Podcast Summary: “Consider Not” with Nancy Dufresne

Dufresne Ministries Podcast – Mississauga, Canada | Thursday PM | Miracle Crusade
Date: October 2, 2023
Host & Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne

Episode Overview

In this message, Pastor Nancy Dufresne teaches on the theme of “Consider Not,” based on Romans 4:19 and the life of Abraham. She unpacks the necessity of keeping faith simple, focusing not on external circumstances or past experiences but on God's Word and what He specifically says to us. Through biblical lessons, personal testimonies, and memorable illustrations, Pastor Nancy emphasizes that miracles come by “hearing and doing” the Word, resting in God's promise, and refusing to consider anything that contradicts what God has spoken.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Faith Is a Simple Transaction: Hearing & Doing the Word

• Faith Defined: Acting like God’s Word is true, apart from feelings, circumstances, or pressures.

  "Faith is simply acting like the Word is true because it is true... It's not about what we feel. It's about acting on the Word." (00:24)

• The Importance of Simplicity: Keep faith uncluttered—just “hear and do” what God says.

  “Your miracle is simple. Your healing is simple. Your answer is simple. The plan of God for your life is simple. Just hear and do.” (06:09)

2. The Danger of Overcomplicating Miracles

• Example of Naaman: Naaman nearly missed his healing because he expected a dramatic, complex event instead of the prophet’s simple instruction to dip seven times in the Jordan.

  “Naaman is put off by the simplicity. That’s what tripped him up... If we’re not careful, we paint out our miracle in our imagination and then expect God to honor that imagination.” (10:24)

• Ordinary Paths to the Supernatural: God often works through simple, ordinary acts.

  “God will do the most outstanding, amazing things for you just while you’re living your ordinary life. The supernatural is not limited to a dramatic setting because the flow of God is simple, simply powerful.” (17:10)

3. Personal Testimonies: Illustrating Simplicity in Receiving

• Truck Driver Healed: A pastor, once crippled, was healed simply upon arriving at a house—no dramatic scene, just everyday life (14:42).
• Running for a House: Pastor Amy ran during worship; God told her, “You just ran your new house in.” (29:50)
• Quoting God’s Promises for Resurrection: A missionary’s mother repeatedly said, “You said...,” and he was raised from the dead (36:00).

  “She just began to say to God, ‘You said to me that he would find life, you said to me...’ and she quoted his promises. And he came back into his body and lived.” (36:38)

4. The Principle of “Consider Not”

• Romans 4:19: Abraham “considered not” his own body or Sarah’s; he focused only on what God had spoken.

  “He considered not his own body now dead... neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. What’s this mean? He didn’t consider what his body told him, and he didn’t consider what happened to someone else’s body.” (39:45)

• Don’t Meditate on Others' Outcomes: Avoid analyzing others’ results in faith—it could weaken yours.

5. Specific Obedience: Listening for the Spirit’s Personalized Instruction

• Beyond General Promises: Miracles require following the Spirit’s specific promptings for each person and situation, not simply grabbing any scripture.

  “You can’t just grab your favorite verse and ignore what the Spirit is saying to you.” (42:58)

• Example: Ed Dufresne’s cancer—he heard “laugh your way through it,” and later God pointed out two areas for correction (rest and confession). Healing followed prompt obedience. (45:30)

6. The Attitude of Rest and Refusing Worry

• Rest as a Gauge: When you’re truly acting on the Word, you move into inner rest.

  “How do you know if you’re acting like the word is true? Because you move into rest. If you’re not resting, you’re not acting like the word is true.” (34:00)

• Refuge from Fiery Darts: Sister Lillian Yeomans called “consider not” an “unfailing refuge” when under attack (53:54).

  “I’m authorized to never worry again. I’m authorized to never be afraid again. I’m authorized that I don’t have to figure out my answer.” (54:03)

7. Guarding Your Thought Life

• Don’t touch symptoms, negative outcomes, or natural reasoning in your thoughts. What you focus on, you empower.

  “If you consider your own body, paying attention to the symptoms, that’s why they persist. Because what you’re putting your attention on is what you’re feeding.” (55:10)

• Fill your mouth with what God says, not just the absence of negative words.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Simplicity:

“God does not need your heroic behavior, your heroic skipping of sleep to pray for hours... God’s ability, not ours. This is grace: God’s ability at work.” (21:19)

On Acting Like the Word Is True:

“Well, men, we’re just going to act like the Word is true. What’s that mean? We’re taking away all our gymnastics, our mental gymnastics, our earnings. We’re just going to act like the Word is true.” (33:30)

On Rest:

“If something is heavy, we’re doing it wrong. We’re doing it wrong. We’re doing it wrong.” (23:11)

On Personal Responsibility:

“You don’t have to prove yourself worthy of a miracle... Just keep it simple. What is the simplicity of it? Just act on the word, do what the word says.” (24:45)

On “Consider Not” as Skill:

“Strong faith considers not. He did not consider his own and he did not consider his wife’s. Someone else—that’s the skill of faith.” (42:11)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Faith as Hearing & Doing, Keeping It Simple: 00:24-06:30
• Naaman’s Story—The Danger of Over-Complicating: 06:30-21:19
• Testimony: Truck Driver’s Healing: 14:42-17:10
• Everyday Miracles—Platform Not Required: 17:10-21:19
• Resting in God’s Ability (Dad Hagin Stories): 21:19-24:45
• Skillful Faith & Personal Story on Debt: 36:49-39:40
• Romans 4:17–20 / “Consider Not” Explained: 39:40-47:07
• Listening for Specifics from the Spirit: 42:58-49:50
• Sister Yeomans’ Wisdom / Thought Management: 53:54-55:45
• Practical Exhortation for Daily Living: 55:45–End

Final Encouragements

• Your miracle isn’t difficult or out of reach; it’s as simple as “hearing and doing” what God speaks—specifically to you.
• Rest in the finished work and refuse to consider symptoms, circumstances, or others’ outcomes.
• Fill your thoughts and words with what God has said and act accordingly.
• Memorable Closing:

  “I’m authorized to live simple. I just do what he says. That’s it. That’s it. That’s it.” (54:03)

For more information on Dufresne Ministries or to connect, visit dufresneministries.org.