When Intimidation Impacts Image

Some of you, you may not have been here last time. I am just I'm just me. I'm an unorthodox kind of preacher. I pastor in Washington D.C. And I'm just I'm just me today, okay? Uh so, if this is your first time here, you need to come back next week, okay? I'm just going to get you straight on the bat. We're just going to hit that right off the top here. Uh but, I I am here this weekend and I was speaking to the hyphens of the Tennessee District. And uh if I could just be transparent, when I started praying and studying for the weekend, before I got any other direction, I got a specific divine word for this church, for this morning, for every single one of you. Before any other thing that came about, I knew this is the message for Sunday morning at Center Point right here, right now. And I believe that if you will just kind of indulge me and kind of put aside everything else and open up your heart, I believe that God will completely transform you. And it will speak to you and you will be like, I had no idea that I what I was dealing with until I walked in today. And uh if you will just kind of go with me on this path, I promise you, I've got a word from the Lord for you this morning, okay? Somebody say amen.

First Samuel 17, I'm going to see if I can lay a foundation which will save us some time later. Starting in verse four, and there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span, and he had a helmet of brass upon his head. And he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of brass. Now, I don't really know how much weight that is, but that sounds like a lot. Can I get a witness, right? Uh you know, and uh you know, I don't know about your shekels of your coats, but that just seems like a lot. And then it goes on to describe in great detail the word of God, the equipment he had things on his legs and things between his shoulders and they describe the staff of his spear and it weighed 600 shekels of iron and there was even so much so one that went out in front of him bearing a shield. Now, that's a pretty intimidating picture of an enemy right there. The Bible does not put any detail in there by accident and verse 8 says, "AND GOLIATH STOOD AND CRIED UNTO THE ARMIES of Israel and SAID UNTO THEM, WHY ARE YOU come out to set your battle in array? And am I a Philistine and you the servants of Saul, choose you a man for you and let him come down to me. And if he's able to fight with me and to kill me, then we'll be your servants." Hashtag, that's a lie. But if I PREVAIL AGAINST HIM and kill him, then shall be you are servants and serve us. And the PHILISTINE SAID, "I DEFY THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL this day. Give me a man that we may fight together." Verse 11, "When Saul and all of Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. You've read this story a million times. Verse 15, "But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem and the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented him 40 days. Now, Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with Philistines and as verse 23 and and as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines and spake according to the same words." Everybody say same words. "And David heard them and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they they from him and were sore afraid."

I want to preach to you today on this subject, when intimidation impacts your image. When intimidation impacts your image. Now, if you will do one more thing for me, if you will just pray all across this place, and I want you to pray this simple prayer with me. I want you to pray and say, "Lord, speak to me today." I want you just to Even if you haven't said a one word, I want you to pray, "God, speak to me today. Speak to my heart. Speak to my mind. Open my ears that I could hear the word of the Lord this morning." Would you do that with me right now? Would you bow your head and close your eyes? Lift your hands and let us pray for the word of the Lord this morning.

Father, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your mercy. Lord, I pray that your word would go forth and not return void. And Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus right now, God, that you would speak a fresh word into our hearts. Open our hearts, God, that we may receive the word of God. Open our ears, God, that the spirit would speak to us, God. Open our eyes, God, that we may see how you want us to see. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus right now, God, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. And would you clap your hands one more time unto the Lord? Amen. You may be seated.

I quoted this story at the weekend retreat, but I'm going to use it again today as a starting place. That I was few years ago clicking a article and I was whisked away to a piece about Apple's 12th employee. His name was Mark Stevens. Any relation? You got a cousin named Mark? You got a No? Okay, just checking. Mark Stevens was Apple's 12th employee. And in 1977, he helped Mark He helped Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak move out of a garage into an office. And he said this statement, he said that Steve struggled to generate much profit from their new startup, leading them to offer Stevens a unique proposition. They needed his engineering talent to help move the company forward, but they didn't have much cash. And so, Steve tried to pay people in stock, STEVENS SAID. BUT I HELD OUT for cash. He thought, I WANT THE SURE THING. I want THE THING THAT I CAN GUARANTEE. I know what I'm worth and I THINK I'M WORTH THIS, AND SO HE SAYS, I DON'T WANT YOUR STOCK, I DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT. I JUST WANT THE CASH IN HAND, COLD, HARD CASH, BABY. And so, as he held out for cash, you may think, how much did he hold out for? His salary that he held out for was a whopping $6 an hour at the time. It was a big, big mistake. The staggering misstep gave me pause that Stevens' once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, although he did not recognize it at THE TIME, HE PASSED IT UP BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT JOBS, Steve Jobs, was a visionary, and he knew that he had a great product, but he knew he had great ideas, BUT FOR SOME REASON HE THOUGHT, I WOULD NEVER TAKE THE RISKY thing by choosing something that was not a safe bet. So, I wanted the paycheck, but but he was focused on the immediate thing and he missed out on the amazing thing that had simply been laid right in FRONT OF HIM SIMPLY BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE IT. IT'S THE PALM-ON-THE-FOREHEAD MOMENT THAT PLAGUES HIM TO THIS day that Mr. STEVENS LOST OUT ON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THIS RESULT, BECAUSE HE COULD NOT EVER SEE THE OPPORTUNITY AND BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE IT, HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO seize it. AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, HOW MANY CHRISTIANS FALL INTO THE EXACT SAME PLACE INTO THE EXACT SAME TRAP THAT THEY CAN NEVER SEIZE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN NEVER SEE CLEARLY WITH A VISION FROM GOD. AND SO THEREFORE GOD HAS GIVEN US PROMISES AND GOD HAS GIVEN YOU VICTORY AND GOD HAS GIVEN YOU DREAMS AND GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THINGS IN YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR YOUR FAMILY, FOR YOUR FUTURE AND YET BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE CLEARLY, YOU SAY I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER GOING TO HAPPEN FOR ME. OH, IT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN THE BAD PIZZA LAST NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU, IF YOU COULD EVER GET A CLEAR VISION OF HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS AND WHO YOU ARE IN GOD, IT WOULD TRANSFORM YOUR CHRISTIANITY, BABY. YOU'D START TO WALK A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YOU'D START TO TALK A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YOU'D START TO PRAY A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YOU'D START TO WORSHIP GOD A LITTLE DIFFERENT. CAN I GET A WITNESS SOMEBODY THAT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO GET A CLEAR VISION OF WHO GOD IS, IT WILL TRANSFORM EVERY SINGLE THING IN YOUR LIFE. WOO! TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR SAY, "YOU AIN'T ready for this guy."

Let me see if I can lay a quick foundation. SEE, THE PROBLEM THAT PLAGUES THE MODERN DAY CHURCH IS SOMETHING that I ASK YOU TO BUCKLE UP WITH ME AND LET US GO ON A LITTLE JOURNEY HERE. SEE, often times we may blame problems on circumstances or where we are, HOW COME SOMETHING HAPPENED OR MAYBE THE DEVIL OR YOU'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, CAN I GET A WITNESS? Somebody give me a hand wave. You ever heard somebody blame something say, "Well, the reason this isn't happening is because the devil or some some other reason or or I don't KNOW WHY. BUT WHAT IF YOUR ISSUE IS ACTUALLY FROM YOUR IMAGE? MHM, it's tight in here. Here we go.

SEE, WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING VERY FIRST THIS MORNING. That it is an image that WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A HEALTHY IMAGE IF WE'RE EVER GOING TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. AND THEREFORE, IT'S AN IMAGE ISSUE. WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION OF AN IMAGE. SEE, IMAGE IS SO VITAL AND IMPORTANT THAT THE image is that we ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE. IT'S THE VERY FIRST THING GOD TELLS US BEFORE PROMISES, BEFORE ANYTHING, WE ARE CREATED AND DESIGNED BY HIM. WE ARE HIS IMAGE BEARERS. SO THEREFORE, YOU ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AS A REFLECTION OF WHO God is. Somebody say, "Amen."

So if you believe THAT, THEN YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE IMAGE BEARERS. WE ARE CREATED BY GOD, DESIGNED TO BRING him glory. We are a reflection unto him. LIKE A PROUD PARENT WITH THEIR CHILD, WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE KING. THEREFORE, OUR IMAGE MUST BE ROOTED in the truth that he said in Psalms 139:14 where HE SAID, "I PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY and wonderfully made. Wonderful are YOUR WORKS AND MY SOUL KNOWS IT VERY WELL." IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE, IS YOU ARE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, IT BEGINS TO TRANSFORM who you are. Right? You catching this? As the kids say, you vibing with me? I SEE, NOW WATCH THIS. IF YOU EVER GET THE PICTURE OF THIS, IT CHANGE EVERYTHING. BECAUSE WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE A REFLECTION OF HIM. YOU ARE A REFLECTION. YOU'RE NOT BY ACCIDENT. CAN I GET A WITNESS, SOMEBODY? YOU'RE NOT HERE JUST BECAUSE OF A ONE-NIGHT STAND. YOU'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY MADE AN OOPS. NO, NO, NO, NO. THE DEVIL'S A LIAR. HE'S TRYING TO IMPLANT THAT. YOU'RE NOT A MISTAKE. YOU'RE NOT A NOBODY. YOU'RE NOT JUST SOMEBODY IN A PLACE OF 8 BILLION PEOPLE. CAN I GET A WITNESS IN THE HOUSE? NO, NO, NO, NO. I AM A CHILD OF GOD. I KNOW WHO MY DADDY IS. HE IS THE KING OF KINGS. HE IS THE LORD OF LORDS. I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE BY GOD. AND WHEN I KNOW WHO I AM AND I KNOW WHO MY DADDY IS, I KNOW WHAT I HAVE ACCESS TO. OH, Y'ALL AIN'T READY FOR ME UP IN HERE. WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOUR DAD IS, YOU BEGIN TO PRAY DIFFERENT. YOU BEGIN TO WORSHIP DIFFERENT. YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO PROBLEM THAT'S TOO BIG. THERE'S NO ISSUE THAT'S TOO GREAT. OH, SOMEBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS UNDER THE LORD. WE SERVE A GOD THAT'S A BIG GOD. BUT HE'S JUST NOT A BIG GOD. HE'S OUR FATHER. WOO! HE'S OUR GOD. I KNOW WHO I AM WHEN I SEE who he is. When I see clearly who he is and I understand this fact that I am made in his image. Woo! It changes everything. Hang with me today. See, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Think of that. Personalize that with me. Cuz if you can't get this, woo, crash land in the rest of this baby. We ain't got nowhere to go if you can't catch this. And it sounds so simplistic. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. That means all your flaws, all your faults, all your mistakes, everything that you hate about yourself is perfect in the eyes of God. He said, "You're fearfully and wonderfully made, shaped by the hands of the creator." That same God, that same God who said, "Let there be light." And there was light. That same God who spoke things into creation where there was nothing. Out of just a thing, all of a sudden, that same God has perfectly wired you by design. It's an image issue. Turn to your neighbor and say, "I know who I am." You're fearfully and wonderfully made.

Now, everybody say amen so we can go to the next point. Some of you just said amen cuz you want to go to lunch, but I'll receive it. So, check this out. Once we understand image, and once we understand our image matters, now we go to where we're going. See, the key is this.

Your image actually determines your effectiveness. See, it is your image that must be based in, not based on. Let me say that again. Your image must be based in, not based on. You show me someone who has their image based in God, not based on things, and I'll show you somebody that's walking in a victorious life in their walk with God. You show me someone that's based their image based in God, and not based on their pain, I'll show you SOMEBODY THAT SAYS, "I'VE experienced pain, but I've overcome pain." Can I get a witness somebody? You show me somebody that HAS THEIR IMAGE BASED IN GOD, NOT BASED ON THEIR TRAUMA, NOT BASED ON THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT BASED ON THEIR HURT, NOT BASED ON THEIR PAST. I HEAR ME TODAY. YOU SHOW ME SOMEBODY WHOSE IMAGE IS BASED IN GOD, AND THOSE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO US, BUT THEY CANNOT DEFINE US. BECAUSE WHEN THEY DEFINE US, THEY LIMIT US. IT shapes our image contrary to the design of the creator. Because things happen to everybody.

Everybody got pain. Can I get a witness, right? Everybody's wounded. My little son here, he he hurt himself while I was at He's acting like he's a wounded warrior here. He's got a limp like this. My man's got a little cut on his foot. I'm like, "Yo, toughen up, my man. This day three." There's some Christians are like that. They walk around like They walk around like they're wounded warrior forever. It's like a paper cut. WHAT? HASHTAG COME ON, GUYS. GET WITH THIS. NOW WATCH. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALLOWED SOMETHING TO HAPPEN TO THEM, and they have begun to adopt it as their image. And when THEY ADOPT IT AS THEIR IMAGE, what happens is is it limits us. Catch this right here. Broken image creates ineffective Christians. And Jesus did not come to the this place and die ON THE CROSS FOR YOU AND I TO HOLD ON to what's broken. We do not NEED TO BE HELD CAPTIVE BY THE PAIN OF THE PAST OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US. HE SAID, "NO, NO, I CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVE FREE. I CAME TO RELEASE YOU. I CAME TO GIVE YOU LIBERTY. I KNOW THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU, AND THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO DEFINE YOU. THEY DON'T NEED TO LIMIT YOU. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE A PART OF YOUR IDENTITY OR YOUR IMAGE. Because how you see yourself matters. As a man thinketh, so is he.

So, I'm fixing to rock your theology right here. You might have liked me up to this point. This is where we're going to take a hard turn. See, therefore, when we understand that we have a broken image, our image DETERMINES OUR EFFECTIVENESS. THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS, BUT NOT our prayers. SO, WE DON'T PRAY BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK HE HEARS US. THEREFORE, PRAYERLESSNESS IS NOT A POWER ISSUE. IT'S AN IMAGE ISSUE. Can I prove it to you? That's why you call pastors and say, "Pastor, will you pray for this?" You believe IN PRAYER. YOU BELIEVE GOD'S ABLE, BUT YOU DON'T believe he answers your prayer. It's an image issue, Doc. Prayerlessness is not a power issue. It's an image issue.

So, when all of a sudden you don't have a prayer life, can I ask you this? Do you believe that God can do absolutely anything? Everybody say, "Amen." Then the question is is perhaps the reason why we don't pray prayers or pray bold prayers or pray bigger prayers, but we want pastor team to have the pastoral team to do it is because it's an image issue because our image determines our effectiveness and we don't believe God hears our prayers. We say, "Oh, I need you to pray for this. Brother so-and-so, will you pray for this? So-and-so, will you pray for this?" It's an image issue.

That's why sharing the gospel, letting your light shine, hear me today, sharing your testimony is not a power issue. It's an IMAGE ISSUE. Thanks for having me. I hope I never get to come back. Here we go. They Next time they're never going to show up. Hear the word of the Lord. That's why God's giving you amazing testimonies, but you won't share them. Because all of a sudden it's an image issue. And people say stuff like, "But my testimony is not as good as." Or people say, "BUT I DON'T KNOW ALL THE WORDS LIKE PASTOR DOES." Or people use the excuses AND SAY, "BUT WHAT IF THEY ASK ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW." DO YOU KNOW THE common denominator? Me, my, me, I. HEAR ME SAY, "THOSE ARE ALL EXCUSES." THAT'S WHY WE DON'T SHARE WHAT GOD'S DONE WITH US. THAT'S WHY WE CAN WALK INTO WORK and be an incognito Christian because it's an image issue. BECAUSE SOMEHOW YOU DON'T THINK, "OH, I KNOW THIS STUFF. SO, I'M INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HOW MYSELF HOW GOD HAS CREATED ME."

THEREFORE, a lack of worship Mhm. Can I get an organ up in here by myself? Here we go. A lack of worship is not about our comfort zone or the melody or the lyrics. It's an image issue. It's an image issue. What will they think about me? My, my, my. We've got to be careful because our ineffectiveness of a corrupt image is evident in the lack of fruits. In other words, YOU CAN'T WIN IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE. You won't pray if you don't think he'll hear you. You won't worship if you don't feel like he sees it or he's worthy of it because you've elevated yourself to a position because of a broken image. And because of such, the mentality of defeat manifests.

The danger of a victim mentality is this is that you don't even have to fight have the faith to fight. You don't even have to have the faith to fight. The battle's already over. It's the children of Israel. They're like giants and we're like grasshoppers. What is it? It's an image issue. Therefore, so we can't go fight that. Oh, we know God's big. We know what he's done. We've seen it with our own eyes. We've seen THE GOODNESS OF GOD. WE'VE SEEN THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. WE'VE SEEN THE POWER OF GOD. BUT OH, NO, NO, NO, WE can't go fight them. Why? It's an image issue. Are you picking up what I'm throwing down today? It's an image ISSUE AND IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US. It's an image issue. That if the devil can attack our image we won't even fight. We won't even pray. We won't even worship. It has nothing to do with the power of God. It has nothing to do with the promises of God. It has nothing to do with his ability. He's taken us out by allowing us to take ourselves out. What an amazing thought that if he can attack the very thing that God designed first. See, the devil knows the power of image. The very first thing that he says, "Ah, you're an image bearer." He said, "I'll attack that." And if I can attack that, everything else falls apart.

It's an image issue and the children of Israel Here they are. Let me hurry. And all the men of Israel, the Bible says in verse 19, were in the valley of Ela fighting with Philistines. I don't know why that's in the word of God. Cuz they were not fighting. Clearly, the Bible says they weren't fighting. But they looked the part. They got ready. They prepared. They walked to the battlefield and said, "Nope, not today." It's like that gift you see that little boy that's running and goes, "Woo!" That's like That's like the children of Israel every day. Some of y'all know what I'm talking about, okay? Just have one of the young people show it to you. It's great. It's one of my favorite GIFs, right? AND SO WHEN YOU FIND THAT WATCH THIS IN VERSE 23. IF YOU THROW that on the screen for me. AND AS HE TALKED WITH THEM BEHOLD THERE came up the champion the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name. And this is what I'm fixing to expose right here. I'm fixing to expose one of the greatest weapons of the enemy.

Because the enemy loves to use intimidation to attack your image. He can intimidate you by circumstances or voices or previous situations. But intimidation is so effective cuz the devil doesn't have to defeat you. He just has to stop you from trying.

Your victory your healing, it's here today. I'm glad I got three or four people that believe that. If you need healing in your body, it can be here today. If you need the Holy Ghost, it can happen here today. You don't got to wait till next week for Pentecost Sunday. It can happen today. If you've been waiting for baptism, it can happen here today. The enemy's been playing too for our too long in your mind. And see, this is the thing. In 1 Samuel if you get the point you SEE THAT GOLIATH STEPS onto the scene. And the Bible spends great detail, which we often skip over about all of the things he's wearing. But what that is is it's defining the parameters of intimidation. They step out and they see a man that's tall. THEY STEP OUT AND THEY SEE A MAN that's wearing armor and shields and he's intimidating them so much so that when the PEOPLE OF GOD STEP into the arena, GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? THEY SEE GOLIATH and all of a sudden somebody says, "Not me." Let the next guy do it. THEY SEE IT OVER AND OVER. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SAYS, "GIVE ME A MAN AND LET me fight." DO YOU GET THAT? FOR 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS, THE MAN GOLIATH WOULD STEP FORTH AND HE'D SAY, "GIVE ME A MAN THAT WILL FIGHT WITH ME. GIVE ME A MAN THAT'LL COME TO WAR WITH ME." AND HE'D PUT HIS ARMOR ON AND HE'D PUT HIS SHIELD ON AND HE'D PUT HIS HELMET ON AND HE'D MARCH OUT THERE AND HE WOULD INTIMIDATE THEM AND HE'D SAY, "GIVE ME A MAN THAT THEY COME AND FIGHT." EVERY single day. For 40 days and 40 nights, IT WAS THE LAST THING THEY HEARD when they went to bed and the first thing they heard in the morning.

And throughout the day they were reminded of what they were facing. That all of the sudden they forgot HOW BIG THEIR GOD WAS and they started looking and seeing the problem right in front of them. AND IT JUST HAD TO HAVE INTIMIDATING ENOUGH that they wouldn't even step forward into their promise. They wouldn't step forth AND SEIZE WHAT GOD HAD GIVEN THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE INTIMIDATED.

WHAT IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? WHAT IF THIS DOESN'T GO MY WAY? WHAT IF HEAR ME SAY, THERE'S SO MANY TIMES WE GET LOST IN THE WHAT IFS THAT WE WON'T EVEN FIGHT. WHY? IT'S A SPIRIT OF INTIMIDATION. AND THE SPIRIT OF INTIMIDATION INFECTED THEIR IMAGE. THEY FORGOT WHO THEY WERE. THEY FORGOT WHO THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR. THEY FORGOT WHO WAS ON THEIR SIDE. THEY FORGOT ALL OF THE VICTORY BECAUSE THEY'RE SO FOCUSED ON THE DISTRACTION. Because of the words. GIVE ME A MAN THAT'LL COME FIGHT. GIVE ME A MAN. I BELIEVE THE DEVIL DOES THAT TO US. Just another Sunday. Not going to get much out of this. Start thinking about lunch before the first song even kicks off. And all of a sudden we get distracted away from the image of God of who we are and what God wants to do for you.

And you ready for this? What God wants to do for the person sitting next to you or the person sitting in front of you or the person sitting behind you that you don't know what they're facing, but the devil said, "Ah, I'm just going to let everyone just kind of go through the motions." And the sad part is is you don't know what they need, but they know what they need. And sometimes they need you and me to step in the gap and help them. Says, "I got enough faith for both of us. I got enough faith that I know who I am and you may be struggling with, but we can link up together and I'm going to help you get your healing. You're not in this alone. Can I preach to somebody today? I feel in the Holy Ghost right now. You're not alone. Hear me tell you, you may not have faith, but there's somebody in this house that they're going to link up with you. They're not here to judge you. This is like Planet Fitness, baby. It's a no judgment zone. But you can COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AND STEP FORTH AND BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE EVERYBODY'S GOT PROBLEMS. EVERYBODY'S NOT PERFECT, BUT WE'RE SERVING GOD TOGETHER AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU. SO GOLIATH CRIES, "Give me a man. GIVE ME A MAN. GIVE ME A MAN." THROUGHOUT THE DAY the words echoed in their mind. It was the mentality that we're going to lose.

So, we'll run and hide. It was the reminder of a battle to be fought was greater than the battle itself. Don't let the reminders of the oppressor determine your walk with God. Don't you let your the the enemy get you out of your victory this morning. Your yesterday does not have to determine your here today. I'm here today to tell somebody that your reminders of past, they can be buried. They can be set aside.

And therefore, when David steps on the scene, then I'm almost done. When David steps on the scene, the Bible says that he he's the he's the OG of DoorDash, right? He's the Uber Eats of here. And David's here to drop off the bread. He's here There's not even a delivery fee for this guy, right? It's not even a $2.99 delivery fee plus a $5 tip plus a $4 tax for a $3 coffee. That's how David's rolling. David Some of you all have experienced that too, I see. David steps on the scene. And here it is. It's been 40 days and 40 nights. And he steps forward. But David Now, I'm fixing to drop this. Let me just throw this in and I'm just going to give you my opinion. I always love to clarify that.

I don't believe that David was the only one ordained by God to defeat the enemy. I believe any of those jokers could have stepped up and beat Goliath. I believe David was just the only one willing to step forward. He was the only one willing to step forward. And And reason was is he steps on the scene and he HAS NOT BEEN INFECTED BY A FAULTY IMAGE. THE INTIMIDATION HAS NOT come into his He does not care. He hears the words. He hears BEFORE HE SEES. WOO! And because he couldn't see the intimidation, he heard THIS AND SAID, "OH NO, THAT AIN'T HOW THIS IS GOING DOWN. WHO IS THIS ENEMY THAT'S GOING TO DEFY MY GOD? DON'T YOU KNOW WHO GOOD I AM DON'T YOU KNOW MY GOD? HE HELPED ME DEFEAT THE LION. HE HELPED ME DEFEAT THE BEAR. THIS GUY IS NO GUY. MY GOD IS BIGGER. WHY? BECAUSE INTIMIDATION WAS NEVER GOING TO DEFEAT DAVID'S IMAGE. DAVID UNDERSTOOD, "OH, NOT TODAY. I'M GOING TO GET THIS VICTORY RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW." AND WHEN GOLIATH TRIED TO INTIMIDATE HIM, HE STEPPED FORTH ON THE SCENE AND HE SAID, "OH, WHO IS THIS BOY?" DO YOU GET THE TACTIC YET? IT'S THE SAME THING THE DEVIL TRIES TO DO WITH US. "WHO ARE YOU THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN come down to the altar? I know what you did this week. I know what sin you got in your life. Don't you think about going and praying? Don't you God's not going TO DO ANYTHING ANYWAY." THE DEVIL IS A LIAR. NOT TODAY, SATAN. HEAR ME TODAY. GOD'S GOT SOMETHING MORE FOR YOU. GOD'S GOT VICTORY FOR YOU. GOD'S GOT SOMETHING GREATER FOR YOU. YOU'VE GOT TO RECEIVE IT AND UNDERSTAND, "I KNOW WHO I AM. I'M A CHILD OF GOD. I'M A CHILD OF THE KING."

AND SO when he steps on the battlefield, I love Remain standing with me. I love that I love that my boy all of a sudden Goliath starts to say, "Who are you?" But before he ever faced the enemy, he even had to deal with intimidation from amongst the brethren. I'm not your pastor, but I'm going to help your pastor out right here. Listen to me. Do not intimidate people around you that are trying to come to God. It was the brothers who said, "I know why you're here. The naughtiness of your heart." What? Intimidation? Saul steps forth who should have been like, "Yeah, let's go, baby." Uh, try this. I don't know if it's going to work. And then he steps forward. And Goliath says, "Who are you?" And David says, "This day, this day, I'm fixing to get some victory." He says, "I'm going to cut your head off." Hear me tell you. You know how you get victory over intimidation?

You got to cut it off. That negative voice, you got to cut it out. You got to kick that thing out and say, "Not today anymore. I know you've been talking negative. I know you've been critical. I know you've had that negative voice. Not anymore. I'm going to get the toxic thinking out of my life and start to understand I know who I am. I don't got to listen to that junk anymore. It's not going to affect me anymore. It's not going to intimidate my promise. It's not going to intimidate my future. It's not going to get intimidate my victory."

And we know the story. Before Jacob could move forward, he had to bury some things because they were a reminder of the past. Some idols that he'd allowed into his life had crept in and started to define his image. He adopted the worship and allowed his home to worship a false god instead of seeing the Lord our God.

With every head bowed and every eye closed, don't go back. Intimidation and failure leads us to go back to where we are most comfortable, not where we are most called. God has called you. You're a child of God. I know who you are. You've got promise written all over you. You just have to say, "I will receive it today."

When Peter failed, where did he go? He went back to fishing. When the book of Acts church is rolling, it's throughout the word of God. I challenge you when you're reading your devotion, check the spirit of intimidation every time that there's a conflict. You'll see that there's sometimes intimidating things around to try to move them. It's not something new. It's the oldest trick in the book. Because if he can impact our image through intimidation, you'll be ineffective and never get what God has for you.

Today, this day, I challenge you right now. I challenge you in the Holy Ghost that whatever you need from God, you can receive it today. But before you receive it, it's got to be an image issue. Some of you have allowed your insecurities to define you far too long. But what if you were to lay that on the altar today and say, "God, I know who I am. I'm a child of God. He is my father. I am fearfully and wonderfully made by him, by his hand, in his image, to give him glory. I am a reflection of the Father. In the Holy Ghost right now, I feel that there's healing in the house. Your past, your pain, your trauma, it no longer needs to define you. Today is your day of freedom. It Today is a Memorial weekend that you can say today is the day that I set free. I I was a new person today. If you've never been baptized, you need to just lay that aside and say, "Oh, today's my day to get baptized." It's not get good then get God. It's you get God and become a child of the king and then all sudden he can begin to make all the other areas good.

So, with every head bowed and every eye closed, I challenge you right now just to take an inward look and begin to ask, "How's your prayer life? How's your worship? How's your Bible reading? How's your witnessing and testimony of what God's done for you?" It's an image issue. But, if you could ever see yourself how God sees you, today is your day to set that free and say, "God, heal me today. Heal me today. I thought I was good, but I have a faulty image like the preachers come all the way from DC to tell me to Your image can determine your effectiveness and when you begin to see yourself how God sees you, there's a revival in this house right now.

Just lift your hands and I want you to be able to say in the name of Jesus right now. I pray God that you would begin to give me and let me see me how you see me. In the name of Jesus, God, help me today. God, I pray that you'll begin to break every chain. I pray that you begin to break every chain of self-destruction, of defeat, God, that has manifested in the name of Jesus right now. God, I declare your victory. I know who I am. I know what I've been promised. I know what I've been given. I'm no longer going to listen to the enemy. I'm no longer going to listen to the voices of intimidation. I'm no longer going to listen to the insecurities. In the name of Jesus right now, there is freedom in this place, in your life. I know what your dad spoke over you. I put that on the altar AND SAY, I KNOW WHAT MY MY FATHER BUT my heavenly father's greater THAN ANY EARTHLY OH, I'M HERE TODAY TO THEY MAY HAVE WALKED OUT ON YOU BUT YOUR GOD WILL NEVER WALK OUT ON YOU. I KNOW THEY MAY HAVE SAID, "OH, YOU DON'T BELONG." BUT YOU BELONG IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU HE'S GREATER IN YOUR LIFE.

IN THE NAME OF JESUS RIGHT NOW, this altar's open. I WONDER IF YOU'LL COME DOWN AND YOU CAN FIND a place right now of healing. I wonder if you'll say, "In the name OF JESUS, I SET MYSELF ASIDE. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, GOD. LORD, BEGIN TO HEAL ME RIGHT NOW." I CHALLENGE YOU, GET OUT OF YOUR PEW. IF YOU NEED HEALING, TODAY'S YOUR DAY, BABY. IF YOU NEED DELIVERANCE, TODAY'S YOUR DAY. IF YOU NEED GOD TO DO SOMETHING, TODAY IS YOUR DAY.