The Greatest Comeback | Pastor Pacer Hepperly

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♪♪♪ This is what he said, love, love, drive home to the Word and the Lord. Love, love, drive home to the Word and the Lord. Love, love, drive home to the Word and the Lord. This is the sound of drive home, drive home. This is the praise that your dead man wants. Open the grave, I'm coming out, I'm gonna live, gonna live again. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. Drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. This is the sound of drive home, drive away. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. My heart says now, surrender now, I give you everything. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. My heart says now, surrender now. I give you everything Your goodness is running after, it's running after me All my life you have been faithful All my life you have been so, so good With every breath that I am able

I will sing of the goodness of God I'm gonna sing, I'm gonna sing This is God All my life you have been faithful All my life you have been so, so good With every breath that I am able I will sing of the goodness of God I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God Come on, let's lift it up to him this morning. Thank you, Lord. Your goodness goes beyond measure. We give you honor and glory and praise in this house this morning. Thank you for being at Revolution Church today. Can you just turn to somebody and say, glad that you're here as you're seated. Glad that you're here. Glad that you're here. So good to see everybody in the house of the Lord. Well, thank you so much for being here at Revolution Church as we kick off a new year. If you've been wanting something new in your life, this is it. This is your new thing that you get the chance for a new year with the Lord. And we don't only love that we get the chance to come in and worship God. We love that we get the chance to be together with you. Does anybody love being at church with our church family in the house? Anybody love being here today? Hallelujah. My name is Grant. I have the privilege of being the youth pastor here at Revolution Church. Thank you again for being just patient with us as we expand the church. Listen, I was excited. I was gone for a week. I got back last night. I was excited to see what all happened in a week's time with our building as we're expanding. It's starting to look good. It's starting to take form in some areas. So thank you for parking in different places, walking in different ways, checking in different ways. We're continuing to grow in that in this year. How many of you have been a part of Awake 21 so far?

Awake 21? Awesome. Awesome. Well, Awake 21 is Blount County churches coming together and preaching the gospel, right, for the first 21 days of the year. We're saying we're sharing the gospel at all of our churches. We don't just want people to join a church. We want people to hear about Jesus and join the church. Amen. So we're in day four of that. Tonight we're at Alcoa Methodist. Everybody say Alcoa Methodist. That's where we're going to be tonight. We're in day four of that. And also today we start as a church our 21 days of fasting and prayer and Bible reading. Okay, so 21 days we start off the year on purpose. We don't just start a year and say, well, we hope it's a good year. Maybe it'll be good. We don't know. We actually want to inquire of the Lord, right? Anybody trust what God says? Anybody believe God's word and that prayer does things? So we've made some awesome pamphlets for you that are outside in the foyer. Please grab one of those on your way out. It talks about what to pray for every day. It's got a scripture for every day, a thought for every week. And pastor is going to start bringing some messages that go along with that today. It's also going to be in our website. And speaking of our website, you can give there, right? We have the tap tags on the back of the chairs. You see those as a little circles and the awesome technology we have nowadays. You can put your phone up to that. Give to the Lord. Maybe in 2025 you weren't able to give a lot. Maybe in 2026 the Lord's calling you maybe to give a little bit more. A give to something specific, as pastor talked about a few weeks ago. It's so easy to give now.

Or if you want to do it old school, you also see the tiled envelopes there in the back of the chairs. You can put money in that, a check, whatever. Fill it out even for your credit card, put it back there in the back. Because you're not just giving to pastor. You're not just giving to likes. You're giving to lives. And, man, has anybody believed that to lives? See Jesus, to know Jesus, to be healed and changed. And please, please, if you're new, or if you say, I just really want somebody to pray for something specific, I'm a little bit nervous. People get nervous, right? You don't really wanna come up and talk to somebody. Fill out a Connect card. That's what these look like, that's why I always have it. I don't have it just to hide my phone, right? It's not just for looks. It's so you can fill that out and get connected with us. We have a special room that you can come and ask people questions. You can turn that in, because it's about doing this thing together, right church? If we could do it alone, we could just sit at home. God created the church for a reason, to be together, to pray together, to learn together, to do ministry together. Fill it out. Let go of the fear. Step into what God has for you in 2026, amen? Let's pray.

Jesus, I love you. Thank you, Jesus, for a new year. And maybe somebody in this room hasn't gotten something new in their life, and they've been waiting for something new in their life, and they haven't received it, they haven't seen it. And I pray right now in the name of Jesus that this new year, something new would happen in their life, and it would be led by you. That all of the things we try to make as resolutions, all the things that we think, God, what can I do, what can I become this year? It's no, Lord, what are you doing? What are you saying? What are you helping us with in this year as a church and as individuals? Thank you for this church body. Thank you for the correctional facilities. Thank you for the live stream. Thank you for pastors. He brings us word as we start this year. We open up our ears, our spirit, to receive what you've got. We're leaning in to 2026 and what you have for us. We give you all the praise, honor, and glory. In Jesus' name, everybody said amen. Amen. Good morning, I'm Amanda, and welcome to Revolution. If this is your first Sunday with us, we're excited you're here.

Please stop by the Connect Hub. Our team would love to meet with you personally and give you a welcoming gift. If you're watching online, say hi in the comments. We'd love to connect with you and welcome you to church today. Now here's what's going on at Revolution. 21 days of prayer and fasting begins today. We have the Bible reading plan and prayer points available at the door as you leave. This is a great opportunity for you to begin the new year with your eyes on Jesus. Hey, Revolution Church, are you ready to get connected? Join us for our Connect One Luncheon happening the last Sunday of every month during our third service in the pavilion. Hear from Pastor Pacer, enjoy a meal, and meet some of our leaders. Don't miss it. Sign up on our church center app or website and we'll see you there. We weren't meant to face life alone and we believe in the power of prayer. If you're in need of prayer today, we would love to stand with you. If you're here in person, you can meet with a member of our prayer team after service. You can also write your prayer request on a Connect card and drop it in the offering bucket as you leave. If you're watching online,

feel free to share your prayer request in the comments. We're here for you. Did you miss anything? Want to stay up to date on everything happening at Revolution? Visit our website at realrevolution.com or download the church center app for all the latest news and upcoming events. Thank you so much for being with us today and we hope you feel right at home. Enjoy the rest of the service. Welcome to Revolution Church. Anybody glad to be in God's house today? Come on, first Sunday of the new year. Help me welcome the 411 family. They just joined us. Come on, let's give it up for the 411 family. So good that all of you are with us today and all of our first-time guests. Can we give them a warm Revolution welcome? Welcome, welcome. And then we don't want to forget the 743 prisons, correctional facilities, all of those that are joining today. God bless every single one of you. I mean, what a better way to kick off 2026 than to be in the house of the Lord, to worship the Lord. Man, I can't think of a better way. Could you?

Look over to your neighbor and say, it's good to see you in the house of the Lord today. Come on. Man, I just want to take a few minutes before I dive into the word today and let you know how grateful that I am for your support of this ministry, whether it's your giving, offerings, tithes, this legacy offering that you guys did. Thank you so much for all of your support. And then also, all of you that supported Awake 21 as we hosted the first night, over 500 people were here. On Thursday night come on praise the Lord for that and I want to say thank you To those who worked in the parking lot making sure that people had a place to park and then the greeters We had we had people setting up the hospitality room. We had kids class nursery They had a movie at the pavilion for the kids They did a movie night and and that was great popcorn and pizza So it was a it was a great time, but man you guys just really supported the revival extremely well, and and then and then actually And and also I want to I want to give a shout out to the worship team man Did they not absolutely rock it Thursday night here? They brought the 411 at the broadcast team together, and it was amazing man It was awesome, and it was great They brought the fire, and then God showed up Friday night at Everett Hills Baptist Church. Can I hear an amen to that? God showed up and the revolution Christian family showed up as a matter of fact somebody told me they said there's no parking They they're using overflow I look back across the congregate or the crowd and I I saw the church family I saw you guys there, so so just so so thankful for the support and For you being there it was it was awesome, and God is is definitely moving

I want to go ahead and reiterate what pastor Grant said earlier We are starting today the 21 days of prayer and fasting we do this every year at the beginning of the year We believe that this really sets the church on the right course for the entire year We dedicate this time to the Lord We're we're focused intentionally on prayer and make sure again as he said pick up a pamphlet That's out in the foyer. That'll give you some guidance on scriptures that we're reading together Your prayers that we're praying together, and so we would love for you to join us In that and so a couple things. I wanted to share whether you're here in person today, or you're watching online I believe that 2026 is going to be a year of open doors and Opportunities for you you receive that open doors and opportunities Opportunities for you, and I'm ready you know 2025 our theme was what somebody help me No, come on. Say it like you mean it. What was our theme for 2025 come on is let's go Let's go, and that's carried over as a matter of fact. I play a little pickleball on the side You know I will I will tell you the first time I saw pickleball I was the East Tennessee medical group, and I was there doing a checkup or whatever and I looked over I kept hearing this sound pop pop pop pop pop pop pop, and I thought what is it? I looked across the road, and I seen all these old people Come on. I said I saw I saw all these old people hitting a little yellow ball I said what in the world are they doing well guys now? I'm one of those people okay, if you if you drive by I might be out there hitting that little yellow ball It's that but but anyway in pickleball When when we make a good point or whatever we've got a theme on the pickleball courts now We look over to the other and say come on. Let's go right I see a couple pickleball players here with me that that that we play with but anyway 2026 here we are new year first Sunday of the year and I've been praying about a theme for the new year and God What is it you're you're speaking to us about as a church and so in October somewhere around October? I was at a global Leadership conference and as I was there Craig Rochelle was speaking

He was teaching and he was going through it he was talking about the importance of passion the importance of intensity the importance of purpose and some of those things and and he said These three words and man it just resonated I wrote it down because I felt like that's the word for the new year, and he said these words He said it's time to bring the heat amen bring the heat 2026 come on bring the heat. Let's say it together bring the heat amen So we're gonna bring the fire God in 2026 amen wherever you go We're at whatever you do whoever you're around. We're gonna bring the heat. We're gonna let people see Jesus amen and We're passionate about Jesus so so anyway how many of you realize that God deserves our best amen he does Colossians 3 23 I want you to look at this verse before we dive in it goes like this whatever you do do it enthusiastically as Something done for the Lord and not for men Whatever you do Do it wholeheartedly do it enthusiastically Give it your best do it with passion do it with intensity do it with purpose Whatever you do amen because what happens is we reflect God in everything we do. Amen? And do you realize people are watching us? They're always watching. So I want to encourage you to do it with whatever you do enthusiastically as unto the Lord. Now, what a better time to make Jesus number one of your life than the beginning of 2026? What a better time to just go all in, to give Him your best. I believe that this is a great time to do that. So 2026, I'm praying that God will continue the revival that He started.

Last year, I shared these numbers with you a couple weeks ago. The numbers of salvations that we saw just here at this particular church, at all of our campuses, were astounding. Over 950 people born again just last year. We need to praise the Lord for that. If one person's saved, and these numbers, these numbers aren't inflated. I'm guessing there was about 20 today. I'm guessing there was about 30. No, these are real numbers. And these are numbers that we're tracking. And so I'm praying that the revival continues in 2026. Now, what I'm going to be sharing here in the next few minutes, if you were at Everett Hills Baptist Church, you're going to hear some of the same message that I shared. Because I felt like the Lord said, you need to share this, and the entire body needs to hear it. Also, those who are watching who are incarcerated need to hear this message. Amen? You realize last weekend, we had a record attendance

of people viewing online. God's opening doors, guys, like we could never imagine. And it's only by the grace of God, and He deserves all the glory. There were over 7,200 people that watched the service last weekend, not counting the prisons. Not counting the prisons. Probably over 10,000 inmates. So God's opening up opportunities, and we don't want to take that for granted. We want to give Him the praise, give Him the honor, give Him the glory, and make sure that we share the gospel every time we get a chance. So, continued revival. As I was thinking about awakenings, and I'm thinking about revivals in America, the first great awakening that was labeled in America happened in the early 1700s. And there was a fellow by the name of George Whitfield. He played a significant role in that first great awakening. I think it was like 1720. As a matter of fact, in one year,

George Whitfield traveled over 5,000 miles up and down the Atlantic coast on a horse. Think about that. Preaching the gospel as he went. Over 350 sermons he preached in one year. I thought three sermons in one Sunday was a lot. That's not a lot. You know, a lot of things that we look at come just from our own perspective. You know, I had someone come and visit this church and met with me after service, and they told me, we're new to the area, I work in aviation, somebody told me about your church, so I wanted to come and visit. And I said, well, what did they tell you about our church? And they said, it's a big church. And I said, oh, okay. I said, where'd you come from? And they said, well, we come from Texas. What church did you attend out there? We attended Gateway, which is a 40,000 member church.

It's like, I'm sitting here looking at them and thinking, big church, mega church, baby church. And so a lot of it's perspective. A lot of it really is. I was out in Houston a few years ago, and I took a selfie in front of Joel Osteen's church, and I said, this is a big church, okay? But anyway, 5,000 miles preaching the gospel during this first awakening. And really, when you look at the way, there's been several awakenings in America. There's been several revivals that God has sparked, and so as I was reading about George Whitefield, what was different about him was his passion that he preached with. He brought the heat. Man, when he preached the gospel, I was reading something there that like he would tremble when he would actually preach. He was so passionate about the message. He believed in the message at such an extent that it actually took over his physical body.

And people were so drawn to him. He wasn't preaching in churches. Many times he was preaching in pastor fields. He was preaching, he would find a mound, and people would gather. But thousands and thousands of people were coming because of his passion and because of the way he was preaching. And I feel like what God's wanting from you and I. He wants you and I to have a powerful testimony for Jesus. Amen? He wants us to, whatever we do, do it enthusiastically, wholehearted. But anyway, I wanted to talk about another movement in America. It was 1950. How many of you guys were alive in 1950? Would you hold up your hand? Come on, we got a few up. Let's give it up for the seniors and the prime timers. Amen. You guys remember the 50s well. I bet no one here remembers the Great Depression, though. No, those times have passed. But in the 50s, it was titled the Golden Age for Religion in America. Between 50 and 60, there was a movement. And so I was doing some study, and between 1955 and 1958, almost half of Americans were attending

church, which was incredible. During the 1950s, for the first time nationwide, church membership grew faster than the population. It was an incredible growth rate. 57% of the US population in 1950 were attending church. By 1960, that number was 63.3% of people attending church. And so as I was looking at that, I'm thinking, OK, what was happening in 1950? Well, a couple of things were happening. Number one, America had been through some tough times. The economy, people had came through the Great Depression. Anybody here ever talk to individuals who lived through the Great Depression? Several of you have. And we've asked questions and heard how hard it was, the soup lines and the things that they, the difficulties. But what I've picked up on most of all, those individuals that most have gone on now, but they are really good at saving. They're really good at putting back. They would save even their seed for the next year, because they knew what it was like not to have enough. And so in 1939, the Great Depression had ended, and the economy had started picking up. People started buying homes and automobiles. And then another thing that happened during this time is World War II. World War II had ended in 1945. And so as a result, we see the housing market picking up. We see the automobile industry taking off.

And it seemed like America was excited, if you look back. As a matter of fact, prior to the 50s, it seemed like the only color that the automobiles had was black. You ever notice that? I'm a car guy, so I pick up on those things. But in 50, go back and look at your 1955 Chevrolets and 55 Fords and all that. Everything was pretty. They came out with all these nice colors. They had teal and beige and an Obed orange or red. And they had all these different colors. You may ask me, how do you know? Because I own a 1956 Chevrolet. I like that year. There's just something special about that year. As a matter of fact, they built those cars to last. There's no computer. There's no airbags. They do have a padded dash. There were no seat belts. I've added them for our grandkids. But it was just some cool years. But here was what was the great thing. There was excitement in America. And people started coming back to church. Families started coming back to church. And I shared those numbers with you. And so this continued on for a little while. And then what we see next was the 70s come around.

Well, prior to the 70s, even during this time, you guys have seen some of the Billy Graham, where he packed out the auditoriums and thousands of people coming to Jesus. It was just a good time. People getting saved, born again. But then in the 70s, we noticed, if you go back and you look, there was a plateau. The church attendance just didn't continue to grow. It just kind of leveled off. And that happened for a few years. And then we noticed in 1990, something shifted. Something changed in America. And out of nowhere, there just started to become this steep decline. People gave up on church. People gave up on religion. People stopped coming to church. And it continued, a decline, a decline, a decline. As a matter of fact, this continued 2022, 2023. That number. Had dropped by over 20 percentage points people attending church Just basically gave up on the church, which is is crazy. That's not been just a couple years ago guys But listen to me listen closely the Barner Research Group's latest survey is calling this new data listen closely a historical reversal For the first time in decades younger adults that being Gen Z and Millennials are Coming back to church, and they're outpacing the older generation come on praise the Lord for that

Amen I Look I look across here, and I see a lot of you Millennials and Gen Z's and you're coming back, and they're interested in what's authentic I've heard this and I want to share it with you I've heard a lot of these younger people say I don't care about a mega church. I don't care about All of these different things. I'm just looking for something real You see we live in a society where you don't know if it's real or not I? Quit watching Vic don't send me a video I Quit watching them because I don't know if it's a I generated I'm gonna do a sermon or a sermon series this year and talk about what's real you see I'm gonna go ahead and give you a plug that I didn't plan on some of you need to put your devices up and go To the mountains and take a hike I'm feeling goosebumps, and I'm pretty sure it's the Lord Why would you say that because heaven and earth declare his glory You guys with me. I was talking to a county commissioner this week. She attends our church She said her son had been out of church And he went out to I think it's Montana or somewhere out out west and while he was out there had a spiritual experience Outdoors I said it don't surprise me Because those mountains they declare the glory of God And and if you want to see something that's real Go outside Get outdoors get off this junk Because again, I don't know what's true, or what's not so I just quit watch I quit watching anything on it Are you guys with me? We'll save that message for another time But the Gen Z's and the Millennials the younger people are coming back to church And I've heard that they're looking for for just what's real It doesn't have to be the perfect message or sermon It doesn't have to be the perfect letter written on the perfect letterhead It doesn't have to be the perfect speech just be real Be genuine

Hey, listen to me if I'm living in a 16 million dollar home. Don't come and listen to me preach You guys with me I'm serious. We have taken this thing so far. It's it's it's so far out of hand Okay, and we need to get back to what's genuine. What's real? I promise you George Whitfield wasn't living in a massive home He's riding a horse across the Atlantic Coast He was doing what God called him to do and he was making a difference, and he was starting a revival I want I want to see God start a revival in 2026 Amen And I believe he's going to so the title of the message today is The comeback say the comeback the comeback now we we get I get excited about comebacks You know people that have been down and out and people that come back that that fires me up I get into it and and so When I was thinking about comebacks first person that came to my mind is Michael Jordan Michael Jordan is probably the greatest basketball player or one of them the greatest basketball players ever ever to live, but he shocked the world He shocked the world when he announced his retirement at 30 years old He had won three NBA championships He was killing it. He was in his prime, and he said hey, I'm retiring I'm gonna go off and do something else, and he tried a few other things that didn't work out too. Well for him But two years later 1995 What we see is Michael Jordan made a comeback and he went on to win three more NBA championships and so with the Chicago Bulls Another person that I think of when it comes to comebacks George Foreman anybody in here know George Foreman or heard of George Foreman Few of you have well the first service everybody got fired up over George Foreman I Foreman listen boxing used to be like the bomb we all watch the heavyweight fights Did we not I mean with that was it whenever? Muhammad Ali was fighting or one of those those guys man. We were we were tuned in across America and So George Foreman became the heavyweight champion of both the world when he defeated Joe Frazier in 1973, okay? What you don't hear a lot about is him retiring four years later when he was defeated by a lesser opponent.

And so as a result of that, Jimmy Young defeated him and he laid down his gloves and he gave it up. Now, talking about comebacks, ten years later, a decade later. He's an old man. He's kind of like me and some of you, okay? But there was a comeback in him. How many of you feel like there's a comeback in you? How many of you really feel like there's a comeback in me? I'm not going down. I'm not through. 2026, let's go. Come on. Let's bring the heat. Let's bring our best to the Lord. Amen? There's a comeback in us. I believe that. And so George Foreman comes back a decade later. I want you to listen to what happened. He knocked out Michael Moore, claiming the world heavyweight title at age, are you ready? Forty-five years old. Heavyweight title of the world. We get into comebacks. We enjoy them. And when you talk about comebacks, they're throughout the scripture. As a matter of fact, when you go through the Old Testament, you're going to see a lot of symbolism between the nation of Israel and the modern day church, the ecclesia, the called out ones. And yet we talk about it on a regular basis. Today I want to share some scriptures with you that show and reflect a great comeback,

the nation Israel. If you have your Bibles, let's turn there, Ezekiel 37, and I want to read verses 1-14. The Lord took hold of me, this is Ezekiel talking, and I was carried away by the spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and completely dried out. And then he asked me, son of man, can these bones become living people again? Oh, sovereign Lord, I replied, you alone know the answer to that. You alone, Lord, know the answer to that. It's pretty cool. I've got a ladybug crawling across the top of my iPad, going right down on my screen. I guess I'll leave her or him there for a while and we'll see how it goes. But Ezekiel, the great prophet of God, Ezekiel, the man of God, he was from the tribe of Levi. He was taken captive by the Babylonians somewhere when he was around 25 years old. And so, also interesting is Ezekiel's name actually means God will strengthen. God will strengthen. Now God strengthened him and he prophesied. Most of his prophecies came between the years 600 and 570 BC. Now this prophecy that I just read was primarily for the Israelites taken captive and scattered. They disobeyed God, God lifted his hand off of them, and they were taken captive. Now it appeared here that their national identity was forever gone. There's some key words that I want you to look at in this passage. Three key words, valley, dry bones, and scattered. Valley, dry bones, and scattered. You see, what the spirit of the Lord was giving Ezekiel a flyover of a battlefield. A battle that had been fought and there was obviously an army that had been defeated. It wasn't a recent battle because that's where your dry bones and the scattered come from. And so, what do valleys represent in our life? They represent low places, disappointments maybe. They may represent a loss or a setback.

What did the dry bones indicate? Death and defeat that the nation of Israel had encountered. Now, there are great lessons to be learned here and I've got three points I want to make. And let's start with point number one. If you're taking notes, you might want to write this down. Point number one, trials and valleys are an important part of life. Trials and valleys are an important part of life. Now there's a few things that we know for certain about trials and valleys. And I've touched on these in the past. One, they're inevitable. They're going to come. Rod Aguilar, the pastor out of Louisiana, he said, you're either in a valley, coming out of the valley, or getting ready to go into a valley. It's a cycle. Valleys we know, trials are part of our life. They're also impartial. They come to everyone. But three, they're unpredictable. Can I hear an amen to that? You know, wouldn't it be nice if you could plan or schedule your trial? Not during the holidays, not before vacation, you know, but we can't. We can't prepare for them. As a matter of fact, I was in first service today, and my wife, she got up, and she had to leave the building. She texted me a little later, and she said they had to take my mom to the ER. She's dehydrated. And so we never know when we're going to get that message,

when we get those calls. We understand that valleys and trials are inevitable. Now, praise the Lord, she's up there right now, and I pray getting an IV, amen, and getting rehydrated, and pray for her. Her name's Judy. But I said all that to say that there are some things that are for certain when it comes to trials and valleys. But there's also some positive things that come from these valleys. A, valleys make you stronger. Can I hear an amen to that? Valleys make you stronger. Look at 1 Peter 5.10. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, he said after you've suffered a little while, will himself, now listen to this, now highlight it, restore you, make you strong, firm, and steadfast. This is what happens. They make you stronger. B, valleys, and I like this, I like B, valleys don't last forever. Did you hear me? Valleys have a shelf life. If you're in the middle of a valley, you can be encouraged today to know it's going to end. OK, they do. A trial never lasts forever.

And so look at 2 Corinthians 4.17. He said, for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all, far outweighs any valley or trial that you'll go through. So it's going to end. That's the good news, OK? That would have been a good time to shout. Tony Collins said last night, he said, even Presbyterians would have shouted at that point. So but anyway, C. And this, again, is awesome. You're not alone in the valley. You're never by yourself. He's always there. The enemy might say, you're alone. Look at Psalm 23.4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you're with me, you're rod and your staff. They what? They bring comfort to me. You're never alone. They have a shelf life. They'll make you stronger. So that's comforting. But when you look back at this prophecy and you look at Israel, it appears they're finished. They're destroyed. They're scattered. And it appears they're never going to be a nation again.

This leads to point number two. Point number two is God always has a comeback in your future. You got to hear that today. God always has a comeback in your future. And he did for Israel. Again, all the indications said it's over. Israel, there was a time where Israel was a force to be reckoned with. They were feared by the enemy. When the enemy heard Judah coming with the instruments, their heart sank because they knew that God was with them. But now, they're nothing more than a memory. They're nothing more than a picture of defeat and what remains left behind. As I was thinking about this, I was thinking of the symbolism between Israel and the church. The church, there was a time, like we were talking about, where the church was thriving. People were attending. Salvations were happening. And then we started seeing the decline. For whatever reason, we started seeing the decline. But here's the good news. It's not over until it's over. Can I hear an amen to that? It's not over until it's over. God always has a comeback in our future. OK? And so God asked Ezekiel, here's the question. God said, can these bones live again?

Can these bones live again? Now, I want you to listen to me. God never asks a question because He doesn't know the answer. Are you with me? He knows everything. He's omniscient. He's omnipresent. He's omnipotent. That's our God. So why does He ask the question? You ever thought about it? Why does He ask the question? I think at least two reasons. One reason is He wants Ezekiel to know that these bones can live again. And number two, He wants the enemy to hear the question. Because the enemy knows that if God could live for Israel, the nation Israel, through the Red Sea, parting it, and then destroy the Egyptian army as they come through, then God can raise these bones back to life. So the Canaanites, the Jebusites, the Moabites, all the otherites, I think their heart's pounding. It's like, OK, there's a chance. Was it dumb and dumber? You saying we got a chance? No, there's a chance. Hope I didn't lose the anointing for reference of dumb and dumber.

There's a chance that God's going to resurrect this army. And if he does, that means we're in trouble as the enemy. That means we're in serious trouble. So God wanted Ezekiel to know, and he also wanted all hell to know, to take notice. God's getting ready to resurrect these bones into a fighting machine once again. Listen to what God says next, Ezekiel 37, 4. Then he said to me, speaking to Ezekiel, he said, speak a prophetic message to these bones. And he gives him clearly the exact words that he's to say. He says this, dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord. He said, Ezekiel, speak a prophetic message. A prophetic message is something that's not happened yet, but is going to happen. It's not going to happen right now, but listen to me. He said, speak a prophetic message, dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord. This leads to the last point. Last point is when God speaks, things happen. Can I hear an amen to that? When God speaks, things happen. And God has spoken. How do I know what God said? Somebody help me. Dig in the word. Dig in the word. You'll find what he's already spoken. There's things that he's spoken over your life, promises that God's made that you and I may not know.

We need to know those, because they will come to pass. So when God speaks, things happen. When God said, let there be light, what happened? Light came on. Why did it come on? Because God spoke. When Jesus said, Lazarus, when he yelled, Lazarus, come forth, after being dead four days, what happened? He came forth. Why? Because God spoke. When God speaks, things happen. The man that hadn't walked for 38 years, when Jesus said, get up and walk, what happened? He got up and walked. What are you saying? I'm saying when God speaks, things happen. And God has spoken, and my people are destroyed because they don't know what God has spoken. Lack of knowledge. They don't know the word of God. So we need to dig in the word. Let's see what God's spoken over our family, over our life, over our nation. And so verse 37. So Ezekiel, he said, so I spoke this message just as he told me, exactly like God said, and then suddenly, as I spoke. See, some of you, I honestly believe that the Lord's given some of you words to speak, OK?

And when you speak, you're going to experience a suddenly. Suddenly, as I spoke, there was a rattling noise, like the song they did earlier. Live, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body come together and attach themselves as complete skeletons. I was talking to a young lady before this service, and she said, I know this sounds weird, but back when I was in the world, the first thing I thought of when you started explaining this was some of those horror flicks I used to watch. And she said, I know that's not a good analogy, but that's just what come to mind. But I want to tell you, what do you think Ezekiel was thinking when he started seeing all this? You've got bones scattered. Now they're all coming together. They're uniting. Muscles are coming upon him. Tendons are coming upon him. And God has instructed Ezekiel, and he speaks, and then comes the miracle. So what about God? If God tells you to speak to someone or go pray for someone, has God ever placed it on your heart to just go pray for someone? Or ask someone maybe a question. Maybe your waiter. I don't know, whatever, but God gives you instruction.

I want you to be obedient in that, because the miracle could be hinged upon you being obedient to speaking that word or praying that prayer. Amen? And so when God speaks, things happen. Bones are coming together, muscles and tendons, but there's yet something missing. What's missing? Somebody help me. But yeah, yeah the breath the Roo awesome. I said verse 8 Then as I watched muscles and flesh formed over the bones the skin formed to cover the bodies, but they still had no Breath in them. They had the structure. They looked like an army They looked like humans They they had the structure But they had no breath now the Hebrew word for breath here and we've talked about it before. What is it? Help me Rua say Rua Rua, man, I love that word. That just is like a warrior term. Do you feel that ladies? Do that mean anything to you guys or no just us guys Rua Rua the breath of God the Spirit of God the power of God the dunamis of God The miracles of God the Rua they had everything here, but they didn't have the breath now What could this look like? symbolism Compared to the church. It could be it could be a church that has a form of godliness They've got a preacher You've got your preacher here He's bringing a sermon. They've got a worship team. They've got a building. They've got a parking lot. They even have an altar They've got out But but but listen if the Spirit of God if the Rua of God's not there then it's just dead There's no life in it. And so it's important. It's important that we have this part And I think this is why that God gave this prophecy

That we needed to be filled with the Rua of God the Holy Spirit that brings life Listen to me in this church We teach we give the gospel of Jesus and we ask people to come to Christ be born again be saved It's the first decision. It's the best decision you'll ever make in your life And then let's follow it up with with water baptism. Let's do what Jesus said. Let's be baptized in water But we're not going to leave it there. We're gonna we're gonna encourage you to live a holy life To serve God to the best of your ability and and really pray that God would fill you with the Rua The fire of the Holy Spirit and he'll do that How many of you believe he'll do it if you pray and believe it. Amen. So now are you ready for this verse 10? It's getting ready to get really good look at your neighbor and say it's getting ready to get good. Come on So I spoke the message as he commanded me Breath came into their bodies They all came to life and they stood up on their feet. Listen to me a great army a great army Now God spoke this remember I said earlier. This is a prophetic message Something that's that's gonna come to pass But who knows when So Ezekiel speaks it Five years ten years past nothing happened. There's still a scattered army. There's still a scattered nation They're not even a nation 30 years 40 years Ezekiel dies and the prophecy still doesn't come to pass. Does that mean that God was not accurate? I Want you to understand something? There's some people that have gave up on Jesus coming back for his church But if he said it you can absolutely believe it you could trust him. He's coming back for his church I don't know if it's today tomorrow if it's even in my lifetime, but I promise you one thing's for certain Jesus will come back for his church. Why because he spoke it he said it and things will happen You guys with me. Amen. It's gonna happen so we can expect it A Hundred years pass The prophecy still just sits there dormant. Nothing's happened Israel's not a nation they're scattered

300 400 500 years pass a Thousand years and it's still not happened. They're scattered 1,500 years It's not happened It's just a prophecy. It's just a word But I want you to listen to me 2,500 years later You see times nothing to God we're all about seconds minutes days hours months whatever God is bigger than time 2,500 years later God will honor his word if he said it he'll bring it to pass 2,500 years later 1947 1948 Israel Became a nation once again Now won't you listen closely? The thing that I love about this Do you know who the first Nation to recognize them as a state as a nation It was president Harry Truman 11 minutes listen He didn't wait 11 days 11 months 11 years 11 minutes. He made a statement and Acknowledged that Israel is recognized now as a nation and I want you to know something. They're a great army Some of the best technology the best science The smartest people in the world comes out of this little small place called Israel Why is it because God said it? But listen to me what about the church It's I said earlier it's symbolic of Israel and I believe the church is coming back once again

It may not be worldwide, but I believe there's going to be pockets where the church is unstoppable Where miracles and signs and wonders and things that God has spoken in his word are going to come to pass again And I want to say this God wants to use you You got to hear me right now. God wants to use you. He wants to use me. He wants to use us all Amen, we're part of the body of Christ and God God is raising up a mighty army a mighty army 2026 I Believe it's our comeback year. I believe Gen Z Millennials even some of us old folks Come on We got some old folks in the room right now and young folks Listen to me if you're going to outrun me you better get up early Ramir I may be that old person over there hitting the pickleball, but I can still move What are you saying I'm saying we need to bring the heat for Jesus come on don't step back right now Oh Lord, we got to finish strong Amen, we're not coasting out. We got to finish strong. Come on somebody. Let's stand if we're good Take Jesus with you everywhere you go We Talked about these comebacks, but can I share here just in about one minute the greatest comeback ever known to mankind Listen it happened about 2,000 years ago an Innocent man was accused of crimes. He didn't do It Was rigged from the beginning he was hung on a Roman cross he was executed He hung there until he bled out he died he said these words it is finished and It appeared to be over Disciples they go home The women they they stayed but most of the men they left it's like we thought he was going to be this and that His body's limp hung on the cross last breath no more breath a man by the name of Josephus of Arimathea

Got permission to take his body off the cross and he did Took down his body And he carried the body of Jesus lifeless you got to understand what I'm saying right now, it's lifeless at this point Carried his body to his own tomb Laid it in that tomb Jesus Had died Put the stone over the tomb even had guards watching it day one Nothing happened day two nothing happened, but I want you you got to hear me God always has a has a comeback plan He had a comeback plan before Jesus was executed and he knew on the third day That I'm going to raise Jesus my son from the dead and he's going to change the world He's going to change the world and I'm going to use people that are totally unqualified Like this guy To share this good news Come on He changed our life what I couldn't fix he fixed listen my life was in shambles You've heard it, you know Marriage finished Connie's ready to go home. It's done. I'm not a good person. I Needed help And God looked beyond all the layers. They said you know what I Can use that young man one day? if if He'll be obedient And say yes That's what he's saying to you today. That's what he's asking me and you Will you say yes, let's start 2025 if you don't know Christ today, man. What a better what a better time There's not a better time to just say yes. I'm less prayer team. If you guys have come pastor Tim, would you come?

What a better time to say yes to Jesus the first Sunday of the new year There's already a revival. There's already the Holy Spirit's already drawn. Would you bow your heads? Let's just pray right now for those who may be lost Father you're speaking to a multitude right now. Not just in person, but God online And I pray the Holy Spirit Lord would draw people into relationship with you That they would accept this great sacrifice that Jesus made they would believe in their heart That God you raised Jesus from the dead and we know that your word says that we will be saved With everyone praying right now if God's speaking to you and He's just saying I Want more I want your life Yeah, you you don't know what you're saying really yes to other than I'm saying yes, I want my sins forgiven I Want you to save me? That's you right now and you just say pastor. Will you pray or remember me in prayer? That God would just give me the courage to say yes to Jesus right now I'm gonna ask was everybody's praying to slip up your hand. I'm gonna see who I'm praying for real quick Hold up your hand. Amen There's hands going up all across this building one, two, three, four, five six seven more nine count now eight nine There's hands going up ten eleven Father I pray for every hand right now every person every hand represents a heart Every hand represents a soul Every hand represents an individual who needs to be saved and I pray right now that you give courage and strength You give the ability For these people to say yes to you Surrender it all give him give him your heart right now. Maybe you didn't raise your hand and that's okay, too You don't have to raise your hand, but I want to pray for those that didn't raise their hand That God would save you as well That you would surrender your life to Jesus just ask him to forgive you ask him to cleanse you Accept the sacrifice and the Bible says today you will be saved Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, come on can we praise the Lord for everybody today that made a decision for God

We're gonna sing this last song and as we sing it I'm gonna ask you to come for prayer Whatever prayer you need, especially if you raise your hand Come and let someone agree with you and just feel that comfort of someone praying with you Maybe maybe you need healing in your body or you need to see God move in your family, whatever it is Use this opportunity to pray Use this opportunity to praise with the worship team We just But you You're more than Come true all of the things I Come close to knowing you Is the sea House been The measure I found Keen in your eyes Give me You can You Oh, this world More than silver, more than gold You are the treasure that I hold Now that I'm tasting of your goodness Nothing else will satisfy Give me Jesus Give me Jesus You can have all this world You can have all this world Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus You can have all this world You can have all this world I only want Jesus Only you You're everything to me, Lord I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and only You are my one and only I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and only I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and only I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and Give me Jesus Give me Jesus You can have all this world You can have all this world Give me Jesus Give me Jesus You can have all this world You can have all this world I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and

I don't want anyone else I don't need anything else You are my one and You are my only ♪ Oh, give me Jesus, give me Jesus ♪ ♪ You can have all this world, You can have all this world ♪ ♪ Give me Jesus, give me Jesus, You can have all this world ♪ ♪ Come and have everything, everything, give me everything ♪ ♪ Jesus, give me Jesus, You can have all this world, You can have all this world ♪ ♪ Give me Jesus, you can have all this world, You can have all this world ♪ ♪ Give me Jesus, give me Jesus, You can have all this world, You can have all this world ♪ ♪ Give me Jesus, give me Jesus, You can have all this world, You can have all this world ♪ We just want You Jesus, we just want to live for You and we are just so thankful that You have great plans for us God. God I just pray that You would awaken our hearts, awaken our souls and just give us the passion to live for You with everything that we have. I just pray Lord that we would just grow in levels of surrender this year Lord, that we would just seek You first Lord and everything else we just think You will be added unto us. We bless Your name in Jesus we pray, Amen.