John Gray - Let There Be... - Part 4 (It Is In You)
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All right, once again, to all of our visitors, first, second, and third-time guests, I want to say I am grateful that you’re here. We’re getting ready to get into the word of the Lord. If you will do me a favor, and even if you are not familiar with certain customs, Brian, I don’t know if you’ve got one of those things, but if you could clean these for me real quick, thank you. If you all will stand for the reading of the word, do me a favor and stand for the reading of the word. After that, you don’t have to stand again if you don’t want to until the very end.
Our church is growing, it is changing, it is thriving in a new way. There is something that God is doing, and I think if I could get three people to agree with me that what the Lord has been releasing in the word has been profoundly impactful. If you believe that, then I’m going to need you to get ready for what the Lord is getting ready to release in the next few moments of our time together. I believe that the word of God, properly received and interpreted, will change your life. Amen. The word of God changes things. Today, I believe that there is a word from God that will fundamentally change things in your life.
I cannot remember the last time that God spoke to me about how to present the word and where to read the word from. You all know me; normally the entirety of my notes are on my phone, but He said today, «I need you to get a physical Bible in your hand, and I need you to read from the word.» There is something that I want you to understand about this book: I didn’t write this book, but inside of this book is my story. Isn’t it strange that a book that was written over 1,500 years by 40 different writers can speak directly to you? No Americans wrote this.
That’s right, no Mexicans, no Panamanians, no Scandinavians, no black or white folk from America. No black folk from America wrote this book. This is an ancient text that speaks to you, whether you’re from your country, family, your bougie family, your hoodrat family, your rich family, your middle-class family, or your family that is not yet able to pay all bills on time because you’re not broke. Stop saying that you’re broke; the system over your family is broken, but you’re not broke. That curse is about to lift today. You’re not struggling to make ends meet; you’re waiting on God to provide.
I want you to go to Genesis chapter 1. We’re at the ninth verse. I’m reading from the New King James Version. New King James Version, I’m at the ninth verse. Everybody shout, «Third Day!» Third Day! Do me one more favor, say it again. Say it like you mean it: Third Day! Third Day! We’re in Genesis chapter 1:9. Here’s what it says: «Then God said.» You could just preach that right there, Pastor John. If He said it, it has to happen. If He said it, it has to happen. Your name is not your name; that’s the name God gave you. You’re only here because He said your name. You might say, «But He didn’t sign my birth certificate.» Uh, hush! You’re not human first; you’re a spirit first. All souls belong to God. You had to come from Him just to get here. That’s why you don’t fit here, and every time you try to fit in, you don’t, because you’re not from here. You’re eternal by nature. That’s why some of your appetites are changing, because what used to feed you doesn’t feed you anymore. Your carnal nature is withering away because during this fast, God is actually causing the hunger of your spirit to be stronger than the hunger of your flesh.
Then God said, «Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.» And it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called seas. And God saw that it was good. Everything that God said was good; everything that God did was good. Then God said, «Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, whose seed is in itself, whose seed is in itself.» I only want you to find one person that will really receive what you’re about to say. Look at them and say, «It’s in you.» I’m going to trust Pastor Charles; he told me if they don’t respond, it’s because they’re receiving. Do me a favor; find one more person and tell them, point at them, «It’s in you.»
All y’all are looking for something from the outside to show up. God says nothing’s coming from the outside; I’m waiting for what you speak from the inside. It’s in you. Y’all missed it. He said, «The fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself on the earth.» And it was so, and the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed-there it is again-is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And so the evening and the morning were the third day.
Today, I just want to talk from the subject heading «Let There Be Because It’s In You.» Father, in the name of Jesus, speak to us through Your word. Make it abundantly clear that it was You that gave me these words to speak to Your people. My assignment is to the people and the sheep that are assigned to my life. So may there be fruit for the people that are assigned to my life, and get the glory in this moment. Knit our hearts, not by culture, but by the word. In Jesus' name, amen, amen, and amen.
You can be seated. I am really, super grateful for you today, one more time. This time, encourage yourself and say, «It’s in me, it’s in me, it’s in me.» Let me ask a question. I really, really do want to ask a question: Have you ever seen a glimpse of you different from the you that you are right now? I’ve been seeing this recurring dream. It’s a vision I got in a cream suit. I’m sitting at a table; I’m drinking tea and reading a book. Wherever I am is surrounded by wealth. There are mansions all over, which means it’s either my neighborhood or I can be there very comfortably. I’m sitting there, and I’m reading, and I don’t see anybody else, but I see me. I see me healthy, and I see me very clear- eyed. I keep seeing this same thing, and I’m like, «God, what is this that I keep seeing?» Has anybody else ever seen a version of you that doesn’t look like the you that you are right now? What do you see when you see that glimpse? I bet you don’t see yourself broke. I bet you don’t see yourself unhappy in your relationship. I bet you don’t see yourself lying to yourself. I bet you don’t see people whispering and hating on you. What you see is something that is a free version of you, a whole version of you, a delivered version of you-the picture you see of yourself in your head.
Here’s my thing: If you don’t yet see something more than what you are, and if the baby’s crying, you don’t have to leave. Let the baby cry right there! I’m so tired of churches trying to push mothers out. If the baby’s crying, let the baby cry right there! You need this word. I don’t want to disturb anything- bump that; babies cry! Grown folks cry! Half the people in here are on Facebook; I ain’t even listening! But I know you ain’t on TikTok. Bet your TikTok is looking real scarce this morning, ain’t it, for your tens of fans? All 18 of your followers are just sad this morning. Does anybody see more than what you are right now? Have you ever caught a glimpse of more? I’m here to tell you that the picture you see of yourself in your head, it’s in you. That’s the new you calling to your current self, to say goodbye to the old you in favor of the greater you. I’m going to say it again for the people in the back: that picture you see of yourself is the new you calling to the current you to tell you to say goodbye to the old you in favor of the greater you that you’re called to be, and the distance between the picture you see and the person you are is the discipline you undertake to become something more than what you’ve been.
So, we’re on day three. Somebody shout, «Day three! Day three!» We are systematically going through creation because, for those who are guests, we’ve been talking about what 2025 is-it’s the year of order. What we’ve learned about God in His creative genius is that the first two days of creation, all God did was separate. He separated light from darkness. It’s the only thing He did on day one: separate light from darkness. This is interesting because there were no natural lights. The sun and moon had not been made yet; stars had not been created yet. So, where was the light coming from? It’s clear, if you study Hebrew, the «alef» is the actual representation of a pre-incarnate Jesus in the midst of the beginning of creation. You see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit because the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. It was God who created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, was over the face of the waters. Then God said, «Let there be light.» We know Jesus is the light of the world, and so in the first verses, you see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Wake up, Church!
On the second day, He divided the waters from the waters. There was water above your head, and there was water below. Water is always symbolic of the Word, which means there’s a Word above you and there’s a Word beneath you. That’s why the devil can’t get to you. God’s Word is covering you! I only want to talk to the people who say the only reason I’m alive is because God spoke-not because you’re so good, not because you’re worthy. God spoke! The only reason you have what you have is because God spoke-not because you’re good, not because of your connections, not because of your relationships. You couldn’t finagle your way into the blessing that God is bringing. Somebody say, «God spoke! God spoke!»
But now we get into the nitty — gritty because God said, «All right, all right, all right, all right, all right.» He said, «Let the waters recede, like so many of our hairlines,» and He said, «And let the dry land appear.» And it was so, and the dry land He called Earth. It says, «And He saw that it was good.» Then He says, «Now I’m going to need some herb that yields seed.» Is that what the Bible says, Elder? Why didn’t it say «the herb that yields fruit?» The word there, the word «yield,» is «zera.» «Zera» literally means to be impregnated. It means that there’s something in the seed that is essential for creation. Then it says, «The fruit tree that bears fruit according to its kind.» That word is «zahar.» They’re very close, but they’re not the same. One means «pregnant,» the other means «semen.» Here’s what’s crazy: this is why you can’t disrespect your parents, even if they weren’t good to you, because if you’ve achieved anything beyond, «My father wasn’t no good, and I had to work, and now I got a job, and I got a family; he was never there for me, well, I’m there for my kids.» You can’t disrespect the seed because you came from him. That’s why it says, «Honor your father and mother,» not if they’re good, not if they were there, not if they did what they needed to do, but you honor them because it was through them that I chose to get you here. Some of y’all still have bitterness and unforgiveness for a parent that wasn’t there, didn’t speak into you, but now it’s an excuse because they could never make up for what they did not know they had. You’re the thing they had in them that they never manifested. You’re the thing that makes it clear that there was something great in them, and they couldn’t produce out of their own life, but they had enough seed to get you here. I’m talking good right now! So, you need to give grace for the parent that wasn’t there. You need to give grace for the mother that didn’t speak into you, and watch this: if you’re a parent and you know you haven’t done everything you need to do, give grace to yourself.
Wow. Okay. My father’s been dead since December 7th, 2000, and I had to deconstruct his life after he died in order to understand how he got to where he got and why he wasn’t there. The more I looked at his life, I realized that the one good decision he made was marrying my mother. He knew that there was darkness in him, but he fought to go get somebody that was so much not like him. But because he didn’t have the Earth Jesus as his foundation, he did not have the Word as his foundation, he could choose a good thing but couldn’t keep a good thing. But even broken people can make a good decision. I need somebody to give thanks to God that through hell and high water, God still had a plan for your life, for your family, for your mother, for your father, for your upbringing. I’m the best thing my father ever made. From jail, he told my mother his name is John because she was going to name me Brian. It’s a nice name, a good name, but I’m John Gray. I believe he wanted that name to keep going because even though he couldn’t understand it, he just knew there was something better in him than what he had manifested. So, if I can’t do it, maybe my name can still carry on. Maybe my son will be better than me. Even if I’m not there, I know his mama has this thing called Jesus, and even though I don’t have it, she has it. I won’t be there, but I believe my father stayed away because he felt corrupted, and he felt like he wasn’t clean enough to be around me because of his addiction to heroin and his messing with the mob, and the fact that he had murdered a dude. My dad was a G! Y’all know my mom; she’s real proper. She said one time he took me in the car with him, and he was going to someone’s house, and he was going to kill him. He knocked on the door, and he wasn’t there, and I was very glad he wasn’t there. He was going to kill him; he had a chain in his hand, and I was like, «M!» He was about to be an accomplice to murder! My mama was beyond saying, «Before being J, I will hold your heart and your gun.»
Oh, this is good! I had to-y’all know me; I throw a little laughter in there before I bust out crying. But I’m being healed while I preach to you. God is healing something in me. I don’t get to go to church on Sundays often; the one who cooks doesn’t get to eat! Tell somebody, «It’s in you!» Oh God, I believe my father knew-help me, somebody! Pray for your pastor; pray for me! I believe my father didn’t feel worthy to be around me. He would only call me when he was drunk. He would tell me how much he loved me. He’d always call collect from a bar, which means while he was drinking, looking over the bad decisions of his life, he’d be like, «But I got one thing I did right: I got some seed in the earth.» I need everybody in here to stop for a second and look at your life and understand the reason why hell hates you is that hell knows you are the generational curse that every other part of your family could not get free from. I need you to open your mouth in here and shout if you believe that God allowed you to be the generational anomaly that breaks the back of every devil that has ever held your entire family line hostage! This is why you can’t keep living nasty. You can’t sleep with everything. You can’t cheat on your wife. You can’t cheat on your husband. You can’t come around here whoring and tricking and doing all of this foolishness. You can’t stay drunk; you can’t stay doing drugs all the time. You’ve got to make some new decisions. You’ve got to say, «I’m not going to be that anymore. I won’t do that anymore. If this Bible is really real, then God change me!»
I need a ten -second praise break in here! Everybody with a mouth ought to open it and give God a shout! Find seven people, high-five them, tell them, «No more excuses! No more excuses! No more excuses!» I don’t want to hear another thing about who wasn’t there. I don’t want to hear another thing about your abuse. I know it; I had it too, but now it’s in you. If it wasn’t in you, you would have already died. I need you to say, «No more excuses!» I need you to declare, «I don’t care what I came out of, I don’t care what I’ve been addicted to, no more excuses! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! No more excuses! There’s a seed in my body, there’s a seed in my life, there’s a word that’s been spoken over me, and I don’t have to be what I came from; I don’t have to be what I saw. I don’t have to be my past; I can be a new creature in Christ Jesus!» Encourage yourself! Punch yourself in the chest! Say, «It’s in me! It’s in me! It’s in me!» Say it till you mean it! Say it till you believe it! Say it till you know it’s true! It’s in me! Start looking at yourself differently! Thank you, Jesus! I need a couple of people to go ahead and worship. I don’t even know what’s going on right now. Hey, praise God! Yes! Glory to God! Praise God!
But, Pastor, you don’t know what I’ve been through. I know what Jesus went through to free you! Somebody shout, «It’s in you! It’s in you! It’s in you!» One day, I’ll see my grandmother again, but not today. It ain’t time to die. I don’t have a dying grace; I got a living grace. I got seed that I got in the ground, and I got more seed to sow! Huh? Yes, sir! I got more to do! 2025, I’m doing everything! You’re not just going to see me on Sunday morning; you’re going to see me on Netflix. You’re going to see me on HBO. You’re going to see me all over the place. You know why? Because that’s who I was before I got here! Somehow I forgot who I was. I’m so glad that Day 3 lets me know that I don’t have to be just one thing. It’s multiple trees, multiple fruits, multiple streams of income, multiple open doors, multiple opportunities. Don’t try to relegate me to what you need me to be; I' m going to be who God made me to be!
This week, I’ll be this; next week, I’ll do a stand-up show. I might drop an album; I may do a movie; I don’t know, I’ll write another book. You never know! I need thirty people in here to lift up a sound like you know that you are more than one thing! Don’t let it go yet; act a fool! Let’s go! I’m not letting anybody be around me that treats my anointing common! If you want to treat me common, you’ll have to treat me common from a distance. You’ll have to keep texting about me on your little text thread, but you are not going to be in my space. My oil is too valuable; I’ve cried too much; I almost died for this! And you think I’m going to let you in my garden? You’re not even worthy to be in my boundary line! You better know who you are, baby. You better know what you carry! Sir, you better know who prayed for you! You think you’re living well because of your accolades and your accomplishments? Are you out of your mind? You had a great-grandfather that was in a field somewhere who had to be owned by another human being and was praying that one day they would have a house. God didn’t give it to them, but the seed was in them, and eventually, you arrived. Now look at you thinking you got here by yourself. You’re the product of somebody else’s prayers! Tell somebody, «It’s in you!»
All right, come on, write this down. We’re not just going to shout; I feel the literal presence of the Living God. I want to give you seven-where your son at? Where’s the boy? I know! I see that boy is going to win an Oscar. You understand? Yes! I met with him this week! We got this boy who did a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl where Rihanna did the halftime show. He goes to this church, and the boy does green screen and all this filming with drones and all this stuff. You don’t know who you’re next to! You need to go ahead and pop your collar and look at somebody next to you. Tell them, «You don’t-you really don’t know who you’re sitting next to. I’m kind of amazing.»
Go ahead, throw your hands through your wig, do whatever you need to do! I need to give you seven core principles from the third day of creation. Write these down, Pastor Andrea; this is going to change some things. Number one: The power of establishment because God is establishing some things in 2025. Don’t forget what the word of the Lord was, which is: What you start in 2025 will follow you for the rest of your life!
Now, I’m adding this-in green shirt, blonde hair-for the next three generations! What you do in this year is going to follow you for the next three generations! What you sow in this year, what you seed in this year, what you believe God for this year, what you start working on this year is going to bless your kids, their kids, and their kids! They’re going to have a picture of you; they’re going to have a day at the picnic at the family reunion, and they’re going to pull out a picture and say, «This land that we’re on is because of this woman and her faith! This land that we’re on, this estate!» I’m trying to help somebody because the promise is not a house; it’s houses and land! I’m trying to help somebody! Some of y’all don’t understand what’s about to happen for you! You’re going to have enough land so all your kids can have a house on the land, and they won’t be in your backyard. I’m trying to help somebody in here, and you’re sitting in an apartment talking about, «Woe is me!» No, woe is the devil because now I realize the promise over my life is bigger than the circumstance I’m in. Somebody say, «The power of establishment!»
The emergence of dry ground represents the establishment of a solid foundation. I don’t know if they’re hearing me, but I’m going to believe that they are. The emergence of dry ground is God saying, «I’m going to need you to stand on something!» My son can walk on water; I just need you to walk on land! Yeah, that’s a miracle, but I don’t need you walking in a miracle every day because the greatest miracle sometimes is not needing one at all! Because if you have the right systems and structure, you don’t need a miracle to pay your mortgage, because the system will take care of it. The emergence of dry ground represents the establishment of a solid foundation in this life. Creating stability and a strong foundation is essential. Watch this. Before growth can occur, I know, «I’m going to be wealthy! I’m going to be rich!» God was like, «You still haven’t written your budget.»
I don’t need no budget! All I need is Jesus! Here you’ve had me. You need a budget! I don’t need that! I just need a word! You’ve got a word; now show me your plan! Why do you think He said, «Write the vision and make it plain?» Don’t be trying to be convoluted! Don’t write your vision in tongues! You’re like, «God, and I’m on toat,» you don’t even know what you said! So, how does that benefit you? I was like, «That was a great prayer. You don’t know what you’re talking about!» Sometimes y’all get so deep because you don’t want to be practical. Yeah, man, I’m believing God for a resurgence in my marriage! Yeah, man, He’s going to bring the romance back! Yeah, as soon as you turn the porn sites off!
Oh man, now you’re playing! I can’t watch porn! Is that your wife on there? Boy, some of you don’t want to clap-you’re like, «If I clap, they’ll know I was looking at.» So, everybody laugh and everybody clap so whoever needs to clap, everybody clap just to comfort the ones that really want to say! You can’t even focus on her, because every time you’re with her, you’re thinking about something you just watched. You don’t know if she stank. You don’t know if her feet smell like vinegar. All you saw was some body parts! You’re all the way in a fantasy that’s not real, and you can’t even take advantage of what’s right in front of your face! Releasing seed to an invisible demon that’s not even real! He brings you a dozen roses, but you just got one rose, and that’s all you need!
Let’s go ahead and get on to this next point so y’all can go on to the house. Somebody say, «Lord, establish me!» It’s real quiet in here. Good! You know why? Because the word of God is not going anywhere, and I’m tired of people playing games with the Word of God. Holiness is still right! God has not changed His mind! Stop bringing demons into the stuff that God made! Thinking the devil knows more about sex than God? The devil didn’t create it; he can only pervert it! God created it! You really want to know how to make love to your husband? Go read the Song of Solomon! That’s a naughty book, baby! Right in the middle of the Bible, it’ll show you how to back it up, flip it, and rub it down! Oh no! Somebody say, «It’s in the Word!»
Yeah! Don’t get mad at me! Go read it! Lynon, we need to do a Song of Solomon Bible study for the mature and married! You don’t need no singles in there! He said to do-what? I never read! I love the Bible! Stop it! We’re only on point one! We’ve got to go! We have guests! In life, creating stability and a strong foundation is essential before growth! So I need you to focus on building a solid foundation in your relationships, in your work, and watch this: personal development to support future success! What does that mean? Personal development, Rashad, means when an opportunity comes for you to do something that’s going to create legacy, generational wealth, you need to sow in that direction! Some of y’all are saying, «I don’t have enough for what I want to do,» and God says, «You’re going to have to sow your way out of that!» A farmer that didn’t have enough corn doesn’t ask God for corn; he asks God for seed to sow!
Oh my God! Tell somebody, «You’re going to have to sow in order to grow!» I’m not just talking about money; that’s a part of it. But I’m talking about sowing your time in the Word, sowing your time in prayer, sowing your time in right fellowship and right relationships with the right people at the right time. If you’re around a bunch of carnal people that are surface Christians that play patty cake with the Word, guess what? Ten years from now, you’re going to be the same person with a few more wrinkles and the same amount of money and the same problems! You’re just going to be older. You’re going to be an old bitter somebody talking about what you almost were! Now somebody say, «God, establish me! God, establish me!»
Number two: Another core principle that I found in this third day of creation is the power of separation and clarity. I’m going to stay on that all year. Some stuff and some people you’re going to have to separate from. I said it last week; y’all didn’t like that! First day: separation; second day: separation; third day: let’s separate the dry land from the sea. Here’s another point of separation. For the first 2.5 days, all God did was separate, and you’re still holding on! «But I sowed too much into her, and I don’t want nobody else to get the benefit.» You ain’t got the benefit! And even if she stayed, you still ain’t going to get any benefit because that was never your field to sow in.
Let me tell you something. Some of y’all have been sowing seed in the wrong soil! I told y’all about Mr. Harrison who lived next door to me and my mama on Dana Avenue in Cincinnati, and he sold banana trees. I saw the leaves; I was so excited because when I saw the leaves, I assumed one day there was going to be a banana at the top of that plant. Never happened because the soil does not and is not conducive for bananas to grow! You’ve been sowing into people, and no matter what you sow, their ground is not conducive for what you’re sowing to grow! And you think, «If I keep sowing; if I keep sleeping with him, maybe he’ll change.» If I keep sowing, if I keep sowing into her, if I keep sleeping with her, maybe-baby, then God says you could sow for the rest of your life; it ain’t never going to produce nothing for you because it wasn’t your field!
I know you don’t want to clap; I’m just going to give you the Word. You’re going to have to do with it what you want! Watch this: same thing with some of the stuff that you’re endeavoring to do; that' s not your field! That’s not your career; that’s not even your calling! You’re sitting over here masquerading, trying to post up in somebody else’s stuff! That’s why it’s not working for you! Because you’re in the wrong field!
Ooh Lord, give me favor on the job! I can’t give you favor here because if I gave you favor, you’d think you’re supposed to be here! I never told you to be here! You wanted to do that, but you didn’t submit to me! But Lord, you told me you’d give me the desires of my heart! No! I said I’d give you the desires of your heart when they lined up with my heart! And if you have my heart, then you’ll have my desire! So my desire will be your desire; your desire will be my desire-not your own ambition. You’ll want what I want for you; therefore, I’ll back it because it’s from me! Boy, this is a good word! Somebody say, «Give me separation, give me separation and clarity!»
The gathering of the waters and the appearance of dry land symbolize the importance of separation and clarity in purpose. What’s the takeaway in your life? Clear boundaries and focused intentions help distinguish what is essential from what is not! Everything in my life, if it’s not essential, Angela, I don’t want it! Watch this: and I won’t have it! If you are not essential to my life, I’m going to put you in a place where your presence is optional, not necessary! Stop allowing people to make you think you need them! Because some of these people are treating you like their God’s gift because you’re so insecure about being alone that you’d rather have the wrong people in your space than have space!
Tell somebody, «Give me space! Give me space!» Woo! But some people don’t like space because the silence is too loud! You’d rather fill your life with noise than the silence of growth and development! Because everybody wants to stay excited! But excited doesn’t get you growth; excited doesn’t get you free; excited doesn’t get you into destiny! Silence does; prayer does; solitude does! That’s why Jesus was always somewhere alone praying in the dark by Himself! He was always somewhere while everybody else was asleep! He was somewhere on the mountain praying because there’s something about getting alone with God, having clarity and separation from the masses and from the crowd and from the husband or from the wife and from the kids where it’s just you and God where He can speak to you! Because before you’re a husband or a wife or a father or a mother or a sister or a brother or a son or a daughter, you’re a child of the Most High God, and you need to get in His presence in order to be available to everyone else!
And if you don’t spend time with Him, you’re going to start resenting everything God gave you because you’ll see Him as a burden and not a stewardship! Let me tell you something about my son: I’ve never met anybody like my son. He is the most inquisitive, brilliant mind, and I did not have the right patience quotient for his curiosity. I would get frustrated because he would literally hit me rapid-fire: «Dad, what about this?» and «Dad, tell me about the universe.» and «Dad, what about this planet?» and «Dad, tell me about Malcolm X!» and «Dad, what about Martin Luther King?» and «Dad, why would somebody kill Malcolm X?» and «Dad, how come it was Black people that killed Malcolm X? How come they didn’t like him and they were the same color as him?» I had to help him to understand that everybody that looks like you is not always your friend!
And why would they kill Dr. King? All he said was, «I had a dream.» Well, here’s the problem: sometimes your words are so powerful, it makes demons uncomfortable, and they’d rather kill you! Not knowing that my words have already been spoken, so even if you kill my body, my words still carry! Because God said, «Let there be,» and the moment I release it from my mouth, it’s in the earth, baby! And my words are seeds, and my seed will not go back to Him void! Is there anybody here that knows when I speak it, it’s got to come to pass? I need 17 people in here and 10,000 online to say, «It is so! It is so!» Now give Him a praise if you believe it!
All right, third principle, get this! Write it down! Write it down, baby hairs! Write it down, nephew! Write it down! The first was the power of establishment, number two, the power of separation and clarity- number three, the power of the seed! The power of the seed! Everybody say, «The power of the seed!» You know the power of your-how many parents are here? That’s the power of a seed right there! All you wanted was a nice evening! You got a whole baby! Or morning or afternoon; I don’t know, it might have been an afternoon delight; I don’t know, it’s your preference! But you know what you got? You got a baby, ain’t it crazy? That one moment of «Ooh» turned into-! That’s why you’ve got to be careful where you let your appetite take you! Because your appetite will have you raising somebody. Your appetite will have you paying 18 years. 18 years! And after 18 years, you found out it wasn’t his!
Now, I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger; she’s not messing with a broke individual! I bet there are people in this room you’re grateful for the child, but you wish the circumstance was different! One man raised his hand-nobody wants to be honest in here! Whatever the physical pleasure was, it wasn’t worth the pain! Is there anybody in here that can at least be honest that some people have that testimony? You know what’s going on with Israel and Hamas? You know that the ceasefire has happened. Let me tell you why that happened. It wasn’t because of the president that’s leaving tomorrow; it’s because they didn’t want to fool with the one that’s coming in because they know he’s ready to bomb the whole area tonight!
And they knew we can play with this cat, but if that other one gets in, he’s crazy! They done signed that deal with-very much so! Sign the deal! Thank you! Please! You know why? Because some people know who to mess with. And here’s the thing: the devil messed with your dad; he messed with your mom; he messed with the other generations. But he knows you’re not the one! Oh, you are not the one! Who am I talking to? He done got to the wrong one! I need you to put it in the chat feed, «I’m not the one, devil! I’m not the one! I’m not my mama! I’m not my daddy! I’m not going to go out like them! I’m not going out like my brother, my sister! I’m not going out like my siblings; I’m not going out like the ancestors! I’m going to leave here with some greatness on my name! I’m going to leave here debt-free! I’m going to leave here with an inheritance for my children’s children!»
Is there anybody in here that knows what I’m talking about? Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The reason why we have an Israel and Hamas conflict is because Abraham slept with Hagar and didn’t trust God to stay with Sarah! He split his seed! He split his seed and created two nations! He didn’t even know what he carried! God even told him; He said, «Look up at the stars; if you can count them, those are your descendants!» He was talking to a man whose body was dead! And he was like, «Well, I guess I need to sow my seed everywhere!» God was like, «If you had just trusted me, this whole thing would have been different!» Oh my God, it’s quiet in here!
Some of us have said, «Well, Pastor, I’ve already made some decisions I wish I hadn’t!» I’m not talking about-I don’t want you to feel judged; you’re not being vilified today. But if there are any other people that are in the throes of making some decisions or maybe you’re in a relationship, and you’re not married, and sex is a part of it-stop now! Number one, because the Bible says so! Boy gets quiet when you tell them what the Word says! You know the churches today are popular when you tell them people can live how they want, and you can still get the promises of God? No, you can’t! You cannot! You’ve got to do what the Word says in order to get what the Word says!
Oh God, wake us up! If Abraham had just stayed in his tent, tell somebody, «Stay in your tent!» The power of a seed! The power of a seed! The creation of plants, watch this, with seeds according to their kind! Because some of y’all are like, «I wasn’t even really around my dad, but I still act like him!» Who am I talking to? Anybody? Anybody ever said, «You act just like granddaddy!» «I don’t even know my granddaddy!» But what do you mean? It was in the seed! Yes, sir! You think you just like brown liquor? No, no, no! That taste came from DNA that was passed down to you!
The enemy was counting on you to take the original seed but not be born again! That’s not your addiction; that was your grandfather’s addiction! Why is it that one man ain’t enough for me? Because it wasn’t enough for your grandmother! Oh my God! For some, it came from your mother or your father or your grandmother or your grandfather, and you don’t even realize where it came from! That’s why even though you were born in a natural state, you must be born again because the blood of Jesus nullifies the curse of the flesh! Preach, Pastor John!
Watch this: the creation of plants with seeds according to their kind highlights the self-sustaining nature of creation. Seeds hold the potential-watch this-catch these two words: multiplication and legacy! Nudge Grandma, nudge her! Mhm! Wake up! You about to be down here playing the tambourine; write these points down! Stop playing with me! Somebody say, «Multiplication!»
M and legacy! Oh, I ain’t playing today! You’re going to get this word! Ain’t just going to shout during worship and then sleep while the word is going! I fought all night to get this word to y’all! Somebody say, «Multiplication and legacy!»
I don’t know how long I got to live. One day, they’re going to have me down here, hopefully in a little brown wooden box! I don’t want nothing gold; I don’t want all that foolishness! I really much rather you bury me upside down so my enemies can kiss my grits! But what I’m saying is this-I’m just playing! I’m just for real! Don’t come crying! You talked about me like a dog when I was alive; don’t be at the funeral crying! Whatever to you, clown!
But when I die, they’re not going to say, «He died only thinking of himself!» I’m going to die like a boss kid! They don’t die! Spiritual chocolate tastes so fine, don’t you agree? They don’t! I don’t want to die! I want to see when I die! I don’t want to be buried; I want to be planted! I want my life to be a seed that future generations can learn from, my mistakes and my triumphs! So I’m not running from my failure! I don’t want to whitewash it! I was a failure as a husband; I was a failure as a father; I was a failure as a son! At a certain point because I had not submitted my appetites to God! But then the Holy Ghost got a hold of me, and I submitted to His Word and His will! And now a different harvest emerges!
I need a praise for anybody who can change your family line! Yo, man, I’m fighting today! Mike, I’m fighting! Tracy, I’m trying to get this word to y’all! Somebody say, «Multiplication, multiplication, and legacy!» That’s the power of a seed!
Number four, you ready? Let me hurry! The principle of perpetuity! There are families who started businesses in the 1700s-and I know this because I’ve done my research! They don’t just have a will; they have a trust! If you don’t know what a trust is, call a lawyer! You need to start thinking like legacy-rich families! It’s not conspiracy theory! I met a woman who is the granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst. She invited me to-she put on her own festival, a Christian festival, and had me host it in the middle of Colorado! She owns a mountain! Y’all don’t understand; she owns a mountain! Like, whose mountain is that? It’s mine! You bought a mountain? You didn’t buy like a-like a dog or a night; she bought a mountain!
Y’all not even laughing because you know what? It doesn’t make sense because it doesn’t compute in your head! Because you’re still living paycheck to paycheck! But your father made a universe with his mouth, and you’re worried about how to pay rent? You must not know who the heck you are! Here’s what she said: she said, «My grandfather created a trust, and all the sons and daughters and the grandchildren live off the trust.» She was very open; I think he had maybe 20 grandkids. She was like, «Yeah, I’m worth about 900 million.» I was like, «I’m sorry; do you have a Depends undergarment? Because I may or may not have soiled my linens!»
She said, «But my family don’t like me because I serve Jesus.» That’s right! Because they trust in their money, and I trust in God! I don’t know who this is for; this is about to break wide open! Some of y’all are one God, «I trust you!» from God taking you from paycheck to paycheck to a trust fund! I dare you to say, «God, I trust you!»
Watch this: and God, «You can trust me!» There it is! That’s where you sow, woman of God! I dare you to get a seed in the ground right there! God, I trust you, and you can trust me! Will you start moving as soon as I said it? Because you got it! Let me tell you something; that’s a wise thing you’re doing: God, I trust you, and you can trust me! I dare you to put your seed where your trust is! Somebody better start moving right now! This is not a time to play games! You better pull out that phone, get in that app, do something! Because I’m telling you what the Lord just said: some of you are one God, I trust you, and God, you can trust me, away from a supernatural breakthrough!
Get up the — John; go with your mother and go straight to that basket! And what you do now, you’re doing for your great-grandson! That’s John Gray the Seventh! Huh? Huh? Because yours is going to be the fifth; his son will be the sixth, and his son will be the seventh! If God is good, I’ll be here for the sixth! I may not be here for the seventh, but I’ll be here to see that sixth one! I’m going to be here to see your son; I’m going to be here to see your son and his boy! Then the Lord can come pick me up! I need somebody to declare what it’s going to be like! Simeon said, «I can die now because I’ve held the Lord’s anointed.» I need somebody in the back to hear what I’m saying! You ain’t got to move, but I need you to say, «Let it be unto me according to the word of God!» Somebody say, «Perpetuity!»
The idea that seeds carry within them the ability to reproduce shows the system of perpetuity-a design for sustainability and continuity! What’s the takeaway? This goes for all the business people: invest in systems, habits, relationships that are sustainable and can thrive even in your absence! If your system needs you to be in it at all times, you have an unhealthy system!
I ask Pastor Alicia, I said, «Pastor Alicia, you all having worship team auditions? Do you need me to show up?» She said, «No, we got it.» I asked Heather Smith, «Do you need me to show-no, no, no, Pastor, we got it!» They don’t even bring it to me! You know why? Because before, I didn’t know who to trust, so I had my hands in everything! Then God said, «You can breathe now! You got elders and pastors; they got it! You got leaders; they got it! You just focus on that Word and take the Word to the next level!» We’re putting systems in place, structure, order so that there is something that will be sustainable whether I’m here or not! Because the Church should never be contingent upon one woman or one man! The only person that the Church cannot do without is Jesus Christ! Don’t you ever think you’re God’s gift to somebody! Honey, we’ll keep going! The day you walk out, God is still going to be here! Don’t you ever think it’s going to rise and fall on you!
It’s a lot of bishops, preachers, pastors who think they’re God’s gift, and God said, «I will snatch your soul out your body! Don’t you ever think that God needs you!»
Number five: Diversity and uniqueness! My wife is weird, but I like her weird! She’s weird! She’s got tattoos and all that stuff! Her and Theory keep going to the nail shop and doing all that! I like playing hit me with a ponytail to the back! Little thing right there, a bun! Thank you! Well, if I knew, you might be a little worried! This little bun with some baby hairs, no! I’m just saying! But little lip gloss!
I don’t need all the other stuff! You like that stuff; that’s fine! I’m a different vibe, you feel me? But there is a beauty in the diversity! What’s funny is people normally judge people that are different from them like they’re bad! Who are you to determine her nails are too long? No, they’re too long for you! Why she wear all that? I wouldn’t wear that. Good; she didn’t ask you to wear it! It’s in her size! Her husband, he’s just too loud! Oh, I wouldn’t marry him! Good, because you didn’t! How about that? That’s good! That’ll preach all day! Stay out of people’s lives and their business and what they’re doing and how they’re living! That’s not your business! Who did you vote for? Don’t worry about who I voted for; you living holy? Just totally change the subject!
Up, they shut up then! Why don’t they leave folk alone? There’s a beauty in diversity! Each plant and tree is created to reproduce-watch this-according to its kind! That’s why everybody doesn’t go to Love Story Church because everybody don’t vibe with me! Oh, no! There are people who don’t like me-I don’t care! I’m not the president of the Church! I don’t need every person in this city to be here! It wouldn’t happen anyway! Half of them don’t show up when it rains or snows! They closed the whole city!
Wasn’t even no snow! Oh my goodness, we’re going to have to close the club! Because that’s all it is! Yeah, I said what I said! Each plant and tree is created to reproduce according to its kind-emphasizing the diversity and the unique role of each creation! Help me, Lord! What’s the takeaway? Embrace your uniqueness! Embrace your uniqueness! I met with a young man-brilliant, creative-this week! He had a ring on this finger; it was gold; it was nice, and he did not sew it into my life, and it wouldn’t have fit anyway! The point is, that’s his vibe! Watch this: and your vibe is going to attract your tribe! That’s good! You like that? You awake?
Go get it! Somebody say, «My vibe!» My tribe! Listen, single folk, don’t trick yourself into marrying the wrong person trying to be too saved! Well can they pray? Are they filled with the Holy Ghost? Are you attracted to them?
Got real quiet in here because I’m messing with some of y’all marriages! But God can work on that! Don’t tell me, «Well, it’s hopeless!» It can’t be hopeless because if nothing can change, then the Bible is a lie! Oh God can change anything if you submit it to Him! I’m a living witness! Don’t over- spiritualize natural things! We pray all the time in the spirit, and we fast! When y’all finish with that worship music, you don’t need some Teddy P, you don’t need some Luther, strawberries on some ice! That’s what I like! That’s what I like! Lucky for you, that’s what-okay, stop it!
Single people, ask the Lord to give you the balance between the natural and the spirit. D-gone? Okay! Y’all ready to go? Apparently so! I’ll let you go! Thank you! Ain’t no game till 3:00! We good!
Let me stop! Number six, here’s another principle I want you to grab: the goodness of God in creation. Watch this: God saw that it was good! He created you; you’re good! Stop telling yourself you’re not good! Stop lying to you! I’m depressed; I’m battling-no, you’re not! Shut up!
Watch what you say! Better be careful what you say in this season! I’m not letting anybody just speak over me! You can’t just say what you want! Watch this! And my vibe and my tribe! And if you don’t think it’s all good with me, don’t be in my life! Don’t be in my orbit! If you don’t think it’s all good, then go to somebody else’s orbit and spin around! The friends that I have been my friends for years, and that’s how it’s going down! You understand what I’m saying?
And I respect their uniqueness! Everybody in here, you are a unique one-of-a-kind masterpiece of God, and what you produce is what God wants you to produce! Why am I mad at an apple tree when I’m an orange tree? Oh, because there are some people that like oranges! Others like apples! Some don’t like neither! What, you say you like both? I’m sorry; you' re like, «I like both!»
We have apple-orange juice, boy! Here’s my point: I don’t have to hate on what type of tree you are when I’m confident in the tree God made me! And the people that are designed to feed from my tree will get to my tree as long as I stay planted! Oh boy, this is good! This teaches the importance of appreciating and affirming progress and results! You need to say, «I’m good!» Just say it! Say «I’m good!» Good! Put it in the chat feed: «I’m good! I’m good!» Stop confessing, «I don’t know-I don’t know what the Lord is doing!» Shut up! You’ve been saying that for 30 years, and look at your life! Start declaring, «I’m good! I’m good!»
I don’t understand it all, but I’m good! Why? Because everything God created is good! It might have been corrupted by some bad decisions, but the bad decision doesn’t make me a bad person! I’m good! My decision wasn’t good, but I’m good! But I am more than my decisions! Ooh! So what’s the takeaway? You need to start celebrating! Celebrate your milestones and acknowledge the goodness in what you and other people create! Stop hating on people! Celebrate other people! You’d be surprised, the moment you start genuinely celebrating other people, how many doors God opens for you!
Final point, final point-the rhythm of creation! There’s a rhythm to creation! The Bible, for some reason, makes it clear: the evening and the morning were the first day! The evening and the morning were the second day, the evening and the morning were the third day! Why is God highlighting the evening and the morning, the evening and the morning? Here’s why: The reference to evening and morning reminds us of the natural rhythm and balance of creation! Work and rest! Beginnings and completions! Evening and morning!
There is a balance: work hard, play hard! You understand? My wife did one of the fasting videos, and she was talking about rest! And then that was on a Sunday; the next day was Monday, which is my Sabbath! She called me to ask me questions about the church; I was like, «You said yesterday that I need to make rest a mandate and not let nobody take me out of it!» Get off my phone! She’s like, «But I need a couple of things answered!» I don’t care! I’m not here!
I don’t care! Oh Lord! But here’s what I did. Out of respect for understanding what she was trying to do, I gave some answers. They were like, «Well, can you come up here?» Absolutely not! I’m not coming up there! You won’t see me! But other people wanted me to come up there; I’m not coming up there! You didn’t talk to me- kind of intimate! Maybe you can come up? No, I’m not coming up! I don’t want to see none of y’all! You wouldn’t know what my cologne smells like! I’mma sit in this chair! I’mma be ashy around my ankles! Don’t judge me; you ashy right now!
My point is this: I’m not coming up there! Because if I work hard today, I deserve to get rest tomorrow! Stop letting people take you out of your rhythm! The reason why you’re cranking and cussing folks out right now is because folk got you out of your rhythm! Enjoy your life! Don’t make nobody make you feel bad about enjoying your life! Go watch the game; go to the movies; enjoy! Laugh a little bit! You’re so deep; you spiritual all the time! But you’re always sad- that ain’t God! That’s a religious demon! Talking about, «I’m saved!»
Well, your face ain’t saved! Your face needs to get delivered! That’s a devil on your face! Your soul-I’m filled with the Holy Ghost! No, you’re filled with stank breath and a bad attitude! Somebody say, «Rhythm!» There’s a balance and a rhythm! Everybody stand up, it’s time to go! And if you sneak out early, I pray that the Lord blesses you with gas all the way to the car! That you fart all the way to the car! Everybody start moving left to right! Come on, move, come on! Rhythm!
Some of y’all don’t have it! Y’all are just watching what I’m doing-ah, Rhythm! No! Ma’am! Come on! Everybody say, «Rhythm! Rhythm! Balance! Balance! Structure! Structure! Orders! Orders! Systems! Freedom! Freedom! Seed! Seed! Harvest! Harvest! Evening! Evening! Morning! Morning! Balance! Balance! Work! Work! Rest! Rest! Beginnings! Beginning! Completion! I’m good! I’m good!»
The last thing I want you to take away is embracing the importance and understanding the importance of both diligence and rest in achieving your purpose. Evening and morning were the first day! Hands lifted! Everything I need to achieve and accomplish the thing God has given me is in me! Somebody say, «It’s in me!» I would hope that you would agree with me, but if you don’t, I don’t need your agreement to accomplish what God has for me! He put the seed in me!
Aventer could have very well married someone else and had children! She wouldn’t have had those children because those children required her egg and my seed! Yes, sir! That’s why you’ve got to be careful not just in the physical where you sow your seed, where you sow your ideas, where you sow your creativity, who you pour yourself into! Because some people are not worthy of what God has invested in you, because they would treat it trivial, and they would treat you common! Don’t you let anybody in your life who treats you like an option!
That’s right! Hands are lifted. God seal this word now! You ain’t got to repeat-hush! How rude! All right, y’all can repeat! God! Thank you! Thank you that everything I need, everything I need, is in me! Is in me! Give me a heart! Give me a heart for legacy! For legacy! For destiny! For destiny! And perpetuity! And perpetuity! Let me start living! Let me start living and start three generations ahead! Three generations ahead! In Jesus' name! In Jesus' name! Amen! Amen!
Give the Lord a praise if you were blessed today! Hey, here’s what I need: There are some people who need to join today! You need to make a decision! You need to make a decision to join this church! Do me a favor: some of you are leaving, but some of you need to make your way down front! If you want to be a part of Love Story Church, come down to the front right now! Just come on! Come on! You want to join, or you want to give your life to Jesus? I bet you if you clap, they’ll make a move! Last week it was your son-now see, what did you got kids? Stay right here, where you going? We’re family now; you can’t leave!
Welcome home! Hey, you join? Babe, I need you to see his shirt! It says «Popeyes!» My God, we can’t go till next week, but we’re glad you’re here! Welcome! My God bless you, man! Hey, beautiful girl! Hey girl! You are so beautiful! Welcome! Hey man, hey baby! You got the right jersey on, King! Love you, man! Do y’all see what God is doing? I said do y’all see? Man of God, welcome! Grateful for y’all! You already-you about to be a leader! I see it on you; I see it on y’all! I know God has a calling on your life! Your anointing, your gifts are safe and celebrated here! We’re not intimidated by greatness; we cultivate greatness!
Is there anybody else? Is there anybody else? Everybody here, on behalf of me, my wife, this staff, the pastors and elders behind you, welcome home! Welcome to the greatest chapter of your story; welcome to Love Story! Now, everybody here, I need you to pray this prayer and those who remain are going to pray it with you! Lord Jesus! Lord Jesus! It’s me! It’s I! I confess with my mouth! I confess with my mouth! And believe in my heart! 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!