Say Goodbye to Captivity — Carter Conlon

Saying Goodbye to Captivity

Say goodbye to captivity. I want you to think of the thing that you're struggling with the most in your life. And I want you by faith to say goodbye to it right now. Just say goodbye to it. Just say goodbye.

Praying for Freedom Through the Holy Spirit

Goodbye to captivity. Exodus chapter 14, please if you'll turn there with me. Say goodbye to the devil be another good title. I suppose for this. Father, I thank you Lord God Almighty. For the anointing of the Holy Spirit, I thank you for the sustaining power and the incredible might of our God.

Lord you have decreed that you will always have the people in the earth That will give praise and be a testimony to the greatness of your glory your mercy and your power. We yield ourselves Oh God. To be part of that body in this generation.

We ask you Lord sovereignly to break the cords of evil break every prison lock every wounding of the devil. God Almighty wherever the enemy has Cornered us in and caused the blindness to be in our spirit.

We ask you father in the strength of Jesus Christ and his victory on Calvary. Did you vanquish our enemies? Let this be a day like none other. Let it be a day. Oh God that is marked in history as the day that we walked away.

Multitudes in this sanctuary walked away from the powers of evil that had governed and guarded Jealously that area in their lives for many many years. Father, I thank you Lord. I praise you God for the anointing that breaks the yoke.

I praise you Lord for you are here and where you are. There has to be liberty there has to be freedom there has to be healing. The miraculous has to be unlocked and unleashed. I thank you for it God with everything in me.

I praise you that in the frailty of this body your power will be made known. I thank you God Almighty. There's not a prison door not a weapon of hell formed against anybody in this house that can stand against the testimony and the word of the Living God God.

I praise you for the shout of glory. That's going to be in this house today and all this coming year of 2009. I thank you Lord that the stranger who comes in here will have the questions of his heart answered.

I thank you God. The widow will find sustenance. The orphan will be fed. I thank you God Almighty. Those who have never known love will find a pure and a holy love in the house of God. I thank you Lord.

There'll be a shout of freedom a glory that has nothing to do with the key and the song that's being played. It will come deep from within the hearts of those who have known you in redeeming power. God Almighty, thank you that you're going to glorify your name in this city and in our generation Lord.

You're going to have a people to know you. Jesus Christ Son of God be glorified be honored. Walk among the aisles of this church. Unlock and loose everything that needs to be done today. Oh God that a testimony of praise might be in the heart and the mouth of every saint of God.

We thank you for it in Jesus mighty name. Exodus chapter 14, please if you all you already have turned there beginning at verse 13. And Moses said unto the people Fear you not. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today.

For the Egyptians whom you have seen today. You shall see them again no more forever. What an incredible promise that was I? Mean for people who've known nothing in that generation many of them but captivity.

Israel’s Captivity and the Cry for Deliverance

You know the story that under Joseph and subsequently his father Jacob 70 souls came down into Egypt and they were there for many many years. Another generation arose the scripture says in Egypt that didn't know Joseph and they looked on these people and They said now these people are more and they're mightier than we are now.

That's a type of evil powers of darkness recognize You whether you recognize what's in you or not? The powers of darkness know the potential that's in you if you're a child of God and Pharaoh knew it and the people in Egypt knew it and they said they are more and mightier even though they did not have that perception of themselves that's the reality of actually what they were and So Pharaoh said let us put over them taskmasters.

Let's get them doing things on this earth. Let's box them in. Let's give them a very poor Materials to work with and send them out to build a kingdom an earthly kingdom, but let's give them nothing to work with straw.

Let's give them once a week this isn't this this or every day this straw and send them out to build from materials of inferior quality and they'll build monuments to us and that's exactly what happened and It just seemingly got worse and worse until finally a cry came into the people's hearts.

I have to believe in our generation. There's got to be a cry in your heart Something that I believe that God initiates before he brings the deliverance a Cry comes in that says Lord. Surely there has to be more For me at least in this Christian life than I'm experiencing at present.

I'm laboring and I'm working but it's so joyless and I'm very much aware That my captors have put parameters around me if I go too far to the left. There steer me back into the course of what they want my life to be and there are many people in the body like that.

Today, I mean the church body of Christ Want to do things for God, but there are these captors on every side and every time they try to move out of that narrow Captivating path that's been set before them.

They are quickly put back into this place of subservience to these Things that are all around them. Now In the midst of impending judgment on his nation The Prophet Isaiah said it this way in Isaiah chapter 8 and verse 18 Behold I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts that dwelleth in Mount Zion now Israel is right on the threshold of experiencing the judgment of God.

But Isaiah said in the midst of this Whatever comes to the nation there will always be a people who cannot be held captive by their circumstance in their situation and Isaiah says God has given me a voice and There are people who are hearing what the Lord is speaking and they're going to be set for signs and wonders In the midst of all that is going on around the nation and all that is happening in the world.

These people are going to have another spirit upon them. They're going to be walking in a freedom that can't be found in anything of the natural. They're going to know the purposes and plans of God and they're going to be set for signs and wonders and the sign and wonder really is this here's the deepest miracle of all that in the midst of calamity in the midst of Uncertainty in the midst of confusion and darkness.

There are people who are not moved by any of these things. They are standing still. They see the salvation of God their eyes are looking into another world that is hidden from those whose focus is on the things of the earth.

They see something coming. That's why the Lord Jesus himself said when you see these things coming upon the earth lift up your heads. For your salvation draweth nigh your redemption is drawing nigh the fullness of what I have for you is coming.

It's not far away and these people now have exchanged as it is the value system of this world for the value system of heaven. Their pursuits are not the same. Therefore. They can't be shaken by what's going on all around them.

Their lives become a testimony to the trustworthiness and the power of God. Towards all who refuse to be carried along with a world that's moving steadily away from the purposes of Christ and from the power of God.

It's the man or woman that says the whole crowd might be going this way, but I'm not going with them. I'm going to stand still and I'm going to see the salvation of God. Yes all around me. People are saying you can't do it.

It won't be done. I've got the frailties in my own heart saying this far and no farther. I've got enemies around me saying listen, you think you can break free. You've tried years and years. What makes you think that freedom is going to come now?

But there's simply a resolution comes into the heart in the midst of the darkest times in the midst of the most difficult times. That person that man that woman that child whether you're the only Christian in your home.

The only believer in your workplace the only one that you are aware of that knows God in your entire Apartment complex and everyone is going this way, but you just simply say no. I'm going to stand in the power of God.

I'm going to stand and I'm not going with the crowd. I'm not going this way. I'm not getting my source of information from the same places that they're getting their information from Daniel the prophet in Daniel chapter 12 and verse 3 speaks of a time of great trouble.

Such as the world has ever never known as we knew the end of days as we know them and Daniel makes an incredible statement. He says in day that shall be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.

There's a glory that is going to come upon those whose minds are not saturated with the things of this world. But are spending time in this book. Walking with God faith is coming into their heart. They're starting to declare impossibility possible.

They're not looking at any obstacle as insurmountable any longer. They join with the Saints of old they join with those that came out of David's cave. They joined with the children of Israel as they went through the Red Sea and they say live or die.

I'm going to believe this book. I'm going to believe every promise that God has ever given to me. Live or die. I'm gonna hold up in the cross of Christ and I'm going into this place of impossibility. I'm not standing here any longer.

I'm not going to be governed by the biggerly forces of darkness and by the power of evil that wants. So to hold me back from becoming what God has called me to be. The scripture tells us clearly that there's a miraculous Transforming power of God that will come upon them.

That's what Daniel said. They're gonna shine as lights in the world praise be to God. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 5 You are the light of the world in a city that set on a hill cannot be hidden if you are found where I am.

If your heart is the same as mine if your value system and the value system of God is the same. If you are found on the hill where I died and gave my life for a perishing society. There's going to be a light in you that cannot be hidden from this generation.

No power of hell can take it away from you. No bad news who is going to change the tenure of your heart. The power and passion that's in your voice and the clarity and direction in your steps. Praise be to God.

Standing Still Before the Red Sea

In our opening text we see what appears to be to the natural eye two groups of people heading in the same direction. I Didn't actually read the whole text. Let me read it to you now Exodus chapter 14 again and Moses said to the people verse 13 Fear you not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show to you today.

For the Egyptians whom you have seen today. You shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you. You shall hold your peace and the Lord said to Moses Wherefore Christ thou unto me speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward.

But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it and The children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts upon his chariots and upon his horsemen.

And The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I've gotten me honor upon Pharaoh upon his chariots and upon his horsemen and The angel of God which went before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them and It came between the camp of the Egyptians in the camp of Israel and it was a cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came not near the other all night and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and The Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land and the waters Were divided and the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea Upon dry ground and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Now if you want to know what this looked like, what was that? Like? What what did it look like to go through the Red Sea and have the waters divided? Heaped up as it is on the right and the left if you want to know what it looked like.

Go to the middle of your Bible do that right now. Open it up in the middle. Hold it up before your face and close one eye and look down the center of your Bible. That's exactly what it looked like to the children of Israel.

You see the people of that generation didn't have The binding of the text like we have it today. They just had scrolls. I do believe God was holding up a Bible. And just letting his people walk through the pages of it.

Right to the other side. That's how you and I get through every time you pick up your Bible. Just close one eye and look down the middle and say devil. You're not stopping me. I'm going to the other side.

I'm going to the other side of this book. We may live on this side of the book right now. But there's another side of the book and the Lord says I'm going to make a way for you. It's going to seem impossible, but when you get into the pages of this book, you're going to watch impossibility.

Just simply part before you you start walking with me. I'll walk with you. I'll take you right through to the other side. And when you get to the other side, you remember they sang a song of victory. I'll sing them to the Lord He has done righteously or wondrously.

The horse and the rider are thrown into the sea. You'll sing with those of old everything that pursued me. Everything that said it had me everything that Boasted of captivating me every torment of my mind every demonic spirit.

Every prison door every bruise that said your heart's always gonna hurt and I'm never going to let you go. Every blinding power the enemy had throwing it in your face trying to stop you from seeing the victory of Christ.

You're going to sing a song before 2009 is out. There's going to be a song in this house. The likes of which New York City has never seen before a song of glory is coming into this house. You're going to come in.

You don't need anything but your hands and your voice. You don't need an instrument. You don't need a choir. It doesn't matter who's here. That song is going to be in you. It's going to be birthed in you.

You're going to be shouting it from the rooftops. Praise be to God now listen. We look at this and You see you see if you were to stand on a mountain for example and view this scene. You'd see what looks to be a large group of people all heading in the same direction.

With God the scripture tells us standing in the middle of them. But a closer look shows us it wasn't exactly that way. That's not really what was happening and the casual observer who has no discernment Can come to the opinion that all the masses.

Everyone who says we're going through the book everyone who says we're following God is actually on the side of God when that's not the case you had. The first group are heading towards impossibility and promise.

They're heading into the wilderness folks. There are no stores there. There's no internet access. There's no free food delivery except from heaven. Of course. They did have free food delivery. There's nothing of the world involved in this leading.

It's a place of impossibility and given the choice. That's where I'd rather walk. I'd rather go there. I'd rather let God take me where I could never go. I'd rather let him make me what I could never hope to be.

I'd rather that he gave me what I could never hope to possess. Nothing of the natural so that when I get through to the other side I can turn back to you and say only God could do this. Only God could change my family.

Only God could take a fearful person and set them before. Thousands. Only God could take people who are fearful of provision and start to flow through their hands giving bread to the hungry. All over the world only God could do this.

That's to be our testimony. That's the glory that Daniel spoke about. That's the remnant that Isaiah said would be there in a day of judgment. A people who have a testimony it was not by committee. It was not by design.

It wasn't the three-course step in anything. It wasn't by anything. I could have done but I believe God and I started to walk. I Believe that God could set me free. I believe that God could use my life for his glory.

I believe that he could take nothing and make something out of it. I believed that the glory of the Lord will come wherever God is invited and flesh is not ministering. Praise be to God and God will not fail.

Following God Versus Using God

You be faithful to you. They're moving in this direction. Now a second group of people are diligently pursuing that which represents God in the earth. With the sole interest of harnessing it and putting it to work to achieve their own objectives.

That is why so many people are confused. That's why they're not finding God folks it's about Calvary and it's about the souls of men. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's about Christ dying for me that I can stand here today knowing that my sins are forgiven.

It's about me letting God be God in my life. To cause people to have to stop and look at the glory of the Lord. So I can tell them that what God has done for me can do for you. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It's about you and I Going where God calls us to go not in our own strength. But in the strength of Christ doing what he calls us to do. Speaking what he gives us to speak reaching out in the manner that he calls us to reach out.

That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is where the first group is going. The second group are following what they know to be the people of God or the only testimony of God that they had in Their portion of the earth at that time, but they wanted to harness it.

Remember Pharaoh said in Exodus 14 5 why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us and there is a self-serving pursuit of God. And Folks, let me tell you what happens if you open this book and all you have in your heart.

Is that you're going to use God to fulfill some personal agenda? You will drown in the pages of this book as surely as you sit here. I tell you this you'll drown. The Bible tells us very very clearly.

If the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness? Jesus spoke in the context of having eyes that are focused on personal gain and not to the place Which the Word and the power of God are truly leading.

Luke chapter 19 verse 10 Jesus said for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost. But they Timothy says. Paul says to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 6 in verse 9 they that will be rich.

In other words they Whose focus is on themselves is using God for their own gain. They that will use God may I put it that way? Fall into temptation and the snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which drowned men in destruction and perdition as In Pharaoh's day his army drowned in the Red Sea.

And those who are unwilling to follow Christ Will also drown in the pages of Scripture. And I see a whole generation of people drowning in the Scriptures today. They can't understand the Word of God. They've given up on the Bible and they've turned now.

Multitudes are turning to false prophets in our generation glittery eyed and silver-tongued Ambassadors of Satan himself standing in pulpits leading the people farther and farther Away from God and into using God to pursue their own objectives.

They're drowning in the pages of Scripture. It's exactly what happens you and I have got to be moving now to the mass of humanity that's dying around us. Folks you cannot sit here and say I know God and have absolutely no burden for those who are going to spend an eternity in hell.

If you have the Living Christ within you his burden has not changed. His mission is not different than 2 ,000 years ago. It is larger now because he has a body all over the world. You and I are part of that body.

We dare not ever start to use Christ for our own objectives as we begin to move towards That which God has for our lives. If we begin to move towards the mass of human need in the world all around us Christ meets us.

He opens prison doors. He heals the wound of the heart. He gives whatever provision is necessary to do the work He's called us to do. The joy of the Lord becomes our strength because it's not based in things of this world.

It's based on men and women coming to Christ and finding redemption. Psalm 119 verse 105 says thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. Thy word O God is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path.

The Word of God as Strength and Protection

I want to show you where the Word of God leads to go to. Psalm 18, please if you will. Verse 26 He says with the pure you will show yourself pure and with the froward thou will show thyself forward. For thou will save the afflicted people and bring down high looks.

For thou would light my candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. Verse 29. For by thee I've run through a troop and by my God have I leaped over a wall. Now. David is the forerunner of Christ and in Christ everything that David experienced you can experienced the Word of God.

Having its free course in my life will give me the power to overcome Every obstacle set in my path now folks. You either believe that or you don't today. And if you believe it, it will cause you to get out of your seat.

And will cause you to say listen this thing that has stopped me whether it's an image of yourself. Whether it's what somebody has spoken over your life through your childhood. Whether it's a wrong perception of who you are in Christ, whatever it is.

When God's Word is in you when the Holy Spirit has come upon you He will give you the power to overcome every obstacle that is set in your path. Verse 30 as for God his way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is tried.

He is a buckler that means a shield to all those that trust in him. In other words I will trust that he will be all the protection that I need. That's what David said. He will be my protection the enemy wants to say.

Okay, you step out. You're gonna starve to death. You say no, I'm not gonna starve to death. You step out and do this. You're gonna be a failure. No, I'm not gonna be a failure. You step out and try this and the enemy is gonna attack you on every side.

But remember what the Word of God said. He said to Israel all that you had only known. That one would set a thousand to flight. If you would have known the strength that I would have given you if you would have just walked in faith.

Not having to see your way out and having to realize or rationalize everything before you. Verse 32. He said it is God that girds me with strength and makes my way perfect. The power of God will come to so that you be strengthened daily to follow that which is right in the sight of God.

Verse 33. He makes my feet like hinds feet and sets me upon my high places. I'll be given the power to climb and to see what ordinary men cannot praise me to God. God said I'll give you the power to climb above the confusion and Tenure of this society.

I'll give you the power to go into this book and to see what ordinary men cannot see and ordinary women cannot see. I'll give you the power and I'll sit you in high places and you will have another perspective of everything that is going on around you.

Verse 34 he teaches my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. He says I'll give you the power to overcome every weapon that's formed against you. Praise be to God. Every weapon say that with me.

Every weapon not some weapons not some things. Every weapon I'll give you the power. David said he made my arms so strong that even if the enemy came against me with a bow of Steel I could snap it in two.

I Learned where the power of God is and where the might of God is. Verse 36. He says you've enlarged my steps under me that my feet did not slip. The power of God coming into your life will enable you to be steady when the going becomes difficult all around you.

He'll give you a sure path. Verse 38 To 42 he gives you the power to overcome every enemy that says you won't. He David said I've wounded them that they were not able to rise and they're fallen under my feet.

For you've girded me with strength unto the battle. You've subdued under me those that rose up against me. You've given me the next of mine enemies that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried but there was none to save them even to the Lord.

But he answered them not then I did beat them as small as the dust before the wind and I cast them out as dirt in the streets God says through David. I will give you the power to overcome Every enemy in your life that tells you you won't.

Everything that's trying to speak to you now that's saying to you this is for somebody else but not for you. God says I'll give you the power if you will let my word have place inside of your heart and inside of your life.

I'll give you the power to overcome every enemy. You will beat them as small as dust and throw them into the streets. Then I've no power to stand before you anymore. If you will let me lead you. If you let me guide you.

If you'll step up and move towards the miraculous power of God. If you'll stop trusting in the flesh if you'll stop trying to reason everything. But believe what I've spoken to you and get up and start walking towards your freedom.

Start walking towards I've destined your life to be. Start walking towards the ministry that I've already entrusted to you. I've already been speaking it into your heart. You know what it is because I've been telling you what it is.

If you'll get up and start moving it towards you all the Goliaths that stand before you and all of the mighty evil that will try to tell you this far no farther just as the children of Israel look back one more time and God said through Moses take a good look because after this day, you will see them again no more forever.

Take a good look at your enemy today. Take a good look at everything that told you you can't take a good look at everyone that told you you won't. Take a good look at everything that's come against your life saying this far no farther.

Take a good look because after today you're going to see them no more. They're all going to drown behind you in the pages of this book. They're going to be drowned by the faithfulness of Almighty God.

Praise be to God. You've delivered me verse 43. From the strivings of the people and you've made me the head of the heathen. The people of my I've not known shall serve me. In other words every enemy that says you can't is going to be destroyed.

Every enemy that says you won't is going to become like dust before the wind. Praise be to God. Verse 44 says as soon as they hear of me They shall obey me. The stranger shall submit themselves unto me.

God says I'm going to give my last day church the power to lead men and women to Christ. They're going to see what I've done in your life. And as soon as they see the miraculous power of God flowing through you.

They're going to be compelled to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise be to God. You remember the parable of the wedding feast the last group that were sent out to gather to that Banquet that the master was holding in that final day.

He said go out and compel them to come in. Praise God. This is the challenge to you for 2009 as the body of Christ here at Times Square in New York City. You go into the city this year or wherever you are from.

Visiting and you compel men and women to come into the kingdom of God. You compel them by letting God be God in you compel them compel them compel them. Compel them when they see not just a person that's fearful and fretting and trying to reason.

Things out like every other man in the earth, but they see somebody walking with faith. They see the supernatural power of God being released through your life. They see you with tempered words of wisdom when everyone else is accusing and afraid.

They see a different spirit upon you a different mind and a different heart and they look at you and looking at you. They are compelled. Whether or not they accept or reject, but they are compelled to deal with the reality of God.

Because God is God in you. Praise be to God praise be to God praise be to God. Verse 46. The Lord lives and blessed be my rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It's God that avenges me and subdues the people under me.

He delivers me from mine enemies. Yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. You have delivered me from the violent man. This is what David said there was an enemy a Violent enemy against me, but Oh God you have put a song in my heart of Victory and glory.

The song is not a lyric. I've learned it's a life. I've lived in God. It's a song of glory to the righteous one. It's a song of praise to the one who took me where nobody else could ever have taken me.

Who strengthened me in a manner that no amount of learning no course no amount of self-defense. Nothing of this world could ever have done it in my life. In verse 49 David says therefore will I give thanks unto thee O Lord among the heathen and sing praises to thy name.

Blessed be God. There's a day coming. You're going to be singing down the corridor of your apartment building. People can be fighting on either side of you. You can hear the noise and the smashing of glass, but you're going to have a song of praise in your heart.

Verse 50 says great deliverance gives he to his king and shows mercy to his anointed to David and to his seed forevermore. Praise God. I see the Lord putting a song of praise in your life and in this church.

That the unbeliever will have no recourse but to say. Exactly what the people said on the day the glory of God came down on the altar of Elijah. They said the Lord he is God the Lord. He is God a Song of praise.

The glory of God came. The sacrifice was consumed. Oh Folks, I hope you can understand what the Lord has put on my heart for this coming year. It's a year of the miraculous. It's a year when God's people get up.

It's a year when prison doors open blinded eyes see wounded hearts are healed. Captivity is taken captive by the power of God. It's a year of a song the likes of which New York City has never heard a Song of glory to the righteous one.

Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth

Praise be to God. Praise be to God. Praise be to God. Jesus said in John 424 God is the spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. In other words, the truth is the way to go and the spirit is the power to get there.