Bill Winston - Occupy The Top
In a world full of violence and division, Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself with agape—unconditional love. This same love marks true disciples, empowers believers to occupy the seven mountains without compromise, overcome evil with good through the fruit of the Spirit, and unlock every provision and promotion God has planned.
The Greatest Commandments
Let’s look at Matthew chapter 22. Matthew chapter 22. We’re having a lot of things happening today—a violence and so forth and kind of racial conflicts and so forth. And I want to say a few words about it that I’ve been preaching, and it’s called the power of love.
In verse 34: «But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him”—say, „tempting Him”—“and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor”—how? —“as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the Prophets.“
Agape Love
Right now—I want you to see this. He said, „What are the two great commandments?“ He said, „One, love God.“ Second what? „Love thy neighbor.“ Now what kind of love is He talking about? What do we call it in the Greek? Agape. It means what? Unconditional love.
I’m not loving you because you love me. I’m not loving you because you love me. I’m loving you because I’ve been commanded to love you. Now He goes on further—and over in John chapter 13, He says, starting at verse 34: „A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.“
So you’re going to have to love one another. What kind of love is that? Agape love. What is agape love? Unconditional love. You’re not gonna love me because I love you. You’re gonna love me despite how I feel about you. Say „amen“ to this.
The Temptation of the Kingdoms
Now what is this all about? What is this all about? What’s going on here? Let’s go to Luke chapter 4. Here’s what Jesus was tempted—verse 5: „And the devil, taking Him up into a high mountain, showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine.“
Now notice what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to get Jesus to worship him—to bow and worship him. Now understand, Jesus of course said, „Get thee behind me, Satan.“ But notice that temptation—if it wasn’t a temptation, it wouldn’t be in there as a temptation. It’s a temptation.
Now, what is happening? Mountains. That what we’ve done is we’ve zeroed in on the church mountain. And we tried to make the church as big as we can get it physically. That’s not the idea. See, when this is the only mountain, then we make ninety percent of what God has intended for ministry to be obsolete.
In other words, this is a training station. This is a place where the church is not where you come—it’s what you are. And once you know that you are the church, then it makes no difference whether you’re in the building or out of it. Then you carry out the function that a church should carry out.
The Invincible Church
A church is a place that is spiritually indestructible. The church is invincible—meaning not to be conquered or subdued—not to be overcome. It’s a place where God deliberately plants the righteous among the wicked. He deliberately takes you out and puts you in dark places because you are the light. And you are going to let your light so—what? —shine—that men may see your what? Good works and glorify your Father.
Pharaoh didn’t ask about Joseph’s father until he saw Joseph’s works. Maybe they need to see our works so they can ask about our Father.
Love Is a Person
And I’m saying to you now that this whole idea of love is something that is unconditional, but it’s God’s love in us—because we found out that love is not a feeling. It’s a Person. God is love. And as we get that Person inside of us, we are loving others through that love. Say „amen“ to that.
And that love is kind. That love is gentle. That love is easy to be entreated. That love puts other people first. That kind of love is not looking to see how big I am—that love is trying to make somebody else big. And that love needs to be in the church. Because He said, „This is the way they can know you are My disciples—if you have love one for another.“
I know you’re gonna work miracles. I know you’re going to buy a big house—but this is the way they’re going to know that you are My disciples—if you have love one for another. Why? Because love out there in the world is missing—and I’m saying that you are going to be the ones that are going to respond to this love vacuum that’s going on in the world. Say „amen“ to that.
Climbing the Mountains
Now why is it so important? Because God has a plan and an assignment for you. He has a place He wants you to go. And that place that He wants you to go is up the mountain—the mountain of economics, the mountain of education, the mountain of the family, the mountain of arts and entertainment, the mountain of sports. Whatever that mountain is that He’s assigned you to—you gotta go up the mountain.
The Bible says in Job, „Though thy beginning be small, thy latter end shall greatly increase.“ God has plans of increasing. The Bible says over in Psalms 75 that promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west—but promotion for you comes from God—that He is going to see you and promote you. Say „amen“ to that.
So here you are at the bottom of your mountain. You have been planted in the field by God. What field? The mission field out there where the heathen are. „Oh, pastor—I don’t want to work for them. They’re cussing out there.“ That’s where you’re supposed to be—not of the world but in the world.
My point to you is—we’re trying to pull back. We’re trying to somehow—but God has fortified you. I’m saying this to you now because one of the reasons while you’re in here—it’s to get additional training. It’s to get motivated again—to get inspired again—because God is going to take you and put you in that mountain.
Rise Without Compromise
Now, here’s the problem with it—whatever you bow to is going to rule you at the top of the mountain. You cannot bow to anything. So you’ve got to rise with no compromise. I said it again—you’ve got to rise with no compromise.
I don’t care what they put on the three Hebrews. Here’s what the three Hebrews said: „The God that we serve—He is able and He will deliver us.“ Now notice—they didn’t know how it was going to happen. But they did know what was going to happen. Why? Because He sent His love upon you.
Are y’all with me here? I’m saying—don’t be concerned about whether something going to hurt you, something gonna shoot you, something gonna—no, no, no, no, no. There’s a loveline here that you’re walking—and the Bible says, „As long as you walk in that line, the wicked one toucheth you not.“ I don’t care where you go—how far you go—God’s gonna raise you up.
Overcome Evil with Good
Now what do you got to do? You got to understand—Jesus said, „If they hated Me”—come on, come on—“they’re gonna hate you too.“ So you can’t change the world depending on the world. You’ve got to depend on God as your source—because you are about to shift the climate where you work.
The Bible says in Romans chapter 12, „Be not overcome of evil”—what do you overcome evil with? You overcome evil with good. There are higher principles. See—the world is on a collision course with death. The world is not able to save themselves. They don’t have Christ—and they don’t have higher provisions or principle.
The principles that they have is revenge. The principles that they have is manipulation. The principles that they have—why? Because it’s Satan’s kingdom and he’s gonna run it with that. If they ever change that—then they coming against Satan’s kingdom. But you have a different kind of principle. Say ‚amen‘ to that.
You don’t need to manipulate anybody. Say ‚amen‘ to that. See—when God is your source and your only source of your provision—your increase is guaranteed. Lord have mercy. Whoo-wee—come on, Holy Ghost.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Look what He says here—verse 18: ‚But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are”—what? —“manifest, which are these: adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.‘
He’s not talking about not being saved. He’s talking to saved folks. He’s saying you won’t get to that destiny. You won’t get to the end game of what God has promised you. Say ‚amen‘ to this.
All right—now why is it so important? Because I’m about to read the fruit of the Spirit. He said this in verse 22: ‚But the fruit of the Spirit is”—what? —“love”—keep going—“joy”—come on—“peace”—come on—“longsuffering”—come on—“gentleness”—come on—“goodness”—come on—“faith”—yep—“meekness”—come on—“temperance: against such there is no law.‘
These are love forces. Where were they? Shed abroad in your heart—come on—by the Holy Ghost. When? When you got saved. What do they need? Choice. You got to choose—I’m gonna love. You got to choose—I’m gonna forgive.
Choosing Love Over Flesh
Now, I know it might seem some—“Well, I just can’t forgive them.“ That’s why you can’t say it. You know that you need to stop letting Babylon give you something to say. You need to understand that Jesus forgave you.
What did He say in Luke chapter 23? I think it is—“Father”—what? —“forgive them”—keep going—“for they know not what they do.» What did it say in Hebrews chapter 12? It says, «For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross.»
Notice—He was up there being persecuted by people who He thought were supposed to know why He came—and they hung Him up on the cross—and He had joy on the cross. I’m saying—if they are taking you through something and you still smiling—you still being kind—you—that is a miracle.
Because what happens is Satan tries to get you into a place where you fall back and start trying to operate in your own strength. That’s a mistake.
A Personal Story from IBM
Let me tell you what happened to me. The Bible said, «Don’t hang out with an angry man or you’ll be angry yourself.» I can’t get much amens on it—but I’m gonna keep going anyway.
So what did I do? I’m at IBM. Now notice—I’m a first-line manager—I’m about to be promoted because I hit ’em—I hit ’em big. I understand I’m saved—I’m working these principles and God is elevating—but here’s what happened.
They had the bigwigs—the people who come down from headquarters. They came down to our branch office because we’re supposed to have a meeting—and we were supposed to make a presentation—different managers and so forth—and I was in the bunch. I was kind of leading the way.
And so here I was—I got up to get my part of the presentation. Now—here they come—the Senior Vice President and so forth. I’m giving the presentation. But how am I giving it? I’m mad. Why am I mad? Because I stopped by this guy’s place—and he told me all kind of stuff that they’ve been doing to this Black man—and he didn’t like it—and so forth and so on.
Now that jumped off on me. Now—I’m mad. So I get up here—start making the presentation—I’m mad as a six-shooter. I’m just… And they had asked me a question. I said, «No.» I said it—I said it right here. It’s just right here. I mean—I mean—just impolite—none of the fruit working—but I’m saved. I got the fruit in me—but they’re not working.
Now what happened next? They leave. My boss comes to my office. He was—his face was red. He said, «Bill—what are you doing?» I said, «What do you mean?» He said, «Why was your attitude so bad up there?» I said, «Well—if you want to know the truth—they mistreated so-and-so.» He said, «Bill—they came here to promote you. They came here to promote you, fool.» He didn’t—he didn’t say that—but I’m just saying it.
You see what happened? You see what happened? Temptation.
No Temptation Beyond What You Can Bear
One more place—1 Corinthians 10:13—let’s look at the word temptation. See—wherever you go—watch this now—if you don’t have the fruit working for you, it will be almost impossible for you to go through that test. You gonna have to have Jesus in you operating. And He is in you right now.
And God—after this conference—is going to promote some of you. And I’m telling you right now—don’t you shrink down one bit. It’s more than one way to solve the problem of your cousin. Don’t you let that affect your ascent—because whoever is at the top of the mountain controls the mountain.
That’s why he doesn’t want you up there—because he’s got his people up there—and they’re controlling all the laws—and the same-sex marriage and so forth—and they controlling. I’m saying laws that God may not have intended to be on the books.
I’m saying—we need to occupy the top of the mountain. We need to have people in the justice seats. We need to—I’m talking about uncompromising Christians.
Now—I’m not coming against anybody because I love everybody—but I know that in the last days one of the things that Satan will do is go after the laws of the land. It’s going to be the number one target of demonic attack. It’s going to be the laws of the land—and you and I have privilege to help make the laws of the land.
Now—I understand—I love everybody. We have welcomed everybody to our church. You come in broke down—we’ll straighten your back up. Come on. It don’t make any difference what you got going—we’ll straighten it up. We’ll put it all in line with the Word of God.
God Makes a Way of Escape
Now—here’s what He says in 1 Corinthians—y’all still love me now, don’t you? Amen. Come on. You got to love me now.
He says then—1 Corinthians chapter 10 in verse 13: «There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.»
Here’s a translation: «You will never face anything you cannot overcome”—is what He said. He said, „Anybody that lives godly is going to suffer persecution.“
Here’s what He said in Luke chapter 17 verse 1: „It is impossible but that offenses will come.“ And I don’t care who you are—you’re going to have the opportunity to get mad. I hate to prophesy—but you will have that opportunity.
But you know what you gonna have to do? You gonna have to stay on that loveline—temperance, self-control. Now that might start in your house tonight—that piece of pie at 11:30 PM. I heard one man say, „Pie in my house in the refrigerator has a shelf life of twenty-four hours.“
Manifesting Through Love
What am I saying to you? Love. You said this. This is in John chapter 14 verse 21: „He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.“ Say „amen“ to that.
So what am I saying to you today? What is it saying? One—you already have provision. You have the capacity to manifest provision where the world can’t even manifest it. They just have to go broke.
Second—everything works by love. Even faith—faith worketh by love. So if I want to believe I have received something and it’s going to take faith—let me check my love walk.
Now watch this—don’t talk about me behind closed doors because that won’t do you any good. God is behind closed doors. I really believe this is the biggest reason why the church has not risen to where it’s supposed to be. „A house divided”—what? —“cannot stand.“
All those forces are in you—gentleness, kindness, peace, joy. It’s all in here. But it takes a choice. You can choose one side or choose the other side. The Bible says, „Choose life so that you and your seed may live.“
Choose Joy and Praise
And I want to say that my wife one time came home—and we were at—I was going to school at ORU. She came—and here I was—things just were not going right. She said—I came home from class. She said, „Sweetheart—why don’t we just praise God?“
Here’s what I said: „I don’t want to praise God. This stuff is going too bad.“ Well—the joy of the Lord is your strength. Say „amen“ to that. Brother Copeland told you—“By praising God, you can release some things.» But what did I do? I let my flesh rule me. It told me how I felt.
No, no, no, no, no—this is not a feeling. It’ll produce a feeling. But you don’t start with a feeling. You choose it. Say «amen» to that.
You got to choose to love me. Praise the Lord—not because you feel like it. And you find that when you can choose to love me—you can pray right for me. If I’m not seeing things the right way—pray for me, please. Because you know—I love God. I’m trying to do the best I can. And it’s wonderful.
The Power of Love
So I’m just saying—I’ll leave you with a message of love. One—God loves you. He loves you so much until He gave His Son for you. Watch this—when you were still cursing. Now—not all of y’all—but some of y’all. And—watch this—and now He’s restored you so that you can love somebody else.
Love your enemies. Love those who speak wrong about you. Love them all. Folks—I believe there’s a new power about to come in the church—and it’s going to be the power of love. Give the Lord a hand—give Him a praise.
Now—let me ask you a question—is your stuff already paid for? How does faith work? Are you gonna stay on the loveline?
Now—say this with me: «Father, in the name of Jesus, today I receive the key of manifestation of everything that I’ll ever need—and I’m going to use the key because it’s the key of love will open every door. From now on, I know all my stuff is paid for. And I will not forget His benefits.
Jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, manipulation, anger, wrath—all those things are no longer a part of my life. This conference—the atmosphere over my life is shifted. Today the rains have come. The anointing has come for me to go up that mountain and be all that God’s called me to be.
Now—whatever is in my way—get out of the way—because here I come in the name of Jesus. Give me that mountain. In Jesus’ name. Amen and amen.»