Called to Conquer – Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts

Give God Your Best Praise – A Call to Remember and Rejoice

Before we go any further, can we take just 10 seconds to give God our very best praise? If you didn’t come here to be entertained, but to offer a sincere sacrifice of worship, now is the moment. Think back on your life — every trial He brought you through, every blessing He gave that He didn’t have to, every time He made a way when there was no way.

Take 10 seconds and lift up your voice. Praise Him with everything you’ve got.

Some of us shouldn’t even be in this room today. Some of us shouldn’t even be watching this service. But somehow, God made a way. Let’s give Him our reasonable service. You woke up this morning in your right mind — and you know that hasn’t always been your story. You’ve got clothes on your back, shoes on your feet — none of that was guaranteed. Sometimes, we grow so used to the basics that we forget: God didn’t have to preserve us. He didn’t have to protect us. But He did.

So today, in this sanctuary, we lift up our Hallelujah. We say, “Thank You, Jesus.” We respond with awe, gratitude, and wonder. We fix our eyes on Christ and offer Him our highest praise.

Is there anyone here today who’s truly grateful to be in the house of the Lord? Even more than being in the house — are you grateful to be the house of the Lord? It’s a blessing to gather with believers, because there’s strength in unity. And I believe right now, even as we worship, God is strengthening us.

Take a moment and turn to the person next to you. Say something kind. Tell them they look great. Tell them they smell good. Ask them what they’re eating after this. Tell them it’s time to get back on that fast. If you saw them hang their head when fasting was mentioned — remind them there’s still room for them at the cross.

Let’s also take a moment to honor our bishop and first lady. We’re so grateful for their leadership and tireless service. Show them some love. He’s been out there in the highways and byways doing the work of the Lord — and doing it with strength and grace.

Now let’s return to the Word. I’m back in Matthew 16, picking up where we left off last week. We began a message titled “The Confidence to Conquer”, but didn’t get to finish. Today, I believe God will give me the grace to continue and complete the message.

If you weren’t here or haven’t seen the message, welcome! Help me show love to our extended church family watching online from around the world — we love you, and we can’t wait to see you in person.

In Matthew 16, we find Jesus in conversation with Peter, assessing whether Peter truly grasps who He is. “Do you understand that I am the Son of God? The promised Messiah?” Peter responds with revelation — not just information. He gets it in a way others haven’t yet, and that understanding becomes the foundation for what Jesus is about to reveal.

When we truly understand who Jesus is, it transforms us. It gives us confidence. But not only does Peter receive revelation about Christ’s identity — he also receives divine insight into God’s strategy. Say it with me: Insight.

It’s one thing to know who Jesus is. It’s another to understand what He’s doing in the world. And for those of us who are in relationship with Him, we begin to gain access to the mysteries of Heaven — insight into what God is doing in our families, in our industries, in our children’s lives.

Sometimes, God gives you a vision others call “crazy” because you’re seeing ahead of your time. That’s insight. That’s divine revelation.

In verse 18, Jesus says to Peter:

This rock isn’t Peter himself — it’s the truth he declared. The Church is built on the revelation of who Jesus is. And if you remember who He is, and what you have access to in Him, then no matter what hell tries to unleash around you — it will not prevail.