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Jan. 23, 2025
How to be an Overcomer
Join us with Guest Minister John Arnott as he teaches on how to be an overcomer in life.
Drawing inspiration from David’s life story, he shares how God’s anointing propelled David initially, but in a time of crisis, when David hits rock bottom, what does he do? How does he respond? Herein lies the answer on how to be an overcomer. You won’t want to miss the wisdom Pastor John shares, as it will help you push forward in life and in the things of God also.
(00:00) Exciting Times
(18:43) King David's Journey of Anointing
(34:33) Preparing for Regime Change
(45:56) The Power of Overcoming Adversity
Chapters
00:00 - Exciting Times
18:43:00 - King David's Journey of Anointing
34:33:00 - Preparing for Regime Change
45:56:00 - The Power of Overcoming Adversity
Transcript
00:00 - Speaker 1
Do you know? Right now, college-age kids are coming to Jesus like they have not done since the Jesus people. We're in exciting days, so it isn't just restore all things. There's a regime change coming and King Jesus is about to return for his bride and get ready to set up his throne on earth.
00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you that he has a real hope and a future for you.
01:11 - Speaker 1
Well, what a thrill it's been for me to be here in New York City for these last three days. I mean, I'm just enjoying it all, and one of my favorite things about New York is the accent. And so I said to Pastor Boyan where is everybody that has the New York accent? I haven't run into them yet. Like, where is a cup of coffee and hot dog and stuff? Does anybody here talk like that? Yeah, okay, come on, come and say hi to me after right, coffee, hot dog? Yeah, because we have a dear friend in Oklahoma, tulsa. He's from New York and he talks that way still after about 30 years of being away. But you know, the other thing is I love how straight everybody talks to each other. You know, there's no filters and beating around the bush, you just let them have it. It's just like how it is. Don't give me all the BS around it, just tell me straight. They seem to like that here. You know that's amazing, isn't it? Anyway, I love who you are. It's kind of a very special place. You have here Very special pastors and leaders.
02:44
Do you know? We're living in the most exciting time that you could ever live on the face of the earth. There's all these things that are only one or 200 years old, like automobiles, airplanes, nuclear bombs, computers, amazing watches, and on the horizon is a whole bunch of stuff and cars that drive themselves. Have you ever heard of such a thing? And I don't think we've seen anything yet. I mean all these AI programs. I'm just loving those, using them, but being a little wary at the same time because, boy, people could use those to spin you. Something that would sound very convincing but yet not be true or not right on. But it's a very exciting time, most importantly because of the impending, soon return of Jesus. Now nobody knows when that's going to be. It could be 100 years from now, but it could be tomorrow. I know of nothing, no prophetic word that would stand in the way, that would say he can't come yet. And while I'm on that, I mean we got more time, this service.
04:20
What's the difference if someone reading Matthew 24, mark 13, luke 21, reading it today versus someone reading it a thousand years ago? See, you read it? Then you say, yeah, there's going to be earthquakes, diseases, famines, wars, problems. Yeah, well, we have that today. Okay, so what's the difference? Anybody have an answer Israel is the difference.
04:52
Israel had to become a nation again, so they've been scattered for 2,000 years. 1948, when I was a little boy, seven years old, israel became a nation. I didn't know, I didn't know what a big deal it was, but it was an absolute fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah and from Ezekiel and from many, many passages of Scripture. So the same ancient people were regathered to the same ancient land to practice the same ancient religion and speak the same ancient language. It has never, ever happened before. And Jesus said it would be. And he said the fig tree would blossom, and the fig tree is a type and symbol of the nation Israel, and when you see it putting out its sleeves, you know that the harvest is coming, summer's coming, and all that happened. Then Jerusalem Jesus said in Luke 21, will be occupied, trodden down by the Gentiles, the nations, until the time of the nations is fulfilled. Fulfilled. And that was already 56 years ago when they took all the territory. So something is up.
06:12
And then, when I see war in the Middle East that's been going on for over a year, it makes me nervous in a good sense. Could this be the time? So tell your friend. You know we may be living on borrowed time here. We're about to have a big change. Wouldn't that be exciting If you were alive when he came for his bride? Now your pastor will take you into it much deeper one of these days.
06:44
But I just want you to hold that out there. Make sure that the coming of the Lord is in there somewhere on your 100-year plan about where your life is going, because you've got to hold it in tension along with the everyday stuff. Where do I work? How do I pay the bills? What do we do? What do we do? We have to take care of that. You have to go to school, get your education. A lot of people missed it during the Jesus movement because they dropped out of everything, saying, oh, the coming of the Lord is any moment, so why bother? But that turned out to be wrong. You got to hold it in tension. Do both. So I want to take us with a little reminder about the three journeys that we're on.
07:37
Before I get into the topic today. I like to realize that in all of our lives my life, yours there's three areas that we need to cover. First of all, you Point yourself to you. You are important. So this is the inward journey. He wants essentially to take bad stuff out and put good stuff in. Okay, the shame, the pain, the fear, the peace and the security and the salvation and the equipping and the impartation and the empowering of you becoming more and more like Jesus, that's for you.
08:38
Next is now not about you at all, it's all about him. Where now? It's him that we want to worship and him we want to praise and love, and it's it's to him we want to give thanks and glory and adoration, and we have to appreciate that. You know I I can remember thinking God, what's up with you really Like? Why are you demanding that people love you? You know, jesus was asked one time what's the greatest commandment and without hesitation he said love the Lord with all your heart, put your hand on your heart With all your soul, put your hand on your heart With all your soul, put your hand on your soul With all your strength and all your mind. Love him and then love your neighbor and love yourself. So it's so strong to love him. I mean, why does he so hate idolatry and all these things? Because it's basically dishonest to honor someone else or other things instead of the one to whom the honor belongs. And so it's wrong to do that, it's a counterfeit. It it's wrong to do that. It's a counterfeit, it's a fake to do that.
10:11
Your heavenly father made you in his own image, in his own likeness, in many, many ways, and so the least you can do is say thank you. Have you ever given him thanks for being alive on the earth? What if you were never? He never created you. You would have known anything. I mean, you're just in oblivion, but now we're here and we can give thanks to him, and that's really what worshiping him is all about. Worship is kind of loving him. So now it's Worship is kind of loving him. So now it's not about you, it's about him. And then, when that reciprocates and you get filled up with him, the focus will change again. What about them? What about others? What about other people?
11:02
If you get filled up with the love of God and you have a heart now that cares about the outcome and the lives of people around you, that is a reflection of what he's like, and he wants us to be that way, and so we focus on that. And you know, many churches would say it's all about the mission, let's go get the others. That's the main emphasis. And oh yeah, I pray once in a while, you know, a focus on him, but very little attention given to you as a person. And I think if we don't get filled up, emptied out of the bad stuff, filled up with the good stuff, there's a dysfunction that goes on inside our hearts that can cripple the rest of your spiritual life. So these three need to be in balance. Don't ever feel bad about you getting blessed and you getting filled up and you getting healed and you getting emptied out. We know it's not all about you. There's those three journeys that we're on and have a healthy balance of all three.
12:16
Turn to your friends and say I give you permission to get everything you can get from the Lord, because our assignment is all about all three. So sanctification means clean hands and a pure heart, intimacy with him, a divine love affair with all your heart. Love him with all your heart and then go into the world as a witness to all nations that we're lovers of God and sharers of good news. So wherever you go, wherever you work, that's your mission in life to tell them the best news ever. Boy, have I got good news for you. Do you know what? You've got the best future you could possibly imagine, all because of Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Encounters enable us to sustain that and maintain that and be overcomers.
13:22
And I want to talk to you about being an overcomer. We're going to touch on it. Not the full shot like they got in the first service, but how many want to be overcomers? Only about 10% of you, I think. The rest are struggling with life's problems, right? Romans 8.28 says all things say that with me. All things work together for good to those who love him. Now, if you don't love him, that's not going to apply, but if you love him, then all things are going to work together for good for you, and you need to realize that in your 100-year plan for life, there's plenty of time for the tragedies of the moment to resolve and work out and really turn out to be a blessing for you. We're getting prepared for eternity, friends, and eternity is very close. He's getting your heart ready to rule over cities, and so you want to pass the tests of life and have a theology for adversity that is going to lend itself to character building for you.
14:59
But as we look around, we see that something's going on in the world right now. You know, prophetic scripture says talked about birth pains and as we get close to the time of the end, that life becomes more and more like birth pains. Now you ladies could tell us that birth pains start out rather insignificantly, kind of a little right, but then they get more and more intense and more and more frequent until oh boy, you know it's time, let's get to the hospital. And that's what we're watching in the world. Jesus said it would be like birth pains, where trouble and strife in the world will start happening with increased frequency and increased intensity. So what are we looking at? Plagues, wars, weather, fires, government extreme, extreme politics, uncertainty, unrest, et cetera. Everybody's asking what's up? Is this God at work? Is this the devil? What is it? Is this God at work? Is this the devil? What is it? Life is this convoluted journey of good days and bad days, and we're all called to be overcomers in Christ.
16:34
And one of the points from the first service that I made was we all do well when everything's going your way, don't we? Don't you do well? Have's going your way, don't we? Don't you do well? Have you ever had a good week where it was just sweet, like everything was coming together, the weather was great, the people were super, got a raise at work, you picked up your new car I mean, on and on, it was just a fantastic week. How many have had a good week like that Within memory somewhere back there? Yeah, again, 10% of you, okay, well, have you ever had a bad week when everything went wrong? How many have had a bad week oh, I'm getting more hands this time when everything went wrong and you're like God, what is happening? Well, some of those things maybe you brought them on yourself, you made a wrong decision, you made a wrong choice this or that. But sometimes, when you're doing your very best, you're praying, you're reading the word, you're worshiping, you're giving, you're caring, you're doing it all right, but still adversity comes. That the Lord allows, and it's confusing to you because maybe you don't have a theology for adversity. And Jesus told us clearly in the world you will have tribulation, trouble, but say but, be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. So see, that's where a long-range vision, a long-range plan, is going to help you Say well, this is only a blip, this is temporary, we're going to get through this and get on into better and richer and so on. And we need to understand that.
18:43
I was asked to go and speak at a church in Hamilton, ontario one night I think it was a Friday night and you know there was horrific traffic and everything else and I forget what but the road was closed and it was late getting there and as I got in it was like, oh, we're so glad you made it got in. It's like, oh, we're so glad you made it and we'd love you to speak tonight on recovering everything. On recovery. Now, I'm not used to people telling me what I should preach. I mean, it's rare that they do that. What do you want me to talk about? What's the theme? They might give me the theme, but mostly they don't. And so I'm thinking, okay, so recover all.
19:39
And my thoughts went to David, king David, and I want us to think about David now, king David, and I want us to think about David now. David's a young kid minding his own business, taking care of the sheep, and Samuel turns up at the house one day and he's carrying this burden. Oh, king Saul, you know, is a wipeout, and God is now sending me to this man's house because one of his sons is going to be the new king. So he goes through all six of the brothers and the Lord's saying no, not this one. No, not this one. He comes to the third guy and he's thinking well, surely this incredible young man this is the Lord's choice? And the Lord says no, incredible young man, this is the Lord's choice. And the Lord says no.
20:31
Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Tell the person next to you. He's looking on our hearts right now, because it's the heart that matters, not the outward appearance. So he went through all the boys and he said do you have any more sons? Oh, yeah, there's a kid up there on the hill minding the sheep, and I could just imagine Jesse the father going well, surely you don't want a boy? Isn't it funny when God's going to provide a new provision, very often he sends something that's not quite matured yet not quite half baked. If you're praying for I don't know, wood to build a building, he sends you an acorn. To build a building, he sends you an acorn, and so now you've got to grow that thing.
21:30
So here comes David, like what's going on, and Samuel anoints him with oil and says you, young man, are going to be king over Israel, right there, in front of all of his family and his brothers, wow, okay. Well, there's war in the land and some of the brothers are in the army and they're ready to fight with the Philistines. And David's sent with food and a couple of gifts for the officers and everything. And he goes into the camp and Goliath appears, this giant, a guy nine, nine and a half feet tall, just a warrior forever, and boasting and saying hey, we don't all need to get in a battle here, why don't you just send me your best man and we'll fight it out. And whoever wins, winner take all. And they're afraid of this guy, the whole army.
22:34
And so here's David now saying well, doesn't anybody go fight this guy? I mean, how dare he defy the army of the living God? Dare he defy the army of the living God? Isn't it amazing how young people sometimes can just have this idealistic faith? And he said, yeah, I killed a lion, I killed a bear, and that Philistine would be like one of those. I'll go fight this guy. And Saul says all right, you better put my armor on at least. And he says I can't go with this. And he goes into battle, with a stave, apparently, and his sling, and he picked up five stones, put them in that shepherd's bag and he's going off to meet the giant. What a scene.
23:32
I love this story. It's a story of faith. It's a story of an overcomer. It's a story of boldness and bravery. And Goliath is insulted. He says what? You send a kid out with a stick to fight against me? Come here, boy, I'm going to feed you to the birds for this insult. And David says oh yeah, well, I'm going to feed you and your whole army to the birds because you have defied the living God. Such chutzpah, I mean, you know, come on. And then he ran at the guy, and it's not like he's trying to hide or anything, he's running at him, slinging. First guided missile hit him on the head. Boom, he's down and David. David runs, takes his own sword and beheads him and holds that giant head up and says here, israel is what you were afraid of. Now go get him. And they had a victory that day.
24:44
So, wow, that anointing has really done something for you. We want you to be an officer in the king's army. You're the youngest officer we've ever had. But come on, hey, I want you to marry the king's daughter. How about that? Hey, I want you to marry the king's daughter. How about that? And you're just, you're just really doing it. And see what happens is Samuel's prophetic word is ringing in his ears. All this is happening because of God. God's word is coming to pass, god's truth is coming to me. And, yeah, this is just the beginning. And isn't it amazing how his popularity grew and grew and grew because of the anointing.
25:41
But the day came when Saul is fiercely jealous of him, and you know the story. When Saul is fiercely jealous of him. And you know the story. Saul turned on him, tried to kill him, threw a spear at him on two occasions and David was able to dodge it and get away. And so, finally, now he's an outlaw. His picture's up in all the post offices and Saul's chasing him every chance he gets. Yeah, he had a few close calls and David mercifully spared his life. He says he's the Lord's anointed. Far be it from me to kill him. If God wants him dead, he can kill him, but I'm not going to kill him. If God wants him dead, he can kill him, but I'm not going to kill him.
26:28
And things got so bad that he had to leave his own nation and go and live among the Philistines, the enemy of the land of Israel. So he's living with the Philistines and he became like a pirate, like a raider, raiding this town and that town to survive. The Philistines said well, we'll give you a ziklag on the edge of our territory and you and your men can stay there. See, when the anointing is on you, you attract a following because people see that leadership on you and they want to follow. And a lot of you are here because of the anointing on Boyan and Emily. And you see it and you know it and you feel it. And we want to be led by people who are anointed, don't we? So David's got 400 men, 600 men that are following him everywhere.
27:30
And this was a ragtag group of people the outlaws and the unwanted and the indebted and all the rest of it. They're following him, thinking he's our guy. And things went from bad to worse. They're outlaws in their own nation. Now they're in the Philistines, on the edge of their empire, trying to survive.
27:56
The day comes when Israel and Philistia are going to be at war again. So David's like well, it's our obligation to go and help them. So they all march out to join in with the Philistine army and they go oh, wait, a minute, we're not having you guys. You could turn at the last minute and try to betray us. What better way to be restored to your leaders than with the heads of these men? Go home at first light and they're disheartened. They're, I mean, offended by that rejection.
28:40
How would you feel? I want you to weigh in on all the feelings here. He loves his country, he loves his nation, he loves his city, he loves his parents and his home. But his parents have suffered because David's an outlaw and all that has been going on. All his men had the same thing. They've essentially lost their families and their connection. And now they're over here in Ziklag and they go to fight with them. And now even the Philistines don't want them and they're sent back home. And when they get back home, do you know what? Their town is burnt to the ground, the wives are gone, the kids are gone, the stuff is gone, and the men are now so upset that they're wanting to stone David and they're saying some leader, you are Some anointing on you. You've just led us on this downward path to where we can't even go home, and now we don't even have a home among the Philistines. We've lost everything.
30:01
What would you do? Have you ever been in that place where you felt like life is just so falling in on me that it just can't get any worse than this? What do you do, david? There's only one thing to do. He strengthened himself in the Lord and he went to the Lord. He said God, what do I do? And the Lord said go after them. And he said and if I go after them, will I win? Will I recover everything? And the Lord said yes, go after them and recover all.
30:59
So he took 600 guys. 200 were so tired that we can't go any farther. All right, you stay with the stuff. And they pursued the Amalekites on into the night. There they were partying, celebrating of all the stuff they had taken, and David and his men went in for the kill and slaughtered a bunch of them. And they recovered everything. It's like a country and western song. They got their wife back, they got their kids back, they got their truck back. Everything's great, right. So they come home. Thinking mission accomplished. Home thinking, mission accomplished. That hangs over many of the churches in North America and, I dare say, over New York.
31:56
We just had this unbelievable thing happen to us called COVID, and every church I know suffered under that. There was a huge purging, I guess, and we thought if we could just get back what we had I mean, you guys here, you had three locations is that right? Yeah, and you had more people, yeah, and you had more finance. Probably, I don't know, made it up since then. Made it up since then Made it up, yeah. But if we could just get back to what we had, then we could regroup and rethink and maybe go again, plan from there. But the whole plan was recovery. If we could just get back what we had, so David got the stuff back. If we could just get back what we had, so David got the stuff back.
32:50
But see, god had a much bigger plan than David did, because God's plan was not just recover everything, but actually regime change, because no sooner had they got back to Ziklag and tried to build up in the ashes. Then they got word about a new war that had happened with the Philistines, or the one that they missed by not going, that Israel was completely defeated and routed. Many died, including King Saul and all his sons. So, david, there's a delegation from Judah. Here. They want you to go back to Judah and be king.
33:53
What Can you imagine when you're in the ashes of life? You just kind of recovered the main things your wife, your kids, your stuff and now you're going to be king over Judah. Wait a minute, way back there, didn't Samuel prophesy that you were going to be king? Yeah, but that was a long time ago. That was before Goliath and before this and that and before the marriage and before it all. But well, here comes the restoration.
34:33
So David goes home and he becomes king over Judah, ruling and reigning from Hebron. And he did that for seven years. And then, without going into the rest of the details, all of Israel joins in with him and he becomes king over Israel, probably Israel's greatest king. And it was all because of his character, all because of his character. So where did David, the little shepherd boy, learn to be the best king? What do you think he kept his heart right through all of those various trials and struggles and difficulties? See, it's easy to be up when you kill the giant and you're promoted in the army and you marry the king's daughter and yay God. But then when everything turns against you and you're promoted in the army and you marry the king's daughter and yay, god you know. But then when everything turns against you, that's when you need to hang on. And the worst day of David's life was when he went back into burned Ziklag and even his own faithful men want to stone him.
36:06
There's pastors that are doing their level best, you know, and whatever went wrong, and the church is ready to stone them. Have you ever been in that place? I was kind of. Once we had our first church in Stratford and then I wanted to do another one in my hometown, toronto. Carol's hometown is Stratford, mine is Toronto, and so we had two churches and I thought it'd just be a short time, but it ended up being five years, and so five years we were going back and forth, back and forth, grabbing something to eat at McDonald's and keep on going on the road. And you know that's one way to put on about 50 pounds eating at McDonald's every. And pretty soon I had two groups of people unhappy with me. Where are you? You're supposed to be our pastor. You're gone half the time. I know, I'm sorry about that. And then the Toronto group was the same and I realized I had to make up my mind which way we wanted to go, and so we opted for Toronto and it was the right choice.
37:23
The Lord just landed on us in revival and everything else and we had a regime change. But I feel like not only is the whole body of Christ ready for a regime change, but this church here is ready for a regime change, because there's ready for a regime change, but this church here is ready for a regime change Because there's circumstances that are crippling, and COVID took a toll on everybody. We just can't believe the governmental what's the word overreach abuse? Canada was horrible, new York was horrible and we couldn't even meet for the better part of two years. You got to be 10 feet away from everybody and, oh gosh, it was just a nightmare. It was all online actually. We just said, oh, forget that, just let's go online. And we were longing for restoration. If we could just get back to what we were, if we could just forget this stupid COVID thing. Let's just get back.
38:41
I remember trying to have a meeting where all the COVID rules are in place, so you couldn't touch anybody. How are you going to lay hands on people if you touch them? So I worked out something where we spray and pray. So I had a guy coming with me with a spray, you know, and he'd spray and I'd pray, and he'd spray and I'd pray, all with a mask on, you know, because people were still wanting the touch of God and in my heart of hearts I'm like God. We've got to put this behind us and get back to the way we were, and I am sure that you guys were longing for the same thing, and so that happened with David. He's longing for the same thing, and the Lord said pursue them and recover all. He said pursue them and recover all. Great word. And that happened. But in the heart of God was something that was way beyond recover all. You're not just going to get back to Ziklag and build it up again and carry on pathetically. No, we're going for regime change this time and you're going to be king over Israel, david, and starting with Judah, and we'll go from there. And so that's where we are right now, friends. The place that we are in is in a world that is ripe for revival and for harvest, and I want you to know that revival is going on in many, many places of the earth.
40:30
Do you know where the greatest revival that I'm aware of is happening is in Iran. Do we have anybody from Iran here? Anyone? Yeah, the Toronto church has got about 30 of them, people from Iran. I love those guys.
40:53
A while ago I called them all around me. I said come here, I just want to hug you all. Just gather around here. And they did. And I said to them so you know what, pete, there were people out there saying you know what Islam, christianity, they're kind of the same. Uh, in many ways so. But I want to know what you? You say, what is the difference? You left Islam to become Christians. What do you think is the difference? So they got a huddle and they're speaking away in Farsi and they came. We know what it is. I said tell me. He says now we're happy. We used to be angry all the time, angry at this, angry at that, angry at everything, and we're not angry anymore. We're happy. There's joy and there's stuff going on inside man. That's a regime change. If ever there was one, the greatest harvest going on in Iran, but it's going on in many, many places. I was so encouraged to.
42:06
One of our leaders, bruno Orello sent me a video of a meeting in Ethiopia. Do you know where that is. It's on like East Africa, and this was a massive church of warehouses and things kind of hobbled together, cobbled together of about 15,000 or 20,000 people in that meeting, just a camera panning around like that, like that, and everybody is shaking and falling and screaming and yelling and going for it in the anointing. And I thought, god, if you're going to pour out your spirit like that on the earth and on your churches, forget about it. We're going to have revival. Nothing is going to stop it. And so I've been been in brazil where, where that country has exploded into all these mega churches of 5 000, 20, 000, 30 000 and they got hundreds of them like that that have just exploded because of the presence of God and the anointing. And I was sharing with the group the other day about how harvest, like CBN Ministries last year won 600 million people to Jesus in one year, and I've tracked with Gordon Robertson over the years and they've averaged 50 million, which is phenomenal, but 600 million in the year before was 594 million.
43:52
What is going on? He's harvesting the earth and these third world nations in Africa and Asia and this, and that they're coming in first. Is that okay with you? Yeah, I guess. But our turn's coming. Do you know? Right now, college age kids are coming to Jesus like they have not done since the Jesus people. We're in exciting days. So it isn't just restore all things. There's a regime change coming and King Jesus is about to return for his bride and get ready to set up his throne on earth. And you may say, john, I'm not ready for that yet Let me tell you something it doesn't matter, he's coming whether you're ready or not, it's not up to you. He's coming when he thinks the time is right. And oh, my goodness, we're. We're, we're very, very close friends. How many would be excited if you found out that jesus is on the way?
45:11 - Speaker 2
that'll be the best news ever for the believer the coming of the lord is the best news ever For the believer.
45:18 - Speaker 1
The coming of the Lord is the best news ever, and read more about it. I did a little booklet on it. Where is the promise of his coming? And it's full of the good news. I didn't put the bad news part in. There's a bad news side Half the world's people die. There's a bad news side Half the world's people die. But the good news is the believers are going to be joined with him in glory and celebration.
45:56
So I want you to look beyond the difficulties of life today and realize that Romans 8 28 is true for you. All things work together for good to those who love him, and I want you to realize that, um, you don't have to be puzzled about why is there adversity in your life. The Lord allows that. I'm not talking about the stuff that you brought on yourself from your own waywardness or stupidity. I'm talking about you doing your best, praying, giving, serving, caring, loving, worshiping all that and still the rug got pulled out from under you. This person got sick, this person died, this job got lost or you know just really, really heavy things. And you're wondering God, where are you? And I want to speak hope to all of you, because he is never limited by circumstances. There's always a way out, there's always a way forward with him. You say but john, yeah, but my son has just died from this or that. I mean, families have had drug overdose, take their children, just horrible things. How on earth is God going to turn it around to make it good and make it okay again? I don't know how, but he will, because he's God. All things are possible with him. Can you take that on board? Is that too big a stretch? He, who has begun a good work in you, will perfect it Until the day of Jesus Christ, and then you'll see it all clearly. The mystery side will be Worked out, resolved. I want you all to have hope and I want you to make up your mind that you are going to be an overcomer. How many want to be an overcomer? Raise your hand, wave at me, wave excitedly. I want to be an overcomer. Okay, I don't know whether we got half of you or a little more than half, but listen carefully. Overcomers are going to need a few things to overcome, okay, and so these things are like challenges. It's going to come your way and you're going to say, oh yeah, not on my watch, and you're going to go after it and win. Let's all stand. Lord, I thank you that you are our champion overcomer. If ever there was one, you're that one, and we're so blessed to know you. We're so blessed to know that your heart is for us and even in the face of difficult circumstances, you are still God, and we want to build our house on the rock.
49:28
Like it says, the wise man built his house on the rock. The foolish man built his house on the sand. Now what happened? Life happened. The rains came down and house on the sand. Now what happened? Life happened the rains came down and the floods came up, and the house on the rock stood firm, whereas the house built on sand washed away.
49:53
You cannot build your life on trending things that come and go. There's only one rock and that's the word of God, that's the son of God, that's the promises of God, that's the hope of God, such as Romans 8, 28. All things work together for good. To those who love him, say Lord, that's me, I love you. So, all right, I'm going to trust you.
50:26
Now, if you've been confused and thinking God, I don't get it Like I'm trying to serve you and everything. But all this stuff is happening and I feel like quitting or I just don't understand, like I don't know what to do. If that's been where you are in this last season, unashamedly hold your hand up high and say you know what? This has given me hope here that life happens. But God is using it to build character in me and so, okay, bring it on, lord, let me sign up for the advanced course. If your hands are raised here, we want to. We want to take time to have a little group prayer with you. So I'm going to ask you to get out of your seat and come on up to the front. Can you just play quietly for me on the keyboard? Yeah, just bunch, in, come on. I don't know.
51:46
Maybe we can start by saying Lord, will you please forgive me for ever doubting your love. And some of you need to tell them that, because the adverse circumstances in life have really chipped away at my faith in you, my faith in you, my trust in you, because I just didn't get it. I didn't know that the thing that David went through, I would go through something similar. The thing that Joseph went through, I would go through something similar that would test my faith so that I would come out stronger than ever. And the whole why is because he wants to strengthen you and equip you and purify you so that you can be ruler over cities. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over ten cities or over five cities. Anybody want to rule over New York City in the Millennial Kingdom? I said, lord, give me Toronto, I'll sort it out for you. It would be my pleasure, my honor. I know exactly what to do and who to get rid of.
53:38
Our trials only help to make us strong. I love that song of the Blackwood Brothers, or some of those quartets way back when would sing that. Through it all, through it all, I learned to trust in Jesus. I learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I learned to depend upon his word. My trials only help to make me strong.
54:07
Now see, testing in life will cause you to go one way or the other. You'll either get bitter or you'll get better. How many want to get better? That's a choice we make. You're going to believe the word of God or you're going to believe the lie of the enemy and circumstances. Raise your hand if you want to believe the word of the enemy and circumstances. Raise your hand if you want to believe the word of God. Let's put our faith in him, in spite of circumstances. We put our faith in you, lord, and we believe Romans 8, 28. All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes. Oh, thank you, lord. That's a guarantee, friends, you cannot lose. So it's like all this, and heaven too, wow, blessing upon blessing. Yes, and heaven too, wow, blessing upon blessing.
55:12
Say, lord, I'm sorry for ever accusing you or blaming you for not caring. You care very deeply. You love me with an everlasting love and I yield to you. I yield to your sovereign ways in my life. Take my heart, I give it to you. I'm yours, I recommit myself to you all over again. Get me ready for revival, fill me with the Holy Spirit and fire, and I ask you to put people in my path that need Jesus. Oh, man, the greatest thing to get you out of a spiritual slump is to win someone to the Lord. Lord, I want to be a soul winner, I want to be fruitful, I want to do life with you and for you.
56:21
And if you're here this morning and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, friends, you need to do that ASAP. You have no guarantee that you'll ever see another sunrise. This could be your last day on earth for other reasons, we don't know. I do know that it is just too dangerous to live without the Son of God as your Savior in your heart. So I want you to think about your eternity.
57:04
If you're here and you don't know Jesus, there's no better day than right now to admit to yourself Jesus, I want you in my life. I really do so. If that's you, if I'm speaking to you and you want him in your life, maybe the first time. Or if you want him back in your life because you've wandered away through disappointment and discouragement and whatever, tell him, because that's where it has to happen the privacy of your own heart, where you say to Jesus I want you. I want you in my heart to forgive my sins. I want you in my heart to lift this burden. I want you in my heart to give me hope and life. I want a regime change, lord. I don't want to be the one ruling my own life anymore. I want you to be my king and my savior. That's what I need is a regime change. I make you Lord of my life today.
58:27
Now, if you just told Jesus that you want him to come into your heart, or come back into your heart as savior, unashamedly hold your hand up high and wave it at me. Just say I'm, I'm surrendering my life to him right here. I've been playing around with this and, yeah, life's been beating me up. Okay, god bless every one of you that's. Raised your hands, listen, get a Bible, start to read the book of John. It's a love letter to your heart.
59:03
Give the Lord, I don't know, 10 minutes a day, an hour a day, if you can. I don't know, 10 minutes a day, an hour a day, if you can. But set some time aside to feed your soul on the things of God, because life is going to get very intense. This church that you're in is going to explode, you know. It'll, I don't know, soon be a thousand or more, and you could be a part of the leadership rather than just being lost in the crowd. But pray with me out loud, lord, I reject discouragement. I reject confusion. Go from me now, discouragement. I reject confusion. Go from me now. I embrace the plan of God, the wisdom of God, the wisdom of God, the love of God that absolutely knows what's best for me, and I'm choosing to do life your way today, in Jesus' name Amen.
01:00:24 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message, or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church podcast, if you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
Do you know? Right now, college-age kids are coming to Jesus like they have not done since the Jesus people. We're in exciting days, so it isn't just restore all things. There's a regime change coming and King Jesus is about to return for his bride and get ready to set up his throne on earth.
00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you that he has a real hope and a future for you.
01:11 - Speaker 1
Well, what a thrill it's been for me to be here in New York City for these last three days. I mean, I'm just enjoying it all, and one of my favorite things about New York is the accent. And so I said to Pastor Boyan where is everybody that has the New York accent? I haven't run into them yet. Like, where is a cup of coffee and hot dog and stuff? Does anybody here talk like that? Yeah, okay, come on, come and say hi to me after right, coffee, hot dog? Yeah, because we have a dear friend in Oklahoma, tulsa. He's from New York and he talks that way still after about 30 years of being away. But you know, the other thing is I love how straight everybody talks to each other. You know, there's no filters and beating around the bush, you just let them have it. It's just like how it is. Don't give me all the BS around it, just tell me straight. They seem to like that here. You know that's amazing, isn't it? Anyway, I love who you are. It's kind of a very special place. You have here Very special pastors and leaders.
02:44
Do you know? We're living in the most exciting time that you could ever live on the face of the earth. There's all these things that are only one or 200 years old, like automobiles, airplanes, nuclear bombs, computers, amazing watches, and on the horizon is a whole bunch of stuff and cars that drive themselves. Have you ever heard of such a thing? And I don't think we've seen anything yet. I mean all these AI programs. I'm just loving those, using them, but being a little wary at the same time because, boy, people could use those to spin you. Something that would sound very convincing but yet not be true or not right on. But it's a very exciting time, most importantly because of the impending, soon return of Jesus. Now nobody knows when that's going to be. It could be 100 years from now, but it could be tomorrow. I know of nothing, no prophetic word that would stand in the way, that would say he can't come yet. And while I'm on that, I mean we got more time, this service.
04:20
What's the difference if someone reading Matthew 24, mark 13, luke 21, reading it today versus someone reading it a thousand years ago? See, you read it? Then you say, yeah, there's going to be earthquakes, diseases, famines, wars, problems. Yeah, well, we have that today. Okay, so what's the difference? Anybody have an answer Israel is the difference.
04:52
Israel had to become a nation again, so they've been scattered for 2,000 years. 1948, when I was a little boy, seven years old, israel became a nation. I didn't know, I didn't know what a big deal it was, but it was an absolute fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah and from Ezekiel and from many, many passages of Scripture. So the same ancient people were regathered to the same ancient land to practice the same ancient religion and speak the same ancient language. It has never, ever happened before. And Jesus said it would be. And he said the fig tree would blossom, and the fig tree is a type and symbol of the nation Israel, and when you see it putting out its sleeves, you know that the harvest is coming, summer's coming, and all that happened. Then Jerusalem Jesus said in Luke 21, will be occupied, trodden down by the Gentiles, the nations, until the time of the nations is fulfilled. Fulfilled. And that was already 56 years ago when they took all the territory. So something is up.
06:12
And then, when I see war in the Middle East that's been going on for over a year, it makes me nervous in a good sense. Could this be the time? So tell your friend. You know we may be living on borrowed time here. We're about to have a big change. Wouldn't that be exciting If you were alive when he came for his bride? Now your pastor will take you into it much deeper one of these days.
06:44
But I just want you to hold that out there. Make sure that the coming of the Lord is in there somewhere on your 100-year plan about where your life is going, because you've got to hold it in tension along with the everyday stuff. Where do I work? How do I pay the bills? What do we do? What do we do? We have to take care of that. You have to go to school, get your education. A lot of people missed it during the Jesus movement because they dropped out of everything, saying, oh, the coming of the Lord is any moment, so why bother? But that turned out to be wrong. You got to hold it in tension. Do both. So I want to take us with a little reminder about the three journeys that we're on.
07:37
Before I get into the topic today. I like to realize that in all of our lives my life, yours there's three areas that we need to cover. First of all, you Point yourself to you. You are important. So this is the inward journey. He wants essentially to take bad stuff out and put good stuff in. Okay, the shame, the pain, the fear, the peace and the security and the salvation and the equipping and the impartation and the empowering of you becoming more and more like Jesus, that's for you.
08:38
Next is now not about you at all, it's all about him. Where now? It's him that we want to worship and him we want to praise and love, and it's it's to him we want to give thanks and glory and adoration, and we have to appreciate that. You know I I can remember thinking God, what's up with you really Like? Why are you demanding that people love you? You know, jesus was asked one time what's the greatest commandment and without hesitation he said love the Lord with all your heart, put your hand on your heart With all your soul, put your hand on your heart With all your soul, put your hand on your soul With all your strength and all your mind. Love him and then love your neighbor and love yourself. So it's so strong to love him. I mean, why does he so hate idolatry and all these things? Because it's basically dishonest to honor someone else or other things instead of the one to whom the honor belongs. And so it's wrong to do that, it's a counterfeit. It it's wrong to do that. It's a counterfeit, it's a fake to do that.
10:11
Your heavenly father made you in his own image, in his own likeness, in many, many ways, and so the least you can do is say thank you. Have you ever given him thanks for being alive on the earth? What if you were never? He never created you. You would have known anything. I mean, you're just in oblivion, but now we're here and we can give thanks to him, and that's really what worshiping him is all about. Worship is kind of loving him. So now it's Worship is kind of loving him. So now it's not about you, it's about him. And then, when that reciprocates and you get filled up with him, the focus will change again. What about them? What about others? What about other people?
11:02
If you get filled up with the love of God and you have a heart now that cares about the outcome and the lives of people around you, that is a reflection of what he's like, and he wants us to be that way, and so we focus on that. And you know, many churches would say it's all about the mission, let's go get the others. That's the main emphasis. And oh yeah, I pray once in a while, you know, a focus on him, but very little attention given to you as a person. And I think if we don't get filled up, emptied out of the bad stuff, filled up with the good stuff, there's a dysfunction that goes on inside our hearts that can cripple the rest of your spiritual life. So these three need to be in balance. Don't ever feel bad about you getting blessed and you getting filled up and you getting healed and you getting emptied out. We know it's not all about you. There's those three journeys that we're on and have a healthy balance of all three.
12:16
Turn to your friends and say I give you permission to get everything you can get from the Lord, because our assignment is all about all three. So sanctification means clean hands and a pure heart, intimacy with him, a divine love affair with all your heart. Love him with all your heart and then go into the world as a witness to all nations that we're lovers of God and sharers of good news. So wherever you go, wherever you work, that's your mission in life to tell them the best news ever. Boy, have I got good news for you. Do you know what? You've got the best future you could possibly imagine, all because of Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Encounters enable us to sustain that and maintain that and be overcomers.
13:22
And I want to talk to you about being an overcomer. We're going to touch on it. Not the full shot like they got in the first service, but how many want to be overcomers? Only about 10% of you, I think. The rest are struggling with life's problems, right? Romans 8.28 says all things say that with me. All things work together for good to those who love him. Now, if you don't love him, that's not going to apply, but if you love him, then all things are going to work together for good for you, and you need to realize that in your 100-year plan for life, there's plenty of time for the tragedies of the moment to resolve and work out and really turn out to be a blessing for you. We're getting prepared for eternity, friends, and eternity is very close. He's getting your heart ready to rule over cities, and so you want to pass the tests of life and have a theology for adversity that is going to lend itself to character building for you.
14:59
But as we look around, we see that something's going on in the world right now. You know, prophetic scripture says talked about birth pains and as we get close to the time of the end, that life becomes more and more like birth pains. Now you ladies could tell us that birth pains start out rather insignificantly, kind of a little right, but then they get more and more intense and more and more frequent until oh boy, you know it's time, let's get to the hospital. And that's what we're watching in the world. Jesus said it would be like birth pains, where trouble and strife in the world will start happening with increased frequency and increased intensity. So what are we looking at? Plagues, wars, weather, fires, government extreme, extreme politics, uncertainty, unrest, et cetera. Everybody's asking what's up? Is this God at work? Is this the devil? What is it? Is this God at work? Is this the devil? What is it? Life is this convoluted journey of good days and bad days, and we're all called to be overcomers in Christ.
16:34
And one of the points from the first service that I made was we all do well when everything's going your way, don't we? Don't you do well? Have's going your way, don't we? Don't you do well? Have you ever had a good week where it was just sweet, like everything was coming together, the weather was great, the people were super, got a raise at work, you picked up your new car I mean, on and on, it was just a fantastic week. How many have had a good week like that Within memory somewhere back there? Yeah, again, 10% of you, okay, well, have you ever had a bad week when everything went wrong? How many have had a bad week oh, I'm getting more hands this time when everything went wrong and you're like God, what is happening? Well, some of those things maybe you brought them on yourself, you made a wrong decision, you made a wrong choice this or that. But sometimes, when you're doing your very best, you're praying, you're reading the word, you're worshiping, you're giving, you're caring, you're doing it all right, but still adversity comes. That the Lord allows, and it's confusing to you because maybe you don't have a theology for adversity. And Jesus told us clearly in the world you will have tribulation, trouble, but say but, be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. So see, that's where a long-range vision, a long-range plan, is going to help you Say well, this is only a blip, this is temporary, we're going to get through this and get on into better and richer and so on. And we need to understand that.
18:43
I was asked to go and speak at a church in Hamilton, ontario one night I think it was a Friday night and you know there was horrific traffic and everything else and I forget what but the road was closed and it was late getting there and as I got in it was like, oh, we're so glad you made it got in. It's like, oh, we're so glad you made it and we'd love you to speak tonight on recovering everything. On recovery. Now, I'm not used to people telling me what I should preach. I mean, it's rare that they do that. What do you want me to talk about? What's the theme? They might give me the theme, but mostly they don't. And so I'm thinking, okay, so recover all.
19:39
And my thoughts went to David, king David, and I want us to think about David now, king David, and I want us to think about David now. David's a young kid minding his own business, taking care of the sheep, and Samuel turns up at the house one day and he's carrying this burden. Oh, king Saul, you know, is a wipeout, and God is now sending me to this man's house because one of his sons is going to be the new king. So he goes through all six of the brothers and the Lord's saying no, not this one. No, not this one. He comes to the third guy and he's thinking well, surely this incredible young man this is the Lord's choice? And the Lord says no, incredible young man, this is the Lord's choice. And the Lord says no.
20:31
Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Tell the person next to you. He's looking on our hearts right now, because it's the heart that matters, not the outward appearance. So he went through all the boys and he said do you have any more sons? Oh, yeah, there's a kid up there on the hill minding the sheep, and I could just imagine Jesse the father going well, surely you don't want a boy? Isn't it funny when God's going to provide a new provision, very often he sends something that's not quite matured yet not quite half baked. If you're praying for I don't know, wood to build a building, he sends you an acorn. To build a building, he sends you an acorn, and so now you've got to grow that thing.
21:30
So here comes David, like what's going on, and Samuel anoints him with oil and says you, young man, are going to be king over Israel, right there, in front of all of his family and his brothers, wow, okay. Well, there's war in the land and some of the brothers are in the army and they're ready to fight with the Philistines. And David's sent with food and a couple of gifts for the officers and everything. And he goes into the camp and Goliath appears, this giant, a guy nine, nine and a half feet tall, just a warrior forever, and boasting and saying hey, we don't all need to get in a battle here, why don't you just send me your best man and we'll fight it out. And whoever wins, winner take all. And they're afraid of this guy, the whole army.
22:34
And so here's David now saying well, doesn't anybody go fight this guy? I mean, how dare he defy the army of the living God? Dare he defy the army of the living God? Isn't it amazing how young people sometimes can just have this idealistic faith? And he said, yeah, I killed a lion, I killed a bear, and that Philistine would be like one of those. I'll go fight this guy. And Saul says all right, you better put my armor on at least. And he says I can't go with this. And he goes into battle, with a stave, apparently, and his sling, and he picked up five stones, put them in that shepherd's bag and he's going off to meet the giant. What a scene.
23:32
I love this story. It's a story of faith. It's a story of an overcomer. It's a story of boldness and bravery. And Goliath is insulted. He says what? You send a kid out with a stick to fight against me? Come here, boy, I'm going to feed you to the birds for this insult. And David says oh yeah, well, I'm going to feed you and your whole army to the birds because you have defied the living God. Such chutzpah, I mean, you know, come on. And then he ran at the guy, and it's not like he's trying to hide or anything, he's running at him, slinging. First guided missile hit him on the head. Boom, he's down and David. David runs, takes his own sword and beheads him and holds that giant head up and says here, israel is what you were afraid of. Now go get him. And they had a victory that day.
24:44
So, wow, that anointing has really done something for you. We want you to be an officer in the king's army. You're the youngest officer we've ever had. But come on, hey, I want you to marry the king's daughter. How about that? Hey, I want you to marry the king's daughter. How about that? And you're just, you're just really doing it. And see what happens is Samuel's prophetic word is ringing in his ears. All this is happening because of God. God's word is coming to pass, god's truth is coming to me. And, yeah, this is just the beginning. And isn't it amazing how his popularity grew and grew and grew because of the anointing.
25:41
But the day came when Saul is fiercely jealous of him, and you know the story. When Saul is fiercely jealous of him. And you know the story. Saul turned on him, tried to kill him, threw a spear at him on two occasions and David was able to dodge it and get away. And so, finally, now he's an outlaw. His picture's up in all the post offices and Saul's chasing him every chance he gets. Yeah, he had a few close calls and David mercifully spared his life. He says he's the Lord's anointed. Far be it from me to kill him. If God wants him dead, he can kill him, but I'm not going to kill him. If God wants him dead, he can kill him, but I'm not going to kill him.
26:28
And things got so bad that he had to leave his own nation and go and live among the Philistines, the enemy of the land of Israel. So he's living with the Philistines and he became like a pirate, like a raider, raiding this town and that town to survive. The Philistines said well, we'll give you a ziklag on the edge of our territory and you and your men can stay there. See, when the anointing is on you, you attract a following because people see that leadership on you and they want to follow. And a lot of you are here because of the anointing on Boyan and Emily. And you see it and you know it and you feel it. And we want to be led by people who are anointed, don't we? So David's got 400 men, 600 men that are following him everywhere.
27:30
And this was a ragtag group of people the outlaws and the unwanted and the indebted and all the rest of it. They're following him, thinking he's our guy. And things went from bad to worse. They're outlaws in their own nation. Now they're in the Philistines, on the edge of their empire, trying to survive.
27:56
The day comes when Israel and Philistia are going to be at war again. So David's like well, it's our obligation to go and help them. So they all march out to join in with the Philistine army and they go oh, wait, a minute, we're not having you guys. You could turn at the last minute and try to betray us. What better way to be restored to your leaders than with the heads of these men? Go home at first light and they're disheartened. They're, I mean, offended by that rejection.
28:40
How would you feel? I want you to weigh in on all the feelings here. He loves his country, he loves his nation, he loves his city, he loves his parents and his home. But his parents have suffered because David's an outlaw and all that has been going on. All his men had the same thing. They've essentially lost their families and their connection. And now they're over here in Ziklag and they go to fight with them. And now even the Philistines don't want them and they're sent back home. And when they get back home, do you know what? Their town is burnt to the ground, the wives are gone, the kids are gone, the stuff is gone, and the men are now so upset that they're wanting to stone David and they're saying some leader, you are Some anointing on you. You've just led us on this downward path to where we can't even go home, and now we don't even have a home among the Philistines. We've lost everything.
30:01
What would you do? Have you ever been in that place where you felt like life is just so falling in on me that it just can't get any worse than this? What do you do, david? There's only one thing to do. He strengthened himself in the Lord and he went to the Lord. He said God, what do I do? And the Lord said go after them. And he said and if I go after them, will I win? Will I recover everything? And the Lord said yes, go after them and recover all.
30:59
So he took 600 guys. 200 were so tired that we can't go any farther. All right, you stay with the stuff. And they pursued the Amalekites on into the night. There they were partying, celebrating of all the stuff they had taken, and David and his men went in for the kill and slaughtered a bunch of them. And they recovered everything. It's like a country and western song. They got their wife back, they got their kids back, they got their truck back. Everything's great, right. So they come home. Thinking mission accomplished. Home thinking, mission accomplished. That hangs over many of the churches in North America and, I dare say, over New York.
31:56
We just had this unbelievable thing happen to us called COVID, and every church I know suffered under that. There was a huge purging, I guess, and we thought if we could just get back what we had I mean, you guys here, you had three locations is that right? Yeah, and you had more people, yeah, and you had more finance. Probably, I don't know, made it up since then. Made it up since then Made it up, yeah. But if we could just get back to what we had, then we could regroup and rethink and maybe go again, plan from there. But the whole plan was recovery. If we could just get back what we had, so David got the stuff back. If we could just get back what we had, so David got the stuff back.
32:50
But see, god had a much bigger plan than David did, because God's plan was not just recover everything, but actually regime change, because no sooner had they got back to Ziklag and tried to build up in the ashes. Then they got word about a new war that had happened with the Philistines, or the one that they missed by not going, that Israel was completely defeated and routed. Many died, including King Saul and all his sons. So, david, there's a delegation from Judah. Here. They want you to go back to Judah and be king.
33:53
What Can you imagine when you're in the ashes of life? You just kind of recovered the main things your wife, your kids, your stuff and now you're going to be king over Judah. Wait a minute, way back there, didn't Samuel prophesy that you were going to be king? Yeah, but that was a long time ago. That was before Goliath and before this and that and before the marriage and before it all. But well, here comes the restoration.
34:33
So David goes home and he becomes king over Judah, ruling and reigning from Hebron. And he did that for seven years. And then, without going into the rest of the details, all of Israel joins in with him and he becomes king over Israel, probably Israel's greatest king. And it was all because of his character, all because of his character. So where did David, the little shepherd boy, learn to be the best king? What do you think he kept his heart right through all of those various trials and struggles and difficulties? See, it's easy to be up when you kill the giant and you're promoted in the army and you marry the king's daughter and yay God. But then when everything turns against you and you're promoted in the army and you marry the king's daughter and yay, god you know. But then when everything turns against you, that's when you need to hang on. And the worst day of David's life was when he went back into burned Ziklag and even his own faithful men want to stone him.
36:06
There's pastors that are doing their level best, you know, and whatever went wrong, and the church is ready to stone them. Have you ever been in that place? I was kind of. Once we had our first church in Stratford and then I wanted to do another one in my hometown, toronto. Carol's hometown is Stratford, mine is Toronto, and so we had two churches and I thought it'd just be a short time, but it ended up being five years, and so five years we were going back and forth, back and forth, grabbing something to eat at McDonald's and keep on going on the road. And you know that's one way to put on about 50 pounds eating at McDonald's every. And pretty soon I had two groups of people unhappy with me. Where are you? You're supposed to be our pastor. You're gone half the time. I know, I'm sorry about that. And then the Toronto group was the same and I realized I had to make up my mind which way we wanted to go, and so we opted for Toronto and it was the right choice.
37:23
The Lord just landed on us in revival and everything else and we had a regime change. But I feel like not only is the whole body of Christ ready for a regime change, but this church here is ready for a regime change, because there's ready for a regime change, but this church here is ready for a regime change Because there's circumstances that are crippling, and COVID took a toll on everybody. We just can't believe the governmental what's the word overreach abuse? Canada was horrible, new York was horrible and we couldn't even meet for the better part of two years. You got to be 10 feet away from everybody and, oh gosh, it was just a nightmare. It was all online actually. We just said, oh, forget that, just let's go online. And we were longing for restoration. If we could just get back to what we were, if we could just forget this stupid COVID thing. Let's just get back.
38:41
I remember trying to have a meeting where all the COVID rules are in place, so you couldn't touch anybody. How are you going to lay hands on people if you touch them? So I worked out something where we spray and pray. So I had a guy coming with me with a spray, you know, and he'd spray and I'd pray, and he'd spray and I'd pray, all with a mask on, you know, because people were still wanting the touch of God and in my heart of hearts I'm like God. We've got to put this behind us and get back to the way we were, and I am sure that you guys were longing for the same thing, and so that happened with David. He's longing for the same thing, and the Lord said pursue them and recover all. He said pursue them and recover all. Great word. And that happened. But in the heart of God was something that was way beyond recover all. You're not just going to get back to Ziklag and build it up again and carry on pathetically. No, we're going for regime change this time and you're going to be king over Israel, david, and starting with Judah, and we'll go from there. And so that's where we are right now, friends. The place that we are in is in a world that is ripe for revival and for harvest, and I want you to know that revival is going on in many, many places of the earth.
40:30
Do you know where the greatest revival that I'm aware of is happening is in Iran. Do we have anybody from Iran here? Anyone? Yeah, the Toronto church has got about 30 of them, people from Iran. I love those guys.
40:53
A while ago I called them all around me. I said come here, I just want to hug you all. Just gather around here. And they did. And I said to them so you know what, pete, there were people out there saying you know what Islam, christianity, they're kind of the same. Uh, in many ways so. But I want to know what you? You say, what is the difference? You left Islam to become Christians. What do you think is the difference? So they got a huddle and they're speaking away in Farsi and they came. We know what it is. I said tell me. He says now we're happy. We used to be angry all the time, angry at this, angry at that, angry at everything, and we're not angry anymore. We're happy. There's joy and there's stuff going on inside man. That's a regime change. If ever there was one, the greatest harvest going on in Iran, but it's going on in many, many places. I was so encouraged to.
42:06
One of our leaders, bruno Orello sent me a video of a meeting in Ethiopia. Do you know where that is. It's on like East Africa, and this was a massive church of warehouses and things kind of hobbled together, cobbled together of about 15,000 or 20,000 people in that meeting, just a camera panning around like that, like that, and everybody is shaking and falling and screaming and yelling and going for it in the anointing. And I thought, god, if you're going to pour out your spirit like that on the earth and on your churches, forget about it. We're going to have revival. Nothing is going to stop it. And so I've been been in brazil where, where that country has exploded into all these mega churches of 5 000, 20, 000, 30 000 and they got hundreds of them like that that have just exploded because of the presence of God and the anointing. And I was sharing with the group the other day about how harvest, like CBN Ministries last year won 600 million people to Jesus in one year, and I've tracked with Gordon Robertson over the years and they've averaged 50 million, which is phenomenal, but 600 million in the year before was 594 million.
43:52
What is going on? He's harvesting the earth and these third world nations in Africa and Asia and this, and that they're coming in first. Is that okay with you? Yeah, I guess. But our turn's coming. Do you know? Right now, college age kids are coming to Jesus like they have not done since the Jesus people. We're in exciting days. So it isn't just restore all things. There's a regime change coming and King Jesus is about to return for his bride and get ready to set up his throne on earth. And you may say, john, I'm not ready for that yet Let me tell you something it doesn't matter, he's coming whether you're ready or not, it's not up to you. He's coming when he thinks the time is right. And oh, my goodness, we're. We're, we're very, very close friends. How many would be excited if you found out that jesus is on the way?
45:11 - Speaker 2
that'll be the best news ever for the believer the coming of the lord is the best news ever For the believer.
45:18 - Speaker 1
The coming of the Lord is the best news ever, and read more about it. I did a little booklet on it. Where is the promise of his coming? And it's full of the good news. I didn't put the bad news part in. There's a bad news side Half the world's people die. There's a bad news side Half the world's people die. But the good news is the believers are going to be joined with him in glory and celebration.
45:56
So I want you to look beyond the difficulties of life today and realize that Romans 8 28 is true for you. All things work together for good to those who love him, and I want you to realize that, um, you don't have to be puzzled about why is there adversity in your life. The Lord allows that. I'm not talking about the stuff that you brought on yourself from your own waywardness or stupidity. I'm talking about you doing your best, praying, giving, serving, caring, loving, worshiping all that and still the rug got pulled out from under you. This person got sick, this person died, this job got lost or you know just really, really heavy things. And you're wondering God, where are you? And I want to speak hope to all of you, because he is never limited by circumstances. There's always a way out, there's always a way forward with him. You say but john, yeah, but my son has just died from this or that. I mean, families have had drug overdose, take their children, just horrible things. How on earth is God going to turn it around to make it good and make it okay again? I don't know how, but he will, because he's God. All things are possible with him. Can you take that on board? Is that too big a stretch? He, who has begun a good work in you, will perfect it Until the day of Jesus Christ, and then you'll see it all clearly. The mystery side will be Worked out, resolved. I want you all to have hope and I want you to make up your mind that you are going to be an overcomer. How many want to be an overcomer? Raise your hand, wave at me, wave excitedly. I want to be an overcomer. Okay, I don't know whether we got half of you or a little more than half, but listen carefully. Overcomers are going to need a few things to overcome, okay, and so these things are like challenges. It's going to come your way and you're going to say, oh yeah, not on my watch, and you're going to go after it and win. Let's all stand. Lord, I thank you that you are our champion overcomer. If ever there was one, you're that one, and we're so blessed to know you. We're so blessed to know that your heart is for us and even in the face of difficult circumstances, you are still God, and we want to build our house on the rock.
49:28
Like it says, the wise man built his house on the rock. The foolish man built his house on the sand. Now what happened? Life happened. The rains came down and house on the sand. Now what happened? Life happened the rains came down and the floods came up, and the house on the rock stood firm, whereas the house built on sand washed away.
49:53
You cannot build your life on trending things that come and go. There's only one rock and that's the word of God, that's the son of God, that's the promises of God, that's the hope of God, such as Romans 8, 28. All things work together for good. To those who love him, say Lord, that's me, I love you. So, all right, I'm going to trust you.
50:26
Now, if you've been confused and thinking God, I don't get it Like I'm trying to serve you and everything. But all this stuff is happening and I feel like quitting or I just don't understand, like I don't know what to do. If that's been where you are in this last season, unashamedly hold your hand up high and say you know what? This has given me hope here that life happens. But God is using it to build character in me and so, okay, bring it on, lord, let me sign up for the advanced course. If your hands are raised here, we want to. We want to take time to have a little group prayer with you. So I'm going to ask you to get out of your seat and come on up to the front. Can you just play quietly for me on the keyboard? Yeah, just bunch, in, come on. I don't know.
51:46
Maybe we can start by saying Lord, will you please forgive me for ever doubting your love. And some of you need to tell them that, because the adverse circumstances in life have really chipped away at my faith in you, my faith in you, my trust in you, because I just didn't get it. I didn't know that the thing that David went through, I would go through something similar. The thing that Joseph went through, I would go through something similar that would test my faith so that I would come out stronger than ever. And the whole why is because he wants to strengthen you and equip you and purify you so that you can be ruler over cities. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over ten cities or over five cities. Anybody want to rule over New York City in the Millennial Kingdom? I said, lord, give me Toronto, I'll sort it out for you. It would be my pleasure, my honor. I know exactly what to do and who to get rid of.
53:38
Our trials only help to make us strong. I love that song of the Blackwood Brothers, or some of those quartets way back when would sing that. Through it all, through it all, I learned to trust in Jesus. I learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I learned to depend upon his word. My trials only help to make me strong.
54:07
Now see, testing in life will cause you to go one way or the other. You'll either get bitter or you'll get better. How many want to get better? That's a choice we make. You're going to believe the word of God or you're going to believe the lie of the enemy and circumstances. Raise your hand if you want to believe the word of the enemy and circumstances. Raise your hand if you want to believe the word of God. Let's put our faith in him, in spite of circumstances. We put our faith in you, lord, and we believe Romans 8, 28. All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes. Oh, thank you, lord. That's a guarantee, friends, you cannot lose. So it's like all this, and heaven too, wow, blessing upon blessing. Yes, and heaven too, wow, blessing upon blessing.
55:12
Say, lord, I'm sorry for ever accusing you or blaming you for not caring. You care very deeply. You love me with an everlasting love and I yield to you. I yield to your sovereign ways in my life. Take my heart, I give it to you. I'm yours, I recommit myself to you all over again. Get me ready for revival, fill me with the Holy Spirit and fire, and I ask you to put people in my path that need Jesus. Oh, man, the greatest thing to get you out of a spiritual slump is to win someone to the Lord. Lord, I want to be a soul winner, I want to be fruitful, I want to do life with you and for you.
56:21
And if you're here this morning and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, friends, you need to do that ASAP. You have no guarantee that you'll ever see another sunrise. This could be your last day on earth for other reasons, we don't know. I do know that it is just too dangerous to live without the Son of God as your Savior in your heart. So I want you to think about your eternity.
57:04
If you're here and you don't know Jesus, there's no better day than right now to admit to yourself Jesus, I want you in my life. I really do so. If that's you, if I'm speaking to you and you want him in your life, maybe the first time. Or if you want him back in your life because you've wandered away through disappointment and discouragement and whatever, tell him, because that's where it has to happen the privacy of your own heart, where you say to Jesus I want you. I want you in my heart to forgive my sins. I want you in my heart to lift this burden. I want you in my heart to give me hope and life. I want a regime change, lord. I don't want to be the one ruling my own life anymore. I want you to be my king and my savior. That's what I need is a regime change. I make you Lord of my life today.
58:27
Now, if you just told Jesus that you want him to come into your heart, or come back into your heart as savior, unashamedly hold your hand up high and wave it at me. Just say I'm, I'm surrendering my life to him right here. I've been playing around with this and, yeah, life's been beating me up. Okay, god bless every one of you that's. Raised your hands, listen, get a Bible, start to read the book of John. It's a love letter to your heart.
59:03
Give the Lord, I don't know, 10 minutes a day, an hour a day, if you can. I don't know, 10 minutes a day, an hour a day, if you can. But set some time aside to feed your soul on the things of God, because life is going to get very intense. This church that you're in is going to explode, you know. It'll, I don't know, soon be a thousand or more, and you could be a part of the leadership rather than just being lost in the crowd. But pray with me out loud, lord, I reject discouragement. I reject confusion. Go from me now, discouragement. I reject confusion. Go from me now. I embrace the plan of God, the wisdom of God, the wisdom of God, the love of God that absolutely knows what's best for me, and I'm choosing to do life your way today, in Jesus' name Amen.
01:00:24 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message, or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church podcast, if you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
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