Sunday Evening Worship & Word | Pastor Anthony “The Magnificence of a River”
by Anthony McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Ezekiel 47:1, John 7:38, Revelation 22:1-2, 1 John 5:6, Revelation 21:1

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/anthony-mccool--sunday-evening-worship-word-2
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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I thank you thank you so much for the the prayers and I I covet you and it's uh happy to finally get this behind me it's uh it's been at the like the historic uh ride at the park of amusement named Dollywood there's a ride there called the Blazing Fury and right as you get to the end of it there's an exit sign and you think hey this is over and then that's when the drop the most severe drop and it gets me every time that's what it's been like uh trying to to complete this program and I tell you if if you ever eat at one of my favorite Cuisines with food from all around the world it's called the International House of Pancakes and uh if your table's ever a little bit wobbly my dissertation will make a nice table stop I promise you that I'm going to have to put a word search and maybe a crossword puzzle in it to get anybody to to ever open it but I appreciate your your prayers and I I owe anything like that to the tremendous teachers I've had that sit across this congregation I feel uh so very blessed and I see my little girl Eleanor bring home different papers and I've seen even [name redacted] start writing assignments and getting the proper spacing down I remember I had sister flip you and my Kinder for my k-5s and I remember I remember her riding on the board and she had just the most beautiful penmanship that you have ever seen in your life and that sticks with you and I always wanted to write like that and I I tried to I write really slow but uh if a document's ever floating around and she's sees it I want to I want to make sure that it it passes it passes the test but that just the tip of the iceberg from just a tremendous teachers and uh the the the ethic of hard work that exists across this congregation I was so blessed this past Wednesday evening Bishop talked about the many servants that are in this church and he reiterated a scripture he said how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel and that's uh we would be really shallow to to limit that to somebody uh standing behind a a Podium because the Bible calls them the foolishness of preaching but uh the servants that preach this gospel it's not uh some uh it's not always some pair of dress shoes or something like that but the the most beautiful feet I've seen sometimes is when there was a a project that needed done around the church and a skilled drywall hanger would show up those those boots those didn't just come off the rack there was some wear and tear on them maybe maybe some stains and but I want you to know when trying to get a project done those were the most beautiful feet that I have ever seen in my life if you're ever in a home and it's and it's on fire and you can't get out I promise you the most beautiful shoes you'll ever see is the those big high rubber fireman boots I I promise you'd want to you just want to hug them or he told about the other ones say evening when just uh illness came over him the most beautiful feet you may ever see is the the worn out tennis shoe of a nurse that's been running up and down the halls and it might be the difference in you living another day okay and I I thank God for this tremendous congregation filled with so many uh talents so many vocations using them preaching the greatest sermons that are ever preached in their daily life as they minister to their community and minister to the family doing what God has called them to do and I I honor each and every one of you this past Tuesday I guess it was I had the privilege they let me help out with some of the basketball games and I pulled up and there this whole parking lot was filled it looked like Easter Sunday and I there was middle school games and Elementary games and varsity games and you just I I sat at the scores table and did announcements probably the last time they'll ever they'll ever let me but uh you just see all the different coaches and all the volunteers and all the many different vessels just pouring in to another generation and it's it's it's so so very humbling and I honor each and every one of them and I I think I I mentioned earlier we need to have a elementary basketball game on Easter Sunday in between offering and the preaching and we we wouldn't even have room enough to to fill up this place but I give I give honor tonight to Bishop pastors I'm cool Pastor Whitley in this tremendous congregation I love you all so much I want to welcome them before but I want to pay special welcome I haven't got to do it publicly to the to the Davis family and brother uh Andrew Lindsay let's give them a great big hand and if I'm understanding correctly you are friends and grew up together but then found yourself in Knoxville at the same time that's uh I'm just going to say that's just a Divine coming together now I wouldn't embarrass him for the world but uh because it's an amazing thing brother Andrew is a pitcher for the University of Tennessee baseball team the number one baseball team in the United States but that that pills in comparison to his testimony and his faithfulness to the house of God and uh I I honor you and and what an what an amazing example uh that is to accomplish that but you know keeping God first in your life and I thank you for that and it's just a blessing uh to have you all here if you would turn in your Bibles for three verses of scripture we're going to uh we're gonna go all the way through from the Old Testament to the New Testament to then close out in Revelation but that's not indicative of the time that I'm going to speak I promise you Ezekiel 47 verse 1 . afterward he brought me up again unto the door of the house and behold Waters issued out from under the threshold of the house Eastward for the Forefront of the house stood toward the East and the waters came down under from the right side of the house and the south side of the altar verse 2 John 7 38 he that believeth on me as the scripture had said out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water Revelation chapter 22 verse 1 and 2 and he showed me a pure River a Water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the Tree of Life which bear 12 manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations I want to speak to you for a few moments this evening and through God's help and God's help alone overlooked the inadequacies of the speaker and let God's word minister to you the title The magnificence of a river the magnificence of a river if you would help me pray right now mighty God we thank you Lord we thank you tonight Lord you know the specificities and every detail of every situation that every individual is facing that made their way into your house tonight Lord let your word be fresh bread unto them if there be any uncertainty or knowing not what the next step is Lord let there be an answer tonight father if someone might find theirself in a Barren place and a drought Lord let there be a river water that just flows through a a refreshing a refreshing in your spirit a motivation a passion an encouragement knowing that through you we can make it one more day Lord we thank you and we praise you in Jesus name we pray amen the magnificence of a river s are powerful in many ways they feed communities support economies are that are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet they can also provide electricity to millions of people in a modern sense Ezekiel the Old Testament prophet was a priest of Jerusalem he was also a contemporary of Jeremiah just to give you a little bit of context to the timeline although he was a bit younger than Jeremiah but along with Daniel he was a member of the group that was carried into Babylon exiled by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar his home was at Tel Aviv on the banks of the river shabar and in this area is a large Canal to the west of Babylon and it's part of the Tigris and Euphrates irrigation complex running alongside this great irrigation canal on either side was intensive cultivation acre after acre a flat land covered these rich green crops the site of this fertile cultivated area and the change brought to the otherwise Barren and wasteful Land by means of air irrigation made a lasting impression no doubt on ezekiel's young mind and more than likely laid the groundwork for his inspired dreams and his prophetic Visions years later this priest as he got older became a prophet whose task was to impress upon the Exiles that the fact that the Calamity had the Fallen upon them was not necessarily because of the power of a neighboring Kingdom but because it was because because of their own sinfulness he said the soul that sins it shall die thus the Prophecies of Ezekiel include the doctrine of personal responsibility serving God living for God regardless of what anyone else around you is doing even if there's fake in frauds and phonies around you worshiping Idol it's just God you still have a responsibility even if as I mentioned neighboring kingdoms are serving other gods and and even come in as Nebuchadnezzar did it came into Jerusalem and took them captive he said that's still no excuse there's no excuse in the world not to serve God he also though on the other side talked about the restoration of a Nation if they will turn from their Wicked Ways then God will redeem them and then his third message his third Doctrine was that of the coming Messiah that would to come and be the Good Shepherd leading his flock and heal the Wilderness and uh and bring life back to a Barren place a promised place that was uh supposed to have milk and honey the 47th chapter of Ezekiel is about a river that is located in the Promised Land a river which starts in the sanctuary of the restored temple in Jerusalem and it flows down through Aruba a dry land the opposite of an area that's rich in water and plant growth the proper name would be referring to the Jordan Valley but it's a river that transforms The Bleak desert into a fertile Garden more Lush and more beautiful than even the cultivated areas where Ezekiel grew up and perhaps tonight you sit here in need of the magnificence of a river maybe you need a river of hope maybe you need nourishment and maybe you need life and maybe you're even sitting here this evening or tuning in online and wondering where this river is in the barren State and in the barren season that you've had to live to a a Barren land a desert can offer the most lonely of experiences Barren meaning no change in the landscape seemingly the same thing is happening over and over again there's no excitement and no growth there's nothing colorful there's no nothing vibrant there's no precipitation there's no rain nothing is growing nothing excels and nothing stands out and in a Barren place and in a desert place there's extreme temperature in the extreme environment seemingly kills any plant or animal that's not just super specifically designed for that climate a normal existence it certainly is not and this desert and this Barren land that you could find yourself in or this season of bareness could be triggered by an event in life and it can navigate you it can navigate us right into the most desolate of areas a desolate area where there is just a battle for your mind a a struggle for your physical health maybe your finances are are being sifted away and maybe a relationship is on the brink of shattering and oftentimes it's one or more of all of these put together and sometimes it's even like a domino effect with them and not to be too graphic but in medieval times one of the methods for a death penalty was uh it was it was called quartering in a a rope would be tied to the wrists and the ankles and four horses would be sent in each Direction uh giving the most gruesome of deaths and we can feel like that sometimes when we're we're battling with sickness here and then I'm dealing with a relationship here because this has affected this relationship here and then and then there's there's a battle for my mind here and then all of these things just come together and I'm just being pulled at every end and I can find find myself in the most isolated of areas in the most desert landscape of areas and as I mentioned it's often a combination of all of these infirmities attacking at each Direction and what can be even the most discouraging is right when you think you're about to exit that Barren place and right when you feel like you see just a an oasis just a place of growth Greenery on the horizon it seems it turns out to just be a mirage and barrenness continues on but I want you to know tonight that your desert is a season and not a sentence it could even potentially be preparation and not punishment we we know in the Book of Matthew that Jesus that the spirit led him out into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil the Apostle Paul wrote so to keep me from becoming conceited of the surpassing greatness of the revelations of thorn was given me in the flesh a messenger of Satan to harass me he said to keep from getting too struck on myself he said three times I prayed three times I pleaded with the Lord about this that it should leave me but he said unto me my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may be upon you he said the Apostle to the Apostle my I'm you're going to minister even greater knowing that you're having to do it through this knowing that you're having to do it while experiencing the pain that in the present and though you might not feel his presence perhaps there's been a significant amount of time perhaps a lot of events have taken place in your life since you since you last as Pastor Whitley told us last week just add that God encounter you know that that that refreshing it seems like it's been months or years it's just where where is that that river that that I read about that's that's prophesied about that that river that that Spirit that's just supposed to flow out of me where is it at there is a promise of a river a river that possesses irrigating qualities which shall literally cause as the prophet Isaiah would write the desert to rejoice and Blossom as the rose the river that transformed the Wilderness originated within the sanctuary of the temple and it would flow down to the surrounding valleys and tributaries the prophets imagery may have been taken as a Point of Departure as well from the fact and if you would show the pictures that the the pool of shiloha also another name appeared to flow just right underneath the Temple Hill and the pool of Shalom having been fed from a spring welling up with intermittent action from beneath the heel this gave imagery to many of the prophets the prophet Joel prophesied of this wonderful stream as a fountain that shall come forth from the house of the Lord and it shall water The Valleys Zechariah caught a glimpse of the same magnificent River with its healing influence he said and it shall be in that day that there will be Living Waters that flow out of Jerusalem have toward the former sea half of them toward the hinder sea in the summer and in the winter it shall be this river that Zacharias spoke about this river that Ezekiel spoke about this river that John spoke about is a prophetic foreshadow of what was to come and not a natural literal River but a little a river that's going to give to given to us by Jesus Christ and this river that we're talking about tonight has the ability to flow in any environment the river is not intimidated by the barrenness of the place this river that I speak to you tonight about is not dependent nor on the predicted weather patterns this River makes no mind the landscape that it enters into this River Zechariah said can flow in the summer and it can also flow in the winter it has the ability to flow through any type of extreme climate this River cannot be stopped by any Dam nor can it be stopped by any droughts Isaiah said this Mighty raging River that's able to flow it starts it's just the gently flowing water of shalua and when I hear that sound when I'm at the temple of God when I would go through the sanitation and sanctification process before I would step into the the temple I could hear just that little spring I know that that's the the Waterway that's going to flow into the mighty rivers that will bring life to that desert and when I hear that sound the prophet said I know that God is with us so I invite you to consider tonight that maybe you've been desperately trying to find your way to get out of that desert you've you've tried every means and every method that you can but I have a hope tonight the song says if I know one thing my God is a deliverer and I and I and I and I have hope tonight if you if you could understand and just and just think about whatever situation that you're facing that perhaps if you'll stop right where you're at and instead of trying to get out of where you are I just believe we serve a God who is able to meet you where you're at and I believe that if you'll just listen oh you might not be running around the aisles you might not be leaping for Joy you might not even be exclaiming but if you'll listen and I wonder if just for a moment we could just lift up our hands right where you're at and just ask God for just a gentle flow Lord you see the barrenness of some of the situations that came into this house would you pray with me Lord you see the desolate the Desolation and some of the the deserts that people find themselves in oh this could be a turning point service for somebody would you would you really help me pray Mighty God I'm asking you right now could there could there be could there be just a gentle flow could they be reminded right now I'm not talking about a a mighty River just yet but could they be find it at your house just just if I could just get a gentle flow that it could make me realize and build my faith and encourage me just a little bit that I could say Lord you know what I'm going through but if I know one thing if I know one thing in the place that I find myself in I know that you're a deliverer oh I I know I've been trying day after day and and month after month and I'm in the desert my mind is is plagued with all kinds of different voices and my physical health seems to be diminishing and it's causing my finances and my my relationships but God if I know one thing oh would you help me pray for just a moment this is a House of Prayer it's okay to pray right now in the midst of a sermon would you help me pray if I if I know one thing Lord Lord give us just just a gentle flow for a moment yes Jesus yes Jesus let us be reminded just just just just a moment just just for a moment my faith could be built for just just a moment just just as the prophet said as I stepped into your house you might have crawled in here tonight you may have came in here on empty but when I came in if I know one thing I know that you're with me yes Jesus yes Jesus yes Jesus as you clap your hands to him for just a moment God I need you I need you you're the encourager I need you Mighty God ezekiel's prophecy was referring to spiritual truth in geographical terms he was not talking about an irrigation project that may prove to be a politician's maneuver however the poetic utterances of the Prophet are are foreshadowing the Holy Ghost the Holy Spirit that's going to be with us as it flows through the desert of humanity transforming it into the paradise which are the growing Trees of Righteousness his Saints the planting of the Lord what is this water source Ezekiel Saw the waters coming out from under the threshold of his house my God what an image and the South Side by The Altar and this house of course meaning the temple the house meaning the the Church of the people of God founded upon the rock Christ Jesus it was from this rock that the waters would start to gush out these Living Waters that will transform the desert of Israel transform the desert of humanity Psalms tells us behold he smoked the rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed when the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus we read that water and blood both flowed out first John tells us this is he water and blood even Jesus Christ and ezekiel's prophetic Vision began at the Eastern portal of the house and it flowed Eastern Into the Wilderness trick the tribe of Judah camped on the Eastern side of the Tabernacle and Jesus was born of this tribe of Judah Judah is therefore the Eastern Gate by which Jesus came into this world Isaiah told us and a man this Messiah shall be as the rivers of water in a dry place as Ezekiel walked Eastward along the river he had a guide with him and this guide would measure the depth every thousand cubits and the river at some places was shallow as rivers are but it would increasingly get deeper broad or a river that could not be forwarded a a river that had Waters immeasurable Waters that one could swim most natural Rivers arise from a single spring but as they flow toward the sea they meet other spring fed brooklets or tributaries thus the rivers grow from just just a trickle to a vast Waterway it started as just a gently flowing water of shaloa and Jesus is this main source Jesus Christ is the spring from which the River of Life Begins Ezekiel noted from his God's measurements that the river was shallow at certain places TF they're like TF tinny Bishop TF tinney said that every sermon you get up to preach you need to think of it that your lost son is sitting on the back row and what would you say if this was his last service I want you to know this river that I talk about tonight there is a place of entry into it no matter where you are at there is plenty of space for you to get into it no matter what situation you may have found yourself coming to the house of the Lord tonight no matter what demons you might be facing with the Demons of of doubt and the Demons of weariness or the Demons of telling you well I I I'm not able to do this and I failed in this area and and I'm stealing still dealing with with this addiction or or this trouble that's okay there's a place in this river that I'm talking about that you can begin to step in oh and you might be in intimidated well I can't even swim it's okay just step on in because we are walking into it together and there is a place of entry for every single person under the sound of my voice and it doesn't matter who you are it doesn't matter what you're dealing with it doesn't matter where you came from or what you've got there's a place of Entry for you for you in this time he said if any person Circle that underline it tell us bold red what's that font that really stands out Ariel that was the bad pronunciation thank you uh he said if any person will hear and obey the word to the disciples the apostles then they too shall become a well of water springing up to everlasting life thus through you will this River continue to flow through your life through your testimony through the sermon that you preach through your tributary some may come in through children's ministry some might step in through adulthish some some might step into that river through the the be free ministry whatever the case there's a space for you to get in and if you will Step In this River that if we can remind ourselves because sometimes we can get so intimidated so sometimes we can think well I've got to look at the the big the big picture and I know what the complete outcome is going to be if we can just get into his house and just just hear where it starts at and just just that that trickle just that little spring when when we pool our resources together when we we pull our talents together when these many different streams flow together into the river that is Jesus Christ there's a river that no damn nor doubt construct stop and it's not intimidated by anything that is taking place around you the church is this house of God and out of this house from under this threshold even from the very Foundation Stones is giving words of Peace words of consolation words of Joy words of Hope for the soon coming kingdom of God all who believe are given life Jesus told the woman at Jacob's Well that if she knew the gift of God and who it was that she was speaking with she would ask him to give her living water and not just for her but all who were a thirst are invited to drink Isaiah said when the poor and the needy seek water when those that are in a Barren State those that find themselves in a desert need water and there is none and their tongue fell for thirst he said I will open rivers in high places I believe one poet said that he had friends in low places but we have a friend in a very high place and he can bring fountains right in the midst of valleys Isaiah said that he can make the Wilderness a pool of water and the dry land Springs of water Jesus pronounced them bless who hungered and thirsted after righteousness for they shall be filled the Apostle Paul said the kingdom of God is Not meat and drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and on the day of Pentecost 120 were filled with the Holy Ghost thus 120 new wells of Jacob came into existence new tributaries flowing into one River and as Peter began to draw water from The Well of Salvation even the words of the prophets gave drink to the dry as they began to recite Joel and the other prophets to these thirsty crowd of Jews then three thousand more were added and this River continued to keep growing this River continued to get deeper this River continued to expand the praise team and musicians make their way up and finally in the Book of Revelation we read that John saw a river as well and he saw this River proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and upon this Throne Christ sits at the head his word shall go forth from his people whom he has redeemed for they shall sit with him and Reign forever for they speak his words words of life that shall be like a great River of peace which I invite you tonight the only words that should ever exit the mouth of his people should be words of peace they should be never words of insult they should be never words of Digs at someone they should be never words that could possibly attempt to cut someone else down words of peace words of life bringing Joy and gladness to all Humanity all tears shall be wiped away for the time of Sorrow shall be over and the voice of the Lord as he speaks to the redeemed shall be as Revelation tells us the voice of many Waters this river flows from the temple of God just as a trickle through the mediator Jesus Christ to us today as a means of transportation to our Heavenly home growing up in a Minister's home I've been to so many different Memorial services and funerals and as you study to to preach and prepare you know you ask sometimes you're nervous to preach not really the the nervousness is trying to study and and have something that you can hope possibly be some kind of sustenance to that Mighty congregation such as this knowing knowing that so many different individuals have faced situations that I I can't possibly relate with just incomprehensible disasters and and tragedies people under the sound of my voice who who've had to do the UNS Unthinkable thing of attending the funeral service of a child or or a brother or sister or someone that went on before their time and you you try to think of things to to when people are hurting and requesting prayer and just to be completely transparent there's sometimes I I don't know what to say I love you I'll be there and I promise you I'm going to lift your your name up in prayer but you know to to to to to prepare a sermon and and preach to especially to to this congregation a congregation that I had the privilege to to grow up in and to see all the amazing men and women of God sometimes in the studying like I I I I I hope I I hope what goes I hope What Goes Forth and and when we we've all been taught every Minister that gets up here you you better study you yeah God can give you something extemporaneously but he anoints preparation a whole lot more I believe that and you you better never feel entitled to come up here and Heaven's nose with my heart that that's it's it's it's it's a very intimidating thing to to try to think of words to be preacher sought acceptable acceptable words to try to minister to people who have ministered to me 10 20 fold by just watching their life and watching how they've reacted and and and emergency situations and just catastrophic events and still see their faithfulness and still see their testimony and still see their praise and it's it's very humbling I remember probably the most tragic situation that's ever faced our family was the passing of my cousin Corey who at 31 years old just within a six-month span was diagnosed with cancer and just it was the impossible really to even comprehend what was taking place and he preached for us I guess it was like three weeks before he actually passed away and just uh to think about it just the perfect perfect family lovely wife and lovely children and I and and I and I remember his his kids even being at our house during that time they're they're real close to the same age that my kids are now and I I kind of try to think of and I know that many of you have experienced similar situations and and I remember at the funeral in particular my Grandpa's twin brother Bob his son's name Bob as well and I remember Spencer my uncle Spencer which is Corey's father grabbed uh my dad and Bobby by the shoulders and he said Mark Bobby listen to me boys tell your sons and your kids every single day that you love them and I I don't guess I'll I'll ever I'll never forget that because in the one sense in in this life it's it's so haunting and then on the on the on the the other sense I I I have to have hope and as I mentioned at the beginning a little bit ago I've been to so many funeral services and I I remember usually by the graveside when my Grandpa would would do the the final sermon he he would always make these this statement uh from the word of the Lord and I John saw a new Heaven and a new Earth a new Heaven and a new Earth and what we read throughout the beginning all the way to revelation there was a river prophesied Jesus is that River that River comes to us as the Holy Ghost a comforter in this life that I don't have the answers I I sometimes I'll say hey I'll call me if you need me I'll be with you but I probably I can't help you much but there'll be suffering in this life there'll be tribulation in this life but we have to cling on the hope that I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth and that this River this River of Life that when we get baptized into and there's a there's a means and a method for every single purpose person there's a entryway for every single person and we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost that river that flows out of us it's a transportation system it's a way of Transport from Earth to our Heavenly home and we have to have and we have to cling with that hope every single day that you know what this isn't all that there is this life is but a vapor there there's going to be a time when every tear is going to be wiped away there's going to to be a time when there's going to be no more sorrow when we reach that other Shore and we got to cling on to and I John saw a new Heaven and a new Earth and if I'll stay faithful even in my Barren times even in those times where I don't have that God encounter even in those times where it doesn't feel like I'm running around or leaping for joy and I truly don't have any idea what's going on and I find myself just barely able to make it into the house of God if I can just hear that sound oh I know that God is going to be with me because I know one thing you're a deliverer I know one thing that there's going to be a day when I'm going to be reunited with my loved ones they're they're just a river just a little bit this life is just a vapor I've got a Heavenly home that my savior is preparing for me oh it could we give him praise for just a moment oh I know there's hurt I know there's pain I know there's those in your life that you that you miss and I can't truly I can't truly relate to some of it but but if if I could just convey what the word of God says and remove all my inadequacies out of the way could you cling on to that hope for just a moment tonight that that there's going to be a day that we're going to be reunited together if I know one thing just remain standing if I if I know one thing God would you pray for just a moment God if I if you know if I just know one thing just cling on to that hope for just a moment as I close out yes Jesus the clothes of Ezekiel 37. he was told by the Lord to take two sticks he said right Joseph on one stick and right Judah on the other this is still Ezekiel prophesied now he was instructed to join them together man can you imagine the blood of Jesus Christ and duct tape not a powerful Union he said to bind them together all right here I said find these two sticks together and he said hold them together in your hand now for there's no longer two sticks but one stick this River that's going to flow there's no longer two kingdoms a kingdom of Joseph and a kingdom of Judah now one Kingdom there's there's no longer two Nations of Joseph and Judah there's now one nation now these two are made one now these two shall be reconciled now these two shall be healed now these two shall live together in peace and we see this same language with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost now there should be no longer Jew nor Greek no Rich no poor these different streams flowing United together into the same river of Jesus Christ mother debusk shared an awesome story with me this morning he was at the flea market and he passed a young man that was wearing a Houston Astros jersey and we'll pray for forgiveness for those Astros fans later he's wearing a Houston Astros jersey and he said hey I like that shirt because they're both Astros fans they started to talk about the Astros and brother debusk said hey I would love to have you come to to church sometimes and he said well uh I go to church so that's that's fantastic and they just continue to talk and he goes I go to First he's an episode he'll I've been there and I I go down there sometimes he goes you do and he they started talking and this young man named Daniel he knew Brother Joseph Perez and he was uh he had been to Pia many times and they just kept on talking and I they came to the conclusion said you know what we go he's brother the bus said if you're there on Sunday morning you see the guy behind the cameraman he said oh I have but the bus that's me and they just kept talking and just had a great conversation and at the close of it they said we go to the same church that's not fac or and Pia there there's not uh adulterers here and and Kids Quest here and uh something over here this is one body One River [Applause] and I want to invite you tonight just symbolically if you found yourself maybe in a Barren place maybe a a desert type landscape I promise if you come up here to pray you're not going to come alone because I wanted to symbolize that no matter what you are going through no matter what you are facing you're not there by yourself your trouble is my trouble your heartache is my heartache your loss is my loss and I want you to know there's a group of people here that love you that will pray for you and that will be with you which would somebody step forward symbolically right now and somebody that's going to pray with you attach that together that you're one [Music] is there anyone else I wonder if there's a couple [Music] a couple who's been praying for some things to to know to know that we're in this together what can start [Music] as just a small Trickle one person one person can launch a Revival one person's prayer is there anyone else has to [Music] take our time in a second we're doing all right [Music] but we call things different Ministries but it's the same thing your hurt is my hurt your pain is our pain anything being faced I want you to know tonight that we're doing it together there's a place of Entry right now and the praise team is about to sing and can you acknowledge with your worship and your praise just hear that sound and I believe God's going to pour His Spirit out if you've got the Holy Ghost do you need the Holy Ghost you need to be praying right now this could be the difference right now in someone's life this could be the difference in your life this could be the difference in your marriage in that relationship in your tomorrow I believe we serve a God that's ready to show up right now [Music] fire fighting me I don't need an explanation [Music] things [Music] [Applause] [Music] United [Music] refreshing Revival starts when there's a unite where there's no division when we're United in the name of Jesus he's one and we must be foreign he'll see us oh I wonder just for a moment maybe you've been dormant it spoken that Heavenly language in a while I wonder if you just Lift Your Hands Across this house you're in his house and just acknowledge that sound just for a moment would you ask him to have that Living Water just flow through you for a moment that's Jesus [Music] never alone you're not alone yes Jesus [Music] yes Jesus yes Jesus [Music] Lord please forgive me Lord please Lord the right words Lord please see my heart but I seek forgiveness right now Lord we know there's restoration for a nation it will turn away and you'll restore effectively Lord and thank you Father God [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] where you're at he's never leaving your home forsake you he sees him he sees right where you're at he's with you oh just cutting onto that hole for just a moment just just form what can start is just a mustard seed of Hope a mustard seed of bait Can Can it can blossom out in your life never mind foreign [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] because [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I want to invite every single person right now to just link up who's ever closest to you it could be appropriate single stream that is in this house every single family you might be in a season of blessing or you might be in a season of hurt you might be in a season that there's Lush Greenery everywhere or you might be in a season of drought but we're linking up every street bring together right now every tributary right now is coming together to One River Source through the name of Jesus Christ and we're going to lift up that name as we pray and I just believe there's going to be a a mighty Rush of a wave that just sweeps through this house over every problem over any child let's pray right now Mighty God as we approach your throne as we enter into your house Lord we we bring all of our hope anything that we have but on our own we know that our faith and our hope it's just that it's on our own But Mighty God right now we're putting it all together we're putting all that Faith together we're putting all that prayer together we're putting all that hope together and right now under the name of Jesus Christ as you as the Chief Cornerstone as you as the river Source all of these streams right now are flowing into it and Lord we ask for the comforter we ask for you just to come down into this house and set upon every single person right now almighty God we thank you would you pray in that name for just a second oh Jesus you pray in the spirit for just a sec [Music] you know the comforter he advocates for things that you don't even know you needed yes yes [Music] [Applause] finger away [Applause] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] I want to praise team and musicians to to pray as well they get they get here and all the media tend to get here should show them and work so many hours early in their faithfulness and I I want us all to truly play together with with with one with one voice One Voice up to heaven and there there's something that takes place when we when we hear the prayers all together there's there's an empowerment and encouragement would you pray right now oh mighty God we thank you oh right now where you can hear yourself call out on his name where you can hear yourself declare victory in that situation where you can hear yourself declare that a river is going to come and also where you hear those other prayers that are with you all of these prayers are with you whatever circumstance you're facing almighty God I rebuke every devil in hell I rebuke every Spirit of division Lord let us speak words of life and words of Peace Lord let us be the example that you would have us to be as we're the tributaries of the rivers that are called to flow into our city and in our communities and into our schools Lord let us show the love that you called us to God please cleanse My Heart Lord I Repent of any wrongdoing take away any arrogance take away any Pride Lord I I please forgive me right now if I've got a brother or a sister that I need to talk to and apologize to and make things right with Lord lay them on my heart right now Mighty God I thank you right now oh I feel unity in this place Revival starts when there's Unity the river comes together and broadens when there's Unity refreshing takes place when there's Unity the anointing begins to flow when there's Unity God's love is Manifest when there's Unity yes Jesus yes Jesus God we thank you foreign [Music] Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah to the lion Lord Jesus you are so worthy Lord Jesus you are so worthy hallelujah hallelujah Glory Glory Glory