Michael Todd - The 3 Habits For Here
Welcome to Transformation Church! It’s Anniversary Sunday. Is anybody excited? Amen, amen, amen! Well, we are in week three of a series we are calling «Here is Hope.» Now, look down; are you where you want to be? That’s the question I have to ask you today: are you where you want to be? The truth of the matter is that for most of us, the answer is no. Some might even say, «Heck no!»
And some of you looking bougie might be like, «Oh my God, some of you are not where you want to be.» Okay, let’s be honest. How many people in this room are exactly where they want to be? Watching online, how many people are not where they want to be? Hands lifted in the chat are going crazy! Okay, cool. But what if I told you that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be? See, when you start walking on this Christian path, your wants become less and less important. I’m going to say something to you that your mama should have told you: it doesn’t matter what you want; it matters what God wants for you. And what if where you are right now—everybody say «Here"—is exactly the tension that God has placed on your life for the destiny He is trying to prepare you for?
And this is not a sexy word; this is not a word for people who want three points and a poem to go home feeling better and live the same way. This is a message today in week three. This is the big boy table, grown-up food. Get your steak knife and your fork—not the little one for the salad—get it out because we are about to cut through this thing! I may have some offensive news for you: «Here» is a part of the place that God ordained for you to be. What if, when He wrote your life, He said, «I’m going to allow the betrayal?» No, Jesus would never do that. In His own pack, He had Judas.
Now, if anybody could have avoided betrayal, it would be Him. But why would He ordain a Judas? Judas did what he had to do. See, nobody likes this part of Scripture, but what if Judas was right in the will of God? You’ve got to read your Bible again. It literally tells us when Judas did what he was supposed to do; it was the only way they could find Jesus so that He could go and be the propitiation for our sins and pay our bill for eternity.
What if them leaving you was a part of the plan? See, all of the struggles I’ve been through in the past seven years getting here—everybody shouted me here—more and more I walk with God, I see that it was not an attack; it was an assignment. What happened three weeks ago when the spit hit the fan? That was set on assignment for my life to develop something in me and to extract some things out of me that could not go into my eighth year of ministry. Y’all missed it! As we stand here on the precipice of a threshold—seven being the completion of a thing and eight being something new—this is the end of an era!
Everything that happened to me was on assignment. «Well, God would never do that to you.» Hold on! If He didn’t do it, He will use it. Some of us have been so focused on what happened that we won’t let God take what happened and use it to turn you into what He has seen in you from the very beginning. There’s nothing bad that can happen to me; it can’t, because of who is for me. If it looks bad, it just means I’m in the middle of it. If it looks bad, it just means it’s not over.
But somehow, MJ not being able to speak until six years old is working out for our good. Now, some of y’all don’t believe this; you only believe portions of Scripture. But Romans 8 tells us all things are working. It didn’t say all things worked; it’s a verb. It’s in this moment—it’s working for my good. And so, I just need… I need you. In this series, God has given us a phrase for the year: «Here is Holy.» Some of y’all find this hard to swallow because you’re waiting for me to say, «So God doesn’t work here, and then He’s going to go there next year.» I’m just going to be very clear: if you want us to move from here, go somewhere else! For Transformation Church, the thing we’re focusing on right now is «What can God do here?» A whole bunch, if we would let Him work on us here.
One of the most practical examples of that is when I’m somewhere and somebody’s trying to get me to where they’re at. A lot of times, this happens with my brother Brent. I’d be like, «Brent, where are you at?» And he’ll be like, «Where are you at?» And I’ll be like, «Well, where are you at? If you tell me where you are, then I can find you.» Then he’ll say this little thing, «Drop a pin!» Come on! On my cell phone, it geo-maps me, because of all the satellites and the different things that are happening. It geo-maps where I’m at, and that pin, where I actually am, allows Brent to navigate to me or for me to navigate to him. The only problem with a pin is that you can place a pin on a map where you are not. You can literally go into your phone and drop a pin anywhere on the map, and it not be where you’re at. So now what I have sent to my brother, or to God, or to my future, is a false locator to my real situation. Most people, when we come in here to praise and to worship, when people get us in a small group and ask us how we’re doing, we drop a pin somewhere we’re not actually at: «I’m blessed and highly favored.» You’re lying! You just said in the car, «I don’t know how much more of this I can take.»
Well, God’s moving. You don’t believe that. You just told everybody you’re moving. I’m leaving here, and my question to you is: if «here is holy,» have you been identified here? Have you brought definition to where «here» is for you—not here for everybody else? That’s why I tell everybody God does not bless who you pretend to be or where you pretend to be. He blesses who and where you actually are. Your blessing is here. And many people, I’m finding out, would rather put up the facade of faith and the facade of faithfulness than to say, «God, you know what? The last few weeks, I just haven’t been feeling it. I’m done with the church.» They started shouting; I didn’t feel anything and, honestly, God, I’m here out of obligation, and I actually don’t know if I want to keep serving. Do you know how anointed that moment of «here» is? Because it’s not fake; it’s not phony; it’s not inauthentic. And God is saying to you, «So where are you really?» Everybody say, «Here.»
As for me, I’m insecure about my future, but I’ll act like everything’s okay. Somebody say «here.» My identity has been in my children, but I’m not sure who God’s called me to be. Somebody say «here.» I’m describing some things that may bring detail to where your «here» is, because if you do not identify «here,» God cannot ever do the work He wants to do for you «here.» Somebody say «here.» I have to be the life of the party, but I’m tired of performing. Somebody say «here.» I have more money than I know what to do with, but there’s still something missing. Somebody say «here.» I’ve been in church all my life, but I don’t feel God’s presence anymore. Somebody say «here.»
I’m taking you somewhere! What I’m trying to do is break down the layers of lies the church has tried to make us feel like we need to have to be acceptable before God. He does not need your covering or your coding or your cover-up; He wants the real you—the naked and understood you—the you that cusses at home! Y’all are so fake! He wants the you that watches «The Real Housewives of Atlanta,» but you only do it when everybody’s asleep because you don’t want anybody to think you actually like that show. But you have it saved because you don’t want the perception that people think of you to be different! But it’s actually something that is itching a scratch in you—the real you! Somebody say, «The real me!»
I’m telling you, I’m about to undress this religious spirit that’s been on the church, that keeps us on Sundays. Everybody say «here.» I’m the first one in my family to ever graduate college, but now I feel the pressure to be successful. Somebody say «here.» I’m everybody’s friend, but no one’s companion. Those «heres» are starting to get real. Somebody say «here.» I got the keys to my dream home, but I’m not happy here. The drink used to be a choice, but now it seems to be necessary. Somebody say «here.»
We’re trying to hold it together for the kids, but I don’t think we’re going to make it another year. Somebody say «here.» This is the most holy place you can be this week. If you do nothing else, I want you to write a declaration of «here.» Here’s where I am: I’m satisfied in this area; I’m discontent in this area; my marriage feels like this; and I’m really more concerned about my bid. I want you to be honest about «here.» The most holy thing you could do is to figure out where «here» is. I’m frustrated that we’re not in our building, but I’m excited and expectant that we’re back at 1519 with green chairs and green carpet!
I’m here! Yeah, yeah! I want my son to develop, but I am seeing the work God is doing in me and in patience, right? I don’t know what our future holds, but I’m standing here full of faith, asking God to give me direction right here. Where are you actually at? Because without that pin dropped, God can’t direct you anywhere. So you thought it was about God coming to you? No! He’s trying to take you somewhere, but you have not defined «here.» I’m a workaholic, and I want my kids to appreciate things, so I give them everything but none of me! I’m right here! That is more holy than anything you could tell me on an Instagram post.
I’m sick of my body, but I emotionally eat, so every night at 10 o’clock, I have to have something that fills my flesh to make me go to sleep. I am here! What would happen if the church actually identified where we actually are? Somebody asked me how I felt when all these different people were talking about me and this and that other stuff, and I couldn’t tell them where I was because I didn’t trust them enough. See, you’ve got to be smart; you’ve got to be very intentional. But when I was on that balcony with my community, I told them where I was. I told them how it made me feel. I said, «I don’t know if I should preach Sunday because I’m a fighter, and I know that if I stand up on that platform with venom in my heart, I give it to people. But I do know that I’m supposed to stand up on that platform on Sunday because I’ve got to lead my people.»
So, what I’m asking you is to pray for me «here.» This was Thursday; I had to preach on Sunday. Pray that God would do a creative miracle in my heart because I am «here» right now! I’m not about to faint with you! I want to rip! I want it quick with your words. What you do is… I can tell you what you can do with spit like… But where I was at, I had to be honest with where I actually was. And can I tell you that within 48 hours, my heart went from a place that was hardened and had venom in it, to a place where I was praying for my enemies, asking God, «Please let him watch! Please let him just see or hear, God, please!»
Not because I was a perfect man, but because I was a progressive man, and I dropped my pin where I was actually at. Somebody shout, «Here is Holy!» And I’m coming against a religious spirit that is in pulpits, in boardrooms, in exercise facilities, in schools, and even breeding in your home. That is teaching people to be unauthentic with where they are because it makes you feel uncomfortable. If your child is in gender confusion right now, let them say it to you! You can’t help them after it has already cemented in their heart and in their mind that this is who I am, and they have gone to people who think and agree. You don’t even have a say because you wouldn’t let them be where they were! Here!
Um, I know I’m about to offend a lot of people, but at the end of the day, I don’t want someone else through television and social media or someone who would accept it because they couldn’t be honest with who they were. «Here» is the place God will transform you! So this is our confession all year. I want you to say it with me: I am here! And because God is here, «Here» is Holy! Say it again: I am here! Wherever that is, however confusing that is, however hurtful that is, everybody say, «I am here!» I hate it here! I don’t want to be here! I wish I was somewhere else! But I am here! And because God is here with me, He’ll never leave me nor forsake me; I can stand and declare in this moment here is holy.
So my question to you this week: will you drop a pin? Everybody say, «Drop a pin.» See, the thing about a pin is that when you drop a pin, it identifies you; it tells you and everybody else where you are. When God asked Adam and Eve, «Where are you?» in the garden, He didn’t lose them; He was asking them, «Do you know where you are?» He’s doing what I’m asking you to do: know where you are. Everybody say, «Drop a pin,» and just drop a pin on me real quick. When a pin is dropped, it means every step I take—if I go this way or that way—I am located. God is saying His Holy Spirit wants to give you the ability to step, and God knows exactly—I’m still addicted to some things, but God knows exactly; oh, I’m about to preach this! I’m still struggling with some issues and trauma from my past, but God knows exactly. Drop a pin this week; if you don’t hear me say anything else, drop a pin.
Sometimes when I want to backslide and go in a different direction, I try to outrun God when I’ve already committed and submitted my life to Him; the pin is on me. See, when you dedicate and consecrate your life to God, He says you can run, but it means you’re still marked. Y’all don’t hear me right now; the reason God is saying to use the rest of this year and act like I’m not speaking to you is that my love and my grace are chasing you.
Somebody say, «Drop a pin.» Every step I take, every move I make, every prayer I pray, God calls me to love everybody He tells me to disassociate from. He’s saying, «I have your steps.» Doesn’t the Bible say the steps of the righteous man and woman are ordered, ordained, and predestined by God? What I’m saying to you is, if I act like this is where God told me to be, I’m right here serving in ministry, doing what God called me to do, and the anointing, grace, mercy, and wisdom are here. The best thing you can do is get right back under the place He calls you because when I get here, I say, «God, here I am.»
That’s what happened in a Best Western when Bishop took me to a father-and-son conference. I was like, «He wants me to be the what of the who?» I literally told him, «I don’t like people that much.» Because at that moment, the unrefined version of where I was did not see myself doing what was necessary. But God said, «You’re okay right here, but get on the floor and say yes.» At two or three in the morning, I got on the floor, and when I told God, «Yes, here I am,» He marked me; He put a pin on me and said, «You can walk, but everywhere you go, you can run; you can try to not see what I’m doing in your life, but everywhere you go, I have your location because here is holy.»
Listen to me; as you begin to move this year, everywhere you find yourself, every single place is holy. I want to say it slowly and methodically because that’s how it’s going to feel. This year is not the year of the exciting; it’ll be exciting when you get there, but here will be about obedience. I told somebody on my team I got a call two days ago to speak at one of the largest churches in the world on a last-minute whim, and the Holy Spirit said, «This is a test; you know where your here is this Sunday, and you could be there, but you’ll be there without Me. You better be here.» Two days ago, it would have been fine; none of y’all would’ve known. You would have thought it was great, you would have thought, «Oh my goodness, anniversary,» and it would have been explosive, but I would have been disobedient to what God told me to do.
Right? So, are you aware of where you are? Are you able to communicate your coordinates? Do you have language for your location? That’s what I’m asking you to do this week. I am here. Can you mark yourself on the map of destiny? I know God has called me to do this, but I’ve still been in this place. God is just saying all I need My church to do is be honest about where they are because they don’t have to stay there if they acknowledge «here.»
How do you spell «there»? T-H-E-R-E. When I want to go «there,» it’s spelled T-H-E-R-E. What God told me is: put the cross before «here.» If you just put the cross, that’s a «T.» Seek Me first above everything else. If you would just put the cross here, it’s going to take you there. Just write it down; you’ll see what happens. He said, «Here is the substance of there.» The majority of the word «there» is—oh my God, y’all, this has been ruining me too long! We always think that it’s about «there» when they see me as this, «there,» when I have these connections «there,» and when our church gets to this amount of people «there.»
And God said the substance of «there» is always found in «here.» Today, while I stand here and honor Bishop and Pastor Debbie, and honor my parents and Bishop Pearson, and honor Pastor Filke, and honor Tammy and Brie, and all of the people—Pastor, about why I do that is because the only way I stand here is because they stood in their «here.» Many people are depending on you focusing on what God has placed in your hand now. You will make other people miss their «there» because you won’t focus on «here.» You’re trying to get «there,» and God said «there» is taken care of. If you would become right here, change your speech «here,» tame your tongue «here,» learn humility «here"—all this platform does is magnify what’s really in me.
Some of y’all act like when you get money, all it’s going to do is really expose you. When you get money, it’s going to make you more of who you are. If you’re self-centered, egotistical, and prideful, get you some money, give you some platforms; it’s coming out. And God’s saying, «That’s why I’ve kept you in the dark. That’s why I’ve hidden you, so that I can do the work.» Everybody shout at me, «Here!» Some of y’all are wondering, «Well, I have all the credentials to do this,» and God said, «But you don’t have the character.» Credentials without character always kill something. You’re going to see it in what I’m saying to you today, because «here"—everybody say «here.»
I know I sound like a broken record, but I’m coming against it. All I see in my mind is quicksand. Y’all ever seen somebody stuck in quicksand? They’re trying to move, and the more they move through it, the more they seem to sink? There’s so much quicksand in our thoughts and our theology around what God wants for me and how He’s going to move when I get «there.» And God said all of that is based on fear; it’s not based on faith. He literally said, «You do not worry about 'there' when you know who holds you 'there' and 'here.'» Most of your anxiety and fear of the future comes because you actually—here is where you do not trust God.
I’m telling you what nobody will tell you because they want you to yell «crazy faith,» but the truth of the matter is you cannot have «crazy faith» here if you don’t believe that God’s going to be good up «there.» Most of us want to play savior instead of have one. We would rather organize our way, strategize our way, and make moves in the dark and in the light to ensure we get to «there.» And God said, «You put Me on the sidelines and did what only you could do.» Is that what you wanted? You can say, «Eyes haven’t seen, and ears haven’t heard,» but I’ve seen this before; this is a rerun of pride. This is a rerun; it goes back further than we could capture. This is a rerun of people trying to work themselves into the ground. This is a rerun of self-doubt, depression, and anxiety. I have a better way for you if you would allow me to do the work on you.
Where? How do you spell «where»? Come on, W-H-E-R-E. How do you find out where you are? The substance of where you will be is found in God. Begin to show me «there,» and «where» has to do with hearing. The church is ready for the future, taking ground—explosion, limping the cords and stakes in this—and I’m not saying that’s wrong, but how many miracles do we miss because we didn’t focus «here»? I have so much to say, and I’m not even one page into my notes, because I feel a burden and I think God’s doing it in me because I’m the least likely candidate to care about «here.» My whole life I tolerated «here» to get «there.» I don’t care about who’s «here»; now you won’t be able to get in this place six months from now. And God said, «You don’t care about who’s „there“ now, do you? I gave you 200 people, yet all you can think about are 2,000 people! Why would I trust you with more people if you can’t steward over some?
Some of y’all are believing for a blessing that your current blessing is disqualifying you for. You’re believing for a car, but the way you treat your current car is disqualifying you. You want a world-class staff, but you won’t take care of the three people who’ve been down for you when you didn’t have anything. You’re not a good leader either, but they’re still following you. God said, „If you do not care for 'here, ' I can’t trust you with 'there.'“ That’s the key; it’s all about trusting you, and some of you, even my senior saints, my seasoned saints, are thinking your best days are behind you. No, God’s been trying to teach you a lesson „here“ for three decades. At some point, you said, „I’m too old for this; I’m not going to have a young man telling me what to do. I’m old enough to be his dad,“ and God said, „You can die right there if you don’t allow Me to do the work.“
This is a different heartbeat for an anniversary message, but God won’t let me move because so many of us have become obsessed—that’s the word I want to use—obsessed with „them“ when God is on assignment and obsessed with you right „here.“ We see this in Moses’s life; look at Exodus 3:4. It says, „When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look at this burning bush, God called to him from the middle of the bush, 'Moses, Moses! ' Somebody say, 'Here I am.'“ That was his reply. „Do not come any closer,“ the Lord warned him; „take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.“
Let me give you three habits for „here,“ because this is so foreign to us. Nobody knows what to do „here.“ We literally are like, „Ah, okay, on to the next,“ and God said, „Mike, would you just teach them three habits for 'here'?“ We find it in the Scripture when this man says, „Here I am,“ to God. Somebody say, „Here I am.“ That was a sign and a signature of availability. Are you available to God, Tony? Are you available? And the truth of the matter is that most of us are tolerating God’s suggestions to us. Hear what I just said: everything God says to us is a suggestion, not a command. We can tell by how many times you’ve obeyed Him in the past 24 months. The truth of the matter is God will never allow you to do what He wants you to do if you don’t want to.
If you don’t want to, He’s not going to make you. All throughout the Scriptures was God presenting people with opportunities, and either they said yes or no. And when they said no, He said, „Are you sure? You really want to?“ Okay, and then He goes to the next available. You ever been the sixth man on a basketball team, and you know the players that are actually on the court are so good you’re never going to get to play? Been there several times personally. They’re just bigger, they’re just stronger, they’ve got a stroke—it’s just like, „All right, hey, good job, team.“ You just become a really good cheerleader because you’re not going to play until one of them hurts themselves, damages themselves, or disqualifies themselves from my team because we’re a bunch of temperamental young people with attitudes regarding what the coach said.
What ended up happening is the coach would look down the bench, and he would try to look past me, but I was like, „The reason I went in was not because of my capability; the reason I got in the game was my availability.“ What they didn’t know is when practice ended, I stayed. Even though they didn’t see my potential, I knew there was something on the inside of me that if I worked on it when nobody was looking, I would be able to contribute to what was happening. God is not looking for the most capable; He’s looking for the—somebody shout at me, „Available!“ When Moses said, „Here I am,“ that was his commitment to availability. Somebody throw your hands up and say, „God, here I am!“ Do you mean it? Because this week, He’s going to ask for some stuff that you’re holding on to. He’s going to ask for it back. Oh, He won’t do that—ask Abram after he waited 25 years to have that son, and then God said, „Give him back.“ He still had to be available.
Today, I want to teach you a habit for here. Let me tell you something that nobody told me: being available is not a one-and-done act; availability is daily. When I come before God today, I’m available, and yesterday whooped my tail, but today I’m available again. And God, I can’t stand those people, but today I’m available again. When you say, „Here I am“ to God, it’s a commitment for the rest of your life to say, „I’m available.“ I told the team in the back, „I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m available. God, give me fresh vision; give me a new word.“ Pastor Mark just prophesied, and you don’t even know what you were speaking to, but what I had when he planted those seeds from God’s word in me and Natalie’s heart is availability. Everybody say, „Here I am, I’m available, God.“
The second habit is for here, and that’s where I am today. Next week, I’m going to do the same because I don’t want to force-feed this. I just feel like, you know when the food is good, but they make you eat it, it’s not as good. But when you have space to chew and talk, you remember, „Hold on, what was that sensation that made me feel good three minutes ago? It was the meat,“ and you can go back. I’m talking to you about stuff that’s going to confront you this whole month. Since 2022 started, really, God has kept me here because being here makes me deal with who I am. Most of us are so distracted by what’s out there that we don’t look at who we are here. You can’t look at a mirror on the run; mirrors don’t follow you; they stay here.
You got to stay there long enough to say, „Examine me, O Lord. Show me who I am. What does it look like when it’s on? What does it look like when it’s off?“ You only get to see that when you stay here. Somebody shout, „Here!“ You’re going to start to hear this word everywhere; you’re about to see it everywhere. God is slowing down your life long enough for Him to speak to you here. You’re talking to one of the fastest thinkers in the world, and God’s saying, „Stop thinking about that! Focus on here.“
There is something holy that’s going to come out of this. If you could hear—ah, hold on—what I H-E-A-R determines how long I stay H-E-R-E. The only reason I can stay here is because of what I hear from God. This is why I’m coming as an oracle to you, and I’m telling you: hear me. It’s not there that God wants to do something great with you; it’s right here. Some of y’all have been listening to the wrong people who are telling you it’s there—when you move to a new city, when they give you the title, when you get to this metric, or when the group blows up. And when you have this amount of money, God’s saying, „You can either listen to them and see how many of their words come to pass, or you can listen to me.“
The sun is still orbiting and staying in place from one word I spoke. Do you know what God told the sun? „Stay here.“ You know what He told the ocean? „Stay.“ Oh God, you can’t go past this. Remember what the subtitle of this year is: this is the year of intentional limitation. That is creation speaking to us every day. They tell us if the sun is one degree closer, everyone and everything would burn up, but if it was one degree further back, we’d freeze to death. Do you know what God said to creation? „Stay here where I put you, where I placed you, what I separate.“ What if the sun was like, „But I want to be by the moon?“ What if the sun said, „But I want to go out there?“ He said, „No, no, no! I’ve made you holy and I’ve set you apart. And if you produce what I ask you to produce right here,“ well, I feel the presence of God, „it will change people’s lives for generations.“
What if this next season is not about your capability? The sun could be classified as a planet depending on how big it is, but it was given the name it needed, the specifications, and it was told to „stay here.“ Because now you’re functioning in—watch this—the whole purpose. It’s not focusing on pleasure; it’s not focusing on our pain. The reason that we have pleasure and pain is so that we can identify with people and live in our purpose. When the sun rises every morning before us, it’s functioning in its holiness. It’s completely other than everything else in the solar system. Are you exactly where God’s asked you to be, doing what He asked you to do, so that He can use you for His purpose? Somebody say, „Here I am.“
When he took off his shoes, he took off his protection. So many of us have protected ourselves for years, and God’s saying, „Will you trust me again? I know you got hurt. I know you were wrongly accused, but will you let me be your defender?“ Take them off. See, when he took off his shoes, he took off his protection, and he put himself—willingly, everybody say willingly—he put himself willingly in a state of vulnerability. When’s the last time you have been vulnerable? No, no, no—willingly. I’m willingly going to tell you how I actually feel about our family. I feel like I’m the black sheep, and nobody calls me unless they need something. So the reason I didn’t want to come to Christmas this year was not because I don’t love y’all; it’s because I feel like y’all don’t see me.
When’s the last time you took off—no, I’m just busy, I’ve got extra work, I’ve got to get ahead, I’ve got to do—you? That’s protection. Take it off. The reason I haven’t started the business is that the last time I tried, I was denied six times, and that seed of rejection goes all the way back to my father, who didn’t want to spend time with me. But I saw him every Thursday. So the reason I didn’t start the business is not because I’m lazy; it’s because I’m still hurting. That’s where somebody here is. And until you get vulnerable before God and take off the protection—the problem is the walls you’ve built don’t just keep people out; they keep God out too. That hedge you put around your heart is keeping the song’s „You’re a good, good Father.“ You can sing it, but every time He tries to come unveil the door to your heart, you’ve got everything around your heart. Why? It’s just because you haven’t been vulnerable.
All I’m trying to do this whole year, which is very uncomfortable for me because I’ve always been guarded, is because I would never let anybody take my vulnerability or my meekness as weakness. So yeah, I’ve got strength, and I’ll use it on you—just so you know: try Jesus, but don’t try me because I throw hands. God said, „But that’s nowhere in My word. I told you to turn the other cheek. I told you to pray for those who despitefully use you.“ Some of y’all have to divorce this culture that sounds good but keeps you out of the will of God for your life. Some of these things we’re adopting as principles to live our lives by are going to get you stuck. This year I’m going to be vulnerable.
This year I’m going to cry when I feel it. You’re a gangster? I ain’t going to let none of those—why would you hold back the natural emotion that God gave you to purge? Some of the things you’re feeling right now, bubbling, just need a release. Just let it out! Everybody around me cries. My wife cries. Bree cries. Charles is always crying. If he’s like them, they always cry—just cry! Oh, God! And I just feel like y’all are all right. God told me, „Michael, you don’t have to be strong for them; I’m strong for them. I need you to be weak towards Me.“ Because the Scripture says, „In your weakness is the only place I get to be strong.“ And when he was standing in God’s presence and the soles of his feet touched the ground, what God had created, he for the first time had sensitivity. It wasn’t just „Here I am“ availability. It wasn’t just „I’m taking off my protection“ vulnerability. For the first time, he was able to feel where he actually stood. It was sensitivity.
I came to let everybody know that God has transformed my heart. I’m saying something; this is worldwide news right here. I would not have preached this five months ago because it would not have been real for me. When all of the things came out a few weeks ago, that was God literally taking me through a purifying process to give me the ability to feel again. He made me sensitive again. Now when they talk about celebrities, I don’t join in because what I’ve experienced has made me sensitive. Some of y’all put your testimony so far on the back burner that people can walk up dealing with the same thing you went through, and you have your protection on. You don’t want anybody to see how broken you were; you don’t want their perception of you to go down.
So you lie about it here. You don’t drop a pen and say, „I’m actually only three years away from right where you were.“ Yeah, I work on a church staff, or yeah, God has blessed me, but I know exactly where you are. And they go away burdened, hurting, and ready to give up because you were not sensitive. God told me, „Michael, you’re going to leave millions of people on the table that will never know me if you don’t develop sensitivity.“ The floor is way colder than I thought it was. The only reason I can feel it is because I took off my protection. Your husband is way more hurt than you think he is, but the only way you’re going to feel it is if you take off your protection.
Your kids need you more than them ignoring you and locking the door is telling you they’re screaming for you to actually invade their space. But you’re so distracted by giving them vacations that you’re not sensitive. The boss who hates you actually hates the thing in you that they see about themselves, and if you would actually love them when they’re despitefully using you and be sensitive, you could cause transformation that has been trying to reach them for years. The church has been full of passion, but we have been lacking compassion. And I came on this turning point—the seven is completion, and we will not be known for our passion more than our compassion. From eight on, it’s a new beginning, and we’re going to be humble, open, and transparent.
If I ever get to the place where all of this is doing too much and I’ve lost my way somehow, and I start putting the wrong things in priority over the things that matter, I’m going to be sensitive enough to get up here and y’all might crucify me, y’all might throw me away. The one thing that I have in my life is that I’m marked. The pen has been dropped on me, so that means I have to follow God completely. I might get up here vulnerable, hurt, and say, „Hey church, I’m going to ask you to pray for us for the next two months. I just need a break.“
Don’t let pastors do that because somehow they’re superheroes. No, they’ve got a bull’s-eye on their back everywhere they go. I might say, „I just can’t. I need to reprioritize what God’s doing in my life, and I want to stand up here in purity and do what God’s called me to do.“ If I ever do that, I pray that from today on, we would be fostering a church that would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and there would be people that say, „Pastor, thank you. We were feeling this six months ago but didn’t know how. We’ve been praying for you. We’ve been asking.“ We’ve been sensitive to what God is doing, and I’m making a commitment to you that I will always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
This is the point where many ministries mess up. We can do whatever we want to do; we’ve got the resources, we’ve got the people, we’ve got this, we’ve got that. And God said, „Michael, come back here to the secret place. Get in My presence, and I will reveal to you that if you put the cross first, what there looks like.“ And if God’s calling me back to the here that He knows He can speak to me, He’s calling all of us. The question is, are you available? Are you vulnerable? And are you sensitive? Let me say this one thing: sensitivity is a strength. And I need to speak to males, and I need to speak to specifically African-American males.
You want a Black history moment? Let’s change history. Let’s be men of God who take off our protection. You don’t cry? Baby, you’re a man. You’re a dude! Stop raising our sons in trauma-filled environments that make us suppress what we feel. You don’t go out for, „I’ll give you something to cry about!“ No, that actually hurt my feelings. And even though it wouldn’t hurt your feelings, I need to express this, or I’m going to begin to express it in ways that are damaging. Why do we live in a fatherless generation? See, I’m talking about stuff nobody wants to touch, but the reason I got to go have sex with all these girls is that all of my emotions have been suppressed and depressed, so I need to get it out.
Way, and now I’m raising generations of fatherless children because I was never sensitive. Who can you be honest with? Where do you go? I want to make this a hospital for humanity. What Jesus said was, „Come to me, all of you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will exchange your burdens, and I will give you…“ Everybody say „rest.“ This next season where we say „here is holy“ is going to be the most restful season of our lives. Why? Because God is here and I am here. So, what „here“ is holy! Thank you, Lord, for getting us here.
Can somebody just think for 30 seconds about all God had to do to get you here? I’ve been sensitive to your Holy Spirit today, Father. There was so much more I wanted to preach, but thank God for next week because you’re doing something here. I’m coming back to the heart of worship. Hallelujah! Where it’s all about you—it’s all about you, Jesus. I’m sorry, Lord, for the things I’ve made this; 'cause it’s all about you! It’s all about you! Come on, this is our prayer: just say, „I’m coming back to the heart of worship.“
Where is all right here? What do you want to do with me here? It’s all about you, Jesus. I’m sorry for the things I made it about—other things—but it’s all about you. Come on, just lift your hands right there. Somebody say, „I’m coming back. I’m coming back to what you started in me a long time ago.“ As passionate as I was seven years ago, I’m coming back to that, God—the thing that didn’t need money or a title. Father God, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making it about likes, clicks, platforms, and stages. God, right now I’m being vulnerable. Come on, somebody needs to say that in their own life. I’m coming back! Here we are, God, at the end of an era, saying, „We are making you first.“ Forgive me, Lord, I’m sorry for making it about arenas.
Okay, so watch this: Moses goes through all of this. He says, „Here I am!“ Somebody say, „Here I am!“ It’s availability. He takes off his protection, and that was vulnerability. Then he’s standing in the presence of God—there’s that sensitivity. But look what happens when he’s sensitive. I love the Word of God! He is now in the same position, but what was normal just became holy ground. He didn’t move, but just those three acts of saying „here I am,“ taking off his protection, and standing in the same place he was before him—his situation didn’t change, but his perspective was transformed. God took an ordinary place and turned it into a holy moment because he acknowledged „here.“
What are you saying to me, Pastor Mike? When you acknowledge „here,“ your perspective can change in the same position. God does not have to give you another job to perform a miracle. God doesn’t have to give you another spouse to give you the marriage you desire. You can be standing ten toes down in the same position, and God will turn what was regular into miraculous because you became available, vulnerable, and sensitive. Moses didn’t take a step, and God said, „Don’t come any closer because where you’re standing right now is holy ground.“
God doesn’t have to grow our church anymore. He doesn’t have to add another subscriber. Everything changed because I changed. Right? You don’t need more money; you need more availability. You don’t need more friends; you need more vulnerability. You don’t even need anyone to know your name; you need to be sensitive in the presence of God, and God can turn a regular „here“ into a „here is holy.“
Father, thank you! Come on, hands lifted everywhere! Thank you for slowing us down enough to hear you. Father, any of us that have been addicted to the theology of „there,“ I thank you, Father, that you can do a work on the inside of us right now that brings us to a place of acknowledgment: „Oh, I am here,“ and because you are here with me, „here is holy.“ Speak, Lord, your servants have slowed down enough to listen. Hey, whatever you want to do this year, whatever you want to do in this ministry, whatever you want to do in my life, I’m saying, „Here I am, God!“ Write the story. God, I want to be a part of what you want me to be a part of. Dropping the pen, „Here is my job, Father,“ but where we go from here is your job. God, I will listen, and I will open because it’s all about you. It’s all about you!
So, I’m coming back to the heart. If you’re in this moment and you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, I want to give you an opportunity to accept Him—not tomorrow, not „there,“ but right here! Today is the day of salvation. The fact that I stand up here seven years after being handed the baton to lead this church, with all my flaws—somebody who was once addicted to pornography, a liar, a manipulator—I had so much dark stuff in my heart from years of trauma and things I wanted to hide. God said, „You, with all of that, I’m going to transform you. I’m going to sanctify you. I’ve justified you, and I’m going to use you, and I’m going to set you apart. I’m going to make you whole.“
I would have never thought I’d be standing here talking to you, but God! And today, I want to give you a „but God“ moment in your own life. I want you to be able to say everything that was real—what you really did, what really was going on—and then you’re able to say, „But there was a moment that God came in.“ But you have to invite Him in. He’s not going to knock the door to your house down; you’re going to have to invite Him in. They told me that as of today, in 2022, over 5,943 people have given their lives to Christ just in the last five weeks, y’all! Glory to God!
This is why our church exists. If you don’t get excited about that, you’ve got to move around! What if that’s what God did back there, and today he wants to produce an opportunity for salvation for hundreds, if not thousands, more right here? Make the greatest decision of your life! It took me from being all of those crazy things I told you to not being a perfect man, but a progressing man. Hearing my daughters in that little video—y’all, I was a wreck after that! Saying that I make time for them and I’m this and I’m that to them; I’m there for them—I wasn’t that man! God has transformed me, but I couldn’t have done it without Him.
So today, if you’re tired of carrying the heavy load and burden by yourself, today I want you to give your life to Christ right here. On the count of three, if that’s you, and you’re saying, „Pastor, I want you to include me in that prayer.“ Today, I’m saying, „Here I am.“ Somebody say, „Here I am!“ If you’re saying, „Here I am“ in your heart, and you want Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior, on the count of three, I just want you to raise your hand. One, you’re making the greatest decision of your life. Two, nothing magical happens at this moment, but transformation begins to happen in your life, and your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Three, just shoot your hand up! Amen! It doesn’t matter who’s around or what’s going on—God saw that you just located yourself. You just dropped a pen, and you said, „God, here I am.“
Somebody say, „Here I am!“ Could you put that pen on me just one more time? 'Cause today I want to pray this prayer, and I want you to see yourself—this is where God has dropped the pen on you and said, „From now on!“ Come on, bring the pen over here. Where’s the pen at? It’s over here. Come on, bring the pen! Do I need to stand under the pen? Where’s the pen at? Here we go! Where you going? You come this way! I’m going to stand here until the pen finds me. Lord, I’ve been lying about where I’ve been at, but today I say, „Here I am!“ Oh, here I am, God! Here I am! Don’t drift away from me, Lord. You dropped the pen! I want you to pray this prayer, wherever you are, whatever nationality, whatever country you’re in. In Transformation Church, we’re a family; nobody prays alone. We’ve all made this decision, and so we’re going to pray with you because you’ve got a new family. Everybody say:
God, thank you that you have sent your Son just for me! Right here, today I give you my life. I surrender. I believe you lived, and you died just for me. Today, I’m getting vulnerable. Here I am! Use me, change me, transform me. I’m yours. In Jesus' name, amen!