Faith Over Fear

Welcome to the prolific teaching ministry of Pastor Immanuel Iret, lead pastor of Celebration Church International. It is his vision to partner with you for your progress and joy in the faith. Ready? Set? Grow. Glory, glory, glory to God. Very quickly the theme of this service is faith over fear. Can you say faith over fear? Faith over fear. And by that theme you already have the idea that we are talking about a superimposition of the faith of God over fear. Not that the threats of the future reduce but that your courage increases. And this is such a timely word because many of you are in what I call the age of anxiety. 25 to 35 years of age where you are pushed out of the boat, out of your comfort zone to walk on water. And you better have learned to walk on water. In Lim Mantem, I'm talking about adulting where everything is just so expensive. You know, in your final days in your parents house, you know, you were saying I can't wait to leave this house. And this morning, you know, but then when you were out, I remember when I was setting up our house and I will price mattress or to pay the mattress and they said 85,000. You have a fresh appreciation for your parents. Like what is this? And some of you are just overwhelmed right now. Your career maybe is overwhelming you. A lot of people are looking up to you counting on you. Your family is counting on you. It was counting the young man, you know, towards the end of last year. He's trying to get his business on its feet and yet he has to cater for his family. It's so difficult. So challenging, coupled with the complexities that come with marital choices sometimes and all the drama. And so I here to ask and answer some silly questions. How do I rise above fear? How do I rise above anxiety? How do I deal with loss? Because you see, some of you are trying to find yourself. And in this age of experiment, you're going to try many things and stick to what works. So some of you would discover after some years that you can't really practice what you read in school. And so on your bio, there are several different things. Because you should try anyone that works right now. And we have to tell you it will take faith over fear so that having done all you will stand. Because there are waves. You see the pillows roll. And God wants to build in you a fresh capacity for the challenges ahead. You see, I like to study wide. So I was studying about psychology. And an experiment was carried on two groups of people. Both of them were made to experience some stress and some strain. But for some group, the first group, this stress was voluntary. For the other group, it was involuntary. And it was discovered that the group that had or experienced that stress voluntarily, they had a different psychophysiological response to it. And the stress was not as difficult. But the group that was not prepared for it also did not have, at least this is the principle on which normal motivation works. It's an age long, long principle. It is used in battles you've seen in the movies where the captain of an army will charge his army, you know, in all of that, or coaches use it in sports. Because when two teams are about to face each other, and they have similar skill, the more motivated team will win. You know what I'm saying, right? Because there is another skill, another artistic for measuring strength beyond what is physical. There is a mental fortitude that is necessary. Are you getting what I'm saying? This is so important. As you prepare for the future with something to know. And even if what God uses to prepare his children for the future is deeper and stronger than mere motivation, it is faith yet to design important subjects to have. And I want to say this respectfully. There is a perspective of faith and faith teaching that makes us more vulnerable. If you have a perspective of faith that gives you the impression that faith makes you avert all the dangers in the future. You know some people they just feel because they are people of faith, the circumstances of life must always be favorable. And if you keep yourself in that limbo, you will be like the second group of people. The stress and the strain will meet you involuntarily. And you will not be as equipped as you should be for it. So when Jesus says in John chapter 16, verse 33, He says, "In this world you will have tribulations, but big of good cheer I have overcome the world." You see that heads up, knowledge prepares you. So I am not anticipating a life void of challenges, a life void of trials, because strictly speaking there is no such life. That's not what was promised. Instead, He says, "I have overcome the world." So He wants to build in me a mentality that will wear out any fight that I have to encounter. Do you understand what I'm saying? So when as a believer, try out, still surprise you. You still have a lot to learn. There's nothing to be surprised about it. In fact, you anticipate it because Jesus said in this life, you will have tribulations. So a better strategy will be to be prepared. God wants to prepare you. You know what the Bible says in Psalm 23? It says, "The Lord is my shepherd." "What a perspective of the future." "He makes me lie down when grip passes." "He leads me beside the steel waters." "He restores my soul." "He leads me in the path of righteousness for his namesake." "And then the next statement, he made is what? Want to go everybody?" It says, "Yay! I like this, clamation." That is also important. It says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil." Do you receive this word this morning? "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil." So death is happening around me yet I'm not afraid. I'm not patopped. Even though I walk through a scarierly, and environment that is not conducive, people are dropping to my right and to my left. It says, "I fear no evil." Why is it that what with me? Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. So there are three different ways that God delivers his children from evil. And you have to understand all those three ways. The first is the popular one that all Christians try to expect all the time. It's that he averts the evil. Either by prophetic gifts or by wisdom, he says the wise man sees, "Tropo a fowl of and he keeps himself." He averts the evil. But that's not all. There is a second and a third. The second is you go through the fire and you are not burnt. It's also the strategy of God. It says, "You shall walk through the fire and you will not be burnt." So you go through that trial and you come out unscattered. But the third is this. You go through it. You feel all the pressure. But it does not think you instead, it makes you stronger. Say, "Low, day, man." But if you have a stereotypical perspective to faith and how it operates, you will stick to only the first possibility. And without knowing you become ungrateful, because God is walking in your life and you won't even see it. So there are two types of people in this life. They are the David's and the Joseph's. And I'm just becoming metaphorically and you understand what I'm saying. You know, some people like the David's. 'David sinaru' 'You were the on the dog, even in your family, if there was anyone to be a noiter king, even your own father did not think you should be among.' So when there were lightning people up in his house, people who would be the next king, he didn't even think of David. It was the Prophet who had to say, 'There has to be one more child, none of these people are the people God has asked me to annoy it.' And they called David and next thing, oil is on David. Wow, his life is about to change. And it just imagined you were David's friend. Everybody hears about it and they're like, 'Ah, we're happy for you, you're the next king.' That's the kind of story people like. Like you were here and then things just change. But then there is Joseph. Joseph is even from a more comfortable home. His father is rich and takes care of him, gives him a coat of many colors. And then Joseph has a dream. David had no dream. Joseph even had the dream. He saw in a dream. He saw his father, his siblings bowing down to him. And he's like, 'Oh, wow, God has great plans for me.' His enthusiastic about tomorrow in all of that. But guess what? Everything goes downward as a spiral. And it's just getting worse and worse and worse. I mean, how do you reconcile your having a dream today and then tomorrow you're in the pit? And I say, 'That's not bad enough. Next tomorrow you are a slave in Portifus House.' I say, 'That's not bad enough. You are in prison. What type of life is this? If you're not careful, if you are in that situation, you will go from place to place seeking deliverance.' Because something ought to be wrong. But guess what? In both David and Joseph, God was walking. Listen, this is a perspective of faith that many people don't learn. Many people's perspective of faith is so stereotypical. If it doesn't work in this way, then something is wrong. And it doesn't really work like that. You have to have a bigger picture to understand and descend properly to walk into God in your life. Now, just imagine that Joseph and David were friends and growing up and then one of them, you know, David's life just begins to tickle very fast. And Joseph's life, it looks like he's going down. And you're like, 'What's happening?' You know, there's that pressure, especially in this age, you're finished from school together. Some of you know what I'm saying. There are some people as they are graduating like this, you start hearing stories. They go to their job. They give him company car. You know, all those kinds of things. And if you're not careful, you look at yourself, you can be happy for your friend and still feel, 'Oh, God, why now?' And little do people know that Joseph and David have the same destiny. They are both going to be kings. They are both going to be in charge of the nation. So the process doesn't in any way deter. God's eventual plan for your future. Can you believe that? But some people don't know about this. Their perspective of faith is so stereotypical. And they are not prepared for challenges. At the slightest challenges, they're asking God, 'Why? Why me? Who else?' 'Who else?' So there's a different perspective here. Where you believe. And you just trust God with your life. Paul says, 'I know whom I've believed.' He's able to keep that which I've committed to his hands. You trust him with your life. You trust him with your lifetime. That old song says, 'If I give God my lifetime, He would take care of me.' Now that's faith. Through the trials and the tribulation, you trust God's providence. And you know that no matter what, the outcome will remain the same. If a more than day person was yourself, the process would be very different. From the time that he was taken from his father to the time he became prime minister in between, in between to be food of depression. Yes or yes. As is in the pit, God, why? You know, grumbling, complaining. As is on his way, you know, to Egypt, complaining, you know, as his understand about to be slow to slavery, complaining. In portifas house, complaining, even portifas will know that this one's mind is not here. And all through his day in portifas house, all you'll be concerned about will be looking for an opportunity to escape back to his father's house. But when you look at yourself, you wonder what type of boy was this? In portifas house, he was still so responsible, he gave it his best. Some of you, your mind is so much in the future that you jeopardize the present that can even better the future you desire. You are so absent in the present, so absent. As if until what you want happens, you're not alive. Joseph was not like that. Portifas trusted him so much, eventually left everything for him. Joseph was so responsible. Joseph was so strong. I mean, Satan must have been frustrated like what will it take to break this boy's spirit? Even in prison, he's still in type routine dreams. What will it take? And you know one of the most powerful texts in the entire Bible. The Bible talks about the time Joseph was about to be sold to slavery. You know, standing on that stand, you know, have you seen how the auctions walk? Oh, going for a 50k. Who is ready? We need to get ready. Oh, 60k. 60k. Anybody want to say that? That's what they were doing for Joseph. The guy who are they dream? And it's not the pretty sights to be on that stand because in those days, there was too few naked. Just so that the people who want to purchase you see that there's no dent, no scar on your body. And the Bible says about Joseph. And Joseph was a prosperous man. And you're wondering, this is not the picture of prosperity that we have. So what if your life was like this? That you come to a point where if they take your gold, they take your silver, they take your house, they take your car, they still look at you, and the glow on you has not changed. And so by observation, the record that it was never really about your possession, that what makes you you is not your pocket, but what you have inside. The Bible says, and Joseph was a prosperous man. Wow. You know some people, the moment they lose their possessions, they lose their mind. And Joseph was not like that. Joseph spirit was still not broken. As he was sold, his spirit was not broken. As he was in part of our house, his spirit was not broken. In prison, his spirit was not broken. God wants to build in you a strong engine so that no matter what you face, what God is going to do for you, is going to build in you such a fortitude there that if the devil wants to come for you, he will have to be prepared. Because there are some people that when the devil stands against them, he will exhaust all his strength in the fights. And when he's exhausted and is about to go, he will still be standing. That's what God wants to do for you. But you have to have a perspective of faith that can still see God even in the trials. See God to enjoy the process trusting God. Look at Romans 8 verse 28. Romans 8 verse 28. Are you there? They are not responding. Read together, want to go. Why are you reading like Drosupp? I wish you will read this with some faith. Can you read it again, want to go? Whadda mentali ti ti? He said 'we know' and we know. Do you know? Are you sure that all things work together. So think about the mentality of the person writing, that God is walking in every situation for good. Not that all the situations will be good. Are you with me? But that God walks in all those situations for good. Again, not that all the situations will be good, but that God walks in them for good. It's a training to be able to see God even when it's not obvious. So that you won't be so blinded to only appreciate the workings of God at the end. And Genesis 50/20. One of the most powerful statements in the entire Bible just after these brothers, he meant it for evil, God meant it for good. He owed his brothers things, actually. He owed them things. If they hadn't kicked them off his comfort zone, made him go through all that hardship. He would never have fulfilled God's plan for his life. What if the trials and tribulations are necessary for what you are going in? Just what if? That's the question. We know that all things work together for good. So them that love God and to those who are decoded according to His purpose. So now there is a deeper lesson in the character of faith. And I told you respectfully last week that many Christians just ignore the first part. When you read Hebrew chapter 11, some people just cherry pick and pick the faith stories that are nice through faith, the subdued kingdoms. Quench the fairy phonies, stop the mouth of liar. But the same Hebrew 11 also tells you that through faith some others will torture not accepting deliverance. So there is if your perspective of faith does not accommodate pain, it is wrong. Let me give you a very simple example that will really help you. Hebrews 11 tells us pay attention to this. Hebrews 11 tells us that by faith Sarah receives strength to conceive Isaac. Right? The same Hebrews 11 also tells us that by faith Abraham sacrificed Isaac. Are you missing that? It is by faith that they were able to gain it. It is by faith that they were willing to lose it. For many people only see faith in the positives. This is so crucial. They only see faith in the positives and that's wrong. So we said faith has a lot to do with consecration, last week's Sunday, prophetic faith. Were you blessed by that? This is going to be a step further from that. So I want you to pay attention to this. Alright? So if I was to describe charismatic faith, I would describe it this way. Faith is anything you do in the name of Jesus. So simple, but very important. Never forget it. A lot of people only think about, no, the good stuff, moving mountains, walking on water, doing that in the name of Jesus that's faith. But when for Christ's sake, you have to face persecution and unfavorable circumstances that also is faith. And in fact, if you study the true context of Hebrews 11, you would discover he was teaching on tenacity in the face of trials. See, you have to learn to study the Bible in contexts, follow the train of thoughts. Because when a lot of people just go to Hebrews 11 and you know, and yes, there's a lot of talk on salvation. There's a lot of talk on charismatic ministry. By faith, the dead, you know, women received their dead back to life. And you're like, yeah, I received that. But there is a more fundamental context. Look at Hebrews chapter 10. Let's do just a very scanty commentary. Hebrews chapter 10 from verse 32. He says, "But record the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings." Are you saying this? You endured a great struggle with sufferings. Partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproachies and tribulations. And partly while you became companions of those who were so treated, for you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods. We are talking about the time where the government was so much against the church that because you profess the name of Christ, you can't have property. And the moment you claim to be a believer, they seize your houses. They seize your cars. They seize everything you have. And they say, they joyfully endure the plundering of their goods. If you're not like Abraham, willing to surrender whatever you gained by faith, you will have a problem here. Are you getting this? Because what many people call faith is religious anxiety or religious idolatry. You have idolized your needs so much. It's all you think about. It's all you pray about. You value it more than God. When you have money, God is good. When you don't have money, God, if you know you are God, is idolatry. Idolatry with a sprinkle of religion. It says joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods. No way that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Now this is faith. I'm going to dwell on this statement a little. It says, "Depth or do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward." "Don't cast away your confidence." He said things will get easier, he said, "Be confidence." Because a reward is coming. Don't cast away your confidence, which has a great reward for you have need of endurance. So that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. You see, endurance is a subject that has not been discussed in the curriculum of faith. And it is part of the curriculum of faith. In fact, many people think faith has nothing to do with patience and endurance. They say, "Now faith is, now faith is, faith is now." And the Bible says, "You have great need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." For yet a little while, he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith. So now there is a final vindication of the believer at the second coming of Christ. At that time, I will get a just recompense of reward. The Bible says, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be what." So now in this time, I trust God. No matter the trials and the tribulations is worth it because there is a just recompense at the end. You understand what I'm saying? And so now, in spite of the trials, I'm crying Maranatha. I'm waiting for the coming of Christ. There's a compensation. So it says, "In a short while, he that this coming will come and will not tarry." Now the just shall live by faith. Meaning faith in that context is tenacity in the face of tribulation. He that is coming will come and will not tarry. He says, "But if anyone draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Now faith is. Are you getting it? That's how we enter the Hebrews 11. Just the true context. Then you go through Hebrews 11. Now look at Hebrews 12 from verse 1. It says, "Definitely we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness." 'Oh boy, this is so beautiful.' So he uses the example of other people who went through trying times in the Bible and kept the testimony of their faith and it says you are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses. You are going through a trying time, you are not the first. You are not the first. There is no temptation that the man faces that is common to man. That is not common to man. Hallelujah. He says, 'So surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, there was layerside everywhere and everything that tore easily and snazled us and run within your arms. The race set before us, run within your arms. Listen, the race will require endurance. The race will not be easy. That's why endurance will be needed. There will be some trials, there will be some tribulations. So it will take strength, not an easier path, but a stronger you. So it says, 'Run within your arms.' The race set before you. It says, 'Look in on to Jesus.' He gave the example of all the great heroes of it. And now he uses Jesus also as an example. Listen, in Christ, we don't just have redemption. We have an example. Did you hear what I said? Because the story of his redemption is also an example about suffering and the vindication of God. There's a song by elevation worship that I like very much. It says Saturday was silent. He's talking about the Saturday before the Sunday where Jesus rose. Surely it was true. The Romans always thought that they had gotten rid of him. Surely it was true. He said, 'What seems when has impossible ever stopped you.' He says, 'Frightest disappointment is Sunday's empty tomb.' So you see, it's very easy to judge Thomas and speaking from the lens of biblical faith, he's to be judged. But scientifically, you can understand where he's coming from. You can't witness what you witnessed in the sufferings of Christ, the passions of the Christ, and not have some doubts in your head. Do you know how he was bitten? The whips that were used historically had small dumbbells attached to them. So when the whips were thrown at you, dumbbells and thumbs, so the dumbbells would break your blood cells and then the thumbs would tear it open. So it was tearing your veins. So the blood and the bleeding was more than usual. Historically, many people did not even get to the cross. At that bit, they would die. And then you still have to carry the cross. You get to go, 'God, the drive nails through your wrist, seven inch long nails, Roman nails, and through your legs, they put the crown of thorns on you, they put the spear through your sight. Thomas said, 'Until I put my finger inside that hole, I will not believe.' But listen, three days later, the Bible says, 'The stones were rolled away.' An angel rolled away the stone and sat on it. Are you with me? So listen, we see in Jesus the vindication of God that even at the lowest air of our lives, it is not finished. I gave this illustration in the first service. Power has a lot to do with our perspective of limitation. So if you are holding your iPhone and it falls down, there's a way you will feel. But if you are the CEO of Apple and your phone falls, you just pick it up. Oh, God, this screen again. You call an angel now. Oh, Bami, what can you hear? Abhi, I just changed it real quick. So when you are dealing with a God, who can form humans out of dust, there is a kind of recklessness you will have. The Bible says, 'Do not fear those who can only destroy the flesh.' Fear who can destroy but flesh and soul in hell. You have a different perspective of fear. Say, 'I will not fear what men can do to me.' It's a type of, you know, you just trust God with your life. That even in death, God's power has not ended. So it's a different perspective to life and its trials. So he says, 'Looking onto Jesus, the author and the finisher of faith, this is where you should learn from. He says, 'Who for the joy that was set before Him, endure the cross, despise the shame and is sat down.' He brus 12, too. 'Looking onto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endure the cross, despise the shame and is sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.' Look at verse 3, so that you'll be sure what he's talking about. He says, 'For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself. You see a tweed against you and you are sad you're losing your sleep. They said something about you in the office, you can't sleep.' He says, 'Consider Him.' 'Consider Him.' Your boss says you are not performing well in the office. Now you are approaching depression. Some friends, you know, just misunderstand you and don't want to be a friend anymore. And so you feel he said, 'Consider Him, who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself lest you become weary and discouraging your souls.' Verse 4 is very, I mean, it's a sort of against us. You know what verse 4 says? He says, 'You have not yet resisted to blow yet, striving against sin. No one has put their sword on your neck.' Jesus died. No one has threatened your life yet. So what is it about faith? Let me say this thing respectfully. You know, there are some people who keep preaching to them throughout their lives and they don't believe. And at the point of death, you now grab them and say, 'You have to believe. You're going to face the master.' You know, and maybe they don't really believe for just think it's. Just think it's. Okay, what should I say? See it, and there are a lot of final moments like this. But when you see healthy people not running away from persecution, it's a different perspective of trust. It's a different thing when you're already dying. Are you confess? Just in case. You never can tell. But when you see healthy people who are not given to self-preservation, it's a different thing. Jesus could have delivered himself. And so he says, 'You have not yet resisted unto blood.' So what is it about Bible people that made them so confident in God? I've told you this before, and it's one of the most powerful demonstrations of faith in the Bible. I already told you by faith, Sarah received strength to conceive Isaac. By faith, Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac. You know, God had told Abraham before, 'It says, 'Indeed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.' And so there was a promise to Isaac. And now the same God led us, 'Take your Son, your only Son whom you love, sacrifice him to me, and listen. This is where you know if you are really walking in faith. Not by the things you gain by faith alone, but by the things you are willing to lose. Are you with me? So do you know what it means to be 100 years of age and have only one son? People who are still young and have only one children, aren't you seeing the way they behave? Yes. Bamiwa, Mamiwa, they will always remind you, 'It's my only child.' And you are 100, and God says, 'Give your son to me, and you carry him festering in the morning.' And the Bible in Hebrews 11 explains why he did that. And it is, it Brahms mentality was simple. God said, 'In Isaac shall your seed be called.' There is a promise on Isaac's life. So, and God's word will never fall to the ground. So if God is asking me to sacrifice Isaac and to kill Isaac, it means he plans to raise Isaac up. So Abraham found it easier to believe that God will raise Isaac up if he dies, than to believe that God's word will fail. God didn't tell him this, so he concluded on his own. 'Ah, in Isaac shall my seed be called.' And now God is asking me to sacrifice Isaac. That means he will raise Isaac up. What kind of trust is this? Phrailita pero ключblo Hush, you are striving for seas. You will handle difficult situations better. Listen, because the principle of faith is this. Anything God gives me that I lose. He can give me another one. Thank you. That's all. So if God gave me Isaac, if you are really sure it was a miracle, you were not lucky. Eh? This is also the principle behind sacrificial giving. Anything you can't give, your doubts God gave you. So even if it's Isaac, you bind Isaac. It's calm. Where's the lamb? It's a God who provides. I get what I'm saying now. And then it will help even your relationship with people, things. You will stop striving over patiness. When lot is fighting, his servants are fighting, you just say, you know what, let's not fight. Take what you want and go. You know, it takes a certain level of assurance. A brown was so secure. He wasn't looking for funny ways to keep money, get money. You know, if you believe in a super-abondant God, you'll be at ease. When someone knows that to give him money, he said, no, no, unless you say you made the brown bridge. There's the type of, you know, when you trust in God, my money is coming. There's no rush. And are you got no more I'm saying? This is what keeps you from illegal deals. Let's take it. Let's just say you made the brown bridge. You move on. Please are you with me? And so he told lots, let's not fight. Fight over land. Take whatever you want. Lots chose the best lands. The best of everything I was going. As lots was still going, go to the Abraham. He said, lift up your eyes and see. As far as you can see, not southeast and west, he said, I will give to you. See, there is a type of trust in God that saves you from pettiness. Because you believe in a God who always has a great recompense of reward for people who wait on him. Are you hearing this? So how does this apply in your life? You know, every aspect of your life. You lose a job. Are you going to get another one? The reason why you you you feel so down through doing is because you feel why do? Trust God. Come on. Isaac was like that too. He dog and well they see the way they dog and other one. He dog a second one they see the dog a thought one. He dog the the sister thought what he dog the fourth one. The sister thought what he dog the fifth one. He the sister fit one he dog the sixth one. Can you tell you some? Can I tell you something you can't wear the devil out? With this kind of tenacity and devil go tired. Because you're unstoppable. Don't you understand? There's a kind of tenacity. It has to take a lot to see your end. It has to take a lot. I don't care what you've gone through. Start again. Try again. Go again. It doesn't matter. They cheated you. You invested. They just go again. Are you listening to me? I invested in a business and went down to go again. Because God builds in His people in tenacity. Eh? Like I said, the devil will fight and lose all his fights. Say let's leave this one. There are many other people. Let's look for people who have not heard this teaching. Who don't have this training? People who their phone they scream cracks and they say God, where were you? You know there's no people like that. I've been saying, there are Christians like that. I don't know Christians like that. And there's some others. They think that they're killing others and making them stronger. I was talking to a man of God. Days ago he called me from Abuja. He was 12 midnight. He called and the Lord said, pick. So I picked. I picked. And he told me how we lost two branches in Abuja. I said, what happened? You know, for many people, church is business. So there was a man who had money and wanted to set up a church center. And so he was looking for a pastor. Coincidentally, there was this man in his church who felt he could preach and was ready for ministry, but felt that we know giving him as much opportunity. And this man had these reasons which we now know anyway. And so this man just came and said, come preach for me in the church that I'm starting. I will give you 150,000 every month. So that one left. He packed the entire choir in the church. He bought a boss. So packed members enticed them with a lot of welfare programs. To last a while. So he emptied this church. The other branch too, all kinds of things happened with the people he put in charge there. I waited for him to finish when he was done. I said, man, we've got to start again. See, I'm stubborn. It will take a lot to see my end. Ah, you see, don't you understand? I retire is he that is in me. Then he that is in the world. I said, start again. He said, I told him, I said, this is the time to preach your best. I said, go on fast again. Walk miracles like never before. Preach like never before. I said, people will be expecting that when they see you on the road, they're like, this your head is down. I said, dress your best. Look your best. Do your best. Fire on. I said, go like never before. I said, if you do this in two years, two years, stop, stop you, stop you, stop you. The fight is bigger in your mind. Shh. In the world of the famous philosopher, I am a fight. I am a war. Listen. Hallelujah. See, it's okay for you to laugh but take this I'm very serious. You have to have a tenacity in your spirits. Don't let them stop your first well. I just say, there's no other thing. Dig another one. When you believe in the God, who can replicate miracles? Don't understand. So so so there was Jesus multiplied five laws and two fish. Multiply seven laws and two fish. And then one day they were going again and he said, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. He was speaking metaphorically talking about the doctrine of the Pharisees and the disciples said, oh, he's wanting us about the bread that the Pharisees would be seven. They said, what is that? They said, it's because we didn't carry bread. He said, have you forgotten the seven laws and two? Have you forgotten the five laws and two? O, E of little faith. You know what that means? You have a little faith if you feel miracles are not replicable. So if you have one and it goes and you think you are stranded, you have little faith. So you have to have that level of optimism, that prophetic optimism of the future. You are dated, dated someone for four years. He said, it's not doing again. No problem. Love but take what I'm saying. Your life has not ended. Or vice versa because sometimes the babe they say, say thank you very much. No problem. It's okay to cry, cry at home. Yes, cry at home and you dust yourself, clean yourself up and forge a hair trusting God. It's how to handle trials. I'm going to end because I don't know. It's someone comparing with our research is all this time. Turn the Bible 2 Timothy 1, 7. So it makes a great eye to see that it's in me. and he is in the world. Second Timothy 17, I want you to receive this with your spirits. Are you ready? Thank you, Jesus. Read it together, "Won to go." Do you believe that? We did again "Won to go." I want you to read it like it's tearing. Do you believe this? Is this tearing to you? Read it one more time and personalize it. God has not given me the spirit of fear. God has given me the spirit of fear. But of all of that sound mind. I'm not losing my mind about the things that I need. I've got a sound mind. I refuse to fear. I refuse to fear. The Lord is the strength of my life. Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I be afraid? Is that when the enemy came against me? Came for my flesh and my blood. This tomb would not fail. I'm unstoppable. I refuse to recognize limitations. I refuse to recognize barriers. Brain the Holy Ghost right now. Power, love and sound mind. No matter how hard the situation is, I still walk in love. I don't transfer aggression. I'm not hostile to people because of what I'm going through. I have power, love and sound mind. Greater, greater is he that is in me. Than he that is in the world. Greater is he that is in me. I refuse to be discouraged. Karza manda rapaka shite rebaaya. Kalaman de rebe, in ministry, in marriage I refuse to be discouraged. Kalaman da la baaya. Thank you Lord. Use bleed to see so I can walk right through it. My fears are drowning perfect love. You rescue me so I can stand and say, "Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah." I want to hear you sing it. Use bleed to see. And right now my fears are drowned in the consciousness of the love of the Father. "Hey, hey, hey, you rescued me." And after the deliverance I still stand to say, "Come on, everybody, say." Say I'm no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God. One more time, say. "Professor, I don't buy your life's day." "Pity is of the Father." Say I'm surrounded. Say, "I'm surrounded." "My songs, my songs are in the ground." We're liberated. No more fear. Sing from our body name. From our body name. We're the sons and the daughters. Yeah. Let us sing say. I'm no longer a slave to fear. Don't break this ceremony away for such a time as this. You're rising from this courage, rising from rejection, rising. And the Lord is saying, I remove the supporting structure from around you. All the people whose opinions you idolized, I took them out of the way so that you can find yourself and find yourself in me so that you're trust to be in me alone. And now he has bleed to see. He's asking you to walk on water to see no limitation. Of all the negatives they've said about you, you will still fulfill God's plan for your life. You will still amount to all that God has said you will amount to. You will still do all that God has said you will do. That's why all the back talking, the back biting, the discouragement, the people who promised to help you but failed to help you. You are found strength in Zion. You are found direction in the wheel of the Father and is telling you, Ron with patience, the rest set before you. Looking onto Jesus, the author and finish of your faith. He's telling you to run with confidence because there's a great recompense of reward. Look to him who entured the contradiction of sinners. He's your example. You stand in spite of contradiction. That you're destiny. To know who you are and who you are. I am Roger. Full of faith, yes. I am I know who I am. I am a child of God. I know who Zion is. Thank you Lord. Give the Lord a shout of praise. Glory. Glory. Thank you Jesus.