PRISON BREAK
The Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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· 15 viewsThe Beginning of the Church and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill the mission by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Notes
Transcript
THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE TODAY IS
- PRISON BREAK
TURN TO ACTS 12:1
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHAPTERS SO FAR
IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
THIS CHAPTER IS ABOUT A PRISON BREAK
THIS CHAPTER IS ABOUT A MAN WHO IS IN A PLACE WHERE HE MUST FEEL ALONE, HOPELESS, DISCOURAGED
BUT WE SEE HOW GOD SHOWS UP AND BRINGS HIM THROUGH IT
OH COME ON SOMEBODY...
GOD IS ABOUT TO BRING YOU THROUGH SOME STUFF THIS MORNING.
SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF....
OPPOSITION
CONFUSION
DISAPPOINTMENT
YOU’VE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF SITUATIONS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL
GOD IS ABOUT TO BREAK YOU OUT
WE LEARN IN THIS STORY THAT…PETER
HAD TO LEARN TO NEVER STOP KNOCKING
HE HAD TO LEARN TO KEEP PURSUING
TO KEEP TRUSTING AND MOVING FORWARD
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
THIS WAS A BLOW TO THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
THE HISTORY BOOKS CALL HIM “JAMES THE GREAT”
JAMES WAS A GREAT MINISTER/PASTOR
HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST PREACHER OF HIS TIME
JAMES WAS THE FIRST APOSTLE RECORDED TO BE MARTYRED
WE SEE THAT KING HEROD TOOK JAMES AND HAD HIM BEHEADED
WATCH HOW THE JEWISH PEOPLE REACTED TO THIS....
VERSE 3
3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
HE SEIZED PETER WITH THE SAME MINDSET THAT HE HAD WITH JAMES
HIS STRATEGY WAS TO KILL PETER THE SAME WAY HE KILLED JAMES
HIS GOAL WAS TO STOP THE CHURCH FROM GROWING
TO STOP THE GOSPEL FROM SPREADING
4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
16 GUARDS WITH PETER? WOW
MAN YOU HAD TO HAVE CREATED SOME FEAR IN ORDER FOR THAT MANY GUARDS TO BE ASSIGNED TO YOU
THEY WERE AFRAID OF PETER
AFRAID OF WHAT HE MIGHT DO
THEY’VE WITNESSED AND HEARD SOME THINGS ABOUT HIM
THE FACT WAS....
HE HAD TO BE PRETTY POWERFUL IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN ORDER FOR HIM TO ATTRACT THAT MUCH ATTACK
OH COME ON SOMEBODY…
UNDERSTAND THIS....
THE ANOINTING ATTRACTS.....ATTACKS
THEY WEREN’T TAKING ANY CHANCES
HEROD HAD HIM SURROUNDED BY GUARDS
WATCH THIS.......
HEROD WAS DOING EVERYTHING HE COULD TO KEEP PETER IN PRISON.....BUT
HE COULDN’T KEEP GOD FROM PULLING HIM OUT
OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....
THE ENEMY HAS A WAY OF PULLING YOU INTO PRISON
HOLDING YOU CAPTIVE AND KEEPING YOU FROM SEEING THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD
BUT
IF YOU WILL JUST KEEP KNOCKING
JUST KEEP PURSUING
JUST KEEP TRUSTING.....THEN
HE IS JEHOVAH-JIREH
PROVIDER
You would cross an ocean
So, I wouldn't drown
You've never been closer
Than You are right now
Jireh, You are enough
Jireh, You are enough
And I will be content
In every circumstance
OH COME ON.....
JEHOVAH-SHALOM
HIS IS OUR PEACE
EL-SHADDAI
HE IS THE ALMIGHTY GOD
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH
HE IS PRESENT
COME ON CHURCH…WE NEED TO INVITE HIM INTO OUR CIRCUSTANCES.
TRUST HIM
LEAN ON HIM
WHEN WE DO....
YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.....WHY
BECAUSE YOU ARE WITH ME
WE GOTTA INVITE HIM IN
HE WILL NOT PLAY SECOND FIDDLE IN YOUR BAND
GOD WILL NOT SHOW UP SOMEWHERE
HE IS NOT INVITED
HE DOES NOT FORCE HIS WAY INTO OUR LIVES AND SITUATIONS
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE IN REVELATION 3:20
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
WE SEE HERE THAT HE’S KNOCKING
NOT FORCING HIS WAY IN BUT KNOCKING TO SEE IF YOU’LL OPEN IT FOR HIM
THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT MATTHEW 7:7-8
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
IN REVELATION WE SEE THAT HE STANDS AND KNOCKS ON THE DOOR OF OUR HEART…HOPING THAT SOMEONE WILL ANSWER THE DOOR
IN MATTHEW WE SEE THAT IF WE ARE WILLING TO KNOCK ON HIS DOOR....HE’S WAITING TO ANSWER IT
HE IS FAITHFUL CHURCH
EVEN WHEN WE ARE NOT FAITHFUL
IF WE KNOCK....
HE WILL ANSWER
THE QUESTION IS.....
IF HE KNOCKS...
WILL YOU ANSWER?
WATCH THIS NEXT PART.....
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
WOW....
THE CHURCH WAS EARNESTLY PRAYING
EARLESTLY -
with sincere and intense conviction; seriously:
HOW DO YOU KEEP PRAYING EARNESTLY WHEN....
- YOU JUST PRAYED FOR SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH AND WHAT YOU PRAYED DIDN’T SEEM TO WORK OUT?
THEY JUST LOST JAMES.....
- THE ONE WHO LEAD THEM AND
- PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO THEM AND
- HE WAS AN EXAMPLE TO THEM
WRITE THIS DOWN.....
THERE IS DANGER IN DISAPPOINTMENT
THE DANGER IS THIS.....
WHEN I PRAY FOR SOMETHING AND IT DOESN’T HAPPEN
IF I’M NOT CAREFUL AND AWARE.....
MY DISAPPOINTMENT WILL KEEP ME FROM PRAYING AND BELIEVING FOR THE NEXT SITUATION
OH COME ON....
THE DANGER IS WHEN I PREACH OR PRAY FOR SOMETHING AND THEN THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS
I WANT TO STOP PREACHING OR PRAYING ABOUT IT
CHURCH THERE IS POWER WHEN THE CHURCH CHOOSES TO PRAY....
EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T FEEL LIKE IT
I DON’T ALWAYS PRAY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE PRAYING
I PRAY BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER
I DON’T GET UP AND GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE I LIKE THE GOOSE BUMPS I FEEL SOMETIMES
I GET UP AND GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE I KNOW THATS WHERE I NEED TO BE
I DON’T LIFT MY HANDS AND PRAISE BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT ME AND MY SPIRITUAL SELF....NO
I LIFT MY HANDS AND PRAISE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS POWER AND HEALING IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING
THE CHURCH WASN’T PRAYING BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE IT....THEY PRAYED BECAUSE.....
THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS POWER IN PRAYER
LISTEN TO ME CHURCH...
DON’T LET THE ENEMY CONVINCE YOU THAT BECAUSE OF ONE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO STOP PRAYING
THAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO STOP GOING TO CHURCH
THAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO STOP BELIEVING THAT GOD CAN STILL HEAL AND REDEEM AND RESTORE AND SET FREE
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE TRIAL
PETER WAS PACING THE FLOOR
PETER WAS GOOGLING HOW TO GET OUT OF JAIL
PETER WAS CHECKING SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE WHAT THE CHURCH WAS SAYING ABOUT HIM
PETER WAS CALLING FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS
PETER WAS PANICKING IN THE PRISON CELL????
WHAT WAS HE DOING THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS TRIAL?
6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
THIS IS GOOD.....
CAN YOU SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR TRIAL?
SOMETIMES IT TAKES MORE FAITH TO REST....OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....
I SAID SOMETIMES IT TAKES MORE FAITH TO REST THAN TO BE AWAKE WORRYING AND PANICKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION.
PETER WAS SLEEPING
CAN YOU SLEEP BETWEEN PRAYING AND WAITING?
OH I’M TALKING TO SOMEBODY THIS MORNING.....
CAN YOU SLEEP BETWEEN PRAYING ON A CIRCUMSTANCE TO CHANGE AND WAITING ON A CIRCUMSTANCE TO CHANGE?
PETER WAS SLEEPING BETWEEN...
PRAYING FOR AN OUTCOME
AND WAITING FOR AN OUTCOME
THIS IS THE SAME PETER WHO....
BEFORE HE HAD GOT TO THIS PLACE IN HIS LIFE
COULDN’T SLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM BECAUSE HIS SAVIOR WAS SLEEPING
PETER HAD LEARNED TO REST AND TRUST THE LORD
HE KNEW WHO’S HE WAS
HE KNEW HIS PURPOSE
HE KNEW GOD HAD A PLAN AND HE WAS WILLING TO OBEY AND TRUST NO MATTER WHAT
Acts 12:7 (NIV)
7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
WHATS INTERSTING TO ME HERE IS THIS…THE WORD STRUCK
IN THE GREEK THE WORD STRUCK IS “PATASSO”
IF YOU LOOK IN VERSE 23 IT’S THE SAME WORD IN THE GREEK USED TO DESCRIBE HOW KING HEROD DIED
23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
IN ONE INSTANCE THE SAME STRIKE OR BLOW CAN EITHER LEAD TO DEATH OR IN PETERS CASE
A WAKE UP CALL
HERE’S WHAT I REALIZED
IT WASN’T ABOUT THE POWER OF THE STRIKE
IT WAS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE HEART
OH COME ON.....
THE WORD CAN STRIKE IN A CHURCH SERVICE
AND ONE PERSON GET ANGRY AND OFFENDED
AND THEY BECOME RESISTANT TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THEY SAY
- “THATS CONDEMNATION, I’M OUT, I DONT NEED THIS”
ANOTHER PERSON CAN HEAR THE SAME STRIKE AND SAY
“OH MY LORD, I NEED TO REPENT, I’M GOING DOW TO THE ALTAR CALL TODAY”
THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR ME
COME ON SOMEBODY ......I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT GOD IS DOING RIGHT NOW
HE’S STRIKING THE AMERICAN CHURCH
PEOPLE ARE RUNNING
PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE FAITH
PEOPLE ARE OFFENDED
BUT THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING TO THE ALTAR AND
TURNING TOWARD GOD AND
IT’S A WAKE UP CALL FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THE LAST DAYS
CHURCH YOU GOTTA WAKE UP
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY
YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES LIVES ARE AT STAKE
ANSWER THE CALL AND MAKE A DECISION THIS DAY WHO YOU WILL SERVE.
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WOKE HIM AND TOLD HIM
GET UP QUICK
OH COME ON…WHEN THE LORD TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING.
HE PROVIDES A WAY FOR IT TO BE DONE (JEHOVAH-JIREH)
TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR,
- JUST DO IT!
8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
DOES YOUR KIDS EVER ASK YOU.....WHY?
DUMB QUESTION HUH? LOL (EXPOUND)
ANYONE ELSE HAVE THE ANSWER…”BECAUSE I SAID SO?”
SOMETIMES THERE’S NO TIME FOR ASKING QUESTIONS
YOU JUST GOTTA TRUST “BECAUSE I SAID SO”
PRETTY SURE THIS IS A “BECAUSE I SAID SO” MOMENT FOR PETER.
HE DIDN’T ASK QUESTIONS
HE SIMPLY TRUSTED AND OBEYED
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO JUST STOP OVER ANALYZING AND OVER THINKING ABOUT THINGS IN THE WORD OF GOD AND JUST DO IT....BECAUSE HE SAID SO
SOMETIMES WE DON’T GET TO KNOW WHY
UNTIL WE GET THROUGH IT
HE GOT UP AND THE CHAINS FELL OFF
THERE ARE SOME CHAINS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WILL NOT FALL OFF UNTIL YOU DECIDE TO GET UP AND DO WHAT HE ASKED YOU TO DO
SOME OF YOU ARE WAITING FOR YOUR CHAINS TO FALL OFF SO THAT YOU CAN GET UP OUT OF YOUR DEPRESSION…THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS
I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TO GET UP EVEN WHEN I AM DEPRESSED
I GET UP EVEN WHEN I AM DISAPPOINTED
I GET UP EVER WHEN I’M DISCOURAGED
I CHOOSE TO DO WHAT GOD IS CALLING ME TO DO EVEN WHEN I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT
THE CHURCH CHOSE TO PRAY FOR PETER EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST LOST JAMES.
8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.
I READ THIS AND WAS THINKING
WHY IN THE WORLD DOES PETER NOT HAVE ANY CLOTHES ON, LOL
PETER TOOK HIS CLOTHES AND SANDALS OFF
HE WAS SLEEPING
I READ THIS AND THIS IS WHAT I SAW
PETER HAD GOTTEN COMFORTABLE IN HIS PRISON
OH MY LORD...
SOME OF YOU THIS MORNING HAVE GOTTEN COMFORTABLE IN A PLACE YOU WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAY.
SOME OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR ADDICTIONS AND HABITS
I WAS WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY ON HOMELESSNESS
THEY’RE WAS A GUY ON THERE WHO HAD BEEN HOMELESS FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS
HE WAS ADDICTED TO METH
SOMEONE FROM AN ORGANIZATION APPROACHED HIM TO TRY TO HELP HIM
THEY TOLD HIM THEY COULD GET HIM THE HELP HE NEEDED FOR HIS ADDICTION PROBLEM
THESE WERE HIS WORDS....”WHAT PROBLEM? I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM, IM JUST HANGING OUT AND CHILLIN”
HE HAD BECOME SO COMFORTABLE IN HIS PRISON THAT HE WHEN THE HELP CAME
HE COULDN’T SEE THAT HE NEEDED IT
I KNOW......
THAT’S A PRETTY EXTREME ADDICTION
HOW ABOUT THIS ONE.....
SOME OF YOU CAN CRITICIZE AND TEAR DOWN AND PICK APART OTHER PEOPLE AND NEVER THINK TWICE ABOUT IT
IN FACT NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT YOU AREN’T POINTING OUT SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEMS
THIS ISN’T A JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED MESSAGE BECAUSE THE BIBLE CLEARLY TELLS US TO JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY
WE JUDGE PEOPLE OUT OF LOVE AND CONCERN FOR THEIR SOULS
BUT WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY TEARING OTHERS DOWN AND CAN’T SEE THAT YOUR DOING IT
YOU HAVE BECOME COMFORTABLE IN YOUR PRISON
THE ANGEL TOLD HIM...
GET UP AND GET YOUR CLOTHES ON
GET DRESSED FOR WHATS NEXT
GET READY FOR WHERE IM ABOUT TO TAKE YOU
OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....
GET UP AND GET DRESSED
GOD WANTS TO DELIVER FROM PRISON
HE WANTS TO BREAK YOU OUT OF YOUR CHAINS
10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOPING YOU WILL FALL IN YOUR LIFE
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PAST THAT WERE HOPING YOUR WERE GONNA FALL
IN FACT THEY ARE STILL CONFUSED THAT YOU ARE STILL IN CHURCH AND MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR PURPOSE
THEY ARE BEWILDERED
SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN RESCUED FROM THE CLUTCHES OF DEATH AND WHAT HEROD TRIED TO DO TO YOU
AND SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN RESCUED FROM WHAT PEOPLE WERE HOPING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU.
12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
UNDERSTAND THIS...
THERE WERE PEOPLE PRAYING FOR YOU
WHEN YOU WERE STUCK IN PRISON
THERE WAS A GRANDMA WHO WAS ON HER KNEES PRAYING THAT GOD WOULD BRING YOU OUT
THERE ARE PEOPLE PRAYING RIGHT NOW FOR YOU TO BREAK OUT OF THE PRISON YOUR STUCK IN.
13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
YOU GOTTA LOVE RHODA
SHE RUNS AND TELLS THE REST OF THEM
PETER IS AT THE DOOR
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR
THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS IS HERE
AND HE’S STANDING AT THE DOOR AND HE’S KNOCKING
WATCH WHAT THE CHURCH SAYS TO RHODA...
15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT AN ANGEL WAS STANDING AT THEIR DOOR INSTEAD OF...
THEIR PRAYERS ACTUALLY BEING ANSWERED
SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS GET SO OVERWHELMED WITH DISCOURAGEMENT AND DISAPPOINTMENT
WE WILL CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT GOD IS GOING TO GIVE US SECOND BECAUSE.....
HE CAN’T OR WON’T ANSWER OUR FIRST PRAYER
IT SAYS....
16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
HE KEPT ON KNOCKING....
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH 4 WAYS TO NEVER STOP KNOCKING:
PRAYER
NEVER STOP KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF PRAYER
CONSISTANT PRAYER CHANGES THINGS
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
IN VERSE 17 IT SAYS...
ELIJAH SHUT UP THE SKIES WITH HIS PRAYERS AND CAUSED IT NOT TO RAIN FOR 3.5 YEARS
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
THEN IN VERSE 18 SAYS...
HE PRAYED AGAIN AND KEPT PRAYING FOR RAIN
AND IT RAINED AND BROUGHT FORTH CROPS
18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF A SITUATION.....
PRAYER
JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 7...
ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN
SEEK, AND YOU WILL FIND
KNOCK, AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPEN
HE SAID HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD ASK A PARENT FOR SOME BREAD AND THEY GIVE YOU A STONE?
NO, THEY WILL TRY TO FIND A WAY TO FEED YOU
MAY NOT BE THE BEST BREAD BUT THEY WILL GIVE YOU BREAD
ITS SAYS....
HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOU
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
THE RICHES OF HEAVEN
HE SAID KNOCK…AND KEEP KNOCKING
CERTAIN DEMONS CAN ONLY BE CAST OUT BY PRAYER AND FASTING
2. PROCLAMATION
PROCLAIM THAT YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUERER
KEEP ON PROCLAIMING
SOME OF YOU NEED YOUR MOUTH WASHED OUT WITH SOAP.....LOL
STOP TALKING NEGATIVE ABOUT YOUR LIFE
ABOUT YOUR FAMILY
ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS
ABOUT YOUR JOB
ABOUT YOUR FINANCES
COME ON SOMEBODY
WE NEED TO START PROCLAIMING THE WORD OF GOD OVER OUR LIVES
............WORSHIP TEAM COME.............
BUT PASTOR CHRIS I’VE BEEN TALKING POSITIVE AND TRYING TO SPEAK LIFE LIKE YOU SAID AND I STILL DON’T SEE ANYTHING CHANGING
IF THE WALLS ARE STILL UP
YOU GOTTA KEEP ON MARCHING
YOU JUST BE OBEDIENT AND KEEP PROCLAIMING
THE WALLS WILL EVENTUALLY FALL
IT MAY TAKE 7 TIMES
IT MAY TAKE 100 TIMES
YOUR JOB IS TO BE OBEDIENT AND PROCLAIM THAT THESE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN
WE GOTTA SPEAK LIKE THE PROPHET EZEKIEL DID TO THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’
SPEAK TO THE DRY BONES IN YOUR LIFE
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
3. PRAISE
THERE ARE CERTAIN MIRACLES THAT ARE PRAISE ACTIVATED.
SONGS LIKE...
YOU HAVE NO RIVAL
YOU HAVE NO EQUAL
NOW AND FOREVER GOD YOU REIGN
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again
SOME OF YOU WANT YOUR BREAKTHROUGH TO HAPPEN SO FAST BUT
YOUR PRISON BREAK MAY ONLY HAPPEN THROUGH CONSISTENT PRAISE AND WORSHIP
WHATEVER YOU DO DON’T STOP KNOCKING
DON’T YOU STOP PRAISING WHEN YOUR IN THE FIRE
SOME OF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A TEST AND GOD IS SAYING
DON’T YOU STOP PRAISING THROUGH THE STORM
IF YOU’LL TRUST ME THEN I’LL SHOW YOU
4. PURPOSE
NEVER STOP KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF YOUR PURPOSE
YOU HAVE A PURPOSE AND CALLING ON YOUR LIFE
PETER KNEW HE COULDN’T STOP KNOCKING
HE HAD A PURPOSE
HE HAD A CALLING ON HIS LIFE
CHURCH DON’T STOP PURSUING WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO
EVEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO LISTEN
EVEN WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR WASTING YOUR TIME
EVEN WHEN PEOPLE WALK AWAY FROM YOU
KEEP KNOCKING, BECAUSE GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID
NOTHING WILL MOVE ME
NOT BEING SHIPWRECKED
NOT BEING BEATEN
NOT BEING BITTEN BY SNAKES
NOT BEING SHUNNED AND NO ONE LISTENING
NOTHING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I HAVE A PURPOSE
CHURCH DON’T STOP MOVING.....
............STAND TO YOUR FEET WITH ME...............
IF YOUR HERE AND YOUR READY FOR A PRISON BREAK
YOUR READY FOR GOD TO BRING OUT OF WHERE YOU ARE
AND BRING YOU INTO A PLACE OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY
A PLACE OF PURPOSE AND DESTINY
THEN THESE ALTARS ARE OPEN
GOD WANTS TO RESTORE WHATS BEEN STOLEN FROM YOU THIS MORNING