Together We Can
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 1/18/2026Ephesians 2:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Judges
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42:02
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez uses the story of Gideon to illustrate that when believers unite under God's instruction and embrace their true identity, they can overcome any obstacle through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Key points
- •Unity is the foundation of Kingdom progress. When a house is divided - whether in a marriage, a family, or a church - it loses its power to stand and its ability to represent God's purpose.
- •God defines your identity based on your destiny, not your current feelings or past failures. Like Gideon, you may feel weak or insecure, but God addresses you as a 'mighty warrior' because of the potential He placed within you.
- •The battle is spiritual and must be fought with spiritual weapons. Success doesn't come through carnal strategies, physical strength, or even large numbers, but through the Spirit of God and obedience to His instructions.
- •Love is a non-negotiable requirement for the believer. Power without love is a performance that fails to transform the world; true kingdom impact requires a sound mind, spiritual authority, and genuine love for others.
- •God often uses 'stripping seasons' to ensure He gets the glory. He may reduce your resources or your support system so that when the victory comes, it is undeniable that it was achieved by His hand alone.
Scripture
Purpose
Community
Faith
Authority
Life application
This week, identify one area where you have been trying to fight a battle in your own strength or through 'carnal' means (like arguing or manipulating). Surrender that situation to God in prayer and ask Him for a spiritual strategy rooted in love and sound judgment.
Reflection questions
- In what ways have you allowed your past 'losses' or 'caves' to define your identity instead of God's Word?
- Are there areas in your life where you are 'performing' for a crowd rather than seeking the approval of God alone?
- Gideon's army was reduced from 32,000 to 300; has God ever 'stripped away' something you relied on to teach you to trust Him?
- How can you demonstrate the 'light' of Jesus in a dark situation this week without relying on your own 'swords' or arguments?
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Full transcript
0:00Now, quickly, I want you to
0:03really focus your attention on
0:06everything that will come from this
0:08sermon today.
0:10I'm asking you not to allow anything to
0:14distract you.
0:16Why? Because I think this message is
0:18important. A lot of times we come to
0:21church and we want sermons
0:24that will excite us. We want sermons
0:27that will just motivate us for the
0:29moment.
0:31But I believe that God is speaking to
0:33his church today, the church that he has
0:37redeemed.
0:39And uh he is motivating us to get beyond
0:43excitement
0:44s
0:45>> beyond our feelings
0:48>> and be about his business
0:51>> and that is kingdom business.
0:54So just for a brief moment, I want to
0:58kind of take you back a little bit to
1:00what we started talking about last week
1:04and where God wants to take us this week
1:08in the book of Judges. I want to focus
1:11on a theme. Together we can.
1:14[clears throat] Together we can. A lot
1:17of times as believers, you know,
1:19especially those of us or people of
1:21faith, we have a tendency to want to do
1:24things by ourselves.
1:28You know, we want God to consider us as
1:31his favorite. And so, we compete with
1:34each other. And so, we have a divided
1:38house. Not just a church, but we have a
1:41divided house. In our homes, we have a
1:44divided house. It's amazing how people
1:46walk down the aisle and become one but
1:49live separate lives.
1:52>> It's amazing how people say they love
1:55each other and they're dating yet they
1:58live independent lives.
2:02And we fail to understand that there's
2:05power in unity.
2:09>> There's power when it comes to unity
2:12when we unite. And so I bring before
2:15this church today that the task that God
2:19has placed before us in our individual
2:22lives and as a corporate body can be
2:26done if we come together. So last week I
2:30shared with you that every one of us is
2:33called by God to become the best version
2:37of ourselves. And I want to remind you
2:40today that the battles you are fighting
2:44in life, whether it is insecurity,
2:49fear, maybe you're doubting yourself,
2:53perhaps [sighs]
2:54you're having some relationship
2:56struggles, or even financial pressure.
3:01Those battles are not random.
3:06They're not random.
3:08The stuff you are going through is not
3:11random. There's a reason behind the
3:14struggle. There's a reason behind your
3:16fight.
3:18And while you are focused so much on the
3:21struggle and on the fight, YOU'RE
3:23MISSING THE LESSONS THAT God is trying
3:26to teach you.
3:28>> And so everything you are dealing with
3:31in this season of your life is connected
3:35to a bigger picture.
3:38They are connected to the fact that
3:41there is purpose in your life and
3:44there's a reason God placed you on the
3:47planet. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10
3:51says, "For we are his workmanship." You,
3:55you and I are his workmanship, created
3:59in Christ Jesus for good works.
4:04So that lets us know that YOU HAVE THE
4:07ABILITY TO DO GOOD WORKS.
4:10You have the ability to be great. You
4:13have the ability to succeed. You have
4:15the ability to become the best version
4:18of yourself. How do I know that? Paul
4:21says you are his workmanship. You're
4:24created in CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS.
4:27SO EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT performing at
4:30your best, it doesn't mean that you
4:33don't have the ability
4:36>> to do it.
4:38So Satan understands that
4:41something
4:43that most of us tend to forget. He
4:46understands something that most of us
4:48tend to forget. If you if you are
4:51distracted from your purpose,
4:54if he can discourage you and break your
4:58confidence,
4:59then he can delay and rob you of your
5:03purpose.
5:05>> Yes, sir.
5:06>> And I have to talk to you like a pastor
5:09today cuz I am your pastor.
5:12Stop letting the devil rob you of your
5:16purpose.
5:19>> [applause]
5:20>> Listen, it's time you GET YOUR ACT
5:24TOGETHER. YES, SIR. YES, SIR.
5:27>> IT'S TIME YOU STOP WASTING TIME. It's
5:29time you TAP INTO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
5:32AND BECOME THE BEST [screaming] THAT GOD
5:35HAS DESIGNED you to be. And somebody
5:38ought to give God praise for that.
5:41[applause]
5:43Here's what First Peter 5:8 says. It
5:47says, "Be sober. Be alert."
5:50Because your adversary, THE DEVIL, WATCH
5:52THIS, HE'S WALKING AROUND LIKE A roaring
5:55lion, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. WHY
5:59ARE YOU ALLOWING SATAN TO DEVOUR YOU?
6:04>> Why do you open up to him on Monday?
6:09>> Why do you give him room ON TUESDAY? WHY
6:13DO YOU ALLOW HIM TO RENT SPACE FROM YOU
6:16ON WEDNESDAY?
6:18>> WHY DO YOU ALL THE WAY TO SUNDAY ALLOW
6:22THE DEVIL TO ROB YOU? Because he's
6:25waiting. I'M TELLING YOU, you're in
6:27church today. you're streaming and yes,
6:29you're you're been empowered BY THE WORD
6:31OF GOD, but there is a a person or a
6:37spirit,
6:38DEMONIC forces who are waiting this week
6:43>> to devour you,
6:47>> to devour your mind,
6:50>> to devour you at the workplace, setting
6:52traps for you, and some of you just fall
6:55right into it.
6:57Come on, talk about it.
6:59>> You lose your spiritual sense
7:02and and and your discernment and you've
7:05allowed SATAN TO SET TRAPS FOR you and
7:09you fall right into it.
7:12HE PUSHES YOU TO SAY THINGS when you
7:15should shut your mouth.
7:20[applause]
7:20>> So, YOU LOSE THE BATTLE BECAUSE YOU
7:23OPENED YOUR MOUTH.
7:27He pushes you to do things that are
7:29against the will of God. And it's very
7:32unfortunate that many of you are not
7:35fully aware of who you are.
7:39You're not you're not aware of your
7:41abilities. You're not aware that God has
7:45placed greatness on the inside of you.
7:48And if you would just simply just
7:51embrace kingdom culture and just walk by
7:55faith, your life will go to a whole
7:59another level.
8:02>> So I told you last week that Gideon
8:06didn't even know who he was.
8:10He was insecure,
8:13fearful.
8:15He didn't even fully understand the
8:17value of himself or the potential he
8:20carried. But the angel of God met him
8:24and addressed him with his name, a name
8:28that is very, very unique, a name that
8:31didn't even match how he felt.
8:35The angel of the Lord told Gideon that
8:38he was a mighty warrior. A mighty
8:42warrior. That's according to Judges
8:446:12. The Lord is with you, oh mighty
8:49man of valor.
8:51>> Didn't even know who he was because his
8:55feelings robbed him of his purpose.
9:01>> His feelings robbed him of his identity.
9:07Some of you have no idea that all of
9:10what you've been through in the past
9:13cannot rob you
9:15>> of your destiny.
9:18[applause]
9:22>> But you've allowed what you've been
9:24through, your losses.
9:26You have allowed the breakups,
9:29the failed marriage,
9:31>> the dysfunctional family,
9:34the confused mind, the addiction. YOU
9:37HAVE ALLOWED ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO ROB
9:40YOU. SO EVEN WHEN YOU SIT IN THE PLACE
9:43OF GREATNESS, you don't know who you
9:47are.
9:49EVEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU,
9:51YOU'RE A MIGHTY WOMAN OF GOD, you're a
9:53mighty man OF GOD, YOUR FEELINGS ARE
9:56ROBBING YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE SO WRAPPED UP
9:58IN YOUR HURTS.
10:03>> You're wrapped up,
10:06>> in your losses.
10:08Gideon
10:10was wrapped up in his losses because if
10:14you know the story, the Midianites, they
10:17were vicious kinds of people and they
10:20would rob them the Israelites of their
10:23crop, their their earnings, their
10:25possessions.
10:27And the Bible said that it discouraged
10:30them to the point where they started,
10:33oo, thank you, Lord, they started living
10:35in caves.
10:38I wonder who in this room this morning
10:40is living in a cave.
10:43>> You've allowed your circumstances in
10:45life to cause you
10:49to live in a cave.
10:52You're free,
10:54>> but mentally you're in bondage.
10:58PHYSICALLY WALKING THE STREETS,
11:01PHYSICALLY RUNNING YOUR FAMILY,
11:03PHYSICALLY FUNCTIONING ON THE JOB,
11:05PHYSICALLY RUNNING A BUSINESS, but you
11:08are mentally enslaved.
11:11>> Wow.
11:14>> But you don't even know who you are. And
11:16the angel cried out to HIM AND SAID,
11:18"MIGHTY man of valor." GIDEON FELT WEAK,
11:22BUT GOD CALLED HIM MIGHTY. And today I
11:27strongly believe in my heart that God is
11:29speaking to you the same way he spoke to
11:32Gideon. God is addressing you as a
11:34mighty warrior, someone with the ability
11:37to do great things for him, especially
11:40as it relates to his kingdom.
11:45I'm sent here today to remind you of who
11:48you are.
11:50YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH.
11:53>> YES, SIR. YES, SIR.
11:56Are you hearing me this morning?
11:58[applause]
11:58>> YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH.
12:02>> DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? MANY PEOPLE
12:05COULDN'T HAVE HANDLED WHAT YOU'VE BEEN
12:07THROUGH, YET YOU'RE STILL STANDING, YET
12:10YOU'RE still believing, YET YOU'RE STILL
12:12GIVING GOD THE PRAISE AND THE HONOR AND
12:15THE GLORY. GIRL, YOU OUGHT TO PAT
12:18YOURSELF ON THE SHOULDER CUZ YOU'VE BEEN
12:20THROUGH HELL AND BACK AND YOU'RE STILL
12:22STANDING.
12:24>> [cheering]
12:25>> ARE YOU HEARING ME THIS MORNING?
12:28>> YOU OUGHT TO BE PROUD OF YOURSELF.
12:31I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE FIRE. I'VE BEEN
12:33THROUGH THE FLOOD. THEY TALKED ABOUT ME.
12:36THEY CRITICIZED ME. THEY TURNED THEIR
12:38BACKS ON ME. BUT I'M still standing.
12:42Oh, y'all not with me this morning.
12:45[applause]
12:46YOU OUGHT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE. YES, SIR.
12:50>> You see, God never calls you based on
12:53your feelings.
12:55>> He calls you based on your destiny.
12:59>> Put your feelings out the way.
13:01>> I want TO ANNOUNCE TO ALL OF YOU IN THIS
13:03BUILDING AND ALL OF YOU ARE SCREAMING,
13:06GET YOUR FEELINGS OUT OF THE WAY AND IT
13:09WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
13:12[applause]
13:13>> WELL, I don't feel good.
13:15>> That don't have nothing to do with it.
13:18Well, they're talking about me. They're
13:20treating me bad. That has nothing to do
13:23with it because who God bless.
13:29>> I'M TELLING YOU TODAY, IF GOD HAS
13:32BLESSED YOU, [screaming] NOBODY CAN
13:35REVERSE THE BLESSING OVER YOUR LIFE.
13:39NOBODY. DON'T GIVE PEOPLE THE CREDIT OF
13:42CURSING YOU WHEN GOD HAS ALREADY
13:45[screaming] BLESSED YOU.
13:49>> [cheering]
13:51>> WOO! MY GOD, I FELT THAT ONE.
13:55Nobody can curse you.
13:58>> 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given
14:02us a spirit of fear."
14:04>> So, I bind the spirit of fear in this
14:06building today. We're not going to walk
14:09around this planet anymore fearing
14:12nothing. BECAUSE IF GOD IS with us,
14:16who give me a name, give me AN ADDRESS.
14:20IF GOD IS FOR YOU, SHOW ME THE MAN OR
14:23THE WOMAN WHO CAN DO YOU HARM.
14:27NOBODY.
14:30WOO. Glory to God.
14:33>> He says, "God has not given you the
14:35spirit of fear, but of power and of
14:38love." Power. Power. You got power.
14:42Somebody shout, "I got power."
14:45You're not saying it like you got power.
14:47You sound weak. You sound weak like you
14:50you didn't have breakfast this morning.
14:52Shout it out. I got power. [screaming]
14:56>> But not only power. Now, this is what we
14:59believers miss a lot.
15:03>> We shout, "I got God on my side.
15:07I love the Lord and God's with me. And
15:09no weapon FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL
15:11PROSPER,
15:12>> but you don't have love.
15:16[cheering]
15:17[applause]
15:18Read the text.
15:21I GOT POWER TO CHASE DEMONS,
15:24but you are hating chasing demon
15:27individuals.
15:31>> We got too much haters in the body of
15:34Christ.
15:36And we need to stop it. If you DO NOT
15:38HAVE LOVE, YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE GOD
15:42THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING.
15:45[cheering and applause]
15:47[laughter]
15:50[applause and cheering]
15:52WE CHRISTIANS NEED TO STOP IT.
15:56DON'T YOU SHOUT AND SPEAK IN TONGUES NO
15:58MORE UNTIL you start loving.
16:02Don't you put your hands up. Lord, I
16:04worship you. I PRAISE YOU. STOP ALL THAT
16:07CRYING and put your hands down and love
16:10YOUR NEIGHBOR. LOVE YOUR FAMILY. LOVE
16:13PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THEY DESPITEFULLY USE
16:17YOU AND SAY ALL MANNER OF EVIL AGAINST
16:20YOU. LOVE [screaming] THEM.
16:29It says,
16:31>> it didn't give you the spirit of fear,
16:34>> but power
16:36>> and of love.
16:41>> The way we're GOING TO REACH THIS WORLD
16:44>> IS NOT BY OUR AWESOME PRAISE and
16:47worship.
16:48>> IT IS NOT BY HOW YOUR BISHOP PREACHES.
16:53>> IT'S NOT THE music and the excitement.
16:55AMEN.
16:56>> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET NOBODY TO BE
16:58TRANSFORMED AND TO and to FIND OUT WHO
17:00OUR GOD IS BY PERFORMANCE.
17:05>> SOME OF US, WE PERFORM TOO MUCH AND HAVE
17:07NO LOVE.
17:10[cheering]
17:11>> WE CAN BE SOME OF THE MEANEST PEOPLE ON
17:14THE PLANET.
17:23He says we have power.
17:26>> Somebody say power.
17:27>> Power.
17:28>> Now, let me see if you GOT THIS SECOND
17:30ONE. LOVE.
17:32>> Glory to God.
17:33>> Well, live it as loud as you shouted it.
17:38>> Live it the way you just said it. Amen.
17:44>> Love.
17:45>> So you walk out of here, start loving
17:47people.
17:48>> Start loving your family and stop being
17:50so mean towards them.
17:52>> Start loving your spouse and stop being
17:54so evil towards your spouse.
17:59>> Start loving your children and stop
18:00being so mean and evil to your children.
18:03Yes.
18:08>> Start loving the people who come through
18:10these doors that you may not understand.
18:23mind
18:26>> cuz some of us just acting crazy.
18:31[laughter]
18:32>> We're just acting stupidly crazy.
18:38>> Sound mind. In other words, having the
18:41ability to process things,
18:45>> reasonable,
18:48>> the ability to to think
18:51and to be able to to process things
18:54properly, sound, sober mind,
18:59>> sober mind.
19:02That means you've been doing the same
19:04thing over and over and over
19:10every year
19:12>> expecting to get a different result.
19:18>> Y'all need to just stop performing and
19:20getting with excitement. Last week we
19:23had balcony people fill this place up.
19:26Where are them people?
19:31>> [applause]
19:35>> They waiting for the fast next year.
19:38That's what they're waiting on. THEY'RE
19:39WAITING FOR THE FAST NEXT YEAR BECAUSE
19:42it's performance.
19:56>> Look at your neighbor and say,
20:03>> [laughter]
20:05>> SO LET ME BE CLEAR THIS MORNING.
20:08>> YOUR STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH 2026
20:11in the years ahead of you does not
20:13depend on your own ability.
20:17It doesn't your own strategies
20:22or the strategies of the world. It
20:25doesn't. The victory is not so that you
20:29can boast about how powerful you are or
20:34that you are God's favorite or his
20:38anointed.
20:39Look at what 2 Corinthians 10:4 says.
20:43For the weapon of our warfare, they're
20:45not what?
20:47>> Come on. Come on, everybody read it.
20:53mighty God.
20:56>> The weapons that we use
20:59>> are not the weapons the world will use.
21:03>> Not physical weapons, not with guns and
21:07knives or our mouths or verbal or
21:10nonverbal
21:11or attitude. No, the Bible says they're
21:16mighty in God.
21:18It's through prayer.
21:21It's through fasting. It's through
21:23worship. It's through sound mind.
21:27>> It's through the act of love.
21:30Because the reason God doesn't
21:33doesn't allow us to fight with the
21:37connor weapons. It is so that we take
21:40the credit. Because with Gideon,
21:44God called him and God says, "It's time
21:46to go fight." But Gideon instantly
21:50resorted to the carnal mind. I got to
21:53have SO MANY PEOPLE FIGHTING WITH ME.
21:55I'M GOING SOMEWHERE WITH THIS. Stick
21:58with me here. Don't don't don't cause me
22:00or anybody's to distract you now. You
22:03got to focus on this. This is important
22:07because WE AS A CHURCH AND YOU AS AN
22:10INDIVIDUAL, YOU GOT A BATTLE TO FIGHT.
22:14>> AND YOU CAN NO [screaming] LONGER FIGHT
22:17THIS BATTLE IN THE FLESH.
22:21>> That's why you're losing it.
22:24>> That's why year after YEAR YOU'VE BEEN
22:26ROBBED.
22:28>> JUST LIKE the Midianites,
22:31SATAN WILL ROB YOU. HE'S A PROWLER and
22:35he's WAITING WHEN YOU'RE MOST VULNERABLE
22:38TO STEAL from you, TO STEAL YOUR JOY, TO
22:41STEAL YOUR PEACE, TO STEAL YOUR PASSION
22:44FOR GOD.
22:47>> So according to Zechariah 4:6, it says,
22:50"Not by might,
22:52>> nor by power, but it's by my spirit,
22:55says the Lord of hosts. Yes.
22:57>> Anything that's going to happen into
22:59your life, it's not going to be by your
23:02might.
23:04>> Whatever you're going to achieve in life
23:06is not GOING TO BE BY YOUR MIGHT.
23:09>> THAT SPOUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, STOP.
23:12I'M TELLING YOU, STOP doing it your way.
23:16It's not by how cute you look.
23:22>> Listen to me, ladies.
23:27BECAUSE YOU WANT A HUSBAND. YOU WANT A
23:29MAN IN YOUR LIFE. YOU'RE PUTTING ON ALL
23:31THESE MAKEUP AND YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING
23:34TO ATTRACT HIM. DOING EVERYTHING TO
23:38ATTRACT THE GUY. IT'S ALL ABOUT BEAUTY.
23:41IT IS THAT'S NOT HOW YOU GET A REAL MAN.
23:45>> Trust me. [applause]
23:48Trust me.
23:50>> THAT'S NOT HOW YOU get a real man.
23:54That's right.
23:55>> Because a real man in this house WILL
23:58TELL YOU WHAT WILL ATTRACT HIM WHEN IT
24:02COMES TO A WOMAN IS NOT EXTERNAL BEAUTY.
24:07>> That will fade.
24:15[applause]
24:21>> MOST GOOD MEN WILL KNOW. [screaming]
24:23DON'T GET CAUGHT UP WITH EXTERNAL
24:25BEAUTY.
24:29>> DON'T
24:31>> BECAUSE ALL OF THAT GIVE HER 10, 20
24:34YEARS.
24:37>> OH, y'all not with me this morning.
24:39Y'all looking at me strange. Yes, sir.
24:44>> That going to change.
24:48And women, YOU WANT A MAN THAT WILL LOVE
24:52YOU WITH OR WITHOUT MAKEUP.
24:56[cheering]
24:59[applause]
25:04>> So stop trying to have a healthy
25:08relationship
25:09>> by your own might.
25:12>> Thank God.
25:14STOP TRYING TO BUILD YOUR FAMILY ON YOUR
25:17own strength.
25:20>> STOP TRYING TO GET A HOUSE AND ALL THESE
25:23MATERIAL THINGS YOUR way
25:26>> cuz it's going to put you in DEBT
25:29>> WITH THE LUST OF THE EYE. YOU'RE A
25:31KINGDOM CITIZEN. YOU ARE NOT OF
25:34[screaming] THE WORLD.
25:36>> COME FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE.
25:39THAT'S THE WORD.
25:41>> WOO. My goodness.
25:44So let me go quickly now to Judges
25:46chapter 7 when you read from verses 1 to
25:49verse 22
25:51>> because there are some powerful lessons
25:53we can learn from Gideon's life about
25:56what God is doing in this season. And
25:58you see, God has still proven to the
26:01world that he is God and that he still,
26:04watch this, still has a remnant, a
26:09people he will use to bring victory to
26:13his people. The Bible shows us that
26:15Gideon accepted the challenge.
26:18He finally accepted the challenge. Okay,
26:22I'm going to fight the Midianites. Cuz
26:24remember last week I told you he was
26:27timid. He was fearful
26:29and he tested God three times cuz he he
26:33doubted God.
26:34>> Yes.
26:35>> And I know how you feel sometimes. Woo.
26:37Thank you, Lord. There's so many times
26:40God is speaking to you
26:42>> and you're not sure.
26:46>> Anybody can attest to that?
26:49>> Sometimes you're like, I think this is
26:51God and you're not sure. It's okay cuz
26:54Gideon, God says, "It's time to go fight
26:57those people who are robbing you. I want
27:00to shut them down. I want to liberate my
27:03people." And Gideon, you're the man.
27:05[clears throat]
27:06You're the man. You are the man. And he
27:10wasn't sure. And so he tested God. Got
27:15to prove yourself to me, man. I don't.
27:17And three times
27:19God proved himself to him. But even with
27:23that, he still doubted.
27:26>> Do you not know God has handpicked you?
27:30>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm talking about you.
27:32>> You.
27:33>> I'm talking about you.
27:35>> He handpicked you. And I know you don't
27:37feel adequate. I know you don't feel
27:40that you are the person. What can God do
27:42with your life? I'm telling you, he
27:44handpicked you.
27:46>> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
27:48>> And even with him proving God three
27:50times,
27:52That wasn't enough. The Bible said that
27:56the angel God told Gideon, "I tell you
27:59what, the Midianites
28:02are having a discussion.
28:05Go down to their tent
28:08and listen [clears throat] to what
28:10they're saying.
28:12>> Can Can I just put my little piece? It
28:14It a It ain't in the Bible, but just
28:16this just me, right?" When I when I read
28:18that, I said this the first time God
28:23will tell you to go easedropping on the
28:25enemy.
28:28>> Read it.
28:30>> God told him, "Go down there." and he
28:33was down there and he was listening and
28:37they were telling of a dream
28:41and they interpreted the dream and
28:44basically in the dream they saw this bal
28:48of bread
28:50roll down the hill went into the
28:54Midianites tent and the bread was so big
28:59that it rolled down and it knocked over
29:02the tent.
29:04And Gideon was sitting there listening,
29:07you know, to the interpretation of the
29:09dream. And the interpretate, it wasn't
29:11Gideon who interpreted it. This was an
29:14interpreter of dreams back in those
29:16days. Just like today, some of you going
29:18to these people reading your palms,
29:23>> same thing.
29:25>> Same thing.
29:27So this person started interpreting what
29:30the dream meant and they said the dream
29:33is about God using Israel
29:39to conquer you the Midianites. Can you
29:42imagine one of the Midianites telling
29:45the whole Midianites
29:48that Israel going to kill all of you?
29:54It was that moment
29:57>> Gideon finally said,
29:59>> "I believe
30:03>> some of you this year are going to get
30:05some incredible dreams,
30:08>> my word."
30:10And those dreams are going to be
30:12confirmation
30:14>> to what God has been telling you over
30:18the years.
30:20And the Bible says Gideon got up
30:24>> and watch this. Yes, we can, but we're
30:29not going to do it together in large
30:33numbers.
30:35The mistake you make is you think you
30:38need a whole lot of stuff
30:41to do what God wants to do in your life.
30:44Some of you think you need a lot of
30:46company. You need a lot of friends.
30:50>> Some of you think you need a whole lot
30:52of money
30:53>> to do what God wants to do in your life.
30:56If God can put fish mouth uh money in
31:00the mouth of a fish
31:02>> to pay taxes,
31:05>> read your You see, you don't read. Some
31:06of you looking, huh? Is that in the
31:08Bible? Yes.
31:10>> Yes. Yes. It's in the Bible. The taxes
31:14of the temple and the apostles were due.
31:16Even Jesus's taxes. Could Jesus paid
31:20taxes?
31:21>> Yes.
31:27>> Well, I'm a Christian. I'm not a part of
31:29the worldly kingdom. Yeah. Render unto
31:32>> Caesar.
31:33>> Oh, so y'all know your Bible.
31:37And even with that,
31:40the Bible says God told him, "Go down by
31:43the lake and you'll find money."
31:46>> So God knows how to supply your every
31:48need. So Gideon
31:51gathered. He was bragging cuz you got to
31:54remember now Gideon last week I told you
31:57Gideon said that the Midianites army
32:01were like locust, like the sand by the
32:05seashore. There were so many. So Gideon
32:07said, "GOD, I'M READY TO FIGHT. 32,000
32:10MEN." AND HE WAS BRAGGING. WATCH THIS. I
32:13GOT 32,000 MEN READY TO GO FIGHT THE
32:17MEDIDIANITES.
32:18AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, GIDEON GATHERED THE
32:2132 GUYS. AND HE SAID, "HEY, WE GOING
32:24DOWN TO THE CAMP AND WE GOING TO KILL
32:26ALL THEM PEOPLE BECAUSE GOD SAYS SO.
32:29THEY'VE BEEN ROBBING US AND IT'S TIME
32:31FOR US TO GET OUR FREEDOM BACK." AND
32:34WHEN GIDEON FINISHED, THE BIBLE SAYS 22
32:38THOUSANDS [screaming] OF THE MEN LEFT.
32:45>> We ain't going down there.
32:49Y'all know them people left. They
32:50vicious.
32:52Y'all can go kill y'all off. No. I got
32:54my family, my kids. I got the club to go
32:57to next week. I I got all kinds. I I
33:00want my life. 22. Listen. Thank you,
33:05Lord.
33:06Don't be shocked
33:10>> when the crowd you once trusted
33:14>> walked away from you.
33:17[applause]
33:18>> Don't be shocked
33:21>> because it's not by might.
33:24>> DON'T BE SHOCKED WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE
33:27WALKING AWAY FROM YOU. 22,000
33:30men left.
33:34>> Jesus,
33:34>> he was down to 10,000.
33:37>> And you would think, great, 10,000. God
33:39says "No no no no.
33:41>> You still got too many." Because,
33:44watch this. It's not about the number.
33:49>> It's about the chosen.
33:53>> Woo. That's good right there. It's not
33:55about the number.
33:58And God finally said,"Gideon, let me
33:59tell you how to do this now." And I'm
34:01trying to wrap this up now. God says,
34:03"Gideon, I want you to take all of them
34:08down by the stream
34:12>> and here's what I want you to do. Give
34:14them an instruction." Now, pay attention
34:17to this.
34:19>> You know what will separate
34:23the followers
34:25from the called ones?
34:28It's how willing
34:30you are to follow instructions.
34:38>> Gideon was instructed by God, "Go gather
34:42them and those
34:44who
34:46>> use their hand
34:48to drink from the spring
34:53separate them."
34:55But those who would drink from the
34:57stream,
35:03>> separate them.
35:06>> Out of 10,000,
35:09>> 300
35:13followed the instruction.
35:15>> Yes, sir.
35:19>> Because there's something about
35:22>> the hands that God gave you.
35:26There's something about
35:28trusting the ability that he placed
35:31inside of you
35:33>> and drink from his fountain,
35:36>> drinking from his word.
35:39>> 300 guys
35:42were not ready for battle. [snorts]
35:45>> Isn't that insane? That doesn't make any
35:48sense.
35:50You're going to fight an army that you
35:52can't even number.
35:54And now you're left with 300 people.
35:59God gave Gideon
36:01a strategy. And church,
36:05if we are going to be effective
36:09in going out there and fight battles and
36:12win them, you better get your eyes away
36:16from numbers.
36:21>> [applause]
36:21>> Some of you will only perform at your
36:25best when you have a crowd.
36:31>> And that's why you fumble.
36:34>> That's why you mess up. That's why
36:36you're insecure because you are
36:38depending on the strength of support
36:40from others.
36:43But God will strip you down
36:46>> until you learn to trust him by
36:49yourself.
36:53[music]
36:55He'll strip you down to nothing. So some
36:57of the losses you have had, the reason
37:00why, if you go back to the text, God
37:02said to Gideon, the reason why I'm not
37:05giving you so many men is so that when
37:08you win the battle, you won't take
37:11credit for it.
37:14[applause]
37:15>> God will strip you down so that when you
37:18get the victory, you won't say, "It's my
37:20education.
37:22>> It's it's my position.
37:25It's my connections.
37:28>> God said to Gideon, "Here's what I want
37:30you to do. The Midianites,
37:33they have their camp.
37:36I want you to separate the 300 people in
37:39three groups,
37:41100 in each group." And Gideon said to
37:46each of them, "Follow my instruction.
37:50I'm going to give you a clay jar. And in
37:53the clay jar is a lantern, a light.
37:58And I want everybody to follow me. This
38:01is this is important cuz where this
38:04church is going, where your life is
38:06going, we got to do this together.
38:10300 cuz if Gideon had 32,000 people,
38:15trust me, they wouldn't have done what
38:16they did
38:18>> in defeating the Midianites.
38:20Cuz some of you just don't follow
38:22instructions. Well,
38:26>> you don't.
38:28>> The Bible says Gideon told them, "Hey,
38:30here's what I need you to do.
38:32We're all going to go down to the camp
38:34and we're going to surround the camp.
38:37Just surround it." Picture this. 300 of
38:41them with the lantern,
38:44with the clay jar. And Gideon
38:48said,
38:50"I have a trumpet
38:54and I'M GOING TO BLOW IT." WHEN I BLOW
38:56IT,
38:59that's the best I can do.
39:02When I do it,
39:05that's an indication that you break your
39:07clay jar
39:10strategy. Yes.
39:12>> And when you break it,
39:15just follow my instruction.
39:18They did exactly that. Here is the
39:21amazing thing about we can do it
39:24together. If we work
39:27and say, God, we'll build your church.
39:30We'll build our own personal lives. is
39:33when they broke the clay jar.
39:37The light that came from the clay jar
39:42that surrounded the camp was so bright
39:48that when the Midianites in the camp
39:51woke up,
39:54many of them [clears throat]
39:56ran.
39:58We ain't dealing with this. We don't
40:00know what this is, but the rest of them,
40:04check this out. The rest of them who
40:08were there, the light was so bright.
40:14The light of God's word
40:18is so powerful,
40:20so bright that it will shine in the
40:24darkness of the world that all of those
40:28who left in the camp
40:30pull out their sword.
40:33AND BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT, you
40:36ever you ever try to put a bright light
40:37in your eyes? The light was so bright
40:40they started swinging their sword and
40:43swinging their sword. At the end of the
40:45day, watch this. The Israelites didn't
40:50they had no weapons, no guns, no well,
40:52you know, KNIVES, SWORD, NONE OF THAT.
40:56The Bible says everybody in the camp,
40:59the Midionites
41:02killed themselves off.
41:06Not one Israelite
41:08touched one Midianite.
41:12>> Do you understand the power of the light
41:15of Jesus Christ that's in you? [music]
41:19That if you use it correctly, THE BATTLE
41:22IS NOT YOURS, it's the Lord's. THAT THE
41:26LORD WILL FIGHT THE BATTLE FOR YOU. AND
41:29I'M SAYING FAITH CENTER, WE NEED TO GO
41:31OUT THERE AND SHINE THE LIGHT OF THE
41:34GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND TELL MEN
41:38[screaming] AND WOMEN TO SURRENDER TO
41:40GOD. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT. LET
41:43[screaming] THE LORD FIGHT THE BATTLE
41:45FOR US. AND SOMEBODY OUGHT TO GIVE HIM
41:48PRAISE IN THE house today. [music]
41:52Let the Lord fight it.