Gary Morgan 05/14/2017 1st Service
This is the first time I’ve come and the Lord’s really given me the word before I got here. I feel like today the Lord wants me to speak into a particular area. And you’ll have to forgive me today because I’ve got the ingredients but I don’t know where we’re going to end up. Is that okay? And so if you allow me today to just open my heart, and just follow the Lord in what He wants to release. Amen?
I believe that guys, you are in such a phenomenal season right now, but I feel like the Lord wants to encourage you to have an upgrade in thinking, have an upgrade in belief, have an upgrade in outlook and an upgrade in perspective. And a lot of times when God invites, you see the amazing thing about the Kingdom is the Kingdom isn’t an instruction, it’s an invitation. And when God invites us into something, He’s inviting us to go on a journey. But this is the amazing thing - whenever God invites us or whenever God wants to reveal something to us, the prophetic shows up. And you see, the word shows up and this is the amazing thing. We feel like we’re in a season of Okay God we’re entering into this. The prophetic shows up and prophesies these amazing things and it’s like the next day the opposite happens. Lord, really? It’s like the Lord says I’m going to bless you, I’m going to like…everything’s going to be overflowing. And the next day you put your card in the ATM and it’s like oh right. Where did that go?
You see the prophetic isn’t there to reveal to you what can be, it’s revealing to you what is. The question you’ve got to ask is what reality are you believing? And I want to say to us is by the end of this meeting, you’re going to get comfortable with how awesome you are. Because the issue is, the prophetic is saying one thing but we’re believing something else. Therefore, there’s no agreement. Therefore nothing can be established. Am I speaking to somebody?
And so God is wanting to release us into a place where our attitude is in the place of agreement with what the Lord really wants to release us in. And so I want us if we can let’s make this meeting legal and turn to the book of 1 Samuel 9. And one of the things we read here, this is probably one of my favorite parts of Scripture.
Because before Tobias was born, you know, we had all the prophets tell us we were having a girl. And you see how you can receive the word, but the opposite happens? And so I remember the night before the scan, I go into a dream and I’m before the Father and the Lord asks me “What is your son’s name?” And I said “Tobias John.” And He said “Don’t forget Samuel.” And I woke up and turned to Sarah and said I think we’re having a boy. And she said well we’ll find out today. And so we went to the scan and they did the whole gel and everything. And all of a sudden, you know you didn’t need them to tell us, you could clearly see..Bless the Lord. And so they were like congratulations you’re having a boy.
And all of a sudden it’s like time stood still. And I’m like God, what about all that was said? And I realized in that moment God wanted us to not only trust in what He said but to trust in what He was saying. You know I could have pulled out some major stones and stoned, but it wasn’t about that. It was about trust. You see, a lot of us think when it comes to prophetic words the currency we transact on is faith. But it’s not, it’s trust. Every time the Lord speaks, He’s not inviting us to faith, He’s inviting us to trust. And a lot of times when the Lord speaks over us, we think fulfillment equals another f which is faith. Lord if only I had enough faith I could fulfill. No - trust.
You see one of the things I realized - if life, if the enemy, or if God throws me off a cliff, only 2 things can happen. Either God’s going to catch me or He’s going to teach me to fly. And so when God speaks over you it’s that place of transacting with Him in trust. And so all of a sudden, we can find ourselves in life, this is what happens in life - God is setting us up for upgrades all the time. God is setting us up for increase all the time. You see, Bill Johnson’s latest book God is Good. That is the benchmark, that is the beginning place of everything God wants to do in our life. God is good. Period. Yeah? God is good. Period. And so from that place, God’s wanting us to realize that everything that happens in our life is for upgrade.
One of the things the Lord said to me in coming here is He said Gary I want you to release this message that your greatest anxiety is actually a set up for your greatest assignment. And so we find this in the book of Samuel where Saul loses his donkeys. Donkeys are lost. His father’s donkeys. Donkeys…what does that speak to me? That speaks to me of stewardship. And so all of a sudden in the midst of stewardship, these things are lost. They’re gone. They’ve disappeared. And all of a sudden, word comes to Saul - Hey there’s a prophet in town. He’s respected by everyone. Everything he says comes to pass. Why don’t you go and see him?
And so on the way to going to see him, Saul asks this question. Well, we can’t go empty handed. We’ve got to release something. And you see this is the amazing thing we have to understand. That in the midst of our prophetic, in the midst of our destiny, we can’t hold on. We’ve got to open up. And this is what happens in the midst of anxiety or in the midst of trouble, we do this [clenches fists]. When things don’t seem to be going right, we clam. You know, we tighten up on our giving, we tighten up on our relationships. You see, the Lord never wants us to tighten up. Most of us want to give up. The Lord wants us to give in. And this is what happens. We clam up. We do this [clenches fists]. And this is what Saul is saying - Hey we’re going to go and something’s going to open up. Therefore we need to open up.
I want to encourage you today in the greatest place of your anxiety, you will find the greatest place of your assignment. And all of a sudden, they find Samuel. And the Lord had already spoken to Samuel because Saul wasn’t just a donkey herder. He was going to be the future king of Israel. And all of a sudden we find it. And I’m paraphrasing here without reading, Samuel comes up to Saul and says “Hey guess what, you’re going to be king.” And Saul’s response is “I don’t care, where’s my donkeys?” “Buddy, you’re going to be king.” “Oh well, but where’s my donkeys?” His anxiety was what he didn’t have. God’s assignment was with who he was going to be.
You see most of us are sometimes concerned with what we don’t have instead of who God is calling us to be. You see God’s relationship also releases God’s resource. And a lot of times we connect with God in our having instead of our being. And God wants to open something up that our anxiety is not just the pinpoint for our assignment, it’s the pinpoint for our upgrade. Can I suggest to us today that the greatest place of your anxiety is actually a clue to the greatest place of your assignment.
And a lot of times the reason we get anxious, the reason we get to the place of Lord I’m not sure what You’re doing is because we don’t know the plan. I’m married to a shaper. What’s the plan? I don’t know. I think the worst thing is to have an influencer married to a shaper or a contemplator because it’s like I’m like ready for anything. As you can tell, I’m a high responder contemplator. No I’m not. I’m like a 90 something influencer. And so married to Sarah, it’s like I’m ready for anything. But someone needs a plan. And this is thing where trust comes in, the currency of trust. Because when the Lord wants to upgrade you, He doesn’t always reveal to you where He’s upgrading you to. And sometimes we don’t have context of what He’s upgrading us to because we’re so consumed by where we currently are. This is why the Lord needs to upgrade our thinking, our belief system. Let me say it like this for the altitude you need the attitude. And if the Lord is increasing you into a space but you have the same thinking. You see this is what I believe. You know the Bible says - Do not be conformed to the this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And I believe that, but I believe we need to go one step further because God doesn’t just want to renew our minds, He wants to renew our hearts. And the danger comes if we have a renewed mind without a renewed heart, we’ve got conflict. You see, our mind is what we believe here [points to head and then out], our heart is what we believe here [points to chest]. And God doesn’t want us to have conflict.
And so I believe the Lord is taking you into an amazing season of seeing upgrades and seeing increase. And you’re like yeah Gary we keep hearing that. I want to tell you right now - Get ready. Because in a moment God could shift things. And the thing is isn’t not about getting ready, it’s about being ready. And a lot of times, we think we need to get ready, but God wants us to be ready. You see when these things happen, when increase happens, we can be more focused on our anxiety instead of on our assignment. And our anxiety continually presents itself.
But I want to tell you something right now. God wants us to get out of a place of seeing these manifestations as enemies. They’re actually opportunities. You see anxiety can be an obstacle to you or it can be an opportunity for you to step into a place of increase. You see, the question is if God’s calling me to a higher place - is it a boulder? A blockage? Or is it actually an opportunity to step up? You see, a boulder can be a blockage for there [points ahead], but is actually an opportunity for there [points up]. You see, our position determines our perspective. Let me say it like this, for the one who flys, the sky is always blue. And so a lot of times, we get anxious. We get fearful. Can I actually permission you today to realize that some of these manifestations are not demonic? They’re just a natural response to a supernatural invitation. And a lot of times, here my heart guys, I am a full believer in ministry. I am a full believer in inner healing. I’m a product of it. But a lot of times when we get anxious, when we get fearful we run to ministry instead of mandate. We think we have to medicate it instead of actually using it as an opportunity to step into the upgrade God wants us. Gary - I’m hearing some evangelicals amongst us - I need scripture and a verse for that. John 14:1. Jesus was wanting to reveal to them the assignment of habitation. Not just in heavenly places but on earth. How does He open the Scripture? John 14:1 - Let not your heart be troubled. You see whenever you are about to enter into an increase, there’s a troubling of heart happens. Whenever you are about to enter into an expansion, there’s a troubling of heart happens. Let’s go back to the beginning of the Gospels. When the supernatural invaded the natural, what’s the first thing the angels said to the shepherds, to Mary, to Elizabeth, to Zacharias? Fear not! But Gary, fear is demonic. No it’s not. It can be demonic, but fear is a natural response to a supernatural invitation. Don’t be distracted by fear. Be invited into faith. Be invited into trust.
And so all of a sudden, because we can’t work it out, because we don’t understand the process, we get anxious. How many people suffer with anxiety here? Let me ask again. How many people suffer with anxiety? And I”m putting my hand up because I do. If I don’t fully know what’s happening, I get anxious. But I want to tell you right now, that can either distract you or it can destine you. And sometimes in the place of not knowing, in the place of not knowing what God is doing in us and through us. We begin to get anxious. Therefore when we get anxious we begin to get disappointed. We begin to fear. And then that can lead to offense.
I didn’t want to go here, but I’m going to. You see this is what happens in the place of expansion. A lot of us respond differently. You see, bungee jumping. I have a friend who’s crazy. He’ll jump off anything, but I won’t. And you see, where we are entering into, or what’s about to happen, everyone has a different response. But we can’t write off another person’s response because it’s different to ours. You see what can be adrenaline to one can be anxiety to another. But we have to realize we’re both going in the same direction.
And so this is what happens. Let me encourage you…this is what happens when expansion and increase begins to happen. We all begin to have different responses. Now the thing is we have to validate them responses because they’re real. Am I saying the responses are wrong? No I’m not. Am I saying the responses are right? No I’m not. I’m just saying we can only manage ourselves, but when something presents itself, we have a response to it. Everyone has a response.
I had a friend in school. There’s 2 things. He was afraid of clowns and he was afraid of banana skins. His mother used to punish him by putting him in a room and putting a banana skin on the doorknob. And I’m like are you crazy dude? Why banana skins and clowns? He said I don’t know, I just have a fear of them. Guess what he’s doing now? He works in the flippin’ circus. Why? Because he realized at some point in his life, his greatest fear, anxiety was actually the invitation to his greatest purpose. You see, what you are afraid of right now is actually an indication of what the Lord wants to take you into.
Bible says in Philippians 4:6 - Be anxious for nothing but with everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests be made known to God and the God of peace who surpasses all understanding. You see sometimes to step into His purpose, you’ve got to give up your understanding. He will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Why? Because that is the 2 places of greatest conflict. You see, a lot of us are trying to protect our environments but we’re not protecting our hearts and our minds. Yeah?
And so when things begin to happen, when anxiety raises up, now let’s go back to Saul. His anxiety was he’s lost the donkeys. And all of a sudden, he’s in this anxious place of what’s going to happen to the donkeys. You see, this is the amazing thing. He’s looking at donkeys. Samuel’s looking at destiny. If he was to step into his destiny, it’s like oh my gosh. I don’t know where I’ve parked my car. Let’s consult the prophet. And you go up to the prophet and say Hey I’ve lost my car. And he’s like ah wow. I don’t care about your car. The Lord’s going to bless you with a billion dollars. Yeah, but I’ve lost my car. Oh but this time tomorrow you’ll have a billion dollars. Yeah, but I’ve lost my car. Who cares where your car is when you’ve got a billion dollars? Am I putting it into perspective for you? You see this is the issue. We present our anxiety. We present our concern, but God is presenting His covenant. We present our inability, but God is presenting His ability. We’re presenting our lack, but God is presenting His abundance. How many of us are transacting with God based on our lack instead of His worth? How many of us are transacting with God based on who we’re not instead of who He is? Lord You called me to that? You’re crazy! I can’t do that, but no, He can. If I can do all things through Christ, then Christ can do all things through me. Am I speaking to somebody?…
The question I want to ask you guys today is what is God doing in your life, what is God positioning in your life for your upgrade that you’re anxious about right now? Is it a relationship that’s just ended? Is it a relationship that’s just started? Is it a new place you’ve just moved? What are you anxious about right now because whatever you are anxious about is actually the place of your greatest increase. And this is what begins to happen. When we step into a place of wanting to recognize and realize that God is actually wanting to bring us into our greatest place for our greatest purpose. You see, what God wants to do to you, He also wants to do through you. And you can be anxious right now. And you could feel like God it’s like I’m being demoted. It’s like I’m put on the side. I want to tell you it’s for your greatest increase, because you’re looking for donkeys. God’s looking for destiny. You think you’re going to be in a field, God’s positioned you for a palace.
I want to say over this house right now that you’re stepping into, and I know this in the natural, that you’re stepping into this Project Wow. Why is it called Project Wow? Because I’ll tell you right now. 18 months and 3 years from now, everyone will be going “WOW.” “WOW!” “WOW, WOW, WOW” What was our greatest anxiety has now become our best assignment. What we thought was our downfall, God’s actually got us for our upgrade. And this is where our thinking needs to go. God, who do you want me to be in this season that I couldn’t be in my last because you’re posturing me for greater things?
And many of you here right now, I feel in the Spirit, the Lord wants to take off, you see this is what happens. Most of us are used to prisons instead of palaces. And most of us feel restricted by God. Most of us feel like God I’m in a constrained place. How many people feel that right now, they’re like this [arms clenched]. You know I want to tell you why. It’s because you’ve got vision, friend. The Bible says they who have no vision cast off restraint. Therefore if I have vision, what do I have? I have restraint. And a lot of people equals this [clenching] to something being wrong. Constraint and restraint doesn’t mean something’s wrong. It means something’s happening. And if you feel like this right now [clenching], God’s doing the work. But it’s the transaction of trust the Lord wants you to do….
Guys, I want to say this over Grace Center. God is releasing demonstration and testimony through you in this season. That it’s not what you will see, it’s what other people will hear as well. And sometimes we get anxious about well what are people seeing, what are people hearing? When God wants to take you into increase, I couldn't give a stuff what people think and I couldn’t give a stuff what people see because God’s got us in a season of increase. And the last time I checked, increase doesn’t look pretty. We were two once. Me and Sarah. Then God decided to add a third. That wasn’t pretty. I don’t know if anyone’s been in a nice birth where it’s like ahhh look there’s something coming out. Oh let’s just put on some beautiful music…you’ve got like Mozart going on and it’s like everything’s lovely you know. It’s like CSI. It’s a crime scene. You know I was there at my son’s birth and I’m seeing all these yellow numbers you know they put everywhere to see where everything was. I’m seeing all the numbers everywhere and I’m like God. It’s like a crime scene. Because when God wants to birth something it ain’t pretty. And sometimes we’re more concerned about image than we are the invitation. Sometimes we’re more concerned about the reputation than the relationship. And this is what the Lord said to me when He asked me to step out in these things. I said God what about my reputation? He said I didn’t have one, what are you doing with one? And this is what anxiety does. We’re more concerned with others’ eyes than His. But it’s our assignment He’s bringing us into….
I want to tell you the Lord wants you not to transact in the place. Wow! God doesn’t want you to transact in the place where you’re trading question but you’re embracing answer. You’re embracing what has been enunciated on your life. And so I feel today in this first service, the Lord wants to begin to upgrade people’s thinking. God wants to upgrade people’s hearts and minds. That we actually recognize anxiety and not become a prisoner of it but actually it becomes a pinpoint for where the Lord is taking us.
I want to tell you right now when God sets vision in your life, you’re going to have a lot of people come and question. Hey are you really going to do this? Really? Are you going to see this on your life? Yes I am. Because guess what? Go back and tell them, the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised. You see, most of us want to present our resume. God wants to present demonstration. Yeah?
And then he goes on, and I’m going to land with this. It says for John came neither eating nor drinking and they said he had a demon. I want to tell you right now. Allow people’s opinions to be opportunities for increase in your life. You know, I love it when people say to me Hey Gary, you’re on the internet. This is what they said about you. I’m like wow. Did they spell my name with one r or two r’s? Cause they can say what they like as long as they spell my name right. If they spelled it with two r’s then I’m going to file a lawsuit. Yeah? Am I speaking to somebody?…
I feel this is a foundation for you to step up onto right now. But wisdom is justified by her children. What does that mean? The decision I make today is actually going to be justified in the fruit that it produces tomorrow. And the question you’ve got to ask is what decision you’re going to make today that’s going to allow the fruit to speak for itself tomorrow. Because what you want to see in your life, you need to seed in your life. What you want to see in your life, you need to seed in your life. A lot of us are in this place of oh Gary I need direction, I need direction in my life. I’m so anxious, I’ve got no direction. How many people want direction? You see direction is a fruit. All of us want to be fruity Christians. Direction is a fruit. But I don’t ask this question. This is what I think God is maturing us in right now. The Lord spoke to me the other day. He said the greatest mark of the end time church is not going to be a place of all this [arms outstretched], it’s going to be maturity. Maturity, why? Because that’s what creation is crying out for. It’s crying out for mature sons. And so maturity is going to mark the end time church. And out of that maturity all heaven is going to break loose. But the issue is we want all heaven to break loose without the maturity. And you’ll never be able to sustain.
And so the Lord said this to me, He said Gary you’re always wanting to see the fruit but you’re not willing to plant the seed. And the question I want to ask today is what is the seed you need to plant in your life today so you can partake of the fruit tomorrow. How many people want direction? I’m going to set some homework in this place before I minister in a minute but a lot of us are in this place - I want the fruit. How many people want promotion in their life? How many people want strength in their life? You see, we have all these fruits we want. We go into Whole Foods and we say well I want that, and I want that. I’m telling you friend. God is wanting us to have the farm and not the shop. It’s not just about the fruits in our life. You see and actually, the fruit in our life is not for us. it’s for others. The seed that’s in your life is for you, the fruit that’s in your life is for others. And so if you want direction, if you’re saying today, Gary, I want direction in my life, well that’s the fruit. Let me tell you what the seed is. Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. The fruit of direction is found in the seed of trust. If you sow trust, God will release the fruit of direction.
How many people want promotion? You see, the fruit of promotion is found in the seed of humility. Why? Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and in due season He’ll exalt you.
This is what I love about the Lord. The Lord always invites us into a place and a process that isn’t going to harm us but is actually going to increase us. Can you see this? It says humble yourself under where? The mighty hand of God. Humility is the greatest place of vulnerability. But He doesn’t leave us vulnerable. He places us where? Under His mighty hand. So in our greatest place of vulnerability comes our greatest place of victory. So if you want promotion in your life, start sowing seeds of humility.
I want to encourage you to look all throughout Scripture for fruit/seed examples. Lord I want this fruit in my life. Go through the 66 books and find the seed. Cause I want to see maturity come in the body of Christ. That we are not disabled by anxiety but that we are propelled by assignments. Am I speaking to somebody?