TD Jakes - Air Strikes
The Book of Exodus, chapter number 17, verses 8 through 15. Amen. The PMTs are receiving your seed, and now it’s time to go to the Word: Exodus 17:8-15. When you find this, amen. Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim. I used to say «referendum,» but it’s actually «Rephidim.» And Moses said unto Joshua, «Choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek.» Pay close attention: «Choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.»
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him and fought with Amalek, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. It came to pass that when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon. Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands—oh God, thank you for the people who stay up my hands. Thank you, Jesus!
One on one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Joshua discomforted Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, «Write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.» And Moses built an altar and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi. Can you say amen? Give God a praise. I want you to go to the 10th verse and take a look at it. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him and fought with Amalek, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
Today I want to talk from the subject «Air Strikes.» Holy Spirit, you are so amazing! You move in a mysterious way; you don’t do things in a conventional way, you do them in a mysterious way. I thank you right now for what you gave me to give to them. I am excited about what you have imparted unto them, in such a way that they receive what they need for their lives, their circumstances, and their situations. In Jesus' name, somebody shout amen! You may be seated. Somebody say «Air Strikes.» You know I’m going somewhere, don’t you?
Let’s be clear: we are in the midst of many blessings. Any blessed people in the building? It might sound strange, but we have unbelievable opportunities and unspeakable resilience. We’ve seen the hand of God move despite everything going on around us. God has been good to us; he’s still opening doors, still making ways, still providing, still speaking to us, still encouraging, and still uplifting us. It is an odd situation, but nonetheless, we are in a season of great warfare. Also, you’re blessed on one hand and attacked on the other. You’re going forward on one hand, but it’s pouring down rain on the other. You have to deal with it.
I found out a long time ago that you don’t get more of what you want without getting more of what you don’t want to deal with. You don’t get more wheat without getting more tares. More means more. If you get more of one thing, you are going to get more of another. Come on! You don’t get more income without paying more taxes unless you want to go to jail. You don’t get the house of your dreams and not pay HOA fees. More means more! You don’t get more children without having to buy more groceries, more school supplies, and more responsibilities. More always means more. My sister and I, when we were raising our children, used to laugh because my sister would buy a dozen eggs for the whole week because she had one child. A dozen eggs would last one day in my house. So, her idea of groceries and my idea of groceries were two different things because I had more.
So, you have to pay more, you have to deal with more, and you have more incidents, and you have more adversities. More just simply means more. You cannot ask God for more and be shocked when there is more pressure, more tension, more anxiety, more trouble, more haters, more discord, more disruption, more affliction, more adversity, and more problems. More simply means more. You’ve got to deal with that! The children of Israel cried out to God, for example, and asked God to set them free from the bondage of the Egyptians.
Well, he did just that, and he did it so eloquently that God fought the Egyptians. It was a kind of legendary massacre that would become the substratum of their belief system, of their faith system. Throughout all ages, God would always refer to it and say, «Am I not the God who brought you out from under the hand of Pharaoh? Am I not the God who delivered you from the Red Sea?» This is a point of reference! Everybody in here ought to have an «Am I not the God…» story, so that when you face new trials, you have a point of reference that draws you back to something that you know that you know that you know that God did for you in your life.
Am I not the God? Their army was advanced; they were the superpower of the era. Their embalming methods are so strong that the bodies, even today, are well-kept; the Egyptians were known for their pyramids, which people still travel to see. Egypt was a superpower with advanced armies, warfare techniques, and chariots. They had an economic process that was unbelievable to the degree that others had to come seeking food and other staples in order to survive. But God didn’t care about that! Because when you wage war with God’s children, God will tear down everything you have, come get you, and rescue you and deliver you out of the hand of the fowler. There are some people in here that have been delivered out of the hand of the fowler. Some of you weren’t even supposed to make it through COVID, but God stepped in, delivered you, and brought you out of it.
And you owe him a praise! If you have any kind of breath, you owe him a praise. While over 600,000 dead bodies are buried all over America and you’re still walking around here, you better not be arguing about no parking space. You better open your mouth and start praising God! Oh, you’re too cute! You’re too cute to come to church? You better get up and start praising God and thank God that you’re not in the ICU! You ought to thank God that you’re not in a crisis, that you’re not gasping for breath.
Oh yeah, you’ve been in a fight. If the enemy couldn’t get you one way, he wanted you to have a nervous breakdown, completely lose your mind, fold under the pressure. Some of you came real close, but you’re still here and you survived! Some on boards, and some on broken pieces made it through things that would have driven other people crazy. But somehow, God sustained you, and even though you got to the edge, God pulled you back off the edge. You ought to thank God for what he’s doing in your mind, in your emotions, in your body, in your sensitivities, in your limbs. You better thank God because you still know your name, you still know your address, you still know your phone number, you still know who your mama is, and you still know who your daddy is.
There are people who are your age that cannot tell you what their name is. To God be the glory! Forget praising him for your car. Forget praising him for your cute shoes. Forget praising God for your red-bottom shoes. Praise God for your breath! Praise God for your kidneys! Praise God for your liver! Praise God for your lungs! Your soul does make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together! And if you don’t praise him for you, praise him for your mama! If you don’t praise him for your daddy, praise him for your children! Praise him for your big brother! Praise him for your older sister! Praise him that they’re still doing good!
I thank God, I thank God, I thank God! I don’t know about you, but I thank God! I’m going to be thankful now. God is never going to have to say to me, «I took them because you didn’t appreciate them.» I thank God for everybody God kept in my life. I thank you right now, in front of the world, for everybody, for every tear I didn’t shed, for every funeral I didn’t go to. I thank you for that, and the Lord brought them out! God brought them out on eagle’s wings! He brought them out with his right hand! He brought them out! God fought them in all kinds of ways—with lice, frogs, pestilence, and destruction. God sent locusts into their fields!
See, it’s a bad thing to mess with a praying person. They don’t have to cuss you out; they don’t have to pop their neck and flip out. They don’t have to take their time—if they start praying, God has said locusts! Stuff you never thought about! That’s why your car won’t run. That’s why your teeth are falling out. That’s why you have no peace. Because you spoke against the wrong person! You bring curses on yourself; you bring damnation on yourself. When God fights, God fights with stuff you wouldn’t even think of! Who else but God would think of fighting you with frogs? You better watch your mouth! You better watch your mouth! You better watch what you say! I don’t care that you don’t like them. If you speak against somebody that God loves, God will shut it down.
And they prayed. God delivered them even though Pharaoh wanted them. God delivered them even though Pharaoh was considered the strongest leader of his era. God delivered them even though Pharaoh got 600 chosen chariots and chased them. God delivered them even though they came to a stopping place where they couldn’t go forward, and the Red Sea was in front of them, and mountains were on either side. God delivered them even though they were scared. God delivered them even though they murmured and complained.
God delivered them even though they were flawed and imperfect. God delivered them even though their leaders didn’t know what to do. God delivered them! Because when Moses didn’t know what to do, God knew what to do! And God still delivered them! They taught Moses how to use what he had. Somebody ought to pray, «God, teach me how to use what I got!» I got more than I think I got! This walking stick has power in it! And when Moses stretched forth his rod, the waters parted, and they went across on dry ground. Pharaoh and his horses were drowned in the Red Sea.
Miriam grabbed the tambourine and beat the skin off it and started praising God, and all the women went forth and started dancing. We didn’t create dancing! All the women went forth and started dancing and praising God. That’s not a denominational thing! I don’t dance! I’m Methodist! I don’t dance! I’m Catholic! That’s not a denominational thing; that’s a grateful thing! That’s a victory thing! Thank you, Jesus! I saw Jabari jumping a while ago. I can’t jump like that anymore; I might be able to, but I don’t know what will happen when I come back down. But I tell you what: I was bobbing; he was jumping. I was bobbing! I’m going to get some licks in some kind of way! Don’t get old and just start sitting! If I can’t jump, I’m going to bob. If I can’t bob, I’m going to weave from side to side. If I can’t weave, I’m going to wave my hand. I’m going to do something! Get up! Show some sign that I’ve been liberated, that I’ve been set free, that the great emancipator has liberated me from that which I feared and from that which chased me. He delivered me from that which was pursuing me! He delivered me! He brought me out by his own right hand.
I can’t take credit for this delivery; this is a deliverance for which they did not participate. They didn’t have to fight the Egyptians. The Egyptians would have eaten them up. They didn’t have to fight the Egyptians, but just because you don’t have to fight the first time doesn’t mean you won’t have to fight the next time. See, we get spoiled when God fights for us. Sometimes we get so spoiled when God fights for us that we never learn how to fight. And the only way to learn how to fight is to get into a fight! And when you get into a fight, you learn how to fight. It doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you, and it doesn’t mean that God isn’t there, but he’s teaching you how to survive in freedom! If you were a slave, you wouldn’t have to fight. But now that you’re free, you’ve got to take on some people because your freedom is intimidating to other people. You see what I’m saying? Your freedom is intimidating to other people, and other people resent you just because you’re free.
And so, this group of people called the Amalekites became intimidated because of the freedom of the Hebrew people. They became intimidated not just because they were free, but because they had moved into a territory that scared Amalek, according to the Bible, the Amalekites are descendants of Amalek. There was a character named Amalek, who was the son of Eliphaz, himself the son of Esau, and Amalek is described as the chief of Amalek among the chiefs of the sons of Esau. From this, it is surmised—though not known or proven—that he ruled a clan or territory named after him, called the Amalekites. Are you hearing what I’m saying? If that is true, it would mean that Jacob and Esau are still fighting; it would mean that the descendants of one are fighting against the other.
According to the Midrash—a group of people who studied the Talmud, ancient Jewish historians—the Amalekites were sorcerers who could transform themselves to resemble animals in order to avoid capture. Thus, in 1 Samuel 15:3, it was considered necessary to destroy the livestock to destroy Amalek. The Amalekites weren’t just descendants of Esau; they were demonic. They dabbled in witchcraft and sorcery, and they engaged in evil and debauchery. They were also known for their willingness to attack the weak; they were merciless. They would kill, taking women and children. You remember at Ziklag how they captured women and children? What kind of army goes after kids and women?
That’s who’s fighting them: ruthless, sorcerous, demonic-infused people. Because the children of Israel were free, they faced obstacles. They had faced bitterness at the waters; they had faced not having enough food, and God had to miraculously provide for them. They had a second bout with thirst, and Moses had to strike the rock so that they could drink from the waters. But when they came to Rephidim, all of a sudden, all hell broke loose because the Amalekites were concerned. You see, Rephidim is the last oasis between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai. When you start getting close to Sinai, I’m almost done; give me some time to lay a foundation. Mount Sinai is the place where God authenticated and legitimized them as a people, not just a family; it was at this point that they became a nation.
It was a coronation service when they received the Ten Commandments and the judgments because God was setting up a nation of people. Just as they were about to enter this inaugural service of being, they arrived at Rephidim. Rephidim means oasis because it was a place of support and rest, filled with palm trees and beauty. It was a desired piece of land. Once you got past Rephidim, you entered the desert wilderness leading up to Sinai. This was the last beautiful place, and when you get close to what God has for you, that’s when the Amalekites come to attack you. That’s when all hell breaks loose; that’s when problems begin to arise. They faced bitter waters, hunger, thirst, and the ambush of the Amalekites. They found themselves in this situation where they seemed to go from knowing Him as a Savior in Egypt to knowing Him as a Provider in the wilderness.
However, they were about to experience Him as a Protector. God will always protect His children, but that doesn’t absolve us of our responsibilities. He is teaching them the responsibility of faith. Faith is aggressive, not passive. Faith is strong, not weak. Faith is confrontational, not hiding. Faith will march on you, and even though the Hebrews were not experienced in warfare, and were more accustomed to being slaves, they still had to fight with the odds stacked against them. They had to fight aggressively and by faith, and we will see Joshua’s first attempt at leadership. In our battle, what happens in this text is an amazing amalgamation of a huge strategy as Moses begins to lay out an attack command for the people he is leading. He has never done it before.
Has God ever given you something to do that you’ve never done? Whether it was as simple as starting a business or raising a child, has God ever given you something for which you had no experience, and you had to strategize in the dark? You had to make it, you had to build it from the ground up. I told somebody about this church: I said there’s not a rafter in this church I haven’t walked through. I’ve been on the roof, I’ve been in the rafters, I’ve been in the walls. I know where everything is, how it was poured, and how this was laid. When you build something from the ground up, you know what’s in it. That’s why it’s good to build from the ground up. When people hand you something, you don’t know what you have. I remember when COVID first started, and we were all sheltering in place.
I told my wife she could get on the app to order food, which we eventually did. But it took her a long time to order because she said, «No, I’ll cook it, because if I cook it, I know what’s in it.» If you build it yourself, you know what’s in it. If somebody hands you something, you don’t know where they’ve been, you don’t know what they’ve been doing, and you don’t know what’s in the food. In the abundance of caution, sometimes you have to build it yourself. God has put them in a situation where Moses has to strategize for the first time. He says to Joshua, who is going into battle for the first time because slaves don’t battle, «Joshua, you take the bulk of the people and go down there and fight this experienced group of witches and hateful people who are trying to attack us and have already started to pick off the stragglers.»
I neglected to tell you that the Amalekites had already started picking off the stragglers. That’s why I wouldn’t be a straggler in church; it’s not good to follow too far to the rear because the enemy picks off stragglers. We are better together; we are stronger together. We have more power together; we have more resources together. Don’t let the enemy push you from the front row to the middle, and then to the back row, until you’re not on any row at all. Little by little, he’s getting you further and further back so he can get a good grip on you. But the devil is a liar! You need to move up and stay in the stream. Sing your song, do your dance. I don’t care where you sit; you ought to clap your hands and praise the Lord. Don’t start straggling because the enemy likes to pick off stragglers.
In our text today, they have already started picking off stragglers, and Moses says, «All right, Joshua, we’ve got to fight.» What I like about it is that it is not Moses’s inclination to lead an army into battle. It is not his inclination, but I don’t care how nice I am; if you push me far enough, if you back me into a corner, I’m a nice guy—I swear I am—I’m really a nice guy. But if you back me into a corner, if you push me where I can’t get around, if you keep coming up in my face and pointing your finger at me, you’re going to get me in that corner. They backed Moses into a corner, and he had to come up with a strategy. His strategy is, «Joshua, you stay down here, and I’m going up here.» Moses’s strategy is high-level war. High-level war! Somebody say that with me: high-level war. Say it again: high-level war!
When I was developing this message, the Holy Spirit told me to tell you this is not a fight on a school bus. The fight we’re in right now is not a school bus fight; it’s not a «meet me after school» fight; it’s not some kind of little fight you and your siblings had over whose bunk bed you were going to sleep in. This is high-level war. This is demonic warfare. This is satanic warfare. This is where the enemy has come after you in ways that you cannot imagine. Many of you need to recognize that in order to fight this kind of devil, seeing as it is a high-level war, you can’t fight this from down here. You can’t fight it on an eye-level basis. You can’t fight it in your flesh; you can’t fight it in a natural way. Sometimes you have to go up high to get the job done. You have to move on up a little higher to get the power of God. I’m not up here worshiping just so Jabari can feel good; I’m worshiping so I can get high enough to do what I have to do to break through what I have to break through to get what God has for me. Somebody praise the Lord, and let’s go on up a little higher! Let’s go up a little higher! Let’s go up a little higher! Let me rephrase that: everybody who’s in a fight, praise the Lord!
So watch this: you’re going to learn something today. You’re going to learn something. David said, «He teaches my fingers to war.» It means that God will teach you how to fight. He’ll teach you how to fight the good fight. He’ll teach you how to fight the good fight of faith because you didn’t learn that in the street; you didn’t learn that in the club; you didn’t learn that in gym class. I know you were on the wrestling team, but you can’t wrestle this devil. You can’t box this devil. You can’t shoot this devil. You can’t cut this devil. This is a spiritual battle, and in order to fight a spiritual battle, you have to be a spiritual person. You have to be a spiritual person. I get nervous when people start telling me they are spiritual because I want to know what kind of spirit they are talking about. There are all kinds of spirits in the world today. What kind of spirit are you talking about? I know your spiritual demons are spiritual; witches are spiritual. Come on, tell me: what kind of spirit are you talking about? I’m not spiritual; I’m a child of the King. I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb. I’m filled with the Holy Ghost. I have the power of God walking down inside of me.
And so, don’t tell me you’re spiritual. We are all spiritual. What kind of spirit are you? Moses says, «I’m going overhead,» and he takes Aaron and Hur with him. He goes overhead, and you can always tell when it’s spiritual warfare because spiritual warfare uses strange weapons. Moses goes up; Joshua goes out. This is a two-dimensional warfare. Moses, without using a sword, a slingshot, or a chariot, just goes to the top of the mountain and does an airstrike. He does an airstrike; he does an airstrike! He doesn’t engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. He’s not wrestling with the enemy; he’s wrestling with the spirit that’s controlling the enemy. He’s wrestling with the principality and power that is using the enemy.
Oh, you all don’t hear what I’m saying. I’m about to get ahead of myself. And so, in order to do this, Moses went as high as he could go, and then he stretched as far as he could stretch. He raised his hand and looked like a fool because spiritual warfare looks stupid. That’s why some intellectual people won’t do it because they’re worried about what they look like. Some cute people won’t do it because they’re worried about what it looks like. But if you get hit hard enough, you won’t care what you look like! You will go into some spiritual warfare. Moses was willing to look like a fool because he said, «I didn’t bring them this far not to take them to the destination they’re supposed to go to.» Woe unto the devil that tries to stop me when I’m after something! Did you hear me? Woe unto the devil that tries to stop me when I’m after something! I’ll cut right through you! When I’m after something, you better move out of my way! Moses stretched forth.
And the Lord told me to tell you that, because this is high-level warfare, you’re going to have to stretch. You’re going to have to be willing to be uncomfortable. You’re going to have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone. You’re going to have to stretch! You’re going to have to stretch in a way that doesn’t even look like you’re doing what you’re doing, and it doesn’t look effective; it doesn’t look like you’re in the battle. Some people are saying you’re a turncoat—that you went up on the mountain when you should have been down there fighting with the people—but you know what you’re doing? You’re going to have to stretch forth your rod! Moses is interceding; this is intercession. This is what’s going to break the yoke. When you take those cute earrings off, get down on your face, and start saying, «Devil, you can’t have my house; the blood is against you!» When you go back to your grandma’s stuff and get you some good old anointed oil and start anointing your doorposts, anointing your bed, and anointing your children in their sleep, I know it looks stupid, but sometimes you have to stretch to get the breakthrough that you need.
Is there anybody in here that remembers the old-fashioned power of the Holy Ghost? This is the time you’re going to have to go into warfare. You’re going to have to get up out of bed and pray for those kids before you send them to school. They’re going into all kinds of stuff! Anoint them with oil, cover them with the blood, plead the blood, and do everything you can! You’ve got to fight high, and you’ve got to fight low. You’ve got to fight high, and you’ve got to fight low. You’ve got to fight high, and you’ve got to fight low. Moses affects the battle without ever drawing a sword because Moses knew the power of intercession. He knew the power of prayer. He knew the power of aligning himself with God. He knew that he had a principality to break over that region.
While Joshua is fighting in the flesh, Moses is fighting in the spirit. Works go to the valley; faith goes to the mountain. Works go to the valley; faith goes to the mountain. Now, you can’t have one without the other! You’ve got to have both because faith without works is dead. So you’ve got to have somebody fighting on the ground while somebody’s conducting airstrikes from above. But you’re going to get a breakthrough! Whoever I’m preaching to, I know you’ve been in a spiritual battle, but the Lord said if you listen closely to this message, it’s a prophetic word of direction to show you how to break the thing that’s trying to break you. We’re going to break it; we’re going to break it! We’re going to annihilate it; we’re going to destroy it! We’re going to break its grip on us, and we’re going to bring it through the power of the Holy Ghost!
Faith goes to the mountain; works go to the valley. Faith does airstrikes; works do hand-to-hand combat. And you’ve got to have both! Look at somebody and say, «It’s going to be an airstrike!» The devil’s not even going to know what hit him. He’s not even going to know what came at him because he’s going to be looking down here, fighting at what he can see, since he can only see at eye level. He doesn’t know that I’m up here working in the heavenlies; that I’m rebuking the principalities and powers in the air; that I’m standing in total agreement for a breakthrough! That’s how I got my breakthrough! That’s how I got my finances! That’s how—y’all didn’t hear what I’m saying—that’s how I got out of debt! That’s how I got on my feet! I had to send works down here; I had to send prayer up here!
I don’t care what’s got you today; shake yourself! It’s coming off today! It’s coming off today! It might not have come off your mama; it might not have come off your daddy, but it’s going to come off for you! We’re going to ride it till we break it! We’re going to ride until we break it! We’re going to ride until we break it! We’re going to pray all up in the balcony; we’re going to pray all out in the vestibule; we’re going to pray all out in the hallway until we rebuke the powers in the air that are coming in the spirit of all hearts! There’s a spirit in the air; there’s a spirit in the air! Hell has loosed fresh demons to control the airwaves, but we’re going to get us some airspace today! It’s about to be some airstrikes going on!
Somebody take about three minutes and go into Holy Ghost praise! You got a minute and a half to launch an airstrike! Drop a bomb this morning! You’re watching me online—drop a bomb! This is an airstrike; it’s an airstrike! You’re going to hit him in the spirit! You’re going to hit it in the spirit; you’re going to break it in the spirit! You’re going to be healed in your spirit before you get healed in your body. You’re going to get loosed in your spirit before you loosen your body. Your finances are coming in your spirit before they come in your wallet! It’s an airstrike; it’s an airstrike!
Sit down! I got to go more. I got more! I got more! I got more! I got to get this to somebody! I got to get this to somebody because the devil’s been having his way with you; he’s been picking off your stragglers; he’s been eating up your crops; he’s been after your field; he’s been after your stuff! But you came on the right Sunday morning because you’re about to get a breakthrough up in here, up in here! It’s going to be some delivery up in here, up in here! And I’m going to show you why Moses had to go high—because it changes your point of view! See, when you’re fighting eye to eye, you think your opponent is at eye level, but when you get high enough, you gain perspective!
The problem is the battle goes on for a while, and this is the problem in the church today. Respectfully, we don’t have any endurance. You can call the church to prayer, and they’re good for about three minutes; maybe five at large. Do you remember when we used to have shut-ins? It would be after the revival, and you stayed over for the shut-in, and you didn’t come out until morning. For 24 hours, you were just praying, talking in tongues, and praying in the spirit. We don’t have the endurance of our elders! We want to have church, but it has to be quick because we have stuff to do! Until we don’t have stuff!
Somebody called it over there— I said, «I know you’re busy. You’re a busy woman of God; you’re a businesswoman. I’m a businesswoman; I’m a boss.» Yeah, you’re a boss until you have nothing to boss! You better take time to be a prayer warrior and an intercessor and get down on your knees, or you won’t have anything to run! I feel like I’m preaching to somebody! I don’t know who it is, but I’m talking to somebody right now.
And you’re all upset because it’s not working out on paper; it’s not working out in the books; it’s not working out in the records! You’re fighting at eye level! You have to get up on the mountain and start saying, Say, «God, I know you started this! You began a good work in my life! I know you spoke this into my spirit! And Lord, as I stand here with you, I rebuke every demonic principality that has hovered over my family for generations and generations! I’m going to be the David that breaks the yoke over my family, that changes the trajectory, that starts a lineage of kings! I’m going to break through! I know I wasn’t in line to be a king! I know I’m not Saul’s son! I know the church didn’t like me; the people didn’t like me; the neighborhood doesn’t like me! And when I go to the grocery store, they don’t even like me! But I’m coming anyway! I’m going to break this yoke until I start a new order! I’m going to be the first Johnson! I’m going to be the first Wilson! I’m going to be the first Matthews! I’m going to be the first Jameson! I’m going to be the first one to break this curse! I’m going to ride until I break it! I’m going to ride until I start a new order!»
Moses went on top, and he broke it up high, but he had to have endurance! Because the truth of the matter is, even though Moses is the preferred prophet of the Old Testament—the one whom God said, «Other prophets have I spoken to through dreams and visions, but of my servant Moses will I speak face to face"—if he were not only a profound prophet, he is also the first pastor of the Old Testament church. That’s why he was trained as a shepherd: because he would lead the children of Israel, and he is an amazing man of God! He is full of miracles! He has stretched forth this same rod across the Red Sea, and the waters have parted. He has struck a rock and turned it into a gushing waterfall.
Moses is back! Moses is blessed! He’s cracked his hands and quail covered the sky; Moses was bad. Nobody would want to go to Moses' church. Moses was bad; he didn’t take any junk. God heard Moses. God heard Moses. God parted the sea for Moses; God broke yokes from Moses. God sent pestilence to Moses' enemy. Moses was a bad man of God. They’d seen him demonstrate; they’d seen his mighty power; they’d seen his mighty way. They had seen the anointing on his life. Even when they didn’t like him, they had to respect him because he was a bad man.
To my wife, «bad» is an African-American colloquialism that doesn’t mean bad; it really means good. So when I say he’s bad, I don’t mean he’s bad; I’ll explain to you later. He was amazing; he was profound; he was prolific; he was articulate. But just because you’re bad doesn’t mean you don’t get tired. Oh, I wish I had a witness in here! I wish I had somebody that everybody thinks is strong, and everybody thinks is invincible, and everybody brings their problems to, because you always know how to fix everything.
And after a while, they start relying on you, and then they start taking you for granted. They don’t understand that I don’t care how anointed you are, how powerful you are, how gifted you are, how wise you are, or how blessed you are; after a while, you get tired. Moses stretched; he stood, and every time he stretched forth his rod—the same rod that parted the waters—every time he did it, Joshua started winning in the valley. So Joshua isn’t just winning because he’s a warrior; he’s winning because he’s got an intercessor. Every time the intercessors intercede, Joshua drives back the Amalekites. But every time Moses got tired and dropped his hands, the Amalekites started to defeat the Hebrews. Because the truth of the matter is, you can only hold your arm up for so long, and after a while, you get tired.
Can I talk to tired people who’ve been through battle after battle after battle? You threw trees into the bitter waters of America; you served quail to people who didn’t even appreciate you. You’ve helped people who grumbled and complained against you; you fed them, you gave them water, as if they were close, while they murmured and complained and questioned your leadership. You stood up to all of it, but the truth of the matter is that you don’t even want to tell anybody. You don’t tell your husband, you don’t tell your wife, you don’t tell your kids—you’ve got nobody to talk to but me. And so, since you don’t have anybody but me, let’s talk; you’re tired. It’s okay to say, «I’m tired.» Yeah, say it again: «I’m tired.»
See, some of us need permission to say it because we can’t even admit «I’m tired» in our own house. We can’t admit it to anybody because we’ve got an image to maintain, and we’ve got to always know what to do; we’ve got to always be strong, always invincible, and always mighty. But the truth of the matter is, I stress this law, and I can stretch, and God, I’m tired. To all my tired brothers and sisters, you need to develop a sustainable system; you by yourself are not sustainable. When all roads lead to you, and you have to answer all questions, and you have to do everything, and you have to fix everything, you can do that for a while, but it’s not sustainable. You’ve had great success being a one-man band; you’ve been an amazing woman.
You’ve done some awesome stuff by yourself—took them on, knocked them out, packed your bags and carried them, threw them in the trunk, drove yourself. You’re bad! You’re amazing! He left, and you thought you weren’t going to make it; you showed him. You took night classes, worked part-time, got an extra job, pulled yourself up, did your own hair, sent the kids off to school, bought the groceries, came home, did the homework, and still sang songs and made it to choir rehearsal. You’re bad! But you’re tired, and it’s okay. It’s okay to be tired; you just have to develop a sustainable system because too much is at stake for your arm to fall. If your arm falls right now, everything you’ve worked for dies.
If your arm falls right now, everybody who depends on you dies. If your arm falls right now, Amalek is going to win; they’re going to divide the people you were born to deliver. If your arm falls right now, you’re going to go into bankruptcy. If your arm falls right now, your kids are going to backslide and go back to where they came from. But you’re tired. So first of all, they put him on a stone; they placed Moses on a rock. They said, «We’re going to shore up your foundation; we’re going to put you on a rock.» You sit on the rock; this rock is Jesus.
Have you ever noticed that half of Moses' miracles were with sticks and stones? The stick is in his hand; he’s sitting on the stone, and Aaron and Hur got under his arms. In order to get the victory, you’re going to have to let somebody help you. Who am I preaching to? Holler at me! I know you’re used to doing everything by yourself, but now in this season, you’re going to have to let somebody help you. Aaron and Hur lifted up his arms all day long; that’s a long time! Hoy, I’ll leave it up to ten o’clock tonight. I want you to sense the reality of this text. Do you know what your arm would feel like if you held it up? By four o’clock, by about twelve o’clock, by five o’clock, it would go numb. By eight o’clock, it would feel like it fell off. You’re going to need some help because this is not a quick fight.
The fight we’re in right now, Pastor Bao, is not a quick fight. This will not be over this weekend; it is a long battle fought by people who are used to quick solutions. It is a long fight; you’re not used to making buttermilk. You don’t know anything about homemade ice cream, and those of you that do, it’s because you bought a machine at JCPenney’s. You don’t know anything about long-grain rice or slow-cooked grits. You don’t know anything about making pancake batter and waffle batter from scratch, or beating egg whites and folding them. And I’m not belittling you; I’m just saying you’re not used to long fights, so you grow weary quickly. And the Lord said this will not be quick; you’re going to have to develop a system that’s sustainable.
Now, let me go quickly to where I’m trying to go. The two-pronged strategy in spiritual warfare has to be supported; spiritual warfare isolated without physical action is impotent. Physical action without spiritual warfare is incapable. Joshua fought with a sword; Moses fought with the rod. Joshua fought with his troops; Moses fought with his God. Joshua fought with soldiers, and Moses fought with the source. Joshua fought on an eye level; Moses fought from the air. You’ve got to have both. I’m almost where I need to be.
Ephesians 6:12–14 says, «For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.» I don’t care if you have to get on a rock and get two people to hold you up; stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. This is going to be an airstrike; somebody say, «It’s going to be an airstrike!» We are not battling against flesh and blood, and you know what really takes us to the mountain? Our mountain is not a geographical location; our mountain is going into the spirit. When we go into the spirit, we defeat what is fighting in the flesh. That’s why when Paul teaches about praying, he says, «I will pray in the spirit, and I will pray with understanding also.» One does not negate the other; you have to do both.
Look at 1 Corinthians 14:14–15: «For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. Do you hear what I’m saying?» See, a lot of us have a prayer language, but we don’t use it anymore. But for this level of demonic attack, you are fighting the Amalekites; you are fighting witches; you are fighting the prince of the air. Do you not know that Satan’s name is the prince of the air? The air is a root word where we get the Greek word «pneuma,» meaning spirit. This is a spirit battle, and when I say «air strikes,» I’m not just talking about air like 40,000 feet above the ground. I’m talking about «pneuma.» I’m talking about the breath of God. I’m talking about «ruach.» I’m talking about spirit.
You don’t have to fight this in your strength; you have to get in the spirit because when you get in the spirit, let me tell you what praying in the spirit will do. The Bible says praying in the spirit will build you up; praying in the spirit will strengthen you; praying in the spirit will fortify you. Start praying in the Holy Ghost! Weigh in the Holy Ghost! Praying in the Holy Ghost! The more you pray, and the more you pray in the spirit, the higher you get. The higher you get, and once you get above it, you can handle it. What is it, then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with understanding. Praying with the spirit is not just praying under the anointing; it’s praying in an unknown tongue. It sounds stupid to say, «I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with understanding also.»
Praying with the spirit means that I don’t understand it. I read the previous verse; the next verse says you have two options. I’m going to pray with understanding—that’s my Joshua. I’m going to send my Joshua in; I’m going to pray with understanding. But my understanding is limited because some of these demons I’m fighting right now, I don’t understand; I don’t know what to tell God to do. I don’t know how to tell God to fix it. But I’m still going to send my Joshua ahead, and when I start praying with understanding, that’s an eye-level prayer. But when I start praying in the spirit, that’s a high mountaintop prayer; that’s an airstrike! And whoever I’m preaching to today, God says you’re going to have to do an airstrike to bring this devil down. You have to be able to work on both dimensions: understanding and spirit.
You’re going to have to be able to sing in English and sing in tongues. You’re going to have to sing in the language; y’all don’t know nothing about singing until. But I came out of the old church, and in the old church, we used this heart singing in tongues. You’re going to have to do an airstrike. If you do an airstrike, there’s going to be a healing! If you do an airstrike, there’s going to be a miracle! If you do an airstrike, the yoke will be broken! Somebody do an airstrike right now! Somebody online, go into an airstrike! I’m going to ride it until I break it. I’m going to break it! I’m going to break it! I don’t care what you turn into! If I do an airstrike, you’re going to come down.
If you turn into a goat, the goat will fall. If you turn into a lion, the lion will fall. If you turn into a bear, the bear will fall. If you turn into Goliath, Goliath will fall! Because I’m about to do an airstrike! I need 30 people to do airstrikes in this place right now—in this place, in this place, online, in your living room, in your kitchen, in your bed, sitting in your living room, sitting at your kitchen table! I feel an airstrike! I feel it! The church has got to go back to old-fashioned power and do an airstrike on the enemy! The anointing of God is in this room, and glory to God! If you open your mouth, something is going to break loose! Break loose! Break loose! Break, break, break, break, break, break!
In the name of Jesus, somebody say, «Yes, Lord!» Somebody say, «Yes!» Slowly, I will pray with understanding. I’m going to pray in the spirit also. I’m sending my understanding here, and I’m sending my Holy Ghost in, and I will defeat the Amalekites. Somebody go to jumping up and down! I’m going to stomp on them! I’m going to press them under my feet! I’m going to bring it under my feet! I’m going to bring it under my feet! Oh, I’m going to bring it under my feet! I’m a fighter! I’ll fight you all day long! I’m going to bring it under my feet! I’m going to tread on serpents! I’m going to pray on serpents!
If you turn into a snake, get ready to be stepped on, because I’m coming through! In the name of Jesus, I’m coming through in power! I’m coming through in victory! I’m coming through under the anointing of the Holy Ghost! I need about a hundred praises to break this yoke in this place! Open up your mouth and begin to praise your God! Praise until hell gets nervous! Praise until demons tremble! Praise until you feel a breakthrough! He’s greater than cancer! He’s greater than leukemia! He’s greater than failure! He’s greater than defeat! Open up your mouth and shout out to God! I’m almost finished. I feel the enemy weakening, and I feel the trash getting stronger. I feel the believers catching on fire! I feel the anointing coming back! Get your strength back! Get your courage back! Get your fight back!
Your drive back drives the devil out of your house, drives the enemy away, drives him back. This is my territory; you can’t have my daughter, you can’t have my son, you can’t have my peace, you can’t have my power, you can’t have my provisions, you can’t have my prophecy. I find you, Satan, in the name of Jesus! Somebody shout «yes!» Stand on your feet and listen to this. You’re already standing? Hmm, hallelujah, hallelujah! Kill the Amalekites! Kill them out! Kill them out! They wouldn’t be fighting you if you weren’t close. They wouldn’t be fighting you if you weren’t on their heads. They wouldn’t be fighting you if God didn’t have it for you. They wouldn’t be fighting you if you weren’t near the mount of your promise. Kill the Amalekites! Don’t pet them, don’t counsel them, don’t cuddle them; kill the Amalekites!
Say that you’ve got to die! Everything you’re trying to do has got to die! It’s got to die! Come on, it’s got to die! It’s not a fighter; it’s getting the whole shot; it’s going to die! Somebody open your mouth and give our God the praise! I have to feel the power of the Holy Ghost. Open up your mouth! I’m going to give you this remaining strength; I’m going to give you this; I’m going to give you this! Oh yes, I’m going to give you something. You’re not in this by yourself. Romans 8:26 says, «In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.»
I want everybody who has been tired; the Holy Spirit stands alongside to help us in our weakness. Do you know who God is anointing today? He’s anointing tired people; he’s renewing their strength. Are there any tired people in here? I’ve got an anointing; I’ve got an anointing for tired people. He’s anointing you with new strength! The Bible says the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Hallelujah to God! Some of you can’t get help because you always try to be strong, but in order to receive this help, you’ve got to admit, «I’m tired.» And if you tell Daddy, «I’m tired,» He’ll help you in your weakness! He’ll help you in your weakness; the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for. I’m praying with understanding, but I do not understand what I ought to pray for. But the Spirit itself intercedes for us with wordless groans that cannot be uttered. The Spirit is lifting up a standard against the enemy! Shout «yes!»
What I’m trying to make you see is that the Holy Ghost is your intercessor. He sits on high with classified information, and He intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. Moses didn’t open his mouth; he just stretched forth his rod. This shows you what the Holy Spirit will do when you’re in a battle. Am I helping anybody over here? If I’m helping somebody over here, make some noise! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! If I’m helping anybody over here, make some noise! Yes! There are a few of you! Yes, yes! If I’m helping anybody over here, make some noise! If I’m helping you online, make some noise! Make a chat, send an emoji, send out a signal, shoot off a prayer, let hell know, «I’m getting stronger!»
If I’m helping anybody over here, make some noise! Yeah! If I’m helping anybody over here, make some noise! Make some noise! Make some noise! Make some noise! Let the whole church make some noise! And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Somebody shake yourself and say, «It’s not His will for me to be defeated! It’s not His will for me to be sick! It’s not His will for me to be broke! It’s not His will for me to be depressed! It’s not His will for me to give up!»
So I know what the Spirit is praying for. I can hear you! So I know what the Spirit is praying for. It’s praying for freedom! It’s praying for strength! It’s praying for victory! It’s praying for… oh God, I feel like preaching! Whoa! It’s praying for my power; it’s praying for my revival; it’s praying for my anointing; it’s praying for my fierceness; it’s praying for my fight; it’s praying for my drive; it’s praying for my stability; it’s praying for the fortitude! Shout «yes!» And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. I’m going to close here; I’m going to stop right here! The Bible said that when it was all over, they called the name of the place Jehovah Nissi; it means «The Lord is my Banner.»
That means He’s the flag I fight under! He’s the flag I fight under! I know I’m going to win because Jehovah Nissi said it online! Jehovah Nissi! Jehovah Nissi! The Lord is our banner! Hallelujah! You’ve got to get through Him before you can have me! The Lord is our… you thought I was up here by myself! What kind of fool are you? I would never try this by myself! The Spirit helps me in my weakness; the Spirit bears my infirmities; the Spirit gives me wisdom; the Spirit gives me power. I want every born-again believer to lift your hands and open your mouth and begin to worship God! Begin to worship God! You’ve been complaining, you’ve been frustrated, you’ve been self-medicating, you’ve been doing all kinds of stuff trying to get through this. But what you need is a praying spirit! You need a praying spirit! You need a praying spirit! You need a praying spirit! You need a praying spirit!
Lift your hand and open your mouth! We need a praying spirit! What you need, all the way up in the balcony! We need a praying spirit! You’re watching me in Nigeria; you need a praying spirit! You’re watching me in London; you need a praying spirit! In Birmingham, you need a praying spirit! South America, you need a praying spirit! Belize, you need a praying spirit! Jamaica, Botswana, you need a praying spirit! Cuba, yes, you need a praying spirit! Brazil, you need a praying spirit! In order to get out of this, how many will make a fresh commitment to praying in the Spirit? God told me He wants to do an airstrike, but you need to release that Holy Ghost that’s trapped up in your belly! It’s buried under all your feelings, opinions, and ideas. God’s waiting for you to start praying in the Spirit to fix that thing! Okay? He’ll fix it! He’ll fix it if you open your mouth and start praying in the Holy Ghost!
If you start praying in the Holy Ghost, we’ll do an airstrike! Lord, give me a praying spirit! Yes, yes, Lord! When I pray, give me the words, Lord! I don’t trust myself to pray right now—to break it, to destroy it, to bring it down to its knees. I’m going to bring it down; I’m going to bring it all the way! Yes! Oh yes, you got it from me! You got it for me! Whatever you say, it’s a yes from me, Lord! From my heart, I’ll give you my yes, Lord! From my heart, I’ll give you my yes, Lord! I’ll give you my yes! You got a yes from me! Help me to say yes, Lord! Help me to say yes, Lord!
As we come to the close of this service, I want you to understand a few things. I was never preaching about Amalek or Moses; I was never preaching about Rephidim. I was always just using them as an example to show you how to launch a multi-level attack. I was trying to show you that you can fight on the ground and fight from the air. I was doing it because the Holy Spirit said for that demonic influence that we are fighting right now, unlike anything we have ever seen in all our lives, we’re going to have to do an airstrike! We’re going to have to strike it up here and here—faith and works, understanding and spirit. I wanted you to know that God is standing alongside to help your infirmity, and not just the idea of God, but the Holy Spirit in particular, who is God, but points to a different aspect.
The Holy Spirit is waiting on you to admit, «I don’t know what to say! I don’t know how to understand it! I don’t know what to do! I need your help to give me a sustainable strategy!» My arm hurts; my arm hurts! Get up under me because I can’t drop down! Lift both your hands straight up in there! I can’t drop down! Holy Spirit, come on in and help me! Help me with this! If you say that from your heart, there’s no way you can leave here the same. If you say that from your heart, there’s no way you can watch this broadcast and still be the same!
This is an airstrike! There it is! He’s moving around the room right now! Somebody’s getting a breakthrough! You better get yours! This is an airstrike! This is an airstrike! It’s an airstrike! It’s an airstrike! Holy Ghost! Holy Ghost! Holy Ghost! We will strike back! We’re not slaves anymore! The Hebrews were slaves; they’re not slaves anymore! I’ll fight! I’ll go back! I’ll fight; I fight you in the Holy Ghost! I’ll fight you in the flesh! I’m launching a new warfare! I’m going to fight on both levels! I’m going to fight on both levels! You will not drive me back to the Red Sea! If there’s a person in this room that doesn’t know Jesus—you ain’t got nothing to fight with! I love you, but you ain’t got nothing to fight with, because this is a spiritual warfare! And if we were in a club, you’d know what to do! And if we were in the street, you’d know what to do! And if we were in a strip club, you’d know what to do! And if we were fighting in the flesh, you’re good! But this is a spiritual battle, and in order to fight a spiritual fight, it starts with giving your life to Jesus!
Look here! Listen to me! You’re living in the book of Revelation! Before one plague is over, here comes another plague! Before that other plague is over, here comes another plague! All of this was prophesied thousands of years ago! All of it was prophesied thousands of years ago! Men becoming lovers of their own selves, all of this was prophesied years ago! You are living in the book of Revelation! Races against races, ethnos against ethnos, generations against generations— all of that’s biblical! Everything you’re reading in your Bible is biblical! The conflict in the Middle East is biblical! The war for Jerusalem is biblical! You are living in the book of Revelation!
And if you don’t know Jesus, getting high ain’t gonna help you! If you don’t know Jesus, getting drunk won’t fix it! Ain’t none of them girls you got gonna fix it! Ain’t none of them boys you got gonna fix it! This is serious! People died; six hundred thousand people died in America, and America has paid little attention! Three thousand people died in the World Trade Centers, and America almost stopped meeting over three thousand people! Six hundred thousand people died and they didn’t even turn around! The White House is breached; completely breached! People climbing over the walls into the building, and everybody is tourists! I mean, the people they were protecting for power are willing to ignore it!
This is the book of Revelation! If you don’t know Jesus right now, I mean like right now—no more excuses! You won’t let sex send you to hell! Is it that good that you’re willing to ignore Jesus? What kind of drugs got you so high that you can’t see? I don’t believe in preachers—fine! Don’t believe in me! I don’t care! I don’t care! I don’t care! You don’t believe the Bible? That’s fine! Believe your newspaper! Believe the news! Believe the White House! Believe the wall scale! Believe the war in Afghanistan and the unrest in Israel! Believe the plagues that are killing in your community, your relatives, your friends' relatives! And then go back and get the Bible! Maybe you’ll pay the preacher some attention! Not because I’m good, not because I’m perfect, I’m weak, I’m flesh, I’m dust, just like you!
The only difference is, He called me to be a watchman on the wall to warn you—to tell you what’s up! If I were you, man, please hear me! Black man, white man, red man, I don’t care how you describe yourself, blue man, democrat, republican, millennial, ex-boomer, I don’t care what kind of name you put on it! You’re a soul, and you’re going to die! You’re going to die like you came! You came naked; you’re going to die naked! Not one suit, not one diamond, not one necklace—nothing you got is going with you! You’re going to die just like you came! Naked! Strip naked! No titles, no power, no degrees over your casket! You can’t take none of that stuff with you; it’s all going to stay here!
The only thing that matters is, do you know Jesus? I wouldn’t let this service close! If I was a backslider or I was a setup, I wouldn’t let this service close! It’s just as dangerous as walking through the hood at midnight unarmed, unprepared! You have no weapons for this kind of fight! This is a spiritual fight! It’s like being dropped into a war zone, and you ain’t got nothing but a butter knife! You got no weapons! You need Jesus! He doesn’t need you; He’ll be Jesus whether you come or not! You need Him! And whether you’re in the balcony, the back row, the front, the stage, or watching online—I invite you to Jesus! I invite you to Jesus! Every head bowed, every eye closed, if you are in this room, I will not beg you, I will not plead with you; I will just invite you!
If you are in this room and you are not right with God, come right now, yes, right now; right this minute. If you’re online, there’s a number on the screen to call if there is one. I’m almost finished. If you’re trying to outweigh me, you’re going to win because God has been good enough that if you don’t want Him now, your life is in your own hands. I’m going to wash my hands, I’m going to wash my hands, I’m going to wash my hands because if I don’t warn you, your blood is required on my hands. But if I warn you and you don’t come, the blood is not required on my hands. I’m getting ready to wash my hands. Come stand right here, come stand right here, stand right here. I’m getting ready to wash my hands. You need Jesus; you can’t live without Him, you can’t live without Him. You need Him in your life. It’s not about being perfect; it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being sincere. You need Jesus.
This planet is going crazy—the whole planet! It ain’t just America; the whole globe is going absolutely nuts. I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s nowhere to hide, there’s no way to run, there’s no place to go where this stuff isn’t going on. You need Jesus. Anyone? Anyone else? Last call! Anyone else? Come on down; you need Him, you need Him. If you’re in the balcony, come and hold your hand up, or if you’re just trying to sneak out, that’s fine. Just come and hold your hand up so I know to wait on you. This is real, this is real. You need Jesus; you need Him, you need Him in your life. You need Him in your life, you need Him in your business, you need Him in your mind, you need Him in your heart, you need Him in your soul. You need Jesus, you need Him!
I don’t care what you’re wearing, I don’t care what it looks like, I don’t care about the color of your skin, I don’t care what you think of yourself; you need Jesus. You’re not prepared for this without Jesus. You’re not prepared, you’re not prepared without Jesus. I’m not asking you if you were baptized when you were 12 because your grandmother pushed you into the pool. I want to know if you have a real, vibrant relationship with Jesus. Don’t fake the funk; get up here. This is real, this is real. You talk about keeping it 100; this is keeping it 100. You need Jesus, you need Jesus. Nothing works without Him. Oh, nothing works! Spread out, we’re going to keep distance. Spread out! Nothing works without Jesus, nothing works without Jesus, nothing works without Jesus.
Spread out! Nothing works without Jesus, nothing works without Jesus, nothing works without Jesus. I’m not saying that getting saved means you won’t have problems; I’m just saying that when you get saved, you have help. You have real help with the crazy stuff. I’m saying I’m tired of burying y’all, I’m tired of the graveside services, I’m tired of the funerals, I’m tired of the senseless killings. I’m tired of the murder rate being out of control. I’m tired of young people dying before they even get to see who they are. I’m tired of it! You don’t have to live like that; you don’t have to be that way. It’s not supposed to be that way; you’re not supposed to be dead at 30. It’s sick—that’s sick, man; that’s sick!
You’re supposed to live long enough to walk your daughter down the aisle. You’re supposed to live long enough to say goodbye to your parents. You’re supposed to be at your kids' graduation. You’re supposed to survive. The storm that’s in Louisiana today could be in Dallas tomorrow. Nothing keeps us safe anymore; we’re not safe anywhere. So you better be saved because you sure ain’t safe; your soul ain’t safe! I don’t care how much money you have, I don’t care what you paid for your house; you ain’t safe in it. A hurricane doesn’t consider the price of the house and just pulls it up by the roof! Pastor Phillips, I want you to come and pray for those who are gathered around this altar.
Today is the day of salvation! Look at these souls, look at these souls. You singers, come up here, come up here, come up here. You help bring these young people to Jesus because they saw you sing His praise, worship His name, and glorify Him. You are important; I cannot do this without you. I can preach, but you can convince them by singing that song—lifting Him up; that’s all: lifting my arms up—that song lifts my arms up. It lifts my arms up; the man of God I chose comes to pray for you. If it were not for the grace of God, I would have been locked up in jail for drugs. I can’t tell his testimony like he can; now he’s preaching the gospel. You watch it online; do not miss this opportunity to give your life to Christ. If you believe this ministry is effective, support this ministry; support this ministry. It’s one of the few left that operates on both dimensions. Come on, man of God!