Sunday Evening Worship Service

amen it's so good to be home there's no place like home that's not just a saying from a movie it's true and I'm so thankful to be at home I was thinking just a minute ago I've got a lot of memories in this place not so much this building but the next building over and more importantly sister Daniel's office and Pastor Mark McCool's office but uh thank you so much for loving not just me but the entire mop and family all these years decades now that we've been here and thankful for the Next Generation coming up and thankful that you guys love us and I love you all thank you so much you're more than just my home Church your friends your family and I always counted an absolute honor to treat to be able to stand in this Pulpit we're such great men of God preached to you every week and I give honor to the mccools and whitleys aren't they just some of Heaven's finest foreign ever came through this church everybody's ever been baptized for the Holy Ghost we wouldn't be able to fit them all in here but I think the true test will be when we get to heaven one day and you'll see the people that First Apostolic Church of Knoxville the impact that they made on their life and then those that left here and the impact that they made it's all brought back to this place and so I'm thankful for this church thankful for these men and women of God that lead this great church once again once you give them a big hand these singers and musicians that's blessed us why don't we give them a big hand amen and you can you can make your way back to your seat if you want or you can stand up here it doesn't matter to me you can come stand up here beside me if you want to help me preach [Music] but I won't preach for a few minutes and I hope you'll keep the same spirit that we have right now first Samuel the 18th chapter thankful to have my boy Braxton with me I also give honor to my former youth pastor brother vanilla Russell his family I give honor to my brother and my sister-in-law my nephews also first Samuel the 18th chapter verse number six and it came to pass as they came when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine that the women came out of all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tablets with joy and with instruments of music so David kills Goliath he's coming back into the city the women meet him with instruments and with a song and it's the shortest song ever written it only has two verses Saul has slain his thousands and David his 10th ten thou I want to preach to you I want to I want you to ask your neighbor this question this is going to be my title which praise are you which praise are you help me pray around now Lord we love you and we thank you for what you have already done in this house but God I know you're not through God anoint me to preach your word the way you want it preached anoint your people God to receive the word but respond to your word most importantly God move in this house before we leave tonight even greater than you've already moved God we give you praise in advance for it in Jesus mighty name we pray amen Saul has slain his thousands this is statistically accurate because Saul had slain thousands he was king of Israel and he was a man of war he had fought and won many battles and I am certain that the death total of those slain By The Sword of Saul was in the thousands but if you study David up to this point he had only killed a lion a bear and a giant Philistine now I wasn't the valedictorian of my class but I can count to three the women although he had only killed three the women came out in the streets and they sang a song about him killing slaying his ten thousands so even though their praise about David wasn't seemingly accurate like their praise about Saul was it actually was very accurate it just hadn't happened yet the difference between the two is simply this Saul was a past praise and David was a prophetic praise so I ask you once again tonight which praise are you yes we need to celebrate our past what God has done for us up to this point but we can't stay there we can't keep our minds there we can't keep our vision there what we need in this house is for a prophetic praise to be released in the atmosphere we need to Not Just Praise Him for what he's already done but we need to give him a prophetic praise for what we know he is going to do in the future tonight I'm thankful for what he's done in the past but I'm anticipating even greater why because Saul the past phrase was only in the thousands but David the prophetic praise was in the ten thousands you know what that tells me tonight that the greater days are not in our past the greater days are in our future I love to hear about Azusa Street I love to hear about Topeka Kansas when the Holy Ghost was first poured out in American soil I love to hear about the upper room and the book of Acts but let me remind you what the writer of Hebrews said Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever so if he poured out the Holy Ghost in he can pour it out again today if he healed you then he can heal you again today if he delivered you then he can deliver you again today you need to give him a prophetic praise for what you want him to do in this house I believe our best days are not behind us I believe our best days are in the future the movements of our future are greater than the memories of our past and I believe this church is at a place and I believe it is poised for a prophetic praise in this house tonight but let's return to our original story and let's look at the danger of staying in a pass praise because in verse 8 the Bible says that Saul was very Roth he was angry and the saying displeased him and he said they have ascribed unto David ten thousands and to me have they ascribed but thousands and what more can he have but the kingdom I guess he was actually working in the prophetic a little bit himself and Saul I David from that day and forward see if your past your praise tonight if your praise is a pass praise it will be jealous of the prophetic praise because here's what happens in verse 10 it came to pass on the morrow that the evil spirit from God Came Upon Saul and he prophesied in the midst of the house so you've got to be careful what Spirit you're operating in and David played with his hand as other times and there was a javelin in Saul's hand so notice the difference in the past praise and the prophetic praise the past praise had a javelin in his hand the prophetic praise had a harp in his hand one had a weapon of War and the other had a weapon of worship and Saul takes what is in his hand the javelin the spear and he says I'm going to Smite David to the wall with his spear but the Bible says David departed out of his presence twice now you cannot tell me that Saul did not know how to throw a spear his spear had hit the mark many times he he knew how to hit the bullseye but what happened was when Saul let go of that spear between his hand and David's head the anointing on David and the prophetic praise that was on David God touched the spirit just enough to let the enemy know David might die one day but today is not his day there's a prophetic praise on him that hasn't been fulfilled yet and you can't touch him no matter how much you try and the reason some of you are here tonight it's not because the devil hasn't tried to destroy you he has but there's an anointing on you and there's a prophetic praise on you and God said it hasn't come to pass yet so devil you can trial you want to but you can't touch them because their praise hasn't been fulfilled yet see if your praise is a past praise not only will it be jealous of the prophetic praise but it'll even try to kill and destroy the prophetic praise in your life and Saul the Bible says was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and was departed from Saul so if your praise is a past praise it will be afraid of the prophetic praise in your life and what Saul didn't realize was that David could have been and actually was Saul's greatest asset but instead Saul made him into his greatest adversary and on that very day at that very moment Saul stopped pursuing the enemies of God and started pursuing the anointed of God so I've come to tell you don't be jealous of your future God's going to bless it don't try to kill your future God is trying to preserve it don't be afraid of your future God is calling us there tonight he's wanting a prophetic praise to be released in this house tonight a turn with me to Revelations the fifth chapter don't get nervous I'm not going to preach in time prophecy Revelations like you you read it and you think somebody ate pizza right before they went to bed and had nightmares so I'm not going to get too deep in it but Revelation the fifth chapter I do want you to see something verse 1. John said and I saw on the right hand of him that said on the throne a book written without him on the backside sealed with Seven Seals and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof and no man in Heaven Nor in Earth neither under the Earth was able to open the book neither to look thereon and I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to look thereon and one of the elders said unto me wheat not so get to sing this book is unable to be opened by anybody John the Revelator begins to weep one of the elders Taps him on the shoulder it says stop weeping and start worshiping and I believe that's a word for somebody in this house tonight you need to stop weeping and you need to start worshiping he said weep not Behold The Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the Seven Seals thereof now the the Elder says don't weep don't weep John the lion of the tribe of Judah is here he's Victorious but notice verse number six when John turns to look at what this elder is talking about he looks and he says and I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne in the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a not a lion but a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth in all the Earth so the Elder said the line of the tribe of Judah is here but when John looks to see what the Elder is talking about he doesn't see a line he sees a lamb slain now you've got to understand what's going on in this this story John was still looking at Jesus the last time he saw him John saw him as a slain lamb not a triumphant lion he was no you got to know where John was at he was on an island he was a prisoner he was in pain and suffering he was offended and he was stuck in his past but thank God one of the elders saw him not only for what he was but for who he was and that tells me tonight that your praise will determine your perspective because you can't just see Jesus as the lamb slang yes he is and I'm thankful I wouldn't be standing on this Pulpit today if it hadn't been for the blood of Jesus but you've got to understand he's not just a lamb he's not just the lamb slain for my pastor but he is a triumphant to Roaring Lion of the tribe not just a Judah but the tribe of Praise so he's not just something in my past he's the god of my future and I don't just praise him for saving me but I praise him for what he is going to do in my future tonight thank God that John saw Jesus as the lowly sacrificial lamb of God but one of the elders saw him as the Conquering Victorious line of the tribe of Judah and as Mankind's Redeemer who is Victorious over sin death hell and the grave the living lamb now sits on the throne as the unrivaled respected ruler of all but he also occupies the throne in full Authority reserved only for the lion of the tribal Jew and as the lamb he was the Redeemer but as the lion he is the ruler the lamb slain for our past but the lion triumphant in our future and he's not just any lion but he is the lion of the tribe of Judah the tribe of praise that tells me that I don't want to just get stuck in my past but I Want To Praise Him not just for saving me but for what he is going to do in my life come here a couple of you I want you to come help me come here come on just two I just need two in Genesis I want to show you something Jacob you understand like this come on now little will Jacob is getting ready to die he calls for Joseph to bring his two boys so that he can bless him before he dies and Joseph knowing that the greater blessing goes to the oldest son positions Manasseh in front of Jacob's right hand and rightfully so he positions Ephraim on Jacob's left hand showing him to be the second born but the Bible says that Jacob does something wittingly in other words he knew what he was doing it wasn't that he didn't know who was the firstborn but Jacob goes to bless and instead of touching Manasseh first he reaches past Manasseh and blesses Ephraim and Joseph says gets angry and he says dad you got the wrong one this is the firstborn this is my second born you put the first blessing on the wrong person and Jacob says no I know exactly what I'm doing yes Manasseh will be blessed also but the greater blessing is going to come with Ephraim no it's it don't make any sense to you until you understand the names of these boys Manasseh means God has caused me to forget it's symbolic of our past but Ephraim means God has caused me to be fruitful it's symbolic of our future so what Jacob literally does is he reaches past the past and says yes it's going to be blessed also it's already been blessed but the greater blessing is not in Manasseh the greater blessing is not in your past tonight the greater blessing is an Ephraim the greater blessing will go into your future and I wish we could get a hold of that tonight yes I'm thankful for what God did in the building next door I'm thankful for what he did in the original building but if you could understand what God is going to do in First Apostolic church you've got to understand our future is greater God is going to fill this building God is going to send the hurting God is going to send the lost the greater is in the future if you would just give him a prophetic praise Hallelujah yes but let's look at what a past praise alone will do for you in Exodus the 15th chapter the children of Israel have just crossed the Red Sea God is miraculously opened the Red Sea all of Egypt follows them into the Red Sea and as soon as the foot of the last freed slave steps on the other side of the Red Sea God causes the Red Sea to collapse on Egypt and now we pick up the picture the Israelites are looking into the Red Sea looking at their past looking at where God has brought them from horses are floating chariots are sinking corpses are drowning and Miriam the prophetess in verse 20. the sister of Aaron and Moses she takes a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbals and with dances and Miriam answered them sing ye to the Lord for he had triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea so after the miracle after the Red Sea then they start praising God my question is why didn't they praise him on the other side why didn't they praise him before the Red Sea parted why didn't they praise him before God took care of their past and took care of their Egypt because you know what it's easy for us to praise God after he already performs a miracle that's right it's easy when you go to the doctor and the doctor shows you two sets of x-rays says you see this spot on this x-ray it's gone you'll dance all over the doctor's office it's easy when you got a bill due and you go out to the mailbox and there's a check in the mail for the exact amount of your bill you'll shout all the way back to your front porch but it's difficult when you go into a doctor's office and he says we've done all we can do there's no more hope it's difficult when the bills are due and you you know you just got laid off from your job it's difficult to praise him before the miracle it's easy to praise him after it's easy to give him a past praise but it's difficult to give him a prophetic praise but here's the danger of just giving him a past praise because they are singing in one verse and the very next verse verse 22 says and Moses brought this is the brought Israel from the Red Sea and they went out into the Wilderness of sure and they were three days in the wilderness and found no water and when they came tomorrow they could not drink the Waters of Mara for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called Mara so if you're only going to be a past praiser you're going to end up in a wilderness you're going to end up thirsty you're going to end up wanting and eventually you're going to end up bitter but let me show you what a prophetic praise can do for you Joshua the sixth chapter God tells Joshua here's what I'm going to do I'm gonna I'm gonna bring down the walls of Jericho but here's how it's going to happen every day you're going to get up early so I'm already out on that one you're going to March one time for Six Days on the seventh day you're gonna March seven times on the seventh time the priests are supposed to blow the Ram's horns trumpets and when you hear that horn blow I want you to shout like you've never shouted now I'm gonna be real today if I was an Israelite I would say Joshua I think we need to vote a new leader in you've been out in the desert sun too long we're gonna shout walls down because it had never happened before up to this point every Miracle they praise God after the miracle but God said you know what I don't want to pass praise this time I want a prophetic praise I'm tired of you waiting until after I do something for you to praise me instead I want you to praise me before I do something and the Bible says that whenever they marched seven times on the seventh day that the Bible says Joshua said to the people shout for the Lord had given you the city and the people shouted when the priest blew the trumpets and it came to pass when the people heard the sound of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout that the wall fell down flat so the people went into the city every man straight before him and they took the city they gave God a prophetic praise and the walls came down so I don't know what kind of walls you've got in your life tonight but God I feel like God is saying don't wait until after the miracle don't wait until after the storm don't wait until after the walls come down don't wait until I bless you don't wait until I heal you don't give me a past praise tonight I want a prophetic praise so here's what I want us to do sister Whitley come musicians come singers come everybody else stand to your feet tonight now it's going to be a little awkward but if you've got a need tonight I don't care what it is it can be something small it can be something great if you've got a need I want you to by faith step out of your seat and meet us in this altar come on it doesn't matter what your need is now is there anybody in here whose need is for healing would you be willing to lift your hand there's hands is there anybody in here whose need is a lost loved one you want to see them saved would you raise your hand is there anybody here that you need is a financial Miracle you need in your life would you raise your hand maybe family problems maybe marital problems maybe you don't want to raise your hand on that that's fine I understand but here's what I want us to do tonight when these singers and musicians get ready to play I don't want you giving God a past praise but I want a prophetic praise to be released in this house and I want you to shout I want you to dance I want you to LEAP I want you to clap I want you to lift your hands and lift your whatever it is that you want to do I want you to show God and not just God I want you to show hell tonight what you would do if the miracle happened because here's what I believe I doubt very seriously if you went to the doctor tomorrow and the doctor said you're healed that you would stand there and go laughs I doubt very seriously mama if your baby was in this altar getting their life back with God that you would just stand there with your hands in your pockets [Applause] and I just want to be a spiritual Joshua tonight Joshua said shout for the Lord has given you the city Pastor McCall I believe God has given fac this city this community this neighborhood oh so as they get ready to play something I want you to show God a prophetic praise in here I want you to praise him like the Miracles happening right now I want I want you to praise him like your loved ones in the Baptist Church taking on the name of Jesus I want you to praise him like the chains are falling off I want you to praise him like the walls are coming down Glory Hallelujah this is [Music] [Applause] [Music] Glory Hallelujah [Music] [Applause] in the atmosphere [Music] Praise Him praise [Music] him praise foreign [Applause] [Applause] [Music] I gotta praise [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] I gotta let it out I gotta pay I got a praise [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we got us [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] surprise [Applause] eyes and eyes waking up before I got in church I never much was much of a dancer I tried break dancing but there's a reason why it's called break dancing and my mama wouldn't let me go to Cotton Eye Joe some of y'all know what I'm talking about [Music] but what I know about dancing is you usually do it with a partner so I wonder tonight can you find you a praise partner cause two are better than one would you just begin to dance and begin to shout and begin to worship together come on husbands and wives children come on let's dance listen let's shout let's shout for the victory let's praise him for the victors [Music] [Applause] [Music] friends [Music] [Applause] I gotta play s [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] crazy [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Glory Hallelujah [Music] [Applause] [Music] this is [Music] [Music] right now [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Praise Him [Applause] surprise [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I got a praise [Music] [Applause] [Music] like your Miracles or anything I got a friend [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] right right now in Jesus name in Jesus name yeah that's right go on it's dead [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Glory Hallelujah this is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] hey crazy [Applause] [Music] [Applause] now would you shout let your voice up the Jesus [Applause] [Music] if you read about Jericho when the walls fell the Lord had told them wherever you are go straight in how short cats when God takes those walls down that have been in your life and he shakes the foundation of this world whatever you've been praying for go straight in go in and attack that thing in Jesus name our weapons are not bombs and guns our weapon is worship Hallelujah Glory Glory Glory I want us to go from this place tonight encouraged refreshed expecting the results of the miracle that's done because I've already worshiped my way through it you want to keep worshiping you want to keep praising we're going to keep honoring the presence of the Lord we're going straight in victories oh yeah by the way just so you'll know I personally a few years back got to go to Israel and I got to go to Jericho and just in case you were wondering there's still no walls around Jericho I went straight in to Jericho we went to a little place to eat one of the fellas said I want to show you something we walked out a few yards away from this place and there's Rubble all the way around the Bible says that it's that way until this day and it is I can tell you I've been there when God tears down walls he knows how to tear down walls go from this place tonight expecting believing that God has performed a miracle for you claim it and believe it in Jesus name