Rapper DMX Preaches at Church in Phoenix About Miracles and Tragedy (Video)
Mainstream rapper DMX has never shied away from sharing about his Christian faith and now his dream of becoming a pastor are slowly becoming a reality. A recent video posted on Facebook shows the New York emcee behind a pulpit preaching about the miracle that is birthed from tragedy.
"If I wasn't a threat to the devil he wouldn't waste his time. If I wasn't special to God, how would I know what He's willing to do for me? We know what He's able to do. The word says, 'All things are possible through Christ who strengthens,' Amen!" DMX shouted. "So we know what He's able to do How can you know what He's willing to do until you've been placed in a situation where you need Him to do it for you? If you haven't been somewhere where you need God to get you out of the situation, you wouldn't know what He's willing to do for you. We know what he's able to do but we won't know what He's willing to do until we're there."
Those in attendance cheered as DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, passionately exhorted:
"I say miracles only happen on the platform of tragedy. If there's not a difficult situation, if there's not a situation where you can't see you possibly getting through on your own then where's the potential for the miracle?" he questioned. "If it wasn't that difficult than it would be just another situation that you got through with a little bit of time, but because it was something bigger than you, something that you know took more than you to get you through; It's not that God made these things happen but what I'm saying is that He allowed those things to happen, just so you know what He's willing to do for you."
The hip-hop recording artist has had many public mishaps from a drug overdose to various arrests, and in his sermonette he says tragedy is in fact what has brought him closer to God.
"So now I embrace difficult situations. I praise God for difficult situations because through these situations I see what He's willing to do for me. On a daily basis, if it gets rough I praise God; it goes wrong, I praise God; it goes left, I praise God. I praise God because there's nothing that He can't get me through. So I thank Him for every opportunity that is presented for me to see what He's willing to do for me," the Grammy-award winner concluded.
DMX then hugged a church leader and thanks her for the opportunity to speak. Watch the full clip below.
Back in April, the Yonkers born aspiring preacher ended his interview on episode 3 of N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN's "Drink Champs" podcast with a deep prayerful freestyle.
He last expressed his desire to become a pastor in 2014, during an interviewed by Bulgarian urban media 359HipHop. In the sit down with 359HipHop, he expressed how thankful he was about being able to continue to performing after so many years. When asked about his religious aspirations, the rapper said he was "spiritual" not religious. "I will not be a priest. I will be a pastor. I'm already a deacon. I will be a pastor," he admitted.
The "Party Up (Up in Here)" performer first mentioned his "call" of being a pastor during an interview in prison in 2012. He said in the prison interview that upon getting out, he would give his first sermon in the church.
"That's gonna be like incredible for me and I hope it'll be incredible for the congregation of that church," he stated. "I hope I'm able to reach somebody you know and touch somebody and bring them closer to the Lord."
DMX has been very successful in the rap industry selling over 30 million albums, gaining international acclaim with his gangsta rap, and says that he will one day release a gospel album.