Lift Up Your Light
by Joumeel Mclaurine
December 29, 2024 · Centerpointe Apostolic Church (Murfreesboro, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Isaiah 9, Isaiah 9:1-2, Isaiah 9:6, Ephesians 6:12, 1 Thessalonians 2, Isaiah 8, Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4, Matthew 4:17, Colossians 1:13, John 1, John 1:6, Ephesians 5, Acts 13, Isaiah 9:6, 1 Chronicles 12, 1 Timothy 3:15, Acts 2, Acts 2:38, John 13, 2 Samuel 21, Acts 12

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/joumeel-mclaurine--lift-up-your-light
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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Isaiah chapter 9. I'm, I'm honored to be here. I came here by myself last time, but this time I'm blessed to have my family with me. Are at least three of our four children. My wife's in the back there. Would you give her a hand — Vivian — and my Colombian queen. And I think they brought a picture of my family, I'm not sure. But we've got four children. We planted a church seven years ago, and we've had four children since we started. Y'all pray for us. We are insane. And, but we love our family. We're having an amazing time raising our children in the things of the Lord.

The book of Isaiah chapter 9 is a chapter that we read often on Christmas. And verse six is one that you'll find very familiar. But I want to start today in verse one and two. And I'm going to preach to you a message the Lord put in my heart for you, that I believe is going to be impactful for your life. It says this: nevertheless, the Gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of zebulun and the land of napali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee — everybody say Galilee — of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. And those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shown. It goes on a few verses later to UT the words that you're very familiar with, even if you're only a CEO Christian — Christmas, Easter only. Come on, somebody. You know the phrase: for unto us a child is born, a son is given. And on the government will be upon his shoulders. His name will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting father. We know that part of this chapter. But I want to start in verse one and two, and preach you a message that the Lord put on my heart for you today. I've entitled: lift up your light. Aren't you thankful for the light of Jesus Christ that has shined in all of our Lives? Come on, help me pray. Father, we ask you, in the name of Jesus, that as we step into your word today, it would come forward with power and Clarity. Hide this preacher behind the shadow of your cross. And let the church leaved encouraged, enriched, and blessed. In the name of Jesus we pray. And one more time, would you clap your hands and say Amen. All right, high five three people, and you may be seated.

The true V — value of a light can only be properly understood in the context, or I would say the contrast, of Darkness. A light shining in a room as bright as this one would not catch many of our attention. But if you were to turn off all the lights in this sanctuary, and you just had one person standing at an exit with their iPhone flashlight shining, that one small light would emit enough for everybody in this room to see their way out of this room. Because in the contrast of Darkness, light has a potency that is so much more clear. Light is powerful, and can Pierce through even the darkest of spaces and places. But to truly appreciate the power of light, you've got to understand the power of darkness. When I say the word power of Darkness, you may internally revolt at that phrase. But I will say that the darkness does have a moniker of power. When I say power, I'm talking about a power or an influence that manifests itself in one primary way. Let me just say it like this: that the power of darkness in the lives of people is that Darkness has the ability to inhibit our sight. The power of darkness is that it will temporarily not allow us to see Beyond where we are. It restricts our sight. It blocks our vision. And can I just say that the enemy's tool or device of darkness is not something that is powerful enough to destroy you. But I will say that it is powerful enough to disrupt you. How many know that the weapons of the enemy will be formed — there will be things coming against you — but can somebody say Amen, they will not Prosper. Come on, it can come against you, it can disrupt you, but Darkness cannot destroy you. Can I get an amen? And the enemy has this tool that he likes to devise against us, of Darkness, that is meant to be a disruptor, meant to be a force. And the Bible describes him in many ways. But one of the main ways which our adversary — who we have to understand, to fully appreciate the significance of light — our adversary, in Ephesians 6:12, is described in this way, in our fight against him: that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and Powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickness, wickedness, and Heavenly places. The devil does not have all Dominion, but he does have a Dominion in the arena of darkness. And he will wield it against us, for his destructive purposes.

Can I just say it this way? I feel in my spirit that the devil is given so many names in scripture. He's called the devil, the slanderer. He's called Lucifer, the son of the morning. He's called bbub, The Lord of the Flies. But the favorite name for our adversary in scripture is simply Satan, which means very simply an adversary, an opposition against what you are going towards, and what God has planned for your life. This is why, in first Thessalonians 2, Paul says: I had a vision. I had a clear sight that I wanted to come to you, Church of Thessalon. I wanted to come minister to you. But Satan stood against us, and he hindered us from fulfilling the vision that was in my heart. Let me just say that as it was in this story in 1 Thessalonians 2, it is in all of our life: that God has prophetic Vision. God has Insight. God has things for you to see into 2025. You should be able to look forward and see that the promise of God is in front of you, and the blessing of God is behind you. But the adversary, Satan — his agenda and his plan is to Simply stop you from seeing what God has already said. He wants to inhibit your Insight, not be able to see what's coming from the hand of God. And I just need you to know that this is why — have you ever noticed, no, that when somebody gets saved in the church, as soon as they get saved, it's like all Hell Comes against them? You ever notice somebody gets baptized, and they're so happy, and by Tuesday, Pastor, it's like their whole world fell apart? Because as soon as we get an increase in Vision, as soon as we get an increase in understanding, as soon as we see the more of God for our future, the adversary, Satan, is coming. And he cannot destroy what God put in you, but he can disrupt your ability to see it clearly. That's the context that we find this whole theme of Darkness versus light. And I just need you to know that darkness is meant to disrupt your destiny. It is meant to be a declaration over a person. It's meant to be a declaration over a marriage, a situation, a family, screaming, declaring to you that the road stops here, that there's a dead end, that you've reached the end of your rope, that your best days are behind you and not in front of you. That depression is — clinically they say, the belief that your tomorrow will never be greater than your past. But I've come with a message today, that even though there's a declaration of Darkness that he wants to declare over every life, every family, every child, every student — can I just say what the Bible says? That the light shines in the darkness. Come on, in the Darkness comprehends it not. That God — I love this thought — when God introduced himself in scripture, he said: I am the I am. Haa is the original word. But when the scripture opens up, and that original phrase, Let There be — somebody say light — that original phrase, let there be light, and the word I am — let there be, and I am — is the same root derivative. So when God was introducing himself to man, he says: I am whatever you need. But when he was introducing himself in scripture, to all of eternity and all of existence, he said: I am light. That let there be light. That there is no dark crevice. There is no prison wall. There is no depression, no pain, Noy. There is no hurt that can be so deep and so dark — come on, somebody — that the light of Jesus cannot make its way in. If you believe that, would you clap your hands and say am, ma'am?

So the Declaration of Darkness that we find often we see ourselves in, is declared in the scripture I read to you in Isaiah chapter 9. And Isaiah chapter 8, and kind of the prequel to this famous collection of verses — the prophet Isaiah declares about the people of Israel, because of their decrepit spiritual State, and because of their apostasy and their walking away from the things of God. Isaiah declares to them — he says they shall walk upon the Earth — but he says, listen: they shall be driven into darkness. And the context for this is that the Assyrian army — this, this, this foreign, ungodly group — was going to come in and bring retribution to the people of God, and burn down their buildings and their homes and their temples. And there was this statement made, that they would be driven into dark darkness. And we find ourselves in Isaiah chapter 9, with this introduction that stays on the theme of Darkness versus light. But it particularly begins to talk about the land of zebulun and Nepal. Begins to talk about this land by the Sea called Galilee. And it begins to talk about this place. And it begins to describe what's going on there. And that this would be the place of Darkness. This will be a place of Destruction. But then there's this Interruption into this narrative. There's this Interruption into what's being said. That this, this death sentence that was spoken over the people of God — that the devil had put a period there. But how many know, when the devil puts a period, often God puts a comma? Because in Isaiah 9 and2, what was spoken over this region of the world is reversed in this curse. And it said that these people, in this region of Galilee, who walked in darkness, have seen a great — somebody say light. And those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has Shone. It goes on to introduce that unto us a child is born. And it's describing that the same region where this Brokenness and darkness had displayed itself so palpably, would be the same region in which the light of the Lord would shine. And the Very place that had the deepest oppression, would have the most significant Liberation. The very place that found itself deepest in the Meer and Clay, would be the very place in which Our Savior would plant his feet. Can I just say it very clearly to you today? If you're in this room, and you're feeling in your heart right now, that you can't even see into this next season, that God could do anything better than what's already happened — I just need to remind you and reiterate, that there is no broken, addicted, bound, dark place — come on, somebody — that the light of Jesus cannot shine. And 700 years after this prophecy in Isaiah chapter 9, the Bible says that Jesus, in Matthew 4, is leaving Nazareth, and he came and dwelt in capernium, which is by the Sea — Gile, by the Sea — and he's in the regions of zebulun and nepto, that the prophecy might be fulfilled that we just spoke about, just moments ago. That in this land — the land that was under attack by the Assyrians, in this land that had Darkness consuming, in this land that was broken and battered and beat down — that there was this prophecy that Jesus fulfills, as he steps into this city. And the Bible says that that dark place would have this great light. And the great light shows up in verse 17, and it says, says that: from that time, Jesus began to preach and say: repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And when Jesus — he had, he had been baptized to this point — but when he starts his itinerate ministry, when he begins preaching and proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom, he doesn't decide to plant his feet and Proclaim this gospel in the best place, the prettiest place, and all the Palaces. No, no, no, my friends. He decides to begin his ministry in the very place that have been bound by destruction, Decay, and darkness. And he plants his feet right there, in that land, in Northern Israel. And he begins to declare that this dark place is receiving — come on, somebody — the light of the Lord.

And I know — need you to know — that what this means to me and you is that when Jesus is looking for a billboard to display his power, he is not looking for the Most Blessed people. He's looking for the broken ones. Come on, somebody. Hey, when Jesus is looking for a place to plant the flag of who he is and what he can do, he's not looking in the High Roads. He's looking in the low roads. He's not looking in the best. He's looking in the worst. And when he wants to shine and display his power, he often shines the brightest in the darkest place. And somebody in this room needs to hear, here today, that that Emmanuel we sang about, that God With Us — you need to hear it today — that when we say God With Us, it's not him showing up in the pretty parts of your life. No, no, my friend. He's showing up in the parts you wouldn't want anybody else in this room to see it. It's not God With Us showing up in the, in the picture that you present to everybody, all perfect. No, no, no. He's showing up in that night when you can't sleep, and depression has gripped you, and anxiety has got your chest, and so much knots. And you're thinking to yourself as you drive down the road: what am I going to do in this marriage? I want you to know that the Jesus we serve, the Savior we serve — he didn't come down for your best moments. Come on, he came down to redeem your worst moments. Hey, he didn't come down for the best and the brightest. He came down for the Brokenness and all of us. Come on, would you thank God, come on, that he came for the broken ones, for the broken places? We thank you. We thank you. And I need you to know that if you're in this room feeling like this, I just got some good news for you: that if you're feeling consumed by Darkness, you just need to hear this — that devil is a liar — and his light, that Jesus Will illuminate your life. You go ask Paul, the self-righteous Christian killer, who was consumed by such a mental clown of Darkness, he didn't even know how lost he was. And the Bible says, on that road to Damascus, a blinding light shows up and interrupts his path. That's the same Paul who writes about me and you in Colossians 1 and3, and says: he is delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. Am I the only one in this room that's thankful that I've been brought out of Darkness — come on, somebody — and into To His Marvelous Light? Am I the only one that's still thankful that Jesus is still reaching in the dark places?

I walk in our Sanctuary sometimes, just praying and thanking God. And tears begin to flow down my eyes, as I think — brother Allan — about being in, being a Freshman, playing college football, and having so much, so much depression and anxiety and addiction, and having so much consumed my mind, that I never thought for one minute that I could get out of the chains that had bound me. And sometimes, as a pastor of a growing, amazing church that I love so much, I'll just walk around the sanctuary, and tears will fill up my eyes, because I know that I was in such a dark place that I couldn't even see where I was. I couldn't see where I was going. I had no vision, no understanding, no Insight, no wisdom. I didn't know where to turn. In the light of Jesus, come on, met me in the depression of that Campus room, room, and brought me out of a dark place, and set my feet on a sure ground. Aren't you thankful? Come on, anybody else besides me got a story of his faithfulness? Come on, anybody got a testimony that God's been good to you? Come on, does anybody remember what it felt like, to not even know how to get from where you were to the next? We didn't even know how to talk to your wife. You didn't even know how to raise those kids. And yet God shined his light in a dark place.

What's so amazing about this theme of light versus darkness is that the light of the Lord is not just miraculous in its power to come to us. But the miracle of the light is that its intent was never just to come to us. It was always meant to flow through us. What's so beautiful about this story of light and darkness, and this contrast of this de ion of Darkness that wants to keep us from having Vision, that wants to keep us from having Insight — what's so beautiful about this story of light interrupting that plan for your life, is that the light was never meant to stay with you. But there's a light of Jesus that was meant to shine to us, and then through US. John 1 and6 says it like this: there was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to Bear witness of that light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to Bear witness of the light. This, this collection of verses starts describing that, that in him — it says: in the beginning was the word. The word was with God. The Word was God. Same as in beginning, with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. It says: in him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness, and the Darkness comprehended it not. It describes God in this context of light. And then it presents this — the, this story presents John as one who would be a witness of the light, would be a lightbearer. Somebody say lightbearer. The Bible says this about John. And it also says this about you. It says that you are the light of the world. Come on, somebody say: we are the light. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put her under a basket, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men, that they could see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. I'm so thankful that God did not just come to me in that dorm room of depression, so I could live a good life. But I'm so thankful that he gave me an opportunity — come on — to be a reflection of the Revival that he brought to my soul. We're God's ambassadors. We're meant to admit — we're be meant to be reflection. We're meant to be entities, that people in our communities, our schools, our jobs, can look at. And when they see you, they don't see you. They see him. We were always meant, in The Narrative of scripture, to be ones that Ephesians 5 says: now our light in the Lord, and walk as children, Children of the light. We were always metant, as acts 13 says: he says that I have made you a light for the Gentiles. I have made you a light to lost and broken people. I'm so thankful that God has given me an opportunity to be a ambassador of his kingdom.

And here's the thing: when God was looking to establish his kingdom here on Earth — the Bible says in Isaiah 9 and6, on his shoulders the government would be EST, establish — that, that this whole infrastructure — we, it don't matter who's President. It doesn't matter who's leading what it is. There's an infrastructure of the Kingdom that supersedes everything else in the natural world. Do you believe that? Would you say Amen? But when God was looking to implement that light, and implement the infrastructure that would uphold his light for Generations — when he was looking to establish his kingdom here on Earth, looking for a manora, if you will, to be the system and the structure to keep the lamp of Israel burning — he didn't decide to come in the flesh and live in Eternal existence In the Flesh with us. He decided to not just be around us and walk with us. But he decided to live in us, and allow us to be the ambassadors for his initiative. Aren't you thankful for that? Would you say Amen? Centerpoint Church, I just feel this word in my spirit for you. And this is encouragement and admonition for you. That let us never forget that this city, Murphy's Boro, this area, this greater Metro sprawl, this, this urban sprawl that we're in — let us never forget that there are broken, lost, dark people in this region that don't know where to turn. And guess what? Jesus is not coming in the flesh and introducing himself. Jesus is not walking down Main Street and laying hands, like he did in the days of the gospels. Jesus is not walking down in this physical form, to complete and establish his throne in this region. Can I tell you that what he is intending to do, to see every dark home, life, marriage, student in this region, to receive the Insight from the kingdom — he's not looking to come down and do it by himself. He's looking for a partnership — come on — with Centerpoint Church. He's looking for somebody to show up at their work, at their school, at their — he's looking for somebody to show up and be the hands and feet of Jesus. Somebody say: we are the light. We are the light.

I felt, as I was praying and preparing for you, to bring you a couple things, to just encourage you — things you're already doing, things that are already alive in this church, that are a brighter light in this community than you can really imagine. The Bible tells us story in 1 Chronicles 12, of the sons of issachar. The Bible says that they knew the times that they were in, and they knew what Israel ought to do. There is an, there is an essentiality of you, to be able to correctly perceive the season you're in, the region you're in, and understand the value, and the way that you particularly can bring value from the kingdom, to those that are around you. And the Lord told me to come and encourage you of a few of those things, that you're doing, that are shining a light, and have to shine a light through this church. They're reflected in the book of Acts church, that was the original manora, the original light Bears. They started their Church in the book of Acts. And the Bible is very clear about how they begin to shine this light. And I need to just start — I'm going to give you a few thoughts, a few points. And here's the first one: as you don't even understand how big of a message you're sending. You don't have — you can't even imagine — how loud your life was screaming at the dinner table on Christmas, with this first fact: the Simplicity of your message. And a world we're living in that's so confused, and a world where they don't know what left, right, up, down — they don't know, they don't know, they can't figure out what a gender is. They can't figure out that there — no, there's no objective truth anymore. Everybody's trying to find their own truth. Can I tell you that a church that's standing today, that's simply still proclaiming the same simple message that was proclaimed in the book of Acts, is shining a light to a dark World? The book of Acts was charged with a mandate, an expectation, to build this entity, the infrastructure of the Kingdom. Paul calls it, in first Timothy, the church. He calls it the pillar in the ground of truth. That truth needed an infrastructure to continue to carry on. And when there was mass persecution and conf — confusion — truth begins to reveal itself with signs falling. And the Bible says that they come to him in the book of Acts chapter 2, and they begin to get this Revelation about the truth of who Jesus is. They begin to see the difference between the facts that were spoken to them about Jesus, and the truth of who Jesus was. And the Bible says that they look at the disciples, and they say: men and Brethren, what shall we do? We don't know how to deal with this guilt and shame. We don't know, know what to do with what we're feeling. We understand that we are now convicted. We've been pricked in our hearts. What shall we do? And Peter stands up, and he gives them the same simple message that is still preached in this pull pit to this day. And he stands up and says: what do you do, when you feel that conviction, and you don't know where to turn, and you feel that, that conviction of your sin and your Brokenness? He says: you need to repent. You need to be baptized every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That this is the response to the gospel. Come on, somebody. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And I just, I just say it the way I'm feeling it in my spirit. Let me just encourage this church: that the Simplicity of that message, on the day of Pentecost, is still as powerful and palpable as it's ever been. Aren't you thankful to go to a church, church that's still preaching — come on — that hero is, of the Lord our God is one? Hey, aren't you thankful to go to a church that's still preaching: there's only one Lord, there's only one Faith, there's only one baptism? And I'm thankful to still be part of a church that, when they walk through these doors, and their marriage is on a string, when they walk through these doors, and they're addicted, and they drank themselves asleep last night, and they're saying: pastor, I don't know what to do. I don't know. I'm so thankful that we are offering them some confused and complex YouTube baked version of The Gospel. But that the message that's still being preached — and I'm a church planner, they told me I had to change it up, and make it fancier, and make it more fun, and make it brighter and cooler. But can I tell you that as a church plant in metro Detroit, all I'm doing is what they were doing in the day of Pentecost. I'm still declaring — come on — he is one. Come on, he is Lord. And he has died, and was buried, and resurrected. And we've got to respond to the gospel. And can I tell you, student, that your friends at school — that's, that, that's all they need? Can I, can I tell you, student, that, that we don't have to make it so complicated and complex? That what's beautiful about the light that's shining through this church is that the light is still pure. The light is still holy. We still Believe — come on — that, that we still believe in Holiness. We still believe in righteousness. We haven't moved with the Winds of the doctrine. I'm so thankful that when we walk into a high school, into a college, into our job — that when they're, they say that when a student is ready, a teacher will appear — when somebody is hungry, I pray that somebody appears that's bold enough and brave enough — come on — to still give them the Simplicity, come on, of the light of the Lord. Aren't you thankful for the Simplicity of the Gospel?

The number two thing I felt — and I'm almost done — is the unity of our people. The book of Acts describes that these, these, these people from every nation, every tribe — the, these, these people from all over — were together in this community. And the power of the spirit falls down, and they begin to experience signs and wonders, speaking in a Heavenly language. Fire sat upon each of them. And it goes on to describe that, that these group of people — that, that that were here in this community, that some started going home — and but this Remnant, at the end of Acts two, describes that, that there was this, this all things common. And people started eating bread together. They started loving one each other. They started caring for one another, another. They started supporting one another. And the Bible says: the Lord added to the number of the church daily. I love what the Book of John 13 says: a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another — somebody say, love one another — as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. I'm so thankful that in a world that's saying that we got to be divided by every racial, social, economic line, every political line — I'm so thankful to be standing in a church that — I'm telling you — before Pastor gets up and preaches, before they sing a single song, when somebody walks in that door, and they see a church that's got this person over here that's got a little gray hair — come on — and this person over here that's a little younger, and this person over here whose Skin's a little darker, and this person over here whose Skin's a little lighter — can I just tell you that there's a light shining in Centerpoint, by the fact that they walk in — come on — and they see you loving one another? Come on, they see you serving one another. They see you sitting — hey, in a world that's saying that you've got to decide who you're around, based on how much they align with who you naturally are — can — I'm so thankful that at center point, it's still the truth, that there's no Jew nor Greek. Come on, somebody. There's no slave nor free. I can — I, I'm going to say it like I'd say it at home — I'm thankful that I don't pastor, and I'm not in a church that's just a black church, a church that's just a white church, a church that's just a Spanish Church, a church that — no. I'm so thankful for that. I'm in the Church of the Living God. I'm so thankful that I'm in a church that's loving one another, across every line, across every border. I'm so thankful. And can I tell you, church, that the light shining through you — I'm telling you, just doing that: you showing up at a life class with people that don't look like you, walking across the aisle to shake hands with somebody who come, comes from a different side of the tracks, you loving and serving one another — it's shining a light in the community, and the people around you. The people in this community, the people in your families — they may not say anything — but when they see that, they see Jesus. And if you love one another well, I'm just telling you, the light of Jesus is going to shine. Amen. Everybody, would you say Amen, everybody?

I'm done, but the last thing is this. And just distinctives about Apostolic churches, and distinctives about churches like this, I want to encourage you to continue to do, and to cultivate in your own personal heart, to never forget: it's the Simplicity of our message. We don't got to change it. We don't got to adjust it. It's just, it's just meat and potatoes. It's the truth. I love my mama's meatloaf. You know why? Because it's just simple, just meat and potatoes. The Simplicity of our message. The unity of our people. I'm so thankful that, that, that an Apostolic Church, a spirit filled Church, a church like this, is Unified around something way more than cultural norms. And thirdly is this — and I feel so strongly, and I, I'm just going to give it to you, and I feel like the Lord's going to meet us over the next few moments in a very particular way — the intercessory nature of our posture in prayer. I'm going tell you this: a, as, as a, as a Church planner, who's, who's, who's building a church from the ground up and seeing things form — I'm going to tell you what I notice about churches like this, and something that's special about who you are, and who we are as Believers. What's special — if you're looking for a church, and you're new in this church — one of the reasons you need to come here is because churches like this, they don't settle for Darkness to have dominion in their home. Churches like this don't settle for Darkness to have dominion in their City. Churches like this don't settle to have Darkness have dominion in their High School. Hey, youth groups like this don't settle, that, that my school's just going to be what it is. No, no, no. There's an intercessory nature about churches like this, that will look at a circumstance and say: no, that's not right. We'll interrupt that right there, in prayer.

I love the story of abashi in scripture. The Bible says that David — who was not young David anymore, who was now not elderly David, he was seasoned David. That's a better word: seasoned David — is out fighting in the battle. The Bible says, and he's out fighting the battle in 2 Samuel 21. And he's not as sprightly as he used to be. And they're fighting against the Philistines, who have been scheming and planning their entire life, to try to destroy the likes of a David. David was a banner of the Philistine insecurity. And the Bible says that, that David begins to get cornered by a giant, that's, that, that's got his number. And David's about to get breathe his final breath. And this time, he ain't escaping this. He ain't escaping this one. And the Bible says that abashi — younger man than David — abashi looks at this situation. He looks at this situation where, where, where, where, where it seemed like David was going to be taken out. He looks at this situation. And it reminded me so much of what happened in Acts 12, where, where Peter, the great leader that preached in the day of Pentecost, is in prison. And the Bible says there was four Legions of guards that were going to, that were going to take, that were guarding him. And there was no reason to think that Peter could ever get out of the situation. But the Bible says that the church begin to pray. Abashi finds himself looking at David, his leader — what he calls his light, the light of Israel. Somebody say: the light — about to be killed. And the Bible says, abashi interjects, intercepts, intercedes into the situation. And he takes down the Giant. And he looks at David, and he says: David, we need you to go home. We need you to go home. We can't — we, you, we — no, no, you can't be out here fighting anymore. Why? Because you — we cannot have the light of Israel distinguished. And abashi had something raised up in his spirit. And guess what? David knew that he wasn't really the light of Israel. He said: the Lord is my light. Come on, somebody, in my salvation. Whom Shall I Fear? Whom Shall I be afraid? But just like John, David was a witness of the light. And abashi said: I will not let the light be destroyed in my generation.

Here's what I feel — and I'll, I'll let you stand, if you'll promise you'll stay with me. Go ahead and stand in the room. Here's what I feel: there are some people in this room, that going into 2025, have some — an abashi Spirit beginning to raise up in them. You've been looking at what's going on in your family over the last year, and something in you — Dad — is saying: no, no, no, devil, I'm sorry, you can't have my son. Hey, there's a mother in this room that's got something rising up in them right now, that says: you know what, devil, I, I'm just tired of you doing what you've been doing. I'm tired of the darkness creeping in, to our home, into my children. I'm tired of seeing this. I just got something rising up in me. Hey, there's a student in this room, that's been looking at your friends and your peers and the people at your school — get record suicide numbers, record numbers of anxiety — people in your schools can't even smile, can't even talk to each other, they're so bound. And something's rising up in a generation of young people, saying: you know what, devil, I know you're saying that — the world is saying that my generation is going to be Godless, and walk away from this thing — but there's an abashi in me that's saying: my generation has to have the light.

Brother Haskins, this time last year, I was standing with my family in my living room. My in-laws moved in with me. I told you I had four kids. Letting them move in was the best decision I ever made. Come on, somebody. My wife's cousin Andre — who they grew up like brother and sister — he had been away from the Lord for 9 years. And when I say away from the Lord, that's an understatement. Every drug you can name, he'd been on, for 9 years. At the time that we were praying this prayer, he was in a fentol house, and Anchor Alaska. A th000 miles away from where we live. Our family hadn't been able to get a hold of him for six months. We didn't know where he was. We didn't know if he was dead or alive. And the crew he was hanging out with, and the depth in which he had given himself over to these drugs — we didn't have any reason to believe he was alive. And I don't know how to explain it, Pastor Allan — but we're standing in my kitchen, my God — and I grabed my — I grabbed my hands with my family — and something came over me. It's an unction that came over me. It's an unction I feel in this room right now. Something came over me, and I just said: devil, you cannot have andrece. And we begin to grab hand. And I don't know how to explain it. But we going to grab each other's hands. Jesus, we don't know where're Andre is right now. God, we can't find him. We can't even get him on the phone. God, he's in a dark place. God, he's broken. He's so pound, God. We don't know what to do. We can't even do anything in our own power. But God, you've got the power. And God, we're praying that the light of the Lord would shine wherever he is. God, get his attention. God, we don't know what you can do. We don't know how you're going to do it. But we know that you can. And the spirit of abashi began to get in that room. And we said: no, you cannot have our family. You cannot have this generation. And I'm going tell you: Andre was sitting in a fitar house. And he said — he said — I was sitting there, and for the first time in 9 years, he said, I had a thought. He said: the first clear thought I'd had in nine years. The first sober thought he'd had in nine years. He's sitting in this drug house, and he says: I need to go back to church. I need to go back to church. He — I need to go back. And he's sitting in this strug house, and he doesn't know what to do. And he saids: maybe if I — the might kill me, if I, if I just get up and go. I don't know what to do. So he said: I'm going to take the trash out. And he took the trash out, and he just started running down the street. He just started running. He just started running. He picked up the phone — call me, if you got that picture. He put that picture for me. This is what Andre looked like. Give me a thumbs up, if you got the picture. This is what Andre looked like, the night that he called us, in Anchorage Alaska. He said: it's been 9 years, and I haven't thought about Jesus. But he just got a hold of me. Knocked on my heart, in a drug house. He said: if you let me move to Michigan, I promise you, I'll get my life right. I'll go to rehab. I'll do whatever you asked me to do. But I got to get back to the house of God. Can I tell you that a year later — Andre, you put up that next picture — Andre has been a year completely sober. Andrece has been a year without touching a drug. Andre's — some, somebody cop your hands, if you believe it for your family, if you believe it for your generation.

And as I'm opening these altars — a couple weeks ago, Pastor Al, I got to walk — and I was at the church studying. And they had a youth event going on. And all of a sudden, I look in the room, and there's Andre, completely sober, in his right mind, 60 lbs heavier. Been showing up every Tuesday and Thurs, for 6:00 a.m. prayer. Has been hungry after the Lord. Has — I see Andre, and the light that had come to him, begin to flow through him, as he's testifying to these students in our church, about what God had done for him. We've overcome by the blood of the lamb, and the word of Our Testimony. So here's what I feel in my spirit today. I feel an abashi anointing in this room. Hey, lift up, up your light. And I T — I told you, I encourage you: got to do it through just Simplicity of your message. You got to do it by being unified. But I'm going to tell you: there's some things that will only change, when a spirit of intercession comes over a church. It's not an act. I didn't know you guys were starting this next week. But I just feel there's an abashi Spirit, an intercessory spirit. That somebody in this room — some student in this room — is looking at some things around you, and something's rising up, saying: I will not see the light be distinguished. Every eye Clos in this room. If you know you've got a need around you — my God, if you've got a lost family member — and yes, it's, the story is not that simple. They got to, they got to go to rehab. They got to do the work. There's more than this. But I'm telling you: I feel an intercession, abashi spirit in this room. Hey, if there's a student in this room, that you're looking at your high school right now — you'll get that your friends — and something in you is getting angry, thinking about your generation being lost. And something in you is rising up, saying: no, no, no, I'm going to be all right. Hey, if you've got a situation in your home, and your life, and your marriage, and your family, that you need divine intervention — I'm going to open these altars right now. I'm going to open these altars right now. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. If you know — hey, don't, don't — I'm telling you, it's in the room. Hey, if you need a touch from God in your family, if you've got a situation that you need God to meet, I want you to come to this altar now. My God. Hey, and I just feel it. I feel it, abash. I feel it, abashi. Hey, maybe you got a loved one near you. Somebody grab him by the hand. Bring them to the altar. Put your hand on their shoulder. Come on, share a need. And let's lift up our light through intercession, and begin to declare. Come on, would you believe for it? Hey, I know — come on, you can pray. I know God hasn't done it yet. I'm encouraging you to pray one more time. Hey, I know you prayed before, that didn't happen. Hey, abashi, pray one more time. Come on, right now, let — would you lift up your voice, and let's seek the face of God, for our generation, for our family, for our homes? Come on, that's it, that's it. God, we declare: they're coming out of addiction. God, my high school will be saved. My lost child is coming home. My lost brother, he's getting turned around. Let the light of Jesus Shine wherever he is, in the name of Jesus. Come on, that's it. Talk to him, from the front to the back. Talk to him. God will lift up my life.