Decisions in the Moment of Conviction | Jermaine Ervine

We've come to magnify him today. We've come to lift him up in this sanctuary today. Praise God. Praise God. What a move of God that we felt in this house. Anybody thankful for what you feel? Praise God. This wonderful youth choir that would lead us into the the presence of the Lord. I I thank God. We were blessed to be youth pastors for many years and work with a lot of incredible young people. And I thank God I thank God number one for the anointing of God.

There's one thing to have talent, but it's another thing altogether to be anointed. And what we heard tonight was anointed singing. All of our all of our youth choir, you ought to give yourself a hand tonight. Praise God. Praise God. You don't have to be around long to tell that this house is a house that was built on prayer. And I can feel the prayers of the people of God tonight. And I feel like God wants to do great things in this house. Anybody come for a move of God tonight.

Praise God. If you got your Bibles, the book of Joel, chapter 3. Book of Joel, chapter 3. While you're turning there, let me say what an honor it is to be in this house. We don't take it for granted or lightly. I know this is our first time here. Some of you don't know me, but I just want to tell you from the onset of this message that we serve the same God. And I've been praying to who you've been praying to and and we be brethren if you would.

So, uh, just let just let your brother or your cousin preach to you tonight. I'm just glad to be in the house of the Lord. I want to give honor to the leadership of this church. Anybody thankful for anointed leadership that will lead us into revival? Carpenter family, the Ericson family, and the Hammond family. Anybody else that's a part of the leadership team, all of the ministry in this house? And I want to honor the young people tonight. My my assignment this week is to preach uh to young people.

And I believe that uh the young people are going to carry this revival greater than we've ever seen it before. I'm telling you, I know we say that, but I really believe that that God won't be outdone by what he's already done, but the best is still yet to come. Anybody believe that in the house today? Praise God. And I want to give them honor. All of the parents of young people that would bring them to the house of God. All of the parents that have been praying for your kids for this revival, I want to tell you that I've been linking up with you in the Holy Ghost.

And I've been praying for your children. And I believe God's going to help somebody in this house tonight. Feel like God wants to do great work in the sanctuary. I'm honored that my family was able to travel with me. My wife Brianna, my three children, Stella J. Beckham Gay, and Brooklyn Dior. God has blessed our family and I'm a blessed man tonight. Amen. Amen. Let's get right into the word of the Lord. Joel chapter 3, one verse of scripture, verse 14. The Bible says, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." There is a lot of prophecy wrapped up in this text.

There's a lot uh the you could talk about the valley of Armageddon, you can talk about prophecy, the coming of the Lord, all of these different things, but suffice it to say, I believe this thing is wrapping up. Amen. And I believe that there are some decisions that need to be made. I've come to preach tonight. I've come to minister uh under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. I know what God has told me and I know what my assignment is. And I believe God's going to help us tonight.

And I want to preach to this congregation under this idea. Decisions in the moment of conviction. Decisions in the moment of conviction. If you would put your Bibles down. I need I need somebody to help me pray right now. Every Holy Ghost fil believer, I wonder can you lift up your voice right now? I wonder can you cry out to heaven right now? Mighty God, we need you. God, I pray you would anoint my lips of clay. God, I pray you would touch the remainder of this service.

God, I pray you would you would help us in this house. God, we need a move of your spirit tonight. God, we didn't come to play church tonight, but we came to have a demonstration of the moving of the spirit in THIS HOUSE TONIGHT. GOD, WE WON'T HESITATE to give you the praise for all that you're going to do in Jesus name. Somebody say in Jesus name. Come on, SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT. IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. CLAP YOUR HANDS AS LOUD as you can in the house.

>> >> Amen. You may be seated in the presence of the Lord. >> From Genesis or the beginning of time, man was given the ability to choose, the ability to chart his own course, the ability to make his own decisions. And a decision is a conclusion or a resolution reached after consideration. Adam and Eve were given the ability to choose. And God gave us the gift of human will or free moral agency if you would. Uh because love is not love without choice, but love without choice is slavery.

It is bondage. But God uh his infinite wisdom, it wants a relationship with his creation. But he's not looking for a force or a mandatory relationship, but God is looking for a man or a woman or a young person that would make a decision to live for him. I come to tell somebody on a Wednesday afternoon that it's a good day today to make a decision to live for God. It's a good day today TO MAKE UP IN YOUR MIND THAT AS FOR ME IN MY HOUSE, WE'RE going to serve the Lord.

I COME TO PREACH TO A YOUNG PERSON TODAY AND LET YOU KNOW TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO DECIDE I'M GOING TO LIVE FOR GOD ALL OF THE DAYS OF MY LIFE. COME ON, CLAP YOUR HANDS AND GIVE HIM A GREAT PRAISE TONIGHT. I'm going to live for God. IT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE economy looks like or what uh who's in the White House or what politics look like or what school you go TO OR WHAT JOB YOU MAY HAVE. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE DAY LOOKS LIKE.

THE THE PSALMIST would say it this way. THIS IS THE DAY THAT the Lord has made. That's a fact. We know that God has made the day. But the latter part of that verse says, "I will." Can I tell you? It's a matter of will and choice that YOU DECIDE THAT I'M WAKING up in the morning and I'm going to rejoice and be glad. And I COME TO REMIND SOMEBODY TODAY that it was GOD THAT PUT BREATH IN YOUR BODY AND HE'S worthy of the praise.

It was God that woke you up this morning. IT WAS GOD THAT STARTED YOU ON YOUR WAY. IT WAS GOD THAT PUT FOOD ON YOUR TABLE. YOU'VE GOT A REASON TO PRAISE him today. Hallelujah. We live in a time where we put conditions on our praise to God. >> And those conditions that we put on our praise to God is that if it's good and everything's going all right, then maybe I'll give him praise today. And and if if if if I got money in my pocket, then I'll give him praise.

And if everything's going right in my world, if if everything seems up, then he's worthy of praise. But but we get in this place where we put those conditions on God and we begin to tie the hands of our praise because we're waiting on God to do something supernatural. But I just remember Bishop, my bishop telling me that God is worthy of the praise whether everything's going right or everything's going wrong. God's worthy of the praise. If I've got money in my pocket or if I'm broke as a I come to preach TO SOMEBODY TONIGHT, GOD IS WORTHY OF THE PRAISE.

WHETHER EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD OR EVERYTHING LOOKS DOWN, I COME TO ENCOURAGE A YOUNG PERSON TODAY. DON'T YOU EVER LOSE YOUR PRAISE. BUT EVERY TIME YOU COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD, YOU'VE GOT TO BE A PRAISER. YOU'VE GOT TO BE A WORSHIPPER. You in fact, WE'VE GOT SCRIPTURE FOR THAT. IT was David who would declare, "I WILL BLESS THE LORD at all times." Can I tell you, YOU'VE GOT TO GET THAT TYPE OF ATTITUDE IN your spirit that said, "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE.

NO MATTER IF I GOT SICKNESS IN MY BODY OR NOT, I'M GOING TO BLESS THE LORD. I'M GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AND GIVE GOD GREAT PRAISE." I WONDER, CAN WE TRY THAT RIGHT NOW? CLAP YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW. GIVE GOD A GREAT PRAISE IN THE SANCTUARY. HALLELUJAH. >> MY PRAISE IS NOT PREDICATED upon my circumstances. >> MY PRAISE IS NOT DICTATED BY WHAT'S GOING on in my life, but God who created the heavens and the earth. The God that put the sun in the in the sky and it sits right where he put it to sit and it does the job that he created it to do.

The God that put breath in your body. I don't know why I keep coming back to that, but we've got to remember that it was God that put breath in your body and not yourself. It was GOD THAT SAW FIT FOR YOU TO HAVE ANOTHER DAY. And can I tell you today, IF GOD GAVE YOU ANOTHER SUNRISE, THEN GOD'S NOT DONE WITH YOU. GOD'S GOT MORE FOR YOU. GOD'S GOT GREATER FOR YOU. GOD'S GOT BETTER TODAY. SAYS, I WILL BLESS the Lord. It's a matter of will.

It's a matter of choice. It's a matter of making a decision to bless the Lord at all times. And before my FEET HITS THE GROUND, I've got to make up in my mind, no matter what I'm going through, that I'm going to decide. I'm going to make a decision that God is still worthy to be praised. In the good times, I'll praise him. IN THE BAD TIMES, I'LL PRAISE HIM. IF I'm rich, I'm going to praise him. IF I'M POOR, I'M GOING TO PRAISE HIM. If my And he goes on to say in Psalm 34, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me." That's why we come to the house of God.

Can I tell you young people, it's a beautiful thing to be in a incredible facility like this to give God praise and give God worship. But what's more beautiful is that you've got friends and people next to you that you can worship God with. Can I tell you this thing was never been been meant to for you to walk this thing by yourself. But I thank God for the people of God that when I'm down, they can lift me up with my my my my I'm thankful today for a church FAMILY TO WORSHIP THE LORD WITH.

>> You do all of this by will, by choice, >> and by making a decision. And often times people find themselves in the valley of decision. Then Joshua said it this way. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Elijah would ask the people of God the penetrating question. HE WOULD SAY, "HOW LONG will you halt between two opinions?" The people of God were at a crossroad. They were vacasillating between two opinions. Uh one foot in and one foot out. Can I just stop right here and let you know the Holy Ghost told me to tell somebody, "Today is the day that you MAKE A DECISION AND YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND THAT I'M DONE playing games and I'm going to walk with God FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE." Today said, "HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO HALT between two opinions?

You've been dabbling in one world and dabbling in the other world and serving God when it's convenient. But at other times you would follow AFTER BALE. HE STARTED preaching to them in that moment and told them, you're not going to stand in an in between place, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO DECIDE TODAY. You've got to make a decision today. And we know the story. There was this big battle at Mount Carmel, the 450 prophets of Baal, the 400 prophets of the groves against Elijah and his God.

And they WOULD DECLARE THE GOD THAT ANSWERS BY FIRE, let him be God. They had to make a decision and a choice. And the Bible says that the people answered him, not a word. >> They didn't know which way they wanted to turn. They they had not made their calling and election sure. They had not made a decision to turn towards the one true living God. And so God was about to show his hand again. And the Bible would tell us that they would make an altar.

The altars, the the prophets of Baal would make an altar. Bible says that they would try to call down fire from heaven. They would begin TO SCREAM, "OH, BA, YOU OUGHT TO HEAR US. OH, BA, YOU OUGHT TO HEAR US." AND THE BIBLE says that no man heard or nobody responded. Can I tell you what happens when you serve a God with no ears and a God that can hear, you will begin to cry out to him and he won't be able to hear your cry.

THEY BEGIN TO, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THEY BEGIN to leap on the altar that was made. Bible says they were so frustrated that they begin to cut themselves. Can I stop right here and tell you this whole idea of self harm and suicide and and cutting yourself is not anything new. But all the way back in the word of God, people the RESPONSE OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH A GOD THAT COULD HELP THEM IN THEIR SITUATION WAS THE RESPONSE of God.

IT WAS ALL THAT THEY KNEW HOW TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAD NO HOPE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A GOD. I'll never forget God blessed us with the incredible opportunity teach Bible studies. We would teach Bible studies in in five different high schools at one time. God was opening doors and he was moving some things and we were able to get into those schools. We started off with the football team and we started teaching them Bible study early in the morning and as the word spread about that study at the first high school, uh those kids started flooding in.

Some of those studies would reach upwards of a hundred people, 100 kids that would come and sit and listen to the word of God. And God was opening up a door. But my brother had a good idea. He said, "We need to take some prayer requests." But we need to create this box and let them write anonymous prayer requests and we're going to diligently pray for each and every prayer that comes in, prayer request that comes in. The first day that we put this box out, we let the students know what was happening.

And and and and I was shocked because at the end of that class, that box WAS FULL. WE GOT BACK to the house and we begin to pray earnestly over each and every prayer request. Can I tell you this was a a school that you had to take a test to get in. This this was a school where most of the students were going on to higher education. This was a school where most of the kids they were driving their own vehicles to school. This was a higher echelon school in the city of Birmingham.

But we got that box and we begin TO CRACK THAT BOX open and one after one those kids start telling their stories embolding because it was anonymous. They would begin to write and I quote they would write I've been cutting myself and mama doesn't know anything about it. I I've been I've been contemplating suicide and I don't know what to DO WITH MYSELF. I I'VE GOT SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. I CAN'T EVEN sleep at night. My mind's raging. I don't know what's going on in my world. I've seen things that I shouldn't have seen.

I've walked through valleys that I shouldn't have walked through. And they would they would TALK ABOUT HOW THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS THE END. And that there was a burden that got on me that day. And my brother, we begin to earnestly pray and God WOULD LEAD US BACK TO THIS TEXT AS WE STARTED looking for a remedy in the word of God. And it it came to ME IN THAT MOMENT. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when people PRAY TO A GOD THAT CAN'T HEAR THEIR CRY.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE LIVE IN A PLACE OF HOPELESSNESS WITHOUT a God. This is what begins to happen when they're praying, but they don't know how to get a hold of God. Can I tell you? I stopped. I got up from that place and I recognized the opportunity and I recognized that God had brought us here for such a time as this. Can I preach to a YOUNG PERSON TODAY THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST EXISTING JUST TO EXIST, BUT GOD HAS BROUGHT YOU TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.

It almost made me get Holy Ghost mad. I was mad at the devil. I woke up the next morning, the next time we had to go to study, and I had a ferveny in my spirit that I've got to reach some people today that were on their way to A DEVIL'S HELL. BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION, YOU'VE GOT TO YOU'VE GOT TO COME BY THE CHURCH. BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION, YOU'VE GOT TO RUN INTO A YOUNG PERSON that's got the GOSPEL TRUTH. AND YOU'VE GOT TO SIT AND LISTEN TO A GOD THAT GOT HOPE FOR YOU.

TO A GOD THAT'S BRINGING PEACE, TO A GOD THAT CAN BRING YOU OUT OF YOUR SITUATION. Can I tell you, we start preaching Christ to them. We start preaching Christ and him crucified. We start letting them know there was a power that you're missing today. You can repent of your sins, turn around. You can get baptized uh in the name of Jesus and you can receive the Holy Ghost. CAN I TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T DO THIS BY YOURSELF, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE HIS SPIRIT walking with you every single day.

Can I report to you today that we had many people receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and get baptized in Jesus' name? Can I tell you because we SERVE A GOD THAT'S GOT EARS to hear? WE SERVE A GOD THAT'S GOT AN ANSWER FOR EVERY PROBLEM. WE SERVE A GOD. ANYBODY SERVE THAT ONE TRUE LIVING GOD TODAY? If you serve a God >> that you've got to prop up when he falls down, >> you're not serving a God worthy of praise. >> If you serve a God that has L's on his resume, then you're not serving a God that's worthy to be praised.

Can I preach to somebody in this house and remind you that our God is the God that has never lost a battle? Can I REMIND SOMEBODY THAT GOD'S got a PERFECT TRACK RECORD? THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT HIS TRAIN FILLS THE TEMPLE. THAT'S EVERY SINGLE VICTORY THAT HE'S WANTS YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT YOU'RE ON THE WINNING SIDE. HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT GOD CAN PICK YOU UP AND TURN YOU AROUND AND PLACE YOUR I WISH I HAD TWO OR THREE THAT believe that today.

SOMEBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS IF YOU BELIEVE IT TODAY. Bible says that Elijah almost started taunting them. He He said, "Maybe you ought to cry a little bit louder." >> You see, they served a God that didn't have ears to hear. He had hands, but he couldn't feel. He had had feet, but he couldn't walk. He He had ears, but he couldn't hear when I cried. So, they served that type of God. So Elisha understood that nothing is going to become of this altar because this altar is to a God that doesn't really even exist.

He began to tell them, "YOU OUGHT TO CRY ALOUD. You ought to lift up your voice and cry." Then he said, "Maybe your God is asleep and maybe he's pursuing and maybe he's taking a vacation." Can I tell you, I thank God today that we serve a God that never sleeps and never slumbers. I thank God that in the midnight I come to preach to somebody THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR MIDNIGHT HOUR, GOD WAS UP AND READY. HE WAS READY TO HEAR YOUR CRY. HE WAS READY TO PROVIDE.

HE WAS READY TO MAKE A WAY WHERE THERE SEEMED TO BE NO WAY. I'M THANKFUL THAT I SERVE THAT GOD TODAY. It was Elijah's turn. You know the story. The Bible tells us that Elisha, the first thing that he did is he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. That's a whole another sermon for another day. But but but we've got to stop praying at broken altars. We've got to get in a mindset that Elisha had that as he looked over and took inventory of the altar of the Lord that the people had erected but neglected, he began to look at that altar and say, "I've got to take care of this.

I've got to make it uh take it out of disarray and make right THINGS RIGHT. THE BIBLE SAYS HE PREPARED the altar of the Lord. And then he told his boys, he said, "Go. I want you to dig a ditch or a trench and I want you to go and get water." He was going to get water. I'm not the smartest guy in the room, but I just know if you're trying to call down fire from heaven, you don't get water. >> You know what? You know what he was doing?

He was letting it be known in the face of all the people >> that this is not going to be by the hands of a man, but this is going to be uh this is going to be by the hands of a God that can do the impossible. Can I stop us for just a minute young people and tell you I love what we felt tonight and I love uh the atmosphere that we have created and even this moment right here. Can I tell you but it's NOT BY MIGHT NOR IS IT BY POWER BUT IT'S BY MY SPIRIT SAYETH THE LORD.

IF WE CAN KEEP GOD FIRST, GOD WILL CONTINUE TO ELEVATE US TODAY. I got TO HURRY. THEY POURED THAT WATER all in the trench and and Elijah be to pray. He began to talk to God. And you know what happened? The Bible says uh that God answered by fire. That fire came down on the altar. IT CONSUMED THE SACRIFICE. It licked up all the water in THE TRENCH. AND AFTER THAT, the people of God, they had made up their mind. They said, "The God THAT ANSWERS BY FIRE, HE IS GOD." CAN I TELL YOU, he is STILL THAT SAME GOD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

HE'S THAT SAME GOD IN YOUR SCHOOL. HE'S THAT SAME GOD IN YOUR MIND. Can I ask us a question in this house tonight? >> Why couldn't we say that on the front end? Why is it that we I'm preaching to the preacher tonight. And matter of fact, I'm preaching to me. Preaching to me. I'm not even preaching to you right now. Preaching to the preacher. Why is it that we when the going gets tough, we forget about what God did before? >> Why is it that God has to do tricks and flips to show us again that he's a God that's worthy of praise?

Why can't we praise him before we see the wall come down? Why can't my my I know you have tonight, but I'm preaching to me RIGHT NOW. WHY? WHY DO WE GET IN THIS POSTURE THAT GOD HAS GOT TO SHOW ME SOMETHING ELSE FOR ME TO REMEMBER THAT he's worthy of the praise? I come to remind a young person today that God is worthy of the praise. It doesn't matter what's happening in THE WORLD, HE'S STILL WORTHY TODAY. Bible tells us that God answered by fire.

The people got back on track with God. But you know, it was an up and down, a back and forth throughout the word of God where the people of Israel were falling and getting back up. The Bible would tell us that Elijah would get the victory that day. Can I can I just stop us and remind us that we as people uh of the of the most high God, we like options. I'm preaching to young people tonight. So, young people, it's okay. We're at We're at Strong Tower Youth Revival and you go to conferences and you go out.

Can I tell you it's okay to keep your options open? Y'all so quiet. It's okay to keep your options open, right? uh you're not committed yet, but you you you you're taking inventory and you're trying to see who's down at the altar praying the most and in their Bible the most. The one that's up here worshiping and and they're not keeping their hair all nice and clean. And the boy that's WORSHIPING OVER HERE, HIS TIE IS ALL HALFWAY CRAZY AND HIS HAIR IS ALL OUT OF LINE, BUT HE DOESN'T CARE BECAUSE HE LOVES GOD WITH ALL OF HIS HEART.

CAN I TELL YOU THAT'S WHO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TODAY? YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE ONE THAT YOU'RE looking for THE MAN THAT'S STANDING IN THE FRONT WORSHIPING GOD AND GETTING BESIDE HIMSELF. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE GIRL TODAY THAT'S IN THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH WITH HER HANDS RAISED and lip. >> I just helped somebody right there. >> I'm telling you, if you don't hear anything else, you better hear that it matters who you marry. I'm talking to a young preacher today. It matters who you marry. >> That girl will derail your min I'm preach I'm pastoring a little bit.

But that girl will derail your ministry if she's not sold out to the cause. I >> But it's okay to keep your options open >> when you go to the camp or when we're at we're at this camp this week, this revival this week. It's okay to keep your eyes on a your head on a swivel and your eyes peeled because you're looking for the one in the front. It's not difficult today. All you've got to do is keep your eyes up here and not back there.

All you've got to do is look around and see, IS SHE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TONIGHT? CUZ IF SHE'S NOT HERE, SHE'S NOT EVEN ENOUGH. But there comes a point in time. Anybody still want to get married today? My man, come help me. Somebody give him a hand tonight. This man is down front taking notes, >> taking notes, >> ready to go. >> But there comes a point in time. What's your name, Tyson? There comes a point in time when you stop looking at all the options and you find the one.

>> And when you find the one, you stand with God front. You going to stand right down here or up there. You're going to stand here in front of God and all of these services and everybody's going to be excited. You're going to be excited. You might cry. It's okay. Um but it's going to be the best day of your life outside of receiving the Holy Ghost. You're you're going to be excited. You have been PREPARING FOR THIS MOMENT. You have weighed all of the options.

You've looked around. You said, "Nope, she's not the one. She's not the one. But I have found the one." When you find her, you'll stand here. Well, I'm not going to stand next to you. That's weird. I'm going to stand up here a little bit. I'm going to be the pastor. And then I'm going to tell you to repeat after me. And and you do this thing that we call you make a vow. I'm preaching to somebody right now. You begin to make a vow. You start saying things like for richer or poor uh through sickness and in health.

UH UH FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. AND THEN YOU SAY SOMETHING. I'M PREACHING TO A GENERATION right here. Don't check out ON THIS PREACHER. THEN YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT BEGINS TO BIND YOU. IT'S IT'S BINDING WORDS THAT WE SAY IT. IT'S CALLED A VOW. YOU BEGIN TO SAY TILL DEATH DO US PART. AND AT THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU SAY THAT AND WHEN YOU SAY I DO, YOU HAVE MADE A DECISION IN A MOMENT OF CONVICTION. AND THERE CAN BE NO TURNING BACK. You know what that means?

That means I can't hang out at singles night anymore. That means I'm not looking around the youth group anymore. THAT MEANS WHEN STRONG TOWER COMES BACK AROUND, THAT MEANS I FOUND THE ONE AND I'M NOT LOOKING. CAN I TELL YOU WHAT YOU DO? YOU CUT OFF ALL OTHER POSSIBILITIES. I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY TODAY THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO MAKING A VOW AND WALKING IN THE VOW. Thank you. And I tell you, we like options. so much. We have a plan A, a plan B, a plan C.

And if I don't like those, THEN I'M GOING TO PLAN D. BUT CAN I TELL YOU THIS LIVING FOR GOD THING, THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS. I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY TODAY. I COME TO PREACH TO A YOUNG PERSON TODAY. YOU'VE GOT TO LIVE FOR GOD. THIS IS THE BEST LIFE THAT YOU CAN LIVE TODAY. Can I tell you a incision is cutting within but a decision is when you cut some things off. God is calling this generation to cut SOME THINGS OFF. GOD IS CALLING THIS GENERATION TO MAKE A DECISION that I'm going to serve the Lord ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.

NOBODY'S GOING TO FORCE ME. NOBODY'S GOING TO COERSSE ME. BUT I WANT TO LIVE FOR GOD. I'VE GOT TO COME IN HIS PRESENCE. I'VE GOT TO WORSHIP HIM. I'VE GOT TO PRAISE HIM. I'VE GOT TO MAGNIFY HIM. I'm telling you, we've gotten away from that that whole idea of the old time that said when a man would make an agreement with another man, it wasn't 600 pages of contract. You know what they did? They reached out their hand and they said, "My word is my bond." We have got so far away from that that we've got to get back TO THE DAYS MY DAD TAUGHT ME.

HE SAID WHEN YOU WHEN YOU TALK to a man and you tell him you're going to DO SOMETHING. YOU LOOK HIM IN THE EYES, YOU SHAKE HIS HAND AND YOU FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO. CAN I TELL YOU THAT RINGS IN MY HEAD EVERY TIME I'M DOING BUSINESS WITH ANYBODY, I GOT TO DO WHAT I SAID my I come to preach TO A GENERATION TODAY AND LET YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A VOW. YOU'VE GOT TO BE BOUND TO SOMETHING.

That's why I thank God for the church. >> I thank God for the church because it's preachers from the hood. We didn't have anything growing up. And I remember broken families and broken commitments all around me. And I thank God that there was a day my dad was an alcoholic. And I'll talk a little bit more about that this week, but he was an alcoholic. And my mom was in church and she was desperately trying to pull us into the house of God. I've got two brothers and she was praying, "God, protect my babies.

God, make them something great. God, YOU CAN DO IT DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND DESPITE the odds." >> I'll never forget when daddy cracked the door of that church, New Life Birmingham, uh right there in Birmingham, Alabama. He walked into that church and brother Sutton WAS PREACHING HIS HEART OUT LIKE ONLY he can do. and he's preaching the word of God. And this broken family walks into THE HOUSE OF GOD. AND MY DAD WAS SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED. HE SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE." AND HE WALKED DOWN TO THAT ALTAR.

CAN I TELL YOU, HE DIDN'T STOP AND WAIT FOR ALTAR CALL, BUT HE WALKED TO THE ALTAR WHILE THE MAN OF GOD WAS PREACHING. He lifted UP HIS HANDS AND GOD FILLED HIM WITH THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. YOU'VE COME TOO LATE TO TELL ME THAT GOD CAN'T DELIVER ANYBODY. I'm telling you, it's Easter Sunday 1999. We haven't looked back since. Can I tell you God will keep you today? He walked out of that church and never looked back again. He's been living for God the whole time.

My brothers, both brothers are in church. Can I tell you, daddy was an alcoholic, but this preacher today, I've never HAD THE TASTE OF ALCOHOL IN MY MOUTH. I'M TELLING YOU, GOD WILL DELIVER YOU TODAY. GOD WILL SET YOU FREE TODAY. GOD WILL BREAK THE CHAIN. I thank God for the church. There was a moment where he put us in the CHURCH AND NOW LIFE had changed and flipped upside down and we're in the church of the living God. But you know what the church of the living God displays?

It displays commitment and and staying with your wife and my it displays what it looks LIKE TO HAVE A healthy I'm telling YOU YOUNG PERSON STAY in the house of God. THE WORLD DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER. EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED IS IN THE HOUSE. Going to the church was important for me because now instead of having all of these broken relationships around me, I saw what it looks like to make a vow and to stand with a vow and to follow through on the vow.

I'm telling you, when you come to the house of God, you'll see people that that that stay together because God is the glue. I COME TO TELL YOU TODAY, I COME TO let somebody know that you've got to stay in the church because the church of the living God is going to create a pathway for you to walk in your victory. The church of the living God is going to create a pathway for you to walk IN YOUR MIRACLE. I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY TONIGHT THAT YOU'RE LIVING THE BEST LIFE THAT YOU CAN LIVE TODAY.

Cuz the world today, the display, and I get it, young people, I understand. But what's modeled for us in the world is that commitment doesn't mean anything. And the divorce rate is skyrocketed. I just did a marriage retreat. Y'all got to forgive me. The divorce rate has skyrocketed. And we live in a world where WHEN YOU SAY, "I DO." It doesn't mean anything. And so, it's teaching our babies as they would look out in THE WORLD THAT YOU DON'T HAVE to commit to anything. But I've COME TO DEFY THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE TONIGHT.

AND I'VE COME TO PUSH BACK ON THE ADVERSARY. AND I'VE COME TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU GOT TO LIVE FOR GOD. YOU GOT TO MAKE SOME COMMITMENTS. YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS. AND YOU'VE GOT TO FOLLOW THROUGH TODAY. >> It's one thing to make a decision and a commitment. It's another thing to follow through. Bible tells us about a woman by the name of Hannah. Hannah was barren in her home. She wanted a man child. God, give me a man child. God, God, I just want a baby.

It was important in that time for women to have children. But it was especially important for women to bear men or sons. She said, "God, give me a manchild." And then she made a vow. This is what it looks like, young people. She said, "God, give me a manchild and I will bring him back to you all the days of HIS LIFE." AND IT'S ONE THING TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT, BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE BABY IN your hands? >> All right. >> WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE BABY IN YOUR HANDS?

AND AND NOW YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE THAT WALK BACK TO THE TEMPLE AND follow through on what you told God that you were going to do. Can I tell you that decision was not made in a flippant moment, but that decision was made in a moment of conviction. THAT DECISION THAT SHE had made in that time. THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK. I can SEE HANNAH NOW STEP BY STEP MAKING HER WAY BACK TO THAT TEMPLE ABOUT TO PUT HER BABY BACK IN THE hands of the Lord because commitment matters and vows MATTER AND BEING BOUND TO SOMETHING still matters.

>> Walks back down to that house. Difficult, no doubt. She knew I've got to do what I told God I was going to do. She places that baby in the hands of Eli. She leaves him at the house of God. She would come by every once in a while to make him a coat because every time she made him that coat, it was a bigger size because she expected growth because she knew if I put my babies in the hands of God than he is going to grow.

I come to preach to a mama today and I come to preach to a daddy today. The best thing that you can do with your kids is put them in the hands of God. The best thing YOU CAN DO WITH your family is put them in the hands OF GOD AND WATCH GOD MULTIPLY THEM. >> COMMITMENT, VOWS, being bound to something. We live in a generation we don't like to be bound to anything. And I tell you what happens, young person. When you get married, it's going to be a beautiful day again.

Get married, everything is going to be great. It's going to be at all time high. You're going to be excited. your whole family, everybody's going to be there. You'll get married and then what will happen is you will walk away and after that it will be about a month and I'm telling you, you will look at your wife and you no and you'll say, "She is so beautiful. My wife's not in here. I can preach a little bit." I'm just kidding. But there will be some tension.

There'll be some turbulence that begins to happen. And when that turbulence come, the first thought is that I need to get out of this vow and I need to get out of this. But can I remind you when you stood down at the altar, you were in a moment of conviction. You believed every word that you said. You knew you were doing the right thing. YOU HAD CLARITY IN THAT MOMENT. AND THE ENEMY wants to come in and kill and steal and destroy. And he wants to LET YOU KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN THAT.

I'M TELLING SOMEBODY IN THE Holy Ghost tonight that YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE MOMENT OF CONVICTION WHERE YOU MADE THE DECISION THAT ALTERED YOUR LIFE. I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY IN THIS HOUSE TONIGHT THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE MOMENT. live for God and know what it is to grow up in church and go service after service after service and service start rolling together and it's hard to tell one from another. But I know those moments, hear me today. It's moments with God.

It's where God really gives you clarity. It's the moment where you're praying and the preacher's preaching. It's almost like he's reading your mail. It's like he has your phone and he's been reading your text. Anybody know what I'm talking about? He's been reading your text messages. He has been in your bedroom. I'm preaching to somebody. It's like that preacher has been talking to some people that know some stuff about you. Can I tell you he has? He's been talking to the Lord. And God has been putting a bead on somebody in this house tonight.

And God will put you in this place. Can I tell you he will not condemn you, but God will put you under conviction. And when you feel the conviction, God's going to start giving you CLARITY FOR WHICH WAY YOU NEED TO TURN NEXT. I COME TO REMIND SOMEBODY today that God won't leave you where YOU ARE, BUT GOD WILL PICK YOU UP AND TURN YOU AROUND AND WALK YOU TO THE PLACE THAT HE'S CALLED YOU TO TODAY. COME ON, CLAP YOUR HANDS AND give God praise.

It's estimated by many that we make on average about 35,000 decisions a day subconsciously and consciously. But not all decisions are created equal. >> Can I tell you there are some decisions that are made in the moment of conviction? THE MOMENT WHERE GOD HAS YOU ON THE ROPES and you know you've been convicted. THE MOMENT WHERE YOU REALIZE I AM GUILTY as charged and you know without a shadow of a doubt that God has opened the windows of heaven and spoken a word directly to you and THERE IS NO WAY TO ESCAPE WHAT YOU FEEL IN the Holy Ghost.

IT'S THE MOMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A LIFEALTERING DECISION. A decision that will no doubt change the course of your life and direct you towards your destiny or your true calling. One man said it this way. He said choices are the hinges of destiny. >> IT'S THE CHYOLOGICAL MOMENT WHERE GOD COMES INTO your perfect world. The moment where there's a collision. A moment where the fullness OF TIME OF GOD COLLIDES WITH THE FULLNESS OF TIME OF MAN. The moment where you're just walking about life and you walk in on a Wednesday night and you think that it's just business as usual and I'm going to go to church and I'm going home AND I'M COMING BACK THURSDAY MORNING.

BUT IT'S THOSE MOMENTS WHERE GOD INTERRUPTS the program and he puts you under CONVICTION AND YOU KNOW GOD IS TELLING YOU SOMETHING'S GOT TO CHANGE. SOMETHING'S GOT TO MOVE. GOD GOD'S DOING SOMETHING IN YOU. I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND REMINDING YOU THAT GOD WILL BREAK IN RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS TO. And you JUST GOT TO RESPOND WHEN GOD STARTS SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY. YOU JUST GOT TO LIFT UP YOUR HANDS. YOU'VE GOT TO SAY PRE. IT'S THAT MOMENT WHEN GOD SLIPS IN.

God starts doing business with us. God starts putting you on the ropes. There's nowhere to go. God, you got me. God, YOU'RE RIGHT. GOD, I'VE got clarity in this moment. It's the MOMENT WHERE GOD CRASHES in to your Kronos or your dayto day of just going to school and going home and going to church and going home and God starts to come in. And after you my and after you hear the word of God, YOU GET DOWN to an altar and you start talking to God.

And here is what happens with us as apostolics because we have so much good church and we are always in the presence of a most HIGH GOD. AND WE'VE GOT A CHURCH LIKE THIS WHAT CHURCH IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE. >> What happens is you walk out of those back doors, you leave the commitment at the altar, >> the enemy comes in right there and he starts telling you you have made the worst decision of your life. It's the moment where you accept the call of God in your world.

It's the moment where God starts telling you, I want you to be a missionary. It's the moment where God starts calling people to preach. It's the moment where God starts calling you to a deeper walk with him. And the enemy wants to rob you of that moment. And can I tell you what he uses? He uses reason and logic to rob us of the moments of conviction where God is really giving us clarity. That reason and logic, I'm telling you, they have a place in the kingdom of God.

AND NO MAN UH builds a house without first counting the cost. And I believe that we should count the cost of what it's going to cost us. But we can't forget tonight that WE ALSO HAVE TO COUNT THE COST OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF we don't move when God is calling us to move. We also have TO COUNT THE COST IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW AFTER GOD WHEN GOD IS READY TO DO something in OUR WORLD. I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY. THAT'S THE MOMENT OF CONVICTION when you got TO THROW THE CALCULATOR out of the window and you got to throw your reason and LOGIC OUT AND YOU'VE GOT TO WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.

I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND TELL YOU GOD'S CALLING SOMEBODY. THE PULL OF GOD IS IN THIS HOUSE. THE CALL OF GOD IS IN the never forget when God is this okay and God I was running a company and one of the top guys on the in the company kind of orchestrating everything and right-hand man to the owner I was working doing my job trying to be the best steward that I can be trying to make the money the company some money and do what I supposed to do.

I'll never forget it was in the middle of the night when God start dealing with my heart and God start speaking to me. I didn't know what God was doing in that moment, but I heard the voice of God as clear as I've ever heard it before. He said, "It's time for you to shift. It's time for you to do something different." In that moment, I knew exactly what God was calling me to do. And in that moment, I begin to pray to talk to my wife.

I said, "God is causing us to move or shift or do something different. We can't operate as business as usual and God would wake me up again and start pressing on my heart. You've got to shift. You've got to do something different. And it was in that moment where we woke up and began to pray. That next morning, I went to my boss. I told him, I said, "God just spoke to me. It doesn't make sense. I know. I know you won't understand it. It It doesn't even make sense to me.

I'M TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL, BUT BUT God told me I've got to do something different. I'm sorry to put you in this position, but I know if I don't move right now, then I DON'T KNOW IF GOD WILL EVER speak to me again. I'm telling you, it was that urgent. And I talked to him about that. And he said, "I know what we need to do. You need to buy the company." In that moment, God starts speaking to me again. And he said, "That's exactly what I wanted you to do." In that place, I didn't know how God was going to move all the pieces around AND MAKE IT WORK OUT.

BUT GOD just wanted to see if I was willing to follow him. If I was willing to move from where I was, can I tell you in that moment I didn't understand. But when I got down the road a little bit, I recognized God was trying to free up my time and God was trying to get me to the place where I was going to be on the field preaching the gospel. Can I tell you it was in three or FOUR MONTHS LATER THAT MY PHONE started ringing.

I started going out preaching the gospel. I was in an altar in Sacramento, Cal, I mean uh San Francisco, California. The first time that I had ever preached out for pastor Eric Praau and I had preached that service and in that altar call God starts speaking his plan. He said this is never going to stop. Keep on preaching my word. Keep on preaching the gospel. CAN I TELL YOU IT WAS A DECISION THAT I HAD TO MAKE IN THE MOMENT of tell you just got to learn how to walk with God.

Sir, >> I'm preaching to a young person today. The call of God is so evident in this room right now. The call of God is lighting some of you up right now. I'm telling you what I feel in the Holy Ghost. God is calling you somewhere. God is calling you out of normal. God is calling you out of mediocrity. God is calling you out of just being like another man. CAN I TELL YOU, YOU WERE NEVER called to fit in. You were called TO STAND OUT.

I COME TO PREACH TO SOMEBODY. I COME TO LET THIS GENERATION KNOW THAT GOD IS CALLING YOU. And God >> >> We're going to pray here in just a minute. I feel the Holy Ghost in this room right now. Can we lift our hands all over this house? >> Can we be sensitive to the Holy Ghost right now? >> Come on. I feel God tugging hearts right now. I feel God reaching for somebody. Holy Ghost move in this house. Come on, stand with me all over this house.

I got more to preach. I feel God wanting to sweep into this sanctuary right now. >> God is in this house right now. >> God wants to change somebody's destiny in this room tonight. >> Can I tell you, God's not interested in you waiting to Friday. >> God's not interested in you waiting till tomorrow morning. But God, right now in this service, somebody's got to make a decision. God's tugging on hearts right now. God is calling you right now. God is pulling at you. Anybody feel the tongue of the Lord right now?

Come on, lift up your hands and pray right now. Come on, SOMEBODY LIFT UP YOUR VOICE. I BELIEVE THE HOLY GHOST IS ABOUT to hit this room in JUST A MINUTE. LIFT UP YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW. LET'S CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE. Come on. I need every prayer in this house to HELP ME PRAY. I NEED EVERY LEADER in this house to help me pray right now. COME ON. GOD SWEEPING into this house. >> >> Oh, that's your young man. Respond. Come on, somebody respond. >> >> goal.

>> >> in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Amen. >> Come on, young person. Pray. Pray. Pray. Come on. Pray like you've never prayed before. COME ON, SOMEBODY. CRY OUT TO THE Lord right now. Come on, somebody. Make a decision right now. Oh, somebody >> >> Oh Jesus. >> >> I surrender all to you. Everything I give to you withholding nothing >> withholding nothing I surrender all to you. Everything I give to you with holding nothing withholding nothing withholding nothing withholding nothing.

I give you all of me. I give you all of me. I give you all of me. >> Come on, somebody press right now. >> Come on, somebody press right now. Come on. We've got to go further than we usually go. We've got to go deeper tonight. >> I give you all of me. I give you all of me. I give you all of me. And I surrender all to you. Everything I give to you. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. with calling nothing. I surrender all to you.

Everything I give to you. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. Withholding nothing. I give you all. I give you all of me. Come on. >> I give you all of me. I give you all of me. I give you all me. I give you everything. I give you all. I give you all of me. I give you all of me. All of me belongs to you. >> >> I give myself away. Oh, I give myself away so you can use me. I give myself away.

I give myself away so you can use me. I give myself myself away. Give myself away. Oh, you can use me. My life is not my own. To you I belong. I give myself I give myself to you. My life is not my own. To you I belong. I give myself I give myself to you. I give myself away. I give myself away so you can use me. I give myself away. I give myself away so you can use me. I surrender. I surrender all to you.

Everything I give to you withholding nothing withholding nothing and I surrender all to you. Come on. The Holy Ghost is moving in this room right now. telling somebody in the Holy Ghost right now, the way that this works is that God will bring us to this place, the moment of conviction, when a decision has to be made. But I know when I was a young person, I was really good at making decisions, but it was difficult for me to commit. Cuz when I walked out of the four walls of the church, there was an adversary there to talk to me again.

And if we're not careful, the voice of the adversary, hear me today. The voice of the adversary will be louder than the voice of any preacher. It'll be louder than the voice of God. It will be opposition that tells you you can't do it. You'll never be what God's called you to be. You'll never walk in THE POWER THAT GOD HAS DESTINED FOR YOUR LIFE. BUT GOD SENT A PREACHER ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT to let you KNOW THAT THE DEVIL IS STILL ALIVE. Here it is tonight.

When people in the word of God made a decision, often times there was an altar that came after that. It's that death to self. It's that Bible says we present ourselves a living sacrifice. And what God is asking us to do in this moment, we're going to pray in just a minute. What God is asking of us in this moment is that we put ourselves on the altar and we put anything that would be a hindrance to the revival that God wants to do in our world on an altar.

Tonight, I want all of our young people, I want you to take out your cell phone right now. Can I tell you the adversary? Hear me today. The adversary is doing everything that he can to stop the greatness that God has sent to your life. And he will use anything. He will use anything. But I'm telling you, he is using cell phones right now. And can I tell you, it wants to be a hindrance to everything that God wants to do. God, it's it's crazy because we have come so far in humanity and in society that these things are holding us back from the greatest revival that we've ever seen.

But can I tell you, we've made some decisions, but we're going to make commitments tonight that I'm not letting my phone get in the way. I'm not letting pornography get in the way. I'm not letting a boy or I'm preaching to somebody right now. I want you to hold up that phone right now and I want us to be begin to make commitments TO GOD. GOD, I'M NOT LETTING MY PHONE HINDER THE REVIVAL THAT YOU'RE CALLING ME TO. GOD, I'M NOT LETTING this phone take away THE MINISTRY THAT YOU'VE GOT FOR MY LIFE.

COME ON, somebody make a commitment right now. GOD, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN MY LIFE. GOD, I PRAY GOD YOU WOULD GIVE me the strength. I pray God you would give me THE COURAGE. I PRAY GOD YOU WOULD HELP ME TODAY. Here's what I want you to do. This is not just another cliche moment in Pentecost that every preacher is doing. I'm telling you, there's something significant about what's happening in this room right now. I want us to come and place these phones on the altar right now and I want us to make commitments to God.

I'm telling you, I'm telling somebody, it will be tonight that you walk out of here and that phone will be calling your name and it'll derail everything that God is calling you to do. But we're going to make a commitment in front of God and all of these witnesses that I'm going to walk in the power and in the majesty and in THE BEAUTY OF EVERYTHING THAT GOD IS CALLING me to. Come on, lay it down at the altar tonight. COME ON. IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING IN YOUR WORLD THAT'S hindering the revival in your world, YOU'VE GOT TO LAY IT DOWN TONIGHT.

YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TONIGHT. YOU'VE GOT TO SAY, "GOD, I'M NOT GOING BACK. I'M NOT TURNING BACK. I'VE GOT TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD." Come on. Hands lifted all over this room right now. They're going to begin to sing, but I want us to pray. Come on, somebody make a commitment right now. Somebody make a commitment in this house right now. Somebody begin to pray and tell God, "God, I want to walk with you. I'm making a decision, but God, I'm making a commitment that I'm going to live for God all the days of my life.

I wonder if you can you can pray right now. I wonder if you can seal it right now and let God know I'm NOT TURNING BACK. I'M NOT GOING BACK. GOD, I WANT TO WALK in everything that you've called me to." As they begin to sing tonight, Nothing else. Nothing else will do. >> Come on. God's going to honor the commitment today. God's going to walk WITH YOU TODAY. GOD'S GOING TO HELP YOU TODAY. Nothing else. Nothing else will do. I just want you. Nothing else.

Nothing else. Nothing else will do. I just want you. Nothing else. Nothing else. Nothing else will do your presence. I just want to sing. >> Come on, somebody plug into this moment right now. >> Come on. It's the moment of conviction right now. >> Come on, somebody decide today. Somebody come in today. I never want to leave. Oh no, I'm not here for blessings. Yeah. Jesus, you don't owe me anything above anything that you can do. I just want you. I just want you. Nothing else.

Nothing else. Nothing else will do. I just want you. Nothing else. Oh, nothing else. Nothing else will do. I just want you. Nothing else. Oh, nothing else. Nothing else will do. >> >> Just one more time tonight. Could we lift our hands all across this place and receive the word of the Lord? I thank you Lord. I thank you for the word tonight. Lord I thank you for your word tonight in Jesus name. Come on if you receive that word tonight. Clap your hands in Jesus name.