John Gray - Lesson Learned
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Father, I thank You- thank You for the word of the Lord today. I thank You for the opportunity to preach and declare Your word. Turn me up in the monitors, please. Father, I thank You for this moment, and I pray that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Spirit of wisdom, grant me the ability to communicate effectively to the people that have gathered here and around the world. May this word echo, echo, echo, echo until it reaches every destination point that You intended. You are Eternal, and my spirit is eternal, but my body is not. So while I am alive on the Earth, let me be found faithful to complete the assignment that is connected to my name, so that when I take my last breath, I will have been born in You, I lived in You, I’ll die in You, and I’ll see You again. But while I am alive, let me lift my voice and my life to You.
And on this last Sunday of 2024, I want to thank You that You kept us; that You kept me; that You kept my family; You kept my mama; my uncle, who’s in the hospital, but could have been dead months ago, and he’s still alive. I want to thank You. I want to thank You for the tears; I want to thank You for the pain. I don’t know how I’m saying this, but I want to thank You for the times You told me no. I don’t know why-I’m just going to thank You, because I have to thank You for everything. I don’t understand why You said no, but there are times when my kids don’t understand why I say no, and I don’t have to explain it, 'cause I’m the father. And You don’t have to explain Yourself to me or anyone else, because You are the Abba Father, the eternally awesome and wise God.
And today, let this word be efficacious, building us up in our Most Holy Faith. Fill us with prophetic perspicacity that we see You like we’ve never seen You before. Let the melodic chords of Your Authority overwhelm us, and may the two vocal cords we have agree that You are the Living God, and we lift our voices in concert to You this day. And may we walk in a poetic, profound power that the Earth has never seen. May every devil that has been nipping at our feet bow and declare that they can’t touch us, 'cause we belong to Jesus. Let us walk in a wisdom that only Heaven can get the credit for, so that when we open our mouths, people will not say, «That is the wisdom of men,» or «the wisdom of books,» but «that person has been with Jesus.»
All praise, all glory, and all honor go to the only God-the God of Heaven and Earth, the God of the United States and Canada, Panama and Nicaragua, the God of India, the God of South Korea, the God of North Korea, the God of Vladimir Putin, the God of every dictator, the God of everyone who thinks they’re strong. You are the One who’s in charge of it all, the God of Mount Everest, the God of the Mariana Trench, the God of sea creatures great and small, the God of all worlds, the God of all planets, the Creator of galaxies 60 million light-years in another direction. You’re there and here at the same time, and everything in creation gives You glory. So what we will not do today is not join with creation. We shall join with all of creation as we give You the glory that Your name deserves. You are the Holy God, the Awesome God, the Righteous God, the Everlasting God, the Prince of Peace. You are the Eternal Father, the Creator God, the provider of breath, life, health, and strength, and we honor You today.
And it is with great and abundant praise that we give You all that we have in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, and amen. Glory! If your neighbor doesn’t mind, do me a favor-rub something off their shoulders or off their shoulder blade. Tell them God’s getting that off of you. 2024 is coming off of you! The pain is coming off of you! The tears, the sadness, the shame-the misunderstandings are coming off of you! Oh, one hand lifted! If you believe that today, you’re going to hear a word from God that turns everything in your favor! Y’all twins-are y’all twins? Y’all look alike-y’all sisters, clearly.
Father, every hand that’s lifted before this service is over, just a few moments from now, put something in it-put something in the hand that’s lifted that they need or that they prayed for. Turn it in their favor in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen! It is so! Amen, it is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! Amen, amen, amen, amen! It is so! It is so! It is so!
We’re singing the song of the Lord in real time; we have not practiced it-just came out of our spirit. But I prayed for a chorus of unity, Father- we agree with Heaven. It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! Tam, I wish somebody would just begin to dance and just praise the Lord to «It is so!» It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! No music-oh! All of creation cries to Your glory! All of creation cries out in glory for You are the Living God! Oh God, it is so! Amen, it is so! Amen! Be it unto me according to Your will! I’ll be still-it is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! Be it unto me according to Your will! I’ll be still, for I trust You! I trust You! Yes, sir, You’ve never let me down; You won’t start now! It is so! It is so! It is so! It is so! Be it unto me according to Your will! I’ll be still!
Oh, my eyes-hey, hey, my eyes! I can’t leave it alone; He’s been too good to me! I’ll be still! I’ll be still! I’ll be still! I’ll be still! I trust You! Just be still! I’ll trust You-be still! I’ll trust You- just be still! Trust in God! I’ll trust You, Lord! I’ll trust the Gardener! He is the Plan; He’s the Sustainer; He’s the Provider! Do what You want in my life! I’ll give You everything I have!
I’ll just-I’ll trust the Gardener! I’ll be singing the song of the Lord, putting You in remembrance of Your word! Just be still! Oh, somebody’s waiting on a sermon; you’re missing it! This is the sermon! This is the moment! You should start worshiping! You should just own it! Lift your hand and bless the Lord if He’s been good to you! If God ever saw you through-just be still! I’ll just be still! I’ll trust the Gardener! Hey! I’ll trust the Gardener! I’ll trust the Gardener! I’m a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor, a planting of the Lord for the display of His glory! I’m a planting of the Lord for the display of His glory! Pain was a chapter, but love is the story! Somebody ought to lift your hands while you’re seated, because the last time I checked, your heart is beating!
Father, in this atmosphere now, seal the word that takes us where we need to go in Jesus' name! Amen, amen, amen! And amen! Still, I will not leave this year without praising my God. He’s been too good for me not to lift my hands! God, after everything I’ve done, He’s still covered me with the blood! So the least that I can do is bless His name! I’ll bless His name! I bless His name while there’s breath in this body! I bless His name! I bless His name! Oh yes, I will! While there’s breath in this body, I’ll bless His name! In this body, I’m still blessed!
Let me give y’all the word of the Lord! In moments like this, that are not planned and not scripted, is when you see the power of God, I believe the most. Because God needs you to know I’m not showing up in your structure; I’m showing up in My kairotic timing. Dr. Marcus Cosby said the kairotic moment is a moment in God where the chronological time of your physical moment meets with the timing of Heaven. We have stepped into a kairotic moment where the chaos of God and the chronos of man has collided. In this moment, we have created a sound that did not exist until this moment arrived.
And in that moment, we are like our Father- out of nothing came something. We are the ex nihilo of God. I literally feel myself graduating from my previous anointing. I wish I had seven leaders who would worship the Lord with me. All right, I believe that the atmosphere has been properly set for the release of the last Sunday message of 2024! Somebody say «Lessons Learned!»
Does anybody remember their high school graduation? Hands up if you remember! Didn’t it seem like you had the whole future in front of you that day when you turned those tassels? I didn’t throw my hat-I wanted my hat! I had to pay school fees! You don’t pay your fees, you don’t get to walk! I’m so grateful that when it comes to the development of our spirits and the saving of our souls, we didn’t have the fees to pay, but our Father went to the office and paid our debt so we could walk into a spacious place! Is there anybody grateful that God, through the blood of His Son, paid the debt you could not pay?
The purpose of celebrating graduation is to acknowledge all of the hard work that went into that culminating moment, but also to have an eye towards the future. Today we graduate after 52 Sundays in 2024, and we’re stepping into 2025! You need to hear this; it may not be popular, but it’s true: no one gets into 2025 without being in the will of God! If you’re going into 2025 and you are a child of the King, you need to know that there is something that’s getting ready to hit the remnant that is so profound, it will be the single greatest moment of wealth transfer in the history of the world into the hands of God’s people! I’m not supposed to tell y’all until Tuesday, but some of y’all have been feeling it! Some of y’all thought these $2 are about to turn into $1.15 billion! Some of y’all were mad when it wasn’t you!
I love that because you took your like, «No God because you know I already told You what I’m going to do when I win — what I’m-and I’m a tithe. I’m a tithe off-I promise I am! Okay, I’m going to give a large offering, I may not-okay, I’m a tithe. I need you to hear this: you need to plan for how you’re going to handle the wealth that’s coming! Nobody- listen to me- I didn’t say money! I will not because you know there are people who literally watch our service to pick it apart like, „Grow up, you have nothing better to do!“ Wealth is not money. Wealth is wisdom and the ability to apply the knowledge of the lessons you’ve learned to the season you’re stepping into.
Come on and be seated; this is going to be an unconventional 25 minutes! What did 2024 come to teach us? Stop looking at 2024 as an anomaly that you’re ready to get rid of and escape from, and take the next 48 hours to do an honest, accurate assessment. What was God trying to teach you in 2024? Well, before you can understand what He was trying to teach you, you have to go back and look at your classes, 'cause depending on your classes you took different exams. The problem is you were looking at other people’s syllabi thinking it was your course load, but y’all don’t have the same major! So you can’t compare somebody else’s course load to yours! How come they’re only taking four credits? Because that’s them! I’ve got you taking 16 credits because I got to graduate you sooner, because what you’re carrying is greater!
Oh Lord, I wish y’all would wake up! Don’t be upset at somebody who’s still learning Algebra 1 when He’s got you in Calculus II! You’re in AP-you’re in advanced placement for the development of your spirit! And you’re mad because somebody else is graduating from kindergarten! The problem is you’re mad that they’re graduating, but you didn’t realize they’re the same age as you, and they’re just now graduating from the elementary phase, and God has you in graduate-level spiritual development! Why is it so hard? You don’t get that anointing easy! If your anointing is easy, your power is small! My anointing comes with tears; it comes with battles; it comes with real enemies! My anointing comes with a level of obedience that makes me uncomfortable!
I had a cushy job-easy assignment-wonderful! The number two at the largest church in the history of this nation, and I’m thinking the Lord was like, „I’m sending you to Greenville.“ I’m like, „Yay, cool!“ And my whole face got lit up, but I realized-it’s funny now; it wasn’t funny when I was going through it. I’ve never seen more mixture from leaders, but it wasn’t mixture-it was the exposing of the underbelly of what is wrong with the church, because the church has been poisoned with the cancer of ambition without submission to the Holy Spirit!
So there are people who want to be famous and they can’t be famous for real, so they can only be church famous. They can’t be respected anywhere else, so they get weak sheep to follow them around with earpieces! And no one’s trying to harm you, sir; you’re not even anointed enough for the devil to know your name! The seven sons of Sceva thought they were somebody, but that devil said-"Now Paul, I know! Jesus, I know, but who are you?» There are people walking around faking spiritual authority, and the devil’s about to hand them their whole face on a plate!
But there are people in this room that have battled with real devils, and real depression, and real pain, and real thoughts of suicide, and real fear, and real bills, and real drama with your baby’s father and with baby’s mother, and real battles with your own soul and your own demons, and all of the generational curses- the stuff that was in your family line that you’re trying to break free from! And every time you go home, you’re reminded that that stuff is still in you! And every now and then while you’re fighting to serve God, something else raises up, and you’re like, «I thought that was over!» And God says, «I’m trying to teach you that the fight is not just for one day! You’re going to have to wake up and fight that thing again tomorrow!»
Am I talking to anybody? Sometimes the battle is not one day; sometimes it’s fifteen years, twenty years, and before you know it your knuckles don’t hurt anymore from swinging because you’ve got enough calluses; when you swing it doesn’t hurt anymore! In fact, you’ve got more strength in your spiritual left hook than you had this time last year! You ought to thank God! I said you ought to give God a praise! You ought to give Him a ten-second praise break right there!
I come from a long line of broken men who don’t do anything with the span of years that they have but die in depression and what-ifs and almosts! It shall not be my portion! No! Nah! I’m going to change the world! Excuse me; I’ve already changed the world, and I’ve got more to do! And this is the legacy-a love story! This is the legacy- a bunch of world-changing worshippers who are not afraid of the name or ashamed of the name of Jesus! I got a church full of folk that’ll shout in the grocery store if that thing hits you right! Y’all the people that shout at the light, roll your window down and throw your hand out the window! Y’all the ones that shout in your apartment, and the people next door are like, «What’s all that noise!» That’s me shouting in the Holy Ghost! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Every year of our lives should be about growth and development-about pursuing the highest and most productive versions of ourselves! Now, it is a truth that we are alive, but it is also true that not everyone is living! I refuse to live an average provincial life! I refuse to go quietly into the night, working to get a check only to pay bills and never have enough to really enjoy my life! I refuse to live in a quasi- depressed state that I need to medicate with the brown bottle that’s under the cabinet, under the sink! I refuse to live at my base emotions and my base flesh nature! I am a child of the Living God! The Eternal God created me to be Victorious and to have dominion, and to live less than that is a dishonor to His power!
I’m a blessed man! God kept my family alive and two about six feet down; my mother’s still here! The one that was on FaceTime two weeks ago is right here today! I want to give honor to my mother, the miracle Alice Gray! The thing that I’ve learned from my mother is that you can’t read the Bible once; you’ve got to stay in that thing your whole life! You have an estimate of how many times you’ve read the Bible all the way through? She started in her thirties and has been reading the Bible on a circuit. She reads the Old Testament, the New Testament, a Psalm, and a Proverb every day, and then she writes down every day what she read! And if the Holy Spirit speaks, she writes that down! She also has another journal where she prays for family and people! One day that’s my inheritance! I get to read 50 years of history!
God, but then when you find out that stage four pancreatic cancer had to leave her body without surgery, it would make sense! Because after fifty years of walking with God, I’ve got some power! Somebody say «Lessons Learned!» See, here’s what you don’t realize — some of the lessons that are being learned are not for you; they' re for the people that are observing!
It’s about to break in here-watch this! Job didn’t go through what he went through for him! God was teaching devils the difference between fallen angels and sons! I don’t care if you’re male or female; tell somebody, «I’m a son!» Look at somebody telling them, «I’m a son!» See, in the Old Testament, sonship is who got the inheritance. The women were supposed to be covered by their husbands or their spouses! But then the Bible says with Job he gave an inheritance to his daughters-that was unheard of! He was so blessed, he gave the daughters an inheritance and the sons!
When I say I’m a son, I’m talking about a spiritual declaration of my posture and position in the economy of God’s personhood! I’m not just some creature; I am the express image of God in the Earth! So when I walk, the Earth has to listen! When I talk, the Earth has to listen! When I speak, devils have to bow down! You don’t hear me! Disease can’t stay, 'cause I’m a son! Somebody say, «Lessons Learned!»
But the most important lesson is, «Do you know your name?» Because most times before you take the test, they ask you to write your name! You know there are some tests that are invalid if you don’t write your name? Oh my God, do you know what your name is? Oh Lord, I’m preaching! I’m preaching! Come on now! Your name terrifies the devil-excuse me, it terrifies devils!
I had to have a conversation with my son. He’s really, really brilliant. He said, «Okay, if God is everywhere, then can Satan be everywhere?» I said, «No.» He said, «Why do people think that Satan and God can be at the same place or do the same things?» I said, «'Cause they don’t know the difference between the Creator and the creation! Satan is one Fallen Angel; he can’t be everywhere! So the devil is not the Satan, the adversary, the Fallen Angel Lucifer-he’s not attacking every one of us because he can’t be at multiple places at one time! Some stuff ain’t devils- it’s your flesh! And the reason why that thing is still there is 'cause you’re casting out-you’re trying to cast out demons and it’s not a demon-it’s discipline! And you’re saying, „God bind this demon!“ And God said, „That’s not a demon! I can’t deliver you from YOU if you don’t know what you like! If you don’t know what you have a taste for, you’re going to keep repeating class!
I hated summer school! But I’m not the only one here who had to go 'cause you didn’t do the work during the school year! Are there any summer school saints in here that God tried to graduate you on time, but you didn’t do the coursework? It was you that didn’t pray; it was you that didn’t call; it was you that didn’t fast; it was you that didn’t go to church; it was you that hung around the wrong people! And then you wonder why you didn’t graduate from that area of development! And God is saying, „I want to supernaturally propel you to the place that I have prepared, but I need you to learn the lesson!“
Tell somebody, „Learn the lesson!“ Learn the lesson! God help me! So what were the lessons of 2024? You want to tell me-what are some lessons that you learned in 2024? Talk to me; I’m waiting on you! I ain’t hear you-obedience, trust, patience, prayer, faith, forgiveness!
I hated that class! Anybody else hate forgiveness class? Forgiveness University-F-U! No, no-Forgiveness University! What a terrible college to go to! I don’t want to go to that class! 'Cause tell the truth; being angry at someone who hurt you feels good! Somebody tell the truth! And before y’all go saying, „He cussed!“ No, I didn’t! Forgiveness University! Okay, how about University of Forgiveness- UF? Is that better? Turn it the other way-U-F!
My pastor said, „F-U?“ No, Lord Jesus! What I’m saying is that there are some classes we didn’t want to go to! But God, in His love, is not going to let you leave this season until you learn this lesson! What’s the lesson? Some people that you have not forgiven are not worth your time! What makes it worse is if they’ve moved on and you’re still bitter! They’re living their worst life, and you’re just walking around tragic and angry, and they’re sitting up doing whatever they want!
And God’s going to deal with them in His timing! You have to release them, and I’m talking to you! I’m talking to me too, 'cause I got mad; „God, don’t kill the people you don’t like!"'Cause the truth is there are some people that don’t like you! And you don’t want them to answer that prayer, because before you go holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness for what other people did, check the people you offended! You’ve got some people that were hurt because of some things that you did as well, and you need God not to hold you hostage to that! Can I get three amens and «I know that’s right?»
Somebody say «Lessons Learned!» Lessons Learned! 2024! The first lesson that 2024 taught us is that God is Sovereign! God is Sovereign above all the affairs of men! All of the governments of the earth-they all have to bow down! People are terrified, «The aliens are coming! Is it drones? Is it an alien?» I don’t care what it is! I got Jesus! And if you’re of the people that say there’s no such thing as other life forms, you haven’t read the Bible! 'Cause there are some things in the earth that are coming out of the Earth in the last days-locusts with lion’s heads, tails like scorpions-that’s coming out of the earth!
You’re like, «That’s not possible!» There are cicadas right now that are birthed every 23 years! They grow for 23 years before they come out of the earth! It’s real quiet in here! You’re like, «What are you saying?» This is why I’m mad at y’all for watching all of this goofy TV and not staying in your word! Because all of the things that are happening are setting us up for the end times! If you don’t believe in supernatural things, you shouldn’t even be in church, because Jesus is super and He’s natural!
He is the Son of God and the Son of Man! Lesson learned! I am not just a human being; I’m a word that’s been spoken! I got supernatural authority because I carry the Eternity and the power of Heaven in my mouth! Somebody say «God is Sovereign!» God is-what is the second thing 2024 came to teach us? God’s word is true!
It’s real quiet in here, but I’m going to keep on! I’m going to get through it! God’s word is true! The Bible is right! Somebody say, «The Bible is right!» The Bible is right! I’m not here to argue with you; I’m not here to debate with you! I’m not getting into debates with other people about their faith! You can live how you want to live, but I am persuaded that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God! He’s the only way to the Father! He was born of a virgin named Mary! I still believe that He lived a sinless life, that He died, and that He rose with all power in Heaven and Earth!
Does anybody agree with that statement? That doesn’t make sense, but it does make faith! Somebody say «Lessons Learned!» What I also learned is that elections have nothing to do with selection! Y’all upset-some are still hurting because of the results of an election! But you need to understand that God is the one who selects leaders for purposes that are bigger than your political agenda! Oh God, help me! What else did I learn? I am exactly where I’m supposed to be!
Some of y’all have been trying to move and can’t get nothing to open up! You don’t want to say amen because you don’t want people to know your business! I’m moving to Atlanta-for what? So you can have more options to sin? Greenville is too small-is it, or is your appetite too big? Maybe the Lord loves you so much that He keeps you here! 'Cause if He put you somewhere else, you’d act even more of a fool than you currently do! Don’t nobody want to clap like, «That’s me! I’m nasty! Me! Amen!»
He ain’t lying! Every week, I’d be right in there! Somebody say «Lessons Learned!» Lesson Learned! You need to know that God’s been teaching lessons from the beginning of the scripture! Adam and Eve had to learn the lesson: disobedience has consequences! Noah had to learn the lesson: faith and obedience can lead to salvation! Radical obedience builds something no one’s ever seen for an event that’s never happened! It ain’t never rained, but I’m creating! I’m going to do what the Father said!
And while they were laughing at him for a hundred plus years while he was building the ark-they were laughing until it rained! Then they were knocking! You keep building-let them laugh! 'Cause after the laughter comes the knock! They’re going to want to get in the thing you built! But here’s the difference: even if you want to let them in, the Bible says the Lord shut the door! James, this is good! There are some things that God is allowing you to build, and there are people you’d let in, but God loves you too much to let them get on the ark! He’s going to close the door 'cause they don’t mean you any good anyway! They never believed in you, never believed in your anointing, never believed in your calling, and you still let them in!
You need to learn that lesson! How many times have you gone back to him? He was the wrong choice the first time! The seventh time you’ve been back, it’s still the wrong choice! I don’t care how much perfume you put on-that’s still boo-boo! And I’m just here to tell you-when the perfume wears off, that’s still a pile of boo-boo! It doesn’t matter what you do to the doo-doo; it’s still boo-boo! It’s just boo-boo with a nice fragrance! But when the fragrance wears off, it stinks and smells good! That’s why sometimes you’re happy; other times you’re sad! Some of your depression is directly connected to people that the Lord told you to leave alone!
But Lord, I love him! And if he just gets to church-what you mean «if he just gets to church?» You want to manufacture growth? You can’t manufacture spiritual development! That has to be an act of someone’s will! Nobody should get saved to be in a relationship with somebody else! If they get saved, then they be right! Do you know how long it took for you to get right? You’ve been in church your whole life! Somebody say «Lessons Learned!»
Abraham had to learn lessons! Stop walking through life as if you don’t have to learn lessons! In Genesis 22, Abraham had to learn to trust God-not just halfway, but completely! Somebody say «Complete trust!» God said, «Take your son, your only son, up this mountain and offer him as a burnt offering to Me!» And he had to do that!
Somebody say «Lessons Learned!» The patriarchs of the Bible had to learn valuable lessons for their spiritual development- but also it was for God to get glory from their lives! You look at Joseph-that God works through trials to bring good! Here’s Joseph, sold out by his brothers-betrayed by his own blood! Sharing his dreams with them and they got upset! He said, «I had a dream, and it was a sun and a moon and it was some stars, and then this one star was bigger than all the other stars and all the other ones bowed down to me!»
They were like, «Oh, we’re going to bow down to you!» Instead of realizing that he said, «There we were stars; y’all were up there with me!» They missed the fact that they had been elevated because of him. Oh, there are some people that hate you but need you! They don’t know how to deal with you, because they want to spit you and spit at you, but they know they can’t, because they know something about you is causing them to be blessed.
So there’s this tension between despising you and needing you close! «I hate you, but don’t leave! I can’t stand you, but come close! I’ll punch you, but let me kiss you!» You’re weird! This is an abusive relationship; that’s weird! Moses-what was his lesson? That no matter your stutter, God equips the called!
I need somebody to say this out loud! As I bring this message to a close, I’m called! No, you didn’t say it like you meant it! You’re sitting over here, and that rain outside had you sleepy! I mean, that’s some SWV rain-sometimes it’s a different kind of rain!
I had to listen-you know, sometimes it’s hard as a mountain fire! Sometimes that kind of rain -no lie! This morning when you heard that thunder and that wind, that bear was like, «Don’t go!» That bear hit you with, «Please don’t go! Please don’t go! Oh, stay in the bed and let me hold you close!»
Oh my Lord! Turn on YouTube! It works with your toast! Oh, have some cereal and 2% milk! Oh, just stay in the bed! Baby, be still! Anyway, okay, please don’t go! Sometimes it’s a different-it’s a different type of rain!
I’m sorry! Okay, our guests are like, «What did I walk into?» Oh Lord! Somebody shout «Moses!»
What was his lesson? God equips the called! So what’s your excuse for trying to talk God out of calling you? «Well, Lord, you know I’ve got a stutter!» Everybody’s got a stutter! Even if it’s not a stutter, it’s a stutter-something that slows you down! Something in your flesh that keeps you humble! Nobody else knows about it, but you know what it is! And you’re like, «God, there’s no way You can use me! No way You can call me!»
He said, «I know who you are, and I know your weaknesses, and I know your limitations! And that’s why I called you! Because when I elevate you, you’re going to stay humble! You’re not going to think it was you! 'Cause you know what you would do if you were by yourself!» Is there anybody that can give God praise for that lesson? Somebody shout, «Job!» Job had to learn the lesson that you’ve got to trust God through suffering!
2024, there was a lot of suffering! There was a lot of pain! There were storms! People died! There was a lot of suffering! There was a lot of loss! Many of us had deep financial challenges! A lot of us walked through things this year we had never anticipated and never expected! And yet, and still-look at you! You’re alive! And you still have a praise in your mouth and a lifting of your hands! Am I talking to anybody that’s just grateful that God kept them? If you’re grateful that God kept you, go ahead and give Him a praise!
Mama, you can’t stand up like that and start shouting! You’re 82 years old; you need to just sit still! I need you to sit; I don’t need you doing that! Because if you’re 82 and a two-time cancer survivor, then that means nobody in here has the right to sit still or sit down! Because if she’s still thanking God, how come you’re still sitting down? You need to calm down! Aren’t you sore from your car accident, Pastor? Aren’t you a little sore? Then why are you praising God? Why don’t you sit there?
Because He kept you! See, every now and then here’s another lesson-I’ve got to praise through the pain! Rashad, I’m not going to be able to get through this message! God did not want to graduate you from pain; He needed you to worship through it! Naked I came into the Earth, and naked shall I return-blessed be the name of the Lord! Is there anybody grateful that you have learned to praise through the pain? Ugh-oh! Something just broke right there!
Pastor, you’re just talking Old Testament lessons-oh baby, there are some New Testament lessons! Talk to me, Peter! Peter could get the revelation that Jesus is the Son of the Living God and he begins to walk on water! Baby, he walks on water, and then he begins to sink! «Hey bro, what’s the lesson? Keep your eyes on Jesus! 'Cause the moment you’re doing supernatural things on your own is the moment you begin to sink! But as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, nothing, no circumstance, no water, no depth can keep you from sinking!
'Cause I am not walking in my own power; I’m walking in the power of Jesus Christ! I need to keep my eyes fixed on Him, focused on Him, or I will sink! You’re not good enough on your own to stand! You need to keep your eyes on Jesus! Jesus, help me! Lord, somebody say „Lessons Learned!“
The Prodigal Son! What was his lesson? God welcomes repentance with grace! There’s nobody outside the grace of God! I know church people want to send everybody to hell, and Jesus is trying to get everybody to Heaven! So I don’t want to go to a church that only preaches hell! I need a church that preaches the truth of God, which is the balance of the word, which is hell is real and if you don’t accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior! If you do not confess Him and repent of your sins, then you will go to hell! It is a real place!
But on the flip side, when I do confess, when I turn, when I realize this is, I’m living beneath my privilege! My Father’s not just there with an unlocked door; He’s not just there with an open door; He sees me from a distance and runs to me! I thought I was talking about the love story! The lesson is that even if you’re a prodigal, you still have a Father who’s waiting to receive you! All you have to do is turn!
If you can limp in His direction, He will run in yours! What about Paul? I’m glad you asked, Pastor Robert, which you didn’t because you have an 80-pound, 2-year-old on your lap! I don’t know how your spine is even working right now! What’s the lesson with Paul? God can transform anyone!
This is why a lot of preachers don’t like me, because the people that I rock with don’t rock with church! But they rock with me because I rock with Jesus, and Jesus rocked with sinners, but He did not act like them! He stayed holy; He stayed peculiar, and they changed; He didn’t! Some of y’all are talking about, „I want to be salt and light in the bar.“ You can’t be salt and light in the bar when you are in the twerk competition with them!
You can be salt and light in the bar when you’re having conversation while they’re drinking and saying, „I know you think there’s peace at the end of this glass, but it’s not! Not what you really need is deliverance for your soul! Let’s talk about it!“ What you really going through-that’s when you become salt and light!
And that’s why the Pharisees were offended by Jesus because He could have conversations with anyone to be so supernatural and so perfect! He was so approachable! Don’t tell me that you’re filled with the Holy Ghost, but you don’t want to talk to people that are beneath you! And you look down at people!
That’s not the Holy Ghost; that’s pride! And Jesus is nowhere near it! If you want to be like Jesus, you’re going to stretch your hands out to lepers! If you want to be like Jesus, you’ll ask the homeless person his name or her name-not just give them a dollar and be like, „Just take this and get away from me!“
Do you see them as an inconvenience or as a soul?
Saul persecuted the believers, Elder Odum, and he killed Christians, and he got a personal sermon from Jesus! What- you can be a murderer? Some of you are like, „Oh, I’m good then! You’re going to jail!“ I’m just saying, Moses was a murderer! Moses was a murderer! He killed that man! Stop it right now!
Yes! God can use anyone! And if He can use anyone, that includes you! I’m trying to help somebody, 'cause some of y’all have tried to disqualify yourself because of either what you’ve done or what you’re currently doing! And God says, „I love you! I knew this was going to happen! It was already written! You’re walking out what’s been written!“
All right, what about the woman caught in adultery? What’s the lesson? Mercy and a call to repentance! It’s real quiet in here! It doesn’t matter what you’ve done! Jesus will save you! Jesus will forgive you! Watch this-He said, „Hey, where are the people who were accusing you? Has anybody stayed?“ She said, „No one, Lord.“ He said, „Where have they condemned you?“ No one!
„Neither do I!“ But then He gave her a condition: „Go and sin no more! You just got your life back; don’t go back to what you were doing!“ Lesson learned!
Everyone is standing-help me, Jesus! Y’all act like Jesus didn’t have to learn lessons! The Bible says He learned obedience by the things that He suffered! Why doesn’t anybody ever preach about that? The Son of God, the Son of Man, the Eternal King-had to learn!
What did He have to learn, Pastor Lori? He had to learn obedience to the Father! Radical obedience! How many people know Jesus was baptized? Who baptized Jesus? John the Baptist! Let me ask y’all: why do you get baptized? It’s not a statement! It’s born again! From what? From sin!
So why would Jesus need to be baptized? Stand for us-wait! Baptism is repentance from sin-Jesus never sinned! He had to obey even though this didn’t apply to Him for those who were coming behind Him! So some of y’all are like, „I don’t need to; I have to go!“ You should choose somebody else! God says, „I need you to do it for those who are coming behind you!“
Y’all missed this; this is good! Jesus did not have to be baptized because of His sin; He had to be baptized because of yours! Jesus chose obedience to fulfill all righteousness! Jesus had to learn the lesson of battling through temptation- 40 days, 40 nights! He battled hunger, loneliness, and then the Devil Himself came in His weakened state!
So He battled loneliness; He battled, „Oh God!“ hunger and spiritual attack! He had to learn that lesson, and He relied on the Father! Jesus remained obedient to God the way He treated outcasts! When He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, He said, „Let this cup pass!“ And He had to learn that sometimes your prayers don’t get answered!
Yeah! That’s right! That’s right, Pastor Alicia! The church thinks Jesus is Santa Claus! He’s not! You can’t give Him your list and get mad when you don’t get what’s on it! He’s the King! And He reigns sovereign over the affairs of men and women! Hands lifted!
2024 came to remind you that you are, after all human! Just a man! Just a woman! And without God, you are nothing! I hope you learn that lesson! I hope you take the humility of the challenges you’ve been through and move forward in a great grace and a great favor!
That’s all right, little baby! And I don’t want y’all to take her out! Let her cry right there! 'Cause that’s real life! We always try to drown out people’s cries, and no baby should cry! I’ve been to church to take that baby out of here! There might be a single mom who needs a word from God! You going to tell her to leave?
No! Take you and your prideful spirit and you leave! 'Cause I promise you God wants to talk to her! Father, 2024 was a doozy! I don’t know what You were doing, and the truth is some of us are still mad at You! It’s some prayers on my prayer list You haven’t answered! You still got 48 hours! Quit playing, baby Jesus!
Your birthday was four days ago! I know You still on the milk, but just come on, baby Jesus! Or teenage Jesus or 30-year-old Jesus, bearded Jesus-come on and answer these prayers! Quit playing! Now you know what else you learned? That through all the hell that 2024 brought, you could still have your joy!
Who still has some joy? Let me tell you what one of the things I’m praying for in 2025 is! 'Cause we got a lot of really amazing wives in this room that have not been chosen yet! That God would send discerning men who want to build families! They let like — this is my word-that God will send mature, family-minded men that will build!
I’m declaring that all of my daughters who want to be married will be found by a man of God, so that you can begin this next phase of your life! For those who may have been divorced and you want to build and rebuild that love, but you don’t want no kids-may the Lord bless you with a man of God with all of his teeth, good credit, and grown kids!
Y’all for those who are believing to build family! When you’re like, „I’m advanced in years!"-shut up, twins running your family, boy and girl! Watch it happen! I just prophesied and nobody caught it! I’m laughing but I’m about to cry because something just shifted! I’ve learned the lessons of 2024-I’m ready to receive the blessing of 2025!
Tell somebody, «God is not finished!» I don’t care what the doctor’s report says; God is not finished! He’s not finished! Okay, okay! Father, seal this word and get the glory! And we thank You for the lessons and the blessings! We’re coming back here Tuesday night! We’re going to bring about three of our cousins and we’re going to give You this praise for bringing us through in Jesus' name! Lesson learned! Amen! If you’re here and you want to be a part of our church, come to the front of this altar! If you believe that this is a community that you can grow and build in-online or here-you can text the word «member» to 95555.
And if you’re in the building and you want to be a part of our church, join me right here at the front! If that’s you, that’s right-bring that baby! Bring that baby! Let me see that baby! God bless you! Come on, God bless! Welcome! I said, «What’s the baby’s name?» She said «Unity.» She said, «And my oldest daughter is Serenity and she’s in children’s church!»
Lord, make them one as You and I are one! Come on, sis! Man of God, welcome home! Man of God, welcome! What’s size shoe is that? 13? What’s size shoe is that? 10? What’s that? 9? Okay, I got some 13s upstairs, don’t I? Us still wearin'- oh yeah, you stay at the church! I’m going to give you a pair of my shoes, 'cause you’re about to walk in a whole new path!
As a matter of fact, Brian, go up to my closet and bring down about five or six pairs! Just bring them down here; I want to see which ones I want to give! It’s going to sound real crazy; I promise to God this morning I saw a pair of shoes on my mantle! God’s like, «You need to give some shoes away!» I was like, «Those are nice!» And I left them right there! If you come on Tuesday, the pair of shoes that I saw that He showed me this morning, I’m going to give those to you as well! You can’t sell them; they worth a lot!
If you sell them, I want half! Who is this coming to the altar? I want some elders to get some oil; I want you to pray over her right now! Everyone stretch a hand this way; I’m getting ready to pray! Getting ready to pray!
Lord Jesus, I thank You for the people of God-the decision that they made! Now I’m getting ready to ask them to repeat after me a prayer! I want all of y’all at the altar to say these words with me! 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! And amen!