The Theology of Thoughts II | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

thank the Lord Hebrews chapter number 11. Hebrews chapter number 11 and we'll begin reading it verse number one and I want to I want to continue this evening the Theology of thoughts the Theology of thoughts part two and we begin last week to talk about and teach about the thoughts that God has and how that these thoughts are made manifest in creation so tonight part two of the Theology of thoughts Hebrews 11 and verse number one now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen why don't we read that all together out loud as a congregation I'll be I'll start us off now Faith the evidence of things not seen God bless you tonight you may be seated and I do apologize to those that I have given my scriptures to I overlooked one scripture tonight that is found in the book of Psalms chapter number 40. and verse number five The Book of Psalms chapter number 40. and verse number verse number five many O Lord my God are thy wonderful Works which thou has done and thy thoughts and thy thoughts which are to us word they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them of course we're talking about thoughts they are more than can be numbered now that verse and that verse alone tells us that God is thinking about us God is thinking about us and not only is God thinking about us but God's thoughts have a plan attached to them God is thinking about us how many thoughts how many thoughts well the psalmist said God your thoughts that are to us word are more than can be reckoned be counted and he said he said there there are more if I tried to count them they would be more than than the number that I could that I could count that I could count them comfort and consolation and that that in that God has us on his mind God has us almighty God has us on his mind you know probably the most richest man or woman in the world has never thought about any of us probably the greatest skilled brain surgeon in all the world has probably never thought about any of us the richest person the the most intelligent person the most powerful person in the world the most powerful person in the world more than likely has never had one thought of you or I and doesn't even know that we even exist but oh I have to say praise the Lord when I begin to think about the almighty God one who has all power in his hands and the Bible says that when he thinks his thoughts are toward you and I and we know that they are thoughts of good now how can I take God's thoughts and place them and make them relevant and real in my life and in your life how how can I right now they're just thoughts in the mind of God how can they become reality in your life and in my life well they ride in the vehicle God transports his thoughts from his mind into our lives in the vehicle called faith the vehicle called faith Hebrews 11 begins to educate us about faith Hebrews 11 and 1. says now Faith is the substance of things hoped for this word substance means Foundation faith is our foundation as a matter of fact we read in Hebrews 11 and 6 that without faith it is impossible it doesn't say it's difficult to please him it simply says in Hebrews 11 and 6 that without faith it is impossible to please him so we begin to understand that faith is the substance it is the foundation it is the foundation faith is the foundation that I begin to build my expectation of what God is going to do in in my life and in our life Faith is the substance the foundation of things hoped for faith is the evidence now watch this faith is not only my Foundation but now Faith is my evidence where's your evidence that God is going to answer your prayers where is your evidence that there is a God well I can tell you where my evidence is my evidence is in my faith it is the evidence of Things Not Seen if you can see them you don't need Faith but we need Faith because what we need from God comes from an invisible world and it can only be transported in the vehicle called faith and faith has to be my Foundation of what I hope for and faith is the evidence of Things Not Seen well let me give you an example of this creation is an example of this in Hebrews 11 and verse number three Hebrews 11 and verse 3. through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear you see man is searching for a bone man is searching for some kind of link to the origin of the universe they're they're trying to find some kind of physical link to prove the universe a link in creation and they're not going to find it because everything you see in creation came from what you cannot see everything you see in creation came from the invisible thoughts of the almighty God follow along with me please creation was first a thought in the mind of God creation was a thought in the mind of God this wonderful design of the solar system this wonderful design of oceans and this wonderful design of this earth that is that is operating wasn't no haphazard God that just stepped out there and said ah duh I think I create light uh I think I'll create water oh no no it was all in his master mind and in his thoughts so they were first a thought in the mind of God and then God spoke it remember Genesis 1 What's the phrase in Genesis 1 and God said so the thought the invisible thought was already there but then God God spoke his thought he spoke his thought and when he spoke his thought like or whatever the expression of his thought became became visible how do we apply this Faith occurs in our lives we receive faith in our lives when we hear the word of God what is the word of God the word of God is nothing more than the written and spoken thoughts of God we'll call this God's holy word I do no damage to this tonight I could call it and do no damage God's holy thoughts these are God's holy thoughts God's holy thoughts were written down and now it has pleased God that God's word would be proclaimed through the Avenue of preaching and through the Avenue of teaching first Faith occurs when you hear the word of God and believe it to the point that you begin expecting something to come you begin expecting something you begin to expect something to come why are you expecting it because I heard the word of God why are you believing things are going to change because I heard the word of God and I believe the word of God and we understand that when we hear the word of God it's not enough tonight just to be here and audibly be hearing me right now that's not enough what you have to do is receive what you're hearing from God's word place it in your heart and then begin to Proclaim I believe it I'm expecting it because God's word says it is mine amen look at Hebrews chapter 4. let's go to back a few chapters to Hebrews chapter 4. and verse number two Paul is using a comparison of what I what I just what I just said what I just said about it's not enough that you just audibly hear me tonight all right it's not enough that you just hear the word you've got to believe the word and so Paul is going to back this up in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse number two he says For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Paul is referring to a group that heard the word of God but the word of God did not profit them their lives were not changed they did not receive any of the promises of God although they heard the word of God so why didn't it profit them because they did not mix it with faith faith is the substance of things hoped for it is the evidence of Things Not Seen faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things Not Seen so as I cannot please God without faith because God connects my relationship to him with faith when I hear the word of God I have got to receive the word of God and I have got to begin to expect the word of God that the word of God is going to bring about a change in my life look with me go back we're going to kind of flip-flop between Hebrews 4 and 11 for just a moment but look at Hebrews chapter 11 and verse number 7 Hebrews 11 and verse number 7. by faith Noah by faith Noah or we could say through faith by faith through faith by faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet comma let's stop right there he was told by God that God was going to destroy the Earth with a massive flood he was told by God that his anger God was angry with the wicked God was angry with man and that God was going to destroy all of humanity except for the families of Noah with a worldwide massive flood but Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet here's where faith comes in God said it I don't have to see it God said he's going to destroy the Earth with a flood it's a bright sunshiny day brother Noah but Noah says if God says it it is going to happen so just it it just stop walking the Bible says we don't walk by sight but we walk by faith we don't walk by what we see out here but we walk by what we hear in the word of God Amen by faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear he was moved with fear that's what caused him to summons his boys together that's why they got Sauls out and hammers out and Nails out and that's why they climb mountains and got wood and that's why for a number of years they worked on building a boat when it when the flood hadn't come because by faith he was warned of God of things not seen as yet but what he couldn't see it yet it affected his behavior in the day you know saying is it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark you can't wait for the trouble to come to have faith in God have faith in God right now you you you see tonight you need to have faith in God that he's a Healer before you get sick you need to have faith in God that he can shut the jaw of the lion before you're in the Lion's Den you need to have faith that he could and bring you out of any situation when you're not in any situation so when you do get in that situation you can say I've got faith God's going to bring me out can you say Amen by faith nor being warned warned of God of things not seen him yet moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the world and became the heir of righteousness which is by faith now I understand that sometimes we Face things in life and sometimes we face unbelievable things in life we Face things in life that that are are mountain size issues life is difficult just going through life that sometimes life has a way of giving you a mountain in your way well in Luke chapter 17 in verse number five the Lord had just blown he just absolutely blew the the apostles Minds on the subject of forgiveness and uh he said something about seven times seventy in a day just forgive if you've been wrong just live with a forgiving spirit and at the end of that in verse number five this is how the This Is How They answered Luke 17 and 5. and the apostles said unto the Lord increase our faith increase our faith now there's nothing wrong with you asking God lord increase our faith God I mean I've got I've got I've got to see the invisible because faith is the foundation of things hoped for right it's the evidence of Things Not Seen so God I'm seeing this mountain in my life I'm speaking as myself but I'm speaking as if you were up here any of you tonight ever been faced with with a mountain in your life and and that mountain consumes that mountain consumes your mentality uh you you you you you you you you every waking moment you're thinking about how big this mountain is and how wide this mountain is and how this mountain is going to swallow you up and how this mountain you know I I don't think life will ever be the same look at look at this mountain and we cry out these words Lord increase my faith and listen to what the Lord said and the Lord said if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed you might say unto this sycamine tree be thou plucked up by the root and be thou planted in the sea and it should obey you now don't get the size of it too many of us start we'll say if you've got faith the size of the mustard mustard seeds the smallest no he said if you have faith if you had Faith look at six again if you had Faith as a grain of mustard seed you do realize that the seed of whatever it is has the finished product in it the mighty oak trees that are hundreds of feet tall all started with an acorn in that small thing that you can hold between two fingers is that Mighty tree that you could climb up into that Mighty that Mighty Oak Tree whatever the seed is he said your faith needs to contain your deliverance you need to have the faith to contain your deliverance and he said you could say to that tree be thou plucked up by the roots and be thou planted in the sea and it should obey you well if a tree would have to obey me then a mountain would have to obey me but I have got to have the faith that this mountain is not going to cover me this mountain is not going to swallow me this dilemma in life and I'm preaching to you and teaching to all of us tonight we will not be overcome how do you know that because in my faith I already see me on the other side of that mountain I'm bigger I'm better I have greater Faith because no mountain can overcome the faith of God could you praise him right now you've got to see that you're over this you've got to see by the eye of faith I am through this I am over this you have got to see by the eye of Faith the word of God and the word of God one of the last things he said before he left this Earth sister Angela one of the last things he said and lo I Am with You alway even to the end of the world Amen so in the midst of your dilemma when your flesh wants to say if God was really with me why would that mountain be right there that's my flesh but my faith has to say Mountain I don't guess you notice who's standing here beside me the sea Walker is standing here beside me God is standing here beside me and if you're trying to swallow me you'll have to swallow him and didn't you learn at the crucifixion that you can put him in a hole in the ground but three days later he's going to come up it's called the rest of oh I wish we could get a hold of this tonight some of you are not getting it because you're you're inside your border he he's not telling me how to prosper tonight he's not addressing my problems no I'm trying to tell you if you'll get the faith that you've already went through your problems you've already overcome your problems oh thank the Lord would you just lift up your hands right now and give God praise in this house come on lift up your hands right now and give God praise he hears your praise tonight Hallelujah thank you Lord thank you Jesus thank you Lord thank you Lord for three and a half years Israel had been in a drought for three and a half years God had turned the water from the clouds off because Israel had sinned it's now time for Israel to have rain because Israel has repented Israel has slew all the prophets of Baal and now in First Kings chapter 18. First Kings chapter 18 verse number 41. listen to what happens three and three and a half years no rain First Kings 18 41 and Elisha Elijah said unto Ahab get thee up eat and drink for there is a sound of abundance of rain now I'm here to tell you he was not hearing clouds crashing he was not hearing Thunder in the distance he was not hearing lightning he was hearing by the ear of faith he was hearing something inside of his inner man he was hearing something by the eye of faith you see when you live by faith long before the mountain has been removed and we even write songs about it I've Got a Feeling everything's gonna be all right oh I've got a feeling everything's gonna be all right he said brother Carpenter you're saying that but look at this situation look at what we're facing all I can tell you is I've Got a Feeling everything is gonna be all right three and a half years it had not rained and Elijah looks at the king and he says you need to get this Chariot off of this Dusty Mountain because it's about to rain and your chariot wheels are going to get clogged up with the mud for I hear the sound of the abundance of rain if you will receive God's word in your life if you will if you will receive God's word if you will hear God's word somewhere inside of your heart of Faith you're going to be able to have two visions one of the mountain and one of the Mountain Mover you're going to have one of the situation and the other of the one that can calm every situation and you'll just begin to hum a song you'll begin to have a praise and he'll say well you're still facing that but you'll just look around and tell some of your closest friends let me tell you this you'll have to tell some of your spiritual friends because if you got any carnal friends they're not happy that you're hearing it because they had lots rather hear that you're having trouble than you're having Victory but you can begin to tell people I don't know but I just hear the sound of the abundance of rain I can't explain it but I just have a faith I've got a faith that didn't end with this problem I've got a faith like the faith of the grain of a mustard seed I see me over this mountain I see me shouting the victory I see the wave that is made through I see my children coming back to God I see my health coming back I see I see a lot of problems turning around for there is a sound of the abundance of rain there is a sound to the abundance of rain can I compare the sound of the abundance of rain to the preached word of God every time you come and hear the preached word of God you ought to begin to say I hear the sound of abundance of rain I hear the sound of abundance around every time you come back listen Monday and Tuesday might be tough on you you may shout out up here on Sunday night you you may shout out of here on Sunday night but maybe you have to drag yourself in here on Wednesday night but drag yourself in here because when you drag yourself in here and and you sit down and all of a sudden you begin to hear the preached word of God guess what it sounds like the abundance of rain I just got a feeling ever things gonna be all right Sister Sister Hughes brought me a prayer request tonight that her mother's got kidney cancer and she's come but I I hope that I'm preaching to you tonight to where you're going to begin to say mama I believe I hear the sound I believe I hear the sound of the abundance I believe I hear the sound of the abundance of the rain preaching is the sound of the abundance of rain let's continue to read in verse number 42. so Ahab went up to eat and drink and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel cast himself down upon the Earth and put his face between his knees that is a prayerful position you see one thing that keeps your faith alive is prayer is prayer you need more than just a message you need more than just a word of God you need to have a prayer life so Elijah not only prophesied and said I hear the sound of the abundance of rain he heard it by faith he then goes to a mountain puts his face between his knees this is a prayerful position verse 43. he said unto his servant go up now look toward the sea and he went up and looked and said there is nothing and he said go again seven times now why did he send him to go look over the sea because it was in the direction of the seed that the rain clouds would come in it was in the direction of the sea that storms would blow in from the direction of the sea you see Elijah knew which direction to send his servant to look for the rain look for it in the direction that it normally comes in can I tell you tonight that's why we ought to be faithful attenders to the house of God please don't become a son that have that have led up on attending the house of God that somehow satisfied themselves with just going to they used to go to the house of God every time the doors are open but they got cold on God other things have got their mind other things have got their attention other things have claimed priority in their life so now they're coming once a week or once every other week can I tell you entertainment has never answered your prayers the things of this world has never answered any of our prayers so what we need to do we need to keep coming back to the house of God because this is where we get our answers this is where we get I I have never had anybody tell me brother Carpenter I went to a ball game the other night and I'm telling you I really got Minister I'm not preaching against ball games now I am preaching against them if they have more power than the house of God I am preaching against them but I have never had anybody say man I went to Neyland Stadium and God just really ministered to me and my dilemma and my situation I never had anybody don't come to me tonight and spoil my record all right because I don't I don't want to hear it but I couldn't tell you how many people have walked up stood in line and say you know what brother Carpenter I really fought a battle to get here tonight but I got my answer here tonight I know I've been coming to church you know I've been coming hearing the preaching and nothing is ministered to me but tonight I got my answer I got in my head you need to keep coming to the place where you get the answer keep coming to that place he sent his servant to look out over the sea where the answer would come verse number 43 he said unto his servant go now and look look toward the sea and he went up and looked and said there is nothing he said go again seven times and it came to pass at the seventh time that he said behold they're a rise of a little Cloud out of the sea like a man's hand and he said go up say to a Ahab prepare thy Chariot and get thee down that the rain stopped me not can I tell you something don't fall prey well I keep going to church I'm getting nothing out of it can I tell you that boy climbed that mountain seven times and came back with the same answer nothing nothing but on the eighth time he came back and he said I saw a cloud about the size the rise of a little Cloud out of the sea like a man's hand can I tell you something times you've got nothing at church and I hope that maybe if you got nothing God got something because you do realize praise and worship is not the opportunity for God to give us a chill bump praise and worship is not the opportunity for God to do something for us praise and worship is our opportunity to give God what is duly his praise and worship and adoration we we gotta we we gotta get this thing fixed around here listen to me we gotta get this thing fixed because praise and worship isn't about me getting my blessing as a matter of fact you really tell on yourself when you say well I you know I was late to church tonight but I got there for the best part I got there for the preaching let me ask you a question best part for who best part for whom that's the best the preaching is the best part for you because God wants to do something to you through the preaching but the praise and the worship is for you to do something to God to give him the glory due to his name to tell him over and over again thank you thank you Lord thank you Jesus thank you Lord Come Holy Spirit set down upon us cause you're all we need you're all we want we love you Holy Ghost we praise the name of Jesus we exalt your holy name it's praise and worship that we're given to God yes I may come and have seven nothings for a service but all just give me the one where he comes down and says I got you covered I got you covered there's a cloud out there the size of a man's hand come on I'm gonna go on record tonight I'm gonna go on record to tell God something tonight that he knows but I hope I speak for the whole church God you don't have to give me a doodad and a chill bump ever service to keep me coming you don't have to pull a rabbit out of the Hat God you don't have to do one more miracle for me I'm gonna come and give you praise I'm gonna come and give you worship because listen to me he's done more for you than you can imagine you don't even know what he's kept you from you don't even know what he's brought you from you ought to praise him right now you ought to get on your feet and lift your voice to the top of your lungs and you ought to give him praise right now hallelujah hallelujah you don't know what he's kept you from you don't know what he's kept you from you don't know what he's kept you from I I've actually seen people do this too and how I know it they come back tell me later because I asked him as a good pastor hey I saw you get up and leave middle of service yeah I just I just wasn't getting nothing out of it and I left that's about as bright as a burnout bulb what she said was God didn't give you a chill bump during song service you didn't see anybody run the aisle you didn't see anybody come down and Shout can I tell you what can I tell you what excites your pastor I love to see demonstrative worship but I sure do love to see daily walking in the Holy Ghost change lives is what makes a pastor just rejoice but we really show well I we just got up and laughed we just didn't really feel and we just didn't really feel matter of fact this is this is interesting one Sunday morning up on the hill mother Thorpe up on the hill usual Sunday morning God moves every Sunday God Moves In This Place if we'll pray if we'll have prayer got to move and uh that Sunday morning was unusual from the first song people were shouting all over the house I mean we went in three minutes into that song they were shouting running the eyes and it was it amazed me I just started looking at people just shouting and hadn't shouted maybe ever but I I just amazed at seeing what God was doing well about 10 15 10 20 it kind of let up they came and received the tithe and offerings and I got up to teach Bible lesson a family came in and said on the back row no that they came in that they had to have come in they had to have come in before we took up tithing offerings they came in but I do remember them coming in right at the end of our shouting they sat down and they wrote a note it couldn't have been there 10 minutes they wrote a note and they put it in the offering secretary brought me the note after church and the note said disappointed told that the Lord was here there's no spirit in this church and if I if I could have mailed them a card back and said this if you get to church on time but isn't that so immature of people to come and judge a church by Bible lesson can I tell you how it works with God it is the Bible teaching that causes the Bible shouting it is Faith in a God that can only be produced how does faith come somebody help me tonight how does faith come Faith come by hearing and hearing the choir now I love the choir Faith come by hearing and hearing the music and I love our music Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God you know what makes me shout the word of God you know what makes me dance the word of God you know what makes me raise my hands the word of God clap my hands the word of God it is all in the word of God so yes you may have seven nothings but keep on till you get that one something he said verse 43. told him go seven times it came to pass the seventh time that he said behold there arisive look at verse 44 there arisah a little Cloud out of the sea like a man's hand I've got down here in my notes to Simply say be thankful for small things be thankful for small things don't wait till you get some huge thing in your life be thankful for small things that are in your life of course the Bible says in verse 45 it came to pass in the meanwhile that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain great rain great rain came from a little cloud great rain came from a little cloud maybe a little praise tonight might send a great reign maybe a little thankfulness tonight replacing a whole lot of grumbling a lot of complaining oh my back sore thank God I can walk Jesus thank you Lord thank you Lord thank you God I can walk all my hands are getting all arthritis and then them items boys and authors the worst I mean them arthritis gotta thank God that thank God you can clap your hands even if you got gnarled up fingers thank God you can clap your hands and I thank God yeah you you said well it hurts when I walk you ought to thank God that you can walk right now yeah well well you you don't know the jalopy that I drive you ought to thank God you got a car right now well when you you don't know the job you don't know the rotten place that I work you ought to thank god listen God is not going to give us something better until we're thankful for what we got God I Thank You Lord For What let me just be thankful thank you well let me go on tonight great rain Ahab Road and went to Jezreel the hand of the Lord was on Elijah he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel that is that is a man that heard the sound the abundance of rain prophesied rain his power in preaching his power and preaching because preaching brings the faith it's a vehicle that brings the faith we see how powerful preaching is in Ezekiel chapter 37 verse number one Ezekiel chapter 37 verse number one says the hand of the Lord was upon me ezekiel's talking the hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of Bones now let me tell you about this Valley this Valley was the attempt of God's people to deliver them on their own selves from Egypt it was the attempt of them doing things on their own and when they try to do things on their own they were slaughtered there in that Valley and the enemy was so cruel to them the enemy wanted their bodies to lay out there and rot to be a testimony to anybody else that would dare challenge their Mighty Kingdom and their bodies did rot and their bones were bleached and God said Ezekiel down in this Valley in verse 2 and caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open Valley and lo they were very dry and he said unto me son of man can these bones live and I answered O Lord God thou knowest God you know you know something before we just get ready to tell God no or tell God yes we ought to just say God you hear me now what's your thoughts I know what I think about this Valley right here but what I think about this Valley won't help me out a lot at all God I won't know what you're thinking I want to challenge all of you tonight that's got issues and problems to ask God with childlike Faith sometime before you go to bed tonight God what do you think about this God what's your thoughts about this he said God God said hey Ezekiel can these bones live again and he said God what are you thinking what's your thoughts God because God thou knowest verse 4 again he said unto me prophesy unto these bones and say unto them oh you dry bones hear the word of the Lord you want to know the power of preaching you're in a situation that only God can bring you out and God says if I'm the only one can bring you out I'm only going to bring you out through the vehicle of faith and you're only going to be able to get Faith through the vehicle of preaching and sometimes preaching might seem a little ridiculous but in God's eyes he's a man standing out there preaching to a Boneyard he's preaching to a bunch of dead bones he said unto me verse 4 prophesying to these bones and say unto them oh you dry bones hear the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord God unto these bones behold I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live I will lay sin use upon you and bring bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put my breath in you and you shall live and you shall know that I am the Lord look at what God just gave him the seed of the oak tree he gave him the seed of the sick of mine tree he said this is what's going to happen when you preach to impossible situations this is what's going to happen that's why tonight if I didn't believe that God has the power to change man I would not be a preacher but what has brought me here for almost four decades as a matter of fact I've been preaching for over 40 years what motivates me to preach is that God uses preaching to change impossible situations God uses preaching to and change things that man can never change that's why you can look at it possible situations and say God can bring you out and God can deliver you and God can set you on the right path and God can make a way for you he can put a smile on your face Herman in your heart peace in your marriage wholeness in your family God can bring it all to pass but you gotta hear preaching oh if you believe this shout yes I believe this so I prophesied verse 7. as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise and behold the shaking bones came together bone to his bone can I tell you when you begin to hear preaching it comes in phases don't look for an automatic one two three everything's fixed sometimes you're going to go through a season and God's just bringing it all back together God's just Gathering the bones and placing them bone to his bone and when verse 8 and when I be held low the sinews and the flesh came up upon them the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them then said he unto me prophesy unto the wind prophesy son of man say to the wind thus saith the Lord God come from the Four Winds o breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live so I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet and exceeding great Army you may be a valley with a past filled with defeat and hopelessness and impossibility and things are scattered but God says I'm going to put a preacher into your life I'm going to put the word into your life and if you'll begin to believe me that I'm able to do exceedingly abundantly the god that we serve thinks about you today he is thinking about us right now and he's hoping that you somehow reach out and grasp and say God you can do it in my life God you can do it in my situation and when you do that watch how this works things come together things come together but then he said Ezekiel prophesied to the wind and tell the wind to come and blow that's the Holy Ghost to tell the wind to come and blow and breathe upon do you see the Dynamics of this right now preaching changes something on Earth but preaching also calls for heaven calls for the Holy Ghost to come down and breathe into what preaching has put together the thoughts a Theology of thoughts but you have to watch it when you face the dilemmas of life you have to watch because life has a way of mocking us does it not does life not have a way of mocking us it's the 17th chapter of first Samuel it's the 17th chapter of first Samuel verse 41. for 40 days and 40 nights Goliath has defied God and God's people finally David comes on the battlefield in first Samuel 17 41. and David challenges Goliath the Bible says and the Philistine verse 41 and the Philistine came on and draw and Drew near unto David and the man that bear his shield went before him here comes Goliath and his armor Bearer and when the Philistine looked about and saw David he disdained him it offended him it offended Goliath that such a youth but he was but a youth Ruddy and of a fair Council so I got up because they finally told Goliath Israel's sending you a challenger Israel sending somebody to challenge you and Goliath's getting ready for to fight some Israelite that's a soldier that's a warrior and when he gets up and starts walking down the valley he sees a kid he sees a boy and it offended Goliath and when verse 42 or 43 and the philistine said unto David am I a dog am I a dog that thou cometh to me with staves that's scraps are you feeding me like a dog scraps from a table and the Philistine cursed David by his gods and the Philistines said today but come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and into the Beast of the field now watch what faith does here's what faith does when you hear the word of God God wants you to get a photo photograph in your mind of how he's going to work this out he wants to get a photo when you hear God's going to bring you out God said I'll never leave you nor forsake you you need to develop inside of you inside of you some some image that you don't see yourself alone you don't see yourself helpless but you see that God God Is Standing God is standing beside you you see Goliath tried to pump fear into David's life because David has come out Hebrews says David came out by faith but the enemy wants to put fear in our lives people say well I really got excited about Jesus but things didn't work out the way that I thought and I you know I just kind of come to church I'm you know I'm you know I just I'm just I'm just here to get fire insurance I just don't want to go to hell I'm I I'm just here to be covered all right do you know that fear fear is Faith In Reverse it is Faith In Reverse what was Goliath trying to paint to David you ain't nothing but scraps you you you ain't nothing but a kid let me tell you what I'm gonna do to you by the end of the day the birds are going to be eating you by the end of the day you're going to be dead now if we listen to Fear if we listen to Fear we might say you know what you're right I am but a kid you're you're right I am young I've never fought I've never fought in a in in a military campaign before you're right and we'll turn around and run but David turned the tables on him Goliath tried to get David to see fear in his mind but in verse 45 it says then said David to the philistine thou cometh to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts how means glad you've been baptized in his name how many knows that if you've been baptized in your name his name you put on Christ that's what the Bible says if you've been baptized in his name you have put on Christ David said David said you come to me with a sword and a spear and a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the god of the armies of Israel whom thou Hast defile listen to David this day will the Lord deliver thee unto my hand I will smite thee I will take thine head from Thee I will give the carcass I will give the carcass carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day and to the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth that all the Earth may know that there is a God in Israel and all this assembly shall know that the Lord's Sabbath not with sword or spirit and spirit for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands what is David doing preaching faith giant is trying to tell him visualize this Stripling visualize visualize this you little run of a boy you're going to be eaten by Birds by the end of the day but David had faith and he said no Goliath you visualize this I'm coming to you you come to me with a sword and a spear and a shield but I come to you with a greater weapon that you got I come to you in the name of the Lord the name of the Lord is a mighty tower and the righteous run into it and are saved oh folks I'm trying to preach to us tonight I'm trying to get you to see the faith that you need tonight in this building oh no no no no no it's going to be you that's going to be fed because God wants a testimony in this earth verse 48 and it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came and Drew nigh to meet David that David hastened and ran toward toward the Army to meet the Philistine David put his hand in his bag took a took fence of stone and slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead that it Stu that the stone sunk into his forehead and he fell upon his face to the earth now I don't want to mess with anybody's theology right now I don't mess with anybody's theology right now I flat out believe sister Sutton that David was good with a slingshot all right I just flat out believe the boy was good with a slingshot I just flat out believe he practiced practice practice but Schnitzer I don't mess anybody's theology up here tonight but I just believe the kid was good with the slingshot all right I just believe he was a dead aim with a slingshot now I know we we we we preach sermons and we say and David took the stone and slung and when it come out of the sling God's hand got a hold of it and God's hand guided it right to the forehead that's all nice well and good and maybe an eternity being said around the throne and asked God what happened but that part of it's left out maybe David just killed Goliath because he had practiced with a weapon and he had faith in his God he had greater faith in his God than he did in his weapon but when you put your come on folks when you put your effort together and you put faith in God together you know what all I can do is go to church and worship God because God is greater than God Is Bigger Than but I can go and I can worship God God will take that matter fact let me prove to you let me prove to you something let me prove to you something the Bible says that David that the stone sunk into his forehead he fell upon his face to the Earth 49. so David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him but there was no sword in David's hand how did David cut Goliath's head off with Goliath's own sword you know how we can cut the Goliath's head off of Our Lives take Faith take what you live with fear oh I got I just fear I just been feeling like I'm not going to make it I've just been feeling like it it's not going to turn out can I tell you fear is not from God fear is not from God fear is the voice of the enemy trying to get you to quit that's that's the most popular tool that the devil has is quit he wants you to quit because if you quit you'll never know what God was going to do if you tried one more time don't quit take that sword cut his head off visualize in your mind oh I'm gonna bring this to close visualize in your mind you've got to start visualizing in your mind you got some prodigal children you got some prodigal children instead of visualizing them being lost visualize them walking in the church come on it's a little children of which we've been told that that that that that a childlike faith is what God is looking for what do little children play a game let's pretend I'm a soldier I'm this little children play the game of let's pretend I think as little children of Faith let's just pretend our kids are walking back in the doors let's just pretend that we're getting a phone call saying Daddy I just been thinking about I I need to find a church in my area and I need to get my life back together come on let's start visualize don't don't be torment up oh my child's gonna be lost don't have images of them burning in Hell have images them walking the streets of go get it in your mind they're coming home coming home I see them coming home I'm gonna hit a phone call I'm expecting a phone call in the middle of the night because I'm praying and I'm believing I'm believing can you say Amen visualize in your mind well I don't know about that brother Carpenter I I just don't know about that why don't you ask the woman that was healed of the issue of blood for 12 years why don't you ask her that because the Bible tells us in Matthew chapter 9 for she said within herself for she said within herself if I could just touch the hymn of His Garment for she said within herself brother John Stone that sounds like she thought it she thought if I can just get to him I see myself just reaching up and touching to him oh if I can just start thinking I'm going to come out of this depression I'm going to come out of this oppression I'm going to come out of never enjoying life start seeing yourself with a smile on your face start seeing yourself in joining life start seeing yourself well my marriages and listen start seeing yourself with a marriage that you that's healthy and alive can you say Amen visualize a good relationship it starts visualize a good relationship between you and your God you've got to start visualizing that God is not angry with you now if you're sinning you better get to repenting but if you're repenting energy I still feel I still feel I said I still feel you need to you need to get rid of that letter that four letter word feel all right and you need to replace it with a word I know I know I so I I still don't feel well can I ask you are you still doing that no I asked the Lord to forgive me but I just don't I don't feel let me leave you with one little scripture first John first John chapter 3 verse number 18. First John chapter 3 verse 18. my little children let us not love in Word let us not love in word neither in tongue but indeed and in truth he said don't just love with what you're saying and what with your tongue but love and action and in truth and hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him for if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things let me tell you something if you're allowing condemnation and guilt to Cloud your room where you've repented you need to let God's heart be bigger than your heart you need to begin to say I don't care if I feel saved all I know is God's word says if any man come unto me I will in no wise cast out if you've asked God to forgive you that's all you can do if you put restraints up in your life not to sin again that's all you can do you need to get on your feet get your hands in the air get a smile on your face and say God has forgiven me for if God who is greater come on do that right now stand on your feet and give God praise and give God glory oh God oh God come on give God praise and give God glory I am forgiven I am redeemed God has washed my sins away I have been forgiven guilt and shame you have no place in my life I am a new man I am a new person I am a new creature in Christ Jesus when you get that God thing finished because that's the first thing you've got to work on you've got to work on that God relationship you got to work on that God you've got to work on that God relationship you hear me you got to work on that God relationship and when you get that God relationship in line now so you don't know what I've done okay let me ask you something you ever killed any other believers do you ever kill any of us before you became one of us huh you ever killed it come on I'm in Syria I know you're smiling I know you smiling like a possum I'm asking you something tonight well possum Smiles they look like they smile I don't know right before I hit them not with Carl they look like they're smiling you ever killed any of us before you came in I don't think there's anybody in here you ever blaspheme you ever went on a campaign and had people arrested give her jerked women out of their houses by the hair of their head and put them drug them little children crying after their mama what's the charge this woman calls on the name of the Galilean called Jesus you ever done any of that who am I talking about I just happened to be talking about the writer of over half your new testament who when he got ready to give his testimony he said I want to introduce myself to you I am the chief of all sinners I I'm the biggest sinner in the house a blasphemed I held the coats while they stoned the first Deacon of the church Stephen but I did it in unbelief and I did it in ignorance but God In His abundant mercy and Grace chose me to be a pattern and a preacher of the Gospel can I tell you if Paul can be forgiven who are you tonight to stand there and let condemnation just rape you of your joy come on it's time for you to get happy sister it's time you get listen God wants you to smile brother we got some more isn't this church in Revival isn't this church in River Harbor hey let me tell you what's about to happen let me see what's about to happen the same thing that happened to Paul acts 22 verse 16. the preacher said to Paul Paul while you waiting on get up I know you've repented of all your sins get up Paul and be baptized and call on the name of Jesus and let him wash your sins away what's he going to wash away he's going to wash away that I held the coach while they stoned Stephen what's he going to wash away he's going to wash away how I blasphemed his name what's he going to wash away he's going to wash away all of my sins I don't know who's being baptized right now but every sin this individual is ever committed by faith by faith by faith by faith well that's just the getting wet no no they're not getting wet God's thoughts is to redeem people from their sins and God uses water by faith