The sermon titled 'Remember My Chains' emphasizes the importance of remembering the foundational truths of faith and the calling God has placed on our lives. It warns against being deceived by worldly philosophies and distractions, urging believers to walk wisely and finish the race set before them. The message highlights the personal cost of following Jesus and the need to prioritize Christ above all else, encouraging a life of passion, sincerity, and obedience to God's will.

Now, the message I'm about to bring to you is entitled, Remember My Chains. Remember My Chains. It's not just a message, it's something that God has spoken very, very deeply into my heart this week. And I liken it to when Joshua and the people of Israel came out of the wilderness and they came into what was the land of God's promises to them. And when God miraculously opened the sea, Joshua told the leaders to pick up certain stones out of the bottom of the sea and build a kind of a pile of stones on the other side as a reminder of what their calling is, a reminder of what God had done, a reminder of what God is willing to do when we turn to him in living relationship, even if we make mistakes or if we stray. Today, this message today, there've been messages preached in this church that are reminder stones. You can go back, you can listen to them. Some of you have taken messages, you've archived them in your computer or in your heart and you revisit them time and again to just help us all to remember, who are we? Where are we going? What did God establish us for? And what are the pitfalls of our journey? Are there things before us that you and I need to be aware of? Are there snares set for our feet that we might not be fully appreciative of? Is there something that God wants to speak to us as a church? This message I believe is one of those, so I'm encouraging you, however you store it, you download it, you get a CD, I don't even know if we still produce those things, but if we do, get one of those and keep this message. And in the years to come, go back and listen to it. If you outlive me, go back and listen to it. I'm serious about this. Go back, listen. If it's 10 years from now, go back, listen to it. Keep it as one of those stones that come out of the river that speaks to your heart again and again and again, so that you will always remember what God's purpose was for this church, what God's purpose is for the future. Why? He has given us as a lighthouse, a window into many parts of the world. Our Tuesday night prayer meeting is now being live streamed by people in 199 countries, unheard of folks ever, ever. At any time, to my knowledge in the Christian world, that a prayer meeting like this goes so far and so many people are now becoming aware of it. We had 20 Italian pastors visit just two weeks ago to the church just to experience the presence of God on Tuesday night that they're seeing on television throughout the week in Italy. Thank God for these things. Thank God for what he's doing. I've got a group of 20 Canadian pastors coming here very shortly for the same reason. Having experienced, having seen so many people coming together to pray on a Tuesday night, having felt the power of God in their own hearts, even through the internet, coming together saying, we need to go there and we need to experience it in person. They sent an emissary and he said, can you just give us two hours, pastor? We have a lot of questions for you. You see, God is on the move. Something is happening now in the Christian world. People are weary of powerless profession. They want a living relationship with God and the Lord has blessed us for 30 years. We've known his presence in this sanctuary for 30 years. When we meet what you experienced today, if you're visiting, we've experienced almost every time we meet for 30 years, presence of God is here for a divine purpose. But God help us if we ever forget what that purpose is. Colossians, please, the book of Colossians, chapter four. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians in the New Testament, chapter four. Now, Father, I thank you with all my heart for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. I bow my heart and bend my knee. To your Lordship in this house, you are welcome here. Lord Jesus Christ, I ask that you make your word live today. Give me the grace, the strength, the power to speak this word to my own heart first and to the people. Help us, Lord, to love you, to serve you. And to never forsake you. We thank you for it in Jesus name. Remember my chains, Colossians chapter four, beginning at verse 15. Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and Memphis and the church that is in his house. Now, when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it. This salutation by my own hand, Paul, remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen. Now, this letter of Paul, just as were his others, was an impassioned plea from a spiritual father for believers in Christ to retain or return to the true fruit bearing faith, which they had once received. Verses five and six of chapter one, Paul writes to them, he says, because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth of the gospel. In other words, there's a word you heard. The word you heard brought you to this place that you are. And there was a specific purpose for you in what God called you to. Verse six, he says, which has come to you as it has also in all the world and is bringing forth fruit. Thank God it is. As it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. Now, in chapter two and verse one, we get an inkling that Paul had an inward burden for the Colossians and the Laodiceans because he had heard and received a report about them. And he says in chapter two, verse one, for I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. So you see, folks, here's here's how it works. God appoints leaders in the church and spiritual people can see something in the future. They may not fully understand it, but they can see it. There can be forebodings that come into their spirit. There can be warnings and carnal men don't see anything. They don't they can even preach the gospel, but they don't see anything. But if those who lead you are concerned about the glory of God, they're concerned for your soul, they're concerned for the future of what God wants to do in your life, then he gives them a vision. Even if they can't fully articulate it, they see something in the future. Paul said, I have a great conflict for you. There's a good side to what you're doing, but there's a downside to what you're doing and to where you are. And I want to speak to you about these things. You see, obviously, he had received a report from this gentleman called Epaphras in Chapter 4, verses 12 and 13. He says, Epaphras, who is one of you, a bond servant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayer. So there's this man called Epaphras, who was really concerned about the Colossians and the Laodiceans. These two groups of believers who lived, if you go back in Laodicea, they lived in relative opulence. That becomes, as we do today, that becomes obvious. There was a lot of material possession around them. There was a lot of diversion, a lot of things they could get involved in that could take them away from the work of God. And Epaphras was praying, laboring, believing fervently that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. There was this man of God that was praying, God, keep these people, help them to stand. Don't let them be taken aside from the work that's been given to them. He says in verse 13, he says, For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you and those who are in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. In chapter four, again, in verse 16, his report, I believe, prompted Paul in the spirit to write to these young believers and to have his words read publicly among them. He said, Now, when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. Now, about 13 to 26 years later, you know, Paul was going to be dead before Jesus would evaluate this church. It was somewhere, most likely, 13 to 26 years after Epaphras shows up, reads these words to the Laodicean church that Jesus speaks to this church about their condition. And it becomes obvious when you see it in Revelation chapter three that a lot of the people didn't listen to what the spirit was speaking. You see, we have this innate ability to shrug off the word of God. Don't forget the sin nature of fallen humanity, the root, the foundation of your sin nature. You know, when we talk about sin nature, people think about drunkenness, immorality, all that kind of stuff. That's just fruit. But the root, the root of the sin nature is that I can be as God is. And in myself, I can determine what is good and what is evil. And that sin nature allows me to hear a word right from the throne of God and push it away and say, Well, that's not for me, or I don't agree with that or not for now, maybe later, but not now. And it allows them to push it away, not realizing that pushing away the word of God can have eternal consequences, not just for the person who pushes it away, but for the people who are pushed away from the throne because they've lost the savor of Christ. Can you imagine if Peter Nehemiah had chosen to stay here? Imagine if his eyes were and heart were gripped by the New York and all of its lights and everything it offers. And he said, No, I'm not going back there. There's sticks and straw where I come from. And look at the beauty of all of this. And folks, listen, you might be struggling right now financially, but you are rich in comparison to a lot of people throughout the world. I want you to know that. Now, let me just read to you from the book of Revelation chapter three, beginning at verse 14, Jesus Christ. It was 13 to 26 years, or it could have been much earlier. Nobody knows for sure, but it was later than they had received this word. In verse 14, it says to the angel, that means to the pastor of the church of the Laodiceans, right? These things says they amend the faithful, the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold or hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Actually, the original King James says spew. And I think spew is more of an accurate translation. Now, the people there knew what he's talking about. Laodicea, according to historians, had no natural water supply in its midst. So they had to pipe their water in from quite a distance. Now, the pipes were probably above ground and the sun would beat on them. And the water may have been pure and clean, but as it came through the pipes, by the time it got to the center of Laodicea, it was lukewarm. It was no good for tea and it was no good as a cool drink to a passing stranger. And people who are not aware of the lukewarmness of the water in Laodicea would have a tendency to go to whatever source it was flowing from, cup the water in their hands or a cup and drink it. And it would be so lukewarm, they would spit it out. So the people were completely aware of what Jesus was talking about. The water was neither hot nor cold. They weren't really passionate for the things of God, but they weren't cool to the things of God either. They were just stuck in the middle. And what happens when we get into that kind of a condition is that people are not interested in what we have to say. They're not interested in the word. There's supposed to be living water that flows from us. Well, the water, if it's not hot, if it's not cold, people are not interested in it. They're not interested in our opinion. They're not interested in our God or anything that we say. And this is what was happening to this church. Because you say, I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing. And do not know that you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. In other words, they had been captivated by the pursuits of the society around them. The value system of the world became their value system. As long as they had achieved what they thought would make them happy in the world, whether it's a retirement plan, kids in college, I don't know what it is, just have bread in their cupboard. Whatever it was, it had taken them away from the pure passion of what the work of God really is, which is the redemption of the lost on the earth and the glorifying of Christ in these earthen temples, which are the temple of the Holy Ghost. And he says, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire. In other words, you got your money in the wrong place, your hearts in the wrong place, that you may be rich and white garments that you might be clothed. The shame of your nakedness may not be revealed and anoint your eyes with eyes that you may see. Then he goes on to say as many as I love, as many as I love, as many as I love, I rebuke and chase him. Be zealous therefore and repent. I stand at the door and knock. If anybody can hear my voice and open the door. 13 years or so after Paul had sent this letter to them, Jesus is pleading at the door of this church. Is there anybody left that can still hear me? I'll come in and dine with him and he with me and to him who overcomes, to him who overcomes this lukewarm spiritual condition, to him who overcomes this while I'm in, but I'm not quite in, but I'm not quite out. I'm just going to stay in the middle. It's nice to know I'm going to heaven, but I don't want to get too serious about this Christ stuff. So I'll come to church and I'll pretend that I'm part of the game, but I'm not really in. I'm not full in. To him who overcomes, I'll grant to sit with me on my throne. We sang about it. I can only imagine. As I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne, as I also overcame, as I also overcame the, the tendency to say, God, I don't, I don't want to do this father. If it'd be possible, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, in other words, Christ is just saying to his own father in Gethsemane, this is not appealing to me. I don't want to do this. It's not the path I want to take. And if there's any other way you can do this, God, would you do it that way? But nevertheless, nevertheless, you know, sometimes our decision is just a, nevertheless, it's not like we're fully engaged with it. It's not like we just say, God, I, I'm just going to hop, skip and jump to Calvary. So happy. No, it's, it's a, it's a, a decision we make in the midst of our own need, in the midst of our own pain, in the midst of our own, not complete understanding, even the ways of God, it's a decision we make because we know it's right. And we know it's the will of God. I'd rather not go to prayer meeting. I'd rather go home. I'm tired on Tuesday night, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. He wasn't here. Let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. And now the main point is that they'd not taken the heart, the words that, that God had sent to them. So I want to take a journey back in time. You are the Laodiceans, no offense. I am Epaphras and I'm coming to you today from the apostle Paul, full of hope, full of zeal for your future. And I want to read to you the word of God. So I'm just going to walk away from the pulpit for a minute and I'm going to turn around. I'm coming back now. We're, we're back thousands of years. You are the church in Laodicea. You are the church in this huge city. That's just filled with distraction, wealth, customs, a value system is completely contrary to the ways of God. Now I'm coming to you saying greetings to you from the apostle Paul, a man of God who has in his heart, a heavy burden for you. And he's written words for you to hear, which he says he was given by the Holy spirit of God himself. You and I know that to be true because this is part of the inspired text of God. This came from the heart of God. And so Epaphras, you can see Epaphras standing and Paul said, make sure you read this letter. And so he's, he's up in a pulpit, probably similar to this one says I've great news for you. I've prayed for you. I am believing God for you. I'm believing God for your future. I brought a report to you to this great man of God named Paul. You've not met him yet, but he's an apostle means he's commission of God to establish and strengthen the churches. God is doing some phenomenal things to this man's life. He's in prison at the moment, but nevertheless, he sends handkerchiefs from his body and people are healed and devils are fleeing. Unusual miracles are happening from this man's hand. He has been given an ability to speak in the Pharisees are stunned at the knowledge that God's given them. Yet he can speak to the simple who've never heard about God, who sit around an altar that says to the unknown God. He had an experience with God. His eyes were open. God sent a man to pray for him and scales fell from his eyes. And now he says he's called to be an apostle and he sends his greetings to you. So let me read to you what he has to say. Beginning in Colossians chapter one in verse three, we give thanks to the God and father of the Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love to all the saints, because of the hope, which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth of the gospel chapter one, verse six, which has come to you as it has also in all the world and is bringing forth fruit as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. And Paul was saying, lay up the sins. You have borne good fruit. Continue to bear it. Don't be diverted. Continue to bear fruit. Verse nine, he says for this reason, also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will filled. That's the cry of my heart as your pastor, that God would fill you with the knowledge of his will drive out all the confusion. You would go into the prayer closet and get into the word of God and say, I know what I'm called to do. I know it all for all of us. There's a commonality. We are called to win the lost to Christ and disciple them, be there for them, pray for them. Yes, that's the general burden. But then there are specific callings that God places in his church. The Bible says, as he sees fit, he places us in his body to do what he has called us to do. And Paul says, I'm praying for you that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you may walk worthy of the Lord, not haphazardly, not half-heartedly, not lukewarm, not saying, well, thank you for dying for the world, but I'm not. If the opportunity arises, I'll speak, but God, I'm not going out of my way, even though this is the most important work in the history of the world and you've invited me into it. Lord, I'm just not really fully engaged in it, if you don't mind. Fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work, bearing that mark of God that only God can make happen through you. Increasing in the knowledge of God, spending time in this book, learning, studying, knowing what the word of God says. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for all patients and long suffering with joy. In other words, receiving inside of you the power that God wants to give you so that you can go through hardship. You can suffer rejection. In this world, you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world, Jesus said. Giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in life. Giving thanks, oh God, thank you for using my life for your glory. Thank you, God, for the good places. Thank you for the hard places. Thank you for the easy places. Thank you for all the places. Thank you for every time you give me an opportunity to speak your name. I was shopping the other day. I always buy roses for Pastor Teresa when she comes home on the weekend from the school, so I went to the supermarket to get rose flowers. I'm not looking for glory, I'm just telling you the story. If I look for glory, my reward is gone. I was just buying flowers, and there's a gentleman my age beside me. I've had a dozen red roses. He had two dozen white ones. I just reached over those plastic bags you put your flowers in. I said, hey, you need a bag for this. We started talking, and I said, it's just awesome. I said, my wife and I are going to be married 40 years shortly, and I just love her more than I ever have in my life. He said, yeah. I said, my wife and I, it's our 42nd anniversary. I said, oh, congratulations, congratulations. I said, we're going to be celebrating. I'd start talking. He says, well, I'm going to the cemetery to celebrate. She died two months ago. When he said it, I started to cry. He looked at me, and it should be him crying, not me. I said, can I pray for you? Can I pray? He said, oh, please, would you? He started to cry. The two of us are in shop right. We're both crying. I put my hands on him, and he put his arm around me. I just started to pray for the comfort of God, and the Lord would help him and meet his need. He said, I don't know what to do. He said, I feel like my life is over. Imagine sitting at the cemetery to celebrate your anniversary. Anyways, then he turned to me and says, what time do you guys meet anyway? You might even be here this morning. When is your church, and when do you meet? Suddenly, just this interest, because somebody had reached out. I'm just trying to tell you that being a Christian should be very natural. It should be very natural. In chapter one, verse 15, Paul says, he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him, all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him, all things consist. In other words, Paul is saying to the Laodiceans, as well as the Colossians, Jesus must be first in everything. Even when it's not convenient, and even when it's hard, we have the knowledge that Jesus Christ must be first. In verse 26, he tells the church, he says, Christ in you is your treasure, and we must bring that treasure to all people so that they can know him just as we do. The mystery, he says, which has been hidden, chapter one, verse 26, from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to his saints. To them, God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. That ought to be the cry of the heart of every Christian, that every man, every woman, every child, everyone ever born would know Christ as we do. Now in chapter two, verse one again, Paul says, I have a great conflict for you and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. I have an inner conflict, and true men of God and women of God have that inner conflict. We feel for the church. We live for the body of Christ. We feel the passion of God for his house. In verse four, he says, now this I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. Verse eight, beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. Beware, beware Laodicea where you're getting your water from. Beware, beware, beware. I know there's people going home and you just surfed the internet and you're bringing water in from everywhere. You're going down to Florida, you're going to Texas, you're going all over the country, and a lot of that water is lukewarm. Beware where you're getting your water from because a lot of it has human philosophy in it. It has empty deception in it and the principles of the world are behind it, not the principles of Christ. It is designed to turn you away from the simplicity of Christ and the mission of Christ, and to one more time get you enamored with the things of this world, somehow causing you to believe that if you reach out and grasp as much as you can of this world that somehow even God is in that. You might be absolutely fruitless for the kingdom of God, but somehow can end up as Laodicea convinced that you're rich, increased in goods, and have need of nothing. In verse 18 he says, let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he's not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Beware of those whose whole theology is angels, dreams, and visions. Beware of them. Beware of them. Stay in the word of God. Keep the cross at the center of your theology. If what you're hearing is not giving you a passion for the lost, then shut it off. Turn it off. Get rid of it. Open your Bible. Begin to read the word of God. Beware. In chapter three, beginning at verse one, he says, if you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. You died. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, you will also appear with him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Don't go back to what you left behind. Chapter three, verse 16, he says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom. When you get up in the morning, take time to read the word of God and ask the Lord, say, God, give me a thought which will stay with me all day, which will start to form my character. It's not the volume of what you read every day. It's the quality of whether or not it gets into your heart when you read it. In verse, I've lost my place here. Chapter four, verses two and three, continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving, disciplined. It's at the front of your heart. If we were in Laodicea, Paul would say, don't forget Tuesday night. God has opened a window to the world to you. Don't forget Tuesday night. Don't just stay home because of convenience. Don't get lazy. Remember, this is the work of God. Remember, this is what you were called to do. Remember, God answers prayer. Remember, there are people all around the world looking to this moment in this church at this time. Remember, it's about more than just you and me. It's about others. It's about people in Africa. It's about Nicaragua. It's about Australia. It's about China. It's about Israel. It's about the multitudes that are streaming in, hearing prayer and believing with us that God answers prayer. Meanwhile, praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in chains. Paul says, I'm in jail and I'm chained, but pray that God would open doors to me. Pray for me. Pray for me. Don't forget my chains. Pray for me that I may have an opportunity to preach in many other places. I wonder if Laodicea prayed for Paul. I wonder if they even cared. There was a man of God in jail that God was going to use to touch the whole known world. In verse five, he says, walk in wisdom towards those who are outside redeeming the time. Walk wisely. Don't let the ways of the world get hold of your heart again. Don't be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Love them, pray for them, but don't be yoked with them. Don't let their thoughts become yours and their value system become yours. You're called to something much higher than that. Walk wisely, walk wisely. In chapter four, verse 17, and say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it. I don't know who this man was, but God had given him something to do. And maybe the report came to Paul that he was starting to draw back from what he was called to do. So Paul singles him out. The Holy Spirit singles out this one man in the church. He says, finish what God gave you to do. God gave you something to do, my friend. My brother, my sister, finish what you're called to do. To the orchestra, finish. Finish the work that God gave you to do. Don't cut it short. Don't sell it out because of hardship. To the elders of this church, finish the work. To the pastors, finish the work that God gave you to do. To the choir, finish the work that God gave you to do. Don't cut it short. Finish it. Finish it. When you get to the end, long for those words that only Christ can speak when he looks at you and says, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over a few things. Faithful, finish what God gave you to do. I'm speaking to my own heart as much as to yours. Finish what God gave you to do. Run the race right to the finish line. Cross the finish line in victory. Finish what God gave you to do. Finish it. Finish it. Finish it. Don't cut it short. Don't be sidetracked. Don't give in to the lukewarm waters of this world. Finish it. Don't fall into the deception because you got money in the bank or retirement plan or kids in college, or you got the dream car, the dream girl, the dream guy. Don't fall into the deception that that's all the Christian life is about. Finish the race that God's given you to run. Run it with passion, fervency, knowledge, vision, heart, everything that God is willing to give you and through you is desiring to give others. Finish the race. Times Square Church, finish the race that God has set before you. Run it with passion. Run it with sincerity. Run it with truth. Run it with a singleness of heart and mind. And when you fall, get back up again and start running all over. But run the race and finish the race. Lastly, Paul says, I'm signing this by my own hand. Paul, remember my chains. Remember that there is a personal cost to following Jesus. Remember my chains. He's not looking for sympathy from Laodicea. He's looking for them to consider something that they were not looking at, that we are not called to a life of self-gratification and ease. There's a cost. There's a cost. But oh God, when we get to the throne of God one day, there's a bigger cost to not following Christ, to not obeying his will. Because now is only temporary. Do you know that? Your job is temporary. Your house is temporary. Your car is temporary. Your bank account is temporary. One day it's going to all be gone in a moment of a twinkling in the twinkling of an eye. And then eternity begins and only what you brought to Christ is going to be with you. Everything else is gone. I'm not old. I get rebuked by somebody in the choir every time I say that. But I'm going to be in heaven probably in 20 years or less. That's just a reality. I am. So what really matters? What matters? I don't have to come here Tuesday night to pray. I can assign Pastor Patrick. He leads a great meeting. I could stay home. A lot of times I'm really tired. I've been in 13 services this past week, preached six of them, traveled to two countries, landed last night. I don't even know what time we landed. I have no idea. I didn't know what day it was. But yet I feel quickened by the Holy Spirit to do the work that God's called me to do. Christian life is not about convenience, self-gratification, and ease. Now, I'm not giving you an altar call. Your altar call is Tuesday night. You have between now and Tuesday night to get out of your seat and come to the altar. The Holy Spirit told me to give an altar call, though, not for the message I've just preached, but for those who are suffering depression. You're going to be set free. God is going to set you free. So we're going to stand in a moment and in the balcony, the main sanctuary over in the Education Annex, I would like people who are suffering, struggling with depression to come, and I believe that God is going to set you free today. Today. North Jersey, you could step up to the front of the sanctuary in the annex if you could stand between the screens, and God is going to set you free. He spoke to my heart this morning and said, preach what I've given you, then give an altar call for people struggling with depression. And so if that's you today, I'm going to ask as we stand, we're going to worship for just a few moments, just come. I'm going to pray for you, and God is going to set you free. Jesus Christ is going to touch your life, bring you out of that despair so that you may serve him and walk with him, sing about him, talk about him, tell about him. He's going to set you free. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Listen, King David said, King David, he was a king. Just like you, your royalty, you're all royalty in the sight of God. But he had a time in his life where he just sunk into the mud and couldn't get out. He said, but the Lord reached down and pulled me out and set me in a solid place and gave me a new song, a song that was so deep that people would see it and fear God because of it. That's what he said. They would see it and say, surely there must be a God. Why is he singing that kind of a song? We know what his life looked like. We know how down he was, how deep he was sunk, but it's the work of God to lift us up. It's the work of God to give us hope. It's the work of God to give us sight, to see a future. It's the work of God to open our prison doors and to heal our hearts if it's been a wound that's caused us to be despairing. It's the work of God. That's what he does. That's what the cross is all about, to forgive us and lift us up. And so that's what God's going to do today. Father, thank you. Thank you, God, for lifting these people, these men and women, children, God, at this hour. Thank you, Lord. You are the God of the breakthrough, Lord. That's who you are. You are the one who opens prison doors. We declare you just to be who you are. You're the one who heals the wounded heart. You're the one, God, who gives hope when there's no hope. You give sight when we can't see, God, a way forward. You give strength when we can't see, strength when we can't get out of bed in the morning. We see no reason to live. You're the one who gives hope. You're our strength, our power. You're our grace. You're our glory. You're everything, Jesus. You're everything and all in us. And so I take authority in the name of Jesus Christ over the works of the devil. I take authority over depression. You have no place. These people are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Satan, you have no place here. You have no place here. This is not your ground. You go where you belong, but you don't belong here. You don't belong in any of these lives. These people belong to God. These people are the temple of God's Holy Spirit. So we rebuke you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We command you to depart. You can't torment their minds any longer. You can't remind them of their failures. You can't paint your picture of hopelessness for their future any longer before their lives. You can't keep them afflicted. You can't keep them addicted. We stand against you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because every person here has a new future, a new heart, a new nature, a new song that is birth of God, birth of the Spirit of God, because the Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord is in his temple. So Satan, we banish you. We banish you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from these lives. We banish you. We banish your power. We take full authority over you. You have no place. You have no place in these lives, no place in these minds, no place in these hearts. We resist you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, God, plant a new song in these hearts. Put a new song, Lord, in every one of these lives, Lord, a new song, a new song, a new future, a new hope, a new touch from heaven. God Almighty, we are not satisfied. We will not ever allow defeat in the house of God. We will not allow defeat in this house. A new song, a new future for you, a new future for your daughter. A new future for your family, a new future for you, a new future, a new song, a new heart. God Almighty, the Lord is in his temple. The Lord is in his temple. He makes all things new. That's what the Bible says. He makes everything new. That's who he is. That's what he does. If the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in you, he will also bring your bodies to life. He will quicken you by his Spirit, give you a new heart, a new mind, a new hope. Praise be to God.