Full Sermon
DeVon Franklin Preached on 10/28/2022Mark 5:21-34
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53:50
Summary
DeVon Franklin explores the healing of the two blind men to illustrate how persistence, transparency, and timely action are essential for seeing God's promises manifested. He challenges believers to stop procrastinating, surrender their need for control, and trust that God is building their character through conflict.
Key points
- •Faithful positioning: The two blind men in Matthew 9 were in position before Jesus arrived; we must prepare for what we are praying for before it manifests.
- •Persistence in the face of silence: Jesus initially ignored the blind men's cries and went indoors to test how badly they wanted their healing and to see if they would follow him into the house.
- •The power of transparency: Healing requires acknowledging the hurt; the blind men had to publicly admit their affliction and need for mercy to be restored.
- •Collective faith and individual belief: While the men followed Jesus together, he questioned them individually ('Do you believe?') because personal confidence in God is the requirement for spiritual withdrawals.
- •The danger of procrastination: Windows of opportunity in destiny have time stamps; delayed obedience can lead to missed blessings when seasons of favor shift.
Scripture
Faith
Purpose
Perseverance
Healing
Surrender
Life application
This week, identify one goal or vision you have put off due to fear or procrastination and take the first concrete step toward it (send the email, make the call, or apply for the position). When you feel doubt rising, physically raise your hands in a sign of surrender to acknowledge that you are following God's timing, not your own.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of my life am I currently out of position for the blessing I am asking God for?
- Am I surrounding myself with friends who feed my fears or friends who help me feel my way toward Jesus when things are dark?
- If Jesus said to me 'According to your faith be it unto you,' would I receive a full healing or a partial one based on my current level of trust?
- What 'wardrobe and dialogue' of church acting do I need to drop in order to be truly transparent with God about my pain?
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Full transcript
0:00and welcome Devin Franklin
0:01[Music]
0:03come on they're showing some love
0:05[Music]
0:05[Applause]
0:11now Faith Center
0:12Hey listen that was cool that was cool
0:15but guess what I want you to give praise
0:18where praise is due why don't you give
0:20praise to the one who woke you up this
0:22morning
0:25come on
0:27you can do better than that
0:30some of you you've been holding on your
0:32praise all week long now is the time you
0:36can let loose and let go come on who am
0:38I talking to right now do not let the
0:41Pew steal your praise
0:43am I talking to you've been holding it
0:45in you've been dealing with the boss you
0:47can't stand co-workers have been driving
0:49you crazy and you have come into the
0:51house of God to get what is available to
0:54you but in order to receive you must
0:57give a sacrifice to praise come on who
0:59am I talking to this morning who am I
1:01talking to I dare you to not worry about
1:04what your neighbor thinks about your
1:05praise because see you've been through
1:07some things and you've been delivered
1:09through delivered from some things so
1:11you have a reason to praise him who am I
1:13talking to you're about to go back into
1:15your office tomorrow and you need to
1:17fill up today I'm talking to somebody
1:19I'm talking to somebody I'm talking to
1:22somebody I'm talking to somebody
1:25why is this important
1:27why is this important because too often
1:30what I have experienced is that the
1:32challenges we face and the problems we
1:34go through we bring those into the
1:36church
1:37so while we may be here physically we're
1:39not here mentally but when we praise God
1:42we get out of our problem and into the
1:45god of the solution who am I talking to
1:47right now I need you to praise God get
1:49out of your problem and get into the
1:52solution who am I talking to this
1:54morning you got to praise him like you
1:56know him you got to praise him like you
1:58love him you gotta praise him like you
2:00have experience with him come on praise
2:03him like you actually know what he has
2:05done for you
2:06[Music]
2:10last thing I'm going to say and then
2:11we'll get started with the word why is
2:13this important
2:14because as as your Bishop has mentioned
2:17I came all the way from Los Angeles
2:19California to be here at the Faith
2:21Center today amen thousands of miles
2:24over multiple States
2:26and and I do have my day job in
2:28Hollywood and I make film and in
2:30television series but here's what blows
2:32my mind
2:34people will go crazy over a celebrity
2:39they've never met
2:41who's never done anything for them never
2:44sacrifice anything for them but when we
2:47come into the house of God the same
2:49people can't give God praise when they
2:52know God and can testify to what he's
2:55done don't go more crazy over a
2:58celebrity than you do over Christ give
3:00Christ
3:02you ought to come to pray with you today
3:04I didn't come to play with you today I
3:06did not come to play with you today you
3:08got to get out of where you are into
3:10where he is
3:17last thing I'm gonna say is this a lot
3:20of people talk about oh you know
3:22Hollywood has the best actors
3:24and I said no no you clearly have not
3:26been in the church
3:28can I say a business am I saying too
3:30much come on because see we come into
3:32the house of God we we wear our wardrobe
3:34and and we know our dialogue God is good
3:37all the time all the time God is good
3:40but in order to get an experience with
3:42God you got to leave the ACT outside and
3:45right now is the time to be real
3:47if you need a word from the Lord I need
3:49you to open up your mouth I need you to
3:52open up your spirit to receive what he
3:54has for you
3:57foreign
3:59amen amen you may have your seat if you
4:03can
4:03[Music]
4:06you may have your seat if you can
4:10you may have your seat if you can oh I
4:13feel I feel his presence in the house
4:16I feel this presence in the house
4:18I feel his presence in the house
4:21I'm so excited to be here
4:24I have known your Bishop for a number of
4:26years and it is a blessing to be here I
4:29do not take this invitation lightly
4:32what I will tell you is that
4:35God is is amazing
4:37in the alignment is So Divine
4:41be before before stepping into this
4:44Pulpit as I Was preparing what God was
4:48telling me to prepare I started to
4:50prepare and God had me in one part of
4:53the text and he said no no I need you to
4:56go to the next part of the text
4:58I said God but but I need to give
5:01context he said no go to the next part
5:02of the text and here's what is amazing
5:05when your Bishop stood up here to give
5:07the scripture for today
5:10he set up
5:12where I'm about to pick up
5:13[Laughter]
5:19really what happens when we when we
5:21follow God he aligns us in a way that we
5:25cannot do ourselves I don't know who I'm
5:28talking to right now because some
5:29somebody right now I'm gonna get into
5:30the word but somebody right now you've
5:32been trying to make the blessing
5:35God said if you would just get in
5:37alignment the blessing is already on the
5:39path
5:40I don't know who I'm talking to right
5:41now you've been trying to make the
5:43blessing God says if you would just get
5:45on the path all of the blessings you
5:47need are already laid out for you if you
5:51would just get in alignment with me if
5:53you would just get in alignment with me
5:55oh I don't know who I'm talking to this
5:58morning
5:59oh dear heavenly father take your stand
6:01behind this desk and deliver this word
6:03in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen
6:06so so to give context we're going to
6:09pick up where Bishop Fernandez left off
6:12Jairus went to Jesus
6:15he was a synagogue leader now now you
6:18must understand that that Jesus and the
6:21leaders of the synagogue at many times
6:23in the scripture were in conflict
6:26so we can also begin to understand that
6:28Jairus may have taken a risk to go to
6:31Jesus and say my daughter is dying I
6:34need you to come lay hands on her
6:36so we keep walking through the text and
6:38Jesus says no problem and he's going
6:40with Jairus on the way going with Jairus
6:43a woman who had been suffering with an
6:45issue of blood for 12 years
6:48intercepts Jesus she said I'm not clean
6:51so I can't touch him physically but I
6:54believe he has enough power that if I
6:57would just Touch the Hem of His Garment
6:58I will be made whole
7:01and she was healed now while Jesus and
7:04this woman are having an experience
7:06Jairus gets word that his daughter has
7:10died
7:12and those that brought the word to him
7:14said you can stop bothering Jesus now
7:18Jesus overhears the conversation and he
7:22tells Jairus Don't Be Afraid just
7:27believe
7:29Don't Be Afraid just believe it it blows
7:32my mind how people
7:33get get excited to bring you bad news
7:37isn't it interesting how how people love
7:39to be discouraging but when you're
7:41believing God for something that has not
7:43yet manifested it's really hard to find
7:45people who are willing to believe with
7:48you
7:50the people that came from gyrus's house
7:52delivered the bad news and said you can
7:54stop and Jesus said do not be afraid
7:57just believe
7:58and he goes to the house
8:00he raises the daughter from the dead and
8:03this is where our text picks up
8:07I'm going to be talking from Matthew
8:08chapter 9 and we're going to start
8:10around verse 27 but before I start
8:13walking through the text I want to draw
8:15your attention to this concept of
8:17attention
8:19we whatever we give our attention to
8:23is where we spend our time
8:26hmm
8:27show me what you're giving your
8:29attention to and I can tell you how
8:31you're spending your time
8:34so often we think that the enemy is
8:36after time I argue that the enemy is
8:38after our attention
8:40because if we give a circumstance a
8:43situation or someone our attention we de
8:46facto give them our time
8:48so so in order for us to manage this
8:52thing called life we have to be careful
8:54where we direct our attention
8:57um
8:58can y'all I gotta just I just got to
9:00give it to you the way that God gave it
9:01to me see what happens on Instagram and
9:04and Snapchat and Tick Tock uh oh my
9:07goodness there's a lot of people there's
9:09a thing up you know Faith Center I know
9:10we're bridging Generations here so I'm
9:12gonna talk to the younger generation for
9:13just a moment because they don't know
9:15what I'm talking about
9:16when you are scrolling there's a thing
9:18called thirst trapping
9:20who am I don't get quiet on me
9:23where people men and women will post
9:25certain pictures in order to get a
9:27certain amount of attention and where
9:30you give your attention is where you
9:32give your time so you want to know why
9:35you don't have enough time it's not
9:36because you don't have enough time it's
9:38just that you're not managing your
9:39attention
9:40appropriately
9:42don't fall for the Trap because the
9:45enemy wants us to mindlessly give our
9:47attention to the things that distract us
9:50not take us and direct us to where God
9:53would have us to be
9:57so often when we talk about attention
10:00we we put our attention on the areas
10:03where we're hurt
10:04instead of directing our attention to
10:06the opportunities for healing
10:09so what's interesting we're talking
10:10about attention uh when we pick up with
10:13Matthew chapter 9 verse 27 it's very
10:16interesting that there are two men who
10:18happen to be blind but it's clear that
10:21they were paying attention
10:24the text says that that as Jesus went on
10:27from there the there is jairus's house
10:30so after he raised Jairus daughter from
10:32the dead Jesus is leaving jairus's house
10:35and it says here as Jesus went on from
10:39there to Blind Men followed him
10:45I'm appalled because y'all didn't catch
10:47it
10:49you missed it
10:51you missed it
10:53you missed it I'll repeat in your
10:55hearing
10:56as Jesus went on from there
10:59two Blind Men
11:02followed him
11:04all right y'all ain't getting it on this
11:05side okay okay over here on my right as
11:08Jesus went on from there
11:10two Blind Men did what they followed him
11:15how is it they can follow someone they
11:18cannot see and you can see Jesus and
11:21you're not following him what's your
11:23excuse
11:24[Applause]
11:26two Blind Men followed him let's pause
11:30the text right here
11:32this implies
11:34that they were in position
11:37when Jesus came out of the house
11:40this implies that prior to the arrival
11:44of Jesus that these two Blind Men
11:48decided what was going to happen in
11:51their life
11:52they weren't distracted
11:54we don't hear them complaining
11:57we hear them in position so much so when
12:00Jesus comes out there's no hesitancy in
12:04what they're going to do
12:06how well are you preparing for what
12:09you're praying for
12:13Faith Center I didn't come to play
12:15I came to give you the word the way God
12:17has given it to me how well are you
12:19praying preparing for what you're
12:21praying for
12:23these two blind men were in position and
12:26it implies that they already had a
12:29knowledge of who Jesus was and they
12:31already had an understanding of what
12:33they had been told that Jesus could do
12:36and this implies that prior to arriving
12:39in this moment they had an agreement
12:41about taking their attention off of
12:44their hurt and putting it on their
12:46healing
12:50they were in position
12:52are you in position right now
12:56or you could see what happens is we get
12:58into a position but then we get
12:59impatient
13:01come on let's just be honest can I have
13:03an honest moment anybody struggle with
13:05impatience I'm raising my hand too
13:07because I want it now I don't know who
13:09I'm talking about I don't like to wait
13:11for anything
13:12all right if the Wi-Fi takes too long to
13:15load I'm saying what's wrong with my
13:17phone
13:17come on somebody who am I talking to
13:21if a page is taking too long if if I'm
13:23in line and it's and it's taking too
13:25long sometimes I'll leave
13:26you know what I don't want this food
13:28that badly I'm going why because I
13:30struggle with impatience
13:32but we have to manage our impatience
13:35because God sometimes will say I need
13:37you to stay in position
13:40and do not move until I tell you
13:44um you may have to cry but stay in
13:46position you may have to shout but stay
13:49in position you may be frustrated but
13:52stay in position you might be angry but
13:56stay in position because the very day
13:59you get out of position could be the
14:01very day you miss the blessing that was
14:04coming to you
14:05[Applause]
14:12the two Blind Men
14:14as Jesus went on from there the two
14:17blind men were in position
14:21they did not know when Jesus was going
14:24to come
14:25but they said we're going to be in
14:26position so heaven forbid Jesus comes
14:30into our vicinity we are going to see if
14:33he can produce the healing we have heard
14:35about
14:36they were in position
14:39now watch this
14:40as Jesus went on from there the two
14:43Blind Men followed him
14:45huh
14:47this is interesting
14:49this means they had a plan of attack
14:51they had a plan of attack they said this
14:53is how we're going to navigate this
14:54thing we're going to be in position but
14:56then we're not going to miss the
14:57opportunity can you imagine if the two
15:01blind men were like we are
15:03procrastinating
15:05well you know I don't know I mean we
15:08don't want to bother Jesus
15:10you know I mean he didn't come here for
15:12us he's he's got all these disciples
15:15around him and and all these people you
15:18know what he'll come back another day
15:20how often are you putting off what has
15:22to be done today for tomorrow you are
15:25not guaranteed will come I don't know
15:27who I'm talking about right now I don't
15:28know who I'm talking to here's what you
15:31have to know there are some
15:32opportunities that have a time stamp on
15:35them and if you don't maximize them in
15:38the moment you may miss it
15:41okay let me make it a little more
15:42personal I'm gonna make it a little more
15:44personal so you all know uh I produce uh
15:46films I run my own production company
15:48I've been in Hollywood since I was 18
15:49years old and I've been saved and
15:51Sanctified filled with the Holy Spirit
15:52since I was a kid and people told me you
15:54can't go to Hollywood as a Christian and
15:57be successful
15:58it's Sodom and Gomorrah it's the Devil's
16:00Playground you will lose your faith
16:03that's what people of Faith told me
16:05about faith
16:07they were not teaching me Faith they
16:09were teaching me fear
16:12be afraid
16:13be careful don't go
16:16and I said well how many days have have
16:18you had experience working in Hollywood
16:22oh so you haven't
16:23so you want me to to Outsource what God
16:26is calling me to do
16:28to you and your limited understanding of
16:30what he's going to do and you want me to
16:32make you the director of my life when
16:34God is calling me to do something that's
16:36never been done before in the earth I
16:38don't know who I'm talking to right now
16:39but some of you have been submitting a
16:42vote to other people that God did not
16:44qualify to ordain your story if God has
16:48called you to it he will bring you
16:50through it I don't know who I'm talking
16:51to right now but don't find comfort in
16:54the excuses of those who do not see what
16:57you see
16:59I saw that God had a plan for me in
17:01Hollywood but I had to go after it in
17:04order to see
17:06all right I had to go after it I had to
17:07leave my comfort zone I had to leave my
17:10my family my church home I had to go to
17:12to Los Angeles California and see if
17:15there was an opportunity for me to be
17:17successful in Hollywood without
17:19compromising my faith
17:21but we're talking about opportunities
17:24not being open all the time watch this
17:28at 18 years old I knew that I wanted to
17:30produce my own content
17:32the first job that I got was not a
17:34glamorous job it was an unpaid
17:36internship for Will Smith the production
17:38company I mean the management company
17:39that managed him unpaid you want to know
17:41what it looked like
17:43Getting Coffee
17:44picking up dry cleaning copying scripts
17:47doing the filing going and getting the
17:50lunch orders see everybody wants to
17:52Crown but nobody wants to help somebody
17:54else carry the crown I don't know who
17:56I'm talking to right now you have to
17:58carry a crown before you wear one some
18:00of you want a crown but your neck is too
18:01weak because you haven't served somebody
18:03to get your strength up I don't know who
18:05I'm talking to right now but in order
18:07for you to wear a crown You Gotta Serve
18:10Somebody
18:11that has their own
18:13and I love listen I love this generation
18:15but I am so tired of this generation
18:17acting like they can get something for
18:19nothing no you cannot you gotta work
18:21your way to the top You Gotta Serve your
18:23way to the top you gotta humble yourself
18:25to show yourself approved you will not
18:28be able to handle the CEO if you can't
18:31handle being the intern who am I talking
18:34to right now
18:38serve serve serve so at 18 years old I
18:42knew what I wanted to do and I served
18:45as the intern and then became an
18:47assistant at the company and then left
18:49the company and became an executive for
18:51MGM and then went from MGM to Sony
18:54Pictures Entertainment became an
18:55executive there worked on films like
18:57Pursuit of Happiness and and seven
18:59pounds and the Karate Kid and and Heaven
19:01is for Real and jumping the broom and
19:03all these great movies
19:05but we're talking about
19:06the window of opportunity isn't open
19:08forever
19:09watch this
19:11years ago I did a movie with Bishop
19:13Jakes called Heaven Is For Real
19:16anybody seen Heaven Is For Real
19:18we made that movie for 14 million
19:20dollars
19:21the movie opened to 30 million dollars
19:24in the first five days
19:26and it went on to make a hundred million
19:28dollars to date it's one of the highest
19:29grossing faith-based movies that
19:31Hollywood has ever seen
19:33it's true
19:35it's true
19:36but watch this
19:38two days after opening weekend over that
19:41weekend the CEO of Sony of my boss had
19:45text emailed me and said oh my goodness
19:46congratulations on heaven is for real
19:48this is amazing
19:50and God said set up a meeting
19:52so I said to her thank you for the
19:54congratulations can I come meet with you
19:56this week
19:57she said no problem
19:59Tuesday two days after opening weekend
20:01of heaven is for real I am there in the
20:03Chairman's office she sits me down she
20:06says Devon this movie is going to make
20:08uh it might even be the most profitable
20:10film on our slate this year it's going
20:12to make almost as much money as for us
20:14as Spider-Man 2 at the time you are a
20:17genius we want to promote you we want to
20:19give you more money
20:21but in this moment God reminded me of
20:25why I got in the business
20:28you got in the business because I have
20:30ordained you and anointed you to run
20:33your own
20:34for 18 years you have serviced what
20:37other people have built
20:39now Divine God was saying it's time for
20:43you to seize the opportunity
20:46I said okay Lord how am I going to seize
20:47it you have to ask for your own company
20:51I said Lord if I gotta ask for my own
20:54company that means I got to quit my job
20:55he said now you're catching on
20:57faith without works is dead I don't know
20:59who I'm talking to
21:00everybody trying to hold on while you're
21:02trying to reach you want to let go of
21:03some things in order to reach for where
21:05God is calling you to go
21:08and in the middle there is going to be a
21:10risk
21:11so she said uh
21:14what do you think I said well
21:16I love you and I love this company
21:19I said but I've been making a lot of
21:20movies that are making y'all a lot of
21:21money and I ain't seen none of it
21:24I'm telling you what I said
21:28if we can go boldly Before the Throne of
21:29God why can't we go boldly before a man
21:31or a woman
21:35so I said to her I said
21:37um I don't I don't want the promotion I
21:40don't want the pay increase I'm quitting
21:42I'm starting my own company and I want
21:44you to fund it
21:51life and death are in the power of your
21:54tongue why are you playing yourself so
21:57small and so short you have got to start
22:00speaking what you believe God is calling
22:03you to and stop making excuses
22:07do you believe
22:10and so she was quiet
22:11and then she said okay no problem no
22:14problem no problem she said okay she
22:15said as long as you don't negotiate with
22:16anyone else we'll do it cool so watch
22:18this we're talking about Windows of
22:20opportunity not being open forever
22:23God calls me to seize the opportunity
22:25now watch this it took us about six
22:28months to negotiate the deal
22:30one month after the deal was finished
22:33Sony's computers got hacked confidential
22:36information got released to the public
22:39as a result the chairman lost her job
22:46any deals that were pending when that
22:49happened some of those deals never went
22:51through
22:53can you imagine if I waited
22:56to ask her for what God told me to ask
22:59her for I would have lost the window to
23:02step into what God had ordained for me I
23:06don't know who I'm talking to right now
23:08but stop playing Russian roulette with
23:10your destiny you don't have as much time
23:12as you think you do when God opens up a
23:16window and he tells you to go you gotta
23:18go turn to your neighbor say you gotta
23:20go you gotta go you gotta go you gotta
23:22go
23:22I would not be running my own company
23:25right now if I missed the window of
23:27opportunity having no idea that she was
23:30going to be out of position
23:34some of you are calculating that you
23:36have too much time than you do
23:39stop procrastinating
23:41and I say it in love
23:43because that's why I'm here I love you
23:44so much I want to see you live the life
23:46God has called you to live that's why
23:47I'm here because I love you
23:49and I can tell you that procrastination
23:50will disrupt your destination what are
23:53the things that you need to do some of
23:54you came into January of this year
23:56saying this is what I'm going to do and
23:58we are in October and you still have not
24:00done it what is your excuse
24:04I love you
24:05that's why I tell you the truth
24:07right what are the things that God has
24:10called you to do that you have not yet
24:11done
24:12that needs to be your to-do list from
24:14today going forward
24:16make the call send the email send the
24:19text ask for the opportunity look for
24:22the scholarship whatever God has called
24:23you to do
24:25not believe that you have any more time
24:27to do it than you do
24:30as Jesus went on from there two Blind
24:32Men followed him
24:35foreign
24:36what I love about the text is that as
24:39they are following him
24:41they say
24:44have mercy on us son of David
24:48hmm now we read that and we don't
24:49understand the significance of what
24:51they're saying the first part is have
24:53mercy on us Deliver us from our
24:55Affliction Deliver us from our pain and
24:59then they acknowledge that he is the son
25:01of David meaning that he is the son of
25:03God
25:04and that was a very controversial thing
25:06to do in that day and still in some
25:08Jewish circles it's very controversial
25:09to say Jesus is the Messiah but these
25:12two blind men were doing something that
25:14we need to do more of
25:17before they could get healed they had to
25:20accept where they were
25:25they had to publicly acknowledge we have
25:27an Affliction we are hurt and we don't
25:30care who knows it
25:34my deepest prayer for the church today
25:37is that we become a more transparent
25:39type of people so that when we are
25:42hurting we don't feel that we have to
25:43clean up our hurt to come here we can
25:45bring our hurt here knowing we won't be
25:48judged we will be accepted we will be
25:50loved I want us to create a more
25:52transparent way of living with one
25:55another because too often in our
25:57communities of faith we are not
25:59accepting for people for where they are
26:01and when they are
26:03so as a result we come into the house of
26:06God pretending and acting and and we
26:09don't want anybody to know that we're
26:10heard and we want to put on the facade
26:12of having everything just the way it
26:13needs to be but too often when we do
26:16that we actually prevent God from
26:18healing Us in the ways that we need the
26:21most
26:23foreign
26:25you guys follow me you know that I've
26:27I've gone through a divorce and let me
26:29tell you something
26:30you want to talk about pain
26:33you want to talk about hurt
26:35going through a divorce that you never
26:37planned for that you never saw you know
26:40the moment I knew the moment I said I do
26:42but I never saw the moment when I would
26:43say I don't
26:45you want to talk about pain and hurt and
26:47guess what when you do it in front of
26:49the world
26:51it's enough to make you want to lose
26:53your mind
26:54the hurt and the pain of not walking
26:57with the partner that I thought I was
26:59going to be with
27:00and at first I was I had guilt and shame
27:03and I didn't want to see nobody I didn't
27:04want to talk to nobody but God said stop
27:06that we all hurt we all go through
27:09things we all go through challenges and
27:11tribulations don't be afraid to admit
27:14that you're hurt that you're going
27:16through it who am I talking to right now
27:18anybody have enough courage to admit
27:19that you're hurting in an area you've
27:21been crying late at night nobody knows
27:23who am I talking to anybody have enough
27:25courage to say yeah I'm hurting too I'm
27:27going through a breakup I'm going
27:29through losing my job I'm going through
27:31a situation that I don't know how to
27:32deal with
27:34in order for God to deliver me from my
27:37my place of pain I had to accept this is
27:40where I am
27:43I I didn't I didn't pray for it but this
27:45is where I am
27:47in order to receive the healing the
27:49blind men had to accept we are blind
27:54we are hurting
27:55we need deliverance from our pain
27:59and we don't care who knows it
28:02it is time to get the vanity out of our
28:05victory
28:06get the vanity out of our Victory I
28:09don't care what you think of me I don't
28:10care how I look some days I might cry
28:13some days I might shout some days I
28:15might ball up in a little ball but let
28:17me tell you something what you think
28:19about me is none of my business and what
28:22somebody else thinks about you is none
28:24of your business be who God's called you
28:28to be be open be transparent own
28:31everything about you
28:33and you position yourself to receive
28:35what God has for you
28:41hi
28:43Deliver Us
28:45son of David
28:47now
28:48after they accepted and acknowledged the
28:51power of God
28:53the text gets real interesting in ways
28:55that we may not even acknowledge or
28:57understand
29:00after they say
29:02have mercy on us son of David what
29:05happens
29:07the text says
29:09verse 28 Matthew chapter 9 when he had
29:13gone
29:14indoors
29:17hmm
29:19I'ma go a step further when he had gone
29:21indoors the Blind Men came to him
29:24hmm
29:25this is very fascinating
29:27they're having an exchange on the
29:29outside of gyrus's house
29:32they they are following Jesus we don't
29:34know how long but they are persistent in
29:37their pursuit of Jesus
29:39when he had gone indoors implies that
29:43Jesus walked from the outside to the
29:46inside
29:46now mind you they cannot see where Jesus
29:49is
29:50they can only hear where his location is
29:54and you can imagine if if the crowds
29:57were like anything that they usually
29:58were around Jesus as they're following
30:00Jesus there's a lot of people in their
30:02way they can't see what's what the
30:04obstacles are but they don't use that as
30:06an excuse to not continue to pursue what
30:10is right in front of them
30:13watch this
30:15how did they know where Jesus was
30:18not only did they hear
30:20but they had to feel their way through
30:24okay excuse me excuse me I'm sorry do
30:27you know where Jesus is oh he's he's
30:28over here excuse me I'm sorry I'm sorry
30:30I'm sorry and here's what is so powerful
30:34the two of them were doing this together
30:39this is why you got to be careful who
30:41you have around you because either
30:43people around you are feeding your fears
30:45or they're building your belief you
30:48gotta if all you got is one good friend
30:50you got more friends than you need
30:53because so often we want to be popular
30:54and we want a lot of followers let me
30:57tell you something who cares about the
30:58followers I just need one good friend
31:00you just need one good friend who's
31:02willing to walk with you and believe
31:04with you and and have the faith that you
31:06have and as they are doing this together
31:08they are feeling their way through where
31:11is he where is he where is he why is
31:13this so important
31:15because I do not want you
31:17to continue a habit of overriding how
31:20you feel
31:22now I know there's this there's always a
31:24delicate balance with feeling because
31:25sometimes our feelings are not based on
31:27facts I understand that
31:28but it's important to acknowledge how
31:30you feel
31:31hey you know what I'm not feeling good
31:33today
31:34okay God show me why oh I'm not feeling
31:37good because I'm feeling insecure why am
31:39I feeling insecure oh I'm feeling
31:40insecure because of what happened
31:42yesterday oh got it but why am I looking
31:43at that okay see when we start to feel
31:46we can get down to the root of what's
31:48really going on
31:50oh got it the real root is I'm not
31:52believing in me the way that God
31:54Believes In Me I'm doubting myself but
31:57God's not doubting myself why do I have
31:59these feelings of frustration oh because
32:01I've been procrastinating I'm not doing
32:03what God called me to do do not be
32:06afraid to feel
32:08what are you feeling
32:10what are you feeling
32:12some of you you feel like I've missed it
32:16it doesn't matter
32:17I've missed the opportunity I I've
32:20missed what God has called me to do
32:23it's okay to feel that way now if you
32:25feel that way let's look at the facts
32:28you're alive
32:30there's breath in your body
32:31blood flowing through your hands you
32:33understand the words that are coming out
32:35of my mouth you are still here so I
32:38argue that if you're still here that
32:39means God still has a plan for your life
32:42so stop talking down to yourself when
32:45God is trying to talk you up I don't
32:47know who I'm talking to right now
32:49don't be afraid to feel
32:54because in the feeling there's the
32:57revealing
32:58and in the revealing is the healing
33:03I don't know who I'm talking to this
33:04morning
33:06these two Blind Men
33:07had to feel their way through
33:11and they didn't care how many obstacles
33:13they encountered how many people pushed
33:15them aside they made a determination
33:18that today was going to be the day
33:21hmm
33:23what are you determined to do
33:25are you determined to live life
33:27currently the way it is which may be
33:29beneath your calling or are you
33:31determined to live in the fullness of
33:33what you were created to do and who you
33:34were created to be
33:36what is your decision
33:37let me tell you I've been in Hollywood
33:39now for 26 years and it has been
33:41difficult
33:43but I'm determined
33:44because if God has called me here then
33:46I'm going to stay here and do what he's
33:48called me to do what is your
33:49determination
33:51the two Blind Men could have never
33:52followed Jesus if they weren't
33:54determined to do so
33:56you got to make a decision about where
33:59you're going and commit to it
34:01and let me tell you something the moment
34:04you commit to where you are going
34:07you have to expect conflict to be there
34:11when was the last time you saw the enemy
34:13stop you or me when we were going in the
34:15wrong direction
34:17come on when was the last time you had
34:20resistance when you were going in the
34:22wrong direction most of the time in my
34:24experience when we are getting
34:25resistance it's because we're going in
34:27the right direction so if some of you
34:29have been questioning why you're going
34:31through conflict while you're going
34:32through circumstances situation it is
34:35because you are headed in the right
34:37direction let me ask you a question if
34:40it was easy you wouldn't learn anything
34:42about yourself if it was easy what's in
34:44you would never come out if it was easy
34:46you would not have the character and
34:48integrity to manage what's coming to you
34:51the fact that it is hard is building you
34:53up it's not breaking you down I don't
34:56know who I'm talking to in the Faith
34:58Center this afternoon but you got to
35:00know if you are going through it it's
35:02because you're being built to do it
35:05ah anybody been going through it any
35:07matter of fact let's just pause the
35:09service can anyone stand if you have
35:11been going through it you have been
35:13having a difficult time conflict has
35:15been facing you come on who am I talking
35:16to
35:17you may be watching online stand in your
35:19room stand in your don't stand in your
35:21car but stand outside your car
35:24okay okay I want you to look around turn
35:26around look around look around how many
35:28people are going through it
35:29stop thinking you're going through this
35:31alone we all go through conflict we all
35:34go through challenges we all go through
35:35tribulations but let me tell you this as
35:38a Movie Maker
35:40all your favorite movies are your
35:42favorite movies because of the conflict
35:44in the movie
35:46if there was no conflict there'd be no
35:47story so if you've got conflict that
35:49means you got a good story and let me
35:51remind you the hero always wins in the
35:55end who am I talking to this afternoon
35:58go ahead and high five your neighbors
36:00say you're gonna win
36:02turn to the other neighbor say you're
36:04going to win
36:06yeah so if you're going through conflict
36:08it's because the hero is being brought
36:11out of you who am I talking to right now
36:16so so we gotta thank God for the
36:19conflict can we go a step further I want
36:22y'all to get real crazy I know we're in
36:24the Faith Center so can we exercise some
36:25faith I want you to say God
36:28thank you
36:29for the conflict
36:31I'm going through
36:33it is designed
36:36to Destiny
36:38not destroy me
36:40I thank you
36:42for the hero Within
36:44and I thank you
36:46for loving me enough
36:49that you are giving me resistance
36:52to increase my persistence
36:55come on give him a hand praise give him
36:57a hand praise come on you can do better
36:58than that you can do better than that
37:01okay y'all you may have your seat you
37:04may have your seat we're almost done
37:05we're almost done so watch this and we
37:07got to speed up the text so so it says
37:11when he had gone indoors
37:14the blind man followed him
37:17and here's what's so fascinating about
37:19the text
37:20it says that they followed him
37:23and then he asked them do you believe
37:26that I'm able to do this
37:28you're missing it you're missing it
37:31you're missing it let me rewind the tape
37:34they were outside the house
37:36they followed him
37:38they said uh Deliver us from our
37:41Affliction uh you know son of David they
37:43made the request
37:45Deliver Us
37:47ease our healing heal us they made the
37:51request outside
37:53Jesus did not respond
37:55he goes to the inside and then he asks
37:58them do you believe that I'm able to do
38:00this
38:00that implies that he heard their request
38:03but he wanted to see how bad do you want
38:05it
38:09no because see what happens in my
38:12experience we give up too soon and let
38:14me tell you the persistence that that we
38:16build the resistance and persistence
38:18that get built from resistance is
38:20because it's required to manage what is
38:22coming
38:24Jesus heard the request but he said no
38:27no I want to really see if you really
38:29want it that badly are you going to quit
38:31at the first sign of conflict or are you
38:33going to keep being persistent and
38:35follow me wherever I may lead
38:37he gets on the inside and says do you
38:40believe that I am able to do this
38:43when they were outside they said Son of
38:46David have mercy on us as a group
38:49Jesus did not say do y'all believe
38:52he said the group may have got you here
38:54but your belief is what's going to take
38:56you home you got to believe for yourself
38:58who am I talking to right now you got to
39:00believe for yourself do you believe he
39:02is able to do this and what does it mean
39:04when we talk about belief it means do
39:06you have the confidence in him
39:08do you trust him to do it
39:11he said do you believe that I can do
39:14this
39:15do you believe
39:17I'm asking you do you believe
39:21do you really believe that the dreams
39:23that he's given you the Visions he's
39:24given you will come to fruition in this
39:27time do you believe that do you believe
39:30that you are blessed and highly favored
39:32do you believe that you are talented do
39:34you believe that you are the head and
39:35not the tail do you believe do you
39:37believe you are a child of the most high
39:39do you believe that do you believe that
39:41you have an inheritance do you believe
39:43that you are destined for greatness do
39:45you believe
39:46if you believe
39:49then I got news for you
39:51you may have to change how you're living
39:56because whatever we believe about
39:59ourselves good or bad is apparent in how
40:01we Act
40:03okay I'm gonna give you a quick
40:04commercial break we are almost done see
40:07um I could tell you what your belief
40:10system is just by seeing who you date
40:15I'm okay I'm gonna go over here I'm
40:17gonna go over here I'm gonna go over
40:18here okay
40:20because some of you are are dating down
40:22instead of dating up
40:25because you don't actually believe that
40:27the right person is there for you at the
40:29right time so as a result you are living
40:31beneath the power of your calling and
40:33you want to know why you keep going
40:34through situations with the same type of
40:36people because your belief system
40:40needs to be upgraded
40:43come on I'm talking to somebody I ain't
40:45got much time we're almost done do you
40:47believe that I am able to do this do you
40:48have the trust do you have the
40:50confidence that I am able to do this
40:53they had to decide individually
40:56if they had the belief
40:58and they both said yes yes yes yes yes
41:01why is it so hard for us to say yes
41:04why do you have such a hard time saying
41:06yes to Jesus
41:07why do we have saying such a hard time
41:09saying yes to the greatness that's
41:10within us
41:11why do we have a hard time saying yes
41:13when we look in the mirror yes next time
41:16you pull out your phone before you take
41:17that selfie I want you to say yes
41:19God you did a good job
41:22yes I look good I smell good come on now
41:27I am good anybody who's looking at me
41:31they are looking at someone who is
41:32blessed you got to look at your phone
41:34and say yes God
41:37come on
41:39you got to start talking yourself up
41:41you got to start building your belief
41:44because you know what I've noticed if if
41:46somebody talked to us the way that we
41:48talk to ourselves we wouldn't allow it
41:52in order to get our belief up we got to
41:54talk to ourself
41:55in a positive way in the way that God
41:58talks to us
42:01and we're done watch this
42:04do you believe that I am able to do this
42:07both men said yes
42:10and then the text says that that that he
42:13reaches out he touches their eyes
42:15and he says according to your faith
42:20be it unto you no no no you're missing
42:22it watch this
42:25saying I know what I have it's not about
42:28that
42:29it's about what you believe I have for
42:32you
42:34So based upon the level of your belief
42:37it will be at the same level of the
42:39level of your withdrawal
42:41the money's in the account but you got
42:45to have the faith to take it out I don't
42:46know who I'm talking to right now he's
42:48saying the power is in the bank but if
42:51you don't believe in the fullness of
42:54your healing you may not receive what's
42:56available to you this is why we got to
42:58stop being jealous when someone gets the
43:01full blessing but you may not have faith
43:03for the fullness I'm talking to somebody
43:04this is why we've got to stop being
43:05jealous don't hate somebody else's
43:08blessing go withdraw your own according
43:11to your faith
43:14be it unto you
43:16according to your faith
43:20how much do you believe
43:22what you believe is going to be the PIN
43:25code for the ATM
43:26to withdraw
43:29what God already has in store
43:31he touched their eyes and said according
43:33to your faith being unto you
43:37he said it's not about the power I have
43:39it's about the power you believe I have
43:42now some of us
43:44because you know we we got faith on the
43:46weekend when we get to our service we
43:48good
43:49they come Monday
43:51we were at full and all of a sudden we
43:52hit work and that tank goes about
43:54halfway
43:55by Wednesday we almost had a quarter
43:58so if this was us sometimes if Jesus was
44:01doing this to us based upon our faith
44:03only one eye would have opened
44:07oh Lord why did you heal me on a
44:09Wednesday Lord if you had healed me
44:11right after church on Sunday both eyes
44:12would have opened oh man
44:15right
44:17the text says that Jesus touched their
44:19eyes according to your faith be it unto
44:21you and it says that both of them got
44:24their eyesight back it was restored
44:28what I love about this text
44:33is when I step back and I think about it
44:35I say wow God
44:38their belief was present all the way
44:41through
44:43they didn't just start believing when
44:45the question was asked
44:47they believed enough to pursue him to
44:49begin with
44:50um
44:52you got to start building your belief
44:55according to your faith be it unto you
44:59all things are possible to those who be
45:03leave if you don't believe it could cost
45:06you everything but to believe it cost
45:08you nothing I don't know who I'm talking
45:11to this afternoon but God sent me here
45:14to tell you it is time to believe again
45:18there is more available for your life
45:21there is more available for who you are
45:24and God is telling me you might be like
45:27the blind man follow me wherever I take
45:29you and God that what I love about this
45:31is that God did not explain to them
45:34where he was going to go
45:36he took them on a journey God has you on
45:39a journey
45:41he has you on a journey
45:43and just like the Blind Men
45:45who received their sight
45:47I believe that if we stay committed to
45:50following him you and I will receive
45:52everything that we're destined to
45:54receive
46:00[Applause]
46:03what's interesting is that when you look
46:05at the text
46:06at the beginning
46:08they were closed
46:09their eyes were closed
46:11at the end they were open
46:14it's interesting
46:16through their belief some things started
46:19to open up
46:20I speak over your life there are some
46:22new opportunities that are getting ready
46:23to open up who am I talking to right now
46:26there's some new jobs that are getting
46:28ready to open up
46:29some of you have been worried about a
46:30relationship a new relationship a right
46:32relationship getting ready to open up
46:33who am I talking to someone needs to
46:35move in a new place is opening up I
46:38don't know who I'm talking to someone
46:39needs to open a new account a new
46:40account is opening up who am I talking
46:42to anybody ready to receive what's
46:44opening for you please stand to your
46:46feet if you are ready to receive what is
46:48opening for you there are new
46:50opportunities opening for you how many
46:52of you believe that right now
46:54some doors that were closed are being
46:56opened for you
46:57some some people that that you didn't
46:59have access to are now going to be open
47:02to you I don't know who I'm talking to
47:04there's some rules you've been
47:05restricted from that are now going to be
47:07open for you all you have to do is stay
47:10on the path keep having faith keep
47:13following him and believing in what he
47:15can do
47:16[Music]
47:18me a favor
47:19if you need some doors to open in your
47:21life put both hands up right now
47:25now do me a favor as your hands are
47:27raised I want you to turn your palms
47:29towards your face like this turn them
47:31around like this
47:33this is the international sign of
47:35surrender
47:36[Music]
47:38in order for us to receive what God has
47:40for us we have to surrender to him
47:43now some of you you have not yet
47:45surrendered your life to him today is
47:47your time
47:49today today make the decision today that
47:53you want to surrender your life to Jesus
47:55Christ
47:57I promise you the day that I made that
47:59decision best decision in my life
48:01I would not be where I am I would not be
48:03who I am without a relationship with
48:05Christ
48:07this is also the international sign for
48:09receiving
48:11you are in position
48:13to receive the open door
48:15you are in position
48:17and here's what's so powerful when we
48:19put our hands up
48:21we are relinquishing control
48:23[Music]
48:25the Blind Men did not control the
48:26journey
48:27they did not control when they got
48:29healed that was still up to Jesus's
48:32timing Jesus still had to come by at the
48:34right time
48:36I don't want you to start frustrating
48:37yourself so much because you're trying
48:39to control what's out of your control
48:40do the best you can with what you have
48:42and trust that God's going to do the
48:44rest
48:46raise your hands higher dear heavenly
48:47father I pray right now for every single
48:49solitary Soul right now in the building
48:52and watching online
48:53someone watching this sermon dear Lord
48:55their faith was load dear heavenly
48:57father and now it's in the Overflow I
48:59pray right now dear God for healing in
49:01this place some people watching this and
49:03if they're in the house you need
49:04emotional healing spiritual healing
49:06Financial healing uh physical healing
49:08whatever healing you need dear heavenly
49:10father I pray you would deliver it right
49:11now
49:12someone came here dear God because their
49:14faith was low they weren't believing in
49:16you they weren't believing in themselves
49:18but today their belief has been restored
49:20I thank you right now in the next seven
49:22days for the open doors that will be
49:25open on behalf of your children
49:27I thank you Lord for the open doors I
49:30thank you for the open opportunities I
49:31thank you dear Lord for what you're
49:33getting ready to do
49:34and I want us to remember what happened
49:36at the Faith Center on today
49:38and I pray this would Mark the
49:40difference between destiny
49:43and difficulty
49:45I pray right now dear heavenly father
49:47for everyone watching this prayer that
49:49they would know that they are blessed
49:51I pray they would receive the fullness
49:52of your power
49:53I pray this prayer and the mighty holy
49:55matches name of Jesus Christ would you
49:57please give him a hand praise come on
50:00you can do better than that you could do
50:03better than that how many receive this
50:05word today how many feel better now than
50:07how you came in how many got your belief
50:10back how many got your vision restored
50:12who am I talking to right now how many
50:14got your hope back how many got your
50:16faith up how many got your restored
50:18today some of you came in here dead and
50:21God resurrected you he resurrected your
50:23dream he resurrected your hope if God
50:25can do it for me he sure will do it for
50:28you who am I talking to right now hey
50:33Withholding Nothing
50:35Withholding Nothing I need this to be
50:38the best week of the year for you
50:40because you know what you got to do you
50:42got to go after it put in the resume
50:45send the text send the email so what if
50:48they say no all you need is one yes who
50:51am I talking to right now go pursue your
50:55yes
50:58[Music]
51:01I surrender all to you yes
51:05every every dream
51:07come on somebody
51:09I give to you Lord
51:12yes Withholding Nothing
51:18get yourself out of the way
51:21get your ideas out of the way
51:27come on somebody
51:31do you surrender
51:33do you surrender all to him
51:36do you surrender do you turn it over to
51:40him
51:41everything
51:43not some things but everything give it
51:46to him
51:52[Music]
51:53come on somebody
52:15foreign
52:25you gotta surrender all to him
52:28one of the biggest things you've got to
52:30surrender is how you thought your life
52:31would be by now
52:34you got to surrender that
52:36because some of you you've been you've
52:38been frustrated because you wanted life
52:40to be different by now but this is what
52:41life is and it's okay
52:43don't allow your idea of what you
52:45thought it would be
52:47to disrupt what it is
52:50surrender all to him
52:52withhold nothing from him
52:55and watch what he does
52:57I am believing right now over the next
53:00seven days you're going to see open
53:01doors that you thought were close
53:03I am believing right now over the next
53:05seven days you're going to see
53:06opportunities that are just gonna blow
53:08you away because you made the decision
53:11to not withhold anything from him
53:13next time you start to get frustrated I
53:16want you you just when you're in your
53:17car put a hand up lower nope I'm
53:20surrendering to you
53:21I'm following you I'm not going to let
53:24my negative thoughts take me off no I
53:26will not I'm Gonna Keep Believing I'm
53:28Gonna Keep Believing build your belief
53:31and starve your fears y'all I've
53:35overstayed my welcome I am so sorry for
53:37taking more time but I'm excited about
53:41the word of the Lord today amen
53:46give you