It’s Time To Stretch

Dr. Tim Rivers | March 16th, 2025

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Man, it's good to be in God's house. Anything can happen when the Lord is here. Amen. We prayed for miracles last week, and let me tell you, the testimonies are coming in. Supernatural healings. Supernatural miracles have taken place this week, and I don't believe God is done yet. Come on now. If he did it for you, he can do it for me. So we're going to continue in our discussion of miracle signs and wonders. I won't preach long today, but I do want to get into the word. But before we do, if you're a guest with us, welcome.

We're so glad that you're here. Make yourself at home. We are blessed that you have decided to make embassy a part of your spiritual journey. We would love the opportunity to get to know you more. So right after service, if you would, right outside of this door, turn to the right, go all the way down, we have a welcome center. We'd love to just introduce ourselves to you. We'd love to get to know you and then help you in your journey of following Jesus. So be sure to swing by. Also, if you are between the ages of 18 to 35, make some noise. All right, I'm barely out of it, but we have a special event for you, a young adult event happening on March 28th. We're calling it our March Mixer. It's going to be an incredible time of people getting together. We're going to have a panel, we're going to have... They've got all kinds of stuff planned, and we would love for you to be here. Listen, if you want to catch your boo thang, this is the place to be. You done tried everything else? Bumble all the apps. I don't even know what apps are out there right now, but try the March Mixer.

You may find that special someone. So if you're between the ages of 18 and 35, roll up. If you're 57, this ain't the event for you. Okay, we'll throw you a party as well. Stand to your feet, if you would and go with me to Matthew, chapter 12, the book of Matthew chapter 12. We're going to start reading at verse number 9. Matthew, chapter 12, verse number 9. Here's what it says. He went on from there and entered their synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? So that they might accuse him. And he said to them, which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a Pit on the Sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out. Of how much more value is a man than a sheep? So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man, catch this. Stretch out your hand. What an interesting request. And the man, check this out, stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. And somebody say, amen. Here's my title for today. The equation of a miracle. The equation of a miracle. So we've been talking about the ingredients, really, over the last couple of weeks. We talked about how if you're going to receive a miracle, you must first believe that it is possible.

Second, we talked that you should pray for miracles. And today we're going to combine it, and we're going to talk about the equation of a miracle. Is that all right? Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we're so grateful, so thankful to be in your house. I pray God that you would work in this place, online, wherever people may be. Miracle signs and wonders. We believe that it is still possible to receive a supernatural miracle, and we believe that you will do it. Give us ears to hear, a heart to receive, and a mind to understand what you would say to us. We give your name, the praise, the glory, and the honor because you're worthy of it. In Jesus name, amen.

Look at your neighbor. Say, neighbor, it's stretching season. Look at your other neighbor. Say other neighbor. It's stretching season. You may be seated. To be honest, I had to stretch a little bit before I got up here because I want to preach. Is that all right? And I want to preach if I got to preach all by myself. But I hope that you will help me preach. Here's my promise to you. If you help me preach, I won't preach long. If you don't, we're going to go for a while. I'm just kidding. Thank you. Will anybody give me five minutes? Just five minutes to establish. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. We all have limits. We all have limitations. And it doesn't really matter what your parents told you when you were younger. You know, they told you that you can do anything that you set your mind to. But how many know that as you get older and start testing some of those limitations, you realize very quickly your parents were lying to you. You can't do anything you set your mind to. You know, when you're younger, you think that you can become invisible. You have an imagination that you can fly. You imagine that you are royalty. But then as you get older, you start to realize, wait a minute.

I can't actually fly. I'm not really invisible. And when they told me I was royalty, they didn't tell me it was the biblical sense. And here's the interesting truth is. The truth is that we have limitations. No matter how fast you are, you can't outrun a cheetah. It doesn't matter how strong you may think you are, you will not win against the silverback gorilla. No matter how long your arms are, you can't fly with the eagles. It doesn't matter how much you think you can do something, the truth is, we all have limitations. Now let me just tell you what a limit is. A limit is a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. Being limited creatures presents an interesting challenge, especially in regards to miracles, because miracles require you to have faith, and faith requires you to believe in something beyond your limitations. So if you're going to experience a miracle, you have to imagine something beyond your realistic expectation and limitations of humanity.

Now, here's the thing. Although we know that we are limited and finite beings, we must believe that God is unlimited and infinite in order to access miracles. This is why the scripture says that those that come to God must believe that he exists, that he is. Here's the thing. You may be limited, but we serve a God who is unlimited. Think about the characteristics of God. One of the characteristics of God is that he is omniscient. He's omniscient. To be omniscient means that God knows all things at all times. God is also omnipotent, which means that he is all powerful, meaning that he has power over all things. He is also omnipresent, which means that he is everywhere at all times. No matter where you go, God is there. So this is very difficult generally for us humans to try to reconcile because we have finite, limited minds trying to understand an infinite, unlimited God.

And yet, in order to experience a miracle, you have to agree with Paul, who said, now unto him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us. See, miracles happen at the intersection of our limitation and God's unlimitedness. Miracles happen when we run out of our ability and have to rely on God's ability. Think about this. If I could put it this way. Human limitations remind us of our need for divine intervention. The reason why God doesn't give you infinite power is because he is reminding you that you need Him. So sometimes God will not come through for you when you want him to, because he's teaching you how to rely on him to get through the trial. Sometimes the miracle is just you being able to make it through. Sometimes we don't like that kind of miracle. We want God to answer me right now. And God says, no, not according to what you want, but I'm going to give you grace to be able to sustain what you're going through.

Can anybody just thank God for the grace to make it through a trial? That's a miracle in and of itself. Now, here's the thing. Miracles are not just for us to get what we want. And I know sometimes we come to God and we want a miracle and we lose sight of the purpose of a miracle. The purpose of a miracle is not for you to get what you want, but every miracle that God has ever performed or will ever perform is for his glory. Miracles are signs of God's kingdom at work on the earth. In fact, let me give you a biblical story about this John the Baptist. He is in prison awaiting trial. And while he is in prison, he's starting to have a moment of low faith. His faith is being tested and tried because he believes that Jesus is the Messiah. He declared Jesus to be the son of God in front of everyone. He baptized Jesus. But now his faith and what he believes God is going to do and is doing is being tested. Because how can the one who is preparing the way for the Messiah now be imprisoned? And while he's in prison, he's going, you know what? Is Jesus really the Messiah? Or did I miss it?

Isn't it amazing how when we go through trials, we have a temptation to question what we declared? Isn't it crazy how we say God can do anything? But then when you're in a trial, you're like, can God do anything? So John is having this moment of doubt, and he says to his disciples, hey, you know what? Let me just verify if I was right or not. Y'all go check with Jesus and ask him if he's the one or should we look for another? So Matthew 11:2. This is what it says. Now, when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples. Now, here's what you have to understand also about John the Baptist. John the Baptist is aware of Jesus doing miracles, but he also is probably offended by the fact that his cousin Jesus hasn't come by to see him. So he's like, you know what? I'm in prison, and after baptizing you and telling everybody you're the Son of God. You can't even come holler at your because. So he tells the disciples, check.

And they said to him, are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? And Jesus answered them, go and tell John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear. And the dead are raised up. And the poor have good news preached to them. Jesus didn't give them a long speech explaining how he is the fulfillment of every messianic prophecy that came before him. Jesus didn't spend any time having a dissertation, writing a dissertation defending his position as the Son of God. Jesus didn't spend any time coming up with flowery words and trying to convince them, yes, I truly am the Son of God. Jesus simply pointed out a few things that would have been impossible for him to do if he was just merely a man. Jesus said, I don't even have to use my words. I want you to use your ears and your eyes to take a look and take a listen to what you are seeing. That those who were deaf can now hear. Those who could not see can now see. Those who could not walk cannot walk. Those who were dead have gotten up, and those who were poor are now rich with the gospel. This could not happen if I was just a man.

See, Jesus demonstrated that he was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, not by words, not by intellect, not by debate, but by the demonstration of miracles. That's why the Scripture says, not with flowery words of man's wisdom. But we come to you with the demonstration of the power of God. The greatest testimony that miracles, signs and wonders are in effect is that you can't do it by yourself. It had to be God. Miracles are signs that prove it had nothing to do with you. It had everything to do with God. Can I take a moment to testify? Because I have to agree with the psalmist David when he wrote and he said, if it had not been for the Lord who was on my side. Does anybody just want to take a moment to think about what you made it through and how you couldn't have made it through if it wasn't for the Lord who was on your side. I know that you may be in a struggle right now. I know that you may be in some pain right now. I know you may be waiting on a miracle, but just take a trip down memory lane and think about all the times that God has come through for you.

I wouldn't have made it through that trial if it had not been for the Lord, I wouldn't have made it through that sickness. I wouldn't have made it through that closed deal. I would not made it and I would not have graduated if it wasn't for God. I would not have gotten that job if it wasn't for God. I wouldn't have got pregnant if it wasn't for that. My marriage wouldn't have been sustained if it wasn't for God. I wouldn't be walking today if it wasn't for God. If God never does another thing, he's already done enough. Some of y'all are waiting on a miracle to give God praise. But what would happen in your life if you just gave him praise for what he's already done? I never would have escaped from my abuser if it wouldn't have been for the hand of God. Divorce would have crushed me if it wasn't for the hand of God. I never would have left that toxic environment if it wasn't for the hand of God. I never would have had my mind reset after spiritual abuse if it had not been for the hand of God. I never would have had a voice to sing. I wouldn't be up here preaching to you today if it wasn't for the hand of God. Some of y'all are giving everybody credit except for God.

You credit your therapist, you credit the online YouTube that you watch. But how about you just stop and give God thanks for the fact that you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Lord who was on your side? It's a miracle that I made it through. It's a miracle. A miracle is a sign that God stepped into my situation and did what I could not do. Every miracle requires stretching. I know sometimes we pray for a miracle and then we enter into inactivity and we use passages like, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Let me just bust that bubble and give you what the word stretch actually means. The word wait actually means stretch. And the word picture is that of an eagle who is getting ready to soar. But an eagle waiting on the wind without stretching is going to wait a long time. The only way to figure out if the wind will carry you to a new height is you got to leave the perch, stretch your wings, and trust that the wind will take you where it's supposed to take... Getting ahead of myself. Miracles require us to stretch. I want to go back to the story in Matthew chapter 12, because here we have Jesus who is... Let me give you some context in the chapter before we find Jesus earlier in the story, there's a couple of gospels that write about the story, but Jesus is working miracles, and it happens to be the Sabbath day. And on the Sabbath day, Jesus is walking through a field with his disciples.

And his disciples decide on the Sabbath day to pluck some grains of corn and have themselves a little snacking cake. Well, the Pharisees are following Jesus, and they see this happening, and they say to Jesus, how dare you allow your disciples to eat on the Sabbath day to pluck corn? They said, that is work. And Jesus said to tah tah, my boys are hungry. Let them be. So Jesus leaves that, and then Jesus enters into the synagogue. And here's what's interesting. The Bible says that the Pharisees who were out there following him in the field, followed him in the synagogue. Let me just stop and say this. Everybody that's following you is not for you. There are some people that just follow you to see you fall. There are some people that follow you... That's why you got to evaluate, even on your social media, who is following you and block some people, because not everybody should have access to what God's doing in your life. All right, I'm sorry. I just felt like that was a word for somebody. Not everybody who is following you is for you. There are some people just following you because they want to see you fail.

This is what happened with Jesus. Jesus enters into the synagogue, and the Pharisees are following him in the synagogue. And this is what they're wondering, is he going to do something that we can catch him on? Jesus walks in the synagogue and he notices a man with a withered hand. And Jesus, knowing that the Pharisees were trying to trip him up, Jesus first of all addresses them and says, hey, listen, if some of you had a sheep and it fell into the ditch, you would stop and pick it up because you put value in it. How much more is a person valued than a sheep? So Jesus looks at this man who was withered and noticed that the man had a withered hand. Now, what you have to understand about a withered hand is the word withered actually means that it was paralyzed, that it was dried up, that it was withdrawn. So most likely his hand was withdrawn into his sleeve. So the question is, how did Jesus notice something that wasn't revealed, except for maybe discernment?

Jesus knew that this man had a limitation. Jesus knew that this man had an insufficiency. Jesus knew that this man had a handicap. Jesus knew that this man was not like everybody else. This man could not do everything that everyone else could do. He could not reach out and pull or push things with his hand. He could not grab things with his hand. He had a setback. He had an infirmity. And interestingly enough, and I think it's interesting that the writer identified this man by his handicap instead of his ability. He wasn't called the man who had one good hand. He was called the man who had a withered hand. Oftentimes, if we're not careful, we will allow people to give us an identification based on our insufficiency and not our sufficiency. And what the enemy would love to do in your life is try to prey on the fact that you have an insufficiency instead of recognizing that, yeah, I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. Oh, God. That's a whole different message. But Jesus looks at him, and then Jesus spoke words to this man that are very interesting. Jesus didn't say to the man, hey, come here, let me touch you. Jesus could have spoken the word and that man would have been healed. Jesus could have reached out his hand, touched the man, anointed with oil, and he would have been healed.

Jesus could have done a lot of things for this man. And yet Jesus asks this man to do something that this man was incapable of doing. Think about this. Jesus speaks to a man who has a withered, withdrawn hand and says, stretch forth your hand. Now imagine being that man and hearing Jesus tell you to do something that you are unable to do. That you feel like you cannot do because you have limitations. And yet Jesus says, if you will make the effort in faith to stretch what you have, then I will reach in and do what I can do. So if you're willing to expose your insufficiency, if you're willing to expose your limitations, if you're willing to do something you've never done before, then I will do something that you've never seen done before.

We sometimes we hinder God from doing a miracle because we will pray for a miracle, and then we won't move forward toward the miracle. We will pray for God to give us a job, but we won't put any applications in. Can I just get practical? We will pray for God to give us a spouse, but you ain't introducing yourself to anybody. We will pray for God to come through, but you won't actually go do anything. Let me tell you something. God is inviting you to participate in the miracle. He could do it all by himself. But an act of faith is that you move forward not knowing what's forward. Oh, my God. We want miracle signs and wonders. But some of us been sitting on the couch like we want God to bless our finances. And God's like, will you trust me with your finances? Is this too real? Here's what I believe we're in the season of, I believe that we are in a season stretching. Because any miracle God performs requires stretching. Y'all don't believe me, okay. Moses is minding his own business, doing his own thing. He's out here watching sheep, having the time of his life by himself. Been running away from Egypt for 40 years. In the midst of what he's doing, God sends a burning bush. And Moses looks at the burning bush. He looks around to see, is anybody gonna watch this happen?

And he says, yo. And the burning bush speaks to him. Yo, Moses, come here. And you know, Moses had to be thinking, now, I've seen some crazy stuff, but this tops it. What's even crazier is not really that there was a voice from the burning bush. It's that he was talking to it. He replies and says, yo. The burning bush says, hey, I want to do something drastic. Moses is like, I'm curious, what we thinking? The burning bush, I want to deliver my people out of Egypt. Moses is like, now I know I'm tripping because there's no way. This has been happening for hundreds of years. Hundreds of years, the Israelites have been enslaved in Egypt, and now this burning bush telling me that whatever this burning bush is, is going to deliver Israel out of Egypt. Moses says, I'm curious how you're going to do that. The burning bush says, I'm going to do it by stretching out my arm, and I will deliver them with a high and a mighty hand.

Moses said, okay, cool. I'll be on my way. The burning bush says, I want you to be involved. Moses says, how am I doing? He said, you're going to go and tell Pharaoh to let my people go. Now, oftentimes we read this passage and we think that it's just a one and done. Moses is so confident, he's talking to a burning bush. He takes his staff and he walks off. No, I guarantee you this took some time, because if Moses was normal, like most of us, we got questions, right? Right. I want to know, how is this going to happen? And God says, I'm going to do it, but I'm going to use you. Moses then has to go, I can't. I don't even have the speech to go in there and have this conversation. God says, don't even worry about it. I want you to take your cousin, your brother. I'm going to take your family member, and they're going to go with you, and he's going to be the one that interprets for you, and I'm going to do the work. And Moses says, well, you know what? Egypt's family. Let me go try it. So he goes into Pharaoh's throne room, and he says, hey, listen, God told me that you're supposed to let his people go. And Pharaoh did what any Pharaoh would do. He laughed.

He said, who told you? And Moses said. He said, I am. Okay, Moses. That's funny. Now what? You know what God tells him to do? God tells Moses, look at what's in your hand. Moses said, I ain't got nothing spectacular. I got this staff that I've been leaning on. I got this staff, and God says, yep, give me what you have and stretch it out on the ground and watch me work. So Moses takes the staff that he's had for maybe 40 years, and he toss it on the ground. And when he does, he is as surprised as everybody else because it turns into a snake. And Moses like, what? Everyone is like, what? And he's like, no, for real. What? I didn't know it was gonna happen. And then God says, pick it up by the tail. He picks it up by the tail and turns back into his stick. He said, my God. And then again, God says, you know what? I want to do some more miracles. I want to turn this river into blood. Moses said, all right, let me see you do it. He goes, nah, I need your participation. I want you to take that same staff that you have and stretch it and touch this water. Moses said, if it worked for the snake, let me try it. He dips it into the water, and the water turns to blood. And Moses like, what? And everyone's like, what?

He said, man, what is actually going on? God said, I'm not done with you either. He said, listen, I want to send some locusts and stuff. I want to send some plagues here to remind them that I mean business. Moses said, all right, how are you going to do that? He said, take your staff and stretch it toward the heaven and see what happens. And when Moses stretched his arms out. All of a sudden, God did his part. So all this stuff is amazing and great, right? So Now Pharaoh says, hey, take everybody and get out of here. So Moses is on his way to the promised land. He gets to the Red Sea, and he's like, God, everything else was a miracle. But I'm not sure how this is going to work. Every miracle just required his participation. Now there are about a million people following who all are going, Moses, have you brought us out here to die? Moses goes to God. God I've seen you move. I've seen you move. I know that you can work miracles. But this seems insurmountable.

And God says. Well, it's stretching season. Moses says, are you going to take care of this? God says, yeah, I'm going to take care of it, but I need you to stretch again. So God says, take the staff that is in thine hand and stretch it forth. And when Moses took the staff, imagine everybody watching Moses being like, this dude has lost his mind. When Moses like, don't worry, guys, because remember, right before he stretches, he goes, hey, listen, look behind you and see the salvation of the Lord. Don't even fear. And you know good and well this man was scared. And yet he stretches forth. The Bible says he stretches forth what he had over an insurmountable odd. And guess what God does. God meets him in the stretch. And God does what Moses could not do. But Moses had to do something he was uncomfortable doing. He had to stretch the staff. And when he stretched the staff, the Bible says that God moved the water out of the way and everybody walked through on dry ground. I wonder, what is it in your life that God wants to stretch in order for you to see a miracle? Some of us have been too comfortable waiting for miracles. And God says, I need you to stretch.

Here's the equation of a miracle. Faith plus prayer plus stretching equals a miracle. God has always uses the stretch to work miracles. With Moses, God said, if you give me your staff, I'll turn into a snake. With Abraham, God says, if you bring me the wood and the fire, I'll provide the ram in the bush. With Israel, God said, if you give me a shout, then I'll tear down the walls. With Samson, God said, if you grab the jawbone of a donkey, I'll help you defeat thousands of Philistines. With Noah, God said, if you will build me an ark, I'll spare you in the flood. With Elijah, God said if you build me an altar, I will send fire down from heaven. With the widow, God said, if you give me your pots, I'll fill them with oil. With David, God said, if you'll sling that sling.

I'll guide the stone. With the little boy, God said, if you give me your lunch, I'll feed a multitude. With Peter, God said, if you will step out of the boat, I'll help you walk on water. With the paralytic, God said, Jesus said, if you will pick up your bed, I'll help you walk. With the blind man, Jesus said, if you'll open up your eyes, I'll help you see. With the man who had a withered hand, Jesus said, if you will stretch your hand, I will restore it, just like the other. With Paul and Silas, Jesus said, if you will praise me in adversity, I will open up the doors. I wonder, what does God require of you to stretch in this season of wanting a miracle? Let me ask you this. Have you stretched your prayer? Have you been asking God for things that you feel uncomfortable asking?

Let me ask you this. Some of us want... We want God to bless our finances, and God is like, have you stretched your giving? Some of us, we want all these miracle signs. And God says it's stretching season. Because here's how God works. If you'll make the room, he'll fill it. Here's what James said. Faith without works is dead. In other words, you can believe it's possible, you can pray for it. But are you moving forward in it? Can I just get practical? You've been praying for a job, but have you put in the applications? Well, yeah, I put in 50. Put 50 more. Well, now I put 100. Put another 100. Well, I've been praying for God to heal my body. Have you been taking care of your body? Oh, that's too real. That's a real stretch. I'm talking about actually stretching. What do you have in your hand that God wants you to stretch out and give it to him? Because sometimes the hindrance of a miracle is our refusal to move. I used to think that God would not ask you to do something that you're incapable of doing. Until I read the Scriptures and realize he told a dead man to get out of a grave. He told a man who could not walk, rise, pick up your bed. He told a blind man, a blind man to open his eyes. He told a man with a withered hand to stretch forth his hand.

Every time God is going to do something spectacular in your life, you're going to have to do something spectacular. Because if you want to see God do something you've never seen done, you're going to have to do something you've never done. Oh, God, I want God to fill me with his spirit. Are you willing to lay down the things that are standing in the way of you getting close to him? Sometimes you got to stretch and let go of some people. Who you know have been hindering you from getting close to God. Sometimes you have to leave a situation. Well, this is comfortable. This is... I like being here. Every time God does a, Abraham, I want to bless you. I'm going to give you all... Everywhere you put your foot, I'm giving it to you. Abraham could have said, dope. Where are we going? You know what God's reply would have been. Bro, I literally said, everywhere you put your foot. So you want me to give you some stuff? I need you to start walking. You want God to do something spectacular in life? You got to stretch your prayers. Well, they feel uncomfortable. Good. They seem out of reach. Good. It's stretching season. I'm being stretched. My mind is being stretched. I don't want to be safe anymore. I don't want to rely on what I know anymore. I don't want to be comfortable anymore. Can I tell you, church, I just want you to get ready because we about to stretch.

This is a setup message. It's a setup, but it's not really a setup because I'm telling you, God's getting ready to stretch us and make us. You may lose your seat, you may lose your parking spot because God's getting ready to stretch you in ways that you never thought were possible. And the way to see a miracle is you have to be willing to show God your insufficiencies. It's stretching season. Well, I'm in a waiting season. You're in a stretching season. 11 years God's been stretching. I've been walking with you for eight of those 11, and I've seen God stretch. And man, I feel like the stretch is too much. God's like, no, I got more. What? I got what? You want to see miracles? Do you want to see miracles? You got to be willing to stretch. So what is it in your hand that God wants? What is it in your hand that God... What have you been holding on to that is actually the hindrance to your miracle? This is mine. God wants it.

But this has carried me through the desert for 40 years. This is what I lean on. This is my protection. I whittled this staff by myself. This is my comfort. God says I want it. My money is my comfort. It's my space, is where I like to be. God says I want it, but what about my retirement? I'll take care of it. I love this job. I want a promotion, but I love this job. Maybe God knows that you've made an idol of it. And it's time to stretch. Well, this is really my passion, but they're not going to pay me what I'm worth. But maybe that's where you're called to. I feel like that was very specific for somebody, that God has opened up an opportunity for you and you're trying to rationalize it with dollars and cents, but faith don't make sense.

What is God asking you to relinquish? Would you stand to your feet? Here's what I want you to know about miracles. Miracles are the intersection of our limitations and God's unlimited power. But in order to get there, you got to go to the limit. In order to get there, you got to be willing to stretch. Some of you, you want God to heal you emotionally, but you won't show emotions. God wants to stretch you. Some of you, the healing that you need comes from confession. But you haven't been willing to confess. Are you willing to do your part to participate in the miracle that God has for you. And sometimes we think that miracles are only, have to start with a problem. Sometimes we only associate miracles with healings. That's true. But a miracle is anything where you've reached your limit and God interjects himself.

So a miracle is you not having the qualifications to get the business deal but God works a miracle and allows you to bypass everybody else and get it. That's a miracle. But it's going to require you to stretch. A miracle is you not being able to afford the home, but applying for it anyways and trusting God. Stretching season. Would you close your eyes? Lord, I'm curious, Lord, what is it in your people that they need to stretch? I pray that you would bring it to mind right now. The thing that they need to relinquish, that they need to let go, that they need to expose, that they need to bring out of the sleeve and show, the thing that's been withered. The things that's been drawn back. The thing that's been paralyzed, the thing that's been insufficient. The thing that's been the handicap, the thing that's been the excuse. The thing that has been withdrawn. I pray God that you would bring it out into the light. What is it, God? What is it, God?

I want our prayer team to come up, if you would. The reason why I feel this message today. And I was wrestling with it all week. I was like, Lord, who is this for? What is it for? And I feel like that there are some people that you believe is possible. You've prayed for it, but you feel paralyzed to move forward because of the risk involved. If I tell them what I'm going through, how will they respond to me? If I give up what has been a comfort to me, what will I be able to hold on to. If I expose this insufficiency, then everybody will know. And what I feel the Lord share with me, to share with you, is that he cannot do what he wants to do in your life until you're willing to stretch and let it go. That it's not him holding back what he wants to do from you. It's you holding back from him what he wants to use to do that through you. So this is what I want to do. I want to open up this altar for those who may be stuck, paralyzed, withdrawn, withered, to come out to stretch. What are they going to think? It does not matter. Do you need a miracle? Then I need you to stretch.