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Greetings to the church. Greetings to the church. Amen. It's good to be amongst the congregation of God's people, not just today, but always. I greet you all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
I want to read from the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 16, beginning at verse 13. Last week, I was discussing a message with my dear wife when a word came into my spirit. From what I've heard today in the service, the church needs this word. It's not my word—I didn't choose it. But as I spoke to my wife, I heard: "Touch not." And from what I've heard today, there's been a lot of touching going on. There are two things about this verse: "Touch not" and "do no harm."
Oh ye seed of Israel, his servant. Ye children of Jacob, his chosen, he is the Lord our God. His judgments are all in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant, the word which he commanded to a thousand generation.
I think that's some 30,000 years if I do the maths right. That means we haven't even got there yet. It's way over there. But we are protected by those covenants. I want to encourage the church: we are protected by those covenants.
Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac, and has confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, "Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance, when ye were but a few, even a few, and strangers in it.
When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, he suffered no man to do them wrong. Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes. And this rebuke says: "Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm."
Hallelujah. Touch not mine anointed. The anointed people of God belong to God. He owns you and I. He's the owner and the creator of every anointed individual in this place.
My theme today is: Empowering servants with divine protection.
We live in a world where anyone can say what they want to say, pastor. They can say anything about you, anything about any one of the children of God. But I want you to know that God is listening.
Where there is conflict, he knows about it. Where there's divisions, he knows about it. Where there's vexation of spirit, he knows about it. Where there is sickness, he knows about it. Where comfort is needed, he's the comforter. God knows. Every move, every word that is spoken—they call it freedom of speech. But I want to tell the people of God that in the house of God, there is no such thing as freedom to say whatever you want to say about a child of God.
Let me say it again: there is no such freedom to say what you want to say about a child of God. When we say negative things, it brings negative results.
I heard someone praying just now, and I think it might have been our pastor when he said the word "one accord." In order for the church to move together in unity, there has to be one accord.
If I'm a member of the congregation and I'm being stripped, torn down, and have negative things said about me, the congregation won't move because it's not one accord. The Holy Spirit moves the same. I've heard it said since this theme has begun: "I am empowered by God." I've heard it many times. But if we're all empowered by God, we're all empowered to move in the same direction.
If we are empowered by God, our works must be seen. God has not empowered us to stand around talking. God has empowered us to do our work. God has empowered us to be a part of his kingdom. He's empowered us so that we can walk with him and talk with him and tell him all of our problems.
There is no freedom to be disparaging or discouraging to the people of God. People get disappointed, and because there is disappointment, people turn and refuse even to turn back when the best of ministers go and minister to them. Why? Because we're flesh and blood. We hurt.
I'm encouraging the church today: when you open your mouth to speak, when we open our mouths to speak, make sure that with your empowerment you empower the person that you're speaking to.
There is much going on. I was made to look at the book of Titus to confirm what I was supposed to do, and it was a little bit hard to begin with. But then the spirit of the Lord came in and I began to see what the Lord wanted me to say.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision whose mouths must be stopped. (Titus 1:10-11)
This was a hard thing for me to take on. But if you got to carry God's word, sometimes you got to go down the firing range where the bullets are flying and deliver the word of God. In other words, those who criticize and cause people to turn away from God's intended purpose must be stopped.
A number of years ago, I remember giving a message in a small church in Manchester, and one of the subjects that came up was friendly fire. I don't know if anybody knows what friendly fire is. It's the worst kind of thing to happen, whether it's seen as an accident or deliberate or whatever. It's the worst kind of thing that happens within the army or at wartime. You shoot your own.
We don't want to be like that. We don't want to shoot each other. We want to continue to be led where the spirit leads. And the spirit leads to peace, an abundance of peace. The spirit leads to quietness. If you don't have anything good to say, say nothing.
What is the motivation for criticism or for criticizing one another? Is it constructive? Because if it's constructive, it's good. But is it destructive? Is it to motivate or to discourage?
In the house of the Lord, the church today, we find some brethren are being discouraged and touched by the mouth of some professing to be children of God. Professing to be empowered, no less. God has not empowered us to tear down one another. God has not empowered us to be critics. We are empowered to bring praise and glory to our Father by the works that is given us to do. We must be busy doing that work.
All of these things we need to pray for, because prayer wins in all things.
God is saying in 1 Chronicles 16:22: these people are my people. Don't touch them while they're doing the work of the ministry. Leave them alone. Don't put your hand on them. Don't touch them with your mouth. Don't do them any harm.
Sometimes we go around and say things about a brother or a sister. We don't say to their face. We say behind them, way over yonder. But I tell you something: when it's negative, it comes back to you quicker than if it was positive. So God is saying, "Don't do it. Don't do it."
We must support our leaders. God empowered servant leaders in the service of God. In the scripture, we see that there is resistance to God's work.
Look at Nehemiah chapter 4, verse 1. Nehemiah, a God-inspired man of God, responded to the critics when they mocked, laughed, and scoffed at him. Nehemiah prayed to God to stop them so that the work could continue. Why? Because the people had a mind to work. When you have people inspired to do God's service, you don't want somebody to walk in and be messing with them. That's why God said, "Don't touch them. Leave them alone."
Sanballat, Tobias, and Geshem were trying to stop the work of God. Isn't it amazing how people can club together? We have these three people clubbing together to stop a good work. But Nehemiah prayed to God. Evil clubs together to stop the servant of God. But if evil can unite against us, then we as the righteousness of God can do more so because of the power of the God we serve.
Today there are similar personalities in and amongst God's people. Don't mistake in thinking the church can sit beside a brother or a sister and not be affected. It happened in the book of Job. When the people of God went to worship God, the enemy came along with them and sat in the church asking questions.
A God-empowered servant leader will lead from a position of humility. That servant has got to be out in front so he will be seen. He's likely to be the first one to take a blow because he's in front leading that leader.
Him or her is there to lead and to lead God's people in righteousness, allowing the spirit of God to move him or her. They must be a lover of people, leading the people they're caring for day and night, praying when everybody else has stopped praying. When everybody else is tired, they're praying.
I understand the minister's duty: his or her duty is to care for the people God has put him in charge of. A leader is a person with God-given attributes such as honesty and integrity, sight and insight. Those attributes God uses to establish and build his church. God is the one who through the service of leaders builds all things. These are the things that evil will always try to prevent.
Evil wants to rob us of divine blessings. We can't sit back and allow it. God is a divine source of an abundant supply that is never ending. When leaders lead the people in whatever circumstances according to God's mandate, those people will be the ones who will hold up your hand, pastor.
God has empowered us with his word. God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. The same ministry that God used to reconcile us in the first place is giving it to us to reconcile each other to ourselves. So if we have brokenness anywhere, you're empowered to fix it.
You cannot just stand and say, "I'm empowered." If your work is not seen, listen—I want to tell you a short story.
It was almost bedtime for me one night when somebody found me and said, "My car is making this awful noise and I don't know what it is." They knew who I was. I didn't tell them, but they knew that I was a vehicle engineer. So they phoned me in the middle of the night. I didn't have the car. I don't even know what car this person was driving. But I said to the person, "Does it run?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "All right, if it's running, put your phone over the engine to the place where the noise is coming from and let me hear it."
And he did just that. I heard the noise and I said, "Oh, I know what that is. Just bring it around and I'll do it for you." And when he came, I have a toolbox about that big. I'd already gone in my toolbox and taken out the necessary tools because I knew exactly what was wrong.
When he came, it took me about 20 or 30 minutes to sort it out for him, and he was stunned. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? If we are empowered, we have the gifts to do what needs to be done.
So let us just get on with it and do it. If somebody is in your way, try to walk around him. There are other ways. But the work that the Lord has set in place must be done. It has to be done.
As I look through the Bible, I see some things. I see Abraham way back in the beginning. God empowered Abraham to be the father of many nations. God empowered Moses to deliver his people out of Egypt.
Jeremiah was sent to speak and God said to him, "Look, set your face like flint when you talk to these people because they need to know that you're serious. And God means what God means." You and I can't stand in God's way. We can't beat God.
God empowered David to be king. David was anointed some four times before he became king. People, I want you and God wants you to be encouraged. There'll be no discouragement in this house in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I heard Pastor Levine say we've got to boot him out of the house. He doesn't belong here. If he comes in, it's to cause divisions. If he comes in, it's to cause quarrels. If he comes in, it's to cause us to begin to bite up one another. If he comes in here, it's for some destructive reason. We've got to get him out.
This message, as I've said before, is a message that the church needs. It's a message that's sent for us to look at and understand.
We're empowered to serve. We're not serving the enemy. We are serving God.
When it comes to God's protection, the enemy had a conversation with God because he didn't like what God was doing. He asked God, "Does Job serve God for nothing?" Does he? No, he doesn't. He serves God, but the reward he receives is from God.
So God wants us to be reinstated and reconciled with each other in the church in the body. The foot cannot operate on its own. Neither can the finger. It must be as one.
I hear the songwriter writing. He wrote, "Let the church be the church. Leave the church alone." This is the place where the word of God speaks to the people. Don't touch mine anointed or do my servants any harm.
People of God, fix those things that are broken. For years, you've probably fallen out with the wrong person. Oh, don't get me wrong on that one. For years, you've probably fallen out with the wrong person. That person could be your inspiration. That person could have your divine blessing. That person, though you may not know it, they are praying to God for you. But you don't know and won't know unless there is some reconciliation.
Instead of being empowered, God has provided for every need that we may have in order for us to be effective—every single need. Effective in service through the help, leading, infilling and authority of the Holy Spirit.
God has prevented weapons from prospering because of us. His spirit has lifted up standards in our favor that we may prevail. Oh, glory to God.
Isaiah 59:19 (paraphrased): He has prevented plagues from coming near.
We only have to look at recent years at COVID. You are still here. We are still here. God has prevented plagues from coming near. He has instructed his own to stand still so we could see him helping.
We need that encouragement. We need to see the move of God in his church.
So the message I brought today is a uniting, one accord message—not one that would divide us or separate us, but one that would join us together. As I heard earlier on, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.
God has shut the mouths of enemies. Held up the hand of his ministers and stopped the sun in the sky so that the battle could be won. God will do anything, as only he can, for us to be victorious. In spite of scoffers and scorners, God has set our defense in place.
Psalm 91:11: For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.
In order for us to be safe, God set angels to watch you, to guard you, to protect you, to walk with you, to talk with you. You know some things happen in your life where you can't explain. There are some things, some incidents and some accidents that you were supposed to be involved in and you wonder why you weren't involved in.
I had one case where myself and my wife got out the car. We had to get out the car, and I was looking for something that was stuck under the car. But what had happened, the other car's headlamp had come out. It didn't hit any of the body parts on my car, but it got stuck underneath. And I came out and I asked, "How on earth did that miss my windscreen? How did it miss breaking my own headlight on my car?"
But after much deliberating, I realized who was standing in the way. I realized who stepped out in front to prevent any damage. It was God. And I'm saying to us today the very same thing I'm encouraging us: If we are empowered to serve, let's not just speak it, but do it.
The word "service" and the word "serve" is an action word. An action word is a verb. It describes what the person does. So the church, the church is the house of God. When we come in, we should have great expectations to meet up with our God.
Let me say that again: we have to expect more. You may have come into the house of the Lord this morning sick, not well, not feeling well. But I'm here to tell you that God is a master of healing. He does it in all kinds of ways. He's a master of healing. There's nobody who can heal like God.
There may be children who are not here. Mothers and fathers maybe not here. Too old to come out. Too aged to come out. Your husbands, your wives. I have great expectations, pastor. Possibly even greater than what is possible with men. Definitely certainly greater than what is possible with me.
I want the same for God's people so they can know where to go for all of those possibilities. So again I say: if you are empowered by God—and I know you are—I know there are people here who are empowered by God and understand this simple message, so we can know.
There are so many things that God has in store for his church. We only have to pick up the Bible. Numbers 23:19 is a fact: he's certainly not a man that he should lie.
We need also to look at John 17:17. The Bible tells us that God has given to his servants protection and power. We can tread upon serpents by the Holy Spirit and nothing shall by any means harm us.
When I read the ministry of Paul, I see that Paul was snake bitten. He had his rough moments. But thanks be to God for his goodness and his mercy to his people. We are not the people that are thrown away. We are kept by divine power.
Matthew 16:18: The Lord says, "I will build my church."
Let me not put a spin on this, but I will build my church. No devil from hell, no binding chain or rope, no bomb, no brick, no gun—nothing from the gates of hell shall prevail against the church. You are the church. The people of God. All of you here, myself included, every one of us, we are the church. The church is not made up of bricks and mortar, but people, my brethren.
I would like all of the pastors, everybody that preaches the word of God to come because here's how it is: you're going to get some hard times. And I'm not discouraging you, but I'm telling you the truth. When you look at scriptures, you can see it's all there. But I want to pray for you that your faith fail not.
Jesus called—and I was lying down in bed this morning and I said, when Jesus calls a name, somebody's name, it's serious. And he said Simon. Simon, the devil desires to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed. Prayer stands up in the enemy's way all the time. All the time.
I'm going to encourage you and encourage you and encourage prayer. Come, let me pray for you. Don't just sit there and think that this brother can't pray for you. I can pray for you in the name of Jesus Christ. You've got to lead the people. You have a mandate to lead God's people where God wants you to lead them to. You have a mandate to do it in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, by the blood of Jesus.
I pronounce and announce that every plan of the enemy against you be broken, shattered to pieces. Oh God, in the name of Jesus. Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we send them back to the place from where they came. Oh God, in Jesus name. Break the works of the enemy, oh God, from off your man's servants in the name of Jesus.
And set aside, oh God, in the name of Jesus, a divine blessing. Set it aside, set it aside, oh God, and give your men's servant a place by you in Jesus' name.
Father, the times they are changing. They are getting more and more dangerous. Oh God, in the name of Jesus, let your men servant be bold, oh God, in Jesus' name, to speak a word where that word needs to be spoken in the name of Jesus Christ.
Father, we expect you to return at any time. Yes, for your promise you would return. And so in the name of Jesus: I pray that that which was broken be restored. I pray in the name of Jesus that for these ministers, that which was broken to be made whole.
Be with your servants, Lord. Walk with them and talk with them, oh Lord. Instruct them, oh God, and direct them, oh God. Pour out in them, oh God, your spirit, oh God, in Jesus name, that they will be able to handle the difficult situations in the name of Jesus Christ.
Pour out, Father God, your empowerment that they would be encouraged. Encourage your ministers, oh Lord. Encourage them, oh Lord, that they may lead your people to you. Oh, hallelujah.
Father God, by your divine power, inspiration, the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit, I ask in no other name but in Jesus name: Keep your ministers, oh God, by the power of your word in Jesus name. Keep them, Lord. Protect them from dangers seen and unseen. Guard them, Lord.
Greetings to the church. Greetings to the church. Amen. It's good to be amongst the congregation of God's people, not just today, but always. I greet you all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
I want to read from the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 16, beginning at verse 13. Last week, I was discussing a message with my dear wife when a word came into my spirit. From what I've heard today in the service, the church needs this word. It's not my word—I didn't choose it. But as I spoke to my wife, I heard: "Touch not." And from what I've heard today, there's been a lot of touching going on. There are two things about this verse: "Touch not" and "do no harm."
Oh ye seed of Israel, his servant. Ye children of Jacob, his chosen, he is the Lord our God. His judgments are all in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant, the word which he commanded to a thousand generation.
I think that's some 30,000 years if I do the maths right. That means we haven't even got there yet. It's way over there. But we are protected by those covenants. I want to encourage the church: we are protected by those covenants.
Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac, and has confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, "Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance, when ye were but a few, even a few, and strangers in it.
When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, he suffered no man to do them wrong. Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes. And this rebuke says: "Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm."
Hallelujah. Touch not mine anointed. The anointed people of God belong to God. He owns you and I. He's the owner and the creator of every anointed individual in this place.
My theme today is: Empowering servants with divine protection.
We live in a world where anyone can say what they want to say, pastor. They can say anything about you, anything about any one of the children of God. But I want you to know that God is listening.
Where there is conflict, he knows about it. Where there's divisions, he knows about it. Where there's vexation of spirit, he knows about it. Where there is sickness, he knows about it. Where comfort is needed, he's the comforter. God knows. Every move, every word that is spoken—they call it freedom of speech. But I want to tell the people of God that in the house of God, there is no such thing as freedom to say whatever you want to say about a child of God.
Let me say it again: there is no such freedom to say what you want to say about a child of God. When we say negative things, it brings negative results.
I heard someone praying just now, and I think it might have been our pastor when he said the word "one accord." In order for the church to move together in unity, there has to be one accord.
If I'm a member of the congregation and I'm being stripped, torn down, and have negative things said about me, the congregation won't move because it's not one accord. The Holy Spirit moves the same. I've heard it said since this theme has begun: "I am empowered by God." I've heard it many times. But if we're all empowered by God, we're all empowered to move in the same direction.
If we are empowered by God, our works must be seen. God has not empowered us to stand around talking. God has empowered us to do our work. God has empowered us to be a part of his kingdom. He's empowered us so that we can walk with him and talk with him and tell him all of our problems.
There is no freedom to be disparaging or discouraging to the people of God. People get disappointed, and because there is disappointment, people turn and refuse even to turn back when the best of ministers go and minister to them. Why? Because we're flesh and blood. We hurt.
I'm encouraging the church today: when you open your mouth to speak, when we open our mouths to speak, make sure that with your empowerment you empower the person that you're speaking to.
There is much going on. I was made to look at the book of Titus to confirm what I was supposed to do, and it was a little bit hard to begin with. But then the spirit of the Lord came in and I began to see what the Lord wanted me to say.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision whose mouths must be stopped. (Titus 1:10-11)
This was a hard thing for me to take on. But if you got to carry God's word, sometimes you got to go down the firing range where the bullets are flying and deliver the word of God. In other words, those who criticize and cause people to turn away from God's intended purpose must be stopped.
A number of years ago, I remember giving a message in a small church in Manchester, and one of the subjects that came up was friendly fire. I don't know if anybody knows what friendly fire is. It's the worst kind of thing to happen, whether it's seen as an accident or deliberate or whatever. It's the worst kind of thing that happens within the army or at wartime. You shoot your own.
We don't want to be like that. We don't want to shoot each other. We want to continue to be led where the spirit leads. And the spirit leads to peace, an abundance of peace. The spirit leads to quietness. If you don't have anything good to say, say nothing.
What is the motivation for criticism or for criticizing one another? Is it constructive? Because if it's constructive, it's good. But is it destructive? Is it to motivate or to discourage?
In the house of the Lord, the church today, we find some brethren are being discouraged and touched by the mouth of some professing to be children of God. Professing to be empowered, no less. God has not empowered us to tear down one another. God has not empowered us to be critics. We are empowered to bring praise and glory to our Father by the works that is given us to do. We must be busy doing that work.
All of these things we need to pray for, because prayer wins in all things.
God is saying in 1 Chronicles 16:22: these people are my people. Don't touch them while they're doing the work of the ministry. Leave them alone. Don't put your hand on them. Don't touch them with your mouth. Don't do them any harm.
Sometimes we go around and say things about a brother or a sister. We don't say to their face. We say behind them, way over yonder. But I tell you something: when it's negative, it comes back to you quicker than if it was positive. So God is saying, "Don't do it. Don't do it."
We must support our leaders. God empowered servant leaders in the service of God. In the scripture, we see that there is resistance to God's work.
Look at Nehemiah chapter 4, verse 1. Nehemiah, a God-inspired man of God, responded to the critics when they mocked, laughed, and scoffed at him. Nehemiah prayed to God to stop them so that the work could continue. Why? Because the people had a mind to work. When you have people inspired to do God's service, you don't want somebody to walk in and be messing with them. That's why God said, "Don't touch them. Leave them alone."
Sanballat, Tobias, and Geshem were trying to stop the work of God. Isn't it amazing how people can club together? We have these three people clubbing together to stop a good work. But Nehemiah prayed to God. Evil clubs together to stop the servant of God. But if evil can unite against us, then we as the righteousness of God can do more so because of the power of the God we serve.
Today there are similar personalities in and amongst God's people. Don't mistake in thinking the church can sit beside a brother or a sister and not be affected. It happened in the book of Job. When the people of God went to worship God, the enemy came along with them and sat in the church asking questions.
A God-empowered servant leader will lead from a position of humility. That servant has got to be out in front so he will be seen. He's likely to be the first one to take a blow because he's in front leading that leader.
Him or her is there to lead and to lead God's people in righteousness, allowing the spirit of God to move him or her. They must be a lover of people, leading the people they're caring for day and night, praying when everybody else has stopped praying. When everybody else is tired, they're praying.
I understand the minister's duty: his or her duty is to care for the people God has put him in charge of. A leader is a person with God-given attributes such as honesty and integrity, sight and insight. Those attributes God uses to establish and build his church. God is the one who through the service of leaders builds all things. These are the things that evil will always try to prevent.
Evil wants to rob us of divine blessings. We can't sit back and allow it. God is a divine source of an abundant supply that is never ending. When leaders lead the people in whatever circumstances according to God's mandate, those people will be the ones who will hold up your hand, pastor.
God has empowered us with his word. God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. The same ministry that God used to reconcile us in the first place is giving it to us to reconcile each other to ourselves. So if we have brokenness anywhere, you're empowered to fix it.
You cannot just stand and say, "I'm empowered." If your work is not seen, listen—I want to tell you a short story.
It was almost bedtime for me one night when somebody found me and said, "My car is making this awful noise and I don't know what it is." They knew who I was. I didn't tell them, but they knew that I was a vehicle engineer. So they phoned me in the middle of the night. I didn't have the car. I don't even know what car this person was driving. But I said to the person, "Does it run?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "All right, if it's running, put your phone over the engine to the place where the noise is coming from and let me hear it."
And he did just that. I heard the noise and I said, "Oh, I know what that is. Just bring it around and I'll do it for you." And when he came, I have a toolbox about that big. I'd already gone in my toolbox and taken out the necessary tools because I knew exactly what was wrong.
When he came, it took me about 20 or 30 minutes to sort it out for him, and he was stunned. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? If we are empowered, we have the gifts to do what needs to be done.
So let us just get on with it and do it. If somebody is in your way, try to walk around him. There are other ways. But the work that the Lord has set in place must be done. It has to be done.
As I look through the Bible, I see some things. I see Abraham way back in the beginning. God empowered Abraham to be the father of many nations. God empowered Moses to deliver his people out of Egypt.
Jeremiah was sent to speak and God said to him, "Look, set your face like flint when you talk to these people because they need to know that you're serious. And God means what God means." You and I can't stand in God's way. We can't beat God.
God empowered David to be king. David was anointed some four times before he became king. People, I want you and God wants you to be encouraged. There'll be no discouragement in this house in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I heard Pastor Levine say we've got to boot him out of the house. He doesn't belong here. If he comes in, it's to cause divisions. If he comes in, it's to cause quarrels. If he comes in, it's to cause us to begin to bite up one another. If he comes in here, it's for some destructive reason. We've got to get him out.
This message, as I've said before, is a message that the church needs. It's a message that's sent for us to look at and understand.
We're empowered to serve. We're not serving the enemy. We are serving God.
When it comes to God's protection, the enemy had a conversation with God because he didn't like what God was doing. He asked God, "Does Job serve God for nothing?" Does he? No, he doesn't. He serves God, but the reward he receives is from God.
So God wants us to be reinstated and reconciled with each other in the church in the body. The foot cannot operate on its own. Neither can the finger. It must be as one.
I hear the songwriter writing. He wrote, "Let the church be the church. Leave the church alone." This is the place where the word of God speaks to the people. Don't touch mine anointed or do my servants any harm.
People of God, fix those things that are broken. For years, you've probably fallen out with the wrong person. Oh, don't get me wrong on that one. For years, you've probably fallen out with the wrong person. That person could be your inspiration. That person could have your divine blessing. That person, though you may not know it, they are praying to God for you. But you don't know and won't know unless there is some reconciliation.
Instead of being empowered, God has provided for every need that we may have in order for us to be effective—every single need. Effective in service through the help, leading, infilling and authority of the Holy Spirit.
God has prevented weapons from prospering because of us. His spirit has lifted up standards in our favor that we may prevail. Oh, glory to God.
Isaiah 59:19 (paraphrased): He has prevented plagues from coming near.
We only have to look at recent years at COVID. You are still here. We are still here. God has prevented plagues from coming near. He has instructed his own to stand still so we could see him helping.
We need that encouragement. We need to see the move of God in his church.
So the message I brought today is a uniting, one accord message—not one that would divide us or separate us, but one that would join us together. As I heard earlier on, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.
God has shut the mouths of enemies. Held up the hand of his ministers and stopped the sun in the sky so that the battle could be won. God will do anything, as only he can, for us to be victorious. In spite of scoffers and scorners, God has set our defense in place.
Psalm 91:11: For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.
In order for us to be safe, God set angels to watch you, to guard you, to protect you, to walk with you, to talk with you. You know some things happen in your life where you can't explain. There are some things, some incidents and some accidents that you were supposed to be involved in and you wonder why you weren't involved in.
I had one case where myself and my wife got out the car. We had to get out the car, and I was looking for something that was stuck under the car. But what had happened, the other car's headlamp had come out. It didn't hit any of the body parts on my car, but it got stuck underneath. And I came out and I asked, "How on earth did that miss my windscreen? How did it miss breaking my own headlight on my car?"
But after much deliberating, I realized who was standing in the way. I realized who stepped out in front to prevent any damage. It was God. And I'm saying to us today the very same thing I'm encouraging us: If we are empowered to serve, let's not just speak it, but do it.
The word "service" and the word "serve" is an action word. An action word is a verb. It describes what the person does. So the church, the church is the house of God. When we come in, we should have great expectations to meet up with our God.
Let me say that again: we have to expect more. You may have come into the house of the Lord this morning sick, not well, not feeling well. But I'm here to tell you that God is a master of healing. He does it in all kinds of ways. He's a master of healing. There's nobody who can heal like God.
There may be children who are not here. Mothers and fathers maybe not here. Too old to come out. Too aged to come out. Your husbands, your wives. I have great expectations, pastor. Possibly even greater than what is possible with men. Definitely certainly greater than what is possible with me.
I want the same for God's people so they can know where to go for all of those possibilities. So again I say: if you are empowered by God—and I know you are—I know there are people here who are empowered by God and understand this simple message, so we can know.
There are so many things that God has in store for his church. We only have to pick up the Bible. Numbers 23:19 is a fact: he's certainly not a man that he should lie.
We need also to look at John 17:17. The Bible tells us that God has given to his servants protection and power. We can tread upon serpents by the Holy Spirit and nothing shall by any means harm us.
When I read the ministry of Paul, I see that Paul was snake bitten. He had his rough moments. But thanks be to God for his goodness and his mercy to his people. We are not the people that are thrown away. We are kept by divine power.
Matthew 16:18: The Lord says, "I will build my church."
Let me not put a spin on this, but I will build my church. No devil from hell, no binding chain or rope, no bomb, no brick, no gun—nothing from the gates of hell shall prevail against the church. You are the church. The people of God. All of you here, myself included, every one of us, we are the church. The church is not made up of bricks and mortar, but people, my brethren.
I would like all of the pastors, everybody that preaches the word of God to come because here's how it is: you're going to get some hard times. And I'm not discouraging you, but I'm telling you the truth. When you look at scriptures, you can see it's all there. But I want to pray for you that your faith fail not.
Jesus called—and I was lying down in bed this morning and I said, when Jesus calls a name, somebody's name, it's serious. And he said Simon. Simon, the devil desires to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed. Prayer stands up in the enemy's way all the time. All the time.
I'm going to encourage you and encourage you and encourage prayer. Come, let me pray for you. Don't just sit there and think that this brother can't pray for you. I can pray for you in the name of Jesus Christ. You've got to lead the people. You have a mandate to lead God's people where God wants you to lead them to. You have a mandate to do it in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, by the blood of Jesus.
I pronounce and announce that every plan of the enemy against you be broken, shattered to pieces. Oh God, in the name of Jesus. Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we send them back to the place from where they came. Oh God, in Jesus name. Break the works of the enemy, oh God, from off your man's servants in the name of Jesus.
And set aside, oh God, in the name of Jesus, a divine blessing. Set it aside, set it aside, oh God, and give your men's servant a place by you in Jesus' name.
Father, the times they are changing. They are getting more and more dangerous. Oh God, in the name of Jesus, let your men servant be bold, oh God, in Jesus' name, to speak a word where that word needs to be spoken in the name of Jesus Christ.
Father, we expect you to return at any time. Yes, for your promise you would return. And so in the name of Jesus: I pray that that which was broken be restored. I pray in the name of Jesus that for these ministers, that which was broken to be made whole.
Be with your servants, Lord. Walk with them and talk with them, oh Lord. Instruct them, oh God, and direct them, oh God. Pour out in them, oh God, your spirit, oh God, in Jesus name, that they will be able to handle the difficult situations in the name of Jesus Christ.
Pour out, Father God, your empowerment that they would be encouraged. Encourage your ministers, oh Lord. Encourage them, oh Lord, that they may lead your people to you. Oh, hallelujah.
Father God, by your divine power, inspiration, the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit, I ask in no other name but in Jesus name: Keep your ministers, oh God, by the power of your word in Jesus name. Keep them, Lord. Protect them from dangers seen and unseen. Guard them, Lord.
