Samuel Rodriguez - When Faith Goes Through The Fire, It Becomes Favor
You know, I put on my jacket. Y’all ready? Let’s do this. So, we walked across, actually, we drove across the street and we went into the parking lot. I got off, sat down, and they were waiting. And it’s a formal meeting, there’s the board, there’s the pastor. I come in, they sit me here, and here’s my board. And I take a seat, «Ready». They looked at me, the guy across the table looks at me and says, «Pastor Sam, thank you for coming with your board. We wanna begin. We wanna ask you the first question». So, I’m ready. My mind is wired, I’m going, «Know your stuff». I go, «Yes». The guy looks at me and says this, he says, «Pastor Sam, we want you to know that our church, we lean, we lean left. We wanna know, where do you lean»?
Now, you need to put this in perspective. This is my face. Camera man, give me a tight shot. There are witnesses here so I’m not making any of this up. And this is my face. «We lean left. Where do you lean»? 'cause I’d never expect, like, what? What? And so, first of all, well, I know that I preach and I have a calling for preaching and we do movies, produce movies and all that, but I’m a comedian. So, the first thing that went through my mind, I’m not making this up, is, «Hey Sam, you have enough comedy here for the next three to five years. You have an act here, buddy, just blow it up, blow».
So, and I’m going. And then, the second thing that hit me is there was a sign and a wonder that took place right there. I’mma tell you what it is. Nothing came out of my mouth. Nothing, so help me, nothing. So, nothing is coming out. «Pastor Sam, we lean left. Where do you lean»? I’m going… And the reason why nothing came out is because I’m having a fight with the Holy Spirit, I am. The Holy Spirit is telling me, «Alright, Sammy. Say it. Answer,» and I didn’t want to. Because if I would answer what the Holy Spirit wanted me to say we would lose that building, which we did. And I’m going, «No, I wanna give the politically correct answer so bad. I don’t even know what he means by this, but let me just,» he’s, «Answer, answer, answer». So, I finally, I put up my head like this and my team is looking at me like saying, «Pastor, say something». Like, «Pastor».
So, I finally look up and I go, «Thank you for your question. Thank you. With great due deference, at our church, we don’t lean. We stand. We stand». We stand. Hey, planet shakers, we don’t need Christians that lean left or right. We need a church that comes in agreement and stands. We need a church that’ll stand. Are there any standing believers in Melbourne, Australia? We stand on the Word of God. Lift up your hands. We stand on the promises of God. We stand on the finished work of Christ. Everything the Bible calls holy we call holy. Everything the Bible calls sin, we call sin. I’m gonna be honest, I may not get invited again, but I’m tired of churches that lean one way or another. We don’t need people to lean. We need a church that’s… Somebody, shout, «I stand. I stand. I stand».
With your hands raised, I’m done. 1 Corinthians 16:13, «Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith». Stop leaning, start standing. Stand up for biblical truth. I’mma say it again. Stand up for biblical truth. I’m gonna do it again. Stand up for biblical truth. Stand up for righteousness and justice. Stand up for our children, and our children’s children, and our children’s children’s children. Stand up for holy sexuality. Stand up for the family. Stand up for Godliness. Stand up for life. Stand up for religious liberty. Stand up for biblical justice. Stand up for racial unity. Stand up for the gospel. Don’t lean, stand! And do not just stand up in the church conference. Stand up in the school board meeting. Stand up in the marketplace. Stand up in your campus. Stand up in your relationships. I’m gonna prophesy, we are about to see a world full of planet shakers who will never leave, but they will stand even in the midst of the fire.
Put on the full armor of God. When the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. And after you’ve done everything, stand. Ephesians 6:13, if you’re not leaning and you’re standing, even in the midst of the fire, raise one hand. If you’re committed to standing in God’s promises, in the finished work of Christ, in the truth of the gospel, lift up both hands. Stand. The enemy wants you to lean. The enemy wants you to bow. God called you to stand, stand, stand. 1 John 4:4, you belong to God, «You dear children have won the victory because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world». Greater is he that is inside of you than all the devils and demons outside of you. Greater is the anointing that lives inside of you than all adversity in front of you. Greater is the word that lives in you than the world attempting to corrupt you.
John 14:12 promises that if we stand in his name, «Whatsoever you ask in my name that I shall do for the father to be glorified in the son even greater things». Stand. Alright. Come here, Jesus. Faith becomes favor. Faith becomes favor when we refuse to bow to the lies of the enemy. Faith becomes favor when we declare God is able. Faith becomes favor when we have audacious faith to stand and come in agreement with others around us for the same prophetically outlined outcome. And faith becomes favor when the fourth man shows up in the fire.
Watch this, I’m gonna show you something. Fourth man shows up. I want you all to do this. The Bible says they were walking around in it so we’re just living out the world. All I want you to do is go around the fourth man. Go ahead, just go around. Go around, go around. Anybody here suffering from vertigo let me know. 'cause this really happened. So, here’s the final point as you’re already standing. Here it is. Ready for this? Nebuchadnezzar comes up. After he put them in there and all that, he comes back some time later to… Here’s the stuff that you may never heard of, never have seen, the Bible says, how about this?
The Bible never says that this guy, this guy, or that guy ever saw the fourth man in the fire. No. You wanna take out your Bible and read it? Show me where it says, «Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were fully cognizant of the fact of the fourth man. A matter a fact, they were talking to him. They were having afternoon tea. They had knowledge of,» no, the Bible never says the Hebrew boy ever saw him. Keep on walking. I’m gonna tell you who saw him. Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth man. Are you ready for this? Get over yourself. It doesn’t matter if you see the fourth man in the fire, what matter is hell sees the fourth man and whatever you’re going through, I guarantee you the devil sees that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
With your hands raised, it doesn’t matter if you see, «Oh, I don’t see God». The devil sees God. I promise you the devils, legions, principalities, and powers of darkness see the blood of Jesus covering you. They see the angels covering you. I feel the Lord. Put a smile on your face and a shout on your lip. The fourth man is in your fire. I said, the fourth man is in your fire. Text somebody you love and tell them, «The fourth man is in your fire». Somebody, shout like you know it and praise like you believe it.
Alright, merry go round, stop here for a second. They never acknowledged seeing him. They were set free, not based on what they saw. What did they do in the fire? They stood. Never bowed, never acquiesce, they just, the Bible says they were standing. They were walking around. Nebuchadnezzar sees, and then Nebuchadnezzar says, «Oh, I feel the Lord. Call them out». He said, «Step out, step out. So, you three, I want you to step out». The moment they stepped out, read it, Nebuchadnezzar looked at them and says, «I’m sorry».
From now on your God, oooh. You guys don’t have to bow again and your God, everyone’s gonna, «Anyone who speaks against your God, they end up, they’re barbecue». And so, he flips it, right? And then, he says, «But now,» the Bible says, «They were promoted to even higher places». That’s called favor. I’m gonna count to three. If your faith has been through the fire in the past three years, four year, five year, and you’re ready to step into God’s favor, run out of your seat and join me. One, two, three. Step into favor. Go, go, go, go. Step into favor. Go, go, go, go, go.
Hey! Step into favor. Somebody praise like you believe it! Hey-hey-hey! Lift up your hands. Sometimes, God will save you from the fire. Sometimes God will save you in the fire, and sometimes God will save you with the fire. The moment the fourth man shows up, it becomes holy fire. The moment the fourth man showed up, ownership change and the outcome became inevitable. Romans 8:28, «We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose». 2 Thessalonians 3:3, «God is faithful to protect you from all harm and all evil». 1 John 5:18, «God’s children do not make it a habit of sinning. He protects their children, therefore nothing will ever harm them».
With both hands raised, your faith, my faith, sometimes in life we have to go through that fire. But when faith comes out of the fire, it’s no longer just faith. It is favor. It is favor when we refuse to bow to the lies of the enemy, and not only just the external lies from culture and society, I mean, primarily the lies we tell ourselves. It’s our unbelief. It’s our unforgiveness. It’s lies about us, shame, condemnation. «There’s no reason, no way God’s gonna use us in spite of what,» the lies we tell ourselves.
The number one Judas that we will ever experience will not be an external threat, or someone in our team, or family. The number one Judas are the thoughts that betray us. You gotta overcome them. Faith becomes favor when we stand and come in agreement with others for the same holy outcome. Faith becomes favor when the fourth man shows up. Even when we don’t acknowledge him there, or we don’t see him in the minutia, in the details of what’s happening in your life, we know he’s there. And be assured of the fact that every vestige of darkness is fully cognizant of the fact that the Creator of the universe is with you in the midst of what you’re going through. So, let’s pray with your hands raised.
Repeat after me, «Heavenly Father, I receive this word». Say it like you believe it, «I receive this word. I have faith. Faith in Christ. And through the Holy Spirit the faith of Christ. I am a person of faith. I acknowledge that sometimes that faith has to go to the fire. I have been to the fire. Accordingly, based on this word, this impartation, I declare that 2024 will be for me and my house, me and my calling, me and my purpose, in you, with you, and for you. This will be the year of God’s favor like never before». Somebody, praise like the devil’s been defeated. Somebody, shout like nothing can stand in your way. Somebody prophesy!
If you receive this word in its entirety, go like this. Hebrew boys, ready? Hebrews boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do me a favor. Step out like this. Go ahead, just step out. They stepped out, they received their promotion in the presence of Nebuchadnezzar. Get ready for God to bless you in the presence of those that broke you. I’mma say that one more time. Get ready for God to bless you in the presence of those that broke you. Get ready for God to use you in the presence of those that refused you. Get ready for God to lift you up in the presence of those that brought you down. Get ready for God to promote you in the presence of those that persecuted you. Get ready for God to crown you in the presence of the people that canceled you.
And get ready for God to shine on you in the presence of those that shunned you. God will do it. Do not ever live to prove your haters wrong. Do not ever live to prove your family wrong. You are the proof. Your testimony is proof that the devil is a liar. What Jesus did for you is greater than what hell did to you, what life did to you, and what you did to yourself. Isaiah 53:5, «He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, his stripes we are healed». That’s it.
So, we’re gonna do it here. The favor of God will descend upon God’s children in such a way. Those whose faith has gone through the fire, you’re about to see that favor open doors. You’re gonna see doors open up in your favor. That’s not like prophetic spaghetti on the wall, wishful thinking. Because you’re coming out of the… So, we’re gonna do it. I’m just gonna ask you just to, maybe, take a step back real quick, if you can, 'cause I’m gonna ask you to step out. You’re gonna step out of that fire, that mental, emotional, relational fire. You’re gonna step out of that season and you’re gonna step into favor. Now, if you think that’s, «Oh, that’s cute, Pastor Sam. That’s really optimistic. That’s Pollyannaish. That’s such, that’s good».
Like, positive affirmation, «Go get them, tiger. It sounds pretty good». I lived it out. I lost that opportunity. I’mma tell you what happened. Look how God takes care of his children. I’mma tell you. I’mma be very honest. My wife and I were in a pit. We were in a pit. I mean, first time in all my years of pastoring that I thought about, «Maybe, you know, maybe, you know». Little question Mark came up, right? And all of sudden, then God says, «Yeah, watch. Watch, I’m gonna show you some stuff». And all of sudden, I was doing a film, and then that film was tanked during COVID, and it was put aside. It was tabled. I produced a film that was tabled because COVID messed everything up.
So, well, that film was gonna go nowhere. I mean, and all of sudden, I get, right after this, what a coinkidink, right? Huh-uh. Right after this I get a call, «Pastor Sam, sit down». «Alright, you know, I’m already, like, in a pit». «Sit down, Pastor Sam». I go, «Hey, man, I can’t take any more bad news». «Sit down, Pastor Sam». «What is it»? «Pastor Sam, sit down. It’s not bad news». «What is it»? «Remember your film that was, like, shelved»? «Yeah». «Well, guess what? A certain company just picked it up». And I go, «That sounds good». Then he go, «No, wait till you hear the company». I go, «What do you mean»? «The company that picked it up is not your normal cup of tea». «But this is a faith film, a family film. Like, who picked it up»?
And he went, «Hey, Pastor Sam, calm, here it is. Disney picked up your film and it’s gonna get your film and put it on platforms all over the world». And that film came out. It’s called, «Flamin' hot». It was the first film to come out on two platforms, Disney and Hulu. It was the number one streaming film of that season, about a man who came to Jesus and then changed the industry of marketing. I’mma tell you, when you come out of the fire, favor is waiting for you on the other side. Then I got a call about certain ministries in southern California and one of my spiritual son says, «Hey, Pastor Sam, are you ready to inherit four campuses, four campuses»? And, of course, I said, «Yeah». Favor.
Final, final, final thing. Raise your hands. Lord, activate every societal architect and cultural reformer. Every single person here, every lay person, every leader, every disciple maker, every pastor, every single person whose faith has been tested in the fire. It could be the fire of illness, it could be the fire of challenges, economic challenges, relational challenges, whatever it may be, whatever fire they went through. I decree and declare by faith by the authority of heaven that this is the year of your favor. We will step into favor. Favor, favor, favor, favor, favor, favor, favor. We’ve been through hell, but we still smell like heaven. So, I’m gonna give the baton, I’m gonna pass the baton over.
Here’s what I want you to do. You step back. When I count to three, I want you to step out of your fire and step into favor. Don’t step in unless you truly believe that this is your season for God’s favor. Are you ready for this? Are you ready for unbridled and unparalleled favor from heaven? Final question, will you be bothered if through the blessing that’s coming your way, that blessing overflows and blesses the people that once harmed you? If you’re okay with that, then you definitely quality to step out. Ready?
Here we go, on the count of three. You and your house, you’re coming out of fire. Everything changes. From this moment on, you will no longer be praying, «Lord, bless me, bless me, bless me». That’s stops right here. You’re never gonna make that prayer again. From this moment on, this is your prayer, «God, make me the greatest blessing to everyone that I know and everyone that I meet». So, don’t limit yourself to, «God, answer my prayer». This is where you say, «God, make me the answer to someone else’s prayer». Ready?
Tell your neighbor, «Give me some room». You have no idea the fire I’ve been through, man. «Give me some room». So, on the count of three you’re gonna step in. And not only you’re gonna step in, you’re gonna release the absolute greatest praise you’ve given him in the past five years. Are you ready? Tell your neighbor, «Move. I’m doing this for me and my familia, me and my house, me and my loved ones. You have no idea what I’ve been through, but I’m stepping in. My fire season is coming to an end right here, right now». Are you ready? One, two, one, two, three.