Only God Has the Authority to Name You - Sunday Service

Amen. Well, that's what we do. World changers. >> We change the world. Amen. >> Praise God. Well, listen. Now is our time for holdess. Amen. Our offering time. If you need an offering envelope, raise your hands. The ushers will give one to you. And um while we're doing that, let's go to 2 Corinthians the 8th chapter and the 12th verse.

And when we talk about giving, you know, as pastor said, I as I've said, it's it's um giving is actually in our DNA. As a child of God, it's actually in our DNA. Why? Because God so loved the world that he gave. God is all about giving because he is the one who has the the source to he is the source to give what we need.

But see sometimes when we come to giving we tend to look at uh what we don't have. We tend to look at I can't this time. But you know, I was thinking about something that was said, we always have something to give. >> What's in your hand? >> What's in your hand?

See, because when you look around and you're saying, "I don't have, I don't have." Look again. What's in your hand? There is something that is in your hand or there is something that you can grab that can be given. We should always be in an attitude of giving.

We should always be in an attitude of sewing. Why? Not because so much that we need to get something from you, but because you are demonstrating the DNA of God. You are demonstrating the love of God, the heart of God. you're demonstrating who God is, who God actually is.

So here in 2 Corinthians the 8th chapter and the 12th verse when we're reading from the NIV, it says if the willingness to give is there and often times that's what it is. It's the willingness to give. See some people say, "Well, I would give if I could."

You actually can. Amen. I don't care if you go and find a penny to put in the offering. It is your willingness to give. And that is what God looks at. God looks at your willingness to give. Now, you can have you can give $2 million, we appreciate it.

Amen. But as far as God is concerned with you, and you don't have a willingness to give, it doesn't mean anything. The willingness is what gives the value to the currency. It's the willingness to give. You know, I know people who make it their business when they're out of town, when they can't be here at church, when they are away for whatever reason, they still sow. >> They still sow.

They say, "Oh, what is it? It's Wednesday, man. Let me get on. Send it there." That's a willingness to give. So he says here if the willingness is there the gift is acceptable according to the one who has not according to the one who does not have. If the willingness is there the gift is acceptable.

It is the willingness that makes our gift acceptable. So I declare and I decree today that everybody in here, everybody who is going to participate in this offering has a willing heart >> to give. Amen. You're not just giving just because you know it's that time. You're not just giving because you know it's expected of me.

No, I'm giving because I am willing to give. I want to give. I want to participate in this offering. And so as we prepare our offerings, God has spoken to some of you all about what you are to give. Because you said, "Lord, I'm willing to give." He said, "Great.

I want you to give this amount." Or some of you all may have said, "Lord, I'm willing to give. I've already made out my offering." Go ahead and sew that offering willingly. Don't don't don't give it out of out of uh uh what's the word? Grief, mourning. Don't let the time of offering become a time of uh uh bereiement.

The time of offering should not should not be a time of bereiement. Amen. Praise God. So, as you prepared your offerings, let's go ahead on and hold them up and let's pray over them. Father, we thank you for this offering here that we are giving willingly. We're giving, Father, because we desire to give.

We're giving because it's our DNA to give. We're giving because you first gave to us. We're giving because Hallelujah. You says that all that we're giving has already come of thee, oh Lord. So we're giving back to you what is already yours. Thank you for entrusting us, for blessing us with the opportunity to participate in this offering.

Now receive it, multiply it. Thank you, Lord, that you will multiply our seed sown in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. and ushers, of course, you can go ahead on and pass the bucket. Amen. So good to be with y'all this morning. The world changes. >> Amen. I uh first of all, as you guys know, uh Dr.

Dollar and Pastor Taffy, they are out doing what God has called them to do. So, they're on another mission. Uh but I always give honor to them to Dr. Dollar and Pastor Taffy and thank God so much for them. Amen. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

So, we honor them, our great leaders uh and all that they have done in terms of establishing uh this ministry, in terms of preaching the gospel of grace, in terms of causing us to grow up and mature in the things of God. So, we thank God for them.

And of course, pastor has for the last few uh Sundays been talking about identity. He's been talking about identity. And as we talk about identity, you know, I I had the question, what's in a name? What's in a name? You can have a name like Rockefeller and then there's an expectation or an identity that goes with that name.

Or you can have a last name like Hitler and there's an identity or uh you know an expectation that goes with that name. What's in a name? Now we all have been given a name at birth and generally that name is confirmation of who you are. If I am in I remember one time being up in New York and that Madison Square Garden and you know if any of y'all you know been in New York it was around a time where there was an event that was going on and there are thousands and thousands of people around Madison Square Garden and somebody said Ken Terry.

Now, out of all the thousands of folks around Madison Square Garden, when they said my name, I knew who they were talking about. So, I responded back, "What's in a name?" What's in a name? So, we all have been given a name. And that name is generally confirmation of who you are.

In the Bible, a name indicates character, authority, and or identity. A name indicates that. tell you a little story. When I played football uh in high school, I had taken on uh this these new names or this this new identity. And uh one of the names was Special K.

You had to see the way that I said that. Special K. So you guys can see where that come from. Ken K, Special K, you know, it was and the cereal and all that. And another name was can do, you know. So people used to call me Ken Can do Terry.

It's like what can you do, Ken Terry? Since you can do. So I I kind of you know uh adapted these names and of course with these names came this persona. So you know I'm I'm can do. I'm can do. You know what I'm saying? I'm special K.

So these names brought this different persona from me who's generally a kind of a cool laid-back guy, mildmannered and all but now I'm special K. So, you know, I I I like the persona because it kind of made you feel a little little different way. And I remember asking my mom, I said, so mom, I said, look, I said, just call me.

I said, um, I said, you know, just just call me call me special K or call or call me can do. Typical mom. She said, "Boy, you better get out here with that beep. I don't want to hear no special K. I don't want to hear no can do.

You better get out of here with that mess. And and I laugh at it because, you know, in essence, I'm Kenneth Lamar Terry. That's who I am. It doesn't matter what everyone else calls you. It doesn't matter what you call yourself. My mama knew that only two people on this earth, my mother and my father, had the right and the privilege to give me that name. >> There were only two people on this earth that had the right and the privilege to give me that name.

What's in a name? Your identity is in the name. What's in the name? Your identity is in that name. So whereas I was trying to change my identity and whereas I was trying to change my persona and I came to my mama and said, "Call me this." She looked at me like I was crazy because she knew that only two people on this earth had the right to give me my name.

Kenneth Lamar Terry. And the thing about that is we have to understand that only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you. >> I'm going say that again. Only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you. Only the one who gave you life has the authority to name you.

See, we all have gone through this thing. We all got nicknames. I'm not know nicknames aren't bad. Some somebody might be named skebo. I don't know, you know, but we all have nicknames. And nicknames are fine, but it should never ever replace your original name. And your original name was given to you by the one who has that right and the one who has that authority to give it to you because only again the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you.

Now I want to talk to you today of course about identity and the thing about identity is that we were given a name. Your identity is in your name. And so when we were given that name, as we went about life, there were other things that came about that kind of start giving us other names.

There were things in life that was happening to us that was giving us names that we were not given at birth. And when I say only the one who gave you life has the one to has the authority to give you the name, I'm not talking about so much this life.

I'm talking about the new life in Christ. >> Only God has the one. Only God is the one and has the authority to give you your identity. Only God is the one who has the authority to give you a new name. Now, as we've operated out here in the world, you know, there are things that that can be spoken of you.

There's there's uh we we go about situations where life encounters causes us to try to take on new names, you know, like loser, like failure, you know, like uh dumb, stupid, uh you know, drug addict, you know what I'm talking about. prostitute, mongers, the things in life, the things that we encounter in life tends to try to give you new names.

But how many of y'all know your behavior doesn't necessarily stop who your identity is? In fact, your behavior doesn't uh cancel out who you are and who your identity is. >> Now, I could go back to Special K. Special K never could cancel out that I'm Kenneth Lamar Terry.

Can do never could cancel out that I'm Kenneth Lamar Terry. All the things that you've gone through never will and never could cancel out that you are who you are. You're not defined by your past. You're not defined by your struggles. You're not defined by your feelings. You're not defined by your disappointments.

You're not defined by your circumstances. You're not defined by all of these things that have gone on in your life. The world would have you to believe that you are the sum of your experiences. How many of y'all heard ever heard that? You are the psalm of your experiences.

But according to the kingdom of God, it has never been that way. You're not the psalm of your experiences. God identified you at birth. And when you got born again, he called you child of God. When you got born again, he called you righteous. When you got born again, he called you more than a conqueror.

When you got born again, he called you an overcomer. When you got born again, he called you the head and not the tail. When you got born again, he called you uh uh one in him. When you got born again, he called you, hallelujah, his >> When you got born again, he had the right and the authority to give you a new identity.

He had the right and the authority to give you a new identity. So you are who God says that you are. Period. You are not a mistake. You're not an afterthought. You're not a liability. You're not you're not any of those things. You are made in the image of God.

In fact, that means that the aspect of your physicality, even your natural body, you are made in the image of God. And anybody that cannot accept your physical attributes are actually anti- good. >> See, we look at ourselves and we say, you know, I don't know. I don't have the right skin color.

I don't have the right hair texture. I don't have, you know, the right body thing. Now, I know we can do things with our body that can add or subtract. Amen. But still you are made in the image of God. >> Yes. >> Your skin color the image of God.

Your hair texture the image of God. Your eye color. All of it. The size of your nose, the size of your ears. If your eyes are big or if they're small. You are made in the image of God. When somebody tries to shame you because of something that God himself >> has made, has created, has put into place and said you are in my image.

They are anti- good because you don't understand I'm in the image >> of God. So if you go against this image, you are going against God. That's good. >> Well, that's another way to look at yourself, isn't it? >> Say, I like me. >> I like >> I like who I am. >> I am >> made in the image >> of God Almighty. >> of God Almighty. >> Praise God.

Amen. >> Yes. We are made in the image of God Almighty. >> Amen. Now the thing about that is when we look at Genesis and when God made Adam, there was something that caused Adam to not like the way that he was made. See, God made everything and he said everything was good.

You all remember first day, second day, third day, after each day, he said, "And it's good and it's good and it's good." And the sixth day God made man and he said it is good. And then he brought woman out of man and said it's good because it's not good that man would be alone.

So it's good that I made a woman to give to the man. So everything God made was good. But yet and still Adam was deceived into thinking that what God had made was not good. And the identity that God had given him could not be any better than it coming from God himself.

So Adam had this issue. Well, let me not say that cuz it was the woman I can't hide up on here. That's not not much cover. Anyway, so God gave Adam a commandment and he said, "You can eat of everything except this one tree, which is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Don't eat of that tree, for in the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die." So instructions were given. The serpent comes. He starts tempting Adam on his identity. Has God said that you can't do this? He does know that in the day that you do eat, you're going to be like God's.

Well, you already were God. You see what happens when we don't understand our our identity and when we're not locked into our identity, it opens us up for deception. When we're not sure who we are, when we're not locked into who God says that we are, when we can't be moved from that position that God has placed us in terms of who he gave us to be in terms of our identity because he birthed us and not in this situation, he created him.

You're going to be open to deception. So the serpent came said what he said. He was talking to the wife Eve. And here's one of the problems that I have is that the Bible says that when he was talking to Eve that Eve took of the tree and she ate of it and then the Bible says she gave unto her husband with her.

That's crucial cuz I always thought Adam was over here playing with the monkeys or something. And then Adam came and said, "Eve, what are you doing?" Baby, what have you done? But he wasn't. Adam was right there when the devil was talking to Eve, tempting her to the point to where Eve listens, says, "Maybe I'm not who God said I am.

Maybe there's more." And then she took of the fruit, took a bite, and then gave unto Adam, the Bible says, with her from that Adam and Eve didn't understand that only the one who gave them life is the one who have the authority to create you, to name you, to identify you.

And when God identifies you, you need no other ID. >> That's right. >> You all know how when you when you go someplace and they say we're going to need two forms of ID. God, that's not the way it is with God. God only you only need one form of ID and that's him.

Amen. But the problem with that is that Adam didn't operate in the authority that he's been given. See, because there's a scripture that says God placed Adam in the garden to dress it and to keep it. pull that scripture up for me uh in the back if you guys can.

I think it's Genesis 2. Uh God placed Adam in the garden to dress it and to keep it. Now, the problem with this when we read this is we tend to make the words dress and keep the same synonymous. But dress and keep is not synonymous. dress. You would think, okay, he's in a garden.

He's dressing the garden and he's keeping the garden. You know, he's tilling out the weeds and all that stuff. He's doing that. No, dress means to cultivate. Dress means to, you know, fix this, fix that, take that weed out there, take that out. But keep means to guard against.

Now the question is why would God tell Adam to guard against something when everything is good? >> What do I have to guard against God? But God in his infinite wisdom said I need you not only to cultivate this garden but I need you to keep this garden.

I need you to protect this garden. Protect it from whom? God. Everybody Everybody's good. We all on the same page. I done named everybody, gave everybody their name and all of that. But yet, and still comes the serpent who's tempting Adam and who's tempting Eve. But Adam says nothing.

Adam doesn't operate in the authority that God has given him because God gave him that authority to keep this garden. So if Adam, and I'm not going to be hard on Adam because, you know, Amen. Y'all know how we always want to blame stuff on Adam. Man, if Adam would if Adam should have done this, Adam should have done that.

True. Adam should have done that. Adam should. But now when you bring it home and when you get into your conversation, how many times is it, yeah, I should. No, I should have. Yep, I shouldn't have done that. I, you know, so don't be so hard on Adam cuz we doing the same thing.

Amen. So now Adam did not understand his identity which left him open to be deceived. So now when that came about the problem is of course is that sin entered in and now because Adam didn't understand and protect his identity it now came down on us. So when when Adam sinned, all have sinned.

The Bible says in the book of Romans, when Adam sinned, all have sinned. But the thing about it though, when Adam sinned, we now all took on the identity of Adam. So now having taken on the identity of Adam, we now are in a state where we have this sinful nature or this sinful identity that we need to get back from.

Cuz see when God started in the book of Genesis, God's idea from the very start was to put himself in man. When God made man, what did he do? He breathed into him or he put himself in man. So when he breathed in man and put himself in man, which was the original intent, then when man sinned and God said, "In the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die."

What is the other word for die? Separation. So in the day that you eat thereof, you shall be separated from me. Whereas my spirit is in you and it gives you life. But now my spirit of communion has now been affected. So God now wants to get back in communion with man and he wants to get back to the position of being in man.

Now let's go to Colossians the first chapter and 27th verse. Colossians 1:27 talking about identity here because in order for us to be identified we have to refer to the one who gave us life. He's the only one who can identify you. Colossians 1:27 it says to whom God would make known excuse me like I went back through puberty or something.

M to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery according to the Gentiles. God set this thing up where I've got to keep hidden my plan. I've got to keep it hidden. Now mystery doesn't mean mysterious. It just only means hidden in this situation.

It says, "I've got to keep hidden my plan to put me back into man." I can't reveal that right now because if I do reveal that right now, what's going to happen is the devil is going to come in and he's going to try to thwart my plan.

So, he had to keep it a mystery. But the mystery, what was the mystery? The mystery is what? Christ in us, the hope of glory. Right? That's the mystery. Now, let's go to 2 Corinthians uh excuse me, 1 Corinthians the 2 chapter. 1 Corinthians the 2 chapter. And I'm kind of I'm kind of pulling from my spirit right now.

So, I'm going to ask you guys to help me just a little bit. in 1 Corinthians the 2 chapter. Let's go to start in first verse. 1 Corinthians 2 chapter, first verse. Okay. Now, um where's that scripture that says they would not have killed Jesus had they known that they wouldn't have killed him?

I want y'all to pull pull that up because here's the thing about this and we're going to get back on the floor here in a minute. Here's the thing about this is that when we when Christ came on the inside of us and we got born again, it was the start of a new life.

While we look for that, let's go to um to uh uh John the 14th chapter, 16th chapter, and the seventh verse. We had to get Christ on the inside of us in order for us to start this new life. God came and he said to Nicodemus, he says, "Marvel not that you must be born again."

Now, we know what it takes to be born again. We accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and then Jesus comes into our hearts and he comes and lives on the inside of us and he gives us new life. He crucified the old man and we were and the new man was risen and raised again.

But how did that happen? How do we get this new identity? How do we get this new life? Jesus said here in John 16th chapter the 7th verse. He says, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I do what? That I go away.

Now Jesus is talking to these disciples prior to him being crucified. He says, "It is expedient to you or it's to your advantage that I go away. For if I don't go away, the comforter will not what? Come unto you. If I don't go away, the comforter will not come unto you."

Who's the comforter? The Holy Spirit. Right? All right. So he says, "It's expedience to your advantage that I go away because now the comforter is going to come unto you. But if I don't depart, uh, excuse me, he said, but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

Now when the comforter came, this was a promise that God had made with Jesus that if I go and if I die and if I ascend up into heaven, God is going to now send down the comforter. Now let's go to first uh John the 3 chapter and the 24th verse.

The mystery is Christ being on the inside of us, giving us our new identity. The mystery is Christ being on the inside of us, giving us our new life, giving us our new identity. So Jesus said here, if I don't go away, the comforter won't come. But who is the comforter?

Let's read this here in 1 John the 3 chapter. He that keepeth his commandment. Third chapter 24th verse. He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us. Who are we talking? Who we talking about when we say he? >> Jesus.

Okay. He that keepeth his commandments. Jesus commandments dwelleth in him. And he Christ in the person who keep the commandments. It says, "And hereby we know that he Jesus abides in us." How? By the spirit which he has given us. So in other words, when Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away because if I don't go away, the comforter won't come."

Jesus is saying, "If I don't go away down here on this earth and fulfill this mission down here, the comforter won't be able to come down and give you this new life that I'm going to give you, which is me. >> It is me on the inside giving you this new life."

Now, let's go to Colossians the third chapter and let's read this. Praise God. Talking about identity here. Only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you. Colossians 3 chapter starting first verse. If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ siteth on the right hand of God.

Now are we risen with Christ? >> How are we risen with Christ? Because we are in Christ. According to Romans the 6th chapter, we are in him. We were baptized in him. So when we were placed on the inside of him, we then everything pastor gave us the analogy about the pen in the envelope.

Remember he sealed it. Everything that happened to Christ which was his death. Everything that happened to Christ which was his burial. Everything that happened to Christ which was his resurrection also happened to us. His death also happened to us because we were in him. His burial also happened with us.

We were buried as well because we were in him. His resurrection also happened with us because as he was resurrected, so were re-resurrected. So then now since we've been resur resurrected, he asked this question. If you have then been risen with Christ, I want you now to change the way that you think.

Seek those things which are above. Think about heavenly things. Change the way you see things. Look at the way I look at it. Operate the way that I operate. In other words, act according to your new identity. Now, if you have been risen with Christ, which you have, if you've accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, he said, "Now seek this new identity that has been given unto you.

Walk in this new identity that has been given unto you where Christ siteth on the right hand of God. Next verse. Set your affections or set your desires or set the things that that uh in essence kind of make you set your affections on things above not on things down here on the earth.

Next verse. For ye are dead and your life. Only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you and your life is hid with Christ in God. Next verse. When Christ who is our life therefore if Christ is is your life then Christ now is your new identity. when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Now, let's look at this in in uh in a mirror translation. Let's look at a couple of things. Let's go to um um let's start in 2 Corinthians the 5th chapter and the 17th verse. We're familiar with this. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Old things have passed away. All things have become new. If any man is now in Christ, he is a new creature with a new identity. Old things have passed away. All things have now become new. Now it says here in the mirror, it says, "Now in light of your co-incclusion in his death and his resurrection, whoever you thought you were before, whoever you thought you were before, a loser, a murderer, a backbiter, a liar, A schemer, a whoreonger, a cheater, a bad father, a bad mother, a cheater on your taxes, >> not paying your car note, and the repo man coming back.

Whoever you were before, all of that has passed away. Whoever you were before that made you the sinner person that you were, you now have changed your identity. So, and now in light of your co-incclusion in this in his death and resurrection, whoever you thought you were before in Christ, you are a brand new person. the old ways uh of seeing yourself and everyone else are over.

Acquaint yourself with what? With the new. Now, let's read a couple of others. Let's go to Ephesians, the 4th chapter and the 22nd verse. Praise God. Ephesians 4:22 in the mirror. For in the truth of your union in him, in his death and resurrection, you have stripped off the old identity like a filthy garment worn out garment.

Ignorance and lust corrupted you and cheated you into wearing it in the first place. Ignorance and lust corrupted you and cheated you into wearing it in the first place. Let's go to another. Let's go to Galatians the 2 chapter and the 20th verse. Galatians 2:20 in the mirror.

So here I am dead and alive at the same time. I am dead to the old me I was trying to be and alive to the real me which is Christ in me. I'm alive to the real me which is Christ in me. Co- crucified now co- alive.

What a glorious entanglement. I was in him in death. Now I discover that he is infused. Hallelujah. He has infused in me in my life. For the first time, I'm free to be me in my skin. Praise God. For the first time, I'm free to be who I am.

I'm free to be who I am. >> Do you all remember those times when uh I think it was even back in the 60s and 70s, people were just going out to discover who they are? you know, I got to go find myself. I got to go find myself.

I got to go find who I am. I got to, you know, it's just this just isn't satisfying. Because when you come in Christ now, you are free to be yourself in your own skin. You are immersed in his faith in our joint sunship. He loves me and believes in me.

He is God's gift to me. Praise God. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Listen, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, there is that change. There is that new life, but it is a new identity. It is a new identity. Let's go to Romans the Acts uh excuse me, Acts the 2 chapter and start in 38th verse.

We're going to go down to uh to verse 40. Romans the 2 chapter verse 38 going down to verse 40. Acts Acts 238. I am so sorry. I think I said Acts 238 then I said Romans then I said Acts then I said Romans. >> Then I'm saying now Acts 238.

And it actually is Acts 238. Amen. Acts 238. Praise God. So here we have a situation where Peter is in jail and the angel has come and has opened the doors and have gotten the people uh out of jail. And the guard of jail, he came and he was bowing down to Peter because he said, "What in the world is going on?

What must I do to be saved?" And then Peter answered here, and this is awesome. This is awesome. Peter said, "This is your metaninoia moment." Metaninoia means the moment of awakening. It means a mind lit up with understanding. It mean it suggests a radical mind shift. So in other words, he's saying this is your moment of clarity.

This is your moment where things come clear to you. This is your moment where you understand who you are in Christ. This is your moment where you come to your new identity. He says, "Awake to the overcoming evidence of your redeemed innocence and identity." Awake to the overcoming evidence of your redeemed innocence and identity, the forgiveness of your sins.

Yield yourselves to be fully immersed into all that his name means and has accomplished. Jesus is the great rescuer. Hallelujah. He said, "Fully immerse yourself in all that is his name." All that his name means. Immerse yourself in it. He has rescued us from our false identities. He has rescued us from our false identities, our unbelief and our ignorance.

All are included in his name. All are included. Ah, all are included in his name. He is Jesus, the Messiah, Christ, and every one of you shall personally experience the gift of the Holy Spirit's companionship for yourself. Verse 39, this promise belongs to you and to your children and to all the people of the planet. this promise of salvation, Jesus coming.

Whosoever and wherever they are, even in the far future, they too will discover for themselves that the Lord their God has mirrored their likeness in the face of the incarnate one. I know y'all. I know. I know. I'm sorry. This is this is I need y'all to focus on the scriptures here.

Focus on what it's saying. Make what is saying apply to you. I don't have to, you know, not that I could turn cartwheels or anything. This is a time we are a ministry of learning. We are a ministry of understanding. We are a ministry of recognizing who we are in Christ.

We are a ministry of of um getting this revelation of our identity and of our innocence. And then once we get that in us, then we go out and we become world changers. Then we go out and we change the world. Then we go out and we make a difference in somebody else's life.

Why? Because you realize that you're not just a mere human, that you are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. And when God calls you that, he's telling you that the only way that you can be that is not by a title, but the only way that you can be that is by revelation of whom God has already made you to be. >> God asked the question.

He asked the question, who do men say that I am? >> He asked the question, who do men say that I am? It's important that I understand who men say that I am. And they say, "Some say that I already liar. Some say that you're a prophet. Some say that you're you're all of this."

But then he asked the question, "But who do you say that I am?" >> Why? Because there's an understanding that if you understand who I am, you'll understand who you are. There's this understanding that has to be gotten. So as we get up here, as we talk, it is our heartfelt, cry, desire, longing that we understand who we are, >> that we're not coming to church to be entertained. that can you meet me halfway with your desire to learn and I'll meet you the other halfway with my desire to teach? >> Can we meet halfway?

Can you come with the opportunity with the appetite to want to feast on God's word? >> Can you come with the appetite to want to change? Can you come with the appetite of being fed up of living beneath who you are? >> Can you come with that? Can you come with that desire?

When you step in this door, YOU SAY, "I'MMA LEARN SOMETHING about God today that's going to CHANGE MY LIFE. I'M going to have a relationship with God today that is going to bring me closer to him. I'M GOING TO EXPERIENCE GOD today like I've never experienced him before.

Can you come with that? >> Cuz I assure you, the people that pastor has up here in this pull pit, him and Pastor Taffy, we're going to try to feed y'all, man. >> We try to cook. We try to cook. We try to cook. We're not We're not trying to practice, they entertain.

We're trying to cook. >> See, I tell you one thing. When you sit down to eat your mama's meal, her meal, >> you don't care if she danced, shouted, sung over that meal. All you care is how good it tastes. >> That's all you care about. I don't NEED TO KNOW.

MAMA, DID YOU SING OVER THIS? Did you take your shoes off and dance when you made this? Did you shout? Did you What? What did you do, mama, when you made this meal? I don't need to know that because I'm not concerned about mama what she did when she made the meal.

What I'm concerned about is the meal >> and how good is this meal? And then when you sit down over that meal and you pray and you say, "Lord, sanctify it, >> cause it to nourish my body and to strengthen me." So when you come in here and you get this word, that's what you say.

Lord, sanctify your word. >> Cause it to nourish my spirit, man. cause it to strengthen me that I may be able to carry out your will and do what you want me to do and to be your example here in this earth. >> So when this word comes there's a meeting.

There's a meeting. Does your spiritual appetite match your physical appetite? >> Does your spiritual appetite match your physical appetite? Some people are hungry all the time. It's okay. It's okay. Some people eat junk food all the time. >> Ouch. >> You did say it kind of loud though.

Yes. But what am I saying with that when I make that point and when I make that analogy? Spiritually, we feed our spirit junk a lot. We feed our spirit junk a lot. So now in the time when you need energy, >> you don't have it >> and you find yourself sluggish >> in the things of God.

You find yourself struggling to make yourself come to church. struggling to make yourself read. We got so much other stuff feeding our spirit man. so much other stuff feeding our spirit man that when the Lord comes and when he's looking to fellowship with you, we find ourselves hiding to where he says, "Where art thou?"

And because we've heard so much mess like they did when they ate of that fruit and it distorted their perception of themselves and of God to the point to where when God came to fellowship with them, they didn't want to fellowship. When God is speaking to us, man, come on.

Come on. Come on. Come on. When God is speaking to us, I'm coming in the cool of the garden to fellowship with you. No sir, ain't got time. FBI is coming on tonight. God, you know I like Trackr. Come on, Law and Order. Come on. Who doesn't want to watch Law and Order?

Come on, God. Now, I'm not saying that, you know, necessarily those things are wrong. I like I really named out some of the shows I like. But the question becomes, are you pliable? Do you desire him enough to where when he says cut it off that you cut it off?

Yeah. We used to call it TO, but now we got DVRs. You can you can record it. That's a good thing about technology. You can watch it later. So when God says, "I want you now." Not a problem. Set it on record. He don't have a problem with you watching your show.

Set it on record. He's saying, "I want you now." So, will your spiritual appetite match your physical appetite? Because I assure you one thing, you will never willingly, unless fasting, we'll give that. But other than that, you'll never willingly miss a meal. >> Right? Wrong. I know I'm right, but you know, it's just >> you'll never willingly miss a meal.

Why? Because you know if you miss that meal, you're going to start feeling faint. >> Yes, sir. >> Weak. >> Yes. >> Oh my goodness. I don't feel like doing nothing. Oh, I got to go home and rest. Oh Lord, now my blood sugar's low. I'm getting shaky.

No, you feed yourself for a reason. All right. Went off on a tangent. That's all right. Amen. So, let's let's let's let's desire this word because it is the only thing that is going to change you. >> God already has given you identity. >> All of us >> have the same identity.

How did I know that? Because in the book, let's go to Ephesians the third chapter. Well, let's let's finish reading this because this is good. This is good. We're going to go to Ephesians third chapter. All right. So, it says, "And they too will discover for themselves that the Lord their God has mirrored their likeness in the face of the incarnate one."

Verse 40. I love this one here. In the same theme, with many more words loaded with evidence endorsing his message, Peter continued to remind them of their authentic origin and identity. He reminded them of their authentic origin and their identity, unveiling their immediate inclusion mirrored in all that Jesus is and has accomplished.

He said your original origin and your original identity is mirrored is mirrored in all that Jesus is and all that he has accomplished. So if you ever wonder, go and look in the mirror, the the mirror of the word, go and look in the mirror. It's only going to reflect Jesus.

It's not going to reflect your complaints. It's not going to reflect your shortcomings. It's not going to reflect your disappointment. It's not going to reflect your depression. It's not going to reflect your anxieties. It's not going to reflect your stress. It's not going to reflect all that. It's going to reflect Jesus. >> And it says, "Whatever you are now, be this. >> Whatever you are now, be this.

And if who you are now isn't reflecting this change to this, what's in the mirror? What is the mirror showing you? What is the word showing you? So he said, look, we we need to come and and he's reminding them their of their authentic origin and identity. And then it says, now this is your moment.

Be who you are. Boy, that went over so many people's head. >> Be who you are. >> Now, some people if they don't understand what the scripture is saying here, they will say, "Yeah, be true to yourself." >> Wrong. We ain't talking about that. We're not talking about you being true to yourself.

That's been the problem. You've been true to yourself. You see where it got you? But what he's saying is be who God made you to be. Be who God says you already are. So in heaven, because you're seated in heaven, he says now because you're in heaven down here, act like you're in heaven. >> Because you're in heaven, act like you're in heaven. >> Be who you are.

You are seated in heavenly places. Now act like you're seated in heavenly places. AMEN. >> YOU ARE SEATED IN CHRIST who seated at seated at the right hand of God the Father. NOW ACT LIKE IT. >> YES, SIR. >> There's a reason he's seated at the right hand.

The right hand symbolizes authority. >> He said, "NOW, IF YOU'RE IN Christ and he's sitting next to God at his right hand, which is a seat of authority, now you operate in authority down here." Yeah. >> See, we got religious with that saying, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Have no idea what we're praying. No idea what we're praying. What he's saying is his kingdom has come. >> His will is now being done down here on the earth. So your kingdom come, your will be done on earth. as it's already being done in heaven. So answer this question.

Where are we seated now? >> I'm sorry. Say it. Say it. Christian like you know. >> Somebody said the bank. Somebody said what? What? What would I be correct in saying that the crowd said heavenly places? >> Thank you. Okay. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So we are in heaven because we're seated with Christ in heavenly places. The book of Ephesians, we're seated with him in heaven spiritually. NOW HE'S SAYING, LET THAT which you are experiencing there be physically demonstrated down here on this earth. If you ever wonder how you're supposed to be acting, confer with the one who's in heaven and get the download to the one down here on the earth. >> Confer. >> How am I supposed to be acting? >> How am I supposed to be acting?

Ask heaven. Christ on the inside of you. Jesus is on the inside of you. Amen. Praise God. Now, this is your moment. Be who you are. Be who you are in Jesus. You have been resurrected out of a generational distorted identity. You have been resurrected out of a generational distorted identity.

I could stand here probably for days and try to identify the labels that have been put on you whether by yourself or by somebody else. But I will say and save my time and yours. Forget them. >> Forget them. Whoever you think you are, whatever you have experienced, whatever was done to you, please hear me.

I'm I'm being sensitive here. Trauma- wise, all of that, so many of us have experienced trauma. So many of us. But what Jesus is saying is that that identity, that thing that identified you, that called you that trauma, that trauma labeled you. He's saying, "Scratch that. I got this new label that I want you to wear. >> I got this new name that I want you to use.

I got this new identity that I need you to operate in. Will those labels try to come and reattach themselves? Of course they will because they're in our memories. They're in those things that we experience all of that stuff there. Sometimes people say, you know, uh forgive and forget.

It's you might choose to forgive, but it's not that easy to forget. But we have to put those things down, put under our feet these these casting down these thoughts that try to come in and and identify us. Now let's go to uh Ephesians the 3r chapter and the 14th verse and we'll read through the 15.

Um only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you. Only the one who gave you life has the authority to identify you. You now have new life in Christ. He's the one who gave you life. I'm not talking about your your your birth life, your mother, mom, and dad.

It started with that. And they had the right to call you your name. But now, since you've gotten born again, let's read this in Ephesians 3rd chapter and uh 14th verse. It says, "Whereby when ye read, okay, for this cause, thank you. I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and in earth is named."

The whole family in heaven and earth has been given a new name. You're no longer identified by your name that you have here. He says, "I bow my knee." Go back. He says, "I bow my knee for this cause. I bow my knee unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our father of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."

See, I'm no long I am Kenneth Lamar Terry for identification down here on the earth, but in the heavens and in the kingdom of God, I have a new name. And what I want want to make sure that I'm doing is the name that has been given me will supersede every time the name of Kenneth Lamar Terry >> because Kenneth Lamar Terry has done some things, experienced some things, been involved in some things, all of that stuff that tries to label me.

So when you say Kenneth Lamart Terry it might be okay you know uh her father was an alcoholic uh mother was da da da da you know what I'm saying things like that it might be that but then when I accept my new name it is overcomer it is conqueror it is righteous it is you you see what I'm saying it is more than conquering God see when I when I accept my new name it supersedes all of those previous identities it's supersedes them. >> Praise God. >> Now, let's um it's the one that I want to share.

There's there's one that was um yeah, Colossians 3rd chapter and the 11th verse. It's important. We got to be mindful of our identity. We got to be mindful of our new identity. And we got to remember only God is the one who can identify us. He's the one who gave us this new life.

Only the one who gave you life can identify you now. And we're talking about the the new life in Christ. So down here on this earth, we have many identities. And it says, let's read this in um King James before we go to uh to the mirror. It says where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, cynthian, bond or free, but Christ is all and he's in all.

Okay. So, what scripture tell us? It tells us that there are a lot of different identities or classes that are identified here that you could find yourself attached to any one of them. Okay? But it says, "But Christ is all and in all." Let's read this in the mirror real quickly.

The revelation of Christ is in us gives identity to the individual beyond anything anyone could ever be. The revelation of Christ in us gives identity to the individual beyond anything anyone could ever be. As a Greek, as a Jew, as an American, as an African, as a foreigner, or famous, male, female, king, pawn.

From now on, everyone is defined by Christ. Everybody is defined by Christ >> FROM NOW ON. NOW, I KNOW THAT I have my my culture and I'm thankful for my culture. I know that I have my race. I'm thankful for my race. But there are times when my race tries to supersede who I am in Christ. >> And when that happens, M >> it has to bow the knee >> because the greater identity is in Christ. >> Will I be identified as a black man?

Of course. You know what I'm saying? I mean, yeah. But if it ever if it ever competes with the identity of Jesus Christ, it has to bow the knee. FROM NOW ON, everyone is defined by Christ. >> Amen. >> Well, praise God. Hallelujah. Listen, only those I'm not saying that you won't go to heaven.

I'm not pre this isn't a heaven or hell thing here that I'm about to say. But if you want to be impactful, if you want to make a difference, if you want to be more than a conqueror and overcomer and head not to tail and above not beneath and and uh all of those things there, you got to take to heart what is being taught.

You got to want it. Christ has done what he's done now. The grace of God has covered us as far as our sins are concerned as far as heaven. But see, I don't want to get to heaven and I didn't, you know, I mean, I wasn't victorious down here on the earth.

I mean, I want to get to heaven. I I I'll take that at any time. You get what I'm saying? I ain't passing that up at all. But when I get there, is it where you can say, "God, I understood who you made me to be. I walked in who you made me to be."

It's not about works, don't get me wrong in what I'm saying this, but I walked in who you made me to be. I slew the lion and I slew the bear. >> And when the Goliath came because of who I am in Christ, I slew him. See, can can can you say that?

Or you know, or we say we hid in the hills. Praise the Lord. We hid in the hills and then Jesus came and saved us. We went to heaven. But are we victorious down here? Are we being all that God made us to be? Are we are we just sitting back and waiting for the trumpet to be sound? >> Is that all we're doing?

Just sitting back waiting? Let's occupy until he comes. >> Amen. >> Occupy until he comes. And when he comes, how many people would you have ministered to? >> How many people would you have helped who needed help? How many people would you have spoken a word of encouragement to?

How many people would you have prayed for? How many people would you have changed their world because you understand who you are in Christ? >> Amen. Praise God. Well, thank God for the word, guys. You guys stand up. We're going to get ready to get out of here.

Appreciate you all listening. Our man and woman of God will be back next week. Pray for their safe travels. And um lift your hands. May God's revelation of who he has made us to be permeate in our spirit, soul, and body. May we be infused with the knowledge of Christ and him being on the inside of us.

May you experience great blessings this week. May needs be met. May relationships be restored. Hallelujah. May families be brought back together. We curse death >> and we speak life, >> health to our bodies, to our bones, wholeness. Now to him who's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

To the only wise God our savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and power both now and forever in Jesus name. Amen. Ministers are down here at the altar. If you need to come up with any of those things listed on the screen up there, they will be more than happy to minister to you.

Make your way down. Be blessed. >> Something happens when you step out of the noise. When you give yourself permission to breathe again, to feel joy without pressure, without performance. This is where the awakening continues. Not forced, not loud, just real. Join us. It's time to awaken. You don't have to stay where you've been.

Come be refreshed. Come be restored. Come experience what happens when you make room for joy, peace, and something real. It's time to awaken. Join us Saturday, April 25th for an outing that is exactly what you need and don't want to miss. Hello. Hello. Hello, world changers. What a word on identity. >> That was amazing. >> What nugget did you get from Pastor Ken's message today?

Yeah, the main nugget that I took from it was he said that only God has the authority to give us our identity. We are not defined by our past, not defined by our struggles. And when God identifies you, you only need that one form ID. So that's the nugget that I got.

What about you? >> I think I got the same nugget and you guys probably have the same nugget as well. So please feel free to drop your nugget in the chat right now and make sure you share the stream with someone that you love so they can get nuggets, too.

And the nugget that I got, of course, he talked about the identity in a name. One of the things he highlighted though, Tyreek, was that God has already given us identity in Jesus. We already have identity in Jesus. So don't allow the labels of what has happened to you to reattach themselves to you in this upcoming week.

Don't allow it. Our identity is found in Christ. So please feel free to share your nuggets with us. We want to hear what key takeaways that you got. Maybe you got some different ones, but it sounds like we got the exact same key takeaway. Another thing that I I love about the Lord that's a part of his identity is his generosity.

Amen. And so we want to share an opportunity with you now to be able to give and be generous with us. 2 Corinthians 9:11 in the NLT says, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous." And then this verse goes on to say how our generosity causes others to thank God.

So as you pour into this ministry, as you pour into the things of God at World Changers and World Changers is helping the community, helping the world, it is bringing thanksgiving to our God. And we just want to invite you to do that now. And thank you so much for your support. >> Yeah, absolutely.

And then also at the beginning he was talking about having that willingness to give as well. So it's very important that we also have that willingness when it comes to giving. And also going to tell you guys the four ways that you can participate in giving here at the church.

So you can text world changers all one space and leave a space between your amount. Uh and you can text that to 74483. And then you can also give us a call here at 8664777683 to give by phone. And you can also mail us here at the church as well 2500 Bat Road, College Park, Georgia, zip code 30349.

And then you can also head online and give to us on the websites at worldchangers.org. org or crude dollarministries.org. So we invite you guys participate in giving and we got some announcements. We got a lot going on here at the church. >> You know what else I was thinking about with Pastor Ken message the identity in a name, the name of the events and the ministries at World Changers.

So So just pay close attention. I know we're used to hearing about the the women's ministry, but based on what he talked about today, the identity and a name, now hear radical a little bit differently. April Radical Women's Fellowship. Ladies, let's step into a morning of wellness and sisterhood at the Awakening to Wellness picnic in the park.

Join us Saturday, April 25th at 11:00 a.m. in Kenwood Park to nourish your body and spirit. Relax with a picnic and join a joyfilled line dancing session. All right. All right. Putting boots on. >> Register today by Register today by texting WCCI ladies to 51555. That's WCCI ladies to 51555.

So come on radical women. Pastor Ken has me thinking about names and everything now. The identity in the name. >> Yeah, definitely. And then also the following weekend, we got something else special for the ladies. We're talking about the mothers, right? Because Mother's Day is coming up next month.

So it's important for us to celebrate the ones who gave birth to us. So the very next weekend after you can join the women of WCCI for Lemon Bliss, it is back and it's going to be a whole vibe. So, it's presented by Pastor Taffy Dollar and the Radical Women's Ministry, and they're honoring the incredible mothers and mother figures among us on Saturday, May 2nd.

That's going to be at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel. So, make sure y'all head over there. And with Awakening, every session, every season of womanhood, they'll celebrate in community with our dynamic guest speaker and a voice of refreshing worship. So, don't miss it. So, make sure you guys register.

You can register by scanning the QR code that's on your screen right now. And then you can also text lemon bliss all one word to 51555. Or you can visit Pastor Taffy's website at taffydoll.org. And then we also invite you guys head over to the website worldchangers.org. Click events and you can stay up to date on all the great events that we have going on here at the church cuz it's a lot going on.

A lot of good things. >> A lot going on. And as we start this new week, Tariq and I just want to remind you what Pastor Ken said. There is identity in a name. Don't let anything from your past reattach to you in the new week. Get your identity in Jesus.

We love you guys. We'll see you next week. >> It's so great to have Dr. Dollar here, the spirit and grace tour and the grace gang in town. It was an absolute blessing. >> This grace message is a soul winner. >> The world needs to hear this message.

Not only just hear it, but apply it and watch God bless them. I got almost two pages of notes just from the nuggets that he was given. Just about everybody that gave their testimony and asking questions and getting answers, I was getting some of the answers I needed. >> It was like an atmosphere of freedom.

Wherever you want to say, whatever you wanted to ask, the atmosphere was just set. I would encourage people to come >> now. In Jesus name, I declare you authorized dealers of the grace of God. I'm ready to go take the gospel of grace with Pastor Dollar from around the world.

Let's do it. >> The Spirit and Grace Tour with Crelo Dollar is coming to a city near you. Only 500 seats and they are going fast. Register now at spiritandgraour.com. I'm a world changer. Changing the world everywhere I go. I'm a world changer. Anointed with the power of the Holy Ghost.

I'm a world changer. Telling the world of God's saving grace. I'm a world changer. Making a mark that can be erased. For God has equipped us to go higher, to make a mark that cannot be erased.