Priscilla Shirer: Remaining in a Leaving Culture

((applause)) Hallelujah. Wow. We will see him again. Amen. Well, First Baptist, it is time for the word. Amen. And we have an awesome, awesome woman of God here today to bring that word. Please turn your attention to the IMG. ((music playing)) Priscilla Sher is a wife and mom first. Put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart and you'll see why thousands flock to her conferences and dive into her Bible study series and books each year.

A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Priscilla holds a master's degree in biblical studies and considers it a privilege to serve believers from every denomination and culture. Her ministry, Going Beyond Ministries, hosts Awaken, an outreach event in her hometown designed to encourage and mobilize women locally. She is the author of several books and has starred in various faith-based films such as The War Room and her brand new movie Overcomer, showing in theaters now.

Priscilla has been married to Jerry for 20 years. Between studying and writing, she spends most of her time with her three growing boys. Please welcome Priscilla Sh. ((applause)) Thank you. Appreciate you. Good morning. So glad you are here. You can take your seats. It's a privilege and a joy as always to be uh with our family.

We consider you to be our family. Even if you don't claim us, we claim y'all. We love the First Baptist Church of Glenn Arden. It is a joy for us to be here. Uh we flew in yesterday and we walked off of the plane, Jerry and I, and walked out down the jet bridge and out into the airport and ran right into my dad.

He was standing there about to board a flight to go back home. And uh we said, "Dad, we're we're coming to First Baptist Church with Glenn Arden." He was like, "Oh man, I want to come." I was like, "It's our turn. It's our turn." So, our whole family so much loves being with you, myself, my younger brother Anthony, and um and my husband who I want to make sure that you know, and I want to introduce you to him as well.

My husband Jerry Shire, as they said, of 20 years is here. That's my man right there. And um it's a privilege to be under his fine authority this morning to be able to share God's word with you. I will say this um every time I have the joy to be with you as well.

And that is that in his absence we honor Pastor John Jenkins. We love him and his wife, Miss Trina, their whole family. And I'm going to tell y'all why we honor them. We honor them because they have integrity. It it's important to me that you understand that the Lord has entrusted you to leaders that actually have integrity that they really believe this stuff and that's a big deal.

And so we're grateful for them that they have shown us what a healthy marriage looks like. They have swn into the lives of their own children have not sacrificed that for church. And we're grateful for that. And um it has blessed and informed our lives. in so many ways, more than we can count.

And so, it is a privilege to be able to stand in this place this morning and hopefully encourage you this morning in God's word. Let's pray. Lord, I thank you for your word. I thank you that it is alive. I thank you that it is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.

Lord, I pray in these next few moments you would do what only you can. Take this one little simple message and would YOU DIVIDE IT SEVERAL thousand different ways so that every SINGLE PERSON UNDER THE sound of my voice today will know they have heard the voice of God.

Speak Lord. We are your servants and we are listening. In Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen. Amen. It was uh September in the year 2008 when a category 2 hurricane named Ike swept through the southern regions of our country. Texas in particular was hit hard as 110 mileph winds just whipped through.

In particular, a small town called Gilchrist, which is sort of a seaside community, a beachside town where a lot of people go to retire. That community was hit very hard. The community boasted about 200 homes or so. Mostly those retired couples had gone there to enjoy their latter years in some peace and respit in this beautiful serene ocean environment.

And yet in 2008, the unexpected happened. Hurricane Ike came and it swept through and the aftermath was devastating. In fact, those who visited the site afterward said that it was a complete shock to see this now unrecognizable community. The once populated uh neighborhood with bright homes and and uh manicured lawnscapes, green lawns, and friendly sidewalks.

Now, the neighborhood didn't resemble anything similar to that any longer. Now, it was just like a swamp. It was muddy. There were only fragments left of what was. The only landmark that remained there was one house that stood. Of the 200 that had been there, only one remained.

Only one stood st steady. Only one continued to stand when the others had been decimated by the storm. It's quite an odd AND REMARKABLE AND SHOCKING SIGHT, isn't it, to see one house that has stayed standing? And it begs THE QUESTION, WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS HOUSE THAT MADE IT STAND when the storm took the others down?

And I suspect that as shocking as it is for us to see these images, it really is symbolic of the landscape of all of our lives. Because the truth is, the older AND OLDER THAT I GET, the more I realize THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MANY people that said they would stay the distance with me, that said they would continue, that said they would be committed, that said they would have consistency, that said they would have integrity.

THE TRUTH IS, THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I REALIZE THAT EVERYBODY'S HOUSE AIN'T still standing. that there are actually only a few who have remained, who have gone THE DISTANCE. WHERE ARE THE SAINTS WHO WILL REMAIN? Where are the saints WHO WILL HAVE HOUSES THAT STILL STAND OVER THE LONG HAUL?

WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DECIDED COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, I'VE MADE MY DECISION THAT I WILL BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, and always abounding in the work of the Lord? How is it that the people who were once so strong, the people who said they would continue, why is it THAT NOW WE HAVE FOUND THAT LONGEVITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT, but now it HAS BECOME A RARITY TO SEE SOMEONE WHO is consistent.

These virtues are coming harder and harder to come by, harder and HARDER TO VIEW IN THE LIVES OF THE people who are around us. BUT I WANT A HOUSE THAT IS STILL STANDING. I WANT A HOUSE THAT WEATHERS some storms and is still upright. ((applause)) When Jerry and I and Anthony, when we are finished joining you here TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO DRIVE OVER TO BALTIMORE because that's where my people are from.

My dad was raised right in the urban center of Baltimore. My grandfather well into his 91st year now is still there. And what I love so much about other than the obvious things, the tender moments that you have when you're visiting your grandparents, WHAT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES when I think about two daddy, that's what we call him.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT TWO DADDY, WHAT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES IS THAT WHEN WE GATHER to him, he will lay a hand ON ME AND HE'LL LAY A HAND ON ANTHONY AND HE'LL lay a hand on his grandson-in-law and he will gather US TO HIMSELF. HE DOES IT EVERY SINGLE TIME.

And he will SPEAK A WORD OF BLESSING OVER US. AND HE WILL PRAY over us. And he will remind us of the hope he has in Jesus. And he will tell us when we SEE HIM LATER ON TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING ABOUT THE WORD THAT HE PREACHED OVER THE FLOCK OF 10 OR 15 that he HAS STOOD IN FRONT OF FAITHFULLY FOR THE PAST FIVE DECADES DECLARING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.

WHAT JUST GETS ME ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER IS THAT HE'S GOT A HOUSE OF FAITH THAT IS STILL STANDING after 91 years. I want to talk to you today about remaining in a leaving culture. I want to encourage you, sisters and brothers, to stay, TO HANG IN THERE, TO NOT THROW IN THE TOWEL.

I'M TALKING TO THE ONE who's right on THE EDGE WHERE YOU'RE JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP. YOU'VE DECIDED THAT IF THE LORD DOESN'T ENCOURAGE YOU SOMEHOW TODAY THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO THROW IN THE TOWEL ON THE ASSIGNMENT THAT HE'S GIVEN YOU, THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO THROW IN THE TOWEL ON THE MARRIAGE THAT HE'S PLANTED YOU IN.

THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO THROW IN THE TOWEL ON THE ASSIGNMENT IN MINISTRY OR THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVOR BECAUSE IT'S JUST GOTTEN too difficult and the rains HAVE BEEN BEATING DOWN TOO HEAVILY IN YOUR LIFE. I FLEW OVER FROM DALLAS, TEXAS TO tell you to stay, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR HOUSE IS STILL STANDING.

In a DAY WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRIFTING AWAY AND SPOUSES ARE LEAVING AND PARENTS ARE GIVING UP AND DREAMERS ARE THROWING IN THE TOWEL ON THE DREAM GOD HAS PLANTED IN THEIR HEART. WHERE MINISTERS ARE QUITTING WHAT THEY SAID WAS A CALLING, I CAME TO ENCOURAGE you to stay.

The older and older I get, the less impressed I am with the the easily famous Amen. The quickly notable or applauded. The easily Instagrammable. No, I'm interested in faithfulness. I'm looking for longevity and consistency and integrity that has weathered some storms. They may not be famous, BUT THEY'VE REMAINED.

THEY MAY NOT BE RICH, BUT THEY'VE REMAINED. THEY MAY NOT BE APPLAUDED, BUT THEY'VE REMAINED. THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEST-SELLING BOOKS OR MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, BUT THEY AIN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THEY WANT TO BE STEADFAST and immovable and always abounding in the work OF THE LORD.

THEY WANT TO STAY. So I want to encourage us today that we will have houses that at 91 years old are still standing. That we will have some integrity, some legacy that we have left behind. And listen, you got TO MAKE THAT DECISION BEFORE THE RAINS COME. BECAUSE ONCE THE HURRICANE STARTS PELTING YOUR LIFE, AND BY THE WAY, it will.

ONCE THE RAIN STARTS FALLING, THEN IT'S TOO LATE TO BUILD A FIRM FOUNDATION. CONTRACTORS, STOP POURING CONCRETE FOR A FOUNDATION ONCE THE SKIES OPEN UP. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WAIT TILL IT RAINS TO DECIDE YOU WANT A FIRM FOUNDATION. YOU GOT TO DECIDE IN GOOD WEATHER TIMES. Today is the day for us to choose that we want to be people who stand who stand the test of time.

And it is at least in part to this end that John gave us not only his gospel in the New Testament, but then three smaller books. They were letters, epistles that were written. Scholars say that this theme of remaining or standing, being steadfast, was actually A MAJOR THEME ON JOHN'S HEART WHEN HE GAVE US ALL OF HIS WRITINGS.

IN FACT, FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD JOHN ARE WHAT THEO theologians call a remaining trifecta. They are called a staying trio. And the reason is because all throughout 1, second, and third John, he continues to bring up this idea of remaining, of standing, of abiding. You'll see that word over and over in his writing of encouraging people to go the distance.

And so John writes to this that end a passage of scripture that was read to you before. I'm going to read it to us again. 1 John chapter 2, he writes in verse 12. I am writing to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

He says in verse 13, I'm writing to you fathers because you know him who has been from the the beginning. I am writing to you young men because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you children because you know the father. It's so important to him.

He almost repeats himself verbatim in verse 14. He says,"I have written to YOU FATHERS BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM WHO has been from the beginning. I have written to you YOUNG MEN BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG AND THE WORD OF GOD ABIDES IN YOU AND YOU HAVE overcome the evil one."

And then I want to cap that off by reading verse 28. He says in verse 28, "And now little children, here's our word, remain in him. Abide." And he says, here's why. so that when he appears you can have some confidence and not shrink away from him in shame at his coming.

He says THE REASON WHY YOU WANT YOUR HOUSE STILL STANDING, the reason why YOU WANT TO REMAIN, THE REASON WHY you want TO HAVE SOME LONGEVITY AND LEG LEGACY and be steadfast in the assignment that the Lord HAS GIVEN YOU. THE REASON WHY HE SAYS is because Jesus is coming.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus is coming. THAT SOONER THAN WE THINK, THE TRUMP IS GOING TO SOUND AND THE SKY IS GOING TO SPLIT. AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE ONCE AND FOR ALL OUR SAVIOR FACE TO FACE. AND WHEN I see him, HE'S NOT GOING TO ASK ME HOW MANY INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS I HAD.

When I see him, he's not going to CONCERN HIMSELF WITH HOW MANY BOOKS I SOLD OR WHO FOLLOWED ME OR DIDN'T FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER. WHAT HE'S GOING TO ASK ME IS, DID I KNOW HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST? And then HE'S GOING TO WANT TO KNOW, did I stay?

HE'S GOING TO CHECK TO SEE IF MY HOUSE IS STILL STANDING. He's going to LOOK INTO MY LIFE AND YOURS TO DECIDE whether or not we have used the time, the talents, and the treasure over the LONG HAUL TO CONTINUALLY HONOR HIM. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT WHEN I SEE HIM FACE TO FACE, I AM looking for well done.

That's what I'm asking. And so John writes to all of us. He says little children over and over again. Little children. Little children. In the English language, it's translated little children throughout, but it's actually coming from two different root words. The first root word in the Greek language that Paul would have used um we find in our book and verses of the passage I just read verse 12 and verse 28 is one word that he uses that is translated little children.

This particular uh particular word IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE HAS NO REFERENCE TO AGE. THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO MATURITY LEVEL. It has nothing to DO WITH A STAGE OF life that you are in. It speaks only to relationship. He says you're a little child simply BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP to a father.

So he uses the word THAT IT MEANS IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE A TEENAGER IN THE ROOM. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE IN YOUR 50S IN THE ROOM. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE IN YOUR 80S OR 90s in the room. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE A TODDLER IN THE ROOM.

HE SAYS, "I'M WRITING TO ALL Y'ALL LITTLE CHILDREN." HE WAS FROM TEXAS. ALL Y'ALL LITTLE CHILDREN. HE SAYS, "I AM WRITING to you." And he says, "The reason why I'm WRITING THIS LETTER TO ALL Y'ALL," HE SAYS, "BECAUSE YOUR SINS all need to be forgiven." In other words, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH SUCCESS YOU'VE ACHIEVED.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH ATTENTION OR APPLAUSE YOU HAVE GARNERED. ON THE FLIP SIDE, IT ALSO doesn't matter how deep the pit OF SIN OR REBELLION YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN TO YOURSELF INTO. At the cross, WE ALL COME LEVEL. WE ALL NEED A DADDY AND WE ALL NEED HIS FORGIVENESS.

So he SETS US STRAIGHT RIGHT ON THE OUTSET. HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDING KNOWS THIS MESSAGE IS NOT FOR THE PERSON YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO. This message is for you. HE SAYS, "I'M WRITING TO ALL OF YOU LITTLE CHILDREN." He says, "You need to know you have a father.

You need to stay under his covering. The only way you're going to continue to have any longevity and any sense of stability when the rains hit you is if you know you are not God. THERE IS A GOD AND YOU ARE NOT HIM. THERE IS A PERFECT one and you are not him.

Stay covered. Stay in relationship to this daddy that you have. I remember when our We have three sons, but when our oldest two were really little, they were five and three. We were at one of our Christmas times and we were sitting around the uh Christmas tree getting ready to dive into the few gifts that I bought my kids.

I had this before they were too old to know know any better. Uh Jerry and I bought all their gifts from the dollar store. We would go to the dollar store. We would grab a couple things. Mhm. And listen, I was the kind of mother that if I bought them a gift that had parts to it, like a bow and arrows, well, I would open up the package and wrap the bow.

Wrap this one arrow right here. So, I'd spread it out in front of them. They thought they had a whole lot of stuff, but they didn't. It was just a couple things from the dollar store. And I remember before we would dive into the gifts, still to this day, Jerry will do it.

He'll just say to the boys, "Listen, whose birthday is it really today?" And he said that, the boys were five and three. "Whose birthday is it really?" Jackson, our oldest, said, "It's Jesus's birthday." His younger brother, three years old at the time, heard his brother say, "It's Jesus's birthday."

And saw the gifts in front of him. He looked up with wide, innocent eyes and said, "Am I Jesus?" ((applause)) We spent all of Christmas day just trying to convince my boy that he was not God. But the truth be told, you know, sometimes out of the mouths of babes, because if the truth be told, sometimes we think we Jesus, we think we God.

And the reason why I know that I sometimes think I'm God is because I keep stepping into margin that should be reserved for him. I keep forgetting that I'm a child who has a father that I NEED COVERING, THAT I'VE GOT TO STAY SURRENDERED TO AND in alignment with my daddy.

So John says, would you remember the only way to keep your house in check is if you've got a firm foundation rooted in the fact that there is a God and you are not him. But I love John's writing so much because he also does acknowledge that when we remain, we will go through seasons.

We'll go through growth. Did you notice that? He says, "I'm writing to you little children." Then he says, "I'm writing to you young men." That's adolescence, teenagers. Then he says, "I'm writing to you parents, fathers." He says, "I'm writing to you." Do you notice that he takes you THROUGH STAGES?

HE ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT that as you remain, you're going to have to walk through some things that growth is going to have to be required. that you're going to mature one stage TO THE NEXT AND YOU need to give yourself a break because every single STAGE OF YOUR GROWTH IS necessary to the next.

So he says, I'm writing to you in each stage. Remain, children, while you're there. Remain. I'm writing to you IN YOUR TEENAGE YEARS. WHILE YOU'RE THERE, DON'T DISCOUNT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS STAGE. Remain while you're there. I'm writing to you fathers if you're in the SEASON OF PARENTING.

HE SAYS, I'M WRITING TO YOU AS YOU POUR INTO THE LIFE OF THE NEXT GENERATION. Every stage matters to making sure your house is still in is still intact. So I figured for just a few moments we could go through the stages, find ourselves in each of these stages of remaining and being steadfast.

If we walk backwards up through verse 13, you find the stages laid out at the bottom of verse 13. He says, "I am writing to you children." And he says, "Here's why I'm writing to you. because you know the father. HE SAYS HERE'S WHY I'M WRITING TO YOU LITTLE CHILDREN.

AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE OTHER original word that is used to actually describe an infant. It's used to actually describe a BABY WHO IS NOT able to sustain itself or care for itself or provide for itself. HE SAYS, "I'M WRITING FOR YOU TO you who are in the infancy stage of SOME AREA OF YOUR LIFE.

LIKE YOU JUST GOT MARRIED OR YOU JUST STARTED THAT JOB OR YOU'VE JUST STARTED TO PUT FEET TO THAT DREAM THAT GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR HEART OR YOU'VE JUST STARTED TO BUILD THAT MINISTRY. I AM WRITING TO YOU WHO HAVE JUST COME TO KNOW THE LORD OR YOU'VE JUST RECOMMITTED YOUR LIFE TO THE LORD AND YOU'RE IN A FLEDGLING STAGE."

HE SAYS, "I'M WRITING to you who are infants in the room." He says, "I'm writing to you because this is what you need to know. THIS WHOLE GOAL OF THE STAGE OF YOUR JOURNEY IS ABOUT. He says, "Here's what you're supposed to do when you're an infant. Come to know the father."

He says, "That's your whole job. Come to know the father. Don't skip this stage. Don't rush what rush through this stage." HE SAYS, "YOUR GOAL HAS TO BE TO DO WHAT BABIES DO. Babies receive. THEY HAVE NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO DEPEND ON THEIR PARENT to feed them and change them and care for them.

THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE DEVOTION OF SOMEBODY ELSE. HE SAYS YOU need to know what IT FEELS LIKE TO SNUGGLE UP WITH YOUR FATHER. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE HIM LOVE YOU. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BEGIN TO DISCERN WHAT THE VOICE OF YOUR GOD SOUNDS LIKE.

AND YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT HIS CHARACTER IS. YOUR WHOLE JOB IN THIS STAGE SHOULD JUST BE TO GET TO KNOW THE ONE WHO loves you the most. We took the boy the boys a couple of years ago. We took them to Cape Town, South Africa. I was homeschooling them at the time.

So, I planned in advance for us to go um go there. I knew we were going, so I planned their studies around it. One of the things we studied were some animals that are indigenous to that to that area. So, when we got to Cape Town, took the boys on a safari to hopefully see them.

And we saw lots of animals that we had never seen before. But we also saw a herd of zebra. And I remember thinking when we saw the zebra, I remember thinking, I hope they move on quickly because we can see those in the states. But no, the guide stopped for just a few moments.

And he said, "You know what's interesting about this herd?" He said, "There's a fo right there, a baby zebra." He said, "I haven't seen the baby for at least two or three weeks." And he said, "Here's why." He said, "Did you know that the stripes on a zebra are as individual and unique as fingerprints are in this room? that you can't tell by the naked eye, but actually particularly right in the middle of the forehead, the configuration of the stripes is so unique that they are distinct one zebra from another.

Completely distinct. So he said when a baby is born, the mother will take the baby aside away from all the other stripes for the first two or three weeks of its life. She will nest and nestle with that baby for the purpose of making sure that that baby gets to know her stripes.

So by the time she brings the baby back to all the other stripes, the baby will never be confused about which configuration of stripes belongs to the one who loves them the most. The reason why when YOU'RE IN A FLEDGLING STAGE IN SOME IN SOME AREA OF YOUR LIFE, THE REASON WHY YOU GOT TO COME ASIDE WITH YOUR DADDY IS SO THAT YOU CAN GET A GOOD LOOK AT HIS STRIPES.

IT'S BY HIS STRIPES THAT YOU ARE HEALED. You've got TO MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO COME TO KNOW YOUR father because we live in a culture that IS GOING TO TRY TO WATER DOWN WHO YOUR GOD IS. AND you need to have ENOUGH SHITY IN THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOUSE THAT WHEN THEY TRY TO TELL YOU WHO HE IS, YOU CAN SAY THAT'S NOT WHO MY GOD IS BECAUSE I KNOW WHO HE WAS.

I've gotten to know who my father is. I know that in Genesis he is the breath OF LIFE. I KNOW THAT IN EXODUS HE IS THE PASSOVER LAMB. I'VE SEEN THAT IN LEVITICUS, HE IS OUR HIGH PRIEST. AND IN NUMBERS, HE'S THE FIRE BY NIGHT. IN DEUTERONOMY, I'VE I SAW THAT HE WAS ISRAEL'S GUIDE.

IN JOSHUA, HE'S SALVATION'S CHOICE. IN JUDGES, HE IS ISRAEL'S GUARD. IN RUTH, I SAW HIM AS THE KINSMAN REDEEMER. In 1 and 2 Samuel, HE'S A TRUSTED PROPHET. IN KINGS AND CHRONICLES, I SAW HE'S SOVEREIGN. IN EZRA, HE'S A TRUE AND FAITHFUL SCRIBE. IN NEHEMIAH, HE'S THE GOD WHO REBUILDS WALLS AND HE REBUILDS LIVES.

In Esther, I SEE THAT HE'S MORAI'S COURAGE. IN JOB, HE'S THE TIMELESS REDEEMER. IN PSALMS, I SAW HE'S MY MORNING SONG. IN PROVERBS, HE IS MY WISDOM. IN ECCLESIASTES, HE'S A TIME AND A SEASON. IN SONG OF SOLOMON, HE'S THE LOVER'S DREAM. IN ISAIAH, HE'S THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

IN JEREMIAH, HE'S THE WEEPING PROPHET. IN LAMENTATIONS, HE'S THE CALL FROM SIN. IN EZEKIEL, HE'S THE CRY FOR ISRAEL. IN DANIEL, HE'S THE STRANGER IN THE FIRE. IN HOSEA, HE'S THE FOREVER FAITHFUL. IN JOEL, HE'S THE SPIRIT'S POWER. IN AMOS, HE'S THE STRONG ARMS THAT CARRY. IN OBADIAH, HE'S THE LORD, OUR SAVIOR.

IN JONAH, HE'S THE GREAT MISSIONARY. IN MICAH, HE'S THE PROMISE OF PEACE. IN NAHM, HE'S OUR STRENGTH AND SHIELD. IN HABACH AND ZEPHANIAH, HE BRINGS REVIVAL. IN HAGGI, HE RESTORES THAT WHICH was lost. In Zechariah, HE IS OUR FOUNTAIN. AND IN MALACHI, HE'S THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS RISING WITH HEALING IN his wings.

AND THAT'S JUST WHO HE IS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. BECAUSE if you flip over a couple pages and IF YOU WAIT ABOUT 400 YEARS, then you'll see in Matthew, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN, HE'S NO LONGER JUST GOD. NOW HE'S YOUR MESSIAH. In the spiritfilled book of Acts, HE'S THE REIGNING FIRE FROM HEAVEN.

IN ROMANS, HE'S THE GRACE OF GOD. CORINTHIANS, HE'S THE POWER OF LOVE. GALATIANS, he's freedom FROM THE CURSE OF SIN. IN CORINTHIANS, HE'S THE POWER OF LOVE. IN GALATIANS and Ephesians, HE'S OUR GLORIOUS TREASURE. IN PHILIPPIANS, HE'S THE SERVANT'S HEART. IN COLOSSIANS, HE'S GOD AND THE TRINITY. IN THESSALONIANS, HE'S OUR KING.

IN TIMOTHY, TITUS, AND PHILEIMAN, HE'S OUR MEDIATOR AND OUR FAITHFUL PASTOR. IN HEBREWS, HE'S THE EVERLASTING COURAGE. IN JAMES, HE'S THE ONE WHO WILL HEAL YOU WHEN YOU ARE SICK. IN FIRST AND SECOND PETER, HE IS OUR FAITHFUL SHEPHERD. IN JOHN AND JUDE, HE'S THE LOVER COMING FOR HIS BRIDE.

AND IN THE REVELATION, IN THE VERY END, WHEN IT'S ALL OVER AND SAID AND DONE, HE WAS AND IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE FIRST, THE LAST, the beginning, and the end. Amen. AMEN. John says, "You got to know who your daddy is." You got to press in and KNOW WHO YOUR DADDY is so that when the CULTURE TRIES TO WATER DOWN OUR GOD, YOU CAN step back and say, "That's not my God because I have taken time to know who he is."

Pediatricians will often tell mothers with their new babies, "Listen, resist the temptation to stand them up on their feet and bounce them too quickly on their actual LEGS BECAUSE THEIR BONES are still soft. So if they put too MUCH UNDUE WEIGHT ON THOSE BONES TOO SOON, THEY MAY ACTUALLY walk with a twist or with a limp THEIR ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T READY FOR ALL THAT WEIGHT.

And I think WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT A GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS WHO ARE TRYING TO GROW UP TOO SOON. THEY ARE skipping this stage of just getting to KNOW WHO THEIR DADDY IS. THEY ALREADY TRYING TO DISCIPLE PEOPLE AND PREACH to people. You know, YOU JUST NEED TO SIT BACK AND GET TO KNOW YOUR FATHER.

DON'T WALK. DON'T WALK BEFORE YOU'RE READY. That pressure can make you limp for the rest of your life. So if you're in the fledgling stage in some area of your life, just remain there until he releases you cuz you going to need a firm foundation. And the reason why is because you are going to graduate, John says in verse 13, to become young men.

The original word means adolescence. This is puberty. This is teenage years. He says, "You going to need some fortification because here's how you know when you're a teenager." He says in verse 13, he says, "You have overcome the evil one." He reiterates it in verse 14 and he says, "You are strong."

He says, "This is when you get some muscle on your spiritual bones." My boys are now, the picture they showed you earlier was a pretty old picture. My boys are now, the oldest two are 6'2 inch tall giants. And they walk around my house with this big deep voice.

Mom, I need a sandwich. Then they always got their shirts off these days. There's muscles everywhere and all this definition. It's just nasty. It's gross. It's nasty. So, they're towering over me and I'm still trying to be the boss, but it's kind of weird. go clean your room and they're up there, you know, but they've just got all this girth about them now.

Their muscles are showing. Their dad has been real engaged in their sports life um because they have been sportsmen from the time they were pretty young. They love sports and so he's been very careful with their coaches and people who are training them about what they would and would not do.

He would not allow them until just the last year or so. Uh my oldest is getting ready to be 17. Uh my middle is 15 now. Um, Jerry and Jude, our youngest, is is now 11 years old. But with my oldest two, he would not let their coaches or anybody allow them to lift weights until just in the past year and a half or so.

They did push-ups. They did lots of other resistance things, but they did not lift weights until in the last year. Now, they have been strong for a lot of years. They've been able to pretty much hurl me over their shoulders, throw me on the couch. We've wrestled together.

They are strong. But it's not until the past year that I have seen the strength that was always in them start to take shape on the outside of them. It was there, but we just couldn't see it until we added resistance. ((applause)) John says, you know, when you're in the teenage season of your journey, when there's some weight on you, you feel like you just can't lift. when there's something on you that honestly you'd rather pass off to somebody else because that those squats you just can't squat all that weight so it seems to you.

He says remain during infancy but also be steadfast and remain during the adolescence because this is when you get some muscle on your spiritual bones. This is when you get some SCAFFOLDING IN YOUR HOUSE that will be able to restrain AND RESIST WHEN THERE'S A HURRICANE THAT comes flying through.

This is WHEN THE FORTIFICATION THAT IS IN YOU BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE ON THE OUTSIDE of you and you're able TO SEE THE SPIRITUAL MUSCLE THAT IS RIGHTFULLY YOURS AS AN ADOPTED DAUGHTER OR SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. He says remain during the resistance.

That weight that is on you. Keep on lifting it, sis. That's how you going to get some muscle. that struggle that you're having in your marriage or in your finances or on your job, that issue that you're having relationally, would you know that sometimes it's the enemy, but sometimes it's GOD ALLOWING YOU TO GO THROUGH SOME STUFF SO THAT HE CAN HAVE A BODY OF BELIEVERS WHO HAVE SOME MUSCLE.

Infancy is for intimacy WITH GOD. BUT ADOLESCENCE, WHAT IT'S FOR IS for acrewing power and acrewing strength and getting fortified SO THAT WHEN THE RAINS PELT YOU, WHEN THEY HIT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DO NOT EASILY topple over. And so if you find that there is weight on you right now, remain through the resistance.

Stay steady, sis. Stay steady, brother. Don't throw in the towel right now at this stage in your marriage or raising those kids or pressing into the ministry God has SET BEFORE YOU OR THE JOB THAT HE'S ASKED YOU TO BUILD, THE BOOK THAT YOU'VE BEEN WRITING, THE THING THAT YOU'VE BEEN CULTIVATING.

DON'T GIVE UP NOW. THIS IS WHERE YOUR MUSCLE COMES. THIS IS WHEN you get fortification. Stay, remain. WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE FALLS AWAY, CUZ THIS IS THE TIME WHEN THEY FALL AWAY. WHEN stuff gets tough, when there's weight on people, that's when you see folks going BY THE WAYSIDE.

THEY DON'T THEY'RE not they're not able TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE ALMIGHTY SPIRIT OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES IN YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CANNOT DO IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH AND POWER TO HELP YOU RESIST UNDER THE PRESSURE. IT'S GOD'S OWN SPIRIT THAT WILL HELP YOU BE steadfast and immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Stay remain during the resistance. And the reason why you need to remain through infancy and then remain through adolescence is because John writes, we need some fathers, some spiritual mothers. What happened to the days where we came to church and everybody wasn't a millennial? What happened to the days where you came into the house of God and there was some mothers in the house.

There were some spiritual fathers in the house. SOME FOLKS LIKE MY GRANDDADDY WHO'D BEEN WALKING THE THING FOR a while, who'd been with his wife AND HAS RAISED HIS CHILDREN AND IS LOOKING AT HIS GRANDCHILDREN AND HIS GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND IS ABLE to see decades history of the faithfulness OF GOD.

WHO IS ABLE TO SAY, "I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING. I PRAYED IN 1950 THAT GOD HAS ANSWERED IN 2019." We need some saints WHO HAVE WALKED THE ROAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE. some people that have a testimony. Do you understand that you and me are the ones that are going to have a testimony?

We're the ones if we'll just hang in there, IF WE'LL BE STEADFAST THROUGH THIS STRUGGLE THAT WE'RE having right now. I'm having one in my life. YOU'RE HAVING ONE IN YOUR LIVES. IF WE CAN JUST STAY STEADFAST LONG ENOUGH, THERE IS A DAY THAT'S COMING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SIT IN THIS ROOM AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEBODY IN THEIR 20S LOOKING AT US IN HOPES THAT WE WILL SHARE WITH THEM A STORY ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD.

Please notice that John doesn't say adults, he says parents. The implication is that there are people who are not just adults, but people who have as their mission to pour into the lives of somebody else. People that have their eyes open to see there's somebody counting on me.

Do you know there are sons and daughters, grandchildren in the house of God that are counting on us to have houses that still stand? They're counting on US TO HAVE A VIEW OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO HONOR GOD. NOT JUST IN ONE DECADE, NOT JUST FOR ONE YEAR, not just for the season when it was when it was convenient for us to honor GOD, BUT NO, WE STAYED THE PAST NOT PERFECTLY, but purposefully and intentionally.

WE KEPT SETTING OUR GOD BEFORE US. WE FOCUSED OUR EYES ON JESUS WHO WAS THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH. John says this is what fathers do. He said they know the one who was from the beginning. He's talking about Jesus. He says this is what fathers do.

They pass on not just a general view of religion. They pass on Jesus. He says that these are the ones who have not just come to know a program or a platform, not a religion, not just a rout routine. These are the ones that have come to know Jesus.

Not just in theory, not just in a Christmas nativity scene, not just through the testimonies of other people. No, they have lived long enough. They have remained long enough. They have walked with him long enough to tell the story about the one who is from the beginning, Jesus.

And in a world and in a culture and in a day and age that has sought to WATER DOWN THE GOSPEL. IN A CULTURE THAT SEEKS TO GENERALIZE GOD SO THAT HE IS one of many gods, not a singular unmatched entity without comparison and WITH NO COUNTERPARTS. WE NEED SOME Christians who have walked the road long enough and who have ENOUGH YEARS WITH GOD UNDERNEATH THEIR BELT, WHO HAVE TRIED HIM AND THEY'VE SEEN FOR THEMSELVES THAT OUR ONE TRUE GOD STILL HAS a specific name.

AND WHETHER OR NOT IT IS POLITICALLY CORRECT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE NO PROBLEM STANDING IN FRONT OF KINGS AND QUEENS OR IN FRONT OF LAY PEOPLE AND SAYING THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME. THE NAME AT which demons tremble. The name that EVERY KNEE WILL BOW and every tongue will confess at THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

SOMEBODY SAY JESUS CHRIST. JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE ONE WHO WAS FROM the beginning. He is still the chief cornerstone. HE IS STILL THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. HE IS STILL THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR. HE IS STILL THE ONE OF WHOM PROPHET SPOKES. HE IS STILL THE ONE THAT WAS CRUCIFIED ON CALVARY.

AND HE IS STILL THE ONE THAT ON THE THIRD DAY WAS RAISED UP AND WHO IS NOW SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE and truth. His name is Jesus. And we got to remain because he's coming. Listen to me y'all. This ain't no joke.

I'm saying he for real coming. Yes. ((applause)) So stay. Remain. Don't quit yet. Don't throw in the towel yet. Have some integrity. Have some character. Ask the Holy Spirit to give us some resilience so that we can have some houses that still stand. If you are in this room and you're just about to throw in the towel, there is an area of your life where you know dog gone good and well if God doesn't step in, you're just about to throw in the towel.

You're just about to turn your back on following him or turn your back on something you know he has assigned to you because things are tough right now and you want to have a house that still stands. You want today to flip the script in the story of your life.

If you need prayer in that regard, would you please just race down to the altar? I cannot wait to stand with you and agree WITH YOU IN PRAYER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HOUSES THAT STILL STAND, that we're going to remain in a leaving culture. Is there anybody that needs prayer?

I will wait for you. Is there a couple that WANTS YOUR HOUSE TO STILL STAND? Race down to the altar. ((applause)) ((music playing)) Don't quit, sis. Remain. Stay. ((music playing)) ((applause)) We're going to stay. I've decided I'm staying. Staying. We're going to remain when everybody else turns back. We've decided we're following Jesus. We're going to stay.

((music playing)) ((music playing)) I want you while those that are are still coming are coming. Y'all come on. As they come, listen. You know what your thing is where you're about to throw in the towel. Would you just before the Lord quietly in your heart before I pray over us? Would you just say just be honest with him?

Lord, I don't I don't want to do this. I can't do this. I'm tired of doing this. I've been praying about this a long time. You haven't changed this. Would you just talk to the Lord about it? Con just confess to him the reality of how you're feeling in this moment.

Authenticity doesn't scare him. ((music playing)) Lord Jesus, I lift up my brothers and sisters and I pray right now in the name of Jesus Christ that you would lift discouragement off of their shoulders. For every single one, Father, who has tears falling down from their eyes, I can see them right now.

I pray right now you would dry those tears in Jesus name as just proof father that you are with them that you see them that you are for them you are not against them you will never leave them nor forsake them no matter what season of maturity they are in you will never leave them nor forsake them you see them father thank you that you see us as a loving father your grace is sufficient for us Lord thank you FOR THE DEEP WIDE OPEN SPACES OF YOUR GRACE SO FATHER I PRAY YOU WOULD lift discouragement and would you replace it literally WITH A SUPERNATURAL ENCOURAGEMENT RIGHT NOW IN JESUS NAME.

HELP THEM TO FEEL A JOY IN THIS THAT THEY'VE NOT FELT BEFORE. Help them to feel an assurance IN THIS THAT THEY'VE NOT FELT BEFORE. FATHER, I PRAY THAT WHATEVER ASSIGNMENT THE ENEMY HAS AGAINST MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS to cut them off at the past to take their HOUSE DOWN TO KEEP THEM FROM FINISHING WELL.

I PRAY THAT THAT ASSIGNMENT WOULD BE CANCELLED RIGHT NOW IN JESUS NAME. AND BY HIS BLOODSHED ON CALVARY. And then, Father, I pray for some spiritual muscle. I pray right now, Jesus, YOU WOULD GIVE US SOME BACKBONE. FATHER, help the RAIN TO BE NO MATCH, LORD, FOR THE SPIRITUAL FIBER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US IN JESUS NAME.

LORD, we're committing by your spirit to stay. It ain't going to be easy, but we're going to stay. It's not going to be convenient sometimes, but we're going to stay. LORD, I PRAY FOR THE MARRIAGES THAT ARE ON THE BRINK. SNATCH THEM BACK FROM THE BRINK RIGHT NOW IN JESUS' NAME.

I PRAY FOR THE SINGLE MOTHER THAT IS ON THE BRINK. LORD, HELP HER TO BE STEADFAST IN JESUS' NAME. I PRAY LORD FOR THE THE SON OR DAUGHTER, THE TEENAGER WHO'S JUST ABOUT TO GO WITH THE PEER PRESSURE THAT SURROUNDS THEM AND NOT STAND IN INTEGRITY FOR YOU.

I PRAY RIGHT NOW IN JESUS NAME, you would fortify them. FATHER, I PRAY FOR any addiction, any sin, any habit, any lifestyle THAT'S GOING TO TAKE OUR HOUSE DOWN. I PRAY RIGHT NOW IN JESUS NAME, YOU WOULD LOOSEN THOSE SHACKLES OVER OUR LIVES. SET US FREE, FATHER, SO THAT WE CAN WALK IN WHOLENESS and integrity and in advance, Father, already looking forward to THE FINISH LINE.

WE THANK YOU THAT WHEN YOU COME, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS in Jesus name. In Jesus name. EVERYBODY AGREED AND SAID AMEN.