Colt at the Crossroads

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Be exalted now in the heavens You alone You're the name Be exalted Be exalted now in the heavens You alone You're the name Be exalted Be exalted now in the heavens Sing it out, sing it out Be exalted now in the heavens Be exalted now in the heavens Sing be exalted Be exalted now in the heavens You alone You alone You alone You deserve Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Worthy is Your praise

Jesus You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Sing it out Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve praise Worthy is Your praise Someone let me just shout that Worthy is Your praise If you believe He's worthy Praise Only He is worthy You deserve praise Nothing else Worthy is Your praise Come on with all you are We're just shouting Say worthy is Your praise Praise You deserve You deserve Praise Say

Worthy is Your praise With your hands lifted high say Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve You deserve You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Sing it Worthy is Your praise Say Sweetly touching down in the heavens As the glory fills this place You alone deserve our praise Sing You're the name above all names That's it Be exalted now in the heavens As the glory fills this place You alone You alone You alone deserve our praise Sing it again You're the name above all names If you believe it say Be exalted now in the heavens As the glory fills this place You alone You alone

If you believe He's the only one worthy Sing Be exalted now Be exalted now Be exalted now in the heavens As the glory fills this place You alone deserve our praise You're the name above all names Say Worthy is Your praise Jesus You deserve You deserve Praise Worthy is Worthy is Worthy is You're the name Jesus You deserve You deserve Praise Worthy is Your praise Come on, somebody, if you believe He's worthy, shout out to God! When the King speaks a word, it cannot be overturned, it's as good as done When heaven touches earth, it can never be reversed, it's the Kingdom come So get the liars out the way, they won't have to find a say, there is only one Sovereign and supreme, every word He speaks is holy The Lamb of God has overcome, my testimony is His blood And if He said that it is done, so be it done

To the one on the throne who cannot be overthrown, sing Hallelujah To the last and the first ruler of the universe, sing Hallelujah To the Alpha and the Beta, the Master, the Maker, the Name of God Every other day, give Him all the praise The Lamb of God has overcome, my testimony is His blood And if He said that it is done, so be it done The weapons of the enemy, they have no power over me The one with all authority, covers me So be it done, so be it done, so be it done From a throne to a cross, who would pay such a price For the sin of the world, is your King crucified? See the nails in His hand, see the wound in His side See the crown meant to fall, that is He, prophesied That it was not the end, wipe your tears from your eyes Don't forget that He's there on the third, He will rise He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, He's alive The Lamb of God has overcome, my testimony is His blood And if He said that it is done, so be it done The weapons of the enemy, they have no power over me The one with all authority, covers me So be it done, so be it done, so be it done It is final, it is written, it is set on, it is written See that old grave, it was hidden, now it is set, it is set It is final, it is written, it is set on, it is written See that old grave, it was hidden, now it is set, it is set Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Today, uh, this marks, um, this marks what would be the first event really of the week, the passion week or the Holy week. And this would be start off when Jesus Christ before going to his crucifixion was the triumphal entry where people would wave the palm branches.

And so I want to, I want to draw your attention to this just for a little bit today because this is something that has to do with every one of you here and those of you watching online. If you'll just look at all the details and all the nuances, you'll start discovering that your life is critical and extremely important. And that's why you want to run to Jesus and resist anything Satan would ever offer you. It is so critical because this time for entry led into that day when he would be crucified. And so we'll talk about it. So if you would, I want you to go to the part of the story, the true story of what happened because it's recorded in all four gospels. And if it's in all four gospels and all four recorded it, then there must be something critical about this one event and this one character in the story that is critical. If they all recorded it, pay attention, pay attention. I mean, all of it's important, but if all four of them talk about it, pay attention. So let's go to Mark chapter 11 and here's where the story begins as Jesus is preparing for that triumphal entry. It says, uh, as they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples saying to them, go into the village ahead of you. Just as you enter it, you will find a colt tide. You'll find a cold tide there, which no one has ever ridden untrained untamed. No one's ever ridden it, untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, why, what are you doing? Why are you doing this? Say the Lord needs it and we'll send it back here shortly. Untie it. The Lord really needs it. He needs what? This colt. It's really a nice way of saying donkey, a donkey, and God uses this because if this

player is not there, there is no triumphal entry. There is no cross. There is no resurrection. There is no salvation. He needs the colt, the donkey. If God will use a donkey, this tells me one thing, anything surrendered to Jesus Christ, he will use for his glory, anything and anybody. Before you start marking people off in this church, say, well, I can't believe it. Can you look at that? Look at that. Don't you mark off anybody because if God will use a colt, if God will use a donkey, he will use you. The issue is, is you're at a critical juncture. This message is not by chance. It is not happenstance. This message is created by God Almighty. It is the creative genius of God. This story about just a simple colt donkey will show you that God has something for you and you got to make a decision because this colt you'll discover was at a crossroads and some of you in this room are at a crossroad right now that God can use you or the enemy will destroy you. How many want to be used by God? So I want to draw your attention to this key player that I'm going to call it the colt at the crossroads. Now this is really important because the event is important itself. You know, the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ. There's a reason, there's a purpose behind the triumphal of Jesus Christ. And let me tell you why this is so uncritical. You're one of the reasons why I follow Jesus Christ and serve Jesus Christ and listen to Jesus Christ is because I'm a smart person.

I'm a smart person and I look at the details and I look at the history and if you, I don't have time to break this all down, but if you look into all the prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ, specifically fulfilled, you will see man couldn't put that all together. This is God pointing to who Jesus Christ, the Messiah really is. So one of the prophecies in the old Testament. Was talking about this event and it spoke about this 500 years before the event occurred and you'll find it in Zechariah chapter 9 in fact the Gospels record and point back to it It's Zechariah chapter 9 look what it says rejoice. Oh people of Zion shout in triumph. Oh people of Jerusalem look your king is Coming to you he is righteous and Victorious yet, he is humble and let me show how he showed it riding on a what? Riding on a donkey riding on a donkey's Colt an untamed young Colt 500 years before it happened God said I'm gonna show how righteous and powerful I am how meek and humble Jesus is see don't think meekness is weakness What meekness is is meekness is power under control? It's authority under control power and dominion under control Jesus had that he had that and when you see this he comes riding on a donkey all the other Kings when they took a Territory that took a country they would come riding on a stallion. They would come riding on a horse They would come with chariots behind me. Here's Jesus saying let me tell you who I am I don't need that to make who I am, but this is very critical and God 500 years plans a donkey on its Assignment to carry Jesus because this is big because when Jesus entered Jerusalem he was entering the beginning of the Passover week for the Jewish people and Friday would be the day that Thousands of lambs would be slaughtered Picturing what happened in Egypt that the blood was applied so that God's people could be free was the picture of a super lamb Jesus Christ that would come But on that particular day None of those lambs that they slaughtered would take away their sins

All the animals would do would just cover their sins But never cancel the sins and when Jesus makes that triumphal entry victorious and righteous He is declaring all these other animals You have done by faith to only cover your sin, but it never canceled your sin, but on this Passover There's going to be one Final sacrifice that will not cover your sins It is the super lamb Jesus Christ that will cancel your sins Never to be brought against you ever again that you can enter into the presence of a holy God for eternity But only through my blood he takes away the sins of the world so this event sets in motion the plot for his Crucifixion so that you could receive the blood so that we no longer had to get on bended bloody knees spreading and shedding the blood of innocent animals and It looked like triumph and everybody was rejoicing, but they ended up in tragedy on the cross Only for it to turn back into tribe Again, and here's what God does He says this event is going to set off that Redemption for mankind and what does God use for this triumphal entry? Everybody's cheering and they're praising Jesus because he is the focus. He is the center but in all the praise and all the worship and all the adoration they Never notice a key player that had to be there and it was scheduled 500 years before Think about that for a moment This little donkey cult Changed the course for all humanity it changed the course of history for every one of us now you think about this if God planned 500 years in advance that a donkey a Donkey would be the key player in the triumphal every Jesus so that he could shed his blood Resurrect so that you and I could be redeemed if God would spend that much time on a cult donkey Don't you think he's got a little bit better design for you as someone that can worship and praise him and obey him

If he's gonna assign a donkey, don't you think that your life? Don't you thought I'll start thinking that your life is not just an accident and it's just fate If God had that design for a donkey, don't you know? He's got a better design for you He's got a better design for you, but the problem was was the cult was at a crossroads tied up and So what I really feel like the Holy Spirit wants to say to you and me today is There are some of you that God wants to untie your purpose, but your decision is critical You are tied you are bound but Jesus said go and tie it because I need her I Need him. How am you ready to obey? What he asked for you at this crossroad because it's gonna lead to the destiny and the victory of God So here's what I want you to see first. This story is so critical and so important because first of all You have to discover the value of who you are You've got to discover your value Because when you looked at this donkey, no one paid attention to that donkey until Jesus wanted it No, we paid attention this come on this this was not an Exceptional animal they were it was and they were necessary animals, but unexceptional animals without a doubt I mean nobody's gonna go. Oh, this is so priceless and valuable now, but there's value to your life Jesus is showing that if I valued this to be a critical player your life is much more important this donkey had value Now some people may not think it's valuable But this one farmer's wife thought a donkey was valuable all of a sudden her husband was a mean mean mean mean mean mean man Nobody liked him his family didn't like him people didn't like him They just a mean old man even his animals didn't like him the donkey his donkey kicked him in the head and killed him And at the funeral his wife's sitting on the front row And all the men would walk by and you don't say something to her and somebody noticed that she would just nod her head only When the men would come she would nod her head Yes, and then when the women will walk by they'd say something to her and she would shake her head No, only the women shake her head. No only the men they'd nod. Yes, somebody said, you know We noticed that when all the men walked by they you would nod your head Yes, and all the women you would shake your head. No, they said what was going on? She said well all the men would ask me are you doing? Okay, and she said I would shake my head Yes, and all the women would ask is that donkey for sale?

You May not be a value to other people But you are a value to God and you'll kick the devil's brains in if you'll discover that And when you discover that you will stop making bad decisions for yourself You'll stop doing things that destroy your destiny and destroy your life and destroy your body and destroy your future when you discover The kind of value God sees in you and when you see it because nobody would see it back Then just like a lot of people don't see it now our values determined by how many clicks we get Our values are determined by what kind of clothes we wear The kind of car we drive the kind of degree you have Jesus says I'm using an uneducated untamed untrained donkey And if I put value in that to be a part of my redemption story Don't you think you have more value than that donkey is what he's trying to say to us Because these were an exceptional animals. I mean, come on a donkey little girls don't dream about you know Riding a riding a donkey through a field of flowers. They don't dream of I want to use a donkey They don't At the Kentucky Derby the bugler before he heralds the trumpet as they usher in all the animals that you don't see them Usher blown a trumpet for a bunch of donkeys to come in. I Mean think about it. I mean you understand that the common name for a donkey Is that You know You Some people are that way they're just a real Asset asset asset they're an asset wonderful thing But what made this donkey Bible there and other they're a beast of burden there they were necessary but Unexceptional in the first century what made this donkey so valuable that God would have them prophesy About this donkey 500 years to say there's an assignment happening for a donkey What made it so critical to the story and valuable that other people don't notice it? What makes it so critical and here's what makes it so critical? It's because of who the donkey was carrying is what gave it its value

Now If you gave me a Rolex She's a very expensive watch. I'd say that's got some value to it, but if you just gave me the box the Rolex came in Can I tell you a trick Brenda played on me We weren't even married yet where we your dad was in on it, too, they bought me this the Her boss got a Rolex, had the real Rolex box, and her dad went and bought a fake Rolex, put it in it, and then gave it to me as a gift. Aren't they mean? I knew something was wrong when I was worshiping the Lord one time, and it was in the south, and it was in the summer, and the watch fell down, and there was a big green ring around my arm. I knew there was something wrong. I knew there was something wrong, especially when that secondhand dial was like a fan just going around, cooling me down, you know? What made it valuable was not because of the donkey, but the cargo he was carrying. What I'm telling you is you, as a Jesus Christ follower, if you've accepted Jesus Christ, and you dare to claim the name of Jesus Christ follower, you are carrying the most precious, valuable thing in you. It's Christ in you. The hope of glory is what Colossians 1, 26, 27 says. You are carrying the high, so here's what's happening. Your value isn't your past. It's his presence. What makes me valuable is not the clothes I wear,

my ability to speak. What makes me valuable is what I'm carrying, the precious cargo of Jesus Christ in his Holy Spirit. It's not what you're wearing. It's what you're carrying that gives you value. And so what Satan knows is the reason I must destroy humanity is because of who they might carry as the cargo in their soul and in their spirit and in their life. So I'm gonna tell you something right now. Don't let Satan devalue you. Don't let him demean you. Don't let him distort your identity of who you are in and through Jesus Christ. Even in the midst of your trials, even in the midst of your temptations and your setbacks and your sin, you gotta remember who you're carrying, and you cannot let Satan use you like a doormat. Please understand this. Genesis 1, 27 says, you may not believe this, but here's what God said when he created you. So God created man in his own what, everybody? In the image of who? He created him male and female, he created him. Satan is wanting to do one thing. Simply because you are a human created in the image of God, you remind Satan of exactly who has dominion and authority and destroyed him every time he looks at a human.

So he's gotta do everything to distort who you are, the identity of who you are, because you remind him of the one that crushed him under his feet. And so that's why Satan does everything to put sin in our life, to demean us and devalue, because we are in the image of God Almighty. It's very interesting, too, about donkeys. When God uses a donkey, it's something. Donkeys bear a particular image that most people don't realize they bear. If you look at the back of a donkey, you will find this. You will find a cross on the back of a donkey. God already was setting up just with this simple imagery that the one who is on this will bear the cross. That's why Jesus says, take up your cross. That's why the scripture says, take up your cross daily. In other words, what that means is find the identity of Jesus Christ on your life, marking you who you are. You gotta understand, you bear the image of God himself. And when you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, how many of you know, you begin to find your identity totally in him? That's the reason why 2 Corinthians, Paul says this in chapter five, verse 17. He says, therefore, if anyone, anybody, is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come. John 1, 12 says, but to all who believe in him

and accepted him, he gave them the right to become the children of God. Not every human being is a child of God, and don't you ever forget that. They have the image of God and their image bearers of God. That's what we give dignity to every human life, both born and unborn, because they bear the image of God. Everyone is an image bearer, but if you're gonna be a child of God, to those who receive him, those are the ones that he calls the sons and the daughters of God. Those are the one that are his children when they surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. So what does Satan do? Satan wants to do everything in his power to devalue you and me as image bearers of God and those who have their identity in Jesus Christ. So the mission of the Jesus Christ follower is to do the same thing that donkey did. It's to carry Jesus Christ to the world you're in. That's what you do. The cult was necessary to carry Christ, and so are you. You are necessary. But pastor Sam, I feel so unqualified. I'm still dealing with issues in my life pastor Sam I don't I don't think God could ever use me I I just don't ever think listen the enemy will try to dumb you down, but here's what I've always discovered God never calls the qualified. He always qualifies the called he begins to use them He calls those that are not qualified and then all of a sudden he makes them qualified and then he starts using you to do Great things how many are shocked that God uses you?

There's a guy back there with both arms and one leg out, but I'm telling you I Am shocked with what God has done with me. I am still shocked that I pastor this church I get shocked every week that I still have something to say. I am shocked. I am shocked But here's something you need to understand Some of us are good donkeys carrying Jesus Some of us are good donkeys carrying Jesus, but once he uses you you need to remember one thing They're not praising you they're praising him When that little donkey came in all of a sudden he said oh, I'm valuable I wonder there that little donkey wasn't there going they're praising me. Do you hear them? They're praying they're praising praise donkey praise donkey praise donkey Glory to the cult glory to the cult No some of you start believing your own press releases you give one offering Nobody said thank you well. It's not yours The money's not yours Well I sang and nobody said I did a good job. It's not your voice Now you know we're a culture of thanks and gratitude people are gonna do that, but it's not much I don't need everybody tell me that was the greatest message ever I don't need that for me to survive to come up next Sunday You can shout and you can walk out. It's not gonna make any difference to me Cuz it's not mine. It's all his It really is You'll discover just how liberating that can be You'll discover the Liberty in that that it's all his Well, I just bought this outfit. I got it for Sunday for Easter and nobody said they liked it You know what that's saying praise donkey Praise donkey They didn't call me Did you notice nobody ate my Swedish meatballs at the church potluck well they stink they're horrible No, I'm dead serious

There's something not about the Swedish meatballs I Love Swedish meatballs just send me to an IKEA, baby. I'll choke those babies down all day long And boy they hang with you for a week. Let me tell you But I will tell you this there are some people that volunteer and the only reason they volunteer is because they got to be praised And given out a lot of money You know what I'm saying There are some people that volunteer and the only reason they volunteer is because they got to be praised and given accolade all the time Well, you like my outfit Now we are in a culture we are a culture of gratitude folks because that's the nature of Jesus Christ we give thanks You and you give one little ounce of money and somebody and then all of a sudden that's praise donkey praise the Donkey Look what it says in mark 11 chapter 9. It says it says jesus was in the center of the procession Everybody say jesus was in the center Jesus was in the center of the procession and as the people all around were shouting praise god not praise donkey Praise god blessing to the one who has come in the name of the lord Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor david praise god in the highest heaven Do you know what the donkey after verse 7? You don't hear diddly about the donkey the donkey never shows up The donkey is silent from there on only verse 7 done We're done with the donkey and all of it ended up centering on the praise of jesus christ alone So everybody we're grateful when we can serve we're grateful we can give an offering we're grateful We can pray for somebody and they get healed But don't you one minute believe your press releases that the whole church can't survive without you It cannot survive without jesus christ and you cannot survive without jesus christ. It is praise jesus He is at the center of your life your marriage your money every single part. He's got to be the center of it all Never take the glory Never take that's why paul says in second corinthians 4 7. He says we now have this light Shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing jars containing this great treasure. He's talking about Jesus Christ. This makes it clear

that our great power, your great voice, your great money, your great looks, your great position. This great power is from God and it's not from Sam Ryfkogel or from you. You are simply carrying Jesus Christ and when you carry Jesus Christ, don't get confused that they're praising you. They are praising him, the center of your life. So I have a word for everybody. If God has ever blessed you with the ability to give, to pray, or to serve, or to give, or to get up and sing and praise God this morning, if he's ever blessed you in any way at all, why don't you do one thing real quick and divert all the praise to the one who gave you the breath, the resources, the time, the strength, the energy, the talent, the position, the money, the family, the marriage. Why don't you give him the greatest praise for what he's given you because he's the center of your life, the center of your joy, the center of your salvation. He is the center of your ministry, every bit of it. It's not praise donkey. It is praise Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Discover your value and if you know you're carrying him, you don't want anything else. I do not want Domino's pizza to deliver me a pizza and on the way decide to pick up the trash on the road to my house and stick it in there with my pizza. That's exactly what we do on the road of life. We pick up the trash and try to mix it with Jesus and nobody wants to taste it. Discover your value enough that sin is not worthy of your mind. It is not worthy of the thoughts that come into your mind, the words that come out of your mouth or the actions of your flesh. Sin is not worthy of you and me. Don't put it in the box. Discover your value. Everybody say, discover your value. If God can use a donkey, he can use you and pastor Sam. Amen. But here's the other thing. It's not just about knowing who you are in Jesus. You've got to decide your direction. Now you got to make a decision. Mark 11 four. I want to read the, from the King James version, because it adds a nuance to this story that you don't see in other translations. Look at this. It says, and they went their way and found the cult tied to the door without in a place where two way where two ways meet. What this means is this donkey was strategically placed at a crossroads. The cult was at the crossroads and there had to be a decision which way to go. Every one of us, you and me, including pastor Sam, all of us, we are at crossroads every day, making decisions, whether we will follow God or take a path that can destroy us. You know, people always go, I want to know the will of God. That's probably one of the biggest questions I get. How do you know the will of God? How you know the will? I know there are some

things that you got to pay attention to, but I'm going to tell you the will of God is not a big mystery for us. It shouldn't be a mystery. It really isn't because destiny is not a mystery. It's a series of choices. Do you know why I am where I am today? Not because I said, I want to be a pastor and I want to pray. I want to have a great church and I want everybody. I didn't have that plan in my mind. I, I didn't even know I would pastor in this part of the country. I always told Brenda, I don't know why I wanted to, I don't know why, because I met all these people down there. I wanted to, I wanted to pastor in Alabama. I don't know why they just, they just fried everything and I liked it. And here I am with this Latin, this Dutch name. I got this Asian complexion and this Asian look with the Dutch name in the North with a Southern accent. I am messed up. I am messed up, but I will tell you how I'm here. It was a series of saying yes to Jesus in the little small details of my life. And his the will of God is not a book where you go to the last chapter. The will of God is a scroll and Today that scroll is going to be unrolled for you And it is a series of your choices to say is this what Jesus wants is this what the Word of God wants? Determines your destiny so your destiny shouldn't be a mystery The will of God should not be a mystery it unfolds, but it's a series of choices you make So if you don't like your life right now, just sit down just for a second hold on me Just back up for a moment. If you don't like your life right now If you don't like it Then it's time for you to start making better choices That's all I can tell you If you don't like where your marriage is right now make a different choice if you don't like the financial situation make a different choice If You don't like who you're dating make a different choice Because there's only two choices you can make it's only two ways The right choice or the wrong choice the God choice or your enemies choice the enemy of your soul Satan It's all you got this is why Moses made it very simple God makes it very simple for you and me He doesn't complicate it

Destiny's not a mystery. It's a series of your choices to say yes when God puts it in front of you So what it is and This is why when Moses was getting ready to come to his end his life and God's people were getting to enter into these big Houses and start making money and they're gonna end up so promised land He looks at Joshua and the people of Israel and he says is in Deuteronomy 30 19. This is what he says today I've given you the choice Between life and death there's only two Between blessings and curses. There's only two Now I call on heaven and earth To witness the choice you're making So if you don't like your life change your choice oh That you would choose life So that you and your descendants might live You can make this choice By loving the Lord your God Obeying him and committing yourselves firmly to him Pretty simple People ask me. Why do you follow Jesus Christ? What's kind of like this? There's two ways two roads So if I come on two roads and there's two ways I can go one's the wrong way one's the right way and you see two people standing there this is why I follow Jesus and There's one man here one man over here one man's dead and The other one's alive I'm gonna ask directions from the one that is alive resurrected and it's coming back. I'm gonna talk to Jesus about all my steps So, why are you listening to something contrary to the word when it comes to your marriage The temptations your life your dating lifestyle Your money your finances Why if you don't like the way it is change your choice very simple

Because I've discovered that life is not about winners and losers Yeah, it's winners losers winners life is not about winners or losers white life is about choosers and choose you this way who you will Serve but as for me in my house, I'm gonna follow Jesus all the way I'm gonna make the right choices to stay on that path. You got to decide so you got to discover your value, but you got to decide the choice you want to make today and Everybody in this room and those of you watching online God's talking about are you making the right choice? Are you gonna stay offended at this person? Are you gonna ask Jesus Christ for the power to release and forgive your parent? your ex The people that treated you wrong Choose today if you don't like it choose his way Mmm, that's pretty simple, isn't it? Here's the last one you ready for this one. This is gonna be quick and easy and simple. So I discovered my value Decide your direction, but today disconnect from bondage How many times did Jesus and all the Gospels say this that it was tied up It was tied to something and it could not go now this donkey didn't have a choice, but you do You do so here's my question As the Holy Spirit speaks to you and your pastor What is binding you? from fulfilling the destiny at this crossroads. What is it? Because I think you really know. But here's what's going to happen even after I tell you this. Here's what's going to happen. It's Mark chapter 5, verse 11. Ready for this? As they were untying it, I'm just here to help untie you. You got to make the decision which direction you're going to go. I'm just here to untie. We're going to have prayer partners around. They're going to help untie you. But as they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, what are you doing untying the colt? You have a bystander whispering in your ear right now, who does that guy think he is saying that? Why don't you just walk out? There's a bystander called the voice of Satan telling you, yeah, but you tried this Jesus thing before. You're such a hypocrite and a phony. Why can't you be more like that other guy over there?

The bystanders say, what do you think you're doing to get untied from this? You're doing to get untied from this. That's what the enemy does. Yeah, but you've always had this. It'll never change. You remember your dad was that way. Your dad's dad was that way. You know, your mom did this and your mom's mom, this way, this mom, this way, you know, they were always in this and they were, and there's a, and there, and this is the way you are just the way it is in life. Who is the bystander Satan that you need to tell? I'm going to untie myself today through the power of Jesus Christ. Because when Jesus went to that cross, there was a reason why he needed that donkey and he needs you. There's a reason why he went to that cross and there's a reason why he resurrected. And it was to give you the power to choose to tell the bystander Satan to be quiet. And I'm going to listen to the voice of God and I'm going to be free. That's why Paul says in Romans chapter six, verses five through eight, since we have been United with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ, we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. I'm telling you, he whom the son sets free, he will really untie. So today it is about a choice. It's about a choice to discover your value and tell sin, you are no longer worthy to dump it. I am not only just an image bearer of God. I choose to identify with Jesus Christ in his resurrection power. You have no authority or claim on me anymore and my destiny. And you're at the crossroads of making decisions. I'm going to say it again. If you don't like the current spiritual situation you're in, make a different choice. It's not going to change. God gives you that power to choose. And we're at a crossroads. I don't have the scripture up there, but maybe it's good for you to study out of Matthew chapter seven, when Jesus looks at everybody and he says, enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leans to destruction and many enter through it. But he says, but small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life. You got to choose. See, I think this is where it's a little challenging for me. Cause it's easy to go where, where the culture is going. Cause you just don't want to upset anybody and you want peace. And then you find out you don't have peace. Just all hell breaks loose when you don't follow Jesus. But I think this is the

challenge for me because that narrow road is speaking of something. Jesus said, if you're going to follow me, it requires your total surrender for you, for you to carry me like that donkey untrained, untamed, not qualified, just surrendered. than to obey him. And that means that if Sam Ryfkola obeys him, that means that Sam Ryfkola has to put himself down and his own wills, his desires and passions and surrender them to the Lord. What is your passion and desire and will that you desire from me? And that's the way I'm gonna walk in. And when he asks you to talk that road, sometimes you go through things that you never dreamed you'd have to walk through in your life. The greatest victories, a lot of them. And some of the darkest valleys you will ever know and the darkest lost. And sometimes the greatest sacrifice, people misunderstanding you. And sometimes we don't wanna get on that narrow path because that frightens us. When I went to the ministry, I remember when I asked Brenda's dad if I could marry Brenda, he never said yes. He didn't. He didn't say no either, did he? But he never said yes. He just didn't want his daughter to be given away. Plus at that time, our dad wouldn't serve with the Lord. He didn't know what I did.

He knew that I traveled from church to church across the country and he says, he goes, how do you live? Who pays you? That's code language. I don't want y'all moving in. That's what that was. That was code language for that. But when I chose to go in the ministry, I had no idea what it would turn out. I had no idea. When I was traveling around, I didn't know if I was gonna get paid or what if I was sick. I didn't have all that security. I had nothing. But that's a series of choices to follow him. I know this is what he said. I know this is what his word says. This is what I'm gonna do. Same way with my giving. Same with my surrender. Well, if I do this that I won't have, and then I'll do, but God, I'm gonna follow your road. You know, there's something about donkeys in this. I don't know if you know this, but donkeys are sure-footed animals, okay? They can have nothing moving beneath them. In other words, before they step on rock or jagged edges,

they will step their sure-footed animal because they are a beast of burden and they have to be sure-footed and then they move forward. They will never step on something that they're uncertain about what's underneath. They will not step. And the Bible describes that as that untamed animal who had never been ridden before, never been ridden, never been tested. It says that the people threw down palm branches and garments in front of that donkey carrying Jesus Christ. So that donkey was stepping on palm branches and garments, uncertain of what was beneath it, because that palm, those palm branches would move. They shouldn't walk. That donkey should not have been walking on those palm branches and those garments because it was uncertain of what was beneath it because they're just not that way. But this donkey steps on something that is uncertain and he doesn't know what's beneath it. But the only reason why you can step on something that's uncertain, even when you're a donkey, you can get it. As long as I carry Jesus with me, I can step on any unstable thing below me because I know it is actually stable, not because of what's below me, but who I'm carrying with me.

I can walk this out. I can walk this out. I can walk this out. So some of you, you need to erase the excuse of why you don't follow Jesus. Well, I don't know what's gonna happen, my friends. Just walk with Jesus. Well, what about my life? Just walk with Jesus. Well, I gotta make a decision then over here. Just walk with Jesus. And as uncertain as you think it might feel, you can be certain because you are connected to him in every detail and issue of your life. And you're at a crossroads. How many say, let's just listen to the one that we're carrying and let his glory be seen? Amen.