Stephanie Ike - Under Pressure

Hey family, I'm Pt. Pastor Terrey Roberts and the lead pastor of Potter's House at one La and Denver, and on behalf of my wife, Pastor Sarah, and myself. We want to welcome you to our channel and to this word. I cannot wait for you to hear what God has for you in this message. I want to tell you a few things really quickly, subscribe if you're not already subscribed to this channel, subscribe so that you can be made aware of all of the word that's coming at you week in and week out. And also turn on your notifications so you don't miss a morsel that comes forth. We're also grateful for you and your partnership. If you are so. Compelled, we invite you to support what we're doing, not just our church, but what our church is doing. There are a number of outreaches, a number of things, critical, necessary things that we support, and we're able to do it because of your generosity. So, without further ado, let's get right into this word. God bless you. I'll see you soon. I'm so excited to be with you today. If you're watching, let us know in the comments where you're watching from you know, My prayer is that the Lord is just going to use this message to first of all, bring an understanding to you about the trials and the tribulations that you might have been facing that causes you to feel like your faith is under pressure. You feel like, God, I'm doing the things that You've called me to be, yet it seems like all hell is breaking loose against me. I believe that we're going to go on a journey and that God is just going to speak to you and affirm you and encourage you about where you are and what He has planned for you. You see, today we're going to be studying the Book of Revelation, and this is easily becoming one of my favorite books in the Bible because literally the very first verse of the first chapter of Revelation says, the revelation of Jesus Christ. What I'm beginning to learn is that this is a book about our Lord Jesus. It's a book about the victory of Jesus. And when we read the letters there is the prophecy and just see the unveiling of Jesus Christ in this book. That what we can gain from it will cause us to become everything that Christ has called us to be and so it's going to be an amazing journey. We're gonna be looking at one of the churches, one of the seven churches that the Lord instructs the apostle John to write a letter to. Now this is actually the second church, a church named a Church of Smyrna. Now in this church, there's actually I'm going to wait to read the scripture, right, But what I love about this is that there's seven churches singled out. By the Lord. And I believe that it is in the wisdom of God that he singled out these churches because of the uniqueness of what was taking place, that he recognized that what the message that will come out of this would speak to creating the complete church. Now, you see, these letters were written to actual historical congregations. But what makes up a congregation are people coming together to worship. And so the church was not just about this building. The church was about the people. And you are the church. And so when we begin to read the letters, I want you to recognize that the Lord had you in mind when he's instructing the apostle John to write these letters. Because when we can heed the instruction and heed the sayings of our Lord Jesus, that we become that complete church, we become the fullness of who God has called us to be. And so it's going to be beautiful. So let's get into the world. We're going to be reading from Revelation two, from verse eight to eleven, and it says, and to the Angel of the Church in Smyrna, right these things, says the First and the Last who was dead and came to life, I know your works. It is so encouraging when Jesus says I know your works. I see everything that there's nothing that is hidden from me. You may feel like God, I'm doing all of this and you don't see. The Lord says, I know. Your works, I know your tribulation and your poverty. But you are rich, and I know the blasphemy of those who say that they are Jews and are not but a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Now. I want you to understand that when the Lord says ten days, it is so powerful to me because no matter how wild the enemy wants to get, he works within the limits that Jesus has placed that he is confined to a certain barrier. It reminds me of the story about a man named Job. You see, no matter what the enemy did to Job, that God placed a limit on what the enemy cannot do. I want you to just put in the comments right now. There is an end. There is an end, because even when it seems like God all hell is breaking loose against me, the Lord said that there is an end to it. I have placed. There is an appointed time for what has taken place. And as we go through the scripture today, we're going to understand even the mindset of God and the purpose of God behind allowing tribulation and trials in our life. So then the scripture continues and it says, be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. Now, there is so much that we can unpack from this scripture, but I really just want to draw out what the Lord has called me to focus on today. You know, one of the fascinating things about this Church of Smyrner is that out of the seven churches that you know, the Lord instructs the apostle Paul to write a letter to five of those churches were being almost like disciplined by the Lord. He was highlighting to them, like the things that they were doing, that it was against His ways and against his teachers and all of that. So five of those churches, the Lord opposes them, he brings to their attention something that they're doing that he is not formed. But two of these churches he encourages. It's a different story. And one of those two is Smyrna. So Smyrna is not being highlighted by the Lord because the Lord is trying to tell them repent of your ways or you're doing something that I'm not for the Lord is literally writing this letter to encourage them. Now you see this Church of Smyrna. They were in the city where Christians were being persecuted because the people did not believe like them. The people worshiped their then Ses and they worshiped him to be God, even though like the Jewish people at the time, they were exempt from that worship, but they lived in this fear of uncertainty, not knowing when things were gonna change. Literally, some of them would just be robbed or beaten on the street randomly, mobs will come against them just because of their faith. Now, the crazy thing about this church is that the people in this church is that they're being persecuted not because of anything they did wrong, but because of what they did right. They're not being. Persecuted because you know, the Lord is against them, or the hand of the Lord is not with them. They're actually being persecuted because they're walking in the ways of God. This was a church filled with people that loved the Lord. They were dedicated to the Lord. They were committed to carrying out whatever the purpose of God was. And as a result of that, they're being persecuted and the Lord comes to encourage them. Now, one of. The fascinating things I find in this is that Jesus says that the devil in verse ten of that scripture, he says, the devil. Is going to throw some of you in prison. Now, in the natural, Sayan wasn't walking around right with skinny jeans or something, some sandals, He wasn't working around trying to throw people in prison, but Jesus is making it known to them. It may look like man is against you, It may look like it's the people that are against you, but this is actually a spiritual battle. That the influence behind their actions, the mastermind behind their actions, is actually Satan. That this is demonic at the root, you know, reminds me a couple years ago, there was a lady who shared the dream that she had with me. And in the dream, she tells me that she was in a boxing ring and there were two weird looking creatures that were fighting her, some weird demonic looking creatures, that's how she explained it, that were fighting her and just trying to beat her down. But no matter how much they came against her, she said no, she kept fighting back. So she asked me, She's like, do you know, by any chance, can you help me pray? What does this dream mean? And that she was speaking. The first thing the Lord said to me was ask her about her job, and so I said, hey, in your place of work, do you feel like they're people trying to frustrate your efforts? And she said, oh, my gosh, there are. These two individuals and I cannot stand them, and she's like, they just have it out for me. I said, actually, the Lord is trying to show you that you think it's about the individuals, but it's actually the devil working against you to frustrate you out of what God has called you to do. What was so fascinating is literally what Ephesians teaches us. Now, let's check this out right. Ephesians six twelve says this. It says, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. The scripture is literally telling us that it's not what it looks like. That you may feel like this people are trying to frustrate your efforts, but it's not what it looks like. And what the Lord has been teaching me is that we have to understand that the battle is spiritual, because the battle is against the spirit within you. The battle is not about you. The battle is against your connection and your relationship with. The Holy Spirit. You have to understand that when you're in relationship with the Holy Spirit, you have access to the voice of God, you have access. You're the person that says, Lord, here I am right. You say, God, I'm here for whatever you want. Me to do. Send me that Lord. But if you're looking for somebody, you can trust me that Lord, I give you my life that when you say yes to Jesus, that you have submitted yourself to the leading of His Holy Spirit. And it is through the Holy Spirit that we become aware of the will of God. We become aware of the ways of God. When we begin studying the Word. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings it to life. That you start reading about the character of Jesus and you're like, God, I want to be more like that. You see, when the enemy is coming up against you, he recognizes, I'm trying to see, how can I disconnect you from the place of belief? How can I disconnect you from the source that would literally reveal to you who you truly are. You see, what is fascinating is that the enemy recognizes that if you are rooted and established in what God knows about you, and if you have an ear to the voice of God, that you become a threat to His kingdom. You see the people in this scripture, they're literally the people of this church. And it is because of their faithfulness to God. It is because of their commitment to God that the enemy is not trying to persecute them. But there's so much more to this that we're going to look at. You know, the Lord began to teach me, and the Lord began to show me that when you as a child of God, this is what makes you a threat, because when you begin to carry out the will of God, you begin to establish the kingdom. You know, Jesus said this to the disciples when he was teaching them to pray. He said, the Kingdom, Come, your Kingdom, Come, your will be done. We begin to discover that us carrying out the will of God is how we establish the kingdom. You might think that, why is all this pressure coming up against my marriage, against my business, against the ministry, against the ability to write this book, against the ability to write this script. But you have to recognize, because when you are doing that in obedience to God, you are establishing the kingdom. That it's not just a book. It's the kingdom being established. It's not just a business. It's the kingdom being established in God's unique ways. It's a crazy and a beautiful thing, because sometimes we think that the kingdom being established is this grandiose idea, not recognizing it is literally your ability to carry. Out the will of God. And when the kingdom is established, what happens, Darkness has to leave the party. Right when the kingdom is established, it literally comes against everything that has been planted, every work of Satan. You know, as I was praying for this word, the Lord began to show me even marriages, and he was showing me how marriages have been under great attack. And you're wondering, God, why is there all this pressure, Why is there all these trials and tribulations coming up against our marriage, against this union, not even because of what you're doing wrong, but literally because of what you're doing right. And he was showing me that when you start seeing it properly, that when you recognize that the attacks coming up against you is because your marriage is connected to kingdom, that there are people that your marriage is actually a seed for them to walk out what God has spoken about them. You know, many people were. Always you know, our biggest or rather like our consistent experience right is about broken homes. That when we begin to see what a healthy marriage look like looks like it gives us hope. You know, the Bible says that we overcome by the word of our testimony and by the blood of the lamp. That your testimony is literally so in seeds in the lives of people to know that this can still work. Now, this is just an example of many things, because I don't. Know what it looks like in your life. I don't know the area of your life where you feel like God, I'm literally doing things right. I'm literally living the life you've called me. I walked away from foolishness. Why is it that when I was in darkness things life seemed easier for me, And all of a sudden, I'm saying yes to you, and it just feels like I am underpression. You see. My message for today is under pressure. When your faith literally feels like it is under pressure and you begin to question Lord, Am I the one for the job? Am I the one to carry out what you have said? Am I the one to do this very thing? You begin to question yourself because you're thinking that the pressure is to break your faith, that the pressure is to crush your faith. But the Lord is looking at you. And he say no, the pressure is actually to prove your faith. You know, the only reason you are a target by the enemy is because you are a threat to his kingdom. You know, there was a man by the name of Peter. Peter was a disciple of our Lord Jesus. Peter was a target by to the enemy, literally because Peter was a threat. You know, it's so crazy. The Lord and. Peter had this encounter one moment. The Lord asks Peter, he says, what do you say about me? Peter has a revelation from the Father. Peter says, you know what you are. You are the Lord Jesus, that you are the son of the Living God. You are the Messiah. And when Jesus hears this from Peter, Jesus is like, oh my gosh. He is so moved by Peter because he is moved by the ability that Peter. You heard from the Lord. You have access to get revelation that you could sense what the Lord is saying. That you are not distracted in this moment by everything from the crowd, but you could hear from the Spirit. And I want us to actually read what Jesus says. You see in have it. In my notes here. I'm gonna find it for you yeah. In Look twenty two thirty one to thirty two, Jesus said this right. Actually not in that scripture. It's a different scripture. Jesus says in Matthew sixty, verse eighteen, Jesus says you are Peter. When this happens, he says, you are Peter. And on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hates, the gates of Hell, shall not prevail against it. What I love about that is that in this moment, Jesus says, Peter, your ability to hear from the Father, your ability to submit yourself in such a unique way, is what has given me the ability to now tell you that you are Peter. And Peter can mean rock or it means stone. And he says on this I will build my church. What is he building? He is establishing the kingdom that Peter. When you can understand the will of God, you can establish the kingdom of God. This is what Satan was afraid of that if someone has access you see, when you begin to have access to revelation, when you begin to read the Word and it comes alivee to you, when you submit yourself and say God, I am here and willing to do your will. The enemy recognizes I cannot have this type of person on the earth. I cannot have you connected, and so he begins to put you under pressure because he is after your faith. He is after the. Very thing that is behind your ability to do anything for God, and that is your belief. The enemy knows that Peter, now what, Peter stands up from the rest of the disciples, because Peter, you have access to revelation. You know something, and I don't want you to know what you know. Literally, the enemy goes and he starts seeking out Peter. Jesus says this Later on in Lok twenty two, from thirty one to thirty two, Jesus has this conversation with Peter. He says, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And he tells him when you have returned to me. Because Jesus not already knew at all, he said, Peter, I've prayed for you, I've interceded for you that your faith will not fail. You strengthen your brethren. Now Jesus gives Peter. He's just giving him a heads up, right, Peter was just like, Peter didn't even understand why Jesus was telling him this. Peter is like, no, Lord, like, whatever it is, I'm with you till the end. But Jesus is like, look, I've already prayed for you. I know you might be stubborn right now, but I've prayed for you. I've seen the pressure that is going to come to you. But Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith would not fail. You got this, and when you return, strengthen your brother's What was it that happened? What the enemy had set up against Peter was knowing Peter's weakness in an area you see when Jesus, when everything was happening, when Jesus was being accused of just things that he was innocent for, and when Jesus was being taken to the cross, you know, it was not the time to be on Jesus's side. It was not the time to say, you know the Lord, because they would probably take you too. And so what happens is that the Lord even tells Peter, Peter, you're gonna deny me three times. Peter is like, never, this is never gonna happen but the enemy had already had his people in place, the people that he was he influenced at very strategic points to question, wait, Peter, aren't you one of the people that were with Jesus? And Peter literally denies the Lord three times. Now you will think that was the test and he failed it. But that was not the test of the enemy. The Lord already knew that Peter. You don't have the strength to even accept me in this moment. You don't have the strength to say I know you because you're a little afraid. And I get that. But he said, I prayed for you that your faith will not fail. And the Lord began to show me Stephanie. The test was not if Peter would say he knew me or he denied me. The test was what happened after he made the mistake. What the Enemy was trying to show Peter is that, Peter, you messed up. How can you be the one to deny Christ and still be the one to build the church? How can you build the church of the one you denied? You? See, what the enemy likes to do is to bring up all your mistakes and failures against you. That's why he's called the accuser of the brethren. He is the one who accuses you. He knew that Peter is gonna deny the Lord. The Lord knew that Peter was gonna deny him, but that was not the test. It was what happened after the denial that Peter your flesh. You're gonna have moments of weakness, but don't let this make you feel like you are not adequate. You see, there are things that happen to us in life. But the enemy is after your belief. What do you believe about yourself? Because if you can disconnect what the Holy Spirit says about you, then what happens is you begin to dumb down. The voice of the Holy Spirit longer has an influence in your life. And that is what Satan is after. Satan doesn't want you to be connected to the voice of your truth. Satan doesn't want you to be connected to the voice that is for you, the voice that will build you and establish you. And I want you to understand that no matter the mistakes you have made in life, no matter the accidents that showed up and never disqualified you, that the Lord looks at you and he's not saying, hey, that because of all this. You know what, I've changed my mind about you. God has never changed his mind concerning you. If he said it about you, that is what it is. And you need to be encouraged. Some of you right now their mistakes you have made and you feel like God, this disqualifies me from the call, and you have to recognize that that is not the case. This is really the strategy of the enemy to say you are not the one for the that the pressure is to crush your faith. But God says it is to prove your faith. You don't what's so fascinating In the Book of Revelation as well, in chapter twelve, there is a moment. The chapter twelve gives us this story about a woman, a dragon, and a son. Right, a woman and a baby and a dragon. So now it's so interesting because when you read it, actually, I'm not really going to go into that because we're going to go a whole different direction. But the conclusion of that story is that Satan is defeated by Jesus, and in Satan's anger that he knows like I can never get to him, that there's no way that I'm already defeated. I don't have the victory anymore in this in his anger against the Lord, now his warring against the saints, he's warring against. The disciples of God. I actually want to read this scripture to you, and in Revelations twelve there is a part of it, and let me even let me get this in my notes. There's a part of it that says in the very last verse, right, it says this about Satan, that he goes out to make war on those that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Why am I sharing this with you, because it just proves the point that it is not The war is not about you. The war is against what would establish the kingdom. It is against what reminds Satan that you are defeated when you get a grip of who you are in God, when you begin to realize your identity in God. This is what the enemy panics about. That is why Jesus says to the people, he says, be faithful unto death, and it says for those that overcome, I would give you the crown of life, and you would actually you will not even experience the second death. Jesus is speaking the language beyond this earth. He's speaking a language of eternity. He says, Look, you guys belong to me. That this is not about that. Even if this enemy would make you afraid of death on this you know, in this life, we are all going to die at some point, right, he says, don't worry about it, because I got you. Your faith is not going to fail. But the second death, that's a whole different story. He said, You're going to be saved from it. Jesus is speaking to them, not even from a place of where the enemy thinks he could trap them. He says, I'm going to speak to you in a different language, that after all of this is over, you will still belong to me, that I've never left you, that I am with you, and I will be with you even in death. It is such a beautiful picture here because Jesus is literally encouraging us. You see, Sometimes we even fall into. This panic of like, Lord, you know, I don't want to do this because I don't want to fail. I don't want to do this because you know what could it cost me? And the Lord says, look, at the end of the day, I am with you. After this, I'm still going to be with you. That's why the Lord says that, look, some of you are going to go there, are going to be in prison ten days. You're going to experience tribulation. The people were afraid because some of them had died because of this persecution. But the Lord says, even if the worst happens after this life. I am still going to be with you. You're going to be with me. Do not be afraid. It is so fascinating when the Lord says, I know your tribulation because that word tribulation, it speaks about pressure. But it's not just any random pressure. Is the type of pressure that happens when Heaven meets Earth, the type of pressure that happens when the Kingdom of God is manifested. It is the same word that is used when the Bible tells us that because of the Word, that tribulation comes, that the tribulation comes when there is a word sends to you you because the word of God reveals the will and purpose of God. The word of God. Establishes his kingdom, and so family, what I want you to understand is that no matter what you feel like you may be going through, no matter the frustrations coming up against you. First of all, it has an end, that there is a purpose behind it. Job said of the Lord, He said that he knows the way that I take and after he has stried me, after I am tested, I will come forth as gold. It is something so amazing. Job recognized the story of Job is a story you probably won't to ignore it, but it's actually a very powerful story. The story of Job is really like I mean, nobody wants to be Job, but even Job, when he went through the worst of the worst, he said, the Lord is testing me in this moment, and when he is done, I will come forth as gold. Even the pressure, even though the enemy. Wants you to think that will crush your faith, the Lord said, no, it's actually going to prove your faith. And what do I mean by that? You see, I recognize that even in my own life, the moments where I felt under pressure, when my faith felt under pressure, and I felt like, Lord, I don't know if I'm the one to do this, I don't know if I have what it takes. What it actually taught me is that the pressure brought me closer to Jesus. The pressure made me more dependent on the Lord. The pressure taught me that Stephanie Your weakness is not negative. Your weakness is where God becomes your strength. That the pressure showed me, I cannot do this life without you. Lord. The pressure is what proves your faith, it's not what crushes your faith. You see in that moment with Peter, the reason the Lord also allowed it is that, Peter, you I need you to also recognize that you build in my church is not what you would do in your own strength. It is what you indeed, the spirit of the Lord to establish that. Peter, you cannot do this by yourself. So you see Peter, prior to even having the experience of the Holy Spirit, before the Holy Spirit came upon him, Peter is denying Christ. He's denying that he knows him. After the Holy Spirit came upon Peter, Peter is standing up amongst the crowd and proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The pressure is where you understand that God, without you, I continue. Without you, I cannot go on. I need you. You know. I'm reminded by my mother when she was in her twenties, her husband was murdered and she's left with three kids, me being the youngest, and she was under pressure because it's like at the time Nigeria was not really you know, set up for women to thrive, especially single women. And she's looking at her children. She told me the story one day that she looked at all three of her kids and she's just like, God, I don't know what. I'm going to do. I have no clue how I'm going to raise this kids. And then she said she gathered all of us and she began to pray. She says, God, I don't know, but you do. And I'm committing them onto your hands. And I believe that you are going to guide me. You are going to direct my steps. You are going to show me the way. I'm not going to compromise myself. I'm not going to compromise my integrity. I'm not going to compromise my name because I'm going to trust in you. I'm going to trust that you would meet me in the place of need. And this was her prayer. And as she did that, she just laid her hands over each and every one of us and literally just committed us to the Lord. And after that, the Lord began to lead and just orchestrate her ways and guide her into the things that she's doing now. It was such a beautiful story. At first, it looked like her faith was going to be crushed, but then she realized, it's not that my faith will be crushed, but my faith is being proved. Now. I know how much I need God to raise these children. And she really needed the Lord because we all had we all lived in ways that she didn't understand sometimes. But then she will be reminded, Lord, I committed them into your hands, so I know that you're the one guiding them. This was the thing that would give her peace even when she wants to be under this, you know, just kind of under anxiety because we're doing things and she doesn't. Get it right. But there was that reminder that, Mom, remember you're not in this by yourself. The Lord is in this too. I want to encourage you, maybe concerning your family, maybe concerning your business, your ministry, whatever. The case might be. You're asking yourself that very question, Lord, why is there all these things working against me? And I'm not doing anything wrong. I want to encourage you that you are not doing anything wrong. But it's really because because of what you are doing right, the enemy knows that when you are submitted to the Lord, you become a kingdom ambassador you become a threat to his kingdom, and he's trying to disconnect you from the voice. But you see the very same things that the Lord uses. The enemy tries to use the same thing because if he can change your perspective about it, then he can get you. But if you see it right, if you begin to see everything that is happening to you through the lens that God, my life is in your hands, you will understand that this pressure is going to prove my faith. This pressure is where I meet the Lord. This uncertainty, this doubt, this idea of unworthiness, that it is where you say, God, here is my weakness. I'm not going to lie to you about it, but I'm going to give it to you that you become my strength. You see, even for me to preach, there was a time when I first started preaching. I remember, after every service, I'm like, God, I never want to do this again because you feel the pressure. And then the Lord began to show me, you know, just a sermon after sermon, right, and he began to show me Stephanie, this is the place where we meet. This is the place where you are dependent on me. That the reason you're just like, oh, Lord, I don't want to do that ever again, is because you're putting it on yourself, and you see that pressure could have cracked me. It could have broken my faith if I was relying on my own strength, on my own abilities. But when I recognize, Lord, this is where we meet, This is where you show up. This is where I may not know what was what's going to happen, but you do. Now. It excites me that pressure proved my faith in God, that God, I need you. I cannot do this without you. This is not just some type of you know, everyday school talk or whatever. I need your spirit and that is the same for you. Could it be that you are just one moment from inviting the Lord in rather than asking the Lord take it away? You see, because Jesus, when he says to this people, I know your tribulation, he didn't say, hey, I know your tribulation, I know your pressure, and I'm here to rebuke it. He didn't say I'm here to stop it. He literally says, and I'm gonna paraphect. He literally says, look, I know you're under pressure. Don't be afraid, be faithful. He didn't say, hey, guys, I'm just gonna lift it off right now because the pressure serves a purpose. It has disappointed time. I want to encourage you that don't take energy away from saying God, rebuke it, rebuke and rebuke it. Actually say God, what could this be teaching me? Could it be that I need to learn how to be more dependent on you and not relying on myself. That maybe this is a level, this is a place where my trusting you actually goes another level deeper. It's a beautiful thing. Family, But be encouraged and knowing that God is with you and God is for you. Your mistakes don't cancel you out. To be faithful does not mean that you're not going to have shortcomings. No, it doesn't mean you're not going to mess up. But to be faithful is in spite of your anxiety, in spite of the insecurity, in spite of your mistakes, that you can get up and say, Lord, we are walking this out. I'm holding on to your word, I'm holding on to what I know about you. I'm holding on to the truth of who you are. I'm not going to get disconnected from the spirit that speaks to my truth, because that's what the enemy is. After the battle is spiritual family, because the battle is against the spirit in you. The battle is against your connection and your relationship. To the Holy Spirit. And so don't let this pressure, don't let the circumstances, don't let the trials or tribulation crush you. Don't let it cause you to start questioning God. I'm not the one. Actually, it proves that you are the one, because you can only be the one with God. What comes from God. I say this all the time. Anything that comes from God requires God. And just like Jesus came and he encouraged, he sent that letter to encourage the church and Smyrner, my prayer is that you would be encouraged by this word to know that God is with you, that you are not in this by yourself. And I want us to take this moment in prayer. You see if you feel like you know what Lord, actually, I'm recognizing that I just never invited you in. I never said Lord, have your way. I never said God, I recognize that in this weakness you need to step in that I've been looking at pressure the wrong way. I've been thinking that the pressure is going to crush my faith, not recognizing that it's crushing. It's crushing what is First of all, it's crushing what is not you. But it's actually revealing to me that what my weakness is and what needs to be presented at the altar to say, Lord, can you be my strength? Lord? This is what it is. This is the truth of where I am. But I need you to be my strength. That is what pressure reveals. And so I want you to take this moment. If you know that's you, and you know that Lord, I just need to invite you in. Just put in the comments here I am, here, I am. And maybe you're watching this and perhaps you may not even know the Lord, and maybe you're wondering, like, hey, like, maybe there's been this fear of not giving yourself completely to the Lord because you're just like, look, I'm living in my mess and I'm free. But there is a tug on your heart because at the end of the day, the version of you that says yes to Jesus is who you truly are when the truth of your identity begins to be awakened. And so perhaps you felt like, nah, man, I'm good. You know I'm seeing what happens to Christians. That's not it at all. It's a beautiful experience, it's a beautiful walk with the Lord. And so if you feel like I don't know if I want to commit to this thing, but you felt that tug, you felt the Lord pulling on your heart, I want you to invite you into this. I want you to come home. I want you to say, God, I'm coming home. Because at the end of the day, any of the circumstances, any of what makes you feel like I don't want to feel under pressure, it's actually showing you that you are a threat to the enemy, you are a threat to the kingdom of darkness, and that you are a weapon in the hands of God. And so if that's you, just say I'm coming home. Just put that in the chat right now. Amen. Amen, family, Let's just pray. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Lord. You know, even as we're praying, before we pray, I just sense that there's someone that's going to be watching this, and you felt like, God, I don't know a specific thing that the Lord is placing on my heart. Is with your tithes. When you started tithing, all hell broke loops. You started before you were titherer you, I mean, things were great. You started tithing and you lost your job, and you're like, God, this is not it. Now I need to save everything. You see what I'm understanding. And some of you you might be like, that doesn't apply to you, But the message of this would apply because at the end of the day, if the enemy can take can tweak any instruction of the Lord, if the enemy can get you to tweak it a little bit, bend it a little bit, he's looking for it in the simple things. If he can get you to do that, he starts attacking other weak areas. And what happens is that slowly but surely, you are losing your conviction of the Holy Spirit because you started tithing because you had a conviction, and then you stopped because it was not serving your convenience. And every time the Lord put it on your heart, you're like, ah, no, you know, I can't afford to do this right now. But it's not even about the tithe. It's about the conviction. It's about you hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying and what he's leading you to do. And so if that is you, and maybe yours is. Not tied, maybe yours could be something else. But whatever, it didn't serve your convenience anymore. And you said, I'm going to stop it. But what you don't realize is that that begins to silence the conviction and the voice of the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that affirms you of who you are, the same spirit that reveals to you the mysteries of your life in God. You don't want to silence that spirit. When we are led by the spirit of God, the beautiful thing that happens, it amplifies His voice in our lives. And so I want to pray with you, Heavenly Father. We just thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your love. We thank you for your children that have said I'm coming home, and that have said here I am Lord, Your children that are committing to say God, I don't know. You know, I don't know if I can do this. They're being honest with you, but they're also recognizing that Lord, with you, I can with you, I am, And they're inviting you into their brokenness, into their weakness, to say, God, I know you have me. That mistake doesn't define me because you are with me and you are walking this. They're not with me. Lord. I just thank you that you would have your way in and through their lives. And Lord, for those who are saying here I am, here, I am they're saying they're coming home, Heavenly Father. May you touch their hearts. Lord God, I thank you that the confession of their mouth to say, Jesus you are Lord. Just say that wherever you are watching this right now. And when you're saying that, God, you know what. I'm done running. I'm coming home. Just declare that Jesus you are Lord. You are Lord over my life. You died on the. Cross for my sins, and I'm coming home. I don't want to keep running. I say yes. I want to walk in the fullness of my identity in you family. If you pray that prayer, there's going to be a form. You're going to see a QR code on the screen. Go to that link right now and just fill up the Salvation form and we're going to follow up with you on next steps. It's going to be a beautiful journey and I'm excited for what God is doing in your life. Amen.