I'm Extra

And we have the victory. God is exalted, the devil is defeated, and we have the victory.

You don't know what you needed God.

To do a 180 on today, but God can surely turn that thing around for you. God, today find us where we are, turn our backs to it, that we might get closer to you and may sooner or later be today, in Jesus name, amen. Grab your bibles. Ephesians, chapter three. Ephesians chapter three. We're going to read verses one through 13. I'm going to wrestle with verses one through six this morning and we'll give some time to the entirety of the text next week.

Those I pray.

You guys have been enjoying this journey in the book of Ephesians, where God is showing us that we are made for this. What are we made for?

Vallejo.

We are made to make known in Vallejo what God has already spoken in heaven.

And so today we're in Ephesians 3. We've gotten through Ephesians 1, gotten through Ephesians 2.

We got four more chapters to go. And y', all, we're not going to be the same at the end of Ephesians. Ephesians 3, verse number 1. Reading from the new international version. Your version may read differently, but it is the fresh breathed word of God. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, you've heard, haven't you, about the administration of God's grace that he gave to me for you. I want you to underline that verse you've heard about the administration of God's grace that he gave to me for you. The mystery that was made known to me by revelation. As I've briefly written above. By reading this you're able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah.

That mystery was not made known to people in other generations.

That is, it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. The Gentiles are co heirs, members of the same body, partners of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. I, Paul, was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace that was given to me by the working of his power. This grace was given to me the least of all the saints, to do one thing. To proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah. Do you see that? And to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for in ages, sorry, for ages. In God who created all things. This is so. God's multifaceted wisdom may now be made known to the church through the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose, accomplished in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. And in Jesus we have boldness. Somebody say boldness and confident access. Somebody say confidence through faith in him.

So don't be discouraged over my afflictions.

On your behalf, therefore your glory. I want to comment here in verse number two. You've heard, haven't you, about the administration of God's grace he gave to me for you? I know the translation puts it like this. You've heard about the extra grace. Somebody say extra grace that God gave me for you. Look at somebody as you take a seat. Say, neighbor, I'm extra. You may be seated even in the presence. I just set about 10 of y' all free right now because y' all been trying to put language to your personality. I'm extra.

Paul sitting in a Roman prison cell.

And he's having this conversation with his scribe. To the way that we believed it worked was every six to eight hours, somebody was allowed to come visit Paul. These prison cells were in the center of the city. And the reason it was in the center of the city was it was another form of torture for the prisoners. They would hear the busyness of the community, hear the business of the city.

And not be able to enjoy it with the people around them.

Paul has been sitting in this Roman prison cell, and we believe what's happened is that people from Galatia, from Ephesus, from Philippi and Colossae wrote a list of questions they had for Paul and.

Sent it to him through his scribe.

In this particular case, Tacucas was the one who received this information to give to Paul.

And what Paul did when he wrote.

These letters was then he wrote Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians at the same time. And he was detailing to them, he.

Was answering these questions, he was giving.

Them some information on the church, what it means to be unified in church.

How to combat disunity in church, how to deal with factions in church, how to use our gifts inside of the.

Local church, and who is the Messiah?

And how do we unpack what Mark.

Talks about as the Messianic secret or the mystery of the Gospel of who Jesus really is?

And what Paul is trying to show.

Us in this book is it is.

That when we wrestle against forces, the forces we wrestle against are the forces.

That come to destroy God's church. We don't wrestle against the people, people in God's church.

Hallelujah.

Justin Lester.

And so for this work, the forces we battle are not the government, are not one another.

The forces we battle, Paul says, are demonic forces. Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but we, we wrestle against principalities.

And we destroy that. We defeat the plots of Satan because of one thing. What Paul tells us in chapter two.

Because the church is centered on one thing.

That Christ is the chief cornerstone.

Hallelujah.

And so Paul is saying that we are chapter two, we are his workmanship and that Christ is the cornerstone. And when the church is unified on that truth, we then can destroy anything that wants to defeat Christ as the cornerstone.

Watch this.

Because the Satan ain't trying to get you. He's trying to get to the Christ as cornerstone. And if Satan can try to wrestle against the cornerstone. But Jesus already told us that Satan is fighting a losing battle. Because upon this rock I wish I had a witness. He'll build my church. And the and Satan cannot defeat what Christ is building. And so God, Paul is trying to remind them, stop trying to fight each other. Because that's how Satan gets us distracted. Satan gets us distracted by fighting people inside a church. Church. And we forget that that's how he gets us distracted from the vision of God's church that we are built around the cornerstone. And if he can pull you away from the solid rock, which is Jesus, he can get you distracted and living in the places that are not in the calling of God on your life. So Paul tells the people, listen, I want you to be comfortable living in a comfortable place. And that is the cornerstone.

That is Jesus Christ.

So Paul outlines in chapter one one I'm gonna work this text he outlines in chapter one. He says, first of all, I want everyone, everyone. Jews and Gentiles are worthy, are worthy of every spiritual blessing. Remember, the Jews did not like Gentiles, these half blood Jews. And so Jews are trying to do everything they could to keep the Gentiles away. So Paul writes the book of Ephesians to let them know that heaven is not a selective place. Heaven, you cannot select, select who goes to heaven. Anybody who confesses with their mouth and believes in the Lord Jesus is welcome. I'm the glory. Because it's amazing to me, Deacon, that church folk hate when the wrong folks start getting saved. That for some reason we like to pick and choose who can find Jesus.

But I don't know about you.

We all were lost, sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore. I'm glad I didn't find him but that Jesus found me. I'm glad that when I was sinking he grabbed me and I don't know about you, I want everybody to experience the saving knowledge of Jesus. But these Jews did not want Gentiles. And Paul says, you are exempting yourself from favor because you want to use your anointing to kick people away instead of loving what God has done to brought you in. So he says, here's why I want you to be together. Chapter one. Everyone, you are worth, you are Christian, you are worthy of every spiritual blessing. We all are in God's heart and we all can be full, focused and clear. Then Chapter two, Paul comes along and tells us that Jesus has destroyed the barrier between us and the Father.

Hallelujah.

And he says we are 100% saved. We are in on everything in God's glory. We are his workmanship work together and Christ is the chief cornerstone. So Paul transitions his language. Chapter two, Chapter three, verse one. So for this reason, what reason?

Paul?

Paul says I'm pausing here because chapter three brings everything together that you all of us have the blessings that God promises. All of us can rest in the redemption of the cross. All of us can rest in the fact that Jesus defeated every barrier that's between us and the Father. And now we can build our lives on the chief cornerstone. He here's the thing I want you to know. Because of Jesus, nothing can stop you.

Hallelujah.

Glory to I ain't got a whole bunch to give you today. And here's the other part. Because of Jesus, nothing can stop his church. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The message that Paul is communicating is that a unified church on Jesus can defeat anything. When we are unified on the gospel, we can change the world. The issue is we get unified on our preferences and who the pastor is and where I'm going to sit and what service I'm going to go to and who can sit near me and what color we wear on this Sunday and what outfit we got to wear on this Sunday and what time you got to A unified church can destroy anything. And too often unified churches destroy the people that go to them. But what Paul says, I'm coming for you today. Paul says, but when we are unified on Jesus, Jesus, when we are unified on the chief cornerstone, when we are unified on who God is, on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. I don't even trust myself.

I don't trust my ego, I don't trust my body. I don't trust my mind because I don't trust the sweetest frame.

But I'm going to lean on Jesus.

Name, because when I lean on Jesus.

And who Jesus is, he'll build it something that the world can't destroy. And so Paul says here in chapter three, verse number one, he says so for that reason, because he's the cornerstone, because we are his workmanship, because we are worthy of every spiritual blessing. Paul says, I am writing to all of y' all on behalf of people you don't want to listen to the Gentiles.

Hallelujah.

See this dash in the text in chapter three, verse number one, one is in the Greek as well. So it's not just in the English language, in the Greek. And it's. It indicates, some scholars suggest, that the Holy Spirit stopped Paul to interject to make sure that Paul was not just talking on his own, that God was working through Paul. I can prove it to you. Because if you put chapter three, verse one, together with chapter three, verse 14, it becomes one full sentence. For this reason, I, Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of the Gentiles, I bow before the Father before on whom and every family in heaven and earth is named. If you put it together, it comes together. But if you look at verse 2 through 13, it's a completely different thought. Because Paul begins a chapter that says, because of the Church being one, because of the unity that we have with Jesus as the cornerstone, I have a different way of responding. And my way of responding to the unity of Christ as the cornerstone is I will yield my will to the Father now for preaching consideration.

Today I was studying this, and I was.

I was wrestling with this text, and I. I'm gonna spend the next two weeks on these 12 verses. But what got me as I read this text, as I kept preparing for preaching, is something that Paul said. In verse number two, Paul says, and gives us this burden and the blessing of ministry. He tells them that God's called him to explain the mystery of Jesus. He tells them that the mystery that God's called him to explain, as countless apostles and prophets have been trying to do through the Spirit. And Paul says, and why are we telling this story? Because it's a complicated story. It's a story that tells God's children that we have incalculable riches, immeasurable grace and favor that comes directly from the Father, and that God wants to include everybody, even people we don't like, namely Gentiles, to be a part of God's story. And Paul says, I am passionate. I will risk my life to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Paul, this Same Paul who's been shipwrecked.

A number of times.

This same Paul who's been stoned. Anybody who remembers what it means to be stoned, you stopped stoning someone when they died. Stone Paul has been stoned on multiple occasions. It means multiple times he's had brushes with death. But Paul kept on living. Paul has been in prison over and over and over, yet kept telling the gospel. And so I wondered, and this verse stuck out to me because Paul says, the reason I kept on going, the reason I kept on preaching, the reason I kept on teaching, the reason I kept on showing. A verse number two says, because God has given me some extra grace. What is this extra grace? Pastor Justin, verse number seven says it was a gift that was given to Paul by the power of the Holy Ghost. The message translation says that God has let Paul in on the inside story. See, Paul says for the ministry that I've been called to watch this. God gave me the tools and the anointing necessary to win at the ministry that God called me to. Because In Acts chapter 21 through Acts chapter 23, Paul was put in prison on numerous occasions for doing one thing he told the people. People, the gospel of the Lord Jesus to Gentiles, Paul was consistently shipwrecked because he did one thing. He put his life on the line for Gentiles. And Paul says, the reason I kept on preaching, the reason I kept on teaching, the reason I kept on showing up, the reason I kept on telling the gospel is because God gave me some extra grace. And the reason my enemies couldn't kill me, the reason my job couldn't destroy me, the reason prison couldn't swallow me, the reason shipwreck couldn't kill me, the reason snake bites couldn't destroy me is because God gave me some extra grace. And I'm talking to some folk in the building that the reason you ought to give God praise this morning is that God gave you some extra grace, some extra swag, some extra hips. I wish I had somebody some extra hair, some extra power, some extra anointing.

And the reason your job can't kill you, I'm extra. The reason I can keep moving, I'm extra. The reason my life is going well, I'm extra.

The reason divorce didn't kill you, I'm extra.

The reason abuse didn't take you out, I'm extra. The reason you grab. I wish I had some extra folk in the building at the reason I've made it as far as I am.

I've been blessed with some extra oh.

You'Re not too nice.

You just extra.

Oh, are you? You not you. Not you.

You just extra because you've been anointed to be extra.

I'm not.

I'm not different to be difficult. I'm different because I've been designed that way. Because God gave me some extra. We can talk about grace, love and power, but we love this after sin. But I love this because grace, love and power is not just something God gives us after sin. It's something God uses to build us to be more and more like Christ, to be imitators of Christ. Paul says, the reason shipwrecks and pain and snake bites have not destroyed me, I'm extra. God gave me something extra because God knew I was capable of being extra God. And Paul says, what's the extra? God can trust that I will always tell the world about the mystery of the Messiah. Hallelujah. I will always lead a community that even doesn't want to hear the gospel. But I'll keep telling the gospel. I will stand against demonic forces and not get comfortable with demonic forces, but raise the name of Jesus in front of demonic forces. I will raise up a standard that makes send uncommon comfortable in my life. I will remind people of redemption and reconciliation and forgiveness.

Why?

Because God gave me some extra. And I. I approached this text for preaching and I. I don't believe I'm talking to people in the room who are like Gentiles seeking for intentional raise to one away or exempt yourself from the church. I don't. I don't believe I'm talking to Jews who want to kick people out every time you turn around as it relates to salvation. I think I'm talking to some folk like Paul. You've heard about spiritual gifts and you would like to know what would it be like to flex my gift if church folk weren't my focus? What would it be like to experience miracle signs and wonders in church? I think I'm talking to people in the building who want to really say I got degrees and I want to speak in tongues.

I'm talking to folk in the building.

I want to understand scripture in depth and not as a weapon, but as a tool that helps somebody know Jesus.

I feel like I'm talking to people.

Who left church in college and you're trying this Jesus thing out again and.

You'Re trying to figure out how do.

I grow in grace and not oppress other people. I'm talking to people who want to serve, who want to understand who Jesus is to you. And here's What Paul says. Paul slides in your DMs and says, Chill out sis. Chill out, bruh. We kinfolk today. The reason you have a hunger for the gospel is because we like each other. You've been blessed with something extra. You got that energy and the world just got to match your energy. And you can't keep letting the wrong people break your soul. Quit letting insecure people in their anointing make you shut up with your anointing. Quit letting your worship be dictated by people, people who didn't want to come to church in the first place.

Quit letting your praise be dictated by.

People who are here for the wrong reason.

Quit letting your prayer life be dictated by people who don't talk to God.

In the first place.

Quit letting your preaching life be dictated by people who ain't even connected to the holy in the first place. Paul says, I'm in prison and I'm extra. I'm preaching cause I'm extra. I'm singing cause I'm extra. I'm shouting cause I'm extra. And Beyonce said I walk like this.

Because I can back it up.

I talk like this because I can back it up. It's because I've been blessed with something extra.

Paul says, that's what I got. I got extra grace. I'm talking to dreamers, innovators, leaders, anointed thought leaders who are after God's own heart.

You are doing this.

The reason you can't see sleep at night, the reason your vision keeps waking.

You up, the reason your passion drives you to keep writing is because you've.

Been blessed with something extra. Quit apologizing for being anointed.

Oh, I'm talking to yo yo.

Oh my God. Quit apologizing for being anointed.

I'm tired of anointed people exempting themselves from using your There was too much blood spilled for your oil. God, there was too much too much blood spilled for your anointing. Quit apologizing that you see in the spirit, that you speak in tongues, that you praise God with light feet. Quit apologizing that you're the pretty one in your group. Quit apologizing that God has blessed you with favor. Quit apologizing for being debt free, for graduating, that you forgive people, that you reconcile relationships. Quit apologizing for being anointed. But begin to bless God. God that I got vision, I got passion, I got skills, I've got oil, I've got purpose, I've got future. Why but baby Cause I'm extra.

Because you're extra. Paul says live into the extra. Because extra. Causes you to set new goals. Because you keep making the same goals. Get attention on Instagram and God says, Extra. Says set new goals. Extra says, don't get complacent just to make sure your ex knows how successful you are. But why don't you find your next instead of being consumed with your ex?

Extra.

Says, I'm. I'm going to keep moving and move my circle around because Extra. Wants to see the church grow. Extra. Wants to ask somebody out for coffee.

Extra.

Wants to build God's kingdom.

Extra.

Wants to save your children.

Extra. Wants to be debt free because I'm.

The lender, not the borrower.

Extra.

Wants to give unto God.

Extra. Wants to show up early. Extra. Wants to be on their face. Extra.

Wants to be on their knees.

Extra. I wish I had some extra folk in the building. I'm not too nice. I'm just extra. I'm not. I'm not glitz and glam. I'm just extra. My J's, they just extra. Because I've been blessed by God. My suit is just extra. Because I've been blessed by God. I love my children like that. Cuz I'm extra. And I've been blessed to show up how good God is so me. Because greater is he that's in me than he that's in the world. Somebody toss your head back, open up your mouth and shout, I'm extra.

I'm talking to folk.

People tell you you dress too much. Baby, I'm extra. I'm talking to folk. You, you. You too nice to everybody. I'm extra. And God has smiled on me with the anointing he gave me. And. And the reason you hang out with me is because the Jesus in me loves the Jesus in you. Cuz I'm extra.

Hallelujah.

You ain't ghetto. You extra. I wish I had somebody.

You ain't toxic. You extra. You don't you extra. Because God has anointed you to be that way.

So Paul at the end of his ministry says, I got a new goal. I see something new in my life. I want the church unified. And Paul says, I'm gonna keep working, I'm gonna keep preaching, I'm gonna keep serving. Because God, I wish I had a witness in here, has given me some extra. I want the church to be great.

Whoo.

Because I'm quit apologizing for how you dress, how you see yourself, you ain't too fat. The bigger the ball, the better the bounce. God, I wish I had somebody.

You ain't Too dark. The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice. Because I am.

I'm trying to free some of y' all visionaries in this building. I'm trying to free entrepreneurs in this building. I'm trying to free families in this building.

Quit apologizing for who you are because you extra.

Hallelujah.

How can I develop a lifestyle that can spend time rejoicing in my extra? Because too often, church, we spend more time talking about what's wrong with us than rejoicing over the what's right with us. And Paul comes back at us and says, listen, I could care less about what's wrong. I'm consumed that I'm. I've got some extra. How do I do this? Number one. Number one, talk about your triumph more than you talk about your tragedy. Did you heard me? I said talk about your triumph more than you talk about your tragedy. Paul says, I received this revelation. What revelation? I have something extra from Jesus. What do I have? Paul says. Paul says, read verse three. I've learned about what I have because of what I wrote above. What's above?

Paul.

Paul says, I want everyone to understand that we all have access to to the story, the mystery of the Messiah. And the same administration of power that was given to some has been given to all. But the only way you gonna know about what God is capable of doing is if you read his word.

Hallelujah.

And Paul says, if you want to know how to put language to your extra, you better read His Word. Not by how somebody else tells you about your extra. Not for how somebody uses you for your extra. Paul says, if you want to know what your extra really is, read Ephesians 1 and 2. And you will see that in Ephesians 1 he gave you access to every spiritual blessing. You will see that God has put everything under his feet. You will see that he's destroyed every barrier between you and the Father. And you will see that he's the chief cornerstone. But you will only grab a hold of what God thinks about you when you read what God has said over you. That's it. I ain't got nothing. I ain't got nothing big to give you today. Read your Bible. Come on, touch somebody around. You say, read your Bible. Can I tell you a secret? Healing did not stop when the Bible was canonized. We just stopped calling upon the elders of the church and praying the prayer of faith and believe that when we pray the prayer of faith, you will be healed. Healing didn't stop in scripture. We just stopped praying for it. Breakthrough didn't not stop in Scripture. We just stopped fasting and praying. I ain't scared of none of y'.

All.

Abundant living did not stop in Scripture. We stopped bringing all the tithe to the storehouse that there might be meat in my house. And behold, I will open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that you can't even receive.

Possibility didn't stop in Scripture.

We just stopped calling upon the name of the Lord that the name of.

Jesus, all things must bow. Redemption didn't stop in Scripture. We just stopped believing that the blood.

Reaches the highest mountain and flows to the lowest valley.

Forgiveness didn't stop in Scripture. We just stopped practicing Matthew 18 to call upon a witness, sit down and.

Have a conversation and forgive somebody.

Reconciliation did not stop in Scripture. We forgot the power of the blood. God's power didn't stop when the Bible was canonized. The issue is we don't read it. Paul says, if you want to know how powerful you are, ready. Read your Bible. I can do all things through Christ. Read your Bible. The Lord is the light of my salvation. Read your Bible. The Lord is my shepherd. Read your Bible. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Read your Bible. And you're overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. Read your Bible. Am I talking to Bible believing folk who ain't afraid to tote your Bible to work and tote your Bible to school? That the reason I'm here today is how the word of God.

God on my life. My wife. While ago. While ago, we were. We were traveling and my wife asked me, she said, justin, did you. Did you get what I need you to get at the store? And I said, babe, I. I don't know what you're talking about. She said, babe, you got to. Did you get what I asked you to get from the store? She wanted something to eat and I totally didn't look. And so y'.

All.

I got in the car and my b. My wife said. She said, babe, did you look at your text messages? I said, babe, I didn't check my text messages. She said, baby, Dave, if you only check the text, you would see. I wish I had somebody. You would see exactly what you need. What I need is you to get from the store. The reason some of us have not finished an assignment is because you don't check the text. God, I wish I had somebody.

If you would check the text, you.

Would see that you overcome.

If you check the text, you are more than conquerors. If you check the text, I can do all things. If you check the text, I press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling. If you check the text, there's no weapon that comes towards you that has the authority to hit you. If you check the text, he'll raise up mountains, he'll lower mountains and raise up valleys. But you've got to check the text.

Paul says check the text.

You are anointed, you are forgiven, you are called, you are adopted, you are predestined.

But you've got to check the text. Too many of us are missing out on assignments because you don't check the text. Paul says check your tags and look at verse 5. I believe Paul reads us like an open book. In the verse five, Paul says the reason we must check the text is so that we don't misinterpret his word, because what happened is preceding generations misinterpreted Scripture for their own benefit. And so contextually, Paul is talking about Old Testament prophets who wrote Gentiles out of the story of the Messiah. These individuals speak consistently, made sure that the Word of God only worked in tragedy for them, that God gave them triumph after tragedy instead of trusting God for consistent triumphs. And Paul argues the reason that everybody was not let in on the story of the Messiah is because their vision of God's power was tainted by their own desires for God and not trusting the desire desires that God had for them. Here's the principle. Do not allow your understanding of God to only come after tragedy. Spend your time consistently talking about your triumphs. Church Too often, the only time some of us pray is when you're going through something. So you wonder why you're always going through some gossip. That's the only way I get your attention, huh? Oh, will come back at that. The reason you're constantly going through something is God says, I want to hear your voice, but you won't talk to me unless something is falling apart. Paul says that's what they did to the Gentiles, that we want to constantly be in battles and fighting and destroying people and destroying walls, that God had.

To keep putting them in exile just.

To get their attention. But he says, now with Jesus, I don't want to put you in exile.

I don't want to push you away from me. I. I want you close to me. So I wish you would talk more about what I've done in your life.

Than, I mean needing to give you some sort of tragedy to get your attention. So God gave us extra to rejoice that every day Paul says Second Corinthians, chapter five, that we're on a perpetual victory parade.

Hallelujah.

That every day I wake up in victory. Oh my God. Oh my God. Every day I wake up and I'm on a regular victory parade. Every time I turn around, favor is all around me. Peace is chasing me down. Goodness and mercy is choking me. I wish I had a witness and love is drowning me.

Because I'm not defined by what I go through. I'm defined by what God brought me. Brought brings me over and brings me to too. And too often we have testimony services that compare how bad our lives were.

Instead of realizing testimonies is not a.

Comparison of how bad your sin was. Testimonies are celebrating how good your God is. That the reason I'm here today, he brought me out, he woke me up, he sustained me, gave me increase. And God is not just good after sin, he's good all the time.

So it ought not take failure for you to call on God.

It ought not take a bombshell dropping.

In your life to for you to talk about how good God is. What if you got together with your friends and took time to talk about how good God was instead of getting together, talk about how you're gonna break up with somebody.

What if you spent more time every time you want to complain about someone.

What if you took that time to celebrate how good God is to you? That he gave you the breath to even complain about your life? Paul says, I've been threatened, I've been put in prison. But I will never allow my tragedy to overrule the image I have of God. Because watch this, even in death, God gives me brand new life. And Paul says, my extra favor, my extra grace, my extra peace has not allowed me to come off the mountain of favor. I'm going to trust his at all times. Secondly, and finally, I'm finished. Paul says, secondly, I want you. Don't micromanage what God has called you to manage. Don't micromanage what God has called you to man. Look at verse six. Paul says, the extra I have, this grace is given to all of us Jews and Gentiles to partner together in building the kingdom for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So while ancestors, while previous generations didn't get it right all the time, Paul says this time is going to be different because we going to trust the extra that God gave us. You know, it's amazing to me because I read articles all the time about the church is falling apart. Millennials don't like church.

Gen Z don't like church. Boomers don't like church.

Everybody hate church for some reason. Church is open every week, but everybody hate church so much. Much. And it's amazing because we've talked about trauma, generational trauma, church trauma, all of this. I wonder, my generation, millennials, Gen Z, if we made a conscious decision that this time church gonna be different, that if we showed up and said, nah, I realize we gonna dress the way we want to dress, preach the way we want to treat, teach the way we want to teach.

Why?

Because this time we will not let anybody stray away from the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says, I realized others messed it up, but we ain't going to let that keep happening. And how do I know it's different? Some of y' all may not like me, but I'm talking to some. I wish I had some millennials and Gen Zers that could help me preach this sermon that we ain't a lost generation, we just an extra generation. I wish I had some boomers and Gen Xers that can say, listen, we ain't a lost generation either. We just going to get this generation, this next time together. Paul says, the next time ain't going.

To be like the last time.

Because this time we not going to work to fight. We going to work to win. How do I know it's different? Paul says, here's what I did, verse seven. I stopped micromanaging grace and just started serving God.

Hallelujah.

Because when grace was given, Paul says, all I did was become a steward of the grace of God. I didn't serve to make somebody else happy. I served to please God. Because when I served to please God, God took care of me.

God, I wish I had a witness.

And when I served not for credit.

When I served not to be on.

Program, when I served not to be.

On insta, when I served not to be on the front of a bulletin.

When I served, not so somebody knew my name, but when I served so.

That God saw me. Here is all I know. Serving the Lord will pay off after a while.

That when God can trust you to build his church, you may not get your name called, but I know the role my name is on. When God can trust you to work in his community, you may not be on the front of the bulletin, but you in the Lamb's book of life. Because serving the Lord will pay off after a while. When you stop serving to get credit from broken people and start serving to please the master, you build the kingdom of God because you stop micromanaging your gift for the pleasure of people who don't like you. And you begin to serve God because God smiled on you and God gave you the gift in the first place. And I'm not here to please somebody. I'm here to please one body. And that's the body that saved me, that was broken for me.

And I'mma serve him in remembrance of himself. The message translation, put it like this, and I'm done. The message translation, put it like this. Serve. Because God.

Hallelujah.

Is handling the details.

Hallelujah.

Glory to the Lamb of God. When you stop micromanaging your gift and just serve with your gift, God handles the details.

That's why, my God, that's how you got through college.

Because when you trusted him, he handled the details. And I'm coming against all the control freaks in the building. I'm coming against y' all that want to control the will of God. I'm coming against all of us in the building that are trying to control who you marry and where you live.

And what you do and what you write.

Paul says if you serve the Lord, he'll handle the details. God, I wish I had somebody.

And I'm so glad I serve a God who handles the details. If you don't believe me, Moses, the.

Bible says God told him to get.

Your staff and go up to the Red Sea. All I want you to do is.

Declare the word of God.

God. Watch this. When Moses trusted God, God opened the Red Sea.

Watch it.

But God made sure that they walked through on dry land and didn't walk through on mud. Why? Because God handles the details. When Ezekiel was in the valley of dry bones, God told him to preach to the dead bones. Watch this. Ezekiel then put the bones together. Bible says when Ezekiel served the Lord, God handled the details. But Jesus was dead.

Dead in a borrowed tomb.

The Bible says that God. Jesus didn't get up. God raised him up. Because all Jesus had to do was serve the Father. And God handled the details. I'm talking to somebody.

How I'm going.

Go back to school. Let God handle the details. How you gonna start your business? Let God handle the details. How you gonna fix your marriage? Let God handle the details. Because all I know is if you trust in the Lord and never doubt, he will bring you out. Because I serve a God. Who am I talking? Anybody in the building who can thank God he handled the details.

That's why the songwriter said, I surrender all.

Not surrender some. I surrender all. I give myself away. I stop trying to be in control. Of my life and I trust that if the Lord gave it hallelujah the Lord will keep it. And the key to my future is to serve him. The key to your marriage is to serve him. The key to your church is to serve him.

Because God has given me extra just to serve him. Are you wondering about high blood pressure graduation, how you gonna be delivered and set free debt free working through it. You're coming through giving a whole bunch of folk a bunch of hundred dollar lines can free you. Let me tell you something serve the Lord cuz serving the Lord it will pay off. I wish I had a witness I'm trying to stay there after a while I said serving the Lord I wish I had somebody will pay off after.

A while the reason you made it.

To your 90s serving the Lord I wish I had a witness paid off.

After a while the reason you're debt free in your 40s serving the Lord will pay off after a while the because when you trust in him and never doubt he will keep you because serving the Lord pays off.

So maybe, just maybe your life would be different if you serve what God thought about you and not what other people think about you. Maybe, just maybe your marriage, maybe your relationship with your children would be different if you didn't live your life to to compare your life to somebody else's child. But you lived your life the way.

That God called you to parent your child. Because you an extra mama on purpose. You an extra daddy on purpose. You an extra boss on purpose.

You don't need to read another book.

You need to trust the anointing on your life. You an extra leader on purpose because.

You'Ve been designed with something extra. So I'm talking to insecure people. I'm talking to people who are insecure with yourself. Yourself people insecure with the gifting of God in you. But it's nothing new because he already said greater is things is is he that is within you. And the wrestling point in your life right now is you are fighting God working through you.

My God.

You are fighting God coming out of you.

But I want you to wake up.

To the gift of God inside of you.

You can do all things not by yourself but through Christ that strengthens you. I want you to wake up to the anointing of God. I wish I had some anointing anointed people that can say today's the last.

Day insecurities don't wake me up.

Today's the last day insecurity is going to get you go to sleep. Today's the last day. Anxiety about somebody else's future is going to dictate my future because I have too much anointing in me. I have too much oil on my life to let anybody dictate my future.

Because I'm greater is in. In me.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Oh, my God. That's why I'm done with this. Steve, go ahead and put the Text up. Isaiah 43 put it like this. Because so many of us. I'm done. Are struggling with what God calls us.

You're wondering, who am I?

What is God calling me to do? Can I give you this? Isaiah 43 puts it like this. Isaiah 43 put it like this. But now this is what the Lord says. He who created you, Jacob, who formed you. Do not fear, for I've redeemed you. Watch this. I've summoned you by your name. What is your name? Your mind.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

You're his. You are not lost. You're his. Your future's not over. You're his.

You're extra.

You're called. You're anointed.

You're adopted.

You're given.

And he knows your name. What is your name?

You're his. You are not the divorcee. You're his.

Hallelujah.

You're not fatherless, you're his.

You're not motherless, you're his. You're not old, you're his. You're not young.

You're his. Oh, my God.

You're not ugly, you're his. You're not fat. You're his. You're not down, you're his. You're not. You're not out of the flock. You're not out of the flock. You're his. You are not the lies your boss on your mid year eval. You are not the lies that your friends called you in a group text message. You are not the shade somebody threw on Facebook. God says, when I created you, I called you by your name, your mind.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

You are not the rejection. You are not the hit to your reputation. You are not that sin from 2002.

Oh, God.

Hallelujah.

You are not that sin from 1991.

You are not that mistake from 2012.

But somebody say, I'm his. I'm his.

Somebody else say, I'm his.

I'm his.

And because I'm his, I'm extra. Because I'm his, I'm anointed. Because I'm his, I'm called because I'm his. I'm predestined. Because I'm his. I'm sealed. Because I'm his. I'm protected Because I'm his. I am his.

So I'm enough. Because I'm his. I'm enough. Because I'm his. Oh, my God. I'm trying to help somebody.

I'm enough.

I'm talking to so many insecure people. You have vision boards that you've hidden.

In your closet that you're afraid to.

Bring out because you don't think you're enough, but you're his.

I'm talking to marriages that you've been contemplating leaving. And God says, no, you're his.

You're mine because I created you.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

I'm trying to leave it.

Hallelujah.

I'm talking to broken people, my God. I'm talking to people who wanted to give up on dreams, people who wanted to leave God's church, people who wanted to give up on your gifting in church. I'm talking to people who've been abused by pastors, people who've been abused by church leaders, people whose gifts have been manipulated for somebody else's selfish gain.

I'm talking to women.

Oh, my God.

Who've been touched by pastors in the wrong way. I'm talking to people who. Who've been abused at the hands of church leadership that God says, you are not somebody, but you are mine. You're my daughter. You're my son. You're my king. You're my queen. You're my prince. You're my princess. You're mine.

Hallelujah.

And your gift was not to make somebody else's ego big. Your gift was to build the body of Christ.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

God, I'm. I'm healing church trauma right now. I'm healing some church trauma right now because there's too much oil in this building that prostitutes should not be walking down to California. I wish I had a witness. There's too much oil on this building that says. I wish I had somebody that can say in Vallejo, God, wake up. The oil in France. Friendship. I wish I had some anointed folk in this building that could help me close this sermon and begin to saturate this atmosphere with oil that destroys every single yoke. Because we an extra church. We extra people with extra praise and extra voices. So lift up your heads, oh, ye gates and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors. As a king of Glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Glory to the Lamb of God. I wish I had some friendship folk, some ride or die saints in the building that could help me close this sermon and show God what extra praise really looks like. And war with them, the devil. And say, you mess with the wrong church, you mess with the wrong people. Because we anointed on this street. We covered on this street. Try me, blood, if you want to, but I'm anointed in this building. I wish I had some anointed people that can help me close this sermon and give. Take your extra mouth and your extra hands and give God an extra prayer praise. Cause he's good. Yeah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Glory to the Lamb of God.