John Gray - Turn The Power On
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God bless you, love story! Let’s get right into the Word. Can we stand for the reading of the Word? Hurricane Milton tore through the west coast of Florida, crossed the entire state, and went back into the Atlantic. Hurricane Milton went through the middle of Florida. Go look up the definition of the name Milton; it means middle-a storm that went right through the middle. Pastor Joel Johnson is here, my friend and brother. Come sit right here on this front row. Pastor Joel Johnson, for those who don’t know, has sown into this house for years and years. Can we thank God for this best-selling author and top-level communicator? One more time, y’all-Joel Johnson is in the building!
I almost want to just hand you the mic; I know you have a word. He’s always had a word. I thank God for his bridge-building anointing to go from culture to culture and from generation to generation, and he is relevant to all of them. Thank God for your life; thank God for your years of friendship and brotherhood. I don’t take you for granted. The name Milton means middle-a storm that went through the middle. It was a sign. I asked the Lord, «Can we pray this storm away?» and He said, «You can’t pray it away; it’s coming.»
But I know God, for he’s not just God-he’s a parent. And parents, even when you get mad at your kids and want to whoop-I mean tear them apart-normally end up having compassion because they’re your kids. And I said, «God, you always pull your punches.» For those who don’t know, anybody know what that means? When you pull your punch, it means you could hit with full force, but in the end, you just let up a little bit so that the person you’re hitting doesn’t feel the full weight of your ability. They said 15-foot storm surge in Tampa, and then when the storm was heading towards them, God sent the current to take the water out. In the middle of a hurricane, the people could literally walk in Tampa Bay on dry ground. Kind of like the Red Sea- y’all don’t want it today.
I’m gonna preach it and let you go, but you need to know that your God, even in the storm, should get glory because it should have been worse. I’d rather have no electricity and be alive. I wish I had somebody who doesn’t care what anybody thinks about you to give God the praise he deserves. I said I’d rather have no electricity and be alive. So while we are still recovering from Hurricane Helen, we now have to turn our attention to Hurricane Milton. There’s a tropical depression named Naen. I’m so sick of Naen already; she just over there looking like a usher. Just-they got two; they need one more. No, we don’t need one more, Naen. Stay your tail out in the Gulf with your old self, nurse’s shoes, and white stockings with peppermints. That’s Naen’s aura. If you don’t stay your tail out there, I mean, you better not come nowhere around here.
So what do you do after the storm? That’s what I want to talk about for a few minutes. But first, I want to give you a scripture. So, let’s go to Mark chapter 4:35. We’re moving quickly: «On the same day, when evening had come, he said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.'» Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him, Jesus, along in the boat as he was, and other little boats were also with him. Shout out to the little boat people! You don’t come from money; you don’t come from an inheritance; you didn’t have a silver spoon-you had a plastic fork-but you still trusted God. You made ends meet and did what you had to do. You had faith; you walked that thing out. Shout out to the little boat! I’m not tripping if you’ve got a big boat; I’m glad you’re here too. Because whether you have a big boat or a little boat, all it takes is one storm, and we both got no boat.
And a great windstorm arose. Now, why did the windstorm arise? Because I’m crossing over. Storms always come to stop you from getting to where God has you going next. Somebody in here needs to rejoice that the wind you feel is not the opposition of God; it’s the enemy’s last-ditch attempt to keep you where you were when God has assigned and directed for you to go to the other side. I need a couple of people to just say, «We’re going.» I need you to move with it. Say, «We’re going!» Yeah, I need your faith to stay up today. It’s going to be one of them. And the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling, but Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him and said, «Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?» Then he arose and rebuked the wind. He rebuked the wind, but he spoke to the sea. Some stuff you rebuke; other stuff you need to speak to. You have to know the difference. Elder Tesa, don’t start back there; some stuff you rebuke; some people you say, «I rebuke you! I’m not even fooling with you!» Then other people-now let me tell you something, let me tell you-but you’ve got to know which one. You have to have the spirit of discernment. He spoke to the sea, «Peace, be still.» When you study the connotation of those three words, the sea had to submit even though it did not want to. But because someone had power over it, because his words had authority, it had to submit.
And the wind ceased, and it wasn’t just calm; it was a great calm! How many people could use great calm in your life? I have too many people stressing me out in my life. I got too many people texting me about their problems and their load. I need great peace. Be still! Matter of fact, the next time somebody that just keeps draining you texts you, just put PBS. I’m like, «You watching public broadcast? No, Peace, be still! I’m not taking your spirit into my house. I’m not taking your chaos-some of which you created-and making it my responsibility. Give that to Jesus!»
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. But he said to them, «Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?» He didn’t say a little faith; he said no faith. The disciples-the ones he chose, the people that are in church every day-had no faith. So no one can judge you because you only come once a week. They were in his presence every day and had no faith. I’m in good company because sometimes I struggle in my faith. Don’t judge me because you do too, sir, with your judging behind. Everybody in here went from, «God, I trust you!» three minutes later, «I don’t know!» And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, «Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?» He had power over the wind and the waves.
The title of my message is «Turn the Power On.» Turn to somebody and say, «Turn the power on.» Tell somebody else, «Turn the power on.» Go ahead and be seated. That’s a different song, Ms. Mary. It’s a different song. She said, «I got the power!» No ma’am, it’s not a gospel song, bless your heart. It’s getting kind of hectic. No, and then you’ve got-sit down! Tell somebody, «Turn the power on.»
Let me set the stage for you: just got word that there was an earthquake in Greenwood, South Carolina. Earthquakes in Greenwood, storms in the Gulf-storms that go from a tropical depression to a category 5 in 24 hours. You’re three weeks away from a consequential election. We had a port strike. Israel’s getting ready to hit Iran; they’re probably going to bomb their nuclear facilities, which is going to throw every Arab nation into conflict, and they’re going to have to choose between their Islamic beliefs and Brotherhood and the nation of Israel. Many in the region don’t even believe Israel has the right to exist. And I’m going to tell you, be careful what you say to Israel and what you do to Israel because God has chosen Israel. Be careful!
But there is a difference between the true Israel and the political Israel. Now I’ll be very careful; see, I know how people get real touchy. But you want to read that scripture the same way? You’ve got to be careful when you talk about Jesus; it depends on who you are. He looks like what you think, but there are many people in many evangelical churches and some of these wonderful red states that if they saw a true picture of Jesus, and him looking like this here, they would leave that church today because he’s not a white Republican male any more than he’s an African American man. He is the unique Son of God who was sent to save us from our sins!
So you don’t get to make him a political figure when he is not a political figure. He is the Son of God-He is God, and he will be God! Hello! I need a mic! So the enemy-I’m going to say it again since the enemy wants to play me-Jesus is Lord! He is the head of the church; he is not a political figure. He’s not American; he’s not black; he’s not white; he’s not Mexican; he is a-he’s a Middle Eastern Palestinian Jew who was a rabbi, who is the unique Son of God, the only one who could save us from our sins. He is the propitiation, the full payment for our sin. He is eternal in nature, and everything in the universe was created through him. He is the head of the church-no man, no woman, no pope, no bishop, no leader, no apostle, no prophet- only Jesus. He is the name that every knee will bow, and every tongue shall confess.
And I need everybody in here to not lift up your party but lift up your King! Lift up the name of Jesus right now! I said lift him up! I said lift him up! Three weeks they’ll be voting for who has power in Washington, but the truth is you got power in your house-excuse me, you have power in your mouth! Somebody say «Turn the power on!»
After these storms, we need to have a come-to-Jesus moment. What is really going on? God is saying, «Do I have your attention yet? I sent Helen.» Go look up what Helen means. I’m not gonna tell! I’m tired of doing your work for you. Go look it up! Now, some of y’all are already on Facebook; just go look it up. You in there seeing who liked your little post. I got nine likes! Helen means light-to illuminate! God was trying to shed light on something, but he couldn’t get everybody’s attention, so he sent something to go right into the middle. I need to get in the middle! Why? Because everybody’s all political. You on the left or you on the right, but let’s just go on and talk in the middle. Y’all don’t want it today! God’s trying to tell y’all the stuff that you think is important ain’t important! You better get in my face; you better get a prayer life!
I allowed the electricity to go off so you wouldn’t be distracted by your devices and by your favorite TV show. I was hoping you’d come spend some time with me on the porch, and you still found a reason to not come spend time! Do I have to shut the world down again? Somebody say, «Turn the power on!» You have power that you don’t know about, and it’s time for you to walk in and access the power that has been given to you. Help me, Holy Ghost!
I want to give you a very important scripture because it’s so pertinent to where we are. 2 Timothy 1:6- 7: «Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.» Let’s go over those three again: power, love, and a sound mind.
One more time: power-say love with a smile — love! And a sound mind! We’re going to turn the power on! If he didn’t give you a spirit of fear, let’s be honest-nobody’s allowed to lie in this moment. You can lie when you leave, but in here, let’s be honest. How many people were a little bit afraid when Helen came through here and ripped up trees like toothpicks? How many people were a little scared? Let’s just-matter of fact, stand up if you were a little bit afraid. Let me see! How many people were a lot afraid? How many people’s power went out? How many people had candles? Light a candle! You had an oil lamp? That’s country; I like that! You got an outhouse too?
Listen, being afraid in an unexpected situation is not demonic. It doesn’t mean you don’t love God; doesn’t mean you don’t believe in Jesus. You know what it means? It means you’re human! I am tired of preachers and prophets who tell you, because you have a human emotion, that somehow you are not saved anymore or that you don’t love God. Because if that’s the case, then the men on the boat with Jesus weren’t saved! These men were afraid but they had power on the boat, and they actually had power in their mouths! Jesus said, «Why did you bother me? Y’all could have handled this yourselves!»
I need you to know that some of y’all are upset. Help me, Holy Ghost, thank you! Some of you are angry or upset because God has not answered some prayers. And God says, «I don’t have to answer that; you need to speak to that!»
8-second praise break-where my Jesus sisters? I just- they don’t hear you. I’m going to say it again. Sometimes you’re like, «Lord, can you?» He said, «No, you can!» You’re like, «Lord, can you?» He said, «No, you can!» «Lord, I need you to speak to that!» «No, I’m not speaking to that! You speak to it! When you open your mouth, I’ll back you!» Some of you are four sentences away from a completely different life! I’m going to say it again: some of you are four sentences away from a completely different life! I am absolutely debt-free; there is no one in my life who does not belong. I am so blessed that I have to be generous every day just to be able to sleep!
I’m trying to stir faith! And don’t say you don’t use words because you use them all the time! But God did not give you a spirit of fear, but one of-so I have three questions for you. Let’s move quick.
Number one: Do you have power? Number two: Where is the love? Where is the love? Where is the love? Where is the love? Y’all don’t know nothing about Donny Hathaway! Y’all young! I can’t stand young folk, all y’all! Listen, I need some grown folk music! Two- minute long intros was the «September» of Papa Was a Rolling Stone! Bunk, bunk, bunk! Wherever he laid his hat was his home. And when he died, oh! He left-
That song has never had a tambourine solo, Ms. Mary. It just never happened! She gonna make sure every song gets saved!
Oh no, number one! First question is: What do you have? Write it down over there, Jay. Write it down. Don’t make me come over there with your diamond earring! Number two: Where is the love?
Number three: What sounds are you letting into your mind? I got my bodyguard with me; I’m good today! Number one: Do you have power? Ask your neighbor, «Do you have power?»
Paul said to Timothy, «I didn’t give you a spirit of fear!» Church, stop being afraid! There’s a lot of crazy stuff that’s going to happen! There’s another storm that’s coming! Don’t be afraid! Supply chains will be interrupted! Don’t be afraid! There’s going to be more drama with the banking industry and people hacking stuff! Don’t be afraid! You belong to a God who is above the systems and tricks of a defeated devil!
Do you have power? I’m glad you asked me that. That means I got to go to the book of Acts! Help me, Holy Ghost! Book of Acts 1:4: «And being assembled together with them, Jesus commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.» Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Jesus, saying, «Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?»
There are people who still thought Jesus was a political figure. And Jesus needed to be clear with them. The Roman government has nothing to do with my authority-I’m above it! So here was Jesus' response: «It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put into his own authority. But you shall receive"-I need you to say it like you mean it-"You shall receive power!» Huh, I feel real Pentecostal! Huh! «When the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.» The question was: Do you have power?
I want you to translate that. Ask your neighbor, «Do you have the Holy Ghost?» No, don’t ask. Wait for him to answer-"Um, that’s none of your business!» They say, «That’s none of your business.» You already answered, «No.» Ask somebody, «Do you have the Holy Ghost?»
The problem with the church is we come in here, we want the pastor to be the priest. You want Old Testament; you want the priest to be the one that does all the work, and you get to go home and do nothing. But when Jesus died and the veil of the curtain was ripped from top to bottom, that was the Father signifying that my spirit can now rest on everybody who believes in my Son!
And so the Holy Spirit has been gifted to believers as a promise from God! Jesus said in the Book of Acts, «The Father made a promise to you!» That promise is the person of the Holy Spirit! When you get saved, the Holy Spirit comes with Jesus. Write this down: The Holy Spirit is standard equipment!
Now, some of us have been raised that the Holy Spirit means what you speak in tongues. How many people have heard that? How many people believe that? You’re like, «I’m not sure; you’re about to trick me!» I want to say yes, but I’m the only one with my hand up!
The first time we see the Holy Spirit in the upper room, no one was speaking in tongues; they were speaking in glossa. The word glossa comes where you get glossary. I’m trying to help you walk around like you’re smart today! Just walk into the restaurant like, «How many glossa for the resurrection?» For glossa! Glossary tongues! It means language!
So the people in the upper room were speaking in a language that each could understand. So the first time we see the person of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church on a corporate level is everybody had unity! This is how we know that people who have created a doctrine out of a gift may not be demonic, but they are uninformed.
So me speaking in tongues doesn’t mean I’m filled with the Holy Ghost because there are people in here who have heard people speak in tongues and then treat people like trash! So if you speak in tongues but your life is trash, maybe you’re not filled with the Holy Ghost; maybe you just are good at a gift!
That’s why you can have people who could prophesy accurately and be unholy. Because you have a gift does not mean you are filled with the Holy Spirit! When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you have love, joy, peace, self-control!
Somebody throw up nine fingers! The next time I say give Him a praise, throw up nine! Just throw up nine! Because this is the evidence of being filled with the Holy Ghost! When you have the fruit of the Spirit, watch this! Oh! When you can love those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you-now you’re looking like Jesus!
When somebody in your family can treat you like trash, and you still love them! Now you’ve got the fruit of the Spirit! Now you’re filled with the Holy Ghost! Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost while they were killing him. He said, «Father, forgive them!» You got to be filled with the Holy Ghost to ask God to forgive people who are actively killing you and mean it!
Your tongues don’t mean you’re filled with the Holy Ghost; the fruit of your life lets me know that you’re filled with the Holy Ghost! Tongues is a prayer language; it’s an individual thing, but the gifts of the Spirit are given to each one individually for the betterment of the body.
So I’ve got some gifts; Joel’s got some gifts; my wife’s got some gifts; Brian’s got some gifts. We don’t all have the same gifts because that would be redundancy, and God doesn’t do redundancy! He’s trying to build community! Somebody say «community!»
If I could do it all by myself, I wouldn’t need you, Austin! But I need you because there’s a prophetic word in you that I don’t carry. There’s an anointing that you have, man of God, that I don’t have, and because I love you and you’re my brother, I am not insecure! I’m not trying to stop what God is doing in your life! In fact, when I see the good of God going, I’m going to celebrate it! I’m going to honor it! Matter of fact, I’m going hand you a microphone so you can encourage the people! Come on up, Austin!
See, because you never know what God is doing in the-oh God, get the glory! God, get the glory! Anytime in my life that I most needed him, he was there! Yeah, I went through a terrible accident a few years ago. Not everybody knows about this. I was going down Transit Drive after I finished my own boarding to come up here and work with you guys. My car spun out, crashed into a tree. My whole car was totaled beyond repair!
I woke up in a medical ICU, doctors telling my mother, «Your son may never breathe again!» That whole time-and listen to this-that whole time my mother said, «No, he will,» through Jesus. And my mother, I stand here today before all of you, so praise him! Praise him because he is the God that saved me, and he is the God that will save you!
And to any man or woman of my age or younger than me, know how powerful he is! Know how powerful he is! If he can save me, he can save you too! If he can be there for me, he can be there for you too! If he can bring me through all that, he can bring you through all that too! So get right with God and don’t take it for granted, because he is powerful, and he is Jesus!
Praise break! Switch, switch, switch! That’s right, Pastor Alton! I need somebody to tear up this altar! I need you to beat the fool out of this altar! This young man is 24 years old, filled with the Holy Ghost and the mighty burning fire! I need a couple of people to get out of your seat and give God a praise! Revival has hit the house! I said revival has hit the house! Somebody bless God in here!
Yesterday we had a funeral for a young man, 31 years old, killed over some foolishness. He was 31 years old. After the funeral, there was a lady outside. She said, «Aren’t you the pastor?» I love her because the people that came in here yesterday-that’s the next church. It smelled like all of the good, good! It was loud in here; I was like, they were talking about bottle service. No lie- over here! I said, «We got bottle service, but it’s grape juice and crackers! You’re welcome to it!»
The lady said, «Ain’t you that pastor?» She said she was watching you online, and one time you prayed against endometriosis, and you said, «Lay your hands on wherever it was affecting you.» She said, «And I did that! I went to the doctor, and I was healed! I need you to know when God speaks it in here, it happens out there because we got power!»
I need somebody to high-five seven people! Tell them we got power! High- five seven people! Tell them we got power! We got power! Uh -oh! I feel something stirring in here! RJ, I feel something breaking in here! I said you got power! I feel the power of the Holy Ghost, and if there’s anybody in here that wants to be filled with the Holy Ghost, I invite you to lift your hands and say, «Holy Spirit, seal me! Seal me! Seal me and remove anything that’s not like you!» Hallelujah!
The reason Jesus could speak to storms is because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and if you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, you can speak to storms too. Tell them, «Peace, be still!»
Number two: Where is the love? Tell somebody, «Where is the love?» Strange man, the love has gone cold! The Bible says in the last days, the love of many will grow cold. I ain’t talking about romantic love; I’m talking about the agape love, the phileo, the brotherly love. And I’m not cool on the people that just say, «I love you!» You’ve got to live «I love you!» You can’t just say it-I’m checking your fruit! Don’t tell me you love me; show it by the way you treat me! Show it by your actions! Help me, Holy Ghost! Show it by your posture!
Where is-tell somebody, «Where is the love?» What happened to our communities? We don’t love like we used to! We don’t care like we used to! We don’t look out for each other like we used to! Where’s the love? We need the love of God again! We’re so offended at each other because of our political differences or our racial differences or whatever other stuff that keeps us divided, and we’re missing the fact that God is like, «I need y’all to love one another!»
Y’all are siblings! It breaks my heart when my kids get angry at each other, because I’m like, «Y’all are all y’all have. Y’all are the only two great kids! Y’all are going to need each other when I’m dead and gone! In 100 years, y’all — I’m going to be 151, just walking around with all my teeth. I' m gonna look just like this! I’m going to declare it! He promised 120 to Moses; I want my 120; and then I’m going to get another 30! So I’m going to get 30 and AOSS. I’m playing spades! I got nine and AOSS! I got nine more decades! I’m not playing with y’all!
We’ve got to treat each other with agape love! Agape love means I’m going to forgive you quickly; I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt! I’m not going to take one person’s word over the other! I’m going to get both sides of the story before I make a conclusion! That is love! Love does not judge before; love seeks understanding! The Bible says, „Above all your getting, get understanding!“
So if there are people who are committed to misunderstanding you, know that they are not going to operate in love concerning you! Stop trying to make people understand you in this season! The truth is they understand exactly who you are, and that’s why they’re acting a fool!
Stop who you are or stop anything God is doing in your life. I need an 8-second praise break for anybody that believes it! Joel, I’ve had to learn about love from Jesus' perspective. I’ve got to work on my Judas response. I’ve learned over six years that everybody that’s around is not necessarily for you, but you still have to pour into them.
In six years of ministry on this level-and Bishop Jakes told me this when I first got here: he said, „You don’t know anybody!“ I said, „Pastor, no! You don’t understand!“ Bishop said, „I’m telling you! It’s going to take you five years before you even start seeing clearly who’s around you!“ He was absolutely right!
But I need you to understand the difference between bad discernment and Judas. Because some of y’all get betrayed by people you didn’t expect, and you’re like, „Oh my God! It was Judas!“ No! Jesus knew exactly who Judas was the whole time, and still loved him, still poured into him, still made sure he had opportunity!
And this is the power! If you’ve got people in your life that you know irk your nerves, that you know grate your spirit, God is still telling you to pour in, sow in! It’s real quiet! You’ve got some siblings that you know can’t stand you-love them anyway!
You can’t clap because their people are going to start being in your business! Everybody should clap just to cover the 17 people I was talking to!
Listen to me! Everybody can’t handle your favor! Some people don’t like you because of the favor that’s on your life! That’s not your fault or your problem! You need to walk in your favor! Walk in your authority! And continue to walk in love! Look at somebody and say, „I got love for you! I got love for you! I got love for you!“ Love means I’ll do for you what God would do if he were me! I’ll say it again, Joel!
Love means I would do for you what God would do if he were me! I’m going to God you! When you say „I love you,“ what you’re really saying is, „I God you!“ I will treat you as God treats you! This is good! Alright, let me move on.
So, do you have power? Do you have the Holy Spirit? This is the key. Number two: Where is the love? How are you treating people-not just the people you like, not just the people who agree with you! But how do you treat the people that you don’t agree with? How do you treat the people that you don’t see eye to eye with? How do you treat them?
Number three: Power, love, and a sound mind! Right? So the question number three is what sounds are you letting in your mind? Let me tell you something: what you rehearse in this season will come out of you in the storm! Storms sweep away anything that’s not rooted!
I’m preaching to the worship team! I watched a nine- hour video from the hurricane that came through Fort Myers, Florida some years ago. 15 to 20-foot storm surge-it was the most unbelievable thing I ever seen! I watched it yesterday; I watched the water rise. I didn’t watch the whole nine hours, but I was scrolling and watched it take a house away! Water take a house away!
But there were these three palm trees, and they went back and forth! I mean, their leaves looked like some of y’all’s wonderful hair pieces! Just over here and over there! And I don’t know how many bobby pins y’all got in there, but that weave ain’t going nowhere! Your brain is injured from how deep that bobby pin is in your skull, but that bun ain’t going nowhere!
After that storm was over, houses were gone, cars were gone, but those three palm trees were still there! Because I don’t care how high the water got, I’m rooted! The sound of the wind might have moved me, but it didn’t break me because I’m rooted!
What I want to ask you is what sounds do you let into your ear? When a storm comes, are you surrounded by fearful people? Are you surrounded by faithless people? Are you surrounded by the word of God? I’m just asking you because more storms are coming, and you’ve got to be. And if your spirit ain’t right, you can’t speak into my life!
If your spirit’s not right, I’m not letting you speak into my life! If you’re not saying the word of God, I’m not giving you ear in my storm! Because in my emotions, I might take your spirit when I need to have the Spirit of God, which is of power, love, and a sound mind!
So I don’t need nobody talking crazy! I got enough crazy people in my family! It runs in the family! I’m not the only one! Some of y’all got people that blink for no reason, laugh at folk that ain’t there, and talk to people who ain’t been here in years! All you need is one wrong thing, and you right there with them!
That’s why you need the Holy Ghost-to keep your mind! Is there anybody that says, „Holy Spirit, keep my mind!“
Pastor Robert, what sounds are you letting in your mind? When you’re fighting for your life, I don’t need nobody saying, „I think God can do it!“ I don’t need no estimate! „Well, I’ve never…“ No! I’m tired of doctors getting more faith in their words than God gets in His!
So do you have power? Do you have the Holy Ghost? Where is the love? How do you treat people? Number three: What sounds are you letting into your mind? Who’s speaking into you when storms come? Because that determines whether or not the power is going to be turned back on!
Somebody say, „Turn the power on! Turn the power on!“
Now let’s do some practical application! Well, Pastor, this sounds nice; we shout it, but how do you actually turn the power on in your spiritual life?
Number one: Close the circuit! Close the circuit! For those who don’t know anybody-any electricians? Where’s the electricians? Oh, you’re an electrician! So let me ask you this: An open circuit means there’s no flow of current. When you close the circuit, that means the power source and the wiring connected to that switch will allow for the electricity to hit the bulb and it will light up.
So in order for there to be light, there has to be a closed circuit! The word circuit means circle! In this season, God is saying if you really want to walk in power, you’re going to have to close your circle! I got one amen, one twirly hand!
Look at somebody and say, „I got to close my circle!“ I’m going to come over here and talk to a few people! I said close your circle! There are some people in your life that need to be removed from proximity to you! Alright?
How about here? There are some people in your life that need to be moved from proximity to you! Doesn’t mean they’re going to hell; doesn’t mean they’re filled with the devil! But where I’m going, I don’t need that level of immaturity; I don’t need that level of pettiness; I don’t need that level of carnality! I need some real people that are going to help me go higher!
I’ve been there already; I want to go somewhere different! So, I’m going to have to close my circle! Elder Rowena, you got to close your circle! Even Jesus closed his circle! When it got tough, he started with 12 disciples, but when it was time to get ready to die, Peter, James, and John-let me talk to y’all! Doesn’t mean the other nine weren’t saved, but right now I need to close my circle.
I only need the people that really understand where I’m at in this moment! These are the people I trust. These are the people I can be vulnerable with. Stop giving away the very valuable things of your soul to people who don’t even know the state of their own.
Tell somebody, „Close the circuit! Close the circuit!“ Ma’am, there are some people in your life you’re going to have to rearrange for where God is taking you! You’re going to have to close your circuit! The circle needs to get smaller! You don’t have 15 friends; you might have two or three real friends!
The rest are just around waiting on what they can get! Show me somebody with 15 friends; I’ll show you somebody with bad discernment! My friends have proven themselves over years! My friends don’t let people talk about me!
My friends don’t talk behind my back! My friends got my back and my front when I’m there and when I’m not! My friends talk good about me behind my back! And if they hear my name or something, they’re going to be like, „Hey, you can’t talk about my dude like that!“ And I got a couple of like thuggery friends-a couple guys from back in the day.
Everybody needs one Peter in your friend-somebody that just cuts a ear off! I’m not going to kill you; I just want to stab you! That’s all! I’m playing!
Somebody-
The Lord told me I could stab you! No, that’s not practical!
Application: How do you turn the power on? Number two: No amateurs allowed! In this season with the state of your soul, you cannot have people practicing on you!
Don’t let people parking lot prophesy that have not gone through proper vetting-have not submitted to leadership! If they don’t submit to authority and honor leadership, then they don’t need to be speaking into your life!
How you a prophet at Publix but you ain’t a prophet at your church? Don’t prophesy to me in the parking lot and you haven’t asked the leadership of the house if you can! No! No! I didn’t ordain myself! I didn’t license myself! I went through processes by those who have already walked it out, and it was conferred and ratified by the Holy Ghost!
I’m trying to help somebody in here! No amateurs allowed! There are people who are going around saying, „I’ll cut your tree down for X amount!“ They just had a chainsaw! But there are people who are actually skilled who will know how to take down limbs without taking your roof out with it!
Help me! Everybody in here has got that one cousin that’ll fix your car for $32 because he’s a drug addict, and he will fix your whole transmission for $32! And it will work for 8½ hours! And then the whole car is going to fall apart!
And God says you need to invest in the professionals in this season! That means make sure people that you know have a prayer life are the ones praying for you! It’s not sexy church that makes you shout, but it’s practical!
Somebody say „practical!“ Let me wrap up! No amateurs allowed! I’m not letting you practice on my soul if you’re not anointed! I’m not letting you practice on my soul if you’ve not been appointed! If you’ve not been vetted, I’m not letting you practice on my soul!
Number three: Clear the clutter! What’s the purpose of having power if you still got a bunch of foolishness all around? Clear the clutter! Some of you guys are in some relationships that don’t honor God! Let the fact that we’ve gone through storms clear out the clutter!
Y’all need to know that when storms come, it takes away anything that’s not rooted and it exposes anything you don’t need! Ask the Lord to show you what you don’t need, and clear it on out of there! Excuse me; clear him out of there! Sorry- clear her out of there!
Excuse me; clear them out of there! Got real quiet up in the balcony! I love you; we family! I’m almost done! But all I’m saying is this: there are some people and some situations that you need to clear out of your life to allow the free working of the Holy Spirit to continue its work. Tell somebody, „Clear the clutter!“
That means minimize distractions! Oh my God! We’re too distracted! God says, „Clear the clutter in your mind!“ Turn the TV off! Turn your phone off! I didn’t say turn it over; you still see the light flashing! I got a-I got an alert! Somebody said something on my Insta page!
So what? It ain’t made you no money! You still got the same bills! You still got the same depression! You still got the same issues! You still horny! You’re still unhappy! You’re still unholy! You still go to church! You’re still frustrated, mad at God, when God’s been trying to get to you! But you still got all the clutter!
And God says, „Instead of hugging him, come hug this word! God says clear out the clutter!“ Let me come talk to you, but I’m not talking to nobody with a dirty house!
Watch this! God doesn’t mind dirt or chaos; he speaks into it! But if there are things that you can do and don’t do, he has a problem with that. You do the natural; I’ll do the super! That’s what God is saying!
Let me move on! Number four: Call the manufacturer! I’m not calling somebody at Ford if I got a BMW! It’s a car, but it’s not the same car! It’s an engine, but it’s not the same engine! There’s different parts! Some of that stuff is in German; Earl only speaks English!
Nothing wrong with Earl! Because Earl is good if you give him a Ford! But Earl is not as good because this is a BMW! And just because it’s got four wheels and an engine doesn’t mean it’s the same!
Some of y’all have been asking people who are not authorized to work on you and God is saying, „If you had just called the manufacturer, I’d come in and tell you, actually, you don’t need a new transmission; you need an oil change! Because your oil has gotten stale! And you haven’t been praying like you used to! And you haven’t been fasting like you used to! And you haven’t been worshiping like you used to! So your oil has gotten stale!“
And so your engine is not functioning properly, so you don’t have the joy of the Lord, which is your strength! And you can’t move like you used to move because there’s something wrong with your oil!
But if you’d come to the manufacturer, you would see it’s not a tire issue; it’s not an engine issue; it’s not a brake issue; it’s not a steering issue; it’s an oil issue! And if you just sit down and let me change your oil, you’ll be able to move smoothly! Somebody say, „Call the manufacturer!“
The final thing about turning the power back on: Be careful who you let back in. Did you hear what I said? Be careful who you let back in! The storm done swept some stuff out of your life! You were in a relationship that-but it was a storm, and God swept it out of your life!
And then you got lonely and forgot what the storm did! And you looking back at him, like, „Wow, I do kind of miss that, that, and that.“ Do you forget the fact that you lost everything and almost lost your mind? Yeah, but the sex was good, but the mental illness wasn’t! Nobody’s going to be honest, Pastor! They won’t be honest!
Ask God to not let you have amnesia when it comes to what the storm did! Because there are some people that were the storm! That’s why storms have names! The next time somebody from your past tries to come creeping back in, instead of just their name in your phone, put „Hurricane“ in front so you can remember what they did when they wrecked your life, wrecked your emotions, wrecked your spirit, and wrecked your body!
Don’t let that hurricane back in your life! If God freed you from that thing, whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Stay free! And let God speak to you after the storm so he can turn the power back on!
Everyone is standing! Nikita, I did my good preaching today! I could have kept going right there! I need to let you go! But there are some hurricanes you don’t need to let back in! Don’t let Hurricane Daytrayon come back! Don’t let Hurricane Eloise back in your life! I don’t care how fine she is! There is nobody part worth the hell you went through!
Stop letting hurricanes come back that God freed you from! Oh God, seal this word in Jesus' name! No one’s leaving; we’re leaving together in three minutes! If you’re here and today is the day for you to be a part of Love Story Church, this is the church that God is calling you to be a part of so that you can grow in the things of God! Join me at the front of this altar! Join me today! You know the Lord is calling you! This is home! This is where you’re going to grow!
You may not be able to get here every week, but you’re saying this is where I’m locked in; I’m locked and loaded! If that’s you, join me right here! Join me right here! Welcome home! Who else? Welcome home! Y’all can do better than that! [Music]
You know, it’s so interesting to me — right here, come some more! Isn’t it funny, Pastor Robert, that people are afraid to come close to the altar? It’s like they were trained that God don’t really want them, but here they come! This is your Father’s house! It’s not my church; it’s the Lord’s church! I serve the Lord just like you! This is your Father’s house!
Come on! Feel a little naked! Somebody needs to move! Don’t play with me; don’t play in my face! Come on down here-give your life to Jesus or come on be a part of Love Story Church! You got 18 seconds! 17! 16! 15! 14! 13! 12! 11! 10! 9! 8! 7!
Here they come! I see you, man of God! I see you, woman of God! I see you, sir! Welcome home! Sweet girl, who else? Here he comes- bring that Bull’s hat down here, my guy! You think they’re going to do something this year?
I think somebody else is getting ready to come down here! Right there, right in front of Pastor Joel! I believe that! And here she comes! Come on! Y’all need to celebrate because here comes some more! You prayed the prayer of salvation as they come! As people are still coming to the front right now, we’re just going to declare something together.
You heard about the sound of the wind and the rushing wind-the hurricane that would try to come into your life-and now it’s time to exhale and to push all of that back. And we’re going to pray a prayer of peace in your life that the storms would be still, and peace would be in your life!
Will you repeat this after me? Speak to your Father right now! Will you say, „Father, I give you my life! I give you my ups, my downs, my hard seasons, all of my past! Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my mistakes, for my sins, for my bad times, and now give me new life! I believe you were resurrected; now resurrect me in the mighty name of Jesus!“
Will you just declare him as Lord? Just say, „You’re my boss, my master, my king, my Lord!“ Come on, let’s give just a round of praise and applause for what God is doing here and what he’s doing in these lives!
If you prayed that prayer, the Bible says when you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, first you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. And some of us may say, „I have a hard time with that,“ but you’ve seen people raised from the dead! You’ve seen an auntie, an uncle who was walking one way, had an encounter with Jesus, and now they’re going this way! Total resurrection! Total salvation of their life!
You know your life is more than just breathing in your biology! Your life is not just a quantity of years; your life is a quality of years! And today, not only are people saved going to heaven if they were to leave their last breath, but their life is about to change in a direction! They are about to be transformed into a new creation! You’re going to see things in their life we never thought we could see!
And those of you who prayed online, you as well! Changes are happening in your life! Because belief is more than just intellectual ascent to something; belief is your actions! And that’s what we’re asking Jesus to change — your actions! And this is the beginning of your love story!
Come on, let’s give it up for our God! Can we celebrate our family? Don’t leave! Don’t leave! Let’s-we’re leaving in a second! Two things: number one, everybody say „Hallow Fall!“ We need to get candy for these kids! If you feel generous, please go into the drop-down menu and see so we can purchase candy for the babies! You can do that online!
Hallow Fall! Pastor AB, what about our outreach? Here you go! Take this! Oh, sorry, hello? Okay! Please do not forget that immediately after service at our outreach building, just as last week, we are serving! We are giving you essential items-food, toiletries, diapers, everything for hurricane relief effort! Send the message out! We posted it! Let people know you do not have to be a member here! This is for the community!
We are giving! We are serving! We are sewing! They don’t have to come in the doors of this church ever! We are all family! We all experience the same thing! And our partners who are endeavoring to be the hands and feet of Jesus alongside us have made it possible for us to purchase things for the people of God! To purchase hot food-there are our food trucks! You can get a ticket, and you can get hot free food today!
Okay? Just make sure that you stay hydrated! Make sure you have some water! It’s kind of warm out there; it might be a little chilly! But we want you to go directly after service right to reach! Give us a couple minutes to reset so that we can get volunteers in place ready to share with you what we have!
Okay? And then again on the 15th-Harvest Hope! We have an event from 11 to 1! If you know anybody that needs food or clothes or anything, we’re going to be giving those away as well! We will always share with you our outreach initiatives!
And then starting the following week, it will be every Tuesday and Thursday; we will be giving things away! We’ll give you the hours, and we need you to come out and be a part!
Okay, listen-everybody here, welcome to the family! Welcome to your new chapter! It’s Love Story; it’s God’s story; it’s your story! Amen!
So before you go, let’s celebrate our family as they walk this way! Pastor, let’s all-we walking this way! Come on, hallelujah! Listen, for those who can please stay after the benediction-I have a short announcement I want to connect; if you can, let’s celebrate them as they’re walking! Yes! Don’t leave yet; we have something else to share after y’all-walking real slow! We love y’all!
Lift your hands! May the Lord bless you and keep you! Cause His face to shine upon you! May the Lord be gracious to you, show you His favor, and give you His peace! 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 forever! Amen, amen, and amen!