A Midnight Message | Ben Rodriguez
by Ben Rodriguez
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13, Matthew 24:36, John 14:2

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/ben-rodriguez--a-midnight-message
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

------------------------------------------------------------
Praise the Lord. You may be seated here tonight. I want to thank your pastor, the whole pastoral family, and I'm, you know, just thinking a little bit uh about just this wonderful family. And truly, it's a wonderful family. And um I feel very privileged to be able to know every single one of you all. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. And I did not think that when I married my wife, Becca, that I was going to get a whole slew of people like you all into my orbit, but it happened. And I'm so thankful that it did. And um truly um you know, you meet some people sometimes in life and you know, you meet great people and you wish you can kind of have a connection, whatever it may be like. and life goes on. And um for whatever reason it might be, I feel like the Lord smiled on on me and my wife when he allowed you all to to be in my life. And I'm thankful for your constant investment u through every different season. And I appreciate you all very much. And um every I could say a lot of great things about every single one of you all, but I I take all my time here tonight. Um and I want to thank this wonderful church. Um what a wonderful church this is. I stepped into the prayer room a little bit ago and I was just overwhelmed with the spirit of prayer that I felt in this church. And the best way that I could describe it is I I told Pastor Ericson as we were walking out, I said, "There is such a deep deep deep well of prayer in this church. This church knows how to pray and get a hold of God." Amen. I've had the privilege and as pastor Carpenter had mentioned um one of my sisters people I'll tell people that I say yeah my sisters get married well I didn't know you had a sister so when I got married I got about eight extra siblings and um I claimed them as mine and um we're here for for the Preston wedding very honored and and I've had the opportunity to come in a couple of different days step into the church and it's been such a joy to just see people come in and out of this church um it makes such a You can feel it in the atmosphere tonight of the prayers. The scripture says the prayers of a righteous man, they avail much. And I feel like there's been some prayers coming from righteous men and women from this place. And I believe that when the people of God, they lift up their voices to him, anything is possible. Anything can happen. Amen. And I and I feel that type of atmosphere in this place tonight. I'm so thankful for the liberty that your pastor has given me. The liberty that I feel in this place tonight. And I understand it's a it's a midweek and I understand u the time frame, but I really do feel a special atmosphere in this place tonight. I'm thankful thankful for what I feel. Amen. Without further ado, why don't we all stand to our feet tonight as we quickly turn to the book of Matthew, chapter 25. Amen. Matthew chapter 25 starting in verses 1. When you're there, you can say amen. Scripture says, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. But they that were w that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight, there was a cry made, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him." And all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, "Give us your oil, for our lamps are gone out." But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us in you. But go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. And afterwards came also the virgin, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh. Amen. And today, with the help of the Holy Ghost, I feel a burden on my heart to preach under this title, I would like to preach to us about a midnight message. A a midnight message. Amen. Could we put our Bibles down and could we could we lift up our hands? I feel the Holy Ghost in this place. I feel such a strong anointing in this place. Would you help me lifting up your voices in prayer right now? Come on. Why don't we stir up the gift of the Holy Ghost that is already in this place that has been moving with this wonderful worship. Oh, hallelujah. Oh, come on. As you lift up your voice, why don't you pray that God would anoint the remainder of this time? I I don't want to keep us hostage tonight, but I want to deliver what the Lord would have for us tonight. Oh God, I pray that you would anoint my mind. God, I pray God that you would anoint my heart, my body. God, I stand, God, in front of you as a vessel. God, I pray that you would touch my vocabulary. God, I pray, God, that you would give me the ability to minister to your people tonight. God, there's a lot of different people, God, coming from a lot of different backgrounds in this place. There's people that need the Holy Ghost. There's people that have the Holy Ghost. Uh oh, but God, I stand in front of a great church tonight. Oh, but God, I stand God with the burden in my heart. Uh, and God, I pray God that you would seek to do and fulfill, God, what you are wanting to do in this place. Uh, I pray God that you would raise up, God, your word to be established in this place. Oh, come on right now as you lift up your hands. Can we just take a couple of more moments and feel after the presence of the Lord? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Why don't you grab the hand of a neighbor next to you right now? Why don't you lift up your voice in prayer? Come on. If you're full of the Holy Ghost tonight, why don't we tap in? Hey, there was such a wonderful presence of the Lord in that prayer room tonight. And I feel like something wants to spill over into the sanctuary. Uh oh, come on. That's it. God, empty me up. Empty me out so you may fill me up tonight. tire. Come on, that's it. Come on, someone just praise him right now. Come on from the bottom of your heart and with the fruit of your lips, why don't you just praise him right now? Hallelujah. Amen. You may be seated here in the fear of the Lord. I want to preach to us about a midnight message. You know, in the years of the founding of this nation during the Revolutionary War, there was a man by the name of Paul Rivere. His one action changed the course of the entire war that determined the fate of our new fledgling nation. There's a famous American poet named Henry Wodsworth Longfellow who captured this moment in American history. And I believe he captured something prophetic without even knowing it. And if you would allow me tonight and give me the liberty, I would like to read you an excerpt of one of the most famous poems from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He said, "Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Rivere." On the 18th of April in 75, hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend, "If the British march by land or sea from the town tonight, hang a lantern aloft in the Belelfrey Arch, the old North Church tower, as a signal light. One if by land and two if by sea. And I on the opposite shore will be ready to ride and spread the alarm through every Middle Sex village and farm. For the country folk to be up and to arm. So through the night rode Paul Rivere. And so through the night when his cry of alarm to every Middle Sex village and farm, cry of defiance and not of fear. A voice in the darkness, a a knock at the door, and a word that shall echo forever more. For the born on the night wind of the past through all our history to the last and the hour of darkness and peril and need the people awaken and listen to hear the midnight message of Paul Rivere. These words that echoed throughout the halls of history was what he screamed as he galloped throughout the night exposed to the elements on that faithful day that would mark very crucial for the inception of a nation. And many of us today probably jogging their minds a little bit about a history lesson you might have received within US history. You may not remember this poem tonight, but you would remember the words that probably your English teacher would tell you that Paul Rivere said as he rode throughout the night as I believe it was raining. He grabbed what he could and he began to yell and to scream at the top of his lungs and he began to say, "The British are coming. the British are coming. He ran throughout the night and began to scream that the British are coming. His message was to awaken the militia, the sleeping militia. And no matter how mighty, they could not fight a battle that they did not know had begun. And it's with an urgency tonight and a zeal greater than Paul Rivere that I preach this message to us. It's not because a nation or a country lies in the balance, but it's because the eternity of the world is at stake. Tonight, I've come to tell somebody here today that we are not here simply speaking about the construction of a system, but we are here to remind somebody of the reality that we live. And I understand that we are living in perilous times. And and sometimes it even feels as you look at the news and you look at the different things that are going on in the world, you might even be afraid of the of the nation that we are living in. But I've come to remind the church of the living God. I've come to remind somebody that is sitting tonight in this place. Uh that there is something that is greater that stands before us. Uh there is something with a much greater weight. Uh and as I speak to us tonight, I feel a burden for this sermon. Uh, and this message that I have is something that has weighed on my heart uh, ever since the Lord has spoke it to me because I believe that there is nothing more closer to the heart of the Lord uh, than what Jesus would speak through this parable uh, to his disciples. Uh, I'm reminded of another parable that is found in Matthew 20 uh, as Jesus begins to speak about the workers in the vineyard. Uh, and I believe that that parable resonates very much with this generation in which we live. It resonates very much with the apostolic church in 2026. Uh as Jesus prophetically spoke about a load of laborers uh that would be loose to work within the last hour to assist in the fields of harvest. But I would like to tell somebody tonight from the onset of this service uh that this position that Jesus would prophetically speak about here in this parable it comes mingled with the gift of a burden and a blessing. Uh because I want to remind somebody that sits uh in this sanctuary tonight uh that we are those last hour workers. Uh and as you begin to read the story of that parable, you would see uh that these last hour workers, yes, uh they will be recompensed the same. Uh and yes, as you read this story, yes, they are talented. Uh and yes, it could seem that maybe they are even gifted. Uh and I would like to remind somebody, yes, uh yes, we are those workers and yes, uh we are experiencing a great harvest. Uh we are so blessed in the season, in the hour uh that we live in tonight. Uh it seems that we are living in a season uh that we are reaping more than sometimes we even sew. Uh I believe it feels at times when we put in a seed in the ground uh and when it seems like it's time to pull it out uh instead of us reaping one fruit or one vegetable uh as we pull it out we are reaching reaping double for our trouble. Uh and I believe that there is a reason uh there is a reason and the reason is not because of the laborers. The reason is not because of the talent uh but the reason is uh because of the hour in which we live. Uh I'm telling somebody here today that the time demands uh that we reap a greater harvest uh because the time the hour uh is drawing nigh uh for the return of our Lord and Savior. Uh I want to tell somebody here today it's not our talent. Uh it's not our charisma. It's not our might but it's because of the hour. Uh and I don't know about you tonight but I want to reap a great harvest. Uh I want to see souls saved. Uh but I want to tell us uh that it's not the worker. Uh it's the soil. Uh it's the conditions. Uh it's the climate that we are living in. Someone clap your hands the Lord if you believe that tonight. Amen. >> We're living in a special time. No, we did not create these conditions. I believe it's the will of God for the apostolic church in this hour to reap the greatest harvest that has ever experienced. I believe we're doing it. I believe God is doing great, great great things. And I my faith is lifted tonight. And I believe the faith should be lifted of every man and woman that sits here tonight because I'm telling us here today, it is the will of God. >> We did not create these conditions. No. But I'm telling somebody here today, we were created to fulfill and to work within these conditions. >> And I have a message for the midnight workers. Man, I feel like Paul Rivier tonight riding through the night. I desire to awake every season saint, every guest, every first time visitor, second time visitor, every father, every mother, every boy, and every girl. And the words that ring in my mind is to let somebody know that Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. >> Jesus is coming. >> I I feel an echo within my heart and within my spirit. And I don't want anybody to forget that as we experience uh the great harvest that I believe is going to come to pass and is coming past uh in this day, it is for a reason. Uh and it's because the hour demands uh that we do more than we have ever done before. Uh and I'm telling somebody again that Jesus is coming. Uh Jesus is coming. Uh I want somebody to understand the time in which we are living in. Uh it's a midnight message for the midnight workers within the age of 2026. Uh we got to understand the times that we are living in. Uh because I'm telling you, we cannot afford uh to not give anything less. Uh we got to pray like never before. Uh we got to give like never before. Uh we got to worship with an abandon within our spirit. Uh we got to get up and give everything to our Lord and Savior. Uh I'm telling you, we got to be able to reach, to teach, to preach. Uh because I'm telling somebody again uh that as I'm riding throughout the night there's a word in the spirit tonight. Uh and it's Jesus is coming. Uh Jesus is coming. Uh I wonder what would have happened if Paul Rivere wouldn't have gone on that horse in spite of the conditions in spite of the hour if he would not have awoken the militia. But I stand in front of a church that is powerful. I stand in front of a church that is a mighty militia in the kingdom of God. And I want to tell somebody tonight, we can't allow the hour and we cannot allow the pressure or the comfort to keep us from doing what God has called us to do. >> Someone clap your hands in the Lord if you believe that tonight. Amen. Jesus's parable in our text is the first person view of the preparation for a Jewish wedding. They didn't put me in the bridal party, so I'm going to preach about a wedding tonight. More specifically, it is the POV of a bridesmaid in prepare preparation for a wedding party. This parable is spoken by Jesus himself is what what I believe is Christ's intent of trying to cement his message with a story that he had preached to them in chapter 24. Because there's nothing that sticks quite like a story. This message, this parable was the response to the disciples questions pertaining to Christ's coming and the signs that would accompany the end of the world. And Jesus, out of all possible human experiences available to relate to the hearers concerning the end of the world, Jesus chose a wedding. He chose a moment of expectation, a moment of joy and jubilee, moments of awe, curiosity, and bliss. And see, I would like for us to understand that a Jewish traditional wedding was much different from the one of our own. See, as you begin to study different details regarding a Jewish cultural wedding, there was one thing that I believe it is important that we lay out for us tonight. The bridegroom could not leave to get his bride until his father gave him permission. And only the father decided when the time was right. And this is why Jesus said in Matthew 24 and verse 36, "No man knows the day or the hour, not even the angels, but my father only." This was not unintentional. This was on purpose and it was something that resonated with the hearts of the minds of the Jewish man and woman before coming for his bride. The bridegroom spent time building an addition onto his father's house, a bridal chamber if you would. He could not come until the room was ready. And again, this echoes what we find in John 14 and verse two when he said, "I go to prepare a place for you." and he was letting them know that he was not just going to come back, that he was leaving because he was preparing for you. But again, before the bridegroom arrived, some would run ahead shouting, "Behold, the bridegroom comes." Giving the bridesmaid a final moment, an opportunity more to prepare. It's interesting to note that that wasn't the final I don't want to get ahead of myself tonight, but that wasn't the final initiative that here came the bridegroom, but the crier would come in the middle of the night or wherever the time was to be able to give everyone that was supposed to be a part of the procession, everybody that was supposed to be joining the party, everybody that was their desire to join in this special occasion. One more opportunity to be able to come in again. uh to join in to this joyous expectation. Uh and I've come to tell somebody here tonight I believe that the Lord has come to give somebody else an opportunity. I believe that there is a cry in the spirit of the Lord tonight. Uh to give somebody else one more final time uh of preparation. And yes, the scripture says uh no man knoweth the hour uh nor the day that when Christ would return for his church. Uh but I would like to let somebody know today uh I got to preach to somebody that thinks they got a lot of time left in their life. Yes. Uh I know we're awaiting the return of our Lord and Savior, but I got to tell you today, my friend, the scripture said the chance would happen to us all. And I'm telling you here today, you cannot bank on the fact that you will hear a preacher get up in the middle of the night and tell you you got to get your life right before a moment's notice. Because I'm telling you, you do not know the time nor the hour uh that even Jesus uh would call you back, my friend. Uh I got to tell somebody here today uh that today is the day of salvation. Uh I got to preach to somebody tonight uh that thinks they got a lot of time left. Uh I got to preach to you uh we don't know when he's coming, but we got to live like he's coming. Uh we got to live like he's coming back for us. Someone clap your hands to the Lord today if you believe it. >> Amen. >> See, the bridegroom would come, his bride was often at night because it would add excitement and anticipation because he could come back at any moment. The bridesmaids would wait with their lamps lit, ready to join the procession and light the way to the wedding feast for all those to follow. This is the scene that Jesus chose to paint. He didn't speaking of the end times want to talk about a courtroom. They didn't want to talk about a battlefield. Could have probably used a lot of every different analogies, but he chose to speak about a wedding. Why? Because I want somebody to understand this is Christ's context for his own coming. This is his narrative. And I fear that we live in a day that there are so many people that want to put so much fear and dread. And I believe you got to have a godly fear about the things of the Lord. But I'm telling you here today that Jesus was letting us know that this is the way that he views his return. He views it with the same anticipation that a young man and woman uh feel the morning of their wedding day. Uh when everything they waited for is finally about to happen. uh what they've been prepping for, what they've been praying for. Uh what they've been they've been waiting for this joy is that I believe it's what that singer would sing about. Uh as he said, "Oh, happy day." Uh because I'm telling you that when Jesus speaks uh about his return to this earth, uh he's not speaking about dread. Uh he's not speaking about fear. He's not there's not a feeling of anxiety or depression. Uh but as he begins to speak about the moment uh that he is reunited uh it's like that young man that is awaiting the day uh that he can be united with his bride again. Uh and I'm telling somebody here today uh the church uh needs to take the narrative back for the coming of the Lord. Uh the world would like us to be filled with fear. Uh the world would like people uh to be put crying tears of puddles uh because Jesus could come. But I got to tell the church tonight that I'm awaiting the day that Jesus would come back. Uh I'm waiting for the day that he would come and I would be reunited with Christ Jesus in the air. Uh we can't allow fear uh to be the narrative. Uh we need to let joy uh be the narrative. I got to preach to somebody. You cannot be afraid uh of his coming. Uh you got to look with anticipation. Uh don't look with anxiety. Fill your heart with joy. Uh because one glad morning uh when this life is overuh I'll fly away. I'm preaching to somebody today. Heaven uh is going to be a beautiful place. Uh I want to preach to somebody uh that is burdened down by life. Uh heaven is going to be so much greater uh so much better. Uh come on. Don't you want to go uh to a place called heaven tonight? Uh, I'm telling you, I thank God because there's a lot of blessings uh to live for God on this earth. But I'm telling you that if there was nothing that I could receive on this earth, heaven would be worth it all. I said heaven would be worth it all. Uh, thank you, God, for the blessings. Thank you for touching my body. Thank you for the finances. But heaven, heaven is wonderful. Heaven is beautiful because Jesus is in heaven. Jesus is in heaven. Uh there are no tears in heaven. Uh there is no cancer in heaven. Uh Jesus is in heaven. Oh, let's lift up our hands and love him right now. Come on. Come on. Can someone worship the Lord for heaven? Oh, come on. I'm tell Why don't we worship the Lord for heaven? Oh, God. I'm telling you, my friend, heaven will be worth it all. Heaven will be worth all the fighting in this earth. Heaven will be worth all the crying. Heaven will be worth all the fighting. Come on. Heaven is worth it. Come on, somebody worship him right now. Hallelujah. I'm not going to let this world control the narrative about the coming of my Lord and Savior. Uh I'm excited. I'm waiting for that precious day when Jesus will be with me in the air. Amen. You may be seated here tonight as I hurry. >> Amen. >> That's the way that Jesus felt about his return. Amen. And I preach to someone that is watching the news, to those that are afraid of what is going on in this world, those that are watching the sign signs of the times. Do not watch in fear. Watch in faith. Now, I want to tell somebody again, don't watch with anxiousness, uh, but watch with anticipation, uh, because Jesus is coming again for his church. I'm telling somebody here today, uh, it's something that's got to fill your heart with joy. Uh, but I want someone to understand very well tonight. Uh, make no mistake, there is a wait with the understanding that Jesus is coming again. because there is nothing more terrible uh nothing more heart- wrenching uh than to miss out on something uh that was prepared for you uh and I need to preach to everyone in this house tonight uh that will hear me that if you do not go to the place prepared for you uh you'll be heard into the place uh that was not prepared for you uh heaven was prepared for you uh hell was not prepared for you uh but you have to get ready because this event isn't waiting on you uh This wedding, this joyous occasion uh is going to take place with uh or without you. Uh and my friend, you got to make a decision uh if you want to join the party or not. Uh you got to make the decision uh if you want to join the procession or not. Uh all can come. I'm reminded again as Jesus spoke about the ruler that sent invitations and wedding garments to all those that would come. I'm telling you here today, there's an invitation uh and there's a change of clothes uh for you to get out of your filthy rags uh and to come into the bridegroom's party. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Man, Jesus cuts this joyous imagination of wedding festivities in the minds of the 12 and immediately there is made a sharp distinction between the group of the 10 virgins who were young and maybe naive. Five verse two says are fools. Verse three says the other five are labeled wise. Jesus wasted no time telling us why. The five foolish virgins had the lamp in their hands, but they had brought no extra vessel with oil. See, if you would allow me to say it like this tonight, they had the simulation of preparation, but there was no oil. They had the vessel that could contain the flame, but not the content within it that could maintain the flame. If there is ever a day that we cannot afford to look the part but not look the part but not act the part, it is today. >> I'm telling somebody here today, when people look at us, we could look ready, but my brother, we got to be ready. >> We got to be ready. We got to be ready. We got to be ready cuz I'm I thank God for the ability to look prepared. But I'm telling you deep down in my heart, I want to know that I'm prepared. I'm tell there would be nothing worse than understand to be put into position. Uh and I think somebody's got to ask themselves this question tonight that if you would say if Jesus would come right now uh or would I would be driving home uh and I'm not here to put fear in nobody, but you got to live uh with an understanding that I'm ready. See, this is why the scripture said that they were fools and the others said they were wise. It was not because Jesus was trying to play a trick on them. Jesus wasn't playing peekab-boo with them. But this was part of the excitement. You got to live like I'm coming at any moment because I can come at any moment. And I'm telling you here today, fool said, "I have time." Uh the fool said, "I can buy myself a little bit of time." Uh but the wise said, "No, I'm waiting. I'm anticipating." Uh, I'm not dreading this moment. Uh, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready for when the bridegroom cometh. I got to preach it to somebody tonight. My brother, we got to live ready. We got to live with an anticipation. Uh, I'm telling you, one glad morning. Uh, when this life is over, I'm telling you, we got to be a church that is ready to understand. Uh, I got the hope of glory uh inside of me. I'm telling you, life is so much better uh when you're living ready. I said life is so much better when you're living ready. Because I'm telling you, when you live ready, the oil that is in the lamp is not only for the future. The oil in the lamp is for the now. The oil in the lamp will help you right now. It will help you with your troublesh. It will help you with your pain. Come on, somebody. The oil is a blessing. And I want to live filled with the oil. I want to live filled with the gospel of the Lord with my feet, my sh with the preparation. Come on, somebody. I want to be ready tonight. Oh, let's love him. Let's love him. Let's love him tonight. Oh, come on. Let's love him right now. Let's love him right now. Hallelujah. Amen. >> Amen. You know, these bridesmaids didn't hold these lamps >> just because it was accessories. They held them because they were given an assignment. Man, these bridesmaids were not just picked because they were cute. These bridesmaid grades weren't just picked because they would look better for their social media. Praise the Lord. Amen. Amen. All right, I'm I'm going to get in trouble. Praise God. Amen. And I forgot. Amen. I'm move. All right. I'm rosey. Right on. >> I'm telling somebody here today, they were given an assignment. That lamp was placed in their hands because they had a job. They were trusted. I'm telling somebody here today that when you came into the church of the living God, that your your soul became a vessel. I'm telling you here today that you weren't chosen because you looked good. You weren't chosen because you you knew how to speak or you had it all together. But I'm telling you that the reason that God looked at you and he filled you with the Holy Ghost uh is because he said, "I think I can trust you." Uh I think that I have the ability to come on one day and when I begin to cry out that I'm coming, uh you're going to be ready to light that lamp. Can I remind somebody here today that that lamp wasn't just for those bridesmaids, but those bridesmaids had a job for everybody else that would come wanting to go to the marriage. Come on. I'm telling you here today that if you are here today, you are have a responsibility today. Uh you got a job that God has given you. Uh there's an assignment on your life. Uh and my brother, you got to stay ready because at any moment uh God might want to light that flame in your life. Uh and you got to be ready to show people the way to get to the marriage. I'm telling somebody, you got to be ready. But I'm telling you, in that moment, when you're at that coffee shop and they come up to you and they say, "Hey, I'm telling you, there's something different about you. Uh I don't have oil from Sunday. So when I pull out that lighter, there is no fire. But if I've been keeping the oil inside of my lamp, the fire of the Holy Ghost will burn inside of me. And I will be able to show them the way to get to the marriage supper of the lamb. My brother, you got to be ready to show them away. >> Hallelujah. >> I'm hurrying tonight. I'm hurrying tonight. May be seated. >> Amen. Hallelujah. See, I want us to understand the foolish virgins, let their lamps go out. It wasn't just their problem. But it went dark on somebody else that needed to find the way. The church was never meant to look like light. The church was meant to be the light. telling somebody here today that someone in your life is trying to find their way >> to something they can't even explain. But you got to be the light. I believe there's people here today that have no understanding of what they're looking for, but deep down inside of their heart, there is a feeling that they feel. And they know that they are estranged from God. And I'm telling you here today that you're the one that has to show them there's a better way to live. I'm telling somebody here today, there's a reason why we do what we do. And it's not just so simply we can look good or show up show up on a Sunday and say, "Look how polished I look. Look how look how beautiful this accessory that the Lord has done. He's he's brought me up and I look great. I look wonderful." I'm telling you here today. But as you walking out to this world, you must emanate the light of Jesus Christ. Uh you must show every single man, woman, boy, and girl. Uh why you are chosen for the Lord's purpose in this hour. Uh because I want to remind you here today you are chosen for this hour. Uh I'm sorry. Uh but God looked at you from the annals of time uh and he said, "I think that you can be trusted uh with this assignment. Uh God looked throughout all of history uh and he decided to put you in the greatest time to be alive." Uh because we may not be the greatest generation. Uh but I'm thankful for that tonight. Uh we're one of the most important necessary generations. Because there's a world that needs to know how to get to the marriage supper of a lamb, with all the confusion, with all the darkness, with all the artificial lights. There's got to be somebody that's got a lamp of the Holy Ghost that will show them with that holiness. No man shall see the Lord. Uh somebody's got to show them how to be able to make it to heaven. You got to be baptized in Jesus' name. Uh you got to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost uh which will be evidenced by speaking in other tongues. Uh my brother, you got to let the light of God uh shine in the darkness. Shine in the darkness. Hallelujah. >> My Lord. >> Amen. >> I'm almost done tonight. Hallelujah. Now, some commentators say that the fools, they did have oil in their lamps to begin with, but they but they carried just enough through how long they thought the bridegroom would come. >> Huh? They they started with oil. It's not that they see, and that's really the thing. We all start, right? But I'm telling you, it's it's it's less important how you start. It's more important how you finish. >> Cuz I'm telling you, you could come in here struggling. You can come here stumbling. You can come here trying to figure out this apostolic lifestyle, but I'm going tell you give it some time. You keep on coming to the house of God. And I'm telling you here today, I'm more interested with finishing the raceh cuz I'm telling you here today, I've seen a lot of people start right, but they're not here today. I'm telling you here today, you might be a struggler. You might be stumbling. Uh you might be trying to find your way to a better life. My brother, you just keep on coming. Uh we're going to keep on loving you. Uh you don't worry because I'm telling you, you got to make it to the end. Uh the scripture says, "He that endureth to the end shall be saved." Uh I'm telling you here today, uh my brother, you got to keep it on. Uh you got to keep the fire of the Holy Ghost. Come on. I got to preach to somebody. You started right. You had a fire, a zeal, uh inside of you, but you got to stay ready. You got to stay ready. Come on. I'm telling you, you might have thought he was going to come in 88, but you got to stay ready cuz he can come in 26, my brother. You got to live. You got to live ready for the coming of the Lord. Oh God, Jesus. They they carried enough oil >> for what they thought would be enough. I'm telling you, >> you know what will be the greatest killers of the apostolic revival in 2026? This foolish mentality. >> Let's have just enough. >> My God. My God. I'm telling you that just enough mentality is going to kill people that want to be able to come into a greater harvest, into a greater revival. Uh cuz I'm telling you that a wise church will come to a point that says we can never have enough of the word. Uh we can never have enough of prayer. Uh we can never have enough of worship. Uh we can never have enough of revival. There's never been enough of people, a number in my head that's existed. Uh that would be enough for us not to baptize one more. There's not enough. I'm telling you, there ain't enough churches uh here in the United States of America. Uh there's not enough missionaries uh that are living in this world today. Uh we cannot have a just enough mentality uh a just enough mentality uh will catch us sleeping and slumbering. Uh but we got to be a church that says we can never have enough. There can never be enough of the move of God's spirit. There can never be enough of the move of God's presence. There's never enough. Never enough. You got to get that in your heart tonight if you're going to make it. You got to get that in your heart tonight. I can't pray enough. I can't pray enough. Come on. I can't give enough. I can't love enough. I can't forgive enough. There's never been enough. There's never been enough. Somebody's got to look at that mentality that's been trying to drag you down. Uh my brother, no. Uh get rid of that foolish mentality. There is never enough in apostolic church. We got to have more more of God's presence. >> Amen. >> Enough. Just enough. Just enough. That was enough. Hey pastor, that was enough. We can move on now. >> Hey pastor, thank you for harping on that message for weeks and wipes out. But we've had enough now. What a foolish mentality. >> Oh, we've had enough. Why do you keep on talking about prayer? That's enough. We prayed enough. >> Oh, we prayed in the altar call and the Holy Ghost moving. God moved. But here, all of a sudden, the man of God gets in the pullpit and starts pushing us a little bit. We've had enough. God, I think God's touched people enough. God's done enough. God's God I've seen some people get touched. But you know what I've learned? I've learned that most of the time when we are at a point of enough, God is just getting started. Yes, sir. >> I've learned that when we feel like we come to our end and we've had enough. I'm telling you, God is just starting the beginning. I've learned within altar calls, when we feel like everything is good and we got to leave, uh, and we got to do what we can, God is just getting started. Uh, and if we could have a mentality within the church, uh, that said, I can't have enough of God's glory. Uh, I can't have enough of God's presence. What would happen if we stayed just for 10 minutes more within the prayer room when you looked down at your phone and said, "Well, I prayed my time." Uh, what glory would fall? What moves of God's presence would happen if you gave a little bit more? What would happen if you gave more just to spite your flesh? I'm going to pray one more time. Uh because my flesh says it's enough. Uh I'm telling you, you got to look at that flesh and when it tells you it's enough, you got to say no, my friend. I tell you when it's enough. Uh God tells me when he's through. Uh you got to say away with this just enough mentality. Uh come on. I'm some I'm telling somebody here today. Uh this church is reaching the globe. Uh because there's this ministry team uh that's not satisfied. Uh and there's got to be a church that catches the vision. Pastor, do more. Pastor, get more, pastor. We got to put another church. Severeville is not enough. I'm telling you here today, we got to have more missionaries. Brother Schnitzer, we got to have more. Africa's not enough. Mexico is not enough. One missionary girl is not enough. I feel the Holy Ghost. I'm telling somebody, no, I I I feel the Holy Ghost coming on me right now. I feel like God is fixing to raise up another missionary because I'm telling you, we can't have enough. We got to preach because the hour demands it. It's a midnight message for the midnight worksheet. Lift up our hands right now. Let's pray. Come on. We found where we need to go tonight. Come on. Let's lift up our hands. Come on. That's it. Come on. We found something tonight. Come on. Until we finally found the vein of the Holy Ghost tonight. Oh, come on. That's it. Come on. I'm telling you. Come on. No. No. No. No. We're not done. We're not done. We're not done. We're not done. This sanctuary is not enough. This sanctuary is not enough. Come on. This just can't happen in Mville. We got to have it all over the country. This is not enough. This is not enough because this sanctuary can't fit Mville. It can't fit Friendsville. Uh we need it all over. We need it in Louisville. We need it everywhere. Come on. Let that eat you up tonight. Come on. Come on. You got to let that eat you up tonight. I want to be wise. I want to be wise. I want to be prepared. Oh, come on. Come on. >> Oh, have we had enough? Have we had enough? Have we had enough tonight? No, no, no, no. Someone could play. I'm coming to a close tonight. >> Oh, no. >> It's a midnight message. >> It's the midnight message for a midnight worker tonight. Okay. We're living in times they've never lived in before. >> That's right. >> We're living in times the apostolic churches never lived in before. >> And I'm and I'm hearing people talk about greater revivals that we ever had, their existence. I've been privileged to hear pastors speak about things that have never happened in 70 years of existence. But I'm telling you, it's not enough. >> It's not enough. >> It's not enough. It's not because I'm telling you, the moment you believe there is enough, is the moment you put yourself in danger to miss >> what God wants to do in these last days. >> The moment that you said, "I've had enough." And I'm telling you here today, we got to get our hands on that spirit that would want us to stop because I'm telling you, you may not even know it, but when you get that enough spirit on you, uh you start kicking back against the ministry. You start kicking back against the man of God as he gets up and says, "We got to do more." Well, we've had enough. Pastor, aren't you satisfied? Uh, I'm praying somebody dead ate up with that same type of vision. Uh, there's not enough. We got training centers we got to build. I'm preaching to a church uh that's got vessels. Uh, because I'm telling you, the world, the apostolic world, uh, is counting on us to have a flame in this church. Uh, they're looking for a way to go. Uh, we can't be satisfied. Uh, we need more of God's spirit. Uh, we need more of God's presence. Uh, thank you for everything you've done. Uh, but this is not enough. Amen. Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost. Oh, not enough. Not enough. Not enough. Oh, not enough. Not enough. No. Not enough. No. No. No. No. No. No. Not enough. Not enough. Oh, not enough. Not enough. Oh, not enough. It's not enough. My family's not all saved yet. It's not enough. I tell you, you got to get ate up, my friend. It's not the will of God. Hey, there's not it's not the will of God that there be an unequal yoke between the ministry and your family's heart tonight. I'm telling you, God wants to multiply the effectiveness of this church. Uh because there's a message that God has given to the ministry of this church uh within the last hour. I I want this church to understand. Uh come on. I I we can't get satisfied uh with how great everything has been. Uh come on. I'm telling you here today, doesn't matter when you've come in the existence of this church. Uh whether you came on the hill uh or whether you came 3 years ago. I'm telling you this church uh God has given this church a message. Uh God has given this church a word. Uh God has given this church a reach. Uh and I'm telling you, we can't be satisfied uh with the just enough. Uh because I'm telling you, there's a message that is ringing in the spirit world tonight. Uh Jesus is coming. Uh Jesus is coming. Uh and we got to build more. Uh come on. We got to build more. All right, we got to plan more. >> Hey, why? Why? Why? Why is it that we believe that it's only the charismatics that can have multiple satellites all throughout a city? Huh? Huh? Huh? I feel I said, why do we only believe it's only the charismatics that can have churches that fit a thousand? One one church within a city, five, six, seven. Why? Why do we only Why do we believe that? I'm telling you, it's not enough. It's not enough. There's not enough churches uh that are preaching this truth. There's not enough missionaries. Uh there's nations without missionaries. Uh there's churches without pastors. Uh and I'm looking at a young generation tonight. You got to get ate up with it, my friend. Come on. I'm preaching to a 25year-old uh that's looking for purpose. You got to say, "No, no, no, no. You know why you're frustrated? Uh is because God has called you to be a missionary uh and you're fighting it. Uh you know why you're frustrated? God wants you to be a preacher and you're fighting it." Come on. You got to get eight up and say, "It's not enough. Not enough. I got to pray more. I got to fast more. Come on, let's pray right now. Come on, let's pray right now. Let's lift up our hands. The Holy Ghost is doing a work right now." Hey, I'm not I'm not preaching right now. We're following the Holy Ghost right now. But God ain't done. God ain't done it. Come on. I feel like somebody said, "Hey, well, you know what? If I if I got to give myself a little bit more time, that's all right. I want God to work." Come on. Let's lift up our hands tonight. Come on. That's it. Close your eyes, my friend. Come on. Come on. Come on. Close your eyes right now. Come on. Let's lock in. Come on. Let's lock in, young people. Let's lock in. Come on. Come on, God. Come on. Some of you got your eyes open cuz you're fighting a call to ministry. And every single time you close your eyes, uh, the weight of God crashes down on you. Uh, come on, let God get a hold of you tonight, my friend. I'm preaching to somebody here today. They've been waiting to be baptized in the name of Jesus. My friend, you don't know. You don't know when he's coming back. You got to be baptized tonight in the name of the Lord Jesus. Uh, there's somebody here that's been refusing to repent. It's time to give your life to God. Never enough. Never enough. Never enough. Never enough. Never enough. Come on, church. Never enough. Come on. Come on. As you pray right now, never enough. Never enough. Let there be a never enough in your spirit. Let there be a never enough in your heart. Come on. Never enough. Never enough. Never enough. Never enough. Y I want to ask this church a question tonight. I I want to ask us a question tonight. Why? Why would this wonderful, beautiful, beautiful, one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in all of Pentecost be enough? It's beautiful, but I'm telling you, it's not enough. >> It's not enough. What type of God do you serve? >> I said it's no, no, no, no. It's not enough. It's not. I'm praying that there would be a burden that would get a hold of some of these young people that's on on your bishop tonight >> because the only way this is going to continue if somebody says this ain't enough. >> I don't know why I keep feeling it today, but I'm telling you here, this is Come on. God wants to put multiple campuses within this church. Come on. All throughout the community, >> it's not enough. You're right. It's not enough. Why? Because Marville needs more than one church because Maraveville needs enough needs needs more room. We need a bigger sanctuary. Uh, come on. This is not enough. This is not enough. Uh, come on. I'm preaching to somebody here today. You're the man uh that's got a message in its hands. Uh, come on. I'm telling you, we got to start opening up some Bible studies all throughout this community. We got to start opening up some homes. Uh, because this is not enough. Why do we have a training center? Uh, because this is not enough. Uh, come on. Stop looking and scoffing. Uh, you got to get ate up, ate up, ate up with the burden. Ate up. Ate up with the vision. That's it. Come on. I'm hearing somebody right now say it. Come on. It's not enough. Come on. Come on. That's it. Come on. Right now. I want more of your presence. More. I I wonder what happened to some of these young men and young ladies and said, "I want more of God's presence. I want more of God's spirit." Come on. I'm speaking to a young person here today that feels aimless. Uh that feels hopeless. Uh that's filled with depression, filled with anxiety. Uh you know why? Because you're running uh from the call of God and God is calling you for more. Uh when you said, "This is enough. Uh this is enough." No, you need more of God's word. Uh you need more of God's spirit. Come on. Uh as you throw up your hands right now. Uh come on. I want us to allow ourselves to let the presence of God uh take us to a place uh that we haven't been in a while. Tonight I'm asking a young man and a young lady uh to close their eyes uh and with abandon allow God to speak to them. Oh, that's it. Let prayer ring in this place tonight. Come on. That's it. Can let prayer ring in this house tonight. Come on. Oh, that's beautiful. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. There it is. Come on. I feel there's a hunger in this place. Come on. It's a minute. The time demands it. The hour demands it. Come on. The time demands it, my friend. The hour demands it. Come on. We got to pray like we've never prayed before. Uh we got to preach like we've never preached before. Uh we got to give like we've never given before. Uh we got That's not enough. Come on. Uh, come on. I want you to grab the hand of a neighbor right now. And as you feel the leading of the Holy Ghost, pray for God to let a burden wash over you tonight. Come on. That's it. I'm looking for somebody right now to let a burden get on your heart tonight. Well, that's it. Come on. I'm looking at somebody's let the fire of a burden die on. I'm I'm speaking to somebody here that came here because you wanted to retire. Come on. No, no, no, no, no, no. You can't retire, my friend. There's more you got to give to the kingdom. Uh I'm speaking to somebody here that's been pushing away the responsibilities uh that your ministry team uh has been asking you to do. Uh no, no, my friend, you didn't come to this church uh to take it easy. Uh you came to this church because God knew uh that you had to be connected to the harvest. You had to be connected. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. I feel a deep call to prayer in this place right now. Come on. That's where we're going tonight. It's a deep call to prayer right now. I want us to just let it go. Come on. right now in this place. Let's just throw up our hands right now and yield to the to the spirit of prayer. Let's yield to the spirit of intercession that's fallen on you right now. That's not out of order. You let it go right now. It's not out of order. Uh come on. You let the Holy Ghost flow right now. That's it. Come on. Come on. Go ahead. Go ahead, young lady. Come on. Come on. That's it. Come on. Yield to the call of God. Yield. That's it. Come on. There it is. Come on. The spirit of intercession is moving on somebody right now. Come on, prayer warriors. Come on, prayer warriors. healed right now. Not enough. Not enough. God is fixing to open up a door for this church. Uh and if we don't have this mentality, uh we'll miss out on the door. Uh but if we will be ready, God will open up a door. That's it. Yield right now. Yield right now. Come on. Right now. If you got to find a place to pray, if you got to kneel, you got to lay out, do whatever you got to do right now. Come on. Here right now. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Come on. That's it. Come on, young man. Come on. I say yes to the call of God. I say yes to the will of God. Come on. Come on. I'm speaking to a father and a mother right now. Uh come on. Don't fight it. Uh come on. Let your children be used in the church. Uh come on. Don't fight it. Let your children be used in the church. Uh you've had enough. Haven't they done enough? No. No. No. No. No. No. No. We got to give all to the kingdom of God. We got to give everything to the kingdom of God. Hey, this is where we find who's the foolish and who's the wise. I want more. I want more. I want more. I want more. Come on. This is where we find out where the divide is. I want more of your presence. Come on. on the wise man. The wise woman said, "Give me more. Give me more. Give me more of his presence. I might fight it, but give me more. My flesh may not want it, but give me more." Oh, come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. Let's be set. Come on. Find someone to pray with right now. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. Follow the Holy Ghost. Come on. Right now. As you If you find someone to pray with right now, the Holy Ghost is moving. Woo! Your praise. Amen. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. I feel a burden rising in this place tonight. I feel it. I feel it. I feel it. Come on. I feel a burden rising. Come on. There's a burden getting on somebody that's never been there before. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> That's it. Hallelujah. I'll be aware of my life in your presence. >> Hey, if there's somebody searching for the Holy Ghost tonight, come on. I want you to bring them up to this front tonight. Come on. Come on. We can't we can't have enough in this place. Heaven is heaven is Andrew Moore. Upon the profession of your faith in obedience to God's word, I now indeed baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of all your sins. And the Bible says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. >> Was that enough church? >> Was one person enough? No, we need more. Come on, let's lift up our hands. Come on. One soul is not enough. We need more tonight. down. >> Come on, grab a hand of somebody tonight. >> Pray with somebody. >> Come on, get a hold of a burden tonight. >> Oh, come on. That's it. Come on. There's something that can break in this place tonight. Come on. There's got to be somebody here right now that will stir up the fire of the Holy Ghost. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. glory. >> Oh God, I'm looking for a fire starter in this place tonight.