[Music] we'll begin our reading in verse 41 pray for me I've got more message than I have minutes maybe what I don't get to no I'm going finish it I'mma finish it let me give you the backdrop really quickly Jesus this is Jes Luke Chapter 2 is is a wonderful passage of scripture really it speaks to all the things that that preceded Jesus's birth and then all the things that happened right after his birth and it really this message even in of itself it's it's a Coming of Age story and the Shepherds you know this the angel appear to the Shepherds I love it it says who were tending to their flock by night that blessed me and Angels Came to them and gave them Revelation about Jesus and for the Shepherds for the pastors that are listening to me for those who are Shepherds maybe you're not Pastor in the sense of public Ministry maybe you are the pastor of your home but God told me to tell you as faithful Shepherds as faithful Shepherds watch this who do not simply watch over their flock when times are good but you are committed you have a sense of responsibility to the people that are under your assignment that you're always watching and always praying and always interceding isn't it interesting that Revelation comes to them first bless every Shepherd I just feel this if you're a Shepherd if you're a pastor if you're a leader if you're a minister if you're over anything lift your hand I bless you in the name of Jesus that you will not lack wisdom Revelation Insight knowledge that heaven will always be accessible to you that you will be fruitful and that you will multiply even if you're watching via live stream that that you'll be fruitful that you will multiply whoah and that God will reward you for your faithfulness for being a good shepherd I bless you in Jesus name so so the Shepherds get the Revelation they go to Bethlehem they declare they see Mary and Joseph and the baby they speak and declare what they've seen about Jesus and who he will be l later after the at the time where Jesus was go was going to the temple to be dedicated and circumcised all that kind of stuff he goes in there Simeon another faithful person Simeon who was promised that he would never he wouldn't die before he saw the Lord's Christ comes in there he sees him Simeon begins to prophesy about Jesus says some things about Jesus he will be for the rise and fall of many says wonderful things about Jesus true things about Jesus then Anna the prophetess another one who was advanced in years sees Jesus and there's all this commentary about Jesus who he is and what he would do and all of this is happening and Mary is pondering these deep things in her heart and then it brings us to this study the whole thing when you get a chance there's some beautiful things in there I think that will bless you and just read your whole Bible while you're at it you you know to get the full you know intent his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover and when he was 12 years old they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast when they had finished the days as they return the boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his mother did not know it but supposing him to have been in the company they went a day journey and sought him among their relatives and acquaintances so when they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him now so it was after 3 days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers both listening to them and asking them questions and all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers so when they saw him when his parents saw him they were amazed and his mother said to him said to him son why have you done this to us look look look your father and I have sought you anxiously and he Jesus said to them why did you seek me did you not know that I must be about my father's business your father and I have sought you anxiously did you not know that I must be about my father's business there seems to be a little bit of confusion about who's the father but they did not understand the statement which he spoke to them then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them but his mother kept all these things in her heart and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man I want to talk from this thought I must be me I must be me father thank you for this word it is a lamp into our feet it is a light into our path in the beginning was the word and the Word was with you and the Word was you and everything that you're going to do in this life you're going to do by Your Word so I thank you God that this is bread that this bread will edify will build up will Enlighten and will activate and as for me God May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight I than thank you God and I do receive the spirit of wisdom and Revelation and insight and knowledge and prophecy and all of Heaven's resources to accomplish this mission in this moment to the end that we will all be elevated enlightened blessed in Jesus name amen amen God bless you you may be seated I think we ought to go ahead and get into this I'm so grateful for our church and I think that all of us can agree that God has been speaking to us he's been speaking to us every single week if we go back we can go back weeks and weeks and weeks but if we go back just a couple of weeks our great Bishop had a message called the collective e e expression of his Essence and it was a profound message and it was talking about uh it wasn't disparaging of our uniqueness because our uniqueness is important for the collective expression of God's Essence but he was talking about how we are so often times so individualized that we can't come together and really get this thing done he talked about how when we come together in our uniqueness great and awesome things happen because we reflect the glory of God and the glory of God is how you move the needle in life and then Pastor Sarah last week come on somebody she came and she built upon that and she started talking about her message was called made for this and she talked about some profound things talking about following God you you follow God and if you follow God God will make you and after he makes you he will send you and so and so if if I were to look at the the messages Bishop gave us the why the why why why we are are to do and to be who we're called to be because we are to collectively Express the essence of God and then Pastor Sarah came along and gave the what this is what it should look like when you follow God he will make you and he will send you and he gave the what and and and there is a through line between those two messages one of the things that I did not want to do is come with a new message I believe that there's a continuity we are a movement we're not just a church we're not just a monument we are a movement the spirit is a movement and so and so as I prayed as I thought about those messages I I said what what can I how can I keep the movement going Bishop with the why Pastor Sarah with the what and the through line of those two messages is the through line of identity and one of the things that I'm very passionate about as you as you continue to get to know me one of the things that you you you discover about me is I I like to get into the how because often times it is the the how where people get stuck they they know what to do but they don't know how to do it are you tracking with me and so that's kind of my my my superpower that that that that's who who I am in the spirit I I get into the how I I I break it down and make it practical for you so that you are without excuse so that you have everything that you need to walk out the what in the spirit of the why are we tracking and so so one of the the hows that I I I'm really passionate about teaching on and preaching on is the how as it relates to identity because if the through line of accomplishing all these things is identity then I have to learn how to be me oh I can't can't wait to teach and preach this thing today I I I have to learn how to be me because if I am not me then I cannot fulfill my assignment because your assignment only works if you are you and not the you that you think you are because you don't know you yet you are discovering you so so as I discover me I become more effective in my mission because there is a correlation between my identity and my mission can I take my time and teach this thing here is the truth none of us can initially see ourselves fully the way that God sees us but we gradually are introduced to successive versions of us that God knew the whole time you like make it biblical Paul taught it Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 12 he says for now we see in a mirror dimly okay stop what do you see when you look in the mirror you you see you you hold up a mirror to your face right now now you're not going to see me you're going to see you so it says for now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face he says now watch this I know in part but then watch this I shall know just as I also am known so so the journey with God yes is certainly discovering more about God but if your Discovery in the things of God does not lead you to a more proficient discovery of you what does it profit you are you tracking with me oh so so we have to understand that we can only produce on the level of our perception you can only do what you can see yourself doing come on somebody that's why the conference as a man thinks is so important right because as a man thinks so is he so I have to see differently in order to move differently and that's why if you study scripture God spends a great deal of time affirming people in who they are Gideon you mighty man of Valor Gillian's like what that ain't me he goes to Jeremiah Jeremiah before I formed you in your mother's womb I knew you I called you I ordained you I set you apart Jeremiah says behold I cannot speak so there's always going to be this wrestling for identity always Paul said in another place not as though I have already attained stay with me we going somewhere today Paul says not as though I've already attained or am already perfected but this one thing I do he says I'm trying to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold upon me so even in that verse watch this you see the correlation between identity and Mission he says not as though I have apprehended or that I am already perfect that's identity he says but I'm trying to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold upon me that's Mission so you cannot do Mission without the right perspective about one's identity can I take my time and teach this thing here today I so so so so so Paul figured out that the secret to the kingdom secret to Kingdom greatness was identity the most important thing that you will ever discover in life and consequently continue to discover is who you are now this brings us to Jesus in the temple first of all can you imagine what it is like to be Jesus at 12 years old think about it he had heard all of these things about himself from others he he's got to be overwhelmed by all of this commentary about him some things that were probably well over his head see a lot of us think that Jesus was born knowing everything and being everything no he had to grow later on says and the child grew so Jesus had to grow up and one of the things when you're looking at Jesus one of the things is important to do in addition to seeing Jesus as the savior in addition to seeing Jesus as the Lamb of God the Son of God what one of the things you have to do if you really want to figure this life out is you have to see him as a human I am the way yes he is the way as in the door but he is also the way study my ways if you want to get this thing right are you tracking with me there is all this commentary going on about Jesus and who he is stuff that is beyond him everybody knew who he was and all these things the Shepherds knew the priests knew the wise men knew his parents knew kind of the Angels knew Simeon and Anna knew everybody knew except him oh stay with me everyone had him figured out but him see I used to think first of all first of all he's at the age of 12 can we just talk about 12 from anybody got in 12 year olds or 13 year olds somebody just say shaba let me give you some characteristics of what takes place when a child turns 12 can I can I just give you some right a lot of things happen they they begin to experience a range of physical and emotional and and cognitive changes as they transition into adolescence right let's talk about it physical changes you ever heard this thing called puberty hey the onset of puberty begins which leads to growth spur and changes in the body right they have new cognitive development improved abstract thinking and problem solving abilities an increased ability to understand complex Concepts and and they engage in more sophisticated reasoning where are my parents with 12 year olds all this means you got to pray more but that ain't all they go through emotional changes a heightened sense of self-awareness and and self-esteem issues may arise right and they have a greater dependence for autonomy from their parents they start knowing a little bit more than you come on somebody there are changes in their Social Development peer relationships become increasingly more important often influencing in interest and behavior and they shift from somebody said have mercy and they shift from family centered activities to peer centered activities all this is happening around the age of 12 right and this one is interesting interests in identity begin to shift so they go through a season of exploring personal interests and hobbies and and potential future aspirations and and so there's a the development of a sense of identity and individuality all these things happen at 12 years old and Jesus as a boy not as the Savior fully manifest not as the Christ fully manifest but Jesus the boy is experiencing all of that and I I kind of like misread that whole I must be about my my father's business because I always thought that when he when when he he lingers in the temple and he is is is there sitting with the the lawyers and the scribes and the Pharisees I thought that he was there to do his father's business so that when he says uh I must be about my father's business and he almost seemingly you know whips back at his parents I I thought that he was kind trying to put them in check like he knew something that they didn't know and that he was starting his mission and he was starting to be about his father's business and as I read this the holy spirit said no you got to look deeper son he said he wasn't there to perform his father's business he was there to prepare for his father's business if you think about it look at this look look at this Jesus is having a conversation but if you will notice in the text he's asking questions let's look at let's look at stay with me it's going to be good today okay he's asking questions verse 46 now so it was after three days they found him in the temple watch this sitting in the midst of the teachers he's not being a teacher he's seeking teachers they find him sitting in the midst of the teachers watch this both listening to them and he is asking questions he he is inquiring to them as to who he is he later says when he is being challenged by the Pharisees search the scriptures in John 5 and 9 I believe read your whole Bible you'll find it later he says search the scriptures for they testify of me so he's not there Judge Faith to do his father's business he is there to recognize who he is so that he can do his father's business in other words let me make it plain he is in a quest for his identity turn to your neighbor and say I must be me I must I must I must be me I I must figure out who I am so that I can be about my father's business often times we ask God what he wants us to do and the better question is to ask God who am I are you hearing the words that are coming out of my mouth who am I is a better question because who I am will stay with me forever what I do depends on the seasons and the time and the situation but who I am is everything and so this happens he's there he's asking questions he's listening and he's learning and yes they are amazed probably because of the questions that he's asking and it's all wonderful and then his parents come and they interrupt watch this his parents come and they interrupt his quest for identity and interestingly enough the scripture says that he goes ahead and he subjects himself to them and he goes back to Nazareth watch this and we hear nothing thing for 18 years we hear absolutely nothing there is silence all we know is that he goes back into his father's house into his parents' house and we hear nothing all we know is that he grew in wisdom in stature and in favor with God and with man so what is happening behind the curtains of his life I feel something about to kick in it here what what is happening behind the curtains you hear of no Miracles mother Nicks you hear of no great works you hear of no great feets but simply put it says that he is growing in wisdom in stature in favor with God and with man behind the scenes and then after 18 years he emerges and he's about his father's business I want to talk about what happens in the Gap I I want to talk about what happens in the in between I will bring out one interesting point they believe that he comes out of this and starts his ministry at about 30 and they believe that his ministry ended at 33 so the majority of his life was spent in the in between oh God I feel the Holy Spirit the the majority of his life was spent in preparation for the greatest impact of his life I want to pray for some people that have been waiting for God for a long time I want to pray for some people who who who have seemed like you you feel like God has forgotten about about you and you thought that you would be further than you are by now you thought that that that you missed out on God but God sent me to tell you here today that it takes all of your life to be you and your lad is going to be greater than your former because of what God is developing in the in between who am I talking to right now you think you're behind your timeline you are right on time and when God gets ready to bring you out the oven you're not going to be tossed to and fro you're going to be developed and your greatest impact I don't care how old you are I don't care how long you've been waiting don't you remember Simeon don't you remember Anna they waited their whole life to see what God was going to do uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh you getting prepared you're being built you're growing growing growing here is the confusing part about growing in God growing in God hardly shows up on the outside grow growing in God it's almost like a pregnancy it's happening but it's happening inside and every once in a while there's a bump there's a kick to let you know something is happening but what makes growing in God confusing is your growing inside feel the Holy Ghost I wish I could preach this the way I see it there some of you right now and you see no progress because you're looking outside of you but I hear God saying it is what I am doing in you he who have begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ so you think that nothing is happening no baby it's happening in the most important place because God is purposing to prosper you 18 years he is wrestling with these prophecies watch this that he has to grow up into to even understand he is hearing things in his hearing Dr James that are too lofty for him God will often give you a word that is beyond you because the word also has the ab ability in it to produce itself in the place that it sent I wish I could say that better that's why it says in Isaiah 55 his word will not return unto him void but it shall accomplish that for which it is sent the word is alive the word produces and develop things and I've got news for you you are a word I feel the Holy Ghost can I teach you you you are a word the Bible says in John 1 that nothing can be manifest without it being a word everything that was created was created by the word which means that you are a word but the process of the in between is about watch this the word of you being tested yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah the word has to be tested you like make it biblical come on Psalm 105 don't play with me let me show you what I'm talking about Psalm 105 so just for context so so the word of you must be tried so there's a word over you but that word has to be tried so Psalm 105 put it up there 79 we going to run I'm me show you real quickly he sent a man before them Joseph who was sold as a slave they hurt his feet with feathers it was rough he was laid in irons oo but watch this until the time that his word came to pass watch this the word of the Lord tested him so so so so what I'm getting at is is is you and I can have a word over us but that word has to be tested watch this not tested in the sense of whether or not it's going to come to pass because heaven and earth will pass away but not a word not one jot a title out of his word are you tracking with me so what's going to come to pass but that word has to be tested not tested as in pass or fail or will it be or will it not be it has to be tested in you so that you come to a place of being Absolut convinced or like Paul said being fully persuaded because when you are fully persuaded about who God says you are you show up in the world differently are you hearing the words that are coming out of my mouth do you know how much I have to believe in me to stand on this great stage built by that great man are you kidding me you better know who you are it changes everything so the word of you has to test you try you produce you so that you can come into agreement with that word and when you become when you come into agreement with that word that's when you speak to mountains and mountains have to move because you realize that you you didn't just get here you're here because of a word Shout I'm a [Applause] word I'm a word and therefore I cannot fail I'm a word therefore everything God spoke over my life is going to come to pass why because I'm a word you know what you're looking at you ain't looking at a man you ain't looking at a preacher you looking at word and when you look in that mirror that's what you're looking at and it is your job to find out what that word is oh I got to take my time and preach this thing today I'm a word Michael I ain't a man I'm a word sh and everything that God spoke concerning my life will come to pass it is just a matter of time [Applause] sh your word and everything that God said to you and everything that God showed you and everything that God promised you even things that are behind you or Beyond you everything that God said will come to pass because you my friend are word I don't just have a word I am a word my word can I teach you a little bit I'm a word that means that you could not be you if you tried oh Hallelujah you could not I know it's a double negative that's all right English people I promise you I'm educated you could not be you if you tried cuz you a word Jonah tried to not be him you saw what happened to him things got a little funny but guess what God pushed him right back into where he was supposed to be because the word of the Lord will not return to him void I feel like preaching in this house right now what has God said about you and you are denying it or you are allowing a temporary setback to make you doubt who you are the devil is a liar be not weary in your wello for in due season you are are going to reap if you don't give up don't give up you a word your word just hasn't come yet your word just hasn't come yet it's not the time for your word but there are times and Seasons to everything under Heaven if you are a word give God a shout of worship I'm a word but I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a weapon too I'm a weapon too I'm a word and a weapon that's why the enemy attacks me the way he attacks me because I'm a dog on weapon and I'm a dog on work shape by let's go [Music] baby I'm a word I'm a word it's going to come to pass over my life it's going to come to pass I'm in the in between God is making me God is shaping me God is molding me God is allowing me to walk out of who I'm not I got to take my time and teach this thing I'm looking at a room full of words put it in the chat put in the chat right there I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a swift word I'm a word I'm a word I'm a word [Music] now I'm a word I feel and I heard when I was saying that I'm a word that's going to run swiftly I'm a word that's going to run swiftly maybe that's why God is trying to increase your faith yeah yeah yeah because there's an acceleration coming Hallelujah the time of your word is here cuz we ain't got time to play cuz we're in the last days come on somebody just look around we're in the last days and you can't afford to not be you I must be me I must be me the word of you has to be tried it's is tried in those Seasons where your spirit gets jerked in One Direction or the other the word of you in the making process is all of your experiences Masha your your experiences shape you good see if you haven't gone through great disappointments you ain't ready man I wish I could take my time preach this thing give my if you if you haven't been if everything has gone as planned you're not ready your word is still cooking it's still cooking that there's something that happens to a person when yes they experience the good things but they also experience the difficult things watch this I'mma tell you what grows you more than anything else confusing things God says my thoughts are not your thoughts my ways are not your ways as far as the heavens are from the Earth is the distance between my thoughts and your thoughts man let me tell you something I know that that's not pretty but let me tell you something there's nothing that grows your spirit there's nothing that grows your insides more than you still being developed when you don't understand when you're saying God how long when you're confused when you're jerk one way this way and jerk the next way but somehow you keep on standing you are not realizing that you are on the potter's wheel that's why you're dizzy you're dizzy because you're on the wheel that's why you're confused you're confused because you're on the will but guess what even though you're on the whe don't you ever forget that you are in God's hands the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord for the Lord upholds him by his righteous right hand uhhuh you're being spun into who you truly are that word has to be spun it has to be spun around that's how you develop life experience gives you wisdom he grew in wisdom watch this and stature now of course of course the obvious is the physical stature but again it is the internal stature feel the Holy Ghost right there that's why God is stretched he stretched Us in the worship this morning he's trying to increase our stature so that we can handle what he's getting ready to drop on us so that we have capacity and room and space for what he's doing can I just flow with him I want to listen I got I got a lot of ground to cover still but I want to flow he grows in wisdom watch this in stature and in favor with God and with man well wait a minute he is the Christ how can he grow in favor with God he's the Christ right here's how he grows in favor with God Jesus began hear me clearly theologians we can debate it later but for the sake of this just hear me Jesus went on a journey from son of man to Son of God I'm not saying that he was never not both but hear me son of man is him being his father's child Son of God is him being God's child and every believer although they are inescapable every believer must go from being a son of their father to a Son of God that's why Abraham who is the father Faith before he could do anything the very first thing that God said when he was putting him on his in between Journey was what get out of your father's house and out of your country unto a land that I will show you the father's house the father's house can I talk about the father's house for a second I just let just just we we'll be done about two hours will be finished here let let me let me let me talk about really quickly the father's house the role of the father's house is very dynamic because we are all born in our fathers that be father mother how you but I'm talking about your Earthly parent your Earthly your Earthly environment we're all born there and the reality of it is we need it for a time because there are some basic things in our father's house that we require while we are becoming so even if we look as we look at Jesus Jesus at 12 he goes into his father's house to begin to attempt to understand who he is but once his father came and got him the Bible says that he subjected himself and went back with Joseph and Mary to their house having experienced his father's house and now the two houses are working in tandem F the Holy Ghost there's something in there there's something in there for somebody because sometimes we feel like once we've been touched by God we're ready to go out and take on the world and we want to leave everything behind and go and do it and sometimes there's a place for that I'm not knocking that if that's your experience that God leads you but often times there is a duality there is a a tandem working that is supposed to take place because although you are getting the Deep spiritual things from God there are some practical things that you need while you're developing in stature are you tracking with me and so so so so sometimes you know it could be argued that Jesus was attempting to detach a little bit too early in his Pursuit it could be argued we're just talking here so so there is a time where you need to be in your father's house but then also you have to leave your father's house to discover the fullness of your Divine identity are we tracking and that's where Abraham's is you you have to sometimes you have to leave your father's house in order to see it m sometimes you have to get away from anything anything any environment you have to get away from it in order to look back at it and see it for what it really is hello somebody because when you're in it you're just in it and you don't know anything about it watch this and you're subject to the culture of it to the ideals of it because you're in it and you've never been out of it can I testify a little bit can I tell you a little bit about about me tell you a little bit about me I I I'm from La I'm from Cali praise the Lord I bless God for Cali I love Texas I'm here now but I bless God for Cali I wouldn't have been raised any other place and I grew up in the Los Angeles area and there is a part of Los Angeles that is a total of 2.1 square miles called watts and I grew up in that 2.1 square miles in Cali in a place called watts and I grew up there in the 80s in the 80s gang culture and crack cocaine culture with was at an alltime high it was everywhere gangs and dope and everything else was everywhere and now obviously not being there and and growing out of there my mom worked extremely hard thank God for her single parent mom raised me and she sent me to private school I don't even know how she did that I'm doing the math now as a parent who sends their kids priv I'm like Mom how did you even do that but she did it but in the subculture of Watts there there are some very interesting mentalities mentalities at that time I don't know what what it is now it could be better but when I was there let me just give you an idea of of some of the things that were that were in the subculture that was shaping everyone in the subculture here's one this will probably shock you if someone called you nice where I grew up that was an insult right if they wanted to insult you they would call you oh nice it sounds crazy right right but this literally was a soft culture you would fight somebody for calling you nice hell some of y'all you're trying to some of y'all know what I'm talking about cuz I I've been the South don't play with me I I've been I've been in some hoods here in Texas don't play with me nice was an insult how about this watch this watch this watch this where I grew up being educ at it was corny Lonnie you know what I'm talking about you were close enough you were South Central you were close enough you you you would not tell the boys of the block that you were going to college they would beat you up school boy look at how perverted but again it's in the subculture if you're in it you don't know that it's perverted oh it gets worse the way that when I grew up by the time I finally got out and we moved to the West Side I was shocked at how excited people were about going to college you you could come out of the closet and say I'm smart on the west side and no one would beat you up because you were smart or you had aspirations in the hood watch this you were celebrated for going to prison think about it in one culture in one Community you were celebrated for watch this going away from home to College learning some things and coming back with skills in another culture you were celebrated for going away to prison lifting weights getting buffed learning how to fight or do whatever you do when you're there you come back and now you have Street Credibility your credentials are street cred and the only difference between the one and the other was subculture and your father's house has a subculture it doesn't mean that the subculture is bad but your father's house will always be limiting and God does this on purpose so that you can get out and experience God for yourself I'm almost done I I wanted to show I'm can I can I just be a little bit more more more transparent I think I can wrap this in like 10 minutes I want to be a little bit more so in my office my office is is a very inspirational place for me it's where I I pray I prepare my sermons I study I take all my meetings and everything in my office and I have some artwork that reminds me of where I have come from and how I got to where I am and here is the thing you don't just discover who you are one time you have to keep remembering who you are because every assault against you or the enemy is an assault to keep you from being who you are because if he can keep you from being who you are if he can keep you from knowing who you are he can keep you from being who you are and if he can keep you from being who you are you will not produce what God has called you to produce so everyone in their becoming process I'm almost everyone in their becoming process has to climb over what they are not in order to step into who they are all of us watch this have to unbecome in order to become and we have to climb over things my son bought me a piece of artwork I have this in my office to remind me and it's a piece of artwork and uh this artwork is called the Watts festival and it's and it's and it's they'll put it up there but it it is uh you you'll see this is after the Watts Riot and you'll see boys and girls climbing over the fence I I had to climb over the fence of who I was not if you walk into my office that's the first thing you see it reminds me first of all it reminds me of where I came from and I'll say this never forget where you came from because even though it was crazy all of that was a part of the develop in and the shaping I I I needed that confusion and then to get clarity to be me so when you walk into my office that's the very first thing you see I don't care who you are you rich poor walk in my office you're going to see this boy climbing over the fence climbing over the fence of who he was not to get to where God would take him based on who he was then you walk in and you turn right and then up the steps to my loft you'll see photos of the three books that I have written in there space for a fourth one because I'm working on it now and you'll see the books first one is purpose Awakening you'll see that and the second one was wholeness and you'll see that the third one was balance and you'll see that and so you're walking up the steps so my office literally is my journey I had to climb over the fence in Watts over the fence of who I was not and then I walk up and as I begin to First book purpose Awakening as I begin to be awakened to my purpose I started progressing and then as I as I awaken to my purpose is one thing to be awakened to your purpose is another thing to be whole enough to achieve it so wholeness was not and I'm going up this thing I'm going up this thing and then my next book was balance because once you discover your purpose and once you become whole so you start moving things you start having an abundance of things in your life that you have to balance and then when you get to the top of the stairs that leads to The Loft in my office I have a piece of art it's an expensive piece of art but when I saw it it Arrested me and I had to have it and this art I didn't even know until last night I was going to show you this artwork I didn't even know until last night that the name of this artwork I just saw it and it spoke to me and they'll put it up there the name of this artwork is called Hope on the other side of the wall see I didn't really have a childhood a lot of stuff happened to me too fast it wasn't that my mom wasn't amazing me because she was absolutely amazing but she can only do what you can do and so I was exposed to a lot of things very early I got shot when I was 16 years old I didn't really get to have a childhood when I was a child and there was something about that picture that that spoke to me there's a few things first of all we see a little boy but we also see a grown man feel this this this is for somebody I took my time almost this is a digression but there's somebody that needs to see this this for me represents a lot of things first of all he's got a bag on his shoulders he's there with his sons and perhaps he's there with a son and him the healed version of him the little boy being healed right and he's got a bag full of something and I believe that that bag full of things represents the lessons and New Perspectives that he is going to share with his children to break generational curses come on somebody I want you to let that minister to you for a second maybe I put it up there for you this picture is very colorful as well there's a freedom in this picture look at how how free carefree and free and colorful and VI vibrant this F picture is and it looks like it's a party because there's some of you and what you have been through in life if you look back it looks more like a nightmare than a party but I declare to you right now that God is getting ready to bring another level of healing to you and breakthrough to you and he's going to begin to heal your trauma and various things and he's going to recolor your life so much so that it stops looking I feel that right there that it stops looking like a nightmare that that it stops feeling like a night oh God stand up real quick I'm sorry just just give me a minute if this is for you not only if this is for you if your if your life has been like in some areas a nightmare just just just anxious about certain things and and I think it it might be tied into trauma that you haven't even discovered or dealt with I just want to pray this over you 7 minutes and we're done I promise father I pray for every person right now and I pray literally as they're looking at this piece of art keep the artwork up there please as they're looking at this piece of art that it will arrest them even the way it Arrested me there's some in this room that they they literally did not have a childhood they couldn't they were too busy surviving and God says I will restore the years that the locusts have eaten I'm going to restore those years and you're going to have boy Joy you're going to have boy Joy you're going to have girl joy little girl I'm going to restore this the Bible says for this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil you don't remember your childhood color colorful like that you don't remember it bright and vibrant man you remember it dark and scary gray and fuzzy you don't remember it with a father who loves you who has a bag of goodies for you and all sorts of balloons and various things to make your life good I decree right now in the name of Jesus that restoration is going to happen to you and a joy is going to hit you and God is going to go deep deep deep into your past even into your subconscious because God knows that he can reach there and he's going to begin to heal you from that moment forward in Jesus name okay sit down I'm almost done yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Kingdom things Kingdom things Kingdom things Kingdom things Kingdom things Kingdom things keep looking at it Kingdom things Kingdom things I don't want to be sensitive here we're almost there don't Harden your heart right now either don't be afraid I got you we got you we got pastors ministers people who love you all over this room not just I mean people literally right next to you you can literally collapse if you want to right now and we got you and we will have an altar call in in the in just a few minutes we got you because this is why Jesus came for this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil he's a god of restoration he's a god of alignment God will restore you justification just as if it never happened I sleep good at night and I am the nicest person you ever want to meet in your life I still got a little watts in me so don't don't don't take it for granted I I still you can take the boy out the hood I'll check you real quick if I have to but anyway last thing I want to say so it says that that he grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and with man how do you grow in favor with God simply put you grow in favor with God when you look like what he made all of us have to go through this journey of going from Simply being son of man son of a man he was son of man I get that but hear me for the point of this we have to go from being a man's son to God's son and it's a process of becoming and the scripture says that he grew the sequence is important wisdom stature faith with God and with man and with man so favor with God and favor with man or you can look at that not only as favor with man God gives you favor with man he does that but it's bigger than that it's favor with the created thing as you become oh this is a teaching in and of itself as you go from Simply being a son of your father to truly a Son of God according to Romans chapter 8 and 19 it says that the earnest expectation of creation is eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God the revealing of the sons of the sons of God and do not think gender don't be thrown off by gender because listen in the Kingdom there is no gender hello somebody they not going to be no male and female in heaven just Spirit just us just are you tracking with me that's for the the sake of reproduction here but not there are you hearing me in Romans 8 and 29 after he talks about all things working together for good for those who love God those who called according to his purposes he says for in fact put it up there I want you to see it he it says for whom he God fornew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he the son Jesus might be the firstborn among many Brethren so your truest and highest identity is that of a Son of God that's why when Jesus inquires to his disciples he says who do men say that I the son of man am he calls himself the son of man Peter steps up and says you are the Christ the what the son of the Living God now we could say that Jesus was testing them maybe he was but because identity is something that you rapple with until maybe he was looking for some reassurance I'm just saying it's possible and maybe that's why he got so excited when Peter said Thou Art the Christ the son cuz he calls himself the son of man Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God he says oh Peter who you just bless me man and you know what Flesh and Blood did not reveal that to you but my father who is in heaven on you I'mma build my church cuz you get it you have an understanding and the Gates of Hell themselves will not Prevail what's the revelation the Revelation is when you see yourself as a son when you know who you are the very Gates of Hell themselves cannot Prevail against you the gates of hell can Prevail against you as long as you stay a son of your of your father but not when you become a Son of God and you recognize what that means when it says that all of creation I'm landing when it says that all of creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the Son of God if you keep reading it speaks to the fact that creation has a personality and creation is desperate for you to be you I must be me because the Deliverance of the creation is in your identity I must be me favor with God and favor with man I have favor with God as I look like God as I look like what he made and I have favor with man the created things when I walk in that identity that's why in Revelation chapter 12 remember when the enemy was was was coming for the woman the Bible says and the Earth helped her but the Earth helped the woman the Earth opened up his mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth in other words you got to be you I must be me because there are things that God has placed in creation that will help me okay if I'm willing to be me [Music]