Everything changed for David when he did something so simple.
The Bible says that after all he had lost and after all the tears he had cried and after
all the mistakes he had made, he did something so simple and so profound.
The king got up, left his chamber, and took his seat in the gate.
In other words, I hear David saying, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'm back.
My heart is broken, but I'm back.
I made some mistakes, but I'm back.
I wish I could go back and change some things, but I can't.
But I'm back.
I'm devastated about what happened, but I'm back.
I'm uncertain about the future.
I don't know where it's going to go from here.
I'm a long way from home, but I'm back."
What I picture in my mind is, today, thousands of people who have gathered to hear this message
online or in person at every location, and I see you getting up from the failure and
the shame and the regret that has kept you paralyzed and taking your stand in the gate
of praise and entering his gates with thanksgiving.
I wish 70 people would jump up on your feet right now and shout at the top of your lungs,
"I'm back!"
Let the Devil know, "I'm back!"
Let condemnation know, "I'm back!"
Let my past know, "I'm back!
I'm not perfect, but I'm back.
I don't have it planned out yet, but I'm back.
I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring, but I'm back."
High-five everybody you can reach and tell them, "I'm back."
"I'm back in it.
I'm not going to stand over my life blaming people for the next 20 years because of the
last 20.
Get thee behind me, Satan.
I'm back!"
When the Enemy comes with his accusations and his excuses, I want you to look him square
in the eye, before the year even gets started well, and tell him, "Devil, this seat is taken.
No room for you to run my life, because I am seated in heavenly places with Christ.
I'm back!
I'm back in position.
I'm back in purpose."
Get back in the gate.
You cannot change what you tolerate.
Get back in the gate.
You cannot change what you won't face.
Get back in the gate.
You can't change it by complaining.
You can't change it by "If only."
Now, if you will take your seat, God has prepared a place for you in the presence of your enemies.
He might not rid you of your problems, but he has given you his presence.
Get back!
I'm back, and I'm broken, and I'm better because I was broken, because I learned how to fight
the battle in between.
It's not what happens to you.
It's not what they say about you.
It's what happens between the gates
We have been too flooded with images and points of view that do not promote peace in our lives.
We are practicing the habits of worry, and we are living in the state of anxiety.
The place of power is when you take your seat…
Watch this.
David got up and took his seat in the gate.
He wasn't healed yet, but he's here.
"I'm hurting, but I'm here.
It's going to be hard, but I'm here."
To get everything he needed, all he had to do was sit down.
When he sat down, all of his men came to him.
Your weapons are waiting for you to take your place.
You're waiting for your weapons to come.
Your weapons will not come until you take your place.
This is the place of responsibility.
This is the place of owning your story.
This is the place of dealing with your dysfunctions, not from a distance.
This is the place of power.
We fight the Enemy in the wrong place, and we wait for things to appear that are waiting
for us in our assignment.
Keep that camera shot on me.
The only way for us to get the back of his head off the bottom of that screen is for
me to get back where I belong.
The camera is not broken; I'm just out of place.
"Oh no!
Let's get a new camera."
No.
You need to get a new attitude.
You don't need a new wife; you need a new mindset.
You need to get back in the gate.
You have a good wife.
That's why you married her.
If you would get in the gate, maybe…
I don't want to run them off week one.
They just got back.
Somebody shout, "I'm back!"
When he got back in the gate, everything he needed came to him.
You don't have to chase it.
Goodness and mercy will follow.
Get back.
You don't have to be perfect. Just be present.