Shining Brightly: Embracing Connection and Spiritual Growth

### Summary

Today's message emphasizes the importance of human connection and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We live in a time where many people feel isolated and under pressure, and it's crucial to reach out and let others know they are seen and loved. The sermon encourages us to come out of hiding and let our lights shine brightly for God. Drawing from Zechariah 4, the vision of the lampstand and the olive trees symbolizes the continuous provision of God's Spirit, enabling us to fulfill our purpose. The message also highlights the need for spiritual and practical trimming in our lives, akin to trimming a candle wick, to ensure our light shines brightly and effectively.

The sermon underscores the importance of authenticity and transparency in our walk with God. It challenges us to examine areas in our lives that need trimming, not just the obvious spiritual sins but also practical aspects like punctuality and cleanliness, which can impact our witness to others. The Holy Spirit is our guide in this process, helping us to identify and work on these areas. The message also stresses the importance of being a witness in our own households before extending our influence to the broader community.

Furthermore, the sermon encourages us to be persistent and precise in our prayers, to seek God with all our hearts, and to be fully connected to Him and His people. Using the analogy of a cell phone, it illustrates the difference between being partially connected (airplane mode) and fully connected to God, which allows us to function at our full potential. The message concludes with a call to action to get fully connected to God and to let our lights shine brightly, bringing glory to Him and drawing others to His love.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Importance of Human Connection**: In a world where many feel isolated, human touch and connection are vital. Reaching out to others, even with a simple touch or word of encouragement, can make a significant difference. This act of connection reflects God's love and helps people feel seen and valued. [43:47]

2. **Spiritual and Practical Trimming**: Just as a candle's wick needs trimming to burn brightly, we need to trim areas in our lives that hinder our light. This includes not only spiritual sins but also practical aspects like punctuality and cleanliness. The Holy Spirit guides us in this process, helping us to bring glory to God through our actions. [57:48]

3. **Authenticity in Our Walk with God**: Being authentic and transparent in our relationship with God and others is crucial. This involves acknowledging our weaknesses and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. Authenticity helps us grow spiritually and strengthens our witness to others. [01:00:36]

4. **The Power of Persistent Prayer**: Persistence in prayer is essential. Like the blind beggar who shouted for Jesus' attention, we must be tenacious in seeking God's help. Our faith grows through this persistent interaction with God, and it opens the door for His miraculous intervention in our lives. [01:22:48]

5. **Full Connection to God and His People**: Being fully connected to God is like having a cell phone fully connected to the internet, allowing us to function at our full potential. Partial connection (airplane mode) limits our effectiveness. We need to be fully connected to God and open to His people to experience the fullness of His blessings and to be effective witnesses. [01:28:29]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[43:47] - The Importance of Human Touch
[44:46] - Mature Believers and Bearing Weaknesses
[45:39] - No Room for Judgment
[46:25] - Declaring You Will Be Okay
[47:28] - Seeing and Being Seen
[48:28] - Walking in the Light
[49:16] - Surrendering to God
[50:15] - Living in the Last Days
[52:03] - Coming Out of Hiding
[52:48] - Are You Lit?
[53:40] - Zechariah's Vision Explained
[55:34] - The Role of the High Priest
[57:48] - Trimming the Wick of Your Life
[01:00:36] - Allowing God to Trim Your Life
[01:02:42] - Bringing God Glory Through Your Lifestyle
[01:09:24] - Being a Witness in Your Household
[01:22:48] - The Power of Persistent Prayer
[01:28:29] - Full Connection to God and His People

### Bible Reading

1. **Zechariah 4:1-6 (NIV)**
> Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also, there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

2. **Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)**
> “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

3. **Ephesians 1:17-18 (NIV)**
> I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.

### Observation Questions

1. What does the vision of the lampstand and the olive trees in Zechariah 4 symbolize? ([53:40])
2. According to Matthew 5:14-16, what is the purpose of letting our light shine before others?
3. In Ephesians 1:17-18, what does Paul pray for the believers to receive from God?

### Interpretation Questions

1. How does the continuous provision of oil from the olive trees in Zechariah 4 relate to the Holy Spirit's role in our lives? ([54:34])
2. What practical steps can we take to ensure our light shines brightly as described in Matthew 5:14-16? ([52:03])
3. How can the Spirit of wisdom and revelation mentioned in Ephesians 1:17-18 help us in our daily walk with God? ([01:19:39])

### Application Questions

1. Reflect on a time when you felt isolated. How did human connection or a word of encouragement make a difference for you? How can you be that connection for someone else this week? ([43:47])
2. Identify one area in your life that needs "trimming" to shine more brightly for God. What practical steps will you take to address this area? ([57:48])
3. How can you be more authentic and transparent in your relationship with God and others? What are some specific ways you can practice this in your daily interactions? ([01:00:36])
4. Think of a persistent prayer you have been praying. How has this persistence impacted your faith? What can you learn from the blind beggar's tenacity in seeking Jesus' help? ([01:22:48])
5. Are you fully connected to God, or are there areas where you are in "airplane mode"? What steps can you take to ensure you are fully connected and functioning at your full potential? ([01:28:29])
6. How can you be a better witness in your household? Identify one specific action you can take this week to reflect God's love to your family members. ([01:09:24])
7. What is one way you can seek God with all your heart this week? How will you make time for this in your daily routine? ([01:26:54])

Day 1: The Power of Human Connection
In a world where many feel isolated and under pressure, human connection is vital. Reaching out to others, even with a simple touch or word of encouragement, can make a significant difference. This act of connection reflects God's love and helps people feel seen and valued. When we take the time to connect with others, we are embodying the love of Christ and showing that they are not alone. This is especially important in our current times, where many are struggling with feelings of loneliness and disconnection. [43:47]

Romans 12:10-13 (ESV): "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who may be feeling isolated or lonely. How can you reach out to them today to show them they are seen and loved?


Day 2: Spiritual and Practical Trimming
Just as a candle's wick needs trimming to burn brightly, we need to trim areas in our lives that hinder our light. This includes not only spiritual sins but also practical aspects like punctuality and cleanliness. The Holy Spirit guides us in this process, helping us to bring glory to God through our actions. By addressing these areas, we can ensure that our light shines brightly and effectively, reflecting God's love and grace to those around us. [57:48]

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Reflection: Identify one practical area in your life that needs trimming (e.g., punctuality, cleanliness). What steps can you take today to address this area and allow your light to shine more brightly?


Day 3: Authenticity in Our Walk with God
Being authentic and transparent in our relationship with God and others is crucial. This involves acknowledging our weaknesses and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. Authenticity helps us grow spiritually and strengthens our witness to others. When we are honest about our struggles and allow God to work in us, we become more effective in our witness and can better reflect His love and grace to those around us. [01:00:36]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of weakness in your life. How can you be more authentic and transparent about this weakness with God and others, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you?


Day 4: The Power of Persistent Prayer
Persistence in prayer is essential. Like the blind beggar who shouted for Jesus' attention, we must be tenacious in seeking God's help. Our faith grows through this persistent interaction with God, and it opens the door for His miraculous intervention in our lives. Persistent prayer demonstrates our trust in God and our reliance on His power and grace. [01:22:48]

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV): "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, 'In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Give me justice against my adversary." For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming."'"

Reflection: Think of a specific situation in your life where you need God's intervention. How can you be more persistent in your prayers about this situation, trusting in God's timing and power?


Day 5: Full Connection to God and His People
Being fully connected to God is like having a cell phone fully connected to the internet, allowing us to function at our full potential. Partial connection (airplane mode) limits our effectiveness. We need to be fully connected to God and open to His people to experience the fullness of His blessings and to be effective witnesses. When we are fully connected to God, we can better discern His will and receive His guidance and strength. [01:28:29]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: Reflect on your current connection with God. Are there areas where you are only partially connected? What steps can you take today to ensure you are fully connected to God and open to His people?

Come on, come on. Come on, let's give it up for Jesus this morning. Come on, stand on your feet. Come on, give it up for Jesus. Come on. He is so good. He is so good.

Because we're living in a day that requires a lot from our humanity, I want you to touch your neighbor, just if they want to be touched, you know, everybody. Some people got boundaries, and you have to respect that, even in church. Everybody is not wired the same way. You just have to respect where they are.

But reach across the aisle, if you can, or to your neighbor. Just give them a human touch. Just touch them. Let them know. You're going to be all right. You're going to be all right. Human touch is so important, I'm realizing, in the day that we live in.

Because so many people would isolate themselves because sometimes in isolation, you can kind of be who you really are and have that meltdown that you really want to have or have that frustration you really want to have. And everybody sometimes can't handle your humanity when it is under pressure.

And so you might be bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, and you don't feel like church people can handle that. You know, if that's where you are, you might still be, you know, using that kind of language, and you don't feel like people can handle that because you go to church, right? And then they're going to look at you sideways like, "I thought you were saved," and you say, "I am saved, but my humanity. My humanity is under pressure, and because I'm not fully what God wants me to be, this is just me expressing where I am."

And if God can handle it, I'm sorry you can't handle it, but this is, you know, that's why I rock with God. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a difference between the mature and the unmature believer. It really is. It really is. A mature believer can handle the weakness, and we're called to bear up.

Let the strong bear. Let the strong bear the infirmities of the weak so that we all may grow together. That's why you have strong believers in this house like Mr. Ruff and his wife and my dad there. This is, I call him dad, and dad is here, and Jacob and his wife are here, and you got Janine over there. There are more mature saints, and there are some others out here. Don't get offended if I didn't call you. They're just in my eyesight, and I can see them.

But you have mature believers that are in this house. Now, you're going to have to get up under the mature believer so you may grow, and they can handle your weakness without any judgment. That is the one thing that I hear a lot of people, even in my family, say. I came to you because you don't judge.

I want to say, I can't afford to judge. If you knew what was back, if you knew what was delivered, what I got delivered from, I don't have no room to point you out and make you shame about nothing. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Tell it to you, but ask my mama. Ask my cousins. Ask my friends from college. Yeah, they say, "Girl, you was a trip." But they would tell me, "We always saw something else on you, too." My friends from college would tell me, after we came back from the nightclub, "We going to have a sermon by Tamika." Something was on me that I didn't know, but they could.

If you in the club or something else is different on you, touch that neighbor and tell them, "You're going to be okay." Let them know. Let them know you're going to be okay. I'm touching you to let you know. Tell them, "I'm putting my hands on you."

I want you to lay hands on your neighbor. Look them in the face and say, "I declare you shall be okay." No, look at the other neighbor and say, "I declare. I declare you shall be okay." Come on, pray for that neighbor this morning. You're going to be all right. You're going to be all right. Let them know.

Look at the neighbor or the person behind you and say, "You're going to be okay." Say, "I'm telling you. I'm telling you." Tell them, "You're going to be all right." That's right. Get up out your seat and find somebody new you don't know. Come on, get up, saints. Come on, move out in the aisle this morning.

Go find you somebody in this household of faith and let them know. I see you. I see you. And you're going to be okay. Let them know. Let them know. I see you. I see you. Give them a reminder that I see you. Tell them I'm being sent by God in the human flesh to let you know. I see you. El Roy, the God that sees. Say, "I see you."

Let them know. Let them know. They are seen. They are seen of God. Type in on that online community and let them know we see you. Send them an emoji or something with the little eyes. Say, "We see you." People need to know that they are seen of God.

And the only way they can know that they are seen is if God's people rise up and start walking in the light as he is in the light. Then we can have fellowship. We can have fellowship with one another. That's what 1 John told me.

Y'all must be can tell I'm ready to preach. I said, "Give me the handheld. I need to proclaim some things in here." And it didn't help that I came back from Texas last night from Woman Evolved. So there's some stuff that I'm cultivating that got on me. I needed to be poured into because I was running on empty a little.

Oh God, sitting in the nosebleed section, raising my hands, lifting my, letting God have his way, letting him have his way. You got to let God have his way. It's time to surrender. It's just time. It's time.

This morning, we're going to pick right back up on our series by my spirit. And when I was coming in, and you can have your seat. When I was coming in, I was coming in. When I was coming in on the flight last night, I didn't know if the pilot had missed our place because it was dark.

Flying in, coming in, you know, you can normally tell when you're in the area or the vicinity of Savannah because there are certain landmarks. I feel like preaching today. I sense it on me. The landmarks, the landmarks, you can tell because I can, I know when I'm passing by the ports, it's lit all up.

So they must be got generators because it was just lit. And then I was, we were coming in and normally you will see Tanger Outlet. Like you could see Tanger from the airport. You could see some of the areas and the stores and it was dark. It was dark.

So when my daughter picked me up last night, I thank God for her for being in the house. That's my best friend right there. But I told her, "Don't play with me now, friend," but y'all know what I mean by that. When you get older children, you know what I'm saying? Still a boundary there.

But as she was picking me up and we were driving home, I said, "It is dark here." She said, "Yeah, mama, all the lights." And I started saying, "Oh my God, we're living in the day, y'all. We're living in the day. We're living in the day."

You know, the days in which, um, you heard people say, "Oh, the last days." I think we're living in some of the last of the last days. So it just makes sure you're rocking with God the right way. And when I say rocking with God, make sure that you have a great relationship with him, a truthful relationship with him. Truthful. Okay. Truthful relationship with him.

And so it was just dark. And I'd start thinking, "God, you said we're supposed to be like a city set upon a hill that can't be hidden." And if I just didn't know Savannah, it was hidden last night as we were coming in because the lights were not on, they were not on.

And so as we go into this message, I want you to think about this term. I know we're talking about by my spirit, but I want to put a subtitle to it. I want you to talk about this. I want you to write this down: coming out of hiding. That's one part of the message.

And the next part is, are you lit? Now that's for the young people. Are you lit? It's time for you to come out of hiding. And then the next part is, are the lights on? For some, know the lights are not on, but are the lights on within you? Somebody say, "My lights are coming on." My lights are coming on.

You ought to say that prophetically if your lights are not on. Say that in the church. Say, "My lights are coming on." So again, our sermon series has been by my spirit, but now I'm adding a little subtopic to this fourth part of the series, coming out of hiding. Say that.

Then the next part is, are you lit? And then say this, the lights are coming on. Okay, let any of that sit with you where it should. When we were looking at by my spirit, when we were looking at that particular sermon, it came originally out of Zechariah 4.

It came from out of Zechariah 4. Thank you so much, minstrels. Thank you so much. And to all of you all who serve in this house, thank you so very much. The two olive trees that was in Zechariah 4, I went back because I remember that Pastor Corey said he was going to kind of tell us what those trees and that candlestick and all of those symbolism, symbolisms meant inside of Zechariah 4.

So I said, well, let me go in because I don't know if he's going to be able to finish the series. So I'm going to kind of tell you what those mean. So in Zechariah 4, remember he had a vision and it was a lamp stand. Then it was two olive trees and then it was a bowl on top of the lamp stand and the lamp stand was sitting between the two olive trees and he had this kind of a vision.

And what did that vision mean? So Zechariah sees a lamp stand that was continually burning. The number seven signifies completeness. So let me go back to the scripture. It says, "So I said, I'm looking and there is a lamp stand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it and on the stand, seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on his left." This is Zechariah 4:13.

This is a vision that Zechariah sees. He sleeps and he sees this vision. So Zechariah sees a lamp stand that is continually burning. The number seven signifies completeness. Therefore, the seven lamps and seven pipes are surrounded by the two olive trees that provide an unlimited reserve or reservoir of oil. They are completely provided what they need to fulfill their purpose.

In biblical times, keeping the golden lamp stands in the temple. So I want you to think about these lamp stands. Are artifacts or pieces of furniture that was supposed to be in the temple where God's people will come and serve, come in and out. And the priest, the two olive trees are the priests who are supposed to be providing the oil.

And so again, in biblical times, in biblical times, keeping the golden lamp stands in the temple filled with oil, cleaning them of soot and maintaining the wicks was a tedious and a continuous job. So there was a work of trimming and a work of cutting back so that the oil and the lamps could continually burn. And that was the job of the high priest. They were supposed to keep the oil flowing.

The vision of the two olive trees directly feeding the lamps, the pure oil needed to stay lit, signifies God's spirit doing the work and being revealed in the life. We know that Jesus is the light of the world. And remarkably, he gives Christians the declaration that they too are the light and we will be used of him to do his will.

It says this in Matthew 5:14-16: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and put it underneath a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light, let your oil that burns continually in you, let your candle symbolically trim the wick."

God, I feel Jesus on that. Trim the wick of your own life. Well, man, what? What is a wick? Because I'm a human. Trim the parts of your life that don't burn that bright for people to see. Oh, my God. That means you got to come under the auspice or the unction of the Holy Spirit so he can convict you for things that don't bring God glory, things that are in the dark.

Can I preach in here this morning? Symbolically, God uses a lot of things like lamps, trees, candles to actually demonstrate and talk to us about spiritual matters. So whenever a candle, you know how when you, who like candles? And you know how when you're, the candle don't pull off that scent like it used to or that candle is not burning as bright as it was, you notice that when you first get the candle that the wick is a lot more wick than it is candle.

Well, the wick is still long or large. Let me say it like that. And then when it starts to burn, that wick kind of goes down. Does that make sense? So it doesn't pull off as much scent like it used to. So you got to go in there. I never knew that until I got a gift from my friend Diana out from California when she sent me a whole set of candles and that little wick thing. I was like, "What is this?"

I said, "Oh, it's a candle. It's a candle." It's like the scissors to the wick that you cut with the trimmer. So you got to trim whatever is in your life that is dimming your light. I can't tell you what to trim, but if you would come up under the authority of the Holy Spirit, which when I taught you two weeks ago that he speaks and he talks and he sees, he will tell you, "Ah, we gonna work on that area."

He'll tell you, "Ah, we gonna work on your mouth." He'll tell you, "Ooh, we gonna work on that attitude." Oh, we gonna work on that mindset. It keeps trimming. Your wick needs to be trimmed in that area. He'll talk to you about things like that.

How many of you have ever been to the hairdresser and your hairdresser said, "Oh, girl, we got to cut your ends." Cause you, yeah, it's raggedy and it's splitting. Why do they, why does, and you know your hair all down here and thin out, but you like it because it's long. That used to be me. I used to tell my, "Don't cut my hair too long now."

And she would tell me, she said, "No, let's get rid of it." She said, "It looks better. It looks healthier. It looks cleaner. It looks thicker." Listen, when you allow God to come into your life and you let him have free access to whatever it is he wants to turn over, flip over, or touch, then let him touch it.

Listen, God is after your best interests. Oh, can I say that again? Somebody say in this house, "God is after my best interests." He is the father of all fathers and everything God does is good and very good. Everything, everything, everything. Do you hear me? Somebody say everything God is up to in my life is good and very good.

Even his rebuke is good for me. It's good. Say it's good. The Lord said that in his own scripture of himself. He said, "The Lord is good." Go look. You can Google it. He'll give you some scriptures.

So let the Holy Spirit come in and let him do what he wants to. And you were never alone for him to provide the fruit for that area. I hope I could say that like I really feel it. You will never be alone to produce by yourself.

How am I going to stop doing this? This area that does not bring God glory. Do you know it's the responsibility of every believer who knows the truth that you're supposed to bring God glory by your lifestyle? Your lifestyle is supposed to bring God glory.

What is glory? The area or I should say the reflection of God working in your life. When God looks back and he sees, "Hmm, he's doing exactly what I asked him to." Look at him. Yeah, yeah. That brings God glory.

Let me kind of give you an example of what glory is like. It's like when your children do well and you smile. Every time my children do well, I just, "My child, my child." But I'm saying that what God does is when he's looking and you're producing how he say produce.

When he say produce, how he say produce that thing bring God glory and then not only that guess what men, women, humanity around you they see it and they glorify God. That is powerful. Did you hear me? When you let your light shine, how do I let my light shine? Do the things that honor God the most.

Okay, stop right here practically. What does that look like? Now this area I'm working on to give God glory. I'm working on to give God glory. Get to work on time. Who in that same struggle bus there? Come on, raise your hand. We're going to work on that. We're working on that.

See, listen. I don't know. My getting to work late. How that may be ineffective for me to witness to somebody. Okay, it's a little heavy in here with that. How? What if somebody who values timeliness who is not saved yet they know I'm saved and I'm not getting to work as on time as I should that may diminish my ability to come to talk to them about Jesus.

They'd be like, "Girl, please go on. You and get to work on time." You are y'all with me? I'm talking about the practicality. Okay, what about your garage? Just hang in there with me. What if practically your neighbor who knows you were saved want to come and find out about why you are full of joy but they got something against you like your garage ain't clean.

But they value cleanliness. Are y'all with me? Is it too heavy for y'all? Okay, I'm just saying like if you were asked the Holy Spirit, Jesus, if you were asked the Holy Spirit what is it, what areas do I need to trim? Because oftentimes we think about the trimming of the wick as this, "I'm going to stop cursing. I'm going to stop this. I'm going to stop smoking. I'm going to stop. I'm going to stop whatever."

We think of it as spiritual sins. What about the practical ones? You get where I'm going? So you, that's why I said I can't tell you what it is that you need to trim, but the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit will tell you, "Hey, let's let me partner with you and we're going to trim that area of your life so we can bring God glory and that man will see your what good works and then do what? Glorify the Father."

This is not your secret life, baby. This time at your public life. Letting your light shine is talking about what men see and if you want a true wick or a true lighting of your candle which is your life then you got to go in secret and find out what it is that needs to be trimmed so when you come out they will see your what good works and guess what it won't be a religious good work it will be a truthful good work.

Somebody say God is after the truth in my life. He wants me to bear more truth in my life. He does. He really does. Now by my spirit and I'm coming out of hiding when we look at Matthew 10 and 1 we see this here take place. Look what it says: "And when he had called his 12 disciples, he is Jesus to him, he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease."

And when we talk about the Holy Spirit operating in your life these are some of the characteristics of your abilities. Does that make sense? So you will be able to, is the scripture on the board on here? You will be able to have power over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease which are my by my spirit.

Acts 1 and 8 says this: "But you will receive power when the what Holy Spirit comes on who? On you." Touch say me. Say me. When he comes on who? When he comes on me. And he says, "You will be my what witnesses." Where am I going to be a witness at? Hold on. I don't stay in Jerusalem. This is the starting point.

It was just giving us a geographical location of where it started from and giving us a biblical location of where it started from and giving us a biblical example of who it started with. You will be my witnesses where? Right where you live in your household. You can be a witness. Come on, somebody.

How many of you live and you don't have to raise your hand, but how many of you live in a household where one is saved and one is not? Don't raise your hand, but do you know you could be a witness where? First in your household, then in your neighborhood, and then in your workplace and eventually in your city.

Charity, the word of God says it starts at home. So you could be a witness. Don't be a witness at work, but you mean as a rattle. A rattlesnake in your household. Hold up, wait a minute. That's out of order. Go back to the house. And work out your witnessing right there. Work out being a godly husband right there. Work it out right there.

You already got a church. It's called your household. You already got an audience. It's called your household. Let me tell you something. Your children know whether you really living something or not that they want to live after. Go interview your children.

Somebody said, "Well, have you interviewed Joyce?" Absolutely. Absolutely. You can go talk to this little one if she'll talk to you now because she... And say, "How your parents act for real?" Your children to give a resume. My mom, I served sometimes in the back with the babies. And those children to tell, "My mama was arguing that it was fussing."

I said, "Come here." They'll tell it. If you ever want to get better, ask your children. If you can handle that kind of truth, go to your children. "How you see me as your daddy?" Ask them. And they'll give you an idea of what the area you need to trim the wick in.

Ask your friends who know you, know you and say, "Hey, you know I'm really trying to live for God. What you see? What you tell me? What you see? What you feel like?" They'll tell you the truth that they your friend. Does that make sense?

I'm just saying if you want a mirror of the truth, I was around you. Then you become a witness in your what? House. Work it out in your house. One thing about family, if they really love you like that, they'll let you make a few mistakes while you working on it.

Oh God, listen. You can go to your children and say, "Hey, you know what? Mama trying to change. I know I was a fussy wussy and fussing and carrying on. But mama trying to come up under the auspice of God. I'm really trying to live this thing out. Work with me. Work with me." Your children will work with you.

Children to give you more grace than other people will. Can I get a witness? Let me tell you something.

Recently I was, you know, I got a new group of students. Y'all notice I don't really talk about them like that. Because I'm trying to figure out it. Yeah, I really want to fool with them like that. Because you know my last babies is going to high school. And so I still rock with those kids I taught for three years.

So one of the new kids, you know, in my classroom. He got a few issues. He got a lot of issues. I like him. Like him. On the down low. I don't really, I don't want him to know I like him. Let me tell you what the little kid did though. He had been giving me some problems in my classroom.

That was like, "Okay Lord, this is new for me." And I used to be like, "Get out. I have a winning way. You ain't. I'm at the award. This is me. I'm at the award this year. I'm an award-winning teacher. I'm not. I'm laying out my resume. I'm like, you ain't going to stop this train. I'm going after another award. But you ain't going to stop this train."

We hit three in the district. I ain't going down. So you better get out. So one day he really made me mad, right? I said, "Look here. I said this ain't working for me. I said I'm going to send you next door to Ms. Haslett." He said, "No." I said, "Uh-uh, uh-uh."

I said, "Seriously. I said I need some space between me and you. Like I'm having this kind of serious conversation. Like it was that serious. Like y'all I wasn't smiling, right? So I put him out for a while. Before I do this, I said, "Go on over to Ms. Haslett." And he did. He just submitted and went on over to Ms. Haslett.

He came back a few days later. He said, "Can I come back?" I stopped him at the door. I said, "Listen. I have a way, son. I have a way. And I said this is who I'm going to be up until May of 2025 if the Lord should let me live. So when you walk in this classroom, I said I don't walk in here by myself. I said I have a way. And you don't know that about me yet.

I said so I'm not changing. So what you going to do? I said you need to have a real conversation with yourself. And when you're ready, come back. Because I'm a teacher of a second chance. A thousand chances. But I'm not changing.

So I said go on over to Ms. Haslett. He came back like a few classes later. You know, periods later. He gave me a letter. Hadn't wrote a letter. He said, "Here." He said, "What's this?" He said, "Read it." I said, "Okay." I said, "Who told you to write this?" I knew what it was because they do that.

He said, "Nobody." He said, "I thought about what you said." I said, "I'm not changing. I'm letting you know. This is what you get. I may pipe down some, but this is what you pretty much going to get." He said, "Read the letter." I said, "Who told you to write it?" He said, "Nobody."

I said, "How much of it is 60% you don't want me to put you in Haslett class? And how much is it that you really want to change?" He said, "60%. I don't want you to send me over there. 40%. I really want to change." I said, "Thank you for being honest."

Because I work with honesty. Listen, you can go to God and tell him, "60% of me still want to be in the world. 40% I really want to be in your house. Can you work with me?" One thing about God, not like me. He'll say, "Come on in. I'm going to work with you 40%. I'm going to work with your 40% of your heart. Give God something to work with."

You got to give him something. You got to give God something to work with. 60%. You got to be like, "Lord, 80% of me still want to back that thing up. And 80% of me still want to bust weed in the mouth. But God, I got 20% in me that will work with you a little bit."

God said, "Break it here, baby. When I breathe on that 20 and my spirit get on your heart, it's going to spread like wildfire. And the next thing you'll be saying is better is one day in your course than a thousand elsewhere."

I'm trying to stir you up this morning. I'm looking at some new evangelists going to hit these streets with me. And the kind of evangelist I'm looking for to hit these streets with me, I ain't looking for no ones who been in the church so long. I need someone who still got a little bit of world on them.

Because I need somebody who can communicate with the world. What that mean? What that mean? What they say? Oh, they say, "Oh, tell them I say this." I need an interpreter. Somebody say, "I'm going to give God this 20%. This 30%. I'm going to surrender it. See what he can do with it."

I read that little boy letter. His grammar was all messed up. But I felt the heart in the letter. And you know what he said at the end of the letter? He said, "I know I'm a mess." He said, "I know I'm a mess." He said, "But give me time to get myself together."

This little young man got a lot of problems. Y'all don't understand me. He said he wrote that. He said, "Give me time to get myself together." And guess what I did? I said, "Come on in, son." Because one thing about your teacher, I can give you time to get it together. We'll work with each other.

Y'all, that's a true story. I promise you it's true. 1 Corinthians 2, 3, and 5 says this: "I came to you in weaknesses and in fear and with much trembling." This is Apostle Paul writing. He says, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but it was with a demonstration of the Spirit's power."

So why? So that your faith may not rest on what? Men's wisdom, but on what? God's power. That's why you need the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1, 17 says this: "I keep asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of what? Wisdom and what?"

Do you know the Spirit of wisdom and revelation is the Spirit that will help you get to know God better? You pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. And what? Revelation. You and I, all of us, are on a growth track level to get to know who God is better and better and in more truth.

I'm not where my final destination will be. I'm not at the final place where my faith is going to rest. None of us are. So we need the Spirit of what? Wisdom. Revelation. So that what? You may know Him what? Better.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you. What it's saying is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation will show you your inheritance that God has specifically for your life. Who doesn't want to walk in what God has for them? I do. I do. I do.

I want to walk in everything that God has for me. I hope that's your prayer and your desire. It says, "To the hope to which you have been called, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people. God. And His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ Jesus from the dead."

Listen, the Holy Spirit will help you get to know God better. Better and in truth. When you are praying, especially for a miracle, listen at this. In Luke 18, 35, this is the working of the Spirit that will help you.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. And when he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked them, "What's happening?" And they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. He's blind.

Look at how the Spirit works in the relation to our prayers and our needs. He says, "So he began shouting." Why he start shouting? "Because I can't see it? But you said I could hear it?" Oh, baby. Some of y'all are too quiet. You got needs, but you won't open up your mouth.

Somebody told you, "You got to have it together." You're a man. You're supposed to provide for your family. And you should. But when you can't open up your mouth. "God, I need your help. This lady driving me crazy." Ooh, I heard hallelujah. He'll help you. He will help you.

So he's shouting. And the people said, "Be quiet." He said, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Be quiet. The people in the front yelled at him. People are tripped. People are tripped. But he only shouted louder. Tenacity. Tenacity.

He says he started shouting louder. "Son of David, have mercy on me." And when Jesus heard him, he stopped. And he ordered that the man be what? Brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, I love this. Watch this interaction.

"What do you want me to do?" It almost seemed like a duh question. "Oh, God. I'm blind, sitting on the side of the road. I'm hollering out to you. You come to me. And then you ask me, what do you want me to do for you?"

Jesus will never assume what you want him to do, even though he knows what needs to be done. It's a relationship. You go to him and say, "God, I know you already know what I have need of. But because I need to ask you," see, this is how your faith grow.

God already knows what you need. He asked the man who's blind, "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus didn't assume that you might have wanted to stay blind. Maybe it was something else you wanted me to do for you.

Don't ever assume Jesus is going to do what you already think he knows. No, open up your mouth. Interact with him because it's a relationship. He does know. He does know what you have need of even before you ask.

But because you're in a relationship with him, why don't you ask him? When my children come to me and they come to ask me, "Mama, I need you to do this for me right here." It is my joy. It is my heart's desire to do for them.

And if I, being evil, know how to give good gifts to my children, what you mean, Pastor, you're evil? I got the propensity to fail. The Scripture says, "If ye being evil, man's ability can be evil." He says, "And we go and we can give good gifts to our children, how much more will the Father give to us because we asked him?"

You got to open up your mouth. You have to open up your mouth. So God says, "What do you want me to do?" Jesus said, he said, "Lord, I want to see." And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

What was his faith? What do you mean his faith healed him when he was calling out? "He who comes to me must believe that I am and that I am a what? Rewarder of those who knock and the what?" The fact that you came and said, "God, I need you."

He says, "Knock." What is your part of faith? The knocking. He says, "If you knock, if you ask, if you seek, you'll find me." All those are action-oriented words. You better get to knocking. You better get to asking. And you better get to seeking, baby.

Are y'all with me? He got his eyesight by his faith. Instantly, the man could see. And he followed Jesus, praising God and all who saw it. Praise God.

Let your light shine before men so they can see your what? Good works. They saw the man was blind and now a man can see. And then they said, "Whoa." They started praising God with him.

When you start asking God about those weaknesses, ooh, God, work it, work it. You start asking God about those weaknesses and your family knows it. Let me tell you something. All your family is is an audience to the glory of God that they gonna see on your light. That's it.

That is it, sis. Be passionate. He says, "You'll seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart," according to Jeremiah 29:13. Be persistent. Uh-huh. Be persistent. Be precise. Be positive. Be praiseful.

When you talk to God, be all of these things. Stand on your feet. I want to give you a demonstration really quick. And we're gonna close out. Take your cell phone. Take your cell phone. Take your cell phone. Cut your cell phone off. Put it on off. Put it on off. Put it on off.

Can you operate your phone? But yet you have all of this ability in your hand and at your disposal. Now, cut your cell phone on. But put it on airplane mode. Can you call anyone? What? It's on, right? You can act like you're typing, right? But you can't make a call.

You can use the light. There are certain functionalities that you have even though it's on what? Airplane mode. You may be saved. But you're on airplane mode. Hold on. You got some functionality that you can connect with God with.

But it's not until you get connected to the internet that you have full access to functionality of the device in your hand. You got to get connected. You got to get what? Connected. And then once you get fully connected, you can walk in the light as he is in the what? The light.

And you'll have fellowship with one another. I'm going to hold your phone. See, this is how it operates. Get your phone. I found out with my iPhone, somebody can come right up to it. We walking in the light, I can tap you, sis. You won't tap out.

I can tap you, bro. But you got to get connected to do this. Yes. She can't be connected. And then I'm on airplane mode. The tap don't work. The relay of information don't work. She can't see me nothing.

But if I'm tapped on, if I'm on and she on, we can walk in the light as he is in the light. And then we have what? Fellowship with one another. Listen up. Here, take your... Thank you, Shayna.

Some of you need to get fully connected. Don't trust people. There's an issue somewhere along the way. I don't know. But it's time for you to get fully connected. First to God and then to his people.

For some of you, you are connected. It's fully on. But you are too afraid to open up certain apps. Some of your apps is you won't get real with somebody in the body. You got to get real. You got to get open. Healing takes place in a circle.

The Bible tells us this. Every opportunity that we have, we should do good to all men. But it said especially of those, the household of faith. This is a household of faith. God wants you fully connected.

Get off of airplane mode. And get all, and I mean all, that God has for you that he died to give you. Give God praise.

1. "You know, if that's where you are, you might still be, you know, using that kind of language, and you don't feel like people can handle that because you go to church, right? And then they're going to look at you sideways like I thought you were saved, and you say, I am saved, but my humanity. My humanity is under pressure, and because I'm not fully what God wants me to be, this is just me expressing where I am. And if God can handle it, I'm sorry you can't handle it, but this is, you know, that's why I rock with God." [44:00] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Now, you're going to have to get up under the mature believer so you may grow, and they can handle your weakness without any judgment. That is the one thing that I hear a lot of people, even in my family, say. I came to you because you don't judge. I want to say, I can't afford to judge. If you knew what was back, if you knew what was delivered, what I got delivered from, I don't have no room to point you out and make you shame about nothing." [45:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "When you allow God to come into your life and you let him have free access to whatever it is he wants to turn over, flip over, or touch, then let him touch it. Listen, God is after your best interests. Oh, can I say that again? Somebody say in this house, God is after my best interests. He is the father of all fathers and everything God does is good and very good. Everything, everything, everything. Do you hear me? Somebody say everything God is up to in my life is good and very good. Even his rebuke is good for me. It's good. Say it's good." [01:01:00] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "You can go to God and tell him 60% of me still want to be in the world. 40%. I really want to be in your house. Can you work with me. One thing about God. Not like me. He'll say come on in. I'm going to work with you 40%. I'm going to work with your 40% of your heart. Give God something to work with. You got to give him something. You got to give God something to work with. 60%. You got to be like Lord 80% of me still want to back that thing up. And 80% of me still want to bust weed in the mouth. But God I got 20% in me that will work with you a little bit. God said break it here baby. When I breathe on that 20. And my spirit get on your heart. It's going to spread like wildfire." [01:16:00] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "When you start asking God about those weaknesses, ooh, God, work it, work it. You start asking God about those weaknesses and your family knows it. Let me tell you something. All your family is is an audience to the glory of God that they gonna see on your light. That's it. That is it, sis. Be passionate. He says, you'll seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart according to Jeremiah 29, 13. Be persistent. Uh-huh. Be persistent. Be precise. Be positive. Be praiseful. When you talk to God, be all of these things." [01:26:54] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




6. "You may be saved. But you're on airplane mode. Hold on. You got some functionality that you can connect with God with. But it's not until you get connected to the internet that you have full access to functionality of the device in your hand. You got to get connected. You got to get what? Connected. And then once you get fully connected, you can walk in the light as he is in the what? The light. And you'll have fellowship with one another." [01:28:29] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




7. "Some of you need to get fully connected. don't trust people. There's an issue somewhere along the way. I don't know. But it's time for you to get fully connected. First to God and then to his people. For some of you, you are connected. It's fully owned. But you are too afraid to open up certain apps. Some of your apps is you won't get real with somebody in the body. You got to get real. You got to get open. Healing takes place in a circle. The Bible tells us this. Every opportunity that we have, we should do good to all men. But it said especially of those, the household of faith. This is a household of faith. God wants you fully connected. Get off of airplane mode. And get all, and I mean all, that God has for you. That he died to give you." [01:30:28] (92 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




8. "When you allow God to come into your life and you let him have free access to whatever it is he wants to turn over, flip over, or touch, then let him touch it. Listen, God is after your best interests. Oh, can I say that again? Somebody say in this house, God is after my best interests. He is the father of all fathers and everything God does is good and very good. Everything, everything, everything. Do you hear me? Somebody say everything God is up to in my life is good and very good. Even his rebuke is good for me. It's good. Say it's good." [01:01:00] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




9. "You can go to God and tell him 60% of me still want to be in the world. 40%. I really want to be in your house. Can you work with me. One thing about God. Not like me. He'll say come on in. I'm going to work with you 40%. I'm going to work with your 40% of your heart. Give God something to work with. You got to give him something. You got to give God something to work with. 60%. You got to be like Lord 80% of me still want to back that thing up. And 80% of me still want to bust weed in the mouth. But God I got 20% in me that will work with you a little bit. God said break it here baby. When I breathe on that 20. And my spirit get on your heart. It's going to spread like wildfire." [01:16:00] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




10. "When you start asking God about those weaknesses, ooh, God, work it, work it. You start asking God about those weaknesses and your family knows it. Let me tell you something. All your family is is an audience to the glory of God that they gonna see on your light. That's it. That is it, sis. Be passionate. He says, you'll seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart according to Jeremiah 29, 13. Be persistent. Uh-huh. Be persistent. Be precise. Be positive. Be praiseful. When you talk to God, be all of these things." [01:26:54] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)