Scripture reference: Zephaniah 3.17 (KJV); Luke 10:21 (KJV); John 4:14 (KJV); Isaiah 51:11 (KJV); Proverbs 15:15 (AMPC); Proverbs 15:15 (KJV); Proverbs 15:15 (NLT); 1 Samuel 30:1-6 (KJV); 1 Samuel 30:8 (NKJV); Acts 3:8 (KJ21); John 4:14 (AMP); 2 Samuel 6:16 (KJ21); Songs of Solomon 2:8 (KJ21); Isaiah 56:7 (KJV); Matthew 7:7-11 (AMPC); Luke 11:5-13 (AMPC); Luke 11:11-13(AMPC); Matthew 28:18-20 (AMPC); Luke 10:19 (AMPC); Hebrews 2:6-8 (AMPC); Luke 18: 1-5 (AMPC); Luke 18: 6-8 (AMPC); Exodus 17:10-14 (KJ21); Exodus 17:14 (KJ21); 1 Samuel 17:4-11 (KJ21); 1 Samuel 17:48-50 (KJ21); 2 Kings 13:14-17 (KJ21); 2 Kings 13:21 KJV; Luke 22:40-46 (AMPC); Luke 22:46-47 (AMPC); Luke 21:26-28 (AMPC); Luke 21:34-36 (AMPC)
Right, so I’m going to read this again. This is our day of deliverance. That is what the Lord said, we are exactly here. We are exactly here. Nehemiah chapter 8, this is exactly what came out of Pastor John for where we are.
It is time now to declare everything in victory! It is a shift! A turning point happened. A spiritual knowing. It is like someone just arrived at a city full of wealth and productivity and it all belongs to them by inheritance! It is like in the upper room, they burst into the streets with Holy Ghost Energy. Invigorated, infused completely by the Holy Spirit. Such was their exuberance. This precedes the miracles and the multitudes! There is a combination here. There is a voice for victory; a shout, a rejoice in the release. This is very important that we know there is a combination here because that is what we are going into in the teaching, the rejoicing, the joy. But there is still prayer to be made for the increase. Right? There is a combination here. There is a voice for victory; a shout. There is a rejoice in the release but there is still prayer to be made for the increase. For the strengthening of the hands of the people and the increase of the people. So the perfect scripture for this is – we will go there, strike the ground. The knowing of this victory is so strong, a certainty. Now we are praying for the increase, the evidence, the size of it, the scope and scale of it. The increase of the manifestation and what that has to do with this victory.
Excuse me, I was still hooked up to everything. [Pastor Sharon removes her inner ear microphone] Right.
Pastor John Bendixen:
I wanted to help you with that too but …
Pastor Sharon Bendixen:
Did you?
Pastor John Bendixen:
But you chased me off the stage.
Pastor Sharon Bendixen:
I sobered up quickly. Thank you for helping me. Tonight, no sobriety for me. Right. So, or for us. Glory.
The knowing of this victory is so strong, a certainty. Now we are praying for the increase, the evidence, the size of it, the scale of it. The increase of the manifestation and what that has to do with this victory. This is the striking of the ground in prayer. Please take note of these words, striking of the ground in prayer, rejoicing, praying, right, the shout. We have had to push to get to this point. It has shifted now. It has been accomplished in the spirit. That is for us personally and corporately.
Now, the note of victory in our prayers. You see that? Now, the note of victory in our prayers. You have to shift the way you pray. I am not jumping ahead of myself. It has been accomplished in the spirit. Now the note of victory in our prayers. This is the Day of Deliverance. It has come. It is here. It has arrived. It is so certain in me. This is the rejoicing when Paul and Silas and Peter were out of prison. There is still praying to be done because there is still increase to come. You’re getting in the concentration here. Right, you are concentrating.
We are in a season of continuous praise and rejoicing. We are in a season of continuous praise and rejoicing. We have to catch up quickly from when this first came because a lot of us still go to God crying when you’re praying. You’re crying when you’re praying. Tears. You’re sad when you come to God when you pray. And God says, “No, this is not the season we’re in.” Right? We’re in a season of continuous praise and rejoicing. It doesn’t always have to be loud because it’s faith. But I tell you what; God isn’t nervous either when it is loud. He has an amplitude, God. He has given us an amplitude to enable your voice to go loud and to go soft. God says in the book of Isaiah, for a long time I’ve been silent but now I will shout. Glory to God. So, praise in faith continually. Every day is going to be like this now for me and so for us. Everyday. Do you get that? Everyday praise and rejoicing. Everyday praise and rejoicing.
We continue to occupy spaces allotted us. We continue to evict illegal occupants. We talking about the spirit realm now. In the striking of the ground the joy, it’s big joy here, capital letters that I wrote down here. The JOY, we’re walking into the spaces with great JOY. Right?
So, what do my notes say here now? My notes say, point, point, point. Where are we now in this particular local church? Where are we now? We’ve looked at Nehemiah chapter eight, our deliverance has come – read. I’ve read it to you. Now the next point is – Joy of the Lord – teach. Right here I come. Joy of the Lord – teach. That’s what the Lord said to me, Joy of the Lord, teach. It’s in one of the Gospels. I think it’s Mark 6 or Matthew 6. It says, Jesus had compassion on the multitudes and began to teach them many things. Two-thirds of Jesus’ ministry was teaching, teaching, teaching. Glory to God. Thank You that You teach us, Lord.
So, see, joy, and fortify. Yes, I’m staying. I am going to just… here it is. Let me see here. Here it is. So, are you ready? I’m so ready to receive this word. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Now we’re going to, I’m going to teach you about this portion of Scripture. I’m going to teach you the joy of the Lord is your strength. So joy is a Hebrew word – chedvah, it means be glad, make yourself glad, and rejoice. And the joy of the Lord, this word the Lord is Jehovah the Self-existent one. So the gladness, the rejoicing of the Self-existent One is my strength.
Now I’m going to show you this word strength from the Hebrew. Is a Hebrew word, maowz. Listen to what this means. So the joy of the Lord that’s already in my recreated spirit, Galatians – love, joy, peace. It’s already, the joy of the Lord is already in you when you got born again. You got joy. You got everything that’s in God you got in you. Now we are going to the maximum, we are going to the maximum in it. This word strength. This is what it exactly means fortified place. Fort, fortress, force, strength, refuge, protection. So, in being glad, making yourself glad and rejoicing, you’re doing this because you’re making Him your refuge, and you are fortified in spirit. Joy is a fortress. It’s the force of my spirit I’ve got it already.
So now we are going to look at God’s joy. We’re going to look at the joy of the Lord. So, if we can go to Zephaniah chapter 3, verse 17, please? I want you to see it in the King James. So, the Father has already put His joy in me, so I can be glad continuously, regardless of the circumstances. I’m going to get there too. 17 But the Lord God Jehovah, are we there Zephaniah 3:17, 17 the LORD God Jehovah in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy. What does God do? He rejoices with joy. God Himself rejoices with joy. He will rejoice with joy. (Zephaniah 3.17 KJV) He will rejoice with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over you with singing. It’s what God does. That’s why we do it; because it’s what God does.
Now, this word, rejoice. The first one… Just keep that scripture up there, thank you. So, this one, He will rejoice, He will rejoice. I’m going to this word, rejoice here is a Hebrew word sus. This means God is bright, cheerful, glad, greatly joyful, He makes mirth, He rejoices, He exalts, He displays joy with and over. Right. So, He will rejoice, He will sus, He will sus over you with joy. Now we’re going to look at that word joy.
So, He will sus over you with some Simcha. He will sus over you with some Simcha. That word is Hebrew, Simcha. So, He rejoices over you with blithesomeness and glee, exceeding gladness and mirth and pleasure.
He will rest in His love, He will joy. Now we’re going to that word, three different Hebrew words of God, joy, rejoicing, joy, is used in this Hebrew. And He will joy, this is the word giyl. He will spin around under the influence of violent emotion. He will giyl over you. He will spin around, this word giyl is to spin around. Giyl, to spin around under the influence of violent emotion. You think we do anything like what we did last night that God doesn’t do, He does it over us. Glory to God. This is giyl, to spin around under the influence of violent emotion, to rejoice with exceeding gladness, to circle in joy, to circle around in joy, to circle around in joy.
Nikao, you got to be ready for me at the end of a row somewhere so you can give some demonstration. To circle, to circle around in joy. Take my bag off there Nikao, take it off there. Go sit there. Listen to this, to circle in joy, to circle around in joy; vigorous, enthusiastic expressions of joy. I just want to see some of that. I want to see some of that. I want to see some of that. [Pastor Sharon speaking to Nikao] It doesn’t matter if you’re starting off in the natural, I just want a demonstration. Listen to me again. I want a demonstration of, to spin around under the influence of violent emotion, to joy and circle around in joy, vigorous, enthusiastic expression of joy. Yea.
[Nikao demonstrates joy] Yes, Nikao. Yes. That’s what God does too. We do that because He does that. Thank you, Nikao, praise the Lord. Hallelujah. So He will joy, He will giyl over you with singing. He will giyl, violent expression of emotions, over you with singing.
This word singing is a Hebrew word rinnah. To emit a stridulous sound. A shrill sound, a shout of joy, a cry; a shouting and rejoicing, a singing, a triumph; to shout for joy, to cry out aloud for joy, to sing aloud for joy, to sing out, to cause to ring out, to sing out for joy in proclamation and joy and praise. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Yes. Aaahhh. [Pastor Sharon and congregation rejoicing]. Stridulous, shrill. Hallelujah. That’s God, that’s the Lord Jehovah the Self-Existent One. Who does this? Who does this? Now, Jesus, we’re going to see Jesus. Luke 10 verse 21. I’m not sure if it’s the Amplified or not.
Luke 10 verse 21. 21 In that hour, in that hour, okay. In that hour, it was a moment when the disciples came to Him and said, “Even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” They were rejoicing, coming to Jesus because He’d sent them out 72 of them and they came back and they said, “Even the demons… that were rejoicing that are subject to us in Your name, we overcame, we overcame, we conquered, we got the victory wherever Satan was showing up his head. We got the victory. We rejoice in Jesus.” This is Jesus’ condition after that. 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, He rejoiced in spirit, He rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that… (Luke 10:21 KJV)
So, his rejoicing was because the Father had revealed to their authority from Heaven. But the word we’re gonna look at now is Jesus rejoiced in Spirit. Rejoiced is a Greek word agalliao, agalliao from agan, much hallomai, to jump. To jump, to leap. Jesus wasn’t rejoicing in Spirit going, “Father, I rejoice in spirit. I rejoice in Spirit that you have shown these two babes.” [Pastor Sharon demonstrates with a sad face] The word of agalliao was used. Agan and hallomai, much jumping, gushing, leaping, to spring up, to spring up, as of bubbling from within.
John 4 verse 14. Can we just have a look at John 4 verse 14? Okay, yes. 14 But whatsoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14 KJV). That’s the bubbling that Jesus experienced. Right? So I’m going to go back, you can take that scripture off, I’m gonna go back to rejoice in that hour Jesus rejoiced. He agalliao, he jumped for joy. He exalted, He was exceedingly rejoiced greatly. It also means to experience a state of great joy and gladness involving verbal expression and appropriate body movements. Right? Can I read that again? Agalliao, Jesus agalliao, He jumped, He exalted. He rejoiced greatly. He experienced the state of great joy and gladness. It involved Jesus’ verbal expression and it involved Jesus’ appropriate movement, to be extremely joyful, to be overjoyed. To rejoice greatly. Hallelujah. Vines conveys the idea of jubilant exultation, spiritual gladness, cry of rejoicing. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Right. That was great, right? I just got to find something else here now – on joy. Let me see where You want me to go now, Lord. Was that an excellent teaching on the joy of the Lord? Excellent. concentrated. Right.
Teach – see joy. Fortify. Okay. Right. So okay, I’m going to go to this part two now where David… I’m going to go to leaping. A section here in my journal called leaping what the Lord showed me leaping, encourage and another ensample. You’ve come in with Your maximum for me. I’m up at the mountaintop to see. Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return. Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return Isaiah 51:11. Please. This is the state of continuous rejoicing that we are to be in Heritage of Faith, regardless of your circumstances. This is what’s going to strengthen and fortify us.
Isaiah 51:11, 1 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; Zion is the church and everlasting joy shall be upon their head. It’s in my spirit. But it’s on my head, too, if that’s what the Bible says. I’ll have it in my heart and on my head. I’ll have it all over me. They shall obtain gladness and joy; next verse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away (Isaiah 51:11 KJV). If you’re redeemed, sorrow, and mourning, and grieving, and crying, and sighing should be fled from you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. If you’re depressed it is because you’re not resisting him. You’re letting him into your head and therefore into your heart and you are succumbing, you are yielding to a spirit that is not of God. But you can resist the devil, and he will flee, he will flee, sorrow and sighing must flee from you. So in this season of continuous rejoicing and joy, when you find yourself in sorrow and sadness, you say, “Flee from me in Jesus’ name.” You make the shift. Right? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Now we’re going to go to a very important scripture in the Amplified Bible, Proverbs 15:15. In the Amplified Bible, right? Still, on the point of the joy of the Lord teach, look at this scripture please people, let it speak to your heart. 15 All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances] (Proverbs 15:15 AMPC).
Why? Because the joy of the Lord is your fort, your fortification, your fortress, your strength, your stronghold. That’s why. If you do not, if you do not command sorrow and sadness to flee from you you will be weak. You will be weak. You will be weak. You will be weak. Because sorrow and sadness are not a spiritual force. It’s a weak, weak thing. Because it’s demonstrating I’ve been overcome by something in my mind and my look at my circumstances. He who faints in the day of adversity, his strength is small. Because there is no joy. So, all the days, all of the days of your life can be evil. Just put that scripture up again, in the King James, let’s see it in the King James, thank you. So, you can have all your days evil because of what you permit into your thought life. What you are meditating on. 15 All your days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15 KJV) Has a continual feast. Hallelujah.
That’s why it says, that’s why it says in the book of James; count it all joy. Can we find that scripture; count it all joy. Whenever you fall into trials, trouble, whenever you find yourself in trouble, count it all joy. Whenever there are circumstances; count it all joy. Because your strength, the joy, your strength is going to enable you to take hold of God’s promise and not quit until you get the victory. If you allow your circumstance to get you down and sunk down in sadness, you will not be able to take hold of God’s promise for you and see it through. Impossible.
The New Living Translation says 15 For the despondent because you allow your circumstances to make you despondent. For the despondent, every day brings trouble; (Proverbs 15:15 NLT). You can choose what kind of a day you want to have every day. You choose what kind of a day you want to have every day. “But you don’t understand my circumstances.” You can choose, you can choose what kind of a day, you’re going to have an evil day or you’re going to be glad regardless of the circumstances encountered, all joy.
So, here we go. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. So, we’re going to have a look at an ensample. Everybody say ensample. [Congregation replies] Oh it’s wonderful. Right, we’re going to go to 1 Samuel 30 and we’ll go in the King James. 1 Samuel 30. I’ve got to move right along here. I’ve got to not drag it out because it’s concentrated. 1 Samuel 30. Here’s 1 Samuel 30. Let me just make sure. There we go. King James, verse one. 1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David, but David, but David, but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30:1-6 KJV). He encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Cry your tears, but get them over with – and move to encouraging yourself in the Lord. Cry quickly, get it over with quickly. Let your soul do what it needs to do but don’t let it carry on. He didn’t cry for three days. He lifted up his voice and he wept. Yeah. It hit my soul, it hit me in my emotions. It hit me in my thinking. It hit me. But it’s over now. He encouraged himself in the Lord his God, he encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
This is the joy of the Lord, our God. It’s not me trying to be happy. It’s this is the joy, I encourage myself in the Lord my God. Right, then what happened? 8 He enquired of the Lord… verse 8, …saying, “Shall I pursue…? Shall I overtake…?” And the Lord answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” (1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV). And that’s exactly what happened. All things are subject to change, through the power of God’s Word, and in Jesus’ Name. All things are subject to change. All things, all things, all things are subject to change through the power of God’s Word and in Jesus’ Name. All things are subject to change. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Yes. Hallelujah.
And so, by the way, let me just remind you, this anointing that is on me, is for you. It’s to break every chain – to break every chain, to break every chain that you’ve been bound – lies and deceit in your mind. It’s to break every chain.
So, this word encourage – he encouraged himself. I’m going to teach you quickly about this. He encouraged himself in the Lord. This word encourage. Do you want to know what Hebrew word this is? Are you just taking this all in? Straight into your spirit right, straight into your spirit. This word encourage is a Hebrew word chazak. You pronounce it Kozak, but it’s spelled c-h-a-z-a-k. It’s a primitive root, it means he strengthened himself. He strengthened himself. He encouraged himself. He fortified himself. He waxed mighty, he prevailed. He be’d recovered, he be’d recovered. It doesn’t make sense. He became stout, he waxed stronger than his sorrow. He took hold, he was urgent, he behaved himself valiantly, he withstood. He was powerful to resist. Strength – it means strength also in the sense of military prowess. Yeah. So this word, the etymology of the word encourage, is the 13th-century word corage, c-o-r-a-g-e, hot, hence spirit hot. This is in the dictionary. The etymology of this word, the origin of this word, is a spiritual origin, it says here, hence spirit, heart, innermost, meaning valour, quality of mind which enables one to meet danger and trouble without fear. The Old English also means zeal, strength, heart, also a metaphor for inner strength. In, in, so that’s corage. In is into, put in, cause to be in. Put it in. Put it in your heart. It’s already put in, because you’re a new creature. Bring it up, pull it out. Right.
The verb, transitive verb of encourage, is to give courage, to give courage to yourself – increased confidence, inspire with courage, inspire with Spirit. Inspirit is what this word means. One word – i-n-s-p-i-r-i-t. Inspirit. It’s not separate words. It means inspirit yourself. Inspirit. It’s a verb. I’m inspirited. Right? I’m encouraged, inspirit is in and Spirit, to infuse Spirit in – to give new life, lift, to fill with Spirit, to instil life into, to put Spirit into. And this life is just Zoe Zoe Zoe, Zoe Zoe, Zoe Zoe. Rejoicing is Zoe. Sorrow and sadness is tree of good and evil – the knowledge of your circumstances. So there we go. That’s it.
Leaping, leaping. I’m going to just give you this about leaping. Lord, am I going here? Right. Alright. Here, we’re good here with leaping, right? You want to know leaping? You want that teaching on leaping? You want the teaching on leaping. Leaping, I’m going to give you an ensample, another ensample. Won’t you all say with me “ensample”. (Congregation says “ensample”.) Oh, yes. We’re going to look at Acts 3:8, please. 8 And leaping up, he stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. (Acts 3:8 KJ21)
The Greek word. I’m going to give you the Greek word now for leaping. The Greek word is exallomai. To leap up to a standing position, the rapidity, how rapid, rapid, rapid. The rapidity to which he got to his feet. The Greek hallomai is to gush, jump, spring up, to well up, to bubble up. …a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.” (John 4:14 AMP). Hallomai means to leap or to jump into the air. It means to leap or jump into the air, right? David leapt, 2 Samuel 6:16, KJV. This word is 2 Samuel 6:16 is a Hebrew word pâzaz. I believe David did it with some pizzazz. I believe he did his leaping with such pizzazz that his wife… What did his wife do? Despised him. When she came to him with it, he did not eat of what she was coming to him with. He said, “Watch me now, wife. Watch me praise God even more.” Because he knew what it was doing to him spiritually, with him and God, this leaping at the presence of God. That’s why he was leaping. He was leaping at the knowledge that the presence of God was there, the covenant, the arc of the covenant was there, he could not help himself. So, David leapt with pizzazz. This word pâzaz means to spring and be agile. [Pastor Sharon sounds ‘boing boing boing boing boing boing] I saw some leaping, all kinds of different kinds of leaping, beautiful leaping, walking leaping and praising God. Hallelujah! Leaping for joy. Right? So, Jesus comes leaping. Let’s go to Songs of Solomon 2:8, SOS 2:8 Jesus comes leaping and skipping. 8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills (SOS 2:8 KJV). Jesus comes leaping and skipping, right? That’s what He’s doing, actually right now. I’m telling you in heaven, He’s leaping and skipping. God is rejoicing with joy over us with singing. They are very, they are very present with us. They told me to say, “All these things I now bring to you.” Jesus came leaping.
This is a Hebrew word dâlag, it means to spring and to leap, and skipping is qâphats, to leap. Listen to this; to leap by contracting the limbs, to leap by contracting the limbs. You see what you look like when you leap? [Pastor Sharon demonstrates jumping] You contract your limbs. Your limbs are contracted. It means exactly what leaping is. He comes leaping and skipping. To leap by contracting the limbs. This is a skip used of armies marching up to the mountains. Webster says this about leap. Very, very old dictionary, eighteen hundreds. To spring or rise from the ground with both feet. [Pastor Sharon laughing] Can I teach you any plainer and clearer than this? I’m teaching you about leaping. To spring, or rise from the ground with both feet, to volt, to propel oneself quickly upward, or a long way. To propel oneself quickly upward, to propel oneself a long way, to spring free from the ground.
Point. Very important point now; Prayer – teach. Teach prayer. Did I teach you on joy and gladness? I taught you. Now teach prayer. Isaiah 56. Isaiah 56, King James. Isaiah 56:7, you can go home and read and study it in the context of the whole chapter. It’s glorious, but for the sake of time, I’m going to give to you what He gave to me. ⁷even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: (Isaiah 56:7 KJV) Just that part. ⁷even them… He’s talking about us, the redeemed, …even then will I bring to My holy mountain… that’s to the church. You can go and read about Mount Zion. I’ve come unto Mount Zion. I have come unto the Heavenly Jerusalem. I’ve come unto the city of the living God, I have already come unto the spirits of just made perfect. I’ve already come to the General Assembly and the church of the Firstborn who are written in heaven. I’m already come, I’m already come to the judge of the whole earth. I already come. I already come. I’m already here. I’m already in the church. I’m at church. I’m in Ecclesia.
⁷even them, will I bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Here’s what this word joyful means. It’s also Samach. I will make them Samach in the house of prayer. I will make them Samach in My house of prayer. I will make them brighten up. I will make them be glad and gleesome and cheered. I will make them merry. I will make them rejoice in My house of prayer. Where’s your house of prayer? Is it just Tuesday night prayer? Where’s your house? Can you show me where your house of prayer is? You’re the temple, you are the house. You’re the building. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You’re supposed to be. He’s gonna make you be. You’re gonna gladden yourself in your house of prayer because it’s your strength. It’s your strength for everything. It’s your strength to pray. I’m telling you now, that’s why many of you have not been able to pray longer and become stronger. It’s because when you pray, you pray sad because you feel so bad.
You have to let that joy arise when you’re praying. I’m going to just do something for a minute or two. I’m going to ask you all to pray in the Spirit in the way you normally pray. Just pray serious and pray half-dead, because that’s the way you normally pray anyway. Please. Okay. [Congregation laughs] Just pray like you normally pray. I know some of you have made the shift. Alright, let’s just all pray like that. Even if you are a very merry-hearted, happy prayer in the morning and you’re up and you’re rejoicing in the Lord, it’s your time with the Lord. Just pretend that now you are quite sad. Let’s come and pray. Now we’re praying, we’re with the Lord and we’re praying in the Spirit because we know we’ve got to pray in tongues. So come let’s pray in tongues for a minute. [Congregation pray in the Spirit.] Oh, my circumstances are so bad. [Praying in Spirit continues.]
Ok, now I want you to switch to joy and now let the joy of the Lord – show me and show God what it looks like when you’re joyful – joyful. Very merry-hearted, exalting, showing joy and mirth and pleasure, joyful in my house of prayer denotes being glad and joyful with a whole disposition by its association with the heart, the soul and the lightening up of the eyes. I didn’t see any light in your eyes when you were praying just now. Satan has come to steal the light in your eyes, the Word from your heart and the light from your eyes gone. Ok. Now, let’s pray in the spirit and I double-dog dare you to pray very merry-hearted with your whole disposition in the spirit. It says when I speak in an unknown tongue, I do not speak to man, but I speak to my Father God. Let’s do that.
[Pastor Sharon and congregation speak in tongues.] O you see, you don’t even want to stop, you don’t even want to stop, you don’t even want to stop because you’re joyful in this house of prayer. Glory to God. He says, “I will make them joyful in my house of prayer.”
So, the basis of all prayer, this is what the Hebrew Rabbi say, the basis of all prayer: Is to allow the heart to find joy in God. The basis of all prayer is to allow the heart to find joy in God. The soul sunk in sadness and sorrow, and depression, and introspection have evil days. The Rabbi said that even David in the midst of his circumstances was given the Holy Spirit, but he knew that the Holy Spirit couldn’t work in him when he was sunk in sadness – only in joy. Glory to God. Hallelujah, glory to God! Glory to God. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to God. Oh, yes Lord, yes Lord. [Pastor Sharon laughs- oh ho – oh, oh, ho, ho, ho.]
Yes, the one scripture I didn’t get to, that the Lord always uses with me – it says in Ecclesiastes 5 I believe it is in the Amplified Bible, it says He meets you in joy. He meets you; he comes to meet you in joy. Now, if you come to him and you’re sad and you’re sorrowful because of your circumstances, that you have not strengthened yourself yet so that faith can come. He’ll listen to you, of course, you are His child. But, will you just cry quickly, get over it quickly and encourage yourself, inspirit yourself.
He meets you in joy Amplified Bible, Ecclesiastes 5 baby, [Pastor Sharon looks to Pastor John for the scripture.] Is it there? Ok, He meeteth, He meeteth, can somebody find it and just put up your hand when you’ve found it and we’ll post it.
Ok, so now, all the days. Ok, praise is prayer. Now everybody is looking for it now. Sorry. Did you find it? Did you find it? Ok, I’ll bring it, I’ll bring it tomorrow. I’ll bring it tomorrow. Because somehow, I am sensing I am not going to finish today, and so I am going to use message moments tomorrow to finish.
Ecclesiastes 5:20 Amplified. Yeah, the New King James. Okay, where’s the Amplified with that? Let’s see the Amplified because the Lord says, “I’ll meet you. When you come to me in joy, I’ll meet you.” Okay. Obviously, it’s one of the 20 versions of the Bible I looked up.
For he shall not remember seriously the days of his life because God Himself answers and corresponds to the joy of his heart. He answers and corresponds to the joy of your heart. He answers and corresponds to the joy of his heart, of your heart. When David wanted an answer from God, should I go after them? It’s after he encouraged himself.
So, praise and rejoicing is prayer. It is prayer. Our impression of prayer is so sad. Praise and rejoicing is prayer. Prayer is I’m drawing near to Him. Praise and rejoicing is prayer; coming to be in His presence is prayer; to declare and make your professions and to declare God’s Word about your health, about your business, about your life about your… to declare is prayer. Asking is prayer, seeking is prayer, knocking is prayer. And our authority to pray is based on His invitation. Listen to this. Our authority in prayer and our confidence is prayer is based on His invitation to come to pray and our revelation of our covenant rights
Matthew 7:7. Thank you. Amplified Bible. Matthew 7:7. All right, here’s Jesus. Hey, listen to this. Doesn’t this make you love the song even more? 7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and [the door] will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone? (Matthew 7:7-9 AMPC) Like duh.
“You asked me for something. I’m going to give you, not that. I’m going to give you a stone.” Our confidence, our authority is based on our confidence in coming to Him is based on His invitation. 9 Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a snake? 11 If you then, one translation says – natural as you are, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him! (Matthew 7:9-11AMPC)
Luke 11:5-13, Amplified Bible. 5 And He said to them, Which of you who has a friend, here is Jesus again, will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread], 6 For a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him; 7 And he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]? 8 I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence, Glory. Because of his shameless insistence and persistence. His shameless persistence and insistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. (Luke 11:5-13 AMPC)
That doesn’t mean you have to ask Him the same thing 30 times a day to see how many times you must say it before He can give it to you. No, you ask Him and then you take it with your rejoicing and your praise and your praise and your praise. And you thank Him and you thank Him and you thank Him and you thank Him. You praise Him and you praise Him and you praise Him and you praise Him and you thank Him and you thank Him and you thank Him and you thank Him. And the devil comes to tell you you’re not ever gonna get it. You gotta get it, you speak the Word, you speak the Word, you speak the promise, you speak the promise you declare, you declare. Hallelujah. With joy, regardless of your circumstances.
And then He says here,11 ”For what father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone? Same thing here, right? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him! (Luke 11:11-13 AMPC)
Matthew 28:18-20 Amplified Bible. Here is the authority that Jesus has given us. 18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, all authority (all power of rule) The Lord wanted me to show you your authority to pray, and your authority in prayer, based on His invitation. Based on the authority that He got, when He died, He was crucified, He died and He rose again and said All power. All authority has been given to Me now you go in My name. You go in My name and you cast out devils. You cast those devils out of your finances, you cast that devil out of your physical body, you cast that devil out of your mind. You cast him out everywhere he pops his head up, you cast out devils. You think casting out devils is all you’ve seen maybe? What I don’t know what you’ve looked at, I don’t know what you’ve seen. I don’t know what you think. But casting out devils is not that I come up to you and say, “Come out in Jesus’s name.” No, you cast that devil out wherever he’s popping his head up. It’s both and. Right.
He said, 18…All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth heaven and earth, heaven and earth has been given to Me Name above all names. 19 Go then and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you church all the days perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be). (Matthew 28:18-20 AMPC)
Luke 10:17-19. Okay, 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name! 18 And He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven. Even the demons, even the demons are subject to me in His name. Even the demons are subject to me in His name. Even the demons are subject to me in His name. You want to say that with me? Even the demons are subject to me in His name. [Congregation saying after Pastor Sharon] There we go. Right. 19 Behold! Behold I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. (Luke 10:19 AMPC)
Hebrews 2:6-9 Amplified Bible. Concentrated right? Continue to concentrate, continue to concentrate, 6 It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him? 7 For some little time You have ranked him lower than and inferior to the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands, 8 For You have put everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to man, He left nothing outside [of man’s] control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him [man]. 9 But we are able to see Jesus, You see you have to see Jesus. You have to see Jesus. You have to be seeing Jesus yourself. But we do see Jesus. We do see Jesus. When I’m seeing Jesus He shows me about how this thing is under my control.
9 But we are able to see Jesus, Who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honour because of His having suffered death, in order that by the grace (unmerited favor) of God [to us sinners] He might experience death for every individual person. (Hebrews 2: 6-9 AMPC). That death that Satan brings in any shape, way, fashion, or form, Jesus was crucified for me to have authority over it.
Oh, I’m going to read you something here now, I’m going to read you something. It’s going to help somebody here. Right? Somebody’s going to get this on a message and take it for yourself. I’m intentional. I’m intentional to overcome every work of the evil one. Whether his temptation in my flesh or circumstances brought about; with great intent I active my faith, I speak his word and praise and shout! And so I master sin, and so change the circumstance. I overcome, I get the victory with my two-edged sword, the high praises of God and the Spirit dance. Hallelujah. Sela.
So here we go. John 16: 22-24. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, glory to You. John 16: 22-24, 22 And now therefore you have sorrow… They were so sad, the disciples, even though Jesus said to them, I’m going to die, I’m going to rise again; it’s good for Me to go – even though Jesus taught them all about the Holy Ghost – it’s good for you that I go; they were so sad. They were so sad. They said here, Jesus said here 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you (John 16: 22 KJV). Hallelujah.
I see Him again. I see Him again. I see Him again. I see Him in you. I see Him when I’m with Him. We’re going to have a look at a very powerful thing, to a very powerful big point: How are you abiding? How are you abiding? If you’re not, why are you hiding? Right?
So here we go. So, But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you (John 16: 22 KJV). So, if your joy goes, you let it go, because no circumstance can take it from you. You let it go. Here we see here 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16: 24 KJV). Ask that your joy may be full. Ask and receive. Ask and receive, that your joy may be full. So there’s a fullness of joy. There’s a purpose for a fullness of joy here. It’s in your asking, ask that your joy may be full. So, many times we don’t have fullness of joy because we’re not asking. Right? So here we go. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name. Ask… In that day you shall… Okay, where am I now? Where am I now, John?
Pastor John Bendixen: John 16
Pastor Sharon Bendixen: John 16. 20?
Pastor John Bendixen: 23-24
Pastor Sharon Bendixen: 23-24 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16: 24 KJV). Here is this point the Lord wanted me to say to you; Keep on, keeping on, persistent, prevailing prayer. Our authority in prayer is based on His words, on His Word, what He has promised and our covenant rights. Persistent, prevailing prayer. Luke 18 Amplified Bible verse 1, 1 Also [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray (Luke 18:1). And you must pray joyfully. Remember that. Don’t think “I’m coming to God now…” You can’t slip back into that bad habit. You can’t slip back into that bad habit. “Now I think I’m going to keep coming, coming to prayer. [Pastor Sharon Bendixen making murmuring noises] Why? When God has clearly said, “I’ll make you joyful! You’ll have brightening of your eyes. You’ll count it all joy even when you were in trouble!” Knowing that the trying of your faith works steadfastness and endurance in you so that you might be complete and lacking nothing. You’re lacking nothing because you faithing in joy.
So, here we go. 1Also [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up). 2 He said, in a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man, 3 and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary. 4 And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God, this is Jesus telling this, 4 Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man, 5 yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault or strangle me. (Luke 18: 1-5 AMPC)
Does that sound like that shameless persistence and insistence? Yes! God invites us to come like this on the basis of His covenant and His promises. That I’m shameless, and I’m persistent, and I’m insistent. I’m not fainting. I’m not giving up, I’m not turning tail, and turning coward and just rolling over and playing dead because, “Oh, look at my circumstances.” No, no, no, no.
Verse six, and the Lord said, 6 Then the Lord said, listen to what the unjust judge says! 7 And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones) who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? 8 I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man come (Luke 18: 6-8 AMPC) with the answer. He is coming because He wants to answer when He comes. It’s not His second coming. When He comes. 8 … will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth? Will He find persistence? Will He find, or will He find fainting, turn coward? You’re coward now. You’ve given up, you don’t even think that I can answer you. Right? So it all changed for her. She was not moved by what she saw. She was not moved by what she felt. She was not moved by what she heard. The unjust judge said, “No. No, no, no”. She was not moved. Everything changed for her. Everything changed for her. Everything changed for her.
So, John 16:22 No, no, no, no, no, no, not that. Persisting faith, don’t go there. Persisting faith. Believing praying is prevailing. Just keep those words. Persisting faith – believing praying is prevailing. To prevail is a word, to prevail. You need to keep it in mind because I’m going to go to some ensamples. To prevail is to have greater power from a Latin word praevalere. To exert superior influence to be predominant and gain the victory. That’s exactly what happened to this woman. Right?
Exodus 17 verse 10, please. Exodus 17 verse 10. 10 So Joshua did as Moses… King James Version, 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill, 11 and it came to pass when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; (Exodus 17:10-11 KJV) They were dominant, they were predominant. Right? Israel prevailed. “… and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed”. Amalek was an operation of a foul, principality, power, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. They were always taking God’s people out. They were always going for the weaker ones, the older, the stragglers at the back, God hated the operation of that Amalek spirit that operated through people. So, they were violent. They were cruel. They were merciless. So Amalek prevailed. When Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed, when you let down his hand Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses’ hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [that is, The LORD my banner]; My Conqueror, my Champion. Hallelujah. Glory to God. (Exodus 17:10-14 KJ21).
1 Samuel 17:4-8 King James. 1 Samuel 17:4-8, 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs and a buckler of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron, and one bearing a shield went before him. 8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel and said unto them, “Why have ye come out to set up a battle array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. Let’s go to verse nine. Oh, we are at verse nine. 9 If he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail, if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man, that we may fight together!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. (1 Samuel 17:4-11 KJV).
Now we are going to verse 48, 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone, and slung it and smote the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sunk into his forehead. And he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed. David prevailed. David saw his victory through to the end. Right, he prevailed 50 over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him. (1 Samuel 17:48-50 KJV)
So, holding up your covenant rights personally and our rights as a church together. The Lord says, “Strike in prayer gets complete landslide victory.” Striking Prayer. God wants to see you striking. He wants to look at you in your shameless insistence and persistence and go, “That is a striking son of Mine.” Besides the fact of striking, we strike something, it is striking to Him when we have a shameless persistent going to God on the basis of our covenant, it is really striking to Him. Like in the events, He saw the Italian centurion and He said, “Wow, I haven’t seen such faith in all of Israel.” You don’t think God doesn’t go, “Wow that is striking, that is striking. Wow, David, David man after My own heart, you just went for it boy. You just went for it.” He said to the Philistine, “I come to you in the Name of the Lord and in my covenant rights.” And it says, he took Goliath’s sword and he cut off his head.
2 Kings 13:14-21, I have to read this to you by instruction of the Lord because of this was in Pastor John’s revelation, “This is the striking of ground in prayer.” The perfect scripture for striking the ground is 2 Kings 13. Striking praying, strike the ground this is the striking of the ground in prayer. It is very striking to God when we keep striking. Right?
So, we are going to the King James version, 14 Now Elisha had fallen sick with his sickness whereof he died. And Jehoash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!” He was in such a bad way and things were going so bad for his nation and for all the enemies go round about him, and he wept and said, “O my father, my father, my father, you know. And so here is Elisha, 15 And Elisha said unto him, “Take bow and arrows.” And he took unto him a bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, “Put thine hand upon the bow.” And he put his hand upon it, and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward.” And he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, 2 Kings 13:14-17 KJV) our deliverance has come. By the power of His Word. Hallelujah. Our, your deliverance has come, your deliverance is here. Glory to God.
So, he said, put his hand upon it, there we go. 17 … Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. 18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice and stayed. 19 And the man of God was wroth with him. Wroth, wroth, wroth, wroth, wroth, means very angry. …wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice (2 Kings 13:17-19 KJV).
For the rest of your life, you have to have an appetite for war, you have to have a strong overcoming spirit because you will have an enemy to overcome every day of your life for the rest of your life. Day in, day out, month in, week in, week out, month in, month out. Year in, year out. You will have an enemy to overcome for the rest of your life. You cannot be sad. You cannot be an overcomer and be sad about it and say, “I didn’t want to ask for this war. I don’t want this war. I don’t want to war. I want to just live my life in the natural and do what I like.” No, you’re going to have to be spiritually strong if you’re going to beat him. You cannot beat him with your soul. Impossible. You’re going to have to fortify and edify like David. You’re going to have to be persistent and insistent, shamelessly like those people Jesus was speaking about. Right?
And so, it says here, 19 …Thou shouldest have smitten …but you only smite thrice (2 Kings 13:19 KJV). So, once you did overcome him, didn’t you? Did you once overcome him in your life? Did you once have victory? Did you have one or two or three victories at some time in your Christian life? Here it is. Here it is. Here it is. 20 And Elisha died, and they buried him (2 Kings 13:20 KJV). Those were his last words. Those were his last experiences was of a king that was going, “Woohoo, woohoo. [Pastor Sharon imitates the king crying] But I’m only three times. I shoot, but just three times.” That was his last experience, was a half-hearted pitiful execution. And the very next verse, I didn’t put it in, but the very next verse says that they put Elisah’s body somewhere. And then they put somebody’s dead body where Elisah was and it says the man rose up. And the Lord said to me that’s what’s happening here in this church. The prophets that have gone before you, who had an appetite for war, who overcame, their spirit is come. Their spirit, we are all children of the prophets. We have a legacy. We have a legacy. We have a legacy coming to life in me. I have a legacy coming to life in me. Hallelujah. I’m touching my father’s bones. I’m coming to life.
I have an appetite for war. Great, increasing appetite for war, rising up in my authority based on my covenant and His invitation. Awake and alert and alive and active in my authority. Me and God on my own, just the two of us, not where anybody else can see. I suppose that’s why He would have me declare something like this publicly because what I do in my closet, is what I am in public too. Glory to God. And I’m not perfect in that but I am shamelessly persistent and insistent. I’m not perfect in that but I am shamelessly insistent and persistent, till we get what You paid for Jesus – all of it. Glory to God.
And so that’s what you’re becoming. That’s what I’m becoming because we touch our father’s bones, we come alive. And so that’s why joy came to pass. No, I did put it in here. 21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet (2 Kings 13:21 KJV).
You are reviving and standing up on your feet. Be revived and stand up on your feet. Be revived and stand up on your feet. You might have just recently been called by God to come into this church. I’ll tell you what, there are people that have been here for a long time in this church… I’m not going to say that but you may have just recently come in and God has called you to come into this church. You come into everything immediately. You come into everything immediately. Glory to God.
That’s why joy and prayer, the Lord said, go together. It’s an unstoppable, unbeatable, impenetrable fortress. Jesus said, “What…” That’s what I heard Him say in my spirit, “What, could you not pray? Are your eyes heavy with sleep and heavy with grief and sadness? Luke 22:40. “What?” “What?” Jesus said, “What?” Verse 40, Amplified, Luke 22:40, 40 And when He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation. (Luke 22:40 AMPC)
He didn’t say to them, “Pray for Me so that I don’t enter into temptation.” He said you pray for yourself at this specific time so that you don’t enter into a temptation of not having recognition of the time you’re in. We are to have full recognition of the time that we are in; our deliverance has come and we are in a state of continuous rejoicing and praying and with joy and joy and joy and praising and rejoicing, hallelujah, and filled with the Holy Spirit and exuberant and spilling out into our lives with Holy Ghost everything.
40 And when He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation. 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done. 43 And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit. How marvelous! Right? Strengthening Him in spirit. [Pastor Sharon shouts.] A fortified, strong, fortified spirit. Hallelujah. God even sent an angel to strengthen Him in His spirit. You think God will not send us angels to strengthen us, to be with us when we are shamelessly, insistently, persisting to do the will of God, to overcome right here?
44 And being in an agony [of mind], He prayed [all the] more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground. And I can’t stay there. 45 And when He got up from prayer, He came to the disciples, please have a look at this, and found them sleeping from grief, He found them sleeping from grief. Are you so sad and you feel so bad about your circumstances that you’re fast asleep?
That’s how He wanted me to present this scripture to you today. Why do you sleep? 46 And He said to them, why do you sleep? Why? Why are you asleep? Get up and pray (Luke 22:40-46 KJV). Get up and praise. Get up and rejoice. Get up and declare. Get up. Hold fast to your profession and your confession. Get up and rejoice. Get up. Get up. Get up. Why do you sleep? Why are you in grief? Why are you grieving? Your soul is sunk down in sadness, my Holy Spirit can’t help you. You’re going to enter into temptation, to forsake Me and leave Me because you choose grief. You choose grief at this time. Very costly for us, any of us, choosing grief at this time when God has very clearly spoken into this church, today, that it’s a Nehemiah 8 chapter for where we’re at right now. Nehemiah chapter 8.
So, get up and pray 46 …Get up and pray that you may not enter [at all] into temptation. 47 And while He was still speaking… (Luke 22:46-47 AMPC) You see, while He’s still trying to get through to them and while He was still speaking, Judas arrived. Too late! Too late. Too late for you. You are now going to enter into the temptation because you sleep for grief. Ja.
Luke 21:26 to 28 Amplified Bible, 26 Men swooning away, He said this is what’s happening today in the earth, 26 Men swooning away, men in the Church, women in the Church, women in the body of Christ, 26 Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. Those are principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor). 28 Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near. (Luke 21:26-28 AMPC) Our deliverance is not drawing near, our deliverance is here! Our deliverance is here! It is now!
Luke 21:34 to 36 AMPC, 34 But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly, that day came upon those disciples so suddenly because they did not pray. They entered into the temptation of the time, of the time period. …and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose; 35 For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the entire earth. 36 Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36 AMPC) Right.
I think we’re done for today. I’m not going to start How are you abiding now? I’m done for the day, today. God has been very intentional with us today. He said some very powerful points and emphases that He’s wanted to give us. And so, this is the time that it it should be over right? Is this the time on our calendar on our day today? Three o’clock? Right. Perfect time to stop. Yeah.
Because my next part that’s coming up is how are you abiding? And it’s all about intertwining, coiling, wrapping. It’s all in the Hebrew word. It’s all part of my teaching. So that’s why intertwined does come at a time when I could not have actually realized that we would release intertwined. When this revelation came, it’s just beautiful. How are you abiding? It will be Sunday, it will be tomorrow afternoon, we will not be having message moments. We will be having this. I will finish off my teaching. I will go from abiding How are you abiding to Pentecost God’s Pinnacle. Pentecost God’s Pinnacle His maximum. Glory to God. Father we thank You today for Your precious Word to us. We receive it with readiness of heart and mind. We thank You for being intentional with us Lord in Jesus name and we all say amen.
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