A Painful Promise

POINT 1

(RESPONDING TO THE PROMISE)

I REMEMBER GETTING INTO TROUBLE AS YOU YOUNG BOY AND MAMA GOT ON THE PHONE AND TOLD ME WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO TO ME WHEN I GOT HOME, AND SHE SAID SOMETHING THAT SEALED THE DEAL SHE SAID SOMETHING TO LET ME KNOW THAT IT WAS NO WAY I WASN'T CATCHING A BEAT DOWN SHE SAID I PROMISE

AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD BEEN PROMISED SOMETHING AND GOT SAD UP TO THAT POINT ANYTIME I HEARD I PROMISE IT BROUGHT ME JOY IT BROUGHT ME PEACE BECAUSE THE PROMISE GUARANTEED I WAS GOING TO GET WHAT MAMA SAID I WAS GOING TO GET, BUT WHEN SHE PROMISED TO GIVE ME A WHOOPING IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I EXPERIENCED A PAINFUL PROMISE

IN GENESIS 12:1-3

VERSE 1

NOW THE LORD HAD SAID TO ABRAM, GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FATHERS HOUSE TO A LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.

LEAVE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW AND FOLLOW ME LEAVE THE COMFORT OF WHATS FAMILIAR AND JOURNEY INTO THE UNFAMILIAR BECAUSE CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS BE CALLED AND COMFORTABLE SOMETIMES; YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE COMFORT FOR THE CALLING

VERSE 2

I WILL MAKE YOU A GREAT NATION I WILL BLESS YOU AND MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING

VERSE 3

I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU, AND I WILL CURSE HIM WHO CURSE YOU, AND IN THEE SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED

AND HE TELLS HIM, GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY FROM YOUR FAMILY FROM YOUR FATHERS HOUSE, GET AWAY FROM YOUR PEOPLE, AND IM GOING TO CREATE A PEOPLE THROUGH YOU IM GOING TO BUILD A NEW NATION THROUGH YOU

THROUGH THIS NATION, THE WORD WILL BECOME FLESH AND DWELL AMONG YOU THROUGH THIS NATION IM GOING TO FIX WHAT WAS BROKEN IN GENESIS 3 AND FULFILL MY PROMISE WHICH I SPOKE GENESIS 3:15

WHEN GOD CALLS YOU; HE CALLS YOU TO BE A PART OF A PEOPLE THAT HE ESTABLISHED WHEN GOD CALLS YOU, HE CALLS YOU TO BE APART OF A KINGDOM THAT HE ESTABLISHED

ABRAHAM LEAVES EVERYTHING HE KNOWS COMMUNITY, HIS PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE VOICE OF GOD SAID THROUGH YOU, I'M GOING TO BUILD A GREAT NATION AND MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT.

IM GOING TO GIVE YOU A NEW IDENTITY

HE HEARS THE PROMISE OF GOD

VERSE 4,

HE DEPARTED AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM

HE MOVED ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM NOT FROM WHAT GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIS BEST-FRIEND

NOT FROM WHAT HE READ ON SOCIAL MEDIA

NO HE MOVED FROM WHAT GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM WE OFTEN GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE WE DEPART PREMATURELY WE INVEST, TOO SOON WE MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS ABRAM GETS TWO THINGS FROM THE LORD INSTRUCTIONS AND A PROMISE

EVERY-TIME GOD GIVES A PROMISE HE GIVES INSTRUCTIONS

SEE, SOME OF US WANT THE PROMISE WITHOUT INSTRUCTION; SOME OF US WANT TO BUILD BUT HAVE NO BLUEPRINT WE WANT THE PROMISES WITHOUT PROCESS

GENESIS 12:5-7

VERSE 5

THEN ABRAM TOOK HIS WIFE SARAI AND LOT HIS BROTHER’S SON AND ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS AND WENT TO CANAAN.

GENESIS 12:7

VERSE 7

THEN THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM AND SAID TO YOUR DESCENDANTS; I WILL GIVE THIS LAND.

GOD BRINGS HIM TO THE LAND OF CANAAN TO THE LAND OF PROMISE AND TELLS HIM THIS LAND I WILL GIVE TO YOUR DESCENDANTS

HE’S 75 YEARS OLD, HE HAS NO CHILDREN, AND GOD PROMISES TO GIVE THE LAND HE DON'T HAVE YET TO DESCENDANTS; HE DON'T HAVE YET

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE CAN’T WRAP OUR MIND AROUND THE PROMISE OF GOD

HE’S STANDING IN THE PROMISE

HE CAN SEE THE PROMISE

BUT HE CAN’T POSSESS YET

HE CAN DREAM ABOUT HAVING A CHILD, BUT HE CAN’T HOLD THE BABY WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE A PROMISE YOU CAN’T POSSESS WHEN YOU HAVE A GIFT YOU CAN’T UNWRAP

WHEN YOU’VE BEEN GIVING SOMETHING YOU CAN’T ACCESS, IT BECOMES FRUSTRATING BECOMES PAINFUL, AND THEN YOU BEGAN TO LIVE WITH A PAINFUL PROMISE

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND PATIENCE WHEN DEALING WITH A GOD THAT'S NOT BOUND BY TIME THAT’S NOT SUBJECT TO HUMAN CALENDARS, AND DEADLINES SEE THE PROMISE CAN TURN PAINFUL IF YOU DON'T LIKE PROCESS IF YOU'RE IMPATIENT IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO WAIT

AND GET THIS HOW YOU WAIT IS IMPORTANT

HOW YOU CARRY YOURSELVES WHILE YOU WAIT IS IN IMPORTANT (WAITRESS STORY)

AND WHILE WAITING ON THE PROMISE, YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PRAISE HIM WHILE YOU WAIT, YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP WHAT I CALL A MIDDLE PRAISE; YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PRAISE HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF A BAD REPORT IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP A MIDDLE PRAISE

WHAT IS A MIDDLE PRAISE

IT'S WORSHIPPING WHILE YOU WAIT, WHILE YOU WAIT ON GOD WORSHIP,

WHILE YOU WAIT ON THE PROMISE WORSHIP, WHILE YOU WAIT ON THE SPOUSE WORSHIP, WHILE YOU WAIT ON THE INCREASED WORSHIP

WHILE YOU WAIT ON THE HEALING, WORSHIP

WHILE YOU WAIT ON THE DELIVERANCE WORSHIP

WHO YOU WAIT FOR IS IMPORTANT

STOP WAITING ON SOME LIL BOY TO ACT LIKE A MAN

IF I HEAR ONE MORE PERSON SAY I'M JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY GOT IN FRONT OF THEM, NO, YOU AINT WAITING; YOUR WASTING

YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME

YOUR WASTING YOUR ENERGY

YOU'RE WASTING YOUR GIFTS

BECAUSE YOU'RE WAITING ON THE WRONG PEOPLE

BUT THOSE THAT WAIT ON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH

HEAR ME, CHURCH; YOU DON’T WANT THE PROMISE WITHOUT THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE PROCESS YOU LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE THE PROMISE

IT'S IN THE MIDDLE WHERE YOU LEARN HOW TO WORSHIP WE OFTEN THINK IT'S IN THE VALLEY AND ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP, BUT ITS REALLY IN THE MIDDLE; WHAT IS THE MIDDLE? ITS PROCESS SEE IN THE VALLEY IT'S LORD PLEASE GET ME OUT OF THIS, AND ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP ITS THANK YOU LORD FOR GETTING ME OUT, BUT IN THE MIDDLE WHAT DO YOU SAY IN THE MIDDLE YOU PRAISE HIM ON CREDIT.

IN THE MIDDLE, YOU THINK ABOUT HOW FAR HE’S BROUGHT YOU, AND IN THE MIDDLE, YOU THINK ABOUT HOW FAR HE CAN TAKE YOU DO I HAVE ANYBODY IN HERE WITH A MIDDLE PRAISE

AND ABRAHAM IS DOING WELL WHILE HE WAITS

GENESIS 13:2

ABRAHAM WAS VERY RICH IN LIVESTOCK IN SILVER AND GOLD

ABRAM AND LOT HAD SO MUCH WEALTH FOR THEIR POSSESSION WERE SO GREAT THAT THEY COULD NOT DWELL TOGETHER, SO THEY SPLIT UP, WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS

GENESIS 13:14

AND THE LORD SAID TO ABRAM AFTER LOT HAD SEPARATED FROM HIM LIFT YOUR EYES NOW AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NORTHWARD, SOUTHWARD, EASTWARD, AND WESTWARD

VERSE 15

FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, I GIVE TO YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER!

AFTER LOT SEPARATED FROM HIM, GOD SAID, LIFT YOUR EYES NOW AND LOOK

YOU MIGHT GOTTA SEPARATE FROM SOME PEOPLE; DISCONNECT, AND GET IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD

SOMEBODY PROMISE IS DELAYED BY THE COMPANY YOUR KEEPING

THE BIBLE SAYS AFTER LOT SEPARATED

13:14 AND THE LORD SAID TO ABRAM AFTER LOT HAD SEPARATED FROM HIM, LIFT YOUR EYES NOW AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE

NORTHWARD

SOUTHWARD

EASTWARD

AND WESTWARD

GOD SAID FROM WHERE YOU ARE; GOD IS GOING TO DO IT RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE;

FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, I GIVE TO YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER.

I BELIEVE AFTER WE HAVE SEPARATED OURSELVES, FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE CERTAIN PLACES CERATIN THINGS WILL HEAR THE FATHER SAY LIFT YOUR EYES NOW AND LOOK

LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE WHY IS THAT SO CRUCIAL? PASTOR, GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE GOD GIVES A ABRAM A PROMISE, BUT BEFORE HE GAVE HIM INSTRUCTIONS,

GENESIS 12:1

GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY, FROM YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR FATHER’S HOUSE

AND IN VERSE 4, IT SAYS, AND LOT WENT WITH HIM. GOD NEVER TOLD HIM TO BRING LOT; WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHO WE TRY AN BRING INTO OUR NEW SEASON WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHO WE TRY AND INCLUDE IN THE PROMISE.

GENESIS 14:15

FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE I GIVE TO YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER.

GOD KEEPS BRINGING UP GRANDKIDS, GREAT-GRANDKIDS, AND DESCENDANTS, AND HE DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE KID YET.

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN GOD IS SPEAKING TO US FROM THE FINISH LINE AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START? A PROMISE FROM GOD CAN GET PAINFUL

BECAUSE WE HAVE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PROMISE AND THE PLATFORM BUT HAVE NEGLECTED THE PURSUIT AND THE PROCESS, WHY ARE YALL ALWAYS FASTING BECAUSE WERE PURSUING HIM WHY IS TOBIN ALWAYS JUMPING BECAUSE WERE PURSUING HIM, AND THERE IS A PROCESS IN PURSUING HIM THAT LEADS TO PREPARATION SO WERE BETTER PREPARED FOR THE PROMISE OF GOD

AND WHILE ABRAHAM IS WAITING ON THE PROMISE OF GOD, HIS WIFE BEGINS TO POUNDER ON HOW THEY CAN SKIP THE PROCESS AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE PROMISE

Point 2

GENESIS 16:2

SHE’S SO TIRED OF WATING ON THE GOD IDEA

SHE SETTLES FOR A GOOD IDEA

WHEN WHAT WERE BELIEVING FOR TAKES LONGER THAN EXPECTED WE SETTLED

SHE SO FRUSTRATED WITH THE PAIN OF WAITING FOR THE PROMISE

SHE SETTLES

GENESIS 16:2

SO SARAI SAID TO ABRAM SEE NOW THE LORD HAS RESTRAINED ME FROM BEARING CHILDREN. PLEASE GO IN TO MY MAID PERHAPS I SHALL OBTAIN CHILDREN BY HER. AND ABRAM HEEDED THE VOICE OF SARAI

SO ABRAM HOOKS UP WITH THE MAIDSERVANT, THEY KICK IT

HAGAR GETS PREGNANT, AND SARAI DEALT HARSHLY WITH HAGAR SHE DESPISES HAGAR THE VERY THOUGHT OF HAGAR IS PAINFUL BUT GET THIS IT WAS HER IDEA TO GIVE HER HUSBAND A HALL PASS; IT WAS HER IDEA FOR ABRAM TO SLIDE INTO HAGAR DM’S

AND NOW SHE CAN’T STAND HER BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE ELSE CARRYING YOUR PROMISE

THE PAIN OF WAITING ON THE PROMISE DOESN’T COMPARE TO THE PAIN OF WATCHING ANOTHER WOMAN DO FOR HER HUSBAND WHAT SHE WAS CALLED TO DO

SEE THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE TO REAL FOR SOME OF YALL

SEE, WE HAVE SETTLED FOR ISHMAEL WHEN GOD HAS PROMISED US ISAAC

ISHMAEL IS CONCEIVED OUT OF IMPATIENCE;

HE’S CONCEIVED OUT OF FRUSTRATION

ISHMAEL IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU DON'T WAIT FOR YOUR ISSAC

QUEEN, DON’T YOU SETTLE FOR ISHMAEL WHEN GOD HAS PROMISED YOU ISAAC

KING DON'T YOU GET BLINDED BY DELILAH THAT YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR NAOMI

THEY ARE BOTH FRUSTRATED! WITH WAITING ON THE PROMISE, THEY ARE STARTING TO LOSE FAITH IN WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED

THE DOUBT ISN’T CAN HE DO IT;

THE DOUBT IS, WHEN WILL HE DO IT?

WHY WOULD HE DO IT ?

WHY WOULD HE USE ME?

BECAUSE ON PAPER IM NOT QUALIFIED

I DON’T HAVE RESOURCES, I DON’T HAVE CONNECTIONS IM TOO OLD IM TOO YOUNG

AND WHEN WE FOCUS ON THE HOW

IT LEADS TO THE WHEN?

AND THE WHEN LEADS TO THE WHERE

AND THE WHERE LEADS TO THE WHY

AND ALL THOSE LEAD TO DOUBT

GENESIS 18:2

NOW CAME TO CONFIRM THE PROMISE OF GOD ABOUT SARAH HAVING A SON, AND WHEN SHE HEARD IT, SHE LAUGHED BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAID SHE WAS PAST THE AGE OF CHILDBEARING

BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LAUGH TO KEEP FROM CRYING 90 YEARS OLD, AND I BELIEVED SHE LAUGHED TO KEEP FROM CRYING BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’VE WAITED AND WAITED

AND YOU SEE PEOPLE GET WHAT THE LORD PROMISED YOU

WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE GO WHERE THE LORD SAID HE WAS TAKING YOU

WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE DOING WHAT THE LORD CALLED YOU TO DO

I BELIEVE YOU LAUGH TO KEEP FROM CRYING I’M TALKING ABOUT A PAINFUL PROMISE

IN GENESIS 21:5, ISAAC IS BORN,

BUT SARAH GIVES BIRTH TO ISACC, AND THE PROMISE GOD MADE HIM AT 75 COMES TO PASS WHEN 100 YEARS OLD.

GENESIS 22 GOD TESTED ABRAHAM

AND ASKED HIM TO SACRIFICE HIS ONLY SON

GOD JUST ASKED HIM TO KILL THE PROMISE HE WAITED 25 YEARS FOR

GENESIS, 22:5

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO US AND SAY THE PROMISE YOU WAITED A LONG TIME FOR

KILL IT

WALK AWAY FROM IT

SELL IT

GIVE AWAY

WHAT DO YOU DO

WHEN YOU FOUGHT FOR THE PROMISE

HAD FAITH FOR THE PROMISE

SEPARATED FROM FAMILY FOR THE PROMISE AND GOD ASKED YOU TO KILL THE PROMISE

ABRAHAM, AND HE STOPS ABRAHAM FROM KILLING THE PROMISE I’M TELLING SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW

DON’T KILL THE PROMISE;

DON’T KILL THE VISION

LET YOUR FAITH RISE

POINT 3

Joshua 5:2-3

VERSE 2

AT THAT TIME, THE LORD SAID TO JOSHUA, MAKE FLINT KNIVES FOR YOURSELF, AND CIRCUMCISE THE SONS OF ISRAEL AGAIN THE SECOND TIME.

Verse 3

SO JOSHUA MADE FLINT KNIVES FOR HIMSELF AND CIRCUMCISED THE SONS OF ISRAEL AT THE HILL OF THE FORESKINS

VERSE 12

THEN THE MANNA CEASED ON THE DAY AFTER THEY HAD EATEN, THE PRODUCE OF THE LAND; AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL NO LONGER HAD MANNA, (BUT THEY ATE THE FOOD OF THE LAND OF CANAAN THAT YEAR)

THEY ATE FROM THE LAND OF PROMISE

JOSHUA IS ABOUT TO WALK INTO THE PROMISE GOD MADE TO ABRAHAM

GOD IS NOT HOLDING STUFF FROM YOU HE’S HOLDING STUFF FOR YOU

EVERY PROMISE FROM GOD IS YES AND AMEN, BUT OUR RESPONSE TO GOD EITHER DELAYS OR ACCELERATES THE ARRIVAL OF WHAT GOD HAS FOR US

GOD INSTRUCTS JOSHUA TO CIRCUMCISE THEM BEFORE THEY ENTER THE PROMISE LAND WHY DOES GOD GIVE HIM THAT INSTRUCTION AT THAT LOCATION AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THEIR IS ALWAYS THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO CUT OFF BEFORE WALKING INTO YOUR PROMISE

SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA CUT SOME PEOPLE OFF BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE THE PROMISE

YOU HAVE TO CUT YOURSELF OUT OF SOME CIRCLES BEFORE YOU CAN STAND IN THE PROMISE

THEY ARE EXPERIENCING PAIN BEFORE THE PROMISE

WHY DID HE CIRCUMCISE THEM RIGHT BEFORE BECAUSE YOU CAN’T COME INTO YOUR NEW SEASON WITH OLD STUFF ON YOU; YOU CANNOT POSSESS THE PROMISE OF GOD UNTIL YOU CUTT SOME STUFF OFF AND OUT OF YOUR LIFE

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CUT OFF

AND WHO?

I'm TALKING ABOUT A PAINFUL PROMISE