No Opportunity Wasted - NOW

We honor Our Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, and the Holy Spirit that is in this place.

To our Jurisdictional Prelate, Bishop Johnson, who has led us to this moment of kingdom assignment.

To our Administrative Assistants… Pastor Childs… and Pastor Johnson… I especially appreciate my Mentor and Pastor, Dr. Solomon Dees, who leads the wonderful First Church of God in Christ of Albany…affectionately known as Wilborn Temple…where I have the privilege of serving our Youth Nation.  Pastor…thank you for trusting me with this moment.

We bless the Lord for our beautiful soul that is our Supervisor of Women… Mother E. Geneva Conway… Our Jurisdictional Secretary (Supervisor Johnson)

To all Superintendents…Pastors… Elders…Missionaries…and every worker in our church…

We honor you tonight.

To any guests who may be present from my professional life… those who serve alongside me in uniform…and those who I labor and serve in the work of our community.

I thank God for your presence tonight.

“Beautiful are the pages of a life filled with love.” I stand tonight as a witness to God’s favor in my life through my family… I am eternally grateful to God for my wife of 19 years (Christian) and my four beautiful children, who have walked with me through every season of God.  Can somebody thank God for family……

Saints…

We are gathered tonight in Albany, New York, our state capital.  This is where decisions shape policy… leadership shapes direction…and where moments shape history.     [pause]

And tonight marks something significant.  This Workers’ Meeting is historic because it is a seed we will reflect on years from now…and say: Look at what God did through us…

I want us to catch this….Albany is not only a place where laws are written… it is the place where God has positioned our jurisdiction for spiritual influence.   [pause]

So tonight…I need every kingdom citizen in this room…to consider a question.

Not about your title…not about our designation…not about your position…But about our responsibility at this moment.  [slow, deliberate — build tension]

At a time when people are trying to make it day by day…stretching what they have…and wondering if it will be enough…[pause]

At a moment when…hearts are quietly carrying weight…smiling in public…but breaking in private…[pause]

At a moment when…there are lives that feel stuck in cycles…patterns that repeat…doors that won’t seem to open…and no clear way out…[pause]

At a moment when…people are searching for answers…but don’t know where to look…[pause — lift slightly]

God has placed a NYCE jurisdiction…in this city…at this time. [pause]

Not by accident or coincidence…But by divine assignment.[pause — lean in]

Because when need increases…

God provides.  When hearts are heavy…God heals.  When people feel bound…God sends freedom. [pause — build]

Which means we are not here tonight just to gather… We are here because we have been positioned.

[pause]

And if we have been positioned…then we must be prepared.

What do you do…when history and opportunity meet in the same moment… and you realize God placed you here… to shape what will echo through generations?

[pause]

What do you do…when you realize…this is not just another service…not just another meeting…but a moment?

[pause — lean in, lower tone]

I’m here to declare unto you…this is the moment…and heaven is watching…and opportunity is standing in front of you…and God has positioned you…and the time is no longer coming…

If we are going to understand this moment… I can hear the word of the writer of Hebrews summoning us to look at our model for ministry…. Jesus Christ…. the author and finisher of our faith.”

He knew how to move in His moment.  And there came a moment…when Jesus walked into a synagogue… Turn with me to Luke  4:18-21 

WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS… I WOULD LIKE TO MINISTER FROM THE TITLE

 “N.O.W - NO OPPORTUNITY WASTED”

INTRODUCTION

Tonight, are invited into this moment through the eyes of Paul’s contemporary Luke, a careful observer, physician, and historian who documented Jesus’ life, ministry, and the early church.  His account shows not only what Jesus started but how it continues through the church.  Scholars like Darrell Bock and Joel Green point out Luke’s deliberate structure, highlighting that the narrative is a purposeful account of God's active work through real people in real time.

Luke is writing to a generation who are searching for clarity… people who did not grow up in this… people who needed to know that what they had heard about Jesus was not a rumor… but reality.

[pause — slight shift, lean in]

And when Luke brings us to this moment, he intentionally sets the scene in a synagogue on the Sabbath, a customary time when Scripture would be read and interpreted.  Which means Jesus is not interrupting anything…He is stepping into a recognized moment of authority.

[pause]

But what makes this moment powerful…is that Jesus is not just reading Scripture… He is revealing Himself through it.

[pause — lean in]

This is not just a reading…

This is a revelation of purpose.  Because Jesus is not reacting to a moment…he is revealing why the moment exists.

Can I tell you that when Jesus stands in that synagogue…He is not just participating in a service…He is stepping into a moment to declare why He was sent.

And can I say this to you tonight…in a world where people think everything is a coincidence…

God still orders steps.

[pause]

Which means you are not here tonight by accident…nor by chance… not because it just worked out…

You are here…because God knows how to position His people…in the right place…at the right time…for the right purpose.

Look at your neighbor…. You’re not late, you’re not too early….you are here for right NOW!

Shout NOW

Nurtured for Readiness

Jesus is standing, reading as a testimony 

When Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” the word “Spirit” from Greek pneuma means breath, wind, or divine life—representing God's active power, not just something felt but giving life and direction.  

“Upon” from means to come over, rest on, or be placed on intentionally. In other words, Jesus isn’t just saying God is near… He's declaring that God's life-giving power has been purposefully placed on Him for a specific task. 

This isn’t casual…it’s divine placement, God’s endorsement, heaven’s confirmation that His actions are authorized.

Here’s what we need to realize tonight: God's Spirit on you is not just for a moment; it’s the outcome of a process. Somebody shout process 

Jesus didn't skip any steps……………. He submitted to each one.  In Luke 1, before He spoke a word, the Bible notes that when Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby in her womb leaped at the sound of her voice—something was on Him before it was fully recognized by others.  Yet, He didn't rush His revelation.  

In Luke 2, at the age of 12, Jesus is in the temple, among teachers, listening, asking questions, and the Scripture says He amazed them with His understanding, but even then, He remained in order.  It states He returned with His parents and was obedient to them. He didn’t bypass the process. He was circumcised as required by law, grew up in the synagogue, remained faithful to the temple, studied the Scriptures, and worked as a carpenter.  He was dedicated to His culture, faithful in obscurity, and committed to His growth.

I need to talk to some people who were faithful to the process… You served when others walked away.  You endured when others fainted.  You stumbled and kept on going.  This season, I believe God is placing his spirit on the faithful………

[pause — lean in, build]

When the time was right, we see Jesus being baptized at the Jordan River.  As He rises, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He is then led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested, not broken. By Luke 4, His declaration, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” reveals His readiness, not marks its start. He was prepared through faithfulness to what nurtured Him. 

Tonight, I have to let you know —you are ready not because it just appeared, but because you were faithful in the dark, staying true to what God used to shape you. When you’re faithful in the process, your moment arrives already prepared, and you won’t have to reach for it.

OPPORTUNITIES OF THE MOMENT

(The Anointing Has an Assignment)

Now watch this, because the Spirit was not just placed upon Him—it was placed upon Him for something. And throughout Scripture, whenever the anointing was placed upon a person, it was never random—it was specific. The anointing rested upon prophets to speak the word of God, upon priests to stand between God and the people, and upon kings to govern, lead, and bring order. Which means the anointing has always been connected to identity and assignment.

So when Jesus stands in that synagogue and declares, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” He is not just making a statement of feeling—He is declaring who He is. He is revealing Himself as the fulfillment of everything the prophet, the priest, and the king represented. He is the one who speaks with authority, the one who restores relationship, and the one who brings order where there is chaos.

And then He gives us the objective of that anointing—He says He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are bruised. In other words, Jesus steps directly into the places where life has said no.

And this is not just something we feel…this is something we can see. There is a generation searching for truth but unsure where to find it. There are communities dealing with pressure, instability, and the effects of violence. There are people carrying weight privately while trying to function publicly. These are not just ideas—these are real lives that reflect the reality of no.

[pause — lean in]

No stability…No safety…No clarity…No peace…

[pause — lift]

And what Jesus is declaring is this—where there is no, I have come to bring now.

[pause — teaching]

So what does it mean to preach deliverance to the captives today?  It means God has an answer for anything that has a person bound—not just physical chains, but mental cycles, emotional burdens, spiritual oppression, and patterns that refuse to break.  Deliverance means you don’t have to stay what life tried to make you.

[pause — shift to responsibility]

And can I say this tonight—we are not just called to admire what Jesus did…we are called to continue what He declared.  If He is the Anointed One, then we are the ones anointed to carry out His work.  Which means God did not position us here just to exist—He positioned us here to become the solution to the no’s of life.

[pause — build]

In a city where people are trying to survive…in communities where hearts are heavy…in spaces where people are searching for answers…God has placed something on us so that something can happen through us.  Because the anointing is not for comfort—it is for impact.  It is not for titles—it is for transformation.

[pause — strong]

And when you understand your assignment, you don’t waste your moment…you don’t hesitate…you don’t shrink back…because you realize God put something on you to do something through you.

[pause — drop, then rise]

So if the Spirit is upon you…then something is supposed to happen through you.  And the real question tonight is not whether you have the anointing……but what you're doing with it?

No Opportunity Wasted.

I want to speak to those who can testify that the reason I have oil is because of the no’s in my own life. Doors didn’t open, opportunities failed, seasons didn’t make sense, and prayers seemed unanswered. But what I didn’t realize was that every no was building endurance, faith, clarity, and oil. Joseph’s story illustrates this—before reaching the palace, he endured no’s: stripped coat, betrayed by brothers, falsely accused, imprisoned. Despite setbacks, Joseph stayed faithful, and God used each setback to prepare him for a moment of victory. What seemed like a no was actually a yes in God's plan. Oil comes from crushing, endurance, surviving trials—not comfort or ease. I am here because I was processed, and if God brought me through my no, I am in a now. Instead of asking why, ask what God is doing now—because He brings us into a moment of release, restoration, and freedom, which Jesus calls the acceptable year of the Lord.

POINT 3 — WITH GOD THERE IS JUBILEE

“This Day…” — The Acceptable Year of the Lord)**

And then Jesus says something that shifts the entire room…He declares that He has come “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Now this is not just a phrase—this is a prophetic reference.  Because when Isaiah spoke it, and when the people heard it, they understood exactly what it meant.  He was pointing to Jubilee.

[pause — teach, but with rhythm]

Jubilee was not just a celebration—it was a divine interruption.  It was the moment when everything that had been bound had to be released, every debt had to be canceled, every captive had to be set free, and everything that was lost had to be restored. Jubilee was God stepping into human systems and resetting what life had disordered.

[pause — lean in]

Which means this was not just about a future hope…this was about a present reality.

[pause — build]

And when Jesus stands in that synagogue…He is not saying Jubilee is coming… He is saying Jubilee is here.

Because where Jesus is…Jubilee follows.

Where Jesus is…chains break.

Where Jesus is…hearts are healed.

Where Jesus is…lives are restored.

Where Jesus is…what was held up gets released.

And that is why He sits down and says, “This day…is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

Not tomorrow…

not next week…

not in another season…

And I need somebody in this room tonight to understand…that what Jesus declared then…is still available now.

Because if the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him…

and that same Spirit has been given to the church…

then that means Jubilee is not locked in a moment…

Jubilee is carried by a people.

So when we walk into broken places…Jubilee walks in.  When we step into bound situations…Jubilee steps in.  When we show up in communities that are hurting…Jubilee shows up.

Because with God…this is not just another year… This is the acceptable year of the Lord.

[pause — lift]

Which means debt does not have the final say…

bondage does not have the final say…

brokenness does not have the final say…

God does.

[pause — rise into preaching]

And I came to declare to this jurisdiction tonight…that we are not just in a meeting… we are standing in a moment of Jubilee.

Things that have been held up…are about to be released.

Things that have been bound…are about to be loosed.

Things that have been delayed…are about to come forth.

Because when God is in it… He knows how… to turn your NO…into a NOW.

PREACH LIKE THE HOLY GHOST OWNS YOU

Absolutely—this is where it becomes **sacred, not just sermonic**. You’re shifting from declaration to **intercession**, but keeping that same Apostolic authority and flow.

Here is your **closing prayer**, built from your doxology and message:

---

[pause — soften, prayerful tone]

Father…in the name of Jesus…

We thank You tonight…

for Your presence…

for Your power…

and for this moment that You have allowed us to stand in.

[pause]

Now unto You…

who is able to keep us from falling…

and to present us faultless before the presence of Your glory with exceeding joy…

[pause — lift slightly]

Now unto You…

who is able to do exceeding…abundantly…above all that we could ever ask or think…according to the power that is already working in us…

[pause — settle]

God, we thank You…

that You kept us through every no.

You kept us through the doors that didn’t open…

You kept us through the seasons we didn’t understand…

You kept us when we didn’t have answers…

and You kept us when we didn’t have strength.

[pause]

And tonight…we stand here…

because You were with us.

[pause — lean in]

So Father, in the name of Jesus…

I pray over every worker in this room…

That You would strengthen them…

that You would establish them…

that You would settle them in their assignment.

[pause — build]

Let Your Spirit rest upon them…

not just for a moment…

but for the mission.

Let clarity come…

let alignment come…

let fresh oil rest upon Your people tonight.

[pause — lift]

God, where there has been confusion…bring clarity.

Where there has been heaviness…bring strength.

Where there has been delay…release Your now.

[pause — strong]

In the name of Jesus… Every no that has tried to stand against Your people…we declare tonight that it must bow.

Every obstacle…every hindrance…every weight… It must submit to Your will.

And God…we declare… That this jurisdiction will not miss its moment. That every worker will walk in purpose…

that every assignment will be fulfilled… and that Your will will be done in this region.

[pause — soften, then lift]

Have Your way this week…move in every service…touch every heart…save, deliver, and set free…

And we give You the glory…we give You the honor…and we give You the praise…

Because You are able.And we declare it done…In Jesus’ name.

Amen.