Even When I Lose, I Will Win Again | Serita Jakes

1:22 and my scriptures are in the New King James Version, and I have another scripture, and then I have another scripture. Let me tell you, y'all had me weak and studying. Let me tell you, because Dr. James, I didn't want to get up here and embarrass you. you know for some of you may not realize uh yesterday was our pastor bonnet's birthday and um she was a great mentor to me and i miss her terribly and her husband was trying to put a Facebook post up for her. And so Pastor Moon encouraged me.

2:14 And today I feel her standing over there smiling and shaking her head. Okay, so Ruth 1, 19. Now the two of them, Ruth and Naomi, went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened when they had come to Bethlehem that all the city was excited because of them. And the women said, is this Naomi? But she said to them, do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara. For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty.

3:14 Why do you call me Naomi? Since the Lord has testified against me. And the Almighty has afflicted me. Now keep a pinky finger in Ruth. And skip to Hebrews for me. 10.35 Therefore, therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. And where that pinky is in Ruth, let's go to Ruth 4, 15, 17. Ruth 4, 15, 17 in the New King James says, And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age.

4:20 For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons has born him, Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor women gave him a name saying, there is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. My topic, very loosely, is even when I lose, even when I lose, I will win again. Even when I lose, I will win again.

5:25 Goddess, please rest on your seats. All righty now. Go to work. How about it? Go to work. Yes. Go to work. Okay. So, God has called you by your name.

5:52 You are the apple of his eye. The message today has less to do about the occasion, but more about losing. Just a little testimony of mine. When we first moved to Dallas, the feeling was overwhelmingly gratifying. We were so excited, so delighted. delighted. I mean, everything was coming up roses. I promise you we couldn't find our way to the church, but we were happy trying to get here. It was amazing. It was amazing. The people came and they thronged us and we had maybe 300 people when we were in West Virginia and Babe says that's counting pregnant women.

6:48 And so it was amazing to see 2,500 people, Lady Brenda, Brother John, came to join that very first Sunday we opened the doors. And we were like, OMG. Look at all of the people coming to Jesus. us. And we thought, oh my goodness, what are we going to do, Lady Faith? How are we going to comfort and get our arms around all of these people? And then we found out that there is always a pothole on the way to destiny. I woke up one morning in excruciating pain. had to crawl to the front door on my hands and knees.

7:47 Dexter was two to try to open the door so Pastor Frazier could come and take me to the ER. Babe was traveling. The girls were gone to school. The twins were gone to school. And Dex, he was just sitting there on the stairs watching his mother writhe with pain on the floor. And I thought, what happened to all of that joy? And then I looked up, and then I had to have surgery on my gallbladder. Emergency. Okay, fine. Surely, that's the end of it. I passed that test. Bless my soul. I looked up again, and I had to have another emergency surgery.

8:46 All of this within just the first few years. And I walked around with a catheter. And I thought, who's going to help me cover this catheter? Embarrassing? Yes. smelly yes came through that hallelujah then my mother got sick with Gillian Bray and by the time I looked up in one week she was gone Thank you. I thought what happened to all that winning?

9:42 What happened to all that joy? What happened to all that pleasantness? What happened to me? All within the first years. But then I thought about how do you handle it? when what's going on inside of you contradicts what's going on outside of you. What do you do when your body's wracked in pain and the saints are rejoicing and the building's going up and you're bent over in pain? What do you do? How do you handle the things in life that don't line up with what you feel is your ideal situation?

10:39 the things that make you happy the things that made you smile and made you want to laugh and talk you find yourself sitting in bitterness You feel like I'm in this by myself. And nobody sees me. And everybody expects me to be pleasant and happy. And I'm going through a very private situation in a public setting. I wanted to get up under the chair and hide, throw up my hands, and just give up. Have you ever found yourself mentoring when you needed somebody to mentor you? Male, female, it doesn't matter.

11:42 It doesn't matter what age you are. When people expect you to be one way all the time, and you're going through things that they can't imagine, but maybe you can imagine it. Do you find yourself not even recognizing the person that you are? You don't even recognize yourself. Your body has turned against you. Your kids are acting super dumb. Your husband doesn't even know what you're going through. Not you. I need a ride home.

12:43 We all love the story of Ruth. We absolutely love it. We think that it's just the most poetic book in the Bible. It's a love story. But look at what happens in this wonderful love story because we always talk about Ruth. But let's talk about Naomi. Her name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning pleasant, delightful, or lovely, a pleasantness of Jehovah. And the name suggests that of all that is charming, agreeable, and attractive until deep sorrow overshadowed her. We can understand Naomi having a nature corresponding to her name, although her character came to be purged.

13:50 Her name had to be challenged. It was suffering. She had the nobility and the grace and the personality and irresistible charm. They talk about Naomi and her husband Elimelech. They were members of the Hebrew race. We're told nothing about their genealogy, but he married Elimelech, married Naomi, and is thought to have belonged to one of the outstanding families in Israel. If this was so, then Naomi began her married life in very comfortable circumstances. Naomi and Elimelech belong to Bethlehem Judah where two sons were born to them, Malon and Chilion. Hard words to say.

14:46 The Book of Ruth, which is one of the most enchanted story of two women and mentorship that we often think about Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, after the characters like Delilah and And Jezebel, what a refreshing sketch of femininity. Let's kind of step aside on the experience of Naomi and think about the ringing groove of change that the poet Tennyson says. Because of her manifold changes in life, Naomi came to fear God in a deeper way. During the rule of the judges, Israel suffered a serious famine.

15:46 a serious time of lack, a serious time of when everybody around them were suffering. And they decided that they should move away from the famine and go somewhere where there was plenty. now the problem with leaving something that you're familiar with to go to somewhere that you're unfamiliar with you have to take along with you the things that were embedded in you while you were in Bethlehem in the house of bread, where you were joyful and sorry, wasn't even part of your life.

16:48 Everything was abundant, and then you go to another country that will change your name. Why? Because these people didn't know Naomi's God. So they left Lack and went to spiritual deprivation. These people were heathenistic, idolaters. And here comes the family of Elimelech with their holy selves into this land of heathens. Now who's going to change whom? who's going to influence this transition the most? Well, the sons, unfortunately,

17:53 hooked up with the women of Moab. And instead of helping their mother, they took wives of the alien country they were in. now the Jewish law forbade marriage outside the nation all of this is going on around Naomi who's trying to hold on to her God looked up and her husband died and left her in a land of idolatrous without her husband she loses all heart to live and the poet says to all appearances Naomi was desolate husband was gone she looked up and her children were gone her sons died her husband died she's losing this pleasant woman, this happy woman, very pleasant woman, looked up and the thing that brought her the most joy was gone.

19:17 She lost. She felt that the God of her fathers had deserted her. And she felt, I've got to go back to where I really, really belong. The greatest crisis in her life left her bitter.

19:49 She was mad at God. I know that none of you... None of you have ever folded your arms and said, God. What is going on? I'm so sad. I'm so sorrowful I don't even know how to put one foot in front of another you've taken things that used to bring me joy used to make me so happy now where does my happiness come from now I'm surrounded by people that don't even know your name, God.

20:48 And now I've got these two girls that are looking at me to be strong and courageous, and they don't even know my God. And they're looking at Naomi thinking, what are we going to do? Now you've got to mentor while losing. They're looking at you wanting to know what are you going to do? And she's looking at them like... don't talk to me about this. Because in order for us to get through this, you're going to have to know my God.

21:49 In order for me to get through this, I'm going to have to rekindle my relationship with God. And I can't do it here. I'm surrounded by idolaters. They don't even understand the depth of my pain. They don't even understand how joyful I was. They don't even care, actually. So Naomi made a decision. Say to somebody like they did this morning, make a decision.

22:31 Make a decision. On the journey back, Naomi paused and pleaded with her daughter-in-law, don't go with me, stay here. Don't go with me because I don't even know myself anymore. stay here with your people I'm going back to my folk who know Jesus who love Jesus who understand Jesus when she found out that her country was ready and had bread to offer she started putting one foot in front of the other she was sorrowful She was sad, but she knew that there was bread waiting for her.

23:33 And she started going back to Bethlehem. And we look up, and she says to those girls, go back. Go back. And Orpah said, deal. I'm going back. And she looked at Ruth. She said, I told you to go back. And Ruth looked at her and said, oh, no.

24:15 Where you go, I will go. And where you live, I will live. And where you die, I will die. I will not leave you. Sounds familiar? I will never leave you. I'll never forsake you. your God will be my God and your people will be my people okay so come on roll it up now when they entered the city when they entered the city everybody came running out they were like oh my god look here comes Naomi here comes Naomi and then they said and then there's that little girl with her here comes Naomi and then Naomi said wait a minute. That's not who I am anymore. I'm no longer glad and happy and I'm bitter. I'm mad because God has dealt harshly with me and I don't like it and I don't want you to call me by what you used to call me.

25:58 I named myself something different. And why would you change your name when God has already told you who you are? Circumstances change, but your name remained the same. Things came against you, but your name remains the same. He called you holy.

26:28 He called you righteous. He said you were the apple of his eye. So why do you have this attitude where you think that you can change what God has already said? How dare you? Who am I to deny what the Lord can do? All right, roll it up. They got me on the clock. Hallelujah.

27:03 Okay, so her arrival in this old community, they recognized her as being one person, but she came back different. How many of you have left a situation feeling happy and glad, and when you came back, you felt like just dirt? I mean just dirt Shannon I don't feel like it I don't want to laugh I don't want to talk to you I don't want you to talk to me don't say nothing to me don't look at me just leave me alone because God has dealt harshly with me but did he really or was she right Thank you. if she's going to lay it at the feet of Jesus, if she's going to say, you did this, then only he can fix it, right?

28:01 If she's going to lay it at the feet of the Almighty and say what he's done, then surely she put it at the right place because who can fix it but him? Who can fix it but him? So with your bitter self, Naomi, you put it at God's feet. He said, okay, since it's mine anyway, since I did it anyway, since I didn't suffer your foot to be moved anyway, let me grab this thing up and fix you. So while she was mentoring, while she was losing, she taught this little girl how to go out into the fields. Have you ever been sent out to the fields by your mentor? Where you wanted to just sit up under somebody and then they send you out into the fields and tell you to go and glean, pick up the leftovers that other people have ignored.

29:09 Have you ever had an opportunity to pick up the leftovers? Because your mentor taught you how to survive. They had to eat. They had to live. They had to have something to do. And so the little girl went out and started picking up the leftovers.

29:36 Somebody's picking up your leftovers. stuff that you've discarded is helping somebody else live helping somebody else survive and consult wait a minute Ten years. She stayed in Moab. Ten years sounds like a long time, but look at what all happened in those ten years. And I started thinking about the things that happened to me and you. In ten years, I've watched you all battle cancer, lose loved ones, bury loved ones, walk into hellish situations.

30:41 I've watched you survive the ridicule and the accusations that were thrown against you and you felt like don't call me happy because I'm not happy about this don't call me what I used to be call me something new but God forbid that you lay in your sorrow. God forbid that you wallow in what you lost and not look at what you have left.

31:25 You've got so much more in store for you than what you've experienced. You don't have to think that this is the end for me. Wait a minute, let me get back. Well, look at that. Okay, so when she was attempting to reclaim what she found or called home, it felt foreign to her. She didn't remember how pleasant she or you don't remember how pleasant you used to be. You don't even remember. In 10 years, you've forgotten who you are.

32:21 You've forgotten your name. You've renamed yourself after your situations. Somewhere along the way, though, there lies a thing, a very small thing that we call trust. trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't even try to figure it out lean not into your own understanding but in all your ways in all your bitterness in all your sorrow acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Roll it up.

34:48 Roll it up. Okay, this preaching thing is not for the faint of heart, okay? Let me tell you. Let me tell you, y'all are being very kind. I appreciate it. No rotten tomatoes are being thrown. God is good to me. Oh, glory. Hallelujah. Yes, yes, yes. The iPad doesn't work. The Bible doesn't work. But God is good

35:27 Okay, so they're not gonna be able to roll it up cuz that's all there is Okay Good, it's 11 o'clock. Let me tell you Let me tell you Let me tell you, listen, listen, and as I close, They didn't even play. You see how they do me? That's all right. That's all right. I'm not bitter. I'm not bitter. I'm not bitter. They didn't even put me in the key of you and me. That's all right.

36:20 I got you. Right after service. Meet me outside. Okay? Listen. Oh my goodness.

36:43 okay so listen calm down I know I'm preaching better than y'all saying amen no Sarah's gonna kill me okay so at the beginning of the service I talked about all of my losses let's talk about my wins Let's talk about my wins. At 60, I started my business.

37:21 Win! Oh, don't walk out. That hurts my feelings. At 65, I finished my college degrees. At 70, my daughters got me up here preaching to y'all at the Potter's house. Mother Nix, God is good, eh? I don't even want it.

38:00 Listen. At this moment, they talk about Boaz, and they talk about Ruth. They talk about them having this baby, Obed. And they bring the baby to Naomi with her bitter self.

38:34 And the scripture says, I don't even know. Where y'all got this stuff? Wait a minute. I'm good. Wait a minute. Say amen somebody. Say amen again. Say amen again. Say amen again. Huh? Okay.

38:57 Let me tell you. Church faith, I'm telling you. Girl, let me tell you, girl. This is difficult. I see you on the TV. If you say preach, I'm a preach.

39:19 This is a praise break. When they talk about Naomi holding that baby and how God restored her, can you imagine? She became the nanny to that baby. laid that baby right on her chest and it restored her joy.

39:56 It restored her hope. It restored her confidence. What do we need to do to regain our confidence? there's a great reward in just believing God again. Right, Sharonda?

40:27 There's a great reward in just believing God again. Yes, you've been through a lot. Been through so much. And you don't even know when the end is going to come to that. But it doesn't matter. Because every little step you take, God is with you. He won't leave you. He won't forsake you. He said, lo, I am with you. Even until the end of the earth. I'm going to get you.

41:15 All of you. We've already had an altar call for salvation. But let's have an altar call for Naomi's. Let's have an altar call so that Naomi can reclaim her name. That's my baby.

41:57 Let's reclaim our name. Naomi. Naomi. Naomi. Naomi. Joy. Let's call forth joy. Call forth joy. Come joy. Come joy. Come back joy. Return joy. Return joy. Return peace.

42:46 Return hope. Return. Come on. Come on. Come on. Let's put it at the feet of the Almighty. Thank you. Return hope. Glory I know. I know. I know.

43:40 I know. I know. I know it's hard. I know it's hard on you. Buried your daughter. buried your husband, buried your wife,

44:01 buried your child, buried your dreams, buried your expectations. You don't even think about it anymore. It's just, I'm just done. I'm just done. Done, done, done. I can't take not another loss. tired of losing I'm tired of losing it's too much today it's too much chef It's too much. now if I could I would be down there hugging everybody but since I got ministers Since I got ministers that are broken Somebody needs to hold you Somebody needs to hold you.

45:22 Somebody needs to let you know that it's going to be okay. Weeping may endure for a night. weeping will endure you're gonna lose I wish I could just preach and scream and say you'll never lose again but when you lose you'll win again if you hold out. Hold on. You'll win again. You'll love again. You'll live again. You'll hope again. It's not over. It's not over. There is hope for a tree. If it's cut down, it will sprout again it's a smell of water I smell water I smell water.

46:43 I smell water. I smell water. Water. Water. Water. But that water's going to come out of you.

47:06 Out of your belly. Gaba. Dose. Kanda da kose. This shoe is getting on my nerves. Water. Water. Water. Water. Water. Not tears. Water.

47:32 Not tears. Water. Joshy, water, water mama. The journey's been long. It's been hard. You lost your balance.

47:54 You lost your hope. Water, water. Water Water mama Water mama Water baby Water Hallelujah It's going to be okay don't give up God sees you God hears you and oh my God he cares water water water bless you Annie you've been with me so long We lost some, but oh my God, we won some too.

49:08 We lost some things along the way. but there's been a great recompense of reward even when we lose we win even when we lose, we win. Even when I lose, I win. Because there's a great

49:58 recompense of reward that the Lord has stored just for us. Don't give up baby girl. We need you to finish this race. It's important my brothers. Don't give up.

51:18 Don't you dare give up. Don't you throw in the towel. They're not calling you by the right name. And when they call you something you disagree with, say, I'm not that anymore.

51:40 That's not who I am. He's a restorer of my soul. He restores my soul. He restores my purpose. He restores my joy. My joy is not contingent upon the circumstances that surround me. My joy, my hope is built on nothing less. than his blood and his righteousness.

52:25 Help us today, God. We do mentor while we're losing. Sometimes it's hard to even get out the bed sometimes. But God. but God but God but God somebody says Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, restorer, he's a restorer, he's a restorer.

53:38 As a restorer. He restores my soul. He restores my joy. He restores my peace. He gives me hope. Hallelujah I love you and you know that but this morning you don't have to be on duty you don't have to be poised and you don't have to be dignified let God arrive Let God be God. Let God arise.

54:30 Homeboy, let God arise. Let him arise. Come on. You got to get out of this. This is a trap. This is a trap. The enemy has set you up, Brother Al. But no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. he's not going to win this victory hallelujah miss Al he's not going to win because even when you're losing God's calling you a win Holy arms around you. He's the lifter of your hands.

55:23 And he makes all things well. All things well All things well All things well, sister mama All things well I love you You've been with me alone You and your babies And I love you I look for you. A mother knows her children. I look for my children. I look for my children.

56:25 And when you're not here, I'm out of place until I see you. Because I don't want the enemy to sift you. No, I don't want the enemy to sift you. He wants to destroy you, but I prayed for you. that your faith fail you not. And when God strengthens you, strengthen your brothers. Well, God, this has been incredible. This has been incredible.

57:30 God has met me on my journey to winning again. A few years ago, couldn't walk. Three to four years Wrecked with pain I was losing.

58:09 All I could do was look. but God who was rich in mercy not that I deserved but he gave me another opportunity and so when they asked me to speak, preach, teach I was like, oh, let's go to work. Okay. Baby girl, look at you.

58:50 You're growing up so good in God. Stay the course. Don't give up. Don't give up. All right. I'm over time. Look at that. I'm a long-winded preacher. Lift your hands and just help me magnify the Lord. Because he's good. Oh my.

59:22 Hey, hey, hey, hey. He's good. Coach and little coach, he's good. Strong, good. Francil, good. Barbie, Stan, good. Lost some things, didn't we? We lost some things along the way. But even when we lose... Hallelujah. Who do I turn? The service is in the hands of the... I don't know, Mari. I don't know. The hands are in the service.

1:00:16 Do you want me to dismiss? Well, cool. All right. I get to pastor all the way to the end. Father, we thank you so very much for being so very good to us, so patient, so kind, so loving, so merciful, so good. We thank you for the souls that gathered with me around the altar, because we're winners.

1:00:55 Lost some things, lost some folk, but we're winners. and we thank you because the victory is in you. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory and causes us to triumph and gives us peace. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Give the band a hand. God bless you be so full today that you'll have to go on a fast tomorrow stomach gonna be just hurting okay God bless you be safe happy mothering day happy mentoring day happy daughter's day Happy Son's Day.

1:02:01 In Jesus' name. Please have me back to y'all's church.