Shane Idleman emphasizes the necessity of brokenness and desperation in prayer to experience God's transformative power, urging the congregation to seek Him wholeheartedly. He challenges the complacency of modern Christianity, calling for a return to fervent worship and genuine relationship with God, rather than mere religious activity. Idleman shares personal testimonies of God's healing and revival, encouraging believers to confront their lukewarmness and pursue a deeper connection with the Holy Spirit. He stresses that true worship and prayer can lead to significant breakthroughs in individual lives and the church as a whole.

A lot of people in the Christian church, maybe some here tonight, need to be broken. You can't worship because God doesn't have all of your heart. I'm just not emotional. Well, you express anger real well. Is anger not an emotion? We don't have to raise our hands and do weird things, but there has to be a brokenness before God. There has to be a desire to want to seek Him, and that's what we're going to be doing over the next few nights. Tomorrow night as well. Get people here who need to be encouraged and convicted. We're also going to pray for those who are sick. I know, is there Mark? Mark, are you still here? I think you're here. There you are. We're going to pray with you afterwards in the back back there. We're going to have a time of prayer. I don't know about you, but I believe in the God who still heals and sets free. I'm going to read something tomorrow. Pastor Mike's going to bring it tomorrow. It's an excerpt from an article, and I want to make sure you get here and bring someone who needs to be lovingly challenged, but also maybe a breakthrough in their life. Why can't we experience... I want you to think about this tonight. Why can't we experience the same power as the New Testament church in the book of Acts? Why then do we come to church, sing a few songs, let me get a quick message in here about 30 minutes, get you out after one song into the buffet line. That's not church, folks. I came here to meet God. I came here to see people set free. Demonic bondage is broken, and that's what Ren the Heavens is. We do it in Lancaster. We've did it about four times over the last year or so. We're going to continue to do it whenever God puts it on our heart. We go a whole week. The first time we went two weeks. Church every night, and I still hear from people. The testimonies are amazing. Why? Because they were desperate for more of God. They were hungry for more of God. When God takes center stage, then you'll see breakthrough. But when he's still on the back burner, you're not going to experience much of God. He doesn't force you. He doesn't wait in a corner and you try to go find him. He says, if you're desperate, you'll seek me with all of your heart, with all of your strength, with all of your mind. And that word seek, if you listen on the radio, you've probably heard me talk about that. But that word seek, I came across it a couple years ago. In the Hebrew language, it's bakash. And it's very interesting. It means to seek until you find it. It's like losing your child in a crowded mall. Are you going to go eat lunch? Are you going to run some errands? Are you going to finish shopping? And then you'll look for that child? No, everything stops until you find that child. Now think about if you seek me with all of your heart, you will find me. And I've heard people say, Shane, I've tried that. Oh no, you haven't tried it then, my friend. You don't try God out and see if it works. You seek even when you don't feel like it. You pursue even when there is no desire. Because we've been conditioned to let our feelings lead us. I don't feel it. I didn't feel worship. Every week somebody tells me, I just didn't feel it today. Well, God bless you. The feelings are the caboose of the train. They're not the engine. So as you pursue God, as you get desperate for God and you say, Lord, I don't even feel it, but I'm going to pursue you. I don't even want to be here, but I'm going to seek you. I'm going to put the flesh to the back burner and you on the front burner. Watch out, because when God breaks through, there's seasons of revival and renewing that come into your heart. That dead and barren heart turns into a life-giving soul. Jesus said, if you believe on me as the scriptures say, out of your belly will flow stagnant waters like the Mona Lake. Then why are most Christians not experiencing that vibrant living water? John said he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. That fire is pretty intense. And so what happened in my own life, the reason I have a passion for this topic is I was in my 20s. I was following everything but God. And if you asked me, I would check Christian. I went to church on Easter and Christmas. Pretty good guy. But God, to be honest with you, God was kind of boring. I'm into weight lifting and making money and partying. And I used to do a lot up here. Don't tell anybody, okay? But you get hung over a lot worse when altitude. I don't know if you knew that or not. But in my 20s, I'm pursuing everything but God, and God wrecked me. He broke me. He humbled me. And I fully repented and said, God, I give you everything. And the Holy Spirit came into my life unlike anything I've ever felt before. There's joy unspeakable. The Word of God actually came alive. Reading and reading and reading. I told my mom, where's this been all my life? Oh, son, it's been there. Thank God for praying moms. But where are the praying dads? And I remember, oh man, she would make me so mad. She would put a Bible on my ACDC albums. Anybody, Judas Priest? I'm on a highway to hell. And I was. I said, mom, don't pray for me tonight. I want to have fun. That rebellious, angry man who said I was a Christian. And so many in the church, and that's my heart for the American churches. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, we did all these things. We went to church. I did these things. And Jesus will say, depart from me. I don't know you. Now, of course, he knows them intellectually, but he doesn't have a relationship with them. That's why when the prodigal son comes home, he runs. That's why I have to worship God, guys. You can make fun of me. I don't care. But I have to worship God because he saved me and set me free. Can you imagine if you've ever heard about... I visited some prisoners before at different correctional institutes. And many of you have heard, you know, the walking dead, you know, dead man walking. And they don't do it in California as much, but Texas. And as they're walking to their death, lethal injection back when it used to be electric chair, they're walking to their death, dead man walking. Can you imagine if they come in? Hey, the governor just signed your pardon. Pick up your stuff, go to your wife, you're out of here. You think he'd just go, man, thanks. Where's the exit? Thank you very much. Fall down on his face, begin weeping. How much more before a mighty God who saved you and set you free? This lukewarmness and coldness and callousness during worship in the American church, I don't understand. You want to know why? Because they can't, they don't relate to the lyrics. Amazing grace, how sweet that is. It saved a wretch like me. I was lost, but now I'm found. I was blind, but now I see. You might want to worship. You might get a little bit excited about God. I went to a Dodger game and I did not believe how excited they got. My goodness. My, it's a home run. The baseballs are probably loaded. These guys are on steroids. Man, okay, you're excited. You get, you throw your beer and you can't stop. Look at what they did. But when we get to church, we're bored. And so it breaks my heart because you have living water steps away. It's like you're dying on a boat. You're dying of thirst on a boat in the middle of Crawley Lake. Just, just dip, just dip and take of the living water and you will never thirst again. So when God put that on my heart with, with Ren the Heavens and most of you, maybe you don't know who Westside Christian Fellowship is, but we bought the radio station up here and some other radio stations and 88.5. And so we just wanted, talking to Pastor Mike, wanted to just bring Ren the Heavens up here. And I pastor a church in Lancaster, actually Palm, well, Leona Valley. Nobody knows where that's at. So we just say Far West Palmdale. And a little community tucked back in there. And many people go, well, okay, what's your, what's your theology? What seminary did you go to? Well, I went to the school of hard knocks and I love reading theology. I read John MacArthur and Jack Hayford. So how do you like that? And, and love theology. And I believe we have to have a strong grounding, a strong foundation in truth. But if you miss the fire of the spirit, you will die spiritually. And if all you have is emotions and if it's odd, it's God, you will be led astray. Your theology keeps you grounded. And what's wrong with the pulpits in America is we either have all theology and arrogant men screaming at people, or we have touchy, feely, feel good. I don't want to say anything offensive. I don't want to say anything offensive. Wokeness, that word, you know where it comes from. I don't want to offend you. So, because I don't want to, can you imagine preaching and thinking, I can't offend. Well, there goes the blood of Christ out the window. I better not talk about repentance, God forbid. I better not talk about judgment, hell, the wrath of God, holiness, anything that's controversial. Unfortunately, that will not change the human heart. John the Baptist started preaching repentance. Jesus said, go and preach repentance. Repentance is an acknowledgement that I am a sinner and I need a savior. And that's how you really change a nation from the inside out. And we see what's going on. I mean, we talk about the Titanic has been hit in America. But I have the audacity to believe in a God that is greater than China, Russia, our economy. And I often just, I'm sure I'll get it this week as well. Why are you doing this? It doesn't matter. Haven't you read Revelation? But yeah, but I've also read other books in the Bible. If my people humble themselves, what about that one? Oh, but that was for Israel. So are you telling me that if America doesn't humble herself, America humbles herself and prays and seeks his face and turns from their wicked ways, that he might not give them a measure of revival in their bondage? Are you serious? And so I just trust God. There's no lazy mode in the New Testament. There's no just sit back. It's actually do business until I return. And that word do business, if you break it down in the Greek language and look at how these words, what they actually mean, it means occupy, occupy, make a difference, expose you in fruitful works of darkness, give a voice to those who have no voice, say something about the sex trafficking, say something about abortion, say something about them perverting the word of God, say something in the spirit of love and gentleness. And then I took a sabbatical a year and a half ago. It was one of the best things I've ever done. And I realized something because people were getting upset at me sometimes because I'm too political. I don't know whatever that means. Basically, here's what that means. Don't talk about political hot buttons unless they're ones I agree with. Because if you do, then you're fine. But anyway, so I took it to the Lord like, okay, Lord, what's? Okay, help me understand this. And the more time I spent, I went on a 40 day fast. And I fasted and sought God and got in his word. I began to weep. You just put on worship. You begin to weep. The word of God just comes alive. And oh my God. And just the love of God and hours spending pursuing him. Here's what happened. Are you guys ready for this? The bolder I became like, wait a minute here. The more I seek God, the bolder I become. The more I don't seek him, the more I want to please men. And I'm worried about the opinions of others instead of the opinions of God. And so I haven't gotten to the introduction yet. That's a setup for what Ren the heavens is actually. What God, I believe, put in my heart. You can actually pick up the books. All the books are free. The church sponsors this whole event. We spent thousands of dollars to come up here. We don't ask for anything. We're not taking offerings. The books are free. God has blessed us beyond measure. We don't do anything about money. We don't ask for it. And God just downloads. It's amazing what he will do. It's not wrong to ask, I don't think. But that's just where God has us to just trust him. Kind of like a George Mueller approach. And so all the books are free. One of those is on, oh God, would you Ren the heavens? Isaiah 64, camp out in that verse this weekend. That verse has brought me to tears more than any other scripture in the Bible. 64 probably through, you know, verses 1, 2, 3, 4. That, oh God, it's a cry. Oh God, would you Ren the heavens? Would you rip open the heavens and come down? And let the mountains would shake at your presence. That the enemies would tremble. And he goes on to say, remember? Remember when you used to do that? Remember when you moved on behalf of your people? And then he goes on to say, is there anyone that even seeks you anymore? And I began to just weep for our nation. Weep for the churches. Many churches are not churches. Is the demonic being cast out? Are people being healed and set free? See, what happens is now when we get like that, people say you're too radical. When I say, well, hold on, that's the New Testament church. What do you mean too radical? We've grown so cold, so lukewarm, so powerless that now we think New Testament Christianity is extreme. You have extreme snowboarding up there. You have extreme mountain biking. You have extreme makeovers. Can't we have an extreme passion for God? It makes no sense to me. And so we pray that God would Ren the heavens. Ren the heavens and come down and visit your people. And I will clarify it for the theologians out there because I already know what you're thinking. Well, God is everywhere. Yeah, he is. Did you know that electricity is everywhere in this building? But go grab a knife and put it in the socket and see what happens. Now you experience it. There's a big difference. There's a big, let me just unscrew one of these lights and stick a knife up there. Whoa, I just experienced the electricity. See, yes, God is everywhere. But have you experienced him? Because when you experience, when you drink of this water, you will never thirst again. You never want to go back to the dry well. You want the living will of Christ. Oh, God created me a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me. I'm tired of dryness. I'm tired of dullness. I want the fullness of the spirit. I want to have real New Testament church. I don't want to have church at all. I truly believe that. I don't want to come playing games. I don't want to come and have a social activity. I want to meet the risen Savior. Praise God. Gene Easley said this, when there's no communion with God, our lives are spent in darkness. We see nothing. We hear nothing. We have no answers. And spiritual death sets in. And that's what's happening with our young adults and the next generation. And I found that they are craving the truth. It's like, would you show me something that's true? And we chide the next generation, Gen Z or X, whatever they're called. My daughters, I have five kids. They're all, they're hungry for truth. Tell me about the risen Savior. Tell me about solid truth. But spiritual death sets in when there's no communion with God. And I love, I guess, you know, we're wired differently. People, different pastors and different leaders. You know, some pastors have a shepherd's heart. Some people have a heart where they go and they plant churches. Others have a heart of evangelists and Greg Laurie, Billy Graham, and you'll see that. And some have a heart for revival, for God, that Isaiah, that Jeremiah, that voice crying in the wilderness. And when God called me back to him, he gave me that desire. And I began to study a lot about America and our first great awakening, second great awakening, New Hebrides revivals, Welsh revivals, all kinds. I just couldn't get enough because I would read. I'm like, is that true? That's unbelievable. That God would change an entire community. A church would be on fire for God. And the Welsh revival, I don't know if you've ever heard of that, 1904, 1905, God took a young man by the name of Evan Roberts. What amazed me about it is people would be convicted under the power of God a half block away. Bars would close down. People would be drawn to these. They would think that there was like a divine impulse pulling them. The revival was breaking out. They would have church services throughout the evening. People wouldn't go home. They were hungry for God. They would sit at the altar. Where are we going now? They don't know. They lose track of time. You might say that's weirdness. I say that's the power of God drawing people to himself. You're captivated by the TV for six hours. What's the difference? Oh, you might not like what I say, but you'll know what I mean, okay? And if you don't like what I'm saying, could it be that you need to hear what I'm saying? I'm just throwing it out there. So 1904, 1905 revivals is very short. That actually flowed into, you know, what they consider Azusa Street revival and different things. I've read up on these. So I've got concerns on some things and I don't agree with everything because anytime God is moving, who else is moving? The devil. That's why the Holy Spirit is often, I would say, ridiculed or mocked in many conservative churches because of what they see on YouTube or what they, I don't want to get weird like that person. Neither do I, but I want the experience of power of God. Did you know you can be straight as a gun barrel theologically, but just as empty? Put a round, put a 12 gauge slug in that round and pull the trigger. That's the power of the spirit. Martin Lloyd Jones, D. Martin Lloyd Jones said, the preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. You've got to have both of those things. So anyway, back to my story, 1904, 1905, it was kind of short lived. Some say he had a nervous breakdown. I can see why. That much preaching, it's very taxing. But they interviewed a man, I believe in the 1950s or 60s. And they interviewed this old man by then. They said, what happened to that revival? What happened to that awakening? What? It just seemed to fade away. And the old man, you could tell he had tears in his eyes and he just, oh, he looked at the young interviewer, interviewer, you know what I'm saying. And he said, English is not my strong point by the way. He said, young man, when you lay hold of God, never, never, never let go. When you lay hold of God, never let go. Because there is a battle. It is a spiritual battle till the day you die to pursue God, to fight the enemy, to get up and fight again. And so all of Ren the Heavens is focused on that. Isaiah 64, and the title of the sermon is the prayer that rips heaven open. Eventually got to the sermon. The prayer that rips heaven open. I want to leave you with this question tonight. We repent enough to be forgiven, but do we surrender enough to be changed? I'm going to say that in case you didn't get it. We, we, we, we, we repent, you know, repent enough to be forgiven. Okay, God, I repent. Forgive me. Thank you. But do you surrender enough to be changed? And just so you know, give you a little background, what they call pneumatology. It's the study of the Holy Spirit. I don't get weird on this topic. I love conservative theology, of course. But the study of the Holy Spirit, it's actually profound. You have all of the Holy Spirit at conversion, I believe. But does he have all of you? That's the deciding factor. That's what makes a difference. And what they would teach Pentecostal circles years ago, a hundred years ago, even with something called the second work of grace, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Brother, have you received your baptism of the Holy Spirit? And often it would happen years later. In the case of D.O. Moody, he was trying to start administering his own flesh and he repented and God filled him with the Spirit. I can think of contemporaries, Adrian Rogers, A.W. Tozer, John Wesley, John Bunyan, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Oswald Chambers. Do you ever read My Utmost for His Highest? Did you know that he was a theology professor? And was dead, dead spiritually until he received the fire of the Spirit. So in all these cases, it's not a second work of grace where you have to sit and wait for 20 years. God's waiting for you to fully surrender. If I say, Lord, I'm going to do ministry my way. I want name recognition. I want to have 100,000 followers. Me, me, me. Look at me. Pride, arrogance. God will not fill an arrogant vessel. And so when you surrender everything, say, Lord, wherever you want me to go, whatever you want me to do, my life is yours. My children are yours. My finances are yours. God, everything is yours. Watch out, because the fire of the Spirit will come into your heart. So you have the Holy Spirit, but He doesn't have all of you. That's why it's called quenching and grieving. Quench is to put out the fire. Grieve is to make sad. So there's many Christians walking around grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit. And they have no passion. They have no desire. They wonder what's wrong with them. They have to come to full surrender. They have to surrender everything. Now, be encouraged. On this side of heaven, you're not going to do it perfectly. I haven't. I haven't. Anybody have a hard day today or just me? Man, I'm not even going to go to yesterday. I'm not going to tell you about yesterday. And it's challenging. Life is hard. But Isaiah, it was a, the prayer that rips open heaven is this. It's a battle cry. It's a heart cry. He cried out, Oh, God, would you ram the heavens? And I don't think he was quiet. I just got another email from a lady. Bless her heart. It's mainly the older women. I understand they're 70, 80. Why are you so loud? I just like, I like just quiet. I said, I do too, but I'm happy. I'm passionate. I'm on fire for God. It's kind of hard to just, we're talking about eternal truths. We're talking about a God who sets people free. We're talking about a God who you came in here depressed and angry and fearful and unfocused. You can leave here with the fire of God. I'd say that's something to get excited about. I think Jesus cried, Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. I don't think he was quiet. The prophets would cry out, turn back to God. Turn back to God. Turn from the wrath that is to come. And so he would cry out, I believe, Oh God, would you ram the heavens that you would come down? And so it does beg the question, why did the prophets capture the heart of God? Did they not? The prophets, you know the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Haggai. You know the prophets. I know the prophets. I love their voice of truth. Praise God for them. But why did they, why did they capture the heart of God? Because they knew there was no plan B. Medicare didn't exist. No PayPal. No doctor down the street. No taking out a loan. God was the plan B, C, D, E, F, G. God was it. He was an all-consuming fire. There's a song Richard does. He's an all-consuming fire. Let him burn. I must hit the repeat on that thing a hundred times this week. Oh, he's an all-consuming fire. Would you let him burn? He is an all-consuming fire. Would you let him burn? And then here comes the negative now. He's well, fire's a bad thing. It's a bad thing for the unbeliever. It's a very good thing for the believer. Praise God. You need the fire of God in your heart and in your life. How are you going to get through what's coming? You think America is going to go back to the 1950s? Prayer and school. Everything's going great. All hell is breaking loose. All hell is breaking loose. Who are you building your life upon? What rock are you building your life upon? Sinking sand? He who hears my word and does it, I will liken him to a man who built his house upon the rock. And when the winds came, it's coming. When the winds came, the storm blew. It did not fall because it was founded. It was ground. It was anchored upon the rock of Jesus Christ. That's the only way to navigate these storms. Because when you do that, you don't care. My money's gone. Oh God, your money's gone. This isn't working out, Lord. This isn't working out. Look what's going on, Lord. You're in control. I'm just your servant. These are your problems, not mine. God's sovereignty is my sanity. In all of this chaos, God's sovereignty is my sanity. I just made my Calvinist friends happy. Why did they capture the heart of God? Because there's no plan B. There was always, from all of these prophets, there was a desperate prayer of, there was a prayer of desperation. I can think of even Amos. Like, you know, put away, he would say, put away your instruments, get rid of your music, but let justice run down like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream. Isaiah would cry out. Jeremiah would say, oh, my soul for the weeping, I'm weeping over the condition of the people. Ezekiel, God said, Ezekiel, I sought for a man from among them who would build a wall and intercede between me and the people, but I found no one. Hosea, oh, they're desperate. You'll hear, when your child cries, you know the difference, don't you? Okay, you can just stay in your crib. But when my three-year-old cries, daddy, daddy, daddy, oh, why, that door's coming down. I don't care if it's locked. Desperation, desperation. God hears the desperate cries of his people. If Hollywood, if Washington humbled themselves, 2 Chronicles, is that what it says? I'm trying to see if you're awake. If my people, if my people humble themselves, did you know that God still answers prayers? I believe in a living God who still answers prayers. I believe a God who can change and transform our nation. Maybe we're going to hell in a handbasket, but I'm rescuing people as we go down. The power of prayer, the power of prayer would move the early church. That's how they got through life. You look at Justin Martyr, his journal. You look at Polycarp. You look at Augustine. You go into John Hus, William Tyndale, Whitecliffe. Have you heard those names? Did you know that two of them were burned at the stake and their prayers were recorded? What they said as they burned at the stake. Some of people are ditching God if they don't get the right parking spot. Give me a break. And then the Reformation. Martin Luther's prayers who shook Germany. Urich Zwingli just annihilated Switzerland and got people on fire for God. John Calvin in Geneva. What about one of my favorite, John Knox? John Knox, he would cry out, give me Scotland for the cause of Christ or I shall die. Who's saying give me America for the cause of Christ or I shall die. So powerful was his prayers that the queen of the Scots feared the prayers of John Knox more than the armies of Europe. Why would she, he's from Scotland. Why would she fear his prayers? Because often the politicians are on the side of evil. Often, not always, not always. I've got friends who, you know, thank God we need more. We, please God, give us more. It's not our hope, but we need more people. It's school boards, politics, every area of life. We need godly people. But she would not, she didn't, anytime you're speaking truth, often the government doesn't like you. Ask John the Baptist. Mary, the queen of Scots, wanted to kill him. Elisha even, Ahab, Ahab. You think Ahab, King Ahab liked Elisha? He should, he's God's spokesperson. So Ahab would go, oh, is that you, Elisha, you troubler of Israel? Is that you, Shane Idleman, your trouble of America? Biden saying, Shane, is that, is that Shane Idleman, oh, troubler of America? Can't we get away with perversion? Can't we get away with pushing pedophile? Can't, who are you? Shut your mouth, preacher. No, I stand before you as a voice of God's word to proclaim what is truth. And we will not back down. I love those people caught in sin, but I will not capitulate and allow a society hell bent on sexualizing our children to remain silent. Did you know that silence has a voice? It speaks loudly and clearly, very loudly, very clearly. But before we get worked up, before there is a battle cry, did you know before there's a battle cry, there's often a heart cry? I mean, I follow a lot of ministries. I might speak with Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk's group at some point in the near future. All the conservatives. I know a lot of these people, some of these pastors you see on Facebook that have a million followers, and I touch base with these guys. There's a lot of anger, but there's not a lot of humility. That's my concern. Oh, we can meme with the best of them. If you don't know what that is, it's posting something on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, that like, I got him with this one. I got him with this one. I got him with this one. Conservatives, liberals, liberals, conservatives, Democrats. I got him, I got him, got him. Okay, you're angry. You're angry, but I don't see you at the altar. You're upset. Look what's happening in our nation. But are you broken, sir? The broken and contrite heart, I will not cast away. I will lift up the broken. I will restore those who are desperate, but angry, arrogant tirades will get us nowhere. Before there's a battle cry, there's a heart cry. Matthew 5, many of you know, this blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. And I've got pastors, some of them after COVID weren't able to stay open. The friends of mine, well, I wouldn't say friends, but knew each other. And this wokeness is so popular in the churches that they don't want to offend anyone. There's no hunger for righteousness. So they're not blessed. Well, Shane, the government approved abortion. Some pastor told me this. Hey, the government said it's okay. I'm not going to say anything. Who am I? We have to submit to that. Romans 13. Have you read Romans 13? Yeah, but I read a lot of other scriptures too. And in context, sir, that actually says the government is to be a terror to those who do evil. So when the government goes against God's standard, I've got to take God's side. That's just biblical. That's Bible. I don't want to. But where's the hunger and thirst for righteousness? There's got to be Lord. Look what's going on in Ezekiel. It's amazing. God said, mark those go angel of the Lord. Mark those go and put a mark on them. Those who groan and sigh for the abominations are being committed in my place among my people. Mark those and spare them. Do not kill them because they groan for the, against the abominations that are destroying my people. I told you more time I spent with God, the bolder I become. That that's just, that's we think of people being filled the spirit. We think of love and thank God for love. Amen. It's, it's a love. It's, it's grace. It's brought me here thus far. And it's grace that takes me home. The love of God breaks me. The love of God keeps me humble. The love of God. I want to express to others, but make no mistake about it. A by-product of the filling of the Holy spirit is boldness. Jesus said, go and wait until you receive power. And then you'll be witnesses for me. That's why they want to silence the truth. They want to silence the church. They want to silent, bold pastors because it's that boldness that radically shakes up a nation and has us look in the mirror. I don't know if I should tell you this joke, but too late now, right? It's not a joke. And, but I, and I put this out there. I might even raise it up to $25,000, but I I've made, I've made it known. I will pay Joelstein 25,000. If I can come and preach a message of repentance to his audience. And again, I'm not, I'm just saying, is that true? And we, we need to hear, we we've heard enough feel good messages to last us a lifetime. We need to hear repent for the judgment of God is going to fall soon. Stop confusing God's patience with his approval. Turn back to God church. And that repentance quickens the heart. It convicts and it draws us back to God. And I know at this point, I hear it too. Sometimes afterwards, people say, Shane, I'm hearing you. I'm hearing you, but I just don't have that. I don't have that passion. I want it. But let me tell you, that's a good thing for now. Cause the answer is repentance. You say, Lord, I want that passion. I need that fire. I want to worship you. I want to turn off my music that is pulling me down and get rid of the addictions that are destroying me. I want to, I want to, but I can't. I don't have a desire. I don't have a passion. It begins with repentance. But watch out. I'm going to tell you, this guy is incredibly deceptive. And I call him the defense attorney within. Do you know all of us have a defense attorney within us? Yeah, but your honor. Yeah, that sounds good, Shane. But you got to get rid of those buts. The right buts. Okay. Yeah, but this, but that's for you. You're a pastor. Oh, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that. And you can tell they come up. It's, it's judgmental, Jerry or angry, angry, Aaron, or whoever, you know, I'm trying to rent. If there's any way Jerry or Aaron here, it's not you. I'm just saying, but they come up, you know, that's good. All that's good for you. All that's good for you, pastor. But I'm a businessman. I'm a, how much more for a businessman? How much more for a mom? How much more parents? Hello. Would you need to be filled with the spirit of God as a parent? How much more as a teacher, as a leader? This isn't just for a pastor. My job is to ignite a fire and then you go out and spread it out. Get rid of the buts. I want to give that up, but I enjoy it. I want to give that up, but I want to treat my spouse and forgive them. But you don't know my spouse. Oh, the buts. I hate to tell stories often, but you're a new group. So it's okay. But to date, this has still shocked me. Lane, I think I said your group one time. I went to, you spoke at a lot of men's conferences before I pastored. And this guy's at the altar. He's crying. And I talked to him afterwards. Goes, this is my last chance. My wife's leaving after this weekend. I've got kids. She's leaving. If I don't give up my porn habit. And so I talked with him and if you've ever been in the clutches of addiction, you don't just say, oh, it's one little prayer. And I mean, there's, it's warfare. There's accountability software. There's all kinds of stuff. You got to fight. But I walked him through, okay, where does this start? And it starts obviously with the internet or TV or something. I said, you got to just turn that stuff off. Let her have your laptop for a month, whatever it takes. And he goes, are you kidding me? I'm a sports fanatic. I can't do that. I want to slap him. But that wouldn't look too good. But isn't that true? The buts. There's living water. Christ is saying living water is just steps away. Would you drink of the living water? And you will never thirst again. But I don't want to get that serious, but I don't want to be a crazy charismatic, but I don't want to get weird like that guy. But I don't want to see that stuff on YouTube, but I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. I don't want to get too carried away. I don't, you know, that's good for that bald loud guy up there. But I don't want to get too carried away with God. I'm comfortable. If I commit to God, he's going to want my money. He might call me to the mission field in Africa. It's amazing. God gives you the desires of your heart that you didn't know were there until you surrender to him. You should hear Richard's testimony sometime. I mean, he knew how to play guitar, but he didn't know he was called to sing, right? Until God told you to start singing. You're like, singing? I just, I don't sing. I play guitar. But see what happens when you give your life to the Lord. Watch what he will do with a broken, humble vessel. Because now he says, now I've got something to fill and use. And then it's a passion because there's nothing greater than knowing you are doing what God has gifted and called you to do. Though I fall, I get back up. Though I'm not perfect, ask my daughter. One thing about taking your kids preaching, they can watch every hour and they know what the real dad, right? The real, not perfect, but forgiven. Not perfect, but to get back up and keep fighting. To repent and say, Lord, help me, strengthen me to keep fighting. The Christian walk is not easy. It's called warfare for a reason. You're called a soldier for a reason. He didn't say put on a pillowcase and fight. Put on the whole that you may be able to withstand against the wiles, the trickery of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood. The weapons of our warfare are AR-15s. No, here's a problem in America. Let me tell you, your gun safes are full, but your prayer closets are empty. I know it's not going to happen here because I'm giving you a forewarning, but sometimes people come up and go, you know what, pastor? The second amendment is, I know. I know. I love shooting. I have no problem with it. But when that becomes your trust, you're in a very bad spot. The prayer closet has to be full. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through Remington. Winchester, I love how upset people get over that. That just shows me what their idol is. And what they're really trusting in. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, everything that comes against my mind, against God, casting down arguments, every hyping that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ. You learn to take your thoughts captive and say, that's not true. That's not true. I'm going to focus on the truth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. And again, the cry of Isaiah, O that you would rend the heavens, that the mountains might shake your presence, and fire, as fire burns the brush, and fire causes water to boil, to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence. Did you know that God's presence is disruptive? It's explosive. It's powerful. It will break the arrogant and it will rebuild the broken. Let me know. Let me tell you about the power and presence of God. I've been preaching where people have got so ticked off, they will raise their hand and leave. I'll still be preaching, they'll come to the altar and begin crying out to God. The word of God is convicting. It's sharper than any double-edged sword. It pierces. There's nothing that we're going to have any other hope than God and God alone and looking to his truth. And when God's presence comes, who can stand before God Almighty? What army can defeat him? What president can overrule him? What can Russia and China do? China is so disturbed right now with COVID cases and their government's falling apart. Where does that come from? From God Almighty. He's on the throne. He is the strength of our nation. Nations and mountains will tremble in his presence. There's a small booklet I read recently. It's called Fire Upon the Altar. He said this, we'll have church when God comes, but not until then. All of our religious activities mean nothing without his hallowed presence. We have learned to have church whether he is there or not. The week is full of activities. We keep the programs going. The machinery continues, but the mountains won't move until he comes. Did you know you can have church? And although God's everywhere, I got it, his tangible presence is not there. You've got the worship team caught in sin. You've got the pastor who's woke. You've got members who are asleep and wish he would hurry up. You think God's going to meet those people? They come in week in and week out dead spiritually. And they leave no different than when they arrived. One thing I know about this, that a fiery sermon from the heart of God will challenge you. And it will encourage you. One of the most amazing things I've shared before you, if you listen to the radio, you've heard me say this. We have prayer afterwards and I'll come, there'll be a single mom, 26 years old, barely holding on. Her husband's left, abused her, and she's weeping. Thank you. I'm so encouraged by the message. And then I have judgmental Jerry leaving during worship because he is so upset. But wait, it's eye-opening for me. Wait, wait, I said the same thing. There weren't two services. What happened? The heart, the heart, the Puritans, 1620 came over on the Mayflower Compact and the Puritans, the pilgrims. But they would often say, the same sun that melts the wax will harden the clay. So the same preaching of God's word can melt you and break you. And you can leave here filled with the spirit of God, or you can leave here hard and angry, full of excuses. Or he didn't even go to seminary. I didn't. But I read somewhere, somewhere, somebody said, when they saw that they were untrained and unlearned men, they knew that they had been with Jesus. And I'm not against education. I've written, I've read theology books this high. Pneumatology, eschatology, soteriology, inductive, de-inductive, approach to my homiletic and hermeneutic approach to my sermon preparation. I've got it down. I know what theology says, but I want the fire of God. And we can get so caught up on theology and we argue it. I know the five points of Calvinism better than most Calvinists. Total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, perseverance of the saint. I got it. Calvin wasn't a five-point Calvinist. He was a four-point. Theodore Betza, his successor, took up the fifth point. I got it. But they're arrogant, arrogant. If all you have is theology and you miss the fire. Theology, the study of God is to point me to God. I'm actually supposed to become more humble. Isn't that amazing? But somewhere I read that knowledge puffs up. And in 2005, if you've heard me talk about this before, I apologize, but it's needed. In 2005, I came back to the Lord. It's been five years. And I am, God has blessed me with a good memory. And so I've memorized thousands of scriptures, read by then thousands of books, could quote Puritans, Norman Geisler to John MacArthur to John Owen to, you know, and just my mom. My mom said, Shane, you're so arrogant. Your family doesn't want to be around you anymore. Because, you know, I was a sin sniffer. Did she go drinking last night? You harlot. Did you go to the movies and watch Frozen? You went and watched The Chosen? You listen to Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes? I was using God's word to cut and to hurt and to damage and to show my knowledge. And through a series of events, God broke me. Around that time, my wife also left a journal open on purpose, I found out. It said I've married a very angry or arrogant and controlling man. Wait a minute, I've been a Christian five. What are you talking about, woman? Submit. See, you can have theology, but not the Spirit of God in you. Loving others, understanding, and then boy, did God spank me. And when he spanks you, watch out. Because now I come to the pulpit with a limp. And I see the guy laying out there, drunk, alcoholic, I say, if it wasn't for the grace of God, there go I. If I stop at the liquor store instead of where I'm staying, I can fall back into that. Be careful. Did you know it's inside of me to cheat on my wife? Did you know that? Pastor, sin is inside of us all. Do we give it life or do we kill it? And that's why this argument you'll hear right now, the LGBTQ, you know, I was born this way. Well, I was born to lie. I was born to cheat. I was born to steal. That's why we need the cross. You point them to redemption. You point them to the cross, to a Savior. And so God would humble me and break me. And I remember one of the breaking processes, it's not fun. I was preaching, preaching my heart out. And some 18-year-old girl came up crying. And she goes, I struggle with same-sex attraction. You made me feel so bad. And I start crying with her. And I'm, oh God, help me. I'm praying for her. See, you can still have the same truth, but you got to weep before you whip. Leonard Ravenhill would say that. You can be just as bold. I will not compromise on these issues. And that's why it's challenging. I love the person caught in the same. We have people at our church. They know I love them. I know nothing. But I will not bow down to the agenda that is child abuse. And it's pushing these things on our children. I will fight that till the day. I love the struggler, but I will fight the agenda. And that, I believe, is the heart of God. You think God wants us to remain silent? Have you seen transgender pole dancers? And little kids, five years, are putting money in their G-string? Folks, you go to prison for that 20 years ago. And don't say anything, Shane. We don't want to offend. I don't want to offend God, because my silence speaks volumes. And what I have found is through brokenness, yet boldness, you'll help a lot more people. Because you can love them, but still be bold, straight as an arrow, and shoot them straight. And so I want to clarify that, because this topic comes up a lot. So many people want, even before I even got here, people posted on Facebook. They want to debate theology. Do you have the fire of God? Do you have the unction of God in your life? And again, I love theology. We have to have good theology. You have to know who God is. The essential doctrines of the faith, the virgin birth, the inerrancy of Scripture, the cross, substitutionary atonement. But there's got to be a brokenness there. A broken and contrite heart I will in no way cast away. I'm going to talk about that tomorrow. I'm going to share more of my testimony on Sunday. So get the prodigal sons and the wayward daughters here on Sunday. I don't like opening up, but I will. Everything from crystal myth to alcohol to steroids to a life that was, I should be dead. Absolutely. And that's why the prodigal son ran to the father. And if you know the story, the father wasn't like, how could you? What did the father do? He ran. He met him. That's a perfect picture of God. The mountains won't move until God comes. And He does not come without desperation, without brokenness, without humility, and without repentance. Gosh, I have so much. So many rabbit trails. And it goes on to say, remember... This part breaks my heart sometimes. God, remember. Remember when you did awesome things for which we did not even look. You came down and the mountains shook at your presence. This might not pertain to everyone, but do you remember when God first grabbed your heart? Do you remember? Remember those times. Remember those times God meant everything. The Bible came alive. Worship was sweet. And you've drifted. You've drifted. God wants you to come back to the river of living water and never thirst again. What was His rebuke to the church in Revelation? Oh, you've got sound doctrine. You expose those who are wicked. You're a good worker, but you're not a worshiper. Something I try to drill into our usher team all the time is you can be workers. That's great, but you better be a worshiper first and foremost. Jesus said, you've got sound doctrine. You point out false teachers. You work hard, but you have left your first left. God, I never want to lose. I never want to leave my first love. Can you imagine when Christianity becomes mechanical? Oh, God, help us. And when God asks who can stop him, the prayer that rips heaven open can happen here. Did you know that? Why did we come up here? Because we want to waste a lot of money and just take three days and leave our families? Because I believe that God can rip heaven open, even if it's for one person. I believe you can be radically changed from the inside out. I've seen it more times than I can count. When a person fully surrenders their lives, he can rip heaven open. It can happen here. Your marriage. Did you know your marriage and your home can be restored? Oh, there might be a fight. It might be a battle. I've got three teenagers at home, so don't lecture me. Right? One's here, but I won't point her out. And they're an incredible blessing. But life is hard. It is challenging. But you can make your homes a holy sanctuary or a breeding ground for Satan. I'm just shooting you straight. Our homes can be changed. Our marriages. Did you know you can have the passion and fire again in your marriage? Oh, but you don't know my spouse. Okay, get rid of the defense attorney within. Get your face on this altar and you do what you can do. I'm so tired of people blaming the other person. I've been there. I've done that. But nowhere does the Bible say, you know what? Go blame the other person says you. You look in the mirror. You make the change. You get rid of the root of bitterness. You get rid of unforgiveness. You humble yourself. You come to me. You seek my face. You remove that. You do that. The Bible is calling me to follow after God and then watch what God does with humility. But pride says, nope, nope. I'm digging my heels in. It's not my fault. Anybody said that? Just me. You guys don't leave me hanging. Four people out of this many have said that. No, I know all the hands should go up. Luke warmness. You can leave here on fire for God. There's nothing worse than Luke warmness. Amen for a Christian. I was miserable. And in my 22 year journey now, I've, I've, I haven't always walked. I don't, I don't get up and walk on clouds and have the fire of God within me. Life sucks. Sometimes. Can I say that? Okay. It stinks. It's hard. The fire of God. You can have that though. You can, you can repent of Luke warmness. Oh, I'm thinking of another church. Another church in revelation, Jesus. Would you please be either hot or cold? But if you're Luke warm, I'm going to. You want the literal meaning in the Greek? Vomit. I don't know about you, but if Jesus says I'm going to vomit something out, that's profound. That is powerful. What is Luke warmness? Luke warmness is I have no more passion for God. I'm going through the motions. I'm here because I have to be here. I'm here because I'm going to check it off on my list. I go to church when it fits in my schedule. I don't really want to read the Bible because it's boring. Church is irrelevant. I'd rather Richard sit down and put up Metallica. Isn't it interesting what's up here? I can still sing Master of Puppets. Darkness imprisoning me. You've got to saturate that with the word of God. You've got to be not conformed to this world, but be transformed. And it's a pressing in. It's a pursuing until the day they bury me six feet under. It's a battle. Because Luke warmness basically is going back to the old man. Isn't it? And it tells you, it shows you how pleasant it was. I remember the drunken nights at Whiskey Creek and Mammoth. He never shows me the hangovers throughout waking my vomit. Why do I never see that? Closed down the country bars in Bakersfield, Las Vegas, Laughlin. Oh, that was so fun. He tells me, oh my God. But no, that's when I got kicked out of the hotel. That's when I threw up on the side of the road three times dry. That was not fun. But see, that's why it's called bait. The fishing lure looks good to the fish until he takes the bait. And so the battle for the Christian soul is against Luke warmness, pulling you back to that old nature, who you used to be. Boredom with God. And that's why I do talk boldly about what you listen to, what you watch, what you put in your mind. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. And then it goes on to say, or I can stop. You guys want me to stop? Are you sure? All right. If you need to leave, you can leave. I understand. And tomorrow I'm going to keep going. So I'm going to keep going. I came up here because I believe lives can be radically changed. And he goes on to say, for since the beginning of the world, this can be, I don't just say this. This can be life changing right here. For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, we're still in Isaiah 64, nor has the eye seen any other God beside you. In other words, there's no other God. There's no other God. There's no other plan B. There's no other few different ways lead to God. No one way, one truth, one life through Jesus Christ, through the cross. And I kind of shocked people with this statement. So hear me all the way through. Did you know all roads do lead to God? It's called the judgment seat. So no matter what road you take, you will see God someday for sure. But are you on the narrow road or the broad road that leads to destruction? And this topic is so interesting because some people say, Shane, don't talk about those things. Did you know Jesus spoke about hell more than heaven? I'm just saying, I'm just saying, do not fear man who can kill your body, but fear God who can cast both body and soul in hell. Jesus said it. Do I like to talk about it? Not really. Do I have to? Do I want to? Absolutely. Because the spirit of God compels me to warn people to tell them. And I think that's the problem. Many times we don't tell people the truth. They come into church and you say, you know what? God loves you. You're the head, not the tail. You're beginning and not beneath your head, whatever they say. Those motivational guys, seven steps to financial prosperity and 12 steps to get your marriage right. God just loves you. And there's some good truth in that. But you can come in and sin and leave justified because you were not convicted. The Bible doesn't say the word of God is like a gentle pillow, soft upon your head. The word of God is like a gentle dove descending. It is like a sword. Jeremiah 23. I have not sent these prophets yet they ran. I've not spoken to these prophets yet they spoke, but have they truly stood in my counsel. Had they truly stood in the word, they would have turned my entire nation back to me. Is not my word like a fire that devours? Is not my word like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? I would submit to you that's exactly what we need today. To break the arrogant prideful hearts, break them so that God can fill them. And he goes on to say, nor has I seen there's no other God beside you. And this God, this God, the God we serve, the God we're worshiping, he acts for the one who waits for him. God acts for the one who waits for him. Only those who wait upon the Lord, what? Well, renew their strength. Waiting doesn't rush. Waiting responds. It doesn't react. Waiting serves God. Waiting repents of bitterness and a critical spirit and of arrogance. Waiting is humble submission to a loving God. Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. Here's what some of you need to do. Beginning tonight, you need to go back to the prayer closet. Did you know that there is a place where God waits for you? There is a place right now where God is waiting for Shane Idleman when I'm done preaching. Jesus, 6ix, when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees you in secret will reward you openly. There's a place where God says, Shane, come to me at two in the morning and cry out. I hear the prayers of my broken children. I hear the prayers. I want to restore. I want to rebuild. I'm waiting for you. I'm waiting for you. Is that, are you too busy for me? If you're too busy for God, you're too busy. And again, it's just me. Maybe scripture really goes deep into my heart and doesn't really penetrate others. But when I realized there is a place that God will wait for you, he will wait for me. Am I reading that right? Jesus said, go shut the door. Remove the, don't take your phone. For the love of God, do not take your phone to the prayer closet. That has sidetracked me on more prayer. I'll tell you right now. Go and wait before God. Get into the prayer closet. Why? Because you need a quiet heart, a quiet hour and a quiet, quiet heart. Quiet hour and a quiet place. David McIntyre wrote in his book on prayer. And as you wait on God, you begin to renew spiritual strength. You come out and say, I can handle these kids now. I can handle this marriage now. Worship leaders will say, I can lead people in worship now. I'm filled with the boldness of the spirit. Preachers can say, now I can, I can, you know how many times I don't want to come to the pulpit? Like, oh God, if you don't move, I don't want to play around. I didn't come here to play games. I don't talk about a lot, but you know, I wasn't, I didn't graduate high in my class. Is a 1.8 good GPA? Least, least likely to succeed. A country boy whose dad was from the farms of Oklahoma. You know, the Hank Williams Jr song, a country boy can't survive. I can run a trout line. I can skin a buck and I've got 12 gay. I got it now. And I was a dyslexia. I couldn't speak very well. I hate to speak in front of. It was the worst thing. I don't ever have me come up and speak in front of people. Please God, stupid, overweight country boy made fun of working construction, digging ditches. But God says the more broken, the more powerful. Don't despise a day of small beginnings. And I do, I say, Lord, if you don't move, I don't want to speak. I don't want to come and play church. I don't want to waste people's time. If people truly knew what was coming in the future, we would not have enough seeds here. If they truly knew how important a relationship with God was, pursuing Him with all their heart, with all their strength. Can you answer me this? Why is opiate abuse skyrocketing? Highest suicide rate now, opiates, fentanyl, alcoholism increased, suicide. I don't want to break your heart too much tonight, but the highest suicide rate, female girls, 12 to 18. Little girls say, daddy, mommy, five years old, six, seven, daddy, mommy, loving life are now miserable. Get them off of TikTok, Instagram, all these things. It's a false, it's a false sense. They're filling their minds with all, no wonder they're depressed. I'd be depressed. I look, I'm like, I don't look like The Rock. I'm only three years older than him. Gosh, I should look like him. I should look like, look at Brad Pitt. Look at these guys. Look at this, look at Tom Cruise. He's my age. I don't look like that. And then all these people, all my friends are on vacation. They're happy. You don't know the backstory of Instagram. These people are miserable. These YouTube phenomena, they are miserable. They are depressed. I've talked to some of them. They've reached out. There's no purpose. They've reached the epitome of success. And there's nothing there. Oh, how it must pain the heart of God. I can't even think about this for a minute. There's a place that I will meet you. One in the morning, three in the morning. There's a place I will meet you. Shut the door. How it must pain the heart of God that you're too busy. I'm too busy sometimes. If we could really grasp that, wouldn't we run to the prayer closet? I mean, am I mistaken? Am I misunderstanding Scripture here? I know the answer. Because Jesus is clear. Your Father will meet you in the secret place. And just as a testimony, it's hard. I've not mastered it. I still don't think I pray enough. I wish I could pray more and find time. But one good thing about my construction background is I've been able to get up early. Four in the morning, so 22 years. And I spend that time with God. And these sermons, guess where they come from? Pop psychology? Do I get them from pastor.com? Everything you heard comes from the prayer closet. With God's Word open. How many times have I said, oh Lord, I'm not saying that. I take it out. Guess who's adding it back in in 30 minutes? Because that's part of our sinful nature. And you know, to give you a true confession, I don't want people upset with what I'm saying. We want to be people pleasers. So pastor, I have to fight that. Like, I don't want people upset. I don't like, oh Lord, are you sure? Oh my goodness, are you sure? But the more you meditate on God's Word, the more the Spirit of God comes alive. Matthew Henry, have you ever heard of him? He wrote a commentary. Oh gosh, in the 1600s, John Wesley, George Whitefield would just take that and the Bible with them when they would travel. He said apostasy. Do you know what apostasy is? Apostasy begins at the closet door. Anytime you drift, it's because you're getting away from prayer and intimacy with God. That is the anchor. That relational aspect is what keeps you going. So I'm going to close off here shortly. And during these quiet times of intimacy, this is when God deals with us about certain habits that must go. What I love about God is he won't keep you where you're at. No, it's time to clean, clean house. And I truly believe this. Somebody needs to hear this tonight. The reason I know is because it's a recurring theme. You're avoiding the prayer closet because you're avoiding conviction. You're in a relationship you shouldn't be in. Or you're nursing an addiction that you shouldn't be. And the more you draw closer to God in prayer, the more convicted you become. And you've chosen the sin instead of God. Sin will always keep us away from the prayer closet. How are you going to have time with God knowing you're holding on to unrepentant sin? But here's the good news. All that can change in a second. A beautiful word called repentance. Lord, I change my mind about this and I line up my thinking with you. And now because of that, I change my actions. Repentance with genuine repentance has to be action. You can't just repent in your mind. And not change it out in your actions. And during these times of all the books too, you can take for free. Those have come out of the prayer closet. God gives us wisdom and discernment and reinforces His will in certain areas. I don't know for certain. I haven't talked to Richard about this, but I'm pretty sure some of those songs came from the prayer closet. Time in God's Word. Driving, meditating on God. And God just begins to pour out. He's a consuming fire. Let Him burn. Avoiding the prayer closet is really avoiding conviction. Here's why it's so important. Prayer shakes the spiritual realm. Prayer is the weapon of our warfare. Prayer anchors my soul to the rock. Prayer builds and sustains intimacy. So the prayer that rips open heaven is the one that touches my heart and grabs the heart of God. Why is prayer so boring for most people? Because they don't have the fire of God within them. And I don't know about you, but I don't want to play church. I don't know about you, but I don't want to keep going through the motions. I don't know about you, but I want to serve a God who changes things. I believe you can pray for people and they can be healed. Oh, Shane, now you're getting a little out there. I'm just quoting Jesus. Hello. I love these conservative people who try to remove Scripture. Well, God doesn't do that anymore because we have the Bible now. Well, I still need God to do things. I have the Bible, but a Holy Spirit. I need a little help. He's called the helper. When I go, I'm going to send the helper. You need some help. Absolutely. Jesus said, greater things will you do. You will cast out demons. You will heal the sick. Don't even get me started on tongues. We're going to divide the church. It's funny how things in the Bible divide the church. It's amazing. And now that we have the Bible, we don't need all these other things. That's dangerous to remove Scripture. Let me give you an example of this. Maybe it's important. The power of the Holy Spirit. Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I'm conservative by nature, right? I don't get worked up. I'm conservative, calm down, right? That kind of guy. But when the Holy Spirit comes and gives someone a prophetic word, you're not going to be able to turn to 1 Thessalonians and hear that. Somebody comes to you and says, I remember, do you know Leonard Ravenhill? His son, David Ravenhill, wrote a book. And this missionary was sitting with this 19 or 20 year old girl. And God put on his heart. He couldn't believe it. He put on his heart to tell her, tell her that I hate mommies and daddies. What? There's no way. And for an hour, he fought this. And he finally said, you know what? Forgive me, but I just, I have to share this. And I feel God wants me to tell you that he hates mommies and daddies. And she broke down and began weeping and weeping and weeping because she was sexually abused by her uncle that would say, let's go play mommies and daddies. You tell me how you're going to find that in 1 Thessalonians. Paul experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. Well, that was for the early church. They need him. Oh, we need that more today than ever before. Don't let somebody abusing something turn you away from it. And the bottom line is I'm just going to offend more conservatives. Since I would consider, I mean, I want to be conservative. I'm conservative. I mean, right. It's a good thing, but you've never experienced the power of God. So therefore you think it doesn't exist. Just because you've never experienced the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It just means your theology needs to change and line up with God's word. God's word says it. I don't believe we're supposed to take scissors and cut out 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14. I think that's dangerous. Now, granted, it needs to be undergirded by solid doctrine. That's why I told you I've got my MacArthur Bible. I've got my Jack Hayford study Bible. You know, you got to find the balance in there. And that's where lives are radically changed. But I don't want to keep playing church. Why? Because my beloved has called. My beloved has called as a deer pants, as a deer pants after that brook looking for water, as that deer pants for the water. Oh, my soul pants for thee. I will seek you with all of my heart until I find you. I will praise you even in this storm. I sought the Lord and he heard me and he delivered me from my destruction. I will lift up my eyes into the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from God Almighty. Oh, taste and see that God is good. Come and drink of the living water. Blessed be the Lord, my rock who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. And even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because God upholds me with his right hand. My beloved has called. I must serve him. I must worship him. I don't care if you call me a holy roller, a fanatic, a charismatic. I want more of God. Just don't call me lukewarm. Just don't call me lukewarm. I want the fire of God in my heart. I didn't know Richard until tonight. I felt like I've known him 10 years. We've talked on email, listened to his music. I was at a men's conference that Lane put on and I was speaking and I'm walking towards the chapel and I just hear this song come on out in the middle of the forest over the speakers. And I felt something, you know, just, just come over me. I just want to get on my knees. I want to worship God in the dirt up in the mountains. When I heard this song and it is, it says he's an all consuming fire. Let him burn. Speak a word and let these dry bones come alive until your sons and your daughters prophesy. Isn't it interesting? Peter said, hey, these people are not acting weird. They're not drunk. This is that, that the prophet Joel spoke about, that in the last days, your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will dream dreams and your old men will have visions. And on my men servants and on my maid servants, I will pour out my spirit. Why are you afraid of receiving all that God has for you? Let the captives be unchained until all are free. No more lies or hypocrisy in his name. I am unafraid. Let your spirit be poured out. We want to see your kingdom come. We want to see your will be done. I will reach out my hand. I will seek your face and here I'll find heaven on earth. Here I'll find grace. Come to me all your weak and heavy laden. I will give you rest, Jesus said. So I don't know where you're at tonight. Some of you might be playing church. You might not have a genuine relationship with Christ. And that scripture, when I first came back to the Lord, sent shockwaves in my heart. Many will come to me in that day, Matthew 7. Many will come to me in that day. Did you know that not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven. See, it's not about perfection. It's not about works. It's about a heart, a blaze, a heart on fire for God that knows God. Some of you need to come home, back to the Father. Get rid of, let me tell you, I can preach a sermon on bitterness and a critical spirit. You're always negative. You're always upset. You're always mad at everything from the president to, and so am I. But it's just, it's just critical and mad and everybody's, and just negative Nellies, judgmental Jerry's, that critical, angry spirit, unforgiveness, bitterness. It has to be left at the foot of the cross because it will stifle the work of the Holy Spirit. What about lukewarmness? You love God on Sunday, but come Monday, you're raising hell. Something's got to change.