← Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Don’t Devalue Your Place | Debra Simons | Murrieta, CA | Wednesday AM | Ladies Conference 2022
01:11:03
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Hi, I'm Nancy Dufresne. Welcome to our podcast channel. We know you'll be blessed by today's message.
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I probably should do a disclaimer this morning. You know, remember what the kingdom of God is. You know, righteousness, peace, and what joy. Pastor Nancy took us into joy. I'm sure, you know, in some other meetings, we'll continue going into joy. You know, listen, everybody knows how sweet Sister Pat is. She can straighten out anything, you know, when she ministers, you know. But this morning we're going to deal with some things. And the spirit of God began to talk to me a couple of weeks ago, and he began to stir in my spirit the direction for this service. And as we see the progression in what we've been believing for, and I think, honestly, we can all see that. We can see things changing, and there is progression in what God's called us to do. Yes, there is hindrance, but there is progression. There is, you know, an enlarging. And we're in that transition of it. You know, some of us have stepped in further than others, but because others have stepped in, we know that, you know, we're on the way because we're connected. But there's always a danger when that begins to happen. And the danger is not recognizing what the enemy will do to try to keep you from stepping in to the next thing that God has for you. You don't wanna miss the next thing that God has for you. Amen. And so let's go ahead and get started. We're gonna go to. Well, we're gonna go to. It'll be interesting. Second Kings, chapter four. And I want to take you to. Let me get my translation right. Let me get my King James here. Many of you know these verses because I say them all the time. And if you studied it out, it's multiplied because of how many times I say them. But we know the account of this woman and her faith and how she got properly connected and stuck with her man of God. But we're going to look at another character in this account here because it's important for us to understand that just because we're functioning a role doesn't necessarily mean that we regard it properly. Just because you're functioning in what God's called you to do doesn't necessarily mean automatically that you are regarding it properly. You know, I love going back and listening to Dr. Dufresne when he says to us, honor. Honor your office. Honor what God has called you to do. He said, even ministry of helps. It's Not a five fold ministry office, but it is a dignified office. So honor what God has assigned you to do. And how many times does the enemy try to get us not to put a value on what we are assigned to do? He tries to get us to devalue that. And so we have to understand, just because I'm showing up and I'm doing the job, doesn't mean that I have the right premium on it. You and I have seen people in the position they're supposed to be in, and then suddenly they're not there. Even though they were functioning in what they were supposed to do somewhere, they lost the regard for what God had assigned them to do. And no amount of miracles that you see is gonna make you keep that regard. You better hear that. No amount of miracles, no amount of success that you see is gonna automatically help you keep that regard. That regard. You have to do something, you have to determine it. You have to stir it up on the inside of you. It can't be cause of anything outward, because if it's because of something outward, it'll change if something outward changes. Amen. And here in Second Kings, chapter four, we see here in verse, well, as I was given an account, you understand that the prophet now is dealing with this woman. Let me start in verse 10. And you know she has made a place for him. And now the anointing, because she's honored, the anointing is going to begin to work for her. And here's the prophet talking in verse 10. Let us make a chamber, I pray thee, on the wall, and let us set it for him. This is the woman, she's describing what they're going to do there. A bed, a table and a stool, and a candlestick. And it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and he lay there. So he is now enjoying what she has provided. Her and her husband have provided for him. And he said to Gehazi, his servant, call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. Now he notices that the servant is a part of what the prophet is doing. He's assisting him. He calls her, you know the account. And we're going to go through it very quickly because I'm going to get to something else. He calls her. And there's different parts where Gehazi's there at one point after, after her son dies, the, the prophet tells Gehazi, you Take my staff and you go and run and you put it on him. So he's a part of what the prophet is producing, the miracles. But what happens to him after he sees the dead raised? And what happens to him after he's been an intricate part? He's right there, Right there. You would think that he would be so convinced of where he was supposed to be and who the man of God was. Amen. But then let's go to chapter five, second Kings five. And we're going to start in verse 20. So now here is another account of a miracle. And this is about Naaman. And you understand, Naaman comes because he has been influenced by his wife's servant girl, her handmaiden. She influenced the wife and said, listen, you know, because this man has got, you know, leprosy. And so, you know, he's influenced to go. And he finally, he goes. He goes to meet the prophet. The prophet doesn't respond to him the way he likes. He gets offended. But then again, there is somebody there standing next to him, a voice of influence that helps him and says, listen, if he would have asked you for to do something hard, you know, wouldn't you have done it? And so he said, yes. So the man gets a miracle, but the man's going to try to pay for his miracle. And the prophet said, no, it's not time for that. And you understand his servant Gehazi, standing right there, listening to everything, listening to the instruction of the Prophet, the same man that saw the Son raised from the dead, verse 20. But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said, behold, my master has spared Naaman the Syrian in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. But as the Lord liveth, I will run after him and take somewhat of him. Notice what he did. He said. He said, my master has spared Naaman. He's now thinking that the prophet didn't handle this correctly. There's a motive for that. It's his greed. But think about what happens. My master has missed an opportunity. Let's say, you know, the first part of. Not the first part of de. Honoring what you do is you start criticizing who you're doing it with. Now, you know, we serve as unto God, but you understand, we serve here on this earth, and we serve a man or a woman. And the first thing that happens is he decides that he knows better. Isn't that the real, the dangerous issue? We think we know better. We think we know better. And he says, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him. And take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him and said, is all well? And he said, all is well. My master has sent me. Now he's reporting incorrectly. My master has sent me, saying, behold, even now there be come to me from Mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver and two changes of garment. Naaman said, be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bond two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of garment, and laid them upon two of his servants, and they bare them before him. So the prophet had a reason for saying, we're not going to receive from him. And here's a man, remember, you've been around the things of God. You're doing what you're doing, You've seen success. But somehow you get on the inside of you that you can criticize or question what the one that God put in authority has set in motion. I know everybody's kind of going, oh, listen, folks, it happens more than you think. And with some people, you know how true this is. With others, when you think, I'm not talking to you. That's who I'm talking to. Those of us that know the truth, we know this is true. And then there are people that just dismiss it when you're saying it. But what they don't understand is God's endeavoring to give them a rescue. Amen. So he said, and when he came back to the verse 24, and when he came back to the tower, he took them for their hand and bestowed them in the house. He took everything from the fellows that brought it. And he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, thy servant went no thither, no whither. I didn't go anywhere. Where'd you go? Where'd you go? I didn't go anywhere. I didn't go anywhere. And he said, went not my heart with thee? When the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee, is it time to receive? He's saying, you've missed the whole thing. Is it time to receive? And he goes, did you think that I wasn't going to know? You know, sometimes people come to you for counsel, and they really don't want counsel. And you try to give them counsel, and then they argue with you as if they you don't know. And when God's anointed you to know. Amen. It's a time to receive money and to receive garments and olive yards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men, servants and maidens. The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. Notice what he said unto thee and unto thy seed. So the mistakes that we make in not regarding and getting numb around the things of God and not esteeming it and not keeping it fresh on the inside of us can cause us to make a mistake that will not only affect us, but they will affect those that are connected to us. We have to be careful that when God begins to move, that there isn't a strategy of the enemy to get us to just think this is still just the same old thing, or that we could do it a better way. I don't have to listen to how it's been done. I can do it a better way. Or they don't know what they're talking about. See, there's a danger when those thoughts begin to come to you. And how much help is it, especially in this very hour, that God is really taking some time to teach us how to recognize, recognize thoughts that will take us off course. Because everything starts with a thought. You don't just do something, you know, just sporadically. It doesn't just come up. You meditate on something before you do it. And when you meditate on the wrong thing, it's going to cost you because it's going to take you down the wrong road because it's going to give you the wrong attitude and you won't respond correctly. You know, when you have not honored what God has, you know, entrusted you with. Every one of us is entrusted with something. You know, we're all part of a local church. There's many facets. We're all part of a local church and we're all entrusted to bring our supply to the local church. In serving in faith, in finances, how about witnessing to others what the good things that God has done for us? We all have been entrusted on with something and to not value what God has put in us, you know, God has, has us on a journey to acquire some land and to build a building that, that really has been part of the vision for years. And you know, I've noticed that I've been saying something different. I have been saying this instead of looking at how big big what we're moving after Is I've been saying this. Thank you that you've given me assignment that I can't do myself, that it's bigger than me. Thank you that you've given me something that's bigger than this church. Because you're going to get all the glory. You're going to get all the glory. It's bigger than what we can do because God's always leading us into something that's bigger. So I've been thanking him for that. Instead of looking at how are you going to do this? Or how big is how? No, I'm going to thank him that he gives me an assignment that's more than what I can do without him, so I have to rely on him for it. That's one way you stay continuing to value what God's called you into. And here is a man that receives a consequence for not honoring the place that God had put him. He was right there with the Prophet. You understand? When they took care of the Prophet, they took care of him. When they provided a room for the Prophet, they provided a room for him. When they provided a meal for the Prophet, they provided a meal for him. He was being taken care of by that anointing that was on the Prophet. It's like I told our church the other day, what you don't understand is there's an anointing in a local church, whether you realize it's there or not. But get away from it and you will recognize that it's not operating for you anymore. Stay in and enjoy it and get the best out of it. But there is an anointing for people that are hooked up properly and sometimes we don't recognize it. Amen. And so remember, just because you're functioning in something doesn't necessarily mean you're giving it the proper regard and the proper honor. And we're going to always have to remind ourselves and stir ourselves up. Now let's go to numbers, chapter 12. Numbers, Chapter 12 is about family in the ministry. Think about this family in the ministry. And I realize this. And we're faith people. This is not us, but the enemy. He listen. He leaves no stone unturned when he comes to try to stop what God is doing. And so here we have it says, and Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married. For he had married an Ethiopian woman. Now, according to their estimation, and maybe even according to their custom, maybe that was considered wrong. Okay, if you will read this whole account. God never addresses that. He does not address. If what Moses did was right or wrong. You have to understand that that's not what God addressed. What God addressed is that he put a leader in place. That's what he addressed. What you're doing with what I've done, I have put a leader in place. Okay, verse two. And they said, hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. Now think about this. Here's really what they're saying. Hasn't God used us? We've ministered a time or two. We prophesied, we functioned in the gifts a little bit. Hasn't God used us? The fact that you're used doesn't give you the right to devalue the order that God puts in your life. Amen. And let's go to verse four. And the Lord spoke suddenly. This is what I love about God in the Old Testament. He didn't let things just go on. He dealt with them. Because he knew it was dangerous in Moses accomplishing what he had to accomplish. So he had to deal with it. Because if he didn't deal with it, it was going to affect the other people. When something is not dealt with, it's going to affect. That's why when an attitude tries to come up that makes you want to be casual towards what you're doing or towards what God has placed you in, you have to deal with that thought right away. Because if not, it's going to take you down a trail that you're going to have a hard time getting back if you ever even desire to get back. Amen. And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses and said unto Aaron and Miriam, come out, ye three. Unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both came for. And he said, hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all my house? He said, this is what I think about Moses. He is faithful in all my house. They were judging him about something in the natural. But God was saying, listen, he's on course. In my estimation, it's easy. Once you've been around and you've been close to something, it's so easy to become critical or to disconnect from it. How do I know I'm disconnecting? Because I'M not bringing the level of excellence that I used to bring. I don't have the same excitement about it that I used to have. In February of this year, I will have been saved 40 years. And I can honestly say, listen, I've had my tests and trials like everyone else. I've had to get out of places like this that I was on the edge of. And God said, no, you better change that attitude or you're going to be down a dangerous road. But I'm going to tell you something. 40 years, you can still be excited about what you're doing. You can stay excited if you determine to be excited. You can stay in love with what God has given you and what God has called you to do. It can be done. And don't let people think that it can't. But you have to determine it. Well, how do I do that? You stay full. You stay full when you get empty. And this is the gauge for all of us. You know, when I'm dealing with something, all of a sudden it becomes hard. And I can tell in my thinking it comes hard. I realize you're empty. You better fill back up. And I mean, I'm not talking about the tank is completely empty. I'm less than full. Why? Because it shouldn't be hard. Now get back. Get back to doing what you did in the beginning. Get back. And you guess what? You'll bring your. Your emotions and your attention with you when you determine something. You can get back to the place where, you know, you're refreshed again in the congregation and you're excited about the next service and you're looking forward to what God's going to do when we come together. Amen. And how about this? You can just raise your hands and worship him. You know, you can always tell when people start running out of gas. They don't like to worship anymore. And it's not a posture of whether you stand or sit. It is the connection of your heart when you're worshiping. I'm not trying to be legalistic here, but I'm telling you, you can tell when someone has got their attention, torn towards God during worship. Worship. And when they can't stop their mind from the replay. You can tell, but it's so dangerous to let yourself go there because you will not only affect you, but you will affect others. And really always understand this. When the devil targets you, he's targeting more than you. Always understand that so that you can be sober about the way you live. Understanding that if he wants me to just get disconnected and just sort of, you know, not really caring about what God's brought me into. I am going to affect people around me because I'm not going to be, you know, provoking them to more excitement. In the things of God, we provoke one another to good works. If you're not provoking others to good works, you are influencing someone. And most of the time it's babies. Amen. And, you know, we really believe that there's a big harvest. The precious fruit of the earth is coming to our local churches. All of us have to understand that as God begins to fill up our churches, babies are going to be looking at us. They're going to take our cues from us. How excited are we about the things of God, even though we've been doing it for so long. Amen. It says something to others, how we approach the things of God. And so here he's saying, listen, my servant, verse seven is not so. Who is faithful in all my house, verse 8. With him I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and in dark and not in dark speeches. And the similitude of the Lord shall he behold. Wherefore then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? But you know, that's not just the servant Moses. Let's take it a little further. New Testament. To speak against what God's doing, What God's doing. Why weren't you afraid to have an opinion how something should be done when you're not in that place of responsibility? If there's one thing that I say to my church all the time, don't get tired. We got a long way to go. Don't get tired. Don't disconnect. Why? Because it's the easiest thing for people to do. Do you know when people come in with needs, oh, my God, they just. They can't have enough church. But once their needs get met and things start getting easier, then it's easier to have a different opinion of things. And I always say, don't do that. Don't fall into that trap. Why? Because every time there's more momentum, it will expose those that have been going through the motion but have not been engaged. And God doesn't want to lose those. He doesn't want you lost. That's why the Bible says all of the Old Testament is for our example. So we can look in there and glean from the things that people did in faith. And the things that people did that were not in faith, we glean from that. We learn. Listen, I don't want to be like that. There was a time that our pastor was invited. It was another word of faith pastor in California. He invited our pastor to come to this man who was supposed to be very well known as a prophet. And so my husband drove him up. And when the man began to minister, the first person he ministered to was our pastor. And the last person he ministered to before he closed the meeting was my husband. And my husband, when he came back, I said, hey, so how'd the meeting go? He goes, oh, it was good. And then he said, you know, the man of God, he ministered to the pastor. I said, he did. I go, did you bring the cassette home? You know, because you always want to hear what God's saying. And so he goes, oh, yeah, you know, I put it there. So, you know, I took it and I found where. Cause he said, honey, he's the first one, so you'll know. So I found it. And I'm like. I'm hearing these words. I'm like, going, oh, my God. Because the word of the Lord was, there are people around you, and they're not for you. They're against you. And I'm gonna remove these people that are around you, and I'm gonna replace them with people that are for you. Well, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know this is not talking about the whole church. This is talking about the people that are serving. This is talking about the staff. And you know what? Which we were not on staff officially, but we were. You know, we're right there. We're when all the inner workings. And I went, oh, my gosh. So I. I tape typed this out. We. That's when we still use typewriters. I typed this out, and I made a copy for everyone. Because really, these people had gotten into a bad habit of criticizing the pastor and really not reinforcing his decision to move towards the vision of God. He was a visionary. He could see far out there. And they were so limited in their sight, and they weren't trusting him anymore. And I understood. This is a warning for us, and we better take it. And I took that word and I gave it to every one of them. And they read it and go, well, do you think this means me? Do you think this means me? It's like, I think that I would examine myself and just make sure it wasn't me. I was surprised they were so opinionated and so critical. How did you not know it was you? I said, lord, forgive me. Forgive me for being around this. Forgive me for listening to it. Forgive me. For even leaning in that direction. But don't let me be one of those that is taken out. Forgive me. And there was really a revelation of how God upholds his man that he gives the vision to. And I realized, boy, I tell you, I'm. Listen, I'm going to make my attitude even righter. I'm going to acknowledge that, yes, this is what we are supposed to be doing. I love what I'm doing. I love my job. Because when you come out of a mess like I did, you know, the only other answer is you're going to go back out into the mess. There's no neutral when you disconnect from what God has for you, there's no neutral ground. We're either in it, and we're going to receive all the benefits from it. But if we walk away, and let me say this, I always say that after I got over 50, I tried to be a lot nicer in my delivery. So at 65, I say, even if you are there, God loves you. If you walk away, he's still gonna love you, but it's not gonna be good for you, and it's not gonna be good for the people around you. So don't ever take for granted what you're doing that God has called you to do. Esteem it high, put a value on it, and be determined that you're not going to miss what God has because you have let your flesh get the best of you. And you know, you don't just wake up in the morning and this happens. No, you get disappointed somewhere or, or. Or you get disgruntled because you don't like the way something went. Or you get opinionated because you think your education level gives you some sort of insight into the things of God and how they should be run. There's all kinds of ways it happens. You don't just wake up one day and are deceived. You have leaned on the arm of the flesh too long, and then you become deceived. But do you know, even though you're deceived, God's trying to rescue you today. He's trying to tell you, you know, in Revelations. What did he say? I see all of these good works, but here's one thing I have against you. Get back to your first love and your first works. And you know what? You can do that it's not hard to do, that you determine, listen, I've been in different places where the enemy really tried to bring in some kind of a snare to separate me from where God had called Me, I've been there, so I know exactly what I'm talking about. But I know that every time when God would unfold my heir to me through the Word, I knew all I had to do was make a decision, repent, and then just start moving in the right direction and keep going. You know, people many times ask, because we served our pastor for 16 years, and then he left us the church. And, you know, sometimes people that were there in the very beginning, and then they're gone, they come back. You know, they look us up and they go, oh, Johnny and Debbie, y' all are still here. Yeah, we're still here. You know. How'd you make it so long? We just kept going. We just didn't let anything stop us, you know, hey, did we trip and fall? Sure we did, but we got back up, you know, we got back into right thinking. When we were in wrong thinking, we repented and got back into right thinking because God doesn't want any of us not. He doesn't want any of us to miss what he's got ahead for us. And it is so glorious. But how many of you know that sometimes right before you step over into something else? I've had that happen different times in our church when we go, if they would have just waited little bit longer, they would have seen the glory of God. I don't want to miss anything that God's got. And he said, wherefore then were you not afraid, right in the middle of verse eight, not to speak against my servant Moses. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle. And behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow. And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. See, there was a consequence for not entreating correctly what God had put in their life and what he had given them an advantage and a privilege into. I always say, God, thank you for the privilege of being in the family of God. Thank you that somehow, through the work of the Holy Spirit, I had one sane moment that I could say, yes, I need a savior. You get that? That's the work of the Holy Ghost. But thank God you did agree with it and you accepted it. I'm thankful to be invited into this glorious family and have this glorious assignment. And whatever part you play, don't think of it as anything less than glorious, because that's what God thinks. And when we let our guard down and we slowly begin to back up and, you know, it's funny, when people are Backing up. I don't know how they think they're invisible when they're doing it. Everybody can see it. They may not come and ask you or say something to you, but everybody can tell you're not bringing your A game anymore. You're not here waiting to get started. You're running in, throwing your shoes on, you know, and then just gritting it out until it's over. Or how about this? You become more comfortable with people outside of the family of God and the kingdom of God. How can you have better fellowship with those that don't know the Lord like you? How is that sweeter? How are you more relaxed around unbelievers than you are around believers? Check your temperature. Get that thermometer out, that spiritual thermometer. He said, let me see. Let me. Let me read out of the living Translation. I want to read a couple verses. Where am I? Okay, let me go to numbers 16. I hope I wrote this down. Yeah, this is one verse. This is Korah's Rebellion. Okay? Here's a whole nother group. We're not getting in there for, you know, sake of time, so, you know, relax. But, you know, there's just this big, you know, revolt against Moses and said, we're just not going to do what you say. And right here in verse three, out of the living translation. And they went to Moses and Aaron and said, we have had enough of your presumption. You are no better than anyone else. Think about that statement. You are no better than anyone else. They're telling the leader, see, the man might not be, but the anointing in the man is. Where do they come to the place where they go? You're no better than anyone else. No, we're not into hero worship, but we are in regarding the anointing that flows out of the vessel. That's what we're recording. And what they said, they were trying to bring it down to a human. No, it's just about you. No, it wasn't ever about him. It was about the anointing. You are no better than anyone else. Everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with us. He is with all of us. I have Jesus. I have Jesus. I don't have to do all of this. I've got the Lord. I can hear. Nobody said that. He gave gifts unto men. For what? For their maturing, for the equipping, for the work of the ministry. He gave the five fold. So we need the five fold ministry. But how about people who say, you know, oh, no, I don't go to church anymore. I've got Jesus. See, these are the same things that just go over and over. There is nothing new under the sun. And anything that the enemy tries, he's tried it for, you know, the beginning of his existence. And we have to be mindful of these things that when these thoughts come to devalue what we are assigned to do or to look at other things that look more appealing to us. When we're assigned to one thing, we have to be careful not to entertain that because it'll take us off course. And so let me take you very quickly to Luke, Luke Chapter 19. And here Jesus was weeping over Jerusalem. Let me take you to Luke 19, starting verse 41. King James Translation and when he had come near, he beheld the city, and he wept over it, saying, if thou had known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace if you would have known the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thy eyes. For the day shall come upon thee that thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on one side, and they shall lay thee even to the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation We've got to recognize always. Don't ever miss your time of visitation with God. Don't ever miss what God has assigned you to do by ignoring it or devaluing it. Highly esteem what you're called to do. Well, I've been doing it for 30 years. That's fine, keep doing it for another 30. But do it with the proper regard. Because we're doing it unto the Lord, we're doing it unto the Lord. And so many times I tell you, you know, and you try to say these things, and sometimes people, they don't get it. And really the Spirit will only strive so long, and then people will be allowed to do what they want and go their own way. But it never turns out good for them, and we don't want that. So we continue to keep ourselves stirred up. We continue to keep ourselves full. First of all, we got to stir ourselves up, Paul told Timothy. Stir yourself up. There's been impartations put in you. There have been words that have come to you. Stir all that up, because we know the kingdom of God is within us. Stir up what you need. Don't let anything that goes on in your life keep you in a place of devaluing or dishonoring because it tries to come to all of us. How about when your flesh is just tired? I love what Pastor Nancy said. We got to step over our flesh. Amen. You have to guard your thought life. This is so important. That's why I tell you, let me put a plug in for these, the daily broadcasts. I told our church, and every time we make our announcements, we remind them that Pastor Nancy is on the Victory Network and she's on daily. And what I love about the app is that you don't have to wait till Friday to hear Friday's message. You can put them and you go, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. You know, I mean, listen, it's great. But I said, I have read the books. I have been under many services. But there is a stronger anointing in that setting because of the people that it needs to reach. So I've said, listen, don't act like I've heard this already. No, you go and you listen to it fresh and anew. Because this is where the enemy comes in. When we don't know how to guard our thoughts, that's the first place where you begin to go down the wrong road. And it always starts. The enemy, so subtle. It always starts with disappointment. You're believing for something and it doesn't come to pass in your time frame. Or how about you get offended because you're corrected? That's huge. Someone has to correct you in the Lord and you get offended. Or how about you get offended with your brothers and sisters in the church? These are the things that we have to guard against. You know, why do you want to keep doing it wrong? To have the bad results? You know, I think it's proverbs. I think it's proverbs because somebody made a little plaque for me years ago. It says. I'm just paraphrasing it. Slap me. It's a kindness to me. In one translation, it says, slap me. And I put that up there. Yeah. If I'm acting stupid, just slap me, straighten me up. And I'll tell you what, listen, I've had God do that to me in just only the way that he can do it. Like, girl, what are you doing? Now, I don't know how God talks to anybody else, but I know how he talks to me. But he'll say, what are you doing? You know? And you go, well, he knows what I'm doing so well, how can you lie to the Lord? I mean, I know it happens, but you go, okay. And I've had God say to me, listen, if you're going to stay the course, you need to change that attitude. You need to change the way you're looking at that. You better not get involved in that. You better let that go. If you want to stay your course, mind your own business. If you want to stay your own course, keep your mouth shut. If you want to stay your own course, don't get into what belongs to another man. You just stay on. I've had him say it to me many times. That's why I warn people. Listen, I know. He said it to me when I, you know, you get disappointed over something, and then the enemy brings something else, and then your mind's going over. And God said, you better stop that. You better stop that right now. Because it's going to take you someplace that you don't want to go. And that's what we have to be mindful of. So we have to stir ourselves up. We have to guard our thought life. You got to keep your love strong. Keep your love. When your love and your affections between God are strong, they're strong with people. But when you begin to be distance, you distance yourself with God. And you know, you know how that happens. You know, the word isn't as enticing. You know, praying in tongues doesn't mean what it used to mean. All these things we were disconnecting from what we know. And, you know, it's so easy to be callous and sharp with other people because our love walk is not strong. That is such a safety. Keep your love walk strong. And here's the thing. Decide to stay interested. Decide. I'm gonna decide to stay interested. I'm gonna decide. You know, I decided when I came to the church that I knew God had planted me in, I made a decision. This is my church and this is my pastor, and nothing is gonna move me from this. And today my husband and I are pastoring that church because I made a decision. Nothing is disconnecting me from this. And though different things came, there's one thing I knew. I can't go anywhere because God put me here. He puts you in the body as it pleases him, and it would be unpleasing to him. And at least I had enough sense to know that even if there was all kinds of other things that I'm dealing with and having to mature and get through one thing I know. Don't leave your place. Don't leave your place. So decide to stay interested in what God has for you. Because we are picking up momentum. We're picking up momentum. And when we pick up Momentum. It really exposes those that have been lagging behind. You know, if you're all walking together, you all look like you're in the same, you know, wave of people. But when acceleration starts and everyone picks up the pace, if you don't pick up the pace, it's obvious that you're behind, and it's obvious to everyone else that you're behind, and that's not what God wants for you. Amen. Amen. One thing that the spirit of God instructed me to do is I want to lay my hands on the ministry of help from any church because I believe in the law of contact and transmission. And I believe that when I lay my hands on you, that there's an impartation that will assist you in what you have to do. And so I want to do that for those of you that want hands laid on you. But I really am calling those of you that assist in the ministry, you do something because it's important that you stay stirred up for what you do, because what you do is necessary. Don't ever think that it's not. Because here's the sad part. When you decide that it's not necessary and it's not important. God has to find someone else to do it. That's how important it is. He won't leave it undone. He will find someone else to do it. I always say my husband and I are pastoring because others wouldn't do what he wanted. We were not his first choice. We were not even his second choice, really, honestly, we could have been the fourth. In fact, who was it said, call my ministry? Oh, he said, if you ever go out, Pastor Laketic, call it default ministry. Because we saw people, people in there that God was grooming to take the church. And then they got offended over something fleshly and they left. And then someone else came in and we saw they were groomed, the pastor was grooming them, and they got offended, and then they left. And when he moved on to do something else, there we were. That's why we say we got this by default. But thank God we embraced it and we're running with it. And I don't care how I got here. I know that if I decided not to do what I'm doing, he'd have a replacement for me, and I don't want him to have a replacement for me. Amen. Let's go ahead and let me lay hands on. Amen. Heavenly Father, we. We thank you this morning. Go ahead, Father. As I lay hands on these this morning that are. They are Bringing their supply for the vision, for every vision that is here represented. And as I lay my hands on them, Father, I fortify them in what they're called. Called to do. Strengthen them, Father, in their inner man, Father. That's what I'm asking. Strengthen them in their inner man with might, by your spirit. So they can run their race, Father. They can do it with joy and with excellence. In Jesus name.
- [53:40]
C
In my life Lord, be glorified today in my life, Lord glorified. In my life Lord, be glorified today. Place. Lord, be glorified. In my heart Lord, be glory. Be glory. My heart, Lord, be glorified today.
- [55:56]
B
In.
- [55:57]
C
This church in this church. In this church Lord, be glorified today. Glorify be glory. With my love lord, Be glory. Jesus Lord, be glorified today. Jesus Jesus be glory. My life. Ra. Sam. Lord, In this place, Jesus we are standing. Ra. His presence won't be round.
- [64:24]
B
Let us praise.
- [64:27]
C
Let us praise. Jesus now. We stand together his presence. We are standing in his presence. We are standing in his presence. On all.
- [65:16]
A
You know something about the flow of honor is honor grows and is a sign that we're growing up. Our honor should indicate that. Because our honor, our degree of honor just continues to grow and grow and grow. And remember what we said as we started this service. We are changed from glory to glory. We've come here to change. Why? Because there's more that we can receive when we change. And I've said this for years. It's not what we're doing right that hurts our life. It's what we're doing wrong. And when you can show me where I'm missing it, I am so grateful for. For that. It's a kindness. Slap me. It's a kindness. It's a kindness. God told me something when we first started this church. And he said it to me before I knew I was the pastor. He said, teach the people that when they see something, know of something that is out of place. He said if they tell it to someone who's in authority, they're helping protect the family, the church family. But if they tell it with to someone without the authority, they're gossiping. What makes the difference? The authority? Have you ever realize this? Because she was talking about opinion a lot. Opinion. You know what opinion is? It's the thoughts of someone without authority. Because if you have the authority, it's not an opinion, it's a decision you make. We are redeemed from having opinions. Because if you say, well, that's just my opinion. Opinion that means I don't have the authority to do anything about this. I don't have a voice into that. And we're redeemed from ever thinking, well, you know, I'm just not sure how to handle it. If you don't have the authority, you don't handle it. Amen. These are things that have to be told because people put their American rights in place. You know, bless God, I'm. I'm free. I'm American. Not in the body. You're not.
- [67:42]
B
Not.
- [67:45]
A
Right. And it helps us to know these things. Thank you, Pastor Debbie, for articulating these things.
- [67:54]
B
Yeah.
- [67:54]
A
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. And you know something? I don't want to assume that everybody in here did what they should have done. Which is what? Judge yourself. Judge yourself. Why don't do that. Judge yourself. It's easier to judge ourselves than to get the. The penalty of not judging ourselves.
- [68:22]
B
Yeah.
- [68:25]
A
And I would dare to say probably all of us have been too far too opinionated. And most of the time, a lot of people don't think they opinionated. My husband used to tell people, you're not the Holy Ghost. You're not the Holy Ghost. You're not the Holy Ghost. Your opinion is not the Holy Ghost. Well, he's in me. Yeah, but your opinion is not the Holy Ghost. Amen. So we're redeemed from having opinions. Aren't you glad to know that that lifted a lot off of you right there? Let's just say it from our hearts. Father, we judge ourselves today in the light of your word. We're doers of your word. And we say we stay in our place. We honor authority. Forgive us for thinking, taking in thoughts, having opinions, voicing opinions. Father, we want to be right in your definition of right. So we call ourselves wrong. When we're wrong and we change, we stop that today. Today, we stop it. And we move with a renewed mind, with thoughts that please the Lord. And we thank you for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. And everybody said amen. I hope those watching you do that same prayer. Yeah. And those of you who watch it later, do that same prayer. Hallelujah. And if you didn't say that prayer with us, rewind the video a little bit and say that same prayer. Why? You'll say it because you want to be right. You want to be right. Amen. And praise the Lord. There's too many good things to miss it just by being self foiled. Yeah. Hallelujah. That was so good. Pastor Debbie. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hallelujah. We trust you've enjoyed this message. Visit us at defrainministries.org to learn of our upcoming meetings, share your testimony, become a partner, or visit our online store. This program has been made possible by the friends and partners of dufresne Ministries.