May 26, 2025 • 46 mins
Have you ever found yourself wandering in a spiritual wilderness, feeling stuck in cycles of doubt, fear, or hardship? This powerful message unveils the concept of God's protective canopy—a divine covering that shelters believers through life's most challenging seasons.
Drawing from Isaiah 4 and the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, we explore how God's presence manifested as a cloud by day and fire by night, providing constant protection regardless of circumstance. What should have been an 11-day journey stretched into 40 years because of grumbling, doubt, and resistance to God's transforming work. Sound familiar? Many of us find ourselves circling the same mountains repeatedly because we're unwilling to surrender our will to God's perfect plan.
Through personal testimony of severe illness and miraculous healing, we witness how perseverance under God's canopy leads to breakthrough. "When you're down to nothing, God's up to something." This isn't just encouragement—it's a battle cry for believers facing seemingly impossible circumstances. The wilderness isn't just a place of challenge but an opportunity for transformation if we allow God to change our hearts.
The message culminates with a powerful reminder that Christ is our firm foundation. When everything around us shakes, we can stand secure under God's protective canopy, trusting His unwavering faithfulness through every storm. Are you ready to stop wandering and start experiencing the security of God's presence? Your wilderness journey doesn't have to last 40 years—step under the canopy of His protection today.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
this morning and to bring the word of the Lord and
to share with you all of hisgoodness, his faithfulness.
He's faithful, right In everycircumstance.
Yes, amen.
And so I got here.
(00:20):
Just give me a, give me asecond.
I wished I could get it alltogether on a patty, but I don't
know what it is.
Something about film paper.
I'm just more Old school.
(00:41):
Huh Right, this is notorganized.
Trying to get there, okay.
So A few weeks ago, in a prayerroom we were red, hot and on
(01:03):
fire for God, seeking out histreasures.
We were in there praying on firefor God seeking out his
treasures.
We were in there praying forhis mercies.
We was in there praying for hismysteries.
We was asking God to move inthe service and all of a sudden,
(01:25):
miss Melody.
Here she comes out like a lion.
Now, you know the woman is softspoken, but that morning, in her
heavenly prayer language, I'mtelling you, she had her suit on
and she was doing business withthe Holy Ghost, amen.
And she was bringing the wordof the Lord through tongue.
And the Lord showed me a canopy.
(01:46):
And I'm like Lord, I don't evenknow that there's a canopy
spoken in the word, and so Iwent with it and he showed me
this beautiful canopy and it wasmade out of sheer material and
(02:08):
it was iridescent colors,pastels, just absolutely
beautiful.
And it dripped.
It dripped with oil, with theanointing oil, and it was.
And God shows me some prettypretty things, but this was
outstanding.
And so of course I go home andbegin to study this out, and God
(02:38):
showed me that it was aspiritual canopy, that it was
God's covering over his people.
And in Isaiah 4, 5 and 4, iteven says it right down here in
my little footnotes that it is acanopy.
(03:01):
His presence is a canopy, andyou know that's when you walk by
faith and not by sight, when hespeaks stuff to you that you
don't really understand, but youjust flow with him.
And so in Isaiah 4, 5 and 4, itsays this 4, it says this Then
(03:28):
the Lord will create above everydwelling place of Mount Zion
and above her assemblies, acloud and smoke by day, the
shining of flaming fire by night.
For over all the glory therewill be a covering.
And so in order for me to beable to bring this word through
(03:53):
my studies, we have to go backto Moses, all the way back in
the book of Exodus.
And so what I want to ask you inyour life is have you ever been
in a wilderness place?
Have you ever been in a placewhere you're in bondage in your
(04:15):
thoughts, where you feel thatyou are in a destitute place and
you are in a spiritualwilderness?
Anybody been there?
Just so I know we're all on thesame page Amen, amen, okay,
okay.
You know, the wilderness is aplace of challenges, true, and,
(04:43):
if we allow it, a place oftransformation, a place of
change, a place where we can say, father, god, come and change
my heart, renew a right spiritwithin me.
Amen, because sometimes,whether we like it or not, we
might be the problem.
(05:03):
We don't want to be the problem, but we always think it's the
other guy.
But when we say, god, change myheart, change my old, hard
calloused, stony heart, that Ican see things the way you see
them, is that going to happenovernight?
(05:23):
Possibly, if it's a miracle,but generally that's a journey.
Amen, okay.
So it's a place where we willhave spiritual growth, there
will be testings of our faithand we will have a time of
encountering God in his presenceif we surrender.
(05:47):
Amen.
Isaiah 43, 19 through 20 saysGod promises to make a way in
the wilderness.
He's made a way for me manytimes through the wilderness,
through desolate places, throughdry ground in my life, but he
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will make a river.
You know what the river is theliving water that will flow to
us, through us and over us andworship us Amen.
And he will provide us withhope.
How many of us in here needhope for today, hope for
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tomorrow, amen.
Deuteronomy 8.15 says Mosesdescribed the wilderness as a
place of hardship and testingfor the Israelites' hearts.
So you see, when God is nudgingus to become more, to grow more
(06:51):
, to be more for the kingdom,he's going to nudge.
And nudge ain't fun.
I've had times in my life wherehe's wanted me to do stuff and
I won't budge, and he put histhumb right on me and make me
one of the most miserable peopleuntil I surrender all to the
king of kings and the lord oflords.
(07:12):
Have you ever been there?
There's been times in my lifewhen he said, child, honker down
, honker down.
He's took me out behind thewoodshed before Give me quite
the business there Trying to getthrough my mind, my flesh, his
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desires for my life.
Any of y'all been there?
Amen, okay.
So Numbers 14.33 says that theIsraelites wandered in the
wilderness for 40 years.
Can you imagine?
Here's the irony of it all.
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It was an 11-day trip, 40 years.
Around and around and around.
Here's around and around andaround.
How many of us here today aregoing around and around and
around because we're notsurrendering to his will?
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No, god, I want my will, I knowwhat I want, I know what I need,
but that moment that I hit thepavement and the bull falls off
from underneath my will, god,what's your will?
I need you.
I need you right now.
I don't want my 11 day trip totake me 40 years to get there.
I don't got that kind of timeanymore.
(08:34):
Amen.
You see, moses, he received acall from the Lord at a burning
bush to lead the Israelites outof captivity, and he was true.
He was true to what God wantedhim to do.
(08:57):
So he goes to Pharaoh and hesays Pharaoh, let God's people
go.
I used to sing this with thekids in nursery.
Don't Pharaoh say Pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh.
Do we have that today?
Do we have that today in ourlives?
We go to Pharaoh, whatever thatthing is, it's holding us in
bondage and we say let me go.
And that thing goes oh, no, no,no, no, no, no, no, no.
(09:35):
I got you.
But through Jesus Christ,bondage is broken.
Freedom is mine.
Amen, Amen, amen.
So, as we are going through thatplace, we are getting spiritual
growth.
How many of you in here desireto grow in the Spirit, To be all
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that you can be for the kingdomof God?
I mean it is my goal to be allthat you can be for the kingdom
of God.
I mean it is my goal in life tobe all that I can be for the
kingdom.
When we have encounters withGod in the wilderness, that will
lead you and I to greatintimacy and understanding of
(10:25):
his character.
Intimacy is into me, see, o,god.
That don't mean that I runaround and shut doors in my
heart that he can't go down.
I don't, oh, don't go there.
Oh, you don't need to see that.
Oh, stop, stop, stop.
I need to say my heart is open.
(10:46):
Holy Ghost, go down everycorridor of my heart If there be
any wicked thing in me, changeme.
Oh Lord, transform me, Amen,amen.
God provides for his people inthe wilderness his power and his
(11:11):
faithfulness.
I need God's faithfulness in mylife every day.
I need his anointing, I needhis forgiveness, I need his
strength, I need his joy.
I need his strength, I need hisjoy.
I need him in my life.
You need him in your life Everysecond, every minute, every
(11:32):
hour of every day, 24-7?
.
I couldn't do it.
I could not live this lifewithout him.
I don't even know if I wouldknow how to operate without the
Holy Spirit guiding, leading anddirecting.
Amen, amen.
(11:56):
The wilderness is a complex anda multi-facet landscape that
reflects challenges and triumphof our faith and the
transformation power of God'spresence.
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That's why I said, when we comein here, lord, let us lead
different, because we've beenunder the presence of Almighty
and in his presence.
He will never leave us where wewere.
He will only take us forward.
I'm going to turn my bell off.
(12:39):
The wilderness place is intense.
It is a spiritual testing.
It is a spiritual testing, itis a challenging.
If we rely on our faith andcontinue a more deeper walk with
God, it can be a time where weare away from our comfort zone.
(12:59):
I don't actually like to getaway from my comfort zone, you
know.
I don't even actually likechange.
It's not my thing, but the onlything that gets me there is God
says from glory to glory, I'mchanged, but I don't like to
change.
How many in here like change?
(13:20):
You know, pastor Michael, it's adriven force.
For him it is a driven forceand for me it's like pull me.
But you know what?
That's how God designed me.
You know God designed me to bea detailed person.
Most people don't evenunderstand me.
(13:41):
I got the plan going on up herewhen God reveals, then I'll
share and everybody's just likewell, what are we doing?
You know?
But I am a detailed person anddetailed people either see it
black or white.
There's no middle.
And so you know that's a placethat I've had to learn to grow,
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so that I not that I'm not, sothat I feel accepted and the
beloved.
Because I am different, I'msanctified, I'm set apart and
I'm made different.
I prayed that for years and then, when it happens, you're like
oh my gosh, what's going on?
What's the matter?
Why don't nobody like me?
You know, you feel like that.
You ever feel like that.
(14:23):
Why don't nobody like me?
But you know you feel like that, you ever feel like that.
Why don't nobody like me?
But you know, jesus loves meand that's what's important.
So in Exodus 3, 1 and 2, moses,he leads the Israel out I'm
saying that right, theIsraelites out of Egypt, where
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he encountered God.
Oh, my page moved.
Oh, no, we'll get back here.
So all these miraclesdemonstrated his power, his
protection and provision for hispeople.
So let's look at some of themiracles that the Israelites
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went through.
And yet they grumbled andcomplained and went around the
same mountain for 40 years.
First of all, they get out,they're set free, they're on the
move and they come right up toa great big old Red Sea and
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they're like Moses did you bringus out here to die?
Speaker 2 (15:34):
How are we ever going to get across this water?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Moses, moses, moses, and you know they can hear the
horses and the chariots coming.
I'm sure it sounded like aroaring thunder and I'm sure
that Satan placed fear upon eachand every one of them that this
is a day that you should die.
But Moses, he trusted God withall of his heart because, you
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see, he lived under the canopy.
He stretched out his rod andthe Red Sea opened.
Now a wind went through and theland was dry and off they went.
Now I'm supposing Moses is apretty good guy and off they go.
(16:24):
They get to the other shore andthe army they were starting to
come into the water, but all ofGod's people were on shore and
down came the water and therider and the carriage was swept
away.
So they get on the other sideof the water and they begin to
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praise God and worship him, andyou can even read in the word
where they wrote a song of howwonderful he was and how
glorious he is and that he savedhim.
And they swept the water away.
And amazing.
So, traveling along, we need adrink, we need water.
(17:06):
So we go to the water and youknow what it's bitter.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Moses, moses, moses.
The water's bitter.
Did you bring us out here tomake us thirst to death?
There's no water to drink.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
See that stuff sound natural, like real.
So we take the rod.
Thank you God.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Oh the water's sweet, we can drink it.
Oh my gosh, we're going to liveanother day.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Amen.
So then, oh, the sun's so hot Ican't breathe.
It's heat, it's killing mycattle and all my horses, and
the chickens are dying and theducks can't make it, and my kids
are hot.
And God says fear not, fear not.
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And he gave them a cloud, apillar cloud, to cover them from
the sun and the heat.
Doesn't it look like a God weknow?
Amen.
A pillar cloud to cover themfrom the sun and the heat.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Doesn't that sound like a God we know Amen.
So here we go again Now.
It's cold, it's raining andit's storming.
God, have you brought us outhere to forsake us?
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Moses, help help Jesus.
God brings a pillar of fire towarm them through the night,
isn't he amazing, amazing.
So now they're hungry, god,we're hungry.
You're going to feed us, god,you bring us out here to starve
us to death.
(18:45):
See, they're grumbling andcomplaining.
It's why they can't make that11-day trip, because they can't
get past this.
So, god, he brings quail forthem to eat, isn't he wonderful?
And he brings them some manna.
But you know those Israelites,they were selfish and stingy,
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and so they went around and theygathered up all the manna that
they could get, all the mannathey could get stuck it in their
little bag, put it over here intheir tent.
I'll have food tomorrow, nomatter what happens, Because you
see they doubt.
(19:29):
In the morning they get up toget their manna.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Ah, it's rotten, it's no good.
I can't eat that.
God, why do you do that?
You send stuff that sprouts soquick.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
God says my manna, which is the word of God, is new
every day.
It says in Romans that we renewour minds on his word every day
, because yesterday's mannaspwells, but today's manna is
fresh and new and full ofrevelation, knowledge, wisdom,
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understanding, amen, wisdom,understanding, amen, amen.
And so they had victory overthe Amalekites.
They defeated them through thepower and the protection of God.
They had miracles, testamentsof God's faithfulness and his
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ability to provide for hispeople in difficult
circumstances.
In your life has God providedtime and time and time again,
and in those times when hewasn't moving fast enough for us
, did we grumble and complain?
Amen, amen.
(20:56):
But here's the thing I'm goingto give you, a great revelation
he is an on-time God.
He's never late and he's neverearly.
He's on time, amen.
So I've lost my place.
This thing keeps slipping on me, right here, right here.
(21:22):
So I'm going to ask you what isyour wilderness place today?
Think about that.
Where is my wilderness?
Think about that.
Where is my wilderness?
You know, god is still a canopy, just like he was back in
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Isaiah 4.
He is still our canopy ofprotection and comfort in the
face of adversity, our safetyand our shelter house, our
refuge, our hiding place fromevery circumstance of adversity,
Our safety and our shelterhouse, our refuge, our hiding
place from every circumstance oflife, not some, not most, but
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every circumstance of life.
He is your hiding place, he isyour refuge, he is your safe
place because you know you canvent and vent and vent on our
Lord and Savior and he will keepthat covenant between you and
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him.
Do you believe that you couldbe down to your last potato and
he could give you a wittyinvention on how to feed your
whole family with that?
So, even though it looks likeyou're down to nothing, that's
when God's up to something.
Amen.
I don't know how many timesDave and I, back in the day,
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didn't have the money for gasand root around in a drawer and
find a $10 bill.
You know his name is Jehovah,god, the God who provides
everything that we need, notsome and not most, but
everything, everything.
You know God, he wants tobestow upon our lives blessings
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and riches, but Satan, he wantsus to be filled with fear, doubt
, unbelief and those things,whether we want to realize it or
not.
They cause us to be on theoutside of the canopy.
They cause you and me to feellike we're disconnected from God
(23:44):
, that's a desolate place,that's the wilderness.
When we feel separated from GodBecause God says I'd never
leave you nor forsake you.
So when we feel that disconnectthat's us, we're the one that
has stepped away from God,stepped away from the word,
stepped away from worship,stepped back from church,
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stepped back from our healthycircle.
Amen, amen, amen.
Let's look at James 1, 2, and 4.
I love this scripture.
Consider it all joy when facedwith trials, because trials will
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produce perseverance, and Iknow I wouldn't be able to say
this word Trials, because trialswill produce perseverance, and
I know I wouldn't be able to saythis word Perseverance.
And well, we'll just sayperseverance.
John and 2 Timothy tells usthat when we are in adversity,
when we are in hard times, whenwe are having trials and
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tribulations, we're in greatcompany because you know our
Jesus' Son, jesus Christ, he hadthe same thing.
He had trials because, you see,he was all God and all man.
He knows what we go through.
(25:14):
Amen, amen.
But through Christ, you and Ican push through with resilience
, got it and perseverance.
Amen, oops, we have the abilitythrough Christ, it tells us in
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Philippians 4.13.
I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me, not
some things, not most things,but what All things To bounce
back from the setbacks ofdifficulties.
Now we're going to tell youlast year, you know, god told me
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many, many moons ago that whenI would bring the word, when I
would share, when I'd teach,when told me many, many moons
ago that when I would bring theword, when I would share, when
I'd teach, when I'd preach, thatthe testimony you know, we
overcome by the blood of theLamb, the word of our testimony,
and through that testimony itwill bring breakthrough into the
lives of God's people, amen.
So let me tell you about 2024for me, in February I got sick.
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I got acid reflex, gerd.
I was so sick.
I remember, not this Easter,but last Easter, I did sunrise
service, we had breakfast, wedid praise and worship, we had
church.
I was so sick that day I couldhardly hold my head up, but
through resilience andperseverance I pressed through
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Amen.
And what Satan's plan was?
To take me down and take me out.
You're too sick to go forward.
And so from February till theend of November, I was sick.
Nobody knew that.
Not very many people know thatI mean sick.
The medicines they give me,they dehydrated me and I got
(27:21):
sicker because I didn't drinkenough water.
But nobody told me to drink thewater.
I will drink the water.
I remember I went to work but Igot up and I was sick and I was
like Dave, I'm so sick.
I said I don't think, think Iget to work today.
He says go ahead and go.
If you don't feel good, justcome back.
So I get there and by the timeI get to work I am now walking
like a drunken sailor becauseI'm so dizzy and I walk in and I
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say, chris, I'm really sick, Ineed to go home.
You?
I said, I think I can make it.
So I pull out on Crown Road andI hop out of my car and I'm
just heaving and heaving and atruck driver comes by and he
says are you okay?
I said yeah, yeah, I'm okay andhe's like I think I need to
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follow you home.
And so he followed me home andI went to bed and I never woke
up to 5 o'clock that evening.
I was sick.
If you ever had acid refluxGERD, it is like from your
throat to your hips you're sick,top to bottom.
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Whatever you eat makes you sick.
You might think it's going towork for a little bit.
Next thing you know you're sick.
Last November, end of November,it was our last.
Now listen through that.
I claim Psalms 103.
I am the hill to the Lord, Isaid, father.
God, it says in Exodus that youare the God that healeth Holly
(28:47):
Daisy.
I thank you, father, that yourhealing balm rests up over me.
I thank you, father, that Ididn't know this word, but I am
under your protection.
I am under your presence,father.
It's your blood that pumpsthrough my veins.
I thank you and I praise you,lord, that I will live and not
die to proclaim the works of theLord.
Amen.
Because I think in my thinkerthat I might die.
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I was so sick.
And then you know, when youhave acid reflux, good, I come
to run around with your stressand your anxiety, and when all
that gets stirred up, then itmakes us worse, and so all that.
But you know what?
We walk by faith and not bysight, and we press into God.
And on that December night itwas a Wednesday night we had had
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a, there was a church calledthe Nazarene and it sits over
top where Jesus was born,because we all think Jesus was
born in a stable, but Jesus wasactually born in a cave, and so
this church sits over top and Idid a teaching a cave, and so
this church sits over top and Idid a teaching on that and we
went through this church on alive stream and all of a sudden
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this room became filled with themost amazing, beautiful
presence fragrance that we haveever smelled before, and it
would lift and then it wouldflow through us again.
I think we were here until 10o'clock and I could feel this
(30:26):
anointing from the top of myhead to the bounds of my feet.
It was on me so much that Itasted it.
And do you know?
That night I was healed.
That night God healed me.
So I know that when you're inthe presence of God, you are
changed From the inside out,whether it be physically,
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spiritually or mentally.
God will heal you in hispresence, amen.
So see, we have to haveresilience and perseverance to
press through.
That's how I handle the devil,because you know what you better
.
Look out, because when I getthrough this storm, the war is
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on.
Amen.
Is that your heart attitude?
You wait till you see what I amafter the storm?
Amen, see to me.
It thrushes me, it pushes meforward.
I won't give that enemy thatkind of ground to put me down.
Amen.
When I had my hip, that wasresilience and perseverance for
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two years until I got my hipreplacement.
Now it's pretty good.
Jesus gives us hope, guidance,strength and restoration, being
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able to stand in the storm oflife physically and emotionally.
Philippians 4, 6 says do not beanxious for nothing.
But in all things through prayerand supplications.
(32:16):
You know what he told me onetime daughter if you're worrying
, you ain't trusting right.
See, we are under God's canopy.
Being resilient means toPhilippians 4.13, I can do all
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things through Christ, whostrengthens me.
Do you believe that, with allof your heart, having
perseverance is being anovercomer?
We overcome because Christovercame Hell, death and the
grave.
Amen.
1 John 4,.
1 John 5, 4 and 5,.
(33:01):
We overcome by faithDifficulties that cause us to
shrink back.
We stand in faith Strong,knowing God's got everything in
control.
You know I get a lot ofcontroversy that God does not
got everything in control.
(33:21):
You know I get a lot ofcontroversy that God does not
have everything in control.
My God, he created the heavensand the earth and everything
that's in it.
I believe he's in control ofthat.
Amen.
Isaiah 41.10 says Fear not.
I am with you.
You know how many times it saysfear not in the Bible 365.
(33:47):
That's one for every day.
Psalms 145, 9.
The Lord is good to everyoneand his mercy is over all that
he has made.
He made us.
His mercy rests upon us.
Amen.
John 16.33.
I have told you these things sothat in me you may have peace.
(34:12):
You know he's Jehovah Shalom,the prince of peace In this
world.
You will have tribulations, buttake heart, I have overcome the
world, amen.
Proverbs 18.10 says the Lord ismy strong tower, the refuge that
(34:37):
I run to for safety.
Do you ever have to run to thehigh tower of Jesus Christ?
His canopy reminds us thatunder his canopy we remain under
his canopy when life gets hard.
(34:59):
You ever been in some hardspots?
I've been in some hard spots.
Psalms 91, 1 and 2.
Love this Whoever.
That's me and you we're.
Whoever dwells in the secret,or they say, the shelter of the
Most High, will rest in theshadows of Almighty.
(35:22):
God is my refuge, he is myfortress.
In Him I put my trust.
I don't put my trust in all ofmy circumstances.
They are definitely going tofail me.
But when I put my trust in Godliving under that canopy of His
protection, he is our shelterhouse.
(35:46):
When we trust in the truth ofGod's word, there is freedom in
that Trusting in the truth.
When we had our armored manhere Wednesday night and I had
Dave's belt and I tightened itreal tight, because when you're
trusting in his truth truthyou're tightening up with Christ
, you're tightening up with theword.
(36:09):
You're tightening up with whathe says to be true Amen.
Under his canopy we learn tostand.
And when we've done all butstand, we do what Stand some
more.
This is when we grow in God'sconfidence.
When we stand, listen, thewinds of life they blow hard.
(36:35):
Tornadoes come through ourlives, hurricanes, big storms.
I'm talking physically, notelements.
I'm talking physically howthese things come through and
try to knock us out.
But when we stand with thatbelt of truth, on trusting in
God's word, we can stand somemore.
(36:58):
Amen.
Ephesians 6.13.
Remain firm, rely on God'sstrength.
Holly can do absolutely nothing, but I can do all things
through Christ, who strengthensme.
I stand in his strength by myfaith.
(37:21):
We'll do a little.
101.
What is faith?
Hebrews 11 1 says faith is theassurance of things hoped for
and the convictions of thingsnot seen.
It's a firm belief of what wehope for, even when we don't see
(37:45):
it, because God's got allthings in control, amen.
Romans 10 17 says that faithcometh by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God.
That's what we're doing thismorning.
You're hearing the word of God.
That's what we're doing thismorning.
You're hearing the word of God.
You're hearing the scriptures,you're hearing what he has for
(38:07):
us out of his word.
2 Corinthians 5-7 says that wewalk by faith and not by sight.
That means things are going tohappen that I don't understand.
But I have faith and I trust inhis truth.
Amen.
And I love this.
I love this little song.
(38:28):
I'm not going to sing it, I'mgoing to read it.
But here's the thing Christ, heis my firm foundation.
I remember a time when I was insuch despair that I felt like I
was in a tube of water and Iwas drowning because of the
(38:53):
cares of this world.
And every once in a while I'dget a breath of fresh air, get a
breath of Christ, and then Iwould go back.
That was a horrible, dark timein my life.
I was rid with fear of what, if?
(39:14):
Anybody in here, afraid of whatif that is a lie from the pits
of hell.
Reject that, rebuke that,reject that spirit of what if?
Because he is a liar, satancomes only but right to steal,
(39:37):
kill and destroy, but Christcame to give us life abundantly
under the canopy of hisprotection, amen.
And so Christ is my firmfoundation, the rock on which I
stand when everything around meis shaken.
(40:01):
I've never been more glad that Iput my faith in Jesus because
he has never, ever let me down.
He's faithful throughgeneration to generation, to
generation, to generation togeneration.
(40:22):
So why in the world would hestop now?
He won't, he won't.
It goes on to say.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
I've still got joy and chaos and I've got peace.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
that makes no sense.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Amen and I won't be going under.
No, because I'm not held to myown strength, because I've built
my life on Jesus Christ, thefirm foundation.
Speaker 1 (40:59):
I didn't build my life on sinking sand, shifting
sand.
I built my life upon a rock ofJesus Christ, the firm
foundation.
Amen, I'm telling you.
He won't stop.
He will never stop, and so I'mgoing to end with this Isaiah 4,
(41:22):
6.
This is the prophetic promise ofGod of protection and safety
for his people.
Do you realize that there isover 3,000 to 8,000 promises in
his word that you and I haveevery advantage to stand on?
(41:42):
He gave a cloud that providedshade during the day and a fire
for warmth at night thatprotected.
It is not only for the elements, but it is for the harsh
(42:02):
reality of life.
God blesses us with comfort andsecurity from all that may try
to harm us, because why?
We live under a canopy of God'sprotection, build our life upon
(42:23):
the solid rock of Jesus Christ,and that who the Son sets free
is Free.
Indeed, in the mighty name ofJesus, father God, we just thank
you, praise you, glorify youfor all that you've done, for
what you do and what youcontinue to do.
Father God, we thank you foryour faithfulness.
We thank you, lord, that wheneverything around us is shaking,
(42:46):
father, that we are glad thatwe put our faith and our
confidence in the King of kingsand the Lord of lords.
Father, I ask you to bless thishouse this morning, father.
I ask you to guide them, tolead them, to direct them.
I thank you, father, for allthat you've done, for all that
you've done, and if there'sanyone in here that would like
(43:07):
prayer this morning, I wouldlove to pray for you.
If you're out from underneaththe canopy and you'd like to be
under God's protection, to feelthat security of his love, his
strength, or maybe you operatein fear and you can't get from
point A to point Z, maybe youare just so overwhelmed with
(43:27):
what's going on in your lifetoday, I would love to pray for
you.
For everyone else, I say beblessed, have a beautiful
holiday and if you're going toexit, exit quietly and slowly
and keep the doors shut, please.
In the name of Jesus, I thankyou for your love that covers us
.
If you're going to exit, exitquietly and slowly and keep the
doors shut, please.
In the name of Jesus, I thankyou for your love that covers us
(43:48):
, for your love that covers us,father, in your mighty,
beautiful Son's name.
Amen, amen, hallelujah,hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, thankyou, thank you.
this morning and to bring the word of the Lord and
to share with you all of hisgoodness, his faithfulness.
He's faithful, right In everycircumstance.
Yes, amen.
And so I got here.
(00:20):
Just give me a, give me asecond.
I wished I could get it alltogether on a patty, but I don't
know what it is.
Something about film paper.
I'm just more Old school.
(00:41):
Huh Right, this is notorganized.
Trying to get there, okay.
So A few weeks ago, in a prayerroom we were red, hot and on
(01:03):
fire for God, seeking out histreasures.
We were in there praying on firefor God seeking out his
treasures.
We were in there praying forhis mercies.
We was in there praying for hismysteries.
We was asking God to move inthe service and all of a sudden,
(01:25):
miss Melody.
Here she comes out like a lion.
Now, you know the woman is softspoken, but that morning, in her
heavenly prayer language, I'mtelling you, she had her suit on
and she was doing business withthe Holy Ghost, amen.
And she was bringing the wordof the Lord through tongue.
And the Lord showed me a canopy.
(01:46):
And I'm like Lord, I don't evenknow that there's a canopy
spoken in the word, and so Iwent with it and he showed me
this beautiful canopy and it wasmade out of sheer material and
(02:08):
it was iridescent colors,pastels, just absolutely
beautiful.
And it dripped.
It dripped with oil, with theanointing oil, and it was.
And God shows me some prettypretty things, but this was
outstanding.
And so of course I go home andbegin to study this out, and God
(02:38):
showed me that it was aspiritual canopy, that it was
God's covering over his people.
And in Isaiah 4, 5 and 4, iteven says it right down here in
my little footnotes that it is acanopy.
(03:01):
His presence is a canopy, andyou know that's when you walk by
faith and not by sight, when hespeaks stuff to you that you
don't really understand, but youjust flow with him.
And so in Isaiah 4, 5 and 4, itsays this 4, it says this Then
(03:28):
the Lord will create above everydwelling place of Mount Zion
and above her assemblies, acloud and smoke by day, the
shining of flaming fire by night.
For over all the glory therewill be a covering.
And so in order for me to beable to bring this word through
(03:53):
my studies, we have to go backto Moses, all the way back in
the book of Exodus.
And so what I want to ask you inyour life is have you ever been
in a wilderness place?
Have you ever been in a placewhere you're in bondage in your
(04:15):
thoughts, where you feel thatyou are in a destitute place and
you are in a spiritualwilderness?
Anybody been there?
Just so I know we're all on thesame page Amen, amen, okay,
okay.
You know, the wilderness is aplace of challenges, true, and,
(04:43):
if we allow it, a place oftransformation, a place of
change, a place where we can say, father, god, come and change
my heart, renew a right spiritwithin me.
Amen, because sometimes,whether we like it or not, we
might be the problem.
(05:03):
We don't want to be the problem, but we always think it's the
other guy.
But when we say, god, change myheart, change my old, hard
calloused, stony heart, that Ican see things the way you see
them, is that going to happenovernight?
(05:23):
Possibly, if it's a miracle,but generally that's a journey.
Amen, okay.
So it's a place where we willhave spiritual growth, there
will be testings of our faithand we will have a time of
encountering God in his presenceif we surrender.
(05:47):
Amen.
Isaiah 43, 19 through 20 saysGod promises to make a way in
the wilderness.
He's made a way for me manytimes through the wilderness,
through desolate places, throughdry ground in my life, but he
(06:08):
will make a river.
You know what the river is theliving water that will flow to
us, through us and over us andworship us Amen.
And he will provide us withhope.
How many of us in here needhope for today, hope for
(06:29):
tomorrow, amen.
Deuteronomy 8.15 says Mosesdescribed the wilderness as a
place of hardship and testingfor the Israelites' hearts.
So you see, when God is nudgingus to become more, to grow more
(06:51):
, to be more for the kingdom,he's going to nudge.
And nudge ain't fun.
I've had times in my life wherehe's wanted me to do stuff and
I won't budge, and he put histhumb right on me and make me
one of the most miserable peopleuntil I surrender all to the
king of kings and the lord oflords.
(07:12):
Have you ever been there?
There's been times in my lifewhen he said, child, honker down
, honker down.
He's took me out behind thewoodshed before Give me quite
the business there Trying to getthrough my mind, my flesh, his
(07:32):
desires for my life.
Any of y'all been there?
Amen, okay.
So Numbers 14.33 says that theIsraelites wandered in the
wilderness for 40 years.
Can you imagine?
Here's the irony of it all.
(07:53):
It was an 11-day trip, 40 years.
Around and around and around.
Here's around and around andaround.
How many of us here today aregoing around and around and
around because we're notsurrendering to his will?
(08:14):
No, god, I want my will, I knowwhat I want, I know what I need,
but that moment that I hit thepavement and the bull falls off
from underneath my will, god,what's your will?
I need you.
I need you right now.
I don't want my 11 day trip totake me 40 years to get there.
I don't got that kind of timeanymore.
(08:34):
Amen.
You see, moses, he received acall from the Lord at a burning
bush to lead the Israelites outof captivity, and he was true.
He was true to what God wantedhim to do.
(08:57):
So he goes to Pharaoh and hesays Pharaoh, let God's people
go.
I used to sing this with thekids in nursery.
Don't Pharaoh say Pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh,
pharaoh.
Do we have that today?
Do we have that today in ourlives?
We go to Pharaoh, whatever thatthing is, it's holding us in
bondage and we say let me go.
And that thing goes oh, no, no,no, no, no, no, no, no.
(09:35):
I got you.
But through Jesus Christ,bondage is broken.
Freedom is mine.
Amen, Amen, amen.
So, as we are going through thatplace, we are getting spiritual
growth.
How many of you in here desireto grow in the Spirit, To be all
(10:01):
that you can be for the kingdomof God?
I mean it is my goal to be allthat you can be for the kingdom
of God.
I mean it is my goal in life tobe all that I can be for the
kingdom.
When we have encounters withGod in the wilderness, that will
lead you and I to greatintimacy and understanding of
(10:25):
his character.
Intimacy is into me, see, o,god.
That don't mean that I runaround and shut doors in my
heart that he can't go down.
I don't, oh, don't go there.
Oh, you don't need to see that.
Oh, stop, stop, stop.
I need to say my heart is open.
(10:46):
Holy Ghost, go down everycorridor of my heart If there be
any wicked thing in me, changeme.
Oh Lord, transform me, Amen,amen.
God provides for his people inthe wilderness his power and his
(11:11):
faithfulness.
I need God's faithfulness in mylife every day.
I need his anointing, I needhis forgiveness, I need his
strength, I need his joy.
I need his strength, I need hisjoy.
I need him in my life.
You need him in your life Everysecond, every minute, every
(11:32):
hour of every day, 24-7?
.
I couldn't do it.
I could not live this lifewithout him.
I don't even know if I wouldknow how to operate without the
Holy Spirit guiding, leading anddirecting.
Amen, amen.
(11:56):
The wilderness is a complex anda multi-facet landscape that
reflects challenges and triumphof our faith and the
transformation power of God'spresence.
(12:17):
That's why I said, when we comein here, lord, let us lead
different, because we've beenunder the presence of Almighty
and in his presence.
He will never leave us where wewere.
He will only take us forward.
I'm going to turn my bell off.
(12:39):
The wilderness place is intense.
It is a spiritual testing.
It is a spiritual testing, itis a challenging.
If we rely on our faith andcontinue a more deeper walk with
God, it can be a time where weare away from our comfort zone.
(12:59):
I don't actually like to getaway from my comfort zone, you
know.
I don't even actually likechange.
It's not my thing, but the onlything that gets me there is God
says from glory to glory, I'mchanged, but I don't like to
change.
How many in here like change?
(13:20):
You know, pastor Michael, it's adriven force.
For him it is a driven forceand for me it's like pull me.
But you know what?
That's how God designed me.
You know God designed me to bea detailed person.
Most people don't evenunderstand me.
(13:41):
I got the plan going on up herewhen God reveals, then I'll
share and everybody's just likewell, what are we doing?
You know?
But I am a detailed person anddetailed people either see it
black or white.
There's no middle.
And so you know that's a placethat I've had to learn to grow,
(14:01):
so that I not that I'm not, sothat I feel accepted and the
beloved.
Because I am different, I'msanctified, I'm set apart and
I'm made different.
I prayed that for years and then, when it happens, you're like
oh my gosh, what's going on?
What's the matter?
Why don't nobody like me?
You know, you feel like that.
You ever feel like that.
(14:23):
Why don't nobody like me?
But you know you feel like that, you ever feel like that.
Why don't nobody like me?
But you know, jesus loves meand that's what's important.
So in Exodus 3, 1 and 2, moses,he leads the Israel out I'm
saying that right, theIsraelites out of Egypt, where
(14:43):
he encountered God.
Oh, my page moved.
Oh, no, we'll get back here.
So all these miraclesdemonstrated his power, his
protection and provision for hispeople.
So let's look at some of themiracles that the Israelites
(15:04):
went through.
And yet they grumbled andcomplained and went around the
same mountain for 40 years.
First of all, they get out,they're set free, they're on the
move and they come right up toa great big old Red Sea and
(15:30):
they're like Moses did you bringus out here to die?
Speaker 2 (15:34):
How are we ever going to get across this water?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Moses, moses, moses, and you know they can hear the
horses and the chariots coming.
I'm sure it sounded like aroaring thunder and I'm sure
that Satan placed fear upon eachand every one of them that this
is a day that you should die.
But Moses, he trusted God withall of his heart because, you
(15:58):
see, he lived under the canopy.
He stretched out his rod andthe Red Sea opened.
Now a wind went through and theland was dry and off they went.
Now I'm supposing Moses is apretty good guy and off they go.
(16:24):
They get to the other shore andthe army they were starting to
come into the water, but all ofGod's people were on shore and
down came the water and therider and the carriage was swept
away.
So they get on the other sideof the water and they begin to
(16:45):
praise God and worship him, andyou can even read in the word
where they wrote a song of howwonderful he was and how
glorious he is and that he savedhim.
And they swept the water away.
And amazing.
So, traveling along, we need adrink, we need water.
(17:06):
So we go to the water and youknow what it's bitter.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Moses, moses, moses.
The water's bitter.
Did you bring us out here tomake us thirst to death?
There's no water to drink.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
See that stuff sound natural, like real.
So we take the rod.
Thank you God.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Oh the water's sweet, we can drink it.
Oh my gosh, we're going to liveanother day.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Amen.
So then, oh, the sun's so hot Ican't breathe.
It's heat, it's killing mycattle and all my horses, and
the chickens are dying and theducks can't make it, and my kids
are hot.
And God says fear not, fear not.
(17:58):
And he gave them a cloud, apillar cloud, to cover them from
the sun and the heat.
Doesn't it look like a God weknow?
Amen.
A pillar cloud to cover themfrom the sun and the heat.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Doesn't that sound like a God we know Amen.
So here we go again Now.
It's cold, it's raining andit's storming.
God, have you brought us outhere to forsake us?
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Moses, help help Jesus.
God brings a pillar of fire towarm them through the night,
isn't he amazing, amazing.
So now they're hungry, god,we're hungry.
You're going to feed us, god,you bring us out here to starve
us to death.
(18:45):
See, they're grumbling andcomplaining.
It's why they can't make that11-day trip, because they can't
get past this.
So, god, he brings quail forthem to eat, isn't he wonderful?
And he brings them some manna.
But you know those Israelites,they were selfish and stingy,
(19:09):
and so they went around and theygathered up all the manna that
they could get, all the mannathey could get stuck it in their
little bag, put it over here intheir tent.
I'll have food tomorrow, nomatter what happens, Because you
see they doubt.
(19:29):
In the morning they get up toget their manna.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Ah, it's rotten, it's no good.
I can't eat that.
God, why do you do that?
You send stuff that sprouts soquick.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
God says my manna, which is the word of God, is new
every day.
It says in Romans that we renewour minds on his word every day
, because yesterday's mannaspwells, but today's manna is
fresh and new and full ofrevelation, knowledge, wisdom,
(20:09):
understanding, amen, wisdom,understanding, amen, amen.
And so they had victory overthe Amalekites.
They defeated them through thepower and the protection of God.
They had miracles, testamentsof God's faithfulness and his
(20:33):
ability to provide for hispeople in difficult
circumstances.
In your life has God providedtime and time and time again,
and in those times when hewasn't moving fast enough for us
, did we grumble and complain?
Amen, amen.
(20:56):
But here's the thing I'm goingto give you, a great revelation
he is an on-time God.
He's never late and he's neverearly.
He's on time, amen.
So I've lost my place.
This thing keeps slipping on me, right here, right here.
(21:22):
So I'm going to ask you what isyour wilderness place today?
Think about that.
Where is my wilderness?
Think about that.
Where is my wilderness?
You know, god is still a canopy, just like he was back in
(21:42):
Isaiah 4.
He is still our canopy ofprotection and comfort in the
face of adversity, our safetyand our shelter house, our
refuge, our hiding place fromevery circumstance of adversity,
Our safety and our shelterhouse, our refuge, our hiding
place from every circumstance oflife, not some, not most, but
(22:02):
every circumstance of life.
He is your hiding place, he isyour refuge, he is your safe
place because you know you canvent and vent and vent on our
Lord and Savior and he will keepthat covenant between you and
(22:27):
him.
Do you believe that you couldbe down to your last potato and
he could give you a wittyinvention on how to feed your
whole family with that?
So, even though it looks likeyou're down to nothing, that's
when God's up to something.
Amen.
I don't know how many timesDave and I, back in the day,
(22:54):
didn't have the money for gasand root around in a drawer and
find a $10 bill.
You know his name is Jehovah,god, the God who provides
everything that we need, notsome and not most, but
everything, everything.
You know God, he wants tobestow upon our lives blessings
(23:23):
and riches, but Satan, he wantsus to be filled with fear, doubt
, unbelief and those things,whether we want to realize it or
not.
They cause us to be on theoutside of the canopy.
They cause you and me to feellike we're disconnected from God
(23:44):
, that's a desolate place,that's the wilderness.
When we feel separated from GodBecause God says I'd never
leave you nor forsake you.
So when we feel that disconnectthat's us, we're the one that
has stepped away from God,stepped away from the word,
stepped away from worship,stepped back from church,
(24:06):
stepped back from our healthycircle.
Amen, amen, amen.
Let's look at James 1, 2, and 4.
I love this scripture.
Consider it all joy when facedwith trials, because trials will
(24:31):
produce perseverance, and Iknow I wouldn't be able to say
this word Trials, because trialswill produce perseverance, and
I know I wouldn't be able to saythis word Perseverance.
And well, we'll just sayperseverance.
John and 2 Timothy tells usthat when we are in adversity,
when we are in hard times, whenwe are having trials and
(24:54):
tribulations, we're in greatcompany because you know our
Jesus' Son, jesus Christ, he hadthe same thing.
He had trials because, you see,he was all God and all man.
He knows what we go through.
(25:14):
Amen, amen.
But through Christ, you and Ican push through with resilience
, got it and perseverance.
Amen, oops, we have the abilitythrough Christ, it tells us in
(25:46):
Philippians 4.13.
I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me, not
some things, not most things,but what All things To bounce
back from the setbacks ofdifficulties.
Now we're going to tell youlast year, you know, god told me
(26:09):
many, many moons ago that whenI would bring the word, when I
would share, when I'd teach,when told me many, many moons
ago that when I would bring theword, when I would share, when
I'd teach, when I'd preach, thatthe testimony you know, we
overcome by the blood of theLamb, the word of our testimony,
and through that testimony itwill bring breakthrough into the
lives of God's people, amen.
So let me tell you about 2024for me, in February I got sick.
(26:32):
I got acid reflex, gerd.
I was so sick.
I remember, not this Easter,but last Easter, I did sunrise
service, we had breakfast, wedid praise and worship, we had
church.
I was so sick that day I couldhardly hold my head up, but
through resilience andperseverance I pressed through
(26:56):
Amen.
And what Satan's plan was?
To take me down and take me out.
You're too sick to go forward.
And so from February till theend of November, I was sick.
Nobody knew that.
Not very many people know thatI mean sick.
The medicines they give me,they dehydrated me and I got
(27:21):
sicker because I didn't drinkenough water.
But nobody told me to drink thewater.
I will drink the water.
I remember I went to work but Igot up and I was sick and I was
like Dave, I'm so sick.
I said I don't think, think Iget to work today.
He says go ahead and go.
If you don't feel good, justcome back.
So I get there and by the timeI get to work I am now walking
like a drunken sailor becauseI'm so dizzy and I walk in and I
(27:44):
say, chris, I'm really sick, Ineed to go home.
You?
I said, I think I can make it.
So I pull out on Crown Road andI hop out of my car and I'm
just heaving and heaving and atruck driver comes by and he
says are you okay?
I said yeah, yeah, I'm okay andhe's like I think I need to
(28:05):
follow you home.
And so he followed me home andI went to bed and I never woke
up to 5 o'clock that evening.
I was sick.
If you ever had acid refluxGERD, it is like from your
throat to your hips you're sick,top to bottom.
(28:26):
Whatever you eat makes you sick.
You might think it's going towork for a little bit.
Next thing you know you're sick.
Last November, end of November,it was our last.
Now listen through that.
I claim Psalms 103.
I am the hill to the Lord, Isaid, father.
God, it says in Exodus that youare the God that healeth Holly
(28:47):
Daisy.
I thank you, father, that yourhealing balm rests up over me.
I thank you, father, that Ididn't know this word, but I am
under your protection.
I am under your presence,father.
It's your blood that pumpsthrough my veins.
I thank you and I praise you,lord, that I will live and not
die to proclaim the works of theLord.
Amen.
Because I think in my thinkerthat I might die.
(29:16):
I was so sick.
And then you know, when youhave acid reflux, good, I come
to run around with your stressand your anxiety, and when all
that gets stirred up, then itmakes us worse, and so all that.
But you know what?
We walk by faith and not bysight, and we press into God.
And on that December night itwas a Wednesday night we had had
(29:41):
a, there was a church calledthe Nazarene and it sits over
top where Jesus was born,because we all think Jesus was
born in a stable, but Jesus wasactually born in a cave, and so
this church sits over top and Idid a teaching a cave, and so
this church sits over top and Idid a teaching on that and we
went through this church on alive stream and all of a sudden
(30:02):
this room became filled with themost amazing, beautiful
presence fragrance that we haveever smelled before, and it
would lift and then it wouldflow through us again.
I think we were here until 10o'clock and I could feel this
(30:26):
anointing from the top of myhead to the bounds of my feet.
It was on me so much that Itasted it.
And do you know?
That night I was healed.
That night God healed me.
So I know that when you're inthe presence of God, you are
changed From the inside out,whether it be physically,
(30:48):
spiritually or mentally.
God will heal you in hispresence, amen.
So see, we have to haveresilience and perseverance to
press through.
That's how I handle the devil,because you know what you better
.
Look out, because when I getthrough this storm, the war is
(31:08):
on.
Amen.
Is that your heart attitude?
You wait till you see what I amafter the storm?
Amen, see to me.
It thrushes me, it pushes meforward.
I won't give that enemy thatkind of ground to put me down.
Amen.
When I had my hip, that wasresilience and perseverance for
(31:31):
two years until I got my hipreplacement.
Now it's pretty good.
Jesus gives us hope, guidance,strength and restoration, being
(31:52):
able to stand in the storm oflife physically and emotionally.
Philippians 4, 6 says do not beanxious for nothing.
But in all things through prayerand supplications.
(32:16):
You know what he told me onetime daughter if you're worrying
, you ain't trusting right.
See, we are under God's canopy.
Being resilient means toPhilippians 4.13, I can do all
(32:39):
things through Christ, whostrengthens me.
Do you believe that, with allof your heart, having
perseverance is being anovercomer?
We overcome because Christovercame Hell, death and the
grave.
Amen.
1 John 4,.
1 John 5, 4 and 5,.
(33:01):
We overcome by faithDifficulties that cause us to
shrink back.
We stand in faith Strong,knowing God's got everything in
control.
You know I get a lot ofcontroversy that God does not
got everything in control.
(33:21):
You know I get a lot ofcontroversy that God does not
have everything in control.
My God, he created the heavensand the earth and everything
that's in it.
I believe he's in control ofthat.
Amen.
Isaiah 41.10 says Fear not.
I am with you.
You know how many times it saysfear not in the Bible 365.
(33:47):
That's one for every day.
Psalms 145, 9.
The Lord is good to everyoneand his mercy is over all that
he has made.
He made us.
His mercy rests upon us.
Amen.
John 16.33.
I have told you these things sothat in me you may have peace.
(34:12):
You know he's Jehovah Shalom,the prince of peace In this
world.
You will have tribulations, buttake heart, I have overcome the
world, amen.
Proverbs 18.10 says the Lord ismy strong tower, the refuge that
(34:37):
I run to for safety.
Do you ever have to run to thehigh tower of Jesus Christ?
His canopy reminds us thatunder his canopy we remain under
his canopy when life gets hard.
(34:59):
You ever been in some hardspots?
I've been in some hard spots.
Psalms 91, 1 and 2.
Love this Whoever.
That's me and you we're.
Whoever dwells in the secret,or they say, the shelter of the
Most High, will rest in theshadows of Almighty.
(35:22):
God is my refuge, he is myfortress.
In Him I put my trust.
I don't put my trust in all ofmy circumstances.
They are definitely going tofail me.
But when I put my trust in Godliving under that canopy of His
protection, he is our shelterhouse.
(35:46):
When we trust in the truth ofGod's word, there is freedom in
that Trusting in the truth.
When we had our armored manhere Wednesday night and I had
Dave's belt and I tightened itreal tight, because when you're
trusting in his truth truthyou're tightening up with Christ
, you're tightening up with theword.
(36:09):
You're tightening up with whathe says to be true Amen.
Under his canopy we learn tostand.
And when we've done all butstand, we do what Stand some
more.
This is when we grow in God'sconfidence.
When we stand, listen, thewinds of life they blow hard.
(36:35):
Tornadoes come through ourlives, hurricanes, big storms.
I'm talking physically, notelements.
I'm talking physically howthese things come through and
try to knock us out.
But when we stand with thatbelt of truth, on trusting in
God's word, we can stand somemore.
(36:58):
Amen.
Ephesians 6.13.
Remain firm, rely on God'sstrength.
Holly can do absolutely nothing, but I can do all things
through Christ, who strengthensme.
I stand in his strength by myfaith.
(37:21):
We'll do a little.
101.
What is faith?
Hebrews 11 1 says faith is theassurance of things hoped for
and the convictions of thingsnot seen.
It's a firm belief of what wehope for, even when we don't see
(37:45):
it, because God's got allthings in control, amen.
Romans 10 17 says that faithcometh by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God.
That's what we're doing thismorning.
You're hearing the word of God.
That's what we're doing thismorning.
You're hearing the word of God.
You're hearing the scriptures,you're hearing what he has for
(38:07):
us out of his word.
2 Corinthians 5-7 says that wewalk by faith and not by sight.
That means things are going tohappen that I don't understand.
But I have faith and I trust inhis truth.
Amen.
And I love this.
I love this little song.
(38:28):
I'm not going to sing it, I'mgoing to read it.
But here's the thing Christ, heis my firm foundation.
I remember a time when I was insuch despair that I felt like I
was in a tube of water and Iwas drowning because of the
(38:53):
cares of this world.
And every once in a while I'dget a breath of fresh air, get a
breath of Christ, and then Iwould go back.
That was a horrible, dark timein my life.
I was rid with fear of what, if?
(39:14):
Anybody in here, afraid of whatif that is a lie from the pits
of hell.
Reject that, rebuke that,reject that spirit of what if?
Because he is a liar, satancomes only but right to steal,
(39:37):
kill and destroy, but Christcame to give us life abundantly
under the canopy of hisprotection, amen.
And so Christ is my firmfoundation, the rock on which I
stand when everything around meis shaken.
(40:01):
I've never been more glad that Iput my faith in Jesus because
he has never, ever let me down.
He's faithful throughgeneration to generation, to
generation, to generation togeneration.
(40:22):
So why in the world would hestop now?
He won't, he won't.
It goes on to say.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
I've still got joy and chaos and I've got peace.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
that makes no sense.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Amen and I won't be going under.
No, because I'm not held to myown strength, because I've built
my life on Jesus Christ, thefirm foundation.
Speaker 1 (40:59):
I didn't build my life on sinking sand, shifting
sand.
I built my life upon a rock ofJesus Christ, the firm
foundation.
Amen, I'm telling you.
He won't stop.
He will never stop, and so I'mgoing to end with this Isaiah 4,
(41:22):
6.
This is the prophetic promise ofGod of protection and safety
for his people.
Do you realize that there isover 3,000 to 8,000 promises in
his word that you and I haveevery advantage to stand on?
(41:42):
He gave a cloud that providedshade during the day and a fire
for warmth at night thatprotected.
It is not only for the elements, but it is for the harsh
(42:02):
reality of life.
God blesses us with comfort andsecurity from all that may try
to harm us, because why?
We live under a canopy of God'sprotection, build our life upon
(42:23):
the solid rock of Jesus Christ,and that who the Son sets free
is Free.
Indeed, in the mighty name ofJesus, father God, we just thank
you, praise you, glorify youfor all that you've done, for
what you do and what youcontinue to do.
Father God, we thank you foryour faithfulness.
We thank you, lord, that wheneverything around us is shaking,
(42:46):
father, that we are glad thatwe put our faith and our
confidence in the King of kingsand the Lord of lords.
Father, I ask you to bless thishouse this morning, father.
I ask you to guide them, tolead them, to direct them.
I thank you, father, for allthat you've done, for all that
you've done, and if there'sanyone in here that would like
(43:07):
prayer this morning, I wouldlove to pray for you.
If you're out from underneaththe canopy and you'd like to be
under God's protection, to feelthat security of his love, his
strength, or maybe you operatein fear and you can't get from
point A to point Z, maybe youare just so overwhelmed with
(43:27):
what's going on in your lifetoday, I would love to pray for
you.
For everyone else, I say beblessed, have a beautiful
holiday and if you're going toexit, exit quietly and slowly
and keep the doors shut, please.
In the name of Jesus, I thankyou for your love that covers us
.
If you're going to exit, exitquietly and slowly and keep the
doors shut, please.
In the name of Jesus, I thankyou for your love that covers us
(43:48):
, for your love that covers us,father, in your mighty,
beautiful Son's name.
Amen, amen, hallelujah,hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, thankyou, thank you.
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