Discipleship in Being in Divine Alignment/Growth & Sustainability
Sunday, January 22, 2023 – RECAP/Study Points
This scripture is what I gave to my sons and daughters, and I want you to confess and profess it over your lives.
Psalms 27:1 (KJV) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
You can actually attach Psalms 91 (KJV) to it. This is part of your insurance policy.
v.2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. v.3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear…Shout: “No fear here! Faith over fear!”…though war shall rise against me, in this will I be confident. v4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the (principles) of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
One word for house or home is resources or foundation. Family, of course, you know that, but resources. I will dwell in the resources; I will dwell in the foundation because your home is your foundation. It’s the place where you were supposed to receive principles of God’s Word and practices that will cause you to prosper.
v.5 For in the time of trouble…how many of you know that God will be with you in trouble? Get in trouble and find out. He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the secret places of His tabernacle, He shall hide me. He shall set me upon a rock. v6. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me. Therefore, I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
Put that up somewhere. Decree and declare that over your children. It would be pretty advantageous/profitable for you to confess that word over your children. I see husbands at home with their bible and their phone in their hand on their children, “The Lord is my light and my salvation….” You see that? Let me give you to practice this because that’s what we’re doing throughout the year. The overarching theme of this ministry is Prioritizing, Practicing, and Perfecting the Plan. That’s what we’re doing, and I’m laying out, week after week, the plan.
[Last Sunday] Pastor Parsons said that he at one time believed that 1/3 of Jesus’ ministry was concerning healing. And then he said that later on, he found out that 1/2 of Jesus’ ministry was healing? He went from 1/3 to half. Well, I want to address something about the progression of revelation. It’s important that revelation continues to grow in you, and you see more than you’ve seen before. Now once you’ve exhausted a principle, that’s one thing. But you’ll never be able to exhaust revelation because revelation wants to give more and more. And God is the God of more and more. Say “Amen” to that.
Well, I discovered on last week when he said, that you grow or develop faith. Some of you said “Amen”. There’s nothing wrong with you saying amen; maybe you haven’t been around, and sometimes, quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, we get to places where we just organically say things. I just wanted to make a correction concerning that statement because you don’t develop faith. Faith is never developed. Your faith will never grow. There’s no such thing as great faith or little faith.
Although we see it in the scripture, and we’ll take the time if you want to go over it with me privately or personally, we’ll have a class. Maybe I’ll address it this evening at the Night Cap. I think that’ll be a good subject matter. What grows or what is little is your understanding of the faith that He’s already given. The Bible says for God has dealt “the” measure of faith. “The” measure, connoting or denoting a definite article when you’re referring to “the” stands alone; it’s one. Like “the goat.” Any English majors in here? Well, then, I could be right. Go check it out, don’t just take my word for anything. So when you say “the,” it’s set apart; it’s in a class by itself. “The best,” there can’t be anything above that, like “the Lord,” He stands alone, all by Himself. He doesn’t need any of us to be who He is. We need to be with Him to be who we are. So, He’s dealt to us “the” one measure of faith.
Now, germane to, or relative to, great, little, small, whatever adjective, it’s predicated on your understanding. Because there are some people who have great understanding of what they have, there are some people who have no understanding of what they have, and it’s obvious, it’s evident. It’s indicative of how you live. Like there were eleven of us on that ECMO machine, and ten died. Undoubtedly the other ten being on the ECMO, the doctors gave their family the same information they gave my family. My family had an understanding of faith. I’m not saying what any other family had. I’m just saying by the fruits of things. So, when the Dr. told Dr. DeeDee he’s a dead man, Dr. DeeDee said, “You’re a liar.” He shall not die but live.
Let me help you with something, shout this would you for me please, “I already have, in me right now, mountain-moving faith, the raising of the dead kind of faith, the opening of blind eyes kind of faith, debt cancellation faith.” However, ladies and gentlemen, if you don’t understand what you have, it won’t appear as though you have anything. My people are destroyed, and they perish for the lack of knowledge. Even when you don’t understand, if you follow someone who understands, you’re still alright. Ok, Pastor Dewayne, because you led me to hear what the late, great Dr. Miles Monroe has stated, “When you don’t understand the purpose of a thing, abuse is inevitable.”
Pastor Dewayne:
When you don’t understand a thing, we can tell it in your usage of a thing.
I can look at your usage of a thing, and I can tell if you understand it. Just like some people with their cell phones. Lisa had a cell phone, and we were out one day, and I said, “Hey, take that picture right there.” And she was like, “with what?” and I said, “With your phone. You’ve got a camera on there.” To this day, I will ask her something, and she does not mess around with her phone like that. My father-in-law has an iPhone and the only thing he knows is to how to answer the phone and make a phone call. He’s got an iPhone 13, there are a lot of things that he can do with the phone but because he doesn’t understand it, he can’t use it to its capacity and it shows in usage.
That’s why we can look at you when it says, “so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing, by the Word of God.” Pastor Mike said that word hearing, one of them is a noun, but when it’s a verb, it is when somebody understood something. Because they have some understanding about the thing.
So, when we see somebody operating in it, that’s a verb, so we know it’s understanding that’s causing them to produce that action. But we can’t see on the inside of them; we can see outwardly the way you do it. That’s why we can tell somebody, “you’ve got great speed when you drive the car, and that one over there’s got little speed.” We’re looking at the usage of it. Even though one has the same amount of speed as the other one, they’re only using it less. They’re not making a demand like the other. It’s there; you don’t have to develop speed; all you have to do is make a demand on the speed that’s already been given to you. And faith is the same way; you make a demand on it based on your understanding. And most people don’t sit up under the Word enough to really get some understanding.
And so that understanding is built based upon your participation in His Word. Thank God for our awesome children who were just singing, “It’s going to be all right.” But those who know and understand the word, we already know it’s already alright. They can flip the song that’s conducive for the Word so that you’ll understand. Like people say, “God’s going to heal you.” He’s not! “God’s going to save my family.” He’s not! “God’s going to deliver you.” People, you’re conveying to me your understanding of the Word because He’s not “going” to do any of those things. He’s already done…You’re already rich, and you don’t understand that, and you’re walking around and talking broke. You’re talking like someone who has no understanding. If you’re going to walk with God, you’re going to have to learn how to talk with Him. And talk like Him and be in agreement with Him.
Peter said it is his duty as long as he is in this body to stir you up by reminding you. So, I go over and over stuff, so you’ll be equipped to stand in the day of adversity. The scripture says, “if a man faints in the day of adversity, his strength is small.” Where does his strength come from? His understanding. If you faint, in the day you get an evil report, your understanding is small. If He’s before you, who can be against you? I understand that, therefore, when I walk through the valley of shadows of death, and I have, I will fear no evil. The Lord is my light and my salvation…”. We just read this, but reading stuff won’t cause victory. Understanding it in your heart will cause VICTORY!
I want you to have God’s best, but it requires Divine Alignment with understanding. I’m a very prosperous man because of the scripture. One day the Lord gave me a revelation of the devil backing up a Mac truck of all the kingdom of hell’s goods, dumping it in my bed because there was division. Then I have the audacity, the unmitigated gall to stand up and pray, “Lord bless my house.” And I’m out of alignment. What’s wrong with us? You want God to do this in your life, but then you don’t understand what your responsibility and duty or your role in righteousness happens to be.
You’ve got to abandon human reasoning, depart from it. If you’re going to participate in divine transactions, you’re going to have to depart from how you feel about stuff. You’ve got to obey the urgings and unctioning of Holy Spirit when you’re out of line. Don’t let your feelings dictate to you what you’re going to do in your home, especially when you’re wrong. Repent and get back in alignment. I want to lead you down this path because it’s a part of this Divine Alignment.
Throughout this month, I’ve been endeavoring to let people out of this ministry who don’t know if they’re supposed to be here. I really want you in your set place. The exchange relative or germane to pastor and partnership is one as such that God has designed. It’s because of His orchestration and not of anything of my own nature or power. In other words, I did not come up with this order or this principle. This is all God’s doing. And it’s through Holy Spirit that He leads us and guides us into all truth. And sometimes, people come into ministry, and they connect with the ministry for a multiplicity of reasons. Some, unfortunately, not based upon the order of the scripture. And so, subsequently, when someone is offended with someone, then that partner becomes offended with me because I can say some potentially offensive things. But when you know that God has set you in a place, some of that offense is minimized in your sight simply because you have sensed the heart of the pastor long before anything was said to offend you.
Pastor Dewayne:
When you know the love and care that someone has for you, sometimes, when people are communicating what they want to get across, it doesn’t come across the way your ears want to hear it. And you discard the information that was given; at the same time, you’re discarding the person who gave that information. What Pastor’s heart is, he’s trying to communicate to us, and sometimes he loves too hard. When a person loves hard, they want you to have the very best because they can see it. The frustrating part comes along when they can see it for you, and they wish that they could give it to you, and they can’t give it to you.
Because I’m not that smart. Some of you all are so brilliant; it is astonishing to me how even you are submitted to this ministry of mine. Then I see some decisions that are made and think, wow, how did they come up with that one?
I made my first million dollars twenty-five/thirty years ago. And I know how easy it is for you to be a millionaire. Part of my assignment this year is to make millionaires in this congregation. In order to make this thing work the way God intended for it to work, there has to be an alignment with you and I as it relates to Pastor and partner. That’s not to exalt myself above anyone; that’s just to take the respective place or role in your lives that the scripture has given me to take. As a matter of fact, I would be derelict in my duty if I did not perform the way that the scripture dictates. What makes it more frightening at times, I’m talking about a reverential fear, that there’s coming a day that I will have to stand before God and give an account of what I’ve said to you.
I’m very strategic and very methodical, and I’ve learned to baptize this in Agape & Love. And thank God for my growth and maturity, that if I have to just acknowledge and recognize myself, I will be the one who will applaud that which has become commensurate with, of course, agape and loving you. Because I’m going to love you in spite of how you treat me. And this is where I want to take this entire congregation, and this is what you’re going to be bathed and baptized in; you’re going to have this position of loving even your enemies and doing good to those who spitefully use you. When was the last time you prayed for your haters?
We’re becoming, and you can’t keep wanting stuff that you’re not willing to become. And it’s in these settings the scripture is designed for us to become the expressed image of God’s dear son. When people see us, they don’t have to look for the Father. Jesus said on one occasion, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” So the people ought to see God when they encounter you. And it’s through this exchange that we find out what we’re to become. And that’s the expressed image of His son.
Now let me explain something to you through scripture; go to Jeremiah 3:15, and we’re going to see this order. Forget the first million dollars; I can tell you when I first started walking in this Agape.
Jeremiah 3:15 (KJV) And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
We do understand that it’s your understanding that determines the measure of your faith.
Jeremiah 3:15 (AMP) Then [in the final time] I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and [true] understanding.
So, here’s the Divine Alignment. It was God’s intent to put pastors in the heart of partners, commonly referred to as members, to create an exchange. Shout this and mean it [with passion and conviction] – “I NEED a pastor!” Let me take a step further and say this. You are not in the will of God if you do not have one. You’re totally out of the will of God. And sometimes, I will engage people and ask them if they have a ministry they attend.
Let’s go to Psalms 23 because shepherds were designed to do things, and you should know this. Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot take something as important as your life and live by your own standards. Stop living your life based upon what you think. Even after scripture has given you what to think. The scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11, I know the thoughts that I have toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil.
It was by design that He would give you His thoughts. So that you would have this proper life that He’s already prepared for you.
Psalms 23:1 (KJV) The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
You can’t substitute what He intended for you to have in the earth. So, the Lord here, being your shepherd, is simply by design of the order of which He has put in the earth. I should be commonly referred to or better known as not just as pastor but as shepherd. Shepherds do what? They lead sheep. And when you have a shepherd, look at what’s apparent, “I shall not want.” Why are you in so much want? People have want in their lives because they’re out of the Divine Alignment with the Word of God concerning their lives. The mere fact that you don’t have a pastor, you’re going to be in want.
Ephesians 4:11 (TPT) And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. v.12 And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this, they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ.
If you don’t have a pastor, and you cannot make your preference your pastor. You’ve got to make your purpose your pastor based upon the principles of God’s Word. And you were supposed to be led in that selection. And some people connect with ministry because they like the cat. Something should come alive on the inside of you while I’m talking to you. There should be some registration, without any reservations, that this is God for me. I hear God in here; I’m stimulated, I’m stirred up. There’s a word that revolutionizes my thinking. It fires me up to want to become more, and do more, and have more, and be more. God is full of MORE.
Because you have a work of ministry of your own, it’s the pastor’s responsibility to build you up and to nurture you in that. I’ve been trying to make as much engagement as necessary to say, get out of here and go find your pastor.
I don’t want you indiscriminately going through what we do as it relates to ministry without any specificity. I want you to be specific about who this cat is to me. So when I say something, I don’t just rub you the wrong way. There’s never a time when my pastor is going to say something to me that’s going to rub me so wrong that I’m going to have a problem with it.
My pastor always got a pass, and I always allowed him to know where I stood with him. The Bible says it’s even profitable for you when your pastor speaks well of you before God. This is how it’s established. Most people can’t follow a man or woman because they’re too prideful.
Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) By humility and the fear of the Lord, Are riches and honor and life.
Reference Scriptures:
Psalms 27:1-6 (KJV)
Psalms 91 (KJV)
Psalms 23:1 (KJV)
Jeremiah 3:15 (KJV)
Jeremiah 3:15 (AMP)
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)
Ephesians 4:11 (TPT)
Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV)