Down But Not Out

there are many things that are true whether we feel like they are or not one of those is God is Victorious because he is Victorious we are Victors and we are not victims praise God I want you to form a phrase you've probably already done it but there is an atmosphere of Victory here and whether you feel it or not belief overrides feelings Faith override stealing just speak something Victorious through God or about God or about your life let's speak Victory whether it's a praise or you may want to speak it to somebody God you're Victorious you have never lost you have never lost the Battle of God you are victorious you're not going to lose one God Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah Hallelujah speak it out the victory of the Lord God Almighty there will be times no matter who we are or what we have in our experience that we will be challenged by life circumstances to the extent that it seems like we are

down everybody say down down and out of options for any hope or any help but when we have God we may be down but we are not out there really isn't a bit of sense of lying about being down because sometimes we go down but when I fall you know what I'm thinking of right now those old Bozo clowns they used to have you'd blow them up and you could punch them and hit them down and they'd bounce right back up somebody needs to be a bozo for Jesus sorry no disrespect we are troubled on every side this is the great apostle yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair we are persecuted man as powerful as he was it didn't look like he'd had any problems persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus suffering similar things for his Kingdom's sake that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body and by the help of the Lord today we're just going to preach

about and talk about and we're going to experience down but not out I'm gonna ask for your help today I'm going to ask for your help right now I want you to repeat that phrase yeah it's a sermon title it is but it's a truth I said it's a truth it's a truth all over this house right now it's a truth in every believer it's a truth in our experience would you say it with me down but not out praise God let's praise God another time would you really make it mean something this is not our protocol God this is because you're worthy this is because you're worthy there is in the world of boxing What's called the ten count you have until the count of ten to get back up off of the map I read about a match it's been a few years ago about four or five years ago Deontay Wilder knocked down Tyson Fury and I watched a little video clip and sure enough the ref gets to counting and he's got his fingers right in the face of the downed boxer he's wanting

to make sure that he he was Dazed I mean he took a hit he took a right and then a left and he went down I mean this guy is a Bruiser in fact he goes on to be the world boxing Council Champion World Heavyweight Champion that Deontay hit Tyson Fury he hit him so hard down he goes his head bounces off of the mat and so the Wrath is wanting to make sure that the down boxer knows what's going on I don't think he did it first in the clip by the glaze in his eyes I don't know who could still be up after those two so he's counting and he's one two and then it's about three or four when he gets right into space and uh he's got that hand there and the man's laying there on the floor and that hand of the ref is right there six seven eight and then he starts getting up and when the ref hits nine the boxer is on his feet and he finished the rest of the match and he went on the guy that was down for the nine count about to go down and out for ten

goes on to become the World Heavyweight Champion and holds it for several years somebody's happy about that it is kind of inspiring isn't it I'm not a fan but I'm gonna tell you what that is inspiring he didn't let the count count him out he didn't let the punch knock him out he didn't let the rest hand I'm going to tell you that's intimidating yeah that's intimidating when the enemy said you're down I'm on three I'm on four I'm on you've got trial number five you've got trial number six you've got trial number seven but Rejoice not against me oh my enemy I put my head on the mat a couple of times but we're not staying down by the power of the Lord we're getting back up Jesus unfairly accused watch these events leading up to Calvary arrested a facade of a trial Peter denies that's enough to discourage you you're close follower a key follower he denies the disrespectful public along the streets cruel treatment by Roman soldiers he's

nailed he stabbed there's Darkness he's sealed into a tomb and then there's those three long silent discouraging days as disappointment multiplies among the Believers there's a whole lot said about Friday Calvary there's a whole lot and rightfully so sad about Sunday but I've got a question what about silence Saturday what about when you're down on the mat are in Jesus case down in the grave seemingly down for the count think about this up to that point everybody that was a believer of Jesus knew he was alive they saw him they believed they saw us Miracles and then since that time we got the hindsight of the Resurrection this was the one day that's silent Saturday was the one day in the last 2000 years when there was literally not one person that believed that Jesus was alive but that didn't make any difference it's kind of like the day after the trouble that you have and the day before you're delivered you've had some silent Saturdays

the day after a prayer gets prayed I prayed for that Lord and the day before you get the answer I'm just telling somebody hold on and keep praying right now who I feel at work you are in a silent Saturday but it's silent Saturday but Resurrection Sunday is only a few hours away it's an in-between day between Despair and joy confusion and Clarity bad news good news even in the Bible the only thing that's said about Saturday is they set a new watch they sent extra guards to posted at the tomb Friday was a nightmare day now it's Saturday and here's what you got to think about those Believers it's going through their minds he failed he talked it seemed to be lining up all of those Old Testament prophecies Isaiah and Jeremiah but he's it's it's a failure and we're a failure and there was hopelessness that overwhelmed the disciples all the signs and the feelings point to failure and defeat but here's what we on his silent Saturday and your

silence Saturday Jesus was down but he was an out they came seeking him at the tomb and the angel said he is not here he is risen he still that believer that brother that man or woman and young person that's in this room today he's been down she's been down in the Tomb and been put down by attack or whatever else may have come against you but they're not here anymore it's going to be said of people that are in this room and those that are watching online this is where he lay this is where you were knocked down but it's not where you stayed it's not where you were left Jesus goes on to say I am he that lives I was dead but behold I'm lies I lie forevermore Jesus didn't try to cover it up he said I was dead that would be like us trying to say I've never been discouraged I want to meet that guy I've never had a down day I've never had a challenging knockdown experience when the wind was literally knocked out of my faith and my life but I

want to tell you what somebody's going to come along and say where is he where is she she just went through that trial but she's not laying there anymore she's got her hands in the air there are people in this room right now you shouldn't have been lifting your hands according to the knockdown but you said oh it's happening right now go ahead lift it up yeah your praise is not predicated on our circumstances Our Praise Is predicated on the victor you may not have the answer yet but praise him for it anyway crazy he's got the power woo ha ha I've read a little article about Chippy the parakeet that's quite a name in it just in itself Kippy never saw it coming one moment he was perched peacefully in the cage and the next moment he was sucked in washed up and blown over the problem began when chippy's owner decided to clean Tippy's cage with the vacuum cleaner foreign she removed the attachment from the end of the hose stuck it into the

cage and just then the phone rang she turned to pick up the phone she had barely said hello when she heard chippy got sucked in she gasped she put down the phone turned off the vacuum cleaner opened the bag and there was Tippy still alive but stunned covered with dust and soot she grabbed chippy and raced to the bathroom turned on the faucet held chippy under the running water baptism always helps then realizing that chippy was soaked and shivering she did what any compassionate bird owner would do she reached for the hair dryer she blasted the little pet parakeet hot air poor chippy never knew what hit him a few days after the trauma the reporter who had previously reported on the event called to check about how the parakeet was how's he recovering well chippy doesn't sing much anymore he just sets and stares it's hard not to see why sucked in washed up blown over that's enough to steal the song out of anybody's life and sin had done

that to people in this room drugs disappointments failure and you and I all of us are sinners all of us are sinners and maybe some had sinful experiences that others did not have but we were all down we had all missed the mark he said it Paul did he said we were dead you put dead people down sin brings us down and you can rewind your life's story in your mind's eye right now about where you were and what was happening hopeless and helpless but then the spirit of the Lord began to deal and there was repentance some and there was water baptism and then we receive the baptism Paul said when we get the Holy Ghost we arise we get back up off of the mat some of us many of us were down listen I'm convinced we don't know how close we were I know I was brought up in church all my life but I don't I don't think I know you don't know oh I'm preaching to some of us been brought up in church we don't know how close we were we don't know I know how

close Fred Bradley was stand by the Fred if you don't mind he's told us he went searching for a shotgun to take his life and the referee had his fingers and his hand in your face Fred Bradley you're never going to be saved you're going to lose everything including your life six seven eight nine you know what he's saying say it Fred I know he went into an Apostolic service and he sat next to an Apostolic believer who started speaking in tongues I'm going to tell you where the power of tongues come from it comes from heaven whoa has anybody ever run when you're down I mean physically now I mean physically you can't do that when you're down you can't do that but when you realize I was once lost but I've been found I was once dead and down in sin but there is not a drug there is not a habit there is not a devil there is not a demon that can keep you down son he believes in you God said it already he said it woo here's what happens how how

many of you believe in the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost keep it up there just a minute put them both up if you don't mind look at this Jesus and look at this devil hey therefore If any man any man there's not a sin or two dark there's not somebody that's failed too many times there's not a backslider that's too far if any man be in Christ he is a great job all things here's two key words right now I didn't see it before right now All Things Are okay we're gonna do it together and I want us to do it with some uh do it like you're up off of the map All Things Are my Lord I never heard you do that like that let's do it again hear it somebody that that demon has to let go of you if you walk toward Jesus the grip of that demon is gonna loosen up against All Things Are listen to that internet usually you can't hear what's going on in the congregation we haven't got our our mics yet but I'm going to tell you somebody heard that all

things are my Lord one one more time for kicks All Things Are it's one thing to say it it's another thing to believe it and I believe it it's gone every sin when you repented this morning it's gone when you repented 30 years ago it's gone I preach to somebody that may have a struggle with some of your past mistakes and failures it's gone all things are passed away how things become I got a list of names here Mike Morgan's here today him and his brother both stories of restoration come be with me a minute brother Mike you can stand or be seated either one you want dude that's so nice of a suit I almost hate to ask you to do this but no I don't would you mind laying down on the mat mm-hmm there was Brokenness in this life there was Brokenness in here and there was Brokenness around him and there was Brokenness in relationship but somewhere way down there God saw a faith that loved him you can't stand through what this man is standing

through and not have an element of faith in God and the referee was counting but the people of God were praying and I just insert this right here don't stop praying for your loved one I feel that more seriously and heavily than I ever have devil wants to tell he wants to punch your prayer out and have you heard people say and I've seen it happen you pray for him and it looks like it gets worse but people kept praying and I'll tell you what else there was a precious grandmother Rita Wallace I kept praying we still got some of the records the prayer request records from Tuesday prayer meeting where she put her family on there and this man's name was on there Hallelujah but the spirit of the Lord reached down Hallelujah and said Mike I didn't intend for you to be down on the mat I didn't intend for you to be counted out I don't know and I don't care whatever those past involvements are you're a child of the king you're anointed by the

holy ghosts I'm laying my hand on his head but I got my hand on yours right now there's a holy anointing in this place there's a holy anointing thank you Michael I love you I know I love you too you know what I need to do he and brother Reaver are good friends and everybody every once in a while if you can imagine this brother Reaver picks on people and I may get knocked to the map for this little partial I'm gonna go on this side and preach this part you know what I feel like doing brother Reaper every time you kind of pick at brother Mike really he's kind of picking on himself because he missed him one night and texted him or called him the next day said I missed you and Mike was slap dab here but what I'm feeling anointing right now to do every time he said and it's good to see Mike Morgan here usually I laugh I think I need to stand up and say thank God here's what I know we ought to be rejoicing about how the Lord picked us up we

went down yes we were down oh Libby I want to dance with you dance hall hallelujah she may have a reason to be down but she's not out I wish I could dance with y'all Jesse gave me his testimony where are you at Jess he was the middleman Usher today go up here just a minute Jess graduated he didn't know what I was preaching when he wrote this graduated his lifelong dream Mama come here and stand by him would you needed some folks God back God got back up off the mat by the way you have to want to get up came that Marine got injured faced a medical discharge tore his life and his mind up in the midst of that time he had gotten into a relationship with a young lady and they separated his words exactly I was completely lost I didn't know where to go or what to do I was being held down by depression guilt anxiety and shame I turned to drugs thinking that was the answer at first here is testimony somebody at first it was gradual I want to

beat up on not the person who is addicted I want to beat up on the addiction today there is no addiction that is greater than Jesus Christ do we believe that we believe in the delivering power of Jesus Christ he said then a short time later on March 18th he's got the dates written down my best friend passed away right next to me I lost all control at that point on May 5th I was withdrawing hard from drugs I was at my lowest I began searching for something I did not know what it is he knows now a lot of us have known for a long time we ought to be thankful for who we are and how God has put us in his church when he gave this some months ago stay right here y'all he said I came across a Bible I had taken with me to boot camp all I could do was hug goodbye I've heard sermons that could not match the anointing that was there when you said that Jesse all I could do was hug the word of God and he said the Lord delivered me right there yeah

go ahead go ahead that's right that's right don't lose that oh somebody needs to hug the Bible somebody needs to hug a promise right now God spoke to you hug it hug it hug it here's how he wrapped it up if I can leave you with anything here's what it would be your past doesn't Define you all right could you put an exclamation with that with an amen I'm gonna tell you it haunts you it beats you up it punches you your path your past hear me somebody your past does not define you hear me somebody now there's none of us perfect there's none of us perfect Hallelujah don't let failure keep you down and here's what he said get back up keep moving forward just stand over here in the middle again Hallelujah I wish I had an offering basket right now take another offering no probably a good time to do it sin and disappointment lack of self-confidence kept punching and punching and punching but he stood back up and today he stood in the middle of

an Apostolic Church said I want to serve by just simply holding an offering basket thank you Jesse it doesn't matter what it is doesn't matter what situation I don't know what your situation is I can't cover every situation we don't have the time but I want you to put your situation in the ring right now and maybe you don't even have to do that you say I already feel like I've been in the ring and I've been boxing and I've been I've got a few bruises I've got a few bumps that's what Paul was talking about but he said I'm not lost in despair I'm not going to give up I'm I'm feeling the crush I'm feeling the squeeze I'm feeling the pressure but I'm not going to lose it doesn't matter what it is brother Chris and sister Tina would you mind standing divorced not today and not tomorrow but in the past I would say the enemy got to the nine count well they didn't just separate they went all the way through with divorce but I know their

pedigree parents which you put in the hearts of your children it may look like it gets married but you keep planting don't let don't let the enemy box you away from being an Apostolic parent and having an Apostolic home and setting some Apostolic boundaries those families got to pray Tina was able to remain faithful to God and God only God can do this kind of stuff brought them back together how do you all count your anniversaries thank you BD before divorce A.D after divorce I love that what'd you say Tina add them all together put them all together because you are back together by the grace and the help and the power I'm gonna tell you this is what God Specializes in this is what God Specializes in you may be challenged you may be struck down but the Lord has said I will never leave you in fact he told listen to what he told Jacob he said I'm gonna Not Gonna Leave You Until I have done what I spoke to you and told you I would do hear

that somebody I will not leave you I don't care if you're down on the mat or if you've got wobbly knees I will not leave you until I've done what I told you somebody's got a prayer request going on and the Lord not leave you there were two believers True Believers these these weren't doubters these were faithful Believers that after Calvary and he'd been put in the Tomb the Bible does record they're on this the road the Bible says they were going to a little town called Emmaus and as they're going Jesus had already resurrected and they didn't know it hear me somebody in this room Jesus is already at work the song was right he is already working in your situation and they didn't realize it their eyes were holding for some reason that they didn't know the Lord and Jesus is walking with him on that road and he starts speaking words of encouragement and he goes to their house God told me to give somebody an Emmaus encouragement today so

I'm just going to obey him Pastor would you mind how many oh you appreciate our pastor it's Mariah that's right we're not going to be playing favors here the Lord can come in his presence but he most of the time chooses not to come in physical human form but he does send others that are his represented I've not had to walk through a dark trial since you've been my pastor but if and when I do come here back if and when we do we don't know what we're going to face I want to be between these two I want to come in between representation on my road to Emmaus when everything looks dark when my Jesus looks like he's still down and in the Tomb when my hope is gone let's just walk a little bit y'all I got the Lord one old writer said I got the Lord and that's enough Dave come in here you take it you do you're a manly man get in the middle sister where I get on the other side where's Crystal I wouldn't intend on doing this but the Lord led me to

do these folks just love doing these things like this just kidding okay just just take a walk y'all when you go through whatever you go through when you're faced whatever you face there's going to be an Emmaus encouragement that says it may look like things are down but it's not out come back this way y'all I can end it help me with you you get in the middle hey Grand right here let's walk no matter what you're going through Your Darkest Day Your Darkest Hour your silent Saturday we're going to need the Lord we're gonna need the Lord Hallelujah brother and sister Odom they're gonna attend for a little while when you need a word we may be down Jesus may be crucified Jesus may be laying in the Tomb so we think but when you're down you are not out whoo because there's an encouraging word from the Lord Hallelujah there's a touch from God the world would call them call it a magic but it's not worldly Magic I speak to discouragement Jen and

sister Connie come here just stay with us setback loss yes disappointment yes just Stuck in the Middle here Pastor is just Mariah take the hand we're not going to take a side aisle we're going to take a middle aisle because we want the world to know there is victory in the midst of defeat there is comfort in the midst of Sorrow there is help in the midst of struggle hallelujah hallelujah and here's what I know not only is pastoral leadership a representation of God and I saw it happening all over this room every person in here is what Jesus was to those two disciples walking on that road of Emmaus you have a word I release you right now I release you God has spoken to you a word to give to somebody you use wisdom but you give them that word of encouragement you give stand with me if you would please stand with me oh hear me somebody it's always too early to quit I love a scripture about Joshua in Exodus 33 11.

Moses was in the Tabernacle and day and Joshua was with him Moses has to leave to take care of some of his other duties but it's added at the end of the verse but his servant Joshua a young man listen to this watch that last phrase departed not out of the Tabernacle when you go down and you will but when you go down hear me somebody don't go out don't move out of your relationship with God don't get out of your marriage don't bail out on your example and commitment for your kids don't sell out ungodly biblical values and truths don't step out of Ministries and church involvements reach down gather your determination lean on God to your fullest and get that last phrase and Joshua's example has been my Mantra I came across that in Reading several years ago he departed not out of the Tabernacle and before I was ever called to the ministry that line hit me and I told God I'm not getting out I may get down but I'm not getting out I'm not

getting out of God's church I'm not getting out of apostolic and Ministry I'm not opting out on this bible message I'm staying in the fight I feel a spirit of submission right here right now in a spirit of surrender is a better term a spirit of surrender would you join together if it is your heart's desire to serve God would you lift hands of surrender right now to we've had times of victory in this service there's been all kind of facets of the spirit of God but right now the spirit of surrender and submission hahaha because it's not by our might God it's not by our ability it's not by our gifts or our talents God who who is there are times when our strength is in our surrender when I am weak then am I strong I'm wondering if you would at least just keep one hand up and walk down to an altar of submission and surrender and just say God and would you would you come close as close as you can to make room for any others that want to come

just lift a hand and keep a spirit and a mindset of surrender we may do more Victory later on but this is going to be the steps this is going to be the key that's it that's it God's receiving every every surrendered Spirit every surrender word go ahead go ahead and when he moves on you don't you be hesitant don't you be hesitant he's had your praise down he's had your praise down he's had your voice down he's had your faith down oh the enemy you're going to run out of breath before you count out a determined spirit that is Anointed by the spirit of the almighty God Julio go ahead that's it that's it go ahead go ahead Hallelujah maybe you've taken a hit maybe your life your marriage your ministry your body even may have taken a hit your relationship may have taken a hit oh foreign yes yes that's it make a disciplined effort to continue in prayer right now your flesh may feel like giving up but your spirit your spirit to flesh is weak

flesh gets weaker but spirit is willing uh spirit is willing Hallelujah I want to go Lord to the Gethsemane extent I want to go to your plans extent yes yes yes yes not my will not my will but yours be done Lord not my will but yours be done out here I have seen the fear that has set in because you have lost some of your life's equilibrium you're emotionally mentally physically and spiritually caught off guard I have seen the fear that comes in saying what more can I do what am I going to do I am spotlighting that fear not to condemn you for it but to address it moments ago I sent an angel of Courage into your midst and he has the power to reach and lay his hand upon any and every person who will allow and invite the Spirit of Courage to rest upon you courage that is not your own but that comes because you depend upon my spirit and my word I lay the anointing of Courage upon you now Be not Afraid saith the Lord hallelujah full oh when

we're in a physical fight I'm gonna tell you it helps to have a helper Hallelujah when I'm with Phil I don't have anything to worry about he's got my back it helps to have a helper if the Lord was all we had today that would be enough but that anointing of Courage is in this room right now and it's upon every one of us and so I want you to reach over and pray far and with somebody right now Hallelujah and I want you to pray for the courage and the strength if you feel led rebuke that fear rebuke it I speak against it I I speak against that challenge to their identity I speak against that label that others have given them the devil has said and they themselves have labeled I speak against it I speak I give a full courage pray for your brother or sister that's right pray for the courage Hallelujah pray for the courage we don't know what we're going to face but I know who's there already yes I'm doing my confidence is in you Jesus my

confidence is not an hour to use I've served you how many years I've preached it's not how many years I served your kingdom it's in you it's in you it's in you that's it pray with them inform pray the courage you may or may not know what they're facing be led by the Holy Ghost don't be afraid to say things that you may question who there's a power here right now there's a power ful somebody on that Internet you may be away from God but you're not out you may be down but you're not out God hasn't given up on anybody whoo so when a brother or sister gets knocked down we won't be the referee with the fingers in the face I want to be that trainer that manager it's over there by that little stool in the corner he said come on here let me wash your face hmm let me fix your mouthpiece Hallelujah sweat on me a little bit hey I'm going to tell you something life is messy at times and people are going to go through messy situations but the mess

is going to make the message all the greater excuse me here's what we heard I want to pray at least one more prayer I'm going to ask for your help because there's some individuals in the room that are on the nine count and they need someone to help them they need a word of encouragement they need someone to step in that ring and I believe the referee himself he's letting us come in the ring alongside if you're at that nine count right now and you need a miracle and you need God to help would you just lift your hand we're just going to be open and vulnerable you need God's help you need God's strength we got a couple over here several back there brothers and sisters that just need God to step in and intervene someone nearby you has got their hand lifted would you just go to prayer and if you feel a word for them encouragement strength whatever that is church oh if you lift your voice just like you've done the rest of this day in the

name of Jesus we're coming alongside them of God they are not alone in the ring oh pray in the Holy Ghost somebody in the name of Jesus they are not out we won't let them go out if we have anything to do with it if we've got anything to say about it we're right alongside them I pray it uplift him that you would step into the ring send that angel into that ring right now I pray you'd grab a hold of their hand and get them back on their feet that you would do the miraculous in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus oh they're not out we declare it they are not out yet oh he's speaking over those lies and over those families you are not out you will get back up in the name of Jesus we Proclaim it we Proclaim it and we pray it and we see you coming alongside the help and we see your angels come alongside the help right now we pray that you get them back to their feet and we're going to pray until it happens we're going to believe until it

happens we're going to be alongside them until it happens oh Jesus before we end in Victory and praise I wonder if you just do this for me if that's you if that you're that nine count I wonder if you just shout it out and the rest of us are going to help them would you just declare it that I am not out I'm gonna do it together but I want those individuals that are down on the mat right now to say it would you say it together I am not out would you say that I am not out and I wonder if you just praise God oh let that praise go someone's getting back up on their feet right now oh lift up a shot of praise someone who's got up on their feet someone's experiencing in the past would you let God now I'm thankful you are we praise you we've done victory oh what