← Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Don't Put Your Faith On Pause | Debra Simons | World Harvest Church | Murrieta, CA
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Hi, I'm Nancy Dufresne. Welcome to our podcast channel. We know you'll be blessed by today's message. Listen, it is an honor, and it's always an honor to be here in this church, the vision of God going forward. And we're in some different times right now, aren't we? And so the spirit of God has been dealing with me about something, with our congregation, and I believe it'll bless you. Amen. Let's go and turn to Hebrews chapter 10 Pastor Morgan was referring to. Being outside is nothing new to us. We, as our church, we are an established building right now. But back in 88, we had been leasing a building, and then we were going to build a building, so we let the lease go. We thought it was going to be temporary, someplace else. And so for 10 years, we went from place to place, wherever we could meet. And sometimes because of use permits, we'd have to meet in the parking lot. And so we've done that more than once. And so this is really not new. And I told my congregation, which is several generations later, I said, now you're getting to experience what your parents experience, what your father and your uncles as ushers had to get in the hot sun and line up chairs and tear them apart. So this isn't anything new. Amen. And 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. We're not at a stall. We're not at a halt. We're not being hindered. When you're set on the word of God, nothing can stop the work of God. The Bible says the gates of hell shall not prevail. Don't get a mentality that we're on pause right now or that we're on hold, that until things get back to the way that we know them or we consider them to be normal, you know that God's not moving and we're not moving forward. We're moving forward because we're moving forward in the realm of the spirit. And that's the thing, really, that I kind of wanted to just share out of my heart and really to just encourage you is about the local church. We're having to do some different things. And I always tell our congregation, 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. And when people say it all the time, this is the new normal. Things are not going to be the way we've not known them before. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You know why? Because we're here to the world. If the church wasn't here, this would be their new normal. But because the church is here, the church of the living God that's got power. This is not the new normal just because it's been prolonged. Don't accept it. Within your heart, don't accept it. See, you may have to do things because of regulations and things being regimented for us. We may have to comply with that. But I'm gonna tell you something. In our heart, we don't have to receive that. And what do I mean by that? I'm always looking for things to change. I'm in expectancy of any day. They're gonna change. Why? Because I've got my faith out there and you've got your faith out there and the temptation when things change and they. They go longer than you expected. The temptation is for you to accept what's going on. You know, when you have believed God for finances and they don't come in in the time limit that your flesh would like them to come in, and you have to, you know, it seems like that's all you're having to deal with. That's all you're having to use your faith on. You know, my finances, my finances, my finances. Sometimes when it's prolonged and, and the answer coming or the manifestation, people settle in and accept it. And then they change what they believe about the word of God. Don't let struggle change you. Don't let something going longer than your flesh likes it or your mind likes it. And just say, well, I'm just gonna. I'm gonna go ahead and get comfortable in this. Because if you do, you will not be doing what you need to do for this to change. Amen. Listen, I'm a speed preacher. We're having to preach in the parking lot. We know the sun goes down, so I'll just tell you what, Listen, we can do everything in one hour. Amen. Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 23. The Bible says, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Why? For he is faithful that promised. The Bible declares we have authority. He is faithful to uphold his word. When we exercise our authority for things to change, the power of God is moving. I don't care if it looks like it's gotten worse since you first started praying, that means nothing. That's the natural realm. The natural realm has to cave in to the supernatural realm when it is applied and it's continued to be applied. This is what I saw, our church. I said, listen, don't you get comfortable in this, and don't you change what you believe. You know, I've heard this, not really from my congregation, you know, because, you know, you don't get to see them as much or fellowship with them as much. But I've heard this in conversations of other people. It's almost like they're trying to change what they believe about healing. Listen, you may have stood on the Word and you've endeavored you, you know, to develop your faith, to walk in health and walk in wholeness. But you understand that when a test and trial comes, it is just to prove what's on the inside of you. And if symptoms come on me, then I realize that I'm just going to get more full of the Word and I'm going to make them go, but I'm not going to change what I believe just because they got on my body. And sometimes people think, sometimes that they have a greater measure of faith than they do. And so then when something happens, then they're wondering about the Word. Don't wonder about the word. Dr. Dufresne said to us all the time, it's not on God's side if the Word isn't working. It's on your side. And you know what? Listen, if you're not getting the results, listen. Doesn't mean you're bad people. You just gotta change something. You gotta change your approach. You gotta change what you're doing with the Word, because the Word works every time. Now, again, why do we need our faith? Because faith is for what we don't see. Faith is our assurance. It's our confirmation, our conviction of what we don't see. And sometimes people get upset because they have to use their faith. You understand that this is what we were built for. This is what we were trained for. We were not trained for a life of ease, like, you're never gonna hit anything, that you won't have to use your faith. Now, I'm not talking about living under struggle. You understand what I'm saying? I'm not promoting struggle. But I'm gonna tell you something. When struggle comes, our faith can handle it. We're not going to give into it. We're not going to be depressed about it. We're not going to be sad about it. We're just Going to put our foot to the neck of that, and we're going to get the word going and we're going to see it change. That is what the living church of Jesus Christ does. So this shouldn't be bothering us. Now, don't get me wrong. I realize there is a temptation, is a temptation. You know, we had to have church outside because of some circumstances. And, you know, it was gonna be like, I think, 109 or 112 that day, you know. And as a pastor, you know that. That tries to play on your mind, you know, are people gonna be coming and it's gonna be hot. Let me see what we can do in time frame. Let's try to, you know, you know, you're looking at the weather. What time should I have church? And so, you know, there are things that, you know, they. They come because of this situation, but you don't let it get you down. I mean, you just do what you need to do and you keep on going. Why? Because you have a hope, your faith. Is that your conviction? It's your confidence that things are going to change. And don't ever stop believing that they're going to change and they're going to change in our favor. Amen. Why? Because we take it by faith and then we wait for the manifestation. But like I said, sometimes I've heard in people's voices, you know. Well, I know, I know Jesus paid the price for our healing, but they're changing what they believe because they're experiencing something that they've never experienced before. And it's very, very important that you don't change what you believe just because something has gone on longer than your flesh would like. Amen. So he says, hold fast the profession of your faith without waving, for he is faithful that promise. Let us consider one another to provoke unto. Let us, excuse me. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. Verse 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another so, so much the more as you see the day approaching, if you don't recognize that the day is approaching, you might want to put some eye drops in if you can't recognize that the day is approaching. And the Bible says, forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. But listen, sometimes people think that that's just coming together, just showing up. It's not just showing up. They showed up for a purpose. They showed up to come together. As you know, the structure had been set up. Come Together and provoke one another to good works come together and receive impartations from the Word and from each other. Because you come together and you're, you know, you're sharing your testimonies and you're encouraging one another. 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. And we have to remind ourselves that this is why the disciples, instructed by the Holy Ghost, told us that this is what we were supposed to do. So as you see the day approaching, 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. Because the church is not that building. We don't have to wait till we get back in the building to have miracles. We don't have to wait till we get back in that building to have the power of God flowing. See, and 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. And if we don't know what's on the inside of us, then we're not going to be using it. There's a danger when circumstances don't buckle under in the time frame that you have, you know, desired for them. You know, my testimony, my husband and I, we stepped out in faith, and we thought we had some big faith, but we didn't know that our faith wasn't developed. And it took us about six years, you know, you understand, Brother Hagin's testimony, he said for about what, 18 months. It took him with a concentrated effort in the Word and answering everything that the devil said with the Word. It took him 18 months to get up off that bed, right? Well, it took us six years because we didn't answer it right away. We fought a little bit when we didn't have money. You know, we got frustrated. But do you know, we had to come to the place where we reacted according to the Word before things would change. You know, that was uncomfortable for us for a while until we just decided, listen, you know, we either want to change this or we're going to be miserable. And we know that God's not withholding from us. So what's the deal? So you understand, we had to recognize the avenues that the enemy was getting in and how he was tripping us up to keep what belonged to us from manifesting and it was uncomfortable. Six years, more than I would like to have been in that situation. But it wasn't because it took God six years, because I did a little bit of the Word. And then when the pressure got on, you know, I succumbed to my flesh. You know, get mad because, you know, there ain't no money to pay the bills. See, 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 in the. And until we determine, no, the Word is true. And I'm going to see this thing all the way through. My husband and I, we learned, let's stop fighting and let's get into agreement. And when we began to get into agreement, we saw things turn. And it's the same thing now. Sometimes things last longer than your flesh would. Would like. But it doesn't mean that there's not power in the Word. It doesn't mean that the Word isn't true. And I tell you one thing I thank God about that time is that 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. And this is what God's been dealing with me about. You know, let's not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. That doesn't mean just come together. Let's not forsake what we're supposed to be doing together. It says, as you see the day approaching, it says, come even more often. Why? Because there's something happens that when we get together, the spirit of God can move in a way different. When we're all together, when we're all pulling on the anointing, when we're all, you know, standing up on the inside and saying, yes, I'm going to take my answer this service. Yes, I'm going to receive my healing. Yes, there's going to be a turn. Yes, there's going to be a change. That word was for me. I was telling the students today. I said, you know, one time, Pastor Nancy, she preached. Dr. Efrain. They had a healing. Not a healing meeting, but, you know, conference. Excuse me. That's the word. They had a healing conference. And we were dealing with something financially because we had just purchased our airplane. And so, you know, the enemy was working, you know, working in my head. And we came to this healing conference, and she starts talking about healing, and I get an answer for finances. She says, why do you look to your physical body? Or your symptoms to check if you're healed. She said, look to the Word because it'll tell you the same thing every time. And all of a sudden, that just made sense. Yeah, if I go to the Word every time, when I go to that scripture, by his stripes, ye were healed, it's going to say the same thing. She said, don't confer with your flesh or your symptoms. Confer with the Word, because the Word is going to say the same thing every time. And I got an answer about finances at a healing conference. See, that's part of the church coming together, because we are engaged and we draw on the anointing and answers come. And this is what we need to understand that it's not about how long this lasts, it's about what we're doing in it that is so important. Listen, the trying of your faith is more precious than silver and gold. And right now, as we stay, you know, moving forward in our heart, not believing that this is a pause or stealing anything from us, because you cannot harness the word of God. You cannot stop the power of God. Amen. And so I want to exhort you that when you come together, don't have this attitude like, we're not having real church until we get back in the building, because you'll get back in the building faster when you have an attitude. I'm having real church tonight. I can't wait to get there tonight to hear what God's got to say, to see what the spirit of God is going to do when he begins to move and heal people and give them their answers. I'm not going to wait till something changes to believe that God can move. Amen. And, you know, God's been dealing with me about that. You know, we was moving towards land and a building and all of this, and then all of a sudden, I mean, everything's just shut down. And, you know, when your mind tries to say, well, this is probably, you know, it's probably going to be on hold or whatever. And God said, who told you that? I mean, literally started dealing with my thinking. If you accept that this is going to slow something down, if you accept that this is going to hinder something, then you will have defeated yourself. But you're not stopping me. You're stopping yourself from receiving. And see, this is why, you know, when things change and they, you know, there's a temptation of them unsettling people. Don't be unsettled by what's going on. Stay on the Word and get full of the Word. Be more full of the word and use your faith and expect the change. You know, we've learned some things. You know, Brother Grant was talking about how, you know, we really didn't realize how important it was to pray, but God knew, and he was already leading us really, through Pastor Nancy. And there's certain things that we've learned in this time, and, you know, what we've got to see in this is, yeah, maybe I may not realize how quickly something could change, but it's not going to stop me now from doing what I'm supposed to do. Yeah, maybe. And we do know that every condition in the nation is because of the church's reaction. We've been taught that it's what the believers are doing that's going to, you know, determine the temperature in a nation. But even though that we're going through this, it doesn't mean that we are lacking any power. And if anything, this should just spur us on. But don't let it discourage you, don't let it distract you, because the church is so vital. And please don't think that the enemy isn't trying to use this really to hinder the church. But he cannot do it. I was talking to David's students and I was telling them, I said, I'm gonna tell you something. People don't understand the role of the local church. They don't understand that for you to fulfill the plan of God, you have got to be in a local church and get your foundation, get your footing, get your instructions, continuing to let your mind be renewed so that you can follow God, learn to hear his voice, and learn to follow him. There is so much in the local church plays in our life that sometimes we don't emphasize it enough. And then sometimes, because it's readily available, we even take it for granted. But many, since they weren't able to come to church for a while, realize, I need my local church. Because I'm going to tell you what they begin to sense. They begin to sense something missing on the inside. They could get in their word, they could pray, they could confess. But the element of them coming together was missing. And we need everything that God says we're supposed to have. We need the coming together. That's why in Romans it says, you know, I long to see you. Romans 1 and 11. I long to see you, that I might impart. The apostle was saying, I got to see you so that I can see what's lacking in your faith, and so that I can minister to, I can give you an impartation that's going to help you. Sometimes people don't realize that when, you know, Pastor Morgan is ministering or anybody that's ministering, you're receiving an impartation. You are receiving strengthening in your spirit. If you open your spirit up to receive what God is saying to you, in every service, there is a strengthening from the Lord that comes through that. And it's vital for our lives, for us to fulfill the plan of God. We cannot minimize it. And so that's why it's important that while we're going through this, that we do not put everything on pause, that we do not realize that when I come even, even more now that there are more distractions, I have to determine on the inside I'm gonna be engaged when I come. You know, the young men in our church, they built a pergola for us, and it got done just before all of this started. And so when we had, you know, carhop church, you know, I'm under a pergola and they're in their cars, and, you know, it's raining and they're in their cars, and I'm under the pergola. It was perfect. But now, you know, we're in chairs and, you know, we have a little hummingbird feeder there. And sometimes the people in the front row, when that hummingbird comes, I don't even realize it's there. And after service, one young man walked up to me and goes, did you see that hummingbird? I thought to myself, you didn't need to be looking at that hummingbird, brother. Listen, I love hummingbirds, but I'm preaching a message now that you need. My point is, it's a distraction. You know, you're looking, you go, oh, how cute. But what did you miss? What did you miss when your mind drifted? So more than ever before, we have to come and we have to be engaged because we understand how important it is for us to be together, to come into that corporate anointing. You know, the Bible says that when you have a shepherd, that your life is not going to be confused. It's not going to lack. You're going to multiply. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah what the true shepherd is to the sheep. We have to refresh ourselves on that. What is it to have a sheepfold? He said, I will bring my sheep and put them in their sheepfolds. They that means it's important to God for sheep to be in their own sheepfolds. And he says, I'm going to have pastors that have my heart, and they're going to Feed them what they need. If it wasn't necessary, God wouldn't bring it into our lives. But sometimes when something's so readily available, we take it for granted. And then when it becomes difficult or distracting to do it, then sometimes we lay it down. Maybe we show up, but we don't show up the way we show up. If we were in the building in our heart. In our heart. You know what I'm talking about. In our heart. Almost like the Holy Ghost could move in the sanctuary, but he can't move out here. So I'm just coming here and I'm just gonna mark time right here and get my service out. But I'm not gonna be drawing on the anointing. We have to be careful. We have to be careful of that. That's what I'm saying. We all have to be careful. We've got to have the attitude that this is the will of God for us. And there are so many powerful things that happen when the saints gather together. Why? Because we've been instructed to do that. And no matter how we got to come together, doesn't matter how we got to come together, we can't minimize what God's able to do when we obey him in coming together. So 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. If you let that out of your mouth, that's what you'll have. We have to be offensive when things come. But you understand, this is why we have been taught the message of faith. I can just imagine what Dr. Dufresne would have done in this climate. I'll tell you what, Listen. He wasn't going to miss a beat. He wouldn't listen. That man had faith that he was not going to miss a beat. And I tell you what, we'd have been right there with him. We would have. And I think about that. What would the generals have done? I heard Dr. Sumrall say, I'm not going to let. And he's talking about another country, that they were trying to stifle what they were doing. He says, I'm not going to let them tell me what I can do for the kingdom of God. I'm going to tell them what they're going to do for me because I'm about God's business. Do we think like that about God's business? Do we think like that about coming together and having church? Cause this is the will of God, man. I listen to Brother Sumrall all the time because it's like listening to a chiropractor spiritually. You know, if I'm slumped over, boy, I hear Dr. Sumrall, I go, oh, my God, I better straighten up. I tell my congregation, I said, after I hear a couple messages of Dr. Sumrall, I wonder, am I saved? Yeah, I mean, that powerful man that had a faith that would not stop. I mean, I've been listening. I've been reading his book again, you know, run with the vision, man, that's been stirring in me. And he talks about all the obstacles that they had to go and preach the gospel to other countries. Sometimes there were wars started and they had to be kicked out of a nation. Sometimes they told them, do not go. It is not safe for you to go out and minister in this place. There have been bandits and everything else. And him and Howard Carter felt that it was the will of God to go. And they went. They went and they got people saved. They did what they were called to do. Don't let anything. Don't let anything in your heart back you down. Don't let anything make you believe that God is not able, right in this time to perform some outstanding miracles for us. Sorry about that. Don't do that. Don't put a pause in anything that you're believing for. And I'll tell you, for anyone that's had any symptoms during all of this, don't change what you believe about health and healing, just understand, I got to get fuller, got to get more filled up. Because being full is what causes the promises of God to be manifested in your life. When you're full of the Word and you're believing what God has given you, that it is yours, that is what drives things back. What we're finding out. Some people, and I can speak for my congregation, what they're finding out is that they may have not been as full as they thought to meet this situation. Not that they weren't, you know, that they weren't filled to a measure, but to meet this level of situation. So what do I do if I think, well, listen, I've been. I'm going to just honestly judge myself. I don't know if I was fool enough to meet this situation. If that was the case, what would I do? I'd just get full. Is that simple? I just get back in the word and just fill up some more because the power of God can meet any situation that we face. Don't minimize the coming together and what God designed it for. Especially in this 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. Nothing that he tries is going to stop us or hold us back. Amen. Amen. God bless you. 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 defrain Ministries.