Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener
podcast. I am your host Danielle Townsend. I
hope you guys have had a wonderful week Now in
my time with the Lord this morning, I wasn't
planning on recording an episode today y 'all
I was just seeking the Lord reading scripture
and There was something that the Lord put on
my heart that really stuck with me And the more
I was reflecting on it, the more I realized this
was our topic for today. And our topic for today,
what I have written down right here in my journal,
is that God's Word as Truth does not change based
on our environment or our feelings. We live in
a world that takes feelings as truth. I'm speaking
as someone that for the longest time I took my
feelings as truth. A good 20 plus years of my
life I moved off of how I was feeling in that
moment and how I felt dictated what I believed
to be true, how I reacted, and how I handled
things. And when I gave my life to Jesus when
I started looking at the Bible not as some separate
thing or as just you know like a good a good
way to live life when I started looking at the
Bible as the living breathing Word of God when
I started looking at scripture as God's Word
And God's word is absolute truth. When I started
looking at everything I read, even though it
didn't make me feel good, even though some of
it went against my feelings or went against my
opinions, I finally put myself into a headspace.
Whereas like instead of reading this and trying
to conform God's word to my feelings and my emotions
and my desires, I am going to start conforming
my belief system. the way I react, the way I
respond to what God's Word says. And it wasn't
like a night and day, like I woke up the next
day and all of a sudden everything was aligned
with God's Word. I was praying fervently, y 'all.
I was praying multiple times a day, every day.
God, remove the desires from my heart that don't
align with your Word and your will. And I pray
that you place new desires in my heart that do
align with your will, that do align with your
Word. I pray that I have eyes to see and ears
to hear. You know, I was praying for wisdom,
I was praying for knowledge, the ability to steward
over and understand what I was reading and what
I was receiving. And before you know it, over
time it was like, I didn't realize this was what
it was, but I was starting to develop a Christian
worldview, a biblical worldview is a better word
for that. And there are a lot of Christians out
here that do not have a Biblical worldview. And
in the most loving way, I can say this, and I
pray Holy Spirit help me to say this. Our Bible
is the living, breathing Word of God. The Bible
that we read... The God's word that we read this
is his living breathing word. This is the truth
Jesus Christ was the word become flesh We know
that everything that God says is to be true and
being a Christian being a follower of Christ
is Believing that Jesus Christ is the way the
truth of life and he is the word made flesh So
if you you're following Jesus, you're believing
in Jesus, you're a follower of Christ You should
also be believing in God's Word putting your
faith in God and what he says And then the most
loving way I can say this not having a Christian
worldview not having a biblical worldview is
gonna keep you in some head spaces where you
find yourself fighting against God's Word, where
your feelings say this, your emotions say this,
your opinion says this, but God's Word says that.
And if you're not believing in God's Word as
truth, and basing your morals and your values
and your beliefs based off of what God says,
if you are not conforming to His word, to His
way, you're now relying on your own understanding.
And that can lead people very far astray and
very far away. So I believe it's so important
that we establish right now in the beginning
of this podcast episode that, you know, I move.
And I move off of a biblical worldview. And when
I am faced with something new where I'm like,
I don't know how I feel about that. I don't know
what I think about that. What I do is I take
it to God's word and I say, what does God's word
say about this? Because my thoughts, my feelings,
my opinions, yeah, they're a thing. And yeah,
I guess they have like a level of value. right?
But they're not truth. God's Word is truth. So
when I'm faced with things and I hold them up
to God's Word, God's Word tells me the truth.
And once I'm rooted in that, I am able to form
beliefs and opinions that align with God's Word.
And when I tell you that Aligning my beliefs
and my values with God's Word has been transformational
for me and has helped me to accept Jesus Christ
as my Lord and Savior, has helped me to obey
God. I will say this y 'all, it is so hard to
obey God. It is so hard to submit to Jesus when
you don't believe God's Word as truth. There
is a wrestling within you. There's a defending
of your sin. There's a defending of your disobedience
that happens When you don't agree with something
right And I wish there was a better way to word
that I I hope I pray Holy Spirit give me a better
way to word that but that when I when I started
Finding the root of how I grew up in the church.
I attended church every Sunday confessed Jesus
as Lord with my mouth Took communion did all
of these things baptized all of these steps But
my heart was far from Jesus. I didn't have a
desire to fully deny the flesh There were parts
of my life that I'm like, yeah I know God is
calling me to do better and to be better and
to let this go and to trust in him But I don't
want to I have reasons to defend this, so I'm
gonna stick with it. I put more faith in my feelings
and my desires and my opinions and my beliefs
than I did in God's Word. I didn't submit to
His Word. And when I looked back at the root
of it, it was because I didn't see God's Word
as truth. I saw God's Word, the Bible, as just
like a separate book. that had nothing to do
with my real life scenario and my real life situations.
I felt like I was meant to rely on my own control,
rely on my own understanding, navigate life.
What do the psychologists say? What do all the
scientific people say? Pay attention to that.
Put God aside. In times when I was depressed
or felt like there was no other option or no
other way, that was when I would seek God. That
was when the Bible was relatable for me. I didn't
see the Bible as applicable to my everyday life.
And because I didn't, I didn't mold my life and
the choices and the decisions I made to align
with that, right? And that was where my disobedience
came from was not truly having a biblical worldview
because I did not see God's Word as truth, the
way, the life. So, when I started, you know,
for example, Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6, That
line was relatable for me. I would submit to
that word when I was in a place where all my
resources were run dry. I saw that word as truth
when I had no other answer, nothing else to do.
Then I was like, oh, yep, God's the way, God
knows, God knows, I don't know, God knows. But
when I was in a situation where I felt like I
could grasp some type of understanding, when
I was in a situation where I felt like I could
handle this, I could figure this out, I could
maneuver things around, I could make assumptions,
I wasn't really rooted in that word as truth
so much, right? I started leaning on my own understanding.
I started thinking, well, no, that's for times
when you don't know. That's for times when you
feel like you have absolutely no clue. That word
is only, that's true for when you're confused
and you're going through it. But when you feel
like you have the resources and the answers,
lean on those, rely on those. That was what my
flesh was telling me. And when I look back now
I can see how I was God God's Word for a long
time was only truth for me in certain scenarios
in certain situations You know how we're told
to The first commandment is love the Lord your
God with all your heart the second commandment
is love one another as Christ loved you Well,
it's really easy to take that as truth and love
people that are kind to you love you or maybe
want to accept your love. It's a lot harder to
show that to people who are mean to you, who
hurt you, who lie about you, who gossip about
you, who do these things to you. Yet we're called
to love those people too. Multiple times Jesus
talks to us about forgiving people. 70 times
7 you forgive them. You don't stop forgiving
them and we're actually told when we don't extend
that forgiveness to other people that forgiveness
won't be extended to us And it's really again,
it's really easy to say yeah, I'm supposed to
love everybody When people are loving you back
when people are easy to love it's actually in
Scripture that even a sinner Even a tax collector
can love people who love them can lend to people
who they know will lend back to them What sets
you apart? is loving people that aren't easy
to love. Anyone can love and be kind to someone
who's lovable, who's easy to love. It's a whole
nother level to stand on God's word and stand
on God's command in the face of opposition, in
the face of hardship. And there are a lot of
people who will say, yeah, God calls us to love
one another and all of the people who love me,
but the second someone's mean to them, the second
someone, Messes up again the second someone continues
to hurt them because that person hasn't had a
transformation that person hasn't been changed
that person hasn't whatever They're like but
not them my forgiveness doesn't extend to them.
I've forgiven them enough. I've prayed for them
enough I've forgiven them enough chances But
that's not what God's Word says I've said this
so many times y 'all and I want to be so clear
forgiveness doesn't mean letting down boundaries
Especially if someone hasn't had transformation.
God doesn't call us to give access to everybody
We're not called to be like run over but we are
called to give everybody to him because vengeance
isn't ours It is the Lord's retaliation isn't
ours. It is the Lord's so when we're holding
on to that we're holding on to something That's
not ours to hold on to And that's another thing
of taking God's Word as truth God's Word says
to forgive The same forgiveness we're given to
other people is the forgiveness we're going to
be shown. Take that as truth. And when you believe
that as truth, your outlook on forgiveness might
start to shift a bit. I know for me it did. For
me it did. When I hit a point in my life where
I realized that it doesn't matter the reason
why I had been doing all the things I had been
doing, what I had been doing with my life was
sinful and against God's Word. When I hit a point
where I was like, wow, I can't defend this, I
recognized the need for forgiveness I had from
Jesus. Like, I was like, yeah, I need forgiven.
I need to be forgiven by Jesus. And you know,
I repented and I started obeying and submitting
myself to God's word. And when he started revealing
to me, when I was reading his word that I need
to be forgiving other people, and just as I was
undeserving of Jesus's forgiveness, but he gave
it to me anyway, To live a Christ -like life,
I need to be doing that as well. And that was
because I started believing God's Word is truth
and submitting myself to God's Word. I was like,
I have to trust in what God is saying. And the
funny thing, guys, when I, for the first time
in my life, because I hit a point, when I gave
my life to Jesus, when I... Decided I'm gonna
submit to God's Word I Did it and you know, I
used to be ashamed to say this my original reason
for doing it was because I I had tried everything
else and I was desperate I Was desperate I hit
the lowest space. I had been financially material
in my life Emotionally relationally like I was
having thoughts that were not from God I knew
that I was very close to just like not being
here anymore that I was truly withering away
and when I started reading scripture and I started
feeling conviction for what I was doing and I
didn't even realize what I was doing was pursuing
a relationship with Jesus I had started reading
my Bible because I didn't have anything better
to do with my time I needed something to distract
me and I started feeling conviction and I started
praying and I didn't realize that my heart was
being softened And it was one day I hit a realization
point where I was like, I have tried everything
else in this life. I have tried the substances.
I have tried the relationships. I have tried
the attention. I have tried the notoriety. I
have tried all of these things. I have tried
people pleasing. I have tried all the amounts
of therapy and medication, all of these things.
And nothing has fixed my life. I am still where
I am. I felt like I was stuck in this cycle of
bad things keep happening. I felt like I was
stuck on the cycle of a hamster wheel of where
I'm just everyday surviving and getting through
life. I was just looking for the next way to
make me feel better, the next what's gonna make
me feel like life is better, the next what's
gonna make me feel like I'm moving forward, the
next what's gonna make me feel. I didn't realize
how deep in a survival mode I actually was, but
I felt like I was in this hamster wheel cycle
of like, I'm moving through life a bad thing
happens moving through life a bad thing happens
where it's just trying to get through life and
I knew in my soul that there was more to life
than what I was experiencing and that I had more
of a purpose than what I was experiencing and
it hit me where I was like I have never looked
at the Bible absolute truth like every time I've
read it and opened it I've looked at it as something
to be picked apart and something to question
say well not this what about this a man spouted
a fish yeah right a talk yeah right a red sea
splint yeah right like I I looked at each of
these things as something to be logical and pick
part and just move around shift around and you
know well this is a good way to live but I'm
gonna apply it this way I think it's more philosophical
thing And I had a recognition where I was like,
I had never opened this up and just decided that
I'm gonna read this from a space of it's all
complete truth. Every time I've opened this up,
I've opened it up as something to criticize and
critique and pick apart. I, for the first time
in my life, I'm gonna read this as something
where it doesn't matter my thoughts, my feelings,
or emotions. I'm gonna read this as if this was
all truth. I had been seeking truth my whole
life. I had been seeking knowledge and wisdom
and didn't never decided to look at the Bible
as God's living breathing Word and that was when
I started reading it as like these things are
all absolute truth where I started thinking I've
never 100 % Submitted myself to this and put
this in action. I've said in the past. Well,
I've tried Jesus Well, I've tried church. Well,
I've tried Christianity. Well, I tried obeying
God and when I thought about it I was like, did
you really though? You went to church you would
get baptized you would you you talk about Jesus,
but you'd go and gossip You'd go and slander
you'd go out and party you'd go out and participate
in these lustful things you'd entertain the flesh
There were areas of your life that you refused
to deny you refused to grow in areas where God
was calling you to grow When I started thinking
I was like this time I'm just gonna I'm gonna
do my best to like put my faith in God. I had
that recognition where I was like, I've tried
everything else. Why don't I try taking God's
word as true and submitting to it? And in the
areas where I feel like I can't do it, pray to
God for strength that he helps me do it. If God
says that he wants us to come to him this day
for our daily bread, like if I take God's word
as truth, Where God says, come to me daily. Come
to me for the strength. You're not meant to do
spiritual battle on your own. You're not meant
to do warfare on your own. You're meant to come
to me. You're meant to get strength from me.
You're meant to get understanding from me. Like,
you're meant to come to me. I moved by faith
in that. I was like, okay, everything that I
don't feel like I have the strength to do, I'm
going to go to God. I'm going to say, God give
me the strength to turn away from this. God give
me the strength to get through for this. God
deliver me from this. God deliver me from a nicotine
addiction. I had tried quitting. I had been addicted
to nicotine for over 10 years. Every time I tried
quitting, couldn't do it. I was going through
heavy withdrawal. I started praying to God for
deliverance and he literally delivered me from
the addiction. He delivered me from the symptoms.
I'm not saying he does that for everyone. That
might be the thorn in your side that God uses
to keep you coming to him. But God delivered
me where all of a sudden I didn't crave it anymore
I didn't need it anymore the flu like symptoms
I have were gone and I was able to focus on him
and reading his word For the first time in my
life I was like even though I felt like this
this whole time I've had reasons to defend my
thoughts feelings and emotions my reactions the
way I do things if God says it's wrong I'm just
gonna say it's wrong God help me do better for
the first time in my life I'm gonna stop defending
it I'm gonna stop explaining it away I'm gonna
stop perpetuating and just submit and when I
tell y 'all that God moved God mood. My life
has been transformed. My life has not been the
same. There is a hope that I have. There is a
joy that I have. There is a peace that I have.
There is a purpose that I have. There is a calling
that I have. There is a sense of like, I don't
even know how to explain it, of like a knowing.
That I've never had as someone who I always desired
to know truth and I always desired to not be
lost And now that I have God guiding me and navigating
me That lost feeling that I had before I don't
have anymore and that's not saying I know everything
that's about to happen That's not saying that
God fills me every step before it happens But
it's like Now that I'm trusting and truly believing
that he's guiding me and working all things for
my good, now that I'm submitting to his guidance
and obeying the transformations I have seen,
he has restored relationships I never thought
were going to be restored. He has opened doors
that I could never open for myself. He has healed
things in me. Pains and traumas. that years of
counseling and therapy, years of when I was in
new age doing shadow work and all that stuff
could never heal, that relationships couldn't
heal, that attention couldn't heal, that the
substances that I was using to numb didn't heal,
that the accomplishments didn't heal. The responses
and the reactions that I had for decades that
I had just chalked up to this is me And this
is how I always am and people and me are just
gonna have to deal with it And if they really
love me, they'll accept it and God was like now
I call you to be better I'm calling you to something
higher There are things broken off me that I
didn't think could be broken off me the responses
and reactions changed I don't think I never thought
could be changed God used those changes to place
me in room see the thing is there were things
I was waiting on God to do in my life I didn't
realize that I could not have those things yet
because the person I was could not steward over
those things well like in the long term I would
not be able to steward over those things well
and God used those transformations in me To then
help me be a good steward in the rooms he was
placing me in and the doors he was opening up
for me For example that nicotine addiction I
had for the longest time that actually I didn't
realize really boxed in the jobs that I would
allow myself to apply for or take because I wanted
things that I could go and like leave and like
have like a nicotine break and things and certain
high -stress jobs I refused to take because I
didn't want to I didn't want to have to try to
do that with their nicotine and being delivered
from that and there were other things that God
worked up in me first like patience and different
things when there was a job he blessed me with
and I was working it and I looked back and I
started thinking oh my gosh I would have never
applied for this job or if I was given this job
I would have not stewarded over it well I would
not have appreciated it because it would have
been in complication with my past habits my past
ways of responding and my past ways of reacting
and my past ways of thinking. I wouldn't have
appreciated it for what it is. I wouldn't have
seen the blessing in it. Instead, I would have
seen it as a complication. And there are a lot
of things that we're praying for and there are
people who lose their faith in God because they
believe that he's given them a promise and they
believe that he's gonna do this big thing. They
believe that he's gonna give them these blessings.
But they have this misconception that the way
they are right now is perfect and there's no
growth or no changes that need to happen and
they lose the faith because they they want the
promise but they don't want to do the work to
be a good steward over it and I want to be so
clear that the things that God blesses us with
it's not because we're deserving or we do all
this work or we can earn right there are things
promises that God made me when i was giving my
life to christ and visions like of the future
like things that god showed me like i'm gonna
do this for you one day and i remember so clearly
him saying i'm not doing this because you're
deserving because you said a special prayer because
you're a good person like because you're so much
better than these other people it's because of
who i am because i like god who god is because
of who he is that he loves me and he's so graceful
and so merciful That he will turn my pain into
testimony and bless me with those things I knew
that it wasn't any amount of work or like anything
that I could do to earn or to deserve But I did
recognize that the person I was in the moment
that he made those promises to wasn't the person
that was going to be able to steward over those
promises. And I understood that there was a pruning
process I was about to have to go through. There
was a growth, there was a developing, there was
a changing, there was a transforming I was about
to have to go through before I could step into
that. And when I tell y 'all, the way that I
responded to criticism had to change. My my fit
I used to get offended really easy that had to
change My patience had to change. I had to be
willing to wait Wait, but not just wait to wait.
Well That's the thing is a lot of people are
waiting but they aren't waiting Well in that
waiting period they take waiting as just sitting
there and just like waiting on God to drop that
thing But you're supposed to wait well to continue
pursuing relationship with Christ in my waiting
period Waiting on the promise to be fulfilled
God was using that time because no time is wasted
with him to change and transform me I was going
through trials. I was going through tribulations.
I was going through highs. I was going through
lows And that through each of these things, I
was looking to God and saying, God, what can
I learn from this? What can grow in me from this?
What can change in me from this? Instead of just
looking at painful things as these are hardships
and these suck and I'm suffering, I started thinking,
yeah, God, this is painful and this is hurtful,
but there's something that can be learned from
this. There's something that can be taken from
this. There's something that can be grown in
me. Please reveal it to me. And since I've given
my life to Christ, I cannot I cannot tell y 'all
a painful situation I've experienced where I
feel like absolutely nothing has come out of
it I'm not I'm not trying to invalidate suffering
or pain in any way I'm not here to say well God
allowed it to happen for a reason but what I
am saying is God can take something out of it
to use for your good I've seen it from experience
that it's not like every suffering just like
there's no good that can come out of it because
that would go against God's word. God can use
all things for the good of those who love him.
God will use all things for the good of those
who love him. Look at Joseph who was sold in
the slavery. Every work of the enemy to stop
Joseph from stepping into his calling and God
used it for his good. There were relationships
that one thing people don't talk about enough
is there are doors God will close before he opens.
There were, and I want to say this so thoughtfully,
before God blessed me with some of the things
he has blessed me with, there were relationships
that he revealed to me where these people are
not healthy for you. Meaning like these people
aren't supporting their relationship with Christ
They're not supporting it now and they're definitely
not gonna be big supporters and the next blessing
and That's a hard one that I know a lot of people
get tripped up on because we we have the sense
of like the people that we love We want to bring
everybody with us and we want to pull everybody
through that door but sometimes Those people
that we are refusing to let go of are the very
people who are going to be hindrances and Opposition
in the next season if we bring them along think
about Nehemiah Where Nehemiah is just obeying
God trying to rebuild the wall trying to rebuild
the temple And you see the opposition all along
the way deceptive thoughts trying to get lure
him away trying to plot scheme and scam There
have been doors before I before God has even
opened or even shown me what the next door will
be Where he's like, but these doors have to be
closed and that's what different Some of them
is just I don't talk to that person as much,
you know, I pray for them I love them, but there
there are walls and boundaries. They don't know
about my daily life and my daily steps anymore
There are some people that I don't talk to and
I don't communicate with at all I still love
them. I still pray for them. Someone needs to
hear this today, that before God opens doors,
sometimes there are going to be doors that he's
going to close. There are going to be things
that he calls you to leave, relationships that
he calls you to love them from a distance. What
the preparation that God puts you through that
that's gonna be a bit every single one of us
has different life circumstances Has a different
promise from the Lord So what God has called
me to release and let go of might not be exactly
what God is calling me to release or let go of
I Will tell you this whatever he is calling you
to do is going to align with his word I want
to be so clear that the doors I closed, God wasn't
calling me to close these doors in hate. It wasn't
a thing where I was like cussing people out,
like exposing them and running away, like during
all these things. I lovingly took a step back
where I still pray for these people. I still
show these people love. If these people reached
out to me today and like from a pure heart like,
hey, I need some biblical advice. I need some
understanding. Like I'm ready to give that There's
some of these people that still every so often
when they need help with something They know
they can call me Still loving and trying to show
that love While holding up boundaries and making
sure that I obey God first I believe that someone
listening to this needs to hear this today before
you can step into that thing that God has promised
for you. We go through a pruning season, right?
There are some things that might be bearing a
little bit of fruit, but the Lord knows it can
bear way more than it is. So He'll cut that off.
He'll cut off that habit. He'll cut off that
routine. He'll cut off that thing that's keeping
you from obeying Him and going ahead and allowing
you to kind of regroup and relearn. Pruning isn't
meant to just like keep you in a state of pain
The pruning is meant to grow you and develop
you when God blesses you with things He wants
you to be able to steward over them. Well, right
because when he when he gives you things Yes,
he loves you, but all things are supposed to
work To glorify him right we're supposed to be
using our gifts to glorify him what we do in
our lives Should be ministry pointing back to
him So when he gives us something to steward
over a blessing from God You know, yes, he loves
us and he wants to see us enjoy and delight in
him But he wants to see us use it to glorify
him To point back to him, right? And if you're
not in the space yet to be able to fully to do
that. Well He so lovingly will prune you first
He's a loving father You know that my mind is
going back to that scripture of you know, what
father if someone asks him for bread He'll give
them a stone. God wants to give you These things
these promises But someone needs to hear this
today He doesn't want to give you something that's
going to replace him in your life And there are
a lot of, and speaking from experience, thorns
in our side that we have that keep us going to
God. If we didn't have that thorn in our side,
that thing might replace God in our life. I've
shared this in past episodes, that for a long
time, you know, my financial situation was a
thorn in my side that kept me going to God. And
I honestly believe, like, year ago if God would
have just immediately poured out like some fat
load of cash on me I would have looked to money
to solve my problems I wouldn't have looked for
God what do you want me to do it wouldn't have
been using prayer as a steering wheel it would
have been using prayer as a steer as a spare
tire the money would have become my decision
maker well I can afford this well I can put money
at this I can throw money at this Instead of
asking God God do you even desire for this thing
to be built up again? What do you want me to
do my lack of ability in that area? Caused me
to rely on God's guidance Glory be to God because
I was not a great decision maker in that area
in those things I was relying on my own thoughts
my own control my own understanding my own feelings
and I was put in a position where like I didn't
have that ability. I had to trust in God. I had
to rely on God. And in going to Him instead of
going to myself, He revealed things to me. He
did things that I could have never been able
to do or orchestrate or align. That thorn in
our side, although painful, although stressful,
keeps us from relying on ourselves. And I know
that there's someone out here who needs to hear
that today, who maybe you're angry or upset with
God because he hasn't taken that thorn away.
And you're like, God, take it away. God, take
it away. I'm giving you another prayer to pray
today from personal experience. I am not saying
I'm perfect in every area by any means. But when
I started recognizing, I was like, okay, God
isn't blessing you with this thing because I'm
not able to steward over it. Well, I started
praying to God of God, do what you need to do
in my life to make me a good steward over this
thing, break off what you need to break off,
develop what you need to develop. I just pray
that I continue to have my faith in you and trust
in you. And I continue to go to you. I trust
that, you know, like no temptation will come
to me that like you don't know of. And that man
hasn't already faced. Trust that by your strength
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me Philippians 4 13, right? It's like I take
your word as truth So I trust that whatever developing
and whatever growing and whatever changing That
I trust that you will strengthen me and that
you're not going to put more on me The knee plus
your strength can handle I want to be so clear
with that that because we're not supposed to
do life on our own strength right? We get our
strength from the Lord. There's a saying that
a lot of people hear that like, God gives his
biggest battles to his strongest soldiers and
God wouldn't give you anything that you couldn't
handle. And I guess there's like a half truth
in it, but that's not the whole truth. Because
we're not meant to handle it alone. God knows
what us plus his strength, what us plus his strength,
our spiritual maturity right now, can move through,
right? So I actually want to change that saying
more to God won't give you more than you and
your spiritual maturity plus his strength can
handle Okay, you know that and this is also in
scripture to work spiritual infants like we're
drinking milk It's more of the easy to digest
easy to understand stuff and the more you mature
in Christ you start getting neat you start getting
harder to digest kind of understandings and Like
I'll tell y 'all right now the way that I'm speaking
to you today and the way I understand Christ
and the way that I understand spiritual warfare
and the way that I understand spiritual maturity
all of these things is not the same as my understanding
a year ago. Though the wording and kind of the
depth I'm able to understand and speak in now,
nowhere near a year ago. Even two months ago,
nowhere near. And I'm sure two months from now,
and a year from now, the way I articulate things
and the way I understand things is gonna be different.
I'm in a meat phase now, y 'all. There are, that's
why when I say spiritual maturity is There are
things right now that you may struggle understanding
and struggle grasping That in your walk with
Christ the more you pursue him, you know that
the more that you're able to digest a Time from
now where you maybe you're gonna be able to grasp
these things You're gonna be able to understand
these things my understanding of forgiveness
now Was not the same as it was a year ago The
trials and the testings that the Lord has trusted
me to move through now with his strength He was
not putting on me a year ago The things that
I have gone through the past couple months now
are things that would have broken me when I was
new in Christ Would have just destroyed And a
year ago, I thought I was ready for the promises,
some promises that I'm waiting on God for. There
are things He's done and there are things I'm
still waiting on Him for. And a year ago, I was
saying, God, I'm ready for Him. And now when
I've looked at the testing and the trial and
the growth and some of the things that He's had
to break off of me, I'm like, yeah, I was definitely
not ready for that. This thing would have hindered
it. This thing would have hurt it. And what's
so interesting is I didn't see these things as
being broken off in that time period. Because
I have been used to living with them. I normalized
them. I normalized survival mindset I normalized
some of the reactions I had from a hurt place
There's a book y 'all that I have been reading
that I feel led to just share this with you all
today if anyone is needing to hear about this
it's really been helpful for me and Revealing
and unpacking some things I didn't realize really
needed revealed and unpacked and showing me new
ways to trust in God and to put my faith in him.
And it's a book called Hiding From Love by Dr.
John Townsend. It's hiding from love, how to
change the withdrawal patterns that isolate and
imprison you. And when I picked up this book,
when I was, I found this book in the Goodwill,
y 'all. And when I picked up this book, And I
was like, I don't feel like I need this right
now. I actually feel like I'm doing really good.
Like I was going through a time period where
I felt like I was really connecting with people,
all my evangelizing was picking up and everything.
But I felt convicted by it anyway. And there's
a couple weeks later, I started reading it. And
there were some areas where I'm like, oh, oh,
I identify with that growing up. I could see
those very bold things in me growing up. And
at first I was like, I don't know if I identify
with that now though. I don't know if I see those
things. And the more I started reading it, the
more I was like, ooh. But just two weeks ago,
I responded in a way that is very, yeah. I started
being like, dang. I thought I was completely
healed. I was perfect. I want to say perfect,
but God had done it and I was good to go. And
in reading this, I started seeing like, no, there
are areas where I can grow and I can move forward
more. Someone needs to hear this today that growth
is uncomfortable and God doesn't call us to stay
in that comfortable space. But when he calls
you to grow, there's gonna be an uncomfortability
with it, right? Because there's gonna have to
be an accountability taking. You're gonna have
to take accountability for certain thoughts,
reactions, ways that you're moving, ways that
you're living. And also identify them as there's
a better way to live. There's a better way to
move. There's a better way to react So when you
when you start taking so when you start recognizing
that there is a better way to move There's a
better way to react and when you start taking
accountability of it doesn't matter why I'm moving
this way or reacting this way God is calling
me to hire Then you can also start seeking in
his word What does he say? What is the correct
way to respond? What is the correct way to react?
What is the Christ? And what I mean by correct
way is we're meant to be more Christ -like, right?
So what's the Christ -like way of doing it? There
are a lot of people who get in that comfortable
space when God is calling them to hire. And someone
needs to hear this, and I want to say this in
the most loving way, your refusal to grow is
disobedience to God. Your refusal to answer him
calling you to hire and calling you to be better
is disobedience and is blocking Some of the promises
that he wants you to step into And I'm not speaking
this from some mountaintop. I'm speaking this
from experience There have been stages since
I gave my life to Jesus where I got really comfortable
and I was like well I've already changed so much
and I already respond a lot differently the way
I had before and like you know I'm speaking God's
word like I never had before I feel like I'm
telling people about Jesus I feel like I'm doing
this and I felt God say but no I want you to
do it more and there's a better way to do it
and there's a more fruitful way to do it and
there's a way that's more Christ -like I'm calling
you to work on this that is the pruning season
right is like that working on it that Pulling
back Revealing what needs to be shifted and then
shifting growing changing developing And I will
be the first to admit like there were points
where I Angry and upset prayed to God of God.
Didn't we just get here like we just did all
the work To make me this person. I'm comfortable
now I finally handle things in this way a lot
better than I've handled them in the past. I'm
reacting a lot better than I have in the past,
like what more do you want from me? Whereas like
an angry or upset where I'm like didn't we just
do this work? And I've had to go through a point
where like I have to like understand where it's
like my maturing in Christ is never going to
stop. Spiritual growth is never going to stop.
We are never going to, at some point in this
lifetime, learn everything God wants us to know
and be the final formed version of ourselves.
We're going through a sanctification process
until we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Until we
leave this earthly body and we're with the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. There's going to be
a continued molding and shedding and growing
and developing. I was someone that there were
a couple times where I was like, but God I'm
comfortable here It was a lot of work to get
here. It was a lot of pain. It was a lot of struggle
I remember that I was talking With the pastor
and I was like almost crying because I told him
I was like I know that I am living in answered
prayers right now I know that I And it wasn't
an easy process I told him I was like it feels
like every time God has done something new in
my life has elevated me has opened doors There's
pain and suffering that happens first And I told
him I was like I feel like And it wasn't you
know a couple months ago I didn't even have the
way to word it that I do now so my wording I
feel like is better now than maybe it was in
the past But the way I was explaining it was
like I know that there's more and being called
to I know I'm being called the higher. I know
that God wants to do more in my life I know that
he wants me to pray for more But I'm afraid to
do it because I'm comfortable with where I am
now I know that I have answered prayers and I'm
fearful of the work and the pain that may come
with the pruning You know the way I worded it
to him. I remember I was saying I was like I
just want to move out of the space of abundance
I'm afraid that like God's gonna take it all
away and I'm gonna have to move out of the space
of lack and like I see how God uses it, and like,
I was still glorifying God, but I was like, I
don't want the pain that comes along with the
growth. And the way I'm able to word it now,
y 'all, and this might just be a prime example
of how just a couple months can really help,
is now the way I see it is I was fearful of the
pruning process. I was fearful of the pain that
comes along with the testimony building. That
I had gotten comfortable. God was calling me
to hire. God was calling me to grow. And I understood
that that growth came with uncomfortability and
pain. I didn't want to leave the comfortable
space I was in and I felt like isn't this good
enough? Aren't I good enough? Can't you just
bless this? Can't you just bless who I am now?
Why do why does there have to be more pulling
and plucking and pruning and that was me being
fearful of the process and Me leaning into my
flesh and away from the spirit and glory be to
God, you know, the Lord didn't rush me and it
was It wasn't like right after that that God
is like, I'm gonna throw you into this process.
God gave me time to get my heart right and like
to focus on Him and to get in the space. God
knew what I could or couldn't handle in that
time period. And in God's time period, I started
the pruning season again. I started the pain
and I started the uncomfortability. But by the
time God brought me through I was able to see
it more as a birthing process Right of these
are it felt to me more like birthing pains if
I know that there's something good on the other
side of this Like this is the process I'm going
through and I went through the process and I
started saying okay now I feel like I'm taking
these things that God has given me and I'm using
them There's that pruning season right there's
that pain and that those things where God is
showing you new ways to develop like new routines
to develop new habits new reactions new thought
processes and then there's that time period of
where like Because faith your faith has to be
tested right like your faith isn't tried and
true It's not revealed until there's some kind
of testing that happens with it and that's when
you go through that period of like There's that
testing of like there's this opposition coming
at you. There's spiritual warfare. There's hardships
there's hard situations where you have the opportunity
to go back to old ways or to react in a new way
we have the opportunity to like stand in faith
and what these new things god has brought out
in you like you have the opportunity to stand
on that faith and trust in god and trust in these
these new things that he has done in you or to
go backwards you know when you get through that
testing and you you stay faithful and your faith
is tested and your faith is proven then there's
like those birthing pains right of where it's
like okay God is about to bring you into that
new you're about to go into that new season and
there's the opposition like you can think Nehemiah
well we think Nehemiah I'm looking Nehemiah that's
where I think more birthing pains where he's
building he's using the resources he's using
the tools and the whole step of the way the enemy
is like don't do that the enemy's trying to think
of any way he can to get you to stop doing it
Like, and you know, when you're birthing something
new, there's opposition that comes along with
it, right? And I had been through, when I look
back, like I had been through that stage enough
where like that process where when I was talking
to that pastor, I was coming from a space of
I'm sick of going through that process. It's
not fun. I don't want to go through it again,
like. And I didn't have the words to use at the
time like I do now and I'm sure two months from
now I'll be listening to the wording of this
podcast and be like there's a better way I could
have worded that there's a better way I could
have said that that's the beautiful thing about
the spiritual maturing process And I feel like
someone needs to hear just through my personal
testimony Because y 'all this podcast I want
to be so clear with it isn't me saying like I'm
out on the other side and I've learned everything
and I'm perfect and I have all these teachings
I am Going through life like the sanctification
process. I am I I gave my life to Jesus in 2024.
It's about to be 2026 glory be to God I'm I don't
know everything I'm not speaking from a space
of like, I've learned all these things and now
I'm teaching. Like I'm literally sharing with
y 'all what I learn as I learn it. You're going
through the process with me. I'm reflecting on
these things and sharing with you what I see.
And hope that that helps you with whatever you're
moving through and whatever you're walking through.
No, this is never meant to be a space of condemnation.
a space of judgment and I speak with authority
sometimes of like standing on God's Word of this
is what you're supposed to be doing like this
is what God's Word says. I know that there are
some people out here who need to hear it that
way. There were seasons in my life where I needed
someone to just hit me with a cold I don't want
to say cold but a hard truth of God. When I was
going through the conviction and the transformation
I needed I needed sometimes to just hear this
is what God's Word says and as much as you want
to defend it or move around it You can't your
feelings don't change God's truth your feelings
your emotions your environment doesn't determine
God's Word is valid or not Doesn't negate God's
Word God's Word is valid in any and all situations
And y 'all the interesting thing what actually
brought this to mind today I was reading acts
and it was when Paul was you know, he was still
jailed and he was with the soldier and he was
on that ship and The wind started getting rough
and they started getting really bad and it was
clear that like, you know This wasn't a favorable
traveling situation and they hit a point where
they're like docked, right? but they decide that
this isn't a good enough environment for winter
time to be docked in. So although they're like
in this space, relying on their own understanding,
their own control, they decide that this isn't
the ideal environment and they back away. And
Paul is over here warning them saying, hey y
'all, the winds haven't been favorable. Like
he's saying like, he's trying to speak a warning
to them of like, what are you doing? the soldier
doesn't listen to Paul instead he chooses they
that people choose to listen to the ones that
appear to be more knowledgeable right that the
ship the person who's operating the ship they're
like now we're not gonna listen to you and God
speaking through you we're gonna listen to the
person who seems to have more knowledge of like
the ocean and the waters and you wouldn't think
this was a revelation that would really get pulled
out of that but what the Lord revealed to me
is there are people who feel like their environments
right now or what they're going through negate
what God is telling them or give them an out
to disobey what God is telling them right I've
had conversations with people before where they're
telling me that You know, basically they're saying,
hey, I know God is calling me to do better. I
know God is calling me to focus on him, to read
his word, to obey him. But I have all these other
things going on in my life right now. I have
all these other areas where I'm already pouring
myself out into. I have all these other areas
where I'm already emotionally invested in. You
know, some people have told me they're like,
I already go through all this therapy and all
this counseling. Like, basically saying they
already have that. They don't need to pour more
out to God. And then I've met other people who
are saying they have all these other areas where
they don't have the time to read scripture. They
don't have the time to pray. They don't have
the time to do these things. But the interesting
thing is when you read scripture, God isn't talking
about how much time you have, or how comfortable
your situation is, or how other many resources.
One thing He does say is that we're supposed
to trust in Him. That we should have no idols
before him Although yes, you have other places
to pour into emotionally God should be the first
one you're going to with your emotions with your
worries with your thoughts your feelings God
should be the first direction God should be God's
Word should be the guidance I'm not saying we
shouldn't be opening up to other people and things
because that is healthy. We are meant to have
relationships. But we should be submitted to
God first, taking things to God first, because
God is the one who can shift and fix. God is
the one who can reveal. So we take it to Him
first. And that was what the Lord kind of opened
my eyes to today is there are people who their
environments right now are determining whether
or not they go to God. and how much they give
to God, and how much they obey God. When our
obedience to God should be regardless of our
environment, regardless of our circumstances.
Y 'all, when I answered the call to obey God,
my circumstances weren't ideal. for obeying God.
My environment wasn't ideal for obeying God.
At the time, like, I had hit a lot of hardships.
Life wasn't going the way I wanted it to, and
I was in my car in the desert in California,
and my only stream of income was a terror reader
online. And when I felt God calling me away from
that, convicting me from that, the environment
didn't look great to leave behind my only source
of income. It actually looked the opposite. the
environment to my eyes didn't look right for
obeying God. It actually looked very dangerous.
I was like, well, God's calling me to leave this
and to throw away the cards and all of this.
Where's my money gonna come from? What's the
source? God didn't give me a job or money and
say now leave. He didn't give me like a blanket
of safety and a safe space and say go to the
safe space and then leave this in. He told me
to go and sin no more. He said if you feel convicted
by this if you recognize this as wrong stop doing
it and trust I will provide what you need So
when I threw away those tarot cards and everything
I didn't know if I was gonna eat I didn't know
if I was gonna have money God provided But I
didn't let my circumstances determine whether
or not I obeyed God in that moment when I knew
he was calling me to leave that thing When I
knew he was calling me to stop it, I had to stop
the period. It didn't matter what my emotions
were around it. It didn't matter what my worldly
concerns were. I trusted that God was bigger
and that whatever I had to lose in my obedience,
if it was something he meant for me to have in
my life, he would replace it with better. You
know, at that time too, I felt like the Lord
was calling me to a sober lifestyle. He had revealed
to me that smoking and drinking was a way for
me to handle my emotions and was a way for me
to detach and was a way for me to feel a bit
more in control and it was a way for me to just
kind of numb myself. And the Lord revealed to
me that that was an idol in my life. That that
was taking a role that Jesus was meant to play
in my life. Jesus was meant to be my peace. Jesus
was meant to be my relief. Jesus was meant to
be my joy. And instead of giving my problems
to him, I was giving them over to the substances.
I was giving them over to the worldly ways of
numbing. And I felt the Lord call me to a sober
lifestyle of, you're not drinking or smoking,
period. You're not opening the door, period.
And I felt the Lord calling me to throw them
away when I was going through the most stressful
time of my life. I was like, what? This is the
time where I feel like I need them the most.
And you're calling me to let them go now? I obeyed
the Lord and I let them go and I started getting
hit with some real stressful situations and Jesus
started giving me a peace that surpassed all
understanding when I was praying to him. That
made no sense. He showed me that he was the Prince
of Peace. He showed me that he was all I needed
to feel relief and to see joy. And I realized
that was a solidification for me because see
that was a testing of my faith. Did I believe
God's Word? And when I stayed rooted in that
faith. There was a solidification in my faith
of like, yeah, God just showed me 100 % that
He's what I need. I don't need these things.
I'm not saying it was always easy, but He showed
me that I don't need those things. I need Him.
And I pray that these testimonies are helping
y 'all. It's like I said, I never appear just
like speaking from a place of condemnation or
judgment. I'm sharing with y 'all what I have
learned. these things I'm sharing with y 'all
and quoting scripture and like these testimonies
these are lived learned experiences that the
Lord has so lovingly given to me and revealed
to me and not all of it was just like easy a
lot of these come through pain and through hardship
but God was with me through all of it you need
to remember that when you're going through the
fire there's another with you in the fire I remember
the first like real testing Season I had after
giving my life to Christ I kept being led to
that story about the three men who were thrown
into the fiery furnace because you know, they
refused to Not obey God You know when they were
told to obey when they were told to worship a
false idol when they were told to do things or
take actions that they know went against what
God has called them to do and how God has called
them to be and how God has called them to live.
They said, I obey God. The root of this is they
decide to obey God and his word over fear of
man and what man can do over conforming to the
world around them. Even if that meant that they
were going to get thrown in that fire and they
trusted and God's ability to deliver them from
that fiery furnace. If He chose to do so, they
knew that He could take away that testing right
then and there. But they also said, even if He
doesn't, we'll still worship Him. Our faith is
still in Him. And when they got thrown in that
fire, God was in there with them. And when they
got out, they didn't look like what they had
been through. They weren't singed. They weren't
anything. They weren't burnt. They weren't hurt.
It became a testimony and someone needs to hear
that today of whatever Testing you're going through
whatever fiery furnace you're in trust that God
is in it with you And trust in his ability to
like when you're out on the other side You won't
look like what you've been through when I meet
people now people don't When they see who I am
now, and they speak to me, and they hear my love
of Jesus, and they see how I live my life now,
they would never guess that I, at one point in
my life, was a new ager. That I, at one point
in my life, found fulfillment through substances,
and partying, and relationships. That I, at one
point in my life, was very disobedient to God.
That I, at one point in my life, struggled with,
yeah, the car situation, living in the car situation
when I was in California. Like, they wouldn't
know. and trusting God's ability to do that for
you too. And I pray that this episode has blessed
you and that this episode helps you. And I pray
that the Lord, the Holy Spirit is speaking through
me to you today and that this gives you the encouragement.
And someone needs to hear this today because
I know it's gotten me through. Psalm 23. Whatever
you're going through read Psalm 23 the piece
that Psalm 23 has brought me I know Psalm 23
by heart and That's because of how many times
a day I had to recite it after after giving my
life to Christ the mental and emotional Spiritual
warfare I was going through and the worldly I
cannot tell y 'all how many times a day I had
to remind myself of who God is The promises he
makes and what he can do and what he can and
that's what Psalm 23 gave me the Lord is my shepherd
There's nothing I lack is trusting that when
I'm following God's guidance I will lack for
nothing the things I actually need if I need
it God will provide it and If I hit a season
of needing trust in God's ability to step in
and provide Where's my shepherd? There's nothing
I lack and green pastures he makes me lie down
to still waters he leads me he restores my soul
that was my reminder that these storms these
trials these tribulations don't last forever
and that there's a resting and there's a peace
in the middle of the storm that God can give
you that Jesus Christ can give you and that there
is a promised land you know what y 'all I just
want to recite Psalm 23 to you I feel like someone
just needs to hear it spoken today So we're just
going to read this. The Lord is my shepherd.
There is nothing I lack. In green pastures he
makes me lie down. To still waters he leads me,
he restores my soul. He guides me along right
paths for the sake of his name. And even though
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your
rod and your staff comfort me. you set a table
before me in front of my enemies you anoint my
head with oil my cup overflows indeed goodness
and mercy will pursue me all the days in my life
i will dwell in the house of the lord for endless
days amen when i tell y 'all that i was reading
that like doesn't so many times a day just to
remind me of who god is and what he can do What
he is capable of because the enemy loves to get
in her head and make us think that our problems
are bigger than our God The problems are bigger
than God that there are things that God can't
handle and that's not true Then the enemy wants
us to get focused on all the things going around
us what we could lose the pain the suffering
That we lose sight of who God is and what he
can do He guides me along right paths for the
sake of His name. And as I was saying earlier,
y 'all, that God does things for us because He
loves us, but He also wants us to glorify Him.
We're made to worship Him. And the blessings,
the things that we steward over are to point
other people closer to Him. towards Him, to glorify
Him, to uplift Him, to glorify our Father who
is in heaven, and trust that God will do things
for you simply to glorify Him. It's not because
you're deserving or you're a good person. And
that was what I needed reminded of so many times,
that God will do these amazing things for me,
not because of me or who I am, but because of
what He can do through them to glorify Him and
to point other people towards Him. He will do
great things for me, not because of who I am
or because I deserve it, but because it'll point
back to him. And this was what I needed all the
time is even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for
you are with me. You're riding your staff comfort
me that even though I walk through the scariest
situation, even though it looks like sure death,
even though it just looks like pain and suffering
and hardship, Jesus is walking with me through
it. I'm not going through this alone and I will
have comfort in the storms that he will protect
me. That doesn't mean that I'll never experience
pain or sadness or upset But he is with me through
it and he will give me a piece This was one I
needed for the longest time you set a table before
me in front of my enemies You anoint my head
with oil my cup overflows When I I had to go
through so much of giving vengeance to God trusting
in God's ability to avenge I Had to release my
I'm doing in quotation hello quotation fingers
my enemies to God the people who gossiped about
me and people who lied about me people who slandered
me the people who called me a liar people who
called me this people who called me that the
people who went out of their way to make my season
harder the people who told other people yeah
hurt her yeah do this yeah do this painful thing
I cannot tell you how many people saw I was already
down people who watched me online who were watching
my live streams were watching my tik -toks people
who were talking to my family people who were
talking my friends Who saw me already down and
continued to kick me. Who saw the knife in my
back and twisted it harder. Who gaslit conversations.
Who threw gasoline on the fire. Who encouraged
people to hurt me further. Who encouraged things.
Who would throw stones and hide their hands.
I cannot tell you how many people were speaking
death over me. Who believed I wasn't going to
give my life to Jesus. Who wanted to see me in
more pain and more suffering. the amount of I
had such a desire for revenge I had such a desire
to expose and to call out and to hurt back and
to do all these things in my forgiveness I had
to give all of that whatever right I felt like
I had to that to God and trust in his ability
to Reveal because for a long time, you know There's
a part of me that wanted to stand up and say
I give my life to Jesus and God's gonna do these
things and God's gonna do these things and I
wanted to speak for him. I felt like God told
me the anointing on your life, the things I do
will speak volumes. You're not going to have
to say it. And the people moving against you
will reveal themselves. Like just trust in my
ability to do all of that. And this was my reminder.
You set a table before me in front of my enemies
where I was like, I have a trusting in God's
ability to handle these people. I don't have
to handle these people. I trust that in whatever
way God chooses to handle them is the right and
just way. And I also trust in his ability to
reveal and expose the truth. I went through a
long season where I felt like people were getting
my intentions twisted. misunderstood and people
were allowed to twist my character and my reactions
and my meekness and my calmness was being taken
as weakness and was being taken as deceptiveness
and I was like God I feel like I'm handling all
the things that you I'm doing it the way you've
called me to do it but it's being twisted and
I had to trust in God's ability to in his timing
reveal and this because I know there are a lot
of people who struggle with giving over Revenge
to God who are still holding hatred and unforgiveness
and anger in their heart As a part of them doesn't
believe in God's ability to expose to do these
things a part of them feels like God won't be
hard enough Whatever that is And we know that
that's against his word right forgive forgive
others the same way like I quoted this scripture
earlier where We will be forgiven with the same
amount of forgiveness that we extend to others
And this was my reminder here that in forgoing
people to God, giving people to God, I'm trusting
in God's ability to expose, to reveal, to handle,
to do all of these things. And then seeing, indeed,
goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days
of my life. I'll dwell in the house of the Lord
for endless days. Amen. That was my reminder
of God will use all things for my good. Just
how he did with Joseph whatever hardships whatever
pain whatever suffering God can take something
good out of it and God can use this as a stepping
stone using the enemies as a stool As know that
there's someone out here today listen to this
podcast that needs to hear Psalm 23 if you're
struggling with remembering who God is and what
he is capable of and what he can do for you and
the promises he makes. Start with Psalm 23. Now
that's not the only piece of scripture, but I'm
just saying that that that was the one that for
me kept me rooted in God and his word and and
who he was and what he can do. And when you're
rooted in faith, it's amazing how God can move.
I feel like it's time to close out this episode.
I don't know how long we've been recording, but
it feels like it's been A long time. I know we've
at least hit an hour mark y 'all. Let's look
at this time. Yeah an hour 11 minutes right in
that sweet spot. So I just want to thank y 'all
for listening to this episode today and I do
ask that you hit subscribe wherever it is you're
listening to this podcast. Leave a review, like,
comment, subscribe wherever it is you're listening
to this. Share it with other people. And continue
to seek God. Don't lose your faith in Jesus and
what he can do for you. Don't lose his faith.
Don't lose your faith in the promises that He
has given you. Don't lose your faith in His ability.
And that prayer that you've been afraid to pray.
That prayer that part of you has been afraid
to pray because you know you're going to have
to deny the flesh. That prayer of, God, prune
me. God, make me a better steward. I'm encouraging
you to pray that prayer to him. To overcome that
fear. We know that God didn't give us the spirit
of fear. That fear of praying that prayer isn't
from God. Someone needs to hear this say that
as a form of opposition. The enemy doesn't want
you to give it to God. The enemy doesn't want
you to entrust the area of your life to God.
The enemy doesn't want you to grow and to become
a better steward. to then see the blessings of
God and increase in your faith. That prayer that
you know that God has been calling you to pray,
that the enemy has been making you fearful of,
I encourage you today to pray that prayer, whatever
that looks like, whatever that prayer is. And
I'll see you guys next time. Have a wonderful
day. God bless.