Michael Todd - Change Clothes: Style In The Kingdom
Today’s message may be the most important message in the series because I have to teach you something essential for your success in the Kingdom. So, I’m just going to dive right into it: Matthew 3:2. This has been one of our anchor scriptures in the series, along with Matthew 6:33. Read this: this is Jesus’s first message, and I’m going to read it from the Amplified Bible because it resonated deeply with me today. «Repent; change your inner self, your old way of thinking; regret past sins; live your life in a way that proves repentance.» Hear what I just said: live your life in a way that proves you have turned. The word «repent» simply means to turn to God. He said, «I don’t want you to do it at the end of the service in a prayer and then live as if you have not repented.» I need you to live in such a way that it proves you have turned to God. It says, «Seek God’s purpose for your life, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.» Another translation states that Jesus says, «The Kingdom of Heaven is…» Everybody say «here!»
Over the past five weeks, we have had a simple syllabus for this entire series, serving as the foundation that wraps up this last sermon in the beginning session of this Kingdom series. All I wanted you to do is—everybody say—see the Kingdom, seek the Kingdom, share the Kingdom, serve the Kingdom. And a shout-out to all the hundreds of people in Atlanta who came to serve yesterday at homeless shelters and food banks; we packaged over 10,000 meals! It was phenomenal. We have to serve according to what God wants us to do within the sphere of influence He has given us to be a part of the Kingdom. But this week, I want to present one more «S,» and this one I particularly like because it’s a reflection of my mindset. Write this down: today, I’m going to teach you how to have style in the Kingdom.
No, no, no, no! Now, everybody say «style in the Kingdom!» This is something that I’ve noticed in 2023: a lot of people do not know the difference between fashion and style. I’m going to give you an education real quick so you can understand that there is a complete difference between the two. Have you ever seen someone with money who walks into a store and buys everything Louis, Gucci, Prada, or Michael Kors, putting it all together head to toe? We see that you spent a lot of money on that outfit, and you have the right fashion, but it still doesn’t look right. Like, I know that was made out of the same material, but for some reason, it looks like you’re trying too hard. I haven’t met the «rich» people yet! If you’re not laughing, it’s you! You have your Abercrombie and Fitch sweater, and I have Abercrombie too, but I’m not trying to clown you. You have fashion but not style.
Where are my people who can go to the thrift store, Ross, or Marshalls? Oh come on! How many people can hit a sale rack? I need to know where my people are! How many can go to Target or Walmart and have the whole outfit cost $19.99? Oh, y’all don’t know? I need to know where my people are! It doesn’t matter how expensive it is. Yes, this shirt was 99 cents and was worn by somebody else, but when I put this shirt with these pants and that jacket, when I step out, I don’t have just fashion; I have style.
And the truth is that this same principle applies to our Christian faith. Many people have prayer, prophecy, all the worship songs, and all the Bible scriptures. They have all the judgment and the repenting they need to do. They know everything—the Greek, the Hebrew—they have all the theological degrees and all the titles: Bishop, Deacon, Apostle. Yet when they put it all on, it’s the right stuff, but it still doesn’t look good. You’ve been fashioned in faith but not styled by the Spirit. Oh, you’ve been fashioned—we see you have it on—but it still looks a little prideful. We know you go to church, but you won’t talk to me at work. It doesn’t look good on you. You’re discussing political parties and what’s right about abortion and wokeness, but you lack love. You judge everything but do not have love. You have fashion, but no style.
Let me prove it to you in scripture, because someone might ask, «Pastor, where is that in the Bible?» Okay, let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13. «If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love—which is a fruit of the Spirit—if you haven’t been styled by the Spirit yet but you have all that, you still don’t have love. You have fashion, not style. If you do all that but don’t have love, you are like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.» I wish I could use the NLT version which states that if you do that without love, you’re just an annoying symbol or gong, constantly going off. It is painful and annoying; you just want to get away from it. Believers who do not grasp all that God has given them through the fruits of the Spirit are annoying. Nobody wants to be around you because you haven’t been styled by the Spirit.
It says, «If I have the gift of prophecy, I see you in the future, but you have prophecy and can fathom all knowledge—you know you’re really smart—and if I have faith that can move mountains but do not have love, watch what it says: I am nothing. Fold it up; get out of the prayer closet; you’re wasting time if you don’t let the Spirit style you in love. If I give—oh! Because here it comes! I’m one of the largest givers in our church. Good, good, good! You give with your hands but have given nothing with your heart. If you give all your possessions to the poor and give over your body to hardship to boast, then when people say that in the Western world—somebody commented on your Instagram post—there are people in Asia who, if they hold the Bible, can be thrown in jail or killed. But if you suffer any hardship but don’t have love, you gain nothing.
What I’m saying is, what good is it for us to acquire all of these fashionable faith garments without allowing the Holy Spirit to style us so they look presentable and, watch this—attractive? See, I don’t understand why believers don’t think the whole reason we’re supposed to bear fruit is because we want people to want to taste and see that the Lord is good. But when we look at your life, it doesn’t appear appetizing. Have you ever seen someone’s outfit that you know you can’t wear, but the way they wore it made you think, „I need to figure out how to get my body into the shape they wore that outfit so well“? That’s why people wear undergarments like Spanx, squeezing all their little guts in. Why? Because I desire to put something on that I may not be fit to wear yet, but whoever wore it styled it so well that it makes me want to try.
Everybody say this word: change! Oh, this is going to be a key word today. Everybody say, „change.“ What I’m telling you is, when Jesus came to the Earth to present the Kingdom, He was styled differently. They were in a season where they wanted a religious leader to come and overthrow the Roman government, and Jesus was like, „I’m just going to do what I see the Father doing. I’ll wear this differently.“ And you want me to come and chop people out? No, no, no! I’m going to love people. „Oh, you don’t want me to heal someone because it’s the Sabbath? No, I’m going to touch them and heal them. Oh, kids aren’t supposed to come to me? Let the children come!“ He was styled.
What I want you to know is that our garments of faith must be styled by the Holy Spirit so we can look different from culture. Right now, all our actions and reactions are the same as those who don’t believe in our God, and you actually think it’s good. You say stuff like, „I’m just being me in the Kingdom.“ You can’t afford just to be you! You must get the Kingdom fit for you in a brand new way. And that’s why, as we end this series, I decided to go to one of the most complex parables in the Gospel that discusses the Kingdom. If we can grasp this one, all the others will be super simple because you’ll go back and study them.
There’s this little phrase I want everyone to remember in your personal Bible study throughout the week, and I want you to find everything that it says in the Bible after that and really absorb it: „The Kingdom of God“ or „the Kingdom of Heaven is like…“ Every time you hear „The Kingdom of Heaven is like,“ I want you to think of the King of Kings, Jesus, trying to help you understand what He wants the Kingdom to look like. So, I just jotted down a few of these so you can look for them in the Bible: „The Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed that is sown.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like bread.“ You need to read the parable. „The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man looking for a fine pearl.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like letting down your nets in a lake.“ „The Kingdom of Heaven is like the little children.“
There are all these ideas where it says, „The Kingdom of Heaven is like,“ and it goes on to present this concept. It’s God trying to reveal truth that is sitting in plain sight through what we call a parable: a truth hidden along with the story. I’m going somewhere; this is probably the hardest parable for me to understand in scripture, and I thought if we broke it down together—because God has given me revelation—then you would no longer be clueless, and all the rest of them would seem super easy.
Matthew 22:1-14: This is a lot of Bible, and it’s going to be shocking when you hear how some of this stuff goes down. Don’t turn the channel yet; I’m going to explain this whole thing alright. Matthew 22:1: „Jesus also told them other parables.“ He said, „The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited, but they all refused to come. So he sent other servants to tell them, 'The feast has been prepared; the bulls and fattened calves have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet! ' But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way—one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers, insulted them, and killed them. Coming to your banquet? That’s a little extreme!
The King was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.' Who did he say to invite? Everyone! What was the only qualification? That they be able to come? You see them, not whether they are good or bad—the only qualification was to invite everyone you see.
Alright, we’re going somewhere. Invite everyone you see! So the servants brought in everyone they could find. I love the Bible! This is how the Kingdom is illustrated: bring in everyone, good and bad alike. That right there messes most people up because the king is inviting people you don’t like to the Kingdom. Oh, it’s about to get juicy! And the banquet hall was filled with guests. But when the King came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing proper clothing for a wedding. „Friend,“ he asked, „how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?“ But the man had no reply. The King then went very extreme and said to his age, „Bind him up, tie him up by his feet, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.“
What? Let’s be honest: there are some passages in the Bible that you read and think, „Alright, I did my 10 minutes for the day.“ But you don’t understand? Okay, y’all are going to leave me out here by myself. There are times when you read your Bible and you’re just like, „I don’t get that.“ I have read that passage so many times and thought…
All right, maybe when I get to heaven, this is the first question I will ask: does anybody have a „when I get to heaven“ question? Come on, listen; if you have a „when I get to heaven“ question, like, „Where are the dinosaurs in the Bible, Lord?"—we all have these questions: «When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask Eve, 'Why the baby? '» You’ll get it later. What I’m saying is that this is one of those passages where, if you don’t understand the framework, the context, as well as the culture it’s set in, you will miss the illustration of the kingdom. So I want you to go back and walk through this with me in the next 40 minutes so you can get this revelation that changed my life.
The king throws a party. The people he wanted to come to the party don’t come. He says, «I’ve already spent the money, paid the price, set up the food; the sacrifice has been made. Jesus, the kingdom is ready for you to receive. If they don’t want it, I’m going to find somebody who does.» I’m just breaking it down. «Go tell these other distinguished people that the food is ready. Oh, they’re too busy with the blessings that the King has provided that they don’t go to my farm? I’m going to work on my car; my kids have soccer.» Okay, so what ends up happening is I’m about to get serious with this message. The king says, «I’m trying to invite you into the kingdom because I made you with a purpose in the kingdom—not a purpose that you’re trying to discover in the universe to make sure that your vibes are fulfilled so that you can be at center and at peace with all that is. That’s not why you were born.» The Bible says, «Before you were in your mother’s womb, I knew you. I had a plan for you; I had a purpose for you; I had a reason you were supposed to come here, and it was to fulfill a spot in the kingdom.»
So I want you to come and sit with me as the king. I want you to learn my character. I want you to get used to eating at a certain level. They are too busy. Okay, hold on, and they killed the messengers. They crucified the people I just sent to tell them that I made a sacrifice. Cool, they’ll get consequences, but just go to the streets. Today, this message is for the streets. This is for all the people who don’t think they’re worthy to be in the presence of the king. I know some of you are fighting just to be in the room right now and to actually be online right now because of what you did. God is inviting you to the kingdom no matter what your prior history looks like. Some of you need to be clapping because if you put on the screen where you were this time last year or ten years ago—matter of fact, this time yesterday—if it had not been for the grace of God! He literally says, «Go to the streets and find everyone you see; not everyone that acts like a Christian.»
The kingdom is not a club. Okay? That’s why there are no members in a kingdom. A lot of us grew up in churches with members. «How many members do you have?» Membership doesn’t matter because membership just means you hold a spot, but it doesn’t mean you have to be active, like many of us with gym memberships. So on your keychain, you go to Crunch, but the only crunch you’ve been doing is the bar. Let’s be honest: how many of us have been members of something we were not active in? The kingdom’s not a club for members; it is an association for ambassadors. You don’t get into the kingdom unless you plan on representing it. We don’t come to church just to get something; we come to church to get something to give it away.
This is the difference between members and ambassadors. The king is saying, «I need good people and bad people. I can convert people in the kingdom.» You’re worried about what they look like before they come and sit at my table? Bring them all! Everybody said, «Bring them out, bring them out.» I know some of y’all are too saved for this, but I think it was T.I. who said, «Bring them out.» I just feel that «bring them out» energy because so many times, we’re worried about cleaning up people who need to meet the king. The king doesn’t care if they’re clean because he already has everything they need to be at the banquet. Because of your insecurity and what other church people might think, we keep people away from the kingdom because we don’t want to be uncomfortable. But he says, «Matter of fact, go get everybody—the hood people you don’t like. Go get them!»
«Well, her dress is too short.» Well, they’re still addicted to—they’re still addicted to some things; I know they’re still addicted to certain substances. «Well, I don’t know; they have ADHD, and I don’t know if they’ll be able to sit.» Yo, just go stand in the back! What the king is saying is that he wants everybody to come into the kingdom. And watch this: don’t you get in the way! Don’t you get in the way of them meeting me. So he tells them, «Bring everybody.» And when they come in, everybody’s like, «Dang, yo, how nice!» You ever been in someone’s house that’s levels up from your house? You don’t even know what’s up there, but you can tell just by how high the ceiling is. «Dang, is this Crystal Light?»
And everybody’s coming in, and what you don’t understand if you don’t have the context of the period—now watch this: this is a huge distinction. Anytime a king threw a party in that day and age, he had clothes custom prepared for everyone attending the party. So when he sees the gentleman who does not have the clothes on, it was not because clothes hadn’t been provided. There was a standard in the king’s presence that he did not adhere to, but the king would provide everything you needed. I’m about to preach this point; when you got into his presence, you had to dress appropriately.
So I have to let you know, as we are inviting people into the kingdom and having you come into the kingdom, point number one: There is a standard in the kingdom. Everybody say, «There’s a standard.» This is where most people get messed up in the church because they want to hold a standard that God’s not holding. Okay? God’s standard—I’m going to tell you what it is. Watch this: one word—righteousness. Right standing with him. Everybody say, «There’s a standard in the kingdom: righteousness.»
Okay? When you come into the king’s presence, certain things aren’t allowed. This is where most people get defeated because it’s like, «Who can be righteous? How do I get righteous? I thought I was righteous, but then I wasn’t anymore.» That’s why some people get saved every Sunday. That is an act of being in the kingdom. Once you put your faith and fidelity in Jesus Christ, your eternity is secure forever. Will you mess up? Probably. That’s why he tells you to repent and turn back to him. But praying every night before bed, «Lord, forgive me for all the stuff I did today. And if I die, let me see you in heaven tomorrow. Lord, I thank you that you will keep me, and I am playing in the sin tomorrow, but, Lord, because I’m praying right now, I thank you.»
These are things grown people do, y’all. You’re laughing, but some of y’all did it this week. Every time you get on a plane, «Lord, I just ask you to forgive me.» I don’t have time to talk about it right now, but Jesus was the propitiation for all of our sins. He took on our burdens; he paid the price for everything. So when we put our faith in him, our eternity is secure. But there’s this little word I want to teach you: it’s called sanctification. Now, we don’t use this word anymore, and I know it’s going to offend some people, but sanctification is the act of being made holy.
So it’s like God will take me as I am, but he will not leave me as I am. And most of us are salty because you thought God was going to leave you alone after you said, «I’m saved.» The rest of your life is the tension between what you want and what he wants. Today, I want to let you know: If you’re coming to the kingdom, everybody say, «Come on, come on, come on! We want you to come, but there is a standard.» Everybody say, «There is a standard!» Okay, so since there is a standard, and the standard is righteousness, let me say it like this: nobody can meet the standard. I want to point blank tell you: All your good works will never meet the standard of righteousness. The Bible says, «All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.»
So what you have to do is receive righteousness by accepting Jesus Christ. When you accept Jesus, you get his righteousness. So, when God looks at you, he doesn’t see your mess; he sees Jesus’s sacrifice. It’s like having somebody’s ID badge in a restricted area. You don’t have access, but as long as you have the badge of someone who does have access, you can walk into places and spaces you’re not qualified for—literally, not on your own merits, not on your own identification, but for what you are carrying and what you have accepted. You get access because of somebody else’s sacrifice.
Okay, I’m just trying to explain this whole thing to you. He’s saying, «Because you can’t hold the standard, I’m going to provide the clothes of repentance for you.» Okay? That’s why all through the Bible, it’s a good study: I don’t have the time to go through it, but look at all the places in the Bible where righteousness has some type of correlation with clothing. Job chapter 29, verse 14: «I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban.» He said, «I need you to take off what you came in with, and I need you to—»
Watch the title of my message: Change Clothes. Today, God is asking you to make a decision. Keep on your fashion, or get styled by the Holy Spirit. Change clothes. I know that helps you get through your traumatic childhood, but now you have been invited into the presence of the king. Your attitude, the way you handle grief, the way you snap up and judge people—I need you to change clothes. Too many Christians sit here with a high school letterman jacket on, talking about victories they had in different seasons. You’re still sitting here in your wedding dress, buttons popping, meat hanging out everywhere; it no longer fits! But you would rather be nostalgic in a season of religion. «I want to go back to the good old days.»
Well, you were mean then, and you’re mean now. You haven’t changed clothes! The weeds were things you had to go through for peace to get you through a season of your life. But now you’ve been invited to the kingdom. It’s not that you can’t stop smoking; I really just think you don’t want to! Can we be honest? There are some things we could give up, but just because we want our will and not his, we don’t change clothes. In the kingdom, everybody say, «There is a standard.» But watch this: write this down: Everything you need to meet the standard is provided. This freed me.
Because I did not know that my works were not the thing that was attracting God to me. I thought I had to pray 15 times; I thought I had to wake up at 5 a.m. because Prophet Brenda Todd woke up at 5 a.m. to pray. No, no, no, no, no! I thought I had to fast every so often; I thought that all of those things were dead works because they were coming from a place of fear. I wasn’t serving the king because I loved him; I was serving the king because I didn’t want to go to hell. And the hell scare tactic will keep people at the altar, which makes the preacher feel like he was effective, but the truth is you didn’t even study. So, you just tried to scare people. The altars were full because you scared them!
«If lightning struck the building right now and we were all taken up to glory, where would you spend eternity?» «I don’t know…» «Well, you need to come to the altar!» Here I am again, Lord. No, no! But the truth of the matter is God said, «Hold on! You can live in a way that you accept what has been provided.» This king would have had somebody at the door telling everybody, «Here are your garments; here’s your robe of righteousness; here’s everything you need to live a life that is pleasing to the king.»
And there was one man who was at the banquet, so I want you to understand where he was. I’m trying to help you unpack what the kingdom of God is like. He was at the banquet; he was in the kingdom, but he decided to take the clothes but not put them on. So I want you to think about what that is a metaphor for. God tells you how to live and what he wants you to do, but you willingly decide to deny what he’s saying. It would be the ultimate sign of disrespect for you to come to the banquet and not wear the clothes! And somebody paid money to have a tailor or a seamstress make you a garment, and you decide not to change clothes in that atmosphere.
So the king walks through and he’s looking at everybody, pleased with those who are wearing the clothes. He comes up to this one man and says, «Um, sir, look.» He started out with «look"—what he said was «friend.» He was not mad at this man; he was actually concerned that something may be wrong. God will always approach you in the Kingdom with «friend» first. He’s not trying to lay down the law. «Hey, why are you still doing that? Why are you still sleeping with that person? Why are you still doing business with shady people? Friend, it’s not like I’m saying, 'What are you doing? ' No, friend, why are you lying and then getting on the platform and leading people in worship? Friend, why are you judging and not loving?» And look what the Bible says: the man had no reply. He had nothing to say, which tells me that he didn’t even have a good reason why he wasn’t wearing it; he just didn’t want to.
Today I have to talk to the people who have been immature and not doing the things that God wants for no other reason than that you just don’t want to. He’s been telling you to leave that friend group, and you just don’t want to. He’s been telling you to focus on His word, and you just don’t want to. The series on Netflix is more important to you than what the king is asking you to change into. What I’m telling everyone, and y’all, this has convicted me as the pastor, is that God said, «You better change into what I’ve provided, or you’re going to be kicked out of this party.» He said, «But there is a standard here, and I’m coming to you as a friend. I’m saying to you, stop using that as an excuse. Change clothes! But if your only reason is 'I don’t want to' because it might be hard, or because that means I’m going to have to change some things, that’s not a good enough excuse.»
So I’m going to tell you something that happens when people come to the kingdom and they get a garment put on them, but it doesn’t fit yet. This is what ends up happening: a lot of people get a garment, and it looks too big. It actually—matter of fact—Holy Spirit, could you come up here and help me? What I found out in the Kingdom is that God gives us a tailor, and his name is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one supposed to lead us into all truth. Could you bring me the garment that you said was made for me? This is many times how the Holy Spirit does it: He gives us something that he has prepared for us—a garment that we say, «Hold on, what do you want me to do with that? Put it on? That’s not my size.» Let me just turn on the jacket. «I’m not wearing anything that doesn’t fit me.» I just told you I wasn’t wearing anything, Holy Spirit; that doesn’t fit me! «I’m not serving people who don’t pay me! This doesn’t fit, I don’t even like speaking, so why would you call me?»
Look at this; this doesn’t fit yet. We prematurely take off what the Holy Spirit wants to fit us because it doesn’t fit immediately. And the Holy Spirit has been telling some of us, «Put it on,» and you’re complaining the whole time: «This doesn’t fit!» He said, «You don’t know my skill set,» so now we’re standing here mad, not even taking off what we had on. «Give me this! I can’t believe you got me out here serving people! You’ve taken away all my little swag, and you’re going to tell me to come into your presence? Do you know who I was in the world? Do you know what people say about me? Do you know how much I mean to other people? And you’re going to tell me to put on something that doesn’t fit? Holy Spirit, I’m up here looking stupid! Oh, you want me to pull it back up? Want me to serve God, love my enemies? You want me to represent you in the Kingdom? Look how dumb I look! You want me to go outside like this? You want this to fit me yet?»
See, the thing that the Holy Spirit is saying when you come into the Kingdom is: «I’m going to give you the tailor called the Holy Spirit, and what I need you to do is, if your garment doesn’t fit, everybody say 'yet'.» Keep seeing the tailor! There’s a standard in the Kingdom. Everything provided for you to meet the standard is already there. If your garment doesn’t fit, I brought the Holy Spirit. Jesus even says to the disciples, «It’s better for you that I go, so that you can get the tailor, the Holy Spirit, to come, because He’s going to lead you—cut off what doesn’t need to be there, change what doesn’t fit yet.» He said, «I need you to come.»
And this is the thing I need you to know about the Kingdom: one size does not fit all. See, the problem is, I’m comparing my outfit to somebody else’s, and mine hasn’t been fitted yet. Okay, I’m going to come to the secret place; I’m going to come to prayer. I’m going to come to the place that’s uncomfortable, and Holy Spirit, take my measurements.
Hold on, hold on, hold on. Nobody’s actually seen this before. Nobody knows how much weight I’ve picked up. Could you tailor this a little bigger so that people can’t see where I’m actually at? No, no, this is for me, like, as a matter of fact, do you think this will ever fit me? Do you think this calling will ever fit me? Do you think that I can actually live pure and holy? Do you actually think that I could stop cursing people out? I don’t have faith that these clothes will ever fit. Many people leave the kingdom because they don’t believe it’s worth letting the Holy Spirit make them fit. In this parable, everyone says, «Change clothes!» but let the Holy Spirit be your tailor. Write that down: «The Holy Spirit is my tailor.»
This man decides to defy the king and doesn’t wear the clothes. If I’m watching this in the room, I’m thinking I’m going to put it on because I don’t want to be bound and thrown out of the party. The nation of thieves seems very evil, but in the Kingdom, a lot of us feel like what God has called us to do doesn’t fit. So now you’re going to have to get tailored. Why do people not stand on the tailoring block? I’m going to give you four things because somebody’s going to change clothes before the end of this service.
The reason people don’t stand on the tailoring block is because tailoring by the Holy Spirit takes transparency. John is my actual stylist at Ann Taylor, so, as some of you know, I was 53 pounds heavier this time last year. All of my clothes actually fit like this around me. One thing I had to understand about a tailor is that no matter what it looks like in the moment, he has the skill set to fit it to me. One thing that was very uncomfortable at the beginning of this journey of tailoring is when the tailor had to actually measure my inseam. Now, many of you don’t know what that is, but the Holy Spirit will get down into vulnerable areas.
Hold on. I want to make this very plain: the Holy Spirit wants to get the exact measurements in the places that nobody else actually goes. John got down one day to measure my inseam, and I said, «Brother, what are you actually doing? I’m a married man; I don’t go like that.» And he began to explain to me that if he doesn’t get the exact measurements of where I’m at—everybody say today—not where I think I’m at or where the jeans I wear are, it’s not custom fit to me. If he doesn’t measure me today, I believe that there has to be another level of transparency when we come into the kingdom for God to measure where I’m at. Everybody say today: «The Holy Spirit wants to come into the places that are vulnerable and measure you.»
Another vulnerable place for me is my gut because, for years, to hide my gut, I would just wear big hoodies. But one thing about John is he would say stuff like, «You’ve been eating, huh? Vacation was good to you, huh?» And I would be like, «What are you talking about?» He said, «I’m trying to fit this suit, but I can’t go based off the measurements we had last time. Based off the last time you worshiped me, today I have to measure you anew and afresh.» And God is asking everybody, when you’re coming into this party, I want you to invite the Holy Spirit to come and… «Dang, could you just pin it up?» Because this is frustrating now at this point, trying to live how the king wants me to live. At least, could you, Holy Spirit, at least make what looks bad stay up?
The Holy Spirit is telling me, for every person that’s out there right now, «Stay in the place to let me work.» I don’t know who this is for, but somebody is about to walk away and take off the garment that just doesn’t fit you. Everybody say «yet.» Stay in the place where the Holy Spirit can lead you into all truth. Why are you telling this? You can’t understand the kingdom without the Holy Spirit. Most people think the Holy Spirit is a feeling; He is a person. If you’ve never watched the series called «The Upgrade,» I need you to go back and watch it because I want to introduce you to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is supposed to lead and guide you into all truth.
I don’t know how to be what God wants me to be in the Kingdom unless the Holy Spirit leads me, helps me, and walks with me. He is the paraclete. Remember I said «parable»? The one who comes alongside you to help you. The Holy Spirit wants to help you. «Go ahead and pin me and start making this feel better.» I have an attitude; don’t stick me, Holy Spirit.
Now I’m standing here, and the Holy Spirit’s trying to style me, but people don’t stay in this place. Watch this; they don’t get the tailoring because tailoring takes time. If you are going to be everything that God has called you to be in the Kingdom, this will not be a quick work. This is going to be a work that takes time. Do you know how long it has taken me to get that lustful thing planted inside of me as a young teenager out of my life, to the point where I can see it from a mile away and resist that temptation? It has taken time of the Holy Spirit saying things like, «Don’t turn the TV on right now.»
«Well, God, this is how I unwind.» «Don’t turn the TV on right now. Change clothes; let me tailor you.» What nobody else has to do, I am not making this garment for anybody else; I’m specifically making it for you. «Don’t go see that movie.» «But Michael B. Jordan is in that movie!» «I’m just telling you, don’t go eat at that restaurant.» «But the food is good there!» «He said, 'I’m tailoring you.'» I’m trying to fit what your purpose is in the Kingdom to you, but you’ve got to give me… Everybody say «time.» Church, that’s why I told you that this Kingdom message—this is the last sermon in the foundational series—but I’m telling you this is going to take time because as I unfold these messages, the Holy Spirit says, «I’m about to keep working on this garment on you until it fits you like a glove.»
The Holy Spirit says, «If you run from me… no, I’m my old self. It’s my birthday; don’t look at the God thing around my knees. But I’m a businessman; I’m going to be a shark in business.» I’m listening to all these people. «Don’t mind that I have a calling still around me. No matter how much I want to run towards something else, I’ve been marked because I’ve got something on.» People are looking at me and stopping because of the call of God on your life. Many can, but you cannot. Is there anybody that’s tried to wild out, tried to do all the wrong things, tried to be what everybody else is? But I have been marked by God.
Why didn’t everybody else get caught? It’s because there’s something around your life. Oh my God, there’s something that trips you up. Everybody else is running in sin, but you stumble in sin. You don’t even look right; you can’t even cuss right, email the wrong person, and tell your boss how you email your boss. It’s because there’s something that the old folks say is on your life that just won’t leave you alone; it’s that calling. At some point, enough will happen. «Hey, what’s up, Holy Spirit?» He said, «Welcome back. They caught you with your pants down.» Yeah, and what do you do? You start the process over again because I weigh differently now. Some of you are so frustrated. If you would just stay in the place He told you to stay in, if you would just let Him keep doing the work on you…
«When am I going to get married?» When He finishes. Okay, let me stop. Most people won’t stay on the tailoring block because tailoring takes transparency. Somebody, this is never going to leave you ever again. Tailoring takes time. Watch this: tailoring takes talking. «Hey, I just want to let you know my arm, I just don’t want to be constricted in this.» You got me? «Yeah, but I don’t know; I’ve seen some other people with it cuffed, like double cuffed. Let’s try it.» «No, I like the… No, matter of fact, do what you think. I’ve never designed clothes before; I’ve never made a purpose before. I’ve never formed or fashioned anybody. This is what you do, right?»
«So how long have you been doing this?» «All day, every day since the beginning of time.» «How many people have you helped reach destiny?» «As many as would let me.» It’s in the relationship, the talking to the Holy Spirit, that it turns less into something He’s cutting and poking; it turns into a relationship. One of the things I’ll tell you about me and my tailor: we’re actually best friends because we spend so much time in vulnerable positions together. This man has been with me through all the transitions.
Hold on, hold on, hold on, that’s good! I’ll punch you, Holy Spirit; He’s walking me. So now it’s no longer a job for us; it’s time we get to spend together. Most of us actually enjoy our time together. I got off the plane last night, and John says, «Call me when you land.» I mean, Holy Spirit says, «Call me.» Well, John says, «Call me when you land.» Okay, you just switch back your role play. He says, «Call me when you land.» I call him, and he shows up at my house. And we talk for longer than it took to actually get my measurements because now it’s not about just getting the job done; it’s about spending time with my friend.
The Holy Spirit wants to tailor-make your Kingdom purpose to you, but He wants to do it from an area of not just religion or regiment; He wants to do it through relationships, and that means you’re going to have to talk to the Holy Spirit. Practically, what does that look like, Pastor Mike? I talk to God all day. «Lord, help me not go in here and say anything in this meeting that doesn’t represent You.» «Holy Spirit, put a bridle on my tongue so that I can represent you well.» «Lord, Natalie’s mad at me, and honestly, I’m mad at her. Holy Spirit, help me not cause strife in my marriage.» And the Holy Spirit begins to talk to me, walk with me, teach me—what the Bible says—lead me into all truth.
«Okay, Holy Spirit, you got your measurement, so could you take what you say is going to fit me and could you start? I might have to take something off. Could you, Holy Spirit? I really like these; they were kind of expensive too, but I’m going to have to take off something. Well, this messes up my outfit now, Holy Spirit.» And now I have a choice; this is uncomfortable. «Just take it off! Take it off! It’s more uncomfortable to keep it on while you’re trying to work on me.»
How did my pants get so long when I was dressed how culture wanted me to dress? They looked right, but as I start to take off—who gave me Kevin Durant’s pants? I didn’t even realize that, because it was fashion, these actually don’t fit. When the Holy Spirit starts working on you, there are things that you may think make you who you are that no longer fit. I look like a fool up here until the Holy Spirit calls me back to tell me, «I have something prepared for you.»
Let me tell you the last reason why people don’t get tailored. I hope you get this in your mind right now: the Holy Spirit is coming to tailor-make your purpose in the kingdom, and the King is asking you to do two words: «Change clothes.» Tailoring takes transparency, tailoring takes time, tailoring takes talking, and the last one: tailoring takes trust. I gotta believe He knows the design. I gotta believe however He fits that to me, it’s gonna work. I could be worried all night that I’m going to disappoint somebody and I’m not going to be able to do what I want to do, and the Holy Spirit is saying, «This is what I do; trust me with your life. I want you to change clothes.»
I’m going to be very practical at the end of this message. I was trying to think, «How do I bring all of this Kingdom stuff down to just a very simple truth?» The King is inviting you to a party, and he’s saying, «The Holy Spirit is here to make it look like what you need it to look like.» You’ve got to give me time, transparency, and talk to me, and trust me. This year, the Holy Spirit is going to start cutting off things that you think you needed. It takes me to John 14, where it talks about we are the vine or He is divine and we are the branches and that we have to be connected to Him.
Then there’s this part that if you go down, it says that He cuts off the vines that are producing fruit. So that makes sense to me. The reason He starts tailoring on that vine is because He wants it to produce even more fruit. When the Holy Spirit cuts the sleeve off of something that somebody’s going through, I don’t need anybody in the church to judge because their outfit is not ready yet? We need to be concerned about what God has placed on our lives. This is what I’m saying to every Kingdom citizen: don’t judge people who are missing pieces from their garment.
Pastor Mike, why are you saying this? Because, as the pastor of this church, I am still being tailored by the Holy Spirit. This week, the Holy Spirit cut some things off of me that I thought I was good with. He challenged me this week to love my wife in a different way and to honor her in a new way. Guess what? The tailor is not just making you one outfit; He is available at all times to ensure that you are ready to enter any atmosphere to which you have been called. When the tailor finishes crafting what He is making for you, this is the last part I need y’all to understand: there will be a season in the Kingdom where He asks you to go and change, where nobody can see you. «Holy Spirit, I’m ready!»
This feels like isolation; hold on, I don’t want to do this. Am I relevant anymore? Nobody can see me. This is uncomfortable; why is this happening? This is awkward for the people out there. «Holy Spirit, make my name great! Give me a platform; don’t let them forget me.» This is truly awkward. I want to say something; I want to defend myself because they don’t understand what happened. Let me clap back once or twice. Could this happen faster? Don’t touch that. Have you still called me? Am I still important to you?
Dang, I don’t even know if I want to go out again. I don’t know if I want to try again. I don’t know if I want to forgive again. «Holy Spirit, I don’t think this is going to fit.» Did I mention this is awkward? Holy Spirit, You’re working. Holy Spirit, You’re with me. Holy Spirit, You love me. Holy Spirit, You have a plan for me. Holy Spirit, You knew me before I was in my mother’s womb. Holy Spirit, You desire to change me into the image of Jesus. Holy Spirit, what I’ve seen is not enough. I’m ready! You’re not ready for me to come out yet. No, I got a website, a podcast, and a mixtape. What You’re doing in my life is private. Less of me, more of You— not my will, but Yours be done. Holy Spirit, help me change clothes!
Now, all I’m thinking about right now is how long it took me to change. I’m thinking about how uncomfortable everybody else was while God made something custom for me. There are some people in this room right now that the Holy Spirit has been working on, and instead of letting Him finish, you’ve been worried about everybody else. I came to tell you that what God wants to do in your life fits you perfectly, but it took time, transparency, trust, and talking to the Holy Spirit. I can teach you everything I know about the Kingdom, but if you don’t decide to change clothes and let the Holy Spirit tailor this to you, you will spend the rest of your life in something that doesn’t fit until you get frustrated.
The reason why people are deconstructing their faith and running away from the Word of God is that they wouldn’t let the Holy Spirit do the work that only He can do. Can I tell you something? The pastor cannot give you the revelation of the Kingdom; all I can do is tell you to seek it. All I’ve been trying to say for six weeks is: this is what Jesus preached. This is what He wants us to study. This is what He wants us to pursue. Stop believing in this, that, and the third.
The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33, «Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness,» which is the robe He has already given you, «and everything else you need will be added.» But me saying that as your pastor, I’m pleading with you— that alone is not going to be enough. I always had a pastor, but I never sought the Kingdom. Today, I’m asking everyone to make a decision: change clothes. There’s a standard here, and if you’re going to be everything that God has called you to be, take off the garments you came in with. Take off all the guilt, shame, pain, hurt, frustration, anger, rage, all the impure thoughts, all the lust, and all the things that you thought fit you. Receive what the King has provided for you. Change clothes today!
I’m going to close service a little differently. If you know there are some things you’ve been wearing that the King is walking towards you about to ask why you still have those on, and you know it’s time to change clothes, I’m not going to ask you what it is, but today I want you to decide. Everybody say «decide.» I want you to decide to change clothes and let the Holy Spirit fit your Kingdom calling to you. I was scared to become a pastor because it didn’t fit. When I was called to be a youth pastor, it was by fluke—my parents started the church, and my mom said I was supposed to do something with the youth.
At that time, I thought it was just convenient. It was just clothes in the Kingdom that didn’t fit. Yet He said, «Let me work on your attitude. Let me work on your lust. Let me work on your transparency. Let me work on those areas that aren’t right.» God kept giving me garments that didn’t fit until Bishop Gary said, «I think you’re supposed to be the pastor of the church.» I said, «I think you missed God.» I literally told him, «Bishop, I don’t even like people that much.» I was just wearing a garment that didn’t fit yet, but as I kept letting the tailor cut on me—on my attitude, on my habits, on the way I talk to people, on the way I love people—God started to change me from the inside out.
If there is an area in your life where you’ve still been wearing old garments, garments you came into the Kingdom with, and you’re ready to change clothes— in Atlanta, in this room, or watching in Transformation Nation— I want you to stand right now. This is not for everybody, but there are some people in this room that know today is the day—a decision-making day. I’m going to put on what the King has provided. Oh, I feel the presence of God! If that’s you, wherever you are right now, I want you to begin to lift your hands. There’s deliverance in this house. The King has sent the Holy Spirit— I feel this thing right now—to help you change clothes. I’m about to pray for you, but the Holy Spirit is about to start taking off those things that no longer fit you: the attitudes, the ideas, the principles, the precepts—those things that have kept you almost tied to who you were before you came into the Kingdom. Today, there’s deliverance and healing happening for you.
God, we’re here. (Come on, hands lifted, everyone.) Help us change clothes! Father, I thank You that right now, there are people who have been in the same garments for too long, and today, Father, You have provided through Your Son, Jesus Christ, a brand-new robe of righteousness for us to wear. Today, Father God, we are deciding to accept Your will, Your way, Your righteousness for our lives. No longer will we run away from the Holy Spirit, but today will be a marker in our lives that we are saying, 'Take my life! Take my life! ' Father God, oh, I feel the presence of God. There are things that have been with you for years that God is saying, 'This is the last day you’re wearing that garment. You’re about to put on righteousness, you’re about to put on joy, love.' The fruits of the Spirit are about to be your portion. Holy Spirit, we’re asking You all over this world, from Atlanta to Tulsa to every place, Father God, help us to change clothes.» (And just together as a prayer, we say:) Take my life! (Come on; lift it up!) Transform it; take my will; conform it to Yours. We want what You want us to wear. Come on, let’s put on the garments of the Kingdom. So, take my and take my mind; transform it; take my will. Oh, something’s happening to what I want— Yours! (Oh, come on, lift your hands and tell God.) Take my mind, God! We want what You want for us. We want to be everything You want us to be in the Kingdom! To Yours! To Yours!
My burden with this message, and I need everybody to listen to me: I spent too much time around the King without putting on what He provided for me. God told me to tell every person watching that today is the day you accept your Kingdom calling—not what you studied for, not what people have told you. Today is the day that it doesn’t matter if you feel like it doesn’t fit yet. The Holy Spirit’s going to help you.
If you’re in this room right now, or in Atlanta, or watching on rebroadcast, and you want to be clothed in righteousness, today I need you to accept Jesus. He’s the only one that— just as I had on all black when Jesus came in— the Father sees me in all white now. This is how He sees me because Jesus is the One who meets the standard of righteousness for both me and you. If you want to live your life clothed in righteousness, today I want you to give your life to Jesus.
In this room, I’m telling you it’s the best decision I ever made. I went from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography, to someone who had a lot of bad stuff in their heart. God said, «Uh-huh. I’m going to use all that. Submit that to Me; bring yourself to the King’s table.» It’s full of grace and mercy. «Put on these clothes I have for you, and I’m going to allow you to fulfill your purpose.» That day changed everything for me!
Today is your day of salvation! If that’s you and you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, if you want to change clothes right now in this moment, it’s your time. On the count of three, I just want you to raise your hand in the room, in Atlanta, online, wherever you are. One— you’re making the greatest decision of your life. I feel the power of God right now. Two— I’m proud of you, but your name is about to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. If you want to give your life to Jesus, just lift your hands. Three— right now! I see you, my brother. I see you, my sister. I see all of you! Better rejoice! I see you, I see you, I see you! Oh, y’all come on! I see glory to God! At Transformation Church, we are a family. Atlanta, I see you! I want everybody to pray this prayer for those who are coming into the Kingdom today. Would you just lift your hands and say:
God, thank You for preparing a place for me at Your table. Today I repent from my old life and I turn to You. I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again with all power just for me. And today I give You my life. You are the Lord of my life! Change me, renew me, transform me. I’m Yours! Today I change clothes! In Jesus' name, amen.