John Gray - Gravity
Hey, family. I'm glad you decided to join me for today's broadcast. It means so much to me. It's about to go down, I'm telling you right now because we're about to jump all over the issue of change. Just let me get the hard part out of the way. Change is not easy. If you've ever gone on a diet like I have, endeavored to create a new spiritual habit or tried to change your thinking in any area, you know what I'm talking about. You may have struggled to change and felt like your past pulled you down, like gravity. You were close to soaring and the next thing you know you were back on the ground in the middle of all the same junk you wanted to be free of. Well, I want to encourage you today. We're going to talk about God's pruning process and how to overcome the distractions of the enemy and the flesh to try to keep you stuck. So stay with me, lock it in, press the red DVR button call everybody you know because if you're struggling to change in any area, I believe the Spirit of God wants to speak to you through what you're about to hear. Listen closely as I share on being made new.
You know, it's kind of strange if you think about it. An eternal God, who cares enough about you and me to push through eternity, to reach into time, through all of our circumstances, through all of our issues, past our sin, past our bad decisions, reach down with his hand and provide for us what we could not provide for ourselves in the person of his son. And not only did Jesus save our eternal soul, he also changed the direction of our earthly destiny as well. I'm grateful for heaven, but I ain't ready to go yet. I'ma say that again to the real deep people who think it's only about seeing Jesus one day. I know that heaven is assured because I've confessed Christ but now that I'm alive and I know who he is in the earth, it's time for me to make him known right here right now.
I want to see Jesus just not yet. And if you're alive, you need to feel the same way that you have a purpose and a destiny and whatever drew you here tonight, I believe that this word is for you. There are multiple people in this room who were thinking about staying home tonight. Because it's the thanksgiving weekend, you just had your fourth turkey sandwich with a little bit of cranberry sauce on there, mixed with the dressing on the bread, you don't hear me, that's God in that sandwich. Jesus makes leftovers, do you hear me? Put the macaroni and cheese on there, you don't even need mayonnaise. Just a little gravy. Hot water cornbread never hurt nobody. And so you're a little tired. It's traveling, you know, your family's in town. A lot of good football games on TV. You could have stayed home but something drew you here.
I wonder if you even know what it was. Was it duty? Was it obligation? Was it fear? I don't believe it was, I believe it was passion. I believe you love God that much. I believe you want to hear from God that bad to come on out on a Saturday night, on a thanksgiving weekend. You got to be real saved to be here tonight. You got to love Jesus to be at Lakewood on a Saturday night. You all going to get an extra apartment on top of your house in heaven for coming here tonight. Where are my married couples at? There I like, he is like whoa! I know that's right. Love her like Christ love the church. But before she became your wife, she was that fine lady you saw from a distance or you bumped into accidentally on purpose at the office or wherever you all met, there was something that drew you to her. There was something that caused you to, hey, what's up? How are you doing? Ha haa, you are all right? I don't need to know your last name, I just need to know your first name 'cause your last name going to be mine in a few months. All you single maybe you can use that, that was free.
And so there are times when you get attracted to a thing and you're drawn to it but you're not sure if you have what it takes to keep that thing going. Are you going to mess up? You're going to fall, get your balance back, try it again. You know what this was? I had to put my foot back down because gravity was pulling me back to the middle. And I want you to know that you were drawn here by the gravitational force of the presence of God. You were drawn here because there's something in here with your name on it. Wow, I've got seven American people who believe the word of the Lord. I'ma say it again. You were drawn here because there's something here with your name on it.
Can God meet you right now on an individual level in a big old place like this? Absolutely. God of the universe, God who created heaven and earth and angels and living creatures and four and 20 elders, God who creates stars because he can, created this church with you in mind and this night was in his book that he was going to meet you in a significant way, supernatural breakthrough, miracle, abundance, healing. Your family will never be the same. Your kids who are getting on your nerves and you've been praying and praying and crying and praying and God, show up. God, heal. God, cover my son. God, do something. I need a miracle. God says your miracle is tonight. My pastor declared we got one month to see the manifestation of the things God has promised and I believe the man of God and the word of the Lord coming from his mouth that if you have not seen the shift in your favor, ladies and gentlemen, the shift is on starting right now.
I'm already sweating 'cause it was my fault I don't put on a wool jacket under these lights. I deserve to lose 40 pounds. And I want to talk to you tonight because God pushed through so many things to get to you. But now it's time for you to kind of reach back. When I heard what this church did for people who couldn't do for themselves, that's when I knew I was in the right place. I already knew I was in the right place but for that many people to sacrifice on thanksgiving to make sure that other people have food, that single moms and dads and war veterans and miscellaneous people whose 19 year old mother, four buses to get to work.
I love that he said that she's not just sitting back waiting on a handout, she's out there doing whatever she can to make a better life for herself. And sometimes even when you're doing your best, you still can't make ends meet and that's where the church steps in. We don't come judge you, why don't you get better? Why don't you go to school? You don't know where people are and that's not your job to know where they are. It's your job to extend the love of God, to extend the grace of God and to give because God has given it to you and none of us deserve the goodness of God or the favor of God, or the provision of God. He's chosen to bless us, we can never earn it.
And as long as we understand that she's not a project to sow into, she's a sister to cover then we will understand the heart of Jesus more clearly. To be a part of a church that's drawn to brokenness, drawn to those less fortunate. A church willing to get its hands dirty. That's the kind of church I want to be a part of because I believe that's the kind of church Jesus died for. I believe that we haven't seen the miracles of God because there are very few churches in the earth that look like anything he would put his hands on. And I'm not being judgmental. Too many churches have a club atmosphere. Too many churches have a membership atmosphere. Hi, how are you? How are you? Good to see you. Good to see you too, Bob, everything great? Yeah, let's go golfing.
Let me tell you something. I'm coming here because I got a wife and two kids and the enemy's trying to take me out and he wants my family and I need the word from God and I need a community of believers and I need a church willing to fight with me, pray with me, get their hands dirty. I don't want to a soft, tender sweet church. I need a church that's willing to fight in the trenches in the spirit and some folk that know how to pray, get a little oil on their hands, put it on me every now and then. Every now and then, the old time way didn't hurt nobody. Thank God for people like mama Dodie Osteen who understand the power of the Holy Ghost is still alive and well in the church. Did I say Holy Ghost? Yes, I did. Can I say Holy Ghost? Yes, I can. Because the Holy Ghost is what brings the body of Christ together. When Jesus went to heaven, the Holy Ghost came down. It was a tag team. Jesus said, I got to go, so the comforter can come. And that's what the church is missing, power in the Holy Ghost. Somebody give God a great praise if you believe it.
Sir Isaac Newton sitting in some apple orchard, sitting somewhere under a tree gets hit in the head, boom! With an apple. And he had this great moment of awakening and said, wow, what caused that apple to fall? I wonder what that force is called. And that's the very same force that drew you here. And I want you to share with me in the word if you will, I want you to go to acts chapter one. I want you to go to acts chapter one verse nine. And here's what it says, "Now when he had spoken these things while they watched, he was taken up in a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly towards heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven".
And I want you to know this same king, that king, this Jesus that we preach, that we pray to, that we praise, he's coming back. I don't just sit here in faith without knowing for a certainty that the Jesus that I'm talking to can hear me and he's coming back. Does anybody believe like I believe that Jesus is coming back? I need him to come back soon but until he does, I'ma keep singing. I'ma going to keep praying, I'ma keep living holy, I'm going to keep serving the Lord, I'm going to keep watching out for my neighbor, I'm going to keep dealing with these family members that get on my nerves, I'm going to do the things that honor God and I'm going to allow him to prune my character, I'm going to allow him to cut off things that don't belong, I'm going to allow God the right since he made me according to Psalm 100 verse three. It is he that made us and that we ourselves. Since he made me he knows what's best for me.
So I submit my life to him and say, God, if this relationship isn't you, you can cut it off. God if this opportunity is not you, you can cut it off. But God if by chance I'm missing something, bring it to me. If by chance I made a mistake, don't let my mistake be the end of my destiny. Bring it back to me, God. Is there anybody in here that's saying, God, remove what I don't need and bring to me what I do need? I want to talk about this thing and I've shared a little bit before but I want to go deeper tonight. I want to talk about gravity. Anybody got something in their hand that you can throw up just gently but not break? Just throw it up real quick. How come it didn't stay up? Are you just listening to me?
Here's the thing now. When Jesus told Peter to walk on the water, he should have sank. How is it that Peter had the ability to stand on something that literally could not hold his weight? The gravitational force of the earth should have pulled him down into the water unless he was in the presence of someone who was the living water, who could speak to the rest of the water and tell it to support the weight of one who didn't even have the ability to understand the concept of the miracle he was walking in. I want you to know God's about to do something in your life that you can't explain. I'm talking to the nine people watching at home who believe that God still does supernatural miracles.
I don't know if this word is for the supremely, brilliant thinking mind that tries to analyze God. Those who are frustrated when God doesn't come down to speak with you on your timing and at your convenience. You're frustrated because God will not sit on a table and allow you to dissect his motive or his thought process or why he does what he does. He is sovereign. He is great. He is mighty and awesome. And he is the great God of all things and he owes nothing to creation. He is the Creator and as much as he has chosen to speak to us through his word, the 66 books give us the character of the very God that we serve.
And if you want to draw closer, read his word. If you want to know his character, read his word. If you want to get this thing called Jesus right, read his word. His word will get his attention. His word is gravity to your situation. If you start speaking the word over your broken situation, God gRavitates to it because word speaks to word, deep calls unto deep and so when he hears the word, he begins to move because the word is a better law in the earth than gravity. That's why Jesus could say come because he was the word. So he spoke the word which means as soon as I put my foot on the thing that I should sink on, I can walk on it now.
Talking to some people in here who look like you're underwater on a mortgage. Underwater on some debt. I want you to know God's going to raise you up. You're going to walk on top of that thing. I don't know who I'm encouraging in here but don't you sit up crying not another night. Don't you cry another broken tear. God I don't know how I'ma make it. God help me as I'm falling apart. You belong to me, I got you. Walk on that thing. If you believe on faith, I dare you put them bills on the floor and just walk on them and just say God, lift me above this debt. God, lift me above this issue. God, lift me above this student loan. God, lift me above all of these things that are happening. God, lift me above it.
So many times situations try to pull you down. I know I'm talking right. Sometimes life pulls you down. Sometimes people pull you down. A lot of times it's family. You can't say amen 'cause they're right there. You're like amen. You ever shared something with a family member, something close to your heart and they were less than enthusiastic in their response? You ever had an idea, dream something you shared and they were like, puuh! Come on, man. That's crazy, man. Just turn the TV back up. Why do you even mute the TV? You shouldn't even muted the TV to tell me that. That's crazy. You're like, probably was. Even though you laughed it off it hurt you because there was something in you that felt that you were created for more than the thing you're living right now.
Am I talking to anybody other than this young lady right here? I'm not created to just live an average life. I'm not going to sit here in my premium American jeans and live a regular life and then retire in 30 years waiting on a gold watch and social security check? I'm more than that and there's nothing wrong with that, I should get it. I paid into it, give me my check but that's not the only thing I'm living for. I'm living for the greatness of God. I'm living for the power of God. I'm living for the authority to God to be released out of my life. I need the heavens to manifest in my life. I need to come down to earth. It's the father's will to get down here. But because he gave authority to men, we need to speak it, we need to pull him into the earth.
Jesus said in like manner they should pray. Mark he said, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on"? As it is in? What he's saying is, keep speaking, and declaring, until you see the principles of heaven, manifesting in the earth. Keep praying until your life looks like this word. Keep talking, making that devil bow down until you see the breakthrough. I believe that too many Christians today are just letting life happen to them. And we're "Oh well, I guess that's God's will. Well, maybe next time in a few years". No, hmm-hmm, I bind that "Maybe next time" or "Least I tried". I bind that. No, I was created for more, I want more, I want whatever you said I can have that I'm supposed to manifest. I'm not dying until I do the thing I was created to do. I'm going to keep talking. I'm going to remind you of your word until I see heaven come down. I'm going to keep speaking until gravity becomes a reality in my life.
If Jesus went up, he has to come down, and I've got authority in my mouth and I can help the process by what I speak. Bible says in James chapter four, verse eight, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you". This is a very important scripture because sometimes we got it mixed up. We're like, well if you don't answer my prayer, I'm not coming to church anymore. You know good and well I prayed, like three weeks ago. You ain't even say enough, you know, you ain't even right. I'm staying at home, I'm going to catch up on my soap operas. I done taped them. God is saying you're standoffish. But I need you to lay down your pride and your right to think that you're right. And I need you to draw nigh. And if you do that, I'm going to come closer.
And before you know we're going to end up face-to-face. How does that happen? Gravity, gravity. Gravity, what's the definition of gravity? The definition is that two bodies, two bodies, two masses attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square root of the distance between them. Basically saying, that what Newton observed when the apple fell, was the apple and the earth, drawing near to each other. But the only thing that Newton saw move was the apple because the earth was so much bigger.
The law of gravity states that the earth was actually moving towards the apple at the same rate of speed that the apple was moving towards the earth. But because the earth is so much bigger, you couldn't see it. And the greater can only move towards the smaller at the weight of the smaller. Which means if it's a five ounce apple, then it's going to move towards the apple, the earth would move towards the apple with five ounces of pressure, or five ounces of gravitational force. But if it weighed 100 pounds, the earth would respond with 100 pounds.
Here's my point for those who are like, I didn't ask for a physics lesson. I don't know what you're talking about, I'm confused. If you give a small praise. Then expect a small response. But if you give God a weighty praise. Expect a weight of his glory. For there is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. There is some glory that weighs more than others. I know I've loved seeing little kids worship, it blesses me, and I know God draws near to them.
But I've always been fascinated by little kids who sing like old time songs. You know what I'm saying? "I'm climbing up the rough side of the mountain". You nine years old, you don't even know what that song means. You know what I'm saying? I've seen kids. "I've had some good days and some hills to climb". You're three and a half what are you talking about? I won't complain, you better not complain. You get lunchables, capri sun, m&ms. We didn't get none of that growing up, you won't complain. You better not complain, what's my point?
Did God hear the little kids singing that grown folk song? Yes, but it doesn't carry as much weight as me because I've lived the song. Some of you all need to understand that the pain you've through has produced a weight in the spirit that if you access that thing, heaven would respond to you. The pain is actually the weight of glory being developed in you. I'm talking to somebody that's gone through some things, cried on a few nights, shed some tears, lost some loved ones. Some things didn't go your way, but you still lift your hands, you still open your mouth, you still bless the Lord, there is a weight to your praise. Bible says that a broken spirit and a contrite heart he will in no wise cast out. If you really want God to be drawn to your situation, start with humility.
The second thing I just said it brokenness, Psalm 51:17, what does it say? "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart-these, oh God, you will not despise". Here's another one that's really beautiful, Isaiah 57:15, "For thus says the high and lofty one", what's this... "Who inhabits eternity. Whose name is holy: he says, I dwell in the high and holy place. With him who has a contrite and humble spirit". Freeze, now he just said, "I live in a high and holy place". I'm immediately thinking he's probably talking about heaven. Then he says, yeah, "I live in a high and holy place".
And with those who have a humble and contrite spirit, you're telling me my humility, my brokenness actually elevates me. You're telling me that the pain of my situation is actually lifting me above the gravitational force of earth? That as I stay in a place of humility, as I posture, my heart, to receive from God, whatever he wants to give me, he's actually pulling me up. Wow, these are practical application steps. I would love to preach it. I just I can't shout it tonight. I need you to hear this. That humility and brokenness will elevate you quicker than pride and self actualized, self realized, and I am the end-all and the be-all, that mindset, that God can't help you that you've done it on your own. God, step out of this, I got this, I'm going to do this one. God can't help you.
But when you say, God, I'm lost. I don't even know what to say. I don't even know what to do. I don't have the skill set to get free, I'm addicted. Lord, I'm Messing up in my marriage. Lord, I don't know how to raise my kids. Lord, I'm lost, I don't even know how to pay these bills on time. I don't even know how to balance a checkbook. Lord, I'm struggling with my appetite. I'm a little gluttonous, talking to me. And I'm saying because there are things that you can't do on your own, and you need God to help you. And the moment that you acknowledge that he immediately gravitates towards. And if God is gravitating towards broken areas, then it would behoove us to start declaring brokenness fast. I'm broken in my finance, broken in relationships. I'm broken in a lot of areas. I need you to show up in every last one of them. I need God to gravitate towards those things that I can't do on my own.
The third thing that God gravitates towards is praise. Oh, yeah, he does. Praise, Psalm 148:13-14, "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and heaven and he has exalted the horn of his people the praise of all his saints. Of the children of Israel". Watch this, "A people near him, praise the Lord". By the way, that wasn't a suggestion it was an exclamation at the end of that scripture. So maybe instead of reading and saying, "Wow, that's nice". He draws near people that praise him, he moves, he gravitates towards praises, you should try it, and see if it works.
Now, I'm not telling you to scare your neighbor and swing your arm and hit them and then blame it on the Holy Ghost, I'm not. But what I'm saying is, if you've got an issue in your life that needs heaven's attention, I would invite you in that place to begin to praise God. Now, I know it sounds crazy when you're struggling, and when you're at a loss and when you're at a deficit, but to pick that thing up or to look at that thing and say, "God, I praise you right here and right now, because even in this you can get glory.
God, I praise you right now, even though I don't know how I'm going to get out of this. I'm lifting you up above it. And I know that if I lift you up above it, you'll draw near to me. So God, I'm not looking at my circumstance. I'm looking at the God who's in charge of all of my circumstance. And I'm going to praise you right here cuz your word says", and as soon as you start declaring his word, he has to show up 'cause he can't deny himself and if you start quoting scripture, Psalm 148, get it on a post it note, start writing out scriptures, start putting it on stuff, start putting it on things, you got struggle, you got a child that's not doing right, get a picture, write Proverbs 16:3, commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. I'm committing my child to you and your plans will succeed for their life.
Start putting scripture on those things, get practical about it, and then start praising God every time you see it. Put reminders up in your house of the promises of God. I heard pastor Lisa talk about it, when she was believing God for her children. She had confessions and declarations and scripture and eventually God did it. It might have took longer than she would have liked, but it was perfect in his timing, the gravity of the situation was really not about the deficiency or the kids aren't here. God wanted to see will you be diligent to keep pressing until that thing shows up, will you keep believing, and will you have a faith-filled heart while you're doing it, or when you have an attitude, whatever, I quit, I'm not doing this no more. God says I need to produce in you, a humility, a strength, a character that is not contingent upon a Santa Claus version of God.
Every time I pray he better show up. He's not Santa. You don't just sit on his lap and get what you want. You get what is best for the kingdom in the earth. As our close, I need you to hear me real clear when I say, that last one is the key that humility, that brokenness, but that third one, the gravitational key is praise. Our praise changes the atmosphere, not only in our lives but around us. Do you know, in the same way that a bad attitude can change other people around you right now, if you started, whatever, you know how that would affect somebody next to you? If you, whatever, negative words it affects people next to you, how much more would your praise? There's a hallelujah. There's one that affected some people around you. There's another one, thank you. There's another lifted hand.
What would your row look like if you started praising like God just showed up with an answer to the thing you've been waiting on? What would it sound like if God did, what you needed him to do? And what if the sound you're making now is gravity to heaven and draws heaven down? What if the sound of your faith-filled praise actually causes God to begin to move on your behalf? What if this is not emotion? What if it's Bible? What if it's Psalm 148? What if it's Psalm 150? What if praise the Lord actually gets God's attention? What if praising the Lord actually draws heaven down? What would you do? I got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. And if by chance you're here, and you're new, or maybe you're searching, and you're saying, hey, man, this sounds like a whole bunch of emotionalism, and I'm not real sure about that, hey, let me tell you, I don't dishonor that.
Everybody has a right to be where they are. But let me tell you from my own life, in my most broken moments, I don't know how but I had the strength to praise God in the middle of it. In the middle of my mother's stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis, tears in my eyes. I lifted my hands and thanked God for her healing. And I'm telling you, God showed up. And in a miracle moment, saved her life. I don't presume to tell you that it'll work out that way for everybody, but it did work for me. And I believe if he can do it for me, and I know I didn't deserve it, God can do the same for you. Your praise can work wonders in your life. If you believe that gravity is a natural law, know that it's also a spiritual law and what you speak, it's got to come back to you.
And if you say, Jesus, I need you in the middle of this. Jesus at the center of it all, from my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the center, can my heart really reach the heavens? Yes, through my praise. Can my heart reach heaven? Yes, through my prayers, yes, through my worship, and if that's the case, then heaven responds with the answer to my prayers. Heaven responds with a yes and an amen for every promise of God is in him yes and amen through Christ Jesus. Tonight, may you be reminded that you are not bound by gravity. When your praise goes up, God catches it. Your praise doesn't come back down here. He sends answers back. He sends miracles back, healing back. So be encouraged tonight. Gravity is a principle in the natural and the spiritual. Your life's about to change, your humility, your brokenness, and your praise, have turned the tide of the battle in your favor. Bless God, if you believe it.