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Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000062S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:05 Sermon #S033 - "Let It Go" - (Part 1) 00:20 Pastor Snell. Exodus chapter 14, and we're going to begin together at verse number one. 00:25 When you get there, say, pastor, I'm here. 00:27 [Congregation: Pastor I'm here.] 00:28 Exodus chapter 14 and verse number one. The Bible says, 00:34 now the Lord spoke to Moses saying speak to the children of Israel that they may turn 00:41 and camp before Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the sea opposite of Baal Zephon. 00:49 And you shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 00:56 they are bewildered by the land, the wilderness has closed them in. Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will 01:05 pursue them and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over his army that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. 01:15 And they did so. And now it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled and the heart of Pharaoh 01:23 and his servants was turned against the people. And they said, 01:27 why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us? 01:31 So he made ready his chariot and took the people with him. 01:36 Also, he took 600 choice chariots and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 01:43 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 01:47 And he pursued the children of Israel and the children of Israel went out with boldness today, saints, 01:57 for a little while I want to talk to you under the subject, let it go. Turn to your neighbor real quick. 02:04 Say stop holding on. 02:06 [Congregation: Stop holding on.] 02:07 Pastor Snell: Just let it go. 02:09 [Congregation: Just let it go.] 02:10 Pastor Snell: Turn to the other neighbor say don't hold on too tight. 02:12 [Congregation: Don't hold on too tight.] 02:13 Pastor Snell: Just let it, 02:16 [Congregation: Just let it,] 02:17 Pastor Snell: Just let him, 02:19 [Congregation: Just let him.] 02:20 Pastor Snell: Just let her. 02:22 [Congregation: Just let her.] 02:25 Just let them. Yo y'all might quiet. Just let it go. Just let it go. let's look to the Lord together. 02:31 Father we need a special anointing today. 02:41 [Congregation: Yes], 02:43 I'm praying that faith would be multiplied 02:49 because some still don't even have the resolve to believe that they're on the verge of something. 02:56 So Lord, may we study your word more than we study our circumstance. And so Father, 03:03 I'm praying today, Lord, that whatever is binding, whatever is yorking, whatever is fastening itself to our hearts today, 03:12 Lord would you lose us? But more than that, would you teach us to lose it? 03:20 So hide me in the shadows of the cross that Jesus alone might be seen, that Christ alone will be heard. 03:26 And at the end of our time together, may Jesus alone be praised. We ask this in the name of him who is altogether lovely. 03:33 It is in the name of Jesus that we pray. Let God's people say together, Amen and Amen. 03:40 You may be seated in the house of the Lord. Again, talking to you under the subject today, let it go. 03:50 In our text today we have two entities that need to learn the blessing of release. 04:04 We have Pharaoh who refuses to let go of the children of Israel 04:11 and we have the children of Israel who in many ways refuse to let go of their time in Egypt. 04:19 And it's amazing because Pharaoh loses everything that he has trying to hold on to them. 04:25 And in the wilderness they suffer the chastening of God, trying to hold on to the time in Egypt. 04:32 And the truth is that they would actually be better off without each other. In other words, they would prosper individually, 04:41 but they are cursed when they try to bring it back together. 04:45 And can we agree that there comes a time when certain partnerships get to a place where we're better off without each other? 04:54 Sometimes, young people, you're better off just being friends. Sometimes on the job, 05:00 it's better to be coworkers instead of trying to be buddies.There are certain friendships that need to be repaired 05:07 but there are some that just need to be let go and you learn to keep it moving. 05:13 But the larger motif is that both suffer because they're trying to hold on when the blessing is actually in letting go. 05:22 For some of us, like Israel, when you are on the verge of something new, 05:28 you won't be able to embrace it until you let go of what is old. And there are some that need to let go of some form or hurt. 05:38 There are some that need to let go of the way it was. 05:41 There are some that need to let go of our bitterness. There are some that need to let go of unfruitful habits. 05:49 There are some that need to let go of the sketch you had in your head. And I need somebody to understand that for this year, 05:57 the blessing is not going to be in what you restore, collect or rebuild. But for some, 06:03 the blessing is going to be in what you release and let go of. And can I say, today saints, 06:09 that when you are on the verge of something in order to sense God's new thing, 06:14 you've got to be able to recognize where God is moving right now. Can you say amen? 06:20 And so go back with me if you don't mind to Exodus chapter 14 and verse number three, 06:26 as we unpack today's word together. Exodus 14 in verse three. When you get there, let me hear you say amen, 06:32 [Congregation: Amen] 06:34 Here God speaking to Moses says this, for Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 06:40 they are bewildered by the land and the wilderness has closed them in. In other words, friends, I need you to get that. 06:50 Today's message has some critical lessons about how to maneuver in seasons of transition. 06:57 But the first thing it teaches friends is that when you are on the verge of something, 07:04 you ought to be prepared to be underestimated. Let me say it again. 07:09 That when you're on the verge of something, you ought to prepare to be underestimated. 07:14 Now, I'm not sure if you notice that what we just read was not a quote from Pharaoh. 07:21 It was actually God giving insight about Pharaoh's mentality toward the people of God. 07:29 In other words, Pharaoh would operate under the assumption that Israel would not have the skill or the competence 07:37 or the savvy to be able to survive on the road they were about to take. In other words, they impart underestimate them 07:47 and they underestimate God, which is what compels them to go and pursue God's people. In other words, 07:55 Pharaoh doesn't endorse their progress. He's not confident about their chances. 08:02 He literally believes that the journey is too big for them. 08:06 And low-key Pharaoh thinks that if they don't just turn around and go home, 08:12 he's just going to get in the chariots and recollect them and bring them back. 08:17 And God's word to Moses in this moment is that you've got to prepare to be underestimated. 08:25 And God's word and warning to the church today is don't expect endorsement from your former associations. 08:34 [Congregation: Amen.] 08:36 In other words, this is the rainbow word for somebody today because the reason that some get stuck on the verge 08:42 or we get talked out of being on the verge is we think that our movement is contingent upon the endorsement of certain people. 08:52 In other words, for some, the proof that we're on the verge of something is a statement of confidence from this person. 09:00 It is an endorsement from that group. It is convictions from that individual. 09:06 And God is saying to somebody on the front end of this year's journey that you should be prepared to be underestimated, 09:16 especially by those who know you the best. 09:20 And see this is why friends Jesus said that a prophet would be without honor in his own country and even in his own house 09:30 because there is something about when folk get familiar with you that they can see your flaws 09:37 but they can't see your potential. 09:40 They get so used to seeing how what you do that they can't see what God is doing in you. 09:46 And that's why when somebody makes it big and somebody breaks ground, 09:51 the most surprised folk are actually the ones that are around them every day. 09:57 And under words that like Pharaoh, some are going underestimate, they're going to think the road you are on is too big. 10:05 They're going to think that you are being unrealistic. They're going to think that you are not counting the cause. 10:11 They're actually sitting back and waiting for you to fail. They don't think that you know what you are doing. 10:17 And the reason this is critical is because there are some that allowed themselves to be talked off of the verge 10:25 because we hold people's opinions too highly. In other words, I need you to get that Pharaoh ruled over them with whip 10:35 and with chain. 10:37 But there are some contemporary pharaohs that rule over you with opinion endorsement and perception. 10:45 Y'all mighty quiet today. 10:47 You, see friends of mine. I want you to be clear that it's good to seek godly counsel. 10:52 It is critical to have a spiritual sounding board, 10:56 but you'll never ever get off of the verge if you put people's opinion above God's purposes. 11:04 In other words, you will never have any peace. 11:08 You'll never have any freedom you will never be able to overcome until you get to a place where you don't care what other folk 11:17 have to say about what God has for you. And see, let me be clear that the crime is not that they have a strong opinion. 11:29 The crime is that you've become beholden to it. The crime is the amount of weight 11:35 or stock that you put into what they have to say. 11:39 In fact, the truth is there are some of us today that our perception even of ourselves is just a compilation of other people's 11:50 opinions. In other words, there are some students that don't think they can pass the class unless somebody says they're 11:57 able to pass it. There are some that don't think that we are good looking unless somebody says it. 12:05 There are some that repeat certain behaviors on Facebook because that's the one that got the most likes last time. 12:12 In fact, what some believe about church is based upon what they heard somebody say on Facebook. 12:19 In fact, some hate some people not because they've done something to you but you are taking on somebody's anger 12:27 and carrying out somebody else's rage. 12:30 And see the problem of allowing other people's opinion to make you is that if their opinion can make you, then guess what? 12:39 Their opinion can break you. And see my word to somebody today is to not allow somebody's opinion to overwhelm and define you. 12:50 Are y'all hearing the pastor today? In fact, friends, 12:53 I'll tell you that a part of my job is dealing with people that have an inflated view of how much their opinion should matter 13:02 to me. In fact, you would be surprised how many folk just really believe that I ought to adjust to everything they suggest 13:12 and do. 13:13 And let me be clear that my goal is not to get to a place where I don't care what anybody thinks 13:19 because that's not realistic. I just can't allow what they think to ultimately supplant God's purposes. 13:26 Are y'all hearing me today? In other words, young folk don't sit around and wait for somebody to tell you that you're cute. 13:33 You ought wake up like David and say, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You ought to say like Ephesians 2, 13:41 that I am God's masterpiece. Don't wait on somebody to tell you that you are smart. James says "if any man lack wisdom, 13:49 let them ask of God who gives to all men freely." Don't wait for somebody else to tell you you can do it. 13:56 Philippians says I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength. 14:02 Stop waiting on somebody to say I've got your back. 14:06 The Bible says, no weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper. And every tongue that rises in judgment, 14:14 God will condemn stop waiting on them to tell you that God has a plan for you. 14:19 God already said I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. 14:28 Plans to give you a future and a hope. 14:30 And what I'm saying to the church today is never allow their opinion to supplant God's purposes. 14:37 Okay? It's crazy Malcolm, I remember a few years back, 14:42 there was somebody who kind of called themselves telling me off about some things that I should do. 14:48 And, it's crazy because I think they could sense that I wasn't really taking it to heart like they wanted. 14:53 And they said, well pastor, are you processing what I'm saying? 14:56 I said, no, I'm not processing it. Cause we don't bank at the same location. What? What do you mean pastor? 15:04 You know how it is when somebody writes you a check. If they don't bank at the same bank you bank at, then guess what? 15:12 It can't process right away. It's going to take 48 hours in order for it to go through. 15:17 But if we bank at the same location, then I can receive the deposit right away. 15:23 In other words, if I'm banking with Jehovah and you not banking with him, I'm not trying to process your deposit. 15:32 It'll take a few days and maybe I'll get back with you. Are you hearing me today? 15:39 And see friends of mine I want somebody to get this that that part of his underestimation of them actually has to do with an 15:52 overinflation of himself. 15:56 In other words, the reason he thinks they can't make it is Pharaoh actually believes they can't make it without him. 16:06 In other words, remember they don't just have gods in Egypt. 16:09 The belief was that Pharaoh himself was a God that he was the rising and setting sun. 16:16 And see, just like the nature of any abusive relationship, Pharaoh has abused them and he's made them dependent upon him. 16:25 And he's operating under the assumption that I have fed them and I have housed them. 16:31 In fact, Pharaoh doesn't even believe that they should want to leave Egypt. 16:36 In fact, he's mad at Moses because he thinks Moses has agitated folk who are happy like it was. 16:44 But see, there's some folk friends that will confuse their role in your life. 16:50 Are y'all hearing me today? See, sometimes temporarily God will use some people as a conduit 16:57 and sometimes they begin thinking they are your source. 17:01 In other words, sometimes God uses them temporarily and he sends employment through them 17:09 and he sends friendship through them and he says companionship through them. 17:14 And because it comes through them, they begin to think it comes from them. 17:19 And they think that if they will hold it, that you can't make it without them. 17:25 Are y'all here in the pastor today? And see, remember, God's in stated purpose for bringing them out of Egypt. 17:32 He says, I need you to let them go so that they can come out and sacrifice unto me and worship me. 17:39 In other words, I want them to know who their source actually is. 17:44 And he's trying to let Pharaoh know that they were a people before Egypt and they'll be a people after Egypt. 17:54 Y'all didn't get that. He's saying they were okay before they met you and they going to be okay after you, 18:01 y'all not with me today. 18:02 And see, I need you to know the reason you are not going to be endorsed by all, 18:07 some of your former associations is they believe that their opinions have shaped you. 18:12 They believe that their favors have sustained you. 18:15 They believe that their companionship defines you and they believe that you owe some allegiances 18:22 and that you can't make it without them. 18:25 But how many of us know that a part of your 2023 journey is to come to the place where you realize you can make it without 18:34 them and they realize that you can move on with your life? 18:39 And see, God is saying just as he said to Pharaoh that they were mine before they went to Egypt 18:46 and their mine after they leave Egypt. And God's word to somebody today is that God was with you before you got the job. 18:56 And God will take care of you after you leave the job. 18:59 In other words, you are special before you became they, friend. And you'll be all right once they start throwing you shade. 19:07 You was a good man before she broke up with you. And guess what, you going to be straight even after she's gone. 19:14 And God's word to somebody today, is stop looking over your shoulder. Don't look back from where you came. 19:22 Don't go back to yesterday because God is going to keep you in the days and months to come. 19:29 Are y'all hearing the word today? 19:31 And see, this is why some of us cannot be so nervous about changing friend circles 19:37 or changing romantic circles because how many of us know that sometimes God even strengthens you with a break? 19:44 [Congregation: Yes.] 19:46 Okay. Can I talk to the doctors? 19:48 Anybody ever kind of heard the old saying that sometimes a bone gets stronger after it breaks? In other words, 19:55 what happens when a bone breaks they callous forms and when it's mending, 20:00 the body will send extra deposits of calcium so that at the breakpoint is stronger than before it got broken. 20:09 Y'all not hearing the pastor today. In other words, God is trying to break some things in your life, 20:15 but the break isn't going to make you weaker. 20:18 God is going to send some deposits your way so that you going to come out stronger than the way you went into that thing. 20:27 Are y'all hearing me today friends? The word says to us here in verse number four, the Bible says here in verse four. 20:38 So then the Bible says, I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them and I will gain honor over Pharaoh 20:45 and over all his army that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. In other words, friends, 20:52 the second thing I need you to understand today, friends, is that your trials don't define you. 21:02 Your trials just reveal you. 21:07 [Congregation: Yes] 21:09 Now this text on a surface reading, it bothers the mind 21:15 because it actually looks like God tempers with the agency of free will and violates Pharaoh's conscious 21:25 and wheels evil out of him so that he can bring destruction upon him. 21:32 And see there are some of us that hold a Calvinist view of God that suggests in part that we are not totally free, 21:39 but that God dictates the constructs of the heart. 21:43 There are some that literally believe that God wheels for some to be lost and is God that wheels for others to be saved. 21:51 There are some that literally believe that God willed for Judas to betray Jesus 21:57 and that God willed Pharaoh into being just to destroy him in this season. 22:03 But how many of us know that none of us were born just to be destroyed? See, y'all not here with me yet. 22:11 But see, I need you to know it goes that ideology against the very character of God. 22:17 Because remember in John 3:16, can I give you some Bible today that John 3:16 says, for God, 22:23 so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes would not perish but have everlasting life. 22:33 Remember in 1'st John 1:5 the Bible says that God is light. And in him there is no darkness at all. 22:42 Remember James 1 says that when you are tempted, don't say that I was tempted by God because God cannot be tempted with evil, 22:52 nor does God tempt any man. In other words, 22:56 I need you to understand that the one area where God never trespasses is he never trespasses with conscious or free will. 23:06 [Congregation: Amen] 23:08 So the word here for harden in the Hebrew, it is the word kazak, which literally means to firm or to stiffen, 23:16 or in one definition it means to reveal. Okay? So when God says I'm going to harden Pharaoh's heart, Marie, 23:27 he is not speaking to intent. He's describing to Moses what the result is going to be, 23:34 based upon the appeals of his spirit to his heart. Are y'all with me today? In other words, 23:40 he's saying to Moses that I'm going to send my spirit to make appeals to Pharaoh, 23:45 but because of the substance that his heart contains, my appeals are actually going to harden him. 23:54 And what he is saying to Moses is don't prepare for a truce. 23:58 Don't prepare for a white flag that even my appeal of love is going to show up in a hard heart. 24:06 And he's going to refuse to let the people go, are y'all with me today? 24:11 Because see, I need you to know that God never forced the will, but God only appeals to the will in loving kindness. 24:19 The scripture says, have I drummed the, in fact, when you read Psalm 95, 24:23 I need you to know that God does not harden the heart. God said to Israel as it is said today, 24:29 if you hear my voice harden not your heart. 24:34 So I need you to understand that so many of the outcomes don't necessarily reflect God's plan. 24:41 It actually reflects the content of your spirit. In other words, the same way I put ice on this hot tray, 24:51 I need you to know that the same heat melts the ice, but that same heat hardens clay. 25:01 [Congregation: Amen.] 25:05 In other words, it's the same stimuli, but it is the content that determines what happens to it. 25:13 And what I'm saying is that a sanctified heart gets melted by the appeals of the spirit, 25:20 but an unconverted heart literally becomes hardened by the appeal of the spirit. 25:25 And so that's why in the same service, the spirit can be moving in this service 25:31 and moving in this preacher and somebody's getting happy and somebody's watching their clock. 25:37 And it ain't got nothing to do with me. It's about what's happening inside of you. 25:41 It's why some will come down for the appeal and some will act like God ain't said nothing to them. 25:48 It's because of what's happening inside of you. There are some whose faith is going to reach another level 25:54 and some's faith is going stay on the same plane because of what's happening inside of you. 26:00 And what I'm saying to somebody today is, Lord, 26:03 make me like ice instead of being like clay so that I can be molded by the dictates of your spirit. 26:12 Thank you so much for joining us for the Breath of Life Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell! 26:20 We hope and pray that you have been blessed by this second message in the sermon series entitled “On The Verge of Something.” 26:29 Join us next week for Part Two of the message entitled “Let it Go.” You don't want to miss it! 26:36 Depending on where you are in life, there are many things that represent hope. 26:40 In the Bible, a dove or an olive branch are seen as symbols of hope. 26:46 If you plant something in the ground and it begins to sprout, 26:49 that tiny green leaf peeking above the soil can be seen as a symbol of hope. 26:54 But I must confess that one of the greatest symbols of hope is the cross. While some may see the cross as a symbol of death, 27:03 I know that I'm hopeful. When I think about the cross where our Jesus died. Friends, when I see the cross, 27:11 I know that my present circumstances are not permanent ones. When I see the cross, 27:16 I know that no matter how crazy the world may be, there is a promise that I can look forward to when I see the cross. 27:23 I know that Christ, return is sure. This Easter Sunday. Join us as we talk about a living hope, the son of God. 27:32 NBC in collaboration with the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission will present an Easter special entitled A Living Hope, 27:42 featuring Grammy Award-winning gospel artist C.C. Winans, along with Dove Award-winning artists, 27:48 Selah and violinist Patrick Bogie. And I'll share a message of hope. 27:53 Tune in for some good music and encouraging work and the promise of a living hope. 28:10 (Breath of Life Theme Music) 28:33 [End] |
Revised 2023-03-30