My Joy Is My Job

0:00:02.120 --> 0:00:03.400 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:03.400 --> 0:00:06.439 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:08.360 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.680 --> 0:00:11.280 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:13.440 Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 0:00:13.480 --> 0:00:14.160 in your life. 0:00:14.440 --> 0:00:17.640 Enjoy the message. 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:20.680 We have also been releasing in this series that I'm doing, 0:00:20.720 --> 0:00:22.959 do the New you, not only this new book that 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:26.799 I've written, but also we have been releasing six confessions 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:29.159 of Faith into your life, one at a time, just 0:00:29.200 --> 0:00:31.920 giving you your daily dosage. And this one today is 0:00:31.960 --> 0:00:34.440 what Holly says is her favorite of the six, and 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:36.400 I think she says that because I need it the most. 0:00:36.680 --> 0:00:40.040 We're gonna talk about joy today, and the specific mindset 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:43.000 goes like this. The saying is only four words. It's 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:45.879 the shortest of the mindsets. And this one goes, my 0:00:46.080 --> 0:00:50.640 joy is my job. Now you said it, all right, 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:53.840 So just remember you said that when we finish this sermon, 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:56.320 because to say that means that I'm going to start 0:00:56.360 --> 0:01:01.240 taking responsibility for my own attitude and my own emotions, 0:01:01.960 --> 0:01:05.200 and my own temper tantrums, and my own road rage 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:08.679 and my own self pity parties. So let's say it again, 0:01:08.920 --> 0:01:11.440 my joy, or maybe you just want to tell this 0:01:11.440 --> 0:01:12.560 to your neighbor, maybe you dont want to say it 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:14.319 about yourself. Just look at them and say, your joy 0:01:15.480 --> 0:01:21.959 is your job. Tell them I can't make you happy. 0:01:22.560 --> 0:01:24.160 So we're gonna look at this in detail today. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:25.600 But one of the things I've had a lot of 0:01:25.600 --> 0:01:28.240 fun in is going back through the topics and the 0:01:28.240 --> 0:01:31.080 book in the mindsets, but finding some stories, some epic 0:01:31.080 --> 0:01:32.840 Bible stories to locate. 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:35.080 And this one today is as epic as it gets. 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.080 Turning your Bible to Acts chapter sixteen, stay on your 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:39.400 feet for just a moment as we read God's word 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:44.960 Acts chapter sixteen. We're gonna pick up in verse twenty two. 0:01:45.640 --> 0:01:48.000 And you may have heard this story before, but that's okay, 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:51.560 because I want to demonstrate to you today that your 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:54.480 joy is your job. From Acts chapter sixteen, verse twenty two, 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:55.880 Thank you Jesus. 0:01:56.800 --> 0:02:00.680 How many know? If you have Jesus, you have joy? 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.280 The Bible says in Acts sixteen, verse twenty two. The 0:02:04.400 --> 0:02:09.320 crowd joined in the attack against Paul and silas the 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:13.320 magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:16.720 After they had been severely flogged. 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:20.960 They were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:26.240 to guard them carefully. Good luck with that guarding the 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:31.320 apostle Paul and his partner Silas. Good luck with that, dude. 0:02:32.080 --> 0:02:36.000 But he was commanded to guard them carefully Verse twenty four. 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:39.560 When he received these orders, he put them in the 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:44.480 inner cell and fastened their feet in the stalks. About midnight, 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:49.720 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:57.000 and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, suddenly, 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:01.920 there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of 0:03:02.040 --> 0:03:04.680 the prison were shaken at once. 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:12.440 The prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:18.160 Give God a change, came loose. Phrase lift your hands. 0:03:18.200 --> 0:03:23.040 If you ever had your chains come loose. Somebody shot 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:23.720 my job. 0:03:25.120 --> 0:03:28.160 My job is my job. 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:31.720 High five your neighbor and say we've got work to do. 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:37.280 You may take your seat. God bless you, God bless you. 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:43.200 Want you to do a little time travel with me. Okay, 0:03:43.880 --> 0:03:45.680 before we go all the way back, let's just go 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:48.800 back briefly. The year is two thousand and nine. Turn 0:03:48.840 --> 0:03:50.280 to your neighbor and tell them how old were you 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:54.320 in the year two thousand and nine. I think I 0:03:54.360 --> 0:03:57.880 had platinum blonde hair. I think my hair looked just 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:04.000 like Graham's hair the year two thousand and nine. A 0:04:04.160 --> 0:04:08.320 you got it. The Lakers have just won Game two 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:13.560 of the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant is in a press conference. 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:20.760 He's not smiling. The reporter asks him, aren't you happy? 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:25.200 Why aren't you happy? Are you half happy? You're up 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.599 two games to zero in the NBA Finals. You have 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:31.480 to win four games to win the championship. So what 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:35.200 Kobe said next is legendary. I'm not a big basketball fan. 0:04:35.240 --> 0:04:37.520 I'm not really a big sports fan, but my son 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:40.160 Graham has quoted this so many times that I looked 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:47.480 it up. And Kobe looks back, irritated, aggravated, and cold blooded. 0:04:48.720 --> 0:04:53.799 He says, aren't you happy? You're up two games to zero? 0:04:54.680 --> 0:04:59.000 Kobe says, what's there to be happy about? The jobs 0:04:59.360 --> 0:05:05.400 not finished? Oh, Kobe. 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:11.280 Said what I feel all the time. I'm not saying 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:12.840 it's right to live your life that way. 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:17.480 It just feels so good to be seen by somebody. 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:26.000 Because happy people, smiley people make me sick. What are 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:32.200 you smiling about? What is there to be happy about 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:39.480 Kobe wanted to know the jobs not finished. I feel 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:44.400 that way. I feel that way all the time. And 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:47.919 I am a work in progress. And God is not 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:53.520 finished with me yet, and He's developing me and getting 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:56.880 me past this point of thinking that I've got to 0:05:56.920 --> 0:06:02.840 be completely finished in order to be fulfilled. So if 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:05.400 we travel back to two thousand and nine, or we 0:06:05.800 --> 0:06:09.400 travel forward to twenty twenty four, it occurs to me 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:13.040 today that everybody in this room is sitting in the 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:18.279 middle of unfinished business. There will always be a place 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:22.640 in your life that feels unfinished, frustrating, and think about 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.120 it is you know, if you really want to get 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:28.200 down to it, to be humanists, to be unfinished. But 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:30.800 even the Apostle Paul, if we go all the way 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.760 back's time travel a little more. Let's go to eighty fifty, 0:06:33.839 --> 0:06:37.080 he's taking the Gospel to the known world. You could 0:06:37.120 --> 0:06:39.080 say that he was the shooting guard of. 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:40.320 The New Testament Church. 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:45.000 Okay, honor and respect to the Apostle Paul, because he 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:50.760 was unbelievably effective at what he did. But even in 0:06:50.800 --> 0:06:54.200 his own travels, in his own journey, he encountered many dips, 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:56.520 cut scrapes, and bruises along the way. 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:58.160 For instance, he. 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:00.640 Tried to enter on his second missionary journey, not his 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:03.360 second NBA Playoff game, but his second missionary journey. I'm 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:06.120 kind of making some parallels here between Kobe and the 0:07:06.160 --> 0:07:09.320 apostle Paul, but I'm just doing it for the illustrations point, 0:07:09.360 --> 0:07:12.920 because he's going forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:14.640 But the Bible says. 0:07:14.440 --> 0:07:16.640 That he was prevented from entering a certain place where 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:18.160 he wanted to go preach in Asia, and he couldn't 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:19.680 go in, and says he. 0:07:19.600 --> 0:07:20.240 Couldn't go in. 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:23.480 He had a vision to go help people in a 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:27.840 region called Macedonia, which is in Europe, and he gets there, 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:32.080 it's going pretty good, and it's going so good in fact, 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:35.520 that he has identified a woman named Lydia who had 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:39.280 adequate resources to help them start their first house church. 0:07:40.280 --> 0:07:43.080 And so this is a big breakthrough because it's in 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:48.400 a city called Philippi, which is a strategic center of 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.040 trade and commerce in the region of Macedonia on the 0:07:52.040 --> 0:07:55.560 continent of Europe. And the Gospel has never been to 0:07:55.600 --> 0:07:59.200 Philippi before. And we see now that God has a 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:05.200 strategy to fill Philippi with the gospel, and it's going 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:08.480 so good because Paul talks to this woman named Lydia 0:08:08.560 --> 0:08:10.880 and goes in her house and starts teaching an e 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:15.160 group or a pop up and Lydia's house is such 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:17.520 an accommodating environment for a pop up church. 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:18.160 Shout out to. 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.000 All our e fam Let's give a shout out to 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:24.760 all our EPAM from one one from what's this address? 0:08:24.800 --> 0:08:28.320 One one's seven oh one elevation point. Yeah, we give 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:30.480 you a shout out from one one seven oh one. 0:08:30.880 --> 0:08:33.080 We bless you in the name of Jesus. Wherever you 0:08:33.160 --> 0:08:36.200 are having church right now, whatever you're going through, we 0:08:36.360 --> 0:08:39.880 confer the presence of God upon you and your house 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:43.200 and everything that's on your mind. Right now, we speak 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:46.640 the peace of God to your situation. So Paul is 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:50.360 preaching and he's met somebody who is a viable partner, 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:52.880 and he and his partner, Silas, are going down the 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:56.120 street and all of a sudden, this little this I 0:08:56.200 --> 0:08:57.360 sad caller, A little girl. 0:08:57.400 --> 0:08:59.280 I don't know how old she was. The Bible calls 0:08:59.280 --> 0:08:59.760 her a girl. 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:02.960 Maybe she wasn't small in stature, but she had a 0:09:03.080 --> 0:09:06.160 very unique gift. She had the ability to tell the future. 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:08.720 But it was a demon spirit that enabled her to 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:11.480 do it. And so the people that employed her and 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:14.319 enslaved her. I call it employed, but they really made 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:15.920 all the money off of her, off of. 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:18.000 Her gifts, so they were using her well. 0:09:18.040 --> 0:09:21.000 She followed Paul and Silas around all through Philippi for 0:09:21.040 --> 0:09:24.360 a little while, and she was shouting in a sarcastic, 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:25.600 mocking kind of way. 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:29.719 These men are servants of the Most High God, and 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:32.840 they are telling you the way to be saved. These 0:09:32.920 --> 0:09:35.840 men are servants of the Most High God, and they 0:09:35.880 --> 0:09:38.760 are telling you the way to be saved. She said 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:44.320 that so many times that eventually Paul the Preacher, Paul 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:48.120 the Apostle, Paul the Holy Man of God, turned around, 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:50.719 and the Bible says he was annoyed. 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:55.320 The Bible actually says that he was annoyed. 0:09:55.720 --> 0:10:01.640 You know, you can be anointed and annoyed, right, you 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:03.840 know you can have a mission and have mood swings. 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:04.079 Right. 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:08.080 Yeah. He turns around and says, in. 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:12.120 The name of Jesus Christ, come out of her, and 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:13.040 the spirit left. 0:10:13.920 --> 0:10:17.359 But when the spirit left the girl, so did her ability. 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:20.800 To earn income for our masters, which made them unhappy 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:23.160 since they were unhappy. 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:24.880 They dragged Paul. 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:27.560 And Silas into the middle of the civic square where 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:30.920 the commerce happened there in Philippi put them on trial, 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:34.679 made up lies about them, said, these men are going 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:37.880 against our Roman customs, even though Paul and Silas had 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:41.640 Roman citizenship. The enemy is a liar, and he will 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:45.080 lie about anything and use anything in order to wage 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:45.640 his war. 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:47.720 To keep you from doing what God has called you 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:48.040 to do. 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:53.880 So the people take Paul and Silas and locked them 0:10:53.920 --> 0:10:57.320 in prison, and we picked up the story at a 0:10:57.360 --> 0:11:01.160 pretty unhappy point in Acts, chapter sixteen, verse twenty two, 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:04.400 at least for Paul and Silas. It is a very 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:08.440 pivotal moment where the Bible says, the crowd. 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.920 Joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:14.400 Please put verse twenty two on the screen because I 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:18.960 want this lovely, beautiful church to see something altogether. It says, 0:11:19.000 --> 0:11:23.839 the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:26.440 And after I've told you everything I've told you by 0:11:26.480 --> 0:11:31.200 way of background today, could we agree that the size 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:34.840 of the attack on your life is relative to the 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:41.439 size of the assignment on your life. A crowd would 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:44.760 not have attacked them if they were not affecting a 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:49.240 lot of people, there would have been no attack, if 0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:52.320 there was no anointing. And I mentioned this last week 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:54.080 because I was trying to tell you that God is 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:58.240 not against you, but he's in it with you, working 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:03.200 through you, fighting for you. And yet to have God 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:05.720 fighting for you does not mean that no one or 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:07.080 nothing will fight against you. 0:12:07.800 --> 0:12:10.160 It almost guarantees that they will. 0:12:12.160 --> 0:12:15.120 I know it's not a fun place to clap, but 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:17.600 let's clap because God doesn't leave us alone when we're 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:22.640 under attack. Can we clap about that? Let me point 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:30.480 out something else. The attack is not absence of God's presence. Yeah, 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:32.199 and I'm going to show you that in just a moment. 0:12:32.760 --> 0:12:35.600 But before I do, let's talk a little bit about 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:40.840 what Kobe said, the jobs not finished? 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:43.640 What's there to be happy about? 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:46.480 You know, we're recording a bunch of new songs here tonight, 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:50.319 and the most amazing musicians, singers, and technicians and videographers 0:12:50.320 --> 0:12:53.200 and graphic designers in the world will put together, hopefully 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:55.240 an amazing evening and I hope you can be here 0:12:55.360 --> 0:12:58.160 and I hope that you will enjoy it. This morning, 0:12:58.200 --> 0:12:59.800 I was writing the church, listening to one of the 0:12:59.840 --> 0:13:01.840 songs that we're going to be singing tonight, the song 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:02.440 that says. 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:06.200 Oh my God, you sure been good to me, and 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:07.720 we'll be recording that song tonight. 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:10.000 But I was playing it and I was writing with 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.640 Abby and I was writing with her, and I was thinking, Oh, 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.640 I hope we record it right tonight. I hope it 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:17.040 goes good. Hope the people show up ready. I hope 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:18.880 they don't show up sometimes like they do where they 0:13:18.880 --> 0:13:20.560 don't really sing loud and then they mess up the 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:22.720 recording because they weren't really into it and then we 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:23.520 can't use the song. 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:25.640 I hope they show up tonight. I hope it's good. 0:13:25.840 --> 0:13:28.400 I hope everybody got enough sleep, hope everybody's voice works good. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:30.360 I hope all the songs go good. And I'm thinking 0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:31.079 about the fact that. 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:32.960 We're going to record this song and I looked over 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:36.560 and Abby was singing the song off the demo, and 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:39.760 I realized that it will be wonderful when we record 0:13:39.800 --> 0:13:42.920 the song. It will be wonderful when we release the song. 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:46.480 It will be wonderful if millions of people are blessed 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:49.120 by the song, and I hope that they are. But 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:56.400 this right now, somebody say this right now, this, right now, 0:13:57.520 --> 0:14:02.400 even though it is unfinished, it is fulfilling. 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:03.839 Right now. 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:10.160 I want to learn how to be sitting in something 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:14.280 that's unfinished and still be fulfilled. 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:17.920 I want to learn how to. 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.680 Be able to say I've got something to be happy 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:23.760 about even though the job's not finished. Because, in the 0:14:23.760 --> 0:14:26.320 words of that famous hymn writer bon Jovi, we're halfway there. 0:14:28.520 --> 0:14:35.080 WHOA somebody say, whoam halfway there? 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:40.480 Yeah? I got two wins. So while Kobe's strategy. 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:45.320 May be an excellent strategy for sports, it is a 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:51.240 bad strategy for happiness. For you to focus on what 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:56.120 is unfinished in your life, the unfinished business of your 0:14:56.160 --> 0:15:00.400 spiritual growth, the underdeveloped areas of your character that still 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:02.880 aren't as far along as you wish they were, the 0:15:02.960 --> 0:15:06.320 unfinished business enterprises that you don't yet know if they're 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:07.520 going to turn out good. 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:08.440 Or turn out bad. 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:13.720 For you to focus on the unfinished is to diminish 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:20.560 the gift of this, this right here, this right now, 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:25.680 this breath, this sermon, this moment, this gathering, this praise, 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:31.200 this opportunity, this new day, this season, this moment, this person, 0:15:31.560 --> 0:15:37.200 this relationship, this effort, this breath this right here, somebody 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:41.680 say this right here. So I'm headed somewhere and I'm 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:45.120 excited about it and I'm working on something because I'm 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.560 not complacent. But ah, God, teach me to be content 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:57.360 while I'm in it. Time travel to the year fifty 0:15:57.440 --> 0:15:59.200 a D with me. Well, let's get out of two 0:15:59.240 --> 0:16:01.960 thousand and nine. H we're gonna party like this a 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:05.360 D fifty in the church today. Oh yeah, we're gonna party. 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:08.000 Touch somebody say it's gonna be a party in here today. 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:10.040 Before this preacher finished. 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:12.280 Precious but first, but first, in order to get to 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:13.920 the party, we gotta go through the pain. 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:17.120 And I need to speak to you a little bit. 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:28.600 Today about the danger of postponing joy. Don't let the 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:31.760 pressure make you postpone the joy. 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:37.400 Isn't that what Kobe was trying to say. No, I 0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:40.960 still gotta get us to gain get we. 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:43.200 Got we gotta win. We gotta win four of these, 0:16:43.280 --> 0:16:46.320 not two. So I can't smile at you right now. 0:16:46.360 --> 0:16:49.800 And it's a genius press conference strategy for a SoundBite. 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:54.000 I mean, let's be honest, we're still talking about it today. 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:58.960 But it is a horrible way for you to approach 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:00.240 raising your kids. 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:03.400 Jobs. I'm finished? 0:17:07.920 --> 0:17:08.080 When? 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:11.600 When? When? When? When will it be? When do you 0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:14.880 think it's gonna be finished? You think you're gonna send 0:17:14.880 --> 0:17:17.760 them off and they're gonna be finished. There is a 0:17:17.960 --> 0:17:19.800 boomerang anointing on your children. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:26.320 Uh huh mm hmm, come right back. When will it 0:17:26.359 --> 0:17:30.359 be finished? When will it be finished? What's there to 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:33.600 be happy about? I still I still have a job. 0:17:33.640 --> 0:17:36.640 I've been looking four months. Well, when you get a job, 0:17:37.480 --> 0:17:44.080 can't you lose it? Talk to me, we'll see. I'm 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:51.760 single right now. When I meet my boass what's that face? 0:17:52.359 --> 0:17:56.560 I will be blessed and highly favor. 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:05.800 And all the married people said, ha, unless you marry Holly, 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:10.240 then you will be finally, eternally happy, that is, but she's. 0:18:10.040 --> 0:18:10.760 Off the market. 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:16.200 And the thing about it is, the thing about it 0:18:16.240 --> 0:18:21.160 is if you postpone your joy because of the pressure, 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:23.439 you will never give God praise. 0:18:26.680 --> 0:18:28.720 If you think there is a future date where you 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:30.480 will be keyword. I'm gonna teach you for a little 0:18:30.480 --> 0:18:32.440 bit when I'm free from this. 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:37.560 When I'm free from this, and I have more time 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:40.919 when I'm free from this, and I don't struggle so 0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:44.119 much when I'm free from this, and it's not a 0:18:44.119 --> 0:18:48.480 temptation anymore. When I'm free from this, do not shout Amen. 0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:51.280 When I am free from this relationship. If you're sitting 0:18:51.280 --> 0:18:54.160 next to them, go quiet, just go dark right now, 0:18:54.240 --> 0:18:58.200 Just look really confused, as I preach. If it wasn't 0:18:58.200 --> 0:19:01.159 for them, if it wasn't for this, it would amaze 0:19:01.200 --> 0:19:04.960 you how many people are waiting to be free from 0:19:05.000 --> 0:19:08.240 something because you think you're going to feel something when 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:14.400 you're free from something. And what I have to learn 0:19:14.520 --> 0:19:17.199 how to do in my life, and I suggest it 0:19:17.280 --> 0:19:19.000 is the task of all of us who walk. 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:20.600 By faith and not by sight. 0:19:21.320 --> 0:19:32.080 It's to be free unfinished, to be free unfinished, to 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:35.200 know that. Okay, well, my money isn't where I want 0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:39.080 it to be, but my marriage is. My marriage isn't 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:41.480 where I want it to be. But my relationship with 0:19:41.560 --> 0:19:44.720 God is growing. My relationship with God. 0:19:44.520 --> 0:19:45.520 Isn't where I wanted to be. 0:19:45.960 --> 0:19:48.720 But I'm in church today, Devil, did you see me 0:19:48.840 --> 0:19:53.880 show up with my good clothes on where it gree 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:56.879 Come on, pitch somebody real quick and say I just 0:19:56.920 --> 0:19:57.720 wanted to get one in. 0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:07.800 Pinch yourself real quick. Pinch yourself real quick. 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:11.560 I mean some of you need to wake up and 0:20:11.680 --> 0:20:15.760 realize all the things that God has done. And you 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:20.600 are sitting there not smiling, not shouting, not celebrating, waiting 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:23.800 on something else good to happen. It would be a 0:20:23.840 --> 0:20:26.600 good time for you to praise him. 0:20:26.800 --> 0:20:30.440 Pablah, Bless the Lord in all time. 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:38.560 Oh me, Joe, blessen me, Bless him, Bless him right now. 0:20:40.000 --> 0:20:44.800 Bless him, my brother, blessen my sister, Bless him, my friend. 0:20:45.359 --> 0:20:53.720 Blot down high five. Somebody say it's the right time. 0:20:55.000 --> 0:20:58.520 It's the right time. The Bible says that. 0:20:58.359 --> 0:21:02.000 The jailor was command Hey, watch out for these two. 0:21:02.520 --> 0:21:06.359 Watch out for these guys. They're turning our city upside down. 0:21:06.800 --> 0:21:09.480 Watch out for them. That's why the devil has had 0:21:09.520 --> 0:21:10.240 you contained. 0:21:10.600 --> 0:21:11.280 That's why the. 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:14.440 Devil is trying to constrain you with anxiety. That's why 0:21:14.480 --> 0:21:16.960 the devil is trying to press you down with depression, 0:21:17.400 --> 0:21:18.360 because there's. 0:21:18.160 --> 0:21:18.919 Something in you. 0:21:20.640 --> 0:21:23.240 The attack against you only indicates the potential that is 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:23.639 within you. 0:21:25.680 --> 0:21:33.040 That's all it is. So what you gonna do about it? Paul? 0:21:34.359 --> 0:21:39.159 And this must have shocked everybody who saw him in 0:21:39.240 --> 0:21:46.480 those shackles. This must have shocked everybody who saw him 0:21:47.000 --> 0:21:54.280 in those shackles. It's about midnight, the Bible says, which 0:21:54.320 --> 0:22:02.000 is a bad time. It's a bad time to go out. 0:22:03.200 --> 0:22:05.000 It's a bad time to be awake if you're in 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:08.160 I want to be in my bed at nine forty 0:22:08.160 --> 0:22:10.479 five pm Eastern Standard time every night. It is a 0:22:10.480 --> 0:22:17.560 product of the stage of my life. And as the 0:22:17.640 --> 0:22:21.800 process of day gives way to the process of night, 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:24.440 something very interesting happens. 0:22:25.359 --> 0:22:28.320 Say my joy is my job. 0:22:29.800 --> 0:22:32.960 Now. The jailer was commanded to Paul and Silas as 0:22:33.000 --> 0:22:36.399 their guard. But the Bible says in Proverbs four twenty 0:22:36.400 --> 0:22:39.640 three that you are to guard your heart above all else. 0:22:41.520 --> 0:22:42.160 So while the. 0:22:42.200 --> 0:22:46.760 Jailer is guarding Paul, we see that Paul was apparently 0:22:47.520 --> 0:22:53.000 guarding Paul too, because at this point he has allowed 0:22:53.000 --> 0:22:54.520 bitterness to seep into his heart. 0:22:54.520 --> 0:22:55.400 Because this isn't fair. 0:22:55.480 --> 0:22:58.399 And if at this point he has allowed uncertainty to 0:22:58.440 --> 0:23:00.240 paralyze him, he is not going to do what he 0:23:00.280 --> 0:23:00.800 does next. 0:23:01.920 --> 0:23:07.560 The Bible says, about midnight, Paul and Silas were. 0:23:09.119 --> 0:23:15.920 Praying and singing hymns to God, and other prisoners were 0:23:15.920 --> 0:23:20.280 listening to them. Process. Put it in the chat. Say 0:23:20.280 --> 0:23:22.880 it's a process. It's a process. It's a process. It's 0:23:22.880 --> 0:23:26.120 a process. And when you're going through things in your 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:29.720 life and the unfinished business and realizing that it's a process, 0:23:30.520 --> 0:23:35.199 I'm a process. Recovery is a process. Wealth building is 0:23:35.200 --> 0:23:40.560 a process. Holiness is a process. Relational intimacy is a process, 0:23:41.160 --> 0:23:44.719 Showing up is a process, Staying put is a process. 0:23:45.280 --> 0:23:48.240 Day is a process. Night is a process. 0:23:48.880 --> 0:23:51.960 Today the birth of day includes the process of the 0:23:52.000 --> 0:23:57.439 coming of night. And at midnight Paul and Silas started 0:23:57.480 --> 0:24:01.000 praying and started singing. If I could give that guard 0:24:01.920 --> 0:24:07.840 one word of advice, it would be you made a mistake. 0:24:09.520 --> 0:24:11.280 Not when you put their feet in the shackles. 0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:17.000 You made a mistake, Not when you put them in 0:24:17.000 --> 0:24:18.879 the inner cell, that's the most secure part of the prison. 0:24:18.880 --> 0:24:20.639 I understand you were doing what you were supposed to do. 0:24:21.960 --> 0:24:23.600 I wouldn't even tell the guard that he made a 0:24:23.600 --> 0:24:25.679 mistake when he went to sleep, because you'll see in 0:24:25.760 --> 0:24:28.680 just a few verses that he actually was dozed off 0:24:28.720 --> 0:24:31.359 over there in the corner somewhere. And that's fine too, 0:24:31.359 --> 0:24:34.240 because their feet were in the shackles. But the mistake 0:24:34.359 --> 0:24:41.000 that you made was putting them together in the same cell. 0:24:44.400 --> 0:24:48.680 If you would have kept them in isolation, they would 0:24:48.720 --> 0:24:52.520 have processed this pain differently. If you would have kept 0:24:52.600 --> 0:24:56.840 them separated, Paul would have started processing, well, maybe God 0:24:56.880 --> 0:24:57.560 doesn't want. 0:24:57.400 --> 0:24:58.919 Us over here in Europe. 0:24:59.359 --> 0:25:01.919 If you would have he kept Paul in isolation in 0:25:01.920 --> 0:25:05.280 his own cell, he would have started processing why does 0:25:05.320 --> 0:25:08.399 life have to be so hard for me? God, you 0:25:08.480 --> 0:25:10.440 got Peter out of prison, You can't keep me out 0:25:10.480 --> 0:25:13.280 of prison. If he would have kept them in isolation, 0:25:13.440 --> 0:25:15.560 maybe he would have started comparing. 0:25:15.080 --> 0:25:17.360 It to the last time that he preached. 0:25:18.080 --> 0:25:20.320 Maybe if he would have kept Paul in isolation, he 0:25:20.359 --> 0:25:21.879 would have gone into self pity. 0:25:22.640 --> 0:25:23.520 Maybe if he would have. 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:27.439 Kept Silace in isolation, he would have sabotaged. But the 0:25:27.480 --> 0:25:32.120 Bible says he did one thing wrong. He put them 0:25:32.280 --> 0:25:35.760 in the cell. The devil did one thing wrong this morning. 0:25:36.080 --> 0:25:40.160 He let you get to Elevation Church at eleven seven 0:25:40.240 --> 0:25:45.639 oh one Elevation Point Boulevard on Saint Patrick's Day of 0:25:45.720 --> 0:25:46.760 twenty twenty. 0:25:46.520 --> 0:25:50.440 Four, because he puts you next to somebody who is 0:25:50.560 --> 0:25:51.920 about to pens You pins. 0:25:51.720 --> 0:25:54.960 Your neighbor real quick, who is about to penshew. 0:25:54.920 --> 0:25:56.880 And look them in the eye and say, wegg up. 0:25:57.960 --> 0:26:01.159 God is with us. Flap your hands if. 0:26:01.040 --> 0:26:03.080 You know God is with me in the process. 0:26:05.119 --> 0:26:07.840 I'm singing over your life. God is with you in 0:26:07.880 --> 0:26:12.200 the process. God is with you when it's two to zero, 0:26:12.200 --> 0:26:14.280 when it's zero to two, when it's. 0:26:14.160 --> 0:26:17.960 Game four, game five, game six, game seven. God is 0:26:17.960 --> 0:26:20.960 with me in the postgame analysis because he's with me 0:26:22.119 --> 0:26:25.119 in the process, but in the comments, he's with me 0:26:25.160 --> 0:26:25.840 in the process. 0:26:26.680 --> 0:26:27.960 He's with me in the process. 0:26:28.920 --> 0:26:31.720 And I want to make sure that the way you 0:26:31.800 --> 0:26:36.960 are processing the unfinished places in your life, the way 0:26:37.000 --> 0:26:40.760 you are processing the imperfect parts of you, the way 0:26:40.800 --> 0:26:42.639 that you are processing the parts of your life that 0:26:42.680 --> 0:26:45.520 do not match your preference. I want to make sure 0:26:45.560 --> 0:26:54.080 that your process doesn't become your prison. So you ruminate 0:26:54.160 --> 0:26:57.200 and stew and have imaginary conversations where you get back 0:26:57.200 --> 0:26:59.200 at people who aren't even thinking about you right now. 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:09.200 If I invested all the imagination and energy into preaching 0:27:09.240 --> 0:27:13.280 that I did, into imaginary arguments with people, I would 0:27:13.320 --> 0:27:18.520 be Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham. 0:27:18.600 --> 0:27:21.240 I just don't want because we have to go into 0:27:21.280 --> 0:27:21.880 some prisons. 0:27:21.960 --> 0:27:28.920 Right they were thrown into one prison, but the other one, 0:27:29.080 --> 0:27:31.040 I think sometimes you aren't thrown into it. I think 0:27:31.080 --> 0:27:36.760 you think your way into it. So we got a process. 0:27:37.400 --> 0:27:41.000 It's hard to process as we're talking about joy. It's 0:27:41.000 --> 0:27:45.440 hard to process when you're in prison and your feet 0:27:45.440 --> 0:27:50.560 are in stocks and it's dark outside and your back 0:27:50.680 --> 0:27:53.040 is raw because you were beat with rods. I know, 0:27:53.080 --> 0:27:55.440 we normally don't go through things to this magnitude. That's 0:27:55.440 --> 0:27:59.160 why I think the story is so helpful because whatever 0:27:59.200 --> 0:28:03.320 you're going through, it isn't this, and whatever pressure you 0:28:03.359 --> 0:28:05.679 have on you, it isn't being the lead apostle for 0:28:05.720 --> 0:28:09.480 the gospel just decades after Jesus Christ walked the earth. 0:28:10.359 --> 0:28:13.440 So if they did this, it can become an illustration 0:28:13.920 --> 0:28:18.480 for me. And it takes a day. So as you process, 0:28:18.520 --> 0:28:20.920 I want you to write down three things. Make sure 0:28:20.960 --> 0:28:24.320 you got the right partner to process. Write down the 0:28:24.320 --> 0:28:29.200 word partner. I need a partner. I need a partner 0:28:29.720 --> 0:28:33.080 in my life who will help me to process my 0:28:33.200 --> 0:28:38.360 imperfection and my unfinishedness in a way that encourages me 0:28:38.440 --> 0:28:42.760 with the grace to sit in my unfinished but also 0:28:42.920 --> 0:28:46.320 gives me an example and a goal that I can 0:28:46.360 --> 0:28:52.040 go forward and grow into all God has called me 0:28:52.560 --> 0:28:52.800 to be. 0:28:53.320 --> 0:28:58.320 Clap your hands if you need a partner here. A 0:28:58.400 --> 0:29:02.040 matter of fact, I told I told. 0:29:01.800 --> 0:29:04.600 Isaiah Zeke Templeton, I might bring him up to be 0:29:04.640 --> 0:29:06.280 my partner. So come on, I think we should do it. 0:29:06.280 --> 0:29:10.520 Would you all give Zeke a handas as he comes. Oh, 0:29:10.600 --> 0:29:15.200 come on, you can do better than that. It seek everybody, 0:29:18.320 --> 0:29:23.640 zee as you come. I'll be Paul, you be Silas. 0:29:24.480 --> 0:29:27.520 Let's give the people a mental picture. Yeah, give him 0:29:27.520 --> 0:29:31.959 a microphone. We might do some singing before this illustration. 0:29:32.680 --> 0:29:33.440 I'm just saying. 0:29:34.280 --> 0:29:36.400 I'm just saying the partner I picked might indicate the. 0:29:36.320 --> 0:29:37.320 Purpose I have in mind. 0:29:39.480 --> 0:29:42.960 That's a whole sermon point. Nobody wrote it down. I 0:29:43.120 --> 0:29:48.200 picked my partner according to my purpose. God picks people 0:29:48.240 --> 0:29:53.000 according to his purpose. God picked you according to a purpose. 0:29:53.040 --> 0:29:55.160 So here's here's what they did. Here's what they did. 0:29:55.280 --> 0:29:58.560 The Bible says it's midnight, and it doesn't say that 0:29:58.560 --> 0:30:00.520 they were sitting like this, just to be a good 0:30:00.520 --> 0:30:01.680 way to get the point across. 0:30:02.160 --> 0:30:03.400 But they were in the same cell. 0:30:04.480 --> 0:30:08.360 And maybe maybe Paul I have some speculations about this passage. 0:30:08.440 --> 0:30:10.920 Let's just first of all, I'll see the scripture Acts 0:30:10.960 --> 0:30:14.920 sixteen twenty five about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying 0:30:14.920 --> 0:30:16.680 and singing hymns to God. Okay, so this is just 0:30:16.680 --> 0:30:19.000 a speculation. It's not in the text, but I respectator. 0:30:19.120 --> 0:30:23.480 I don't think Paul was a very good singer. I 0:30:23.520 --> 0:30:26.520 think Silas was a better singer than Paul. 0:30:27.440 --> 0:30:30.600 Okay. And I take it from. 0:30:30.440 --> 0:30:32.480 One scripture where people used to say when he would 0:30:32.480 --> 0:30:34.440 get up that he was unimpressive in person. So if 0:30:34.440 --> 0:30:36.320 you're a great singer, nobody's going to say that about you, right. 0:30:37.000 --> 0:30:39.840 So I don't think Paul's very good singer. But I 0:30:39.880 --> 0:30:43.840 think this is another speculation. I think Paul is the 0:30:43.840 --> 0:30:49.200 one who started singing because one thing Paul knew how 0:30:49.240 --> 0:30:55.480 to do is start stuff. He was an instigator, Okay. 0:30:56.200 --> 0:31:00.959 And so I imagine it's about midnight, and what else are 0:31:01.000 --> 0:31:03.880 you gonna do? Because you can't move. He's not gonna 0:31:03.880 --> 0:31:07.040 do any burpies. His feed are in stocks. He's not 0:31:07.080 --> 0:31:12.320 gonna get prison ripped this time. And he goes, I 0:31:12.360 --> 0:31:14.280 know they didn't have musical directors in prison, but just 0:31:14.280 --> 0:31:16.040 give me a see so I can sing in a. 0:31:16.040 --> 0:31:23.760 Good note there. Yeah, okay, Mmmm. I think sometime in 0:31:23.800 --> 0:31:33.040 the middle of night, Paul went what a fellowship, What 0:31:33.200 --> 0:31:33.760 a joy? 0:31:33.880 --> 0:31:41.560 Divine leing on the everlastings. 0:31:42.800 --> 0:31:43.920 It says they sang. 0:31:43.840 --> 0:31:47.280 Hymns right, and I know that him wasn't written red 0:31:47.480 --> 0:31:49.800 yet use your imagination. 0:31:51.200 --> 0:31:55.040 I think they sang something like that, right, what a blessedness? 0:31:56.640 --> 0:31:58.800 What a piece is mine? 0:32:00.520 --> 0:32:02.080 And he probably don't feel a lot of peace when 0:32:02.080 --> 0:32:04.000 he sings at But I'm gonna. 0:32:03.840 --> 0:32:05.560 Give you a life, principal worshipers. 0:32:05.960 --> 0:32:09.640 Sometimes you've got to sing until your soul catches up 0:32:09.680 --> 0:32:10.280 with your song. 0:32:13.360 --> 0:32:23.240 You feel that Silas leading on the ever last ding 0:32:23.640 --> 0:32:36.080 arms lead, Hey, Silas, you'll wake back there, be safe 0:32:36.360 --> 0:32:38.080 and secure. 0:32:39.040 --> 0:32:44.720 From now. 0:32:44.880 --> 0:32:48.920 I think when Silas started singing, Paul started getting louder. 0:32:49.600 --> 0:33:02.600 Leave leave on the evens. 0:33:04.960 --> 0:33:16.040 Oh, but it says they sang put the verse back up. 0:33:16.400 --> 0:33:24.040 They sang hymns plural, so they didn't stop singing. I mean, 0:33:24.120 --> 0:33:25.120 I think faun. 0:33:25.000 --> 0:33:28.960 Knew so many hymns. He just started a medley, you 0:33:29.000 --> 0:33:30.680 know what I'm saying, because. 0:33:30.400 --> 0:33:33.800 I think he memorized some songs in a previous season. 0:33:38.000 --> 0:33:40.760 That God knew he would need at a midnight hour. 0:33:42.960 --> 0:33:45.800 Uh huh. 0:33:45.880 --> 0:33:49.800 So I think next he went less. It is sure 0:33:52.960 --> 0:33:56.120 Jesus is mine? 0:33:57.000 --> 0:34:03.040 Oh what a footy of glory divine. 0:34:05.040 --> 0:34:09.719 You take this part silas Era Selva shut. 0:34:11.080 --> 0:34:22.920 Purchase fat onn of his speed, washed in his blood. 0:34:23.200 --> 0:34:26.400 I want you to remember their feet are in shackles, 0:34:26.800 --> 0:34:29.240 but they're washed in his blood. 0:34:29.840 --> 0:34:32.560 I want you to remember that their feet are. 0:34:32.360 --> 0:34:36.560 In shackles, but they're born of his spirit. I want 0:34:36.560 --> 0:34:40.680 you to remember that your situation is dark, but your 0:34:40.840 --> 0:34:44.040 born of his spirit. I want to remind you that 0:34:44.160 --> 0:34:46.320 this chapter is painful. 0:34:46.719 --> 0:34:51.839 What's her story? Is another? And plass it. This is 0:34:52.200 --> 0:35:06.359 my soul. This is my song, raising my say yo, 0:35:08.160 --> 0:35:15.680 oh the day long. This is my store that I 0:35:15.680 --> 0:35:17.680 can sell us. But do it, hi, This is my story. 0:35:17.920 --> 0:35:19.600 Yesis my. 0:35:21.880 --> 0:35:26.560 That's the kind of singing res my So. 0:35:27.600 --> 0:35:28.360 What am I doing? 0:35:28.600 --> 0:35:30.640 Carrais my. 0:35:40.440 --> 0:35:40.840 Leader? 0:35:41.440 --> 0:36:03.400 Lead leader, raising my say yea oh theday, praising. 0:36:03.920 --> 0:36:08.080 Save at midnight too. 0:36:14.680 --> 0:36:17.799 And all of a sudden, the Bible says, as they 0:36:17.800 --> 0:36:22.720 were singing, something started. 0:36:23.920 --> 0:36:24.360 Shaking. 0:36:25.880 --> 0:36:33.760 As they were singing, something started shaking, Something started shaking. 0:36:35.000 --> 0:36:39.440 Praise started shaking something. And Lydia might have felt it 0:36:39.480 --> 0:36:42.520 at her house, and she didn't know what it was. 0:36:43.400 --> 0:36:44.360 But Paul knew. 0:36:44.840 --> 0:36:52.919 When we pray, say it solace, when we pray, when 0:36:52.960 --> 0:36:53.680 we pray. 0:36:55.719 --> 0:37:01.600 Hand the founday since started second and Paul said, Christ. 0:37:01.320 --> 0:37:10.879 The side past around he is seeking. 0:37:10.719 --> 0:37:14.040 Said, oh, lother ground. 0:37:14.719 --> 0:37:18.320 He's singing jade hour. 0:37:19.480 --> 0:37:24.800 Oh, Christ's the side my litter in this shackle. But 0:37:24.960 --> 0:37:29.239 I'm standing over. 0:37:29.320 --> 0:37:36.960 Saking, said, oh love the ground he's see say, I'm 0:37:36.960 --> 0:37:38.600 gonna take the foundation. 0:37:38.320 --> 0:37:41.759 For a minute. No, no, you can't shake him like that. 0:37:43.600 --> 0:37:47.959 You can't sink him like that. You gotta get down 0:37:49.320 --> 0:37:55.920 on the inside of your belly, from therbelly, from your belly, 0:37:57.280 --> 0:37:58.200 from your belly. 0:37:59.440 --> 0:38:14.120 Somebody shout up to God, shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken. 0:38:14.880 --> 0:38:19.000 I'm singing in shackles and something starts shaking. I'm singing 0:38:19.040 --> 0:38:23.160 in shackles and something starts shaking. I'm singing in loneliness 0:38:23.160 --> 0:38:31.400 and something starts shaking. Because I got a partner, I 0:38:31.480 --> 0:38:35.399 got a praise. And the Bible says they did one 0:38:35.440 --> 0:38:39.080 more thing. They prayed. Did the Bible say they prayed 0:38:39.080 --> 0:38:40.960 in verse twenty five or did I make it up? 0:38:41.719 --> 0:38:42.360 They prayed? 0:38:43.400 --> 0:38:47.720 Verse twenty five says they sang, they praised, and they prayed. 0:38:48.800 --> 0:38:51.960 I don't know what songs they sang. I don't know 0:38:52.000 --> 0:38:57.680 what prayers they prayed, but I have a speculation about 0:38:57.680 --> 0:39:03.520 what they didn't pray. I would imagine if you're in 0:39:03.560 --> 0:39:08.319 a prison, your prayer, your dominant goal and thought, would 0:39:08.360 --> 0:39:11.520 be what get us out? 0:39:11.640 --> 0:39:19.360 Somebody say it, get us out? And yet the Bible says, 0:39:20.160 --> 0:39:23.040 because I never heard this passage breached. 0:39:23.320 --> 0:39:27.560 Like you wouldn't believe about how a shout will bring 0:39:27.600 --> 0:39:34.960 you out, which confused me when I read the next verse, 0:39:36.080 --> 0:39:41.080 because the Bible says, can I preach the Bible? Y'all 0:39:41.120 --> 0:39:43.400 are looking at me so quiet? I feel nervous, like 0:39:43.440 --> 0:39:51.400 I stole something from target. The Bible says that after 0:39:51.520 --> 0:39:55.600 they sang and prayed, because I'm imagining Paul going, God, 0:39:55.600 --> 0:39:57.400 get us out by your power, by your blood, just 0:39:57.400 --> 0:39:59.080 like you brought Moses out of Egypt, just like you 0:39:59.160 --> 0:40:00.359 brought Neemiah the. 0:40:00.320 --> 0:40:02.480 Captives back to Jerusalem. 0:40:01.880 --> 0:40:03.200 Just like you did it for them, just like you 0:40:03.239 --> 0:40:04.480 brought Jonna from the belly of the whale. 0:40:04.560 --> 0:40:06.200 God, get me out, the Bible says. 0:40:06.239 --> 0:40:09.080 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake and the foundations shook, 0:40:09.320 --> 0:40:12.120 and everyone's chains came loose. Now, what do you do 0:40:12.200 --> 0:40:14.520 when you're in prison and your chains come loose one, 0:40:14.719 --> 0:40:22.239 two three. Leave when your chains come loose, you leave 0:40:22.560 --> 0:40:26.200 right because I prayed and he brought me out. But 0:40:26.400 --> 0:40:34.240 watch this. Verse twenty seven says the jailer woke up. Dude, 0:40:34.320 --> 0:40:41.680 you had one job. And the jailer woke up, and 0:40:41.760 --> 0:40:44.799 when he saw that the prison doors were open, he 0:40:44.920 --> 0:40:49.600 drew his sword and was about to kill himself because 0:40:49.640 --> 0:40:54.239 if he did it, his superior officer would because he 0:40:54.360 --> 0:40:56.560 thought the prisoners had escaped. 0:40:57.120 --> 0:40:59.839 Well, yeah, that's what you're supposed to. 0:40:59.800 --> 0:41:04.040 Do when God sends an earthquake and opens the doors. 0:41:05.239 --> 0:41:09.239 Unless they weren't praying for God to get them out. 0:41:14.400 --> 0:41:17.879 I don't know who this is for, but you keep 0:41:17.920 --> 0:41:21.319 thinking God wants to get you out, and sometimes he does, 0:41:21.400 --> 0:41:24.839 and eventually they left. They didn't leave there. But verse 0:41:24.880 --> 0:41:28.480 twenty seven is very powerful. Can I reach verse twenty seven? 0:41:28.680 --> 0:41:32.080 Can I reach verse twenty seven? Is there one person 0:41:32.200 --> 0:41:35.040 in this church that wants to hear what happened in 0:41:35.160 --> 0:41:36.160 verse twenty seven? 0:41:37.080 --> 0:41:37.480 I have. 0:41:38.960 --> 0:41:41.200 The Bible, says the jailer woke up, and when he 0:41:41.239 --> 0:41:43.239 saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword about 0:41:43.280 --> 0:41:45.000 it comes up because he thought the prisoners had this game. 0:41:45.120 --> 0:41:52.640 Verse twenty eight but Paul shouted, don't harm yourself. 0:41:53.520 --> 0:41:58.839 We are all here. Why are you still here? 0:42:01.280 --> 0:42:05.040 And Paul says, I wouldn't praying God to get me out. 0:42:06.520 --> 0:42:10.760 I was praying for God to come in. And these 0:42:10.960 --> 0:42:16.320 doors help me preach Holy God. These doors are open 0:42:17.120 --> 0:42:19.320 because the tring of Glory. 0:42:20.760 --> 0:42:23.799 Is coming in. He's coming in. 0:42:25.320 --> 0:42:28.040 Somebody lift your hands if you know he's coming in. 0:42:35.480 --> 0:42:39.120 So I want to propose to you, child of God, 0:42:40.280 --> 0:42:43.000 that you keep saying, when I get out of this, 0:42:43.600 --> 0:42:44.320 I'm gonna. 0:42:44.040 --> 0:42:45.799 Praise God, which is. 0:42:45.760 --> 0:42:49.480 The wrong perspective because you can praise God when you 0:42:49.520 --> 0:42:53.240 get out of it, but you can also praise God 0:42:53.480 --> 0:42:56.520 into it. And I'm gonna give you twenty four seconds 0:42:56.560 --> 0:43:32.200 to do it right now. So need to show you this. 0:43:33.840 --> 0:43:36.759 It would be glory to God. Glory to God. She 0:43:36.840 --> 0:43:39.839 said it, She said, glory to God. That's what you've 0:43:39.880 --> 0:43:41.960 got to do right now. That's your job in this 0:43:42.080 --> 0:43:48.080 season of your life. Sila said, Paul. The doors are open, 0:43:49.719 --> 0:43:51.920 Paul said, the job's not. 0:43:53.920 --> 0:44:07.200 Finished. Listen to this. You've been wondering why you're going 0:44:07.239 --> 0:44:08.240 through what you're going through. 0:44:08.320 --> 0:44:11.480 I suggest there is always a bigger picture, and I 0:44:11.560 --> 0:44:14.239 present to you that Not only did they have a 0:44:14.320 --> 0:44:17.960 partner and a praise and a prayer, but they had 0:44:18.000 --> 0:44:23.280 a purpose. And I say that to you about every 0:44:23.320 --> 0:44:27.920 single cell that you are locked in in your life today. 0:44:28.680 --> 0:44:31.839 See, it would be wonderful if we could just come 0:44:31.920 --> 0:44:36.239 out of it. But shouldn't we first ask God to 0:44:36.320 --> 0:44:44.920 come into it? Yeah, that's my job. 0:44:44.080 --> 0:44:49.480 It's not by coincidence that Paul and the prisoners were 0:44:49.520 --> 0:44:52.440 still sitting there. The Bible says in verse twenty nine 0:44:52.440 --> 0:44:54.560 that the jailer called for lights, rushed in, fell trembling 0:44:54.600 --> 0:44:57.480 before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and asked, sirs, 0:44:57.520 --> 0:44:58.440 what must. 0:44:58.160 --> 0:44:59.440 I do to be saved? 0:45:00.840 --> 0:45:03.480 Wow, that's what that servant girl was following them around, 0:45:03.480 --> 0:45:05.880 saying a few verses earlier, these are the men who 0:45:05.920 --> 0:45:08.240 will tell you how to be saved. Now, the prison 0:45:08.280 --> 0:45:10.080 break happened not so they could get out, but so 0:45:10.120 --> 0:45:12.320 that God could get in, because there was somebody whose 0:45:12.400 --> 0:45:12.839 life he. 0:45:12.840 --> 0:45:13.680 Wanted to touch. 0:45:18.480 --> 0:45:23.200 Wait a minute, this isn't a prison. It's a pop 0:45:23.280 --> 0:45:32.520 up church in Philippi. God is starting a pop up 0:45:32.560 --> 0:45:36.000 church in your life right now. He's going to demonstrate 0:45:36.080 --> 0:45:38.600 some things through you. He's going to show some of 0:45:38.600 --> 0:45:40.239 the people. The Bible says all the other prisoners for 0:45:40.360 --> 0:45:43.320 listening to Paul and Silas. Somebody's looking at your life, 0:45:43.480 --> 0:45:46.560 listening to your life. You are doing this for an example. 0:45:46.840 --> 0:45:49.840 The gospel is with you. The assignment of God is 0:45:49.880 --> 0:45:56.000 heavy on your life. There is a shout that will 0:45:56.000 --> 0:45:58.320 bring you out. But there is also a shout that says, 0:45:58.360 --> 0:46:02.880 I'm still here. And that's what Paul shouted. And he 0:46:02.960 --> 0:46:06.720 said the job's not finished. And this dude comes over 0:46:07.080 --> 0:46:10.560 to Paul and Silas and God a sermon. 0:46:10.640 --> 0:46:11.760 Listen, how good the sermon. 0:46:11.880 --> 0:46:14.280 When I learn how to preach this shortened this good, 0:46:14.680 --> 0:46:17.040 We'll be out of here in time for brunch next week. 0:46:18.080 --> 0:46:21.440 They replied verse thirty one. Believe in the Lord Jesus 0:46:22.160 --> 0:46:23.800 and you will be saved. 0:46:24.400 --> 0:46:35.600 You and your household. Why were they in prison? Why 0:46:35.640 --> 0:46:36.920 did the foundations shake? 0:46:38.000 --> 0:46:41.239 Because as the foundations of that prison were shaking, a 0:46:41.320 --> 0:46:45.960 foundation for a church was being laid, the first church 0:46:46.520 --> 0:46:54.560 in Europe. And it all started in shackles. What is 0:46:54.600 --> 0:46:57.200 God starting in the shackles of your life right now, 0:46:57.680 --> 0:46:59.839 in the area where you can't move and can't do it. 0:47:00.760 --> 0:47:04.799 I know this much. You only have one job. One 0:47:04.880 --> 0:47:08.239 job because when he asked them how to be saved, 0:47:08.280 --> 0:47:10.120 they didn't say, get your act together and clean up 0:47:10.120 --> 0:47:12.280 your house and stop falling asleep on your night shift. 0:47:13.520 --> 0:47:19.719 They said, believe, and not just believe. Believe in the Lord. 0:47:19.520 --> 0:47:24.160 Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. 0:47:24.200 --> 0:47:27.799 And they spoke the word of the Lord to God 0:47:27.840 --> 0:47:30.480 I love it, and to all the others in his house. 0:47:30.480 --> 0:47:34.719 And at that hour of the night, the jailer took 0:47:34.719 --> 0:47:38.160 them and washed their wounds. Then immediately he and all 0:47:38.200 --> 0:47:41.960 his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his 0:47:42.040 --> 0:47:44.640 house and set a meal before them. 0:47:45.200 --> 0:47:49.600 He was filled with joy. 0:47:50.239 --> 0:47:53.520 Because he had become to believe in God, he and 0:47:53.719 --> 0:47:57.600 his whole household. What do you have to be happy about. 0:47:58.680 --> 0:48:04.439 I'm filled with joy because I believe in God. That's 0:48:04.520 --> 0:48:10.320 my basis, that's my firm foundation on Christ, the solid 0:48:10.440 --> 0:48:15.160 raw I stand. I want to give an invitation right now, 0:48:15.200 --> 0:48:17.040 bow your head and close your eyes for those of 0:48:17.080 --> 0:48:22.680 you who God has brought to this message today so 0:48:22.760 --> 0:48:25.440 that you can believe in the Lord Jesus and be saved. 0:48:26.360 --> 0:48:29.520 The Bible says that that jailer, upon believing in Jesus 0:48:29.600 --> 0:48:32.640 was filled with joy. At the moment that you place 0:48:32.680 --> 0:48:36.680 your faith in Jesus Christ, you are filled with His spirit. 0:48:37.360 --> 0:48:41.080 You are forgiven of your sin, and you are freed 0:48:41.600 --> 0:48:42.400 for your future. 0:48:43.120 --> 0:48:45.040 Right now. If that's you and God brought you here, 0:48:45.520 --> 0:48:45.960 and you have. 0:48:45.960 --> 0:48:48.680 Been in the prison of your sin and your self effort, 0:48:49.200 --> 0:48:51.839 I believe that right now is a defining moment in 0:48:51.880 --> 0:48:54.120 your life. I'm going to pray a prayer with you, 0:48:54.560 --> 0:48:57.000 and you repeat this prayer after me. And if you 0:48:57.080 --> 0:48:59.319 repeat this prayer and mean it from your heart, the 0:48:59.320 --> 0:49:00.359 Bible says that. 0:49:00.520 --> 0:49:03.520 You will be saved. 0:49:04.640 --> 0:49:06.920 Praying after me Church for the benefit of those who 0:49:06.960 --> 0:49:09.880 are coming to God or back to God Heavenly Father. 0:49:11.160 --> 0:49:15.800 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God 0:49:16.680 --> 0:49:20.879 and the savior of the world. And today I make 0:49:20.960 --> 0:49:22.920 Jesus the lord. 0:49:22.680 --> 0:49:24.239 Of my life. 0:49:24.280 --> 0:49:28.520 I believe you died that I would be forgiven and 0:49:28.640 --> 0:49:35.200 rose again to give me life. I receive this new life. 0:49:35.400 --> 0:49:39.200 This is my new beginning. On the count of three, 0:49:39.280 --> 0:49:42.160 shoots your hand up. If you prayed that one, two, three, 0:49:42.200 --> 0:49:42.919 shoot them up. 0:49:42.800 --> 0:49:46.160 All over the room online online. 0:49:45.719 --> 0:49:47.759 Say I received Jesus. 0:49:48.080 --> 0:49:50.200 Come on, Let's clap our hands and thank God. 0:49:50.320 --> 0:49:53.319 Church family. We can do better than that. 0:49:54.400 --> 0:49:56.360 Let's thank God for every soul. 0:49:56.200 --> 0:49:59.200 He's saved, every life he's touching. 0:50:00.880 --> 0:50:03.120 Come on, let's give him a great sum of press. 0:50:05.960 --> 0:50:07.080 Thank you for joining us. 0:50:07.360 --> 0:50:09.840 Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 0:50:09.920 --> 0:50:13.400 this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 0:50:13.840 --> 0:50:16.400 You can click the link in the description to give now, 0:50:16.920 --> 0:50:20.800 or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 0:50:21.320 --> 0:50:24.080 and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:50:24.360 --> 0:50:25.720 You can share it with your friends. 0:50:26.000 --> 0:50:28.279 You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 0:50:28.320 --> 0:50:30.440 share it on your social stories and tag us at 0:50:30.440 --> 0:50:31.319 Elevation Church. 0:50:31.360 --> 0:50:33.040 Thanks again for listening. God bless you.