Strike the Ground: Why Partial Persistence Produces Partial Victory
When I received a personal invitation to Charlie Kirk's memorial service, I felt a tremendous burden to release this message instead. While I am deeply honored by the invitation, my priority first and foremost is to the pulpit of V1 Church. I believe that in the midst of great adversity, there is great opportunity. When it's darkest, the light shines the brightest.
I want to help you understand where we're at right now in the body of Christ and prepare you for what's coming. I see an unfolding of events in our society that will have a cascading effect. Many of us were duped by the devil, deceived and divided. But we are growing up, maturing, and strengthening. Devil, you fooled me once, but you're not going to fool me again.
The Enemy's Strategy to Divide Us
If I were to give you a prophetic picture of where we're at right now, we're witnessing increased military mobilization in the Middle East. The racial divide isn't necessarily increasing, but it's being exposed. Many believe Charlie Kirk's assassination created racial divide. All it did was reveal what was already there.
The enemy is mobilizing a plan to divide us in what should be our finest hour for salvation. Conspiracies are multiplying by the day, and we must understand that people make money off your viewership, clicks, and subscriptions. We've departed from proper journalism and moved into sensationalizing events to monetize them. We must increase our ability to discern and be spiritually aware.
If the plan of the enemy is racism, then find the person who looks the least likely and give them a hug. Do the opposite of what the devil wants you to do. We're going to unite while they divide. If this becomes about pro-Palestinian versus pro-Israeli, we're going to pray for everyone involved. There will be salvations in every direction if we choose not to divide.
Are You a Light Switch for God's Power?
Turn with me to Acts chapter 19. The Apostle Paul finds twelve disciples in Ephesus and asks them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Their response: "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
Paul lays hands on them, and there's a tangible transfer. Think of a man or woman of God as a conduit, like a plastic light switch. The power isn't in the plastic switch, but it's connected to the power lines. When you flip that switch, it releases the power.
If you are a blood-bought Christian, you might feel like just a plastic light switch, but you are a conduit for the power of God. Nobody's going to get healed unless you flip the switch and lay hands. Nobody's going to get delivered from demons unless you flip the switch and cast that demon out. You are the saints called to do great and mighty works.
One of the biggest deceptions is making some people saints and others not. According to scripture, we are all saints when we get washed by the blood of the lamb. These signs will follow them that believe - not some people, but all who believe.
The Form of Godliness That Denies Power
The Lord showed me we are in Acts 19 - in Ephesus where people can quote worship songs but not scripture. Where people know the church program but don't pray. It's a form of godliness that denies the power thereof. We need Holy Spirit power like never before.
Later, Paul writes to these same people in Ephesians 6, reminding them: "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and rulers in high places." You are not fighting people on your job, in comment sections, or at school. The Republicans aren't your enemies. The Democrats aren't your enemies. Stand in the light and the Lord will reveal what you're really fighting.
Strike the Ground Until Victory Is Complete
In 2 Kings 13, when King Joash comes to the dying prophet Elisha during a massive battle, Elisha gives him specific instructions: "Take a bow and arrows... draw the bow... shoot eastward." Then he says, "Take the arrows and strike the ground."
The king strikes three times and stops. Elisha grieves because he says, "You should have struck five or six times, but you only struck three times."
Partial persistence produces partial victory.
God's instructions are always specific. There's no formula - only obedience. Whatever Jesus says, we must do it like He says, when He says, how He says. The king wasn't told to stop after three strikes, but he stopped anyway.
You don't stop at overwhelming - you stop at overcoming. You don't stop when you're tired. You wait upon the Lord and keep striking the ground. You'll mount up with wings as eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not faint.
Radical Obedience in Action
When God told me to go to New York and start a church, He didn't tell me where the venue was or how to make it succeed. He just said sell your house and get to New York. It's a walk of faith, and each step illuminates as you take it.
I had a prophetic dream where my deceased mentor Tim Keller visited me on Roosevelt Island. He pointed to Manhattan's financial district and said, "If you answer their questions, they'll answer your prayers." When I called our board member Steven Francis about opening a temporary Manhattan location, he said, "That's weird - we've been praying for the right church to rent our space in the financial district."
We went into Manhattan and hundreds gathered. Souls were won. My Russian dentist's receptionist found me on YouTube, surrendered to Christ, and started leading everyone in that office to salvation. That wouldn't have happened without radical obedience - one step at a time.
Don't Stop Striking the Ground
What if I had given up in the movie theater? What if I'd given up on Breakers conference when my own church didn't sign up? What if I'd given up when venues canceled on us? Partial persistence produces partial victory.
Your best days are ahead, not behind. Your best sermons haven't been preached. Your best songs haven't been sung. But are you radically obedient, or are you doing it your own way?
You don't stop praying for your husband because he will get saved. You don't stop praying for your family because God is already on the move. If you're in Generation Z facing opposition in public schools, remember my story: I fought my principal in the 1990s to start a Bible club. He said if he let me have one, he'd have to let Satanists have one too. We started with 12 people in a broom closet and grew to fill an auditorium.
Mass Mobilization Is Coming
The best way I can memorialize Charlie Kirk is to not stop. Keep striking the ground. On October 10th, exactly 30 days after his assassination, I'll stand at the mall in Washington DC to deliver a message to America. On October 25th in Chicago at The Breaker Stadium, we're going to mass mobilize for arena revival.
Billy Graham was a trickle, a splash, but the tsunami is coming. We have to come together. If you can't go, send somebody. If you can't go, hold it down at the church. But we've got to be about the Father's business.
This is the youth takeover. Generation Z and Generation Alpha - your whole school can shift into the gospel. Many will be saved. Get a vision of what God wants to do through your persistence.
Strike the ground. Don't stop striking the ground.
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