John Gray - Lesson Learned
- Watch
- Donate
As 2024 concludes, reflect on its lessons—God's sovereignty, the truth of His Word, radical obedience, trust through suffering, forgiveness, and humility—graduating from trials into 2025's promised wealth transfer and favor for the remnant who apply wisdom, release bitterness, and walk in sonship authority.
Opening Prayer and Praise
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!
Spontaneous Worship
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!
Lessons Learned: Graduation from 2024
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!
Personal Reflections and Biblical Lessons
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!
Key Lessons from 2024 and Scripture
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!
God’s word is true! The Bible is right!
Elections have nothing to do with selection!
I am exactly where I’m supposed to be!
Lessons from Scripture: Adam and Eve—disobedience has consequences; Noah—faith and obedience; Abraham—complete trust; Joseph—God works through trials; Moses—God equips the called; Job—trust through suffering; Peter—keep eyes on Jesus; Prodigal Son—grace upon repentance; Paul—God transforms anyone; Woman in adultery—mercy and repentance; Jesus—learned obedience through suffering.
Closing Prophecies and Altar Call
2024 came to remind you that you are, after all human! Just a man! Just a woman! And without God, you are nothing!
Through all the hell that 2024 brought, you could still have your joy!
Prayers for marriages, families, and blessings in 2025.
God is not finished!
Seal this word and get the glory!
Altar call for salvation and membership.