Duet 2:1-3 Then we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea, as the Lord directed me; and for many days we journeyed around Mount Seir. 2And the Lord spoke to me [Moses], saying, 3 You have roamed around this mountain country long enough; turn northward.
Ephesian 2:17-22And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
In order to get the visitation of the Holy Spirit you must be fitted together, not having 2 agenda’s, 2 paths or 2 ways. He lives in the mist of our unity as a church and family. Satan knows this fact very well and tries everything to stop our unity.
We must stand together as one in the kingdom, as one in the church and family, Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. VERSE 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. But that’s not enough; we must be connected together in order to stand otherwise we will fall.
Lord My family is skirted this mountain long enough, free and release them I pray. He will free you today, he will bring your breakthrough today.
This message is for families that are ready to move ahead, a family to us is a mother, a father, 2 kids, a dog, a cat, 2 gold fish and a bird. But that’s not everybody’s reality…because there is all type of families, sometimes could be 2 sisters move together, sometimes could be a mother raising a child or 3, or a single father with his kids, grand mamas raising kids, all type of family.
I’m not talking about homosexuals living together because that’s ungodly (and I don't care what people thing of me); I’m not talking about 2 men in relationship living together or 2 women in relationship living together. And I’m not talking about a man living with his girlfriend before marriage either (you can say whatever you like about me but I'm not changing my position on this...as long as it is in the bible, I will defend it), that’s not family according to the word of God. Anything that is not Holy Matrimony…is a SIN!
In saying that, all ungodly affairs are sin, and all ungodly acts are sin. It’s unfortunate that I’m forced to clarify this… but because of the secular and unclean teachings today I have to clarify it. I don’t like to bring the medicine to the problem but the problem to the medicine. You can never become what you don’t believe.
Hold the standard of what God has in mind for you and what God has commanded in the bible and you will be just fine. Not your standards, because there are a huge deference between your standards and God standards, between what you have in mind and what God has in mind.
Isaiah 55:8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Our lord Jesus prayed 3 times in 1-day “let your will be done not mine”, Lord… my desire is let your will be done not mine, I’m pressing toward the goal, I’m praying to be like my master in all things, I love what he loves and dislike what he dislikes.
Our job in the church is to hold the line between what Gods says… not what the system of this world says or what the government or the Supreme Court says.
We cannot change who we are to fit with the world, we are told Rom12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
In duet God is speaking to his people that are struggling to understand that they are a chosen nation, here we see that God saved them from Egypt as a family because they went to Egypt as a family.
And this family became a nation, when God spoke to Rebecca the LORD said, "Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger." So when God speaks to single people he speaks to the natural things that he has put in you, another word… He speaks to you as a nation.
God speaks to your destiny… All the spiritual things that are born in you, all the children that you will have both in the natural and spiritual, all the prophetic words that comes out of you, And all the talents which you possess or will possess.
Israel spent 400 years as slaves in Egypt; African American and indigenous Australians can understand this because they are a few generation into freedom from slavery, but you don’t have to be African American nor aboriginal to understand slavery…all you have to do is be a sinner! Sin makes you a slave. But Jesus came to free you from your oppressor and from all kind of sins!
You can be saved but still circling around in the same mountain, roaming and stuck around the same poison. Your anger comes back, your frustration shows up, your fear is still there, your anxiety still rule over you, you still bound to the same sin, you still that same you 5 years ago. If you still disagree about the same things you use to disagree on 3 or 5 years ago, you’re circling around the same mountain.
Now you have to decide if you are satisfied with this mountain or not, the same argument, the same gossip, the same old story, the same old problems. Or live the abundant life that Jesus came to give you, and gave you to live, and start walking in the newness of life. That doesn’t mean you won’t have challenges, but when they come…you refuse to live today the same way you lived 5 years ago.
This message is for families that are ready to cross over, and for individuals that are ready to cross over… how many are ready to cross over and start anew?
You must speak to your life and say: I don’t want to keep in the same rut; I don’t want my family in the same rut, my finance in the same rut, myself in the same rut, I decided to change… I’m going to change because I’m willing to change!
I want to shake you and stare you up and get you out of whatever keeps you stuck, I want to free you (in Jesus name) spiritually and naturally so you can see the calling of God upon your lives as a family and individually.
I want to get all the poor thinking and all poor expectations, all your past, and all the negative thinking out of you tonight. No more saying things like, that’s how she is, she/he will never change, he is stubborn and angry, I’m done with him or her, I’m moving on without him or her, even God can’t change him or her. God punished me with this son or daughter, in this business or in this marriage! NO MORE GIVING UP ON PEOPLE!
You will never going to get what you don’t believe, if you expect it you will get, whether negative or positive.
If you expect spending your life arguing about the same stuff 5 years ago it will happen, but somebody has to stop this madness and say I had enough of this mountain circling, I’m coming out once and forever, I had enough.
When our lives are stuck on pause, it is often a great opportunity for the Lord to show us the things that our hearts are stuck on that are not of Him. We saw that with Lot.
He wanted the “Garden of the Lord” (Gen. 13:10) without the Lord. His heart was stuck on it. And so he set his heart on it and lusted after it and took it. Self-gratification is always a deadly snare.
What is it for you?
• Perhaps it is a fear of personal loss.
• Or fear of being exposed of what your heart is really like.
• Or fear of failure.
• Or is it a feeling of shame or guilt.
• Fear of death.
• Being alone.
• Lack of love.
It could be a number of things. Even those of us who seem like nothing bothers us are often like that because we are really afraid to deal with any kind of pain at all… and your greatest nightmare is to have a nightmare!
We all have nightmares. Lot had his worst nightmare come true. He put his hopes in a dreamy piece of real estate. He lets financial prosperity control and propel him.
And we find in the bible that all of that is taken away from him. He ends up in bondage. Thankfully he has an uncle who has a bigger heart than him (an interceding heart) and rescues him.
Lot took the lead, their daughters in the middle and his wife lingering behind them. And then it happened, even though they were warned not to look back, Lot’s wife turned around. And right then she was turned into a pillar of salt! Every time I read that I can’t believe it…I always want to yell, “Don’t do it!”
God said don’t look back, don’t do it,” but she did it and the consequences were devastating.
Maybe it wasn’t the best place to live, but it seems she had become a part of the community, she had neighbours and friendships that connected her in a way that caused her to hesitate and linger and ignore the angels warning not to stop or look back.
There are things that can cause us to get stuck in life and in our faith.
I recalled a time when my friend’s family went for a trip. With his kids in the car, his wife was driving through a torrential rainstorm on their way to some destination. They hit a traffic jam; she turned down a dirt road that promised to be a shortcut. They got about half way when they came to a place where a puddle stretched from one side of the field, across the road, to the other side of the field. He said, “hu, that doesn’t look safe to drive through.” “Its fine,” she said, “I’m sure we can make it!” She replied: “I don’t think so, the water looks too deep.” But she gunned the engine and off they drove.
They plunged right into the deepest part of the puddle, submerging half the car instantly. The car sank, they were stuck and going nowhere. They got out of the car, walked in the rain, finding shelter under a bridge until they welcomed a policeman to call a tow truck and towed their car out of the puddle that was just big enough to derail their whole day.
Life is full of puddles, obstacles and detours that look innocent enough and yet can get us off track and leaving us under bridges, waiting in the rain and missing out on life.
I was watching a documentary about elephants playing. Apparently this group of elephants had been walking in one direction, when one of the young ones suddenly turned around went backwards. In doing so, she stepped on a trap and wire cut deeply into her ankle. After pulling and tugging and finally realizing she was stuck, the baby just laid down and started crying. I was watching thinking, “why did you turn back?”
But the question remains: how do you deal with your heart’s worst nightmare? The answer is in two words: humble courage. “Courage is the ability to do the right thing regardless of the consequences and regardless of the dangers.
I will examine with you 3 questions to help you out of this circling…
1. When has the past had enough of your attention?
If you give your attention to something, then you give your energy to it too. You are keeping your past alive by watching it, talking about it, rehearsing it, by bringing it up over and over again.
Your past is not holding you, but you are holding it. Your past longs for you to let it go but you keep holding it with your mouth, thoughts, and actions.
When I learned to drive a car, my good friend taught me a good and a simple lesson, he said keep your eye on the road…. don’t look on the sides because your car will drive to the direction of your eyes.
My story with un-Forgiveness with one pastor…
If you don’t get rid of your past you will bring it to church, work, and relationships with you. You will be easily offended. If the pastor didn’t shake your hand at the first church and you’re offended, it will happen again in the second and tenth church. It’s time to move northward and change your direction or you will never make it home!
Study your past and learn from it but don’t let it enslave you. Sure your issues are still there; your challenges are still there, the people from the past are still there…but don’t let it rule over you.
Imagine if your pastor is negative one, he will infect your family with fear, anger, un-forgiveness, and hurt and with disapproval, the same goes with the leader of the house, if the man of the house is negative then his woman and kids will be negative too.
Smite the shepherded and the sheep will be scattered. The enemy will have to hit the leader and the leader affects the rest with his bitterness and heaviness. Men you are in the hit list.
That’s why I preach to my self-first, I can’t teach you forgiveness and have un-forgiveness, I can’t teach you freedom and be bound, I can’t teach you love and have hate. I decided to change and will help you to change with me… the time is running out there is no room to slacking off, no room for slumber and laziness!
2. Who will make the decision to move forward?
In my culture there is a say, 2 chefs will ruin the food that they are cooking. 2 leaders in the house will ruin it and divide it. We all want to have the last say!
You’re not going to break me, you’re not going to quench me, I’m not going down on my knees and if that happens I will bite your leg. Victory is lost in the contest and competition!
A leader is the one that has any kind of influence over anybody, and the greater that influence the greater that leadership. The bible said: A man that can’t rule his own spirit is like a city that has no walls. Respect comes from others when you respect your own decisions.
Your influence is under attack, when people lose their respect for you… that means you’ve lost your influence.
There some pastors here tonight….Pastors if you say; I’m the pastor of this church then it means you’re not, men if you say I’m the man of this house it means you’re not, because if you are then you don’t need to say it…everyone in this room knows who you are!
We need to rebuild the divine order and bring it back in our houses and churches, men must understand who they are and what they must do, and woman is the same. You can’t get your kids to choose for you… this is out of control.
God has already outlined these rules in the bible, who should be the head of the family, where man stands and where woman stands. Who are the parents and who are the kids? Put the structure back into your relationship.
There is a family that is led by man, woman, democratic or dysfunctional family. You need to identify your family and work to fix it.
3. How do we break the cycle of repetitive living?
How do I get rid of this same abusive behavior, anger, arguing, yelling, screaming, rejection, attitude problem, and complaining?
It’s a curse that needs to be broken. It’s a trap and keeps happening, and can’t get away from.
You keep in this rut because you don’t understand your purpose. When you understand your purpose you are a new man that knows what it means to be free. You need some purpose in your life; your children need purpose back in their lives.
You keep in this rut because you don’t understand the love of God and what he did to get you saved.
If you want to get away from this mountain start seeing what you haven’t seen before, start talking to yourself, and start putting on your purpose.
Get away from the mountain by any means, if you have to change yourself, or change your friends, or change your neighborhood, or change your attitude.
God is calling me to a higher place up North; I need to go forward, let’s shout yes….
Don’t lose your purpose, get up in the morning and polish your purpose, don’t let it die.
Our kids need fathers and mothers that say: I see greatness in you, I see potential in you, I see mountain movers in you, I see fear of God in you, because you have influence on them and the devil wants to kill it by making you busy in disagreements and arguments, in he said and she said…
Don’t let the tears of your eyes block your vision, don’t let the uncertainty in this life derail you from the certainty in God’s word, don’t let the circumstances rule your life, and don’t be deceived by them… all these things preach a wrong and lying message saying: “you don’t have a purpose”.
People want you to be dysfunctional to make them look good,
People want you to be discouraged because they are discouraged,
People want you to be depressed, disheartened, miserable, unhappy, hopeless, dispirited, saddened and desperate because they are without a purpose, I believe that God will break this curse and get you out of this cycle and when you’re out…you are out with your church, friends, and family.
Don’t tell me it’s impossible because I will tell you I have a God that doesn’t know the impossible but all things are possible to him!
Don’t tell me it’s too late, because my God can raise dead bones!
Don’t tell me it can’t be done, because through Jesus all things are possible….i can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me!
Don’t tell me my mountain is tall and big, because my lord Jesus is bigger than any mountains and giants… the name of Jesus is above, higher than all other names!
Don’t tell me my sickness has no cure, because by His stripes we are healed!
Don’t tell me I’m confused, because he is able to clarify and make things clear!
Don’t tell me my husband or wife is leaving me, because my God is a restorer!
Don’t tell me my son/daughter is away from God and I don’t see them coming back; because my father will bring them back he is waiting for them, his mercy endures forever, he is quick to forgive and slow to anger!
Some people have a hard time separating themselves from the issues in their past and it shapes what they believe God will do with them in the future.
Maybe there are things in our lives that we feel like, if only I hadn’t done this, or if only I could have done that, then I’d be in a better position to take that next step in how I follow or serve God.
God called Paul to be an Apostle and he had a past to get past (as someone who previously tortured and approved the killing of Christians). Here’s Paul’s advice for how to move forward.
He said, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead…I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sister, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us.” (Philippians 3:10-14 NLT)
By letting go of and forgetting the things that hinder us from the past and approaching the future with faith, we will experience the mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Some people live their whole lives stuck; not enjoying the life they wanted, not growing in their faith as they hoped…Even as the Israelites wandered in circles for 40 years, some people feel like they’re wandering around getting nowhere.
The key to being the best disciple we can and living our best life is to have faith that’s focused on progressing forward, ready to follow and willing to trust God.
• There may be times when God will ask us like Abraham/ Lot and their family to leave a job, a relationship or a place that feels like home and follow his leading.
• There may be times when he asks us like the Israelites to believe the impossible and take the next step towards the promise he has for us.
And should you ever get stuck along the way, may you feel his hand reaching for yours, may you hear his words of promise and assurance which say:
? “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
? “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.” (Psalm 37:23)
? “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
? “Whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” (Proverbs 1:33)
? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5)
? Thus says the Lord, Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)
? “I will instruct you and teach you in the way should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)
? “For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.” (Psalm 48:14)
? Trust in the Lord to guide you continually …” (Isaiah 58:11)
? “And God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phil. 1:6)
? The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
LET’S PRAY:
Dear Lord, Thank you for your promises to be involved in the lives of your people. Sometimes it seems like you’re so close we can touch you and other times, it feels like you’re so far away, it’s hard to imagine you guiding us. And yet we trust your word that says you do have a plan for us and we trust in your ability to guide us. Sometimes it’s not so easy to trust in our ability to follow. I pray that you would help us to be able to discern your leading in our lives, show us plainly which way you would have us go. Lord protect us from going the wrong way, help us not to hesitate or fix our gaze on the things of the world. And help us to let go of anything in the past or any fears about the future that get us stuck. I pray for anyone who feels stuck tonight, that you would provide a way out of that place and help them reach forward for that which you have called them to, help them to look forward with faith to the good things that are part of your plan. May we all look with forward focused faith In Jesus name… Amen.
