The Image I See | DeMikale Knowles

All that men would praise him. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. Oh yes. What a fellowship. You may be seated in Jesus' name. What a joy divine. Amen. Leaning on his everlasting arms. Amen. We thank the Lord tonight. Amen. Because we're saved. Amen. We're sanctified. Holy Ghost filled. And the old saint said it like this. And I'm fire baptized. and we honor the Lord. Amen. Because we know who he is. Amen. I want to jump into this word tonight. I believe the spirit of the Lord, Amen, has tuned my ears and I believe the spirit of the Lord wants to prophetically acclimate this room. Amen. To hear a word from the Lord. Amen. But I want to give honor. Amen. In his absence. Amen. to Bishop Carpenter and Lady Carpenter. Can we clap our hands together for them? We thank God, Amen, for the mandate and assignment upon his life. We give honor, amen, to pastor Ericson and Sister Ericson. Come on, clap your hands together. Honor the Lord for them. Amen. And what about Pastor Nolan and Amen. Sister Flannry, come on, clap them hands together. Amen. What a brother. Amen. And what a friend. Amen. And I want to give Amen. special honor. Amen. To our youth president tonight. Can we clap our hands together? Amen. For pastor, Amen. Zack Hammond and Lady Hammond. We honor the Lord. Amen. for our national youth secretary, brother Mcool and sister Mcool. Come on, clap them hands together. Oh yes. Amen. And I want to give honor. Amen. To the legacy and the voice that he is to young and old. Amen. The tri-state district superintendent. Come on, Pastor Mark Lool. We honor the Lord for him and sister Mcool and brother Vickers and sister Vickers. Come on. We honor the Lord. Amen. For them. Amen. And all of you, my father's children. I thank God. Amen. For my beautiful bride tonight. Amen. And if for some reason you're having a bad evening, Amen. Just find my two baby girls and I promise they'll put a smile on your face. Amen. And I give honor, amen, to them. Amen. And as Pastor Nolan mentioned, amen, my wife is 17 weeks with our baby boy, amen, that is on the way. And we thank God, Amen, for that and his blessings, amen, upon us. Grab your Bibles quickly. I don't tend to be before you long, but I believe the spirit of the Lord has allowed me, amen, to tap into the vein of the spirit. And what God's getting ready to do around here in the next 35 minutes, I believe, is going to shift us. That we're not just going to leave as better students, but we're going to leave as intercessors that love prayer and love the deeper things of God. Amen. And with the help of the Holy Ghost, we're going to propel Amen. into that secret place tonight. I want to give honor to every youth pastor and every pastor under the sound of my voice. We thank God for you. Honor the Lord. Amen. For you. Book of Genesis. The book of Genesis chapter 32. If you could stand for the reading and the reverence of God's word. The book of Genesis chapter 32 verse 24. Amen. When you have it, signify by shouting, "I have the bread." If you're still searching, shout, "Wait on me." If you're looking at the screen, say, "I'm a cheater." Amen. Glory to God. Genesis 32 verse 24. And the Bible now gave us this intelligence. And Jacob was left alone. And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breakth. And he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. And he said unto him, what is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel. For as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed?" And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Panau, for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Panel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his word. Set your Bibles down. Set your devices down. Lift your hands and lift your voice one more time. Let's ask the Holy Ghost to talk to us tonight. Father, Savior, God, before we ask you for anything, we thank you for everything. We thank you for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We thank you for your power divine. Lord, we pray tonight that if there be a student that's lost without you, let them ask the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Lord, I pray tonight we could give them the antidote of what you commanded in the New Testament to repent and to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of all of their sin. Lord, we pray tonight if there be a student or a saint that might be in attendance. Lord, if there might be an adult that is here that doesn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost, fill them tonight with dunamis power. Lord, don't wait till the end, but fill them in the middle of the preaching. Lord, I pray what I pray every time. Preach me like a madman from another planet tonight. Lord, allow me to decrease that you may increase. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh thy redeemer and will never fail to give you the praise, the glory, and the honor in Jesus' name. And the church of the living God can shout amen and amen. Clap them sanctified hands together like the devil's head is in between them as you're being seated in the house of the Lord. If I could preach to you for a few moments with the help of the Holy Ghost, I want to leave you with this thought. The image I see. The image I see. My brothers and my sisters, by the grace of God, my lovely bride and I strive to obtain a healthy, blossoming marriage with happiness. Advancing in better communication, being aware of one's needs and desires above oneself. Lack of communication will cause chaos, if you will, between two, as if it's a radar without a signal. I must say happily because the reality is there's some folk in this world that's married but they're not happy. That's why students it's the will of God for you to find your spouse serving in the house of God. Not flirting to convert but finding them believing this doctrine and this truth that's that reaches to the ages. My brothers and my sisters, you must understand that if this is true in marital sense and other relationships with him, this must be true. However, in our relationship with the Lord, I wonder how many people looking at me, you you look good tonight, brothers, you got your polo blue on and sisters, you got your cocoa Chanel on and you smell mighty nice, but the reality is on the inside there's a void and you're trying to fill it with any and everything that gives attention in place of your availability to the place in God. My brothers and sisters, it's my assignment as we begin to unpack this tonight that I want to push you to a place that we desire intercession more than we desire entertainment. And it's the enemy's will and plan to have a generation that's loud but powerless. It's the will of the enemy to find a generation with gifts but no submission to the place in God through prayer. And I wonder tonight, how many of you have showed up not knowing that God was getting ready to divinely set you up so that you could understand that it's more than a game. It's more than gathering here with your youth group. But this is a place where God wants you to meet him face to face. You must note, my brothers and sisters, as you're taking notes, that unspoken prayer is unheard prayer. While unheard prayer is an unanswered prayer, God can read your mind, but it doesn't want to. God can read your thoughts, but it doesn't want to. God can read your heart, but it doesn't want to. You must understand the reason why we're so expressive in apostolic worship is due to the fact that we understand thoughts are not prayer, hopes are not prayer, worries are not prayer. Hence, but prayer is spoken conversation with the father. Often times when we enter into the conversation with God, it may begin with some of you speaking. It may continue with some of you sitting. It may end with some of you pacing the floor. But what would happen tonight if we all came to a place that we're not going to settle for just any type of prayer, but we're going to be diligent. We're going to wholly give oursel to a lifestyle of prayer and consecration that we could not cope mentally and physically without the essentiality of talking to him. I believe that praise is important. I believe running the aisles is important. I believe rolling in the floor is important. If the Holy Ghost moves on you, I'm all for that and I've done those. However, it cannot replace a student that loves the vein of prayer. It cannot replace a student that says no matter what the world may do. Uh when I have been locked up in prayer, I understand that my prayer can do what my words cannot do. My prayer life can do. Uh come on. What relationships cannot do. Uh you have to understand that a worshipper is good. Uh but worship cannot take the place of prayer. I thank God for anointed singing like we heard tonight. But at the end of the day, when the song is over, when the lights are off, uh, and you go back to your university, and you go back to your home, uh, and your parents aren't around, uh, and your men of God's not standing over you, uh, and your youth pastor's not on the other end of the phone, uh, what does your prayer life look like? Uh, do you have a prayer life that can drive out anxieties? Uh, that have tried to push you in a placeh of mental depression. Do you have a prayer life that you've understood? I didn't get this handed to me. Uh, but I've realized being locked up in prayer. It birthe something on the inside of me. Uh, that I'm not satisfied for a little touch. Uh, can I say this with boldness tonight? I dare to say some of us have messed up. Uh because we've created a culture that we live off of moments. Uh but what if I told you tonight uh we got to live uh come on in the place uh of God that we understand moments don't save me. Uh moments don't keep me holy. Uh come on. Uh but I go beyond uh I go beyond the inner court. Uh come on. I rip that veil. Come on. And I say, "God, uh, whatever you do in my life, uh, I never want to lose an attitude of prayer." >> Prayer, prayer, hallelujah, is important. If you're waiting on inspiration to pray, you'll have a prayerless life. A prayer routine must be established. When you desire to draw closer to him, uh the rhythm of meeting God on a regular basis cannot be broken. When your lifestyle is tied to an altar, the inspiration won't always be there. And I wonder if I got a few seasoned saints that'll wave your hands like you just don't care. Come on, students. Look around you right now. If you take time to talk to some of these saints, uh they'll be honest with you. Come on. There's been moments you didn't feel like praying. There's been moments you didn't feel like getting up out of bed at 3:00 in the morning. Come on. I'm talking about you had the fan going. The sound machine was going. You had it cut down to 60°. Come on. That you could see your breath, but the Holy Ghost said, "I'm prouding you to pray." Come on. I'm talking about that type of comfort. Come on. that the pillow's hitting just right, but you take that leg and you stick it out the cover. Come on. Because you want the coolness. Come on. But you also want the cover. Oh, y'all ain't going to talk to me up in here. Come on. But God is saying, uh, I know that bed feels good. Uh, but I'm calling you to pray. I'm calling you to get on your face. Uh, I'm calling you to seek me early where I may be found. Uh, I'm calling you to get to a place uh that you recognize. Uh, my voice shouldn't be heard uh inside of a building, but my voice should be heard uh in your bedroom. Uh, because at the end of the day, we're gathered here. But I don't want to settle for a religion that I only hear him when I being proud to. No, I want to be in a place that I can draw closer unto him. You remember when Jesus said, "Uh, I'm going to the mountaintop and when I get back, I want you to pray." But the Bible said he came back to the Garden of Gethsemane and they were asleep on their post. He said you couldn't even pray for one hour. I'm telling you students, uh, if you want to have power with God, uh, it's not through an anointing to preach, uh, it's not through an anointing to sing. Uh, but it's through an attitude, a prayer of intercession. Come on. We don't need another evangelist. Uh, we don't need another pastor. Uh, come on. We need intercessors. Uh, we need men and women that set before anything, uh, I desire his presence. Uh, I desire his glory. Uh, I desire to walk with him. Uh, I desire to talk with him. Come on, Enoch. Enoch said, "I'll walk with him in the cool of the day, but while I walk with him, I'm not going to fail to hear his voice. You have to understand sometimes you may be seated. You have to force yourself to pray. You'll sometimes have to force your flesh into a posture of prayer, seeking the face of God without inspiration. A real prayer life is not only when God provokes you to pray, but when you understand yourself. You cannot make it through the day without entering into a place of prayer. Prayer is not tapping into a vein of praying empty rhetoric. But prayer is knowing how to get to the throne room boldly and humbly before the throne of grace. You cannot come to God with your hands out and your hearts covered. Sooner or later, there will come a time uh where your hands must surrender and your heart is placed upon an altar. Your hearts are covered and your hands are outuh getting a lot from God uh but not growing enough in God. Uh I've come to the concluded matter in my personal prayer time uh with the Lord. I don't ask him for things uh that I could get on my own. You must be honest with yourself uh and before the Lord tonight. Some of you come into his presence with a laundry list of things that you need the Lord to give you. God, give me a new car. God, give me a new boo because the boo I got ain't booing. Oh, come on here. I need a better paying job. God, I need a better relationship. God, I need bros that are be 10 toes down for me. Come on. But at the end of the day, we all have these things that we need God to do for us. But where have we come and matured in a place in God where we say, "God, I don't need anything from you. I just present myself. I present my body as a request for you to work on me." You're in a season where you're praying more about you uh than for you. Come on. You must be tired of acquiring stuff and your soul ain't right. Is there anybody that can say today I need to get my soul right in prayer? It's more than a rudiment. It's more come on than waking up and just saying now lay me down to sleep. Come on. It's more than 30 minutes before a church service. But I need to tap in uh to a vain and attitude of prayer. What profit a man? He said to gain the whole wide world and to lose his soul. Uh we've obtained a number a plethora if you will of possessions in this world. Why our souls are still suffering because of the distance between you and God. Uh you know you've gotten your soul right when you get to a place in prayer that you're no longer moved by opportunities. Uh, I love going to the mall. Come on. But when that friend calls you, uh, on Saturday, uh, and you've been locked up in prayer, come on. You say, "You know what? I'd love to go get me some new Birkenstocks, but today going to be my day that I stay in a prayer closet. Come on. You know what? I'd love to make a Chick-fil-A run. Uh, but today is going to be my day. Come on. that while a youth group, come on, it's wanting to get together. Come on, and play pickup ball. Something in you stirring. Come on, not to be elitist, not to be isolated, but to desire more of God. Come on. An anointing does not come uh when it gets handed to you. An anointing comes uh when you make sacrifices uh to say there's things I can do but I choose not to do uh because I want his glory more than anything else. Uh I'm not telling you uh to isolate yourself from your brothers uh and your sisters uh that's not the will of God. Uh it's the will of God for you to have fellowship. Uh but students hear me right now. now in the Holy Ghost. Uh if we're going to lay hands on the sick, we don't get them. Come on. By running to the coffee shop every weekend, uh and only spending 10 minutes in prayer, come on. If we're going to speak into our community, we don't get that type of power. Come on. by only listening but not being a doeru somewhere you must desire to go deeper in the things of God desire many of you know many of you don't but I grew up in the hollers of eastern Kentucky and we had a thing brother Mcool called all night prayer meeting. Oh yeah, I know it's a little old school for some of us students in here. Come on. But can I tell you what all night prayer meeting taught us? Come on. When we got out of school on Friday, come on. We thought we had our whole weekend planned until our men of God said, "No, today is going to be the day you're going to bring a toothbrush. Come on. And you're going to bring some deodorant. Come on. And you're going to stay in a place of prayer all weekend." Come on. You say can he do that? Come on. No, he can't force you to do that. Come on. But he was teaching us he was teaching us if we are going uh come on to be a voice. You can't be sanctioned come on by your gift but never sanctioned by your men of God. Uh can I say that again? Uh who has sanctioned you? Uh come on because a lot of us have gifts. Uh but God is saying uh when's the last time uh you were sanctioned in my presence? Uh come on. A lot of us uh we've had good rhythm. Uh we've had good words. Uh but we not been sanctioned in prayer. We know what to say. Uh but God doesn't know you. Uh I'm telling you my brothers and sisters, uh we must get to a place uh that we say, "God, if I lose everything, uh I don't want to lose your presence. Somewhere my brothers and sisters we have to desire the more of God. A concern that I have acquired as serving being a part of this millennial generation this present generation a lot we have connected with church but we have failed to connect with God. Oh come on can I say that again? I said a concern, come on, is we we've connected with church, but we failed to connect with God. And can I tell you the danger is some of us, we've grown up in church, but we have failed to grow up in Christ. >> Come on. Can I tell you, my brothers and sisters, oh yes, they don't care. They don't care how many suits you got in your closet. They don't care how many heels you got in your closet. Uh at the end of the day, you know what the sick need? They need somebody that'll walk with power and anointing. Uh and tell them to be made whole. Uh come on. The drug addict don't need Come on. A student that knows how to flaunt all their accolades. Uh no, you know what the drug addict needs? They need a student that'll walk with boldness and power and say, "You know what? My family might have been bound of addiction, but when I show up, it's got to bow. When I open my mouth, uh, it's got to bow. Devils don't care how you shout. Uh, they don't care how you run. Uh, they don't care how you talk. Uh, but a devil knows a generation that knows how to pray. Uh, because when you know how to pray, uh, you won't be easily moved. Uh, when you know how to pray, uh, you won't be easily sidetracked. A prayer life uh that is tied to an altar is an undistracted life uh that will not be moved uh by the ways of this world. Tonight I have been tasked to provoke you to desire a consecrated life. Not to obtain celebrity status, but to obtain a status that heaven recognizes you when you pray. You only know God when Sunday comes, but foreign to God when Monday gets here. Is there anybody that can testify I'm growing so much in God that my prayer life is only amplifying? When church has ended, my worship is still extended. Oh, when the drummer's done and the organs off and the preachers done preaching, my conversation with the saints are over. I get in my car and I still feel the vibrations of heaven because I've realized I cannot afford to live life dangling on the edge of having a a prayer life in church but failing to have a prayer life at home. When there is no weight in prayer, there will be no weight in God. >> Can I say that again? When there is no wei g ht in prayer, there will be no w ai t in god. You'll never wait on God if your prayer life doesn't have any effect or weight on itself. My brothers and sisters, church must be a place for us to gather that we edify each other, not a place for us to mask oursel in defeat, wondering if God ever hears us. You're tired of moving things in the earth, but no authority to move things in the supernatural. Tired of having people power but lack Holy Ghost power. The only way to get weight is to sit and spend time in prayer. Can I tell you my brothers and sisters that waiting in prayer will produce a certain level of wait in God. Waiting in prayer will also produce a certain level of convictions in you. It won't be because of a man. It won't be because of your men of God. But when you really love consecration, there will be things in you that says, "God, my desire is to please you." I can't help but to hear that old song ringing in my ear. Brother Hammond, I love him too much to fill him now. All right. >> Too much to break my vow. I promise the Lord I would make it somehow. I love him too much >> to fail him. Now students, I need you to hear the heartbeat of this young preacher tonight. Not everything is a sin, but sometimes you got to get to a place where your response is, I love him too much. >> I feel something getting ready to creep in here right now. Oh, come on, preacher. Why? Why won't you do that? Why won't you go there? Why won't you entertain that? I love them too much. I love him too much to allow distractions to slip in where things should be holy. I love him too much. Oh, come on here. Can I Can I talk in the Holy Ghost? Cuz I feel the anointing right now. Hey, come on, young person. Don't you ever let nobody make you feel bad. Well, you're too spiritual. There's no such thing as too spiritual. I'd rather be too spiritual in the things of God than to be too carnal in the things of this world. Don't you feel bad for living holy? Don't you feel bad for loving prayer? Don't you feel bad for guarding your heart, guarding your ears, uh, guarding your eyes to say, "God, whatever you do, I love you too much." Lift your hands right now. I feel the Holy Ghost. Can Can I help us right now in this moment? God's not looking for a student that has eloquent words. God's not looking for a student, come on, that knows how to execute the correct rhetoric. No, you know what God's looking for? He's looking for a student that says, "I just love him so much, I can't afford to miss him. I love him so much. I can't afford to do that. I love him so much. I can't afford to open up that door. Come on. The enemy doesn't just fight you all of a sudden. It comes because an open door has been open. But when you love him so much, you won't take the dead boat off your door. Come on. But you'll stay tea uh to a place uh of repentance uh that you say God uh I repent of anything uh even if it's not happen keep my heart right keep my mind right come on repentance is the key to I love you so much. >> God help us that we fail to recognize students. It wasn't grand sin that brought distraction. He said it's the small foxes >> that spoils >> the line. >> Things that you didn't even think was deadly. I know, man. I feel the Holy Ghost right now. You look at that baby cub and see its bright blue eyes. It's so fuzzy and cuddly, but you hear me in the Holy Ghost. That cub one day is going to grow up and become something that you cannot handle because your door was open. to availability. >> C can I tell you my brothers and sisters, if there's ever a time that you must desire a prayer life that cannot be moved, it's now. >> The enemy fears a generation that knows how to pray. He said to pray without ceasing. That means you have to keep an attitude. >> Huh? I'm not telling you you got to be in the line of Dutch bros talking in tongues out loud while they're giving you your coffee. But I'm telling you, when you have an attitude, >> a prayer, there's something always on your mind. that keeps you in sync. >> That's why it shouldn't take this praise team that's so anointed three songs to get you to move. Come on. And I'm telling you, we we twiddle our thumbs. Come on. for 20 minutes. Come on. But what would happen? Come on. If you were in a vein of prayer, come on. That when you walked in here, something hit you. Come on here. I remember them oldtimes brother answered. Come on. My granny wouldn't wait till she got in. Come on. She start shouting on the pavement. Come on. Throwing that head back. Come on. Talking in tongues. Come on. Because she had been locked up in a place of prayer. Come on. You're not a cheerleader. Come on. It's not their job to pump you. Uh it's not their job to push you. Uh but when you've been locked in in a f of prayer, I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go to thy w." Because when I get here, I have joy. When I get here, I have a praise on my lips. When I get here, I got something on my inside working on my outside bringing about a change in my life. >> Tell your neighbor, "Prayer >> is preparation." >> Prayer >> is preparation. Hallelujah. Breakthrough is much easier when your mind's been on the things of God. I want to cancel this misnomer concerning prayer. Can Can I say this? We don't always practice prayer because we don't always get what we want out of prayer. No, we practice prayer because we delight ourself in him. >> That's why he said, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he'll give you the desires of your heart." Oh, come on. If you read this in its original text, you'll understand he's not referring Come on to you asking the Lord for whatever you want. No. See, the key is uh you come closer to God uh in prayer. He gives you what to desire. Come on. I'll give you what to pray for when you desire me. Uh I'll give you what to ask for when you draw close to my presence. Oh, come on. When the Lord likes your list, he'll fund your request. Uh come on. I don't pray for the fishes and the loaves. I pray uh because I need something in me uh to move closer to God. Uh young person, hear me in the Holy Ghost. Uh you don't pray to be able to hit every run. Come on. Why you saying you don't pray to be able to preach? Come on. To get people moving. No, you pray because something in you has to move closer to God. We don't pray for power. We pray for power. Come on. to draw us. Uh not for the gift. Uh come on. Uh but for the giver we don't pray uh for the anointing uh to rest on us. Uh no, we pray for the anointing to break something in us. You got to make up your mind. Uh when I pray, it's not for me to obtain. It's for me to release. Oh, come on here. I need you to push your neighborh like you mean it tonight. and say, "Neighbor, you pray to release. You pray to release." So when anything uh come on, is in you that's not like God. When I begin to pray, it's got to come out of me. Uh when I begin to pray, my bad attitude has to lift off of me. When I begin to pray, uh come on, my thoughts that aren't holy. I'm telling you, prayer, it moves you closer to God. >> Prayer should never be your intent for God to come to you. >> Yes, sir. >> Prayer should be your intent for you. Is this all right tonight? Cuz I'm telling you, the devil thinks he has a generation all figured out. But if there could ever be a generation that says, "You know what? Yeah, I slipped up before I got here." But I know what happens when I pray. Come on. Come on. See, some of you, your pride gets in the way. And you think God owes you something. your pride gets in the way and you think God ought to respond to you. Uh but when you pray, you got to let go of pride. You got to let go of defeat. You got to let go of anything that's not like God and say, "God created me. Created me." So God, when you do it, you'll draw me. When you pray, >> pray this. our father. God does all things well. >> So when we pray and we say our father, we're automatically taken off any type of pride >> to submit ourselves fully to the authority >> of our life. We cannot help God when we pray like this. God, I need you to come to me. But God, the reason why I'm doing this, God, I need you to touch me. But God, why while you're touching me, God, touch them, too. What if I told you God is tired of hearing you pray about everybody else but you? >> Oh, it's easy to be loud about everybody else, but you're quiet >> when it comes to you. Oh, God, help us right now. something in us has to give that even if his will breaks us, even if his will embarrasses us, God, I'm open >> to receive everything >> that you have for me. But you cannot get all that he has for you if you're still holding on to restraint, >> handcuffing what he does. >> Something in you has to desire so much of God that you elevate in your prayer life more than you elevate in your words. To know that elevation is coming to your prayer life is to know that a change must happen in every circumstance of your life. But see, prayer doesn't bring power. Prayer brings a change to your character. >> Come on, young student. That there's a problem. If your youth group doesn't like being around you, come on. Because they never know what side they're going to get of you. >> Well, I I don't know what's wrong with her today. Come on. She She just don't want to be bothered. >> Well, I I I just don't know what's wrong with bro today. Come on. Come on. He He just not ate all his Wheaties this morning. Come on. And so he he he's so mad. I'm I'm telling you, you you should say, "God, if there's anything in me, uh, oh God, that keeps me isolated from your people or from your presence, I don't want it." >> Getting somewhere. But Jacob, here's where prayer really matters. I don't need you to pray to the God of the Bible for everybody else. I need you to pray to the God of the Bible for yourself. Because here it is, we find oursel in the text. The Bible says in the book of Genesis that Jacob had been living with Uncle Laban and he had been deceived in Uncle Laban's house. He had experienced a number of dysfunctions and disappointments in Uncle Laban's house. And God speaks to Jacob and tells him that he is about to bring Jacob into a new season. And I I'm going to do this for you, Jacob. But before I do, I'm bringing deliverance right where you are. God pulls Jacob out of a messed up house. But before he does it, he says, "Jacob, I need to address some things. I need to address the problem with your brother, Esau." And the Bible would suggest that when Jacob leaves Laban's house, Jacob now has to confront his brother. Those that know the story, many years prior have to sum this up. But but he had stolen the birthright from from his father. He was dishonest. Esau grew up angry with Jacob because he had been deceived all over a bowl of porridge. And it's interesting now because Jacob is fearing for his life. And Jacob says, "I'm certain that Esau wants to kill me. But God, why would you send me to him after you told me that there was a promise for my life? Ah, have have you ever gone to prayer and said, "I thought I was free from this. I thought the fight was over now." But you have to understand, my brothers and sisters, addressing Esau is necessary for the next thing that God wants to do in your life. Jacob says, "I'm going to face him, but before I do, I'm going to send Esau some gifts." Oh, yes. Maybe the gifts that I send Esau and keep Esau from doing harm to me when he sees me. Oh, you you have to understand, my brothers and sisters, some of you tell the Lord, you don't want to address your Esau. So, in return, you want to give him your gift in place of your repentance. Let me give you my song, Lord. Let let me give you my dance, Lord. Let Let me give you all I have left, Lord, in place of repenting and turning. You live faithfully to your church. You live faithfully to your leader. Yet some of you students, you're unrepentant in your soul. We think the gifts that we give God will pacify him from addressing the decisions we make that deter us from becoming a living sacrifice. And you have to understand, my brothers and sisters, it's in danger when we master church work while masking serving undelivered. Accept my gift, but don't address my life. accept what I bring to the table because I have the energy, I have the tenacity, I have the zeal, but God is saying, "All that's good." But what happens when your gift collides with unrepentance? >> You're no longer a servant in the house. You become a hirling. That easy. >> You know how to move a crowd. But God said, "When's the last time you moved my heart?" And what's unfortunate is we master the gift so much as young people that now we become undeserving. We cannot different. Come on. We can't tell the difference of what's anointing and what's gift. Your spirit wasn't responding. Your emotions were just leaping. Oh, but look at your neighbor and say, "Neighbor, we got to face Esau tonight." >> And the only way to face that is to have a prayer life >> that's unaffected by our feelings. >> The Bible declares in Genesis 32, I'm moving quick, that God tells Jacob, "I'm going to deliver you, but this will not be the kind of deliverance that you're expecting. God will deliver, but it won't come uh as the kind of deliverance you're expecting because Jacob, you're praying about Esau. Jacob, I want to talk to you about you. >> The text suggests that God begins dealing with Jacob. I've already handled your enemies that were supposed to be your brothers, but you need to be delivered from yourself, Jacob, because Jacob finds himself wrestling with God. It's easy while in prayer to miss the moments that grow us. So instead, we find the moments that bring excuses, praying about me, forcing me to address what I see looking back at me. And Jacob elevates in his prayer life. Here it is. Jacob's first elevation was he removed himself from the people he was big in front of. As he was approaching Esau, the Bible said Jacob sent his servants and family ahead of him. In fact, the Bible said, "Go in groups." Jacob knew the conversation he was getting ready to have was going to lead to him having to get a little undignified. And I was praying today and here here's a question I want to ask some of us tonight. How small can we get in his presence? >> You have to make yourself unreachable so that you can reach the throne of God in prayer. >> Jacob was alone setting him up for the second elevation. And Jacob was resolved within himself that he said, "I'm not going to let you go >> until I get what I need from you. Even if what I need is not what I asked for, I'm not going to let you go." And can I help somebody right here? Our prayer life is weak because our prayer life lacks ferveny. >> What does fervent prayer look like? Fervent prayer is unfettered. Fervent prayer is undistracted. Fervent prayer is not hasty. That's why I worship the way I do because I need something from God. I praise the way I do because I need something from God. Brothers and sisters, tonight we all as a body of students and saints, we all have been tasked to look at our flesh. Not through the lens of a praise break, not through the lens of everybody around us. But sometimes we surround oursel with everything we want to see instead of surrounding oursel with everything that we need to see. Some of us love to see that we're grand and great, but some of us hate to see that there's some deficiencies in us that it's going to take the help of God. >> Oh, we you're anointed, but some of us don't want to see up under that anointing is an unsubmitted spirit >> to the things of God. Oh yeah, you you could sing, sister. You could sing till you make the hairs on my leg stand up. But you don't want to look and you're constantly comparing yourself because you don't love the image that God's made you to be. >> You desire the image of everybody else. Come on now. >> Yes, you pray people through to the Holy Ghost. You You're the next great evangelist. You're the next greatest pastor. But nobody wants to take time to say up under all of that gift and talent, there's some hidden crevices in your heart that you're preaching forgiveness, but there's still bitterness within you. Well, God, you don't know what they done to me. Forgiveness is not opening your mouth to give to God what doesn't affect you. Forgiveness is asking God to take out of you what's a struggle to come up out of your mouth. It's easy to give to God what you don't need. But it's when you have choices, something in you says, "I know they see me as anointed, but that's not my title. I know they see me as a woman of God, but that's not my title. I know they see me as a soul winner, but that's not my title." Because the reality is you can do all those things and be anointed to do it and be lost >> in the process. Can I teach this tonight? Well, preacher, I don't think he would do that. You don't believe me? He said the gifts and callings are when I repent. He said, "If I be lifted up," that tells me right there, he's not going to punish an innocent soul. Come on, that hears the gospel all because of your lack, come on, of consecration. I've seen him use a drunk man to quote scripture. Come on. He was in a backslitting state. But God said, "I have put something within him that I brought back to his remembrance so that he never forgets, he can always come back. But until he recognizes the man in the mirror, he'll never find me." What is your name? Hear me tonight. God's asking some of you. You would feel uncomfortable if Brother Jackson just followed you all day long with a mirror right in front of your face everywhere you went to your classroom, to the cafeteria. Come on. You left school, went and got you a coffee, and he's just sitting in the passenger seat. Huh? That'd make you feel uncomfortable, wouldn't it? >> Why? Because you don't want to look at yourself. The only time we desire to look at oursel is when we approve. But what about when God disapproves? Are we willing to accept what we see and change it? >> Huh? Or are we willing to recognize it and say, "God, that's me." Some of us are dealing with anger issues. Oh, come on. that God is saying you you don't have to carry that >> by yourself, but you must recognize if I'm going to free you of that, >> you have to accept it. >> What is your name? >> Ask your neighbor, what's your name? Wh what's your name? Because while some of us just gave our birth name, God is saying we've allowed other things to attach itself to our name as well that I never formed you in your mother's womb to have. When you really go to God in prayer, it'll provoke you to tap into addressing yourself. You're praying about your enemy. And God needs you to pray about you. Jacob, you you read the text. Jacob responded back to to God. He said, "My name is Jacob." He said, "No, what's your name?" Come to the music softly. Watch it. Bible said that now Jacob has to recognize I I I do see an image. I'm a deceiver. I Yeah, I I do see this image. And true repentance, it might hurt you, >> but true repentance will help you. Some of us can be honest right now and say when we've had to repent over some things, it hurt because it exposed what was in us that we didn't even think was there. But when I realized my name's not Jacob, I'm a suppler. I'm a deceiver. I'm a liar. That's when God said, "Now I could work with honesty." Cuz honesty might not be what you like, but honesty is what you need if you're going to be an effective generation. Huh? Oh, yeah. We we we all could fall into that trend. We listen and we don't judge. Well, let's recognize tonight God listens. He judges according. But the beautiful thing about him listening, he doesn't leave us, brother Sullivan, where we are. He says, "I can work with a willing vessel that is broken and with a contrite spirit." My brothers and sisters, there's some images I believe tonight God is calling us to look at. within our heart. It might hurt us, but God cannot heal what you're not willing to give to him. There's some unforgiveness. God wants to heal it. There's some bitterness. God wants to heal that, too. But he cannot heal it if you're not willing to give to him what he desires. I'm seeing tears all across this room because I'm telling you, some of you, God just wants to know your name tonight. He wants to know your name. You You don't have to fake it. You You don't have to put on this facade of being bad. Oh, God just wants to know. I don't want your gift. I want your flaws. I want your deficiencies. I want your proclivities. because that's what I'm after. Why come to his house if we don't allow him to do a work on us? Everyone resting on your feet. Prayer. Thank you, brother. Prayer will birth something out of you. But Jacob, before I could birth Israel, I got to birth honesty. Can I say that again? There's a powerful generation that I'm looking at tonight. You've been charged to be mighty and powerful, to do mighty exploits. But God is saying, "Before I anoint you for the assignment, I need you to be honest about what's in you. You might have it hidden from your youth group. You might have it hidden from your pastor, but God is saying tonight. I'm not here to beat you. I'm here to embrace you. See, when his love embraces, that's when he said, "I'll conquer a multitude of sins, but I cannot conquer those things which you failed to render." So tonight, your mind must be open and your heart must be yielded to say, "God, this is me. Whatever you desire next, I'm yours." But before you create me to be my best God, I need to deal with the image of my now. Tonight, I challenge us. God's getting ready to do something supernatural. When we pray tonight, I need you to hear the instructions. The Holy Ghost, students, don't lay hands on another student when we pray. We're going to pray for what's within us. Well, we're going to force oursel, even if it's uncomfortable tonight, to say, "God, do something in me. Create something in me. Take something out of me that's not like you right now. Let's find this altar." They're getting ready to sing. But let's let let's have something within us that cries out that desires God. Oh, come on. Come on. I I'm looking for some intercessors tonight. I'm I'm looking for some intercessors tonight. God, I'm yours. I'm open. Oh, come on. If you If you got to pile in here, do it. Come on. If you If you got to find your face, find your face. Come on. If you got to squeeze in, squeeze in. If you got to find a wall, find a wall. Come on. But I I dare some, I challenge you in the Holy Ghost tonight. God is looking for your consecration. Come on. God is looking for your consecration. Come on. God said, "I'm more concerned about your consecration more than I am anything else." Uh, I don't want your gift. I don't want your talent. I want your prayer life. Oh, come on. There it is. I I hear a sound rising right now. Oh, come on. I'm looking for somebody. There's a young man. Uh, you've been struggling. You've been wrestling. But God said, "If you give it to me, uh, I'll give you an anointing." Uh, to break every yoke of sin. There's a young lady, uh, there's things you've been dabbling with. You've been dealing with it. But God said, "Uh, give it to me. Give it to me. I'll give you rest. I'll give you joy. But I can't give you joy if you're not honest." God said, "I need your honesty tonight."Uh, I need your honesty tonight.Uh, Uh, I need your honesty tonight. Uh, be honest with God. Every man of God, every woman of God, come on, that's done. Come on. I need you to find a student. Come on. I need a man of God. Find a student. Find a young man. Come on. I need a woman of God. Find a young lady. Come on. Link up with him. I'm I feel breakthrough right now. Something supernatural is getting ready to flood this room. Uh somebody's getting a desire. Come on. For the deeper things of God. Somebody's getting a desire. Come on. There's some things you got to let go of. There's some things you got to let go of. There's some things that God is saying. Uh you put it on the altar, then you pick it back up. Uh you put it on the altar, then you pick it back up. God said, "Put it on the altar and leave it there. Crucify it. Kill it tonight." Uh, but I'm looking for somebody that says, "I got to see an image of myself before I could see an image of what God's created in me to be." Uh, oh, come on. I'm looking for some Israel's uh before I can make you Israel. I got to deal with your Jacob. I got to deal with the lies. Uh, I got to deal with the defeat. Uh, I got to deal. Come on. Uh, come on. Uh, lift your voice and pray. Let God do it tonight. Let God do it tonight. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. I love I want to see my love. Oh, let it be. Oh, let it be a sing to my king to my Come on. Come on. Find somebody. Come on, brother. Find a brother. Sister, find a sister. But somebody's got to make up their mind tonight. I'm not leaving here without my breakthrough. I came in here as Jacob, but I'm leaving as Israel. I came in here as Jacob, but I'm leaving as Israel. I'm leaving victorious. I'm leaving victorious. I'm leaving as a conqueror. Lift your voice. Heat. Let it be. Oh, let it be. To my king. To my king. Yes. I love you. I come and I go. I will praise you from the evening through the morning. I will praise you when I rise, when I fall. I will praise you through and I will sing a love song to my will. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. just want to tell you. >> Oh, let it be. Oh, let it be a pleasing me to my king. Let my praise be a sweet me to my king. I love Jesus. I worship and adore you. I just want to tell you, >> Lord, I love you more than anything. I love Jesus. I worship and adore. Just want to tell >> Lord I love you more than any to my king. Let it be a sweet song to my king. Want to praise you in the evening, in the morning, when I rise, when I fall. Lord, I'll praise you through it. Lord, I will sing love song to my lonely >> all across this place. Could we lift our hands to him right now? Come on. And could you just could you would just one more time, could you express from your heart just how much you love him? Come on with your hands lifted as high as you can. Could you just tell him, "Lord, I love you with all my heart. >> Lord, I want to draw closer to you. >> Lord, I want to leave this place knowing that I've taken a step closer to you tonight." Come on, lift your voice up to him, young people, just for another moment, lift your voice as loud as you can and tell him, "God, I love you. Lord, I love you, Jesus. I love you, Jesus. I love you, Jesus." Oh, we bless you in this place tonight. Oh, we bless you in this place tonight.