Prepare for Victory
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 7/22/2020Romans 4:17
Loading…
0:00
39:06
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez encourages believers to prepare for victory by speaking faith over their circumstances and remaining immovable in the face of trials, trusting that God creates new things out of nothing.
Key points
- •Victory is a fundamental promise of the believer's covenant, just like salvation, healing, and peace.
- •Victory must be prepared for in advance; you cannot wait for the outcome to change before you start acting like a winner.
- •Words are creative and possess the power to change your internal and external atmosphere when you declare your victory.
- •True victory requires a contest; challenges and resistance are the necessary environments where God manifests His power.
- •To maintain a victorious posture, one must remain steadfast and immovable, regardless of negative news or setbacks.
Scripture
Faith
Purpose
Perseverance
Blessing
Life application
This week, identify one area where you feel defeated and begin 'packing your bags' for victory by speaking life over that situation every morning, refusing to let negative reports move your spirit.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life have you been preparing for defeat rather than preparing for victory?
- Bishop Fernandez mentioned that God creates new things out of nothing; what 'empty' or 'dead' space in your life are you asking God to fill?
- How does your perspective on your current 'prison experience' change when you view it as a training ground for future promotion?
- Are you willing to stay 'immovable' when the car won't start or the bills are due, trusting that God has the final word?
Have a question about this sermon?
Ask our AI and get an answer with citations.
Full transcript
0:01Let's pray. Father, thank you
0:03that we've made it
0:05to the middle of the week. Thank you
0:07that in spite of
0:09how we feel and the stuff we've said all
0:12week long
0:14and perhaps even what we've even
0:16believed,
0:18I'm so grateful that
0:20there's still a word. There's still a
0:22word from the Lord.
0:24A word that will transform us.
0:27A word that will
0:29bring us into the light so that we can
0:32see that you're with us.
0:35You're with us. You are with us.
0:38And no weapon formed against us will
0:40ever prosper. And because you're with
0:42us, we're going to make it.
0:45Because you're with us, we are more than
0:47conquerors. We are victorious.
0:50And I just ask that you bless your
0:52people, whatever they have need of. Many
0:55are watching from various places around
0:57the world. Holy Spirit, we ask that you
1:00will meet them at the point of their
1:02need.
1:03Be with them now. Speak to them now.
1:07Use your servant.
1:09Open my understanding. Think with my
1:11mind and speak with my vocal cords
1:14so that your people
1:16will receive information
1:19to better themselves in Jesus' name.
1:22Amen.
1:24Praise the Lord. All right, get ready
1:27for this word. I want to talk to you
1:30about preparing for victory.
1:34And the challenge to you is to prepare
1:37for victory. Prepare for it. I think all
1:40of you are victorious. You see, victory
1:43is a part of the believer's promise.
1:47It's a part of the promises of God.
1:49You know, God has made us a whole bunch
1:51of promises and you need to believe. You
1:55need to believe. You need to believe it.
1:57You need to believe it. Need to believe
2:00that added to the other things that God
2:03has promised you, victory is a part
2:08of it. Salvation is one of the promises.
2:12Yes, you know, if any man be in Christ,
2:15he's a new creature. The old is gone and
2:18the new has become the norm for him.
2:22Well, that's a promise.
2:24But you must also believe that victory,
2:27in other words, you're going to have
2:29many battles on this earth. But you have
2:32to believe that God has the power to
2:36give you the victory and that you're
2:38going to come through it all. You're
2:40going to come out of it. You got to
2:42believe that this pandemic will be over.
2:46You know, whether it it the virus stays
2:48here forever like some virus that's been
2:51on this planet for before I was born.
2:55Um
2:56you got to believe that though it's
2:58there,
2:59that you're going to be more than a
3:01conqueror. That you're going to be
3:03victorious. You're going to overcome it.
3:05You got to believe that whatever life
3:08has thrown at you, that you got to
3:10believe
3:12that God will give you the victory over
3:14it. So, whatever battles you're
3:16fighting,
3:17you've already won.
3:20I know it's kind of weird that this guy
3:22started out the sermon tonight saying to
3:25you, you have already won and you're
3:27looking around you like, "What is he
3:29talking about? I've already won?"
3:32Don't you see that it's a battlefield?
3:34It's bloody around me. Well, you are
3:38more than a conqueror.
3:40You see, salvation was promised to you
3:42as well as healing,
3:44peace, and prosperity.
3:47It's promised to you. Healing, peace,
3:50and prosperity. It's a part of the
3:52package
3:54along with being victorious.
3:57But added to these things, added to the
4:00healing salvation peace and
4:02prosperity, victory is one of the
4:06promises of God.
4:08We have the victory over every battle we
4:12will fight in life.
4:14I need you to know
4:16that victory is only possible if you
4:19desire to have it
4:22and you are prepared for it.
4:25If you're preparing yourself for it and
4:28if you believe that it is your desire,
4:30you want it. You want it real bad. You
4:33will have it.
4:34You will have it.
4:36But you see, if you don't believe that
4:37you can be victorious, if you don't
4:39believe that God wants you to win, and
4:41if you don't believe that you stand any
4:43chance of winning, then it's possible
4:46that it won't happen.
4:48You got to want it.
4:50You got to want it. You got to want it.
4:52You got to be so passionate about it.
4:55You got to live your life every day
4:57saying, "I am going to win. I don't care
5:00what the setbacks are. I don't care what
5:03the enemy does. I am going to win."
5:07You got to tell yourself that. I'm going
5:09to win.
5:11I'm going to be victorious. I'm going to
5:13win when it comes to my health. I'm
5:15going to win when it comes to
5:17relationships. I'm going to win when it
5:19comes to parenting. I'm going to win
5:22when it comes to running a business or
5:24being a worker at a
5:26um at a job. I'm going to win in
5:29ministry. I'm going to win in my faith
5:32journey. I'm going to win, you know, um
5:35dealing with this crisis, this
5:37coronavirus. I'm going to win dealing
5:40with the chaos in my life. You have to
5:42tell yourself that. If you don't tell
5:45yourself that, there are voices
5:47that will tell you other things and if
5:50you're not careful, you will believe it.
5:53Got to tell yourself that you're a
5:55winner.
5:56Got to tell yourself that you are born
5:58to be victorious. If you're on social
6:01media or on YouTube, you need to type
6:04that in.
6:05I'm born to be a winner.
6:08Yes, I'm born to be a winner.
6:12And somebody need to know that. That's
6:14why you need to hit the share button and
6:16get as many people to listen and watch
6:18what you are currently hearing.
6:21You post that. You say, "I'm born to be
6:23a winner. Born to be victorious."
6:26Got to wake up every day telling
6:28yourself that. I'm victorious. I am
6:30victorious. You say, "Well,
6:32that sounds crazy." Well, you know what?
6:34There are words Words are creative.
6:38They can change the atmosphere.
6:41And if you tell yourself that I am
6:44victorious, it will take place. You got
6:46to want it.
6:48Not only want it, but you got to prepare
6:50yourself for it.
6:51You got to prepare yourself for it. If
6:53you're going to travel, say next week,
6:58you know, nobody can travel right now on
6:59vacation, but I hate to bring this to
7:02you, but let's say you going
7:04to travel. You're going to spend, you
7:06know,
7:07um a week away, you know, and just chill
7:10and so forth. And if you're like me,
7:13when this coronavirus is behind us,
7:17I'm going to have fun.
7:20I'm going somewhere. I'm going to find
7:22me an island and going sit on the beach.
7:25I'm going to have fun. And all you
7:27religious people can't believe that
7:30people dying and go to hell and he's
7:32going to be on the beach. See you later.
7:36I'm going to have fun. What? If you're
7:39not careful, this crisis will stress you
7:41out.
7:43So, I'm going to take a break. So, if
7:45you're planning to take a break like me
7:47and you're going to vacation, say next
7:49week, and so forth. If you're planning
7:51to go on vacation, you got to prepare
7:53for vacation.
7:55If your flight is next Tuesday, you
7:57can't be sitting there Tuesday morning,
7:58"Oh, I forgot I'm going to fly today."
8:00No, you start planning now. You start
8:03packing now. You start thinking what
8:04you're going to wear all these days. And
8:06if you're like some ladies, they going
8:08four days vacation, it's like they're
8:09going for a whole year. Praise Jesus.
8:12Don't shut me down now.
8:15I'm telling you, most of you ladies
8:16don't know the bell captain at the
8:18airport just laughing at all of you all
8:20cuz you know, when he
8:22When they check you in, they look you
8:24going for three days and you got 15
8:26bags. You're like, "Okay, she ain't
8:29coming back." Anyway, let me get back to
8:31the sermon. So, what I was trying to
8:34tell you,
8:35what was I trying to tell you? I don't
8:36remember.
8:37So, what I was trying to tell you simple
8:39this, if you're planning, if you're
8:41planning to go, YOU GOT TO PREPARE FOR
8:44IT. SO, IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO BE
8:46VICTORIOUS, YOU GOT TO PREPARE.
8:49YOU GOT TO PREPARE FOR living a
8:50victorious life. You have to prepare as
8:53if God has already done it. You got to
8:56prepare as if you're walking in the
8:58blessing. You're walking in the favor of
9:00God. You got to prepare yourself. Are
9:03you hearing me? You got to prepare for
9:05it. And some of YOU ARE JUST NOT
9:06PREPARED.
9:08You are living in defeat and you're
9:10living as if life is going to be the way
9:14it is forever.
9:17But you got to prepare yourself.
9:19You got I'm ready." So, what battles are
9:22you fighting today? Prepare yourself for
9:24victory.
9:25What's stressing you so that you're
9:28unable to be at your best in life?
9:32So many of you are stressed out and um
9:35you're not at your best
9:38cuz you're not preparing to be
9:39victorious. You see, when you tell
9:41yourself, "Okay, this too shall pass.
9:44I'm going to get through this.
9:45I'm going to win.
9:47In the end, I'm getting out of debt.
9:50And I'm working towards that.
9:52I know I'm going to have a life one day.
9:54I I have to worry worry about where the
9:57next dollar is going to come from and is
9:59my bills going to be paid. I I I believe
10:02I'm going to be victorious that that
10:04that one day I'm going to say, "Okay,
10:06all of my debts are paid off and this I
10:08I believe it. I have faith. You got to
10:10believe it. You got to believe it, man.
10:13And you got to live that way. Got to
10:15live that way. You got to live that way
10:17every day saying to yourself, "God, I
10:19trust you and Lord, I just know I know
10:22you're going to work things out. I know
10:24that you want for me. You want the best
10:26for me. So therefore, I'm going to live
10:28my life to the fullest. I'm going to get
10:30up every day saying this is the day that
10:33the Lord has made. I will rejoice. I
10:35will rejoice in this day. Thank you,
10:38Lord God, that things are going to get
10:39better on the job. Thank you, Lord, that
10:42things are going to get better at home.
10:43It's going to get better in my place of
10:45business. It's going to get better when
10:48it comes to my health. It's going to get
10:50better when it comes to dealing with
10:51these children. It's going to get better
10:53when it comes to dealing with po-
10:55politics or whatever. Even in America,
10:57it's chaos. It's Listen, listen. If you
11:00don't live in America, I'm telling you
11:02it's crazy over here. It's crazy over
11:05here. But you know what? It's going to
11:07get better. I'm not panicking. You know
11:10why? Cuz God is in control. He is in
11:13control.
11:15So therefore, I'm preparing for the
11:18uncommon opportunities
11:20that God's going to birth out of this
11:23dysfunction.
11:26So do you not know
11:28that you are being victorious?
11:31You're being victorious.
11:33That you being victorious is a
11:36manifestation of you having a blessed
11:39life.
11:41You being victorious is a manifestation
11:45of you having a blessed life.
11:48Because if you're victorious, you know
11:49that God has already paved the way for
11:52you to live the good life.
11:54And a lot of times as Christians, we
11:56don't talk a lot about that.
11:58Because for some of us, the good life is
12:01just be a Christian, be good, live on
12:03the earth, and be nice, and just pack
12:07your bags. This is the only time you
12:08pack bags is when you want to check out
12:10of here to get to heaven.
12:12My bags are packed. Now, some of you
12:15you're home and I can tell you if I walk
12:17up to your front door, I tell you what,
12:19I see it. I I know where your your your
12:21bags are packed to go to heaven.
12:24I know you're packed long time.
12:26You are just ready to go out of here.
12:28You're just preaching the rapture.
12:30You're ready. You're ready for the skies
12:32to bust wide open. About two nights ago,
12:35we had some heavy lightning and thunder
12:37here and it woke my dogs up. It woke me
12:40up. Everything like that. Now, some of
12:41you you heard it. You jumped up. You
12:43said, "Oh, Jesus, I'm ready. I'm ready.
12:44I'm ready. Ready." Really?
12:47You're not going anywhere soon.
12:49I hate to disappoint you.
12:51You got more years to live on this
12:53earth. Therefore, you have to live the
12:55good life.
12:57You don't want to hear that? There's
12:58good life ON THE EARTH. I UNDERSTAND
13:01that you're going to have some issues,
13:02but God wants you to live the good life.
13:04Therefore, YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
13:09Got to prepare that one day you're going
13:11to have joy. You're going to have peace,
13:13man. You got to believe that one day
13:15you're going to look back and you're
13:16going to tell your grandchildren about
13:18what you've been through.
13:21Cuz that's exactly what's happening now.
13:23There are cloud of witnesses on the
13:26earth and we're reading about them in
13:28the Bible of the great things that they
13:31have overcame.
13:34And you and I can do the same.
13:37You are already victorious even before
13:41victory is manifested.
13:44The thing that I like about being
13:46victorious is it starts with believing
13:50you're victorious before it actually
13:52happens.
13:54The moment that you believe it,
13:56I'm victorious. I know I'm victorious. I
14:00know I am victorious. The moment you say
14:02it out and the moment you settle it in
14:05your spirit because it's one thing to
14:07say it,
14:08but saying it don't mean that you really
14:10believe it.
14:12You got to say it, but you got to
14:14believe it. And that's where victory
14:16starts.
14:18It is when you believe it
14:20before it happens.
14:22It's when you say,
14:23"I'm over I'm going to get over that
14:25issue, man. I'm going to get over that
14:27problem. God's going to fix that for
14:29me."
14:31I know what God's going to do. It's when
14:33you stand in the midst like me and you
14:35know you stand in the midst of
14:37emptiness. This auditorium, this this
14:40building, this church, it's not the norm
14:43for me.
14:44A night like this, we have a few
14:47uh hundred people in Bible study on
14:49Sunday. We've got
14:51this place on the ground floor,
14:54you know, pretty much filled and you
14:57know, it's it's it's it's odd. It's
15:00different.
15:02And every time I come and I preach to
15:04you, my mind has to be set this way that
15:08we going to get past this. This This
15:11won't be like this forever. It won't be
15:14like this forever. I know that. So
15:16therefore, I'm victorious. It's It's
15:18empty. Look at the building. Just the
15:20the people you see sitting here, these
15:22are the people who make things happen so
15:24that you can enjoy the service, but it's
15:26empty. But in the midst of emptiness, I
15:30can declare, "God, we are over we are
15:33more than conquerors. We're overcomers
15:35and one day we're going to have the
15:37reopening and I promise you, I don't
15:39know about you, that reopening Sunday, I
15:42am so ready. Listen, I'm going to be the
15:46loudest person in this building. I'm
15:49going to show out. No, you bet. Listen,
15:52if you don't like noise, if you don't
15:54like to party, stay home.
15:57When we reopen, you stay home. You can
16:00stream. But look here, when some of us
16:03get back here, I want to know who's in
16:05with me. If you're in with me, you want
16:07to have a big party when we reopen, I
16:09want you to type that. Count me in,
16:11Bishop. Count me in. Count me in. We
16:15going to make a joyful noise, not a
16:17confusing noise. A joyful noise. We
16:20going to serve the Lord with gladness.
16:22We going to come before his presence
16:24with singing. We going to enter into his
16:26gates with Thanksgiving, into his courts
16:28with praise. We going to bless his name.
16:30We going to shout this roof off.
16:35So in the midst of it, my mind is
16:37already set. My mind is at reopening
16:40date.
16:42That's it. My mind is there. Now, you
16:43can sit there and some of you you're
16:45watching it. You're looking at it and
16:47sometimes when you see the camera, you
16:48know, in the building and you're
16:49thinking, "Oh, oh that place look
16:51lonely.
16:52Oh, that's weird. You know, will they
16:56ever fill that place up again?" Well,
16:57no, no, I'm not thinking that way.
17:00We got the victory.
17:02WE GOING TO HAVE A BETTER REASON TO GIVE
17:05GOD PRAISE. AH.
17:07We going TO HAVE A BETTER REASON TO
17:09THANK HIM BECAUSE when when HE GETS us
17:12through this pandemic,
17:16I'm telling you, man,
17:17I'm going to be the one to shout.
17:20And I just want to know if you're in.
17:22Somebody just I I'm looking here at my
17:24phone. Somebody saying, "Count me in.
17:26Count me in." The rest of you watching
17:28on YouTube and and Facebook, the rest of
17:31you just sitting there like, "I don't
17:32know if I'm going to go."
17:35But there are many people many people
17:37just saying, "Count me in, Rev. Count me
17:39in."
17:40Count me in. Some of you are chickens.
17:42You're scared. Praise God. You're scared
17:45to praise the Lord. You I'm not telling
17:47you now, but when this is behind us,
17:50ooh, glory to God. Notice, when it is
17:52behind I'm expecting it.
17:55I'm expecting the victory to manifest
17:57itself. So therefore, I'm speaking it
17:59before it is manifested. That's how you
18:02ought to live your life.
18:03Are you hearing me?
18:05So you need to know that victory cannot
18:08be achieved without being in a contest,
18:12a fight, or a challenge.
18:15How do you want victory and not be in a
18:18position where you're fighting for it?
18:21You can't win something if there's no
18:23contest.
18:26You can't overcome something if there's
18:28no resistance or if nothing is
18:31challenging you.
18:33So be careful what you're asking for.
18:37Okay, Lord, I want the victory. I want
18:39the victory. Okay, so are you willing to
18:40go into the fight?
18:44Are you willing?
18:45Think about that.
18:47You can only have victory when you're in
18:48a battle.
18:50You can only have victory when you're in
18:53a battle.
18:55Are you hearing me? When you're in a
18:56battle fighting, telling the devil, "I'm
18:59going to win.
19:01Throw me your best shot. Send me what
19:03you can, but I'm going to win." Are you
19:06hearing me? And even when things are
19:09dead and looking hopeless and empty, God
19:13can give you the victory.
19:16So I want to talk to some people who
19:17feel that your circumstances is dead
19:20like the dry bones. Can they live again?
19:23You're thinking, "Well, nothing good can
19:25come out of that. It's hopeless. It's
19:27empty." God can give you the victory if
19:30you believe his word. Romans 4:17.
19:34It says,
19:36That is what the scripture means
19:39or that's what the scriptures mean when
19:41God told him,
19:43"I have made you the father of many
19:45nations."
19:47This happened before Abraham believed or
19:50this happened because, I should say,
19:52Abraham believed in God who brings the
19:56dead back to life
19:58and who creates new things out of
20:00nothing. Did you get that?
20:03Let me read it again.
20:06That is what the scriptures mean when
20:09God told him,
20:11"I have made you the father of many
20:13nations." This happened because Abraham
20:17believed in God. He believed in God who
20:22brings the dead back to life
20:25and who creates new things out of
20:28nothing.
20:29Wow.
20:31Who creates
20:34new things
20:35out of nothing.
20:37So, all of you who are fighting to be
20:40victorious in every area of your life,
20:44it's important for you to know that God
20:46is the one who is securing your victory.
20:49He's securing your victory.
20:51Therefore, you don't have to worry about
20:53it because, like Abraham, he believed
20:56God. Are you believing God?
20:58That's the question. Do you believe God?
21:01And if you believe God,
21:03even when things are dead, God can bring
21:05it back to life. Even when things are
21:08hopeless, God can bring life and put
21:11life back into it.
21:13Are you hearing me? Deuteronomy 20:4,
21:18it says, "For the Lord your God
21:21is he who goes with you
21:24to fight for you against your enemies
21:27to bring you the victory. To bring you
21:30the victory.
21:31Are you hearing me?
21:34And then 1 Corinthians 15:57,
21:36but thanks be to God
21:40who gives us the victory through our
21:43Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God.
21:47In advance, thanks be to God who gives
21:50us the victory through Christ Jesus, the
21:53finished work of Jesus at Calvary. I'm
21:56so grateful and I'm thankful to him THAT
21:59HE'S GIVEN EVERY ONE of us, including
22:01you, the victory over every issue in
22:04life, every problem.
22:07So, today I want to encourage all of you
22:09not to allow
22:11what's before you to cause you not to be
22:14prepared for the victory Jesus has
22:17already granted you.
22:20But you just need to prepare for it.
22:22It's coming. It's coming.
22:25But you got to go through whatever
22:27you're dealing with.
22:29Are you with me?
22:31Romans 8:31,
22:33it says, "What
22:35then shall we say to these things?"
22:39What things? The trials,
22:42the temptations, the tribulations, the
22:45setbacks, the problems,
22:48you know, the chaos, the dysfunction,
22:52the stress that I'm under,
22:55you name it. What shall we say to these
22:57things? In other words, what's your
22:59response?
23:01What's your response going to be?
23:03Are you going to live in fear? Are you
23:05going to stress yourself out? Are you
23:06going to, you know, Lord, I don't know
23:08what I'm going to do. I can't handle
23:09this. You know, stress has overtaken my
23:12life. No, no, no, no. What shall we say
23:14to these things? What then shall we say?
23:18What What's the response going to be? If
23:21God be for us,
23:23who can be against us?
23:27All I want is for God to be on my side.
23:32That's all I want. I want God to be on
23:34my side, man. I want God to be on my
23:36side cuz when God is on my side, I don't
23:39have to fear nothing. Listen, when God
23:41is on your side, you don't have to worry
23:43about the pandemic. You don't have to
23:45worry about the issues of life. You
23:46don't have to worry about what looks
23:48impossible, looks dead and hopeless.
23:51When God is with you, he'll resurrect
23:53that thing. He'll bring you into What?
23:55He God will do something. He'll make a
23:58pathway through the Red Sea.
24:01He'll let the lion become your friend.
24:03Whatever's to devour you, he'll make the
24:05lion to to become your friend. He'll
24:07He'll He'll allow you to go in a pit and
24:10in the pit, it is a promotion. You may
24:12have to go through slavery. You may have
24:14to be sold out and be betrayed. You may
24:18even have to go to prison because of
24:20wrongful accusation, but I promise you
24:23it is in prison you will dream. It is in
24:26prison that God will use the gift that
24:29he's placed in you to promote you.
24:32In the end, you're going to win. No
24:34matter what stage of life Joseph went
24:38through, God used it for his own
24:41purpose, for his own good, and Joseph
24:44was victorious because his siblings sold
24:48him out and lied and pretended that he
24:51died, had faked his death.
24:54Cuz there's a lot of people are doing
24:56all kinds of stuff to prove a point
24:58about you that's not true.
25:01And you you're rendered defenseless. You
25:04can't help yourself, but I'm telling you
25:06God will give you the victory. I'm
25:08telling you you may be sold into slavery
25:11like Joseph. In other words, you just
25:13feel like you're not your own. You just
25:15feel like you can't make decisions on
25:17your own and somebody's got something
25:20over you, but God used it to promote
25:23Joseph. Well, he got a job and then he
25:25got into a situation where Potiphar's
25:28wife lied on him. He was thrown into
25:31prison and it is in prison. It was in
25:33prison. I don't know who I'm talking to,
25:35but there's somebody you feel like
25:37you're in prison. You feel like you're
25:39being caved in with the issues of life
25:41and there is no freedom, but could it be
25:44it is right in prison that God wants to
25:47birth your gift. It is in prison that
25:50God wants to develop you so that when
25:52you come out of prison, it is your
25:54prison experience. Glory to God. It is
25:57your prison experience that's going to
25:59help you for the future things that God
26:01has in store for you. So, Joseph or Mrs.
26:04Joseph, wake up and handle it. YOU CAN
26:07HANDLE IT. YOU'RE VICTORIOUS.
26:10Handle it.
26:12Handle it. You're victorious. Be
26:14prepared for your victory.
26:17Because Joseph, though he had to go
26:19through a long process,
26:22he got the victory.
26:24Come on now.
26:26Let me just point out four things as I
26:29close here.
26:30Four things
26:32we see in 1 Corinthians
26:3515,
26:36beginning at verse 57
26:39to 58. I love the amplified version.
26:44I'll just
26:45paraphrase a couple of verses of these
26:48two verses a little bit here for you.
26:50What it says, "Thanks be to God." We
26:51just read that, "who gives us the
26:53victory as conquerors through Christ who
26:56loves us."
26:58Then I love this.
27:00"Therefore, my beloved brothers and
27:03sisters, be steadfast.
27:05Be steadfast.
27:07Be steadfast,
27:09immovable, always excelling in the work
27:12of the Lord, always doing your best and
27:16doing more than is needed."
27:21Now,
27:22the first thing I want to show you
27:25in
27:26these two verses is simply this. One,
27:30you got to be steadfast.
27:31You got to be steadfast. If you want to
27:34prepare for victory, you got to be
27:35steadfast. You can't be wishy-washy. You
27:38can't waver. You got to be steadfast.
27:41Steadfast.
27:42You got to be firm in your belief.
27:46You got to say, "I'm going to make it,
27:47man." You got to be persistent.
27:49Number two,
27:51it says here, "immovable." What does
27:53that mean? Not being able to be moved.
27:58So, being steadfast,
28:01don't allow nobody to move you.
28:04Don't allow nothing to move you. When
28:06you firmly believe that you are
28:09victorious, you got to believe that. Let
28:12nothing move you. You get a phone call
28:16after you confess it, "I'm victorious."
28:18Cuz the enemy will set you up. You get a
28:20phone call, it's not good. Don't let the
28:23phone call mess up your thought process.
28:26You are already victorious.
28:30You find a little deficit in your life,
28:32tell yourself, "Okay, God, I've already
28:35confessed that I am victorious, so I'm
28:37not going to let that move me."
28:39After you've confessed that you're
28:41victorious, there are people are going
28:42to attack you. There are things I mean,
28:44all kinds of stuff, criticism, lies,
28:46whatever it may be. That's not going to
28:48move me.
28:50Okay, here in America, your country,
28:52everything is shutting down, everything
28:54is crazy, and then you left and your job
28:56is is uncertain. Oh, don't let nothing
28:59move you. They start calling a meeting
29:01and you get nervous and you go in the
29:03meeting
29:04and they say, "Well, we got to lay
29:05people off." Or whatever, don't let
29:06nothing move you. You wake up tomorrow
29:10and you go into the garage and you start
29:12the car and the car won't start. Don't
29:14curse. Don't swear. Don't get depressed.
29:18Don't let nothing move you.
29:21Don't let nothing move you.
29:24Don't let nothing move you. You got
29:26bills to pay, not enough money, don't
29:28let nothing move you. And you say,
29:30"Well, that's easy for you to say,
29:31Henry." Listen, I've lived this thing.
29:35I've lived this thing. Why do you think
29:37I preach it with such energy and
29:40passion?
29:41Cuz I lived it.
29:45So, you got to you got to understand
29:47that you can win.
29:49But, it's a mindset.
29:51Number three, always excel in doing the
29:54work of the Lord. So, not only should
29:56you be steadfast,
29:58immovable,
30:00but always excel in what you're doing
30:02for the Lord.
30:04There comes that Matthew 6:33,
30:07seek you first the kingdom of God and
30:10His righteousness and things will be
30:13added on to you. That's the scripture.
30:17Always, Lord, okay, I'm going to pray,
30:20Lord, I'm going to help the poor, I'm
30:22going to do what I need to do, I'm going
30:24to render my service to society.
30:27What is the work of the Lord? To be a
30:29servant.
30:30To be a servant, to serve, to help
30:32others. It's not about just you getting
30:35the blessings from the Lord. One of the
30:36things that I've discovered and some of
30:38you won't agree with me, one of the
30:39things I love about servanthood is that
30:43I learn that in serving, that's where I
30:46that's where I get my blessing.
30:48Some of you just want the blessing, but
30:50you're not willing to serve.
30:52You're not willing to put in the work
30:54for the Lord. And finally, number four,
30:56be aware that God will not ignore your
31:00efforts. Read the verse.
31:02God is not going to ignore your efforts.
31:05He's not going to hear you pray.
31:07He's not going to hear you cry unto Him.
31:10He's not going to hear you say, "Okay,
31:12Lord, I trust you." He's not going to
31:15hear you declare that you're victorious
31:18and Him not respond
31:21to your cry.
31:23He will.
31:25But, you got to prepare yourself
31:28for where you want to go.
31:31You got to prepare yourself
31:33for where you want to go.
31:35So, my question to you
31:40is simply this.
31:42Are you preparing for victory?
31:46Are you preparing to be victorious?
31:49Are you preparing
31:51to live in your defeat
31:54and to continue to stress yourself
31:58over things you cannot change?
32:01What are you preparing for?
32:04It is so sad that some of you are
32:06preparing for nothing.
32:09I'm just taking it one day at a time,
32:11sweet Jesus.
32:13That's all I'm asking of you.
32:18Really?
32:23Woo!
32:27Lord, there plenty people watching right
32:29now.
32:31They needed this.
32:33They did.
32:36They absolutely needed this word.
32:40And I'm so glad that I wasn't afraid
32:45to deliver it.
32:49Lord, I ask that you give them the
32:50strength
32:53to believe like many of us
32:56we've tried other things and it's just
32:59not it just didn't work.
33:04It didn't work. We we tried worrying
33:06about things and
33:08we found ourselves getting more stressed
33:11out and depressed and
33:14not loving ourselves and
33:18losing hope.
33:20And then we tried you and realized that
33:22the joy of the Lord is our strength.
33:27We've tried to put our trust in people
33:29and we found that people will fail us.
33:33We've tried just kind of like, whatever.
33:37That didn't work.
33:40So, we had to come right back to you
33:44and say, "Okay, Lord,
33:46you won.
33:48Therefore,
33:49we're winners."
33:52And ever since
33:54our lives have taken on a whole new
33:59meaning.
34:02And I just want that for that woman
34:03that's watching.
34:06I want the same for that man.
34:10That teenager.
34:13That person who feels as if
34:15why live?
34:18The person who's saying
34:20things will never get better for me. I'm
34:22I'm far
34:24in debt or in my issue that I I I don't
34:28see a way out. It's hopeless for me.
34:31Lord, help them to see
34:33that if they declare that they are
34:35victorious, it will happen for them.
34:39Help them to trust you. There is no
34:41other way but to trust you. In the end,
34:44you have the last word.
34:48So, help them to have the faith
34:51to do exactly that.
34:54And Lord, I just ask that somebody
34:56someone is watching and
34:57they just
34:59they're confused because
35:01yeah, they somehow they stumbled across
35:04this
35:05uh link, this platform and
35:09they just couldn't switch.
35:11And they don't know you as Lord and
35:13Savior and
35:15I know you met them right in their
35:18living room, right in their bedroom,
35:20right in that office.
35:22And I just hope today will be the day of
35:24salvation for them, that they will cry
35:26out to you and say, "Lord, I surrender.
35:29I surrender my life to you."
35:32Just just just help them, Lord. Holy
35:35Spirit, help them to make that decision
35:38to prepare for victory.
35:41We thank you for it.
35:44Listen.
35:46If you are that individual,
35:48you're not a Christian,
35:52you can guarantee your victory right now
35:56by receiving Jesus as your Lord and
35:58Savior. How do you do that?
36:01You confess with your mouth. You believe
36:04what you just heard
36:06and you believe that Jesus came to
36:08earth, He died for your sins.
36:11He paid the debt that you could not pay.
36:15And that you're going to make a full
36:17commitment to develop your faith, get
36:19into the word,
36:21be a part of a church that where you can
36:23be fed the word of God.
36:27If you're ready to do that, say these
36:28words after me. Say, "Lord Jesus,
36:32I'm a sinner
36:34and I believe that Jesus died for my
36:36sins.
36:39And today, I receive the free gift of
36:42salvation.
36:45And I declare that I'm born again
36:48in Jesus' name.
36:50Amen.
36:52Father, thank you for their salvation.
36:55Thank you that they have surrendered
36:56their lives to you.
36:58Thank you that all of us
37:01can truly say after this message today,
37:05"Oh, yeah, we can win.
37:07We can win and we're going to win."
37:12Bless them now.
37:14Father, we lift up our offering, our
37:15seed
37:17that we will give.
37:19Thank you for the many men and women
37:21who are standing with us
37:25to build this church. Thank you.
37:28Thank you for their financial support.
37:30Thank you for many
37:32who as you're blessing them with their
37:34seed
37:37that they
37:38willingly say, "Here's my tenth, here's
37:41my tithe.
37:42I got to give it to God. He's my only
37:44option.
37:47It's my insurance policy that guarantees
37:49me that He shall supply my every need."
37:54Thank you for their willingness. Thank
37:56you for those who are not even members,
37:58but they are connected somehow with this
38:00ministry.
38:01They're going to sow their offerings.
38:04Bless this house. Bless the ministry.
38:08Thank you that Faith Center is
38:09victorious. Thank you, God,
38:11that our debts are paid. Thank you, God.
38:14Thank you
38:15that you're giving seed to the sower and
38:17you're going to bless your people
38:19that they can constantly give. Bless the
38:23seed now in Jesus' name. Amen. Hey,
38:26everyone, this is Henry Fernandez and I
38:28want to thank you so much for watching
38:30this video, my friends, and I want you
38:32to subscribe to my channel. And my
38:35friends, give me a thumbs up if you like
38:37the video, hit the notification bell so
38:40that you'll be the first to get my
38:41notice of my videos that I'm sending out
38:44on a daily basis. And please, I want you
38:47to follow me on all of my social media
38:50platforms. And remember, you can connect
38:52with me on my website,
38:54henryfernandez.org
38:55or the faithcenterint.org.
38:59My friends, faith in your God will
39:01always move mountains out of your life.