Dharius Daniels - I'm On My Way Up

You know, one of the things that I’ve recently learned is the importance of not allowing your personality to become a prison, right? Your wiring, your natural inclinations, never exempts you from obedience. I’m wired very naturally to be inquisitive and analytical. I was raised in a Christian home, but that’s not why I’m a Christian. I’m a Christian because I made the decision that that worldview was the best worldview for me. To some degree, being analytical has served me well, but there’s a part of my spiritual journey where I feel it was a bit limiting. I was a student of God’s word because I learned that whatever area you are ignorant in, you suffer. There was great pain I went through in my life, not because I had bad intentions, but because I just didn’t have reliable information. Recently, I discovered the limitations of that as it relates to my own walk with God. About six years ago, I was introduced to some aspects of contemplative spirituality, and I leaned more into being with Him than reading about Him. In a mind that was always running, I began to practice the spiritual disciplines of solitude and sitting with God, which shifted me in a way that made me uncomfortable. I started receiving promptings, urges, and insights. From time to time, I feel I see things about people that you couldn’t perceive with the five senses. For years, I kind of sat on that because, in the charismatic circle, it can be a little charismania—like, «Fam, that’s weird.» But one day, I was convicted by Paul’s words to the church at Thessalonica when he says, «Do not quench the Spirit.» If there’s a prompting, then you’re responsible for obedience; let God be responsible for outcomes. As I was standing right there in the middle of worship, I saw Zio on this stage, and this thought came to my heart and mind: The child in that womb is a sign of things to come; this is a pregnant house. I’m not sure what all the house is going to give birth to, but I do know it’s going to give birth to new versions of you. There is a you that you haven’t met yet, and God’s going to introduce you to that you in this house. Throughout scripture, we see examples of God radically changing people’s lives in ways where the new version of them is nothing like the old version. He gave them name changes so they would never be reminded of who they used to be, and I am telling you—it’s a pregnant house. Pregnancy tension is birth pains, labor pains. I started thinking, I was telling Stephen in the back, I don’t know, at least in my experience if I’ve ever seen anything like this: two leaders, both in their prime, making a decision like this. And Jimmy, I told you this in private; I’m going to say it again publicly: God has never required anyone to give Him anything and then given them something inferior in exchange—never. The child in the womb is a sign of things to come. God has birthed you and Irene, and now that you’ve been reborn, you’re getting ready to burst something that your eyes haven’t seen and your ears have not heard. You’ve been freed up, not just to be free; you’ve been freed up because your next requires this kind of freedom. If God, by His providence and grace, has set you in a house like this and planted you in a spiritual family like this—your name is Brian, right? This is what I want to encourage you with: You’ve been used, but you haven’t quite been seen. You’ve served those who didn’t quite see, like David—kingly anointing—and fathers didn’t even think enough of you to call you to the party. This is not only your seeing season; you’re about to be seen. Father, I thank You for what You are doing in this house, and I thank You for the privilege to contribute to this in some way. I am amazed by Your work and Your grace, and I pray today for the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, the anointing that removes burdens and destroys yokes, to equip and empower me to make the deposit You’ve called me to make today. I pray that You go before me and make the hearts of Your people fertile soil for the seed of Your word. I thank You tonight that our time will be fruitful; our time will add value as You position this house to step into the next chapter of Your story. Knowing You like we know You, we already have You; we already have the things we’ve asked You for, and we’re believing You tonight for truth and fire. I ask this in the name of the One who saved my life, and that name is Jesus. If you agree in faith, I want you to put your hands together tonight and let’s give God praise! Stephen and Jimmy, you get to a point—well, at least I have—where, when it comes to things like this, it’s not where you go; it’s who invites you. I’m honored by the invitation to contribute to what God is doing. I don’t—you know, Travis Greene, that’s just stupid. That was just stupid good. I looked over at a couple of my guys and I said, «That’s…»