Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome to the World Changers Church Gold Coast podcast. Join us as we listen to today's message. So I was. I was in America, and everything has labels in America, you got, you know, everything from no effort. You know, it just seemed like non was on everything. Non alcoholic, non sugar, you know, it's just like non, non and God. And then my brother Jamie was preaching, and he held out his Bible, and he said, there's no opinion needed.
[00:00:34] And I began to think in that moment about how significant that statement was.
[00:00:42] I began to think about just how much opinion surrounds the word of God and how the enemy uses that to cause division instead of vision.
[00:00:56] Amen. And one of the things I look at is, we have an opinion on everything. There's nothing wrong with opinions.
[00:01:06] It's like, you know, everybody's got a nose. Everybody's got an opinion.
[00:01:11] But when an opinion starts to dictate fact and cause hesitation in direction, that's when we need to monitor it. Amen. So I want to start with a scripture this morning. It's really easy. Isaiah 48. And I just want to start here. And if you've got your bibles with you this morning. Anybody got your bible with you this morning? All right, so if you have anybody need light to read?
[00:01:37] Everybody good? Okay. I can't see you because it's so bright up here. Isaiah 48 says, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God will stand forever. Amen. The word of God will stand forever. Think about that. So when I was a new Christian and a new preacher, I was writing sermons every week, and I was trying to put that new spin on something every week. And I came to this scripture that said, there's nothing new under the sun. And I was like, wow, God. Everything I could think to say has been said.
[00:02:18] Everything I've ever felt has been felt.
[00:02:23] Men have been through what I'm going through right now, and your word has spoken to them in those moments exactly what they need. So I don't need nothing new. I need something consistent.
[00:02:36] Amen. The word of God is not something that can see man. You can pull a thousand scriptures out of context, and one person will say, it means this, and another person says, it means that. But I don't care what people say. I want to know what.
[00:02:51] There's so many different opinions about the word of God, which version to read, and, you know, which church to go to and which denomination. Listen, as your pastor, I didn't put out an application to be your pastor. You didn't hire me.
[00:03:06] Amen.
[00:03:08] God did.
[00:03:10] God did. Amen. And I think that the reality is, is that when we go to do something, we get excited about it, and we start asking people for their opinion, and they start talking us out of stuff. Amen. You ever had an idea, something you was gonna do for God, and you started talking to people about it, and they're like, that's crazy.
[00:03:36] All the time. That's my life.
[00:03:39] I think my middle name is crazy.
[00:03:43] It matches. But in today's fast paced world, we are consistently bombarded with a mirage of opinions, trends, and voices clamoring for our attention. The reality is, is that an opinion? I watch some people on YouTube now. Give me a moment. I just want to talk to you today. Is that okay? Okay. So I watched some things on YouTube, and it seems like everybody's trying to be controversial.
[00:04:12] Like, everybody's just trying to be controversial. They're trying to point out Stephen Furtick's sweater.
[00:04:18] Which $2,000 sweater is he wearing this week? Can I tell you something? I don't care.
[00:04:23] I don't really care about his $2,000 sweater. I don't care about his shoes. I want to know if the word of God is coming out of his mouth.
[00:04:31] We hear about pastors, something they did 20 years ago coming into light, and we're like, I just knew all pastors were bad. That's popular. It doesn't matter what you did last summer, it doesn't matter what you did did last night. What matters is, are you listening to the word of God today?
[00:04:47] Amen. It doesn't matter what people think about you. It doesn't matter. I'm going to tell you something. If God before you, I said, if God before you, is God on your side? Yes or no? I said, is God on your side?
[00:05:04] Then praise the Lord.
[00:05:07] We get so caught up for everybody else's approval, and today it's like an addiction. Listen, you worried about getting canceled? Guess what? You already are.
[00:05:16] You are a Christian. They have canceled you, and we're still there. Amen.
[00:05:23] Hallelujah. So today, let's stop worrying about whose attention we need to get and whose approval, because social media platforms, news outlets, and even well meaning friends and family offer up varied perspectives on how we should live our lives. Listen, I stopped calling my mama about 30 years ago, asking her what I should do. Amen.
[00:05:44] You want to know why I love my mama? I visited her. We had a good time. Forgiveness was exchanged, and God was good. You know, we had a good time together. I spent more than 30 minutes with her. That was radical, but I stopped taking advice from people that don't know how to live unbroken.
[00:06:02] My mom would complain about everybody. She was negative every minute. She was toxic, she was narcissistic. And she's saved now. So God's working on her. She's doing better.
[00:06:11] And I just stopped taking advice from broken people.
[00:06:17] And I stopped looking from opinion from crabs in the bucket. Do you know if you trying to get out of something, them other crabs are just trying to pull you down.
[00:06:28] Amen. It's funny, isn't it?
[00:06:31] I really. I stopped asking for opinion from people that just trying to keep me where they are.
[00:06:38] Come on, somebody.
[00:06:41] The Bible tells us in Isaiah 48, it reminds us that the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God stand forever. This verse reminds us that while human opinions shift every season, God's word remains steadfast and unchanging.
[00:07:01] The Bible, it's timeless. Somebody say amen.
[00:07:04] So written thousand years ago, it's still true today. It's teaching us principles that have stood the test of time and continue to provide wisdom.
[00:07:14] Oh, man.
[00:07:16] It provides guidance in contrast to popular opinion that changes and is fickle. And it depends on like, one moment they like Trump, the next minute they trying to shoot him. Sorry, had to 1 minute, Biden's the next greatest thing, and the next thing have him step down.
[00:07:33] When I was in America, I went through so many different opinions. It just depended on, you know, what depended on what I was hearing is what table I sat at, what phone call I made, who I decided to hang out with and where they were from.
[00:07:48] And the opinion were changing left, right, and center. And I began to think, the Bible has no opinion. It just has truth.
[00:07:58] Amen.
[00:07:59] And what I need today more than anything is I'm trying to find direction through all the opinions, the tornadoes of thoughts. I am simply saying, God, I need to see through and see the truth, exactly where you want me to go, exactly what I'm called to do.
[00:08:15] So what we celebrate today can be condemned tomorrow.
[00:08:23] By relying on the word of God, we ground ourselves in eternal truths that remain steadfast despite the world's shifting sands.
[00:08:32] Listen, last week when I was in America, not last week. Where was I at last week? Two weeks ago when I was in America, it was like, I need you to come here. My brother was talking to me. I need you to come here and work on this and do this and do that and all these opinions about how I should live, you should just move back here and all this. You know, if I'd have listened to everybody. I'd be back in America right now selling cattle.
[00:08:54] Wouldn't that be a radical shift?
[00:08:57] If I was to listen to everybody back home? I'd be back home building houses in Zimbabwe. I don't know. I would just be somewhere. Because everybody has an opinion on what you should be doing other than what you're doing.
[00:09:11] Because you know why they need you to do what they're doing?
[00:09:14] Because they need you. I need God.
[00:09:18] Amen.
[00:09:20] So, in our spiritual journey, it's essential to recognize the obstacles that hinder our relationship with God. One of them, and the most two significant ones, is our fears and opinions.
[00:09:37] These internal conflicts that, you know, they stifle growth, and they can keep us from experiencing the fullness of God's plan in our lives. So let me give you an example. There's countless examples, and I'll get a little bit fired up later on just trying to stay calm.
[00:09:51] There's countless examples of who felt paralyzed by fear, constrained by opinion, by others. Moses. Moses measured himself by his height, his stature, and his voice and said, you know what? Pick Aaron Moses about skipped out on the opportunity to be the one that God sent to say, the great I am sent me. Because of his opinion of himself, he had a higher opinion of his brother's ability. Instead of realizing God wasn't calling him for his ability or stature, God was calling him because he had been prepared, in the seasons of life for that moment to surrender to God and let God's hand move.
[00:10:41] Peter's fears and his persecutions led for him to deny Jesus. Matthew 2626-6975 the one that stood before Jesus and said, don't go to the cross. And Jesus had to say, get thee behind me, Satan. The one that said, I'll never deny you, Lord. I will fight for you. The one that cut off the soldier's ear in the midst of the crowd. Let his fears and the opinion of the crowd say, nope, I never knew him.
[00:11:13] We don't know what we're going to do until we get in the middle of it. And that's why we need to get ready now, outside of opinion, so that we can be ready for when we face maybe some of the greatest wars in our lives.
[00:11:28] Amen. Is God good?
[00:11:32] So Moses and Peter and many others, these narratives show us how to. How we can show us that fear can prevent even the most faithful from moving forward. Peter walked with Jesus.
[00:11:48] Moses was a basket case, but still went to.
[00:11:57] Went to see over 2 million israelites saved.
[00:12:03] If God can use those men, how much greater can he use you. If you are full of faith and trusting in Goddesse, there is no opinion needed about your calling. Your past is talking to you way too much.
[00:12:21] Your insecurities, your traumas, your triggers, all these things, they are part of our healing. And we need to heal. My God, do we need to heal, but they're talking to us too much.
[00:12:35] Listen, I got daddy issues, you know? Could you believe that I'm surrounded by men right now because God has healed me? But do you know that when I'd get around men back in the past, I'd get all clamored up and ready to fight? And I'd be like, oh, I don't trust any of them because I had daddy issues. And when God healed me of that, all I want to do is hang out with strong men.
[00:12:58] Amen.
[00:13:00] I want to get around some warriors and men of valor, and I want us to get. And grit and growl and grin, man, I don't want to get with some level two, level one, level five, emotional pansy pansies. My goodness. Forgive me.
[00:13:16] You know what? Let me just. Let me correct that.
[00:13:19] It's good to have emotions.
[00:13:22] It's just not good for them to have you.
[00:13:25] Amen.
[00:13:28] Amen. I cry a lot now these days, but I cry like a man.
[00:13:39] No, I cry like a man behind closed doors and with an ugly face. If I'm in front of you, I got the biggest boo hoo, blubbery face you've ever seen in your life. You think I can't smile pretty? Let me tell you something. When I cry, it's ugly.
[00:13:53] But moving on. There is a paralyzing nature to fear. Fear, let me tell you something is natural to human emotions.
[00:14:03] We try and cast out the spirit of fear. And yes, there is a spirit of fear, but we try and pray against anxiety. We try and pray against our emotions. Can I tell you something? As long as you're human and feeling, you cannot pray away your emotions. But you can pray away the demonic influence that's amplifying your human triggers.
[00:14:24] But you are human.
[00:14:26] You get angry, and without maturity, you take action.
[00:14:31] You are human, you get afraid, and without maturity, it will paralyze you.
[00:14:41] Fear is a natural human, but it is something that is significant that can.
[00:14:50] It can stifle our spiritual walk if we let it take control.
[00:14:55] Fear of failure, rejection and the unknown can lead to reluctance to trust God's guidance. You know how many times in church I've heard people say, we've done that before. I don't care. We're doing it again.
[00:15:07] Cause when we did it before, we got afraid halfway and we never got to the finale.
[00:15:13] Maybe because we tried it before doesn't mean we finished it before.
[00:15:18] And just because we've seen the church have revivals before doesn't mean there ain't gonna be no more revivals. Just because they. I don't know about midweek services now. I don't know about prayer, and I don't know about speaking in tongues. Listen, if we keep trying to adapt ourselves to human nature, there's going to be no God and all human.
[00:15:37] Amen.
[00:15:39] We got to trust God's guidance. The Bible, however, emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear. In Isaiah 41 and 10, let's look at this.
[00:15:49] We are reminded.
[00:15:51] Do not. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my virtuous right hand.
[00:16:04] You know, the fear of failure and the fear of failing God is the greatest fear we got, man. I'll tell you something.
[00:16:13] I used to say to God all the time. Anybody ever prayed this? I'm afraid, Lord, I just hate letting you down. Anybody say that? Lord, I just hate letting you down. Come on, raise your hand high. Anybody say that? Lord, I just hate letting you down. This scripture right here proves to us that you are never holding him up.
[00:16:30] I used to say to God all the time, Lord, I'm just. I'm tired of letting you down. He spoke to me in a private moment, took me to this scripture right here and said, when were you ever holding me up?
[00:16:42] When were you ever holding me up? When did the heavens ever get supported by your shoulders? When did the stars get flung from your fingers? When did you mold the rivers with your hand? When did you speak with the power of voices that caused light to happen? When did you do any of this stuff? And God said, you've never held me up. I'm holding you up with my victorious right hand.
[00:17:08] Well, I'm afraid of letting other people down. Well, if they Christian, guess who's holding them up.
[00:17:14] I'm afraid of telling people no. Well, if they Christian, they can get a yes from God and a no from you. Amen. I. You understand we put too much emphasis on trying to make everybody happy, but you're always gonna let somebody down. But you've never let God down.
[00:17:34] If you've let God down, that means he's failing.
[00:17:40] Whoo.
[00:17:44] I don't know what that was. It's like a new, gritty dance or something. I don't know. You know, you've never let him down.
[00:17:53] You have never let God down.
[00:17:57] Take that in, just for a moment.
[00:18:01] When fears rule our hearts, it prevents us from stepping out in faith.
[00:18:06] When you're afraid of letting God down, you're afraid to move with him.
[00:18:11] When you're afraid of the opinion of God over you, and you have warped the opinion of God over you, you will actually be afraid to displease God. But the scripture says you cannot is constantly working with you to complete the promise that he started.
[00:18:28] You're so afraid of missing it. You're so afraid of the door shutting. You're so afraid that ain't God. That's you.
[00:18:40] When you're living in fear and angst, that is not God.
[00:18:50] The paralyzing nature of fear.
[00:18:52] To move forward, we must surrender our fears to God, trusting that he will lead us through.
[00:18:58] So that brings me to the limiting power of opinions.
[00:19:02] Huh? Sarah had an opinion.
[00:19:06] She had an opinion about Abraham.
[00:19:09] He ain't been doing well in the bedroom lately, so I don't know what you talking about, God. That we gonna have a baby. So she laughed. Outside the tent, Abraham had an opinion about himself, that he was too old and decided that, well, if I wait much longer, I don't know how this is going to happen. So he got with Sarah, and Sarah got with him because everybody always blames the woman. But you know that Abraham consented, too.
[00:19:33] Just saying.
[00:19:35] And so we got with Hagar. They had Ishmael, and they created a seed that would be enmity with their son. And the promised seed, Isaac. But it started out with an opinion that limited God and caused problems. Come on, somebody.
[00:19:52] You will try and orchestrate what God has promised by thinking he ain't moving. So you're going to try and assist God with his promise. Go back to Isaiah there for a second. Eli 41 and ten. Where in that scripture does it say that he needs your assistance?
[00:20:14] He needs you to obey, and he will help you.
[00:20:21] He needs you to obey. And because if you fall, he will hold you up. So he said, don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged, because I'm with you. If he said the first two things, that means he knew you would be afraid. He knew you would be discouraged, and he knew he'd have to strengthen you, and he knew he'd have to pick you up.
[00:20:44] Come on, somebody.
[00:20:51] For instance, the fear of sharing our faith might keep us from fulfilling the great commission. Well, you know, I don't know the word like Jeremy does.
[00:21:02] I'm not as passionate as Paddy.
[00:21:05] And you know jewels. You know jewels is jewels.
[00:21:10] She's gonna speak whatever the Lord says. I'm just not any of those people.
[00:21:16] Your opinion of your ability is just like Moses.
[00:21:20] Pick somebody else.
[00:21:24] God is wanting to use you because you're the perfect person for the perfect moment, for the perfect time, for the perfect season. And you're talking yourself out of it when God's trying to talk you into it.
[00:21:37] Well, I'm hurt while I'm wounded, while I'm afraid. Well, I'm emotional. I might cry. I might stumble. I might this, I might that. Don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged. He will strengthen you. He will pick you up.
[00:21:50] Amen.
[00:21:52] Come on, somebody.
[00:21:54] The fear of change can make us cling to old habits and resist transformation.
[00:22:01] Last Sunday, oh, we were up here with you two bouncing around.
[00:22:08] I'm walking away from that man. I was a dancing monkey. God said it was still good. Find out from somebody.
[00:22:14] Amen. We get so accustomed to the norm that when God wants to do it a different way, we're afraid to move forward. Well, take, for instance, when Jesus came.
[00:22:29] The pharisees and scribes denied him because it was different.
[00:22:33] So you think that when God calls you, that everybody's gonna love you, appreciate you, and thank you. If they threw Joseph into the pit, if they threw Daniel in the lion, you ain't selling this to me, pastor.
[00:22:51] If they threw Daniel in the lions, then you know what the difference was? Joseph held on to God all the way through. Daniel held on to God all the way through. You gotta hold on to God when all hell is against you and still fulfill what God's called you to do.
[00:23:08] Shrink back when it's hard, honey. Go ahead.
[00:23:15] I've been doing that for years.
[00:23:18] But one day I got so afraid, I began to shake and sweat about what God was calling me to do.
[00:23:25] I talked myself out of it while God was talking me into it.
[00:23:30] And I decided that I would try God and imagine if I didn't, I wouldn't be right here on this stage today.
[00:23:40] The families that their marriages are restored because of sitting in them in dark rooms and places that nobody knows about. The private conference. See, you don't see what I do. You just see this.
[00:23:52] You don't see the families, the sons. You don't see the daughters. You don't see the things that are still living and breathing and on fire for God. Because God chose me to sit in a cafe or a restaurant or take a walk or go out on the street and do stuff nobody else wants to do.
[00:24:10] See, this is easy.
[00:24:12] This right here is easy. Living your whole life for God. It's easy, too, if you let it happen and not be afraid of public opinion.
[00:24:23] Amen. The limiting power of opinions, the opinions of others, can be stifling. Proverbs 29 and 25 cautions us.
[00:24:32] Look at this.
[00:24:36] Look at this right here. I can't even dance. But it's all good. Fearing people is a dangerous trap. By trusting the Lord means safety.
[00:24:46] Hallelujah. I didn't get enough hallelujahs right there, so I'm going to say it again. Fearing people is a dangerous trap. Amen. But trusting the Lord means safety. Hallelujah.
[00:25:01] I just didn't feel like shouting right there. Cause you ain't lived through a trap yet.
[00:25:06] Anybody that's lived through something knows what it's like. You ever been sick? Come on, you ever been sick?
[00:25:13] I mean, sick.
[00:25:15] I mean, like, sick, right?
[00:25:19] How good did you feel when you started feeling good? You were like, man, I didn't know how good it felt to feel good until I started feeling good.
[00:25:28] When you've lived through something, I'm in this place right now. I don't care what people think about me. I care what you got to say. I care about you. I don't, like, have that haughty. I don't care about people. Doesn't matter. I'm going to say what I say. I'm going to do what I'm going to do, and they're going to have to live with it. I don't have that. That's not humble. That's pride. You know what I got? I got a. I don't care what people think, but I care about them.
[00:25:52] That allows me to hear them and that allows them to hear me. Amen.
[00:25:58] It's easy to get trapped by what others think and expect of us. Listen, be a pastor for five minutes. There's so many expectations. You didn't pray for me. My marriage fell apart. What?
[00:26:12] Excuse me? Your marriage was falling apart for the last five years. You think a five minute prayer is going to change much other than start the process?
[00:26:20] It's going to start the process and invite God into the situation. But you got some work to do. Ninja.
[00:26:26] Amen.
[00:26:28] Blaming pastors for what didn't happen in your life. I'm going to go to a church that is a big building, got all the finances. I want that blessing on me.
[00:26:38] Get a job, save some money, learn how to invest, learn about equity, get a little smart about yourself and learn from the wisdom of God. And you gonna have some money. But keep going down to big w and spending money, your money, every weekend ain't gonna change a thing about how much money is in your pocket. Amen.
[00:26:57] Oh, not enough amens right there, but that's all right.
[00:27:04] Opinions.
[00:27:06] Listen to this.
[00:27:08] If you don't hear anything, hear this. Opinions can create a narrow view of God's possibilities.
[00:27:16] Your opinion of yourself, people's opinion of you, people's opinion of your church, people's opinion of your job and your lifestyle. Opinions can create a narrow view of God's possibilities. For them that believe all things are possible, opinions will begin to shrink the all into some things are possible.
[00:27:38] Somebody better say amen.
[00:27:41] For example, if we believe certain blessings or callings are, aren't meant for us, we might reject opportunities that God places before us.
[00:27:50] Man, I might have to get in some cookie jars.
[00:27:56] Your idols.
[00:27:59] Hmm?
[00:28:01] Hmm.
[00:28:02] Okay.
[00:28:05] If you want the stuff that Jesus has and not Jesus, Jesus is just your idol.
[00:28:16] He is not your savior.
[00:28:19] If you just want the promises of God, but don't chase after God as abundantly. God is just another religious idol.
[00:28:30] God, help me out of this, but don't talk to him when it's good.
[00:28:36] God, I ain't got the means for this, but don't talk to him when he fixes it. Learn how to thank God. Learn how to live for God when it's good, just as much as you live for him when it's broken. And you'll start living an unbroken life. Amen. Is that good?
[00:28:55] Let's stop rejecting what God has for us because of mama and them's opinion.
[00:29:07] It involves replacing fear and negative opinions with faith and divine truth.
[00:29:13] When we renew our minds, we open ourselves to God's purposes and move confidently.
[00:29:19] Some may ask, maybe you are today.
[00:29:24] That's great. But how do I do that? What can I do? James says in James two and 17, faith without action is dead.
[00:29:33] To break free from the chains of fear and opinions, we must take deliberate steps. Write these down.
[00:29:41] Deliberate steps. Pray for strength, seek guidance in scripture and counsel, and surround ourselves with a community that encourages spiritual growth.
[00:29:54] So I'm gonna break that down a little bit further. You wanna break free from the fears and opinions that are crippling your life? Spend time in prayer.
[00:30:05] That's one.
[00:30:07] Spend time in prayer reflecting and asking God to reveal the fears and opinions that hold you back. See, the difference between Saul and David was. Saul was afraid that his sins would be discovered.
[00:30:24] David said, search me, o Lord. Try me. O Lord, put in me the right heart and the right spirit. He didn't care who saw his sin. He didn't care about public image. He didn't care about what people thought about him. He cared about what God thought about him.
[00:30:42] Amen.
[00:30:43] We've got to break free from the opinion of others. That breaks us free from image. Man, I can sniff image people out all day long. They'll pick out who's important in the room. You may be their daddy. You may be their brother. You may be their sister. You may be blood. They're going to walk past you, push you down, step on you like a welcome mat to get to the most important people in the room because they care about image.
[00:31:12] Second way to break free is study the Bible.
[00:31:15] It's full of encouragement and wisdom.
[00:31:19] Surprise, surprise.
[00:31:21] To help us overcome fears that challenge us. Meditate on scriptures that address these issues.
[00:31:28] Seek counsel. Too many of us making decisions without coming to our pastors. Do you know what the Bible says about us folk?
[00:31:36] Says we a gift to the body. Do you want to know why I'm special?
[00:31:42] You want to know why I'm special? Because I've laid down my life to think and pray for you 24/7 you think I'm at the golf club?
[00:31:55] You think I'm driving around, cruising, sipping mai tais, and drinking cappuccinos? You think I got the most plush and exciting life? I've been wearing these same shoes for, like, six months.
[00:32:06] Some of y'all go, nice shoes. When did you get them? About two years ago.
[00:32:10] Amen.
[00:32:12] You need to come to people that are actually thinking about God and are approaching God for daily decisions for their lives and for the congregation, not so that they can rule over you, but so that you can actually tap into good spiritual counsel.
[00:32:28] You think I'm gonna walk over to Timmy, who hadn't thought about me in a month, and be like, hey, man, what you think I should do? He's gonna think in that moment, spit the first thing he has off his hip, even though it might be good, but it ain't gonna be God.
[00:32:42] But if I went to Tina, who prays for y'all diligently and asked her a question, you know what I'm gonna get? I'm not gonna get something off the hip. I'm gonna get something that God's been speaking to her for all year long, and I've just decided to tap into it.
[00:33:00] Seek counsel. Sometimes discussing our fears and opinions with trusted spiritual advisors can provide clarity. Step out in faith. Try it every once in a while, you got enough life ahead of you. You know what? If you go bankrupt, it's not over.
[00:33:17] You can start again.
[00:33:20] Do you know if you fail, that is just that one more step to success.
[00:33:25] Do you know if the bank account is zero, it can be full tomorrow.
[00:33:30] Do not sit still and let fear make you wait on what God has put just two steps in front of you.
[00:33:38] Amen.
[00:33:41] Our fears and opinions can act like shackles, chaining us to our current circumstance, keeping us from the abundant life that God promises. Man, this is good. I'm preaching myself. I'm gonna give myself an offering. Hold on, y'all.
[00:33:56] Whoo. Yep, yep. Let's switch in the other pocket.
[00:34:00] Hallelujah. I done preached myself happy up here. I think that deserves a double blessing. Amen. Listen, move that back over there. Praise the Lord.
[00:34:10] He trying to get us to give a tithe or to throw money at him. No. When it's good, it's good.
[00:34:19] Our fears are trying to shackle us to our current circumstances. When God is trying to free us from Egypt and get us over in Goshen.
[00:34:29] When we acknowledge these barriers and activities working to overcome us, we open ourselves to deeper, more fulfilling relationship with God. In turn, this enables us to move forward confidently in his guidance and love. Man.
[00:34:46] Oh, you think you're the only one that's been afraid? You think you're the only one that's had an opinion about what God's doing for someone else and not the other?
[00:34:55] Satan, Lucifer, the serpent had an opinion about what God had created and went and had a conversation and spoke his opinion over Eve and changed her mind, changed her from what God has promised. And then she ate of that apple and then gave that apple. This is called Apple. It's okay. And then gave that to Adam. And we had the fall of man. One opinion changed what God said.
[00:35:18] Cain got jealous. Oh, Cain got jealous of Abel because he had an opinion about his own offering and said, this is the best. How could anybody do better than me? His opinion was so high of himself that he killed his brother. When God chose Abel instead of him.
[00:35:37] My God, Abraham thought that I'm too old. Sarah laughed and thought, well, we'll just get with Hagar. Had to dismiss the unpromised seed to receive the real seed. David looked over and saw Bathsheba and let the opinion of his eyes distract him and cause the curse on his family. Can I tell you something? Your flesh is always going to have an opinion, but your spirit needs to come out and say, this is what God has told me to do.
[00:36:10] Moses was thinking I stuttered too much and almost talked himself out of being there for God. He went there and spoke to Pharaoh and his opinion, saying, see God. He only made them work harder. See God, why did you send me? You should have sent Aaron. And you know what God said to Moses? Failure and his own opinion of himself. Now you shall see the work of my hands when you get out of the way. And there is no opinion needed. God can move in mighty ways.
[00:36:41] My God. Is anybody getting excited with me?
[00:36:44] Ruth almost talked herself out of it.
[00:36:47] Who was it? She almost talked herself out of her Boaz. I mean, come on, somebody. Ruth and Naomi.
[00:36:53] Esther almost talked herself out of the courtroom to go see the king and said, let her opinion. I'm just a lowly woman. And delivered the Israelites from certain death. You do not know what's on the other side of your fear when you step out in faith and say, there's no other opinion needed. I'm just going to step with God. Somebody. Come on. Somebody's got to get happy with me.
[00:37:18] Oh, my Jesus. I began to just walk through the Bible. I mean, when you've read the Bible so much, you can walk through it in your mind and you begin to see people. I mean, man, they was afraid. Abraham lied about his wife Sarah, because he was afraid that the king would take his life for his wife. And when Sarah got with the king and said, I'm married to that man, God stepped in. Let him know, this is the people I've blessed. And you got that man's wife. He was so afraid, he sent her with a blessing. Even when you mess up, God sends a blessing to keep you on the path.
[00:37:58] My God, can we keep walking through the Bible for a minute?
[00:38:02] Isaac had an opinion about Rebecca.
[00:38:06] Worked seven years to get the wrong one. He had to make up his mind. Am I going to choose God's blessing, or am I going to accept the substitute? Worked another seven years to get what God had promised. My God. Sometimes you got to wait on what's good, even when the substitute gets in the way. Isn't that what God's saying to us? Come on, somebody.
[00:38:29] Whoo.
[00:38:31] In 1 Chronicles, chapter 13, Abijah and Jeroboam, one of the men was outnumbered ten to 1, 800,000 to 400,000, men of war and men of valor. And the man that had the least got up on top of the mountain and said, ought you to know?
[00:38:47] I reckon.
[00:38:49] I think he got a little country, played him a little bluegrass on the way. Up the hill, got up on top of that hill. I ought you to know that we didn't stop sacrificing to God that we got a salt covenant, the same salt covenant that David had, that we've kept our prayers, we've kept our supplications. I ought you to know I'm going to give you one chance to get all surrounded.
[00:39:15] The enemy probably looking at him like, who is this fool? How many times the enemy thought he had you defeated and you stood up in faith because you didn't let opinion or circumstance put you down. And when everybody's looking at you like you a fool and you gonna fail, don't listen to that. I want you to know I pray daily. I know my Jesus. I'm covered by the blood. I got the Holy Spirit on the inside of me. I have divine intervention and counsel over me. What you gonna do, devil?
[00:39:45] Oh, guess what? God even said I got authority over you. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.
[00:39:54] Ought you to know people. We ought to know when you get in the right place of thinking and renew your mind with the word of God, you're going to stop limiting what you can do and start saying, I'm going to trust God even when it hurts. I'm going to trust God even when I don't know. I'm going to trust God even when I'm afraid. I'm going to trust God when the bank account's low. I'm going to trust God with the baby's new pair of shoes. I'm going to trust God with the light bill. I'm going to trust God with everything I got. I'm going to learn how to lean on him because he's all I got. I'm going to learn how to rest in him because he's all I got. And when you get to that place, opinion doesn't matter.
[00:40:37] God matters.
[00:40:41] Peter lopped off the ear of the soldier but couldn't open his mouth in a crowded. But God wasn't done with him.
[00:40:52] He went and repented opposite of Judas. See, Judas just felt sorry for himself.
[00:40:57] Peter went and cried out to God. I think that's the difference.
[00:41:02] Judas was so ashamed of his sin he didn't realize he had a savior right there in front of him and a God he could call out to.
[00:41:09] But Peter went and cried out and ended up doubling the church in one preach.
[00:41:15] Well, I'm not going to invite people to this church because I don't agree with what pastor said. Honey, don't. God will still feel it.
[00:41:23] I'm not going to invite people to this church because, you know, it's small. It's not that pretty on the outside. Hmm. Honey, don't. God's going to give us a bigger building.
[00:41:32] Can I tell him about our conversation the other day?
[00:41:35] I said, I'm going to start looking for a new building.
[00:41:39] They said, and we were talking, this one ain't full yet. I know. I'm gonna start looking for a new building. God said, we gonna grow.
[00:41:46] Well, we ain't got no money. We about to go in $2 million worth of debt. Would you quit talking, pour out your mouth and trust God about what we about to do next.
[00:41:55] Amen.
[00:41:56] If God said it, he's gonna make a way. Deuteronomy, eight and 18. He's gonna give wisdom to create wealth. We're not gonna walk into this stupidly blind and without money and sign contracts. We're thinking, well, God's just gonna do it. No, we going to walk into it wise. We going to go into the land at night. We going to know that God's went before us and broke down every brass gate and made every crooked path straight. We're going to walk into it with wise eyes instead of foolish, blind eyes of faith, while the blind lead the blind. No, we going to walk in it after God.
[00:42:27] How you know this church is going to grow?
[00:42:30] Because my next sermon series is unbroken.
[00:42:36] I believe that in the next six months, everybody in here that is traumatized or anxious or going through stuff, you're going to be given the tools to heal.
[00:42:53] I used to be an insecure pastor. I'm not because I was given the tools to heal.
[00:42:59] God is going to do something great.
[00:43:05] But I want to go back to the greatest opinion of them all, Joseph and Mary.
[00:43:20] Honey, I got something to tell you. Yeah, what's that, honey? We betrothed. You can tell me anything. I'm pregnant.
[00:43:30] What you mean you pregnant?
[00:43:34] We have not been together. How are you pregnant? The law called for her to be stoned.
[00:43:41] Public opinion called for her to die.
[00:43:45] Joseph went away and said, I'm going to talk to God. I'm going to sleep on this. Honey, sometimes you need to sleep on this.
[00:43:54] You need to give God time to talk to you before you just go with what makes everybody else happy.
[00:44:03] And God came to him in a dream. And angel talked to him. And he woke up the next day. All right, Mary.
[00:44:09] Well, guess you pregnant with God's son.
[00:44:14] So we gonna have to leave this place. Cause God's given me instructions.
[00:44:21] Can I blow your mind for a minute about how significant that is. The enemy had been chasing the seed of Jesus since Jesse.
[00:44:34] Hmm.
[00:44:36] When a woman is born biologically, she has all the eggs she's gonna have for her whole life. Little science project. Hope y'all can be mature for a second. Men. Well, we just kinda reproduce them little swimmers all day long.
[00:44:51] Sorry if that offended you.
[00:44:54] It's biology. You can get over it.
[00:44:57] But women, they are. Once they start having their cycle, there is a time where there is no more eggs.
[00:45:06] If Joseph would have listened to the enemy, he would have killed the seed of Jesse in that moment because the DNA of Jesus was in her blood.
[00:45:17] She wasn't just picked because she was virtuous. She was picked because she also had a bloodline.
[00:45:23] Jesus earth suit was in her. And the Holy Spirit said, that one is Jesus.
[00:45:34] Public opinion will cause you to abort God's seed.
[00:45:43] That's the only thing you need to be afraid of. Well, God, you said we couldn't miss it. We couldn't do that. Public opinion has tried to get me to leave this church five times for more money in a bigger church.
[00:45:55] And if money moved me, honey, I'd hit the door.
[00:45:59] If having a big crowd moved me, I'd be gone. I've been offered jobs every time I went to America. If you just come here and be pastor, we can grow this thing.
[00:46:10] That doesn't move me.
[00:46:13] What moves me is what God has assigned me to do.
[00:46:17] No opinion needed. As you stand to your feet.
[00:46:23] I need a guitar, a piano, some pads.
[00:46:28] It was good, wasn't it?
[00:46:31] I think everybody got in that message.
[00:46:39] I hope you all decide to do Bible studies all week long and invite people to your house to talk about the word of God.
[00:46:48] I think this Tuesday, we got something going on. I don't know what we got going on. We got a connect group all in. You can go over to Paddy's house and sit around and Claire and talk about the Bible. You want to go there, call somebody.
[00:47:02] You shook their hand today. You might as well.
[00:47:05] But we don't need to be like, good job, pastor. You preached a good message this day. That was good. It was anointed. Get down the road thinking about Starbucks or Zarrafa's for a roast. I know we got a roast we got to do. I'm hungry.
[00:47:21] Or the next thing you got to do. Let's keep this word.
[00:47:26] Let's keep this word that God has called you to do something. You're not too old, and you're not too young. You're not the wrong gender or sex, because I only believe in two.
[00:47:40] You're either male or female.
[00:47:43] You are what you are.
[00:47:46] You can be used by God no matter your shortcomings.
[00:47:51] And see, right now, just cause I talked about that one topic, people are getting uneasy.
[00:48:00] If God can use David, he can use everybody in the room.
[00:48:05] David wouldn't even have been allowed to hold the door open.
[00:48:10] If God can use me, he can use you.
[00:48:15] I want to ask you something. Every head bowed and every eye closed, I want a simple raising of your hand.
[00:48:22] When I say, do you know Jesus? I want you to raise your hand if you do. You ready? Do you know Jesus? Yes or no?
[00:48:32] Yeah. Thank you.
[00:48:35] Hallelujah. Second question.
[00:48:41] Are you ready? This will be your yes. When you stick your hand up, you're going to be afraid to do it because you don't know what it means to means.
[00:48:48] You don't know what it's really saying, but you're just taking a step of faith. Are you ready to serve God in the way that he's called you to lift your hand?
[00:49:00] If it's a yes, hallelujah. Hallelujah.
[00:49:06] Then you know what God said back to you right now? Yes and amen.
[00:49:11] I want to know by the end of this week what you're called to do. I want a text message. I want you to contact Claire and Paddy if you know them personally, Jeremy, Michelle, Jules, anybody you know that can get to me directly. I want you to contact them. I want to know what you're called to do. I want to see you active in the community.
[00:49:31] I want to see you telling people, come to my church, not because we want to grow this thing, because people need Jesus. I told the group up there this morning, there's two things I want to focus on past the two words. I want to focus on helping those in need and real authentic connection, man.
[00:49:53] But the main thing I said up there in that room, let's keep the main thing, the main thing. Why are we here? We're here to worship Jesus. We're not here for the best building. We're not here for the best preaching. We're not here for the best, best, best. We're here for Jesus. And that needs to remain the main thing. So if you've lifted your hand, you said, I want to serve Jesus with my all. I want to know exactly what you're called to do. And the second thing I want to know is I want to know what you're afraid of.
[00:50:21] I want to know what you're afraid of.
[00:50:24] Because we're going to walk that out with you through this Unbroken series.
[00:50:28] We got counselors here that do everything from spiritual advisement to advisement to EFT and AMN. And we do everything here.
[00:50:39] Whatever you need, I want to give it to you so that through the course of the rest of this year, you don't just come to church feeling the same way, rowing the boat with one oar. Amen. Last question.
[00:50:53] Every head bowed, every eye closed.
[00:50:56] If you still think you can't do it, raise your hand.
[00:51:00] Come on, a couple of you. Thank you.
[00:51:07] We're gonna pray a prayer together. You ready? It's gonna be a little repeat after me, but I want you to make it your own father right now.
[00:51:16] Give me strength and courage not to be afraid of what others think.
[00:51:24] My capability, my failures, my insecurities surround me, Lord, with people that love me for exactly who I am and will encourage me for who I'm going to be.
[00:51:44] Because I haven't arrived, but I have left and I'm ready, Lord.
[00:51:51] Say it with me. I'm ready, Lord, to do what you've called me to do. No opinions needed. In Jesus name we all say amen. Give the Lord a hand. Clap of praise, man. It's so good to be back in church.
[00:52:14] So glad to be back. I love y'all. Can't wait till next week. Thank you for tuning in to today's message. To connect or find out more, you can reach us online at "worldchangers.life". Remember to subscribe for more uplifting messages from our pastoral team, and may you continue to walk in faith and transformation until we meet again.
