Revival Nights | Night 2 | Pastor Stephanie Payne

I don't even feel like, I don't even know if I need to preach, I feel like we just need to do an altar call right now. I'm like, how do you follow up seeing a miracle literally in front of our eyes? Seeing Johnny walk up here on stage, we believed it, you guys believed it, we all stayed in faith together, and what a great night to celebrate at Revival the fact that he is here. And I said last time, one other time, I think it was the first time I preached here at this campus, he made me cry then too. So he had saved a name tag that I had done in a message series back in 2020 when it was stated, when the enemy calls you by shame, God calls you by your name. And we had given you guys each name tags to remind you who God called you to be that you were chosen. And he's like, hey, I just want you to know I've still kept this now it's yours. And so I cried and I was like, thanks Johnny for doing that to me. Now I get to go preach and now you're here as a walking miracle, it's so incredible. Well guys, I'm sorry, I just put this in my mouth, this little cough drop, so if I smack I'm really sorry, but I am so excited to be here and share with what God put on my heart. And we're talking about Revival going into it, and God just put this one story in my heart and he just kept, you know, over and over, you know how God does that. You kind of see it everywhere, you kind of experience it everywhere and you're like, God, this is for me. And so I hope today that it really hits you guys at home like it did for me. And it's found in the Old Testament. So we're going to be in the Old Testament tonight, and we're going to be in the book of Judges. So there will not be judging going on tonight. Only God is our judge, right? But we are going to be in the book of Judges. And I always loved this book growing up, like being in Sunday school and things like that. So just to tell you a little context about the book of Judges, just in case you're not

familiar with it, maybe you've come to Christ recently and you're new on this faith journey, but Judges is a book written about 12 men, and many of them, they were leaders who were temporary in leadership, but because of civil and military, because, sorry, 12 leaders whose temporary leadership was both civil and military of Israel. And the reason why this happened, it was in the time period between Joshua and Samuel. So if you remember like Moses and Joshua, and then there was Samuel the priest, and then along came Saul, these judges, these 12 judges were sandwiched right in the middle of them. And you're like, well, why did God send judges? Well, let me just tell you why he sent judges, okay? Because Israel began to disobey God. And Israel began to disobey God, and it was seriously like a cycle. So it looked like this, Israelites did evil in the sight of God, then God allowed them to be conquered, God allowed them, their surrounding nations, the surrounding people around them to take over their city, to conquer them, to basically torment them, to get their attention again, and then the next thing happened, what do you think they did? They cried out to God and said, have mercy. And then God being the loving God that he did, he sent a judge to rescue them. And then rinse and repeat. It kept happening over and over and over again. Does that sound familiar in your life too? When you're like, man, these people need to get together, and God's like, what about you? How many times have you asked God for grace and mercy for the same thing? You're like, it's me again, Jesus, have mercy on me. I promise I won't do it again. Wait, it's me again, Lord. So thankful for a God of mercy and grace. And so two of the main judges, or two of the ones that are most famous, probably that we know the most are Gideon and Samson. And I'm going to be talking about Gideon tonight.

And I love Gideon, I love listening to it as a girl in Sunday school. My mom was a Sunday school teacher, so it was great because she brought home the flannelgraph. Is there anybody in the house who remembers what flannelgraph was? I could really make Gideon come alive. I mean, the fire of God coming down, you know, the angel of God coming down, he's hiding all this stuff. You know, you thought you guys are creative in youth. You'll have no idea how creative you have to be when it comes to flannelgraph, okay? Sticky paper and then stick figures, and you have to create this whole narrative in your mind. that we made it happen, we made it come alive. So I love this story. And so I just thought I was like, Lord, what do you want to teach us about Gideon tonight? As we're going through this, you know, revival, and we're like, God, revive our hearts, revive us. Like, what do you wanna do in our hearts? And God, I really felt like he was telling us this word tonight. And the title of the message is, go in the strength that you have. That phrase kept repeating it over and over, go in the strength that you have. So we're gonna go in Judges, and you can read the book of Judges after this. There's a big story. It's three whole chapters in Judges, if you haven't read it before. Judges six, seven, and eight, and you can read more about it later

if you wanna go into depth. I promise you, the Old Testament does not disappoint. There is some fun, good, kind of, you know, rated R stories up in the Old Testament, okay? So we're gonna go to verse one. We're gonna start out in verse one. The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. Remember, I just shared that. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites. He's like, here you go, they've been bad again. The Midianites were so cruel that when the Israel, so that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, the caves, and in strongholds. In some translations, it says that the Midianites were so large, the largest enemy. They were cruel, they were mean, they were larger than life. Doesn't that seem that way so many times in our life, the enemy? When he comes into us, he seems so large. He's so cruel. He's larger than life. He actually seems larger than Jesus, our Savior who wants to rescue us and redeem us. So here they are. They are Israel, Jews, the chosen people, but they're in hiding. They don't remember who they are. They don't remember who God called them to be.

They are in disobedience and now they are in hiding. They're hiding in caves. And of course it talks about, they were so intimidating that they would come in and they would literally like strip the land of everything. The Midianites would bring in their cattle so they would eat all of their grain. They would eat all of their harvest because the Israelites were working on the land. So the Midianites would come in and take it all. So they were starving. The people were literally starving. It says in verse five, the enemy hordes coming with their livestock and tents were thick. They arrived in droves of camels, too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. Doesn't that what the enemy does to us? He comes in, he steals everything. He steals our joy. He steals our peace. He robs us of what is rightfully ours. And we just hand it over to him because of our disobedience. So there they are, the land is stripped bare. The Israelites were reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then here we go. The Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. I'm here to tell you today, he's the one to cry to.

He's the one that will be there for you no matter where you are. He will be there for you and he will listen to you. So they, the Lord heard him. So they came. So then God sent an angel of the Lord. And this is where we find Gideon. Gideon wasn't out on a high mountaintop. Gideon wasn't out in a field. Gideon was hiding. Gideon was in a wine press. Gideon was in a wine press, harvesting wheat. I don't know about you, but I don't think it's pretty easy to harvest wheat in a wine press, right? When you're in hiding, most of the time back in the biblical days, they would be on a hill harvesting the wheat. So that way the wind could help separate the chaff from the wheat berries and everything. So it'd be easier to harvest. But no, here he was hiding in a wine press because the enemy, the oppression of the enemy had gotten so strong, came so strong against them. So here he was hiding and the angel of the Lord appeared to him. And this is the phrase that pays. He said, mighty hero, the Lord is with you. Now, does that seem like a hero?

You want to be your hero? A strong man hiding in a wine press, looking out over his back, making sure the enemy's not coming to take them out, trying to get a little food. Does that sound like a mighty hero? Does that sound, in some translation, it says, oh, mighty man of valor. Because what Gideon saw himself was as this weak, insignificant person. And when God looked in the wine press, you know what he saw? He saw a mighty man of valor. He saw a mighty hero. He saw somebody that he wanted to use to rescue his people. Gideon didn't even realize he had what it took yet to conquer the Midianites, to do what God was getting ready to call him do. He was still in hiding, but God had to reach out and say, oh mighty man of valor, oh mighty hero, and call him who he had created him to be, a mighty victorious warrior. Gideon had forgotten who he was and who he was supposed to be serving because him and his family had chosen not to serve the one true God. So we see in verse 13, Gideon tells the angel,

sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all of this happened? Where are all the miracles our ancestor told us about? Didn't they say the Lord brought us up out of Egypt, but now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites. Then the Lord, here in scripture, it talks about an angel of the Lord, but this is what they call almost like a Christophany of a real true appearance of Jesus coming. Somebody who thought they were insignificant, but Jesus thought they were significant enough to make an appearance to them even when they were in hiding. Then the Lord turned to him, that's where it says the angel of the Lord, now the Lord turned to him and said, go with the strength you have. I'm pretty sure Gideon wasn't flexing at this point. He was still in hiding. He probably was like, who are you again? And rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you. This wasn't a question, do you want to go? He calls him out, he calls him up and says, I've chosen you for a time such as this. And here we go with excuses. Anybody ever have any excuses for Jesus?

Why you can't, why you won't, why you shouldn't? But Gideon said, how can I, who am I? Forgot who he was. My clan is the weakest. He's throwing his family under the bus. He's not even talking about himself at this point. He's like, have you seen my family? They are jacked up. I mean, we are a mess. We're the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh. I mean, he compared like the lowest of the low. He's like, have you seen what I'm working with here? And then he goes the next step for, but not only are they bad, but I am the least in my family. First of all, he realized his family wasn't even worth anything. But then he goes, but I came from that. So I'm even weaker than that. But here the Lord reminds him who he is, how he was created in his image and what he had called him to do. The Lord said to him, I will be with you. When God gives you a word, it doesn't matter how much strength you think you have. It doesn't matter what you see in your hand. When God gives you a word, he is giving you that word because he's telling you, I will be with you.

You're not having to do this in your own strength because you know what? We're not that good. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not that good. But Jesus can make me look pretty good. Jesus can give me the strength that I didn't think I had. Jesus can give me the mental clarity that I didn't think I had. Holy Spirit can give me the words to speak that I didn't think I had. He said, I will be with you. And you know what? You will destroy. He didn't say maybe. He said, you will destroy the Midianites. As you, if, as if you were fighting against one man, one man. Now this is a massive, like a massive oppressing people group that has like suppressed them for years. Seven years they've been in torment. Seven years they haven't had food. Seven years they've been starving. Seven years they've been hiding. And he said, you're only gonna be fighting if there's only one person. With Jesus, what the enemy many times wants you to see is something so big, so massive, so daunting that you think you're never gonna overcome it. You never think you're gonna come out of addiction.

You never think you're gonna get over this. You're never gonna be able. break free financially you're never going to be able to do different than your family but God here today wants to tell you I am with you and it's only fighting instead of it's this big it's this big in the sight of Jesus because he is with you I love how it talks about later on in the story I'll these verses won't be on the screen but I love later on as it goes because God always meets us in our doubts doesn't he first of all he calls us out then he calls us up and we're like yeah we're gonna do it and it's like wait a second what you want me to do what all of a sudden they see the enemy again you feel the enemy you experience that same familiar spirit that is taking you out time and time again but you've forgotten that Jesus was with you so he's talking to the angel of the Lord and you know what he says he's like I'm gonna need a sign if this is you I'm gonna meet I need a sign I just need to make sure has anybody ever asked for a sign I'm telling you what I've asked and then when I get a sign I'm like just one more Lord in case I in case I made that one up okay have this leaf blow off the top of the tree and when it comes down we'll have it land on the top of my car I'll know I'm supposed to do this do we not do that so many times so he goes and he's like I need a sign so he goes and prepares the angel of the Lord food and so he brings back he said don't leave so he comes back and brings back a sacrifice he brings back an offering and the angel of the Lord's like boom lights it on fire and it's done and what does he say Lord I need one more sign are you sure this is you Jesus I can't go on my own strength so he puts out a fleece and God if the fleece is wet this time and the ground is dry you know in the morning when everything's wet the dew he's like I'm gonna put out the fleece this time and if the fleece is wet but the ground is dry I know this is you speaking so he wakes up the next morning what do you think happened just like he prayed for that sign but what do you think happened one more sign Jesus one more sign don't you love that God meets us in our doubts don't you love the fact that he didn't come to him and was like I'm done with you I'm gonna have to find another judge I thought you were a mighty man of valor but apparently you're not asking for all these signs so he comes back out the next morning he's like God if this is you have the fleece to be dry but the ground to be wet and sure enough he gets out the next morning and there it is and even in here it says um he says he tells the angel

he says oh sovereign Lord I'm doomed because I've seen you he said I think I'm gonna die angel of Lord's like you're not gonna die I have a job for you to do okay I didn't come here to kill you you have a job to do okay so he says here he said I need you to take down the altar of your family so even his family even the weakest of the clan they were serving bail they were serving false idols they were allowing the things of this world to distract them from their purpose and their calling of following Jesus the one true God and God's like Gideon before you before you defeat the Midianites before you go and conquer that entire thing over there first I need you to go over here and clean house a little bit first I need you to get rid of some things that are stopping you from your destiny and I need you to get you back to serving the one true God and I feel like God in this season is asking us in our own homes in our own hearts not anybody on your row maybe not even your person beside you maybe not even your spouse not even your kids because we can all point fingers can't we you're like Lord I know speak to him right now Jesus let him clean house Lord let him clean speak I'll send him a text message in case they forgot what they need to clean house about no but seriously the angel of the Lord told Gideon he said I need you to take down the altars the idols in your own family's house get rid of them first then start serving build an altar to the almighty God the one true God bring back holiness yes teenagers I can tell you it is not about hype it can get excited I love serving I love jumping I can jump with the best of them and get excited but it is not about hype it is about holiness And Jesus is looking for us. He's looking for men. He is looking for women. He is looking for teenagers. He is looking for young adults to clean areas in our heart, areas in our life that we didn't even realize that we have given over and let the enemy sneak in, enemy creep in, and it's created a stronghold in our family. God's like, I need you to get rid of these things. I don't want hype anymore. I love seeing you dance and jump in church,

but when you hit the streets, are you still being holy? Are you still serving me? Are you still loving me? Are you still speaking about me? Are you still speaking good things with your mouth? Or do you have a holy mouth on Sunday and a potty mouth on Monday? Jesus wants us to be the same in the house as out of the house. So that's why we have to clean the house. And he wants our heart. He is not looking for perfection. If anybody can tell you I'm not perfect, it is my family, okay? They live with me on a daily basis, okay? Half hood, half holy. I'm like, yes, Lord. I try, the struggle is real. Amen, yes, I feel you, thank you. But seriously, Gideon had to go in first and clean the house, get rid of things. And maybe there's things tonight when we have the altar call, when we have prayer time after this, where God starts dropping things in your mind and been like, well, I didn't think it was that bad. He goes, but does it serve you purpose in this next season? It may have worked for you over here, but now it's a crutch stopping you from going over there to your destiny.

Do you wanna go to where I'm taking you or do you wanna stay over here contained, still suppressed, still hiding in the wine press, still waiting on God, still starving because God wants to take you over there, remind you who you are and take you to a place of victory. So Gideon, do you think Gideon was like, yes, I'm the man, thank you, Lord. I've had three sons, I'm feeling it. It's time to kick down the door. I'm gonna go take care of some business. No, he went at night because he was still scared, but he did it anyway. Do you know why? Because he went with the strength that he had. God had reminded him over here, go in the strength that you had. He still went in scared strength. He went and hid from his family, taken down at nighttime. He's like, hold the flashlight while I'm tearing this down, okay? You got my nine, I need to make sure they're not gonna take me out. And it probably wasn't even the Midianites, it was his own family that may have wanted to take him out. Because he was tearing down their idols. He was tearing down something that was sacred to them, something that they had been worshiping,

something they had been worshiping for too long, but it had become a stronghold in their family. So that's exactly what Gideon did. He pulled down his father's altar to Baal. He cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it and then used the Asherah pole to build the fuel for the sacrifice of the new altar that he had built as a sacrifice to the Lord there in the sanctuary. Don't you love that? What the enemy meant for evil? Almost like in victory, this Asherah pole standing there in defiance, being like, you can never get rid of me. You can never be free of me. Family says you're just like me. You'll never walk in freedom. You're a fill in the last name. That's what we do. We don't walk in victory. We're held by chains. But instead he cut down the Asherah pole and used it as a sacrifice to the one true living God. It says here, Gideon took 10 of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded, but he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father's household, like I told you guys, and the people of the town. I love it. You'll find later on people woke up, they were outraged,

and they're like, bring your son out here. What has he done? He has torn down our altar to Baal. And they said, no, we need to serve the one true God. And you see in the rest of the story, I love this. It says here, and I think it's verse 24, 34. It says, then the spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. You'll find this over and over. over and over. Guys, when we try to do things in our own strength, it doesn't last. This is what we have put here, this altar as a place of surrender, a place where it's let all striving cease. We can't do this in our own strength because when we look in the mirror, what do we see? We see our faults, we see our failures, we see our hurts, we see our habits, we see our hangups, we see the people that have done us wrong and we're still filled with bitterness and we're bound in the bitterness of our past. I don't deserve this. Instead, God today says, I want you to surrender that here at the altar. I want you to lay it down here at the altar. And you may not feel like the mighty hero, the man or the woman of God that he has called you to be, but tonight he says to you, go in the strength that you have.

What is God calling you to do in this season? What has he been gently nudging you? We're at the first of a year, the first of a month, 2026, all possibilities, the first of a month. Don't wait to January 1st of, you know, 2027. Let every day be a new, fresh start. Jesus says in his word, his mercies are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. So tonight, as we lay things down at the altar and we wake up with a fresh new spirit and fresh new eyes, seeing Jesus, this dream in my heart had died because I was only seeing myself hiding in a wine press. I was only seeing myself hiding from the enemy, not realizing who you had called me to be, whose I am. You today are a child of God. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior, you are walking in the authority of Jesus Christ. The enemy doesn't want you to think that you have authority in Jesus Christ. The enemy wants you to stay bound. He doesn't want you to see your purpose. He doesn't want you to live in victory. He doesn't want you to have dreams, ambitions. Those God-given dreams that are inside of your heart are for kingdom purpose. Maybe you're a business owner, a businessman, a business woman, and God has started birthing somebody in your heart saying, I want you to step out. I have something new for you.

But you're like, God, is it gonna work? What if it costs me everything? But he's over here saying, but what if it's for even greater good and kingdom purpose? What if I wanna bless you tenfold in this next season? Because then with those finances, you're gonna be able to do even more kingdom work for Jesus. What if in this season, and maybe you're a high school student, you're getting ready to graduate, and you're thinking, do I have what it takes to even go to college? Do I even have what it takes, the finances, anything? But you know God is saying, go to school. I have a greater purpose for you. Maybe no one in your family has ever graduated from college. Maybe no one in your family has even graduated from high school. But God is calling you to make a difference. He will provide for you. He has called you. Don't let any label disability stop you from God's greater purpose. There are so many men and women that God is using in a mighty way that have been labeled with dyslexia, that have been labeled with ADD, that have been labeled with all kinds of stuff. We can slap a label on anything these days, okay? But God is telling you today, go in the strength that you have.

Get around people. God will supply your every need. He's reminding you today, go in the strength that you have. God tells us to go, but that go is attached to what? Our obedience. Amen. And we've learned over and over and over in the season what obedience brings blessing. But why is it so hard? Why is it so hard to obey him? Why is it so hard to step out in faith so many times? Why is it so hard to be like, God, I'm trusting you in this area, but I don't know that I can trust you over here in this area. God is saying, go in the strength that you have. Your family hangs in the balance. Your destiny hangs in the balance. Your victory hangs in the balance. It's not just about you. Your coworkers hang in the balance. Your neighbors hang in the balance. in the balance. Many times in this Christian journey, we wanna make it all about us. What is it in it for me, Jesus? He's like, it's not. I'm gonna be with you and it's gonna be hard, but go in the strength that you have because I am with you.

It's so funny many times how we allow our limitations in our own mind to stop us from kingdom work. And sometimes it only starts in the smallest of things. Your heart races, God's like, I want you to do this. Step out in obedience. And you're like, once again, Lord, is that you? Am I supposed to give this $20? It's my last $20. You sure that homeless person is not gonna be you the next time you come to church? It's my last $20. You sure that homeless person is not gonna be using it on something they shouldn't? And God's like, I didn't ask you what they were gonna do with it. All he said was, what you have in your hands, are you willing to surrender to me? When he tells you go pray with that coworker, oh Lord, I'm not a good prayer. Anybody ever said that? If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I'd be like, woo, make it rain, Jesus. Why do we not think that we're good prayers? We're talking to the one who created us. We're talking to the one who loves us. We're talking to the one who created us in his image. It's a relationship. We don't have to have the right words to say, he just wants our obedience. Because remember what it says over here in the scripture,

what we heard, he says, they said over here, mighty hero, he said, go with the strength you have because I'm sending you. Many times we think it's gonna be our words. It's not your words. It's your coworker needing to know that they're seen. It's your coworker needing to know that God loves them. God has made them and he has a bigger calling for their life. Maybe it's you giving a smile to somebody in the grocery store who is not so nice. I know y'all have never been there before. Somebody just have a bad day and you're like, they don't deserve a smile. But God's like, you've got the light of Jesus. That's the enemy trying to repel you away from them. That's the enemy trying for you not to speak life over that person, for you to speak blessing over that person. Maybe you're the only person in their life who's ever spoken anything good to them. Maybe you're the only person who's ever, God has sent you there for them to be seen, for them to know that they've been seen by the one true God. What is God asking you to step out in obedience today and do? What's that thing that's been in your heart kind of stirring? You're like, God, I wanna help. I wanna help with sex traffic victims. God, you know my story and I'm too scared to share my story. And he's like, go in the strength that you have.

There's some woman out there that needs you to sit across the table from them, see them and say, I know what you've been through. Jesus sees you, he loves you, it's gonna be okay. Maybe you've gone through a horrific divorce and you thought your life was gonna be shattered, but God has carried you through a season. So then one day you're sitting in front of someone heading into that path and they think their life is gonna crumble, but you can sit in front of them and say, Jesus is with you, I've been in this season. The enemy wants to limit you and think that you're powerless and wants to keep you muted. Death in life, I've talked about this so many times, is in the power of the tongue. We have to get out, we have to speak it out. Share your story. There are so many times, and I know this is a sensitive topic, there are so many times that I have so many women come to me and share with me that they have been through an abortion and it's their biggest scared, hidden sin of their heart. They don't want anybody to know about it. And they have the courage to share it with somebody for the first time. And I'm like, somebody needs to know your story. There's another young girl out there who needs to know you're gonna be okay. You made a decision here, God met you here, and God is gonna use your story for his glory.

Don't let the enemy hold you back anymore. Don't let the enemy silence you anymore. Go in the strength that you have. God's gonna give you the courage. God's gonna give you the words. God's gonna give you the boldness. Tim can tell you, there was a time I never would have stood up here. I've said this a million times. million times, I never would have stood up here. I would have rather gone and picked weeds or something, played with a bunch of snakes, I don't know. I would not have wanted to be up here. But God's like, no, I need you to go in the strength that I have given you. And there were times when I remember, well, I probably have told this story before, but I remember, I think it was another one of my favorites. I know the two favorite judges in the book of Judges, we were talking about that, is Gideon and Samson, but I like Deborah, she's my girl. Gotta throw a little shout out to her, okay? So I spoke on Deborah because she is my girl. I like bold women. I'm like, yes, God can use us. And so I made this big statement and I was like, courage is courageous. And nobody said anything, just like you guys. And I was like, I thought that was gonna hit a little different.

And so then all of a sudden I was like looking and then I realized, oh, courage is courageous. I mean, contagious, not courageous. And so, I mean, I literally said so many things and the enemy would always be like, see, you shouldn't have gotten up there. Oh, you shared your story, you shared too much. Do you see the way they looked at you when you shared your story? Woo, they're gonna run from you next time they see you. That is lies of the enemy. Lies, lies, lies of the enemy. Don't stay in silence. Once again, the enemy wants to keep you in the wine press hidden. Jesus is calling you out today and says, go in the strength that you have. Who needs to hear your story? Who needs to see my glory? Who needs to know that whom the Son has set free is free indeed? You're walking in freedom? What, you had an addiction? There's no way. You're a holy roller, you're a church goer. I see you raising your hands. Yeah, but God. What, your marriage has been restored? Yeah, we went through hell, but God took us through a season

and now our marriage is restored. What, you're living in a big house on the hill? Yeah, we went through bankruptcy. We came through a season where we didn't think we were gonna make it, but God moment. Somebody needs to know your story. Don't stay in silence. Let him use you for a bigger purpose than yourself. I'm gonna pray over us tonight as the worship team comes. I wanna share with you the good news of Jesus. The good news of Jesus says, you know, you're like, I don't even know that I have strength. This is like all new to me. Like I'm feeling something right now. I don't know, I wanna cry. I wanna laugh. Maybe something's inside of me. I don't know what it is. Maybe you haven't met my Jesus. And I wanna introduce you to my Jesus. Jesus is the reason I can stand here and talk about how good he is, because I am not. Jesus is the one who has set me free. Jesus is the one who has saved me, who has called me his own. And when I surrendered to him and I said, not your will, but not my will, Jesus, but your will be done.

If he can change my life, he can change yours too. And that is your first step of going and the strength that you had. Maybe you came in here tonight. Maybe you're hung over. Maybe you're addicted to something. Maybe you're like, I came in here with so much baggage. I can't even let you see it. Jesus says, come to me. All you are weary, heavy laden, and I, Jesus is saying that, and I will give you rest. He wants to take that from you. He loved you so much, he died on a cross for you. He bled, he shed his only blood for you because he loved you that much. He took the payment of your sin. He took the payment of your shame. And today he wants to give you a new name. He wants to cover you in the blood of Jesus. He wants to take all your sins and make you new. There is nothing you can do to earn it. There's nothing you can do to deserve it. You can't work hard enough. Jesus says, it's already done. I died on the cross for you. I was buried in a grave for you but good news he took our sin our shame and the payment of it to hell and then three days later he came back up out of that grave and today we serve a risen Savior today let him be your Savior surrender today let him be Lord of your life don't go another minute don't go another second without receiving the gift of salvation it is free Jesus says in his

word for the wages of sin is death but the gift when there's a but in the verse it's a good thing this is the bad news but the good news is Jesus wages us in his death but the gift is eternal life with Jesus and it's not even Jesus someday it's Jesus walking with you today Jesus taking your your sorrow and turning it into gladness it's taking your hurts and everything that comes with it and giving you a new life and a fresh start you would like to do that today I'm gonna lead us in what we call the sinner's prayer it's us having a heart of surrender and saying Jesus I just surrender to you so as I pray this prayer you're not praying to me you're not praying through me this is just us as a church giving you the strength and the courage together to say this prayer for the first time maybe you've run fast and hard you've left your first love and you're like I made a decision when I was little but I don't even remember it that long ago maybe Jesus today has come home I've got a free gift for you the gift of salvation so we're gonna pray this prayer together church say dear Jesus I realized I'm a sinner and I need you I am desperate for you Jesus I realize that you died on a cross for me and you took the payment of my sin and my shame and today I'm putting my trust completely in you thank you for this gift of salvation I receive your love in Jesus name amen ma'am well if today you have made this decision I'm telling you we want to celebrate with you this is the best decision this is your first step forward of coming out of the wine press this is the first step of going in the strength that you have I just encourage you have one ounce of courage because courage is contagious and maybe you're gonna give somebody the courage to make the decision that you have made tonight's on the count of three if that was you want you to raise your hand and we want to celebrate with you on the count of three one two three I can't see up here but if you made that decision we have a gift we want to give you we are so excited for you come the prayer team is gonna come now we're gonna all stand together this is our time of us just surrendering to him if you made that decision of salvation someone down here would love to pray

with you they would love to encourage you they would love to celebrate with you and as we sing together maybe today you want to come down here and say God I came in with zero strength I felt like I was crawling in here tonight my soul just feels weak and weary come down here tonight let us partner with you come in what little strength you have maybe you came tonight and you've been bound in the chains of addiction Jesus wants to set you free tonight I'm telling you Jesus has come to give you life and life more abundantly do not walk out of those doors still chained and bound let us partner with you I'm telling you there is nothing like walking in the freedom of Jesus and walking chain-free some of us have been walking with chains clipped to our ankles a little too long we don't even realize that we've been carrying around a ten pound chain behind us because it feels so familiar our legs have just gotten a little stronger as we've dragged it behind us God's like I want to I want to That off of you tonight. I want to cut that off of you. You have a race to run. There's something to do I'm coming back. If you don't realize that Jesus is coming back and he's got a race for us to ride You can run the race that I've set before you I've got a job for you to do I've got a victory for you to run. I've got people in your office that need to know about the hope of Jesus I need your family the weakest of the clan to know that oh my gosh What's different about Johnny not this Johnny? We know what's different about him But what's different about you? There's something different about you. Wait a second. You got a glow. That's right That's the Holy Spirit glow. He wants to do that for you, too. I'm free of addiction I don't talk like I used to sounds like a song that we sing sometimes right? I don't walk like I used to Come tonight We didn't come tonight just to hear and be impressed. I got what you you know, come on. Give me something We came here to meet with Jesus And Jesus wants to meet with you He wants you to surrender Don't let your pride stop you from coming down here Maybe that's something you need to clip off as pride Pride has bound you you're like if they find out about this. I'm a leader

It's okay. Jesus already knows and He's like go Go in the strength that you have. I'm telling you we have seen people set free down here We have seen people walk in freedom after revival nights. We have seen people healed mentally spiritually Emotionally physically don't walk out of here thinking you don't deserve it because you're the weakest of the weakest plan You are a child of God you are made in his image you are made to walk victoriously Walk in the freedom and the declaration of Jesus as we sing. I just want you to come down now