The Faith Of God

Somebody's come in this house needing God to do something, and you feel like there's no hope. You feel like you're headed to the fire, and there's just nothing that's going to happen that's going to be good. I'm reminded of a story of three Hebrew children that were told they were being put in a fiery furnace. And let God help you right now — they needed a miracle. The king tells the men, "Open that furnace," and the men die. They Dro dead. Some of you are walking to the furnace, and you don't even realize you're already walking in your miracle. God's already doing what needs to be done. The miracle started for those three Hebrews before they ever got to the threshold. God was already performing the work.

Somebody in the house today needs to lift your hand in your voice and say, "Lord, I don't understand how You're going to do it, but I'm trusting, Lord, You're doing it right now." Lord, I lift my hands and surrender. I lift my hands as incense to You. I sing praises to You, because You're worthy, God. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but I know You got it all under control. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus.

For the ministry team that was in the meeting this morning — y'all, just — the Holy Ghost is here. It's going to be a little different than this morning. I'm feeling pretty good all of a sudden. Pastor, He's a mighty God. Hallelujah. Amen. You can return to your seat, or stay here. I'm not used to that, so you'll get stuck here all day — maybe all night.

I want to read from the Scripture, from the book of Romans. I'm going to read from Romans chapter 3, and I'm just going to read two verses, and then we will quickly move on to the book of Matthew. I love my God. I give honor to your pastor's family, to Bishop — man that I have loved for many years, watched from afar, wish I was closer. It's on me for not reaching out. But a hero, for sure.

Romans chapter 3, verse 3–4. The others that we know — it's been many years since we've been here, but I've seen a lot of faces of people I know. A lot of faces. Thankful for Centerpoint Apostolic Church. Sister Anderson — I didn't even know you had that in you, wherever she went. You ready? Romans three, just two verses. No indication of how long we'll be — y'all better keep up. Sometimes that humor comes out, but even in the midst of God moving, He created me.

Romans chapter 3:3–4. My wife did say to be sure to tell everyone that she really wishes she was here. She had a very long night, and then this morning, as we were dressed, ready to come — let's just say there was no way she was getting in a vehicle. And we're praying for God to touch her and heal her, in Jesus' name, because I am not much good when she's not with me. Amen?

Here we go: "For what if some did not believe?" Pay attention there — that is a question. "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" It's another question. A verse we're probably most familiar with: "God forbid. Y, let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy Saints, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."

Lord, I thank You for Your Word, and I thank You for the truth in Your Word. I thank You for Your presence that we feel here today, God. I pray, Lord, You help me to share what You've given me for this church, for this hour. Lord God, that we leave out of here encouraged, challenged, excited, Lord — full of strength, full of Your Spirit, knowing, Jesus, You've got it all under control. We thank You, Lord, in the name of Jesus. And the church say, "Amen." Amen.

I read this Scripture, and it kind of messed with me a little bit, because it talks about the faith of God. It talks about the faith of God in the context of others not believing, and being in that kind of environment. And it's asking a question: shall it take away from the faith of God, when others don't believe? And I've been around a lot of people over my years, that — we won't say how many. I'm just thankful to be on this side of the ground, Pastor. And I recently came from a little town called New Haven, Connecticut, with the school called Yale University. And let me tell you, when you're on Yale University trying to get people to listen to you and respond the way you would like them to respond, it just doesn't happen too often. And you walk away sometimes feeling a little devastating — feeling a little hopeless.

And I read the Scripture one day, and it basically says to me: it doesn't matter if they believe or not, because it will not take away from the faith of God. And I thought, "The faith of God — what is the faith of God?" Because the God that I serve — I just don't see Him needing faith, in the context that we see faith. And I thought about that, and being the smart, young, good-looking, intelligent man that I am — oh, come on, that was good — I punched a couple buttons on the computer, and all I had to do is pick up a couple other versions of the Scripture, to find out that this "faith of God" here in Romans is not talking about faith in the context of — we say, "We just got to have faith," "I wish I had more faith" — but is literally talking about the faithfulness of God.

Somebody needs this today, to understand that no matter where you've been, what you've done, no matter what the world has done to you, no matter what your friends say, no matter what your family says, no matter how much doubt is all around you, no matter how many don't believe it — the fact of the matter is, He is faithful. I leaned over to Pastor when we sang that last song, I said, "God so good. He is a faithful God." I'm so thankful that even here, on this Sunday morning, He can bring all this service together to help somebody hear it. He is faithful.

My Lord — you walked in here today doubting. You walked in here today discouraged. You walked in here today feeling like, "Oh, I'm just going to church again." I praying that we walk out of here worshiping Him, excited about Him, made up in our mind that we're going to understand: He is faithful. When I fail, He's still faithful. When I do well, He's still faithful. When God — somebody needs to hear this today. I really do believe that. I know anytime there's a crowd, there's always somebody. But I really feel this in my spirit. Please don't dismiss this. No matter how long you've lived for God, or how short you've lived for God, the fact of the matter is, He wants the church to know: He is faithful. No matter what sickness comes, He's faithful. No matter who we lose to death, He's faithful. No matter what goes on in our marriage, He's faithful. No matter where our children end up, He's faithful. Somebody, you need to get a hold of this, and say, "I'm sorry, Lord, that I've let all the distraction, and all the deceit, and all the doubt take over. I see You, Jesus — my faithful God."

Maybe you need to look at your neighbor on each side, and front of you and behind you, and ask him: "Have you received the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in a language you never learn?" If the response was yes, then that's great. I hope it was all yes over here. I'll never forget — probably about 11 years ago, was preaching up in New Hampshire, and the pastor — it was a small little meeting of men — and we're preaching, and God's moving, and there's a gentleman right over here that was just shouting and dancing and speaking in tongues. I mean, he was a hot mess, just out of control in the Holy Ghost. And I'm just like, "Thank You, Jesus." And the pastor comes over and says, "Do you know him?" I'm like, "No, I don't know him." He said, "He's been praying for the Holy Ghost for 50 years, and he just got it while he was worshiping God." Don't you listen to — the enemy tell you that you cannot receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, because you've been praying so long, or you just don't know about this whole crazy speaking in tongues. I've come that you might know that He is the faithful God. His Word says that if you repent, and you're baptized in His name for the remission of your sins — it doesn't say you have to receive the Holy Ghost. It says, "Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." I believe you need the gift of the Holy Ghost. I believe it's part of the plan of salvation. But I love the fact that He says: you do what you can do, and watch what I will do, if you'll just understand, to spite it all: I am worthy of the praise. I am worthy of the honor.

My Lord, God's trying to get someone's attention. If you would just — at this — any time in this service, I promise you, it won't bother me. If you need the Holy Ghost, if you just start worshiping God — it wouldn't bother me if you walked up here to the altar, lifted your hand, saying, "I surrender to You, Lord," and you begin to worship Him. You repent, and you just make up your mind: "I'm walking toward You, Jesus. I'm not listening to this lie anymore." And you begin to worship Him. I'm telling you, it's His will, it's His desire, it's His promise to fill you with His Spirit. We're in trouble — that's not even in my notes.

Let's go to Matthew 15, just so the rant can stop. I can catch — you know, fat boy needs to catch his breath. This is why my wife needs to be here. Hallelujah. Yes. Amen.

Matthew 15 — it's a story we are probably, most every one of us, familiar with. I'm going to start with verse 21, just to read it. I could tell it, but I think we should read it. It says: "Then Jesus went then and departed into the coast of Tyrie and Sidon. behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coast, and cried unto Him, saying, 'Have mercy on me, Oh Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with the devil.' But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besal Him, saying, 'Send her away, for she crith after us.' But He answered and said, 'I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' Then came she and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, help me.' But He answered and said, it's not meat to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.' And she said, 'Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the masters' table.' And Jesus answered and send her, old woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.' And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

It's a story of the Canaanite woman approaching Jesus. A story of a woman that would have been not looked at in the same way as others. And this Canaanite woman had a daughter that was vexed with the devil. I don't know how many here have children. I want to know my audience — we talked about that, know your audience. This side, and — all right, that's a good amount. My wife and I have two children: a son and a daughter. Daughter's in ministry in Houston, Texas. My son in Illinois. And we love them. We're so proud of them. To us, they're the best kids we ever had.

But when we lived in Africa — both of them grew up in Africa — and we'd come home to the States — I'm so ADD, I'm thinking we need to watch that video; they don't know all this — anyway, I won't tell you which one. But they were used to coming to the States, and they would get a lot of new things. They got a lot of drive-throughs. There's no such thing as McDonald's and bu swana, or Burger King, or Pizza HUD, or any of that. So when we came home, not only did we save all we could, to kind of replenish and buy them new things, and so we could go back and they could tear it all up — but others would — grandparents spoil them.

And I'll never forget — I'm not going to say which one — but she would throw herself in the floor, and throw a tantrum, kick and scream. Now, I'm a firm believer in spare the rod. I picked her up. I was not angry. I was like, "This is going to be great." Put her in the shopping cart. I said, "Girl, if you don't want to be locked up in the closet another week, you will stop that." And my wife came running over: "You can't say that." I said, "What are they going to do — find me in the bush of Africa? You know, good luck." And for the video ministry: we've never locked our children up, ever.

The Canaanite woman's daughter's got a devil. And I know how far I would go for my children. I know what I would do for my son or my daughter. And here she is — she's desperate. I've got an imagin, and I see this Canaanite woman, that probably had tried all kinds of traditional things, and she probably dabbled in mystical things. She probably went to individuals that were sorcerers or witches, and participated in witchcraft. This is just my imagination, to try to get her daughter cleansed from this demonic oppression. And she hears about this Jesus, and something in her realized that Jesus was the real deal. When she approached Jesus, she called Him Lord. She seemed to have an understanding of who He was. It presents to me as if she had a feeling that if she could just get to Jesus, everything was going to be all right with her daughter.

And I know you've heard preaching on this story. I'm asking you just to bear with me a little bit. But she had something in her that said, "I got to get to Jesus. I've got to get to where Jesus is. I got to see the face of Jesus. I know, if He's there, He's going to hear my cry." So she cries out to Jesus. I don't know if you've ever been there, but I've been there: "Lord, I need You. Lord, I need a miracle. Lord, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know where to go. I don't know how to react." And I just pray, and I cry out — and His response, so often, is silence. And here this Canaanite woman's in that position. And as if that is not enough — I just have to believe she heard the disciples. I just have to believe she heard the disciples. I feel like she heard the disciples say, "Lord, send her away. She's bothering us. She doesn't know how to do this. She's a distraction, Lord. We're sitting here at Your table, and we want all that You can feed us." They were sitting there getting fat on Jesus. They were sitting there getting obese on His Word. And here comes a desperate Canaanite woman that just had an understanding of who Jesus was, enough to say, "If I can get to Jesus, everything's going to be all right. I know it. I know it." And not only is Jesus silent when he cries out to Her, but His disciples are saying, "Send her away."

I pray, Lord, that Your church don't be like those disciples of that hour. I pray, Lord God, we don't get so accustomed to feasting at Your table, that others that come — that don't really fit the mold, and they're not going about it the right way, they come across, Lord, a little crazy, that they seem a little desperate, Lord — and we really don't have time for that.

I'll never forget a gentleman that walked in our doors at Grand Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut. And we were in the inner city. And I don't want to pick on other church planters that say they plant in metro areas, but let me tell you: we planted in a metro area. Guy dies in our parking lot, of shooting out front of our building. I can keep going. Sometimes I'm like, "Lord, I know I'm nuts, but this is too much." This gentleman walked in, and we had a team of men — we did have — I know it's Connecticut, but we had some men packing. We were on it, and — this guy, about this tall, walks in — long, stringy black hair, dressed a little unique. And I'm watching as four men gather around them, to engage, and just make sure he's not too crazy. You can be crazy, but not too crazy. And I watched as they talked, and I thought, "That's great — they're engaging." And then the man just turn around, and he walks out the door. Never seen him again. But I go up to the four guys, and I say, "Hey — I said, what was his deal?" "Oh, we don't know." "Did you get his name?" "Well — " "What do you mean?" "Well, we asked him three times, and every time he responded, 'Servant of the Lord. I'm a servant. I'm servant of the Lord.'" And one of the brothers — that was just way too much for him to say, so he asked if he could call him "Serve" for short. And I'm still laughing. Lord, forgive me.

But I have to wonder: what if they would just went with it? What if he would have sat through a worship service? What if he would have truly saw Jesus? What if something would happen in that service, where the Holy Ghost overcame him, and God healed him in his mind, and God did a miraculous thing in his life? And what if he would have become a preacher, a pastor, a missionary, evangelist? Or what if he would have just become a little old soul-winner? I hope you caught that.

I don't want to be that kind of disciple, Lord. I want to be the one that come with the Can a night woman, and say, "Lord, here's my friend. She doesn't get everything that's going on here, but Lord, she needs a miracle. And Lord, I believe You're going to help my friend here. I believe, Lord God, as we worship together, that, Lord, You're going to do this in her life — that her daughter is going to be made whole." But that was not the disciples' response.

I believe that there was a difference of perspective. I believe that the Canaanite woman had a different perspective than these disciples. She seemed to have a revelation, in her desperation, of who Jesus Christ was. I don't — is this all right, Pastor? I've been living for God — I'm like one of those old guys now. I've been living for the Lord for years, and I have seen blind eyes open. I have seen limbs extend, and made whole. Not making it up. I don't know why missionaries get to see so much of that, but there's something to it.

I feel like the disciples get comfortable around the table. The disciples get used to the idea of, "This is how we do this." But this Canaanite woman said, "I don't care if You're silent. I don't care if Your people want me gone. I got my eyes on You, and I know You're the Messiah. I know You're the One that's going to heal my daughter." Oh, come on, Apostolic church — we need to refocus again. We need to let all that junk that we deal with out there, that causes us to doubt, and causes us to worry, and causes us to fret over things — God's saying, "Would you just get in My presence? Get your eyes on Me. I will take care of all that."

And here she is: Jesus is silent. Disciples want her gone. The next thing the Scripture says: "Then she worshiped Him." Then she worshiped Him. Then she — what did she do? She worshiped Him. What a novel idea. This woman, that has never met Him before, that really doesn't completely understand everything, but somehow she has a revelation of who Jesus is, and she understands that His desire is that His people worship Him. "I'm going to worship Him when He's silent. I'm going to worship Him when the disciples want me gone. I'm going to worship Him when it seems like there's no hope left. Heal my daughter, I thank You. Don't heal my daughter, I thank You. I'm going to worship You, no matter what. I'm going to worship You, Lord, when I can't hear You, when it seems hopeless, God, because You are my King. You are my Lord. Incense is going to go up continually from my mouth, Lord."

I have to admire the commitment of this lady. I have to admire her response, because I don't know how I would respond when Jesus is silent. I've been there. But the disciples — it seems all of them wanted her gone. Just — I don't know. And then, despite all that, the Scripture says, "Then she worshiped Him." We don't need to downplay worship. Some of you in the house today, you're like, "Why are they all jumping, and hooping and hollering?" Because somebody has a revelation of who Jesus is. Somebody said, "You know, it's been a rough week, but it's all right. I see Jesus, and I'm going to worship Him. I haven't even heard Him yet today, but oh, He's here, and I'm going to worship Him."

Oh, I pray that the church understand that, no matter young or how old we are, there's never a wrong time to worship Him. He's always present. He's always God. He's always willing. He's always desiring. But oh, she begins to worship Him. What happens? Jesus speaks. Worship gets the attention of our God.

If you're here today for the first time, come back next week — there'll be a better preacher. But the reason we're all a little crazy, lifting our hands and shouting out loud, and doing what we do, is because we understand something about Jesus: that no matter what's going on in my life, if I can worship Him, everything's going to be all right. I know there's so much more to it, but I believe in worship. I believe in an understanding of who He is, and letting that flow out of worship to Him.

I've seen God do it. The limb that I saw extended was a man that is coming to our church in Africa, and we're having revival. We we having no less than 10 get the Holy Ghost every service, Pastor. It was awesome. We grew from about 300 to close to 700, it seemed, in just overnight. And powerful move of God. But oh, we were structured. We were on it. We knew who was getting the Holy Ghost. We're getting the contact information, and nothing's going to interrupt that, because I'm in charge. And I see this head bouncing, all in the back, and I sent one of our young preachers. I said, "I need you to go stop that. He's disturbing things." And the young man goes, "Pastor — he said, maruti, there's some Swan for you. You don't know who that is.'" I said, "I know he's possibly going to interrupt what God's trying to do." "Pastor, you don't know who that is." "Well, who is it?" I don't even remember his name — let's go with Tong. He said, "That's Tong." I said, "What?" Because he'd been coming to church for over a year. His foot hung where our knee is. Some of y'all don't even want to hear it, because you just don't even want to believe that God really can do this. But I was one of the disciples. I was one of the disciples saying, "Nothing's going to mess this up. This is too good, what He's given us here." Meanwhile, He performed a miracle, while this young man was worshiping Him. No one laid their hand on him. There was no big production. He was just in the back of the crowd, in the altar, worshiping his God.

Oh, somebody needs to take that home right now, and say, "Lord, forgive me. Forgive me for my doubt. Forgive me for my unbelief. Forgive me, Lord, for holding back. Forgive me, God, for not trusting that if I'll just get lost worshiping You, You're going to take care of all that." Your marriage in trouble? Why don't you try getting together, and worshiping God together? Tired of marriage is falling apart, with couples that won't pray together, won't worship together. All right — that's enough. That's Pastor's job.

He responded to her worship. Now, this is the beautiful thing about my God: His response is very rarely what I want to hear. He responds by calling her a dog. But something about her spirit said, "Oh, I hear You. I hear You." But something about her — she understood where she was, and her position to Him. Those disciples were sitting around feasting, looking down at a table. It was a matter, again, of perspective. But the Canaanite woman said, "I know I'm a dog to this man — I know I'm a dog to these disciples, but I'm just going to keep looking up at Him, and worshiping Him, because I know who He is. And I know, if there's any hope, it's in Jesus. And I'm not going to stop until He does what I need. It might not be what I want, but it's going to be what I need. I'm going to trust Him. I'm going to stop doubting Him, because no matter what, He is the faithful God."

Help us, Lord God. Would you consider, this afternoon — this morning, I think it's afternoon now — His faithfulness? Your unbelief will not take away from the faithfulness of God. She says, "Dog I may be, but even the dogs get the crumbs." I've heard many messages on it, but it's still just powerful. "I got to stay at the table. I got to stay near, because there's going to be a crumb that I can get. My daughter's going to be all right." Nothing will take away from His faithful.

There's so many biblical examples of His faithfulness, regardless of the unbelief of His people, regardless of the failures of His people. I got about another hour to go — I hope you're St. In the beginning: Adam and Eve. Hello — Pastor, I've been so mad at that woman. Really upset about Eve. "What kind of life would we have? Or would I even had to be here, and go through all this?" One day God said, "You're mad at Eve, but you should be upset with Adam, for not being the man of his house" — what, some of the wives are smiling real big — "for not being the leader in his home that he was supposed to be, for not being the priest of his house." But here's the beautiful story, gentlemen: God was still faithful.

Cain and Abel: "I know better what He wants" attitude. But God was still faithful. Moses and Aaron: I can just hear Aaron saying, "Well, I don't know what else to do. God's silent. Moses is gone. I'm just going to do what I know how to do." But God was still faithful. Samson and Delilah: if you know the story, Samson gives into the employees of Delilah. But yet, in the end, He was still faithful. He still used them. We got about a hundred more to go.

You ever heard of a guy named David? This gal named Basba. Not only a moral failure, but he turns into a murderer. But yet, He's still faithful. David becomes a man after God's own heart. I'm so thankful that my doubt, my disbelief, does not, did not, will not, inhibit His faithfulness to me.

I think I've finally learned, in my near 50 years — I'm not telling you which side I'm on — that I finally learned that He is faithful, no matter what life hands me. He is faithful.

I might as well do the missionary thing a little bit, because I feel it's appropriate right here. 15 years in Africa. We may show the video. I didn't bring popcorn, but there is a video. Spent 15 years there. I was only supposed to be there three months. Was running from a call. I mentioned a little bit of it this morning. But oh, He's so faithful. The things that He's allowed me to be part of — He's so faithful. Rick Perry's a mess, but oh, I serve a faithful God. This three months turned into 15 years. I was kind of like Jonah on a boat, and finally realized I better stop fighting God. I think He knows more than I do.

Fast forward: feel God bring us back to the States, and feel Them tell us we're supposed to start a church in New Haven, Connecticut. I didn't even know where New Haven was. And we're there, and we're visiting, and I find out that Yale University is there, and I'm like — I mean, I don't know, I hope this doesn't offend, but my dad's family is all from the Appalachian area — Blooda Mountain area, Pikeville. It's kind of in my blood. Matter of fact, we're residents now — D. Call County — we're doing our best. I wish I'd come here first, and not Cornelius. But I digress.

We feel like God is telling us it's time to go. It was before Co. We're about to break that 100 barrier, as far as an average, and we're like, "This is awesome." And we feel like it's time to go. And we have a pastor set up, and the district involved, and thought, "This is going to be fantastic, to be able to leave on a high, as a church planner." And then God starts saying, "I need you back. I need you to go back." He don't need me, but He wanted me to go back. And I fought it. And then we finally gave in. And in the midst of all that — it's a long story — but in the midst of it all, Co hits. I feel we can't leave now, and we stay. And I was pastoring two churches: one in Ohio, one in Connecticut. Nine hours travel time. Don't ask me how to do that. You don't do that without a lot of good help.

And I'm like, "God, You called us here to start a church." And He said, "Yep, and that's been done." Just when it getss comfortable. So being me, and who I am, I had to explain to Him that people are not beating down the doors to take churches in Connecticut. And two days after we announced it to our church — our board knew, and we're going to start a pastorial search — a young couple in our church — a young minister; he was on our board, and one of our ministers — he and his wife asked to speak to you Ma. Oh, Lord, here it goes. Here goes the mass excident. And when they came, and started talking — she's already crying, and he starts to tear up — and he says, "Pastor, we feel like we're supposed to let our name stand, to be the next pastor of this church." This young man came to us as a very young teenager. Parents: drug addicts, alcoholics. He would work at a young age, to put food on the table. But had we not went, and planted a church — had we not went through some doubt, some disbelief, and went back, saying, "Lord, I don't know what to do" — there wouldn't be a Pastor Chris Gilbert and A doct. Gilbert leading the church in New Haven, Connecticut.

I'm not saying that to blow any trumpet. I'm just trying to tell somebody: why don't you let go of it, and let God be the center of everything? Be a wor Sher of Him, and say, "I don't care what anyone says. I don't care, devil, where I've been, what I've done. I'm going to worship Him. I finally got my eyes on Him."

In a seller in Cologne, Germany, after World War II, there were found on the walls of the cellar these words, that said: "I believe. I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining. I believe in love, even when I feel it not. And I believe in God, even when He is silent."

Would you stand with me? Why would He fill you with His Spirit today? Because He's faithful. If you'd like the baptism of the Holy Ghost, today is a good day to receive the Holy Ghost. In just a moment, hopefully somebody that spoke with you invite you to come to this altar area, and seek for the Holy Ghost. This may be a little different for some. But I do believe that God wants to fill you with His Spirit. Why would baptism, by immersion, in the name of Jesus — how does that wash away my sins? You know, we could have Bible studies, and teach lessons. But really, it's pretty simple: because He's faithful. Because He said He'll do it. You mean, if I come, and I repent of my sins — if I truly repent, and I show godly sorrow, and I'm not just repeating some words, but I'm crying out to my Savior, saying, "Lord, if I can just get a crumb, I know it's going to be all right. Lord, search me. Forgive me, Lord. I need You in my life." And how does that work? Well, again, we could go into some theology, and try to make sense of it for you. But the bottom line is, He'll do it, because He's faithful.

He promised in Joel 2:28 that He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. The last time I checked, that word "all" means all. Acts chap 1 verse4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 8:17: "Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." Acts 19: the followers of John the Baptist — baptized by John the Baptist — were asked if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed. They said, "We don't know about this Holy Ghost." "Well, then, how are you baptized?" They said, "Unto John's baptism." And that chapter ends with them being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and them receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in a language they never learned.

This is what happens when we put it all where it belongs, and get Jesus front and center. No matter what the disciples are doing. No matter what they're saying. No matter what the village said, as you were on your way to Him. No matter what your family's trying to tell you. No matter how bad the situation is with your child. There's Jesus, and I know He hears me. I know He sees me. And I know it's going to be all right.

I wonder if you'd like the baptism of the Holy Ghost — if you would come to the front here with me, and just stand here close. I promise, I'm not going to do anything crazy. I'm going to encourage your friend to come with you, and encourage them not to do anything crazy. But I do believe He'd love to pour out His Spirit. He'd love to fill you with His Spirit. I'm talking about something powerful, that He has complete control — not just a nice, warm feeling. I've been there. But oh, when I surrender to Him, and He takes control of the most unruly member of my body —

Start off by saying, I'm addicted to Jesus. There is nothing like the Spirit of God. And I promise you that once you repent of your sins, you ask Him to forgive you, you make up your mind, "I'm not going back that direction," and you begin to worship Him — you begin to get lost worshiping Him — you don't worry about all the disciples, but you keep your eyes on Him, saying, "Oh, I love what I feel. You're so good to me, God. Thank You for Your faithfulness." I promise, as you begin to worship Him, you're going to feel the power of the Holy Ghost. And I pray that you'll allow Him to take control of your tongue. You'll begin to speak in a language you never learned. It's a little strange, yes. But it's powerful. And it's something that has kept me.

I want to speak to the church — those that have already had that experience. I'm begging, I'm imploring you: don't leave here today saying, "Oh, that was a nice service." You can say it's a terrible message. But don't leave here today with anything negative. I can't think of a better way to conclude a service than by way of the altar. So I want invite the rest to come, if you're physically able. If you're not, but you're able to hold seats and sit close, that would be wonderful. But even right where you are, that you would join us. And I'm going to ask you, church, as you come: would you begin praying a prayer of repentance? "Lord, search me, God. I'm pushing into Your presence, Jesus. Give me a revelation, all over again, of who You are in my life, God. I got a daughter vexed with a devil, and I need Your help. I'm desperate, Lord, for You. I'm trying to do this, Lord, but I'm not getting anywhere on my own. I'm not getting anywhere calling on others. I need You, Jesus. I need Your healing. I need Your provision. I need Your deliverance. Oh God, Your faithfulness toward me, Jesus." Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Forgive us, God. Search us, God. Help us, Jesus. Oh, hallelujah. Come. Come on, Sint of God. Make up your mind: you're not going to be satisfied where you are.