Scripture reference: 1 Peter 1:6 & 7(KJV & AMP); Acts 20:24 (KJV); 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (KJV); James 1:2-4 (KJV & MSG); James 1:3 (AMPC); 1 John 5:4 (KJV); Hebrews 10:38 (KJV); Psalm 37:3 (TPT); Genesis 50:20 (KJV & MSG); Lamentations 3:23 (KJV); Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV); Psalm 37:3-5 (AMPC)
Pastor John: No wonder the Bible says, that “The joy of the Lord is our strength,” and sadness and hanging your head, all those kinds of attitudes and things that want to come on you, they don’t give you strength. They take your strength. So, when you decide to walk in joy, then you have strength. Hallelujah. How many of you know a strong man is much harder to defeat than a weak man? In fact, with Jesus as our strength, we’re impossible to defeat; it’s just the way it is. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Well, you may be seated. Thank you. Thank you.
Well, God is so good to us. I want to thank you, all of you for coming through and being here. Those of you came from Jo’burg and Diepsloot and other places. Thank you for being here today and for the Witbankers. Thank you for being here today. Glory to God. What you see behind me is a rented screen for the day, because ours hasn’t arrived yet. Well, no, not true, it’s arrived. It’s actually in the warehouse, but it’s gonna take a week or so to actually put it together and it’s exactly twice the size of this screen. It’s exactly double the amount of pixels that this screen has, which makes the image a lot sharper. All of that is going to be, and some other things that we’re doing in the auditorium are going to be revealed to you on the 22nd and 23rd of May. We’re going to come back here and do this all again in two weeks time.
The good news is that we’ve already practised if you like, from a technological point of view, we’ve already practised with the technical staff in the USA and Brother Jerry is going to come and preach to us live on the Saturday, our Saturday afternoon is going to be eleven o’clock, Saturday morning in Fort Worth, Texas he’s going to come preach to us live. Brother Joe is going to be an hour earlier, and so we start with an evening service on May the 22nd.
Then on May the 23rd, we’re going to have normal service on Sunday and then in the evening, Brother Jerry, we are going to join the Heritage of Faith Crowley church live. We believe we’ll be able to do it interactively, where they can see us and we can see them. Hallelujah. This is all good news, and then we’ll show off our big screen. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Brother Jerry’s gonna minister to you and to us in a few minutes. I want you to get your phones ready, your Ipad’s ready, your pen and pencils ready and make some notes because, at the end of the service, I’m going to, I’m going to suggest to you that you take what he is going to preach to you in the message and you do something about it, which means you leave here with something written down. Something that you can take away with you.
The Lord gave me a Word some two years ago now, probably, not longer. If I wanted some things to change in my life, I’ve got to strike the ground for it. We’ve all been those of us who’ve been around here, we’ve all been striking the ground for different things. Some of us have seen those strikes come to pass, some of them, some of them are still yet pending.
I want you to take encouragement from the Lord when you hear Brother Jerry about those pending ones. I want you to receive the encouragement of the Lord. Hallelujah.
Brother Jerry speaks for about 45 minutes and it’s an amazing and marvellous thing that even though our spiritual leader, when I was riding my bike yesterday, and those people that were around me, I said to them, “I’m so excited because my Pastor is coming to preach to us.” He’s my Pastor and so he has that mantle on him, has had it for many years. Certainly, we have recognized that as a congregation that he is an Apostolic, spiritual leadership over our ministry. And I’m glad it is so. Hallelujah.
Are we ready to roll? I pray that your hearts are ready to receive. Your minds are clear and open, and there’s no blockages for you to receive the Word of God. I’m praying and I agree with you right now, if you will agree that the Words of God will bring healing power to you. It will bring a transforming ability to you, and all the things that you need in your life, you will receive them by the Holy Spirit, even though it’s coming from a digital screen. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
You will see as he’s ministering, why we want some of the messages that he’s going to bring, why we want them live, because you can respond as quickly as you can to when he says, “Praise the Lord in advance.” Come on, we have spoken about this a long time ago about Brother Jerry, when he says, “Let’s praise the Lord. Now, come on, let’s praise the Lord.” He doesn’t give you much time to do that. Okay, in this particular thing, but you can do it anyway. You just can; “Praise the Lord!” Even if it’s that short just praise the Lord because then you can receive it. Hallelujah.
Who do I look at to see whether we are ready to roll? I can’t see anybody. Are we ready? Okay, let’s do it. Welcome, Brother Jerry!
Brother Jerry: Hello everyone. Brother Jerry here and I am excited to be with you today. I want to welcome all of the Heritage of Faith South Africa congregation to this special broadcast and I just want you to know that I miss you greatly and I wish that I could be with you right now and I’m looking forward to coming back as soon as we possibly can. So you stay in prayer, we’re in prayer and I believe, praise God, that’s going to happen real, real soon. John and Sharon, I love you very much, I appreciate you and all your family, and every member of the congregation there. Once again, thank you for all coming together, and to hear this special message I have for you. So, let’s get right into it.
Now before I ask you to open your Bibles, I want to read to you a Prophetic Word that I received just before coming into 2021. Then I also want to read to you a Word that I received on January the 1st, 2021. Now both of these came as I was in prayer, and I believe they’re very important for the time and the season that we’re in. Some of you may already have copies of these, but if not, listen closely. And perhaps they can get you a copy of it so that you can hang on to it, and read it often, and decree it and expect it to come to pass. Now, this is the one that came just before the end of the year, 2020. It said;
“Don’t fear the future because it’s still bright
and I’ll see you through each and every fight
So stay in faith and watch what you say
Speak only My Word, and I’ll have My way
It’s never My will for you to fail
It’s always My will for you to prevail
So don’t be moved by what you hear and see
This is how you will enter into greater victories
Be bold and courageous and stay free from all fear
For 2021 is going to be a great year
I’ll take you higher than you’ve ever been before
This is My promise, and My promises are sure
So stay in My Word and rest in Me
For this is your year to be totally free”
I think you ought to lift your hands right now and say, “Lord, I receive that,” and go ahead and praise God in advance of it. Now, I want you to experience what the Spirit of God said to me in this prophetic word and I believe, praise God, that many of you are already experiencing it. I know I am. I believe it’s for every member of our church. In fact, I believe it’s for every member of the body of Christ, but I’m speaking to our churches right now. I want you to lay hold upon this and dare to believe that it’s going to come to pass in your life.
Now, this came on January the 1st about 9:40 in the morning as I was in prayer and it simply says this;
2020 is now over and the new year has finally come,
So, get ready for more and more rejoicing in 2021.
The things that I have planned will surely bring you great joy,
Blessing after blessing after blessing, that’s what I will deploy.
Never have you witnessed such goodness, that you shall soon see.
I’m pouring it out in abundance so that you will have greater victories.
Things you’ve stood in faith for, that seemed would never come,
They’ll manifest shortly and every battle will be won.
Keep your eyes on Me and your trust in My Word,
Regardless of what others say, you’ll not be disturbed.
A year of great favour, that’s what you’ll testify to,
For abundant overflow is surely coming to you!
Praise God! I want you to do the same thing. Lift both hands and say, “Lord, I receive that,” and then let’s all praise God for it. Father, we thank You for this Prophetic Word and we believe, in Jesus name, that it will surely come to pass because Your promises are sure. We’re praising You in advance for it and we will continue to praise You for it and we will testify that our God is a good God and God has done great things on our behalf. In Jesus mighty name, amen and amen. Praise God.
Now, notice in that Word, He kept saying, stay in faith, keep your eyes on Me. Don’t be moved by what you see and don’t be moved by what you hear. So, what I want to talk to you today about is staying in faith during troubled times. And you know, there are a lot of things going on around us right now, not only here in America, but there in South Africa and throughout the world.
In 2020, my last meeting was right at the end of March. I was in Denver, Colorado for the weekend. I preached Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday morning, Sunday night, and then I got in my aeroplane and flew home. When we arrived home the next morning is when this all broke loose, the coronavirus, the pandemic, and all of that. I mean, everything shut down. You know what I’m talking about because it happened in your part of the world as well. We had to cancel all of our meetings here in America, we had to cancel all of our meetings that we had scheduled around the world.
In fact, we were leaving later, Joe and I were leaving very soon after I got home from that Denver meeting, our plans was to do a European tour, where we’re going to be in the UK, where we’re going to be in Ireland, where we’re going to be in Italy, several other nations. Then shortly after that, we were coming to South Africa, and then shortly after that, we were going to be in Australia, and we had to cancel everything.
In fact, I didn’t even leave Crowley, Texas, until about August of 2020, is when I got to start doing meetings again. I did some meetings with Brother Copeland, but we didn’t go out of town. We did them at Eagle Mountain Church, they were virtual meetings, and he couldn’t leave town, I couldn’t leave town. We began to get a little more freedom about August and started travelling again, and then going into 2021. I’ve travelled pretty extensively up till this point and will continue to do so, but we haven’t been able to go overseas yet. We’re believing God that’s going to change soon because I got to get back to South Africa, I miss you guys, I want to be there.
So, what I’m saying is, my point is, there’s been a lot of trouble. There’s been a lot of negative things that are taking place all over the world and many in the body of Christ have been hurting, they’ve been suffering. I know Christians that have lost their jobs. I know Christians that have had to take all of their hard-earned savings and use it just to exist. When this all hit last year, I told Pastor Justin our Senior Pastor here at Heritage Of Faith, I said, “I’m going to establish a fund for anybody in our church that is going through a hard time during this time,” and so that we can help them out so that they don’t suffer. I said, “Just let me know in advance when somebody is in need, and what they need, and you and I will determine what we can do.” So, we set money aside for that purpose. By the end of the year, now this was in March, by the end of the year, we only had just a handful of people that had to have help. You know, maybe paying a house bond or buying groceries or paying the utility bills or something.
In fact, I was really amazed that we only had to help just a handful of people, but at the same time, Justin and I said, “Well, what we’ve been preaching is working. Praise God.” Our theme for Heritage of Faith is, “Making Winners In Life.” That showed me that we are doing a good job of that, “Making Winners In Life,” because not many people needed our assistance. It’s been that way ever since that pandemic broke out, but yet, on the other hand, we’ve had a lot of other people that don’t even go to our church, and people that have been partners with our ministry over the years and churches and pastors in other cities that I’ve gone to, have needed help and so we’ve been able to sow and to be a blessing to others.
What I want to focus on today is this, Staying in Faith During Troubled Times. Now, if you have your Bibles with you, I want you to open them to first Peter chapter 1 and we’re going to read a portion of verse 6 and verse 7. I want you to notice what it says in verse six. 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (1 Peter 1:6 KJV). Now notice and highlight if you haven’t done so, up to now, highlight or underline, for a season. Notice he said, though now for a season if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Now the word temptations can also be translated, testings and trials. It says that you are in heaviness, or heaviness is another word for oppression. Many of you, he’s saying have become oppressed, you’re in heaviness, you feel very burdensome, worn out, weary, because of all these temptations, testings and trials that you’ve gone through. But here is the key that I want to emphasize to you.
Notice he says, for a season. In other words, these trials, these tests, all this trouble, that the body of Christ has been going through, what you’ve been going through, it is seasonal. It’s not permanent. Even though the devil would like to make you think that it’s going to last forever. It’s not going to last forever. You ought to say, “Thank God for that.” Amen. It’s not going to last forever. What you’re going through is seasonal. It’s not permanent. It’s not going to last forever. Thank God, God knows what you’re going through. God is working behind the scenes, and He is the God that nothing is impossible to. I believe He’s working on something on your behalf right now. And He is going to change that. God is still the God of the turnaround. Can you say amen to that?
Now, I want to read to you from the Amplified, 6 … though now for a little while, …. you may be distressed by trials and suffered temptations (1Peter 1:6 AMP). Notice the term, little while. What does that mean? Little while. Now I understand that sometimes little whiles, for the Christian, it may be a day, it may be two days, it may be a week, it may be a month. Some of my little whiles have lasted for years. The point I want to make is, God was saying that it’s not going to last forever. There are some things I’ve gone through over the years that I mean, it looked tough in the moment and it looked like it was going to be here forever, but I stayed in faith, I wouldn’t let it steal my joy. I just continued to believe God. Some of those things, they were over with by dark, some of those things were over with by the end of the week, some of those things, they were over with by the end of the month, then some things, it lasted for years. Even at that, it didn’t last forever, and that’s what I want you to understand, whatever you are going through right now is not permanent; it’s not going to last forever.
This Coronavirus thing, it’s not going to last forever. Us not being able to travel overseas anymore is not going to last forever. You say, “Well, how do you know that?” Well, I know it because of the Word of God, because I just read it to you. It’s for a season, not only that but let me give you this testimony.
Some of you have already heard about, and some of you have heard me talk about it in the past… I have been believing God for over twenty years for an international airplane. The one I have now, it will take me anywhere in America. I can fly nonstop from Fort Worth, coast to coast, I can fly anywhere in Canada, I can fly to Mexico, but it won’t take me overseas, and obviously I travel overseas. I have been travelling overseas since 1978, and I’m not done yet. I still have plans to travel all over the world because that’s my assignment, and I plan to be back in South Africa.
Now, I have been believing God, for this international aircraft. John knows about it; many of you know about it… I have been believing God; I have been sowing seed for it. I have sowed so much seed over the last twenty some odd years. Every time I hear a close minister friend of mine is believing God for an airplane and particularly an international airplane, I sow seed in it. I sowed seed, tremendous seed into Kenneth Copeland’s international airplane. I sowed seed, tremendous seed, into Brother Jesse’s international airplane. I sowed seed, tremendous seed, into Keith Moore’s international airplane. I’ve sown seed and believed God for that seed to produce my own international airplane. I stood in faith for over twenty years. Well, praise God, wouldn’t you know it… Isn’t this just like God; during a pandemic, during a time when most of the world is screaming, “Worst of times,” what happened? My international airplane manifested. Amen. It manifested, Praise God, during the month of November 2020. Hallelujah. It’s being upgraded right now so that I can fly it anywhere in the world.
I know that this Corona Virus thing is seasonal; it’s not permanent; it’s subject to change. Why? Because God wouldn’t give me an international jet to just sit in a hanger, He wouldn’t give me an international jet to just, you know, say I’ve got one. It’s a tool; God intends for me to use it. Praise God, we are getting it ready, we are it prepared, and the next time I come to South Africa, I’ll be flying it over there. Praise God. I don’t know about you, but I can’t just hold back; I want to give the Lord a shout, hallelujah, because He is faithful.
God doesn’t just do things like that for me; He is no respecter of persons. Whatever you have been believing for, no matter how long it’s been, no matter how impossible it may seem, don’t ever give up because it’s seasonal; it’s going to manifest in a little while because that’s what the Bible says. You ought to be praising God everyday and thanking God that it’s going to take place and it’s going to happen, and you are daring to stay in joy and stay in faith. Just say, “God, I believe You, I trust You, and I know it’s so, and I believe, and I am preparing for it to manifest in Jesus’ name. Amen.” Praise God. I hope you’re shouting right now.
I want you to look with me in second Corinthians chapter four. Second Corinthians chapter four. We are talking about staying in faith in troubled times. Now, you know, I am a faith preacher and every time I preach, I preach the message of faith; I don’t ever change my message. I don’t intend to change it just because we are going through troubled times. If there is any time you need faith, it’s during troubled times. Don’t let go of your faith, don’t cast away your faith, the Bible says.
Now, Second Corinthians chapter four, look at verse sixteen; 16For which cause we faint not, but though out outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, underline that phrase. But for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 KJV). Notice what it says, “Our light affliction, is but for a moment”. Now this is the Apostle Paul writing; it amazes me what he calls light affliction. If you will read the list, partial list, of what he went through for the Gospels sake, and you think that’s light affliction.
He went through shipwrecks; he went through stonings. He went through angry mobs; he went through serpents coming on him. I mean, everything you can imagine, this man went through it for the preaching of the Gospel, and yet he has the audacity to refer to it as light affliction. Most people give up on a headache. Most people give up on the flu. Most people give up because it didn’t happen; you know, the manifestation didn’t happen before dark. This man stood the test of time. This man, made this statement, “None of these things move me.” That’s one of my favourite statements from the writings of the Apostle Paul, Acts chapter 20 verse 24, 24But none of these things move me, …. (Acts 20:24 KJV). Here he has the audacity to call all of these major situations— light afflictions, and he says they are for a moment.
I’m telling you, what a man of faith! Satan is hearing all of that and thinking, “You know, he’s calling everything I put him through a light affliction. Well, I’ll just put him through more.” No matter what the devil put on him, Paul would not allow it to steal his joy. He would not allow it to move him. He would not allow it to make him turn from God. He would not allow it to cause him to castaway his faith. He just made up his mind, this thing is subject to change. It’s temporal. It’s momentary, it’s not going to last forever, and I’m going to outlast the devil. That’s what perseverance is, just outlasting the devil.
Now go ahead and read the next verse, verse 18. 18While we look not at the things which are seen, …. because the things which are seen are temporal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV) Temporal, temporary. The Lord said to me years ago, Brother Copeland and I were preaching in Birmingham, Alabama, it was about 1974, a Full Gospel businessmen’s convention, and they had Brother Copeland preaching that night, and me preaching that afternoon. Brother Copeland and I went to the afternoon service. He’s sitting in the service while I’m preaching, and I’m preaching from second Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 18. The Lord had just given me a revelation on that verse that morning. I had never seen it before. I’d never preached it before, and I’m going to preach it that morning.
Brother Copeland sitting there on the front row, and I read this verse, Things which are seen are temporal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV). I made the statement, “Temporal means temporary,” and then I said, here’s what the Lord said to me this morning, as I was meditating on this verse, He said, “Temporal means subject to change, subject to change.” When I’ve said that, I said, “Folks if you can see it, it’s subject to change. If you can feel it, it’s subject to change. If you can perceive it through the five physical senses, then it is subject to change.”
Brother Copeland jumped up and said, “Boy, why didn’t you tell me that a long time ago?” I responded to him, just like it was just me and him in the meeting like nobody else was there. I said, “Brother Copeland, I didn’t know it until this morning.” He said, “That’s going to cause me to win a lot more victories.” It’s caused me to win a lot more victories too. Every time I come upon a situation that looks impossible, one of the things I say out of my mouth is, “This is subject to change. It’s not permanent. It’s not going to last forever. It’s not moving me. It’s not going to steal my joy. I am not going to cast away my faith. I’m going to stay in faith because I know that I know that I know it is just a matter of time and God is going to turn it all around.”
Somebody give the Lord a shout if you believe it. Amen. I don’t care what you might be going through right now, it is subject to change. Don’t ever forget that. Amen. It’s subject to change.
Now, in James chapter 1, let’s go there. Are you still with me? James chapter 1, and look at this. It says in verse 2, 2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; and that’s also translated testings and trials. Let’s just stop right there for a moment. Notice he’s saying, if you’re going through a trial, don’t let it steal your joy. If you’re going through a test, don’t let it steal your joy. Now, you know, that’s just the opposite of what happens to most Christians, when they are going through a test and they go through a trial, they don’t have any joy whatsoever.
In fact, you can hear it in them, you can see it on them, you know, they’ll come across your path, and they’ll go to talk about it, “Boy, I’ll tell you, the devil visited my house this week, and our family has been through it, I’m telling you, we’ve never been through more tests and more trials.” And then they’ll say, “I hadn’t got any joy, the devil has stolen my joy. I don’t know what we’re going to do.” That’s just the opposite of what James said we ought to do. He said, “We should not allow any test of any trial, to rob us of our joy.” 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (James 1:2-3 KJV).
Notice something happens when you’re going through a trial, and you will not let it rob you of your joy, then it says the trying of your faith is going to work patience. In other words, I like to say it this way, it’s going to cause patients to join together with your faith. It’s going to release patience and patience doesn’t mean just putting up with it. Patience means; never changing, regardless of the circumstances, it’s a powerful spiritual force. In fact, I like to say, “Faith, coupled together with patience, or patience coupled together with faith is an unbeatable combination.” When you have faith, and you have patience, in other words, endurance, never changing regardless of the circumstances, then you cannot be defeated. Satan has no way of defending that. And so, he says, 3knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4 KJV).
What does that mean? If you don’t want anything, then that means whatever you were believing God for, came to pass, and it came to pass in the midst of a test and or trial. Now, let me read this day from the Amplified. It says the 3…proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience (James 1:3 AMPC). The proving of your faith brings out endurance. Now, what is endurance? The Lord gave me a definition four years ago, outlasting the devil. That’s what endurance is, just being able to outlast the devil. Now, I love what the Message Translation says here for James, chapter one. It says 2-4…You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours…. (James 1:2-4 MSG).
You know, anybody can talk faith when everything’s going well. Anybody can talk faith when their body is healed. Anybody can talk faith when all their family are serving God. Anybody can talk faith when they have plenty of money in the bank. But what are you talking when the bottom falls out? What are you talking, when your faith is under pressure? What are you talking, when you’re going through a test and a trial? What are you talking when, it seems like nothing’s working? It says, 2-4…You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. (James 1:2-4 MSG).
I like to say it this way. This is where we’re going to find out if you really believe this. Yet, or a lot of people say, “I believe God’s going to do this. Now, I believe God’s going to do that.” But when it looks like it’s not happening. Then they start talking something else. That’s what James goes on to refer to as a double-minded man. He said, “A double-minded man is like a wave on the sea, tossed to and fro.” A double-minded man says, “My God is going to see me through.” Then while under pressure he says, “I’m going under. I don’t know what we’re going to do. This is not working. I guess God didn’t hear my prayer.”
See, that’s double-mindedness. No, you need to stay single-minded, you need to stay in faith. You need to make up your mind, “I refuse to give up. I don’t care how long it takes.” Brother HagIn used to be famous for saying, “If you are determined to stand forever, then it won’t take very long,” but most Christians are not determined to stand forever. Most Christians are determined to stand for an hour or for a day, but they’re not willing to stand forever. But if you’re willing to stand forever, then it’s not going to take very long. You say, “Well, how can I be willing to stand forever?” Knowing this; knowing this; that what you’re going through is seasonal. Knowing this; that what you’re going through is for a little while. Knowing this; that what you’re going through is subject to change. That’s how you can stand forever.
If you know that, it has to be a revelation to you. Now, don’t just take my word for it, take the Bible’s Word for it. And if you get to the place where you are totally convinced that the Bible is true, no matter what’s going on around you, then praise God, you’re going to be able to stand and having done all the stand, you’re going to stand. If you’re willing to spend forever, as Brother Hagin used to say, then it won’t last very long. Amen.
So, I want to encourage you today, whatever you might be going through, whatever this Coronavirus has created in your life, if it’s losing a job, or it is losing finances, no matter what you’re going through as a result of this crisis that the world is experiencing right now, don’t ever let it cause you to let go of your faith. The Word of Faith is still the message of the hour, the Word of Faith still works. In fact, you know, now folks I’ve been… This is my fifty-second year in the ministry, and this is all I’ve ever preached. It’s all I’ve ever known. I’m not looking for some other message. Why? Because this one still works.
Now. I’ve heard time and time again. And I’ve heard from some well-known preachers, spirit preachers that, have big audiences, preachers that are on television. I’ve heard many of them say, “That faith movement is over. You need to move on to something else now.” Well, I beg to differ, because number one; faith has never been a movement to start with. I don’t like to refer to it as a movement. It’s not a movement. It’s a lifestyle. The Bible says, The just shall live by faith. It’s not really an option. It is a command that The just shall live by faith. You’ll find that recorded three different times in the Bible. Now I’m not going to tell you where they are. You go look them up yourself, but you will find three different times in the Bible, The just shall live by faith.
So, that means this is the way God has ordained for you and I, to live by faith. Amen. So, it’s not a movement. If it was a movement, God would say somewhere in the Bible, now this is the way the just will end, but it doesn’t say that—The just shall live by faith.
Secondly, the Bible says it’s impossible to please God without faith. Now, if faith is a movement, and the movement is over, then that says to me, there is no way that I could ever please God again. That’s foolish because it’s impossible to please God without faith, but if you are still operating in faith, and you’re still living by faith, then you have the capacity and the ability to keep pleasing God for the rest of your life. Amen.
Once again, don’t accept these foolish lies, and this religious tradition. Just stay in faith, make up your mind that I am never going to get off the Word of Faith. Folks, I know a lot of people who started out in faith, and they’ve given up, they’ve turned back, and most of them are just like Paul wrote to Timothy and said, they end up being shipwrecked. I don’t want you being shipwrecked. I’m not going to allow myself to become shipwrecked. I’m just going to stay in faith, no matter what comes my way. I’m going to stay in faith. Finally, the Bible says in first John chapter 5, 4 …. and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4 KJV).
Now if faith is a moment and it’s over, then you know what that says to me, that I’ve had the last victory I’ll ever have, that there is no way that I could ever have another victory. Why? Because this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, it takes faith to experience victory. Once again, that’s just lies of the devil. It’s foolishness, it’s religious tradition, and don’t go for it. Just stay in faith.
Now, let’s go to Hebrews chapter 38. I’m sorry, Hebrews. last chapter of Hebrews and verse 38. Okay, are you with me yet? It says, where is it? Well, I’m reading the wrong verse. Forgive me. I’m so excited here I got all kinds of verses on my mind.
Hebrews 10 verse 38, that’s what I’m looking for. If you’d been in the spirit, you would have known that. All right, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 38. It says, 38Now the just shall live by faith: Well, I gave you one of the references, 38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them that draw back under perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:38-39 KJV).
Now notice here, the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, draw back from what? Living by faith, then this is inspired by God, then God has no pleasure in it. I don’t want my life to bring no pleasure to God. It says, if any man draw back, then God has no pleasure in that and it says, but we are not of them who draw back. The writer of the book of Hebrews makes it very clear, and I believe it was the Apostle Paul, he makes it very clear that I am not of them who draw back.
I’ve said many times, and you’ve probably heard me say it before in a message. I remember years ago, I was out in Southern California preaching all over that region. My wife and my daughters were with me, they were very young. In fact, we were all very young then. I had preached all the way up to Friday night, I have Saturday off then I’ve started again on Sunday morning. My wife and my daughters wanted to go to one of our favourite malls out there in Southern California. Well, I was kind of just wanting to stay in the room and just relax because I’ve been preaching every night. They said, “No, go with us, and we’ll get something for lunch.” I said, “Well, I’ll tell you what, I’ll take you to the mall. You girls just go and shop and do whatever you want to do and I’ll meet you at this particular restaurant at noon.” They said, “Okay.” I just walked around. I’m not going in any of the shops. I’m just walking around, kind of window shopping. I was right down the middle of this mall and I heard somebody way back at the other end of the mall shout these words. “Hey, stupid.”
Well, I didn’t turn around, because I don’t consider myself stupid. I was surprised at the number of people that turned around that were in front of me and they turned around to see who said, “Hey, stupid.” Well, I don’t consider myself stupid. I didn’t even bother turning around. “Well, Brother Jerry, did you want to see who said it?” No, I’m not interested in who said it. They’re not talking to me. So why bother turning around? Now that’s the way I feel about this. It says we are not of them. Who turned back. If somebody shouts, “Hey, quitter.” I’m not turning around. They’re not talking to me. I’m not one who quits. I’m one who stays in faith. I’m one who will not cast away my faith. I’m one who will not give up. Praise God. So if you say, “Hey, quitter!” I’m not listening to you, and I’m not paying any attention to you. But if you say: “Hey, winner!” You got my attention. I’m gonna turn around and see what you have to say, praise God.
Get to the place where you make the quality decision. What do I mean by that? I learned that of Kenneth Copeland fifty-two years ago. I asked him one time back there in those early days because I kept hearing him say it. “What do you mean Brother Copeland, by a quality decision?” He simply said this, “A quality decision is one that you would stake your life on and not turn back”. Well, that’s what I’m saying. Make a quality decision, that from this day forward, you will not cast away your faith. You will not turn back. You will not give up. You’re just going to stay in faith. No matter how bad the trouble might get. No matter how widespread the Coronavirus might get. You’re going to stay in faith. You’re going to stay in the Word. You’re going to stay close to God, and you’re going to keep on winning, praise God. Can you say amen to that? Hallelujah.
All right, let me wrap it up. The Bible says in Psalm 37 verse 3 from The Passion Translation, 3Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in His eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure. I am going to read that again. 3Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in His eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God, … and you will be secure (Psalm 37:3 TPT). Hallelujah.
Now, Genesis chapter 50 and verse 20, this is what you’re going to be able to say, if you’ll just stay in faith, you’re going to be able to say this to the devil, just like Joseph said to his own brothers. He said to them, 20… You thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good (Genesis 50:20 KJV). The Message translation says, 20You planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good (Genesis 50:20 MSG). You’re going to be able to tell the devil, what you meant for bad, God has turned it into good, amen. I’m telling you, God is a good God, and God has some good plans for you. This is going to be a good year. Remember that Prophetic Word I gave you at the very beginning. Amen.
The Bible says in Lamentations, chapter 3 and verse 23, 23Great is God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23 KJV). Don’t ever let go of that. Don’t ever forget that. The God that you and I serve, great is His faithfulness. Then finally, Deuteronomy chapter 7 and verse 9, 9Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant …. to thousand generations …. (Deuteronomy 7:9 KJV). Our God is the faithful God, the Covenant Keeping God. I like to refer to Him as the original Promise Keeper. He is the faithful God. He is faithful in the good times, He is faithful in the bad times, He is faithful. Amen.
So, if you’re going through trouble right now, just know this, that it’s not permanent, it’s seasonal. It only lasts for a little while. It’s subject to change, hallelujah. It’s temporal, and that God is the God of the turnaround. God is the faithful God. God is the good God. And whatever satan meant for bad, God is going to turn it into something good. Praise God, soon, and very soon, you’re going to have another testimony of victory in Christ Jesus, Amen. Praise God.
Father, I pray over all of the wonderful people at Heritage of Faith, South Africa. I pray in Jesus’ name, that they will remain strong in faith, that they will not cast away their faith, that they’re not going to let anything that they are going through right now, steal their joy from them. And that they are going to experience some of the greatest victories they’ve ever experienced, in the days ahead. And they’re going to give God praise right now for it, in advance. They’re going to praise Him when it happens, and they’re going to continue to praise God because our God is the faithful God. Amen. Praise God.
Won’t you lift your hands right now, and just begin to praise God, as Pastor John comes and takes the service in whatever direction the Spirit of God is leading him to. Once again, please know we love you, we’re praying for you, and we are looking forward to being with you very, very soon. Amen. I love you. I look forward to seeing you just as soon as we possibly can. Amen and amen. Bye-bye.
Pastor John: Hallelujah. It’s good to hear from our Pastor, right? Glory to God. That was 45 minutes. It felt like he could preach, double that time, right? Praise the Lord. I want to just remind you of the scripture that he was reading just a few scriptures before, and it’s Psalm 37. I’m reading it out of the Amplified Bible, and it says, 3Trust (lean on, rely on and be confident) in the Lord and do good: so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on his faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed (Psalm 37:3 AMPC).
So, you know, the scripture is saying, feed surely on His faithfulness. Feed surely on His faithfulness. That means you can live and stake your life on His faithfulness, as sure as you need to eat. You can stake your life on His faithfulness. That’s a good thing. As much as you’re gonna go home and have lunch and eat something cause your body likes it and needs it. You can stake your life on it that He’s faithful. You can feed on that.
⁴Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. ⁵Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:4-5 AMPC).
I felt really encouraged when I first listened to Brother Jerry’s message and I’ve listened to it subsequently, a few times already, which is why I was in the spirit when he said Hebrews 10 verse 38. I was greatly encouraged by his message for us because I know Brother Jerry and he doesn’t bring a message unless he’s been in the presence of the Lord and that this message is for us for right now, which I’m glad to say is gonna happen again in two weeks time. Aren’t you glad about that? Hallelujah.
I really felt led of the Lord, which is what I was referring to in the beginning of the service. If there is something that has, that you can write down, where you need victory in your life, where you need to have a victory in your life. That you can say, this victory I need it to change because it’s this temporary thing, this temporary issue that I’m dealing with.
It might be that somebody lost a job or reduced income. Or it might be that somebody has a deep sense of grief because you’ve lost a loved one over this time. It might be that because of stressful circumstances of the pandemic or whatever the reason. Maybe your relationships, some of your relationships have not stood up to what you thought they would be. Be it a marriage relationship, be it any kind of friendship or familial relationships. This is a time that you need to say, “I’m not gonna quit until I have victory.”
I want you to write down today, I want you to make note of it on your phone or on your pad or on your… What is it that you want to be changed, that you need to have victory in? What is it that you want to have changed that you want to have victory in? If you can say it is subject to change, then you must know that it’s going to change now, and if you will begin to put the Word of God in your heart and find scriptures that will support what it is that you need to change and you need to have changed, then it will come out, that it will change.
It is just so that sometimes the change has to happen in you first because sometimes it’s the God inside of you that needs to be stronger than your thought life. Amen. If you’ve been following us on Digital School and on how we’ve been preaching on faith, then you will know that thought words are the things that really can create and take your whole life in a different direction or they can undermine your faith and you can find yourself in a place where you don’t know what to do next.
I really felt of the Lord, that if you will write down something you want changed, that you need victory over, that you need to have an ongoing continuous victory in your life, you need to write it down now and we’re gonna pray together. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
Well, I know that there are some people that are in the service today and there are some people that are watching via the digital platform, that need healing and restoration in their bodies. Pastor Sharon and I, we have been very strong about this, in recent times that the enemy of God that has come against people’s physical bodies, their well being, their health and their ability to stay the distance with their family, with God and the assignment that they’ve got in life.
We’re believing God and we are actively pursuing God to bring that healing miracle to you and release that healing power to you. Hallelujah. So, that’s one of the things that I want to see changed. I wanna see people’s lives changed that have had physical disease or sickness or any form of something that has happened to your body. Maybe it’s just because you’ve made some bad choices in eating or whatever, it doesn’t matter. You can say, I draw a line right now and I’m wanting victory in this area of my life, and then we believe God for that. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
I want you all to just take your right hand, put it over your heart. I’d like you to pray this prayer with me right now.
Say, Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart, that You are on my side, and that I am a winner in every area of my life. I command areas of my life that are out of order, that I need victory in, I speak victory into it right now. I speak overcoming power into that situation right now. And I thank you for it, Lord, and I receive it now. In Jesus name. Hallelujah.
Now from this moment onwards, you need to be speaking victory about that situation because it’s subject to change. It’s subject to change. Certainly, this message that Brother Jerry referred to, about Subject to Change, he preached that message a long, long time ago, when I first heard it. It’s a message that has stayed with me all this time. Every time Sharon and I face a situation where we feel like this is a seemingly insurmountable problem, we would actually speak these words into our lives, and into our home, it’s subject to change. It’s subject to change.
But you can’t just say it’s subject to change. You need to say what it’s changing too. If you’re in poverty, and you say, it’s subject to change, then you say, well, subject to change that all my needs are met. If it’s something relationally, it’s subject to change, so that the power of God works on me and the other person where we both need to change so that the relationship can flourish. Amen.
This is powerful, that if you will do this—and it’s like Brother Copeland said to Brother Jerry, “This will cause me to have many more victories in my life.” I can say that that message had caused us to have many victories in our lives. When you feel like you’ve just but, I can’t cope anymore, doesn’t seem like this thing is changing. It’s subject to change. Even my feelings are subject to change. The way I’m feeling right now, this is subject to change. If you’re feeling down and depressed and oppressed, and you feel like nothing’s happening for you, it’s subject to change. I do not accept that this must remain the same, it’s subject to change. Hallelujah.
Like Brother Jerry said, we are not quitters. None of us are quitters. We don’t quit. We stay faithful. We stay steady and we stay strong in the Word of God. Amen. Praise the Lord. Glory to Jesus. Glory to God. I need the music group up here. Please.
Praise Jesus. In two weeks time, I want to invite you to be back here for the Saturday afternoon and for the Sunday night and the Sunday morning because Brother Jerry is going to be ministering to us live. You could see how personally he takes this that he wanted to minister to us. He’s making more time to minister to us personally, from Fort Worth. He’s got a lot of things that he needs to do, and there’s a lot of people that he can minister to, but he is making his time available to minister to us. So even though you might find it a little bit difficult, in terms of arrangements and planning and this is out of the norm and this is unusual and it might require you to travel, and it might require you to travel quite a bit on that weekend. I want to encourage you to make every effort for you to be here.
Because this will be made available through the website and on YouTube and you’re welcome to watch the service again and again. I encourage you to do it. Let the message, just let it saturate you. Let that faith come into your heart. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Won’t you stand, please?
Praise Jesus. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Come on, just raise your hands and just begin to praise Him now before the music comes. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You, Jesus. Praise You, Lord. Praise Your name, Jesus.
We will not let our joy go. We will stay strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Hallelujah. Praise the name of Jesus. Praise the name of Jesus. We praise you Jesus, we praise You Jesus. We thank You that You are a faithful God and we can feed on Your faithfulness. Your faithfulness nourishes us, Your faithfulness keeps us strong. Your faithfulness gives us direction and keeps our momentum for good things in life going and going and going and we receive your faithfulness. And we receive victories that we need right now Lord, in Jesus name. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Praise Jesus.
Singing: Everything about You
Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. It has been in my sense for some time, and in recent weeks, I have begun to speak Prophetic Words about this church and about this ministry. If you’ve been around me a long time, you know that I don’t just speak for the sake of speaking. If I speak and I say, the Lord is saying something then it’s because the Lord is saying something. It is not just because I’m trying to look for something to say.
This has been coming up in my heart and God is wanting me to share this as a prophetic release over what’s happening. That, what the enemy has meant to do to isolate and separate the Church of the Lord Jesus—God is going to begin to take the praying Church, the faithful Church, the steadfast Church, the Church that is ready to obey Him and He’s going to make us shine. Like the Morning Star, He is going to make us shine so that people are going to be attracted to the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m speaking over our Heritage of Faith Ministries, that watch what God’s going to do in your life and in our collective greatness over the weeks and months ahead. God is about to release His Ecclesia on the earth. He’s about to release His Governing Church on the earth. He’s about to release His Authority Church, into every sphere, and area of life through you, and through our collectiveness. Don’t be surprised when the Holy Spirit begins to show up and do extraordinary things in your life and in these services, and in Church.
God is about to do extraordinary things. He’s already started doing them. Hallelujah. In people’s hearts, people are turning back to the things that they know that God is wanting them to do. They’re leaving old ways behind that they needed to have left behind a long time ago, there is a new momentum, there’s a new shift of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah.
I’m glad to say we are right there on the front of it and we are going with it and we are going to go with the Holy Spirit everywhere, every place, every time, no matter what we are going to flow with God. Hallelujah.
I pray that this message today will find a root in your heart. I pray that you will go out with peace and you will return with joy. I pray in the name of Jesus that no weapon formed against you will prosper, not against your body, not against your business, not against your relationships. There is no part of your life that the enemy can get entry to because the Word and the Blood of Jesus surrounds you. He gives His angels charge over you to protect you and you will not even cause your foot to stumble because of a hidden trap or get knocked against the stone. You will have smooth paths and straight paths ahead of you and the light of His Word will shine upon your path and He will bring you light as you walk in life, in Jesus Name. Glory to God. May your work, your week, be filled with his presence, and may your mouth be filled with his faithfulness and you feed on His faithfulness and feed on the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you. Thank you for coming to the service today. Amen.
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