Forced: Pt 1 // Pastor Mike, Jr.

As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. Look at verse 4. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecute me? Saul, Saul, why are you persecute me? Do me a favor, on the count of three, say your name Twice. 1 2 3. What are you way known? I want to talk today, take really good notes from the topic forced. Forced. Forced, part one. Have you ever noticed that we love purpose, but we resist process? We want platform,

but we don't want to be prepared. We want impact, but we don't like interruption. We want to be used by God, but we don't Always want to be undone by God. But God, three of you can testify to this, does his best work in hidden places. Put this in your notes, because before God can use you publicly, he has to process you privately. That's the first note of the day. Before God can use you publicly, he has to process you privately. Pastor Mike, why does God process me in private? Here it is, because what he

develops in private Sustains what he reveals in public. What he develops in private sustains what he reveals in public. AND HERE'S the tension as to why people are under developed. That was heavy and you missed it. Here's the tension as to why people are under developed. You are under DEVELOPED CUZ YOU CAN'T SIT STILL in private long enough for God to get THROUGH WITH YOU. WHY, PASTOR MIKE? Here it is, BECAUSE WE CELEBRATE WHAT'S seen When God develops what's unseen. We celebrate what's seen when God develops what is unseen. I've said it once and I'll

say it again, and three of you can receive this, everything that's visible isn't valuable. Please put that in your notes. Everything that's visible isn't valuable. I'mma say it again, everything that's visible is not valuable. You you you would be so silly to buy a car cuz it had candy red paint job and never Look to see if it got a engine. SO, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. IF YOU LEAVE IN THE PARKING LOT TODAY, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU going to see? The paint. And you going to say, you know, I just painted my

car. OH, THAT LOOK NICE. DON'T NOBODY compliment your engine. But when the engine is invisible, BUT IT'S VALUABLE. THAT'S WHY SOME of you are frustrated with your circle. It's because you don't DO A LOT TO BE SEEN AND THEY treating you like YOU NOT VALUABLE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT VISIBLE. WHEN THEY DON'T REALIZE YOU'RE THE ONE MAKING ALL OF THIS GO, YOU JUST AIN'T THE TYPE TO GET ALL THE CREDIT IN PUBLIC CUZ YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHY YOU'RE DOING IT FOR. THIS IS CRITICAL NOW. WHY, PMJ? THIS is why Luke 16 and 10

says, if you are faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over many. Look at how the NLT version reads. It says, if you are faithful in little things, You will be faithful in large ones. That's critical. But I want to read the rest of that verse cuz we stopped there. Look at what the rest of the verse says, but if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibility. This is critical. Notice the juxtaposition between things and responsibility. This makes you think if you just take care of stuff,

you get more stuff. God says, no, if you're dishonest, you don't just get more stuff, you disqualify for more responsibilities. See, what what God is about to do IN SOME OF YOUR LIFE, GOD IS NOT GOING TO MULTIPLY you by giving you more OF WHAT YOU GOT. HE'S ABOUT TO GIVE YOU MORE OF WHAT YOU DIDN'T know you wanted. Preach, Michael. But the problem is we don't stay hidden. Somebody say hidden. What are hidden seasons? Please put this in your notes. Hidden seasons are where God makes you before he markets you. Hidden seasons are where

God makes you before he markets you. Remember growing up, they don't have commercials like they used to have now that we're adults. I don't understand none of these new school commercials. We had commercials that were very simple and they got the point across. Like you knew exactly what it was, Right? Call Goldberg 1-800-600 We don't even know what he do. We just know that number, don't we? Cuz we we knew that number off the rack. Then we Or remember the crash test dummies? REMEMBER THEY WOULD PUT THE CRASH test dummies in the car? And what

would they do to that car? Ram that car into the wall wall. Can I ask YOU A QUESTION? WHY YOU NEVER BOUGHT the rammed car? YOU WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP and bought THE CAR, JUST NOT THE ONE THAT HAD BEEN PROCESSED. SEE, GOD TAKES YOU THROUGH STUFF IN hidden seasons before he markets YOU TO MAKE SURE ONCE HE PLATFORMS YOU, WHAT YOU'RE IN DON'T BREAK YOU. Put this in your notes. A hidden season is when God is actively working on your character, capacity, and clarity without external validation, visibility, Or applause. Many of you are in

a hidden season and don't know it. A hidden season is when God actively works on your character. Please put these three in your notes real big for me, if you don't mind, after my note takers. What is God doing for me possibly in this season? He's He's hiding me because he's working on my character, capacity, And clarity. And he's doing so without a mentor, without being seen, and without applause. If you live for their praise, you will die from their rejection. Do I need to say that again? If you live for their praise, YOU WILL

DIE FROM THEIR REJECTION. GOD SAYS, I'm building YOU BEFORE THEY TELL YOU THE TRUTH, SO THAT WAY IF THEY TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT DON'T GO TO YOUR HEAD. BUT ALSO, IF THEY TELL YOU AIN'T NOTHING, THAT DON'T GO TO YOUR HEAD EITHER, BECAUSE SINCE YOU DIDN'T MAKE ME, YOU CAN'T BREAK ME. THIS IS CRITICAL. CHARACTER, did you write that? Character, capacity, clarity. God desires for you to have all three. What's the use of having a lot of capacity with no character? What's the use of having good character, But no stuff? What's the use of

having good character, a whole lot of stuff, but not clear on how you need to use it? I'mma make this statement and it it may go over your head, but the people who catch this, something in your spirit going to agree. This going to be the year for me that I know who I am. I got everything I need and I know how to use what God gave me. Seven of y'all ought to shout, I receive that. But it requires me submitting to my hidden season. But here's the danger. If you skip hidden seasons, you'll

sabotage visible moments. That's good. If you skip hidden seasons, you sabotage visible moments. I'mma say this, I'm going to going to get three amens, but it's cool. The reason people can't figure out how you still standing After what they know you going through, it's cuz they weren't with you in private, SO THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU STAND TALL in public. Because there's the public you and the private you. SEE, THE PUBLIC YOU KNOW how to smile and let stuff slide. THE PUBLIC YOU KNOW HOW TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT AND STRETCH IT. THE PUBLIC YOU

KNOW HOW TO COME TO CHURCH, SIT NEXT TO PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, AND LIFT YOUR HANDS, AND THEY SITTING THERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, THEY MUST HAVE THEIR LIFE TOGETHER. NO, THAT'S THE PUBLIC ME. THE ONLY REASON I AIN'T CUT YOU IN PUBLIC IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN A SEASON IN PRIVATE. CAN I PREACH TO THREE PEOPLE WHO CAN TESTIFY THAT IF YOU KNEW HOW HARD I PRAYED AT HOME, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND MY PRAISE AT CHURCH? I AM NOT THE WAY I AM BECAUSE OF MY DEGREE. I AM NOT THE WAY I AM CUZ I

GOT MONEY IN THE BANK. I LOOK GOOD, TRUST ME. I AIN'T GOT HALF OF WHAT YOU THINK I GOT, BUT IN PRIVATE, I KNOW HOW TO GO TO GOD. THANK YOU, MAYOR MARY. WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS WHEN I GET HOME AND GET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, >> [cheering] >> IT'S THE GOD IN ME THAT GOT ME WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. I WISH I HAD FIVE PEOPLE WHO COULD PRAISE GOD NOT FOR YOUR PUBLIC WINS, BUT FOR YOUR PRIVATE INTERCESSION, AND PRIVATE PAIN, AND PRIVATE CALL. SOMEBODY SHOUT HIDDEN. HIDDEN SEASONS. HIDDEN. For some of us,

we are in hidden seasons. Let me free you real quickly, okay? It's important. Cuz a hidden season is when God is actively working on your character, capacity, and clarity. And if you skip the hidden season, you sabotage your visible moments. But let me free you because hidden, please put this in your notes, Don't mean forgotten. Michael, hidden seasons, hidden does not mean forgotten. I'mma say this. I hope y'all catch this. It means God is working without distractions. It means God is working without distractions. Pastor Mike, why is God hiding me? Cuz he's working without distractions.

Pastor Mike, I Don't understand. WHY IS HE HIDING ME? OKAY, let me free you real quickly. If God was working on you in public, people would keep coming [laughter] up giving their two cents. AND BECAUSE YOU AIN'T BOLD ENOUGH TO STAND in your own identity yet, you going to be changing BASED OFF OF WHAT THEY WANT FROM YOU. BUT GOD SAID, I'MMA WORK ON YOU WHEN THEY DON'T THINK YOU NOTHING. SO WHEN YOU POP OUT AS SOMETHING, NO MATTER WHAT THEY TRY TO CHANGE, THEY AIN'T GOT THE ACCESS PANEL TO CHANGE WHAT I CREATED. I'MMA

SAY THIS AND THREE OF Y'ALL ARE GOING TO RECEIVE IT. I AM NOT FALLING OFF. I AM NOT BEHIND SCHEDULE. I AM NOT LATE. I AM IN HIDING. AM I PREACHING TO ANYBODY? HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THIS BECAUSE WHEN God ooh Help me, God. When God finally puts you on display, he won't have to fix you while people are watching. God, that's why people think you came out of nowhere. It's because they were not with you in your hiding season. Can you please put this in your notes? Hiding seasons are necessary. You don't believe

me. Come here, David. Come here, David. Come here, David. David is anointed in 1 Samuel chapter 16. In 1 Samuel chapter 16, David is anointed. Come here, class. In 1 Samuel chapter 16, David is what? David is anointed in what? 1 Samuel chapter 16. Come on, class. 1 Samuel chapter 1 Samuel chapter 1 Samuel chapter David is 1 Samuel chapter DAVID IS ANOINTED, which means, in your notes, in 1 Samuel chapter 16, David is told, You about to be the man. In 1 Samuel chapter 16, David is told, you finna be rich. You finna be

the boss. You finna be that dude. You finna sit on the throne. I don't know what the rest of your family talking about WHO SLEEPING ON YOU. YOU DIFFERENT. IN 1 SAMUEL chapter 16, David gets an announcement that shapes HIS LIFE. CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEBODY COMING up to you on May 16th telling you there's a million Dollars getting ready to come to your life. ON MAY 16TH, YOU GETTING ready to run this whole place. Everybody who over you going to be under you. WHAT YOU GOING TO SAY? FATHER GOD, I thank you and This why

I can't stand these bougie, SEDITTY, STUCK-UP PEOPLE IN HERE. LOOK AT YOU SITTING IN HERE LIKE, HALLELUJAH, BROKE SELF. YOU KNOW GOOD AND WELL ALL OF US IN HERE LET SOMEBODY WALK DOWN THAT AISLE mid-sermon and say, Pastor Mike, I GOT A MILLION DOLLARS. I'M LIKE I'MMA SHOUT SO HARD I'MMA GO FROM SHOUTING TO SWAMPING TO WHATEVER. I'MMA BREAK OUT EVERY SHOUT DANCE I COULD THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IF YOU TELLING ME IN CHAPTER 16 I'M FINNA BE THE KING, I'M READY FOR MY CHAPTER 17. >> [cheering] >> But that's the problem. Cuz in chapter 17,

his family still treating him like he ain't nothing. And many of you are frustrated cuz you got YOUR 16 ANNOUNCEMENT AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR 17 WOULD BE YOUR ASSIGNMENT. BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE IN BETWEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE PRIZE IS AN ATTACK. AND GOD SAYS, I TOLD YOU WHAT YOU GOING TO BE IN PRIVATE. SO NOW I GOT TO HIDE YOU CUZ IF I PUT YOU ON TOO QUICK, THE DEVIL GOING TO GET YOU CUZ YOU UNDERDEVELOPED. AND I'MMA SAY THIS AND ONLY THREE OF Y'ALL GOING TO RECEIVE IT. FOUR PEOPLE ON THIS SIDE, THREE

PEOPLE ON THAT SIDE, SEVEN PEOPLE IN THE CHAT, AND FIVE PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR GOING TO HAVE CHURCH WITH ME WHEN I SAY THIS. >> [gasps and sighs] >> Stop letting people convince you to come out of hiding WHEN GOD AIN'T GAVE YOU THE GREEN LIGHT. PREACH, MIKE. If I was you, I would have started my business and I I AIN'T GOOD WITH MONEY YET. GOD GOT ME HIDING. IF I WAS YOU, I'D GO AHEAD POP OUT AND SHOW THEM THIS MY BOO RIGHT HERE. NO, we still got drama we got to work through cuz

if I get EMBARRASSED ONE MORE AGAIN, I'MMA BE ON SNAP. YOU BETTER LISTEN TO ME. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'MMA LET GOD KEEP ME IN HIDING CUZ HE'S DEVELOPING ME. AND FOR EVERYBODY WHO SLEEPING ON YOU, LET THEM SLEEP CUZ YOU GETTING READY TO PRESS THE ALARM CLOCK ANY DAY. I NEED YOU TO TOUCH FIVE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM STAY IN HIDING. STAY. GEORGE. Stay in hiding. God doing something in me. God doing something in me. You don't think people had me but girl, I thought you about to bring me that million

dollars I preached about, girl. Y'all don't know more so. Hear me. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE TRIED TO GET ME OUT OF HIDING. YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I WAS THE YOUNGEST PASTOR in the country on national TV. People was Calling from all over the world. Boy, you crazy. IF I WAS YOU, I'D BE preaching at this conference. Mike, I'm telling you, boy, if you come right now, you going to be THE BIGGEST PA- NO. I STAY YOU NEED TO LEAVE BIRMINGHAM. Birmingham ain't can't hold you, boy. YOU YOU NEED TO GO

TO ATLANTA. YOU NEED TO GO TO CHICAGO. YOU NEED TO GO TO HOUSTON. YOU GOT I'M TELLING YOU, MIKE. NO. GOD HAD ME IN HIDING. I was too immature. I had personal demons that weren't dead. They were dormant. You want to play church or you want to talk real? I knew HOW TO SAY BLESS YOU ON MONDAY. OLD MIKE WOULD HAVE STILL CUSSED YOU OUT A JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO GOD SAID, NO. GOD SO COLD. GOD SO COLD. GOD BE LIKE, OOH, THEY GOT IT. But they got problems. So what I'mma do is Ooh,

this is good. I'm going to hide Them for 6 years cuz I'mma let But then you IN HIDE. SO YOUR ISSUE NOW IS YOU SO IMMATURE. YOU LOOKING AT OTHER PEOPLE BE seen and you think them being seen is equiva- Say that better. Say that better, Michael. How we want to say that? There it is. So you so immature that YOU'RE IN HIDING AND YOU KEEP SEEING PEOPLE GET SEEN AND YOU THINK being seen is EQUIVALENT TO SUCCESS. JUST CUZ THEY POSTED IT DON'T MEAN THEY LIVING IT. MICHAEL. >> [screaming and groaning] >> SO THEY

DOING ALL THE RIGHT STUFF TO BE SEEN, BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE LIVING A LIE. AND GOD IS LIKE, IF YOU JUST SIT STILL LONG ENOUGH, WHAT THEY OKAY, THIS GOING TO MESS YOU UP. I got a friend who was so ready to buy his house. He's like, I'm finna get my house. I kept saying, what if the Lord just wants you to sit still? No, I might Got to get it. My homeboy just closed on his house. My sister-in-law them just closed on their house. We ain't finna be the only one in the family

still living on the west side. So I'm like, man, I said, why you in competition? Maybe God hiding you on purpose. He's like, no, I don't know. I DON'T KNOW. HE JUMPS OUT, CLOSES on beautiful house. Closes on the house. I walk the house. I'm like, oh, this crazy right here. Like, yeah. I told I said, what you paying for it? He Told me what he paid for it. I said, oh, that's crazy. That's Man, you can afford it. He's like, man, I'm telling you, business good. I It's my season. You You It's And it's

going TO BE? I SAID, ALL RIGHT, COOL. COOL. GOD bless you. God bless Let it be big as you want it to be, brother. GOD BLESS YOU. HE CALLS ME 2 days ago. Said, you not going to believe it. I said, what? God dang it. I ain't know a part of my contract had this bonus. And the way my stuff was structured, I'm getting ready to move. It's only one problem. I can't move till I sell the house. I said, well, when you got to give him an answer? In the next month. I said, I

don't think you going to sell the house in a month. He said, that ain't the worst part. I'M NOT GOING to be able to GET WHAT I PAID FOR IT. I SAID, WHAT IF YOU WOULD have stayed in hiding? But Pastor, I'm ready to be married. I know God called me to be somebody's wife. What if God hiding you cuz he don't want what you like to see you? IT AIN'T LIKE YOU'VE BEEN PICKING GOOD ANYWAY. SO GOD IS LIKE, NO. I CAN'T LET SO SO WHY DO YOU THINK THEY CALL YOU EVERY TIME YOU

DON'T GO, THEY CALL YOU AND SAY, OH, YOU MISSED IT. BUT WHEN YOU DO GO, AIN'T NOTHING HAPPEN. IT'S BECAUSE GOD HAS A WAY OF KEEPING YOU FROM YOU. MICHAEL, [screaming] HEAR ME. DAVID IS anointed in 1 Samuel 16. But then he's still ignored by his dad. His dad tells him, all right, cool. You anointed. Do me a favor. Go and go back to the field. Why would his daddy send him back to the field? Put this in your notes. Because the field purified his heart before the throne revealed his calling. And God said, I'mma

put you on the throne, but I got to leave you in the field. Okay. This is crazy. I to fix you enough >> [snorts] >> so once I put you on, I don't have to take you down. You You don't believe me. Somebody say hidden. You need another example? Jesus. She said, "No, I got it." I'm going to give you one. Jesus. 30 years of silence, 3 years of ministry. The Bible even says in Luke chapter 5 verse 16, Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. He hid for 30 years just to be public

for three. You need another example? Moses. Moses spent 40 years in Egypt and another 40 years in Midian. Let me make that very simple. He spent 40 years learning then another 40 years unlearning what he just learned. 80 years worth of hiding and you mad God ain't did it by March. >> [snorts] >> What's Midian? Do me a favor. I want you to take really good notes. I I'm loving the fact that we're note-taking church now. In your notes, I want you to write the importance of Midian. M I D I A N. That's a

place. >> [snorts] >> Moses was in Egypt for 40 years. Then he spent 40 years in Midian. That's important. Why, PMJ? All right, put this in your notes cuz it's not on the screen. Cuz Midian [clears throat] stripped him. That's why Midian is important. Trying to learn how to stop talking so fast. That's why Midian is so important because the place Midian stripped Moses. God will often strip you so your calling won't corrupt you. My goal. God will often strip you so your calling doesn't destroy you. I know I had to grow up broke. I

now understand why we had to live in people's houses. I now understand why we got laughed at cuz we was the only pastor who didn't have a car. My dad used to drive the church van. I understand now why I didn't have name brand schools name brand clothes in high School. I understand now why I had to go through all this stuff. I promise you I do. That's why now that God's doing all this, none of it impresses me. The Lord told me stop making this statement, but I hope you can hear my heart. I

don't care about money. Don't care about status. My name ain't on the building. I ain't got to be seen. I'm the only pastor you probably know with this much influence and platform That puts more people on it. Five days a week, 20 other people get seen by thousands of people who never asked to see them. Because I was stripped. He took my pride. He took it. So Moses had to go to Midian because that's where he was stripped. Pastor Mike, make that make sense. I I want to go with you. What's the first thing he

stripped from Moses? Put this in your Notes. False identity. This is good. This is good. False identity. In Egypt, Moses thought he was the deliverer because of his position. He was the prince. Surely he thought he was I'm the prince. But in Midian, he became a shepherd. See, before Midian, he was confident in himself. After Midian, he is aware of his need for God. He had a false identity. Number two, Midian stripped him of self-reliance. In Egypt, Moses acted in his own strength. In Midian, he learns dependence on God. Number three, this is the best

one. Midian stripped Moses of impulsiveness. See, y'all praise Moses cuz what did Moses do? He parted the what? Red Sea. But did you know Moses was a murderer? What, Pastor? No, no. He was impulsive. Moses saw somebody in injustice and he Killed an Egyptian and hid the body. He was a murderer. Moses was a murderer. That's why he went to Midian. He was on the run. He was running. So what happened? He was impulsive. Many of you are impulsive. Midian, this is good. Put this in your notes. Taught him restraint. My goal. Midian teaches him

restraint. By the time God calls Moses at the Burning bush, how do I know he learned his lesson? Because he didn't rush. He sees the burning bush and he's no longer impulsive. What does he do? He questions God. He wrestles with God. Please put this in your notes. He hesitates. HE HESITATES. HOW DO I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT, PASTOR MIKE? Because he's been impulsive. Many of you are in a Midian SEASON WHERE GOD IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU RESTRAINT CUZ YOU ARE TOO IMPULSIVE. FIRST THING COME TO YOUR brain and ain't no filter between your brain

AND YOUR MOUTH. SO YOU SAY WHAT YOU THINK THEN YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID. You make plans to save money, go out and impulsively JUST BUY STUFF. YOU SAY YOU AIN'T DATING RIGHT NOW, BUT you meet somebody and two hours later in love. Staring at your phone LIKE BAE AIN'T TEXT YET. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW BAE'S LAST NAME. >> [screaming] >> YOU CAN'T BE IN LOVE WITH OLD GIRL OR OLD BOY. WHAT IS THEIR MIDDLE NAME? BUT YOU SO IMPULSIVE THAT WHEN THEY HIT YOU, YOU JUST DO IT. SOMETHING IN MY S-

S- S- S- >> [laughter] >> AND BEFORE I knew it, I was giving and in Midian, he learns restraint. The Bush is on fire. Impulsively, he should have ran. I'm finna mess you up. Oh my God. Impulsively, he should have put the fire out. If he saw the fire, he should have put something over it to cover it up. But he investigates. He wrestles. Why, PMJ? You ready? Hesitation can be holy. Oh my God. This is good. This is good. Hesitation can be holy. Or hesitation is not resistance, it's Revelation. I'm not moving slow because

I'm Say that better, Michael. Many of you should No. No. No. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. >> [clears throat] >> Mhm. Yep. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. Many of you owe yourself an apology cuz you have labeled yourself scary in Season where you should have identified that as growth. What you waiting on to start the job? I'm not being impulsive. I'm hesitating. Which means, watch this. I hope you catch this. Hesitation Hesitation is evidence of my transformation. I'm not moving slow cuz I'm scared. I'm moving [clears throat] slow cuz I'm finally processing. I'm talking heavy. If you

receive this, No, no. Put this in your notes. Hesitation is the space between who you were and who you're becoming. My goal. Hesitation is THE SPACE BETWEEN WHO YOU WERE AND WHO YOU'RE BECOMING. You no longer react. Now you process. YOU NO LONGER RUSH. Now you use discernment. You ain't YOU'RE NO LONGER DRIVEN. Now you're being led. Don't mislabel hesitation as fear. Sometimes it's not fear. It's proof of my growth. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he or she is a new creature. I I I wish I had a old school Baptist church right

there. Therefore, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A WHAT? OLD THINGS and behold, new things You missed it. Therefore, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE OR SHE IS A WHAT? OLD THINGS new things have come. Put this in your notes. Put it better, okay? Put in your notes, write it LIKE THIS. IF I AM NEW, DO THAT BETTER. If I am IN CHRIST, I'M MADE NEW. OLD THINGS EXIT. NEW THINGS ENTER. WHEN YOU BECOME MADE NEW IN CHRIST, HE GIVES YOU EXIT SIGNS, enter signs, AND MANY OF YOU ARE STUCK BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE

YOU NEW AND YOU KEEP TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO NEED TO EXIT. AND YOU BLOCKING STUFF THAT NEED TO ENTER. SO NOW YOU SAYING STUFF LIKE, "I JUST DON'T WANT FOLK TO THINK I CHANGED." YOU SHOULD HAVE. IF YOU ARE STILL TODAY WHO YOU WERE SIX YEARS AGO, SOMETHING WITH YOU is broken. AND IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO KEEP TRYING TO KEEP YOU THE SAME, they are an indication that they are a blocker of what God wants to do in your life. If anybody If I am in Christ Jesus, all things What

does that mean, Pastor Mike? You put this in your notes. New identity requires new pacing. I should have worn a robe. I'm preaching Like a bishop today. New identity requires new pacing. I'm going to say this. Only the people in the chat going to catch it. I don't expect y'all to shout with me. Stop getting mad and hate me cuz I'm moving different. I need another church. I think you sitting next to a hater. So, just reach over that hater and high-five your other neighbor and say, "We moving different this year." That's the wrong somebody.

Find somebody else. Tell them, "We're moving different this year." Tell them the way my goals are set up, the way my vision is set up, the way my anointing is set up, the way my wisdom is set up, I can't keep doing the same stuff expecting the a different result. IF YOU DON'T KEEP UP WITH ME, THAT'S AN INDICATION THAT YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE IN THE NEXT SEASON OF MY LIFE. BUT I MADE A DECISION SINCE I AM NEW IN CHRIST, I'M GETTING READY TO MOVE DIFFERENT. THINGS I USED TO DO. PLACES I USED TO

GO. PEOPLE I USED TO LIKE BEING AROUND. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I PRAY GOD FREE YOU FROM? Put this in your notes. Toxic loyalty. Michael! Toxic loyalty. Many of you, like myself, wrestle with TOXIC LOYALTY. I AM LOYAL TO PEOPLE WHO I'VE HAD HISTORY WITH BECAUSE IN MY HEART I THOUGHT LOSING THEM WAS AN INDICATION OF A FAILURE FROM ME. EVERYBODY YOU LOST SAY THAT BETTER. EVERYBODY YOU LOSE AIN'T YOUR FAULT. SOME PEOPLE YOU LOSE BECAUSE YOU WERE IMMATURE. YOU MADE MISTAKES. BUT IF YOU'VE GROWN AND REPENTED AND TRIED TO BE BETTER AND YOU

STILL LOSE THEM, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. THEY CAN'T KEEP UP. AND I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND HIDING. PUT THIS IN YOUR NOTES. Isn't once. I thought he would hide me once, then put me on and I'm done. God will re-hide you. Michael! Hey. Hey. You ever been watching TV show and and somebody doing a crime and they pull out the gun and they bang boom boom and they and they get the person, then they look in the corner and and the lady say, and they look over there and she Witnessed the crime and then they

start chasing them, then she go running, then all of a sudden they go to the police station and they're like, "We got somebody in in room A." They go in room A. Is she in there crying? >> [laughter] >> He murdered my friend. Like, "What happened?" It was so he pulled out the gun. He murdered my friend. I didn't know what was going to happen. They're like, "Okay, cool." Then they put them In witness protection. There are two types of witness protection. The first level of witsec is we going to hide you till we catch

who did it. The second level is we're going to relocate you and give you a whole new identity. Most of us fail in our walk with God cuz we think God hiding us is level one. GOD IS NOT HIDING you till he catch the Devil. The devil ain't going nowhere. God is trying TO GIVE YOU A new identity. He said, "No." I almost Boy, God said, "No, I am relocating you. No, I'm I'm not I'm not just saying you can't see him. I'm giving you a new location. That's why he says, "If any man be

in Christ Jesus." Cuz you used to be outside. If any man be in Christ Jesus, you used to be in the club. You used to be in the streets. You used to be in the sheets. You used TO BE AT THE SPOT. YOU USED TO BE ON THE BLOCK. YOU USED TO BE in the frat, in the sorority, IN THE BIKER GANG, IN THE SOCIAL SAVINGS CLUB. WHATEVER IT WAS THAT HAD YOU DISTRACTED, GOD SAYS, "IT'S COOL. BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO BE IN ME, I'M GOING TO RELOCATE YOU. HOW THEN WILL PEOPLE FIND YOU

IF YOU IN WITNESS PROTECTION? CUZ YOU KEEP GOING BACK BRINGING OLD PEOPLE INTO YOUR NEW SEASON. >> [cheering] >> THEN YOU WONDERING WHY GOD WON'T GIVE YOU NEW STUFF CUZ GOD WILL NEVER RELEASE NEW BLESSINGS AS LONG AS YOU'RE AROUND OLD PEOPLE. >> [cheering] >> I GOT TO GO. I GOT to go. I ain't got but 5 minutes left. Hear me when I SAY THIS. MIDIAN strip Moses number four of platform addiction. I'm going to have to stop. This too much. Platform addiction. God removed his ability so he could build his integrity. Hear me when

I say this. God will strip you of what you trust in Until the only thing left is him. And for some of us, this is prophetic what I'm about to say to you. I really believe the Lord gave me this yesterday. And so and for some of us, what you've been calling an interruption, please put this in your notes if you don't write nothing else I say today. The Lord told me it's called a force multiplier. I was in a meeting yesterday and I heard this word and I've never in my life felt like God

arrested me. A force multiplier. A force multiplier is God accelerating your development through pressure you didn't plan. A force multiplier is God accelerating your development through pressure you didn't plan. It's God looking at your life saying, "I gave you 10 years to become What you needed to become so 2027 you could walk in it. But you squandered the last eight. So, what I'm going to do is put you in so much pressure from now till December cuz I'm trying to ACCELERATE WHO YOU ARE SO YOU can walk in what I called you to walk in.

It is what I call a force multiplier. Here's the definition. It's on the screen. Write it. Take a picture of it. Whatever you need. Force multipliers are God-used pressures that accelerate development. Reveal capacity and push you into levels you would not have reached through your comfort zone. I'm finna run. Y'all too quiet for me today. Force multipliers are God-used pressures that accelerate your development, reveal your capacity, and push you into levels you would not have reached through your Comfort zone. Why, Pastor Mike? Because some seasons are not just painful, they are productive. Some seasons are

not just painful, they are productive. They are what I call force multipliers. Here's another definition. Force multipliers are pressures, systems, and decisions that make growth happen faster than your comfort would allow. Michael! Force multipliers are pressures, systems, or decisions that make your growth happen faster than comfort would allow. Pastor Mike, I got I'm up for this promotion. I don't know how I'm going to do it. Yes, I do. That's why you didn't have a childhood growing up and you had to raise your brothers and sisters. He was teaching you at 10 how to manage a

house so at 35 you could manage a company. No, maybe he let your father be nothing to you so you could be everything your child would need. A force multiplier is any pressure, disruption, or responsibility that removes the option to stay the same. I hope you can hear your pastor when I say this. Many of you are in a season right now where God is not going to let you stay the same. He's giving you enough time to play to get your mess out your system. Force multipliers. Force equals you didn't choose it. Force equals

you didn't choose it. Multiplier accelerate. So, I'm going to ask you this question. Three of y'all going to say amen to your boy. Who in some yang asked for? Ain't it crazy how folks be looking at you to be their pastor, doctor, lawyer, friend, comforter, father and mother, and you be sitting there like, "Why do Y'all listen to HAVE YOU EVER GAVE SOMEBODY SOME ADVICE? AND WHEN YOU HUNG UP THE PHONE, YOU was like, "Oh, I killed that. I I don't know where that came from." You ever mess around almost told somebody they You almost

told somebody business cuz you were so proud of your advice. Girl, you ain't going to believe that so-and-so sleeping with so-and-so, so don't worry about that. Let me tell YOU WHAT I SAID. I said what if God got You in this season for what? What? They like no forget that. Who is this LEAVING WITH AGAIN? LIKE WHAT NO, BECAUSE IT'S FORCED because you did not always choose the pressure. >> [laughter] >> Put this in your notes. It's not on the screen. I'm going to say it how I feel it. Stop complaining about your plate when

you said you were hungry. >> [cheering] >> That's the conviction the Lord gave me about a week ago. I don't want to hear you say you're tired no more. You asked for this. You prayed that I would bless your children. You prayed that I would bless your church. You prayed that I would bless your music. So this is how we can fix it. If you don't want to be tired, I can stop blessing one of them. Or you can eat what I put on your plate. My God. Oh my God. Hear me when I say

this. I'm out of time. Let's Let's get ready to wrap this up. I got I'm on page eight and I got 19 pages. In my heart I just want to keep preaching and just let 11:30 just hear from outside but I'm not going to do it. Hear me when I say this, okay? Put this in your notes. I believe many of us are in seasons and coming out of seasons where God is This is prophetic. Forcing growth. Accelerate maturity. Exposing capacity. If you're going through something right now, I want you to leave church today saying

[snorts] P got me right today. God has me in a season where I'm forced where he's forcing growth. Accelerate maturity. Exposing capacity. My son Mason looked at me yesterday for a quick second. He kind of gave me this look he never gave me before. The First time I kind of thought he was going to snap at me. Like that cuz he's very respectful. So I but I've been on him. I've been on him. Do this and that. Come on. And in the other morning on the way to school I lost it. And I got triggered

by a wrinkled shirt. He just he came downstairs in a wrinkled shirt go to school. I said goddammit I'm tired. I said Aaron, you represent so and so so Mason, if you want to be regular stop Playing ball. Everybody else going to get to go to enjoy their senior year. They're going to get to stay home all summer do nothing go to school next August. In eight months I got I got to let you go. I said time management is everything. Wake up. You fold your clothes. On Sunday you go to church get out of

church you eat. I want you to iron every shirt you're going to wear. The shirt you're going to wear just hang it up. You're going to be going to Football I was the whole car ride it was just non-machine gun just non-stop. And he kind of gave me this look. I was like huh so I just stopped. Because I was reading a scripture that it is a sin it it is a sin to to almost go at your children in a way to where you provoke them. That's a sin. People don't talk about that. Parents

don't provoke your children. And and he's a young man now so I said come on Mason. Dang, come on buddy. Boom. So so so then yesterday like DoorDash start coming to the house. I was what's that? They DoorDash a thing of hangers. His own iron. His own iron board. He he's sitting up so I'm I'm washing what I do with the whites? What I And I'm sitting I was like okay. And I got him together and said Mason I only got eight months baby. In eight months you're going to be three 400 500 miles away

from daddy. I said so in this season I got to force growth accelerate maturity and expose capacity. Cuz when you leave me they're not going to care who your daddy is. And many of you keep saying God why me? And God is like cuz if you knew why it had to be you. So I can do this. I can take the crown. I can take the pressure. But I also got to take the crown. So do you want to be favored or not? The scripture says as he was approaching Damascus I'm I'm going to go

I'm going to stop right here. All that was my introduction. Like I'm so serious I ain't even got to the scripture yet. All that was the introduction. Here go the scripture. Acts chapter 9 verse 3. It was good. Do me a favor. Ushers block the door. Nobody's leaving. I'm going another 45 minutes. No I'm just playing. She got up girl. No. Here Hear me. Look at the scripture. I'm going to go really fast. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission a light from heaven shone down on him. Saul was persecuting Christians. Please put this

in your notes. In Acts chapter 9 verse 3 we meet Saul. He's Paul. For for my young people who may not know the story Saul is Paul. But there are two Sauls. You got King Saul in the Old Testament. That's the one who didn't like David. But in the New Testament you meet Saul who becomes Paul. They're not the same person. Okay, you got that? So Saul Paul who Wrote half of the New Testament Paul the reason our church has looked like tents looked the way they look is because Paul was a tent maker. Paul

was a tent maker. So that's why churches look like steeple. Paul was a tent maker. It's just kind of to me I believe that this picked up from Paul. So hear me when I say that I hope you can catch this, right? So Paul is currently Saul. He's killing Christians doing what he thought was right. In Acts chapter 9 as he was approaching Damascus to kill more Christians a light from heaven shined around him. This is critical. Cuz what does that light represent Pastor Mike? Can you put this in your notes? That light represents revelation.

So what does God do? God introduced a forced multiplier into Saul's life. What was the forced multiplier that God introduced into Saul's life? Put this in your notes. Interruption. He interrupted him. He let the light shine on him. The light in this scripture is not just illumination. It's what my my my professor at the McCreary Center called divine disclosure. This light was divine disclosure. It's when God lets you see what was always there but hidden to you. Have you ever finally seen you something with your own eyes and everybody said to you I don't know

how you ain't been seeing that. And in your head you was like I I God hid it from you. It is divine disclosure. Uh uh hey hey hey what show is this? These are cases of people who have been taken all over the world. These are your order. Ding ding. Hey what we got going on in here? I don't Know man they said the daughter was missing. The last place he checked into was this hotel and we went to the downstairs to the front desk. They opened the door went room 32B. 32B let's walk in

here and see what's going on. The room looks normal. Nothing is wrong in here. I mean it looks like nobody's ever been here. The bed is made. Uh the towels are put up. Nothing's ever happened in here. We'll see about that. Bring the team in. Then the team in come they they spray that stuff. What is it called? So y'all criminals. You just told on yourself. You done cleaned up a crime SCENE BEFORE GIRL. I CAN TELL. LUMINOL LIKE SO POLICE SAY THEY COME SPRAYING THAT. Then they they cut off the real light which represents

your understanding. Then they turn on the UV light which represents revelation. Then out of nowhere what happened? You just see the blood. Oh we got something. They Well WHEN THEY GET SOMETHING OH WE GOT SOMETHING. Oh wait. Blood all over the wall. Then they pull a rug back and you can see where they tried to mop it up. Oh they saw This just turned from a missing person's report to a homicide. All over revelation. Some of you think stuff is missing That's actually dead. And God has to be careful the seasons of your life where

he turns the light on. Now I want you to catch this. The light hits him and he says Saul Saul. If I had time I would tell you he fell to the ground. Fail in this text is not failure. In church every time we hear fail we think failure. Verse 4 says he fell to the ground. No, that's not failure. That's what we call an Indivo energy. I hope They go over this. It's called forced humility. Forced humility. Put this in your notes. It's called forced humility. Forced humility is when God allows circumstances to lower

you because you refuse to lower yourself. Forced humility is when God allows circumstances to lower you because you refused to lower yourself. Can I modernize contemporize or McLearize that's how my pastor would say it. Let me say it right here. It's when God humble you cuz you won't humble yourself. It's not punishment. It's divine correction and protection. Forced humility is usually triggered when self replaces surrender. Control replaces trust. And ego replaces obedience. This is God's way of saying since you Won't bow in private, I'll break you in public. I want to give you some things

that lead to forced humility. I'm going to go really fast, so take really good notes, okay? Couple things that lead to forced humility. Number one, pride. Go back. Thank you. Pride. Overestimating yourself and underestimating God. That's my new definition of pride. It's when I overestimate myself and underestimate God. Number two, self-sufficiency. Independence from God. God has to humble you when you live like you're the source, not the steward. Don't get it twisted. Everything that happened to me that was good, God did it. Every time these doors of this church Open and y'all come in here,

I tell God thank you. My preaching ain't good enough for people to There is no such thing as a 4,000 people sermon. It's the word. God God did this, not no Mike, not no piano. I'm crazy. No, God did this. So, I don't walk around like I'm all that. God did this. I'm grateful for every time every every time every morning I log on to Devo Energy, I just be sitting there like, God, [music] this crazy. To go to Virginia and people in there and we and we and we in the middle of the street

and somebody just yell out, "We all." I look and they I'm like, "Hey, how you doing?" God did this. Number three, lack of submission. Resisting authority, instruction, or correction. God humbles you when can't nobody tell you nothing. If my pastor called me right now, Dr. R. A. Vernon, if he called me right now and said, "Mike, something my spirit ain't right with you. I think you need to sit down for a couple Sundays." I'm going to say, "Sir, I'm going to be honest with you, I'm in the best I've ever been right now. I I

don't see that. So, if you don't mind, can you just go back and pray one more time?" If you call me again and tell me that, I'm going to do it. I'm going to I'm I'm Like, "Sir, I'm telling you I'm where I need to be. Maybe you see something I don't see, but I just need a little more clarity." Mike, you got to trust me. I'm sitting down. I was the youngest pastor in the world on national TV. I was 29 years old on national television every Sunday morning. The whole world and the whole

church world was starting to call our church. We want him to preach at this conference. We Want him to come preach at this conference. We want him to come preach at this event. >> [music] >> And my pastor saw me on TV, flew to Birmingham and said, "Hey, uh yeah, I think you need to come off TV." I said, "Why?" He said, "People calling me trying to get in touch with you." He said, "I don't think you're ready for this." He said, "Your children young, your marriage new, and your church new. If you leave now,

all of them going to break." He said, "So, Mike, just do me a favor. I'll never forget it. Never forget it." He said, "If you just love God, love your family, love your city." He said, "In about 10 years, the world going to come looking for you." He said, "Then you're going to be ready." He said, "But I I think" That's what he Said. "I think you should come off TV." I was never on again. Contract canceled. My leader, I believed him. I said, "Yes, sir." Didn't like it, talked a lot of trash. Got me

coming off TV. He don't want me to shine like him, you know. I'm going to take his title. He don't want me. But get ask me what I did. Came off TV. 10 years later, the whole world singing a song I never I never intended to have a music career. I inboxed these songs that people singing to every gospel artist you can think of. "Hey, my name's Mike McClure from Birmingham, Alabama. God [music] gave me this song. Here's an MP3. It's called Big. I think you would kill it." Hey, man, to everybody. Finally, the Lord

was like, "No, you do it." Number four, ignoring God's voice, Hearing truth, but choosing your own way anyway. Can we be honest? I know you're tired of me. Can we Can we be honest? Who right now know God done told you to do stuff and you ain't did not a damn thing he told you to do? Look around the room and every Keep your hand lifted. I want you to look around the room at everybody here. Now you see that ain't Look. Now what? You're not by yourself. You're not by yourself. I got my little

check. I was so proud of my little check. I'm out the red. I don't owe the record labels nothing. I don't recouped all this money and I got my first check. My first check. Bro. Boy, you ever seen a check and it make you start like rubbing your chest a little bit? Like you start itching like, "Oh my God, where this come from?" I'm looking at them. I'm like, "Ooh. Ooh." I ain't even deposit it. I just kept it. Woke up the NEXT MORNING, WENT BACK and looked at it, took a picture of it. You

got that one for you. You got to send the picture to him. HEY, BOY. HEY. HEY. >> [clears throat] >> I CALLED THE STAFF. I MIGHT NOT preach no more. I got me a check now. No, but seriously, got my little check. I was so happy. And somebody walked by me and Pat Leslie said to me in passing, "Hey, pastor, don't forget to pray for all the waterworks people who got laid off." I'm not on I'm not I'm I'm so locked in right now, I'm not tapped in no more. I'm like, "What you mean?" She

was like, "In Birmingham." I was I said I said, "Send me all the articles." >> [music] >> And like for an hour, I just reading articles. And instantly heard the say, "That's why I sent you the check." No, you didn't. Ooh. You ever talked to God like y'all cool? Michael, spend your whole royalty check blessing people with I'm going to bless three people. Xander, Michael, Mason, McKinley, Miles. I believe these children need it, God. But I'm at the point in my life now I'm like, "All right, cool. Hey, let me show you how quickly this

happened. Saturday at midnight, Shannon, if you don't mind, can you build a website for me? I just want to bless the people." Cool. Shannon built a website overnight. Hundreds of people fill that boom. All right, here you go. Tip, do your thing. Boom. Tip. I don't even know the names of the people who got it. That ain't my part. That ain't my part. It was being obedient. You got me? And And let me free you. I ain't give it cuz I got it. Cuz that's what the devil telling 60 y'all right there. It's easy for

him to give. Ain't no telling what he got. No, it's not that. I don't care how much money you got, you need some money. I was obedient. Number five, overconfidence in gifts. Trusting your talent more than God's presence. Number six, number six, unchecked success. When growth happens faster than character, success without grounding often leads to collapse. I'm so glad God didn't let me do none of the stuff I'm doing till I was 35 years old. It would have ruined me. Going from city to city and all these people telling you how great you are, you'll

be walking around here arrogant. Go back one. But success, I'm grateful God grounded me. I'm grateful for the years Carol Smith and them took me under her wings and kind of showed us how to talk and she would let us present to all these dignitaries. She kind of let us get all of our bad habits out in private. This church wouldn't be here. I God gave Me this church in 2009. I didn't have a dime to my pocket. She cut me a check for $5,000. Like, "Really?" I went to [music] the I went to the

pawn shop, bought some speakers, bought my microphones, and I paid 3 months up at the Fairfield [music] Civic Center. We went to work. And so so now, go back one so they can see it. Unchecked success. So, now >> [music] >> whether it's 3,000 people or an arena full of people or a couple people in here doing all access, nothing about me has to change because my success was grounded. The Lord giveth. You better stop thinking you all that cuz you got a split-level house and you live on 280. God can change that tomorrow. Number

seven, I got to go. I'm over Time. Let's go fast. Number seven, refusal to repent, knowing you're wrong, but refusing to turn. I want you I want to say that better. I didn't say this better I ate. I didn't say refusing to apologize. Apologizing and repenting ain't the same thing. Apologizing is what you say with your mouth. Repenting is what you do with your actions. So, repenting means I turn and go into a different direction. All right, number Eight, comparison and competition. Building identity off of others instead of God. [music] That causes God to humble

you. So, now you think you got to get married cuz your friend got married. Now you think you got to go build something. So, now you're building your identity off other people. Number nine, >> [music] >> desire for control. Needing to manage everything instead of trusting God. Number 10, spiritual complacency. This is really good. I want you to hear me when I say this. Coasting instead of growing. Existing instead of becoming. Pastor Mike, you mean God going to get me for not growing? Yes. Especially in the season where he's calling you higher. Number 11, ooh,

you Going, Pastor Mike. Disobedience disguised as dis- delay. Disobedience disguised as delay. You say later to what God already said now to. This causes God to force humble you. Number 12, identity rooted in performance. When you believe your value comes from what you do, not who you are in God. Football coach asked my my son yesterday, he said, "Mesa, are you a football player or a person who plays Football?" My son thought it was a trick question. He didn't want to look like he wasn't a dog. He said, "I'm a football player." He said, "Don't

ever say that again in life." He said, "Cuz when football ends, who are you?" He says, "You are a person [music] who plays football. Football is not your identity. It's what you do." Identity rooted in performance mean you Start identifying yourself as what you do, not who [music] you. Number 13, let's go quickly. Not seeking God in success. Only calling God in crisis. You'll be surprised how many people only talk to God when they broken, not when they blessed. No. So, when you win, call on him. That way when you lose, it don't feel foreign.

>> [laughter] >> Number 14, hardened heart. I feel like I'm done for the day. I don't know about you. >> [laughter] >> Hardened heart. Repeatedly resisting conviction until correction becomes necessary. That's when you wrong and you know you wrong and you been wrong and you ain't going to change and God have to finally say, "I got you. Stop now. Put that down. Put that down. I ain't going to tell you no more. I ain't going to tell you no more. Then they look at you like like you the villain. I don't beg you for a

hour to stop doing that. Hardened heart. Number 15, mismanaging what God gave you. That's good. When stewardship is poor, God will interrupt Before it destroys you. Father, in Jesus name, I pray I said something that comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I pray God that the words today challenges them to be what you called them to be. I pray it forces them out of comfort into calling. God, I thank you for the grace you've given us in seasons where you could have Humbled us. And I ask that you keep your hand on our life.

God, all of you and none of us. This is in Jesus name and everybody say it.