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It is such a blessing to see some of the things that we've been going through and yet we still stand stronger than before. So for those of you that thought it's finished, it's done. God is not yet done. God is not yet done. Today I'm speaking on a subject that I've entitled, why are you still tired after you slept? Because some of us, when we come at nighttime, you find yourself sitting in a situation, your mind has been so busy that your body can't take the time to rest. and I want to speak to that person today that knows there's so many things that happen in your life but yet you just keep on being tired and even the more when the day starts the person who's tired in a way sleep can't fix the person who is tired who lie down at night with a mind that does not switch off bills killing you from the side children making you having sleepless nights the guy who taught his girlfriend was cheating on him and he can't sleep the girl who thought this was my only true love, yet he disappointed you. You can't sleep. The person who feels like if they stop holding it all together for one second, everything will fall apart. Speaking to that person today, I'm speaking to the person that, Let call him the believer who prays day in day out Sometimes your prayers it even when your ancestors are running around at two o three o I'm even speaking about that one, but still carries a weight afterwards. And I want to make sure that you understand that This message is not specifically for somebody specifically, but it's for all of us. Bishop, my concern is that we are so holy that we think our prayers will fix certain things. You know, you know, prayer does most of the things. but a prayer without action it's useless you prayed oh god give me money then somebody says i have a yes 20 run you took pride that pride is too much in you you don't take the 20 run and god has been giving it to you you are tired. And this is not the tired of I need more sleep. It's the tired of if only I can just have some one minute to find out from this person if it is fine, if things are well. It's that kind of tiredness, the kind of tiredness that you feel like you're When is it going to stop? We think rest comes when the storm stops. But rest doesn't come when storms stop. Rest comes within the storm. And I will explain to you now, but just go with me. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So you see, what happened is that from the time when he said let us go to the time when they got onto the boat, the promises were still fresh. This is the same thing how our lives play out. The moment when we when we get a prophetic word over our lives, we are all charged up. We are all charged up, I'm telling you. But the problem is not us being charged up. The problem is us knowing that there's a promise over our lives. but any wind of change coming into our lives, it changed our sleep. It changed our sleep. Now, I would like you to take, who's this guy? Adam. when Adam had a promise then suddenly something happened and the promise of this garden of Eden changed the promise never changed it's Adam's look into it that changed because if you can hear Adam lost the rest of the garden after the fall the ground was cursed and work becomes sweat and toil all the days of his life Eden is still there. The garden of Eden is still there. But because of certain things that we have done up until that time, makes us to work harder. Makes us to work harder. And I want you to take a moment as well. To realize that. Sometimes. Our calm situations. Doesn't make us experts. On where we need to go. Bishop. So, the nuts and bolts that needs to be loosened, sometimes it needs a torque wrench. If you don't have torque wrench, what do you use? You use normal inside, let's call it a socket. You take the small size wrench Then you put the pipe at the back you you get my point if you don't have talk That thing talking I don't know what you call that power buyer is a talk bar if you don't have that thing would you leave the whole car and just realize I lost because of this small issue that just happened now. You rather use whatever is in your ways. Take the pipe, put it inside the small little shifting or whatever you call them. You put it, then you use that and you make the bar. You get my point. But what we have come to accustomed word is that the moment certain harder issues comes in our lives, we tend to say let us leave this promise that has been given to us I want us to read Matthew 8. And I want us to read from 23. Matthew 8 from 23 says, And when he was entered into the ship, his disciples followed him. And behold, these arose a great tempest in the sea. In so much that the ship was covered with waves. But he was asleep. Did you hear? He was asleep. and his disciple came to him and awoke him and saying, Lord, save us, we perish. And he said unto them, Why are you fearful? O ye of little faith. Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm, but the man marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds of the sea. Obey him. Now, I want you to understand that when we read the scripture, we always read it as a storm-coming story. I understand. Yes, we love the fact that Jesus can calm the storms. But we forgot that it's more powerful the fact that Jesus can sleep in the storm. How can somebody be able to sleep in a storm? There must be some kind of a what's that thing called? Recipe. Let's call it a recipe. There must be some kind of a recipe. Now, when I go to the Bible, He said but then He but the man where this Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm Now, the difference between them was not the storm. They were all exact, having the exact same storm. Jesus was in the storm they were in the storm the exact same storm but sometimes it is because of what you carry that makes the storm to be worse off do you know what is a boat a boat is something that has only a capacity of a certain tons or kilos of whatever is necessary for that boat to stay afloat. If it is a small boat, it can't take large cargo. If it is a big boat, it can't take larger cargo. But when you get on a boat where the storms are becoming too much, do you know what happened to Jonah? they were saying that we need to throw on overboard some of the things because of the boat and the storm that is currently here does not need us to have so much load what is the load that you carry that makes you that when your storm is too much you need to get rid of you need to get rid of. What is that? But what is surprising is that this is not just a story about the man who can stop the weather. It's a story about the man who could rest inside of the thing that was making everyone else to panic. But I want you to go to this specific, in Mark's account of the same moment, Jesus speak to the psalm and say, peace, be still. It's like the Greek word is siopa, pepimoza, literally meaning peace. Island. It's what it means. It's like, I don't know if you ever seen the dogs now when they, when they have vicious dogs, what they do is they put that thing on top of the dog like this. It's like a muzzle. So. Yeah. The storm got muzzled. It's still. it still shows that something, but it's quiet. And I want you to understand that our issue sometimes, it's not the fact that we are in the storm, but it's our mouths that starts to complain too much while we are in the storm. And not complaining to Jesus, but complaining to your fellow man. And here's where the problem comes in. The moment that one sees you are going through a storm. Do you know what is the words they normally say? I also went through that some other time ago. They don't give the solution. They just add on to you. Do you know what happened to me? I even lost my job adding more load onto your storm. Now you are more negative than positive within the storm. Muzzle, muzzle that storm. Make him quiet. Because here's the point. And the same Jesus who could muzzle the storm with just one word has been asleep throughout it. He did not lose one minute of rest over a thing that could silence whenever he chose us. Whenever he chose us. Look at this. Here's the promise. You remember I said I said to you remember that let us pass over unto the other side which is Mark 4 verse 35 That was what Jesus already told them. so regardless whether the storm could come, regardless whatever the storm went through he already gave the promise and the command that they must go over so when you have a promise of where you are heading whatever happened in between it's not for you to leave it's not for you to lose sleep over it. Because when you have the promise that you will move over, just hold on to that promise. And that's the way you can actually withhold from letting the storm casting you from left to right to center. Hmm? I would like you to understand that when too many things is in your boat, it allows you to go down. But some of the things you have to ship it out and ship it in to Jesus. Ship it out and ship it in to Jesus. Because he's the only one who understands how to sleep. in a storm. Because how can somebody sleep? Let's be human beings. Let me not ask you let me not ask you holy things. Let's ask you real things. Life things. Like things that happen in your life. Jesus how can you be so quiet and my kids must eat tonight you are too quiet for my liking why are you sleeping I can hear anything from you While the kids are crying. Of hunger. Bishop, there's a, there's a, what is that thing called? School something, something. Ich miskatt, was kann ich noch sagen? Feldschool. Okay, something. Let's call it a camp. This is what happened. I was asking Laverne not to have too many activities outside school because the school fees is too much already. And then she have this outside activities that is costing even the more. and it came to a point that she had to go to a camp and the camp is something that will teach them life lessons it's not just a normal camp like you know like going and have some fun it teaches like leadership skills it teaches like a lot of things Outdoor education. Aha, that's an outdoor education camp. So what then happened is that I hinted to her, we can't afford this one. It's too much. Just so that she can not go. Bishop, I made a mistake. She decided she's not going. and when the time of the camp come close by you can hear the pain in her voice whenever she talk about the camp we can't go we can't afford it the the camp started it's manda what tuesday Tuesday. So, the teacher called me. Get him some water. Get him some water. So what happened is that when they started now all the other let call it the other kids start, yeah, we are going to the camp. Now this one inside the brain is feeling pained. She can't go. Do you know the teacher called me? And when the teacher called me, is Levin not going? I said, I'm sorry. I can't afford it. She can't go. But don't you have just the 500 rent that you can pay us now? We can make a plan. I said, Sir, you did not hear me. I don't have. Not even the 500 rent you are asking for now. I don't have. Do you know what the guy says? He says to me, Laverne is such a beautiful young little lady. He doesn't want her to lose out. We can send her to the camp. She doesn't have to pay anything. The school will donate that to her. Bishop, the storm in my head was too much even at that moment because Lytton got hurt. We have to pay for Lytton's medication. So it's like storm after storm after storm and the load after load after load after load it started bringing me down. And here this guy comes with another load again asking me only for 500 rand that I don't have. I just said, I'm sorry, I don't have. When he said, we will donate it, the only thing I could do out of, that was Bladescap, joy, joy, yeah, out of joy for the fact that they say they will be paying for it, I cried like a baby. Lachey came into the room. Daddy, what's happening? Trying to find out what's happening. But the joy was so much at that moment, my stone was that was too much on me. The load that was too much on me. It burst. And Jesus says, storm become. And she could went to the camp. And I'm not saying this as a way of showing, but this is a way of bragging how God can come through in a storm that looks too much. That looks really, really too much. And this is something that I can tangibly put away to it. But I need you to understand a lot more things. When Jesus says, I rested. Before the storm, Jesus had said they were going to the other side. Way before the storm. He gave the promise. He said, we are going. So that settled it. That was done. A storm in the middle does not cancel that word that was given at the time. His rest was not based on the weather. so he slept not because of the weather he slept because it was based on the father who already said it so when God already said it it is settled we unfortunately have the way of can I call it looking at our circumstances at a certain time. And that makes us to lose our focus. I'm trying to look at my notes and I was wondering why would I write this? You know like when you make the notes at that moment the Spirit of God is upon you and you trying to figure out Now when I read this I almost said I almost how do you call it I almost skipped it. And I've almost made you to miss an important point. Let me read it for you according to what I wrote. He does not sleep so that you can. you are trying to stay awake and guard a life that God is already guarding for you maybe I read it again he does not sleep so that you can you are trying to stay awake and guard a life that God already guarding for you. This one, I can almost call it God has given us a sweet sleep. The scripture in Psalm 4 verse 8 says, the psalmist says, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only maketh me dwell in safety. That's according to Psalm 4, verse 8. He already gave you to sleep. Oh, I even put this one. It says Psalm 4, verse 8, which is, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou, Lord, only make me dwell in safety. So he's keeping us safe as well as Psalm 121 verse 4. 121 verse 4 says the following. He says, Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. So why do you have to be awake while God is looking after you? and doesn't sleep nor does he slumber. Because of the situation that you going through he has been giving you rest But I need you to understand one thing about this scripture also is that sometimes our storms that we are going through is not our own storms. Let me be blunt with you here. Let me be straightforward with you here. Let me be telling you something there. Do you know that as an adult, when you have a child, the only reason why that child has been given to you is to teach that child how to become an adult. You as an adult, you have to teach them how to become independent. Now, I want to ask you, how does somebody becomes independent? Somebody becomes independent when they can rely on their own ways or their own resources. Here's the thing. Laverne has something that she always want to go somewhere. And I always say, I'm not going to. I'm not going to take you there. Then afterwards, I realize there's no one that will bring her back. I still have to go and fetch her. can i tell you what what i mean by sometimes we take on others storms if bishop if laverne decide she want to go to the mall when she decided she's going to the mall do you know what she does she calculate my time into her time. She already made the meds If daddy will take me there I don have to pay Uber fee Bishop can you hear that part I don't have to pay Uber fee. If daddy take me there, I don't have to take taxi to come back. So, it's no need for me to go and sit in a queue by taxis. the storm that she goes through because of her own ways of going out becomes my storm. Now, here I'm stressing how is this child going to get home? Now I take my time and accept her storm. to come into my life. Now you get what I'm saying. Sometimes, not every stone is your own to carry. You have to decide what kind of stone can you carry. The disciples woke up, let's say, woke him up. Care us down not that we perish. Some people say to you, ah, so you don't care. You don't care about me. It's almost like they use manipulative voices to manipulate you to doing what they want you to do. So sometimes the storms that you carry is not always your own storm. If somebody asks you for a 50 rind, there's no bread at home. And you give the 50 rind, knowing that there's no bread at home. What do you do? You take that person's storm and you run with it. So sometimes our storms is not that we don't care, but we have to reject certain storms. It's almost like set boundaries. You know, you know, there's a difference between in caring, who's even caring about somebody? Or must I say? There's a difference between somebody's storm that you're caring about, you care about that storm that the person go through. There's a difference between that and drowning in their storm. So don't drown in somebody else's storm. That is why Jesus went to sleep. Because the storm at that moment that happened was not his storm. Was not the pain that he went through. But I'm coming. 1 Peter 5 verse 7. Well-known scripture. 1 Peter 5 verse 7. He says, casting all your cares upon him, for he cared for you. Now, my question is, if you who goes through storms still have to carry somebody else's storm, when would you would you realize that the storm you are carrying is supposed to be taken to God because he cares for you. Jesus' disciples at that time had their own storms and they brought it to Jesus and he cared for them. I think the way we we have a lot of things happening in the country at the moment and I'm saying a lot of things but I mean literally a lot of things some of these things we take upon us as if it is our problem and not the government's. I telling you the government had to deal with a lot more things It not yours I'm of the opinion that if I take on the work of the government while not getting paid, I'm sorry, I can't. They get paid the big bucks. They have to resolve it. and not just the fact that they get paid the big bucks, but the fact that they are, how do you say, we are looking up to them. They disappoint us. Yes, they do. But it's their lot to carry. It's their storm to carry. All we have to do is carry what we can so that our boats doesn't sink. If your boat wants to sink. Let me explain to you. If your boat wants to sink, if your storm is too much, there's still another option for you. Remember the one thing I said, there's a promise. That's how you keep going through that storm. because there's a promise to the storm that you are going through that after the storm, something still will happen. Let us go over. Your going over doesn't mean that the storm is not going to try and stop you from going over. You will still be going over. That's the promise. Another one is not to take somebody else's storm upon you. Don't carry loads that does not belong to you. But here's another one. Let me explain another one to you. There's another way. There's a time to rest and a time to speak to the storm. We have a Bible that says the tongue is like a boat Amen Why am I not getting the scripture correct? The tongue is a rada. It's like a rada. Yes. It's like a rada. So when you steer your tongue to the negative, your storm will overpower you. But when you say peace, be still, Bishop, your words, peace, be still. That word that you use, you use it more than I've ever heard it anywhere else. I acknowledge you for that's yours. Am I talking nonsense? Have you heard him always, peace, be still? A lot of times, eh? Even when he prays, it's like, that's the prayer. So, when you speak to the storm, you don't say, your mother's this and that. You speak the positive of what you want it to become, which is the peace be still and he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea peace be still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm Jesus rested first Then he rose and spoke to the storm with authority. Both were actions. So sometimes our storms is better tackled when we have rested. It's no need to fight a storm with a tired mind. I think I've preached that before. for somebody who is tired, solutions doesn't come easily. You have to rest because that why God rested on the seventh day So when you rest you have an easy alternative way you can deal with the storm So rest and still after resting, take that storm on. my my my my mother was once saying something that if we can't fix it tonight let's sleep on it bishop have you heard some people say that my mother used to say ah this thing ah let's sleep on it and i can guarantee you bishop some days the night time brings His mercies new every morning. So the storm, you need to speak to it. Philippians 4, verse 6 and 7. Philippians 4 says, be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer, and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Huh? So when the storm comes, rest. But at the same time, once you awake, Speak. Once you are awake, speak. He is in your boat. The other side is already being promised. You are allowed to put it down and rest. And when it's time, you are allowed to stand up and speak to it. Because the one who muzzled the storm is right there with you. is right there with you. This week, I want you to take a moment and look into your life and name one storm, just one, that you have been carrying that was yours. You've been carrying a storm that was never yours. Say it out loud. This is not my storm to carry and put it down. This is not my storm to carry and put it down. And before you fight your own storms for this week. Please rest first. Take a moment to rest. Bishop, what is rest? Do you know what is rest? People think it's that one where you sleep. Because somebody can still sleep but not feel rested. That's not the rest we're talking about. So there's something I've learned over the years, that sometimes when my mind is too busy and I can't calm it down, do you know what I do is I do type of breathing exercises like doing a five count in keeping five counts inside like keeping the breath for five counts inside the lungs and then push it out for eight counts. So it's a five, five, eight. like when you breathe in your count one, two, three, four, five till it's in. You keep it in for one, two, three, four, five and then you out it for eight. The way what it does to my body I think that is such a blessing for me sometimes. because I feel calmer after I've done that. Do you know when you stress, you don't breathe. Your breath is short. It doesn't. That's when you realize you are stressed. And how to keep resting is to make sure your breath you Regulate it Stabilize If you don do that you will have a problem Now, I want you to know that next week, there's a trap that you kept falling into. You kept fixing things and they keep breaking. the money, the relationship, the same problem coming back around again and again and again and again. And it is because you have been fixing the wrong thing the wrong, the whole time. So there's a problem hiding under that, your problem. And until you see it, nothing you fix is going to stay fixed. so next week I will show you what it is Heavenly Father we are exhausted we are tired we are finished we are hurtful we are feeling like things are not well but we want to ask Lord Jesus today everything that we have been holding on to that keeps us from resting I ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior release it from us oh Lord the ones we cannot switch off teach us to rest in your word and to speak your word to the storm. Heavenly Father, I pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, where the storm says, come and we kept on onto things that is not ours. Teach us how to release that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen and amen. Amen and amen. Amen. Now I want to take this moment and also ask you, there is something that I need us to take mind of. Is that, but I think, yeah,
