BACK UP OFF ME

0:44 Would you read silently as I read aloud? On a Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and couldn't straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward, and said to her, Woman, you are free from your infirmity. Then he put his hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Thus far the word of God. You may be seated.

1:40 On a Sunday morning, Jesus was teaching at church, and a woman was there who had been crippled. She had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and couldn't straighten up at all. Jesus saw her in church, called her to the front. Said, woman, you are free from your infirmity. Put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up. And praise God. I want to preach for a little while today using as a subject, get off my back. Get off my back. Would you look at the person beside you and tell them that's what your children wanted to tell you? Yes.

2:33 Thank you. Get off my back. In 1822, Thomas Gilbert published a collection of stories entitled The Midland Minstrel.

2:55 In that collection of stories, The Midland Minstrel, is included a tale called The Devil and the Doctor. The Devil and the Doctor. It talks about how some students were really bristled about their overzealous teacher, who always gave them a strenuous amount of homework. And they decided that they were going to teach him a lesson. And one day, while it is that their teacher was going home in the middle of the night, they climbed atop a tree. And just at the moment that he drove past that tree, they dropped a monkey on his back. He began to gallop home feverishly, thinking that the monkey on his back was actually the devil.

3:55 The monkey kept screaming and clawing at his face. Ladies and gentlemen, it is out of that tail that we get the expression, a monkey on your back. The proverbial monkey can be a mortgage. It can be a marriage. It can be manic depression. It can be a manager. It can be a mistake that you just can't seem to shake. When it comes to having a monkey on your back, Boston Medical Center just released a report that I wanted you to be aware of. Boston Medical Center released a report that black people, and more specifically, black women, lead the cases of almost 20 million Americans who are contending with lower back pain. More than any other ethnicity in this nation, it is black people, and more particularly, black women, who have to deal with chronic lower back pain.

5:11 And I wanted you to take note that the days of riding through the dark in agony are coming to an end. because today God is about to get that monkey off of your back. The reason why it is that I have so much confidence is because I have an example of him doing it before. In Luke 13, I ran into this woman who had become impaired by lower back pain for 18 years. Her case was so severe that she couldn't even stand up straight. And if she could stand up, then she probably could not look up.

6:09 The song that she hated to hear the most was Earth Wind and Fire, Keep Your Head to the Sky. The song that she hated reading in church was I Will Look to the Hills from Whence Cometh My Help. The reason why she hated both that song and that scripture Is because looking up became an impossibility Ladies and gentlemen, if the enemy cannot break you Then he's satisfied just having you bent and you don't even understand that your spiritual warfare is your capacity to look up when there's so much that has tried to break you and bend you.

6:59 People have titled you as arrogant and standoffish just because you keep your head up, just because your shoulders are squared, just because you walk in the room and refuse to make people intimidate you. If you are one of those who have been able to keep your head up and your shoulders squared, would you give God glory right there when the world tried to break you? What's interesting is that her medical file was written by Luke, who is the only one of the disciples who is actually a doctor. And I wanted you to note that when he is giving the report about this woman, that he speaks nothing about her having spinal stenosis, nothing about her having a herniated disc, nothing about her having scoliosis, nothing about her having osteoarthritis, but instead assesses that what's on her back is a spirit, and that spirit is tormenting her back.

8:19 That didn't make sense to me until I heard a Japanese orthopedist say, and I wanted you to write this down, back pain. I need you to hear this. Back pain does not come from your back. Pastor, say that again. Back pain does not come from your back. What your body whispers, your spine screams.

8:49 What your body whispers, your spine screams. In other words, what you are feeling in your body only becomes pronounced in an exclamation mark in your back. You don't know the angst of it being hard to lay down and difficult to sit down. You don't know how draining it is just trying to get up, just trying to walk. just trying to get out of the car, just trying to get out of your chair. But I read in Deuteronomy 28, verse 3 and 6, you're blessed in the city. You're blessed in the field. But here's your shout. You're blessed where you sit down. And you're blessed where you get back up again. You're blessed where you lay down.

9:44 And you're blessed where you're getting ready to stand back up again. those of you who have been contending with pain and issues in your back and in your spine, I want you to lift up that hand right where it is that you are. I declare Deuteronomy over you that after this day, there will not be pain for you laying down. There will not be discomfort for you sitting down. There will not be irritation for you standing back up. But I declare over every lifted hand that angels have just been assigned to your spine that the surgery will not be necessary i do not just speak it over you i speak it over your mama i speak it over your aunt i speak it over your sister i speak it over your best friend i speak it over your co-worker that god has authority over your back. If you believe it to be so, clap right there like you know God is able to do it.

10:51 Researchers agree. Here's what researchers agree on, that 70% of chronic lower back pain is not connected to disc damage. Did you hear what I just said? 70% of chronic lower back pain is not connected to disc damage or injury. But your lower back pain can be traced to tension that your body can't unpack. You keep your jaws tight. You walk with your fists clenched. In your sleep, your teeth grind. Your eyes are squinted and you're not even reading.

11:47 Your shoulders are lifted and you're not even carrying anything. The spine has become your shock absorber. So the question that we've got to ask of the text is, what is the stress that this woman could not release for 18 years? What is it that she's holding on to that she can't release? That's got all of that tension in her lower back? Is she stressed because she ain't married? Is she stressed because she is married? Is she stressed because the marriage failed? Is she stressed because she can't have children? Or is she stressed because her children are stressing her out? Is she stressed because she ain't got no money? Or is she stressed because her family always asking her for money?

12:43 Is she stressed because she's been betrayed by a friend? Or is she stressed because she ain't got no friends? Is she stressed because she's been gaining weight? Is she stressed because she can't hold no weight? Is she stressed because people always look at her figure? Is she stressed because she rejects her own body type? Is she stressed because she's losing hair? Or is she stressed because of the damage the weave did to her hair? Is she stressed because she ain't getting no prayers answered? Or is she stressed because she don't feel like prayer? Is she stressed because of what folk think about her? Or is she stressed because of what she thinks about herself? All she knows is that her back hurts. And I need you to go back into the memory of your own mama. that she ain't never been to an orthopedic surgeon, but every time she came home, she had her hand on her hip trying to keep her back together because of folk on her job and folk she got to deal with and folk that looked at her strange and because of the underappreciation in her house, you don't know the strain that people are carrying.

13:59 And I wanted you to know her back hurts. not because of her posture, but because of her pressure. She is carrying so much and folk have no idea how she hasn't crumbled. It's people around you that are holding on by the hair of their chinny chin chin. They are dealing with so much pressure and so much strife and so much stress and so many issues that you got no idea about. But there you are with your self-righteous, judgmental, holier-than-thou self that you think that you know what folk are dealing with. They don't care that you don't like their skirt and you don't like their eyelashes and you don't like their hair.

14:54 So what? I came just to give God glory. because of the pressure that I'm under. Psychosomatic therapists argue that the lower back, I need you to hear this new birth, the lower back stores unprocessed responsibility. Your lower back is the storage center for your unprocessed responsibility. In other words, your back carries what your mind holds on to. What's on your back is what's on your head. So that's what you feeling right there.

16:00 That's what you feeling right there. Advil ain't going to do nothing. Tylenol ain't going to do nothing. A nap ain't going to do nothing. A shot ain't going to do nothing. Everything that is on your mind is felt in your back. you feel unsupported it's in your back you feel unseen it's in your back you feel underappreciated not taken seriously burnt out tired used drained it's all taking a toll on you What hurts most is your loyalty to dysfunction and your commitment to brokenness. You have never heard the soundtrack to Disney's Ice, Let It Go.

17:00 You are holding on to what God has already released from you. So you got velvet handcuffs to something God has already delivered you from. But the only way you feel it is because of that knot of agonizing tension that is in your back. But God said you are getting free from it today. Whatever's been over your head is about to be under your feet. You have got to let it go. I need you to just lay hands on your neighbor's back and say, let it go. What they did to you, what they said about you, what they didn't deliver on, how they let you down, the trauma, let it go. It's impacting your back.

17:57 You may be seated. My attaché and I, and my wife and I were driving the other day and we ran into a problem. We ran into a problem because we were attempting to go into a garage. But it had a sign that read, caution, there's a seven foot limit. My wife, my sister, myself stood in the car arguing for five minutes. trying to figure out could we get under it without scratching the top of the vehicle. He'd inch up a little bit. We were trying to look out the window. See, we got it. We got it.

18:54 Can we make it when we were right at the edge of damaging the vehicle? watch this, because of the garage's limitation. We finally concluded we were too big for it. So we backed up away from it. Some of you, your back hurts because you keep bending in the spaces that you are too big for. You don't belong in that circle. You don't belong in that group. You don't belong in that circle. Any environment, any cycle, any circle, any relationship, any church that demands that you've been down in order to get in, back up out of it and say, I'm too big for this.

20:03 Ain't no way in the world I'm going to lower myself. What I appreciate, what I appreciate about this sister in Scripture is that she goes to church on Sunday. Hear this. She goes to church on Sunday in pain. Good morning. Oh my God, today.

20:37 This is important because in the synagogue, they only had chairs for the priest. They only had chairs for the priest and have a few benches around the wall. But in the ancient synagogue, regular people had to sit on the floor. So she comes to church in pain with no reserve seat. And with back pain for 18 years, she still takes the risk to sit on the floor. God help me. She said, I'd rather be in the atmosphere. where I know God is going to heal me because you don't know what it took for me to drag myself in here. See, folks, y'all looking at people who are dealing with some real pain.

21:31 But I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise. Do you know what it's like to praise him while in pain? To smile while you got a bad sciatic nerve? To clap while you dealing with cramps? To worship when you got blood clots? To glorify him while you're still in debt? To jump when you ain't got a job? or to give God a holler when you ain't got nowhere to live. You gotta learn how to praise Him even when you are in pain. And if there's anybody in here that in spite of how you feel, I still gotta give Him glory.

22:27 In spite of what I've been through, I still gotta bless His name. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

22:47 I dare you to just grab that neighbor and tell your neighbor weeping mate endure for a night but joy is coming before 12 noon. hey hey hey I said we've been made indoor for a night but before 12 o'clock joy Hallelujah. Come on. Come on. Hey, I get joy when I think about what he's done for me. You don't know like I know what the Lord has done for me. He picked me up He turned me around He placed my feet on solid ground I sing because I'm happy I sing because I'm free

24:03 Hallelujah Hallelujah Praise Him with high blood pressure. Praise Him with diabetes. Praise Him with gout. Praise Him with a bad kidney. Praise Him with a blood clot. Praise Him when stuff is going on. Praise Him with a migraine headache. Praise Him with a bad problem. I will bless the Lord. Yeah. I feel better, so much better ever since I laid my burdens down. Friends don't treat me like they used to ever since.

25:13 Hallelujah. The more you praise him, the better you'll feel. Man who lives? Hallelujah.

25:53 You may be seated. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I feel something right through here. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Grab that neighbor's hand real quick and say to your neighbor, Neighbor, do you know what just happened? When we came in this morning, this was the emergency room. But when we started shouting, it became the recovery room. God said, if you give me glory, you are about to be discharged. If you give me glory, You are about to be healed if you give me glory.

26:57 Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Woo! Hallelujah. You may be seated. Hallelujah. You may be seated. All right. I'm coming. You may be seated. She came to church in pain.

27:34 She came to church in pain. And the Bible says, watch this, in pain, Jesus saw her. She came to church in pain, and in pain, God saw her. Today, for somebody who's in this room, heaven just wanted you to know you've been seen. Heaven said, I've seen the sacrifices you've made.

28:19 I've seen what you have endured silently. I've seen the weight that you've had to carry. I've seen the abuse that you've had to withstand. I've seen the emotional and the physical neglect that you've had to live through.

28:44 I saw you suffering with class. When people didn't even know how bad it was for you. But you were holding on by the hair of your chinny chin chin. I said, I saw you when you thought about committing suicide. And you thought about throwing in the towel. You thought about asking yourself, is it even worth it? You thought about going back to the street and going back to the way you used to live. But you held on to God. He says, I see you. I see you.

29:33 I want you to lay hands on yourself and declare out loud, He sees me. Meeting ministry, I want you to put verse 12 on the screen. I'm almost finished. Hallelujah. Somebody declared out loud, he sees me. He sees me. Somebody who's watching online, I want you to just type those three words. He sees me. Bless the Lord. I want you all to look at verse number 12. Media team, give my wife a microphone real quick. I want you to look at verse number 12. It's where I'm getting ready to close. This way I'm getting ready to close real quick. I feel something getting ready to happen in the room.

30:30 Pastor Carrie, I just want you to read the first four words of verse number 12. When Jesus saw her. Stop right there. Thank you right now. Hallelujah. I want you to say it again, please. First four words of verse number 12. Would you read that again for me, please? When Jesus saw her. Thank you. I want you to lay your hand on a woman that's close to you. Hallelujah. I feel glory. Get ready to shift right in this room right here. Hallelujah. Thank you. Pastor Carrie, read those first four words right quick. Say it again for me. When Jesus saw her. God is. Hallelujah. God sees the women in this room. who have been carrying an inordinate amount of weight. Something crazy happens.

31:26 Pastor Cary, I want you to read the next three words. The next three words. He called her. Stop right there. Stop right there. Hallelujah. God is only calling people he sees. Hallelujah. before he calls you he got to see how do you handle your pain how do you handle your setback do you handle your disappointment He saw the woman, and after he saw the woman, I don't know how many of you all are going to be able to receive it, then he put a call on her life. I want you, Pastor Karen, read those next two words, please. Call her forward. Called her forward.

32:19 There it is. Thank you so much. You don't even understand what's getting ready to happen for women who are in this room. he's getting ready to call you from the back of the line oh my god did y'all hear in other words there were people in front of her but they didn't have to carry the pain that she had to carry he called her there's a call that's getting ready to be released on your life God is not calling people who have not had to deal with pain. Y'all didn't hear what I just said. He is not calling people who have not had to deal with pain. And he said, I hope that hand is on that woman. Are you laying hands on that woman?

33:15 Hallelujah. Musicians, as softly as you can. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He says to that woman, when he lays hands on her, I hope 500 women will shout about it. Here it is. You are free from what's been stressing you out. Oh, my God. Whatever has been the source of your stress, you are free from it. Whatever been on your back, you are free from it. Whatever been robbing you of sleep, you are free from it. Hallelujah. In strings, sir. In strings. That's all I need to hear. Thank you so much.

34:09 Say you're free from it. You're free from childhood trauma. You're free from the memory of bad relationships. You're free from phony friends. You are free from every false financial obligation. You are free from it. Hallelujah. Watch this. He spoke it. He spoke it. Watch this. Then laid hands on him. He spoke it and then, let's go to verse 13, he spoke it and then laid hands on her. She was free, here's your shout, before she could feel it. I'm preaching better than y'all are shouting.

35:08 Free before she could even feel it. And here's my favorite word, immediately. Immediately, watch this. Her back was straightened out. Now, I need you to pay attention that a doctor is present. A doctor is present, but he said she's healed immediately when there was no x-ray, no deep tissue massage. What was the sign that she was free? The sign that she was free.

36:01 I'm in the book. The sign that she was free is that now she can shout When she was bound She couldn't give him glory But now that the weight has been lifted off Come on there ought to be a sign There ought to be a sign

36:32 Lift that hand right where you are. Those of you who are at the altar, if you'll oblige me, if you will, softly musicians, those of you at the altar, if you'll oblige me, I want you to go back to your seats for just one moment. Thank you. everybody else, your hand is lifted. Hallelujah. I'm in Luke chapter 13, verse number 10. On a Sunday morning, they came to church with back pain. In spite of how they felt, they came to church and the Lord saw them. If you're in this room today and you've been contending with back pain. I want you to come meet me at this altar, please. Don't come with your friend. I want you to come for yourself. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Bless that wonderful name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Lift up that hand, please. Hallelujah. Thank you. Hallelujah.

37:45 Thank you, Holy God. Hallelujah. That's a wonderful name. Hallelujah. Lift that hand as you're coming. Let's say holy name.

38:05 Let's say holy name. Thank you, holy God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He sees me. He sees me. Hallelujah. You got a back brace on even right now. You got a back brace on even right now. Press your way right to the front of this altar. You got a back brace on even right now. Come on. Right where it is that you are. Hard for you to lay down. Hard for you to stand up. Hallelujah. I want you to come even in this moment. Bless His holy name. I serve the God of the Bible. If he did it before, he'll do it again.

38:58 Bless that wonderful name of Jesus. Pull in, would you pull in please? Pull in. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. that hand is already stretched watch this what you're going to do is you're going to lay your hand on the back of the person next to you hallelujah you're being set free from it hallelujah you're being set free from it declare it to be so you're being set free from it hallelujah you're being set free from it by the power of the Holy Ghost you're being set free from it Hallelujah no weapon formed against you will be able to process it I'm getting that monkey off of your back you're being set free from it Hallelujah you're being set free from it you're being set free from it Hallelujah I declare it to be so.

40:13 Lift up that hand. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Verse 12. Put verse 12 on the screen for me, please. Hallelujah. Verse 12. Hallelujah. Thank you, Holy God. Hallelujah.

40:34 Hallelujah. Thank you, Holy God. How about Shekia? Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. You getting that monkey off of your back today. I can't hear nobody. I said you getting that monkey off of your back today. Let's have wonderful name of Jesus. Let's get ready to be a cry from your belly. I want you to open up your mouth in just 10 seconds. I'm going to call for it. All of the stress you've been holding on to, all the worry you've been holding on to, all the anxiety you've been holding on to, all of the depression you've been holding on to. When you cry out unto God, it's coming out of your body. It's getting off of your back.

41:29 When I count to three, I want to hear a scream in this room. One, two, three, shout unto God. Thank you for having me. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Oh! Come on, release it. Release it. Release it. Release it. Release it. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Embrace somebody! Embrace somebody! Embrace somebody!

42:42 Bless in the holy name of Jesus. Hallelujah. I hope you are energized that you don't need an energy drink. What you just heard should have you off and running, chasing your dreams, pursuing your purpose, and answering your call. If this was a blessing, share it with somebody else. Don't be selfish. This is what God gave you so that you can be a blessing to somebody who needs it worse.