Toure Roberts - The Power of Belief (01/15/2026)
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This sermon is all about how powerful belief really is—God has given every single one of us a personal measure of faith, that inner conviction He plants in our hearts to trust what He's spoken over our lives. Drawing from key passages like John 1 (where the Word becomes flesh), Romans 12:3 (God dealing each person a measure of faith), and others, the preacher stresses that destiny unfolds when we mix God's spoken word with our belief in it. In the end, he calls everyone to resurrect that belief, hold on through the waiting, and trust that what's been promised will not only manifest but dwell with us, because God's not done yet—there's more unfolding ahead.
God’s Not Finished With You
I’m gonna jump right into this word. I believe it’s a timely message for all of us. I believe it’s gonna dig deep, and I believe it’s gonna restore something that’s gonna give you strength, joy, faith, and perhaps even creativity and strategy to move forward because God’s not finished with you. Do me a favor, just tell somebody, «God’s not finished with you! It’s not finished with you! It’s not finished with you!» I feel that he’s not finished; he’s not finished. It’s not over, and in fact, I believe it just might be getting started for some of you. Are you tracking with me?
It just might be getting started. It’s not finished; there’s more, there’s more! I feel that. I want somebody to catch that in their spirit. You’re watching via live stream—just catch it in your spirit! There’s more, there’s more, there’s more! Life is about an unfolding, right? Life doesn’t just happen; life unfolds. That’s why we can’t give up before we grow up. You understand what I’m saying? I can’t give up before I grow up because things are still unfolding. There’s another dimension to me. I feel the presence of God; there’s another dimension to you, right? Sometimes people won’t get that, and they’ll count you out, start downgrading you, and they’ll stop betting on you, but you just gotta make sure you don’t stop betting on yourself.
There’s another fold, I feel it; there’s another fold that’s coming and a whole other way and dimension. I feel like there’s a restoration, there’s a renewal, and it’s coming. It’s awesome, and it’s gonna make sense, and everything is gonna add up because he causes all things. You’ll get it. I like this place; I like this place right here. I’m gonna read a couple of passages of Scripture that I believe will underscore the thought I have for today. Today, I want to talk about the power of belief—the power of belief. I know it sounds simple, but it’s much deeper than that. To believe is powerful; it’s powerful.
Foundational Scriptures: John 1 and Romans 12:3
But I want to read two passages of Scripture right off the gate; these are foundational scriptures. When you go home and study, you can look at these passages again. The first one is in John 1, and we’ll read the first three verses there and then we’ll read verse 14. So, one through three, and then we’ll skip to verse 14. These are foundational, and then we’re gonna read Romans 12:3. John 1 says, «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He, the Word, was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, through the Word, and without Him, without the Word, nothing was made that was made.» In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. All things were manifest through Him, through the Word. It’s gonna make sense in a second, and without the Word, nothing was made that was made.
In the beginning was the Word, and then the Word started making things, and everything that was made was made through the Word, right? Then it says, if we jump down to verse 14, «And the Word became flesh.» So what was said became seen, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. I’m gonna break that down, and then we’ll go over to Romans 12:3. These are foundational passages. It says, «For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.»
Opening Prayer
So, Lord, I just thank you for this moment, for this gathering, and thank you for your people assembled here, the people that are watching via livestream, the people that will watch. I just thank you, God, that in this atmosphere, your rich love will be palpable. God, you know every personality; you know every season; you know every situation; you know every individual in this room. You know our unique needs; you know the needs we have that we can’t even articulate. God, I pray that in this service, you would reveal a solution to a problem we didn’t know we had and edify us and build us up. God, I pray that we wouldn’t leave here the same, but we leave here sharpened, clear, and focused, with strategy for living and great breakthrough.
And God, I thank you, as your servant in this moment, that you would give me the spirit of wisdom, revelation, knowledge, prophecy, insight, and all of heaven’s treasures and resources to communicate truths that are empowering and enlightening to the people you love the most. So I just thank you; I’m yours. And God, as we spend these few minutes together, we pray that by the end, we will leave out of here richer, sharper. Where there was confusion, may there be clarity. Where there was weakness, may there be strength. Where there was doubt, may there be faith. We love you; we thank you; we claim it done in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen.
Unpacking Romans 12:3 – Think Highly of Yourself
All right, here we go. The first thing I want to do is unpack a truth hidden in the passage in Romans chapter 12, verse 3, that I really want us to explore. You would miss that truth if you focus on the wrong thing in this passage. This passage essentially says not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and that God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. A lot of times, that passage of Scripture can be used to promote a sense of false humility. If you read it and put the emphasis on the wrong things, you may think that this passage is telling you not to think more of yourself than you should. The emphasis, however, is that you should think highly of yourself. That doesn’t sound very spiritual, does it? No, you actually should think high of yourself. In fact, the only reason why the caution is there is that you should think highly of yourself, just not higher than you ought to.
I want to show you something about you that you may not know. In fact, it’s in Psalm chapter 8, verses 4 and 5. There’s something you should know about yourself. I believe that God has been trying to get us to understand who we really are from the beginning of humankind’s creation. Our identity and perspective about ourselves are everything because they determine how we will engage with life and what we will expect out of it.
So, let’s look at Psalm 8. I want you to check this verse out. If you were exposed to the third night of the revival service in Denver, you might already know this, but this is really important. It says, «What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you visit him?» Then it says, «For you have made him a little lower than…»
But that’s a problem because the Hebrew word that was translated there does not mean «angel.» There’s another word, «malach,» which means angels. The word used here is «Elohim,» which refers to God. If you go back to Genesis, it says, «In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.»
So, we have a problem with this text. That’s why you always have to study the original languages. It’s one thing to say you have been made a little lower than an angel, which has its issues; however, it’s another thing to believe you were made a little lower than Elohim, a little lower than God Himself. In fact, we were created in God’s image. We are the only beings in all of God’s creation that were made in His likeness. We were not created a little lower than angels.
In fact, here is the truth about angels: angels are supposed to serve you. If you serve God, you’ve got to get that. Angels are assigned to fulfill God’s purposes and plans. If your life is committed to God’s purposes and plans, that means angels will work for you, which means you are not lower than them.
This is not where I wanted to go, but do you understand what I’m saying? He’s saying that He made you a little lower than Him, which means you should think highly of yourself. You should not be self-deprecating, and you’re supposed to think— in fact, you should think so highly of yourself that you will continue to ask yourself the question, «Who am I really?» like, «Who am I really? God, when you saw me before you put me in my mother’s womb, what did you really see? God, what are you seeing about me that I am yet to see?»
Are you tracking with me? Because you were made not a little lower than angels; you were made a little lower than God. That’s pretty serious, and it kind of messes with your religion a little bit because it has always been about God. But you have to understand that, to a certain degree, it is about you. If you don’t perceive that it’s about you and what God has placed inside of you for His glory, then you will miss what God has for you in life.
The Measure of Faith God Has Given Everyone
But the exciting thing about that passage, back in Romans chapter 12, verse 3, is the revelation about what God has given to every person. He says, «Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought.» How do you think more highly of yourself than you ought? It’s when you think that you are higher than God, or when you think that you and God are equal. That’s when you think more highly of yourself than you ought to. But it’s also when you think more highly of yourself than another human being. That’s why sexism, racism, and every other type of ism—when one person believes they are superior to another—are so wrong.
Because it clearly states that God has given everyone a measure of faith, that’s kind of what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about what God has given you. That word «faith,» which was translated there, is a Greek word—"pistis"—and it means «belief.» It has the sub-meaning of «persuasion.» What that means is that God has given every person a belief, a measure of belief. God’s guarantee that you will become everything He created you to be is this measure of belief He’s given you.
Some of you have been believing something about yourself for a long time, and maybe you don’t even know when it started. But there is something in you that says, «I can do that.» Typically, you discover that when you’re a kid, right? You just say, «I can do that.» That’s a gift from God. It doesn’t even come from you; it’s something God has dealt to you.
Let me put it this way: when God purposes to do something in your life, He does not give you the thing; He gives you faith that will produce the thing. I’m going to teach this, and I don’t mean for it to be shouting today. It’s just going to be a teaching moment. You don’t mind, do you? I want you to understand that the way God works is, when He purposes to do something in your life, He gives you the seed of belief for it. He gives you a seed. He deals you this measure—just enough to get you to believe something that He desires for you.
God Works in You to Will and to Do
Let me show you another passage. Go to Philippians chapter 2, verse 13. This is beautiful. Look at this. It says, «For it is God who works in you both to will» —that’s to desire—"and to do» —that’s to accomplish—for His good pleasure. So, God puts something in you that makes you believe, desire, and accomplish what He expects from you. Some of these ideas that you think are your ideas aren’t even your ideas. They’re God’s ideas. Some of these dreams are not even your dreams; they are God’s dreams. There are things that God has placed in you that, if you follow them and hold on to that belief, will allow you to be what God saw before He put you in your mother’s womb.
Are you hearing me? Let’s take our time here.
Jeremiah 1:4-5— you’ve seen this. You know it. It says, «God says, 'Before I formed you in the belly or in your mother’s womb, I knew you. I sanctified you.'» That means, «I set you apart.» «I ordained you.» That means, «I appointed you for something.» You are here because there is an idea in God’s mind concerning the whole of your life. What God does is, as His guarantee you have an opportunity to fulfill that desire, is He begins to put desire in you and He begins to put faith in you. Sometimes there’s something in you that looks at something and says, «I can do that.» You don’t know where it came from. You don’t know where it started, but there is this innate belief inside of you, and you’re just crazy enough to believe that you can do something outrageous, like change the world. You think it’s your dream, but it actually started with God. It’s actually God’s dream.
But you will always have to fight for your belief. There are so many things like discouragement, distraction, and disappointment that will war against the most powerful thing you have, and the most powerful thing you have is belief. By the time we finish today, I believe that God is going to stir up your belief in this house and in your heart for what He has for you, like nothing else. Because some of you just need to jumpstart your belief because, somehow, you stopped believing.
Personal Testimony: Building the Church Through Belief
In that Philippians 2:13 passage, it says that it’s Him working. He puts something in you to cause you to think that you can, to know that you can. I’ve just got to tell you: this church is my testimony. This is my church; I don’t come from a long line of preachers. In fact, I’m a first-generation pastor, minister, speaker. I built data centers and computer rooms for companies; that’s what I did for a living. But God put this belief in my heart, and He gave me something when I had nothing— when I had no materials, when I had no building materials. God put this belief in my heart that, through Him, I could change people’s lives the same way He changed my life.
I had no mentor—let’s be real. I didn’t have a mentor. I had no seminary experience. I was barely going to church at all, but God gave me this belief that said, «Man, I can totally do this thing.» Now, fast forward 16 years later, that was in 2002, and now, almost 17 years later, there are thousands of people in the cities, hundreds of thousands of people online, three books, a television show—all of these things. Guess what? What procured all of those things was not the right relationships; it was not mentorship. It was one very, very powerful thing called belief.
Are you tracking with me? That’s what did it! So, God gave me this measure of faith that gave me something; and everyone in here has something that God has dealt to you. Sometimes it gets covered up; sometimes it gets suppressed by life, but it’s in you. I want you to find it again because it’s powerful.
Destiny as Partnership: What God Brings and What We Bring
Destiny is a partnership with God. If you think about any partnership—whether in a corporation, a business, or whatever—when you think about a partnership, you have multiple parties that bring something to the table. When they bring what they have to the table, that’s what makes the partnership rock. Are you tracking with me?
So, in life, what God brings to the table is His word, and He brings a word that He gives you grace to believe. Do you have a word? You are here because God has spoken something to you, and He has given you the grace to believe it, right? So, what God brings to the table is He brings that word. In that word is the grace to believe, and then He also brings the ability to manifest that word.
What we bring to the table is belief. God doesn’t ask for anything else. You don’t have to bring a million dollars or even five dollars. What you bring is belief because God knows that if you believe, all you have to do is believe that the seed is sown. If you believe long enough, it’s going to be manifest.
The Word Becoming Flesh
Let’s look at that passage in John 1 very quickly, and I think it will kind of bring it together. John 1 says, «In the beginning was the Word,"—it’s a Greek word, logos. It means the things said. We’re not talking about something that was written; we’re talking about something that was spoken. Right?
In the beginning was the logos. But then later on, it says, «And the logos became flesh.» In other words, what was said became seen. I want you to understand the process of the unfolding of destiny; it always starts with something said and something ultimately believed.
So in the beginning, if you go back to the beginning of anything—even to the beginning of you—there is something said that God causes you to believe. He has a way of getting what is said to you. Sometimes it’s in a sermon, through reading—it can be a sound, it can be a thought to you—but God has to get to you what He said so that you can believe it. Your part is to believe it.
When your belief and what He said get together, you create something incredible called destiny, and you begin to profit from it. Are you tracking?
Mixing the Word with Faith
Let me show you something quickly. I’m going to mix it all together, give it a bow on top, and then we’re going to go home. Go to Hebrews chapter 4, verse 2. Let me show you something important. While we’re going there, just turn to somebody and say, «You’ve got a word, you’ve got a word.»
So look at this. Check this out. This is deep: «For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them.» It tells us why: «Not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.»
He’s breaking down two groups of people—those who heard and those who had faith. You’ve got to mix your faith; that’s what you bring to the table. God speaks, and you bring your faith to the table. Faith and belief are simply decisions; that’s all it is. It is simply deciding, «I am going to believe what God says.»
When that happens, something happens inside of you. That belief creates, and for some of you, there is creativity to produce what God said. When you simply believe that He said it, then you engage your creativity effectively.
All right? We’re almost done. Let’s go back to John 1. It says, «In the beginning was the Word.» So everything starts with a word. God does not give you things in their potential; He gives you things full of potential. So all of us start with a word—something that God speaks to us some sort of way. What He speaks to us He causes us to believe in, and that’s how it starts.
There’s no way around it. I wish I could tell you that God will give you your life and just slam it down in front of you, and it’s already set. No, He does not do that; He gives you your life in seed form. Seed form is the word; it’s what He causes you to believe.
As you hold onto that seed and mix your faith with that seed, in the process of time, you will go from that thing said to that thing seen. In the beginning was the word; everything starts with a word. You don’t start with the thing; you start with a word, and the word is the thing in seed form. Are you tracking with me?
That’s why you cannot say, «All I have is a word.» All I have is a promise. That is all you will ever get. You just hold onto that promise, and in the process of time, that seed will grow, and it will become everything and even more than what God said.
I have this quote that I want to share: «The word is the truth that God causes us to believe in seed form that, if we hold to it, will mature and be manifest in our lives.» You have to pay attention to what God causes you to believe.
Your Future Is Growing in Seed Form
I want to emphasize this: your future is in seed form right now, and it’s growing. If you hold onto it, it will be absolutely incredible. That’s why God dealt every man a measure of faith.
Take my time, take my time. This is crazy. I shouldn’t even be here. No background, no pedigree—I’m the first pastor in my family. And sometimes it’s better to not learn only to have to unlearn. But I’m not telling you something that I read. It just hit me the other day—“God, how did you do it?»
And it’s simple because you believed me. You never stopped believing. Even when your life looked nothing like what He said. Here’s the thing: sometimes we expect too early. Sometimes we expect a harvest in seed season, and we get discouraged.
You know everyone says that delayed is not denied, right? I kind of understand what that means, but that’s not really true. Because it’s not delayed; it’s that you had a timetable based on what you thought or where you thought you should be at a certain time. You thought more highly of yourself and put yourself in the stead of God and said, «By the time I was 30, I should have this and that in hand, or by golly, by the time I’m 40, I should definitely have that house.»
«Oh no, God, no!» What you fail to realize is that what God wants to do in your life is bigger than you think. What God is doing in your life is supposed to affect your children and your children’s children, as well as generations not yet born.
So you just look at your little timeline and say, «It’s all about me,» but you are bigger than yourself. There are generations assigned to you. You’re not even living for yourself; you’re living for generations that are not yet born. That’s why God causes you to believe incredible things.
Most people, even biblically, didn’t come to their greatness until they were in their 80s. Don’t get discouraged; don’t get discouraged.
I think there’s a principle there for us. They didn’t just get a cute little blessing; they were not blessed with a house and a new car. That’s a cute little blessing. What God has for you is so much bigger than that. It can’t even be fit into the lifetime of you.
So, it takes time to cultivate and develop your name. God desires for your life and legacy to carry on long after you’re gone. Your life is supposed to echo and echo and echo long after you leave. You’ll be in heaven, and people will still be talking about you and your impact. Your great-great-great-grandchildren will be blessed because of you.
That’s what the Bible says: «A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.» Now, that type of miracle takes time.
It takes time, family. You have to live in such a way that you leave an inheritance for your children’s children. I’m not just talking about finances either; I’m talking about the essence of who you are: the spirit of who you are, the integrity of who you are, the faith of who you are, the revolutionist that you are—everything.
You want to give that. Because if you just give money and you don’t give that essence, the money will be gone. It takes time to become you. It takes time to become you.
It seems like the majority of the time is spent discovering who you are not. That’s why it takes so long. You spend 80 percent of the time discovering who you are not instead of discovering who you are.
Finding Your Rhythm and Stride
I’ve learned that, as you grow in God and experience God, your life does not broaden and get bigger; it actually gets more defined and fine-tuned. There are some things you have zero time or tolerance for.
The more you become you, the less things you entertain. Because you are on a mission, and if it’s not who you are authentically, it cannot be in your universe. Your greatness is in your distinction; it’s not in your randomness.
I feel God. When you get with God, you become more streamlined. You know who you are, and you love everybody. But you can’t rock with everybody because there’s a rhythm to your life.
If you’re not in the same rhythm and pace, how can you walk together? You can agree and love each other, but if you’re not in the same rhythm, then that’s okay. You’re not better than me, and I’m not better than you.
I’m on my way to something because my steps are being ordered. There’s a rhythm and cadence to my success, greatness, and breakthrough. I can’t have a whole bunch of people around me unless they have my rhythm.
It takes time to find your rhythm. It takes a minute. Sometimes you trip up—it takes a minute to learn it. But once you find your rhythm, once you find your stride, once you find yourself, once you discover who God created you to be, things will explode. You will start running without tripping.
Restoration is coming. I feel this for some of you. When you get your rhythm, there’s going to be an acceleration. You thought it took a long time? No, you were just getting your rhythm.
You were just getting your step. But when God gives you your step and your rhythm, you go from walking to running—to flying! It’s not supposed to happen right now because you don’t have your rhythm. You’re still stepping on your feet or stepping on other people’s feet; you don’t have your rhythm yet.
Let God do His work. What you do in the meantime is keep believing. There’s a reason why it’s taking longer than you think. There’s a reason why He doesn’t answer prayers overnight. Sometimes the miracle is in the wait season in between your prayer requests and the manifestation.
Sometimes the miracle is between the logos and the manifestation. Are you tracking with me?
I’m becoming something. I’m becoming. Don’t give it to me now because I’ll mess it up. God, I’m becoming something. I’ve got to keep believing. You’re going to see what He said. You’ve got to believe in your measure of faith.
God gave it to you. You don’t even know who you are yet; you have no idea what’s inside of you. I’ve got to get my belief together because my belief is the channel through which my greatness flows. I’ve got to get my belief together.
There are so many things in your head, and many things come against you. A lot of times, you’re comparing your greatness with somebody else’s. But God has dealt every man a measure of faith.
That means, «I’ve given everybody something.» Sometimes what keeps me from my thing is focusing on somebody else’s thing. Come on, somebody—it’s Grammy Sunday. «Why didn’t I get mine? When is it going to happen for me?»
If you would stop looking at the next person’s thing and begin to work what God has placed on the inside of you, you’re going to thrive.
I feel God! I feel God!
What if what God is doing is so radical with you that it takes time to cultivate? It’s going to take highs and lows, ups and downs, disappointments— but when you hit your stride…
Just turn to your neighbor and say, «Your stride is coming! Your stride is coming! Your stride is coming! Your stride is coming!»
I promise you, it’s coming! It’s coming! Your stride is coming.
It’s not going to be too late; it’s going to be right on time.
There’s another unfolding getting ready to happen in your life. A door is getting ready to open for you that radically changes everything in your life.
It’s coming! I didn’t come here to hype you up; I came here to tell you the truth: it’s coming! Your belief has power. That’s why everything comes against your belief because your belief has power.
How is it going to happen? It’s going to happen by your faith. That’s how it’s going to happen.
The Power of Deciding to Believe
Let me tell you what belief says. Belief doesn’t say, «Man, I think I can do it.» Belief doesn’t say, «I think I can get it.» That’s not belief.
Belief says, «God caused me to believe it, and God cannot lie. Therefore, it’s mine! I can do it!»
You’ve got to get this! I won’t stop talking until you get this. You’ve got to get this; you’ve got to get this! There’s power in belief!
We all have an analyst inside of us. That’s part of what makes us like God. We have the cognitive ability to figure things out and think—it’s wonderful. But sometimes, even the best computers can buffer or get overloaded and slow down.
Sometimes overthinking causes us to do nothing; it just spins out of control, and we may have to shut it down completely and reset it. Sometimes we overthink things; we allow overthinking to rob us of the gift of belief.
Belief is a gift! It is a gift! The beautiful thing about the measure of faith that God gives is that the measure of faith is based on something God said, which means it’s credible.
You don’t have to do your due diligence. You understand what I’m saying? There are some deals I will never do unless I do my due diligence; that’s because I’m trying to figure out whether or not it’s God. But when God speaks to you and gives you a word, there is no due diligence!
What are you going to do, ask God for His credentials? «Lord, when was the last time you created something?»
It saves you the trouble of buffering—saves you the time, trouble, energy, and effort of buffering. It makes you decide, «Man, I believe it.»
That’s what we’re going to land on today, and you make a decision, «God, I believe!»
I feel that I have to get this out for some of you. Your joy, your creativity—some of you have been experiencing creative blocks. You’re stuck, and you’re almost asking, «What’s next?»
By simply deciding to believe what God said, your joy and resurgence of creativity beyond you are going to be unleashed, restored, and renewed.
Until you believe, your creativity works against you because you’re using creativity to validate the credibility of the word. When you believe, creativity is released to produce the word.
Do you understand what I’m saying? It’s simple, family! People make faith look hard, but you just need to believe!
That’s outside your control. Belief is a gift from God; it’s within your control. You can literally turn on the switch and choose to believe, and it recolors your universe with possibilities instead of impossibilities.
When you believe, you recognize that what God has shown you is true. Sometimes it’s not a voice that comes from Heaven; sometimes it’s just a knowing.
In the Scriptures, there is a Greek word that means «an organ of perception.» That word is only in the Bible one time, and it speaks to how the same God who created the ear to hear audibly, the eye to see visibly, and the tongue to taste—why would He not give you a spiritual organ to perceive what He’s saying?
You’ve got an organ of perception. God has a way of getting truth to you. It’s God who works in you. He has a way of getting truth to you that allows you to perceive it.
If you make the decision to believe, it will open up everything. Everything! The instruction, the word—so it says in the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Everything that was made was made by the Word, and then that word became flesh and dwelt among us.
There’s so much there!
It started with the word, and everything created was by that word—by that communication that God gets to us. Then He gives us a measure of faith so that we can believe in that communication.
It says everything that was created was created by that word. The manifestation of the word was not the creation of the word. The partnership between the word and your belief is what created the manifestation.
Conception Through Belief
When does it really manifest? Is it manifest when I see it, or does it manifest at the point of conception? The point of conception is when my belief engages with what He said.
If we look back at Hebrews 4:2, it says, «The word did not profit some, not being mixed with faith.» It’s almost like an egg.
I am not a biologist; I’m not a doctor. I feel somewhat unqualified, but let’s see if we can get this analogy. The egg without sperm cannot produce a baby. All the ingredients are nearby, but what creates the baby is when the sperm and egg come together.
When they hook up, then something can be produced, even though it takes time for the baby to be born. Are you tracking with me?
So manifestation should really be when you are most excited. Why would you be excited about something you expected? That means you didn’t really expect it, right?
I want God to move in your life in such a way that manifestation comes, and you can say, «Yep, I knew it. What’s next?»
It’s as simple as a decision. That’s it! One of my kids, my second youngest daughter, is amazing. She’s beautiful. We’re working on her words right now. Sometimes she has these moments where she talks negatively.
You can’t talk her up; she’s just like, «Dad, you don’t understand…» and she would, and I’m there like, «No, this is the truth.»
And it’s frustrating. You know I think we’re like that too. God is telling you that He’s not finished with you. He’s saying the best is yet to come; it’s going to happen.
God is speaking to you; it’s hitting you in a place that only God can touch. It transcends what a human being, standing on stage, can say.
Resurrecting Belief at the Altar
For some of you, I see it. Your heart needs to be thawed. Your heart has become hard because of disbelief. Maybe you’ve put yourself out there and had faith, but something happens that doesn’t turn out the way you wanted, and you feel disappointed.
You’re no longer willing to put your heart out there. I know how that is—I get it. But you have to understand it’s not God’s fault.
If you thought it would be this way and it turns out different from what God saw—it’s not His fault! He is empathetic; He knows how you feel.
But it’s not His fault. «Lord, I thought…» There are so many things in my life where I thought it would look different.
In 2013, I had a year like that. I was bewildered because I couldn’t understand how that season of my life could play out in the plan God caused me to believe.
«God, if this is my future, how can this happen?»
I was confused! But then I learned that sometimes we don’t understand God’s mathematics because His mathematics are not straightforward like ours.
It’s not 2 + 2 = 4; it’s not 2×4 = 8. Sometimes, God uses a little division, some subtraction, and a little square root here.
He does all these things that go beyond you, and you ultimately get to the same result He promised. Sometimes, God is factoring in things you would never know to factor. That’s why you’ve got to believe.
That’s why you’ve got to continue to believe, and you’ve got to hold on to that belief.
So my prayer, as we close today, is that if you’re here and feel God is highlighting the fact that you need to resurrect your belief—and I don’t know in what or for what—that perhaps you’ve been struggling to believe in God in general.
I believe today is about a resurrection of faith bringing that belief back to the forefront. You know how you know it’s good? You have joy again!
God doesn’t even promise bad things. «I’ve got this wonderful curse for you.» That’s not God! He says, «For I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and not to harm you—to give you a future and a hope.»
When you’re living in the belief of that reality, the evidence is joy. You’ve received it!
Okay, God! I don’t like the season; I don’t like where I’ve been. But what I do like is what you said because it is impossible for you to lie.
It’s impossible for this thing not to come to pass. If you’re here and you’ve been struggling with believing, with doubt, and want to lay that doubt and disbelief down here at the altar—if you want to give it to God so that you can operate in the joy and power of believing again—come and meet me here at the altar.
I want to pray for you; this is real. Your belief is going to create what He has caused you to hope for. Your belief is going to create what He has caused you to hope for.
I just want to be obedient. I know it’s been rough. I know it’s been rough, but God is saying, «I’ve got you. I won’t put more on you than you can bear.»
He’s saying, «I got you, and you were supposed to hear this message.»
I want you to surrender your disappointment, your discouragement, and your anger. Surrender it all and trust Him again!
Don’t give up on Him; He hasn’t given up on you!
God says, «Cast not away your confidence! Don’t throw it away. I’ve got you, and I’m going to turn your weeping into joy. I’m going to turn your mourning into dancing.»
The season you had to walk through cannot compare to the miracle I’ll bring you into.
That was me in 2013. I had no idea how He could make something good come out of that pain, and when I tell you He did, it was incredible.
All things will work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
Belief was something that was attacked in the very beginning of human experience. Did God really say? He went after belief.
I can’t produce if I do not believe. I cannot even attract the materials that God has assigned to me to produce what He said if I do not believe.
There are things that God has already placed out in the universe that are the raw materials to manifest what He has caused you to hope in. They’re already out there, but they cannot be attracted to a fearful or doubting spirit.
Your belief will be the magnet that attracts everything God has placed out there to you, including people.
You’ve got to believe. You can’t go into a meeting without believing in your own idea. You can’t sell an idea you don’t believe in!
It’s the same in the spiritual world. Nothing will move toward you until you make the decision to believe what God said to you.
Nothing will move until you decide! For some of you, you’re going to simply make the decision, and you’ll put to death all doubt, all worry.
You’re going to put that to death. It’s almost like you’ll be living in a different world. You’ll get more yeses in this season than you’ve ever had in your life. More doors are going to open because you believed.
Ask, Seek, Knock – The Action of Belief
I’m thinking about when Jesus said, «Ask, and you shall receive. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.»
I’m looking at that passage a little differently now because I think what Jesus is describing is the attitude and operation of a person that believes. The person who believes asks, and they already received because they realize they are asking in faith.
So they receive that because it causes them to do something: they start seeking!
I can tell if you believe it if you start looking for what you believe is yours. If you’re just sitting at home, or wherever—no, you start looking for it. That’s faith!
That’s the person who believes. «Lord, I prayed. I know it’s coming!»
So I don’t just pray and then worry again. I pray and start looking for that thing to come in my direction.
Then there’s another level that says, «Ask, and you shall receive. Seek, and you shall find.»
Then it says, «Knock, and it shall be opened.» Knocking is another level!
It’s one thing to seek, but sometimes it takes another level of belief to believe you have found what you’ve been seeking.
Sometimes you find what you’ve been seeking isn’t enough; you’ve got to believe so tenaciously that it’s yours, that you start knocking!
I feel that for some of you. You asked; you sought, but you haven’t been knocking.
You knocked one time and then walked away. I hear God saying, «Go back to that door with belief that that thing is yours and start knocking!»
God opens doors that no man can shut, and He shuts doors that no man can open. When you know that you know that you know that it’s for you, you keep knocking.
You don’t stop knocking until that door opens for you, for your family, for your future.
Keep knocking! Keep knocking! If God spoke it, last time I checked, He values belief.
He values it in his dealings with Abraham. It wasn’t that Abraham was perfect; God blessed Abraham because he believed. He accounted belief for righteousness.
He’s saying, «You want to move me, believe me!» All you’ve got to do is believe Him. Because if you believe Him, then He can release to you everything you need to manifest the promise.
Our only job is to believe what He says. So what we’re going to do now is let go of disbelief. I’m going to pray that some of the things God has called you to believe even as a child can be resurrected.
I feel that for someone. It’s a childhood dream, and you thought it was just Alice in Wonderland, but it was God putting something in your spirit at an early age about who you are and who you can be.
And somewhere throughout the process of life, dealing with people, spirits, heartbreaks, and just the realities of life, it got taken from you.
Today, I want to come back because not even difficulty, not even tribulation, not even disaster can disqualify or void out the word that God put in you.
What He dealt to you—the measure of faith He dealt to you—is stronger than anything you will face on your way to its manifestation. Are you tracking with me?
It’s stronger than that! I want to pray, and I believe that belief will push out all negativity.
I believe if I can get back to the belief—if I can get back to that place, to that moment where God gave it to me and where I believed God, if I can get back there, everything else will be squared away.
Because faith is stronger than doubt; it’s stronger than doubt. The measure of faith— I think that’s why God gave it to you.
It’s like, «I’m going to give you this measure; it doesn’t have to be big, but if you can ever find that place, you will find joy, and you will find strength.»
I feel it! And you will rebound! There’s somebody in here—I just hear God saying—you’re coming back!
You’re coming back! How do I know? You’re still here!
Sometimes disbelief has you buffering, and you’re stagnant and debilitated. But if the Holy Spirit is touching that measure of faith, I dare you to trust it. Get up and say, «You’re talking to me, and I’m going to get all of what you are saying!»
I want you to get this so bad for you because it’s just that simple. The only thing I did—the only thing I did was believe God. I promise you that’s the only thing I did; that’s the only thing I did!
No hocus-pocus or tricks, no shenanigans—just belief! Just belief that stood the test of time.
God’s not finished with me; I’m just getting started!
I learned that early on, and I want this for you so badly. All right, I’m past the time, but I just love you, and I want you to get this because this will be your weapon when you leave here. When you’re tempted to be discouraged—when you’re tempted to compare yourself to others and think you’re missing out—when you’re tempted, that belief is going to kick in.
You’re going to get excited all over again. You’re going to get creative again. You’re going to dream again!
You know what I’m saying? And you’re going to take that meeting again. You’re going to get back on the horse again.
You’re going to get back in the ring again. You’re going to fight again! This time, you’re going to win—and you’re going to win big!
That’s why I’m not rushing it. It’s just a decision, «God, I believe you!» I’m going to hold onto the measured faith you gave me because my whole life is in it.
It’s still unfolding, and it’s still unfolding. What you said is going to be seen. And then it gets better!
It says, «And the word became flesh.»
That means it’s not going to be this flash of breakthrough! When God does what He intends to do in your life, not only is it going to be manifest, but it’s going to dwell.
It’s going to stay in your house, in your family. It’s going to remain a part of your story forever.
That’s why you’ve got to keep believing, and that’s why you’ve got to wait for it. Because it’s bigger than you think.
It’s beyond you! It’s beyond you! It’s bigger than you!
It’s through you, and it’s beyond you! It’s the type of blessing where you get old and go to sleep in peace because you know what God did in you does not end with you.
Are you tracking with me?
That’s what you want! I know you’re young, but you’ve got to think long-term. It’s time for you to transition to glory.
You’re good; it’s good with you. Because what God accomplished in my life was a mission accomplished! My life will speak long after I’m gone.
That’s what God is cooking up in you.
«For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far greater weight of glory.»
Man, I could talk to you all day, but the one o’clock crowd will kill me!
Closing Prayer
So, let’s pray: Father, thank you so much for these moments we’ve had with you. I thank you for every person here. I thank you that you are restoring and renewing their belief. Yes, you are!
God, every circumstance and situation that has created disbelief, I pray, Lord God, that you would heal it in such a way.
Can you begin the process of healing by resurrecting the measure of faith you’ve given them?
Cause them to believe again and feel so excited and filled with joy about what is inevitable because you spoke it—to drown away the tears of sorrow, discouragement, and disappointment.
For they will have the consciousness that all things—even the painful things—will somehow work together for good.
Because we are the called according to your purpose.
Father, today may a decision be made at this altar—the decision that counts you faithful and worthy of our absolute trust.
Lord, that we would hold onto what you’ve caused us to believe. Some of us are in the city because you caused us to believe that we could, and we shall!
So God, renew our hope, renew our strength, renew our faith, renew our belief.
We release the pain; we release the disappointment; we release the discouragement; we release the doubt. None of those things can profit us in any way, so we release them here at the altar.
They are completely unprofitable, and we eject them from our spirits. We make the decision today to believe you.
And God, I thank you that as we do, chains will break! As we do, joy will return! As we do, we will feel closer to manifestation time!
God, I thank you not just for manifesting what you promised, but that the promise is going to come and live with us forever and become our new normal as a sign of your faithfulness to your word. I just want you to repeat after me:
Heavenly Father, I feel your love, and I receive it. Heavenly Father, I thank you for this word. It spoke to me, and I receive it. I thank you for Jesus! Thank you for making Him, who had no sin, bear all of mine-all of my limitations, all of my shortcomings. You placed them in His body, nailed it to the cross, and once and for all put it to death! But I’m glad you raised Him up, free and victorious! Because since I’m in Him, I’m raised up too-with no more shackles, no more chains, and all of your promises are yes and amen in Christ, whom I serve! Now today, I choose to believe the word that you’ve spoken. Since you cannot lie, it is impossible for it to not be manifest! I thank you that my new reality is that I will see what you said, and I thank you for strength while I’m waiting! So restore my joy and give me strength. This is a new day, and this is a new me. I will have and do everything you said! Thank you, God! In Jesus' name, Amen.