Scripture reference: Mark 4:23-24 (NKJV); Mark 11:12-14 (NIV); Mark 11:20-24 (NIV); Mark 11:23 (NIV); Isaiah 60:2 (AMPC); Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
Pastor Christi:
Pastor Garth, we want to say to you this morning, we love you. We love you so much and we appreciate you. We receive the Word of God with great joy this morning, with our hearts coming up and faith, our hearts believing and our hearts receiving words from the Holy Spirit from you, Pastor Garth, that will come to us, bringing us the life of God. It’s spirit, His words are spirit and life and we receive them. We bless you. And the anointing of the Holy Spirit is on you this morning. We have ears to hear the Word of God. We love you, Pastor Garth.
Pastor Garth:
Hello. Good morning. Praise the Lord. Glory to Jesus. Well, I’m gonna jump into it because yeah, I said to Pastor Christi, the Lord prepared me for this long before the Lord spoke to Pastor John and Pastor Sharon and told them that I should be ministering this Sunday. I’ve been hearing these words booming in my spirit, and is this; have faith in God. Have faith in God.
So I’m picking up where Pastor John left off last Sunday, which is faith for cooperation and I wanted to just start off with this, what Pastor Christi just said now, if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. So if you can go with me to Mark 4 verses 23 to 24. Just to prepare all of us for what the Holy Spirit would like to say to us this morning. Praise the Lord. You know, I am just a vessel, Pastor John is just a vessel and in our humanity, we have things that we deal with and we’re going to look at that a little bit but, in our humanity, it affects, it can affect the way that you hear the Word of God. So we’re going to read that.
Mark 4 verses 23 to 24, 23 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you… (Mark 4:23-24 NKJV). So some of you that have heard my ministry before, know that I like to go to the garden. So, when Adam and Eve were created, they, in their consciousness, they were only conscious of God. They were only conscious of the goodness of God. They were only conscious of His will before they would sin and before they were disobedient. So, then what happened? They were disobedient to God and a different kind of consciousness came into them. Now all of a sudden, they were conscious of themselves, their self-nature.
So, this is the way that the Lord said it to me, “It changed the measure of faith that they had in God, which then changed the way they saw themselves.” So, there’s a lot in that. It changed the way they saw themselves and the way they heard God’s voice. So, this different consciousness that was in them, changed the way they saw themselves and changed the way that they heard God’s voice. You’re all with me? Okay. So, our consciousness of ourselves and of others, and that includes me, affects the way we hear from the Spirit. It’s happening right here, right now, this morning.
We all have similar things in our consciousness. You sit in your chair, I know I’m there most Sundays, you’re conscious of the way you’re sitting in your chair, who’s sitting around you. You’re conscious of the way you’re dressed, and maybe the way that others are dressed around you, you’re conscious of your environment. Right? You might be conscious of, maybe some challenges that you’re experiencing in your life, maybe at home, maybe the challenge is sitting right next to you, [Congregation laughs]… In your business. [Congregation laughs]
But here’s what’s important. In summary, we are conscious of our humanity. And God wants us conscious of our divinity. So, what is divinity? It’s our God likeness, our God nature. Right? So, He doesn’t want us conscious of our humanity and even this morning, which is why I’m mentioning to you, He doesn’t want you to be focused and conscious on my humanity, or your humanity, but focused on what the Spirit is saying. Is everybody with me? [Congregation : Yes]. Praise the Lord. So, Pastor John said last Sunday, you need to hear me with spiritual ears. Well, how do you do that? This is a basic practical way that we can do that right here this morning, next Sunday – the most obvious way is that the more that we give ourselves to the Spirit, the more you sow to the Spirit, the more from the Spirit you reap life. And that life is the thing that wakens your spirit consciousness or makes you more conscious of the Spirit. Everybody with me? [Congregation: Yes].
But practically, for right here, right now, establish why you are here this morning. Why are you here this morning? Why did you come last Sunday, why will you come next Sunday – hopefully – next Friday? It’s a good thing for you to establish. Why did you come? Is it because you love God? Can I get a hand up if you are here because you love God? If somebody is not putting up their hand, slap them on the back of their head and ask them why they are here.
Well, hopefully, you have not been forced here, unless you are an accountable child and then you have to do what your mom and dad say, right? But we are all here this morning because we love God, right? Can we establish that? We are here this morning because we love God. Nobody forced you to come this morning. We’re here because we love God, and you want more of Him in your life. Ok. You want to be more like Him. I could say that that’s pretty standard for all of us. So let that be your consciousness when you are listening to me when you are listening to Pastor John when you’re listening to anybody ministering from this pulpit, or anybody you are listening to ministering. Let that be in your consciousness. Don’t be focused on their humanity, mine or the people around you, but be focused on what the Holy Spirit is saying. Is that good? [Congregation: Yes]. Ok.
Have faith in God. So, to those who have ears to hear, let him hear. So, the way that you increase your measure of faith – because remember it changed Adam and Eve’s measure of faith. Does everybody understand that? Forever. We are still and I say this intentionally, suffering under that. Alright.
So, Mark 11 verses twelve to fourteen. 12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if there was any fruit on it. When he reached it, he found nothing on it except leaves, since it was not the season for figs. Is everybody reading that and seeing that? 14 Then he said to the tree, May no one ever eat of your fruit again. And his disciples heard the statement (Mark 11:13-14 NIV).
And then you can drop down to verse 20. 20 As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. 21 Peter remembered it and said. Look, Rabbi, the fig tree you cursed, has withered. And Jesus’ response, 22 Have faith in God. Quite an interesting response. Peter says, “Look Lord, this tree has withered from the roots.” And He says, Have faith in God. Jesus said to them, 23 Truly I tell you. Now, everything that Jesus said is true. So, if He’s saying, truly I tell you, it’s something we should pay attention to, right? Truly I tell you, that if anyone says to this mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the sea and has no doubt in his heart, but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours (Mark 11:20-24 NIV). Praise God.
I want you to live in this Scripture with me. Jesus was hungry, does everybody see that? Jesus was hungry. There’s only one other time in the Bible that it talks about Jesus specifically being hungry. And that was when He was fasting, and He was in the wilderness. It’s the only other time that it refers to Jesus being hungry. So, one may say, and I say this with a sense of humor, that He was a bit ‘hangry’. He was really hungry. Jesus needed, He wanted, and He was seeking provision. Can you all say that with me? Jesus needed. Jesus wanted. Jesus was seeking provision. Jesus was drawn to the fig tree from afar because it had leaves. Jesus knew that if a fig tree had those kinds of leaves, that there should be fruit on it.
Right? So that’s why He was drawn to it. He could see the leaves from afar and He was hungry. He thought if that tree is leave-ing like this, I’ll find fruit on it. He got to the tree… no fruit. He found nothing on it, except leaves, nothing that He needed, nothing that He wanted, nothing He was seeking for. So, I want you to picture this in your humanity. Jesus was tempted because Hebrews 4 tells us that he was tempted in every way like we are. Right? So, He may have asked these questions. Why is this tree leafing out of season? Why does it have no fruit? It drew me to it and now I’ve been tricked. Why has this happened to me? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Where did I go wrong? Maybe I shouldn’t have even come here or even done this. Everybody with me? Are you living in the Scripture with me?
But it looked good. He may have been tempted to ask why God had even made such a tree, that looked so good, but had nothing on it. Then Jesus said to the tree, may no man eat of your fruit ever again. So why is Jesus saying this? I pray you have ears to hear this Church, the tree was not doing what God created it to do. It had an abundance of leaves, out of season, and had no fruit to show for its beauty. The tree was using the good of the land and the blessing that was in the soil by God, to grow, but only to look good. No fruit. So, this fig tree, this is what the Holy Spirit said to me, this fig tree represented the knowledge of good and evil.
Knowledge says that if a fig tree has leaves like this, then there will be fruit and there will be provision. So, there was a reliance on, from Jesus and his disciples, there was a reliance on the knowledge that this tree would give them what they needed, what they wanted, and what they were seeking for.
It’s what drew them to the tree in the first place. So, they used their time and their energy to get what knowledge said they should get, and there was nothing. So, this tree used the blessing and the goodness of the soil to grow and to look good but had no fruit and no life. It was self-serving in its beauty. The purpose of this was to delay, to distract and to frustrate. Okay. Jesus was on His way. He was always on His way to an important assignment and this tree purposed to distract, to delay, to frustrate. So, you can understand why Jesus said to the tree, “May no man eat of your fruit ever again.” So then they come back the next day, and Peter notices that the entire tree had withered from the roots overnight. Overnight. Why is this important? Because the root system of any plant is where a tree or plant finds its growth, stability, strength, its beauty, and its produce. Right? We have a farmer in the house here, he can tell you that that’s true.
Jesus removed the blessing and the life from its root system. So, why is this important, church? I’m going to get to it – have faith in God. Have faith in God. Have faith in God. Have faith in Him, have faith in the Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth. So, the word God is Theos in Greek, which means Creator and Owner or Possessor of heaven and earth. So Jesus was saying, and another interesting one is that word faith in the Greek – weird word – pistos, which is also translated, trust. So, if you read most of the faith scriptures that we know in our Bibles, the word faith, you won’t find it in the Jewish Bible or the original translations. The word trust is used. Interesting.
So, if you’re going think about some of the faith scriptures that you know, and you replace the word faith with trust. So, it’s impossible to please God without trust. Wow. Praise God. So, have faith, have trust in the Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth. Have faith in His love for you. I actually started writing it this way and I wanted to say this to you, I wanted to say, “Have faith in the love of God for you.” But the Lord wouldn’t let me write it that way. He wanted me to say this, “Have faith in His love for you.” Because having faith in the love of God, it’s kind of out there somewhere. “Oh, the love, the love, the love is somewhere out there.” Have faith in His love for you. Have faith in His love for you. Trust in His love for you. He wanted me to make it personal.
So, then Jesus says, verse 23, 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, anyone says to this mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and has no doubt in his heart, but believes that it will happen, it will be done for them.” (Mark 11:23 NIV) So, what was the mountain? This specific mountain that Jesus was referring to? I don’t know about you. But I’ve always thought that it’s this massive mountain that, you know, it’s some kind of obstacle and maybe it’s dead or maybe it’s something like that. But God is actually, Jesus talking very specifically if you say to this mountain, right? Okay. You say to this mountain, please hear this church. Jesus is saying, don’t depend on knowledge. Don’t allow the fruit of knowledge to become a mountain, and get between you and your faith in God.
Knowledge is not dependable. Never has been and never will be. So, hear this church. Knowledge only produces a consciousness of humanity and not divinity. Are you hearing this church? Knowledge only produces a consciousness of humanity and not divinity. The knowledge you will get on this earth will not awaken the Spirit of God in you. It will not awaken your spirit man. It has no life in it. So, let’s name a few things that knowledge does produce. Pride. Lust for more things that knowledge produces, but has no eternal life.
Lust for more power that knowledge appears to produce. I mean, we could have just an honest moment. We have all been taught from young that the more you know the more power you have on this earth. The better an education you have, the more power the more chance you have at success on this earth. Right? The more you work that knowledge. The more experience you have in knowledge. The more success, the more chance of success you have. And that’s always the thing about knowledge. Sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don’t.
So, hear this church, Charlotte Mason, who is a uhm… let me put it this way, she’s a God-fearing woman who encouraged home education many years ago. She said this, so just to give you a little bit of context, she worked, she worked with children her entire life. She lost her parents when she was very young. And I knew that she was called by God to be a teacher. And she worked with children her entire life. God-fearing woman. She said this, the question is not how much does the youth know when they have finished their education but how much do they care? Let that hit you. The education system of this world will not teach you to care for people. Why? Because it’s all based on knowledge.
Knowledge produces… Do you want me to say that again? The question is not how much does the youth know when they have finished their education but how much do they care? Because that’s what’s important to God. So, just remember why we’re all here, right? We’re all here because we want what’s important to God, we love Him, and we want to be like Him. We want to grow spiritually. That’s why we’re here. Right? So, maybe some of these things are challenging. But that’s why we’re here. So, we keeping our eyes on why we’re here. And not, not on our humanity. We’ll get to that.
So, knowledge produces more questions. This is the strategy of the enemy. He wants you to focus on all the questions that arise from the things that were meant to produce in our lives and don’t. Right? So, when you rely on knowledge, sometimes, many times things don’t work out. They don’t produce the way that they should. Right? Everyone with me? So then you ask, why did this happen? Why is this not producing fruit?
What happened? Where did I go wrong? We’re going to get more into that. This is the strategy of the enemy. Some of the questions we may ask, why isn’t this working? Why isn’t this producing? Why hasn’t this worked out as I planned? Where did I go wrong? What did I do? Didn’t I hear God properly? How did I get into this position? Why is my child not serving God? Why is my family such a mess? Why can’t I seem to get over the sin or addiction? Why can’t I seem to get the victory? Why, what, where, when, and how? Knowledge always produces more questions.
Why? Because there’s no fruit. There’s nothing really sustaining. There’s no life in it. Whereas Jesus said, If you drink from what I give you, and you eat of what I give you, you’ll never hunger and you’ll never thirst. But when you depend on knowledge, lots of questions. Praise the Lord. So, the devil is the master at getting your eyes on the mountain. Lots of questions about that mountain, hey? How am I going to get through… around? This mountain is gigantic, it’s too much for me. And what inevitably happens as a result of all the questions – I’m not going to make it. I’ll never be what God said I could be. This is too hard. I can’t believe this. I can’t trust Him.
So, Jesus was saying to you and me, that no amount of care, anxiety, fear, pressure, doubt, stress, or any need should be preventing you from having faith in God. That is the mountain church that Jesus was saying – speak to that mountain. Speak to that mountain. So, to be personal for you as it is for me. What is that mountain? Fear is probably mostly for all of us. Fear I don’t have enough. You can be a very wealthy person and have that fear that it’s not enough. Marcelle and I were very blessed and privileged to live in Ballito for a while, in an estate called Zimbali. Some of you might know it.
Per capita, it’s probably one of the wealthiest places in South Africa; people with money, lots of money. And Marcelle l and I had a Pilates studio there, and a lot of our clients were people that lived in Zimbali, and interestingly enough, those wealthy people are some of the most unhappy people in the world. Because they never think that they have enough, they’re afraid they’re going to lose what they have.
They’ve been married once, twice, sometimes three times. They have no relationship with their children, but they send their children to Michael House and Hilton College and the best schools, and they think that that’s a badge on their jacket, because, “My child went to the best school,” and they pay hundreds, I think it’s six-seven hundred thousand Rand a year for their children to go to those schools.
So, you know, “Look at the money that I have”, but they have zero relationships with their children. They can’t make any of their relationships work. The only time they make it work is if it’s with a responsibility, so it’s “working.”
“And then you do what I tell you to do.” So, their lives are full of stress, full of care, full of worry, full of fear; very unhappy people, but they drive the nicest cars and have beautiful homes with beautiful furniture. See all the leaves, lots of beautiful leaves on their trees; zero fruit, zero life. If any of you are listening, I’ll take your Aston Martin. [Congregation laughing] I’ll be very surprised if any of them are listening though.
So Jesus was saying to you and to me, “No amount of care, anxiety, fear, pressure, doubt, stress, or need should be preventing you and I from trusting and having faith in God.” Because the enemy is classic – he hasn’t changed. He’ll tell you, “You don’t have enough faith. Look, it’s this thing that’s keeping you from it.” Speak to that mountain. Don’t let that thing be the reason why you don’t have faith in God. “Oh, but I have this sin in my life.” Have faith in God. “But I can’t seem to get the victory in this thing.” Have faith in God.
Can you see how the enemy tries to put that mountain between you and God? “Well, I’m much older in my life and I don’t have the energy.” Have faith in God. “I haven’t read the Bible in my life like I should.” Have faith in God. “But I’m just quiet in my personality. I don’t push hard.” Have faith in God. I mean, we could go through, we could be here all day with the reasons that you and I have for not having faith in God. “My color, the color of my skin.” Have faith in God. “My age, I’m too young,” have faith in God. “I’m not the right color to get a job in this country.” Have faith in God.
It would be a good exercise for you to go and write down some of the reasons that are a mountain between you and God. And that’s what Jesus was saying, “Speak to that mountain.” Praise the Lord. So this mountain, the mountain of dependence on knowledge is the one Jesus is saying to you and I we are to speak to and command it to be cast into the sea. Hey? Dependence on knowledge. That’s the anxiety, the fear and the care and all of that is as a result of, of depending on knowledge. Trusting in knowledge. Right?
You know, as a business person, you would have those same things like the tree, there’s, if I do this and if I see this, if I see the leaves, and I do this, and I do that, and then there’ll be success. And if I study and I do this, there’ll be success. Right? And if I raise my children like this, and I do this well, and I do this well, and I do this well, they’ll turn out fine. Whoa, whoa. Brynn and I will be the first ones to put our hands up to tell you that didn’t work with us. For a long time. We were wild, stubborn, and rebellious. But guess what? Pastor John and Pastor Sharon had faith in God. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Because it wasn’t them that drew us onto our ancient path. It wasn’t them that drew us to love Him. It was Him. They had faith in God. And their faith in God drew Brynn and I to Him. Glory to Jesus. Joh, hey?
You want to talk about knowledge in the medical field? Dependence on knowledge in the medical field. Have faith in God. Are you hearing the Spirit this morning? Hopefully not me, please. Ooh, there is a lot of knowledge in the medical field. Lots and lots and lots and so credible. Their knowledge is so credible. You know, because they want to help and yes they do and praise God for doctors. Really, praise God for doctors, because faith takes time to grow. But, have faith in God. I don’t have faith in my doctor or in the medicine that they give me. My faith is in God. Yes, I might have to take some medicine once in a while, but I have faith in God. Praise the Lord.
I am preaching myself happy here. [Pastor Garth laughs]. So, this mountain, the mountain of dependence on knowledge is the one Jesus is saying to you and I, speak to it and command it to be cast into the sea. Refuse to trust in knowledge. Hello? Refuse to trust in knowledge.
I want to get a bit violent here because for generations we have been taught to send our children to the institutions to rely on the knowledge and depend on the institution and the knowledge that they give us for success in our lives. Are you kidding me? I tell you what our children do learn in school, is insecurity, self-doubt, selfishness, competition, ambition and none of those are appreciated by our Lord, not one of them. None of those has eternal value.
What should we be teaching our children? Don’t depend on knowledge. Here is the Bible, here is the Words, living Words of God that produce true fruit – goodness, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness. And that word faithfulness is actually the same Word – pistos – faith trust in God. Temperance, I’ve missed some – self-control. Let’s trust the Word of God to produce those things in our lives. Because one thing is for sure. You bear that kind of fruit – success is inevitable. Let’s talk about self-control. [Pastor Garth laughing] Oh Jesus. Patience, loving one another, loving God, long-suffering with one another. Glory to Jesus, those things are eternal.
So,cast every care that comes from thinking you can rely on knowledge. So, when you depend on you rely on knowledge care will come. So, note notice that – if care is coming, you’re relying on knowledge. If care and a worry is come, what are you doing? What are you doing? You’re relying on knowledge. So, when a care in a worry comes, what are you doing? You’re relying on knowledge, I just want to make sure everybody’s getting this. When you start to care and worry, what are you doing? You were relying on knowledge. Because it always comes with a reason, there’s always a very knowledgeable reason. This isn’t working because… d.d.d.d.d….right? Okay.
So, with all of this in mind, I’m gonna read to you what Pastor John said last week. And this hit me by the Spirit, and I pray that it hits you this morning by the Spirit. If we ever thought there was a confrontation, or a conflict between what is light, and what is dark, what is good, and what is evil, what is of God, and what is not of God, we’re hurtling towards that. You’re get that? You could spend so much time in this church. If we ever thought… did you ever think about the confrontation between light and dark? What’s good and what’s evil? What’s God and what’s not of God? If you’re not giving your… if you’re not thinking about that then you’re you are already consumed by the consciousness of your own humanity, your own world.
Your own little human world, right? Because this is happening. If we ever thought there was a confrontation, or a conflict between what is light and what is dark, what is good and what is evil, what is of God and what is not of God, we’re hurtling towards that. And Isaiah 60 verse two says, 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples. (Isaiah 60:2 AMPC) Okay, so it’s scriptural what Pastor John is saying here. I wanted you to hear that. Okay, this was prophesied, we’re in it. Behold, darkness shall cover the earth. This might sound like a doomsday message, but it’s not. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you. (Isaiah 60:2 AMPC)
So, I’m continuing reading what Pastor John was saying, by the Spirit. [Pastor Garth reads from 26 March message…] Even if you take all the end time signs out of it, and you just look at the state of the world right now, the state of the very volatile financial and economic systems of the world, the degrading education system of the world. I mean, I’m full of this, because statistically, worldwide, there’s maybe one or two countries where they’re getting it righter. But worldwide, the education system is failing. The more money they put into the education system, the less the children are learning. That’s a fact. You can go and look it up for yourself. If you look at the fact that people are losing their ability to communicate, and talk to each other because social media has become such a big deal, and has become so pervasive in society, so pervasive is like it’s just everywhere. If you look at all these factors that are coming together, humanity is losing its way. Humanity is losing its quality. Humanity is losing value. Humanity is losing purpose and it’s causing us to grasp for meaning and purpose in all kinds of different religions. So, look at this. I went and looked up the word religion. Religion is a particular system of faith and worship. A pursuit or interest followed with great devotion.
So, climate has become a religion, money is a religion, power is a religion, careers are a religion, sport is a religion. All of these things are god’s, small g. The pervasive perverseness of sexuality has become a religion. So, everybody hears that? So, the perverseness is the twisted evil way that sexuality is being forced upon us, upon our children. Right? It is idol worship. Sexuality is a problem for young people growing up today, because they have such access to graphic sexuality so easily – it is dominating ongoing relationships, are you hearing this church? I can assure you, this is happening. And you may think that your child is safe from this, don’t rely on knowledge. Have faith in God.
It took one moment for Brynn and I to visit with a friend. So, back then we didn’t have cell phones when Brynn and I were teenagers, but we visited with a friend who had pornographic magazines. One moment for Brynn and I to see images like that. For a young man, that is a battle, you will fight if you open that door. Have faith in God, have faith in God, have faith in God, have faith in God.
And it’s even more pervasive than it was when I was a teenager. Back when I was a teenager, you had to go into a store and buy a magazine that had plastic cover on it. And they wouldn’t give it to you if you weren’t of the right age. So, then you would have to be sneaky and trying to find another way to get it, you know, now you open your phone and you’re looking at the Weather app, and it’s putting graphic images in front of you. Right? Maybe it’s a game, you know, like, it often happens to me where it’s marketing a game, but the game has got graphic images. Have faith in God.
So, young people don’t have a need to be committed. Well, they think they don’t have a need because they substitute relationships with online stuff. Things are becoming more and more isolated. This exists within families too by the way. You can be living as a family and be isolated. That’s what technology has done. Have faith in God. Things are degrading more and more. Human experience is degrading. Our connectivity with one another is degrading. And so, what is to be done? Well, what is to be done is the church, the church has to show what it is.
The church has to show what it is, right? Praise God, this world has no other solution and when the Father created all things, He saw the end from the beginning. So, He knew that there would be a church, there would be a people that would not depend on knowledge that would completely trust God. Right? Because when you completely trust God and you know His Word, you can give solutions. If you depend on knowledge, you cannot give a solution that actually brings life. It might solve a problem for a while, but then there’ll be another problem and another problem and another problem and then lots of questions about the fact that there was a problem after you brought a solution. Because you’re depending on knowledge.
You know, when Pastor John, he was praying in the Spirit that day, I mean, I’m sure you’ve all heard that testimony of him with his business deal. And basically, it was a write off. And he was, I think, lying in the bath or something like that, praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit. So, what’s that? Not depending on knowledge, that’s depending on the spirit, right? Praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, praying in the Spirit. And so, what happened? A picture of a man’s face came to Pastor John. How? By the Spirit, by the Spirit, a solution, an answer, there was no ways that the company or anybody else around Pastor John could have worked out by knowledge, how that happened. Because it could have never come that way. Right?
So, are you facing some challenges right now? That there seems to be no answer to? Maybe we should follow our spiritual leader and pray in the Spirit. Pray in the Spirit. Well, it doesn’t make sense to me. Okay. So, if you want to keep relying on knowledge, then see how that works out for you. Praise the Lord. I didn’t mean to say all of that, but that was for someone. The church needs to stand up and reveal itself as the body that has the answer. Praise God. Praise God. So, this is where it gets real. Because the smallest part of the church is you.
So, firstly you have to take responsibility spiritually for your own life. I can’t do that for you neither can Pastor John. Right? Then, the next smallest part of the church has a husband and a wife. So, the individual must trust God, have faith in God. You as an individual – have faith in God. Man, woman come together. Faith man, faith woman, both come together – double faith in God. Faith in God. Hey? Man, woman have child, teach – have faith in God. Family, more children, lots of children. Family – have faith in God. Listen, I could get into that all day about how knowledge has impacted the family. Hey? Oh, Jesus.
Oh Lord, knowledge has ripped the family apart. It has ripped the family apart. Knowledge, dependence on knowledge. Jesus help us. There’s never been a time like it is now where people view children as a curse than what they do now. Tell me a person that tells you that children are a blessing. Okay, maybe one or two that’s still manageable. “One or two still, okay, they’re a blessing because I can still go about living my life the way that I want to. Anything more than that, ohh no. They are preventing me from living my life the way that I want to live my life.” “Okay, we just stick them in an institution, teach them to rely on knowledge, that’s better, okay, we’re gonna have a few more children, we’ll just put them in an institution.” “Go, depend on knowledge.” Talk about ripping the family apart. Husband’s off doing his own thing, building his career, being successful. Wife is off, also doing her own thing, building her career being successful. Children are going to follow their mom and their dad, in this way, they’re not following them spiritually, they’re going to follow him this way. “I’m going to rely on knowledge and build my career and just go in that direction for my own life.” What kind of relationships do you have then? Okay, well, then it’s all around knowledge and how we’re building our careers together. Yay – no life, no life, no fruit.
Lord, help us not to depend on knowledge. Have faith in God, have faith in God, have faith in God. You have something in your body, sickness in your body? Have faith in God – not what the medical profession is telling you. Have faith in God. You can’t find work – have faith in God. Your business is not doing well – have faith in God. Right?
Jesus was very specific; have faith in God. He didn’t even say, “Have faith in Me.” He didn’t say, “Have faith in the church.” Are you all hearing me? He didn’t say, “Have faith in your partner, your spouse, or have faith in your job.” He said, “Have faith in God.” Praise the Lord. I’m going to leave you with this last thought, and then I’m done and it’s 11 o’clock, so the power might go off. Let me get through this very quickly. Romans 12 verse 3, 3 For I say… [Pastor Garth talks very fast – congregation laughs]
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3 NKJV)
You, me, have the same measure of faith. The only thing that impresses God is what you do with that faith. That should be the only thing that impresses any of us about anything that we do in our lives. “Wow, you did that by faith.” “Yes.” “Well done.” Oh you built your business on knowledge. It’s bound to crumble. In fact, this is what the Lord said to me, which is thank you Holy Spirit for reminding me – That same curse, those same words that He spoke over that fig tree is what we’re seeing in the world today. It’ withering, it’s drying up. It’s dying from the roots.
We’re seeing it, that’s what Pastor John was talking about in all of that, that whole system is busy withering. It’s withering. Pastor Sharon has said it this way; Babylon is fallen! Knowledge is failing, it’s withering. God said it; heaven and earth shall pass away but My words shall remain. That’s it. Heaven and earth shall pass away. What does that mean? Knowledge. Knowledge will pass away.
[Electricity goes out] Now I can see who is making notes on their phones. If there’s someone around you not making notes, slap them on the back of the head and say, “You should be making notes.”
So, let me end with this, actually. Why is this sobering? 3 …but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3 NKJV) Why is this sobering? The only goodness in you and me is the measure of faith. It’s the only good thing in you, the only good thing in me. That should be sobering. That should be sobering. So, what does faith produce? Fruit. Patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, I know I’m missing some there, but you get what I’m saying. Faith produces fruit. Faith produces fruit. Faith produces fruit. Fruit is what this earth needs. Spiritual fruit. Right, church? Is that good, Simon? Praise the Lord. Glory to God.
Did you guys hear this by the Spirit this morning? Have faith in God. Have faith in God. I mean, Marcelle and I have been talking about this for weeks; as a parent, there are so many questions… Am I doing this right? Am I doing this right? Am I doing this right? Could I do… you know? All the time. Did I say this right? Was I representing God right, in this moment? You know, could I have done better? Blah, blah, blah, blah. Have faith in God.
In my humanity, I’m going to do things wrong with my children, I’m going to do things wrong in my life. But, guess what? I have faith in God. I have faith in God for my children. I have faith in God for provision. I have faith in God when I sit down and write a song. In fact, it’s quite something when I try and depend on myself. [Pastor Garth laughs] Then I’ve got to slap myself in the back of the head and say, “Uh-uh. Stop that.” It is so much harder. It is a grind. “Lord, help me. Help me with this, help me with that. I depend on You.” Hey? Trust in God. Trust. It is a much more relational word than faith because faith, you know, you can give yourself credit, “Ah I spoke the Word enough, and I read the Bible enough, and I develop my faith.” Excuse me. Who gave you the faith to begin with? God. You cannot outperform it. Faith happens by God anyway. So, you get a revelation, and – poefff! That is from God. He birthed that in you. Right? And then you do it. Because you have faith and you trust in God.
Praise the Lord. I am done.
Did I say everything I should say? Did you say that Pastor John and Pastor Sharon are missing you? Okay, but they are missing you, and they love you. And they appreciate your prayers. They really do. Praise the Lord. Glory to God.
Please, can we all say, “I have faith in God. I have faith in God. I have faith in God.” You can say that a 1000 times a day and it will be good for you. Or, I trust in God. Hey? I trust in God. And then something happens and you lose your temper on the road or whatever. Or you, you know somebody in your business does something and you lose some money. I trust in God. Hey? I trust in God. When something happens with your child, I trust in God. You are expecting a different report in your body? I trust in God. I trust God. I trust God. Why? Because He is faithful. He is wonderful. He is good. Glory to Jesus.
Okay, I salute you, soldiers in the army. Go forth and have faith in God. Thank You, Father for this time that we have been able to have together. Thank You for loving us. Thank You for these precious words, they are precious to us every time that we are here, Heavenly Father and we get to listen to Your words through Pastor John, Pastor Sharon, Pastor Christi or myself or anybody ministering. It is a privilege. It is a privilege that we get to hear Your words.
And I pray over the people this morning that as they go, these words stay with them and with the same measure that they have heard today, it is measured back to them. And these words grow up and they prevail in the hearts of every listener today. Thank you for Your love. Thank You for loving us so much that You refuse to leave us the way that we are. Thank You for loving us so much that You correct us. Thank You for loving us so much that You bring truth to challenge and deal with the lies that we have been believing in, in our lives. Thank You for Your beautiful, wonderful love and for Your mercy. You are so good.
Actually, there is one more thing I wanted to read to you. Sorry, these are words that the Lord gave to me. And then I didn’t read it. Okay, listen. For generations, the Father of life has been calling His children to walk closer to Him and with Him. He calls us now, He calls you and I by name. His call is to walk with Him. This call echoes through the generations of time, and to all who hear Him and draw closer, He reveals His ways and His nature. He reveals His everlasting life and His unsearchable goodness. He reveals the depths of His love and His mercy. He gives grace to overcome the evil that plagues the earth. He alone has power to give and He has given it through the Son. To all those who submit to and humble themselves under His mighty hand and follow the Son, He gives power, authority and dominion. He glorifies these true sons of God, and crowns them with His own glory and honor.
So, do not draw back from Him. Do not be afraid or ashamed of your nakedness. Run to Him and let Him cover you. Receive His love, His goodness, and His mercy and follow Him into everlasting life. For to Him and to Him alone belongs all power, all authority and all glory. Amen. Praise the Lord.
I’m going to give that to somebody in the team and we can put that…those were precious words that He said to me for you guys. We can put that on a nice picture, beautiful picture with fruit. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Well, I bless you all in the name of Jesus. Thank you for coming to church today. For those of you who didn’t…. well next time you come to church, one of us is going to do this to you. “Why were you not in church?” No, we won’t do that. Praise the Lord. I bless you all in the name of Jesus. Thank you for coming and listening to me. This is always a privilege. Amen. Good bye.
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