Do You Really Have a Relationship With God?

0:23 You're my hero. I want you to come with me everywhere. That was insane. I am really excited to speak right now. Lately I've just been so... you know, I think it became a job maybe or just a responsibility. Not a job, but just, you know, you just know you've got to do this, what God's called you to do. But lately, like, there's an excitement that's come back to speaking. As I look in Scripture and I think about how the Bible says that every one of us, to each one has been given a manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good.

1:26 That it's not just preparing something, a speech, and then coming and giving it, but that there's actually like an intertwining of the Spirit of God with my own spirit and the thought that he could actually take control of my body, take control of my lips, take control. We're talking about God here, okay? You know, I mean, he can do anything. And the thought that what he wants to do is basically have Francis die to himself and have Christ live through me. Like the reality of that is just hitting me harder lately. Like, you're serious. You're serious. just like the Holy Spirit filling the temple of God or the Holy of Holies, like that type of power now actually could manifest through me to you?

2:24 Like this isn't just a speech. This isn't just a, oh, okay, that's what, no, no, like I want that. And I start getting excited. Like I just, I want that with you, Lord. I don't know who I'm quoting. It's either Martin Lloyd-Jones or R.C. Sproul or John Piper. But one of the three of them made this statement. They said, the two most romantic places on earth, Tim, are the prayer closet and the pulpit. and I totally got it. It's like there are times when I am alone, and I'm praying to God, and I'm just going, I don't want to leave this place. I am so happy right now. This is what life is about. In fact, is there a way you could just take me up into your presence right now? I just want to see you. I want to be with you. Like, it's a new thing. Understand, this is newer for me.

3:30 There's times I'm praying and you know how when you're holding your toddler or your newborn, you have so much affection, but you just don't want to squeeze too hard, but you want to because you want to show more love. This baby's just been born and you want to squeeze this baby because you have so much love you want to express, but you can't. And that's what I feel towards God. Like there's times where I'm going, God, this isn't enough. This isn't enough. I can't touch you. Like, I really want to see you right now. I really want, like, it's like talking on the phone or prayer. This is getting a little bit old. Like, I want more of you, God. Like, that type of longing, like it's a romantic place, that time of prayer. I hope it is for you. And then this, this. it used to be when I was younger it would like stress me out and I'd prepare and I'd be thinking about everyone else but now I'm at an age where it's like God it's like we're dancing up there it's like you're here and this is what I was made for that your spirit could manifest Thank you.

5:17 Father, could your spirit just... Speak through me now.

5:38 I can't really be your spirit. Not me in the flesh. Could you call people in this room to leave the comforts of their homes and make your name known, your glory known in a foreign country with an unreached people? May they believe that that could happen and just hunger for it. that your spirit would just fall upon them in such a way that you move them to someplace they've never even heard of and where they're just enjoying your presence and it's enough, it's enough.

6:32 God, would you awaken us to who you are and this amazing, amazing mystery, amazing mystery. God, man, I just speak. I don't want to just speak, Lord. God, may there be a demonstration of your Spirit's power. Hallelujah, Jesus. You're so good. You're so wonderful.

7:17 Holy Spirit, you're welcome here. I want you here. I want to be led by you. For my brothers and sisters, for your name's sake, that you would wake up your church and that we would fall in love with you all over. God, for those who have not been in love with you, enjoying you, may they put that above all things. may we experience you like never before oh God may I experience you like never before God, we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

8:23 I'm coming off of one of the best weekends of my life, maybe the best, just in my personal ministry and my time with the Lord. Friday afternoon, I'm just going to share some things. I don't know where you are theologically. I don't even know where I am anymore.

8:50 I'm just going to be honest and not hide what's going on and you can... I don't know. Do what you want with it. But all I know is Friday, I was asked to come into the office and speak with some people that were visiting from another place, wanting to know more about what we're doing with church. And I was like, okay, I've got an hour. I'll come in for an hour. I'll answer some questions. We'll pray. And I really need to get back. So 11 a.m., I get to the office, meet with a group of people, and we, I said, let's just pray.

9:30 Before we knew it, it was already past 12 and there was no talking and I was like, you know, let's just keep praying. I don't wanna leave this. This is so sweet. This is so good. And just because we have other things that we have to be at, like what's bigger than this? This has been so good. And before we know it, it's 5 p.m. and we're still praying. And I was like, let's just keep going. This is awesome. And before we know it, it's midnight. And one hour of prayer turned into 13 hours of prayer. And this isn't normal for me. This isn't, this wasn't, I don't know that I've ever, I don't believe I've ever prayed that long, but it was just, it was just awesome. it was just awesome just seeking the present times when we were just crying like sobbing over the lost as we were praying for people that we love that don't know jesus we're we're every i think everyone in there was just crying maybe 20 of us just crying to other times when we're screaming at the top of our lungs you know and this is new for me and you gotta understand there have been times when I've been in worship settings, like I remember specifically one time in Sydney, Australia, where there's a group about this size, probably everyone in there is jumping in worship.

11:02 And I'm just standing there. Seriously, I'm like, God, I want to jump. I'm just so embarrassed. Like, you know, because Australians are so much cooler than us. And I just like, You know, moving my head a little bit. Okay, so that's me. And man, and here I am in prayer. I just, I'm screaming. I'm picturing that woman that was weeping at Jesus' feet. You know, and cleaning his feet with her hair and washing his feet with her tears while everyone else is looking on like, and I'm like, God, I don't want to be one of those onlookers anymore. You know, it's this coolness, this dignity, this self-awareness. Our dignity is destroying our worship. And to worship with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind.

11:56 So we're screaming at the top of our lungs. We're weeping. I mean, I just loved it. I loved it. I just loved being in the presence of God. then there was a gal there, we were actually playing for her husband, she goes, can you just pray for me too? She says, I just had a baby, I can't even, and I broke my toe, my little toe, I mean, it's a little thing, but it's huge, you ever broke your little toe, you know? She goes, I can't even walk, I can't even carry the baby, it's so hard to walk, and I took forever to get my boots on this morning, and just even to make it here, and they just started praying for her, and I'll tell you, I've never healed anyone. I've tried. I believe it. Like, I see it in scripture, you know, but, I mean, there was a while that I didn't even believe in it, but then I was like, gosh, it just seems like we should be able to.

12:54 But every time I'm in the room, seriously, like, nothing happens. This is no joke. Even overseas. Like, you think, no, I'm, I'm being so serious right now, because people are like, oh, you got to go to Africa. You want to see miracles? It's I show up, and it's like, nope. Not while he's here. You know, India. I mean, everywhere you think, like, okay, I want to see miracles. I want to see miracles. Because I hear about them all the time. But I never get to see it. And we're in this room, and we're praying. there's like 20 of us praying for one toe. Just after screaming, crying, like okay, if it's gonna happen, I seriously was going, Lord, really? How many Christians does it take to heal a toe?

13:53 That's, I seriously thought that, I prayed that, like God, I'm gonna be so discouraged today, again. They're praying for her toe. No lie, I start backing away thinking, I'm not going to screw this one up. Because I'm thinking it's my lack of faith that I've just never seen it. I've never seen it. And I know this gal, she's one of our pastor's wives. I love her. And they're praying and like, hey, be honest. How's it feel now? I think a little better I'm like oh here we go again I think a little better this is a perfect snapshot of my healing career but this group their theology was a little different from mine and they were talking about persistence and they go you know the persistent widow they said there were times Jesus even started healing someone. He could see something moving, and he prayed more and more. I'm like, okay. Talked about Elijah when he prayed, and the cloud he kept just seven times. Like, I go, I would have quit. I would have. And so they pray some more. I'm like, okay, at pain level, it was at a 10. Where's it at? Maybe eight. Maybe. Prayed some more. Maybe five.

15:22 oh it actually does feel better it's at a four whoa it's actually a lot better now it's at a two this is crazy but I still feel the sharpness in my toe and they kept praying praying and I'm like God it's gotta be all or nothing like this is you and I'm back I seriously was not praying at that time just watching and then I just started thinking you know what that's Satan saying that oh it's whenever you're around there's no way that's just satanic and I just pictured myself on my face holding her toe and praying for it and I just thought you know I'm just going to go for it and just kind of burst in the circle got on my knees got on my face grabbed her toe and prayed and I said Lord and this is quietly in my own mind just going God I don't want like it feels better I want her to scream I want her just to be overwhelmed I want her jumping up and down not it went from a 10 to an 8 or something like that Lord I want it all gone And suddenly I hear her go, no way, no way.

16:48 She starts jumping up and down, going, I feel nothing, I feel nothing, I can't believe it, I can't believe it. I mean, it was just. And then this past weekend, like after that, we had like a dozen different people get healed. I haven't had a dozen people seriously in my lifetime, even with, it's just something the Holy Spirit, it started with prayer.

17:23 It was the first time in our church's history, and I know that we've been around that long, But in these five years where we felt like in Acts chapter 2 where it says everyone's feeling a sense of awe, that's exactly what went on this weekend. Everyone's like, what just happened? What's going on? Elders, pastors, we're just going, what is going on here? This is awesome. This is awesome. We're feeling this sense of awe.

17:51 And it's rooted in prayer. It's rooted in love. It's not just seeking these signs. I'm just saying it just happened. And my prayer times with the Lord have been so rich and so good. And I hope that's true of you. And as I've been coming to speak at different places, I'm just more mindful of the presence of the Holy Spirit of him. He's here. He's with me. And he could speak to me through me to you. And I want that. I want that. I know some of you guys are hearing this, and it may sound a little weird to you. Maybe not the healing part. I'm sure that's unique to some of you. I'm telling you, it's new to me.

18:37 But maybe the weirder part is the affection and the love and the desire and prayer and the just, oh, I want Jesus. Because one of the things that saddens me is I don't see a lot of that in the church in America. where I don't hear a lot of verbiage of, I hear a lot of, oh, my pastor gave this sermon. Oh, our church was like this. Oh, this program. Or did you go, did you hear the new song? Did you do this? Oh, we had a great, but I don't hear a lot of people going, oh man, I was with Jesus this morning. It was just me and Jesus and his word and he was just speaking to me and I couldn't get enough of him. Oh, I just want to, for me to live is just to be with him and to die. I can't wait to die and just be with him because I'm obsessed with him. Like I'm not hearing that verbiage come out of our churches.

19:31 And yet what's this book all about? We say when you become a Christian, oh, this isn't a religion. It's about a relationship with him. But how many people talk like it's a relationship with him, a real person that you love with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I mean, isn't that what the Garden of Eden was all about? It was like, when you read about Adam, think about this. Suddenly dust, and then it just forms a man, and God breathes into him. And he's looking at his creator. Imagine that. The first man, first human being. What is that like to exist suddenly? and then look at your creator and someone's looking at you saying I just made you What am I?

20:31 I exist? You made me? I can't imagine Adam just going, all right. You know, right? I mean, what a moment you made me. And then how he makes a partner for him, Eve, and the two of them. Can you just try to imagine you and your spouse or a loved one literally walking in a perfect garden with the creator the one who made you just going you've got to be kidding me and understanding that there is no power anywhere that rivals his not even close everything that was made was made through him and for him and now he's walking with you in the garden how peaceful do you feel what is there to fear Man, when you hear that, I hope you're jealous.

21:34 If there's nothing in you that screams and goes, that would be insane, then you don't get it. This book was about God and how he would speak face to face sometimes. Not visibly, but it was like this communication, like Moses going up on the mountaintop and going, he was with God. Moses going to the tent of meeting Abraham being a friend of God this book is about David saying gosh I could be in a desert I'm like in a dry weary land like I'm about to dehydrate and die and yet all I can think about is you and being with you and how I want you more than I want water right now it's about people who are obsessed like he's like God's his addiction to them You know?

22:25 You work with addicts before, and how an addict, like nothing makes sense. You're going to lose your family that you love. I know, I love my kids, but give me that drug. You're going to lose everything. You're going to die on the streets. I know this is ridiculous, but I got to have this drug. That's the way I see them talking about Jesus. That's the way I see them talking about God. Like, oh, I'm going to try and wear it, and I'm going to die. But you know what? All I can think about is God, how I want him. This is what I hunger for. that this one thing I ask, Lord, this is what I'm gonna go after. I just wanna dwell in the house of the Lord every day of my life. Can I just every day have this experience where I'm just with you and I feel you and I'm just staring at you and I'm just gazing at the beauty of your temple? Can I do that every single day? That's the only thing I want, God, is everything is trying to distract me.

23:19 If I have one thing on the earth, make it so that every day, I'm like dwelling in your temple, and I'm like looking at you and staring at you, and you're looking at me, and we're communing. It's one thing I ask, that will I seek, and I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. It's Paul saying, for me to live is Christ. To die is gain. I cannot wait to die. I love Jesus so much, I just want more. Everything else is crap. All my achievements, everything else, he said, amounts to a pile of crap. He says in scripture, I consider it all. That's, it's, it's, dung. Oh, does that make it more biblical? Dung. It's just, you know, like,

24:10 it's, it's, it's like everything. You guys, it's obsession, right? And then what does the end of the book say? God says and I'm going to dwell with them again that's what heaven's about there's no more sickness there's no more pain yeah but I'm going to dwell with them again it's like oh that'd be awesome that'd be awesome because I can't get enough of him I don't hear that type of verbiage in the church what are we producing if not lovers of Jesus consumed with his presence that can't get enough of him you know and I guess I didn't even mean to say all that.

25:04 But I think it's of the Lord. I think if you're not in love with him, desiring him, forget anything else I say. I mean, what in the world? Forget about missions. Forget about discipleship. why would we want you discipling anyone? Seriously, that's serious. No, I'm not trying to be facetious. I'm just saying if you don't love Jesus why would we want two of you? You know? I talk to guys that are just so stressed out and everything else, and they're trying to lead people to the Lord, and they're trying to multiply and make disciples, and I'm going, gosh, what are we multiplying?

25:56 If it's not lovers of God that isn't, I thought that was the greatest command. I thought God says, look, if you don't repent and return to that first love, I don't care. that you're doing all the other stuff. I'll remove your lampstand from its place. He wants love. He wants us to love him.

26:17 And are you a lover of him? If not, ignore whatever else comes out of my mouth and be focused on that. And let God know. There have been times I've told him specifically, God, I'm not feeling it. There's so many other things I want right now. Get my heart right. because I don't want to be like this. Now, Sharon, in the workshop a few minutes ago, like last August, in August, I turned 50, and I told my church, look, I don't want any gifts, but if you would fast and pray for me that day, and maybe we'd get together after a day of fasting and praying. It's the first time I'm asking people to fast for me, but here's some specific things, and my assistant sent it out. Number one, would you ask God to make this the year where I just know him more than I've ever known him? Like where I'm closer to him than I've ever been. That's my number one prayer request.

27:21 I feel close to the Lord, but I want more. I want so much more. I want to know how much can a human being know God while he's on this earth. Pray for that. Fast and pray for that. that God would take away all insecurities, any doubt. I said, fast and pray. Pray that I would be bold enough to say whatever he wants me to say. I just want to know where he wants me to go and what he wants me to say. Just pray for that. And pray that I would be disgusted with sin. No, like I hate it, like I hate it. Pray something supernatural because some sin still appeals to me, and I just want it to be gross. I want it to be like that vomit, like the Bible says, like a dog returning to its vomit. I just want it to look that way, feel that way, smell that way. I just don't want any of it in my life because I want to be so close to him. I want to enter a new journey in life. And so my church fasted and prayed and laid hands on me that night. And it was awesome. And then my assistant gave me my present, which was a calendar.

28:35 It was a calendar of the rest of 2017. And on that calendar, every day there was a name of someone who committed to fast that day and pray for me. And so, yeah, is that like the coolest present ever? I'm like, are you kidding me right now? This is the coolest gift I've ever heard of. seriously someone was fasting and praying for me every day for the last four months no wonder I jump into this year and I am just a new man so in love with Jesus Man, and I just, I'm just focused. I'm just getting serious. Like, Lord, I don't know what's left. I don't know what is left of my life. My parents, I didn't have any parents that lived this long.

29:31 You know? Like, this is reality. This is all that matters. And I think sometimes we just get caught up in the business of church and this and that. and we say things we don't really mean and we sing things we don't really mean and oh, you know, talk about how much I love him, I love him, I love him and yet we spend all week just doing stuff and not just enjoying him. People are like, whoa, you prayed for 12, 13 hours?

30:01 It's like saying, whoa, you hung out with your wife for a full day. How did you do that? You know, like we, you guys, we're going to be spending eternity with him. And I'm just saying that rush is coming like it's never come before. And the flowing and the thoughts that I feel like it's the mind of Christ that's coming into my mind. And words are coming out and I love it. I do know that I was praying Ephesians 1 for myself for a while. as I was praying it for my church, for my pastors, for other people, where he says in verse 16, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you, may just give you, the spirit of wisdom and of revelation and the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. I've been praying for this. I'm saying, God, this is something you just hand someone. You just give it to them. You give them this spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Like, this isn't something I can teach you right now. Hey, you guys know him, love him, enjoy him, understand his hope. It's not something that you can write on a screen or a PowerPoint and good, good, I explained it to you. Paul says, no, something, a divine interaction has to happen where he, God, on his throne, gives you, he hands you, he imputes, puts into you this spirit of wisdom and revelation where the eyes of your heart now suddenly the lights come on.

32:15 I can't do this. Paul couldn't do this. That's why he goes, I keep praying for this. God, give it to them. Give it to them. Give it to them. Get the eyes of their heart. What are, we don't even understand that. What are the eyes of my heart? Like, it's something from the inner man where I get it. Deep inside, boom. I finally understand how valuable he is. I finally understand what it means to love him and to enjoy him. He said, I want their eyes open so that they may know what is the hope to which he has called you. He goes, God, can you do something miraculous? God, please, I'm begging you. I have not ceased praying for these people that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened so they would just know the hope, the hope to which he's called you. what's he talking about?

33:14 When I read that, I wonder, and I don't, I haven't studied this enough to be sure, but I think of 1 Corinthians 2 when it says, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. I think these go together. Where Paul says, I'm praying for the spirit of revelation that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened so you would know the hope to which he's called you. And then there you have in 1 Corinthians 2, he says, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.

34:12 but God has revealed this to us by his spirit. Like there's something that doesn't even, it's like it doesn't even pass through our mind, which is insane for some of you, but if you study scripture, there are transactions between God and us that don't go through the frontal lobe of your mind. They're trans-rational. That's why Paul says sometimes I'll pray or I'll praise God and my mind is actually unfruitful. It's like, wait, how can you do that then? How can anything be good if your mind isn't? There's just something that's trans-rational beyond just thinking where he says, you know, that's why Paul says, I'm not gonna just keep lecturing, lecturing, lecturing you. I'm on my knees saying, God, how do you lecture someone to where the eyes of their heart are enlightened? Paul goes, I'm praying for this.

35:05 That something happens through the spirit of revelation and wisdom that God gives you, and now suddenly you know the hope to which you've been called. No eye's seen it, no ears heard, no mind's conceived, but God has revealed it to us by his spirit. I've been praying that, I go, God, I'm terrible at hoping.

35:25 I'm like some of you who I don't like to get my hopes up, and I expect the worst when I go places so that I'm never disappointed. And so then I come to God's word, and he's telling me that there's this hope that should anchor my soul And that's why Paul says, I want you to know this hope to which he's called you. And I want you to know that there are things, no eyes seen, no mind has even imagined what God has in store. But God reveals it to us by his spirit. I'm praying that for you. So you then suddenly, because when you get that, and I feel like I'm getting it more and more, the things of the earth just seem stupid. They really do. And now I understand why Paul says all those achievements, everything, it's done. I don't even, there's nothing, I crave it about as much as I crave crap. Seriously, because I've got this hope and my eyes have been opened. And he says, I'm praying that your eyes would be, that your heart would be enlightened so that you know what the hope, the hope to which he's called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

36:32 He goes, I want you to know what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. Because he's not talking about our inheritance in Christ. He talked about that earlier. He's specific with his words here. And now he says, I want the spirit of wisdom and revelation to come into the depths of who you are and your eyes of your heart are enlightened so you actually know the riches of his glorious inheritance in us.

37:07 It's about God who can't wait to inherit us. wait you're telling me the creator of the earth who opened his mouth and universes just exploded that guy that god can't wait to inherit me he considers me and you did christ do something that beautiful on the cross that that he's actually going i can't wait to inherit them Here comes my glorious riches, my glorious inheritance. I want, like, so you're telling me Francis Chan, whose dad didn't even want him, who never felt love, like, who was that weird kid, rejected soul, you're telling me that the God of the universe wants me that bad and sees me as his glorious inheritance?

38:05 No psychologist is gonna talk me into that, believing that. That's only the Spirit of God. And for some of us that grew up just feeling like never good enough, never matched up, never got one hug from Dad, for me, never one conversation. And now you're telling me that my heavenly father wants me and sees me as his glorious inheritance. and I can look at you and say, yeah, I'm getting it.

38:48 I'm getting it. I've been praying for this. I really believe he loves me. I look at my life, I look at the scriptures and go, gosh, how could I deny it? He loves me. Oh, how he loves me. And there's times I just can't stop singing, humming that melody just because I'm loved. I believe he's loving me right now. He's loving, speaking through me. Can't wait to inherit me. precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of one of his saints. You go, wow.

39:41 Wow. And here's the part I really wanted to focus on in our remaining moments. He says, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe? See, once the eyes of our hearts enlightened so we know what the hope is to which he's called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance and saints, and what is the, look at these adjectives, immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. like do you believe this because i i am sure there are many of you in this room you may look at your life may think of what a mess you've made of it some of you are older here i can tell and uh and you may go i don't know what i can do at this age and i'm saying would you look at the scripture, what is the immeasurable greatness of power toward those who believe? Immeasurable.

40:47 See, I could walk up here in the flesh and just freak out, be nervous, think about what you are thinking of me, whatever. Or I walk on the stage and go, God, there's no limit to what I could do in a few minutes. There's an immeasurable. Man, for those of us who are so used to not matching up. man I think about so man I was just in a room with like these brainiac Christians that I love having dinner there was like 10 of us in a room they got in a theological discussion and I used every bit of my brain that I could to just listen I was so attentive and at the end I looked at them and I go I don't have a clue what you're talking about Not a clue.

41:42 I've been in context like that where I'm just going, I have limits. You know? I just do. I... I'm not gonna make it in the Olympics. No matter how much I train, like I have physical limit. I mean, maybe the luge, because you just kinda lay there, right? But other than that, like I just go, there's limits, right?

42:16 We're used to limitations. I'm only gonna be this strong, only this fast, only this intelligent, and then you read a verse like that where he says, yeah, but there's immeasurable greatness of power toward us who believe. And then he explains it. He goes, you want an example? He says, this power, it's according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. he says, you want to know about this power that's toward you? He goes, imagine, he goes, it's like the, let me give you an example of the power that's towards you. It's like when Jesus was crucified. Remember how God took that body and raised it? Not only raised it from the dead, but had him ascend into heaven and not just barely above all rule, far above all rule and authority. And he gave him the name above every name. And it's not just for this generation. He goes, it's forever and ever. So he took a dead body, raised him far above every other power that exists forever. And he says, there's an example of his power. There's a picture of his power.

43:43 And there's a measurable greatness of his power towards you who believe. do you believe that? I mean seriously when you look in the mirror do you think that and go this is God's word what can't I do? Lord what's that we know what he says later in Ephesians 3.20 now to him who's able to do abundantly more than we could ask or imagine according to his power at work in us it's not like it's not just God can do anything he wants to it says no God can do beyond what you can even think and he does it through you and here he's saying there's an immeasurable greatness of power like this is stuff where we go God you're going to have to reveal this to me because I can't talk you into believing this God you're going to have to enlighten their hearts. So they believe this. I was in Brazil a month or so ago and was having lunch with this pastor out there who had a great work, great ministry. And I was just telling him, man, this is really cool what God's doing in your church. And he made this comment. He goes, yeah, but it still feels like a zoo. I go, what do you, he goes, you know what I mean? I go, no, I don't know what you mean.

45:12 He goes, you ever see the movie Madagascar? I go, of course, I'm Christian. It's one of those rare clean movies we can watch, right? I think. There's probably something with the hippo.

45:33 But he started explaining. And once he said it, he goes, you know, our churches are like zoos where we domesticate these wild animals. And if you've seen the movie Madagascar, the movie starts off with a zebra in the zoo. It's his 11th birthday, I think. And he's looking at this painting of the jungle while he's running on a treadmill.

46:02 And it's his birthday. So the hippo and the lion and the giraffe come over, sing happy birthday. and he's just like, I gotta get out of here. I spent half my life in this zoo. I don't belong here. Meanwhile, the lion's like, why would you leave here? Look, I sit in my cage, they bring meat to me. And then I come out, I roar, the kids scream. I know what's gonna happen. And the hippo and the giraffe, they're all just like, yeah, yeah, let's just stay in these cages. what are you talking about the wild? And he's like no, I just know I was made for something more than this. And if you see the story, long story short, they break out, the penguins help them, and they end up in Madagascar.

46:55 And remember that scene where the animals are terrified and the zebra's like trying to coach them, going no, this is where we've always belonged. And he's trying to run with the lion, go run with, no, use all four legs, get out, you know, like, let's go, who's the lion, who's the lion? And then suddenly the lion just lets out this roar, like he didn't even know it was in him. And then suddenly all these instincts came back and then he starts to eat the zebra, you know? And, you know, and it was just that moment. And so as he said, my church is like a zoo, have you seen that movie? And I go, wow, you're right. He goes, it's just, do we understand the power given to these people? And yet they're going, no, just leave me in my cage and feed me every week. And then I'll put my kids in that cage and you feed them. I'll put my youth there.

47:48 You feed them. And this, this, this, this, this. But meanwhile, there's a lot of us that are sitting in these cages going, man, I don't belong in here. There's something more that's just roaring that just wants more. I can do something with my life. I belong where it's dangerous. You know? And there's something in us where it's there, but we can't just, like he was explaining, we can't just release all the animals because they've been domesticated. Some of them really don't think they can raise their own kids. Some of them really don't think they could make a disciple. They think this is the only way to survive is to stay in this cage and have someone feed me. And we'll just sit here and complain about the food we've been given.

48:36 And someone needs to come along like that zebra and run alongside and say, no, you were made for more than this. Holy Spirit, show them. Show them the hope to which they've been called. Help them understand your glorious inheritance in the saints and help them to really get this immeasurable greatness of power toward those who believe. And that power is like the power he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead. You guys, man, you gotta understand, I love the church more than I ever have. I love my local church so much. I've never enjoyed praying with a local church this much. I've never just been so grateful to be a part of the body. But in our churches, we're just going, you know what? We need to release.

49:25 Yeah, you know what? It's dangerous in the jungle. I'm not saying you're not gonna get martyred. I'm just saying it's what you were made for. And I think we know that deep down inside. There must be more than this. And I want to pray right now. that God enlightens you,

49:53 empowers some of you to break open some of those cages and start training some of these wild animals to release them rather than contain them? Because there's a dying world. I can't imagine living in a country or a city where no one knows Jesus.

50:21 How desperate that would be to not know this God that we've come to love. But we need people with boldness to really believe. You know, I was actually made for this. To be his witness. He's going to give me power. Holy Spirit's gonna come into me and he's gonna give me power and I can be his witnesses in Portland, in Oregon, in all the US China, Africa, India, Indonesia Afghanistan like it's in me it's just this wild power and if you're church leaders in here we gotta start looking at our congregations differently not just as people to protect but these incredible gifted manifestation of the Holy Spirit you know people that have immeasurable greatness in them and to figure out how to release and get to those who haven't heard and so I praise God for this conference I praise God for some of you that are on furlough that have been out there and you knew it was crazy.

51:39 You got in some crazy situations but in the midst of them, you're like, this is what I was made for. I can feel the spirit of God in those times. Let me pray for you. Thank you. Father, Would you right now just give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation? God, could you right now enlighten the eyes of our hearts?

52:54 so that we would know from the core of our beings the hope. that you've called us to, the hope of being with you, the hope of walking with you.

53:14 Help us to get it, Lord. Open our eyes, the eyes of our hearts, to the fact that you see us as your inheritance, that we're a part of your eternal plan, and you actually love us, long for us. Otherwise, the cross doesn't even make sense. and God, would you help us to know, God, because there's times I just get scared, and God, at the core of our beings, help us to know the immeasurable greatness of power toward us.

54:01 Help us to really believe that you could do more than we could ask or think according to your power that works in us. Holy Spirit, why don't you just move throughout this room, enlightening, enlightening, giving us vision for the future, giving us courage, giving us security, giving us hope. Thank you for my brothers and sisters in this room. Please keep them strong. Keep them focused on you. I pray they have wonderful times alone with you this week, which translates to wonderful fellowship with other brothers and sisters in their churches,

54:55 which translates to this sending and going in your power and your spirit. May we just dance with you. alone in our prayer closet and while we use our gift. for the body that you so love.