Latest / Koinonia Christian Center / Kingdom Practice: Fasting Part 2 | Filling The Space with Him | Pastor Trev Evans

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Kingdom Practice: Fasting Part 2 | Filling The Space with Him | Pastor Trev Evans · Koinonia Christian Center

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  Amen. Come on, let's get ready to get
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  into the word of the Lord today. Grab
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  your Bible. Whether that is a paper
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  Bible, your phone, tablet, whatever you
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  have, e church, grab it and lift it up.
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  And come on, let's make our confession.
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  Say, "This is my Bible.
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  >> It is God's word.
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  >> It reveals to me.
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  >> It reveals
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  >> God's will.
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  >> Therefore,
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  >> therefore,
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  >> it's the final authority.
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  >> The final authority
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  >> to which I submit
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  >> to settle all the issues
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  >> of my life."
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  >> of my life. It's the standard standard
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  >> of my conduct
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  >> and the basis
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  >> the basis
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  >> of all my expectations of all my
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  expectations.
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  >> Shout it out. I am
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  >> I am
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  >> what it says I am.
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  >> It says I am.
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  >> I possess
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  >> what it [music] says I possess.
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  >> It says I am.
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  >> And I can do
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  >> I can do
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  >> absolutely everything.
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  >> Absolutely everything
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  >> it says I can do.
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  >> It says I can do.
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  >> I'm a believer.
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  >> Not a doubter.
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  >> I'm a doer.
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  >> Not just a hearer. Not just
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  >> And my life
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  >> And my [music] life
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  >> my everyday life
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  >> is the better
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  >> after having heard
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  >> after having
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  >> the word of faith
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  >> faith comes by hearing
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  >> and hearing
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  >> and hearing byar
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  >> the word of God word of God.
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  >> Let's ride. You may be seated in the
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  presence of the Lord.
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  Amen. Amen.
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  Hallelujah.
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  Yes, sir.
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  >> Yes, sir.
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  >> Hallelujah. Go with me with ma to
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  Matthew chapter 12.
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  >> Matthew chapter 12 verse 43.
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  >> We'll get there in just a moment.
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  >> Last week we were talking about we
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  talked from the subject make room for
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  him. Yes.
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  >> And this is a message this last week and
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  this week preparing us for this fast
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  that we are coming up on.
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  >> We are on a a fast that will begin
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  February the 17th
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  >> through April the 3.
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  >> Now let me let me let me bring a little
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  clarity here. We have what we call this
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  year called turndown Tuesdays. And that
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  is the third Tuesday of the month where
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  we turn down our place totally from 6:00
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  a.m. to 6 pm. During the fast, we will
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  not do turn down Tuesday. Our 40-day
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  fast will engulf turnown Tuesday. So, we
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  have two third Tuesdays during the fast.
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  You don't have to not eat on those third
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  Tuesdays. You eat staying in alignment
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  with the fast and the restrictions we're
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  already on.
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  >> Does that make sense?
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  Thank you, Jesus. All right. And so,
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  we're preparing for this fast. And so,
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  what we talked about last week is that
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  we don't want to be the people of Isaiah
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  chapter 58 who fast but did not bring
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  any type of disruption, discomfort, or
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  disconnection to their lives.
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  >> That if we are going to make room and
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  allow God to do what he wants to do in
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  our lives, we have to first allow this
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  fast to disrupt our routine.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> Yeah. Secondly, that we have to embrace
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  the discomfort that a fast brings.
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  >> Understand something. You are going to
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  get hungry.
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  >> Do not spend the entirety of the fast
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  trying to not get hungry.
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  >> You and I must embrace this discomfort.
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  >> And thirdly, we said we must disconnect
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  from distractions.
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  >> That when we do these things, we make
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  room for God in our lives during this
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  fast. However, God continued to speak
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  and he said to me that it is not enough
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  for us to just make room.
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  >> That you and I must also fill the space
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  we've created with him.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> We must allow him to fill the space in
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  our lives because vacancy can be a
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  vulnerability.
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  >> A vacancy can be a vulnerability. Let's
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  let's ride Matthew 12 verse 43.
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  What an interesting text.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> It says, "When an unclean spirit goes
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  out of a man, he goes through dry places
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  seeking rest and finds none. Then he
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  says, I will return to my house from
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  which I came. And when he comes, he
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  finds it empty,
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  swept,
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  and put in order. Then he goes and takes
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  with him seven other spirits more wicked
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  than himself. And they enter and dwell
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  there. And the last state of the man is
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  worse than the first.
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  Now, can we just talk?
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  >> That don't seem fair
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  because I have gone through I have
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  cleaned up. I have moved out what was
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  bad
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  >> and now it is empty. And you mean to
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  tell me that I've done all that and
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  still can end up worse in the end than I
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  was before I started ever doing the
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  cleaning?
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  >> And for so long, I've always looked at
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  this text and focus in on the the demon
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  and the unclean spirit. But God began to
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  lift a principle to me that that you and
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  I must be careful because vacancy can be
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  a vulnerability
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  >> that IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO CLEAR
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  things out if we don't fill that space
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  with the right thing.
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  >> You you know what I I found Let me tell
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  you something I found. Now this is
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  [clears throat] no this is not an Apple
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  or Android moment. So just everybody
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  just relax.
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  [laughter]
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  But you know what I found? I I found
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  that our devices when you take when you
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  when you have your device connected to
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  Wi-Fi and you remove your device from
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  Wi-Fi, your device does not just idally
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  stand by.
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  >> If you look at your phone once you take
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  it off of Wi-Fi, it's actively trying to
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  connect with the network.
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  you you you once you take it off, you
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  remove yourself from the network. If you
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  will look, there'll be other networks
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  that pop up.
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  >> WHY? WHY? WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE THAT THE
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  EVEN THE phone was not and the DEVICES
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  WERE NOT MEANT TO JUST STAY VACANT.
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  >> THERE'S ALWAYS A CONSTANT looking to
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  connect with the network. AND AS IT IS
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  WITH THE DEVICES, SO IT IS with us.
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  that it is not enough for US TO JUST GET
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  OFF THE bad network.
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  >> Because we'll be always looking for
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  another network to connect to.
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  >> That's how some of us have ended up in
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  bad relationship after bad relationship
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  because we disconnected from THE BAD
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  NETWORK BUT NEVER REPLACED IT WITH
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  JESUS. AND SO NOW WE CONNECTED TO WHAT
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  WAS CLOSE ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARMFUL.
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  It's not enough
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  >> to just It's NOT IT'S IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
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  OH, THANK YOU, LORD. It's It's not
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  enough, husband, to to not just not to
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  just have that girl on the side no more
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  if you don't feel that space with your
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  wife.
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  >> Uhhuh.
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  >> Ladies, this is not it's not enough TO
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  TO TO NOT HAVE THE work husband.
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  They didn't know I knew about that one.
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  Yeah. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah. It's not
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  ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE THE WORK HUSBAND IF
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  YOU DON'T FILL THAT SPACE WITH YOUR REAL
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  HUSBAND.
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  [cheering and applause]
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  >> WHY? Because you and I are always
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  looking to connect.
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  >> That That's why it's because catch this.
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  If if you don't worship God, you going
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  to worship something.
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  [cheering]
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  >> Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no. If if you don't
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  worship God, THAT THAT'S WHY YOU CANNOT
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  TAKE COMING TO CHURCH FOR GRANTED.
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  THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T TAKE HEARING THE
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  WORD FOR GRANTED. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T
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  TAKE AN ALTAR APPEAL FOR GRANTED.
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  Because if you don't take the time TO
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  CONNECT WITH GOD, YOU ARE GOING TO
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  CONNECT WITH SOMETHING.
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  >> And most often times the something that
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  we connect with is damaging to us.
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  It's not enough to make room if we don't
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  fill the space with the right one.
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  >> This is the whole premise of what Jesus
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  is talking about. And I want us not to
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  focus on the demon but focus on this
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  principle that you and I must fill that
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  space with the right thing.
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  >> You and I must fill the space with the
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  right thing. So today I want to talk
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  about three things that that we need to
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  fill that space with. We need to fill it
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  with scripture.
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  >> We need to fill it with supplication.
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  >> And we need to fill it with catch this
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  solitude.
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  [laughter]
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  >> Yeah. We we have to make time to fill
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  these spaces because if we don't, we
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  will fill it with something. The Bible
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  says in Ephesians 5:18, you just write
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  it down for your notes. It says, "Do not
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  get drunk on wine.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> Yes, sir. It says, "But but be filled
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  instead with the spirit."
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  >> See, you and I are going TO BE FILLED
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  WITH SOME YOU AND I ARE GOING TO USE
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  SOMETHING TO FILL OUR LIVES WITH.
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  >> And what God is saying is don't use the
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  things that bring temporary fixes.
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  >> With things and people and and apps and
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  social media and entertainment, THOSE
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  THINGS ARE GOOD. BUT YOU AND I CANNOT BE
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  FILLED WITH THAT kind of stuff. Amen.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> Psalms 119:1, he says, "Thy word have I
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  hidden
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  >> in my heart that I might not sin against
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  you."
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  An empty heart is a vulnerable heart.
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  Disconnecting from distractions is ne is
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  a necessary step, but it is not the only
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  step.
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  >> It is the first step to transformation.
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  And you and I must fill our lives with
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  him.
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  >> We must fill it with scripture,
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  supplication, and solitude. Lord, help
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  me get through all three. Let's ride.
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  Number one, you and I must fill the
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  space with scripture.
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  >> Catch this. When I'm talking about
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  scripture, I'm talking about reading and
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  meditating on the word of God.
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  >> Understand something. I'm not talking
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  about right now in this moment. I'm not
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  talking about sermons.
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  >> Amen.
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  No, in this moment I'm not talking about
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  sermons because we can get filled on
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  sermons. But what God wants us to do
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  during this fast is to get filled with
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  the scriptures.
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  >> GOD GOD WANTS TO FILL US WITH THE
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  SCRIPTURES. YOU AND I, CATCH THIS, YOU
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  AND I HAVE THE ability for God to feed
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  us from the word.
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  >> Let me slow down. See, because we live
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  in a day now where we have we have made
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  sermons synonymous with scripture
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  >> AND SERMONS HAVE THEIR PLACE.
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  >> BIBLE SAY, how can you hear without a
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  preacher?
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  >> How can he preach unless he been sick?
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  You need you need both. But what HAPPENS
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  IN IN OUR GENERATION, we have put this
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  down and picked up sermons.
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  >> And when we say we're GETTING A WORD,
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  WE'RE NOT PICKING UP THE WORD. WE'RE
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  GOING TO HEAR A WORD.
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  >> [cheering]
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  >> But God WANTS US TO GET BACK TO reading
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  and letting the word talk to us.
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  >> See, I I remember we were feed we were
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  growing up a kid, Lord Jesus. He's 16
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  years old. He's 16. And uh I told you
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  this story before when when we he was uh
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  being fed and baby was feeding him. And
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  you know, I'm the kind of dad I was just
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  like really over the top. I was I was
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  still heating his milk up at two. He
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  too. He can drink cold milk.
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  I was just over the top. And so I
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  remember one day coming in and baby
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  would put him in a high chair. She would
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  feed him. And then one day I came in and
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  she she she wasn't she wasn't feeding
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  them. She sat the food there and walked
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  away.
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  I said, "Man, what what we got going
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  on?"
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  She said, "Baba, there comes a point
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  where he has to learn to feed himself.
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  I can't continue sit here and speed food
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  speed food speed
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  >> spoon feed.
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  >> Hey, mark that one down for the end of
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  year review.
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  [laughter]
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  She said I can't continue to spoon feed
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  him.
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  And as it is in the natural,
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  >> so it is in the spirit.
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  >> You don't you you hear what I'm telling
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  you. You need the gathering.
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  >> We need the word. We need a pastor. We
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  need We need those things.
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  >> But you have to be able to let God SIT
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  YOU IN THE HOT CHAIR.
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  >> SIT THIS BIBLE DOWN IN FRONT OF you
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  [cheering]
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  >> and feed yourself
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  >> BECAUSE THERE'S COMING A DAY
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  >> WHERE YOU AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET
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  TO A GATHERING LIKE THIS. AND WE NEED TO
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  BE ABLE TO FEED OURSELVES.
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  the scripture to to to read and meditate
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  on the scripture.
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  >> Catch this. Hebrews chapter 4:12.
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  It's necessary for us to to embrace this
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  because filling the space with scripture
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  is critical because God's word is alive.
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  >> OH, THIS WORD this word is alive. THIS
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  IS NOT A BOOK. DR. ALICIA said it's a
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  voice.
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  >> It is THE WORD OF GOD that speaks TO US,
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  THAT TALKS TO US. ALL OF THESE YEARS
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  LATER, THIS BOOK IS STILL RELEVANT. YES.
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  >> Hebrews chap 4:12
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  it says, "For the word of God
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  >> is alive
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  >> and active, and it is sharper THAN ANY
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  TWO-EDGED SWORD,
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  >> PENETRATING EVEN TO DIVIDE SOUL AND
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  SPIRIT,
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  >> joints and marrow. IT JUDGES THE
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  THOUGHTS and attitudes OF THE HEART."
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  CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? THE REASON WHY
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  YOU AND I NEED TO GET FILLED with this
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  spirit, with with this word of God, is
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  because we need something
• 14:52
  >> to HELP US DIVIDE GOD'S VOICE FROM OUR
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  VOICE. [cheering]
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  >> You can you can think some stuff
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  >> and feel SOME STUFF
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  >> AND FEEL IT SO STRONGLY THAT YOU THINK
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  IT'S GOD.
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  >> AND IT'S NOT UNTIL WE GET THE WORD OF
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  GOD ON IT,
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  >> RIGHT?
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  WHERE GOD'S WORD CAN COME THROUGH
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  >> AND CUT SOUL
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  >> FROM SPIRIT.
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  >> TO CUT HIS voice
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  >> from my voice.
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  >> TO CUT HIS VOICE FROM WHAT THEY TOLD ME
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  IN THE BARBERH SHOP. TO CUT HIS VOICE
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  FROM WHAT THEY SAID IN THE SALON. TO CUT
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  HIS VOICE.
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  >> IT'S THE SWORD of the spirit.
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  >> Ephesians says it's the word of God.
• 15:54
  >> I know y'all nervous about this sword.
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  It's just
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  the Bible says that man shall not live
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  >> by bread alone,
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  >> but by every word
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  >> that proceedth out of the mouth of God.
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  Can I tell you something? The word OF
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  GOD IS YOUR SWORD, BUT IT'S ALSO also
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  your sustenance.
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  >> IT'S YOUR SWORD. IT IS WHAT YOU USE to
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  divide your thoughts from his thoughts.
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  But it is also what it is that we live
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  by.
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  >> It is what it that's what's going to
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  sustain us during this fast.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> It's the word of God.
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  >> And catch this. I'm not talking about
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  just reading the Bible.
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  Oh yeah. Let's let's ride. I'm not
• 16:41
  talking about reading the Bible. I'm
• 16:43
  talking about you and I have to meditate
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  on it. Yes. Yes.
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  >> You you you and I have to have to
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  meditate on it. Joshua 1:8, it says,
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  "Keep this book of the law always on
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  your lips." He says, "Meditate on it day
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  and night so that you may be careful to
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  do everything that is written in it."
• 17:05
  When I started to look at the word
• 17:07
  meditate, the word meditate don't mean
• 17:09
  just think.
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  >> That's right.
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  >> Cuz when we think of meditate, we think
• 17:12
  of yoga. All right.
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  >> I was going to get down in the pose, but
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  I'm not ready.
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  >> But we think of just meditating and
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  quiet.
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  >> But when we talk about meditating on the
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  word, this word meditate here means to
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  murmur,
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  >> to repeat,
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  >> up under your breath,
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  >> that that that you ought to get a
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  scripture
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  >> and hold that bad boy all day up under
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  your breath. Yes.
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  >> The Lord is my shepherd.
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  >> I shall not want.
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  >> The Lord is my shepherd.
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  >> I shall The Lord
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  >> The Lord
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  >> The Lord is
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  >> not was
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  >> not will be,
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  >> but is. The Lord is
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  >> mine. [screaming]
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  >> Not my grandmas, not my aunties, NOT MY
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  UNCLE. HE'S MY [screaming]
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  >> MY SHEPHERD. [cheering]
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  >> THE ONE THAT WALKS WITH ME
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  >> AND GUIDES ME and leads me.
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  >> HE'S SO GOOD THAT I SHALL NOW.
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  >> So you YOU WANT TO GRAB A HOLD OF THAT
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  WORD AND AND AND WRESTLE WITH IT ALL
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  DAY.
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  >> I told you this story before. One time I
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  went down to my my wife's uh we went to
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  meet her for the meet her parents for
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  the first time, Brooke. And I was so
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  proud, you know, I put on my good
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  clothes, got my haircut, all that kind
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  of stuff. You know, they they country,
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  they eat like eat.
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  So we went down and I got my plea
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  together and I'm eating and I had my
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  chicken and I ate my chicken and they
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  started looking at me funny cuz I was
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  finished
• 18:53
  and I didn't realize what it was until
• 18:54
  after we got back in the car and she
• 18:56
  told me that her mama was upset with me
• 18:58
  because I still left meat on the bone.
• 19:02
  CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? THERE'S SO
• 19:03
  MUCH MEAT
• 19:05
  >> THAT'S LEFT ON THE BONE OF THE WORD OF
• 19:08
  GOD. YOU AND I HAVEN'T EXHAUSTED
• 19:11
  EVERYTHING OUT OF THIS BOOK. IT'S A LIE.
• 19:19
  >> YOU CAN GRASP PSALMS 23 AND GOD WILL
• 19:21
  TALK TO YOU ALL DAY LONG.
• 19:25
  >> One verse.
• 19:30
  >> He said, "Meditate on it. HE SAID THINK
• 19:34
  MUTTER IT UNDER YOUR VOID under your
• 19:36
  breath.
• 19:37
  >> Under your breath. AND THEN HE SAID
• 19:38
  PONDER. THINK ABOUT IT.
• 19:40
  >> MEDITATING IS ACTUALLY THINK HOW DOES
• 19:42
  THAT APPLY? HE'S MY SHEPHERD.
• 19:45
  >> He's my See, WHEN YOU START THINKING
• 19:47
  ABOUT IT LIKE THAT, THEN YOU START
• 19:48
  LOOKING BACK OVER YOUR LIFE. [cheering]
• 19:50
  >> AND YOU REALIZE HE'S ALWAYS BEEN MY
• 19:52
  SHEPHERD.
• 19:54
  >> HE'S ALWAYS [screaming] BEEN HE'S ALWAYS
• 19:56
  STOOD BY MY SIDE.
• 19:59
  THE LORD HAS ALWAYS I HEAR THE SONG IN
• 20:01
  MY HEAD BEEN MY GUIDE.
• 20:09
  >> Meditate on it.
• 20:10
  >> Meditate
• 20:11
  >> to put it under your breath. Speak. Talk
• 20:14
  about it to yourself under your breath
• 20:16
  all day.
• 20:18
  >> And then think about it. And then I
• 20:21
  thought this was interesting. It said it
• 20:23
  said it was like it likened it to
• 20:25
  growling
• 20:27
  >> like a lion
• 20:29
  >> getting ready to devour his prey
• 20:35
  >> that when you and I meditate on the word
• 20:38
  of God. IT'S NOT SOMETHING passive
• 20:41
  >> but but I have a passion about this
• 20:43
  word.
• 20:44
  >> I'M GETTING READY TO DEVOUR. THIS WORD
• 20:46
  IS GETTING READY TO FEED ME IN A WAY
• 20:48
  THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN. CAN I TELL YOU
• 20:50
  SOMETHING? YOU AND I ARE
• 20:53
  We
• 20:54
  We're getting ready to hear God in a way
• 20:57
  that we can't hear him when we fool.
• 21:03
  >> We're getting READY TO HEAR GOD IN A WAY
• 21:05
  THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HEAR him when we When
• 21:07
  you start to meditate on that word,
• 21:10
  putting yourself aside
• 21:13
  and you start leaning in to the word of
• 21:15
  God,
• 21:16
  >> you start making room and to start
• 21:18
  filling that space with him.
• 21:20
  >> Let me tell you something. You can hear
• 21:22
  from God.
• 21:23
  >> Yes.
• 21:24
  >> No. Yes, you can. You can hear from God.
• 21:26
  >> AND CATCH THIS. GOD WANTS TO TALK TO
• 21:28
  YOU.
• 21:31
  >> You know, Bishop, I have been saying all
• 21:32
  week. I said it last week. I said, uh,
• 21:35
  there's a part of me that that's not
• 21:36
  even looking forward to the fast. And
• 21:39
  and God said,
• 21:41
  but there is somebody
• 21:43
  who's been waiting for this time.
• 21:46
  >> And I was like, who, Lord? He said, me.
• 21:50
  Finally,
• 21:51
  I get you a sign. Finally, I GET YOU
• 21:57
  WITHOUT ESPN AND STEPHEN A. SMITH.
• 22:00
  FINALLY, I GET YOU
• 22:02
  >> WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRACTING YOU.
• 22:05
  FINALLY, it's me and you.
• 22:11
  >> When we was at the marriage retreat,
• 22:12
  Lord have mercy. I got when we were at
• 22:14
  the marriage retreat, one of the things
• 22:16
  I much appreciate about the marriage
• 22:18
  retreat is that finally
• 22:23
  >> we pull to the side and what I have been
• 22:26
  glancing at I get an opportunity to gaze
• 22:28
  upon
• 22:31
  >> see often times we just glance at the
• 22:33
  scriptures.
• 22:35
  We just glance at Lord my shepherd shall
• 22:37
  not want make me lie down green passion
• 22:39
  leave t still water store my soul that's
• 22:42
  glancing
• 22:45
  >> he said no no no I don't want you to
• 22:46
  glance I want you to gaze
• 22:50
  >> I want you to meditate in such a way
• 22:53
  >> that now you begin to see what is that
• 22:56
  Psalms 119
• 22:58
  open my eyes
• 22:59
  >> that I can behold wondrous things out of
• 23:02
  your law
• 23:04
  >> why Because now I'm taking time to look
• 23:06
  at it. And there's some things that I'm
• 23:07
  noticing.
• 23:09
  >> That's right.
• 23:09
  >> That I didn't notice before.
• 23:13
  >> There's some things that I realize that
• 23:15
  I desire and I want and it's been here
• 23:17
  the whole time.
• 23:19
  >> But I couldn't see it because I was
• 23:21
  glancing rather than gazing.
• 23:24
  >> Jesus.
• 23:25
  >> God said meditate on my word.
• 23:28
  >> Meditate. Fill fill your space, your
• 23:31
  mind with scripture.
• 23:32
  >> How? by meditating on the word. My God,
• 23:36
  Jesus did this when he was in the
• 23:38
  wilderness. Write down Matthew chapter
• 23:39
  4:1. He fasted 40 days. And when he was
• 23:42
  tempted, he said, "It is written.
• 23:45
  >> It is written. It is written." He
• 23:48
  meditated on the WORD SO THAT WHEN HE
• 23:50
  WAS TEMPTED, WHAT CAME UP WAS NOT A CUSS
• 23:52
  WORD.
• 23:54
  >> OH. OH. I believe God going to help us
• 23:57
  to keep from slipping.
• 24:00
  >> Oh, I believe GOD GOING TO HELP US TO
• 24:01
  KEEP FROM SLIPPING. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN WE
• 24:03
  MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD, THAT'S
• 24:05
  WHAT'S GOING TO COME UP. IT IS WRITTEN.
• 24:10
  >> You and I got to fill this space with
• 24:12
  his word. Oh, we got to fill the space.
• 24:15
  How do I fill the space? Give me slide
• 24:16
  number four. How do I fill this space
• 24:18
  with the word of God? Oh, how do I fill
• 24:21
  this space with the word of God? Catch
• 24:24
  this. Number one, catch this. I want you
• 24:25
  to start small. Start with a short
• 24:27
  passage each day and read it slowly and
• 24:30
  reflect on it. Somebody say start small.
• 24:33
  >> I don't need you to grab a whole
• 24:34
  chapter.
• 24:36
  >> Amen.
• 24:37
  >> No, I don't NEED YOU TO GRAB a whole ch
• 24:38
  I need you to start small.
• 24:41
  >> Secondly, meditate on a key on a key
• 24:44
  verse. Write down one verse that stands
• 24:46
  out to you. Catch this. And carry it
• 24:48
  with you throughout the day.
• 24:51
  >> Carry that scripture with you throughout
• 24:53
  the day. And repeat it, think about it,
• 24:56
  and pray it back to God.
• 24:59
  Woo!
• 25:01
  >> This is how we going to meditate.
• 25:03
  >> Thirdly, catch this journal reflection.
• 25:05
  Keep a journal during the fast. Now, if
• 25:07
  this your fast journal, it can be that.
• 25:09
  But keep a journal during the fast,
• 25:11
  writing down what YOU SENSE GOD IS
• 25:14
  saying through you, through his word to
• 25:17
  you.
• 25:18
  >> Now, understand something.
• 25:20
  The only thing your journal should not
• 25:23
  only contain morning devotional notes.
• 25:25
  >> That's right.
• 25:26
  >> Amen. Your journal should have some of
• 25:29
  the things that God has said to you in
• 25:31
  quiet.
• 25:33
  >> Your journal should HAVE SOME THINGS
• 25:35
  THAT GOD HAD. HE HEAR ME GOOD. Your
• 25:37
  journal should have some things that you
• 25:39
  have that God has spoken to you out of
• 25:42
  the scriptures.
• 25:43
  >> It should not just be all morning
• 25:45
  devotional notes.
• 25:51
  >> It needs to be some things that God has
• 25:53
  said to you.
• 25:55
  >> Why? Because we're taking time to
• 25:57
  meditate on the word.
• 26:00
  >> We feel catch this. Oh yeah. God,
• 26:08
  >> I don't need to just
• 26:11
  read the word. I need to let the word
• 26:14
  read me.
• 26:19
  >> I need to let the word read. I don't
• 26:22
  need just read it. I need to let it read
• 26:24
  me.
• 26:25
  >> Because when I let it read me, it starts
• 26:27
  to show me and talk to ME ABOUT ME.
• 26:30
  CATCH THIS. About areas that I normally
• 26:33
  won't look at.
• 26:40
  >> The word
• 26:42
  is like a mirror.
• 26:46
  I don't go to the mirror to read the
• 26:50
  mirror.
• 26:51
  >> That's right. I go to the mirror so the
• 26:54
  mirror can read me.
• 26:58
  >> I'M NOT GOING TO THE MIRROR TO JUDGE THE
• 27:00
  MIRROR.
• 27:02
  >> I'm going to the mirror so the mirror
• 27:05
  can judge me
• 27:07
  >> and the
• 27:10
  this can be uncomfortable
• 27:14
  >> CUZ I'VE GOTTEN OLD enough TJ
• 27:17
  THAT WHEN I TURN TO CERTAIN SIDES
• 27:24
  THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS I SEE, ANNA,
• 27:27
  WHEN I TURN CERTAIN WAYS THAT I DON'T
• 27:29
  see
• 27:30
  >> in other ways.
• 27:32
  >> That's right.
• 27:33
  >> WHEN YOU AND I GET IN FRONT OF THE WORD
• 27:35
  OF GOD,
• 27:37
  >> and we allow it to
• 27:40
  >> do what IT DOES IN OUR LIVES,
• 27:42
  >> IT'LL SHOW US SOME things that we Oh,
• 27:45
  God. It'll show us some things that we
• 27:47
  can't see when we in FRONT OF PEOPLE.
• 27:50
  >> [cheering]
• 27:56
  >> I DON'T NEED TO JUST READ THE WORD,
• 27:58
  >> I want the word
• 28:00
  >> to read me.
• 28:03
  >> I need to fill that space with
• 28:05
  scripture. Number two, not only do I
• 28:08
  need to fill the space with scripture,
• 28:10
  but I need to fill the space, catch
• 28:11
  this, with supplication.
• 28:14
  >> What is supplication? It is praying a
• 28:17
  specific
• 28:18
  prayer
• 28:21
  communicating your urgent need.
• 28:25
  >> Go to Philippians chapter 4 verse 6.
• 28:27
  4:6.
• 28:29
  Philippians 4 Paul writes in verse 6. It
• 28:33
  says, "Do not be anxious about
• 28:35
  anything." Amen.
• 28:37
  >> It says, "But in every everything,"
• 28:40
  catch this, "by prayer and supplication
• 28:44
  with thanksgiving, let your requests be
• 28:46
  made known unto God." Interestingly
• 28:47
  enough, I've always put the two
• 28:49
  together.
• 28:50
  But in looking at it just a little
• 28:52
  deeper, prayer and supplication, Paul
• 28:55
  says, "I want you to go to God with
• 28:57
  both."
• 28:58
  Catch this. Prayer.
• 29:02
  Do I got my next slide? Prayer. What is
• 29:04
  prayer?
• 29:07
  Prayer, yes, is a broad term that refers
• 29:10
  to general communication with God.
• 29:13
  >> It includes praise and worship,
• 29:15
  confession and thanksgiving. That's
• 29:17
  cool. That's a part of what it is that
• 29:19
  we should do that when we pray, we bring
• 29:21
  these things before God. We engage. We
• 29:23
  praise and we worship. We let him know
• 29:25
  who he is. We confess.
• 29:27
  But he said, not just prayer, but he
• 29:30
  also said supplication.
• 29:33
  Give me the definition for supplication.
• 29:35
  Supplication, catch this, is a specific
• 29:38
  earnest request made to God. It is a
• 29:42
  focused and intentional form of prayer
• 29:44
  that is that is from a deep sense of
• 29:47
  need
• 29:50
  and urgency.
• 29:52
  When you get in front of the word of God
• 29:53
  and the word of God start bringing
• 29:55
  things up,
• 29:56
  >> it moves you from a place of just
• 29:58
  general prayer
• 30:00
  >> to where you have to now start making
• 30:02
  supplication.
• 30:05
  >> Where you start asking God specifically
• 30:08
  for his help in this specific area.
• 30:12
  >> You and I NEED TO FILL THIS time with
• 30:16
  God with being specific
• 30:20
  >> about what we need from him. Amen.
• 30:23
  >> See, DOC, PASTOR SHAWN AND I, WE CAN WE
• 30:26
  I I enjoy Doc. I can call Doc over to
• 30:28
  the house and we sit down and we have a
• 30:30
  conversation and we talk. Hey Doc, man,
• 30:32
  how you doing, man? Good, good, good to
• 30:34
  see you, man. You know, man, I just
• 30:35
  appreciate you for coming over here,
• 30:37
  man. All the things you got going on,
• 30:38
  you could be anywhere. You can come over
• 30:40
  here and sit with me, man. How you been
• 30:41
  doing? You're doing good, man. I've been
• 30:43
  doing all right.
• 30:45
  That's good. That's appreciation,
• 30:48
  >> right?
• 30:49
  But it's not until I said, "Doc, you
• 30:51
  know what? I got something going on in
• 30:53
  my life.
• 30:55
  >> Catch this."
• 30:57
  And and and it's it's anger.
• 31:02
  >> I've been getting angry. I've been going
• 31:03
  off. And
• 31:06
  I don't want to make any excuses.
• 31:08
  Can you help me? Can you help me stay
• 31:10
  accountable?
• 31:11
  >> That's good.
• 31:12
  >> To do the things I need to do so this
• 31:14
  this thing does not destroy my life.
• 31:17
  One is reverence, the other is
• 31:19
  relationship.
• 31:22
  >> One one is one is just me speaking and
• 31:24
  me enjoying each other and me honoring
• 31:26
  him. I appreciate him for coming over.
• 31:28
  But if I don't ever open up
• 31:31
  >> about what it is that I need.
• 31:33
  >> I never move into supplication.
• 31:36
  >> SEE, I'M NOT JUST ASKING HIM FOR GENERAL
• 31:38
  STUFF. I'm being specific.
• 31:40
  >> I didn't just ask, "Hey man, will you
• 31:42
  just pray for me?" That's not
• 31:43
  supplication.
• 31:45
  Amen.
• 31:45
  >> NO. DURING THIS FAST, GOD WANTS US TO
• 31:48
  get specific
• 31:51
  >> I know you got specific about your
• 31:52
  vision board. I'm not talking about that
• 31:54
  right now.
• 31:55
  >> I'm talking about about you,
• 31:57
  >> about me,
• 31:59
  >> ABOUT WHATEVER GOD BRINGS UP. Oh yeah.
• 32:02
  See, during this fast, there'll be some
• 32:05
  things, especially during these first
• 32:06
  two weeks, there'll be some things that
• 32:08
  you're not necessarily proud of that's
• 32:09
  going to come up.
• 32:12
  >> No, there going TO BE SOME DON'T QUIT
• 32:14
  THE FAST WHEN you see some behavior that
• 32:16
  you don't like.
• 32:17
  >> Amen.
• 32:18
  >> Because your flesh IS GOING TO FIGHT
• 32:20
  YOU.
• 32:22
  >> Understand something. WHEN IT COMES UP,
• 32:24
  lay it at his feet.
• 32:25
  >> When it comes up, it's giving you
• 32:27
  SOMETHING TO PRAY ABOUT.
• 32:28
  >> WHEN it comes up, IT'S GIVING YOU YOUR
• 32:30
  prayer list.
• 32:34
  >> You didn't even know you STILL HAD A
• 32:35
  CUSS IN you
• 32:38
  >> until you told yourself, "NO, WE ARE NOT
• 32:40
  GOING TO COOK OUT.
• 32:44
  NO, I I I YOU WILL NOT HAVE something
• 32:47
  sweet after you eat.
• 32:49
  >> You don't need it.
• 32:50
  >> That's right.
• 32:53
  >> You talking about a You talking about
• 32:54
  prayer requests coming up then?
• 32:56
  >> Father, I need you.
• 32:58
  >> This flesh of mine is out of control.
• 33:01
  It's trying to talk me into going
• 33:04
  against what I said I was going to do.
• 33:05
  God, help me to stay strong in my
• 33:08
  commitment to you. HELP ME NOT TO WAVER.
• 33:10
  HELP ME NOT TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
• 33:14
  >> Somebody say specific.
• 33:16
  >> Specific
• 33:17
  >> supplication. When I put it out there
• 33:20
  >> during this fast, this is not a time to
• 33:23
  pray. Married people. This is not a time
• 33:25
  to pray about your spouse.
• 33:31
  >> This is a time for you to let God work
• 33:33
  on you.
• 33:41
  single people. Y'all thought I was going
• 33:43
  to leave y'all out. Uh uh. Yeah, I KNOW
• 33:46
  YOU'VE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT I KNOW YOU'VE
• 33:47
  BEEN PRAYING ABOUT THAT HUSBAND. RIGHT
• 33:48
  NOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT PRAYING ABOUT THAT
• 33:49
  HUSBAND. LORD, make me whole. [cheering]
• 33:53
  >> LORD, MAKE LORD, HELP ME. HELP ME, LORD.
• 33:56
  SO, SO THAT SO THAT SO THAT uh so that
• 34:00
  my con so I don't automatically to just
• 34:03
  just connect with any network that's
• 34:04
  around. [cheering]
• 34:07
  GOD, FORTIFY ME AND GIVE me the the the
• 34:10
  staying power to to stand long enough TO
• 34:13
  AT LEAST EVALUATE TO SEE IF THEY GOT
• 34:14
  SOME SENSE.
• 34:21
  >> HELP ME NOT TO BE SO HORNY AND SO
• 34:22
  DESPERATE. [cheering]
• 34:25
  >> OH Y'ALL. YEAH. HELP ME, LORD. GIVE ME
• 34:28
  STAYING POWER.
• 34:32
  >> SOMEBODY SHOUT SPECIFIC.
• 34:34
  >> SPECIFIC.
• 34:38
  make my supplication.
• 34:41
  >> Put it out there.
• 34:43
  >> NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH GOD.
• 34:48
  >> GOD, this is where I am. This is what I
• 34:50
  need.
• 34:51
  >> I need this from you. And Lord, and it's
• 34:52
  a sense of urgency. Hey Lord, if you
• 34:54
  don't help me,
• 34:56
  >> if if IF YOU DON'T HELP ME, LORD,
• 34:58
  >> FATHER, I STRETCH MY HAND TO THEE. NO
• 35:02
  OTHER HELP I KNOW. IF THOU WITHDRAW
• 35:05
  THYSELF FROM ME, WHERE SHALL I GO?
• 35:09
  >> I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER HELP.
• 35:11
  >> I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER HELP, GOD.
• 35:13
  [screaming] I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER
• 35:14
  RESOURCES, GOD. I DON'T HAVE A PLAN B.
• 35:17
  YOU ARE PLAN A AND THAT'S ALL I GOT.
• 35:21
  [cheering]
• 35:25
  >> Somebody shout supplication.
• 35:27
  >> I need to fill the space with scripture.
• 35:29
  I need to fill the space with
• 35:31
  supplication. Oh God.
• 35:35
  Hebrews. Hebrews. Just let's write down
• 35:36
  the write 1 Peter 5:7. Let me at least
• 35:39
  say this to you. 1 Peter 5:7. It says,
• 35:41
  "Cast all your anxiety on him
• 35:44
  >> because he cares for you."
• 35:49
  >> Have you ever dealt with somebody who
• 35:51
  could help you, but didn't care nothing
• 35:52
  about you?
• 35:56
  >> SEE, UNDERSTAND. THIS IS NOT HOW GOD IS.
• 35:58
  WE CAST OUR CARES ON HIM, NOT ONLY
• 36:00
  BECAUSE he's able, but also because he
• 36:03
  cares.
• 36:05
  >> I'm bringing these things to him because
• 36:07
  he cares.
• 36:09
  >> I'm putting it OUT THERE BEFORE HIM
• 36:11
  BECAUSE HE CARES.
• 36:14
  >> SAY, cast your cares upon me.
• 36:16
  >> For he cares for you. Hebrews chapter 4,
• 36:18
  verse 16, write it down. It says, "Let
• 36:20
  us therefore come boldly to the throne
• 36:24
  of grace that we may receive mercy and
• 36:26
  find grace to help us in our time of
• 36:29
  need."
• 36:30
  >> I'm coming to God because he has the
• 36:33
  power to help me.
• 36:34
  >> And he didn't tell me to come
• 36:36
  sheepishly.
• 36:37
  >> He said, "Come boldly."
• 36:40
  >> No, he said come boldly.
• 36:42
  >> When you need something, come boldly.
• 36:48
  I was thinking about that because even
• 36:49
  with my kids, I want my kids to come to
• 36:51
  me a certain way.
• 36:53
  >> OH YEAH. COME TO ME LIKE YOU KNOW WE got
• 36:55
  relationship.
• 36:57
  >> Don't come to me like no peasant or no
• 36:59
  somebody on the street. I can see
• 37:00
  somebody on the street come you know
• 37:01
  what pastor tread do you know you think
• 37:02
  you might be able to
• 37:06
  I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION CUZ THEY
• 37:08
  DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THEM.
• 37:10
  >> That's right.
• 37:11
  >> But these two right here I need them TO
• 37:13
  COME TO ME JUST LIKE OKAY THEY JUST GOT
• 37:15
  THROUGH DOING WRONG. THEY DEAD. I NEED
• 37:16
  SOMETHING.
• 37:19
  >> WHY? Because they understand that I care
• 37:22
  for them.
• 37:23
  >> They understand that their concerns and
• 37:25
  what it is that bothers them or matters
• 37:27
  to them, it matters to me.
• 37:30
  >> They coming to me NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M
• 37:31
  ABLE, BUT but also because I care.
• 37:34
  >> And God said, if you got enough sense in
• 37:36
  your world to do that, how much more
• 37:39
  >> do you think I want to be there for you
• 37:40
  in that way? Will you come to come to me
• 37:42
  boldly? Come to me with the
• 37:44
  understanding THAT YOU KNOW THAT I THAT
• 37:46
  I NOT ONLY CAN I DO IT,
• 37:48
  >> but I want to do it for you.
• 37:50
  >> That's right.
• 37:55
  >> Fill that space with scripture. Oh man,
• 37:57
  I want to fill that space with
• 37:59
  supplication. But thirdly, I want to
• 38:02
  fill that space with solitude.
• 38:08
  I want to fill that space with solitude.
• 38:10
  Now, when we say solitude, solitude is
• 38:13
  holy, quiet time in God's presence.
• 38:15
  >> Now, admittedly, this seems oxymoronic
• 38:18
  to the last two we just talked about.
• 38:23
  >> But if you and I are going to fill this
• 38:27
  space in our life, we need solitude.
• 38:32
  Solitude is not isolation.
• 38:36
  >> Solitude is not just emptiness. When we
• 38:39
  say what's solitude, solitude, catch
• 38:41
  this, is the intentional stepping away
• 38:43
  from the noise and distractions of life
• 38:46
  >> to be fully present with God.
• 38:50
  >> When we say solitude, it is the
• 38:52
  intentional stepping away from the noise
• 38:55
  and distractions of life to be fully
• 38:58
  present with God. Amen.
• 39:04
  >> You know, we were talking in the back
• 39:05
  about what it is that we're looking
• 39:06
  forward to out of the fast and what we
• 39:08
  want God to do for us in the fast. And
• 39:11
  and and the majority, we had all
• 39:13
  different things, but one of the the
• 39:15
  things that came up in terms of the one
• 39:17
  of the consensus of the group is
• 39:19
  clarity.
• 39:22
  is that we desire to have clarity in our
• 39:26
  thought life, clarity in our
• 39:28
  relationship with God, clarity.
• 39:30
  >> And can I tell you that that what we're
• 39:33
  looking for in terms of clarity is found
• 39:36
  in solitude with God.
• 39:42
  >> Silence, catch this, isn't empty. It's
• 39:46
  full of God's voice.
• 39:50
  Silence
• 39:51
  is not empty.
• 39:54
  It's actually
• 39:56
  full of God's voice.
• 40:00
  Sometimes
• 40:01
  we get so
• 40:04
  agitated
• 40:06
  by quiet.
• 40:11
  And what God wants to do is he wants to
• 40:14
  pull us to the side
• 40:17
  >> and just be with us.
• 40:31
  It feels uncomfortable
• 40:34
  at times. But can I tell you this is
• 40:37
  what God is longing for.
• 40:40
  He's longing for quiet time with us.
• 40:44
  There's so many things that are grabbing
• 40:46
  at our attention.
• 40:48
  So many so many things I I I when I go
• 40:50
  to pray I, you know, I have to take my
• 40:52
  phone and like throw it across the room
• 40:53
  because even while in praying, there's
• 40:55
  just notifications and dingings that are
• 40:57
  going off
• 41:00
  >> that pulls your mind.
• 41:02
  >> And even catch this. Even when you take
• 41:04
  the phone and throw it across the room
• 41:06
  and take the laptop and shut it down and
• 41:08
  turn it off, even your own mind fights
• 41:10
  you.
• 41:12
  [laughter]
• 41:14
  >> EVEN YOUR OWN MIND FIGHTS YOU. BUT I
• 41:16
  NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT solitude is
• 41:18
  not withdrawal from life. It is a
• 41:20
  retreat into God's presence to be
• 41:22
  renewed and strengthened.
• 41:26
  >> IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL AWAY INTO
• 41:28
  HIS PRES. OH, thank you, Dr. Alicia Brit
• 41:33
  Scholey and Dr. Barry Scholley who
• 41:36
  teaches us to just sit with him.
• 41:42
  >> It's just you don't always have to you
• 41:44
  don't you don't have to perform for God.
• 41:52
  >> You don't have to you you have to
• 41:53
  perform a lot for people. You got to be
• 41:55
  on for people. But can I tell you God
• 41:57
  just wants you
• 41:58
  >> to be with him. You don't have to come
• 42:01
  to him with a whole list or dissitation
• 42:04
  or written out. Now, ain't nothing wrong
• 42:05
  with praying. We already talked about
• 42:07
  supplication.
• 42:08
  But there are times where I don't have
• 42:11
  to fill that space with words.
• 42:14
  I can just come there and be with him.
• 42:22
  Many of the things that we're looking
• 42:24
  for
• 42:26
  is going to be found in solitude.
• 42:31
  Many of the things we've been asking God
• 42:33
  for and begging God, God, will you just
• 42:34
  give me this? Will you just give me? He
• 42:35
  said, if you just sh
• 42:43
  I remember my mom, she was quick to tell
• 42:46
  us hush.
• 42:53
  There will be times where we'd be
• 42:54
  anxious and and agitated and there was
• 42:56
  something that we want and and and we
• 42:58
  didn't realize that what we wanted was
• 42:59
  already in our vicinity.
• 43:02
  We were just so that she was sh
• 43:07
  look around.
• 43:09
  And if you would take time to look
• 43:10
  around, you'll find that the very thing
• 43:12
  that you need, the very thing that
• 43:14
  you've been praying for and asking GOD
• 43:16
  AND CRY, "GOD, I JUST NEED YOU, GOD.
• 43:18
  GOD, I JUST NEED YOU. OH GOD, he said,
• 43:22
  [laughter]
• 43:26
  I just thought about you.
• 43:32
  >> Is that is that is that that first Kings
• 43:35
  19?
• 43:36
  >> We said Elijah, he said he he looked for
• 43:38
  him. He wasn't in the fire.
• 43:40
  >> He wasn't in the wind.
• 43:41
  >> But the Bible said a still
• 43:44
  >> small voice
• 43:46
  >> which says it is possible for God to be
• 43:48
  there. You and I miss him
• 43:53
  >> because because we're we're so we're so
• 43:55
  we're so we are so worked up.
• 43:58
  >> But God said, "What I want to do in this
• 43:59
  fast, I want to pull you to the side for
• 44:01
  some quiet time.
• 44:03
  I want to put you to the side for some
• 44:04
  for some quiet time." Mark 1:35, it said
• 44:08
  Jesus got up early while it was dark and
• 44:11
  went to a solitary place
• 44:14
  >> and prayed.
• 44:17
  If Jesus needed solid solitude,
• 44:21
  >> how in the world do you and I think we
• 44:24
  can just I feel my mama now. Rip and
• 44:26
  run.
• 44:27
  Where my whole saying Uh-huh. rip and
• 44:29
  run.
• 44:32
  How do you think we can keep ripping and
• 44:34
  running
• 44:37
  and not need solitude?
• 44:40
  Isaiah
• 44:42
  got to bring this up. Isaiah 30:1 15
• 44:46
  >> it says in repentance and rest is your
• 44:48
  salvation in quietness
• 44:52
  sh
• 44:54
  quietness
• 44:56
  confidence shall be your strength the
• 44:59
  strength that you're looking for
• 45:01
  can often times be found in solitude
• 45:05
  >> the peace that you're looking for can be
• 45:09
  found
• 45:10
  in solitude
• 45:13
  The clarity that you're asking God to
• 45:17
  give you can be found in solitude.
• 45:30
  This how we live right here.
• 45:35
  Get up in the morning, pray on the way
• 45:37
  to work. God bless us. Keep us Jesus
• 45:40
  name. Amen. Get to work.
• 45:43
  Have have pray over your food. Bless it
• 45:45
  Lord Jesus name. Amen. Eating lunch.
• 45:47
  Scarf it down. Get back to work and you
• 45:49
  got to leave. Go pick up the kids. Fold
• 45:51
  the clothes. Check on your parents.
• 45:55
  Get home. Half watch the news a little
• 45:57
  bit. See what's going on.
• 45:59
  And then by the time you sit down,
• 46:05
  your world is swirling.
• 46:09
  Hardly any clarity,
• 46:11
  >> foggy,
• 46:14
  >> but when you and I take a moment to sit
• 46:16
  and settle,
• 46:22
  >> it's not all the way clear cuz there's
• 46:23
  some gunk in there,
• 46:26
  but the gunk hadn't taken over.
• 46:32
  >> I've had time for it to settle. And if
• 46:35
  we really want to be technical, it's
• 46:37
  settled to a place where God can reach
• 46:39
  in and do something about it.
• 46:42
  >> It It's settled in a place where I can
• 46:44
  allow the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, if
• 46:46
  you would, Psalm 139,
• 46:48
  >> 23 and 24, search me, oh God,
• 46:51
  >> try me and know my thoughts. And if YOU
• 46:53
  SEE ANY WICKED WAY in me, lead me in THE
• 46:56
  WAY EVERLASTING. BUT IF I'M ALWAYS LIKE
• 46:58
  this
• 47:01
  >> and never sitting long enough to settle,
• 47:07
  I'll never have clarity.
• 47:10
  I'll never have peace. And I will think
• 47:12
  that God has done me wrong.
• 47:15
  >> When in fact, God has been calling you
• 47:17
  into a moment of solitude
• 47:20
  so that he can show you what's been
• 47:21
  there the whole time.
• 47:25
  If you and I
• 47:28
  gonna make room in this fast,
• 47:31
  we need to fill, we don't need just make
• 47:33
  room
• 47:34
  because vacancy is a vulnerability.
• 47:37
  >> We need to fill that space
• 47:40
  with the scripture. We need to fill that
• 47:42
  space with supplicate, earnest prayer
• 47:46
  >> and we need to fill that space with
• 47:49
  solitude. Let me tell you something.
• 47:52
  This fast is going to refresh you.
• 47:58
  >> This fast is going to refresh you. What
• 48:01
  God wants to do and he's going he's
• 48:02
  going to refresh you during this fast.
• 48:11
  Many of us can be like this sponge.
• 48:15
  This sponge is designed to clean,
• 48:21
  to scrub,
• 48:24
  but in the current state that it's in,
• 48:26
  >> it's no good
• 48:28
  >> because it's dry
• 48:30
  >> and it's brittle
• 48:33
  >> before. But
• 48:35
  this how some of us can be in certain
• 48:37
  areas
• 48:38
  >> in certain areas of our life. All of us
• 48:41
  >> have some area where we're dry
• 48:45
  >> and brittle
• 48:47
  >> and God can't use us,
• 48:50
  not like he wants to.
• 48:54
  >> And before he can use you like he wants
• 48:56
  to,
• 48:57
  >> before he can do what it is that he
• 48:59
  wants to do in you, he wants to refresh
• 49:01
  you.
• 49:03
  >> Before I can use this sponge, guess what
• 49:06
  I need?
• 49:19
  on Tuesday.
• 49:26
  >> On Wednesday, your flesh going to try to
• 49:27
  get you to get out.
• 49:31
  >> Just like stepping in a cold pool.
• 49:36
  But no,
• 49:38
  stay there.
• 49:46
  Stay there
• 49:49
  and allow the presence of God
• 49:53
  through his word,
• 49:56
  >> through supplication,
• 49:58
  >> through solitude,
• 50:01
  >> let him feel you.
• 50:03
  >> When you make space for, let him feel
• 50:05
  you.
• 50:06
  And I tell you, I don't mean I don't
• 50:09
  believe it may take the whole 40 days,
• 50:11
  but what'll happen is is that you'll
• 50:13
  become in the words of Dr. Alicia,
• 50:16
  you'll become splashy.
• 50:20
  >> You'll become you'll become splashy in
• 50:22
  the presence of God such that wherever
• 50:24
  you go,
• 50:25
  >> you leave an impact
• 50:28
  >> and an imprint
• 50:30
  >> that wherever you been,
• 50:33
  you're not still there. But I leave a
• 50:36
  little bit OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD
• 50:38
  wherever I've been. [applause]
• 50:43
  >> It's what God wants to do in you.
• 50:46
  >> That's what he wants to do in you.
• 50:51
  >> All the sponge did was make itself
• 50:52
  available.
• 50:54
  >> All the sponge did was put itself in the
• 50:56
  right place. Come on here.
• 50:57
  >> And if you put yourself in the right
• 50:59
  place, God wants to fill you
• 51:04
  >> to overflowing.
• 51:07
  >> Let's pray.
• 51:10
  [applause]
• 51:13
  >> Father,
• 51:14
  in the name of Jesus, we thank you
• 51:17
  >> for this opportunity around your word.
• 51:21
  Father, we thank you because you're
• 51:23
  giving us this invitation
• 51:26
  to be with you on these 40 days. And
• 51:30
  Lord, although our flesh is kicking up
• 51:32
  and crying out already,
• 51:35
  you are excited
• 51:37
  because you long to spend time with us,
• 51:40
  to pull us aside, to talk to us
• 51:43
  uninterrupted.
• 51:47
  You want to fill the space that we have
• 51:49
  created. And Lord, we want you to fill
• 51:51
  that space. So Lord, we ask you to help
• 51:52
  us as we make room. Help us not to just
• 51:55
  stop there.
• 51:58
  Help us, Lord, to fill that space with
• 51:59
  scripture, with your word
• 52:03
  in a way, Lord, not not to just glance
• 52:05
  at it, but to gaze upon it.
• 52:08
  Not to just read it, but let it read us.
• 52:12
  Father, may we come away when we come
• 52:15
  away with reading your word, Lord,
• 52:16
  there'll be things that we'll see that
• 52:17
  we may not be proud of. Father, help us
• 52:20
  not to get discouraged or fall in
• 52:22
  condemnation or depression, but Father,
• 52:24
  help us to make our supplication
• 52:27
  [music] and be very honest with you
• 52:30
  about what we see. God, we can do that
• 52:33
  because you care and you want us to
• 52:36
  bring it to you. So Lord, let us come
• 52:39
  boldly to your throne of grace and we'll
• 52:41
  find mercy [music] and grace to help us
• 52:43
  in our time of need. And Father, help us
• 52:47
  to pull aside
• 52:50
  start [music] with five minutes to just
• 52:52
  sit in your presence. Not to perform,
• 52:56
  but to just be with you
• 52:59
  so that you can speak to us.
• 53:03
  So that you can bring certain things to
• 53:04
  our mind. so we can find the peace and
• 53:06
  the clarity that we desire.
• 53:10
  Father, it's there in your presence.
• 53:13
  Help us to sit there [music] and just be
• 53:15
  with you.
• 53:18
  Father, we honor you and we thank
• 53:19
  [music] you because you want to refresh
• 53:21
  us. That's our prayer is that Lord, as
• 53:24
  we head into these 40 days, when we come
• 53:26
  out of them, we will be better [music]
• 53:28
  than we was when we went in
• 53:31
  for everything that will be
• 53:32
  accomplished, done, and revealed.
• 53:34
  Father, we'll be careful to give your
• 53:35
  name the honor and the glory.
• 53:41
  And we'll be quick to let others know
• 53:42
  that you did it. And we praise you for
• 53:45
  it in Jesus name.