Amen, amen. All right, Mark chapter number one, go to verse 40. Verse number 40, we see where Jesus heals a leper. Let's read verses 40 through 45. And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straightly charged him, and forwith sent him away. And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man, but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places. And they came to him from every quarter. You may be seated. May the good Lord add his blessings to the reading of the scripture. Amen. Before I get into the message, something came to my mind. You mentioned how the days are that we're living in. I want to say I appreciate some of those that met there. I may have seen where they met in Virginia, the school board meeting. I may have seen that. And 200 and some people met and they were talking about this transgender. I don't agree with violence, okay, and stuff of that nature. But thank God we still got some that's standing. And you need to thank God for that. You say, well, it ain't going to matter, amen, at least there's some still standing. They're not going to stand before God one day and, amen, and say that I didn't stand, I didn't take a stand. That's like when we, amen, put all our effort in as a church, amen, for this liquor by the drink here in the city. We done our dead level best, amen, to try our best. Now, if they'd have voted on it countywide, it'd have made a bigger difference. I believe that would have been a different outcome. But they know what they're doing. And those that claim to be Christian, a man would read the Bible, they wouldn't have voted for it. Boy, that didn't sit well, I guess. I don't know if we ain't live tonight anyway, so somebody say amen to that. By introduction tonight, this man wanted and needed something from the Lord. This man had a need. Anybody in here tonight have a need? I've preached sort of on these lines just maybe the last month or so. Maybe two or three months. But I couldn't get it off my mind tonight. Amen. I'm going to preach on the subject victory over your circumstances. Victory over your circumstances. This man needed and wanted something from the Lord. There's times I've needed something or I thought I needed something. Amen, and I went to God in prayer and didn't receive what I thought I needed. I didn't get it at that time. I mean, he's been praying, amen, for something that you think you need, but God has not seemed like he's not give it to you. Tonight, as I got thinking about this, you know, I believe here in this little story where Jesus heals the leper, there's few, if any, I believe in our midst tonight, that doubt the ability of God. How many knows that God can do anything? He's able. But I believe there's many that doubt the willingness and love of God to do all things. God can do all things. There is nothing that is impossible with God. I believe a man, as he went, a man in his earthly ministry and he healed the sick and raised the dead, I believe he can do the same today. You say, what do you mean, Preacher? You mean that we can be at a funeral and that body already being bombed and God could raise that body? How many believe that God could raise that body? I believe that with all my heart. Why don't we see that anymore? I'll tell you why, because our faith is not where it ought to be sometimes in the Lord. Why don't we see more healing? Let me see healing. I've experienced healing. I've seen healing. Amen. I know what healing is, but doubt the willingness, amen, and the love of God to do all things, amen, for his children. Amen. Listen, the reason Christ healed this man, amen, and some of these others, amen, and all others were healed because it was the will of God. I heard a preacher preaching one time or somebody made a mention that a preacher made comment that everything is God's will. Well, now let me back up there. Everything is not God's will. That's the reason I pray, Lord, if it be Thy will. The Bible says we can pray a miss, James did, to consume it upon our own lust. We think sometimes we're praying the right prayer when in all reality we're praying amen for things for Jeff. We've got to be careful for that. Amen. There ain't nobody I don't think in here is in need of anything. And if they are, and you're in true dire need of something, I'm talking about monetarily, amen, this church has an obligation to try to help you. Somebody with me? But I believe, amen, that tonight, as God began to deal with my heart here in these verses of Scripture, amen, that I believe we can have victory, amen, over our troubles, over our circumstances, over our trials. Number one, I just believe we need to do like this leper man done. I believe we need to reach out to him, amen. We just need to learn to reach out to God. and there came a leper to him. Why did that leper go to Christ? Why did that leper go to Jesus? Because he knew Jesus could do something about his leprosy. All he had to do when reaching out to him was to get to him. Hallelujah. Let me encourage you tonight, church. All you need to do is get to Him. If there's a need in your life tonight, there's something you're worried about, amen, there's something that you're troubled in spirit about, why don't you get to God about it, amen? Why don't you get to the Lord about it? Some people, amen, somebody might be here that maybe there's some things you don't understand, amen? Get to the Lord, amen? No doubt this man had been to others to try to find some relief, amen? Maybe, I don't know, maybe other doctors or physicians, but even though he more than likely got a few, well, bless you, my sons, he might have got a few of those, or he might have got a few, amen, well, go away, don't bother me, amen? I don't know, he might have got a few of those, but you know what? He persisted. He persisted, amen. You say, what do you mean he persisted? As a leper, he totally was dependent on others for everything. He depended on a lot of other people, amen, for everything, amen, about him. Listen, we need to get into the habit of reaching out to Jesus, amen, get in the habit, amen, to quit worrying what everybody else thinks, amen, and ask God And when God, glory, hallelujah, amen, reach out to him. And by the way, it's the only way to make contact with him is to reach out to him, amen. He went to him. We gotta learn to go to him. You know, I thank God we got a church that's, amen, people uses the altar. They hardly, amen, not a service that people don't use the altar at going home church. You ought to be thankful for that. There's churches, amen, throughout this county, there's churches throughout, amen, a lot of, hey, it's unreal, I'm talking about the lack of altar use amongst God's people. I went to church with people before for many, many years, amen, and I never did see in an altar. You can't tell me, amen, that God don't speak to your heart every once in a while, even the preacher, amen, to come to the altar and call on the Lord. Everybody with me? What do you mean? I'm saying I thank God, amen, that we got a church, amen, that uses the altar, amen. There's people that's reaching out, amen, to Jesus, amen. Hey, we need to come tonight, I think, if whatever you're facing, whatever problem you got, and get a hold of Him. Somebody needs something tonight. It might be physical, it might be spiritual. It might be, amen, financial. I don't know what it is, but there's somebody here tonight that you need something, amen, from the Lord. And I'm telling you, you can have victory over what circumstances you're facing, even as I'm preaching tonight. Just get to Him. If we can just get to God. Hey, that woman with the issue of blood, you know what was on her mind? Just getting to where Jesus was, amen? Well, listen, you've done put forth the efforts you're done in the house of the Lord tonight. You know what I do? I just get it on the altar. He said, Preacher, I've been to that altar many, many times. And it seemed like I pray and pray and pray. I made mention of this a while ago. Amen. It seemed like we've been praying for a lot of those folks on that cross, Preacher. It's still like God's not answering. Amen. I'm going to say this. You keep doing like this leper done. Keep, hey, be persistent about it. Don't stop praying. There is power in prayer. Secondly, let me say, hey man, we need the request of him. Listen, the Bible says he came beseeching him. Beseeching him, what does beseech mean? It means ask urgently. There's our problem. We go to God, but how urgent are we is when we go to God in our prayer. Amen. Beseeching means ask urgently and fervently to do something. In other words, to beg. How many of you have ever begged God for something? I'd like to see your hand. Amen. Amen. Listen, you know what that is? That's urgently. Amen. That's fervently. I heard Brother Teddy Rayburn down at Rockingham preach on being desperate. Just the word desperate. How desperate are you? That's the reason our churches ain't where they ought to be. That's the reason, amen, Christians in their lives are not where they ought to be. That's the reason people live such loose lives. You know why? Amen. There ain't nobody desperate no more. There ain't nobody desperate in serving the Lord. Amen. There's one thing about this preacher. I want to make sure that I live right. I want to make sure that I preach right. And I want to make sure that I pastor right. All God's people said. And you say, hey, well, listen, in other words, desperate in their requesting of the Lord, God wants to hear our urgent prayer, our fervent prayer. The Bible says the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, amen? God's made it clear in the word of God that we're to ask, we're to seek, amen, and we'll find it, amen? And we'll find it. I mean, listen, he longs to hear our request. How many's ever thought God getting tired of you hearing your prayer? How many's ever thought that? Devil ever come and whisper in your ear, well God's getting tired of you coming and asking that same prayer over and over and over. Let's see them hands again. This don't be the only one. Sure, you know why the devil does that? Because he don't want you praying to God. He don't want you requesting anything from God. How many's ever asked God something and you got it for something and you got it? How many ever got something that you wanted but you didn't ask him? Boy, ain't that good? Man, there's things I've asked God, Sister Helen, and God gave it to me. And then there's some things I didn't ask God, and guess what? All of a sudden, pop, there it was in glory. You know what? We better thank God for it, amen? That's the reason we need to learn to be thankful, not just at Thanksgiving. In November, we need to thank God every day, amen, that we're blessed, amen. to get up this morning, hallelujah. We request, that's the beseech, amen. He's beseeching him. He came beseeching him. Sadly, that's the only time that some people, amen, communicate with the Lord when something terrible, I mean, now he had a problem. He had leprosy, man. Leprosy, of course, in the Bible, signifies a type of sin, amen, in our life today, but leprosy was a terrible disease. I'm talking about flesh-eating disease. I'm talking about, man, I'm not gonna get into all the, I guess, requirements and the things of that nature if you was around a leprous man, but there's something to it about, amen, I wouldn't touch him with a 10-foot pole. You remember that old analogy? They were to say away. I mean, man, if they was to come in, they was to cry unclean, unclean. They was to let you know before they got there. I'm not going to get into all of that, but listen, no wonder, amen, hey, he encourages us to ask him, else he may never hear from us, amen? We need to ask him. God wants us to ask him. Hey, and you that have been praying, keep asking him. I know you're hearing a repeat of some of the stuff I've preached in the last few months, but I'm telling you, God's got, somebody here needs, amen, a prayer answered, and listen, just keep on praying. Hey, talk to God, tell Him. I mean, hey, tell Him how you feel. You say, but God knows how I feel. Sure He does, amen. He knows our frame, but God wants you to tell Him how you feel. And communicate and talk to Him. Tell Him what you need. Tell Him what you want. Amen. And don't be shy. Talk to Him. Pray. Pray. Pray. Amen. If you want it bad enough and if it's urgently enough. And there's been times, amen, I've been on this altar by myself. I'm not saying that to disbelieve me, but there's times I've come up here, sister, on the white preacher, couldn't you have made an altar at home? Yeah, but that ain't nothing like being in the house of God. Amen, I'm talking about just you and God, getting along with God. I'm talking about, man, I've made me a little old rock pile, amen. Not way out in the woods, but man, just a place where I can go talk to the Lord, amen. I'm glad he listens when I talk. And sometimes when he don't feel like he's listening, amen, I know he's still there, why? Because the word of God tells me. He wants us to request of him. He was beseeching the Lord. Talk to him. God wants more than anything to have a conversation with you. Has God ever talked to you? Man, sure he does. If you're a born again child of God, God speaks to you. God talks to you. Had a gentleman the other day, had a preacher the other day, call me, I'm not gonna name names, but had a, he's not a pastor, but had a preacher call me the other day, or actually I had called him, and then he had returned the call, or something to that, I can't remember how it was, but anyway, we talked just a few minutes, and I sorta, God had, God had already spoke to my heart, I don't know how to say this, God had already spoke to my heart, and I began to speak to him, I more or less told him his life in the last few months. And he began to say, he said, who told you that? Who told you that? Who's been speaking to you? And he meant that. He said, who told you? And I said, ain't nobody's told me nothing. I said, God speaks to me, son. Are you with me? And I think it shocked him, amen, that I told him, amen, his life in the last two or three months. I think it shocked him. Let me tell you something. Some people think preachers are dumb or a box of rocks, amen. But I'm telling you, God does speak to the preacher. Sometimes, hey man, God will speak to me, amen, and sometimes I'll be honest, this old flesh tries to push it off, well, that's just me, or that's not God, and all of a sudden, God will show me that is God. Amen, listen, hey, I had a preacher friend one time, amen, that could look out, and you might think this is crazy, and that's whatever you think, hey, you've heard me tell it before, but he could see halos. God gave him a gift to see halos over people's heads. He said, God gave me the gift. He showed me who was right with him and who wasn't right with him. He said, then he back slid on the Lord and got out of church. And he said, when I got back right with God and started preaching again, he said, God took that away. I've been in services before. Hey, and by the way, crying is a blessing. Did you hear me? Shedding tears is a blessing. I'll never forget a pastor friend of mine, amen, that many, many years ago, whenever service I'd get in, that preacher, he would cry, amen. If I was to name names, you'd know I'm a man, he would end up crying every Sunday. I'm talking about under the anointing of the Holy Ghost, amen. Hardly wouldn't be a time to hear. I'm talking about every service I was in with him. You talk about a man of God, he's a man of God, but all of a sudden he fell and backslid. Amen. And got out of the will of God. Amen. And then he got back right with God and got back in church. And you know what? Now I've seen him. Now listen. He's pastored churches. I've seen him preach. I believe he's a man of God. But the tears ain't like they were. We need to request of him. Amen. God wants more than anything to have a conversation with you. And listen, when God speaks to you, react. Amen? Make your requests known to Him. Amen? And receive His answer. Amen? With thanksgiving in every way He answers it. Amen? Whatever you're asking for. Amen? It might be health. It might be financial, as I said earlier. It might be spiritual. It might be a lack of understanding. And maybe you don't understand something. Amen? You keep praying about it. Amen? You keep prayin' about it, God'll give you, amen, an answer. Listen, recognize, thirdly, recognize Jesus for who he really is. Bible says, amen, he came and what'd he do? He kneeled down, kneeling down. He realized who Jesus was, amen. He became beseeching, amen. He came to him and he recognized that, listen, over the last hundreds of years, amen, there's been a movement to try to degrade Christ to the position of a great teacher or a great philosopher. Let me just submit to you tonight, amen, that was, he was none of those. Got your attention. C.S. Lewis, amen, put it best in an answer to this question. He said he's either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. And guess what? He's Lord. Did you hear me? Hey. I believe the most burning question, amen, for us today is the same question that Jesus asked his disciples some 2,000 years ago, and it's, but whom do you say that I am? But whom do you say that I am? Amen. You know Jesus is asking that question today. Amen. What's our answer? I mean, think about it, we need to examine ourselves, amen? Who is Jesus to you? Who's Jesus to me, amen? I mean, if He's not Lord of your life, amen, then you've missed this third point, amen? On the road to victory, we gotta recognize Jesus, amen, for who He truly is, amen? How many believe Jesus meets with us? I know He does, amen? Why? Because I bring Him with me, hallelujah. We need to recognize who He is when He's in our midst. And hey, when the Bible says the quench not the spirit, it means it. Quench not the spirit. Why do you think He says that? If everybody would get in one mind and one accord, amen, in a church service, there is no telling when the Holy Ghost is moving, there's no telling what could happen in here. There is no telling, amen, who could be saved. There's no telling what disease could be healed. What financial problem could be mended? Hey, but I don't think we see that this day and hour. We don't see it like we used to see it. We need to recognize Jesus for who he is, amen. How many know he's Lord? Kneeling down, he knew who Jesus was. He knew that he was getting ready to get help, amen. Why? Because he had heard of Jesus. That woman with issue of blood, she could just get to him. Touch the hem of his garment. Hey, she might have got the H-E-M, but in reality she got the H-I-M, amen? She got the H-I-M. She may not have touched him, amen, in the physical. She may have just got the hymn of that tassel, amen, that was hanging there, but I'm going to tell you, amen, glory to God, virtue went out of him. All these people throwing in the Lord, and he said, who touched me? His disciples couldn't understand that. What do you mean, who touched? He said, Lord, look how many people's around you. He said, I perceive that virtue had went out of me. Boy, she went home healed, didn't she? She went home made whole. Hey man, what did this leper man do? He went home whole. And then number four, we need to regard it as done. What do you mean by that? Thou canst make me clean. When we pray, we need to believe God can do it right then. That's the reason I pray when we have altar prayer, when we have anointing prayer. Listen, deacons, if you don't believe God is able to do it then, and we could walk back to the pew before we get there, and God, hey, if you don't believe God can do it before you get back to the pew, don't pray. Don't even come up here and lay your hands on them. Why? Because that one that's coming for prayer ought to have that much faith. Amen. And then me, hey, as a pastor, if I'm doubting, amen, it ain't going to do the person praying no good either. What do you mean, preacher? I thought it was his or her faith. Sure it is, amen, but God has moved on our faith before. Hallelujah. How many's prayed for a lost loved one? Ham has prayed for sickness and maybe your family. Amen, and God's heard and answered your prayer. We gotta believe that Jesus can do anything. Why? Well, because he can. It's simple. We ought to believe God can do anything because he can. I mean, many over the centuries, amen, have tried to make this such a deep theological thing, amen, and it's not. It's not rocket science. Jesus can do anything. Paul takes it a step further by saying, Amen, that through him all things are possible. Amen. The greatest thing that Jesus can do is to take all your cares and all your burdens. There's just been times, Sister Kathy, I've just had to say, Lord, this body's tired. His flesh is tired. And by the way, in this flesh, in this body, you'll try your best to do all you can in your being to make things right. To make things right. But I'm here to tell you tonight, again, you've heard me say it many, many times, praying should not be a burden to you. Do you know, how many of you have witnessed that the enemies tried to make praying a burden to you? Lift your hand. I'd like to see that. Look at there. Just about everybody in this church. Listen, God don't want that. Ever how He's trying to burden you over praying. Let me tell you something, friend. Listen, I like to get on my knees and pray. Amen? And I think God honors that. Hey, but listen, I can ride down the road and something pop in my mind. I prayed for them kids this week. I prayed for my grandbabies this week. Just riding down the road, it come to my mind, Lord, touch them. I prayed, amen, this week as God gives me, Lord, touch this youth camp, touch these, glory to God. I don't have to be on my knees. Are you with me? Sometimes the devil will get on your shoulder and he'll say, he ain't gonna hear you unless you get down, unless you, I mean, he's with me. Now it's good that we can get down. But you know why he tries to get you so burdened about praying? It's because he don't want you praying. I say there's power in prayer. Amen. Listen, there is power. Anybody know what the word power is? That's the reason he does not, the enemy does not want you praying. Because it changes things. It changes things. So tonight, what do you need? Can you come to the piano? You got your hands full. Looks like you got your hands full.