Talk

BRO. BO SANCHEZ:

I WANT to preach the message: Surely, the Lord will.

Surely, the Lord will speak to you. Surely, the Lord has a plan to bless you.

Surely, the Lord will vindicate you. Surely, you will see His victory in your light at the end of the age. Surely, the Lord will work all things for your good.

Surely, the Lord will turn your problems into your greatest blessing.

Surely, the Lord will turn the difficulties that you are going through right now into actually an answered prayer.

Our key passage is from 1 Samuel 26:10:

I’m sure your response is: “What?

Strike down? Die? Why is that?” We’re going to explain to you, and you will find out the context,

and when you do, your response will be different.

Everybody say: “I’m not going to rush. I’m going to be patient.

I’m not going to take matters into my own hands.”

Put your hand over your chest and say:

“Jesus, You brought me to this place to speak to me. Empower me. Equip me. I’m giving You permission to do your stuff in my life.       In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

When Good Turns to Bad…

Have you ever had that experience where good things are happening

in your life and prayers are being answered, but all of a sudden, everything crashes, and you slide back to where you came from?

This is what happened to Marlo, 27.

He was praying for a dream job.

One day, he received a miracle. Out of 200 applicants, he was able to get the job. He posted it on his Instagram. Three months later, he was dying. His stress level was through the roof.

He realized that he didn’t have the skills for the job. His boss scolded him every day. His officemates were so frustrated that he could not do the job. He could hear grumbling murmurs down the corridor.

People were speaking behind his back: “When will he resign? He’s not fit for this job!”

Marlo cries out to God: “Lord, I thought you answered my prayer.

What’s happening?”

This was the same experience of Reena– but for a different reason. She was a good Catholic girl and single.

She prayed: “Lord, give me a husband. Someone who is mature — emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Lord, it will not hurt if he’s cute.”

She prayed, and until one day, this man walked into her life. A devout Catholic, vice-president of a bank, and cute. He fell in love with her. She was treated like a queen. He would give her roses and chocolates. She was on Cloud 9. She was already 38. This phenomenon of a man falling head over heels for her was as rare as a meteor hitting planet Earth.

They went on three dates. On the fourth date, he was late. She messaged him but he did not reply. She waited for two hours. He ghosted her. Two months later, he messaged Reena to apologize.

He said, “I’m sorry that I disappeared. I cannot contact you again. God bless!” I’m telling true stories. I just changed their names.

Reena was devastated.

She asked God: “Why did you even allow it to happen?”

This was exactly the feeling of David. One morning, this big-shot prophet, Samuel, walks into his house, and bypasses his elder brothers. He gets a jar of oil, pours it onto the head of David, and anoints him as king.

I’m going to ask you 4 Soul-Penetrating Questions. I pray that you will really look at your life.

The truth is, God’s anointing is God’s adversity. He’s going to mentor and train you. The only way to do that is through adversity. God’s anointing is God’s spiritual strength training.

You gain strength only through this training.

Thank God I was able to lift this. This is 15 lbs. It’s heavy.> But that’s the only way for you to become stronger: through burdens.

When you answer God’s call, you will have many battles with your inner demons of pride, lust, greed, and selfishness.

The battle between David and Goliath was just the first battle. There were going to be many battles after.

How did it all start? Why did it all go downhill? Let me describe it to you…

At first, King Saul loved David as he would play the harp to soothe his tormented mind. David became the best friend of King Saul’s son, Jonathan. David rose through the ranks of the army of King Saul. David became such a great general. He was the mightiest general. He started winning battle after battle.

He would not take any credit. He was such a loyal general of King Saul.

Preparation for Something Bigger

Everything changed when Saul heard one song:

A jealous eye is like a crack on a windshield.

If you ignore it, it’s going to spread. Saul was jealous of David as he was getting more attention, more praise, and more love.

One day, David was playing the harp for Saul who seemed to be so possessed that he just grabbed his spear and threw it to David. It was a good thing that David was able to duck.

Then, King Saul put David at the front of the battle so he would die.

But he didn’t.

David became a fugitive after that. King Saul started treating him like a criminal. He would hunt David to kill him. Saul transitioned from someone who loved David to somebody who hated him and wanted him dead.

How many of you have a toxic boss? If you raise your hand, maybe your boss is toxic.

But I think David had it worse. Has your boss ever held a spear and threw it at you? Has your boss sent an army to kill you? That was David’s experience and it lasted for 15 to 20 years. But all of these prepared him to be king.

God is preparing you. It might last 5, 10, 15, or 20 years of suffering– but God is preparing you.

If you are claiming this in your heart, stand, jump, and say:

“This is mine. This is my blessing!”

Why did Saul self-destruct?

When your identity is based on public opinion, it becomes a problem.

If your identity is based on how people like and look up to you, you are a walking time bomb. You’re going to crash one day. The people’s opinion about you is very fickle. It changes from day to night. One day, they like you. On another day, they don’t like you.

Your identity must be based only on God’s opinion about you.

I’ve got news for you. God’s opinion about you is that He really, really likes you. You are amazing. You are wonderful in His eyes.

That’s where your identity comes from.

Saul’s anger was really fear. Most of people’s anger is based on fear, panic, and terror. If your self-worth is based on the praise of other people, and then that is transferred to someone else younger and better, you lose your self-worth. You panic, and then you get angry.

And that’s what happened to Saul.

Why did this whole thing drag on for 15 to 20 years?

David was anointed as the next king. I think it’s time to step back. I think it’s time to step down. I think it’s time to give the scepter to a more capable man. If only Saul did that, the Book 1 of Samuel would be half its length.

A total of 15 chapters would have been subtracted. Saul did not do that, and so, the battle expanded.

Evil Is Real

How many of you have an emotional struggle that has been lasting for years?

I’ll give you an example. After The Feast, there was this woman who was waiting for me for a selfie and an autograph.

When it was her turn, she started shedding tears like a waterfall. She related:

“Bro. Bo, I’ve been a mistress for 12 years. My partner left me. One day, he just said, “I want to go back to my wife.

I want to be faithful to my wife– that’s what God has been telling me.”

“He left me, anyway. Thanks be to God that I did not kill myself. But every single day is like torture to me. I love him so much.”

So, I prayed for her: “God, continue to work in her life.”

Then I told her, “Go into our Light Group. I want you to go to the counseling center. I want you to be part of our Ministry. I want you to be part of The Feast.”

I asked her, “By the way, when did he leave you and go back to his wife?” She said, “Seven years ago.”

I was floored. I wanted to fall on the floor. Talk about dragging the emotional struggle of being attached to something that was never yours.

Parents, this applies to you too: Your children are not yours. Many times, we are dragging our emotional struggle because we’re not letting go of our children to God. You want to control them, but they’re already older, and guess what, they’re not yours, anyway. You surrender them to God, and you’ll cut short your emotional struggle. You don’t have to drag it for years.

I meet people who are attached to persons, things, and situations. Your attachment is lengthening the struggle uselessly. It doesn’t have to be that long. Surrender.

Trust God more.

Let’s do a little Bible study. Remember that the biblical writers would always write their books with Genesis as a lens. Therefore, you need to read the Bible also with Genesis as a lens.

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent tried to plant a lie in the hearts of Adam and Eve– that God was against them. Do you see the parallel? The serpent was back in the story of Saul and David. The serpent was now planting a lie in the heart of Saul– that David was against him. But David was not.

In another Genesis story, Cain killed his younger brother Abel out of jealousy.

In the same way, Saul, out of jealousy, wanted to kill David.

Be forewarned. I’ll give an example:

There was this time when David, who was already a fugitive, was running away from Saul. David went to a priest who fed him and his soldiers. King Saul found out about it. He went to Alimelech, the priest.

This is what he says:

When did you hear that in Genesis?

God said to Adam and Eve: “You will surely die if you eat the forbidden fruit.”

So, the writer of 1 Samuel was saying that Saul was now playing God. He now acted like God. He killed 85 priests, their wives, their children, and their livestock.

When the serpent takes over, you commit the most evil crimes– and believe you’re doing God’s work. That’s why there’s Hitler.

But it doesn’t have to be Hitlers of the world. A husband can do it. A wife can do it. A mother can do it. A father can do it. A neighbor can do it. Some people can be taken over by the serpent, twist their minds, start harming people– and think they’re doing something good. They’re going to bash people on social media and feel righteous.

Warning: We’re opening ourselves to evil when we give into pride, lust, and greed.

Saul was hunting David to kill him and then, this is what happened:

King Saul was doing a number two while David was at the back of the cave.

You see, just because something is easy, it doesn’t mean it’s God’s will. David was a good and loyal man. All he had to do was chop off Saul’s head, and he’d be king. It was an immoral shortcut. David refused to kill Saul to fulfill God’s promise sooner.

David was saying: “I’m not going to be the one to do it. I’m not going to take a blade and slice off his head. I’m not going to take matters into my own hands. I know that God wants me to be king, but I’m not going to take any immoral shortcuts. God will be the one to strike him someday.”

The verse says here: “…or he will die of old age.”

It means that David was willing to wait another 20 years. He believes that God’s promise will happen even if he’s going through all the suffering.

Do you know that David was a figure of Jesus? Do you know that all through Scripture, you will find David simply being a figure of who Jesus was?

Like David, Jesus was also hunted down. Like David, Jesus was treated as a criminal. Like David, Jesus waited not for a crown but for a cross.

The kingdom of David did not last because it was only the foundation of the Kingdom of Jesus which, unlike David’s kingdom, was not built on stone or wood. Jesus’ Kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.

This Jesus stands here in front of you and says: “Will you follow me even when you’re struggling? Will you be patient that my promise may not yet be fulfilled now– but it will? Will you surrender your life to me? Will you follow me and trust me?”

Trust. Surely, the Lord will.

Surely, the Lord will do it. Surely, the Lord will vindicate you. Surely, you will win in the end. You may be losing now, but surely, your victory is coming. There may be pain in your heart right now, and the battle has been so long, but surely, the Lord will bring everything to completion. He will finish what he started in you.

Put your hand over your chest and say: “Father. do Your work in my life. I believe that surely, You will finish what You started. I’m going to trust You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

Surrender

May I invite you to make Jesus the King be above all? Above every desire that you feel is your priority in your life? Whether that is something you’ve been praying for. It could be an attachment. It could be a dream. Whatever that is, it may be good–but place it under the lordship of Jesus. Make Jesus your sovereign King. Submit your life to Him today.

For many of you, it’s a renewal of your baptismal promises.

You’ve been saying this prayer over and over again and that’s beautiful.

Do it again today and mean every word. For some of you, it might be the very first time you’re giving your life to Jesus, the King.

I invite you to do it with all your heart.

Everybody say: “Jesus, I open my heart to You. Come, be my King. Rule over my life. I will follow You all the days of my life, until my last breath. I surrender.

Welcome!

BRO. BEN SANCHEZ:

Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for speaking to us.

Thank You for Your Word: Surely the Lord Will.

Such a powerful message because we always want God to be on our timeline. But the posture that we want is the posture of David:

When we say: “Yes, Lord. Whatever it is whenever it is, I will follow you.” Amen.

We welcome 100 students from Bataan. Thank you for coming to The Feast today.

For first-timers, we have a special gift for you. Some reminders, what I want to invite you guys to:

• The Chosen: What happened before Jesus demonstrated His great love for us — for you and me–on the Cross. This is going to be a fund-raider for our Youth Ministry’s Youth Camp.
• The Sacrament of Confession is at the lobby,10:00 M. to 2:00 P.M.
• Light of Jesus Family Holy Week Retreat

I have to hand it to the Creative Team that pulls on all the stops so that we don’t just hear the message about the Holy Week but experience it with all our senses.

So, if you want that special encounter with God, with family and all the friends, come and join the Holy Week Retreat.

Love Offering

Thanks, Everyone, for attending The Feast. You know, doing this is not easy, nor is it free. But the event is open to everyone, it’s free because of the generous people who do give and support our Ministry to reach people who need this space, who need this home.

So, I just want to invite you — nobody’s being forced or coerced, it’s not a requirement, there’s not even a number that we’re asking for. It’s just between you and God –whether that’s

1%, 5%, or 10%. However much God has blessed you, maybe God has blessed so much that today you’re feeling like emptying your GCash balance, today I know that’s up to you, that’s between you and God.

This is not just a segment in The Feast where we give to God. But make this a moment when  we dedicate  and when  we entrust finances and the blessings that God has given us back to the One who gave it, anyway. And trust that

He’s going to use this to continue to bless more people who need Him and who need a home where they can encounter Him.

So, these are the ways to give> Let’s pray for our Love Offering:

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Lord, we Thank You so much that we have an opportunity to give. Whatever amount that You’ve blessed us with, that’s what we want to give back to You, Lord — whether it’s 1%, 5%, 10%, it doesn’t matter to You. What matters is the disposition of our heart.

And so, today our prayer, Lord, is that You make our heart a generous and giving heart just like Yours.

We want to be like David, a man after Your heart. Lord, may our generosity be an act that opens up to receive even more blessing, and even more generosity that comes from You.

We know that You will never leave us. You are our provider, and we love You so much. This is our little way of saying:” I love You back.”

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

With smiles, let’s give to the God who is so good to us.

 

This story was first published in the Feast Family Online News Magazine
Published by THE FEAST (April 13, 2025)