Samuel Rodriguez - The Faith of Generation Now
Traveling from California on the flight yesterday, from San Francisco, all the way to Washington DC for this conference, I was just writing and writing and writing and writing and writing and hearing from the spirit regarding this conference. So let me lay something out for you. It's from the gospel of Matthew, we're going to have to go through passage as quickly here, but work with me. Matthew chapter eight, Matthew 9 and Matthew 15. So the gospel of Matthew, Evangelio de San Mateo, the Gospel of Matthew, it, we understand Matthew, the audience, how it was written, the initial audience for whom it was written, but correspondingly, there is a multi-generational thread embedded in the gospel of Matthew.
There are multiple narratives in Matthew that reference directly a generational connection. Matthew chapter eight, let me just make it legal and prove this case, and then I'll give you the title of it. Matthew eight, verse five and six. "When Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a captain in the Roman army approached Him, and asked him for a miracle. 'Lord,' he said, 'I have a son who is lying in my home, paralyzed and suffering terribly.'" Got that, Matthew chapter nine, verse 18, "While Jesus was speaking these things to them, a certain ruler," we know that's Jairus from the gospel of Luke, "came and worshiped him, saying, 'My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live'". Matthew chapter 15, verse 21. "Then Jesus left and went north into the Jewish region of Lebanon. He encountered there a Canaanite woman who screamed out 'Lord, Son of David, show mercy to me. My daughter is horribly affected by a demon that torments her'".
So we have in the gospel of Matthew, by co-inky-dink, not by co-inky-dink, it's all intentional, one generation pleading for the next. In the same gospel, one generation pleading for the next. I find that to be powerful. "Lord, my son is paralyzed". "My daughter is dead". The Luke version talks about initially, "I need you to go home, my daughter is dying". Halfway down into journey, he was informed that she died. "My daughter is dead," Jairus and his daughter. And then we have this Lebanese regional woman outside the confines of the cultural bounds of acceptability as it pertains to priorities, and she comes out and says, "My daughter is demon possessed". This is a scoop. This generation encountered Jesus. This generation confronted Jesus for the salvation, deliverance and healing of the next.
So let me lay out to you what the Spirit of God placed in my heart for you. The faith of the now generation will determine the fate of the next generation. I'll repeat that for the hearing impaired in section four, the faith of the now Generation will determine the fate of the next generation. If you're taking any notes and good luck with that, they all engaged Jesus, there were some common factors here. They all engage Christ about the next generation, because the next was paralyzed, bound or dying. Our God is a God of generations. Why is this message important? Because I kid you not, It's all contextualized because I do come from California. I have a different worldview. I am completely privy to the fact, no conspiracy theory, no rumormongering, no hype. There is an assault by the powers of darkness, that assault is coming after our children and our children's children.
The battle is not just about you and I. More importantly, the battle, the enemy is targeting our children and our children's children, hence, We must be cognizant of the fact that our God is a God of generations. From Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, God operates with a generational lens. Salvation is individual, but the transmission of the gospel takes place through a multi-generational network. It is God's 5G. Psalm 78:4: "We will not hide from them, from their children, but tell to the coming generation, the glorious deeds of the Lord and His might and the wonders that He has done". Luke 1:50 "And his mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation".
Generational interdependence cannot be denied. In other words, the health of the next generation depends upon the holiness of the now generation. The faith of the next generation relies upon the fight of the now generation. What the now generation conquers will determine what the next generation will possess. What the now generation sows will determine what the next generation will reap. In other words, the now generation's courage will become the next generation's conviction. That's why we can't drink the Kool-Aid or on the other hand, the now generation's complacency will become the next generation's captivity. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and other words, I can't say in California, listen carefully. I'm here all week. We live, we live in an age driven by emotions instead of logic, feelings instead of reason, collective hysteria instead of common sense, confrontations instead of conversations and all the while, our children are watching.
The next generation is under assault, paralyzed by relativism, dying because of lies, tormented by victimization. There is an assault on the next generation. There are ideological constructs emerging throughout the course of America for the purpose of obstructing, hindering, stopping, holding in perpetual captivity the next generation. There is an assault on the next generation, from our public school systems to cultural influencers, to government legislative initiatives, there is an assault on the next generation, like we've never seen it before. Even in the state of California, even the beginning of the legalization, don't take my word for it, Google it. Even the beginning of the legalization of pedophilia already has taken place in America. There is an assault. Therefore, I am sorry if a little bit rough today, but I just believe we can't be doing kumbaya Christianity anymore.
There has to come a time where we are filled with righteous indignation. I know it's truth and love, and I do believe in truth and love, not with hatred, not with rancor, but hell must know something. Hell senses something. I do believe that hell has some intel. Can I prove this? Absolutely. Just like Pharaoh came after the youngest Israelites and Herod came after baby Jesus, the enemy comes after the next when the next is a threat to the enemy's agenda, power and influence. Three different chapters, three different individuals that did the very same thing, they all engage Jesus for the salvation, deliverance and healing of the next. I want to remind you of this. Facebook cannot save the next generation. Instagram cannot deliver the next generation. Twitter can not heal the next generation. Tik Tok cannot fill the next generation. But I know who can. We know who can. Only one, only one has the power to save, deliver, and heal.
And I do believe, therefore, I'm gonna repeat it again. I do believe in the Acts 16:31, however you want to exigent the passage, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and yes, your family will be saved". Malachi 4:6: "His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers". And I believe that we are about to see this come to fruition. I believe, turn on the porch light, our prodigal sons and daughters are coming back home. I'm here to tell you to get ready to see the next generation saved. I'm going to believe that, matter of fact, I'm going to say it. I know it sounds, oh that's hype, that's wishful thinking. No, I'm not going to drink the Kool-Aid. I'm not going to believe the hype. I'm not going to believe that this is the last generation of Christians. I'm not gonna believe that the next generation is doomed in perpetuity to living the life of spiritual ambiguity and agnosticism and atheism.
No, I believe the next generation will be saved. The next generation will be delivered. The next generation will be healed. I even believed the next generation will start the greatest awakening we have seen in America and around the world. The next generation will do greater things. If you believe it, praise like you know that you actually. How many believe your children and your children's children and your children's children's children's children's children will see the glory of God flood the nations? They all encountered an attribute, each and every one of them individually all had an encounter, so let me explain. They all encountered an attribute of God, an attribute that prompted the salvation, deliverance and healing on the next. This right here, what an encounter. This was an encounter with the word of God. Actually, literally speaking, you say the word, he will be healed.
Say the word. I love this story right here. The Centurion, "You say the word," what a narrative. Right here was the presence of God. Right here was the mercy of God. Words that emerged from corresponding narratives. Here it is, the first one is the word of God. When the now generation encounters the word of God, the next we'll discover the will of God. Our issue is biblical illiteracy. Matthew chapter eight, what a fascinating story. The Centurion encounters Christ and says, "All You have to do is say the word, just say the word". Hey Jesus, I'm going to go to your house. No no, no need to go home. All you have to do is say the word. Matter of fact, I know what authority looks like. I have authority, I'm under authority and I have people under my authority. I know what it is to release a word. And without me being there, that word will come to pass. Say the word, the power of the word of God. I mean, way beyond, it's the word of God.
It's Isaiah 55:11, "It is the same with My word I send it out. It will always produce fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to. It will prosper everywhere I send it". John 15:7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you will ask for anything yet and it will be granted". Hebrews 4:12, "The word of God is quick and powerful". Once again, when our generation really has an encounter with the word of God, the next will discover the will of God and God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. His word never changes, and I need to make an emphasis here. His word never changes. The Lord's plan stands firm forever. His thoughts stand firm in every generation, Psalm 33:11, "God's word never changes, never changes".
Here's the Bible, here's the Bible, and here's a copy of my book. You're thinking, "He's plugging the merch". I'm not actually, quite the opposite. So here's my book, "From Survive to Thrive". And here's the Bible. Here, if I, if I take my book right now, and start ripping out pages of things that make me feel uncomfortable that I wrote about, there won't be any sort of measurable long-term ramifications as it pertains to the fulfillment of someone's purpose and destiny and even clarity regarding the sovereignty, the might, the nature of God. It's a good book, I highly recommend it. This will bless you, but it's not the quintessential word. It's my book. But here's the Bible. A-ha, and that's the point.
The point is living in California, this thing never changes. The Supreme Court cannot change the word of God. You're missing that. Congress cannot change the Word of God. The White House cannot change the word of God. We can't just, we can't. We can't bow to the idols of this generation. We can't bow to the cultural Baals of this generation and surrender biblical truth on the altar of political or cultural expediency. We need a generation that will preach the word and teach the word and live the word, in and out of season, preach the word, live the word, teach the word. "Heaven and earth will disappear, but My words will never disappear". Matthew 24:35.
The now generation must stand up and preach the word, teach the word, live the word, instill the word in the next. We must, I may not be invited again, this is rough one. We must never sell out the gospel. We must never exchange truth for followers. Let me repeat that, we must never exchange truth for followers, sound doctrine for likes and the message of the cross for a message of comfort. We must tell the next generation that CNN is not the gospel. That MSNBC is not the gospel, that a social media post is not the gospel, that a social movement is not the gospel. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the word of God. And what God said about holiness has to not changed. What God said about truth has not changed. What God said about love has not changed. What God said about human sexuality and gender has not changed.
Is there anyone here willing to be courageous and say, "I will teach the next generation the whole word, the full word and nothing but the word, so help us God". Let's not be afraid to tell the next generation what God says about love and unity and the imago dei. Let's not be afraid, let's not be afraid to teach the full book. Oh, I told you it was going to be rough, but it hasn't changed. It will not change. It cannot change. We can't sacrifice biblical truth on the altar of political, cultural or sexual expediency. He said there's authority in your word. If you say it, it will come to pass. Say the word, just say the word. "The word of God will never fail," Luke 1:37.
If we could only get our generation to stand up with a full commitment to the word, to the truth of God He gave. The word of God never failed. He gave Abraham a word, never failed. He gave Moses the word and never failed. He gave Joshua a word, Hannah, Elijah a word. It never failed, just say the word. "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. And the word was God. And the Word became flesh". John 1:1. He gave us Jesus, the Word, and He never failed. Oh, can you raise your right hand? Here's the word of the Lord for you and your family. Get ready for the impossible. Your families are about to give birth to something amazing that will impact generations. In your family, get ready for the impossible to take place. In your faith, get ready for the impossible to take place.
I dare you to open up your mouth right now with your hand raised and speak into your house and say, "the word of God will never fail". I dare you, I dare you to speak into your children and your children's children, physical and spiritual and declare, "the word of God will never fail". I'm sorry, but I'm just going to say this. I'm going to repeat it for me. As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, the God I serve, repeat after me. "As surely as the Lord. The God of Israel lives. The God I serve. In my familia. In my children. In my children's children. There will be no more depression. No more anxiety, no more divorce, no more addiction. No more premature deaths. No more generational curses, no more poverty, no more unbelief, no more bitterness, no more infirmity, no more in the name of Jesus".
If you believe what you just said... I say a word over to church and the big K Kingdom and declare that John 17:21 will come to pass. I believe that we're about to see the church come together. I believe that we will be the last generation fixated with nomenclatures and descriptors of the denominational walls that separate us. I believe the next generation will have no idea, no concept of labels and descriptors that put us in specific silos. Many of them that suffer from theological myopia and not embracing the collective of the fullness of the gospel of Christ. So I believe we're about to see something amazing. That's why Randy, this is so confirming to what we just talked about. I believe we're about to see a move of God. Oo, from Argentina, all the way to the Northern part of Canada in the Tundra, oh, from Europe, all the way through China, from Indonesia and Malaysia, from Africa, we are about to see something amazing like we've never seen before.
This is not wishful thinking, I promise you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is still more powerful than COVID, than any ideology, than any philosophy, than any power on earth. We are about to see the glory of God fill the nations like we have never seen before. Say the word, say the word. I say a word, I say the word, the word, the word. And that's just the word, we have to be recommitted to the word of God. And are there any questions? Yeah, yeah, what if I tell you in the next 10 years, more people will come to Jesus in America than in the last 100 years? I know you think, "Oh, that's cute. That's like throwing spaghetti on the wall". No it isn't. Why do you think the battle is so intense? There is one amazing, amazing awakening just already beginning in certain communities. You have no idea. This is cuckoo for cocoa puffs season.
Oh, we're about to see some amazing things take place. I promise you, you're going to see it. You're going to see the emergence and it's not just the word of God. I like to say the word. This generation had a different, they're right here. Same thing, an older generation, a younger generation. But this one right here, the dynamic is different. This one was about the presence of God. When the now generation encounters the presence of God, the next will experience the power of God. Let me repeat that: when the now generation encounters the presence of God, the next will experience the power of God.
And you know the story here, you know the story. "Hey, my daughter is dying". Subsequently, technically speaking, she died. Jesus said, "She's sleeping," and He comes along. And in this route, right here is all about the presence of God. He was in the presence of Jesus, then the presence of Jesus invaded her space. It's about the presence of God. Psalm 16:11, "In your presence, there is fullness of joy". Exodus 33:14, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest". Acts 3:20-21, "That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord".
The presence of God changes everything. We have to have, we have to experience, we have to be recommitted to facilitating an environment where every single individual will have an encounter with Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have to be recommitted, not just to having great services and gatherings and conferences, but we have to facilitate an environment where the presence of God definitely is present and lives are transformed with the presence of almighty God. It's not about being weird, it's about being wired, because the presence of God does change everything. The presence of God changes absolutely everything. You, God invades a room, God invades a Starbucks. Everything changes. Your caramel macchiato will never taste the same. There are, there are presence.
Let me put this in, and I alluded to this last April a little bit, but I, and it's not. I've been in the presence of the most powerful people on earth, by the grace of God, way beyond me. God's assignment. I've been in the presence of all, a bunch of former presidents with the exception of Jimmy Carter. I've been in the present in the presence of George Bush the father who passed away, I've been in the presence of Bill Clinton. I've been in the presence of George W. Bush. I've been in the presence of Barack Obama. I've been into presence of Donald Trump. I've even been in the presence of Joseph Biden. I even been in the presence of Pope Francis, but nothing... God bless all of them, but nothing compares to the presence of almighty God. Woo.
I was inspired by them, but I was set free by His presence. I was inspired by them, but I was delivered with His presence. Are you with me right now? I was inspired with their presence, but I was filled with His presence. The presence of God changes everything. And the now generation must, once again teach the next generation that even broken people have access to the presence of God.
Let me explain, this has a little different dynamic, because Jesus, on his way with this guy to see this girl, a member of his generation, a woman, shows up, not part of the program, at all, unscripted, unsolicited, a woman comes up with an issue of blood, she's hemorrhaging. She interrupts the journey. Jesus is with this guy going to see her. This woman shows up from his generation who is broken and she understood if I am in His presence, all things are possible. The now generation must teach the next generation that broken people have access to the presence of God. The now generation, even though we may be bleeding, we must show the next generation that our brokenness does not disqualify us. Jesus never said, I will give you potential. He said, I will give you power over all the powers of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Will the powerful church please stand up?