Michael Todd - Resisting a Rest
Is anybody ready for the word this morning? We get excited about the word of God! Well, we are in week seven of a series we’re calling «Help Me, Muster.» Whoa! Somebody had to do it—talking faith! I always see talk show hosts do that. This is the last week of this series. Has anybody been helped in their faith through this series? Amen! Next week, I want to tell you about something special that’s happening right now: our very own Pastor Charles Medaf is preaching at Elevation Church this morning.
Oh, come on, y’all! Let’s shout for our home team! As he preaches there, I am just so grateful for what God is doing in his life. In case you don’t know, next week we are starting a brand new series here, and he is going to preach this series based on his life. I can vouch for him and say that I have seen the behind-the-scenes, the inner workings of this Elevation transformation, and really the acceptance of a brand new call on Pastor Charles’s life. So next week, you do not want to miss it! I will be here sitting on the front row. We are starting a brand new series called «God Chose Me,» and I’m telling you, we have already begun walking through all the weeks of this series. Some of you are about to get your fight back; you are about to believe God like never before! Somebody say, «God chose me.» He chose you to raise those kids, be at that job, be in the city you’re in, and He’s going to use you there.
If you have not pre-ordered his book, there’s nothing like family rallying for you! I just want to say that Pastor Charles didn’t ask me to do this. He isn’t even here right now; he’s probably on stage preaching. But I want us to support Pastor Charles in this new endeavor of releasing a book like nobody else. And even if you can’t come to the party, if you buy a copy, buy three of them! Give them to people. Let’s sew into what we see God doing in him and in Aby’s life. I always want to be a leader that makes space for people to shine.
And today, some of you are like, «Just keep going.» No, no, no! I need you to hear me because there are too many people that leave church thinking there’s only room for one person. Only one person can have success. My goal is to create so much real estate in the Kingdom of God under Transformation Church that what God has called you to do will one day flourish in this garden. Some of you don’t believe it because it’s not regular. I’m not just talking about someone having a book, Bri. Why don’t we have a publishing company? Why don’t we release? Y’all didn’t hear what I’m saying! We’re not just releasing music; we want to start something so we can have a record company to help the body, and it starts with us supporting what God gives us.
Next week, we’re going to celebrate! The book comes out on the 17th, and we are going to have a party! So, in this last week of this series called «Muster,» y’all, I’m sweating so badly up here. I’m sweating like I stole something! My God, that worship got me going, and my body temperature rose like 17 degrees. Today, in the last sermon of this series, I feel that I have an assignment to teach you about something that is often overlooked but is essential for entering, watch this, the promised land. Last week, I talked to you about Joshua and how we were going to be big steppers. How many big steppers do I have who are going to walk in faith and do everything God’s called you to? I see you! I’m telling you right now that your faith must go to a whole 'nother level.
Hold on, what are you talking about? Resisting? Bro! Can somebody—what are you doing, bro? Okay, hold on, man! I didn’t do anything! What are you talking about? Stop resisting! Now, before someone—because I see somebody getting up back there—all my security knows what it is. For some of you, your heart just started beating fast. For some of you, it’s like, «Here we go, TMZ!» But this officer came up here. Go ahead, put it on me! This officer came up here to put me in a position that I did not want to be in. This would be called resisting arrest. As I refused to submit to the position I was in—I’m good; I didn’t do anything—but the problem is that I just escalated my issues because I was resisting. We could have talked this out very clearly, and maybe they had the wrong suspect. I am Black and 6'2», but I didn’t do it. Maybe my position of submission would have created understanding, but because I was resisting, I created more problems for myself.
Could it be that you are in a handcuffed position to culture, to speed, to what everybody else says, because you’ve been resisting a rest? Today, the sermon is called «Resisting a Rest.» I’m coming for you today! Resisting—a rest! Many of you in that moment might have thought, «Pastor Mike, just chill out; it’s going to be over soon.» But it was my actions when I was supposed to be in a submitted position that escalated all of my issues because I was resisting. Have you been resisting a rest in a culture full of grind, in an atmosphere of more? Have you been resisting a rest? Most of us in this room have not had the pleasure of being arrested before, but some of us have.
Ten years of sobriety; good job, brother! How many people have been arrested before? Oh my, oh dang! Okay, put your hand down. We are exposing ourselves here at Transformation Church—come as you are! So, everyone in this building obviously knows what it feels like, watch this, to be put in a position of submission. The reason we don’t like it is that, watch this, we’re not in control. There are many people in here, and I came prophetically to tell you: stop resisting a rest! Some of y’all just won’t rest! Some of you will not take a break. Some of you will not come off of Instagram. Some of you will not stop checking your email.
Some of you—I’m coming to your house today—will not stop planning vacations that you know you’re going to have to cancel at the last minute because you don’t have enough room on your credit card to do it. Some of us will not take a rest, and the truth of the matter is that some of us won’t take a rest, and we’re still not working! Have you met someone who is always tired but hasn’t accomplished anything? How are you this tired? What did you do today? Some of y’all are looking at your teenagers like, «Billy!» But listen to me, many times that is, watch this, a deflection from what they see you doing. They go to the antithesis because they see that you don’t even enjoy what God has blessed you with because you will not take a rest.
Today, I want to talk to you about having, watch this, the faith to rest. Because the same faith it takes for you to believe God big is the same faith it takes for you to walk away from that thing. Yes, sir! God, I trust that You are going to multiply this. I trust that You are going to take care of this. I trust that there’s nothing I can do in my striving to make this any better. For the next 24 hours, I’m going to sabbat—I’m going to take a Sabbath. I’m going to stop touching this; I’m going to stop emailing them; I’m going to put on «Do Not Disturb.» I’m not going to binge-watch and numb myself; I’m going to get centered and be present. I’m going to find out if there is a gift You want to give me in this moment of, oh, watch this, 'cuss word' silence. Most of us are allergic to silence. You trade one noise for a different one. I’m tired of hearing these kids. I need to get by myself, then just watch the Kardashians— that’s just trading noise! It may not take the same level of energy to actually exert, but it does not give you…
Watch this restoration; rest is for restoration. Anytime that God wants you to give out something, He is so gracious and kind that He wants to put back in more than you gave out. That’s why when we talk about living in the overflow, it’s not just about having more things; it’s living from a place of overflowing peace, kindness, joy, rest, and relaxation. I’m more patient when I’m rested, okay? You make better decisions when you’re rested. You can actually discern what is right and what is wrong for you when you are rested.
People tell you don’t make a decision when you’re tired, and how many of us are making all of our decisions from a depleted place? Come on! I’m not here to condemn you; I want the presence of God and His Word to convict you as it did me. As someone who has a battery that’s bigger than most people, I can go and go. I’m like the Energizer Bunny. After this, I’ll do something else, and after that, we’ll do something else. Give me 20 minutes of a power nap and I’m back! This is my nature, and God said, «Yeah, you’re going to kill yourself doing work for Me, so I need to teach you a principle that’s going to put Me in the middle of your restoration—weekly, daily, yearly. You need to rest, and most of you are resisting it.»
It’s not this, but you just won’t. When’s the last time you resisted Instagram? He said, «Give it a rest,» and you hit that, um, what does it say when you put the timer on and you’re supposed to not be on it? You hit «limit» and you’re like, «Ignore for 15 more minutes.» How many times do you bypass, watch this, the limits God sets? If I told you today my name is Pastor Mike and I kill people, the church would empty so fast! Everybody’s trying to figure out, «Is that real? Is that a cue?» If I say, «Hey, my name is Pastor Mike, just wanted to let you know that I commit adultery weekly,» just saying it sends something through your body.
Hey, my name is Pastor Michael, and I don’t ever rest. Oh, I understand that; I get that. You know what I’m saying? Me neither! Look, I look tired; get the little cucumbers—I heard it works wonders on bags. Most people would praise me in my position for not doing what God said because it means they get more of me. Oh God, most people would rather neglect what God says to make more money, to get more influence, to reach that next level. «I’ve got to hustle! I’ve got to grind! I’ve got to get on my—you know what I’m saying—rise and grind, rise and shine; the early bird gets the worm!»
You set your life to a playlist, watch this, fueled by the principles of the enemy. Because if the enemy can’t get behind you and stop you, he gets beside you and makes you think you’re productive by being busy. Many of us, our greatest downfall will not be something we do recklessly; it will be us not embracing the gift of rest. Stop resisting arrest! Can I tell you something real quick that you may not know? Depending on what culture you were born into and how you were raised, rest is not a reward; it’s God’s rhythm. Some say, «No, no, no, I’ll rest after I finish this project. I’ll rest when my kids get out of diapers.» No, you won’t. «I’ll rest when the company hits this number; I’ll rest when I make partner; I’ll rest when I have this many Instagram followers.» And God’s saying, «Hey, you don’t have to work to rest because it’s not a reward; it’s My rhythm. It’s God’s rhythm.»
Exodus 20, verse 8, this is God giving instructions to Moses and the entire nation. He said, «Hey, while you’re doing all this other stuff, I know you’re going to forget, so I’m going to start this one with the word you need to put in: Remember the Sabbath day.» Somebody say, «Remember.» Amen. How many times do we forget? It’s the kid’s birthday, finals are coming up—oh no, we’ve got to plan a trip! Everybody say remember because He knew our proclivity would be to not make this a big deal. Hey, moms out there, you don’t get excused from taking a day of rest. No, I know—I have four—I know. But what I’m saying to you is God will give you intentional ideas of how to work this thing because you won’t have anything to pour out to them if you’re always on E.
Many marriages are suffering because we will not put this principle into practice. If you don’t practice this principle, it will never become a rhythm like it is for God. Do y’all remember in creation what God did? First day, He created and stepped back from it. What’d He say? «Good.» Second day, He created and stepped back from it. He said, «What? Good.» Third day, fourth day, fifth day—what did He make on the sixth day? No, no, y’all, listen—what did He make on the sixth day? That’s why you’re confused. He made man on the sixth day. So, sixth day comes, pushes dust, breath—that’s good, that’s good!
So man’s first full day experiencing God was the seventh day, which was the day of rest. Could it be that He did not create us on day one because the pattern He would have set for us is work, work? Do you understand? And He wanted us to rest—work, work, then we take a rest—work, work. It’s a pattern; it’s a rhythm of grace—an unforced rhythm of grace. Where we should be working from rest, yes sir! Most of you are trying to earn something that God gives as a gift. It’s rest first, then I work, then I can make a good decision, then I can talk nicely to my wife when I have to tell her that I have to be gone just a little extra because I’m really trying to do something to put our family in a position that we don’t have to work like this all the time.
But here’s rest: man’s initial experience with God is supposed to be from rest. That’s why I continue to say rest is not a reward; it’s God’s rhythm. It was six days, then dip, He withdrew. Do y’all see all the times in the New Testament when it tells us Jesus withdrew? It literally puts this other word with it—"withdrew often.» Every six days, work, do this, make that, have that—rest! It’s like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—pause! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—what? Pause! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and then a 1, and then a 2, and then a 3, and then a 4, and then a 5, and a 6. And how do you know where to put a pause? I’m going to show it to you as DJ Mike, okay? Because some of y’all won’t get it any other way. Here we go: 1, 2, 3, 4—let’s go! 2, 3—1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now watch, it’s going—we could do this all day because there’s a pause. And some of y’all can’t stop saying it: you’re like, «Pause! That’s enough!»
Anybody can come and jump on that rhythm. Could you be leaving family members behind because you don’t have the rhythm of grace to rest? Could you be forfeiting things that God would let you have, but He knows your pattern of going past the limit won’t be good for you or anybody else? So He says until they can get this pattern of the pause, I can’t release the promise. Oh God! Remember the Sabbath day. And watch this—keep it separate, make sure it’s paused! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—pause!
Which means you should have six days of working. I’m just going to leave this right here, but America did not trump God’s laws. You may work five days and take two days, but on that other day, you should be working on something. Alright? I’ve worked my whole life to get to this point where I don’t have to work. I didn’t say you had to be doing that job, but I did say you should be working—work on your body, work on your mind, work on yourself, work on your family, work on that garage you’ve been promising yourself you’re going to clean—work on that junk drawer! Work on something!
Oh, oh! I got in on somebody’s junk drawer. I’ll fight you—don’t! I’m just telling you the pattern of God! It literally says, «Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor.» This is the Bible, not Pastor Mike. «And do all of your work.» But the seventh day is a Sabbath, a rest, a pause unto the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your sons, or your daughters, your male servants, your female servants, your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. Your friends can’t work on the Sabbath with you! For in six days, God created a rhythm, a pattern of the heaven, earth, seas, and all that is in them. And then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, watch the blessing: the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Write this down: Rest is not a suggestion; it’s a standard. Well, I know God would be fine with me doing this because, you know, He knows my financial situation right now. You may need to get off of AT&T or Sprint and go back to Cricket! And anybody that’s on Cricket—you’re smart! That one flat rate all the time doesn’t matter how much you call; nobody knows how your sales service is being connected—and now you’ve got name-brand cell phone service. You can’t—you need $49.99 'cause that $160 bill is taking away. Watch your time—it’s not just taking your money; it’s taking your life!
So now you’re forced because you’ve got a Cox bill that’s $300 and they make you still get a phone line that nobody uses? Oh excuse me, that’s personal. Nobody uses the landline! Said my granny! And what I’m telling you right now is all of these things put us in a position to need to exert more energy to keep things that aren’t even giving us comfort. Okay, I know I’m going to have to work today, but I need to tell you, rest is not a suggestion; it’s a standard of God. And some of y’all need to see 'cause you’re clawing out for the promised land that we talked about last week.
I’m going to be a big stepper and walk into the promised land. Can I tell you what God told Joshua and them before they went into the promised land? Joshua 1:12. It says, «Then Joshua called together all the leaders, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and he told them, 'Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you: The Lord is giving you.'» He’s talking about the promised land—what you’ve been believing for, what you’ve been praying for. Look what he calls it: «The Lord our God is giving you a place of rest.» What if the promised land is not a place of more? What if the real blessing is a place of rest?
That’s true wealth. When somebody accidentally debits $5,000 from your account and you don’t stress. Some of y’all are like, «What?» There are people that make enough money that when a catastrophe happens, hey, could y’all just take that off my account? I didn’t make that charge—fix that for me, please. Everything’s good! No, no, no! Still order that, still buy that, and we’re still going there! But I’m living from a place of rest!
When the people start tripping and saying stuff, it’s like, «Yeah, yeah, no, no, that doesn’t matter.» Blessed are those who are persecuted for the name of the gospel—for the sake of the gospel! Why am I tripping about that? I’m living from a place of—what if your promised land is not more power, more prominence, more things? What if it’s just that anything that happens, you can still rest? What if the promised land is a place filled with, watch this word, peace? He literally tells them, «I’m giving you a place of rest; this is what I’m giving you.»
Jump down to verse 15. It says, «Oh, this Bible is so good to me.» It says, «Until the Lord gives them rest as He has given you rest, and until they too possess the land the Lord God is giving them.» He’s saying, «I can’t do certain things until y’all rest.» The promised land is being held up because you are too busy being busy. You don’t trust that I can do more with a day off than you can do with that day on. You think you could outwork God on the day He told you to lay down and rest? You think it’s going to bring in more leads and create that much more money and take you to another level of leveling up and 10Xing?
God said, «You really think that you doing it will be better than Me doing it?» God said, «Go ahead, then! Go on with your bad self!» Yeah, you bad, Michael Jackson bad, huh? Go ahead! Turn around! Do the—He too, go ahead! And God will let you use your effort and energy instead of taking His gift until you really run out! Some of you have been living on E for decades! Your children don’t even know you joyful, playful, engaged because you’ve been tired since before they were born! Oh, come on! They don’t even know the side of you that your friends talk about!
Yeah, you remember? Your mom and dad, they were standing there like them. No— all they talk about is beating me, «I’ll give you something to cry about!» Half of the punishment is coming from a place of just being depleted! You’re so tired that you don’t want to talk to them, so you won’t talk because you didn’t take in the seven days a day to be able to withdraw. I’m not saying relegate your responsibilities, but I’m saying take moments to withdraw! At nap time, you can say, «God, I’m here in Your presence. Will You give me more for what I need to do today? As this baby wakes up, let me lead them and grow them in the ammunition of the Lord and give them what they need. God, I’m about to kill my husband, and he’s going to want to come over here and touch on me, and I want to slap him.»
And, Lord, okay, I can’t be real today—but some of y’all, some of y’all don’t need a brand-new vacation time! You don’t need a vacation! You need rest! Because some of y’all vacations are busier! Oh, we’ve got to do the snowmobiles, and then we’ve got to go down the side of the mountain, and then we’ve got to— all the Black people are like, «Snow? What?» Okay, let me bring it to you. Now we’ve got to do these jet skis, and then we’ve got to go to the beach, and we’ve got to take a picture—and then we’ve got to— all the white people are like, «Yes! Skiing! I’m taking Black people skiing.» Amberly, we’re going to take a whole group of Black people skiing! Do you hear me?
Yeah! Anybody Black want to go skiing with me? Come on, come on, Jerel, we’re going skiing. Hispanics—going swimming, too, yes! I’m in trouble! Here we go! What I’m saying to you—listen to the logic, though. If you’re so busy on your planned vacation, when do you actually get to rest? How many people have come back tired from vacation? A vacation can wear you out more than going to work sometimes! And the only thing—that’s why you take those pictures to remember how you thought it was fun! So tired!
But watch this: you need to write this down because some of you think this is inconsequential, but this is the key to your promised land. Watch this: Rest is a gift from God! Remember in verse 15 it said, «This is what the Lord is giving you, not making you earn.» So, this is what I’m going to tell you right now in Psalms 23. Everybody loves to quote it and get it tattooed, but I don’t think you’ve understood the inference of the first three verses of what it means for us to submit to the Sabbath—submit to one day out of seven that we cease from working and spend time in the presence of God. This is what I’m telling everybody they need to do. Psalms 23—the Lord is my—y’all know that without even looking at the screen. What’s the next part? I shall not—hey, I won’t want for nothing! So, He’s letting you know He’s your provider.
Watch this next part: He makes me lie down; He makes me rest! The only reason that a shepherd would have to make a sheep rest is that they won’t do it when it’s time to. When a sheep won’t rest, watch what a sheep usually does: it wanders. Most of your temptation—most of your going wayward, most of your comparison happens because in the time where you’re supposed to rest, you’re wandering. You’re wandering on websites, you’re wandering on other people’s pages, you’re wandering into other people’s business. And God said, «You shouldn’t even know about that because you should be resting yet you still resisting arrest.»
Let me talk to all my pastors and leaders: God will make you lie down. You are setting a bad example for the people that you lead, and you think it’s noble. I understand that you’re grinding and hustling and the first one there and the last to leave, and doing all this stuff, but He gave you a gift to rest! Your anointing is dripping out on things that you shouldn’t even be touching because you are resisting arrest! And your body and your flock and the turnover is because they’re following the leader. Today I’m asking every father, every parent, every mother, show your children what it looks like to make a day holy unto God. If you’re supposed to raise your children in the way they should go, guess what this is going to do? It’s going to mess up your preferences!
I’m telling you right now, there are going to be times you’ll be like, «I don’t want to do this.» And God says, «Do you want Me to make you?» Come on! And I can’t tell you how kind that is. It’s kind when God makes you do something; watch this; you need it—or it’s going to end up way worse. That’s why—have you ever seen that picture of Jesus with the lamb on its neck? And everybody’s like, «Oh, that’s so sweet! Jesus has the lamb! He leaves the 99 and comes for the one! And that’s the one lamb—that’s me!»
Do you know why that lamb is on His neck? It’s 'cause the shepherd broke its leg because that lamb would not rest and would keep wandering! To teach the lamb a lesson for when the wolf comes in the next pasture, it said the only way you’re going to learn this is if I break your leg, make you not able to walk for a season, and stay with you! That is nasty revelation! Some of y’all have been like, «Why won’t God use me?»
It’s because you’re healing from a season where He broke something purposely to make you rest! It wasn’t that you weren’t good enough—God broke your leg 'cause your attitude was wrong and He said they won’t rest! It wasn’t that you can’t do what He called you to do; He has chosen you. But He’s making sure that you don’t wander in the next pasture. Oh God, He makes me lie down in green pastures, and He leads me beside—watch this word—not rushing waters—still! Still water is the only environment back in the day that you could see your reflection in! That’s good!
The invention of the mirror came much later than water. God said, «I need the water to be still so you can sit there long enough and see yourself.» Most of y’all have not been able to see the minute things that God wants to work because you’re not by still waters! You see that your outfit is killing, but your insides are decrepit! You don’t see that pride keeps oozing out and that your entitlement keeps showing up and that your addiction keeps pulling you in a direction because you’re not by still water enough to look at the reflection of who you are.
Stop resisting arrest! I’m going to say it to you very strongly, but I hope you hear this: It’s a gift from God in His grace. If you won’t rest, God will make you rest! I’m just telling you right now! You can take it as a prophetic word or a prophetic warning! Hear what I just said: you can take it as a prophetic word or a prophetic warning! Well, I’m building my business, and God’s trying to build you. He’s using the business to build you, and if you won’t honor Him while it’s at low six figures, nobody will be able to tell you nothing when it makes millions!
When the demand starts coming from everywhere, God said, «You haven’t put the principle in place at the level you’re at, you’re never going to do it at the level I’m taking you to.» So the promised land, watch this, is held up because of the wrong patterns. If you don’t get rest inside of your weekly pattern, and I know somebody’s like, «Say something more faith-filled!» You don’t have the faith to rest! You don’t have the faith to rest! Walk away from it! Do something that nobody else is doing!
Every year since I have been the pastor of this church, I do one of my crazy faith things. Every summer, I walk away from this church for at least eight weeks, and I go and rest. I give to my family, and I give to the presence of God, and I spend time looking in the mirror and saying, «Mike, what is God trying to show you right now? What’s changing you?» I go to therapy; I go get alone with God in the quiet. I turn my cell phone off; I go off of Instagram. I do all these things.
Can I tell you that the only thing that has saved my life in the last decade of doing ministry, around people, is that every year I force myself—and hear what I just said—I force myself to take time off from being on a platform under lights with people listening to me. This could be addicting. This could be my identity! People think that this is who I am. You don’t know me! I know it feels like we know each other, and I like feeling like we know each other, but there are only a few people that actually know me.
Because this is what I’m called to do; this is not who I am! The only reason I can say that today is 'cause over and over, and over, and over, over and over, the shepherd has taken me to still waters and said, «Hey, you remember when that book went New York Times bestseller? I did that! You get to benefit from it! But just remember, you prayed that I would use you in an unusual way, and I did that! And your story, your little pitiful story, is helping tons of people—all your mess ups, all your shortcomings, all the mistakes that you made—it’s helping tons of people!
And just remember, when I give you this next one, Crazy Faith, just know that was Me too! Okay, you can go back now!» And then I come off a sabbatical—crazy thing! People are like, «Oh my God!» And we got the building! I got the keys! The keys! Remember that little Crazy Faith? The building? You like it, don’t you? Yeah, I told you five years ago I was going to do it. You listened good—obeying this time!
But do you see that little entitlement right there that’s trying to, like, you deserve this? No, no, no, no—that was My grace and kindness! I want you to look at yourself next to the still water and realize you’re going to cancel all your engagements 'cause your wife needs you! Oh no, no, they’re all going to call! Hillsong’s going to call; all the big ones are going to call! And you’re going to say yes after I told you to say no! And then you’re going to have to call back and tell them no but you’re going to be scared to do that! So you’re going to tell Tim—I’m telling you real stories—you’re going to tell Tim to write a letter to them and tell them no!
And some of them are going to be mad at you for years because they were building a conference off of your name! But I’m trying to build something in you, and your wife is going through postpartum and is depressed right now! And years from now, you won’t remember what you spoke at that conference, right? But you’ll remember this time where you and your wife healed together. God, it only happened in—somebody say rest!
Okay, we’re almost done. And if you don’t rest, I’m just telling you, God will let the consequences of your life circumstances consume you until you concede! I’m going to say it one more time: If you don’t rest, God will let the consequences of your life circumstances consume you until you concede and obey! So when I say God will make you rest, it’s not like God in Heaven is like, «I’m about to punish them.» He was like, «No, no, no! They want to work three jobs? Go ahead. Until you start losing mental clarity. Until you have to knock back so many energy drinks, and then it turns into coffee and energy drinks, then it turns into drugs to stay up! And then it comes…»
I’m not telling you something I’ve heard about—I’m talking about what happens. And God said, «I’ll let it consume them until they become desperate!» And then what does God give anybody that’s desperate? Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and what am I going to give you? A position? No! What am I going to give you? More money? No! What am I going to give you? A platform? Nope! If you’re heavy burdened and weary, My trade, I will give you rest!
It’s a gift; watch this, it’s medicinal. Some of y’all don’t need weed; you need rest! Okay? You believe in the power of this plant more than the power of the gift that God gave you, in a pattern! You don’t need weed; you need rest! You don’t sleep—"I just need something to help me calm down.» So does sleeping! So does drinking water!
Y’all understand what I’m saying? My anger problems? You just need a nap! Like you—you… So many years of depriving yourself of the gift that God gives you will turn you into a person you don’t even know! And do you know how serious God is about rest? He told the children of Israel, and I’m just trying to give y’all context to make Sabbath rest holy, and they denied Him like a lot of us do!
And He said it wasn’t just for the people. Watch this: God was so serious about the Sabbath that He wanted the land that gave crops to have a Sabbath! Y’all didn’t hear what I just said! 'Cause we think if it’s producing, keep it going! If it’s producing, keep it going! But y’all ever heard of Chick-fil-A? The third highest grossing fast food chain in the world with a less footprint than McDonald’s and Starbucks?!
Who are one, McDonald’s two, Starbucks thousands and thousands of stores! Chick-fil-A has 2,500 stores in the U.S. I think McDonald’s has something like 30,000 plus. And Chick-fil-A is the third highest grossing fast food establishment! But do you know what their secret is? Closed on Sunday! Who am I? Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday! They make considerably more in a fraction of the time—21 billion plus a year! That’s why all their employees say, «My pleasure!»
That’s why they’ll give you extra sauce while these other companies are charging you $25, «Keep your stinky ranch! I don’t want this sweet and sour sauce anyway! It’s dirty!» I’ve never been denied! I can be like, «Could you give me 19 Chick-fil-A sauces?» And they’re like, «My pleasure! I love the abundance! More than enough!»
But I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the founders put into practice a principle that’s ancient but has power in our life today! Okay, so, so, so, the children of Israel, because it was producing, they would not let the land rest! So God let the entire nation be taken into captivity so the land could rest! Y’all don’t believe me? Go read Leviticus 26, verse 32!
It says, «Yes, I Myself,» this is God, «will devastate your land and your enemies who come to occupy it will be appalled at what they see. I will scatter you among the nations and bring My sword against you! You’re My chosen people, but I’ve got to do this 'cause your land is going to become desolate, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then at last, the land will enjoy its neglected Sabbath years. It needs to just rest! And I’ll let it rest while you’re imprisoned in a land that your enemies take you to! Then the land will finally rest and enjoy the Sabbath it missed as long as the land lies in ruin; it will enjoy the rest you never allowed it to take every seventh year while you lived in it!»
He put those people in captivity for every seven years they didn’t let the land rest! He let them be trapped by their own cravings in a foreign land! I just wonder what things are binding us? What things are trapping us? Not because we’re bad people, but because we just won’t accept the gift of resting! Stop resisting arrest! What day is it going to be?
Talk to your wife, talk to your husband; decide what day you’re going off Instagram. What day? What day? Every seven days! You’re not doing more work than God did! And I know it’s going to take faith because some of you are saying, «But that’s the extra money that will produce this!» And God’s saying, «Will you trust Me? Will you have the faith to rest?»
And I know there’s a whole other message that I really want to do a whole series on it because some of you are like, «Pastor, my husband does not need to hear this message 'cause all he does is play video games all day! He doesn’t need another day to rest!» Oh, this is somebody’s real complaint! What I’m saying is you can’t even really enjoy the rest though if you don’t work! I’m not saying that you shouldn’t rest; I’m saying you should do the principle! But the only thing that makes rest fulfilling is that on the six days you did work!
You were able to step back and say, «That’s good!» Do you hear what I’m saying? Some in here need a revelation of work while others need a revelation of rest! When you put them together, do you know what happens? Verse three of Psalms 23: «He restores my soul.» What does it profit a man to gain the entire world and lose his mind, will, and emotion? God says rest is the gateway to a restored soul! You lie down, I’ll work for you! You get up restored! Restoration comes after rest!
There are some marriages that need to be restored and God says, «Y’all need to take a break.» Not from the marriage, 'cause some of y’all are like, «I told him that yesterday!» No, not from the marriage, from the busyness of the marriage! Your kid’s not going to the NBA! I want to be the one to tell you! And I know you’re trying to relive all of your dreams out in little junior, but he plays soccer and baseball and badminton, and he’s fencing and he’s in AA basketball, then team basketball!
Y’all’s lives are built around a schedule that they’re going to resent one day! And you won’t build in because you’re trying to give them a life you never had—you won’t build in a day of rest! They’ve never played a game with you! They’re just always in competition with others, and they’re trying to earn a day of rest, and you won’t even let them! No, no, no! If you’re going to be the best you see this kid! He’s 9 years old from Asia, and he can do six backflips in a row and then shoot a free throw! It’s like, «Dad, I want to be a nurse!»
What I’m saying is it’s not bad to have your kids involved, but are they so involved that you can’t honor God? Do you want to stand before God and be like, «The reason I didn’t obey You is because of the pickleball tournament»? 'Cause some of us are going to have that excuse! «Lord, swimming class was a higher priority! Bitcoin was a higher priority!» «Fashion statements! Thrifting!» «You know I can’t pay for it, so I’ve got to go to all the places and get all the sales!»
Thrifting is the reason I couldn’t obey you! That’s going to be a sad day before the throne for your excuse to be something as petty as «I just wouldn’t plan for you, God»! I’m going to just tell the story. A lot of you know that my friend Carl Lentz has been a part of Transformation Church for the past three years, and this is my brother in my phone—it literally says brother for life.
And I was judged, and the church was judged when we decided that we were going to stand with somebody who’s been a hero in the gospel faith at the moment—watch this—that their failure was exposed! In the church, we have a great way of shooting our wounded! We just—they get wounded, «Let me take you out of your ministry!» And that’s what they say, «Let me take you out of your ministry!» But they really say, «Let me take you out of your misery!»
And God just told me He divinely connected us, and him and Laura and Roman came down, and then Ava and Charlie—they became our family! And it was like, I don’t even care! Like, I like blood on my shirt—you can say whatever you want to! We’re going to rock! And me and Carl have shared a lot of intimate moments of just talking about what happened.
And I think it was about five, six months ago, we took a trip to New York together, and we went to a very devastating place for him that he wanted to bring me to—to see the place that he made a wrong decision! And as I stood there, I felt honored as a brother and just grateful for the transformation and the restoration that God has done in his life!
But what he told me was, he said, «Mike, for over a decade I was tired! I never rested!» They were doing six and seven services a week; thousands of people would come, and so they would just add another service! Imagine waking up and thinking your last service is going to be at 4:00 PM, and you’re still in church at 10:00 PM! Then you would get off that stage, get on an airplane to go and be with somebody high-profile to counsel them through suicide—Jesus! And then come back for a day to see your daughter’s dance!
And he was just telling me how the enemy got behind him and pushed him into everything everybody wanted, and he didn’t honor the Sabbath! He said, «Mike, before we came out, the reason you can preach this is because you’re violently saying no to so much.» And I thought about it for a second, 'cause this is the pattern that was set for me, and I got people around me like Brie Davis and Natalie Todd and Tim Ross that are like, «Oh, yeah, no, no!» They’re going to make sure, like, «Cut it off! Turn it off!»
And he said, «Mike, what you have is something that the entire body of Christ needs! They need to know that their 'no' is anointed! Your 'no' is anointed!» And today I stand with my brother because he said, «Mike, you gave me the miracle of margin!» He said the conversations he’s had with his daughters and his son and his wife are different since they’ve been in the gathering place here in Tulsa!
God has literally—I got chill bumps even thinking about the moments we’ve cried together, the moments we’ve stood, the birthdays we’ve celebrated—all the things that God has done! Charlie up here dancing in ransom, singing songs—like seeing God restore! They bring tons of people to church just seeing God! They said, «I never thought I’d be in church again because of what happened!»
And to see God—watch this—restore their soul! Okay? That’s what we celebrate at Transformation! You can go ahead and thank God for that! Carl, I love you, and I’ll love you to the day that you die! I love this whole family! Listen to me: the reason I’m saying that is because God made him lie down! It wasn’t the first time He made a mistake; it was the time that God had to break his leg, or it would have cost him his life.
So the fact that he sits there today with his amazing mustache—I like what you did with that! It’s a testimony that it was God’s love that sometimes lets you get caught! It’s God’s love that lets you sometimes get caught up! It’s God’s love that lets the deal not go through sometimes! It’s God’s love that makes the house foreclose! Sometimes it’s God’s love that made you have to move because He knew if you didn’t get it now, it would cost you more than you wanted to pay!
Stop resisting arrest! Next week, PC is going to start preaching «God Chose Me!» It’s going to be so good! And some of y’all are going to get so amped up to do what God called you to do, and I want you to! But don’t forget. What are we not going to forget? Rest! Be accountable! Tell somebody: What day are you going to rest? What day are you not going to pop out?
Oh, some will pop out! No, no, no! Pop in! Pop back! Withdraw often! The greatest messages, the greatest movements, the greatest music God has ever given me have come off times where I took a break. Watch this: To be with Him!
So a Sabbath is not just zoning out from everything; it’s becoming more aware of God in everything! Okay, so, so, so this is the point: there is Holy Ghost power in a pause! When you pause, you give space for the Holy Ghost to step in! Have you ever seen some people dance, but there were too many people dancing, so you couldn’t see the choreography right? 'Cause everybody was on top of each other, and they’re all moving! It’s like, «Man, we need like four less of y’all—it would look a lot better!»
It’s because there’s not enough space! And many times we plan God out, the Holy Ghost out of our lives because there’s not enough space! Sometimes you just need to pause! Remember what I said: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday! And yeah, we shouted and acted a fool earlier; thanks, Pastor Rob! But I thought there would be more power in understanding maybe what the power of the Holy Ghost falling came after—watch this!
Penta, meaning 50—is 50 days after Passover or Jesus being crucified, and then 50 days after that is when the Holy Spirit fell and changed the whole game! 'Cause remember, before Jesus left, He said, «You want Me to leave because I then will send the Holy Spirit and He will be your comforter and your guide!»
Okay, so this is Jesus fulfilling a promise 50 days after! And so most people shout and run and hit—watch this! But what Jesus told all of the disciples to do was to go to a room and pause! He said, «I want you to wait.» Now think about it—they’ve already been told «go into all the world and make disciples.»
But before you do that, you’re going to need power, right? And if you’re going to need power, you’re going to have to pause before it! Think about them in that room, «Is this what we’re supposed to be doing?» Didn’t He say today? I think He said today! Where’s the power? I don’t know! Well, I’m going to take a nap! Y’all let me know when the power shows up. I’m going to just sit here and think about all the miracles He did!
And how He actually did what He said. Do y’all remember we were at the table? Even when Judas old broke tail was sitting over there playing it implied! I mean! But then God actually rolled away the stone!
I’m going to sit here and just pause! Man, it’s so good to be with y’all, man! We made it! We made it out of this! We made it ten years sober! We made it! We made it from the prison to now the platform! We made it—how did God do all of this? Jesus created a divine pause before He endowed them with power! And on this Pentecost Sunday, would it not be a coincidence that we’re talking about the power of the Holy Ghost, but the power of the Holy Ghost was only distributed after people made a decision to obey God when He said to pause!
Could you be denying the power you need for the next season 'cause you won’t take a pause? What if the fire comes after rest? What I found in my life—what I’m looking forward to—as this is my last Sunday preaching for the next few months. What, what the Halle Berry? What the Hallelujah, y’all?! What the hell, Burton? Go, Thunder!
What I just want to remind you, this is not Michael Todd’s church; this is God’s church! And this is what I’m telling you: pastoring, being a police officer, and being a doctor are some of the only full-contact sports that don’t have an off-season! Your pastor needs some extra healing! This may be too vulnerable and transparent, and so this last season of elevation has been rough. I’ve had to deal with things I never thought would ever be part of obeying God, and yet I still have joy! And I feel called to this, but there are some areas—I know this may be too much for people, and pastors are supposed to—but I’m not going to fake it with y’all!
Y’all already know there are some places I need God to do surgery on me! My close people know what it is! There are some places—there are some nights I need to fall asleep in my daughter’s bed without thinking about what I’m going to share with you next week! And I promise you when I get back, I’m going to be so locked and loaded and ready to do what God’s called me to do! But listen, if I don’t do this, I will be made to do it!
And what I’m asking you as a church is for three things: number one, I want you to plan a weekly Sabbath! This is practical! You don’t got to give an offering, but you do have to give a day! And some of y’all would rather pay—no, no, no! I’ll give now! I’ll give now! Stop! Six days is the rhythm, and one day you rest! Rhythm, rest! Rhythm, rest! It’s the rhythm of rest, and I just want you to stop resisting arrest!
What do you have to do to stop resisting arrest? Surrender! God, I believe You got it! I believe I could do a lot today! I could Uber until 4:00 in the morning today, but today I’m going to rest, and I’m going to believe some way, somehow, You’re going to make up the difference in my life! You’re going to cancel something or bring something or change something or let—I’m going to watch this! Have faith to believe that You got this!
And I know I’m talking to a lot of people who have a lot of different situations, but what I want you to hear is the standard is the same for all of us—Fortune 500 company or eating with fortune cookies. The standard is the same! I’m going to ask everybody to plan a day of rest! Husbands, wives, ask each other which day is going to be your day! And watch this: support each other! That’s right! Yes sir! Uh-oh! Is marriage trying to make you more like Christ? Sacrificing for each other? Yes!
Does that mean that you’re going to have to navigate? It’s not always the same! Seasons change! What I’m saying is I want everybody—listen to me! Don’t leave without the instructions! Plan a day of rest! Second thing: I want you to plan in your year an extended time of rest! A week where it’s just you and God! Buy something that rejuvenates you! If it’s water, it’s water!
For me, it could be mountains, cabin, it could be just a station; it could be at your cousin’s house that you just like how their guest room is set up! I’m not saying spend money; I’m saying spend time! Did you hear what I just said? And I know for some of us who are workaholics—I’m telling you I’m recovering! It takes faith to rest!
The last thing I’m going to ask everybody to do that’s part of Transformation Church: I want you to stay committed to the house of God and the ecclesia and coming together even though your leader is going to be gone! Why am I saying that, Pastor Mike? 'Cause it’s a maturity test for us! When Moses went to hear from God, the children of Israel were throwing parties and doing the exact opposite of what God asked them to do! To the point where their disobedience kept them out of the promised land 'cause the leader was supposed to get instructions so he could tell them! But they decided to go wayward!
And today we learn from those patterns; we say, «You know what? We’re going to stay locked in!» What I’m asking you is keep coming! Keep giving! I promise you one thing—we’re never going to put nobody on this platform that does not have the Word of God for your life in that season and hour! And I’m telling you we got messages coming from some of our very own team; we got a few people that are going to be surprises! And then we’re going to get back in here, and God’s going to move us into a place of growth, in a place of health, and from a place of rest!
Would you stand all over this place? Before everybody starts moving, I just want to give you this word of encouragement! My last point to this whole thing is the pause is not just for power; the pause is for His presence! I can’t tell you how many times God has changed me when I’ve just paused! And that’s where our heart cry has to be: I don’t mind waiting! I don’t mind waiting! I don’t mind waiting on You, Lord!
Hear what I’m saying: I don’t mind waiting! I don’t mind waiting! I don’t mind waiting on You, Lord! That means you have to stop resisting arrest and have faith to pause! Can I pray for you? Hands lifted if you know this message was for you! Like if you know there’s an area of your life—okay, I’m even watching online Transformation Nation! Raise your hands! I’m going to pray a prayer of restoration that the rest that God brings you into as you obey the command of the Sabbath is going to change what therapy couldn’t!
That it’s going to begin to renew something on the inside of you that’s been dead for a long time! Father, today I’m coming to You because You are a God that presents rest to us today! Father, I thank You that we would trust You and have faith to take You at Your word for every person, Father God, that is still trying to figure out how they are going to make it happen! Today, Father, would You be Jehovah Jireh, their provider—the Good Shepherd that will give them rest!
Father, for those whose literal nervous systems are overloaded and they can’t even calm down today, would the Prince of Peace be the God that meets them right now! I thank You for Your presence that allows us to lay back in our Father’s arms and know that everything’s going to be okay! God, I pray for my brothers and my sisters who have filled their life with so much that they don’t feel they have permission to rest!
Today, give them a revelation of rest! Father, You said in Your Word that the Sabbath was supposed to be holy, set apart, and today we’re saying, «We need Your help!» I need Your help to keep this day holy! Father, we live in a culture that rushes and a culture that tries to curate the perfect image and a culture, Father God, that feels like we’re always comparing and we might be left behind!
Father, would You deliver me from that? Deliver us from having to have everybody understand! Deliver me from people-pleasing! Deliver me from the need to have everybody hear me! Father, let Your presence be enough, Jesus! Let the revelations, the insights, the encouragement, the identity that we get from being with You be enough! And Father, I thank You that because we will rest, with long life You will satisfy us, that we will leave legacies that last, and we won’t get lost in the middle of it! Restore our souls in Jesus' name!
In that same prayer, some of you are in this place and have never received Jesus, and God’s saying, «Come to Me, all you who are weary, and guess what I’m going to give you?» What is He going to give them? What are we all going to receive if you want to accept Jesus and this beautiful offer of rest, and you want to make Him your Lord and Savior today?
It’s a free gift of salvation, a free gift of grace, and a free gift of rest. You don’t have to work for this; He gives it freely! On the count of three, I want you to raise your hand if you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior! This is the decision that took me from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography—whether you’re in your living room right now, in this room, or watching in jail—today is your day of freedom! I believe the power of God is coming to you! And this moment is your pause before the power comes to you!
One—you’re making the greatest decision of your life! Two—Heaven is about to rejoice! Three—lift your hands if you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior! I see you, my brother! I see you, my brother! I see you, my sister! Oh, Transformation Church! I see you! Heaven is rejoicing! And if I didn’t see you, God sees you! And somebody around you saw you! And today we’re going to pray because we’re a family at Transformation Church! Nobody prays alone!
Would you lift your hands right now and say, «God, thank You for sending Jesus just for me! Today, I rest in You! I give You my life! Change me, renew me, transform me! I’m Yours! I repent from my old ways and I turn to You! You are my rest!» In Jesus' name, amen! Yo, can we turn up with all of Heaven right now? Oh y’all, come on—Hallelujah!