✗ My Faith, My Victory | Brian Houston ✗

✗ Your spirit, Your responsibility | Brian Houston ✗

• Proverbs 25:28 - "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit, is like a city broken down without walls..." (Defenseless and vulnerable)
• If we don't look after our own spirit, we are like a city whose walls are broken down - Open to every kind of attack: Poor choices, Lack of wisdom, Being an emotional roller coaster, Holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness
• You got to take responsibility for your own spirit, because your spirit makes a way for you
• Daniel 6:3 
• Daniel's way forward in life was brought through an excellent spirit
• Psalm 51:10
• What rules your spirit? 
• We can if we are not careful, find justification in our lives no longer going forward because of what has holding out spirit hasn't sunken down
• If you look after your own spirit, keep it free from offence, free from becoming jaded or cynical because prayers didn't get answered, if you allow it to take hold of you it will stop you where you are at now
• Sometimes we have something to pin out mediocrity to because of what's going on in our own spirit
• If you look after your owns spirit, that it will open doors for you that otherwise that may stay closed
• It is amazing how we leak our spirit - It is contagious, good or bad
• 1 Cor 14:4
• When someone has a poor or bad spirit, it comes out from their gift whatever it is 
• Whatever station you are in life, your spirit will come out 
• We leak our spirit
• There is something in your spirit that gets on people
• What God wants to do in your life is far too important to be sabotaged by a poor spirit


1. A right spirit and obedience


• Obedience is better than sacrifice
• The big question is, can you be told what to do?
• You cannot teach an arrogant, know it all, defensive, proud spirit
• A humble spirit cannot be unteachable
• The condition of our spirit is critical
• Who do you give permission to speak into your life?
• You don't want to listen to every opinion because it will send you crazy/confused
• A good spirit is humble enough to remain teachable
• Who do you allow, who love you enough, to look into the eye, and tell you what you need to hear and not want to hear
• How teachable is your spirit?
• Exodus 18:24
• We can allow ourselves to try to interpret things to suit ourselves
• All of us need people who can save us from ourselves and speak into our lives 

2. A right spirit and position

• Psalm 75 - Promotion comes from the Lord...
• Trusting God means we keep the kind of spirit that we believe God will open doors for us
• 2 Cor 10:12 - We dare not class ourselves...
• Class yourself: Start living about what you deserve
• Comparison is a deadly game that you never win 
• You always come second when you compare yourself
• Don't get all your esteem out of title
• If God's given authority and credibility no matter what you are titled
• We honor because of us but don't get your esteem of that as it will always leave you flat

3. A right spirit and failure


• Failure is apart of life
• The person who never made a mistake, never made anything
• Sometimes we win, sometimes we learn
• Every mistake and failure is a chance to grow and learn, then you never lose 
• You either win or learn, and both are worthwhile
• If you can't afford to lose it, you shouldn't lend it
• You are better of to give and be generous
• Live your life where you take accountability
• Is one thing making mistakes, but another of making it over and over again without learning


4. A right spirit and success

• When blessing comes someone's life, is not that is changed them, but it brings out something that is already in them
• Success represents blessings which shows what's really in you
• Joshua 1:8
• Bad success is when someone takes short cuts and it always will not be blessed in the end - You can get by what is not right as you will reap what you sow
• When it comes to authenticity, being real, those are the areas that you don't want to change
• God always get the glory and you don't change and become arrogant
• You don't forget from once you came

5. A right spirit and partnership

• There are people we're called to do life with 
• Sometimes there's people God put in our world where we are better together
• Membership is not signing a form, but a heart and spirit which is equal contribution
• God puts us with people with His kingdom purpose and we'll always be better together
• Everyone looks better than they are really are
• It is not so much about you as you thought that is was
• "The work to which I have called THEM..."
• Who are your them?
• 2 Cor 6:14
• The right spirit towards partnership is that we are all in this together

6. A right spirit and sabotage

• Your spirit can be sabotage if you allow someone else negative and offense
• Don't allow your spirit to be ruled and robbed
• Psalm 101:3 - "I hate the works of those who fall away, it shall not cling to me"
• If you don't guard your spirit, stuff will cling to you
• Psalm 101:4 "A perverse heart will not get to me"
• You look through the lens of someone's offense and cynicism, suddenly it starts to become your spirit
• Sometimes love makes tough decisions
• 2 Thess 3 
• You got to look after your own spirit
• What God has you ahead, is far too important

7. A right spirit and opposition

• Opposition is apart of life - Come from people/spiritual
• Whichever way it comes, don't make it about people
• Don't try to fight things here when the battle is about the heavenlies
• Refuse to be ruled someone else in a negative way
• Who is ruling your spirit? Who's taking far too much time in your 
• No matured Christian, who is seasoned in the word, to live life offended
• In this world you will have tribulation, but I have overcomed the world
• If Jesus gives us a spirit as an overcomer, we should not live our lives as victims
• Rule your spirit well
• God has so many good things for you
• Your future is dependent on your spirit

✗ An Overcoming Spirit (Pt. 2) | Brian Houston ✗

✗ An Overcoming Spirit (Pt. 1) | Brian Houston ✗

✗ On Their Marks | Robert Madu ✗

✗ Defeating the Bullies of Life | Nicole Reyes ✗

• We got to reach of a breaking point when it comes to bullying of our souls - Taking a stand
• 2 Kings 18:13-16 (NIV)
• In life sometimes it is a lot easier to tolerate than to stand against them - We rather not deal with the conflict
• The things that we tolerate, will eventually seek to overtake us
• You will never defeat a bully by giving into it
• The more that we try to appease the bullying situations of our lives, the more and more we will get in a situation where eventually the situation will try to own us and define us
• If sometimes we aren't giving the bullies to the soul that was intended to bully His house and glory His name
• What time, resources, talents, abilities, relationships, piece of mind, energy that we giving to our fear, shame, insecurities, health, finances to the confusion of our lives that is actually going to lift His name high
• What are we giving to our bullies that is actually meant to be used for God's glory?
• 2 Kings 18:18-20, 22
• Our ultimate bully would love to get us to start to believe that all of our prayers and believe are nothing more than empty words
• Jesus does not drop our calls, He has perfect reception 
• Our prayers are never empty words because they are heard by a powerful God
• James 5:16 (Amp)
• We can pray loud prayers, confident that our God hears us
• If the enemy of our soul can't get us to question the power of our prayers, than perhaps he can get us to question the position we take in our prayers
• 2 Kings 18:25
• They make the claim that it is God's will for God's people to be defeated, destroyed, getting all wrong
• The only way we know lies are lies is by knowing the truth
• Even though the enemy try to tempt Jesus but Jesus begin to overcome and defeat the temptation of the enemy by simply knowing how to use the word of God in His life
• When the truth sets you free, you are able to pray with boldness and courage defeats every fear and doubt in your life
• Within these pages are words of life, freedom, Godly advice, comfort for you
• 2 Kings 18:36
• 2 Kings 19:1-4
• In the face of situation, I don't want you to beg, plead or converse with them, but turn it to God and pray
• That when hope seems deem, when life seems uncertain, when we are face with insurmountable odds, our first response ought to be to pray
• 1 Timonthy 2:1 (NIV) - "First of all..."
• Our first line of defense is to pray
• The pressure exposes when has been going on inside of us
• Character is not improved upon in crisis, it is revealed
• 2 Kings 18:5-7 (NIV)
• God can do things, that we can't just do 
• God is not limit in our set of limitations
• He is free to do something that surprises the 
• To say we believe in miracles, always look out for the new thing, and expecting to be atonishes
• There is no human procedure or strategy to create a miracle
• A gathering does not change your life, Jesus does
• Jesus is the one who sets us free, intervenes, He is the miracle maker
• We can't make a miracle happen but we do have access to the One who can
• We can't rely on the ability to fix things but we can trust in the One who is taking care of us
• God accepts all of us exactly where we are
• Regardless where you are today, we can cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, constantly seeking to be surprises by the miracle maker in our lives
• 2 Kings 19:35 (Msg)
• They went to sleep facing the enemy, they woke up to victory, all because they prayed
• While he was resting in the promise, God is on the move
• I wonder the victory we are constantly chasing for what if the victory is not our doing, but resting in the promise of God, and seeing God intervene
• Victory is not about our work but resting in His provision
• Peace is found through prayer that we come to a realization that God is working in our behalf
• Before there were any external change, there is an internal one
• God is for me, and this will end well, God will take care of me, He is the source of my victory
• I didn't worry about the promises of God anymore, but just resting in His peace
• Even while the war is still raging, you can say it is well with my soul, that we can arrive at a place of peace
• We are all up against something and today can be the day, that we can stand up against the bullies of our souls, and begin to pray loud clear prayers, and experience the peace of God, and trust that God will bring the victory
• Our God is greater than the army surrounding us

✗ The mask has got to go | Carl Lentz ✗

• When you meet Jesus you have the right to meet Him face to face so the mask in your life has got to go
• Even though we met Jesus, there is a lot of people who still put up the mask
• You have the right to know real freedom
• The moment you get saved, you have the right to drop who you were and pick up who He is - Real freedom, real security, real transparency, real calling, real purpose, real passion
• How can we leave a church setting and hit the streets and tell people to be real if you can't be real in church
• God is going to create a type of church atmosphere, where you are going to come as you are, you can be you, mask off, face to face in the living God
• Genesis 3:8-10
• You can do away all the old labels
• If God ever ask you a question, it is not cause He doesn't know
• People are fearful of exposing who they're really are
• When you get scared, you put on the mask
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• "When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed... And where the spirit of the Lord there is freedom..."
• God can't work with your mask 
• Are you going to let God minister to you or your mask because there is no mask ministry in heaven
• You get behavior modification but God is about soul transformation and it can only happen when the masks comes off
• Multi masking is soul texting - It is hard work to be somebody who you are not suppose to be
• The mask came in and the peace went out
• You might be tired, but God is going to get you through it
• It is just not fun being somebody who they are not called to be
• It is so good to be free
• You have to resist the urge to reach in and pull out the mask (Eg. Strength mask - You are not the rock, Jesus is the rock, Happy mask, Sex appeal mask)
• Only in the real Jesus can you find the real you and if they see the real you they see the real Jesus
• Let the mask go, and then we get to see God move in supernatural power
• The masks exist because it covers up the need
• We need Jesus - Our relationship is on need
• Don't pretend that it is anything but Jesus
• When the heat is on, the truth comes out
• Don't get caught in the fight and find out you are a fake
• You can fake Christianity for awhile
• We go to church out of the love of Jesus
• Better than it comes out now
• Find out right now what is in you because God gotta need the real you
• The issues that you face tonight is not even about you but is about somebody who needs you
• To hold on to that masks is the most selfish thing you can do
• You get over your issue, and maybe you can help somebody else get over their issue - This is Jesus following
• The heat is on, and it should always be on - Get use to the confrontation
• He does not put on the mask of compromise ever
• Mask 1: Unnecessary complexity for the freedom of supernatural simplicity
• Mask 2. Drop the mask of selfish solo (me), and feel the freedom (Jesus) of supernatural yofo 
• After Jesus, life is all about the give - It feels good when you live for others
• Mark 1:40-45
• Jesus did not want to get the message get caught in the miracle - He was still consumed with other people
• I only live once, how can I bless somebody?
• There is still more to come - As much as He's done in your life, have a feeling that there is more
• Enjoy God's blessing but don't forget the burden for the lost
• If you have a collection, you better have a really good reason for it, because if you can't take it to heaven, why are you treating it like you can?
• James 4:13-14
• The masks of selfishness can be painful to peel off, but the result is too good to pass up
• Our God owns the world, He is above it all
• The question is not if but how much and if you are going to handle it well
• We can't have extra, when people have nothing
• You got to get over it, and people would need what God has put in your end
• Before you can do anything about it, your spirit leaps towards selfishness and that is why we would need Jesus to break that cycle
• I pray that you get to heaven with empty pockets
• What if what somebody needs in Jesus, you have?
• What you have in your hand it is more powerful that you think it is
• But you also don't know what other people have on them
• There is so much more to come in your life, there is more in your hands, more opportunity, more ability to reach people than you think there is, so Jesus gave it all so you can give it away - People need Jesus now
• The only collection that you want are the names of people that you gave money to that you never met, and you giving towards dreams that you see flourish

✗ Hillsong Conf 2014: "Psalm 23, whether you like it or not" by Carl Lentz ✗

• A lot of leaders say they believe in Jesus for the next generation but not a lot of them do it
• If you came to leave different, Jesus Christ can change anybody
• Psalm 23:1-6
• The psalm is a great picture of emotion
• "The LORD is my shepherd, and I lack nothing"
• Prosperity is to know Jesus
• If you have Jesus, He is everything
• We don't camp in valleys -- We keep it moving in the valley, and walk through them
• There are better days to come for you to walk on through
• Whether you like it not, you are walking through the valley, God is your shepherd, He is still with you
• Even if you don't want to hear it, the truth is the truth
• Whether you like it or not, God is good, God is still for you
• It doesn't change the truth, the truth is still the truth
• This major truth in life is that we need a shepherd, and not do our own thing or be our own God
• Psalm 23 only matters if God is your shepherd
• If God is our shepherd, it makes us sheep in this equation
• Of all the animals He could have picked from, a hawk, a shark, or something awesome, but He picked sheep
• Sheep has nothing going for them, not great leaders, nor defend themselves, can't clean themselves, don't have a reverse magnetism
• Sheep desperately need a shepherd
• No matter how great, bad, or lost you might feel or great things might be, we need a shepherd
• You need to go back to the shepherd, go back to Jesus, go back to trusting the one thing that has never failed anybody, and He won't start with anybody right here
• The Psalm 23 Reality Check: If God is your shepherd, if Jesus Christ is everything to you, we no longer have to chase the right situation, identity from the world, or set up, we simply have to chase the shepherd everyday of our lives -- everything gets real simple
• John 10:14-15
• If I am your shepherd you should get to know My voice
• I am the only shepherd that would lay My own life for a sheep
• If you have been tempted to chase a situation, or been following Jesus and there is a temptation to chase anything but Him, you don't need to go anywhere else in your value, maybe you lost everything or get some identity back but chase Jesus cause He is the one that gave it to you in the first place
• Only Christians can have a shaky situation, but have a solid Saviour
• Things aren't great, but I am gonna chase the shepherd because there is more to come
• Sheep don't strive -- looks peaceful, not have any worry in the world, because it knows the shepherd
• If you feel tempted to strive, chase the Shepherd
• If you are feel like chasing a quicker fix, chase the shepherd
• The shepherd does what the shepherd does
• The story of a church has never been chasing a spotlight, it has always been chasing a shepherd
• Sometimes people don't know the journey but want what you have now
• Sometimes the Shepherd will lead you into the spotlight or into shadows which we don't have any control of anything but locking onto the shepherd
• Are you willing to follow the shepherd through the dark or shaky days
• We should be a Jesus honoring church
• Where are you at today?
• Rest your heart that the shepherd knows what He is doing
• We can rest easy and never strive a day in our lives because the Shepherd knows what the Shepherd does
• We have Christians comparing to others' highlight reels
• "My path is okay because I am following the Shepherd"
• There is security in the Shepherd
• People can say and do what they want to do, but we can stay secured in the Shepherd as He always remains steady
• The good shepherd will always do two things:



1. The good Shepherd always corrects



• Something to ponder, when you are tempted to wonder
• Hebrews 12:5-8 ("Do not lose heart when He disciplines you...")
• If you are not getting corrected, you are not legitimate 
• If you love Him, and knows He loves you, He is going to correct your life like a good Shepherd always will
• We got to change the way we look at correction
• They are a few that will remotely confront somebody
• When heaven can't correct you, let alone a pastor, situation or a good shepherd, it is not cute that God is trying to get through you but not to you because you do not allow Him to correct you
• When you feel His conviction, He is not being against you but for you
• If you don't know that correction is good, God is on your case and He is because He loves you
• If you realized maybe you have a purpose, that He loves you so much to accept, and loves you too much to leave you like this, let Him do what He wants to do 
• The same God that loves you will always correct that course
• Sometimes God will correct you by giving you your prayer request
• The Shepherd would not leave the lamb sitting there but picks it up with the broken leg
• God does not want to break something, but God is so good, that He can use a hardship, direct word, or your own sin to correct your course and keep you closer to the Shepherd
• What in your life might God be speaking to you?
• Maybe God is trying to correct you from the little, so He can save you from the big disaster
• Sometimes God tries to get your attention in the little
• I will never tell you what you can or cannot do, and never intentionally reject Your correction
• How many years have pasted that you rejected His correct?
• How many miracles have you walked by with a proud spirit?
• Fight over sensitivity leads to spiritual inactivity
• A lot of Christians are super sensitive which you cannot get through them
• God is searching the earth for humble people, as He exalts the humble up
• Jesus searched the earth to look for people to simply follow
• The influence and opportunity to reach people will be hindered and we need everyone here to be used by God and not stop the things of God because we are too proud
• Some of you are defending are yourself against the same heaven that loves you so much, that God sent you the one and only Son that you never get to know death but Jesus
• Would you allow the holy spirit to convict you?
• Would you allow the shepherd to correct you?


2. The good shepherd always protects



• Wherever you go, whatever you do, God's hand of protection will continue to cover you
• No matter what you do, no matter where you go, His hand of protection will be all over you
• The Shepherd will protect the sheep, cause the sheep does even know how to get protection from
• His protection is even better than you know it to be
• What if you know the King of heaven and earth was on your side?
• The wind of heaven is on your back
• He has gone before you and His protection is behind you
• You do not just hope that God is for you but know that God protects you
• You got to thank God for all those things that ended up being a bad deal or wanted to snap out  but He shut it, give Him some praise -- that is our God
• When you know how much God protects you, you are able to live with faith not fear
• You can worship like you got a Shepherd 
• You just lost your job, "I got a Shepherd", You're not doing well, "I got a Shepherd" -- There is power in that
• He's protecting you more than you know He is protecting you
• He's got your back more than you have given Him credit for
• But I do think you can rest a little bit easier knowing that God is protecting you from things you have not seen yet, or from forces you cannot fight on your own -- this is our God
• God has got more for you -- "My cup it overflows"
• It overflows with mercy and grace, we can sit in His presence day in and out, and He still is going to give grace and He still is going to give mercy
• You may know the psalm, but want to know the Shepherd
• It is not just good enough to just sing the songs, and know about the shepherd, you need Jesus, you got to know about His grace
• It is better than you think it is, you got to know about His love -- There is more than you think there is


• Church can't change anybody, only Jesus can
• Preachers can't change anybody but preach about Somebody which is Jesus who can makes anybody move
• He leaves a whole bunch of healthy sheep to look for the one that is wondering
• If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all, in your life
• Romans 10 ("The old has gone, the new is here")