"A Greater Word"
Pastor Albert Almore
I want to start this week’s message with a series of questions—the first being:
WHO TOLD YOU THAT?
Who told you that God wouldn’t forgive you? Who told you that it would never happen for you? Who told you that it’s too late? Who told you that you’ll never amount to anything? Who told you that, “You’re not like them,” and that you’ll never get it? Who told you that nobody gets you, and that nobody understands you? Who told you that nobody likes you and that everybody is always talking about you? Who told you that THIS (pain, disappointment, heartbreak,) is all it’s ever going to be for you? Who told you that true joy, and true love will never happen for you? WHO TOLD YOU THAT?
This was the 2nd question in the Bible that we find God asking, Adam & Eve, “Who told you that?” The first is found in Genesis 3:9-10…
“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “WHERE ARE YOU?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.””
Genesis 3:9-10 NKJV
Genesis 3:11 NKJV…
“And He said, “WHO TOLD YOU THAT you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?””
Genesis 3:11 NKJV
Their response to God left the residue of fear, guilt, and shame. This can only mean one thing….
ADAM AND EVE HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO A DIFFERENT NARRATIVE.
📝 The moment that you begin to listen to a different narrative is the moment that you DISCONNECTfrom God.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, WHATEVER IS TRUE, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE.”
John 10:4 NKJV
“Yet THEY WILL BY NO MEANS FOLLOW A STRANGER, but will flee from him, for they do not know THE VOICE of strangers.””
John 10:5 NKJV
The moment that you begin to listen to a different narrative is the moment that you disconnect from His people, and you begin to join the community of fear, anger, guilt, and shame. And it all started by listening to the wrong narrator. Genesis 3:1…
“Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “CAN IT REALLY BE THAT GOD HAS SAID, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?””
Genesis 3:1 AMP
📝 Sin, and the falling world that we live in, all started with a FALSE NARRATIVE.
WHAT FALSE NARRATIVE HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO LATELY?
False narratives are real. False narratives are detrimental. False narratives are tricks that the enemy uses to keep you in bondage.
📝 You’ll never go BEYOND THE PEW if you buy into the false narratives.
“Then the angel of the Lord came and SAT BENEATH THE GREAT TREE at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress TO HIDE the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “MIGHTY HERO, the Lord is with you!””
Judges 6:11-12 NLT
““Sir,” Gideon replied, “IF THE LORD IS WITH US, WHY HAS ALL THIS HAPPENED TO US? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.””
Judges 6:13 NLT
“Then the Lord turned to him and said, “GO WITH THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!””
Judges 6:14 NLT
““But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I AM THE LEAST IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY!””
Judges 6:15 NLT
“The Lord said to him, “I WILL BE WITH YOU. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against ONE MAN.””
Judges 6:16 NLT
God brought Gideon A GREATER WORD. God brought Gideon a greater word than the narrative that he was believing in His mind. I don’t know what narrative you’ve been buying into this morning, but I’ve come to bring a greater word!
Let me tell you about the one who is with you…
📝 •He had THE FIRST SAY SO.
Here’s the first say so…
“THEN GOD SAID, “Let Us make man IN OUR IMAGE, according to Our likeness...””
Genesis 1:26 NKJV
Before there was a thing as body image, I gave you my image. I gave you my worth, I gave you my value so you would never have to search for it. Yet you’re buying into the narrative that you’re not enough.
📝 The one who had THE FIRST SAY SO, is greater than any other say so you’ll ever encounter in your life!
“Before I FORMED YOU in the womb I KNEW YOU, before you were born I set you apart…”
Jeremiah 1:5
I knew you, before there was ever a you to know.
I knew you. I know you. There’s nothing that you can do, or say that’s going to catch me off guard. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you….
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”
Psalms 139:13-14 NLT
“You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16) YOU SAW ME BEFORE I WAS BORN...”
Psalms 139:15-16 NLT
I saw every bit of you, who you were, who you were going to be. I saw you and still loved you. I saw you and still chose you. I saw you and still called you. I saw you and still sent my Son to die for you, yet you choose to believe the narrative that you can’t be forgiven….
I formed you. I knew you. I know you. I set you apart to be mine. Why?
📝 • His love RUNS DEEPER.
The one who is with you Gideon, His love runs deeper than your fears. His love runs deeper than your struggles. His love runs deeper than your concerns. His love runs deeper than your excuses. His love runs deeper than you.
Without one miracle being done, we still find the template of God’s love…
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well pleased.””
Matthew 3:17 NKJV
This love runs deeper than you.
📝 You’re not loved because of what you do. You’re loved BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE.
There is no fear in love; but PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 NKJV
📝 •He’s THE AUTHOR of it all.
“You killed THE AUTHOR OF LIFE, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”
Acts 3:15 NIV
📝 The author DICTATES who NARRATES the story.
“…When he lies, he speaks his native language, FOR HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES.”
John 8:44 NIV
WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW THE FATHER OF LIES TO NARRATE YOUR LIFE?
WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW THE FATHER OF LIES TO NARRATE YOUR STORY?
“Jesus answered, “I AM the way and THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NIV
📝 The Father of lies puts us in BONDAGE, while Jesus Christ, The Truth came to set us FREE.
WHICH ONE WILL YOU ALLOW TO NARRATE YOUR LIFE?
“Then you will know the truth, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.””
John 8:32 NIV
“Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “CAN IT REALLY BE THAT GOD HAS SAID…”
Genesis 3:1 AMP
IT CAN REALLY BE THAT GOD HAS SAID, BECAUSE GOD HAS A GREATER WORD!
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