Before You Quit | June 14, 2026

[00:00:20]Come on, let's sing it together, church.

[00:00:23]who breaks the power of sin and darkness. Whose love is mighty and so much stronger. The king of glory, the king above all kings who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder.

[00:00:47]Jesus breathless and all in wonder. The king of glory, the king above all kings. Come on. Here we go.

[00:00:59]This is amazing grace. That's right.

[00:01:02]Come on. This is unfailing love.

[00:01:09]You would take my place.

[00:01:13]You would bear my cross.

[00:01:18]You down your be.

[00:01:29]Oh Jesus, I see you. all that you've done for me.

[00:01:44]Who brings our chaos back into order?

[00:01:49]makes for a son and daughter.

[00:01:54]The king of glory.

[00:01:56]The king of glory rules the nations with truth and justice shines like the sun and call all of his brilliance. The king of glory, the king above all kings. Come together church.

[00:02:16]This is amazing grace.

[00:02:20]This is unfailing love.

[00:02:25]There you see my face.

[00:02:30]You will bear my cross. You lay down.

[00:02:35]You lay down your life.

[00:02:40]Now be set free.

[00:02:46]Oh Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me.

[00:02:53]Come on together. Worthy.

[00:02:56]Worthy is the lamb who was slain.

[00:03:01]Worthy is the king who conered the grave.

[00:03:06]Worthy is the lamb who was slain.

[00:03:10]Worthy is the king who conered the grave. Come on. Worthy is the lamb who was slain.

[00:03:20]Worthy is the king who conered the grave. Cuz worthy is the lamb who was slain. Worthy, worthy, worthy. Oh, this is amazing grace.

[00:03:37]This is unfailing.

[00:03:41]Call you my cross.

[00:03:52]You down.

[00:04:04]Jesus, I see all that you've done for me.

[00:04:16]All that you've done for me.

[00:04:23]Come on. We're so thankful today, church. Hallelujah. Amen. And amen. God is so good.

[00:04:46]When I'm walking through the valley, your presence is around me. Cuz nothing stands between me and my God.

[00:04:58]And the fear that was my prison is no longer where I'm living. Cuz nothing stands between me and my God.

[00:05:11]There's no place I go that he is not.

[00:05:17]Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

[00:05:24]We'll be dancing through the darkness cuz we believe it.

[00:05:30]Every stronghold has to break in the name of Jesus.

[00:05:36]Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

[00:05:46]When the ground below is shaken, my joy cannot be taken.

[00:05:53]Nothing stands between me and my God.

[00:05:59]So I'm looking to Jesus through pieces.

[00:06:05]Nothing stand between me and my God.

[00:06:14]There is fre.

[00:06:20]We believe it every single once the enemy flee.

[00:06:46]Watch the walls come crumbling down when the people of God sing. And hear the heavenly roar of every heart set free.

[00:06:58]Hear the chains of shame hit the ground.

[00:07:02]When the people of God sing and watch the lives break off, watch the enemy free.

[00:07:11]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:07:21]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:07:31]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:07:41]Heat. Heat.

[00:07:52]Yeah.

[00:07:55]Heat.

[00:08:05]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:08:20]There is freedom.

[00:08:26]Amen. Thank you.

[00:08:44]Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty.

[00:08:56]Early in the morning, our song shall rise to thee.

[00:09:09]Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty God in three person blessed ready.

[00:09:43]Holy, holy, holy.

[00:09:49]Though the darkness hide me, though the eye of sinful men I remain not see, thou are holy.

[00:10:14]There is none beside thee perfect and power and love and pure.

[00:10:32]Halleluah.

[00:10:34]Hallelujah.

[00:10:41]Hallelujah.

[00:10:47]Hallelujah.

[00:10:53]Will Jesus reign, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.

[00:11:13]All thy works shall praise thy name in sky and sea.

[00:11:27]Holy, holy, you are merciful and mighty.

[00:11:38]God in three person.

[00:11:52]Oh hallelujah.

[00:11:59]Hallelujah.

[00:12:05]Hallelujah.

[00:12:11]Oh Jesus reign over it all we sing hallelujah.

[00:12:23]Yes hallelujah.

[00:12:29]Sing hallelujah Jesus.

[00:12:47]Heat. Heat.

[00:12:58]Heat.

[00:13:01]Heat.

[00:13:11]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:13:21]Heaven for me.

[00:13:26]You are holy.

[00:13:29]You are holy.

[00:13:32]Jesus.

[00:13:34]You are holy, holy, holy.

[00:13:46]Lord God Almighty, God in three person blessed.

[00:14:05]Blessed Trinity.

[00:14:10]You are the blessed Sworthy swordy.

[00:14:40]All my words fall short.

[00:14:45]I've got nothing new.

[00:14:49]How could I express all my gratitude?

[00:14:58]I could sing these songs as I often do.

[00:15:08]Every song must end and you never do.

[00:15:17]So I'll throw up my hands praise you again and again.

[00:15:24]Cuz all that I have is hallelujah.

[00:15:32]Hallelu.

[00:15:36]I know it's not much. Got nothing else fit for a king except for heart singing hallelu hallelu.

[00:15:58]I've got one response.

[00:16:03]I've got just for you.

[00:16:08]With my arms stretched wide, I will worship you.

[00:16:17]So I'll throw my praise you again and again.

[00:16:25]All that I have is I know it's not much and nothing else for except for I see.

[00:17:03]Oh, my heart cries out to you, Jesus.

[00:17:06]Oh, my heart cries out to you.

[00:17:13]Oh my soul, don't you get shy. Lift up your soul. You got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord.

[00:17:32]Come my soul. Don't you get shy on me.

[00:17:36]Lift up your soul. You've got a lion inside of those thoughts.

[00:17:43]Get up and praise the Lord.

[00:17:50]Come on my soul. Don't you get shin of your soul. You got light.

[00:18:03]Praise the Lord.

[00:18:08]Come my soul. Don't you can't shine on me of your soul. You got a light inside those lord.

[00:18:45]So I throw my hands you again and again.

[00:18:52]All I have is a heart.

[00:19:00]Heat. Heat.

[00:19:13]Heat.

[00:19:16]Heat.

[00:19:38]Oh, I sing all my hallelujah to you, Jesus.

[00:19:44]Oh, it means highest praise.

[00:19:48]I give nothing else highest praise except your name.

[00:19:54]Only you are worthy, Jesus.

[00:19:59]Only you are worthy.

[00:20:03]Only you are worthy.

[00:20:07]Come on. So I So I'll throw my air.

[00:20:15]Praise you again and again.

[00:20:20]It's all that I have is hallelujah.

[00:20:28]Hallelujah.

[00:20:33]I know it's not much.

[00:20:36]Nothing else fit for king except for heart singing hallelujah.

[00:20:49]Hallelujah.

[00:20:54]Hallelujah.

[00:21:00]Hallelujah.

[00:21:08]God is so good.

[00:21:19]I am an instrument of exultation.

[00:21:27]I was born to live the name above all names.

[00:21:33]You hear the mey of all creation.

[00:21:41]There's a song of praise that it only I can bring.

[00:21:46]Who else is worthy?

[00:21:50]Who else is worthy?

[00:21:54]There is no one only Jesus.

[00:22:01]Who else is worthy?

[00:22:04]Who else is worthy?

[00:22:08]There is no one only Jesus.

[00:22:15]And you are the answer of the aes.

[00:22:23]And yet you chose to make my heart ground.

[00:22:29]You heal the broken.

[00:22:33]Show me your glory.

[00:22:37]I have songs that makes not even who else is worthy.

[00:22:46]Who else is worthy?

[00:22:50]There is no one only Jesus.

[00:22:57]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:01]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:05]There is no one Jesus.

[00:23:11]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:15]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:19]There is no one.

[00:23:22]Only you Jesus.

[00:23:25]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:29]Who else is worthy?

[00:23:33]There is none only you Jesus is worthy.

[00:23:52]Jesus Jesus God, anointed one who was and is and is seated on the throne above. Holy, holy, and rightous one who shed his blood. You prove to us the father's love. Jesus Christ be lifted up. Holy, holy, lamb of God in one who works in this.

[00:24:44]He seated on the throne above his holy holy and rightous one who shed his blood. You prove to us the father's love Jesus Christ be lifted up.

[00:25:04]And who else is worthy?

[00:25:08]Who else is worthy?

[00:25:12]There is no Jesus worthy.

[00:25:23]Heat. Heat.

[00:25:36]Heat.

[00:25:39]Heat.

[00:25:49]Heat. Heat.

[00:26:01]There is no Jesus.

[00:26:08]There is no Jesus.

[00:26:22]And who else is worthy?

[00:26:26]Who else is worthy?

[00:26:30]There is no only you Jesus.

[00:26:37]And who else is worthy?

[00:26:41]Who else is worthy?

[00:26:46]There is no only you Jesus.

[00:26:53]And who else is worthy?

[00:26:57]Who else is worthy?

[00:27:01]There is no one only you Jesus.

[00:27:08]And who else is worthy?

[00:27:12]Who else is worthy?

[00:27:16]There is no one only you Jesus.

[00:27:23]And who else is worthy?

[00:27:27]Who else is worthy?

[00:27:32]There is no one only you Jesus.

[00:27:39]And who else is worthy?

[00:27:43]Who else is worthy?

[00:27:47]There is no only you Jesus.

[00:27:53]>> There is no There is no only you Jesus.

[00:28:02]There is none.

[00:28:06]Only there is no oneus.

[00:28:10]There is none.

[00:28:13]Only you Jesus.

[00:28:17]For there is no one.

[00:28:21]>> There is no one. We claim this with our hearts.

[00:28:25]There is no one only us only.

[00:28:40]There is none, only Jesus.

[00:28:48]There is no only Jesus.

[00:29:08]Thank you.

[00:29:11]>> Thank you, Father.

[00:29:25]>> There is no Jesus.

[00:29:31]You said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

[00:29:40]battles and struggles, past and fear, worry and doubt, is not the way, is not the truth, and has no life.

[00:29:53]Jesus, the risen one.

[00:29:58]Oh, how amazing is his grace today.

[00:30:04]So no matter the situation, no matter the circumstance, no matter the mountain top or the valley, oh God loves you so much and he is for you today.

[00:30:23]And his presence is not only with you and for you and surrounds you.

[00:30:30]We need to understand that his presence is within us now because of what Jesus did.

[00:30:48]I just said to my heart that it's time to declare in so many people's lives that the thing that we're battling is not the truth. The thing that we're battling has no life.

[00:31:07]It doesn't matter the valley because even in the valley, he says, "I am with you. I am for you. I come before you. I come behind you. I surround you with my favor and my goodness and my grace like a shield.

[00:31:32]So many people see a valley and such discouragement and despair.

[00:31:42]And I love it the way that David looked at the valley of Allah to where there was a giant standing in the valley.

[00:31:56]And David ran.

[00:31:58]He ran in the valley.

[00:32:02]He ran toward the giant because he knew if God was for him, none could stand against him.

[00:32:11]Our hearts need to be so confident today and full of hope and life. And that was before Jesus even came. That was before Jesus paid the price. That was before the ability to be a new creation and have God's presence dwell within us.

[00:32:29]That was before all of it. So, how much more should we be confident today in his hope, in his goodness, in his love, in his life, knowing that he is for us and never against us? And no matter what we see, if God is for us, none can stand against us.

[00:32:49]So, thank you, Jesus.

[00:32:52]that we get to stand here today proclaim that you are worthy the risen one that you are alive and alive forever more and you paid the price that we can never pay so that we could live in you for all eternity.

[00:33:07]Thank you. Thank you that our hope.

[00:33:10]Thank you that our life today is in you.

[00:33:14]The foundation, the rock that will never fail. So we thank you.

[00:33:20]We don't look to the left. We don't look to the right. We keep our eyes on you today, Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. And we say thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the hope that we have today. Because who else is worthy? There is none but you Jesus. We give all the honor and the glory and the praise to the name of Jesus. Jesus alone. Come on. If you agree with us, shout amen today church.

[00:33:48]Amen. Come on. God is so worthy. Amen.

[00:33:51]Amen. Hallelujah.

[00:33:54]Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Father.

[00:33:57]Come on, turn to somebody. Give him a high five, a hug, a handshake. Let them know you love them. Let them know Jesus loves them. Man, there's not a better place that any of you could have chosen to be than right here because God has such an incredible plan for each and every one of you. Keep your heart open today and I promise your life will never ever ever ever be the same. Oh, we love you and God loves you so much and we are family here at Word of Life. So, welcome home church.

[00:34:28]Thank you so much for joining us today.

[00:34:30]Whether you're here with us in this room or a part of our online family, we are so thankful that you're here. Before we continue on with our service, it's now time to take a few minutes to share some church news.

[00:34:57]session three of Wednesday study begins this week. If you want to sign up for one of our classes, including our membership growth track, Spirit, Soul, Body, or Who is God? You can sign up today at wordoflife.urch/ church/events.

[00:35:12]If you plan to join us for the sanctuary study, which will be on the book of Jonah, you don't have to register in advance. We will just see you all here at 7:00 p.m. for worship before classes dismissed. Vacation Bible School is for ages 5 to 12, and it's happening Monday through Friday, July 13th to the 17th from 9:00 a.m. to noon each day.

[00:35:32]Registration is open now, but we also need volunteers to make this week a success for the hundreds of kiddos that join us. If you would like to volunteer, see Sandy or Kelsey in the kids zone and sign up today. Our membership growth track begins with Catch the Vision and our next Sunday class will be on Sunday, June 28th. If you would like to get involved with what God is doing here, join us that morning at 11:00 a.m. Mark your calendars and plan ahead with us.

[00:36:01]Life Kids Blaze has a camping trip planned for June 26th to the 28th. We have a family movie night planned for Wednesday, July 8th. And the movie will begin at 6:30 p.m. Mark your calendars now for our special anniversary celebration service happening on Sunday, September 20th at 10:00 a.m. Our monthly newsletter has details about everything you heard here and more. So whether this is your first time here or if you have been a part of our family for years, make sure you have a copy on hand so that you don't miss what's coming up at Word of Life. If this is your first time joining us, make sure you stop by our connection center in the front lobby because we have a special gift just for you. Thank you all again for being here.

[00:36:43]God is doing awesome things in and through our church and we are so blessed that you are choosing to be a part of it all.

[00:36:54]Good morning church.

[00:36:57]How are you all doing this morning?

[00:37:00]>> Good. Good. Um this morning is graduate recognition Sunday. So if you've graduated from high school, trade school, college, uh ministry school, any any type of graduation, we want to recognize you this morning. We're going to invite you up front. So if I have any graduates here this service, if you can make your way to the front or wave at me, let me know you're coming. There we go.

[00:37:30]So, graduation it often we look at and we celebrate the milestone. We celebrate the achievement.

[00:37:36]We have ceremonies and we we look at and we're like, "Oh, we arrived this moment and we don't just celebrate the moment that we celebrate the process because we know that often times when we come to these milestone moments, these mountaintop moments in life, there's a process that gets us there. And seldom do we ever actually arrive at these moments the same people as when we started. So could I get a round of applause? Can we celebrate these graduates with me?

[00:38:13]So I want to I want to read a verse um out of Psalm 119. And in my teen years my I I remember my mom singing this Psalm 119 105. It says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." But the passion version says, "Truth's shining light guides me in my choices and decisions. The revelation of your word makes my pathway clear."

[00:38:37]As we celebrate this moment, I want us to remember that his word every day of our lives as we make decisions in the present, he will guide us. And I know that you've arrived this moment. We're celebrating the mountaintop of graduation, but God didn't bring you this far just to bring you this far. He has a plan. He has a purpose for your lives. And as you're making the decisions on what's next, as you make those decisions with him, know that in his word, he will guide those decisions that you make today in the present, but that his path, your path, the path of Jesus is illuminated by the revelation of who Jesus is to you. that Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you in those decisions and in those paths because he has a purpose for you. And that's the journey and that's what that's the celebration is that we get to do life with Jesus. We get to walk the journey of life with him. So, can we recognize them one more time? We're just going to celebrate them. Congratulations.

[00:39:38]And if I could have you all exit this way, we have a gift. You can see my lovely assistant over here.

[00:39:45]Thank you so much for coming up and congratulations again.

[00:39:52]And I'm sorry before you guys go back to your seat, we are going to pray for you.

[00:39:56]So I was so excited to give you the book that we didn't pray for you. So that's my mistake. I'm going to come down to you. I feel bad. I I made you guys exit the stage and give you a book. That's my That's my bad. I'm sorry.

[00:40:10]Father God, Lord, we thank you for these graduates. Father God, we thank you, Lord, for what you have done, God, over these years, Father, as they've just prepared for this moment. God, we thank you, Lord, for what you've done in their hearts, in their lives. Father, we thank you, Lord, that this isn't the end, Father, of your plan and your purpose for them, Lord, but it is a launching pad into the future, launching pad into launching pad, Father, into their purpose and into the path you have for them, Lord. So, Father, guide them, lead them, direct them as we know that your word promises that you will protect them, Lord. And Father, we look forward to just celebrating, God, all that you're going to do in their lives and through their lives, Father, to advance your kingdom. So, we bless them in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[00:40:55]>> Amen. Thank you guys. Thank you for coming up.

[00:41:02]>> Amen. And Amen. Good morning.

[00:41:05]>> Morning.

[00:41:06]>> You're doing well. You blessed, >> highly favored.

[00:41:10]>> Amen. And amen. Stand with me if you would.

[00:41:16]>> You I got to thinking after all these years that I've been doing this, you know, I still get nervous when I come up here. And um >> thank you for that. Amen. So, uh, and there's times where, uh, and I think the reason being, of course, is that that element that I have to believe that God's going to use me to minister to you. I never want to come up here and just give you a cute sermon and waste your time. I want to come up with the word of God that's going to minister to your heart. And I am so thankful for the words of encouragement that you have given me over the past several weeks concerning this series we've been on on discouragement. So, um I appreciate so much uh your willingness to open your heart to the truth of the word of God.

[00:42:08]And uh as I'm up here, you know, I just encourage you to pray for me that God would just continue to open the flow of his anointing to come out and minister to his people. So, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I thank you for the Holy Spirit that guides us, leads us, directs us. Thank you for your wonderful, wonderful presence in this place today. My God, thank you for the anointing of the spirit that destroys satanic yolks of bondage. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Father God, that your word will go forth and like a hammer break any hardness into pieces and soften the heart of anyone who's here this morning that perhaps has allowed their heart to become hard, my God, over circumstances, situations, discouragement.

[00:43:03]So, Father, in the name of Jesus, we declare your anointing throughout this entire service and the favor of God to be upon each and every one of us, oh God. And I thank you now for your touch, for your presence, and for that anointing. For I declare it, proclaim it, receive it, and believe it by faith in Jesus wonderful, wonderful name I pray. and all of God's people said together in agreement.

[00:43:32]>> Amen. And amen. We have our word of life confession. Make your proclamation known into the realms of the heavenlies.

[00:43:39]Declare it from your heart. Hallelujah.

[00:43:42]Here we go. Jesus, be glorified in my life. Holy Spirit, I welcome your presence. My heart is open to receive the everliving, neverchanging word of God. The word that is changing my life, >> healing my body and setting me free. My faith is growing and I am living in the favor of my God. I declare it, I believe it, and I receive it by faith FOR I AM BLESSED AGAIN.

[00:44:11]>> I AM >> ONE MORE. I AM BLESSED IN JESUS NAME.

[00:44:16]>> Amen and amen. Hallelujah. Thank you so much.

[00:44:22]Well, I I I feel a real anointing to share a story with you, okay? Uh to share a story, a story. I haven't shared it for quite some time. And since there's so many new people in our ministry at this point, you've never probably heard this story before, but I used to tell it a lot. Okay? Because it was just um well, nonetheless, you make your own judgments, okay? All right. And in this story uh we received a phone call many years ago and um the uh secretary at that time very very dear lady and very conservative in her approach to the pastor and and ministry and she took the phone call and the uh the individual on the other end of the line said hello this uh I would like to speak to the hedhog and She said, "Sir, we do not refer to our pastor as the head hog." And he says, "Well, I need to speak to the head hog as soon as possible, right now if I can." She said, "Sir, I told you for the last time, we do not refer to our senior pastor as the head hog." He said, "If I don't get to talk to the head hog, I'm going to just take this $10,000 offering to some other church." and she said, "I think the little porker's coming down the hall right now."

[00:45:51]That was referring to the other senior pastor. Okay? So, wasn't referring to me. So, hallelujah. I want to conclude our our series on discouragement. And um you know, it was just yesterday I I my heart was led to uh to a fellow by the name of Jeepa. Did you ever hear of Jeepa? You can read about him in Judges chapter 11.

[00:46:15]And it's one of those stories that perhaps you're not real familiar with.

[00:46:18]Some of you may be, but in Judges 11, I'm thinking of Jeepa. Jeepa had a lot of reasons to be discouraged in life.

[00:46:27]Verse one in Judges 11 verse one says that Jeepa of Gilead was the son of Gilead. Okay, so that immediately tells me that the town that he lived in was named after his father. And then the same verse says, "But he was the son of a prostitute." Okay?

[00:46:49]But he was the son of a prostitute. And in that same verse, it says this, "Jeba was a great warrior." And I pondered that and thought about that. And I thought with the fact that the rejection that this kid must have uh experienced as a kid perhaps brought forth a rage within him, an anger within him that he literally developed that into being a warrior, a great warrior, and he vented that anger in being a warrior. And sometimes our circumstances in life, they can either turn us for the good or they can turn us for the bad.

[00:47:30]Fortunately, the story ends up in a very, very sad way. Nonetheless, the Bible goes on to say that the leaders or the sons I should say, the sons of Gilead, he had several other sons. And as they grew, what they did, they told Jeepa, "You have no right in the inheritance of our father because you're the son of a prostitute." Now, that had nothing to do with Jeffa. That was not his fault. He had nothing to do with his circumstances.

[00:48:05]And I got to thinking like with many of us today, perhaps we carry a lot of burdens concerning circumstances that we had nothing to do with.

[00:48:16]It was not our fault. We did nothing to put it into motion. And yet we have a tendency to either uh possibly re sometimes rewards maybe but many times consequences.

[00:48:30]Many times consequences.

[00:48:32]But what happened is the Ammonites and king of the Ammonites made war against Israel.

[00:48:40]Now remember, I really believe that Jeba had every reason as Joseph did to be discouraged in life, rejected by his brothers. Obviously, his father uh was was an adulterer and um just a lot of things in life just just weren't going his way. And now his brothers throw him off his homeland. You have no inheritance with our father and what our father's possessions were and are.

[00:49:09]So he moves he moves to a land called Tob. And in the land of Tob he begins to develop being a great warrior a band of warriors began to gather around him. And so war broke out between Israel and the Ammonites. Okay. Now, the leaders of Gilead refer or they send messengers to bring Jeepa back to their land to fight for them. And Jeepa says, "Aren't you the ones the very ones that kicked me out of the land? Aren't you the very ones that rejected me? So why do you want me now?"

[00:49:49]And I love how the New Living Translation puts this. They just cut to the chase and said simply, "We need you.

[00:49:55]we're in trouble and we need you. And so the very thing that perhaps seemed to be a stumbling block or an issue in Jeffa's life, God was now going to take that and use it for his glory because in that passage or in Judges 11, the Bible says that the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Jeepa and the leaders of Gilead said, "If you will come and fight fight our battles for us, we will make you are ruler. So Jeepa accepted the invitation. They made him their ruler.

[00:50:35]Jeepa sends a two messengers over to the king of Am Ammon of the Ammonites.

[00:50:43]And he says, "Why are you making war against our people?" And the king of am of the Ammonites said, "Because you stole our land."

[00:50:53]And he said, "What do you mean we stole your land?" And so the king of of the Ammonites said, "When Israel was coming through the from left Egypt and coming through the land, you took possession of our land, stole our land."

[00:51:10]Jeffa says, "That's not true. We didn't steal your land. We asked for permission to come through your land." And the king at that time of the Ammonites made war against Israel and came out against them. But God gave the victory over to Israel. So it was God who gave your land over to us.

[00:51:36]And I love one of the statements in the New Living Translation that that Jeepa said. He says, "So you keep the land that your god Kimosh has given you, and we'll keep the land that our God has given us." Now, that was a little bit of a slap in the face to the king of the Ammonites, but he paid no attention. But the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Jeffa and he made a vow and he said this, "If you will give me victory over the Ammonites, I will sacrifice as a burnt offering the first thing that comes out of my house when I come home from from the battle."

[00:52:16]Jeepa had victory over the Ammonites and defeated them. And as he was coming home and entered onto his property, his daughter comes out of the house playing a tambourine and rejoicing with the fact that her father had great victory over Israel's enemies.

[00:52:37]And as you can probably understand, Jeepa's heart just sank because he had made a vow that he would give as a burnt offering. the first thing that came out of his house. Do you think that Jeepa didn't face discouragement at that moment?

[00:52:58]Now, God detested human sacrifices. But the Bible goes on to say that Jeepa fulfilled his vow which would indicate to us that he literally offered his daughter as a burnt offering to God which of course was not acceptable to the Lord. Jea had made a foolish vow and that vow had nothing to do with the battle that God was going to give him, the victory that God was going to give him.

[00:53:32]great discouragement had to set into his life because of the circumstances, because of the things that he said, the things that he vowed.

[00:53:42]And I'm thinking, how many times do we set things into motion with the words that we speak or the things that we do that absolutely open the door to discouragement?

[00:53:54]And as I've been saying in this series, there's none of us that is that none of us are immune to the power of discouragement. Our text for today is found over in Romans 1:es 10-12, New Living Translation.

[00:54:13]One of the things I always pray pray for is for the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. You see what Paul's heart was yearning to do? I want to come to visit you so I can encourage you when we get together. I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours also. And I really believe that this is the essence of the early church. that they gathered together in order to encourage one another. And that should certainly be the purpose and the plan for us today as we gather together as the body of Christ here in this sanctuary here at Word of Life. that even though we may not know the person we're sitting beside or perhaps the person that's walking out the door with us, we may not have a clue who they are, but is there something that we can be sensitive to the spirit of God that God would give us a word to encourage them? You don't know what they're facing. You don't know what they're going to face today.

[00:55:29]And I believe that God is able to minister to us through us because the body of Christ comes together to encourage encourage encourage one another.

[00:55:41]Sometimes it may be difficult to do that. You may know the person, you may not even like them. You love them in Jesus, but you don't like them.

[00:55:51]Don't stop your encouragement for that person because there may be a very good reason why you don't necessarily particularly care for them. Something that may be going on in their lives, something that happened in their lives that made them the person that they are.

[00:56:07]And you're the very person that God is sending to them to encourage them and to begin to turn their life around for the glory of God. you being used by the spirit of the Lord, the essence of the early church, encouraging one another.

[00:56:24]One another.

[00:56:26]I certainly want to base my life on that with the people that I speak to, the people that I minister to, the people that I hug. Even in a hug, I pray that it's encouraging.

[00:56:37]I met a dear brother this morning that I haven't seen for quite some time, and I was so pleased to see him. I hugged him and I hope I didn't hurt his ribs in any way, but I hugged him so hard. It was so good to see him encouraging, encouraging, encouraging one another because discouragement is such a weapon of the enemy.

[00:57:01]Acts 2:es 46 and 47 passion translation.

[00:57:05]Daily, daily, the believers met together in the temple courts and in one another's homes to celebrate communion, encouraging one another. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their numbers daily those who were coming to life. This was the life of the New Testament believer. Far different from our lives today. Our lives today can so easily be so self-centered, so caught up in our own personal activities that we have a tendency possibly not necessarily trying to on not not necessarily on purpose, but excluding people that we feel that would be somewhat of a hindrance to our lives.

[00:58:01]I've been there, done that.

[00:58:05]been convicted of it.

[00:58:08]It's like Lord Jesus, please help me as Paul said to be a servant to all people.

[00:58:16]How can I serve them? How can I encourage them? How can I bless them in your name? Lord Jesus, today's life can be so busy, so selfentered.

[00:58:32]Maybe one of the reasons why Paul rebuked the Corinthian people, the Corinthian church. Listen to this. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 17- 22. Paul recognizes the fact that the Corinthian people, the believers in the Corinthian church were so self-focused, so self-centered that Paul had to correct them and rebuke them. But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.

[00:59:08]First, I hear that there are divisions among you. When you meet as a church, and to some extent, I believe it. But of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized amongst the others.

[00:59:25]When you meet together, you're not really interested in the Lord's supper.

[00:59:30]For some of you, hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk.

[00:59:39]What?

[00:59:41]Don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God's church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this for so many people. And we have to guard this church. You have to keep your guard up continually that your relationship with Almighty God does not become secondary, but it is all always primary.

[01:00:15]Always primary. And if your relationship with the Lord is always primary, I guarantee you he's going to guide your steps, direct your path. He'll teach you and instruct you when your life is submitted to his lordship, to his direction, to his anointing.

[01:00:34]So, so, so very important. We need to guard against spiritual complacency.

[01:00:44]Do you think that would bring discouragement? Especially once if you were on fire for the things of God, passionate for Jesus, witnessing to people, praying for the sick, and you begin to slip into complacency, and the enemy will remind you what you once were and what you now are and what you now are. And it can easily bring discouragement for many. Their relationship for many Christians.

[01:01:15]Their relationship has become with Christ has become secondary.

[01:01:21]And it can become very very discouraging because the enemy will use that.

[01:01:27]Especially when Jesus said, "If you will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all other things will be added up. You will have to worry about nothing.

[01:01:40]You will be living the spiritled life.

[01:01:44]You will be living in the kingdom of God where there's righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost."

[01:01:53]You remember what Paul said about these last days? You've read it, I'm sure, many times. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, Paul said, "In the last days, people will be lovers of pleasure, self-indulging, in other words, rather than lovers of God."

[01:02:14]He even says they'll act religious, and it's possibly to satisfy their conscience. So many people are sitting in church buildings this morning only to satisfy their conscience that they went to church. They did their obligation, their duty to God, and now they go on throughout the week and live the way they desire to live. Do the things that they desire to do. Say the things that they know are not right before God.

[01:02:45]But they've appeased their conscience because they've acted religiously.

[01:02:52]They love themselves more than they love God. That's what lovers of pleasure means. I'm self-indulging. I'm self-fulfilling. I'm self-focused.

[01:03:05]And that certainly was the Corinthian the Corinthian church. The Corinthian church. in reading my devotion when in in Rick Rener sparkling gems 2 on May 17th.

[01:03:18]Forgive me if if if I quote Rick Rener a lot but his devotion was ministered to me at various times especially in certain uh series that I may be in.

[01:03:29]But Paul said in second Timothy chapter 3 that in these last days not only will people be self-indulging but violence will abound.

[01:03:39]We see that very thing today. That can be discouraging, very discouraging, especially if your hope is to see transformation. We hear of of great revival that's taking place, especially among young people coming to the Lord by thousands. I I believe it may have been in Florida or I'm not sure about the state, but they had 2500 people on a beach for a baptism service.

[01:04:08]God is doing a great great work but often times all we hear is the bad stuff and it's discouraging and I think for myself and perhaps advice for you is let's remove the junk out of our lives and let let that which God is doing the testimonies of our Lord and Savior the healings the salvations the blessings the baptisms that are taking places the families that are being reunited the touch of God that's ministering to so many people feeding on that.

[01:04:44]But in these days, there'll be great violence.

[01:04:48]Great violence. And that's where the enemy wants to draw your attention to all the bad, all the evil, all the wicked, all the violence.

[01:04:59]And you can get discouraged over that.

[01:05:04]How do I know that?

[01:05:06]because it happens to me at times and it's like Lord I need to remove myself from this stuff because it has a tendency to pull something down inside of me that's not good.

[01:05:24]It has a tendency to overcome and override the joy of the Lord in my life.

[01:05:30]It has a tendency to open the door to worry and fret and fear.

[01:05:39]God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Sparkling gems to May 17th, the Holy Spirit prophesied an increasing trend toward violence in these last days. He clearly felt it was important to us or for us to be informed about these things before they happen.

[01:06:03]Paul was giving witness testimony about the things that would happen in our day in order that we would read the scriptures and be forewarned of the days that we live in. The Holy Spirit said that society in the last times would be heady. The Greek means violent or known for violence.

[01:06:28]By the age of 18, the average young person will have seen hundreds of thousands of acts of violence on television.

[01:06:37]This doesn't include the thousands of hours of secular music he or she will listen to. Since much of this music is violence related, it means that words and ideas concerning acts of violence are being poured into the minds of teenagers.

[01:06:56]I I can't help but think that I was at a gas station one time and a kid pulled in and it's boom boom the the car was rocking, you know, and and and the music thing was well wasn't even music. It was rap. I I hate to put rap and music together. It just doesn't fit. Okay. But it was going on and some of the language language that was coming out from that presentation that from that car. So I jumped in my truck, put on my GOSPEL MUSIC AND CRANKED IT UP. OKAY.

[01:07:34]I got to deal with that in me. Okay.

[01:07:42]Studies have shown that such music may be a significant marker for substance abuse.

[01:07:50]We know that that's running wild, isn't it? Psychiatric disorders, suicide risk.

[01:07:59]They tell us that suicide amongst teenagers is an unprecedented high because they have no hope. They're discouraged.

[01:08:10]They look around, they see the trouble, the anxiety that's in the world today, and they lose hope for their future.

[01:08:21]And who's telling them that there is hope in Jesus Christ?

[01:08:26]You can have a bright future in Jesus Christ.

[01:08:30]There is a better world and a better way in Jesus Christ.

[01:08:35]But unfortunately, most of the church is silent.

[01:08:40]And we sit back and we watch the enemy take his toll.

[01:08:50]Psychiatric disorder, suicide risk, tendencies to anger and violence and alienation from healthy formative relationships.

[01:09:01]Literally hundreds of studies on the effects of television and film violence have been done in recent decades. And the majority of these studies have reached the same conclusion.

[01:09:15]Television and film violence leads to realworld violence.

[01:09:23]It won't be long. will be coming close to the month of October and that's when all the slasher movies will begin to rise in breeding fear. And how many Christians will sit in theaters and pay good money to watch murder and fornication, fear instilled within their hearts, and wonder why their relationship with Jesus is strained.

[01:09:57]Television and film violence leads to real world violence. One expert on child behavior concluded that to argue against this conclusion is like arguing against gravity.

[01:10:09]Rick Rener says, "I agree with this.

[01:10:12]Violent video games also have an effect on children and youth similar to that of violent television and film.

[01:10:22]Studies reveal that the more often children practice fantasy visual acts of violence on video games, the more likely it becomes that they will carry out real world acts of violence.

[01:10:38]How true. How very, very, very true. So, how are these two warnings, a self-indulging society and a violent society, how are these two warnings from Paul relevant to the message of discouragement? It's because we live in a self-indulging violent society. And if you will allow it and keep your eyes off of Jesus, not focus on the lordship of your Christ and your king, I'll guarantee you discouragement is going to set in.

[01:11:14]Perhaps this is some of the reason that Paul spoke of a falling away in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. In these last days, there will be a falling away. A falling away from what? People who once walked with the Lord, who have allowed issues of discouragement and evil to enter their lives, have literally undermined their relationship with Jesus Christ. As I spoke last week about environment, environment, children being raised in homes where violence is the norm and not the exception.

[01:11:53]Violence is the norm.

[01:11:56]and not the exception.

[01:12:00]Some of you were raised in homes where violence was the norm. And perhaps even to this very day, it has affected you, wounded your heart. Your soul is heavy over that situation. You have never really been able to overcome that situation that you were faced with even as a kid.

[01:12:21]I remember years ago when I was just a boy, I played on a baseball team, but I remember the coaches, the two coaches from the baseball team got into a fist fight, and it it it terrified me. I had never seen adults hitting one another like that. It literally terrifi It literally wounded my soul. I'll never forget it. I can see it to this day. these two adults beating on one another.

[01:12:54]And how many how many people are subjected to this that this is just the norm?

[01:13:02]Fighting, contending, quarreling, cursing. It's just the norm.

[01:13:10]The point is, what can we do, you and I, to affect a society that's being drugged into the portals of hell because they have no hope?

[01:13:26]Why would we allow our voices to be silenced and yet we do?

[01:13:35]Draw nigh unto me, the Lord said, and I will draw nigh unto you. And Lord Jesus, let it be so.

[01:13:44]Help us, help us, help us, oh God, to press into your presence.

[01:13:50]Press into your presence that we might hear your voice clearly.

[01:13:56]That when you say go, we go. When you say stop, we stop.

[01:14:03]that we embrace the power of your Holy Spirit and we will not we will not we will not allow the enemy to silence us.

[01:14:13]Your environment may be inescapable as I said then I encourage you to change that environment by the presence of the living God that you carry that you carry. Greater is he that's in you that's in me than he that is in this world. I think of acts chapter 17 where Paul and Silas are in Thessalonica and there the leaders the rulers of the city had complained against Paul and Silas and this WAS THEIR COMPLAINT. THESE MEN who have turned the world upside down have come here also. I thought what an incredible compliment.

[01:14:56]These men who have turned the world upside down.

[01:15:02]What an incredible compliment for any believer.

[01:15:08]Am I turning my world upside down for the cause of Christ? What a challenge to each and every one of us.

[01:15:21]If you can't escape your environment, then change your environment by the presence that you carry. the power of the spirit of God. I shared with you some definitions about discouragement last week. One definition just to remind you was discouragement is that weapon from Satan that will rob you of God's promise and your victory. And I cited Joshua how he faced insurmountable odds with this huge wall that had never been breached.

[01:15:55]And God told him, "Don't be discouraged.

[01:15:58]Don't be afraid." And I thought, how could God tell you in these circumstances when feelings of fear and anxiety and discouragement are trying to overcome?

[01:16:13]Overcome my soul.

[01:16:16]Courage is the action that fear is telling you not to do.

[01:16:23]Courage is taking the action that fear is telling you not to do. I remember a number of years ago where I was absolutely afraid to get on an airplane and I had to fly to California for a pastor's conference.

[01:16:40]I thought about hitchhiking, but that wouldn't work.

[01:16:47]And I thought, what am I going to do?

[01:16:50]I have to go against everything that fear is telling me. I got to get on that plane. Fear will not rule me. But how many times does fear rule me? How many times does fear dictate to me what my actions will be? Courage is going against what fear is telling you to do.

[01:17:13]Courage will dispel discouragement.

[01:17:21]The second definition I found for discouragement is a certain or a a curtain of doubt that falls on you when optimism over a particular outcome is ripped away like an unexpected breakup of a marriage or an engagement, an accident that results in a permanent injury, a sudden death of a loved one.

[01:17:42]The list could go on and on and on. As I said last week, we each have a story.

[01:17:46]Every one of us, we have a story.

[01:17:51]Discouragement. It's the loss of confidence, hope, and enthusiasm.

[01:17:58]It is courage that has been stripped away. And I thought of John the Baptist who sat in a prison cell because he dared to speak against King Herod and his adultery.

[01:18:16]It's possible that when you stand up for the Lord, people are going to persecute you.

[01:18:22]But will that silence you?

[01:18:26]Will that hinder your walk as a Christian? Will the enemy use it to stop you from witnessing and sharing what Jesus Christ has done in in your life?

[01:18:37]Sometimes just even the role of some eyes can discourage us. feeling the people have rejected us. Who wants to be rejected?

[01:18:49]John the Baptist sat in a prison cell.

[01:18:52]We don't know how long.

[01:18:55]It could have been for months, months upon months. And it appeared that John was becoming discouraged.

[01:19:03]Matthew 14:es 3-5. Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodas, the former wife of Herod's brother, Philillip. John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry her. It's the word of God."

[01:19:22]Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot because all the people believed John was a prophet.

[01:19:30]I tell you, John was getting discouraged. How do I know that? because he sent two of his messengers to search for Jesus.

[01:19:39]Why is this happening to me?

[01:19:42]I'm sitting in this cell rotting because of my testimony for you, the Messiah, declaring the word of God. And he sends two of his messengers to find Jesus. Proverbsap 18:14 says this, "The will to live sustains you when you are sick, but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope."

[01:20:13]Isn't that powerful?

[01:20:15]But depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope.

[01:20:24]John's two disciples found Jesus and said to them, "John the Baptist sent us to ask." Watch this. Are you the Messiah that we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?

[01:20:40]Are you serious, John? Aren't you the one that said, "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world."

[01:20:51]Aren't you the one, John, that said, "I am not worthy to untie the straps of his sandals."

[01:20:59]John, aren't you the one that said, "He must increase and I must decrease."

[01:21:09]Why do I bring this up? Because no one, no one, no one is immune to discouragement.

[01:21:17]Not even a great prophet like John the Baptist. Jesus said in Luke 7:28, "And yet of all born of women," that would include most of us, I would assume, there is not, watch this, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.

[01:21:39]Not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.

[01:21:44]greater than Moses, greater than Ezekiel, greater than Isaiah, greater than David.

[01:21:54]That's what Jesus said. I don't understand it, but Jesus said, "There's not a greater prophet than John the Baptist." And yet John allowed discouragement to overtake him.

[01:22:13]Even Jesus in Gethsemane, the son of the living God, I believe got discouraged as he prayed, "Father, if this cup can be taken away from me, please take it away."

[01:22:31]Nevertheless, ah, here's the courage overcoming discourage.

[01:22:37]Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done.

[01:22:44]Your will be done. Your will be done.

[01:22:53]I want to close with this story of David.

[01:22:58]David was on the run from King Saul, most of us, I'm sure, were familiar with. He ends up with the Philistines and King Akish of Gath. If Gath sounds familiar, that's where Goliath was from.

[01:23:10]Goliath, the giant that David killed, cut off his head. And here he is in Goliath's hometown. And the king, King Akish, received him. Well, the day came.

[01:23:24]The day came where the Philistines moved against Israel and King Saul. And David's men joined up with the Philistines. But the commander of the Philistines, these commanders, says, "We're not going to have David and his men join in with us because in the midst of the battle, he could easily turn against us and now win favor with his king, King Saul." So they sent him back to his own town at Ziglag.

[01:23:59]And without reading it, you can read it in 1st Samuel chapter 30.

[01:24:05]When David got back to his hometown, he found the town burned to the ground and all their wives, their children, everything they had was taken.

[01:24:22]ravished by the Amalachites.

[01:24:27]And David could have wallowed. David could have felt so sorry for himself because his men talked about stoning him. But the Bible says that David found strength in his God. The the King James version says that David encouraged himself in his God.

[01:24:48]There were three steps that David took as I conclude with this. Consider this to overcome discouragement. First, David did seek his God. The first thing he turned to was his God. How many of us turn to their situation and wallow in the situation, worry about the situation, continue to allow it to run over and over and over again in our minds. David, the first thing he did was sought his God.

[01:25:23]The second thing David did, he sought direction from God. Not only comfort from his God, but he sought direction.

[01:25:30]What should I do?

[01:25:34]David said, "Should I go after them?"

[01:25:38]Yes. The Lord said, "Go. You will recover it all.

[01:25:43]You will recover it all." And the third thing that David did, he followed that direction. You say, "Well, that's pretty obvious, pastor, that he would follow the direction." But how many of us have received direction from the Lord, from the word of God, even in a message, and yet we haven't followed it, considering tithing, forgiveness, healing, serving.

[01:26:04]We hear the message, we understand it is true, but we don't follow it.

[01:26:09]David followed it and he pursued after the Amalachites.

[01:26:16]He took 600 men with him. But when he came to the brook beer, 200 of those men were so famished they could not cross over the brook. So David left the 200 men there and pursu pursued with 400. The point is David would have pursued if he'd had only five men or if he'd had only himself. The reason being because he had a word from the Lord.

[01:26:43]He had a word from God. Go. You will recover it all.

[01:26:49]You will recover it all.

[01:26:51]And this, oh church, this is where our hearts need to be so sensitive to the things of God that we can hear the voice of God so clearly. When he says go, you will recover it all. And therefore, we fear nothing.

[01:27:05]>> We don't fear the report. We don't fear the attacks of the enemy because we have a word from God that promises us victory.

[01:27:15]>> That promises us victory.

[01:27:19]Take hold of that word.

[01:27:22]Regardless of what you hear, you may get a doctor's report that's not very fable.

[01:27:27]that does not diminish the word of God.

[01:27:30]Take hold of the word of God. Don't let it go. Let courage build in your heart for courage will dispel discouragement.

[01:27:44]I'm going to ask you to stand with me if you would.

[01:27:48]I'm going to ask for our prayer team to come up, elders, and our our prayer prayer prayer team here at the altar.

[01:27:56]And as we conclude our service, I felt that the need to pray for anyone here today that may be discouraged. I want you to have personal ministry. So please don't leave until you have prayer, until you have prayer from one of these dear people that are here at the altar. So, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that the word of God will minister greatly, richly to your people and that the Holy Spirit will continue to build courage within their hearts and within their lives.

[01:28:34]That the power of God would override anything that the devil that the enemy is endeavoring to do. and that the presence of your lordship will truly give us courage to face any battle, any report, any situation.

[01:28:54]We find courage in our Lord. And I thank you now in Jesus wonderful, wonderful name. Amen. And amen. If you don't know Christ as your Lord and Savior, your future is going to be very, very discouraging.

[01:29:14]I say that in order that you can change it today. Come and let one of these people pray with you to receive Christ as your savior. If you're watching online and you don't know Jesus as your savior, your future is very, very discouraging.

[01:29:33]Pray the prayer of faith in Jesus' name and receive Christ today as your Lord and your Savior. Write us here at Word of Life. We have a packet that will help you get established in your walk and your relationship with Christ.

[01:29:48]Hallelujah. Can you receive it today, church? I pray so. God's blessing on you in Jesus name. Please allow these people to pray with you. If there's any report you've received or a discouraging word that you've received or you've been discouraged in your heart, let them pray for you. Let's give a shout of victory on three. 1 2 3. HALLELUJAH. GOD BLESS YOUR CHURCH. Have a wonderful, wonderful day in the Lord Jesus. Be blessed. Be a blessing.