You Better Recognize - Touré Roberts

5:28 I want to speak from this thought today. You better recognize. You better recognize. Father in heaven, we bless you. Hallelujah. We honor you. We feel the weight of your glory, the weight of your presence. You are here with us and you have purpose to do great things in our midst. The opening of the blind eyes, the deliverance of the captives, the healing of the sick, hallelujah, and so much more. And so have your way, hallelujah. God, your servant, thanks you for the spirit of wisdom and revelation and insight and knowledge and prophecy and full access to the secrets of heaven that I might feed your sons and daughters. And may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. I thank you for not only us coming in, but how we're going to leave out. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Do me a favor. Give God a shout. Greet somebody as you take your seat in God's house. Hallelujah. Let's go to work, baby. I want to, I want to, yes, sir, I want to continue with something that we started. I was going to say Wednesday night, but Wednesday night was a continuum of the things that have been happening in our movement and our midst really since we concluded 30 years of ministry. Yeah. Because it became emphatically clear that we had stepped into another era, another wave of grace and glory for our church.

7:21 and it became also clear, and I gathered many of our ministers and prophetic people together, what also became clear is that we would need to steward such a move. It's one thing to have a move of God. It's another thing to steward a move of God. Are you tracking with me? And so when God graces you with the glory encounter, when he graces you with the glory experience, when he graces you with an unusual measure of his spirit, then it is incumbent upon us to not think it common, but to begin to pray and stir things up so that all that God watched has sent that glory for can be realized. Are you tracking with me? And so that's what we have been endeavoring to do. We're meeting on Sundays very early, praying, seeking the Lord, sensing the Lord, and awesome and mighty things are beginning to take place. On Wednesday night, the Spirit of God moved mightily, and there were miracles, signs, and wonders, and healings, and various things, but I believe that it was only just the beginning. And let me say this, sometimes it is more than just what God wants to do, because the Bible teaches us that the Spirit is always willing, but the issue is that our flesh is weak. And so what God has done in the season is he has blessed us with the gift of hunger. Let me lean into that for a second. He's blessed us with the gift of hunger. It isn't that he doesn't want to move. Oftentimes it's that we are not hungry enough because we are full of other things. Oh, you're going to get it today. And so you're calling it trouble. God's calling it blessing you with the gift of hunger. You're calling it your brook drying up. God's calling it a blessing with the gift of now seeking God in a moment where you would not have sought him.

9:30 Oh, can I tell somebody about their season really quickly? You're saying, God, this is tremendous warfare, God is saying, I'm trying to get you back to your needs. you you're saying god god the money's not flowing the way it used to flow or or my health i don't feel as good as i used to feel and god is saying watch this i am blessing you spiritually because we oftentimes don't know how to fully perceive the blessing of the Lord. We think the blessing of the Lord is when the financial breakthrough comes. We think that the blessing of the Lord is when the healing comes, when the promotion comes. And sure, that is the blessing of the Lord. But there's a reason why God says, I have blessed you with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. In other words, there are other types of blessings that you wouldn't count a blessing, but if it gets you down on your knees and it makes you hungry for the things of God, baby, that is a blessing.

10:32 Because your hunger, watch this, your hunger needs to match the moment in the spirit that we are in. let me say that again your hunger needs to match the power of what God wants to do in a moment so sometimes the issue is not that God lacks power is that we lack hunger the bible says in proverbs chapter 13 that it is to the glory of the lord to hide a batter you break that hebrew word down that word literally means word so it is to the glory of god to hide a word to conceal a word but then it's balanced with saying and it is to the glory of kings to search it out. So sometimes God, when he wants to give you a word, doesn't just give you a word because you don't value that word enough in the moment in which he wants to give it to you.

11:39 So what he will do before he gives you the word is he will allow trouble to give you a hunger. because I need to value the word I need to I need to esteem it more than my necessary food I need to recognize that I don't live by bread alone but but I live by the words that come out of God's mouth I need to be hungry and if you read in Deuteronomy 8 he says I led you in the wilderness watch this and made you hunger so that I can feed you, that you will know that you don't live by bread alone. By every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, I cannot wait to teach this thing. and so God blesses us with the gift of hunger and we oftentimes call it trouble but really it is the quickening and the chastening and the correction that ultimately what says keeps working you until you get into the right posture Because posture matters.

12:55 Are you tracking with me? All my kingdom people make some noise. And so, of course, as we consider what's happening in our midst, it brings about the term revival. Because that's what happens. When hunger meets God and what God wants to do, revival takes place. Now, depending on who you ask, revival means different things. When I was growing up, I grew up in the Baptist church, and we would have revival every year, and there would be a speaker who came in for multiple nights. And we called that a revival.

13:48 And the value was expectation. We had an expectation that as the man of God was coming through, that something was going to happen. and particularly if it happened night after night. So the value was an expectation with the rhythm, multiple nights, all these services taking place, and that this particular revivalist would bring various aspects of his expression of God to the church, and powerful things would take place. And to a certain degree, some degree of revival, we'll touch on that in a and it did transpire in those moments. But the revival that I'm talking about is a bit different.

14:32 This revival is about an awakening, and it's an awakening that radically transforms a people, and as those people are radically transformed, it begins to spread through those people and into the society and the spheres of influence that those people have access to. Are you tracking? I just need about 100 people to get this. So this revival that I'm talking about is when the church gets awakened. And when the church gets awakened, they can't help but to take this awakening to the streets, to their homes, to their families, to their workplaces. And as a result, society is never the same again.

15:31 So let's talk about the history of revivals in our land. Now, watch this. there is no one but the Lord that can fully capture all of the revivers, all of the revivals that have ever taken place. Because they just happen. You don't hear about it. But revivals are happening even right now, have happened. But I want to bring you into the history of revivals that are most noted and most known because you're going to see a pattern and it's going to help us to understand where we are today. Are you tracking? Can I teach today? So let's go to, and we'll call these the great waves of modern revival. The first was the first great awakening, and this was between 1730 and 1745. It happened in Britain and the American colonies. The leaders were men of God like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Wesley. And the condition that this revival started in was the church had become religious but spiritually complacent.

16:50 It would be something like maybe having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. it was kind of more cultural as opposed to transformation. Are you tracking with me? And so after the revival, people begin to rediscover, revival, we're going to come back to that re part, rediscover that Christianity is not something that is inherited. In other words, it can't be your grandmama's God. At some point, it has to be your God. And so this was about about personal relationship, and the focus on that revival was the new birth, and it became central to evangelical Christianity. Are we tracking? Can I break it down real quick? So that was the first one. The first one was, oh my God, this is, I really need to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That was the first great awakening, right? The second Great Awakening happened in 1790 through 1840, and the theme of this awakening was the church as a missional institution, right? And so this was about, and I'll just give you some of the leaders, and this happened in the United States, especially in the expanding frontier as the United States was expanding, and the key leaders here were Charles Finney and Barton W. Stone. And so America, watch this, America was expanding faster than the church. Are you tracking with me? And so that was the context of the revival started in, and then after there was a focus now on not just personal salvation, but on evangelism, on soul winning, on church planting, and on missions, and social reform exploded across the nation.

18:47 And so ultimately, the spirit and the tone and the legacy of that revival was the church embracing its responsibility to take the gospel beyond its four walls. Now, some of you are looking at these things, and we'll look at a few more. But some of you look at these things like these are like, duh, to you. But it was not duh to them. it was revelation and there was an awakening to that reality are you tracking with me but let's look at a few more because we're going to teach this thing today and so and so the third one was the welsh revival it happened in wales in 1904 through 1905 and and the focus and the theme of this revival was prayer and holiness and the key leaders was a brother named evan roberts he had a wonderful last name, Evan Roberts. And before this move of the Spirit happened, many churches had become, had fallen into this spiritual routine because of, you know, of outward activity.

19:51 You know, in other words, it was very works-based, and it had become routine. And, you know, as long as I'm doing this over here, that's nice, I can be raggedy over here. mm-hmm and so so so that's where they were and then after it entire communities check it entire communities experience a deep conviction and you know the holy ghost is the only way that can really give you that deep conviction and we started seeing repentance and there was a renewed huge devotion to God. And if you even go back to the children of Israel, we see revival. It didn't start here. We see revival all the way back with the children of Israel. Okay, are you tracking? And so that essentially was a reignition of a passion for prayer, a passion for holiness, and the manifest presence of God. In other words, I don't want church, I want God.

20:52 is there anybody that can testify to that? I don't want church. I want God, right? And so at the end of the day, this was about the manifest presence of God, and it was about preparing, and this prepared the spiritual atmosphere for the Pentecostal movement. And so let's go to the Azusa Street Revival. I'm going somewhere, trust me. The Azusa Street Revival was in 1906. It lasted for three years, 1906 to 1909. And the theme of this revival was the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Spirit. And it happened in Los Angeles, California. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. And the key leader there was a black man who was blind in one eye named William J. Seymour. Now, what was the condition before? The condition before was many churches believed in the Holy Spirit, but watch this, but they rarely expected the gifts and the power to show up like we saw in the book of Acts. So again, a form of godliness, but a denying of the power thereof. And so afterwards what happened, it was a worldwide Pentecostal movement that was started right there in Los Angeles, and it was marked by gifts of healing, gifts of deliverance, breakthrough, bold witnesses.

22:14 we saw unity in the body of Christ this wasn't a black revival it wasn't a white revival it wasn't a latin revival it wasn't a chinese revival people were coming from all around the world and it began to look like heaven on earth and the spirit of God moved the church of God at Christ was birthed out of that denomination this was one of the modern beginnings of the Pentecostal movement and it was absolutely incredible and here God is reminding was reminding his church that we don't just need truth, we need power. Are you tracking with me? And then in 1947 through 1958, can I walk you through this a little bit? Can we learn? Can we be educated? 1947 through 1958 was the healing revival. And the theme of this one was power on display. And this primarily happened in the United States, but the impact and the influence was global.

23:08 And the key leaders in this movement was a gentleman by the name of Oral Roberts, that's a wonderful last name once again, and a guy by the name of William Branham. And so before Pentecostal theology had spread, but its public influence was still relatively limited. and but within this movement there were healing crusades that filled tents and arenas and miracles became a visible part of modern evangelism and god would have it that through that these these crusades and these movements these things that god was doing begin to get spread on television and that's how it spread so god began to so we had miracles happening but they weren't just happening in the back room of a small church, the cameras started rolling. And so the dim is kind of like now where the cameras are rolling and the gospel, even though it was primarily happening in the United States, it began to spread all over the world and reshaped everything.

24:13 Are we tracking? And then and the theme there, let me just say this last part, we'll move to the sixth revival, and then I'll tell you where I think we are today. God was ultimately reminding his church that his power is not meant simply to shout and dance, but his power is meant to reach the hurting. and then the modern revival we'll call it the modern revival movement and and this was marked by you probably heard of the toronto blessings in toronto and brownsville the outpouring in lakeland and asbury university i think there was recently another outbreak on this college campus and the theme of this was the presence of god presence of god and this started in 1994 we can argue it's still happening, and this was taking place in various nations. So you had leaders like John Kilpatrick, Steve Hill, and student-led movements and gatherings at Asbury and other places. And before, many churches had become effective in ministry, but they were hungry for spiritual revival and renewal. And I believe that God is the one who created that hunger because of what He wanted to do. Are you tracking with me? And then after, we saw an emphasis, a renewed emphasis placed on worship, on repentance, on healing, on prayer, and the manifest presence of God, and it emerged across denominational lines, and the permanent legacy of that movement was a generation was reminded that revival can't be manufactured. You can't fake it.

25:52 It takes humility, surrender, and a hunger for God, and ultimately what God was reminding the church during that revival was that his presence changes everything. That's why I don't really rush through stuff. You know what I mean? I don't rush through stuff here because I know that if the presence gets and sits down on us real good, you won't even need a preacher. hello somebody because the ultimate preacher teacher and life changer will have filled the building and it'll be like what took place in chronicles where the ministers couldn't even minister because the chabad of god the glory of god had filled the house so powerfully and sat on it so powerfully that demons would just begin to leave and go and tremble that healing would get take place you wouldn't have to say nothing they would recognize the glory and the power of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And we'll begin to, Dad talked about backing up off you, we'll begin to back up off you. That's how powerful our God is. That's how powerful his presence is. You think you need a miracle? All you need is his presence. You think you need a breakthrough? All you need is his glory.

26:57 And so we have seen waves of revival throughout history. And as I mentioned things that I haven't even talked about, the first great awakening was about salvation. The second was about a restoration of mission. The Welsh Revival restored, restored, restored prayer and holiness. The Azusa Street restored, restored, restored the power of the Holy Spirit. The healing revival demonstrated God's power to the world, and the modern revival movement has renewed our hunger for God's presence. And so, here is what's important, and this is where we're going today.

27:52 Throughout history, revival has not been about God introducing something new. it has always been about God restoring something that his church had gradually neglected. because isn't it interesting if we go back to the book of acts all these things that they're doing and it's like an awakening is really nothing new they're watch this picking up parts of who they are that got neglected are you tracking with me and so so every great awakening has restored a very vital dimension of the Christian life. And it has been a calling of the church back to the fullness of what Christ intended from the beginning.

28:56 And I'm going to tell you where I believe we are. I believe we're in the final wave. And I believe that the final wave of revival is the wave of us being restored back to the gospel of the kingdom. I wish I had about 47 weeks with him.

29:23 Where do you get that from, Pastor? What are you talking about? The last day? How is that going to be the last way? What are you talking about, Pastor? Matthew chapter 24 and 14. He's talking about the last days. He's talking about all the things that are going to take place. If you read all the verses that precede this verse, you will see evidence of things that are taking place right now. wars and rumors of war earthquakes in various places issues with the weather signs in heaven signs on our men fighting against men the love of many growing cold division all the sort of things are taking place right and then he says something peculiar in Matthew 24 14 he says and this gospel of the what? Huh? Say it again. Of the? This gospel of the?

30:15 Come on, shout it like it's God. This gospel of the? Ooh, one more time. This gospel of the? Yeah. And this gospel of the kingdom. of the kingdom of the increase of which there is no end of the kingdom we don't hear kingdom preaching very much which is not a bad thing. It means there's an opportunity.

30:55 And this final wave is going to be a wave where the son and daughters of God are going to get a radical revelation of the kingdom of heaven. They're not going to have a revelation of church. They're not going to have a revelation of God. Bless me. They're not going to have a revelation of God. Heal me. They're going to have a revelation of the kingdom because when they understand the kingdom, like Jesus said, all other things are going to be added unto you. Look at what it said. Ooh, we're about to have a good time in here. And this gospel. It is a particular gospel. it's not any gospel it's not a gospel of God prospering you if you get a hold of the kingdom you're prosperous already listen listen somehow particularly in our nation somehow and we see this not just in the church but in the world maybe it's what dad was talking about how the world kind of creeps in the spirit of the world creeps into the church when did church become about me?

32:36 what you gonna do for me?