Yielded for Purpose - Dr. Howard Bell - Revival of Hope 2026

I don't even say this in jest. He is the love of my life. He is the priest of my home. He is the person that outside of Jesus sets my world in order. When he ain't in the room, I ain't right. Would somebody please welcome Dr. Howard Bell to the stage? This so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take him at his way. Just to rest upon his promise. I mean, y'all know, just to know, the state of the Lord. I'd like to say the first. I'm so glad I learned to trust him. Precious Jesus, save your friend. And I know if I can get the keyboard on, you'll go with me. You'll go with me to the end. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend.

Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. Jesus, save your friend. (soft music) (gentle music) [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] memorize it. You had to be able to give a sermon that on it. So I remember I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I can remember that going, "What does that mean?" I said, "What? That means I can do all things." And he said, "But what does it mean?" And I said, "Well, as long as I'm doing it through Christ, nothing's impossible." And so I remember then being bold enough to tell me, "Son, you're supposed to die." And then I read in my Bible in John 11 and said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Then he may not believe in me. Though he was dead, he actually lived and I said, "Dad, Mom, I don't understand. If I'm supposed to die." But the Bible says, "If I believe on him, though I were dead, yes, so I live." Which one's right? And they said, "There is nothing that can go against the word of God." So, Chris, he said, "We have a prison ministry and I got to tell you, the better preacher out of the two of us is probably my wife because that one we can tear it up." But I will tell you this. And I promise I won't be before you long. But I can tell you this, there was a time in my life where even though God did great miracles in my life and I could preach the word at 4 and 5 years old, Chris D. I realized something at a very early age. I actually didn't realize it until I got older, but I realized that you can be in church, you can do all of the rules of the church, you

can even live in a pastor's house and you can cast out devils and you can do all kinds of things, but that doesn't mean that he's in you. And so, what I found out that as I was growing up, you see, I don't have, you can probably tell I didn't make it to the first string on the football team and I tried out for soccer, but couldn't figure out how to do that either. So I was always trying to prove that a kid in a wheelchair could be just like any other person. And what happened is over several years of my life, even though I could get up on this stage and start singing songs like, "To worship you, I live, to worship you, I live, I live, to worship you." Literally being from a thousand sing, "To worship you, I live, to worship you, I live, I live, to worship you." And I would sing it, but inside, I was really saying, "I'm dying, you're inside, I'm dying, you're inside, but God, I need you." And everybody out there would sing, "To worship you, I live, so how do you live, to different masters?" Trying to prove that you have valid validity in the world. By the time I was 24, I'd written my first book. I was on the radio every week on Christian radio. The name, Christie, believe it or not, the name of the ministry, was more than a conqueror. Romans 8, 37, "I'm living large and in charge. I am the poster child of more than a conqueror, but inside I was dying." And on the podcast yesterday, when I was asked what's the time in your life, let me tell you what happened. When I hit about 35, my primary caregiver, who was my mom at the time, lost the ability to take care of me. And I immediately went into a spiral. I was already on my way in a spiral, to be honest. But I went into a deeper spiral, and I found myself, Christie, I don't think I've even told you this story, found myself at the edge of a lake. I found my beautiful home and good here at the time, good year always on, and I took this chair and I backed it up. And I started towards that edge of that, like I had all figured out, it was 122 degrees and nobody out walking, and then nobody's stupid enough, and there was only about walking, and 122 sides all on myself. And I got to the edge of that lake, and my chair was about to break the edge of the sidewalk. And I heard a voice say, "Dear I am going insane because I'm hearing Christmas songs do you see what I see do you hear what I hear I got mad and I said you know what that's some bunk and I backed up I tried it again because he and when I got to the edge of that that sidewalk this time it got that I said hey do you see what I see and I said wait a minute that's the voice of God and I said what are you trying to say it's over I quit I'm done there's nobody going to take care of me I got nothing left I've been

all around the world nobody even knows I mean it's been two years since I wrote my first book I'm forgotten and I have what I call the Lion King moment I got to the edge of that water and all of a sudden I'm going to remember the movie Lion King Simba's all down in the dump he's you know he's lost everything and Rafiki that the monkey comes out says what's your problem basically he said when my dad then everything's lost it says your father lives you remember that same way just into the thickets of the jungle and he gets to the edge of the lake and he weighs his little staff and and Simba looks in the water and instead of seeing himself he sees his dad standing inside of you don't remember that scene and I can't make this up I get to the edge of that water and instead of seeing a 45 at the time I wait 45 pounds since marriage I've gained a few pounds but we won't point any fingers but um but um I looked over the edge of that water and I saw a six-foot man standing and I began to look a little closer and I realized it was me and he said you've gotten so focused on an identity of being less than that you don't see what I see and for any pastors and ministers in the room I'd like to tell you that that was my moment of and everything changed right now instead I do what most good Christian back sitting boys do I backed up from that sidewalk and I went on there because god didn't let me kill myself gonna be real like that I was mad I was encouraged I'm like great you see me at the walking person but that doesn't mean everybody else does this is a revival of hope and I'm here tonight to deliver this message you can either yield to what you see with your natural eyes or you can yield to what God said with his word you can yield to the labels that society and people want to put on you or you can yield to what God said in his work a number of years went by and I started doing that little you know one foot in one foot out in the church and I finally told God I would come back of me leaving out a whole lot of this story right now but I told God I would come back in the church but I came back on my own terms let me be all I've ever done not with God God I'll do what you tell me but here's the deal your yo on the real band I ain't gonna do it this way God you're gonna do it the way I want to go I'll go back in to the church but I'm not preaching I sure ain't singing because you know all those gospel artists they fake they want money they want fame and nothing about that life so you want worship you go find somebody else this from the kid who at five years old was visited by God in an oxygen tank and begin to sing I need be oh I need be and he shows up but when I'm an adult I want to tell him my terms so I told God I would come back in the church at the time I had left ministry completely

I was working in a corporate American job making six figures I know whether Vernon and some other people in this room can again resonate with this when you put your faith and trust in God and go into ministry full time you got to be in love with some Maloney and Cheese and some So I told God I said, I ain't about that life. I got a six-figure income. You know, my baloney expelled caviar, you know, that's where I'm, I wasn't about that life. You know, my best Western was spelled H-I-L-T-O-N, Hilton. Because I could pay for it all. I ain't going back to a lifestyle that doesn't assure me this is what's done. That doesn't assure me some consistency and stability. But I was empty. I was so empty even after trying to take my life, I went on being a man that was wearing a tuxedo in the, in the natural, you know, on the outside, but I was buried alive. We often talk about becoming dead to Christ. I was dead without Christ. We're trying to live. I was a zombie. I was a walking dead, rolling dead, rather. And the Lord began to speak to me like he kept telling the Lord, these are my terms. One day I went to work, and I'm going to be done in about five minutes, ten minutes. I went to work. Man, I feel the presence of God, I don't know which way to go. I went to work, and I met my job, and I, you know, I started, started going to church. I got wrapped up in church, God who doodled me, because I was the, I was the co-owner of a charter school, and the church was written off of us. There was a friend of mine, and I knew him way too well. I still know him to this day. He's probably watching this live, but God who doodled me, because I knew him, and he's one of those artists, you know, so if you tell him you got room A and B, but he's got the keys to rim C and F and G. You want to go into every room and find whatever he wants

to use and go tell yourself I've got to go to church. I've got to go protect the campus. That was what I kept telling people. Next thing I know I'm helping with the sound. Next thing you know I'm in the praise team. Next thing you know he's wanting me to take a Sunday service while he goes on the asset hold up, hold up, hold up, hold up, hold up. Hold up, God I had terms. I had terms. You were not honoring my contract. So I found myself at work one day. I'm going to work and I'm not at God because he got me back in ministry. I don't want to be in ministry. I get to work. At 8 o'clock in my eyes I was 5 minutes late. I'm feeling like terrible. I mean I'm feeling like junk. By 815 I'm like oh something's really wrong. I go to my boss and I said man I have got to go. I have got to go to the doctor right now. I don't feel good. My doctor was 15 minutes away. I get to the doctor. It's about 9 o'clock by this time. The nurse comes in and takes my vitals. The doctor comes in immediately and I'm like yes this is the VIP service man. They're moving fast today. The doctor comes in and says no you need to go straight to the emergency room. Your temperature is 104.5. Your brain is cooking as you speak. I said alright then. So I got back in my car when it crossed the parking lot to the emergency room. It was probably about 9.45 by this time. I fought with him to get back into the emergency room and the next thing I know it's lights out. I'm in a coma. Now I need you to know that coma didn't have anything to do with my disability. In fact what they found out is that I had went completely sucked. They couldn't find the cause of the sepsis. But they called my family and said if he's got anything that he needs to get in order you might want to do so now because he's not going to live through the night. They said it was over. Anybody here when I'm saying the night. They said it was over. They said it was over. My parents who at the time were up in age my dad had to come in for West Virginia. He flew all the way to Phoenix. Before he got there my sister put up on Facebook. I didn't know And during my time being out in a coma, I saw people that I had preached their funerals, or I had been to their funerals. And they were there to me, and this mom was like, it's so good to see you, and we'll see you again, but you can't stay.

And I'm like, all right, it was so peaceful. And I'd like to tell you that that was the end of the story. But I started to wake up, Christi. And when I woke up, I had a voice ask me a question. That question was a question that has changed my life forever. Now remember, I grew up in church, right? Maybe all grew up in church, or have been in church for a while. Come on. Y'all know the drill, right? We grew up singing this song. I surrender all. You know what I'm talking about? I surrender all. Everybody come running to the altar if you don't know him. Right now in the next three seconds, if your eternity came right now, do you know that you would stand within place to place? Am I in the wrong place? Are we all not here kind of stuff like that? You know what I'm talking about? But when I woke up from that at home, I heard this voice say, "Will you yield?" How many ministers do I have in the house? How many ministers of theologians? All right, it's good to know that. I've been in church my whole life, and I've studied. I've preached all over the world. And I heard that, "Great, I am ask me if I would yield." And my self-righteous, arrogant self said, "That ain't even the verse in the Bible."

And I said, "In fact, the only place I know what talks about yielding is in Romans where it says, "You are serving to whom your yields your self-members to obey." So I don't know what you're asking me that for, because you can't get much more yielded than somebody that can't feed themselves. Can't wipe their own nose. I don't know how much more yielded you could get. I got about that hospital. Two weeks later, I'm at work, and I promise you, I'm going to one at work. I'm free as the lord he had stopped talking. He's left me alone. I get to work, I'm in the break room. And I hear it again, "Will you yield?" I immediately went, "Do, do, do. You've reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you've reached this number and there, please hang up and do not try again." He didn't quit. He gave us me, "Will you yield?" And finally, I had enough. I said, "What is it you want for me?" You see, I thought it was over. I thought my ministry life was over. I thought being sold out to God. It was enough to say, "I surrender all and come to an altar." But God wanted something different. He wanted something different and unique.

I just didn't understand it. So I went and asked the lord, "What do you mean, will I yield?" He said, "I want you to go to Romans 12 and 1." And I said, "I don't need you, I can quote it." And I can do it in the saved version. The changed version. Y'all know what I'm talking about? You're going to hell if you're reading all those other ones, you know? That's what I'll do right. I said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God," which I had me ham and B3 right now, "by the mercies of God that you present to a body a living circle," and I said it with attitude. Hold it and accept it on the god, which is a reasonable service. He said, "Read it again." I said, "Ah, ah, ah, ah. You want me to read it again?" I got a high IQ. I know what it says. He said, "Read it again." I said, "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, I'm bad now. By the mercies of God that you present," he said, "Stop. Go and read it in the Greek to that point." And I went and began a transit and there was no transcript, and this is something like what it said. It said, "I am begging and pleading with you by the unmerited favor of God that you yield your body." your will even if it means dying to self. And I thought that's some tough stuff right there. I said I can do that and I started doing it. I started praying. I started pressing in and God said you're being too religious. I literally want you to yield your body and I said how hold on. God, I need to make you aware of something. I have lived my whole life proving that I'm trying to prove that I'm equal. Went to college, graduated valedictorian. Went to, went to, did all of these I've got accolades. My wife will tell you when we got married she's like where's all your words.

I said they're in a trunk. She said why? I said because God made me put him there. She said why? I said because I thought I got all those awards and he said I didn't do what he did. So my awards became my idols and bolstered my pride. So I had to put them away because I kept thinking I was walking on my own flesh. Anyway I told the lad said you want me to use what? My body? And he said yeah you see how you came to me real well when I asked you if you were you and you gave me your list and you reminded me that you can't do anything without help. I said yes I did Lord. He said well that's good because I want you to use that very thing that you tried to use against me to help my kingdom turn around. And I said in what way? He said you have to have assistance to do everything and if my people would understand that I am their breath and their lungs if they would realize that I love them so much that they can't do anything without me then they would begin to see revival because it would not be by might. It wouldn't be by power but it would be by my spirit. And he said so everything you've been trying to prove your whole life I already proved on Calvary. And I said all right he said so will you give me your body? I said um what exactly are you talking about here? He said I want you to get out of your chair and show people that I don't want just surrender. You see surrender means I've come to the end of myself and I got no other choice. And while that's good obedience is always better than sacrifice. He said when I came and died on the cross for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son he loved us so much that he chose. He said how would you see mankind begin to become so aware of their abilities in one garden called the garden of Eden. But what they don't realize and I didn't notice that when God showed it to me I almost fell out. All you theologians in this room I literally almost fell out because I realized something while Calvary is the greatest thing that ever happened to us. There's something that happened before Calvary that had it not happened there wouldn't have been a Calvary because God sent his son to rectify in the garden of Gethsemane what was corrupted in the garden of Eden. See in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus went to go pray and he said I would that this cup would pass for me. My flesh doesn't want to do this but nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless not my will but I will be done he didn't sit there no I don't want to do this near a jerk I'm not going up to that cross these people deserve everything they got in fact let me go warm up help for them because they deserve everything. He sat there the Bible says he looked at the passion that was laid before him and he endured the suffering of the cross and he said nevertheless not my will but I will be done and he let himself go through a series of unbearable

embarrassments in his own body so that you and I could be healed so that you and I could be free and so today I'm going to have my wife and my sister come up I started out singing, "Tis so sweet to true, I sinned Jesus." But I would like this that everyone's feet tonight, that God wants a new level of trust. God wants us to trust Him so much that it gives us complete freedom. My assistant may need some help bringing the table up. I'm going to take a moment or two real quick and show you, if I may, is everybody OK so far? I'm going to show you where hope begins. And I'm going to show you that it's not over. In fact, it never has to be over. Because the greatest love affair comes when we true the yield to Him. When we true the yield to Him, so right there is good, right? There is perfect, perfect, perfect. Give our assistants a round of applause, each other. Thank you so much. So in my life, you all see me drag this chair. And I have something, I remember when I didn't have a power chair, y'all. And I'd have mom and them and all of them, all my friends over, and they'd all go out and swim in by the pool. And the only way I could get there is if one of them was kind enough to push me. I didn't get to go by the pool, but once I got this power chair, it was on, man. I got me some men's attendance. I was like, "Tell me I can't go by the pool. I'll go out, you watch this, I'll roll this thing." And in my right hand, I have a switch. And when I push the button, if the light is on in the backwards direction, I go backwards. But if I wait, I can go right, I can go left. In that hand, it's something called the control. I mean control. That represents our will. I get to choose.

If I want to go right, I go right. If I want to go left, I go left. In my left hand, I got another one of them, see words? It's a control. And I can go left. I can go right. I can get comfortable. I can go up. All because I'm in control. I don't need to yield anybody because I can do it by myself. But when God, my wife is going to represent the Holy Ghost. And my assistant on my right, Emma, is going to represent God. And you can see they're present, right? But when I'm ready to say God, I'm coming to the cross. And I'm going to give you a try, not because I have to, but because I choose to. I'm going to give you control of my life. Lord, I give you my heart. I give you my soul. I give for you alone, and he said, I thought you'd never ask. But then he does something in the lives. He comes in and let my assistant does. When I'm getting ready to get ready for better, get out of this chair. The first thing she has to do is turn out the control. You know why? Go ahead, turn out. God comes and turns off your control. You know why? Because when he's coming in to get into your personal area, if you're still in control, you can drive right over him. Anybody hear what I'm saying?

Then you hurt yourself. So now this is great. I've yelled it to God. I've given God my life. I'm safe, thankful. And then all of a sudden, I realize I ain't going nowhere. I'm pushing all the buttons and nothing at me. I'm going to go. I've ever asked God to come in and help you. And it seems like you were at a dead stop. Am I the only one? It's like crickets. You got nothing going on. And then you go back to God and say, "Well, wait a minute, God, I gave you my life. I told you you could have my life." And he says, "Well, that you're going to have your voice, which you mean you want my voice. Why not like the way you talk and how the power of creativity in their mouth? So if I speak something, I'm speaking as an oracle of God. I want somebody. But now I've got to yield to him my mouth, but what does that look like? God, I'll give you my voice." And he comes in and look what happens. I need your power in my life. And then all of a sudden, I can be heard again. But you see what's interesting about the Holy Ghost. you off on the road and then and then you let them know you ought to get your words you get your license came right they went out of so no wonder they went out of business because you're trying to drive. The Holy Ghost ain't having it but when you begin to say God I yield my voice and you say God I'll let you take I'll let you take my old way of talking and I'm

going to give it to you it comes in a taser headset and at the same time he's doing that you might have a hearing aid something has been helping you here but you've been hearing through a spirit of offense so now you always hurt when you're here the latest news because you think they're talking about you and now I've yelled at that to God and he removed that but now if I want to hear anything from him it's got to come straight from his voice. Faith come with my hearing and hearing by the Word of God so now this is all good and fine and I'm gonna join myself but I'm still in the same spot I shall not be I shall not be moved I shall not be right I'm not moved God what else is it that I need to yield I'll be addressed it's the thing that I rest my thoughts on. For years in the church we have a lot of men and a lot of women struggling with addictions we can't say not to nobody but it's in their thoughts first the Bible tells us to bring in this activity every thought and I think that it salts itself against the knowledge you got to bring it into obedience to the Word and my head rest I go God I yield my head rest I'll give you my head rest and here's the thing about that God comes in and begins to remove it but you know what I'm weak I got in abilities so when I get tired my head goes back and now I can see as the Holy Ghost I know God's right there but I'm still in the same spot God what else isn't you need for me I want to give you everything you want because life is becoming uncomfortable he says you know what every day you get up you complain about your job you complain about how hard it is you tell me how hard it is for your stick legs and your stick back but you didn't complain when you had no food on your table and the job game but now because it's become common you forgot that I'm the one that gave you that job so I want you to yield your works every day that you do to me I want you to get up and say today is a day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad and whatsoever my hand finds to do I will do it harder it is unto the Lord and I yield it to you God God comes and says I thought you'd never say that he begins to take you from your comfort your position of comfort and because it moves things out of the way and now you're going God it's getting worse I don't like the way I'm sitting it's

uncomfortable in my life and God says okay and you say God what else do I need to yield and he says all the unforgiveness all the vows that you made that said I will never be hurt again I will never let them hurt me again I ain't gonna let nobody treat me that way God says you put so many walls around your heart that I can't get into that place so you need to give me your heart and you see that's when I say God I'm gonna yield all those things to you and he comes in he begins to strip him away and you see what's interesting about this is when he begins to strip them away even in my natural body if God lets go right now I'm on the floor now I trust him now I trust him but I haven't trusted him solely because I haven't said God I need you to take me and do with me what you want to do not what I want to do but what you want to do God can you just take me from where I am to where you want me to be and God begins to pick you up and as he picks you up this is where we go oh wait a minute God you want me to do what and now you see the Holy Ghost has come in and you might say what can I do in this position what is it I can do oh my God it's his face in my face David said I face oh Lord will I seek after my heart is against his heart and this is when fear tries to come in this is when the enemy comes in and says it's over because you can't even see tomorrow but this is what the hope is of tomorrow I can say, God, I can't see tomorrow. God says, don't worry 'cause I'm looking right ahead. I got you. And I say, okay, Lord, take me where you want me to go. Just take me to a place of rest in you, and he says, come with me. And you say, well, wait a minute. Wait a minute, what can you do in that position? What can you do in the position where you can't even see what's behind you? Well, you can't even, you don't even know. David said it like this.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Look at where God is sitting right now. David also said, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the past of righteousness for his namesake. So you wanna ask yourself, what does totally yielding to God look like? I'm gonna tell you, it looks like this. ♪ How great is our God ♪ ♪ Sing with me, how great is our God ♪ ♪ And all we'll see, how great ♪ ♪ How great is our God ♪ Could you stand your feet and sing with me? ♪ How great is our God ♪ ♪ Sing with me, how great is our God ♪ ♪ And all we'll see, how great ♪ ♪ How great is our God ♪ And here's why. ♪ He is a name above all names ♪ ♪ And he is a worthy of all praise ♪ ♪ And my heart will sing, how great is our God ♪ ♪ He is a name above all names ♪ ♪ He is a name above all names ♪ ♪ He is a worthy of all praise ♪ ♪ Sing it with me, and my heart ♪

♪ And my heart will sing, how great is our God ♪ ♪ How great is our God, how great is our God ♪ ♪ All over the room, sing with me, how great is our God ♪ ♪ And all we'll see, how great is our God ♪ ♪ How great is our God ♪ ♪ It's right here in this atmosphere ♪ I feel the presence of the Holy Ghost in this place. If you're in this place tonight, and you don't know him as your savior, maybe you thought you did, but you didn't choose. You just kind of did it out of what's common, and what's popular. But today, if you say Howard, I want to know him like a savior like you do. If you say tonight, I thought I knew him. You say I thought I knew him too. And I did to a degree, but when I said yes all the way, when I said low without yield, he came in and knew in a fresh way. If you don't know him as your savior and you're not ashamed to say I'd like to get to know him today, would you raise your hand all over the tent? If you would like to get to know Jesus as your savior, all over the tent, look at that. In just a moment, I'm going to talk to you that have your hands up, but I want to ask one more question. If you've known him your whole life, but you realize that you only served him because you didn't want to go to hell or you needed a miracle in your life,

but you didn't really trust him fully and you're ready to yield to him in a new way tonight. If that's you, would you raise your hand all over the place? If you are ready to yield to God, No matter what it is, if you call me the Africa, I'm gonna go, if you call me to love that person, I don't wanna love. I'm ready to do it. If that's you, would you raise your hand? If you're ready to yield, I'll see your hand all over the house. Now, if you had your hand up for either one of those, if it's all right with Christi, I'd like to invite every one of you that had your hand up to come down to the front right now. Everyone that had your hand up, be bold. Don't be ashamed, come on down. If you had your hand up, come on down. Come on down. Look at this, all over the building. ♪ Is our God ♪ ♪ Sing with me how great ♪ ♪ Is our God ♪ ♪ Oh, is he how great ♪ ♪ How great ♪ ♪ Is our God ♪ So here's what we do in all the prisons that we go in. I ask those that say that they're ready to yield if they will do something with me. I said, just like I get out of my chair

and I get no posture, that brings me down a little lower. I'm wondering if you might today say I choose to yield to God. And I wonder if you're taking me right where you're at. If you're able to, if you could get down on one knee, if you could just get down on one knee and say, God, I yield. God, I yield right now, I yield to you, Jesus. If you're down and you're kneeling and you're not, even if you're not, if you're bold enough to say this, pray out to me and say, God, today I yield. I don't just surrender because I have to. I yield because I choose to. I choose you, Jesus. I'm asking you to be Lord of my life in a new and a different way. In Jesus' name. Now, listen to me, listen to me. We have a baptismal tank set up over on your left. One of the greatest forms of yielding. The Bible says that when we go down in the water, we die to our sins. And when we rise, we rise in a newness of life. If you believe that today you have said yes to God for the first time and you're ready to die to the old man, if you're ready to have the Garden of Death and you're ready to live in some of the experience where the old is passed away and all things are getting washed away and you're ready to live a new life.

We invite you to go over to your left, which is towards my feet. The volunteers will have t-shirts, change your clothes and towels to service you. Or if you just need prayer tonight, over to your right, which is above my head to that side of the stage. My wife is gonna pray with you. I'll come down and pray with you. But tonight, it's not over. There's hope. In yielding, there is hope. In yielding, there is hope. By the way, in case you couldn't tell, the doctor said I wouldn't live. They said it was over. But I'll be 54 in November. How great is our God. (audience applauds) It's never over. It's never over. It's never over. It's never over. There is hope for you. There is peace for you. There is joy. My Savior, God, today, ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ Hey God, then sings my soul ♪

♪ My Savior, God, today ♪ ♪ Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ My God, my God, my God ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior, God, today ♪ ♪ How great, how great ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Then since my soul, my Savior got to thee. Hey, my God, right now in the name of Jesus. How great thou art. How great thou art. How great thou art. Jesus. Thank you, Howard. Thank you for coming tonight. We're going to turn while he is being repositioned in his chair. I think he said he's going to come down and he's going to pray with you. They have books over. I believe at that table over there. We'll have someone over there if you want to get his book. But we're going to let ministry continue here and we're going to turn our attention over here to the baptism because every year that sometimes gets lost. And we want to celebrate the people. We want to celebrate the people that are going to make that decision of obedience over here. And Mr. Pat, I'm going to bring you this microphone as people make their ways into the water.

Do we have some? They're getting ready. Thank you for watching our broadcast. Are you an incarcerated brother or sister who needs encouragement? Write to us at Victorious Living Correspondents P.O. Box 2751 Greenville, North Carolina. To view Victorious Living Magazine in its entirety, please have your chaplain contact us at 352-478-2098 or email us through our website at vlmag.org. We are happy to provide our Victorious Living Magazine free of charge in bulk with or without staples. (bright music)