John Gray - It's Time They Know
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In this critical hour of storms, suffering, and global unrest, creation groans for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God—believers must awaken to their true identity as Spirit-breathed image-bearers with divine authority, step into position, speak faith over chaos, and live out their calling without excuses or shame, for the earth awaits their manifestation to bring deliverance and glory.
Opening and Call to Stand
Come on and stand for the reading of the Word. If you have the ability to stand for the reading of the Word, please do. I must share the Word of the Lord with you today. It may be that this is the most important message that I’ve ever preached. I don’t believe it will be long, but it will be impactful. If you are an intercessor and you’re assigned to pray for me, please do so right now, so that I say exactly what the Lord told me to say and how He told me to say it, so that somebody somewhere will get saved.
I want to take a moment, as I look around this church, to tell you how much I love you and how grateful I am for you. Love you too, and I’m grateful for you. You mean the world to me. You may not know it, but your pastor is a fighter, and I will fight for y’all-I mean physically swing for y’all. I would take a bullet for y’all. In times of strange words, I’m grateful that we have a church that is sincere and hungry for the Word of God. I’m grateful for the Love Story Church community, and while I’m preaching, they’re unloading an 18-wheeler full of resources because of your heart. Y’all don’t hear me-planes are flying in to drop off water, and we just happen to be across the street from an airport. You don’t hear me? God put us here for such a time as this. By the way, we got three new chainsaws that were flown in and given to us so we can cut down more trees this week. It’s $3,000 at the lowest to get one tree down. I’m in the wrong profession; I should just be chopping down trees. That’s $9,000, sir! I didn’t ask you to do it-well, I did it anyway. You’re welcome, just in case another storm comes. I took the tree out of here for you.
But if you are skilled with a chainsaw, please let Pastor Charles know. Your executive pastor was out here after the storm with the power gone, and as I was trying to share earlier, they said they were really mean to him on Monday. They said everyone was pretty, and that’s true, but we only asked because we wanted to be a conduit to reach people.
Story of Prayer for Power Restoration
Long story short, the Holy Ghost gave me a vision-He said, «Go lay hands on the building.» He told me in my mind, but I was like, «Maybe I’m tripping.» We were driving in the car, and my wife said, «We need to go up to the church. We need to pray.» I was like, «Yeah, yeah, I see.» I knew that, but He had already shown me.
But I was like, «Well, they said at the earliest you’ll get power on Friday.» Friday night, they said, «Watch this.» God said, «What do you say?» Here’s what I did with my dumb self-I came right up here, my wife lifted her hands, and stayed right there. It’s blazing hot. She lifts her hands. I go up to the door, Pastor Robert-the same door we prayed over, the same area where I laid prostrate on the pavement with a few believers when we weren’t sure how it was going to shake down some years ago. I laid my hands on the door. I said, «I want power on this campus by 8:00 tonight.» It was Monday after the storm. I said, «I want power on this campus by 8:00 tonight.» Then I turned around and said, «I speak to the four winds, to the north, south, east, and west-whatever needs to come in the form of resources for there to be power on this campus, I want it to be here. I said, and I want it by 8:00.» We got in the car and left.
At 7:25–actually, that’s where you would normally shout, but don’t, because you didn’t catch it. At 7:25, Heather texted my wife and said, «I think I see a light. Hallelujah!» in The Bishop’s Chapel. Now, here’s the thing: the road that The Bishop’s Chapel is on was still blocked by the downed transformer and the wires and the trees, but the chapel had power. Watch this! And then the executive administration building got power, and then Outreach got power. So I’m shouting, «Oh my God!» Then Pastor Charles called at 7:58 and said, «We got power in Executive Admin and in the Outreach!» I’m shouting! At 8:00 he says, «And the lights just came on in the gym!»
Now, you may not be shouting, but it came on at 8:00, so the electricity had to listen to me because I have authority on this campus. But watch this-there was no power in this building. I said, «Lord, I asked for power.» He said, «I gave you power for what you need. I gave you Executive Admin so you can lead. I gave you a chapel so you can pray. I gave you Outreach so you can serve, and I gave you a gym so you can house. I didn’t give you a sanctuary because I don’t need you to gather; I need you to stay outside. Don’t come in here; stay out there.»
And while we were here on Wednesday, while we were preparing to serve in meetings, I got a call from Bishop Jakes. The man called, and while I’m talking to him, I looked down the hill and saw a light. I said, «Y’all, I think maybe I’m old, but maybe it’s a glare, but I think I see outside of the main sanctuary a light.» Hold on! We go down the hill while we were preparing to serve Thursday and Friday, and then the lights came on in here because God said, «When you got the heart for the people out there, I’ll turn on the lights in here.»
I wonder why the lights came on while I was talking to Bishop, and I believe it’s because honor is the currency of elevation. If you walk in honor, you don’t listen to the noise; you speak life, you pray, and you stay in honor.
Reading Romans 8:18-21
Go to Romans 8:18; hurry up because we’re going up the hill. Here’s the thing: if you don’t have a need, don’t leave. Come serve! I’m really tired of people thinking, «Well, I just come to service.» No, no, no, no! We all can do something! You can give out a canned good. You can hand somebody some toilet tissue. I’m going to get me some baby wipes- they are refreshing! I know why babies smile. Go gag! Premium flushable wipes. Hush.
Romans 8:18, I’m reading from the New King James. Let me move quickly, Elder Brian! Stop all that giggling back there! «For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God.» Let me say it again: «For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God.» Verse 20: «For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope. The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.»
I have to say it because some of y’all don’t understand what’s happening in the earth is actually — not climate change; it’s not carbon emissions; it’s the earth waiting on you to get in position. «For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God.» The created world was subjected to futility; it could not function in its full capacity-not willingly, but because of God, who subjected it in hope because the creation, the earth itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption. The earth will be delivered from corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. God says the earth will be free when you get free!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The title of my message is «It’s Time They Knew.»
It's Time They Knew: Identity and Authority
You’re going to film the whole thing because you know we got it online. You don’t have to mess your elbow up. I want you to find three people and look at them with every level of seriousness in your spirit and say, «It’s time they know.» When you do that, you can be seated. Ask someone near you, «Do you know who you’re sitting next to?» Maybe they don’t know, and you don’t have time to help them. Ask the person on the other side, «Do you know who you’re sitting next to?» Tell them, «I’m a word that God spoke, and since nothing that God spoke can go back to Him void, no matter what the enemy tries, no matter what he hits you with, you are going to complete the assignment that you were created for.» 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-do you know who you’re sitting next to?
I’m not just a word God spoke; I’m a spirit that God breathed! If you have fresh breath, just breathe out! Don’t breathe in anybody’s face because you might be a little tart from all that worship-just breathe out. I’m playing. So first, God spoke, then God breathed. When there was chaos on the earth, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, and God said, «Let there be.» That’s why I could tell power and electricity to come back on because I was created in the image of God, so I can speak to something that doesn’t have it, and it has to show up because I’m like my dad! You didn’t hear what I said! I didn’t ask for there to be a power pole and electrical wires. I said, «I want power on this campus,» so whatever needs to show up for that to happen has to happen because I’m walking in the place that He purposed for me, and I’m speaking the words of my Father, «Let there be light!»
Oh, okay, okay, let me go quick! So God spoke, «Let there be light.» God spoke, and for six days-for five days God spoke. On the sixth day, He breathed. Pastor, I don’t know what you mean because you need breath to speak, but that’s because He had to breathe into you for you to breathe back out to Him. Breath is the connection between earth and heaven. It is the ruach, the ruakodesh, the Holy Ghost. It is the Spirit of God on the inside; it’s the seed of God that allows you to speak back to Him what He breathed into you first.
So God spoke for five days, and He created; the result of His words was the created world. The result of His breath was you. Pastor Mike, that’s why I need you on the front row because I think some of our saints just-what He spoke and the universe showed up-stars started shining- but when He breathed, you were the result: a created God Jr. People are scared when I say that. «Well, where did you come from?» You came from God, so you were like God! Some of y’all got kids named after you! God said, «Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion. Let them function like me! They got my breath, they got my Spirit, they have my authority. Let them function like me, and I’m going to commune with them so they can get my identity.»
Ma, I’m trying-pray for me, please-because I’ve got a mindset of people who have been lied to to make you think that you are not who you actually are, and that’s why you sit around struggling thinking that your bills have authority when God says authority is in your mouth! The next time you look up in the sky and look at stars and think about how amazing they are, I need you to know that all of the stars in the known observable universe for billions of light-years in every direction were the result of Him speaking. But the only thing that He breathed in was you. He took words to make stars; He took His breath to make you. So, who’s the star? If you’re the star, why are you letting people treat you like you’re common?
All of the known observable universe pales in value to you because you are the express created image of God, and you get to speak back to God and commune with God and talk with God, and God talks with you. Do you know who you are? And now, after last week when we couldn’t gather in this building, God is saying, «Do I have your attention yet? What do I have to do? I gave-I allowed a virus to shut down life as you know it so you could get back to me.» And some of y’all went back to business as usual, so I just gave you a quick glimpse- do you want to go back to this again? These storms are coming-do I have your attention yet?
Let me make it real clear: just like, «Well, did God send the hurricane?» No, God didn’t send the hurricane. It’s a result of the earth being corrupted. When God spoke, He spoke systems, so stuff was supposed to function in a certain way. Then He said, «Let man have dominion over everything,» which means the earth has to listen to the sons and daughters of God.
How do I know this? Because I remember being a little boy and watching the weather report of certain storms that were supposed to come to where I grew up in Cincinnati, and my grandmother on 3920 Vine Street would get on her knees and say, «God, turn the storm the other way.» And all of a sudden, they said, «Something strange happened,» and what we said was coming through the city actually blew to the east. It had to because there was somebody with authority speaking. I’m trying to help the Saints. I’m trying to help the Saints! I don’t know what’s going to happen with the election, I don’t know what’s going to happen with the weather-speak to it!
Everybody’s all shocked when Jesus woke up from His sleep and told that storm, «I mean, be still!» And I mean, «Be still right now! Peace, be still!» And it says, and immediately, there was no 30-minute delay! It had to do it right then because He was the Son of God! He had authority in the earth, and the wind and the sea and the waves had to obey Him! Do you understand that you can hit a tree with your car, and that tree’s going to be like, «Who said something?» But your airbags deployed, you’re in a sling, your neck’s over here, you’re looking like you’re in the Thriller video, but something you couldn’t see, the wind, snapped a tree like a toothpick!
But we have the wind of the Holy Ghost. Oh God, please let me preach it with power! You are in the moment that God has been waiting for. What are you going to do with the authority you’ve been given? And why have you been shrinking back? Why haven’t you taken your rightful position? How come people don’t know the authority you carry? Why are you sitting here living average? Why do you dip your head when you see somebody that you think has power? You better lift your head up! What’s wrong with you? Some folk around here still got that colonial mentality. You better lift your head up! You aren’t on a plantation; you’re a child of the King! What’s wrong with you? Walk with some power! Throw your shoulders back! Walk with your head up! Who do you think you are?
That’s the problem-you don’t know who you are!
Urgent Call to Awakening
The issue is not, «Does your neighbor know who you are?» The issue is: «Do you know?» It’s time for the church to be the church, not a gathering place for the cool kids. No more false prophets sitting in pulpits and lying to you, tricking you into giving your money so they can get rich! No more false prophets running around with thousand and ten thousand dollar lines lying to you, making you think you can buy a miracle! No more foolish preaching that’s rooted in sensual expression but with no anointing because it’s not the word. Who cares who’s popular? Who cares who’s popping? Who cares who goes viral? Have you served poor people when nobody’s looking? Have you prayed for your labor? Have you prayed for your enemies, or are you just as carnal as the next person?
Yeah, I hope it gets quiet. I hope it stays quiet for the next 15 minutes for all of us to think and contemplate, because more storms are coming! War is not afoot; it is here! If Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear capacity, it is going to bring the entire Muslim nation- two billion-into a conflict that is right now regional, but it’s still multinational. And all of this because Abraham wouldn’t obey God to be with Sarah only. We’re at war now because he visited a tent! Be careful where you sow your seed because every garden is not going to produce what you think. You better let him go; you better let her go; you better move on!
I’m trying to help somebody in here. The children of Ishmael are still at war with the children of Isaac. But you wouldn’t know that if you stopped looking at all of your favorite reality shows and got in your Word. We have a weak, watered-down body of Christ that doesn’t understand the times we’re in because we want to be anesthetized by entertainment! Wake up! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Turn from your wicked ways! Stop sinning! Stop living unholy! Stop being carnal! Stop being racist! Stop being prejudiced! Stop being ugly and mature! Stop being selfish! Let what’s in your hand go so God can give you more!
Do you know who you are? I ask you a question like He yelled at me! Yes, I am, 'cause I’m tired of you walking around here like you don’t know that you are a daughter of a King! I’m fighting against that territorial demon and that spirit over Greenville that wants to subjugate people, and I bind that spirit in the name of Jesus! I wish I had seven people that were fighting with me! There’s a spirit over the region that doesn’t want people to get together. It’s 18,000 churches, and people still don’t speak to each other! How in the world do you have that much Jesus but can’t see Jesus in me? Your white Jesus don’t see this black man; your black Jesus don’t see that white man; your Hispanic Jesus don’t see that Asian man when God created everybody you see! But you’ve got the nerve to be prejudiced against somebody else because of the color of their skin? Are you crazy? What’s wrong with us?
You subject your Jesus to your politics! You think Jesus is voting for the issues that you believe! You think Jesus is a Republican; you think He’s a Democrat! He’s not! He’s Jesus! And you submit your Christianity to your preferred candidate! That’s why people give to churches even if they ain’t preaching nothing, because it makes them feel like they’re actually doing something-they will pay for preachers to lie to them all the way into hell! I don’t care if I got 10 people; if that’s what the Lord told me to say, I’m going to say it! If this place empties out because I preach the truth, then I’ll die a happy man! I am not here to please anybody but the Living God!
I’ve got to preach the Word of God, and I wish I-and I know I have a church that wants to hear the Word of God! I need a 10-second praise break, please! Oh, I said I need a 10-second praise break!
Five Points: It's Time They Knew
Tell somebody, «It’s time they knew!» Bishop and First Lady came from-what’s the name? What’s the city? Snellville, but where’s the church? Albany! They came from Albany, Georgia! He’s a bishop in the Lord’s church, and he said, «Man of God, I’m going to be here twice a month because the Word of the Lord is being preached here!» You have no clue the harvest that’s coming, but you’re here now because God needs you to wake up and get prepared, because there are people out there that in the next two weeks, this place is going to be packed out because of all the craziness that’s going to happen out there! Don’t be looking at them like, «Where you been for the last couple of years?» You were hating, but now you’re here! Don’t do that!
People are hurting; people have been wounded. Just love on them when they walk through the door-no judgment, just love! I said, «No judgment, just love!» Now, I got five points. Let me give them to you real quick. It’s time they knew- all of creation is waiting on the sons of God to be revealed. The scripture says the creation has been groaning with birth pains until now, subjected to futility until the sons and daughters of God get in position. That means some of these storms we can speak away, but you got to get in position. Tell somebody, «Get in position!»
Here’s what you didn’t know: everything you’ve been through in your life-ma’am, you right there with this necklace? Right? That’s a nice necklace! Yes, young lady, listen. Let me say something to you-everything you’ve been through, good and bad, all the stuff you thought would disqualify you- all the stuff you thought you weren’t worthy of-everything is now coming to bear for this moment! Everything you’ve been through has prepared you for right now!
I need to say this to everybody. Are you listening to me, sir? Are you listening? Yes, sir. Q, I need you to hear me: everything that you’ve experienced has prepared you for the right now of God. There are people who will only come into the kingdom because you tell them the truth of your story.
Here’s the thing: we never talk about that 'cause we want to come in here, shout for like an hour, and then get a message and then go watch football! But the reality is, some of us are in 'cause we need Jesus to keep us from doing some really stupid things. Isn’t it strange that your natural proclivity, your natural affection, you need supernatural power not to do what comes naturally?
Here’s the thing: shame will keep you from opening your mouth when God says, «I already provided the blood of my Son to forgive you for your sins; now, get back in position!» Get in position!
The earth is crying out! You’ve got named storm after named storm keep coming into the Gulf of Mexico, and God’s like, «I’m waiting on somebody with some authority to tell this storm where to go!» And you’re watching the news, and you’re letting the news tell you! And God said, «The news don’t tell you; the news informs you so you can tell it.»
Point number one: They can’t know if you don’t know!
Point number two: Once you know, you can’t unknow!
Point number three: Stop making yourself small!
Point number four: Get comfortable with your calling!
Point number five: Get familiar with your favor!
Prophetic Declarations and Closing
Stand up! Your favor looks good on you!
Get familiar with your favor! That means you need to know how that favor operates, and you need to operate with wisdom in that favor!
Are you ready, Love Story Church? I said, are you ready? On your mark, get set, worship!
While y’all looking at her, don’t do that Baptist Church thing; she alright, she ain’t going nowhere! She’s just worshiping! Matter of fact, worship with her!
Go up there and get some water! Some of y’all ain’t got no water! Go get you some bottled water! Act fancy! Put it in the refrigerator; put it in the ice, and just sit back! Thank God for your water! The loss of electricity was a chapter; this is the story-the provision of God!
God, seal this Word in the name of Jesus! I declare that the people of God lack nothing!
Somebody in here wants to join this church or you need to get saved! Come to this altar! You only got 18 seconds! If that’s you, join me at the altar!