Podcast Summary: Don't Put Your Faith On Pause — Debra Simons | World Harvest Church, Murrieta, CA

Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Speaker: Debra Simons
Date: September 22, 2020

Episode Overview

In this passionate message delivered at World Harvest Church in Murrieta, CA, guest minister Debra Simons addresses the recurring temptation among believers to put their faith "on pause" during challenging circumstances—especially in the context of the COVID era and outdoor/church restrictions. Drawing from scripture, personal experience, and the history of her own church, Simons exhorts the congregation not to accept present challenges as a "new normal," but instead to keep moving forward spiritually, holding fast to the uncompromising Word of God, and not letting struggles redraw their convictions. The central focus: Keep your faith engaged, value the local church, and do not let adverse conditions redefine your expectation of God’s power and provision.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rejecting the “New Normal” Mentality

• Times are Different, but God’s Plan is Unchanged
  • Simons recounts her own church's history of meeting in shifting, sometimes uncomfortable circumstances and draws parallels to current outdoor/regulation-driven services.
  • “How many of you know what's going on doesn't change God, and it doesn't change the plan of God, and it doesn't change us moving forward.” (03:12)
• Don't Internalize Temporary Changes
  • “We may have to do some different things, but don't let the different things get on the inside of you. This is not the new normal. If the church will do what the church is supposed to do in prayer, this is not the new normal. I refuse to accept that.” (04:40)
  • She asserts that the presence of the church is what holds back darkness and assures listeners not to accept an atmosphere of limitation internally, even if outwardly they must comply.

2. The Role of Faith in Prolonged Struggle

• Resist Settling Into Discomfort
  • "Don't let struggle change you... Don't let something going longer than your flesh likes it or your mind likes it.” (07:40)
  • Simons warns against developing a mentality of resignation or spiritual apathy when answers or breakthroughs are delayed.
• The Word Works—Adjust Yourself, Not Your Theology
  • Quoting Dr. Dufresne: “It's not on God's side if the Word isn't working. It's on your side.” (11:00)
  • Listeners are encouraged to reevaluate their application of scripture, not the veracity of God’s Word.

3. Faith Was Made for Challenges

• You Were Built for This
  • "You understand that this is what we were built for. This is what we were trained for... I'm not promoting struggle. But I'm gonna tell you something. When struggle comes, our faith can handle it." (13:30)
  • The message repeatedly emphasizes that faith’s purpose is for unseen realities and challenging times, not just ease.

4. Staying Engaged in Spiritual Community

• More Than Just Assembling—Engagement Matters
  • Using Hebrews 10:23-25, Simons points to the scriptural instruction not to neglect gathering, but to engage in love, good works, corporate anointing, and mutual encouragement.
  • “It's not just about showing up. It's about showing up engaged. You cannot lose what you once had just because you're having to do it in a different location.” (20:50)
• Miracles and Anointing Aren’t Restricted by Location
  • “We don't have to wait till we get back in the building to have miracles... If we think that we're on pause or we're on hold until, you know, somebody gives us the right to get back into a building, then we don't know what's on the inside of us." (22:35)

5. Personal Testimonies and Lessons Learned

• Faith Developed Through Endurance
  • Simons recalls enduring financial struggle for six years, attributing the delay to wavering and half-hearted faith, not God's withholding.
  • “The reason why things don't show up is because we do a little bit right, and then we just lay back a little bit... Until we determine, no, the Word is true, and I'm going to see this thing all the way through.” (25:30)
• The Importance of the Local Church in Personal Growth
  • “We had a local church to go to every service, that the pressure was coming off and the mind was being renewed and we were being developed so that we could see what we were doing wrong.” (28:15)

6. Receiving Impartation and Staying Undistracted

• Drawing from the Anointing in Services
  • “There is a strengthening from the Lord that comes through [showing up and receiving] and it's vital for our lives, for us to fulfill the plan of God.” (34:40)
  • She shares a humorous anecdote about a congregant distracted by a hummingbird during an outdoor service, illustrating the danger in missing spiritual impartation through inattention (36:20).

7. Do Not Minimize the Church or Put Dreams on Hold

• Don’t Speak Delay Over Your Destiny
  • “Don't put anything on pause in your heart. Don't put it on hold. Don't say, 'Well, I guess I was waiting for this. But, you know, since this crazy thing happened, it's probably going to be later down the road.' Let me tell you something. If you believe that, that's what you'll get." (40:05)
• Citing Generals of the Faith
  • Simons references Dr. Dufresne and Dr. Lester Sumrall as role models of aggressive, unfaltering faith who overcame obstacles and never let external limitation define them, encouraging listeners to emulate their stance (43:10).

8. Practical Application: Get Full of the Word

• Self-Examination and Refueling
  • “What do I do if I think, 'I don't know if I was full enough to meet this situation'? If that was the case, I’d just get full. I'd just get back in the Word and just fill up some more because the power of God can meet any situation.” (47:05)
• Come Expectant—Every Time
  • “Come more ready to see the power of God move than you have ever expected before. And you know what? That’ll say something to the devil. Nothing that he tries is going to back up the living church of Jesus Christ.” (48:30)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Internalizing Adversity:
  • "You may have to do things because of regulations… But I'm gonna tell you something. In our heart, we don't have to receive that." (05:30)
• On Church Unity and Power:
  • "There's something that happens when the saints get together that doesn't happen at any other time. There is what we call the corporate anointing." (19:15)
• On Delayed Answers:
  • "Sometimes things last longer than your flesh would like. But it doesn’t mean that there’s not power in the Word." (26:30)
• On Faith's Endurance:
  • “The trying of your faith is more precious than silver and gold.” (32:10)
• On Active Expectancy:
  • "Don’t have this attitude like, 'We’re not having real church until we get back in the building.' You’ll get back in the building faster when you have an attitude: I’m having real church tonight.” (39:00)
• On Distraction:
  • “What did you miss when your mind drifted?” (37:00)
• On the Enemy’s Strategy:
  • “Don’t think that the enemy isn’t trying to use this really to hinder the church. But he cannot do it." (45:10)
• On Receiving Impartations:
  • “Sometimes people don't realize that when Pastor Morgan is ministering… you're receiving an impartation. There is a strengthening from the Lord that comes through that.” (35:15)

Key Timestamps

• 03:12: Church history and adopting the right mindset
• 04:40: "This is not the new normal." Rejecting internalization of adversity
• 07:40: Warning against letting long struggles redefine faith
• 11:00: Dr. Dufresne quote on the Word working
• 13:30: Why faith exists—for challenges
• 19:15: The power of the corporate anointing
• 22:35: Power and miracles aren’t limited to inside a building
• 25:30: Personal testimony about finances and enduring faith
• 28:15: Local church’s role in spiritual development
• 34:40: Receiving impartation and importance of engagement
• 36:20: Hummingbird distraction anecdote
• 39:00: Encouragement to have “real church” now
• 40:05: Danger of putting your life on pause
• 43:10: Examples from Dr. Dufresne and Dr. Sumrall
• 47:05: What to do if you were caught “not full enough”
• 48:30: Final exhortation—come expecting, always

Conclusion

Debra Simons’ message is an impassioned call for believers not to accept a posture of spiritual “pause” during hardship. Instead, she urges that now is the time for increased engagement—personally in the Word, corporately in active church life, and in unwavering expectation of God’s power. The responsibility to see God move and fulfill His plan lies squarely with the church's faith and unity, not with external circumstances. Her practical encouragement and forthright challenges serve as faith-filled motivation in uncertain times.