Under the Influence of Wisdom

Come on, tell the person next to you, "It's on."It's on.Yeah, how many feel like it's on?How many feel the room is set?You can feel the presence of the Lord.If you feel like that Holy Ghost power just hit you, lift your hand.Wow.Wow.You feel like you, you got healed.SomeThe, the Lord healed you, come on, lift your hand.It could be of a broken heart, God's healed you.Look at this.Wow.How, how many feel like you've been healed physically, like you got a physicalWhoa.Give the Lord praise.Only God can do that.Only God.Only God can doHow many feel encouraged?Encouraged.Wave at me if you feel like, like encouragement just hit me.I, I came all messed up to church, and something just hit me across the s-Come on, somebody.How many feel encouraged?Wave at me.Wave at me.Whoo.Come on.Come on.Give the Lord a good hand for all the great things He's already done in your life.See what happens when the praises go up.Yeah, come on.Nah.Come on.You guys don't want none.How many thank God for Gabriel Ortiz?If you don't know, Gabe and, and Matthew, they've been working behind the scenes with our, with our worship team.And, uh, Gabriel's been with our worship team for the last 10 weeks, every Monday on Zoom, really trying to get our worship to the next level.So for the last 10 weeks, he's been investing into our church.How many thank God for that?And Matthew on the keyboard, i- he's justHe's magic.You're a s- Look atI, I feel like crying.He's powerful, amen.But they've been working behind the scenes, and, uh, it's a blessing to have a brotherhood, to have a family like we do in Victory Outreach, that we're able to pour into each other's church.And so, uh, thank you, Gabe.I really appreciate you, your friendship, and your investment into the church.Amen.And then also, Matthew, thank you for all your hard work.They've been working hard.You know, Thali, Thali's all pregnant.She don't want to be on stage.I'm like, "Girl, let that baby sing," you know?I get it, you know, but they've been holding it down, amen.It's good to see Yesenia step up a little bit.Come on.Yaya was looking fly today.I was like, "Better watch out, man."Yaya's single, guys.You better watch out, boy.Praise praise the Lord.Give the Lord a good hand one more time.Thank you, Matthew.It was good to hear, uhEarlier this morning, it was good to hear what's taking place already in the Victory Center in Chandler.Whoo.Come on, can you give the Lord a good hand?And, uh, Pastor Richie was giving me a, just, you know, a quick update this morning of what took place on Friday.They went to hit the streets.Come on.Come on.Let's go.VO style, right?They hit the streets.They were knocking on doors, and, uh, come to find out, they were knocking on people's doors and, you know, they introduced themselves, and this guy that used to come here said, "Hey, I, I, I used to go to Victory Outreach Mesa."And he was like, "You know, I, I went on a little vacation a little bit."A little 2year vacation.You know, a- anybody deserves a 2year vacation, you know?But he went away for a little bit, and, uh, he was so blessed that we're able to knock on his door and remind him- Whoothat God still has a plan for his life.Amen.They've been already reaching people.They have, um, a couple young, young third wavers that they already reached, man.They were hitting the streets.I was like, "Who are them guys right there?"He was like, "Man, they, they fell in love with the vision.They wanna learn how to evangelize."And I was like, "Man, that's powerful."You know, and I declared over Pastor Richie that he's gonna be able to reap there very fast because of all the seed he's sown here in Victory Outreach Mesa.Amen.Whoo.How many are excited about the work there?So this last Tuesday, they were, you know, they were able to have their service.They had about 60 people already at their service.Oh.You ain't saying nothing.60's a big deal.'Cause when I took over, that's all I had.I started with 60 of y'all knuckleheads.I started with 60, man, and God started just exploding that.And so the same anointing that I feel like God has given us, God has given Pastor Richie, amen.I'm so proud of you, man.You're killing it.Amen.How many are gonna keep that work in prayer?Thank you for all those that are part.You're helping, you know, going out to the streets and helping serve there.We thank you, Victory Outreach Mesa, 'cause we can't do it without y'all.You guys are a blessing, amen.Not only do you work hard here in our church, but you're also putting your hands to the plow there at, uh, soon-to-be Victory Outreach Chandler.Amen.Yeah.So manyYou know, s- there's so many people that live out that way.It's incredible, amen.All right.Are you ready for the Word?Yeah.We've been in the series, uh, this whole summer, of wisdom.How many feel you got a little tiny bit smarter?A little bit more wiser?Come on.Some of your wives are like, "Dude, I wish this dude would just go on YouTube and put these messages on repeat," you know?But today, we're gonna continue our series, and this will be our last month that we're gonna be in the series of wisdom, then we're gonna switch gears.It's incredible to know that we're literally coming up to September, which is crazy.It's crazy just to think about how time is flying.And so, um, I, I pray that these next few weeks God speaks to you in the area of wisdom, and then we'll switch gears and go into the remainder of the, of the year as we close out the year.Amen.So I wanna look at Ephesians chapter 5, and I wanna take a look at verse 15 through 20, and, uh, we'll have it there on the screen for you.The Bible says like this: "So be careful how you live.Don't live like fools."Back in the day we used to, you know, we used to have the word.We'd be like, "Hey, fool.Hey, fool."I guess it, it was a Cali thing I guess.We would call everybody fool.We said it here too?Okay, fool.No.This fool.You know, we used to call everybody fools, he said, but Paul says, "Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.Don't be drunk with wine."No.Don't get all quiet when I said don't be drunk with wine.Yeah.Wait, what?We can't have communion?Stop it.Don't get drunk with wine-because that will ruin your life.Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit- Whoo!singing hy- singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.I wanna talk to you, if you wanna put a title to this message, you could put it under the influence of wisdom.Under the influence of wisdom.You know, lately I've been thinking about this generation and about the, the time we live in.You know, it's so different from when I grew up.Nowadays, you know, we have what you call social media.When I grew up, we didn't have social media.Can I get a amen, Richard?You know, I said, "Dang, how old is Pastor?"I know I look young, but I'm kinda old, you know?I, I grew up in a time where the computer was introduced to us, and the computer was a dial-up computer.Oh, yeah.It was like, brr, ding, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, kkk, deee, kkk, kkk.It was like it took 15 minutes to get online.Some of you would die in 15 minutes.You're like, "Boy, kick this phone out my hand," right?You're checking Wi-Fi.You know, we didn't have any of that.We had dial-up.Dial up.We had dial up, boy.AOL, right?AOL.But we lived in that time, and y- you know, it seems like it was just yesterday, but things have progressed so fast.And I started thinking about the time we live in, and it, it really got me thinking how much social media has changed a lot of things.Can I get a witness in the room?Social media has even changed even the way you and I serve the Lord.I'll tell you what I mean.Because people nowadays are being led by clever clips rather than leaders.In other words, there is a 30-second clip that influences you more than a spiritual leader in your life.Come on.Is this too much for 11:00 AM?'Cause I grew up in a time where people would check on me.Oh, y'all ain't hearing me.Yeah.I grew up in a time where I couldn't get away with nothing, boy.I remember when I, when, when I started liking Carmen, I was like, "Hey, she, she, you know, she looking fine.""Hi, sister.Would you like to go on a date?"And I remember I was being influenced- By herby her perfume.No, I'm just ki-By that pretty girl, that pretty thuggishI'm like, "Man, she's a thug.""I like that," right?I remember, I remember, you know, our first date.Uh-oh.H- how many know I wasn't always holy and always spiritual?Come on.Come on.I was a teenager too.I remember I, I, you know, I was, I wanted, I, I, I wanted to hang out with Carmen.We were only 16 years old, and I say, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, Mom."I didn't drive yet."Mom, can you drop me off at, uh, this girl's, uh, mom's shop?"She used to do hair.And I go, "I just wanna get dropped off."I remember getting dropped off there.And I walked in, and when I walked in, my mom seen her mom, and they were like, "Ah, my God."They were bingo buddies.They went crazy.Me and Carmen looked at each other like, "What is going on?"Right?And they were like, "Oh, my God.I didn't know.And da, da, da."I go, "This is God."They already know each other, right?So I wanted to go out with her.Hello.I wanted to take her to a movie.So we didn't drive.We were young, so I hopped on the bus.We went to a movie.The first movie we, we watched was Bad Boys.Oh, come on.Ah, Bad Boy, Bad Boys, what you gonna do?So we went out, we went out, you know, we, we catch a movie.We're like, "Dude, we're about to watch this movie."You know, it's crazy.All excited.I go to buy the ticket.They say, "How old are you?"I go, "16.""You can't buy these tickets.""It's a rated R movie.""What?It's just Bad Boys.""Yeah, you can't."I said, "All right.Let's buy a cartoon movie and let's sneak in."We snuck in and watched Bad Boys for our first date.Pastor's a G.Pastor got game.I snuck in, watching Bad Boys, and I used to have this pager.How many remember pagers?Dang, I'm giving up my age.You're like, "Dang, Pastor is old."Shut up.You old too.Anyway.I have pa- I had a pager, but I had one of them bougie pagers, the type of pager that you call the hotline, and the hotline says, "Okay, what do you wanna send?"And I remember I was under my brother-in-law, Pastor Bob, at the time.He was my youth leader, and he goes, "Hey, Danny, where are you?I feel something's off."Talk about the Holy Spirit.Right.Hey.He says, "Something's off.Where you at?"And I was likeBad Boys, Bad Boys.Holy Spirit's like, "What you gonna do?"I was like, "Oh, this is, this is bad.This is bad."And all of a sudden I'm, I'm, I'm, like, I'm, like, being influenced, bro.I'm like, my flesh is like, "Nah, bruh.Turn that thing off."He keep going off.Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping.And Carmen's looking at me like, "What's going on?"I'm starting to sweat."It's a good movie, huh?""Want popcorn?"Sweating.And I remember getting blown up.Finally, I turned that junk off.I was like, "Boy, leave me alone."But I remember growing up in a time where I needed leaders in my life.Yeah.I needed people to check up on me.ComeI needed people to say, "Hey, that, that, that don't look right in your life.I- it looks like a little bit of pride."But nowadays, what I, what I started considering, even as I was thinking about what the time we live in, nobody wants that in their lives.Right.We wanna be influenced by 30-second clips- Whoawhere people don't know nothing about your life.They don't know how to get in your business.Come on, somebody.Come on.But what we really need is people to really help us through some problems and through some issues that we got in our life.Can I get an amen?Amen.And see, sometimes in, in our lives we, we gotta understand that we don't just need 30-second clips, my friend.We need to come to a place where our life is surrendered, and we allow people to speak into our lives.It's because people have spoken to my life that I've been able to serve God for the last 30 years, my friend.I've been walking a straight and narrow walk.I ain't stepped out of my marriage.I ain't wandered to the left or to the right.My friend, I've been walking the way God wanted me to walk because I knew that I needed people to point things out in my life.But right now we're in a generation where we can't point nothing out.We're in that feel good genera- "Ooh, that clip was good.I'ma rep- repost."Uh-huh.Uh-huh.Y'all act like I don't be watching y'all stories.I be like, "Oh, okay.I see who your influence is."Oh.Ah.Oh, I see what you be reposting.Oh.Oh, I see what you be doing.And all of a sudden, all this influence that we're, we're posting and we're, we're, you know, we're, we're, we're showing has nothingSome of them has nothing to do with leaders dealing with your life, people trying to help you.Here's one thing that I do understand, is that everybody is influenced by something.You're influenced by something.Fear might be influencing your decisions today.It could be influencing you breaking out of that season.Because you're in fear, you don't wanna do it.I'm here to tell you something has influenced your life, and maybe it's someone's opinion about you that has influenced your life, and now you're complex.Now you're going through things.Now because someone said a comment, you're overthinking stuff.Come on, somebody.Yeah.You're influenced by things in your life, but I'm here to tell you, what Paul begins to say in these scriptures are, is so important for you and I to dive into.Are you ready to dive in?Paul begins to say, he says, "Be careful how you live."He says, "Be careful how you live."He doesn't say, "Be careful what everybody else is doing."He says, "Be careful how you live."In other words, watch your walk.What's interesting is that you watch everybody else's walk.Uh-huh.You have everybody's GPS where they belong.But you don't know where you belong.You're like, "That brother should be doing this.That brother should be doing that.And that brother right there and that sister, uh-uh, she need to fix her makeup.""If she were just to do her eyebrow like this, it would be so different.She'll be popping.She'll be married in no time."Shut up.But we have so much to say about everybody else.But never take the time to watch your own walk.Uh-huh.And Paul begins to write, he says, "Be careful how you live."Lord.Be careful what you do.He says, "Don't live like fools."Watch your walk and don't live like fools.Be like the wise.You know what's interesting is that most fools don't even know they're fools.Yeah.Right.You just walking, "Hey, fool.""What?Who's a fool?"You a fool.Kung fool.No.We're walking around not knowing that we're fools.Right.He says, "Be wise.Don't be like fools."And I wanna go through a couple things that we shouldn't live like.This is called the fool section.This the fool section.Somebody say, "What's up, fool?"The first thing I wanna go through real quick is a fool thinks he already knows.on.One of the clearest marks of a foolish person is being unteachable.You know everything.Oh.You can't learn from nobody.Proverbs 12:15 says this, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes."Yeah."But the wise listen to advice."A fool already knows.In other words, you can't teach me nothing.on.I already lived life.I lived 3 lives.If you keep that mentality, you're acting like a fool.Because nobody could tell you anything.Nobody could instruct you.Nobody could point things out to you.You are unteachable.Come on.And unteachable people, the Bible says that you are just fools.You walk around like you got it all together, not realizing that everybody could teach you something.You could be taught by anything.Right.You could be taught by something in the room today.You could be taught even by an idiot.How not to be an idiot Yes.Am I talking to anybody?Number 2, a fool doesn't learn from his own mistakes.Somebody say, "Stop being a fool."Stop being a fool.This is the fool section right here.You don't learn from your mistakes.In other words, you keep making the same mistake over and over and over in your life.Proverbs 26:11 puts it like this.He says, "A dog returns to his vomit.So does a fool repeat its folly."Mm.He says, "This is what fools do.They return to what they just threw up."What made you sick, you return to.What didn't agree with you and you threw it up, you went back to.Wow.Come on, somebody.Yes.He says, "Fools don't learn from their mistakes.They keep making the mistake over and over and over and"Can I ask you something?How many mistakes have you made the same one over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over in your life?Come on.You keep answering the phone when she calls and you should stop.But you're caught up in the sauce.Stop it.Stop returning to what's bad for you.Yeah.Number 3 Come ona fool can't control his mouth.Whoa.Hey.Come on.A fool can't control his mouth.Proverbs 10:19 says this, "Where there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, but the one who restrains his lips is wise."Somebody's like, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.You ever said something you can't take it back?Oh, yeah.You're like, "Oh, I shouldn't haveOh."You try to bring it up.You're like, "Ah, my God, I shouldn't have said that.""Why did I say that?"Because you just need to shut up.That's a word for some of y'all, shut up.You're like, "Well, I don't talk a lot."Yeah, but you type a lot.I don't be saying nothing to nobody.Yeah, but I could s- I could read what you say.I just think to myself.No, you don't.You post everything you feel.Oh.Oh.Chihuahua pastor's in there.A fool talks when he should be listening.Sometimes you just need to be quiet and just learn.Right.You just keep blabbering and blabbering and blabbering.You, you can't, you can't talk and listen at the same time.Be quiet.Tell your neighbor, "Be quiet, man."Number 4, a fool is ruled by his anger.Look at what Proverbs 29:11 says.It says, "A fool gives full vent to his spirit."That's spirit with a little S.That, that matters-because the spirit with the little m- S, that means your spirit, not God's spirit.Ooh.Big S, God's spirit.Little S, your spirit.Yeah.Come on.He says, "A fool gives full vent to his spirit."In other words, when my spirit ain't v- I'm gonna give full vent.I'm about to go off.You're like a bomb.You go home and you're like, "Yo, I'm giving fullWait, wait till I get home.Mm."Watch, fool.That's your wife's talking.Like, "Watch, fool.Watch when I get home, I give full vent, fool."You gonna get little S.That's crazy.Some of you need to get right.You're pulling the wrong stuff out right now.And then he says this, "But a wise man quietly holds it back."Notice that he doesn't say a wise man doesn't get angry.He says a wise man knows how to hold it back.Come on.Somebody say, "Reel it back."Reel it back.So even if you're mad, he says, "Don't go off."Don't go 0 to 100.You gotta hold it back.Yeah.How many times you wanna go off?Yeah.I still wanna go off sometime.I go, "Okay."You're testing my patience.Come on.Right?Come on, somebody.Yes.Number 5, a fool is proud.How many proud fools we gotta be?A fool is proud.Proverbs 11:2 says, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but the humble is wise."That's powerful.We gotta learn how to not be so prideful.Yeah.That's foolish.We ain't got nothing to be prideful anyways.That's right.Some of you all prideful you got a new car.Remember the bucket you had before you came to the Lord?You guys- Come onyou be acting all proud like, "Oh, I got it together now."No, you, when you came to, to the Lord-you didn't even have credit Nobody liked you anyway.You're like, "I ain't had no friends until I came to church."Yeah, but now you're part of the life group.People like you.They call you, actually.They wanna go hang out with you.They wanna go co- coffee, you know?Now, we're all prideful."Well, I, I got a calling on my life."Be quiet, because when you showed up, you didn't have nothing.You didn't have a phone to ca- that, that God could call you on.You guys are, you guys are weird this morning.J.A., stop being a weirdo, man.Just receive the word.Pride.Oh.I'm almost done.Are you guys ready?It's number 7.A fool chooses bad company.Proverbs 13:20 says this, "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm."We're talking about influence and being wise, right?Well, this is saying that your companions can influence your character.Yes.Some of you gotta check yourselves because you didn't act like that 3 weeks ago.Could it be that your influence changed?Yeah.Could it be you're hanging around the wrong people?Yeah.Could it be you're listening to the wrong voices?All of a sudden, your attitude came back when you already crucified it 4 weeks ago at the altar.Yeah.All of a sudden, that sin wants to rise back, and you're like, "Oh, yeah."What?Stop it.You've been listening to the wrong things.He says the wise walk with the wise.Yes.But some of our character has changed so much, and I will tell you it's probably because of what you're allowing to influence your life.Yeah.It's messing with you.You don't even realize that some of your family messes with y'all.Yeah.And we, that's, that's family.Be careful.'Cause not all your family's with you.You're like, "For real?"For real.Not all your family likes that you're going to church.Yeah.Not all your family likes that you like me.Not all your family likesYou know, they're like, "What are you doing?"You need to be like, "Hey, fool.""Back up.Trying to serve God here."Yeah."I gotta walk with wise people-" Wise people." that give me wise counsel."Yeah.Can I get an amen?Amen.It's important for us to recognize what foolishness looks like, because some of us have been walking in foolishness, and we don't even know it.But today, I pray that things would switch in your life, and you recognize that I've been foolish here, I've been foolish there, and I've been lacking wisdom here.Today is the day that I declare that I will not walk in my foolishness anymore.Can somebody say amen?Amen.See, a fool lives accidentally.In other words, whatever happens, happens, but a wise person learns how to live in, with intentionality.And many of us here today, we gotta learn how to live intentional.You don't accidentally become spiritually mature.No, my friend, you gotta actually put in the work in order to become spiritually mature.You don't wake up tomorrow and say, "I'm a prayer warrior, and that's it."No, my friend, you gotta put in the work.You gotta close the clo- the clo- door behind you.Get into your prayer closet when your flesh rises up.I gotta be able to get ahold of God because I wanna become what God wants me to become.Yeah.You don't just end up being these people.No, my friend, you gotta put in the work.You gotta put in the work.Somebody say, "Put in the work."You don't accidentally become generous.right.You gotta actually do it.That's right.You gotta do it today- Yeahtomorrow, and eventually it gets in your spirit.You don't accidentally develop character.That's right.That's a good one for some of y'all.Yeah.You're like, "I'm a man of character."You don't accidentally do that.No.You gotta deny your flesh That'sYou gotta get tested.Yeah.Come on.Come on, somebody.When temptation comes and you wanna go to them websites, you say, no.When things begin to happen and you're like, "Whoa, whoa, what's going on?"That's where you're begin- beginning to be developedYeah.It don't happen just accidentally.No, my friend.You gotta learn how to say no to the enemy, resist the devil, and watch him flee.Some of us in the room gotta catch this in our spirit and say, "God, I do desire to have character in my life, integrity in my life.I do wanna be holy.I do wanna be a man of God.I do wanna be used.I do have a calling."Well, in order to do that- Yesyou gotta put in the work Oh, You gotta put in the work Come on.And this is what he's saying.He says, "Watch what you do."Be careful.Watch out.Don't live foolishly- Amenbecause that ain't you no more.That ain't you.You've been redeemed.Yes.You've been set free.Bondage doesn't have a hold of you or your family.You better shout 'cause that's a good place to shout.What he begins to say also, he says, "Don't, don'tYou know, don't just live like that," but he go, he goes this.He goes, he goes, "Don't act thoughtlessly- Yeahbut understand what the Lord wants you to do."He says, "Have some thought behind it.Have some thought behind your actions.Think about your decisions.Think about what you're gonna do.Think about your next move."Some of you need to have good thoughts.He says, "Don't be thoughtless.No, my friend, think about what you're going to do."He says, "But understand what the Lord wants to do through you."And many of us think, "Well, okay, God, I, I, I'm gonna come before God in prayer," and you want God to bless what you already decided.No.In other words, "I know she's the one for me."Oh."God, bless this."What if God said, no?That's'Cause we're going to God in prayer and we say, "God, bless this.God, I want this."Come on, somebody.Yeah."God, I want that.God, I want this.God, do this, do that, do that," and we're going before God, and we're, we want God to bless our plans.Oh.Oh, am I talking to anybody?Come on.'Cause that's how we pray, "God, bless my plans."You never ask God, "God, what do you want?"Yeah.We keep asking God, "God, I, I have this idea.Can you bless it?"Oh, yeah."I think she's a good one.Lord, bless this."I thank God that, you know, even though I was sneaking with Carmen-I still asked the Lord."Lord, I know I'm gonna be sneaky right now, but Lord, is she the one?"But I had to ask God 'cause that was important.Man, we'd be fighting for 30 years if it wasn't w- the right one.Come on now.I had to know, God, is this the right one?You know, back in the day growing up, I know this is a little old school for some of y'all, but growing up, man, we, we would call something, confirmation was a big thing for us."Lord, give us confirmation."Confirmation is going, "Okay, God, I, I'm praying this, I'm thinking this, but I want you to confirm it in different people."Let's go.So growing up, man, I would go to church like, "Please give me confirmation for Carmen, Lord.""Or Lord, give me confirmation for this.God, I know I'm called.I know I've got this.I know you wanna do something.Give me confirmation."And we were, we wereI don't even know where we got this, but we'd say, "Lord, give us 3 confirmations."I still don't know.Maybe somebody could explain it to me later after service.But we would go, "Lord, give me 3 confirmations.""Because if I get 3, I know it's you."Come on, somebody.Before I came to Mesa, Arizona, I needed confirmation.don't wanna be in no desert.But Lord, if it's you, I'm down.That's it.I remember coming to preach for the first time.I came to preach.God, you know, God was using me, and, and all of a sudden I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me.He was like, "You belong here."I was like, "Ee.""Muy caliente, Lord.You sure?"I remember getting back in the car with Carmen, and weI got in, I go, "Hey, um, did you just feel anything?"She goes, "Yeah.I feel God's calling us here.Confirmation."I was like-"All right, that's one.That's one, Lord."And then all of a sudden I, I got with, uh, my daughter, Natalia.She was in the UTC at the time, in the West Coast, and she was there, you know, praying.You know, they, they get, get ahold of God, and God was speaking to her 6 months prior to me even knowing anything about Arizona, Mesa, Arizona.And then the Lord started speaking to her, and she wrote down in a notebook, "You and your family will be in a m- uh, in Arizona."She didn't say Mesa.We didn't know what Mesa was, but she said Arizona.Come on."And I'll tell you when to tell them."And I remember coming back.She didn't know nothing.I, I came back, I said, "Hey, let's go to Arizona.We're gonna go hang out."So we came back, and I brought her with.She was crying in the car after the service, and she started crying.She goes, "Oh my God.Oh my God.The Lord spoke to me 6 months prior."She opened up that little notebook and she said, "The Lord called us here."Confirmation number 2.And then whenever Analisa confirm it, you know, confirms something, just be careful 'cause-she's very close to the Lord.I don't know what's going on with you, sis.Maybe 'cause, I don't know But Annalisa, you know Annalisa, Pastor Richie's wife, she goes, "The Lord spoke to"When I was preaching that day, she goes, "The Lord spoke to me, 'That's gonna be my little pastor.'" I know you said that.I know you said that.But what, what I'm trying to paint the picture that I needed confirmation after confirmation after confirmation, because I had my own plans.I wanted to go to South Africa.Yeah.I wanted to go do this, do that.I wanted, I wanted to go to that, to that arch city, St.Louis.I had my own plans, but that's not what God wanted for me.That's right.Can I ask you something?What if God doesn't want the things that you're praying for right now?Have you ever considered asking him?Have you ever stopped and said, "Okay, God, what do you think?Okay, God, what, what, what is it that you want?"Because here, here's the thing, it's not what we want, but it's what God wants in our lives.Yeah.I learned a long time ago that I live a life surrendered to God, and whatever God orchestrates in my life, my life ain't my own no more.I'm not my own man.I'm not my own person.I am under God's authority, and if I'm under God's authority, then that means, God, whatever you want, I'm okay with.If you close a door, I'm okay with.If you open that one, I'm okay with, as long as you still lead my life.And Paul is saying, "Look, my friend, what you need to realize is not so much what you need to do, but what he wants to do through your life."That's right.Somebody say that's wisdom.Wisdom.Even Jesus himself said, "Let this cup pass from me."He said, "But not, not my will, but your will be done."In other words, I really don't wanna go to that cross, but if I have to because it's your will, I'm willing to endure whatever I have to endure because you've asked me to do it.Is there anybody still willing to lay down their will, to say, "God, I'm dying to myself.God, I'm dying to my emotions.I'm dying to who I wanna be.God, let me be what you want me to be."We walk around like, "I wanna do my own thing.I wanna, I want to"Man, stop.What if God never intended for you to be on social media?Oh.What if God never intended for you to be something somebody else is gonna be?God never put that inside of you.That's why many of us gotta stop and say, "God, I just need to get ahold of you, because if I could get ahold of you, I could realize what you wanna do in my life."That's their calling.That's their purpose."But Lord, what do you want from me?"Yeah.Stop living your life comparing to everybody because they wanna be your influencer.Some of you are being influenced by people that you don't even realize you're being influenced by.You keep seeing their posts, and it bothers you because you wanna be that, and God said that, "But that's not what I have for you."Yeah.way."That's not what I have for you."Yeah.He said, "I knitted you together.You're perfectly made.You've been set apart.You carry your own oil.You carry your own anointing.Let them do whatever they gotta do, but as for you"Come on.Come on, church, you better talk to me.Come on."As for you, I got a plan.I got a destiny.I got a future that don't look like nobody else's, because it's yours, my friend."And I believe that there's a room in this, uh, uh, there's people in this room today that you're about to see that God wants to do so much more, release so much bigger in your life.Can I hear somebody say amen?Amen.So Paul says, "Look, man."He goes, "You better be careful.But not only be careful, but you gotta understand, what does God want to do?"In other words, I don't want God to get behind my plans.I need to get behind God's plans.Yeah.You want God to, to co-sign for some of y'all.You get spiritual co-signers.I ain't got the credit, so Lord, can you, can you sign for this?I ain't got the character.Can you sign for this?I ain't got the integrity.Can you- now.You know, when you want to, you're like, "Please?"And you go to prayer like that.You want him to co-sign your plans.Preach that.When God is saying, "Just get behind my plan, 'cause I lead the way."Wooh.And if I lead the way, I'll never lead you astray.This is good word.Yes.How many rece- are receiving so far?Come on, clap your hands like you're getting it.Somebody say this is good.You need to know what God wants for your marriage.You need to know what God wants for your family.You need to know what God wants to change in your life.You need to know, God, what do you want me to become?God, what do you want me to pursue?What job do you, what career?When you begin to fall under that spirit of God lead my life, my friend, that is where you begin to walk in wisdom.Amen.You got to walk in wisdom.God didn't save me just to improve my plans.He didn't rescue me to improve my plans.No, sir.He gave me a new life.Yes.A brand-new life.I had nothing.Yes.I was going nowhere.How dare us go before God and say, "God, can you improve my plans, improve my life?"No.Remember where we were.How lost, how depressed, how messed up, how suicidal.Yeah.I didn't come to God for an upgrade.I came to God 'cause I needed a savior.I was on my way to hell.I needed God to rescue me.I didn't need God to upgrade my plans.Yeah.God gave me a brand-new plan.He gave me a new family.I thank God for my church family.I thank God that I'm able to go into rooms like this, lift up my hands, and receive breakthrough.I thank God for each and every one of you that come burdened down, because we come together and we find strength together.Yeah.Oh, this is good preaching.You better give the Lord a good hand of praise.Watch what he says.He says, watch.He goes he, he goes, "Don't be drunk with wine, because it will ruin your life.Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."In other words, Paul's pointing out 2 things.He's pointing out 2 types of influences: wine and Spirit.Wine and Spirit.You know, when you're under the influence of wine, you act a little different.Oh, yeah.Right?You know when people are under the influence of alcohol or wine, you, you know, like that, that wino right there, that fool is crazy, eh?That fool get crazy when he drunk, man.That fool is crazy.Want to fight everybody.Influence.Some of you laughing.You're like, "Dude, that was me last night."Stuffed full.2 things.He says there's wine and Spirit.And many of us are caught up in being influenced by outside things, in other words.You're caught up in everybody else's sauce.You're caught up in your, your 30-second clips.You're, you're caught up with what everybody's opinion is about your life.You're, you're, you're so caught up, and you're allowing that to fill you, and you're allowing that to influence how you act.Yeah.That's why many of you are mad.Many are depressed, because you've allowed outside influences to mess with you, rather than allowing what he says, "Be filled with the Holy Spirit."Be filled.In other words, I don't want you to be filled outside.I want you to be filled from the inside.Yeah.Because when you're filled from the inside, something begins to happen.A transformation begins to take place.And many of us have to know that what God wants to do, he wants to fill you with the power of the Holy Spirit.He says, "Look, man, stop being influenced by all these things.You need to be filled.You need to be filled."You know, back in the day growing up, that's all we wanted.Lord, fill me.We sang songs like Fill My Cup, Lord.Yeah.Fill my cup, let it overflow.We would sing s- songs like that.We just want, Lord, fill me.Lord, fill me.Because Paul discovered something.Paul discovered something about the Holy Spirit, and Paul has a lot to say about the Holy Spirit.So when he writes this, I begin to think, "Why is he writing it like this?"Because you got to know the, the super apostles were around Jesus.But Paul didn't have Jesus.Paul was influenced by the Holy Spirit So when he says, "I don't come to you with my own wise words, I'm coming to you filled."Yeah.And when people are filled, they act different.When you're filled with the Holy Spirit, something begins to happen in your life, in your family, and your circle.People begin to see that you have the power of God inside your life.on.So Paul writes, he says, "You know what you need?You don't need another clip.""You don't need another post."Yeah."You don't need another person to tell you their own opinions."Come on."What you need is to get alone with God."Yes.You know, when we would go through it, man, I went through it.ComeI was a teenager serving the Lord.I went through it.Yeah.I remember times, man, that I would goI was, "Man, I need help.""No, what you need is to go home-""Get in your prayer closet, close the door, and get ahold of God."Yes."And after you do that, come talk to me."Yes.You know what they were teaching me?They were teaching me this.You don't need me, you need God.We have been so codependent on I need somebody to tell me what to do.ICodependent."Hey, can you tell me, can you tell me my next step?Can you tell me this?Can you tell me that?Can you tell me?Can you tell me?Can you tell me?"You're done, dude.What if the next move that you need to make is in your prayer closet?What if the next breakthrough that you need to hear is in your prayerCan I get the keyboard player?Go,What if the next is in that prayer closet?Yeah.Man, I grew up, man, God, fill me 'cause I was messed up.Yeah.I grew up with songs that, like, were convicting, man.I grew up with songs of running back to you.I'm jacked up, God.I was just running back to you.I didn't run to my leader and tell him all of that.I was evil with my leaders, uh, by the way.I was a evil kid.Come on.Can I tell you a story?Come on.Some of you like the juice.You're like- "Bring it, Pastor.""Give me all the secrets."Growing up, man, I didn't realize that they were just trying to help me.I remember one of my youth leaders, his name was Oscar.Poor Oscar, man.Put him through the ringer.I wasn't always good.And he said, "Hey, I want to talk to you."I was like, "I don't want to talk to you."I was like, I was a brat, dude."I don't want to talk to you.""Come on, after service I want to talk to you 'cause I want to bring some stuff up in your life."He grabbed me, he caught me, like, on the street.He caught me."Hey Da- Danny, I need to talk to you."He said, "You know what your problem is?"I said, "Don't tell me what my problem is, you ain't my daddy."I had hair back then.I had, I had nice hair.Like really, it's like phew.So I said phew.I was ghost.I was ugly to my leaders.But this is what I mean, I was influenced by my flesh when I needed to be filled.I needed to be filled.When you're filled, things change.Yeah.He says, "This is what you need.You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit."Watch, because when you're filled with the Holy Spirit, what he says next blows my mind.He said, "After you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you will sing psalms-"" hymns-"". that come from your"Wait, what?Yeah, because when you're filled, it changes your song.I know when people ain't praying.Whoo.Come on.Complaining, murmuring, going through it, you're in the flesh, everybody's against you.Nobody's for you.Nobody cares.Oh, come- am I talking to anybody?Oh.You get in your little pity parties.Yes.But he s- he says, "Look, when you're filled-when you're filled, your song changes."That's right.Remember when we were likeAllYour whole song change.Remember I asked you, how many encouraged?What happened?I got, I got filled during worship, and because I got filled during worship, man, I feel goodBut what he's saying, you don't just do it here.Tomorrow-fill me.Yes.'Cause when you fill me, my song changes.Yeah.When you fill me, bitterness leaves.When you fill me, complaining has to go.When you fill me, anxiety walks out the room.When you fill me, things begin to happen.When I'm filled on Monday, when I'm filled on Tuesday, when I'm filled on Wednesday, when Thursday comes around and I feel weak, I go into my prayer closet and get filled again.When Friday comes and I had a long week at work, people got on my nerves, I go back into my prayer closet and say, "Lord, fill me again.Fill me again.I need a new song.I need a new praise."I need to be filled.Oh.Oh, this is good preaching.I know I went a little long, but this is some good preaching.I feel like some of you, if you can catch this in your spirit, you're about to get filled, and your song's about to change.What you've been singing is about to change.Some of you, the way you think, the way you walk, the way you normalize certain things is about to change.God is about to fill you up.Your sound is about to change.Paul goes from being filled to singing hymns.That'sPaul says, "Once you're filled, your song changes."I remember that one moment, boy.We would sing songs at church.I was just a young kid.But I remember growing up, man, I, I, I used to like, you know, different music.Yeah.RBL.Cypress Hill.You're like, "Dang, Pastor, that's a G."No, I ain't.Oh.I remember going to school singing these songs, going uh,But then I remembered when I started having encounters with God- That's rightthe same walk to school, my songs started changing.Father Abraham.That's your song.I started singing different songs.Come on, come on.And I didn't realize what was happening at the time.I wasn't singing them songs that were influencing me.I didn't know, but I started singing different hymns.I'm so glad Jesus set me free.I'm so glad Je- Jesus on the inside.He's working on the out.I got joy like the river.Joy likeI started singing them songs.ComeOh.I didn't know, though, what was happening.I remember going to church one day.I was sitting down.A Pastor Nick Gonzalez was preaching.He's at theHe, he does VOBC that day.Now he does VOBC.But he was preaching that day, and he goes, "You know how you know you're changing?"And I'm sitting there, young boy, I was probably like 15 years old, 14, 15 years old, I was sitting there.He goes, "You know how you're changing?Because now you're starting to sing Holy Spirit-filled songs."Oh.And I go, "Wait, that's me."My songs are changing.Wait, God is working in my life.Yeah.Wait, I didn't know what was happening.I didn't know He was filling me.I didn't know that I was getting filled and filled and filled, and things were happening on the outside.But that's how God works, because whatever's on the inside will influence you on the outside.And I'm here to tell you, it's time to shut up the mouth of the devil and say, "Devil, you're not gonna influence me no more."The world will not influence me no more.Today's the day that I'm about to get filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, because I want my songs to change.And if that's you todayI said, if that's you today, if you say, "Lord, I come to a room like this because I need to be filled."Because once you fill me, wisdom shows up.Once you fill me, things begin to change.Once you fill me, my song about my children change.Once you fill me, my song about my finances change.Once you fill me, once you fill me.So today, God, I- Asking you to fill me again.Today, God, fill me anew.Fill me with fresh power.Fill me with a fresh anointing.Fill me up today.And if that's you, I want you to come to this altar, lift your hands, 'cause I feel a wave coming into the room.Fill meon, come on, come on.Fill meHe's filling you.He's gonna fill you.Fill me up, God.Your song is about to change.come on.Some of you declare- Fill me up, GodI've been tempted.Fill me up, God.Lord, fill me up again.I've been going through it.again.Fill me up again.Jesus.There's breakthrough for you, breakthrough for you in the name of Jesus.Fill me up.Fill her up, God.Fill her with power.Fill her with Your Spirit.In the name the soles of her feet, God.Jesus, have Your way.Fill me up.So fire and wind- Fire and wind, come and do it againHe's getting ready to fill you.Fire and wind, come and do it again.Lift your hands, come on.Come on, everybody.Cover us, Lord.Even if you're in your seat.Cover us, Lord.Something's about to hit your household.Cover us, Lord.Something's about to hit your marriage.Cover us, Lord.He's gonna fill you, fill you, fill you, fill you.Come and do it again.In Jesus' name.Cover us,Hey.Fireand let Your glory in.There it is.There it is.Come and do it again.me.Fire and wind, come and do it again.Say, "Lord, filled, so fill me with Your Spirit.Fill me with Your Spirit now."Open up the gates and let Your glory in."Holy Spirit, let it flow.Let it move."Cover us, Lord.Oh, Jesus.Come on, come on, come on, come on.Come on, give God a few more moments.Lord.power's coming.Cover us, Lord.A power's coming.A power's coming.CoverPower's coming, power's coming.It's stirring in the room.Come on.Jesus, have your way.Lord, not my will, your will be done.Fill me with your power.Fill me, fill me with your Holy Spirit.Holy Spirit is my counselor.Your Holy Spirit is what I need.Your Holy Spirit comes and breaks yokes of bondages.Oh, hallelujah.Lord, fill us, fill us, fill us.Fill us in this moment.Fill us this hour.Oh, God, we need you.We need you.lift your hands.Jesus, fill us, God.Jesus, fill us, God.Oh,Yes.That's something out the Bible,Some of you are being filled.something out the Bible, the impossible.I youfor a miracle.Lee C, I had a word for you a few weeks ago, and I couldn't give it to you.I'ma give it to you today.That God has a big calling on your life.There's a great anointing that He wants to rest.There, there's already an anointing, but He wants to rest a greater anointing on your life, but He's calling you.He's calling you to a bigger level, and that bigger level, God's gonna give you words.But they're not gonna be just words, they're gonnaLike, God's calling you to be a preacher.I don't know why, but He's called you to be a preacher.He wants to use your life.But today, I feel like He's gonna fill you anew.He's gonna fill you.Something's gonna hit you.Things are gonna shift in even your thought life.So as you lift your hands, Angela, get behind her.Father, right now, in the name of Jesus, God's gonna heal every hurt, every doubt, all the pain.Whatever your faith insecurities, all that stuff is about to fall off your life today.I declare today you're walking out of this room brand new.I declare that no chain will have a grip on your life, that nothing will stop what God has in front of you.Your seasons of hurt, pain are over.God's gonna give you brand new seasons.Brand new seasons.Be open for it, be ready for it.I feel acceleration coming into your life in the name of Jesus.Father, I see a preacher in her.Lord, you've given me visions of her preaching.The way she articulates words, the way her thought process works, God, that you're gonna use it in a powerful way.So Father, I pray even now that you begin to give her sermons.Father, give her visions.Father, release your spirit upon her life in the name of Jesus.In the name of Jesus.Come on, everybody, lift your hands.Everybody, everybody.Wow.Come on.Come on, everybody.God, fill me up.Jesus.Come on, can you make that your prayer?God, fill me up.Lord, fill me.Come on, make that your prayer.God, fill me up.Say, "Lord, fill me."'Cause when He fills you, things change.God, fill me up.When He fills you, things begin to happen.Yes.Come on, that's it, husband.God, fill meThat's it, wife.Come on.Let him fill you.Let this be the day that you get filled.Come on.Victory Church.Raise up.Lift your hands.Sendon, close your eyes all over the room.Lift your hands.In an atmosphere like this, it's important for us to understand that there is no short supply of the Spirit of God in heaven or on earth.But what is in short supply is surrender on earth.The Bible is clear.The desire of heaven is to have all of you.The desire of heaven is to have you totally and completely to itself.The desire of the Father was so great that the Bible says that He sends His one and only begotten Son as a way of trading, as a way of exchanging.He said, "I'll go first."If you're wondering if God loves you, He said, "I'll go first."So the question in the room is not does God want more to do with me, the question is can I make room for God to do more with me?Come on, if you're making room this morning, would you lift your hands?Just, God, I'm making room for you to do something in my life, God.I'm willing to let go.I'm willing, I'm willing to rearrange things.I'm willing to rearrange my habits, my likes, my dislikes.I'll rearrange my career.I'll rearrange my family.I'll rearrange my entire life, God, to make room for you to do what you wanna do.If that's you, would you lift your hands just a little bit higher?And if you wanna give your life to Jesus, would you lift your hands right now in the room?We believe in this church that if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died and rose again for the forgiveness of our sins so that we may inherit eternal life, and upon re- u- upon believing that, the Bible declares that He would give you the Holy Spirit as a down payment for your inheritance.Listen, your ultimate prize is heaven, but He says while you're here on earth, I'll leave you the Spirit.So to live a life without the Spirit is to live a life unsure of my destiny.And when I don't know where I'm going, I make wrong decisions all the time.But the Bible declares that if I accept my destiny, the down payment is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God will lead you into all righteousness.If you wanna receive that here today, lift those hands real high all over the room and repeat after me.Say, "Lord Jesus, I give you my life.I surrender my will, and I accept you as Lord and Savior of my life."That means it's no longer about what I want.It's about what you want from my life.I give you permission to rearrange my life.Lord, put things in order so that I can live a life that's pleasing to you.I thank you, and I love you.In Jesus' name.Come on, can you put your hands together all over the room?Come on, can you clap for the Lord?Come on, can you shout Jesus?Come on, can you shout glory?Praise the Lord.God is changing and transforming lives all over the room.Hey, so your next step is going to be so important.I want to encourage you, get plugged into a life group, get discipled, get trained, get equipped so you can continue to push back darkness off of your life and grow and establish the things of God.But also, if you're a young person, a young leader, a young adult, we also want to mention to you that every Wednesday night is our YA nights, our young adult nights.You can be here 7 o'clock every Wednesday night and from 3 to 4 every Sunday.That means even today, if you're an aspiring leader, if you're leading a ministry, leading a life group, 3 to 4 is for you, leadership and culture night.And once again, if you're aspiring to lead, desire to lead, grow in your leadership, 3 to 4 is for you.God bless y'all.