The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton preaches from Philippians 2:9-11, emphasizing the power and authority of the name of Jesus. He traces how God protects His own name throughout Scripture, citing passages from Isaiah and Ezekiel where God acts for His name's sake. Drawing from Exodus 3, he explains that God revealed Himself to Moses as 'I AM THAT I AM'—the God who will be whatever His people need. This progressive revelation culminated in the New Testament when the angel told Joseph to name the child Jesus, meaning 'Jehovah is salvation.' Pastor Hilton stresses that Jesus inherited a name more excellent than the angels, and as joint heirs with Christ, believers inherit that same name and authority. He demonstrates how the apostles operated exclusively in the name of Jesus—Peter commanded the lame man to rise, Paul cast out a spirit, and they baptized and preached only in that name. The preacher challenges the congregation to move beyond their own abilities and traditions, urging them to do everything—whether preaching, teaching, praying, or being baptized—in the name of Jesus. He notes that the early church was persecuted specifically because they preached in Jesus' name, and he calls believers to the same boldness. The central message is that the name of Jesus is above every other name—above disease, fear, and spiritual bondage—and believers must depend on this name alone for power and salvation.

Pastor Hilton preaches from Luke 7:11-19 on the account of ten lepers healed by Jesus. All ten were cleansed as they obeyed Jesus' command to show themselves to the priests, but only one—a Samaritan—returned to glorify God and give thanks. Jesus asked, "Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" and told the Samaritan, "Thy faith hath made thee whole." The sermon argues that while miracles are wonderful, God offers something greater: wholeness. The Greek word for "whole" means to save, rescue, and restore. The nine lepers received a miracle but missed the deeper purpose: relationship with Jesus through salvation. Faith is necessary but insufficient alone; obedient faith that leads to repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues is what brings genuine wholeness. Pastor Hilton emphasizes that miracles are a starting point to draw people to God, but they are not the end goal. Jesus came primarily to save people from their sins, not just perform signs. The sermon challenges believers not to be satisfied with blessings or miraculous experiences but to seek complete restoration—being made new creatures in Christ. Wholeness requires obeying the gospel fully: being born of water and the Spirit. This transforms a person from the inside out, restoring the relationship with God that was lost in Eden.

The minister expounds on Psalm 33:8, urging the congregation to retain the 'awe factor' in their relationship with God. He distinguishes the modern casual use of 'awesome' from its biblical root in 'awe,' which conveys reverential fear, trembling, and respect. The sermon identifies multiple aspects of awe from Scripture: awe of God's majesty, as seen at Mount Sinai; awe and trembling, as Isaiah experienced when he cried, 'Woe is me, for I am undone'; awe of God's name, declaring that the name of Jesus holds victory and healing; and awe of His loving-kindness, citing Psalm 36 where David marvels at God's mercy and faithfulness despite human wickedness. The minister emphasizes that the early church was filled with awe as the apostles performed signs and wonders, and he warns that modern distractions—music, presentation, self-help—can cause believers to lose this holy awe. He illustrates with Moses at the burning bush, at the Red Sea where God parted the waters, and Peter walking on water, noting that God often does not calm the entire storm but calls believers to keep their eyes on Jesus. The central spiritual purpose is to call the congregation to recover a profound reverence for God that leads to obedience, holiness, and reliance on the Holy Ghost for transformation and deliverance.

The minister continues a series on apostolic authority, focusing on Ephesians 4:11-14, which lists five ministry offices: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. He emphasizes that these are distinct positions with specific duties, all necessary for the perfecting (equipping) of saints. Using the analogy of a rocket needing constant course correction to reach the moon, he argues that spiritual maturity requires ongoing correction and instruction from the manifold ministry, not just a single office. He defends the present-day relevance of all five offices, rejecting cessationist views, and illustrates authentic prophetic ministry with a story of a prophet who maintained separation from the minister during a revival to ensure his words came solely from God. He criticizes the misuse of titles like 'Major Prophet One' for pride, clarifying that biblical major/minor prophets refer to book length, not importance. Overall, the minister stresses that believers cannot mature in isolation but need the balanced, corrective input of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to grow into the full stature of Christ.

Bishop Riggen preaches on the primacy of prayer, emphasizing that it is the first responsibility of every believer. Drawing from 1 Timothy 2:1, he stresses that prayer is essential for salvation and maintaining a relationship with God; a backslidden life inevitably begins with a broken prayer life. Using Daniel as a model, he notes that effectual prayer requires consistent devotion, not just petitioning God in crisis. Daniel’s prayer life built a spiritual reservoir of power and authority, allowing God to act instantly when needed. The bishop outlines steps from Daniel 9:19: first, getting God’s attention by focusing the mind and casting down distractions; second, seeking God’s favor through repentance and forgiveness. He warns that sin blocks effective prayer and insists on reconciliation with others before seeking God’s forgiveness, citing Matthew 5:23-24 and Mark 11:25-26. He teaches that unforgiveness — whether holding a grudge or refusing to reconcile — hinders one’s own forgiveness from God. He distinguishes condemnation from conviction: condemnation is guilt without purpose, while conviction leads to correction. Believers must accept God’s forgiveness once confessed and stop dwelling on past sins. He also differentiates between evil thoughts and sin, explaining that temptation is not sin unless desire conceives it. The goal is to renew the mind through the blood of Christ, allowing believers to pray effectively and overcome all obstacles, including church hurt, through prayer.