John Gray - Victory Lap
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Everybody stand, everybody standing ready for the word of the Lord this morning. I need all youth, sixth grade through twelfth grade, to lift your hands. Sixth grade through twelfth grade, lift your hands, hands lifted, sixth through twelfth grade. Put your hands down, Miss Mayor, you haven’t been in sixth grade since 1963! Sixth through twelfth grade, hands up, hands up. Point your hands that way because this is the direction you’re going right now. We’re heading into the refuel room. Y’all have a service today, sixth through twelfth grade. Make your way to the refuel room. Let’s love on our kids as they go to their service. Everybody who’s going, sixth through twelfth grade. Look at them! I like your braids and your baby hairs; it’s all popping! Go ahead, baby hairs! Q, where they at?
Look at all the babies going to service today; every baby that goes gets a free pair of Jordans. Jordans as in crossing over the River Jordan. You’re going to cross over; you ain’t getting any shoes. That’s your mama’s job, your daddy’s job; look at all these kids! We have an entire army of kids; they’re still walking out. Move quicker! We know y’all know how to move fast when you want something; when there’s chicken downstairs, they be down there moving quick. They only move slow when it’s time to do chores. I told my son, I said, «You got to sweep the kitchen floor.» He said, «Why are you so angry?» I said, «I’m not angry! Stop trying to manipulate me because you don’t want to do any housework.» He said, «I have to rule my spirit; what about you?» I said, «Shut up! Do what I tell you, not what I do!» Still some more sixth through twelfth grade, y’all are moving slow. Do what I said, when I told you.
Okay, so let me go ahead and set the ground rules for what’s about to happen here. I’ve got some things to say that I’ve never said before because the Lord has never released me to say them, but today I’m going to say what needs to be said. In the aftermath of a very contentious election, the church needs to provide direction for what happened and for what’s coming. So I’m taking my rightful position as the Lord has given me direction. For those who are intercessors, pray for me that I would continue in the boldness of the Holy Spirit to say what He’s asked me to say and that the body of Christ will hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the church-not a political party.
I need you to go to Isaiah chapter 6 now. Pastor Lori, you’re not going to be able to do that today; you can’t do that because I’m in Isaiah chapter 6. This morning, because it’s still morning, I’m reading from the King James Version. Y’all missed that! Elder Tre, hey! I’m reading from the King James today. If you have the ability to stand, please stand for the reading of the word. Isaiah chapter 6, I’m at the first verse: «In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.» Some of y’all are high right now and lifted up. And His train filled the temple. Above the throne stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with two, he covered his face, and with two, he covered his feet, and with two, he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, «Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.» I’m not sure if I got the right church today, but I’m going to find out in about 30 seconds. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried. Do you understand we’re talking about a throne in heaven that has a door? Apparently, nothing up there is made cheaply, but His voice could make the foundation that holds the door in place shake. And we’ve got to beg you to shout to God? And the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, «Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen…» What does it say? Read it. «Who is it?» Not a president, not a senator, not a congress person. «Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.» Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, «Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.»
Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, «Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?» God asked a question: «Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Who will be my representative? Who will be my ambassador into a global system that can’t stand me but needs me? That dishonors me with the very breath I gave them-who will go for us?» Then said I, «Here am I; send me.» Now Isaiah, as you call him, was a prophet. Isn’t it strange that God didn’t choose an elected official to go for Him? Oh, I’m going to step on every toe on everything because we have made an idol and a small god of the first Tuesday in November. Give me the boldness, Holy Ghost! But the only one authorized to speak on behalf of God and His agenda to His people was a prophet. You’re still mad about Tuesday, but you’ve got a prophet in the pulpit! Yes, sir! So we’re going to get past all the noise, and today we’re going to take a victory lap.
That was not the response I thought I would get. And the lights went out, which is fine by me. We’re getting ready to take a victory lap. I need you to shout like you have victory! Don’t wait until the battle is over! Shout! [Music]. I’m going to give you one more chance, one more chance. You just got to the finish line after starting late, having weights on your ankles, debt in your house, drama with the kids. Everybody else got a head start; somehow you broke the tape first! I need you to give God a shout of victory! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Okay, go ahead and be seated. I came to give the people of God hope today through the word of God.
Do me a favor, man of God, and be a representative on your row for me. I need one representative per row. Oh, you’re going to be my representative? Who’s going to be my rep on the-I need a representative on each row-one designated worshiper. I need one per row! Look around, and if you’re the only one on your row, then you’re hired! I’d like each representative to stand. If you’re the representative for your row, stand; you’re representing. Okay, now some of you have more than one representative on your row, which is fine. If you can get two to agree-Pastor, I’m going to need you to help me today — if you can get two on a row, you can, but if you can get three, that thing’s not easily broken! I just need two or three per row. Listen to me-go for it! Give it to Him! Give it to Him! [Music]. Come on, come on! I said I just need a representative. Oh, he’s running. That’s a representative who’s running for office! If you know who you are, I dare you to run for office! They run for office. I tell you to run because you will run and not get weary; you will walk and not faint. I’m looking for a couple of people that will run for office.
Hey, I see you, man of God! I see you with your fitted hat on. I see you with the Detroit Lions cap- they’re coming out of the NFC; they’re going to the Super Bowl! Ma, you’re my rep! You’re my rep, man of God! Tam, you’re going to rep Him in the dance. I’ll rep Him in the shout; you rep Him in the dance because you might be able to do something that I can’t do. Your shout might be different than my hallelujah because what God did to give you victory might be different from what He did to give me victory. But the reality is we both got victory, and we both have a praise! I need the representatives to give God a praise for the collective. At home, you need to be crazy. At home, you need to be crazy in the car. You need to be praising! Which camera am I looking at? Just wave your hand, camera operator- which one? Both of y’all? I’m looking at both! Whoever’s looking at me, you ought to give God a praise right where you are, at your house, in your pajamas, next to your soggy cereal and your ashy ankles! I dare you to give God praise right where you stand while I drink this orange juice! Some of y’all been waiting since Tuesday to get this out, so you might as well get it out in the temple! You might as well release that shout in the temple! You might as well bless God in the temple! Help me, Jesus!
I came to give the people of God hope today; oh, God! But the only hope I can give you is the word of God because if you trust in people, sometimes they let you down. If you trust in polls-excuse me, people-because all the polls said it was going to be close, razor thin! That’s a pretty thick razor. Everybody was wrong, and God wanted it that way! 'Cause y’all been worshiping at the altar of the great God of CNN, the great God of Fox News, and the great God of MSNBC, and the RNC, and the DNC, and all of the others instead of the «O taste and see!» Oh, I’mma preach it like I feel it today!
I even put my bangs out! I have a question, and I’m going to need y’all to be honest with me. The quicker you’re honest with me, the quicker this will go. There is no judgment in this room, and there is no castigation in this room. You will not roll your eyes at anyone because of what you think or how you think someone may have voted-that’s not what today is about. But I have a question. How many people today, because of Tuesday’s results, are sad or troubled, concerned, wondering what’s going to happen next? If I’m talking to you, no judgment-lift your hands! If you are wondering, if you are concerned, if you have deep emotions based on what happened-lift your hands. There’s no judgment. Hands down. How many people in this room will be honest to say that there are people you know who were deeply troubled by the results of Tuesday’s election? Let me see your hands. That’s to be understood. This is a rhetorical question-do not raise your hand-how many people were not troubled? I said, don’t raise your hand! You’re disobedient! I need you to understand that we are in a time of deep division and deep polarization.
You just Le’Andria is just going to come in and just sit down? Sit down, daughter! Give it up for our sister, Le’Andria Johnson! I want you to hear me very clearly. About 76 million people voted one way; another 68 and a half voted another way. It’s so quiet in this room, a mouse could fart, and we’d hear it! Y’all funny to me! Isn’t it strange how much tension you had in your soul and your spirit over something that didn’t catch God by surprise at all? Could it be that you put your political affiliation in front of the Kingdom agenda? Could that be why you were troubled? Well, Pastor, what should my posture be? What, shouldn’t I vote? Shouldn’t I have issues with this person or that person? Absolutely, in proper context! They do this to you every four years, tell you what you want to hear! They just, just like your ex! Come around-new outfit, same rotten teeth-all of this just brown, just brown! And you, «Hey girl, daddy’s home!» If you don’t get out of here! But before you go, you want something to eat? Pulls you back into a cycle, got you going in cycles every two years! Cycle, cycles, cycles! Every four years you do the same goofy stuff! Strange people who knock on doors for their political candidate haven’t knocked on doors to invite anybody to church! Ooh, I better get out of there, huh? Nope! Let me speak to those who were troubled by the election and those who weren’t. Some of you are glad about Tuesday’s election, and there’s nothing wrong with you inherently because of that! There’s nothing wrong with you inherently if you are troubled! Everyone is allowed to feel their emotions. The church must be a safe place for people to be who they actually are, not who you think people want you to be. But the truth is many of us are upset because we identified with a candidate, and we’re hoping that that candidate would be our representative in the halls of power.
All of this is about power. 15.8 billion spent on an election cycle! $1 billion by the vice president in 104 days! A billion dollars, and we still got kids in this country that can’t eat! $15.8 billion, and we got homeless people! $15 billion, and people in prison get three square meals a day and air conditioning and cable! Something’s wrong with a nation that will spend $15 billion for a presidency that pays you $475,000 a year! 'Cause you don’t take that job for the money! You take it for the power! Everybody wants power. That’s why people don’t like some of y’all, because they want to have power over you, and you won’t let them. They want you to worship at their altar, and you won’t do it! And I hope you stay a God-blessed independent! In fact, I want you to stay dependent on the word of God! For man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! Can I get two amens and a witness?
Let me speak with you for a few moments in an effort to assuage your fears and mitigate your anxiety. These are indeed strange times; in fact, we are in strange days. As they should be! Why? I’m glad you asked because these are the last days. It’s so hard to preach the gospel in the church because the church is used to political discourse instead of spiritual truth. I preach Jesus is coming, and people are like, «But…» If I said what you wanted me to say for your political party, then you’d be jumping up and down! The church has sold itself to politics! When we need to be sold out to the blood of Jesus-the truth of the cross! Look how hard it is for people to respond! And the church is sitting where it is in authority only because of Jesus Christ! Ah, but the truth is our Jesus looks like our politics, and our Jesus looks like our skin color, and that’s the problem because He ain’t from Alabama, and He’s not from South Carolina, and He’s not from Mississippi! He is a Middle Eastern Jewish carpenter who is the Son of God! He is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, which is why when He was on the Mount of Transfiguration, He met with Moses-the law-and Elijah-the prophet-to make sure that He had fulfilled all of the law and all of the prophecies before He died because He had to complete His entire assignment before He was scheduled to die. He was selected to die!
Oh my God! He was a representative for all of the people who did not have a voice. Your sin cut your voice off; that’s why the voice of God was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, looking for a face-to-face encounter, a voice-to-voice encounter, a spirit-to-spirit transaction. And sin cut your voice off, which is why you needed a mediator! There is only one mediator between God and man; it is the man, Jesus Christ! Jesus gave you your voice back, gave you your praise back, gave you your hallelujah back, gave you your prayer back! I wish somebody in here would get as excited about Jesus as you did about your preferred political candidate! Is there anybody that says, «Jesus is Lord?» I need all the representatives to bless Him, only the representatives! Somebody shout, «These are the last days!»
Listen to me, and in the day that we now stand in right now, it’s incumbent upon us as the Lord’s holy church to have a level of prophetic perspicacity we have not walked in in the history of the church! See, what did you say, Pastor? I’m not sure that I understood prophetic perspicacity. The word perspicacity means uncanny keen insight. It’s almost a supernatural insight into what’s happening in the world so that you don’t go goofy when something doesn’t go the way you think it should. We need a prophetic perspicacity! You need to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that Tuesday doesn’t move you! If Monday didn’t move you, why would Tuesday move you unless you gave the results of an election that God already knew about?
Too much power! I’m going to say it just like you told me! I was raised an only child; I don’t mind being alone! I asked the Lord because the Lord told me four years ago-I can say it now; today’s the first time that the Lord has given me permission to speak what He told me! I told my wife four years ago, «I said Donald Trump will be president again in four years!» She was like, «Doubt it!» And there were a few people that I trust in quiet conversations. I said, «The Lord already told me that Donald Trump will be president again and that he will win, and it will not be close!» And I said, «Lord, why won’t you let me say it?» You know, because we had a lot of people saying the opposite. The Lord said, «I’m not releasing you to say it because the church is not mature enough to understand the difference between prophecy and endorsement!»
I wish I had Love Story Church in here! God doesn’t do anything in the earth without revealing it to His servants, the prophets, first! He told-Oh my God! Should I go? Okay, I’m going! He said, «He will win; it will not be close! And it will open a short window for God’s people to step into a moment of supernatural abundance that will not occur again!» You’re upset about what happened Tuesday, but nothing gets in the earth without going past God first! I need you to understand-God is… say it again, God is! Nothing caught God off guard! He wasn’t like, «Oh me!» I need you to high-five seven people and say, «God is in control!» Put it in the chat feed, put it in-God is in control!
Now, you didn’t hear what I said 'cause you didn’t shout like you needed to with a little young son that weighs 80 pounds and he’s 2 years old! 'Cause you need all of the resources God wants to bring! There is a window that has just opened for God’s people to walk through! There is an open heaven! Now listen, if you have not watched politics for the last 20 years, don’t you see the pendulum swinging far left and then far right, then back to the left? It was Obama, Trump, Biden, Trump; next election it’ll be something else! But right now, in the middle of all of this craziness, God says, «I want the church to begin to become industrious, prophetic, yes sir! And I want you to open your mouth and speak in the direction of the thing that I created you for!»
You’ve been talking to everybody else, texting everybody else, sending all of these goofy memes. Have you sent one prophetic word about being not only debt-free but your great-grandchildren walking in wealth because of what God’s about to do over the next four years? Because if you haven’t, you need to! And if you were wondering, your pastor is not for sale! That’s why God didn’t let me tell you what He told me, because some of y’all would have gotten offended at me like I was endorsing a candidate! But I don’t endorse candidates! I’m like the army, the angel who was in charge of the armies of the Living God who told Joshua, «I’m for neither! But I stand as a representative of the kingdom of God, and whatever side God is on, that’s the side I am on!» And don’t try to play me, «Well, what about the issues?»
You want to talk to me about Mount Manasseh, who reigned 55 years, and he was a wicked man, and he sacrificed his children, and he was the king of Israel! And God let him lead them for 55 years like God wasn’t in control? You don’t think God can speak to a wicked man or a wicked woman and still get His will accomplished? Who do you think you’re dealing with? God doesn’t answer the presidents; He doesn’t answer to senators; He doesn’t answer to congresspeople! God answers to no one! I need everything in here to give God a praise! I said open your mouth and give God a praise!
What God needs you to know-are you listening? Sir, I need you to hear this as a millionaire entrepreneur; you need to hear what I’m about to say! What God needs you to know is that the times we’re in require-are you listening, woman of God in the green? Because this is for you in the coffee-colored mocha shirt-listen to me! God needs you to know that the times you are in require a different you! What should have happened is a part of you should have died Tuesday and been resurrected Wednesday morning! Because whatever you thought you had hope in, and if it died, God is still in control! God is looking for some people whose prayer life extends beyond their shower time! Where my shower prayers? You be in the shower, you be in there for five minutes max and don’t even get between them toes right here! Right?
Listen to me! God is looking for some people that will stop worshiping at the altar of a television! God is looking for some people whose life is reflective of the level of elevation you’ve been invited to that nullifies petty arguments and immature behaviors and habits in exchange for emotional maturity and expanded spiritual capacity! In short, God is calling you higher! Higher! Put your hands up; you know how! Put your-I' m calling you! You’ve been sitting up in low-level living!
Sitting up scarred- oh my God, she lost! Or some of you like, «Yeah, he won!» And both of y’all have no clue that no matter who’s in that office, I can’t really use His hand like I want, so I’m going to use my right! I sense today is a non-nonsense Sunday, so I better go ahead and get to it-how did he win? Oh, it’s quiet-how did he win? Well, it was racism, it was misogyny, xenophobia-really? 76 million from every walk of life, over every demographic! From four years ago, was it racism? No, it wasn’t! It wasn’t! It was people who were tired of a system that’s been lying to them! And even though the candidate is deeply flawed-felony convictions, assault convictions-all of those things didn’t matter to people who were saying, «I can’t pay for groceries!»
I’m not saying whether it’s right or wrong, but you still, «I don’t know how this happened!» What you mean you don’t know how it happened? It’s America! I can’t believe this country! Do you know how this country was founded? You all don’t want the truth today! You don’t want it! But God said you need to get it! America is not a country; it’s a spirit! And every time there’s something that tries to shift the foundation of the country, the spirit it was founded on says, «I’m not going nowhere!» Lord, you got to help me! You got to pray for me! Linton! Nobody wants to hear this!
Now Black folk are getting texts, talking about «Report to the plantation!» It’s real quiet in here now! Is that everybody that voted for the once and future president? No, but there are some who will take this as an opportunity to bring back division when it comes to race! That’s low- hanging fruit! There is a spirit over this nation that has never been reconciled! How you going to discover a land that was already occupied? You get here, they’re already here, but you discovered it! I’ll take history for 200, Alex! And then there are people say they saw African Americans crying-"Why are you crying?» Bull Connor, Governor Wallace, German Shepherds, water hoses, Freedom Riders, Goodman, Schwerner, Cheney, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks! The Civil Rights Act wasn’t even established until the 60s! The Voting Rights Act was in the 60s! There are people in this room-my wife’s mother went to a «Colored Only» water fountain in her lifetime!
So for those who don’t understand why many people were hurt because of Tuesday, you got to understand that America is not what you think it is! America is the experience of the people who’ve lived it, and everybody has lived a different experience! So everyone should respect where everybody’s coming from, regardless of what side you’re on! So I’m not here to denigrate our president! I sat and prayed over him in the cabinet room! I prophesied to Joe Biden! I’ve met the vice president multiple times! But you didn’t see one political post from me because I don’t play politics! I serve the King of Kings!
Oh yeah, I spoke to Hillary as well and President Clinton! I forgot about that! That’s the kind of life God has let me live! I forgot presidents I’ve done met! Let me tell you something, your pastor is here to tell you today, if y’all got ears to hear, this is about to shake this church! Three of y’all going to throw your shoes! Don’t throw them too far 'cause somebody will steal them if they’re nice! If not, throw them wherever you want! If they smell like corn chips and old mushrooms, keep them on! He won because people are tired! At least they know what they’re getting! You can’t finesse me with a whole bunch of words that don’t mean nothing! Your celebrity endorsements didn’t help you! You better say! Nobody wants to hear the truth! People want face-to-face; they want real stuff! And people are hurting! They’re lost, they’re wounded, and they’re broken!
And here’s the thing: we don’t need any more judgment because of your experience not lining up with someone else’s experience! Some of y’all are having conversations with family and all of y’all saying the same thing and half of them voted for somebody other than who you think, and they just know not to tell you! It’s real quiet! This is why I don’t talk politics!
'Cause church for-I’m leaving! Okay, you’ll be blessed! But I’m still going to prophesy to Love Story Church! We live in a representative republic, which means we elect officials to enact laws based on our values! How many Congress people are there? 435? Did you know that? 435 Congress people, 100 Senators, one president, nine Supreme Court Justices! Legislative, executive, judicial, all of that is great-good for them! Amen, but there’s one throne! They don’t want to hear what I have to say, and this is why I’m going to keep speaking it because we have been lied to by people who are being paid to influence you to go a particular way! I’d rather die poor than sell my soul to try to influence people! You need to get in this word! You need to stay in this word! You need to stay in prayer!
Oh, they’re not going to clap, 'cause that spirit over the church is so wicked that it makes you think that if you get political power, somehow you got power! You are no different than the people who were looking at Jesus after He rose from the dead in the book of Acts! First chapter, they said, «Will you now restore the kingdom to us?» And Jesus said, «It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the father has put in His own counsel! But you will receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you!» Freeze! They wanted political power, and Jesus said, «You’re missing it! That’s the wrong thing to ask for! What you really want is the Holy Ghost because that’s where the power is!» Now someone who’s saved should be clapping! If you’re not clapping, then you don’t like the Bible!
If you think you’re any different than the Jews of the first century, you’re wrong! They were in an oppressive government; they were fresh out of multiple years of slavery and bondage, and they said Jesus is going to be my president! He said, «I can’t be a president and a king! I can just be the King!» That’s why when they said, «Should you pay taxes?» He said, «Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and render unto God what is God’s!» I don’t take sides; I take over! I need a praise break! I need a praise break! Can I preach it, please? Can I preach it? Somebody- hallelujah!
It’s tight, but it’s right! It’s tight, but it’s right! All of what happened Tuesday had already been written by Heaven! None of it caught God off guard, and none of it will impact the people of God in a way other than what God intended for His people! So here’s my question: have any of God’s promises changed? Has God’s love changed? Did anything catch God off guard? So what you crying for? He said, «In the year that King Uzziah died…» For those who don’t know who Uzziah is-Azariah-he was the king in Israel for 52 years! He was a president for 52 years! He was a good king, y’all! I got to stay with it! Elder Rowena, I hope you can catch it! He provided new military strength, economic prosperity! He did construction and infrastructure projects that pushed the of Israel forward, supernatural technological advancement, building war machines on the walls of Jerusalem to keep enemies at a distance! He was doing things that nobody else was doing at the time, and he was a leper!
I don’t care who you wanted to worship on Tuesday; they were both lepers! 'Cause no matter how much you want to worship them, they’re just human beings, and they are as dirty as you are! They’re just as human, infallible as you are! I don’t care how good they are; everybody got a little leprosy! I don’t care how much you shout in here! You got a little leprosy! You might put some makeup on, but you got a little leprosy! Everybody’s got something that stinks somewhere! Everybody’s got a couple of habits somewhere! Everybody scrolling, looking a little nasty somewhere! Everybody’s got a little cuss word somewhere! Everybody be tipping off every now and then somewhere! Everybody get a little brown in a glass with some ice somewhere!
So while you’re looking for a God in a human being, you better recognize that everybody’s got some leprosy somewhere! Watch this! You know what caused Uzziah’s downfall? Pride! He decided to offer incense in the temple, which was what only the priests could do! He thought he was a king and a priest! But the first time we see a king and a priest is in Genesis; his name is Melchizedek! And then you got to go all the way to Hebrews to find out that Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek! But if you go to John chapter 19, you find there was a sign over the cross that said, «This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews!» So He is a king and a priest in the order of Melchizedek!
Now Uzziah, you a king, but you’re not a priest! So you need to stay political, but don’t come into the spiritual! And that’s the problem with the church! Y’all want to get political when God says stay in the Spirit! I ain’t got no help over here! Do I have help anywhere in here? Fist bump five people! Tell them stay in the Spirit! It’ll help you with your ulcers; stay in the Spirit! It’ll help you with your acid reflux! If you stayed in the Spirit, you wouldn’t be sitting up worried so much about to give yourself an aneurysm because your preferred candidate didn’t win! Stay in the Spirit! No, I' m not even doing it yet! They’re not ready!
I’m not going to give them a cheap way to get out of here! Exactly! His disobedience led to him being stricken with leprosy! A great king who was a human being with flaws and limits! Oh God! Every four years y’all act a fool 'cause y’all want somebody in an office to represent what you really want, which is power!
I don’t feel worthy! It’s called self-worth; it’s called self-confidence! Who can make you not confident in yourself? But you got to have self-control, self-confidence, self-worth! Nobody in an office can give you that! God, but somebody on the throne can give you that! I’m getting ready to go somewhere! When Uzziah died, the prophet Isaiah, his heart was broken, because even though Uzziah had pride and flaws, he did great things for the people of God, and then he fell! Oh my God! Good people fall! Look in the mirror! You and I have made decisions that weren’t in line with the word of God! Did God throw you away? No! Watch this: but people did! Honey, they will vote you out of your anointing if you let them!
Let me tell you something: if God gave you a platform, don’t let people take you off of it! I need somebody to run up! If God called you, if God anointed you, why would you have let people take you out of what God gave you? Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind? They weren’t there when God called you, when God anointed you, when God lifted you up! They weren’t there when God spoke to you, when God blessed you! They weren’t there when God met you in the middle of the night through your tears, and now all of a sudden, after God validated you, you need people to validate you? When did you lose sight of who you are in Him?
I live and move and have my-Pastor, what are you trying to say? I’m trying to say that no matter who you voted for, it doesn’t change who God is! Isaiah talked to me. «In the year that King Uzziah died. In the year my political aspirations died. In the year that my candidate was not elected, I saw also the Lord!» They missed it! Now, if I was at a Baptist church, they would have caught that! The deacons would have stood! But this is Love Story Church! We’re slightly hood!
He said, «In the year that the king that I wanted to stay in office died! In the year that I didn’t get my way in the voting booth! I saw also the Lord!» So I’m not telling you not to see what happened Tuesday, but you need to see also the Lord! And if your political candidate is here, you need to train your eyes here because the Lord is high and lifted up! Somebody shout " Majesty!» I wish I had some help in here! Y’all looking at me because you’re not sure what I’m saying about your candidate! I’m not saying nothing about your candidate, either one of them! I’m here to tell you that both of them together are flawed, and what you need to be looking at is the throne!
And stay high and lifted up! What does it mean that the train of His robe filled the temple? It means majesty and glory! Somebody shout «Majesty!» In ancient times, the longer the train of a king’s robe, the greater his status and authority! A long train was a sign of grandeur and importance! For God’s robe to fill the entire temple suggests His overwhelming majesty and the vastness of His glory extending beyond human limitations! Oh, help me, Holy Ghost! The train of His robe also represents unmatched authority! Tell somebody, «God has all power!» No, you said it like you didn’t believe it! That’s why you was all tore up on Tuesday! 'Cause you don’t believe it! You believe that somebody else had power! That woman spent a billion dollars, and today she’s 20 million in debt in that campaign!
How you spend a billion and get 20 million in debt trying to get people to vote, and it didn’t work? And I have no nothing to say about that other than none of it caught God by surprise! Oh, this is a tough one to preach, but I’mma preach it like I feel it! You need to go to the one who has unmatched authority, unchecked power, who is ultimately all the way holy, who has never failed, ever! And this is why political rallies were packed and church is halfway empty! Because people will worship something that reminds them of themselves and never worship at the altar of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! Somebody say unmatched authority! Kings in ancient times wore long trains as a symbol of their authority! It showed that they did not engage in menial tasks because they had already proven who they are and what they carry!
Listen to me! It also represents presence and holiness! The train of His robe filled the temple- that means there was no room for anything but His victories! I need you to hear what I’m saying! The train of His robe filling the temple was a symbol of victory! Now there are a lot of people gloating after Tuesday-that’s the wrong thing! 'Cause pride goes before the fall, baby! You can clap now, but in just a few moments, it’s getting ready to be the very thing that I said last year! It’s going to be chaos and drama! Did your pastor not say it? It was a prophecy that has come to pass, and you’re still shocked when you had a year to prepare your spirit! Maybe you’re a Sunday Christian; you show up here to hear the word to make yourself feel good, but you go back and live your regularly scheduled ratchety life! While you sitting up, looking at every TV show, gossiping, ashy, eating corn chips, and never changing!
When you need to be on your face praying, saying, «God, what must I do if I’m going to be a responsible citizen of the Kingdom?» Live holy! What you mean live holy? Stop sinning! What you mean stop sinning? You not married to them! Stop having sex! Oh Lord, no! Not that! Please, I just want you to be Lord over my money-not Lord over my sexuality! You can’t have it both ways! You can’t worship in here and then cuss your spouse out at the house! You can’t worship in here and treat people like trash out there! You can’t say you trust God for everything but then lose your mind when your candidate wins or loses!
«In the year King Uzziah died! In the year the election didn’t go the way I thought! In the year that my candidate won, I saw also the Lord!» With all of this stuff going on, I said, «God, it’s going to be a lot of hurt people.» And the Lord asked me a question, and I’ll be closing with this. He said, «Where am I?» And I said, «I don’t know.» He said, «Where am I?» I was like, «That’s a trick question! You’re omnipresent!» He said, «No, I know that! Don’t play with me! Where am I?» And He said, «Where I’ve always been-on the throne, high and lifted up!»
There were people-I’m not judging you-because there were people who asked Jesus face to face, «When am I going to get some power?» He said, «You get power when you get the Holy Ghost!» Power is not political; it is spiritual! That’s why Jesus said, «All authority has been given to me!» Oh, this is going to mess you up! There is no king, no prince, no princess, no monarch, no representative, congressman, mayor, alderman, or necessarily any other voted elected office, Supreme Court Justice that gets by God! They are either God-ordained or God-allowed! And I need you to hear me: some of y’all, my rights are going to be taken away!
«Who can take something from God’s children? Are you out of your mind? God can deliver an entire nation in one night! Come on, children of Israel! You come on out of bondage after 430 years! Let me go on and give you articles of silver and gold and brand new clothes! God can take you out of debt today! He can take you into supernatural wealth tonight! Don’t tell me what God can’t do! You need to fix your eyes high and keep them lifted up because that’s where Jesus is!
Last point! Isaiah said, „I am undone, for I have seen the King!“ But the Bible says no man has seen God! So who was he looking at? He saw Jesus-the pre-incarnate King on His throne, the uniquely formed Son of God! He saw Jesus on the throne! Y’all not with me today! I’m trying to tell y’all something! Isaiah saw Jesus where He- oh! He saw Jesus where Jesus still is-on the throne!
Now, for those who have been troubled by the recent political tumult of the American democratic process-oh God help me! Between David and Uzziah was about 250 years' time! Anybody want to tell me how old the United States is? I’m waiting! I thought y’all went to school-Civics class! 248 years old! Right about 250! Between David’s anointing and Uzziah’s pride! And it took 250 years for a prophet to say in the middle of all of these kings, in the middle of this Democratic experiment, „It’s time to look at the Lord!“
You caught it? Nobody else! Y’all going to keep doing this every four years, and you’re going to look up! Lord, I did what you told me to do! Everybody stand up! Don’t leave either! Don’t leave, 'cause I’m about to pray for you! I can feel the spirit of politics that has seeped into the fabric of the church, and it’s hard to delineate between a kingdom message and an agenda! My agenda is for you to stay free! Because whom the Son sets free is free indeed! The freedom you look for is not found in a political office! You’re going to be fine regardless of who’s in the White House!
I don’t care what they text! Ain’t nobody going to no plantation! I am not my ancestors! I will set it off, but I’m also a wise man 'cause some people want you to act a fool! What you need to do to neutralize that demon is be nice! Then why does it say pray for those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who spitefully use you? Yesterday, we went to that Fall for Greenville; I saw a couple of people with their MAGA hats, and they were looking at me! I looked at them, „Hey! How you doing? Good to see you! Now keep it moving!“ Because that hat doesn’t scare me because I’m preaching as an American citizen!
And the way that America’s going to be great again is when they find themselves at the altar of Jesus Christ! I’m trying to help him, Pastor Alton! I’m not moved by a red and white hat! I’m moved by the blood of Jesus! I’m also not moved by a donkey in the Democratic party! I’m moved by the blood of Jesus! Oh Lord! Uzziah! Between David and Uzziah was 250 years! This country is 250 years old! If you study empires, they last about 250 years! If you don’t believe me, go study it! Stop watching Real Housewives and get in the word! Dad gone sitting up sad, can’t get it together because you’re carnal, watching all of this stuff and come in here for two hours!
And be ready to leave! When you get home, you going to watch that whole game, and if they go to overtime, you going to watch that too! You will hold your urine! You will not pee till that game is over! But let church last a little longer than two hours-oh my God, I think it’s time to go! Ain’t it time to go? He talking a long time! I’m talking a long time 'cause you don’t like what I’m saying! But if I start tap dancing and cooning for you and tell you going to get a house and you going to get a car- stay here all day!
But I’m telling you to put your idol down! Stop making an idol of your political affiliation! Lift up the cross of Jesus Christ! If nothing else came out of Tuesday, will you just get back to Jesus? Somebody say Victory lap! Victory lap! Here’s the meaning of that: If the train of His robe filled the temple, there is no space for any other agenda and no place of conversation except for all of His victories! Ah, help me! If God is our ABBA Father!
My daughter is 11! Last night, she came and sat on my lap, and I miss those days! Sometimes my son will not as much now anymore 'cause we’re about the same size! I’m like, „You’re a grown man, get off my leg!“ When you’re about to wear my shoes, you too big! „Daddy, let me tell you what I want for Christmas!“ What I want is for your voice to not sound like you got a job! My daughter sat in my lap, and I noticed that when she needs comfort, she’ll come sit in my lap! And I’ll hold her and I’ll tell her, „You are an amazing little girl!“ She’ll tell you, „I love you so much! I’m so proud! You have such a beautiful heart, a wonderful spirit!“
I don’t just tell her she’s pretty because I’m not raising no surface daughter! Some of y’all need to get off your political horse and get in the lap of your father! And you need, when you are troubled in your spirit because of what’s happening in the political discourse, get in your father’s lap! And just like ask like your kids ask, „What’s that, Daddy? What’s that?“ My daughter asked me about a scar I had on my hand; I burned it on the iron when I was two years old! I put my hand on a hot iron, and it stuck, and I pulled it off, and oh, that hurt! „I bet that hurt?“ „Yeah, yeah, did, but I made it!“
See, you need to climb into your father’s lap so He can tell you about all of His victories! A victory lap is not you running around talking about „My candidate won!“ No! 'Cause in four years your candidate going to lose! Every victory is temporary except for His! So I close with this: You want a victory lap? Get in the victor’s lap and let Him tell you about His victories! Get in the lap of your father so He can tell you, „I beat this devil back! I defeated that devil! I tore that one up! I took 135,000 of them out in one night! I parted the Red Sea right here! They crossed over on dry ground! Delivered the Egyptians in one night after 430 years! Oh, look what I did here on a cross in Golgotha, the place of the skull! In three days, everybody has the ability to get saved if they call on the name of my Son! I got victory after victory after victory! There is no conversation about defeat because I have all power and all victory!
So instead of running around like a chicken with your head cut off, get in Victory’s lap and rest! Father, seal this word and bless Your people! In Jesus' name! There are people right now who need to come to this altar and give their lives to Jesus! You want victory? You want power? It comes in the presence of Jesus! You need to get saved today! Or if you want to be a part of a community that’s serious about the things of God, this is the place! I’m going to give you 30 seconds to vote with your feet that you are making Jesus the Lord of your life! I’ll wait!
Somebody needs to move! If you’re already saved, then come on and be a member! W! If you see people coming, clap for them! Y’all got better than that! Y’all got to love! Y’all got to love! Welcome home! Welcome home! Hey, welcome home! Give her some Kleenex, y’all! She’s sitting there crying! Man of God, welcome home! See, come up here then! You got the tissue! Hi, sweet girl! Welcome home! [Music]. One of your new family members said a lady in his apartment complex watches online! He said, „I’ve been watching you on my MacBook!“ And somebody at his apartment complex said, „You might like him!“ Now some people don’t like him, but you might like him! And he joined today! Let’s celebrate people who make up their own mind! Hey, Pastor AB, I need to say this 'cause some people may not know it!
I don’t care where you are in your story! I don’t care what chapter you’re in! Love is the story! There’s love here! There’s no judgment here! So you need to come to the altar, and you need to make your calling and election sure! You need to make sure you’re right with Jesus today! If that’s you, come! Are you coming, baby? Are the babies coming? Two little babies! It ain’t no adults! These your babies? You crying 'cause the babies are coming? And a child shall lead them! Somebody else needs to make a move! Over here! Ten, nine, eight, seven! There she go! Six, five! There she go! Where they at? Where they at? There they go! There they go! Peanut butter jelly! Peanut butter jelly! Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat!
Is your mom? These are your daughters, and they’re coming today! And mama, bless you! Mama, your prayers are being answered! Everything that you’ve been praying, you’re going to see come to pass in these babies' lives! God just told me to tell you that! I don’t know if you write it down in a journal or you just got your own little prayer thing — whatever it is, whatever you’ve prayed, God says, „I’m answering it!“ You’re an intercessor! You need to know your job! You raised them, you loved them, you’ve given them the word. The Bible says when they get old, they will not depart from it! God is doing what He promised! Congratulations!
You can rest! You can rest! God’s promise is sure! Did you hear what I said? I need everybody to stretch your hands this way! You joining? I know I’m having fun! Everybody who’s here, I need you to say this out loud: „Lord Jesus, it’s me! I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord! Everybody at the altar, your hands lifted up! The people behind you are stretching their hands toward you! You don’t have to stretch them toward me! Lift them up! Somebody else coming! My God, man of God, I got thrown off guard! Don’t hit mommy! Boy, we going to try it again! 'Cause we got two more! „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!“