Finding The Courage To Change
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 2/28/20231 Corinthians 15:45-49
Loading…
0:00
56:20
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez explores the necessity of finding spiritual courage to evolve from our natural, earthly tendencies into the image of Christ, reminding us that God uses our mistakes to birth greatness.
Key points
- •True transformation requires moving from the 'natural man' (Adam) to the 'spiritual man' (Christ).
- •Disobedience is the root of human struggle, and true change begins with submitting to God's will over our own cravings.
- •Every believer is a work in progress; God often uses those society rejects, like Moses (a murderer) or Rahab (a harlot), to accomplish His purposes.
- •The faith journey is a process of 'dying to self' daily, letting go of the old to embrace the new image of the Heavenly Father.
- •Practical change requires three steps: admitting we aren't yet a reflection of God's image, seeking knowledge through Scripture, and maintaining discipline during trials.
Scripture
Spiritual Growth
Character
Grace
Purpose
Discipline
Life application
This week, identify one area where you are acting out of your 'natural man' (impulses or selfishness) and consciously choose to submit that specific action to the Holy Spirit's direction, even if it feels uncomfortable.
Reflection questions
- In what ways are you still identifying with the 'man of dust' rather than the 'man of Heaven'?
- Which biblical figure's story (Moses, Rahab, or Ruth) most encourages you regarding your own past mistakes?
- What societal pressures or 'rebellious beliefs' are currently hindering your courage to change?
- How can you practice spiritual discipline when you are outside the 'gym' of the church building?
Have a question about this sermon?
Ask our AI and get an answer with citations.
Full transcript
0:00First Corinthians 15
0:04First Corinthians 15
0:06verses 49 to excuse me 45 to 49 First
0:11Corinthians 15 begin at verse 45 to 49.
0:19it says thus it is written
0:23the first man Adam became a living being
0:27and the last Adam became a life
0:31-given Spirit
0:35but it is not the spiritual that is
0:40first but the natural
0:42and then the spiritual the first man was
0:46from the Earth
0:48a man of dust the second man is from
0:51heaven
0:53as was the man of dust so also are those
1:00who are of the Dust
1:02and as is the man of Heaven
1:06so also are those who are of Heaven
1:11just as we have borne the image of the
1:15man of dust we shall also bear the image
1:20of the man of Heaven father bless your
1:23word today
1:25minister to your people
1:28let this moment in the service whether
1:32we're here in person or watching
1:34virtually
1:35let it be a life-changing moment
1:39as always I pray that you will think
1:41with my mind and speak with my vocal
1:44cords
1:45so that your people will be edified in
1:48turn you'll be glorified in Jesus name
1:51amen can you just give God a praise
1:53before
1:56and be seated please in the presence of
1:59the Lord
2:01want to encourage you this morning to
2:04find the courage to change
2:09finding the courage
2:11to change
2:15there's a sense
2:17in the body of Christ that perhaps
2:21a lot of us Honestly though we talk
2:24about
2:25a transferred life or transformed life I
2:29should say though we talk about a
2:32transformed life
2:35in most cases we may not really want
2:38people to be transformed
2:42by our actions by our words
2:45sometimes we don't even believe that
2:48people have the opportunity to be
2:50transformed
2:53but so many times we look at people on
2:56their past
2:57what they have done what they have said
3:01and we have held it against them forever
3:06not knowing all of us have sinned
3:10and fell short of the glory of God
3:13and no matter who you are every one of
3:16us can change
3:18but it takes courage to change
3:23our faith journey is really about
3:26evolving
3:28it's about having the desire and the
3:30courage to become more of a reflection
3:33of God's will for our lives
3:39versus becoming
3:42what we feel are what other people and
3:45Society wants us to be
3:48this is very important
3:50that we need to understand that this
3:52Faith Journey that we're on
3:55is about us evolving changing
3:58we have to change
4:01every day
4:03if we're in the word of God if we're
4:07you know submissive to the Holy Spirit
4:10it brings us through this metamorphosis
4:14experience where we keep changing
4:18and sometimes we resist the change
4:21but we have to find the courage to
4:23change
4:24we have to
4:26see that our journey is more about
4:30becoming a reflection of who God wants
4:33us to be and not what we want to be
4:36based on our feelings and what Society
4:38is forcing us to be
4:41so we find here in the scripture the
4:44Apostle Paul
4:46talks about
4:48the natural Man versus the spiritual man
4:55and he made it he made it very clear
4:57that the first man Adam became a living
5:00being
5:02in the beginning when God created Adam
5:06was born of Flesh
5:09he knew no sin
5:11however he could not follow the
5:13instructions of God
5:16he resisted it and he listened to the
5:21Plumpton of Satan and as a result of
5:25that all of us became victim to the
5:28spirit of disobedience
5:30at the end of the day
5:32the only reason why our lives are so
5:35jacked up is because of the spirit of
5:37disobedience
5:39if we could just obey that one law
5:43obey God and His Commandments
5:46then the rest of our lives will be okay
5:51but we cannot get past
5:53obeying God so therefore the spirit of
5:57Disobedience will come in and so Paul
6:00says this one human being Adam
6:05became a life Giver if you will God put
6:10life in him in his human body
6:14and then he says that it was the natural
6:17that was first and then the spiritual
6:20what he was really taught taking the
6:23Corinthians Church through was this
6:27transformation that need to take place
6:30in their lives that you were born
6:33naturally but there has to come a time
6:36in your life where you go through that
6:39spiritual rebirth
6:42where you go through that spiritual
6:44transformation
6:46where it's it's not about religion it's
6:49not about trying to have a form of
6:52godliness it's not about okay you know
6:55saying you're a follower of Jesus Christ
6:57but it's to have a real deep honest
7:01transformation in your life in your
7:04heart is to change from that natural
7:07mindset
7:09to that spiritual mindset to become more
7:12like Christ let this mind be in you
7:15which was also in Christ Jesus the the
7:18Journey of a Christian is to become more
7:22like Christ and less of yourself
7:26in the world
7:28and it takes courage
7:31to change to become more like Christ
7:36it's very easy to become yourself it's
7:39very easy to become like the world so
7:43the Apostle Paul is saying here in verse
7:4647 the first man was born from the earth
7:50a man of dust and the second man from
7:52Heaven he's relating that to Jesus and
7:55Adam
7:56Adam was born naturally
7:59from the dust from the dust remember I
8:02think it was last week in the sermon I
8:04mentioned to you that that Adam and Eve
8:08were the only two people who were born
8:11not in the womb of a woman
8:15Adam didn't Adam
8:17and Eve was the only person
8:21to this day who never had a mother
8:27never
8:28never had a mother
8:30scripture says God took him from the
8:33dust of the Earth
8:35and from Adam he created a woman
8:40so Paul is saying here you have this
8:42natural man Adam
8:44who came and then you have this natural
8:49man Jesus though he was the son of God
8:54was born in human flesh
8:58to bring about a spiritual message or a
9:03spiritual life for the rest of us in
9:06verse 48 says as was the man of the Dust
9:11so also are those who are of the dust as
9:15the men of the Dust Adam what did Adam
9:18do he couldn't follow a simple
9:22instruction
9:25here Adam
9:27here's a beautiful place
9:30you got everything you need
9:32you don't have to go to a nine to five
9:34job
9:35you don't have to worry about a mortgage
9:38you have to worry about car payments
9:40don't even worry about health insurance
9:42because you'll never get sick
9:46don't don't worry about retirement and
9:49guess what Adam don't even worry about
9:52aging
9:57he didn't have to worry about aging we
10:00get scared when we look in the mirror
10:02come on now
10:04you know every birthday you don't want
10:06to tell nobody your age right because I
10:08mean the wrinkles are telling right
10:10Adam didn't have to worry about that
10:14all God asked him to do
10:18was just obey his Commandments
10:24and he couldn't do it
10:26and what Paul is saying like Adam
10:30you're not like just like Adam
10:34we can't follow
10:37the word
10:38the Bible
10:40it's a struggle for all of us
10:43so like the man of Adas so are we
10:47inconsistent
10:49never satisfied
10:52always listening to the prompting of the
10:55devil and never God
10:58and when we get in trouble guess who we
11:00run to
11:03it may happen it may happen it may
11:05happen I don't know but I have never
11:07seen or heard of anybody who gets in
11:10trouble and run to Satan to pray
11:14and ask him to help them
11:16have you
11:18I've never heard of anybody praying to
11:20the devil now that you get me in this
11:22trouble get me out of here
11:24no
11:26we always go to God
11:29we always
11:30disobey him
11:32but end up going to him asking him to
11:36get us out of trouble
11:38the Apostle Paul clearly shows us that
11:41the physical man
11:42should display the characteristics of
11:46human nature he is not saying to us that
11:49we shouldn't be human
11:52because we are people of the Dust
11:54he's not telling us to be so spiritually
11:57minded like these religious folks that
12:01we were never born of a woman
12:03could there some people on the planet
12:05who call themselves followers of Jesus
12:07Christ and you would think
12:11they ain't never done anything wrong
12:16and here it is you're trying to live the
12:19faith life and you're struggling with it
12:20you know maybe you're struggling with
12:23with nicotine you're struggling with
12:25drinking drugs and you know you people
12:27look at you like you need to come here
12:29let me cast The Devil out of you in
12:32Jesus name about your drinking and
12:35you're smoking and you're doing all of
12:37this
12:38because all they have done
12:40is they've categorized sin
12:44the same person who's trying to cast out
12:46smoking out of you and drinking out of
12:49you is the same person who don't know
12:51how to tell the truth
12:59so why are you laying hands on me let me
13:01lay hands on you at the same time you
13:03cast out my devil I cast out yours we
13:06can do this together tag team
13:09we can do this together
13:11I bind you you bind me I loose you you
13:15loose me
13:16[Laughter]
13:20all of us
13:22must understand that
13:25we do have the characteristics
13:28of what a human should be like
13:32we get up every day we get tired we get
13:34exhausted
13:36we're flesh and blood
13:39however
13:41at the same time we should also display
13:43the characteristics of Christ this is
13:47where the struggle is where human yet we
13:51are children of the most high God how do
13:55we balance both
13:59where men and women
14:02of dust
14:04but we are children of God
14:08and sometimes we struggle how do we
14:12change from this human being
14:17craving to live a sinful life
14:21to this spiritual being
14:24to this person who we are made in Christ
14:28Jesus
14:30to this person who follows Christ to
14:34this person who live up to the
14:36expectation of the word of God how do we
14:40do that let's look at verse 48 again and
14:44verse 49. of the text this morning it
14:48says as was the man of dust so also are
14:53those who are of the dust and as the man
14:57of heaven so also are those who are of
15:01heaven and verse 49 just as we have
15:05mourn the image of man watch this
15:10just as much as we bore the image of a
15:13man
15:14it says also bear the image of the
15:18heavenly father
15:20so you walk around every day
15:24knowing who you are in this case I'm
15:26Henry I walk around every day I'm Henry
15:29I'm male I know who I am
15:33right
15:34I know my age
15:36I know my hobbies I know what I like I
15:39know I know I know my weaknesses and my
15:42strength
15:43so I walk around
15:45in human form knowing who I am
15:52I understand that but what Paul is now
15:55saying Henry now must understand
15:57speaking about you you know your name
15:59I'm just using my name for example here
16:02point of reference
16:04you on the other hand must also
16:07understand
16:08that Henry is walking
16:11but he's not walking in the lust of his
16:14flesh in the desires of his heart but
16:17Henry now is walking out this Faith
16:20Journey walking it in Christ
16:25um
16:25that I'm walking it out in Christ oh
16:29let's be straight Henry's going to screw
16:31up sometimes
16:33Henry's gonna make mistakes Henry's
16:36going to do dumb stuff but here's the
16:38thing about God's grace ah
16:42oh that word gets me all the time God's
16:46grace is sufficient
16:50to keep you every time you feel as if
16:54you can't make it every time you feel as
16:56if it's a struggle it's very hard to
16:58live up to being a Christian God's grace
17:01somehow sustains you and keep you from
17:05falling can somebody give him a praise
17:07in the house today
17:12so what the Apostle Paul is encouraging
17:15us to do is simply this to find the
17:18courage to change our watch this natural
17:22Cravings to the desires if you will of
17:27the things that God wants for us
17:31that as you're living out your life
17:32every day it's no longer I want I want I
17:36want I want
17:38but it's more of
17:41whatever your will God is whatever your
17:44will God whatever your will for my life
17:47is God that's what I want to do I want
17:50to change this natural man I want him to
17:53go through this metamorphosis experience
17:57like like a caterpillar that where where
18:00all of a sudden this creepy crawling
18:03creature who doesn't quite get it
18:07doesn't doesn't know the magnitude of
18:10his or her potential gradually God
18:13you're changing me oh people are talking
18:15about me people are always always
18:18willing to point and say I can't believe
18:20he did that I can't believe she say that
18:22but give me give just give me a chance
18:24just give me a break because God is just
18:26changing me I I'm telling it it's a
18:30tough transition he's changing me and
18:33through the process of my change in you
18:37see the backside of me I know you you
18:40can't see what God is doing on the front
18:43end I understand and that's what you're
18:46dwelling on but please be patient with
18:49me God's not through with me yet
18:53do I have a weakness in the building or
18:57streaming today
18:59just be patient with God somebody say be
19:03patient with me
19:05God's not through with you yet
19:08so I believe ladies and gentlemen you
19:11and I must understand according to what
19:13the Apostle Paul is saying change our
19:16natural Cravings to desire the things
19:19God wants for us and believe me doing so
19:24will take a lot of courage
19:27it will take a lot of courage to do it
19:29to change from a person who is just
19:32living for yourself and Society to
19:35living for God takes a lot of Courage
19:41takes a lot of courage to be a faith
19:43believer
19:45takes a lot of courage to serve God
19:49you don't believe don't don't you for
19:50one moment believe these religious
19:52people who make it look like it's so
19:56easy to follow in Jesus
19:59so easy make you look stupid and dumb
20:01like you're just some heathen
20:05because they come to church and they
20:07just always walk in the straight line
20:09Praise Jesus Hallelujah I mean God bless
20:13you Hallelujah if you don't believe them
20:15people don't believe them
20:18I believe I have people in this room
20:20streaming who can be honest sometimes
20:22you really don't want to follow where
20:24Jesus is leading you can we just have
20:27some real people here
20:29sometimes he is pointing out a path to
20:33you and you're standing there and he has
20:35opened the door and he said I want you
20:38to follow me and you are like say what
20:41you want me to go there now wait a
20:44minute Jesus let's sit down and talk
20:46about this because you don't want to go
20:50because it's not an easy
20:52path in following Jesus Christ
20:56but the moment you go through that
20:58transition the moment he changes your
21:01way of thinking the moment he changes
21:04who you are it's easy then to follow him
21:08first of all you're going to be
21:11challenged if you will by your own
21:14rebellious beliefs
21:16and the pressure that Society puts on
21:19you
21:21change is going to be hard because we
21:24all have religious beliefs
21:26we all have these rebellious beliefs
21:31religious beliefs that are really not
21:33scriptural
21:36and then we have these rebellious
21:38beliefs
21:40all of us at some point in time have
21:42rebelled against God
21:45we come up with reasons why we don't
21:48want to do certain things so therefore
21:50rebelled against God and yet you are
21:53required in spite of all of that you are
21:55required ladies and gentlemen to go
21:59through a transition if you want more of
22:02a reflection of who God wants you to be
22:05regardless of the struggle you are
22:08having it it is required of you
22:12to go through that transition that's if
22:16you want to be more like him so make no
22:20mistake about it to walk through life
22:22successfully requires of you to have the
22:26courage to stand out and be different
22:29from those who are not on the same
22:33Journey you're on
22:35it takes the courage it takes courage to
22:39do it some people need to understand
22:41that the reason why you and I are not on
22:45this at the same level or at the same
22:48understanding is because you're on a
22:50different Journey
22:52and for us people of faith
22:55it's going to take courage for us to
22:57change our mindset
22:59to change from stop being intimidated by
23:03society and people and stand firm and be
23:08proud to be a follower of Jesus Christ
23:15the faith journey is a process
23:20let me say it again the faith journey is
23:23a process
23:25now if you believe it I want you to say
23:27it the faith journey is a process one
23:30more time the faith journey is the
23:33process it is a process
23:36it takes courage to start the journey
23:39and it certainly will take courage to
23:42complete it
23:44it's a process
23:46you had to go through a lot this week to
23:49get to where you are
23:51and you're going to go through some more
23:52this coming week
23:55because our faith journey is a process
23:57the faith Journey takes you through a
24:01process of letting you go letting you
24:03let go I should say of the old and
24:06embracing the new that's what the faith
24:08journey is all about every day you're
24:11dying to yourself
24:16it's about dying to your Cravings your
24:20flesh your personal needs and submitting
24:24to the will of God second Corinthians 5
24:2717 most of you will know this it says
24:30therefore If any man be in Christ
24:34he's a new creature now watch the
24:37transformation
24:38the old are passed away
24:43the old is gone according to the
24:46scripture and behold all things have
24:49become new
24:51every one of us we're going through this
24:54letting go of the old
24:57and grabbing a hold of the new
25:01Having the courage to walk away
25:05from stuff that doesn't serve us
25:08any good
25:11from things that will defile who we are
25:15as people and children of God
25:19the courage to change
25:22the courage to say
25:25I'm going to let go of the old and reach
25:29for the new and this is where it gets
25:33intense
25:35because you are between two options and
25:39you're in the middle and there's a force
25:41pulling you here and the spirit of God
25:45is pulling you here so how do you live
25:48and in this and this comfortable Life as
25:52a Christian because you've been pulled
25:54in two different direction and you just
25:57can't figure out yeah yeah I know what I
26:00want I know what I feel I know what
26:02looks good I know what everybody else is
26:04doing and I know what everybody else is
26:06saying and I know how I feel and I know
26:09come on I I know I know and all the
26:12reasons you're coming up with and the
26:14spirit of God over here is saying hey
26:17but I know what God wants for you I know
26:20where God wants you to be and it's it's
26:23the struggle is real
26:27it's real
26:30how do you do that
26:32are there any references in the Bible to
26:36encourage you that yes you you can go
26:40through this transition and you can let
26:43go of the old
26:45and you can hold on to something new
26:47because you see the old stuff watch this
26:50I'm almost through the old stuff the
26:53stuff that Satan is throwing at you and
26:55the things that he's putting in your
26:57head and the things that feels good and
27:00the the the things of the world you name
27:03it and when I say the world have to be
27:05careful of this now because I don't want
27:07people to think that everything in the
27:10world is bad for you
27:12no
27:15I'm not telling you don't go to the
27:16beaches
27:18I'm not telling you well to have a nice
27:21time to go out to dinner and to have you
27:24know take vacation and and to do
27:26wonderful
27:27don't don't listen to these crazy
27:29Christians man who make you think that
27:31everything in the world is bad
27:35come on now
27:36you have one life on the planet
27:40when you die you're not coming back here
27:43so everything that's good for you you
27:45better get it now because when you die
27:47you not getting it again
27:53let's be wise now
27:55come on now well you know I don't want
27:57to you know the you know this these
27:59things of the world is ungodly
28:02no
28:04when you read your Bible the things of
28:06the world you will see the Bible explain
28:08to you clearly what those things are
28:11and they're people who have struggled
28:15with how do I change from this natural
28:17man with the struggles that he has to go
28:21through to become all that God wants me
28:25to be Moses had the courage to change
28:28from self-pity and shame to accepting
28:33that he was called appointed and
28:37anointed to be a leader
28:40Moses struggled
28:42in human form
28:44with his insecurities
28:49he stuttered
28:51he felt incapable
28:54of becoming a leader
28:56and not only that Moses also had his
29:00name in the system
29:02he was a murderer
29:06he was a murderer
29:09he saw someone hurt his one of his
29:13native people
29:15and Moses did not like it and Moses
29:18plotted and Moses killed the guy
29:24think about that
29:26so not only did he have a personal issue
29:31with himself
29:34Moses could not see himself standing
29:36before a crowd to speak he could not
29:39articulate his words correctly he
29:42stuttered and added to that
29:46his name was in the legal system
29:49because he was a murderer I want to talk
29:52to every man or woman in this place
29:53today
29:55maybe you have done something in the
29:57past
29:59and your name is in the system
30:02maybe you've committed the crime
30:04I'm not talking about somebody who's
30:06been wrongfully accused Moses was not
30:09wrongfully accused he killed the man
30:14some of us need to just be honest
30:16stop saying we didn't do it look at your
30:19neighbor and say yes you did
30:22you did it you know you did it
30:25[Laughter]
30:28he was
30:30Moses didn't lie
30:34he did it
30:38but God somehow
30:41this is what I love about the gospel the
30:44good news see this this is the Fate that
30:46I embrace what I love about the gospel
30:49is God somehow tends to find the people
30:53that we tend to reject
30:57and say if you are willing
31:00I can use you if God can use Moses God
31:05can use you let me say it again if God
31:08can use Moses God can use you
31:16that Moses was used by God
31:19though he went through all those issues
31:23in his life he had the courage
31:25to change to say though those things
31:28happen to me hey
31:31you know let let me get my act together
31:33because there's a king in me there's a
31:36leader in me
31:38I don't care what you have done what
31:41you're dealing with right now
31:43sir I have I am here today to announce
31:46to you that there's a king in the inside
31:49of you
31:51and if you allow God to bring that King
31:53out of you I'm telling you that King
31:56will come forth and become a great
31:58leader not only to your family but to
32:01society there's a king in you
32:06Rahab had the courage to change even
32:10though she did not have a good
32:12reputation
32:14Rahab
32:16her willingness to follow God caused her
32:19to become watch this the grandmother of
32:23King David
32:25ultimately making her a direct
32:28descendant of Jesus Christ
32:31Rahab
32:33Rahab
32:35a harlot
32:38somebody you know what we call that
32:40person in today's society
32:44a person who had a very bad reputation
32:49see oh thank you Lord man
32:55God
32:57would choose
32:59harlot
33:01to become the part of the lineage of
33:04Christ
33:05[Applause]
33:09so stop giving excuses
33:13stop telling yourself that because of
33:15your past because of the decisions that
33:17you have made that God can't use you I'm
33:20telling you ladies God can use your
33:23mistake to birth generations of
33:26greatness
33:29that's exactly what happened
33:32to Rahab she had the courage to say you
33:36know what regardless of my reputation
33:38you know what God I embrace that you can
33:40use me
33:42that out of my womb will come King David
33:46ultimately will come the Messiah
33:50that I'm willing for you to transform me
33:52Ruth experienced a change in her life
33:56even after the death of her husband
33:59She Found the courage to stay connected
34:01to Naomi
34:03and that led her to find new love
34:08that though Ruth's husband died you know
34:11the story both Ruth and Naomi both their
34:15husbands died
34:17and even in the midst of that
34:21she this woman could have said I'm
34:23giving up I I I just give up on all this
34:26forget it uh you know what
34:29I've experienced death
34:31so I'm just going to stay in self-pity
34:35I'm never ever going to marry again
34:37I don't ever believe in love again
34:41because death is painful
34:45think about this story of Ruth
34:48in your own personal life sisters
34:53what has killed your self-esteem
34:57what has destroyed your inability or
35:00your ability I should say
35:02to believe in love again
35:05some of you ladies Your Love have died a
35:08long time ago I'm not talking about the
35:10man
35:12Your Love
35:15some of you have experienced death in
35:17such a bad way that
35:20you have no idea that God is connecting
35:22you to something greater
35:26yet you're willing to stay in the
35:29condition that you are
35:30Ruth said no she said to her
35:34mother-in-law even when her
35:35mother-in-law was saying to her just go
35:36back to your people
35:38that's the easiest thing to do she said
35:40no wherever you go
35:43I'm gonna go
35:44why because Ruth knew that God will
35:48connect you to some people
35:54when God connects you to someone do not
35:58let go of that person until you get what
36:01God has for you
36:07she decided to stay with Naomi
36:13and her willingness to not allow the
36:17death of her husband her past
36:20experiences she could have stayed there
36:23thinking about what life used to be like
36:26man when I was married to my husband he
36:29did this for me and I used to live this
36:31she could have continued that but that's
36:34of the past letting go of the old
36:38and just by working
36:41one day she found a Boaz
36:45so I really hope that you are not
36:47satisfied with where you are in life
36:50and that there is a greater call in on
36:53your life I also hope that you are not
36:56using your life experiences as excuses
37:00to stay unchanged
37:03can't afford to do that
37:06so I don't know what you are struggling
37:08with and what situations you are faced
37:11with in life stop using those situations
37:15as excuses to not be greater
37:20you have to have the courage to change
37:21you have to have the courage to say I
37:24deserve better
37:27some of you are settling for average and
37:29you're sitting there you're watching and
37:31you know you deserve better but you keep
37:34letting the devil play tricks on you and
37:37you keep letting the devil use people
37:42to lessen your value
37:46you're gonna have to have the courage to
37:49change
37:50so every one of us can find reasons not
37:53to desire better or greater for our
37:56lives we all have the uh I have
37:59something I should say in the past you
38:01know uh to to to say well you know we we
38:04can't move forward we can't believe God
38:07for greater but you have to have the
38:10courage through the work of the Holy
38:12Spirit to be better you are not a
38:16reflection of who God created you to be
38:19even though you may have Justified
38:23reasons for not being where you should
38:27be
38:28you may have Justified reason to say I
38:30know you know I'm not what I used to be
38:33or should be I should say because of
38:35whatever it is you may have Justified
38:36reasons to say those things but I'm
38:39telling you today God is prompting you
38:43to change
38:45have the courage to say my life will be
38:48better five years from now ten years
38:50from now 20 years from now
38:53[Applause]
38:55I'll leave you with these three things
38:58and then I'm going to pray for some of
39:00you maybe not all of you but there's
39:01some of you I believe that God is
39:03speaking to you
39:05and this message is to help you to
39:08develop that courage
39:10to get out of your comfort zone
39:14and change your life for the better
39:16here are three things you should do in
39:19order to find the courage to change it's
39:22one thing for us to talk about having
39:24the courage to change but what do I need
39:27to do
39:28here are the three things you need to do
39:30number one you must admit that you are
39:32not a reflection of God's image for your
39:35life
39:36that's the first thing
39:38you have to admit
39:40if you're satisfied with where you are
39:42and who you are
39:44this sermon is not going to help you
39:47but you have to admit
39:49that I am not who God wants me to be
39:55I'm not a true reflection
39:58of his purpose for my life
40:00and if you can admit that then you'll
40:03have the courage to say I need to change
40:06my life
40:08that when you leave here today and you
40:10go to the into the marketplace at your
40:12home wherever it is that you're going to
40:14say I got to do better I got to
40:16transform my life this is not about my
40:18spouse this is not about my children
40:20this is not about Society this is about
40:23me I must be my best self before I leave
40:28this planet
40:31gonna have to have the courage to do
40:33that number two
40:35you got to seek for the knowledge of who
40:39you should become
40:41how do you find that knowledge
40:43the word of God
40:45you cannot look to society to tell you
40:47who you should become
40:49you certainly can't depend on people you
40:51got to get into the word of God and the
40:54word of God will show you who you are
40:56you are fearfully and you're wonderfully
40:59made
41:01you got to believe that and finally
41:03number three you must be and I love this
41:07you must be disciplined and willing to
41:10go through the changes life takes you
41:13through
41:15you must be
41:18disciplined
41:20oh that's hard
41:23come on now
41:25here's another question it's it's a
41:28sidebar to the message
41:30but there's a reason why I'm going to
41:31ask the question and connect it to the
41:33message
41:34how many of you struggle
41:37to be consistent in the gym
41:44okay half of these people are not
41:47telling the truth Lord just so you know
41:50it's a struggle
41:53can you be honest
41:55there's so many times
41:57the heart is willing
42:02I mean you know you really want to do it
42:05man you really want to be consistent in
42:07the gym
42:10but the mind
42:12the flesh
42:14I can't get up this morning I can't do
42:17it
42:17you know and you get the energy every
42:20first of January
42:24people are posting on social media I
42:27mean we're a trip man we posted we're in
42:30the gym and we working out and we
42:32sweating and everything like by January
42:345th
42:39it's the same in our spiritual walk
42:43here's the truth a lot of you are in
42:45this building today you're streaming
42:48and you're in your spiritual gym right
42:50because it's Church
42:51you heard the message and the worship
42:53songs and you're feeling mighty good man
42:55and you're on good
42:57Pace if you will you're doing wonderful
42:59now
43:00here's the real struggle
43:02it's when these doors are open
43:06when you exit the spiritual gym
43:10when you log off from the spiritual gym
43:13and nobody's watching
43:18are you still going to be on the
43:19treadmill
43:21are you still going to have the proper
43:23diet
43:26are you are you still going to keep it
43:28up
43:30when
43:31Tuesday
43:33something prompts you to do something
43:36that goes against your gym regimen
43:42are you going to get off the treadmill
43:45and get to something else
43:49that will mess up
43:51your desires
43:57you have to be disciplined
44:01when God brings life circumstances I
44:03don't care what it is
44:06loneliness depression
44:10I break up a divorce
44:13lack of funds
44:15crazy kids
44:17crazy job
44:19whatever it is
44:21when life presents to you something
44:24that's uncomfortable
44:26you have to be disciplined enough
44:29watch this
44:31to say
44:33whatever your will is
44:37God
44:40walk me through this
44:43walk me through this
44:45change me I'm I'm a person I like to
44:48talk I like God
44:50that person is testing my faith right
44:52now
44:54that boss on the job is really testing
44:57me
44:57that co-workers really tested me that
45:00family members really tested me that
45:02Uncle that Auntie of mine is really
45:04testing me that person who's got some
45:07money from me and won't pay me back and
45:09acting funny God you're they're really
45:12testing me
45:16but in the process of my journey
45:21teach me
45:22how to become more
45:25like you
45:29[Music]
45:32by your heads father I thank you
45:37that I've done my part to share with you
45:39people what they need to hear in this
45:41hour
45:43it's for them now to respond
45:47you're in the building in
45:49man you needed this message today
45:52and you need someone to pray with you
45:54I'll be the first to stand with you and
45:56pray with you
45:58I'll be the first to help you understand
46:01that
46:02you can change
46:04but it takes courage
46:06what I want to know this morning if you
46:09have the courage in this building to
46:11move from your seat
46:13and come down to the front of the stage
46:16so I can pray with you
46:19[Music]
46:21that if God can bring Henry and the rest
46:23of us through
46:25that you can get through it too for
46:27those of you who are streaming identify
46:30yourself if you're saying this message
46:32works for you maybe you just need to say
46:34I received that message please pray for
46:37me while they're coming down
46:39[Music]
46:40I want you to say just please pray for
46:43me Pastor because I want to pray for you
46:45I really do want to pray for you this
46:48morning
46:49I think this is the greatest hour for
46:52the believer
46:53because Jesus is Our Hope and if you
46:57have the courage to let him change you
46:59with the situations of life I'm telling
47:03you you'll walk out this Faith Journey
47:06successfully yes you can you can do this
47:10you can do this if you believe in the
47:14power of the word of God they're still
47:16coming God bless you God bless you God
47:20bless you
47:22God bless you come on squeeze your way
47:25in
47:26squeeze your way in
47:29squeeze your way in
47:31Pastor Morgan Pastor Morgan
47:34[Music]
47:38they're still coming God bless you
47:41God bless you God bless you
47:45I Surrender
47:47to you
47:49come on give him your life
47:53I want you to listen to the words of the
47:55song Come On
47:56[Music]
47:58Come On Everybody would you stand with
48:00us hallelujah
48:06[Music]
48:14yes yes
48:16see
48:17oh my God hallelujah
48:24[Music]
48:43[Music]
48:47I all
48:53[Music]
48:54my past has been
48:59like a witches
49:02[Music]
49:18[Music]
49:30[Music]
49:39I'm gonna ask
49:41Pastor Morgan to pray in just a minute
49:44for you guys but I have to say this
49:47first of all I want to thank you and
49:49those of you are streaming for being
49:51bold
49:53and Having the courage
49:56say
49:58you want to
50:01experience this transformation that your
50:05faith Journey offers you
50:07I'll be the first to confess to you
50:10that I'm still in this
50:13transition that every day as I live my
50:16life God is changing me for the better
50:20there's still some roughness that he's
50:23got to
50:24do in my life
50:26don't you ever let people and Society
50:30make you think
50:32that it is abnormal for you to want to
50:36change
50:36[Music]
50:39Jesus is the way and if you take his way
50:43it is going to change you
50:46and it's going to be uncomfortable trust
50:49me
50:49it's gonna be uncomfortable
50:52but it doesn't mean you're on the wrong
50:54path
50:56I can be as a pastor
50:58sometimes I've said God you know I could
51:01have gone and done other stuff
51:04preaching is just not my only thing I
51:07can do
51:08I'm coming to preaching because I want
51:11to be famous or it's a lot of money in
51:14there
51:16don't believe that lie
51:20sometimes
51:21let's be up sometimes I don't want to do
51:24this
51:27like okay I can't believe the pastor say
51:29that oh Jesus
51:32remember what Paul said I'm human
51:36sometimes I want to be like them folks
51:39streaming at home
51:42I just called you out
51:46but I'm thrust into this
51:51sometimes you know
51:53why I gotta be this
51:56but I realize
51:58this is the path that God has me on
52:01and it's changing my flesh
52:05into becoming more like him because at
52:08the end of the day I have to give an
52:10account you have to give an account to
52:12God of how you lived your life on the
52:14earth Pastor would you come would you
52:17pray hallelujah thank you Lord
52:21so powerful the reality that as you
52:24stepped out
52:25and left your chair as left where you
52:29were sitting that you have stepped from
52:31an old place to a new place
52:35father God we thank you just go ahead
52:38and stretch your hands out towards them
52:39Lord God we thank you that they have
52:42left the old and that they are stepping
52:45into the new Lord God that they left so
52:47much behind in their seats father God
52:51that they let go of some things
52:53father God we thank you for all of what
52:55they've let go for all of what they've
52:58released from all of what they've said
53:00they're not going back to Father God and
53:03we pray that your power your spirit that
53:05it would
53:07courage
53:09to walk away from all of that and to
53:11walk into the new father God encourage
53:14them now strengthen their hearts Empower
53:17them Father God in this new season of
53:20their life the best season of their life
53:23give them the courage oh God uh father
53:27God we've we recognize that
53:30Moses is dead
53:32and now it is they
53:35that have to walk out their faith this
53:37Faith walk like Joshua we pray that the
53:40spirit of Joshua would fall upon them
53:43now father God and that they would have
53:46your courage to go through all of the
53:48challenges Lord God to face an enemy to
53:52face uh the Great Walls of Jericho in
53:55their life father God to face these uh
53:58unbeatable obstacles that are yet in
54:00front of them Lord God we thank you that
54:02you give them the Courage the courage
54:04that you commanded Joshua to walk in and
54:08the courage that you gave him
54:10father God I pray
54:12now Lord God that uh they would be who
54:15they were created to be not ones that
54:18are safe thank you but those that are
54:22dangerous yes Lord God I declare over
54:25them now that they will no longer
54:28fight to be safe but that they would
54:30walk
54:31in who you've created them to be those
54:34that are dangerous I declare that you
54:36will no longer be safe but you will be
54:38dangerous in other words you will become
54:42the answer you will become the the you
54:46will become the challenging one you will
54:48become the trouble that the enemy was
54:50not looking for
54:52that you will truly be
54:54a force to be reckoned with that you
54:57will be armed and you will be dangerous
54:59against your enemy and that as you are
55:02transformed you will transform your
55:05world
55:06that as you are transformed you will no
55:09longer be on the defensive but always on
55:11the offense
55:13that you will no longer be a victim but
55:16that you will be a Victor
55:18ious father God I thank you for what you
55:21are doing in their lives they came down
55:24for change
55:25and you are making them the change that
55:28the world needs
55:30thank you Father for your empowerment
55:35thank you for your blessing thank you
55:37for your favor
55:40they came down for personal change
55:43and we can all see that their entire
55:46world will be changed
55:48give them the courage therefore
55:51to win and to become the answer to this
55:55world
55:56we pray your blessings over them now
55:59the fullness of your power oh God and
56:02your spirit
56:04to walk in obedience and strength
56:08as they overcome the world by faith in
56:13Jesus name
56:14amen amen
56:17[Music]