Michael Todd - If You Say So
Oh, come on, Transformation Church! Let’s give God some praise! Oh, come on, today! You’ve been waiting all week for this! I dare you to lift your voice in your home and give God a shout of praise! Hallelujah! Some of you are praising Him right now because you made it to this week, but we are praising Him here at Transformation Church for 22 years of faithfulness, six years of my being the pastor, and more than that, the God who has anchored us before is the God who anchors us now and the God who will anchor us in the future. Somebody say, «I’m anchored!»
I just want to take a moment and say thank you. Thank you for being a church that has had crazy faith, following me for the past six years. I know some of you just started this journey with us this year or last year, but we have been believing God in crazy faith for the past six years and for 22 years before that when the bishop heard from God to start this church. Today, as thousands of people celebrate with us, we just want to give God all the glory, honor, and praise.
The reason I am saying this is that someone always asks, «Why do you celebrate so much? Why do you always make a big deal out of something?» It goes back to something in the Word: whenever God performed a miracle, the children of Israel would set up memorials; they would do something to remember what God had done. The reason they did this, the reason I bring my children up, is that over time, people can forget God’s goodness.
Some of you are sitting there in doubt and frustration right now, and all you really need to do is think about how God brought you through another season, and that would bring gratitude and joy out of you right now. He told the children of Israel, «When your children ask, 'What is that? Why did you do this? What is this picture from? What is this Instagram post? '» They used rocks to make their memorials, and it was an opportunity to rehearse God’s goodness. The only reason we celebrate anniversaries is to celebrate God’s goodness.
Some of you need to decide that today is your anniversary. There’s nothing special that makes it an anniversary except someone decided, «Uh-oh.» I remember when the bishop decided, and I remember when I decided. Today, you might need to decide that today is the last day you will sit in doubt. You can declare, «Today is my anniversary. Today is the last day that I will be stricken by poverty.» And somebody said, «It’s my anniversary!»
Somebody needs to decide today is the last day I stand with fear in my heart because I’m going to walk in freedom. Somebody say, «It’s my anniversary!» I’m telling you right now, stop! Don’t push me! What I’m saying is that the reason we’re celebrating today is that this marks the anniversary of God’s faithfulness to this church. Anything you’ve ever liked or loved about Transformation Church didn’t start here; it started with someone making a decision to stay faithful when everybody left, to stay faithful when no one was cheering or clapping.
Today, I am grateful that we are here, and more than that, I am grateful that you are here. The Bible tells us so clearly in Esther chapter four why we named this gathering «What a Time to Be Alive.» Esther was in a situation where she had the opportunity to save an entire people group. Someone told her, «Perhaps, maybe the reason you are alive right now in 2021 is for such a time as this.»
When I look at how the church has shut down and how God has done all these things, exploding our ministry in the middle of a pandemic, all I could think is, «Maybe God made this church for such a time as this!» Somebody say, «For such a time as this!» My response to God, knowing all the hardships and frustrations going on, is that we were born for this time right now. I decided to take a stance of joy and faith, no matter what comes. My response is, «What a time to be alive!»
I’m not coming to this saying, «Oh God, what are you going to do?» I was born for such a time as this! So, what a time to be alive! Somebody needs to declare this over themselves because it’s a faith statement. No matter how dark it is, you were born for such a time as this. With the brokenness, with the hurt, with nobody seeing you, you were born—I’m prophetically speaking to someone right now. You were born for such a time as this!
So, what will be your response? «What a time to be alive!» I’m alive in the season God called me to make a difference! I may not have everything figured out, but I’m alive in the moment God chose me to be an answer. God only births answers; you are meant to be an answer to something, and that means there has to be a question. The world is asking a lot of questions, and God sent you as the answer. So, I encourage you to declare, «I’m an answer!» No, say it like you mean it, «I’m an answer!» Say, «My family’s an answer!» You might need to believe it! Say, «My family’s an answer!» Maybe you were born for such a time as this. The rest of this week, the rest of this month, the rest of this year, don’t question if you have a purpose; declare, «I was born for such a time as this!»
It might not be fully clear to me what I was born to do—I didn’t know I would be doing this. Anyone who thinks about what they wanted to be when they grew up didn’t say «pastor,» but God knew deep within my DNA He made me for such a time as this. All I’m trying to do is encourage you because maybe you came to this moment wondering about all the celebration.
You’re about to celebrate soon, too, because someone is going to step into their prophetic calling today. Oh, you don’t hear me! Some church, some pastor, some wife, some husband is going to step up and say, «I’m done wishing to be something else. I’m done thinking about what could have happened.» I was born for such a time as this! So, what a time to be alive! Today, I’m grateful because I know I was born for this moment, in my frustration, in my not knowing, through everything that’s happened. I was born for this moment as an example to let you know you were born for this moment. Thank you, Transformation Church—we’re just getting started!
That’s a scary statement to make, but it’s been six years, and we’re just getting started! Stick with me for the next ten years, and let’s see if we can turn the whole world upside down! If you’re with me in crazy faith, can we give God one more big shout of praise? Oh, you all better help me right now! Glory to God! Alright, some of you know that God has truly blessed this church to do things that are outside the box. The vision of this church is to represent God to the lost and found for transformation in Christ. Today, we’re going to take some trips down memory lane. I’ve got a word to preach to you, and we’re going to do this whole thing; you are going to be anchored and encouraged!
But one thing I get to share transparently with you is the process we’ve been through. I remember going to our finance director the first year I became the lead pastor of the church, saying, «I’ve got this great idea, this vision from God; we’re going to start a lifestyle brand, not church merch, a lifestyle brand, and everybody’s going to be wearing these things that say 'represent' on them!»
They looked at me and said, «We don’t have the money for that. God bless you; we can’t do that right now.» I said, «Fine.» And so, what I did is I asked myself, «Are you going to let the 'no' stop you from building what I called you to build?» I said, «No!» I took my own money and started printing «represent» on the back of every jacket.
I would go to all these churches, preach, and people would see «represent» on my jacket and say, «Hey, that’s cool! Where is that from?» For six years, I have gone everywhere and put the vision of this church on my chest and printed «represent» on the back of my jackets and shirts. Today is a huge day for us because we reach a point where we have the infrastructure and the team to launch this to the entire world.
I want you to know that at 2:00 PM today, the Blackout Collection will be officially available to everyone! You’ve been asking for it; don’t play me like that! But more than clothing, this is a calling, and God wants a bunch of walking billboards in your area of influence. I’m believing prophetically that these pieces of clothing are going to spark conversations, that people will be saved through them!
People will recognize and see someone in a «represent» shirt as they are coming out of the club, and it will convict them, reminding them of what God said to them in a different season and bringing them back to repent. I’m just praying that miracles will happen because it’s not just clothing; it’s a calling! I want you to see the full visual trailer of what God has called me and you to do—to be the light in the midst of darkness!
Check this out: Darkness—the total absence of light, a lack of illumination. The human eye is unable to distinguish anything in this condition. Darkness: wickedness, evil—the depths of the heart that cause deception. When the world is stuck in the same pattern, it’s easy to conform. Darkness has become the new norm—lost at sea, swallowed up by the storm. Will you continue to ignore what God has called you to transform? You are called to be the light! He will give you strength when you feel weak and vision when your sight is obscured. Will you step up and be the light in the darkness? This is not clothing; this is a calling! Represent! Glory to God!
That will be available today at 2 PM, and we’re going to represent all over the world! Is anybody ready for the word? Alright, today, I want you to get out your smartphones, your dumb phones, your notepads. I need you to get out everything because today, God is giving me a specific word! I was working on a message the entire week, and last night, God switched it up. This morning He refined it, and I am ready to preach to you because we are in week five of a series we’re calling «Help Me Anchor.» Somebody say it one more time: «Anchor!»
That is the word for this year. How many people have been seeing anchors in different places? How many have been seeing them? It’s been everywhere because I believe God is sending confirmation to you that this year, He wants us to be tied to something that cannot be moved in the midst of the storm! And I’m telling you clearly, God is continuing to reveal Himself with revelation through this series. I’m grateful for everyone here today. If this is your first time watching, if someone told you that you had to watch to date them, that’s a good person; you should line your life up and marry them!
But whatever the reason you are here, it is a divine appointment. God has been working in your life to make this moment happen! Today, through transparency and God’s Word, what we aim to do is present to you a better way of living so that you can be everything that God intended for you to be. I don’t know who I’m talking to right now, but someone is at the end of their rope and is sick and tired of what has been going on. You’re frustrated and tired of staying in the same place. Today, God is saying—He’s been telling us for the past four weeks—that He wants to be your anchor.
He wants to be the thing you tie your life to, the thing that is stable—not money, not success, not even your relationships. His name is Jesus, and He is the rock of ages. He can take your past and use it for your future if you give it to Him and allow Him to be your anchor.
Today, I want us to take a little deeper journey because last week we decided that we were going to be in the deep. We told everyone, «You know what? The shallow is not safer; we are going to go to the place that God has called us to.» Whatever that means, we probably won’t have control. That’s how I’m standing here right now. Do y’all think that I planned this? Do you think I knew what was going to happen? God was going to do something with my life. Six years ago, I decided to push off the shore and go into the deep. In the deep, God does things that can only be described as miracles.
So today, I want to walk with you through the disciples in Luke chapter 5, verse 3. I want you to look that up in your Bible. Oh, this is about to be good! It says, «Jesus stepped into one of the boats, and he asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water.» So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. In verse 4, when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon—like he’s saying to me and you now—"Go out where it’s deeper.» So it’s not enough for me just to have Jesus around me; I need to go out where—say it one more time—deeper! Then he gives them a different instruction: «Let down your nets to catch some fish.»
Now, I need to give you context for what we’re talking about right now. These are professional fishermen; these are people who catch fish all the time. According to society and culture, they would have some level of success. However, they are in a situation where God is asking them to deny what they know to follow his instructions. If you’re going to go into the deep, what you know doesn’t matter as much. Some of you are in a place where you think that your education, your pedigree, and the family you came from matter—whether you went to an HBCU, an Ivy League school, or a Christian college—it doesn’t matter. There is a level in the deep where whatever you know doesn’t matter because many of us are trying to allow our qualifications to anchor us. But your qualifications—no matter how much money you have in the bank—you can’t heal cancer. I don’t care how many people have your cell phone number; there are certain doors that only God can unlock. Too many of us have been trying to position ourselves when God is saying, «Hold on, you need me to be with you in the deep.»
He’s asking these professionals to go and do something they know how to do. Has God ever asked you to do something that you thought you could do without him? I’m trying to help you because many of us are about to walk into another space where you need to mentally and emotionally position yourself to be out of control. I’m not saying to do wild things; I’m saying you’re not the one making the decisions.
The reason why God wants us to go into the deep is this: God does the dynamic in the deep. There are dynamic miracles he wants to perform that he cannot do with you at the low level of Christianity where you’re at right now. There are dynamic things that God wants to do in your marriage, but you still have pride. He says you need to launch out deeper into humility. Oh, you thought this was something impractical? What God is asking you to do is to become more like him—not to be like culture, but to be more like Christ. So when they mess you over, God is saying, «Come out into the deep and bless them anyway.»
All I’m challenging you with right now is that God wants you to come into the deep because there are dynamic things he wants to do. Do you know why the church seems so powerless right now? It’s because we’ve stopped doing dynamic things in the house of God. We’ve stopped maximizing signs, miracles, wonders, and prophecy. I really feel this; I have to say this. I feel like the spirit of prophecy is coming back so strongly to this church, and I don’t know how else to describe it. I know some of you are thinking, «Prophecy? What is he talking about? Is this psychic?» No, this is divine inspiration and intelligence from God to speak things into the future for encouragement—to let you know that God is ready to do dynamic things. And he’s so good that if we would be open to being in the deep, he would send someone to tell us what’s going to happen before it happens. He will send you places, and things, and voice notes, and people in his word to give you a foreshadowing.
I’m talking about the dynamics. They don’t want to hear about this, Travis; they want to hear about the cool stuff. But that doesn’t save anyone! It’s miracles, signs, and wonders. It’s your marriage on the brink of divorce, but God steps into that situation and allows you to experience a miracle. God wants to do the dynamic, but the dynamic only happens in the deep.
Can I be transparent with you? There is this tension because people and culture can accept my message if I start pandering to them from this platform. I’m going to say something that most people won’t like: I will never do what’s politically correct from this platform; I will only do what is biblically correct. So if you don’t like it when I say something about the silhouette challenge or modesty, click it off. But as for me and my house, I’m so sorry—I’m so sorry that you want me to be politically correct, but I will be biblically correct. I will not stand with your Instagram followers before God. They missed it! It will be me and Jesus, and he will ask, «What did you do with the influence I gave you?»
And I’m telling you, I want the dynamic in my life. I want to be able to speak to things that are dying and see them come back to life. I want to tell situations that are trying to wither away to stand up and live. I want to speak to your marriage; I want to write it in book form; I want to set it to music. I want the dynamic! But the only place dynamic happens is in the deep.
Somebody say «signs,» «miracles,» «wonders.» This is what’s going to get the world saved! The millennial generation is wondering how to Instagram this, but this is the stuff you don’t have to say anything about. I just feel another sense of authority to speak to this generation. We will not be powerless! On this six-year anniversary, I’m declaring that we’re about to step into the deep and see God do things nobody thought were possible.
This is a clarion call for a generation of people that don’t want to just sit around having Bible studies, then go out and watch pornography and live the same. I’m talking to those who say, «Yeah, I dealt with it, and yeah, it had control over me, but the power of the Holy Spirit came over my life, and I went to the deep. Something changed inside of me, and I became different!» Now I have the ability to reach back in grace, to reach back with mercy, and bring other people. I want the dynamic because it’s only found in the deep.
Can I prove it? Charles, when I talk about prophecy, many people were impacted by what happened last week when we had the water on the stage and all the different things God did. I was so grateful to be part of that. But do you know what I found out last night when the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let up off me? He said, «Michael, there was a woman who came last year and prophesied to you.» I was like, «Okay, God.» He said, «Find that prophecy.» Last night at 10 o’clock, I called my mama—this is the truth! I said, «Mama, do you remember the lady who came and prophesied?» I didn’t remember what she said, but God wouldn’t let me forget that I needed to find this prophecy. I found that prophecy at 10:30 last night!
Oh, I love God! He said, «I want you to listen to it.» So, me and Natalie are lying in bed, and she says this one line that made my pregnant wife sit up. She said, «Are you serious?» I want you to hear what happened last week. God spoke in exact form a year ago because he wanted me to know that what he’s doing in my life, in this church, and in your life is going to be dynamic. If you’ve never thought prophecy was real, take a listen to this and see that God wants to do the dynamic in the deep.
After that, it says music can never leave you; it’s just in you. It’s piped into you as much as you preach; you keep hearing these songs. You keep hearing this song, and it’s getting ready to lead to a whole production. You can literally envision yourself preaching and producing everything: the sound, the clouds, and the effects. It’s like it’s going to be too amazing! The closest I can compare it to is if you ever went to Vegas and saw that show where they transform the stage into water—that’s the kind of spectacular production you’re wired for!
Oh, you don’t even want to see! Almost to the date a year ago, God sent a dynamic person in the deep to tell me, «I’m taking you deeper.» I never thought what happened last week would occur, but she said even down to the clouds and the water—it’s a big production! We didn’t even have this a year ago, but God sent a word to remind me that he was thinking about the dynamic while I was still in the shallow.
I don’t know who has been okay with remaining in the shallow, but God has dynamic on his mind, and the dynamic only happens in the deep. Nature itself tells us that there are certain creatures you will never see until you go to the deep. We want fish we can put in a tank, but this is what God wants—some of our 2021 to look like!
Put that picture on the screen for me! This is the type of dynamic creation God has waiting under the surface for you. What if that was your business? What if that was your family’s generational wealth? You may have been raised in a certain life, but what if God calls you to go to the deep to present something that’s never been seen before?
I want you to look at this darker picture right here: that’s a boat next to the tail of a whale. I want you to see that the dynamic God wants to do in your life means you have to make a decision to go to the deep. The only reason we’re sitting here as a church is that I decided I’m going to the deep. «Come on, well, no black person has ever done that before.» I just have to believe what he said to me—that we’d be a multi-ethnic, multiplying, multi-generational, multi-campus church!
I guess I’ll just say it; I’m just going to launch out into the deep. I guess everyone won’t go with me, but I guess I’ll still go. I’m trying to use my life as we celebrate this anniversary as a marker. There is no qualification that separates me from you. Many pastors want you to feel they’re better than you, but I need you to know I am not better than you. I am at the same level as you. I still have to love my wife; I still need to guard against temptation; I still have to pray to maintain a relationship with God. I still get mad, and I still want to slap people who cut me off—let’s be honest! The only difference is that I decided I’m going to live in the deep.
So if God calls the church to 21 days of prayer and fasting and whispers to me for 45 days, I chose to live in the deep. When everyone in my family doesn’t want to reconcile, and God says, «You go apologize first,» I respond, «But it wasn’t my fault!» He says, «But you’re my servant.»
I’ve decided to live in the deep. Can I give you another point? Write this down—some of you think God is trying to toy with you, make you struggle, or just watch you suffer. No, baby! Everything God does is with design, from the very creation of the sun and the moon that rise like clockwork on different sides of the earth to the orbit that is now in place from one word he spoke. God is a master craftsman and builder, and I want you to know that the deep situation you’re in—even if you got yourself into it—if you would give him control, let him be your anchor, the deep has a design.
There’s never a time God calls you to the deep that he’s not designing something special. The deep has—everybody say it—a design! There are certain things that will not come out of you without the deep. And there are certain things that God can’t do in you until you no longer have control. Do you know how daunting it was to step in for Bishop Gary McIntosh? Did y’all see Bishop? He’s white; he’s conservative in his communication. He’s powerful; he makes wise, calculated decisions. He does all his stuff, and then he hands it to me. At the time, I felt that I had to be like him. If you watch any of my old footage, I wore suits every Sunday—pink, yellow, blue, green—I had every kind of suit you could imagine because, for some reason, I thought if I was going to be deep, I had to be in his design.
See, what you’re trying to do is approach the deep thing the way God designed someone else to do it. You’re trying to fit into the mold that this church did, or that company did, or that brand did, or that creative did. And God says, «My deep has a design for you.» I didn’t come into who I was until I fully stepped into the deep waters God called me to. He said, «I designed the deep to bring something in and out of you.» I think I need to give you the progression because a lot of y’all want to go to the deep, but you think you’re deep when you’re not there yet. I’m drawing a parallel from what God did with the disciples because it is our ultimate goal to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
So let me help you understand the progression of going into the deep; this is going to help somebody real quick. First, when it comes to your relationship with God, you will initially be distant. Many of you are acting like you are close to God, but you really are distant. God is fine with you being distant as long as you listen because He will draw you in close. Some people watching me right now did some crazy stuff this weekend; the truth of the matter is, you don’t even know how you’re up right now watching this after the bed you snuck out of last night. It’s okay; you’re distant. I don’t expect people who do not know God to act like they know God, and Christians, y’all should really be more aware.
Why are you expecting these people to do what the Bible says? It’s all good, and the truth is, I was there too. I was just worse because I was a lukewarm Christian claiming to actually be in a relationship with God while still being distant. Check yourself. But the progression is distance. Then, like He asked Simon Peter, «Can I step into your boat?» All He asked him was, «Maybe you’re distant, but now can we move to another progression? Can I dwell in your boat?» See, that’s the progression I’m supposed to go through from distance; then Jesus asks me. That’s why salvation is not a forced thing; it’s something that He asks you: «Do you want this?» The same way He asked Simon Peter, «Can I get on your boat?» Simon could have said, «No, what are you talking about, bro? It’s my boat; I’m fishing from this boat!» But something in him said, «Yeah, come on to my boat!»
The same way God is calling and asking you, «Can I get on your boat? Can I dwell here?» After He dwells there and finishes teaching the people around, this is the thing about God. I’m going to give you a secret; come here, let me help you. God doesn’t dwell in silence. When God gets in your life, He wants to direct you. Watch this: these people were distant, then they let Jesus onto the boat so He could dwell. Then, His automatic thing after He finished teaching was, «Hey, why don’t we go a little deeper?» God will never leave you in the same place He found you; He always wants to direct you. Guess where He wants to direct you? To the deep! It goes from distance to dwelling to directing you. And some of you, I feel this so strongly, God has been directing you this whole year: «Stop doing that; start doing that; give a little more; shut up.»
Oh, did you know that your opinion can keep you from obedience? Did you know that? You get so much self-love from telling everybody what you think, and it’s just your opinion. And God’s prophetic word for you coming from Pastor Mike is to shut up because this is the time He wants to develop something in you. There will be a time when He’ll ask for something from you, but right now, He wants to develop it in you. That’s why God says, «Yeah, you were distant, but now I want to dwell and direct you, and I’m always going to direct you into the deep.» And when He directs you into the deep, these disciples go to the deep. I’m just trying to give you a progression, and then something happens. He gives them a decision, and this is where I want to camp out today because I’ve gone through every one of these phases.
And some of you are right here. I want you to identify where you are right now. Are you distant from God? Has God stepped onto your boat? Does He dwell with you, but are you still in control, and He can’t direct? I just need you to ask, because some of you are sitting here; go ahead, pass the mic. But God has told you to move ahead, and you’re still right there. Has He been able to direct you? The truth is, God only directs you to the deep, and now you have a decision to make. That’s what happened here; you all didn’t see it. He literally tells them that they’ll have to decide to do something they’ve already done. Remember, they’re fishermen; Jesus tells them to go out deeper, and then He tells them to cast their nets on the other side.
Can I help you real quick? You need to know this: the decision will lead to you becoming a disciple. But this is where people mess up. You have to make the decision every day to obey God. Let me say it like this: every decision in the deep has to be anchored in obedience. It must be anchored in obedience. I know this frustrates everyone because some of you are about to tune out right now because you want the water and the lights, but God wants you to obey. I came to tell you that the success people think I have comes from always obeying what God said. I’m standing here right now, and I can think of time after time that God asked me to do something that was not glamorous, not fun, something I did not want to do. I had made a decision before I even came to that choice that I would be anchored in obedience. You need to understand how powerful this decision is: that you would be anchored in obedience. Let me give you just a few instances where I was anchored in obedience.
There was a music company that came to me, asking me to produce for one year. This is my passion; this is what I was a professional at. Like these disciples, this is what I knew I was called to do, and they said, «We’ll pay you one hundred thousand dollars.» I was 23 years old. «We’ll pay you one hundred thousand dollars to come produce for one year.» A hundred thousand dollars! When that was all in my cupboard, it was raining noodles, chicken, and beef McDoubles and McChickens. Are y’all going to act like you weren’t there? There were a few years of my life that a McDouble, a McChicken, and a fry sustained me. If somebody offers me a hundred K, that, for most of you, would not even have been a thought! I prayed, and God said, «You have a decision to make.»
This was His ultimatum to me. Watch this; I’m trying to give you practical advice. I want the word to come alive. He said, «You’ll go listen, and you’ll be successful, but I’ll take My hand off of what you’re doing.» Most of us would take success over His hand. The only reason I can impact anyone is that I’ve stayed obedient to make sure I had His hand, His approval, His anointing. My question to you is, what are you doing that’s prospering, successful, and looks good on Instagram? I’m out here in the deep. No, you’re out there by yourself, and God is saying, «I need you to choose to obey. Be anchored in obedience.»
The hardest thing now is that, now that we have some level of success and impact, it doesn’t get easier to obey. You think once you get it—the building is here, the people are here, the cameras are here—and now, when the Super Bowl calls, we heard that you had the new song «Revelation Relationship Goals,» we want you to come perform this at the Gospel Super Bowl event! My answer to my assistant was immediately yes! What are we talking about? We get to perform this song that I made in my bedroom at the BET Gospel Celebration with the Super Bowl and Deshaun Watson; then what? Yes! But the Holy Spirit said, «You didn’t even ask Me.» Oh, you thought because it was a bigger platform that you didn’t have to go through Me as your filter.
I prayed about it and texted them back: «I said no, can’t do it.» They called back four times with better offers: «We’ll fly this guy here, we’ll do the production, this and that.» Oh my God! I mean, is it okay if we at least—no! Why? I want to let you know, in the deep, God doesn’t have to give reasons. He sees something you don’t see; He knows something you don’t know. And it didn’t mean it was bad; it just wasn’t for me at the time. No, I was anchored in obedience. They came back at the last minute and said, «Well, would you just pray and start the thing off?» I said, «God,» and He said yes, «you can pray.» «Lord, bless all the people that are about to kill it in the performance; Lord, and bless them. Amen.»
So last night, I was on BET, and I started the Super Bowl gospel thing, and I prayed. But today, I stand here in obedience, like y’all would have celebrated and posted if we had performed last night, and God would have been sitting with His arms crossed. Now, nobody’s posting about the prayer, but God is standing from heaven saying, «Oh, I dare somebody to really understand that the applause from God is better than anybody’s applause in the world.» And what God is saying is, «Can I find some people who are anchored in obedience?» I know this is messing with somebody’s insides. Are you really trying to figure out how to get out of this message? But what I want to tell you today is everything that God has done to impact the world was anchored in obedience.
Today, I’m encouraging you. Like the disciples, put yourself in their shoes right here. Master! Verse five, Simon replied, «Yeah, I know what you’re saying: go out in the deep and put the nets down, but I just want to…» God, You’re so gracious! I just want to let You know what happened last night. I just want to let You know what happened last time. I just want to let You know what happened last year. I just want to let You know what happened in my childhood. God, I know what you’re telling me to do in the deep, but I just want to let You know how damaged I was. I just want to let You know about the trauma that happened. «Master, we worked hard all last night and caught nothing.»
See, there will be times when you’re out here in the deep where God will ask you to do something you just did. And when He asks you to do something you just did, we have a decision to make. Remember what I said: we have a decision to make. Will we be anchored in obedience, or will we bring forth our complaints to the point where it makes us complacent? God has no problem hearing it; He still wants you to move. I have daughters right now: you can be talking while doing what I’m saying to do. You could be telling Daddy, «Why do I have to do this?» That’s fine, but make sure you pick it up. And God’s saying that many of us are trying to express our complaints to the point that it becomes an excuse.
See, when you start complaining enough, you think that validates how you feel, and you think that gives you a reason not to do what God said to do. But I’m coming to shake somebody out of your complacency right now that God has asked you to do something in the deep, and you’re telling Him what the last season produced, and He’s telling you to obey. Somebody’s pulling on me right now because you’ve been saying, «Well, the last church I worked at didn’t see my value; the last marriage produced no fruit.» And Simon said, «We worked hard all last night; we didn’t catch a thing.» But something rose up on the inside of him—a declaration. Somebody say «a declaration.»
A declaration is something that you say with confidence, no matter what the situation is saying to you. I have said this exact sentence over and over for six years as I have pioneered and tried to do things people told me weren’t possible. When we were going to buy the building, and when we were—we didn’t start. I even said it when God told me to go into the doctor’s office to declare to the physicians that are telling me my son won’t talk, and I’m saying, «He’s going to talk, and I’m going to bring him back to this place so you can see the miracle.»
This thing came out of me, and I want to give you a declaration for everybody in the deep. This isn’t for everybody, but some of you are making a decision to go deeper. I’m going to give you a decree or a declaration—something you can anchor yourself on that Simon gives us right here: «Look, Master, we worked all night and didn’t catch a thing, but if you say so.» But if you say so! That is a declaration drenched in faith. «I did it last night, but if you’re telling me to do it today, if you say so.» I’m not going to let what happened in another season keep me from obeying you in this season. «I went to counseling before, but I’ll go again—if you say so.» «I gave that crazy faith offering last time, and nothing happened.» «But you said I should give on a random March date that everybody else isn’t giving—if you say so!»
I want to give you a declaration for the deep: «If you say so.» Write it down! My declaration in the deep is «if you say so.» That is the language of the people who live in the deep! The stuff that God is showing me for the next six years, I can’t even quantify it. I can’t even begin to put some of it into words because you’re going to think I’m crazy. But what we’re experiencing right now is unbelievable! If I’d said it six years ago, so now my faith is not built on you, my faith is not built on finances, and my faith is not built on anything. My faith is built on an anchor, and His name is Jesus. So when He tells me something, my response is «if you say so!»
That should bring joy to somebody right now because there are some things that God has said about your family—that your whole family would be saved—and you just bailed Pookie out of jail. But if God says your family is going to be saved, you better jump in there with some faith and say, «If you say so!» He said you would own multiple houses and be able to bless others with them, and you look at your credit right now. You better agree with God and say, «If you say so!» God said that we would be able to impact the world with the gospel, and I would still be able to be home and be a loving father and a loving husband. «God, how do we do that?» «You got to travel; you got to do this!» No, no, no, no; I’m not consulting other seasons. I’m declaring by faith: «If you say so!»
And I don’t know what’s been in your life that you’ve been camping out on, declaring what happened last night. The disciples said, «We didn’t catch anything last night; it was a night of nothing.» And some of you have felt like you’ve just been in a night of nothing. Where’s my relationship? Where’s my wife? Where’s my husband? Where are the resources? Where are the connections? Where is the friend group? Where’s the healing? Where is my team? «God, I see everybody else with a team, but where are the people that are supposed to be Aaron and Hur for me? Like, where are the people?» «God, I’ve been this—I’ve sown the seed. You said if I would sow it, then I would reap it, but it’s been a night of nothing.» And then you say, «Serve again. Cast my nets on the other side. Do it again!»
I can imagine—hand me the net. I can imagine what those disciples must have felt like when they’re sitting there undoing the same utensils they used the night before—the same prayer spot you prayed at before, the same office you worked in last week, the same kids that you spoke over—and you still had to do something! This was the biggest faith act they could ever make. The same way that some of you, God is going to tell you, «Hey, forgive him again,» and the declaration is going to rise up on the inside of you: «If you say so!»
And I don’t know who I’m talking to right now, but some of you are about to give up because God has not given you new scenery yet. I want you to understand this: the miracle takes place in the very same spot where they caught nothing. I don’t know if you understand that God—everybody thought my season was changing. No, maybe it’s not. But the outcome can change! What if God does not remove you from the job but tells you what to do, and your declaration is «if you say so?» He takes you from being a non-valued member of the team to running the whole thing. God’s saying, «I may not change your season, but I’ll change your situation.» I need you to hear what I’m saying because there are so many people that are in a season of disappointment. Do you remember that the whole reason I believe Jesus wanted you to read the whole context of the story?
The whole reason Jesus wanted to use these men is because of what they were doing. Do you all remember what they were doing? Somebody, I don’t even remember because you never read this part of the Bible, but I’m encouraging you to go back and read this part of the Bible. The Bible is the one book that when you read it, it starts reading you. And this part messed me up; it literally said Jesus was preaching, and He saw them preparing their nets. So, I need you to know that you may not get it in chronological order, but they were out all night and didn’t catch anything. They came back to the shore, and instead of complaining about not catching anything, they were preparing because something in them said if it was a night of nothing, something else is going to happen today.
Jesus saw them, the Bible says, mending their nets—fixing their nets—in crazy faith. Many of us, when we get disappointed, quit and stop. Do you know how many times people walked up to me and said, «God’s using you, but me and my family are leaving?» What? How many people told me I should be open, that my building should be open, and that they were going to the church up the street because I’m not a man of God? What if I let the disappointment keep me from mending the nets, working on my character, and making sure that whoever is here, I’m pouring into them? Just making sure: let me just make sure that if there is anything that’s broken or tattered in me, that God, I’ll still be the one that’s usable. Then Jesus walks onto their boats and tells them to take their prepared nets.
Oh, Jesus didn’t supply the nets! That means if you’re not preparing something, you won’t have anything for God to use when it’s time for the miracle. The only reason I’m standing here is that I worked on my communication skills. The only reason I’m standing here is that I learned how to design. God was able to take the nets that I had already been preparing—decades of working on music productions—and today, we sang two songs that were written from this house: «Sustain» and «I Will.» Those songs were written out of this house because I wasn’t waiting on God to do something; I was preparing my nets.
Some of you are crying to be in the deep with no net, and so God says, «Alright, I want to do a miracle. What do you have to use?» He can’t use opinions; you’ve been cultivating that for years. He can’t use that! Have you been working on your administration skills? Have you been working on your singing ability? Have you been writing? Have you been caring for people? Have you been hosting people in your home? You need a mansion to host the people that God’s going to bring to you, but you won’t clean up your apartment enough to know how to do what you’re doing right now. You want a sprinter van to take people to church, but you’ve got a Honda Civic right now. Clean that thing up! Use the net that you have—the means you have right now—so the miracle can happen.
I know it’s disappointing; I know I’ve been there. The first year of my pastoring, I lost my entire staff except for one person and two part-timers. Is Tammy in the building? Tammy’s sitting right there! Tammy was the only person who worked for this ministry that God saw five years later would be this. But He took me through a dark season; in one year, everybody was gone: a graphic designer, you’re looking at him; the band director, right here; the marketing director, pastor? Yep. Literally, in that season, I did everything. I would walk into the office on Monday after preaching, just trying to figure out, did anybody get anything? God, are you using me at all? This sucks; I just—oh, I’m just done! Why? It’s dark!
How are you going to give me this big vision and I can’t see any of it? I walk into the back offices with this «If you say so» attitude. But you told me we would be multi-ethnic, multi-generational, multiplying, multi-cam. You said it, so if you say so! Hey team, hey team, Jan, Sally, Bobby, how are you? Kids! And Tammy would be the only person in the office, dying laughing. Am I telling the truth, Tammy? I would be like, «Oh, Da’Quann! What’s up, bro? I see you, dog! Those are some fly shoes!» Completely dark, but I had an «If you say so» mentality. Slowly but surely, I don’t even know everybody on our staff today. I walk into my office and people say, «Hey, Pastor!» and I think, «Who is that?» Not because I did something special—it’s because I kept preparing my nets.
I don’t know who this is for, but somebody, you threw your net aside, and God said, «I’m going to need that. I’m going to need that!» Like, I know you don’t see it now, but I’m going to need that! Write this down: «The disappointment in the darkness is always for development.» What God was teaching me in that dark season, in the deep, is that I was called to ministry besides anybody else. That’s what He was specifically teaching me. He was developing in me. Do you know it prepared me for this season? Do you know how hard it is to preach to know people? But I was prepared in this season to preach to know people because I had been leading nobody in the first year. No, I’m dead serious! I would give leadership talks and have things prepared and PowerPoints just for Tammy.
I was prepared; I was using what I had at the moment that I had it. God was preparing me in this season. What I’m telling you is the disappointing darkness that you’re in right now is for your development. Can I show you this example real quick, because somebody, this is going to help you, and we’re going to get out of here? This is what culture wants us to do. Culture tells us that we should take pictures with the most instant apparatus that we can use. So right now, if I wanted to take a picture, I would come in here and just go, «Boop!» I didn’t like that one; let me do more. Let me make a serious face, seriously smize! That’s what I would do. What ends up happening when you have a leader or somebody that’s trying to mentor you is they know that the instant is not the most productive way for you to get the full quality.
So people will come in and they’ll bring something like this, because we don’t really want it to take that long. But we’ll just come, «How do you turn this thing on? Is it on?» It’s on! Here we go; oh, there it is! What happens is, this is how we want people in our church to come out: «Wow, we took a—hold on, let me give one more.» «Ah, they weren’t as good.» «Okay, yeah, I need to see something immediately! Like, I can’t fully see it, but if we just give them a little time, they should be able to…»
And while we’re doing that, we’ll start something else. If it takes them too long, we’re going to throw them back. So we got Instagram; this is what culture tells us. Many times in the church, we want instant people. We want somebody to come out of the club on Friday, get saved on Sunday, be serving on the team by Wednesday, and speaking in tongues! And I know, I mean, that would be great! But if I look at the Word, God chooses to pick up something that has to be developed. So, if you take a picture with this—some of y’all don’t even know what this is—but what you have to do right here is go through a process. And take one more, get your smile right! Because we can’t just delete it! Oh, the flash didn’t work; I’m going to do the process again. «Where are the pictures? Let me see them! I need to post it; I need the world to see it!»
Now, the thing about the device God chooses to use is it has to go to the dark room. For anybody that knows, I would have to take the film out of this, and it would be taken through a process in the dark. Literally, no light can come into it, or it overexposes what God was trying to do. The reason you only know about me now is because for the past ten years I was in the dark room. Bishop knows it; Natalie knows it; Mom and Dad know it; Mama Dana knows it—we were in the dark room! I’m so glad you didn’t see me when I was preaching to youth because I was saying all kinds of stuff a pastor shouldn’t say! But God kept me in the dark room for development. I don’t know who I’m talking to right now, but the dark season, the night of nothing, is not for nothing!
The night of nothing, the dark season is for development. The crazy thing about it is I can see this picture now, and it looks like it’s the best quality and I can see this picture now, but for some reason, the photographer of our lives, the God who wants to display us, chooses not to use either one of these methods. He wants something that is developed! What are you saying, Pastor Mike? I need some people to come to the deep with me who want to be developed today. I didn’t want to shout about we made it, because I honestly feel like this is just the beginning! What God is asking all of us is: will we let the deep develop us? Will your character change by this time next month? That thing you’re about to argue about as soon as this service is over, God said, «Can I have it? Can I take a picture of you and say this is where you were today? But next year, this time, I can take another picture and it’ll show how much you’ve grown!»
Church, if you’re going to be a part of Transformation Nation, I’m asking you to go with me and dive deep! The world does not need another cookie-cutter Christian church. The world doesn’t need another church that’s riddled with scandal and fallen leaders, and we’re all susceptible—even me! If we don’t take hold of our anchor, and I just decided six years in, God has done everything that I’ve ever asked—plus more! So why would I start catering to the crowd at the moment that it’s inconvenient? I’ve decided we’re going to dwell in the deep. Look what happens: Luke chapter five, verse six. When they did what Jesus said—this time, «If you say so, if you say so, if you say so!"—their nets were so full of fish that they began to tear!
A shout, y’all get over here! A shout for help brought their partners in their boats, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. I had this thought: what if we were sinking for the right reasons? What would it look like if there was so much blessing coming to our life and our family that we had to be more generous because the blessing, we couldn’t contain it ourselves? What would happen if we walked in such anchored obedience that—y’all know that’s the story of our church, right? How we gave away millions of dollars? That was the overflow of obedience! We blessed 20 other churches with a hundred thousand dollars because I’ve done too much for you to carry on your boat! What does it look like?
My prayer for you is that you would start sinking for the right reasons—that God would bless you with so many connections that you would have to give some business to somebody else! That God would give you so much wisdom and insight that you would have to give your idea away! «I don’t even need to get paid for that! Y’all go use that! Y’all go do that! I got so much right here I can’t hold it all!» This is what happens in a day! They shouted, because in my Bible, what I read, write this down: «The deep doubles it.» They left with nothing in the boat, and at this moment, two boats are filled to sinking, which tells me if I allow God to develop me in the deep, He can bless us at a level where it was not just enough for us; it was double what we ever thought it was!
Pastor Mike, what are you saying? I’m standing in double everything me and Bishop ever talked about—every idea, every desire, everything we said one day it would be great if God would do this—and God doubled everything because we were obedient and anchored in the deep! Pastor Mike, give me another point! No, I’m trying to give you a principle: obey God! Just obey Him! Well, what about my family? It doesn’t matter; obey God! But what about the money? It doesn’t matter; obey God! I stand here today like the disciples, with the only qualification that we’re here today because God said so!
And I was like, «If you say so,» and cast my net on the other side. I obeyed, and He doubled it! Look at the rest of the story, though, because I want you to see this is the part I intentionally wanted. We could be shouting all over this place right now. Like, «He’s all that!» And I could do all of that. I just wanted, at six years, for us to mature just a little bit to see what the real purpose of this was. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees in repentance before Jesus. «Oh Lord, please leave me! I’m such a sinful man!» God’s blessing can expose how deep and dark you are, and God is not opposed to your mess. Look at him; he says, «For he was awestruck by the the number of fish that he had caught"—I swear the others with him, his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, «Don’t be afraid. I did all of this for a reason; there was a design to this. From now on, I just wanted to do something natural so that you could see who I really was. From now on, Mike, the only reason I gave you this building, the only reason that there are twenty thousand, thirty thousand people watching, is that I’m going to make you fish for people.» From now on, huh? This was all a big experiment to show me what really mattered: you blessing my home, my business, and my health, you bringing my kids; all that other stuff was so that I could actually follow you.
Look at the last part of the verse; I love this. Go up just a little bit; it says to the disciples right there, and as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. The biggest successful day in the history of their business, they caught 153 fish, and when they got to the land, they didn’t take selfies of the fish, they didn’t have a fish fry, they didn’t go to market and make the money; they left everything and followed Jesus. Could the most successful thing about your life be the smallest thing in comparison to the life God has planned for you to live? I am standing here and I keep saying that because I’m in awe of God right now. I’m standing here, ready to give everything I ever wanted up to follow Jesus and win more people to him.
Last point: the deep makes disciples and changes destinies. I’m in a room full of people whose destinies have changed because Bishop decided that he was going to go to the deep. I was 13 years old when he and Pastor Debbie decided to start Greenwood Christian Center, and while I was probably trying to get on AOL and look at pornography—can we be real? —while I was trying to prove myself and be all this other stuff, going through what teenagers go through, God spoke to a man and woman to push off the shore and go to the deep. For 16 years, they dwelled in the deep and they saw me. They were one of those; when the boat was breaking, they said, «Hey, come here,» and we got to experience a miracle together.
And God said, «Now leave all of that. Leave the music, leave all the stuff, and I’m going to make you represent me to the lost and found for transformation in Christ. It’s time to go fishing.» God gave me this vision, and today I’m honored to stand here knowing that I went through this process. Can you put that whole process back up on the screen for me real quick? I was distant from God; then I let him step on my boat, and we started dwelling together. But it took a real anchor to obedience to let him direct me. Once he directed me, he took me to the deep, and once he took me to the deep, I had a decision to make. Now, I can stand here six years in, and you can stand there at your home right now and you can say boldly that you’re a disciple.
This is where I want everybody to get to the place where you can follow God no matter the situation. What a time to be alive! The only reason I can say that is because now I’m convinced that my «yes» has made me a disciple and changed other people’s destinies connected to you. Professor Mike, start the confetti! No, I want you to be consecrated. I want you to live a life that, at the end of it, if I die before I get old, I don’t want it to be said that, «He almost reached his potential. God really was about to use him,» and I don’t want it to be said about you today. I want to pray that you would get the spirit of, «If you say so.» Hands lifted all over the world right now. Yep, God, you’ve used this story; you used this story of my life and Bishop’s life as honestly a mirror to let people know what you will do with a bunch of people who will go to the deep and make a decision. «If you say so, I’ll do it.»
God, I thank you that irrational, illogical obedience begins to rise up in your sons and daughters today as we celebrate, Father God, 22 years of ministry in six years of me being the pastor. I’m just asking that you would keep my «if you say so» intact, that I would not drift. I believe that’s the reason you gave me and this church the word «anchored.» Father God, I thank you that this is just the beginning for my sister or my brother, that every dark area of their life is for their development. I thank you, Father, that there is a breaking of a new day coming right now in the name of Jesus. I declare and I believe, Father God, that they feel you close to them. Father God, for what you’ve done, how you’ve done it, and what you’re about to do—Father, we anchor on you. Have your way! Have your way!
Come on, somebody, just say that out of your mouth: have your way, God! Have your way in my life, God! Have your way in my family, God! So many things that I want to do and I want to say—God, I’m in the deep end. Only you can direct me out here; have your way! God, somebody just say it again: have your way, God! This is a dangerous prayer to pray, but some of you are deciding at this moment that you’re going to let God have His way. Somebody say, «Have your way, God!» That means He can change anything in you; He can change your identity, He can change your ideas, He can change everything. Somebody say, «Have your way in me, God!»
I’m praying that you would have your way in this church today. I submit anew and afresh to you, God. Thank you for bringing us to this place, but I’m anchored on you for everything you do from this point forward. I’m not doing it to impress anybody, God, I’m doing it to impact people for your kingdom. Thank you that this church will be fishers of men. I’m declaring, Father, even as this clothing goes out, and even as people begin to share this message and what God is doing here, about us being anchored—God, I’m asking that the spirit of evangelism would rise up in Transformation Nation. Father, you don’t care about our mountain bank accounts; you care about souls in the Lamb’s Book of Life. God, I thank you—oh, thank you, Jesus! —that there would be a mass. We thought we saw 29,000 salvations last year; Father God, that was a different season. God, it’s not even worthy to be compared to what you’re about to do in this church and through your church.
God, I’m asking you that you would allow us not to be complacent. What a time to be alive, to be the church for such a time as this! Today, God, the way I’m ending this service is by saying thank you. Just thank you, thank you, that we can be your voice and speak to people and let them know that you have a plan designed for them. I pray against every lie of the enemy that is trying to take people out just because they’re in a disappointing season. You will live and not die; with long life, God is going to satisfy you! Everything that your hands touch in this new season as you cast your net on the other side is going to produce so much fruit, others will be blessed. I just thank you, Father, that you will be glorified for everything that Transformation Church ever does! You get the glory, you get the honor, and you get the praise. In Jesus' name we agree.
God, I’m asking you that you would allow us not to be complacent. What a time to be alive, to be the church for such a time as this! Today, God, the way I’m ending this service is by saying thank you. Just thank you, thank you, that we can be your voice and speak to people and let them know that you have a plan designed for them. I pray against every lie of the enemy that is trying to take people out just because they’re in a disappointing season. You will live and not die; with long life, God is going to satisfy you! Everything that your hands touch in this new season as you cast your net on the other side is going to produce so much fruit, others will be blessed. I just thank you, Father, that you will be glorified for everything that Transformation Church ever does! You get the glory, you get the honor, and you get the praise. In Jesus' name we agree.
If you agree, can you put your hands together all over this world? And now can you add your voice to it and give God a shout of praise! Hallelujah! Thank you, God. So, so, so, I want to let everybody know this is my commitment: As we go to the deep, like we’re out here now—we’re out here. What I’m asking you is to stay with me. I’m going to go ahead and tell you about the next series. I have one more message in this next week, okay? I’m going to be very honest with you. The next week’s message probably is one of the most pointed messages I’m going to speak in this series, so I need everybody to be here next week. But this is what God’s telling me right now to challenge you: the deep is a little uncomfortable. The series after that, we’re going to talk about financial stewardship—welcome to the deep!
And see, every time we do this type of series and we talk about financial stewards, I’m just going to tell you the attendance goes down 15 to 20 percent because we find people in the kiddie pool, the area that we won’t let God direct us in. I’m challenging you: stay with me. Don’t swim back to shore this year; I’m going to just go ahead and tell you the next two series because God is literally—this whole year we’re going to be progressing to the deep. This is not going to be like, «And now God changed it, and that’s it.» No, no, no—we’re going to do a financial stewardship series, and then I’m doing nine to ten weeks on the Holy Spirit. Yeah, like, I’m not sure how we’re going to live this life without power! Y’all are burning sage and doing all this other stuff; you ain’t got no real power! I’m going to show you how Jesus, when he went to the cross, left us something better than Him being on this earth; His name is the Holy Spirit! Like, welcome to the deep!
In 2021, we’re going to make the deep things very simple, and we’re going to allow transformation to take place in your life. Amen? If you’re here and you’re distant from God and you want Him to dwell, all you have to do is ask Him into your heart. It’s the greatest decision I ever made; it took me from being a liar, a manipulator, somebody who was addicted to pornography, somebody who had really bad things in their heart, couldn’t see people the right way, only wanted to do things for myself. It didn’t make me a perfect man, but it made me a progressing man. Last week, over a thousand people got saved because they decided—just in one week—over a thousand people got saved because they decided they didn’t want to be distant anymore, but they wanted God to dwell.
And today is the day of salvation for you! This is not another time; this is the moment! This is your moment where God’s inviting you: push off the shore and come with me. It’s the greatest decision I’ve ever made in my whole life, and today, if you want to make that decision, I want you to pray with me. I need you to identify yourself because I just need you to say, «Yeah, that’s me, Pastor. I want you to include me in that prayer.» On the count of three, I just want you to slip your hand up no matter who’s sitting next to you. And I need the church to pray; I need you to pray in your homes. Somebody’s life is in the balance right now, and we want to believe as a church that they are going to make the decision for Jesus. One, you’re making the greatest decision that you could ever make! Two, I’m so proud of you; more than that, your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Three, just slip your hand up all over the world.
Come on, hands all over the world! Glory to God! Put your hand down right there! You see, religion would tell you you need to confess everything today and do all this stuff, but God is the only one that says, «If you would give me your heart, I’ll help you change your habits.» Today, God is coming into your situation, and He’s going to help you dwell in the deep. Transformation Church, you already know the drill! We don’t pray alone! There are people making a decision for Christ for the first time, so we’re going to pray this prayer all together for the benefit of those coming to Christ right now. Come on, everybody say:
God, thank you for sending Jesus to be my anchor. Today I give you my life. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again just for me. You have a design for my life, and I’m going to find out what it is. Change me, renew me, transform me. I’m yours. In Jesus' name, amen.