Harrison Faith Church
One Another - 3 Things That Happen When You Pray For One Another | Guest Speaker Alex Valenzuela IV | Oct 6, 2024
opportunity, we're going to transition right in, have a great opportunity to invite a new weekend. We took our youth ministry to a place called Camp Eagle Rock. And we had our youth encounter weekend. And can I tell you, it was just a powerful weekend. It was an awesome event from everything and get away. In fact, on the first night, we just said, you know what? Let's just turn the lights off. We turned the lights off. And I got to say it was one of the most powerful worship sets I've ever been a part of. We turned the lights off. Yes, it was safe. It was not weird. I'm talking about worship people calm down. You're like, why turn the lights off? But we worshiped our worship team came. Thank you to our worship team. I want to say thank you to them for all of the things and the commitments that they make. And thank you to our faithful youth leadership team. You guys are amazing. It was a great weekend. Thank you to our students, all those who showed up. It was a great weekend, a powerful weekend. And also had the opportunity to meet a new friend. His name is Pastor Alex. He came all the way to the Ozark Mountain Streets from Laredo, Texas. He came all the way from South Texas to invest in the next Billy Grahams, right? Amen. And so I was just so excited and honored to have the opportunity. I've got to have many conversations with Pastor Alex. And he has poured into our teenagers this weekend. So without any further ado, would you help me give a great big Harrison faith warm welcome to Pastor Alex? Well, come on and give Jesus a great hand clap of praise on this Sunday morning. Come on and praise him on the floor. Praise them in the balcony. Come on, if you love Jesus, somebody give him your best praise. Start your week off on our July 5th by praising God on the first day of a brand new week. Somebody shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hey, welcome to church everybody. Man, it is an honor to be an Arkansas. Come on somebody. How's everybody doing here in Arkansas this morning? Everybody doing good. Praise God. Well, thank you for having me. Thank you to Pastor Scott and the amazing team here at Harrison faith. Man, it is a beautiful, beautiful church and I felt the presence of God even during worship. I really am not lying when I say this. I don't know what it is about this worship team, but this worship team is so anointed. I don't know how Pastor Scott preaches every Sunday. I don't know how he comes up here and transitions out. I would not be able to. I honor you, Pastor Scott. You do a far better job than I could ever do because this worship team is anointed. How many of you are grateful for Harrison faith's worship team? I think Harrison faith's worship team should write some music and send it all over America. Somebody say, "Amen." Man, it's awesome to be able to be with you here. We just got back from youth camp like Pastor Caleb said. Can we honor Pastor Caleb and his beautiful wife for having an amazing youth camp this week? Thank you for having me. Man, I want to honor all the pastors as well for Pastor's appreciation. Pastor Caleb got a special offering today. He said he's going to spend it on me at Andes. Come on, somebody. Hallelujah. He told me as he was hugging me up here. He's going to spend it all on you at Andes. I said, "Amen." Let's do it. I love Andes. We don't have it in Laredo. If you hear me preaching a little bit faster than usual, it's because I got somewhere to go. Somebody say, "Amen." If you need me after church, I'll be at Andes. Amen. But it's an honor to be here with you this morning. Really excited to be able to get into our church. I know that God really encountered these students. And I can't wait to be able to hear about all the great things that God is going to do. And I can't wait to be able to hear about all the great things that God is going to do for us. I know that God really encountered these students and I can't wait to be able to hear about all the great things that God is going to do through them after this week. Somebody say, "Amen." Like Pastor Caleb said, my name is Alex. If I haven't got the honor and privilege to be able to meet you just yet. I'm from Laredo, Texas, from south, south Texas. This weather, 71 degrees is new to me. We've never had 71 degree weather in Laredo. We're used to 98 and 105. Come on, somebody. We're used to that. That's why people get saved in Laredo really easily because they're like, if this is 105, I ain't going to hell. Amen. You know, people who raised their hand for salvation any Sunday in Laredo. So I'm grateful to be here. Like Pastor Caleb said, my name is Alex. I've been pastoring for eight years now. I've been traveling all over America for three years. Gone to New Mexico. Gone to Washington. Gone all over Texas. I've preached in Florida. And this week, it's a special week because it's my first time ever preaching in two states that I've never preached to in one weekend. I preached in Missouri yesterday and now I'm preaching in Arkansas this morning. And so I am excited to be here. And they were right. The most beautiful people are in Arkansas. Somebody say, amen. Hallelujah. So I'm excited to be here. My fiance Gabby. She sends her hello. I'm getting married next month. Somebody say, amen. Hallelujah. I am no longer a single man. I am an engaged man. I'm getting married next month, November 15th. If you need me anytime after the 15th, do not call me for a message. I will be honeymooning in Seattle, Washington. And I will have my phone on. Do not disturb for eight days straight. Hallelujah. I got priorities. All the men say amen. That was a little too loud. All right. Hallelujah. Let's get into the word before Pastor Scott kicks me out of here. All right. Second Corinthians. Second Corinthians. If you have your Bible, go with me there. The second Corinthians chapter 10 verse number four. That's where we're going to start this morning. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse number four is where we're going to start this morning. When you got to say, I got it. All right. We'll wait for the rest of you. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse four. Really excited to be here with Harrison Faith Church this morning. I brought a dear friend of mine who's a leader with our youth and young adult ministry back home. His name is Jacob. Can we show him some love for coming all the way from South Texas with me spending this weekend with me? Thank you, bro. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse number four. The Bible says this, it says the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power. Somebody say divine power. They have divine power to demolish strongholds. I know that for the past couple of weeks, you all have been in a series titled one another. And I want to take a couple of moments to be able to continue in this series, because over the last couple of weeks you've been in a series titled one another. And I want to take a couple of moments to be able to continue in this series because over the last couple of weeks you've been in a series titled one another. 'Cause over the last couple of weeks, you've heard about kingdom culture and have looked at several of the one another's in scripture. You've heard about loving one another, you've heard about bearing with one another's burdens, you've heard about showing hospitality to one another, you've heard about serving one another, and last week you heard about encouraging one another. By the way, I'm not a prophet who just knows exactly what you were talking about for like the last six weeks. I went on YouTube and did my homework. Somebody say, amen. - Amen. - But the Bible says in second Corinthians that every believer has weapons to be able to fight against the attack of the enemy, weapons to come against bitterness, anxiety, depression, suicide, and all the powers of hell. Weapons that the Bible says have divine power to demolish strongholds. Another word for the word demolishes this, it's destroy. The Bible says that the weapons that you and me have as believers can destroy any and every stronghold. Somebody say, amen. - Amen, every stronghold. - But do you know what a stronghold is? A stronghold is this, a stronghold is a fortress, a place or thing that holds somebody. So the weapons that we have can destroy whatever has been holding us down and holding us back. And not only that, but we can be able to destroy whatever has been holding someone else down and someone else back. And prayer, prayer is one of the greatest weapons that the believer has in their arsenal against the works of the enemy. Prayer can turn things around. Prayer can set people free. Prayer can strengthen the believer. Prayer can humble the believer. Prayer can open doors. Prayer can change people. Prayer can change circumstances. And prayer can open heaven up over your life. Listen, there is power in prayer. Prayer is no joke. Prayer is no hobby. Prayer is no activity. Prayer is a weapon to destroy the scheme and the attacks of the enemy. Somebody shout, amen. And friend, I've learned this. A praying church is a powerful church. And a praying Christian is a powerful Christian. And so today, I wanna talk to you from this subject. I wanna talk to you from the title, Three Things That Happen When You Pray For One Another. Three Things That Happen When You Pray For One Another. Number one is this. You do the work of Jesus. John 17, verse number 20 and 21 says this. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one father just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me, James 5, verse 16. It says, therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, Ephesians 6, verse 18. It says, and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all, somebody say all. For all of the Lord's people. Listen, praying for one another was not a suggestion that Jesus left for believers. Too many look at the Bible and they think it's a book of suggestions when in reality, this is not a book of suggestions. Joshua, chapter one, verse eight calls this book, a book of instruction. Somebody say, amen. The Bible is a library of instructions that when it's followed by anybody, the person becomes blessed. The person stands out and the person makes an impact in their generation. Jesus in John 17, verses nine through 26, models for us, the importance of praying for one another. In the last few moments before he's arrested in John 18, Jesus takes time while in prayer to pray for two groups of people. He prays for his disciples and he prays for all the believers to come after them. Listen, in the last few moments of his earthly ministry, Jesus didn't take a day off. Instead, Jesus found time and took time to pray for others. Jesus was about to pass through the harshest physical pain humanity has ever seen and carry the sins of the world. And instead of taking a quick vacation or taking a nap, Jesus modeled for us what it is that we're called to do. We are called to pray for one another. Somebody say, amen. We're called to believe with one another. We're called to lift up the needs of one another. And we're called to pray for those above us and those around us. And when you and I do a great job of following the biblical mandate of praying for one another, we love others and we effectively do the work of Jesus. Listen, there's so many churches all around America. But there's so little of them that are actually effective. It's one thing to have a large church, but it's another thing to have an effective church. Do you see, I believe that if we're gonna be effective as a church, I believe that if we're gonna be effective as believers, I believe if we're gonna be effective of doing the work of Jesus and praying for one another, we gotta be able to make up our mind and say I am willing to be able to stand in the gap for somebody else and believe that God is for them. God is not against them and God can heal them. Somebody say, amen. Listen, you'll be effective as a church. You'll be effective as believers. You'll be effective in your community. You'll be effective in the entire state of Arkansas when you make up your mind and say, I am done just praying for myself. I am gonna take time, I am gonna find time, and I am gonna lift up a fellow brother. I am gonna lift up a fellow sister, and I am gonna believe that God is gonna turn their life around. And I see that being true for this church. I see that being true for the people of Harrison faith church, get ready. You're gonna be the most effective you have ever been. Get ready, you're gonna be the most effective church, the most effective believer. You'll be effective in this community. Why? Because you love one another and because you pray for one another. Somebody who believes that. Shout, amen. Three things that happen when you pray for one another. Number one, you do the work of Jesus. Number two is this. You lose any bitterness towards another person. It's impossible to pray for someone and continue being against them. It's impossible to pray for someone and stay hurt with them. It's impossible to pray for someone and stay bitter towards them. Because when you pray for someone who hurt you, someone who betrayed you, someone who angered you, what happens is that the love of Jesus comes on you for that person. And instead of staying upset at them or angry with them, you forgive them, you show them mercy, you move on from the pain, the hurt and the trauma. Listen, when you pray for someone else, it allows you to respond and not react. You know, there's a very big difference. Most people in life, they never respond. They always react. They always react. And sometimes when people react, people don't react in the best of ways. People actually react in the worst of ways. And when people react, people are hurt, people are effective, people are discouraged, people start living with this thing that is very famous in the 21st century church in America, this thing called church hurt. Because people have such a high standard for believers that when believers come across life and they make one simple mistake, the thing that happens is that people get hurt and people end up living with this church hurt. But when you take time to pray for someone else, it allows you to respond rather than react. In other words, when you pray for someone, it allows you to put a greater value on the person that hurt you and not the pain you feel in your heart. So many people, they never experience true healing from wounds caused by others because all they ever highlight in their life is the pain that others cause them. This is why there's some people who are full grown adults with full time jobs, families and bills to pay and they're still hurt with something their parents did when they were seven years old. Like you ever met somebody like that? They're a full grown adult. They got a family, they got children, they got a car to pay, a house to pay, they got bills to pay, but some way, somehow, there's still hurt with something that happened when they were simply a child. Why does that happen? Because people only highlight the pain that somebody caused rather than think about and pray for the person that was in pain that hurt them. You gotta be able to analyze in your life as a believer. The thing that people told you that hurt you, the thing that people did to you that hurt you, did they really do it because they just wanted to hurt you or did they hurt you because they themselves were hurt? I've learned this, hurt people, hurt people. And if we wanna be a community, if we wanna be the people that Jesus died for and resurrected for, then we gotta be able to do what Jesus did in the most trying of times. Jesus didn't say, God, why did you give me these stubborn people, these annoying people, they loved me last week and now they hate me this week. Instead, he got on his knees, he prayed to God and he said, God, let them be able to display that you and me are one and let them be able to change the world. Listen, it's because of this, that people, they live with bitterness, it's because people react, it's because people can't take time to be able to pray for one another, that they end up carrying her for many years, her that gets passed on to children. And before you know it, we end up building a church of her people rather than building a church that heals people. And I believe that God is calling you and me to be able to look past the pain, look past the hurt, look past the abuse and be able to say, God, even though they did that to me, I still lift them up before you and I pray you love them, you change them, you transform them and you do something in your life. Listen, when you pray for the person that hurt you and abused you, you respond rather than react and a response is always greater than a reaction. And I know you might say, but Alex, they don't deserve it. Or Alex, if you just knew all that they put me through. But listen, you're not blessing them for their sake, you're blessing them for your sake. Life is too short to go through it with bitterness poisoning your life. If you let go of the hurt they inflicted and live out of a place of forgiveness, out of a place of wholeness, you'll not only feel better, but that's what's gonna allow God, the creator of the universe to go to work and take you higher. So if you're harboring bitterness towards another person, here's the solution, pray for that person. Because it's hard to stay angry at someone you're praying for. It's hard to stay bitter with someone that you're praying for. It's hard to stay in this place of pain and abuse and trauma when you're praying for the person that caused you that pain and that hurt and that trauma. I'm telling you, if you wanna let go of the bitterness, I'm telling you, if you wanna move past all that trauma, I'm telling you, if you wanna move past that pain, the solution is simple, pray for that person. Luke six, verse number 27 and 28, it says this, but to you who are willing to listen, I love that. Jesus starts off very quickly by classifying a certain group of people who would receive the thing that he was about to say. He was speaking to a crowd, but the people who were gonna receive what he was about to say were those who listen. You see, many times people come to church and the last thing they do is listen. Isn't it funny, people come into a space like this, they sit down for two hours and before you know it, they get into the parking lot and they're like, what did the pastor talk about today? I can't remember, what was the title of the message? You know, what is it that happened? Is it that people have short-term memory loss? No, no, no, no, it's that people don't listen. People might be in a space where everyone else is worshiping God, their hands are raised, people are praying, people are believing, but there's a certain group of people who show up and the Bible says those who are hungry will be filled. Listen, people who receive from God are people who come into the presence of God and are willing to listen. Jesus said, but to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you and watch this last one, pray for those who hurt you. Pray for those who hurt you. But Jesus, you don't know what they did to me. They caused this pain and this hurt in my heart and my soul is broken up. Jesus says, I know, but I'm calling you to pray for those who hurt you. But Jesus, I really wanna be able to just stay angry with them and show them who's boss and I really wanna just blow up on them and let them know that God, I'm angry at them. And Jesus says, I know, but what I'm asking you to do is this, instead of doing all of that, pray for those who hurt you. Why, why would Jesus leave us that? It's because Jesus understood this. It's hard to stay angry, bitter and upset at someone you're praying for. Three things that happen when you pray for one another, number one, you do the work of Jesus. Number two, you lose any bitterness towards another person. And last one is this, number three, you grow in humility. You know, to pray for someone else that takes humility. Prayer without humility is not authentic prayer. One cannot truly pray for someone else if pride resides in their heart. One cannot truly believe with someone else if pride resides in their heart. One truly cannot come into agreement with someone else for something if pride resides in their heart. To pray for someone else, to come into agreement with someone else, it takes humility. It takes lowering yourself to lift someone else up in prayer. It takes putting yourself second to lift someone else up in prayer. C.S. Lewis once wrote this. Humility isn't thinking of yourself as less. Humility is thinking of yourself less. In other words, humility is not believing you're a nobody or you're useless or you're small. I don't know, that's not humility. Humility is understanding. The world doesn't revolve around me. Humility is understanding. Others are also fighting things that need Jesus too. Listen, humility matters to God. When we humble ourselves, we remember who we are and who God is, and prayers that storm the gates of heaven don't have to be fancy or long or filled with Bible verses. They just gotta be wrapped up in complete humility. Come on, if somebody gives Jesus praise for that today. You see, if you want your prayers to get to God, wrap that prayer in humility. Humility isn't about speech or looks. Humility is all about posture. Humility is the posture of a believer's heart. Yes, we've been redeemed. Yes, we're blessed. Yes, we're children of God. Yes, we're citizens of heaven. But that doesn't mean that God's redeeming power ends with us. God wants all to be saved. God wants all to be filled with power. And God wants all to be blessed. Somebody say amen. Amen. Too many, they go through life only ever praying for themselves. They never stop and take the time to stand in the gap for someone else. Listen, I want you to get this today. Somebody in your family needs you. Somebody in your place of work needs you. Student, somebody in your school needs you. Fellow Christian, somebody in your church needs you. They need you. And when believers take time to pray for one another, they grow in humility. They become less and God becomes more. And when God becomes more, lives are healed, homes are transformed, marriages are restored, and cities are shaken for the glory of God. First Peter, verse number five and verse six. It says this, and all of you dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God. And at the right time, he will lift you up in honor. Somebody give God pray for his word today. Hallelujah. Listen, avoid ego-centric prayers and learn to prioritize praying for one another. Like let me end with this parable that Jesus left us with in Luke 18, verses nine through 12. Like let me end with this parable that Jesus left us. It's found in Luke chapter number 18, verses number nine through 12. Jesus told this parable, and look at what he said. He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself. God, I thank you that I'll not like other people. I thank you, I'm not greedy, unrighteous, or an adulte, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and I give a tithe of everything I get. Friends, if we're not careful, we can become like that religious Pharisee and pray religiously just like how he did. Did you notice that the prayer that Jesus said that that Pharisee prayed was revolving around him? I thank you, I'm not greedy, I'm not unrighteous, I'm not an adulterer, and I thank you. I'm not like that tax collector over there because I fast twice a week and I tithe off everything I get. That prayer was spoken to God, but it was wrapped up completely in himself. Like a scholar looked at that parable and said, "That man did not pray to God, that man prayed to himself." Could it be that maybe your prayer is having God and answered because you haven't prayed to God, you've been praying to yourself? Could it be that you haven't seen the thing that you're believing for because God is calling you to step out of your comfort zone and look around and find somebody who needs God the same way you need a God? Could it be that we have God and so wrapped up in ourselves, that we have lost the eyes of Jesus and cannot see people the way that God sees people? I'm telling you, if you want to be able to see God do great and mighty things in your life, you gotta be able to start finding people to pray for. Listen, this Pharisee, he publicly prayed a smug prayer of moral superiority over an inferior tax collector. His prayer was full of pride, pretense and condemnation, no love, he only longed to feel good about himself and it makes me wonder, could it be that he became like that because all he ever did was pray for himself and not someone else? You know, the Bible says that one of the most humble men who ever walked the earth was Moses according to Numbers 12, verse three. And you want to know why Moses was the meekest to walk the earth because Moses on a regular basis would intercede for the people of Israel. He would intercede for them daily. He would intercede for others in Exodus 32 and Numbers 12 and Numbers 14 and Numbers 16, Moses interceded for Israel twice. Listen, regularly Moses would pray to God for others, gonna ask you a question. When was the last time you prayed for someone else? When was the last time you believed for someone else? When was the last time you prayed for one another? Listen, it's no coincidence that he was referred to as one of the most humble men to ever walk the earth. It's because when you prayed for one another, you grow in humility. And I believe that God is calling us to grow our humility. He's calling us to be able to grow in our meekness. He's calling us to be able to look at our fellow brother and sister and not look at them with smug, egocentric prayers, but being able to look at them with the love of Jesus knowing God, I know you can do for them what you did for me. If you healed me, you'll heal them. If you freed me, you'll free them. If you gave me peace, you will give them peace. I'm telling you, we gotta be people who pray for one another. Like let me end with this last quote by Pastor Max Luke, like Lucado, he once wrote this, you are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. You are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. Wait, so you're telling me, I'll never be more like Jesus, even if I preach? Yeah, I'm telling you, you'll never be more like Jesus until you pray for one another. The greatest display of your love to Jesus is being able to take time to find someone and pray with them and pray for them. And I believe that now more than ever God is calling your church to pray for one another. Give me a favor and stand on your feet. I'm gonna ask the worship team to come and join me up here. Three things that happen when you pray for one another. Number one, you do the work of Jesus. Number two, you lose any bitterness towards another person. Number three, you grow in humility. Like let me read to you this last verse, like media team, I'm sorry that I didn't give you this verse, but it's found in Luke chapter number 22, verse number 31 and 32. Watch this, this is Jesus talking. He says, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you "as we, but watch the words of Jesus. "But I have prayed for you. "Simon, that your faith may not fail." Do you know that Jesus is praying for you? Do you know that Jesus has prayed for you? Do you know that you're not in this battle by yourself? Do you know that you're not walking through life on your own? You've never been alone. You will never be alone. The God of heaven, He is alive and He has a name, and His name is Jesus and He loves you, He loves you, He loves you, He loves you, He's praying for you, He's believing in you, and He knows that you're gonna make it. In the last few moments before Jesus ascends to heaven, He looks at the leader of the early church after Jesus would go to heaven. He looks at Peter, and I can only imagine that convo Peter. Peter, listen to me. I'm going back to the Father. You're gonna be in charge of the church. You're gonna be the first pastor that they have, Peter. But I need you to get this. The enemy is asking to destroy you. The enemy is asking to have all of you. And I can only imagine Peter is hearing Jesus saying, "Jesus, what are you talking about?" What do you mean? He says, "Peter, listen, listen, listen." The enemy is asking to sift you like weak, but Peter, I've prayed for you. Peter, I have prayed for you. This is the only encounter that Jesus tells that to one of His disciples. He loved John, yes He did. He loved Matthew, yes He did. But Peter, He said this, "Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail, that your faith may not fail." And I tell you, Jesus is praying for you and me, even to this day that our faith would not fail, that our faith would withstand the storm, that our faith would see giants fall, that our faith would see walls be crushed, that our faith would see unity in the body of Christ, that our faith would see miracles break out, that our faith would see the windows of heaven open up over America and pour out the greatest revival that America has ever seen. God is praying, that our faith would not fail, that our faith would not fail. And I wanna ask you a question today as we get ready to be able to close out this service. And Pastor Scott's gonna take this in just a few minutes, but I wanna just take a few moments, to be able to ask you this friend, if you could be honest, has your faith failed you? Has your faith failed you? I'm not talking about if God failed you, God cannot fail you. If there's one thing God can't do is He can't fail you. He'll never show up late, He is always on time, He will always help you, He will always heal you, He will always encourage you, He will always strengthen you, He will always give you power to be able to attack the enemy, He will always give you authority over every scheme of the enemy, God cannot fail you. He cannot fail you, He will never fail you. Maybe you might have this idea that God has failed you, and I wanna clear it up for you today. God has not failed you, God will never fail you. God has never failed anybody, and He won't start with you. He didn't fail David, He didn't fail Abraham, He didn't fail Peter, He didn't fail Paul, and surely He won't fail you. God cannot fail. It's in His nature, it's in His nature, He loves us so much, He shows up when we need Him. He loves us so much that He shows up even when we don't deserve Him to show up. He loves you so much that He brought you to church this Sunday, not by accident, not by coincidence. He loves you so much that He brought you to church this day like this morning so that you could be able to be faced with an opportunity to be able to have your faith strengthened. Jesus told Peter, "I've prayed for you, I've prayed for you, "I've prayed that your faith would not fail you. "I've come to notice that many people, "it's not that God has failed them, "because that their faith has failed them. "They've lost faith because of the storm. "They've had their faith battered and crushed "because of what life has thrown at them "and the way that life has overwhelmed them. "But I'm telling you today, listen to me "and listen to me very clearly. "God is praying that your faith would not fail, "that today you will leave church with strong faith, "with bigger faith, with greater faith, "to be able to go out into your world "and change the world." But it starts by a church making a decision to pray for one another, to love one another, to believe with one another, to believe in one another. Listen, I've learned this. One pastor can't change all of America by himself. I've learned one Christian cannot change all of America by themselves. We need each other, we need each other to be able to come together and believe together and be able to say God like you did it in the days of Billy Graham. Do it again in our day and age. God like you did it in the days of Oral Roberts. Do it again in our day and age. I'm telling you, I believe that God is calling you and me, to be able to be closer together than we've ever been and to be able to pray for one another and believe in one another. I'm telling you Pastor Scott, he's praying for you. The pastoral team of this church, they're praying for you. And I'll tell you one more. Jesus, he's praying for you. He's praying for you, that your faith will not fail him. That's bowed in eyes, closed all over this room today. I wanna ask you a simple question. I can't leave this church service without making this invitation. I have to be able to ask you a question and make an invitation to every person who's here. Those of you who are on the floor and those of you who are in the balcony right now, listen to me very clearly. The question is this friend, are you at peace with God? Are you at peace with God today? Maybe you might say, Alex, why do you say it like that? What does that mean? Like, let me tell you why I say it like that. I say it like that because if you study history in the old days when nation would rise up against nation, the only way that the wars would end is when the people in charge came face to face with one another and made peace. Could it be that maybe your entire life, you've been at war with God? Could it be that your entire life, you've been fighting with God? You know that he's calling you. You know that he loves you. You know that he died for you and resurrected for you. But maybe life has done something to you that has made you believe otherwise. Friend, listen to me today. I've learned this. Never risk it with your salvation. Never risk it with your eternity. The Bible says that tomorrow is not promised. But right now is, right now is promised. Friend, are you at peace with God today? Are you at peace with God today? If you're not at peace with God, listen, I'm gonna make an opportunity in the next couple of seconds for you to be able to respond and say, God, I want peace with you. Jesus, come and be Lord and savior of my life. But I want you to be able to just take a few moments and think about that question, friend. Whoever you are this morning, wherever you are in this room, whether you're on the floor or in the balcony, friend, are you at peace with God? Maybe you might say, I'm not at peace with God, Alex. I'm not sure about my salvation. I'm not sure about my eternity. But how can I get sure of it? How can I have peace with God? The Bible makes it very clear. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord, they shall be saved. And then Romans says, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you will be saved. See, maybe you're not sure of your salvation right now, but I'm telling you, you can get sure of it right now by calling on Jesus. Call on Jesus and he'll help you. I know this to be true. It doesn't matter if you're the worst sinner in Harrison. It doesn't matter if you're the worst sinner in Arkansas. It doesn't matter if you're the worst sinner in all of America. If you call on Jesus, he will hear you, he will help you, he will heal you, he will free you, he will save you, he will love you, and he will transform you. But it starts with you calling on him. Wherever you are in this room right now, heads bowed and eyes closed. If you say, Alex, I'm not at peace with God, but I want peace with God this morning. I don't wanna leave church today without being at peace with God. If that's you and you want peace with God today, if you wanna accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, nobody is looking, I'm gonna ask you to do two things. Number one, if you want peace with God, if you wanna receive Jesus right now and right here, all I'm gonna ask you is number one, raise a hand up high. Raise a hand up high, God bless you, God bless you back there. Raise a hand up high, raise a hand up high, wherever you are on the floor or in the balcony, raise a hand up high. Don't be ashamed, don't be afraid. There is nothing to be ashamed about. There is nothing to be afraid about. All of us at one point are gonna be faced with this question because reality is this, eternity is coming for all of us. It's coming for all of us. God bless you back there, brother. Is there anybody else? Is there anybody else right before we pray? Come on and raise a hand up high. Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome. Here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna ask you to be able to repeat a prayer. After me, I call it the prayer of salvation. But what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna ask those of you that raise the hand to come and join me here at the altar. Come with your family. If you don't wanna come by yourself, believe your seat and come and meet me here at the altar. If you raise the hand for like prayer. I saw you, I saw you, there's nothing to be afraid about. There's nothing to be ashamed about. But come and join me here in the front. Those of you who raise the hand, wherever you are, just come and join me here in the front. Maybe you didn't even raise a hand, or you're like, man, I gotta be up there. Come and join me here at the front. Come, come, join me, come, come, come, come. Okay, all right, awesome. Well, let's say like this prayer together. It's the prayer of salvation. Many people, they call it the sinner's prayer, but I like to call it the prayer of salvation. Because I believe that by the time you finish praying this prayer, man, the Bible is gonna be very clear to what's gonna happen to you. The Bible says that you once, we're outside of the family of God, and because of the confession of your faith now, you're gonna be woven into the family of God. So we're gonna say this prayer of salvation, and then I'm gonna be done, and I'm gonna pass it on over to Pastor Scott. With every head about and every eye closed, I want all of us to repeat this prayer together. To be sure today, before we leave this church service, wherever you are, just repeat this simple prayer. After me, all of you together, as a family, just simply say, "Jesus, come into my heart, "forgive me of my sins, wash me of my sins, "I give you my life, cover me with grace, "with favor and with mercy, "and fill me with your spirit. "For now, and forevermore, in Jesus' name. "A Father, I pray for every person who is here, "under the sound of my voice, "every person who's here on the floor, "every person who's in the balcony. "Father, I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, "that today your hand would come upon every person. "I pray that Father, whatever the enemy has thrown their way, "I pray that Lord in the mighty name of Jesus, "turn it around, right now in Jesus' name. "I command every scheme of the enemy, "every attack of the enemy to be broken in Jesus' name. "I command every body to be healed in the name of Jesus. "Read every body of every disease, "of every sickness and every infirmity. "I pray Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, "may your grace come upon every person, "may the blessing of heaven come upon every person. "And Father, I thank you that Lord, "they're not going down, they're going up. "I thank you that Lord, something good is headed their way. "I thank you that Lord, you are for them, "and never against them. "I thank you that they are the head and not the tail. "They are above and not beneath. "They are blessed in the city, blessed in the field, "blessed in their coming and blessed in their going. "So Father, I pray in Jesus' name, "everything that they haven't seen from January to September. "I pray that in October, November, and December, "may every answer be released in Jesus' name, "may miracles be released, may signs and wonders be released, "may breakthroughs take place, "and may turn arounds take place. "Father, I bless this church, "and I bless these people in the mighty name of Jesus. "Come on, do you believe that? "And receive that? "Come on and give Jesus some praise on this Sunday morning. "Come on and give them your best praise today. "God bless you, Harrison Faith. "Thank you for having me." (audience applauding) - Thank you, Pastor Alex. Edified us, poured into us, encouraged us. I think the thing that really hit me the most was if we're unwilling to pray for people, how we really forgiven them. And we really let them go. If we can't pray, then we've not forgiven them. In fact, you're struggling with that. Ask yourself, how do I forgive people? What they've done to me, you start with prayer. You start with prayer. Thank you again, Pastor Alex. I appreciate all that you've done this morning. So don't forget, as we leave out of here, two to four p.m., remember if I could be a tyrant, I would dictate your attendance at JBQ, because I know how important it is for your kids to survive the onslaught of the enemy's doctrines and theology about who the Lord is not. So if you've got kids, please come from two to four p.m. We love you. Thank you for being here. And let me just say this. Yes, next week, I will be preaching. I promise you, I'm not taking a high 80's. In fact, let me just ask for prayer. The next three weeks, I'm gonna be preaching about the direction of our country. I need you to be praying for Scott Brandon, okay? And I also need you to be praying that the Lord will open your heart and our minds to hear what the spiritual direction, not the political direction of our country is. And so I ask that you pray for me the next week. Love you guys, you just missed. Have a great afternoon. (clapping)