Sunday Evening Worship Service

Oh, let's give that to the Lord again. Come on. I think we can do better than that. Come on. If he's been good to you, you ought to tell him right now, God, you've been good to me. God, you've been good to me. God, you blessed me. You woke me up this morning. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. What a tremendous presence of God. You may be seated for just a couple of moments. I am not going to take much time, but I don't want to just rush through uh tonight. What a wonderful opportunity. And I'm not just saying that. What a absolute wonderful opportunity for us to be here. and uh the presence of God that is in this room tonight. I I couldn't help but stand over there and and uh my eyes just filled up with tears. I don't want to say I was crying. That's not manly. My eyes got to leaking a little bit to think about how blessed we are to be able to come into the house of the Lord and to experience the presence of God that is in this room. and uh your leadership exemplifies wanting that. But if it was just leadership, man, they'd just be over there by themselves doing their own thing. But what is so beautiful is across this congregation, the body of Christ joins in. And when you have the presence of God in the room, you know that anything is possible. And we're thankful to be able to be here again. And thank you to pastor and sister Mcool for the invitation to come. I cannot put into words what these people mean to us. Uh the examples they are to us, the leaders they are in our life. They set a standard that that to be honest with you, a lot of us are trying to attain. And I don't say that to lift them or puff them. I'm not saying that because I'm allowed to minister in this pull pit. But I mean that from the depths of our soul. Your leaders are so respected in our movement and this church is such a such a shining example in our movement and we are grateful uh to have the opportunity to be here. Pastor Nate, Sister Ashley, dear friends of ours. We love and appreciate them and thankful for for their work in the kingdom of God and all that they do. And uh, Brother Nate challenges me probably as much as any other minister, especially that is a friend of mine. And I want to grow up and be like him if it's possible. And I think I may have told the story. I'll tell it again. We was at National Men's Conference. And Brother Nate had absolutely preached the house down on Friday night. I mean, it was absolutely incredible. I got on the elevator the next morning and this is this is not a compliment to him. Got on the elevator the next morning, this door flew open. Gentleman stepped on. He looked at me. He said, "Brother, that was incredible preaching last night." Incredible. I said, "Thank you very much." I really appreciate that. This is a God's honest truth. My wife was on. She was there, too. And uh I got down in the lobby and we were The lobby was full of people. This same man comes back around again. I don't know if he was just forgetful or what. He comes back around. He slaps me on the back. He said, "Brother, I'm just telling you that was great preaching. I had the opportunity to make it right, but I did not. I enjoyed the moment." And I said, "Thank you so much. That means the world." I never did tell the guy, but if you're watching, brother, that was not me. That was Pastor Nate Whitley. and we love and appreciate them and they're just awesome people, Pastor Anthony and Sister Kelly. And u if I could if I could if I could dress like Pastor Mark, preach like Pastor Nate and look like Pastor Anthony, man, I would be the baddest dude on the planet, wouldn't you? To tell you what, but I love them. And of course, Bishop and Sister Mcool. It just doesn't get any better. Doesn't get any better. And I know that this congregation has been raised with them and you see them, but I cannot put into words what they mean to thousands of people around the world. And I honor you tonight. And they come through the door back there. The first thing I said, I got to get my picture with with two of my heroes tonight. And we love and appreciate you so much in in every area. And this church is just great. The music and singing, Sister Ashley, and all of this team. You guys are second to none. Just absolutely fantastic and just such an anointing uh that you operate in. Thank you for leading with excellence in all areas. And uh I'm just glad to be here. Amen. Why don't we stand together? I'm glad my wife is here and uh I may have said it this morning, but she's the best part of us. And uh she if if I was to give her the mic, you would you'd all be in the floor crying and boohooing and saying, "Oh my god, I can't believe that testimony." But so I'm not going to give her the mic. We'll let her steal my thunder tonight. And uh some of you know our story. We we've uh compared to some people, we've not been through anything, but we've we've faced some difficulties in life. and my wife passed away 12 years ago. Suddenly left me a single father, 12-y old girl. And uh several years before that, my wife had been walked out on and left with a three-year-old and a one-year-old. And uh God just kind of wo some things together and uh I slid into her DMs on Facebook. So all you young cats out there, you follow me. I'm a good leader. you can marry a beautiful woman that's younger than you. This is not good for the internet. I need to be careful. And uh we started talking and man did we start talking and uh we've been married nine years this year and God's been good to us. God's blessed us. Just so thankful. Amen. My cousin Retha Lord have mercy. And I was so blessed this morning. I had a text message from her that she was going to try to be here tonight. This is one of the sweetest, kindest ladies you'll ever meet in your entire life. And uh it's hard to believe she's kin to us, but I appreciate her, brother Phillip, so much. So glad that you guys are attending a church here. Amen. Amen. I'm going to read just a couple of verses of scripture tonight out of the book of Philippians. Again, thank you for the food. The room, the room is so big. I didn't have to go get on the treadmill this morning. I just ran around the kitchenette. I mean, the room, the basket, and uh got to the room last night, and I am a huge Tennessee Volunteer fan, which I know I'm amongst good people tonight. And in the basket sitting on the counter was a brand new Tennessee Adidas >> sweatshirt. I put that thing on this morning. I immediately felt the anointing. I mean, it was just awesome. And brother Nate, I know you didn't have anything to do with that. So, Sister Ashley, thank you for being kind. There's so many little uh nuggets in there. And thank you so much. The fellowship has been amazing. And I just just love this place. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 13. The Bible says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. But this one thing I do." Say, "One thing." This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. The Apostle Paul goes on to say, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Man, I love this verse of scripture. was speaking to Pastor Nate before service and and we were talking about some of his writings and the way he studies and and we read some of these letters which is what they are and and sometimes preachers get behind the pull pit which I I do and I mean tell you what we're hammering where's that brother at hammering down I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing but we we hammer down and we forget that most of these letters that were written were written from a jail cell that was not written from behind a pull pit with a praise team or a B3 backing him up. He was cautiously writing, thinking about the next word that he would put down to send to these churches. These words mean so much to us if we could apply them into our life properly. I'm going to try to minister tonight from a painful past to a promised future. a painful past to a promised future. If you lay your Bibles down one more time today, would you just tonight, would you just take your neighbor by the hand and would you just pray over them? Ask God to move in this house. Lord, we love you tonight. We are so grateful and thankful, God, for another opportunity. >> God, I pray that you would speak to us tonight. I pray that God you would anoint us tonight, Lord. Anoint us, oh Lord, to to speak something that would be an encouragement, oh Lord, that would be a help to someone, that would be a strength to someone. I pray touch this beautiful congregation tonight, Lord. Minister to every life, every heart, every soul, every mind, oh Lord, and we give you praise and we give you thanks in Jesus name. And everybody said, "Amen." Now, can we clap our hands unto the Lord? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Tell somebody close to you, everything's going to be all right. >> Come on. Everything's going to be all right. You may be seated in Jesus name. The Apostle Paul speaking to the Philippians in chapter three, he is if you read the entire chapter, he is he is giving warning to them. He is testifying to them. then he is doing his best to lead in pushing the church to move forward in the things of God in most verses in most used verses in chapter 3 or 13 and 14 that I read. But man, you don't want to miss what he is speaking around verses 13 and 14. But he says as we just read, he said, "I, brethren, I don't I don't I don't consider myself that I have got it all taken care of yet. that I have made it yet. He said, "But this one thing I do, this one thing, I know I'm speaking to you about a lot of different things in these letters that I'm writing to you, but if I COULD JUST ZERO IT DOWN TO JUST ONE THING," he said, "I am doing my dead level best to forget those things which are behind me, AND IN THE SAME MOTION, I am reaching forth unto the things which are before me." And in this forgetting and this reaching, I am pressing. I am pressing toward the mark for the high prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus. There's one thing that all of us have in common in this room tonight. Every single one of us has a past. Every single one of us has some stuff that we don't really want to tell anybody about. Just about everybody in the room has some messy stuff and some messy days and some messy moments that we would really really like to move on from. Anybody in the room would just be honest for the next little bit and say, "Preacher's going to uh he he going to talk to me just a little bit." I if if I'm honest tonight, then God could probably do something for me. I I don't want to just fold my arms up and say, "You know what? I I I yeah, there's some stuff, but I I I that's not me. And and and I don't want to go back. I'm not asking you to go back and relive. All I'm asking you to do is to be honest and say that there IS SOME MOMENTS IN my life that I WISHED I COULD MOVE ON FROM. There was some days there was some there was some times there was there there was a a a moment IN TIME THAT I WISH THAT I COULD GO BACK AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. I wish that I wish that it didn't haunt me. I wish that I wish that I didn't think about it all the time. And and the problem with all the past is is we remember the past. It's all in my memory. And if I'm not careful, my past can literally paralyze me from us moving into a better day and the things that God would have for all of us. Paul says in this text, HE SAID, "THIS ONE THING I do." He said, "I pushed everything else to the side in this moment." HE SAID, "I HAVE FOCUSED MY ATTENTION on this one thing, and that one thing is forgetting those things which are back there." And as I said, reaching forth unto those things which are before. The amplified version says, "Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the heavenly PRIZE." PAUL IS LASER FOCUSED ON MOVING ON FROM THE PAST BECAUSE THE REALITY is this. I can never move into the future if I'm always living in back there. Can I get an amen from somebody? Somebody would say, "Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Before I can ever move forward, I MUST FORGET SOME stuff that happened five YEARS AGO OR SIX MONTHS AGO OR 20 years ago or 30 years ago." BECAUSE OUR PAST, IF we allow it, will paralyze us. IT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS that you will ever do is learning to forget the past. It is absolutely difficult to forget the past. >> BUT THEN WHAT TEAMS UP WITH THAT IS THAT ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING PARTS OF LIFE IS THAT OTHERS won't let you forget the past. >> Not only you're battling with your own mind, your own thoughts, your own guilt, your own shame. YOU YOU'RE DEALING WITH YOUR OWN DEAL. YOU KNOW, YOU YOU YOU'RE PUSHING YOUR OWN SELF DOWN. AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE PEOPLE THAT will walk into your life that are constantly reminding you of who you were and what YOU'VE DONE AND WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AND AND AND AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT OVER, SOMEBODY pulls the scab off of the wound again and and you begin to relive that divorce, you begin to relive that abuse, you begin to relive that addiction or THAT THAT ALCOHOL, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. ALL IT TAKES IS FOR SOMEBODY TO COME UP BESIDE YOU AND SAY, "DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN?" >> AND ALL OF THE VICTORY, ALL OF THE PRAYER SERVICES, ALL OF THE SHOUTING, ALL OF THE DANCING, ALL OF THE TIMES IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD SEEMS TO CRUMBLE AROUND YOU BECAUSE OTHERS WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO FORGET YOUR PAST. SO BETWEEN MY MEMORIES OF THE PAST AND OTHERS CONTINUING TO BRING UP MY PAST, WE CAN BE HAUNTED FOR A LIFETIME. YOU DID THIS, YOU SAID THAT. DON'T YOU REMEMBER? YOU DID THIS TO ME, YOU WENT THERE THAT DAY, YOU TOOK THAT, YOU STOLE THAT, YOU HID THAT, YOU LIED, YOU CHEATED. It's like living in the movie Groundhog Day. Every single day, you relive the same old mess in your mind. MY FAILURES ARE ALWAYS BEFORE ME. MY MISTAKES, MY MISSTEPS ARE ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. One of those great lines in David's REPENTANT PRAYER IN PSALMS 51, HE SAID, "MY SINS ARE EVER BEFORE ME. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET OUT OF MY OWN WAY. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET OUT OF the past. IT'S CAUSED SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. IT'S CAUSED ME TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES. IT'S CAUSED ME TO MISS OUT ON GREAT THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN FOR MY FUTURE. BUT BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S BACK THERE. I NEVER CAN LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE IN MY FUTURE. I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY MIND. IT'S ALL I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW. IT'S BEEN YEARS, BUT YOU CAN'T FORGET YOU. YOU YOU LIVE IN IN THE REGRET. IF I COULD ONLY GO BACK IF I COULD ONLY GO BACK AND TALK TO THAT 16-YEAR-OLD VERSION OF MYSELF. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IF IF I IF I COULD ONLY go back, I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN IN THE CAR WITH THEM. I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID YES TO THAT FIRST DRINK OR THAT FIRST DRUG OR THAT FIRST OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD HAVE TOLD HER, "OH, NO. I I DON'T DO THAT. I CAN'T DATE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH." BUT BECAUSE WE WE FAILED TO STAND UP OR WE WE FAILED TO SAY NO. HERE WE ARE IN OUR 30S AND OUR 40S AND 60S AND 70S AND AND DEALING STILL DEALING WITH THINGS THAT HAVE HAUNTED US FROM THE PAST. THAT FIRST INVITATION, THAT FIRST DRAG OF A CIGARETTE, THAT FIRST DRINK THAT YOU SNUCK AROUND THE CORNER, THAT FIRST TIME YOU BOUGHT THAT MAGAZINE, THAT FIRST TIME YOU CLICKED ON THAT WEBSITE. IS THERE ANY HONEST SOULS IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT THAT SAY, "PREACHER, I'M STILL HAUNTED BY SOME THINGS IN MY PAST." >> We on a regular basis stand in the Tennessee ladies prison. I don't say that tonight. Thank you for the kind words this morning, but I'm not looking for any slaps on the back or way to go. I'm just trying to be obedient to what Jesus said that I was in prison and you came and sink. And I can't tell you how many times I have looked into those lives, THOSE SOULS. THEY PACK. They literally pack into that chapel. We can we can s we can seat about 90 in that chapel. JUST A LITTLE BLOCK BUILDING. THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN. Prison Fellowship has has I think it's Prison Fellowship God Behind Bars has given us a piano and they put a sound system in there and they got some sayings UP ON THE WALL AND AND and we will walk in into that building and we we we anybody that's ever walked into prison, YOU GET CHECKED out and you get all of this kind of stuff AND AND WE STICK OUR HEAD down there and SISTER VICTORIA WILL SAY, "WILL YOU DO A CALL OUT FOR NEW LIFE APOSTOLIC CHURCH? WILL YOU DO A CALL OUT FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH?" I CAN HEAR IT OVER THE over the little over the CORRECTIONS OFFICERS LITTLE RADIOS CALL OUT FOR CHURCH. NEW LIFE IS HERE TONIGHT. AND WE WALK DOWN TO THAT CHAPEL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY START MAKING THEIR way into THAT BUILDING, MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THAT BUILDING UNTIL JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO THEY WOULD LET US JUST PACK THEM IN THERE. THEY'D BE STANDING AROUND THE WALL, SITTING ON the wall, sitting everywhere. THEY TELL US THAT OUR OUR SERVICES ARE THE MOST UH UH BY FAR THE MOST ATTENDED SERVICES FOR THE YEAR. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WALK INTO THAT ROOM, it's nothing special. IT'S NOT ANYTHING MAGNIFICENT LIKE THIS. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HOPELESS EYES. AND WE OPEN UP THE WORD OF GOD AND TELL THEM, "HEY, THE GREAT CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE IS NOT DICTATING YOUR FUTURE BASED ON WHAT YOU DID FIVE MONTHS AGO OR FIVE YEARS AGO." THE SAME THING I WOULD TELL TO THIS GREAT BODY OF BELIEVERS TONIGHT. THE DEVIL HAS HAD A HOLD ON YOU LONG ENOUGH. I KNOW YOU DRESS IT UP. I KNOW YOU PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. BUT SOME OF YOU ARE LIVING INSIDE OF PRISON WALLS. YOU LIVE WITH THOUGHTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU TOSS AND TURN EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO. WELL, GOD HAS COME TO RELIEVE YOU OF THAT PAST PRESSURE AND SET YOU FREE SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE. >> HALLELUJAH. I TELL THOSE PRECIOUS SOULS, I PREACH TO THEM. I do my dead level best. I preach IN IN THERE JUST LIKE I'M PREACHING RIGHT HERE. I TELL THEM THAT JESUS LOVES THEM, they can BE FILLED WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN PRISON doesn't mean they can't go to heaven. WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS BAPTIZED. WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. THREE WEEKS AGO TONIGHT, WE BAPTIZED EIGHT BEAUTIFUL SOULS IN JESUS' NAME. THEY'RE GETTING THE HOLY GHOST BEHIND BARS. THEY'RE BEING DELIVERED FROM THE PAST MISTAKE THAT THEY MADE. THEY MAY NEVER GET OUT. THEY MAY NEVER WALK AMONG US. THEY MAY BE HELD BY PRISON WALLS, BUT IN HEAVEN, THEIR NAME IS WRITTEN DOWN. BUT SOME OF YOU ARE FREE TO WALK AROUND. BUT YOU ARE HELD IN PRISON WALLS BECAUSE OF A MISTAKE THAT HAPPENED. BECAUSE OF A MOMENT THAT HAPPENED. I'VE COME TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW THE HOLY GHOST IS IN THIS ROOM TODAY TO UNLOCK THAT TO UNLOCK THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE CHAIN SO THAT THEY CAN FALL DOWN AROUND YOU AND YOU CAN MOVE ON INTO A PROMISED FUTURE. >> HALLELUJAH. >> Anybody know what I'm talking about tonight? >> My past haunts me to this day. But guess what? I'm going to let you in on a little secret that Anthony Mcool can't even come up with this. I'm gonna come up. I'm going to speak you something that all the study that Pastor Nate has done, he hadn't come up with anything this good. I need you to set up on the edge of YOUR SEAT AND HEAR ME. >> THAT THING THAT IS WEARING YOU OUT, THAT MISTAKE THAT YOU MADE, THAT FAILURE, THAT LIE, THAT MOMENT, THAT VERY thing that is consuming you in THE NIGHT. ANYBODY READY FOR IT? YOU CAN'T DO ONE THING about it. >> YOU CANNOT GO BACK AND CHANGE ANYTHING. THE OLD SAYING IS YOU CAN'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK. YOU AIN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN THERE AND TRY TO GET IT ALL BACK IN THE BOTTLE. YOU AIN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO YOUR TEENAGE YEARS AND LIVE A PURE LIFE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT NIGHT IN THE SUMMER WHEN THINGS HAPPEN THAT WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. SO, HERE'S WHAT YOU GOT TO REALIZE. THAT IT'S SIMPLY IN THE PAST. IT IS SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT IS BACK THERE. IT HAS NO DICTATION ON ME MOVING FORWARD. IT DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE IN MY FUTURE. IT DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE IN MY ANOINTING. IT DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE IN MY CALLING. COME ON. I'M LETTING SOMEBODY KNOW TONIGHT THAT MISTAKE BACK THERE DOESN'T DICTATE WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO RIGHT NOW. Believe me, I stand here 53. I know to some of you that's a shock. You thought I was older. I was at my favorite restaurant in Nashville last year. There's a place in Nashville called Wendell Smiths. If uh it's been in business since 1952, same owners, uh same family. I was little meet three, little hole in the wall. It's one of them places, you know, it just I don't know, three or four times a week, you look at me and say, "Yeah, I can tell you." I was standing at the counter the other day and the sweet girl was was uh uh checking us out. Not checking us out. She was taking our money. That is terrible. She said, "Uh, my wife was with me." She said u she said, "Nathan," she said, "Hold on a second." She ran my bill up. She said, "Hold on a second." She said, "I got to give you your discount." I I said, "What? What discount?" You know, maybe because I come in here three or four times a week. Is that the discount? She said, "No, the senior discount." I said, "What in the world? A senior discount?" AND THEN I MADE THE MISTAKE OF THESE NEXT WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH. I SAID, "HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO get the senior discount?" SHE SAID, "7. SHE NO LONGER WORKS at Wendell Smith's. No, she does. I'm just kidding. I said, "What in the Jesus, help me. That's my past. I got to move on from that. >> I wish there was some things." I stand here as a 53 year old man. I CAN IMMEDIATELY GO BACK TO my failures. I can immediately GO BACK TO THE MOMENTS THAT I FELT THE WORST. I CAN IMMEDIATELY GO BACK IN my mind to the days when I looked in the mirror and said, "WHAT IN THE WORLD did you do? WHAT IN THE WORLD? HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU allow How could you allow that?" I CAN IMMEDIATELY GO BACK AND REMEMBER my worst days. I CAN REMEMBER MY FAILING MOMENTS. BUT THEN I HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS THAT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I CANNOT GO BACK AND REDO THOSE DAYS. I I I'VE GOT TO SIMPLY MOVE ON INTO SOMETHING NEW. TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR, say it's time to move on. Tell them it's time to move on. YOU YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT BACK THERE. PAUL SAID, "THIS ONE THING I DO, I FORGET." BUT OH, PAUL, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. IT'S EASY TO SAY, BUT IT'S HARD TO DO. PAUL, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MY MISTAKE. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. MY FAILURES HAVE HURT PEOPLE THAT I LOVE. I CROSSED LINES, PAUL. I DID THINGS THAT STOLE FROM ME. I STOLE FROM OTHERS. I SAID THINGS THAT I'LL NEVER BE A PAUL. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. I WALKED AWAY FROM THOSE THAT DID THE MOST FOR ME THE MOST. THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE ME THE MOST. AND PAUL COMES BACK AGAIN. FORGET ABOUT IT. FORGETTING DOESN'T ERASE FROM my memory. WHAT FORGETTING DOES IS IT BREAKS THE POWER FROM OVER MY FUTURE. PAUL KNEW IF I CONTINUE TO DWELL ON HOW BAD I MESSED UP, THEN THOSE MEMORIES ARE GOING TO PARALYZE ME. PAUL KNEW IF MY PAST, IF ALLOWED, WILL STOP ANY FUTURE GROWTH. SO THIS ONE THING I DO, I FORGET THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND ME AND I START WALKING TOWARDS WHAT GOD HAVE GOD WOULD HAVE FOR MY FUTURE. I PREACH TO A YOUNG PERSON TONIGHT. I PREACH TO A SENIOR SAINT TONIGHT. I PREACH TO SOMEBODY WHO'S DROPPED THE BALL. I PREACH TO SOMEBODY THAT WISH YOU COULD HAVE A DOOVER. YOU AIN'T GOING TO GET A DOOVER, BUT YOU CAN MOVE ON FROM IT. YOU CAN LIVE IN VICTORY. YOU CAN PRAISE AGAIN. YOU CAN WORSHIP AGAIN. ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS SAY, "GOD, FORGIVE ME. I REPENT. I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT ANYMORE. COME ON. THIS ONE THING I'VE GOT TO DO, I'VE GOT TO FORGET THOSE THINGS." >> There's a little verse in Luke chapter 17 and verse 32. It's one of those verses that if you're ever playing Bible baseball at BBS, if you're ever standing in Christian school, I I was raised up in a in a school and in Nashville and before they'd let us go to before we could go to gym, THEY'D MAKE US QUOTE SCRIPTURE. WELL, there was a FEW SCRIPTURES, MAN, THAT YOU just had them. You could pull THEM OUT OF YOUR POCKET. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK about it. THERE'S A LITTLE BITTY VERSE IN LUKE 17 AND verse 32. IT'S ONLY THREE WORDS LONG. IT'S A SMALL VERSE WITH A HUGE WARNING. REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE. Why would Jesus SPEAK THAT TO US? WHY WOULD HE SAY, "REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE?" HE WAS WARNING LOT'S WIFE HAD THE CHANCE TO BE DELIVERED FROM HER PAST. But she looked back. I WANT SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM TO KNOW. I KNOW THE TEMPTATION IS to remember that night, THAT RELATIONSHIP, THAT AGE. MAN, IF YOU COULD have seen me back then, IF YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN ME THEN, YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL LOOKING BACK. THERE IS NO FUTURE IN REMEMBERING YOUR PAST. DON'T LOOK BACK. THIS ONE THING, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND. preaching to you great people right now. The pain of the past is keeping you from A PROMISED FUTURE THAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU. YOU'RE BELIEVING the lies of the enemy. You You can't do that. You can't LIVE LIKE THAT. YOU'RE STILL WORTHLESS. YOU ARE NOBODY. YOU GAVE YOURSELF AWAY. YOU ALWAYS REMEMBERED AS THAT GIRL OR THAT GUY. I COME AGAINST THAT IN THE NAME of Jesus. I come against that tonight in the Holy Ghost. I COME AGAINST THAT TONIGHT. I COME AGAINST THAT MINDSET, THAT SPIRIT TONIGHT. I COME AGAINST THAT SPIRIT THAT SAYS YOU'LL NEVER MOVE ON. YOU YOU'LL NEVER GET BETTER. YOU'LL NEVER GET PAST THAT. WE'RE GOING TO WALK OUT OF SOME THINGS TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BE DELIVERED FROM SOME STUFF TONIGHT. >> You'll never forget what you did, how you act, next thing you know, Satan has you right where he wants you. All alone, like a child cowering down from an abusive parent. All you hear is you can't. You're stupid. You're worthless. NOBODY LOVES YOU. ALL LIES FROM THE PAST. >> The reason why Satan uses the past because he has no future. You know that. You've heard that a thousand times. >> So what he tries to do is keep you in the past so that you can't see your future. But you cannot believe the lie of the devil. You got to lift up your voice and say it out loud. This one thing I will do. This one thing I will do. I will forget what happened yesterday. I will forget what is behind me. And I am moving into a promised future IN JESUS CHRIST. I WONDER IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT THAT WOULD LIFT UP A HAND AND SAY, "PREACHER, YOU'RE TALKING TO ME, PREACHER. I'M I'M GOING TO BE REAL HONEST. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN THIS HONEST IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. I'M GOING TO LIFT UP MY HAND AND SAY, GOD, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHO IS AROUND ME RIGHT NOW. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT ME. I'M GONNA GO TO THAT ALTAR TONIGHT. I'M GOING BURY MY HEAD IN THE CARPET AND I REFUSE TO GET UP UNTIL MY PAST. Many of us can identify with impotent man found in John chapter 5. Infirmity. 38 years. He had been in the same case a long time. No belief that things could ever change. His infirmity had become his identity. >> Come on now. Don't let what happened to you become who you are. I I tell our I don't want to offend anybody tonight. My wife will get on me. I I I y'all talked about the be free this morning. There ain't nobody in this room. Well, there is. It's sitting right there. There ain't nobody in this room that's behind that more than any than than us. I promise. We love it. It is something we do. It is something we believe in. But I'm going to tell you something. One of the things I believe that's keeping us from going where we need to be is every time you stand up, my name is Nathan Matson and I'm a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with a whatever >> and you continue to speak that same thing out. >> Come on. I don't want to get sideways with anybody here tonight. I'm not trying to cross and I'm not trying to get in the nitty-gritty and upset anybody, but I'm going to tell you something. The same mouth that produces that out is the same mouth that can produce out I used to be. >> My name is Nathan Batson. I'm a grateful BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST. AND I USED TO BE AN ALCOHOLIC. I USED TO BE A DRUG ADDICT. I USED TO BE A WHOREONGER. I USED TO BE IN FEAR. I USED TO BE DEPRESSED. I COME ON. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? DEATH AND LIFE IS IN THE POWER OF YOUR TONGUE. AND THE BIBLE SAID YOU'RE GOING TO EAT THE FRUIT OF IT. BABY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO EAT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL EAT GOOD. SO START OPENING UP AND SAY, "I KNOW I'M NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I'M NOT WHERE I USED TO BE EITHER. I know PEOPLE THAT THAT LOVE THE DRAMA. THEY LOVE THE ATTENTION of their infirmity." It's like that preacher that went around to that man. And if THERE'S ANYBODY HERE TONIGHT IN A WHEELCHAIR, I'M NOT SAYING THIS to to trigger you, but that man that went back to lay hands on the person that was in the wheelchair AND THEY SAID, "OH NO. OH NO. DON'T PRAY FOR ME." HE SAID, "WHAT IN THE WORLD?" HE SAID, "IF YOU PRAY FOR ME AND I GET HEALED, I'LL LOSE MY CHECK." >> SOME PEOPLE LIKE THE DRAMA. IS THIS OKAY? IF I GET OUT OF LINE, YOU GRAB THE MIC. BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE SO ADDICTED TO THE TRAUMA OF THEIR INFIRMITY BECAUSE PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THEM. OH, POOR OLD PITIFUL LITTLE YOU. YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT. YOU'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THAT. LET THERE BE A TESTIMONY THAT COMES UP OUT OF ME THAT SAYS, "I REFUSE TO BE PETTED. I REFUSE TO BE I REFUSE EVERYBODY TO COME AROUND AND WANT TO CRY ON MY SHOULDER. IT'S TIME TO DANCE. IT'S TIME TO SHOUT. IT'S TIME TO SING. IT'S TIME TO REJOICE. I USED TO BE THAT, BUT I'M NOT THAT ANYMORE. I'VE BEEN DELIVERED FROM MY PAST. He was known. HE WAS KNOWN FOR THAT. 38 YEARS. THAT'S A long time. That's a long time. That's in That's in the That's in the in in your late 30s, brother Anthony. 38, just so you know, you're getting out of YOUR 30S, BUDDY. 38 YEARS. THAT'S A THAT'S A LONG TIME. AND I MEAN TO TELL YOU, THINK ABOUT ALL THE STUFF you accumulate IN 38 YEARS. THINK ABOUT THE REPUTATION you have. Oh, that's old Bob down there. He been dealing with that a long time. Let's take Bob a bill today. And you drop by there and you bring a little box. The next thing you know, HE'S DONE BUILT UP HOUSE THERE. HE HE'S DONE HE'S DONE GOT BOXES STACKED UP. HE HE DONE GOT HE DONE GOT ALL KIND HE SET UP PICTURE FRAMES. HE HE HE DONE HE DONE GOT A LITTLE HE SOMEBODY BROUGHT HIM A LITTLE REFRIGERATOR. THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO BE. I MIGHT AS WELL LIVE IN LUXURY. I'M GOING TO BE HERE. THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M KNOWN AS. I'M KNOWN AS A FAILURE. I'M KNOWN BY MY PAST. I'M KNOWN BY A NUMBER. I'M KNOWN BY a name in THE NEWS. THAT'S ALL I'M KNOWN BY. I MADE A MISTAKE WHEN I WAS 14 IN THE CHURCH AND THAT'S WHAT I'M KNOWN AS. I'M KNOWN AS THE GIRL THAT GAVE AWAY HER PURITY. I'M KNOWN AS THE FAMILY THAT WENT THROUGH THE DIVORCE. I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS. GOD'S GOING TO SET YOU FREE. GOD'S GOING TO DELIVER YOU. IF YOU ARE SICK AND TIRED AND BEING SICK AND TIRED, THEN YOU CAN BE SET FREE BY THE GOODNESS AND THE MERCY AND THE GRACE OF GOD. I'm not TRYING TO UPSET ANYBODY'S APPLE CART TODAY. I'm not TRYING TO GET YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORTABLE POSITION, BUT YET I AM TRYING to >> feeble weak had a reputation every day reminded I'm not going to get any better. THIS MAN IS REFERRED TO IN scripture as the impotent man. No name. HE WAS JUST KNOWN FOR BEING SICK DAY AFTER DAY. SAME PLACE, SAME ISSUE, SAME SITUATION. IT HAD JUST BECOME A PART OF THE LANDSCAPE OF THE DAY. IT HAD BEEN SO LONG. I DON'T EVER SEE AN END TO MY MESS. BUT THIS DAY WOULD BE DIFFERENT from any other. WHEN JESUS CAME BY WITH A QUESTION, HE LOOKED DOWN AT THIS MAN. NOW, YOU GOT TO GET THIS. WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE? HIS MIRACLE WAS UP TO HIM. COME ON. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. THE POWER OF GOD. WE STOOD OVER HERE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN Y'ALL WERE SINGING ABOUT THAT. I'VE BEEN DROPPED IN THE WATER OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT NEVER WENT UNDER. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, BABY. I'VE BEEN DROPPED IN THE WATER AND I WENT UNDER. >> Whoever wrote that song OUGHT TO COME LIVE WITH ME FOR A LITTLE BIT. MY HEADS WENT UNDER A BUNCH OF TIMES AND I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT, BUT I REFUSED TO LAND OUT THERE IN THE WATER FLAILING AROUND. IF SOMEBODY WILL REACH AND PULL ME OUT OF THE WATER, I'LL TESTIFY ABOUT IT. IF SOMEBODY OH, COME ON. IF I CAN BE DELIVERED, I'LL TESTIFY ABOUT IT. BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS, WILL THOU BE MADE WHOLE? COME ON. YOUR DELIVERANCE TONIGHT IS NOT UP TO ME. YOUR DELIVERANCE IS NOT UP TO BISHOP. YOUR DELIVERANCE TONIGHT IS UP TO YOU. I'M SICK AND TIRED OF LIVING THIS WAY. I'M SICK AND TIRED OF THINKING THIS WAY. I'M SICK AND TIRED OF GOING THIS WAY. I'M GOING TO BE CHANGED. I'M GOING TO BE DELIVERED. I'M GOING TO BE SET FREE. WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE? >> And only you can answer that question. Because if the man I believe would ever thing within me, if that man would have looked back up at JESUS AND SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T I THINK I just like it here. I I just like it here." Jesus would have walked on by. >> Well, okay, you lousy loser. Just sit there. Just lay there. It'll be another 38 YEARS. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES WITH SERVICES AND PREACHING THAT PULLED US TO THE ALTAR, BUT RATHER THAN US GETTING UP OUT OF OUR SEAT AND WALKING DOWN TO THE FRONT AND JUST HAVING AN HONEST MOMENT WITH GOD, WE GO BACK HOME IN THE SAME FEAR. WE GO BACK HOME IN THE SAME WORRY. I HOPE I'M NOT AGGRAVATING anybody tonight. I JUST HAVE SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION INSIDE OF ME. COME ON. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A PERSONAL TO STORY. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A PERSONAL TESTIMONY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET A MIRACLE, IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO YOU. WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE? AND LET ME ASK YOU THE QUESTION, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO GET A MIRACLE? >> This man responds back like many of us, we start down the road, well, IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE GETTING UP and getting my miracle. IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE GETTING DOWN IN FRONT OF ME. IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE BREAKING in line. AND IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE GETTING A BREAK IN LIFE. AND IT'S IT'S THEM ALWAYS GETTING THE JOB PROMOTION. NEVER. THIS NEVER ME. THEY'RE ALWAYS DRIVING UP IN A NEW CAR. And I've got this old I got this old pinto that I'm running around in. It seems like their marriage never needs any help, but I feel like OURS IS FALLING APART. THAT THEIR KIDS ARE UP THERE DANCING AND SPEAKING IN TONGUES. MIND SITTING ON THE BACK ROW TWIDDLING THEIR THUMBS. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY? >> Come on now. If you going to live in the mlly grubs, then more than likely your family going to live in the moly grubs. >> I'VE NEVER SEEN A DADDY THAT was a dancer with a KID SITTING ON THE BACK ROW. >> LORD HAVE MERCY. Y'ALL GOING TO KICK ME OUT OF HERE. I' I'VE NEVER SEEN I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. I'VE NEVER SEEN A HUSBAND AND A WIFE THAT TAKES HANDS AND COMES DOWN TO THE FRONT OF THE ALTAR DURING PRAISE AND WORSHIP SERVICE EVER GO TO DIVORCE COURT. >> Do you WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE? DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE? DO YOU WANT TO KEEP MAKING EXCUSES? DO YOU WANT TO BE SET FREE? DO YOU WANT OPPRESSIVE SPIRITS TO LEAVE? DO YOU WANT THOSE DEMONIC ATTACKS TO LEAVE? DO YOU WANT THAT FINANCIAL PRESSURE TO BE RELIEVED? IT'S UP TO YOU. YOUR MIRACLE IS IN YOUR PRAISE. YOUR MIRACLE IS IN YOUR RESPONSE. YOUR MIRACLE IS IN SAYING, "YES, LORD, I DO WANT TO BE MADE WHOLE." I can't remember who the preacher was. Maybe Bishop Mcool. I don't know. This uh couple come up to the pastor and said, "Hey." But I love those cry. That's my favorite people. You ain't gonna believe how bad I will. I will believe. I promise you I believe. Come up to the pastor and said, "We need to meet with you. Our marriage is falling apart." Marriage is falling apart. Pastor said, "I'll be happy to meet with you." Said 7 o'clock in my office, but at 6 o'clock we meet at the church for prayer meeting. six o'clock you get here, we're gonna meet around the altar and we're gonna pray. Some of you saying this is too easy. We gonna meet around the altar and then when we get up from the altar, we'll go back to my office and we'll talk through your troubles. Brother Hill, would you believe that 100% of the time after they got up from around that altar, not a one of them said, "Pastor, we still need to go. We need to go to the back and talk." I'm telling you, I'm I'm not preaching some easy believe belieism tonight. I'm not preaching this blab it and grab it and claim it ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT I AM TELLING YOU SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'LL GET OUT OF YOUR SEAT AND YOU'LL LIFT UP YOUR HANDS AND SURRENDER UP TO GOD AND IF YOU'LL GRAB A HOLD OF YOUR SWEET WIFE AND YOU'LL GRAB A HOLD OF YOUR SWEET KIDS AND YOU'LL COME UP AROUND THE ALTAR AND SAY, "KIDS, I KNOW TROUBLE SEEMS TO BE ON THE HORIZON, BUT OUR GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE TROUBLE. I KNOW THAT THE THE THE PAIN IS WEARING US OUT, BUT GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR PAIN. I'M TELLING SOMEBODY UNDER THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST RIGHT NOW, YOUR VICTORY IS WITHIN REACH TONIGHT. Jesus looks down at that man. He didn't respond back to his negativity. He said, "Rise." Look what he said next. "Take up thy bed and walk. >> Get up. where you are. Pick up that bed that you are laying in. Pick it up and start walking. Lord have mercy. I was visiting with Bishop Osborne few months ago and uh you'll come help me. I'm gonna try to wind this baby down. I was visiting with Bishop Osborne and uh Bishop was has paralyzed on his left side now. I know he's been a a tremendous blessing to this local assembly and it's so sad to see him in that nursing facility. He's got an arm that's raised up and can't move his left side. Has to be weighted on hand and foot. And me and Sister Vicki was there and and uh he said, "Brother, sister shoulders was with us, too. Brother Sister M was with us. Your mom and dad was with us. He got to talking to us." He said, he was sitting over in a little wheelchair across the room. He said, "I hate that bed." He said, "I hate that bed." He said, "That bed has stolen everything from me." He said, "That bed right there keeps me from preaching conferences. That bed right there keeps me from being able to go outside. I hate that man. I hate that man. I hate what that man represents. I hate what that man represents. Speak the next words to us. He said, "But Jesus told that man, take up his bed." What? What do you mean take up my bed and start walking? But you don't understand. A lot of us want to get up and just move on. you ain't got me. But here's the will of God that you pick up what you used to lay in >> and you start walking with it. >> You're walking with a testimony. And every time somebody says, "What's up with the bed?" >> What's up with the bed? Oh, if you could have seen me just a few days ago, if you would have seen me the last 30 years, if you would have seen me the last six months, this is what I laid in for 38 years. But this man named Jesus COME BY ON A SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE MONTH OF JULY. I'VE BEEN DEPRESSED FOR FIVE MONTHS. I'VE TAKEN SLEEPING PILLS TO GO TO SLEEP AND PILLS TO STAY AWAKE. I DRINK A LITTLE BIT SO I CAN DEAL WITH MY NERVES. BUT THIS ONE NIGHT ON A SUNDAY NIGHT IN JULY, JESUS COME WALKING BY AND SAID, "I WANT YOU TO PICK THAT UP AND START WALKING." >> Here's what God doesn't want. If you'll play for me, buddy. God doesn't want you to be ashamed of your testimony. Now, this right here may get me fired. If it does, I apologize. You tell them to cut the live feed. But the days of the perfect little Pentecostal families are done. >> The days of Andy Griffith the party and Leave it to Beaver. Those days are done. If you walked into New Life, I told my wife the other day, we left church on Sunday. I said, "My god, babe." I said, "If somebody walks into our church, they're going to wonder if we're apostolic anymore." I mean, we got people that's I mean, to tell you what, WALKING INTO THE FRONT ROWS. I'm like, "What's wrong with the back rows? Take yourself to the back row. Man, I got people's got tattoos all over their forehead, down their arms, ALL KIND. I GOT ONE GUY THAT HAS TO WEAR long sleeve shirts because he's got curse words WRITTEN DOWN HIS ARMS AND THEY WANT TO SIT ON THE FRONT ROW. I'M LIKE, MY GOD, WHAT IS HAPPENING? AND THE LORD REMINDED ME, THEY PICKED UP THEIR BED AND STARTED WALKING. THAT'S A PART OF WHO THEY ARE. THEY'LL NEVER AFFECT THE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE IF THEY DON'T PICK UP THEIR TESTIMONY. I'M PREACHING TO YOU RIGHT NOW. I'M PREACHING TO A DIVORCED SINGLE MOTHER RIGHT NOW. YOU PICK UP YOUR BED AND START WALKING. I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S IN REHAB RIGHT NOW. YOU PICK UP YOUR BED AND START WALKING. I'M PREACHING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN CONDEMNED BECAUSE YOU WERE DEPRESSED. YOU PICK UP THAT TESTIMONY AND YOU START WALKING AND TELLING SOMEBODY, "IF GOD WILL DO IT FOR ME, THEN GOD WILL DO IT FOR YOU. DON'T YOU BE ASHAMED. DON'T YOU TRY TO COVER IT UP. DON'T YOU TRY TO DON'T YOU TRY TO WHISPER WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH. YOU TELL NOW. I I KNOW. OH, GOD. Here we go again. >> Come here, babe. Come here real fast. She going to hate me for this. Come here real fast. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. Run. Act like you're running that marathon. Let's go. It's easier to run in Nikes than Nikes. You see this little lady right here? She uh she been through it from the top of her head to her feet. You can squeeze my hand if I go too far. How many years ago? 15 years ago. Guy that she thought she's married to was going to I know I'm online. I won't be stupid. I shouldn't have said stupid. Lord forgive me, Bishop. I'm sorry. I'm trying to get saved. 15 years ago, what she thought was going to be a dream turned into a nightmare. Two little bitty babies found out all kinds of mess. Next thing you know, she's living as a single mother in a house trying to take care of two babies, working, sending kids to daycare. This is her story to tell. If I $20 a week, I think it was $19 a week extra she had to spend. die every day. Same old, same old, same old, same old. And the devil would torment in her mind. She would tell you this, depression set in her. She went to see the counselors, and the counselors wanted to put on medication because of all the mess she was going through, all the hell she was going through, and rightfully so. But let me tell you what this little lady done. Every single time it was church time, she got those babies ready and went to the house of God. If she come rolling in on two wheels, barely making it, she was going to make it to the house of God. My God have mercy. She said, "Every time I went to the house of God, he provided." She said, "Every time I would not have any groceries in my cupboard," she said, "I'd go out to my car, Nathan, and somebody had hung groceries on the side of my car. Don't even know who they were." Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. But I kept worshiping. I kept praising. I kept being faithful. Now, this is what she said. She said, "I stopped going to conferences. I stopped going to anywhere." SHE SAID, "THE ONLY PLACE I WENT was to the local church to her mom and dad's church, Pastor Victor and Sister Gina Vera in Zena, Ohio." She said THE ONLY PLACE I WENT was to the local church. The only thing I did was sang on the praise team and went and sat down. I didn't want anybody to see me. I didn't want anybody to know me because of what I've been through. But God said, "Oh, no. That's not the way we going to do this thing. That's not the way this going to do this thing." I got this dude in Nashville, Tennessee that his wife died suddenly at 44 years old. Didn't even know my wife was sick. Been married 22 years. I'd never been on a date with another woman. Started dating when I was 15. got married. I was 19. Married 22 years. 26 years together. 44 years old. One Sunday when she was in church. The next Sunday we was having her funeral service. I'm flailing around in life with a 12-year-old daughter. What in the world is going on? And God's saying, "Just pick up your bed and start walking. Just pick up your bed and start walking. just pick up your bed and start walking because there's going to be a little lady that's picked up her bed and she going to start walking and I'm going to put you on platforms. I'm going to put you on podcast. I'm going to put you on the internet. I'm going to let people know your story what you were ashamed of. I want you to pick it up and start telling. She walks into the prison. It's unbelievable. She takes the microphone IN PRISON AND STARTS UNLOADING ON THOSE LADIES and next thing you know, EVERYBODY'S CRYING. EVERYBODY'S all over the place. And I'm standing over in a corner going, "What is going on in this room? Somebody give me a shot of testosterone or something. I don't know what's happening. All these ladies, all this stuff everywhere." But the reason why she can do that is because she picked up her bed one day and said, "I'm sick and tired of trying to hide. I'm sick and tired of nobody knowing what I'VE BEEN THROUGH. WHAT I I I'M SICK AND TIRED of trying to cover it up." Come on, church. The days of perfect this and PERFECT THAT. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. GOD'S LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT SAY, "I'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL, BUT I KEPT ON WALKING, AND I'VE GOT A TESTIMONY. I'VE GOT A TESTIMONY. I KNOW OUR FAMILY DON'T LOOK LIKE THE NORMAL FAMILY, BUT HERE WE ARE WORSHIPING. WE'RE MAGNIFYING. WE'RE PRAISING. JACOB, JACOB, I need a moment with you, son. Jacob, I need a moment with you. Get everybody else away from you. Jacob, I need a night with you. Jacob, this manipulator, this liar, this deceiver. Had one night with God. One night with God. The Bible said his name was changed and he was touched in the hollow of his thigh and he be to limp. From that day forward, from that day forward, oh Lord have mercy. The very next morning, Brother Nathan, when he walked back to the people and said, "Hey, Jacob, where you been? That's not my name anymore." What do you mean that's not your name anymore? Well, I had a night at an altar. And God came down to me and he said, "You're no longer going to be known as Jacob, but you're going to be known as Israel, one that strives with God." Well, that don't even make sense. It is what it is, Jacob. Why you walking like that? What's up with the walk, Jacob? One night, one night with God, he changed my name and he changed the WAY I TALK. NOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS, listen to me. had somebody to tell me this one time said, "Nathan, there going to be some things that you are just going to have to outlive." Okay? You have to understand that there's going to be some people's going to call you Jacob. Every chance they get, you just going to have to turn a deaf ear to them. YOU CAN TELL THEM ONE TIME, "MY name is Israel. My name is not Jacob." And they're going to continue in THE JACOB MENTALITY. YOU JUST GOT TO SHUT YOUR EARS TO THEM AND SAY, "I I I JUST I I I can't listen TO THAT." AND YOU WALK IN WHO YOU KNOW GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO be and eventually you'll be known as Israel. But the one thing you're never going to lose is you're never going to lose that lamp. Genesis, listen to this. Two things and I'm done. I promise. Genesis 47 and 28 tells us, commentaries tell us that Jacob was approximately 97 years old. 97 years old when his name was changed and he started walking with a limb. Genesis 47 and 28 tells us that Jacob lived to be 147 years old. That means for nearly 50 years he walked with a limp and a promise. For 50 years, he walked with a testimony. I'm telling some of you right now that's on up in years, you're saying, "It ain't worth it." I'm telling you, you got many more years to live with a testimony. You got many MORE YEARS TO AFFECT the next generation. Some of YOU THAT'S BEEN THROUGH HELL, YOU OUGHT TO GO FIND A YOUNG PERSON AND put your arm around them and SAY, "HEY, I KNOW YOU MESSED UP. I KNOW YOU MADE A MISTAKE, BUT I'M LIVING PROOF that you can live past every single bit of that. That God will take your painful past and turn it into a promised future. Would you lift your hands all over this room right now? Come on. I'm telling somebody in the Holy Ghost right now, your past is a reference point. It's not your residence. Come on, your past is a reference point. That is not where you live anymore. You You can remember where God brought you from without living there. Come on, lift up your voice. Lift up your hand right now. Come on. I'm forgetting those things that are behind me. And I'm pressing towards I'm pressing towards I'm reaching forth into something greater in my life. Come on, lift up your voice. Come on, lift up your voice. Come on, it's time for somebody to pray a prayer of deliverance right now. It's time to ask God to allow you to walk out of that situation. If you're ready for a break through, >> well, that's it. Find somebody to pray with. Come on, reach over, lay your hands on somebody.