In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Jesus walking on water and the disciples' reaction to it. He emphasizes the importance of having faith and not being afraid in the midst of storms. The preacher also highlights the need to be a testimony to others and bring them along on our spiritual journey. He encourages the listeners to trust in God's promises and not to be discouraged by the challenges they may face. The sermon is based on the passage from Isaiah chapter 24 and includes references to the miracle of the loaves and Jesus' conversation with the disciples on the ship.

This message is one of the Times Square Church Pulpit Series. It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in Manhattan, New York City. Other tapes are available by writing World Challenge, P.O. Box 260, Lindell, Texas, 75771, or calling 903-963-8626. You are welcome to make additional cassettes of this message for free distribution to friends. However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission, existing copyright laws apply. If you'll go to Isaiah chapter 24 with me, please. I want to speak this morning about voices in the coming storm. This is something that has been very heavy on my heart all week, as I've spent a lot of time actually this week with the Lord, and He's been speaking something to me. Voices in the coming storm. Father, I thank you that you are always my supply. I thank you, Holy Spirit, that you are the quickening power of God. You are the strength of Almighty God. I thank you, Lord, for quickening my mind and physical body. I thank you, Lord, for enabling me today to take what you've given me and to feed your church. Lord, I ask that your church be strong, that your church be healthy. I ask, Lord, that the food that you give us be not only the milk but the meat of God's Word. Open our hearts today to understand truth, Lord, that is difficult sometimes to understand. Father, I thank you, God. I thank you, Lord, that you have proven yourself faithful time and again, and you will always be faithful to those who put their trust in you. I put my trust in you today. And I thank you, God, that you're going to bring out this Word just as you would have it spoken, and you're going to help it to find its design that you have designed for every heart, for every life. Oh, God, let the powers of hell always be shaken, demolished in this house. Father, I thank you, God. I thank you for the privilege once more of standing before your flock and feeding them with your Word. Jesus, thank you for the enablement that you give to every pastor in this pulpit to be faithful. And we thank you in your mighty name. Amen. Isaiah chapter 24, voices in the storm. Now, Isaiah chapter 24 is speaking about a day of judgment that is soon going to come on the whole earth. Isaiah says in other places that fearfulness will surprise the hypocrites. It's going to come suddenly. Yes, there will be pre-warnings, but there will be a dullness that's come upon almost all of society, and much of God's professing church also will not be open to the days that they're living in because of self-seeking. Chapter 24, verse 10 says, The city of confusion is broken down, and every house is shut up that no man may come in. There's crying for wine in the streets. All joy is darkened, and the mirth of the land is gone. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. And when thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, and they shall cry aloud from the sea. A day of confusion, the Bible calls it, is coming on the whole earth. Verse 10 says, The city of confusion is broken down. This speaks of the sum total of what man in his rebellion towards God has been able to build. Would you agree with me this morning that a state of confusion exists almost throughout the whole world today? Confusion in government, confusion in society. And tragically, America at once at least had its boast in knowing God is becoming as confused as every other nation in the face of the earth today. Calling evil good and calling good evil. Confusion is the same word that is used in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 2. It talks about when the world was created, it was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of it. The word confusion means desolate, empty, worthless, confused, vain and unreal. In other words, that which man has built out of his own mind and out of his own rebellious heart is not reality. He aspires to have it esteemed as reality, but it isn't reality. The true reality is the kingdom of God. The true reality is the coming of Christ. The true reality is that God through his Son is going to rule and reign the universe forever. Going to recreate the earth and the heavens. The true reality is that everything that we stand upon in this world as it is apart from Christ is, Peter said, going to be dissolved. And the Bible is very clear about it. In the Old and New Testament, it's going to be dissolved by fire. It's going to literally melt away. And it's going to be gone and there's going to be a creation of a new heavens and a new earth. And for the Christian, this is a wonderful hope. When we see everything around us very rapidly now deteriorating and moving very quickly, as the scripture says, to that day when the entire world will rise up in incredible rebellion to God and his word. Jesus said in Matthew 24, 7, these days will be characterized by nation rising against nation. In the Greek New Testament, the word is ethnos, which means ethnic culture will begin to rise against ethnic culture. I challenge you to do a study of the wars now that are breaking out all around the world. And try to find one that is not based on ethnic culture rising against ethnic culture. One more time, we see in Albania, the Albanians and the Serbs beginning to rise up against one another. Age-old conflict that, apart from an intervention of God, could never be resolved by any amount of diplomacy or military might. We see also, Isaiah said, the ambassadors of peace in Isaiah 33, 7 shall weep bitterly. And the word for bitter is merah, which is the same word. When the children of Israel were traveling through the wilderness, they came to a pool of water that could not be consumed because it was bitter. The word was merah. And the ambassadors of peace shall weep this bitter weeping because of the poison water of deception that has filled men's hearts and mouths. Treaties will have no form or weight. Men's words will mean nothing. People will sign whatever they have to sign to get their way with no intention of ever keeping their word. How many worthless treaties have we seen in the Middle East now in the last several years? Just absolute worthless treaty after worthless treaty with quite often neither side not having a firm intent to ever follow through. We're living in an age when men's words don't mean anything anymore. The heart is so wicked and set against God that it's become acceptable to lie as long as it helps the people who are lying to achieve their purpose. Paul describes these days as a time of incredible selfishness, a time of self-delusion and utter rebellion against the laws of God. Matthew 25, Jesus describes these days as a time when the foolish, even among his own people, will be hurriedly attempting to find some form of spiritual stability. Those who didn't have a relationship with God that's of any substance, that's really what he's talking about in Matthew 25. Yes, they came to the house. Yes, they raised their hands. And yes, they purported at least to worship God. But there was no substance in them. There's nothing. Oh, they learned Scripture. They may have even gone to Bible classes. But there is no true substance. We're going to understand what that is in a little while this morning. But there's no true substance of God worked into them. And so when these times of calamity come, they're running to those who are standing. There are going to be voices in the coming storm. Now, beloved, whether or not we are the generation that is going to see the return of Christ in the... I have deep speculation in my heart that we might be. But whether or not we are, there are still storms coming, terrible storms all over the world. There have been warning shots as it is are being fired right across the bow even this moment as I stand and speak before you. Now, there are going to be voices that will be raised in the middle of this storm. Isaiah 24, 14 speaks of a people who shall lift up their voice and they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord. These are ones who have substance in them. There's something of God worked into them. And no matter what happens around them, the confused cities of confusion are broken down. Ambassadors of peace are weeping bitterly. Joy is darkened. Isaiah says that people will lock themselves in their houses looking for peace and looking for security. A time of confusion begins to hit. And the world becomes so confused that they end up electing a leader that is really the Scripture refers to as the Antichrist. A leader who promises world peace and will eventually go into the temple in Jerusalem after making a seven-year treaty with Jerusalem. He will break the treaty. He will desecrate the temple. He will persecute the children of God who are on the earth at that time. And he will attempt to call himself God. An incredible rebellion. This is where mankind is heading for. This is where society is rejecting God. You see it all through Europe now. You see it in many, many Western nations that once knew Christ. There is a God-rejecting spirit. It's the only way you can describe it now. Wanting to drive Christ and the truth of Christ out of its very existence. Out of the very fabric of its culture. But trying to replace it with small interests. Self-interest groups now are beginning to redefine culture. This is a terrible time that we're living in. A very, very fearful time. Just like Paul said. But when everything begins to break down, there are people who are going to lift up their voice. And they will sing for the majesty of the Lord, Isaiah says. In other words, there's a weightiness in them. The majesty. They're going to know something about God. They're going to know something about His weightiness. His power. His wealth. The treasure of God that is theirs in Jesus Christ. And though all hell is breaking out around them, their voices are going to be raised up in song. Oh, they might not be standing on the street corner and singing. But there will be a song in their heart. A song of trust in God. There will be voices that God is going to raise in the middle of the next storm that is coming. Now, before we have to ask ourselves the question, Now, who are these voices that God's going to raise in the coming storm? Now, go with me to the gospel of Mark, please. Chapter 6. I want to show you a type of a people who are journeying with God. But they are deeply deficient in their understanding of the provision which is given them. You see it in the disciples in this particular passage of scripture. Mark 6.45, it says, In straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. When evening was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He saw them toiling and rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. When they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it had been His Spirit, and they cried out. For they all saw Him and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them and said to them, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. And He went up into the ship, and the wind ceased. And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened. They had just come from a time when Jesus had fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread. He had taken that which had been put into His hands and He had multiplied it. And He had fed thousands. Then He told them, He said, now you go over to the other side. He gave them a directive as it is. He gave them a word. And here they are as it is rowing in the middle of the night. And Jesus comes walking to them on the water as if He is going to pass by. And here they are, a type of the church that is struggling in a sense to fulfill the commission. Rowing hard, working hard to fight that besetting sin. Or working hard like one of the churches in Revelation where Christ said, I know your labor, I know how you work, but you've left your first love. And here they are, they're rowing, they're working hard. And Jesus comes walking on the water. And it's a sermon illustration. He's trying to teach them something they're not understanding yet. He's trying to show them that I am the supply for that which opposes you. They're rowing and they're being opposed by the wind. They're being opposed by the waves. And actually they're being opposed by their own lack of understanding of who Jesus Christ is. He's been trying to tell them. They've seen Him multiply. They've seen Him feed. And yet here they are, rowing and toiling. And so many of God's people are like that, even in this generation. Struggling and fighting, trying to win the battle in their own strength. Rowing against the wind and the waves that are always against all of us. And Jesus is showing them. He's walking on top of everything that they are fighting against. That's the truth that they've failed to understand. He's standing above everything that they're toiling to overcome. Beloved, Christ has already overcome. He's overcome the power of sin. He's overcome the power of the devil. He's overcome our fears, if we can really understand it. He has told us, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. He has told us He will be our provision, He will be our supply to the end of our lives. He's told us very clearly and conclusively in the Word that we will not be forsaken. We will always have a roof over our head. We will always have clothing on our backs. We will always have enough to eat. This is the testimony and will be the testimony of Christ's church until the day comes and takes us out of the world and takes us to Himself. The psalmist is as blessed as the man whose strength is in thee. Blessed is the man who is not struggling in his own strength to live the Christ life. But he is now allowing the one who walks on the water inside of him to be his strength. He's not trying to be holy in his own strength. He's not trying to be a Christian in his own strength. He's acknowledging that now the Son of God through the Holy Spirit has come and resides within him. And daily his cry is, O Jesus who walks on the water of everything I have to face, be the source of my strength, O God. Speak against my enemies, O God. Speak the Word, Lord, and nothing can stop me from going where you've called me to go and being what you've called me to be. The psalmist says those whose heart is in the ways of God will pass through the valley of weeping and they'll make it well. And the rain that they leave behind will fill the pools. Another translation says as they pass through the valley of weeping, they will transform it into a region of springs. Those whose strength is in God, those are the voices that God will raise in the last day. Those who can walk through the valley of confusion, walk through places of weeping, and they have a message. And it's not a new doctrine. The message is in them. The message is the experience of God that they've come to understand through Jesus Christ. They have oil in their lamps. The presence of God is in them. They have believed. They have trusted. The Scripture says they go from strength to strength, and every one of them in Zion appears before God. The word strength means substance, power, valor, substance. Remember, the Lord came to Gideon, and he called him a mighty man of valor. Gideon was weak. Gideon was the least in his house. But the Lord says, I've given you a word, Gideon, and if you will believe that word, I'm going to use your life for my glory. They go from strength to strength. As Paul says, beholding the Lord, we are changed from image to image, into the very image of Christ, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. We are changed into the very image of the one that we are beholding, increasing daily in our personal experience of God's wisdom and power. Yet so many today, even hearing these words, are like the disciples in Mark chapter 4, where one more time there's an account of another journey across the water, but this time Jesus was with them, and he was asleep on a pillow. One time he's walking on the water, another time he's sleeping on a pillow, and actually a third time he calls Peter out of the boat, and calls him to walk with him. And that's the call of Christ for you and I today. I walk above your circumstance. I walk above that which you fight against, that which threatens the testimony of my life in you, that which wants to swallow the word that I've given you. I walk above it and I invite you to join me. You see, he could sleep on the pillow in the storm because he had a word from his Father, from before the foundation of the world. He knew he was going to Calvary. He knew what the purpose of his life was. And I believe it as well for my life. I don't know if you believe it. I happen to believe that I am until God says I'm not. It's not up to the devil when my life is over, it's up to God. He knew my days when I was born. And so I'm not afraid of the circumstances that come around me because I know that God has a purpose and that purpose will be fulfilled until the day that I die. I want to be able to say like Paul, it's been the hard cry of my life. I have run the race. I have finished my journey. I've kept the faith. I want to be able to say that at the end of my life. No unfulfilled ambitions and no regrets. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. But so many are like the disciples. Christ is asleep on a pillow. He could sleep in the storm. The sleep is trust. He's trying to teach them. It's not like He was tired. He's trying to teach them, but they're so dull to learn. He's already given them the Word. He's already told them where He's going. They already understand He's the Messiah. He can't drown. And then they wake Him up and say, don't you care? We're all perishing. And so He just stands up and calms the wind one more time, calms the waves. And then He says, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And this was the question He asked in every instance that's portrayed in the Gospels of this water journey, this crossing of the sea where there's opposition. He always asked the question, how come you don't have any faith? And actually, it's a very interesting thing because when you look at it in the Greek, it means, why are you not persuaded? Why do you not yet have confidence in certain divine truths? I have revealed to you certain truths about who I am and about what I do, but why yet is your confidence not in these truths? And there are many, many, even sitting here today, your confidence is not in the truth of God yet. There's a trust. And folks, I warn you, if you're trusting in anything in this world for your safety and security, you're going to be sorely disappointed and confused in the coming days. Remember when the towers came down here in September 2001, the confusion. All you had to do was look at the television and watch it, the confusion that was raining rampant. And sadly to say, even among preachers of the Gospels, there was confusion. All the prosperity preachers disappeared. All of their ads disappeared for about two, three months, other magazines, because they don't know God, they have no word for a troubled time. Their Gospel is all ease and success and destiny and prosperity. But when the towers came down and the Pentagon was attacked, and when planes are crashing in Pennsylvania, they have no word for the people. And they virtually disappear, because they've not yet been persuaded of certain divine truths. They've lived on the milk of God's Word and tragically turned it into sour milk, turned it into that which cannot satisfy. I've warned the church as much as my voice is able to flee from these false Gospels and come to Christ in truth, because there's a day coming when everything that can be shaken is going to be shaken. Whether or not it's going to touch the whole world. Beloved, it's going to come to this city, you can be sure of it. You see, but those of us who are sincere, ascribe to be like Paul. I do. Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1.12, he said, I know whom I believed, and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. We have to ask ourselves the question then, how was that knowledge of Christ keeping power worked into him? God worked something into Paul. He was a man that God could use in the storm. But there was a truth of Christ that was worked into him. Now, go with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 11, please, if you will. 2 Corinthians chapter 11, where Paul describes his journey in Christ. Here's how God worked His testimony. And here's how God will work it in you and me. Paul says, I know whom I believed. I know, you're going to be surprised who the voices are going to be in this coming hour. The coming storm, you're going to be shocked. Some of the fanciest preachers in America are going to be running for cover, trying to buy some mansion out in Wyoming or someplace to hide themselves. You're going to be surprised who the voices are going to be. For God's kingdom doesn't work like the kingdom of man. 2 Corinthians 11, I'll show you now how this confidence was worked into Paul. Verse 23, are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labor is more abundant than stripes above measure. In other words, I have had more whip marks on my back than I can count. In prisons, more frequent. In deaths, often. Of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I've been in the deep. In journeyings, often. In perils of water. In perils of robbers. In perils of my own countrymen. In perils of the heathen. In perils in the city. In perils of the wilderness. In perils in the sea. And in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness. In watchings, often. In hunger and thirst. In fastings, often. In cold and nakedness. Now go to chapter one. 2 Corinthians chapter one. We're going to continue this testimony of Paul's life. In 2 Corinthians one eight. Paul says. For we would not brethren have you ignorant. Of our trouble which came to us in Asia. That we were pressed out of measure. Above strength. In so much that we despaired even of life. Now Paul says. I've got to be honest with you folks. He says. I've got to tell you how bad it got in Asia. The trouble that came against us was so severe. That we despaired even of living. Verse nine he says. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves. That we should not trust in ourselves. But in God which raises the dead. Who delivered us from so great a death. And doth deliver. In whom we trust. That he will yet deliver us. Oh this is incredible. Paul says. We despaired of life. But God delivered us. And this was Paul's testimony. He does deliver us. And he will deliver us. It's amazing. Paul says. I know him. I know whom I believed. I am intimately acquainted with him. I know that his promises are not in vain. He's had a purpose for my life. And Paul could say. The devil has done everything in his power. Not only to stop me. But kill me. He shipwrecked me. He's left me in the ocean a day and a night. I've been beaten so often. That many men have died. Even under one scourging. And Paul said. I've been scourged so many times. I can't count the number of whip marks on my back. I've been in peril everywhere I've gone. Paul's saying. It's been a difficult journey. But he says. Through it all. I've learned something. That I can do all things. Through Christ. Who strengthens me. I've learned how to be abased. And I've learned how to abound. I've learned how to have everything. I've learned how to have nothing. For I've found something in God. I know whom I have believed. And I am persuaded now. I am persuaded because of the struggles I've gone through. That He's able to keep that which I've entrusted to Him. Against that day. I gave Him my life. I gave Him my future. I gave Him the testimonies He's establishing in me. He spoke to my heart. That I'm going to be used for His glory. And I have learned to trust Him. He has delivered me. He does deliver me. He will deliver me. He's the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End. The word deliver in the original text means to draw with force and violence. To drag. To pull. To draw out of danger. To liberate. I don't know, kid. Sometimes Christ has to come and just fight. Because we have no strength left at all. We are wise if we let Him do the fighting in the first place. And just lay hold of His garment by faith. It also means to drag. There have been times in your life and mine. That God has literally had to drag us out of trouble. And just drag us out of difficulty that we got ourselves into. It means to pull out of danger. And to liberate. There are times that we can honestly raise our hands and say, God, I'm free. Thank You, Lord. Thank You that You've broken the chains of the enemy off of my life. Thank You, God, that You've set my mind free. Thank You, Lord, that You've delivered me. You see, this is the voice that God could use in the storm. This is the voice. It's the voice of a man who has been brought through experiences. Difficult experiences. But in those experiences, he has been taught deep within his heart the keeping power of God. There's a whole segment of Christianity today that seeks to use Christ just for ease and gain. And what a tragedy, because nothing of Christ is being worked into them. And when ease and gain is all gone, they're going to be left empty. Running, looking for hope, looking for help in a very, very desperate time. Paul, in his journey, was on a ship. You know the story in Acts 27. And in that particular journey on the ship, a terrible storm arose. And the storm got so difficult that the sailors threw everything out, even the tackling of the ship. And then the Scripture says they lost all hope that they should be saved. And I believe this is a type of something. It's a type of storms that come into cities, nations. It's a type of storms that even come into families on occasion. But in the midst of it all, traveling on that particular prison ship, down in the bowels of that ship, in very difficult, no doubt, circumstances. And folks, this was not the Queen Elizabeth II that Paul was traveling on. It would stink. It would be dirty. There'd be people dying virtually. Quite often, these prison ships, people would die almost daily. They'd come down, pick up the dead and wrap them up. Or oftentimes, just throw them into the sea. Because the Roman guards were quite often very callous to the suffering in other people. And here is Paul in this difficult situation. But something of God has worked in him. There's such a deficiency quite often in the Christian who's never had to go through anything. Who's never had to trust God in the midst of the storm. Who's never had to go through trial and struggle. Who's done everything in their power to avoid it. Even confessing it away. Although you can't really do that. You can only delude yourself. In the midst of the storm, this Paul, history says just a little guy. But I don't know, he was just a short guy. I don't want to give a height because people might get offended. But he was just a little guy. And it says that he stood up on the deck of the ship. And he tells everybody, be of good cheer. He said, the God that I serve, I've been praying. I'm paraphrasing this. He said, but a messenger from God stood beside me and told me I'm going to go to Caesar. And he said, I have to go there. I have to testify. He said, I'm on a journey and I can't be stopped on my journey. And God told me that he's going to give all of you, he's going to spare your lives because of my life. Because he's taking me to a certain place, he's going to spare you. Oh, beloved, we're not to just go alone in this journey. We're to take as many with us as God will enable us to be a testimony to. And he says, no, you've got to stay. He gives him instruction. You've got to stay with the ship. If you try to do it your own way, you're going to perish. And Paul says these words. He says, I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. I believe God. That's the testimony. That's the voice in the storm. The man or woman, when everybody is giving up hope that they're going to be saved. It's the man who stands up on the deck in the storm and says, be of good cheer. I believe God. God has spoken into my life. I know the mind of God. I know the plan of God. I know the purposes of God. I know where this journey is going. I'm not confused. I know where it's going. Be of good cheer. And later on in verse 34 and Acts 27, he said to the sailors, take some meat. This is good for your health. And actually the word for health means salvation. It's the word we use for salvation. He said, take some meat. This is good for your salvation. Oh, folks, don't always try to live on milk. Don't try to live on promises that just make you and I feel good. Take some meat. It's good for your salvation. It's good for what God is doing in your life. Let the truth of what God will do and the person that he will use get down deep into your soul. He said, take some meat. This is good for your health. There shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you. And then Paul, in the midst of them, took bread. And this scripture says he had communion really. He gave thanks. And this is a horrible storm. The waves are still beating against the ship. There's still horrible danger. And here's Paul having a communion service in the middle of it. What a vision of a voice that God can raise in the middle of a storm. Absolute trust in God. His heart is not hard. He does understand the miracle of the loaves. He is breaking bread. And he's making a declaration that Christ is my sufficiency. Christ will keep us in the midst of the storm. Christ will bring us to our destination. And if you'll put your trust in him, ultimately, Christ will be the source of your life and your strength as well. And the scripture says in verse 33, then they were all of good cheer and they also took some meat. Oh, beloved, I challenge you to take some meat today. And I want you to understand that God will allow you to go through trials and summon them very hard. So that you and I will find our source of strength in him. I believe personally that he's got people he's got to take through trials. He has to so that you can stand in the coming storm. He's got to take you through because you're not going to get this in a Bible study. You're going to get it in a living experience with Christ. You're going to have to walk through the fire and see that it can't burn you. You're going to have to walk through the flood and understand it can't drown you. You're going to have to go through dark nights of the soul. And when you come out the other side, you're going to be able to say like David, I've passed through the shadow of the valley of death. It has no power over me. He has ordained a table for me in the midst of mine enemies. I'm having a feast when everything around me is wanting to swallow me. I'm having a feast in God. I'm trusting him with all of my heart. Surely, David says, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Surely this is the way it is for the Christian. And I will ultimately dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You see, whatever storms may come, our voices are going to be raised to point others to an inexhaustible source of supply. And as I was praying this week, the Holy Spirit told me clearly some of the voices that God is going to raise for our generation. You know, in the coming storm, you'll turn on the television and I guarantee virtually every prosperity preacher will be gone. Every hypocrite will be surprised and fearful. They will not have an answer because they don't know God. They've never walked this path. Everything they've done is to escape any kind of difficulty in this life. And they've preached another Jesus to the people. And there'll be no answer. People will be turning. And Christ says it himself in Matthew, there'll be those that have been under this foolish theology and they'll be running and looking for oil, looking for this living strength, this power of God that gives light and darkness. And they'll have extreme difficulty. Of course, those who had it said, we can't give it to you. They'll be running and looking for an impartation somewhere. Impart to me. But we can't impart it to you. You have to get it for yourself. This doesn't come overnight. This is a result of a relationship. This is the result of a walk. This is the result of walking through some very difficult times. This is the result of understanding spiritual warfare. But I'm going to tell you some of the voices. I'm going to tell you who the powerful preachers are going to be in the coming storm. It's going to be the single mother who has had to trust Christ every day for her supply. And she has proven God faithful. It may be 15 years that you have to day to day depend on Christ when you go to your cupboard and whether or not the groceries were there or they came to the door. He's been your supply. He has provided. He's kept you. And all of a sudden, when everybody's running around, I see single mothers rising up in their neighborhoods. I see single mothers in their apartment buildings. I see people gathering, saying to them, where's the source of your strength? Oh, I've been with God. I've proven Him. I've been with Him through difficult times. I've been with Him when I've had nothing. And He's never failed me. And He will not fail me today. I understand the purposes and the provision of God. Her testimony will be like the psalmist in Psalm 93, who says, The floods have lifted up, but the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. This is the voice that God is going to raise in our last generation. So be of good cheer if you are struggling today. God is working something into you for a day that is coming. Another voice that God is going to raise in the coming storm is the voice of the struggler. The struggler! Who has been held up by the faithfulness of God. Struggled spiritually. Struggled to understand God, but has never let go of God. And God has never let go of him. Like the psalmist in Psalm 94, who says, Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. And when I said, My foot slips, Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. It's the man who has been 15 years in the house of God. He's been fighting the fight as much as he knows how. But he has found God to be faithful. And when everyone else is running and fleeing and confused, I see the struggler standing up. And say, Wait a minute. God's never failed me. God's been with me. If you'll trust him, he'll keep you. Oh, believe me. There's going to be a shock. What a day of joy this is going to be. In that day that Isaiah prophesied about, when everyone is running and fearful, and all of a sudden there's these voices of praise to the majesty of God that are being raised from all over the world. The unseen warriors. The unsung heroes. Those that have just been faithful. They've been walking. They've been struggling. But God has been faithful. Their testimony is like Paul. They read these words and it reads like their own biography. And also God is going to raise up the voice of the person who's been through weeping. He's been through hard times and hard ache. He's known what it is to experience sorrow and disappointment. But even in the midst of that weeping, they've looked at Jesus and they've been turning from strength to strength as they've beheld him. He's been changing them. They may not even be aware of it. But there's a strength of God that's being worked into them. And one day they will pass through the valley of weeping. And they will leave behind springs of pools, springs of living water. For those who are weeping around them for all the difficulty in the trial that is coming their way. Pastor David said to me last week before he left. He said, I've never known a man or woman who's been mightily used of God who has not been afflicted. That's quite a testimony. Who's not had some form of affliction. That they've had to trust God to bring them through. And it's worked something into them. Something so deep. A confidence so strong. Because through experience they've come to know him. As the provider, the keeper, the defender. The faithful one. The faithful one who doesn't forsake his weak sheep. The faithful one who doesn't turn away when we struggle. And they know him. Then when all hell breaks out, whether it's in the nation, the city or your family. God has a voice in the storm. A calming assured voice that can stand in the midst of confusion. When everybody's perception of what should be normal breaks down. That voice stands and says, I've been in the presence of God. And I believe that it's going to come out just as he told me. I believe it. That's why Paul and Silas could sing at midnight in the jail. The only cry of my heart, I guess, for you today is the prayer, Lord, raise my voice. I'm in the struggle of my life. And let my praise and testimony be of you all the days of my life. Lord, raise my voice. My only call today is simple. It's for every struggling person who's here. The person especially that says, I'm in the battle of my life. And God, I've not understood why. But today, I'm taking on a little bit of meat. This is something I've not wanted to understand, perhaps, or not fully comprehended before. But God, you will allow this to work a testimony in me of your faithfulness. You will allow me to go through this valley. You will allow this struggle to come into my life. Because in the coming storm, you're going to anoint me to preach the gospel. You're going to make me a preacher. You see, a preacher is not somebody who's just eloquent. A true preacher is somebody who has faith. And when they speak, God opens prison doors, gives sight to the spiritually blind, heals the wounded in their heart, opens prison, sets the captive free. That's the true preacher of the gospel. And the call of God is on everybody who's here. We were not caught off guard on September the 11th. The Lord had warned us. He'd warned us for months before it happened. And by God's grace, we'll not be caught off guard in the coming days. Let the Lord cause you to need Him. Let Him cause you to need Him. The worst thing that could ever happen to you is you get to a place where you don't need Him. Where He's just an option for your life. If He truly loves you, if you truly love Him, He will cause you to need Him. He will cause you to need Him. Father, I've delivered your heart. God, I thank you for the strength that you've given me today. You've been my supply. Father, I just ask now, Lord, that you come and touch your church. I'm asking you, Jesus, to set free those that have bought a lie, that somehow the enemy is overpowering them when really you are allowing this to produce a testimony in them. I ask, Lord, for a spirit of gratefulness to come upon many who've been complaining. A spirit of understanding that we can take on some meat and be of good cheer. Father, I thank you for it, God, today with all of my heart. In Jesus' name. The band is going to come and lead us in a chorus. And as they do, if you are unsaved, I invite you to this altar to receive Christ. If you are backslidden, would you come home? Would you let Him become the source of your strength? And if you are in the struggle of your life, would you come and let God comfort you now? Let's all stand together. Up in the balcony, you can go to either exit, main sanctuary, just slip out of wherever you are. In the annex, would you just go forward between the screens, please? And we're going to pray together in a moment. The Lord's been faithful to you. He's not failed you. He's building something into you. If you've been complaining, instead of trusting, would you come? Would you come and just lift your hands at this altar and thank Him for His faithfulness? Thank Him that He's chosen to work something into you, that maybe your neighbor doesn't have or some other people don't know, but He's working something into you by causing you to have to trust Him, by allowing you to go through difficult times. He's working something in you. In the coming days, you're going to be a voice for God. It's amazing. It's amazing. God's ways are not our ways, beloved. His thoughts are not our thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, His ways are so much higher than ours. He will have a voice in the last days. He will have a voice. Hallelujah. And it will be yours. It's going to be your voice. He's working it into you right now. Would you come? Just come. And we're going to pray together. Thank you, Jesus. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. I need Thee every hour. Stay thou, dear Thine. Temptations do expire when Thou art nigh. I need Thee all the way. Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. I need Thee, I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. I need Thee all the way. Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Could you just love him for a moment? Jesus, Lord, we love you. Lord, we love you. Lord, we love you. Hallelujah. Oh, I need Thee every hour. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. Scripture says they will lift up their voice. They will sing for the majesty of the Lord and they will cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea. From the uttermost part of the earth we've heard songs, even glory to the righteous, or the righteous one actually is what it should say. We've heard songs of glory to the righteous one. How many single mothers are at this altar today? Could you raise your hand, all the single mothers? This prayer is for you now. You pray with me. Lord Jesus, thank you that you have not failed me. You've not forsaken me. You've been my husband. You've been my defender. You've been my provider. You're the source of my life. You've taken me through the water, through the fire, and through the valley. And I've found my life and I've found it in you. I thank you for all the trial and every experience because you are working into me a song, a song of praise, a voice of strength to give help to the confused and the weary. Jesus, you are appointing me a preacher of the gospel in my own home, my own apartment building, my own neighborhood. You will cause me to stand when others are afraid. I will lead them to you, the source of my strength. Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I thank you. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, God. For those that are struggling today, are you willing to thank God for your struggle? You've found him as the source. He won't fail you. He won't forsake you. He's working something into you. You'd be amazed how you're going to come out of this. You're going to come out of it a preacher. A preacher is a proclaimer. That's all it is. Not somebody that stands behind a glass pulpit. He's a proclaimer. She's a proclaimer of the truth of God in Christ. And God's going to make you a preacher. Remember Paul said, it's not the strong, it's not the wise, it's not the royal blood. It's the foolish, it's the weak, it's the nobodies, the nothings, it's the people who know they need God. And God will not fail you. And he's going to give you a voice. In the coming confused times, he's going to give you a voice for his glory. He's going to give you a song. Hallelujah. You're going to find out you've been strong. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Pray with me now. Oh Jesus, thank you for being faithful to me. For working something into my life, of your life, and your power, and your strength. Oh God, in the midst of my struggle, you've been faithful to me. And when difficult times come, I'm going to stand. Because I'm still standing. You've been faithful to me. You've never failed me. You've never forsaken me. You're building a message into my heart and into my life. Oh God, no matter what happens, I will sing to you. I will glorify you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I will glorify you. I will glorify you. I will praise you. I will sing to your name. I will shout aloud of your majesty. Oh God, you've been faithful to me. Hallelujah, Lamb of God. Hallelujah, Lamb of God. You've been faithful. You've been faithful. You've been faithful. You've been faithful, oh God. Oh, glory to God. Glory to God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful Saviour. Faithful. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. This is the conclusion of the message.