How’s your faith journey?
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 2/22/2026Luke 9:23
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55:59
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez explores the essentials of a healthy faith journey, emphasizing the need to move beyond religious performance and 'borrowed revelations' toward a life of self-denial, personal study of the Word, and total surrender to God's will.
Key points
- •The faith journey requires total surrender and self-denial rather than self-promotion.
- •True faith cannot survive on 'borrowed revelations' from social media or preachers; it requires a personal encounter and direct study of the Word.
- •Believers must distinguish between 'unnecessary storms' created by their own disobedience and the 'crosses' God permits for their spiritual growth.
- •Spiritual maturity is a personal responsibility that comes through consistent hearing and studying of the Bible, not just emotional experiences.
- •A healthy faith journey should not be anchored in external preferences like church style or celebrity pastors, as these can be shaken by human flaws.
Scripture
Faith
Discipleship
Spiritual Growth
Surrender
Obedience
Life application
This week, set aside specific time to study the Bible personally rather than relying solely on snippets from social media or podcasts. When facing a challenge, ask God whether it is a result of your own choices or a 'cross' He has permitted, then respond with obedience rather than preference.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life are you currently relying on 'borrowed revelations' instead of a personal word from God?
- Are there 'unnecessary storms' in your life right now caused by walking outside of God's instructions?
- How much of your commitment to church is based on personal preference versus a genuine desire to be transformed by God?
- Is God truly the center of your joy, or have you made yourself the center of attraction?
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Full transcript
0:00So for a brief moment, let's talk about
0:02our faith journey. Our faith journey.
0:09Are you enjoying your faith journey?
0:15Where are you on this journey?
0:19Have you completely opened up to God?
0:24Or are you kind of wavering in your
0:27thoughts
0:28when it comes to continuing on your
0:31faith journey?
0:34You see, the only way you and I can
0:38truly benefit from our faith journey is
0:42when we surrender
0:44our selfish ambitions
0:48and allow God to become the center of
0:52our lives.
0:54when he becomes the center of our lives.
0:58I believe it was Andre Crouch who said,
1:02"Jesus,
1:04you're the center
1:06of my joy." Or Richard Smallwood,
1:10you're the center
1:12of my joy. Everything that concerns me,
1:16everything that I find pleasure in, you
1:20are the center of it all. You're the
1:24center of my own personal pursuits.
1:27You're the center of my relationships,
1:29whether it's dating or marriage. You're
1:32the center of how I parent my children.
1:35You're the center of how I run my
1:38business, of how I operate in my career,
1:41of how I function in ministry. You're
1:43the center of my joy. It's not about me.
1:48It's about your perfect will.
1:51Scripture is very clear in Luke 9:23.
1:56The Bible says, "If anyone would come
1:59after me, let him deny himself and take
2:04up his cross daily and follow me."
2:09Jesus says, "If you're going to come
2:11after me, you have to deny yourself.
2:16You will never enjoy the benefits of the
2:19faith journey when there's no
2:21self-denial.
2:24The only way YOU CAN TRULY FOLLOW JESUS
2:26Christ according to scripture is when
2:29you deny yourself and you take UP YOUR
2:31CROSS. WHY WOULD God say to us after we
2:36surrender to him,
2:38take up the cross?
2:41Take up not our cross. Don't create
2:45problems for yourself and say it's the
2:47devil.
2:52>> You see, there are some crosses that we
2:54are where we we we have taken on that
2:58God did not permit it or permitted the
3:01devil to start him or to start them in
3:04our lives. These are problems we've
3:06created. But the verse says, take up his
3:09cross. In other words, take up the
3:12things that he has permitted for you to
3:15deal with.
3:18>> So, whatever you're dealing with right
3:19now, you have to figure out, did I
3:22create this problem or did God ordain
3:25the problem for me?
3:28>> You see, Jonah created a problem because
3:30he walked out of the will of God when
3:33God gave him instructions of where to
3:35go. Nineveh,
3:37he went to Tarses.
3:40See, he created a problem and that
3:42problem created a storm in his life.
3:46>> Unnecessary problems. Many of us, we're
3:49dealing with storms and problems that
3:52were unnecessary. We created them.
3:55But Joseph, on the other hand,
3:58was in a storm.
4:01His siblings betrayed him. He was sold
4:05into slavery.
4:07He got into part of her house, was
4:10accused of sexual assault,
4:13and then he was thrown into prison.
4:17Those issues, he did not cause it on
4:19himself, but God permitted it.
4:24>> God permitted it. Job, IT WAS GOD WHO
4:28WENT to the devil and said, "Have you
4:30considered?"
4:33See, Job didn't do anything that would
4:36create that problem in his life. No, it
4:39was God who permitted him. So, you and I
4:41need to understand this that when we're
4:43following Jesus Christ, take up his
4:46cross,
4:48>> embrace the problems that he HAS
4:52PERMITTED FOR US to endure in life, not
4:55the ones we have created. You see, the
4:59kingdom of God does not advance through
5:03self-promotion.
5:05Yes sir.
5:06>> Let me say it again. The kingdom of God
5:09does not advance through self-promotion.
5:12It advanced through selfdenial.
5:17Many believers want Jesus revealed to
5:20them only through what they hear from a
5:23preacher, a friend, a podcast or social
5:28media.
5:30But you see, your faith journey cannot
5:32survive on borrowed revelations.
5:40>> I have to say it again. Your faith
5:43cannot survive unborrowed revelations.
5:49>> So, as much as it's the preacher's job
5:52to come and stand on stage and preach to
5:55you every week, thank God for your
5:58friends. Thank God for podcast.
6:00Everybody's got a podcast today.
6:03Everybody's listening to podcast and
6:05social media. We've been inundated with
6:07information through social media, but
6:10that is borrowed revelations.
6:14At some point, you must encounter God
6:19for yourself.
6:22At some point in time in life, you've
6:24got to have a personal relationship with
6:27God where God speaks directly to you
6:31through his word or through revelations.
6:36>> So, here are two scriptures to help us
6:39understand our responsibility
6:42when it comes to spiritual maturity
6:45because it's our job to be spiritually
6:48mature.
6:50Come on, man.
6:52It's 2026.
6:55How long have you been in church?
6:58>> How long have you been a follower of
7:00Jesus Christ?
7:02Let's all mature.
7:06Second Timothy 2:15.
7:09This young preacher was encouraged to
7:13study
7:14to show yourself approved unto God.
7:19study requires
7:22set aside time and and and and really do
7:28some research and dive into the word of
7:30God. The only way you are going to be an
7:33approved believer on the faith journey
7:37is when you study. You taking personal
7:40time studying the word of God and not
7:43just living on what Henry Fernandez is
7:46telling you every week. Not just living
7:48ON WHAT YOUR FRIENDS HAVE told you. Not
7:51just living on podcast information. Not
7:55just living on social media.
8:02>> You want to know who God is,
8:05>> study.
8:07>> You want to get answers,
8:09study.
8:12>> You want to be in the will of God,
8:15study.
8:17That's the only way you're going to show
8:18yourself approved unto God. Cuz see,
8:22people may be influenced by you and may
8:25approve you, but does God approve who
8:28you are?
8:31>> I mean, think about it now.
8:34Just like when when when when John
8:37baptized Jesus, right? You remember last
8:40week we talked about that? And and and
8:43the Bible says that the spirit of the
8:45Lord came down like a dove and sat upon
8:49Jesus and a voice from heaven said,
8:51"This is my beloved son in whom
8:56>> I'm well pleased." Here's the question
8:59to all of us. God is looking down right
9:02now. And I mean for real,
9:05>> he is
9:06>> for real.
9:07>> This ceiling cannot block his vision.
9:13He's looking down on you right now
9:18>> where you're seated.
9:20>> And here's the question.
9:23Is he pleased with you?
9:30>> Can he honestly send a dove
9:35and let it sit on you?
9:38And will there be a voice from heaven
9:42that says, "This is my beloved son or
9:46daughter in whom I'm well pleased.
9:51She or he is not perfect, but I'm
9:54pleased.
9:55>> I'm pleased to know that they have
9:57surrendered their lives to me.
10:00I'm pleased to know that every time they
10:03fall down, they get back up and they
10:06look to me as the author and the
10:08finisher of their faith. Oh, I am
10:11pleased because you know what? Their
10:13their strength comes from me.
10:17>> I am pleased with them. I am pleased
10:20that they they they they could have
10:22reacted a a different way, but but but
10:25but they have allowed their steps to be
10:28ordered by me.
10:32>> Is he pleased with you?
10:36Because you ought to study to show
10:38yourself approved unto God. Romans
10:4110:17, it says, "Faith comes by hearing
10:45and hearing by the word of God." Faith.
10:47So, in other words, what it's telling
10:49us, in order to receive faith daily, you
10:54got to constantly
10:56be in a position to hear it. Faith comes
10:59by hearing. But wait a minute. I am so
11:02glad that the that the Apostle Paul
11:05added another part to that verse because
11:08he could have just said faith comes by
11:11hearing. Full stop. Then we could have
11:14assumed that hearing anything
11:19We could assume just hear it on the
11:20podcast, just hear it on television,
11:22just hear it on radio, just hear it from
11:24a friend, just hear it from an
11:26intercessor, just hear it from a
11:28preacher. But Paul made it absolutely
11:31clear that your hearing has to be from
11:35who? The word.
11:39>> The word.
11:41>> FAITH IS NOT GOING TO COME FROM GOOD
11:44PREACHING. FAITH IS NOT GOING TO COME
11:47FROM A GREAT SERVICE WHERE WE'RE
11:49SHOUTING AND THE MUSIC IS WONDERFUL AND
11:52WE'RE EXCITED. Faith is not going to
11:55come FROM A CONFERENCE. FAITH IS NOT
11:57GOING TO COME FROM a well-known
11:59psalmist. FAITH IS NOT GOING TO COME
12:02FROM ALL OF THESE RELIGIOUS things we we
12:05do each and every week. It says faith
12:07comes by hearing the word of God.
12:13So, could it be the reason why we lack
12:16faith
12:18is that we're hearing more of everything
12:20else except the word?
12:27>> Think about that. Because when it comes
12:29to the word of God, we've equated that
12:32to okay, it's just the preaching part of
12:34the sermon.
12:36So most people, I used to say it too,
12:39the most important part of the service
12:42is the word. That's not true.
12:46>> That is not true. The most important
12:50part of the service is not the word.
12:54It's not the word.
12:57That's not the most important part of
12:59the service. It's not the preaching of
13:02the word.
13:06Boy, you could just see some of your
13:08faces. I thought it was the message. No,
13:10that's why some of you come late all the
13:12time. Cuz you don't care about worship.
13:14You don't care about nothing else. I
13:16just want me my word.
13:21>> You miss it.
13:23>> You miss it.
13:24>> You want to know the most important part
13:27of the service? The most important part
13:31of the service is what you put in.
13:39It is the moment you enter into his
13:42gates
13:44>> into its courts.
13:46>> The most important part of it is when
13:49you get plugged into the flow
13:54>> because I tell you what, you could see
13:56it's true. There's some of you right now
13:58in this building. Some of you are
13:59streaming. You're in the building, but
14:02you're not in the worship.
14:10>> Your mind is all over the place, and
14:12you're more a spectator than a
14:14worshipper.
14:17>> You want to be entertained instead of
14:20tapping into the realm. So, the most
14:22important part of the service is
14:24everything in the service that you plug
14:26yourself in.
14:29Yes.
14:31>> See, if you just lean on the word,
14:33you're just leaning on Fernandez word.
14:36That tells me you don't have really
14:38strong faith because all you're hearing
14:40is what Henry says. And you don't even
14:43know if what Henry's telling you is true
14:46cuz you have no point of reference. Do
14:49you know how many Christians are going
14:51to church who just believe every word
14:54the preacher says?
15:02cuz we're impressed by good preaching.
15:10>> And if you know how to work the
15:11audience,
15:15>> you see, you cannot grow spiritually
15:19if your only exposure to God is
15:23secondhand information.
15:30What I really want to know is this.
15:33What's your experience with God?
15:36>> What is your experience with God?
15:39>> When you read the word, what is the word
15:41saying to you?
15:42>> Is it ministering to you? Have you had
15:45an encounter with God that you can stand
15:48up and defend your faith to say, "I know
15:53God is real. I don't need nobody to to
15:57to to really uh convince me. I know he's
16:01real. You may be an atheist, but I know
16:03God is real. But but beyond just
16:06clapping of the hands and going to a
16:07good church, I know God is real cuz I've
16:11encountered him for myself. Am I talking
16:14to anybody in this room?
16:20See, there is a danger
16:23>> in making yourself the center of
16:25attraction
16:27>> when it comes to the kingdom of God.
16:29There's a huge danger
16:31>> in making yourself the center of
16:33attraction
16:35>> because your faith journey, watch this,
16:38should never revolve around, watch this,
16:41the church you prefer,
16:44>> the pastor you like,
16:47>> the style of worship you enjoy,
16:50>> and the program and fellowship you
16:53benefit from.
16:56>> Preaching real good.
16:58You you see if if your faith journey is
17:02based on these things,
17:05when you see flaws in these things,
17:10>> it's going to shake your foundation.
17:16>> You see, if your faith journey is based
17:20on, man, I like that church or I don't
17:22like that church. I like that pastor. I
17:24don't like that pastor or I like these
17:26programs and you know and and the
17:27worship. If I like this, I if if your
17:31faith
17:33>> hangs on those things,
17:36>> then I'm telling you,
17:37>> it's going to affect you.
17:40>> The devil is going to shake your
17:41foundation because there are no
17:43scriptures that support the notion that
17:46these are the things you need to do to
17:48have a healthy relationship with God.
17:53No scripture supports that you can have
17:55a healthy relationship with God because
17:58you just only choose a church or you
18:03have a certain pastor over you or the
18:06the the style of worship. You like their
18:08worship and that that's why many
18:10churches are doing all kinds of crazy
18:13stuff today to attract people.
18:16>> Yes, they are.
18:18We're more driven by numbers.
18:23>> We're more driven to look important and
18:26to look like we're succeeding.
18:29So, WE COME UP WITH ALL THESE GIMMICKS.
18:31IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, YOU SEE WORSHIP
18:33LEADERS ON ROLLER SKATES SKATING WHILE
18:35THEY all kinds of crazy stuff.
18:41CAN WE JUST FORGET ABOUT WHO WE ARE IN
18:44THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND JUST WORSHIP HIM
18:47WITHOUT MASS? CAN WE JUST WORSHIP him
18:51unfiltered?
18:59>> Come on now. Think about it. I'm not
19:01saying some of the stuff we do we
19:03shouldn't do it. Please don't walk out
19:05of here a long off thinking he's
19:07blasting churches for coming up with
19:09creative ways. We do it here too.
19:13>> But what I'm saying, don't you ever hang
19:16your faith
19:19>> on these external things. Because if
19:22you're truly in the will of God,
19:26then wherever God places you,
19:30>> you be that place becomes sacred ground.
19:36>> But you could be in the lion's den.
19:44>> Yeah. Though I walk through the valley
19:46of the sha. See, sometimes God will take
19:49us through the valley. the shadow of
19:52death because that's when our worship is
19:55for real. Ah, can I get a witness here,
19:59man? Sometimes your greatest worship
20:02moments are when you're in a battle.
20:06When the devil knock you down. Glory to
20:09God. WHEN YOUR BACK is against the wall
20:11and you DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THAT'S
20:14THE MOMENT YOU CRY OUT TO GOD. You don't
20:17worry about your makeup. You don't worry
20:19about who's watching you. YOU JUST CRY
20:21OUT TO GOD BECAUSE you need his help.
20:28>> Come on now.
20:33>> Proverbs 35 and six it says, "Trust in
20:36the Lord with all of your heart.
20:39Don't lean to your own understanding. In
20:42all of your ways acknowledge,
20:44Acknowledge him in all of your ways.
20:46Acknowledge him and he shall what?
20:48direct thy path that it's it's it's it's
20:51when it's when you don't lean to your
20:54own understanding. You may not
20:56understand what you're going through.
20:57You may not understand, you know, what
20:59God is up to. But if you lean to God
21:04and you put your trust in him, then he's
21:08going to give you clear directions.
21:11So what I want you to know is that when
21:13God is direct in your life, obedience
21:17replaces
21:19preference.
21:23>> Let me say it again.
21:25When
21:28God is direct in your life,
21:32obedience replaces preference.
21:36Even when there are challenges, even
21:39when clarity is limited,
21:42even when comfort is absent, God, God,
21:48God is still the one we should follow
21:51and ultimately seek to please.
21:55>> Some of you, God sent you here to tell
21:58you, you're in discomfort.
22:01>> There's no denying.
22:04You're in a season of discomfort,
22:07>> but don't you let that discomfort block
22:10you from putting God first in your life.
22:15>> You see, there are some of us in this
22:17room and some of us who are screaming.
22:19I'm telling you, we have made up our
22:21minds. We are not going to walk away
22:25from our faith. WE'RE GOING TO TRUST IN
22:27THE LORD with all of our heart. WE DON'T
22:30CARE WHAT THE DEVIL THROW at us. We have
22:33been with God too long
22:37to doubt him. Oh, I wish I'd get a
22:39witness in this place today.
22:45Galatians 1 and 10 says, "For I or for
22:49am I now seeking the approval of man or
22:53of God?"
22:56>> For am I now? The question is, after all
22:59that God has brought you through,
23:01>> are you going to live the next half of
23:03your life seeking the approval of man?
23:09>> Is this what your faith journey has come
23:11down to?
23:14>> That you are worried about people?
23:18You are worried about people and some of
23:20the people you're worried about and
23:21you're wasting your time responding to,
23:24they need help themselves.
23:32>> Come on, man. So, I have to tell you
23:34that distractions
23:36are what what's hurting us as a people.
23:41>> The reason many believers get distracted
23:43is simple. We stop following God.
23:47>> And we start following our own hearts.
23:51>> We start following, watch this, cultural
23:53trends.
23:55We start following what is popular.
23:58>> Romans 12:2, Paul addressed this issue.
24:01He says, "Do not be conformed to this
24:03world, but be ye what? Transformed by
24:06the renewing of your mind."
24:08You see the enemy does not always attack
24:12you with the obvious sin.
24:15>> You know the the big sins
24:18we categorizes sin, right? Sometimes you
24:22see he distracts you with popularity,
24:28>> you know, with relevance,
24:33with the applause,
24:35with comparison.
24:39You want to know why some of you are not
24:40further in life?
24:43You have yet to value the worth God has
24:48already placed on you.
24:52You don't even know who you are.
24:57>> You live every day comparing yourself
25:00with people.
25:06>> Women are comparing yourself with women.
25:10comparing yourself with how she looks,
25:14>> how her dating life is, how her married
25:17life is,
25:19that she has children. The comparison
25:22game we play, men, we compare ourselves
25:27with other men,
25:29we compare ourselves with other people
25:31who look successful. We all of us we do
25:34we compare ourselves when we see things
25:37on social media.
25:39We compare ourselves. It's this
25:42comparison game we play. Not identifying
25:46or looking in the mirror to say we are
25:49fearfully
25:53>> wonderfully made. God never made a
25:56mistake when he created you.
25:59>> Think about that for a moment.
26:02First Peter 5:'8 says, "Be sober minded.
26:05Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil,
26:07prowls around like a roaring lion."
26:10>> He's sneaky.
26:13>> Devil is sneak. And if you're not
26:15careful, he'll sneak up on you and cause
26:18you to do certain things
26:20>> that will weaken you on your faith
26:22journey. The enemy's strategy is
26:25distraction from the essentials in our
26:29Christian faith. What are the important
26:31things? And I hope I'm not boring you.
26:34>> I hope I'm not boring you cuz you know
26:36uh you know if if we ain't shouting, we
26:40ain't making noise and the the music
26:42ain't playing, you know, we bored. Some
26:44of you sleeping already. God help you.
26:49You want to show you what the essentials
26:51of our faith are? Listen, because this
26:53is where we miss it. And you see, pardon
26:55me. I grew up this way. I grew up
26:57Pentecostal
26:59holiness. I mean holiness that till
27:02there was no hole to see through. I mean
27:05we were holy.
27:09Holy from the head to the toe.
27:12Everything covered up.
27:17I grew up that way.
27:20And one of the things that I believe I
27:22was deprived of, listen to me carefully,
27:27I was deprived of some key essentials
27:31because
27:33bless their heart. They they took it
27:35from their ancestors. So they didn't
27:37know any better.
27:40But they taught me, I'm only speaking
27:42for myself. They drove home the point
27:47of living to get to heaven.
27:50The rapture I remember remember
27:53>> they put the fear of God in you. The
27:57rapture going to come and snatch you
28:01like a thief in the night. And every
28:04morning you wake up. Oh,
28:08I'm still here.
28:10Every time you about to do something
28:13wrong and you did it. Come on now. Talk
28:15to me. And you did it. And you're
28:17looking, Lord, the rapture. Lord,
28:20forgive me. I'm so sorry. Oh, come on.
28:23Now you're at somebody's house. You
28:25ain't got no business at and you're
28:26looking out the window. Jesus, don't
28:28come right now. Give me about 24 hours.
28:30Let me go to church first.
28:34You know, I'm telling the truth,
28:39>> but certain things they really didn't
28:42emphasize on
28:45>> that the only way to keep your faith
28:47journey strong, you got to pray.
28:51>> What is prayer? Communication with God.
28:55>> Many of us struggle to talk to God.
28:58Here's the reason why. because it
29:01requires us to take the mask off.
29:07>> That's why it's so easy to pray in
29:09public because when we pray in public,
29:11we put on because we're praying so that
29:15others make sense of our prayers.
29:20But you see, when you're praying to God,
29:23>> it doesn't matter the language,
29:25>> the pronunciation, the accuracy, come on
29:28now, of the verbiage.
29:32>> He knows your heart.
29:35>> Right? He knows your heart. So, how's
29:37your prayer life? That's an essential
29:40part of your faith journey. What about
29:42the word?
29:44Right? It's it's not See, I grew up.
29:46It's the shout. You remember that? It's
29:48the shout, man. The organ and the
29:51movement. And come on now. And you can
29:53when you when you say church was good,
29:56it was just sh preacher didn't preach
29:59nothing. All he preached. Tell the Lord
30:02thank you. Tell the Lord thank you.
30:07Stand up and turn around three times and
30:10high five your neighbor and tell the
30:14Lord thank you.
30:17where in the Bible it says that.
30:23Now, I'm not saying if they've done it,
30:25it's wrong.
30:26>> That's a preaching style. Everybody's
30:28got their own preaching style. I get
30:30that. Please don't misquote what Henry
30:32is saying.
30:35>> What I'm saying is we can sit in a
30:37sermon.
30:38>> Yes, sir. and repeat the same sentence
30:42over and over and walk out not empowered
30:45because there's no word in it.
30:50>> All we did, we got excited.
30:53>> Yes, sir.
30:54>> We don't know the word. That's when
30:56that's why when the enemy comes at you
30:58to attack you, you don't know the word.
31:02>> You don't know the word.
31:03>> Yes, sir.
31:04>> When you're under attack, the only thing
31:06you can do Hey, I read you. Hey, what is
31:10that?
31:12Demons don't respond. Hey,
31:17>> they'll look back at you and say, "Hey,
31:18I can do it, too.
31:25Let me behave myself." Demons know how
31:28to act.
31:30Look at the neighbor and say, "Demons
31:31know how to act.
31:38Worship is essential.
31:40>> Service under God is essential.
31:43>> The joy of generosity is essential.
31:47Kingdom culture is essential. Kingdom
31:50culture is how you behave.
31:54>> Not just in public, but in private
31:56places.
31:58>> So, what I want you to know is that
31:59Satan cannot stop your salvation. He
32:02can't stop it. has been bought with the
32:04blood of Jesus Christ. However, he will
32:06try to watch this neutralize the impact
32:09of your salvation
32:12and the impact it has on your life
32:16by allowing you to walk outside of the
32:18word of God
32:21and start performing.
32:24You see? So, let me talk a little bit
32:27and I try to wrap this up about
32:29religious masks and performances in
32:31Christianity.
32:35>> Cuz anytime you start hitting cuz we
32:38cannot deny the fact there's a lot of
32:41stuff that was taught to us in
32:43Christianity, it is not biblical.
32:48Amen.
32:50>> And that's why I applaud these
32:52millennials. You know why I applaud you
32:55guys? Because you refuse to let people
32:58shove stuff down your throat they can't
33:00prove.
33:03See, my generation
33:06just hear it. Shut up. Don't ask no
33:09question.
33:13>> Don't ask no question.
33:15>> So for years we believe a lie.
33:18We believe something that's not totally
33:20true.
33:21>> But these millennials, they are reading
33:26>> and they're searching for God. Do you
33:27not know? Uh research shows that there
33:31are more millennials now coming to
33:33church
33:34>> than ever before. Don't let the devil
33:36lie to you and make young people ain't
33:38going to church. That's a lie. They are
33:40coming to church. The problem is those
33:42of us who been in the church long, we
33:44are the ones leaving or even if our body
33:48is there.
33:52>> Spiritually, we're not here.
33:55>> We're the ones playing. See, these
33:57millennials, I love them. They are real.
34:01>> They are real. They show up real.
34:04>> But we've been in the church long
34:06enough. Our job is to scan them from
34:09head to toe and and we're trying to fit
34:12them into an old unscriptural system
34:17and they are not having it.
34:27>> They are not having it.
34:29>> You're not going to box me into this.
34:32>> Come on now. You don't grow up with all
34:35that nonsense. I remember I grew up
34:37where women are not supposed to wear
34:39pants.
34:40Y'all remember that?
34:43>> Quote scriptures. Uh women are not
34:46supposed to wear pants. A woman should
34:47not put on a man's garment and all that
34:50kind of a stuff and did not know proper
34:53scripture.
34:55>> Amen.
34:56>> Because they failed to understand it was
34:59talking about a cultural system back
35:02then. I had to pose a question to
35:04someone who brought it up. And yeah,
35:06women I remember this was years ago
35:08though, years ago, um we used to have
35:11people on the the the stage, you know,
35:13from the old church um worship team put
35:16on pants and boy, believe it or not,
35:18people would argue with me. Why you
35:20letting them people up there with pants
35:22on and earrings and it was crazy. Pardon
35:26me, those of you just came in the
35:27church. I know it sounds like really for
35:29real some of these old saints men.
35:37And you know what I had to say to them?
35:40That scripture you're quoting out of
35:41context. See this? This is why you need
35:43to know the word so you can defend the
35:46word.
35:48Listen, you're taking the scripture out
35:50of context
35:51>> because what you fail to understand if
35:54you're saying that people
35:58should not wear the opposite sex
36:01garment. How do you define a male
36:05garment versus a female garment? How do
36:07you define? Well, watches. A man should
36:09always wear pants and a woman should
36:11wear dress. I said, let me take you back
36:12to history then.
36:14>> Do you understand what what Jesus wore?
36:24Work with me here. Do you understand
36:26what the apostles wore back then?
36:30>> It wore no pants.
36:47Boy, you should see the looks on some
36:48people's face. Hopefully, you stay
36:51saved.
36:53Let me say this.
36:55Second Timothy 3:5 says, "Having a form
36:58of godliness but denying its power."
37:02You see, I want you to know that the
37:04kingdom of God is not about, watch this,
37:07performance.
37:09>> Here's the big words. It's about
37:12transformation.
37:15>> It's not about performance.
37:18>> It doesn't matter how well you perform,
37:20how gifted you are, or even how you
37:23project yourself with religious mask. If
37:27you are not being transformed, you are
37:30just performing.
37:34>> And the culture this ministry is trying
37:37to develop
37:38is getting beyond performance
37:41>> to transformation.
37:43>> What we want to see is our young people,
37:47middle-aged seniors
37:49transformed.
37:52>> Transformed.
37:55taking the mask off. This is not Watch
37:58this. I know this is going to hit you.
38:00This is not about perfection.
38:04>> This is not about getting everything
38:05right in your life.
38:08This is about okay going before God.
38:12Going before God and say, "God, this is
38:14me.
38:15>> This is the raw me.
38:18>> I surrender my life to you. I know these
38:21things I'm doing. I know this that these
38:24things I've said. I know my past may not
38:26have been pretty. But God, I come to you
38:30just as I am
38:34>> because I want my faith journey to be
38:38meaningful with you. Here are three
38:42important principles about self-denial
38:45and the benefits of it on your faith
38:48journey. Number one, self-denial
38:51protects your worship.
38:54Self-denial protects your service.
38:58Self-denial
39:00protects your purpose.
39:04You see, when self is crucified,
39:07then Christ is glorified.
39:11>> When self is crucified,
39:15Christ is glorified. Now, how how you
39:18how do you glorify God? You cannot
39:20glorify God
39:22if you're not close to him.
39:25>> James 4
39:27verse 8 says, "Draw near to God and he
39:31will draw near to you." Draw near to God
39:36and he will draw near to you. I'm going
39:42to close it off with this demonstration.
39:44Can I use you for a second? Yes. Can I
39:47use you for a second? I want you to come
39:49here.
39:51Why don't you come here
39:53and then come here? Um,
39:57yeah. I tell you what. Tell Sir, come
39:59here. Come here. Let me use you. Come
40:01here.
40:03Stand over here. Please stand over here.
40:09This is our problem as people of faith.
40:15This is our problem.
40:17We have we are being pulled away from
40:21the presence of God
40:25by what we hear, what we see, and what
40:29we perceive in our minds.
40:32So many of you have allowed your mind to
40:36control you
40:38to the degree that the thoughts you're
40:42having
40:44is not even real.
40:48Some of you are experiencing
40:51a sense of being
40:54walking in spiritual being spiritually.
40:58you you're walking in.
41:01>> I don't want to say the word. I don't
41:03that I just don't want to say it.
41:15>> But watch this. And this may help some
41:17of you to get back on track
41:21because the problem is Come here, sir.
41:23You stay right there. Come here. The
41:26problem is there was once a time in your
41:29life you were close to God.
41:32>> Come on.
41:34>> Whether it's the day you surrendered
41:36your life to him. You remember that day,
41:37that moment
41:40when you asked God to come into your
41:42heart and you felt like a brand new
41:45person. If any man be in Christ,
41:48>> new creature,
41:50>> new creation.
41:52You were close to God. Remember you read
41:54your Bible.
41:56You would pray. You didn't even know if
41:59you were praying good prayers or not
42:00because it didn't matter. You were a
42:03young Christian. That excitement you had
42:06in going to church, it was never an
42:08option where you choose. Well, you know,
42:10I think I'll go every other week.
42:14That was never the issue here. Your
42:17first love for God,
42:19you talked about God. You told everybody
42:22about him. and you were doing well.
42:26And then Paul says, "Draw near to God."
42:30You were. But then all of a sudden, the
42:34same word that is telling you, "Draw
42:36near to God." Satan has a scripture
42:42and he's going to do everything to pull
42:44you away from God. So, he's going to
42:48every now and then
42:50and he'll come and he'll say, "Come
42:54spend some time with me, man. I got
42:56something for you. Come over here.
43:01Um, don't read your Bible yet.
43:04Check your phone."
43:08>> And that demonic thing that's called
43:11algorithm
43:16the one watch you did on something, all
43:20of a sudden the algorithm picks it up
43:23and it becomes enticing enticing and
43:27before you know it, you're not close to
43:29God anymore.
43:32All of a sudden, you used to tell
43:34people, "Sunday, I'm sorry. If we're
43:37going to do brunch, it's going to be
43:38after church."
43:43But now the enemy comes to you.
43:47Man, see that outfit?
43:50That's a brunch outfit.
43:56You can do that next Sunday.
43:59So he set you up. So the passion to go
44:04to brunch with a new outfit.
44:07So now you've abandoned your core values
44:12>> that I I I work seven days or God has
44:16given us seven days a week. I work five
44:18or six. I have to give God something.
44:22>> So all of a sudden he pulls you away. He
44:25brings people in your life
44:28and start having conversations
44:32and because watch it. Stay right there.
44:34Because you see when you are close to
44:36God, any little bit of negativity,
44:40any toxicity,
44:43the Holy Spirit, you are so close to
44:45God, he'll shut it down.
44:51But you're so far from God
44:55>> that even when God is speaking to you,
44:58you have no conscience anymore
45:02>> because you are not close to him
45:05anymore.
45:07>> And he keeps pulling you away. I don't
45:09know what he's using to pull you away
45:12from him. And he pulls you away and he
45:14pulls you away and he pulls you away
45:17till he brings you to the edge. My God.
45:24>> My God.
45:25>> See,
45:27because he never wants you to be on the
45:33same level. It's one thing to be drifted
45:38or to be pulled away from God. As long,
45:42watch this, as long as God is in reach,
45:48>> you have a good chance.
45:51Just like when Adam and Eve sinned,
45:55>> and the Bible said they ran AND HID
45:58THEMSELVES from God, they knew they
46:01sinned.
46:02>> And that's what the enemy wants you to
46:04do. He wants you to run away from God
46:08and not own up
46:11>> to the fact that you've drifted.
46:14>> And he brings you to the edge.
46:17And he let everything
46:20that would bother you, that would affect
46:23you,
46:24cause you. Watch this. And I don't know
46:27who this is for, cuz some of you are at
46:30the edge this morning.
46:41And here's what the devil wants you to
46:42do. Jump.
46:54>> But I am sent by God today
46:58to tell you,
47:00don't you jump.
47:05Don't you jump.
47:07Come on, look at your neighbor and tell
47:08them, "Don't you jump."
47:11Come on, encourage somebody. Tell them,
47:13"Don't you jump. Don't you jump. Don't
47:16you jump.
47:18Don't you let the devil derail you.
47:20Don't you jump.
47:23Don't you jump. I want you all to stand
47:26on your feet." Thank you, sir. I want
47:27everybody to stand on your feet.
47:31I don't know who God
47:34is talking to this morning,
47:38but if you say, "Henry, I've heard
47:40enough.
47:42This message was for me."
47:45Get back to your first love.
47:49I know you drifted, but get back to your
47:51first love. Get away from the edge. Get
47:55away from the pit that the devil wants
47:58you to jump in. Don't be like the
48:01prodigal. Don't be like that boy
48:05where he walked away from his covering
48:08and ended up in the pink spin.
48:12Don't you do that. If God spoke to you
48:15this morning, whomever you are, I want
48:18to pray for you. I want you to move out
48:20of your seat quickly. I want you to get
48:22down here and say, "Pastor, this word
48:24was for me today. I needed it." Come on.
48:27Don't think about what nobody's going to
48:29be thinking about you walking down here.
48:31You make peace with God this morning.
48:39You recommmit your life to him this
48:41morning.
48:44You once again make that step of faith
48:47and say, "God, I surrender all
48:50everything. I give you all of me.
48:53Withholding nothing.
48:56Withholding nothing. I give you all of
48:59me. Thank you for this message today. I
49:02needed this message today. This was for
49:05me today. God, you've answered my prayer
49:08today. Wherever you are, they're coming.
49:11Come on, let's celebrate them. Let's
49:12celebrate them. They're coming. They're
49:14coming. They're coming.
49:20Thank you, Jesus.
49:22Thank you. We need the ministers. Wrap
49:25yourself around these people at the
49:27altar. Come on. They're still coming.
49:29Those of you are streaming.
49:31We want to pray for you, too. We want to
49:34pray for you, too. But I'm telling you,
49:36start trusting the Lord. Get back to
49:39your first love. Get back to your first
49:41love. Get close to God. Don't allow life
49:45and its circumstances pull you away from
49:47him because I'm telling you, all it's
49:50going to lead to is the enemy pushing
49:53you into a pit. Don't allow him to do
49:56that.
49:58As you're standing here this morning,
50:02not only myself, but the ministers are
50:04behind you. We want to pray for you.
50:08Listen to show you how much God loves
50:11you. He sent this message just for you.
50:15Because you know what? Whom he loves,
50:18he'll chase.
50:20See, people will give up on you, but God
50:23will never ever give up on you. He don't
50:27care if your past. He don't care if the
50:29mistakes that you keep making. God will
50:32go to hell and back to find you. Are you
50:38hearing me?
50:40>> All you need to do is to get back to
50:41him. I'm telling you, you know the stuff
50:45that you've been doing ain't paying off
50:47anyway. Why don't you just give it all
50:49to Jesus
50:52and let him handle it?
50:54Let me pray with you. Lift your hands.
50:56If you're standing in front, lift your
50:58hands.
51:00Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank
51:02you
51:04for these men and women.
51:07Some with tears rolling down their
51:09cheeks
51:12know that this is a God moment for them.
51:16They needed this moment.
51:19So God, I thank you that you're
51:22stripping the mask away. I thank you
51:25that you're healing the brokenness.
51:28I thank you, God, that you're delivering
51:30them right now. I thank you, God, that
51:33you're showing them that you will never
51:36leave them and you'll never forsake
51:39them. I thank you, God, that you've made
51:42a covenant with them once again. You've
51:44reminded them this morning of that
51:47covenant. Your love is everlasting.
51:52Your truth will endure forever.
51:55So I ask you this morning that you would
51:57touch every man, every woman,
52:00who are here at the altar, those who are
52:02streaming,
52:04who are saying, "I give you all of me. I
52:08give you all of me. My time, my life, my
52:11energy, my hearing, the words that I
52:15speak. I give you all of me. I
52:18surrender. I surrender. I surrender. I
52:21surrender. God, I thank you for their
52:24obedience this morning.
52:27I thank you that you're bringing them
52:30into a new realm of worship
52:34that from this day forward, God, they're
52:37going to daily pull themselves closer
52:40and closer and closer and closer to you.
52:44that though they enjoy the luxury of
52:48modern technology but nothing will come
52:51between you and them. They will not put
52:55social media before uh you. They will
52:59not allow a man or a woman to take more
53:01time God in their lives than you. God, I
53:06pray today that you would birth in them
53:10a new passion
53:12to serve you like David as the dear
53:15panthe after the waterbrook. So pampered
53:18MY SOUL
53:20AFTER THEE.
53:23So would you bless them today?
53:26Thank you that you're healing their
53:29brokenness
53:31and we give you praise for it. Those of
53:33you are standing, lift your hands. Come
53:35on, lift it. Live it. Live it. And close
53:37your eyes so you don't get distracted.
53:40And out of your own mouth, come on,
53:43begin to thank God your way. Come on,
53:46out of your own mouth, begin to thank
53:48him for embracing you this morning. Come
53:51on, say something to him. Begin to thank
53:54him. Begin to thank him because he
53:57married the backslider. He's the one
53:59who's embracing you this morning. Just
54:01like that father when that boy came back
54:04home in the book of Luke. Glory to God.
54:07The father welcomed the son and had a
54:10feast for him. I'm telling you, heaven
54:12is rejoicing right now because you have
54:15totally surrendered your life to him.
54:18Come on. Come on. Thank him for that.
54:20Thank him for that. Thank him for that.
54:22Thank him for embracing you. He's not
54:25judging you this morning. I'm telling
54:27you, he's not judging you. He's not
54:29judging you this morning. He's not.
54:34With arms wide open, he's embracing you
54:38today.
54:40Don't hold back. Don't hold back. Don't
54:43hold back. In the name of Jesus, we give
54:46you praise. Father, thank you for an
54:48amazing service today.
54:51Thank you that on Wednesday as we come
54:54out, I pray that your people will put it
54:57on their calendar and make the effort to
55:01come back to your house on Wednesday to
55:05be fed again to learn more about our
55:08relationship with you and our
55:11relationship with one another. Thank
55:14you.
55:15May the rest of this day be a day that
55:20will be encouraging, a day of
55:22relaxation,
55:24a day that we can feast on the fact that
55:28we had a divine encounter with you. And
55:31we'll be careful to give you the praise,
55:33the honor, and the glory. And we declare
55:37with our mouth today our confession that
55:41faith in God will always move mountains
55:46out of our lives. God bless you. God
55:49bless you.
55:51God bless you. Thank you. Thank you.
55:55>> Go believe in God. Go believe in God. Go
55:58believe in God.