"Body Parts" -Johnny Asevedo

Pastor Johnny shares a word on BEING the Body of Christ and seeing others as parts of the Body. Enjoy!

Transcript

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Welcome to the Destiny Church and Throne podcast. We pray this stirs you into a deeper relationship with Jesus and equips you to live a heaven-on-earth lifestyle daily. Enjoy. David, can you get those lights? Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Um man, that was so good. And we know we could stay there forever and ever and ever, but there's a responsibility for us to take that home with us. Amen? Amen. Man, that's so good. Um I I just want to, I was just sitting with the Lord this morning during intercession, as most Sundays take place right back there, and just asking him, Lord, what is on your heart this morning? And I just really want to share just something really quick with you guys. Um in scripture that's found in First Corinthians. And uh before that, I want to just share um a few brief testimonies that took place yesterday and the day before that. Uh yesterday at the evangelism event that ties into what I'm gonna share. Um Thank you, Lord. Wow. Uh one really cool thing, we we went out to to Goodwill and we got to pray for some amazing people there. And and there was David was praying for this for this lady. Pastor David was praying for this lady. And um and as he's praying for her, um I'm looking at the coffee mugs, you know, me, I love antique mugs, which I found a sick, like 90s happy birthday and a 1994 Arizona Cardinals mug. Beautiful antique mugs. I love them. And so I'm walking around, me and Kyler are walking around, and and and David says, He says, Hey Johnny, he says, uh, can you come pray for this lady? I feel that you have something for her. He recognized that there was something that I was carrying in that moment to deposit to this lady, to pray over this lady that he had just prayed for. And so I was like, Yeah, of course. So we go over there, and um, you know, it's like tag team style, you know, Brothers of Destruction, if you know Undertaker and Kane. So we're like, Tag, I'm in. And uh, and so I walk over there and and I was like, Yeah, I just want to pray with you. And and I just began to just pray the goodness of the Lord over her life. And then I'm just asking the Lord, during this time, Lord, um, I know that you have something for her. And I and I feel that the Lord starts highlighting lower back pain and digestive and gut issues that he wants to heal in this woman. Now we don't know this woman, we've never met her before. Um, you know, she didn't open up about any of that, like, hey, I need prayer for my gut, you know. It was just a word of knowledge. So we began to pray that, and she's like, afterwards, we get done praying, and and I was like, man, like, you know, like, hey, tell me about it. You know, because she's like, oh, yes, you know, and she just starts sharing, like, how did you know? How did you know? Right? Like, you there's no way you could have known that, right? It's like, well, it's God, right? We say that, you know, it's God, He's personal, He knows you, you know, He He knows every piece and part of you. And we just declared healing, and I'm believing that she's healed. I'm believing that she's gonna go home and this wakes up this morning and there's no gut issues and no digestive stuff going on, that she is just completely and fully and totally healed. And then right after that, we're walking around, we're preparing to leave, we're right by the cash register, literally in front of the front doors. And there's this lady there that recognizes David. This is the important part. She's like, I love what you guys are doing. He comes into my store all the time, right when I need him. God sends him in those in those moments where I need a word from God, need prayer, he's always coming into the store. And he's praying. Not just going to get milk, not just like, hey, hi, come to my church, you know, Easter's coming up, you know. He he goes in and it's and it's God's heart. This is what God's doing. You know, I'm gonna pray with you. I want to declare God's heart. You know, and this lady, she is like, if you were there, is there anybody there was there with us? Izzy is Izzy back there. Well, it was this lady, we're at the front door, is Robert the Castrezor, dude, she is boisterous about what God is doing. Oh, baby, let me tell you, I love when he comes in. I mean, she is just like so excited about the things that Jesus has done in her life. And she is like not like, yeah, God's really good. Yeah, no, he's so faithful. Yo, she is like, he's so good, and this and this, and he's like this, he prays, and he God knows right, he's a right on time God, and he just she's just going on. We're right by the door. People are walking in, cash registers are like, can you move just a little bit? Like all this stuff. Well, then her her, I asked her, I said, Well, who's this with you? You said it's it's my stepdaughter. And and I said, This is what I feel like the Lord is doing in your life. And it was a word of knowledge of exactly where she was in her life, specific things in her life, where she was, and her stepmom, she's just freaking out. This girl who who who looked like she was didn't want to receive anything, by the end of the prayer, her her face changes entirely, wide-eyed, and she says one of the very same things that lady said moments ago. There's no way you could have known any of that stuff. There's no way. And I told her, you're right, there is no way. But God knows because he's a personal God. And all I am is just a vessel that said, I'm gonna pray with you. All I am is a willing vessel who said, I hear the voice of the Lord, walking in it, I'm gonna share his heart, and I'm intentional about being with him, knowing him, so that others can know him. That's all that was. Ben's group, they go to the information center on the border of Texas, Louisiana. Ben walks up to this gentleman and he tells him as he prays for him. You know, he shares about restoration of his family. He was actually traveling to Louisiana for restoration in his family. But check this out. Ben says he had a vision as he was praying for him of this mom and pop little gas station with a little restaurant deli inside. Starts praying into that. The guy trips out. Why does he trip out? Because his uncle owns one and he's on his way to stop at that exact same place to meet with his uncle. I'm not saying this in this, like, oh my goodness. Like, that's the Lord and how much he knows people that are out there. That guy, he may never step foot through that door. And that's okay. The 15 plus people that got prayed for yesterday, they may never step foot through that door. That's okay. When we reach our city, reach the broken, we don't do it to put butts in seats. We do it to see Jesus enthroned. Because my prayer is that when that person left Goodwill, who was like, how did that how did he know everything? My prayer is not that they're like, we gotta make sure to go find that that brown guy with a ponytail and glasses. He's magical. Like, what? My hope is that when they're leaving there, they're like, I did not know that God knew me like that. I did not know that Jesus knew me like that. Because when that lady was testifying about David coming into her store, she talked more about what God had been doing than saying his name. This is what we long to see in the city. I don't care if you come to the church, this church, that church, whatever church. Don't matter to me. I want to see people outside of this door encountering Jesus. I was at the gym the other day. And there was a guy that was there, and I've shared this testimony with a few, real big guys. Intimidating, maybe to some. Gold grill, grunting, dude was was had a hundred-pound dumbbells on each side, just pressing them. Just right, lifting. I mean, you can hear him throughout the whole gym. Dude's grinding, bro. And he walks over and he's talking to these guys, looked like he kind of knew him to talk about something. And I noticed he had an ankle monitor on. And I said, Okay, Lord, you open the door, I'm gonna minister. What up, Savannah? Hey, thank you for serving the nursery, Savannah. Thank you. Love you. She's in the dark. She's like, let me go back here now. And I and I just opened up to him, and and I was just like, hey, I just, you know, I want to just pray and I just want to declare the word of God over you. And I didn't like pray, you know, like Lord, I just started speaking into his life. And after I got done speaking into his life, man, the the the look on his face, the only way that I can describe it is that it went from this like to like this little boy. And he opened up about his life and where he's been for the past since his youth. He's 26, he's about to, the the prophetic word is right on point because he has been on parole and house arrest for 10 years since he was 16. He just turned 26. He's getting off in June. For the first time ever. He said he's been out of jail since he was a kid. And the word that the Lord spoke to him, I didn't know that. I didn't ask him to fill out a questionnaire before I prayed for him. The Lord knew. And the word was exactly tied in to what he was about to about to go into. And I told him that God wanted to use him. There was another guy that got prayed for yesterday. Told this individual he was told that God had a plan for his life and a story, and God was going to use him to share his testimony. And the person, and it was David that prayed for him at Hibbit Sports. The guy lifts his shirt up and says, I know he does because I've been shot 19 times. Show David the scars. And he just began to receive the word of the Lord and the hope and the encouragement. I share all these things to share with you what I'm about to read to you. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 says this. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, I'm not part of the body because I'm not a hand, that does not make it any less part of the body. And if the ear says, I'm not part of the body because I'm not an eye, would that make it any less part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. I'm going to read that again. Our whole body is many parts, and God has put each part where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it only had one part. Yes, there are many parts, but only one body, but the eye can never say to the hand, I don't need you, and the head can't say to the feet, I don't need you. If one part suffers, all parts suffer. If one part is honored, all parts are glad and honored. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is part of it. What if your vision of the people you pass in the marketplaces is saying, that person is an ear to my eye. That person is a foot to my hand. They are part of the body of Christ. What if when we walked out, rather than just seeing people as people or not even really noticing them, if you were walking through market basket, I guarantee you, if you saw a leg chopped off in the middle of the rice aisle, you wouldn't be like, okay, and uh you wouldn't step over it, you'd be like, uh, help, help me, please. There's a severed leg, right? You know what I'm saying? Think about that for a second. Like I know it sounds silly, but this is the reality of things. You you you go to you go to get your gallon of milk and you're passing a leg who's been disconnected from the body. Maybe they've been hurt by church members. Maybe they've been hurt because trauma has taken place in their life. Maybe they walked away from Jesus because their prayers didn't get answered, and they are a severed leg in the body of Christ. And rather than walking past them and saying, God, do you have something for them? God, I just feel a pull towards this person. Is there something on your heart? You're just like, I don't have enough time. I'm just gonna go get my milk and walk out. What if we walked around with the understanding that those that are out there are parts of the body, that maybe they haven't been connected yet the way they are, maybe they've been severed and cut off, but God has a plan to fit them exactly where they need to go. I met my brother right here this morning. Glad you're here, glad you came, glad you the Lord led you here. You're a part of the body, and you fit perfectly. Even if maybe everywhere else you may feel like you don't fit in, you do. You are a vital part of the body of Christ. I need you, and I just met you this morning, but I need you to help me grow. You know what I'm saying? As you grow, I grow. As you love and we love together, I grow, you grow. We need each other. What if rather than than looking at people as just members of a church, we looked at them as body parts? Because the Bible tells us here, it tells us that God has put each part where he wants it. If I'm an I, I don't want all of you to be an eye. Right? If I'm an ear, I don't want everybody to be an ear. We are all walking and carrying something different. And when we begin to get that vision that the people that are out there, not just the lost, broken ones, there was someone that was prayed for yesterday. Or rather, got prayer after this moment. Watch this. Somebody approached the individual and said, Do you know Jesus? The person said, Yes. The individual who was out there praying said, Wow, would you pray for me? And that person was like, No, I don't know how to pray, I don't do that, no, no, no. Come to find out, that person, no, I don't do that, I don't know, was a children's leader at a church here. A children's leader who didn't know how to pray. Raising up little ones. Doesn't know how to pray. Can't pray in public, can't pray for someone. And I think to myself in that moment, because I've been thinking about this person since I heard that heard what happened yesterday. Why is no one investing into that person to see them grow to be the arm that another leg needs? Because if somebody broken would have came to them and said, I need you to pray for me, they said, I can't do it. Right? Good luck trying to use a body part that's broken or hurt or, you know, whatever, you know what I mean? We've got to be in this place where as the body of Christ, we're not looking, and especially for pastors and leaders, not just looking at people as like numbers, not just looking at people as just members that are coming in and all right, see you next week. Let me preach you a good sermon so you'll come back and you'll keep giving. I talk to people that don't even have access to their pastors. Jesus knew when he was in a crowd of hundreds when one lady touched him. And some people don't even have access to their pastors. We're the body. You are no different, and I'm no better than you. Just because God's like, hey, I'm called you and I've anointed you to be the shepherd and the pastor of this house, that doesn't mean in any way, shape, or form he's saying this guy's better than that guy. It's not the way that works. We're the body, and I need you. Right? That's why the Pharisees, and I believe if you read, I believe they were so upset when Jesus read in Luke 4, he said, This has been heard, I'm anointed to preach the gospel. I believe he said he sat down at the seat that they thought was reserved for the Messiah, and they got so upset. I believe they got so upset because what was happening is Jesus was saying, people don't need you anymore. The religious leaders were like, What are we supposed to do if Jesus is here? Because once the Messiah came, and he's saying, Hey, listen, I'm here. And I think that sometimes pastors and leaders forget, I am not here to try to make you fit in this one little bubble to keep coming back, keep coming back, keep coming back. We talked about our recovery ministry. You should see people recovered not coming back to recovery ministries. There might be people who need help every now and again, but you should see them healed to where they're not coming back. Amen? We need each other, and God has placed us where we need to be, how we need to be. And it is also up to us to be in this place and position to where we're allowing him to grow us into who he's called us to be. We are one body, but many parts. That's the church. We don't all look the same, we don't all sound the same. I'm not expecting you to look or sound like anybody else in this place. I want you to be the arm that you're called to be, the leg that you're called to be, the eye and the ear. But what I will say is that you are stewarding who God has called you to be with excellence and with a yes and with a surrendered heart. I don't want you to be this like, well, he said I could be who I want to be, so I'm just gonna go off and just make up theology and make up doctrine and all these other different types of gods. It's like, well, I'm calling you up. No, no. What I'm saying is that you would steward who he has called you to be as a leg, as an arm, as an ear, as an eye, whatever it may be, steward it in accordance to the will and plans of God on your life. Manage it, walk in it because we need each other. We need each other. Um, autumn, about to close up. If you want to change, you can, and then we'll walk outside and and and dunk you. Hallelujah. Um and I am I'm about to close up here. I just want to uh I just want to encourage you guys with this last thing. One moment. Did anybody else picture a severed leg in an aisle like I did? Like I actually pictured in my head. Like, dude, that would be gnarly. You're right, you're right, Miss Karen. You're right. So next time you're grocery shopping, I want you to remember that. Is there a severed leg down aisle four? Well, my pastor said I should be seeing severed body parts all over. All right. Uh walk away, you know. Like, you should probably leave that ministry. No. Um, we are recording, so if you're hearing those on the podcast, we just love Jesus. We're having fun. Calm down. Probably gonna get an email from somebody about this. Um all right, I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna share one more time, one more time, excuse me. Um one more time. I want to share this last thing and go back over it again. And I want us to just really hold fast to this, okay? I want you to say this with me. This is in 1 Corinthians 12, 27 says, I want you to say this with me. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is part of it. Okay, now I want you to say this. I am together with my brothers and sisters, a part of Christ's body, and we are each a part of it. Beloved, that's who you are, and in walking in who you are, you will know that there's a there's a need. Like, you are needed for the person next to you. You're not called to fly solo. There used to be this thing they would say about people who were, uh we'll talk about giftings and stuff later, but they were prophets of the Lord, and they would often say, people who are prophetic are often lonely. I'm like, that doesn't make any sense. Like, there would be no title or anointing God would give someone to be like, you're a loner, get out of here, go be by yourself. You know what I mean? Like, this does that's not even his character, because he doesn't even leave us alone. You are not called to be alone, beloved. And I can tell you this, now there may be times, real quick, side note, there may be times God calls you to isolate yourself, to go pray or go away and things like that, but he's not saying, like, cut everybody off, like you're you're called for this and you blah blah blah. But there may be times he calls you to go away to be with him in prayer, worship, whatever it may be. But you are needed in the moment that you start to feel like the enemy pulling you away, drawing you away, saying people don't care about you, this, that, and the other, all these other things, that's when you can know that you are starting a deep walk in being who you're called to be. Because the enemy wants to put the fire out the moment it begins to start. You're an arm, you're a leg, you're needed. Mary, you're needed. Jamie, you're Needed. We are needed. And when we walk out of these doors, when you go where you go, how you go and your work and whatever it may be, beloved, look at those people saying God has called them to be members of the body. And I'll tell you what, especially in this area, you're going to encounter people who have been hurt by the church, who have left the church that God is calling and drawing back. Day in and day out, beloved, we are the body. We are called to be part of the body. Together we grow. This is the church. We're all different. God has called us in different areas in different ways. We're not all yes people. We don't all look alike. But we are the body, and he has put us together. So I want you to walk in that understanding. When you are with him in your secret place, continue to ask him, what are ways that I can stir my brother or sister up into good works? What are ways that I can encourage my brothers and sisters? What are ways that I can grow in who I'm called to be, confident in who you have called me to be to help everyone around me grow? Because it doesn't take a leadership title or a microphone to help your brother and sister next to you. And the people that you pass on a daily you pray for, somebody that you feel, I want you to remember that. They could be a member of the body that is just disconnected. They could be a member of the body that is lost. They could be a member of the body that just needs a fresh touch. They could be a member of a body that is lost and doesn't know where to go. So, beloved, stand with me.