Goliath's Sword?
Pastor David T. Elms 1/25/2026
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58:29
Summary
Pastor David T. Elms explores the historical and technological context of David and Goliath to illustrate that while the world relies on advanced 'armor,' the people of God move in covenant power. He calls the church to a season of sacrificial giving to build a lasting spiritual fortress in South Florida that will serve as a lighthouse for generations to come.
Key points
- •The battle between David and Goliath was not just personal but geopolitical and economic, involving a clash between the Philistines technological dominance and Israel's divine covenant.
- •The Philistines used high-tech metallurgy (bronze) and stature to intimidate Israel, yet David defeated Goliath using his own weapon against him.
- •True success and 'wealth' (chayil) in the Bible are defined by strength, efficiency, and substance given by God to establish His covenant, rather than fleeting riches.
- •South Florida is a spiritually challenging 'crossroads' that requires a strong, consecrated, and generous church to withstand demonic influence and carnal materialism.
- •The 'Your Weapon' campaign aims to build a new sanctuary and community hub to provide a safe, holy legacy for future generations to 'occupy' until the Lord returns.
Scripture
Spiritual Warfare
Covenant Faithfulness
Biblical Stewardship
Legacy and Vision
Divine Multiplication
Life application
This week, face your personal 'Goliaths' - whether they be addiction, doubt, or financial strain - by trusting that God can use your seemingly 'not enough' resources to achieve a total victory. Commit to investing in the spiritual legacy of the next generation through consistent, covenant-based generosity.
Reflection questions
- How does viewing the story of David and Goliath through the lens of 'covenant vs. no covenant' change your perspective on your own struggles?
- In what areas of your life are you settling for 'fleeting riches' instead of seeking God's 'chayil' (strength and efficiency)?
- Pastor Elms mentioned that the enemy is often 'preparing our weapons' for us. Can you think of a past trial that ultimately became a tool for your spiritual growth?
- What kind of spiritual 'house' or legacy are you currently building for your children and grandchildren?
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Full transcript
0:02The story of David and Goliath is one
0:04that we are very familiar with.
0:07There are transactions in that day that
0:10are not often spoken of
0:13when we tell the story
0:16of David
0:18and his Goliath.
0:20We know
0:22the story
0:24has led us to a celebration of who David
0:26is.
0:28In Israel today, there is a blue and
0:30white flag that flies over
0:33Mount Zion.
0:35And that flag has a star on it that is
0:40David's star.
0:42It's known of as the star
0:45of David.
0:47We know that if Jesus had a soft spot,
0:51if you needed something from him,
0:53if there was an occurrence that would
0:55come
0:56and cause the Lord to cease his travel
1:00and stop in his tracks,
1:03it was when you called him
1:06the son of David.
1:07You were blind
1:09and disciples were telling you to not be
1:13so
1:14disruptive.
1:16You would reach into your pocket of
1:18secrets
1:19and cry all the more, "Jesus,
1:23thou son of David,
1:25have mercy upon me."
1:29Why is David such a figure?
1:32Well, you know the story of David from
1:36the biblical point of view.
1:38There are so many details that are given
1:40to us.
1:42But when you go back as
1:44a historian,
1:46there are things to be revealed that
1:48only enhance
1:51the understanding of what was occurring
1:54at that time.
1:56And it is the calling
1:58of a preacher
2:00to grab the hand
2:02of present learning
2:04and the hand
2:06of eternal truth
2:08and put them together.
2:11The geopolitics of the time
2:14was burgeoning with hope.
2:17There was a powder keg going on in the
2:2011th and 10th centuries before Christ
2:24that all students
2:26of history
2:28understand a new technology was about
2:32burst upon the world.
2:35Shipping was just taking a new dimension
2:39in the seas.
2:41But there was a brand new technology
2:44that had not yet been scaled
2:47that was on the edge of changing the
2:50entire economy of the world.
2:54Yes,
2:56just like today, we see economies of
3:01opportunity opening
3:03and the world is abuzz with potential
3:07invention that is sitting just over the
3:11horizon.
3:13When tribal Israel
3:16clashed
3:17with the people of the coast
3:20we know as the Philistines,
3:23these sea people from the shorelines
3:25controlled the ports.
3:28They were a powerful people. They had
3:31technological advances that had
3:35dominion-grabbing
3:37force.
3:39They understood metallurgy.
3:42They understood the advent of bronze
3:45metals.
3:47Moving from soft metals to hard metals
3:50had given them a technological advantage
3:54in the region.
3:56Not only that, they had people who by
3:58nature had grown to the size of giants.
4:03They fused their
4:06stature advantage
4:09with their technological advantage
4:12to take dominion.
4:15The valleys of the Middle East
4:18were the place where the fruitful
4:19harvests would grow.
4:22The mountains of the Middle East would
4:24be the place where all the power brokers
4:27kept their fortresses
4:30and their places of worship.
4:34The battle was on. God had brought his
4:36people out of Egypt by a mighty hand,
4:41and yet they still had no
4:43foothold on the economy.
4:46There was no way to grow in advantage
4:49and strength without economic advantage.
4:54And it looked as if
4:56the Philistines had the technological
4:58foothold.
5:00And this brand new technology
5:04was about to be scaled
5:06as never had in all of history.
5:09The learning about horses as beasts of
5:13burdens and mules,
5:15it existed in that day.
5:17People had have camels
5:22to have as instruments with them
5:25personally.
5:26But when you study history,
5:29the unveilings of archaeological finds
5:32reveal
5:33that the scaling of camels
5:37as caravans of trade and commerce
5:41was just about to take off.
5:45Sitting at the crossroads of the silks
5:48and teas of China
5:51with all the grandeur and power of Egypt
5:55and all the advent of what Rome was
5:58going to grow into,
6:01was this one place with her ports and
6:04her roads
6:06where the commerce of the world would
6:08come through.
6:09It's about to explode
6:12with revenue that no one could imagine.
6:16Because now camel trains,
6:19a technology
6:21that they had never used like this,
6:25would carry
6:26thousands of pounds of commerce and
6:29product.
6:30And it would go through and bring a
6:33revenue source to the Middle East
6:37at the crossroads to be able to tax
6:39every port of call and every cross
6:42crossroads of territory.
6:45It would be this revenue
6:48that would enhance the worth of kingdom
6:52of David.
6:53It would be the money
6:55that came through the trade routes
6:58that would give Solomon power,
7:02economic advantage,
7:04and influence like never before.
7:08In all the world, they would come to
7:11Solomon's house and look at his
7:13expression
7:15of wealth,
7:16and it would take their breath away.
7:21This is about to explode.
7:25The Philistines know
7:27they have the technology of war.
7:30They have the advantage of learning.
7:33They have the stature of giants.
7:37This little people group,
7:39these intruders
7:41that have been parked up here from
7:45Egypt, where they were slaves,
7:47thought it was their territory.
7:50And so, for 40 days,
7:52the economic advantages of the
7:54Philistines
7:56went to a little valley
7:58of Elah
7:59and shouted to the Israelites.
8:03Shouted words like,
8:05"We're here to take over.
8:08Who will challenge me?"
8:11This giant
8:12spoke with all kinds of armament,
8:16a helmet of bronze,
8:19his
8:20technological armor weighed 125 lbs.
8:25His spear
8:27was the size of a shaft of a weaver's
8:29beam, and the tip of the spear alone
8:32weighed 15 lbs.
8:34When he walked down in the valley for 40
8:36long days,
8:38he spoke to these intruders in the land
8:41of Judea
8:43and said, "Your valleys we will take
8:45over.
8:46We will take the honey from your
8:48honeycombs
8:50and the milk of your land of Canaan.
8:53We have the technological advantage. We
8:56have the economic advantage. We control
8:58the ports, and we're coming to control
9:02the pathways of commerce."
9:06These people of God didn't think always
9:09from a technological point of view. All
9:11they know is God had promised them a
9:12territory.
9:14They put their best into that valley,
9:16and for 40 days, their knees knocked
9:19until this little boy, this young man,
9:22good-looking,
9:23kind of uh uh red-headed, ruddy,
9:27I think that means his hair was kind of
9:28rust-like.
9:30Uh those are special people.
9:32I've got a red beard, if you didn't know
9:34it.
9:36It's kind of white now. It's got the
9:37tinges of beautiful white in it now.
9:40I can't grow it out, you know.
9:42My wife couldn't take it. But
9:45uh
9:47even though she wants me to every day.
9:49Um
9:53David comes down bringing some cheese
9:55and some bread for his brothers.
9:58And he hears the roar of this giant.
10:01And he's offended.
10:04And he says, uh
10:07"Who is this
10:09no covenant
10:15bellowing?"
10:17That's a big word right there. That one
10:18you learn in college.
10:21Bellowing beasts.
10:24This giant shouting. He asked around,
10:28and no one had a solution.
10:30David said, "Is there not a cause?"
10:33So, the king hears about David,
10:36puts his armor on David to try to say,
10:39"Well, if you're going to fight him, I
10:40want you to have the best technology we
10:41have."
10:43Because this is a technological
10:46battle for the geopolitics
10:50of this region.
10:52Because whoever dominates this place is
10:55going to have the wealth of the world
10:59come to them.
11:02Oh, you you may not have heard the story
11:04of David and Goliath preached like this
11:05before.
11:07But if you'll just fuse the truth of
11:09history
11:10with the truth of scripture, you'll find
11:13that I am precisely correct.
11:17So, here we go.
11:19This technology of transport elevating
11:23ship shipping and commerce, where camels
11:26will be scaled. They can travel farther
11:29than any other animal, and they can go
11:31through terrible places where other
11:34animals are going to die from
11:36exhaustion, a camel keeps trucking.
11:39And so, it's going to change the entire
11:41story of trade.
11:44And whoever controls these places will
11:46get the revenue.
11:48So, we have a description scripturally
11:51of this battle. It is a rich picture.
11:56Goliath is a walking fortress.
11:59He has the latest inventions on him.
12:02And he has shouted for 40 days.
12:05David acknowledges
12:08the technological advantages of Goliath.
12:12Because in all of the search of
12:14scripture, there is nowhere where a
12:17armament description is as distinct and
12:21detailed
12:23as the description of Goliath's
12:26armament.
12:27"Thou comest to me with a sword and a
12:31spear
12:32and a shield." You read the chapter, you
12:35can get the measurements. You can get
12:37the comparables. You can get the
12:38details.
12:40You come to me with all of that,
12:43but I come to you
12:46if you know the scripture,
12:48you know David's not going to be
12:49completely accurate
12:51with his description of what he brings.
12:54Because you know David, as he goes down
12:58to face the Goliath, doesn't bring any
13:00of the technology of Zion.
13:03He doesn't bring any of the armament of
13:06Israel.
13:07All he has is a slingshot
13:11and no
13:12no ammunition.
13:15He has to
13:17go get the ammunition
13:20on the way to the giant.
13:23So, he gets five smooth stones
13:28to fill his slingshot.
13:31If you study the archaeological finds of
13:34the armament of the Philistines, they
13:36had a specific type of bronze helmet
13:41that they issued for their armies. I'm
13:43sure Goliath had the best one made.
13:47And it covered the majority of their
13:49forehead.
13:51When you learn about this story, David
13:53says,
13:55"You come to me
13:57with a sword and with a spear and with a
13:59shield,
14:01but I come to you
14:03in the name of the Lord of host,
14:06the God of the armies of Israel, whom
14:10thou hast defied."
14:14This is not a battle of size against
14:17stature.
14:19It's not a battle of strength against
14:22force. This is a battle of covenant with
14:27no covenant.
14:29This is a man who walks in alignment
14:32with order of the king, and he speaks to
14:36a man who has no alignment of covenant.
14:40See, here's the thing about the
14:42difference between truth and error. When
14:45you preach the truth, you can only
14:47preach one message. When you preach
14:50error, you can preach a million options.
14:54It doesn't matter how you tell people to
14:57praise God. If you're in error, it's
15:00okay, because you can praise him any way
15:03you think is okay. But if you're going
15:05to praise him in the way that the Lord
15:08has us to praise him, he says, "Let
15:12everything that hath breath praise the
15:14Lord." Praise him on the high sounding
15:17cymbals. Praise him on the loud cymbals.
15:20Praise him with the psaltery and harp.
15:22Praise him with the timbrel and dance.
15:24Praise him in the
15:29>> [laughter]
15:32>> I had a public hiccup right then.
15:39If you're going to worship him, there's
15:42some prerequisites.
15:44You can't worship him by going fishing.
15:46You can't worship him by going to the
15:48Dolphins game. Oh, is there one?
15:51Oh, forgot. Shouldn't have brought it
15:52up.
15:59No, you don't get to worship him by
16:01going shopping.
16:03I thought some men would take to the
16:04aisles and run right then.
16:08You don't worship him by clicking on
16:10Amazon Prime button.
16:12Oh, Lord, I saw some of you duck right
16:14then.
16:18No, if you're going to worship him, you
16:20must worship him in spirit
16:24and in
16:26truth.
16:27If you come to him in covenant, you must
16:31first repent of your sin.
16:34If you come to him any way you want to,
16:37we can forget that there are sinners in
16:39the house and just all clap, because
16:42victory belongs to us all.
16:46Victory isn't for us all. No. If you
16:48want to serve him any way you want to
16:50serve him, you can decide on what heaven
16:53will look like, how to get to heaven,
16:55how to stay in heaven, and I don't know.
16:57I hope it works out for you. But when
16:59you walk with him in covenant, you must
17:02first start by repenting of your sins.
17:05You must then progress to being baptized
17:07by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ
17:10for the re- forgive for the remission of
17:12your sins. And you shall, not you might,
17:15not you may get around to it. Not
17:17someday, somewhere, somehow. No, you
17:19shall receive the gift of the Holy
17:22Ghost. For the promise is unto you and
17:25to your children and to all that are far
17:28off, even as many as the Lord our God
17:31shall call.
17:34That's walking in covenant.
17:38And so David decides, I'm a man of
17:40covenant, and you're an uncircumcised,
17:43which was fancy speak to say you don't
17:46walk in covenant.
17:48No other Old Testament passage comes
17:50close to the description of the weaponry
17:53of this man. It is the most detailed and
17:56vivid description of a single enemy's
17:58full arsenal in the entire Bible. Other
18:02passages mention weapons and forces, but
18:05none get this granular or all-inspiring
18:09detail.
18:11We're in South Florida.
18:14Next Sunday,
18:16we're going to take up a pledge
18:17offering.
18:19South Florida is a place that is tough.
18:23I don't like to talk about it, but it's
18:25a fact.
18:26It's a place you come to backslide.
18:30If I lit up people who used to have a
18:33fervent walk with God
18:35and no longer walk with him in covenant
18:38and fervency,
18:39and we darken South Florida,
18:41the lights of the backsliders would
18:44explode all over South Florida.
18:47This is a place where people come to lay
18:49down their consecration.
18:51They come here to lay down their
18:53separation.
18:54They come to lay down their
18:57dimensions of dedication. They come here
19:00to live and let live. Be free.
19:04Not consecrated and and sanctified, but,
19:08you know, kind of create my own new
19:10route.
19:11And yet, in South Florida, before I came
19:15here in 1992,
19:17Brother Robert Bearer, who tried to
19:18start a church in Pompano Beach, and
19:20ultimately it did not fly. It was a
19:23blessing to South Florida in many ways,
19:25more than we can measure, but it did not
19:28take off. He told me in San Bernardino,
19:31California, when I was preaching for
19:33Brother Howard Davis, he told me,
19:35"David, don't go to South Florida."
19:38He said, "If you go, there are more
19:40demons in South Florida than are in the
19:44phone book."
19:45He said, "Moss, it's so humid down
19:48there, moss will grow in your shoes."
19:55I quote.
19:58At first I thought, "What in the world
19:59is he trying to do?" But through the
20:01years, you know, I look at it as one of
20:03the greatest gifts he could have given
20:05to me.
20:06Because if I could have been
20:08discouraged,
20:09I should have been discouraged.
20:12This church had no building.
20:14This church had a leased warehouse,
20:18which was beautifully put together.
20:21But we owned nothing. There was no money
20:24in the bank. They didn't give me the
20:26money to fly here to check the church
20:29out. They gave me a small, the smallest
20:32of my year, offering to preach.
20:36They took care of a hotel room at the
20:39Wellesley Inn in Coral Springs.
20:42But nobody asked, "Do you want a mileage
20:44check?"
20:46There was no money.
20:49Me and my wife
20:51thought, "You know,
20:53we're going to preach and bless them,
20:54and I'm going to preach for Brother
20:55Shoemake. I'm going to preach for
20:56Brother Andy Keys. I've got Brother
20:58Wilson on the schedule." I had some
21:00amazing churches waiting.
21:03But God, I won't tell you the long
21:05story, but God said, "Go." And so we
21:08came. We illegally lived in the
21:10warehouse, and we did it for a year and
21:13a half. So I'm with all the illegals
21:14right now.
21:18Don't think I just made a political
21:19statement. That's just funny. That's the
21:20reason I said it.
21:23And I remember trying to hide
21:27when the code enforcement officer would
21:28come and have lunch at the place. We
21:30would drive through, and they were
21:31parked right there. Me and my wife just
21:32drove through like we were looking for
21:34some somebody in the warehouse.
21:36>> [laughter]
21:36>> How you doing? Yes, we we'll ease right
21:38on out.
21:41South Florida has a record of failed
21:44ministries,
21:45of pastors with greater talent than I
21:48have, and I'm not diminishing what I am.
21:51I'm substantial.
21:55But I'm serious. We have had in South
21:57Florida, if you know the record of the
21:59apostolic movement, some of the most
22:00talented, gifted preachers in all the
22:03world. Men that have preached around the
22:06world, men that had minds that were
22:08giant minds. We've had men that were in
22:11stature, were dominant in personality,
22:14were amazing. They could inspire and
22:17elevate and uplift. And yet, for a
22:19thousand various reasons, they were
22:22either by reproach, by accusation,
22:25whether false or true, it's not for me
22:27to judge, or by nervous breakdown, or by
22:31moral failure, or by split church, or by
22:35wounding from the saints,
22:39they're gone.
22:41There are buildings all over South
22:43Florida that are glorious buildings in
22:46amazing pieces of property that were
22:48built by apostolic churches that no
22:50longer serve the true gospel.
22:55Why is that?
22:56Because as Brother
22:58Bearer told me,
23:00there are demons down here.
23:02This is a crossroads
23:04of all kinds of spirits from South
23:06America,
23:08from Europe, from Russia,
23:11demons from Cuba, from Haiti,
23:15spiritism from Africa,
23:18carnal materialism
23:20from New York and Chicago,
23:24>> [clears throat]
23:25>> and Los Angeles,
23:28and San Diego.
23:32That's where I'm from, okay? Born and
23:34raised in San Diego. I'm one of the
23:35fruits or the nuts, I'm not sure.
23:37Depends on the day.
23:42How is God going to build a church?
23:46I'll tell you how he's going to build a
23:47church.
23:48When I came here, my mentor talked to me
23:50and said, "David, you will know you're
23:53ready for revival by the giving of the
23:55people."
23:56I thought, "My Lord, Brother Harold,
23:57please tell me something else. Tell me
23:59it's how many run the aisles. Tell me
24:01it's how the ladies will shout. Tell me
24:04it's the prayer room. Tell me it's how
24:06loud the prayer." Don't tell me that.
24:11And yet,
24:12it was the truth.
24:14In 2013, we started a legacy offering
24:18because we're going to build God a
24:20house.
24:21We're going to build God an amazing
24:23house. We're going to build a house on
24:25this property. Now, listen, if the Lord
24:27wants us to sell these 10 acres, which
24:29by the way, if you don't know, we have
24:3110 acres, there are 8.8 buildable acres,
24:34but the all the
24:36the the the surrounding, what are they
24:38called around us?
24:40Easements. Thank you, Sister Elms. All
24:41the easements take almost 2 acres, okay?
24:441.8 acres or 1.2 acres are taken by
24:48easements.
24:49And so this is amazing piece of property
24:52in the epicenter of South Florida. You
24:55go as far south as
24:57the beginning of the Keys, that's as far
24:59north as the top of the Palm Beaches.
25:03Right here, sitting in the middle, is
25:05this property.
25:06And God has given it to us. We have it.
25:10But we're going to build them a house
25:11here that makes our children and our
25:14children's children faint, no matter
25:17what faces them, and believe me, I faced
25:19a lot in my lifetime, but my children
25:22and my children's children are going to
25:24face face things, if the Lord tarries,
25:26and believe me,
25:28believe me, I'm going to say it five
25:29more times.
25:30I was listening to preaching in 1973
25:35that said the Lord's coming before 1979.
25:39So if you start telling me he's coming
25:41in
25:422000 and what what year are we in?
25:4526? If you think he's coming by 20 2029,
25:49go ahead and think that.
25:51Because I think he's coming before then,
25:53too.
25:54But I'm not called to preach about when
25:57he comes. I'm here to occupy un-
26:00>> [applause and cheering]
26:04>> until he comes.
26:05>> [applause]
26:06>> And I've got four children. Y'all know
26:08it.
26:09One wife equals four children. I don't
26:12know if it worked out like that for you,
26:13but
26:16I've got four children, and right now
26:19I've got four grandchildren,
26:22but by the help of the Lord, I'm going
26:23to have 16 grandchildren. I've already
26:26heard their plans. Each one are planning
26:28to give me four.
26:30Who knows? One might get an extra
26:32blessing.
26:33>> [laughter and cheering]
26:38>> No pressure.
26:41We believe in the we're obeying the the
26:43word of the Lord, go forth and it
26:45doesn't say go forth and add.
26:50Go forth and multiply. I believe I'm a
26:52Bible preacher.
26:54I'm going to preach the word whether you
26:55like it or not.
27:03And this
27:04this piece of property
27:07is going to it's it's it is but it's
27:09going to be
27:11a place where tranquility and hope
27:15stand and dance.
27:18Where separation from the world
27:21is celebrated
27:23not by ogre type of preaching
27:27but by celebration of freedom from the
27:29claws of bondage.
27:32Where we're not about not one second to
27:34abandon come ye out from among them and
27:37be ye separate saith the Lord and touch
27:40not the unclean thing and I will receive
27:44you. We're not trying to drop it. We're
27:46not trying to compromise it. We're not
27:48trying to turn from it. No way.
27:52But I also have been around churches in
27:54my family
27:56that are so holy
27:58that they won't even visit other
27:59churches because they're more holy than
28:01those other churches.
28:03And let me tell you about those churches
28:04now at 59.
28:07They're a mess.
28:08Their kids are divorced.
28:11Their kids have multiple marriages.
28:14Why? Because you walked around acting
28:17like the rule and the obedience was the
28:19power.
28:21When the glory was never the rule, the
28:23glory was the love.
28:25>> [cheering]
28:26>> I still sacrifice and deny my flesh but
28:29I don't do it because I got a preacher
28:31peering down at me. I do it because I
28:33fell in love with a king many many long
28:37years ago and he has done me nothing but
28:40good and I know he liveth and though
28:45skin worms destroy my body yet in my
28:48flesh [screaming] I shall see God. I
28:51shall see him and not another.
28:53>> [cheering]
28:55>> I've been around people who say well
28:56they're letting down a standard and
28:58they're not walking holy and did you see
28:59what that one had on?
29:02As if as if you're the judge.
29:06As if you're the one who gets to sit in
29:09that seat.
29:10I've got a bunch of preachers I got a
29:12boot for.
29:14You know why I can do that? Because I'm
29:15one of them. I'm their peer. I'm not
29:17their underling.
29:19And they walk around as if they sit in
29:21the judges seat. No, you don't.
29:25If you think people are getting by with
29:26a lesser standard, who's fooling who?
29:30You think God's going to let that wood,
29:33hay and stubble not get consumed when
29:35the holy fire shows up?
29:38So if somebody shows up in wood, hay or
29:40stubble, why are you running around
29:42saying well that's wood, that's hay,
29:43that's stubble? No, let [screaming] them
29:46go on. Let them be what they're going to
29:49be. Keep loving them. Keep believing in
29:52them. Keep knowing that God has gold in
29:54them. Keep telling them you're silver,
29:57you're precious stone, you're gold.
29:59Right now you're caught up with wood,
30:01hay and stubble but I'm not mad at you.
30:04I'm going to love you because I know
30:06something about you. He also put gold
30:09down in you and when the cross of heaven
30:12starts showering mercy down on you, you
30:16start giving not out of law but out of
30:19love.
30:22>> [applause and cheering]
30:28>> We started that legacy and my aim with
30:30back then
30:322013
30:34was that by the month of April from
30:37January to April
30:39that people would pledge if they could
30:41one week's paycheck.
30:44We had launch campaign from 2022
30:47to last year.
30:49Launch campaign blew
30:51the numbers that we took up during the
30:53legacy campaigns
30:55away.
30:57And the Lord told me this time
30:59I'm not to put a one week salary cap on
31:01it.
31:02I'm not asking you to give from what you
31:04do not have.
31:06I'm not asking you to take your tithes
31:08and repurpose them because they're not
31:09in trouble with me, you're in trouble
31:10with God. I mean, let them. Y'all can do
31:13what you want. I'm just got to report to
31:15the Lord.
31:16But there's this church has been so
31:17generous that during our our legacy
31:19years there were times that $90,000 came
31:23Now I know that's a lot of money to you
31:24and me but when you talk about building
31:26South Florida
31:29you can't even hire an engineering firm
31:31for that kind of money.
31:33Okay? We're in the big boy place.
31:36You know why the Nova Southeastern
31:37College has the shark as a mascot?
31:40Because if you're going to live down
31:42here, you got to learn how to swim
31:44sharks baby.
31:45And if you can't swim with sharks, I'll
31:47still abide by.
31:52You will not make it.
31:54This is a tough place.
31:56I don't mean this with prestige or power
31:58but only the strong survive in South
32:00Florida.
32:02It's the only way.
32:03And I'm not saying that people who have
32:05to leave are not strong. No, I'm glad
32:07for them visiting come
32:12My point is as you grow in the Lord,
32:15you've got to come to an understanding
32:18that God's way is so far above our way.
32:21And so as the Lord impressed upon me
32:24that I was supposed to bring this
32:26message as the word for this offering.
32:31Show the next slide, please.
32:33This is a picture of our church that
32:35we're going to build. Okay? This is the
32:38front of it from the Pine Island point
32:40of view. Those three beautiful Gothic
32:43arches what you walk through to get to
32:44the 24-hour prayer room that's
32:46accessible. In the prayer room we're
32:48going to have a depicted artist build up
32:51the tabernacle with its depictions of
32:54the brazen altar, labor of water, the
32:57the the holy place and so forth. All of
32:59it's going to be in there. We're going
33:00to have 24-hour Bible reading accessible
33:03in there. We're also going to have a
33:04police substation in that where our
33:07officers can come and write the reports
33:09and have a free pop and some snacks and
33:11have a safe place to use the restroom
33:14because that also is a deal.
33:17And so that's going to be on this side.
33:19If you look over on our right side, you
33:21see the building we're sitting in right
33:22now? The top of this building is about
33:25little over 13 feet I believe. The
33:28lowest ceiling in our entryway of the
33:30new church is going to have a 13-foot
33:32ceiling when you enter in. When you go
33:34from that into the sanctuary, it's going
33:36to have a 30-plus foot ceiling. That is
33:39this building that will seat around 700
33:42people right there as it's
33:44constituted. But see where this building
33:46is right there? That's going to come
33:47down and in between this building and
33:50the new building will be an airy walkway
33:53with glass sides.
33:55I'm going to talk it. I'm going to say
33:56it and I'm going to proclaim it. And
33:58when this comes down, there's going to
34:00be a three-story administrative building
34:02where kids can come and learn and learn
34:05schooling and education in an
34:07environment where they're they're
34:09learning in a way I don't even know what
34:10tomorrow learning's going to look like
34:12but they're still going to need a place
34:13that's safe, that's pure, that's clean,
34:16that's holy, that has dreams for
34:18children and grandchildren.
34:21And you see there's a little fountain
34:22right here that you you it's kind of in
34:25the split of the screen. There's a
34:26fountain there that's going to be a
34:27water fountain. You can sit around. You
34:29see it right there? Uh watch my throwing
34:31ability. That's it.
34:32Right there. That fountain, it's going
34:34to sit just outside this door and people
34:37are going to be able to sit around it.
34:38All week the fountain's going to be
34:40going. But when we have church, our
34:42league of extraordinary ministers will
34:44leave the prayer room with the flame and
34:47they will light that fire and every time
34:52over that fountain. you know,
34:55And when church is over, they'll go put
34:57the fire out but the water will keep
34:59flowing.
35:00And if you look off into the distance
35:03right up there, there is 40 royal palms
35:07that go down to our lake and the lake
35:10because they haven't depicted it right
35:12at the direct end of that lake is the
35:13guitar hotel. Right now some of y'all
35:15think that's where you spend your money
35:16gambling but that guitar is going to
35:18represent the praise of South Florida.
35:20Let me talk.
35:23And so there at the end, there's going
35:26to be flags. It's going to be
35:28banked
35:29amphitheater that goes towards the lake
35:32that we can have weddings for those of
35:34you that want an outdoor humid lake in
35:36South Florida with a fountain behind you
35:38and flags blowing. For those of you that
35:41want to have a little street service,
35:42we're going to have a place for the band
35:43to set up. You can have outdoor street
35:45service. We're also on the side of the
35:47building going to have a place where you
35:48can project a picture and we can come
35:50and watch
35:51the chosen all on the side of the other
35:53building. Come and we're going to be
35:55able to sit there and have outdoor
35:57drive-in theater.
36:00Did that go aloud on the internet?
36:03Oh my, a drive-in theater. That church
36:06is really compromised.
36:09>> [laughter]
36:10>> And you know what that drive-in theater
36:11is going to show? All the people who
36:14have family that love the church and
36:16come to church but they're afraid of the
36:18preacher. They'll come and they'll sit
36:20outside and we'll plan on them being
36:22there. So we'll have places for them to
36:24sit and we'll broadcast the service
36:27outside of the building so you can sit
36:28out there and smoke and do whatever you
36:30want to do and the Holy Ghost will fall
36:34while you have a beer and a cigarette
36:37>> [applause]
36:38>> because I want to tell you the best the
36:41world has Mm. the best the world has is
36:45not as sweet as what the king offers.
36:51You can have the best the [screaming]
36:53world has with the most money the world
36:55can give you, but it won't satisfy the
36:58longing in your soul. And we're going to
37:00have a place for people who are not
37:02quite in, but they don't mind being
37:04close by because I know they're on their
37:07way in. This is what the Lord's going to
37:10build here in South Florida.
37:14>> [cheering]
37:15[applause]
37:19>> How is he going to do it?
37:22Well,
37:24comes back to the story of David.
37:26All David had
37:28was a sling.
37:30He did not even have the ammunition.
37:33All he had
37:35was a sling.
37:37On his way,
37:38he picked up the ammunition, five smooth
37:41stones.
37:42And when Goliath spoke to him,
37:44he said, "Who do you think I am?
37:47A dog?
37:49You're coming to me with that archaic,
37:52ancient, out of touch, not cutting edge,
37:57old-fashioned religion,
38:00old-time preaching,
38:03old-time singing. That's all you guys
38:06do.
38:07You still have prayer meetings and altar
38:10calls. You're coming to me with that.
38:14Don't you know cutting-edge technology
38:18has provided all kinds of swords and
38:20spears and things?
38:22My question was,
38:23David flung the sling,
38:26hit Goliath in the forehead.
38:29Go find out, ask Rock the percentages of
38:32that happening.
38:34Because over half of his whole forehead
38:36was covered. It stunned Goliath so much
38:38that he fell on his face, the Bible
38:40says.
38:41And David ran up to where Goliath was
38:44falling.
38:45And the scripture says distinctly,
38:48"Because he had not
38:51a sword."
38:57He looked down.
39:00Whose
39:01sword
39:03was it?
39:05All the time that Goliath spent at the
39:07forger's hut
39:09looking for the special metal to build
39:13his precision sword.
39:16All the time he spent with the whetstone
39:19sharpening the edge to make it razor
39:22sharp.
39:24All he was doing
39:26was preparing
39:28David's sword.
39:31And I know later on David said,
39:34"Goliath's sword, give it to me. There
39:36was none like it."
39:38But it was really never Goliath's sword.
39:42My God shall supply all your need
39:44according to his riches and glory by
39:46Christ Jesus. And God is able to make
39:48all grace abound toward you that ye
39:51having all sufficiency. Look at your
39:54neighbor and say, "I got enough."
39:56>> [applause]
39:57>> You having all sufficiency in all
40:01things. Say it's all things.
40:04May abound in every good work. David
40:08said, "I have been young, but now I am
40:10old. Yet I have not seen the righteous
40:13forsaken nor his seed begging bread."
40:18I want to tell you, Proverbs 13:22
40:22gives us the divine blueprint. It says
40:25that a good man leaves an inheritance to
40:28his children's children, but the
40:30sinner's wealth is laid up for the
40:34righteous. Next Sunday,
40:37instead of a time of healing,
40:40I'm going to stand right here.
40:42Show the next slide, please.
40:44We're handing out cards next Sunday
40:47during the time
40:49of your weapon. That's what I'm calling
40:51it. We're going to bring our weapon.
40:53We're going to come and bring a
40:55commitment to the Lord. It's the vision
40:58to build God's house over 6 months to be
41:01pledged by August 2nd, and it's just
41:04what you can do.
41:06What you can do. I'm not asking you to
41:08give what you don't have. Now, there is
41:10a faith quotient that if you're a child
41:13of God, you're already giving, you
41:14understand it. So, I'm not going to go
41:16on what faith means, but I'm telling you
41:19most of us will feel like all we're
41:22bringing to this battle is just simply a
41:25slingshot and five smooth stones. And
41:30that will make us feel like it's not
41:33enough. But when you get into the word
41:35of God, here's what the Bible says. The
41:38wicked
41:39are laying up.
41:42There are people that have been managing
41:44money
41:45in ways you don't even know it's
41:47managed. That God's going to elevate you
41:52and get it to you.
41:54Either this is hopium
41:57or it's the word of God.
42:00The truth will be revealed.
42:03Not because of an organ instrument that
42:05played a high note.
42:07Not because of a preacher who got up to
42:10build an offering. No. Deuteronomy 8:18
42:14tells us that there is a word in the
42:16Bible that we need to pay attention to.
42:19It's the word wealth. Not riches,
42:23wealth. Throughout scripture in the
42:25Hebrew, there are two distinct and
42:28different words. Riches comes from the
42:31Hebrew word osher, which it is pictured
42:34as fleeting. But there are many
42:36descriptions of riches in the scripture.
42:39Then there is this word chayil, chayil,
42:43which is wealth, which it is a
42:45completely different picture of Both
42:48have to do with commerce. Both have to
42:50do with efficiency. Both have to do with
42:53money. But there's one that stands head
42:55and shoulders above the other. When you
42:57read of riches in the scripture, the
42:59word picture it offers is fleeting.
43:02Pockets with holes.
43:04It leaves fast. Wealth means strength,
43:09might valor efficiency ability
43:14substance. Deuteronomy 8:18, "But thou
43:18shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it
43:21is he that giveth thee power to get
43:26wealth."
43:28It is the Lord that giveth you power
43:32[screaming] to get strength, to get
43:34might, to get valor, to get efficiency,
43:39to get When was the last time you heard
43:41efficiency preached in an evangelistic
43:43church?
43:44To get ability, to get substance, for it
43:48is he that giveth thee power to get
43:50wealth that he may establish his
43:53covenant which he swore unto the fathers
43:56as it is this day.
43:59What God does is he realizes you don't
44:03have the technology
44:05and the advancement that you need to
44:07conquer the Philistines. But if you will
44:10come not in the name of a slingshot, not
44:13in the name of five smooth stones, but
44:16if you'll come in the name
44:18of the Lord. This is why we baptize only
44:22in the name of Jesus Christ. Colossians
44:253:3, "For you are hid with Christ in
44:28God." If the name isn't spoken over you,
44:31then what have you been baptized to? The
44:34Father never bled, but because Jesus
44:37came and bled and shed his blood, I and
44:41the Father are one.
44:44And so when I get baptized in his name,
44:47I take his name upon me by whom all of
44:50heaven and earth is named. The Bible
44:52said, "In his name shall be called
44:55[screaming]
44:56Jesus."
44:58For he shall save his people from their
45:01sins. What the Lord does, Sister Elms
45:04come, is he takes your not enough and
45:07turns it into more than enough.
45:11Your not enough becomes more than
45:13enough.
45:14I vouch right now that when you hand
45:17those envelopes or those cards to me,
45:19you'll have two cards on the same sheet.
45:21Two One part's portion is for us and you
45:24to hand in. The other portion is keeping
45:26your Bible or your altar wherever you
45:28are to pray about. But that will be a
45:31moment when I answer to God for the
45:34revenue that's given, not given to a
45:37corrupt ministry. And that's not me. I'm
45:39pointing to myself, but I'm not corrupt.
45:41I'm not a corrupt preacher. I've been at
45:43the same church with the same wife with
45:46the same board. They've changed a little
45:48bit because of
45:50whatever. Age and process, but so so be
45:53it. Answering with integrity
45:56for all these years.
45:58There's no playing with the money.
46:01This will go straight towards what God
46:04is going to build in this city. And I am
46:06convinced that the enemy
46:10is the one
46:11bringing our weapons.
46:19No weapon
46:21formed against you
46:24shall prosper.
46:26The weapons
46:27of our warfare
46:29are not carnal.
46:31Listen, when these commitments come in,
46:34I know the strain that this church is
46:36going to give from. I know you. The This
46:38is a generous church. I would put the
46:39giving of this church per capita against
46:43any church. This is a giving church.
46:46But we give because we lay treasure up
46:49in heaven, not because we're in the most
46:52process of of grabbing. No, it's a
46:56process of a covenant with God. And our
46:59weapons may not be sufficient, but our
47:02sufficiency
47:04is in the Lord and he'll take our five
47:06loaves and two small fishes.
47:09And he'll feed the multitude.
47:12He'll take our five smooth stones and
47:15he'll conquer Goliath.
47:19What about you?
47:22What Goliath is roaring at you?
47:25It shows up in the armor
47:28of an addiction.
47:31And all you can hear is the power of
47:33your addiction
47:35is harder
47:38than anybody can handle.
47:41You cannot get free.
47:44You've gone too far. It could [music] be
47:45a mental problem.
47:48Really, most drug problems are mental
47:50problems.
47:51And I don't say that with disdain.
47:54I don't say that out of
47:57us being better than anybody. No, no,
47:59no no.
48:01I've watched wonderful people
48:03fall victim
48:05to prescription drug addictions,
48:09to sugar addictions.
48:11Oh, I better move on from that one, huh?
48:16No.
48:16Whose God is their belly?
48:19Listen, if you need help, get help,
48:21baby. Come on.
48:24Help cometh,
48:26but healing [music]
48:27comes from the house of God.
48:30You want to be free from your burden of
48:32sin?
48:34There's power in the blood.
48:36Would you over [music] evil
48:38a victory win?
48:40There's wonderful
48:42power
48:44in the blood.
48:46There is power.
48:49Power.
48:52Wonder working
48:54power.
48:56In the blood
49:00of the lamb.
49:02>> [singing]
49:04>> Oh, there
49:06is power.
49:09Power.
49:11Wonder working
49:13power.
49:15In the precious [singing and music]
49:19blood
49:20of
49:21the lamb.
49:28Deliverance from doubt.
49:30Men, we fight doubt.
49:34Three of our most favorite words are
49:37I doubt it.
49:40God pegged us. We like wrath and doubt.
49:43That's the reason he said, "Oh, that
49:45men." Now, I will tell you I'm married
49:47to somebody who likes a lot more wrath
49:48than me.
49:50I hate to tell it. I hate to say it, but
49:52she is a UFC [music]
49:54mantra
49:56queen.
49:57She knows the name. She's naming the
50:00chickens after UFC people.
50:05I mean, June Jolly, is that her name?
50:09Ronda Rousey, okay.
50:13We got chickens at our school named
50:15Ronda Rousey.
50:17I don't She needs the Holy Ghost.
50:19I don't know who that is. Let's baptize
50:21her. She might pastor somewhere for all
50:23I know.
50:24She's retired?
50:27See her roll her eyes just then? Did you
50:29notice my wife just rolled her eyes at
50:31me? None of you men have this problem. I
50:33understand.
50:35Pray for me.
50:37Pray for me.
50:43Oh, that men
50:46would raise holy hands
50:49without wrath
50:51and without doubting. Oh, that men would
50:53praise [music] the Lord
50:55for his wonderful works. Men,
50:57men,
51:00ladies, I love you. Just let me talk to
51:02the men for a minute.
51:05I need to hear you.
51:08I need your strong, masculine, deep,
51:13powerful voice
51:16to lift up victorious
51:19sounds.
51:21God wins with shouting.
51:29He does.
51:30He wins with praise.
51:33He wins with worship.
51:36Now, it looks like just five smooth
51:38stones and everybody out there has all
51:40the technological advances.
51:42Let me tell you, they're bringing our
51:43weapons.
51:45But you just show up with your stones.
51:49It doesn't matter what the debt you're
51:51in right now.
51:52You're in debt?
51:54Make a pledge unto God. Don't be silly.
51:56Listen, listen, listen. I've had
51:58pledges. I've been doing this a long
51:59time. I've had pledges for a million
52:01dollars given to this church.
52:04I appreciate the I appreciate the
52:06promise, but I'm not asking for a
52:09million dollar pledge if you can't
52:10really see it happening, okay?
52:13I'm going to play at the Seminole
52:16and God's going to give me two million
52:18because I pledged a million.
52:22I mean, listen, if you have some
52:24winnings, we'll take we'll take your
52:26giving from the winnings.
52:28The devil is building up our wealth for
52:30us.
52:35But why are we doing this? Why?
52:38Why why Why give like this?
52:41Why give?
52:43Because
52:44I want to lay up something for my
52:46children
52:48and my children's [music] children.
52:50And I've already told the Lord that if I
52:52don't see it in my lifetime,
52:54the next generation is going to rise up
52:56and call me blessed
52:58because David Timothy Elms did not live
53:01for himself.
53:03He did not twist and shout and pull arms
53:05so that it all happened so he could see
53:07it.
53:08No.
53:09If it doesn't happen in my time, God,
53:11hear me right now. I wish it would,
53:15but if not,
53:16I'm no ways tired.
53:18I'm going to keep going and keep giving
53:20so that generation to generation can
53:23know that we weren't living for just
53:25tomorrow. We were living for the day
53:27after tomorrow and we were living for
53:29the day after the day after tomorrow and
53:31we were planning just like God said,
53:34"Occupy until I come." That doesn't mean
53:37stay in a tent. That means pour a
53:39concrete slab, build you a nice steam
53:42shower, get you a nice bed with sheets.
53:45My wife's got these bamboo sheets. Good
53:47night alive. I can't wait to get on
53:50those things.
53:53Occupy until he comes.
53:56Because there's coming a day
53:58and if I have to come in on a cane,
54:00>> [music]
54:01>> David Elms,
54:03I'm not going to turn one penny of this
54:05pledge towards something that's silly.
54:08We're going to do it with wisdom. We've
54:10got a wise board. We've got a wise
54:12council. We've got great officers of
54:15this church. We've got the best
54:16executive pastor in the world. We've got
54:18the best administrator in the world.
54:20We've got the best hyphen group. We just
54:23got to find that out, but we believe
54:24that we're in by faith we've got the
54:26best hyphen group. We've got an
54:28unbelievable student pastor that he was
54:31raised and filled with the Holy Ghost in
54:32this place. He came as a first
54:34generation Pentecostal. No reason to
54:37serve God except for hunger in his heart
54:39and he moved away thinking he would find
54:42it easier somewhere else and when he got
54:44up there, it was easier. I'm sure.
54:47sure it was easier.
54:50Did you ever get that wrap around porch?
54:53No, you didn't end up getting that wrap
54:54around porch.
54:57But he came back because there was a
54:59house that his kids could drink nectar
55:01from.
55:02Find joy in.
55:04Find a reason to serve [music] God. It
55:06doesn't matter how dark the night when
55:08you have the light of Jesus Christ.
55:10It's not
55:12Goliath's [music] sword.
55:14It's David's sword.
55:16Shall we stand?
55:19I'm going to have an altar service
55:22and we're going to invite you
55:24to come.
55:25And as you come,
55:27only God knows the Goliath that you are
55:30facing.
55:31It could be health.
55:33It could be your desire for wealth.
55:35You're blessed, but you want wealth.
55:37Would you be angry at somebody for
55:40coming
55:42because
55:44they're tired of just being blessed?
55:47Oh, my Lord, I wish the church heard me
55:49right then.
55:51Is there anybody here that is just tired
55:53of [music] just being blessed?
55:55You want to walk from fleeting riches to
55:58efficient wealth?
56:00The wealth that brings the covenant?
56:03The wealth that brings the promise?
56:05The wealth that tells has people turn
56:08away from wine
56:10and start drinking from Joel's place?
56:13If you came here a few months ago, I
56:14preached I want to drink in church. How
56:16many remember that message? I want to
56:18drink in church.
56:19Half of Pentecostals [music] mad at me.
56:23It's because they only saw the title.
56:25They didn't hear the sermon.
56:27A church that knows how to come in his
56:29presence and take a sip
56:31and begin to loosen their spirit out
56:32because they've been in his presence.
56:35I talked about how about four beers in
56:37everybody loosens up.
56:40And the church needs to be a sipping
56:42drinking church when it comes to the
56:43house of God. I'm not talking about real
56:45alcohol. You know I'm not talking about
56:47that. I'm talking about coming in and
56:48finding a confidence that will loosen
56:50your praise, finding a strength that
56:52will loosen your worship, finding a hope
56:55that will set your feet to dancing,
56:57finding a truth that's not falsehood. It
57:00doesn't make you treat your wife bad. It
57:02doesn't make you ignore your children.
57:05It doesn't sever families from one
57:07another. No, this is a blessing that
57:09takes a good marriage
57:12and makes it a great marriage.
57:15I will not just preach to the lowlands.
57:17I'm a pastor of getting from one plateau
57:21to higher ground. Oh Lord, we used to
57:24sing it. Somebody believes it. Plant my
57:27feet on higher ground. Lord, lift me up
57:30and let me stand by faith on heaven's
57:33tableland. A higher plane [screaming]
57:36that I have found. Lord, plant my feet
57:40on higher ground. If you're wanting to
57:42go up a notch with the king, whether it
57:44be wealth or blessing or health or
57:46strength or influence or efficiency, you
57:49want to be an entrepreneur, maybe you
57:51just want to be filled with a confidence
57:53that you too can get the Holy Ghost,
57:55that this world is your world, that you
57:58are a man of God. You weren't convinced
58:00of that. You're on the outside looking
58:02in. You've checked us out. You're not
58:04sure you can be us. I've come to tell
58:06you, why don't you bring your five
58:08stones and find out what God will do for
58:10you?
58:11He'll turn you into a spiritual giant.
58:13[music] I'm opening this altar right
58:15now. Would you come?
58:17Would you come?
58:19Would you come and find a place [music]
58:21to celebrate what God created you for?
58:25Find a moment [music]
58:27where you confess to the Lord. Oh God,