John Gray - For Your Consideration
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All right, who’s ready for the word? Yeah! Lift that up just a little bit more, Brian. Thank you! Let’s stand for the reading of the word. To the wonderful young lady that’s right here on the front row, there are going to be a couple of other people that are going to sew into you, so don’t be shocked by that. Also, don’t be shocked if people bless you this week out of the blue. Don’t be shocked if God opens doors for you out of the blue. Do you hear me? Because I know you’ve been holding on, you’ve been fighting through, you’ve been trying to be strong for everybody else, but God’s got you. And now a bishop is sewing into you, so you don’t even know God has earmarked you. I love my church. I love Love Story Church. I love this church. I would die for anybody in this church. I’m a shepherd; I’m not a hireling. If anybody messes with y’all, they’ve got to go through me, and I’m a problem in these streets. Try me, and I’ve got titanium in my arm now! Papa Johnny, the doctor said I could literally stop a bullet with my arm. She said, «But please don’t try.» Like I’m a superhero, I’d be back at the hospital saying, «My neck and my back!»
I need you to go to the Book of Job. It’s about to be a problem in here in the next 30 minutes. I’m going to tell you I’m going to do it. I was born to do it. I’ve got to do it. I’ve got on my Dr. Evil jacket. Stop it right now. To those who don’t like to have fun, you’re in the wrong church. People leave now if you don’t want to laugh! Get out! Basketball next week? Big deal! Father’s Day, father-son Men’s Choir? Big deal! If it was a women’s choir, you’d be like whatever. The men are going to be up here lifting up the name of Jesus. The rehearsal is June 12th at 7:00, 7:00 o’clock on the dot. You’re in the drop-top cruising the streets. You’ve got a real, real Holy Ghost waiting for me. Stop! Pull up, anticipating, good to worship. Don’t keep me waiting!
Come on out of here! Job chapter 1, starting at the sixth verse. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. Some of y’all are saying, «Is this the scripture for offering? This is the word.» You’re going to sew as the Lord directs you. You’re going to release whatever God has told you to release while the word is being released. There’s going to be an exchange because what I have to announce today is shocking, and it is prophetic, and it is for the people that are in this room and the people that are watching online. You need to understand that this is not just an arbitrary arrival for you. You were assigned to be here today to hear what I’m about to say because nothing happens in the earth without a word. Bishop, they don’t-I don’t know if they heard me-nothing happens in the earth without a word. You ready for the word, sis?
All right, little ponytail, let’s go! That’s a bun! That’s a bun! It is! There’s a difference between a ponytail and a bun. A ponytail is down here; the bun is up here. Right now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and look who came with them: Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, «From where do you come?» So Satan said, «Um, see, um, I was going to and fro on the earth and from walking back and forth.» Everybody say «walking.» Walking! He’s not omnipresent. I’m trying to help you, ' cause y’all be watching too many movies. You think the devil can fly places? No! He walks. He doesn’t have a horse; he’s not telepathic. I need you to reduce your enemy to what he is: walking. No bus, no car, no chariot, walking back and forth on it. Then the Lord said to Satan, «Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?»
So Satan answered the Lord and said, «Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands.» Has anybody been blessed? God just blessed you. It doesn’t make sense! It makes no sense. God just breathed on your ideas; he just blesses you on your job! There are people that cannot stand you, but it’s not your fault because God favored you. God put his finger on you; God put his hand on you! I just need you to look at somebody and say, «It’s not my fault. Take it up with God!»
«It’s not my fault. Take it up with God.» Please. And his possessions have increased in the land. But now stretch out your hand, touch all that he has, and he will surely curse you to your face. And the Lord said to Satan, «Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.» So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. This is a troubling scripture because a man who was doing the right thing, who was doing everything that the word commands, all of a sudden starts catching hell because his name came up in a conversation he had no clue about. «Have you considered my servant Job?» I want you to say the words «Have you considered my servant?» And then instead of saying Job, I need you to put your name in it. «Have you considered my servant John?» It’s going to help to put some context around some of the hell you’ve been going through. Somebody’s about to get free over here, six in the back, 13,000 online, and another 100 on this side. Did you hear what I said?
Some of y’all are still trying to figure out why you are going through so much. Perhaps you’ve been considered. The title of my message today is «For Your Consideration.» Look at somebody and say, «For your consideration.» Go ahead and be seated. Does anybody else feel the presence of the Lord in here? I’m asking for you to bear with me this morning because, about 3:30, about 3:30 this morning, pain woke me up. Has anybody ever been asleep, and it was pain that woke you up? Let me see some hands! Pain woke you up. Watch this: not just physical pain; anybody ever had heartache and it woke you up? I have medicine from the doctor, but I’ve been trying not to take it. About 3:30, my condition prompted me to take the medicine that was available, but even then, the pain did not subside. Just a constant pulsing ache.
Have you ever had an ache that wouldn’t go away? Have you ever had an ache from a heartbreak that still lingers? Have you ever had a memory that just wouldn’t leave you alone? I’m trying to talk to you, please! Will y’all talk back to me? They’re sitting out there just looking at me. Talk to me! Have you ever been weary from pain? It’s one thing to have pain; it’s another to have to try to fight through it and still function. Has anybody ever had to play through the pain, act like everything’s good, still show up for other people while something in you, on you, inside of you is still aching, still bleeding, still wounded? You are limping, but you’re trying because other people, regardless of the fact that they see you limping, you still produce more than people who have all of their faculties, and instead of allowing you the space to rest, to heal, to be still, people still pull on you, still asking, still calling. «Can I get some advice? Can you pray for me? Can I borrow $5,000?» My family doesn’t even ask for $50s no more! Have you ever been in a place where you wanted to be like, «Don’t call here no more! Don’t ask me another thing! Don’t you see I’m in pain? Don’t you see that I myself need to be refreshed, to be restored, to be healed?»
The problem with you is you’re so anointed that even in your brokenness, you still can make devils bow down. I need an eight -second praise break from the balcony to the front! I wonder if you ever had to sing while the tears dropped from your eyes, when you felt completely, absolutely alone and without anyone to understand. And here you are, still talking about what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! And oh, what peace we often forfeit, and oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have you ever had to lift the one hand you had left because the other one was too weighed down with the cares of the world and the issues of life? You didn’t have a lot, but you had a little bit left. Is there anybody that gave God your last little bit of praise? Where are the ones? I’m not talking about it came from your reservoir; I’m talking about it came from your reserves!
Has anybody ever given God reserve praise? It’s after the orange light comes on, after it says low mileage, after it just says nothing, just you about to run out, but you still found enough to say, «I’mma bless him right here, right now!» Is there anybody that’s ever had to bless the Lord with only a little bit left? Can I ask you to give the Lord a praise right now, right now, wherever you are?
Anybody ever been living your life, minding your business, serving the Lord, doing the best you can, honoring the word, trying to live out the tenets of your faith, and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose? Elder Linton, pray for me, man. I need you to pray for me. I’m fighting through it right here. I’mma ask again, and I need you to answer. Have you ever been in a moment where you were minding your business, and all of a sudden, attacks came out of nowhere? You didn’t start it; it wasn’t your fault. It just showed up.
The first question is why. I want to know if there’s anyone other than me that’s ever asked God, «Why?» Did I do something? Maybe this is punishment for something I did a long time ago.'Cause you know some immature, hating saints will be like, «You know you reap what you sew!» Watch those people and get them out of your ear, and get them off your phone, and get them out of your life! Because what you don’t know is sometimes hell breaking out is heaven getting to you! There, I told you! There are going to be some people that are going to get free. You might hear some shouts, some cries, some screams. Let people do what they do. They need to get free. I’m tired of coming to church, walking away with the same bondage that I came in with.
I love our church because our church is about freedom; it’s about the word; it’s about Jesus Christ. But when you serve Jesus for real, that means you get real devils that come to attack you. Remember, there were no casting out of demons in the Old Testament? Why? 'Cause there was nobody that had enough power to scare a devil! It was only when Jesus showed up that devils started acting a fool. Everywhere he went, he was casting out demons because he took authority and he took territory and he gave it back to the Father. And demons hate anybody that’s going to take territory and give it back to the Father.
Why do you think you’re catching so much hell on that job? Because you represent God taking authority back in that company, back in that space. It’s not that your supervisor doesn’t like you and your co-workers don’t like you; it’s the enemy that’s whispering to them to make you an outsider. And God is trying to mature you to get so committed that you don’t need their approval to remain faithful. Is anybody hearing what I’m saying?
For your consideration, during award season, for those who watch like the Oscars or the Grammys or things like that in Los Angeles, in places where they vote for these awards, they have billboards and they put up the movies that are up for awards, and they will say, «For your consideration.» They want the people who vote to look at their movie so that they can win an award, so that they can win an Oscar, so that they can win a Golden Globe, so that they can win a Grammy. So, they promote their product or their project for the consideration of those who can give them an award.
But what if I told you that there’s an award that you cannot register to be considered for? Heaven just has to choose you! Pastor, where are you going? Well, last week, what was the title? Last week it was «When It’s About to Break.» That was the title last week. «Breaker, breaker, one-nine!» No! When it’s about to break, and we talked about the widow at Zarephath who was gathering some sticks to eat her last meal, and God said, «I need you to go to Zarephath. I have provided for a widow there to take care of you.»
Here’s what’s deep: as I was studying for this week, the Holy Ghost said, «You missed one critical point.» The widow at Zarephath literally had an opportunity to say no. «I don’t have it, prophet! I’m sorry! Go to someone else!» She responded in obedience. She got the blessing! Not only did she and her household eat for many days until the famine was over, but watch this: the Lord said, «I did not send the prophet there to bless her with oil and flour; I sent the prophet there because her son was scheduled to die, and the prophet needed to be in position so when he died, the word was already in the house to wake him up.»
What you don’t know is your obedience in one season is going to unlock a miracle in the next! No! I need a praise break in here! See, you thought the blessing was the immediate thing that you saw. No! There’s another blessing coming that’s so overwhelming, and because you were obedient in the first thing, God has to do the next thing.
Now, see, 'cause I told my wife, Pastor Mike, I said I’m even in God this week. Pastor Charles is my witness. I had some open-heart prayer with God in front of Pastor Charles 'cause he’s my right hand, and I was crying out to God. I said, «God, you’ve got to show up, and I need you to do something here! I need you to do something for me! I’m hurting; I’m in trouble; I’m praying; I’m asking because I’ve got all of this stuff on me, and it’s heavy!»
I cried out to God. I’m sorry! I didn’t have no poetic speech! I’m sorry I didn’t «thust thou and th and thou forth.» I didn’t have none of that! «Cut! Hurry up! I need you to show up! Quit playing with my life! Do it! Do it now!» Oh, some of y’all are real sav. You don’t have no real conversation with God! I said, «Either break through or take me out of here!» Yeah, y’all not ready for that! Y’all want the soft, tender preacher that lies to y’all to make you feel good? No! Every now and then, there’s a pain that you pray from that is not for public consumption.
Every now and then, there’s a cry in your spirit that nobody else needs to hear. It’s between you and God. I cried out, and God heard me. You-you-you-you missed it, Sophia! He heard me! He showed up! My concern was his church; my second concern was my family. And the Lord said, «You take care of my house, and I’ll take care of yours!» Oh, glory to God!
For your consideration, what if I told you that the pain that you’re in, the rejection that you’ve experienced-being misunderstood, talked about-whispered about- they’ve got a whole text feed without you in it. Sometimes they accidentally text you about you! That ever happen to anybody? Somebody did that to me! They was like, «Oh, that wasn’t meant for you!» I said, «Oh, it was, 'cause now I know who you are!» The truth is, I knew who you were the whole time! That’s why I never told you what was really in my heart!
In this season, God is unlocking heightened discernment so you keep people at a distance that don’t need to be close in this season! Am I talking to anybody other than seven people on the front row? Let me preach it like I feel it so I can let you go home! For your consideration, Job: a good man, a godly man, serving the Lord. And there was a census, and God said, «I want all the angels to show up. Count all y’all!» And who shows up? Satan shows up, because Satan is still under authority. Everybody needs to write that down! Stop looking at me and coming to church and not getting this word! Satan is under authority! He can’t just walk in and out of your life! Satan can’t do what he wants to do! Stop watching stupid movies and listening to bootleg preachers who tell you that the devil’s coming, he’s going to kill you, and he’s going to try! If he could, he would, but he can’t because God has put a hedge of protection around you!
«Have you considered my servant?» Insert your name! She’s faithful in my house. Fears God; shuns evil. «Yeah, she’s faithful, but if you take everything, she’ll stop coming to church! She’ll curse you to your face! I bet you’ll never see another tithe! You won’t see a nickel!» The word «considered» in the Hebrew actually speaks to the inner man- the inner workings, the motivations of the heart. What’s powerful about this is God was actually making fun of Satan! «Have you considered my servant Job?» What he was saying is, «I know you’ve been looking at him trying to get to him!»
That’s how Satan knew he had a hedge of protection around his whole house 'cause he’d been trying to get in his house! You need to read the story and catch it. I’m trying to help you! Some of y’all are not crazy! You feel things! You be like, «Was I felt something?» That’s the enemy trying to find a way in! But what you felt was the warfare between the angels that are assigned to your life and the enemy trying to get in! And the angel that’s assigned to your life told that devil, «Not here, not now, not this house!»
I need some help in here! Somebody say, «Not here, not now, not this house!» Say all three! Put it in the chat feed: «Not here, not now, not my house!» Oh, you need to encourage somebody! Tell them, «Not here, not now, not your house!» Tell them, tell them, tell them! Say it! Say it loud! Put it in the chat feed! Pastor Johnny, I’m getting ready to give my offering in a second too! I feel the Holy Ghost! Listen to me!
This was a wealthy man. He feared God and shunned evil. He was the wealthiest man in the East, had ten kids, fertile like Myrtle, and all his kids were grown and doing well, and they would have parties! They would turn up! And the Bible says that Job would actually pray and give sacrifices just in case his kids were doing stupid stuff. Note to parents: your parenting does not stop when they turn 18! In fact, most of your kids are going to need you more after they turn 18 than they did before they turned 18!
I need some help here! You’re there to cover them until they can be mature in the spirit to understand spiritual warfare and to handle demonic attacks with the word of God. You don’t release your daughter into the streets when she turns 18 for the world to raise her! The enemy’s counting on you to let her go, and she’s grown; she can do what she wants! Are you an idiot? She’s been dumb for years! She didn’t just get smart on her birthday! She needs wisdom! She needs insight! She needs parameters!
I need some help in here! He’s 18 now; he’s on his own! That’s a setup to allow the enemy to take your kids right out of here! The devil is a liar! Help me, God, to preach the word! For your consideration, Job had some wayward kids. They got drunk; they turned up, and they would party on a circuit. They would go to each other’s houses to turn up, and he said, «Maybe my kids sinned in their heart while they were drinking and partying, so I’m going to make a sacrifice for them.»
But then, one day, without Job’s knowledge, God has a conversation and puts Job’s name in it. Job’s name shows up in God’s mouth because Satan had been trying to kill everything Job had because blessings don’t just attract favor; they attract the demonic! You’re like, «Why? I know I’m blessed, but why is it so much going on?» Because so much about your life is blessed, and the devil hates to see the blessing of God on God’s people!
Unfortunately for that fool, this whole church has just stepped into its greatest days! Now, I don’t need everybody to agree; I just need my leaders to agree so that the people can receive! I’m going to say it again: Love Story Church Global has just stepped into its greatest days! And if you’re here today, you just stepped into your greatest days! You stepped into your wealthy place! Pastor, what does wealth mean? Does that mean I’m going to get a lot of money? No! It means that you will have wisdom so that the money you do get will stretch and multiply! That’s wealth!
Wealth is when you’re not living paycheck to paycheck! Wealth is when God breathes on your intellect so you understand which deals to make and which stocks to buy! When they split Nvidia, I’m trying to help somebody in here! No! I don’t want to be rich; I want to be wealthy so that my grandchildren are walking in the blessing of my obedience and wise decisions 80 years from now, 100 years from now, 200 years from now! Am I talking to anybody? But you cannot, Elder Angela, walk in that kind of legacy anointing without being considered by God and attacked by Satan!
My body is under attack; my spirit is under attack; my mind is under attack! I’m not the only one that’s been having trouble sleeping through the night. Where are the other ones? Stand up if you’ve been having some trouble sleeping through the night! I want to talk to the 338s and the 409s! I want to talk to the 256s and the 403s! I want to talk to the 319s! In the middle of the night, I mean, not bothering nobody trying to sleep, sleep-wake straight up! And I mean, you’re not groggy! You’re just… Who am I talking to? You’re up! Keep your hands up! I’ve got to tell you something: the reason why you’re up is because your spirit knows what your mind has not caught up with-that there is a spiritual warfare happening right around your body that you cannot see! There are angels and demons warring over you! And you wake up not knowing! You think that it’s indigestion or you think that it’s some other ailment, but the reality is you are in the middle of a cosmic equation!
And what you do the next time you wake up in the middle of the night is you need to immediately begin to worship! Uh -uh! Oh no, no, no! There it is! You know how y’all started worshiping when they said, «Turn your attention to the screens»? But y’all didn’t care about no stupid announcements because something had stirred in your spirit that said I need this moment more than I need information! I need revelation! So here’s what we’re about to do: I’mma act like it’s 3:37 a.m. and you wake up from a dead sleep! You’re going to practice now so when it happens tonight, you know what to do! You’re sleep, we’re sleep, we’re sleep, we’re asleep, I’m dead awake! God, I bless you! God, you’re worthy! God, I thank you! No! I need you to start doing it now!
And if you’re married, you’re going to have to slip out of the room, go to the living room, go to another part of the house! You ain’t- 'cause here’s the thing: what’s happening with you is not for everybody! You’re going to have to worship on your own on this one! You’re going to have to lift your hands on your own on this one! You’re going to have to praise him by yourself because even people close to you will not understand!
Glory, glory! I need somebody to bless the Lord! It doesn’t have to make sense! «I don’t know what’s happening, God, but it’s 4 in the morning! I’mma bless you!» I don’t even understand this, but I call you holy! For your consideration, the word «considered» means inner man, inner workings, the motivations of the heart. What God was saying is, «Satan, you' ve considered my servant Job.» God just called him out. You’ve been trying to get to him for a long time 'cause he fears God and shuns evil.
Anyone that’s really doing it right, you hate them! This is going to help you! Because you’re like, «Why do the wicked prosper?» They go to church too! Just because you go to church doesn’t mean you’re holy! Just because you go to a building on Sunday means- you don’t mean you need Jesus! It doesn’t mean you know Jesus! It doesn’t mean you have a prayer life! Our church is a remnant church! People who are serious about the things of God come here! Help me, Holy Ghost! I’m raising up prayer warriors and intercessors, captains of industry and business, arts, entertainment, finance, academia- that’s what we’re raising up here!
Oh, help me, Jesus! You’ve been trying to figure out why he serves me, and you think it’s because of the things I give him. You think she’s faithful because of stuff. Satan said, «That’s exactly it 'cause ain’t no other reason for him to be praying this much and living holy except because of the stuff you give him!» The reason why God was making a fool of Satan is because Satan could not see what was inside of Job because he doesn’t have the Holy Ghost! I’m Bishop; I’m preaching!
Stop thinking that Satan can read your mind! Stop thinking that Satan can discern your heart! He can’t! He’s an outside fool, and he’s a defeated foe! He can only go off what you say! That’s why you’ve got to watch what you speak! In the month of June, you better watch what you say because it’s just a pivotal month! You can either go backwards or you can go forwards! You’re right in the middle! What happens in June turns the tide for the rest of the year! Oh, what I say today echoes for the rest of the year!
Satan could not figure out why and how Job keeps praying, living holy. It has to be because of the stuff God allows him to have! And what does God say? «You can touch all this stuff; just don’t touch him!» Next thing you know, Job is praying, praising, living holy, minding his business, and all of a sudden, news-bad news, more bad news! From the north, the south, the east, the west- bad news! «All your camels gone! Cattle gone! A tornado hit your oldest child’s house! The other ten- the other nine were there! All your kids gone! Everything gone!» And it wasn’t like he had time to process because the Bible says, «And while he was still speaking, someone else came with some more news!»
See, the enemy will hit you with a coordinated attack! One thing after the other! First, the car breaks down! Then somebody acts a fool on the job! Then there’s a layoff! Then there’s drama in the relationship! Then the kids start acting stupid! Then something happens and you get fraud on the account! Then somebody hacks the account! Now you’ve got stuff going on! Now your body’s acting up; you’ve got gout in your toe, and your spleen starts acting a fool! Now you got indigestion that turned into an ulcer, and now they’re telling you you might have glaucoma, and you might need surgery on your back! And all of this stuff has happened at once!
The man was living holy, and all hell broke loose! And what was his response? «Naked I came, yes sir, and naked I shall return. Blessed be the name of the Lord!» Somebody’s gonna have to help me in here! Can you bless the Lord when it all goes away? Can you bless the Lord when nothing makes sense? Can you bless the Lord when everything that you built up is gone in an instant? Some of y’all are still trying to figure it out! You’re being considered!
I haven’t even told you what you’re being considered for, but your name has come up in heaven, and your name has come out of God’s mouth! Hallelujah! Whatever’s going on with our nurses, they’re taking care of somebody. We’re praying; we’re believing that whatever it is, they’re going to be whole and well in the name! I need you praying! That does not surprise me that somebody is having some type of medical challenge! I want you to stay focused! I want you to keep praying!
I need some intercessors right now in the Holy Spirit! Hold on, 'cause if you start playing the organ, it’s going to try to take me to my end, and I’ve got to give these people these points. Can you worship when it goes south? Or are you a fair-weather worshiper? Do you only worship when all of your bills are paid and there’s money in the bank? Or can you worship when all hell breaks loose?
Everything is not perfect in my life! There are things that I need God to do right now, Bishop, and they have not yet been done! And I need God to do them right now, but he hasn’t done them yet, and he’s still worthy! Y’all missed that! There are prayers I prayed that he didn’t answer, and he’s still worthy!
Some of y’all have gone through divorce or gone through brokenness in relationships- it wasn’t your fault-and God is still worthy! Oh no, no, no, no! I’m trying to help somebody in here! It is the mature believer that understands that God is worthy to be praised whether everything is perfect in your life or not! I’m trying to mature somebody today! We’ve got to get away from this fair-weather worship that we only worship based on what we get versus worshiping God because of who he is!
Watch this: so after he loses his children, his property, his money, another conversation-yes! God says, «You’ve caused me to lift my hand against -» «We did nothing!» Satan says, «Skin for skin! He lost everything on the outside, but I bet you if you touch him, he’ll curse you to your face!» Now, all of a sudden, here you come with a diagnosis out of the blue! It doesn’t even run in your family! You’re the first one dealing with it! Who am I talking to? I’m about to mess up every devil that’s been trying to bother you!
You’ve been believing God for certain things; doctors telling you it ain’t going to happen! You’ve got too many fibroids, too many cysts, you’ve got endometriosis, you’ve got too much! It ain’t going to happen for you! You’re struggling with this thing! It’s been in your family; it’s been in your mind! «This is just who I am; this is just what it’s going to be!» You need to know that as of this second, it is literally turning, shifting right this second! Your body is getting in line with the word of God! Your mind is getting in line with the word of God! Your identity is getting in line with the word of God! Your money is getting in line with the word of God! Your occupation and vocation are in line with the word and the will of God in this very moment!
And even if you can’t see it, you need to go ahead and agree with the prophet that’s releasing it right now! I got a-see, y’all are going to have to excuse me! I got to sow; I got to do it right now! I need somebody to worship! Don’t mind me-I’ve got to give! I’m sewing my seed right now! I need somebody to give a ten -second praise break! No! I need you to worship God, but I’m sowing because I know what I’m believing for!
Look at this! Trying to say that the website won’t come up? That’s a lie! Any other time, any other website will come up right now, but to give, it won’t come up? Devil, you’re- there it go! Some of y’all give up too easy! «Well, it didn’t come! Maybe it wasn’t the Lord’s will?» It is the Lord’s will! Try again! Stop playing!
Good success? It went through! Hey Elder, bring me that basket! Come on, Elder, you move too slow! You want me to run? I want you to run! All right, so all of a sudden, all hell broke loose; he lost everything! Now he’s sick! Can you praise when you’re sick? What if you don’t have all of your faculties? What if you’ve got a broke arm? I’ve got some elders that have some challenges, and it blesses me that they don’t let the challenges and limitations stop them from worshiping!
I’ve got an elder that had a stroke; a part of his arm doesn’t have the same strength; it doesn’t stop him from showing up at every elders' meeting! It doesn’t stop him from showing up, ministering to the best of his ability! Now, right now, I’m on multiple pills all day long! Right now! I’m still dealing with the effects of the pain medicine I took a little earlier. I’m feeling really good and really bad at the same time. You hear what I’m saying? I’ve got one arm that I can lift, but some of y’all have got two arms and won’t lift either!
I’ve been up since 3:30, so my voice is already almost gone! But you’ve had a full night and still have trouble worshiping the Lord! So, I need to know: are there some people in here that with whatever you have left, you will bless God? If it all went south right now, your response is still, «God, you are good!» My situation is not good, but you are good! My circumstance is not good, but you are good! This is not working out the way I thought, but you are good! I need somebody not just to clap; I need a shout right there!
For your consideration, for those who have not yet sown, this is your offering time! But I’m going to tell you what you’re sewing into! Didn’t I tell you I was going to tell them what they were sewing into? Y’all ready? Warren, you should be prepared for what I’m about to say! And that baby too! 'Cause that baby either needs a fruit roll-up or they’re filled with the Holy Ghost, and it’s probably a fruit roll-up! But whoever’s holding that baby, this is for you! Job went through hell because of holy living! He went through loss because of obedience!
Stop thinking the negative and painful things in your life are because of something you did wrong! It could be that you did everything right, and God wants to prove to devils that you love him because of who he is, not because of what he gives! If he never gives you another thing, is he still worthy of praise? Because the truth is, you don’t deserve anything that you got! All we deserve is death and an eternal hell. But because of the blood of Jesus, we’ve got access to the Father and eternal life! I need somebody to know you don’t deserve anything from God but judgment!
It’s only because of the finished work of the cross that we can even face the Father! I need to know if no one else around you will worship, will you worship? It’s a real question! Because what God’s doing in this season: he’s going to check to see if you worship if no one else is! Pastor, what do you mean? The man’s kids are gone; all his money is gone; now he’s sick in his body. Here comes his wife. Watch what she says! «You’re still holding on to your integrity! It’s clear God has left you!» That’s what the implication is! «Curse God and die! Get it over with!»
I’m not the only person in here who the enemy whispered and said, «Get it over with!» Who else has heard that lie? No! I need you to stand! 'Cause people need to know that suicide spirit-that suicide spirit, that whispering demon! «Get it over with! Your life ain’t worth nothing! Get it over with! God’s not coming! Get it over with!» Even in the midst of boils from head to toe, the loss of his children, his economy, his name, he said, «You sound like one of them foolish women! We’re supposed to be one, but right now we are not in agreement!»
In this season, God is going to test you! Watch this: even with people in your own house not being able to understand! Am I talking to anybody? Watch this! It doesn’t mean that they are the devil! It means that they have not been considered! Only those who have been considered will understand what it’s like to cry at night and still find a smile in the morning! Only those who have been considered know what it’s like to be in physical pain but pray for somebody else to get healed even while God has not yet healed you!
Only those who have been considered know what it’s like to sew when you need God to bless you! Am I talking to anybody other than myself? He said, «Shall we only accept good from God and not evil?» His wife wasn’t demonic; his wife was wounded! She just lost ten children! She was bitter of heart! And even then, Job did not curse or accuse God!
Then what happened, Pastor Robert? I’m glad you asked! Thanks for asking! Then his homeboys show up-three of them. They see his condition, and they look at him. They sat there not saying nothing for a whole week! They just looked at him! Can I tell you that seven days was the best thing they ever did? 'Cause the moment they opened their mouths, dumbness, foolishness, misappropriation, dishonoring the holiness of God! Oh, I’m getting ready to shift the whole service, and we’re going to be out of here! But somebody’s going to catch this!
'Cause I still haven’t told you what you were sewing into! These three men thought they were comforting Job; all they did was make it worse! Why am I saying that? Because there are things that you’ve walked through, and some of us, you’re still about to walk through, that even your closest friends will not be able to give you advice! Elder Sharon, I don’t know if they hear me! Why? Because God’s trying to get something out of you!
Number one, he’s trying to get commitment without applause! Can you stay committed if no one claps? Can you stay committed when it makes no sense? Can you stay committed in the middle of the summer when everybody else shows back up in September but you’ve been here all through the hot months? He’s looking for commitment without applause; he’s looking for consistency without excuse! He’s looking for communion without interruption!
I’m going to repeat them for the nine of you that are taking these notes! He wants complete obedience without the need for approval! That’s right! If no one approves, will you still obey? If people think you’re out of your mind, will you still sew? «You mean your pastor said he’s believing for 300 people to sew $1,000? That sounds crazy!» He wasn’t talking to you then! Oh, you missed that!
I wasn’t talking to everybody; I was talking to the 300 people that are going to respond to that word, or the one person that will respond! Oh, you understand! Watch this! They talked and talked and talked, and then all of a sudden, a tornado, a whirlwind, and God was in the midst! And he says, «Who is this who darkens counsel without wisdom? Who is this talking with no wisdom? Brace yourself like a man, and I’m going to ask you some questions! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Huh? Where were you? Oh, when the morning stars sang together? Where were you? Where were you when I created all of this? Do you know where the gates of Hades are? Do you know where the treasury of hell is for times of war? Does lightning report to you and say, 'Here we are? ' Brace yourself like a man, and God will question you!»
I’m about to mess you up! After God spoke, Job said, «I know you can do everything!» See, this is why we’ve got to wake the church up! Y’all used to hearing God you can do anything-no! No, no! He didn’t say you can do anything! He said, «I know you can do everything!» I need you to know that the everything God is about to arrive in your situation right now! I can’t fight with you today; I just need you to believe that everything God is about to show up for the purposes of honoring your time!
I’m going to make this succinct again! Commitment without applause: can you stay committed to God if nobody’s clapping for you? Consistency without excuse: «I’m going to keep worshiping no matter what the circumstance is, whether it’s good or bad!» I’m going to bless the Lord! Communion without interruption: «I’mma stay in prayer! I’mma keep my prayer schedule! I’m going to keep my worship schedule!» Are you hearing what I’m saying?
Complete obedience without the need for approval! «I don’t care if you don’t like me. I don’t care if you don’t understand my commitment to the local church! I' mma stay committed! Amen! I don’t need your applause! I don’t need your approval! I don’t work for you! I don’t serve you! I serve God! I serve Jesus Christ! I serve at his request! I serve at his command! Finally, God said, 'Job, your friends didn’t say what was right about me, so I’m going to need you to pray for them, or I’mma deal with them according to their foolishness! '
Watch this: this is where they should run, but they’re not going to run, Pastor Cromar! They’re not going to run! 'Cause I don’t know that y’all caught what’s happening! The Bible says, „And God restored Job after he prayed for his friends!“ Wait! Wait! Hold on! Hold on! After all the hell I went through, my breakthrough came when I prayed for people who gave me bad advice? You mean the people that were supposed to give me wisdom and didn’t? You want me to pray for them? And after I pray for them, not only are you going to bless me, you’re going to double me?
Come on, Bishop! I don’t know what’s happening right now! I don’t know if y’all understand! What just happened is, „For your consideration!“ The entire hell that Job went through was not to take anything from him; it was to double him! I’m going to say it one more time for the people in the back! The hell you’ve been through was not just for you to overcome it; it was for you to master the art of worship in conflict so that God could release double to you! I need more than the six people clapping! Wait! You know what? Forgive me! You’re internalizing the word; forgive me!
You don’t have to do anything! I want you to receive the word! Your pain is your ticket-an invitation to double! But you must pray for some people that said some dumb stuff, gave you bad advice, and should have been more to your life than they were! And God says, „I need you to pray for them! I need you to pray for your brother! I need you to pray for your aunt! I need you to pray for your spouse! I need you to pray for your friends! And when you do, double is coming!“
For those who have not yet sewn your seed, you should sew now because you’re sewing into your double! One man of God caught this! One woman of God caught this! Another woman of God caught this! I’m going to say it again! You are sewing into your double!
Everyone is standing! For your consideration, I would very much like to not preach in pain. That’s not the reality! A charge to keep and a God to glorify! Did you hear what I said? My pain is going to produce double! Amen! Woman of God, in fact, it’s not going to do anything; it has been done! As of now!
Is there anyone that believes the word of the Lord? Double! Double! There are multiple places for your business! Like I haven’t even opened the first one-double already! Double the revenue! Double the influence! Double the wisdom! Double the insight! Double the favor! Increase over every area of your house in the middle of a drought! Double in the middle of summer! Double! Hands lifted! God, we are Love Story Church! For your consideration!
They missed it! God, we are here for your consideration! Examine us! If there’s anything that’s not like you, remove it! We don’t want anything in us that dishonors you! I’ve been praying for each one of you all week! I’ve been praying for your health, for your prosperity, for you to be blessed! For your marriages to be blessed! If you’re single, to have the strength and the grace to walk through your season of singleness with integrity and holiness and character! I pray!
I pray for all of our business owners! I pray that you prosper! The favor of God would be upon you! I pray for the overwhelming presence of God in every area of your life! And I’m praying for double now! I said I’m praying for double! The anointing of double is on you! You handled your suffering properly! Thank you, God!
Help me! You’ve handled your season of being misunderstood properly! Double comes! Even the people who were your friends, who told you terrible things, but you did not respond to it, and you didn’t take that terrible advice-double to you! Now you’re not being punished; you’re being considered! So Father, I thank you for this congregation! And I pray by the power of the Holy Spirit that you will seal this word and get the glory from it! In Jesus' name!
There are people in this room you’ve been considering whether or not you want to be a part of this church. Can I encourage you to stop considering and make a commitment? If you want to be a part of this church and you’ve already been saved, but you want to be a member of Love Story Church, come on down here!
If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, come on down to the front! We can do better than that! If you clap, I believe they will come! Welcome home! Is there anybody else? Man of God, come on down, sir! Is there anybody else? Welcome home! Welcome home!
Pray this prayer with me! Pray this prayer with me! Everybody at the altar, look at me! Welcome home! 'Cause that’s where you are! And double to you! Pray this prayer with me! Your family behind you is going to repeat! And those online, text the word „SAVE“ to 95555 or text the word „MEMBER“ if you want this to be your church! Text the word „MEMBER“ to 95555 if you’re already saved but you want to be a part of our church!
Let’s pray this prayer together! Lord Jesus, it’s me. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord. Thank you for the blood that was shed for me! I receive the free gift of salvation- not through my works, but the finished work of the cross! The blood is enough to pay for all my sins! Now, Holy Spirit, come live inside and teach me how to be more like Jesus each and every day! You are my Savior and my Lord! In Jesus' name! Amen! Amen!
Welcome home! Is that an offering envelope? Come on, help him with the offering, y’all! Come on, bring it! Elder, I want y’all to follow me this way! You’re going with Pastor Mike Fowler! Come on here -let’s walk this way! Have you been blessed today? Who is blessed by the word of the Lord today?
It’s funny because you normally think a word like this, people are going to shout! But the Holy Ghost said, „They’re receiving; they’re processing!“ Who received the word today? I pray for increase! I pray for increase over you! Yeah, yeah, yeah! So Father, I thank you for Love Story Church as we go into Father’s Day week! I hope this church is packed next week with fathers and children so that fathers can be honored in a time where they’re saying fathers are optional! I’m here to declare we are not optional, and we are just as necessary today as we ever were from the beginning of time!
Now bless this great church and these people, and I pray double for every place of pain that they’ve been in! Double in the name of Jesus! And even if they don’t have the strength to shout about it, I’ve got faith for it to come to pass in their lives! I look forward to hearing miracle stories of increase this week in the lives of those who call Love Story Church home!
Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power both now and forevermore! Amen! Amen! And amen! Will you leave this place with the greatest shout that you can? We love you! Have an amazing week, and we will see you next week on Father’s Day! Increase! Double!