The Truth Church

Reverend Mays opens with a call for the congregation to remain sensitive to the Holy Ghost, emphasizing that God desires to bless His people through obedience to His word. He cites Deuteronomy 28 and Psalms 1 and 37 to establish that blessings, especially spiritual victory and power, are contingent on hearkening diligently to God's commands. Taking his text from Joshua 5:10-15, he focuses on the moment when the Captain of the Lord's host commands Joshua, 'Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy,' and Joshua does so. Reverend Mays explains that the children of Israel had just crossed into Canaan and tasted the promised land, but Jericho—a fortress city symbolizing the enemy's strength—stood in their way. He stresses that spiritual progress requires confrontation and battle, as there is no victory without warfare. He identifies three preparatory steps: circumcision, representing sanctification and cutting off the flesh; looking up to God beyond the intimidating walls; and worship, which he calls the 'keynote of spiritual destiny.' Worship creates the atmosphere for hearing God's voice and conceiving the miraculous, as seen with Hannah. Finally, taking off one's shoes symbolizes laying aside personal agendas, selfish ambitions, and self-will in total submission to God's will. Reverend Mays emphasizes that God entrusts His presence to barefoot worshippers and that victory comes when believers, like Job, choose worship over bitterness and, like Joshua, shout in faith because God has already given the victory.

Reverend Mays preaches from 1 Timothy 1:12-16, focusing on verses 15-16: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." He explains that the Apostle Paul wrote this to encourage young Timothy, who faced challenges in his first pastorate. Paul reminded Timothy that he once was a blasphemer and persecutor, but God showed him mercy and grace. Reverend Mays emphasizes that no matter one's past, God's grace exceeds all sin. He calls believers to remember what they were before God saved them—not to brag but to repent and testify. The sermon highlights that God transforms sinners into servants, enabling and empowering them for ministry. Paul became a pattern, a display of God's long-suffering. Reverend Mays illustrates with biblical examples: the widow's son at Nain raised from the dead, Lazarus called forth after four days, and Jairus's daughter restored to life. These miracles show that God can bring life from death and hope from despair. The core message is that every believer has a testimony of what God has done for them—deliverance from sin, healing, provision, and new life. This testimony is not about human righteousness but about God's mercy and grace. Reverend Mays urges the congregation to stand and share what God has done, turning their own experiences into praise and encouragement for others.

Pastor Hilton opens with Psalm 144:1-2 and Psalm 18:34, emphasizing that God teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight. He underscores that this lesson is the culmination of weeks of teaching on spiritual warfare, particularly the principle of taking the enemy unprepared. The core focus is identifying the true enemy: not flesh and blood, but spiritual entities. Drawing from Ephesians 6:12, he explains the hierarchy of the enemy's kingdom: principalities (executing minions), powers (those with ruling authority over regions or institutions), and rulers of darkness (demonic princes over specific times and places). Using Job 1-2, he shows the devil operates only within God-given limits. The devil is the god of this world, cast to earth, and persecutes the church. Pastor Hilton details the Greek terms for these ranks, showing Jesus has already triumphed over them at the cross, disarming and spoiling them (Colossians 2:15). He illustrates this hierarchy with the Prince of Persia in Daniel 10, a territorial spirit that withstood an angel for 21 days until Daniel's persistent prayer prevailed. He names specific spirits assigned to the city: a spirit of iniquity (lawlessness) and a spirit of immorality, which the church has authority to overthrow. The sermon's purpose is to equip believers with understanding so they are not ignorant of the devil's devices, encouraging them to hold fast to Christ's name, pray the prayer of faith, and exercise the authority given through the Holy Ghost, who teaches what to say in battle.

Reverend Hilton draws from 2 Samuel 21:15-22, where David waxes faint in battle and is nearly slain by a giant named Ishbi-benob, only to be rescued by his mighty man Abishai. The sermon emphasizes that even great spiritual leaders like David can become exhausted and vulnerable, requiring faithful intercessors to stand in the gap. Using the analogy of a sheepdog who sacrificed his life protecting a child from a wolf—despite the farmer's mistaken rage—the preacher warns against the enemy's lies that sow doubt about pastoral leadership. He recounts a personal moment when a pastor faced a near-breakdown, underscoring the need for the church to fight spiritually for their shepherd. The preacher identifies a subtle, root-like spirit of offense that entangles believers, comparing it to invasive bamboo that must be dug out from the foundation. He declares that God has temporarily called the pastor off the battlefield for rest and healing, and now it is time for the 'Abishais'—the mighty men and women—to rise, pick up their spiritual weapons, and slay the giants attacking the church. The weapons of this warfare are not carnal (selfish) but mighty through God to pull down strongholds. He calls the congregation to immediate, united spiritual warfare against the spirit that has targeted their pastor's health and the church's mountain-top position, urging them to fight now, not wait.

Pastor Hilton begins with Exodus 15:24-26, where the Israelites, fresh from the Red Sea miracle, find bitter waters at Marah and murmur against Moses. The Lord shows Moses a tree to cast into the waters, making them sweet. The pastor explains that sweet waters come from heaven, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, while bitter waters represent contamination. He emphasizes that water carries nutrition to plants; likewise, the Spirit carries life and fruitfulness. Without the Spirit, the Word (seed) lies dormant and cannot produce fruit. Using the Parable of the Sower, he notes that roots must go deep to find water; without depth, the plant withers. He stresses the need for balance between Word and Spirit: too much Spirit without Word drowns, too much Word without Spirit dries the seed. Good fruit comes only from good trees, and roots planted in bitter soil yield bitter fruit, as seen in Naomi (who called herself Marah) and Simon the sorcerer, whom Peter rebuked for being in the 'gall of bitterness.' The pastor urges hearers not to settle in victimhood or bitterness, citing Job who refused to curse God despite loss. He shows that God can transform bitter waters to sweet, as He did at Marah and eventually in Naomi’s life through Ruth’s loyalty, restoring her joy. The woman at the well received living water, leaving her old life. The sermon’s purpose is to call believers to thirst for the Spirit, allowing God to purify life's bitterness and produce sweet, life-giving fruit for others.