Sunday Evening Worship & Word | Pastor McCool “I’m Not a Grasshopper”

would you celebrate your freedom in Jesus tonight celebrate your freedom in Jesus tonight is free indeed aren't you glad to be free while our nation is on the preface of celebrating another year of our freedom as a nation I'm most excited about celebrating our freedom from sin Jesus has freed us from the bonds of sin and we should always celebrate when we come into his house hallelujah hallelujah we'll Glory I'm going to let you return to your seats and then I'll let you be seated we greet you in the precious name of Jesus what a privilege and honor it is to be back at First Apostolic Church on this Sunday evening Bishop McCool and those who have gone before us today have mentioned that we've had a special week we just returned for from the general Ministry Conference of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ what a marvelous marvelous time we had there and I'm thankful for Saints of like Precious faith and churches and Ministries from around this nation and yes around this world that we are so blessed to be affiliated with and to worship with we got to meet some of our missionaries again and having the opportunity to sit on the general Board of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ I was blessed to be in on a general board meeting where we were ratifying the nomination of new missionaries who are going around the world they're representing you when you give to missions both missions America and World missions and when you give here at First Apostolic Church Bishop McCool so aptly put it today all of that those monies they don't stay in this assembly but instead we distribute the blessings that God has given us as we Minister around the world with World missions and missions America here in the United States so I'm excited about the freedom of the Holy Ghost that we indeed are spreading around the world and I know there are many who are journeying but what a wonderful crowd that's here tonight thank you for being here on this holiday weekend I want to take you to the word of the Lord tonight I'd call your attention to the Book of Numbers the 13th chapter and as you're finding numbers the 13th chapter I do honor all of the ministry and Ministers of First Apostolic Church our Bishop our pastoral staff and enough words cannot describe what a blessing the message was that we heard from Pastor Whitley today what a marvelous marvelous word and I'm still feasting on that word all of our pastoral staff our elders and our ministers who Minister as leading our kids ministry our Hispanic ministry God's been so good to us and I thank you for all that you do and I honor you this night call your attention to Numbers 13. if you'd stay with me because we're going to skip just a bit as we read through a familiar Passage verse number one says in the Lord spake unto Moses saying send thou men notice that sin thou men he didn't say send wimps you didn't say sin wall flowers he said send thou men that they may search the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man every one a ruler among them and Moses by the Commandment of the Lord sent them from the Wilderness of puran and all those men were heads of the children of Israel please notice the leadership that's being called on here verse 17. and Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said unto them get you up this way Southward and go up under the mountain and see the land what it is he said go up in the mountain I want you to get a bird's eye view or at least a mountain overlooked view see the land see what it is and the people that dwell therein whether they be strong or weak fewer many and what the land is that they dwell in whether it be good or bad and what cities they be that dwell that they dwell in whether in tents or in strongholds and what the land is whether it be fat or lean whether there be wood therein or not and then notice he says and be of good courage and bringing of the fruit of the land now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes for a few moments tonight I would speak to you on this subject victim mentality I am not a grasshopper let me say that again victim mentality I am not a grasshopper let's pray savior I thank you for your word I thank you for the praise that's going up the blessings that have come down I thank you for this wonderful day that we have already experienced being in your house now God I pray that your word would Minister to us tonight let us Feast at your table let us be blessed by your spirit for all this we're grateful and thankful in the name of Jesus we pray amen I want to point out a few things from our text for it should be familiar to any who are here that regularly study the word of the Lord to understand that this was the time that God had ordained to be so that the children of Israel who had been delivered from Egypt's bondage should now enjoy the promise of a Promised Land a Dwelling Place they'd been traveling they had been Nomads and it was time for them to go into the land that God had promised them now I want to point out a few things about what the original assignment was here first of all notice their task was not to go into the land and see if they can have that land God had already promised it to them let me clue you here if God promises you something it's not for you to question his promise it's just for you to figure out how to fulfill his promise you see God had already promised land he said it's yours This Is Your Land and he wanted some men that would represent every tribe to go in and spy out the land these men I I hope you noticed in our text reading it said you should send a man from every tribe and he should be a ruler among them he should be a man of authority we're not sending novices we're not sending the inexperienced I want leaders to go into the land but let me point out to you again it was not their job to go and see if they really could take this land God had already promised it instead their job was truly to go in and do a reconnaissance mission if you will they were supposed to go in and gather intelligence not about whether they could take the land but what would be the most efficient and effective way to take the land he said go in see if they've got wood in the land or not because you're going to have to build some things go in check out how the agriculture is go in and see what's here see what's there they were never intended now hear me those 12 who were sent in were never intended to be part of the process of deciding whether they could have the land or not God had already said it's yours I came to tell somebody tonight if God has promised you something quit worrying about whether it's a promise just say how can we make this happen what do you want me to do let's evaluate the situation God has already promised it to you [Music] now it was not if we can have the land it was how we can possess the land but as I began reading this passage of scripture I ran across an article and I had dated on the top of that article an article that I had read to this assembly 10 years ago in a message and the article was entitled victim mentality I don't want to read a little bit of that article to you it states do you sometimes feel like a victim as if whenever a bully comes on the scene they automatically pick on you do you feel that you might be sending out signals that somehow encourage others to victimize you that you might have a victim mentality well you couldn't be right how do bullies find victims there's always there always seems to be people around who victimize others these bullies often test potential victims to see whether they can be pushed around if they come up against a solid wall that clearly shows that this person is not for victimizing they will continue to seek the person they can push around until they find them to stop being a victim you need to stop looking like a victim the way you use your eyes the way you hold your head the way you walk all speaks volumes about your sense of personal respect and Power passive body language is the classic victim mentality stance which are with the hunched shoulders and the avoidance of eye contact non-bictims stand upright but in a relaxed manner they look people calmly in the eyes to do to do this you need to start feeling more confident even muggers read body language muggers will choose a victim who looks like a victim who doesn't walk with a sense of purpose who looks down doesn't have a strong look in the eyes Etc in short the kind of person who doesn't look as if they would put up much of a fight Professor Jeff Beatty a body language expert from Manchester university in the United Kingdom States Street robbers are great at analyzing body language to identify potential victims he says quote they're looking for people who in their words look Clueless who will go along with their demands end quote he explains your body language needs to Signal power even if you're not physically strong so being a victim is as much about your attitude as the attitude of those who would victimize you this does not mean that it is your fault if someone tries to victimize you however imagine the difference when you lose the victim mentality imagine feeling more powerful tough firm but still fair and approachable let me tell you the biggest movie that there is is Satan himself Satan is walking around in a bullying thieving mugger's attitude he's searching for his next victim and wants to destroy you spiritually John 10 10 said the thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy but I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly in our text notice what happened 12 were sent in they were supposed to be men they were supposed to be leaders they were supposed to be those on a mission just to set a plan and come up with a strategy how they were going to take the land that God had promised but instead if you read on in numbers 13 here's what happened verse 25 and they returned from searching of the land after 40 days and they went and came to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of the children of Israel unto the Wilderness of Paran to Kadesh and brought back word unto them and unto all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land Moses the spiritual slash governed mental leader and Aaron the priest give them opportunity to speak to all the people now I must think that Moses was hoping to hear a plan you know Moses we went in and Over Here There Were Trees but this area over here was Barren we went over here and you see all these grapes they had grapes as big as apples I can imagine they I mean they had the fruit of the land the land flowed with milk and honey they told they were giving this report and he was expecting these strong men he was expecting these wise leaders to start developing a plan for taking what God had promised them but instead here's what happened verse 27 said and they told him and said we came into the land whether thou sent us and surely it floweth with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it that's chapter 27. have they stayed in God's will that should have been period end of the story we went we saw this is what's there and now let's put our strategy together to take it verse 28 has a negative verse the victim mentality starts showing up they said nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land and the cities are walled and very great and moreover we saw the children of Enoch there and the amalekites dwell in the land of the South and the Hittites and the jebusites and the amorites dwell in the mountains and the Canaanites dwell by the Sea and by the coast of Jordan it wasn't their job to evaluate whether they could take the Promised Land it was their job to give a report how we're going to do it and notice verse 30. verse 30 says and Caleb Still the people before Moses and said let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it now in case you didn't know Caleb was representing the tribe of Judah he was judah's representative if you recall judah's name meant now will I praise the Lord and oh if you follow judah's lineage on down you know what you'll find in that same bloodline a little later on there was a little guy named David was out of the tribe of Judah it sounds like to me there was giant killer in that bloodline it sounds like the people of Judah had a leader that said we're ready to do what God called us to do I know there's Giants there but we're well ready to take the land I I want to tell you what we can do we're a bunch of giant killers but you see there was a voice that would rise it was the old popularity contest it was the simple majority it was let's take a vote on whether we fulfill what God's will is or not let me tell you if God said he's going to do it get ready to win the battle plan your strategy don't take a vote there's some things that aren't part of a democracy on July the 3rd if God said it that settles it I've heard people say God said it I believe it and that settles it well whether you believe it or not it's settled let me tell you you can live in doubt and live without or you can gain the promises of God when he says it's yours start working on fulfilling the promise verse 31 said but the men that went up with him said we be not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we man what a short memory aren't you the same bunch that God is miraculously parted the Red Sea for aren't you the same Butch when Pharaoh's Army was pursuing you that God miraculously provided all that you needed to protect you aren't you the same Bunch but God knows how to feed with Manna what's your problem now God's promised you a promised land that you admitted flows with milk and honey and you're letting some little scary incident cause you to not allow God to fulfill his promise in your life we'd be not able to go against the people for they be stronger than us and they brought up an evil report which they had searched unto the children of Israel saying the land through which we have gone to search the land has eaten up with the inhabitants and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stats everybody's Giants everybody's bigger than us and there we saw the Giants the son of anac which come of the Giants and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers so we were in their sight I came to tell somebody tonight I am not a grasshopper how about you I came to talk to a church tonight God has promised us some things are we going to step out by faith and fulfill the promises of God he's promised us the city of Knoxville he's promised us to grow he's promised us opportunities to win souls are we afraid of this world do we have victim mentality I say a thousand times no you see children of God are different but don't mistake that for victim mentality second Peter 2 9 you can quote it most of you but you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation A peculiar people listen folks we're not like the rest of this world don't you droop your shoulders and put your head down and walk around like you have no purpose just because you're different from the world because you know why he called us out of Darkness into his marvelous life the article I was reading from said this who is bullied the typical victim is someone whose physical attributes are different from the larger group classically small or short people are bullied man I'm in trouble however victims come in all shapes and sides of the tall the gentle giant the large and the small people whose skin colors and tones are different those who have pimples or or are exceptionally beautiful many and may all sometimes be victims the essential characteristic is that a victims that victims are different in some physical aspect when compared to their peers victims often send non-verbal cues that are immediately read by others it is not hard to detect the cues that someone is intimidated or frightened the psychological profile of a victim says bully of peer pressure bullying of religious tradition if we aren't careful because the apostolic church is so different from the rest of this world we'll find ourselves trying to take a posture well we just want to fit in uh we we just want to be like everybody else I'm here to tell you a thousand times no I will not be a pleaser of man the only thing I want to do is please God first Thessalonians 4 1 said furthermore then then when we beseech you brother and exert you by the Lord Jesus that as you have received us how you ought to walk to please God I want to please God Romans said if you're carnally minded you're at enmity with God for a carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither can it be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God if we want to appeal to the baser nature of man and please the flesh we will not please God I'm not going to live in the flesh I want to live in the spirit while I have a fleshly body I want it to be subject to the spirit of the Holy Ghost reigning in my life somebody hear me I'm not going to walk around trying to please man all the time I want to please God he said if you dwell in the flesh you're not going to please God now all of us know we've only got this Flesh and Blood to live in but I'm telling you telling you the flesh is easy to get bullied I'm the only one I I'm the only one in my family you see victims want to be compliant they want to follow all the rules trouble is when Satan's making the rules he don't make Fair rules but Romans 6 14 said for sin shall not have dominion over you I will not let sin rule my life I will not let a sinful lifestyle be in charge of me why I'm not a grasshopper I'm a Child of God I will not take that posture that I'm afraid of this world's size I'm afraid of this world's money I'm afraid of this world's publicity I will not be intimidated by the enemy I'm a Child of God Square your shoulders put your head back claim it in Jesus name if God's promised you something Go Get It Go Get It [Applause] you see I refuse to live in fear victims are constantly afraid they often are fearful of many things whether real or imagined they're afraid of Confrontation any sort of conflict makes them miserable but II Timothy 1 7 said for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind Joshua 1 9 said I have I not commanded thee be strong and of good courage Be not Afraid neither thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee wherever thou goest you know why I can square my shoulders spiritually in the face of adversity when there's Trouble When The Trials come along you see I'm not alone I'm not by myself oh if you know who's walking with me he's walking in front of me he's walking beside me he's got my back all the time God's with me at all times you see victims live a life of avoidance they avoid eye contact they're uncomfortable with any kind of situation that requires them to confront anything the devil wants you to submit but James 4 7 says submit yourselves therefore to the Lord and resist the devil you know what he'll do says he'll flee from you you see bullies don't like resistance when the enemy starts attacking you you need to remind him who's with you remind him call on the name of the Lord have the word in your heart form a resistance movement victims are very sensitive they're too sensitive they're aware of every nuance and they may misinterpret words or cues they are non-resilient not able to let things roll off somebody said something about me somebody been talking about me and oh you ought to see what they posted I know it was about me they didn't call my name but I I just know they were talking about me I I you should have seen what they post they they I know they're referring to me bless your sensitive little heart you need some cheese with that wine maybe I need to call you away oh ambulance what's your problem don't be so sensitive let the Holy Ghost work inside you be strong great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them I refuse to get my feelings hurt I'm not going to get my feelings hurt even if you're trying to hurt my feelings I'm not going to go around separating myself from the love of God because you talked a little something about me I will not be a victim of the enemy's attempts victims are socially isolated they have few friends no group to hang out with they are usually socially awkward so don't go to church by isolated but but regular to the house of God they start imagining things they don't show up to church and when they finally do they know everybody's been talking about them that's why Hebrews said not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together every time we come together we're sending a signal I've quoted it too many times but in case there's one person in the house hadn't heard it let me just repeat this I preached a little bit from a t-shirt while back that said if you mess with one of us you've messed with the whole trailer park devil if you mess with one of us we are not socially isolated we are one together when the enemy would attack us we do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together because we like to fellowship with our brothers and sisters we like to hear the word of the lord we like singing and worship we go to camp meetings we go to conferences once or twice a week don't even satisfy us we look for other excuses to get together victims are typically shy and quiet victims may have social anxiety disorder which means they are painfully shy or anxious in social situations to the degree that it to the degree it impairs their ability to function they sometimes have trouble talking because they have problems sharing their thoughts Psalms 107 2 said let the redeemed of the Lord say so Kumi hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy if you've been filled with the Holy Ghost if God has saved your soul if you've been baptized in Jesus name after you repented of your sin if you've been filled with the Holy Ghost evidence was speaking with tongues you ought to say so I said you ought to say so too many folk want to have a one-time experience and keep it quiet you need to have that fire shut up in your bones that every once in a while you just gotta tell somebody I'm holy ghost film I'm water baptized I'm going on with the Lord enemy if you're gonna fight with me come on old boy let's go at it I'm not ashamed I'm not afraid oh preacher I don't mind standing up to him I just don't want to pick fights with him what listen I'm gonna pick fights with him because you see I'm not just worried about myself I want all my family to be saved I want everybody I know to be safe I want the city of Knoxville to be safe I want the Hispanic Community to be safe I'm going to pick some fights with him if I can I'm not just going to try to coexist I'm not going to let that bully get me to be quiet [Applause] hallelujah hallelujah [Applause] victims are often depressed victims are usually very unhappy they may have been depressed before their bullying started and they become more depressed as a result of the bullying Proverbs 12 25 says heaviness is in the heart of the man of man heaviness in the heart of man maketh its stoop I'm gonna try to get to church Devil's been after me all day praise His holy name come on stand up spiritually Square your shoulders throw your head back and let the devil know I will not be a victim I may be facing the greatest trial of my life in the flesh's eyes this may be an impossible situation but do you realize who's walking with me I will not be down I will not be depressed Proverbs it as a man thinketh in his heart so is he what do you think of yourself the psalmist said the Lord is on my side I will not fear what can man do unto me first Peter 5 8. you know what be sober be vigilant because your ad to see the devil as a roaring lion walketh about sinking whom he may devour whom reseth steadfastly in the faith man we like to dwell on that scripture that old line is coming around but scripture didn't say when Satan acts like a roaring lion to go hide it said resist let me tell you he's a lion lion he won't tell you the truth he'll do everything he can to discourage you to tempt you to quit but if you'll start a resistance movement listen he's a lying lying beside that you're on the side of the line of Judah you're still in that bloodline you're still Blood Bought you're still a bunch of giant Killers know this that any kind of resistance you bring the Bible said in verse 9 of that same chapter who resists a steadfast in faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren and that are in the world you see everybody's going through some trouble everybody's going to face trials and tests but we must not be the victims of the enemies attempts to destroy us I have even seen those serving God take a victim mentality over their service of God oh it's such a rough life serving God I've sacrificed so much oh I would have been a rock star but I turned it all over to Jesus no you'd probably be a drug head in Your Grave oh I would have been so successful in business but I gave it all up for Jesus well you know folks that pay their tithe and give their offering they're successful too being a line they even stealing cheap that doesn't mean success man there's a difference in having faith and committing felonies for crying out loud God blesses his people God blesses those who follow him don't get a victim mentality over service to God unwittingly I've even heard preachers I know it's tough following the standards of oat tough the greatest life there is is living a hole in this life the most beautiful ladies in the world are Holiness ladies the most handsome successful men are Holiness men don't let the world don't let the enemy say you that you've given up something freedom freedom I'm not bound by any rules and restrictions I'm free he who the son is set free is free indeed I'm celebrating I'm not a victim I'm an overcomer I'm an overcomer in Christ stand with me musicians come quickly I'm not a grasshopper serving Christ is the greatest life that there is I have no sad stories of neglect listen when Bishop tells those stories of the foundational days of First Apostolic Church when he tells about the tough times when he tells about I've noticed the church wasn't started in a gospel 10 it was started in an old ragged gospel tits the way Bishop always described you know why I mean because they'd been using that thing they had been setting up tents and having Church all over the place before they came to Knoxville that wasn't the first rodeo for that tent I promise you when the storm blew through one time and knocked part of it down and tore holes in it there's a lady walked up and Bishop was sitting outside sitting in chair and he was sowing the tent back together Bishop were you singing a sad song what were you singing when you started sewing up the tent do you remember the Lord is so good to me I can't complain the Lord is so good to me in sunshine or in Rain you think you think there was a victim there you think he was saying woe is me that's our foundation that's where we came from I I refuse to let the enemy beat me down if we have a trial or a test remember cool aren't you afraid to preach like this you don't know what tomorrow holds you're right I don't know but I Know Who Holds Tomorrow and I you know Jesus is going to be with me whatever First Apostolic Church faces we're gonna win we're going to win we're going to win [Applause] who shall separate us from the love of Christ Romans 8 35 shall tribulation no or distress or persecution absolutely not nor famine or nakedness or Peril or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter too many folk think that's where that passage ends we're just sheep for the slaughter that's poor old apostolics scripture don't stop there it says nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us quit that wine and quit that crime stand up make sure [Applause] I refuse to be a grasshopper I refuse to be beaten down by the enemy and by the way make sure your children don't grow up to be grasshoppers either Proverbs 22 6 said train up a child in the way he should go and when he's old he will not not depart from it in that same article about being a victim it mentions children it said the most powerful teaching method it's called mirroring sometimes parents themselves are actually victims or feel victimized and act that way they talk about how they've been taken advantage of how things are not fair and how they've been bullied all kids mimic what their parents do listen a little problem comes along some of those situation happens don't go home and sit around the table and have fried pasture and Saint stew at your house brag on the goodness of God I know there's an issue but God is still good to us I know we've been gone Daddy might have lost his job for a little while but God's got a better job coming there may be a little problem that we're facing but I know God's going to fix it don't let your kids learn and mirror a victim mentality from you don't be a negative Nelly don't oh hear me God's done too much for me to go around acting like I'm a victim I'm a winner I'm an overcomer oh look I'm I'm hurrying you remember that same bloodline of Judah that same bloodline of Caleb that said we're able to take this land when David first would approach the children of God at a standstill with the Philistines and Goliath would come out and challenge them remember the Bible tells us that all the men of Israel when they saw Goliath the Bible said they fled from him and they were so afraid David's attitude he went to his brothers and then went to Saul he said would I get when I whip him he said he said I will be done for the man who defeats Goliath and you know what that first answer was have you seen the man that's a problem if we'd get our eyes off of Goliath get our eyes off the problem and keep our eyes on the real man if we'll keep our eyes on Jesus I don't care how big Goliath may seem my God Is Bigger no matter the situation my God is stronger [Applause] David said what shall be done to the man that killeth the Philistine it wasn't a matter of if it was a matter when I want to challenge everybody in this house for you see the men of Israel from our original text God would become so disgusted with them that he would say I'm going to disinherit them and I'm going to raise up a stronger people you know what happened Moses their leader got the pleading God God please don't don't wipe them out please don't wipe them out he said you delivered them from Egypt I don't even want the word to get back to Egypt that you wiped them out after you delivered them yeah and God heard Moses cry and God said this okay here's what I'm going to do he said everybody 20 years of age and up for 40 years they're going to have to wonder and not get to go into the promised land I'm going to have to kill off a whole generation of victims listen I don't want to be in the victim mentality generation I want to be in the Overcomer generation don't forget there was a Joshua and there was a Caleb that would also be in that older generation I want to be counted in the generation that says we are well not able to possess the land if you're in this house tonight if you're here tonight and the enemy's been trying to bully you I don't know what you've been facing don't care God's bigger if you've been facing some type of situation that the enemy's really been trying to kick your shins and make you feel bad I'm here to tell you tonight's the night to come forward with faith believing that I'm Victorious I will not be defeated I will not be a victim I will win would you make your way around the Altar for a season of prayer would you claim your Victory in Jesus name tonight [Music] louder than before [Music] come on please [Applause] [Music] [Music] afraid of the worship [Music] his name [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yeah yeah Hallelujah [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you but you are a winner in Jesus name [Music] hallelujah hallelujah go from this place winners knowing that God is with you whatever you face you're not alone please remember Wednesday night we're going to be back here for a great time in the Lord Wednesday night worshiping the word come expecting to receive from the Lord would you greet your brothers and sisters in the freedom of the Holy Ghost as your protocols makes you comfortable you're dismissed in Jesus name