You Must Be Important

0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:01.720 On your way to your seat. 0:00:01.720 --> 0:00:04.000 I know normally I would read my scripture while you're standing, 0:00:04.040 --> 0:00:06.480 and then after the text, I would give you my title. 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:09.560 But I want to do it different today. I'm wild 0:00:09.560 --> 0:00:11.600 and crazy, y'all. I'm going to give you my title 0:00:11.640 --> 0:00:12.520 and then my text. 0:00:13.320 --> 0:00:17.880 Whoa, whoa? 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:19.720 All right, but I need your help. Look at the 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:22.360 person next to give them my title. Say you must 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:27.360 be important, be seated. Amen. Hey, thank God for our 0:00:27.400 --> 0:00:31.280 worship team. Many are just getting back from tour. Chris 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:36.920 Brown still smells like diesel fuel and holy ghosts just 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:39.879 rocking arenas with the presence of God all over the 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:42.680 country and representing our church. Well, let's thank God for 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:47.080 our team. 0:00:47.240 --> 0:00:49.480 It's cool. A lot of unseen heroes too. 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:52.479 I should do a series called Hidden Figures about the 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:55.920 people in the church that we don't see or nobody 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:59.200 follows them, but they're very important. Have you noticed that 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:03.120 who we think is important sometimes maybe God doesn't think 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:07.360 is as important in culture? I mean, just like, have 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:11.880 you noticed that it seems like lately I'm praying more 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:17.160 and more God, show me what's important from your perspective. 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:22.000 I'm afraid that I'll live my life wasting my energy 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:25.319 on things that seem important to me, only to find 0:01:25.319 --> 0:01:27.360 out that they weren't as important as I thought they were. 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:30.319 So I'm just praying more and more in the moment, 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:34.119 just a very short prayer. God, show me what's important, 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:36.199 and I'm praying it at the start of my week 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:39.720 more that God. There's a lot I could do this week, 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:42.959 but I need you to show me the difference between 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.920 what's urgent and what's important, because some things that will 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:51.160 be an emergency for other people cannot become my priority 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:54.800 just because they didn't make a plan. And so this week, 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:57.920 I need you to show me the difference between what's. 0:01:57.880 --> 0:01:59.240 Urgent and what's important. 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:02.160 And sometimes it's urgent and important, but I need God 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:07.360 more and more to show me what's more important. Lately, 0:02:07.400 --> 0:02:11.240 I find that it's not choosing between you know, Netflix 0:02:12.200 --> 0:02:17.440 and Bible study. It's like which show on Netflix or Bible. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:20.680 I'm just kidding. I just want to take it there now. 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:25.080 It's two things that are equally to me, equal priorities, 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:28.840 because I know that I need to seek first the 0:02:28.919 --> 0:02:32.400 Kingdom of God and his righteousness. I don't always know 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:37.040 what that looks like in this moment because my role 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:38.800 in the kingdom consists. 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:39.680 Of multiple roles. 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.920 So on one level, I am a pastor who needs 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:46.280 to prepare a sermon. On another level, I am a 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:48.760 dad with a kid who wants to throw the football. 0:02:48.960 --> 0:02:51.120 And I know you think that you're more important than 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:53.440 my son's desire to throw a football. 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:55.120 But the fact of the matter is, you. 0:02:55.040 --> 0:02:57.280 Know, if I drop dead, there'd be another preacher standing 0:02:57.320 --> 0:03:02.880 here this weekend. But he's only got one dad. It's true, 0:03:05.240 --> 0:03:08.400 is so true. Some of the things that I thought 0:03:08.480 --> 0:03:12.480 were more important in my twenties, now that I'm like 0:03:12.800 --> 0:03:18.000 a wise sage at the age of thirty eight, I'm 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:20.239 realizing that I need God more and more to show 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:25.480 me what's important now, what's important now? What was important 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:28.760 to me in one season may not need the same 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:31.160 priority in this season. 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:33.720 And that even applies to people. 0:03:34.400 --> 0:03:37.480 I know that everybody is equally important to somebody say, 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:41.240 I know you're important to God. But God is an 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:43.880 unlimited resource and he can love everybody equally. I'm not 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:47.680 that much like God. I only have so much to give. 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:51.680 Come on, there's only so many bags of chips in 0:03:51.760 --> 0:03:54.720 the vending machine of my heart, and I can't just 0:03:54.760 --> 0:03:57.200 have everybody grab and everything out of me all the time. 0:03:57.280 --> 0:04:00.080 Eventually I will run out. So I need to I 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:03.160 need to be led by the spirit to know what's 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:08.560 most important in this moment, in this season of my life. 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:15.360 What is the priority of God for me? In Mark's Gospel, 0:04:16.040 --> 0:04:20.120 we are going to study today briefly a story that 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:22.640 he thought was important to include to give us a 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:26.479 full picture of Jesus as we're coming to know him. 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:31.240 Savage Jesus. It's been shocking to us some of the 0:04:31.240 --> 0:04:36.120 priorities that Jesus had, and how much different those priorities 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:39.640 are than maybe what we would have expected. When we 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:43.440 see him stopping to heal a woman in Mark five 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.760 point twenty one, and following on his way to heal 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:52.599 a little girl, we are shocked, confounded, and in some 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:56.400 ways challenged because the one he was going to heal 0:04:56.839 --> 0:05:00.440 was the daughter of someone who was important. His name 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:04.279 was Gyrus, he was a synagogue leader. The woman who 0:05:04.279 --> 0:05:06.960 came up behind Jesus isn't even given a name. Nobody 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.599 really cared about women like that in this culture. He 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:15.640 stops en route to the miracle that is more important 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:18.200 and more urgent, because the little girl has hours to 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:22.239 live in fact, while he stops to heal this unimportant woman, 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:28.200 the important girl dies. Jesus isn't concerned about this, because 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:34.640 he is healer. Yes, also he is resurrection. His priority 0:05:34.680 --> 0:05:37.400 in this moment is to show the people a deeper 0:05:37.480 --> 0:05:40.640 revelation of who he is. The only way for him 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:42.839 to give them this revelation of the power of his 0:05:42.960 --> 0:05:47.200 presence is to upset their priorities and stop for something 0:05:47.240 --> 0:05:50.039 that they see as less important, so that when he 0:05:50.080 --> 0:05:52.960 gets to the scene which was more important, the little 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:56.479 girl is already dead. This provides an opportunity for him 0:05:56.480 --> 0:05:58.880 to do something that he couldn't have done if he 0:05:58.920 --> 0:06:03.280 had gone according to their priorities. Sometimes God will upset 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:07.400 your priorities to show you his power in a new way. 0:06:07.920 --> 0:06:10.200 And I know it's hard to clap for that. But 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.920 if God has been doing some unusual things in your 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:16.120 life lately and it seems difficult to get Jesus to 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:21.679 follow your agenda, maybe he is reordering your priorities. Maybe 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.640 what was important to you then shouldn't be important to 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:27.280 you now, and he's trying to show you an order 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:29.839 of importance. That's how you can know when the presence 0:06:29.839 --> 0:06:33.159 of God is really increasing in your day to day life. 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:38.599 It will shift your priorities. Goosebumps don't prove the presence 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:41.680 of God. I get goosebumps off of Bruno Mars every time. 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:47.000 Goose Bumpson sometimes I kiss Holly. Feelings don't prove the 0:06:47.000 --> 0:06:51.680 presence of God. What proves the presence of God in 0:06:51.720 --> 0:06:56.440 my life is when my priorities begin to align with his. 0:06:58.480 --> 0:07:03.719 And this is going to require a collision because cultural 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:08.560 priorities are much different. Now we're ready for Mark chapter five, 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:12.280 a story that Mark thought was important enough to include 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:16.960 for us. Imagine you have to write a gospel account 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:21.520 and you have to decide what's the most important teaching 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:23.920 Jesus gave that you want to put in Mark four 0:07:24.680 --> 0:07:26.240 or what stories are. 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:26.920 You going to leave out? 0:07:27.160 --> 0:07:29.160 Because it's not like you could say, well, that wasn't 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:31.640 any good when he healed that line. Man, you know 0:07:31.680 --> 0:07:34.440 what I'm saying, Like it'd be hard to let something 0:07:34.520 --> 0:07:37.440 hit the cutting room floor, right, Yeah, Well, I mean 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:39.480 he opened so many death fears. 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:40.960 You got to pick and choose which ones you're going 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:41.640 to include. 0:07:41.840 --> 0:07:44.320 Like stuff that Jesus did on his way to his 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.680 appointments would have been our greatest accomplishment in our whole lifetime. 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:50.280 And now Mark has to decide, all right, what are 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:53.000 the most important stories, And so in order to do that, 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:55.960 he has to choose one theme. And he has to 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:58.760 get this theme across because Matthew, who wrote a gospel account, 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.400 he's gonna have a theme. Luke is is Mark's theme 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:03.640 he decides is going to be to show the authority 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:09.160 of Jesus. The authority of Jesus, and authority is illustrated, 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:14.720 not explained. Can I talk about that people who always 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:16.960 need to tell you they're in charge aren't really in control. 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:24.520 When you really have power, you don't have to shout. 0:08:25.640 --> 0:08:27.480 Just walk through my house and watch Holly look at 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:29.360 one of our kids a certain way, and you will 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:31.800 see that power doesn't have to shout. I mean, there 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:33.360 is a look she can give. And I don't know 0:08:33.360 --> 0:08:35.559 where the kids go after that. They crawl under parts 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:37.800 of the house I've never seen off of one look. 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:43.679 And this is a demonstration of Jesus authority that I 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:44.760 don't think you'll soon forget. 0:08:44.880 --> 0:08:46.760 Mirrored it to you. Just relax and listen. 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:50.480 Okay, They went Mark five verse one across the lake 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.559 to the region of the Garrisones. When Jesus got out 0:08:53.559 --> 0:08:56.040 of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came 0:08:56.040 --> 0:08:58.640 from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in 0:08:58.679 --> 0:09:02.400 the tombs and bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:06.280 for he'd often been chained hand and foot. But he 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:09.440 tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. 0:09:10.520 --> 0:09:12.920 No one was strong enough to subdue him, and that's 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:17.200 called foreshadowing. Class. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 0:09:17.960 --> 0:09:21.840 And this is where we need a savage Jesus. Sweetheart. 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:26.080 Jesus can't help this man. Cutie pie, Jesus can't bless 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:29.160 this guy with a little cliche exthus on the back 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:32.600 of your car, Jesus, jewelry Jesus around your neck. Can't 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.520 do anything about this situation. But you might come to 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:38.360 a point in your life where you've lost sight of 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:42.040 who you are and who you are, and in those moments, 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:44.680 you don't want a little puny Jesus who stands over 0:09:44.760 --> 0:09:47.080 on the side and waits till you rub your hands 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:49.920 together and pull him out the bottle on Christmas, in Easter, 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:52.280 or when you decide to bless him with your presence 0:09:52.320 --> 0:09:55.480 at church. Knowing those moments you're gonna want a strong 0:09:55.679 --> 0:10:00.280 savior with a mighty hand, and then outstretched arm, talking 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:07.120 about a savage Jesus. Somebody shout, I got a great 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:13.800 big God, night and day. Verse five. Among the tombs 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:15.760 and in the hills, he would cry out and cut 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:21.960 himself with stones. Verse six is interesting when he saw 0:10:22.040 --> 0:10:23.040 Jesus from a distance. 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:24.280 Now this is the first time. 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:26.920 He's seen Jesus, but this is not Jesus' first vision 0:10:26.960 --> 0:10:31.360 of him. He saw Jesus from a distance. Jesus did 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:37.160 his ministry in Capernaum. This account is from a Gentile region, 0:10:38.200 --> 0:10:40.680 the region of the Garrisones. No one knows exactly where 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:42.400 that is. By the way, there's a lot of debate 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:45.400 about it. I went over to a spot where they 0:10:45.400 --> 0:10:48.120 think this story might have happened last year, and he 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:50.480 showed me how Jesus would go up in the mountains 0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:53.480 and pray early in the morning and late at night, 0:10:54.400 --> 0:10:57.600 and across the sea of Galilee, where Jesus has just traveled, 0:10:57.880 --> 0:10:59.760 the sound would have traveled. So if this man is 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:03.160 out day and night, there's a good chance Jesus would 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.800 have been up early while the man was up late, 0:11:06.840 --> 0:11:08.520 and while the man was up late crying. 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:12.079 Jesus was up late praying, and maybe. 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:16.600 One morning, after hearing the man cry one more time, 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:21.560 Jesus decided, today is the day for me to make 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:26.800 my way toward this man and set him free. Could 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:31.199 it be that God has heard your cry, and he 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:33.960 has heard the secret petitions and disappointments of your heart, 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.720 and he had you log on or show up today, 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:40.640 because today is the day that He came to see 0:11:40.679 --> 0:11:45.480 about you when you thought no one else was listening, 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:48.640 and you thought you were all alone. Could it be 0:11:48.800 --> 0:11:52.480 that he heard you? And now the man sees Jesus, 0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:56.679 possibly before Jesus even lays eyes on the man, and 0:11:56.720 --> 0:12:00.000 he ran and fell on his knees in front of him, 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:02.480 Verse sevent He shouted, at the top of his voice, 0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:04.200 what do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:06.559 Most High God? Oh, by the way, your first response 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:11.040 to God will often be feared. When he shows up 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:15.400 in your life in real power. There will be something 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:19.559 in you that will resist that authority, because it goes 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:22.200 against everything that is ingrained in our humanity to be 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:24.880 in the presence of one who is greater than us, 0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:30.040 and it often causes us to reevaluate our priorities. Now, 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:33.440 in this man's case, there is a specific reason that 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.960 he falls on his knees and shouts, what do you 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:38.319 want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God, 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:42.079 in God's name, don't torture me. For Jesus had said 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.920 to him here it is, come out of this man, 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:49.800 you impure spirit. And Jesus challenged the spirit that was 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:53.960 within the man, and the spirit within the man resisted 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:58.640 the challenge of Jesus because anytime the enemy has occupied 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:00.880 a territory for a while, he won't let it go. 0:13:00.880 --> 0:13:03.200 Without a fight. 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:07.360 Jesus asked him a question, not for information, but for revelation. 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:09.600 He doesn't need to know this, he knows all things. 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.040 But he asked the man because the man might know 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:18.280 who Jesus is, but this man doesn't. 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:19.160 Know who he is. 0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:23.800 And Jesus asked the man, what is your name? And 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:27.880 the man responded, my name is Legion, for we are many. 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:31.360 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:35.640 them out of the area. The demons begged Jesus, don't 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:39.240 make us leave. And this is where the story gets 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:43.000 interesting verse eleven. And I promise you the Bible is 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:45.960 way more bizarre than you give it credit for. Exhibit 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:51.320 a verse eleven, A large herd of pigs. We know 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:55.560 we're not in Jewish territory anymore, right, because there would 0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:55.839 not be. 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:56.720 A large herd of pigs. 0:13:56.760 --> 0:13:59.880 Jesus has left this home turf and he's crossed over, 0:14:00.760 --> 0:14:03.120 and now he's in Gentile territory, the region of the 0:14:03.160 --> 0:14:03.720 gar seats. 0:14:04.440 --> 0:14:05.640 And there's a large. 0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:09.880 Herd of pigs standing nearby on the hillside feeding. And 0:14:09.960 --> 0:14:13.480 the demons begged Jesus send us among the pigs, allow 0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:16.520 us to go into them. He gave them permission. Okay, 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:18.720 you gotta leave the man, but you can jump on 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:22.080 the pigs. And the impure spirits came out and went 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:26.520 into the pigs, and the herd, about two thousand in number, 0:14:26.600 --> 0:14:30.600 rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and we're droughting. 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:32.400 I know you're worried right now that I'm gonna find 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:33.760 a way to preach about this in a way that 0:14:33.800 --> 0:14:35.960 applies to your life. But trust me, I've been doing 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:37.840 this a long time. I got a good track record, 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.160 and I promise you there is a connection between you 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:42.200 and these pigs. And if you give me a few 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:44.440 minutes and pay close attention. I'll show you what it 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:48.440 is Verse fourteen. Those tending the pigs ran off and 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:51.680 reported this in the town in countryside, And the people 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:54.160 went to see what had happened. And when they came 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:56.360 to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed 0:14:56.400 --> 0:14:59.320 by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed and in 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:03.320 his right mind, and they were afraid. Those who had 0:15:03.320 --> 0:15:05.960 seen it told the people what had happened to the 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:09.600 demon possessed man, and told about the pigs as well. 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:16.240 And then then then the people began to plead with 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:21.120 Jesus to leave their region. Touch them again and say 0:15:21.160 --> 0:15:22.280 can I get your autograph? 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.200 Touch them? Say you must be important. 0:15:28.120 --> 0:15:31.360 You must be important that Jesus would go through all 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.120 this trouble to keep an appointment with you. 0:15:35.200 --> 0:15:38.120 Oh, I'm so sorry. I messed up. 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:40.920 I started reading in the wrong place in the Bible. 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:43.960 It happens. I'm sorry. This is my third time preaching it. 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:46.160 You will have to forgive me. I was supposed to 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.760 start at mark four thirty five, and I started in 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.200 mark five. And you can't understand mark five without mark 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.520 four thirty five through forty one. So if you will 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:57.040 forgive me for my slight oversight. I'm gonna do what 0:15:57.080 --> 0:15:59.240 I should have done before. I want to tell you 0:15:59.240 --> 0:16:03.040 about the storm. It came before the miracle. This passage 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:07.840 of scripture, we'll preach all by itself, because watch this. 0:16:08.000 --> 0:16:09.720 How many of you are going through a storm in 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.440 your life today? Just raise your hand, or somebody close 0:16:12.480 --> 0:16:13.600 to you is going through a storm. 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:14.240 Raise your hand. 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:16.920 Now see how easy it is to preach about storms. 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:17.640 Did you see the. 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:20.440 High percentage of hands that went up, except at Blakeney 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:22.080 They never raised their hands when I ask them to. 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:24.280 But let me try this one more time. How many 0:16:24.280 --> 0:16:26.680 of you are going through a storm? You just came 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:29.200 out of a storm, or you know there's probably a 0:16:29.240 --> 0:16:31.560 storm around the corner. Come on, be a meteorologist and 0:16:31.600 --> 0:16:33.479 touch your neighbor and say there's. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:37.640 A storm out on the ocean. 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:41.760 So let me read this to you because it's important. 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:45.520 Somebody say it's important. That day when evening came, this 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:49.000 is the same day, Remember the same day. Mark didn't 0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:50.240 divide this into chapters. 0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:51.240 We did that later. 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:56.080 Mark's writing it all as one story. That day, when 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:59.440 evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, let's go over 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.720 to the other side. Note he doesn't tell him why. 0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:06.679 He doesn't say, because I've got an appointment on the 0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:10.920 other side. He doesn't tell them why. He just tells them. 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:13.919 What can you obey what God says when you don't know? 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:17.280 Why can you just get in and go? Even though 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:20.520 you don't know where this is going? If you believe 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:23.439 He has all authority, you don't need full details to 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:27.880 be obedient. This is just for the obedient Christians who 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:30.520 are willing to cross over. Now make a note of this. 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:36.679 You can't cross over without conflict. Jesus is moving the 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:40.879 mission forward. He's leaving the comfort zone of what do 0:17:40.920 --> 0:17:45.440 we call it? Copernaum? Ooh nahum comfort Copernaum, Copernaum, it's 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:48.240 the place of the comforter. He's leaving the comfort zone 0:17:48.640 --> 0:17:51.960 and he's moving into enemy territory. Like some of you 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:54.840 are doing right now in your life. You are beginning 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.879 to move forward in the things of God. You're changing 0:17:57.920 --> 0:18:01.800 your circle, You're changing your value. You have begun to 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:05.920 prioritize the presence of God. But let me warn you 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:10.040 when you make God your priority, the enemy will send 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:14.520 a storm. You never cross over without conflict. Did you 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:16.240 expect the devil would let you. 0:18:16.240 --> 0:18:17.520 Go without a fight. 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:20.600 Did you expect that he would let you leave Egypt 0:18:20.840 --> 0:18:24.200 without sending his chariots to chase you down. You've been 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:27.479 serving the devil forty two years, and now you decide 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:29.840 to stand up and be a godly man, and you 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:30.560 think it's just going. 0:18:30.560 --> 0:18:31.600 To change overnight. 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:34.240 As a matter of fact, I want to announce to you, 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:37.879 the reason the storm is raging might not be because 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:39.240 your Jonah headed. 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:40.240 Away from the will of God. 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:44.200 It might be because you're crossing over into the calling 0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:50.680 that is on your life. This what the conflict is 0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:51.160 all about. 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:51.280 It. 0:18:56.600 --> 0:18:58.560 I know I should just calm down and talk to you, but. 0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:03.040 Sometimes when you're in a storm, sometimes you need somebody 0:19:03.080 --> 0:19:05.760 to holler at you and say, hey. 0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:10.639 You're gonna make it through this. How do you know? 0:19:12.080 --> 0:19:16.280 Because Jesus said, We're going to the other side, so. 0:19:16.200 --> 0:19:17.960 You can't die in this. 0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:23.639 You gotta make it to that. 0:19:23.640 --> 0:19:27.359 That's what I came to say. 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:32.160 I've preached so many sermons about this storm, and I've 0:19:32.160 --> 0:19:34.880 told so many people that they can survive what they're 0:19:34.920 --> 0:19:39.320 going through. But there's a more important question than will 0:19:39.320 --> 0:19:46.400 you survive. The better question to ask is why did 0:19:46.440 --> 0:19:49.760 you survive the storm? 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:51.680 Have you thought about have you ever thought. 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:55.760 About how many things the enemy did, even early in 0:19:55.800 --> 0:19:59.119 your life to try to stop you from having a 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:04.399 relationship with God. Remember this is Mark chapter four, not 0:20:04.440 --> 0:20:07.760 Mark chapter five. This man has not even seen Jesus 0:20:07.840 --> 0:20:10.399 yet yet there is a storm that is sent to 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:13.000 the Sea of Galilee to keep Jesus from getting to him. 0:20:14.880 --> 0:20:17.080 I know you're like, well, how do you know the 0:20:17.119 --> 0:20:18.080 devil started the storm? 0:20:18.080 --> 0:20:25.560 Maybe it was just climate change because it said Jesus 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:30.600 rebuked the wind in the waves. Jesus doesn't rebuke natural elements. 0:20:30.600 --> 0:20:37.280 He rebukes demons. The same demonic oppression that was oppressing 0:20:37.320 --> 0:20:40.880 that man was in that sea trying to stop Jesus 0:20:40.920 --> 0:20:45.439 from getting to the man. You were on the devil's 0:20:45.480 --> 0:20:50.600 hit list before you were ever born. There were things 0:20:50.760 --> 0:20:53.639 in your family line that were happening before you were 0:20:53.680 --> 0:20:57.080 born that were designed to keep you from being in 0:20:57.160 --> 0:21:00.720 church at this moment today, touch somebody say you must 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:04.359 be imported because in spite of all the storms that 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:07.119 had your name on them, in spite of all the 0:21:07.160 --> 0:21:11.399 winds and the waves and the hurricane forces, in spite 0:21:11.440 --> 0:21:14.720 of every attack, look at you in church. Look at 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:17.879 you clapping, Look at you taking notes, look at you 0:21:18.040 --> 0:21:21.120 praising God, look at you believing for a brighter day. 0:21:21.440 --> 0:21:25.680 Look how you made it. You must be important. You survive. 0:21:31.480 --> 0:21:33.000 You know how I know you're important. 0:21:33.920 --> 0:21:36.760 It takes boldness to call your sermon you must be important. 0:21:36.960 --> 0:21:39.520 It takes boldness to call your sermon that. But I 0:21:39.640 --> 0:21:43.879 know it. Not because of the car you drive, not 0:21:43.960 --> 0:21:47.600 because of the house you live in, not because I 0:21:47.640 --> 0:21:49.560 looked up how many Instagram. 0:21:49.080 --> 0:21:49.919 Followers you have. 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:58.760 I know you're important because of your storm. See the 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:03.840 size of your storm tells me something about your importance. 0:22:04.960 --> 0:22:09.200 The size of your storm lets me know the importance 0:22:09.680 --> 0:22:10.679 of your assignment. 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:13.040 The devil doesn't start a storm. 0:22:12.720 --> 0:22:14.880 For somebody who is not threatened by. 0:22:15.160 --> 0:22:17.640 If you're going through a storm. 0:22:17.320 --> 0:22:20.520 There's something so big on the other side. 0:22:20.880 --> 0:22:29.800 And if you high five three people say you must. 0:22:29.520 --> 0:22:33.040 Be important because that big, bad devil's. 0:22:32.680 --> 0:22:35.879 Been huffing and puffing, and he thought he would blow 0:22:35.920 --> 0:22:36.800 your house down. 0:22:37.280 --> 0:22:40.880 But the trial to serve, to prove your foundation. 0:22:42.240 --> 0:22:42.920 Come on, my. 0:22:43.000 --> 0:22:54.240 House is on the rock. I can't. I was so confused. 0:22:56.240 --> 0:23:02.000 So long. I thought this storm meant that God had 0:23:02.080 --> 0:23:06.959 left me. You know, but in this passage, the storm 0:23:07.240 --> 0:23:10.600 means he's on the way. 0:23:11.400 --> 0:23:12.800 Did you hear what I said? 0:23:13.840 --> 0:23:17.000 If you're going through a storm right now, or if 0:23:17.000 --> 0:23:20.679 one happens to hit on Thursday morning, I want you 0:23:20.760 --> 0:23:24.879 to know that the storm is a sign that Grace 0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:26.480 is on the way. 0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:31.240 The Bible says the storm came up suddenly the moment 0:23:31.400 --> 0:23:34.880 Jesus started in the direction of the man, here came 0:23:34.920 --> 0:23:39.359 a storm, not because God wasn't with him, but precisely 0:23:39.440 --> 0:23:41.200 because he was headed. 0:23:40.960 --> 0:23:41.920 In his direction. 0:23:48.080 --> 0:23:52.639 All right, So if that's true, if what I just 0:23:52.680 --> 0:23:57.400 said is true, that there is a storm that proves 0:23:58.560 --> 0:24:07.399 nobody attacks what isn't valuable, I promise you if I 0:24:07.440 --> 0:24:11.879 went to play Game seven today, Lebron wouldn't guard me. 0:24:12.560 --> 0:24:13.320 I promise you. 0:24:13.560 --> 0:24:17.080 They would let me run all around that court and 0:24:17.160 --> 0:24:19.760 do whatever I wanted to do. They would hand me 0:24:19.880 --> 0:24:28.480 the ball gladly. You only guard. 0:24:33.880 --> 0:24:36.520 Why would you guard someone who wasn't in a position 0:24:36.560 --> 0:24:37.000 to score? 0:24:41.240 --> 0:24:42.200 I know you're important. 0:24:45.600 --> 0:24:48.879 Look here, Brooke, when I prepared this message, I was like, everybody. 0:24:48.480 --> 0:24:50.000 Won't get this message because they'll do this thing. 0:24:50.040 --> 0:24:51.760 When I get to this man called Legion, and I 0:24:51.760 --> 0:24:54.560 say he was living among the tombs and cutting himself 0:24:54.560 --> 0:24:57.439 with stones. They would disassociate themselves and say, well, I 0:24:57.480 --> 0:25:02.520 got some problems, but I'm not that bad. And when 0:25:02.520 --> 0:25:04.520 he says my name is Legion, they'll back up off 0:25:04.560 --> 0:25:07.919 of him and they'll disassociate in the text and they'll say, well, 0:25:07.960 --> 0:25:10.000 I'm like the Disciples going through a storm, but I'm 0:25:10.040 --> 0:25:11.560 not the man called Legion. 0:25:11.600 --> 0:25:14.760 Really, are you so sure? 0:25:16.560 --> 0:25:20.520 Because it said he lived among the tombs, so you 0:25:20.560 --> 0:25:29.879 don't go to dead places? Are you sure? Are you 0:25:29.920 --> 0:25:32.960 sure this isn't you somewhere in here? It may have 0:25:33.040 --> 0:25:39.000 a different demonstration, but it's the same dynamic because it 0:25:39.040 --> 0:25:41.480 said they would try to chain him up and he 0:25:41.480 --> 0:25:43.560 would break the chains and they couldn't hold him anymore, 0:25:43.560 --> 0:25:46.680 and he would hurt himself. Are you telling me there's 0:25:46.720 --> 0:25:48.439 no area of your life where you're out of control? 0:25:53.760 --> 0:25:56.160 I started to study the text, thinking I was like Jesus, 0:25:57.640 --> 0:26:00.600 and who do I need to go help. The more 0:26:00.640 --> 0:26:04.280 I studied it, I thought maybe there's some Legion in me. 0:26:05.760 --> 0:26:09.360 I don't mean demonic possession, but I do mean oppression. 0:26:09.359 --> 0:26:10.399 I've got my own chains. 0:26:12.400 --> 0:26:14.359 I'll tell you the greatest secret God ever showed me 0:26:14.440 --> 0:26:14.880 about you. 0:26:15.119 --> 0:26:15.680 Yes, you. 0:26:18.000 --> 0:26:24.000 He told me that all y'all are crazy. 0:26:25.080 --> 0:26:27.439 True story. 0:26:28.520 --> 0:26:30.040 I was getting ready to preach one time, and I 0:26:30.080 --> 0:26:33.159 wanted to preach from my own dysfunction, and I was 0:26:33.200 --> 0:26:37.199 embarrassed to do it because I thought, like everybody that 0:26:37.280 --> 0:26:38.960 I was preaching to had their act together, and why 0:26:38.960 --> 0:26:40.880 you're gonna listen to a preacher that's crazier than you. 0:26:42.680 --> 0:26:45.679 And it was very interesting for me, the path that 0:26:45.720 --> 0:26:49.040 I went on in those two years that I was 0:26:49.119 --> 0:26:55.280 learning this lesson, watching millionaires who were miserable, and I 0:26:55.320 --> 0:26:58.960 realized the devil doesn't check your net worth before he 0:26:59.000 --> 0:27:07.439 tries to wreck your house. And I saw really nice 0:27:07.640 --> 0:27:14.480 smelling people with like country club memberships and stuff, who 0:27:14.560 --> 0:27:26.919 drive eco friendly cars and eat hummus, freaking out on 0:27:27.240 --> 0:27:33.040 depression medication and yeah. And once I found out y'all 0:27:33.080 --> 0:27:37.639 were crazy, I was no longer intimidated to preach this 0:27:37.720 --> 0:27:39.000 Bible like. 0:27:38.920 --> 0:27:45.520 It really is. Once I realized. 0:27:46.680 --> 0:27:48.720 That you might be out of control and your spending, 0:27:50.040 --> 0:27:55.160 you're eating your sexuality. If I kept going long enough, 0:27:55.400 --> 0:27:59.280 i'd clear the whole room out of self righteousness. There 0:27:59.280 --> 0:28:03.120 would not be one more Pharisee spirit left to hear 0:28:03.160 --> 0:28:07.480 this sermon. If I kept going, dare me to do it. 0:28:09.200 --> 0:28:13.840 I will name every demon in this room, because once 0:28:13.880 --> 0:28:16.239 I stopped talking about the stuff you can't see, then 0:28:16.280 --> 0:28:18.680 I would move over to gossip. Some of y'all can't 0:28:18.720 --> 0:28:23.399 stop talking about people. You are so ugly to. Okay, 0:28:24.000 --> 0:28:31.200 see what I told you, I told you, I told you. 0:28:31.000 --> 0:28:34.199 You were crazy. 0:28:34.440 --> 0:28:36.840 He knew the man was crazy when he got on 0:28:36.880 --> 0:28:42.520 the boat. It didn't stop him from coming. That got 0:28:42.560 --> 0:28:47.160 me excited. I figure maybe he knows about my issues too. 0:28:50.440 --> 0:28:54.000 I am Legion And he said, Legion is six thousand 0:28:54.000 --> 0:28:54.760 foot soldiers. 0:28:55.800 --> 0:28:59.600 That's a lot of demons. Jesus said, what is your name? 0:29:01.840 --> 0:29:05.840 You know my name? Do you know yours? Do you 0:29:05.840 --> 0:29:08.960 know who you are? Or do you have so many 0:29:09.000 --> 0:29:14.880 different personas you know, because we're all Legion, we're all 0:29:14.880 --> 0:29:20.400 a little bit of Legion. There are many mes. Somebody 0:29:20.440 --> 0:29:22.240 told me that Abby looks just like me. They say 0:29:22.320 --> 0:29:25.400 she's your mini me. I was like, you don't know 0:29:25.440 --> 0:29:27.320 how true that is. There are many mes. 0:29:29.120 --> 0:29:31.080 Huh. 0:29:31.400 --> 0:29:36.560 There's online you. There's Sunday morning you. That's the only 0:29:36.600 --> 0:29:38.840 one I ever get to see. But then I found 0:29:38.840 --> 0:29:43.840 out there's a Friday night. You don't make me interview 0:29:43.880 --> 0:29:45.840 your spouse, please, I won't pull them up here and 0:29:45.840 --> 0:29:48.080 give them the mic. There's a you only she knows, 0:29:48.160 --> 0:29:52.840 he knows. There's a youth that only you know. There's 0:29:52.840 --> 0:29:54.480 a youth that cries out day and not. You don't 0:29:54.480 --> 0:29:58.800 cut yourself with stones. I understand that. But sometimes you 0:29:58.840 --> 0:30:02.239 inflict pain on yourself and you can't stop it, and 0:30:02.280 --> 0:30:04.640 you don't even know why you keep pushing people away. 0:30:05.240 --> 0:30:09.840 You've been living among the tombs so long. Somebody's tomb 0:30:09.960 --> 0:30:15.320 is them all. Somebody's tomb is pornography. Somebody's tomb is 0:30:15.360 --> 0:30:17.600 an addiction that if we named it in the room, 0:30:17.640 --> 0:30:20.920 you think, surely that person wouldn't come to church. You'd 0:30:20.920 --> 0:30:23.520 be surprised how quick the demons run to Jesus. 0:30:27.640 --> 0:30:29.040 Those demons ran. 0:30:28.880 --> 0:30:32.240 Before Jesus and fell before him and said, don't make 0:30:32.360 --> 0:30:37.920 us leave. Got it like we wanted here? We got 0:30:37.960 --> 0:30:43.200 these people on lockdown. But they knew that this man 0:30:43.320 --> 0:30:45.320 was important to Jesus, and they knew. 0:30:46.360 --> 0:30:47.120 They knew. 0:30:48.360 --> 0:30:50.480 That they were about to have to vacate the premises 0:30:50.520 --> 0:30:56.440 of this man's personality and his psychology. And they knew 0:30:56.480 --> 0:30:59.960 that someone strong enough to subdue them had finally shown 0:31:00.200 --> 0:31:04.040 up in the region of the garri scenes because you've 0:31:04.040 --> 0:31:08.720 tried everything else, and you've run to everyone else. But 0:31:08.800 --> 0:31:11.040 I declared today you were in the presence of a 0:31:11.080 --> 0:31:14.760 greater grace. And what works couldn't do, and the law 0:31:14.800 --> 0:31:17.560 couldn't do, and chains couldn't do, and shackles couldn't do, 0:31:18.040 --> 0:31:20.640 God's about to do it in your life. Grace can 0:31:20.720 --> 0:31:29.280 do what change can't do. So now we get to 0:31:29.320 --> 0:31:33.120 the part about the pigs. We hadn't even got to 0:31:33.120 --> 0:31:36.760 the pigs yet. The pigs are the most important part. 0:31:37.800 --> 0:31:42.640 This is the part where I'm wondering why the demons 0:31:43.880 --> 0:31:47.400 wanted to get inside the pigs. And on the surface, 0:31:47.560 --> 0:31:51.520 I understand that the devil never wants. 0:31:51.280 --> 0:31:52.320 To give up any ground. 0:31:53.920 --> 0:31:57.920 You understand once he has established a foothold. How many 0:31:57.960 --> 0:31:59.640 of you don't believe in the devil? I want to 0:31:59.640 --> 0:32:01.680 see who had kids? Yet, That's all I'm trying to do. 0:32:05.640 --> 0:32:09.040 He doesn't want you to be the first one in 0:32:09.080 --> 0:32:12.160 your family not to need drink to. 0:32:12.120 --> 0:32:13.280 Feel good about yourself. 0:32:13.640 --> 0:32:16.240 He doesn't want you to be the first one in 0:32:16.280 --> 0:32:19.160 your family to be able to stay stable in a 0:32:19.200 --> 0:32:23.440 relationship rather than running around. So what does he want? 0:32:23.040 --> 0:32:27.320 He wants to stand guard in the area. And this 0:32:27.400 --> 0:32:30.400 is a brilliant strategy. I gotta give it to these devils. 0:32:30.720 --> 0:32:33.120 The devils are smarter than a lot of church people. 0:32:34.880 --> 0:32:38.080 They know how to get information, they know how to 0:32:38.120 --> 0:32:42.440 accomplish a purpose, and they know how to discern what 0:32:42.600 --> 0:32:45.000 is valuable. This is it. Stay with me? 0:32:45.040 --> 0:32:45.600 Are you with me? 0:32:46.160 --> 0:32:47.320 Come on, We're on something. 0:32:47.320 --> 0:32:47.920 Are you with me? 0:32:48.440 --> 0:32:50.960 Lean into this word. The word you resist is the 0:32:51.000 --> 0:32:54.120 one that you need. Jesus is in this house. The 0:32:54.120 --> 0:32:57.040 presence of God is in this place. The power of 0:32:57.080 --> 0:33:01.200 a mighty God is in this moment. So Jesus says, 0:33:01.400 --> 0:33:04.680 you gotta go. Let that man go. He's important to me. 0:33:05.040 --> 0:33:07.480 I went through the storm to get to him. I 0:33:07.560 --> 0:33:10.640 went through the thunder and the lightning to get to him. 0:33:10.880 --> 0:33:13.640 I went through bucketfuls of water bill out of Peter's 0:33:13.640 --> 0:33:16.520 boat to get to him. I came two hours across 0:33:16.560 --> 0:33:19.280 the Sea of Galilee. And I've only got three years 0:33:19.320 --> 0:33:20.360 to change the world. 0:33:20.640 --> 0:33:23.960 This man is a vip. I know everybody else has. 0:33:23.840 --> 0:33:25.920 Forgotten about him, but I want him now. 0:33:25.960 --> 0:33:27.360 Let me say something real quick. 0:33:27.720 --> 0:33:30.400 If he went through the storm for this man, and 0:33:30.520 --> 0:33:32.200 he went to the cross for you. 0:33:32.840 --> 0:33:41.880 How valuable must you be? How much is your life? 0:33:41.920 --> 0:33:45.120 For he said. 0:33:44.960 --> 0:33:54.600 God, and Jesus said, okay, you can go into the pigs. 0:33:56.080 --> 0:33:59.920 And they went into the pigs. And then they made 0:34:00.600 --> 0:34:04.400 trou because the demons know two things. One pigs can't swim. 0:34:04.440 --> 0:34:11.160 But we all know that what the demons know that 0:34:11.239 --> 0:34:11.680 we don't know. 0:34:13.640 --> 0:34:17.360 I think the demons understood that the people in the 0:34:17.400 --> 0:34:21.800 region cared more about the pigs than they did about 0:34:21.800 --> 0:34:29.880 the man. This is two thousand pigs. This represents a 0:34:30.080 --> 0:34:35.160 significant part of the portfolio of these pig owners. This 0:34:35.239 --> 0:34:39.440 is a region that is known for raising pigs. So 0:34:39.480 --> 0:34:44.080 what does the enemy attack? Whatever you value the most, 0:34:50.320 --> 0:34:54.000 and yes, he knows what you value. And yes he 0:34:54.080 --> 0:34:55.960 knows how to hit you where it hurts the most. 0:34:57.719 --> 0:35:01.319 And that's why he'll use people to get to your 0:35:01.360 --> 0:35:06.040 relationship with God. What's really most valuable is your relationship 0:35:06.040 --> 0:35:07.640 with God. But he knows if he can get people 0:35:07.680 --> 0:35:10.480 to offend you, you will do what the people that 0:35:10.600 --> 0:35:14.320 you will send Jesus away because you are offended by people. 0:35:15.880 --> 0:35:16.840 He knows where to hit you. 0:35:18.400 --> 0:35:23.400 He knows where your insecurity is, he knows your playlist, 0:35:25.000 --> 0:35:29.160 what you say to yourself, about yourself. He knows your proclivities, 0:35:29.160 --> 0:35:33.719 your perversions. He knows what makes you feel ashamed, so 0:35:33.800 --> 0:35:36.800 he hits you there to make you lash out in anger. 0:35:39.520 --> 0:35:41.000 He knows how to keep you bound. 0:35:41.120 --> 0:35:43.920 And since he couldn't stay in the man, the devil 0:35:43.920 --> 0:35:44.840 went into the pigs. 0:35:45.880 --> 0:35:53.439 If I killed the pigs, they'll send Jesus away. 0:35:54.480 --> 0:35:57.279 Let me hurt Job. This is when the devil had 0:35:57.280 --> 0:36:00.360 a meeting with God. He said, I've. 0:36:00.200 --> 0:36:03.160 Been going to and fro looking for somebody to devour. 0:36:03.400 --> 0:36:05.799 And God said, have you checked out my boy? Job? 0:36:07.840 --> 0:36:12.640 Job's a bad dude. This is an updated translation. It's 0:36:12.640 --> 0:36:15.440 a little more modern. Probably says it in your Bible. 0:36:18.000 --> 0:36:21.720 And the devil said, he's only serving you. He's only 0:36:21.760 --> 0:36:25.840 serving you because his herd is still intact. Let me 0:36:25.920 --> 0:36:29.680 touch his body, let me touch his children. The enemy 0:36:29.719 --> 0:36:33.479 will use anything to get to your faith. What he's 0:36:33.560 --> 0:36:38.319 after is your relationship with God. But he will use 0:36:38.400 --> 0:36:41.600 the pigs to get you to push away the presence 0:36:41.640 --> 0:36:42.040 of God. 0:36:43.000 --> 0:36:46.880 He knows exactly where you're vulnerable. Guess where you're the 0:36:46.880 --> 0:36:47.719 most vulnerable. 0:36:48.600 --> 0:36:53.319 Wherever you place the greatest value. These pigs were worth 0:36:53.400 --> 0:36:57.319 two million dollars in modern money. He said, if I 0:36:57.360 --> 0:37:00.360 can get in the pigs and make the pigs in 0:37:00.400 --> 0:37:03.440 the water, the people will be so afraid because they 0:37:03.480 --> 0:37:05.319 lost their pigs that they. 0:37:05.239 --> 0:37:09.840 Will send Jesus away. I wonder where the enemy attacked you. 0:37:10.400 --> 0:37:13.240 I bet it was in the place of your greatest value. 0:37:13.880 --> 0:37:17.879 But guess what I got good news. He only attacks 0:37:18.200 --> 0:37:22.960 what's valuable. So if he has attacked you lately, get 0:37:23.040 --> 0:37:26.040 ready to shallow. Guess what that means about you? 0:37:26.040 --> 0:37:31.400 You must be important, you, o God. 0:37:31.920 --> 0:37:35.120 The devil knows more about your destiny than you do. 0:37:36.120 --> 0:37:40.120 There must be something on your life. Can I preach 0:37:40.200 --> 0:37:43.080 this like God gave it to me? God said, some 0:37:43.239 --> 0:37:46.919 of you are breaking generational curses and you don't even 0:37:47.000 --> 0:37:50.200 know it. And that's why it's been so hard. And 0:37:50.239 --> 0:37:53.640 that's why it's been so strong, and that's why it's 0:37:53.719 --> 0:37:59.440 been so dark, because you're so strong, and you're so positioned, 0:37:59.840 --> 0:38:02.440 and you're so important to his purpose. 0:38:09.640 --> 0:38:12.160 You must be important. 0:38:14.160 --> 0:38:17.920 The devil wouldn't tie you up if he wasn't afraid 0:38:17.960 --> 0:38:22.480 of what would happen if you got loose. I can't 0:38:22.520 --> 0:38:24.719 buy an amen, but I don't need one. This is 0:38:24.800 --> 0:38:29.279 good in my soul, I said, he wouldn't tie you up. 0:38:30.920 --> 0:38:33.200 It's the opposite. I thought the storm meant God had 0:38:33.280 --> 0:38:35.000 left me. I found out it meant that Grace was 0:38:35.000 --> 0:38:37.720 on the way. I thought the shackles meant God couldn't 0:38:37.840 --> 0:38:38.160 use me. 0:38:38.600 --> 0:38:39.440 I found out that. 0:38:39.400 --> 0:38:43.040 The shackles mean God is looking for someone who knows. 0:38:42.719 --> 0:38:45.200 How to break sames. 0:38:45.880 --> 0:38:49.360 Now I just wonder, are there any chain breakers in 0:38:49.440 --> 0:38:54.279 the house today? I mean, you see chain breakers, rock 0:38:54.360 --> 0:38:58.239 hill shain breakers. If you're a chain breaker and you 0:38:58.400 --> 0:39:01.120 know it, and you've been through some things and you 0:39:01.239 --> 0:39:04.640 have some issues, and you forgot who you were for 0:39:04.719 --> 0:39:08.160 a moment, but in the presence of God today, you're 0:39:08.280 --> 0:39:09.520 starting to remember. 0:39:10.280 --> 0:39:12.000 I am a child of God. 0:39:12.840 --> 0:39:20.880 Take a few moments and praise Him. 0:39:18.160 --> 0:39:21.440 For what's on the other side. 0:39:22.640 --> 0:39:29.919 Come on, children, come on, come on saying breakers, Come 0:39:29.960 --> 0:39:31.040 on and praise him. 0:39:32.160 --> 0:39:33.640 I don't care I'm on the screen. 0:39:34.320 --> 0:39:38.720 Shallah to God with the voice of trial. I don't 0:39:38.719 --> 0:39:42.439 care you belong to a country club. Shullah to God 0:39:43.040 --> 0:39:48.800 with the voice of trial. I'm a samee breaker. 0:40:03.440 --> 0:40:04.520 You must be important. 0:40:05.760 --> 0:40:07.879 He threw you in the fire so he could show 0:40:07.960 --> 0:40:11.640 never Cannissur that he is God. You must be important. 0:40:11.920 --> 0:40:14.520 He lets you spend the night with the lions, so 0:40:14.560 --> 0:40:17.920 he could shut the lion's mouth and demonstrate his strength. 0:40:18.200 --> 0:40:19.480 You must be important. 0:40:19.719 --> 0:40:22.759 He drowned all those horses in the Red Sea so 0:40:22.800 --> 0:40:24.200 that the nations. 0:40:23.680 --> 0:40:27.239 Would know that he is God. You must be important. 0:40:27.520 --> 0:40:30.640 Hot five. Everybody looks happy. Say you must be important. 0:40:33.160 --> 0:40:35.920 You gotta be, You gotta be. 0:40:36.640 --> 0:40:40.239 How else do you explain the fact that you're still here. 0:40:44.560 --> 0:40:47.160 Everything that can be shaken will be shaken, so that 0:40:47.280 --> 0:40:49.840 only that which cannot be shaken will remain. 0:40:50.239 --> 0:40:52.799 You know what it means if you're still here. You 0:40:52.920 --> 0:40:53.680 weren't shaken. 0:40:53.960 --> 0:40:58.040 The trial came the foundation's quick, but the house stood 0:40:58.120 --> 0:41:00.000 firm because it wasn't on the side. 0:41:00.120 --> 0:41:05.680 Yeah, this man. 0:41:08.840 --> 0:41:14.359 Was so important that Jesus went through the storm to. 0:41:14.360 --> 0:41:15.000 Get to him. 0:41:15.239 --> 0:41:19.600 And you were so important that Jesus went through gethsemine 0:41:19.640 --> 0:41:22.160 to get to you. And you were so important that 0:41:22.239 --> 0:41:25.960 he passed through the membrane of eternity into the construct 0:41:26.040 --> 0:41:30.759 called time to come to you. Don't you ever let 0:41:30.800 --> 0:41:32.799 the devil tell you against somebody else needs to. 0:41:32.840 --> 0:41:34.800 Raise those kids. Don't you ever. 0:41:34.719 --> 0:41:36.680 Let the devil tell you against somebody. 0:41:36.400 --> 0:41:39.520 Else belongs in that spot. Don't you don't. 0:41:42.080 --> 0:41:45.879 And the next storm that comes, I. 0:41:45.840 --> 0:41:49.160 Want you to wave it on by, because there must 0:41:49.200 --> 0:41:51.239 be something so great on the other side. 0:41:51.960 --> 0:42:00.640 Listen. In my Bible, it says something better, very strange. 0:42:01.960 --> 0:42:05.960 It says that when Jesus set the man free, the 0:42:06.000 --> 0:42:09.640 man went and got down in the boat because he 0:42:09.800 --> 0:42:13.000 was like, you are not leaving me here with these people. 0:42:14.800 --> 0:42:17.080 Look at verse eighteen. I didn't read it to y'all 0:42:17.160 --> 0:42:21.759 saving him. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the 0:42:21.800 --> 0:42:25.120 man who was demon possessed begged to go with him. 0:42:25.400 --> 0:42:27.400 That's like, if you're in my car on the way home, 0:42:29.000 --> 0:42:38.200 that would be weird. Now we got a contrast because 0:42:38.600 --> 0:42:42.120 the demons are like, don't make us leave, and the 0:42:42.160 --> 0:42:44.279 man is like, don't make me stay. 0:42:47.800 --> 0:42:50.040 And it's sexy to want to step out into something new. 0:42:52.600 --> 0:42:53.960 And the brother is clothed. 0:42:53.640 --> 0:42:58.040 And in his right mind, and he's amazed and he's grateful. 0:42:59.120 --> 0:43:00.600 And he wants to be on Jesus team. 0:43:00.640 --> 0:43:04.240 So he's like, I'm gonna come with you, all right, 0:43:05.640 --> 0:43:08.000 that's cool. I promise no more of that cutting, chain 0:43:08.080 --> 0:43:11.040 breaking stuff. I'm let me keep the books. I see 0:43:11.040 --> 0:43:14.239 that guy you got Judas, I don't think he see 0:43:14.320 --> 0:43:15.200 the devil knows the devil. 0:43:15.239 --> 0:43:17.360 I'm telling you, let me be your treasurer. 0:43:22.000 --> 0:43:26.040 But something happened so strange to me, because I just 0:43:26.080 --> 0:43:28.319 read in Mark two where Jesus called the disciples and 0:43:28.360 --> 0:43:30.080 he said, come follow me. Leave what you know and 0:43:30.120 --> 0:43:33.520 follow me, and I'm gonna show you how to do 0:43:33.600 --> 0:43:36.920 something new for my glory. And they had the faith 0:43:37.000 --> 0:43:40.520 to go, and it takes a lot of faith to 0:43:40.600 --> 0:43:41.919 leave a. 0:43:41.840 --> 0:43:50.520 Situation you're familiar with. Takes faith to go. But Jesus 0:43:50.520 --> 0:43:52.319 did something kind of strange. She looked back at the 0:43:52.320 --> 0:44:01.360 man and he said, you can't follow me. Jesus didn't 0:44:01.400 --> 0:44:08.280 let him leave, but said, I need you to go home. 0:44:10.040 --> 0:44:10.800 To the same. 0:44:10.640 --> 0:44:17.080 Situation that I delivered you in. I'm not going to 0:44:17.120 --> 0:44:20.480 take you out of it. I took it out of you. 0:44:30.960 --> 0:44:34.440 I changed your condition, but I'm going to leave you 0:44:34.440 --> 0:44:40.000 in the circumstance because I want these people to watch this. 0:44:40.160 --> 0:44:41.080 Go home and tell. 0:44:40.920 --> 0:44:43.400 Them how much the Lord has done for you. 0:44:46.800 --> 0:44:51.719 Give me my verse, please thank you, and how he 0:44:51.760 --> 0:44:52.680 has had mercy on you. 0:44:52.719 --> 0:44:56.239 I want you to be a trophy. In fact, it's 0:44:56.280 --> 0:45:01.600 better than that. Look at verse twenty. 0:45:00.200 --> 0:45:02.120 Touch somebody say you must be so important. 0:45:02.200 --> 0:45:03.879 I don't know why the ushers let me sit next 0:45:03.880 --> 0:45:04.920 to you. 0:45:04.920 --> 0:45:08.839 You must be so important. And he went away. 0:45:08.840 --> 0:45:11.360 I begin to tell him to the capitalists, that's ten cities. 0:45:13.400 --> 0:45:16.719 The man became a missionary. You know, we could call 0:45:16.760 --> 0:45:26.640 this sermon from maniac to missionary. I need somebody crazy enough, 0:45:30.360 --> 0:45:33.359 because when the people see how much you've changed, they're 0:45:33.360 --> 0:45:40.240 going to be amazed. Sometimes God gives you the faith 0:45:40.840 --> 0:45:46.160 to go. Other times he gives you the grace to stay. 0:45:47.200 --> 0:45:50.680 And I think that's amazing too, because some of you 0:45:50.760 --> 0:45:53.520 are in a difficult place and all you want to 0:45:53.560 --> 0:45:54.360 do is escape. 0:45:54.719 --> 0:45:56.920 Jesus, take me with you. I mean, let me get 0:45:56.960 --> 0:45:57.600 a new start. 0:45:59.480 --> 0:46:02.440 And in those moments, and you know, if you're in 0:46:02.520 --> 0:46:05.560 one where you just want to escape the situation or 0:46:05.560 --> 0:46:07.880 the pain of the trial, God says, I'm going to 0:46:07.920 --> 0:46:09.640 give you something better than the faith to go. 0:46:11.200 --> 0:46:13.279 I'm going to give you the grace to stay. See, 0:46:13.280 --> 0:46:21.200 you are so important to me. And the man who 0:46:21.239 --> 0:46:25.680 wasn't even living with the people became the first missionary 0:46:26.000 --> 0:46:30.600 to the Gentiles. He was the first one. Some of 0:46:30.640 --> 0:46:33.239 you are going to be the first. You are going 0:46:33.280 --> 0:46:35.279 to be the first to break a chain. None of 0:46:35.320 --> 0:46:37.920 your friends have done it, none of your family did it. 0:46:38.160 --> 0:46:40.799 Nobody around you believes you can do it, and you 0:46:40.840 --> 0:46:44.480 didn't believe in yourself. But in this moment, the presence 0:46:44.480 --> 0:46:46.359 of the Lord is in this place. 0:46:51.480 --> 0:46:53.759 Because now I know who I am. 0:46:54.040 --> 0:46:56.320 I thought I was worthless. I believe that for years, 0:46:57.239 --> 0:46:59.759 But now I know who I am. He came through 0:46:59.760 --> 0:47:03.880 all that for me. Now I know who I am. 0:47:03.960 --> 0:47:06.920 Because the enemy only attacks what's valuable. 0:47:08.200 --> 0:47:09.080 So now I know. 0:47:09.920 --> 0:47:12.239 Come on, I need about seventy more people who know 0:47:13.120 --> 0:47:16.399 who got this word? And you know that you had 0:47:16.440 --> 0:47:19.880 to be here today, not just so you could survive 0:47:20.000 --> 0:47:24.799 the storm, so that after you've survived it, after you've 0:47:24.840 --> 0:47:28.200 lived through it, after you've broke the chains off of 0:47:28.239 --> 0:47:32.719 your life. Now God is ready to use you. If 0:47:32.760 --> 0:47:35.920 you're ready to be used by God, why don't you 0:47:36.000 --> 0:47:37.760 glorify him right now. 0:47:37.560 --> 0:47:41.719 In this moment. Come on, glorify him. 0:47:41.920 --> 0:47:42.640 I need some. 0:47:42.640 --> 0:47:45.239 Crazy people who know. 0:47:46.840 --> 0:47:53.080 Declary, thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those 0:47:53.120 --> 0:47:56.080 of you who give generously to this ministry. Is because 0:47:56.120 --> 0:47:59.080 of you that this ministry is possible. You can click 0:47:59.080 --> 0:48:02.040 the link in the description to give now, or visit 0:48:02.080 --> 0:48:06.279 Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information and if 0:48:06.280 --> 0:48:09.600 you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share 0:48:09.600 --> 0:48:11.800 it with your friends. You can click the share button, 0:48:11.880 --> 0:48:14.280 take a screenshot and share it on your social stories 0:48:14.320 --> 0:48:17.080 and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. 0:48:17.120 --> 0:48:22.640 God bless you.