2819 Church - WISDOM AND WONDER | They Need Your Testimony | Matthew 14:34-36 | Philip Anthony Mitchell

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

In the SZN 3 finale of “WISDOM & WONDER,” Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell teaches on the many hidden lessons found in Matthew 14:34-36. 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.

Today is a special day and I just want to take a moment to honor a few people. I want to first honor the woman who I know had great faith, who I tell this story all the time because it changed my life when I understood its impact. She watches from North Carolina every Sunday. The woman who the doctor told her she would never have children because she had a damaged cervix and that the doctor said it was impossible for her to have kids yet she was a woman of faith she was a woman of the word and she went home and laid her hands on the prayers of Hannah and believed God for a son and she told God if you give me a son I would give him back to you and I would consecrate him to you and so I want to honor the great

woman of faith who I think is one of the greatest mothers I know personally my mother Sharon Mitchell Mom, if you're watching, I want to tell you that you are the most amazing mother I could have asked for. Thank you for your words, your wisdom, your spankings. Thank you for every belt, every lash, every hard talking, for the times you came and got me out of jail, for the decision you made to get me out of New York that probably saved my life, and for your unconditional love and your grace and your mercy and your patience. I honor you publicly in front of everybody,

and I wish you a happy Mother's Day where you are in North Carolina. Thank you. To the woman who I think is, y'all can feel offended if y'all want, is the greatest mom in this room, who her children have rose up to call her blessed the woman who has shown her family unconditional love the woman who has sacrificed her life for this work this assignment that i'm doing the woman who was a stay-at-home mom and

was wrestling with her sense of purpose and calling, discipling her children while I worked two jobs for many, many years, who kept our home together in times of great poverty and trials and tribulation. One of the purest hearts that I know, one of the wisest women that I know, our home would not be where it is, the church would not be where it is. All of her labor behind the scenes, her labor in administration, her labor in our home. I need to honor the best mom in this room, in you are a mom, we just take a moment to honor you, your commitment, your sacrifice. What you've poured into your children. Some of your children are small.

They may not realize what you have done until they got older. But just don't stop pouring. Don't stop loving. Don't stop investing. And we want to just also honor whoever is the most senior mother in the room and so we're trying to get to the top if you are mother above 60 60 would you wave your hand at me we honor you if you are a mother above 70, would you wave your hand at me? Above 70? Is there a mom above 70? Above 75? Let's honor her.

Yeah. Anybody above 80? Anybody? Right here. We want to honor you, our senior mother in the room with this gift we have a gift for you so we honor you with this gift these flowers

above 80 we thank you we love you and we honor you. Look at God making the Titus 2 church. Titus 2 church. Happy Mother's Day to you, our senior mother in the room. We honor you and we welcome you. We thank you for being here. And before we get into the proclamation, I know that there are some of us, this is not a joyful day. That for some of us, there is an empty place at the table this year where a mother once sat and has gone on to glory. And for those of you who are dealing with that, I want to acknowledge

that you're in the room, that this is probably not a joyful day for you as you grapple with the absence of a person at the table. I want to also acknowledge that there are people who are grappling with questions of uncertainty. You don't know your mother. You was adopted. You were in foster care and you have all these answer questions. Why was I given up? Why was I rejected? Why was I not loved? I want to acknowledge that you're in the room and I want to also acknowledge there are people in the room, maybe watching me live right now, all of our digital disciples who maybe you've had a terrible relationship with your mom. And today is not a day that you want to show love and honor.

And I understand that. It was painful. And so if you fall into any of those categories, I want to just say to you, even if this is not a joyful day for you, that the God of all comfort. May that God, our God, be near to you on this Mother's Day morning and comfort you where you have need. Amen. If you are guests, we welcome you to 2819 Church. All of our digital disciples, we welcome you to 2819 Church.

And if you are not a follower of Christ, you are an unbeliever. You're exploring the claims of Jesus. You've been coming here trying to figure out who is this man Jesus. We welcome you. We know that you're in the room. We know that some of you watch. We say that you can belong before you believe. You can even join a team. You could serve. You could get in a squad, our small groups. You can be amongst the community and ask questions. We're just glad that you're here. This is a safe place for you to explore and come. Nobody's going to condemn you for your lack of belief, except if you're trying to tear up the church with false doctrine. If you are a Hebrew Israelite, we're coming for you. And we rebuke all of your false

doctrine. You are welcome to be among us, but you are not welcome to spread false doctrine among us. And we got our eyes on you. You know, we don't play those games here. Not playing those games here you're welcome to hang out you're not welcome to sow cancer we will fight you and put you out according to the scriptures

that's what the bible says put them out you need to read your bible protect the flock. I hear the move on, Philip, move on. We are in a series called Wisdom and Wonder, and today is the finale of season three of that series. We are studying the book of Matthew together in this series, Matthew 12 through 20. We don't want to presume you know who he was if you're not a follower of Jesus. Matthew worked for the Roman government in the first century AD. He was an outcast Jew. He was converted to Christianity by the Lord Jesus Christ. He went on to become an

eyewitness of his ministry and a follower of Christ. Matthew died as a martyr for what he saw and what he believed. He wrote this book that bears his name, Matthew, and we are studying this book together as a church, and we'll be camped out here for two and a half years. We're halfway through our journey. And we are just marveling at the beauty of Jesus. And we're not in any rush to move on from that. For all of our note takers, not a lot to unpack today. Okay? Maybe you'll get out early. I don't know.

Can't promise you that. You know, I'm full all the time. But not a lot to unpack today. Just three verses today, just three. So for all my note takers, we'll be in Matthew chapter 14. For the note takers, Matthew chapter 14, and we'll unpack together just three verses, verses 34 through 36, just three verses today, okay? And maybe you'll get out early, but I'm not making that promise to you

take my time I love y'all when y'all say that that makes me feel encouraged every time somebody says take my time it makes me feel like hunger is growing in the room for the word of God I want to put a title on this message. They need your testimony.

They're all around you. They need, listen to you. They need. Listen to the word. Need. Many people all around you are going to die and not know about Jesus. They need. They need your testimony. Eternal God and ever wise Father.

We just lean into this moment. We lean into your presence. Lord, I just thank you for the washing of my soul you did this week as I got alone with you. And just for the work you did in my heart, the cleansing work you did in my heart. I thank you for this beautiful opportunity to open these scriptures with my brothers and sisters and with the unbeliever. Father, I just want to pray that you would draw us to yourself and draw us to your word and rob us of our familiarity with the scriptures. I pray as we walk these three verses, we would be in awe of just the word of God and and Christ who was at the center of every single text I pray in my weakness you would you would help me to be strong Christ you in me and I in you

and and I just pray through this camera and in this room you would minister to the hearts of these your sons and daughters my brothers and Father, I pray that you would pour out a spirit of encouragement in this room. You would pour out a spirit of inspiration in this room. I pray that you would light a fire in the hearts of all of your sons and daughters in this room. I pray you would baptize us in a spirit of evangelism in this room. I pray you would baptize us in a spirit of evangelism in this room. Move on the spirit of the living God in a mighty

and powerful way. Let the weight of the word come to bear on our hearts and on our souls. Let us be rocked by the truth of this text. Jesus, I pray this. Father, I ask this.

Spirit of God, I ask this in the mighty and in the majestic and in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And all of God's people, if you agree, just say amen. And amen. And amen. They need your testimony. Testimony. In 1871, a very prominent attorney and real estate investor lost a substantial amount of his fortune in the great fire of Chicago. It was around that same time in that same year that prominent Chicago businessman also lost his only son to scarlet fever at the tender age of four years old.

It's a true story. Grappling with the grief of the catastrophic loss of both his fortune and his only son, this Chicago businessman thought it would be good for him and his family to get away and find a place of solace and healing as they wrestle with the loss of a child and they wrestle with the loss of their fortune. So he packed up his wife and his four daughters and he put them on a ship bound for England and he stayed behind to tie up some loose ends with plans to meet them after some time. But during the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship that his family was on had a catastrophic collision on its voyage and it sank in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Over 200 people died in that incident recorded in history. His wife, Anna, survived the sinking of that ship. She was picked up by another ship and taken to England. And when she got to England, she sent her husband a telegram. And the telegram simply said, saved alone, what shall I do now? She was broken. She was devastated because what she lost on that voyage was his four daughters died in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. So now this family lost all of their children, their son to a disease and four daughters who drowned in that catastrophic disaster.

As soon as this businessman got the words of that telegram, immediately he packed up everything where he was in Chicago, he jumped on a ship, and he headed across the Atlantic Ocean to England to meet with his wife Anna. During the voyage, the captain of the ship, who was familiar with this businessman and his family, called the businessman to the bridge of the ship, and he said to him, sir, we are now sailing over the exact spot where that accident happened, where your daughters died and are buried in the sea. And it was in that exact moment as he thought about he's passing over the watery grave of his four daughters, he felt words of encouragement welling up inside of his spirit and he wrote them down. And I want to read to you the words that he wrote control room give me those

words this is what he wrote he said when peace like a river attendeth my way when sorrows like Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to know, it is well, it is well with my soul. And in that moment, as he wrote these words, watch, a testimony was born. A testimony was created and what came out of that testimony was a hymn that has given encouragement to believers the world over for over 150 years. What is a testimony? When are they created how do they impact the lives of people listen to me a testimony are divine witnesses of god's divine dealing with people's lives so when we hear testimonies when someone says i have a testimony testimonies are witnesses of God's divine dealing in the lives of human beings. Right? When are they created? Testimonies are created in two different times. First, if you know what it is to say that, man, I was once lost, but now I am found. If you knew what it was to pass from darkness to light.

If you knew what it was to pass from death to life. If you knew what it was to be formerly an object of God's wrath. And now you are an object of his perfect affection. If you knew what it was for your eyes to be opened. And for you to realize there was a God in heaven. If you knew what it was like to receive the saving grace of the Messiah, then you have a testimony. Your testimony is this. I was far away from God, but now I am saved.

I was in church my whole life, but now I am saved. And so everyone in this room whose name is written in the Lamb's book of life. You have a testimony. How else are testimonies created secondly testimonies are created when the grace of god and the goodness of god and the power of god watch intersects the human life during times of adversity gosh and trouble and trial and every time god's grace meets us in the intersection of troubles and adversity and trial and we come out on the other side a testimony has been created and when you look over your shoulder and you look back over your life from the time you were saved

and every time God's goodness intersected with your life you can start counting all of the testimonies I feel this in my spirit I can look over my shoulder and think about all the time God's goodness. Do I got a witness? God's grace. God's mercy. Watch. Intersected. With some season. Some moment.

Some issue. Some circumstance in my life. And every single time that has happened, God has just filed again in my soul another testimony. Watch. How do they impact people? For the one telling the testimony, there is a sense of power and liberation. That when we tell it we feel freedom and for the person receiving the testimony

they feel hope and inspiration inspiration for what to have faith to have courage watch to believe that when people hear testimonies there is a seed planted in them watch this, to believe. That when people hear testimonies, there is a seed planted in them, watch this word, to believe. This is what we see happening here in these last three verses. The power and the impact of a testimony matthew chapter 14 and verse 34 matthew says and when they had crossed over they came to the land at ganesaret stopped nowped. Now, if you've been with us, you remember what we've been preaching. Two weeks ago, we talked about Christ being on the seashore of Galilee, preaching to some 10,000 to 15,000 people all day.

And when they were hungry, he took a boy's lunchable and in a miraculous miracle multiplied that lunchable and fed some 15,000 people with a singular meal. You remember because of that, the people thought this man is a real prophet and then they desired in their heart to form a military coup to make him king of Israel. But the Lord sensing their error immediately sent his disciples away into the sea and he went away on a mountaintop to pray. You remember that? Now you remember they got into a boat and as they sailed in that boat they sailed directly into a storm. And you remember the nuances of the text was teaching us about how we deal with storms in our own life. And you remember

I taught you that the storm that they sailed in god allowed that storm because christ used that storm to reveal himself to his followers as god almighty how he came walking to them on the sea and fulfilling the scriptures of the old testament that said god would walk on the waters and not leave footprints. You remember that? And that when he climbed up in the boat and the storm died down, they said, truly this man is the son of God. You remember that? Now I want to draw your attention to two powerful things in this verse. This verse is not the main thrust of what I'm going to talk to you about, but there are two things in here we can't gloss over. The first thing i want to draw your attention to are the words crossed over watch now you remember they're in a boat rowing 12 men

you remember they're rowing in a storm you remember they're rowing against the wind you remember they were out there to like the fourth watch of the night you remember that they were struggling in that storm another writer tells us man they was wrestling in that storm they could not get over on themselves they couldn't make it over in their own and i like the fact that matthew wrote they crossed over now that's powerful to me it may not mean anything to you but i know that they could not get over on their own and the fact that they got over reminds me that when Christ gets involved in any circumstance,

when he hops on the boat of my adversity, no matter what you are going through, if Christ is on the boat, you will cross over to the other side. It doesn't matter. Listen, and we can't determine the intensity of our storms or the duration of our storms, but we have confidence that if Christ is involved, we will make it over to the other side. Some of us have been going through things for years, maybe even decades, and I want to just encourage you, no matter how long it is or how

intense it is, if Christ is involved, you will make it over to the other side. But let me go deeper for all my American Christians. Look at me. Even if that cross overcomes in eternity, even if you don't make it over now, if are in christ we have to have a hope that goes beyond this life i may be in a storm of cancer and sickness but i will be made well whether in this life see when you talk gangster like that what can the devil do to you i'm just trying to help my people tiana see when you talk gangster like that see come on man they're not trying to hear me frank let me give you gangster language wasn't it paul that said for the suffering of this present time is not worthy

to be compared to the rewards and the glory that we shall receive. That's gangster language for nothing in this life is going to rob me of my praise and my testimony.

Somebody give Jesus praise what we talking about that's gangster language to let the devil know there is nothing you're gonna do to me in this life Jesus even said don't even fear the people that can take your body we shouldn't even fear death there is nothing the enemy is going to do to me, Philip Anthony Mitchell in this life that's going to make me be robbed of my testimony Christ will be glorified

on every mountaintop. And Christ will be glorified in every valley. And in my death, Christ will be glorified. Somebody give him praise in this room. Woo! Even in your wife's story

Who did not pass with a complaint And had joy until her last breath Not even the enemy or sickness robbed her of her testimony. The devil did not have nothing on her. For she refused to give him an inch. For even on her deathbed, she had joy in the Lord. Never cursed him one day during her trial. Is that right, man or God?

That's right. I want to draw your attention to something else in this text. Oh, you're definitely not leaving early. Y'all might as well forget that i'm in a vein now that's not happening all right nah i feel the spirit now now i want to i want to draw your attention to something else in the text. I want you to notice that Matthew wrote, they came to the land of Gennesaret. Now that means nothing to you, except we know what Mark wrote in Mark chapter

6 verse 45. Mark wrote in chapter 6 verse 45, Mark gave us a detail that Matthew does not. He says immediately he made his disciples get into a boat and go before him to the other side to Bethsaida. So Mark said they're traveling towards Bethsaida. Matthew says they end up in Gennesaret. Okay. Mark said they're headed towards Bethsaida. Matthew says they end up in Gennesaret, a shallow area off the Sea of Galilee. Let me say this one more time.

Mark says they got in that boat sailing towards Bethsaida in the northeast. But they end up on the west side in Gennesaret. So they start out in one direction. But they land in another direction. And if God allowed the storm, he also allowed the wind. He also allowed the wind he also allowed the wind that blew them off course he blew them off course because we will read they will land in an area and we would see a healing revival where they land watch this is powerful to me because it tells me that some things God allows in my life will detour me down roads I otherwise would not have chosen for myself.

That there's some hardships, I can testify. Some trials, I can testify. Some things that I went through that altered my course and got me to land in places I would not have chosen for myself. So drama led you to 2819, and I'm thankful. Drama led me into a better relationship, and I'm thankful. Drama led me into a better job, and I'm thankful. Drama led me into a better place, and I'm thankful drama led me into a better place and I am thankful I would not have chosen that path for myself but the storm blew me down a path I was crying in the storm and I was weeping in the storm, but it put me on a path I would not have

chosen for myself. How pain has the potential to lead us down paths that we otherwise would not have chosen for ourselves. Pain got you out of that bad marriage. Pain got you out of that bad job. Pain got you out of that bad place. Pain led you to 2819. Is anybody thankful for every wash's word redirection that came as a result of a storm that god allowed and so look what happened when they landed last two verses and when the men of that place recognized him they sent around to all of that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment and as many as touched him were made well so they land in a place they did

not initially plan to go and when they get there we see there is a healing revival now you see i'm done with the text i just want to draw your attention to one word the word recognized like family let now let's let's think with your brain because we need to serve god with our mind our soul our heart our strength right i'm trying this is how we study the scriptures matthew's writing this in the first century a.d think with me family there's no social media there's no news network there's no image of Christ's face on any poster. So how in the world did they recognize him? How would they have known when he came ashore? There he is. That's Jesus. And they start, the men start running to every town. Mark tells us they ran into every town, every neighborhood

said, Jesus is here. Jesus is here. Get to him. And they all run to him. They grab the hem of his garment. They all are made well. How did they recognize him? Well, there is no picture of his face in circulation, but in those days, they did have oral stories in circulation. So the only way they could have recognized him is they would have to heard somebody's testimony. Testimony. Testimony. And we know from history that these men lived in an area

of a woman who's not named. Who when Christ had transformed her life, she could not keep quiet about who she met and what he did. And after she encountered Christ, she ran in every direction telling people her testimony. You forgot her. Oh, you remember? We met her in Matthew chapter 9. She was a woman who probably had family and friends and a husband. She comes onto her ministry cycle like every single month. It goes beyond three days. Maybe she's five days, seven days. Everything is all good. No problem. Now it's 15 days, and now it's 20 days on her cycle. Now she's concerned it's been a month on her cycle. You remember her, and now

she's scratching her head. Why hasn't my cycle ended? Now it's 45 days. Now it's 60 days, and now she lives in a time where if blood is flowing from anybody, you are considered unclean. So that means nobody can touch you while you're bleeding. And you can't go into the house of God while you're bleeding. So we know that she could not go into the temple while she was bleeding. So she's disconnected from the community of the brothers and sisters. She could not have sex with her husband if she was married. So you know he's starting to feel some type of way.

Boo, it's been two months and I ain't tapped that yet. Like he's feeling some stress on the inside. And now it's six months and now it's eight months. Now she's concerned. Now she sees a doctor who cannot help her. Now it's a year and she sees another doctor who cannot help her. Now it's two years and she sees another doctor who cannot help her. She's burning through cash. She's burning through her savings account. And now it's four years. And now seven years. Now she's running low on cash. By this time, if she's married, her relationship with her husband is probably ruined. If she had children, they can't come near her. She could not go into the temple. So for almost seven years, she's separated from community, distant from family, distant

from husband, distant from children. Now it's 10 years. Now it's 12 years. And if there was any family, they have not seen her during this time because they cannot. She is running out of hope. She has ran out of money. It's all Matthew chapter 9. She is hurting, wounded, alone, and bruised. She hears about Jesus walking through her town. And when she hears about the Lord coming to her town,

the scripture says she kept saying to herself, if I only grab the hem of his garment, I will be made whole. Well, she's Jewish. Why would she think to herself? If I only grab the hem of his garment, I will be made whole. She's Jewish. Y'all remember this? Well, if she's Jewish,

what did she have at her disposal? The Old Testament. So she would have read in Malachi chapter four, verse two. She would have read in Malachi chapter 4 verse 2 she would have read in malachi chapter 4 verse 2 she would have read but for you who fear my name talking about god's people the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings and you shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Now pay attention to the verse. He says, for you who fear my name, God, the son of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.

S-U-N. Righteousness is a virtue that cannot be attached to something that is inanimate. So the son cannot have righteousness. Righteousness belongs to a person. So we know that this S-U-N is a metaphor for the s-o-n the son of god and that what the scripture says is when christ emerges there would be healing in his wings wings is a hebrew word for the extremity of one's borders or tassels so Jewish people knew whenever the Messiah came whatever he was wearing whatever he was wearing if anybody grabbed the border of his clothing they would be made healed because the scripture says when the son of righteousness comes, there would be healing in his wings, Hebrew word, border of his tassels.

So it was that woman who had the issue of blood, who was a Jew who kept saying to herself, if I only grab the hem of his garment based on Malachi i know i will be made well you remember this that because of what she read she believed that because of what she read she believed because of what she read she believed because of what she knew in the word. She believed. She had faith because of what she read. And history tells she grabbed the bottom of his clothing. She was healed from that menstrual cycle of 12 years and immediately she ran out and she told her testimony. Watch. These men lived in the area where she lived. Is there any evidence that her testimony had an impact on these men?

Look at the text. Matthew 14, go back to the verse. Right? Any evidence? I'm closing. And when the men of that place recognized him, how would they recognize him? She was telling everybody, this is what he looks like. This is how he sounded. This is what he did. He turned to me when I was on the floor and he said, daughter, your faith has made you well. This is what he looked like. She was telling stories about what he looked like and what he sound like and how

he dealt with her how do we know that she lived in this area of ganesaret and so when the men recognized recognize recognize him they sent around to all that region and implored him that they might just only touch the fringe of his garment notice they didn't ask the Lord lay hands on me. They didn't say, Lord, lay hands on us. They heard the testimony of a woman who grabbed clothes and got healed. So their faith now is in the same method for healing. So because of her, because of her testimony, they had faith for themselves that not only could she be healed, I'm done Frank, but we can be healed

the same way. So because of her testimony, she lived in area. Because of her bragging about what he looked like and what he said and what he did and what happened when she grabbed his clothes. Those men was hearing that testimony. So by the time he came on shore, they recognized him. There he is. There is the man that woman has been talking about for all this time. We ain't asking him to lay hands. We're going after him the same way she did. And people started coming from every direction as he's walking through the towns, and they're bowing down on the floor. They're grabbing the bottom of his, they're just pulling on him left and right.

You get a healing. You get a healing. You get a healing. You get a healing. He's walking. He's just walking, and people are grabbing his clothes. They're probably laying in the street as he's walking by. They grab.

I got a healing. I grab. Hey, daughter, get over here. Grab him. You get a healing. My sick wife, get over here. He's coming. He's coming down the street. They're grabbing him one after the other. Hundreds of them, thousands of them, they get in a healing as he's walking down the street. He's calling, bring my sick aunt. She hasn't walked in a long time. She hasn't felt in a long time. They've been messed up for a long time. They get a healings one after the other as he's walking and one after the other they're grabbing him on both sides you get a healing you get a healing we

just see the common grace of Jesus he's not asking questions he doesn't know who don't believe in him they just grab in him one after the other you get a healing you get a healing all of this a whole revival because of one woman's testimony what about your testimony the one you won't tell the one you won't share all the foolishness you keep posting on social media when time is running out all the people you keep coming around

and your mouth is always quiet what about when you were saved talk about that all the people you keep coming around and your mouth is always quiet. What about when you were saved? Talk about that. What about every time he delivered you from something? Talk about that. What about every time he made a way out of no way? Talk about that.

What about everything he's teaching you in the scriptures? Talk about that. What about what you're feeling in your church that you claim you love? Talk about that. What about what you learned in the message you heard this Sunday? Talk about that. You know how many people are around you without hope? They don't believe in the God that you serve. They think Jesus is a clown and a joke because we make him that way. But all of us who are saved, all of us who have felt the grace and the power of God intersect your life at different points. Why are we not talking about these things? You know how many people need hope and they will find it in your testimony?

I was a prostitute and he changed my life. I was a hoe in the street and he changed my life. I was a drug dealer and robbing people at gunpoint in Queens and he changed my life. I was far away from God and he rescued me in a bathroom. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. He put me on the path of righteousness and purpose. I was and he did. I was and he did. I was and he did. I was and he did.

I was and he did. I was and he did. I was and he did I was and he did I was and he did over and over and over again that as they're reading my posts as I'm bragging at the family reunion, as I'm whispering things at the job, over and over and over they bump into me and testimonies keep leaking out of what Christ has done in my life. And all of the friends who I ran in the street.

All of the drug dealers I trafficked cocaine and weed with. All of them that are watching. And they keep seeing my posts. They keep hearing I was and he did. What do you think is happening? Confusion first. Curiosity next. Who is this God third? why aren't you spreading abroad your own testimonies

you ashamed listen to me if you're saved anything in your past has been weaponized it's under the blood and now it is a weapon for the glory of Christ. So I can say, yeah, I was a hoe. My breast was over there, and my coochie was over there, and this was over there. But when Jesus got a hold of my life. Now, we don't want to keep it real. You wasn't born on the altar. You liar. You was all over the place. But when Jesus got a hold of your life,

man, we're going to testify in this room. I was in church. I was in church on the choir and sleeping with the pastor. I knew what it was to be wild. I was far away from God. But when Christ got a hold of my life, I was religious, but when Christ got a hold of my life, I was a Mormon, but when Christ got a hold of my life, I was a five percenter, but when Christ got a hold of my life,

I was a Hebrew Israelite, but when Christ got a hold of my life, I was a Hebrew Israelite, but when Christ got a hold of my life, Philip Anthony Mitchell, I was in the nation of Islam, but Christ got a hold of my life. I was in the nation of Islam, bowing down five times a day to a false god, not eating pork until Christ got a hold of my life. When I put guns in people's face and said, give me that drawer, until Christ got a hold of my life.

When I was trafficking weight from Miami to North Carolina. Until Christ got a hold of my life. When I was running through women and raising my body count into the hundreds. Until Christ got a hold of my life. When I was pastor in a church for 10 years with vanity

in my heart. Until the Lord rang out all of my vanity. And changed the name to 2819. And gave me a brand new heart. When Christ got a hold of my life. He changed my life. He changed my life. And all you see bleeding out of me is the testimonies, testimonies,

testimonies of what Christ has done in my life. Watch. And what he's teaching me, I'm learning, I'm testifying. I'm realizing, I'm testifying. I'm realizing, I'm testifying. I'm surviving, I'm testifying. I'm being broken and rebuilt, I'm testifying.

I'm being snatched, I'm testifying. Ain't nobody going to shut me up. Somebody give him praise in this house. Praise God. I'll leave you with these three verses. Stay there, Frank. Psalm 96. One of my favorite psalms in the scriptures.

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord and bless his name. You can't do that being quiet. Watch this next word. Tell, tell, tell, tell, tell of his salvation from day to day. That is, keep testifying of everything the Lord is doing in your life. As he's taking you from season to season, glory to glory, tell of his salvation.

Verse 3, my favorite verse here. Declare, that's what I do boldly. Ain't nobody going to shut me up. Declare his watch. Glory among watch. The nations, his marvelous works among who? All the peoples. Declare, declare, declare.

Make Christ known. Make his testimonies known. Make the revelation from the scriptures that you're learning known. Testify, testify, testify. Testify, testify, testify. My prayer for you is you would stop being a coward. And you would stop using your social media for vanity. Don't nobody want to see your hips every post.

What is Christ doing in your life more important than your hips? God has given you influence on social media. He's given you influence at your job. He's given you influence in your community, family members and friends. And you're always around these people and you're always posting and people and you're always posting

and they hear nothing of value coming out of you. I pray today a spirit of evangelism fall on you that your mouth will catch fire and your fingers will catch fire and that after today you will keep testifying, testifying, testifying of what Christ has done in your life. He came, He lived, He died, He rose, He saved me. And this is what He has done in my life over and over and over again.

Testify. Testify. Father, in the name of Jesus, you better receive this. I ain't playing around. Father, I pray now over all of these under the sound

of my voice, wherever they go hear this message, all of these who have sound of my voice, wherever they go hear this message. All of these who have been saved by the power of the Holy Spirit. All of these whose names have been written in the book of life. All of these who have the testimony of passing from darkness to light. I pray now that you would ignite a flame of fire on the inside of them. Let it

burn through the word, burn through the spirit. I pray you would deliver us from sin and all manner of immorality that our witness would not be darkened by deeds done in the dark. But I pray you would empower us with a love for you,

a love for holiness, a love for righteousness, a hatred for all that is ungodly. You would open our eyes to see the times that we're living in and that you would make us your mouthpieces. You would make our fingers your fingers and we will post about you

and sing about you will post about you. And sing about you. And declare about you our Lord and Savior. Jesus, we will put you on display. Over and over and over again. Until you call us home. I pray fire fall on these mouths and these fingers. I pray fire fall on these mouths and on these fingers. In the mighty and the majestic and the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If you receive that, somebody give him praise in this room. Come on. Praise him. Come on, praise him. Praise him. Praise him. Somebody give him praise. Praise him. Is he worthy of your testimony? Give him praise.