HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? - JOHN GRAY

"God wants to know if there's someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and come after God with everything they've got."

Pastor John Gray, Lakewood Church Sat 6/13/15

Key Scripture: John 5:1-6  NKJV

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT

It's a familiar story.
Used multiple ways.
John wants to come from a different perspective.
This man was in this position for 38 years.
John is 41 years old; almost his whole life...
38 years of watching others get healed, whole and free.
Every time he thought it was his turn someone else beat him to it.
Can't even move.
He endured 38 years frozen in a moment.
How would you react?
Have you ever prayed for something that someone else got?
Someone else got the promotion you prayed for without even asking.
You've been serving the Lord, faithful, taking care of your apartment.
Someone else gets approved for a mortgage.
Had your car for years.
Struggled with the gas tank ministry...
While you're sitting in the car (still grateful) believing for an upgrade, someone else gets a brand new car.
This man watched for 38 years while other people got healed.
That has got to mess with your mind.
What do you do when you thought it was your turn?
Can you still worship?
Is your relationship with God contingent upon your circumstance?
It's easy to worship at the beginning of a thing.
—and at the end.
But what you do in the middle determines what God can do with you for years.
Can anybody worship Him in the middle?
What brings breakthrough is aggressive worship.
We assume that because society and culture has changed perhaps God has changed.
If you don't praise God the rocks will cry out.
God wants us to come out from our comfortable place and say I'm coming after You.
How bad do you want it?
What does the man in that condition for 38 years think about?
Here I am stuck and so & so got his breakthrough.
After 38 years you might doubt a little bit.
There are those of us who've been waiting for less time and have doubts.
Can you be as passionate and committed before it arrives?
God is looking for someone who will say Lord if YOU never do it I'll still worship You.
Even though I'm still stuck.
You're not keeping me from a miracle; You're developing my character.
People don't like spoiled kids because they act entitled.
John remembers having only a little.
$7 in the savings account.
Now God's blessed him a little bit.
But he's acting the same way he did before.
Not fast to spend money.
He's learned the value of a dollar.
He knows what it takes to make it.
God wants some folks to understand I KNOW HOW BAD YOU WANT IT BUT DO YOU WANT ME MORE?
If I freed you from the symptom now you would never get free from the root.
Your problem is the problem behind the problem.
Getting free from symptoms is cosmetic Christianity.
People looking good on the outside but still broken inside.
Then Jesus shows up and asks DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL
When you stir something you stir in a direction/cycle.


Too many Christians are living a cyclical life.
Repenting for sins from 16 years ago...
Getting saved again.
You only get saved one time but the enemy keeps you in a posture of guilt.
My Son already paid for this; do you want to be made well.
Cycles need to be broken in the lives of many of us.
The Purpose of a cycle is to remove impurities so the body can be clean.
The woman with issue of blood was stuck in a cycle.
God says to singles some have been crying and complaining about lack of spouse but when I try to talk to you about the real issue you look the other way.
It's not a person you need; it's My presence.
Cycles will keep you in a posture of religious expression without ---
In your mind the cycle is completed because you came to church and did what you intended to do.
But it's about how God wants to interact with you.
The intimacy of the Word...
In front of thousands God speaks to you one on one.
Give God praise.

This man for 38 years was stuck.
The movies always show Jesus as a tender gentle man.
Here Jesus sounds frustrated.
He knew this man had been in this condition for a long time.
Hey do you want to get better?!
Do you want it?
If you knew your miracle was one foot away would you just sit there or would you say Hey I've been in this too long. When this water stirs I dare anyone to get in my way!
Sometimes religion will make you do things and it's really false humility.
Lord if it's Your will You can heal me.
Excuse me Lord, I've been serving and it's me standing in the need of prayer.
It's not humility that won't admit to need: it's pride.
You don't want it bad enough yet.
You think you can approach Me with religion.
Psalm 51:16-17 The Message
Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

God says until that thing breaks your heart you'll never get free from it.
God wants to know if there's someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and come after God with everything they've got.
Do you want to be made well?
The man offered up an excuse.
Jesus said Rise, take up your bed and walk.
That bed was probably funky.
38 years...
Religious people don't want your dirt.
Jesus said I'll free you from the dirt but I want you to carry it because I want people to know what I set you free from.
God wants us to tell the truth about where we've come from.
And it didn't happen overnight.
And I had to have some prayer warriors around me.
I like Iyanla but she can't fix my life; I need the Holy Ghost to do it.
How bad do you want it?
When you want to get free bad enough you'll do 3 things.
1. offer up uncomfortable praise
2. an uncharacteristic pursuit
3. exhibit uncommon passion
You know the story of Barthemeus who cried out loudly to Jesus.
He cried out louder when the crowd tried to silence him.
Others don't know how long you've been waiting.
I'm going to give God an uncomfortable praise.
When I want it bad enough I'll engage in an uncharacteristic pursuit.
We can get too casual.
God is not casual; He is utterly holy.
He is awesome and nothing to be trifled with.
This culture of casual needs to become extinct.
Get back that passion you had when you first got saved.
When you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb you will offer up an uncharacteristic pursuit.
Keep asking, keep knocking, keep going.
I'm not going to let it go until it shows up.
I know You won't let me sit in this always.
Jesus is the only way to the Father
— and he came to break the cycle of sin
Lord I'm going to stand right here like the woman who kept going to the judge until the judge changed his mind.
And I'll be here with a praise.
I'm going to church for a Saturday night praise.
I'm believing for breakthrough in my life.
The water is stirring; what are you going to do?
Will you remain in your position or will you get in the water?
Will you offer up an uncharacteristic pursuit?
How bad do you want it?
That's the sound of liberty.
The last thing you offer is uncommon passion.
We reserve our passion for those we know will respond.
When John sings love songs to his wife she can access his passion in a way others cannot.
God is saying all those times I saved and protected you and provided for you, do you think I could get a song, a hallelujah or something?
God is looking for somebody that will be as passionate for Him as they are for someone else.
John is not looking for loud applause; he knows worship unlocks the blessing.
Give God an uncommon passion.
The place of uncommon passion could be at your house.
We must take our praise and passion home.
If we're only praising at church then we are missing out.
God wakes John up early in the morning.
Some know, and God has been stirring you at a certain time.
Pray in your shower but don't let that 7 minutes be the substance of your quiet time.
Prove God I want You more than anything else.
More than being popular or being liked.
If I have You then I have everything I need.
After John picks up his bed he's called out for doing so on the Sabbath.
God will hit you with miracles you won't know where they came from.
God will do things that will blow your mind.
That's why it's called faith.
God is asking us the learned, and educated to lay all that down for a moment and come as children and say God I love you and I trust You for everything I need. If it doesn't come to me then I don't need it.
Jesus told the man don't sin anymore less something worse happens to you next time.
He healed the symptom then came back for the root.
If Jesus had been religious he would've called him a sinner first.
No, Jesus covered him with grace first.
Then came back and said let me tell you how you got stuck in the first place.
How bad do you want it?
People think for the man stuck for 38 years his paralysis was the problem.
Sin was the problem.
Jesus is dual action; He rinses and cleanses.

[Prayer]

Give us an uncomfortable praise, uncommon passion and uncharacteristic pursuit so we can get the things we can't get on our own.

[Altar Call]

[Benediction]

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript of John Gray's message, these are my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.
Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).
http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/WatchOnline.aspx  for older messages.

God bless you,

~Anointed Messenger of Anointed Messages

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ALTAR EGO - JOHN GRAY

"Lay down the pride and ego and fear of being judged and bring your broken self to Jesus."

Pastor John Gray, Lakewood Church, Houston, TX 

Spoke blessings over Mama Dodie.
God has the power to break every chain.
Tasha Cobbs will sing next Wednesday.
Luke 17
To see Gods blessings we must take hold of some principles.
Can you really stand to be blessed?
Luke 17:11-17 NKJV
10 lepers asked Jesus for mercy.
The 1 that gave thanks was a Samaritan.
Leprosy was an Irreversible and incurable disease.
In this season miracles will happen for both believers and unbelievers.
That will give them faith.
Miracles take people off the fence.
Do you know anybody that needs a miracle?
Celebrate others breakthroughs.
Miracles coming in the next 2 weeks.
For some after many years of waiting.
The foreigner saw he was healed and gave thanks with a loud voice.
Some will get your miracle in a public place and you will be loud.
Nobody had to teach the Samaritan how to praise.
Your miracle will unlock something that was in there the whole time.
The other ones got their miracle and took off.
But there was one who understood that the altar they were going to was secondary to HIM.
Something has changed in me and I need to let Him know what He did for me.
I've just been set free.
I know I'm supposed to go to the priest but I have to praise Jesus first.

ALTAR EGO
The bible is the Word of God revealed.
The bible makes it clear that when you hear the gospel and respond something inside will shift.
When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior things will change.
It takes a while to get your roots down.
That’s why Osteens say "give us a year of your life".
We need to lay down our ego and stop judging each other because without the blood of Jesus we'd all be lost.
Sometimes religious people want to see you changed overnight.
They expect you to know the whole bible overnight.
Your salvation is a personal walk.
There are times when the old man and the new man are at war with one another.
Its a war.
Have you ever wanted to do right but wrong was sitting right there?
The enemy wants you to be defeated and/or accept that it will always be that way.
If you’re struggling God loves you enough to apply the blood of Jesus to that area.
God is able to do it.
There’s also part of us that wants to "help" God save us.
I’ll give you these areas, but I’ll work on these other areas on my own
Our ego wont let us take it to the altar.
Note the man whose 4 friends brought him to Jesus. [Luke 5:17-26]
They laid him at the feet of Jesus.
It became an altar.
Whatever you bring to Jesus becomes an altar.
Son your sins are forgiven. [Luke 5:20]
Most people think the next thing was the miracle.
What’s easier: forgiving sins or commanding the lame to walk?
The man was still paralyzed but the thing that led him there (sins) was already moved.
Have you ever been saved and stuck?
Jesus handled your sin first because he wanted to deal with the inside first.
Otherwise you’ll be paralyzed again.
Jesus wants to remove the root of pride.
Pride makes us think we did God a favor by showing up here.
God is glad to see us but we ought to be more glad to see Him.
It’s time to stop following the crowd and run after Jesus.
Bring it to Jesus.
Lay down the pride and ego and fear of being judged and bring your broken self to Jesus.
I need to change from the inside out.
When you get saved your character should begin to change.
Salvation is not for you to keep the same sin.
At some point there should be signs you’re making a shift.
Every real altar has a full length mirror.
It’s real easy to see others sins.
Ask the Lord to show you you.
Altar ego...
The fight between the old man and the new man.
College level calculus attacks.
The Holy Spirit goes inside and moves things around.
Lord at what God does with you in the earth.
Your will is laid down for His will.
Our perspective submitted to His vision.
We want to feel like changing.
True change is not always what you feel.
We need the Holy Spirit to radically change us.
Removing the nature of our flesh.
This is the regenerating power of Jesus Christ, and it doesn’t come with religion - it comes with encounter.
Some people have spiritual leprosy.
Areas that will hinder Gods ability to deal with us.
Like offense-
Who has ever been offended?
We’ve got to trust God to get us free from things what would block our blessings.
Lord’s prayer contains the key.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others.
Lead us not into temptation.
The temptation is to hold unto offense.
I forgive you but I don’t trust you.
Ego causes us to live in offense.
I’m above being offended - I'm so and so.
E.G.O. = Edging God Out
That’s all ego is.
The fight is for the seat of your will.
If you have an issue with others go to them first before you go to the altar.
Go seek forgiveness first.
Get the issue right with them first.
Altar Ego
The altar is a place of sacrifice, humility, and worship.
Guard against offense.
The enemy wants you to walk in offense.
How would it be the character of God to give you heavens best when you’re acting like the devil’s worst?
Make the phone call tonight so you can get free.
It feels good to hold on to it.
"I deserve to be angry."
Luke 23:33
Father forgive them...
He couldn’t complete his assignment until he let go of offense.
John probably would've said "I’m innocent and they’re killing me - kill em Jesus."
Your flesh wants the people who hurt you to suffer.
Jesus couldn’t even die until he released people who offended him.
If Jesus had to do it then so do you and I.
There are some people you have to get right with.
Your miracle is on the other side of I’m sorry.
The devil stops by Johns every Wednesday at 4 when he has to preach that evening.
A wedge starts small and gets bigger.
When we allow it to get bigger it looks like it’s impossible to fix.
But nothing is impossible for God.
3 Things/types of altars.
Noah, Abraham, and David
Watch out for the wedge issues.
John demonstrated forgiveness to his wife by publicly apologizing to her.
The altar of Noah Genesis 8:20
It broke curses.
There’s an altar you can make in your home that will break curses.
I won’t curse the earth anymore.
I won't deal with man the way I dealt with him anymore.
Your altar could change your entire family.
John feels a breakthrough in here.
I don’t want a miracle if my character ain't right.
Altar of Abraham Genesis 22
Sacrifice that thing of value.
It’s an altar of obedience and faith.
God will ask you to do things that don’t make sense.
As he was going up one side of the mountain the ram was coming up the other side of the mountain.
You won't see the answer until you take a step.
The altar of David 2 Samuel 24.
David got caught up in pride near the end of his life;
—Counting his mighty men.
Threshing floor sacrifice to stop the plague.
There is an altar that will break pride.
Places where we have pride.
It’s time to lay it down.
We cab break curses and we can break pride.
Next week we will break every chain.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript, but my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.

Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).

Purchases of messages may be obtained from Lakewood Church: http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/WatchOnline.aspx

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ONE LAST WORSHIP - JOHN GRAY

"You don’t get sentenced with pain, you get trusted with it."

Pastor John Gray, Lakewood Church Saturday November 1, 2014

Bible Confession:
This is my Bible. I am what it says I am, I have what it says I have, I can do what it says I can do. Tonight I will be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive, I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same; never never never, I'll never be the same, in Jesus name.

John is blessed by being in a faith atmosphere.
People who know there’s power when we worship.
Some may wonder why do we shout/sing/praise?
Why the expressions of exuberance?
Does our worship matter?
We’ll touch on scriptures that give you strength to keep worshiping until your breakthrough comes.
John prayed with some people who are going through difficult things.
It would almost make sense for them not to even be here.
But through their tears they were still praising God.
What do you do when all is falling apart?
When the enemy is pulling out all the stops?
After you’ve sung every song you know and nothing got better?
What if you only had one worship left?
ONE LAST WORSHIP

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WORSHIP AFTER NO - JOHN GRAY

"You’re one more worship after No before a lifetime of Yes."

~John Gray

John Gray Deeper 2014 8/15/14

WORSHIP AFTER NO

How many are willing to say Yes to God?
God whatever it is – Yes.
Yes is a dangerous word.
Its easy to worship when God says yes.
When God showed up and gave you what you need.
But this is a deeper conference and God wants us to grow up.
And get away from the Santa Claus mentality.
God disciplines and develops us.
If you’re a worship leader you must know God on different levels.
If you want to see how you’ve matured, see where your worship is after God says NO.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR MIDNIGHT - JOHN GRAY

Instructions for Midnight - John Gray

May 3, 2014

These are my notes from the 8:30 am service (5/4/14) and the Saturday night service (5/3/14). The messages were slightly different but the essence is here. Praying the powerful message blesses you as it blessed me.

Does anybody know what time it is?

What time is it in your life?

The natural time may not coincide with the spiritual time, emotional time.

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