Hey, this is Pastor John Ryan Cantu from PNEUMA Church in Houston, Texas.

Thank you for listening to the message today.

I hope that it blesses you and all those that you share it with.

God bless you.

God is good all the time.

Amen.

And it's a beautiful day to be in the house of God.

Amen.

We have any visitors.

We just want to welcome you.

Thank you for joining us.

You are already family.

So thank you for visiting.

A couple announcements that I want to make real quick before we get into the word.

You know, PNEUMA, we're always looking for some help at our church.

And one ministry in particular right now, we are needing some ushers.

So if you are nice, if you're a nice person, and you can smile and you can open the door and you know where the restrooms are at, we would love to have you on the usher team.

So you can please see Larry, brother Larry and sister Heather.

But we need some help.

And we especially need some males.

Okay, we need some men.

Man, you got to.

I was going to say something mean, but.

No, no, there's no age, no age limit.

But we need some men.

Amen.

We need some men to serve in the house of God.

Men, we are not freeloaders.

We are contributors to the kingdom of heaven and to the local church.

Amen.

So if you have the capacity to do it, do it.

Amen.

Praise God.

Those are another announcement, but I can't remember what it is.

Maybe it'll come to me later.

But I'm going to ask you to stand, and we're going to go to the Word of God this morning.

Amen.

We're going to go to Matthew, chapter 11, verses 2 through 6.

Beautiful time in the presence of God this morning.

Pastor DeMere, she brought a word this morning in our Spanish. and it was beautiful, it was awesome.

And I think for the very first time, she didn't use plants as an illustration.

She's not in here.

But praise the Lord.

Are you there?

Matthew 11, 2 through 6.

Amen.

It says this.

It says, now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciple and said to him, are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?

And Jesus answered them, go and tell John, what?

you hear and see.

The blind receive their sight and the lame walk.

Lepers are cleansed and the deaf here and the dead are raised up and the poor have good news preached to them.

And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.

Amen.

Two chapters before that, Matthew 9, 14, you don't have to turn there.

There's just one verse.

But I want you to pay attention.

It says, then the disciples of John came to him, him being Jesus, saying, why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast.

And then one more place in John chapter 3, 25 through 26.

It says, now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.

And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness.

Look, he is baptizing and all are going to him.

Amen.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you, my God, for this word that you've spoken over your servant, Father God.

I pray, Lord, that your spirit would be on my lips, my God, and that it would be on our hearts, Father, that we would receive whatever it is that you have for us today, Father God, that you would convict us, my God, that you would encourage us, Father God, that you would revive and soften, heart and hearts, my God, I pray that your will would be done today.

In Jesus' name, amen.

I mean, you can take your seat.

Amen.

The reason I wanted to bring attention to all of these passages concerning John and John's disciples and Jesus and his disciples, because I want you to recognize a common theme between these two groups.

These two groups of people, John's disciples, Jesus' disciples, they were different.

And if we look at these two groups, you know, it would seem like they were on the same team.

The whole purpose of John the Baptist, a purpose to which he dedicated his life, was the preparation of the Messiah, Jesus.

And so his group of disciples was centered around that same message.

In fact, some of John's disciples later became Jesus' disciples.

And so in many ways, these two groups, they were on the same team, they had the same enemies, and their message was all kingdom related.

But in the scriptures, in the ones that we just read, there's no denying the fact that we see a little bit of tension between these two groups.

There's confusion.

There's a lot of questions that they're asking.

And that's only what we know.

We don't even know what we we don't know.

We don't know what was said behind the scenes.

We don't know what these two groups really thought about each other.

We don't know what we don't know.

What I do know in ministry is that in ministry, there is often tension.

What I know in ministry is that there is often unspoken competition between ministers and pastors and churches and denominations.

I know that in ministry there can be jealousy, there can be pride, there can be gossip.

I know that even though there is an attempt to look united, there is often a divisive spirit among those who are on the same team.

Can we be real?

And I think a little bit of that was going on between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples.

And I'm not saying that it came from a malicious place.

I don't think that at all.

But there is a very clear them and us distinction that if we're not careful with, we can all fall into that, that, same trap.

I think we hear it all the time.

We say, well, why do the Baptists do that?

Why do the Pentecostals do this?

Why does Lakewood do this?

Why does this church do that?

Why don't they do more of what we do?

Why is it this way and not that way?

Many times, we don't ask these questions combatively, but we do, we ask them genuinely.

But it's when we convince ourselves, church, that our way is the right way and their way is the wrong way that division and tension are created, right?

And let me just tell you, let me warn you, because when you get to this point, listen, when you get to a point where there is a divide between brothers and sisters in Christ, it's really, really hard to break from it.

It really is.

When you have determined that you don't like somebody's style, you're going to disagree with them before they even open their mouth.

You're going to roll your eyes every time they're in the room talking about their ideas.

You're going to stop giving them a chance.

You're not going to listen to what they have to say.

You're going to turn down an invitation to their church because you don't like how they do church.

And I'm not saying any of this happened between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples, but maybe.

And my maybe is based on the fact that it happens today between churches and ministries and denominations and cultures and generations, even though we're on. the same team, we can't always get on the same page.

And there's a problem with that that we have to be aware of.

Now, I want you to hold that thought for a moment.

I entitled the message today, what am I missing?

What am I missing?

We've been talking the past few weeks, and it wasn't planned.

It's just the way that the Lord kind of led the messages, but we've been talking about faith.

And one of the most frustrating parts about faith is still not seeing what you think you're supposed to be seeing as a result of unwavering faith.

Like we all come to a point where we have done everything we know to do the right way.

We've been faithful.

We've been prayerful.

We've believed.

We've disurned.

We have made sure that our faith wasn't misplaced.

And it's not in a what.

It's in a who and it's in his word.

Right.

Like we've done all the right things, but it still doesn't look right.

Something looks off.

And so you've gone when God said go.

How many of you have gone when God said go?

How many of you have gone when God said go?

How many of you have gone?

stayed when God said, stay.

How many of you who shut up when God said, shut up?

Right?

When you really wanted to say something.

And so we do all of these things and you've obeyed and you've trusted and with every word that the Lord speaks, it's like that vision, the clearer the picture in your mind becomes.

John the Baptist, he was a prophet and he was a good prophet.

And Jesus says that John was more than a prophet.

He was the greatest of all who had been born.

These are really commendable words by Jesus.

And the truth is that that's, that's who John was.

John had the spirit of Elijah in him.

He was, he was the one who was called to prepare the way of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Messiah.

He paved the way for Jesus.

He spent his life doing that.

And as he's doing all of these things, there is no doubt that he had a very certain picture in his mind of how everything was going to look.

And, you know, it's funny because Pastor Branden, he was talking about that, he was talking about this, this morning.

And one of the prayer divos, you know, we honor people who help pave the way before us.

That's what we do.

The Bible says to outdo each other in showing honor.

And so one way that we do that is with the people who have helped pave the way and build that foundation upon which we can build. more and more, right?

And so, you know, I very often, I honor my grandparents who help pave the way for where this church is today.

We honor them.

I honor them.

I honor my parents who continue to pave the way for where we are today when they were, when they were pastoring.

I know that these men and women of God had a very clear picture of where the Lord was going to take this ministry, PNEUMA.

And sometimes I wonder if, Sometimes I wonder if my grandpa was still alive, if he would be surprised by what he saw.

I just wonder.

You know, I know that there would be much for him to be proud of, but I can't help but wonder if he would be a little underwhelmed with what he saw.

A grandson who preached in jeans, right?

I'muu, you know, who allows women to get up here in jeans. that was a no-no, man, back in the day.

What would he think when he saw that we took down the floor arrangements that took up half the stage that my grandma was so proud of?

Right.

What would he think of a pastor, of a grandson who allowed certain people to come into the church, dress a certain way, smelling a certain way?

I can't help. but wonder if there would be a little bit of tension between what he heard from the Lord and what he saw today.

I'm sure he'd be proud, 100%.

But I'm also sure that there would be some things that he envisioned a little bit differently.

You know, if you would ask me what my vision is for the church, I mean, we've spoken about it many times, and I think most of us know what it is.

I can paint you a beautiful picture.

And the picture is going to be based off of my interpretation of the word that I've received. received over this house and over this ministry.

So I heard property, I think properties across street.

And I've been praying over that corner lot.

I've been praying for that funeral home that's going to be ours one day.

I hear these things and I envision these things.

I heard the word expansion.

I think more territory.

I think church plants.

I call dibs on PNEUMA, Hawaii.

That's going to be the flagship campus.

That's where the Lord is calling us.

But I've heard, I've heard growth.

And I think more services, I think more people, I think more souls want for Jesus and more disciples made.

So I hear these things and there is a vision that comes along with it.

And I believe all of these things are going to come to pass.

But occasionally what we need to do, we need to do, I call them promise check-ins.

We ought to do promise check-ins with the Lord.

Because we have to check in on the callings and on the promises. not because we doubt that they're still there, but because we need to ask God, Lord, show me what I don't see.

What am I missing?

Because we're here and we're doing your will and we're stepping where you have called us to step and we're waiting when you tell us to wait and we're going when you say go and we're discerning what is and what is not of you.

But am I missing something?

Am I already walking in the promised land and I just don't realize that I'm there?

Am I still praying over the things that you've already answered?

I just don't see it.

Help me to see what I'm not seeing because I'm blinded by my own perspective.

I'm blinded by my own culture and my own traditions and by what other people tell me and my way of thinking and my ambitions and my emotions.

I'm blinded by by human vision.

Lord, give me divine perspective.

I don't want to discourage anybody. this morning.

But, you know, we've been on this journey to kind of correct faulty faith and to do faith the right way.

I want every single one of us to be walking in the faith of who Jesus is.

And by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

So I want you to understand that sometimes even when you have the word and you're holding on to that word, you're holding on to that promise, you have a vision of what God showed you, but sometimes we're still missing something.

Sometimes we're like that older brother of the prodigal son who lived among the blessings.

He lived in the kingdom of his father's house.

But because he was looking at the one thing that he thought should look differently, he missed the bigger picture.

And his father had to say, everything I have is already yours.

You're focusing on the one thing that looks off because you envisioned it differently.

I wonder how many of us are walking in answered prayers and the blessings of God's promises, but because our perspective is human, we're missing out on enjoying the actual blessings that are among us because we're complaining and we're crying and we're wishing that things would be different.

And we expect it bigger and we expected better and we expected sooner.

And you don't realize that you're actually living in the promised land.

You just don't know it.

I heard a psychologist say, I want you to get this because this is really helpful if you're married.

This is helpful.

He says that miscommunication happens because people speak with words, but we think in pictures.

You know what I'm saying?

We speak with words, but we think in pictures.

And so I'll give you an example. we just celebrated Father's Day.

And on Father's Day, we're always challenging men to be the priest of their homes.

You've got to be better husbands.

You've got to be better fathers and all that stuff.

Those are the words that you hear.

But the picture that you might interpret might vary from person to person.

So you might think be a better husband.

You think that means I got to make more money for my family because my family is struggling.

And so you go out and you take more hours and you start another business and you're making more money but you're never home.

And you think, well, okay, I got to be a, I got to be a, better husband for my wife.

And so I got to start going to the gym because I'm getting that dad bod.

And some of us are getting to the grandpa bod.

We're 35 years old.

We got the grandpa bod.

So you start going to the gym.

And you're working out and you're working.

And then you're going to the gym.

And you're working.

And you're doing all these things.

You're making more money.

You're more healthy and you look better for your wife.

But one day your wife is like, where have you been?

I don't see you.

Your kids don't see you. they don't know you, we only go to church together, and then you take a nap the rest of the day, and then you're back at it Monday through Saturday, where you're at?

And here you thought you were being better because what you heard wasn't in alignment with the picture that you had.

God speaks in words.

God speaks in words.

God speaks through his word.

He speaks through prophetic voices, through pastors, and through ministers, and occasionally through dreams and visions.

But most of the time, the word of the Lord comes in the form of words.

And so it gets a little confusing and discouraging when we've been walking in the word and we've been depending on the word, but the picture is not matching the word.

And so many times we think that we need another word from God.

We never stop to think if we need just a different picture.

You know what I'm saying?

God's word is never the issue, church. never it's our interpretation of it our interpretation is the issue have you heard of the term or the phrase taking something out of context it happens all the time the word is perfect it's infallible it is truth our interpretation is the issue and so this is why we've got so many jacked up so-called Christians because they take the word of god and they interpret it in a way that they think is true but it's not true and their picture of the kingdom of God is nothing like what the Bible describes it to be.

And so some people think that the picture has to include everybody and all of the alternative lifestyles and all of the sin and all of the sinners.

And we're not trying to bring everybody into the picture of the kingdom.

But no, you're missing something.

Other people might think it's only got to be the Baptist and it's only got to be the cessationists.

It's only got to be those who speak in tongues and those who have prophetic voices.

No, you're missing something.

And it happens all the time as well on an individual level where we're walking faithfully in the word and in the promise of God.

But when the picture doesn't match the word, we say, God, give me another word.

No, get a different picture.

God didn't stutter the first time.

God didn't get it wrong the first time.

But so many times we want to go back to the altar.

Well, I'm going to go to a different church to get a different message, to get a different opinion.

God, give me a different word.

No, I gave you the word that I gave you.

Get a different picture.

If it was a challenge for John the Baptist to get his picture aligned with the reality, how much harder for us?

Think about it for a minute, man.

Jesus' ministry was way different than John the Baptist ministry.

And if we continue to read through Matthew 11, Jesus alludes to these differences. look, just to kind of paint you the picture, John preached in the wilderness.

Jesus preached in the towns where the people were, where the crowds were.

Jesus' disciples apparently didn't fast like John's disciples did.

Jesus' disciples apparently didn't abstain from drinking like John's disciples did.

John the Baptist was a hardcore brimstone and fire preacher.

Jesus didn't shy away from the truth either, but we also said, see a lot of compassion coming from Jesus that we just really don't see from John the Baptist, especially with the sinners and the tax collectors and the outcasts.

And so by the time John asked this question to Jesus, are you really the one who is to come or should we look for another?

It's because the picture John had in his head didn't align with what he was actually seeing Jesus and his disciples do.

This is why we see a little bit of tension between these two groups.

This is why we see tension in our churches and between our cultures and our generations, because we think they should be doing things the way that we are doing.

And so they go to John.

They're baptizing people.

That's your thing.

You're John the Baptist.

It's not Jesus the Baptist.

It's John the Baptist.

That's your territory.

You need to tell them to stay in their lane. and John, how come Jesus' disciples are over there?

And, you know, we're over here fasting.

We're over here in the wilderness.

And we're eating bugs and locusts and honey.

We're just living a very ascetic lifestyle while the disciples are over there at a wedding banquet and Jesus is turning water into wine.

Like that seems a little unfair.

They've got a miracle worker at their disposal.

Over here, we're eating bugs. and they're over there at a wedding banquet, having the best wine.

I mean, you know what I'm saying?

And John, every time John had an answer to their questions, because John is a man of God.

He's a man of faith.

And so he tells his disciples, he must increase, I must decrease.

Stop seeing me as the Christ.

I'm not the Christ.

I came to prepare the way for Christ.

But by the time John gets in prison, Notice, it's no longer his disciples asking the questions.

Now it's John asking the question.

Now it's John with some tension in his spirit.

And in Matthew 3-2, Matthew 3-2, John says, repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.

Now, in Mark 1-15, it says, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, saying the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. repent and believe.

The message is identical, but it's not playing out the way that John thought it was going to play out.

And so later, Jesus even tells Pontchus Pilate, my kingdom is not of this world.

So if I'm John the Baptist, man, I'm confused.

I'm confused.

And I'm sitting in prison and I'm alone.

And I'm alone with my doubts.

And I'm alone with my thoughts.

And we know that that, that, the mind is the devil's playground, right?

Because when you think about things too long, you can rationalize your way out of faith.

And so John's probably in prison.

He's by himself, got no phone, got no Netflix, got nobody to talk to.

And he's thinking, man, you know what?

That was kind of weird that Jesus and his disciples were baptizing.

That is kind of weird that Jesus didn't teach his disciples to fast.

That is kind of odd.

That is kind of weird that I spent my entire life preparing the way for the coming Messiah, the coming king.

And he's out there just doing miracles for people.

Where is the political power that I expected?

Where is it?

You've probably been there, man.

I've been there so many times.

I'm just alone with my thoughts.

You have to be careful with your thoughts. you have to be careful to go too long without bringing your doubts and your concerns to God.

John was having a very weak moment.

And I hope that you never think that, you know, men and women of God and pastors and leaders and your ministers, that they never have weak moments.

Like, we all have weak moments.

We all have weak moments.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm even. even qualified to preach these things.

Because I've had weak moments.

I've had moments like John, probably sitting in prison with all these doubts.

I've had moments like Elijah.

God, just kill me now.

Just take me out.

Just take me to heaven.

I'm ready to go.

Like Moses.

Just take me out.

I'm ready to go.

I'm tired of these people.

I'm not talking about y'all.

When I'm not talking about, y'all, I'm not talking about the other people.

The other church I pastor.

We all have weak moments.

David, Peter, Paul, John the Baptist.

And so here's my challenge to you, church.

Don't let the picture weaken the faith that has been built in you.

Because every single one of you, man, you've got a faith that you are holding on to.

Don't let it diminish because the picture is looking. different than what you envision and it's making you miss the blessing that's really right there in front of you.

You got it right there in front of you.

Some of you are blessed beyond measure, but you don't see it because you're looking up instead of looking right there with what's in front of you.

And I want to, I want to prophesy.

I want to prophesy over some of you real quick.

Because I'm going to tell you this.

Some of you will get married and you're going to get married and you're going to expect challenges because that's wisdom.

Every, every marriage has challenges.

But there's also plenty that you are not expecting.

And it's in those moments where you're going to begin to question and doubt if this was really from the Lord.

Because this is getting hard.

It's getting real hard.

And he knew it was going to be kind of hard sometimes.

But now it's getting real hard.

And you weren't expecting that.

You're expecting a little fight here and there.

You expect a little fight here and there.

You expect him to forget to do the dishes or not do the dishes right.

You didn't expect the big things.

Some of you will go into ministry, expecting fulfillment, but it ain't always going to happen that way.

There's going to be events that you plan that no one shows up to.

There's going to be people who question why you're the leader and why you're doing things, the way that you're doing things.

And because everybody's questioning you, you're going to question the calling that God has for you because the picture that you painted was not exactly what God had in mind.

Ministry has high, high, high turnover because people go into it with a vision and it doesn't work out that way.

There's some of you, I'm going to keep going, there's some of you who are going to graduate high school or college or maybe you already did and you're going to go into the world with all this ambition and all these dreams. and I'm not saying that you're not going to get any of that, but you are not expecting the journey.

Take it from someone who knows what he's talking about.

I know what I'm to, man, I went, I left high school ready.

Within a year, I was going to be a multimillionaire and all this stuff, and I was going to be it, you know.

And I wasn't expecting the journey.

I was not expecting to be a pastor.

Not at all.

I was not expecting, I was not prepared for the journey that God has, allowed me to travel.

And it might take you 20, 30 years before you get to the place that God said you would get to.

And all that time is going to go by and it's going to make you want to settle for less than what God promised you because the picture doesn't always match the word.

I have the worship team come up.

That's my message, church.

Don't let the picture deter your faith.

Instead, go to Jesus.

Go to him in your doubt.

Go to Jesus.

In your worry, go to Jesus.

In your worry, go to Jesus. don't stay alone with your thoughts too long.

Don't let too many people offer commentary on your life before you go to Jesus.

See, John, this is what John did.

John did a promise check-in with Jesus.

I just talked about that, promise check-ins.

That's what John did.

He sends his disciples and he says, go and ask Jesus if he is really the one to come.

Go and ask him. ask him like that.

Ask them, are you really it, bro?

Or do we need to be looking for somebody else?

What John needed in that moment was reassurance.

He needed reassurance on the word that he already had gotten.

Man, I hate how fickle we are sometimes, man.

And I'm in the same category.

I often need to go to God to reaffirm me.

Am I still called God?

Is that promise still there, God?

Is it a promise still coming?

What time is it coming?

like we need that that that that that that that that that that's sure and sometimes faith is pulled in the opposite in the opposite direction because we're so anxious and we're tired of waiting for the things that we don't see we need to learn to to how to practice peace in the waiting seasons man that's another message but John needed to be reassured that all that John did during his whole life and ministry wasn't a waste are you really the one?

are you really the one?

How many of you are afraid to ask that question?

How many of us are really afraid to ask that type of question?

Because we see it as a doubtful moment.

We see it where our faith isn't as strong as we know that it should be.

So we just, we don't go to God in our doubts and we let something build in us. that creates bitterness in anger and resentment.

And eventually we settle for something less because we don't want to bring the question to Jesus.

Because it will play into our doubt.

But John's like, no, no, no.

You know, man, John was hardcore, bro.

He wasn't afraid.

John was somebody who was bold and he was going to ask the questions that nobody was asking.

He was going to call out things that nobody else was calling out.

And so he goes in his moment of doubt to the Messiah, whom God had spoken over John's life and said, you were going to prepare the way for him.

And he goes and he asks him this daring question.

Are you really him?

I don't know if that is mind blowing to you as that is for me.

It's like God is giving you a word and you're going back to him.

God, are you sure this is it?

are you sure?

And what I love about Jesus, and well, hold on, let me provide more context real quick, for those who don't know.

Let me tell you why John is asking this question in the first place.

It's not just because there was tension in the ministry style of Jesus and John's group.

It was because there was tension between what John's picture was and the reality of what he was seeing.

John expected the Messiah to be a political figure, right?

a ruler who was going to overthrow Rome.

John expected the Messiah to be a warrior of some sort.

He expected him to come with power, with a sword.

John expected Jesus to be the second David.

He expected Jesus to be a lion.

And Jesus is a second David in the sense that his reign is forever.

And Jesus will return as a lion, but he had to be presented as the lamb.

But in John's lifetime, he's not really seeing any of this.

He's thinking the lion should be now.

He's thinking that the warrior needs to be now.

He's thinking that evil needs to be put to death now.

Why isn't it happening?

Why am I in prison?

Why are the righteous forsaken and persecuted when I dedicated my life to you?

Why am I rotting in prison?

And so that's the picture.

And I love the response that Jesus, gives John because you know what it's not a word it's a picture Jesus doesn't doesn't give him a word he gives him a picture he doesn't say yes John I'm the one to come shut up he doesn't say you of little faith John you just got to believe and if you're too stubborn to believe then I can't help you he didn't say any of that because it's not like John wanted to be blind like the Pharisees who were stubborn and hardheaded, John was really trying to understand something about Jesus, and he was seeking wisdom, and he was seeking the truth.

And so Jesus meets John in his doubt, right?

And what Jesus gives John, again, is not another word.

It's another picture.

John didn't need a word.

This is the prophet.

This is the man with the word.

This is the man who was called to prepare the way.

He has the word.

He's dedicated his life to it.

He knows his scriptures.

What John needed was a different perspective.

It's a different picture.

Mindsets are the hardest thing to break.

But John needed to see what he was missing.

And John's mind, he's seeing royalty.

He's seeing political power.

He's seeing Roman Empire in ruins.

He's missing.

He's seeing an earthly throne.

But Jesus says, he says, John, going back to the passage, he says, the blind sea, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf here, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

These are not just data points that Jesus is giving, John.

This is scripture.

Isaiah prophesied these things concerning the future Messiah.

John was too blinded by his own picture that he was missing something that caused him to doubt who Jesus was.

Because sometimes God is going to speak and God is going to say these things are coming into your future.

But all we're looking at is the thing.

All we're looking at is the destination.

We're not looking at the process.

We're not looking at the journey.

We're looking at the end result.

You know, when I first started to pastor, God had burdened my heart for the people outside of this church.

I love everybody inside the church, but I was burdening for the people outside the church.

And I remember, and I shared this with y'all, you know, the Lord, he just had.

He had put prison ministry on my heart.

I was like prison ministry.

I've never been to prison, you know.

I don't even have a tattoo.

I'm not even hardcore enough to be like, like, that's not me, you know.

And then God, over the years, he started to open the door.

And it required people going.

And it required giving away a Friday or Saturday.

And today, and I tell you this because today, Brother Angel and Mikey, they're not here today because they're visiting a prison right now with my blessing.

They're like, hey, it's a Sunday.

I'm like, go, man, go be the church.

Go be the church.

Now, I could have been like, no, no, no, that's not the Lord's.

Well, you got to be a church, son.

What am I missing?

Sometimes what we're missing is the process.

Sometimes what we're missing is the hard part.

And it's not that the things that you, that God told you, we're coming and are not coming, but you're missing some things.

So, listen, church, I'm almost done.

I'm going to ask you to stand.

I want you to know that God has spoken.

God has spoken over your life.

He has spoken over your family.

God has spoken over this ministry.

And many of you are carrying a word.

And you're carrying it so hard for your family.

Because it's like the souls of your family. of your family members.

It depends on it.

Some of you are carrying a word for your business.

And you have been, man, you have gone failure after failure after failure.

But the Lord has told you that he was going to bless you.

And so you're carrying this word.

You're carrying this word for ministry.

But what might you be missing in the process?

Because I'll tell you right now that God is not like man whom he should lie.

His word is not to be revoked by your circumstance. kindle that faith of who he is and what he's promised because my God is faithful.

And you might be walking in victory right now and you're not even seeing it.

And maybe you're asking God, Lord, where's the power?

Where's the influence?

Where's the miracle?

Where's the blessing?

Where's the destination?

Where is what I envision?

And Jesus is saying, the blind sea, son.

The lame are walking, the death here, souls are being resurrected.

You are not the same person that you were yesterday.

Your faith is bigger.

Your peace is greater.

Your relationship are healthier.

Celebrate the wins that are right in front of you because you are blessed and highly favored, says the Lord of Hope.

And so many times it's hard to give God victory and glory. because we think we're not walking in the promises.

But you who've already been clothed in righteousness, you are already there.

You are already there.

The destination is already yours.

Your promise is eternal.

And it's the kingdom of God.

And you're already walking in the victory.

Why are you so downcast?

Celebrate what's in front of you.

What are you missing?

I'm going to ask you you, close your eyes this morning.

I'm going to ask the prayer routine to come up real quick.

Close your eyes this morning.

I want to pray over this house real quick.

Holy God, I thank you, my Lord.

I thank you for who you are.

I thank you for what you've done, Lord.

I thank you for the victories that are present.

I thank you for the blessings that are present.

My God, I pray that you would give us divine. vision, my God, that we would see things the way that you see things, that we would see people the way that you see people, my God, that we would see our circumstances, the way that you do.

Father God, I pray in Jesus' name right now, my God, that you would open our eyes like you did the Apostle Paul, Father God, who was missing something in the kingdom, and that is you, Lord, give us divine perspective this morning, Jesus.

And if you're in the room this morning and you are in need of prayer, I'm going to ask that you would come, humble yourself as we lay hands on you.

And if you just want to worship at these altars, they're open.

But my prayer for you today is that you would ask God, Lord, what am I missing?

And that you would see it and that you would walk in it.

Come on.

I invite you this morning to the time.

Thanks for listening.

If you'd like some more information on PNEUMA Church, visit us on our website at mypneumachurch.

If you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe or share. it with your friends on social media and tag us at My PNEUMA Church.

Thanks again and God bless.