Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] We're in a series right now.
[00:00:03] Life in the spirit. Life in the spirit. We've really been digging into this idea that God's desire, I believe, his plan of salvation, all that God desires to do ultimately, is he's building a family.
[00:00:22] His method of saving you is not just to die for your sins and give you fire insurance. His means of salvation was actually to bring you into the family. You've been adopted. You've been received as his own children, and it's a big deal. And so when we go and we make an appeal to others, hey, be born again, it's not just be rescued from sin and hell, although that's a huge part of it, but it's coming to the family of God.
[00:00:57] This is where we've been pulling from romans chapter eight and verse 14. This is what it says.
[00:01:02] For as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
[00:01:09] You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption. By whom we cry Abba. Father.
[00:01:21] The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, oh, my goodness. We are heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with him, we will be glorified, that we may also be glorified together. Look at verse 18.
[00:01:47] For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us. Now jump down to verse 28. Most of you probably know this part by heart.
[00:02:06] We know all things work together for good. To those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose, for whom God foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of. I know there's a lot of big words to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, that Jesus might be the firstborn amongst many brethren. That's us. Moreover, whom he predestined, he called. And those whom he called, he justified. Those whom he justified, he glorified. Wow. Come on. We're pressing towards glory. We're pressing towards identity. We're pressing towards sonship. And God has that for you. Let's pray. And let's ask Holy Spirit to minister this word to us today. Lord, I thank you for your word. I thank you that it is light, it's life, it's instruction, it's correction where we need it. And God, I'm asking that today your word would accomplish all that you desire it to. This idea of identity, heirs with an inheritance, being born as children, as sons and daughters of the most high God. I pray that this would be so much more than theology, so much more than teaching, so much more than an idea. Let it be a reality that permeates our heart and changes our lives. Come on, church. I want you to pray for a mighty anointing to be released if you have the liberty. Pray with your spirit. Pray with your understanding. Ask the Lord to come and saturate this place right now. Holy spirit, we ask you to come. We ask you to fill this place by your might and by your power. In the name of Jesus, I pray God, that you would anoint each and every heart. Give us eyes that see, ears that hear, a heart and a mind that perceives what the spirit. Spirit is speaking on the authority of scripture. On Matthew, 1818. I bind the works of the enemy. He who would seek to distract, to distort, to confuse or uproot the word as it comes forward. Give us liberty. Give us freedom in receiving your word today. In Jesus name I pray. And everybody say amen. You may be seated.
[00:04:22] Oh, my.
[00:04:24] I hope this. Have we got our livestream? Is it God? Back and running? Are we there? Very good. Okay.
[00:04:30] Welcome those who are online. Sorry, we lost you for a minute there.
[00:04:35] I want to deal with today we're continuing our series, life in the spirit. And the big idea that I really want us walking away with is the fact that you and I have not just been saved merely for the purpose of I'm gonna die one day and go to heaven. I praise God for that reality, but the fact of the matter is, I shared last week that the world is literally crying out, where are the sons of God? Where are the daughters of God? Not just people who get their fire insurance, and we're just gonna coast through life until I go into glory. I praise God for that reality, but I'm telling you, we got some work to do in the world today. We got some work to do in the world today. Believers are crying out. This is why I believe people enjoy coming to this church. This is why I saw it coming out of a baptist background, why I went to a charismatic school, because I saw people that burned for something more than what I had or what I even understood at the time. There was a groan on the inside of me that even though I didn't know how to put words to it at the time, I knew there was more. I knew there was more. The Bible even continues, and this is all last week's message, but the Bible continues and says that there's actually a groan, even from the spirit of God himself to bring us into this reality that there is more. The world, the church, the spirit of God is crying out, where are the sons and daughters of the most high God? This is what Jesus wants to move us into. You see, I had a wonderful. Just. I was blessed this last Tuesday. I came. I actually got to minister for our youth, which I don't often do, but I got to come in as a guest speaker and help them with their purity series. They gave rings, and it was an awesome time. But to be honest, my favorite part wasn't the part that I shared in the service. My favorite part wasn't even the pizza and the stuff that they did that night. My favorite part was when I walked into the service and my son and my daughter are on stage and they're leading worship, watching my son play the guitar and sing, watching my daughter sing. And not only were they skilled musicians, but I'm watching how there's an anointing and the presence of God is moving, and it's creating and cultivating an atmosphere in the place. And I'm just sitting there and I'm like. I'm just. I'm a proud dad, right? I'm watching, and I. You know, I started my son on the journey of music about two years ago, bought him a guitar and just began him down that, and now he's gone further. He's better. I mean, I can't even play the piano, but he's taken that musicianship and even gone to the next level with it. And I look at him and I'm like, that's me in my son. I'm watching my daughter, and she's barking orders and telling everybody what they're supposed to do and where they're supposed to be. And I'm like, oh, that's my wife. I see her, there she is. And I'm looking. And my kids, they reflect the identity of their parents. And I'm telling you, it's a joy for me to begin to see those things more and more as time goes on. Like, they carry the qualities that. That mom and dad do. And I believe that what God desires to do in us is not just for us to look to Jesus as the son of God, as the model for everything God desires to do in the earth, but for us to behold the Lord. Second Corinthians 318, and to be transformed into his glorious image so that as we grow into Jesus, people will actually begin to look at us and they say, you know, when I see you, I see Jesus. When I see you, I see the nature of the father God being lived through your life. When we pray for individuals who have cancer and they're recovering, we know that that's not my attributes, that's not my family line, but it's the divine nature that I'm now privileged to be a partaker, a receiver, and a releaser of. It's the God stuff.
[00:09:05] And so I want to give you guys some.
[00:09:09] Some theology today, because I actually, I was sharing these ideas last week, and I had a young man just began ywam. He's a student from South Korea. I don't know if he's here today, but he came up to me after the service last week, and he says, pastor Jacob, I have to ask you what you're describing and what you're preaching to us is this theosis? How many of you have ever heard that word theosis? Nobody? Okay, good. So, like, three of you? Okay, fine. So it's good that I'm gonna talk about this. And I'm like, whoa, we've got a theologian in the house. And that kind of stuff excites me.
[00:09:47] You see, understand, like, as a pastor, what I do is I begin to study and I dissect, and I'm pulling together doctrines and theology. But it's, you know, it's kind of like a watch. There's a lot of moving pieces and hardware and software that goes into this watch. But at the end of the day, I like it to just work, and it looks nice. And that's what I try and present to you guys. I've got a lot of theology and doctrine that is in the inner workings of my message. But by the time I come to you, I just. I want it in a way that you can receive it and be blessed by it, and it looks. And it sounds good in a way that you can understand. But this is for those who want to dive deeper into this whole idea. It is. It's a doctrine that we would call theosis.
[00:10:37] If you search for it, you'll also see another phrase. They would call it deification, the idea of becoming like God. That term deification is much more controversial because it really conveys the idea that we can truly be like God. So I actually prefer the term deification just because it is controversial. And I like to make people like, wait, what did you just say? Wait, we can actually be like God? Absolutely. I think that we can. The simple idea is that as we behold the Lord, we are being transformed into his glorious image, and we look and look more like him. And this, by the way, is not a new doctrine. This is actually a very old doctrine. It's one of the original doctrines. Most of you are familiar with a man of God by the name of John the apostle or John the Beloved. John started a number of churches. He actually was the bishop over seven churches that you can read about in the book of revelation. He was the bishop of Ephesus, but he oversaw a number of different churches. And you can read that revelation, chapter two and three. One of the pastors he installed over the church of Smyrna, everybody say Smyrna.
[00:11:58] I don't know why I have you say that. It's just fun. But he installed a guy by the name of Polycarp. This was a spiritual son of John the beloved. He installs Polycarp and polycarp, then begins to raise up disciples and pastors. And he has a spiritual son by the name of Irenaeus. Irenaeus is the one who actually came up with the term theosis, or deification. He has this idea now he's watching firsthand. It's like, you know, even at youth, I was introduced to a young man who, comma, introduced as my spiritual grandson.
[00:12:37] And I'm like, what are you talking about? And he's like, well, comma, is a spiritual son of mine. But Kama's also running school programs and creating disciples and leading people to the Lord. And he introduced me to one of his spiritual sons this last Tuesday, who's, I guess, a spiritual grandson of mine. So I'm a grandpa, praise God. But you know what's neat? As I was meeting this young man and just conversing with him for a few moments, I began to say, man, you tick with some of the same things that I do. You say some of the same things that I do. Why? Because he's now coming out of the same spiritual DNA and heritage. That's why some of you will hear me. And you're thinking, in fact, I had somebody in the first service who came up to me and says, you know what? You were sharing, Pastor Jacob, I've heard doctor Morocco talk about this, and they begin to explain, like, I can see how you're his spiritual son and why. Because I'm in the DNA. I'm in that family. So I need you to understand, like these guys, Irenaeus is watching John the beloved. They're watching these miracle workers, and they're watching, and he begins to form. Like, how did John do the God stuff? How did John operate the way that he did. Because even as I was talking with this young man from South Korea about theosis, and he begins, of course, here's the questions. Like, okay, so we can become like God.
[00:14:04] But it kind of goes into, you know, you're like, we gotta be careful with this, right? Because I will never be as God as God is. Right? You better say amen to that. I will never be as much God as God is. I will never be as Jesus as Jesus is. But, boy, my goal is to be as much like him as I absolutely can. And that's what theosis. That's what this process of deification is. I'm becoming more and more and more like him. Him. And so as we're talking, he's like, but. But what's the line with humility? You know, how do we make sure that we're not exalted above measure? That's a good question, isn't it? Well, here's what I say. The way that we're transformed is you behold the Lord in his glory. You're looking at Jesus, and as you're looking at Jesus, you're becoming more and more like him. Here's the thing. Always keep your eyes on Jesus. Always keep your eyes on Jesus. But can I just submit something to you? And I'm gonna stretch some of your thinking here today, because I would submit to you.
[00:15:14] We have fallen miserably short of the standard that I believe we can live in.
[00:15:23] I believe we have fallen miserably short. We have not even begun to come close. We're so worried about not being exalted above measure. Friend. I'm just telling you, I don't even think that we're. I don't even think we're close. I don't even think we're in the neighborhood. And here's part of why I think that. I was reading in the Book of Acts, chapter 14 this last week, Paul and Barnabas are on a mission trip, and the Bible talks about how God was pouring out his spirit in a mighty way. He was preaching with a authority, and the Bible says, was granting them mighty signs and wonders. One thing you'll notice about Paul and his ministry is everywhere he went, he had a revival, and he had a riot, and they got upset about his authority. They got upset about the miracles. They kick him out of town. So he goes right on to the next town, and again he stands up, and he's preaching with authority.
[00:16:19] The Bible says that Paul discerned there was a man who was lame, and he discerned that the man had faith to be healed. And so he looks at the man and he says, you, sir, on your feet. Stand on your feet. And the Bible says that strength entered the man. He stood on his feet, and he who was paralyzed from birth was restored immediately.
[00:16:44] And you know what happened? I want you to read this because this is a trip, man, and this will mess with some of you. Verse eleven. Acts, chapter 14.
[00:16:54] When the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the lasian language, the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.
[00:17:11] Has anybody ever observed your prayers, your ministry, and accused you of being God and attempted to worship you? No.
[00:17:21] Why? Because we're not even close to what these guys are doing. I'm just. And watch. Barnabas, they called Zeus, and Paul, they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.
[00:17:32] The priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen Garland to the gate, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes. They ran in amongst the multitude, crying out, why are you doing this? We're just men like you. We preach, turn away from useless gods. Turn away from these and turn to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea. And, friend, I'm just telling you, if we understood what these guys did, they were looking so Christ like that. People literally were ready to worship them, and they had to convince them, no, I'm just a regular person like you are.
[00:18:21] I want you to raise your vision. I want you to raise your expectation of what God is able to do. Peter had to do this. You understand? In acts chapter three, he's walking into daily prayers. He's a lame man. I don't have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give to you. You know what? He had the divine nature. He had the God stuff. And he says, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And the man stood on his feet. Strength entered his body, leaping and jumping and praising God. And what happened? Peter had to convince them. Why are you looking at me as if it was my godliness or my power that raised up? I'm a regular dude. He had to convince people that he wasn't God. He had to convince people he was a regular person. Are you hearing me on this? Acts 28. The apostle Paul is ministering on an island, and he heals the mayor and he heals. I mean, the entire island gets healed. They have a mighty revival. Then he gets bit by a snake and he shakes the snake into the fire. And the people expected that he was going to die, but he doesn't. So you know what they decided? Paul was, well, he must be God. And again, I'm telling over and over and over again, the apostles were having to convince people, hey, I'm not God. I'm people. I'm just a person just like you are, friend. My point is this.
[00:20:07] I believe Jesus has invited us into sonship. I believe, according to Peter, that we can be partakers of the divine nature we're receiving and we're releasing the God stuff in and through our lives. And I believe, and honestly, I think it's a, I think it's an attempt of Satan to undermine this. We have this like false humility thing. Well, I could never be all that, friend. Stop it. I think the fact that we've shied away from some of these doctrines, it's the reason why the world is looking in. And they're not. They're not accusing us of being gods.
[00:20:43] They're saying, I know atheists who are better people than you.
[00:20:47] I know heathens who are more moral than you. I know worldly people who are more generous than you. And it's backwards. I feel like if we would grab hold of this God, what is it to be your son? What is it to be your daughter? What is it to be a partaker of your divine nature? What is it to be transformed into your glorious image that I literally begin to look and be inside and out like Jesus?
[00:21:16] This is what God desires to move us towards. And I'm telling you, if you understand your identity, your integrity won't be a problem. If you understand your identity, power won't be a problem. If you understand your identity, loving your neighbor, loving your enemy, it will not be a problem. Because his nature, his virtue, his goodness is flowing through you.
[00:21:44] Are you hearing me today? Okay, that was my introduction. Okay. Now let me highlight something in every one of those stories that I referenced, and I'm still doing great on time, praise God. Every one of those stories that I mentioned. Can I just highlight something to you? Because how many of you even hearing me preach like this, you're like, wow, that's awesome. I want to see some lame people rise. I want to see revival in cities. I want to. Man, if a snake bites me, I want to come through it and people glorify God. How many of you like, I want to see the God stuff. Okay. Yeah, me too.
[00:22:19] There's a caveat.
[00:22:23] Suffering.
[00:22:28] As I said, the apostle Paul, everywhere he went, experienced revival and riot.
[00:22:37] Paul and Barnabas, the gods have come down. The end of that story in that city was these guys get drug outside and stoned to death. God raises them up, glory to God. But they suffered.
[00:22:52] Peter convinces them, I'm not God, I'm a regular man just like you. Next thing you read, they're bringing him in court and they're throwing him in jail. The apostle Paul, yes, saw the glory of God in revival on Malta, but he also had some snakebites. Praise God.
[00:23:12] There is. So we read this a moment ago. Romans, chapter eight and verse 17. If we are children, we are heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. You have access to the same stuff Jesus did, if indeed we suffer with him. Everybody say suffer.
[00:23:34] You guys said that better than the first service did. People didn't want to even say the word.
[00:23:40] I'm not going to have an altar call and pray an impartation of suffering.
[00:23:46] But how many know, as long as we're in a fallen world that's dominated by sin, as long as we're living in fallen bodies where things go right and wrong and all, how many understand suffering will come in this life?
[00:23:58] As you're a light that is displaying the glory of God, there will be people who despise the light. Jesus said, if it happened to me, it will happen to you. And so you don't have to pray for suffering. You don't have to invite suffering. God, give me a grace for suffering. You don't have to do any of that. Suffering will come. But this is what he says. I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. So let me just. Let me just tag this and say, don't just believe for God to bring you through suffering. And wow, I'm glad I endured the trial, friend, you better be looking for an increase in glory in your life. You better be looking for God. I have gone through this suffering, but what's the God stuff that you're producing in me? How do I look more like you on the other side of this trial, in this suffering than before I went into it. I want you to write this down. I've got three declarations for us, and these are things you can take. They're my points, but they're declarations for you in your life as well.
[00:25:10] God is working for my good.
[00:25:16] God is working for my good.
[00:25:22] We read this in verse 28. We know all things work together for good. Everybody say all things.
[00:25:30] That means the good stuff. God is working for good. Praise God. This is a blessing from the Lord, but also the bad stuff that breaks out in your life. Guess what? God can turn it for good. He's turning all things, working all things together for good. God is working for my good. Come on, tell your neighbor. God's working for my good.
[00:26:00] All things work for good.
[00:26:03] If.
[00:26:06] If you love God.
[00:26:09] This is a big if, by the way. All things will work for good if you love God and are walking according to his calling and purpose. Because I'm just going to tell you, you're going to meet some people that are in rebellion to God. You're going to meet people that have heard the call of God but are running from the call of God, and all hell is breaking loose in their life, and they think God is not good. And God's not turning things for good because my life is getting worse. Friend, you must love God if you want all things to work for good. You must love him and do your best to walk according to his call and his purpose in your life. And if you do this, I tell you on the authority of scripture, God will work all things for your good.
[00:26:56] My wife and I mentioned it, I think, a week or two ago.
[00:27:00] We just celebrated our 19th Valentine's day together. And it was wonderful. We got to sit down. In fact, our first date ever was Valentine's day 19 years ago. And. And she goes into Valentine's, our Valentine's date, telling me about the kids that she wants to have. Praise God. That's a good thing to open up with, by the way, if you're just going on a first date, I want to have kids.
[00:27:29] But I got to tell you, I'm the one who opened this whole thing because I began. I started the whole date with, listen, I'm not just going to date you like to just have fun, do some casual thing just to hang out. If I'm dating you, it's going to be with the intention of marrying you. And I began to talk about what I felt like God's calling was on my life. And then she began to share how some of the dreams and desires that she had complemented what I felt like God was calling me to do. And so we've been running together ever since then. We have been loving the Lord and keeping him at the center of our marriage. We've got amazing children who love and honor God. We've lived our entire lives attempting to stay right in the center of God's will.
[00:28:18] And can I just tell you, 19 years of celebrating with one another. I can honestly say it has gotten better and better and better. Even seasons that were challenging and times that have been difficult, I can truly stand and say for 19 years, God is good. And he turns everything, the good, the bad, the frustrating, the challenging, the faith, all of it has worked for good. When the Bible says that we're being transformed from glory to glory to glory, I'm telling you, I stand as a witness that that is true. Go talk to some people after the service. Some of these who have gray hair, some of these who've been walking with the Lord for many years, and ask them, hey, you've loved the Lord, and you've done your best to serve and honor him. Ask them, has God really turned things for good? I'm telling you on the authority of scripture, God truly does turn things for good. Now, you know what I've never heard? I've never heard the person. Man, ever since I started smoking ice, my life has just gotten better and better.
[00:29:34] I've never heard that testimony.
[00:29:37] I've never heard the person. You know, when I started that extramarital affair, boy, all of my relay, it just got better and better and better. You never heard that?
[00:29:47] You've never heard the person. You know, when I started taking money from my business, you know, stealing just a little, that was really the thing I needed to get ahead in life. And it's just been good ever since then. You've never heard that? You've never heard that testimony? God will turn all things for good. Good.
[00:30:07] If you love him, and if you're walking according to his call and his purpose, is there anybody in the house that could testify? That's true, pastor. That's true. I'm a witness. God has turned my life for good. God's turned the bad and the good, and he's worked it all for good. Glory to glory. To glory. Praise God. Our present troubles. Second Corinthians, 417.
[00:30:32] Our present troubles are small.
[00:30:38] Whatever you're going through is small, and it won't last very long.
[00:30:46] Some of you need to take that and just chew on that this week. That thing that's frustrating you, that trial you're walking through, your present troubles are small, and they won't last long, but they produce for us glory that vastly outweighs the trouble and will last forever. Oh, my goodness. Don't just endure the trial. Look for the glory that's on the other side of that trial, my friend. In fact, I. You know, I heard a pastor say. He said, my favorite bible passage is, it came to pass.
[00:31:29] Amen.
[00:31:33] And it came to pass.
[00:31:36] That trouble that's come into your life. It came to pass. It will pass, my friend. It will not last forever.
[00:31:46] Oh, my goodness. It came to pass. You ought to make that a life verse over your life. It came to pass. Praise God. He's turning all things for good. Now, continuing on, verse 29, whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now pause there. I know I gave you some theosis, some theology and all of that at the beginning. I'm not going to get hung up on predestination today.
[00:32:21] I've had a lot of hours of debate with that, and it's fascinating stuff. It's fun.
[00:32:25] You can dig into that. Do a Bible study with Minister Adele. That's fine. And she'll help you reason through all of that. She's our resident theologian.
[00:32:33] I don't know. She's probably wondering, what are you talking about, Pastor Jacob? Anyway, that's fun stuff. But I'm honestly, I'm not so concerned about the doctrine of predestination and whether God's lined everything up and he's making it, or God from the outside saw everything and he's watching it. I don't. I'm not here to reason through that kind of stuff, but here's what I do know. In love, God has predestined us for what? That's what I want to know. God, you have a plan for my life. And what is that plan? I want you to write this down. Number two. God is conforming me into his image and family.
[00:33:15] God is conforming me into his image and his family. This is what it said, whom he foreknew he predestined. Let's talk about you. To be conformed to the image of his son. He wants you to look like his son, that he, Jesus, might be the firstborn among many brethren. John one says that Jesus is the only begotten of the father. But I need you to understand that as the ministry of Jesus plays out, Jesus is not the only son of God.
[00:33:52] The very same chapter says that those who believe he gave the right to become children of God. This says that his son might be the firstborn amongst many brethren, that Jesus was the first. Now, again, we'll be safe with this. You'll never be as God as Jesus is God. You will never be as Jesus as Jesus is Jesus.
[00:34:20] Can you quote me on that? Okay, but Jesus is the firstborn amongst many brethren, many brothers, many sisters who look like him. So he is conforming you into his image and family. Now, I was very particular about how I worded this, because that word conforming is very interesting. It's not transform.
[00:34:47] It is not. He's forming you. No, he is conforming. You see, forming means that he takes you and he's remaking you. Transforming means he takes what you are and is refiguring you into something new. Now, the Bible does talk about being transformed by the renewing of your mind. You are being transformed.
[00:35:11] But when you're being integrated into God's family, when you are becoming his son, I need you to understand that's not transformation. It's conformation. You are being conformed into his image and his likeness. In fact, the greek word there is the greek word some morphos, if you want to write it down, it's s u m, some morphos, m o r p h o s. It means to be jointly formed. It means to be conformed to or fashioned like unto. And you may recognize, even as you look at the words there, some morphos starts with some.
[00:35:53] And anybody who's participating in math or works with numbers, you understand some means you're adding stuff together, and this is the sum. You are being added, added to the body of Christ. You're being added to Jesus, and he begins to morph you. This is why you should get baptized, by the way, because it's literally the picture of you being immersed, added to the body of Christ. And then he begins to morph you as you become one with Jesus.
[00:36:28] Well, this is powerful. This is. I hope you guys are getting this. Like, some of you gonna get this, and people are going to start accusing you. Are you God? Are you God? Like, for real? I hope that I hear, pastor, it happened. I walked in. Everybody got healed. Everybody. And somebody like, are you God? And I had to tell him, no, no, no. Turn away from that worthless idea. There's a living God. Let me tell you about him. Some of you are going to come out of the prayer room with your face glowing because you're so carrying the presence and the manifest glory of God. Like, I'm starting to ask Leah now when I come out of prayer. I asked her yesterday when I came out of study in prayer, is my face glowing?
[00:37:07] And I'm not joking about it. Like, I'm like, and if Moses face could glow under an inferior covenant, why are we expecting less?
[00:37:21] He couldn't even look at God in his glory and live. But the Bible says, I'm getting ahead of myself. But let me just tell you. You know what Jesus said, father, you gave me your glory.
[00:37:33] It's John 17.
[00:37:35] I give them the glory you gave me, the stuff that would have killed Moses to even look upon.
[00:37:46] Jesus has blown the door so wide open that his glory can dwell in you.
[00:38:02] The firstborn among many brethren.
[00:38:05] The firstborn. Some of your faces are going to start glowing. Why? Because you are being added to, and you are being morphed into the very image of Jesus. So listen. What it is to come to Christ. It's not that. You know what I'm going to give you? Yeah, I've got sin in my life, and here's this brokenness, and here's this mess, and I'm going to. Okay, I'm going to give that to you, Jesus. But that's not what it is.
[00:38:30] You being added to Christ is not just taking the worst parts of you and bringing it under the blood of Jesus. No, it's taking everything about you.
[00:38:40] Not only your mess and your failure and your sin and your shortcoming, but your dreams and your desires and your gifts and your talents and your. And your name and your legacy and your everything, saying, all of this, God, receive it into yourself and all of this morph into something that resembles you.
[00:39:07] You understand? That changes. That changes everything. See, I had this evangelist thing that was burning on the inside of me, but I used it to sell drugs.
[00:39:18] God didn't take that away from me. He morphed it into something that he desires to use. I'm not peddling drugs any longer. Now I'm compelling. People come to Jesus, and people are saying, wow, I do want that. Oh, you should experience this, man. It's the best you take and redirect. Why? Because that's who I am. And, yes, the devil tried to pervert that gift in my life, but I took that. Even the gifts and my persuasion and my words and all of these things, I brought it to Jesus, and now he's morphing me. That what I'm doing, it resembles him. And I see that in you. I see that when people lead worship. I see it when my kids are playing instruments. I see it when people greet you at the doors and people serve. And I. Man, when we go and watch people like Heidi Baker. I mean, you want to talk about someone who's glowing, somebody who understands their identity, multiplying food and all that. Like, what is that? And why do people flock to hear a woman of God like that?
[00:40:22] Because she's a partaker of the divine nature. You get around somebody like that, and it's like, I see Jesus.
[00:40:32] That's not a Heidi Baker call, that's a sons and daughters call.
[00:40:38] I'm contending there are people, and we build ministries and they have names, and that's wonderful. But I'm just telling you, I don't think that that was God's original intent.
[00:40:49] All who would believe.
[00:40:52] All who would believe he's given the right to be sons and daughters of God? All of us.
[00:41:01] All of us.
[00:41:04] This will change the way you look at people, by the way.
[00:41:08] It'll change the way you look at people.
[00:41:11] That's why I get excited when Kama puts out a podcast.
[00:41:14] I'm serious.
[00:41:16] I'm serious. You know, some people may think, you know what, who's comma putting out a podcast? He's only. How old are you, Kama? 17.
[00:41:24] He's only 17. You know, I'm looking at this and I'm like, no, he's got glory in him.
[00:41:32] I'm watching, he did this interview with DJ and jazz, and I'm like, I was listening to it and I was just smiling. I'm like, these are like my kids, man. And I was just so happy listening to all of them give. It's all glory. And I'm just like, man, this is awesome. Now, why? This is where people get this critical thing on the inside of them, because they're usually, well, you know, you're too young for that. You're too whatever for that. You're not. I'm looking and I'm saying, no, there's greatness in you. There's an anointing in you. People need to hear this testimony. I'm telling, I look at, I look at strung out drug addicts on the road, and I begin to wonder, like, God, what's the treasure that you're calling out of this person?
[00:42:17] Predestined? That means God has a picture of what their sonship and identity looks like way before they repent, way before they come into the church. God's got an idea for their life.
[00:42:27] So what I'm praying is, God, can you show me the treasure?
[00:42:32] Can you give me a glimpse of the glory you're going to produce in their lives?
[00:42:37] Oh, my friend, I hope you look at yourself different, and I hope you begin to look at other people differently. This is what God desires to do. Hallelujah. Thank you for bringing me a sweat rag. Praise God.
[00:42:51] I had somebody after the first service come and grab this because it's like Paul's handkerchiefs and apron and, you know, and people laughed when I even mentioned that. But it's like. It's the God stuff. When will we start believing for the God stuff? I'm a partaker of the divine nature. Oh, man. You know what he's conforming us to? We're gonna. We're gonna look like Jesus.
[00:43:15] Okay? I need to move on. I need to move on. By the way, I don't have time for this. Okay, number three.
[00:43:25] Number three.
[00:43:28] God has created me for glory.
[00:43:32] God again, I phrased these as declarations that you can make over yourself over this next week. And I want you to begin to do this. God has created me for glory in the same way that Jesus is the express image of God. Do you understand that? You and I are imaging God everywhere we are go. And this is God's desire for us. This is the verse that I quoted just a few minutes ago. John, 1721. I pray. Jesus is praying for you, by the way. That they may be one as you and I are one. You are in me, Father. I am in you. May they be in us so the world may believe you sent me.
[00:44:23] I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. Do you get the picture?
[00:44:36] Jesus is praying, I'm in you, Father, and you're in me. And there's glory.
[00:44:44] But the glory that I have, I'm asking, Father, give it to them.
[00:44:50] The same glory you have given me, I give to them that they may also be in you.
[00:45:00] And I'm in them. And the spirit's in them, and it's on them. You see this. This wonderful. There's another theology word, perichoresis. It literally means this, like, circle dance of the father, son, and holy spirit. And you get integrated into that. Like, we're just in the flow of what God is doing, and we're just moving with him. Oh, this excites me, my. I. Like. You ever just feel like I'm raptured right now? That's what I feel like. It's just.
[00:45:29] Is my face glowing? I just.
[00:45:33] I just. I'm telling you guys, if we would just. If we would get this. This is why hunja gets healed of brain cancer. I'm just. I'm just telling you. That's why people come in on Thursday nights and the devil gets broken off their back. That's why. That's why Heidi Baker can lay hands on comma. He's out under the power of God for 3 hours. What is that?
[00:45:55] That's the God stuff. It's not Heidi. It's not pastor Jacob it's not our deliverance team. It's the God stuff. We're becoming partakers. And, oh, if we would just believe it.
[00:46:07] God's created you for glory.
[00:46:10] He's created you for glory.
[00:46:14] Worship team, if you'll come, I'm going to close with this story.
[00:46:18] Matthew.
[00:46:21] Matthew, chapter 20.
[00:46:25] I want to change the way that you think because some of you are still clinging to this. Yeah, but we got to be humble. Pastor Jacob yeah, but we got to think low. Pastor JACOB no, like, until people start accusing you of being God because of the stuff that's flowing out of your life.
[00:46:41] Believe her more.
[00:46:44] In Matthew 20, there's two guys named James and John, and they're starting an argument with the other disciples. They're arguing with the twelve over who's the greatest, who's the greatest disciple, who's the best disciple. I don't know how they were trying to measure that, like, by the caliber of miracles or who knows Jesus the best. I really don't know what they're, what they're, you know, how they were trying to prove that they were the best, but they literally, they were arguing over who the best was.
[00:47:20] Well, James and John, they're brothers, by the way. And their mom hears about this conversation that they're having, and she, like a good mama, goes to Jesus. Are you guys familiar with this story? She goes to Jesus in Matthew 20, and she says, jesus, when you're seated in heaven in your eternal throne, would you allow my boys to sit next to you?
[00:47:57] I get stirred with this man, one on your right and one on your left.
[00:48:02] You know, the other disciples, the other ten, I'm sure. Judas, who you think you are, you know, Jesus did not rebuke them.
[00:48:13] Read the story.
[00:48:16] Jesus did not rebuke them. The other disciples got mad. There was criticism, but Jesus, Jesus did not rebuke them.
[00:48:24] He essentially said, yes, you want to know how you're going to be great?
[00:48:31] Serve.
[00:48:34] It doesn't mean you have a low view of yourself. How many know? Jesus is the king of kings and he's a servant to all.
[00:48:41] The reason Jesus is exalted, high and lifted up, gave his life as a ransom for many. He came to serve us all. He's still at the right hand of the father, praying for you, still serving. It's the nature of the kingdom. And he needed his disciples to understand that you can be great. James and John. Yeah, Mama, yes, they can be great right next to me.
[00:49:11] But they gotta be like me.
[00:49:13] They have to serve like I serve.
[00:49:16] He asks them, are you willing to drink the cup that I'm going to drink of? They say, yes.
[00:49:25] Suffering goes back to what I was preaching. I'm going to share in glory that we'll be suffering along the way. It's part of it.
[00:49:34] Disciples get mad, but I'm just. I'm telling you, Jesus answered their request. How do we know you can read prior to that? John is close. John is the beloved. But after that conversation, you see what we, everybody calls the inner circle. It's not only Peter, but it's who else? James and John, they were elevated because they were crazy enough to believe I could have a throne, too.
[00:50:07] I could be great, too.
[00:50:10] Jesus says, yeah, serve.
[00:50:14] Yeah, you can. If you'll drink what I drink, you'll be great.
[00:50:22] And they were.
[00:50:25] God has that for us.
[00:50:28] He's extending. Feel the presence of God. He's extending an invitation for every single person within the sound of my voice. I'm just telling you, it's not just for the noteworthy apostles and evangelists and whoever of the day. I honor them and I celebrate them. But, like, I really believe that Kama could be a Heidi Baker type person.
[00:50:53] I really believe that.
[00:50:56] I really believe that.
[00:51:00] Watching my daughter just lean in and watch this. This woman, I'm like, uh oh, my daughter's gonna come home and tell me she wants to go to Mozambique. I just know it.
[00:51:12] And that's, if that's what she does, that's okay, because she can be like that. And even more.
[00:51:23] Heidi's not even the standard, you understand?
[00:51:26] Your favorite revivalist, your favorite evangelist is not the standard.
[00:51:31] Jesus demonstrated what it is to be the son of God, but not the only one.
[00:51:40] He's given us the right to be his sons and daughters.
[00:51:43] He's the firstborn amongst many brethren.
[00:51:48] So our first time guests.
[00:51:52] You get to do the Jesus stuff?
[00:51:58] We get to do the Jesus stuff.
[00:52:04] These guys have a great song, and it declares exactly what I've been preaching today. Can we just stand right now? Take a minute to behold the Lord.
