Michael Koulianos emphasizes that God is seeking true friends who desire a deep relationship with Him rather than mere ministry roles. He expresses the importance of being trusted with God's presence and glory, urging the congregation to seek intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Koulianos highlights that many are drawn to the benefits of faith but neglect the true essence of knowing God. He calls for a shift from being mere workers in ministry to being devoted friends of God, stressing that true fulfillment comes from His touch and presence. The sermon encourages believers to cultivate a hunger for God, as He longs for a genuine relationship with His people.

Holy Spirit, here we are wanting to be yours, wanting to be your friends wanting to know you and be faithful to you we want you to trust us with more now I don't know if you want more, but I want more tonight I don't know why what your ambitions are here in this church but I want him to live with us so Father do your work in us that we would know you and that you would trust us with your presence that you would trust us with your glory I'm not even sure we know what we're asking for, Father and what that will cost us but we see no other reason to gather than for you to be among us reveal yourself to us oh, I feel the Lord oh, I feel the Lord reveal yourself to us find us faithful find us faithful I just want to talk to you for a moment and then we're going to change gears in a few minutes but I keep playing there, Joel I feel that the Lord has something very special for many of you tonight how many of you came in from out of town to be in the room? that's amazing thank you for coming it's an honor how many of you are in the ministry and you came in the room because you're hungry for more? wave, wave would you stand please, I just want to see stand, stand a few wow, look at all these ministers want to be in the room I know you from Dallas I meet you at Upper Room everyone sit but this young man what's your name? yeah just pray in tongues everyone, just for a moment you see, you walk with the Lord step by step step by step it's not the most secure feeling to yield but it's the greatest way step by step, step by step and I just want to say if we're not trusted with the anointing we'll never be trusted with His glory we have to be trusted with moments like this come here young man, come here I don't know exactly why you came, I have a hunch that you came because you want more of God come here please you live in Dallas? yeah father you know him and you know the cry of his heart and you know why he came into the room tonight refusing the norm refusing to go about this thing without more of you, I hear his heart I can almost hear his prayer and all the tenacity Jesus in him how he's been coming and running and running and running after you light of fire tonight deep in his soul would you get down on your knees just for a moment I'll get down with you guys you stand behind him lot of fire in him tonight you do always, you have no problem choosing one Lord you do it all the time you look for the hungry and what a sacrifice it is for you to be here what you've sacrificed to be here fill him tonight with the fire of God use him to win many people to the Lord give this young man souls fill him with the fire of the Holy Spirit fill him use his life to set many free even those with demons oh wow give him a mighty deliverance ministry a true one, a true deliverance ministry teach him Lord to discern who and what is of you and who is of darkness put fire in his soul I pray he'd carry the honey and the fire the intimacy and the war use his life in Jesus' name use his life, use it, use it, use his life if I were you right now I would just ask the Lord for more, help him guys, help him, help him, help him I'm telling you this is just a wonderful touch of the Lord here no, no, you don't have to clap, don't clap, don't clap you don't have to clap, you don't have to clap right now thank you Lord thank you Jesus God is looking for friends, hear me, for friends the Holy Spirit's looking for friends who know his touch but David said this if thou be silent unto me it's as though I've gone down to the pit do you know how badly the Holy Spirit wants to talk to you you know I'm deeply grieved over the fact that we've equipped people for ministry and activated them in ministry but never taught them who the Lord is and how to be close with him so we've raised up mercenaries who choose ministry as a career choice and don't even realize that they were meant to be married before they were employed it's a great tragedy, isn't it? oh I want fire uh-huh uh-huh if that fire came it would challenge you to the core you know the fire of God brings death brings death because the Holy Ghost is not just a fire he is a consuming fire what does he consume? this is great news, it is good, challenging, yes what does he consume? everything in you but him you mean what? until there's nothing left of me? uh-huh that's exactly what I mean well what would happen then? he'd get all the glory he'd get it all at that point, wouldn't he? looking for friends real friends I would even go as far to say that at times it grieves him that he doesn't have more friends he's got plenty of pastors just not enough friends oh gosh plenty of singers but few worship leaders plenty of church planters few garden planters uh-huh we all want the mission field few want the chamber oh but then what of me, Michael? what should I build? nothing nothing you can't build the church, you can't do what only he can do, Jesus said I will build my church me, I'll do it and what does he build with? himself? oh I feel the Lord so strong right now like a roundhouse Ryan I'm telling you I feel sorry buddy you're in danger zone I feel the holy tremor of the Spirit I grew up as a little boy hearing my father-in-law say when the power of the Spirit comes upon me I feel like every cell in my body comes alive there's no one like him he is the Spirit of life the breath of God isn't that what the scripture says? that the Spirit of God in Genesis chapter 1 hovered over the face of the deep what does that word mean? but the breath the wind of God he is life and without fellowship with him we die in the church pew you die sitting in his house if you do not discover the touch of the wind there's life in the wind his breath is in the wind do you know what he's looking for? and by the way if you get up and leave right now you need him bad do you know what he's looking for? people he can whisper to people he can whisper to why? because when he whispers he understands that the tone of his voice requires nearness I don't know how else to say this to you other than he can be known and wants to be known and if you want to know him you can if you discover his worth the only way you choose something other than him is to not see his worth it's about his worth the Holy Spirit does not make an average church a more exciting church without him you don't have a church you have a building without him you don't have a ministry without him you can't read the Bible without the Holy Spirit you can't know Jesus it's impossible he loves Jesus more than we do he's really into the Lord Jesus so we've raised up these employees and taught you how to do stuff that only he can really do and so we build our own kingdom and then we say this maybe we're just in a dry spell maybe God is done work no no no maybe you made it about you and just used his name you see if he don't build the house you built the house and if he builds the house you really think it's your house he's looking for friends how am I doing babe? what time? you see some of you right now you feel his gentle touch you feel that dew I don't know how else to explain it he just makes everything better this isn't the most expensive building in Orlando but I have a feeling that it's got to be one of the most glorious tonight I don't know I mean even these lights look nice and they're not that expensive it's what he does the person next to you is much nicer right now than they were when they walked in I promise you it's what the Holy Spirit does he comes in with the rain of his presence isn't that what the dew was all about in Eden? you know maybe you don't even understand what I'm talking about right now that's fine let your heart receive it and he'll teach you later just don't reject it what did Adam and Eve walk in? but the dew of the garden their atmosphere was the Spirit himself and so Paul writes it's in him we live it's in him we move in other words I can't stay alive without him he's the bread of life it's in him we move I have no purpose I have no destiny I have no calling without the Holy Spirit it's in him I have my being he's the only one who tells me why I'm alive life has no purpose outside his presence he has few friends listen because few want him they want what comes with him yeah they do they want what comes with him they want the books and the followers and the money and the fame and the buildings and the campuses and they want messages they just don't want him to be their message yup that's how it happens we choose lesser lovers all the stuff that comes with him and all the while he stands there you know his name is the perikle the baraklitos it's where we get the word parallel he stands there right next to us with tenderness and while he's vexed inside because we ignore him he still stays and waits to see if we'll just look his way for a second do you know why? because if you look his way for a second he knows it'll turn into an hour he knows he gets it he understands what the first chapter of the song of Solomon says kiss me with the kisses he knows that one turns into many because he's that beautiful he's life you can't look for a minute and not spend an hour it's really I mean he's that good bring her to me oh he's looking for friends friends that's what Jesus wants friends friends friends friends guys get up Dion Brian you stay there Alex help please friends that's what he wants Brit friends friends faithful loving friends who will never leave him because he never left us there is no one like you there are none beside you if I were you in your seat right now I would not feel the Lord I would just say Lord I want to know you I want to feel you I want you to trust me I want to know your voice I want to know your touch what did David write thou teachest me with your hand he said I've learned you through touch and we've discounted touch and made it a lack of faith no friends if you don't know the touch of the spirit something else is touching you someone else has your heart I've known his touch I've known what it's like to feel dead inside and then he comes and everything comes alive I've known what it's like to wonder how how I can carry what God has asked me to carry I've wondered how how will I last how will I make it Lord only you know what a minister carries walking with you I've wondered how will I make it till I'm 85 and I've heard the Lord say don't look to tomorrow look to today I'll touch you and every time he touches me I come alive I come alive and everything makes sense everything makes sense I love these students at Jesus School I love them like they're my own I treasure you all oh it's so hard at times Jesse will tell you it's so hard it's so hard the stuff people do people you trust people you thought you could trust the way they betray oh the pain of it all I'm telling you this is not something you just sign up for you can't get online and be ordained you can't do this kind of thing only the Holy Ghost can ordain a people this is a holy calling the weight of it all the sobriety of shepherding a people coming before the Scriptures and saying oh Lord you've got to talk to me I can't tell them how I feel today or give them someone else's sermon that I read on a website you've called me to give them the bread of life help me feed them you, this is a long long long time assignment and in and of ourselves we'd quit everyday we'd quit everyday what can we do to uproot addiction? what can we do to heal our own hearts? what can we do on our own? then that little tender touch comes and you feel in just a moment that everything changed everything just shifted in your soul maybe you're in your chair out walking or maybe you're in the building and he comes and he just just offers this little little little slight touch of course he doesn't come in with the fullness of who he is he's not like that no he's a gentle wonderful lover who looks to see if you will acknowledge the touch why would he trust you with his fullness if he can't trust you to respond to his hand and how satisfied I've been at times or encouraged I've been to see our students walk the platform at graduation you'd think from the outside looking in you would think that that in and of itself to see them flourish and get married and be set free you would think that watching these hundreds of kids that were just birthed by faith in a little Presbyterian church down the road three years ago hundreds of people young and old walking the platform you would think that that that would satisfy oh it doesn't it's encouraging but that doesn't strengthen you to go another day yes you're happy yes you're grateful I love you all but I'm here to tell you as your pastor ministry achievement will never fulfill your heart as much as I love you I'm here to tell you if you want me to pastor you hear me it's his touch it's his touch that wakes me up in the morning it's his touch that makes me want to fall on my face be with him I've never preached to you on a Sunday without being with him it's his touch it's not my discipline it's him it's his beauty and he's looking for friends friends lovers a bride I give you all the glory Moses said to the Lord see you say to me bring up this people oh this is prophetic right now bring up this people but you have not let me know whom you will send with me yet you said I know you by name and you have found grace in my sight now therefore I pray listen, listen church to the heart of a true lover of Jesus I pray if I have found grace in your sight show me now your way that I might know you that I might know you and that I might find grace in your sight what is he asking for there? his presence that's what the grace of God is and consider that this nation is your people and he said, the Lord said my presence will go with you and I will give you rest friends, you can't rest outside of his presence is there such rest in his glory? day after day you hear the words of Jesus fret not of tomorrow for the day has enough concern in other words, look to me now hear me, his presence is always in the now it's always in the present and Moses said if your presence does not go with us don't bring us up from here oh hear me, I don't want a new building if he doesn't go I don't want it I don't want bigger meetings if he's not there I don't want to do an album if he doesn't kiss every song I'm not interested in selling albums I want hearts to burn I want the bride to emerge if Jesus doesn't come with us, I don't want to go for how then will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your sight unless you go with us oh this is wonderful so we shall be separate your people and I from all the people who are on the earth the only one who makes us holy is the Lord it's not our decisions alone, it's the spirit and so the Lord said to Moses I will do this thing that you have spoken for you have found grace in my sight and I know you by name in other words, you have grace with God you have favor, now we see what a true lover of Jesus how he responds Moses says, oh I have grace I have favor I'm going to ask wisely listen to what he asked the Lord show me your glory you've given me access, here's what I'm asking for you you you Moses said I want you I have 3 million people I'm leading that's a big church, none of you know anyone with a church that big you talk about wealth the livestock of Egypt and the wealth of Egypt with them you talk about miracles parting the sea God made Egypt a nuclear waste zone he destroyed the 10 demon gods of Egypt through the 10 plagues Moses had seen the mighty acts of God water from a rock a staff turning a river that fueled the entire region with water, he watched it turn to blood he watched Pharaoh tremble underneath the glory of God Moses could have asked for so much and he knew he had favor and this is what he said, I know what to do with that favor I want you you I don't want more fame I don't want more authority give me you he's looking for friends friends do you hear what I'm saying? there's a bride emerging, Jesus is coming to marry a church the church needs to look like him he's looking for a bride of like kind whose garments have been made white with his blood whose wrinkles have been removed by him through their fellowship and I can't do that for you but I can cut my chest open tonight and bleed in front of you and tell you that Jesus wants you Aaron, Jesus wants you the Holy Spirit wants you he wants you to know him fill them with a deep yearning fill them fill them with a deep yearning hunger is more holy than accomplishment I have news for you hunger is more holy than stadiums hunger is more holy hunger is more holy for Jesus he's the only kind of bread that makes you want another bite hunger is holy the bride is looking for her beloved and her beloved is looking for her I have news for you, he's looking for friends what are you doing with the grace? you found grace in his sight, his son came and died and bled what have you asked for? I wonder if you've asked for him listen to me carefully he makes average people incredibly effective he makes boring people people afraid of speaking like me my greatest fear growing up was speaking in public God has a sense of humor, does he not? God doesn't look for who's most qualified who has the best resume he looks for the hungry and he comes upon very average people very shy people he turns into voices, mouthpieces for him, why? because he gets great glory out of using average hungry people I don't know who that young man is with the amazing hair did he come with you? put your hand on him father in the name of Jesus Christ use this young man come here young man, come down here quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick Dion help me come down here, get on your knees ask wisely right now, you're in his presence ask wisely father use him for your glory quicken his heart to know you make him a hungry, hungry bride Dommy grab the mic please Dom, grab the mic, you'll be alright I'm telling you he's looking for a response out of you how it grieves him when he comes and we're too busy to even look you know what the Bible says about Moses when he saw the burning bush the scripture first says that he turned aside to look at the bush and then saw that it was burning and the church wonders where's my vision of Jesus? why can't I see Jesus? why don't I see him when I pray? why don't I see him with the eyes of my heart? why don't I see what he's doing? it's because you'll never see if you don't think he's worthy of a look you have to look first then he opens your eyes to see him and when you see him oh, he floods the soul with glory