Witness

00:01 Shall we do the confessions together? I believe in the Almighty God, our father and creator. I [snorts] believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God and my savior. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He suffered, died, and rose again. He ascended into heaven. He shall soon come again. I believe in God the Holy Spirit who is worshiped and my guide. I believe in holy fellowship, faithful giving, and service to God in this church. I believe the Holy Bible is the perfect word of God. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have and I can do what it says I can do. Today as I learn the word of God here in my spiritual family, I am blessed, healed, and anointed for a holy and victorious living. I will never again be the same in Jesus name. Amen. >> Lord bless us. Please be seated. To all of you who are fathers, happy father's day.

01:04 Hey, wherever you are, why don't you stand for a minute? [applause] If you are the father, stand. Wow. Go ahead. Give them a big hand. Wow. I want to pray with you that God's grace, strength, favor, wisdom, provisions will be on us, that we will learn from our heavenly father. >> And that we will be good fathers. >> Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we want to thank you the privilege of the responsibility of fatherhood and we thank you Lord that especially in this generation you have given grace, wisdom, strength, resources and as fathers may the desires of the heart be fulfilled by your grace that they will see their homes, their children built in

02:08 your grace. when we get tired, we thank you for your strength that you provide. Thank you for your wisdom and comfort that you provide. May your holy spirit and blessing be on every father in Jesus name we pray. Amen. God bless you. Congrats. Please be seated. We've been studying from God's holy word on the importance of being effective influencers. and that it's something God wants us to be. It's a it's a art of leadership. We looked at how important it is to develop a character because character is the foundation of influence. Last Sunday we looked at the importance of how we should be careful about what we do. And today I want to learn with you about the importance of sharing Christ with others. One of the greatest influence

03:11 you want to have on others is about reflecting Christ our Lord. In fact, I was looking at the series uh and I was thinking it's it the three Sundays are almost like be, do and go. be that's your character. Do that's your works and go is the great commission to touch others. >> Amen. >> And I want to I [clears throat] want to start with a scripture. But before I do that, the the Bible makes it very clear. Our savior saved us so that we can serve others. >> So that we can witness about the Lord to others. >> Pentecostal [clears throat] experience was not given. Holy Spirit was not given just to fill a room, the upper room of Mark on the day of Pentecost. But the Holy Spirit was given so that the world can be filled with the good news of Jesus. >> Amen. Hallelujah. >> And that's a responsibility we should not forget because our influence is contagious. It passes on. Look at the

04:15 gospel of Matthew chapter 5. I want to read two verses there. Verse 13 and verse 16. Verse 13. You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its taste, how shall it saltiness be restored. It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Look at verse 16. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give. >> The Lord was not saying that you should put out your good works on the YouTube and popularize all your activities on the Facebook. You can do that. God was not saying that publish yourself on the Instagram so people will get to see. No, you can do that. There's no harm in that. But the Lord was saying be genuine in what you do so that when people see it, they will glorify heavenly father. And the word glorify heavenly father actually has a connotation of that they will worship the father. The Jesus our lord didn't say they will

05:18 worship god. The Lord Jesus did not say when people look at your good works they should glorify God. No said they should glorify your father. Look at that verse again. Verse number 16. In [clears throat] the same way, let your light shine before others so that when they see your good works, they will give glory to your >> father. >> The Lord was not generally saying people would just appreciate God for a guy like you. No. The Lord was saying they'll glorify your father. Which means they will come by looking at your actions, your lifestyle. They will come into a relationship with God as God becoming their father. That your life will provoke them to have God as their father. That you will inspire them to have God as their heavenly father. And then they will glorify their heavenly father because of your behavior like a tastemaking salt and a lightgiving source. That's what

06:25 God wants you and me to be. The Lord Jesus did not say try to become light and try to become salt. No, he took the responsibility and said I have made you that. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. I have made you that. I've put my spirit in you. You've got that potential inside you. In your college, in your classroom, among your friends, in your neighborhood, you are the salt and you are the light. >> Amen. >> When the Holy Spirit of God came in you on the day of your salvation, you became somebody and God deposited something in you. >> You already have it. >> Amen. >> You may not have discovered it, but it's already there. >> Hallelujah. couple of times uh I'm sure this happens to u people sometimes you go to a restaurant you're sitting there and uh they provide you the meals and you think you want to put a little more salt or pepper and you ask can you give us some salt and pepper and they pick up the salt shaker and the pepper bottle

07:29 which is already on the table it's just that you didn't notice it was there sometimes on Sundays God is not giving you something new he's just showing you where he already put put it inside you. >> Hallelujah. >> It's already there. God is saying you are. You are. You are. You are. He didn't say you are a waste. He didn't say you are a mistake. He didn't say you are an accident. He didn't say ah let me see what I can do with you. Actually, there is no place for you. No, he's saying I've made you the light. You are the soul and there is a purpose with your life. There is meaning to your life. Oh, go ahead. Give God a big hand of thanks. >> [applause] >> Hallelujah. The question really is not who you are and what you are because that's already a settled matter. The question is are you becoming? Are you using? Are you doing what you are meant to do? Are you getting in touch with what you're supposed to get in touch with? Are you

08:32 producing what you should be producing because you already are what God wants you to be. Hallelujah. Three things that salt does. Number one, it preserves. Salt stops decay. And I'm specifically speaking from the context of 2,000 years ago when the Lord Jesus used that example. Because back in the day, they use salt as a preservative. Today, you have got refrigerators to preserve stuff. You've got cold storage stuff to preserve things. Back in the day, they used salt to preserve. And and the meaning is your presence will stop decay and corruption. >> Whether it's in homes, it's in workplaces, in governments, where you are, there will be a preserving nature, that preserves from corruption, preserves from decay. The Lord told Abraham, remember there was a time God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sin. God said, I'm going to destroy those towns.

09:34 Everybody out there is a bad guy and their wickedness and violence is too much. I'm going to destroy them. But Abraham's family member is just one guy, but he was a lot. And and [laughter] God God came and told Abraham, I'm going to destroy the town, but you know, your nephew is there. And so, um, I have to first talk to you. Isn't it interesting that God sometimes discusses things with us just because it matters to us? That's the mercy and goodness of God. >> Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> You know, sometimes the government gives a transfer order to a a a official. Now, she comes home and tells her children, you know, I got a transfer order. Those kids know nothing about what a transfer is. They are just 5 years and seven years. But why does a parent come home and share it? Not because children's vote has anything to do with the future. But but that's love. That's connection. That's relationship. And God is talking

10:36 to Abraham saying, "I've decided something." And Abraham says, "No, no, no. God, you can't do that. There's a family member there. He don't like that fellow." Abraham told that guy, "Go where you want. You go to the left. I go to the right. So that we don't even by mistake come for a coffee in the same cafe. You go to the east, I go to the west." As far as the west is from the east. But even for such a guy, Abraham says, "God, hold on. Don't destroy the whole city." And Abraham asked God, "God, if there are 10 righteous in the city, will you destroy the whole city and ignore the 10 righteous there?" God says, "Because of the 10 righteous, if there are, I'll stop destruction of the city." You know, salt is very less, but its influence is very powerful. When electricity goes in the house, there's no electricity in the house. And you want light in the house. Do you burn one small candle or you just burn the whole house? Everybody will burn a small candle because one candle will bring

11:41 light to the whole room. You don't have to burn the sofa. You just have to burn one candle. You may be small. You may be little. But your influence is huge. >> The power that God works through you is huge. [applause] You are the salt. You preserve. You preserve, you second, you bring taste, you season things, you season things. Salt brings out the good flavor in good food, joyful character. [clears throat] I like that scripture in Colossians chapter 4:6. The Bible says, "Let your speech be seasoned as with salt." God says, "The way you talk, let it be sweet. Talk nicely. The tone, the tenor, the words, the texture, the context, the meaning, even the jokes. Say it nicely. Say things beautifully. Season your words

12:46 with salt. The Bible says that. The Holy Bible say. Many people think the Bible only says be born again and be baptized and there's no more commandment after that. Hey boss, there's a lot. And God's commandments don't weaken you. They strengthen you. You become influential. You become successful. You follow this book and I promise you, you will be a leader in town. That's a reality. [applause] The word of God makes men leaders, makes women leaders. >> Be seasoned by the graciousness of God's word. Third, salt was used for healing. Even today it's a part of many and much medication. Salt [clears throat] brings healing. Saline water back in the day of the Lord Jesus used to clean wounds to to save lives especially in warfares. It brings healing. God is saying you are the salt. Your presence in a family should bring healing in relationships.

13:50 Your presence and friendships should not separate friends but bring healing. You're you're not someone who carries bad news about others. Now if you have to say something to somebody for administrative reasons, well, you have to do it. But otherwise, your intention is not to put down somebody. Your intention is not to be a tabloid that is breathing. Your intention is not to replicate what some of these guys do. But your intention is very simple. You don't want to be a influence of negativity. You want to be a source of healing. Why? You are the salt. >> I asked myself this question. What really makes a salt go bad? Because the Lord Jesus said if a salt goes bad then it is useless and it has to be just trampled under the foot of men. Right? So how does a salt go bad? One is the word isolation. When salt gets isolated, when you keep salt with no fellowship, the fellowship of salt is food. Okay, it's only when it is in touch with food

14:51 that food gets better and salt is useful. But when salt isolates itself 6 months, 8 months after that you go touch it, ah, it tastes bitter. Back in the days of the Lord, it was more terrible because it was mixed with sand and gypsum. And so um it it it had it it the saline would get leeched out of it and it was just dust. There was no taste to it. Sometimes when you isolate yourself from God's calling and purpose and you do nothing but just sit there doing nothing, you know what? You lose your taste. You want to retain your taste, become functional, become useful. >> Hallelujah. And the Lord will bless you and you will be a blessing in his kingdom. Hallelujah. Wherever you go, wherever you go, make sure that you are a blessing. Compromise causes salt to become weakened, getting mixed with things that are uh not good. It it it takes away its vibrancy. It takes away its purpose. Secret sins, secret sins

15:56 destroy the virtue that God put in your life. Let's look at a few things about the light. The first thing I like about what the scripture talks about being the light is and the Bible says in John's gospel chapter 1 and the light dispels, shines, destroys, defeats darkness. >> Amen. >> You know, a lot of times you don't have to go fight with the darkness. You just have to shine the light that you are. >> Amen. >> Hallelujah. >> I had a very funny experience many many years ago. Uh I was in another country. I got an invitation and the guy who invited me didn't know about me except through a friend. I don't know him. He's a very elderly man. He's a senior pastor in that country. U he's one of the older pastors of that country. So they kind of all of them respect him and look up to him. I was what 19 20 years old at that time and uh I was there to preach. I was invited by one of my you know friends there uh to go and preach. So uh I went there and this part and and at the time

16:59 of my preaching when it was time for me to preach that's when I get dropped off in the church by this gentleman. So this [clears throat] gentleman as the guy who uh invited me and took me there. So now I walk into the church and somebody asked me who are you? I say I'm today's preacher. And so they took me to the that senior pastor. That senior pastor looked at me and had a emotional breakdown because what he heard about me was good except my age. He never no one told him this is a young boy. So he thought this is like going to be a you know older man of God a older pastor from Bangalore. Never knew this was a college kid. So he looked at me and he said you are Johnson. I said yes. And I could see the blood drain out of his face you know because it was almost time to preach. Now he has to introduce me. And uh and and you know when when you're going as a guest somewhere you don't know those people. These things matter a lot, you know. It it kind of really impacts you. That pastor said to me, "Okay, please be seated." And then he

18:01 had me sit on the stage and and there was no more conversation. Like usually they tell us like, you know, you had to preach 45 minutes or 1 hour and this is how it is. These are the kind of people. They give you a quick intro so you kind of know how to address the people. But the pastor said nothing. And then the [clears throat] songs were over. And he picked up the mic and he says, "Today there is a young man who is going to preach. I don't know him. I don't know how he preaches. I was told about his ministry." And so we invited him. And if he doesn't preach well, don't worry. I'll come back and preach. Now, when you get an introduction like that, you know, you really feel what the Lord felt in the tomb. You want a resurrection? I I'm telling you, I forgot my message. I'm in a bad mood. I'm feeling so terrible. And I I can understand what that senior man of God is feeling because it's not his mistake either. And I'm re I'm I've shrunk. I've become very small. And I'm feeling bad. And then he gives me the mic. So, and and

19:06 [clears throat] you know the interpreter, the translator, the way he looks at me because already there's so much negativity. I pick up the mic and suddenly the Holy Spirit tells me there's a pardon this expression. I I'm just going to say it the way it is. There's an auntie sitting in the front and really for her they have put a big chair because she's huge. She will not fit in a normal chair. Okay, she's sick [snorts] and I don't know she's sick. I just know she's huge. Okay, she's got a sweet face but her body is quite a lot. It's a huge one. [snorts] And she's sitting right in the front. And the Holy Spirit tells me, tell her to walk. And I'm thinking in my heart, Holy Spirit, today I just want to get out of here. You know, I'm in a bad shape. I don't want to impress anybody because already the introduction was phenomenally disastrous. So, [laughter] so

20:10 I just said I'm from Bangalore. I'm a young boy. I felt God's call for ministry. So, I'm preaching God's word and I'm so kind. I'm so thankful to the kindness of dear pastor without knowing me. He gave me a chance. I won't take much time. I'm going to finish off in a few minutes and then pastor you please come and preach. Even I want to hear your message. You're such a large church. You're a blessed congregation and you know all of these things just just to shut up and sit down as soon as I can. And the Holy Spirit keeps telling me, tell her to get up and walk. Tell her to get up. And I'm telling, no way. I can't take another disaster. So this internal conversation is going on. At one point, I thought there's nothing to lose anyway. At anyway, it's already a bad situation. You know, people are all looking here and there and there's such a dullness in the camp. So I looked at the auntie and I said, "Auntie, get up in Jesus' name." And the translator looks at me. Your his job is to translate. And I said to that man, "Tell her to

21:17 stand up in Jesus' name." And he's asking me, "Her I said yes." And and by then I walked down from the stage. I held her hand. I said, "Auntie, get up. Walk." Now I don't know why I'm doing this. Okay? I just know I felt that inspiration. She should do it. So she got up holding my hand with great difficulty and she started walking. As she took four, five steps, people started clapping. The whole crowd is clapping. The pastor is standing up and he's so happy. You know, in 10 days I preached more than 35 meetings in that country. My whole week got booked out. I couldn't go to a shopping mall. Couldn't eat what I liked. It was morning, afternoon, evening, meetings after meetings because [snorts] of that one event. You know, sometimes you just need to let the light shine. You don't have to argue with them. You don't have to talk. You don't have to, you know, you just let God work.

22:18 >> [applause] >> Just let God do the job. >> I went to ask assemblies of God uh for license to preach and ordination. And my bishop at that time, wonderful man of God, he said to me, "You are so young. You're not even gone to a Bible college. You don't look like a pastor. I can't ordain you, man. If God called you to preach, you preach." I came back and told God, I told you it's not a good idea to be a pastor. Even my bishop won't give me ordination. The Holy Spirit told me, "Who asked you to go ask for ordination? I told you to start the church." The same bishop one year later came and told me, "Why are you pastoring a church without ordination? I will give you ordination." And he only ordained me. In one year, church had grown from zero members to 100 members. He saw the hand of God at work and he said, "This is surely God's doing. [applause] Don't you don't have to fight the naysayers. You don't have to argue with them. The light shines. >> Hallelujah.

23:23 >> If you go to a good beach, if you go to a seashore, you will find beautiful lighouses uh standing there. There are harbors. There are ports for the ships to come especially on stormy seas. Back in the days when they didn't have magnetic compass of the kind we have now or GPS, they didn't have satellite tracking systems. The seafarers, the captains would look for lighouses and they kind of knew the way to get there. The lighthouse stood there saying this is the place to embark. This is the place to start off or to land. This is the place where you have to come and the light would only shine especially in pitch darkness and nothing can be seen. They could see a light shining 30 ft above 100 ft above the ground level. And the seafarers, the captains, they knew that's the place to go and park your ship for the night. [laughter] Lighthouse will not argue with the captains. Come here. Why you are not coming? Lighthouse will just stand and shine. It doesn't go to debate with

24:26 others. It doesn't go to argue about its correctness and importance. It just stands and shines. >> People ignore it. It doesn't go and say, "Why did you ignore me?" It just stands and shine. I tell you in the name of Jesus, stand and shine where God has called you. Just let it out of you. Let it flow out of you in your family, in your college campus, among your friends, in your projects. You shine and the grace of God is going to promote you one level AFTER THE OTHER. YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IN WHICH GOD HAS planted you. Go ahead, give God a big hand of praise. Hallelujah. Amen. The importance of light, I don't have to explain it. It produces life. A few months ago, I had this fantastic privilege of talking to uh the the medical superintendent and medical director and other office bearers of the uh Christian Medical College Valor,

25:28 which is one of the largest medical colleges in our country. over 14,000 staff working there as medical doctors and others and and they had attended worship service and I had a lovely time talking to them and and one of the testimonies they shared with me really hit me strong back in the days of the pandemic when lockdown was bad and they said you know their hospital had taken in more than double the capacity that they can handle and the biggest problem was uh the frontline respondents you the 14,000 staff that are handling the COVID patients, they they were all concerned now how it's going to be because so many medical people were dying and so every day they decided to pray together, seek the Lord and just do their very best and the other day they were telling me the story of how in that one and a half two years according to their stats, according to their records, out of that 14,000 stars

26:31 Not one, not one fell sick and died. Not one in that two years. Not one. [applause] You know when you stand and shine, there is a God who stands with you. >> There are miracles beyond what you can explain. There are things that the newspapers will not carry. There are stories that will not go popular online. But the truth remains that he is a faithful God. when you are the salt and you are the light and you stand there. That is the hand of God that stands with you and protects you. Oh, go ahead. Give God a big thanks. Absolutely. This is so real. This is so true. I was looking at what could be the enemy of light. The one of the enemies of light is a bushell. The Lord Jesus talks about a bushell. You know, he talks about how a lid can be put on the light just so that the light doesn't shine out. Don't allow anything to cover your light. Actually the Lord in Mark's gospel chap Matthew's gospel chapter

27:34 6:23 says something very interesting. He says be careful that the light in you itself is not darkness. And and that happens when we have a negative mentality of complaining and comparing. God does something in your life and you're looking around and you're thinking, "Oh no, what's the use of my survival? I'm not as good as others." or you're complaining, oh, I didn't start where they started. They were so successful when they started. I'm starting from nothing. I have no resources. I have no privileges. And I want to say this to all of us. Replace your complaining and comparing with gratitude, which is thanksgiving, and generosity, which is doing what you can do. Be generous with what you can do. Instead of complaining, see what you can do and do it. Amen. Instead of instead of uh comparing yourself with others, be thankful to God saying, "God, thank you that you gave me this chance. Thank you that I'm here." Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah.

28:35 >> Hallelujah. >> Our God is a big God. He's a good God. You know, somebody somebody [clears throat] on the social media was insulting me. Uh they thought they're insulting me. I'll put it that way. by saying, "Oh, the big church and that and this and I don't know, whatever." They were insulting. So, I was talking to a young man and I understood this young man who was coming to a church had heard that insult on the social media against me. I understood the way he was talking. So, I said, "By any chance are you referring to such and such uh thing that came against me on the social media?" "Yes, pastor. I heard that. That is how I came to this church. I heard that insult and I was quite fascinated because I never knew there's a church like this. But when I heard that insult, I understood there's a church like this. And I thought that's the kind of church I want to go to. And he said, "That's how I started coming to

29:37 church. And now it's been so long. My life has transformed and blessed and I decided to come and meet you and thank you." You know [applause] when you when you stand and shine, don't respond to what others do. Don't put yourself under a cover. Don't fight back at their words. Because no matter how much you want, the dogs in Bangalore roads will not stop barking. You go, my brother, they are going to bark as if they are mad at you. But it's not that they don't like you. It's that that is their entertainment. They were waiting to bark at somebody and you happen to pass by and they got their opportunity and they are barking and do you know scientifically a dog never gets tired of barking. This is science. Human beings can get tired of talking. A dog never gets tired of barking. Don't wait for the dogs to stop barking so you can go. Don't pull out your Aadhaar card to show you are not a robber. And don't bark back at

30:39 them. I'm telling you, keep moving. You keep shining the light. You keep being the salt. You keep going forward. Hallelujah. Oh, go ahead. Give the Lord a big hand. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth. and and and the Holy Bible says in 1 Peter chapter 3, look at this verse uh in verse 15, but in your hearts, river Christ as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness >> and respect. God's word is saying, guys, you see, there are people who are going to ask you questions. In other words, don't go argue with people. Wait for them to ask questions about your success, about your hope, about your excellence, about your victory, about your ability to survive. When they ask you questions, you must know enough of the scriptures that you can give them a relevant answer they can understand. You

31:44 must have enough that you you can explain. There are three ways of communicating the witness of Christ. Why am I using the word witness and I'm not using other jarens of Christian faith? Because really you and I are called to witness Christ. In other words, we are we ought to see God's goodness and report that as witnesses of what you have seen God do. That's really what we are called to do. To be witnesses of the gospel. Hallelujah. Number one is to be a witness of wounds. Witness of wounds. What you suffer for God speaks to the conscience of people. Second is the witness of works. What you do inspires people. And three is the witness of words. When you start talking on what you do, what you do reaches the eyes of people and what you speak reaches the ears of

32:49 people. I think it was St. Augustine who once told a group of people who were going out to preach the gospel to a village. He said to them, "Preach from morning till night. Use words only if really necessary. His point was, let your actions speak the gospel and use words only when you have to clarify. The witness of wounds is a powerful testimony. The willingness to suffer with joy, the willingness to endure with patience, the willingness to go through what you're going through without being grumpy and being negative, the willingness to be wise and smart. the willingness to endure and suffer meaningfully. Don't suffer meaninglessly. Don't suffer in a foolish manner. Suffer in a meaningful way for a purpose, for a cause, for the right reason. That is a that is a thing that touches the conscience of people who are watching. Your actions is preaching louder than

33:54 your words. And this is so very important. so very important in in my life. I had a very funny situation. I don't know why I'm saying this today, but I guess it's the topic, so I'll say it. I think for the pastors in the church, it was a funny situation. First time in our life, police came and garlanded us. Uh 3 4 years ago, policemen came here and garlanded us while we're still alive, you know, garlanded us. And the and the police said this, the few of us pastors, they came on a week day and guardlanded us and uh we took some pictures of that and the I asked what is this for? And they said because you're the only guys who helped the community during the COVID and never posted it on social media. you never published it but you made a difference and we police decided to appreciate you and thank you for the effective things you have done so I told so I told the police no I will

35:00 not take it because I'm not the guy who reached out you know there are other but you are the decision makers I said yeah but there are others who help said okay we can't garland everyone so you please sit here then they forced me they forced other we all said we are not interested in all these things we're still alive you know they said no No, no. Your works people will watch. Your words will explain and they'll understand. But what you're willing to endure is your conscience and it'll touch others conscience. >> Hallelujah. >> That's why apostle Peter says be ready to give an answer. And you see when the Holy Spirit was given the Lord Jesus said be my witnesses. Be my Many people think sharing gospel is pastor's job. evangelist job. No, it is your job. You are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world. >> Amen. >> You have a commission from God. How many of you want Don't raise your hands. How many of you WANT TO SEE GOD WORK with you, brother? Do what God wants you to do. Then you will see him work with you.

36:03 >> Amen. >> The Lord Jesus gave a commission to the people. Be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and across unto the ends of the earth. What was the Lord Jesus saying? What's he saying? If you want to share the gospel, if you want to be a witness, first start in Jerusalem. No, he was not talking about geographic location. He was talking about circle of influence. You guys are primarily from Jerusalem. So start with your immediate network. And then go the next round, Judea. And the third round, Samaria. Who are Samaritans? People you don't like. People who hate you and you hate them. It's mutual. [laughter] It's that mutual hatred and the ends of the earth. Many of us like to start from the ends of the earth because they don't know us. One day I had finished this many many years ago. One day I had finished uh conducting a funeral in Hosur Road Christian Cemetery. I stepped out. One young boy came and g young boy means he must be similar to my age. Um and and he

37:08 g this is many years. He came and gave me a track that says receive Christ. So when you die, you will be in heaven. It's a good place to give because um when you're stepping out of the grave, you know, after doing a funeral, uh uh people who have just kissed goodbye to someone they love, when they read this, it kind of hits them. Yeah, man. Better have a relationship with God. So it's a nice place to give. But I looked at that young man, I said, "Hey, I'm a pastor, so I don't want to waste this. Okay, you give it to someone that it'll be useful. I appreciate what you're doing, but I have a question for you, young man. You're standing here and giving to people who don't know you. How about you giving this to your friends who know you? He got angry with me and he wrote me a letter. Actually, his father wrote me a letter. I didn't know who this guy was. His father is a friend of mine. And he wrote me a letter saying, "You discouraged my son and things like then I wrote back to him." Uncle, I didn't discourage your son. I was asking a vital question. Number one, I'm the pastor. I don't know why I should read that and be born again again. You know, I I thought I don't want to waste that one leaflet. So I was appreciating him

38:11 for the good work he's doing and I was encouraging him saying how about also touching your own friends and the reason I asked that question is when you go to your friends they say macha don't be spiritual we know we know who you are we know how you also like to do what we do what you are now suddenly saying Jesus Jesus uh you and me together only know we did that lineh together only we did that no with friends very difficult because they know true color. So the Lord said start with true color. Many people want to preach in Germany, Italy, Africa. Bro, start in Hebal. Start in Kamahali. Start in Kora Mangala. God anoints me. So I can reveal names and phone numbers. God says first you start with phone numbers you have.

39:15 Share gospel to them. Names that you know. You don't need any additional gifts. The light in you and the salt you are. Let it shine. Let it touch people. Share the gospel. Amen. Hallelujah. >> Now of course if God is using you elsewhere that's fantastic. I I'm in no way against that. Of course sometimes God will use you from the ends of the earth and that's okay. uh people that you don't know that you will touch. That's fantastic. But the point I'm making is don't ignore your inner circle. Don't ignore the second circle. Don't ignore the third circle. And don't ignore the people you may not even like. A lot of times people say, "I don't want to do the gospel. I don't want to witness because I'm not good enough." Many people don't share the gospel. Not because they don't believe God. They don't have any doubts on God but they don't witness to others because they doubt themselves their own ability. How can I talk? How can I communicate? Am I good enough? I want to tell you this. Start where you are. What you do is three simple steps that is very useful

40:19 in doing this. Number one, pray. Everyone say together. >> When the Lord Jesus said about ministry and the Lord Jesus told about witnessing, he didn't say go. He said pray. The first word was not go. He said pray. The first thing that you and I have to do when you talk about others coming to Christ is get on your knees and talk to God about it. Pray for people with love. Pray for people with a heart. Why? Because the harvest belongs to the Lord. Before the day of Pentecost could come and God anointed everyone. Oh, more than 10 days they were in prayer. Before the first set of preachers were sent out to preach the gospel in Acts of the Apostles by the local church, they spend days in fasting and prayer. Seek the Lord, pray every day. Take a card, take a journal, write down the names of people around your life and start praying for them. Include the names of some people you don't like. Pray for their salvation also. It's important. Pray for people. Pray for their salvation. Seek the Lord. Write

41:23 those names down and start praying saying, "God, I pray that they will be saved by your grace." >> Give a valid opportunity to share your gospel. A valid opportunity to explain your love. There is a timing for everything. The that is so important to say it in a meaningful way. Not so that you can avoid debates and you can avoid arguments. Say it effectively. Why should we pray? Because spiritual warfare is a reality. When you pray, God will deploy angels at work to help those who are coming to salvation. Read Hebrews chapter 1 and verse number 14. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will. You know when you start praying for people for one year, for two year, for 3 years, you you are deploying in the spirit world angelic forces along with your prayer life. Hallelujah. Because we live in a world where territorial spirits rule and

42:27 that is a reality. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Let's read verse number four. The God of this age Uh-huh. Uh-huh. >> Uh-huh. Shall we read it one more time a little more louder and clearer? The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ who is the many times the salt and the light that you are is is something that they are not able to see because territorial spirits of this world are causing them to be blind. They have a wrong perspective. They're not able to appreciate the good things they see in you. They want to consume the good they see in you, but they don't want to receive the the nature, the character that comes through you. This is so very tragic and and sometimes painful. Territorial spirits are a reality. You know when uh in heavens when the

43:32 spiritual battle happened and God cursed the demonic powers and the fallen angels on the earth became powers that are woripped in different names and different ways. many of them getting woripped by different uh people and they empower their people into blindness that they cannot see the truth and come to the real god and that's why praying for people is very important very very important and third walk in faith don't pray with unbelief God I know this won't happen but simply anyway I am praying no don't pray like that pray with faith god I know you are able to work you are able to change things you're able to touch the minds of people and the Holy Spirit will touch people. Hallelujah. The church is a lifeboat. We are not a pleasure boat. We are a lifeboat from the captain to the chef. Every hand should be on the deck to save the souls. No department whether it's the choir or the committee or the kids church or the

44:34 volunteers of any kind or the parking team. Nobody exists just for themselves. We all exist to save the lost in a world that is drowning in sin. And your call and my call is to save the lost at any cost. And that's what God wants us to do. Every disciple, you must reproduce yourself. >> Amen. Don't be a baron in the presence of God. Don't be infertile in God's presence. Be a soul winner and do it with prayer. Do it as the Holy Spirit leads. Do it meaningfully. I want to close with two simple scriptures. Number one, Daniel 12 verse number three. Let's read. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of heavens. And those who lead many to righteousness, like stars. How many of you want your future in heaven to be a shining bright? The Lord is saying, "Do this thing. Lead many people to righteousness." Let's read one more and we will close. James chapter 5

45:36 and verse number 20. Remember this. Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover a multitude of sins. Close your eyes and say, "Lord, I want to be involved in this. I want to be in the project with the Lord Jesus started the great commission to go and save the world and the great commandment to love everyone. Help us to be meaningful in the way we do things that we don't be impulsive and foolish but we be prayerful, full of faith and wait for godly opportunities. Hallelujah. Help us, oh God, that we will learn to touch our Jerusalem. We will learn to bless our Judea. We will also learn to reach out to our Samaria that we may not really like. and also to touch the ends of the earth wherever you spread our influence. Hallelujah. Help us to be people who reproduce ourselves like how you blessed seasons of life that there

46:41 can be fruitfulness in different seasons of our life. Help us that we will be productive. It's always we are saying give us that, give us that, give us that, give me that blessing, give me that miracle. But today, let's tell the Lord, I want to give back to you, Jesus. I want to serve. I want to make a difference in the place where you've planted me. To be the salt, to be the light so that people will glorify God not as some distant power, but they will worship the father in spirit and in truth. They will glorify the father through our life, our conduct, the way we explain things. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord. How many of you today as I'm going to pray would really like to make that dedication and say yes Lord I want to be somehow involved in in being the salt and the light. I want to be a good influence. I want to be a person who does make a difference. May not be immediately maybe God you're going to take time or maybe it's going to happen

47:44 immediately. I'm ready father along with my business along with my studies along with my other responsibilities. This is something that is going to happen continuously. I don't have to be a full-time. I don't have to be a prophet. I don't have to be an evangelist. I just as a child of God can reproduce myself. I know. I understand that God, you have kept me as your voice in that community. You have kept me as your light, your salt in that neighborhood. Work through my life. Hallelujah. Through my willingness to endure, to [music] my willingness to be good, through my willingness to speak, to witness in all these angles, [music] I commit my life. Such people, wherever you are, would you please stand? I want to pray with you. Most gracious and loving heavenly father, I commit everyone that is

48:47 standing up with a desire in their heart to be used of you [music] in a way that they partner with your project that you started in resurrection when you rose again from the grave. That holy spirit that you've given to us that our lives will reflect your goodness. that we will be successful influence [music] that we will waste no opportunity which is from you that we learn to be loving, polite, kind [music] and yet effective. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord for you are a good God. Thank you for your favor. May your grace be upon our lives. Bless each one as that desire is so strong that through their life souls will be added to your kingdom. church is going to grow as a result of what they do. The kingdom of God is going to grow. Heaven is going to be more populated because your children were at work. I thank you for that grace and anointing that is going to flow through these hearts [music]

49:49 that desire in Jesus mighty name we pray. And the people said, "Amen." Go ahead, give God a big hand, shall we? My song shall be [singing] of Jesus. His mercy crowns my day. He fills [music and singing] my cup with blessings and tunes my heart to praise. [music] My song shall be of Jesus, [singing] the preious lamb of God, [singing] who gave [music] himself my ransom and bought me [singing] with his [music] blood. My song shall be of Jesus when sitting [singing] at his [music] feet. I call to mind his [singing] goodness and know my joys [music]

50:55 complete. My song shall be of Jesus. [singing] Whatever else [music] before I'll sing the grace that [music] saves [singing] me and triumphs over all. My song shall [music and singing] be of Jesus while pressing on my way [singing] to where my home shines glorious in pure and perfect day. [music] And when my soul shall enter the many mansions spare, a song [music and singing] of praise Jesus. >> You all love the song. Let's do it one more time. [music] My song shall be of Jesus. His mercy [singing]

51:57 crowns my day. [music] He fills my cup with blessings and tunes my heart to praise. My song [music] shall be of Jesus the preious lamb of [music and singing] God who gave himself my ransom [music] and by his [singing] blood. >> [music] >> My song shall be of Jesus when sitting [singing] at his feet. I call [music] to mind [singing] his goodness and know my joys [music] complete. My song shall be of Jesus. [singing] Whatever else may [music] fall. I'll sing the grace that saves me and triumphs over all.

53:03 My song [music] shall be [singing] of Jesus while pressing on my way [music] to where my home shines [singing] glorious in pure and perfect day. [music] And when my soul shall enter the many mansions spare, a song [music] of praise to Jesus forever. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. Yes. Take a few minutes to just open your mouth. Shout out his praises. [music] Wherever you're standing, go ahead and give the Lord a big hand of praise. Just clap your hands as loud as you want to. [music] Hallelujah. The Savior, the Master, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the [music] Lord, the Lord. Above every territorial power, above every spirit of

54:07 blindness, above every bondage, above every curse. [music] Oh, the name above every other name. Raashia Father, [music] let that anointing flow upon your people. The anointing to witness, the [music] anointing to be witnesses, the anointing to witness who you are, the anointing to share the witness. Hallelujah. [music] As testimonies of your grace, as testimonies of your word, becoming influential, becoming powerful, growing week after week in the mighty name of Jesus. >> [music] >> where the devil wanted you destroyed. Oh God, we thank you that you ARE BUILDING THEIR LIFE. YOU'RE BUILDING them for your glory. Oh, the miracle [music] working God. The miracle working God. The miracle working God. The miracle working God. [music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Come on everybody, open your mouth and praise

55:12 him. Let there be an anointing on your life. a fresh anointing of his grace. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Heavenly Father, we want to thank you this beautiful morning for your presence in our midst, Lord, through the time of worship. Thank you for your word that came alive to make us witnesses, bold witnesses for your gospel. Thank you, Lord. We pray father god that we will see our lives transformed as you work in our lives and see many things [music] happen through your beautiful anointing in our lives. Thank you Lord for speaking to us. We pray for the newcomers [music] today. We bless them. We pray God today that your hand will touch their lives. We pray God that you'll speak to their hearts oh father god as they have heard your word. I pray that lord father when they walk out of this place [music] the one word that you give oh father would change their lives. Bless them. I pray father god Lord we pray for those who are celebrating their birthdays their anniversaries this week we thank you another year of your

56:15 goodness faithfulness that the year ahead [music] be year of great witness oh father for your children as they witness your name and serve you will [music] bless them prosper them in every way we pray God that the families will enjoy blessed peace lord joy happiness in their homes and prosper them oh father god we pray for those who are traveling this week may your journey mercies just go with them, protect them, keep them safe, [music] bring them back safely. Whatever work that they go for, that Lord, they will see your blessed hand, oh God of success on their lives. Thank you, Lord. Father, we pray God for some of them who've lost their loved ones this week. I pray for your comfort, peace, and strength [music] upon them. And as you promised, I will never leave you nor forsake you. May your blessed presence continually minister to them, strengthen them during this time. Father, we pray as your children with a heart of gratitude, worship, give their tithes, their offerings unto you. We [snorts] pray that you'll bless the work of their hands and make it fruitful. Oh God, for some of them who might be struggling in their finances, having

57:18 difficulty, oh God, in [snorts] the name of Jesus, we pray for a divine breakthrough [music] that the influence of your provision will break every stronghold of debt and lack. Oh God, and you will bless them and prosper them. [music] I pray God let there be miracles this week. We pray in the name of Jesus. Thank you Lord as your people go back may your presence [music] go with them for another blessed week with your presence guiding and leading them. In Jesus mighty name we pray and everyone said amen. >> Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of our heavenly father and the sweet abiding fellowship of the holy spirit blessed and abide upon each one of us from now and forever more. Amen. Amen. God bless you all the newcomers. We want to thank you for joining you today. Can we put our hands together? Welcome them as you walk out. There's guest launch. People waiting to meet and talk and pray with you. One more quick announcement, important announcement. If you want to be part of this lovely worship team, the choir and the musicians. If you know how to sing and you want to be part or you know how to play the instrument, you

58:21 want to be part of this team. July 1st week and second week, there are auditions for musicians and choir. So just go to the website, you'll find all the details there and register there. July 1st week and second week, the auditions are there. Don't forget about that. All right. God bless you. Pastors are in the front and the overflow for prayer. If you need prayers, please come. Bye-bye. Heat.

1:01:30 Heat. Heat. Heat.