Michael Todd - Unlock the Overflow: Obedience Is Key
All right, so I’m going to be obedient to this for 48 minutes. Woo! All right, I’m so full right now. Okay, and so today I’m going to give you out of my overflow. Um, yeah, because I’m going to barely touch these notes; what’s in me right now is coming out no matter what. If y’all don’t get it, I’m going on a quick trip, and whoever’s behind that counter, y’all don’t have to worry. If I’m just telling you right now, I was talking to my team in the back, I’m full to overflowing, and I have to be obedient to what God has told me to do. It’s just going to keep going all week, like I’m telling you right now. Um, we’re in a new season of our church, and it started, I really believe, after our 21 days of prayer and fasting.
I don’t know if you sense it or feel it, but the church is alive. This is not just a numeric thing; this is a soul thing. There are things beginning to happen, and this is an atmosphere where you’re going to be able to come in, and I’m prophesying to some people here. This atmosphere is going to ignite with the seed God has placed inside you. See, a seed cannot grow in the wrong atmosphere, but when you come into a fertile atmosphere, there are going to be ideas that you’ll have to stop and get your phone because God said you came into the right atmosphere to receive the wisdom for what He’s asked you to do. Some of you, years of unforgiveness are going to fall off in this atmosphere. You’re going to be like, «I don’t even like that song,» and God said, «But that’s the song that holds the key to your breakthrough.»
I hear this as clearly as I’m standing up here. Being here at this large gathering on Sunday is going to be a lifeline for the people God is calling to this season of fruit. Hear what I’m saying to you; it’s not to build a monument to anything, but the right environment produces certain fruit, absolutely. And I’m telling you that the word God has given me to share with you over the next probably eight weeks was a complete detour from the plan I had when I was in Africa. The Lord interrupted me and said, «You want to say something, but I have something better to say.» I said, «Holy Spirit, what do you want to do?» I went to Africa and asked the Holy Spirit what I was supposed to preach. He said, «The only thing you’re supposed to preach is the overflow.»
So I went to Africa thinking I was going to give them the message I shared with you on Sunday, and I started preaching it, and something different came out of me. I said, «What was that?» He said, «It was the hunger of the people.» I asked, «What do you mean?» He said, «There was a different demand.» He said, «People, many times in Western culture, come to be entertained and inspired. But these people came for their lives to be transformed.» He said, «When you stood up there under the power I gave you, I’m always going to supply my people with what they need.» I said, «So how do I preach like that back at home?» He said, «You stand up and tell the people to demand more from God.»
Oh God, I’ve got to go back; I’ve got to go back to Nigeria! He said, «Tell them they’re thinking too little. They’re praying too shallow. They want me to do just a little bit and praise over something I can do with my eyes closed.» He said, «They don’t believe I’m God.» I said, «What?» He said, «They believe more that their job can supply their needs than I can supply their needs.» And I said, «God, what do you mean?» He said, «Michael, I’m offended that after all I’ve done for them, they can still put their trust in something that has not given everything for them.» He said, «I want you to stand up on Sunday morning and tell your church to put a demand on me.» Hallelujah, that’s so good! I said, «God, is that illegal?»
Whatever you want to do, God. He said, «What I want to do is a work through the earth, but I cannot do it without my people. Everything I choose to do on the earth, I have to partner with a person to accomplish.» He said, «My people do not believe that I can do what I have already shown them and told them I can do.» He said, «It’s time.» He said it like this, and I’m going to say it to you because He told me to get up here and tell you, «It’s time for them to make me have to move.» Wow, wow, wow! He said, «Make me move! Pray in such a way that I can’t ignore!» If my child right now starts yelling, «Daddy!» in a room full of all of you, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing; there is a frequency that my daughter can call my name with that would make me look, make me come off the stage, make me move! Believe we have not been hungry enough to go to our Father in a way that makes Him move because we’re already operating in everything He’s already provided for us. That’s great!
So I said, «Okay, Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do?» He said, «I’m changing the series. You’re about to go into a different series.» He said, «You released a song two weeks ago called 'Overflow, ' and one part of the song that everybody started grooving to is, 'I’m living in the overflow.'» He said, «Most of them are not living in the overflow.» He said it was a song that was prophetic to the season that I’m bringing this church into. He said, «I had to release the song and the sound so they could rehearse the promise of God.» Somebody say, «I’m living in the overflow.» And the truth of the matter is, most of us are not yet, but by the end of this series, through the revelation that God does in your life and in your family, I feel this all the way in my toes, y’all. I’m telling you, somebody say, «I’m living in the overflow! I’m living in the overflow!»
For the next ten weeks, until I go on sabbatical—however long it is, until July—the Holy Spirit said, «Do not let up off the gas on teaching people how to actually…» Somebody say «live,» not look at the overflow, not dream about the overflow. Somebody say «live»! Live my life, my life, how I love, how I lead, how I learn; it’s going to be in the overflow. So today, I’m going to attempt to introduce what I believe is your next season of living. I need you to hear this by the Spirit. For every hard heart in the room, I pray there would be a softening right now because I’m telling you; this is going to change everything. I wrote down the definition that the Holy Spirit gave me in prayer of overflow: it says the overflow is the abundance of what God has designed, destined, and desires for His children.
When I say I want to live in the overflow, I want to live in what God has designed—not what I have designed, but what God has designed, destined, and desires for me. Most of us just want a better life; I want you to hear what I just said. God has an intentional way that He wants your life to be lived, and most of you just want something better than what you had. I want you to really self-examine right now; most of us have stopped believing God for what He says He has for us, and we only believe God for a little better than what we are currently dealing with. Romans 15:13: «May the God of hope"—somebody shout «hope!"—y’all didn’t even talk. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you—everybody say «trust him"—so that you may—somebody shout «overflow!"—overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
You’re going to hear this scripture every Sunday until you memorize it, until it’s in your thought process, until you realize that this is what we are believing God for—that the God who is full of hope for you is full of hope that your situation changes and turns around and moves into alignment with what He has for you. This is the God we serve! May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. God desires for your life to be a picture of overflow. You couldn’t even say «Amen» to that! Hear what I’m saying to you; even if you’re not living in it, God’s design is that all His children reflect His royalty. All right? Have you ever seen parents that look nice, and their kids look a mess?
Mama Chloe says, «Shame on you!» Like, y’all know what I’m saying. Parents with kids all snotty, clothes too small… somebody say «hair!» Okay, stop judging. What I’m saying is when you see a child that doesn’t look like the parent, it doesn’t reflect badly on the child. Everybody starts looking at the parent. Could it be the reason our faith has been so watered down is we talk about the great King that we serve, but all of His children are living like we don’t belong to Him? The problem is the King says, «I provided them clothes that fit, but they keep putting on old clothes. I’ve given them the access and the ability to have all the food that is nutritious for them to live, but they keep going for junk food.»
Now, people are getting the wrong idea about our Father, not because of what He’s provided, but because of how we choose to live. So the Holy Spirit said, «Michael, the overflow of My design and My desire for them is available!» Somebody say, «The overflow is available!» Oh my gosh! If I could let you know that in the area of life where you are most frustrated right now, God can literally give you wisdom, character, integrity, an idea that literally shifts the entire situation playing out in your life right now. But the truth is some of you do not believe that God is that good or that big to do it! Today, I just came to encourage your faith! «Pastor Mike, I need you to tell me something!»
I’m telling you there is more available than what you have been believing God for. Just asking Him to give you a $10 raise at that job is not living in the overflow! Asking God to just make your husband take you on date night? He can make him madly in love with you again! I’m talking about passion! Stop limiting God because of your limits! Goodness, on Wednesday night, Charles, I might have to come and act a fool at Bible study because this group of people… I don’t know if y’all are ready for what I’ve got to say! Listen to me; somebody say, «I can live in the overflow!»
Say it like you believe it: «I can live in the overflow!» Okay, so if God has provided through salvation everything you need, the Bible says to live a good, godly life—that’s what the Word says. At salvation—not after I earn it, not after I do 15 Bible studies—at salvation, God gives you everything you need to live a life that pleases Him. So this is the conclusion I come to when I think about living in the overflow: write this down: access does not mean possession. Access to the overflow does not mean you possess it. We come into this church every week; you watch online every day; you do all of this stuff! You’ve got more Christian songs on your playlist, you’ve been prayed over 62 times, you’ve been baptized four times this year, yet at 10:59 every night… that same tormenting spirit of whatever it is, I’m going to let you fill in the blank.
That thing that makes you go to that channel, that makes you text that person or allow them to FaceTime you, like, «Hi, big head!» No! What I’m saying is… Man, I’m thirsty; can you pass me something to drink, please? Thank you, bro; I appreciate you! Um, the thing that I’ve figured out is that having possession of something… I’m thirsty! Can you bring me some water? Oh God! Y’all, bring me some more. Just bring me some more. Having access does not mean you possess it! That’s right. And could this be a picture of the church right now? Every worship song known to man? Yes, sir! Yes, sir! The Bible app will wake you up, but at the end of the day, you can still find yourself dealing with the same mess at 10:59 PM. up and give you a scripture, sir, Bible study courses, all kinds of stuff, but I still have not possessed what’s available to me, and now I’m complaining to you about what I do.
I had to leave that church because they just weren’t feeding me. The truth of the matter is that God has designed for this life in Christ to be lived in the overflow. The truth of the matter is I can tell people to come get water; y’all come get some water! Just some people like me, huh? Yeah, come get some! Don’t come pick it up; pick your own water up! I ain’t giving you the water; I’m just supplying it. And I can be giving people what I need—do you want two? You want three? You want four? Dr. L, how are you doing, sweetheart? It’s good to see you! Hey, did I tell you I’m thirsty? So nice to meet you! How are you doing? Matter of fact, you just take all of these. Oh my God, here you go! This is great; it’s so nice to meet you! There you go; you and your wife.
Where are y’all from? Indiana? Indiana? Here, take your wife some water. God bless you! Give it out to people! Oh man, give the kids some water! I am so thirsty, and now I want to give everybody my sob story about how God didn’t meet my need and how I need to deconstruct my faith because, wow, wow! Because the truth of the matter is many of us have had access to the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of God, the peace that passes all understanding, and joy that’s unspeakable. These are all things that God promises us as we embrace His way of living, but access does not mean possession. That’s so good; that’s so good we could go home right there. Right there! Because the truth of the matter is if you just did one thing that God said through me on Sunday from His word a week, y’all would just be so rebellious out here, hear 50 minutes of the word, and go home and do absolutely nothing—nothing! —that God spoke!
And I wasn’t the first one to tell you; He told you in His word, and He told you in a dream, and I was just confirming. Oh my God, it was such a confirmation word today, and you’re still going to go out of here and be disobedient. You’ve been supposed to join that tribe. «Well, I’m just not a people person.» You’ll never be because you’re disobedient! Still have an audition for the worship team? «Well, I just don’t—I just don’t have the time in my schedule.» But you have the time for every season of Love and Hip Hop, every single season. I’m just trying to say, because many of us want God to do a new thing, and He’s not going to do it lightly because He supplied you with everything that you already need, but you will not possess!
This time when I say I want some water, I’m thirsty—I don’t need a case of water to get my need met. All I need to do is take what’s in my hand and put my faith, my work, and my action to it. When was the last time you just had some good old? Was this available the whole time? Did God let 70 bottles pass through my hands before I ever put my hand on it? Church, we don’t need a new instruction; we need to put our faith on the one He already gave us. I said we don’t need a new word from God—yes, sir! —we need to put our faith on the one He’s already given us. You want to live in the overflow? Obey! Done! That’s it! Ro, what else I got to say? I don’t need to preach to them no more! If they would just obey what God said, if they would just do what God said, if they would just do what God said! You don’t need a new word; you don’t need a new church; you don’t need a new life! You just—if you want to live in the overflow, start the Bible study at your high school! «Nobody’s going to come.»
That’s not the point! The point isn’t attendance; the point is obedience! If God tells me to start Transformation Church in a parking lot, and it was like you remember y’all used to have that arena, you know? And it was so many people coming—it don’t matter if it’s me, Natalie, and the four built-in church members that we made. I’m gonna do it anyway! 'Cause how I live in the overflow is through—everybody say obedience—obedience! I’m going to teach you how to live in the overflow! But God can give you a thousand instructions, and if you don’t obey one, Charles, what are we talking about? Why would God release more vision, more connection, more understanding, and you’re still going to disobey? It makes no sense! He’s been telling you to forgive them—uh-oh! Because you thought it was just actions? No, it’s your heart posture too! He’s been telling you to let those people go. He said that offense is holding up your overflow.
That’s good! He said, «I don’t want your offering; matter of fact, you can leave your offering before you give it! Go get that thing right with them!» Y’all know the word, don’t you? And some of y’all have been asking God to bless you, and the thing that’s been the dam to your overflow is your offense! And you say, «God, do more!» He said, «Do what I told you to do! Go apologize!» «Well, I know that I was wrong in certain instances, but in more instances, they were wrong.» And God said, «That’s not the point of what I’m asking you to do! I’m trying to unblock the next season of your life, but you would rather live in offense than overflow!» Wow, that’s good! Access does not mean possession. I can literally say, «Take this water,» but if you don’t take it—if you don’t take it! But I want you to see what just happened—that’s real! He put his hand on it; he wanted me to let it go, but he had to use his force, he had to use his energy, his strength!
Y’all, I got a new flow—energy! Y’all better light up this floor! I’m about to preach from the floor! I feel something happening in this room right now! There’s somebody that’s saying, «I’m not settling for what my mama named me! I’m not settling for where the church has been! I will live in the overflow!» If you believe it, give God a shout of praise in this place! Hallelujah! Y’all bring my podium down; I’m a preach from the floor today. I feel this! Hear me, hear me, hear me—what I’m saying to you right now: there is something that God is about to do that only is unlocked with— I see it prophetically! Y’all, the Holy Spirit’s been just showing me stuff, and I got to release it because we’re living in the overflow at Transformation Church.
Okay, listen to me. Thank you so much! What God has been showing me is that the next instruction is revealed after the last obedience. Let me say it better: the next instruction comes at the last obedience step. You ever seen like the movie «Treasure,» or like you know movies and it’s like they’re like, «We just got to get the pearl of wisdom,» and then once they get the pearl of wisdom, they put the pearl of wisdom in a little round thing, and it’s like boom! And then—like it’s like—and then there’s like—and then it’s like a word, «Peace!» And it’s like, «Peace? What does peace mean?» And then they have to think about all the things they’ve been through—all the things they’ve studied—all of the things that they’ve seen. Sir, they’re like, «Oh, not like peace, like it’s a piece of something!» Oh, and then the rhythm of this and the trimester and the «P,» and then it goes to the next thing, and I don’t know! And then it’s like the next step is only revealed after the last thing they do in obedience!
Church, I just want to let you know that God desires for you to live in the overflow, but your disobedience blocks the overflow. That’s so good! Period! I’m gonna preach to you for the next 10 weeks about what God is about to do, but you can stop it by your disobedience—absolutely will! Can I use a real example? Bro, come here. Okay, me and Will had a conversation two years ago. Can I tell the story? Okay, Will came here—how long ago? Five years? Five years ago? He was an intern, and I saw so much potential in this young man! I’m talking about straight out of jail, knew all the hood songs, tatted up—the perfect associate campus pastor in my mind, at least, at Transformation Church!
Okay, okay, okay—here, but I came to Will two years ago at Incredible Pizza; it was MJ’s birthday, and I looked at him, and I said, «Will, your weight is holding you back. So you’re 350 pounds. I said, for what God has for you next, you can’t be that big.» Now, most of y’all, when I said it to him, got offended! I wasn’t even talking to you, and you were like, «How dare!» But he knew that I loved him, and he knew that! And then, watch this, I said, «Will, I believe in you so much. Don’t tell anybody this, but I’m going to pay for your first month of training.» I said, «Call the people tomorrow, and I’m gonna send you the money, whatever they say. I’m gonna pay for it.»
And then I looked at him and what did I tell you? «Don’t waste my money!» I said, «Don’t waste my money! I said I got four kids! I said, but I believe in your future!» That’s a real statement! That was not a small bill for you to be skipping some training! His next level absolutely could have been stopped at offense! Absolutely! No, no, no! Right now, some of y’all won’t even receive that from your husband or wife! Absolutely! You got kids with these people, and they can’t tell you, «Baby, not Krispy Kreme today!»
Like, come on! But what if we—what if you would have leaned to the lane of offense and still been used by God, serving in the area, but not receiving the level? Oh, I knew you could lead, 'cause you led yourself. I’m not sayin' this is for, but for the position that God told me I had to give him, he had to be able to lead! So good! Before he led anybody else! That’s so good! That’s good! And now we were talking this morning in the gym; he’s the first one to text me at 5:00 a.m. «Pastor Mike, you up? I’m at your house!» I’m like, «God, D!» We’re talking today about how God is doing such a work in him and his family and all that, but it’s because he didn’t allow his offense to dam up his overflow! And look at you now, baby! How much you down? 141? Down 141 pounds in the past year and a half! I’m proud of you, boy! They keep talking about his transformation! You can’t lose 5 lbs! You don’t understand! No, I need to be serious with y’all. That’s—if you can lose 5 lbs in the next two weeks by not eating what you eat every day!
Absolutely! But we want to do spiritual stuff that doesn’t come to the practical! I said, «I’m living in the overflow; I’m not just praying in the overflow. I have to bring what’s in the supernatural!» So if you’re joyful in the spirit but mean in the flesh, do y’all hear what I’m saying? The math ain’t maing! Great! Great! That’s so good! I’m gonna have to start again next week! No, no, no! 'Cause what I needed to say I done seen! Absolutely! Yeah, I put the sermon title up there, «Living in the Overflow.»
Yeah, they didn’t even put the other sermon title for next week! If you’re going to live in the overflow, obey! One point—that’s it! One point! If you’re going to live in the overflow, obey! What happens if Moses doesn’t go and say, «Let my people go»? What? A whole generation of people is bound! They don’t even get the option for freedom! Right? If one person doesn’t obey, who is attached to your obedience? That’s so good! That’s so good! I wish there was a way on a big screen we could see all of the people that were attached! And you know what? It wouldn’t even have to be a lot; it would just have to be somebody we loved. If somebody we loved was attached to our obedience, you would do it! You’d stop doing that, and you’d start doing that! But that wouldn’t take faith! If He showed you, you would do it because you had facts! You wouldn’t do it because you had to believe Him.
Remember, in that scripture, you overflow when you trust Him! Oh, y’all missed it! Let’s go back one more time—the only scripture today! Romans 15:13. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him. Your plan is going to work! And I trust you! Yes, it looks completely backwards and opposite, and I actually, if I can be honest with you, I don’t like it! I just wanted to tell you— I love you, but I don’t like it! He’s good with that! He’s big enough to handle that! If I could, shoot! I would not be a pastor! I could make great impact for good in this world and not have people judging me the way they do! Absolutely! I can still write books; I could still do music, I could do everything, but for some reason, every Sunday I was like, «Well, let’s just go off of YouTube. Let’s not; I don’t need to be all over the world.» God said, «I need you to be; this ain’t about you. If this was about you, absolutely, you could have stayed at 1519 in North Tulsa.» He said, «I desire greatness to reach those people in prison.»
Yes, sir! Yes, sir! To the tune of 11,181 people who have been saved this year because of what we do. Y’all got to help me right now; can we give God praise? That’s transformation! Yes, sir! Think about somebody actually like Paul and Silas. Yes, sir! They ain’t never been locked up, and they prayed and prayed. I’m talking about bars, and they watched Transformation Church on a tablet! Wow! And 11,181 people in 2024 gave their lives to Jesus, documented because of the generosity, the giving, the camera people, the children’s workers, and the parking lot people. Because of what we do together, I said one point. The second point: the overflow is always for others. What God’s trying to do—the reason He’s trying to build character in your life—is because you’re supposed to mentor somebody that you don’t have the self-control to be around right now. Wow!
Did you hear what I just said? Wow! You don’t have the self-control to bring around somebody that you actually have the key to life for. Wow! So God has been putting you in a position right now to work off those edges. You’re a player; I’m a player, man. You know what I’m saying? I just flirt; you know what I’m saying? I don’t be doing nothing; I just talk sweet to them; I just want to let them know God made them beautiful, and you know what I’m saying? I just want to let them know, wow! And God has some young lady that needs a father figure, but she’s going to get creep vibes around you. Ably, oh, I’m in people’s business right now. And because you’re always a player, God said, «Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,» and you don’t realize that you’re cutting off the overflow that I have for you because you actually do have something to give them, but you won’t give up what you’ve been to get what I have for you.
So you’re going to live in not the overflow but the obsolete, and most believers, by the time they obey God, what He gave them is obsolete. Wow! That’s good! I’m not talking about—how do I say this? It’s like when all the celebrities love God at 70. All your influence was when you were 26 to 35. Wow! You were all around the world, stadiums filled with people, and then at 69, we’re glad that you came to the Kingdom, but what would the impact have been if you had obeyed God in the middle? And it seems like there are so many believers that obey God after the window of influence. I’m off into dangerous territory right now, but what I’m saying is there is something that God wants to do that you will sacrifice in your own life because it’s supposed to impact others.
Great, great, great! And the truth of the matter is we’ve been living a selfish walk with God—what He does for me; how He answers my prayer; the miracle I need. And He said, «Michael, there are certain people I want to live in the overflow, but I honestly can’t trust them with it because if I gave them more than enough, they would be hoarders. It would build entitlement around them; it would secure their insecurities; it would actually puff them up to a place that they now have money, resources, and connections.» And God said, «I just need my people to get back to a place of knowing that everything they have came from Me.» Sir, I’m the God of the universe; I’m the one that has—and when I trust them with it, I’m doing it for others.
The Bible says the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and literally die as a ransom. His whole life was about giving out of His overflow for people who wouldn’t even acknowledge what He did. Could you be okay living the rest of your life in a manner that God fills you up to pour you out, and they might not even know your name? That’s so good! I’m just challenging you right now because the church is telling you God will bless you so then you can stun on people. No! What if you never get a Bentley, never get a Mercedes, never get a Tesla? But what if God’s blessing for you is paying people’s down payments? That’s great! Yes, sir! See, you missed it! You’re like, «What if you never drive your dream car?» Yeah, but you supply other people with the first step to walk into what? Now some of y’all are really thinking right now, like, «Hold on, that’s good, the Bentley or giving a blessing.»
I’m just trying to challenge us because I’m telling you, God’s about to take us into a level of abundance, and I’m not just talking about money. I am talking about money too, because y’all church folks want to be broke, and you can have that, but my Bible says I’ll be the lender and not the borrower. And so I just—I’m not the Prosperity Gospel; no, I’m not preaching the poverty gospel. Yeah, stop that! You can’t meet a need if you ain’t got nothing! Absolutely! Okay, I’m not even going to get on that right now. What do you want us to do? Steal it? And then we, that are not… I’m jacked up; God dog, like, good! Yeah, yeah! I’m not talking about… I’m talking about being in a place where I actually can be an extension of God’s heart on this earth. With a word of encouragement—absolutely!
Some of you, God has surrounded you with people who speak life into you all the time, and you’ve become a fan for somebody to say something to you, but you’ve never ever given out of all that’s been put into you to other people. You could wake up every morning and say, «I’m going to make six people’s day. Today the number is six, and I’m going to go out of my way to encourage six people with what I see, and whatever you say to me, Holy Spirit, that’s great!» Great! That’s living in the overflow! You know what God does? He gives seed to the sower!
So at the moment you start encouraging people, He just pops people into your life to pour back into you. It’s called a watch flow! You can’t have an overflow without a flow, and most of you don’t realize that your faith to start it starts the flow! Great, great! Your act of faith to give starts to flow. Your act of faith to encourage starts to flow. You writing the business plan starts the flow. God can’t even send the investors because you haven’t started the flow. Good!
Today, I’m asking when God begins to reveal to us through prayer and in Bible study and in worship as we’re singing Yahweh—and when we come back here next week—it’s all for nothing if whatever He says, whatever He confirms, whatever He tells us to do, we won’t obey it. I don’t want to waste another year and then get back to 21 days of prayer and fasting and be like, «God, you gonna give me a word?» He said, «Girl, I’ve been trying to do this! This is the sixth year of—come on y’all! This is the sixth year of us asking for you to be content in your singleness! Would you just please trust that what I’m working out of you in this season is preparing you for the season you desire? I got a plan for you, and I promise you, it’s better than whatever you’re piecing together right now!»
Somebody say, «I’m going to live in the overflow, the overflow, and I will obey!» And I want to let you know right now, it’s going to cost you. Obedience costs you; it’s expensive! Do you hear what I’m saying? To be obedient, you may have to leave some things you love. I could give you story after story of how God asked me to do something, but He never told me what it cost. And it feels kind of unfair because if you’re a good, good father, you should really tell me! You know how much stew costs before I get to the register. But God asks you, like, «Yeah, hey, give me your career choice!» «Yeah, now Lord, I’ve been working all of this time, and all my training is in music!» «Yeah, give it to Me. I’m going to give you something else at 27.» «Well Lord, why didn’t you start preparing me for that at 4? Because I feel inadequate, unprepared, and scared!» He said, «Yeah, yeah, yeah! Do you want My plan for your life that will lead you to the overflow or do you want that career choice?»
God, you know why you’re going to ask me that question? You know I want Your will, so just say yes! Yeah, yeah! Yes! I didn’t tell you it was going to cost you a lot of relationships. It’s going to cost you actually putting down what you have loved for years. It’s going to cost you focusing on a skill that people spend decades figuring out, and I’m going to put you up and teach you as you go. You’re going to feel unprepared every time you stand up for a decade. What the freak! But, He knows if He would have told me it would cost me all that, I would have ran from it. So what He tells me is, «No matter what happens, I’ll be with you always.» The guarantee is not that I will feel great always; He said, «I’ll be with you always; I’ll never leave you or forsake you.»
So when you say yes to Me, come on with it! And watch this: even when you say no, I’ll never leave you! You want to talk about the grace of God? When you mess up, I’ll never leave you! Somebody should thank God for His grace right now! Even when you do the thing that’s opposite of what I told you to do, I’ll never leave you nor forsake you! That’s right!
Today, I’m inviting you; that’s what I’m trying to do, that’s what I’m trying to do, Bishop! It took me all service to figure it out; I’m trying to invite a generation of people to come with me to live in the overflow! And if we’re going to do this together, I’m going to be humble, open, and transparent with you. I’m going to tell you the truth: I need you to—whatever the next instruction God gives you—one word! I need you to stand up all over this world! Could we—just before everybody starts running out and leaving and all that other stuff, I think there’s a moment where we’re supposed to ask the Holy Spirit, «What are You trying to say to me?» 'Cause I know you heard me talk, but I think He wants to say something.
Everybody just lift your hands like this, just like you’re ready to receive! Close your eyes, focus in on Him! What is God illuminating to you right now? What area is coming to your heart and your mind? What idea is He continually bringing to you? What is the area that He’s saying, «We got to work on that, you got to let me have that! Take your hand off of that; let me have it! There’s an overflow coming, but it starts with obedience!»
Today, Father, here we are, surrendered. Oh God, we need You; we need You more than we’ve admitted. Many of us have been trying to strong-arm our way and white-knuckle our way through this season, and I thank You that today You start a flow in our life as we submit to whatever You want to do. Father God, the things that we have not done for years, today we are making a fresh commitment that we will obey! Thank You that in Your word, You tell us You will give us both the power and the desire to do what pleases You! So today, Father God, we say yes! All over this room, just say that three-letter word: say yes! Come on! All over the world, everybody just say yes! Yes! Whatever You want to do with us, God, we sing the song Yahweh and the part that says, «Whatever You want to do, whatever You want to do, have Your way!» Today, God, I thank You that our church is about to go to another level of occupying Kingdom territory! I thank You, Father, that You have called us to be an example of dominion on this Earth, but, Father, You will not trust people who do not listen to You. So today, I’m making a fresh commitment; we are making a fresh commitment. No matter our titles, no matter our wins in the past, no matter our associations and our relationships, today we’re giving You a fresh yes! We will be obedient to whatever You say to do. Father, if that’s taking a different way home, if it’s wearing a certain jacket—God, we will let You be in the details of our life! We will not act like we know what needs to happen! Today, God, we restore ourselves back to childlike faith! Whatever Daddy says, whatever Abba whispers, we will obey! Have Your way in our lives and in this place!
I hear this very clearly: for the next week, I want everybody to put that song Yahweh on at least once a day! No, I’m—hear what I’m saying! I hear—I’ve been doing it! Myself just worshiping there has been something that has been happening in intimacy, and I don’t know how else to say it except that it doesn’t feel like us. It feels like me with a bunch of people; it just feels like me and God. I believe there’s some healing and some direction that’s going to come. Go to Spotify, go to wherever you listen to it, but I want you to listen to it at least once a day. Some of you are going to put it on repeat over and over, but there’s something that’s going to happen, and I believe Charles in the Overflow. What we’re believing God for is going to come from a very intimate place. People want the overflow on the outside, but it comes from a very private place, and we’re about to increase our seeking for God. Amen, amen.
The last thing I want to say to you as we leave this place is that I know there are some people in this room right now who are hurting, and it’s very difficult for you to reconcile the idea of overflow while you feel like you’re in a deficit. Did you hear what I just said? I want to acknowledge what I’m sensing by the Spirit in this room. We’re saying overflow, but every time I say it, you’re wondering how in the world you can get to overflow when you’re not even at basic. You’re not even at empty; you feel like you’re in a deficit.
Today, I just feel by the Spirit of God—we don’t usually do this—but if you’re in a deficit in any area of your life, we’re about to end the service. I want you to come to this altar; I want to pray for you. This is not to embarrass you; this is not to do anything. This is a step of faith, and I need you to come from all over this place. This is the perfect time; if you want to sneak out, you can, but I’m telling you the oil is here right now. If you’re online, I just want you to put your hand in the chat if there’s an area of your life where it feels like a deficit and you’re thinking, «God, how in the world would you overflow in this area?»
I feel the presence of God. Worship team, if you need to get up here, come up here. I need just a couple of worshipers, but I feel the presence of God in this place. There is about to be something significant. Yeah, come on, from all the way at the top. I’m telling you this means something. Woman of God, move the stand back just a little bit; I need the people to be able to come. Y’all press in, press in, press in, press in. If you’re at home right now and you feel like you’re in a deficit, just lift your hands. Everybody at the altar, lift your hands right now. The healer is here. I can’t fill you up, but He can. I can’t change your situation, but I’m telling you, He can. I feel the presence of God.
Somebody might say, «Well, God can do it from my seat,» but you have to start the flow. Some of you need to come down to this altar because it’s going to literally just start the flow of your faith. I don’t care if you’re in the aisles. Listen, your steps matter. If you feel like you’ve been in a deficit, I need you to lift your hands all over this place. If your hands are lifted, you need to get down to this altar. I’m telling you something is happening right now. I feel the presence of God in this place. Online, lift your hands at home. We don’t usually do this, but we’re in a brand new flow right now, y’all. I’m telling you, lift your hands; the healer is here.
Team, I want us to sing Yahweh over them. I feel in this moment that something is about to happen as we begin to sing, and I want you to just receive it all over this place. If you’re in the audience, please begin to pray for these people today. They are not leaving this place the same way they came in. Holy Spirit, facilitator of the overflow, your children are crying out to you today. Would you meet every need? Would you heal the broken heart? God, will you resurrect the dead situation? We call on your name, the life, the breath. Today, your children are calling out for you, and today, Father God, we’re putting a demand on you. Yes, Lord, move, heal, deliver, give direction, set free, break chains, restore joy, revive hope, release wisdom, bring back passion, redirect. We call you—come on, receive this! Take over; He’s doing the work. The healer is here right now.
Come on, yeah, He’s filling you up! Years of hurt, depression, abuse, pain, and problems—today, God is reversing those things right now. Come on, I dare you to lift it up and say Yahweh! Come on, lift it up! We’re calling on the God that changes everything. Yeah, it’s a new day for you! He’s healing. It doesn’t matter what you went through; God is going to take all of the pain, and He’s going to turn it around. He’s going to use it to bring glory out of your life. Today is a new day for you.
Hey, come on, lift your hands and lift your voice all over this place. God, I’m giving you everything right now. Yah, say here we are. Your children are desperate. We don’t want to go another month without you doing something significant in our lives. God, say have your way! God, we say rain over us. Whatever you want to do, say whatever you want to do—yeah, yeah, yeah. Lift that up and say whatever you want to do! Come on, say, have your way! Have your way! I’ll be obedient; I’ll listen; I’ll turn it over; do what only You can do! Change hearts! Jesus, You can change hearts! Come on, lift your voice and say whatever you want to do, whatever you want to do—do it, God! Whatever you want to do, we will obey. Start to flow!
Hey, whatever you want to do! Whatever you want to do! My God, as these are at the altar, there are people listening under the sound of my voice who have never accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Along with the thousands that did it in prison, there are even more thousands that did it out. Today is going to be the day of someone’s salvation. You’re going to start the flow by receiving Jesus or making a fresh commitment to Him. So today, if you want to receive Jesus, whether you’re at the altar, in your seats, or online, on the count of three, I just want you to raise your hand. See, my sister already raised her hand; she said, «I can’t wait till three; I’m desperate right now!» If it’s you, all over the place, 1, 2, 3! I was about to give you—you, I see you all the way in the back! I see you, my brother! I see you; your life is being changed! Come on, Transformation Church, there are hands going up! I see you, little man! Hands are going up everywhere! I see you, and more than I see you, God sees you! And today, at Transformation Church, I want you to know we’re family; nobody prays alone. Could everybody just lift your hands and say:
God, thank You! Thank You for making a way for me to be saved today! I believe You lived, I believe You died, and You rose again, with all power for my freedom. So today, I accept You! Change me! Renew me! Transform me! I’m Yours forever, forever. In Jesus' name, amen.