Samuel Rodriguez - An Anointing Born out of Adversity
Before we get started, we were muted, we were silenced, the objective of the enemy was to. So, before we get started, it's the first day of dream week so let's just do it. At the count of three, I want you to get your mute button off. And I don't want you to give God just, give God a shout of praise. No, no, no, no, no, no, I want you to give God the kind of praise you haven't, the best praise you've given him in the past three years. One, two, three, give God that. Somebody shout! Shout like Jesus is on the throne. Shout like the gates of hell will not prevail against you. Shout! Like greater is he that is in you than he that is the world! Shout! Like if God be for us, who can be against us? Shout! Like the latter glory will be greater than the former glory! Shout it! Woo.
Please high five your neighbor and tell 'em, "Silence is not an option". Tell your other neighbor, "Silence is not an option". We've been quiet for too long, we've been shut down for too long, we've been held back for too long. Ready or not, here we come. Hey! Break. Real quick here's the word of the Lord. Here's the word of the Lord. Are there any questions? Here's the word of the Lord. We're gonna juxtapose these two verses. This is the meta narrative of a prophetic clarion call for such a time as this. Acts 23:11.
Acts 23:11, this is the word of the Lord. "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, 'be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the good news in Rome as well". Go quickly to Acts 28:1, "Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat". Driven out by the heat. I'm gonna repeat that for the hearing impaired. Not driven out by lukewarmness. Not driven out by mediocrity. Not driven out by comfortable Christianity. Driven out by the heat. Woo. "Fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, 'this man must be a murderer: for though he escaped from the sea, the Goddess justice has not allowed him to live'. But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects".
I wanna speak to you briefly, in a very accelerated manner on the subject matter, "An Anointing Born Out of Adversity Changes the World". I'll repeat that, an anointing born out of adversity changes the world. The sub-text is this, "Come hell or high water, I'm on my way to Rome". Tell your neighbor, the one you like the most, "Come hell or high water. I'm on my way to Rome". Tell your other neighbor, "Come hell or high water. I'm on my way to Rome". He was on his way to Rome. Here it is, point number one if you're taking any notes, and good luck with that. There is an anointing upon our assignment. Your destiny is not based on what's in front of you, your destiny is based on who's inside of you.
Let me repeat that one more time. Your destiny is not based on what's in front of you, your destiny is based on who's inside of you. Somebody shout, "Rome". Acts 27:11, "When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, for Rome, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the imperial regiment". Rome. Paul was on his way to Rome. Rome was the capital. The center of the most powerful empire on the planet at that time. Rome was the United Nations of the early 1st centuries, since all the nations and all the roads led to Rome. Paul was on his way to Rome because he was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. It was his destiny, we read Acts 23:11. Yet, interesting enough, he was not going to Rome under the best of circumstances. He wasn't going on a Norwegian cruise line or Royal Caribbean: he was going as a prisoner on a prison ship.
Here it is, God uses circumstances that seems superficially egregious to show off his glory. Let me explain. To the Romans perception is not reality, it's not what you think. To the Romans Paul was going to trial. To God the gospel was going to be preached on the most important platform at that time. Perception, Paul is going to Rome in order to be prosecuted for the crime of enticing revolt, by preaching a new religion, that's perception. Paul is going to Rome to be prosecuted and possibly executed, yet in reality he's going to Rome to turn the world upside down. So, why do I travel to California to be with you? I love your pastors, I love you. But here's the word of the Lord.
Right now, in South Africa, in Africa, in Europe, in America around the world if you turn on the news, oh, oh, if you go on social media, unless you've been canceled. It looks like right now, like the devil is winning. It looks like hell's about to celebrate. It looks like we're never gonna come out of this. It looks like, Paul, we're on a prison ship and we're about to be prosecuted and persecuted in the city of Rome. But let not your heart be troubled. What if I tell you the very same thing that took place with Paul in Acts 27 and 28 is about to take place in South Africa and around the world today. And you're asking, "pastor Sam what's that"? Oh, it's simple, four words, "Watch God show up". I need you to look at your neighbor and tell 'em, "Watch God show up". Watch God show up.
"Pastor Sam, but we're coming out of a global pandemic". Watch God show up. But there's more to vision than ever before. There are food shortages and rumors of crazier things to come. There's a war in Ukraine and Russia, China's threatening Taiwan. The economic markets, inflation, Bitcoin, everything is crashing. Marriages are falling apart. Children are rebellious. Medical reports are coming in. Hey, South Africa I don't think, I don't hope, I don't wish, and I don't feel. I know. I said, I know. I know that the glory of Jesus is about to fill the planet like never before. If you believe it, shout like you know it in praise. In your family, in your home, in your marriage, in your calling, in your house, in your generation, in your community, in your city, in South Africa, watch! How do we know? How can we be certain?
Luke 1:37, "The Word of God never fails". Hebrews 10:23, he can be trusted to keep his promise. In all the push back, pastor Oughton gets push back: I get push back. I get push back 'cause my push back in America is like, "Oh, you know, you're out there declaring that the glory of Jesus will win the day, and that we're gonna experience an awakening and the power, oh, pastor Sam, but don't". Even from the church, some of our biggest critics are not in the world, unfortunately, oh, you don't know what I'm talking about, mainly, unfortunately some of the biggest, "So, pastor Sam, don't you know we're living in the last days? Oh, glory be to God". "Don't you know, read the last".
I read the book, I read 2 Timothy 3:1-17, the very exhaustive list, and throughout the New Testament, I've read it. I read it. I know, I'm fully cognizant you don't need to dm me. Don't give me the list, I know the list. I know that in the last days men and women will become lovers of themselves. Yeah, we call that narcissism. I know that in the last days, men and women will leave their natural desires, we call that California. In the last days. In the last days it'll be false doctrines, and heresy infiltrating the church, oh, without a doubt. In the last days, we're cognizant of the in the last day list, wars and rumors of wars, famines, there will be earthquakes, there will be floods, sounds familiar?
So, we're not denying the fact that we're living in a particular time, but there is a preferable last day verse that I wanna lift up. These are all accurate and true, but there's also one more in the last day promise. And the one that I'm gonna reference now is so important, that it's mentioned both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Job 2:28, Acts 2:17, and when the Holy Ghost filled Peter in the upper room. The Holy Ghost told Peter, "Open up your mouth and tell 'em this, 'in the last days". Not I might, not I may, "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh". Here comes the glory! Ah-haha. Get ready. Somebody say, "Get ready".
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and other terms that are illegal in California get ready. The next thing to fill your family will not be more drama, the next thing to fill your family will be the glory of the living God. The next thing to capture your mind will not be more negative thoughts, it will be the glory of Jesus. Can we declare this? The next thing to fill the earth, let's say it again, I'm gon' say it again till the devil gets hooked on Xanax. The next thing to fill the earth will not be COVID-2021 or 22. The next thing to fill the earth will not be a new social-political movement. The next thing to fill South Africa, the next thing to fill Africa, the next thing to fill the nations, the next thing to fill your children, and your children's children will be, the glory of Jesus!
Somebody praise like you believe it. Somebody worship like you believe it. Here comes the glory. High five your neighbor, tell 'em, "Here comes the glory". Tell your other neighbor, "Here comes the glory". Tell 'em, "I'm not joking, I'm not kidding, your house will be filled with the glory of Jesus". But indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. Numbers 14:21, Habakkuk 2:14, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea". Ephesians 4:10, "He would ascended will fill all things". What does that mean? "Calm down sam". Don't calm down. It means this, we are about to see more people get saved like never before.
Last month, Fox News, America, news source, you could Google it do your due diligence. A survey came out and said that 48, did you read this one? 48% of all pastors in America have contemplated or currently are contemplating leaving the ministry permanently. Close to half of all pastors in America. Churches in America are meeting with their boards, this is not me saying, this is all survey-related, they're meeting to shut down the number of services, 30% of American Christians have not one back to church.
So, there are meetings where churches are cutting down the number of services and even downsizing buildings because they believe that ship sailed. But then you come here. I know you're hearing me. There are some that are shorting, there are some that, but in this house enlarge your territory! Here comes the glory! Make room! If you believe we're about to see more people say it like you me, raise your right hand if you believe it. If you believe we're about to see more people healed like never before, raise both hands. If you believe we're about to see more people set free, delivered, raise both hands and a foot. And if you believe, like I believe, woo, we are about to see our prodigal sons and daughters come back home.
Get ready! You're about to see. You're about to reap the greatest harvest of your life. You're about to build a legacy of faith that your children, and your children's children will inherit. Nothing can stop the glory of God from filling the earth. Nothing can stop us from getting to Rome. That's a prophetic metaphor for fulfilling our assignment. Isaiah 14:27, "I, the Lord all powerful, have made these plans and no one can stop me now". Please, one more time tell your neighbor, "I'm on my way to Rome". Tell your other neighbor, the one that's ignoring you, "I'm on my way to Rome".
Number two, quickly. The anointing for the storm. You're either storm-driven or destiny-driven. The storm does not define you: the storm reveals who you really are. So, I wish I could illustrate this and make it into a Netflix series because it's so cool. Here's Paul, he's on his way to Rome because Acts 23:11, "God said, 'that's your assignment sunshine". Okay. But didn't give him the specificities, so he's going as a prisoner, but he's headed to Rome. So, I mean he's gon' fulfill his assignment, it doesn't look good but he's go, so, he's on his way. He's on his way, he's on his way, and he's on this prison ship, all of a sudden, a nor' Easter, a storm hits.
Takes the boat apart, he goes to through this thing, the Bible says, and I'm gonna read it, verse 15 and 17, "They were caught by the storm. So, they gave way to it to be driven along by the winds and the storm". Acts 27:17, "They preferred to be driven by the storm". And as a result, verse 18, "They were violently battered". Well then here it is, they preferred to be driven by the winds and the storm. What drives you? Christianity is less about what we drive, and more about what drives us. We are all driven people. We are either driven by the past or the future. By the pathetic or the prophetic. By problems or promises. By nightmares or dreams. By the flesh or the spirit. By Google searches or godly searches.
We are either driven by drama or by destiny. What drives you? Are you driven by the praise of others, or are you driven by the criticism of others? Here it is, as it pertains to the others, as it pertains to their opinions of who we are. If their praise did not make you, their criticism cannot break you. Ahh. Don't ever let your problem drive you, your storm drive you. We have too many Christians that are more driven by drama than by destiny. We have too many Christians that spend more time reacting to what comes from hell, rather than what comes from heaven. We have too many believers, oh, help us Lord, driven by the winds of woke-ism, cancel culture, driven by ideologies and social constructs that are counter intuitive to the word and Spirit of God.
Too many Christians driven by opinions and feelings, instead of being driven by truth and love. Driven by what people say about you, rather than what God already did for you. Woo! Driven by past mistakes, no, no, no. In Christ, Galatians 5:16, "Be driven by the spirit, not by the flesh". Oh, you gon' get this in a second. Romans 8:14, "For all who are driven by the Spirit of God are sons of God". I'mma speak prophetically right now, we're about to see a church rise up in South Africa, in Africa and around the world. No longer driven by CNN or BBC, no longer driven by media, no longer driven by popular opinion, no longer driven by political operatives, no longer driven by social media influencers, no longer driven by the current trend of the day.
We're about to see a church rise up driven by the father, driven by the son, and driven by the Holy Spirit. And this church is gonna stand up, and is gonna look at the winds, and is gonna, oh, help us Lord, this church is gonna look at every double-demon, legion, principality coming after our children, and our children's children, there is a war, there is an attempt from hell, the Krakens have been released upon the next generation. We need a church that has enough courage to stand up. And look at every lie of the devil and say, "In the name of Jesus get your hands off our children". Get your hands off our children!
Are there any believers in the house here today? Driven. Driven. Driven, driven, driven people. Driven, driven, driven. Raise your right hand. From this moment on you and your house will be driven by the presence glory of the risen Christ, and as a result your destiny will be greater than your drama. Your promise will silence the problem. Your miracle will redeem the mistake. Your dream will put an end to the nightmare. And your blessing will overtake the brokenness. If you believe it shout, "I'm on my way to Rome". I'm on my way to Rome. Well, watch this, watch this. So, they were on the boat and all of a sudden, this is a crazy story, they're on the boat and the wind comes, and the wind, and the battering, and the storm, and it looks like they're dancing the macarena, but it was a storm. And it's everything.
Now I love this, and then God speaks to Paul, they're in the middle of a storm and the ship is being battered like a cheap pinata. And all of a sudden God gives them the crazy word you can get, "Paul, here it is Paul". What a word, like imagine this word. Heaven comes down and the revelation of heaven is, "Paul, the ship that you're in right now". Like you wanna hear the word, oh, the ship everything, no, this is God, this is the word from heaven, "Paul you see that ship that you're in the storm and all that, the ship is not gonna make it". Who does that? They're in the middle of the sea, there's a storm a nor' Easter, a defacto hurricane and God's word is, "Let me encourage you son. That ship, not gon' make it. But, you are".
I feel the Holy Ghost right about now. Some of you lost your ship, but here you are. Some of you lost that job, but here you are. Some of you lost that relationship, but here you are. Because God's purpose will not be denied. If you lost something, in your life you've lost a ship, something you depended on, raise one hand. And if you've lost multiple ships, raise both hands. And if you lost so many, you have a collection of lost ships, raise both hands and a foot. And yet here you are. I said, here you are. Here you are! It's 2022 and you're still standing, you're still praising, you're still worshipping, you're still believing, even without that ship!