The Truth Church

Reverend Hilton draws from the preacher G.E. Patterson's music to reflect on powerful moves of God, emphasizing that God is not done and has more in store. He recounts several recent testimonies of divine healing at Truth Church: a woman's healing from migraines, a child's broken femur healed within two weeks, a deaf woman's restoration in the bathroom after a heart attack, and a coworker's swollen eyes restored instantly. He connects these to Bishop Riggen's podcast, which argued that old-time holiness and separation are key to retaining God's power. Reverend Hilton insists that God still performs the miracles of Acts and the Gospels—healing, deliverance, and provision—for those who believe and act in faith. He warns against a spirit of unbelief and the false doctrine of 'speaking things into existence,' contrasting it with biblical faith that requires prayer, belief, and action. Referencing the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, he notes that healing came when Peter took him by the hand, transferring faith through touch. He urges the congregation to expect answers from God and to step out in faith, not wallow in self-pity or depression. He testifies that God can sober the drunk, deliver the addicted, and remove temptations, as he has witnessed firsthand. The sermon culminates in an altar call, inviting those in need to come forward and receive from God, affirming that the old-time power and landmarks of holiness must be preserved for God's glory to fall.

Bishop Riggen begins by establishing the authority of Scripture, emphasizing that no preacher's words should be accepted without being compared to the Bible, which is forever settled and unchanged. He reads Romans 11:29, 'For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,' and stresses that gifts and callings are two distinct entities, not to be confused. He clarifies that spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12—such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation—are supernatural impartations for specific needs, not human talents. He then introduces additional gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28: apostles, prophets, teachers, helps, and governments. Focusing on 'helps' and 'governments,' he argues these involve human abilities and can be developed, unlike the nine spiritual gifts. Bishop Riggen distinguishes between two levels of calling: the universal call to be a saint (salvation) and the specific call to ministry. He uses Old and New Testament examples—Jeremiah 1:5 and Galatians 1:15-16—to show that the call to ministry begins before birth, as God separates individuals from their mother's womb. He shares a personal illustration of having a dream of Jesus as a lamb as a young boy, before knowing Scripture, as evidence of God's early calling. The primary calling, however, is to be a saint, and any gifts—whether spiritual, natural, or ministerial—are given only to help fulfill that call. He warns against prioritizing gifts over the call, as this frustrates God's purpose. The sermon concludes with an altar call, urging listeners to respond to God's call to salvation, emphasizing that God has chosen them and desires their fruit to remain.

Bishop Riggen opens from 1 Timothy 2:1, teaching that prayer must be the first priority of the believer's life—not mere activity but effectual, purposeful communication with God. He contrasts shallow prayer with the kind that touches God and produces results, urging patience and persistence. Drawing from Daniel 9:19, he explains two foundational elements of prevailing prayer: first, getting God's attention ("O Lord, hear") by beginning with praise and focused thought; second, securing God's favor ("O Lord, forgive") through heartfelt repentance. Even though Daniel was a man greatly beloved, he opened his prayer with confession, acknowledging personal and collective sin. Bishop Riggen stresses that unconfessed sin—whether of commission or omission—blocks prayer, citing Psalm 66:18 and 1 Peter 3:7 regarding marital harmony. He highlights that sin affects not only the individual but the entire body of believers, using the story of Achan (Joshua 7) to show corporate responsibility. The sermon calls for daily repentance as modeled by Jesus and the early church, urging believers to pray Psalm 51:10-12: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." This prayer, he insists, must precede all service—singing, teaching, ushering—so that no wrong spirit hinders the work of God. Repentance clears the line of communication, preparing the heart for God to move.

Pastor Hilton draws from Psalm 27:1-3, emphasizing that true confidence comes from preparation and trust in God, not in human ability or relationships. He contrasts King Ahaz, who relied on political alliances with Assyria, with his son Hezekiah, who initially tried to trust God but still leaned on Egypt for military strength. When Assyria threatened Judah, the enemy questioned Hezekiah's confidence, asking where he placed his trust. Despite pressure and doubt, Hezekiah remembered the prophet Isaiah’s words: 'In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.' Instead of panicking or forming new alliances, Hezekiah took his troubling letter from the enemy and spread it before the Lord in the temple, praying earnestly. Pastor Hilton stresses that God hears such prayers and reminds believers of His past faithfulness. He urges the congregation to stop relying on their own understanding or human solutions and instead bring their urgent situations—their 'letters'—to the altar. The message calls for a return to quiet trust in God, arguing that the same God who delivered Israel time and again can and will deliver them now, if they place their confidence in Him rather than in themselves or others.

Failure or Fulfillment