I Am Responsible

0:14 Thank you again for having me today. Now, I know this is my first time preaching, so y'all play nice. Look at your name and say, play nice with a preacher. Play nice. Matthew chapter 1, and let's look at two verses real quick, and then you can be seated. Let's look at verses 24 and 25 from the English Standard Version, and this is what it says. It says, when Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. he took his wife but he knew her not until she had given birth to a son and he called his name Jesus the word of God is blessed you may be seated father we thank you for this moment you do all things well and you make no mistakes thank you for being an amazing God thank you for blessing us thank you for bringing us to the last Sunday of the year Now, Lord, here we are.

1:06 We need to hear a word that's going to take us for the rest of the year into the next year. Because you've got some great things for us. So, Lord, we just simply ask, speak to us today. Lord, we bind anything that's not you. We release everything that is you. We pray thy kingdom coming, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us now our daily bread. Would you please forgive us of anything that we may have done that would limit the floor of what you want to do? Let your glory, your presence manifest even more. In the name of Jesus, save somebody, heal somebody, deliver somebody, set somebody free, empower somebody. And we thank you. Now anoint my eyes and the lips, only hear, see, and say what you purpose for this moment. And anoint us to be hearers, anoint our minds. In Jesus' name we pray and everybody shout, amen. From these two verses that I've read today, I want to just talk from this simple topic just for a few moments. I want to talk from the topic, I am responsible.

2:03 I am responsible. According to the liturgical calendar, Advent has just concluded, and we are in what is called the 12 days of Christmas. I know that when you hear that, most of our minds immediately go to the song, 12 days of Christmas, but there are some that argue that that song has spiritual meaning. But the 12 days of Christmas, they lead up to what is called Epiphany, which is celebrated on January the 6th, which is the day that the Magi brought gifts to Jesus. Based upon the narrative of Jesus, according to Jewish customs, Jesus is only three days old today, and he has not yet been given a name. Unlike our common culture where we name the child immediately, in the Bible days, the child was not named until the eighth day.

3:10 So if we were in the Bible narrative right now of Jesus, we would still be celebrating the birth of Christ. for those in America we give Jesus one day December the 25th and truthfully if we be honest we don't really give him the whole day but yet if we were back 2,000 years ago the atmosphere would still be charged celebrating the birth of our king shepherds would have already come by now bringing gifts, praising God for the birth of the Savior, but the baby will still have no name. Herod would be trying to find where he is in order to kill him. All of this for an unnamed child. The stars would be shining bright at this moment, one glistening more than the others called the North Star. Angels would be appearing to different people, all for a child who had not yet been given a name. Here is where the significance of Joseph comes in. In the Jewish world, it was the father who gave the name to the child. Everybody celebrates Sainted Mother Mary while Father Joe gets little to no credit at all.

4:42 It epitomizes Mother's Day versus Father's Day. Mother's Day, the church is packed, can't get a reservation in a restaurant, but on Father's Day, you can pick a seat, get a reservation at any given moment, just moments before. And truth be told, this is even truthful of black fathers. there was even a study of Mary and all kinds of material about her. In Israel, there is a whole shrine available dedicated to where nuns around the clock attend to the sacred site. But Joseph only got a day named after him a thousand years after the birth of Christ on March 19th.

5:35 Joseph is a character who gets minimized in the story of Jesus' birth and life. Joseph is so minimized that the gospel of Mark doesn't even mention his name. There are no miracles surrounding Joseph. At some point, Joseph is not even recorded as being a part of Jesus' life. yet Joseph has the highest record of angelic interaction in the whole Bible Joseph has four encounters with angels Abraham who's the father of faith only has two Joseph is one of the most significant insignificant men in the Bible let me say it again Joseph is one of the most significant, insignificant men in the Bible. First, Joseph fulfills scriptures because he is of the lineage of David, which positions Jesus to be the Messiah.

6:38 Second, Joseph protects Jesus by listening to angels to move from place to place. Third, Joseph is responsible for naming Jesus. Look at Joseph's shows. If Joseph shows us, you don't have to say much or do much to be a history maker. You don't have to be visible to make a lasting impression. Only thing you got to do is just be you. Just nudge your neighbor and say, you just got to keep being you. That's it. I know some people want to be famous, and some people want their name in life, and some people want to be recognized. But the truth be told, if we never know your name, you can still make history. Just by being who you are. And I want to tell somebody today, as I hasten on, I want to tell somebody that you are enough. I don't know where we have allowed the enemy to make us think that we got to go through changes and try to enhance this and enhance that and try to change who we are in order to be accepted.

7:39 The reality of it is, whatever I look like, how short, how tall, how much hair I have or don't have, no matter what my education level, I am enough. and I need somebody to end this year knowing no matter what hell you've been through that you are enough and I want y'all to do me a favor and I want you to shake hell today would you just shout it in the atmosphere shout I am enough ladies and gentlemen I know we have different people like Alexander the Great today I want to introduce you to Joseph the responsible I recognize that responsibility is often downplayed, but I want you to hear this for what God is going to do in 2026. It's only coming to the responsible.

8:34 Now, we'll have church in a minute, but let me just work through this just for a couple more moments because you're going to hear prophecies. Your pastor's going to get up and preach, and he's going to instruct you about what God's going to do. You're going to have revival in a few days, and you're going to hear information and revelation and prophetic declarations about what God is going to do. And I need you to understand that God is true to his word. But here's what you have to understand, that God is only going to release it to those whom he knows can handle it. Growing up, growing up, growing up, my father, my father took pride in the cars that he bought because he struggled in his early life. So when he was able to buy new cars, he was very protective about who he allowed to drive the cars. I happened to make the list, thank the Lord.

9:27 But one of the only reasons why he allowed me to drive the car was because I proved to be responsible. Here's a question that I want to ask you. Can God trust you with what he has planned for you? can God trust you with what he has planned? Because here's the deficit that I found out amongst us as church people. Sometimes God does not release to us what is coming, not because it is not destined for us, but because he knows we aren't responsible enough to handle it at that moment. Okay, y'all don't like this kind of preaching. It'll get better in a second. Let me say it again. See, it is not that the prophet lied. It is not that the preacher is wrong. It is not that God is not a man of his words. The reality is because God is responsible, he's not going to give you something that he knows you can't handle.

10:32 One of the things that I have to learn and I've had to learn, and it has brought a sense of contentment in my life, is to stop seeking what other people have if I can't handle it. so I started praying to God, I only want to do and have what's for me. That cancels out jealousy. That helps you to be in a place where you are happy and satisfied, because if I don't have it, it simply means that right now it ain't for me. I need you to understand this today, that God is getting ready to release some things to us, but he's looking for people that are responsible. Being responsible, let's define it real quick, is taking ownership of our thoughts, our actions, our emotions, y'all ready for this part, and the outcomes without blaming an external force. now now i know we'll get happy in a minute but let me let me say this again responsible means that i take ownership of my thoughts my actions my emotions and the outcomes see see people often avoid responsibility number one because fear of judgment number two they avoid responsibility because it's safer to blame other people some people avoid responsibility because of their ego. But here's the last one. Some people avoid responsibility because it is a learned behavior. See, when you are a child and you know that admitting the truth is going to result in harsh punishment, you teach yourself to avoid responsibility.

12:18 It becomes a way of thought. And so now we've got grown men and women who never take responsibility for their actions. Now, I don't want you to turn and look at nobody because you might be sitting next to somebody that does that, but you know, we all got that friend that does stuff and then blame you for everything that happens or blame everybody else. And sometimes you just want to ask them, who is the common denominator? If everybody got a problem and you are a part of it, who do you think is the real problem? Everybody can't be lying. It is interesting. responsibility is the ability to respond to life's events having proprietorship of one's own actions this is what I like being responsible suggests being the creator of your own reality Jim Rohn in falling to grace the art and science of redemption said you must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you are in charge of. I want to suggest as we end this year and are preparing to move into another year that we go into the year not trying to control the season because that's God's. Not trying to control circumstances, that is God's. But what we can do is go in with the resolve, I got me this year.

13:49 I'm not going to worry about what you do. I'm not going to worry about your behavior. I'm not going to worry about what my neighbor's doing. I'm not going to worry about my friends. I'm not going to worry about the mother of the church, the father, the preacher. I'm not going to worry about nobody else. This year, 26, I got me. I got me. Now, here's what I need you to understand, and we're almost where we need to be. Being responsible implies purpose. People who are responsible have a sense of purpose. Nihilism can create a mindset of loss of purpose and loss of meaning resulting in the lack of being responsible. People that don't feel like there's any meaning in life aren't responsible. They don't really care about their actions. but when you feel a sense of purpose when you feel like there is meaning to what you're doing it makes you become responsible so so here here's where we are there are two types of responsibility that we need to look at today and that is number one personal responsibility which is taking full ownership of your thoughts but second is social responsibility which is accountability for actions and their impact on other people. So here is now where we find ourselves in the text. We're in the book of Matthew. It is the first gospel to capture the birth of Christ. Matthew does not concern itself with anything else but the genealogy of Jesus. This is the context that we've dropped down into in chapter number one. Matthew is designed to show Jesus as the king. You got to understand this part of Matthew's ideology was to counteract an imperial theology that was happening and the theology was that Rome and the emperor ruled at the will of God's liturgy. So Matthew presents Jesus as the king to counteract this

15:58 narrative that was being created. The gospel of Matthew is also a counter-narrative that helps our, of the audience, live a counter-cultural alternative existence amidst this environment. But here's where I want to go. The gospel of Matthew is a gospel of empowerment. It's a gospel of empowerment. Matthew highlighted the underdog. He highlighted the underdog in our social and political climate. It requires a message of hope and it requires a message of empowerment. We got HBCUs who are being defunded. We have no governmental integrity. Voting rights are being challenged. Racism is bold and in the forefront. Affordable health care is being taken away from people. If there ever was a time that we need a message to empower and encourage us to keep standing and keep pushing and keep existing, it's right now.

17:02 So Matthew is the only one to record the story of Jesus, his birth, and include Joseph. People of God, I want you to hear this. Joseph now is introduced to us. And here are three things that you need to understand before I go to my seat about Joseph. Number one, the power of this is the introduction of Jesus and the Joseph story means three things. Number one, it speaks to the season of fulfilled promise. So you got to understand this. Heaven has been shut up for 400 years. This is called the intertestamental period between the Old Testament Malachi and Matthew, heaven has been quiet. So when we start seeing now the story of Jesus and the conversation of Joseph comes, it now is a trigger to us that heaven is open. And I came to speak to somebody today that we're in the season of an open heaven. Can I bother your neighbor one good time and just look at your neighbor and tell him we're under an open heaven. We're under. Please don't take that lightly. We are under an open heaven.

18:13 We're under a hope in heaven. Number two, the second thing that this tells us is it represents salvation. Salvation, y'all, is not just being saved because I asked Jesus to come into my life, but salvation also may look different because what you have to understand is Jesus was born during political unrest. They were looking for a Messiah to save them from the tyrant and oppressive leadership. It's similar, honestly, y'all, to the times in which we live right now. People are looking for some type of salvation. But I came to tell somebody salvation is here. Salvation is available. It may not show up like you expect, but salvation is coming. And here's what I want to tell you, everybody. Here's what I want to tell you that the story of Joseph and Jesus shows us is this. Whenever people pray to God for deliverance and salvation, God always responds by raising somebody up.

19:18 When Israel needed deliverance, God raised up Moses. When Israel needed a judge, God raised up Samson and Deborah. When the people of God needed a Savior, God raised up Mary to be the virgin, and then God sent Jesus. I need you to hear me today. You are the answer to somebody's prayer for deliverance. Some of you, the reason why you've been fighting so hard and going through some of the hell that you've been going through in 2025 is because in 26, you get ready to show up as somebody's answer. and the devil has been trying to fight you because somebody's been praying for you. The devil is trying to fight you because he wants you to feel like you have no value. He wants you to feel like you have no purpose. He wants you to feel like your life means nothing, but I came to serve notice on the devil.

20:14 It's too late. You should have never let us get to new birth this morning because now I got the answer Why there's been so much hell, why there's been so much pain, why there's been so much betrayal. It's because God was preparing me to be somebody's answer. Glory to God. I feel God's presence. God was preparing you to be somebody's answer. You're the answer for your family. You're the answer for your community. You're the answer for some child. You're the answer for some person. You're the answer for the homeless. You're the answer for science. You're the answer for politics. You are the answer. And that's why you had to go through what you went through, because anything that God does, he always takes time to prepare it. He always takes time to make it big. But you've got to understand this. Everything there is a time and everything there is a season, and you couldn't be released until the right time. Moses was 80 when God sent him to Israel.

21:09 Even though he understood God's hand was on his life, he had to wait until he was 80 years old. Jesus had to wait until he was 33 years old in order to do. David was anointed as a teenager, but had to wait until he was 30 in order to walk in his kingship. It does not mean God's hand is not on your life. You just got to wait for the right time. But somebody's been praying for you. And I came to tell you, I'm so glad they prayed. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I feel God's presence. I just need you to throw your head back and shout, I am the answer. I am the answer. You are the answer. You are the answer. But here's the one, here's the one, and I hope y'all catch this, and this is the one that gets me excited. The third reason why the story of Jesus and Joseph is significant in Matthew is because it speaks to unprecedented supernatural intervention. Unprecedented supernatural intervention.

22:16 So you got to get this. The greatest threat to future success is previous success. by nature lord help me we are creatures of habit our minds are programmed and since we are programmed then what happens is they will tell you studies show that we operate listen to this with only 10 percent consciousness. It is suggested that 90 percent of what we do is subconscious and unconscious. Let that sink in, which means then most of our responses and our behaviors are automatic. So when we experience God in a previous impactful way, we hold God to that same standard. So we start looking for God to move the same way.

23:14 And the reason why some of you are frustrated today, because you are mad at God because you said God didn't show up and God made you a promise, maybe God is showing up, but you keep looking for him the same way. Maybe the problem is not that God is not doing what he said. Maybe the problem is you are so conditioned and habitual that God has to move that way in order for it to be God. But the problem is you can't box God in.

23:48 Jesus being born and Joseph being the father shows us that God is getting ready to do something that's unprecedented. it. It is going to be supernatural, which means it's beyond human ability, and it's going to be intervention, which means God's getting ready to step in your situation. And I don't care what the odds are. God's getting ready to step in your, I don't care how bad it is. God's getting ready to step in your situation. Mary did not have a man to get her pregnant. The Holy Ghost got Mary pregnant. And I'm trying to tell you, you sitting up here complaining because you ain't got nobody to help you. You sitting up here complaining because you feel all by yourself. You sitting up here complaining because everybody turned their back on you. It don't even matter if you're by yourself. God is getting ready to step in. I need you to look at somebody, put a smile on your face and tell them God is about to step in.

24:50 y'all ain't acting like y'all believe it see some of y'all still programmed because you need him to do it the way you want him to do it but we used to sing an old song and say he may not come when you want him but he's always on time i need somebody that look like they've given god the room to come however you want to come just give somebody a high five and tell them, get ready for the unexpected. Get ready.

25:19 Get ready for God to move in a way you ain't never seen Him move before. You ain't seen this before. Eyes have not seen and ears have not heard and it has not entered into the heart what God has prepared. You keep trying to box God in, but God says, I want to do something you ain't never seen before. You're trying to depend on your credit, but God said, I want to do something you ain't seen before. You're trying to depend on friends and other resources, but God said, I want to do something you ain't seen before. You're trying to depend on the doctor, but God said, I want to do something you haven't seen before. God, can I get a little more of these monitors? God, God is getting ready to move in a way that's going to blow your mind. Amos 9 said that it's going to be something that's going to make your head spin.

26:14 I don't know about y'all, but I'm telling y'all, 26 is going to be a head spinning year. I Just need a few of y'all to believe it. I said 26 it's gonna be a head-spinning year And I know it sound like a cliche, but they say every time I turn around I

26:35 Just need somebody they got a little bit of faith and turn around because I believe that somebody by the time you get back home God's got something waiting on you. I believe by the time this year is God's got something waiting on you that's why the song said late in the midnight hour they said God's gonna turn it around can we just have a little country church grab somebody by the hand shake that hand and say hey neighbor tell them get ready for the turnaround God's getting ready to shift it God's getting ready to change it God's getting ready to fix it God's getting ready to make a way God's getting ready to open the door God's getting ready to heal somebody He's going to do it supernaturally It's going to be unprecedented There's no pattern for this There's no matrix for this There's nothing you can look for this Because God said behold I'm going to do a new thing Look at somebody say new, new, new I said look at somebody and say no, no, no, no, no alright, hey I feel God's presence I need you to do this because this is a real test if you believe something new is coming take 30 seconds, open your mouth and praise him Yes!

28:10 Praise him! I might please be seated. I got a few more minutes. I feel God, I'm trying to act like I got some sense I'm at Newburgh, but I feel like I'm at destiny. I said, God's getting ready to do something new. I said, God's getting ready to do something new. yes all right all right that was just my introduction let me close so Matthew Matthew is intentional how he begins the story and the life of Jesus with Joseph his father Matthew doesn't concern himself with Mary he joins the story with her already being pregnant.

29:16 Joseph has just found out that the woman he is engaged to preparing to spend the rest of his life with is carrying another man's child. I want you to feel the tension in the text real quick. Because I know that's spiritual, y'all, Lord. Y'all ready to shout because new things are coming. But before we shout, I want you to put yourself in a text because Joseph is marrying somebody and she comes and says, I'm pregnant and it ain't yours.

29:54 Because according to the text, she's still a virgin. And can I say something? Joseph is about to do what any other man would do. He about to kick her to the curb. legally legally listen to this y'all because i want y'all to see this uh legally he could have married killed because based upon the deuteronomy text if a woman stepped outside of the marriage after the court case she would be executed could god almighty thank god for grace this this this is some real housewives and Atlanta hip-hop stuff this this this y'all don't think the Bible got drama not the Bible the Bible got a whole lot of drama the Bible got a whole lot of drama but but Joseph was a different kind of man he was a man of character he was a man of principle He was responsible.

31:00 And everything that God does, he's going to do it, but you got to understand this. Everybody want God to do something amazing with their lives. But the problem is, who can God trust to be responsible? See, I need y'all to understand why this message is so important. Because Joseph is on the verge of something new. Lord, I feel God's presence. Y'all, please, Newbirth, hear me. He is on the verge of something new. Y'all remember that old song, don't push me because I'm close. All right, don't go. All right, y'all got it. Because we're still in church. I don't want y'all to get.

31:43 Joseph is on the verge of something new. Joseph is literally and figuratively ending one season and he's beginning a new season I'm preaching to y'all what y'all know tonight y'all don't even understand you're in a prophetic moment you're just looking at the circumstances but you're in a prophetic moment you are in between what was and what is to be oh that's your God's presence you're you're in between the bad and the better. You're in between the old and the new. And the problem is when you're in the in-between stage, your behavior in transitions determines what happens next. See, see, I am sitting here today to preach a message of responsibility in your transition so that you don't blow your necks. because what's the point of shouting about the blessings of God if we are about to blow it with our actions what's the point of doing all of this stuff running down touching and save giving money shouting and dancing turn around giving your neighbor high five saying you believe god and then you leave church and do something irresponsible and let me add tension to it let me add tension to the text the tension to the text is joseph had a right to do what he was getting ready to do oh no see sometime in church we don't preach this because see what we try to do is we'll preach the message and just highlight spirituality but we don't deal with practicality because practically I have a right to be man as a black man.

33:46 Practicality, I have a right to feel what I feel as an African American in this society. Listen, I have a right to act out but because of my assignment I can't be irresponsible. Y'all like when we get real. I have a right to knock you upside your head. I forgot we're in church but I'm from Baltimore listen I got a right to knock you out and hit you with nine friends but I can't do that because I got to be responsible I got a right to throw up my hands and say I'm done with you and I'm done with this but here's the problem God ain't done with it Thank you. I'm trying to save somebody from walking away from a marriage that God's getting ready to turn around into a testimony.

34:45 I'm trying to save somebody from walking away from a job situation that God's getting ready to make you the hero. God sent me here to tell somebody this ain't the time to be irresponsible. Hear me, y'all, and I'm closing. He is right in putting her away. He is right. He has a right to feel what he feels. And y'all know, let's be honest, men, we handle betrayal different than women because our pride get hurt too. Are y'all laughing? It's the truth. I ain't going to tell you all our secrets, but the reason why we respond different, we can do the same thing, but men going to respond different because our ego is affected too. So can you imagine Joseph being proud because being married was a family thing.

35:37 It wasn't just something you did in the corner and do a private ceremony. It was a big celebration. Sometimes the feast lasted seven days. Can you imagine having to go tell your whole community, it's all because she got pregnant with somebody else's baby.

35:58 But something happens that's unique. God sends an angel. I'm almost done. God sends an angel. I want to prophesy before this year is over that we're going to have an angelic encounter. I feel God's presence. I feel the weight of God. I want you to hear me. I prophesy before 2026 comes in, somebody's going to have an encounter with an angelic force that's getting ready to save you and give you an instruction how to move into your next. The angel says to Joseph, don't put it away because what she's carrying is of God. The angel says, here's what I need you to do. I need you to marry her, and then I need you to name the child.

36:56 Y'all, I'm almost close, but here's what you have to understand. You can search the scripture, and you don't find anywhere where it records any words of Joseph. There are no words that you can find of Joseph. But we do know that he spoke at least four words. his name is Jesus. Okay, y'all just missed it. Okay, y'all just missed it. See, I told you there is personal responsibility, but I told you there's also social responsibility where your actions impact somebody else. See, here's what you missed. See, y'all just missed the shout. See, because of our culture, we don't understand this, but in their culture, in Eastern culture, Here's what you have to understand, that the father, even if the child was adopted, the father is what made the child legal.

37:57 Jesus wasn't legal just because he was born. Because in that community, if a father wanted to do away with the child, one of the things that the father would do is not name it. and by not naming the child the child would be deemed fatherless which would make the child illegitimate i need y'all to go with me in the text huh um so so you got to understand this in order for jesus to save he's got to be legitimate the problem is i told you it's been eight days and he still has no name. He's anointed by God to save, but he has no name. He's been called to change the culture, but he has no name. Glory to God. He is getting ready to die. I know it was the blood that saved me one day when I was lost. He died on the cross, But the problem is, he still has no name.

39:11 Mary couldn't name him. She only could birth him. It took a Joseph who had to be responsible enough to move his feelings to the side. and while we thank Jesus some of us need to thank Joseph because it had it not been for Joseph we wouldn't have Jesus y'all like this kind of preaching see let me tell you why some of y'all are getting tired and tight because the reality is some of you understand this because you feel unappreciated because you've been Joseph Thank you. you have been the one that has had to save and move your feelings to the side you've been the one that's had to step up for your family even when you know they didn't appreciate you've been the one that had to step up in the community for people who took advantage of you You've been the one that had to take hits when other people thought you were crazy.

40:25 But today, I came to talk to somebody and tell you that God sent me here to tell you, Joseph, you haven't gone unnoticed. I need you to look at somebody, that's another Joseph, and tell them, thank you for being responsible. No, no, say it like you mean it. Look at somebody and tell them, thank you for being responsible. I know it's been rough you had tears in your eyes you were stabbed in your back sometimes you were betrayed but you kept on standing you did the right thing when everybody else was taken down you stepped in you raised children that wasn't even yours you were mentored to people you did things you fed to hungry you did things for people who didn't even come back to say thank you and I came as assignment from God today to tell you God said it didn't go unnoticed Thank you.

41:19 But not only that, God sent me to talk to some people because I know it's heavy. I came to talk to some people today as I get ready to close because the weight is heavy.

41:42 I'll be honest with you. It's my first time here. And as a preacher, you know, we want to preach those messages that knock it out the park. But God wouldn't release me to preach that kind of word. Because going into 26, God needs some responsible people. and just making you shout and dance don't give you responsibility. And I'm not saying we won't dance before it's over, but I need y'all to hear me. God sent me here because somebody was on the verge of buckling under depression.

42:16 Here's Shabbat now here. Somebody was on the verge of getting ready to give up because you've been holding your family down. You've been keeping it together, and you feel the weight of it and now you're tired because you've had to do it for 360 days. And here we are at the end of the year.

42:38 And you're weary now. But God sent me to tell you, I got you. Can I bother you one more time? I need you to look at the neighbor and tell him, you ain't gonna buckle under pressure. Tell him God's got you. No, no, I didn't say your neighbor got you. I said God's got you. Because God told Joseph, I got you. I know this is hard, but Joseph, I got you. Because see, let me tell you why God entrusted to you three things. God entrusted to you, number one. If these were my points, take these as my points. Number one, God putting something on you means, number one, he trusts you.

43:17 Oh, have mercy. I'm done. My time is up. Number one, God trusts you. Number two, the reason why God puts weight on you is because he knows you got capacity for it. God, I feel God in this room. I'm getting ready to pray. You got capacity. See, the reason why you didn't buckle and somebody else did is because they don't have the same capacity as you. And can I tell y'all something? Stop being jealous of people that you see standing strong because if God was to transfer on you what's on them, you would die right now. if God was to put the same weight on you you would lose your mind you'll be somewhere balled up in a fetal position sucking your thumb because you can't handle what's on me And the last thing that I want to tell you, God puts the weight on you, and I'm getting ready to pray, because you have character.

44:27 I want to tell y'all what's the new sexy in 26, the new sexiest character. I say, I knew y'all won't go get happy about that. In 26, I need friends with character. In 26, listen, I don't need the most money because God is going to supernaturally supply all my needs. I don't need you to be the most popular. I just need some folk that hold me down and got some character. because where I'm going, I got to have people that got character.

45:01 Let me tell you why. Because who God is about to entrust you to. Matter of fact, not who God's going to trust you to, but who God is getting ready to trust to you. If you don't have character, you'll mismanage them. So y'all better hear the word of the Lord. My time is up. Sorry, Pastor, I'm closing. Y'all hear the word of the Lord because y'all don't even realize this, But I'm telling y'all what I hear as I'm standing here. God's getting ready to send people to fund your business.

45:30 Wrong crowd. Let me try it over here. God's getting ready to send people to fund your business. God's getting ready to send partnership to you. God's getting ready to give you opportunity. And if you don't have character, you're going to do like some of these people get to the top and blow it. So today I need to pray.

45:55 Because God sent me to new birth today. To talk to responsible people. I want you to grab that neighbor by the hand. You're not by yourself. Pastor's going to come in a minute to do invitation, but I need to pray. because you are special and don't even realize it. You are significant and don't even realize it. Joseph, I don't care if they never write about you. I don't care if you never get the big stage. The impact that you're going to have is going to change the game.

46:40 Jesus wouldn't be Jesus if Joseph hadn't been responsible. I need y'all to get that. We always celebrate Jesus and we should. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. But Jesus wouldn't be around to be celebrated if Joseph was irresponsible. What if Joseph had an ego and wanted to name Jesus after him? because that's what they did at that time. They named children after the father to keep the namesake.

47:20 Joseph gave up all his rights so we could be saved. You're holding the hand of somebody today that God trusts. I want to pray two things. Number one, I want to pray because God is about to put something in your hand. no no I want you to squeeze it because God's getting ready to put something in that neighbor's hand 25 qualifies you for what 26 is gonna bring you but the second reason why I got you holding that hand because that hand you're holding is tired and the Lord told me to pray for all the weary hands come on begin to pray father in Jesus name thank you thank you for your presence thank you for this word thank you for trusting us thank you Father for seeing something in us and even though the circumstances were unfavorable you trusted Joseph to manage the situation so that we could have the Savior Jesus so today Father I want to thank you for sending Joseph to Jesus and I want to thank you Father for sending my neighbor to this place today squeeze a hand Father as I hold this hand I want to thank you for what you're about to put in my neighbor's hand Father I want to thank you for what is coming in 26 matter of fact Lord for some people it's coming before the year ends it's coming before the year ends I want to thank you Father because you're getting ready to do something for my neighbor and I thank you right now that they are being responsible, Lord.

49:09 They've been responsible with little. They've been responsible when their credit wasn't the best. They've been responsible when they had to go to school. They've been responsible, Father, when people weren't looking. So now, God, you're getting ready to do something in the public because they were responsible behind the scenes. But Lord, lastly, I want to pray for the hand who's weary. Squeeze, strengthen to that hand right now. Father, strengthen my neighbor's hand. they're about a good work but they're tired they haven't had the support that they needed they're tired it's been a long year they're tired we've had to deal with so much stuff one thing after another and they're tired but today father I want to speak shrimp that they keep on going I want to speak shrimp because God you get ready to do something for them that's gonna make up for everything that they've been through I speak healing to their minds because some people have been hurt they've been betrayed I see healing to their hearts in the name of Jesus I speak emotional healing I speak psychological healing and Lord for those of us that have experienced things physically in our bodies I speak physical healing now we bind the hand of the adversary and I thank you now yes Lord I feel you I thank you now because my neighbor is going to handle it my neighbors gonna handle it and we give you praise because we can handle it I need everybody to loose that hand and I need you to take 30 seconds open up your mouth and praise God cuz you about to handle it praise them cuz you get ready to handle it listen I want you to hear me I want you to hear me in this room I'm gonna go to my seat but I want you to hear me in this room before before you be seated because i just need to share one thing with pastor then i'm going to my seat but i want to say something in this room today god said to end this message by telling the church this one thing god said i'm getting ready to make it up to you

51:19 I need you to look at somebody and tell them, God said, he's about to make it up to you. And I don't know what you've been through, but here's what I want y'all to do. I want you to tear this church up for 60 seconds because God said, I'm getting ready to make it up to you. Open up your mouth.

51:46 Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. hey here's the last thing Pastor Bryant I was preparing to come and I was in prayer and the Lord said I had to say some specific things to you this is what I want to say to you Pastor Bryant the Lord said one of the reasons because I had to write it down. It was so much. One of the reasons he shifted you was not to allow the previous context to cancel the assignment on your life.

52:32 God says to tell you this. Lord have mercy. I feel God's presence. God says to tell you, your assignment never changed, but you just needed a different context from which to work that have the capacity to manage the weight of who you are. God said your light was going out where you were, but God brought you here to not only reignite, but to brighten your light.

53:00 God says to tell you, I'm giving you room for more coverage. 26 will be a year you will see expanded capacity and enlarged territory. Lord have mercy. I'm trying not to get happy for him myself. God says, get ready to have conversations with people you've only looked up to and heard about. CEOs, state leaders, just to name a few. God says to tell you, this is the one that really got me excited. God says to tell you, you're getting ready to start having conversations and interactions with billionaires. God said to tell you Pastor Bryant he is about to fund everything you put your hand to I don't know what this means but this is what I heard the Lord say to tell you he said no more out of pocket no more out of pocket God said God is getting ready to let you use other people's money to pay for everything you're getting ready to do with no strings attached.

54:13 the Lord the Lord says to tell you this the Lord says I'll tell you this too there's something you've been considering that you've been hesitant about because you were concerned about the fallout the strings or the potential ask that may come if you agree to this particular thing God says to tell you this trust him and trust your gut your spiritual intuition we call it discernment God says because of your heart, integrity, and character, God says what one door they close, two more will open. Do not be discouraged if the opportunity doesn't work out because God says what has been proposed is still going to happen. It's just going to come another way so as to keep and maintain your integrity.

55:08 God says to tell you, this is not the year to compromise. Dr. Bryant, I'm also here to say to you that there's more to your marriage to Pastor Kerry than meets to I. Everybody thinks this is just another high-profile celebrity marriage, but in eternity, this was God giving you partnership to handle responsibility.

55:34 She was sent to you to help bear the load. The Lord says to speak strength to you that you will not buckle under the added weight that's coming in 26. Because God's getting ready to add on to you in 26. The Lord says to tell you to be okay with what you've been trying to run from. not necessarily the episcopacy as in being consecrated bishop but the responsibility of a bishop as much as you are called into the political arena there are those that god is sending to you to spiritually mentor as a matter of fact they have been asking you but you have been resistant toward it in 26 you're gonna have to give god a yes here's the last thing and i'm and i'm wrapping up now the last thing is i'm sent to tell you god is about to give you additional help to manage the expansion that's coming and and when i was riding over here this is what i heard god say pay in full in the spirit god just paid off all the debt Thank you.

56:59 I'm sorry, I just got happy for y'all 26 you again will be a debt free ministry I don't know how he's going to do it I just know God said paid in full I'm trying to keep it together I need somebody to give somebody a high five and say paid in full y'all want him to get excited cause here's the good thing If he does it for the house, he's gonna do it for your house. yes alright let me close let me close I'm sorry let me help y'all something when you're responsible you don't have to have the prophecy for you you learn how to shout for other people I need somebody that ain't jealous to open your mouth and praise God cause I'm telling you I don't know how God's going to do it, Pastor Brian, but the law said in 26, pay it in full.

58:12 You've been faithful knocking down the debt. You've been faithful doing what needed to be done, but God says pay it in full. God just lifted the load off of you God said don't even worry about it no more because he's given you the strategy and the funds to pay it off I don't want to get in trouble and I'm not disrespectful but I hope you hear me God said this is the last year you carry another man's debt and that's not disrespectful I'm telling you what the Lord said because God now is giving you the freedom to walk out the full vision that he put inside of your heart you have been responsible and as much as you have done there's more that you haven't done that they don't even realize because you are being responsible knocking stuff down but God said I'm about to reward your responsibility God said I'm about to reward your being responsible and I'm going to do it in a big way Let me finish.

59:33 Not only does it say, the Lord says he's going to do it so big that even people that did you wrong are going to have to come back and repent. there have been people that put their mouth on this ministry there are people that put their mouth on you they didn't expect you to make it this long but the Lord said because I'm God I'm flexing this year

59:57 I don't know what this means, but I'm going to say it like I heard it. God said, up until this point, you did it. He said in 26, I'm going to do it. He just needed to know you were going to be responsible. But God said, because you were, move aside. I got it now. Hey! Okay. All right. The Lord, the Lord says to tell you this. Y'all, I feel the dance. I'm trying to calm down. Listen. The Lord says to tell you, as much as you are focused to rebuild and repopulate this campus, the Lord has given you the green light for satellite campuses. this is the season of expansion and you have to embrace it lord have mercy because god said everything about you is enlarging this is the last thing the lord said to tell you the lord said to tell you that that how do i say this lord um the lord said to tell you that he's getting ready to give you another home in another state and I'm going to tell you why I'm not telling all your business but this is why the Lord said because for what he's calling you to do you're going to have to have the ability to go back and forth you're still based here this ain't about leaving but because God is getting ready to put more weight on you you're getting ready to be called into arenas where you're going to have to sit in meetings I'm talking about Lord have mercy I hear you you're going to have to sit in meetings as counsel.

1:01:35 You're going to have to sit in meetings. People are going to start, and there's a certain area where it's going to be more predominant, and God says, I'm giving you territory there. See, here's the real reason that the other place of living is coming. It's not just coming so you can say you got two houses. It's coming because wherever the sole of your foot shall tread, I've given it to you. And God said, I'm giving it to you. I don't even know what this means, but one of the areas that I hear is Silicon Valley. God is, listen, this is bigger than just tech. God is getting ready to merge tech and politics and let you have impact in a way that's going to be revolutionary. You, Pastor Brian, are the Joseph of our generation. and the Lord said to tell you thank you Joseph cause you could have buckled but you didn't thank you Joseph cause you stood when they talked about you thank you Joseph you could have walked away but you stood tears in your eyes heartbroken but you stood and God said because you stood this is going to be a time of reward here's what I need and I'm getting ready to go to my seat I need everybody that