Michael Todd - Between Yes and Next
All right, I’m going to get right into my assignment. Week four of this series called «Damaged but Not Destroyed» is going to be different from the first three weeks. I feel like, um, thank you, Caleb. I feel like the first three weeks were trying to let you know it was valuable to actually deal with your trauma, but we are not going to spend ten weeks trying to convince you. Some of you want what you have.
Look, okay, y’all, I’m fresh off of rest with my wife. I’m locked and loaded today. I’ve been in the mountains with God in Montana, looking at nothing but ducks, and the truth is we’re talking about trauma and what God can do with damage. But some of you want what you have. You can be sitting there with the answer all day, and you’re going to keep choosing the foolishness that you have. God has been telling you to be single for six months, and you’re still on Tinder, still on Black Planet. Let me stop. God has told you to write the book several times, and you continue to blame the situation and what you do not have for what God is telling you He will help you with. So today, it’s going to be a hard shift in the series. Everybody say «hard shift.»
Because in week one, we preached a message called «Snitches Get Stitches,» and we found out that the grace of God will actually cover every damaged area in your life if you would bring your damage to Him. We made a decision that we’re going to be honest. Look at your neighbor and say, «Stop lying.» No, they didn’t believe you. Look at your other neighbor right now and say, «Stop lying.» It hurts you that your father didn’t come to those games. Uh-oh, that was too serious right there. Did y’all feel that? It damaged you that your older brother was always in competition and never encouraged you. It is actually offensive every time you get around your family and all they talk about is your weight. Uh-oh, that hit her in a different way. That was like an electrocution. But the truth of the matter is they don’t ask you how you’re doing, looking tubby. You’ve been eating. Every time you show up, they’re asking you where their grandkids are, but they don’t know you’ve silently suffered with miscarriages because you don’t trust them enough to even talk to them about it. Can we be honest?
In the second week, after we acknowledged that we’re damaged, we learned that God can do extraordinary things with damaged people. There’s nobody in the Bible who was used by God who wasn’t damaged. Then last week, Dr. Anita Phillips came in here and got us all right and let us know that our healing is connected to what’s happening in our hearts. It’s been beautiful. What it’s been is like, «Guys, come on, let’s heal. Let’s deal with our damage. Let’s move past it.» If it’s not transformed, then it’s transferred, so let’s do something about that. Some people came in here today like, «All right, let’s get another pep talk about me actually going to counseling.» Let’s do spiritual therapy practice that I’m not going to listen to this week. We feel so good that we’re talking about trauma, but don’t talk about mine. Let’s talk about everybody else getting healed, delivered, and set free.
Today I have to ask everybody a question. The question is found in John chapter 5, verses 1-9. It says, «After Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days, inside the city near the Sheep Gate was the Pool of Bethesda with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind people, lame people, paralyzed people, damaged people—lay on those porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw this damaged man and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, 'Would you like to get well? '» Another translation says it like this, and this is my question to you today: Do you want to be made whole? Do you want to be made whole? Do you want the relationship to work?
I want you to imagine Jesus coming to you right now, with your beautiful self, asking you straight up, point-blank, «Do you want to be made whole?» No, no, no, not ethereal today. Everything that you complained about this week—every reason why you told God you cannot be a good parent—all the things that you said you’ll never do in purpose—God’s coming to you today and asking you a simple question: Do you want to be made whole? Now, I want you not to approach this with a churchy answer, «Of course!» Think about it, because when you say yes to God, you say no to other stuff.
Let me put it in layman’s terms—somebody say, «Do you want to be made whole?» Do you want to live healthy? Uh-huh, because you have plans to go eat somewhere today that goes against what your doctor told you about your blood pressure. I’m not just… She said, «Oh God, do you want to be made whole?» Do you want to tell the truth? Do you want to date in purity? Do you want to have joy? Do you want to be able to celebrate other people’s wins? Before you start saying yes, I want you to think about what that means for the way you are right now. Do you want to be made whole? Do you want to be a good parent?
This is how I was raised, though. See, being made whole may mean you have to go against the culture you were raised in. Uh-oh. I beat my kids. Is that punishment for what your parents did to you? Now you’re taking it out on your kids because that’s all you saw? You can’t—what’s the spirit of R? The time that means you can’t use your words. You haven’t learned to communicate at a level where you can actually express emotion, and your words have weight with your children, so you hit them but then tell them not to hit kids at school. You beat them for being suspended for fighting.
I know I’m heavy right now, but do you want to be made whole? Do you want a better parenting style? Do you want to actually be present for your family? «I’m on the grind, I’m on the hustle, I’m on the to-do, I’m making a better life for them,» but you’re not there in their life with them. Do you want to steward finances well? Do you want to be on time? Y’all act like I’m asking very hard questions. These are yes and no. You’re late forever. Oh, this is the alarm. You set nine alarms for the job that pays your bills, but you were up at 11:30 on Instagram going live with four people. There were four people on there, and two of them…
Do you want your words to encourage? Do you want to be confident? Do you want to live in abundance? Do you want to forgive your family? Because some of us, the only position we play in our family is the victim. I’m not saying it didn’t happen to you. What happened to you is very valid, but Jesus is coming to you today. Do you want to actually forgive them? Do you want to be made whole, or do you want to be in that position for the rest of your life? Do you want to apologize? See, everybody wants the forgiveness part, but some of us need to be on the apologizing part.
Dr. Anita said something last week that jacked me up as a parent. She said the biggest sin of a parent is pride. I’ve been seeing these memes of how parents apologize. Have y’all seen that? Especially Black parents, I’mma just tell on us. They get in trouble, all that other stuff, and be like, «You hungry?» «Oh, you okay? You want to eat? What’s that game you like? What’s that game you was telling your cousin about?» They just say, «I’m sorry.» «I’m sorry for talking to you that way. I said some things that were out of my emotion. I had a hard day at work, and you didn’t deserve that. I apologize.»
This is too much, but I’m talking about people. Do you want to be made whole? Do you want accountability? Do you want friendships that last? Everybody said—did y’all see that? I said friendships that last. Yes, yes! Accountability was like… But friendships that last—the foundation is accountability. No, you can’t talk to her; you’re committed to that woman. Uh-huh. But your friend’s like, «No, no, I got you, bro. Do your thing. Do your thing in the back.» Is that your friend or your enemy?
I’m just saying, I’m on another level today. Do you want to be a good leader? Do you desire to work in your purpose? Do you want to be made whole? Do you want to try again? Many times we’ve tried and failed, tried and failed, and some of us have made a decision—well, I guess this is it. God’s saying I know the last three businesses failed, but do you want to be made whole?
Do you want to move out of grief? A better way to say it: Do you want to live beyond sorrow? Do you want—watch this—do you want to be content? I know on Instagram every day you’re thinking about what you don’t have, how they’re getting flown out. They don’t. I know people that do. Uh-huh, they can’t make that much money. And God said, «Could I make you have peace and contentment with the life that you have?» Or do you get fulfillment out of complaining about what you don’t have?
Do you want to be made whole? Big one: Do you want to be in love? Because in this generation, people are questioning if love is even real. My thing is, if that’s what the culture wants to believe, but my Bible tells me that love is a real thing. There are many different ways of it—agape and phileo—and there are so many different loves that are accessible. But the question is: Do you want to find love? Do you want to be made whole?
Pastor Mike, why are you going through all of this? Because this man was asked a yes or no question: Do you want to be made whole? I’m asking you today, everybody listening, I need your spirit to agree. Jesus is saying to all of us, «You’ve been convinced that you need to go from trauma to triumph, but my question to you is, do you want to be made whole?»
It took me 15 minutes to walk you through individual scenarios, and you’re like, «Yeah, I could see that,» if you carry the one. That feels good. Like, «What?» When Jesus comes to you, I want you to write this down: The only reasonable answer to a question from Jesus is «Yes, Lord.» That is the only response. If God comes to you and says sell your home and help the needy, the only reasonable answer is «Yes, Lord.» If God tells you to take those kids and work for their adoption, and you don’t have any money, you don’t have a husband, and you don’t have a support system, the only answer is «Yes, Lord.»
When God tells you to plant a church on the north side of Tulsa, and you’re white—white! —and that means you’re moving all your kids from 81st and Memorial to Pine and Peoria when all your family tells you no, when all the people who ran with you tell you no, Bishop and Pastor Debbie said «Yes, Lord.» Oh my God! My question to you is, when God is asking you to do something, why are you not immediately saying «Yes, Lord»? After all He’s brought you through, after all the times He’s shown up for you, protected your mind… When a father says something, even if it doesn’t make sense, it’s for your protection, your purpose, or your prosperity. A father never says anything to his children to hurt them or harm them intentionally.
You don’t… My children—Ava just got a little scooter, a little situation, something that takes my money—and she wanted to ride it in the street. It all looked like the same thing as the driveway to her; it’s all concrete. But she doesn’t have the full concept that cars pass by on that street. So when I told her, «Don’t go in the street,» she said, «Daddy, why are you yelling at me?» No, no, no, no, no, baby, there was a car right there! I had to get your attention so you would stay protected. Anything a father says is not for punishment; it’s for protection and prosperity. Many of us, God is telling us stuff and asking us a simple question, and we’re saying, «Maybe, Lord. Kind of, Lord, if the situation lines up, Lord. Can you confirm it nine times, Lord?»
Some of y’all are the most confirmation-needing people. Is it not enough that God spoke to you? «Let me see it in the clouds. Let me see it in a movie. Let me see it in pornography.» What? That was a real scenario. Some people told me that God was speaking to them through pornography. Charles, do you know how twisted and demented the enemy will suggest things when you don’t say «Yes, Lord»? Okay, let me move. In John chapter 5, verse 7, God asked this man a question and instead of his faith answering, watch this, because a lot of us feel like this: His damage answered. God is talking to him. He says, «Do you want to be made whole?» Look at his response: «I can’t, sir, for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is bubbling, someone else always gets there ahead of me.»
How many times have you told God, «I can’t»? It’s easy to judge this man because of his condition, but some of us are telling God «I can’t,» and I understand it because he’s literally crippled. Some of us are telling God «I can’t,» and it’s just because you won’t. It’s not a real «I can’t.» It’s like, «What will people think about it?» You could start the Bible study, but what if nobody comes? Obedience is not about the outcome. Oh Jesus, God has been telling us to move and start counseling. Well, God, it costs money. So do Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and NFL ticket! Cancel all of those for a year and see if you can’t go to counseling. I’m walking too heavily right now because you need a new outfit for every week, but you’re wearing that old soul. I can’t! This man really couldn’t, and some of us really can’t. But I believe many times «I can’t» isn’t «I won’t.» It’s more that «I don’t want to,» or «I don’t feel equipped to,» and that isn’t even the question.
Jesus did not ask him if he had the ability to be made whole because then the right answer would have been «I can’t.» He just asked him, «Do you want to be made whole?» And watch this: I need you to write this down because it reveals the character of our Father. Jesus' questions are always an invitation, never an accusation. He was not trying to accuse him of anything; he was inviting him into his healing. Do you want to be a person of integrity? That’s not an accusation that you’re just a liar; it’s an invitation to a new level of living. Do you want to be made whole? Do you want to actually prioritize your marriage? That’s not saying you’re a bad husband or a bad wife; he’s inviting us.
Many times, when we look at scripture, because of our own childhood trauma or the trauma that we’ve had with father figures, we look at God like we’ve looked at other men on Earth. So, when we hear something that feels strong, we think it’s an accusation instead of an invitation. Jesus did not ask this man if he wanted to be made whole to then be like, «So sit there.» No, no, no! I want to see it for myself when the water bubbles up; you didn’t make it. That’s how we act as if God comes to our infirmity, that he’s waiting for us to fail. He was inviting him into a miracle, and the man didn’t even know it. My burden is I know that many people have tried. For some, it’s not even an excuse.
You said, «Do I want to be made whole? Yes, Pastor Mike! That’s why I keep coming to church, so why I keep loving, so why I keep giving, so why I keep serving.» Do I want to be made whole? That’s why. I’ve bought damaged but not destroyed. Has anybody ever done everything you know how to do? Come on! This man was sitting by the pool; he could have told people, «Take me! Get me in there! Take me somewhere else!» He was at least by the place where he knew a miracle would happen. Some of you are here at church today; at least you’re by the place where you’ve seen miracles happen. Somebody sent you this link, and you’re watching with discouragement in your heart, but at least you’re about, «Yes! I want to be made whole.» But Jesus, write this down—he isn’t looking for explanations; he’s looking for expectations. This man, when Jesus asked him the question, «Do you want to be made whole?» he starts explaining why he couldn’t.
All Jesus wanted to know is, «Do you expect something? Because I’m here! I’ve shown up! The God of the universe—you have heard about me! Put some respect on my name! When God shows up to your situation, he’s never showing up to leave it the same. Many times, when we should be met with expectation, we start giving God explanations. May I dare say for some people, your explanation has turned into an excuse? You have been saying the same thing for 14 years of why you can’t do what God said. Please keep your explanation; I know it already. Please keep your excuses. All I need you to do is trade in your explanation of why you can’t and your excuses of why you won’t, and I need you to trade it for expectation. Maybe today is the day. It didn’t fail; it didn’t work three more times before, but maybe the fifth time’s a charm or the third time’s a charm.
Okay, I need to encourage somebody’s faith. Okay, verse 8: Look what Jesus does. Jesus told him, „Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.“ Did Jesus just ignore his explanation and his excuses and call him to something bigger than anything he’s ever done? I want you to see the character of my God! He will ask you, „Do you want to be made whole?“ „God, I can’t because—“ „Cool! Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.“ „Well, God, I didn’t have an education! I had six months of TCC education!“ „Stand up, Pastor! This church, read your Bible, lead a generation to me!“ Uh-oh! I’m telling my own testimony right now. God will ignore your explanation to call you into something. Is anybody glad that God has ignored your excuses? I need to find the grateful people that when you gave God a list of why you couldn’t, he said, „Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear all of that, but I will empower you to do what I’m calling you to do!“
Your words don’t have that much power with the God of the universe! I need you to see something I found in the scripture. Jesus told him. He didn’t suggest to him, he didn’t present options; he commanded him! Go with me! „In my mind, in my movie,“ God, I can’t! „Stand up!“ It’s a little insensitive, you know? I’m crippled! You know I’m damaged! You know I haven’t used anything like that in years! Stand up! Some of y’all are not standing up! „Well, God, nobody in my—“ „Stand up!“ Some of y’all are not standing up! „Show up!“ „Well, God, they don’t like people like me there!“ „Show up!“ „Nobody that has my skin complexion has ever owned anything like that!“ „Show up!“ Some of y’all, it’s not „show up.“ Some of y’all, „Show up!“ „Well, my little $10 isn’t going to do anything!“ I said „Show up!“ to where you think you want to be.
He literally commands him! And I just feel in the spirit that God’s—I’m about to say encouraging because that seems better—he’s commanding you: „Stand up! I know the trauma that’s happened to you! I was there! I’ve covered you all of these years! I’ve protected your heart! I protected your soul! But don’t give me another year of excuses of why you can’t be the leader that I’ve called you to be! Stand up! I don’t need to know all of the reasons why nobody in your family has done this! I’ve been trying to get somebody for 40 years to just stand up and take on! I already got the grace for you to do it! I’m right here with you! But you’ve got to make a decision to stand up!“
What I wanted to tell everybody today is God’s calling is a command. Most of us act like it’s an option. I hear so many people saying, „Man, I know I’m called to speak, you know what I’m saying, but I’m just waiting.“ No, no, no! That is not an option for you! If God calls you to do something, it’s a command! And I am sick of counseling generations of people who know God has spoken to them. You know he told you to do something, and you are still deciding if you are going to do it! I’m up here doing this not because I want to! If it was up to me, I would be producing music, and I would come to church online like y’all! I’d be in my drawers in a robe right now, eating Captain Crunch, sitting on my couch maybe in a jacuzzi, and I would be watching on the screen! I’d be like „He’s past me!“ But the reason I’m up here is because this wasn’t a choice for me; he commanded me! He called me, and it was a command!
„Oh my God, stand up! Stand up!“ I’m saying until something inside of you shakes! „Stand up! You will not be—it won’t have to pass to another generation! Stand up! Deal with your issues so you can be a deliverer for so many! Stand up! I feel this thing! Be everything God called you to be! Stand up! Take up your space!“ Somebody shout at me! „Stand up! Stand up! You either stand up in your calling or sit in your 'I can’t.' Those are your only two options! Stand up in your calling!“ I will take up my space! I will have dominion! I will be everything God told me to be! I’m going to be an ambassador of the Kingdom on this Earth, whether it’s in education, special needs, government, or music! I’m going to do everything God called me to do! It doesn’t matter if nobody’s done it before! I’m going to be a pastor who does music, movies, and preaches! I’m going to do everything! If he put it in me, it’s coming out of me! Stand up!
I can either stand up in my calling or sit in my „I can’t.“ And may I say the reason why it seems like evil is winning everywhere is because too many people who God has commanded and called to do something are still sitting in their „I can’t.“ If you want to sit in your „I can’t,“ you can have that! But Transformation Church is going to be a church of people with crazy faith that are going to stand up! Somebody shout at me one more time, „Stand up! Stand up!“ By faith! Everybody, if you’re sitting down right now, stand up! At your job tomorrow, some of y’all are just going to be standing! You’re going to get a stand-up desk with the little motor, like, „I ain’t sitting no more!“ What you doing? „I’m standing up!“
I mean just by faith! Hold hands with your husband and your wife—"We’re standing! I know we live in a community with poverty right now, but we’re going to buy this community one day! The only reason God put me here is so I could see the depravity and know that I’m the answer for this!» Oh no, I had to struggle to get through college, so I know what it felt like! So then when God blesses me, I’ll start a college fund! You’re not famous; I’m funded! I’ll do whatever God asks! Stand up! Y’all sit down. Is it that easy to make you fall off of what God told you to do? Oh, is it that easy? Oh, is it that easy? If somebody just tells you, «I said stand!» That’s all it takes? Is one person to say, «I don’t like your idea. Nobody’s ever done that before! You can’t lead a multi-ethnic church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.» That’s a shout at me one more time! «Stand up! Stand up!»
Now y’all are scared to sit down the rest of the message! Okay, no, for real! Everybody can sit down this time! Okay, look at them! They’re like, «I don’t know if he’s playing.» I promise, I got you! Look, some people were like, «Uh-huh! I got crazy faith, uh-huh! Standing the rest of the message!» I really feel like God asked this man that question, «Do you want to be made whole?» because he knew what was next. Anytime God comes to you and says, «Hey, do you want to walk in freedom? Do you want to be everything I’ve called you to be?» It’s not because he’s trying to play you; he’s trying to prepare you. He knew what was next for this man! Imagine Jesus strolling up; there were other damaged people there.
This was a pool with only damaged people at it and then Pharisees and Sadducees hating because they didn’t want people healed on the wrong day. That’s a whole other situation. Be careful because some of y’all’s healing is going to offend people because it didn’t happen how they thought it should! Some people don’t like me, not because I did anything wrong, but it’s just they don’t think I should qualify! But it’s a bunch of damaged people, and God comes up to this man and says, «Do you want to be made whole?» because he came in there with healing, restoration, and resurrection on his mind! When Jesus shows up, he’s never showing up to assess the situation and walk away. He’s always coming to transform the situation! The only reason he doesn’t is if you don’t want him to.
My question to you is not just, «Do you want to be made whole?» Another question is, «Do you want what’s next?» I need you to answer that question for real because for many of you, that question means your life doesn’t get to stay the same! Some of us are like, «Do you want to be made whole?» Yes! And then God says, «Do you want what’s next?» Tell me what’s next. I want to be made whole, but depending on what you’re planning for next and what I’m planning for the healing and deliverance, I’ll take that! But after you heal me, then I’m in control! After you bless me with the finances or the ability to produce wealth, now I control the money. After you raised me out of that situation, now I’ll be Lord of my life! And God’s saying to you, he’s like, «No, no, no, no, no!» That’s why he tells the man, «You’ve got to pick up that mat! After I heal you, I’m not going back to that! No, no, no!» No, it’s the proof that I did this.
If you walk around like you’ve always been walking, it’s been 38 years since you’ve walked. People who just meet you will think you’ve walked all 38 years. People think you’ve always been a good businessperson; they don’t know you went bankrupt twice. People see you in this marriage and always think that you were pure, but you were a playboy. People have always thought you were a woman of virtue; you were a ho. Now you’re judging people, saying, «Look at her skirt.» Stop it! What God says to many of us without telling us explicitly is, «Do you want what’s next?» This is where you have to trust the character of our God. Most people want the healing but don’t want what’s next. And this man—do you want to be made whole? Our answer today collectively is yes, and then there’s a next. Today, it would be very easy for me to just shout at you about getting up, walking, taking your mat, and having the miracle. But there are a bunch of people listening to this message who are between yes and next.
That’s what I want to title this sermon. I only have a few more points, but I need you to hear me because somebody’s about to be shaken because they don’t know what to do between the «yes, I want to be made whole» and what God has next for me. Between yes and next, look what happens in verse 8: Jesus told him, «Stand up, pick up your mat, and do—what? —do something.» Listen to me: do something you’ve never done before. Defy 38 years of history. Pick up the place where you’ve been lying and do something you’ve never done before. We act like it’s a simple thing, like, «Oh, yeah, just stand up, pick up your mat, walk,» or «forgive them,» «move to another city,» and «start your career over.» No, I have a plan for you, a plan to prosper you, not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. Get out of that relationship, deactivate all your social media, read through the New Testament.
Many of you right now are saying that’s extreme; it doesn’t take all of that. «Bring me a mat, please.» I need you all to see this—just put «yes» and «next» on the screen for me. Yeah, just lay it right here. Just lay it this way. Yeah, just lay it this way. There you go. Do you want to be made whole? Yes. That means I’m going to have to leave what has become comfortable. I mean, I don’t want to be here, but I’ve formed some comfort. I’ve learned how to roll it up and get a little tighter. It doesn’t really fit me, but let me get a little tighter because he’s not marriage material. But, I mean, he keeps me warm at night. I know it’s not God’s best for me, but it’s not bad. Maybe I need it; it’s formed to my body now. Yeah, this is comfortable, but yes, Lord, whatever you want from me. Stand up!
So, the way this is set up from here to there doesn’t work. The way this is set up, if anybody’s going to do that, they have to have these levels of connections. The way this is set up, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to move past that pain because every time I try to move it, it hurts. See, we don’t know if this man, every time somebody says someone’s paralyzed, they think that person doesn’t have any pain; they think it’s numb. But many times, paralyzed people, if you do research, can’t move, and when they try, it’s excruciating pain. Many of us have tried so many times. This man tried every time the pool bubbled up to get to the water because if he got to the water, he could be made whole. So, God, you came and asked me if I want to be made whole.
Do you not know every day I’m watching for the bubble so that I can get out of this position? Every time somebody asks me if I want a prophecy, that’s why I go to all these conferences and give $100 for miracle water. Don’t act like, «Do I want to be made whole?» Some of us have been trying so hard that we’ve tried stuff that we know wasn’t God. God, I’ve tried praying in the Spirit; I’ve tried crystals; I’ve tried psychics and zodiac signs. I know it was wrong, but I want to be whole so bad I’m willing to try anything. And God’s saying, «Alright, stand up.»
Okay, stand up. Ah, stand! I think I know what that means: standing. That’s what they do. Stand! I’ve never stood before; I’ve never done this before. I’ve never had anybody ask me to do this before, so there must be something you see in me because you’re here with me. You must be speaking to things that are in me that I don’t even know are there. Stand up! It would have been different if Jesus had come to him and said, «Hey man, I’m going to pick you up, make the water bubble, and put you in there.» That would have made complete sense to all of us. Wow, he’s a good Jesus. He’s going to come on a day when it’s not supposed to bubble, make it bubble, pick him up. Between yes and next, it’s not Jesus’s work; it’s yours. Light claps because you want Jesus to do your work.
Why do you have to sign up for counseling? Because that’s not Jesus’s work; it’s your work. Why do you have to get into a B group for accountability? That’s not Jesus; it’s your work. This man had to understand what is in between yes and next. Watch this: your faith! Watch, watch, watch! This man had to use his crazy faith to even try to use what was broken. What did it look like? Stand up. Oh my! He stood up, but that wasn’t the end of the instruction. Pick up your mat! But he may have been exposed. He might have been in a vulnerable position because his clothes were meant for lying, not for standing. He’s always been this way, so maybe he was a little vulnerable trying to stand. Maybe he made noises they never heard him make before. Maybe it didn’t look right. But it didn’t just say stand up; it said what? Pick up!
So depending on how tall he was, he couldn’t pick up this mat from a standing position. Those very muscles that he just got enough courage to use, he had to go by faith. This man had never done this, but by faith—somebody shout «by faith!"—he probably didn’t use his whole hand. «Pick up your mat.» But that was the second command. «Now what?» Most believers are okay with just standing. «I’ve done what nobody else did; wow, look what God has done at Transformation Church in nine years! We just got to standing and picking up our mat.» You haven’t even seen us walk yet! We’ve got our testimony, but baby, the dominion steps that we’re about to take, the territory we’re about to leave our footprint in.
If somebody’s got crazy faith to stand up, pick up your mat. And what? I’ve got dominion! I’ve got dominion! I’ve got dominion! Everywhere your feet will tread. What’s between the yes «I want to be made whole» and the next step of the miracle? It’s crazy faith! Faith begins where understanding ends. Well, Pastor Mike, I was talking to my friend and trainer, and God’s been speaking to him. He said, «Bro, I keep getting stuck on the how. I know God says some stuff, but I keep getting stuck on the how.» I said, «God never asked you to come up with the how.» Right? He’s already got the how! Do you have faith to obey what he says to do? When God told me and woke me up and said, «Write down that Spirit Bank Event Center will be Transformation Church,» I didn’t know how that was going to happen.
This building was built for $54 million. I’ve never counted to $54 million; I’ve never counted to 1 million! Come on, let’s be honest: after it gets to 100, it’s like, a thousand, ten thousand. We start counting by thousands! He didn’t ask me how it was going to happen; he said, «Do you believe what I said?» And I believed it enough. I used my crazy faith enough to write it down, and he did it all! I’m saying that some of y’all are saying, «Yes, I want to be healed from the trauma. Yes, I want to be delivered from the pain. Yes, I want to be the man of God he’s called me to be. Yes, I want to be a woman of purity. Yes, I want to.» Then God said, «I’ve got something next.» But between—it’s all you. And I’ll give you the faith you need to do it, but I cannot do it for you!
All right, we’ve got to go home. Four things that I’ve learned from my walk with Jesus when I’ve been between «yes» and «next.» Number one: What do you do between yes and next? You invest your faith. I’m going to try every crazy thing God tells me to do because it’s better than sitting right here. This man is paralyzed; what’s his better option? No, never mind, God of the universe, I’ll sit here in my crippled, comfortable spot. He said, «Stand up.» He was like, «Well shoot, I’m about to try.» Some of y’all should just try to do what God said because you have everything to gain. What if I hadn’t written down that the Spirit Bank Event Center was Transformation Church?
What if I was like, «That’s too big, God, I can’t do that»? We wouldn’t be sitting here today because of my lack of just trying. Somebody say «invest your faith.» Hebrews 11:1 says «Now faith,» everybody say «now faith.» Now faith, not yesterday’s faith, not your Grandmama’s faith, but right now the faith you have in this room—not even before you got to church today. Everybody say «now.» You know the powerful thing about now is that it’s now. You could have been doubting a moment ago, but right now I believe God can do something. I believe the diagnosis is not going to kill me. I believe that God is going to help my son be able to overcome autism. I believe right now faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Some of y’all need to get your hope back! The enemy has stolen your hope—hope to be married, hope to bless your family, hope to be different—just hope. Hoping is free, but the enemy tries to convince you that you can’t hope. Hope is the fuel for faith. You can’t have faith if you don’t have hope. Oh God, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. There is a future that is not seen, which only gets pulled into the present when you supply it with your faith. Pastor Mike, how did this happen? Because when I was broke, nobody was coming to the church, there was no money in the bank, and 22 people were watching on YouTube. I stood up in my church and said, «This church will be a multiethnic, multigenerational, multiplying, multicampus church.»
And then people clapped. How did y’all just clap? The thing about it is we started from the bottom, now we’re here. All I’m telling you is that you don’t have to have a group of people to believe it. I had now faith, and watch this: the reason why investing your faith right now is important when you’re in between is because you might feel like you don’t know what to do, but you know God has a calling on your life, and you haven’t seen it yet. Invest your faith right now! When you invest your faith, watch this: it produces the future. I’m working on some stuff right now that doesn’t make sense. My cell phone notes are so loaded with vision for the future that I can’t let anybody get in there, because it would scare them—most people cannot understand.
Chad was texting me yesterday; I think he Instagram messaged me. Chad’s over our video production and stuff like that, and he texted me and said, «I saw you at the Dove Awards. We need to do our own award show.» My wife and I had just finished talking about it—Charles, you were there. I said we need to use our technology, screens, and platform; we do that every Sunday. Why don’t we have some type of award show that highlights what God is doing all around the kingdom—not built by politics or how many this and that? But most people, when I say that type of thing, say, «Well we already have the Grammys, we already have this, we already have that.» It’s time for us to take dominion. So what are you saying? It isn’t happening yet. There was a yes in my spirit, but I’m in between.
So what do I do? I invest my faith. The second thing you need to invest in right now if you’re in between: Now, some of y’all have already made it; you’re already in the miracle season. But the crazy thing about it is that every time you get into a miracle season, you have another between season. I don’t care where you’re at right now; God will always put you in a predicament that will require your faith. I am in a place right now that God requires my faith at a brand new level. After all of this, after writing «Crazy Faith,» you’d think you would get a year pass if you wrote a book about crazy faith, but he said, «No, no, no.» Faith is a muscle; when you stop working it, you lose the ability to. Everybody do like this: faith is a muscle. My question is, when was the last time you worked the muscle of faith? Or is everything you do based on fact?
If you’re in between, I’m almost done. The second thing you need to do is invest your focus. One of the greatest tactics of the enemy is to distract you when you’re in between. You know you’re in between relationships—you just had a bad one—and then this fool comes up, and he’s the one dude you wanted to talk to when you were available. But right in the season that God told you to spend time with Him, let’s sit together, let’s commune. No, Donaldo, I don’t know where these names come from, but everybody say «focus.»
I remember seeing… has anybody ever been to the Kentucky Derby or seen those purebred horses that run? One of the things they have to do with those powerful horses is put blinders on the sides of their eyes, because if they look peripherally, they will get off the track that they’re supposed to be on. Some of us, with Instagram and Facebook, don’t have any blinders. You follow back every person that follows you, which means you give them access to distract you at any moment of the day. You have your notifications on—blinking, blinking, blinking—distraction, distraction, distraction. Invest your focus! Hebrews 12:11 says no discipline is enjoyable while it’s happening; it’s painful. But after that focus of being disciplined and doing the same thing over and over, even when you don’t want to, there will be, watch these two words that are rarely ever together, a peaceful harvest.
Now, anybody who’s read over that knows that harvest time isn’t peaceful. Harvest work is blisters, the sun eating your face up. Sweat is heavy if it’s a big harvest. But God says, «If you’re disciplined for a season, I’ll allow your harvest to be peaceful.» That’s the type of prayer we should be praying, but don’t pray it if you won’t stay focused in discipline. Bishop told me one time, «Michael, a season of discipline will produce a lifetime of freedom.» If you invest your focus on what God is saying right now while you’re in between, just invest your focus—spend more hours on that than Netflix; spend more hours on what God said than going out and partying and trying to be places. Listen, when you invest your focus, it produces freedom.
I think about my life right now; when I was younger, I was doing stuff a lot of people weren’t doing, trying to get better at my craft, trying to be better in the direction of what God called me to do. Because of that, by the time I was 28 years old, I was running my own companies: I had all this stuff I was doing, and it was producing freedom for me because I had a season of focus. What I’m telling every person in this room is God is saying your next season of freedom is not based on anything else except what you focus on today. Invest your faith, invest your focus, and watch this—one you’re going to not expect it—invest your finances. One of the greatest things that I’ve ever done between my yes and my next is use crazy faith and invest my finances. And y’all think I’m talking about an offering; that’s part of it. But what are you investing your finances in right now?
Look at Luke 12:34: «For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.» Your money is a GPS system for where your heart is. Most of our hearts are on things that cannot help our future. You have every Steve Madden shoe, you have every Michael Kors purse. You’ve got all the golf clubs—you didn’t think I was coming for you? You have guns you’ll never use. You have houses and rental homes, and God said, «What in that is eternal, and what of that is even beneficial for you?» I’m not saying you can’t buy stuff, but I just want you to do an inventory of what you have spent money on in the last 12 months. Where’s your heart? I’m not saying where it is; go to your Arvest account, your Bank of America account, your Chase account, and tell me where your heart is.
Some of y’all’s hearts are on your house, but you have no peace in that home. It might be better for you to move into an apartment for a season and go to counseling so that you and your husband can make the last three years you have with your child in the house an environment where they can actually see two people trying to love each other and do it God’s way. But you would rather be in a gated neighborhood than be bound in your spirit. Pastor Mike, give me another example, because that just feels okay. Do you know how much money I’ve invested in training over the past three years? I could have bought a luxury car with how much I spend to have another grown adult come to my house and say, «I’m here, coach.» He’s the coach, but he calls me coach and says, «Come outside; we’ve got to work out.» He came to my house this morning at 6:00 a.m., and sometimes I hope he doesn’t show up.
Can I be honest? I don’t pray that he gets hurt, but sometimes I just pray his car stops. Like clockwork, I’ve invested, but what I’m able to do in these last two months of traveling and showing up and being on shows and doing all this stuff—my body couldn’t have taken it had I not been training for the past three years for the moment of purpose that God has me in right now. You’re buying shoes when you need to buy a book! I’m going to kill them with these and still be dumb. The truth of the matter is, like, you need a new language, a new skill. I’ve learned stuff in books that have changed the trajectory of my life. «Mike, how did you learn about money?» A book! «I need a mentor.»
The greatest place to find a mentor for cheap is a book. Okay, what are you saying, Pastor Mike? When you invest your finances in between, it produces fruit. See, when I invest my finances, I never invest in something that I don’t think I’m getting a return on. There’s nothing; a good person never invests anything hoping that it goes away. You invest with faith that it’s coming back multiplied. Pastor Mike, why are you so blessed? Because I invest a lot of finances into people, places, and the kingdom of God. I’m not talking about the checks that we give—million dollars—that’s from us, that’s from all of us. I’m talking about when I go to Popeyes, rolling out of here, and the Holy Spirit says, «Go by Popeyes.»
I’m thinking he’s going to let me get a chicken sandwich; He said grilled blackened chicken. I was like, «Ah! Why am I here, Lord?» And I pull up to the thing; God says, «Take all your money out of your wallet and give it to this girl.» I at least deserve a chicken sandwich after that, Lord. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told Scott to go get $1,000 out of my account. Why? I don’t know. I do not know why I’m taking the money you’ve given me, and I’m going to give it to people that I guess are praying to you or asking God, «Would you just show up for me?»
Oh God, and you did say in your word you will give seed to the sower. I asked for this. Oh no, give $2,000. Why? Because I’ll be ready whenever God asks me for anything; it ain’t mine anyway. Okay, that’s a whole other message. But the thing about fruit is that fruit never comes without more seed. Not these genetically modified, seedless grapes y’all are eating; that’s from a science fair experiment! I don’t like the grapes that are seedless. Too many people are trying to get genetically modified blessings. You think it’s a magic trick; all the way back to the beginning, it’s seed time and harvest.
If you want to reap something, sow something. God, when you’re in between, you invest your faith, you invest your focus, you invest your finances, and the last one: you invest your faithfulness. You keep doing it; you don’t just stand up, you show up. Nothing changed, but I’m going to keep doing it. People left the church because of the spit incident, and then Easter, and I’m still going to be here. What if everybody leaves? Then it’s going to be me, Charles, Bri, Natalie, and whoever else is down here that’s going to ride with us. Like, well Pastor Mike, this, that, the third—I’m going to be faithful. But Pastor Mike, you don’t see all these women out here trying to give you advances. I’m faithful to Natalie, Diane, and Tha. I’m not blind; I’m just in covenant. You’re going to look dumb stepping to me. Please, sweetheart, you must have me confused. I’m faithful!
Because I’m trying to earn my position in God, I’m already redeemed, I’m already forgiven, and I’m already righteous. But the reasonable response to the God who has given me everything I have, who brought me out of all the stuff I’ve been in, and who has given me any type of leadership, is to recognize that if He asks for 10%, that’s the bare minimum. I’m faithful; I don’t even see it anymore. It comes right out with Uncle Sam’s, why? Because 90% with His blessing is better than 100% without it.
«Pastor Mike, why should we be faithful when we’re in between yes and our next?» Luke 16:10. I’m so glad you asked. If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones, but if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. All you have is all you need to prove that you’re faithful. Be faithful over the job you have. Be faithful over the two people you lead. Be faithful with the little money you have because it’s the same muscle of faith. When you invest your faithfulness, watch this, it produces flourishing.
I want my life to flourish. I want everything that God allows me to do to continue moving forward. So right now, if you feel that who you are has been transformed, and God says, «Do you want to be made whole?» our answer today is, «Yes.» I know there are some great miracles coming next, but what’s in between is my crazy faith. I’m going to have crazy faith. I’m going to invest my faith, my focus, my finances, and my faithfulness.
«Pastor Mike, is it that simple?» Yeah, 'cause I don’t know what’s next; only God does. Think about it. Every year since 2015, I want to share a testimony of what broke the back of poverty over our ministry. This was scary for me when Bishop gave me the baton and said, «I want you to lead this church.» The church had done amazing things, but we were in a financially depressed place. There wasn’t a grocery store within how many miles, Bishop? Like 14 or 15 miles? No fresh produce; all they had was Family Dollar stores everywhere. And y’all know the only thing Family Dollar is good for is Honey Buns, chips, and candy, killing the community. And we felt called to reach those people, and we still are, but God said, «Michael, I want you to lead out of this, but it’s going to take crazy faith.»
I went to Tammy and told her, «We’re going to take an offering, and every dollar raised we are going to give to another church.» Back then, there wasn’t a huge savings account saying, «Yeah, let’s definitely do that.» Every penny, dime, and quarter was necessary, needed, and counted. God said, «This is going to take faith from you.» We got up on that Sunday, and the faith of the people in that room—oh, I can feel it right now—we raised $832.38. And you’re sitting there like, «Yay!» It might as well have been $800,000 because when it comes to giving your finances, it’s not about amounts; it’s about obedience.
One of the greatest sacrificial offerings that Jesus talks about was a woman who gave two mites. What an amount! Ever since then, we’ve been doing this every year, a time where we challenge our faith. We’ve called it «Heart for the Kingdom,» we’ve called it our «Tabernacle Offering,» but all it is is a moment where you and God get together and say, «I want to move past this place where I am, and I’m going to believe God in crazy faith, and I’m going to sow a seed.»
For some of you, this is something we’re going to do. We’re not doing it today; everybody unclench your booty cheeks—oh no, this is not that! The Bible tells us not to give with compulsion or manipulation. In weeks from now, all I want you to do is pray and ask God, «Is this something You want me to do? Are You challenging me to another level?» All around the world, people sow in crazy faith.
And here’s the thing: you don’t have to sow in this. I would rather some of y’all make a decision when it comes to your finances to actually just be faithful. You don’t have to give above and beyond your tithe. Just commit that starting with your next paycheck, you are going to be faithful in setting aside 10%. Some of you might say, «I don’t have enough money to tithe.» That’s the testimony—you will never have enough until you start doing it. I’m just telling you this isn’t an offering message, but I feel compelled to challenge someone on December 10th. We’re going to give a crazy faith offering. This is not about you doing anything to hit a slot machine with God. I need to say this to everybody because a lot of people think, «I’m writing down my crazy faith and giving a hundred.» No, no, baby. Two separate things. You can make your prayer request known every day. You can come to the throne of grace boldly.
But one thing that changed me forever is stepping beyond what makes sense, saying, «God, if You tell me this, then I will do it.» This is all I’m asking: pray about it, and whatever God tells you to do, I want you to do that. Now, this is the one thing I’m going to tell you: the devil will never tell you to give. Some of you might hear the Holy Spirit say something, and you’ll think, «Devil, get behind me!» For God so loved the world. The enemy is the opposite of God, so everything that God does, the enemy hates. He’ll never tell you to give. If God tells you to do something, I want you to do it.
Me and Natalie, our church, this is customary for us to step into this next level, but I believe something significant is going to happen because many of us in this room feel in between. Is there anybody this message has spoken to, someone who feels in between? Yeah? Okay, today I’m going to pray that God would increase your faith to make the step you need to take that He can’t take for you. For some of you, your faith needs to be increased to make the call to counseling this week. For someone else, your faith needs to be increased so you can fill out the application to go back to school. For some of you, your faith needs to be increased so you can put down the blunt. For others, your faith needs to be increased so you can stop that subscription. I don’t know what it is for you, but if you need your faith to be increased in an area so you can see what’s between your yes and your next, I need you to stand up wherever you are. Remember, the command was to stand up and as you stood up, could you just lift your hands right now? I want to pray for you.
Oh my God, Father, I thank You. Woo, I feel the presence of God. Father, I thank You for Your people today. We have felt Your love and Your conviction. That, Father, it is by Your love that You come to see us in a paralyzed position, feeling like we’ve been overlooked and have missed our opportunity for years. By Your love, You come right up to us and ask, «Do you want to be made whole?» Today our answer is yes. Come on, just say it with faith one more time: yes! Yes, God. As we are here saying we want to be made whole, we want to be delivered from the damage, the triggers, the trauma, the excuses, and the explanations. Today, God, we know we will need Your help, 'cause we know You have something great next for us, but this next step is going to require our faith. Would You increase the measure of our faith today? Would You give us another measure of faith, God, to believe You beyond our past experiences, to believe You beyond our disappointments? Father God, we believe, but help our unbelief today. You’re big enough and good enough to deal with the parts of us that still doubt.
Today, whether it’s from the trauma of our childhood or the pain of our past, we’re bringing all of our damage to the Designer, and God, we’re asking You, could You do something with what we have that is greater than we expected? I thank You that we have the faith to try, Father. And as the miracles begin to happen, I thank You, Father, that we will not say it was only because of our effort. Yes, we made the call, but it was the Spirit working through the counselor. Father God, I thank You. It’s not by might, not by power; it’s by Your Spirit. You’re going to connect us with the right people, and You’re going to get us into the right community. Father, as we step, You’re stepping toward us as well.
Today, God, I thank You that people are not just going to stand up, but they’re going to pick up their mat, their testimony, and they’re going to walk and take dominion. Today, God, we’re saying take over. Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask, think, or imagine. We need that, God, to give us the faith to do what’s next. We trust You, we believe You, and we thank You.
Today, whether it’s from the trauma of our childhood or the pain of our past, we’re bringing all of our damage to the Designer, and God, we’re asking You, could You do something with what we have that is greater than we expected? I thank You that we have the faith to try, Father. And as the miracles begin to happen, I thank You, Father, that we will not say it was only because of our effort. Yes, we made the call, but it was the Spirit working through the counselor. Father God, I thank You. It’s not by might, not by power; it’s by Your Spirit. You’re going to connect us with the right people, and You’re going to get us into the right community. Father, as we step, You’re stepping toward us as well.
Today, God, I thank You that people are not just going to stand up, but they’re going to pick up their mat, their testimony, and they’re going to walk and take dominion. Today, God, we’re saying take over. Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask, think, or imagine. We need that, God, to give us the faith to do what’s next. We trust You, we believe You, and we thank You.
In that same attitude right now, if you’re here and you need to make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, today is your moment. By faith, it may not make sense, and no, no, that’s exactly it. Faith begins where understanding ends. God is saying today that by faith you can believe that Jesus was sent to the cross to take on the penalty that you and I should take for our sins. If you believe that He rose from the dead and is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now, you can be saved. Literally, the penalty you should take for all the wrong you’ve done—excuse me, all the wrong I’ve done—a liar, manipulator, addicted to pornography, all those things—Jesus said, «Yeah, just give me your heart.»
See, if you give Him your heart, He’ll help you change your habits. I’m standing here today as a testimony of the grace of God, and today maybe your next step between your yes and your next is accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. I know there are hundreds of people that need to make that decision and I need the church to start praying because life and death is warring right now for you, and God says, «I called you. This is a command. I got you here to watch, and this is your moment.»
If today you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, on the count of three, I just want you to lift your hands. If you’re in the room or you’re watching online or via rebroadcast or YouTube, it does not matter. Today the Spirit of God is drawing you right now. One, you’re making the greatest decision of your life. Two, I’m happy; we’re going to turn up, but your name is about to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life for all of eternity. Three, shoot your hand up if you want to accept Jesus. I see you, my brother. I see you, my sister. Oh, Transformation Church, I see you. I see you! Oh come on, y’all, this is how we shout, Hallelujah!
See you, young people, old people. You can put your hands down. At Transformation Church, nobody prays alone. Today we’re going to pray because you just made a step toward your next. Everybody just lift your hands and say:
God, thank You for sending Jesus just for me. Today I repent and I turn to You. I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again with all power—power to transform my life. Change me, renew me, transform me. I’m Yours. In Jesus' name, amen.