Speak A Word
by Wesley Stephens
August 21, 2022 · Centerpointe Apostolic Church (Murfreesboro, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Hebrews 11:6, Luke 21, Ephesians 6:12-13, Ephesians 6:16, Proverbs 23:7, Mark 6, Mark 6:1-2, Mark 6:3, Mark 6:4, Mark 6:5-6, Matthew 8, Matthew 8:5-10, Genesis 1:1-3, Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 8:13, Matthew 8:16, Ephesians 3:20, Hebrews 11:6, Exodus 3:14

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/wesley-stephens--speak-a-word
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you have your Bibles, you can turn with me to Hebrews, the 11th chapter, the sixth verse. The Lord has been dealing with me on this portion of Scripture. You know, I think there are times where we can over complicate Jesus, and even over complicate his gospel. Sometimes the most powerful thing that we can do is just simply believe in him, just to take him at his word, and just to say, "God, whatever you want, I believe it can happen." And so today, with the Lord's self, I want to talk on something that the Lord's been dealing with my heart on. It may just be for me today — I'll admit that — but I pray that it would be for somebody.

Hebrews, the 11th chapter, the sixth verse. It says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is" — somebody say, "He is" — "and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Today, with the Lord's help, I want to preach on this title: "Speak a Word." "Speak a Word."

I believe that in August 2022, that God is still speaking words. I believe he's still speaking words over people's lives. I believe he's still speaking words over people's homes. I still believe that he's speaking words over people's ministry. I believe that he's still speaking words over people's callings, and that if we are obedient, he will reward those that diligently seek him. "Speak a Word."

In this letter to the Jewish people — most people believe it was Paul that was writing this letter — he tells them something that, as a follower of Christ, I find it to be almost an obvious statement: that it would require us, in order for us to please God, it would require for us to have faith. The writer is addressing a group of people that are in covenant relationship with the Lord. Yet Scripture tells us that it is impossible for us to please God unless we believe he is who he says he is. There is a prerequisite, a requirement to pleasing the Lord: that we each and every one of us would come to the Lord and believe that he is who he says he is. That he is a healer. That he is a provider. That he is our peace. That he is our joy. That he is our redeemer. That he is our Savior. That he is our King of Kings, and he is our Lord of Lords. That he is the King of Glory. That he is a soon coming King. That he is the way, the truth, and the life. We've got to believe today that he truly is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I believe today, in 2022, God is still requiring for individuals to believe he is who he says he is.

It was A.W. Tozer that said, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." I declare or describe today that it is important for us to have a firm understanding of who God is for us. We have to have an understanding of who he is, and, and this understanding will literally shape the life that we live and the person that we become.

Pastor preached just a few weeks ago on the title of strongholds, and I believe that one of the greatest strongholds that the enemy uses against us is for us to have a dis — discouraged, or, uh, wrong view of, of who God is. And I believe that the devil wants nothing more than to negatively impact our minds and the way that we think about God. I believe that he's after our thoughts. I think he is after our ideas of who God is. I, I believe that today nothing, nothing more would please him than for him to shake our confidence that we have in Jesus, for him to destroy our right perspective of him, and for him to ultimately break our ability to trust in God. I believe the adversary today wants to spread fear, to the best of his ability, into the church. He wants us to be afraid. He wants us to deal with fear. But I want somebody to know today that God has not given you the spirit of fear. I want somebody to know today that, like you returned, that Amazon package back to Amazon the day after you received it, because you forgot you ordered it. Some of you can take fear right back to where it came from today. Some of y'all have been dealing with it for so long, thinking that you have to just live life in fear. But I want you to know that if you get a made up mind in this place today, you can send fear right back where it came from. You can say, "Devil, I no longer am subscribing to fear, but I'm sending it back to the pits of hell where it came from."

I believe our adversary wants to give us fear, but I know the Bible says that God's not giving it to us, that he's given us a completely different mindset than fear. But it should not surprise us today that we are enduring or dealing with fear. The Bible says in Luke, the 21st chapter, that it will be in the last days that men's hearts will fail them for fear. It's not a new tactic today. It's not a new strategy that the devil is using against us. But just like any attack that the devil could ever put on us, God has given us the tools that we need to overcome the fear that may be trying to attack us.

Paul said in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12 — he said, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of weaknesses in heavenly places." He said, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Anybody know that we're living in some evil days right now? But we don't have to be afraid, because God has given us the, the ability to withstand in this evil day. In verse 16, after listing several parts of the, the armor of God — in Ephesians 16, or, excuse me, 6, verse 16 — it says, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, which, which with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

I, I want to encourage somebody today that, that even though you may be going through a lot of obstacles that you don't want to be going through, and, and even though the devil may be trying to throw every bit of fiery darts you're away, he has given you the ability to pick up a shield called faith. He's given you the ability to withstand all the fiery darts that the enemy can ever try to throw your way. And all you have to do is pick up that shield and declare to your enemy, "Though he may try to slay me, I will stand strong. I will stand firm." There is nothing that could ever be formed against me that will prosper, because he's greater and stronger than anything I'm going through. The darts may have different names. It may be called bitterness, anger, hurt, disappointment. But I want you to know that if you submit every one of these fears, and every one of these kind of fiery darts that are coming your way, to the Lord, he can take care of you today.

It's important how we think about God today. Is important how we, we consider the Lord and what he's trying to do in our lives. Proverbs, the 23rd chapter, the seventh verse says, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Today I ask this question to each and every one of us: what is your strongest thought today? What is your strongest thought? Do you trust God today more than anything else that you're going through? Have you placed your faith in him over anything that you could go through? What is your strongest thoughts towards him today? What is your faith say about your belief in Jesus Christ?

You see, your faith is so powerful. Your faith has an ability not just to impact your life, in your decisions, and your future, but your faith also has the ability to impact Jesus himself. You see, the New Testament, we find two different types of scenarios when it comes to individuals faith. The first of these two engagements is found in Mark, the sixth chapter. In Mark chapter six, verse one, it says that he, being Jesus, went out from there and came to his own country, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is it that has been given to him, that such mighty works are performed by his hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary? And the brother — and the sisters, are they not here with us?" The Bible says in Mark 3 that they, after seeing Jesus do amazing things, were offended at him. And in verse 4 of Mark 6, Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, among his own relatives, and his own house." Now he — listen to this — "he could do no mighty work there, except he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief."

Jesus was shocked at their lack of faith. Their unbelief completely and totally astonished him. Jesus — he, he found himself in an atmosphere of unbelief. That the people of Nazareth were standing right there in front of the God who put the entire world together, yet they could not see him for who he really was. Therefore they did not believe him.

If you're a note taker, I think this would be a good note for you to write down. You see, what you think about God will determine what he can do for you, what he can do in you, and what he can do through you. What you think about God will determine what he can do for you, what he can do in you, and what he can do through you.

Jesus, in Mark the sixth chapter, is standing in front of the people that he grew up with. He was standing in front of the people that had spent more time with him than any group on planet earth. He was in his own country. He was in the place where he was raised as a young child. If there was any group of people that ought to have been able to believe in Jesus, it was the people that were, were there in Nazareth. Yet they could not see Jesus for who he was. They, they would look at Jesus, and they would say themselves, "Isn't that just Mary's boy? Isn't that just the brother of so-and-so?" Yes, Jesus was doing great things, in healing people and speaking with wisdom. Yet they could not look past their whole own human logic and see God for who he really was. And not only could they not comprehend it, but the Bible says they were offended by him. They were offended by him because they could not comprehend him. They could not understand him. They saw him as flesh, just like themselves. They saw him not as the Christ, but as the carpenter. Not as the Son of God, but as the son of Mary.

And so today I've come to Center Point with a question, and that is this: how do you see Jesus? Do you see Jesus as the Savior? Do you see Jesus as the Messiah, Messiah? Do you see Jesus as the one who can do all things? Or do you see him just as the carpenter, the son of Mary? They kept looking at Jesus, and they were offended by him. They relegated him just to be the carpenter, just to be Mary's son. Jesus will look at them and think to them himself, "I'm the one that can open up blinded eyes. I'm the one that can open ears. I'm the one that can set the captive free." Yet they would not let him do the work there. Jesus in his hometown, rolling in like it's HGTV with Ben and Aaron. That's a shout out to my mom right there. Hometown.

I've learned a couple things in life. It was where Jesus was raised, where his kinfolk were. Yet they could not believe in Jesus. They did not refuse Jesus, and they did not even necessarily reject Jesus, but they reduced him to being less than what he really was. I hope this is helping somebody today. You see, the Nazareth mindset says, "I, I don't, I don't want to go to hell, so I won't deny Jesus. I'll even tell people that I believe in Jesus. I'll even call him Savior of my life. But there are some things that Jesus wants to be for me that I won't allow him to be." You see, especially here in the Bible Belt, I don't think we have a hard time saying Jesus is Savior. But sometimes we have a hard time saying Jesus is healer. We have no problem saying, "Yes, Jesus shed his blood on Calvary for my sins." But we have a harder time believing that he took the stripes on his back for our healing. But I want us to know today: Jesus does not want to be just a part-time God. He doesn't want to be just a somewhat God in your life. Pastor says this, and I love it: he wants to be God of all, or he'll be God not at all. And we have a decision to make today, and that is this: is, who is Jesus going to be for us?

Jesus was in his hometown, yet he could not perform but just a few miracles. It's because the people refused to believe in Jesus the right way. He was blown away by their lack of faith.

I grew up in church, like many of you. And I have to be honest today: sometimes I wonder, because I've been in church my whole life, as it somewhat enabled me to reduce who Jesus really is? Have I gotten so comfortable with this presence? Have I got so comfortable in coming into church services, look, just like today, where we experience the glory fall down, that we sit here and say, "Well, that's all we have to do. That's the check of our list, of our agenda. Let's go ahead and go out and eat lunch and do all the things we normally would do"? I wonder today: have we gotten so close to Jesus, so, so close in a physical sense, that we don't allow him to do the work that he really wants to do in our lives? I pray today that our proximity to Jesus doesn't enable us to reduce him to being less than what he wants to be in our lives.

It's the first engagement where God looked at people's faith, and he was astounded. There's a second part, and it's found in Matthew, the eighth chapter. And Jesus, he enters into Capernaum, and there's a centurion there that came to him, pleading with him, in Matthew 8, verse 5. And he said, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." The centurion answered in and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I said to the one, 'Go,' and he goes. Into another, 'Come,' and he comes. And to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great of faith, no, not in Israel."

This is the second time that Jesus has marveled because of someone's faith. And it was not in his hometown, but it was in, in a different Capernaum. And he was there with a centurion — Gentile, not even a Jew — who happened to be a captain over the Roman army, leading somewhat around a hundred people. He was not the next person on Jesus's calendar, yet he received his miracle, because he was hungry for a move of God. Today, in this place, we can position ourself to being next in God's agenda, just by showing some hunger for the things of God. There is something that happens to the Lord when he sees individuals who are desperate for a move of God.

The centurion not only was determined, but he also understood authority. He had soldiers of his own, and he said, "When I tell them to go, they go. And I tell them to come, they come. Here, when I tell them the charge, they charge." He said, "I, I understand authority, Jesus. And Jesus, I look at you, and I see you not on my status level of authority. But I see you on a level of authority that I have never seen before. I look at you Jesus, and I see a person who has all authority in heaven, and authority here in earth. And I believe, Jesus, that whatever you say will happen, just the way you say it's going to happen." He looked at Jesus and said, "Jesus, you have so much power, and you have so much authority, that for you just to speak healing, healing has to be obedient. My servant isn't even physically here. But Jesus, I believe so much in your authority, that if you just say a word, if you just speak a word, you can do a miracle without even physically touching the person."

We should not be surprised by this today, for it is Genesis chapter 1, verse 1, where we find, "In the beginning God created the heavenly earth. And the earth was without form, and void. And darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said" — notice, it doesn't say God touched, or God went there. God said it, and there was light. Why is there light? Because God said, "Let there be light." Why is there light today? Because God said, once upon a time, "Let there be light." And the sun and the stars continue to shine, because he has authority.

This centurion, he understood authority. He understood that Jesus just saying it, just speaking a word, would make something happen. I wonder today: is there anybody here at this church that believes that all Jesus has to do is speak a word, and your circumstance will forever change? All he has to do is speak a word. All he has to say is the word, and it changes that circumstance forever. "Jesus, well, my kids haven't been to church in a long time, but speak a word." "Jesus, I know that you're able. I don't know how to pay the bills this month, but Jesus, speak a word." "Jesus, I don't know how to respond to that diagnosis, but I believe that you can speak a word. You can say something today that can completely change this diagnosis."

Jesus, he marveled at the centurion's faith. He said, "Out of all of Israel, I've never seen somebody with such faith." Jesus, while he is not a respecter of persons, he does, does notice different levels of faith. He sees those that are hungry. He sees those that are determined. He sees those that will take that extra step and step out in faith and say, "God, if it's not you, I don't know how."

I, I've come today with this simple, maybe, thought, and that is this: is that I need more than just a Savior. I'm thankful today that Jesus, my Savior — I'm thankful that there is nothing the enemy can do that can take that away, that you can take that reality away, that Jesus is my Savior. But I believe that Jesus wants to be more than just my Savior. I believe him being my Savior is the launching pad for all the other things that he wants to do in my life.

Paul said in Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think." I don't think that Jesus just wants to settle with saving my soul. But I believe that he wants to heal my body. I believe that he wants to restore my mind. I believe that he wants to make my family whole again. I believe that he wants to set the captive free. I believe he wants to look at the alcoholic and say, "You don't have to live that way anymore, because my power and my authority is greater than your addiction." You and I, we have the ability to understand that he is our Savior. This verse in Ephesians 3:20 says he wants to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. Can I challenge the church today and say, there are things that God wants to do for you that you haven't even thought up yet? I said, there are things he wants to do for you, things that he has planned for you, that your mind cannot even think of today, because he is so great and he is so powerful. He has things up in store for you. You just need to step out in faith. He desires to do more today I believe that God is a God who wants to blow our mind. I think he wants to do things that no church has ever seen before, here in Murfreesboro, here at Center Point. But we got to make up our mind. We got to have a right view of who God is. We cannot today just see him as Savior. We have to see him as more. Everybody say, "More." We've got to see him as more.

The most important phrase in Matthew 8, in my opinion, comes in verse 13. Because Jesus, he looks at the century, and he says, "Go your way." Watch this: "As you have believed, so let it be done for you." "As you have believed." I want you to understand this: Jesus was going to go to the man's house. He had already told the man, "I'll go to your house, and I will heal your servant." But the servant said, "No, you don't even have to do that. You just speak a word, and it will happen just the way you said." But you see, up to this point, Jesus had only laid his hands on people for them to be recovered. And so when the man, the centurion, says, "You don't even have to go. You just say a word" — what was happening was, he was unlocking a portion of Jesus' power that had not been revealed yet in his city. He's saying, "Hey, I know, Jesus, that that's the way you've always done it. But I believe you can do it in such a, an amazing way, as such a new way, that you don't even have to go. You just say a word. You just say a word."

Some of y'all have been struggling for a long time. You just need Jesus to say a word today. You just need him to open up something that he's never opened up for you, to unlock something that's never been unlocked before for you. He just needs to say a word today. He said, "As you have believed, let it be. Let it be." Your faith activates something in Jesus. In Mark 6, the Nazirites, they, they couldn't unlock it. They couldn't see Jesus for who he really was. But a Gentile with no covenant relationship, who's not even on God's agenda for the day, steps up and he says, "I've got a need. I've got a hunger. And I've got a faith. I've got a faith that you just say the word, that you just say a word, and Jesus, it will happen."

I believe today Jesus is looking in this room, and he's looking for people who will not be ashamed, and who will believe in who he says he is, and we'll just begin to ask God to say a word over their life. "Jesus, say a word. Jesus, just say a word today." I'm praying today that there would be a group of people, just like those in Capernaum, that would stand up on their feet and say, "Jesus, we just need a word. We just need you to speak, God. We don't have to understand it. We don't have to see it. We don't even have to know the how to it. But Jesus, we just need you to give a word. And Jesus, your power and your authority will release whatever you say, and it will happen just as you say it's going to happen."

I pray today that there would be a group of people that would just believe that Jesus is who he says he is. That he's the Creator. That he's the Savior. That he's the provider. That he's the Great I Am. That he's the one that spoke the world into existence. That he spoke every light into existence. And that he knows every star, and he knows them by name. I'm looking today for a group of people that will just stay, just say to themselves, "I believe that God's word is forever settled." I'm looking for a group of people that will say, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." I'm looking for people that will say, "Whatever Jesus says, it's going to happen. It's not gonna return void. It's not gonna come back unaccomplished. But he's gonna do exactly what he says he's all going to do." The Bible says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will not pass away." I'm looking for a group of people today that will say, that will make up their mind, that there is power and authority in the Word of God. So Jesus, just say a, just say word, word. Some of y'all need to get up and say, "Jesus, I just need a word. I just need you to speak. I just need you to say something on my behalf." The doctor, he said cancer. But Jesus, I need you to speak healing. The bankers said broke. But Jesus, I need you to speak blessed. The news reporter said war. But Jesus, I need you to speak peace. The politicians say divided. But Jesus, I want you to say united. The devil says defeated. But Jesus, I want you to save victory. He just needs to say a word. He just needs to say a word. The enemy said they've gone too far. But Jesus just needs to speak a word: that they're coming home, and that they're going to find purpose when they come in to the house of God. Jesus, just say the word. I wish somebody today would just speak a word. Just say, "God, I want you to speak it in my life."

Often times — I want, I want you to hear this today — oftentimes what God is wanting to do next is not stopped by the devil. That's easy. It would be easy for us to say, "Well, the devil stopped it." Do you think the devil can stop your God? You've made God too small in your mind. Devil can't stop God. Oftentimes what God is wanting to do next is, is not stopped by the devil. But it's actually stopped by the people he used last. Oftentimes we will think back to the ways that Jesus did it prior, and we won't enable him to do something new in our life. But I want you to know, in 2022, God is wanting to do something new.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again: I don't think we went through covet just to get back to church as normal. But I think we went through coven so that Jesus would put something. Do y'all remember when we couldn't even come into the house of God? When we longed just to be here, just to fill his glory together again? Yeah, we're here today. And I'm not trying to step on toes, I promise. And I'm not mad. But how many times do we just squander the opportunity? How many times do we just squander the opportunity that God is trying to give us today?

In Mark six, the Nazarites, they stopped God from doing what he wanted to do. But in Matthew 8, we see a completely different story. What's the difference? The level of faith. In this room right now, I believe with all my heart that God wants to do something amazing. That he wants to do something powerful. That's Sister Kennedy. He wants to do something that, when we leave this place today, we can't explain how he did it. I think the only thing that's stopping him from doing that is us. It's us.

In Mark 6, they were so close to Jesus. They got so comfortable to him. They didn't even realize what was right there in front of him. I, I want to be in church. I want to hear Pastor preach. As long as he's preaching to them, I'm okay with him preaching. But when he comes back where I'm at and starts stepping on my toes, I don't like it too much. We can't be that way. We can — I need, I need Pastor to preach to me. I need Pastor to step on my toes when they need to be stepped on. I need him to speak truth in my life, even if it's not convenient to me. I, I need fresh convictions in my life sometimes. I'm too — I, I'm floored. And I don't mean this, again, I'm not mad. And I know I'm not gonna get much help here. But, but, but I'm floor. I'm shocked sometimes when I'm sitting up here on the, on the platform, and I look out and I see people on their phones all service long. That, that's a, that's a Mark six. That's a Nazareth mentality. "Well, I'm so used to Jesus that I can get through this service without even picking my head up, I'll be okay." When do we get to that place where we don't honor the house of God? Where we don't come in each and every week and say, "Jesus, I'm putting my, I'm putting my phone away. I'm putting the distractions away. I want to focus on you. I'm going to worship you like I've never worshipped you. I'm going to praise you like I've never praised you. I'm going to have an expectation today that, God, you can do something in my life that I was not interested." We've got to get back to a place where we come in this house each and every time, we expect to see the supernatural. "Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think." Do we have that mindset? Do we expect to see the supernatural?

The centurion said, "Jesus, just say the word. Just say the word." And Jesus said the word. In that very hour, that servant that wasn't close to Jesus was completely healed. But listen to this. See, that man, he didn't know this, but what he was doing is, he was unlocking an all new level of the supernatural for Capernaum. Because it was just a few verses later, in Matthew chapter 8, verse number 16, that says, "When the evening had come, that they had brought to him many who were demon-possessed, and he cast out the spirits" — what? "With a word." He looked over the crowd and he said, "I don't have to come by and one by one by one. But now I'm just going to say a word. I'm going to say, walls come down. I'm going to say, blessings flow through that family. I'm going to say, cancer, you got to go. I'm going to say, depression is — your time is done. I'm just going to speak a word, and it's going to happen just like I said."

Capernaum not only became a place where Jesus could do great miracles, but it actually became the place where he set up headquarters. Why? Because he found a group of people that said, "I'm just going to believe the supernatural. I'm just going to believe he is who he says he is. I'm just going to operate like he's going to do a miracle in my life." And Jesus was like, "I like this. I'm attracted to this. I'm going to stay here. This is where I'm going to set up pace." I pray to God that today Jesus would look at Center Point, it seems, as a church where he wants to set up headquarters here in Murfreesboro. I wish we'd be a people that say, "Jesus, say the word. Jesus, say a word."

In Matthew 8, he goes on to say this: the disciples and Jesus are on a boat. A storm pops up. Jesus is napping. The disciples are like, "We're going to die. This is it. It's over for us." What does Jesus do? Gets the sleepies out of his eyes. I have sleepies, I'm assuming. That's kind of gross. He's like, "Did I not just speak demons out? Did I just speak healing over a servant that I didn't even see?" He looks. He gets on the bow of the ship. He looks out. He doesn't touch the waves. He speaks a word: "Peace, be still." The waves were like, "Cool, we were tired anyways." The woman was like, "Yeah, that was obnoxious. We're sorry, Jesus. We're going to chill too." Because Jesus spoke a word. Jesus spoke a word. Today, in this place, he just wants to speak a word.

His desire — he sympathizes with the things we go through. That's what the Bible says. But he doesn't just sympathize. He doesn't just feel compassion. No, Jesus speaks a word. And today he wants to speak a word on your behalf. The only thing that is a prerequisite for you to receive the miracle you've been longing for is for you to have faith that matches what he wants to do in your life. "But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is."

Today I ask the question — music can come — you can stand your feet. Ask the question today: who is Jesus to you? Better yet, what's your, what's your thought process towards Jesus? Are you like those in Nazareth, where you just want Jesus your way? Or you like the centurion in Matthew 8, who looks at Jesus and says, "You don't have to come to my house." Some of y'all in this place right now, you've got needs outside of this room. I asked the question today: do you believe Jesus can speak a word today? Do you believe he can speak a word today, where maybe somebody's not even here, not even physically in this house, but Jesus can say a word that changes their life? What kind of Christian are you today? It's impossible to please him unless you have faith, unless you believe he is who you say, who he says he is.

In Exodus, Moses was asked to take on the impossible. And, "Yes, Lord. All right, I'll go. But you tell me, whose name do I give them when I get there?" God told them, "I Am that I Am." "I am whatever you need me to be." I love the fact that, in Hebrews the 11th chapter, the sixth verse, it says that he or she must come to God and must believe that he is — blank. No descriptive after that. Jesus doesn't want you to come to him and to put a limit on them. That's what they did in Mark 6. Jesus wants you to come to him and say, "Jesus, you just are. You're everything I need. You are the Great I Am. You are — here's my list of needs, but you are the, the miracle worker. You are the waymaker. You're the one who, who has all the answers. Jesus, I'm limited. But God, here's my problems. But I know that you're more than able."

He's looking for some people that will come to him, not now with a box in hand, saying, "Jesus, hear you. Here's a box. I need you to fit in it." He's looking for a group of people that say, "Jesus, we want to see the impossible. We want to see miracles take place that we can't explain on Facebook. We want to see blinded eyes open. We want to see people who, who can't walk, get up and walk again. We want to see the, the backslider who has not been in church in here. We want to see them come back and get refilled. We want to see God. Where we don't have an answer, we just want to bring it to you. And God, know that you're more than able, that you're exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think." Today he's just looking for some people who have an unprecedented faith, that will say, "Jesus, I just need you to speak a word."

Here's the deal today: I — there's a room full of people. There's no telling how many needs and situations in this room. I can't give an exact answer to everything you're going through, because I don't know all the situations. But I do know the one answer that can solve everybody's problems, and that is Jesus. That is Jesus. We need him to speak a word. What we need to do is just speak Jesus. "I don't have the answer, Jesus, but I speak your name. I don't know the way, but I know your name, Jesus, and I'll speak your name. I don't know how I'm going to get through this, God, but I will continue to speak the name of Jesus, because there is power and there is authority in the name of Jesus."

Today, you're not going through anything that's bigger than your God. You just need to come to the altar and speak Jesus over your problem. And I want you to know, he's more than able, and he's more than faithful. He's a good God who has the answer for you. So right now I'm going to open up this altar. I'm going to ask that you would come forward. You don't have to have the answer in hand. But my ass that you would come forward, lift up your hands, and just speak the name, Jesus. Just speak that name that's above every name. That name that's above every disease. That name that's above every problem. That name that's above every obstacle. Come on, begin to speak that name in this place. Come on, right now, every single person, make your way forward. Lift up your hands and shout the name, Jesus.