2819 Church - GOD OF MIRACLES | It's Time to Come Up | Matthew 8:28-34 | Courtney McClendon

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

In the phenomenal week six of GOD OF MIRACLES, Communicator Courtney McClendon guides us through Matthew 8: 28-34. Welcome to the official Youtube channel for 2819 Church. This channel features powerful and life-impacting messages from Philip Anthony Mitchell and guest communicators. As you listen to these sound biblical messages you can expect to be challenged, stirred, matured and inspired in your faith and walk with God. For more information about us visit 2819Church.org.

Glory to God. Welcome 2819. Welcome to 2819. Hey family, what's going on? Welcome to 2819. Hey, hey family. And even if this is your first time, you're still family. Hey family. We love you! Welcome, guys. Welcome to those that are watching via YouTube, those that are watching live, those who will watch this later on. We just want to say welcome. Here, we love people. We love Jesus. We're about the Word here. This is a place that is about multiplying disciples so if you're sitting here you seen us jumping around it's because we've caught wind of how good God is we've caught wind of how good God is I

realize how he's kept my mind how he's kept your mind, how he's kept your mind, even the stuff that you didn't know he was keeping you from, he kept you from. So that's why we were in bunches. We like to jump. We like to twirl. We like to do all of that because we realize how good God is. Um, and I would be remiss if I didn't honor the shepherd over the house before I get to me and all that and who I am I want to just honor the Shepherd of this house pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell Hallelujah Man I could say so much. But this, what you're experiencing, this doesn't just happen.

This is by prayer, fasting, being in the word. And we have a shepherd that loves Jesus here, like, for real. For real. His wife for real. For real. His wife loves Jesus. For real. His children love Jesus. For real. This is not a show.

This is real. This is authentic. And right now, they are on sabbatical. And we miss them. I don't know about y'all, but I miss them. We do. So if they're watching, we love you. We love you.

We love you. But they're getting rest because it takes a lot to get up here and minister and prepare a message Sunday after Sunday. And so we just want them to get their rest, come back rejuvenated, come back on fire. You know, like we want, we want our leaders to be well. So it's important that they get the rest that they need. Can y'all hear me? I'm sorry. Can y'all hear anything? Okay. And so I just send our love to them and we honor them. Honor the Mitchellville family, Abby, Josiah, Malachi, Israel. We love y'all. All right. I am one of the communicators here. I have the honor and the privilege to be one of the communicators here.

My name is Courtney McClendon. And, um... Pastor always says that the word is not just chained to his mouth. And so I always consider it an honor that he entrusts his people to hearing the word. And it's a heavy assignment. It's nothing to play about. And so I'm here today to be bringing, I believe this is the sixth installment, right? I think so.

Yeah, the sixth installment. I don't know if y'all been here. Some of y'all been here, but we have been in a series. I don't know if you've been on a rock or anything, but we have been in a series called the God of miracles. Y'all crazy. Okay. Crazy. Yes. Um, the first month of June, um, pastor Brandon, let's shout out for him. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. He came and he brought, um, four, I think four to five weeks of fire in the month of June. He talked to us about surrogate faith. He talked about it's going to cost you something to follow Jesus. And he said something about anywhere but backwards. Anywhere but backwards.

And so, June was crazy. And then my brother, Pastor Kitty McFarland, yesterday, yes, last Sunday he came and he talked about it. He said, y'all, it's your turn. Like, it's your turn. And so last week he talked about Jesus and the disciples and the boat. And he implored us and he said, it's your turn. And so I am following up where he left off. And so I am going to read the scripture

and then we're going to pray in that all right with y'all all right um we are in Matthew 8 and y'all can wait wait stand stand stand I'm sorry stand for the word I'm sorry y'all I'm a little nervous I I'm sorry. Matthew 8, 28 through 34. All right. It says, and when he, Jesus, came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, it says, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tomb so fierce violent at the end of the niv says that no one could pass that way and behold they cried out what have you to do with us oh son of god have you come here to torment us before the time 30 says now i heard of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them,

and the demons begged him, that's Jesus, saying, If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs. And he said to them, Go. So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The herdsmen fled and going into the city, Gadarenes goes into the city and they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus and when they saw him they begged and I be the virgins as they pleaded him to leave

their region I may be seated the title of this message is it's time to come up. It's time to come up. So Father God, we thank you. And we carve out this time just for you. Lord God, I pray that you will declutter these minds, Father. I pray that you will cleanse these hearts, cleanse our minds, cleanse our hands, that we will be receptive to receive this, Lord God. I pray, Lord God, that your words are alive and active, Lord God. So I pray that this word that you have kept over 2,000 years, God, will speak to us now in the name of Jesus, Lord God. Let it speak to us individually and let it speak to us corporately, Father God. Lord God, decrease me, Lord God. Minimize my voice to maximize your voice.

Let your voice be the loudest voice in this room. In the name of Jesus, Father, we give you full permission to speak how you desire to speak. Do what you want to do. Say what you want to say, Lord God. That your words will live into our feet and enlighten to our path, God. So I ask you, God, just to just give, shine your light. In the name of Jesus, have your way, precious King. We love you. And your son's perfect. Match his name, we pray.

Amen. All right, y'all. So I want y'all to think back. Don't think too deep. Sometimes we get real holy. But I want y'all to think back. And I want you to think back of a time, a time,

listen, when you knew that you knew it was crystal clear that it was nothing but God. Like you knew, has anybody ever had that time? You might have multiple times that you knew that it was nothing. It was nothing but God.

Nothing. Like, it wasn't in our own actions. It wasn't in our flesh. Oh, yeah, that, that was God. It was crystal clear. Excuse me. That, oh, that wasn't me. No, no, no, no.

That definitely was God, right? Y'all, I can think about a time, like I said, it's not real spiritual. I can think about a time for real. it's not real spiritual I can think about a time for real I was playing powder puff football guys listen if you don't know what powder puff football is it's when um ladies come together and they play football and I was playing football powder puff football and I never say never because I believe that you know we're not the orchestrators of our walk our faith and none of that Jesus he's the author and the finisher of our faith, right? So I can't say never say never. But at that moment, I said, I'm never playing Paddle Puff football again.

So if y'all decide y'all want to do some Paddle Puff football, I'm going to be a cheerleader or something. But so I remember this time playing Paddle Puff football. Just follow me, y'all and I remember being on the team and ladies can get rough when it comes to this powder puff football thing and we can get mad and like a little violent a little violent a little crazy and I remember like oh no oh no this is not I was getting mad y'all listen I'm a lover not a fighter I don't want to fight no but y'all I'm I'm a lover, not a fighter. I don't want to fight, no. But y'all, I'm shamed. Y'all, listen, I showed myself just flat out. I went off, told all folks, said some words y'all probably wouldn't say from here.

It was bad, y'all. Thank the Lord for grace, right? And it was bad. And I just remember like being so angry. I was ready to go in. I was ready to go in because I was just so upset. They was cheating, all this, and I was doing it for work. Just bad, just a bad situation, and I remember in that situation, I remember the Lord. I was kind of early in my walk at that time, and I remember the situation. I remember the Lord literally arresting

me because I was acting a fool, and he arrested me in that moment and that's why I said it wasn't anything like he said stop I remember him telling me stop he said go sit down a loving father he's gonna direct you he said stop sit down and then he told me to go pray listen I wasn't trying to pray I was mad I was mad about what was going on I wasn't trying to pray. I was mad. I was mad about what was going on. I was not trying to pray. But what I did do was I did stop. I stopped and I went over to that little football goal. I think that's what y'all call it. I went over there. Goal post. Goal post. Yeah. So I went over there and I sat down and I started crying and I started crying because I realized I wasn't in control I started crying because I said all right Lord this is you this is not me because

if it was me it would have been a mess and it was in that moment that I realized like oh God God is he's in everything he's in everything even in our anger even in our wrath and he'll even come and help you get self-control and it was that moment I said okay God that was God that wasn't me and so I think about the disciples as I read in Matthew 8 28 through 34 my my um my brother Kenny he talked about how the disciples were in the boat with Jesus and they got in this storm y'all they got in this storm and it was crazy it was said that a hurricane right they said it was similar to like a hurricane like it was it was crazy right and I wonder in that moment because they're like we're about to die we're about to perish and I wonder in that moment, were they ever like, who is your father?

Like, who are you following? Like, I wonder in that moment, because sometimes we get in situations and we just get a little wrestled, right? And I wonder in that moment when it was like crystal clear, like, okay, this is my father, right? And so I think about Jesus healing these two demon possessed men at this time they just got at the boat and pastor Kenny talked about them making it to the other side after going through all of this they couldn't afford to go back they done got too far they done said Jesus I'm gonna follow you it's a cost to follow Jesus so it's the storm it is crazy I'm very pictorial and so they get to the other side right I can only imagine they're celebrating you know they're excited like oh man we got to

the other side yes yes Lord he's good he kept us we didn't die amen now I then I think about when we get to Matthew 8 28 and it says they get to the other side of this country of the Gadarenes, and they see two demon-possessed men. Now, let me tell you something about the place of the Gadarenes. They are headed into a foreign place, right? This is Gentile territory, so Jesus has not come to this land yet. Jesus is a Jew. The disciples are walking with him, and they get to a land that is foreign. In my study, they said that it was probably a pagan land,

so they had not heard or learned much about Jesus. So I'm like the disciples, okay? And I'm like, oh, we get into a land. They don't know. We just got out of a storm Lord and now we're getting here I could just imagine they might have been just a little scratched just a little bit Jesus told them they have little faith so I'm just like just imagine their mindset but they can't afford to go back they can't afford to go back. The storm didn't take them out, so I guess you got to get off the boat.

In this verse, I'm going to make reference to Mark and Luke because they talk about them coming in and they see one demon-possessed man. But in Matthew, he gives the account of seeing two demon-possessed men. I want to tell you they don't contradict one another. But they are talking about, Mark and Luke are talking about the stronger demon. So it doesn't contradict, but Matthew makes reference to the two demon-possessed men that they see, right? So let's talk about these men. When they get off the boat, as soon as they get off the boat, they just got out of a storm. They get off the boat, and in my mind, I see these crazy demon-possessed men.

They've been taken over by demons it says that they were bloody it says they were wailing it says that the chains have been broken off of them that people had tried to contain them and this is what they see as soon as they step out the boat it said that they had been put into the cave, the cemetery, because that was the only place where they could kind of be. That's the only place where they could be. So they weren't, they were right when they first got into the city, right? Now, mind you, in Matthew 8, 16, this was not their first time seeing people that were oppressed by demons. Matthew 8, 16 said that evening they had brought many, this is when Jesus heals the many, who were oppressed by demons. Matthew 8, 16 said, that evening they had brought many, this is when Jesus heals the many,

who were oppressed by demons, and he cast them out, cast out the spirit with the word, and healed all who were sick, right? So this was not their first time. But this one gives more detail about these demon-possessed men. And when I think about them,

they're wailing, they're yelling, they're coming, and I'm just I could just imagine what that scene looked like I'm looking at it as the disciple right just what that looked like and oftentimes we go by and we say oh these were these demon possessed men okay they're coming to Jesus if you know the story Jesus is gonna cast them out. But I often ask myself one thing, how long had they been that way? How did they become this way? What was their story? Because we can look at a thing and we can judge a thing real quick, right? Let's be real. And I asked, I said, what were these men filled up with demonic spirits to be able to overtake them?

What happened for them to be taking possession over? Like, what happened? Were they practicing, in those times, magic? Sorcery? Were they praising false gods? Was it generational? Was it a generational curse that passed on to the bloodlines? It was just passed on to the bloodlines was just passed

on to them had they been enticed by demonic activity by the devil the demons are from the devil had they given themselves over and given the enemy an opportunity to take possession of them you know we might be like oh i'm let's talk about us now. Let's not just talk about, let's talk about us. We'd be like, oh, I'm just going to dibble and dabble just a little bit. Like it ain't going to hurt. Like I'm just, this ain't going to do too much to me. But we never know when we possess openings and we give them to the enemy to come in. And we oh it's harmless it's not a big deal don't play this is serious stuff there may be subtle suggestions all might just try a little bit and then you go a little bit further and you go a little bit further and next thing you know you all the way you wreck your life because you're trying to dibble and dabble in stuff that you have no business doing and I'm just maybe I'm just talking to myself or if you've ever been there I know what

it's like to try and play things and do things come in agreement with things people you get an agreement in relationship that God said no and you said yes because you want to be with somebody you come and take word curse I'm so dumb I'm so this I'm so ugly and so the demons like cool you dumb you ugly so you open yourself up to them sex ungodly covenant relationships we live in this time where we do a new world age religion and all the rocks and all the stuff let's talk about it you got folks trading their souls for wealth and fame the new currency is clout attention so you got folks exchanging that and you think there's not gonna be any openings no witchcraft

i don't know about y'all. I haven't always been saved. And I didn't always know what I know now. And some of you may not know what you knew back then. And I can be honest. I put my business out in the street. I remember going out one time. And I was out of town. And I remember I let somebody read my palm.

Yep, I did. I did. And. I let somebody read my palm. Yep, I did. I did. And y'all crazy. So at that time, I didn't know. I just didn't know that you don't, you don't give that's, that's, that's demonic. That's witchcraft. No, they're, they're working on the enemy side. Like you don't let people do things like that. It wasn't until I got in sound teaching, biblical teaching that I learned that that was witchcraft no they're working on the enemy side like you don't let people do things like that it wasn't until I got in sound teaching biblical teaching that I learned that that was witchcraft and I was wrong and that was um working that's a demonic work right and so then I would have to go and I'd have to learn about prayers of cancellation renouncing things binding and loosing some things

I don't know if you knew but you can reverse things in prayer that's why it's important have a prayer life you can rebuke some things in your ignorance that you didn't know about strongholds that you didn't know was strongholds that was unknown to you shout out to the prayer team come on all right come on somebody That's just a little plug. But I began to learn things, right? So then let's go to Matthew 8, 28. Let's talk about when they come to this country of the Gadarenes, right? So prior to this, the town had tried to use all forms of bondage. They had tried to route detours. And they were just going around these demon

possessed men at this point because they were uncontrollable. And I don't know if you've ever seen somebody that's dealing that stuff. They may look crazy. And the Jesus, they knew that that was an unclean spirit, right? It was an unclean spirit. And the other people, they stayed away as well, right? And I think about how they tried chains. I think about how they tried chains I think how they tried to route detours they don't put them off in the cave they still don't came down there and met Jesus and the disciples like none of that was working how many times do we use physical natural physical natural remedies for spiritual issues oh if I just smoke a little bit of this, that's going to make it better. Let me just, let me just go twerk up on him or get with her and that's going to make it better. And I'm

going to feel okay for a moment. It's temporary. Some of us, let's be real. I'm going to go get in my career. I'm going to just go get really heavy in my career. I'm going to get busy with doing this. And it's not going to deal with the spiritual issues that are in the inside of me. It's not addressing the spiritual issues that are in the inside, okay? So we can't just look over these demon-possessed men and be like, oh, yeah, they were demon-possessed. But not ask their story. Y'all, they needed a miracle. They needed a miracle they needed a miracle they needed the power and the authority

of Jesus some of us got stuff that's just we deal with that we know that we just deal with and it can be shameful ugly you can look ahead it can be embarrassing it can be reoccurring issues we don't know how long these demon-possessed men have been living with these with this situation some of us have been living with some things for a long time to the outside world it almost become normal to the gatherings it become normal like just go around them right but here comes Jesus. Hallelujah. Our Savior. The Son of God.

Here, ooh, I just. The King of Kings. Here comes Yahshua, we were singing about earlier. Here comes our Redeemer. The Savior of men. The great position. Let me tell y'all something. Those demons recognize off top who has stepped on the scene, who had just got out that boat. The demons knew. They were aware. I believe the disciples were in process. They were following Jesus, but those demons, oh, they knew that they knew. Oh, Lord, this is who I've been hearing about.

Jesus. And so Matthew 8, 29 says, and behold, they cried out. What have you to do with us oh son of God have you come here to torment us excuse me before the time they already know what time it was they knew what's up they knew what was the time we're going to come back to this, but the time was according to Revelation 20 verse 1, and it said, the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet had been, and they knew they would be tormented day and night forever and ever. So that was the time that they were talking about they said oh goodness oh goodness and so the demons were fully aware of who Jesus was they already knew

and I want us to consider we live in a time we just live in 2023 we are readers and we're reading scripture in the. So we've seen things come to pass. We've seen Jesus fully. We've seen him do his ministry. We've seen him die. We've seen him come from the dead. We've seen him go to heaven. We've seen all of this, right?

We've seen him conquer sin, dying on the cross. We see all of this, right? I want y'all to consider the disciples weren't fully able to recognize jesus full sonship and his power and his authority because sometimes we're like how do you just not know you got to put yourself sometimes in the scripture and like really break that thing apart they weren't fully aware yet right it says the demons were fully aware we know that right the demon possessed knew what time it was they're fully aware and I don't want to give them too much credit because they're not God they can be casted out but I want you to understand that the demonic world is real I want

you to realize that it's you got to be careful the stuff that you dibble and dabble with because it's real we as believers have to understand that the spiritual world is real and we cannot be naive to things because the demons know who Jesus was they were fully aware James 2 19 says you believe that God is one you do well even the demons believe in shudder another virgin says they tremble they're fully aware who our Lord is if you're a follower of Christ they know who Jesus is and if you follow Christ as your father they know who he is we're gonna get back to that. An ex-Satanist high priest, I don't know if you guys have ever heard him. He's an ex-Satanist high priest. His

name is John Ramirez. I don't know if you guys have ever followed his ministry. Mighty man of God. He used to be in the demonic world. He was, you know, I said he was fighting for the enemy's side, right? And so now he goes and he talks to Christians about the darkness and all of those things, right? And in an article he said, they, meaning the Christians, had the power. This is a former Satanic high priest says, Christians' prayers hindered him from carrying out evil. Imagine us being full of the Holy Spirit

and not even knowing it. Imagine being full of the holy spirit and not even knowing it imagine being full of the holy spirit and you got the holy spirit in the inside of you and jesus is your father and he loves you he's walking with you and you tiptoeing around acting like you don't know who he is or who he's in the inside of you and that he has full dominion the, right? And he's with you. It says, he went on to say, we get caught up in our own lives and forget to pray for others, in ourselves, in our communities.

An ex-Satanist, that's John Ramirez said, very rarely do we have a problem overcoming the Christians because they were too busy to pray. My God, fast and worship the Lord then when we when they were overtaken and calamity befell them they blame God imagine that we have the power through Jesus through Jesus we have the power we have the authority and walking around let's be real sometimes we get in situations like that storm and let's be real this is no shame but sometimes we get discombobulated with all

the things and all the affairs of the life of life and the enemy can try and come in and get in and try and make us forget who our father is. But even before this, even before the disciples were privy to all the things that Jesus would do, even before that, the demons knew, right? And Mark, it's the disciples, like, who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? We can find Jesus asking the disciples in Matthew 16.

We'll come to that later. You'll find them in Matthew 16, 15, saying, find Jesus asking the disciples, Peter, based on the crowd, who do you say that I am, right? But the demons, they knew clearly. You guys, we cannot be oblivious, unknowing, and naive to who is in our midst. Jesus is in our midst. And if you are saved and you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that he is for you and he's not against you.

He cares for you. He loves you with an everlasting love. The power of the most high God is in the inside of you. So we have to be mindful who is in our midst. So real quick, me and my husband, we really, really like boxing, y'all. Okay? I think it's kind of cute. I'm going somewhere with this. Just follow me. So we like boxing, right? And we've taken on this little hobby, shout out to my boo, of really watching it, like for real, like really watching it. And I think about if you've ever seen

any, a boxer or even an athlete they come out the boxers they come out and they're walking they got their their gloves on and they're ready to fight and all this all this and if you got really good boxers they're confident they come out they you'll get all mad and stuff if you like other athletes the LeBrons of the world, all that. They come out confident, ready, ready, right? They come out ready, right? The fans are excited. They're shouting. They want them to make a basket.

They want to make a touchdown. They want them to knock the other person out, right? I wish the believers would be excited about the athletes and the boxers and the basketball players or whatever sport you like that when Jesus steps on the scene we keep that same energy that same exhilaration that same excitement because he saved the world he died for you and me even the ones that wouldn't even claim Jesus he died for you and me I wish that we too would get excited like we do for mortal men. Those are men that are going to have to kneel and bow down and confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord. I wish that we would have that same excitement for our Lord and Savior. So if you saw us around here jumping around around it's because we know who our father is right thank you he didn't come to play about us being his children that he will go through some some some dark places to get us right so that's why those demons were nervous we stepped off the boat y'all hear me and so in Matthew 8 29 it says son of God what do you have to do with us before the time before the time is the moment in history when all demonic activity would be over when they go into the lake of fire and be tormented forever and ever and ever. And so that's what they're asking, what is this about before the time?

Are you already about to cast us out? Because they knew the power that Jesus had. They understood that God in Jesus' earthly ministry, that he had the power to cast them out. They knew and they expected to be judged at the right time and so they were trying to understand is this the time they understood that there was a demonic fear and an acknowledgement of Jesus power they understood that so we don't need to be scared we have to understand the power of Jesus Christ and who is in our midst

so they begged for permission Matthew 8 30 it says now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them and the demons begged that they pleaded him saying, if you cast us out, could you send us into the herd of pigs? Why go into the herd of pigs? All right. And those times, Jesus is a Jew. And by the Jewish law, pigs are seen as unclean. They're dirty. They're nasty.

And so they had nothing to do with them and so you find the demons making a request pleading Jesus because they realize who he is well if this is the time like because you at least you know cast out into those pigs over there those dirty pigs right it's safe to assume that Jesus knew that he would not grant them the permission to go into another person because they have to go somewhere when a demon comes out they gotta go somewhere else right so Jesus in his love he said okay I'm not gonna let him go into another person all right so it says Jesus indeed cast out the demons right and he said to them go so they came out they went into the pigs and behold the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and they drowned in the waters

now at that time the pigs were just like a little bit of pigs it was it was like 2 000 pigs that the demons went into. And there was a lot of demons as well that was in those two possessed men. They said his name was Legion, according to Mark. They said his name was Legion, which meant an army, right? So there was an army of demons in those two possessed men. So not only were there a whole bunch of demons, they went into 2,000 worth worth of pigs and they went into the sea and died i'm a visual pictorial person i gotta imagine seeing pigs all spread across the sea right

because that's the power of our father jesus christ hallelujah come on jesus right they realized this was no ordinary man he was no ordinary man and so was no ordinary man. And so, of course, the demons were afraid of his power after what they had seen. So, here comes the herdsmen. These are the people that were taking care of the pigs, right? I could only imagine them like, what just happened here? Matthew 8, 33 through 34 says, so they see what just happened. That's their job, y'all. The herdsmen, that's their job. They flee. They runmen that's their job they flee they run away I listen go into the city and they told everything especially what had happened to the demon possessed men how many times do you see people and you see things begin to happen in our lives

and we give our lives to the Lord you know we're starting to follow with the Lord you got people that's watching they watch, you don't hang with us no more. Oh, you're not doing that. Come on. You know, you can come with us this one time. Yeah, I know it's going to be a lot of sin and stuff, but it's okay. Come with us. And so they go and they tell the people, oh yeah, you know, they, they, they don't think, you know, they rocking with Jesus now. Like they love the Lord, you know, they're saved now. Right. And so people are going to talk. So these herdsmen see a miracle in their midst and they go back and they tell what happened so what happens verse 34 says and behold the city came to meet Jesus and when they saw him

it says they begged him to leave their region huh they begged him to leave their region. Huh? They begged him to leave their region. In my mind, they're not like, hello, Jesus, the son of God. Like, hello, how are you? Like, what a pleasure. They're not kneeling down. None of that. So you have to understand that Jesus has done a miracle and casted out those demons. Those two possessed men are no longer demon possessed they're

free right but these gatherings they're looking at what has happened because that has affected them economically they're looking like that's our livelihood that you don't you know that you've cast the demons into and they failed to celebrate the two redeemed men the miracle that was in their midst this is no ordinary man that they were standing in front of this is no ordinary man this is the man that's going to die for you for my sins and their sins and their sins to come he was about to die but in their fogginess and their obliviousness I think that's I think that's the word obliviousness disregard okay you're following they begged him to leave their region I read a quote it said one of the saddest verses in all the Bible, in the presence of the greatest man of history that the world knows, these villagers were more concerned about the death of a few hogs than they were over the redemption and the reclamation of two demonized persons.

They failed to see what had just happened to them. They were so caught up with what they had lost, right? to see what had just happened to them. They were so caught up with what they had lost, right? And so I think it's important for me to ask you, when it comes to following Christ, it's a cost. There's a cost to follow Jesus. There's a cost to have a relationship with the Lord. Is there anything that hinders your relationship with the Lord?

Is there anything that you're not willing to let go to be free to serve the Lord fully? They were not willing to let go of monetary things and pigs to follow Jesus. So I think that Jesus wasn't even able to go into their village because he was asked to leave. He wasn't able to touch any of the sick. He wasn't able to do anything because they were caught up with what they lost. They did not understand who was in their midst. So if there's anything that I want you guys to take away, we have to realize that we can't put our natural desires over God's spiritual desires. And it may offend us, it may hurt us,

and it may not even make any sense. But it's important to know when you have a relationship with Jesus, there's five things I'm gonna tell you that it's important to realize that we can take from this part of scripture of Matthew 8, 33 through 34. Number one, you must recognize our Savior. We must know who our Savior is. The demons identified first who Jesus was as a son of God. Even the demons knew the power of Jesus Christ.

Even they were aware of the power he had to cast them out for eternity. They knew who what he came to do. They understand who Jesus was. It's important that we as believers, we should know who Jesus is too. Not just when everything is good. Oh, I love the Lord. But even when things are getting rough, even when we're hard pressed on every side, even when we're going with some struggles, we still have to look to the cross. We still have to look to the hill which cometh our help and our help cometh from the Lord. So not only should demons know, we should know better because we have relationship with him who Jesus Christ is I get it we get in

situations but that does not diminish who your father is that does not diminish who your father is and what he did when he pulled you out if you're a believer he pulled you out of darkness and called you his own we must not forget when we're in the storms of life, as Pastor Kenny was talking about, who our father is. Because the demonic, they know, do you. Number two, the demons came boldly to Jesus. They met Jesus as soon as they got right out the boat. And they made a request.

They made a request. And they said, well, if it's time for us to be casted out, can you at least cast us into these herd of pigs? They made a request. Demons didn't have any business with Jesus. Demons were dirty. They were unclean, right? But even the demons, they made a request to Jesus. He didn't have no dealings with them. Right. But even the demons, they made a request to Jesus.

He didn't have no dealings with them. So they boldly realized who he was and they went up to him and made a request. What request if they can make that you aren't making? We are in a series called the God of Miracles. What request have you closed your mouth and you said oh maybe I'm not deserving or maybe you haven't seen it come to pass yet yet and you haven't said anything so I'm just gonna stop I'm gonna stop making requests to the Lord if you are a son or daughter of Jesus you can come to the Lord you can cast every care on him because he cares. If the demons can make a request, why can't you? We can't get caught up in what we got going on and say, oh, I don't want to bother him.

He already knows. You can go to your father. You have a loving father that cares for you, that loves you, that died for you. So what requests are you not making? Some of y'all need to make some requests again. Amen. Number three, Jesus will come to the darkest places, the storms in your life life to get you out.

And you are more valuable than pigs and demons, right? Some of our stuff, let's talk about it, can be ugly. It can be shameful. We may not want nobody to know. But Jesus, he went all the way over. He went through a storm, right? The Gadarenes didn't let him in because they were afraid of what he had done and all this other stuff, right? And so he wasn't just going to see the demon-possessed men, but he came to a dark place.

Remember, that was a foreign place. And he casted those demons out and left. So I want to tell you that there's nothing too small for god there's nothing too big for him it says there were many demons in the inside of those men and i believe in his love he cast them out we don't know how long they have been dealing with this we don't know how long they have been possessed but jesus will go through some ugly stuff some dark stuff, some shameful stuff, stuff we don't want to tell nobody else that we're still dealing with. He'll go to it. And so I want to tell you, make those requests, be honest about those requests, and you can keep going to him.

Who told you that you could make requests to the Lord? He will go to the darkest places for you and me he's not intimidated by your strongholds the most beautiful thing about Jesus is that when he saved you and I if you are a follower of Jesus Christ he knew your mess before he called you he He knew. He chose you when you chose yourself. You thought you had to clean it up and then get it, but you still wouldn't be good enough. He called you even in your darkness. He called you even in your stuff and said, I want him. Yeah, I know they cuss a little.

I know they got a little bit of anger management. I know they've been dibbling and dabbling in this. I know, I know, but I want him. I want her because I love them and I want them to see me and the goodness of who I am. And so we can walk and talk together. And I call them friend. He wanted you. So nothing is too big. He's not intimidated by anything that you're going through and it doesn't catch him by surprise. Number four, I want to tell you guys, we are in this series called the God of miracles I want to tell you that you are worthy of experiencing God's miracles you are worthy

of experiencing God's miracles we are y'all should be celebrating you are worthy of experiencing God's miracles. Y'all should be celebrating. You are worthy of experiencing the God's miracles. Y'all, I've heard miracles of people getting cars, people coming together and giving cars paid off. I've heard of people getting keys put in their hands, people going to the doctor and not seeing, being sick anymore. You are worthy of experiencing God's miracles. Make your request known because you're worthy of experiencing God's miracles. I want you to believe bigger.

I want you to believe better. And I want you to believe for the impossible. It says it's impossible to please God without believing it's impossible. You must have faith. So I want you to believe for the impossible. It says it's impossible to please God without believing it's impossible. You must have faith. So I want you to believe for bigger. I want you to believe for better and the impossible. Things that don't even look right. Things that don't look like it's going to make sense.

You don't know how God's going to work it out. You don't know how you're going to do it. Oh, I'm not qualified. Do you not know my past? Do you not know where I've been you are deserving of God's miracle because I can only imagine how much he loves you and so if he loves you he wants to give you good things he doesn't want to hinder you from it he wants to give you good things that are in his will so it's time to come up in our thinking it's time to come up in our mentality

it's in time to come up in our perspective it's time to come up we're not playing small we're not playing small meek and mild we coming up. We are in a series called the God of miracles. So even your faith has to come up. It has to come up. Some of us, we got to come out of agreement with some things that we may be spoken over our lives. Word curses, those things are real. Saying what you're never going to be, what you're never going to be, what you're never going to have, what you're never going to do, what never is going to happen. All of these things.

We have to come out of agreement with that. It's time to come up. Even the way that we speak, life and death is in the power of your tongue. So you have to be mindful of what you say. We have to be mindful of what you do, who you're involved with, what's coming in the inside. Some of us, we got to be honest. We got to come out of agreement with some of these things because God wants the best for our lives, but we have to come up. And number five, one more thing. If you didn't take anything else away, I want you to be careful to not grieve for too long over what was lost. Instead of celebrating what was gained. Right?

The people of the Gadarenes, they grieved what was lost. That was their economical way of living. They grieved what was lost. That they forgot to celebrate those demon-possessed men they had grown so accustomed and used to them that they no longer were bound and they were free that they missed to celebrate what Jesus had done they missed to celebrate that a miracle had happened in their midst that they didn't even inquire so who are you they didn't even inquire

because they were so caught up in grieving what they had lost right I want you to think about some of us we can be honest some of the things we used to do was fun some of the stuff you know we used to be like it was entertaining some people like oh they're not fun anymore they're not really like that anymore because they following Jesus now and some of us our feelings get hurt you don't have to say nothing if it's listen don't say nothing but some of but some people and some of us like dang maybe I don't have it like I used to you know what I'm saying or maybe I can't apply for that job because I'm a believer now they're not gonna look at me the same and so sometimes we grieve what we used to be in our old former character and our old former personality and the way that

we used to move and the things we used to do. And so sometimes we grieve maybe some of the fun we used to have, but it's nothing in comparison to Jesus. Nothing is comparison that none of that is not going to last. It's temporary. It will will not sustain you nor will it satisfy your soul but God with the enemy meant for evil Jesus meant for good so I come against you thinking oh that I've missed the best days and all this other stuff no the best days are ahead of you with Jesus I don't want to imagine a life without Jesus I don't want to imagine a life without my father I don't want to think about that what's behind you does not even equate to who Jesus is it does not equate so I want to tell

you guys that we cannot grieve what was and miss the miracle of what Jesus is. I was reading and it said all the ages, the world has been refusing Jesus because they want pigs. They want pigs. The world, they want fame. The world, they want notoriety. They want the name. They want all the things

but that's not going to find you a name in the book of life that's not going to find you a place none of that will satisfy none of it none of it and so we can't choose swine over souls

it'll never compare And so we can't choose swine over souls. It'll never compare. So last thing I want to tell you that I took away from this. I went into Mark because in Mark, Matthew, and Luke, they both give an account of demon-possessed men. And in Mark, Jesus tells the former demon-possessed men because he wanted to go with Jesus and the disciples. He wanted to go with them and walk with them, right? And this is one of the first evangelical charges. Jesus said, no, you can't go with me. But you must go and explain what has been done for you and the mercy that was shown to you and tell the people.

And it says the people and it says the people of the capitalists were amazed you must go and tell people what you have experienced in Jesus there are people that are hopeless they're dying they're depressed all forms of things because they have not encountered the love of Jesus. So sometimes it may feel uncomfortable to tell people this is what the Lord has done because you might be at work or wherever you may be, but there are people that need hope. There are people that are dying.

There are people that are doing this life and they don't know Jesus. They don't know Jesus. I want to tell you that we are not going backwards. We got to come up. We got to move forward. And so one of those things is telling others about Jesus. We're about making disciples here. It's time to go up. Whatever that looks like for you, it's time to go up. are in process but we're not going backwards and we can't afford to go backwards we have to come up we have to think differently we gotta look that we're a peculiar people it's time to come up y'all and so i don't know what that may

look like for you i don't know if that's coming out of agreement with some things i don't know if that's coming out of agreement with some things. I don't know if that's praying some bold prayers. God, help me in this. God, this has been my struggle. Lord, I need you. But we have to come up. We're not going backwards. And as my brother Kenny said, it's your turn. It's time.

It is time to come up. It is time. It is time to come up. It is time. We're in process, but we can't mourn what's been passed, but we have to press on. Press on to the promises in Christ Jesus. It's the best gift you'll ever receive in your life. So if you know you're sitting here and you're like, I know it's time to come up. I know, I feel it. I know that it's me.

I want to encourage you all to stand because I want us to pray I know I feel it I know that is me I want to encourage you all to stand because I want us to pray and I want us to pray some bold prayers and for some of us this may get a little uncomfortable but when you know it's time to move and when you know it's time to move forward sometimes we have to do some things that are unorthodox that feel weird and so we're going to pray and as we pray I ask you to grab the person's hand next to you. If you will. You may feel uncomfortable, but the thing about moving in God, some things are going to be uncomfortable.

And it's time to do things sometimes that we normally wouldn't do. And we're coming in holding hands at the sign of agreement. And so we're going to pray hands at the sign of agreement. And so we're going to pray. We're going to pray because it's time to go up. We're in a series called The God of Miracles, and we cannot afford to miss God. We can't afford to.

It's going to cost us to follow Jesus, but we can't afford to miss Him. We can't afford to miss Him. And some of you guys are still waiting to experience some miracles. We did some post-its and we put the post-its up here and there's some things that we were believing for. And sometimes when time passes, you know, it kind of distanced us from when we did it. And so I don't want us to be emotional, but I want us to pray. And as you hold the person's hand next to you, I want you to pray for them like you would pray for yourself. I want you to pray for them like you would pray for yourself. I want you to pray for them

like some things that you're believing for yourself or some of you who have experienced miracles, raises on your job, financial blessings, all these things. Some of them are miracles in this room and if you experience them, I want you to pray for those people, okay? Because you have been a beneficiary

of receiving miracles. You've a beneficiary of receiving miracles. You've been a recipient of receiving miracles. So, Father God, we thank you for this time. We thank you, Lord God, that you are our lifeline. We thank you, Father, that you love us, God. And we thank you, Lord God, that if you are believed that we call, you call us yours. In the name of Jesus, Father. Lord, I pray as we desire to come up, as we desire to press on, I pray in the name of Jesus, Lord God, forgive us, Lord God,

for the things that we did unknowingly. Forgive us, Lord God, where our hands have been unclean forgive us Lord God we repent God we repent and we say we're sorry we're sorry forgive us Lord God because we want to ask you for anything Lord God before we look at our hearts inwardly deal with the inside of us deal with the minds deal with the heart deal with the heart issues in the name of Jesus Lord God we know that you are the God of miracles if you did it Lord God 2,000 years ago you can do it for us that you can heal the blind you can call the sick you can raise the dead so I pray that you will raise some things that have been dead in us I pray that you will raise some things that have been dead in us i pray that you will raise some things that have been dormant in the name of jesus god we repent father god and we bind up every force

every force that has tried to come to stifle your people god we come against addiction god we come against strongholds father god we come against ungodly covenants father God we come against yokes father God we come against unbelief we come against doubt soul ties anxiety mental warfare pride wickedness lust perversion jealousy ungodly thought patterns God envy generational curses bloodline unknown and known God we will repent father we repent God of the things we did not know in the name of Jesus God hallelujah hallelujah God that you are working and that you're moving and that you are shifting and that we can cast all our cares on you because you care for us, God. So we press in your presence, God.

We pray for miracles, God, signs and wonders, God. We come against sickness. We come against depression and anxiety, warfare in the mind, heart issues, Father God, back pains, God, prostate cancer, God, lung cancer, God. Every sickness lay in torment. We bind it up.tility God we put it on the altar in the name of Jesus that the name of Jesus people bow bow bow bow in the name of Jesus hallelujah God and we loose godly covenant God we lose godly seeds we lose

godly marriage God power and authority over darkness we lose holiness purity boldness access to the throne faith freedom forgiveness and the love that covers a multitude of sin God you know what your children stand in need of. You know what they stand in need of. Touch them, God. Touch these hearts. Touch them, God. We want to see your goodness.

We want to see your power on this side. In the name of Jesus, God. We decree and declare, Lord God, that you are still able. That you see us. that you can do all things but fail, that you are alive and well in the name of Jesus, God, so we release everything that's not like you, so we can be in position to receive what is in the name of Jesus, God. I pray in the name of Jesus, you touch us from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet God we want to encounter you like never anybody hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah you're able you are able you are able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we could ask or think. Amen. Hallelujah. Freedom. Who the Son set free is indeed. That your healing and repairing marriage is God. Your repair and your healing. marriage is God you're up here and you're healing break off of every person in the name of Jesus hallelujah so we give you glory we give you Thanksgiving in advance and I want you to

celebrate like God has moved I want you to celebrate like God has moved I want you to celebrate like God has shifted I want you to celebrate like you know it's time to come up in the name of Jesus