Lock In Twin // Pastor Darius McClure

One of the 12 disciples, Thomas, nicknamed what? All right, that was real weak. Nicknamed what?

All right, say it like you're from Atlanta. Nicknamed was not with the others when Jesus came back. Verse 25, they told him, "We have seen the Lord.

" But twin replied, Y'all missed that. "I won't believe unless I see the nails in his hands, put my fingers into Y'all not talking to me yet. and place my hand into the wound in his side.

" One of the 12 disciples, Thomas, nicknamed who? Twin. If you don't mind, before you sit down, I want you to high-five at least three people in your section and tell them today's topic.

I want you to say it with an attitude. Tell them, "Lock in, twin. " Now, have a conversation with yourself and say, "Self, it's time to lock in.

What God is getting ready to do, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard. This moment is too big for you to miss it. Lock in, twin.

" We are living in arguably the most distracted generation in history. Not because we have less discipline, but because the enemy has more weapons. He uses everything to fight against our attention and take our focus.

He uses your phone to fight for your attention. He uses social media to fight for your attention. He uses the news to fight for your attention.

He uses notifications. Y'all quiet. You was just in here crying, "I love you, Jesus.

" I'm talking about tears rolling down your eyes. You hear me praise break, you had to check because your phone. Because he uses notifications to fight for your attention.

And in this season of my life, I'm not just protecting my property, I'm also protecting my focus. Because your focus is too valuable for everything and everybody to have it. And I wonder, do I have anybody early in this message that's making up in your mind that this will be the most focused year that I've ever had in my life?

Because I've accomplished a little bit and ain't been I haven't even been as focused as I can be. What's going to happen when I really lock in? Y'all sitting in here like you ain't did some great things that other people would be impressed by and you're saying to yourself, "I'm not even locked in yet.

" But sadly, here it is. I want you to hear me right here. We have normalized short attention spans, constant scrolling, and multitasking everything.

So much so that we struggle to sit still. We struggle with being in the right place, but being fully present at the same time. Because what do you do when your body is here, but your mind is not?

We struggle to stay focused. Somebody shout focus. See, somebody shout focus.

I hear this side. I don't hear this side. Somebody shout focus.

See, you would be running around this church if you knew what you just said. Because focus is an act of spiritual warfare. Focus is declaring war against the enemy saying that my future is too valuable to give it to you.

And so I need to focus to not just guard my feelings, but to also protect my future. And you would be shouting here if I told you that big faith is in your focus. Because there was a man named Peter who was in the middle of a storm with 12 disciples stuck on the boat and he stepped out of the boat when Jesus told him to come.

He stepped out of the boat and started walking on what other people drowned in. Y'all missed that. I don't know about you, but God, if you don't do nothing else, give me some water walking faith.

Help me to walk on what other people afraid to step on. Do I have any water walkers in the room today that's getting ready to do the impossible and you're not staying on the boat? But watch this.

He's walking on water. Watch this. But when he saw the winds and the waves, he began to sink.

He started out doing the impossible, but he couldn't sustain it because he lost focus. And Jesus looked at Peter and said, watch this, "Why is your faith so little? " Because what if there's something called little faith, there's also something called big faith.

And big faith is in your ability to stay focused. And I want you to see this because what if I told you that this attention deficit issue is not just a cultural issue, but it's also a spiritual issue. 1 Peter 5 and 8 says, here it is, "Be alert and of sober mind.

Y'all ain't got attitude yet. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around. Y'all still ain't got an attitude yet.

I need some ex-ratchet people to help me read this text. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

" Y'all missed that. He didn't say my enemy. Because God and the devil are not equals.

He says, "Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion. " He has a lot of bark and no bite. He's loud.

He has power, but you have authority. And you don't fight power with power. You fight power with authority.

So even though he may show up with power, you show up with authority. What authority is this? In the name I wonder, do I have any believers that been bought with the price?

And you know that there's power in that name that even when the enemy shows up like a roaring lion, you say, "In the name. " I know your child may be sick, but in the name. I know the doctor report, but in the name.

But what blesses me, Paul says, "Be alert. " He's giving military language. He says, "Be alert.

" This is painting the picture of a guard or a soldier being on duty, having to watch something. And watch this, being so alert because I can't fall asleep in this big moment. Because if I fall asleep, I'll give room for the enemy to do what he whatever he wants to do.

Be careful when you're surrounded by sleep people. See, some of us, we keep losing focus by association. I'mma talk to somebody in the middle.

Somebody better come get me. You trying to lock in, but lock in, twin, is another level of locking in. Because when I say lock in, twin, I'm saying I'm not telling you to lock in by yourself.

I'm saying that we getting ready to lock in together. I'm not allowing you to have focus by yourself. This is what we call shared focus.

And if you don't do anything in my life, God, send me people who have focus on the same level that I have or even more. You ever Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

You ever been in the season where you were slipping and you got around somebody who was locked in? I mean, you were in the season where you were chilling, slipping, and you didn't even know you were slipping. But you got around them and saw how locked in they were and it offended you.

Oh, you ain't got time to laugh, huh? Oh, you ain't got time to go out with nobody no more, huh? Now, all of a sudden, when you're in the car by yourself, you I got to get myself together.

We We got We We better than this. We have to do this. Why?

Because faith needs friends. Y'all don't know when to have church right there. There was a paralyzed man who had four friends.

He couldn't get to Jesus by himself, but God put people in his life who would carry him on the mat, get to the house where Jesus was, and when they couldn't get in the house, they had so much faith, they tore a roof off and got him to Jesus, and Jesus looked at the paralyzed man and said, "Their faith has made you whole. " Now, I wonder do I have some people in the room today that won't just praise God for yourself. I dare you to praise God for everybody on your row.

And if they get agitated, just say, "You don't even know what my praise doing for you. " You don't even know what my praise doing for your family, because I have shared faith. I'mma give you 30 seconds to praise God that he Somebody shout, "Lock in, twin.

" No, look at your neighbor and say, "I said, lock in, twin. " They laughing. Now, look back at them with an attitude and say, "You think I'm playing?

" Your destiny is too important to be distracted. And for some of you, you've been trying to defeat a devil that's been fighting you overtime with part-time faith. It's time for you to lock in.

You've been locked in on your job. You've been locked in with relationships, with people who didn't even like you. They was just using you.

And Jesus is like, "It's time for you to lock in with me. " Because for some of us, you going to see it in the text, we have seasons where we confused being locked in with being locked up. See, when I say, "Lock in, twin," you can take a picture and write this down.

Lock in, twin, is the recognition that the moment is too big for us to miss due to our focus being a mess. And for some of us, confession is good for the soul. God has been too good to us to allow our focus to be a mess.

So, we blame exes, we blame supervisors, we blame coworkers, we blame family members, but at some point, you going to have to take ownership and say, "I wasn't as focused as I should have been in that season. And because I was not as focused in the past, I'm dealing with the mess today. " And watch this, everybody.

I want you to catch this. He says, "Be alert. " Because distractions are expensive.

Do I need to say that again? Be alert. Why?

Because distractions are expensive. They cost you time. You can get a lot of stuff back.

Time ain't one of them. They cost you tears. Distraction can cost you tears.

You can get into a season where you're not locked in and you're not discerning and you're not focused. And you'll have people, places, and things come into your in your life that you think is God when it's really you. And for you to get in the season to where you're emotionally attached to people that are not aligned with your purpose.

And so now, when God is ready to open the door that he has for you, you're going to have to close the door that you had for you. Somebody better come get me. And he's like, "It's time to lock in because distractions are costing you.

It's costing you time. It's costing you tears. " But watch this, everybody.

I want you to see this. Because for some of you, you know you've been struggling with this because you sit down to pray and all of a sudden, your mind start racing. You ever went to your prayer prayer time with God and you were ready to pray, you were in your word, and all of a sudden, your mind start thinking about stuff?

Oh, I know I'm talking to some people. I I see it in y'all eyes. You went to talk to God and pray and you're reading the word.

Then all of a sudden, your mind start thinking about, "Is Taco Bell open? " Then your mind go from Taco Bell to, "All right, did I do the laundry? I need to go check.

All right, what what I'm wearing today? " Before you know it, time that should have been sacred, time that's going to pour back into you so that you can pour back into others has been lost because you did not protect your focus. This is not random.

This is resistance. It's not just coincidence. This is warfare.

Because whenever you make a decision to focus on what matters most, the enemy will begin to distract you the most. Because he doesn't just have weapons of mass destruction, he also uses weapons of mass distractions. I'm I know they're cute, but they're distraction right now.

I know they're paying you a certain amount of money that you would like to get paid, but what if this is not the time for you to get paid, this is the time for you to develop peace? Because sometimes, you're choosing a paycheck that's going to forfeit your peace. They don't like me.

They don't like me. But I came to tell you, lock in, twin. Because Peter didn't just say, "Be alert.

" He also said, look at it, it's on the screen, "and of sober mind. " That blessed me because I come from a bloodline of men who all died from being alcoholics. And whenever they would drink, they would get intoxicated.

There are some people in my family I have never seen sober. And you know when you become intoxicated, you start walking different. See see, you would be praising God right now because what if I told you some of us are not intoxicated with alcohol?

What do you do when you intoxicated by pain? Pain has you in your feelings. And now, grief is controlling you, and bitterness is controlling you, and anger is controlling you, and offense is controlling you.

Because this is what we see in the text. We see Thomas, he's emotionally and mentally intoxicated to where now his faith is creating doubt. I won't believe unless I see it.

He often gets a bad rap, but I like Thomas. Thomas is often called doubting Thomas off of one moment. People are demonizing him.

I want to humanize him. Here he is, he has been walking with Jesus for 3 years. And he has one moment.

He did not betray him like Judas. He did not deny him like Peter. But because he's having a real conversation and expressing how he feels, people are calling him a doubter.

When when Jesus had to go back to resurrect Lazarus, the other disciples were afraid because they knew they wanted to kill Jesus and his team. It was one disciple that spoke up, and his name was Thomas. Thomas was such a ride or die disciple, he said, "Hey, let's go die with him.

" I I see a Thomas right here. I don't know about you. God send a Thomas in my life.

See, why do I like Thomas? Because Thomas is one of those disciples that has no filter. He's going to keep it real and tell you how he really feel.

So, when he says, "I refuse to believe until I see it. " he's being vulnerable with fake people. And be careful when you're having real conversations surrounded by fake people.

Cuz now they start putting labels on you. Because they don't know how to recognize real. Y'all Y'all not having church with me.

Some people so used to being around fake stuff, when you finally bring the real thing around them, they don't even know how to appreciate it, how to receive it, how to value it. God, if you don't do nothing else, send some real people who can be real with me and I can be real with. >> [music] >> So, now I don't have to keep wasting time interpreting how I feel.

Because you don't know how to interpret real. Thank you, Jesus. Real recognize real.

My cousin told me about that. And so, here it is. By the time we meet Jesus in the text today, we meet the disciples in John 20.

He's already been betrayed by Judas. He's been arrested by the Roman soldiers. Here it is.

He's been denied by Peter three times. He's been crucified by religious leaders. Watch this.

But he's been resurrected by the same power. I'm going to say that again. He's been betrayed by Judas, arrested by soldiers, denied by Peter, crucified by religion, and resurrected by the same power.

Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that lives inside of us. This is showing us that the that the resurrection is an invitation. It's an invitation for broken people to experience restoration.

It's an invitation for bound people to experience liberation. Guilty people to receive justification. Doubting people to develop anticipation.

Dead people to experience regeneration. And surrender people to walk in transformation. Because the resurrection shows us that with the Holy Spirit, we have the transformational power to turn what's a tomb for others into a womb for us.

So, what other people get buried in, we give birth from. Are y'all hearing this? And so, I want you to see this everybody because once we get to the text in John 20, this is like the fourth time Jesus has popped up on his disciples.

He He's popping up post resurrection. And the text says before John 20, the last time he popped up to the disciples in the upper room, Thomas was not there. Look at it, verse 24.

One of the 12 disciples, Thomas, nicknamed who? All right, y'all y'all being too cute. Nicknamed who?

Was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, "We seen the Lord. " They shout They excited.

He interrupts their praise break and said, "Hey, I ain't trying to hear all that. I'm not believing unless I see the nails, the nail wounds in his hands, put my finger into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side. " Now now Now, here this is everybody.

This is why everybody calls him doubting Thomas. Because of this one statement right here. Be careful when you allow people to label you based off of one season.

You mean to tell me I've interceded for you, I've supported you, I've been there for you, and I have one human moment, and have one moment of weakness, and you're putting a whole label on me? The devil is a liar. Do I have anybody in the room today that said, "Labels are for boxes, not for me.

"? So, keep your label because with labels become limits, and Jesus took the limit Y'all But this text doesn't give us a label. It gives us his location.

When Jesus comes back, he's not in the room. Are y'all ready for this? So, maybe he's doubting right now because he was distant.

Because distance creates room for doubt to grow unchecked. And for some of you, you got a little bit of Thomas in you. When you all in, you all in.

But when you done, ain't no need for no conversation. I'll just holler at y'all later. So, he's distant when Jesus comes back.

And for some of you, could it be that your distance is creating doubt? Or could it be that your distance is the reflection of your doubt? Because there's danger in the distance.

I come to preach to a few of you, not all of you, but to a few of you who know what it's like when life happens, you like to be by yourself. I'm not saying Thomas is wrong. I'm just saying this is not wise.

That when you're in one of the lowest moments of your life, the worst place you can go is into isolation. You mean to tell me we were good enough for you to hang around when we were winning. Y'all better And now that we're losing, you want to lose by yourself?

If we going to win together, because the quality of a relationship should not just be based on how well we are when we win together. But true strength and value in that relationship and connection will be seen when we start losing. So, here he is by himself.

And some of us know what it's like because this season for Thomas reveals to us what it's like when your faith comes to a dead end. A dead end is a place that leads to nowhere. Have you ever put your all into a relationship and the relationship led I'm I'm going to preach to you.

I'm going to forget everybody else. I'm going to preach to you. Have you ever put your all into a business or an idea or a job and you felt like this is leading Have you ever Let me see who what service this is.

Okay. Parents, throw your hands up. All right.

Uh Have you ever felt like you poured as much wisdom into your kids >> [applause] >> and you get to a season with your kids to where it feels like it led I'm going to let that marinate. Have you ever served, been a part of ministry, put your heart into it, felt overlooked or unappreciated, and you were wondering, this is leading to nowhere. See, the grave represents dead ends.

And Thomas is so grieved by the crucifixion that he's allowing his grief to create a grave that Jesus is no longer in. I feel like having church. And for some of us, we're so blinded by our disappointment and our pain, we don't even realize that the grave was not a setback.

It was a setup for a comeback. And I wonder, do I have some people in the room today that's saying, "You better get ready for my comeback because I'm about to bounce back like I never left and I'm coming back stronger, I'm coming back wiser, I'm coming back better. " Do I have any bounce back believers in the room that can give God a bounce back praise?

No, this is the bounce back. My family is bouncing back. My faith is bouncing back.

My anointing is bouncing back. >> [music] >> Somebody shout bounce back, bounce back. He's on the brink of a bounce back and don't even know it because he said what he said.

Unless I see the nails in his hands. Unless I I touch the wound in his side, I'm not believing. But then the text says in verse 26, eight days later.

Y'all don't know when to have church. Cuz there's something special about the number eight. Eight represents new beginnings.

And we That's the easy shout. But what if if you study the number eight in Jew- Jewish and Hebraic culture, all males were circumcised on the eighth day. This was such an important task that Jesus didn't officially get his name until the eighth day of living after being circumcised.

Y'all missed that. He couldn't even get his identity until he could handle a cut. >> [cheering] [applause] [music] >> So, eight days, eight represents the cutting off of the flesh.

Because sometimes bouncing back or new beginnings feels like being cut. And I wonder, do I have some people that survived some cuts in your life that you It cut you, but it didn't break you. It made you stronger.

It made you And he comes back. And the text says, eight days later, disciples in the room together. This word about to make me run through this church.

Again. See, you don't appreciate that unless you know what it's like to feel like you missed your moment. What if I'm preaching this text because God might be sending some of you into a season where he's about to do a get do it again.

>> [applause] >> But there's some moments and some opportunities you feel like you missed, but he said, "Just get back in the right place cuz I'm about to spin the block >> [cheering] >> and I'm about to do it again. " Somebody shout do it again. Heal again.

Fix it again. Open the door again. Break the walls down again.

Somebody shout do it again. Somebody shout do it again. Again?

You didn't miss your moment. What if you just weren't ready for it yet? Because he said, "I needed to deal with the twin in you >> [cheering] >> that would have sabotaged it if you would have got it prematurely.

So, I had to wait you late to I had to make you wait eight days to cut off cut off your ego, cut off your pride, cut off your preference so that when I show up this time, you'll have some faith when I show up and not be stuck in your feelings. " >> [music] >> So, they're in the room. Look at the text.

This is what you call expositional exegetical preaching. This is when you look at the text and then you begin to draw out certain things in the text because the Bible is the only book you read that reads you. Clock that.

And so he says, "Eight days. " We see what eight represents, right? Cutting off the flesh, new beginnings.

Then he says, "Later, the disciples. " This represents the people who made or got or received what you missed. But it also can represents the people you disconnected from when you were in your feelings.

So, I had the humility to reconnect. Because what if God is waiting to show up when you have the humility to grow up. Because for some of you, your pride too much for you to get back in the room with the people you feeling some type of way about.

But he lays his pride down. He gets in the room. Thomas is with them.

Look at the text. The doors were locked. There's no wasted ink in the Bible.

The text says the doors were locked. Semicolon. But suddenly, I don't know how y'all being composed right now because God, I'm believing you for some suddenlies in my life.

I know you can do things through a process and over time, but God, I need to step into a suddenly. I need you to do some things immediately. I don't want have to wait next year, next week, next month.

Do it now. If you're ready for God to do a suddenly, I'm going to give you 1 minute to praise him like locked. >> [music] >> Suddenly.

I'm telling you. When you're able to recover your faith, you can experience I feel this in my spirit. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Suddenly seasons. >> [music] [applause] >> So, what you expect to be a process, he's like, "No, we going to skip all them steps. I'm going to get you there.

" I know it's a line, but the last shall be first. He'll do it >> [music] >> suddenly. Look at the text.

Here it is. The text says the doors were locked. And Jesus was standing among them.

That's not what the text says. The text says the doors were locked, but suddenly, woosh. There he is.

Y'all missed that. The doors were locked. Woosh.

Twin, where have you been? Nobody knows you like I know you. Nope, y'all You were made for me.

>> [music] >> Jesus, post resurrection, suddenly appears beyond locked doors. And we are post resurrection believers. Y'all missing it.

Before the resurrection, he would have to knock and wait. But after resurrection, he break through. And I don't know who I'm preaching to, but now that you have been resurrected with Jesus, there's certain doors you don't have to wait behind, you just break through it.

He's taken the limits off. He's giving you access to rooms. >> [music] >> Watch this.

He breaks through the room. And he's like, "What's up, twin? You lost something.

And I came to bring it back. Because you survived the crucifixion. You survived the antagony nation.

You survived the threats. But your peace didn't. So I came to give you one of the most valuable things a believer can have.

Look at the text. Peace. The first thing out of his mouth, "Peace.

" Not an assignment, not an instruction, not an explanation. Peace. In other words, you're in the right place with the wrong posture.

Peace I'm giving you because your body here, but your mind not right now. Your body here, but your heart left a year ago. Peace.

I need you to settle your soul. Because I'm here right now, but your soul too loud. You won't be able to hear nothing I'm saying because you don't have my peace yet.

And hear me right here. Write this down. You will always lack focus whenever you lose peace.

Because whenever you don't have peace, you don't focus, you force it. You start forcing stuff that's not in God's will because you're not doing it with the wrong posture. He says, "Peace.

" He said the same thing when Moses had Pharaoh and his army behind them. The Red Sea in front of them. He says, "Watch this.

Be still. " Because sometimes focus does not look like you're doing more. Sometimes focus looks like you being still.

Because Jesus is like, "We don't need to be moving at the same time right now. I need you to be still and let me fight your battle. " There's some stuff you've been losing sleep about that when you get my peace, I'mma give you a peace that'll surpass all understanding.

While other people going to think you cry yourself to sleep, you're going to be snoring so loud because you have peace. Peace is more important than a paycheck. >> [music] >> I am I here?

Somebody shout, "Peace. " And for some of you, you survived the storm. You survived the attack.

You survived the season, but what if your peace didn't? And Jesus is showing up for you just like he showed up for Thomas. And he's saying, "Hey, I came to give you some that you lost.

Peace. " I know you're in the storm right now. Y'all Y'all in this room locked up.

The door's locked. I know why. Y'all afraid.

Y'all just seen them crucify me on the cross, and you think you're next. You are. They're coming for you.

But I need you to have peace so that you don't die full. I need you to die empty. I need you to die.

Watch this. Completing your assignment. See, the problem is not death.

The problem is dying with incomplete assignments. Because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And so he he says, "Hey.

Hey. My peace I'm giving you. " And here it is, everybody.

I want you to see this. He looks at Thomas and says, "Hey. Look at my hands.

You see the scars where the nails were? Put your finger right there. " Y'all missed that.

Look at my side. They pierced me in the side. Yeah.

He In this season, "Thomas, you don't need a sermon. You need scars. " Y'all missed what I just said.

Because sometimes part of your calling is to be evidence of what God can do. See, your neighbor would be shouting right now if they knew they weren't just sitting next to a person, they sitting next to proof. I'm proof that God can pick you up, turn you around, and place your feet.

I'm proof that cancer won't kill you. I'm proof. [music] Somebody shout, "I'm proof.

" If you want to see a miracle, look at me. If you want to see a breakthrough, look at me. >> [music] >> Watch this.

This is what we call, write this down, a miracle of exception. This is what we call a miracle of exception, meaning when everyone around you is subject to the same conditions, but God exempts you from the same outcome. So we may go through the same thing, but we don't come out the same way.

This is how the Hebrew boys can be thrown in the fire, but don't even come out smelling like smoke. Because I am the exception. >> [music] >> All right.

I'm proof. I'm proof. What am I doing?

I'm giving you affirmation for this week. I'm proof. If he don't do nothing else, he already done more than enough.

I'm proof. Because for some of you, you should be dead by now, but you're proof. You should be in jail right now, but you're proof.

You should be in a sick bed right now, but you're proof. You should still be depressed, but you're proof. You should be crazy losing your mind, but you're proof.

>> [music] >> And he's saying, "Lock in, twin. Because what if in this next season, God doesn't just want to use your skill, but he wants to use your scars? " We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.

Whose life is waiting to break through when you testify? And when we see with Thomas in the text, he makes a few decisions that we can make to experience what he experiences. Number one, you can write this down.

I'm closing right here. You have to reposition yourself. Somebody shout, "Reposition.

" In other words, there was a room he should have been in, but he wasn't. But he had enough humility to get back in the room. Because for some of us, we don't need a new word, we need a new position.

And what if God sent me here to tell you today, "Get back in position. " Where did you disconnect from that you need to be back locked in with? Get back in position.

Because sometimes your provision is waiting on you to be in the right place. Number two, receive peace. Because just because Jesus gave it, Thomas had to receive it.

He didn't argue. He didn't ask for explanation. He just received it.

And for some of you, what if God has been trying to give you peace, but what do you do when you're so accustomed to living in chaos that peace feel uncomfortable? I know I'm talking to somebody in the room. You don't You feel guilty for laying down.

What do you do when there is peace in your house, on your job, in your relationship, but you keep fighting that voice that says something ain't right? Because what do you do when peace feels foreign? And God has you in a place where he said, "No, I'm giving you my peace.

" But you can't have peace without trust. Because without trust, you'll never rest. He says, "You have to receive peace.

" Because what if Thomas wasn't doubting? What if Thomas was just overwhelmed? It's like, "I just watched my savior die.

I didn't even recognize him on the cross. They put him in the grave. I gave him my life for 3 years.

I left everything for this man. " He's overwhelmed. And when Jesus says, "Peace," watch this, he recalibrates his soul.

Because peace doesn't just improve your productivity. It also increases your protection. Because peace is a shield that God uses to protect your future.

Sometimes, watch this, God has given you peace not to just protect you from the enemy, but to also protect you from you. >> [applause] >> Because if you're not careful, you'll start looking for unnecessary fights. And the Holy Spirit is like, "Hey, hey, hey, peace be still.

" Peace, I give you peace. And last but not least, you can stand to your feet and close it right here. Number one was what?

Number two Here it is, number three, respond in faith. Because after he touches the wounds and the scars, Jesus looks at him and says, [music] watch this, "Don't be faithless, believe. " For some of you, God wants to give you your faith back.

You don't believe like you used to. You allow pain to domesticate your faith. So now, you believe God for stuff that you can do, not for stuff that he can do.

Because sometimes God will give you a level of faith and belief that's beyond human limitations. That if God don't do it, it won't get done. Come on now.

And Thomas has to respond in faith. But here's what I love. Jesus says something after this.

He says, "Hey, you've seen it and you believe. But blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe. " He was using Thomas to also speak to you.

And I wanted to Do I have anybody in the room today that say, "Even if I don't see it, I know he's here. I know he's working. I still believe.

" >> [music] >> And so Father, right now, you can lift your hands, close your eyes all over this room. I want to pray for those of you who may be struggling with the disappointment of missed moments. I want to pray for those of you who may be struggling with doubt, grief, who may be feeling overwhelmed, or disconnected.

So Father, right now, I pray that they crash the chatterbox of their soul. That they can hear you clearly. Because for some of us, >> [music] >> you've been speaking, but our life is too loud for us to hear you.

So God, right now, I ask that you speak to our hearts. Tune our ears to recognize your voice clearly. God, I say thank you that you're giving us a peace that's surpasses all understanding.

God, we give you all the honor and glory for what you've already done. Now God, I say thank you that the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead will take an authority over. Now Holy Spirit, lead us, guide us.

Help us to be all that you've called and created us to be. Now God, I pray God that you restore our focus to lock in and be all that you've called us to be. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.