Podcast Summary: "7 Ingredients For Strong Faith, Part One"

Host: Nancy Dufresne (Dufresne Ministries)
Date: March 2, 2022
Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Episode: Jesus the Healer Broadcast

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pastor Nancy Dufresne delves into the foundational principles of strong faith, using Abraham's faith journey as recorded in Romans chapter 4 as a blueprint. She emphasizes that faith is not only essential—it's thrilling, vital, and a skill believers must cultivate daily. This episode is part one of a teaching series on the "7 Ingredients for Strong Faith," focusing in detail on the first two ingredients.

Key Insights & Discussion Points

The Vital Role of Faith (00:00–07:30)

• Faith is our part; God’s power is His part:
  Nancy stresses the unending value of faith teaching—hearing about faith is "hearing how to better do your part" in partnership with God.

  "God's part is power, but your part is faith." (01:13)

• Skillfulness in faith:
  Just as excellence in sports or business hinges on mastering fundamentals, so does success in the Christian life depend on mastering the basics—especially faith.

  "Victory is not automatic. He's provided it for us. But the victory that he's provided for us is waiting for our faith to show up." (03:30)

• Inspect and protect your faith:
  Believers are encouraged to examine their faith regularly, ensuring it’s "strong," "free from corruption," and not weakened by things like fear, worry, or offense.

  "I cannot allow offense in, because if I do, my faith is damaged." (05:00)

Guarding Faith and Contending Earnestly (07:30–10:10)

• Don't downplay faith:
  Avoid teachings or doctrines that minimize the importance of faith; such teachings, Nancy warns, are strategies of the enemy.

  "Any doctrine that would rob you of your faith is going to be a strategy the enemy likes. Because when your faith is weakened, he has a place of entrance." (07:58)

• Faith is an active pursuit:
  Referencing Jude 1:3, she reminds listeners to "earnestly contend for the faith," highlighting the need for an "aggressive decision" to pursue greater and more skillful faith.

Faith: Essential for Pleasing God and Receiving Promises (10:10–14:50)

• Living by Faith:
  "The just shall live by faith"—faith is not a momentary act but a continual way of life.

• Faith pleases God:

  "God loves everyone. But I don't just want him to love me, I want him to be pleased with me... Without faith, it's impossible to please him." (12:56)

• Faith activates the Word:
  The Word alone does not profit unless mixed with faith (cf. Hebrews and the example of Israel). Faith transforms the Word from "just recorded in a book... into power."

  "Faith turns the Word into power." (14:27)

Becoming What God Has Made You (14:50–20:45)

• Children of Abraham by ‘faith line’ not bloodline:
  Christians are to model their faith after Abraham—examining how he operated in faith.

• You must ‘become’ what God has made you:
  Having God’s promises is like having innate talent; it only profits when developed through faith.

  "God has made you the saved. He's made you the healed. He's made you the prosperous. He's made you the victorious... Now become that. How do you become that? Add your faith to it." (17:11)

• Don’t settle:
  Nancy challenges listeners not to wait until heaven to find out what they could have been but to pursue it now by faith.

Ingredient #1: Faith Calls (20:45–24:25)

• Faith is active and vocal:
  Abraham “called those things which be not as though they were.”

  "Faith has a command. What does faith do? Faith calls. You call something that hasn't shown up yet." (20:55)

• Agreement with God’s call:
  You must call yourself what God calls you, not what circumstances or people say.

  "You will only become what you call yourself." (22:40)

• Persistence in calling:
  The manifestation matches the measure of your calling—"the more you need it, call it more."

  "If what you need isn't showing up, do more calling... The measure you call it is the measure. It will manifest." (24:02)

• Memorable example:
  When faced with lack while paying bills, declare: "I call myself prosperous... My God shall supply all my need according to his riches in glory." (23:33)

Ingredient #2: Faith Believes What God Said (24:25–26:16)

• Faith attaches to God’s Word, not feelings or appearances:

  "He [Abraham] didn't believe according to what he felt. He did not attach his faith to his feelings... He attached his faith to what God said." (24:41)

• Filter everything through the Word:

  "If what others say, or even what your feelings say...does not agree with what God says, don't believe it." (25:22)

• Faith delights God when it trusts without visible proof:

  "God delights when his people believe him without any proof. They believe it because he said it." (25:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On faith being active:

  "Faith calls those things which be not as though they were." (20:55)

• On agreeing with God:

  "You will only become what you call yourself. But how can you be bold to call yourself that? If God called me that first, that's what I am." (22:25)

• On faith over feelings:

  "He didn't believe according to what he felt... He believed in line with what God said." (24:41)

• On continual faith:

  "I'm calling every day. Not just once a week, every day." (26:07)

Important Timestamps

• Faith’s Vital Role & Skillfulness: 00:00–07:30
• Guarding and Contending for Faith: 07:30–10:10
• Faith is Essential to Please God: 10:10–14:50
• Becoming What God Made You: 14:50–20:45
• Ingredient #1: Faith Calls: 20:45–24:25
• Ingredient #2: Faith Believes What God Said: 24:25–26:16

Closing Tone

Pastor Nancy’s delivery is warm, encouraging, and direct—filled with actionable truth and scriptural anchors. Her strong exhortations challenge listeners to step up their faith, not settle, and learn to actively call forth God's promises daily.

Note: This summary omits all advertisements and ministry announcements (26:16 onwards) to focus exclusively on content-rich teaching.