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>> I WONDER WHAT GLORIOUS THING COULD BE MADE FROM RUINS?
IS THERE ANY AREA OF YOUR LIFE THAT IS IN RUINS WHERE YOU COULD
BELIEVE GOD TO MAKE IT GLORIOUS? HOW DO YOU APPROACH SOMETHING
THAT IS IN ASHES OR IN RUINS IF YOU'RE REALLY BELIEVING
TO SEE IT COME TO LIFE? DO YOU KNOW OFTENTIMES WE'RE
SURROUNDED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OR THE RUIN OF SOMETHING THAT
HAS BEEN GLORIOUS IN OUR HOMES OR RELATIONSHIPS OR MAYBE
IN OUR FINANCES OR OUR DREAMS, AND YOU CAN WONDER NATURALLY
WHAT ON EARTH YOU CAN DO TO CONFRONT THAT SITUATION.
BUT WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH RUINS IS SUPERNATURAL.
WELL, I'M CONTINUING TO SPEAK ABOUT GLORIOUS RUINS.
THIS IS A SONG WE'VE BEEN SINGING IN OUR CHURCH,
"LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE" AND I KNOW WHAT GOD CAN DO
WITH A DEAD THING. WHEN YOU THINK OF
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, YOU SEE EVERYTHING THAT GOD CAN DO
WITH SOMETHING THAT IS DEAD AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN DO
SOMETHING POWERFUL IN YOUR LIFE THROUGH THIS MESSAGE TODAY.
>> "GLORIOUS RUINS," IT SPEAKS LITERALLY OF
THE PHYSICAL TEMPLE, THE GLORIOUS, PHYSICAL TEMPLE
OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IN JERUSALEM THAT WAS OVERTHROWN
BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND BURNED TO THE GROUND AND WAS LEFT SMOKING
ASHES, CHARRED AND RUINED. RUINS, THEY OFTEN REFLECT FORMER
BATTLES OR MAYBE FORMER DISASTER OR FORMER NEGLECT
AND OUT OF NEGLECT COMES RUINS. THAT CAN HAPPEN TO
A PERSON'S SPIRITUAL WALK. BUT THE POWERFUL THING IS
THE MESSAGE THAT WE CELEBRATE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS THAT
THE RUINS COME TO LIFE. IF YOU BELIEVE FOR THE RUINS
TO COME ALIVE, KNOW THE POWER OF PRAISE.
HIS NAME IS GREATER. HIS NAME IS HIGHER.
ALL OUR HOPE IS IN HIM. HIS WORD, UNFAILING.
HIS PROMISE, UNCHANGING. ALL OUR HOPE IS IN HIM.
LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE.
>> IT SAYS WHEN THEY WERE PRAISING GOD IN EZRA CHAPTER 3,
IT SAYS THAT IT WAS HEARD AFAR OFF.
IT'S VERSE 13, TOWARDS THE END OF THE VERSE, "FOR THE PEOPLE
SHOUTED WITH A LOUD SHOUT AND THE SOUND WAS HEARD AFAR OFF."
THAT'S THE KIND OF CHURCH I WANT TO PASTOR.
WHEN WE HAVE BUILDINGS LIKE THIS BUILDING, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY
SOUNDPROOF THE BUILDING SO THAT YOU CAN WALK JUST OUTSIDE OFTEN
AND IT CAN BE A HUGE NOISE GOING ON IN HERE AND YOU WON'T HEAR IT
JUST OUTSIDE. WHY DO THEY MAKE US DO THAT?
BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAISE IN JESUS' NAME.
AMEN. AND THE SOUND IS HEARD AFAR.
AND THE REALITY IS SOMETIMES, NOT ONLY NATURALLY,
BUT SPIRITUALLY, THE DEVIL HEARS YOUR PRAISE AND THE DEVIL HATES
A PRAISING PEOPLE 'CAUSE HE KNOWS THE POWER OF PRAISE.
AND THE MOST WONDERFUL THING WE CAN DO IF WE WANT TO KNOW
RESURRECTION LIFE IS KNOW THE POWER OF PRAISE
IN JESUS' NAME. THEY PRAISED GOD.
THEY PRAISED GOD. THEY PRAISED GOD.
AND AS THEY PRAISED GOD, IT WAS HEARD FROM AFAR.
WELL, IT WAS IN A ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY HAD ADVERSARIES.
AS THEY STARTED TO PRAISE GOD, THEIR ADVERSARY
STARTED TO GET WOUND UP. IT SAYS CHAPTER 4, VERSE 1,
JUST GOING ON FROM THOSE VERSES. IT SAYS, "NOW WHEN
THE ADVERSARIES OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN HEARD THAT
THE DESCENDANTS OF THE CAPTIVITY WERE BUILDING THE TEMPLE
OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL," NOT ONLY ADVERSARY
BUT DISCOURAGEMENT, HUGE DISCOURAGEMENT.
VERSE 4, "THEN THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND TRIED TO DISCOURAGE
THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH." THERE WAS ADVERSARIES,
THERE WAS DISCOURAGEMENT, THERE WAS TROUBLE.
IT SAYS THEY TROUBLED THEM IN THEIR BUILDINGS
AND THERE WAS ACCUSATION. IT SAYS,
"IN THE REIGN OF AHASUERUS, IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS REIGN,
THEY WROTE AN ACCUSATION." AND DO YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS
ADVERSARY AND ALL OF THIS DISCOURAGEMENT AND TROUBLE
AND ALL THESE ACCUSATIONS, IT ACTUALLY PUT THE BUILDING
ON HOLD. AND SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT
SEEMED LIKE IT WAS INCOMPLETE. WHAT MIRACLE IN YOUR LIFE
SEEMS INCOMPLETE? WHAT MAYBE OUT OF SMOLDERING
ASHES, CHARRED RUINS, HAVE YOU THOUGHT YOU'VE SEEN
THE FOUNDATIONS OR THE BEGINNING OF A MIRACLE, BUT IT HASN'T
YET COME TO FULL FRUITION? SOMETIMES WE SHOULD
NEVER BE SURPRISED IF THERE'S ADVERSARIES OR DISCOURAGEMENT
OR TROUBLE OR ACCUSATION. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE SURPRISED,
BUT DON'T EVER LOSE THE POWER OF PRAISE
BECAUSE IT WAS PUT ON HOLD. BUT THE GREAT THING IS
THE RUINS CAME TO LIFE, NOT JUST THROUGH PRAISE POWER,
BUT THROUGH PROPHETIC POWER, THE POWER OF PROPHECY.
LISTEN TO THIS POWERFUL SCRIPTURE.
IT'S IN EZRA. I'M JUST PREACHING EZRA 'CAUSE
GOD PUT IT IN MY HEART FOR US. AND IT SAYS, EZRA 6:14, "SO
THE ELDERS OF THE JEWS BUILT, AND THEY PROSPERED,"
THEY PROSPERED HOW? "THROUGH THE PROPHESYING
OF HAGGAI THE PROPHET AND ZECHARIAH THE SON OF IDDO.
AND THEY BUILT AND FINISHED IT, ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT OF
THE GOD OF ISRAEL, AND ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CYRUS, DARIUS,
AND ARTAXERXES KING OF PERSIA." THEY BUILT AND FINISHED IT
ON A PLATFORM OF PRAISE AND EVEN WHEN THE WORK FINISHED
ON A PLATFORM OF GOD'S WORD. DO YOU KNOW THE VOICE OF GOD
IN OUR LIVES IS SO POWERFUL AND A PROPHETIC WORD, SOMETIMES YOU
DON'T TAKE TOO MUCH REGARD FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO CREDIBILITY
COMING ALONG AND GIVING YOU A LITTLE DIRECTIVE PROPHECY
IN THE EAR. BUT WHEN, IF FROM A CREDIBLE
SOURCE, GOD'S WORD SPEAKS LIFE INTO YOU, UNDERSTAND
THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD. WELL, YOU KNOW,
GOD'S WORD IS PROPHETIC. I MEAN THESE OLD TESTAMENT
SCRIPTURES ARE SO ENTIRELY FILLED WITH PROPHECY,
AND I'D ENCOURAGE YOU NEVER TO UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER
OF PROPHECY AND LET GOD'S WORD SPEAK LIFE INTO YOUR FUTURE.
DO YOU KNOW THE TRUTH IS THEY WEREN'T JUST BUILDING
THE TEMPLE; THEY WERE BUILDING THEIR FUTURE.
AND WHEN WE PRAISE AND WHEN WE LET GOD'S WORD SPEAK LIFE
INTO US AND YOU BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETIC WORD OF GOD,
GOD CAN SPEAK INTO YOUR SPIRIT. HE CAN SPEAK IN SO MANY WAYS,
BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE RUINS COME TO LIFE, THEN BELIEVE GOD
FOR THE POWER OF HIS VOICE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY
INTO YOUR SITUATION. THEY PROSPERED.
THE BUILDING PROSPERED, THE BIBLE SAYS,
ON THE PROPHECIES OF HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH.
TWO OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS RIGHT AT THE VERY END
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND THEY PROPHESIED SO MUCH
LIFE AND SO MUCH THAT BROUGHT GLORY TO RUINS.
BUT IF I COULD JUST SHARE A COUPLE OF VERSES IN HAGGAI,
REMEMBER, IT PROSPERED THROUGH THE PROPHESY OF HAGGAI.
HAGGAI, IT SAYS IN CHAPTER 2, VERSE 6, "FOR THUS SAYS
THE LORD OF HOSTS: 'ONCE MORE (IT IS A LITTLE WHILE)
I WILL SHAKE HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE SEA AND DRY LAND."
YOU KNOW, HE JUST KEEPS TALKING ABOUT THE LORD OF HOSTS.
IT GOES ON IN THESE VERSES, IT SAYS, "'I WILL FILL
THIS TEMPLE WITH GLORY,' SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS.
'THE SILVER IS MINE, AND THE GOLD IS MINE,'
SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. 'THE GLORY OF THIS LATTER TEMPLE
SHALL BE GREATER THAN THE FORMER,'
SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. 'AND THE PLACE I WILL GIVE
PEACE,' SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS." OH, WE NEED THE SAYS OF THE LORD
OF HOSTS IN OUR LIFE AND THAT COMES WHEN WE TRUST GOD
AND BELIEVE FOR PROPHETIC POWER. IT WAS THE PROPHECY OF
HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH. ZECHARIAH IS SO FULL OF LIFE.
IT SAYS THAT WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE WERE TOUCHED, THAT THEY WERE
ACTUALLY TOUCHING THE APPLE OF GOD'S EYE.
HOW AMAZING TODAY TO KNOW YOU ARE THE APPLE OF GOD'S EYE.
IT SAYS "'NOT BY MIGHT NOR POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,'
SAYS THE LORD." IT TALKS ABOUT SPEAKING TO
THE MOUNTAIN AND BELIEVING TO SEE THEM COME A PLAIN.
IT ACTUALLY SAYS, "SPEAK GRACE, GRACE TO IT IN JESUS' NAME."
IN OTHER WORDS, SPEAK FAVOR, FAVOR.
SPEAK GLORY, GLORY. WHEN THE RUINS ARE TATTERED
AND SMOKING, SPEAK GLORY TO IT AND BELIEVE GOD
THROUGH THE PROPHETIC WORD FOR THE RUINS TO COME TO LIFE.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT GOD CAN'T TURN AROUND.
IF JESUS CAN LOOK AT A DEAD LAZARUS AND HE CAN START TO
PRAISE GOD AND START TO SPEAK LIFE AND LAZARUS COMES ALIVE, HE
CAN BRING ANY PART OF YOUR LIFE THAT IS LYING IN RUIN TO LIFE,
IN JESUS' NAME. IT'S THE BEAUTIFUL POWER OF GOD.
ZECHARIAH, YOU SEE, REMEMBER, THEY'RE NOT JUST BUILDING
A TEMPLE, THEY'RE BUILDING THE FUTURE.
HE ACTUALLY SPEAKS OF SOMEBODY WHO SOUNDS EXTREMELY FAMILIAR.
LISTEN TO THIS, ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 9, VERSE 9,
IT SAYS, "REJOICE GREATLY, O DAUGHTER OF ZION!
SHOUT, O DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM! BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING
TO YOU; HE IS JUST AND HAVING SALVATION,
LOWLY AND RIDING ON A DONKEY, A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY."
I WONDER WHO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
HE COMES LOWLY AND ON A DONKEY, AND HE'S SPEAKING SALVATION.
I'VE GOTTA TELL YA, IT'S SPEAKING JESUS IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT, THROUGH PROPHECY, HE IS SPEAKING JESUS.
I BELIEVE THAT GLORIOUS RUINS ARE BUILT WHEN WE START
TO SPEAK JESUS. AMEN.
WHEN WE START TO SPEAK JESUS, I PRAY THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE POWER
OF THE PROPHETIC WORD IN YOUR LIFE TO BRING LIFE INTO A DEAD
SITUATION, TO GIVE YOU HOPE IN SOMETHING THAT IS HOPELESS.
I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING BOLD THIS MORNING, I'M GONNA ASK
PASTOR ROBERT FERGUSSON TO COME AND I'M GONNA ASK HIM TO START
PROPHESYING OVER YOU. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU
TO OPEN YOUR SPIRIT UP. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO LET
GOD SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOU. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALLOW
THIS WORD TO PROSPER IN YOUR LIFE, IN JESUS' NAME, SO THAT
THE RUINS CAN COME TO LIFE IN THE BEAUTY OF HIS NAME, SO
THAT RAISING UP FROM THE ASHES, GOD FOREVER CAN REIGN.
HAVE I GOT ANY FRIENDS IN THIS TODAY?
COME ON, STAND UP WITH ME. STAND UP WITH ME.
GET YOURSELF READY TO RECEIVE THE WORD OF LORD THIS MORNING,
AND LET'S BELIEVE FOR GOD TO SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO
OUR SITUATION IN JESUS' NAME. >> IN THE SAME WAY THAT UP
TO STIR UP THE GIFT OF PROPHECY, YOU HAVE TO STIR UP A HEART THAT
IS RECEPTIVE TO A WORD FROM GOD. SO RIGHT AROUND THIS AUDITORIUM,
WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING, LIFT UP YOUR HANDS, OPEN YOUR HEART
AND ENGAGE YOUR FAITH. GOD WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT HE
WANTS YOU TO RAISE YOUR VOICE. HE WANTS YOU TO RAISE
YOUR HOPES. HE WANTS YOU TO RAISE
YOUR EXPECTATIONS. HE WANTS YOU TO RAISE YOUR EYES.
SEE HARVEST IS UPON YOU. LIFT UP YOUR EYES
AND SEE THE FIELDS ARE WHITE UNTO HARVEST.
THE LORD OF THE HARVEST IS HERE, GLORIOUS AMONG US.
HE STANDS TALL AND HE STANDS CLOSE.
HE'S SAYING TO YOU, "PUT ASIDE THE DISTRACTIONS,
THIS IS A TIME OF FRUITFULNESS. THIS IS A TIME OF BLESSING.
THIS IS A TIME OF FAVOR. THIS IS A TIME OF REAPING."
HE'S GOING TO APPEAR TO YOU IN THE WATCHES OF THE NIGHT
AND HE'S LOOKING FOR WORKERS IN HIS FIELD.
HE'S LOOKING FOR INSTRUMENTS IN HIS HANDS.
HE'S GONNA TAKE HOLD OF YOU AND A NEW ANOINTING IS GONNA
COME ON YOUR LIFE. A NEW AUTHORITY IS GONNA
BE GIVEN YOU. A NEW INTERCESSION
IS GONNA COME ON YOU, AND HE'S GONNA SAY TO YOU,
"PUT ASIDE THE PRUNING FORKS. PUT ASIDE THE PLOW SHARES.
PICK UP THE SICKLE OF REAPING AND SEE THE HARVEST COME TO YOUR
SITUATION, YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR COMMUNITY."
THE BIBLE SAYS, AND GOD WOULD SAY TO YOU THIS MORNING, THAT
YOUR BONES ARE GONNA BE FILLED WITH EVERY KIND OF PROVISION
AND EVERY, EVERY CHIEFTAIN IN YOUR HOUSE WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
YOUR SHEEP WILL INCREASE BY THOUSANDS AND BY
TENS OF THOUSANDS IN YOUR FIELD. AND IN THE SAME WAY THAT SOWING
TOOK PLACE WITH WEEPING, REAPING WILL TAKE PLACE WITH JOY.
THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW BIRTH OF JOY IN THIS HOUSE, A NEW
UNDERSTANDING OF THE MIRACULOUS, A NEW SONG IS GOING TO APPEAR.
GOD IS GONNA CROWN THIS CONGREGATION WITH CELEBRATION,
AND THE SONGS FROM THIS HOUSE TO THE WORLD WILL HAVE NEW POWER,
NEW POTENCY, NEW EFFICACY AND MANY WILL SEE AND PUT
THEIR FEAR IN GOD. FOR OUR GOD IS GLORIOUS
AND THE LORD OF THE HARVEST IS HERE AMONG US.
>> THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS.
YOU CAN BE SEATED. GLORIOUS RUINS CAME FROM
PRAISE POWER. GLORIOUS RUINS CAME FROM
PROPHETIC POWER AND GLORIOUS RUINS CAME FROM PERSONAL POWER.
PERSONAL POWER SPEAKS OF DEVOTION, SEEKING GOD, PRAYING.
DO YOU KNOW IT'S NEVER A LEGALISTIC THING WHEN WE
LIVE IN GRACE, BUT THE DAILY DISCIPLINE OF DEVOTION
IS SO CRITICAL TO SEEING THE RUINS COME TO LIFE.
YOU IGNORE, YOU NEGLECT. REMEMBER, RUINS COME FROM
NEGLECT AND YOU NEGLECT YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE,
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, AND THAT'S ONE WAY
TO SEE SOMETHING GLORIOUS SLOWLY GO INTO RUIN AND DECLINE,
AND THAT IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WALK WITH GOD,
WHICH IS THE MASTER, YOU KNOW, THE WONDER OF JESUS
JUST LIVING IN YOU. WELL, YOU THINK ABOUT DEVOTION.
LISTEN TO WHAT EZRA SAID IN EZRA CHAPTER 7.
AGAIN IT'S ALL IN CONTEXT OF GLORIOUS RUINS,
THE RUINS COMING TO LIFE. AND IT SAYS IN EZRA CHAPTER 7,
VERSE 10, THAT "EZRA PREPARED HIS HEART."
YOU KNOW, HE LET THE WORD WORK ON HIS HEART.
"HE PREPARED HIS HEART TO SEEK THE LAW OF THE LORD AND TO DO
IT, AND TO TEACH STATUTES AND ORDNANCES IN ISRAEL."
LISTEN TO IT, JUST LOOK AT THAT VERSE.
"HE LET THE WORD, THE LOVED THE WORD, HE LIVED THE WORD
AND HE LED IN THE WORD. EZRA PREPARED HIS HEART.
HE LET THE WORD SOFTEN HIS HEART.
TO SEEK THE WORD OF GOD, HE LOVED THE WORD, AND TO DO IT,
HE LIVED THE WORD. HE PRACTICED WHAT HE PREACHED.
AND TO TEACH OTHERS, HE LED IN THE WORD.
THAT'S A POWERFUL WAY TO SEE THE RUINS COME TO LIFE.
LET THE WORD BE WORKING IN YOUR LIFE.
LOVE THE WORD OF GOD, LIVE THE WORD OF GOD AND LEAD OTHERS,
LEAD YOUR FAMILY, IN THE WORD OF GOD.
THAT WAS EZRA'S COMMITMENT WAS THAT HE WOULD LEAD HIMSELF
AND LEAD HIS FAMILY IN THE WORD OF GOD.
IN EZRA 8, VERSE 21, AND IT'S THE FINAL VERSE THAT I'LL READ,
IT SAYS THIS, IT SAYS, EZRA SAID, "I PROCLAIMED A FAST THERE
AT THE RIVER OF AHAVA, THAT WE MIGHT HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE
OUR GOD, TO SEEK FROM HIM THE RIGHT WAY," TO SEEK
THE RIGHT WAY FROM GOD. MAN, I LOVE THE PRACTICALITY
OF THE WORD. "TO SEEK FROM HIM THE RIGHT
WAY FOR US AND OUR LITTLE ONES," OUR FAMILY, OUR CHILDREN.
EVEN WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEY'RE STILL OUR LITTLE ONES.
WELL, LISTEN TO IT AGAIN. HE PRAYED AND HE ASKED GOD
TO SHOW HIM THE RIGHT WAY FOR HIMSELF, FOR OURSELVES, FOR HIS
FAMILY AND FOR HIS POSSESSIONS AND FOR ALL THAT GOD
HAD GIVEN HIM. I TELL YA IF YOU WANT TO SEE
THE RUINS COME TO LIFE, IF YOU WANT GLORIOUS RUINS IN YOUR
LIFE, IF YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE A STORY,
NOT OF GLORY BECOMING RUIN, BUT OF FORMER GLORIES THAT
WERE RUINED BECOMING SOMETHING EVEN MORE GLORIOUS, REMEMBER
WHAT HAGGAI PROPHESIED. HE PROPHESIED THAT THE GLORY OF
THE LATTER WOULD BE GREATER THAN THE GLORY OF THE FORMER TEMPLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT THE BEST WAS STILL AHEAD.
PRAISE GOD. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR OWN WALK WITH JESUS AND KEEP THAT
AS A DYNAMIC ON WHICH YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR LIFE, BELIEVING
TO SEE RUINS COME TO LIFE. IT'S A POWERFUL, POWERFUL THING
WHEN WE KNOW THE POWER OF PRAISE.
WE LET GOD'S WORD, GOD'S VOICE, BE ACTIVE IN OUR WORLD,
IN OUR LIFE. WE LIVE THAT KIND OF LIFE
THAT IS SENSITIVE TO GOD, WHERE WE SEEK HIS WORD,
WE SEEK HIM FOR OURSELVES. WE SEEK HIM FOR OUR HOMES
AND OUR FAMILIES. WE SEEK HIM WHEN IT COMES TO
EVERYTHING THAT GOD GIVES US, OUR POSSESSIONS, AND WE'RE GOOD
STEWARDS OVER WHAT GOD GIVES US. AND I PRAY FOR YOU, WHOEVER YOU
ARE, WHEREVER YOU ARE, THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT IS IN RUIN
IN YOUR LIFE, THAT GOD WILL BRING BEAUTY FROM THE ASHES,
THAT THE RUINS COME TO LIFE AND THE GLORY OF HIS NAME.
LISTEN TO IT ONE MORE TIME. "WHEN THE WORLD CAVES IN,
STILL MY HOPE WILL CLING TO YOUR PROMISE.
WHEN MY COURAGE ENDS, LET MY HEART FIND STRENGTH
IN YOUR PRESENCE. LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE
IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR NAME, RISING UP FROM THE ASHES.
GOD FOREVER WILL REIGN."
>> DO YOU KNOW OFTENTIMES WE'RE SURROUNDED NOT ONLY WITH
THE DESTRUCTION OR THE RUIN OF SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GLORIOUS
IN OUR HOMES OR RELATIONSHIPS OR MAYBE IN SOME OTHER PART OF OUR
LIVES, OUR FINANCES OR OUR DREAMS, BUT WHATEVER IT IS,
WE CAN BE FACING RUINS. WE'RE FACING ADVERSITY.
WE CAN BE FACING DISCOURAGEMENT OR TROUBLE, MAYBE EVEN
THE FINGER OF ACCUSATION HAS BEEN POINTING AT YOU,
AND YOU CAN WONDER NATURALLY WHAT ON EARTH YOU CAN DO
TO CONFRONT THAT SITUATION. DO YOU KNOW IN THE BIBLE,
IT SEEMS LIKE THE BEST WAY EVERY TIME WAS TO PRAISE
YOUR WAY OUT OF TROUBLE. THAT'S WHAT PETER DID IN JAIL,
HE PRAISED HIS WAY OUT OF PRISON.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JESUS DID WHEN LAZARUS WAS DEAD.
HE STARTED TO PRAISE GOD. HE SAID, "I THANK YOU, FATHER,
THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME." BUT LAZARUS WAS STILL DEAD.
BUT AFTER HE HAD PRAISED, THEN HE BELIEVED AND SURE ENOUGH,
LAZARUS WAS WRITTEN FROM THE DEAD.
IT'S WHAT MOSES DID AT THE RED SEA.
HE PRAISED ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE MIRACLE.
IT'S WHAT WE'RE TOLD TO DO IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS WHERE IT
SAYS TO "ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING IN OUR HEARTS."
IT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
THE TEMPLE WASN'T YET GLORIOUS, IT WAS JUST THE FOUNDATIONS.
BUT PEOPLE WERE PRAISING AND SHOUTING SO LOUD THAT YOU COULD
HEAR IT FROM AFAR OFF. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY
TO KNOW THE POWER OF PRAISE, KNOW THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD
SPEAKING LIFE INTO YOU AND TO KNOW THE POWER
OF SPENDING TIME WITH HIM. EZRA, THE PROPHET, HE SAID THAT
HE WAS GONNA LOOK FOR THE RIGHT WAY FOR HIMSELF, FOR OURSELVES,
FOR OUR LITTLE ONES, OR OUR FAMILIES,
AND FOR OUR POSSESSIONS. AND WHEN WE GO TO GOD, WITH ALL
THAT HE HAS GIVEN US WITH OUR HOMES AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR
OWN PERSONAL LIVES, AND WE COME TO GOD WITH DEVOTION,
I TELL YA NOW THE PRAISE POWER, THE PROPHETIC POWER AND
THE PERSONAL POWER THAT COMES OUT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
WILL CAUSE THE RUINS TO COME TO LIFE.
>> BY THE TIME I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS ADDICTED
TO AN ASSORTMENT OF DRUGS. EVERY DAY WAS
TRYING TO GET HIGH. FAMILY DIDN'T TRUST ME ANYMORE.
FRIENDS DIDN'T TRUST ME ANYMORE. I HAD BASICALLY MANIPULATED
AND CONNED EVERY PERSON I KNEW TO WHERE THEY JUST KIND OF
PUSHED ME OUT OF THEIR LIVES. I'D COME TO A POINT WHERE
AN ARREST WARRANT WAS PLACED IN MY NAME, AND I ENDED UP RUNNING
ON THAT WARRANT FOR 2 YEARS. I WAS FINALLY PICKED UP.
I GOT PUT IN JAIL. I HAD GOTTEN INTO A FIGHT
AND FROM THERE, I GOT THROWN INTO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.
THE SECOND DAY AND THE BOOK CART CAME AROUND, AND I HAD READ
EVERY BOOK ON THE BOOK CART, EXCEPT THE BIBLE.
AND I EVENTUALLY PICKED UP THE BIBLE AND I JUST KIND OF
CHUCKED IT ON MY BED AND LEFT IT THERE FOR A DAY OR TWO.
I EVENTUALLY PICKED IT UP AND IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT I OPENED UP
THE BIBLE AND NOT EVEN PLACING MY EYES ON THE WORDS,
I JUST HEARD GOD JUST SPEAK TO MY HEART.
IT BROUGHT ME BACK TO A MEMORY OF 2 DAYS BEFORE I WAS ARRESTED.
I WAS SITTING ON THE BEACH AND WATCHING THE SUNRISE AND I JUST
SAID A SIMPLE PRAYER, "GOD, IF YOU'RE REAL, I NEED HELP."
AND IT WAS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT RIGHT AFTER OPENING
UP THE BIBLE THAT I REALIZED THAT GOD WAS HELPING ME AND THAT
WAS THE REASON I WAS PLACED IN THAT CELL.
AFTER JAIL, I WAS RELEASED INTO A CHRISTIAN REHAB.
IT WAS THERE GOD KIND OF STARTED RESTORING ME TO MYSELF,
TO MY FAMILY AND RESTORING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I RUINED, GOD HAS
JUST MADE JUST BEAUTIFUL. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTORE
EVERYTHING BACK TO MY LIFE. HE'S ACTUALLY RESTORED
MORE THAN I'VE EXPECTED. HE'S GIVEN ME MORE THAN
I COULD EVER EVEN HAVE DREAMED.
>>WHEN THE MOUNTAINS FALL AND THE TEMPEST ROARS
YOU ARE WITH ME WHEN CREATION FOLDS
STILL MY SOUL WILL SOAR ON YOUR MERCY
I'LL WALK THROUGH THE FIRE WITH MY HEAD LIFTED HIGH
AND MY SPIRIT REVIVED IN YOUR STORY
AND I'LL LOOK TO THE CROSS AS MY FAILURE IS LOST
IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR GLORIOUS GRACE
LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR NAME
RISING UP FROM THE ASHES GOD FOREVER YOU REIGN
AND MY SOUL WILL FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS
I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND FOREVER I'LL SING
WHEN THE WORLD CAVES IN STILL MY HOPE WILL CLING
TO YOUR PROMISE
WHERE MY COURAGE ENDS LET MY HEART FIND STRENGTH
IN YOUR PRESENCE
I'LL WALK THROUGH THE FIRE WITH MY HEAD LIFTED HIGH
AND MY SPIRIT REVIVED IN YOUR STORY
AND I'LL LOOK TO THE CROSS AS MY FAILURE IS LOST
IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR GLORIOUS GRACE
LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR NAME
RISING UP FROM THE ASHES GOD FOREVER YOU REIGN
AND MY SOUL WILL FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS
I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND FOREVER I'LL SING
LET THE RUINS COME TO LIFE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR NAME
RISING UP FROM THE ASHES GOD FOREVER YOU REIGN
AND MY SOUL WILL FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS
I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND FOREVER I'LL SING
WHOA, OH WHOA, OH
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. AND THIS MESSAGE WHICH I'VE BEEN
SPEAKING OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS ON GLORIOUS RUINS, I PRAY
IT'S SPOKEN LIFE INTO YOU AND THAT YOU HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE
FOR RUINS TO COME TO LIFE. IF PERHAPS, YOU MISSED THE FIRST
PART OF THE MESSAGE, WELL, YOU CAN GO TO ITUNES
AND DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST. IT'S FREE AND IT PUTS
GOD'S WORD INTO YOU. YOU CAN GO TO OUR HILLSONG
IPHONE APP OR TO THE ANDROID APP AND YOU CAN WATCH THE TELEVISION
PROGRAM EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. GOD BLESS YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH.