The Stillness of Advancement

We have a journey to go on to tonight, and I'm so excited for it because there's been a word that's been coming to my heart over and over and over and over. And in fact, it's something that my wife and I has been discussing about our own household, and the Lord has been doing an amazing thing concerning this. This word was amplified during our vow renewal. I mean, it was an amazing time. I feel like I feel like I'm in a new marriage. I don't know how else to explain it.

I was married before, but after that, I feel like I'm more married than I ever been.

And I pray it just increases from there in the name of Jesus. So, you know, I have a wonderful wife. I can't stop talking about her. She's my everything. She inspired a lot of this. And I can't tell you how excited I am. Glory be to God. Um, I have the privilege of working with a lot of wealthy people. I mean, captains of industries, CEOs, investors. They— by the grace of God, he has put me in certain situations. And the Lord convicted me recently. He showed me all the people that need to hear the gospel. Amen. And some of these people, they have houses, they have cars, they have millions of dollars. What do you preach to people that have everything? And it's important for us to understand this, because if our God is only big enough to give them things they already have, our God is too small. I'll say it again.

If our God is only big enough to give them houses, cars, and clothes, things that they bought without knowing God, our God is too small.

So there's something that you can share with these people that regardless of what they have, they need it. And the reason why I'm saying this is because I am I am teaching to captains of industries in this room. Amen. I'm teaching to millionaires, business owners. You see, these confessions are past tense. That means everything you confess, you already have. So I want to share with you some of the conversations that I have in some of these circles. Is that okay? Because I'm telling you, we will need to understand how—

when you get to those places, you will need to know what to say.

Ah, thank you, Jesus. So what we will be discussing today is— I titled it The Advancement of Stillness. The Advancement of Stillness. I'm going to talk about why it's important. I'm going to teach you what stillness is, and I'm going to teach you how you can obtain stillness. Now let's go. The first thing that we're going to talk about is why you should be listening. Before you get so distracted, before you turn me off, before you say, 'I can't wait for Mommy to come,' before we get there, let me tell you why. We're going to start at Exodus chapter 14. Exodus chapter 14 at verse 10. When you're there, say amen. Okay, I'll wait. It's a journey. We must all start and end together. Exodus chapter 14 and verse 10. When you're there, shout amen. 1, 2, 3, we're going to read from 10 all the way to 14. 1, 2, 3, let's go. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt. Hmm. Keep reading. Why have you so dealt with us to bring us up out of Egypt? Next verse.

Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said to the people, do not be afraid, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

Verse 14. Let's read that again. One more time. I thought somebody would say that like this verse was about them. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall what?

Ah, this means that there was an opportunity for peace to be removed from this people.

And Jesus, in his wisdom, teaches us about peace when we get to John.

But before we get there, if you only have peace when things are good, you don't have peace. If you only have peace when things are going well, you don't have peace. If you only have peace when there's money in the accounts, you don't have peace. If you only have peace when your marriage is going well, you don't have peace. The Egyptians were pursuing a people. Death was inevitable. They were coming with horses and chariots, and on the other side was what?

Ha!

The Red Sea. So if you was in this situation, you either go back there and die or go ahead and drown. And someone has the audacity to say, stand still. Imagine there's an attacker coming for you, and it's either you run back to them or you run into the highway. And a word comes and says, stand still. Some of you will run anyway.

Why? Because you don't have peace. Moses in this situation was exemplifying the peace he had. The peace he had was him saying, hmm, if God brought us here, he can't let us die here. That's peace. If God has brought me thus far, he will not abandon me in this situation. That's peace.

And of all the millions of people that came with him, he was the only one that carried this thing called peace. And he tried in a moment's notice to teach a sermon to a people that was afraid, a people that said, in this situation, I would rather stay in bondage I would rather stay in Egypt. I would rather go back to my past life. And Moses preaches a sermon to them and says, be still.

Verse 15, can we read together? And the Lord said to Moses, why do you cry to me?

Compel the children of BCR to the advancement of stillness.

Are we getting it?

While they were putting themselves in this position, you can only attribute this to Moses really, because you heard what everybody else said. They were ready to go back to Egypt.

Moses preached the sermon in two sentences. I don't care who is coming behind me. If the Lord be for me— Moses was preaching a sermon, whom shall I fear? And the very next word that came from God Since you understand the concept of peace, since you trust me so much, advance. When we are talking about unstoppable advancement, you need to understand how first to be still. Amen. The next thing I want to teach us is What happens in this upside-down kingdom? It doesn't make sense, right?

The enemies are coming and God is telling you, be still.

It's because everything that happens in this kingdom is to confuse the wicked. Do you remember what the book of Isaiah 40 says? It says those that wait on the Lord, they will renew their strength. How does waiting make you stronger? They will mount up with wings like eagles.

How does waiting give you wings?

They will run and not get tired.

How does waiting make you run?

See, this is the thing I ask myself. Those that wait will fly, will be stronger, will run, will not be tired.

How is it that you can be still and make so much progress in life? See, this is the wisdom the world can never give you. What is the world telling you? Every time you ask somebody, how are you? What do they say?

Fine, busy.

If you, if you have told people you've been busy before when they ask you, how are you?

Let me see your hand. What the world wants you to be is busy.

The only thing the world has to offer is busyness. Why do you think they call it business? What do you think you're supposed to be doing there? Busyness.

What should you be doing in business?

If your employer came to you and you're sitting in the office and you're lounging there not doing anything, what would he say? He will fire you. Why aren't you busy? The Lord see you sitting there praying.

What would the Lord tell you? Well done. Now, which life would you rather live? Who would you rather be your boss? The Egyptians or the Lord Jesus Christ? See, there's a reason Moses said, "These Egyptians we see." Those Egyptians, don't make them your boss again.

The Egyptians you see, you don't want to see them again.

Next, I'm going to talk to us about what peace is. And we're going to read from Psalm chapter 46, verses 1 to 11. This is the best way I can define peace in my own language. Peace is when the enemy wants you to mourn and you're joyful. Peace is when the enemy wants you to weep but you're laughing.

Peace is when the enemy wants you to be tired and you're stronger.

So when you read Psalms chapter 46, and David knows a thing or two about peace, we're going to read Psalms chapter 46, 1 to the end. When you're there, say amen. I didn't say amen, so wait for me. Psalms chapter 46, we're going to read verses 1 to 11. 1, 2, 3, let's go. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.

Even though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling, there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God shall help her just as the break of dawn. The nations raged The kingdoms were moved. He uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolation in the earth. He makes war cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

I don't know about you, when I read that, I just have peace. I want to read one more verse from that. He makes the wars cease to the end of the earth. The Lord shared with me as I was studying, we always ask the question, why is there any— why is there no peace? The reason why there is no peace in the earth is because we lack the requisite amount of peaceful people, the peacemakers. If there's no peace in your house, there's only two people you can blame. We will leave the children out of it for now.

If there's no peace in the department, it's because there aren't peaceful people in that department. If there's no peace in your workplace, it's because there's no peaceful people in your workplace. You see, the way God distributes peace on this earth is through the vessels of the believer. So when you're asking for peace, you need to find it inside of you.

If there's no peace in the church, ah, Everywhere God's peace is, you will find it inside of his people. So whenever you want to truly study about peace, Psalms 46 is your prescription. Now I will finish my third and final point. This is how do you get this.

It's a wonderful question.

How do you get this? Number 1, prayer. But let me, let me talk a little bit about why prayer is important. When you study the fruits of the Spirit, you will find peace there.

Is it true?

Okay. When you accept Jesus, God comes to you with the fruit of the Spirit and the gift of the Spirit.

True.

This is why I fear God. He can leave you with the gifts and take away the fruit. This is why so many people can speak in tongues but they can't control their tongues. Many people will walk around with the gifts but lack the fruits. See, peace, stillness, it's a fruit. When I was reading these confessions, I just started jumping because so many points in here points to the, the conversation that we're having here. The very first prayer point that we saw, I will read it here. I didn't even know about this. I was going to use this verse in the message. It's from, from, from Psalms. Psalm chapter 1, I believe it's verse 3. It says, I will be like a tree planted by the riverside. My life will flourish in every season. I will not wither. I will grow, prosper, and bring forth fruit Have you ever seen a tree run? But you would be like a tree. Have you ever seen a tree rush to bear fruits? But you need to make it because all of your mates are making it before you. So many times in the Bible, the Lord keeps making mention and mention and mention and mention of trees as it relates to the believer. I mean, Where was the first man made? In the garden, made from dust. And constantly the Bible was referring to us. I'll give you another example. Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branch.

What do branches do? Do branches struggle to bear fruit? As long as it's connected to the vine, it don't have to struggle for anything. You are connected to God. Why are you stressing? You are connected to the source. Does the branch bear its own fruit? If you cut a branch off, will it bear any fruit? As long as it's attached to the vine, it doesn't have a choice. It must bear fruit. I'm saying there's some fruits in your life that because you are connected to Jesus, you don't have a say in the matter. You must bear fruit. It is not a matter of opinion. Ah, Jesus, we have many people that are trying to manufacture their own fruits. You can't— if you don't have peace, you can't fake it. You can't— you can't—

let me, let me, let me talk like this so people would think I'm peaceful.

When problem come, you will find the people that lack peace fast.

Fast. I'm only— the only reason I am qualified to talk about this is by the mercies of God, the peace he has given me in my life.

I can give you counts after counts and counts of dire situations when I was facing death in the eye, and I stood like this: if God be for me, I remember, like I said, I can't take credit for this because even in my youth I had this, this, this, this fruit rather. I remember when I came home, Mommy shared this testimony before, and we saw foreclosure papers on the table. I came and I saw it.

I don't know why this boldness came upon me. It could not have been me.

It can only be the Holy Spirit showing that fruit was available even in this season.

I told my mother that day, I've seen this once, we will never see this Egyptian we see today.

We will see no more. Until now. You see, I thought I was just praying that prayer in a house, in my own household, in the household of my children, in the household of my great-grandchildren. Until Christ come. We've seen it once, we will see it no more. I'm praying for somebody in the name of Jesus. You think that they want to evict, you think they want to foreclose. You've seen death once, you will not see it again. You've seen tragedy once, you will not see it again. I pray for you in the name of Jesus. Affliction will not rise a second time. It's not a matter of opinion. There's a God inside of you that makes sure you are kept in perfect peace.

You may be seated.

You don't get to decide that you don't want to bear fruit anymore as a believer unless you be cut from the vine. As long as you are attached to this Jesus The peace that he lived in, it will flow through you. It will work in you. It will work around you. There was a time we came from Jerusalem.

That trip changed my life.

I understood peace like I never understood it before. Tell me why. I don't like to bring this up.

But there's our counterparts that read a portion of our Bible.

I won't name them. One day out the week they don't work, yet they are successful than— more successful than people that work 7.

You go to Israel, by Friday night the whole city shuts down.

Yet per capita, they have the highest growth of startup capital in the entire world. Yet there are people working 7 days a week, waking up early in the morning, going to sleep late at night, only to eat the bread of sorrow.

This, this, the, the advancement of stillness. You can be still like this.

Nobody knows, but you are tracking miles. It doesn't look like you're taking a step. Oh, but in the spirit realm, ah, you don't know the advantage you have. That's why you keep running from pillar to post. Every man of God that comes in town, you must see them.

Be still. You already know God, right? Somebody say amen. The way that I will finish up is I would tell a few stories from the Bible because of time. Rotunde, can you help me out here? We're about to finish up, and I really want to pray. I'm praying that there be an impartation of stillness in your life. I pray that when you wake up tomorrow morning, you say, what manner of sleep is this? When we came back from Israel, I walked into a barber shop. There was somebody sitting there. This was in 2019. I entered the place. If somebody was getting a haircut, so I just sat down, and I sat down like this. The person that was getting his haircut stood up. He paid his fee. He said, I need to come shake your hand. I said, for what? He said, I've never in my life— when you walk into this room, peace filled the entire place. I was not the man of God I am now. He said, when I walked in the room, he said, I've never felt peace like this in my life. He shook my hand, he left. I never seen him again, but he left an impartation in my life. There's something you can carry that people will testify of. You don't need to tell people, I'm a peaceful person. When you walk into the room See, this is why I fear God. You see the case, um, see the case of Saul.

Do you know how God punished Saul? Do you know how he punished that man? He took his peace away, he left him the throne. He took his— the Bible says that the Spirit of God left Saul and a spirit came, and that spirit troubled him. He was still king. What is a king without peace? People of God, many people are chasing things. They're chasing houses and cars and big families. They don't remember Saul, who had everything but no peace. I pray God never show you that kind of punishment. You know how Saul fixed his equation?

He said, there must be a man.

There must be someone that can help me fix this situation. His servant said, there's a boy in the house of Jesse. He's gifted in what our brother is doing there. So whenever David will come and play the harp, that spirit left and peace came. Listen to me very carefully. If you can look at my face, listen to me. As good as that temporary relief was, your peace should never be attached to a man. That man will go and he will take his peace with him. Didn't Jesus say, when you go, go to the gospel, knock on the door, say peace be upon this place? He said if you don't hear, ha, kaparo, knock on the door. If they don't receive your peace, carry your peace and go. Never attach your peace to any man. I feel the anointing. I feel the Lord lifting some things off of people. I feel the power of God. This message is finding, is finding good soil, is finding good soil. We will press a bit. I'll share a few more stories. That man David, he had two sons that we're going to discuss. One of them's name was Absalom.

I pray you never have Absalom.

That boy was kicked out of the kingdom. Mercy brought him back. All he wanted was the throne. The Bible says he was handsome. His hair was beautiful. He would cut his hair off and, and he could sell his hair for shekels. Absalom, that man troubled his father.

Your father's king and you want the king— you want the kingship. So Absalom, he won the hearts of the people. Everyone loved him.

They called him king.

Even so, that David had to go hide, and Absalom had this advisor. Let's read it. I don't— I want to read the exact prayer that David prayed. 2 Samuel chapter 15, verse 31.

Ah, this prayer, we will pray it again when we conclude.

In fact, I'll ask Mommy to pray.

Absalom had this councilman. Are we there?

2 Samuel chapter 15, verse 31.

The Bible says, then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David prayed the prayer.

Ah.

He said, and David said, oh Lord, I pray. Remember what I say, how do you find peace?

Prayer.

He said, oh Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Ahithophel then went to Absalom, gave him a counsel. They rejected the counsel. Next thing you know, Ahithophel went and hung himself. He died, bam, like that. What happened to Absalom? Absalom and his beautiful hair, it got stuck on the tree, bam, he died like that.

Anyone advising the enemy of your peace, anyone giving counsel to the enemy of your advancement, they will end up the same way. God does not play about peace. When you read the book of Psalms, you want to figure out how David prayed this prayer. This is how you pray the prayer if you want to maintain your peace. It's from Psalms 31:13.

Kai as kai eho.

Psalms 31:13-15. This is David praying.

For I hear the slander of many. I don't know how many people have been slandered before. Fears on every side. I don't know if anybody's been afraid, but afraid before— you've, you've been afraid of the doctor's report, you've been afraid of your finances, you've been in a situation that something wants to steal your peace. I want to let you know God would defend his peace in your life. While they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life. Ah, but as for me, I trust in you, O Lord. I say you are my—

that's peace.

But as for me, I— despite all I'm going through, despite what they say, despite the schemes they take, their counsel against you will come to nothing. It will come to nothing. It will come to nothing. But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord. I say you, you are my God. You determine who lives and dies. You are the giver of peace. But as for me, this is the prayer that David prayed. When they conspired to take away his peace.

You are my God.

If Absalom was not enough, David had another son called Adonijah who also conspired to take the throne.

Ah! I pray you don't have people like this around you. I'll keep the long story short. He died too.

Here's the wisdom.

Where is Solomon in all of these stories? If you get it, say amen. Okay, I will tell you. This is Solomon. The prophet said I would be king. Why am I fighting for what I already have? Yeah, these are my brothers, I love them, but the prophecy came. This is not my doing. The Lord said I would be king. Would he decree a thing and it not come to pass? So I will be still and know. Every prophecy spoken over your life— I feel the anointing— every dream God has given you, every word whispered into your ears Every word that's come from our dear prophet from this altar, and you know it has come from the Lord, it will come to pass.

Every prophecy— I don't care if it met you when you was a baby, I don't care even if you don't remember the prophecy. You don't have a say in this matter. It will come to pass. Every prophecy, every word that's come from heaven over your children, over your husband, over your wife, over your business, over your finances, over your church— it will come to pass. It will come to pass. It will come to pass. In the name of Jesus Christ, you may be seated.

I will wrap up by giving an example from the life of Jesus, who is the greatest example. How dare I teach a sermon and not talk about Jesus, the greatest man that ever lived. We will read from John. I want to share a powerful story that you may not have really seen explained like this before. John chapter 11, starting at verse 1. Are we there? If you're there, say amen. Thank you, Jesus. Does anybody feel the peace of God? You don't have a say in the matter. If you're connected to the vine, you will have the fruit. The Bible says, now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sister sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. I want you to meditate on that for a few seconds. He loved Martha, he loved Mary, he loved Lazarus. Verse 6. So when he heard that he was sick, Think about it. They say, 'This man is sick,' and Jesus says, 'Oh, this man's sick? I will stay where I am an extra 2 days.' You can't rush God. You can't use the love of God to control him.

Lazarus was at this point dead.

See, where was Jesus in this situation? He was in the wilderness where John the Baptist baptized him. He was there building capacity.

He decided to be still in this situation, huh? He stayed there an extra 2 days.

You can't rush God. You see, God himself understands the concept of being still.

Lazarus was dead. I'm trying to tell you, your situation may be dead and it seemed like God is not looking. He's building capacity. You may have been praying, my situation is withering, where are you, O Lord? He says, wait. He loved Lazarus, but he stayed. Verse 7: Then after he said to the disciples, I finished my prayer.

I told these people that this Lazarus, he's fine. Let me go tell God about it. See, this is why when he got to the tomb of Lazarus, he didn't pray. All he said was, thank you. Ah, why? He's built capacity.

So when he got to the tomb, he didn't weep because Lazarus was dead.

He wept because the people around were sad.

He already knew what was about to happen. He structured himself. He said, roll away that stone.

I heard what the Lord said concerning this situation.

Lazarus, come out! Unbind him!

And what was dead started walking again. Ah, Jesus hears your prayer in these 21 days. I want to let you know he is not slow to keep his promises. He doesn't want to just give you He wants to make you the person that can receive it, and that requires patience, stillness, peace. I want to pray that for you tonight. See, this week, and I've done it a few times, I went in my prayer closet and I just sat there for 30 minutes and I didn't say anything. I just sat there enjoying the peace of God. I didn't move, I didn't say a word, I didn't play music. I just sat there. So I want us to practice this thing right now before we pray. In 1 minute, can you just sit there and figure out what peace feels like. John chapter 14 and verse 26. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let your heart— let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have a helper inside of you.