WEBVTT

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Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener

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podcast I'm your host Danielle Townsend and I'm

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excited to be recording this episode today. It's

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a little soon in all honesty I literally just

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recorded and Uploaded an episode yesterday. So

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there's a good chance that this episode might

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not be uploaded for a couple more days I might

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give that other podcast episode just a chance

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to breathe and a chance for you guys to Listen

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to that episode. We'll see where God where God

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guides me. Okay, but today's topic This is something

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I know is gonna be helpful for you listeners

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because it's something that is helpful for me

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like literally today This is something I'm not

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on the other side speaking and preaching to you

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all about this is something that I have been

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working through Since I gave my life to Christ

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and I'm sure I I will have instances of working

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through this throughout my walk with Christ and

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that is continuing on your walk with Christ with

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that thorn in your side and I am talking about

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that thorn that's referred to in 2nd Corinthians

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and y 'all the Lord spoke to me about this today

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when I was reading some mutual friends deep dive

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on the scripture I have a mutual friend that

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has been doing a deep dive in on the scripture

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and they had a lot of good insight that I was

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reading about in one of their posts today and

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in reading that the Lord spoke to me something

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I feel like he's been trying to get through to

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me for the past couple weeks and it just hasn't

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been clicking and God used this person's post

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to speak to me and I want to share with y 'all

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today because I know but this is a word for other

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people to receive and an understanding for other

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people to receive. It's going to help you in

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some way shape or form. Now I want to read a

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little bit from 2nd Corinthians in chapter 12

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starting in verse 6. For if I want to boast I

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wouldn't be a fool because I would be telling

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the truth but I will spare you so that no one

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can credit me with something beyond what he sees

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in me or hears from me. especially because of

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the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so

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that I would not exult myself, a thorn in the

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flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to

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torment me, so that I would not exult myself.

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Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three

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times that it would leave me, but he said to

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me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power

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is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will most

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gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses

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so that Christ's power may reside in me. So I

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take pleasure in weakness, insults, hardships,

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persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of

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Christ, for when I am weak I am strong." And

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something I'm sure you guys can relate to that

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immediately caught my eye with the scripture

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was having that thorn in your side. Having that

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stressor or that hardship or it's like that that

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piece of opposition that you're like god life

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would be so much easier if i didn't have to deal

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with this maybe you've been praying that god

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delivers you from that you've been praying god

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remove this Maybe you've been trying to rebuke

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it. Maybe you've been identifying as your Identifying

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it as spiritual warfare and you've been binding

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and rebuking and you're like, why isn't this

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going anywhere Lord? Like what is going on here?

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And if that's you today, I want to tell you like

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I relate I relate There have been multiple things

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I've prayed to God for deliverance from and I

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have seen deliverance I have seen the opposition

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fall to the floor, you know scripture says no

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weapon not formed against you shall prosper and

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I Stepping into the authority that Jesus Christ

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has given me and using the name of Jesus That

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scripture comes up very often for me. No weapon

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formed against me shall prosper and I have seen

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weapons fall to the floor But there has been

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a common thing that I have been dealing with

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for like over a year now that seems to come up

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at the most inconvenient times and God has yet

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to make this a problem that doesn't appear again

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and he has revealed to me that this thing right

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now is the thorn in my side That is keeping me

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from thinking that I can do it all on my own

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That is keeping me from a dangerous space of

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pride that is keeping me from a dangerous space

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of ego God loves us and Yeah, he wants to see

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us delight in him. He wants to see us enjoy life.

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He wants to see us enjoy blessings but not at

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the expense of our relationship with him, right

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because we are supposed to His grace is sufficient.

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His strength is enough. As we move throughout

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life, we are not meant to be getting our strength

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from ourselves. We're not meant to rely on our

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own strength, on our own understanding, on our

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own resources. We're not supposed to be digging

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up wells for ourselves and creating all this

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provision for ourselves. We are supposed to be

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getting it from the provider, the Heavenly Father,

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right? And if life were 100 % easy for us all

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the time, if we felt like we didn't need God,

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what is our reason to go to God? Let's be so

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real right now. When I look back at it, Since

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I've given my life to Christ, it was the times

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where everything seemed to be really good, no

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complications, no anything, life was just enjoyable,

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and I felt like I had it all handled and all

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under control. When I look back, those were actually

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the times when I was speaking to God the least.

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Sure, I would throw praise and thanks and say,

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thanks God for this, thanks for that. But when

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I felt like I had all the resources, when I felt

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like I had the understanding, when I felt like

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I had everything under control, I went to Him

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less for guidance. I wasn't asking God what to

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do as much as I was when I didn't know what to

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do. I was making pathways for myself. I was taking

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action and then praying about it later. I stopped

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using prayer as my steering wheel, right? My

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guidance. And instead I started using prayer

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as my spare tire. Prayer to be that thing to

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pray, just later on ask God to bless it. Later

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on ask God to fix it. Later on check in with

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God. It was in the times when I didn't know what

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to do. When I didn't have the provision. When

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my own strength was not sufficient. When my own

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provision was not sufficient that I was at his

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feet That I was willing to submit my will to

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him And I have seen God work Miracles when I'm

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in that space. I have seen him open up doors.

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I could never open for myself I have seen him

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move mountains Each time I went to God those

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and saw those powerful things I was in a humble

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space God had something that I could not create

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for myself you know I've talked about this before

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in past episodes that there is a rest that comes

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with being a follower of Christ when I don't

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know what to do when I don't have the resources

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when I don't have the When I don't have the strength

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I'm able to lay at Jesus's feet and walk away

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Go to sleep rest in a storm knowing that he is

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making a way and he's working on it There have

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been times where I lay it as feet and I wake

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up the next day and the solutions there I don't

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have to seek it out When you're relying on your

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own strength and your own control and your own

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understanding and all of these other things There

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you don't get that type of rest because it's

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all on you There is a peace that comes with giving

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it to Jesus. A peace that I could not understand

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until I experienced it myself. But I wasn't able

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to experience this peace without the stressor,

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right? Because in order to feel peace and to

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feel relaxed, you have to have a period where

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you feel Not at ease where you feel anxious when

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you feel stressed when you feel whatever it is

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fearful And I believe that this ties in a little

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bit today to this morning y 'all I was reading

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John chapter 18 and in John chapter 18, this

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is where Judas Betrays Jesus right and Judas

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and his little squad of people show up to arrest

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Jesus And I believe it's a verse for word Jesus

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goes out to them knowing what is about to happen

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knowing what is about to transpire Jesus knows

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he's about to walk into suffering he knows he's

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about to be falsely accused arrested go to the

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cross all of these things and he still goes out

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and meets the situation he still stands up in

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response to them when they say we're looking

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for Jesus of Nazareth he says I am he He doesn't

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run away. He doesn't back down. He doesn't hide

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He doesn't try to avoid the suffering that the

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father has appointed to him Because it goes on

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later on in that chapter and I believe it is

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verse 25 Or Peter has just like literally pulled

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out he's literally just pulled out his sword

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and cut off an ear and Jesus is like dude stop

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Do you really think? I'm going to pass on the

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cut that the Father has assigned to me. Like

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Jesus is saying, I know that the Father has assigned

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the suffering to me. I'm not going to bypass

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it. Jesus had the authority to walk away. He

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had the authority to call down angels and deliver

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him from the situation. He had the authority

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and the ability to leave completely, but he didn't.

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Because the Father's will was more important

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than his physical comfort. Right? We know that

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Jesus Christ going to the cross, although it

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was suffering at that time, there was joy afterwards.

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Suffering for goodness. Because what happened

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after Jesus Christ went to the cross and resurrected?

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It opened up the door for all of us to put our

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faith in Jesus and receive forgiveness and enter

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the kingdom of heaven. It integrated the Gentiles

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into being able to be God's chosen people. It

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opened up the door for us. If Jesus would have

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said no and would have gone off the plot, the

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prophecies wouldn't have been fulfilled. God's

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Word would have returned void and we know that

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God's Word does not return void. We see it in

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the Bible. We see it happen with Jesus Christ

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who is perfect. That the Father will assign suffering

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when he knows that there's a good outcome. I've

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shared my testimony before y 'all of when I gave

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my life to Christ. There was a lot of spiritual

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warfare and things that happened But there is

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also a lot of denying yourself and when I was

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trusting in God it looked like I was I was really

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thrown into a period of suffering right after

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giving my life to Christ and Actually a time

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period of leading up to giving my life to Christ

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I was taken through a lot of intermittent fasting

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where I was going like four or five days where

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I wasn't eating anything Just like drinking drinking

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liquids like caffeine and water But I wasn't

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eating anything and I was going through a time

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where there was a lot of lies and there was a

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lot of false accusations and people were mocking

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me and slandering me and I Just appeared to be

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attacked from all sides and I couldn't understand

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why God was allowing it to happen when I was

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finally Submitting to him and obeying to him.

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I was like Shouldn't it get easier? Was where

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my brain was was like god. I'm finally doing

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what you told me to do I'm finally submitting

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to you shouldn't be easier and he had told me

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that this I remember so clearly him speaking

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to me like This one day will be a testimony You

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one day like the joy is not gonna compare to

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like all of this that you're going through the

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joy is gonna surpass this you're not gonna remember

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the pain and All of this, but this has to happen

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right now for a reason And I couldn't see the

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reason at the time, but later on coming out of

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that, I see the deliverance. God used that fasting

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to break demonic strongholds. God used that fasting

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to break me down. I needed broken down. It put

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me in a humble space where I was willing to say

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yes to whatever God called me to do. Because

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there were some things he was calling me to surrender

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and submit to that I wasn't going to do in my

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prideful state. But when I finally did it, he

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moved the mountains. He did exceedingly and abundantly.

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All of those things now are testimonies of God's

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goodness, his power of what happens with surrender.

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Being put in that space forced me almost to kind

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of develop and grow. Uncomfortability oftentimes

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leads to growth. You don't grow from staying

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in the same comfortable space. Being in uncomfortable

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spaces forces you to learn new coping mechanisms.

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And being in that space forced me to put my faith

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in God. That for that time period was the thorn

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in my side that I felt like I couldn't escape

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from. And I was praying that God delivered me

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from it and He wasn't delivering me from that

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suffering until His appointed time. And now it's

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a testimony. I've shared testimonies of during

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that time I was put in situations of heavy temptation

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where people were trying to convince me that

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God wasn't going to come through and I should

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just sin to get out of my situation I had opportunities

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to sin and take the easy way out but I chose

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to put my faith in Christ even if that meant

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extending my suffering period I had when people

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say making a deal with the devil I had the opportunity

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to do that when I was deep in fasting My hope

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was really kind of running low it was it was

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a really it was a day where I It had been leading

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up to a point where I wasn't in a good mental

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space and there was someone who approached me

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That had charming words that started offering

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me a lot of ways out Instant money Instant provision

00:16:12.450 --> 00:16:16.570
instant things but it would have It would have

00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:19.490
required me to sin It would have required me

00:16:19.490 --> 00:16:22.370
to go directly against what God had called me

00:16:22.370 --> 00:16:27.690
to do. It would have required me to give up territory

00:16:27.690 --> 00:16:35.750
that God had just claimed. I would have had to,

00:16:36.690 --> 00:16:40.710
what feels like really, give off pieces of my

00:16:40.710 --> 00:16:46.789
soul. And in that moment, I decided to put my

00:16:46.789 --> 00:16:49.659
faith What God had already spoken over my life

00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:51.960
and what God said he would do for me And I understood

00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:54.500
that God wouldn't require me to sin to end my

00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:57.080
suffering God wouldn't require me to make these

00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:00.799
deals and do these things I'm gonna stay rooted

00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.720
in Christ and put my faith in Christ and you

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:08.599
know what my suffering was Appeared to be extended

00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:13.339
it was I think like a week and a half a Week

00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:16.509
and a half to close to two weeks that period

00:17:16.509 --> 00:17:19.390
continued before God delivered amazing miracles

00:17:19.390 --> 00:17:24.869
in my life. Someone needs to hear this today.

00:17:24.890 --> 00:17:26.970
If it requires you to sin, it's not from God.

00:17:27.630 --> 00:17:29.789
If it requires you to backslide, it's not from

00:17:29.789 --> 00:17:32.990
God. God's Word does not turn up void. And oftentimes

00:17:32.990 --> 00:17:34.730
before God's Word is fulfilled, you're going

00:17:34.730 --> 00:17:36.390
to have a temptation to settle and you're going

00:17:36.390 --> 00:17:38.769
to have a temptation to go backwards. And that's

00:17:38.769 --> 00:17:41.170
the moment too. That's the defining moment. What

00:17:41.170 --> 00:17:42.869
you choose to do is going to tell you how much

00:17:42.869 --> 00:17:46.240
faith you have in God. Do you truly believe in

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:48.500
his word? And do you really believe he's gonna

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:51.000
do what he says he's gonna do? And do you truly

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:55.019
believe in doing things the Jesus way? The way

00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:58.619
that God is calling you to do it. And if you

00:17:58.619 --> 00:18:01.500
do settle, if you do backslide, if you do those

00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:04.480
things, I want you to hear today there is redemption.

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:11.960
You can repent, give your life to Jesus. Take

00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:13.740
the active steps to do better I want to be so

00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:15.980
clear repentance isn't feeling guilty and recognizing

00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.359
what you did as well repentance is a change of

00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:20.099
heart placement when you're actually Repentant

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:22.200
for something you can't continue to defend or

00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:24.440
excuse that thing you recognize it's wrong you

00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:26.559
recognize it's a sin you recognize it's displeasing

00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.859
the God and you stop defending it and Instead

00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:32.819
you start making the active choices to do better

00:18:32.819 --> 00:18:38.339
and live differently There is no condemnation

00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:41.150
here i'm someone who many times before i did

00:18:41.150 --> 00:18:43.670
it the jesus way chose the easy way out and settled

00:18:43.670 --> 00:18:51.509
and god redeemed me it required repentance and

00:18:51.509 --> 00:18:53.650
a humble heart and let me tell y 'all that if

00:18:53.650 --> 00:18:56.630
i hadn't experienced the suffering i did that

00:18:56.630 --> 00:18:58.789
the time felt unjust i wouldn't have been humbled

00:18:58.789 --> 00:19:00.470
to the point where i was able to receive the

00:19:00.470 --> 00:19:02.970
gospel and accept jesus christ as my lord and

00:19:02.970 --> 00:19:07.019
savior so actually all the suffering and the

00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:08.680
pain and everything I went through that was meant

00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:11.680
to make me lose heart and was meant to make me

00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:16.700
lose faith actually increased my faith because

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:24.579
God moved on that. So I'm here to tell y 'all

00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:26.640
today and this is the root of the message today

00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:29.619
is that thorn in your side that God is allowing

00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:33.579
to stay there is being used to bring you closer

00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:38.410
to Him. Can be used to bring you closer to him

00:19:38.410 --> 00:19:40.950
that that is the wording I want to use here because

00:19:40.950 --> 00:19:43.509
you you do have a choice God has given us for

00:19:43.509 --> 00:19:45.710
will you do have the choice to choose whether

00:19:45.710 --> 00:19:51.890
or not you want to draw near to Christ Or if

00:19:51.890 --> 00:19:54.730
you want to throw in the towel and try to do

00:19:54.730 --> 00:20:01.210
things your own way Because see with that thorn

00:20:01.210 --> 00:20:04.730
in the side that hardship That presents you with

00:20:04.730 --> 00:20:08.390
a decision, right? Do you lean on God for his

00:20:08.390 --> 00:20:12.369
strength? Do you go to God? Do you allow him

00:20:12.369 --> 00:20:15.029
to do the work? Because that thorn in your side

00:20:15.029 --> 00:20:17.329
is meant to debilitate you a little bit. It's

00:20:17.329 --> 00:20:20.250
meant to kind of... That's your limp, right?

00:20:20.410 --> 00:20:23.549
Where you're kind of hindered, where you can't

00:20:23.549 --> 00:20:26.730
think you can do it all on your own. So you can

00:20:26.730 --> 00:20:29.450
be reminded that you need God. So that way you

00:20:29.450 --> 00:20:33.420
don't... Go crazy ego pride arrogance confidence

00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:36.240
that thorn in your side is meant to be like your

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:41.180
reminder that you need God But that thorn in

00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:45.140
your side if you if you harden your heart and

00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:47.480
also be that thing that makes you angry at God

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:51.160
and you turn away from God and There have been

00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:54.920
times when the thorn in my side has gotten overwhelming

00:20:57.049 --> 00:21:00.109
And I had some angry prayers towards God. I didn't

00:21:00.109 --> 00:21:04.250
turn away from God. But there were a couple instances

00:21:04.250 --> 00:21:06.869
where it became an anger, where I was like, why?

00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:12.170
And I became frustrated and weary and tired.

00:21:12.369 --> 00:21:15.430
But by the grace of God, because He is so merciful

00:21:15.430 --> 00:21:18.190
and forgiving, He showed me love in that time.

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:22.740
Gave me a new perspective and new way to see

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:26.039
it and I stayed coming him even in my anger and

00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:31.079
my confusion I stayed at his feet Whoever you

00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:32.519
are listening to stay and you're experiencing

00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:37.920
that thorn in your side How you respond to that

00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:43.140
thorn does matter And again, I want to be so

00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:47.180
clear there is forgiveness there is no condemnation

00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:51.900
for those who are in Christ Jesus But when you

00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:54.059
do settle and when you do submit and when you

00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:56.539
do give that part to Satan and I shared this

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:59.559
in my last episode It takes a while to earn that

00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:02.920
territory back once you've given it away And

00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:05.279
God will help you do that, but it's not worth

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:07.500
the surrendering. It's not worth the settling.

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:14.599
It really isn't Speaking from experience it isn't

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:22.210
And to get back to this morning where I was meditating

00:22:22.210 --> 00:22:26.309
on this word because there was a thorn in my

00:22:26.309 --> 00:22:29.970
side that has been on my mind recently and it's

00:22:29.970 --> 00:22:32.490
been on my mind like the past year and I'll say

00:22:32.490 --> 00:22:35.009
it's a bit of a financial thorn right and I think

00:22:35.009 --> 00:22:37.970
that a lot of us a lot of us have to deal with

00:22:37.970 --> 00:22:40.150
that I don't know about y 'all but I was someone

00:22:40.150 --> 00:22:43.900
who since I was young I was raised to think You

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:45.799
got to get a good job. You have to make sure

00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:47.440
that you always have like a really good stream

00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:49.720
of income and you have all this financial provision

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:52.279
and that if you're secure financially, everything

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:54.920
else will just fall into place. And that was

00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.390
like the mentality I was raised with. And that

00:22:57.390 --> 00:22:59.390
actually led me astray for a very long time.

00:22:59.410 --> 00:23:02.089
For a very long time, I prioritized financial

00:23:02.089 --> 00:23:04.950
stability and security over happiness, over my

00:23:04.950 --> 00:23:07.230
calling, over like all of these things. And we

00:23:07.230 --> 00:23:09.150
know that the heart is deceptive, but God does

00:23:09.150 --> 00:23:11.430
want us to be fulfilled. He does want us to delight

00:23:11.430 --> 00:23:15.369
in Him. He doesn't want us to be weary all of

00:23:15.369 --> 00:23:18.369
our lives and sad and depressed all of our lives.

00:23:18.730 --> 00:23:23.450
He does want us to delight. And when I finally

00:23:23.450 --> 00:23:28.640
gave my life to Christ, He forced me to prioritize

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:34.480
a life obedient to God Submitting to God and

00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.740
what he has called me to do over digging wells

00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:40.440
and provision and security and all these things

00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:42.519
and instead putting my faith in God and trusting

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:45.559
in his ability to provide and make ways and that

00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:48.619
was so hard for me and I am not perfect in that

00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:55.380
by any means and Hi, I will be the first to admit

00:23:55.380 --> 00:23:59.700
I like a lot of other people every day in this

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:02.980
world Have to make opportunity costs have to

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:04.539
make decisions. There are times when I want to

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:06.880
go out and do that thing I want to say yes. I

00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.779
want to go hang out. I want to go to the event

00:24:08.779 --> 00:24:10.579
I want to go to that thing. I have bills to pay

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:13.380
and I have to make that decision of like I'm

00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:15.279
not gonna go to that I'm gonna stay home. I gotta

00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.200
save my money Or when there's that really really

00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:21.000
really nice thing that you want and you're like

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:24.140
I can't afford that right now there is a very

00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:29.079
good thing that's not that is a lot less expensive

00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:34.819
and you know what I'm okay with that I have had

00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:39.779
to say no to things that I really wanted that

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:43.000
cost a lot of money or cost money that's out

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:46.180
of my budget and there have been times that God

00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:49.279
has in my submitting that and surrendering that

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:52.599
to him blessed me with those things There have

00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:54.440
been times when at the store I saw that thing

00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:56.180
I really wanted and I was like, that's not a

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:58.059
great financial decision for me to make right

00:24:58.059 --> 00:25:01.440
now so I have to put it down. And it's like a

00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:04.059
week or two later that very thing pops up and

00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:07.940
it's like 90 % off or it's given to me or like

00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:10.400
God comes through in those ways. And then there

00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.140
are other times when I just have to release the

00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:14.579
need for that thing and understand that if it's

00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:16.279
something I really needed, God would have made

00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:20.890
sure I had it. And oftentimes later on I'm able

00:25:20.890 --> 00:25:25.690
to see I didn't actually need that thing. And

00:25:25.690 --> 00:25:27.910
that has actually been something that has been

00:25:27.910 --> 00:25:31.269
a thorn in my side. I've been like, God, I'm

00:25:31.269 --> 00:25:33.049
pretty sure like, couldn't I like minister a

00:25:33.049 --> 00:25:35.369
lot better if I had no worries about finances?

00:25:36.490 --> 00:25:39.950
Like if I today could get on a plane and go to

00:25:39.950 --> 00:25:44.470
like Burma or like go, I could go do mission

00:25:44.470 --> 00:25:47.519
work. If I just had unlimited money, think about

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:49.519
how many people I could donate to. Think about

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:51.299
how many different places I could go and do mission

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:54.220
work. Lord, if I had all this money in my bank

00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.460
account, I wouldn't have to worry about going

00:25:55.460 --> 00:25:57.720
to work. Instead, I could dedicate all my time

00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:02.619
to podcasting and to spreading the gospel and

00:26:02.619 --> 00:26:07.180
doing all these things. I've had so many instances

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:09.099
where I'm like, God, if I didn't have to worry

00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:11.039
about money, I could go and do this and I could

00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.980
go and do that and go and do all these things.

00:26:15.149 --> 00:26:19.809
And I mean, yeah, that's true I could And I think

00:26:19.809 --> 00:26:22.069
I posed this question for myself that a lot of

00:26:22.069 --> 00:26:23.789
other people should probably be posing this question,

00:26:23.789 --> 00:26:28.529
but would you? I like to think I have a giving

00:26:28.529 --> 00:26:32.049
heart But if God blessed me with all that might

00:26:32.049 --> 00:26:34.329
today would the first thing I do be like committing

00:26:34.329 --> 00:26:37.710
it to mission work and To glorifying other to

00:26:37.710 --> 00:26:39.990
glorifying God you're giving to other people

00:26:39.990 --> 00:26:41.690
and doing all these other things or would I take

00:26:41.690 --> 00:26:44.559
some for myself? when I take some vacations and

00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:47.200
do all these things, I'm sure God wants me to

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:50.980
enjoy and delight. But when I think about it,

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:52.980
it's like, why do I really want that provision?

00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:55.420
Am I really wanting all of it? Because I'm like,

00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:58.240
think about how I can glorify God with it. I'm

00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:01.519
sure I would in a lot of ways. I'm sure I would

00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:04.799
use that. But let's be so for real right now.

00:27:06.639 --> 00:27:08.859
The reason more why I'm seeking that is so I

00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:11.000
don't have to deal with the fear or anxiety that's

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:13.480
related to finances anymore I don't have to worry

00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:15.880
about opportunity costs. I don't have to worry

00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:20.599
about saying no if I wanted I can get it If this

00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:22.420
pops up I can go take care of it I can go do

00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:26.660
it. It's convenience. It's convenience and a

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:30.539
lack of fear is The real root of why I asked

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:33.609
for that thing And I hope that this is causing

00:27:33.609 --> 00:27:35.529
someone else to reflect on this too, because

00:27:35.529 --> 00:27:37.730
I'm not saying this in the terms of like, I want

00:27:37.730 --> 00:27:39.529
all this money and be like Scrooge and like keep

00:27:39.529 --> 00:27:43.329
everything to myself. But I have to be humble

00:27:43.329 --> 00:27:45.769
enough to recognize the real reason why I'm asking

00:27:45.769 --> 00:27:49.210
for this, right? And of course, yes, I would

00:27:49.210 --> 00:27:52.789
be tithing. I tithe now. I do believe I would

00:27:52.789 --> 00:27:55.430
be gifting and giving, but is that the sole reason

00:27:55.430 --> 00:27:57.710
I'm asking for that? And is that the first thing

00:27:57.710 --> 00:27:59.730
I would really do with that? And not saying it

00:27:59.730 --> 00:28:05.940
has to be. But it's good to identify why, what

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:08.359
is the root reason of why you're asking God for

00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:11.680
that thing and to be delivered? And next, I've

00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:17.119
really felt God lead me to what does this thorn

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:19.339
in my side do for me? And when I think about

00:28:19.339 --> 00:28:24.180
it, it's like, it prevents me from saying yes

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:27.380
to things I don't need to be saying yes to. Like

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:32.190
this thorn in my side, me having to... Opportunity

00:28:32.190 --> 00:28:34.809
costs to say yes or no to certain places. I go

00:28:34.809 --> 00:28:40.430
is actually a blessing When I think back to as

00:28:40.430 --> 00:28:42.750
we even as I mentioned in the beginning of this

00:28:42.750 --> 00:28:47.170
podcast When I was in times of like no stressors

00:28:47.170 --> 00:28:52.910
or worries, I went to godless I went to godless

00:28:52.910 --> 00:28:54.390
and when I think of each of these times when

00:28:54.390 --> 00:28:56.809
I've had to say yes or no to something because

00:28:56.809 --> 00:28:59.779
of finances Would always take it to God first

00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:01.519
and I'd be like God if I'm supposed to go I'm

00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:03.259
gonna need you to financially provide and make

00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:05.359
a way for me to go make a way for This and sometimes

00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:11.440
he has another times. He doesn't When I think

00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:13.519
of what the thorn in my side did for me number

00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.480
one thing is it keeps me going to God It keeps

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.539
me asking him. Is this something I'm meant to

00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:20.859
be doing Is this something I'm meant to be partaking

00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:23.519
in it keeps me from relying on my own strength

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:29.119
my own understanding my own control Another thing

00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:31.160
is it keeps me from being greedy and gluttonous

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:37.920
to be so for real to be so for real Being able

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:40.859
to just buy anything anytime just because you

00:29:40.859 --> 00:29:46.039
feel like it just because you want it Even with

00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:49.900
self -control that can still get a little much

00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.240
And there's a gratitude that actually starts

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:56.599
to be lost. And there's a lack of stewardship

00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:58.759
over the things that you already have, because

00:29:58.759 --> 00:30:01.160
you're so ready to just replace it and get more.

00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:03.779
And speaking from experience, I'm someone who

00:30:03.779 --> 00:30:06.660
used to chase the dopamine hit in the short -term

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:08.259
fulfillment that came from getting something

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:13.400
new in the store. And that actually, when I look

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:15.220
back, before I gave my life to Christ, that was

00:30:15.220 --> 00:30:17.019
something that replaced the fulfillment I would

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:19.220
get from coming to Jesus. That's another thing,

00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:22.329
is every time I've had to say no, and stay home

00:30:22.329 --> 00:30:24.369
instead of going to that event, I end up reading

00:30:24.369 --> 00:30:27.869
my Bible. I end up spending time with God instead.

00:30:28.150 --> 00:30:30.750
Or he gives me a fresh revelation. I end up recording

00:30:30.750 --> 00:30:32.890
a podcast episode instead, doing something else

00:30:32.890 --> 00:30:38.210
instead. That thorn in my side has caused me

00:30:38.210 --> 00:30:42.029
to be at his feet. That thorn in my side has

00:30:42.029 --> 00:30:44.809
caused me to go to him for guidance and instruction.

00:30:45.269 --> 00:30:47.710
That thorn in my side has caused me from being

00:30:47.710 --> 00:30:51.890
able to rely on myself and my own control. ensure

00:30:51.890 --> 00:30:54.250
that may produce periods of uncomfortability,

00:30:54.890 --> 00:31:01.529
of fear, of whatever, but those have also provided

00:31:01.529 --> 00:31:04.809
many opportunities for me to testify to God's

00:31:04.809 --> 00:31:09.309
ability to make a way out of no way. I have many

00:31:09.309 --> 00:31:12.369
testimonies of God bringing financial provision

00:31:12.369 --> 00:31:15.890
out of nowhere, of Him paying for something,

00:31:16.049 --> 00:31:18.630
of Him orchestrating things where it makes no

00:31:18.630 --> 00:31:22.480
sense. And unless I was put in those situations,

00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:24.319
I wouldn't have those testimonies. If I would

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:26.079
have had all the money or all the provision,

00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:28.680
all the resource to take care of it, there would

00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:31.000
have been no need for God's provision in that

00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:34.259
situation. His supernatural moves, His hand.

00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:40.160
It's when I'm in situations that, well, no one

00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.440
but God could fix us, that He has showed up and

00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:49.089
showed out. Glory be to God. I think this is

00:31:49.089 --> 00:31:51.009
going to be a little bit of a shorter episode.

00:31:53.829 --> 00:31:56.750
And I just want to speak to whoever you are that

00:31:56.750 --> 00:31:58.569
has a thorn in your side. It might not be money.

00:31:58.609 --> 00:32:04.029
Maybe it's an illness. Maybe it's an addiction.

00:32:05.769 --> 00:32:09.109
Maybe it's a thought process. Maybe it's a specific

00:32:09.109 --> 00:32:11.349
habit that you have that's like you keep praying

00:32:11.349 --> 00:32:15.940
for deliverance, but keeps creeping up. I challenge

00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:20.140
you to reflect on how has God used that to grow

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:22.880
you, to teach you? How has God been using that

00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:30.019
to keep you coming to Him? And is there more

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:32.140
you could be doing towards your relationship

00:32:32.140 --> 00:32:34.720
with Christ right now? Are you wallowing in sadness

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:37.759
and anger and frustration? Are you misplacing

00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:40.960
accountability? Are you just really angry at

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:44.099
the world? Are you... What emotions are coming

00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:48.319
up that you should be taking to God? As someone

00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:50.940
who, when I was in my early 20s, I was diagnosed

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:54.440
with anxiety, panic disorder, depression, PTSD,

00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:57.539
and I had been dealing with that clearly since

00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:59.660
I was like 12, 13 years old. I was in counseling

00:32:59.660 --> 00:33:01.299
back at that time. They just didn't want to hit

00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:07.900
you with diagnosis that young. And I was one

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:10.279
of those people that I just wanted to wallow

00:33:10.279 --> 00:33:11.900
in the pain and the hurt and the sadness. And

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:14.920
I wouldn't admit that out loud. I would be one

00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:16.059
of those people who would say, I just want to

00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:17.559
be happy. I don't want to be angry. I don't want

00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:19.980
to be all these things. But there was a part

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:23.880
of me that was rooted in that feeling. And when

00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:25.740
things like this would come up instead of like

00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:27.700
looking for how can God use it and how can I

00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:29.660
see the goodness or anything I want to be angry

00:33:29.660 --> 00:33:31.880
and I want to wallow in it and I want other people

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:34.319
to be angry and I want other people to justify

00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:42.380
how I was feeling and all these things What emotions

00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:44.980
is that thing bringing up out of you that you're

00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:49.480
choosing to wallow in and sit in and let Fester

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:54.339
that instead you should be taking to God And

00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:56.720
I challenge you to take it to God. I challenge

00:33:56.720 --> 00:34:03.839
you to start obeying the Word of God. Not 50%,

00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:06.779
not 75%. I challenge you to start looking at

00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:09.460
God's Word as truth, point blank period. Jesus

00:34:09.460 --> 00:34:13.639
Christ is the way, the truth, the life. We also

00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:18.320
see in John chapter 18, when Pilate is talking

00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:21.280
to him, Jesus says, I came here to testify to

00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:24.710
the truth. and Pilate said what is truth it was

00:34:24.710 --> 00:34:26.809
an interesting thing my pastor said this morning

00:34:26.809 --> 00:34:32.909
in the sermon is Jesus Christ will give us the

00:34:32.909 --> 00:34:36.429
truth because he is the truth right but there

00:34:36.429 --> 00:34:38.349
are a lot of people who when they're confronted

00:34:38.349 --> 00:34:40.449
with the truth they walk away they don't want

00:34:40.449 --> 00:34:46.489
to hear it and I challenge you today to start

00:34:46.489 --> 00:34:50.940
looking at Jesus Christ And everything he says,

00:34:51.179 --> 00:34:54.179
even though it goes against your feelings, even

00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:56.019
though it goes against your emotions, even though

00:34:56.019 --> 00:34:57.780
it goes against your fleshly desires to look

00:34:57.780 --> 00:35:01.820
at what he says as truth, as absolute truth.

00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:04.239
Stop trying to poke holes and trying to question

00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:10.639
it and everything like that. Instead, look at

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:15.679
it as absolute truth. And start submitting your

00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:18.369
words, start submitting your... your mind starts

00:35:18.369 --> 00:35:23.889
submitting your actions to God's Word. If you're

00:35:23.889 --> 00:35:25.730
one of those people who you're like, well, God's

00:35:25.730 --> 00:35:27.489
Word says no weapons that formed against me shall

00:35:27.489 --> 00:35:30.809
prosper. Well, God's Word says this, well, God's

00:35:30.809 --> 00:35:32.050
Word says that, and I don't feel like I'm seeing

00:35:32.050 --> 00:35:34.869
the full fulfillment of that. Okay, but are you

00:35:34.869 --> 00:35:38.130
obeying Christ? Like, be so for real right now.

00:35:38.409 --> 00:35:41.210
Are you denying the flesh? We've talked about

00:35:41.210 --> 00:35:43.230
this in past episodes, and I feel like this one's

00:35:43.230 --> 00:35:46.409
brought up again today. What opened doors? The

00:35:46.409 --> 00:35:49.630
devil do you have in your life? God doesn't call

00:35:49.630 --> 00:35:54.369
us to flee sin and to flee temptation because

00:35:54.369 --> 00:35:56.710
he doesn't want us to have fun. He calls us to

00:35:56.710 --> 00:35:59.650
flee because when you partake and participate

00:35:59.650 --> 00:36:01.869
in those things, you are giving the devil legal

00:36:01.869 --> 00:36:04.769
access to your mind, to your life. You're opening

00:36:04.769 --> 00:36:10.949
the door, welcoming him in and allowing him to

00:36:10.949 --> 00:36:15.489
take root. And it might feel good in the moment

00:36:17.759 --> 00:36:20.139
The thing with sin is it feels good and it looks

00:36:20.139 --> 00:36:22.619
good in the moment. It looks like relief It looks

00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:27.440
like whatever but it's just chains later on It

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:29.599
looks like freedom until you try to leave there's

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:32.000
a reason why scripture says that the devil masquerades

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:40.539
as an angel of light Charm is deceptive Speaking

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:43.800
from experience I used to wonder and pray to

00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:46.340
God like why does it appear like my enemies are

00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:48.519
succeeding over me? Why does it appear like they're

00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:50.059
winning? You said no weapons of form against

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:52.579
me shall prosper and like I'm trying to be a

00:36:52.579 --> 00:36:55.320
good person. I'm following this commandment.

00:36:55.320 --> 00:36:56.559
I'm following this commandment. I'm following

00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:58.099
this commandment. And then God highlighted to

00:36:58.099 --> 00:37:00.179
me all the other open doors of sin I had in my

00:37:00.179 --> 00:37:04.699
life. Sexual immorality. That one is spoken about

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:09.440
a lot. The sexually immoral shall not inherit

00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:12.269
the kingdom of heaven. the sexually immoral,

00:37:12.550 --> 00:37:14.889
fornicating before marriage, sexually immoral

00:37:14.889 --> 00:37:22.690
acts. You look at the witches, the diviners,

00:37:23.050 --> 00:37:24.769
the people who are putting their faith in zodiacs,

00:37:24.789 --> 00:37:28.730
going to tarot card readers, going to astrologers,

00:37:28.829 --> 00:37:31.389
reading the zodiac charts, doing all that. That

00:37:31.389 --> 00:37:35.829
is an open door for the devil. You're living

00:37:35.829 --> 00:37:43.130
in active sin, like willfully. the liars, the

00:37:43.130 --> 00:37:46.150
slanderers, the gossippers, that is a sin. That

00:37:46.150 --> 00:37:49.150
is an open door for the devil. And it's hard

00:37:49.150 --> 00:37:52.269
for our mind to grasp all the way, all the different

00:37:52.269 --> 00:37:54.030
ways that the devil is able to move in our life

00:37:54.030 --> 00:37:56.110
when we open up the door and let him in. You

00:37:56.110 --> 00:37:58.130
wouldn't think that lying, slandering, and gossiping

00:37:58.130 --> 00:37:59.710
could affect all these other areas of your life.

00:37:59.730 --> 00:38:03.829
Boy, it will. It will. And I'm saying this from

00:38:03.829 --> 00:38:07.090
a loving place. How are you gonna be mad that

00:38:07.090 --> 00:38:09.880
you feel like God isn't fulfilling His Word when

00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:12.280
you aren't holding up your end of the deal, when

00:38:12.280 --> 00:38:14.320
you aren't actually believing His Word is truth,

00:38:14.420 --> 00:38:16.300
when you are actually submitting your way to

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:17.840
it, when you're blaspheming, some people out

00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:25.659
here blaspheming God. When you're holding people

00:38:25.659 --> 00:38:27.860
in unforgiveness, how do you expect, and this

00:38:27.860 --> 00:38:33.840
is in Scripture, if you forgive others, you will

00:38:33.840 --> 00:38:39.719
be forgiven. We have a real big problem in this

00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:41.659
generation. I know it's not just our generation

00:38:41.659 --> 00:38:43.679
It's gone on for thousands of years and people

00:38:43.679 --> 00:38:46.719
who will show themselves grace and mercy and

00:38:46.719 --> 00:38:48.679
understanding and saying well Yeah, I lied I

00:38:48.679 --> 00:38:50.420
gossiped and I slandered but it was because of

00:38:50.420 --> 00:38:53.519
this Well, yeah, I participated in this thing

00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:55.239
but was because of this it was because of this

00:38:55.239 --> 00:38:56.820
is because of this person or it's because of

00:38:56.820 --> 00:38:58.739
that or it's Because of that you show yourself

00:38:58.739 --> 00:39:01.019
grace and mercy and make excuses and say well

00:39:01.019 --> 00:39:02.800
I have a good heart and good intent I deserve

00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:05.119
to be forgiven, but then you won't extend that

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:09.300
to anybody else But then someone else does the

00:39:09.300 --> 00:39:11.039
same thing you did and they are point -blank

00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:13.280
period of gossip, a slander, a liar, a wicked

00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:15.920
person, evil person, they deserve hell. That's

00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:17.519
the way a lot of people are looking at it. They

00:39:17.519 --> 00:39:21.300
deserve God's wrath. Where you decide they can

00:39:21.300 --> 00:39:23.619
only be forgiven if they do these things that

00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:28.820
you qualify as like good enough of making amends.

00:39:31.300 --> 00:39:33.139
There are a lot of people who refuse to forgive

00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:36.320
someone unless they Do these kind of physical

00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:39.159
acts whether it be paying money doing this thing

00:39:39.159 --> 00:39:41.920
doing that thing taking saying this doing that

00:39:41.920 --> 00:39:46.000
They say I'll withhold forgiveness until someone

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:48.699
does that thing. That's the only way I'm gonna

00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:51.159
tell you right now. You're only hurting yourself

00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:56.539
You deciding to hold someone in forgiveness does

00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:59.719
not determine whether or not God forgives them

00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:02.880
Someone's covered in the blood of Jesus They're

00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:05.019
repenting. They've asked Jesus for forgiveness.

00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:07.719
They're receiving forgiveness. They're working

00:40:07.719 --> 00:40:12.420
on forgiving other people. Your forgiveness or

00:40:12.420 --> 00:40:14.659
lack thereof does not determine whether or not

00:40:14.659 --> 00:40:18.320
that person steps into their calling, does not

00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:20.199
determine whether or not that person receives

00:40:20.199 --> 00:40:22.420
blessing in their life, does not determine whether

00:40:22.420 --> 00:40:27.199
or not that person succeeds. Does not determine

00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:28.739
whether or not that person enters the kingdom

00:40:28.739 --> 00:40:31.300
of heaven all it does is makes you a space of

00:40:31.300 --> 00:40:35.380
bitterness You're able to be used by the devil

00:40:35.380 --> 00:40:41.360
by the enemy And it's an open door for the devil

00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:45.860
to take root and cause more pain pain unnecessary

00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:49.639
suffering in your life Influencing your thoughts

00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:53.219
your words and your decisions Someone needs to

00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:56.010
hear this today Our definition of wickedness

00:40:56.010 --> 00:40:58.269
and good isn't the same as God's definition of

00:40:58.269 --> 00:41:03.630
wickedness and good. Good is anything that is

00:41:03.630 --> 00:41:09.610
from God is Christ -like. That is goodness. Anything

00:41:09.610 --> 00:41:13.570
that is not from God, not Christ -like, is wicked.

00:41:13.829 --> 00:41:19.070
Our fleshly desires are wicked. When Adam and

00:41:19.070 --> 00:41:25.130
Eve ate that fruit in the garden, Sin entered

00:41:25.130 --> 00:41:30.570
the world and this was a fallen world We carry

00:41:30.570 --> 00:41:33.550
that there are a lot of people who do not I'm

00:41:33.550 --> 00:41:35.309
speaking I'm speaking today there's some people

00:41:35.309 --> 00:41:37.989
who need to hear this and I I was one of those

00:41:37.989 --> 00:41:40.289
people that there are a lot of people who Do

00:41:40.289 --> 00:41:43.550
not accept the gospel do not accept Jesus Christ

00:41:43.550 --> 00:41:45.030
as their Lord and Savior. There are a lot of

00:41:45.030 --> 00:41:48.789
people who call themselves Christians Who will

00:41:48.789 --> 00:41:51.429
quote specific parts of the Bible and then a

00:41:51.429 --> 00:41:53.349
lot of other areas of their life look very very

00:41:53.349 --> 00:41:56.230
un -Christ like we call those lukewarm christians

00:41:56.230 --> 00:42:00.409
being a follower being a christian is not a religion

00:42:00.409 --> 00:42:05.289
being a christian is a follower of christ a disciple

00:42:05.289 --> 00:42:07.449
of christ and how can you be discipled how can

00:42:07.449 --> 00:42:13.269
you follow him if you don't know him how can

00:42:13.269 --> 00:42:17.900
you follow him if you don't know him And it says

00:42:17.900 --> 00:42:20.639
in John chapter 14 the one Jesus says the one

00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:23.019
who believes in me will do the works that I do

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:24.920
I've shared this main times over your works are

00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:28.239
a byproduct of your faith Your works do not gain

00:42:28.239 --> 00:42:31.579
your entry into heaven But if someone is living

00:42:31.579 --> 00:42:34.320
a life their works are very clearly on christ

00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:37.280
like They're not living biblically. It's safe

00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:39.880
to say jesus christ isn't first in their life

00:42:39.880 --> 00:42:43.440
It's safe to say that they are not living a life

00:42:43.440 --> 00:42:46.480
Submitted to christ that they don't truly believe

00:42:48.219 --> 00:42:51.639
His word to be true because if you believe Jesus

00:42:51.639 --> 00:42:53.960
Christ to be the way the truth of life If you

00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:56.980
believe what you're reading in the Bible to be

00:42:56.980 --> 00:43:00.739
truth You're gonna start submitting yourself

00:43:00.739 --> 00:43:02.340
to it and I'm not saying you're gonna be living

00:43:02.340 --> 00:43:04.500
perfectly but your life is gonna start changing

00:43:04.500 --> 00:43:08.239
and I was someone who grew up in the church.

00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:12.980
I grew up in religion Who believed I was Christian

00:43:13.549 --> 00:43:16.030
But my life looked very different. I was gossiping.

00:43:16.070 --> 00:43:17.730
I was slandering. I was turning up. I was sexually

00:43:17.730 --> 00:43:20.929
immoral. I was doing all these things. So it

00:43:20.929 --> 00:43:24.230
was clear Jesus didn't have my heart. I fell

00:43:24.230 --> 00:43:27.309
away from the church. Stopped attending. Stopped

00:43:27.309 --> 00:43:29.230
going. I started poking holes in it. I started

00:43:29.230 --> 00:43:30.670
saying, well, you're not a real Christian, or

00:43:30.670 --> 00:43:32.150
you're not a real Christian. When I had no idea

00:43:32.150 --> 00:43:33.590
what a real Christian meant, because I didn't

00:43:33.590 --> 00:43:42.639
really know Christ. Clearly. And the root of

00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:46.820
the problem here is I didn't believe that I needed

00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:50.300
what Jesus had to offer. What Jesus offers us

00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:57.840
is salvation from ourselves. And we have a very

00:43:57.840 --> 00:44:04.519
prideful generation. Generations that are walking

00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:07.079
this earth right now that don't believe that

00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:09.139
Jesus Christ came for them They believe that

00:44:09.139 --> 00:44:11.179
Jesus Christ may have came for other people but

00:44:11.179 --> 00:44:12.820
not for them. They believe that they're good

00:44:12.820 --> 00:44:17.900
enough Which is exactly what Jesus Christ experienced

00:44:17.900 --> 00:44:21.260
2 ,000 years ago with the Pharisees right the

00:44:21.260 --> 00:44:24.260
Pharisees they were waiting on a Messiah they

00:44:24.260 --> 00:44:28.460
were waiting on a Savior But they imagined the

00:44:28.460 --> 00:44:32.510
Savior to come in Slaughter the Romans take them

00:44:32.510 --> 00:44:35.210
down and elevate the Pharisees. The Pharisees

00:44:35.210 --> 00:44:37.909
have been living a workspace lifestyle. I'm a

00:44:37.909 --> 00:44:42.070
good person My life looks good. I'm clean on

00:44:42.070 --> 00:44:44.889
the outside. I keep all these commandments. I

00:44:44.889 --> 00:44:50.409
do all these rules. I'm morally sound It's everybody

00:44:50.409 --> 00:44:56.969
else that's the problem And when Jesus Christ

00:44:56.969 --> 00:45:03.480
showed up The Savior the Messiah the anointed

00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:10.679
one He didn't offer them that instead he offered

00:45:10.679 --> 00:45:15.300
them you every single one of you has sinned Every

00:45:15.300 --> 00:45:17.820
single one of you is a sinner. What keeps us

00:45:17.820 --> 00:45:22.500
out of heaven is our sin Our sin is what prevents

00:45:22.500 --> 00:45:27.119
us From going to heaven every single one of us

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:31.920
today is a sinner every single one of us has

00:45:31.920 --> 00:45:36.820
committed sin a lot of us live off of like our

00:45:36.820 --> 00:45:39.480
own moral code where we compare ourselves to

00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:41.099
other people and we're like well since I haven't

00:45:41.099 --> 00:45:43.099
killed anybody or since I haven't cheated in

00:45:43.099 --> 00:45:44.579
this way or since I haven't done this in this

00:45:44.579 --> 00:45:47.119
way I'm a good person compared to that person

00:45:47.119 --> 00:45:49.300
and like there are a lot of people and I didn't

00:45:49.300 --> 00:45:50.719
even realize I was one of those people doing

00:45:50.719 --> 00:45:52.820
it that I was basing my entry off to heaven based

00:45:52.820 --> 00:45:55.400
off of my works which goes directly against the

00:45:55.400 --> 00:45:59.670
Bible the Bible literally says that works do

00:45:59.670 --> 00:46:03.469
not buy your salvation, that we are saved by

00:46:03.469 --> 00:46:06.809
grace through our faith in Jesus Christ so that

00:46:06.809 --> 00:46:09.269
no one may boast in their works. That is literally

00:46:09.269 --> 00:46:11.329
in the Bible. No one is going to be able to go

00:46:11.329 --> 00:46:13.309
before God and say, I was nice to these people

00:46:13.309 --> 00:46:14.989
and I welcome these groups of people and I made

00:46:14.989 --> 00:46:16.690
these people feel loved and I gave this money

00:46:16.690 --> 00:46:18.710
and I donated this thing. I helped all these

00:46:18.710 --> 00:46:20.570
people. I gave every weekend to help these people

00:46:20.570 --> 00:46:23.070
and doing all this. God might say, okay, cool.

00:46:23.090 --> 00:46:25.449
That's awesome. But where's your faith in Jesus?

00:46:26.949 --> 00:46:30.949
When we go before the Heavenly Father for judgment

00:46:30.949 --> 00:46:33.550
day every single one of us will The only thing

00:46:33.550 --> 00:46:35.449
that allows us into heaven is our faith in Jesus

00:46:35.449 --> 00:46:37.989
Christ because Jesus Christ is literally we know

00:46:37.989 --> 00:46:40.469
this if you read your Bible you will know this

00:46:40.469 --> 00:46:44.349
That Jesus Christ is there waiting to intercede

00:46:44.349 --> 00:46:47.230
on our behalf Where the people who have their

00:46:47.230 --> 00:46:49.630
faith in him meaning they believe Jesus Christ

00:46:49.630 --> 00:46:54.469
is the Messiah that he was sent from God that

00:46:54.469 --> 00:46:58.289
He died and resurrected, that He came back to

00:46:58.289 --> 00:47:00.409
life, that if we put our faith in Him, we will

00:47:00.409 --> 00:47:04.190
receive the forgiveness of sins, believe that

00:47:04.190 --> 00:47:08.010
He is coming back as a victory on the cross.

00:47:08.409 --> 00:47:12.429
We actually believe that and have our faith in

00:47:12.429 --> 00:47:14.949
that. When we stand before the Heavenly Father,

00:47:15.230 --> 00:47:17.329
Jesus is going to step in and say, this one's

00:47:17.329 --> 00:47:23.699
covered. Their debt has been paid. It's the ones

00:47:23.699 --> 00:47:26.199
who may have called themselves Christians may

00:47:26.199 --> 00:47:27.780
do all these good works and all these things

00:47:27.780 --> 00:47:31.739
are gonna go before him and He's gonna say depart

00:47:31.739 --> 00:47:34.400
from me for I never knew you and they're gonna

00:47:34.400 --> 00:47:37.420
say did I not do good works in your name? did

00:47:37.420 --> 00:47:40.840
I not like cast out demons in your name and do

00:47:40.840 --> 00:47:44.639
all this and Jesus is gonna say depart from me.

00:47:44.639 --> 00:47:46.940
I never knew you meaning you didn't actually

00:47:46.940 --> 00:47:50.400
have faith in me We didn't actually have a relationship.

00:47:50.500 --> 00:47:52.619
You could do all these good things and be a good

00:47:52.619 --> 00:47:57.199
person, but that doesn't mean Jack squat. And

00:47:57.199 --> 00:47:59.300
this might be a hard reality check for someone

00:47:59.300 --> 00:48:03.599
to hear today, but your good works do not matter.

00:48:05.420 --> 00:48:07.719
When it comes to forgiveness, you cannot earn

00:48:07.719 --> 00:48:11.260
forgiveness. None of us can earn the forgiveness

00:48:11.260 --> 00:48:14.920
from Jesus Christ. so you trying to make other

00:48:14.920 --> 00:48:17.880
people earn your forgiveness is on Christ like

00:48:17.880 --> 00:48:21.039
and A lot of people refuse to accept Jesus Christ

00:48:21.039 --> 00:48:22.699
as their Lord and Savior because they look at

00:48:22.699 --> 00:48:24.619
themselves and say I'm a good person Jesus didn't

00:48:24.619 --> 00:48:27.300
come for me He came to save all these other people

00:48:27.300 --> 00:48:30.760
these other people are sinners That's a reason

00:48:30.760 --> 00:48:32.760
why a lot of people take vengeance into their

00:48:32.760 --> 00:48:35.960
own hands Why they refuse to give vengeance to

00:48:35.960 --> 00:48:40.699
God? That's why a lot of people refuse to put

00:48:40.699 --> 00:48:44.380
their faith in Jesus Christ because they don't

00:48:44.380 --> 00:48:48.539
view themselves as someone who needs saved from

00:48:48.539 --> 00:48:50.960
themselves. They view themselves as victims that

00:48:50.960 --> 00:48:54.599
need saved from everybody else around them. A

00:48:54.599 --> 00:48:56.679
lot of people only want Jesus as the one who's

00:48:56.679 --> 00:48:58.579
going to go and slay their enemies and tear all

00:48:58.579 --> 00:49:00.320
these people down and elevate them and make them

00:49:00.320 --> 00:49:04.960
look like angels. So when they hear that he's

00:49:04.960 --> 00:49:07.400
actually expecting you to take accountability

00:49:07.400 --> 00:49:13.170
and repent, I want to say this from the most

00:49:13.170 --> 00:49:15.989
loving place if you're someone who is deep in

00:49:15.989 --> 00:49:17.889
unforgiveness right now Here are some ways that

00:49:17.889 --> 00:49:21.190
you're gonna know That you haven't actually forgiven

00:49:21.190 --> 00:49:24.329
a person. Are you quick to slander them still?

00:49:24.489 --> 00:49:27.389
Are you still quick to gossip about them? Do

00:49:27.389 --> 00:49:30.409
you find yourself trying to degrade them trying

00:49:30.409 --> 00:49:35.269
to make them look bad? Like are you going out

00:49:35.269 --> 00:49:39.639
of your way? to try to mold and twist the way

00:49:39.639 --> 00:49:45.699
that other people view them. If you are, you

00:49:45.699 --> 00:49:49.300
are not trusting in God's ability to reveal and

00:49:49.300 --> 00:49:51.159
expose what needs to be revealed and exposed.

00:49:51.539 --> 00:49:56.039
That is you still trying to get revenge. Are

00:49:56.039 --> 00:49:58.559
you still trying to make someone feel some type

00:49:58.559 --> 00:50:01.820
of way? Are you going out of your way? Are you

00:50:01.820 --> 00:50:05.219
taking steps purposely to try to block or delay

00:50:05.219 --> 00:50:07.440
someone to stop good things from happening in

00:50:07.440 --> 00:50:11.400
their life? To stop them from achieving things

00:50:11.400 --> 00:50:15.840
to stop them from especially stepping into God's

00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:18.860
calling News flash if you are trying purposely

00:50:18.860 --> 00:50:21.760
to stop someone from stepping into their calling

00:50:21.760 --> 00:50:24.400
Stopping someone from growing in closeness with

00:50:24.400 --> 00:50:26.199
God or glorifying God. You're not being used

00:50:26.199 --> 00:50:31.539
by God. You're being used by the other guy But

00:50:31.539 --> 00:50:34.639
if you are going out of your way to stop block

00:50:34.639 --> 00:50:38.780
destroy Hinder you have not actually forgiven

00:50:38.780 --> 00:50:41.699
that person Forgiving doesn't mean that what

00:50:41.699 --> 00:50:44.900
the other person did was okay. Forgiving is forgoing

00:50:44.900 --> 00:50:49.239
someone to God is saying I release whatever like

00:50:49.239 --> 00:50:51.699
Ownership and authority. I think I have over

00:50:51.699 --> 00:50:55.019
this situation. I give vengeance to God Because

00:50:55.019 --> 00:50:57.699
you're believing the Bible as the true word of

00:50:57.699 --> 00:51:00.739
God where it says a vengeance is God's eye shall

00:51:00.739 --> 00:51:05.260
avenge, says the Lord. Vengeance is mine. So

00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:08.480
if you believe and God's word is truth, if you

00:51:08.480 --> 00:51:10.780
are a follower of Christ, you will follow God's

00:51:10.780 --> 00:51:16.179
word. And trust that he is able to deal vengeance

00:51:16.179 --> 00:51:18.599
and exposure a lot better than you ever could.

00:51:20.840 --> 00:51:23.460
Do you find yourself in the cycle of you keep

00:51:23.460 --> 00:51:25.480
trying to get revenge and get a look back and

00:51:25.480 --> 00:51:27.599
trying to expose and do all these things and

00:51:27.599 --> 00:51:30.260
then you're the one who's hurt? In the end, you're

00:51:30.260 --> 00:51:31.820
the one who every time you're like, oh great.

00:51:31.820 --> 00:51:33.619
Now I look like the bad person Now I look like

00:51:33.619 --> 00:51:35.519
the crazy person. I look like this and I look

00:51:35.519 --> 00:51:39.079
now I look like the bat Holy spirit, give me

00:51:39.079 --> 00:51:40.320
the words. I'm gonna be so thoughtful with the

00:51:40.320 --> 00:51:46.139
way I wordless You find yourself continuously

00:51:46.139 --> 00:51:49.780
in that cycle when you're trying to expose you're

00:51:49.780 --> 00:51:51.780
trying to do this You're trying to do that. That

00:51:51.780 --> 00:51:55.579
is you trying to take God's will into your own

00:51:55.579 --> 00:51:58.579
hands and oftentimes speaking from experience

00:51:59.449 --> 00:52:07.969
Your view on the situation is warped I Didn't

00:52:07.969 --> 00:52:10.889
feel like I did I didn't expect to say this today,

00:52:11.210 --> 00:52:13.130
but when I was in New Age spirituality y 'all

00:52:13.130 --> 00:52:17.869
I thought I was the good guy I I did not see

00:52:17.869 --> 00:52:19.730
what I was doing as wickedness when I was a tarot

00:52:19.730 --> 00:52:22.429
card reader I thought because I had good intentions.

00:52:22.530 --> 00:52:27.360
I was a good person And when I look back I was

00:52:27.360 --> 00:52:30.679
praying against people that were like true Christians

00:52:30.679 --> 00:52:33.099
who were glorifying God and everything I was

00:52:33.099 --> 00:52:35.699
viewing those people as wicked I was viewing

00:52:35.699 --> 00:52:38.579
those people as people trying to block me and

00:52:38.579 --> 00:52:40.780
stop me and operate against me and like all of

00:52:40.780 --> 00:52:44.880
these things and I was like wondering why why

00:52:44.880 --> 00:52:47.760
do they appear to be Succeeding in life. Why

00:52:47.760 --> 00:52:49.739
all these things? Why am I the one getting hurt

00:52:49.739 --> 00:52:52.440
and all these things and later on I realized

00:52:52.440 --> 00:52:54.599
I was literally working against God's people

00:52:56.380 --> 00:52:59.239
So of course I was in a cycle of pain and suffering.

00:52:59.739 --> 00:53:01.440
No weapon that formed against them shall prosper

00:53:01.440 --> 00:53:04.079
and I was the weapon forming. And I didn't realize

00:53:04.079 --> 00:53:05.840
that because in New Age spirituality I believed

00:53:05.840 --> 00:53:09.380
my intention was all that mattered. Sin aside.

00:53:10.639 --> 00:53:13.059
But then once I started obeying the Word of God,

00:53:13.480 --> 00:53:15.360
I realized that it doesn't matter why I was in

00:53:15.360 --> 00:53:17.480
divination, why I was in witchcraft, why I wasn't

00:53:17.480 --> 00:53:20.340
any of that. It's a sin and it's not being used

00:53:20.340 --> 00:53:22.360
by God. People can claim that they're talking

00:53:22.360 --> 00:53:24.969
to God or... The holy spirit is speaking through

00:53:24.969 --> 00:53:28.590
them. It's not true If you believe in the bible

00:53:28.590 --> 00:53:30.570
as a true word of god, you will know that god

00:53:30.570 --> 00:53:33.190
does not condone divination He doesn't condone

00:53:33.190 --> 00:53:36.989
witchcraft. So he's not going to bless that Anything

00:53:36.989 --> 00:53:38.650
you get from that is not going to be from god

00:53:38.650 --> 00:53:40.030
It's going to be from the enemy and the second

00:53:40.030 --> 00:53:43.670
you try to live righteously and do goodly You're

00:53:43.670 --> 00:53:49.110
going to realize you're in a trap I did not expect

00:53:49.110 --> 00:53:51.489
to like get into this topic today because I know

00:53:51.489 --> 00:53:54.989
this is a heavy topic y 'all It felt really light

00:53:54.989 --> 00:53:59.090
in the beginning episode But I know someone needs

00:53:59.090 --> 00:54:01.050
to hear that today and this is going to be freeing

00:54:01.050 --> 00:54:08.570
and releasing for someone if they choose To come

00:54:08.570 --> 00:54:11.690
in a humble space That's the thing is this can

00:54:11.690 --> 00:54:14.869
be taken two ways This can either be the aha

00:54:14.869 --> 00:54:17.070
revelation moment where you take accountability

00:54:17.070 --> 00:54:20.570
for your unforgiveness and like anger and frustration

00:54:20.570 --> 00:54:25.300
or This can be the moment where you get even

00:54:25.300 --> 00:54:27.179
angry or more frustrated and say you don't know

00:54:27.179 --> 00:54:29.019
what you're talking about and turn to yourself

00:54:29.019 --> 00:54:36.599
and away from God You have those choices Speaking

00:54:36.599 --> 00:54:41.559
to you from experience choose Jesus choose Jesus

00:54:41.559 --> 00:54:47.880
And maybe you're not someone who's holding someone

00:54:47.880 --> 00:54:50.280
unforgiveness but you're someone who's dealing

00:54:50.280 --> 00:54:52.679
with people holding you in unforgiveness, or

00:54:52.679 --> 00:54:54.480
you're witnessing it going on around you. Pray

00:54:54.480 --> 00:54:57.119
for them. Pray for the softening of their heart.

00:54:59.199 --> 00:55:02.500
Pray that the gospel is able to pierce their

00:55:02.500 --> 00:55:04.219
heart. However God needs to move in their life,

00:55:04.420 --> 00:55:06.719
whatever he needs to turn them over to the destruction

00:55:06.719 --> 00:55:09.519
of their flesh, whatever he needs to do, pray

00:55:09.519 --> 00:55:12.840
that he does it. Because their salvation is a

00:55:12.840 --> 00:55:14.360
lot more important than their comfortability.

00:55:16.969 --> 00:55:19.110
Believe and this is me pulling out the depths

00:55:19.110 --> 00:55:23.329
of my brain. I believe it was Paul Who there

00:55:23.329 --> 00:55:25.230
was a group of people who were sexually immoral

00:55:25.230 --> 00:55:28.250
and they were refusing to repent Like they were

00:55:28.250 --> 00:55:30.409
refusing to see any wrong in what they were doing.

00:55:30.550 --> 00:55:32.929
They were refusing to turn away They were doubling

00:55:32.929 --> 00:55:36.190
down in their sin defending their sin and He

00:55:36.190 --> 00:55:38.230
prayed that they would be turned over to Satan

00:55:38.230 --> 00:55:40.449
for the destruction of their flesh. So that way

00:55:40.449 --> 00:55:43.329
their soul may be saved meaning he was praying

00:55:43.329 --> 00:55:46.940
that They they would see pain from their sin

00:55:46.940 --> 00:55:49.760
That like sure you're turning to your sin, but

00:55:49.760 --> 00:55:52.019
you were not no longer going to find comfortability

00:55:52.019 --> 00:55:56.860
and satisfaction and enjoyment in that sin Turning

00:55:56.860 --> 00:55:59.119
you over to Satan meaning turning you over to

00:55:59.119 --> 00:56:01.300
turning you over to wickedness allowing wickedness

00:56:01.300 --> 00:56:03.480
to have you allowing them to go through suffering

00:56:03.480 --> 00:56:06.119
Allowing them to go through hardships for the

00:56:06.119 --> 00:56:10.260
destruction of their flesh Which is similar to

00:56:10.260 --> 00:56:12.179
what I went through y 'all the destruction of

00:56:12.179 --> 00:56:14.559
my flesh Like gave me to a point where I could

00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:16.599
no longer rely on myself I no longer want to

00:56:16.599 --> 00:56:18.219
find peace in those things where I was humbled

00:56:18.219 --> 00:56:21.420
and open to receiving the gospel Humble and open

00:56:21.420 --> 00:56:25.860
to hearing that I may be the problem That I may

00:56:25.860 --> 00:56:27.739
be needing to do something different that I'm

00:56:27.739 --> 00:56:29.960
not just a good person being consistently punished

00:56:29.960 --> 00:56:33.019
that maybe there's something else going on here

00:56:33.019 --> 00:56:41.780
So that way the soul may be saved Look at what

00:56:41.780 --> 00:56:43.579
God did in my life y 'all. He restored me and

00:56:43.579 --> 00:56:45.739
now I'm being used to spread the gospel I'm not

00:56:45.739 --> 00:56:47.960
saying I'm perfect. I'm being used to spread

00:56:47.960 --> 00:56:52.820
the gospel. I'm being used by God now Won't he

00:56:52.820 --> 00:56:58.539
do it? Yes, he will Pray for the destruction

00:56:58.539 --> 00:57:02.960
of the if someone is unrepentant refusing to

00:57:02.960 --> 00:57:06.780
soften their heart Pray that God moves in whatever

00:57:06.780 --> 00:57:08.860
way he needs to move in their life because their

00:57:08.860 --> 00:57:11.000
soul, their salvation, is more important than

00:57:11.000 --> 00:57:15.320
their comfortability. Point blank period. Someone

00:57:15.320 --> 00:57:17.960
prayed it for me and I'm happy they did. I might

00:57:17.960 --> 00:57:20.099
not have been happy in the period because it

00:57:20.099 --> 00:57:23.960
felt like just suffering. I'm happy now seeing

00:57:23.960 --> 00:57:32.000
the glory of God. I pray that this episode blesses

00:57:32.000 --> 00:57:36.699
you. and that your encountering with the truth

00:57:36.699 --> 00:57:41.139
sets you free. Who the Son sets free is free

00:57:41.139 --> 00:57:44.340
indeed. And I encourage you today, if you are

00:57:44.340 --> 00:57:46.760
looking for a book in the Bible to start reading,

00:57:47.039 --> 00:57:48.659
if you're trying to get back into scripture reading,

00:57:48.780 --> 00:57:51.440
I encourage you to read the book of John. As

00:57:51.440 --> 00:57:53.179
a church, me and my church, we're going through

00:57:53.179 --> 00:57:55.460
the book of John right now. It's a 21 -week series.

00:57:55.960 --> 00:57:58.360
We're almost finished with it. We're on book

00:57:58.360 --> 00:58:01.940
18. And I encourage you to start on the Gospels.

00:58:02.139 --> 00:58:06.099
Let's start in John. Read the book of John. And

00:58:06.099 --> 00:58:09.699
as you read the Bible, pray that God softens

00:58:09.699 --> 00:58:12.800
your heart. Pray that he opens your eyes. Pray

00:58:12.800 --> 00:58:15.059
that he gives you a new understanding. Pray that

00:58:15.059 --> 00:58:18.000
he gives you a humble heart to receive the gospel.

00:58:18.400 --> 00:58:20.460
Pray that you start to see his word as truth.

00:58:20.840 --> 00:58:22.940
Pray that he removes the desires from your heart

00:58:22.940 --> 00:58:24.980
that are not from him and replaces them with

00:58:24.980 --> 00:58:28.539
desires that are from him. Pray that you have

00:58:28.539 --> 00:58:32.159
a desire and a fire ignited. for the Lord and

00:58:32.159 --> 00:58:36.860
Savior Jesus Christ. God moves when you pray

00:58:36.860 --> 00:58:40.579
from a humble space. When you pray for things

00:58:40.579 --> 00:58:45.639
like that, God wants you to know the truth. He

00:58:45.639 --> 00:58:48.800
wants the scabs to fall off your eyes. He wants

00:58:48.800 --> 00:58:51.360
you to receive salvation. He wants you to receive

00:58:51.360 --> 00:58:56.380
healing. So start praying that he works on your

00:58:56.380 --> 00:59:01.860
heart. I did and he did wonders with that. Thank

00:59:01.860 --> 00:59:03.800
you all so much for listening to this episode.

00:59:04.119 --> 00:59:06.300
This was Salt Malt Sweetener, and I'm your host

00:59:06.300 --> 00:59:09.360
Danielle Townsend. Have a wonderful day.