WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.100 Welcome to Pomoja Podcast, a ministry of Life 00:00:03.100 --> 00:00:05.580 of Christ International, where we build stronger 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:08.900 lives, deeper faith, and Christ -centered foundations. 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.580 One story, one message, and one revelation at 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:16.440 a time. I'm your host, Barry Mwamba. Welcome 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:19.780 back to another episode of Pomoja Podcast. This 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:24.059 is When the Strong Get Tired, episode four, How 00:00:24.059 --> 00:00:28.059 Great People Quietly Fall. Today, I do not want 00:00:28.059 --> 00:00:30.949 to preach at you. I want to have a real conversation 00:00:30.949 --> 00:00:33.689 with you because what we are discussing today 00:00:33.689 --> 00:00:36.789 is one of the most dangerous realities in life, 00:00:37.170 --> 00:00:41.229 leadership, ministry, marriage, success, business, 00:00:41.630 --> 00:00:45.090 and even Christianity itself. How do strong people 00:00:45.090 --> 00:00:48.710 fall? How do disciplined people slowly lose vigilance? 00:00:49.329 --> 00:00:51.850 How do gifted people destroy their own future? 00:00:52.570 --> 00:00:55.869 How do anointed people collapse publicly? How 00:00:55.869 --> 00:00:59.259 do people who once inspired nations become cautionary 00:00:59.259 --> 00:01:03.259 stories. Because the truth is, great falls rarely 00:01:03.259 --> 00:01:06.540 happen suddenly. Most great falls happen quietly, 00:01:07.180 --> 00:01:11.299 slowly, internally, secretly, long before the 00:01:11.299 --> 00:01:15.060 public ever notices. And if we are honest, many 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:18.299 times the signs were already there. Fatigue, 00:01:18.579 --> 00:01:23.079 pride, isolation, lack of accountability, secret 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:27.430 compromise, carelessness, distraction. loss of 00:01:27.430 --> 00:01:31.790 spiritual discipline, comfort, success. And this 00:01:31.790 --> 00:01:34.629 is what makes this conversation important. Because 00:01:34.629 --> 00:01:37.670 many people think danger only exists during struggle. 00:01:38.329 --> 00:01:41.170 No. Sometimes the greatest danger comes after 00:01:41.170 --> 00:01:44.390 the blessing, after the promotion, after the 00:01:44.390 --> 00:01:47.969 platform, after the influence, after the success, 00:01:48.530 --> 00:01:51.790 after the doors finally open. And this is why 00:01:51.790 --> 00:01:54.629 I said in previous episodes, when the strong 00:01:54.629 --> 00:01:57.739 get tired, they become vulnerable in areas they 00:01:57.739 --> 00:02:00.980 once controlled carefully. A tired person stops 00:02:00.980 --> 00:02:04.640 watching carefully. A tired person relaxes spiritually. 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:08.599 A tired person begins to lower boundaries. A 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:12.099 tired person slowly loses discernment. And sometimes 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:15.560 what starts as exhaustion ends as compromise. 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.159 I want you to think about this carefully. Some 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:22.419 people survive warfare, but cannot survive comfort. 00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:25.849 Some people survive the wilderness, but cannot 00:02:25.849 --> 00:02:29.550 survive success. Some people survive obscurity, 00:02:30.030 --> 00:02:33.169 but cannot survive visibility, because success 00:02:33.169 --> 00:02:36.270 tests character differently than struggle. Struggle 00:02:36.270 --> 00:02:39.270 forces dependence on God. Success can create 00:02:39.270 --> 00:02:42.210 the illusion of self -sufficiency. And this is 00:02:42.210 --> 00:02:44.729 why the Bible constantly warns people not to 00:02:44.729 --> 00:02:48.129 forget God after blessing arrives. God told Israel, 00:02:48.750 --> 00:02:51.310 when you enter houses you did not build, when 00:02:51.310 --> 00:02:54.870 you eat and are full, when silver and gold multiply. 00:02:55.810 --> 00:02:59.270 Be careful not to forget the Lord your God. Why? 00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:02.129 Because blessing has a dangerous side effect. 00:03:02.610 --> 00:03:06.169 It can slowly reduce dependence on God. And this 00:03:06.169 --> 00:03:09.069 is the deception of this generation. Everybody 00:03:09.069 --> 00:03:12.050 wants the promise, but very few people want the 00:03:12.050 --> 00:03:15.569 covenant. Everybody wants elevation, but very 00:03:15.569 --> 00:03:17.889 few people want the discipline required to sustain 00:03:17.889 --> 00:03:21.330 elevation. People want the blessing. without 00:03:21.330 --> 00:03:24.310 the lifestyle that protects the blessing. But 00:03:24.310 --> 00:03:27.069 hear me carefully. Every blessing is a covenant 00:03:27.069 --> 00:03:31.849 blessing. Psalm 1 says, blessed is the man, not 00:03:31.849 --> 00:03:34.990 everybody. The man who refuses certain paths. 00:03:35.509 --> 00:03:38.189 The man who refuses certain environments. The 00:03:38.189 --> 00:03:41.469 man who refuses certain lifestyles. That means 00:03:41.469 --> 00:03:44.430 covenant changes how you live. Covenant changes 00:03:44.430 --> 00:03:47.550 what you tolerate. Covenant changes your priorities. 00:03:48.210 --> 00:03:51.300 Covenant changes your private life. A covenant 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:54.599 person rearranges life to keep God first, prayer 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:58.800 first, presence first, obedience first, purity 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:03.240 first, truth first, character first. And this 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:05.840 is where many people fail, because they think 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:08.979 blessings are sustained only by talent, intelligence, 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:14.300 networking, education, or opportunity. No, those 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:16.920 things may help you reach a level, but they cannot 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:20.319 sustain you there. Character sustains blessings. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:23.939 Discipline sustains blessings. Integrity sustains 00:04:23.939 --> 00:04:27.000 blessings. The fear of God sustains blessings. 00:04:27.779 --> 00:04:29.899 And one of the greatest mistakes people make 00:04:29.899 --> 00:04:33.420 is skipping process. People want crowns without 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:37.379 process, titles without preparation, visibility 00:04:37.379 --> 00:04:40.560 without maturity. But life does not work that 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:43.839 way. What you skip learning today will eventually 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.480 confront you tomorrow. And when it catches up 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.680 to you, It exposes weakness. It exposes immaturity. 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.360 It exposes incompetence. And many people are 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:56.639 reduced back to levels they never properly grew 00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:59.980 beyond. That is why some people do not last long 00:04:59.980 --> 00:05:03.360 in positions. The position elevated them, but 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.240 their preparation could not sustain them. And 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:09.319 the Bible gives us example after example after 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.680 example. Look at David. David did not skip process. 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.029 Before the throne there was the field. Before 00:05:17.029 --> 00:05:19.269 leading a nation, there was loneliness with sheep. 00:05:20.009 --> 00:05:22.930 Before public victory, there was private preparation. 00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:27.269 David learned warfare, responsibility, dependence 00:05:27.269 --> 00:05:31.649 on God, patience, courage. The wilderness built 00:05:31.649 --> 00:05:35.790 him. But later in life, after success, after 00:05:35.790 --> 00:05:39.370 power, after becoming established, David relaxed 00:05:39.370 --> 00:05:42.310 morally. He stayed home when kings went to war. 00:05:42.689 --> 00:05:46.029 One decision, one moment of comfort. One moment 00:05:46.029 --> 00:05:48.889 of uncontrolled desire. And adultery entered. 00:05:49.470 --> 00:05:52.009 Then deception entered. Then murder entered. 00:05:52.410 --> 00:05:54.829 And from that moment forward, division entered 00:05:54.829 --> 00:05:58.269 his house. Rebellion entered his family. Violence 00:05:58.269 --> 00:06:02.069 increased. Pain multiplied. One private compromise 00:06:02.069 --> 00:06:05.050 affected an entire kingdom. Look at Moses. A 00:06:05.050 --> 00:06:08.069 deliverer. A giant of faith. A man who spoke 00:06:08.069 --> 00:06:11.310 with God face to face. Yet one uncontrolled emotional 00:06:11.310 --> 00:06:14.420 reaction. One moment of anger. cost him entrance 00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:16.779 into the promised land. That should humble all 00:06:16.779 --> 00:06:19.300 of us, because it teaches us something serious. 00:06:19.660 --> 00:06:22.879 No matter how anointed a person becomes, uncontrolled 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:25.500 areas remain dangerous. Look at the Israelites. 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.660 They survived Egypt physically, but Egypt never 00:06:28.660 --> 00:06:31.860 fully left them internally. Complaining, rebellion, 00:06:32.379 --> 00:06:35.639 disobedience, lack of gratitude, lack of faith, 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.720 destroyed an entire generation. Character kept 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.040 many from entering what God had already prepared. 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:44.269 Look at Peter in Gethsemane. Peter loved Jesus. 00:06:44.629 --> 00:06:47.410 Peter was loyal emotionally. But emotional loyalty 00:06:47.410 --> 00:06:49.610 without spiritual discernment becomes dangerous. 00:06:50.089 --> 00:06:52.649 When the soldiers came, Peter cut off the servant's 00:06:52.649 --> 00:06:56.649 ear. Why? Lack of discernment. Lack of self -control. 00:06:57.029 --> 00:06:59.129 Personal ambition mixed with misunderstanding. 00:06:59.629 --> 00:07:01.730 Peter still imagined a political kingdom while 00:07:01.730 --> 00:07:04.389 Jesus was fulfilling a spiritual mission. And 00:07:04.389 --> 00:07:07.329 Jesus had to stop everything, heal the man, and 00:07:07.329 --> 00:07:10.329 protect Peter from unnecessary destruction. Sometimes 00:07:10.329 --> 00:07:13.220 one emotional reaction can delay destiny. Look 00:07:13.220 --> 00:07:15.759 at Judas. People think Judas fell overnight. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.319 No. The Bible already exposed the pattern early. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:21.899 Judas was stealing secretly from the money bag. 00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:25.199 Untreated compromise became an open door. Greed 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.720 entered. Corruption entered. Satan entered. And 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.699 eventually Judas destroyed himself. What is tolerated 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:34.740 privately eventually manifests publicly. Look 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:38.100 at Samson. A man born with purpose. A judge of 00:07:38.100 --> 00:07:41.360 Israel. A carrier of supernatural strength. But 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.420 Samson kept entertaining what God warned him 00:07:43.420 --> 00:07:46.680 about. Philistine women, uncontrolled attraction, 00:07:47.100 --> 00:07:50.259 carelessness, pride in his gifting. And slowly, 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.319 the strong man became weak. The anointed man 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:55.860 became vulnerable. The man who once defeated 00:07:55.860 --> 00:07:59.060 lions eventually could not discern Delilah. And 00:07:59.060 --> 00:08:02.800 what did he lose? His eyes, his strength, his 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:05.720 freedom, his dignity, and his assignment was 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.279 shortened. One uncontrolled appetite weakened 00:08:08.279 --> 00:08:11.269 a divine calling. Look at Solomon. one of the 00:08:11.269 --> 00:08:13.970 wisest men who ever lived. Yet wisdom without 00:08:13.970 --> 00:08:16.829 discipline still becomes vulnerable. His attraction 00:08:16.829 --> 00:08:18.930 toward women slowly pulled his heart away from 00:08:18.930 --> 00:08:22.189 God. Compromise became normal, and eventually 00:08:22.189 --> 00:08:24.910 idolatry entered Israel. This is serious because 00:08:24.910 --> 00:08:27.689 it teaches us something. A person can be incredibly 00:08:27.689 --> 00:08:30.910 gifted and still slowly drift spiritually. Look 00:08:30.910 --> 00:08:34.269 at Noah, a righteous man, a survivor of judgment, 00:08:34.730 --> 00:08:38.289 a man used by God to preserve humanity. Yet drunkenness 00:08:38.289 --> 00:08:41.059 exposed vulnerability. and weakness entered his 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:43.460 house through lack of sobriety. And if we are 00:08:43.460 --> 00:08:46.559 honest, we still see this pattern today. Pastors 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:49.279 falling publicly, leaders collapsing publicly, 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:52.519 ministries destroyed publicly, marriages destroyed 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:55.539 publicly, businesses destroyed publicly, people 00:08:55.539 --> 00:08:57.879 who once inspired millions becoming headlines 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:00.399 overnight. And we must be careful not to become 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:02.620 arrogant while discussing this. Because this 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:05.039 is not about saying, we are better than them. 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:08.100 No. This is a warning for every single one of 00:09:08.100 --> 00:09:11.500 us. Without prayer, without accountability, without 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:14.480 humility, without discipline, without the Holy 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:17.600 Spirit, any human being can fall. And I believe 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:20.100 this is one of Satan's most sophisticated strategies 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:22.639 against the Church today. Because sometimes he 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.759 cannot stop your blessing. So he waits. He waits 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.240 until you become established, until you relax 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.220 spiritually, until you become distracted, until 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:34.059 prayer weakens, until success creates comfort, 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.419 until boundaries disappear, until hidden compromise 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:40.000 begins. because he understands something many 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.960 people ignore. The higher the elevation, the 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.559 greater the impact of the fall. And when spiritual 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:48.220 leaders fall publicly, the damage spreads far 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:50.899 beyond one individual. Weak believers become 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:54.240 discouraged. Unbelievers mock Christianity. Some 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.639 people walk away from church entirely. Others 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:58.759 stop trusting spiritual leadership completely. 00:09:59.220 --> 00:10:02.039 And Satan uses these public collapses as sophisticated 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.860 weapons against the body of Christ. This is why 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:07.320 sustaining blessings requires vigilance. The 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:09.740 higher God elevates you, the more careful you 00:10:09.740 --> 00:10:13.259 must become. Not fearful, but spiritually watchful. 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:15.500 And this is why the fruit of the Spirit matters 00:10:15.500 --> 00:10:21.200 so much. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:25.639 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self -control. 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:28.600 These are not weak Christian words. These are 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:31.820 protections for destiny, especially self -control. 00:10:32.220 --> 00:10:34.659 Because many destinies are not destroyed by lack 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:37.730 of opportunity, but by lack of self -control. 00:10:38.549 --> 00:10:40.990 Joseph understood this. When Potiphar's wife 00:10:40.990 --> 00:10:44.490 tempted him, he ran. Not because temptation was 00:10:44.490 --> 00:10:46.909 weak, but because Joseph understood something 00:10:46.909 --> 00:10:50.549 many people forget. Secret compromise can destroy 00:10:50.549 --> 00:10:53.649 public destiny. And sustaining blessings is not 00:10:53.649 --> 00:10:57.330 easy. It requires discipline. It requires accountability. 00:10:57.789 --> 00:11:00.909 It requires daily surrender. It requires prayer, 00:11:01.429 --> 00:11:05.340 fasting, meditation on the word, humility. and 00:11:05.340 --> 00:11:08.279 continuous dependence on the Holy Spirit. Because 00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:10.960 no human being naturally remains humble forever. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.480 No human being naturally survives elevation forever 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:18.720 by human strength alone. We need God daily. And 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:22.899 Psalm 91 says, He who dwells. Because the blessing 00:11:22.899 --> 00:11:25.639 is attached to the dwelling. The protection is 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:27.940 in the dwelling. The peace is in the dwelling. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.259 The discernment is in the dwelling. The strength 00:11:31.259 --> 00:11:34.799 is in the dwelling. Many people want Psalm 91 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.039 protection while living far away from Psalm 91 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.039 presence. But our God is a covenant -keeping 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:44.919 God, and covenant changes how you live. So today, 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.279 do not only pray for elevation. Pray for the 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:51.580 character to sustain elevation. Pray for integrity. 00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:55.080 Pray for discernment. Pray for humility. Pray 00:11:55.080 --> 00:11:58.600 for discipline. Pray for the fear of God. Pray 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:00.980 for the strength to remain watchful after success 00:12:00.980 --> 00:12:03.929 arrives. Because blessings can be received in 00:12:03.929 --> 00:12:07.029 a moment, but sustaining them is a daily walk 00:12:07.029 --> 00:12:11.370 with God. Let us pray. Father, in the name of 00:12:11.370 --> 00:12:14.730 Jesus, we thank you for every blessing, every 00:12:14.730 --> 00:12:18.929 opportunity, every door, every level, every platform, 00:12:19.330 --> 00:12:21.529 and every assignment you have trusted us with. 00:12:22.210 --> 00:12:25.009 But Lord, today we ask for something deeper. 00:12:25.769 --> 00:12:28.029 Give us the character to sustain what you give 00:12:28.029 --> 00:12:31.860 us. Protect us from pride. Protect us from distraction 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:35.200 after elevation. Protect us from hidden compromise. 00:12:36.019 --> 00:12:38.799 Protect us from secret weakness. Teach us to 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:41.779 remain humble when doors open. Teach us to remain 00:12:41.779 --> 00:12:44.639 prayerful during success. Teach us to remain 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:48.000 disciplined when temptation increases. Holy Spirit, 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:51.559 restore spiritual vigilance inside of us. Restore 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:54.299 discernment. Restore hunger for your presence. 00:12:54.980 --> 00:12:58.679 Restore integrity. Restore purity. Restore self 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:02.279 -control. And Father, for every tired believer 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:05.080 listening today, restore their strength before 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:08.279 weakness becomes compromise. Do not allow one 00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:11.000 moment of distraction to destroy years of obedience. 00:13:11.700 --> 00:13:15.139 Keep us aligned. Keep us watchful. Keep us dwelling 00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:17.960 in Your presence. And may the blessings attached 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:21.659 to covenant, obedience, discipline, and intimacy 00:13:21.659 --> 00:13:24.980 with You remain established upon our lives. In 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:29.360 Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for joining me today 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.720 on Pomoja Podcast. And remember, when the strong 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:36.080 get tired, they must not run away from God. They 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:39.200 must return deeper into His presence. Until next 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.779 time, stay prayerful, stay watchful, stay aligned, 00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:44.779 and continue walking in purpose.