Sunday Evening Worship Service

well well that's a very humbling humbling introduction for sure and if I'm being honest with you um I I remember those times and they were amazing but there's definitely some details that were left out number one my house is about this big and uh and I if I remember correctly one of I can't remember you said I told you that I would harm you if you didn't stay with us I was actually more worried if I remember I think a little more accurately that if you stayed at that Extended Hotel you were actually going to be harmed I think that was actually the way that went but that's fine too either way he was In Harm's Way um I love and appreciate this church you all have the best church I'm telling you with some of the greatest leaders if you believe it would you put your hands together you give God praise come on if you're thankful for what you've got if you're thankful and I'm just I believe it and um and I appreciate I'm gonna use my hands a little bit tonight when I'm preaching I've got an illustration here on the front row I don't do this just to be cool um I mean that's not the only reason I do it obviously that is a part of it but that's not the only reason I have this microphone tonight uh but I I really believe and I'm not just saying this I believe it with my whole heart that God is about to speak to our students I want to preach a message tonight I don't want to attempt to preach a message tonight with the help of of the Lord that unites Our Generations and as we enter into a new school year whether that's here at fac Knoxville schools or whether you're in public school I believe that God has a mission for every student in this room I believe that God has called you for a purpose and you have a reason for living I believe that it's not just by happenstance that you are here tonight but that God wants to speak to you and wants to change your life he wants to put you on a path of purpose I speak that in the name of Jesus in this room I believe that I believe that God can change somebody's life tonight I believe that God can move on somebody I believe that somebody in this room a young person can accept a call from God I believe that tonight and I've seen it over and again and I I will tell you that it's been in in events in this District in this church where God has spoken to me and so I'm so thankful for for what God has done I'm thankful for this church I I do want to say before I read my scripture and if you have your Bibles you can go to First Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24. I do want to say how thankful I am for the hospitality and certainly as I said this morning uh the sentiments that Pastor Anthony just shared are absolutely Mutual we feel the exact same way we've spent so much time uh in fact I'll tell you real quick me and Anthony we we took we had a chance at a conference a couple of weeks to to go out to lunch together but what was funny is we were both going out to lunch with a mutual friend who did not know that Anthony and I were friends and so our friend reached out and he said hey there's a couple that's coming uh Anthony McCool and Kelly McCool would you mind if they joined us and I said you know what I'd love to meet him go ahead and bring them that'd be a lot of fun and it did not take long into that lunch before that uh that that man that brought us together realized um speaking of third wheel no I'm just kidding he wasn't a third will he was but I I did feel bad we're sharing memories and having fun and so we kind of ruined that guy's lunch and I felt bad for that uh kind of bad I didn't feel that bad about it I felt actually if I'm lying I felt pretty good about it if I'm being real with it but that's that's what it's like to have friends and I appreciate the friendships and by the way the hospitality yo nobody does a basket in a hotel room quite like fac Knoxville and I do want to say thank you for all of those the snacks um of which I have eaten 80 The Lion's Share of those have gone to me including the children's snacks I'm I'm honestly God I can't help myself it's a problem and so I have if you were to do an autopsy on autopsy on me right now it would be primarily fruit snacks uh I just want you to know that yeah so that's a problem First Corinthians nine I want you to help me tonight if you would anytime you see the word run on the screen and I'm reading it would you just yell it out for me in fact let's try it right now I'll count you down one two three oh it's gonna be a good night that was actually I want to do it again one two three it's gonna be a good night tonight all right here we go know ye not that they which all right sorry that's my bad I snuck it I snuck up maybe it was on the screen y'all ready know ye not that they which in a race all but one receives the prize don't you know that they that run in a race all that run but only one receives the prize and every man strives for Mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corruptable crown the Apostle is saying that they run in this race they discipline their bodies they work so hard they give their lives to the pursuit of this race but this prize that they are running for it's corruptable it fades away but you and I we run for something that is incorruptible are you ready I therefore so not so uncertainly so fight I not one that beats against the air but I put my body under subjection I bring it into discipline Paul says lest by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a Castaway I just want to tell somebody in this room tonight you are running with a purpose you are running with a high call from God you have a reason for living what you are pursuing is not going to fade away but I'm telling you it's going to go beyond the world that we're in right now you're running for a prize that only Glory itself can reveal to you so I want to encourage somebody to keep on running tonight because God is doing something in your life God is doing something in your family God is still working here's my title tonight Born to Run Born to Run man I feel the Holy Ghost here right now if you feel that would you just for a moment lift your hand and lift your voices can we pray together Jesus we love you I pray that you'd speak to each and every one of us I pray that the power of God would move in this room I declare in the name of Jesus that Lord every single student every single every single person from every generation has been born to run this race that you have called us to raise so Lord help us God to run with patience help us to run with endurance help us to run God to receive the prize I speak that in the name of Jesus and now would you put your hands together and would you give God praise [Applause] forgot something I almost forgot forgot that y'all ready this morning I got in big trouble I mentioned Hannah and Christy Davis and [name redacted] came up to me and she said I have a question why didn't you mention me this morning and I said I saved the best for last and so I want you all to know I'm happy to have [name redacted] in this room you can be seated it was 1993 and one of the most well-known races in America was being held it's called the Leadville Trail 100 ultra marathon it's popular because the Leadville forces Racers to run and to climb high altitudes over trails and Snowy Peaks all within the Colorado Rockies the Leadville is known as one of the toughest races ever the Leadville ultra marathon you could say is closer to mountaineering than it is marathoning and in 1993 the greatest runners in the world came to race but there next to the carefully top-seeded Racers on the face of the planet the greatest that there were in existence were half a dozen middle-aged guys in togas smoking cigarettes and shooting the breeze deciding whether or not they should wear their new Rockport cross trainers that they'd been given earlier because people felt bad for them or the sandals that they had made out of old tires scavenged by a nearby junkyard most opted to go ahead and run in their sandals they weren't stretching they weren't warming up or showing even the faintest sign that they were about to start one of the most grueling Ultra marathons in the world in fact here's what those folks look like and unfortunately for you that's what their feet look like and I sent a pixelated picture just so you wouldn't have to see it so vividly I don't want you to have nightmares tonight when you close your eyes I pray that that is the image that is in your head this is a True Story by the way who were these cigarette smoking drinking men that decided they wanted to run in one of the toughest races in the world they were the tiramora Indians from the copper Canyons region of Northwestern Mexico their Curious appearance matched their mysterious legend that they defy every known rule of physical conditioning and still speed along for hundreds of miles without showing any wear and tear the terramora didn't work out or stretch or obviously protect their feet they chain smoked Fierce black tobacco ate a ton of carbs and barely any meat and chugged so much Cactus moonshine that they were either drunk or hung over and estimated one-third of each year that's one day on their backs for every two days on their feet one reporter said this of these men there's no doubt that they are the best runners in the world however the Leadville was sure to test that claim once the starting gun sounded around 4 a.m a sea of taller heads quickly swallowed the tiramora runners who faded into the middle of the pack behind the world's most scientifically trained Ultra marathoners however as the sun rose and the runners begin to climb towards 12 640 feet of elevation at Hope pass the terramora began easing forward running so beautifully that one Leadville veteran was left mesmerized and said this they seemed to move with the ground that was in you Henry Dupree of the New York Times quote he would say kind of like a cloud or a fog moving across the mountains at first at the first aid station the tiramora who had actually decided to wear the running shoes that were given to them were shucking them off and throwing them to the side and putting on their rubber tire sandals again Again by the turnaround Point sandal feet were pattering hard behind the leaders not only were the terramora gaining but they also seemed to be getting stronger as the race was getting tougher they were picking up the pace reports from observers at the Mountaintop stations said the tiramora were giving were even smiling as they passed the other racers as the lead Runners came to the finish the terramora finished first watch this as 55 year old Victorino churro a farmer broke the tape in first place with a record time of 20 hours 3 minutes and 33 seconds in second place he was followed by corildo chakorito in second and Manuel Luna in fifth the three Tierra Mora were still bouncing along as they crossed the Finish Line claiming three of the top five places including first and second their performance proved to be no fluke because a year later another Tierra moral Runner Juan Herrera would win at Leadville finishing three hours better than the year before then in 1995 three Tierra Mora finished in the top ten of the ruggern rugged Western States 100 in California how did they do it before anyone could find out the tiramora vanished from the ultra marathoning marathon racing scene in the mid-1990s retreating to their Canyon bottom homes and taking their miraculous distance running secrets with them one Rider who would write a book on the topic said this we may not know much about them but we do know this they were born to run they were born to run this evening I'm here to tell you that much like the tiramora Indians minus the cigarette smoking in the cactus moonshine we were born to run we were made for the race that God has called us into where we were created with a purpose and a reason for living and I'm here to tell you that if you're in this room tonight I know that there's deterrence I know that there's frustrations I know that there's Temptations of all kinds in fact Paul would say it that we've been tested and we've been broken on every side there has been nothing but trial but in the midst of it all I've come to encourage somebody in this room that you were born to run this race and it's not time to stand on the sidelines it's not time to forget that fact no it's time to get in the middle of the will of God and say God I've got a purpose and a reason for living and I'm gonna run the race that you've called me to run I'm going to fulfill the call that is upon my life young people let me just tell you something you are not a Lost Generation or a missed opportunity no every single one of you have been called by God for such a time as this you're going to be the greatest preachers you're going to be the greatest missionaries you're going to be the greatest Soul winners you were born for this moment come on you were born to run tonight this is why you exist you've got a high and a holy call upon your life and if you'll continue to press toward the Mark I know that it seems like in the midst of the culture that we live we ought to be getting weaker we ought to be growing more tired but I'm here to tell you that the spirit of God is going to lift somebody up and if you will continue to press forward you're not going to grow weary you're not going to become less than no you're going to press forward and you're going to run like you've never ran before I speak that in the name of Jesus that we were born for this moment in fact I feel a prophetic unction to speak to this generation any opportunity that I get to speak it and that is to Simply tell you that we're going to see the greatest Revival that we have ever seen in this generation and can I just tell you I love fac Knoxville and I love what God has given this church and what you have done to you have worked so hard and invested so much to win the people that you've won to build the Legacy that you've built to have the building that we stand in and we give honor to every generation that is before us but can I just say for a moment I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the generation upon which the end of the world has come and the Bible says that in the last days saith God I will pour out my spirit upon All Flesh so as good as the Revival has been and as great as the souls and the Harvest has been God is about to pour out something like we have never seen before our greatest days are not behind us our greatest days are in front of us and God's Gonna anoint your children and God's Gonna anoint your children's children and we're going to see things that the elders have only prayed for I speak that in the name of Jesus every young person you ought to get in the race and say God I'm gonna run I'm gonna press toward the Mark I'm gonna be who you've called me to be come on is there a generation in this room that would say with the hand of support we love you we support you we believe that Revival is on the way I'm in this race I was born for this God has called me for this and God has called you for this but can I also tell you that the race and the place that we've been called to run much like that Leadville ultra marathon it's not going to be an easy race it's going to be a very difficult race that we run you see you've been told and I've been told as we should be by parents and by leaders in our lives and even by our own inhibitions to stay away from danger but when Jesus gave us the Great Commission to go and to run with purpose he did not send us into safe places no it was the exact opposite because if you're going to fulfill the call of God on your life let me just tell you what scripture encapsulates it well Matthew chapter 10 and verse 16 Jesus said this I am sending you out like sheep among wolves now I'm sure some of the disciples had to pause for a moment and say I'm sorry I think you meant to say like wolves among sheep no no no no you're being sent out like sheep Among Wolves you know I I know I don't know if you all know this and I know I'm about to get an amen up in here right now but your boy still bleeds orange somebody [Applause] for some of you that is the loudest that you have been all day long and I'm praying for you I still bleed orange I was here a decade I was here I'll watch the championship game boy I was like let's go we're going to be good forever come on thank God for Redemption so I bleed Orange and as a fan of College athletics I have often wondered how it is that college teams pick a mascot you know I'm not necessarily a fan of these schools but I can definitely get down with the mascot I like a wolverine that's a pretty powerful mascot right there you know look at the NFL you got the Lions you know if you're going to pick an a mascot you want to pick something that's strong you want to pick something that's good you want to pick something that's powerful I'm wondering how the Ohio state became the Buckeyes you know what I'm saying you really want to intimidate the other team we're going to be the Buckeyes it's a little disappointing if you're I mean it's just disappointing you're from Ohio in general amen I'm just kidding I'm about to start a riot up in here I don't know how how you pick a mascot but I do know this you want to pick something powerful intimidating with a strong presence and when Jesus looked at his disciples he said I've got a mask out for you we're about to be sheep among wolves and I'm sure that was a pro probably a disappointing moment because if we're going to be Spirit-filled Believers oftentimes we talk about the power that comes with that and that's a wonderful thing but when Jesus looked at them he wanted them to understand if you're going to run the race that I've called you to run if you're going to go out with the commission that I have given you it will not be a safe calling no sir it will be a calling that causes you to have to rub shoulders with danger you're gonna have to go to uncomfortable places you're going to have to have conversations with people that don't believe what you believe in fact you're going to watch as the culture itself begins to turn against the church can I just tell you if you're in a dangerous place as a child of God and I'm speaking to those that have been sent out on Mission then you're probably in the right place in fact can I just pause and tell you what that word sent means in Matthew 10 and 16. you want to know what the word is apostello this is the the birthplace of the name of our church back home stello church stello is the verb within apostello it means to be sent out with purpose apostello is where you get the word Apostolic or sent out ones you want to know what it looks like to be Apostolic it doesn't look like somebody who's sitting and warming a pew sitting on their hands and saying man I sure do like Sunday morning it's nice and safe in the house I love the house I love what we feel here but can I tell you what God pours into you students right in this house right here when he gives you anointing when you feel the power of the Holy Ghost it is not just so that you can get a little bit of a recharge and then go back to some Monday mediocre living know when God fills you with the gift of the Holy Ghost he gives you power to be sent out with purpose and to run a race that only God himself can give you the power to run and yeah we may be sheep Among Wolves people may look at us and see meek and meager but can I just tell you what's underneath that is the power of the Holy Ghost and if the power of the spirit of God is what's leading us we're going to make it we're going to be all right and I feel it right now to speak over somebody if God has given you a call he's going to give you the power to fulfill that call if God has told you to go man I feel this so strong in my spirit don't know what campuses some of our college students are walking on to but can I just speak over you and tell you that there's a campus ministry opportunity there are people who need you to reach them I don't know what schools even the one here locally although all of you are going to but I will tell you no matter what atmosphere you might be in whether it's Christian whether it's public whether it's private God is sending you there with a purpose so get in the race and keep running get in the race and keep running I remember 15 years of age we left LaFollette Tennessee and I'm just going to speak to the students for a moment would that be okay 15 years of age I left my my eighth grade year Christy you know this is true eighth grade year and I went to ninth grade and I transitioned from middle school to high school that's already a difficult transition it was during that summer that my family left the church in LaFollette and took the church there in North Carolina and when we made that transition I'm just going to tell you eighth grade was the was the greatest year of my life I was coming out of eighth grade somebody just he just waved at me on the front row let's go he's like I feel that bro this story I just want you to know the story is about to discourage you and I'm very sorry Pastor Anthony in eighth grade we only had eight people in our eighth grade graduating class who were all in one class together and young men six of those eight were girls in the seventh his name was Andrew he was the only other guy and I'm just going to be real with you Andrew was no competition for your boy you know what I'm saying he was a wonderful wingman and a great guy but I felt a lot of support you know he was not it was a good year is all I'm saying eighth grade I walked in confident every single day I went from eighth grade to ninth grade I left that private Christian School there in LaFollette Tennessee and I went to a high school my ninth grade year with over 2 000 students in it several different cultures this is it was such a culture shock for me in that public high school my ninth grade year that literally when I walked in I was having a difficult time understanding what people were saying I literally could not understand the lingo in the language I'd never heard as many curse words in one day as I heard my ninth grade year it was it was wild I felt like the I felt so alone I felt like the only Apostolic young person my dad picked me up that day and he said Devin how was how was school today and I said Dad it was the worst day of my life worst day of my life and I remember it was just a couple of weeks later for some reason on this particular year after having the worst couple of weeks that I'd had Pastor Nate this is probably why my dad called you in a couple years later he was like man he needs some help we got to call an evangelist or something I remember after a couple of weeks of high school I ended up going to North American youth congress for some reason youth congress in my school schedule had overlapped I think it had something to do with snow days if I remember but I'm having a hard time recollecting why it was but either way I was just glad to go to a conference I just wanted to get out of school so I took a few days and I went to youth congress where there were thousands of other young people and I remember just wishing that I didn't have to go back to this school and just feeling so alone and so embarrassed and so so humiliated I was being made fun of I felt like an outcast and I just thought man this is not how I expected it to go my parents took this church and and we're supposed to be following God but this is not enjoyable this is not fun felt demoralized and embarrassed and so we went to this this youth congress and I remember Pastor Nate this is no lie a man got up on a morning service and he delivered his his message there to the thousands and thousands of young people and when he gave his title his primary title was this don't eat your burrito in the bathroom and I thought man you get one chance to preach youth congress you know what I'm saying and that's going to be your title somebody help this man out well the message that would then ensue was this he began to talk about the fact that he was a ninth grade student in a public high school and how every day for the first few weeks of school and I was sitting I'm telling it was like I was the only person I was sitting there listening to this man he said I would go to the lunchroom my ninth grade year he said I'd go through the same line every day I'd get the same burrito every day and he said because I was so embarrassed to sit by myself at school he said I'd take that burrito and I would go find an empty stall in a bathroom because I didn't want to eat by myself number one can we all agree that that's pretty unsanitary and gross but then he would talk about in his message how he left a conference or something and something changed in his mind and he began to give his testimony about how God transitioned his Spirit young people I'm talking to you for a second something happened in him and he said I went back to my school and something began to transition in my spirit and I made a decision I wasn't going to eat my burrito in the bathroom anymore but I was going to pursue the call of God on my life and something in that message I don't remember what it was but something changed me it transitioned me and I made a decision I'm going back to that church that my parents have taken I'm going back to that school that God has called me to and I'm going to be who God has called me to be and I will tell you that over the four years of high school I made mistakes I tripped I fell I was introduced to certain sins and vices that God had to help me get through but despite all of that I was able to see around 10 or 12 of my own students and peers baptized in the name of Jesus because God had called me something got a hold of me something changed me something trans you know what I made a decision this was the decision that I made I'm not going to be on the sideline when God has called me to run and there's some young people in this room right now that you need to make a decision I'm not going to be on the sideline because God has called me to be in this race and can I just tell you you don't have to be perfect in fact can I just tell you you're going to trip and fall it's impossible not to I'm a grown man I don't know about y'all but sometimes I still trip and fall and I'm talking spiritually and for real physically just a couple weeks ago me and my wife we were at a at a camp and at this Camp I did not realize it we were we were ministering here and they'd given us this nice room but apparently they made the beds there out of titanium they were I'm telling you they were cemented to the floor I believe that just concrete blocks because Pastor Nate I was walking and I didn't realize it with the corners of that bed came all the way out and when I tell you I was I was walking with confidence bro I'm telling my foot was swinging and I hit my toe on the titanium pillar that held that bed up and you want to know I went I went from up on a mountain to down in a valley just like that I was laying on the floor and I was telling my wife I said except embarrassed I fall I'm 30 something years old I still fall down but you know what I don't let that keep me from walking I don't let one broke toe or one bad moment keep me from get because this is what I'm called to do I have to keep walking can I just tell you young people you're going to make mistakes you're going to fall but you cannot let that keep you from getting back up again in fact can I just speak to everybody in this room the Bible says that a righteous man is not defined by how many times he falls but a righteous man is defined by how many times he gets back up again so don't sideline yourself from the race that God has called you to run just because you've made some mistakes in fact you know what you need to do you need to get accountable and you need to say God I'm getting this sin or this mistake behind me and I'm moving forward I'm going to be who you've called me to be this is what the Bible says about those who run watch this wherefore seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses watch this let us lay aside every weight and sin which does so easily beset us and let us y'all ready let us let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him what did he do he endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God you've been called to run that race am I going to step down here now I'm not going to get any feedback or anything I think I have is his name big dog big dog somebody somebody give it up what's his real name [name redacted] [name redacted] can you help me bro [name redacted] I heard you're fast he said yeah it's true we're gonna we're gonna test that claim [name redacted] I just feel like I need to do that I don't know why anybody named big dog you gotta dab it up you know what I'm saying all right big dog put this backpack on pretty light isn't it this is the backpack that we had snacks in earlier so there's some problems in the bottom say right there [name redacted] what shoes do you have on those are like those will work who thinks [name redacted]'s fast you've seen it all right [name redacted] I just want to see how quick you can get from here to tagging this hand but I'm going to count you down and as soon as I do I want y'all to cheer [name redacted] on y'all ready one two three [Music] that is quick that is quick that's really quick can I see that Pastor Anthony just give me one of those you're pretty quick [name redacted] well wait a second what if I change the game what if I put something on your back that doesn't belong there what if I add a weight to your life you know what the Bible says in that Hebrews 12 and 1. it says that we have a great cloud of witnesses that are looking down the generations that are before us the fathers of faith and they're cheering us on and if we're going to run the race that they have ran but run it even better than they ran it we're gonna have to lay aside every sin and every weight yes yeah there's some sins you got to get rid of but do you know that there's also just weights there's things in life that will weigh you down they're not even would you walk with me big dog they're not even necessarily sinful but it can look like things and young people I want to speak to you for a second God is calling you to run a race this year this school year I believe it in the name of Jesus some of you are going to have the greatest school year that you've ever had you're going to watch God work in your life you're going to see the miraculous hand of God moving your family I speak that in the name of Jesus that this is going to be the year where some of you have been crying out and praying from family members that you may be sent to the school you may attend this church but they don't yet I speak in the name of Jesus that this is going to be the year where God draws them in where God moves on them and he's going to use you because you were born to run this race but you want to know what can happen in your life it's not just sin you got to get rid of sometimes what will happen is you'll get slow slowed down by weights that don't belong there what do those weights look like well there's a lot of things but sometimes it looks like things that can just distract you I would just want to encourage every young person in this room in fact can I just pause for a moment I'm preaching I'm preaching to everybody if we would take inventory of our own time and begin to ask God where am I spending the majority of my time what are the things that my that have caught my gaze most often what is it is it a screen is it a social media app is it relationship that doesn't belong there is it something that yes it's a good thing but that good thing or that thing that could have some time in my life has actually caused me to sacrifice the best thing in my life that's what a weight looks like it looks like something that's not inherently sinful but for some reason it has begun to consume us to a point where now we're weighed down now we're going to try it again big dog but you got something in that backpack I want you to be careful because I know that thing's gonna whip around and I don't want you coming out of here with any back issues okay all right you ready one two three go [Applause] not bad I broke my thumb but not bad bring them up here just a little tougher wasn't it a little more resistance you come over here let's put some more things in there let's call it like it is there here's a relationship that doesn't belong it's not necessarily sinful it's not necessarily something terrible but it's something that that you've placed in your life that they just don't encourage you they discourage you every time you talk to them it's something about gossip it's something that just leaves you kind of feeling away from from what God has called you to be and then before you know it there's not just a relationship but there's apps on your phone can I just I'm about to I'm going to step on a Young Person's toes tonight how about some video games how about some video games I'm speaking to a young person Tonight video games aren't bad I enjoy that Pastor Nate me and him whenever he was at my parents house we lived in that basement you remember Pastor Nate I could now while Pastor Nate was praying and seeking the face of God and inconveniencing me it was an inconvenience for the devil and the Devon amen I'd be playing some video games I'm not saying there's anything wrong with video games big dog but if all you do is play video games if your mind is constantly consumed with it if your mind is consumed constantly with how many likes you get on the photo if your mind is constantly caught up in how much popularity or where you can hang out or what relationships you're in and before you know it the things of God have become secondary rather than primary what has happened is you have added weights to the backpack and before you know it the race that you were born to run you're still Born to Run that race but the issue is now you're just weighed down and I want you to be careful on this one because it really will hurt you but I just want you to walk to me this time in fact give me that give me that old person in a mall fast-paced walk you know what I'm talking about not bad [Applause] not bad we have one more just weighed down a little bit big dog you were quick when there was nothing in the backpack but now it's diff it's difficult it's harder to run I'm not even saying it's sin yes it could be sin can I just stop for a moment and tell you if you walked into this room tonight and you've got sin in your life unconfessed sin hidden sin God will help you take care of that you need to bring that to an altar of repentance I don't know who I'm speaking to in fact let me just stop that's a lie I know exactly who I'm speaking to I'm talking to everybody in this room when I talk about that God will help you take care of that God will move in your life so yes lay the sin down but also the weights had a counselor tell me one time and I'm almost finished but I want you to hear me she said Devin she said if you've ever been abused or hurt put through something that caused you to have bitterness or unforgiveness something that's caused you to have an immense amount of stress she said I cannot tell you the number of people that push these things down in a way and they have unprocessed pain or abuse in their life and they're walking around with that pain or that emotion unprocessed and that is what's causing them anger that's what's causing them bitterness and she said this is how she described it to me she said Devin it's like someone who has a rock in their hands and God is telling them to lay it down at his feet and process what they've been through but instead of giving it to God she said they take it out of their hands and they put it in a backpack that's on their back and she said what happens is they mistakenly think because it's out of sight and out of mind that is not there anymore can I just tell you this weight whether it's in his hands or it's in his backpack it's the same amount of weight just because you can't see it anymore just because you've forgotten it just because you've pushed it down doesn't mean that it's disappeared and I want to speak to somebody for just a moment in this room and tell you that God has called you to run the race that is set before you but if there's something that you've been through that you have not yet processed that you have not yet given to him that you have not yet laid down he is in this room right now saying hey just because you've taken it out of sight and out of mind doesn't mean that it's not there anymore and I'm talking to young people I'm talking to young adults but I'm talking to parents as well because I cannot tell you how many 30 40 and 50 year old some things have come into in office and have begun to speak about abuse or pain that they've endured whether it be a secret abuse or whether it be endured because of some sort of leader in their life all sorts of different Brokenness and they've never talked about it they've never brought it to God they've just ignored it and pushed down and pretended that it wasn't there and when they finally get the gall and the strength and the courage to address it what ends up happening is they'll begin to cry and the emotions will begin to move and you know what they'll say by the time they get done they'll say words like this I feel so much lighter the joy is back in my life again you want to know what that is that was not a sin necessarily but it was a weight and they've been walking around with the weight of abuse and pain and hurt had one man tell me a story and I'm almost finished but listen to me he said Devin he said growing up in my house my dad was a pastor and he said me and my brothers we watched as my dad would lead and Pastor in fact musicians would you make your way he said if he watches my dad would lead and pastor and he said one thing that he did is he brought a family member of ours in and he said this family member was broken he was he was a gang member my dad was trying to rehabilitate him listen to me for a moment he said but as I was a boy in grade school what he did not realize is that family member of mine was had several times while he was staying with us would sneak into my room at night and abuse me and he said I endured that and he said I'd ask myself this question why me what am I doing to attract this am I asking for this and he said I went from being a boy to being a teenager and he said I remember as I was a teenager he said I was so angry he said I remember being in my school and flipping my principal's desk over being expelled and thrown out he said I came home one night and he said I heard my dad down in the in the living room he didn't know that he could hear me he said but I heard my dad say what is wrong with my son he said I felt separated from my father he said my everybody else in my home seemed to be doing great but I'd endured something and never told anybody about it later on in life he would somehow go through drugs go through all sorts of different things but God would cause him to have a powerful Ministry and he said I thought because I had a powerful Ministry I'd let it go he said but I would go hear me and I would preach to others and we would have powerful Revival services and he said when I was at the height of my Ministry popularity I would come home on Monday I would sit in my living room and open up my Bible devotion and I would ask God why am I depressed why do I feel so heavy why can't I preach to others but feel so weighed down and he said one Monday morning as I was going through my devotion God spoke to me and he said he put that family member's name on my mind and he said I told God no I'll never forgive him I'll never let that go he doesn't deserve forgiveness for what he's done to me he said but God began to work on me he said he'd been dead and gone for years died and gang violence he said but I went to his graveside the quickest that I could after I finally accepted that word from God and he said I looked at that gravestone he said I said these words I'm letting this go I'm forgiving you because I know the only reason that you did this to me is because somebody else hurt you and he said Devin the moment that I said those words he said I felt No Lie the joy of the Lord come back into my life I felt depression lift off of me I felt anxiety lift off of me you want to know why because he was never called to carry that bitterness that unforgiveness yes it was something that had been inflicted on him done to him something he didn't ask for something he did not deserve but it had caused him to carry a weight in his life around I'm speaking to somebody tonight I don't know what the weight is that is in your life I don't know what the chain or the burden is in your life but God has told you you are born to run this race and unfortunately there are people that are still in the race but they're barely in it they're limping along they're weighed down with weights that easily beset them they're weighed down with relationships and things that were never meant to be there but God is in this room tonight and he's saying hey I'm about to take that off of your back and you're about to run again like you've never ran before this is not a burden that you were called to carry no you were called to run free you were called to be able to run this race with joy with endurance with patience I feel the Holy Ghost speaking to somebody in this room that God's about to be the restorer of somebody's joy that God's about to lift a heavy weight of Burden off of you and in the name of Jesus you're gonna run like you've never ran before [Music] big dog just when you thought you were finished something else for you you stand with me all over this place [Music] you have a microphone down here I don't need it not big dogs not preaching tonight [Music] I was reading about racing now I don't know you probably wouldn't know this by looking at me but I'm not necessarily you call an athlete athlete but those that are athletes and if you are a runner and you like to race have you ever heard of a relay race it's one of the most exciting races that there are if you've ever seen a relay race it's such a beautiful depiction of what we are here a generational church it's such a beautiful depiction of what we've been talking about tonight because how many in here would agree with me that God especially if you're over the age of 30 over the age of 30 or 40 that yes God has called you to run but as you get up in years there's nothing more exciting than watching the Next Generation fulfill their call in fact there's some Sunday school teachers and some musicians and some people in here that one of the most fulfilling parts of your call is when you got to pass off what you were doing to the Next Generation that's what we're doing here but here's what here's what I found keep walking with me big dog that the last runner in a race is called the anchor Runner you ever heard this the anchor Runner and the reason why the last runner in a race is called the anchor Runner is because they're the most skilled fastest most powerful Runner can I just tell you if there is a depiction of what God has called this generation he has called them the anchor runners you want to know who's starting school tomorrow the anchor Runners you want to know who's going back to school tomorrow it's the ones that God has called because they are the most anointed most powerful most ready generation and I want to come along this alongside this generation and I want to help them unburden any shackles that might be on them I want to help them know that hey if God has called you to run I'm going to be alongside you as long as I can but the moment that you start running faster than me you know what I'm going to do I'm going to pass this off to you so that you can go where I can't go I'm here to tell you that this generation is a generation of anchor runners so here's what we're gonna do you know what the Bible says Hebrews 12 and 1 that we've got a great cloud of witnesses that are looking down and they're cheering us on so we're going to do it different this time you know what actually let me stop for a second I don't want a microphone I want to run with the right thing anybody have a paper Bible anybody bring a paper Bible to church tonight extra points if you did [Music] Big Dog you're not running with a microphone you want to know what you're running with you're running with the gospel you want to know what the Baton looks like it looks like the word of God you want to know what this generation is about to change the world with the powerful pure unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ and we place it Square in their hands and so here's the thing you're not just going to run by yourself this time y'all say you're going to run with him no sir I am not about to run with him he'll outrun me quick but we're going to pass this off to him and the great cloud of witnesses called fac Knoxville is about to cheer on this generation so I want to see how quick you can get from there to there but this time you're about to hear the support of parents and grandparents in the generation before you that says hey you're not alone you're not doing this by yourself how many beliefs in this generation how many beliefs in this youth group how many beliefs in these students how many beliefs that they're the anchor Runners how many knows that this generation is going to see the greatest Revival they're going to run the fastest race they've been given the greatest measure of anointing they're going to see the most powerful Miracles man I feel the Holy Ghost here Bishop I love the stories but I'm telling you this generation is going to have their own stories you're going to see your friends baptized you're going to see Miracle signs and wonders you're going to see as this church multiplies in number because of your ministry you ready for this all right back here we go here's your starting line you're not running without support this time are y'all ready to support him is there a cloud of witnesses you ready I want you to get there and back as quick as you can one two three go [Applause] now here's what we're about to do every student that's starting school whether it be Cal early High School Middle School elementary school I want you to come up to the altar first but as you step up to this altar right now could we put our hands together and you're on the greatest Generation come on that's it could you let them know that you're the greatest Generation could you lift your voices could there be a cloud of witnesses that says yes God's anointed them God's touched their lives and now I wonder could you gather in around them could you begin to lay your hands on them as they go back to school [Music] begin to pray for these students and say yes yes you're going to see Miracle signs and wonders yes you're going to see the mighty hand of God this is the generation that's going to lay aside every weight this is the generation that's gonna run with the gospel [Music] I will be what you call me to be [Music] [Applause] Lord I agree my desires [Music] I will be what you call me to be [Music] yes [Music] [Music] [Music] yes yes [Music] [Applause] [Music] I agree yesterday [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes yes [Applause] [Music] yes yes [Applause] [Music] I see it is [Music] [Applause] Isaiah [Music] [Music] [Applause] Lord I agree [Music] yes [Music] yes I agree and I say yes [Music] yes I agree [Music] I say yes yes I agree I see yes [Music] yes I will be what's call me to me [Applause] [Music] my Jesus [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes [Music] that's what I'll be hallelujah hallelujah I would like for every faculty and staff member of apostolic Christian School and Apostolic Kiddie Academy I'd like for you to gather in around the front with these students right now every faculty member I know some of y'all are up here singing but that's all right I want you to step down there see we're living in a world that the custom is [Music] for there to be an adversarial relationship between instructors and students that's not what we are at Apostolic Christian School and Apostolic Kiddie Academy we are a team together every one of these faculty members you got a baton that you're handing off every time you go in your classroom you got a baton that you're in and look at the runners we got look at the runners that God has given us from the smallest to the tallest God has given us an incredible opportunity to hand the Baton to another generation but we need the anointing of the Holy Ghost and we need the covering of the Holy Angels to protect us never mistake the enemy would attack would divide and try to tear us asunder but in the name of Jesus I claim Unity I claim victory I speak it in Jesus name we will not be divided we will not let the enemy come in Among Us and divide our thoughts our minds our Direction We Are Apostolic Christian School we are Apostolic Kiddie Academy we are going to be Soul winners I'd like for you to reach out around your staff members and students alike now I need parents together in behind them facilitators if you're helping get some kids in school there's grandparents here I need your help we are still one team this is the Outreach of First Apostolic church I want us to pray together right now in the name of Jesus we bind together by the authority of your name and by the power of your word right now I rebuke the enemy that would come against us that would divide us Lord that would attack and God I claim victory Lord we go out together unified strong in you Lord let the power of the Holy Ghost minister in every classroom [Music] let the power of the Holy Ghost walk up and down the halls of this place Lord I pray for guardian angels to protect this building and this campus Lord I pray that you would send your Holy Angels to refute the devour that would try to come against what we want to accomplish let the power of the Holy Ghost be in this place let our Elevate Services be power packed and anointed as Pastor Whitney Pastor Anthony Minister God I pray that your hand would be on our student musicians and praise team God I pray that you would anoint them to sing with the power of the Holy Ghost Lord if there's a student that comes through these doors that does not yet know you Lord let our lives be a witness Lord let the doors be open that we can Minister might leave in your kingdom we claim it right now we claim it right now in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name Hallelujah