Glorious Way Church
Glorious Way Church equips believers for the work of the ministry and stands for God’s truth in our culture. We serve as a regional center, where people from all backgrounds find refreshing worship and true communion of the saints.
Glorious Way Church
I'm Coming Out | Joseph Davis
This message reflects on God’s order and authority throughout biblical history, highlighting the human tendency to stray and God’s consistent plan to bring people back to purpose. It draws lessons from the creation story, the fall of humanity, and the covenantal journey through Abraham, Moses, and others, emphasizing the need for believers today to embrace their spiritual authority, live boldly, and prepare for a time of restoration and responsibility. There’s a call to live with awareness, action, and alignment with divine purpose, trusting in God’s empowerment.
Tonight I have a message for you, I believe the Lord has given to me to share with you, and I believe part of the message is I know that part of the message is an encourager, but the other part of it, I believe, is it's prophetic. And so we are going to just dive into the Word of God. How many of you are expecting your milestone this year? Amen, and you know, I like to say it like this, and it just seems like every time I open the Bible and read, I've been reading it through the lens of milestones. That was the word for the year. Pastor gave that word in January. And I just can't get through reading scripture without seeing something pertaining to milestones, without seeing something pertaining to milestones. And so as I was reading and preparing and getting ready for tonight and I said, okay, lord, what do you want me to say, what do you have for me to give, the Lord gave me a passage of Scripture. You all know it. But I believe that as we look at that tonight, the Holy Spirit's going to speak to us about milestones. So let's just go before the Lord in prayer. Father, thank you so much for the word and I thank you, father, for every person that's here tonight, lord, I thank you that they have ears to hear and eyes to see and a heart to receive. I thank you, father, that it's not I that speaks, but it's your spirit. Holy Spirit, I'm getting out of the way and you have your way. I pray, father, tonight, that every person will receive what you have for them, and then some. And so, father, we thank you for the word tonight. We give you the praise in Jesus' name, amen. I mean, you know, in the Bible there are two passages of scriptures that we read. The first one is in the book of Psalms. I mean, if you thank God for the book of Psalms, I love the book of Psalms. You know David. I tell you what David can just take you to places that no one else does to me, just in his worship, and how he pursued God. You know, you understand after you've read, spent some time in Psalms, why the Bible says that he was a man up to God's own heart, because the Psalms bear that out. But over in Psalm chapter 34, verse 19,. And I'm going to read that from the New King James Version, and it's a scripture that most of you know and it says this, it it says many are the afflictions of the righteous. But the Lord say but the Lord. Aren't you glad there's but the Lord there in that Bible? If you're, if you're in the habit of writing in your Bible and if you haven't underlined but the Lord, tonight's a good time to underline but the Lord. But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Now, in the amplified version of translation of that, it says many evils confront consistently the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. And then, verse 20, he goes on to say he keeps all of his bones and not one of them is broken. Aren't you glad that God keeps us? He's a keeper, he's a keeping God, he's a sustaining God. He's a sustaining God, he's a protecting God.
Speaker 1:And then over in John chapter 16, if you would turn to that real quick, this is another good, encouraging scripture, john chapter 16. This was Jesus talking, and I'm going to read from the. I'm going to read the New King James Version first and then I'm going to read from the. I'm going to read the New King James Version first and then I'm going to read it from the Amplified Version.
Speaker 1:Jesus said these things. He says these things. I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace? Aren't you glad we have peace in him? Amen. I don't want to go anywhere else to get peace, but in him. He says that in me you may have peace in the world. I may be nowhere in the world, but not of the world, he said in the world you will have tribulation, ok, but here's another but, underline it, but, but be of good cheer. You just missed a good opportunity to take a praise break right there. Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. Now the amplified version of that gets into, gets a little more wordy and it says I have told you these things so that in me you may have perfect peace not just peace, but perfect peace and confidence in the world. You will have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration. Now, that's enough right there to just make you want to close the book and go home. You will have tribulation, trials, distress, frustration. But be of good cheer, take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted, for I have overcome the world. And he goes on to this translation says it goes on to say I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you Now. Thank God that Jesus has already dealt with every trial, every test, every struggle, every ounce of trouble that we will deal with in this life. He says I've overcome it.
Speaker 1:And, as, as I was speaking earlier about milestones, I just can't get away from that word, the word milestones, milestones, 2025, the year of milestones. In my kitchen at home, my wife, we have a little chef on the counter with a little chalkboard and my wife is yet to write anything about dinner on that chalkboard because on the board it says 2025, the year of milestones. So I can't even know what we're getting for dinner because the chef is testifying that 2025 is going to be a year of milestones. Amen, we're so fully persuaded. Even the chef in the kitchen is testifying. He's in full agreement, and so I just took that to heart. You know, from time to time we receive things and sometimes you receive something quicker and faster than others. But the minute that came out of pastor's mouth, my spirit was like that's for me, and I'm so convinced that this is going to be such a year of great milestones, not just for me and my house, but for this church, for the body of Christ, that you could take a ball bat and beat me into a grease, despite an agrees, despite, it's still going to say 2025,.
Speaker 1:It's a year of milestones and so tonight I want to look at the progression of milestones, of the progression of Paul and Silas's path to their milestone Over in the book of Acts, chapter 16,. You all know the story about Paul who went to Paul and Silas' path to their milestone Over in the book of Acts, chapter 16,. You all know the story about Paul who went to Paul and Silas went to jail. You know the story, but we're going to get into that and dissect it, and tonight's message title is simply this I'm coming out. Now, it ain't that kind of coming out. It ain't that Hallelujah, praise the Lord. It ain't that Okay. Praise the lord. It ain't that okay. As a matter of fact, when I got the message, I was like wait, but wait, lord, hold on a minute, hold up, lord, wait a minute. You want me to say that in church? But the message is this I'm coming out. That is your declaration. I'm coming out. Some of you may struggle with that, but say it anyway I'm coming out. What are you coming out of? I'm coming out of what was into what is. I'm coming out of where I am and going to where I'm to be. And so we see Paul and Silas's declaration. Through the series of events that occurred in Acts, chapter 16, we see his declaration of I'm coming out. Let's look at it.
Speaker 1:Acts, chapter 16, starting in verse seven, starting in verse 16, and I'm reading from the New King James and it says this. It says now it happened as we went to prayer that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us. She brought her masters much profit by fortune telling. This girl followed Paul and us. Now this is Paul and Silas, and I believe it was Timothy here testifying. This girl followed Paul and us and cried out saying these men are servants of the most high God who proclaim to us the way of salvation. Now, as I was reading, that most high God jumped out at me First of all, the devil knows who you are, and not only does the devil know who you are, but he knows whose you are. And just like this little girl that was harassing Paul and Silas, and just like this little girl that was harassing Paul and Silas, the devil wants to harass.
Speaker 1:As a matter of fact, the minute pastor gave that word about 2025 being the year of milestones, you know, the devil said we'll see about that. Anybody know what I'm talking about We'll see about that. Have you ever received the word? It seemed like it should have been a slam duck and seemed like all of hell was coming against you. But did it change God's word? Did it change the promise? Why? Because God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. Has he not said it? Shall he not do it? Has he not spoken it? Shall he not bring it to pass? In other words, god said what he said. That's translation. That's the JD translation. God said what he said. And so this young, this little girl, kept crying out, kept harassing him.
Speaker 1:The devil knows who you are, he knows whose you are, he even knows your mission. He knows what you're assigned to do and his declaration, as I said a minute ago, is you may have a word, but his declaration we'll see about that. And if he declared that over them, guess what he's doing over us in our milestone today? Why? Because that's his job. He's a lying loser. Actually, he's a lying losing, unemployed worship leader.
Speaker 1:You know, sometimes you just have to tell the devil when he wants to bring up things, maybe past mistakes or things. You say, well, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, let's talk about your past. First of all, you so dumb. Your mama got hit by a car. No, that's not what you're telling the devil, but say, wait, wait, wait, wait. You want to talk to me about my mistakes? Well, let's talk about yours. You got kicked out of heaven. You used to be a worship leader. Now, you'll never get to be a worship leader, and not only are you an unemployed worship leader, but you're totally ineligible for benefits. I get to do what you get to do and you'll never get to do it again. Don't make me raise my hands. Look, sometimes you just have to let the devil know don't make, don't make me go there. Don't, don't make, don't make me go there, don't, don't. Don't make me go there, don't, don't. Oh, don't make, don't start singing in tongues, don't, don't make me. You better back up. But he knows.
Speaker 1:And so verse 18 goes on to say and she did for many days. She did this for many days. In other words, she harassed him for many days. She kept calling him out for many days. Does it sound familiar? But Paul say. But Paul greatly annoyed Anybody ever been like that. The devil's got on your last good nerve. She finally hit that button, but Paul greatly annoyed no-transcript and he came out that very hour. Now one translator says he came out immediately.
Speaker 1:Now, first of all, I look at that part about Paul being greatly annoyed and we're talking about coming out, coming out of what was and going into what is. We're talking about milestones. Paul had a milestone. Paul and Silas had a milestone. Paul was greatly annoyed.
Speaker 1:Paul was greatly annoyed for two reasons. First of all, he was greatly annoyed because he was being constantly harassed. That don't make anybody annoyed. My mom used to have a saying when you get tired of the devil beating up on you, you know what to do. So he was annoyed because he was constantly harassed.
Speaker 1:But I believe Paul was also annoyed because of the girl's condition. He knew she was demon possessed. He knew she was controlled by a spirit. Notice, when he spoke to her he didn't speak to her, he spoke to the spirit in her. And so, as believers, headed down the path to our milestone. When we encounter things like this, we can't speak to the person. I know some of you want to lay hands on them quickly, but you got to remember it's not the person, it's the spirit. It's the spirit. Paul didn't want to see that girl in that condition any longer. She was a slave, she was enslaved to that and he wanted her free and free, indeed she was Now.
Speaker 1:Just like Paul addressed that, in the midst of being annoyed, don't miss the ministry opportunity. When you're being harassed by something or someone, don't miss the ministry opportunity. It's okay to be annoyed, as long as you are annoyed in righteous indignation. You are annoyed for the right reason. I'm annoyed because that person's bound by that and Jesus wants to set her free. That's when you want to get annoyed.
Speaker 1:You get mad at the devil. Why? Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood. That's what the scripture tells us in Ephesians 2. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. So we know it's not the person, but it's the spirit that's on the person. And you have we talk about having water for a hot, dry land, people coming here thirsty. You got what they need.
Speaker 1:Now the devil's job is to keep you so distracted with being annoyed that you never deliver what they need. Can I just get ahead of myself and just remind you of this, and we'll come back to this again, I'm going to repeat it again. But the trouble that we go through is not for you. You say say, well, wait a minute, hold the phone. I'm the one struggling, I'm the one staying up all night, I'm the one anguishing over and worrying about what do you mean? It's not for me, it's not for you. Have you shared your testimony? Have you declared that jesus is lord? Have you told somebody about him? Have you been a witness?
Speaker 1:Then your victory on the other side of that, your milestone, your milestone on the other side of that. Yes, you get to enjoy the benefits of that, or become the benefactor of that. Actually, you became a beneficiary the very moment that you received Jesus as Lord, everything that he has you have right. And so that milestone, while you get to enjoy the benefits of it and get to taste the sweet of it, it's not for you, it's not just for you, it's for others. And so we see Paul minister to her after she was harassing him. And so you have to remember to address the annoyance, but not the spirit, know who your enemy is and use your authority. In verse 19.
Speaker 1:But when her master saw that the hope of her prophet, the, the hope of prophet, was gone. They seized Paul and Silas and dragged him into the marketplace to the authorities. Listen, the very minute you shut the devil down and he realized that his money pot is gone. He mad, you mad, bro, he mad. They brought them to the magistrates and they said these men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city.
Speaker 1:Look, the minute you shut the devil down, you're a troublemaker. You become a viable threat to the kingdom of darkness and that's your job. Did I say that? I said it with a smile on my face. That's your job to be a threat. Listen, it's bad blood, pot, spirit, field tongue, talking believers of God, it's our job to trouble the trouble. It's our job to antagonize the antagonizer. And so it's okay if they label you as a troublemaker.
Speaker 1:They labeled them as troublemakers. You're in good company. Guilty by association, they were Jews. These Jews trouble us, causing trouble we Christians. What's the world doing now? Causing trouble we Christians? What's the world doing now them Christians? They don't want us to tell our two-year-old that he can be a sheep. They don't want drag cream story hour in the library. Troublemakers Well, I say trouble on. I am my daddy's child. I'm proud of it, amen, I love over in script, over in Acts, where they talk about it. They have come here and turned this world upside down. That's what we're supposed to do turn it upside down. Pastor Osteen used to say if the cat's going, if you rub the cat hair, let the cat turn around. You remember that? Saying Let the cat turn around, it's okay. And they went on, and not only did they label them as troublemakers, but they went on to make specific accusations.
Speaker 1:They teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans who receive or observe. In other words, we're Romans. That doesn't apply to us. We don't need that, we don't want that. We're exempt from that. That's the world today. We don't want holiness, we don't want righteousness. We don't want holiness. We don't want righteousness. We don't want to do what's right. That's not for us.
Speaker 1:Then the multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. In other words, public humiliation. Now, something's real interesting here. Now, paul and Silas did a good thing, got the girls set free, but look where they are Got snatched up, got charged about to get beat down, and then they go to prison. Can anybody testify to that? Well, no, you ain't been to prison, but sometimes it seems like, lord, I did what you told me to do. Lord, I'm standing in faith for that milestone. Lord, I believe in your word, but it seems like I'm headed in the wrong direction. Can anybody testify? But hold on for that milestone, lord, I believe in your word, but it seems like I'm headed in the wrong direction. Can anybody testify? But hold on a minute?
Speaker 1:And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely Verse 24,. Having received such a charge, the jailer put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in stocks. Now you got to understand when the jailer took them to the inner prison that was not a place that you were gonna come out of, say I'm coming out, say it again, I'm coming out took him into the deepest, the darkest, the ugliest, the vilest, the nastiest place in the prison, the dungeon. Listen, that was not the Hyatt, it wasn't even a good Motel 6, but that's where they were thrown in. And not only that. Not only did he throw them in prison, but he put them in the inner prison and he fastened their feet in stocks. Now, check this out. Now, the Roman stocks were not only made to keep one from escaping, but they were made with holes wide enough, wide enough, wide, wide enough in a part so that so as to stretch the legs and bruise the feet and cause great pain and discomfort. And so not only were they dealing with the pain from being beaten, but now their legs and feet are in stocks and they're uncomfortable. So, so, every time they turn, they're in pain. Every time they move, they're in pain. But, lord, we got that young lady free, we helped her, but now I'm in jail.
Speaker 1:How many of you know God doesn't send trouble, but he don't waste trouble. I can't tell you how many times. Every time I have to talk to the insurance company. Oh well, that's an act of God. God don't do that, my God don't do that. Does your God do that? Tear up stuff? My God don't do that. Well, we can't settle that because that's an act of God. No, my God don't do that. Maybe your God do, but mine don't.
Speaker 1:Of course, they stick to their guns, but they were in a place that was dark, it was painful, they were humiliated, and this is supposed to be a milestone for them. They're struggling Verse 25, but at midnight there's another but there. But at midnight. Thank God for the midnights, it says. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Now, given their current situation, that would be the last thing you would think they would be doing. I mean, it probably even hurt to breathe, but you would think they would be doing. I mean, it probably even hurt to breathe, but they would rather praise than be in pain. But at midnight.
Speaker 1:Now, as I read about, I looked at that and it's like okay, lord, why is midnight so significant? Did you know that there are over a hundred instances of references in the Bible to the midnight hour, over a hundred different references in the Bible to the midnight hour? And so why was it midnight? Why was it not 8 pm? Why was it not 10 pm? But it was midnight.
Speaker 1:Well, what happens at midnight? What comes after midnight? The dawning of a new day, something new, a different situation. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow yesterday exits stage left, tomorrow comes in stage right. There's a change about to take place. Now, that's a prophetic word. There's a change about to take place.
Speaker 1:At midnight they were praying. Now here's here's an example, at midnight. What are you doing in your midnights? What are you doing during your midnight hours? Right before we got into the word, the worship was so sweet. Here they were praying. Did you know prayer can be a form of worship? You know that? And singing, and the scripture goes on to say and the prisoners were all listening, all of the prisoners heard it. They could have been man, shut that up, we don't need to hear that. But no, they're listening. What's taking place? They're seeing something they hadn't seen yet. They're hearing something they've never heard before. Something is about to take place. Oppression is about to become freedom. There's about to be a transition from darkness to life. There's about to be a shift from despair to hope.
Speaker 1:Psalm 30, psalm chapter 30, verse five. The second part of that verse says we remain made due for a night, but joy, but joy. See, there's another but, but joy, but joy comes in the morning. It may have been a rough night, but it's morning time. Somebody in here, this is for you. It may have been a rough night, but it's morning time. Let me say that again. It may have been a rough night, but it's morning time, but joy comes in the morning and you know what you're gonna have to do when that joy gets. Let me say that again it may have been a rough night, but it's morning time, but joy comes in the morning and you know what you have to do when that joy gets here.
Speaker 1:No-transcript change didn't look like I was gonna be able, but joy came this morning and I can laugh at it. I can laugh at the situation. What seemed to be hopeless is hopeless. No more. When I seem to be helpless, my help came. David said. I will look into the hills from which comes my help. My help comes from the lord.
Speaker 1:It's morning time, and so, as they begin to sing and to pray, now here's something that I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me as they were singing and praying. What I heard was this your worship is your warship. Let me say that again because I had to say wait, what was that? Your worship is your warship. First of all, we know God inhabits the praises of his people. Praises go up, you've heard praises go up. Blessings come down. Well of all, we know God inhabits the praises of his people. Praises go up, you've heard praises go up, blessings come down. Well, when we turn to God and praise him, in spite of the situation. That is the quickest way to get God in the situation.
Speaker 1:You think that the bunker busters did something over in Iran. You wait and see what happens. When you begin to worship, it can penetrate the deepest, the darkest, the vilest, the most hopeless situations. It'll turn it around. Your worship is your warship. That's good. And when they engaged their warship, what happened?
Speaker 1:Verse 25 says and suddenly, you know, suddenly it's like a but what was has changed. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, not just a small earthquake, not just a little shaking, but a whole lot of shaking. Not a little, but a lot, not a piece, but a portion, a great earthquake. Well, you know what I like about a great earthquake it just confirms that God doesn't do any small things. Look, there was a holy bunker buster going down to the deepest part of that prison, took the door out, took the chains and the stocks out, and not only did it release Paul and Silas, but everybody in the prison got set free. Your worship is your worship. That'll preach right there. That'll change. Can you imagine, paul and Silas? Instead of singing a song of woe, they were singing a song of praise.
Speaker 1:I worship you, almighty God. There's none like you. You alone are my strength and my shield. To you alone does my spirit yield. It doesn't matter how much pain I'm in, it doesn't matter how uncomfortable this is. I worship you. There is none like you. None like you. They probably even broke out.
Speaker 1:We've come into this house, gathered in his name, in prison, to worship him. Forget about yourself, concentrate on him and worship him. Forget about yourself and concentrate on him and worship him. Now all the other prisoners heard that. What do you think they were thinking? What is wrong with these guys? That was probably before the earthquake. He said oh, keep singing, brother. Keep singing. What's the word? What's the word? Oh yeah, we've come into this house, gathered in his name, to worship him. Suddenly, a great earthquake. I believe we're about to see here we are in the seventh month of the year and god has promised this to be the year of milestones, and I believe we're about to see some suddenness and some great earthquakes. I believe it, just as sure as I'm standing here and just as sure as Jesus is Lord. There's about to be some suddenness and great earthquakes.
Speaker 1:And the keeper of the prison, awakening from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. Well, why did the? Why did the prison keeper want to do that? Because the charge that he'd received to keep them was so serious that if they got away, the consequences were pretty bad, and he would have rather died by his own sword than have to die by the consequences of letting those prisoners escape. He preferred death over the consequences Verse 28,.
Speaker 1:But Paul called out with a loud voice saying do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Wait a minute, what you mean? They worship, they praise. God moved heaven and earth, sent a bunker, a bunker, a bunker buster in there and took the door out, took the stocks out, the change out, and they're still there.
Speaker 1:As somebody would say, the math ain't mathing. Now, some of us don't be looking at me all self-righteous and holy. Now, some of some of us, the minute the change would have dropped, we'd have you know what I'm talking about We'd have been gone before quick, could get ready Right the minute the change fell off. See, ya, it's been nice, but I got to go. But they waited for the guard sitting there in that nasty, dark, dull, dingy place that probably reeked of death. They're sitting there saying wait, whoa, don't, don't do that. We're all still here. Now I got to tell you what the guards probably think. What is wrong with y'all? Wrong with y'all? Are you kidding me? You still here, man. My friends, the other guards aren't going to believe this. You still here. Why were they still there? Because he had work to do, still.
Speaker 1:So here's the word for you when the milestone occurs, when the breakthrough takes place, when the breakthrough and the breakout happens, notice I didn't say if it happens. I said when it happens, don't get in a hurry. Hear me, don't get in a hurry to get out of the situation. Wait on the Holy Spirit to tell you what's to do next. Because, why? Because there's somebody else in there with you that needs to come out with you. There's somebody in prison, there's somebody bound, there's somebody locked up, there's somebody tied up that needs to be free too. And God didn't just free you and leave them. Why? Because he's not that kind of God, and so if you're going to exit, make sure that everyone exits with you. That's good.
Speaker 1:Don't get in a hurry. Why is that important? Because you've been called into the kingdom of God for such a time as this. God just as sure, as I'm standing here, is going to have a harvest and he's counting on each and one of us to do our part in the harvest. And you are going to encounter a harvest opportunities in the least likely places in prison, right in the middle of trouble, right in the midst of a rough time, right in the midst of being tied up, locked up, chained up, beat down, lied on, labeled a troublemaker. There's a ministry opportunity in the middle of that mess and you know what else is. I think it's really cool. God's more, god's got more confidence in you than you have in yourself. That's why you're there. But I don't want to be pastor joseph. But he didn't ask if you wanted to. He said you could, I can do all things. And I can do all things mean I can endure all things through christ, who enables me. So don't get in a hurry. Finish the job. It's harvest time. We see verse 29.
Speaker 1:Then he called for a light, ran in and fell down trembling before paul and silas I've been trembling too. Wait a minute. I'm still not understanding why y'all are still here, man. Y'all must be some, y'all out of space. And he brought them out and said sirs, what must I do to be saved, he recognized. If God did that and they stayed, there must be something to what they were singing about, and I want some of that.
Speaker 1:The world needs what you have, and not only does the world need what you have. They want what you have. Some of them don't know they want what you have, but they want what you have, just like the devil wants what you have. You know, the Bible calls him a thief. The thief never bothers taking anything he already have. It's only the things he doesn't have. You know, I've often talked to couples and to people that are going through stuff and especially their ministry, say, ok, let me just cut to the chase and tell you what's really important here. Your marriage is important, but what the devil really wants is your ministry. The marriage is gravy, that's bonus. But if he can stop you from being effective in ministry, then he can get. Everything else is gravy, that's bonus. But if he can stop you from being effective in ministry, then he can get everything else that's coming. It's a slam dunk in a package deal at that point, and so we've got to make sure that we stay focused and keep the main thing, the main thing.
Speaker 1:Every opportunity presents a ministry opportunity. You may see yourself in trouble and say, father, I thank you that I'm going through the trouble. But while I'm passing through, let me not miss the ministry opportunity. Let me not miss the opportunity to tell somebody about you. Let me not miss the opportunity to lay hands on somebody. Your word says believers shall lay hands on the sick. I need healing myself. Well, the Bible says pray for others so that you may be healed. Let me tell you something when you get busy taking care of God's business, god will always take care of yours. The minute you get busy taking care of God's business and dealing with chaos in somebody else's life, guess what? He's going to start working on the chaos in your life.
Speaker 1:Just this morning, pastor James was talking about chaos. If you wasn't here, boy, I tell you what you missed a powerful message. It was powerful. They were talking about chaos. They were right in the middle of. They were right in the middle of chaos, and in the middle of chaos, god brought them out in a mighty way, and not just them, but everybody else with them.
Speaker 1:And so we see that after he asked, what must I do, they said believe on the Lord, jesus Christ, and you will be saved in your household. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. So listen, god wasn't just interested in jailing, he wanted the whole family, the whole family, say whole family, that's right. Don't stop, lord. I got one saved. No, no, no, go back and get the rest of them. Don't stop, don't settle. You're headed to a milestone and on the way, take some folks with you, on the way, minister to some people. And then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and all who were in his house. And then verse 33 this really, really really spoke to him and all who were in his house. And then verse 33, this really, really, really spoke to me. And he the who was he? The jailer took them the same hour of the night, right in the middle of all of that, he took them out of the jail, took them to his house and washed their stripes.
Speaker 1:Now here's what I heard God's going to use uncommon situations to bring about healing and restoration and order. He used the very person that had been in charge to put them in, the very person that put them in the vilest, nastiest, dullest, scariest place in the prison. Now this guy's taking them home to his house and tending to their wombs. Wow, wow, wow, wait a minute. The prison guard the one who had locked him in and not didn't just lock him in, but threw him in the dungeon and put them in stocks to add to their pain and their suffering Now this same guy is tending to their wombs. Won't he do it? Didn't he do it? That's right, Hannah, he did it. He did it. God is going to use what was to now become a part of the healing restoration process.
Speaker 1:Listen, we serve a God that makes the devil pay. The word says when the thief is found out, that which he has stolen has to be repaid sevenfold, even if it costs him the full measure of his house. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to bank rough hell. It's time we get paid. Amen, it's time we get paid. He's going to use the uncommon things Now. When he brought them into his house, not only did he tend to their wounds, but he fed them. Wow, talk about a whole shift. Dungeon guard's house. Stocks in the dungeon guard's house, getting the wounds tended to. Stocks beaten in the dungeon. Now, over here in the guard's house, not only got his wounds tended to. But now he's getting a meal. God will turn everything around. Talk about reparations, talk about restitution, talk about restoration on steroids, and if he did that for them, he's going to do it for you.
Speaker 1:But wait, there's more. So we go to verse 38, starting in verse 35, and I'm going to hurry. And it says and when it was day? Now, all of this happened overnight. Now, morning comes, daylight comes. When it was day, the magistrate sent the officer saying let these men go. All of a sudden, oh, we've had them in jail. Maybe we shouldn't have had them in jail, so we're going to let them go.
Speaker 1:So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying the magistrates have sent to let you go Now. Therefore, depart and go in peace. But Paul said to them wait a minute, hold them up, skippy, let's back this thing up. He said wait, they've beaten us openly, in other words, humiliated us in public, uncondemned Romans and I've thrown us in prison, and now they want me to just tiptoe on out of here like nothing happened. Paul said oh, the devil is a whole lie.
Speaker 1:Not today, satan, I can sit and tell the God. Look, I appreciate everything you did for me. I appreciate you tending to my rooms. I really appreciate the dinner, but they're going to have to do right by me. That's what our father said. They're going to have to do right by me. That's what our father said. They're going to have to do right by you. See, you don't get to treat daddy's kids any kind of way and did not have consequences. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, and I will repay. You don't get to treat me that way, he says.
Speaker 1:And now they want to put us out secretly. No, indeed no, sir, I'm coming out. I want the world to know, I want to let it show. Some of you know where those words come from. We're coming out, folks, and it's not going to be a quiet thing. Glory to God, it's not going to be a quiet thing. Can I say that again? It's not going to be a quiet thing. Said this a while back and I just feel compelled to say it again. The win is coming. Do not be distracted by the whining of the w-h-e-n. Can I say it again? The wind is coming. Don't get distracted by the whining of the wind. The w-i-n is coming. Don't allow the w-h-e-n distract you.