#S064 - Prayer Changes More Than Things (Part 1) 00:00:05.27\00:00:11.94 how many of us 00:00:19.88\00:00:20.78 actually need a word from the Lord today? 00:00:20.82\00:00:23.52 No, no. 00:00:23.82\00:00:24.85 Somebody like y'all just want a word from the Lord. 00:00:24.89\00:00:25.89 How many of us need a word from the Lord today? 00:00:25.92\00:00:28.69 Amen. 00:00:28.72\00:00:29.82 I want to aim this right at those who have a need today. 00:00:29.86\00:00:31.73 Amen. 00:00:31.76\00:00:32.96 Nehemiah, Chapter one. 00:00:32.99\00:00:35.63 And this in some ways could be considered a bridge sermon. 00:00:35.66\00:00:39.27 It is a launching pad into some larger motifs 00:00:40.24\00:00:42.74 that we'll get into in the next few weeks. 00:00:42.77\00:00:44.74 Nehemiah, Chapter one and verse one. 00:00:44.77\00:00:48.48 The Bible says the words of Nehemiah 00:00:49.34\00:00:52.18 the Son of Hakala. 00:00:52.68\00:00:54.68 It came to pass in the month of six live in the 20th year 00:00:54.72\00:00:59.65 as I was in Shushan the Citadel, that Hunter 00:01:00.66\00:01:03.59 and I, one of the brethren, came with men from Judah, 00:01:03.63\00:01:07.30 and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, 00:01:08.43\00:01:11.07 who had survived the captivity and concerning Jerusalem. 00:01:12.27\00:01:16.14 And they said to me, the survivors 00:01:16.97\00:01:18.84 who are left from the captivity in the province 00:01:18.87\00:01:22.41 are there in great distress and reproach. 00:01:23.38\00:01:25.95 The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down 00:01:26.92\00:01:29.02 and its gates are burned with fire. 00:01:29.88\00:01:32.25 And so it was when I heard these words that I sat down and wept 00:01:33.49\00:01:38.09 and mourned for many days. 00:01:38.73\00:01:41.06 And I was what? 00:01:41.10\00:01:43.77 Fasting and what 00:01:43.80\00:01:46.10 praying before the God of heaven. 00:01:46.13\00:01:48.24 And I said, I pray Lord, God of heaven, 00:01:48.27\00:01:52.81 great and awesome God you who keep your covenant 00:01:53.88\00:01:55.78 and mercy with those who love you 00:01:55.81\00:01:57.61 and observe your commandments, please 00:01:57.65\00:01:59.85 let your ears, be attentive and your eyes open that you may 00:01:59.88\00:02:04.62 hear the prayer of your servant, which I prayed before you. 00:02:05.79\00:02:08.42 Now, day and night for the children of Israel, 00:02:08.46\00:02:11.19 your servants, and confess what 00:02:11.23\00:02:14.93 the sins of the 00:02:15.33\00:02:16.36 children of Israel which have sinned against you. 00:02:16.40\00:02:19.97 Both my father's house and I have sinned. 00:02:20.90\00:02:24.07 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept 00:02:25.31\00:02:27.81 the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances 00:02:27.84\00:02:30.98 which you commanded. Your servant, Moses. 00:02:31.91\00:02:33.92 Remember, I prayed the word that you commanded 00:02:33.95\00:02:37.39 your servant, Moses, saying, If you are what 00:02:37.42\00:02:42.09 unfaithful, 00:02:42.12\00:02:43.36 I will scatter you amongst the nations. 00:02:43.39\00:02:45.96 But if you do not 00:02:45.99\00:02:48.06 return to and keep my commandments and do them. 00:02:48.10\00:02:52.23 Though some of you were cast out to the farthest part 00:02:53.30\00:02:54.97 of the heavens, yet I will gather them from their 00:02:55.00\00:02:59.01 and bring them to the place 00:02:59.67\00:03:00.74 which I have chosen as a dwelling for my name. 00:03:00.78\00:03:04.18 Now, these are your servants and your people whom you have 00:03:05.41\00:03:07.38 redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 00:03:07.42\00:03:11.82 Lord, I pray. 00:03:12.25\00:03:13.52 Let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant 00:03:13.56\00:03:17.36 and to the prayer your servants who desired to fear your name 00:03:18.59\00:03:21.86 and let your servants what will prosper. 00:03:22.80\00:03:25.63 This day I pray and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. 00:03:25.67\00:03:31.24 For I was the King's Cup bearer today. 00:03:32.07\00:03:36.01 Saints. For just a little while. 00:03:36.04\00:03:37.41 I want to talk you under the subject. 00:03:37.45\00:03:39.71 Prayer changes more than things. 00:03:39.75\00:03:44.09 Prayer changes more than things that are prayed together today. 00:03:45.35\00:03:49.39 Father, 00:03:49.69\00:03:54.13 we need your spirit today. 00:03:54.76\00:03:58.57 I pray 00:03:58.87\00:04:00.37 that your spirit would create such a swale 00:04:00.40\00:04:04.47 in this space that it smothers 00:04:04.51\00:04:07.78 all rivaling principalities. 00:04:08.44\00:04:11.01 Father, I'm praying that faith would be multiplied 00:04:12.11\00:04:15.08 exponentially in the hearing of the Word. 00:04:15.12\00:04:19.49 And Lord, would you do a decluttering work 00:04:20.39\00:04:22.89 in this moment? 00:04:22.92\00:04:24.73 For many of us, our souls are cluttered 00:04:24.76\00:04:26.83 by worries and stresses and concerns and anxieties. 00:04:26.86\00:04:31.47 Lord, would you sweep our souls clean in this moment 00:04:32.53\00:04:35.54 that we might be able to hear what it is that you have to say 00:04:36.77\00:04:38.64 to the church, So please, 00:04:38.67\00:04:40.24 Lord, would you hide me in the shadows of the cross 00:04:40.28\00:04:43.24 that Jesus alone might be seen, that Christ alone would be 00:04:43.28\00:04:46.41 heard in the end of our time together? 00:04:46.45\00:04:48.92 May Jesus alone be praised. 00:04:48.95\00:04:50.82 We ask this in the name of Him, who is altogether lovely. 00:04:50.85\00:04:54.19 It is in the name of Jesus that we pray. 00:04:54.22\00:04:56.62 Let those who believe say together, Amen. 00:04:56.66\00:04:59.66 And a man. 00:05:00.10\00:05:01.10 You may be seated in the House of the Lord again 00:05:01.13\00:05:05.10 talking on the subject, the prayer 00:05:05.93\00:05:08.17 changes more than things, 00:05:08.80\00:05:15.64 you know, friends. 00:05:16.14\00:05:17.18 In the late 1700s, the French armies of Napoleon 00:05:17.21\00:05:21.45 drew near a small in the country of Austria. 00:05:21.48\00:05:26.32 This little town had neither the weapons, 00:05:27.26\00:05:29.96 the population or the militia to withstand this attack. 00:05:29.99\00:05:35.53 And so as the armies drew near this town, 00:05:36.46\00:05:38.73 the town leaders conceded defeat 00:05:38.77\00:05:41.94 because realized that they could not fight on this plain, 00:05:43.07\00:05:46.81 but knowing that they could not defeat them in battle. 00:05:47.91\00:05:50.11 They called the people together where they begin to call upon 00:05:50.15\00:05:54.75 God for divine help gathered there in church, 00:05:54.78\00:05:58.89 they fiercely begin to pray to God for a divine aid. 00:05:58.92\00:06:03.46 They invited 00:06:03.86\00:06:04.89 the rest of the town for a municipal prayer meeting, 00:06:04.93\00:06:08.36 and so they fiercely begin to ring the church bells 00:06:09.46\00:06:12.40 as an invitation for the townspeople to come and pray. 00:06:13.57\00:06:17.04 The church bells could be heard for miles outside of the city 00:06:18.27\00:06:21.88 and as the French army begin to draw near 00:06:22.81\00:06:25.35 and they heard the sound of the church 00:06:26.18\00:06:27.75 bells, they immediately begin to retreat. 00:06:27.78\00:06:31.59 You see, they assume that the ringing of the bells 00:06:32.69\00:06:35.09 was an announcement 00:06:35.62\00:06:36.56 that the Austrian army or Calvary had arrived. 00:06:36.59\00:06:40.96 They immediately to flee 00:06:41.50\00:06:43.40 because they were not anticipating a real battle. 00:06:43.43\00:06:47.20 And the little town in Austria became known as the town 00:06:48.37\00:06:51.97 that was saved by the power of prayer and friends. 00:06:52.01\00:06:56.14 I've come to believe that this story 00:06:56.18\00:06:58.61 illustrates a more powerful and critical truth 00:06:58.65\00:07:02.28 because too often we tried to fight battles 00:07:03.28\00:07:06.19 on a plane that we cannot experience victory. 00:07:07.22\00:07:11.06 You see, tend to make a distinction 00:07:11.93\00:07:14.13 between a spiritual battle and an earthly battle. 00:07:15.20\00:07:18.20 We see this battle as spiritual 00:07:18.90\00:07:20.94 and that when as financial or medical or relational win. 00:07:20.97\00:07:26.24 The truth is that there are only spiritual battles 00:07:26.27\00:07:30.08 that show up on your job 00:07:30.65\00:07:32.38 in your home, and sometimes with your money. 00:07:32.41\00:07:36.18 And the reason, friends, that Satan doesn't 00:07:37.09\00:07:39.29 want you to know what type of battle you're fighting is 00:07:39.32\00:07:43.32 so that you don't know what type of weapon you need to use. 00:07:43.36\00:07:47.76 Can I suggest friends that often times 00:07:48.63\00:07:50.73 we are defeated because we are 00:07:50.77\00:07:52.93 fighting spiritual battles with earthly weapons? 00:07:52.97\00:07:57.07 But I believe, friends, that 00:07:57.74\00:07:58.67 when we begin to turn to God in all things 00:07:58.71\00:08:02.58 and for all things, it becomes clear 00:08:03.45\00:08:05.91 that our weapons are not carnal, but they are mighty. 00:08:06.98\00:08:10.02 In to the pulling down of strongholds. 00:08:10.05\00:08:13.66 I say I want to simply proper today that we will be greater 00:08:14.92\00:08:17.83 and mightier our victories, be more consistent 00:08:17.86\00:08:21.76 if we were more prayerful in all things 00:08:22.70\00:08:24.93 you see, the believer has to recapture 00:08:25.83\00:08:27.54 the truth that God is our source. 00:08:27.57\00:08:30.87 Do I have anybody that believes that God is our provider, 00:08:32.04\00:08:35.81 that God is our protector, 00:08:36.44\00:08:38.78 that God is our supplier, that God is our strength 00:08:38.81\00:08:43.62 and our portion, And there is never a time where we are 00:08:43.65\00:08:48.26 to operate autonomously or separately from him. 00:08:48.29\00:08:52.59 In fact, I've stopped by to let some distressed. 00:08:53.60\00:08:55.76 So know today that the battle you're fighting 00:08:55.80\00:08:59.03 today is not yours, but that battle belongs to the Lord. 00:08:59.07\00:09:04.91 And in fact, I need somebody to know that your outcomes 00:09:06.07\00:09:08.44 will never change until weaponry or artillery does. 00:09:08.48\00:09:12.95 And that's why the old hymn writer says, peace. 00:09:13.92\00:09:16.95 We often forfeit all what needless pains we bear, all 00:09:16.99\00:09:22.26 because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 00:09:22.29\00:09:27.03 And the thing I need somebody to know 00:09:27.93\00:09:29.50 is that you want to fight a spiritual battle. 00:09:29.53\00:09:32.23 You've got to make sure you fight with the right weapons. 00:09:32.27\00:09:35.07 They are here in the past. 00:09:35.10\00:09:35.97 So today, in fact, let me say it this way. 00:09:36.00\00:09:38.81 I'm my oldest son. 00:09:38.84\00:09:40.04 He's about to be 14 next month. And and so Dr. 00:09:40.08\00:09:42.88 Pollard, man, these one 00:09:42.91\00:09:44.08 on one games are getting closer and closer in the driveway. 00:09:44.11\00:09:47.82 And so earlier this week, 00:09:48.45\00:09:49.35 we're playing one on one in the gym and 00:09:49.38\00:09:51.32 and because I'm feeling kind of good, 00:09:51.35\00:09:53.09 I'm playing the wrong game. 00:09:53.12\00:09:54.46 Alby I'm out there crossing over and shooting jump shots. 00:09:54.49\00:09:57.69 And before I knew it, 00:09:58.26\00:09:59.23 he was up 6 to 3 and we were going to seven. 00:09:59.26\00:10:01.90 And so and then I came to myself like the prodigal and say, 00:10:03.06\00:10:06.13 Why am I out here on the perimeter? 00:10:06.17\00:10:08.54 I got a post game where, like most dads, I back them 00:10:08.57\00:10:12.41 down in the paint where I knew I wasn't going to miss the shot. 00:10:12.44\00:10:16.61 And it's crazy because he mad. 00:10:17.31\00:10:18.71 He said I was cheating. 00:10:18.75\00:10:20.25 He said, Daddy, I dare you to shoot from the outside. 00:10:20.28\00:10:23.55 And the reason he wanted me to go outside 00:10:24.49\00:10:26.69 was because he wanted me to play his game. 00:10:27.59\00:10:29.99 And I had to say to him, son, 00:10:30.69\00:10:32.13 that when you're playing an opponent, 00:10:32.16\00:10:34.30 if they can't stop what you're doing, 00:10:34.30\00:10:36.83 then never what you're doing. 00:10:36.87\00:10:38.63 Y'all got with me today. 00:10:38.67\00:10:40.10 And what I'm saying today, Saints, is that when you pray, 00:10:40.14\00:10:43.57 you're backing the devil into the post. 00:10:43.61\00:10:46.57 When you pray, 00:10:46.61\00:10:47.71 you're putting him in the paint where he can't stop you. 00:10:47.74\00:10:51.48 And that's why Paul says you ought to pray without ceasing. 00:10:52.71\00:10:55.92 And it was his way of saying that if the devil can't stop 00:10:57.12\00:10:59.72 what you do, then don't stop what you're doing. 00:10:59.75\00:11:03.36 You can't play his game. 00:11:03.93\00:11:05.73 You've got to stay low and call on the name of the Lord. 00:11:05.76\00:11:10.80 Are you hear me today, friends? 00:11:11.50\00:11:12.90 And so now, as we go quickly back to the book of Nehemiah, 00:11:12.93\00:11:16.81 I want you to understand that Nehemiah, my friends, 00:11:17.94\00:11:20.14 has a very unique historical context. 00:11:21.04\00:11:23.95 Now, remember, friends that God had, 00:11:24.81\00:11:26.65 because of the children of Israel's wickedness, 00:11:26.68\00:11:29.88 God allowed them to suffer a prophesied 70 years of exile 00:11:31.09\00:11:36.02 where they would be taken captive by the Chaldeans. 00:11:37.16\00:11:40.30 And I'm understand that some were held captive in Babylon, 00:11:41.50\00:11:44.50 some were left in distress, Jerusalem, 00:11:45.40\00:11:47.67 while many were scattered amongst the nations. 00:11:48.70\00:11:50.77 And at this point, the head of God, Babylon, 00:11:51.77\00:11:54.38 has been supplanted by chests and arms 00:11:55.28\00:11:57.68 of silver, the Medes and the Persians. 00:11:57.71\00:12:00.88 And even though the exile is complete, 00:12:01.78\00:12:04.09 there are still some Jews serve our desert, sees 00:12:05.09\00:12:07.92 the King of Persia, and Nehemiah is one. 00:12:08.86\00:12:12.36 And here in chapter one, friends, we find a bear 00:12:13.43\00:12:15.90 very burdened Nehemiah, who's just gotten word 00:12:16.87\00:12:19.67 that the gates of Jerusalem have been torn down 00:12:20.74\00:12:23.07 and that the walls have been burned with fire. 00:12:24.11\00:12:26.51 Now, in coming weeks, 00:12:27.08\00:12:28.18 we're going to see Nehemiah and his friends partake 00:12:28.21\00:12:31.48 in some very heroic and bold actions. 00:12:31.51\00:12:34.62 In fact, the problem is that when we preach Nehemiah, often 00:12:35.85\00:12:38.95 we run right to chapter two when he makes his request 00:12:38.99\00:12:42.96 to the king. 00:12:42.99\00:12:44.06 But the miracle place in chapter one, 00:12:44.09\00:12:47.13 when he makes his request before the Lord. 00:12:48.10\00:12:50.27 In fact, there is nothing good that happens in 00:12:51.30\00:12:53.70 Chapter two, Chapter five, or Chapter seven, 00:12:53.74\00:12:57.37 if Nehemiah does not fall on his face before God. 00:12:58.44\00:13:03.31 Now, there are a few things that I like about Nehemiah. 00:13:04.51\00:13:06.15 His journey. 00:13:06.18\00:13:06.85 Are you all still with me today? 00:13:06.88\00:13:07.92 CHURCH But the first thing I like about Nehemiah 00:13:07.95\00:13:11.42 is that he teaches, number one, that your prayers 00:13:12.45\00:13:14.89 should always precede your actions. 00:13:15.76\00:13:18.46 Okay, let me say it one more time 00:13:19.29\00:13:20.73 that that in the journey of faith, that your prayers 00:13:20.76\00:13:23.70 to always precede your actions. 00:13:23.73\00:13:27.50 And and let me just give you this warning 00:13:27.54\00:13:29.94 that you can run past this at your own peril 00:13:29.97\00:13:33.74 and you can ignore it at your own demise. 00:13:34.71\00:13:37.48 You see, friends, too often the order of life gets inverted 00:13:38.68\00:13:42.08 whenever we are facing a challenge or a conundrum. 00:13:43.18\00:13:46.02 Whenever tensions begin to mount, 00:13:46.86\00:13:48.92 whenever frustrations became to rise, whenever enemies 00:13:48.96\00:13:53.36 begin to multiply, what we tend to do is at first 00:13:53.40\00:13:57.93 and then pray when our actions fail or bring defeat. 00:13:59.07\00:14:02.94 But the reason I like, Nehemiah, is that he prays 00:14:03.94\00:14:06.91 before he acts, he prays as he acts 00:14:06.94\00:14:11.51 and God blesses every action that he does 00:14:12.48\00:14:15.35 because his actions are bathed in the power of prayer. 00:14:16.52\00:14:19.55 And see, this is the motif for this word 00:14:20.42\00:14:22.62 that too often our lives I feel with more 00:14:23.49\00:14:26.23 re are impulsive reactions than there are prayerful responses. 00:14:27.46\00:14:31.83 Let me say it again 00:14:31.87\00:14:32.90 The problem is we've got too many impulsive reactions 00:14:32.93\00:14:36.54 and not enough prayerful responses. 00:14:37.37\00:14:39.61 You see, sometimes, man, when it gets a little hot or tense, 00:14:40.88\00:14:44.25 there is this feeling that we've got to do it ourselves, 00:14:45.45\00:14:48.45 that we've got to bring it to pass, 00:14:49.28\00:14:51.65 that we've got to do things on our own. 00:14:52.59\00:14:54.79 And what happens is we forfeit 00:14:54.82\00:14:57.59 the divine power that God alone is able to produce. 00:14:57.63\00:15:02.76 And this, friends, is why the believer must 00:15:03.77\00:15:06.03 have a pre first mentality, 00:15:06.07\00:15:10.44 because proper, as 00:15:10.94\00:15:11.81 1412 says there is a way that seems right, 00:15:11.84\00:15:17.71 but the end is the way of death. 00:15:18.41\00:15:20.78 And so if Proverbs is accurate, 00:15:21.48\00:15:23.95 it means that my first response, that my initial impulse, 00:15:25.09\00:15:29.59 that my primary reaction is probably wrong. 00:15:30.49\00:15:34.30 One are y'all hear me today? 00:15:34.30\00:15:35.66 Friends you see sometimes that initial help me Holy Ghost. 00:15:35.70\00:15:40.90 I need us to be clear that sometimes initial problem 00:15:42.04\00:15:46.14 is May ten times worse by your initial reaction. 00:15:47.14\00:15:51.25 In fact, friends, I need you to understand 00:15:52.15\00:15:53.68 that sometimes your reaction can be so catastrophic 00:15:53.72\00:15:58.65 that you can't even pray for God to fix the problem 00:15:59.75\00:16:02.66 because you God to repair the damage 00:16:03.53\00:16:05.99 that your reaction cause in fact cannot pass. 00:16:06.93\00:16:09.93 To say that many times we're not defeated 00:16:09.96\00:16:13.00 by, the devil's action, we're sunk by our own reaction. 00:16:14.20\00:16:18.97 In other words, we can't even pray for God 00:16:19.94\00:16:21.44 to take us to that next level because our reaction did 00:16:21.48\00:16:25.38 such a deep hole that now we've got to pray for 00:16:25.41\00:16:28.52 God just to get us back to Ground Zero. 00:16:28.55\00:16:32.42 In fact, Prince, 00:16:32.85\00:16:33.86 I need you to think back on this for just a moment. 00:16:33.89\00:16:36.02 How many income outcomes could have been radically different 00:16:36.06\00:16:39.63 if we had just taken the moment to be steel and allow 00:16:40.73\00:16:43.63 God to give us instruction before we act? 00:16:43.67\00:16:46.84 Are you hearing the pastor this afternoon, in fact, 00:16:46.87\00:16:49.94 how would the atmosphere of home be different week 00:16:50.97\00:16:53.98 if when your spouse came at you the wrong way, 00:16:54.94\00:16:57.05 if you had taken a moment to pray before you reacted, 00:16:58.21\00:17:01.88 how different with things be on that job, 00:17:02.85\00:17:04.69 If you had taken the time to pray before you took the job 00:17:04.72\00:17:08.62 or left the job, how different with things be with your kids? 00:17:08.66\00:17:12.93 If you took the time to pray before you decided to punish 00:17:14.10\00:17:16.87 or not punish, in fact, you could have saved 00:17:16.90\00:17:19.63 some apologies if you had prayed before you hit. Send 00:17:19.67\00:17:25.01 on that 00:17:25.04\00:17:26.14 e-mail, on that text, or on that social media post. 00:17:26.17\00:17:29.18 Are y'all hearing me search and see? 00:17:29.21\00:17:31.48 I need somebody to understand that one of Satan's greatest 00:17:31.51\00:17:35.28 weapons is false urgency. 00:17:35.92\00:17:40.59 In other words, 00:17:41.02\00:17:41.86 false urgency is that innate belief 00:17:41.89\00:17:44.83 that I have to respond or react 00:17:45.53\00:17:48.73 or do something right away? 00:17:49.40\00:17:51.90 And friends, this is how the enemy hurries us 00:17:52.83\00:17:56.00 and frenzies us so that we act ahead 00:17:56.87\00:18:00.24 of our prayers and our petitions. 00:18:01.04\00:18:02.94 And one of the things that you've got to do, friends, 00:18:02.98\00:18:05.45 is you've got to resist the urge to respond to false urgency. 00:18:05.48\00:18:09.68 Are you all with me today? 00:18:09.72\00:18:10.72 CHURCH In fact, friends of mine, I need you to know 00:18:10.75\00:18:13.29 that if they offer you the job today 00:18:13.32\00:18:17.29 and they need an answer today, it's probably because you're 00:18:17.33\00:18:21.03 the second or third choice. 00:18:21.06\00:18:23.03 And sometimes you need to be steel before God, 00:18:23.06\00:18:26.43 before you make a permanent decision. 00:18:27.30\00:18:29.54 Can I suggest to somebody today that sometimes 00:18:29.57\00:18:33.07 before you press send, you need to be steel 00:18:34.04\00:18:36.71 and allow God to give you grace to be able to communicate 00:18:37.88\00:18:40.58 in a language that is season with salt. 00:18:40.62\00:18:43.65 I know somebody is in a place where the relationship 00:18:44.79\00:18:47.06 is getting serious 00:18:47.09\00:18:48.39 and you don't want to keep somebody are strung along, 00:18:48.42\00:18:52.29 but you better make sure that you move into a season of prayer 00:18:53.53\00:18:56.43 before you move into a season of matrimony. 00:18:57.43\00:18:59.73 And I know that there is this sense 00:19:00.57\00:19:01.94 that I got to do something right away. 00:19:01.97\00:19:04.11 But I'm at a place where I've been burned so many times, 00:19:04.14\00:19:07.61 hurt by decisions. I didn't pray about that. 00:19:08.61\00:19:10.45 I would rather wait on God than to be hurried by people 00:19:10.48\00:19:17.35 and see. 00:19:17.65\00:19:18.55 And this is why Proverbs 14 says it this way. 00:19:18.59\00:19:20.06 There is a way. 00:19:20.09\00:19:23.32 that seems right until a man. 00:19:24.03\00:19:27.23 But the end of that way is the way of death. 00:19:28.16\00:19:30.43 No dice. 00:19:30.47\00:19:31.23 There is a way that seems right. 00:19:31.27\00:19:34.34 But the Bible says there is a way that looks good. 00:19:35.37\00:19:37.34 It makes sense. 00:19:37.37\00:19:38.14 But that way culminates in death. 00:19:38.17\00:19:40.38 And essentially what the Bible is saying, 00:19:40.41\00:19:42.28 is that sometimes the visible way 00:19:42.31\00:19:45.65 is not the ordained way. 00:19:46.21\00:19:48.75 And in other words, what God is saying is that 00:19:48.78\00:19:50.82 sometimes that way that looks like it makes sense. 00:19:50.85\00:19:54.02 The way that aligns with human logic is not necessarily 00:19:55.19\00:19:58.19 the way that God has intended for you to take. 00:19:58.23\00:20:02.36 Let me just say to somebody who feels like they are point 00:20:03.60\00:20:06.10 painted into a corner by circumstance, 00:20:06.13\00:20:09.37 I need you to know that there will always be a visible way. 00:20:10.64\00:20:14.14 But then there are several other ways that you can access 00:20:14.18\00:20:19.05 until you call upon God in prayer. 00:20:19.08\00:20:22.05 So one of the things that the enemy has this very acute 00:20:23.25\00:20:25.89 way of doing is causing you to choose from one of our 00:20:25.92\00:20:31.69 causing you to choose 00:20:32.26\00:20:33.40 from a place where you think you only have one option. 00:20:33.43\00:20:37.00 You see, one of the things that can happen, 00:20:37.97\00:20:38.63 friends, is we can get so angry, 00:20:38.67\00:20:40.20 we can get so frustrated we can be so lonely. 00:20:40.24\00:20:43.41 We can be so desperate 00:20:43.44\00:20:45.14 that the enemy creates a myopic vision of our worldview. 00:20:45.17\00:20:49.18 And what he does is he limits your perspective 00:20:50.21\00:20:52.31 so that you can only see one option. 00:20:52.35\00:20:55.32 And I need somebody to know that the visible way 00:20:56.38\00:20:59.15 is not the only way, 00:20:59.19\00:21:04.39 so that the visible way may be divorce. 00:21:05.26\00:21:07.46 But that's not the only way. 00:21:08.10\00:21:10.83 The visible way may be cursing them out. 00:21:11.70\00:21:13.07 But that's not the only way. 00:21:13.10\00:21:15.54 The visible way may be to quit and walk away. 00:21:15.57\00:21:17.94 But that's not the only way 00:21:17.97\00:21:20.11 that the visible way 00:21:20.14\00:21:21.41 may be to just give up and go back the way you came. 00:21:21.44\00:21:23.95 But that's not the only way. 00:21:23.98\00:21:25.78 And the thing I need somebody to get 00:21:25.81\00:21:27.82 is that the visible way is not the only way. 00:21:27.85\00:21:31.29 I love what Ellen White says. 00:21:31.99\00:21:33.12 She says that God has a thousand ways 00:21:33.15\00:21:36.46 of providing for his children that you know, not of 00:21:37.59\00:21:40.93 this is the point of rejoicing that somebody today 00:21:42.00\00:21:44.13 you don't have to choose from the bottom of the barrel. 00:21:45.30\00:21:47.37 You don't have to take whatever is in front of you. 00:21:48.47\00:21:50.57 I need somebody to know that you've got options 00:21:51.57\00:21:53.71 in Jesus Christ. 00:21:54.14\00:21:55.51 And if you just call upon God, God will make a way 00:21:55.54\00:21:59.51 in the desert. 00:21:59.55\00:22:00.72 In fact, he'll make a way out of no way. 00:22:00.75\00:22:03.95 I need you know, you've got more than one dating option. 00:22:05.09\00:22:07.69 There's more than one financial option. 00:22:08.62\00:22:10.83 There's more than one medical option. 00:22:10.86\00:22:13.53 There's more than one professional option. 00:22:13.56\00:22:16.30 God has ways that you cannot see, 00:22:16.33\00:22:19.23 but you can't see the alternative route 00:22:19.27\00:22:21.74 until you call on the name of God. 00:22:21.77\00:22:25.67 Are you hear me? 00:22:26.11\00:22:26.51 The difference. 00:22:26.54\00:22:28.61 The second thing that 00:22:28.64\00:22:29.91 this story teaches us quickly is that you 00:22:29.94\00:22:33.31 don't have to wait on God to give you strength to pray. 00:22:33.35\00:22:39.29 You get strength when you pray. 00:22:39.99\00:22:42.12 help me. 00:22:42.16\00:22:44.19 no, no, no. 00:22:44.23\00:22:45.16 You don't have to wait on strength to pray. 00:22:45.19\00:22:47.13 You actually get when you pray. 00:22:47.20\00:22:49.23 In fact, put this quote up here from prophets in Kings 629 00:22:49.26\00:22:52.67 Look at this. 00:22:53.10\00:22:54.10 I want you to see what she says about the amount. 00:22:54.14\00:22:55.50 She says, As Nehemiah prayed. 00:22:55.54\00:22:58.94 His faith and courage Drew grew strong. 00:22:59.84\00:23:02.84 God, he gets asked, he prayed. 00:23:03.55\00:23:06.35 His faith and courage grew strong. 00:23:07.18\00:23:08.65 His mouth was filled with holy argument. 00:23:08.68\00:23:11.12 He pointed to the dishonor 00:23:11.15\00:23:12.42 that would be cast upon God if his people, 00:23:12.45\00:23:15.42 now that they have 00:23:15.46\00:23:16.62 returned to him, should be left in weakness and oppression. 00:23:16.66\00:23:19.93 And he urges the Lord to bring to pass his promise. 00:23:21.03\00:23:22.80 Nehemiah had often poured out his soul 00:23:22.83\00:23:25.23 and behalf of his people, but now he prayed. 00:23:25.27\00:23:28.94 Holy purpose formed in his mind. 00:23:29.64\00:23:31.97 Now notice, which he says is beginning as he prayed 00:23:32.01\00:23:36.68 his faith courage, your 00:23:37.25\00:23:38.85 strong now, now I hope that that somebody is getting this 00:23:38.88\00:23:42.85 that the Alawite literally says that as Nehemiah 00:23:43.85\00:23:47.66 prays, his faith and his courage get stronger. 00:23:48.62\00:23:53.56 Okay, God, I need to preach out of town. 00:23:54.46\00:23:56.13 You're not here with me today. 00:23:56.16\00:23:57.60 In other words, I need you to understand 00:23:57.63\00:23:59.63 he he's not saying that he had great strength 00:23:59.67\00:24:02.74 when he went into his free closet. 00:24:03.57\00:24:05.67 He got great strength from his prayer closet. 00:24:05.71\00:24:09.61 Thank you so much for joining us for the Breath of Life 00:24:10.71\00:24:12.81 television miniseries broadcast with Pastor Debleiare Snell. 00:24:12.85\00:24:17.05 We hope and pray 00:24:17.49\00:24:18.52 that you have been blessed by this first message 00:24:18.55\00:24:21.29 in the sermon series titled The Construction Zone. 00:24:21.32\00:24:25.86 Join us next week for part two of the message. 00:24:26.90\00:24:29.73 Prayer changes more than things you don't want to miss. It. 00:24:30.93\00:24:35.20 Hey, family. 00:24:35.60\00:24:36.37 I know the weekends can be long. 00:24:36.40\00:24:38.74 They can be hard. 00:24:38.77\00:24:40.11 And you go through a lot. 00:24:40.14\00:24:42.14 And so at the end of each week, I want to encourage you to 00:24:42.18\00:24:45.45 join me and the Breath of Life team for the weekend. 00:24:45.48\00:24:49.25 Exhale with the air. 00:24:49.78\00:24:51.82 We were having these programs on Sunday, 00:24:51.85\00:24:54.32 but now we want to begin the weekend, 00:24:54.36\00:24:56.46 giving you a little nourishment, a little nurture, 00:24:56.49\00:24:59.46 giving you a little boost as you start the weekend. 00:24:59.49\00:25:02.53 Every first Friday, I'm going to be doing a Bible study 00:25:03.67\00:25:06.00 entitled to the Playbook, 00:25:06.03\00:25:07.77 where we're going to be looking 00:25:07.80\00:25:08.77 at issues of doctrine and culture 00:25:08.80\00:25:10.84 through the lens of the scripture. 00:25:10.87\00:25:12.94 You don't have to guess. 00:25:12.97\00:25:14.34 You don't have the hope. 00:25:14.38\00:25:15.58 God is giving us a script in the Word 00:25:15.61\00:25:18.38 because the word is his playbook. 00:25:18.41\00:25:20.75 I'm gonna invite you to join me every second Friday for a show 00:25:20.78\00:25:23.75 called Point of View, where Gianna and I do a deep dive 00:25:23.79\00:25:28.09 into issues of marriage, dating and relationships. 00:25:28.12\00:25:31.86 Every third Friday, join Pastor Nugent 00:25:32.76\00:25:34.83 and myself in the Vision Lab, where we're going to be making 00:25:34.86\00:25:38.53 a heavy deposit into leaders of all. 00:25:38.57\00:25:42.50 We're going to be pouring into pastors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, 00:25:43.77\00:25:46.98 ministry leaders, authors, 00:25:47.01\00:25:48.88 and we're going to be talking about how to build that vision 00:25:48.91\00:25:51.61 and move it from an idea to a reality. 00:25:51.65\00:25:54.55 And then on the fourth Friday, 00:25:54.58\00:25:56.25 we're introducing a new program called What Just Happened? 00:25:56.28\00:26:00.86 We're going to be looking at whatever 00:26:01.76\00:26:02.82 the trending topics in culture are, Danita, Pastor 00:26:02.86\00:26:05.39 Nugent and myself. 00:26:05.43\00:26:07.03 We're going to be addressing whatever 00:26:07.03\00:26:08.63 the trending culture topic is for that week or that month. 00:26:08.66\00:26:12.80 We're going to be engaging with you. 00:26:13.67\00:26:14.54 We're going to be answering your questions 00:26:14.57\00:26:16.60 and trying to figure out how we as believers 00:26:16.64\00:26:19.64 find our place in the larger culture. 00:26:20.51\00:26:22.78 We go through a lot during the weekends. 00:26:22.81\00:26:24.91 You can get overwhelmed. 00:26:24.95\00:26:26.38 You can get a little stressed out. 00:26:26.41\00:26:28.22 But before you go into the weekend, 00:26:28.25\00:26:29.68 take a moment and join us to stop, breathe, 00:26:29.72\00:26:33.46 and exhale with BOL. 00:26:33.99\00:26:44.17 What's good family. 00:26:44.70\00:26:45.87 Breath of life is going to be coming to the West Coast. 00:26:45.90\00:26:49.27 We're excited that from July the 14th to July the 27th, 00:26:50.41\00:26:54.21 we're going to be hosting our third annual Hope 00:26:55.28\00:26:56.91 rally under the theme Almost Home. 00:26:56.95\00:26:59.95 We're going to be meeting for those two weeks 00:27:01.05\00:27:02.12 in Long Beach, California. 00:27:02.15\00:27:04.22 We're going to be meeting each night 00:27:04.25\00:27:05.82 except for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM. 00:27:05.85\00:27:09.72 It's an in-person meeting only, so you can't catch it online. 00:27:10.96\00:27:14.13 You've got to be in the house. 00:27:14.83\00:27:16.16 We're going to be joined in musical partnership 00:27:16.20\00:27:18.97 by gospel recording artist Smokey Norful. 00:27:19.00\00:27:22.67 Jonathan Nelson and Donnie McClurkin. 00:27:23.54\00:27:26.61 Each night, dinner is going to be served 00:27:26.64\00:27:29.28 and there's going to be 00:27:29.31\00:27:30.41 special programing for you and for your little ones. 00:27:30.45\00:27:33.75 It's going to be a high time in Zion 00:27:34.62\00:27:36.25 where we're going to be preaching 00:27:36.28\00:27:37.52 the good news of Jesus Christ, and we're going to be reminded 00:27:37.55\00:27:40.82 that this world is not our home. 00:27:40.86\00:27:44.06 Again, I look forward to seeing you in Long Beach, 00:27:45.16\00:27:46.66 California, from July the 14th to the 27th. 00:27:46.70\00:27:50.70 Make sure that you're planning to be there 00:27:51.67\00:27:52.93 and you bring somebody with you. 00:27:52.97\00:27:54.84 If you want more information, go to our website 00:27:54.87\00:27:57.57 at www.breathoflife.tv. 00:27:57.61\00:28:01.04 God bless. I'll be seeing you this summer. 00:28:02.01\00:28:06.38 (Breath Of Life Music) 00:28:06.41\00:28:17.69