WEBVTT 00:00:00.330 --> 00:00:04.509 Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener 00:00:04.509 --> 00:00:08.449 podcast. I'm your host Danielle Townsend I hope 00:00:08.449 --> 00:00:12.529 y 'all are having a wonderful week so far Y 'all 00:00:12.529 --> 00:00:16.609 I did not plan to record an episode today If 00:00:16.609 --> 00:00:18.589 I'm talking a little soft, honestly, I've been 00:00:18.589 --> 00:00:21.050 feeling sick the past couple days. I have a bit 00:00:21.050 --> 00:00:25.649 of a sore throat So obviously this like isn't 00:00:25.649 --> 00:00:30.469 the most ideal time for me to be Talking and 00:00:30.469 --> 00:00:32.689 recording an episode. I really felt the Lord 00:00:32.689 --> 00:00:39.390 call me to get on today. So here I am and The 00:00:39.390 --> 00:00:41.630 message that I really felt put on me today was 00:00:41.630 --> 00:00:44.450 let the Lord use you and I pray that the Holy 00:00:44.450 --> 00:00:48.530 Spirit guides me Throughout this episode today. 00:00:48.890 --> 00:00:51.890 I believe that's a message That a lot of people 00:00:51.890 --> 00:00:53.789 need to hear they're listening to this today 00:00:53.789 --> 00:01:00.060 is allow God to Use you And now that's a lot 00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:04.340 more easier said than done at times, right? Because 00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:12.280 being used by God requires you to put aside your 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:18.299 fleshly wants and desires. Being used by God 00:01:18.299 --> 00:01:27.500 being a vessel for God to move through. It's 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:32.920 gonna require you to be okay with being disliked 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:40.239 With being uncomfortable When we look in scripture 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.299 seems like every time God was using somebody 00:01:44.299 --> 00:01:48.359 There was opposition there were people who didn't 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:50.140 it didn't sit right with them there are people 00:01:50.140 --> 00:01:53.859 who didn't receive it well and someone's need 00:01:53.859 --> 00:01:56.859 to hear this today that like When you're being 00:01:56.859 --> 00:01:59.379 used by God, not everybody is going to receive 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:03.500 you well. That's not the point. Then that's not 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:05.680 the purpose. The purpose isn't to be well loved. 00:02:06.019 --> 00:02:08.319 It isn't for every single person to accept the 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.300 message with joy and gladness. Because Jesus 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:14.939 already warned us that if the world hated him, 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:18.219 like, it's gonna hate us too. And Jesus came 00:02:18.219 --> 00:02:21.300 with the message of salvation. Jesus came and 00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:24.479 died on the cross. He resurrected from the dead 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:26.039 all these things and there were still people 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:28.460 who denied him There were still people who didn't 00:02:28.460 --> 00:02:30.159 want him. There were still people who were offended 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:35.340 by his message So if you look anything like him, 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:37.400 of course that's gonna happen to you too And 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:39.680 why I mean by looking anything like him is in 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.259 the spirit and your actions and your words and 00:02:42.259 --> 00:02:45.620 the way that you live your life The one who believes 00:02:45.620 --> 00:02:47.939 in him will do the works that he does so when 00:02:47.939 --> 00:02:49.960 you start to look more like jesus when you start 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:55.479 to have like biblical foundation for your outlook 00:02:55.479 --> 00:03:02.419 on life when you're a willing vessel being used 00:03:02.419 --> 00:03:04.960 by God there are people who aren't going to receive 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:08.199 it well but you can't let the fear of how other 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:11.159 people are going to receive you get in the way 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:13.319 and there are a lot of people that God wants 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:22.860 to use that aren't Opening themselves up to be 00:03:22.860 --> 00:03:25.400 used in the full capacity because of the fear 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:27.599 of how they are received and I believe I'm speaking 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:31.180 to myself right now to y 'all This is this isn't 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:33.560 me just speaking at you This is something that 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:36.340 I felt the Lord putting on my spirit to you and 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:38.280 I believe it's something all work through in 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:41.379 different stages throughout my life and The Lord 00:03:41.379 --> 00:03:43.060 had really kind of started putting this on me 00:03:43.060 --> 00:03:45.159 when I was listening to if y 'all know the pastor 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:47.599 Philip Anthony Mitchell and I was listening to 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:52.199 a recent interview and I've heard this testimony 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.759 before from him, but not in depth in the way 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:56.479 he shared it But he talked about I believe it 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:59.960 was like 2018 where you know, he went out of 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:04.919 the country he went on a trip and There was a 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:10.919 pride That had been in him like as a pastor There 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:14.360 was a pride and there was a thoughtfulness about 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:17.779 how he was received and it was while he was on 00:04:18.700 --> 00:04:22.680 This trip that you know, the Lord spoke to him. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:25.740 I Believe it was when there was like the singing 00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:28.339 and he went and he couldn't understand the language 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:30.920 But he knew that the Lord's presence was there 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.379 and when he went there and kind of snuck in someone 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:36.620 spoke to him But he knew were words from the 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:40.920 Lord Holy Spirit led And he said something afterwards 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:42.980 in this interview where he said I gotta preach 00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:46.180 the message Whether it fills up a room or clears 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:49.509 it out And that was something that really hit 00:04:49.509 --> 00:04:51.629 me in the heart y 'all because I don't know about 00:04:51.629 --> 00:04:54.670 y 'all But I have a thing when it comes to like 00:04:54.670 --> 00:04:57.610 likes and views on social media that I've wrestled 00:04:57.610 --> 00:05:00.670 with in the past because I've had times where 00:05:00.670 --> 00:05:04.870 my social media really took off and then Honestly 00:05:04.870 --> 00:05:07.069 after giving my life to Christ and having Christ 00:05:07.069 --> 00:05:12.300 centered content my social media isn't as well 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:14.740 -received as it was in the past. Actually, when 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:16.800 I was in New Age and I was preaching messages 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.339 that weren't Christ -centered, I was - it was 00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:23.660 tens of thousands of views on stuff, like likes 00:05:23.660 --> 00:05:27.240 at the wazoo, interactions follows, and I mean, 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.959 it's - it's not the same with the Christian content. 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:33.620 And I've had times where I'm like, Lord, you're 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:35.800 calling me to post these things. I feel like 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:37.860 you're calling me to put this message out there, 00:05:37.860 --> 00:05:40.860 but I'm not seeing the return on it. like i don't 00:05:40.860 --> 00:05:42.459 feel like there's all these likes and all this 00:05:42.459 --> 00:05:44.180 interaction and everything like that and i felt 00:05:44.180 --> 00:05:46.100 convicted so many times where it's not about 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:48.740 the likes and it's not about the interactions 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:51.220 it's not about the comments success is just an 00:05:51.220 --> 00:05:55.819 obeying god like i'm successful if i answer god's 00:05:55.819 --> 00:05:57.860 call and say yes if he calls me to put this message 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:00.060 out there if he calls me to share this thing 00:06:00.060 --> 00:06:06.259 my obedience my obedience and what that obedience 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:11.480 produces is up to god it's not up to me And I 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:15.720 think sometimes we forget that even 10 or 20 00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:17.959 likes on a thing on social media is amazing. 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:22.139 We're so used to seeing things that go viral 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:25.699 and go crazy that imagine if you walked up to 00:06:25.699 --> 00:06:30.279 a group of people with a message and 10 to 20 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:32.889 people just stood up and applauded you. and said, 00:06:33.029 --> 00:06:35.389 I love this message. How encouraging that would 00:06:35.389 --> 00:06:37.430 be. I know I'm encouraged when I get like one 00:06:37.430 --> 00:06:39.470 compliment, like when someone stops and says, 00:06:39.509 --> 00:06:41.209 hey, this is really good or hey, this is really 00:06:41.209 --> 00:06:43.350 awesome. And that's like a crazy encouragement 00:06:43.350 --> 00:06:47.610 boost. Imagine 10 or 20 people. We're so desensitized 00:06:47.610 --> 00:06:51.790 that we forget that even 10 or 20 people saying 00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:54.009 this was really helpful or this really helped 00:06:54.009 --> 00:06:59.269 me is wild. But even if that 10 or 20 people 00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:02.459 Don't speak up don't like don't clap even if 00:07:02.459 --> 00:07:04.620 you sat there and said a message and everyone 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:08.439 left the room If you were obedient to God that 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:10.579 is a success and I feel like there's someone 00:07:10.579 --> 00:07:14.519 who's needing to hear this today that like And 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.319 I know that I've had to deal with this as well 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.899 that especially In the society we live in today, 00:07:22.899 --> 00:07:27.490 right where everything is cancelable Everyone 00:07:27.490 --> 00:07:29.370 wants to cancel someone for saying something 00:07:29.370 --> 00:07:31.730 that they're offended by. We live in a world, 00:07:32.209 --> 00:07:34.430 like a society today, where we're expected to 00:07:34.430 --> 00:07:38.889 dance around, like even possible triggers for 00:07:38.889 --> 00:07:45.689 people. And we live in a society that expects 00:07:45.689 --> 00:07:48.910 us to water down the gospel to keep other people 00:07:48.910 --> 00:07:53.220 comfortable, to water down the truth. Jesus Christ 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:55.439 is the way the truth the life everything that 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.399 we read in the Bible is the truth And the things 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:02.079 that the world is doing are contradictory to 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:06.779 that is a lie And we live in a society right 00:08:06.779 --> 00:08:09.399 now that when we go out and we speak the truth 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:15.139 we are called hateful We are called judgmental 00:08:15.139 --> 00:08:18.060 we are called on accepting we are called to just 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:20.220 conform and tell everybody to do whatever they 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:23.410 want to do to keep themselves comfortable. We 00:08:23.410 --> 00:08:25.730 live in a world where literally speaking the 00:08:25.730 --> 00:08:30.350 truth is demonized. Did y 'all forget that when 00:08:30.350 --> 00:08:32.830 Jesus was walking here, they tried to call him 00:08:32.830 --> 00:08:36.090 like a demon. They said he was a glutton and 00:08:36.090 --> 00:08:42.149 a drunkard. If they called Jesus that, if they 00:08:42.149 --> 00:08:45.649 tried to say that he was casting out demons with 00:08:45.649 --> 00:08:48.269 the power of the devil, remember when that happened? 00:08:48.730 --> 00:08:50.950 It's like a house divided against itself cannot 00:08:50.950 --> 00:08:53.570 stand. If they accuse Jesus of it, of course 00:08:53.570 --> 00:08:56.210 they're gonna accuse the followers of Christ 00:08:56.210 --> 00:09:01.350 of it. But we live in a society that has been 00:09:01.350 --> 00:09:04.850 telling us for years that standing on the truth 00:09:04.850 --> 00:09:08.330 of God, preaching the gospel, doing what we love 00:09:08.330 --> 00:09:10.490 all these people in the Bible. Paul that was 00:09:10.490 --> 00:09:12.509 saying it, John the Baptist that was speaking 00:09:12.509 --> 00:09:15.509 truth, Peter. Notice how all these people that 00:09:15.509 --> 00:09:20.399 God was using were standing on kingdom business. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:23.500 We're spreading the gospel, we're preaching the 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:25.340 truth, whether or not it made people uncomfortable. 00:09:25.580 --> 00:09:27.299 Every single one of Paul's letters he was writing 00:09:27.299 --> 00:09:30.759 was calling out people in their sin. Almost every 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:33.679 single one was a rebuke in some area, but pulling 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:38.179 them closer to Christ. John the Baptist was constantly 00:09:38.179 --> 00:09:50.309 rebuking. When you are Being used by God you're 00:09:50.309 --> 00:09:53.889 gonna be called to say things and do things that 00:09:53.889 --> 00:09:59.409 are gonna make people uncomfortable And if you 00:09:59.409 --> 00:10:02.629 have more of a fear of how you're received or 00:10:02.629 --> 00:10:04.850 what other people are going to do to you You're 00:10:04.850 --> 00:10:07.230 gonna find yourself conforming and watering it 00:10:07.230 --> 00:10:11.850 down And that's not in the most loving way I 00:10:11.850 --> 00:10:16.590 can say this That's not God's will. God's will 00:10:16.590 --> 00:10:20.549 isn't for things to be watered down or made lukewarm, 00:10:20.570 --> 00:10:28.750 made more digestible. We're not meant to water 00:10:28.750 --> 00:10:31.450 down the word. Someone needs to hear this today 00:10:31.450 --> 00:10:34.169 because there are people who water down the gospel, 00:10:34.830 --> 00:10:38.190 who will speak lukewarm and say, believe what 00:10:38.190 --> 00:10:40.210 you want to believe, do what you want to do, 00:10:40.429 --> 00:10:42.009 and hope that it will just keep someone coming 00:10:42.009 --> 00:10:45.090 back to church. or maybe they'll get baptized. 00:10:45.809 --> 00:10:48.289 And they're like, well, at least if I do it this 00:10:48.289 --> 00:10:50.289 way, I'm bringing them to Christ. Are you really 00:10:50.289 --> 00:10:53.570 though? Because you're saved through your faith 00:10:53.570 --> 00:10:55.710 in Jesus. You're not saved through being baptized. 00:10:56.210 --> 00:10:58.370 You're not saved through going to church. You're 00:10:58.370 --> 00:11:01.009 not saved through going to small group attendances. 00:11:01.350 --> 00:11:03.350 You're not saved through those things. You're 00:11:03.350 --> 00:11:06.710 saved through a relationship with Christ. I was 00:11:06.710 --> 00:11:09.279 raised going to Sunday school. every sunday i 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:11.559 was baptized i was confirmed i was taken communion 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.860 i did all these things and it was until 2024 00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:16.519 when i gave my life to christ i looked back and 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.899 i was like i was not saved and i felt the lord 00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:22.200 reveal that to me too that i would have died 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:27.440 in my sin and gone to hell just because i was 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:30.100 baptized just because i walked i stepped foot 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:31.820 in a church i didn't have a relationship with 00:11:31.820 --> 00:11:35.340 jesus i didn't know jesus 2024 was me actually 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:41.289 getting to know jesus And you watering down the 00:11:41.289 --> 00:11:44.250 gospel, you watering down the word of God to 00:11:44.250 --> 00:11:46.909 get someone to keep coming back or to get someone 00:11:46.909 --> 00:11:50.730 to get in the water doesn't mean they're saved. 00:11:54.470 --> 00:11:57.649 It doesn't. Watering down the gospel doesn't 00:11:57.649 --> 00:12:03.070 do anything but keep you comfortable and maybe 00:12:03.070 --> 00:12:07.990 produce results that you want to see. But our 00:12:07.990 --> 00:12:17.990 will and God's will are not the same And again 00:12:17.990 --> 00:12:21.870 y 'all This is something I have need I've needed 00:12:21.870 --> 00:12:26.610 here, too I know I need to be reminded of this 00:12:26.610 --> 00:12:30.049 Because the way I'm received comes to mind there 00:12:30.049 --> 00:12:32.129 have been things God has called me to do where 00:12:32.129 --> 00:12:35.440 I'm like God when I say that or do that People 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:40.399 aren't gonna like it. I Already know how the 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:42.320 world is gonna respond and this makes me think 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:44.860 of Jonah, right? Look at the look at the book 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:47.679 of Jonah. Look at the story of Jonah in the beginning 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:53.500 of the book God gives Jonah something to do a 00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:55.899 call to obedience, right? God says I want you 00:12:55.899 --> 00:12:58.940 to go and do this thing. I want you to go and 00:12:58.940 --> 00:13:02.480 tell them invites That I'm gonna destroy them 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:08.840 because of their sin Jonah was like no and you 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.679 know historically the Ninevites were actually 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:15.960 a scary group of people the Ninevites I guess 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:17.919 you know they worshiped like a fish god and they 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:21.659 were known for like human sacrifices and things 00:13:21.659 --> 00:13:25.059 like that they they were the group of people 00:13:25.059 --> 00:13:27.080 that you're like I don't want to go gaslight 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:28.899 them I don't want to go antagonize them they'll 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:30.679 probably lay me out for going up and saying something 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:32.799 to them they were an intimidating group of people 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:36.169 to talk to number one It wasn't like he was called 00:13:36.169 --> 00:13:38.309 to go speak to people who were clearly going 00:13:38.309 --> 00:13:44.330 to receive it well. It was like being sent to 00:13:44.330 --> 00:13:48.669 the group of people who were probably going to 00:13:48.669 --> 00:13:51.529 be right off him. Like, it was scary, number 00:13:51.529 --> 00:13:53.370 one, being called to that group. So I'm sure 00:13:53.370 --> 00:13:56.230 Jonah was like, really? Like, this group of people, 00:13:56.250 --> 00:13:59.529 really? But what he said to God was he was like, 00:13:59.769 --> 00:14:03.019 no, I'm not going to do that. We find out throughout 00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:05.759 the book of Jonah reading it that Jonah believed 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:07.620 that there was gonna be no point He's like God 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:09.960 I'm gonna I'm gonna show up and preach this message 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:11.620 and I know that you're merciful and I know that 00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:13.779 you're graceful You're gonna spare them. So you're 00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:15.759 gonna send me there to say this to them and then 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.940 you're gonna end up not doing it So no, I'm not 00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:20.399 going I already know I already know what the 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.700 end result is gonna be so I'm not gonna do it 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:27.740 God called Jonah to an act of obedience and he 00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:31.549 said I already know How this is gonna play out 00:14:31.549 --> 00:14:34.309 and I don't want I don't want to deal with that 00:14:34.309 --> 00:14:36.149 That's a situation not one deal with so I'm just 00:14:36.149 --> 00:14:40.610 not gonna do it here And we know Jonah runs off 00:14:40.610 --> 00:14:43.549 gets in the boat all that stuff The same people 00:14:43.549 --> 00:14:45.629 who are helping him escape God are the same people 00:14:45.629 --> 00:14:47.570 who cast him into the ocean when it gets too 00:14:47.570 --> 00:14:50.909 rough for them Same people that are helping him 00:14:50.909 --> 00:14:53.870 get away from God get away from the calling When 00:14:53.870 --> 00:14:56.289 they realize that their lives are at stake because 00:14:56.289 --> 00:14:58.750 of his disobedience when they realize God is 00:14:58.750 --> 00:15:01.769 angered at him they cast him off into the ocean 00:15:01.769 --> 00:15:05.330 to save themselves but god has him swallowed 00:15:05.330 --> 00:15:08.289 up by a whale which some people see as like oh 00:15:08.289 --> 00:15:10.629 that's so rough like god had him swallowed up 00:15:10.629 --> 00:15:12.809 i actually think that's a blessing god protected 00:15:12.809 --> 00:15:17.409 him and saved him because number one being cast 00:15:17.409 --> 00:15:18.789 out in the middle of the ocean off a boat in 00:15:18.789 --> 00:15:19.970 the middle of the storm he probably should have 00:15:19.970 --> 00:15:22.730 drowned and died so god allowing him to be swallowed 00:15:22.730 --> 00:15:24.590 up by a fish number one that was kind of saving 00:15:24.590 --> 00:15:28.580 his life that gave him a safe space to land Also, 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:30.159 he had to sit in that belly for a couple days 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:34.259 and forcibly reflect. If he had gotten right 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:35.700 back on land, he probably would have walked right 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:38.419 back into that disobedience. He was put in a 00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:41.039 space where he could not move. He had to sit 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:48.740 and he had to reflect. And after that time of 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:51.720 forced reflection almost, I call it almost, because 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:54.159 he didn't have to reflect. He could have sat 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.399 there and stewed and gotten his pride, but he 00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:00.679 decided to reflect. He repented was spit out 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:02.879 of that fish and then when he was like, alright 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:07.580 God What now God gave him that same call and 00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:09.879 this is this is an emphasis on repentance y 'all 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.179 repentance isn't feeling guilty because you can 00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:14.080 feel guilty and still go back to doing the same 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.080 thing when you're repentant for something you 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:18.139 realize the wrong in it and you do your best 00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:19.799 to go in a different way your heart position 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:22.480 changes on it and because Jonah was repentant 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.519 Instead of saying no to God this time. He said 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:28.370 yes And in obedience, he did what God was calling 00:16:28.370 --> 00:16:32.110 him to do. And he went to the Ninevites. And 00:16:32.110 --> 00:16:34.789 what ended up happening? They ended up putting 00:16:34.789 --> 00:16:39.690 on sackcloth, mourning, grieving, and God ended 00:16:39.690 --> 00:16:41.669 up sparing them. And we see Jonah catches an 00:16:41.669 --> 00:16:43.549 attitude. He's like, see, I told you, this is 00:16:43.549 --> 00:16:44.950 why I didn't want to come in the first place. 00:16:45.289 --> 00:16:46.769 Acting like it's going to be different, but this 00:16:46.769 --> 00:16:52.629 is what happened. See, I told you. I cannot tell 00:16:52.629 --> 00:16:56.529 y 'all how many times. God has called me to an 00:16:56.529 --> 00:16:58.690 act of obedience and I'm like God if I say that 00:16:58.690 --> 00:17:04.730 or do that, they're not gonna react well It's 00:17:04.730 --> 00:17:06.589 not gonna sit right with them they're not gonna 00:17:06.589 --> 00:17:14.529 take this well And I felt God say we'll do it 00:17:14.529 --> 00:17:19.829 anyway and then doing it later on I see here's 00:17:19.829 --> 00:17:23.240 here's one I'll share with y 'all An instance 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:24.640 of this because I know this is gonna be very 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.859 helpful for someone else. There was a time in 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:33.940 my life When Holy Spirit give me the words because 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:37.059 I always like to protect people's privacy there 00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:39.559 was a time in my life where I you know as freshly 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.339 from giving my life to Christ and I was getting 00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:48.559 back up on my feet and The Lord Had someone called 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:50.519 me to someone and that person was just helping 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.349 me get reestablished you know, they helped me 00:17:53.349 --> 00:17:55.809 while I was saving money and getting back into 00:17:55.809 --> 00:17:58.529 the swing of work and everything like that and 00:17:58.529 --> 00:18:01.809 just working on really obeying the Lord. And 00:18:01.809 --> 00:18:04.730 this person was very helpful. You know, they 00:18:04.730 --> 00:18:06.869 were providing some things that I wasn't able 00:18:06.869 --> 00:18:08.650 to provide for myself at that time yet. They 00:18:08.650 --> 00:18:12.150 were very helpful, right? But this person wasn't 00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:15.269 surrendered to Christ and this person wasn't 00:18:15.269 --> 00:18:17.670 pursuing a relationship with Christ and they 00:18:17.670 --> 00:18:22.920 didn't understand fully The done denying of self, 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:28.180 right? No bang God and they were very more set 00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:30.180 on the world ways and this is how you do things 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:33.420 by worldly standards and Setting up security 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:39.839 for themselves and this person Had a very set 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:44.420 Idea of the next steps I should be taking with 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:49.319 my life and by worldly standards They looked 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:52.160 like fine steps. They looked like they made sense, 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.240 right? And this person was putting a lot of pressure 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:59.319 on me to take these steps Saying, you know at 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:01.039 first just from a caring place of hey, I love 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.720 you And this these are the steps I want you to 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:04.440 take with your life These are things I think 00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:06.319 are gonna work out best for you to get to that 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:10.640 next level of security and stability This is 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:13.640 what I want you to do and in taking it back to 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:15.259 the Lord I was like, you know Lord these things 00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:19.079 make sense What do you want me to do? Because 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:22.720 I knew that at that point, I had gotten to where 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:26.500 I was due to my obedience to Christ, right? And 00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:30.859 the things that I had currently like career in 00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:33.400 different things like that were open doors from 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:35.940 God. God had placed me in those places. And I 00:19:35.940 --> 00:19:38.000 was like, God, I recognize that what I have right 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:41.099 now are blessings for me. And if I obey this 00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:43.460 person's advice, I'm going to be closing the 00:19:43.460 --> 00:19:46.200 door on these things. and trying to walk into 00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:49.420 something new. And I don't want to leave a space 00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:52.599 before you tell me to leave. I don't want to 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:55.380 act prematurely. I don't want to do things on 00:19:55.380 --> 00:19:57.640 my own strength. I know that where I'm at right 00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:01.200 now, you are using me and there are works being 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.420 done and I'm a willing vessel for you where I'm 00:20:03.420 --> 00:20:06.380 at. I know that I'm serving you and I'm doing 00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:07.819 the things you've called me to do. I know that 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:09.299 you're bringing things out of me, you're producing 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:13.029 things in me. I can see... How maybe this isn't 00:20:13.029 --> 00:20:15.029 bringing me all the financial stability in the 00:20:15.029 --> 00:20:18.869 world But this is really good for me spiritually 00:20:18.869 --> 00:20:24.349 And I know that you're using this So lord, what 00:20:24.349 --> 00:20:28.349 do you want me to do? Do you want me to stay 00:20:28.349 --> 00:20:31.170 or do you want me to leave? And I felt the lord 00:20:31.170 --> 00:20:33.150 tell me like I want you to stay where you're 00:20:33.150 --> 00:20:36.910 at I don't want you to move yet And that was 00:20:36.910 --> 00:20:41.470 what I needed. I obey god Not man, right? Started 00:20:41.470 --> 00:20:43.710 confessing to God whereas like God this person 00:20:43.710 --> 00:20:48.750 isn't gonna like this I'm gonna obey you but 00:20:48.750 --> 00:20:50.650 there's about to be a lot of pain and suffering 00:20:50.650 --> 00:20:54.789 that comes along with this obedience I Don't 00:20:54.789 --> 00:20:58.089 think this person's gonna move or budge on this 00:20:58.089 --> 00:21:00.750 and I see a lot of pain and suffering coming 00:21:00.750 --> 00:21:04.519 my way I think that this person might You know 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:06.819 pull away this provision and these different 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:09.140 things and like what do I do Lord because I'm 00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:12.460 not ready on my own to bring all these things 00:21:12.460 --> 00:21:16.660 up and I really felt the Lord tell me like Trusting 00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:21.559 me. I will provide for you and even if that does 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:29.380 happen Even if trust trust I have provided for 00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:31.660 you this far, I'm going to continue to provide 00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:33.559 for you. Someone needs to hear this today, Philippians 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.539 1 .19, and my God will provide for you everything 00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:40.359 you need according to his riches and glory in 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:43.059 Christ Jesus. I'm sorry, I'm just quoting off 00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:45.440 the top of my head, but I've had to really meditate 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:47.400 on that scripture. God will provide what you 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:49.599 need. And that was a situation where I'm like, 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:52.839 God, I'm going to obey you, but if I obey you 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:55.460 in this, this person isn't gonna like this, and 00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:59.099 things are probably gonna get really rough. It's 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:01.059 not gonna be an easy situation for me to move 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:04.940 through and God said even if that happens You've 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:07.240 got to trust that I will carry you through you 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:09.000 got to trust that I have already planned for 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:11.380 however This person is going to react to your 00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:13.519 obedience to me and let me tell you all that 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:18.819 it was It was hard. It was hard because I was 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:21.579 made, you know, this person didn't understand 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:24.920 the obedience I was walking in with Christ and 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:27.539 I have to keep in mind too that this person doesn't 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:30.980 know God is the provider that I do. This person 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:36.400 doesn't fully grasp putting aside your fleshly 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:41.119 desires and like your fleshly headspace and saying 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:45.009 I'm gonna be a willing vessel for God. You know 00:22:45.009 --> 00:22:48.309 and I I know that because I had I was in the 00:22:48.309 --> 00:22:50.430 same headspace for 20 plus years that this person 00:22:50.430 --> 00:22:53.069 was in Where it was provision first taking care 00:22:53.069 --> 00:22:54.990 of myself first and doing those things first 00:22:54.990 --> 00:22:58.450 So I gave this person grace in that area of they 00:22:58.450 --> 00:23:04.710 don't understand what I'm doing and The way that 00:23:04.710 --> 00:23:06.809 they view the way I view what I'm doing is I'm 00:23:06.809 --> 00:23:08.769 obeying God and trusting in him to provide and 00:23:08.769 --> 00:23:10.549 this person has a very different perspective 00:23:10.549 --> 00:23:14.480 of what's going on And I have to make peace with 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.579 that. I can't shift or change how this person's 00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:20.079 gonna view. But I gotta trust that God is calling 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:25.500 me to do this for a reason. And long story short, 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:29.859 that person didn't accept what God was calling 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:34.279 me to do and things did get more tense and more 00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:36.359 tension did come up and I could tell that this 00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:41.289 person was more... upset with that And their 00:23:41.289 --> 00:23:44.329 stance didn't shift in that time and they actually 00:23:44.329 --> 00:23:47.930 did pull out the provision I mean the things 00:23:47.930 --> 00:23:49.589 that I was like God are they gonna take that 00:23:49.589 --> 00:23:53.369 away and God said even if they do Trust they 00:23:53.369 --> 00:23:57.369 did And it did put me in a space where I was 00:23:57.369 --> 00:24:01.589 a very I had to Really see God of God. What do 00:24:01.589 --> 00:24:05.390 I do? Where do I go because this? Could lead 00:24:05.390 --> 00:24:08.630 to a real hardship like even my look I had to 00:24:08.630 --> 00:24:11.009 move like I had a lot of things had to happen 00:24:11.009 --> 00:24:18.710 and um God said like I have a place for you and 00:24:18.710 --> 00:24:23.829 he led me to the place and I got to go there 00:24:23.829 --> 00:24:26.450 and it was actually kind of uncomfortable at 00:24:26.450 --> 00:24:28.890 first because it was out of my normal routine 00:24:28.890 --> 00:24:31.369 and it had its own complications right it wasn't 00:24:31.369 --> 00:24:36.559 perfect but it wasn't too long after I started 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.160 seeing that this in itself was an answered prayer 00:24:39.160 --> 00:24:44.519 for me, right? I'll speak to y 'all about what 00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:47.579 this obedience did. I know that this testimony 00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:50.279 is encouraging someone else and is helping someone 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:54.180 else today, right? Because this obedience wasn't 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:57.680 easy. And the interesting thing is I recognized 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:02.670 that my relationship with that person In the 00:25:02.670 --> 00:25:05.009 situation I was in had become a bondage when 00:25:05.009 --> 00:25:07.369 it came to my obedience to Christ there are things 00:25:07.369 --> 00:25:10.549 God was calling me to do lifestyle changes to 00:25:10.549 --> 00:25:14.869 make Actions to take that my current situation 00:25:14.869 --> 00:25:18.049 it was like a bondage like where I was in a constant 00:25:18.049 --> 00:25:20.750 fear and worry and there were things that God 00:25:20.750 --> 00:25:22.349 was calling me to do where I'm like God that's 00:25:22.349 --> 00:25:24.970 just not possible for me here and I had been 00:25:24.970 --> 00:25:27.839 praying for deliverance I've been praying for 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:29.619 deliverance, whereas like God where I'm at is 00:25:29.619 --> 00:25:32.200 keeping me in a people pleasing space. It's keeping 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:34.839 me fearful. It's keeping me anxious. Like you're 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:37.160 calling me to do these things. I'm in a space 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:40.140 where it's like these constant expectations of 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:43.720 the world instead. And I didn't see it at the 00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:46.900 time, but God was using this as a deliverance. 00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:51.660 That my obedience to God, although in my obedience, 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:54.000 I was what some people might call like kind of 00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:00.920 like a cutoff or like a toss aside was my deliverance. 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:06.319 I was no longer bound. The same mental, like, 00:26:06.420 --> 00:26:08.880 fears and anxieties and things I was waking up 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:11.279 with every single day in this new space I no 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:14.259 longer was. There were freedoms that all of a 00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:18.160 sudden I had in my daily life that I didn't realize 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:22.019 I was missing out on before. Like, very simple, 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:26.339 simple things. like cooking dinner for myself 00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:30.579 whenever without like you know feeling anxious 00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:34.700 about it or it was we were playing my worship 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:37.160 music and just kind of hanging out and hanging 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:41.079 around and just um coming and going and doing 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:43.740 what god called me especially the volunteering 00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:46.980 and the podcast y 'all i started this podcast 00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:51.299 um and starting this podcast was an obedience 00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:54.240 call the Lord was calling me to for a while, 00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:57.400 but my environment was a big reason why I hadn't 00:26:57.400 --> 00:27:00.740 stepped into it yet and When I look back, I'm 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:03.400 like, oh my gosh, although that step of obedience 00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:07.480 Like I was like God if I take this step of obedience, 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:09.980 it's gonna come with this pain and the suffering 00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:13.819 The very thing I was hearing due to my obedience 00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:17.880 was the very thing I faced But that facing that 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:20.769 was actually my deliverance I was so fearful 00:27:20.769 --> 00:27:23.630 of the conflict that was going to come with my 00:27:23.630 --> 00:27:27.509 obedience and I faced that conflict and that 00:27:27.509 --> 00:27:31.589 conflict delivered me and the Lord used it and 00:27:31.589 --> 00:27:33.309 I want to be so clear that I was uncomfortable 00:27:33.309 --> 00:27:35.349 at first because I was like having to get used 00:27:35.349 --> 00:27:37.990 to a new environment a new routines and it came 00:27:37.990 --> 00:27:40.890 with its own struggles and it came with its own 00:27:40.890 --> 00:27:43.869 stressors right but there is an appreciation 00:27:43.869 --> 00:27:48.740 for the new found freedom that I had You know 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:50.779 when the Israelites were led to the promised 00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:53.160 land, it wasn't like they, after going through 00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:55.460 the wilderness and everything, it wasn't like 00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:57.279 they could just walk into the promised land. 00:27:57.460 --> 00:28:01.079 You realize they had to conquer people, right? 00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:04.019 The walls of Jericho had to go down. There were 00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:08.160 still battles for the promise. But I pray y 'all 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:11.480 that that testimony, and I don't think I've shared 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:13.960 that testimony on here before or anywhere publicly, 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:18.400 I pray it encourages you, okay? Because sometimes 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:21.319 when God calls us to a step of obedience, all 00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:24.180 we see is the conflict or the opposition that 00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:26.900 could arise or the hardship and the pain, and 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:29.519 we say no simply because we want to avoid it. 00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:32.400 But sometimes that conflict and that pain is 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:36.940 the deliverance, is the answered prayer. And 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:39.000 you've got to trust that if God has taken you 00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:43.700 this far, He's gonna continue to be with you. 00:28:43.960 --> 00:28:47.059 Okay, he's gonna continue to be with you He didn't 00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:49.039 leave you. He didn't get you this far just to 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:53.660 leave you where you are And I believe that someone 00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:55.539 needs to hear this say this is up on my board 00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:59.720 Psalm 25 verse 3 no one who waits for you will 00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:03.400 be disgraced those who act treacherously without 00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:09.509 cause will be disgraced and And this is another 00:29:09.509 --> 00:29:11.190 one I want to be very thoughtful with the way 00:29:11.190 --> 00:29:14.210 I word it, but sometimes your act of obedience 00:29:14.210 --> 00:29:16.769 will allow the justice that you have been waiting 00:29:16.769 --> 00:29:20.589 on God to deliver to come in. And I want to be 00:29:20.589 --> 00:29:23.710 so thoughtful with the way I word this, but when 00:29:23.710 --> 00:29:26.730 you are walking in obedience to God, when you 00:29:26.730 --> 00:29:30.230 are in right standing with the Lord, when the 00:29:30.230 --> 00:29:32.630 Lord is pouring blessing out on your life, it 00:29:32.630 --> 00:29:34.509 blesses the people who are around you, right? 00:29:34.690 --> 00:29:37.829 Think about Joseph. Even though Joseph was in 00:29:37.829 --> 00:29:42.450 bondage when he was in Potiphar's house Potiphar 00:29:42.450 --> 00:29:47.289 saw a blessing He was blessed simply because 00:29:47.289 --> 00:29:50.569 Abraham was there or simply because Joseph was 00:29:50.569 --> 00:29:53.269 there. Sorry I was also thinking about Abraham 00:29:53.269 --> 00:29:55.190 and Isaac and it was what I was reading last 00:29:55.190 --> 00:29:59.430 night I believe it was Isaac and it was the Amorites 00:29:59.430 --> 00:30:03.630 I'm a little fuzzy on this one y 'all, but The 00:30:03.630 --> 00:30:07.660 Amorites they they saw the anointing and the 00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:09.759 favor that Isaac had on his life and they were 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:11.759 so jealous that they started filling up like 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:14.579 the wells that had been dug and everything with 00:30:14.579 --> 00:30:17.000 dirt just like kind of little sabotage attempts 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:21.019 and eventually kicked him out and you know later 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:26.180 and later on the king and the Amorites come around 00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:28.700 because they notice the favor that Isaac has 00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:32.240 on his life and that God you know has protected 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:35.019 him and they're like make an agreement with us 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:36.839 they're trying to benefit a little bit off of 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:40.079 his favor right where they're like um make make 00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:42.400 an agreement with us that we won't hurt you like 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.019 that you won't hurt us because we didn't hurt 00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:46.420 you we kicked you out you know but like that 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:48.740 was kind of the protection right so like make 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:52.420 an agreement with us we see a pattern in the 00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:57.220 bible of people who have favor from God people 00:30:57.220 --> 00:31:00.250 around them kind of benefit off of that right 00:31:00.250 --> 00:31:02.930 um and this is something i've seen in my life 00:31:02.930 --> 00:31:06.890 is the people who are benefiting off your favor 00:31:06.890 --> 00:31:10.589 from god when you leave when you obey god i want 00:31:10.589 --> 00:31:11.849 to be very clear with that because there are 00:31:11.849 --> 00:31:13.349 seasons where god will call you to be around 00:31:13.349 --> 00:31:16.849 those people and minister to them but when you 00:31:16.849 --> 00:31:19.250 obey god and you leave and you close those doors 00:31:19.250 --> 00:31:23.450 you'll see the effect that it has when your favor 00:31:23.450 --> 00:31:28.210 kind of like leaves their life right um There 00:31:28.210 --> 00:31:31.390 were people in my life that there were a lot 00:31:31.390 --> 00:31:33.829 of injustices being done and I was like God I 00:31:33.829 --> 00:31:35.230 thought you're the God of justice. I thought 00:31:35.230 --> 00:31:38.089 you're the God that like I thought vengeance 00:31:38.089 --> 00:31:41.130 is yours and you'll take take them, you know 00:31:41.130 --> 00:31:44.569 do what you need to do because Yes, we pray for 00:31:44.569 --> 00:31:48.130 justice, but we always pray For people's salvation, 00:31:48.130 --> 00:31:50.289 right? That's one thing the Lord has taught me 00:31:50.289 --> 00:31:52.109 to do is even people who do me the most dirty 00:31:52.109 --> 00:31:54.779 I'm praying for their salvation I'm recognizing, 00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:56.460 well, they're doing this wickedness because they 00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:58.380 don't have the love of Jesus. So I'm going to 00:31:58.380 --> 00:32:00.160 start praying that they know the love of Jesus. 00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:02.119 Because number one, they'll stop doing those 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:04.660 wicked things. And number two, they'll see salvation. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:08.019 That's my purpose here. I want people to be saved. 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:10.599 I want people to turn away from their sinful 00:32:10.599 --> 00:32:17.059 ways and seek God. That's my little evangelizing, 00:32:17.140 --> 00:32:23.640 right? There were some there were some times 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:27.180 where I'm like God these people they They keep 00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:29.819 doing all of these mean things and they keep 00:32:29.819 --> 00:32:32.099 doing all these wicked things and it's like they're 00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:38.319 allowed to just continue and I Remember there 00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:40.119 being a time and the Lord really kind of revealed 00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:43.539 to me where he's like well You're in close proximity 00:32:43.539 --> 00:32:45.339 with them every day. These people are a part 00:32:45.339 --> 00:32:49.809 of your life like If they see destruction and 00:32:49.809 --> 00:32:52.109 all this right now, you're gonna get caught up. 00:32:52.369 --> 00:32:55.650 And before that happens, there are some doors 00:32:55.650 --> 00:32:57.869 that need to be closed. And I remember there 00:32:57.869 --> 00:33:00.109 being a time when the Lord told me that, hey, 00:33:00.230 --> 00:33:02.569 there's a season of justice coming. And there 00:33:02.569 --> 00:33:05.869 are some people who are, God is gonna be working 00:33:05.869 --> 00:33:08.230 in their life where it's not gonna be very pretty. 00:33:09.789 --> 00:33:11.569 There's gonna be pain and there's gonna be suffering. 00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:13.920 And I remember the Lord really instructing me 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:16.039 when I call you to close those doors You need 00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:18.359 to in obedience close doors because if you don't 00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:20.579 you're going to get caught up in it as well And 00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:22.779 I don't intend for you to get caught up in it 00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:27.079 But if you refuse to leave if you refuse to close 00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:28.779 these doors number one you're going to get caught 00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:30.859 up in it and number two the lessons that these 00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:32.200 people are going to learn are not going to be 00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:35.240 learned and someone needs to hear this today 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:39.700 that There are going to be times when God calls 00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:45.559 you to close doors When God calls you to walk 00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:48.299 away from relationships, when God calls you to 00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:59.859 set boundaries, and when you do, Lord, Holy Spirit, 00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:01.619 give me the words with this. I'm going to share 00:34:01.619 --> 00:34:03.319 from personal experience, y 'all. There were 00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:06.220 doors that the Lord called me to close, and it 00:34:06.220 --> 00:34:09.820 was really hard for me, too. And in acts of obedience, 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:14.849 I obeyed God and I closed the doors. his timing 00:34:14.849 --> 00:34:21.429 later on I was able to see when I left pain and 00:34:21.429 --> 00:34:24.250 suffering started to pick up for these people 00:34:24.250 --> 00:34:29.349 like when I left it was like I don't know a way 00:34:29.349 --> 00:34:31.349 to explain it other than it's like the favor 00:34:31.349 --> 00:34:34.489 left you the protection that they were seeing 00:34:34.489 --> 00:34:37.750 from God left you none be clear that these were 00:34:37.750 --> 00:34:40.829 people that their faith wasn't in the Lord there 00:34:40.829 --> 00:34:45.360 were a lot of open doors Sin going on pride these 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:50.119 different things rejecting the Lord And when 00:34:50.119 --> 00:34:52.219 I pulled away and I wasn't constantly pouring 00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:57.579 into these people anymore Pain and suffering 00:34:57.579 --> 00:35:00.739 picked up and when I look back now, I'm like 00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:03.219 God I'm glad you you know kind of pulled me apart 00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:04.800 because I would have been there to deal with 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:06.380 that suffering I probably would have started 00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:09.000 trying to save the situation and they wouldn't 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:11.610 have learned the lessons That you're trying to 00:35:11.610 --> 00:35:13.010 instill in them. There are some people who have 00:35:13.010 --> 00:35:14.949 turned to God due to their suffering and I'm 00:35:14.949 --> 00:35:16.650 like God I'm glad I wasn't there because they 00:35:16.650 --> 00:35:24.090 would have turned to me instead of you Yeah, 00:35:24.550 --> 00:35:26.449 I think that's the best way to word is they would 00:35:26.449 --> 00:35:29.150 have turned to me instead of turning to the Lord 00:35:29.150 --> 00:35:33.489 or I would have started Dealing with the suffering 00:35:33.489 --> 00:35:36.110 in this pain when it wasn't a season for me to 00:35:36.110 --> 00:35:39.119 deal with it. I would have picked up extra burdens 00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:41.900 that I wasn't meant to carry and I know that 00:35:41.900 --> 00:35:43.179 there's someone out here who's needing to hear 00:35:43.179 --> 00:35:45.739 that today too is like there there may be some 00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:47.440 things where it's like this is a lesson that 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:50.480 God is trying to teach and you're kind of stealing 00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:52.760 that lesson away from someone when you go in 00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:55.059 and you're constantly saving and rescuing and 00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:56.960 intervening you gotta let that person learn their 00:35:56.960 --> 00:36:00.559 lesson from God just as God loves you and he'll 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:02.739 take care of you he loves them and he'll take 00:36:02.739 --> 00:36:04.760 care of them that was something I really had 00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:07.480 to tell myself because it was really hard. I 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:09.139 remember when God revealing to me that some of 00:36:09.139 --> 00:36:10.480 these people were going to be going through these 00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:12.920 seasons and that He was calling me to kind of 00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:15.039 leave. And it was really hard for me because 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:17.199 I was like, God, no, I love these people. I don't 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:18.579 want these people to deal with this alone. I 00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:20.219 don't want these people to go through this alone. 00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:28.280 But the Lord reminded me that just as I'm a child 00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:32.940 of God and it was when I was in my lowest point 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:38.519 deep in sin. That Jesus found me or that I opened 00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:41.639 up to Jesus I know that it's possible to be knee 00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:45.300 -deep in suffering in Years of pride and still 00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:47.400 turn to the Lord. The Lord showed me he's like 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:51.480 I did it for you. I can do it for them, too Just 00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:54.159 as I am a child of God and he loves me and he'll 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:56.559 use all things for my good Including suffering 00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:59.719 that person is his child, too. He loves that 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:04.280 person, too and He'll see he will leave the 99 00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:08.340 to find them, too He will restore them to he 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:10.519 will use this pain and suffering for their good 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:13.539 too So instead of like trying to save and rescue 00:37:13.539 --> 00:37:15.940 them start praying for them start interceding 00:37:15.940 --> 00:37:19.280 for them start praying that their heart is softened 00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:23.579 And that was a real trusting God season for me 00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:25.739 It takes a lot to trust a person you love with 00:37:25.739 --> 00:37:28.139 God to say I'm gonna take my hands out and I'm 00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:30.179 gonna trust that God is gonna take care of them 00:37:30.179 --> 00:37:33.340 and God is gonna do what he did for me for them 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:41.039 and I'm gonna pray for them And being a willing 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:43.579 vessel for God also looks like obeying when it 00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:45.320 comes to taking your hands away. A lot of times 00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:47.960 we think being a willing vessel is just, you 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:50.840 know, when God says, preach this message, speak 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:52.840 this thing, do this thing. And that is being 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:55.360 a willing vessel for God. But being a willing 00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:57.420 vessel for God also looks like taking your hands 00:37:57.420 --> 00:38:09.019 off. Knowing when to back up. I pray that this 00:38:09.019 --> 00:38:10.860 is helping y 'all today. These are these are 00:38:10.860 --> 00:38:12.360 testimonies. I don't think I've shared on the 00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:15.539 podcast at all I don't think I've shared on social 00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:17.139 media at all and these were actually kind of 00:38:17.139 --> 00:38:19.780 hard ones for me to share it y 'all a lot of 00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:23.460 the testimonies I share I'm like You know, I've 00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:27.239 moved through it It's I'm able to talk about 00:38:27.239 --> 00:38:30.119 it easily. These are ones that are kind of like 00:38:30.119 --> 00:38:33.380 hard for me to talk about there's still emotion 00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:36.159 with some of them, you know, but I'm sharing 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:38.739 it to glorify God and in hopes that it's going 00:38:38.739 --> 00:38:41.380 to encourage someone else today. I pray that 00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:44.380 my sharing this testimony encourages you to share 00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:47.900 testimony, encourages you to step out in obedience, 00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:51.039 encourages you to trust God and have faith in 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:54.880 a way that you may not have had so far. And someone 00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:56.519 needs to hear this today and I know I've needed 00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:58.760 to hear it too so many times is that sharing 00:38:58.760 --> 00:39:02.570 testimony actually like breaks off the bondage 00:39:02.570 --> 00:39:05.110 that it's had on you, right? A lot of the things 00:39:05.110 --> 00:39:07.730 I willingly share with y 'all now today were 00:39:07.730 --> 00:39:09.550 things that at one point I was really nervous 00:39:09.550 --> 00:39:11.809 and really scared to share. And when I would 00:39:11.809 --> 00:39:13.650 feel God calling me to share, like for example, 00:39:13.710 --> 00:39:16.309 my sobriety testimonies, I share those very willingly 00:39:16.309 --> 00:39:17.929 now, but there was a period in my life when I 00:39:17.929 --> 00:39:20.309 was way too fearful. And when God was calling 00:39:20.309 --> 00:39:22.750 me to share, I would kind of dance around it 00:39:22.750 --> 00:39:26.630 and I wouldn't share it. And it was because I 00:39:26.630 --> 00:39:28.409 was scared of how people would perceive me, of 00:39:28.409 --> 00:39:30.809 how it could be twisted, of how it could be warped 00:39:30.809 --> 00:39:35.769 around. And I realized that it wasn't testimony, 00:39:35.809 --> 00:39:38.030 it was a bondage, if I couldn't share it and 00:39:38.030 --> 00:39:41.630 glorify God. And in sharing it, it became a testimony 00:39:41.630 --> 00:39:43.809 that glorified God and it stopped being a bondage. 00:39:44.050 --> 00:39:46.190 And I believe honestly, y 'all, that's what sharing 00:39:46.190 --> 00:39:48.570 these testimonies is for me today with y 'all 00:39:48.570 --> 00:39:51.179 too. is for a while it's kind of felt like a 00:39:51.179 --> 00:39:52.880 form of bondage. It's felt like something I've 00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:56.380 kept to myself. And now in sharing it, I do believe 00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:59.840 that the Lord is kind of breaking that off of 00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:02.239 me. It's becoming more of a freedom than it is 00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:07.820 a bondage, you know? And I want you all to remember 00:40:07.820 --> 00:40:09.619 that God is your loving Father, and He's going 00:40:09.619 --> 00:40:11.760 to provide for you with any steps of obedience 00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:14.460 that He calls you to take. But being a willing 00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:17.920 vessel for God requires you to be disliked. Requires 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:20.360 you to make other people uncomfortable requires 00:40:20.360 --> 00:40:22.980 you to go against what other people expect from 00:40:22.980 --> 00:40:25.219 you whether that be your friend your close friends 00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:29.079 or your family you know when Jesus and Jesus 00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:33.480 had said like He came here and division would 00:40:33.480 --> 00:40:36.039 be caused houses would kind of be turned against 00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:38.639 each other right like two against three three 00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:41.460 against two And two people have their faith in 00:40:41.460 --> 00:40:43.639 Christ and three don't three people want to obey 00:40:43.639 --> 00:40:47.070 and you don't You're gonna find that especially 00:40:47.070 --> 00:40:50.050 if you're kind of breaking things off. I know 00:40:50.050 --> 00:40:54.250 for me personally Walking in this level of submission 00:40:54.250 --> 00:40:56.630 and obedience and like living life with this 00:40:56.630 --> 00:40:59.989 level of fear of the Lord It's kind of a new 00:40:59.989 --> 00:41:05.949 thing that I'm kind of starting out in the close 00:41:05.949 --> 00:41:09.710 people around me, right? I don't have a lot of 00:41:09.710 --> 00:41:14.760 people around me that understand and When you 00:41:14.760 --> 00:41:17.139 do that, there is a lot of opposition, right? 00:41:17.400 --> 00:41:19.739 I recognize that my situation is very different 00:41:19.739 --> 00:41:23.820 than someone who has a community, was raised 00:41:23.820 --> 00:41:26.659 in a community of people who fear the Lord, and 00:41:26.659 --> 00:41:29.559 have a biblical foundation, and they make decisions 00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:31.719 based off of God's word, not their feelings and 00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:34.340 opinions. That's not exactly my situation. So 00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:37.659 my obedience comes along with opposition of just 00:41:37.659 --> 00:41:40.340 having to fight what the world says, and law, 00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:45.610 like... Psychology says, you know, I recognize 00:41:45.610 --> 00:41:49.250 and I'm not the only person who deals with things 00:41:49.250 --> 00:41:52.630 like this, y 'all. If you're someone who is kind 00:41:52.630 --> 00:41:59.530 of like paving the path, breaking off generational 00:41:59.530 --> 00:42:04.369 sin, generational disobedience to God, there 00:42:04.369 --> 00:42:06.349 is opposition that comes along with just the 00:42:06.349 --> 00:42:10.429 people close to you don't get it. And saying 00:42:10.429 --> 00:42:12.610 yes to God means saying no to people that you 00:42:12.610 --> 00:42:16.449 love, and it's hard. But I'll be the first one 00:42:16.449 --> 00:42:19.030 to say I have seen God bless my obedience in 00:42:19.030 --> 00:42:24.530 ways that are unimaginable. And even if, someone 00:42:24.530 --> 00:42:26.369 needs to hear this today, even if that thing 00:42:26.369 --> 00:42:28.650 that you're fearing happens due to your obedience, 00:42:29.130 --> 00:42:32.530 trust God has already planned for it. And trust 00:42:32.530 --> 00:42:35.849 that He's going to take care of you. Amen? Amen. 00:42:37.299 --> 00:42:41.780 I pray that this episode blesses you. And y 'all, 00:42:41.840 --> 00:42:44.579 if you wanna pray for me, please do. Pray for 00:42:44.579 --> 00:42:48.539 me. Like I said, I've been kinda sick, so if 00:42:48.539 --> 00:42:50.280 you need anyone to add to your prayer list, y 00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:53.199 'all add me to your prayer list. I really don't 00:42:53.199 --> 00:42:57.420 like being sick, so please pray for me and that. 00:42:58.440 --> 00:43:00.679 And I do ask that y 'all, wherever you are listening 00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:05.840 to this podcast, hit subscribe and like. And 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:08.400 comment. I can actually see when you comment, 00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:12.400 like here on Spotify, or if you're doing the 00:43:12.400 --> 00:43:15.659 reviews on Apple, if you're listening to this 00:43:15.659 --> 00:43:18.780 on YouTube, leave a comment, like, subscribe, 00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:21.739 share it. Share it with people. It helps get 00:43:21.739 --> 00:43:24.139 the podcast out there more. And I will see you 00:43:24.139 --> 00:43:26.760 all next time. Have a wonderful day. Bye, guys.