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An Open Door: Enter with Confidence

Pastor Stanley Levy Preached on 12/31/2025Revelation 3:7-10

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Summary

Pastor Stanley Levy encourages the congregation to step into the new year with confidence, declaring that God has provided an 'open door' of divine favor and access that no man can close, regardless of one's past struggles or perceived weaknesses.

Key points
  • God has set an open door before His people that no man can shut, providing divine access and opportunity regardless of past failures.
  • The seven churches of Revelation serve as a parallel to the modern church, warning against complacency, compromise, and spiritual decay while encouraging faithfulness.
  • Entering the open door requires confidence, which is not found in self-reliance but in the authority and presence of Jesus Christ.
  • Having 'a little strength' is sufficient for God to work; He honors endurance and keeping His Word even when one feels spiritually exhausted or weak.
  • The transition into a new year is a 'Kairos' moment to leave behind past mistakes, low self-esteem, and legalistic burdens to embrace a closer relationship with God.
Scripture
Faith
Purpose
Restoration
Spiritual Growth
Authority
Life application

This week, identify one area of your life where you feel a door has been shut by circumstances or people, and consciously choose to trust God's promise that He has opened a way for you by spending time in prayer claiming His authority over that situation.

Reflection questions
  1. Which of the seven churches in Revelation best describes your current spiritual state, and what is God calling you to change?
  2. What past mistakes or 'rough patches' from the previous year are you still carrying that might be hindering your confidence to walk through the open door?
  3. How can you practically lean on God's strength this week in areas where you feel you only have 'a little strength' left?
  4. In what ways have you sought human help for doors that only God has the 'Key of David' to open?
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Full transcript
0:00oh
0:24Praise God. And if you believe that God is your all
0:29in all, why don't you stand to your feet all over
0:35this room. Put your hands together in recognition for the King
0:41of Kings and the Lord of Lords that is present in
0:46this house. Is there anybody grateful tonight that God is your
0:52all in all? Why don't you clap your hands like you
0:58recognize it in this place. He's a mighty God.
1:03And we give him glory. You may be seated just for a minute.
1:09I'll ask you to stand one more time after the greeting. And then
1:15if you stand after that, it will be on your own accord. I
1:21am delighted to be here tonight. And I just pause to salute the
1:27presence of the Lord that is in this room. There is a spirit
1:33of excellence that is permeating the atmosphere tonight. And in an atmosphere
1:38like this, I believe anything can happen. Am I talking to a
1:44church tonight? Amen. Praise God. So let me salute Bishop Michael W.
1:50Smith, the black version, by the way. All right. I'm catching up.
1:56Amen. I salute you, sir. Also man of God, a man I
2:02have met him not too long ago. And he has
2:08displayed a very warm demeanor about him. And I
2:14am happy that I have met him. Let me
2:20also greet Pastor Omar Williams. Praise God. Amen. And
2:26then I want to greet the grapes. See, I
2:32was paying attention. Amen. I greet you, my father's children, and
2:38I am happy to see you. Praise God. My daughter is here. Earlier,
2:43Pastor said both son and daughter, but my son is not here in
2:49the building, but he's here in Florida. And so Janelle, the child of
2:55my old age, will you stand and just turn around to this congregation
3:00and wave your hand? Amen. Praise God. Praise God.
3:06I wonder where did time go? I now have adult
3:12children. My God. Time flies. Amen. All right. I also
3:17salute you on behalf of my pastor. He knows where
3:23I am. It's important. Praise God. Pastor Jonathan Barnes. Over
3:29there in Faith Tabernacle, North University Drive. Will you
3:34stand now for the reading of a portion of
3:40God's Word as we try to hear what God
3:46would have us hear tonight. You already know we
3:51are in the book of Revelation and what an
3:57awesome theme for this service. An open door. Revelation
4:03chapter 3, 2 verses, 7-10. I'm reading your hearing
4:09from the King James Version. And to the angel of
4:14the church in Philadelphia write, These things said he that
4:20is holy, he that is true, he that hath the
4:26key of David, he that openeth and no man shut
4:32it. And shut it and no man open it.
4:38Let us pray. Father,
4:43we bow one more
4:48time in your presence.
4:53We humble ourselves now
4:58as we tune our
5:03ears to hear from
5:08you. Lord, we know you're in this place. We're not asking you
5:14to come. We know you're here. And we thank you that you have granted us
5:20the strength to sing and to clap and to dance. Now it's time to hear
5:25you. Speak now to your people. Hide me behind your glory. Let not your people
5:31hear me, but let them hear your words. This moment belongs to you. And we
5:37be careful to tell you thanks. In Jesus' name. You
5:42may be seated. God bless you. What an awesome theme
5:48for a service like this. Final service for 2025. The
5:53service in which you are so blessed to give your
5:59last offering. Amen. You will not be asked to give
6:04another offering. At least not here. Until next year. An
6:10open door. And I want to use for... A sub-theme.
6:16And you can put them both together. Enter with confidence. Enter
6:22with confidence. Let's put them together now. An open door. Enter
6:27with confidence. Look to your neighbor on the left or on
6:33the right and tell them, enter with confidence. Amen. Praise God.
6:39So here we are in the closing moments of 2025.
6:45It is certainly not strange that scores of people across the
6:51world, including believers in this house, see these fleeting moments as
6:56a period of reflection. That's not strange. As a matter of
7:02fact, while I was in the room, I heard the gentleman
7:08praying and he did say it's a moment of reflection.
7:13We can take it for granted then that for some people
7:19it's been an uneventful year. You just drift through. Nothing spectacular
7:25happened. It was business as usual. Some people find it like
7:31that. For others, it was a rough year. Oh, don't say
7:37nothing. A rough year. Many will also see the year as
7:43being a year of... Unfulfilled promises. Lots of
7:49things were promised to you and you were hopeful. But they
7:55never came through. For some it is a year of major
8:01loss. Lost some friends, lost some loved ones. Maybe lost a
8:06business. Maybe investment went bad. Year of major loss. For others
8:12it may be a year of fulfilled prophecies. Breakthrough
8:18and deliverance, a year of uncommon favor. If that's you,
8:23say praise the Lord. But despite the variety of reports
8:29that's present among us, one thing we all have in
8:34common is that we have been kept by the mercies
8:40of God. We have been kept by the powerful hand
8:46of God. Yes, he has kept us from dangers seen and unseen.
8:51It is with that consciousness that you and I can open our
8:57mouth and with the fruit of our lips declare, if it hadn't
9:03been for the Lord who was on my side, the enemy would
9:09have swallowed me up. Oh I believe I'm talking to some people who have
9:15had an accident during this year and it turned out as a minor accident. But
9:20when you look back you just know that this had to be God because it
9:26really didn't make any sense. I'm talking to some people who have had a doctor's
9:31report and it really didn't look good. But by the time you went back, I
9:37feel like I'm testifying on behalf of somebody. Doctors said, well, we don't
9:42really understand what's going on here. But something unscientific has taken
9:48place. And that surgery that you should have done, it's no
9:54longer necessary. It was by the hand of God. We would
9:59have been swallowed up. Alive if the enemy would have had his
10:05way we would have been dead and sleeping in our graves swept away by the
10:11flood of the enemy but look what the Lord has done I don't know about
10:17you but tonight I can't tell you I'm a wealthy man yet but I'm excited
10:23about what God has done and what he is doing and what he will do
10:29in If we cross over in 2026. Is there anybody excited about what
10:352026 is looking like? God is more than able. We are still
10:41here. It is by God's grace. Not only are we still here,
10:47but the same God that brought us thus far has set before
10:52us an open door. I said the same God that has
10:58kept us thus far. He has set before us an open door.
11:04If I were you I'd be excited because guess what? The door
11:09that God has set before us, no man can shut this door.
11:16Yes, yes, yes. Set before us grapes and open door.
11:22And our responsibility then is to walk in with confidence.
11:27Enter with confidence. Come on, don't make this door swing
11:33open before you. You have a responsibility to step on
11:39in with confidence. Yes. Yes. He has set before us an
11:45open door. Now the text that we have before us brethren, it is the
11:51word of God that was written to several churches in Asia Minor. That place
11:56which is now called modern day Turkey. It was a real place. You know
12:02we have a way sometimes when we read the Bible we think it's something
12:08that happened in heaven. Asia Minor in Bible days.
12:13Now present day Turkey. This occurred around the time of
12:19the late first century when the early church was under
12:25persecution via the hand of Emperor Domitian. These letters,
12:31though primarily written to the first century church, are also applicable to
12:37the church today. And you are going to see why. Brothers and
12:43sisters, when we look at the letters written to the seven churches
12:48of Revelation chapter 2 and 3, we can see a direct parallel.
12:55Yes, between the spiritual condition of those churches and the
13:01church today. Follow me. We can see, reverend, a direct
13:07parallel. There is great similarity with what was happening then
13:13and what is happening now. So let's look at them.
13:19What we can see now is that the general characteristics of
13:25the church back then are quite similar to the general characteristics
13:30of the church today. And when I say the church today,
13:36I'm not talking about Pentab necessarily. And I'm not talking about
13:41just grace. I'm talking about the Ecclesia, the church in the
13:47earth. Some of these characteristics are very much
13:52present. So let's look. The church back then
13:58in Asia Minor was largely marred by political,
14:04moral and cultural influences. It is people that
14:09come to church, right? Yeah, not angels. And
14:15because of this marring of the church by virtue
14:20of where they were and what the norms and
14:26customs of the day were, this resulted in spiritual
14:32decay. There was a spiritual decay happening. Look
14:37at them. We will look at them now not necessarily in
14:43any specific order. So let's run through these churches. Ephesus. Ephesus
14:49was commended by God for their labor and patience. Sounds good.
14:55The Lord wrote to the church of Ephesus and said, I
15:00commend you for your labor and your patience. It was a
15:06working church. But thou, however, Has left thy first
15:12love. So if we should find one word
15:17then that was working to describe what the fault of Ephesus was,
15:23we would have to say complacency. You have left your first love.
15:29A lack of passion. A lack of fervor. And Ephesus was now
15:35chided to repent. Let's look at the church today. Several congregations have
15:40lost their fervor. The job of several pastors now is to steer the
15:46congregation and to remind the congregation where God has brought you from. I know
15:52not in this room somewhere else but But some pastors and leaders will tell you
15:58there was a time when there was a work to be done and all I
16:03had to do was just say the word and men and women would come running.
16:08But today across some congregation it's hard work to crank people to get them to
16:14volunteer. Don't say nothing. Don't tell nobody
16:19your business. Let's run. So Ephesus had lost the
16:25fervor and the passion for the things of God
16:30and now became complacent. It's present today. Then let's
16:36run on to Smyrna, another church in the same
16:41region with similar condition being persecuted by the emperor
16:46of the time. Now Smyrna had an issue. Smyrna
16:52Had some people among them that they embraced that were hypocrites.
16:58Say they are Jews and are not. By the word of
17:03God to them said, they are the synagogue of Satan. My
17:09God. You claim to be holy. Let me bring it back to today. You
17:15claim to be on fire for God. But instead you have them there with you.
17:20That you embrace and love upon. And let them find a common space among you.
17:26Who claim to be Jews. In other words. Claim to be orthodox Jews. Who hold
17:32the ordinances of God. But they are hypocrites. So Smyrna was tainted with hypocrisy.
17:38Pergamos commended for not denying the faith. That's awesome.
17:44Holding the faith, not denying the faith that was
17:49given to them. But harbored teachers of strange doctrine.
17:55Reverend, if there's ever a day that we are
18:01hearing some new discoveries called Christianity, some new discoveries
18:06called the prophetic. And if there's ever a time we are seeing some gimmicks in
18:12the house of God, it's now. if some of our forefathers should come back their
18:18stomachs would be turned because everybody's coming up with a new doctrine a new revelation
18:24a new way of doing things don't get me wrong i'm not talking about uh
18:29modus operandi now come on don't don't you you're too intelligent for that but i'm
18:35talking about people who have the nerve to question oh god the power and potency
18:40of the very documented word of God. The devil is a liar. The word of
18:46God was true. It is true and it will forever be true. Am I talking
18:52to a re-church tonight? So the problem with Pergamos is that Pergamos was the compromising
18:58church. It is all right. Bring what you have. We
19:04all can cohabit. Ain't nothing wrong with it. You're different from me. It's all
19:10right. Let's just have tea together. I believe in fellowship. But brother, the Bible
19:15said two cannot walk unless they agree. Yeah, we've got to have this thing
19:21together. Yeah, Thyatira. I'm getting there. They were again commended for their charity. And
19:27I like how God would have given John the letter to write to them. He
19:31didn't just come hitting them over the head. Anybody just love God that he's still
19:36a God of love and tenderness? Yeah, come on, you better say yes. Because every
19:40one of us in this room, there was a time when we deserved to be
19:44hit over the head. But God who is rich in mercy. mercy and grace when
19:49we played the fool when we i'm preaching when we messed up when we were
19:55on our way to create you know what it was the mercies of god all
20:00right let me preach to myself there was a time in my life when i
20:05didn't have it all together and instead of hitting me over the head god would
20:11have sent an old mother to lay hands on my shoulder and say come
20:17on read get it together if i'm talking to you guts go ahead
20:22and love god for being gracious and merciful so what he did he
20:28commended for their charity oh it was a loving church it was a
20:34church of service you didn't have to beg them to serve it was
20:39a church of faith sounds almost like the perfect church but yet here
20:45comes compromise again They had with them the false prophet. But not
20:51only did Tyre have the false prophet. They allowed Jezebel, let me
20:57call her name, to prophesy among them. Let me tell you here
21:02tonight, grapes. Be careful of who you allow to lay hands on
21:08you. Be careful, preacher, bishop, of who you put in your pulpit.
21:13Thank you for trusting me. Praise God. We've got
21:19to be careful how we put people in our pulpits to influence the
21:25sheep that God has placed under your hand. Because today we have a
21:30spirit of Jezebel who are coming on. now with some doctrines of devils and
21:36because men now would have itching ears everybody wants to hear that God is going
21:42to give you a house on a hill that's the kind of prophecy that's common
21:47and maybe he is but my question is is that all your salvation is that
21:53all about God everybody want to hear that God is going to give you a
21:59promotion on the job ain't nothing wrong with that I hope you get it but
22:04every now and then I have a problem with the false prophets because see now
22:10they never tell you that God said you need to walk right and straighten up
22:15they never tell you that ain't no prophet today telling you that God
22:21said you've got to leave that job and you are going to
22:27suffer for five years but after five years I'm going to give
22:33you everything that the palm of worm has taken away from you.
22:39Nobody joining the line for that kind of prophecy. Spirit of Jezebel.
22:45Compromise again. Thyatira, wonderful church. That was commended for
22:50charity, service and faith. Allowed the false prophet to prophesy.
22:56My God. We run to Sardis. Sardis was overtaken with
23:02complacency. He has a name that thou lives but you're
23:08dead. You have a name. I don't want to bother
23:14anybody tonight. There are some places they have a name.
23:21there are some prophets they have a name in other words they are world-renowned oh
23:27every time you switch your TV on you see their faces I have no problem
23:33with the technology but brother when you check what they are saying against the Word
23:39of God I'm hearing some things Lord have mercy yeah yeah yeah people are complaining
23:44are compromising left right and center so it was back then so it is
23:50today the wise man Solomon said there is nothing that's new under the sun
23:56same old devil just a different quote same old devil just a different suit
24:01same old devil he's only coming with a laptop now same old devil but
24:07I thank God for the discerning spirit of a few gone again believers who
24:13will stand up for Jesus in this time and in this season
24:19who will say for God I live and for God I die
24:25I want the authentic word written in the Bible and not man's
24:31opinion you have a name you dress well when you walk in
24:37the room everybody know your name and you think you're alive but
24:43you're dead the dead church Sardis My God. But there
24:49was a few in Sardis. What the word said, have
24:55not defiled their garment. God Almighty God will always in every
25:00time and in every season reserve for himself a remnant who will not bow a
25:06remnant who will trust him in spite of a remnant will that will love God
25:12even in affliction who am I talking to a remnant that when you find your
25:18backs against the wall and somebody tell you a girl I don't know what's happening
25:24but I know I see you will said the devil is a liar if I
25:28have to crawl I'm gonna keep on holding on because let me get back to
25:33the team because the God I serve he has swung out and open door before
25:38me and I have a responsibility to enter with confidence I don't know who I'm
25:43talking to tonight I don't know how far from the door you are tonight because
25:48we are not always standing right in front of the door sometimes you're all the
25:54way down the street and you have to walk a five furlongs to get to
25:59the door but that does not change the fact that the door has been set.
26:05I feel like preaching. I don't care how far from the door you are. The
26:10door is open and guess what? It's not just a door. This door was opened
26:16by God himself because see in our lives we need a little help we need
26:21somebody to pull a little plug for us we need somebody who knows somebody to
26:27get us in a particular room ain't nothing wrong with that we are social beings
26:32where I come from they would say you need somebody to pull a string for
26:37you you need somebody to recommend you ain't nothing wrong with that but but I
26:43heard the word of God said vain is the help of man because sometimes you
26:48are depending on somebody to open a door for you and instead they shut the
26:54door in your face. Who am I talking to? Is there anybody here who has
26:59ever had the door shut in your face? You expected help from your friend. You
27:05expected help from your sister. You expected them to go over and beyond for you
27:10because after all we are brethren in Christ but can I tell you something
27:16is not all that enter our brethren in Christ some people take pleasure in
27:22your demise so you can't depend on people to open door for you what
27:27are you doing God already said behold if you oh God help me to
27:33preach I've set before you and open door and let harry jane and
27:39sue try their best to shut this door ah you see if you open
27:45a door for me you wield a certain amount of power over me All right,
27:51let me talk to the few over here. If you got me the job, chances
27:56are you can get me out. Praise God. If you got me in the room,
28:02you have the power to dismiss me. If you hire me, you surely can fire
28:07me. But when God hires you, when God opens the door for you, no man
28:13can shut this door let the devil drop dead come hill or
28:19high water when God opened the door for you God the
28:24preacher the teacher he can get you out the professor can't
28:30change it because when God opens the door you're in all
28:36you have to do is enter with confidence we run on
28:41to Laodicea now Laodicea was the wealthy church ah this would
28:47be the coveted church of today The mega church. Wealthy. They
28:53had it together. Let's bring our brains to church a little bit.
28:58When you enter the foyer of Laodicea. Lord have mercy. There would
29:04be an area there. And there would be grapes. Ah. I'm just
29:10using my brain now. Don't look for it in the text, alright? I'm just
29:15doing the application. When you enter the foyer, the lights, my God, are futuristic
29:21because they were wealthy. You had a variety of juice that you could drink.
29:27Apple, pomegranate, grape, whatever you want is there. All sort of fancy finger food.
29:32And your welcome package... Your welcome package. It's not just a
29:38piece of paper with information about the church. Your welcome package has
29:44a gold pen in there. Laodicea was wealthy but they were spiritually
29:50malnutrition. Moral decay. My God. It was the kind of church that
29:55anything goes. You don't know if you're in the club or you're
30:01in the church of God. maybe you shouldn't call me I'm kind of old school
30:07sometimes it is a kind of church where you see some dressing that you need
30:12a dark glass to cover your eyes so that you will set no evil thing
30:17before you all right let me leave you alone now this was the wealthy church
30:21but spiritually malnutrition brother preacher brothers and sisters I want to be in a church
30:26where the word of God is fed I don't care if you don't have grapes
30:31in the foyer. Just give me the word. All you need is a word from
30:36God. Because when you have a word from God, God's word is spirit and it's
30:40life. So if you have the word, you have the spirit. If you have the
30:45word, you have life. And when the devil said dead, God said live. Because you
30:50have my word. Let me declare over about five of you tonight that God said,
30:55live because you have my word in you. Thy word have I hid in my
31:00heart that I will not sin against you. The word of God on tonight said,
31:06live because I've set an open door before you and the devil can't take you
31:12out unless I allow it. As we stand on the threshold of
31:172026 God said live I've set before you
31:23an open door you've had some trouble in
31:282025 but just open your eyes and see
31:34the door it's open so the last church
31:40that I'm going to mention of the seven
31:45is our focus passage Philadelphia somebody say Philadelphia
31:51now this church stands out Among the rest
31:57like a beacon in the dark. Ah, this church was exceptional. It
32:02therefore begs the question, what sets this church apart from the rest?
32:08Some of them had some good qualities. They were laborers. They had
32:14love. They had service. My God. But Philadelphia, It was the only church
32:20when you go back and read Revelation chapter 2 and 3. You will find that
32:25it was the only church that was not rebuked in the letter sent from God.
32:30my god I would want to be in that church everybody else getting
32:36straightened out but when it came on to Laodicea God had a word
32:41of encouragement and promises for for Philadelphia rather now now now the only
32:47of the seven to receive no rebuke or correction from Jesus
32:53Despite having a little strength, they were commended for patience, endurance,
32:59keeping the word and not denying his name. Let me say
33:05it again. Instead of receiving a rebuke from God, they had
33:10a little strength. That's significant. How is it that a church? Well, let
33:16me preach to you individually. How is it that an individual that has been
33:22characterized as having a little strength is able to have patience and endurance? Help
33:28me out. I'm not that deep. Preacher, help me. How is it that a
33:34brother who has just a little strength, what it says to me is that
33:39he would have expended energy fighting the good fight. He would have expended some
33:45energy trying to hold on to his faith. He has a little strength. She
33:51has a little strength, but she has patience, endurance. And now this church, Philadelphia,
33:57has kept the word of God, not anything. denying his name I come to
34:03tell somebody tonight that don't deny the name because at the name of Jesus
34:08every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus demons and devils back up
34:14at the name of Jesus fear is power in the name of Jesus fear
34:20is liberty how is he that you're born again and the devil is running rampant
34:25in your house and know that you can be buffeted at times that's the job
34:31of the enemy but when you see the door and you have made up in
34:37your mind that your destination is within the door not outside and you know the
34:42name of the one who opened the door as a matter of fact this door
34:48has a name the name is the inscription you will see above this door
34:54is jesus how do i know that this is not theological semantics
34:59jesus said i am that oh help me somebody i am the
35:05door and he's saying to us tonight like he said to philadelphia
35:10i'm opening myself to you oh good god from glory if i
35:16was home i'd get happy he said I'm opening myself to you and
35:22when you come into my presence there cannot be a frown on your
35:27face as you come and approach this door as you enter 2026 there's
35:33got to be joy there's got to be rejoicing you haven't got the
35:39breakthrough yet but because you're in the presence of the one who flung
35:44the and the moon in place the one who called forth the animals
35:50by the words of his mouth the one who created man from the
35:56dust and breathe into him the breath of life his name is Jesus
36:01and he says to you tonight I'm opening myself to you and everything
36:07that my father gave me you have actually I feel like talking to
36:13you. God said to tell you tonight that you have access and
36:19that's why the door is open. What's your responsibility? You've got to
36:25enter with confidence. Square your shoulder. You've had a rough year. You've
36:30had some troubles. You've had some troubles in 2025 but God said
36:36to tell you tonight you're in the presence of the giver of
36:42life you're in the presence of the one who came that you
36:47might have a life and have it more abundantly somebody throw your
36:53head back and shout enter with confidence enter with confidence you see
36:58it is the job of the enemy when you're on your way
37:04to the door speak into your ears and tell you how impossible it is for
37:10you to come on over the devil will speak into your ear don't you get
37:15this twisted that because you were on fasting last night then the devil is going
37:21to run away from you you've it is a lifelong journey of resisting yeah Paul
37:27help me out now said the good that I would. I don't do it. The
37:32very thing I preach against. That's the thing I find myself gravitating to. Who shall
37:38deliver me from this wretched man that I am? The doer said that's me. That's
37:43me. Because every time you need strength you just call Jesus. Every time you need
37:48a little power you just call Jesus. Is there any grape out there that know
37:53that there is power in the name of Jesus there is healing in the name
37:58of Jesus we are the Philadelphia present tonight God said just tell them read tell
38:04them I've set before you an open door I've set before you an open door
38:09I know it looks muddy I know it looks impossible but the door is open
38:15and you have one responsibility on tonight and it's to tell
38:21yourself that low self-esteem has no place in my life i'm
38:26not walking around with my head hanged low because whatever happened in my past
38:32is my past I feel to tell a young lady tonight let it go let
38:37it go drop it leave it alone look ahead because there is an open door
38:42in front of you you thought you would have been married by now with children
38:47twins if you may and you would have moved on from where you were to
38:52the other side of town you thought you would have gotten your little piece of
38:58pie in the sky but here you are still a single woman at 40 and
39:03you're not there yet and you feel like you want to go see the counselor
39:08because you are suffering now from mental breakdown hear me young girl hear me young
39:13for 40 year old woman you're still young because I'm older than you yeah yeah
39:18yeah yeah yeah hear me tonight God said you are not defined by your marital
39:24status I'm a married man and it is one of the best decisions I've ever
39:29made in my life but listen listen listen whether you're married or not God said
39:34I have purpose on your life I come to talk to somebody before I leave
39:39you alone God said the open door is in front of you get your mind
39:44off that bald head Joker because if you had got married to him you would
39:49look like what you look like now just me say the Lord God Almighty the
39:54one who opened the door the one whose name is on the door his name
40:00once again is Jesus and in Jesus there is fullness of joy look at somebody
40:05and smile and tell them show them you're 32 and even if you have a
40:11receipt for it tell them God has opened a door for me and if I
40:17make it into 2026 I'm gonna be walking in victory I am going to
40:23walk with my head up high because this door is open before me I'm
40:28like the Philadelphia brethren so as you walk with confidence there will be some
40:34naysayers there will be somebody who will tell you you can't work there you
40:40can't that school you don't have the grades oh god marriage is not
40:46in your bloodline the devil is a liar I see the door I
40:51see the door and it is swung wide open and my responsibility now
40:57is to press I've got to leave my own self behind I come
41:03to tell somebody leave your old self in 2025 you did some stupid things
41:08in 2025 you made some bad decisions but guess what you're not dead yet
41:14and the rapture isn't here yet all I'm trying to tell you is that
41:20you have another opportunity to focus on the door that is in front of
41:26you somebody said Zion is calling me me to a higher place of praise I
41:32hear some grapes now getting ready to sing again I hear some grapes now who
41:37walked away from the ministry that God gave you and felt like you can't do
41:43this you're gonna sing again you're gonna preach again but this time you're gonna preach
41:49better than you did before you had the fall somebody shout glory
41:57Oh God help me. And because they kept their love and because they had a
42:03listen to me brethren. Sometimes we've got to be careful how we handle people as
42:08we see them struggling in the kingdom. Because sometimes you think they're not close to
42:14Jesus by your own judgment. But they are crawling. Why? Because they have a little
42:20strength. But God said if you have a little strength I can use that. Last
42:25time I checked the Bible said. If you have faith as small as a mustard
42:30seed. Several years ago I was blessed to receive a mustard seed. And let me
42:36tell you something. That thing was so small. I had to be careful. I dropped
42:41it in a billfold that I had. And I never find it again. I don't
42:47know if it melted into the leather or what. But so small. God said if
42:52you have faith. I as a mustard seed just look at the door look at
42:58the problem with some of y'all you're looking at the wrong people you're talking to
43:03the wrong people look at the door and develop of the tenacity to walk crawl
43:08if you have to the woman with the issue of blood it wasn't a good
43:13time matter of fact it was outlawed because she was in her monthly custom she
43:19could have been stoned she could have been trampled but she saw the door I'm
43:25getting ready to leave you all alone She saw the door and she said, that's
43:31the door I've been looking for. There goes the answer. There goes my
43:36help. She looked at Jesus and she crawled her way up because she
43:42had a little strength like the Philadelphia brethren. Hear me weak brother. Hear
43:48me weak sister. God said crawl up to me. I'm not offended by
43:54your crawl. Crawl on up to me because if you have a little strength I'm
44:00gonna open myself to you and when you come up into my presence everything's gonna
44:06change it's gonna be joy it's gonna be unspeakable I prophesy to you tonight and
44:11I tell you that your best days are ahead of you I know it doesn't
44:17make sense and if you ask Mark Reed standing on the podium tonight doesn't make
44:23sense if i testify to you i tell you that up to four o'clock this
44:28evening i didn't know that i would make it but i think i took a
44:33little look at the door and i said there's healing in the door there's deliverance
44:38in the door jesus is in the door and he is the door good god
44:43from glory god God he said now I am the door and if you look
44:47at me and enter into me I'll envelope you in my love. You will have
44:53to see the counselor. I have no problem with the counselor but the greatest counselor
44:58you could ever meet is within the door. said the greatest counselor
45:03you could ever meet is within the door if you're disgusted busted and broken lift
45:09your hand and say touch me Jesus sir just get us maintain my little strength
45:14so that I can crawl and if you make one step God will help you
45:20to make a two and if you make two steps he'll help you to make
45:25three and before you know it you will be in the room is there anybody
45:30out there who want to get on up into the room God said I will
45:34give you a new song I'm going to give you a new testimony the door
45:39represents access to God himself and so when you have access you have access to
45:45power you have access to fresh anointing we're not handing out any BMWs tonight we're
45:50handing out power to live right we're handing out power that when you walk up
45:56in your workplace and your sense demon it forces you can't just say the blood
46:02of Jesus is against you take authority over this that's what you get
46:09When you're bold enough to step in and enter
46:15with confidence. I discern in my spirit that there
46:21are people here tonight. You came and you pressed
46:26through a lot to get here. And even after
46:32all of this, right here in this room, there
46:38are people, Bishop, that are still wrestling between two
46:44pillars. What you're hearing from the right is contrary
46:50to what you're hearing from the left.
46:56This is not the first word you've heard, I'm sure. Not under bishops.
47:02But just like Job, the man of prayer, the devil is trying to
47:07tell you, you've heard this before. He's up there. He's not even touching
47:13you. He's not even laying hands on you. You've been touched before by
47:19the prophet. And you're still where you are. What makes you think it's
47:25going to work this time? Let me tell you why it's going to
47:30work. Because this is a kairos mode. Faith commit by hearing and hearing
47:36by the word of God. I don't believe Bishop and
47:42Pastor Williams were just looking for a cliche theme to
47:47crank you up and get you excited. I believe this
47:53theme was sent by God to get somebody to refocus.
47:58Don't look to the left, nor to the right. Vain
48:04is the help of my... The door is open. The
48:10door of salvation. The door of power. The door that
48:15will usher you Into your rightful place. As
48:21kings and queens. In the kingdom of God. The
48:27last time I checked. Kings don't live in the
48:33pigsty. What you doing in the pigsty? What you
48:39doing living below your privileges? When the door is
48:45still open. The door to live with dignity and
48:50pride. Not false pride. The door to live with
48:56confidence. The door to live with confidence. That
49:02will give you the kind of anointing that when
49:08you walk into a space, you take authority over
49:13the atmosphere. Why aren't we there? I encourage you
49:19tonight. Open your eyes. You're in this room and
49:24you know God is talking to you. Don't leave
49:30this room without you enter into the door. Because
49:36Jesus said, I am the door. And I sit
49:41before you myself and I'm open. Come on in.
49:48God bless you tonight. That's all I have.
49:53And so tonight these altars are open. Happy
49:59New Year y'all. You see some of you
50:04are not clapping because you're still in 25.
50:10For the grapes in the house and for
50:15those who are from Philadelphia, Happy New Year!
50:21Why don't you grab somebody by the hand
50:26and tell them welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm within
50:32the door. I'm within the door.
50:39So leave it behind. I want to invite some people tonight. You're here. You know
50:44you're not where you're supposed to be. You know you've been hanging outside the door.
50:50Hear me. We're going to greet and get excited again. But I feel pressing my
50:56spirit and with permission from our bishop to ask you to come for prayer. Come
51:01on down. Come on down. You hear the word of God and it resonated in
51:07your spirit. it's not by chance that you're here if
51:13you're not safe what better time to give your life
51:19to Jesus the within the first hour of 2026 hear
51:25me sir hear me ma'am last year you were in
51:30a watch night service and you said soon I'm talking
51:36to you lady lady lady you know I'm talking to
51:42you last year you said I hear the word I'm
51:48going to do it soon One year later, you're
51:54still outside the door. Come to Jesus. Because I don't know
52:00who promised you tomorrow. I don't know who promised you five
52:06more months. I don't know who promised you that you're going
52:11to live to get married. I have some things in my
52:17life right now that I've got to straighten out. And
52:23you're worrying about the past and fixing some things, but you've been trying to fix
52:28it for 15 years now. What makes you think you can get it right now?
52:33Get on up and come. Come to Jesus. The altar is open. We're not gonna
52:38hit you over the head. The Word of God is in your ears. And we're
52:42not gonna grab you and throw you in the pool. That's your decision. We encourage
52:47you to do that. But do not leave this room without stepping forward. You say,
52:53but I can receive prayer right where I am. And you're right.
52:59But faith has feet. Did you hear me? Faith has feet. Is
53:04there anybody out there that want to give your life to Jesus
53:10tonight? Raise your hand. Be identified. I'm no prophet of doom, but
53:16hear what Jesus said. If you refuse to identify with me, if
53:22you deny me in this life, i am going to
53:27deny you before my that's not my word that's what
53:33jesus said don't be ashamed to come for prayer come
53:39on down come on down come on down come on
53:44down don't worry about it let it go and come
53:50to jesus let god have his way as soon as
53:55i stop worrying worrying how the story i let go
54:02That's where things start
54:07happening come on come
54:12on come on when
54:17I start looking at
54:22Thank you, sir Is
54:28there one come on
54:33down I see you
54:38God bless you let
54:43God have his way
54:48and So the door is
54:53wide open. When I stop looking, I
54:59let go. I let God have his
55:05way. Say I see that. Come to
55:10Jesus. Come on to Jesus. Don't leave
55:16this room without hands laid on you.
55:22You need Jesus. The door is open.
55:28I'm going to ask the ushers to
55:33please close those doors. This is
55:39not the time for fellowship or time to leave. Souls are at
55:45this altar and this is the most important thing as we cross
55:51over. Please, if you could wait just a few moments. No one
55:56else go through those doors. Please, just for a few moments. We're
56:02getting ready to pray. We're already past time. We know that. But
56:08this is the most important thing that we can do on tonight. Would you
56:13please be a little more patient and respectful of the move of God at
56:19this moment. And we still have the patience, we're still calling. I know you're
56:25touched and I know you're moved and I know you're praying. But there's something
56:30about your faith when you walk, when you walk. Make that walk because you've
56:36got to move towards the door anyways. So we're asking you literally make a
56:42step to Jesus tonight. You don't know how it's going to happen. You have some
56:47mess going on. That's okay. That's not unique to you. And if you ask some
56:53of these mature brethren, they'll tell you that when I came to Christ, I had
56:58a lot of mess myself. but 30 years later I'm still standing he can do
57:04it for you too he will do it for you too come on to Jesus
57:09come on sir come on sir I know you think you're not worthy I know
57:14you think oh I've been too much of a bad boy there is room for
57:19one more come on come to Jesus come to Jesus breakthrough and deliverance is happening
57:24in the altar right now oh Jesus just let it go and step to the
57:29door walk in with confidence he loves
57:35you let God help us soon as stand all
57:40over this room stand all over this room come
57:46on brethren let's stand all over this room let's
57:52lift our faith and believe for somebody yes yes
57:57come on to Jesus that's when
58:03when I stopped looking at back then 2025
58:09is gone it's 2026 now step to the
58:14door step to the door step to the
58:19door step to the door come to Jesus
58:25as soon as soon as I he loves
58:30you he loves you he loves you he
58:35loves you let God have his way that's
58:41when things It will happen for
58:46you. It will happen for you. But
58:52you've got to step to the door.
58:58Jesus said, I am the door. Come
59:04to me. Let God have his way.
59:10Hear the blessed Savior. Same beat. Come
59:16to me and rest. Come to me
59:22and rest. Come to Jesus. Bring me
59:28every burden. Bring me every burden.
59:33bring me every day why don't
59:38you come won't you come unto
59:44me I'll give you rest God
59:49bless you God bless you God
59:54bless you come take my oath
59:59one more need to come two
60:04more need to come Five more
60:10needs to come. He's calling you.
60:15Come on, take Jesus. Hear me
60:20and be blessed. The world over
60:26us is meek and lonely. And
60:31you hear your Lord. Trust my
60:36love and trust my joy. Oh,
60:41give me peace. Come. It's
60:47easy. One more time. Won't
60:53you come? Won't you come?
60:59Come unto me. Come unto
61:05me. I will give you
61:11rest. I'll give you rest.
61:17Take my yoke upon me.
61:23Take my power. Oh,
61:28and hear me and be
61:33blessed Hear me and be
61:39blessed For I am weak
61:44and lonely I am weak
61:50and low And trust my
61:55mind Jesus said, come easy
62:01My yoke is easy
62:06In these fleeting moments when
62:11God's people are reaching out
62:16We have made the call
62:22if you hear his voice
62:27Harden not your heart Why
62:32would you walk away from
62:37a God like this?
62:44who's willing despite your issues to enter into
62:49an exchange with you to take from you
62:55a life of misery and pain a life
63:00of disappointment a life of going round in
63:06circles and to give you stability instead a
63:11life of hate brokenheartedness and to give you the
63:17God kind of love why would you walk away from a
63:23God like this come to Jesus come to Jesus the blood
63:29will not be on our shoulders we've preached the Word of
63:35God to you we have reminded you that the door is
63:40open for you to enter into grace enter into
63:46the love of Jesus Christ can't nobody love
63:52you like Jesus there is no money there
63:57is no amount of money in this earth
64:03that can satisfy your soul's need like a
64:09touch from God and a relationship with him
64:14tomorrow is not guaranteed come to Jesus one
64:20more time my oh Pastor
64:26Omar will be coming. Those
64:31of you in the altar,
64:37you're reaching out to Jesus.
64:43I want you to know
64:48tonight that he's not the
64:54God that you have told.
65:00Scream and hurt yourself to
65:06get his attention. He's
65:11not the God that you have to work to get
65:17his attention. He has already been poured out for you.
65:22He has already opened the door. All you need to
65:28do is just accept his love. You don't have to
65:33give a dime to get salvation. You don't have to
65:39work. He's saying, girl, I'm here. Sir, I'm here. Just
65:44receive me. So we take a few more seconds because I feel somebody just need
65:50to lift your faith in this altar right now. Just reach out to Jesus. Just
65:54tell him yes. Just tell him yes. God I'm yours. Just tell him yes. Do
65:59with me what you must God. I don't understand. I don't know what tomorrow is
66:03going to look like. I don't know what I'm going to say to my parents.
66:08I don't know what I'm going to say to my spouse. I'm just trusting you
66:12right now God. Do with me what you will. And I guarantee you,
66:18it will be the best decisions you have
66:24ever made. One more time. Is there one
66:30that will say, I will give my life
66:36to Jesus this morning? Where are you? We
66:42offer Christ to you. We offer Christ to
66:48you. We offer Christ to you. Is there
66:54one? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let's
67:00linger for
67:05another 30
67:09seconds. Walk
67:14on. One
67:19more time.
67:24Beyond the
67:28open door.
67:33There's a
67:38new and
67:43fresh anointing.
67:49He'll
67:54go
67:58before
68:03you
68:08into
68:12a
68:17grave
68:22that
68:27you'll
68:31never
68:36walk
68:41through.
68:49Amen. Amen. Amen. Why don't you put your hands together for
68:55the Lord tonight for how God has met us, how God
69:00has spoken to us, and I pray that we'll allow him
69:06to transform us. That part is up to us. There is
69:11an open door. Walk through it with confidence in the Lord.
69:17Let's bow our heads together. Father, we are so thankful to
69:22you. There is no doubt within our
69:28minds that you are in this place and that
69:33you came not only for us to have an
69:39experience of worship, but to have an encounter with
69:44you. Not only to mark time, but to be
69:50transformed by you as we cross over from one
69:55year to another. I pray that the reality will
70:01dawn upon every one of us. we are
70:07one year closer to the coming of the lord may we oh god
70:12have at the top of our priority list for 2026 a closer walk
70:18with you for we do not know the day nor the hour when
70:24you will put in your appearance god we are only a few minutes
70:30into the new year and if we could hear the records we would
70:35hear that A number of people have already passed away
70:41in 2026. Teach us to number our days. That we
70:47may apply our hearts to wisdom. Oh God, oh God.
70:52It's time out now for playing church, for playing around
70:58with you. It's time out now for ritual attendance at
71:03church. But God, bring us to a closer relationship with
71:09you. It's an open door, not to a bigger house, not to
71:15a more expensive car. It's an open door into Jesus himself. May we
71:21prioritize you and love you more than everything else. For you are, oh
71:27God, the giver of life and all things. I pray, cause somebody's heart
71:33to so trust in you tonight. As we cross over, not knowing what
71:39another year will bring, we'll go with assurance. that our hands are in
71:45the hand of the one who controls all the time. Thank you, God. Even
71:50as we close tonight, I pray you'll go with us to our various places
71:56of residence. Bring us safely there. I know, we know, there'll be many shenanigans
72:02on the roads, but I pray protect your people and bring your people home
72:08safely. In the precious, the powerful, and the mighty name of Jesus, we thank
72:13you now. Amen. Could you just raise those right hands across this building? Raise
72:19those right hands. I'm going to the benediction and then Bishop will come to give
72:25us some instructions as far as refreshments are concerned. If you are here, you heard
72:30the word and you want to be baptized. If you came with someone from grace,
72:36please talk to Bishop Smith. If you came with someone from Pentab and you'd love
72:41to give a laugh to the Lord, come and talk to me. We would love
72:46to talk to you about how to build a relationship with God. Is that all
72:51right? Amen. Lift those right hands. The Lord bless you and keep you. Make his
72:56face shine upon you. The Lord be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up
73:02his countenance upon you and give you peace. Peace, peace. We love
73:07you in the Lord. God bless you. Bishop Smith.