Michael Todd - What Happens With a Word (Anniversary Sunday)
Well, we have been in a series called «Stark Sharp.» Has anybody been blessed by the messages that have come through this series? Okay, um, this is a little different pace for me than I usually do because I usually give you all the word of the year right at the top of the year. But this is why it’s good to go back and ask God what He wants you to do, because I was about to run the same play and the Holy Spirit said, «No, they need to value what you’re going to say,» so you need to teach for a month about how to start sharp. Then today, I’m going to give you the word of the year.
Now, I need everybody to understand what this means. This is not a marketing campaign. Come on, the word of the year at Transformation Church is not a cool idea to get people engaged in church at the top of the year. Yes, come on. This is a pattern that is biblical, allowing people to understand and gather around a word that God speaks. Most people don’t do this because they’re trying to protect God’s reputation. Come on, He’s never needed you to protect His reputation. So, for me to get up here and stand and say I went and sought the Lord and He gave me a word, I believe it’s a corporate word for our church and time will prove if I heard from the Lord. Most people don’t want that type of pressure, but I was built for it, and we have proof that every time the Lord has spoken a word in this house for the last nine years, true. When we get to the end of the year, we say, «That was God!»
I even told you during the pandemic, we got up here and I yelled and screamed, «The word is 'Stronger! '» God’s going to make us stronger. Six weeks later, we were shut down, and I said, «I know I missed God; maybe the word should have been 'little closed, ' but the truth of the matter is that by the end of the year, from all the pivoting and planning and changing and transforming and revisioning we had to do, by the end of the year, we were stronger.» True!
So today, I’m going to release this word to you at the end of the message. You know I can’t tell you right now because your attention span is like this; I can’t tell you yet. Um, but people have traveled from all over the world to be here, and I just want to say I’m honored that you would come and that these words we speak from this platform are leading and guiding your life. I am honored; I’m humbled. I am sober to think that God would trust us to speak with Him.
So today, I’ve been carrying this like a baby. It has changed the way I’ve walked; it has changed the way I’ve planned. I’ve been trying to lead you all, and I’ve almost let it out at least 19 times. After I say the word, you’re going to go back to messages and find me saying it in other messages, and my eyes go like this by myself. Because when you’re carrying something that you know is going to transform people’s lives, you want to get it to them. And so today, we are gathering around this word because, watch this, Transformation Church knows the value of a word.
Let me tell you a story. Let me bring it up because some of you all think we went too deep right now. It’s like, «Dang, he’s got to be deep all day.» Let’s bring it up. This year, I was out of town in an undisclosed city visiting a friend, and I learned the value and the power of a word. Now, some people’s words don’t matter. Let’s be honest, there are certain people in your life that can talk, and it doesn’t move you. They can scream; they can yell, and you’re like, «That’s just them.» But then there are other people whose words they have to use very carefully because when they use their words, stuff starts shifting.
Well, I was about to leave this city, and I was with a couple of people in this room, and I got word that a person who has done a lot of significant things in the world—and everybody would know if I called their name—wanted to meet me. I said, «Okay, um, we’re about to leave.» Then they said the word again, and that changed the plan. See, a word from the right person can change your plan. A word from the right person, watch this, can change your access!
When we pulled up to something we drove by earlier just to look at, we were escorted into it because of a word. I’m just trying to make sure you know the value of a word. Because of that word this person spoke, it expanded my world in three hours. No, no, no, y’all don’t understand what I’m saying; it literally changed the fabric of my brain! What I got to see changed my world!
So I’m sitting with this person in their home, mind you, two hours earlier I was on my way to Chick-fil-A. Two hours later, I’m in the home of this person who has a powerful word, and that person is very perceptive. They started noticing that I was checking my phone and texting a lot and all this. The person asked, «What time is your flight?» because we were in a different city, and Natalie doesn’t play about when Daddy needs to be home. So I was checking, and he said, «When is your flight?» I said, «Uh, in about 15 minutes.» But the words he was speaking, the gems he was dropping, were too valuable to leave that moment where he was speaking these words.
So I made it up in my mind, and the people that were with me thought, «If we’ve got to take a train, if we’ve got to get a Greyhound, if we’ve got to catch a red-eye, we’re not messing up this moment.» And at that moment, out of his almost annoyance that we were distracted when he was speaking, he picked up a cellular device that looks similar to the one I have, except I couldn’t do with my cell phone what he did with his cell phone. Without hesitation or any type of intimidation, he picks up the phone and says, «Hey, Jack, where’s the airplane?» «Yeah, yeah, oh, I’m GL. Okay, I have some friends here that need to get to Tulsa this afternoon. Yeah, yeah, yeah, fly the jet here and pick them up. All right, I’ll talk to you soon.»
Y’all, did he just call somebody? I mean, I’m on the American app; I’m on the Delta app like I’m trying to find if I can get a 10:39 out of D68. But at his word, somebody who was sitting at home had to put on clothes, fuel up a plane that was in another city, bring it to where we were at, come on, then take us to where we needed to be based on one man’s word. If a man that lives on this Earth has power like that in his words, why in the world would I sit here and act like the God of the universe doesn’t have all power in His word? All I need is a word from God.
And many of us have a catalog of words from God and still no obedience. His word, stars still in place at His word; seeds open up at His word; giants fall at His word; dead people get up out of the grave! Y’all don’t— I said at His word—and you’re still worried about rent. Come on! I’m not saying your situation is invalid; I’m saying many of the problems that we deal with are because we did not obey His word. And now the enemy has you preoccupied with things that you’re not supposed to even be worried about, because the word He gave you six years ago to write the book, you’ve still disobeyed because you didn’t graduate from that class. But all I need is just one!
Today, I want to title this message «What Happens with the Word?» This is the story of my life. All I do is get a word from God, and I don’t let up on it. Pastor Mike is not special; I just stay with His word longer. That’s it! Yeah, the things that God’s told me are crazy, but I just choose to believe it. And I will not let up until He tells me, «That ain’t the word for you no more.» Good! Great! You missed it! Not until He confirms the word again and again do I grab on to the word. If He says it once, sir, and He never has to say it again, I’mma keep rocking that word until He tells me, «Mike, get up off that word; you missed me, that wasn’t it for you.» Many of us need 19 confirmations, 17 proclamations, and four prophetic utterances. No, no, no! For real, God, would you just confirm it? God, would you just confirm it? God, would you just confirm it?
How many more times does He have to tell you, «Get out of that relationship»? You’re walking around with a black eye, still asking God—now I just stepped onto something! I felt the whole room go, «Ooh!» I didn’t know the way of how to pastor, lead a family, lead an organization; I didn’t know I had grace. And I just came to encourage somebody; if God has given you a word, you have all you need. Everything else you get when you walk in that way. God is not going to pack you up with everything you need to fulfill the word when you’re at the starting line. He’s asking you to walk in the direction of the word He gave, and you will get everything that you need.
Everybody say, «On the way! On the way!» Some of you are like, «Pastor Mike, I need you to philosophically and scripturally break down what a word is.» A word is threefold to me, and I’m about to give you the cheat code, okay? I’m going to unpack this! What is a word? First off, it’s a person. Yes, John 1:1 says, «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and, in fact, the Word was God.» You need a word! At salvation, you get it! Great! Great! I need a word? I go to the Word! Some of y’all are running to Google and Facebook and Instagram and TikTok for a word.
«Oh, let me let me share this with you; oh, somebody said something so powerful!» «Somebody said something!» That’s great! Yeah, but if you go to the guru instead of God for a word for your life, you’ve missed it! From the beginning, it was God! So what is a word? Everybody say «a person.» A person! Number two, a word is printed. MH, you need a word from God? Read your Bible! You see how like everyone’s like, «Oh, that thing that’s holding up my coffee table, the thing I bought for aesthetics instead of anointing»? Oh no, I need this white Bible, and I need the—okay, you got the Bible, but it’s displayed and not displayed. Great! Great! You want a word? Yeah, it’s printed! Yeah, yeah, it’s a love letter to you; it’s instruction to you. It will be here after you, and it was here way before you. Great! Great! And so many times, I want to just dispel this because people build manipulative ministries off the fact that they convince you that the only way that you can get a word is from them.
Okay, I know I just stepped on some people’s nonprofits, but what I want to tell you is that God does not need a person to speak to you if you have the ears to hear what He’s trying to illuminate to you in the printed word of God. I can’t tell you how many times the people around me did not know what God was telling me to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I found myself in the word, and it spoke directly, prophetically, and precisely to what I was going through. Some of you don’t need another church service. You need time and a highlighter!
Okay, let me stop. What is the word? It’s a person! Everybody say «person.» It’s God! What is the word? It’s printed! Last one—and this is the one I want to camp out on, because this is where I get the philosophy of having the word of the year for our church. A word of the year is, watch this, personal! So God is the Word. His words are active in the earth, and I’ll just give you a scripture because I know some of y’all are like, «Where’s the scripture for that?» Isaiah 40:8 says, «The grass withers and the flowers will fall, but the word of our God endures.»
Okay, but then sometimes, for all of us that know that God still speaks, He flexes on us through the Holy Spirit and gives us words that are, everybody say «personal.» Personal! There have been times where nobody could have known what I was going through, and nobody could have articulated what the season up ahead was going to be, and God would send some random woman, some random man, some random person to say, «Oh my God, God just showed me you.» One of them is here today; I have to honor her! My godmother, Prophetess Pam Vanetta, sitting right over there in the green. You look beautiful!
Now, let me tell y’all why this makes sense—because I’m sitting in a prophetic word she spoke over my life. Yeah, yeah, yeah! Me and— I told this story before, was out here doing stuff we weren’t supposed to came late for church one day, holding hands, and as soon as we came into the church, messing around from the night before, acting a fool, asking God to wash us on the way through the door. Y’all know how you sin and prepare your whole repentance speech while living that double-minded, lukewarm life. Okay, can I just be honest about where I was at? It ain’t always been like this; we humble, open, and transparent. Some of y’all just got comfortable 'cause that’s what you did yesterday.
Welcome home. What I’m telling you is I was doing that. We walk in, and Prophet Pam is on the stage in the middle of the service. You’re supposed to be preaching, woman of God, and we walk in. Michael and Aly, come here. I know I got ghosted; my whole spirit jumped out of my body. I said, «We’re getting exposed today; I knew I was about to get called out.» I was holding Natalie’s hand; she said, «Get off me!» like what? She didn’t want me to touch her. I said, «You were saying that last night.» What I’m saying to you, baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t check with you before I said, «Um, bring it up in council on Thursday.» And this woman of God brings us up to the front and says, «Personal word!»
That’s what I’m talking about. Yeah, she said, «Wow, you’ve known this for a long time, but you’re going to preach the gospel. I see crowds of people. You’re not going to be restricted to youth ministry; there are going to be young and old, and you’re going to use humor and irony, and you’re going to bring people from all over the world.» And I’m thinking, this woman lost her mind. At this point, I’ve never spoken a message, I’m living in sin, but there was a personal word. Yes, sir! So good that did not speak to my present—come on, yeah, yeah, yeah. It spoke to my future. And I just want to let you know that there are words that God will give you in season for years, for seasons of your life, that will speak to you.
Somebody shout at me, «Future! Future!» Now watch this; write this definition down: A personal word is a personal prophetic picture of God’s preferred future for you. So I want to make it clear that what she saw was accurate from God. What I did after hearing the word determined whether it would actually happen. Great, great, 'cause I see so many people talking about having a word from God, but your word is stale 'cause you’re never going to obey. That’s why I want to draw attention to a personal prophetic picture of God’s preferred future for you. What I found out in my life is that God gives a word, like the word of the year I’m about to tell you in a few moments.
The word of God, watch this, can be a catalyst or a container. It can be a what? Catalyst or a container. Cameraman, follow me real quick. I found out that many people treat the word of God like this trampoline—what y’all oohing and aahing about? Y’all seen this 40-foot trampoline in here? I got a word! I went to Transformation Church today, and boy, what a word! I’m touching it. Thank you, Lord, for my word! Thank you, Lord, for the word! Y’all look at my word! Look what God has given me—big old word, an expansive word. I’m sitting on my word, but the potential for this word to actually take me higher is based on what I do after I get it. Most people, when they get a word from God, it’s not a catalyst to take them higher; it’s something that becomes pressure that they get under.
Oh, you weren’t expecting the example to go here, but most of us, when God gives us a word and God says jump, it contains us. How many years will I not reach what the word was supposed to do? I’m trying to stand up on this word, but for some reason, the word is so vast, and I’m thinking about how unequipped I am, how much team I don’t have, and how many people have left me before. So now I’m under the word, just out here obeying God, trying to get this word off the ground, trying to get this business off the ground, and what people become is discouraged and tired. But what if we crawled up from under the word that God has given us, and we actually believed it was true, and it no longer was a container but became a catalyst?
This is a completely different experience. I will believe what the word has said and what He said over my life. Some of y’all are scared, scared 'cause you’ve never jumped that high before. You’d rather see me get on the word of God and sit on it. I know y’all can see me! So this is the word that God’s given me: If you would put your weight on it, if you would put your faith on it, it could go from something that merely holds you up. And this is the thing: Most people, when they get a word from God, they do this—woo! Look at that! No way, sir, no anointing! You can do this in your own strength! I could do that on the ground. I could do this! But I’ve never been able to dunk in my life; but if you give me this trampoline—10 feet, 12 feet, you could take that mug up to 14!
I would, because what’s not possible for me without a word is possible when I have a word from God. It’s time for you to stand on the word of God! And this is the thing: It takes action! From here on why I was telling you last week to get fit to finish is 'cause I can’t even think about doing this example three years ago—I was too fat to finish this example. I said it! You can like it; it’s okay. I said it! He’s like, «Oh my!» Okay, um, what I’m saying is God is speaking words to us and we’re okay with just being around them, but it’s time for you to start not just standing on it. I’mma write the vision; I’mma tell people about it; I’mma be known for it. It doesn’t even have to actually happen tomorrow, but I’m going to have faith for it! I’m actually going to build my stamina; I’m actually going to do something with it.
So you miss! But what would happen if everybody started flipping on the things that God told them to do? What if we started getting hyped? We would be like a city on a hill! Oh, we would be able to be seen! Y’all were scared that I would fall, but alright—this man falls seven times, and he gets back up! Y’all better stop; y’all stop! And this is why it’s important to have friends with faith because as high as I could jump by myself, if I called Ben up here and I called Charles up here and I called Travis up here and we started jumping—and I want to do it so bad, but the lawyers told me not to—how high I jumped alone would be exponentially increased because of who jumped with me. Thank you for being with us for the last nine years, but if you don’t have faith to stand on God’s word, I don’t need you in this next season. I only need people who are going to have faith.
Where are the people that are going to have faith to stand on what God has told them? Somebody shout just one word! Word! Come on, Pastor! Just one word! Miss Twia, just one word! DeMario, yes, sir! Somebody say just one word! Just one word! Yeah, that’s it! Hallelujah! What can a word from God do? Change everything! Yes, sir! Great, great! Hallelujah, just one word! Delo, and this is all I’m asking you to do: believe what he tells you enough to put your weight on it. Come on, man! I could have done that whole example and sat down, and at the end of my life would have had so much potential but no purpose actually reached. My God, what am I trying to say? A personal word from God always requires action to be activated. You don’t believe the word until you do something! Hear what I’m saying? God tells you to give a certain amount of money to a person—you don’t believe that word until you actually do it.
So many people think that they’re obeying God at thought! You just missed it! I heard you, Lord! That’s when my kids hear me and don’t do what I tell them to do—it’s more frustrating. Yes, yes! It’s like I would have rather you not heard me, right? As a church and a society, we have gotten this thing—I hear you, Lord! I hear you, Lord! Lord, it’s clear! It’s clear! He says, «So do it! Stand on it! Talk to them! Believe for it!» And so I’m going to just tell you what we do real quick. Whenever you get a word, the first thing I need you to do is what? Receive it! 'Cause somebody can give you a word and you can reject it. The Bible tells us sometimes you need to reject it. There are some people that gave me words, and I said, «The Lord is going to have to pick a different vessel 'cause you—uh-uh.» 'Cause the Spirit says you can test this by the Spirit.
But there are many things that God’s saying, and you are denying it because of your personality. Wow! You’re denying it because of your type of communication style. You’re denying it because nobody in your family has ever done anything like this. He said, «I can change all those things, but I need you!» Everybody say, «Receive it!» Receive it! And can I say it like this? This is how I felt to say it to you: You’re worthy of hearing a word from God! So many people have felt like they’ve disqualified themselves, that they need to be perfect to hear from God. But when I look at the Bible, God speaks to people who He’s perfecting, not who are perfect. And you deserve to hear from God and put your weight on it and see that thing become a catalyst in your life.
So the first thing we do with a word from God is what? Receive it! The second thing we do? Write it! I tell people all the time—people come to me with plans now all the time 'cause we generously give to organizations and churches and stuff—and they act like it’s my money! So they come to me, «Pastor Mike, I got this great idea,» and da-da-da. It’s like, first off, I don’t have the money for that! Second off, it’s an idea, not a vision, until it’s on black and white paper! I don’t listen to ideas 'cause I can come up with a thousand ideas right now! I can come up with good ideas, bad ideas, indifferent ideas—come on, right now! If somebody was like, «What do you want to do after church?» how many ideas could we get in this room? Yeah, yeah, yeah! But God does not recognize what He’s saying to you in idea form; He recognizes it when it’s written down.
That’s why Habakkuk tells us to write the vision and make it plain. But see, this takes faith as well because when you write it and make it plain, He’s telling you why—He said, «Because I’m going to send other people to run with you.» That’s it! And they need—you won’t have time to explain to them all of the foundational principles of why you did what you did, so you got to write it down so they can read it while you’re on the run. So we receive it, then we do what? Write it! I thought about it the other day like this jacket right here says «Represent» on the back of it. There’s one of my favorite jackets that we’ve ever gotten made, and it has the vision and all the church anniversary stuff on it. But I remember that the vision of this church to put «Represent» on the back of the jacket and to put the vision right here—I went to Forever 21 before I did the vision message, and I found a printer, and I paid for the first-ever «Represent» jacket!
Wow! And I still have it; it’s too big, thank God! But I believed so much in this vision that I wanted to write it down—not in a conventional way; I wanted to wear it! And I have video proof of me on stages I never qualified to be on—from London to Elevation Church to I’ve been all over the world wearing the same jacket! All the clips you saw and stuff—I’m wearing the same jacket, different colors with the vision on it 'cause I believed in what God said when nobody else did. So good! Today, I’m telling you there are some things that God has given you a word on that will seem normal in a different season but seem absurd right now! Wow! For me to put «Represent» on anything, it’s going to sell out! Yes!
Today, with the word spelled wrong on the merch, somebody’s going to be like, «This is my opportunity; I’mma buy it!» But when I first did it, I couldn’t pay anybody to wear it 'cause nobody believed in the word except the one who gave it to me. And I came to encourage somebody before I give you this word I know God’s given us. I want you to value a word! Good! And the reason I know that most of us don’t value a word from God is 'cause we don’t value our word to ourselves. You can’t even value the word of the God you don’t see 'cause you will tell somebody, «I’ll be there at 6:00» and won’t show up! Get there by 6:45. You don’t believe your word. Okay, I have to get up. I felt a fence rising up right there.
Well, tell somebody to pray for them, but you won’t love your enemy. You don’t believe your own word. But when God gives a word, we receive it. Say, «Receive it, receive it.» Write it down. Number three: work it. If you don’t work the word, it will not produce what it was sent to produce. Every cake is just ingredients. That’s good. Have you ever had an upside-down cake? Oh my God, that cake had the same flour and sugar until somebody put their hands on it and did the work. I’m going to work the word. I’m asking: What are the things God told you to do that you have not worked on yet? Great! There are some areas of my life where God said, «Michael, I’ve spoken to you about that.»
I’m going to expose myself because some of y’all don’t get it until I give you real-life examples. I’ve always been musical. That same woman prophesied over me when I was a day old that I would master many instruments. I mastered one, and I became complacent. I got enough compliments because I could kill the drums. I received money and accolades. It was like, «I don’t need any more.» God said the word was that I would master many instruments, but I stopped at the one that everybody clapped for. So now you’re valuing their word over my word. Okay, all right. I’m just trying to encourage you. So this year, I’ve already told my wife that I have budgeted to take piano lessons.
Now, you’re saying yes, but that’s frustrating to me only because I’m starting piano as a beginner and I must be humble enough to not be good anymore. There will be nobody clapping for me when I’m going, «Oh, the finger!», and I’m going to want to win. Can I be honest? I want to make a track. I’m going to want to turn it into a beat. My daughter is in there talking about playing «Mary Had a Little Lamb.» Just sit down and go to bed! But will you work what God said? Somebody shout at me: «Work it, work it, receive it, receive it, write it, work it, work it!» James 2:26: «For as the body is without the spirit, it is dead, so faith without works is dead.» But that means faith with works is alive. Next one: speak it! Everybody say, «Speak it, speak it!» Many of the visions God’s given you, you’ve got all the way down to the «work it» stage, but you won’t tell anybody. I found out my help comes when I tell other people what God’s doing in my life.
Proverbs 18:21: «The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.» That’s going to be important. Five: refine it. Great! We receive it, write it, work it, speak it, refine it. The version that God gave me may have revisions, and if I only hear God one time and spend time with Him only once and never go back to Him, I may be off by the time it’s time to see what He said. This is why I have a pattern of withdrawing and getting with God so that He can say, «Yeah, you heard me in part. No, no, you’re going the right way, but get in this lane.»
If you don’t allow God to refine the vision He’s given you, it usually ends up not being what He wanted in the first place. So what do we do with vision? Receive it, receive it. What’s the next one? Write it, work it! And the crazy thing is, some of y’all are not even writing this down. The crazy thing is, as a pastor, I’m giving you the cheat code right now, and you’re just looking at me. Then you’re going to go home and ask God for a word, even though you sat here for two and a half hours. Receive it, write it, work it, speak it, refine it. Last one: rehearse it. I keep playing it back. Yeah, great! The Spirit Bank Event Center will be Transformation Church. Sir, the Spirit Bank Event Center will be Transformation Church.
Did y’all know we don’t have a building yet, but the Spirit Bank Event Center will be Transformation Church? When they tried to take me to go see K-Marts, I’m not playing! Tammy, they said, «Pastor is not available.» They told us it’s under contract, but God told me. Yeah, He gave me a word: «The Spirit Bank Event Center will be Transformation Church.» Stop bringing me buildings with K-Marts! I rehearsed it. I broke into this building and took a picture, yes sir! I kept it as my screensaver so every time I looked at my phone, I remembered not to forget what God said. That’s great, man.
The crazy thing about it is I don’t want this just for the church; I want this for your life. I don’t want us to be part of a church that sees God do miraculous things, and in your everyday life, you do not see it. But it may be because you don’t really believe a word. All right, that’s it! Receive it, write it, work it! Help me! Speak it, refine it, rehearse it, and then you’ll see it. I am standing in that process over and over. There was an old Busta Rhymes song that blessed me called «Touch It.»
Now, I know we’re talking about a touch from God! Okay, I don’t know if everybody has been saved all your life, but I think this will help you. Tony, can you just play that beat for me real quick? Could you just—yeah, just, just, yeah! Okay, we’re going to say this real quick: some of you I’m just going to help you remember it. Receive it, write it, work it, speak it, refine it, rehearse it, then you’ll see. Receive it, write it, work it, speak it, refine it, rehearse it, then help me! Receive it, write it, work it, speak it, and then you’ll see. Receive it, work it! Hey, nine years going! I’m still alive out here celebrating 25! Walking by faith, yeah, it’s kind of scary! Strong foundation, Debbie and Gary! Hey, till the day I die! Representing everything coming from God. Yeah, I’m by my side. TC Nation going crazy! All right, okay, let me stop, let me stop, let me stop! I love people who haven’t been saved long. I love you!
All right, go ahead: receive it, write it, work it, speak it, refine it, rehearse it, then you’ll see! All right, okay, I’m giving you the playbook. Somebody say just one word! Just one word! In 2015, God gave us a word when Bishop and Pastor Debbie handed us the baton. Let me tell you what it was. It was a silent word. It was a word to me and Natalie: survive! Sometimes the word isn’t sexy. I feel you. Sometimes God says something, and He just says, «All right, we’re about to go into a season, and all I need you to do is make it out the other side.» It doesn’t matter how hard it was. How many of you have been in a survival season? Come on, let’s be honest! That’s not demonic. Okay? Yes, a survival season is not demonic. It usually is created to take things away from you that can’t go with you in the next season. So in 2015, the prophetic word that God gave this church was what? Survive!
In 2016, the prophetic word He gave us: put it up on the screen—maintain. That’s two words! Horrible! How much vision do you get out of that? Yeah, how are y’all just getting ready? I got a word from God: maintain! Not forward, not backwards, just the same. But sometimes God wants to teach you faithfulness. In 2017, God said, «All right, I’m going to give you a word that’s got some faith in it for you to move forward,» and the word for 2017 was beyond. He said, «I’m going to take you beyond where you’ve been.»
Beyond maintaining was a blessing, and the church grew by 400 people! I think about $400,000 came into our income! Three years in taking over for another pastor, there were people coming, and God said, «Go beyond.» People started giving! I was on cloud a thousand because I thought God had done what He said! I thought that was it. If we had stayed at the «beyond» level for the next 20 years, I would have said, «God, you’ve done so much!» But in 2018, He gave us a prophetic word that looked countercultural. He said, «I want you to stride. I want you to stop running, and I want you to walk.» Great!
In a season of momentum, for you to tell me to walk, to do less, to cancel stuff that doesn’t make sense. But what I found out is everything in the kingdom of God is reversed. When God wants to expand something, He pulls it back. That’s 2018 when all y’all found us! Yeah, yeah. Don’t act like you knew about Transformation Church before the videos started going viral. Nobody knew about us! We had a few subscribers on YouTube. My mom and her friends were watching the rebroadcast! Nobody was checking for us! But God said, «Because you obeyed my word, I’m going to put you in every place I want you to be.» To this day, we have never cut up one of those videos that went viral. I didn’t have the team, staff, or volunteer base to do it. We just obeyed a word!
In 2019, God said this is the year of release, and we said, «Oh God, we’re releasing! We’re releasing everywhere! We’re being released into everything!» And you know what God did to me? He called me off the road. My wife was struggling as we were navigating our son having autism. I had been called to speak at every major conference, and they were going to pay me to be there. The Holy Spirit told me in June, «Cancel every engagement from June until January.» I said, «Lord, are you okay? Real quick, me and you? Are you sure you know how that impacts our family?» He said, «I’m keenly aware. That’s why I’m telling you to cancel it all.» I was talking about money, and He was talking about health! Good, good!
I just had to obey! I canceled everything. But it was in the season that I obeyed God to cancel that this building came available. I would have been on the road, Jesus preaching for somebody else. No good at the moment! At 9:00, they went into the meeting to close on the building, and at 9:15, they called us and said, «Do you still want the building?»
At that moment, me, Bri, and Tammy got in the car and came over from North Tulsa. I couldn’t have told them in two days that I’d be home because two days later, they had all the money they needed again. But because I was where God told me, because I obeyed the word He gave me, when He wanted to bless me, I was in—watch this—word position! Most of us are missing what God has for us, not because we don’t have a good plan. It’s that we are out of position! And He said the word of the year was what? Release! He released this building to us. I thought it was us being released to the world! In 2020, He said «stronger,» and I told you what happened. The world shut down, and He made us stronger! In 2021, guess what the word was? Anchored! I just told everybody, «God’s going to anchor us! It’s going to be special! Just hold on to His word!»
Do you know why He said anchor? Because He knew the spit was about to hit the fan! See, I’m telling y’all these words are not just ideas! He said, «Anchor to the vision! Anchor to My word! Anchor to the people who are called to this! I’m about to send you into a storm, and I’m going to send you into a two-year storm! But I’m such a God full of grace that I gave you a word before I sent you into the storm! I told you this was the year you needed to be anchored!» I said, «Okay, Lord, we’re anchored! What’s the word for the next year?» Here’s «Holy.»
My first message to give vision was «Spit Hits the Fan.» Seven days later, I announced the word of the year, and it’s almost like the Holy Spirit was laughing at me. He was like, «I told you! Here’s Holy!» You’re right where I want you to be: broken, confused, humbled, angry. I want you right here because I want you to know what I do from this point was not you—this wasn’t your planning, this wasn’t your effort. This will only be your obedience, and I don’t want you to despise the season. I want you to call it what I call it: it’s holy! Good! So every time you’re about to respond back and send a hater message and find somebody and have them knocked off, He said, «I want you to remember I gave you a word before it ever happened!»
Then in 2023, He gave us a word: «This year is going to be a word that’s going to be beyond you!» This word is about the entire kingdom, and God gave us action with all of that. Last year, we gave away over $5.2 million to build churches! All I said, we gave away over $5.2 million! These weren’t back-scratching like, «Oh, one day when we need it, hit me back!» like God said, «Give it away, because this is not about Transformation Church; it’s about my kingdom.» So when I say that when God gives a word in this house, what can God do with a word? He can do everything. This year, I’m going to give you the word of the year. Y’all ready? Oh, y’all didn’t sound ready. Maybe I need to preach for 15 more minutes. I went on sabbatical, and usually, I’m actually praying, seeking hard, fasting—no food, no nothing. The Holy Spirit, it was almost like, «Bro, I’ve put you through a lot the past two years; I’m going to give you a layup on this one.»
On July 3rd at 7:13 a.m., the Holy Spirit woke me up and simply said—I wrote it in my phone—"This will be the year of… well, just show us.» 2024 is the year of—everybody shout it with me—fruit! Standing all over the building, He said, «Michael, this year you won’t have to talk about it; you’ll have proof.» He said, «I want every person under the sound of my voice to understand that this year is not going to be about what we can make happen; it’s about sowing the seeds that produce» (Matthew 7:16). You will know them. I don’t care if they know us by marketing, I don’t care if they know us by Instagram clicks, I don’t care if they know us by viral moments; I don’t care about any of that. Yeah, yeah, I want you to know this church and this ministry by what I have.
I have so many messages prepared to make this the most fruitful year of your life. But hold on, stop! Before you’ve gotten words before, and they were just like that trampoline—are you going to stand on top of this word and put your weight on it? Because I know there are some people like, «Okay, fruit—that’s underwhelming.» I thought it was going to be something big. No, because it’s not my word; it’s a word from God. If you would put your faith weight on this, I’m telling you, by the time we get here next year, this will be the most fruitful. It’s going to be the most fruitful year of your life! Great! Does anybody believe by faith right now? I’m going to tell you the acronym He gave me, and then we’re going to go home.
God told me, «Michael, this is not just fruit; I want you to hear what I’m saying. This is going to be your faith repeating until it transforms.» Wow! He said, «I’m going to allow you to keep doing the same thing, sowing the same seeds, speaking life into the same people, and one day you’re going to look up, and it’s going to be so sweet what God has produced on the inside of you.» Transformation Church, I’m telling you there are not enough seats in this place for the level of fruit we’re going into the field, and we’re about to get every person. Y’all better hear me right now! We’re about to get God did not give us this arena to have it half full; He gave us this arena so that He can see fruit! Shout it with me—fruit!
Next week, we’re starting a series called Fresh Fruit, and I don’t know how long we’ll be in it until the Lord tells me not to be, but I promise you, you’re going to value what God is going to do in your life. I’m asking you to not use this word as a suggestion; make it a catalyst, not a container. Every time you walk into the grocery store, go by the fruit aisle. Pick up a grape—well, no, never mind—buy the grape! Buy the grape! The Lord is still working on us all. I’m just saying, watch how many places fruit starts to show up in your life, and I want you to take it as a prophetic sign. God is speaking to my preferred future. Lift your hands all over this room.
God, I thank you that today I didn’t come to be spectacular; I came to be evidence. God, I pray that people would see through Your word, the Word that is You, the Word that is printed, and the Word that has been personal in my life, that they can believe You. God, let them take You at Your word, and I thank You, God, that faith is being sparked everywhere around this world. God, I thank You that You gave the word fruit for Transformation Church, and we’re going to see it; we’re going to live it; we’re going to give it away, and they will taste and see that our Lord is good. Father, let this word be a catalyst for how we live, how we give, how we share, and how we understand what You’re doing in our lives. I pray, Father God, for every household represented that there would be so much fruit that they could not keep it to themselves. God, I’m thanking You that the fruit would overflow in our lives; that we would be ones who bless and not just need the blessing. We receive the word! Somebody say, «We receive the word! Receive the word, and we will work the word!» I obeyed You, God. Thank You that this will be the year of much fruit. In Jesus' name.
If you believe it by faith, will you clap your hands and give God a shout for the fruit you’re going to see at the end of the year? Let’s give God, real quick, the fruit of the harvest today. If somebody gave their life to Jesus, but before everybody runs out, that parking lot’s going to be there! Listen, if there’s any person under the sound of my voice who has never accepted Jesus Christ, today, I want to start by giving you an opportunity to see more fruit in your life than you’ve ever seen before. This decision took me from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography. I had a whole bunch of bad stuff in my heart, and it did not make me a perfect man, but it made me a progressing man—a man that now can look around and see the fruit of following Jesus. I want to offer that to you.
If you’re tired of doing it your own way and you want to see the fruit of Jesus come into your life and make all things new, like we sang earlier today, at the count of three, I just want you to lift your hands. I’m not going to make you come up here and tell us everything you’ve done. Religion tries to put that weight on you. I hope that sometime you get in community, find a small group, and share those things, because that’s where healing comes. But salvation comes in your confession and your belief right here.
So if you want to accept Jesus Christ, I don’t care who you are or who you came with; God has appointed this moment to give you this word. Today is the day of salvation. If you want to accept Jesus, just slip your hand in the air. One, you’re making the greatest decision of your life. I see you, my brother. Two, I’m proud of you, and more than that, your name is going to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Three, just shoot it up! I see you! Transformation Church, this is the fruit of 25 years of ministry! I see you, and more than I see you, God sees you! Hey, at Transformation Church, nobody prays alone! Lift your hands, everybody, and say:
God, thank You for sending Jesus just for me. Today, I give You my life. I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again just for me. Come into my life and change me. Renew me. Transform me. I’m Yours! In Jesus' name, amen.