Sun Am Worship                          

Text: Mark 3:1-5 (King James Version)

 "Father, I am your servant, willing and desiring to be used to bless your people."

You can have it (if) you're willing to stretch
Mark 3:1   And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

Mark 3:2   And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

Mark 3:3   And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

Mark 3:4   And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Mark 3:5   And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

God has put a word in my spirit for the body of Christ, and I must prophesy to any one with ears to hear: God is setting his people free. You say But Pastor, I'm a child of God.
Yes you may be a child of God and yet be bound, (bound by religion, bound by traditions and the philosophies of man, bound by the limitations of past experiences, bound by the fear of failure, bound by the fear of man, bound by insecurities, and personal doubts.)
By I prophesy that by the end of this message, somebody is going free, you are coming out and you are coming up, and you are going to get what the devil said you couldn't have, and you are going to do what people said you could never do.

I wish somebody that believed that prophetic word would give God a shout of praise for what he is going to do.
Slap somebody high five and tell them: You can have it (if) you're willing to stretch.
Our text began by telling us that: Jesus entered again into the synagogue (I could stop right there and preach on that one phrase all day) Jesus entered again into the synagogue.

The number one need of the church is the manifest presence of Jesus.

We've got talent, we've got central heat and air, we've got carpet on the floors and nice pews and we've got over head projectors and power point presentations, we've got theology, but what we need this morning is some old fashioned kneeology.
What we need is the fire power of the old saints who knew how to get a hold of the horns of the altar and persevere in prayer until the very atmosphere was pregnant with the tangible presence of Jesus.
Somebody say it out loud: Come on in Lord Jesus

I like the modern conveniences of our day as much as you do, but if it's a choice between modern conveniences and the manifest presence of Jesus there is no competition.
I would rather be in a barn with saw dust on the floor and hay bales for our pews, and have the presence of Jesus than the finest cathedral with every comfort and convenience money could buy.

When Jesus shows up miracles happen, when Jesus shows up the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the homosexuals, the demon possessed are instantly set free.

No wonder the old timers used to sing: I'd rather have Jesus than Silver or Gold I'd Rather have Jesus than riches untold

Now I want you to notice something: Not all religious people really want Jesus to show up at church.
They like to sing about him, talk about him,  but when Jesus really shows up he messes up their routine because Jesus always comes with his own agenda, He always comes with His own plans, his own actions, his own means, his own methods. My way is still not your way!
Isaiah 55:8   For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:9   For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
*and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
*And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; (that they might accuse him.)
Many times it's religion itself that is the greatest hindrance to the manifest presence of Jesus.

I can't get past this part, cause it's such a blessing to know:

Every body don't have to agree with you for you to get blessed, they don't even have to like you.
I know it comes as a shock to many of you, but everybody in the church don't want you blessed, there are some people that are happy to see you struggle and happy to see you have to pinch pennies, and worry about how you're going to pay your light bill.

There are some people that take pleasure in your pain; they take pleasure in your loneliness, and your hardships.

It makes them feel superior to be able to look down their self-righteous noses on you

But I am trying to tell you: when God gets ready to bless you, he's not going to consult with the self-righteous long nosed hypocrites, He's not going to ask their opinion, he's just going to do it.

You see religious opposition couldn't stop Jesus from ministering the power of God to needy people. Everywhere Jesus went religious Pharisee's and hypocrites opposed him. This spirit is still alive and well in our day and is still operated in many modern churches.   It is the spirit of Religion and not relationship!

It is that same arrogant spirit of the Pharisee that tells people Hey you can't come in here dressed like that, you can't worship with us smelling like that. You can't be apart of this ministry with your measly bank account. You are not good enough, rich enough, talented enough to worship here!

But Jesus just chewed em` up and spit em` out, He had a prophetic word for them.

Matthew 12:34   O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:35   A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

 Jesus healed the sick cleansed the lepers raised the dead and cast out devils.

The person on either side of you may be as dead as four o clock in the morning and as dry as last years corn shucks, but if you are hungry and thirsty for God he will climb over the top of a thousand satisfied, petrified, fossilized, relics of religion, and he will come to you and he will meet you at the point of your need and he will touch you and your life will never be the same.

Is there anybody this hungry for Jesus to touch you? If you are going to seek something quit seeking out your brothers and sisters faults or weaknesses trying only to justify your own faults and weakness with the mentality of at least I am better than them Lord!  and
Matthew 6:33   But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The fact that this mans hand was withered, tells me he either contracted some kind of disease or had some kind of accident
In other words: He wasn't born that way

Let me just tell somebody right here: You weren't born that way
You weren't born addicted to porn
You weren't born prejudice
You weren't born a liar or a thief
You weren't born a pedophile
You weren't born a homosexual or a lesbian, I don't care what they're saying today or how convincing they are telling you it's not your fault it was you parents… it was a gene passed down.  Hogwash… Self Righteous Hogwash. Put your own back to the cross of Christ and see where you are measuring up or falling short of Gods standard. Quit trying to put the blame on someone  else

The truth is It really is a disease, and it has a name it is called sin, It deformed your life and made it something ugly and painful

Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But the good news is: There is a cure for you today
It's the power of the blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus, what can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I wish somebody would take about 60 seconds, and praise God for the power of the blood, the power that set you free, some of you were drug addicts, some of you were addicted to pornography, some of you had one immoral relationship after another, and went from one partner to the next, but the blood of Jesus washed you, the blood of Jesus set you free.
I know you're all looking good today and smelling good, but there was a time, back when that you didn't look so good and you didn't smell so good.
Thank God for the power of the blood of Jesus

I'm talking about the power of the blood of Jesus, to heal your heart, to heal your mind, to purge your conscience.

Somebody needs to hear this:  You weren't born that way
You weren't born depressed, angry, discouraged, fearful and lonely, full of doubts and dreads about the future
You weren't born with a broken heart, aborted dreams and lost visions; you weren't born with a history of disappointments and failures.

But life happened, and life is not always kind and life is not always fair (and it withered up your hand of faith) it withered up your expectation of better days.
And now you have quit dreaming, you have quit reaching, you have quit expecting (you've just settled down into an existence.

One of the worst things that can ever happen to a person is to quit dreaming and settle down into just existing.

Jesus said: The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I am come that they might have life and have it (more abundantly.)

Jesus looked at this man, and he saw more than just a withered hand, he saw a withered life.  I believe there are some withered lives in here this morning!
He saw all his anger and frustration, he saw all his disappointments and broken dreams, he saw every time he had tried and failed.

Then Jesus said to him: Stretch forth thy hand.
I know it's going to be hard, I know it's going to take some effort, I know your going to have to push past bad experiences of the past, I know there's going to be some pain
I know you're going to have to overcome some religious opposition, I know it's going to make some people mad.
But go ahead and stretch forth thy hand.

Child of God if we are going to go anywhere in God we are going to have to stretch, it may cause some discomfort, it may upset some people, some people may turn their backs on you, some people may lie on you, (but to walk with Jesus you must be the one willing to get out of the boat.) I cannot do it for you, you cannot do it for someone else.. You must be willing!

Part of the stretching is separation from the crowd: Everybody can't go where God is taking you, everybody don't want to go where God is taking you.
(The bible teaches us to follow the cloud, not the crowd)
If you are still trying to gain popularity of others you are not gaining popularity with God! 

The glory of God is in the cloud not the crowd
That withered hand represents all the can't do's of religion and all the opposition to your dreams and visions and desires.
And All the negative elements in your life that contradict the promises of God.

You don't have enough money, You don't have a good enough education, you're too young, you're too old, You don't have enough faith.

What they're saying is: You can't have that, (you can see it) somebody else can reach it, but it's always going to be just out of your reach, too far back on the shelf.

You feel like gravity is just pulling you down, and you are destined to live the withered life.
But I came to tell you that even gravity itself can't hold you down if you've got enough power and it doesn't matter if all the forces of the universe are waged against you (greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world)

And if God be for us, who can be against us?

When Jesus spoke those words to that man: It ignited an explosion in his spirit, and faith came alive and instantly the impossible became possible.
Instantly he was able to do what everybody said he could never do
Instantly every can't do and can't have of religion and past failures broke off his life.

And instantly that which was withered, became whole and complete! God is still a God of Suddenlies!

Somebody I'm talking to right now is getting ready to breakthrough, your getting ready to break loose it's taking some stretching but your gonna make it.
Somebody's mind is being stretched, Somebody's faith is being stretched ( Somebody is breaking out of status quo,
Somebody is seeing themselves right now, doing what they said you could never do.

I came with a word for somebody today: I came to loose you from human limitations, from religious limitations, and from demonic limitations, placed on you by the world.

I came to tell you: It's yours You can have it ( it is your fathers good pleasure to give unto you the keys of the kingdom.)
That house, that car,
That ministry, that new level of anointing
That household salvation, those open doors you've been praying for
That Joy that you've needed
That fire you used to have it's coming back
That peace you've desired it's yours.

I came to tell you today that the devil is a liar: and I came to tell you (you can have it)
you can reach it (if) your willing to stretch.

You're gonna have to stretch: You're going to have to stretch out beyond religion, beyond tradition, you're gonna have to stretch beyond the comfort zone. You're going to have to stretch beyond peoples opinions of you.

If I had let what people said about me, or thought about me enter my heart I wouldn't be preaching the gospel today, but I made up my mind I'm not going to let small minded, people limit the power of a big God in my life.
You're gonna have to stretch

To go to this next level you're going to have to pray like you've never prayed before
And Praise like you've never praised before
And sow like you've never sown before.

You can have it, you can reach it (if) you're willing to stretch

Isa 54:2-3 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them (stretch) forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, (lengthen) thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Notice all the words that speak of stretching (going beyond) Enlarge, Stretch forth
Spare not, Lengthen.

And after the Enlarging, the stretching, the lengthening, the strengthening, then he says (For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seed shall inherit the gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

In other words: God is saying there is so much power released in your stretching that it will even reach your seed, and bring them into blessings they would never have had if you hadn't stretched.

There are generational blessings that are released when you stretch into the faith realm.  Somebody here needs to stretch for the sake of their family!

I wish somebody had enough faith right now to just stretch out your hand into the faith realm and take a hold of that Ministry you've been believing God for.
Take hold of that husband's salvation
Take hold of those rebellious children, and pull them into the kingdom
Take hold of that miracle healing God promised you
Take hold of divine prosperity (God never called you to the withered life, he called you to abundant life.

somebody needs to get up right now and stretch (and start reaching into the faith realm.)

Everything don't just drop in your lap, sometimes you have to stretch for it.

Tell your neighbor: excuse my reach but I see something God promised me, and I have to stretch to get it.

I'm trying to close now but I feel a stretching anointing
( somebody's breaking out, somebody's been held back by religion, by tradition, by peoples opinions of you, by fear of failure, by the disappointments of past defeat, but today you're breaking the barrier)

Your breaking the limitations: When a jet breaks the sound barrier it creates a sonic boom.
Right now, we're creating some sonic booms in hell, right now we're rattling the walls of hell.

This is the day Satan has feared: The day you got the revelation, that you can have it (if) you're willing to stretch.

God said: Abraham lift up your eyes look to the east west north and south (Abraham, I want to bless you) I want you to have all that land, (everything your eyes can see) but you have to stretch, you have to leave where your at, you have to take down your tent and start walking.

I'm talking to somebody: You've been camped out in the same place too long, everything in your life is stagnate, you haven't made any progress in God for years, your prayer life is at the same level, your praise life is at the same level, your sowing is at the same level and your faith is at the same level it was 10, 15, 20, years ago.

It's time to stretch again: It's time to take the tent down and start walking, there are blessings waiting on the activity of your faith.

Why sit we here till we die, (when 4 lepers made the decision to walk over to the enemy's camp, God amplified their footsteps) and their enemies ran for their lives and left their gold and silver, their food and even their donkeys.

When the lepers moved (God moved.)
Some of you are sitting around saying: when God gets ready I know it's going to be great, when God gets ready I'm going to walk in a greater anointing, I'm going to see miracles signs and wonders, When God gets ready I'm going to walk in divine prosperity.
I'm just waiting on God to move.

The truth is beloved: (Gods just waiting on you to move) your activity of faith is what activates the power of God in your behalf.

Jesus said: Stretch it out (and when he stretched it out, it was made completely whole)

I made up my mind a long time ago, I want what God has for me, and I'm willing to stretch to get it.

So if you see me getting more emotional than usual I'm just stretching,
When I sow a bigger seed than usual I'm just stretching,
If I get a little more crazy in my dance than usual I'm just stretching,
if I bump into you while I'm shouting, I apologize but I'm just stretching (because there's something I see in the faith realm) and God said I can have it (if) I'm willing to stretch.

I don't know what it is that God has promised you that you haven't seen manifested in your life yet, but I came to tell you, God is not with holding it from you he is just requiring you to stretch to get it.