirit you're very sincere but you're sincerely wrong they wanted to catch something but they went about it the wrong way and that's where some of you are tonight the only how is he reading my mail it's the Holy Spirit and can I tell you the truth of the matter as some of us really need to praise God that we didn't catch anything I'm not go get any praise right here anybody can praise God when he does stuff but some of us need to praise God that we didn't catch anything because we sho nuff went back we went back looking and it is the blessing of God that you didn't catch anything because whatever you would have caught outside of his will wouldn't have lasted anyway and so I love it bishop because they they they they they they've been fishing all night I love it in Jesus Jesus just Jesus shows up he says he says up he ask a rhetorical question he says uh hey hey have you caught anything he it's a rhetorical question but what because what he's trying to remind them is what he taught us in John that that I am the vine and you are the branches cut off from me you can do nothing he's trying to remind them of what he said it was his word I said what pasal Paul wrote down in first Corinthians that in Adam all men die but in Christ all men live he says hey hey hey do you do you have anything did you catch something hey ha how's it going and and the disciples you know they got an attitude they're like no no we didn't we didn't we didn't catch anything why because going back to lesser things is beneath you who is this for you got an anointing on your life for great things but you gotta stop playing footsies with lesser things and step into your identity Who am I teacher - he says Oh have you caught anything it they say no he says um just a thought but throw your nets on the right side of the boat just a matter of inches was the difference between breakdown and breakthrough yeah just just just just just a matter of inches was the difference between having it all and having nothing it has been said that six inches is just the difference in the distance between your mind and your heart could it be that God has already done it in here but he's trying to just travel six inches to do it here he he says just throw your nets on the right side of the boat he doesn't say move the boat he doesn't say move the boat you're in the way boat I'm teaching to somebody tonight it's like what if I can just move up to Tritton if I could just move the Newark if I can move to Atlanta and I can just get out of this marriage and get into the next marriage you're in the right boat the problem is not your boat the problem is you if he can just move you how do you know pastor that I'm in the right boat because you don't judge your situation by what it looks like on the surface you judge it by what God says about it I just lost you you don't judge your situation about what it looks like you judge a situation by what God says about it what does God say come here Ezekiel I need you to tell your story well one day God sent me into a valley of dry bones and he asked me a question he says son of man can these bones live he said I've been around the block a couple times Bethany so so I didn't even try to answer the question I just lifted it back up to the Lord I said Oh Lord you know but then God told me something that was very strange he said he zekiel prophesied to the bones don't talk about how messed up they are but talk about what they can be because there's power in your mouth I remember the word says that when it goes out it will never return void so when I began to prophesy to speak life to the bones there was a shaking ooh I feel that I don't know who this is for stop complaining and telling them what their knots begin the prophesy in the atmosphere what it could be you want to just go in your child's room when you get home lay hands on him and say I speak it in the name of Jesus you will be healed you will be intelligent you will be taught of the Lord in Jesus name gotta go home and touch your crazy husband and say I love you and there's nothing you can do about it Jesus in the name of Jesus heal his body touch his mind speak to what it can be not what it looks like to you some of you are getting ready to go from lack to abundance because it's not your job it's not the surrounding he's trying to move you some of you getting ready to shout feel a shifting a shifting in your entire life you can ready this different stuff that's been waitin on you the entire time you just had to get your mind right somebody just felt a click that's it you just God's been trying to get your mind right just move to the other side of the boat and watch this what's this what's this oh I'm trying to hurry up can I tell you this is why you don't play around when you come to worship yes that's it that's it this is why you don't play when you come to worship I hear this it this is why you don't play when you come to worship you'll come to worship for what you got on or what somebody else has got on and what somebody else is trying to you don't come to worship for that you come to worship because one word can shift you could become the worship because in that atmosphere God begins to do things that will literally change destinies and he says he says through your nets on the right side of the boat and they haul in a catch so large that they almost couldn't handle it who I here this is for somebody tonight you're getting ready to step in unprecedented blessings and it's going to be easy there's been a period where you had to work hard but you had to work hard because you were working out of your flesh but now you're getting ready to let God Drive and you gotta hear this this is why the priests had to wear linen undergarments because their work was not supposed to make them sweat okay y'all catch that Tuesday anything yeah um uh they get a catch so big that they can barely hold it in oh and can I tell you what God is looking for bishop notice notice that there are three types of responses to Jesus there are three types of responses because what's this what's this there's some disciples who stood on the shore right or whether when Jesus was on the shore they they they saw him but the Bible says they didn't recognize him yeah they saw him but they didn't recognize him mm-hmm then there was that the one that Jesus loved otama John and John said it is the Lord but he didn't move hmm but it was Peter then when he recognized that it was Jesus he started taking off stuff and jumped in the water bishop I hear the Lord saying don't worry about the folks who've been around for a very long time but they don't even recognize Jesus there's some people that can walk with him for three and a half years and when he shows up they won't even I am then there are some people that will say that's the Lord right there but they won't move oh that's a good preaching right there oh oh oh God was show enough in that place today but they won't move what God is looking for of the folk who say if I got to come out of this room if I got to come out of this stuff I'll come out of whatever I got to come out of because there's a wave of God moving and I'm gonna jump in I'm not gonna try to control it I will swim in it Oh Who am i teaching to tonight and when they get to the shore oh let me get there let me just leave this thing alone when they get there what they had been fishing all night for was waiting on him the fish was already waiting on him for my teaching - you've been trying to go about it your own way but if you were just surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ everything you need he has he is the great I am it's already there they've been working all night for something that they had access to the whole time and what I love about Jesus in His grace he says he says bring some of what you called it bring some of what you call bring some of what you call because because what God will do is he will let you have some reminders that you went about it and try to Joey and it didn't work out too tough anybody ever you have some of those reminders you can think back over your life here like oh yeah I see I will never do that again you're saying you tried it your way you see where it got you now come on in and do it my way they get to the show I'm closing they get to the shore I feel this I just want to say this I told you this is an surprise it's kind of prophetic they get to the shore you get to them they get to the shore and and and the fish is already laid out on the coals it's already laid out then wait a minute then this bread oh there's there's bread wait and and there's wait a minute there's fish okay wait a minute there's bread jesus said I am the bread of life there's bread and there's fish follow me and I will make you fishers of okay so there there's bread okay okay oh wait a minute this reminds us of communion as he brings them together he's saying y'all went back and you went and tried to do with Joey but remember the whole reason I came was so that my body and my blood could be shared and and he's literally showing us that around that table because everybody was around that table it wasn't just people to look like Jesus and wouldn't people that that they liked it was different kinds of people there was Ellis there were tax collectors there there were people that would betray him there were so many different types of people around that table what would you're getting ready to step into is a season where God is going to do more but he's going to do it through people that are going to be unexpected everything you've been trying to say in your one group and in your one clique but what Jesus is trying to show you is that I went to the cross not just for you I went through the cross for everybody and so there's the bread and there's the fish wait a minute wait a minute this is reminding me of something I got to share this with you before I close there's the bread there's a fish that's communion but wait there's something that's a bread and there's the fish oh Jesus was teaching one day and the teaching was so good that they had been there all day and there was about 5,000 men not counting women and children and Jesus had been teaching he just been in a vein and he'd been teaching all day and the disciples come up to him and they said Jesus I'm sorry we're not trying to interrupt interrupt a tent revival but uh but uh but uh this is a remote place and and there's there's not anywhere close for the people to go and get food so so just a great word by the way Jesus a great word but but uh great word but uh you but great word but you you got to kind of bring it to a close because the folk gotta go somewhere and eat man Jesus just says we all feed him and he keeps teaching um I don't know who it was I had a conversation but they run back to the disciples disciple say what What did he say and a and they say well he said we teeth we feed away we can't feed him we can't feed 5,000 we can't feed him and how he can't do that then I can tell him I really yummy go back tell him yeah go back to tell him so okay Jesus I love that point by the way that was a very unique take on Moses I love that I'm sorry to interrupt again I'm sorry let me I put my finger up Jesus I'm sorry um I yeah I talked it over to the to the fellows and they said we there's no way we have enough to feed all of them what do you have listen we we really really took inventory what was around and the most we could scrounge together this little boy I guess his mama was concerned and so she packed a couple of pieces of fish there it is and some loaves of bread that's all we got he says well here you make them sit down you make them sit down and bring what you have to me now here's what I want to tell you because I'm closing with this one of the greatest mistakes we make in that passage is we think that Jesus multiplied the fish and the bread he didn't do it they bring the lunch couple Issa fish a few loaves of bread they bring it to Jesus and here's what Jesus does he takes it mm-hmm he blesses it he breaks it then he gives it to the disciples and as and as they're walking around somewhere in between them hand and out the sandwich and going back in the bucket it continues to multiply so every time they give it and they reach for more of it it multiplies how you missed it in so now Jesus has them on the shore and he's what he what he's trying to remind them is of that episode because it's a picture y'all of what God is going to do in your life some have you been crying out God why God says because did you learn the lesson I'm going to first take you how take you from some people I take you from some stuff I gotta take you from your comfort zone once I take you then I can bless you but once I bless you hold up don't get too excited because after the blessing comes up but I got a break you so that I could give I said it too fast some of you been praying for increase some of you been praying that God would literally open the windows of heaven appoint you our blessings you have a room enough to receive it's happening but here's the process he's gonna take you he's going to bless you then he's going to but he's only gonna break you so he can give oh yeah let me see if you got it he's gonna take you he's going to but then after he blesses you he's going to so he can give you you're getting ready to move Bethany into a whole new dimension of man influence and and power and favor but it's not gonna happen the way you thought it was gonna happen you thought it was gonna be smooth sailing it's really smooth but God has got to do the work first in you so can I describe what's been happening recently if this is gonna be your best year yet but the process is you first got to be given less thank you he's going to he's going to so Jesus was literally saying Peter you're overreacting man I showed you the pattern I had to take you so that I could less you I had to bless you so I could break you I had to break you so I could give you can I give you a sneak peek at where you're going this is why when you fast forward two acts on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost falls and they say these men a drunk Peter says uh-uh we are not drunk as you suppose there's a special anointing on a map there's a power now he can preach and thousands will be saved there's a power on him that folk just want to get close to his shadow because when they get close his shadow they're healed but it never would happened if he didn't allow God to first then ultimately them so he could give come on give God a praise up in here give them a praise like you really mean it somebody needs to praise them like I got it now God thank you for everything you've taken me through thank you for reminding me every time you come to this table every time you eat up the bread drink of the wine it's not just about the salvation power of Jesus it's a picture of what God does in all of our lives except a seed fall to the ground and die it abides alone this is why when Peter said Jesus you can't go to the cross he says I have to go because because God takes us he blesses us then he breaks us told to mentally give us I want to do one thing if that's okay I first of all I don't want to take for granted I've enjoyed my time of sharing the word with you but I don't want to take for granted that everybody here that they're where they need to be in God so I want to give you an opportunity to do that and then I want to be a blessing to the house I didn't come to get anything I came to be a blessing because I know the power of sowing and when you sow I'm telling you God will move so I first of all if we had bowed every eye closed standing with me if you don't mind if you're physically able stand with me every head bowed every eye closed I want to be able to see you and I want you to be honest with me and with the Lord the only person looking at you right now is me Jesus and the bishop for a lot of my life I was in church but I was not in the Lord ci David said I was glad when he said unto me that was my testimony as a kid my testimony was I was sad when they said unto me because I didn't have an option mama made me go so I was in church but I wasn't in God but but when I really got him gone when when I allowed him in my heart my whole life change and I want to tell you something I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I don't want you to be ashamed so with every head bowed every eye closed I just want to ask you to raise your hand and acknowledge that that this is for you if you're here today and maybe you don't know Jesus if you here today and maybe you've given your life to Him but you don't have a church home or here's a big one this will ask you to buy heads and close your eyes if you're in church but as I was teaching something began to happen and it was it was your word because you're in church but you're not in him and you want to really surrender your life all your life not just to compartmentalize your relationship with the Lord but to give him all of you if that is you if you're in any one of those categories I love an opportunity to pray for you if you're in any one of those categories every head bowed every on clothes just slip your hand up just slip your hand there if you're in any one of those categories just slip your hand up I see you just slip your hand up I see you slip your hand up if you're in any one of those categories I don't have a relationship with the Lord don't have a church home or I do but I need to really just rededicate my life and start over with Jesus every hand up if that's you I want to make sure I want to count it every hand up if that's you every hand up every hand one two three four five put it up high so I could see you six father right now in the name of Jesus you can drop those hands father thank you for this word I thank you for those six hands or so that have just gone up to connect with you in a very real way and Lord I pray that as you've done it in my life I pray that you would do it in theirs that you would come into their hearts that you would take residence in them that you would feel them with your precious spirit and that you would tag them and then put them on the path that you have for them a path to bring them into their best place I thank you that the rest of their life is literally going to be the best of their life because they've fully surrendered to you on tonight and father their next steps are to follow the process of this great church and they get ingrained in the culture of this church and to not just go through membership class but to get involved in the serve and to help make a difference and I I pray that for them right now in the name of Jesus I thank you Lord that everything connected to them is going to be impacted by this decision and father I give you praise honor and glory for it now in Jesus name we pray those who agree say man come on would you give God praise for those decisions as you take your seats

Channel: The Worship Center with Van Moody

Views: 52,124

Rating: 4.7954545 out of 5

Keywords: TWC, Pastor Van, Van Moody, The Worship Center Christian Church, The Worship Center, Pas

Id: 6KFZeCTBSZU

Length: 64min 13sec (3853 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 04 2016