Check out Part 1 of the Worship is War series by Pastor Aaron!
[May 17, 2026]
Well, I hope you are as excited as I am to be here on this Sunday morning. Worship God, dive into his word, start a new series.
Are you excited to be here? Let me hear from you. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
That's what I'm talking about. Have I told you you're my favorite gathering?
I love it, man. Come on. I need help. I need help preaching this morning.
So, y'all help me out with it, man. I'm excited.
Brand new series, five weeks. Worship is war. Let me do some housekeeping.
Okay. Let me tell you a little bit about some of my goals in this series. One of my goals is one that you'll understand the title that worship is war. I spelled it out as clear as I could for you. Okay?
Worship is war. The other goal that I have for you is I want you to see that worship is so much deeper than maybe you think.
Because when we say the word worship, you maybe have something that pops into your head, right? When we say the word worship, you may have thought of maybe an old hymn or a hymnal book, right, in the seat back in front of you or you thought of a song, a praise song.
Those are all worship things, right? But I want to show you in this series over the next five weeks that that worship, there's so many levels. There's deep levels to worship. It is so, so, deep and it's so powerful.
What I want to show you in these five weeks is what it truly means to worship. Because when I say worship, you think of something. But I want to show you not just what worship is, right? Worship is war. You've got that part figured out.
But I want to show you how we worship. What does worship really look like? Worship is war. Now, let me give you a disclaimer. This is your warning.
I'm only going to warn you once, okay? This is week one.
And so if you're missing week one, like you know, maybe you're tuning in online, you're a little late, by the way. If you're online, we love you. You're part of our online community. If you're able to just we we'd love to see you in person sometime, okay? Just throw some clothes on.
If you go, I ain't got church clothes. Listen, our only dress code here is clothes, okay? Just put clothes on. Some of y'all barely follow that. So just...
just get here, okay? We love you. But worship is war.
And here's the warning. Okay? Here here's the warning. Your one and only warning. This is not a soft series.
This is not Let me say it again for those in the back. This is not a soft series. This is a bold series because we are at war.
And so I am not going to preach to you with meekness or softness. I'm going to preach to you with boldness because we are at war. So save your emails that I'm not going to read. Okay? This is your warning.
If you're like, I'm coming to church today. Hey, I want to get all those warm, cuddly feelings inside.
This ain't the one, man. I'm just telling you, worship is war. The other thing that I want to make sure that you know about, uh, it's on the center of your tables. It's in your worship guide. Like, man, it's on slides.
It's in your worship guide. It's on the center of your table. If you don't know about it, man, I don't know how to help you. But May 31st, mark that on your calendar.
Set an alarm on your phone because we're going to we're going to start in the morning and we're going to preach the paint off the walls. And then at night, we're going to come back and we're going to do a full night of worship. We're going to do a whole night of worship and go to war. Okay? That's what we're doing May 31st.
And so, listen, you better pack this place out. Okay? If I don't see you, I'm going to come get you.
I already got the security theme on it. We will come get you and I'll drag you in here.
We're going to do night of worship on the 31st. Now, here's the reality.
Let's be real. You look at our world today. You don't have to be a preacher or a scholar or an educator or anything like that or an expert to look at our world today and go, you know what?
There's some evil in our world. is there not?
You ain't got to be a preacher or expert, scholar, educator or anything like that to look at our world and go there there's war out there. There's a war going on.
You know what's on the flip side of that? You know what we've seen? What a lot of churches are seeing?
What's very interesting is this revival where where there's a world right now that is looking at our world and they're seeing so much evil. We're seeing evil in other places around the world. We're seeing wars. We're seeing evil on innocent people and innocent lives and assassinations. We're seeing evil in our kids' schools.
And what many people are seeing is going, they're going, "If there's evil, there must be something good." And so, let me go see what that something good is. Hey, we're that something good for that one more. We're that one more. And so, it doesn't take much to look around and see that we are at war. You can look at any area of our world today and see that we are at war.
Name an area. We are at war.
But here's the reality. Here's what I hope you don't miss. Our war is not against flesh and blood.
I know it looks like that. It seems like that, but I need you to know our war is not against each other.
Our war is not against flesh and blood. Sometimes the enemy will use people, but our war ultimately our war ultimately our war is not against flesh and blood. And you're like, Aaron, clearly you haven't driven on 30 in a while headed towards Rockwall. Okay.
Right. or you go, "You know what, Aaron? You don't know my co-workers, okay? Well, you know my co-workers, okay? And so, yeah, I'm at war, too." Okay?
Here's the reality. Okay? Don't don't miss this. Paul says this, we're going to jump right in. Y'all going to have to listen fast today cuz I got a lot of preaching pent up in me.
Okay? I'm I'm ready to go to war. This is one of those series.
I'm not even making this up. This is one of those series. I woke up this morning before my alarm clock and I was looking at my phone going, "Go off. Go off. Go off.
Go off. Go off. Go off. Go off." I was ready, man.
I was excited. So, y'all gonna have to listen fast. Let's jump in. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says this. Paul says, "For the weapons of our warfare." So, we are to fight.
We do have weapons, but they're not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. Don't miss that. Worship is war.
There ain't nothing soft about being a Christian. There ain't nothing soft about following Jesus.
He said, "Take up your cross." And we don't stand for evil. We don't stand for demonic things. We don't stand for that. But your weapons of warfare are not of the flesh. But you have divine power to destroy, annihilate, take out strongholds.
Better yet, Ephesians chapter 6, Paul says this, verse 12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the his? But this is all I have to offer. I give you everything here. Here it is, Lord. I worship you." The the devil trembles.
He makes hell shake. And it reminds him that he's already been defeated.
It reminds him that. So, let me do this. Let's have some fun because this is a tough series. I just want to make sure that your hands work.
Okay. So, can you just do this?
Just raise your hands. Okay.
Ben Wineger, raise your hands. Okay.
All right. Y'all ever notice when like Paul calls out a guy specifically by name in scripture?
It's a dangerous thing for me to know your name up here. Okay. All right. I just want to make sure they work. You can put them down.
Okay. Some of y'all be worshiping like you just got a jury summon or something. You're like, you know, some of our uh some of our best worshippers is our toddler quest because sometimes the mamas, they'll bring their toddlers in here to dance and they'll be in their little, you know, I mean, I can't do it, but like they'll get on the tables and they'll dance on the tables. Now, don't dance on the tables.
People already think we're weird, but I'm just saying, okay, but when we worship, we go to war. And so, that's what this series is all about. So, I hope you're wearing your steel toes.
If you ain't got some, go get some. Cuz we are going to war. Worship is war. And here's the thing. Just because our warfare is spiritual doesn't mean that it's not actual.
This is where most Christians get it messed up. This is where I would argue most Christians are are fumbling up our own faith quest is because we don't get the perspective of the fact that there is a spiritual war going on. And it's because we don't see it.
We only focus on the things that we can see right in front of us. and we totally ignore this spiritual divine world that's...
that's going on and the spiritual warfare that's going on. We ignore it.
And that's exactly where the enemy wants to come get you. Just because it's spiritual and you can't physically see it doesn't mean it's not actual.
And that's what he does, man. That's what he wants to do.
He wants to he wants to take you out. There's a verse I've never showed you before that I want you to see.
It's John 10:10. You better know this verse, man. What does he say? The thief. Talking about Satan, your enemy, the one that you're at war against.
The thief, what does the thief do? He wants to take what is not his.
He wants to rob and take what is not his. He only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
You're at war. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
And Jesus says, "But I have come that you may have life and life abundantly. Do you know why I've brought you worship? Do you know why I've taught you to, you know, taught you to worship? Because you're at war.
There's a thief out there that wants to steal, kill, and destroy. And when he lies, he speaks his native tongue.
And he whispers lies into your life and your children's lives and your family's lives and your business life and your spiritual life. And he's an enemy. So, you're at war.
Act like it. I came to give you life and life abundantly.
And some of you say, "Man, Aaron, it's 2026. You mean to tell me that you take a little guy in a red jumpsuit with horns and a ponytail and a pitchfork serious?
Uh yeah, you [ __ ] I do cuz he don't look like that. We're going to see that in a second. He don't look like that. And and like by the way, like what great tactic of the enemy to returned with joy.
Well well you must have experienced something cool. What were you interacting with, Lord?
Even the demons are subject to your name. We've been we've been toe-to-toe with war.
We've been toe-to-toe with demons. They returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.
And he said to them, "No duh. I'm the son of God." Right? No, I'm paraphrasing. And he said, don't...
don't miss this. He said to them, this is how you know that that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
He said, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions. And listen, man, as a follower of Jesus, you have no idea how much authority you have. Or at least I hope you do because [snorts] the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you. You want to talk about a weapon in war and going to war?
That's the only weapon you need, baby. I've given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you.
And then watch this. He says, "But nevertheless, do not rejoice in this." He's like, "That's all cool, man." Right?
That's pretty sweet. It's pretty sweet that we got that power in this war. He's like, "But more importantly, more importantly, do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." And so like what he's saying is like when you lift your holy hands in worship, right? It's like it makes the demons shudder. It makes hell tremble and go, "Oh no. Oh no." They're praising him.
Oh no. And he's like, and Jesus is like, "But more importantly than that, it's a reminder to you that you are his son or his daughter with whom he is well pleased. That you are his child. Let me clean up some of your theology a little bit.
Not everybody's a child of God. We're all image bearsers of God, but you're not a child of God until you've been adopted through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
And so when you worship, hell trembles and heaven celebrates because that's they go, "That's one that's my son. That's my daughter who is worshiping and celebrating." He's like, "That's what's that's what's important.
That's why worship is war." If I can paraphrase, he is. We're reminded of who he is first and foremost and all that he has done and all that he is doing.
And I want you to notice something. People are watching you. Not just how you physically worship or sing or do a hymn.
They watch how you work. They watch how you treat people. They watch how you treat your spouse.
They watch how you forgive or don't forgive. They watch your integrity.
They watch. We are at war. In fact, one of my favorite verses is uh it's plastered all over my office.
It's uh 2 Timothy 2:10. Paul says this, "I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen." Now listen, that's sweet on a shirt or a tattoo. That's a whole another thing to live like that, right? Like sometimes we praise and sing the worship song faith like that. Like I want a faith like that.
I'm gonna say something. I want a faith like that. I want like I want to be so bold that I'm willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to one more. Right? And so when you worship, you're surrendering.
You go, "God, it's not about me. It's about you." And so I don't care if it's embarrassing for me to raise my hands and people are looking.
I don't care. You outstretched your hands for me on that cross. And you know, and I don't care if it if they didn't ask for forgiveness. I'm going to forgive them anyway because you know what?
You forgave me. And so, I'm willing to endure anything if it means one more. We are at war. Worship is war. And so, Jesus is talking about how we're at war.
And he's saying we're at war with this enemy, the devil. And what's really fascinating is scripture gives us the game plan and gives us the description of who this enemy is. We know who the enemy is. So you shouldn't be surprised by it. We're going to spend a lot of time in Ezekiel 12-19.
You're going to have to listen fast. And I know you probably read Ezekiel this morning. That's a feel-good hit first thing in the morning, right? It's read Ezekiel. It's wild.
But here's what it says. You were the signet of perfection. This is talking about Lucifer, Satan. You were the signate of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect and beauty. Satan, Lucifer, he was a he was an angel in heaven.
And then verse 13, you. Now, who's the you here?
Who's he who's he talking about? You were in Eden.
Who's he talking about? Well, he's not talking about Adam. He was in the garden of Eden.
He's not talking about Eve. He's not talking about God.
He's not talking about himself. He's talking about Satan. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering. Sardis, topaz, and diamond, barrel, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle.
That sounds beautiful, doesn't it? Honey, I'm gonna get you some carbuncle earrings.
How does that sound? By the way, if you Google carbuncle, make sure you put carbuncle jewelry because if you just Google carbuncle, you'll throw up in your mouth a little bit.
It's kind of gross. It's like a skin disease thing. I don't know.
Anyway, and you're crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. And so what scripture is telling us is that is that Lucifer, Satan, this angel, he is either made of or covered in all these emeralds and jewels and gold. He's this majestic, beautiful angelic being and he's the lead worship leader. On that day that you were created, that you what you need to know is the good news is that Jesus when he when he walked out of that grave, man, he curb stomp the devil in the face and the devil's walking around with a mortal flesh wound.
He's just a lackey on a chain and he's just scrabbling for anything that he can. When we worship, we declare we are on the winning team.
Worship is war. I'm going to start saying worship like I'm from like Mississippi. We worship. W A R ship.
We worship, man. That's what we do. We're at war. Listen, here's the other thing. Worship goes so much deeper than just singing some hymns or some songs.
We're going to be we're going to be modernizing and singing some hymns in this series. I thought, yeah, I thought I was like, man, it'd be kind of cool to like do some like old school hymns, like maybe modernize it, like some hymns that have served the church well over the years. I was like, that'd be a good idea. I think all my ideas are good. That's why I do them.
And then the leadership team is like, "Aaron, you can't do that." And then I'm like, "Can I do this?" And they're like, "All right, we'll let you do that one." So, but it's not just it's not just songs and praise. It goes so much deeper than that.
When you when you ask for help, when you say, "You know what? I ain't got this. And I've been trying to do this on my own and I need some help. I ain't got this." That's a form of worship, right? Because the enemy, he wants to whisper lies into your life and take everything from you and steal, kill, and destroy you.
He wants to drag you over here and he thinks he's got you and he's going to drag you down with it. He knows he's going down.
He wants to drag you down with him. And then when you go to somebody and go, "Hey, I'm not okay.
I'm not okay. I need help." Or when you go, "Man, I've been hearing about regen and it's not just, you know, about major recovery. It's...
it's about everything. It's about life. and it's like, I don't know that I should go.
And you you take that step. You come up here Tuesday night and you come to region. It's a form of worship.
When you admit that you have a problem, when what? Maybe a junior high needs to hear this. When you apologize, right? When [clears throat] you go, "Hey, I messed up. I'm sorry." Or maybe a parent needs to hear this.
And you go to your kid and you go, "Hey, I kind of lashed out. I apologize." The enemy goes, It's being like Jesus. He's being like Jesus.
When you praise, man, hell trembles. That is where all this is layers of worship. Worship is war. And it makes hell tremble. I heard a pastor say, I can't remember his name, so I can't give him credit, but I'm going to steal it from him.
But I love what he says. He said, uh, he said, "Man, I hope that that that day they have my funeral, the day I die, the day I die." He goes, "I hope that hell throws a party." And I was like, "What?" He goes, "I hope the hell throws a party because they're going to be like, man, we ain't got to deal with him no more.
He was a problem." And I'm like, "Yeah, I get that now, man." I'm like, "I get that." And so, there's multiple ways to worship. Over the course of the next five weeks, we we'll dive into all these different ways to worship. Obviously, praise and worship is a big part to sing. Do you know a really, really, big part of worship and a big part of series. And my job is not to make you happy.
It's to tell you the truth. I'm just the mailman. I just deliver the news. Do you know that right now on average over the course of uh when you look at all of our church at the Quest Church are our volunteers make up about 22%. 22% of people are serving and volunteering.
And so let me let me word this very, very, carefully. Okay?
Wake up your neighbor if they're taking a nap. I want to word this very, very, carefully.
I want to make sure I make this very, very, clear about who I'm talking to and what I'm talking about. There are two types of the two type of perspectives that you can look at church. And what most Christians and most people do when they come to church, they look at church like a cruise ship and they go, "What do you offer me?" Right? What drink package do I get? What do I get?
Listen, this ain't that church. this church is you walk in, you walk into a battleship because we are at war and you walk in and you go, "How can I help?
How can I help?" And you go, "This is why you raise holy hands in the sanctuary. You go, I don't I ain't got much.
I ain't got much, but I give it to you all because you live. So where do you want me? How can I serve?" And I'm just going to tell you something. I told you. Are you ready?
Buckle up because I told you I was coming for you. And listen, by the way, let me make this very clear, too.
If it looks like I'm looking right at you, I'm not. They turn the... the house lights up so bright, I can't see your faces, okay?
So, if you're like, he's like making fun of me. I can't see you, okay? I just see silhouettes of people, okay? I can see like a couple of guys in the front row. That's it.
So, if it looks like I'm like looking right at you, I'm not. Okay? But here's the reality. Nothing, nothing infuriates me more, not... not at you, but just at this spiritual war that we're in and this enemy who is a liar, than when our next generation children ministry leaders come to us and say, "We don't have enough children ministry workers to take care of our next generation." Because I'm going to tell you something, your kiddos are at war, too.
They are at war. And I'll just say it like this.
Nothing ticks me off more talking to you. Who I'm talking to right now is if you've maybe taken some next steps, maybe you've done some discovering seminars or when somebody asks you, "Hey, what church do you go to?" You go, "I go to the Quest church." And you call the Quest Church your home. And you're not serving somewhere. Can I say this as lovingly as possible?
That door that you came in is the same door you can go out. I'm going to clean up some seats and I'm going to clear up some parking lot issues next week. right now. And I say that, I promise you, I know that sounds harsh, but I say that in a loving way. We are at war.
We are at war. And our children are at war.
We are at war. And if you're somebody, this is what really irks me. I I'll come back to scripture in a second. Let me get over here on my soap box. If you're somebody that utilizes not our child care because they ain't babysitting over there.
It is not babysitting. There's I'm telling you, there's some fourth graders quote more scripture than you can, more than I can, right? My seven-year-old nephew knows the 'prodical' son better than I do. He can tell me that whole story. He calls it the 'prodical' son.
That's what he calls it. But if you're somebody that utilizes our children's ministry and you and you're like, "Call this place your home or you're a partner and you're not serving." How dare you?
How dare you? We're at war. We are at war.
So get off your blessed ass insurance. And let's get to work, man. We are at war. We should we should have a waiting list for children's ministry. Man, y'all know our heart for next generation.
You know my heart for next generation. That's where I got started and that's where I go back. I'll tell you this right now. If we get to a point where... where we can't serve our next generation, then you're going to come in here and you're going to watch a video because my blessed assurance is going to be over there serving these kids because I will not stand for that.
Our next generation is at war. And so today at the end of this gathering, you're going to get an opportunity to serve. I'm going to background check you, okay? I ain't going to led as any of you crazy people in there, but we got all the forms and everything. Listen, and you're like, I'm...
I'm gonna pray about serving in even when they didn't ask for it, just like he forgave you. When you follow Jesus, when you take up your cross, and you be the hands and feet of Jesus, and you worship, whether it's praise or serving or giving, you bring your first and your best so that a kid can go to camp or you sponsor a kid to go to camp.
We're about to fill up our camp our camp spots. I don't want to send any kid away. I never want to tell a kid to go away from camp that they can't come to camp, especially for money. If a kid ever goes, "Well, I want to come to camp and know about Jesus, but I can't afford it." Like, here's a scholarship form. Fill it out.
We'll take care of it. Or I'll load you under the bus where we keep the luggage and I'll just take you. I don't care. Right? You'll be fine.
You'll be fine. But when you worship, you declare we win. And hell trembles because it's the reminder to him that he's been defeated. And in your life, look, when you worship, man, like husbands and wives, man, I...I... I love this, man.
When you're when you're in here and you worship with your wife or your spouse, right? Wives with your husband or husband with your holy. Okay, it's right there in scripture. There you go.
And so the band just sang what you may not know is it's not necessarily a hymn, but it has served the church well. It's a song called Because He Lives. And so this song, it may not mean much to you unless you know the context.
It was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. Anybody listen to the Gaithers this morning on the way to church? Okay. Yeah. Senior Quest shout out, right?
Okay. I love you.
I love you. I was talking to somebody.
I was talking to somebody in first and this song, they wrote this song in 1971 and they were, you know, they were a little bit older and they were like, "Yeah, they had a concert recently." I'm like, "They're still alive." I'm like, "I didn't. They're before my time." But anyway, but if you don't know the context of this song, you can kind of skim over it. But here's what happens. Bill and Gloria Gaither, Gloria finds out that she's pregnant, and this mom panic begins to set in.
Moms, you ever been there where you're pregnant and you look at this world or you look at baby daddy or you look at whatever you look at what's going on, you're like, I don't know about this. This ain't good. And this this mom panic begins to set in. She's like, how am I going to raise this child in this time period?
It's 1971. There's political upheaval. There's racism. There's looting. There's sexual liberation.
There's multiple assassinations. Any of that sound familiar? Same demons, just different day. Same demons, just different day. We're at war.
And she's terrified. She's terrified. How am I going to bring this child? How am I going to bring this child into this world?
And you know what she decides to do? She decides to worship through prayer.
And she goes to her prayer closet and she begins to write these words. And she writes, "God sent his son They called him Jesus.
He came to love, heal, and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives. I love that first verse because she founds this whole this whole hymn on an empty tomb. Your faith is not based on a book.
Your faith is based on an event. The empty tomb. The empty tomb. She starts there.
My savior lives. The chorus.
Because he lives. So because of that, in light of that, I can face tomorrow. You ever worry about tomorrow? You ever toss and turn at night?
Worried about tomorrow. Because he lives.
I can face tomorrow. Because he lives. All fear is gone.
Because I know he holds the future. And life is worth the living just because he lives. She's like, "Even though I'm in this valley and I see this valley, I see the horizon because he lives. And I may be in this war, but I'm going to worship my way through it because worship is war." Because he lives. And then this this next line you can kind of miss if you don't know the context.
But now that you know the context, here's what she says. How sweet to hold a newborn baby. How sweet to hold a newborn baby and feel the pride and joy he brings. But greater still, the calm assurance this child can face uncertain days because he lives. Oh man, some parent needs to hear that because you're freaking out over your kids right now in the world that they're living in.
Can I just encourage you with this? I'm raising a 17 and a 14-year-old, so I'm a parent. I I get it, too. No matter how old your kids are, can I just encourage you with this?
Your heavenly father knew exactly how old your kid would be, at what time period they were going to be, and when they were going to be. And he's got a plan. And because he lives, they can face tomorrow. And you can be certain of that. Verse three.
And then one day I'll cross the river. I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory, I'll see the lights of glory. And I'll know he lives. Man, see why the reason worship is war is because it shifts your eyes from defeat and fear to victory and faith. It shifts your perspective from being timid to boldness. It shifts your perspective.
Worship is war. It reminds you that he still has the whole world in his hands. And listen, I can say all this stuff because, man, I've been there before. I've been I don't know if you can relate to this. I've been in places before in my life where I'm just like, God, I can't even muster up the ability to sing a worship song right now.
I just I just ain't got it. Whether it's my circumstances or something that's going on in a loved one in my life or whatever, like I just I ain't got it. You know what happens? I need people that surround me that worship on my behalf and go to war on my behalf. And that's what you need, too.
Right? You're going to have times, listen, it's war. It's battle.
It's nasty. It's not soft. There's going to be times where you fall down. Who's picking you up? Who's praying for you?
You got to have those people. I remember one of the first connect groups my wife and I went to and we were going through some stuff and I remember it was like some hell stuff and and I remember that connect group came to us and they put our hands on us and they started to sing praise and they started to worship and I like I had no words.
I couldn't even pray. I had no words and they just started to worship. Sometimes you need to surround yourself with people that will worship on your behalf.
Like sometimes you need people that will come to you and go, not just, "Hey, how you doing?" "I'm good. I'm busy." No, no, no. You need people that look you in the eye and go, "Hey, how you really doing?" I had somebody this morning, somebody that I love, a mentor of mine, discipleship, disciple of mine, right, come to me, look me in the eye. He goes, "Hey, man, don't BS me. How you doing?" That's how you ask how you doing right there. You need people like that.
They go, "How you doing, man? How you doing?" Because he lives.
"Because he lives." And you may say, "Aaron, well, how do you know he lives?" Because I talked to him this morning. I did. I got up this morning and I was watching my phone. I was watching for the alarm clock to go off, go off, go off, go off, go off. I'm ready.
I'm ready. I'm already dressed. Like, let's go.
It was 4 in the morning. I don't have to be here till like 6:30. And I'm like, "Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
I'm ready." And I'm like, "God, I don't want to screw this up." up and God's like, "I don't want you to screw it up either, so leave it to me." And I'm like, "Okay, that sounds like a good plan. We'll go with your plan. You just let me know when you want me to take over, but I'll go with your plan." And I just he told me, he's like, "Aaron, just remember you're my son with whom I'm well pleased.
Now you go and you worship how I've called you to worship and you go preach with boldness. You go do that." He lives.
He lives. That's how we worship.
And some of you, some of you like, "Well, he ain't said nothing to me. He ain't told me. He's proud of me." Yeah, he did. He just did. He looks at you right now and he looks at you and he says, "You're my son.
You're my daughter with whom I'm well pleased." Now, you worship your heart out. You worship your soul off. And you don't even have to base it on my testimony, man. We have historical evidence. We know that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that that tomb is empty.
And if that tomb is empty, anything is possible. So you worship because worship is war and he is the way. How do we fight from victory instead of for victory?
Because he is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through him. And this is the good news is that that is for everyone.
Right? When you go, hey, what do you mean like I fight from victory? Mean the meaning the battle's already been won. God's just waiting to collect his inheritance, which is us.
And it doesn't matter what your life look like. It doesn't matter what Saturday night look like.
It doesn't matter when you look at the cross and you read the gospels as a thief on the cross. He's got nothing to offer. And he looks at Jesus as Jesus, will you remember me when you enter into your kingdom. He's hanging on a cross.
He can't join a connect group. He can't go serve in kids quest.
He probably wouldn't pass a background check, but he I mean, he can't do none of that. He can't do nothing. He can't give. He's like, "Jesus, I acknowledge that you're the savior. Will you remember me when you go into your kingdom?" And Jesus looks at him and says, "Today you'll be with me in paradise." That's the good news.
That is for everybody. He's the way, the truth, the life, and no one comes to the father except through him because he lives. That tomb is empty. Watch this. Luke 24.
But on the first day of the week at early dawn, they who's they? It's all these women.
The women went to the tomb taking the spices that they had prepared. Now, why are the women going to the tomb after the men have already laid Jesus in there? Because the men probably did it wrong. And so, the women are going to do the cleanup after the clean. Like, ladies, you ever done the cleanup after the cleanup?
Your husband's like, "Hey, I took care of the dishes." And you're like, "Okay, take care of the dishes." Right? That's what they're doing.
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. But when they went, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men, these are if I look at your pantry, if I look at your search history, if I ask your kids, if I ask your spouse, if I ask your coworker, if I ask your boss, who or what do you worship?
You are at war. You are at war. And the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But he came to give us life and life to the full.
And I'm going to tell you something, man. Take it from somebody.
I've tried everything in the book. I've done it all. And the only thing that satisfies is the resurrected Jesus Christ and that empty tomb. And the only reason I'm standing, listen, only reason I'm standing before you today is because he lives.
is because he lives. Praise is a weapon.
Worship is war. And so, here's what I want to do. It's going to be a little bit different. Here's what I want to do. The band's about to stage.
What I want to do is we're going to pray, but I want to pray in a posture of worship. And so, what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask you just right where you are, if you're offer them to you, God. We thank you so much that you would love us so much that you would send Jesus on a rescue mission to live a perfect sinless life that we never could. that he died on a cross, was buried, and God you raised him back to life.
God, I pray that if there's anybody in this room that has never accepted that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, that today would be the day, right now, God, you're tugging on their heart. That right now between you and them, they would just say, "Lord, I I surrender.
I surrender. It ain't about me. I surrender my pride. I surrender my sin. I repent.
I turn to you. I turn to the resurrected Jesus because he lives. He is my savior. And right now, if you're praying that when you leave, don't you dare leave this place without stopping by that discovery center and letting us know that you made that decision because I got a gift for you. If you want to serve, stop by the discovery center because we want to get you plugged in.
And so, Lord, we offer up this worship to you. And I pray God and it makes hell tremble and it makes you proud. It's in Jesus name we pray.
Amen. Amen.
Let's worship.
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