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Hi, I'm Nancy Dufresne. Welcome to our podcast channel. We know you'll be blessed by today's message. I was reminded of something, and we're just going to follow something that was on my heart right before coming to the service tonight. Years ago, I was sitting at home and my mom had called and she'd talked to me, giving me a bit of an update on her relative of hers. And she was. This relative was well in her 80s and she was living with one of her grown children. And some things had been said that she just. Basically thought I'd just be better off not here. And the Spirit of God would bring her up to me. And there were just things said to her that let her know she was more in the way than anything. And she would come to my heart. And I mean, it was the spirit of God. And I thought, God, do you want me to even do something more to really even relocate her? And before anything action was taken, she had just lost such hope in life. And she was a believer. She was a precious, precious woman. But she basically, she just took more medication than necessary and she just shortened her life just because the hopelessness. And that's what I would pick up with her when I would pray for her. The sense of hopelessness and the path of the righteous is to grow brighter and brighter, not more hopeless. And I firmly believe that such a strategy against people as they grow older is to rob them of the joy of a life lived for God, the joy of producing. And different seasons look different in life. And the devil will imply that if a latter season doesn't look like a former season, it's not as important. And that's absolutely not true. The Word talks about that if, if someone is a widow, he said, let them give themselves to prayer. What's that mean? You're going to come into a high to where your, your. Your life and time is more available to be used in a higher flow. And we know about Simeon and Anna. They were two that were in the temple when Jesus was broug as a baby on the eighth day to be circumcised in the temple. And Simeon was told by the Spirit of God to go there that day. And he went there that day. And he recognized, when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus in, he recognized him in baby form as the Messiah. Why? Because in his time with God in his prayer life, he no doubt was praying about the entrance of the Messiah. So when he saw Jesus in the temple, he recognized, ah, my prayers are being answered. And Anna, it says that she didn't even leave the temple. She lived there a life of prayer and fasting. And the two of them were prayer partners in praying this next. This well, the Messiah into the earth. And those were the only two that recognized him in baby form. And the religious leaders couldn't. Couldn't recognize him when he's working miracles. But Simeon, after he held up Jesus and he got to hold God in his hands, because praying people get to hold things that other people don't get to hold. And he said, because I have seen the Lord's salvation, I can depart now. In other words, my job is fulfilled, my assignment is complete. And Ana, we know she was well over 100 years old. If we assumed. I think if she was married at the time, she was 15. And it gave other numbers about how long she was married, how long she was a widow. We can count. She's about anywhere from like 108 to 115 years old, something like that. And she was still moving with God. They were both moving with God in their latter days. And don't ever think that there's an expiration date on the plan of God for your life. And your body is meant to carry you. Your body is assigned to carry you to completion. And you decide when the body is done. The body doesn't decide when you're done. Amen. Dr. Sumrall was a man of authority, a man of faith, and he was at a church, and the pastor came to pick him up and came into his hotel room. And Dr. Sumrall had just had an issue with his heart there in the hotel room, fell across a couch. And when that pastor walked in and he saw the condition Dr. Sumrall was in, he said, Dr. Sumrall roared and hit his chest and said, no, you don't. I'm not done with you yet. Come on. And his heart just went back into perfect rhythm, and he went out and preached. And he lived like another six years after that. Never had another heart issue, because he decided, I love something that I read in. I believe it was Freda Lindsay's book she was talking about. I think she went home to be with the Lord when she was about 93 now. She was the wife of Gordon Lindsay. He died in his 50s. And she took that ministry on, and it became larger under her, but it began under her husband. And she was about 91. And she looked up one day and some angels came into her room where she was at, and they basically. I don't remember if they said it to her or God said it to her that they are here to escort you to heaven. And she says, no, no, they're not. I'm not done yet.
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Not done yet.
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There are some other things that are in my heart. And they said, that's fine. And they stepped back and they left the room. Because you're in charge more than you think you're in charge. And the devil wants to talk you out of your authority in your latter years and wants to rob you of the joy of your harvest years. I want to read to you. This is a little bit off the beaten path, but we'll see where we go after this. But this is what was in my spirit and I was praying for before the service tonight. And I want. Let's just look at a passage in the book of John, John, chapter three. Because this is something that. A strategy that the devil tries to work against God's people. And you have to recognize it, because it doesn't just happen with ministers. It happens with anyone. Is this my sermon for tonight? I have no idea what this is. We're just gonna go with what I picked up in my heart. John, chapter three and verse 25. Now, you know this. John was the leading preacher of the day. He did not. His ministry was not in the synagogue, that he was not accepted there. His message was not welcomed there. And he was a forerunner. He was born to be a forerunner to make straight the path of Jesus, to prepare the people for the message that Jesus would bring so that they would receive it. What a help to have people. Help get the people in a place so that they can receive from the minister. And the minister not having to plow the ground too. He just plant the seed. And so John the Baptist was just someone who helped prepare the place for the voice of the Messiah to be heard and bear fruit in the people's lives. And so John the Baptist, all the people went to him. And he was an unusual fellow. He wore camel skin. He ate locusts and honey. So he was not a foodie. We know that about him. But he lived in the wilderness. He lived in a place. He wasn't trying to live as a recluse because that gets people off to be a recluse. But he was just living in a place where he could hear God. And he on purpose separated himself from the distractions. He wasn't trying to be odd. He just was more occupied with what he was born for. And so he would announce to the people, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. And the people would come out to his church services he didn't have to go into town and gather a crowd. They came out to the wilderness to hear him. And even the religious leaders would come. And he was the man of the hour. And being the man of the hour, he had his own disciples. Those students that followed him learned under him. And at one time, they were in a certain location. He saw Jesus at a distance, and he said, behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. And he just announced to those who followed him who this man was that he saw at a distance. And it said, from that day, some of the disciples left and they went and followed. From following him, they went to Jesus. Well, I want to start reading. In John 3, verse 25, it says, Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And so notice here there's a question about doctrine, there's a question about religious practice. But it became more than that, something more than that and different than that. So they came with a question. But in verse 26, and they came unto John and said unto him, rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness. So he's saying, jesus was with you. You endorsed him. Publicly. You bore witness to him publicly. He said. They said, now look at this. Behold. Look. The same baptizeth the one you publicly bore witness to. The same baptizeth. And all men come to him. Notice they had a doctrinal dispute, but when they got around him, they became a divisive dispute. And they're trying to compare. And they're saying, look, the man you endorsed in ministry, you endorsed his role. And look, the people are leaving you and they're going to him. What did they hope to do? They loved pulling the trigger. They want to divide. They love seeing. They wanted to create conflict, strife, division. They wanted to paint to John. Your ministry is on the decline, John. And the man that you testified to and bore witness to, he stole your crowd. And that's exactly their intent. That's all they're interested in, is creating division and trying to make John look like his ministry is no longer valuable. He's not valued. And look, the public doesn't treat you the same way as they used to. Precious people, aren't they, spiritual. Notice they didn't even discuss their question. They just came up and used divisive words to try to pit ministers against ministers. Compare ministries one against another. I'm getting somewhere with this, so just hold on to me. But. Hold on with me. But I just want to Lay some of the groundwork so that you understand the importance of what John did. So John answered and said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Meaning this. If heaven gave those multitudes to Jesus, I'm not trying to keep them. I'm moving with what heaven is bestowing. Heaven sent them to John for a season, then heaven sent them to Jesus. Right? John recognizes this is heaven's doing. This isn't a diminishing of my ministry. This is not a decline of my ministry. This is not a failing in my life. But this is heaven's movement. And I'm at peace. I'm at rest with what heaven authors. Now, these men who think divisive are trying to get him, John, to think wrong. He's protecting his thinking. And he said in verse 28, you yourselves bear me witness. I said, I'm not the Christian, but I am sent before him. So he recognized this was a season in his life. And he spent his whole life preparing for this season. To prepare the people for Jesus. That was his whole goal. That was his entire assignment. And he lived his life for that one season. But now that season's coming to an end and they're painting it as, look, you're no longer valued. You're no longer needed. The people are no longer occupied with you. And he says, I told you, I'm not the Christ, but I am sent before him. And he that hath the bride, now the bride is the people. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. So he calls Jesus the bridegroom to the bride. And he says, but I'm the friend of the bridegroom, meaning this. Don't you try to get me to step into the role of bridegroom by keeping the people. They're not mine. They belong to the bridegroom. This man knew what he was born for, and he was clear on his assignment. And he says, but I'm the friend of the bridegroom. He took a lesser role when the people would have wanted him to make something more of himself than God made of him. He was God did not make him the bridegroom. But he could have, certainly with the crowds that came after him, he certainly could have assumed a higher role of influence than heaven intended for him to have. But he said in verse 29, he said, he that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him. Look at this. I rejoice greatly because of the bridegroom's Voice this my joy, therefore is fulfilled. He said, you're trying to make it appear as though I'm not valued anymore because the people aren't gathering around me. It's not the people that gave me my value. My joy is that the people are going to him. And that was my original intent. And I stayed with that motive the whole time. I was never trying to win the affection of the prayer for my own use, my own purpose. I was training them so, and I was teaching them so they would recognize him, not cling to me. Now that's depth of spirituality. Right now I'm still getting somewhere. I haven't gotten there yet. Let me. I'm just trying to show you something. So what is it? Jesus. There have been whole denominations that have taught that John the Baptist was an offended man. There have been leading preachers that have made the statement, john the Baptist ended in failure because a woman took his head, that something in him faltered. I've heard it. I've even heard it recently. But Jesus said about why did people say whole denominations preach that John was offended man? Because when he was imprisoned, he sent word and said, ask him, is he the one we should be looking for, why he's in prison and he sent his disciples. Go ask Jesus, is he the One? What's he doing if he's not the one? And my job isn't done? I'm coming out of this prison to complete my job. Yes. Come on.
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Amen.
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He's asking. He's wanting to hear out of his own mouth. He's the one that recognized Jesus. But he wanted Jesus to confirm what he perceived and what he recognized. And until it's confirmed, he's not exiting. He's a man in charge. And Jesus sent back word and said, tell him the miracles you see. Tell him the dead are raised. Tell him all this. And then Jesus said, blessed is he that's not offended at these miracles. So the whole denominations have preached John was an offended man and Jesus was telling him not to be offended. They need to pay attention to what Jesus said. Blessed is he that's not offended. He was saying, all the other religious leaders are offended by my miracles, but not John. John is not offended. And every other leader has been offended by the miraculous. They have been offended by me and my message. But blessed is John because he is not offended. And then Jesus turned after these disciples left and said of a woman, there has been born none greater than John the Baptist. If John was offended, do you think Jesus would follow that up with calling an offended man the greatest that had been born of a woman. So when I saw these statements, I thought, these people don't even know what they're talking about when they say he was an offended man. Jesus is not calling offended people great. The reason John had to die was because he's still a forerunner. He's going to Abraham's bosom and announcing he's coming. And he's saying, I'm not leaving until I hear it out of Jesus mouth that he's the one I've been preparing it for. And now I'm going to go and I'm going to announce in another realm. I announced it in heaven. Now I'm going to announce it under the earth in Abraham's bosom. He's coming because he's still the forerunner in every realm. But he wasn't going to leave without knowing he had completed what he was assigned to do on the earth. He was a man in charge. Now I want you to go back and let's look at this in verse 29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him great and heareth him rejoiceth greatly. Look at this. I. I'm rejoicing greatly that he's on the scene because of the bridegroom's voice. This. My joy, therefore is fulfilled. It's fulfilled. My joy is in the people going to him. You're trying to divide it and make it look like I'm failing in life. Like my ministry is no longer valued. I'm not needed because the people is not my success. The assignment fulfilled is my success. Therefore, you're not going to rob me of my joy of obedience. You're not going to rob me of having finished this season of my life so I can go finish the next season and announce in Abraham's bosom he's coming. You understand it? He saw the ending of a season. Season as a joy, not as a fading off the scene unneeded, not valued. That my gift is diminished. I'm no longer. I'm just not. I'm just not important in the plan anymore. That's carnality. That's carnal thinking. It's the thinking of the unrenewed. What am I telling you? This? That they were trying to rob him of the joy of a season in his life that was ending as humans. The devil wants to rob you of the joy in your latter years of harvest years, of all the time you've walked with God all the Time you've sown, all the time you've obeyed God. And in your latter years he wants to rob you of that joy by thinking you're older now, you cannot fulfill all you used to fulfill. You're not doing all you used to could do. So you're just not as valued, not as important, not needed. That is a lie of the devil to rob you of the joy of your harvest years. And you better renew your mind and answer that because the devil's still working the same old business. He doesn't just work it on ministers. He works it on anyone who is coming to changes and seasons of their life. And a change in season does not mean a failure in that season. Amen. And then he said, I he must increase, but I must decrease. Amen. You talk about the deep spirituality of this man. He thought right when everybody around him tried to rob him of that. Well, why did I say all this? It's because right before coming to the service, I sensed that I could sense and I could. It felt as when there's a spirit of prayer on you, you literally feel what the people feel. It seems like it's you, but it's really you sensing and picking up and feeling what is on them. And that's what I sensed before I came in the service tonight, is people who had lost older ones, who had lost hope because of coming to different seasons in their life. Not valued, not appreciated by others. It's not people in your life that give you your worth.
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Come on.
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It is the author of your life that gives you your worth and who you belong to. And I want you to know the latter seasons of your life do not have to look like the former seasons because they shouldn't look like them because there's always more and further God's going to take us into. And I want you to know, I don't care if you were confined to a bed 24 hours a day. You can have such a walk with God, such a place at the throne, which releasing your faith that will literally shake nations from a bedroom. And in all honesty, that is a far greater value than running around running errands and trying to keep the kitchen stocked and trying to pay the mortgage, the spiritual supply that you can bring in your latter years simply because of the wisdom you've grown in, simply because the years of experience of walking with God and moving with God. And you say, well, I haven't always done it right. Well, nobody else in the room has either.
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So come on, come on, come on.
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We're not talking about you doing it perfect. We're talking about you not letting the devil rob you of any season in your life to where you lose such hope in life that you no longer even want to live because you think you're not of value. I want you to know every day that the greater one is on the inside of you. There is life changing ability through you on the earth. And I want to minister to you tonight. Amen. Because we're standing with you to recognize you are not devalued in heaven's eyes. And just because ignorant people and sometimes divisive people or sometimes selfish people, they tried it on John, the leading voice of his day, the devil still tried that strategy against him to try to rob him of the joy of his obedience. Amen. I want you to know the plan of God for your life never expires. Never expires. And I could give you testimony after testimony of people who brought great things to this earth, who really, some of them were crippled, some of them were blind, and they brought such value because they never. They never let the devil stop them from fulfilling what's in their heart. Amen. I know that everyone just stand with me, if you would, tonight. It's an unusual direction, but you know what? God has help for everyone in the room. Everyone in the room. And I so appreciate because Ms. Reba hit on it. She said that he's healing broken hearts tonight. I don't know if you. You noticed it, but she made that point. I go, ha. There she goes. She's tagging it with her tongue. And we're going to follow that and flow with that. Amen.
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Hallelujah.
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Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Father, let's just worship the Lord. Let's just worship the Lord together. Raise up your hands. We thank you, Father. We thank you. We thank you. We thank you.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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Pastor Chris, I want you to get your Bible, if you would, your iPad or whatever, if there's a microphone nearby, come up here. Somebody just give him a microphone. Turn to Luke chapter four and starting in verse 18. Would you read that to the people? Jesus said the anointing of God was upon him for a purpose. And then he listed that job description because he knew it's what the people needed. So go ahead and read that. Yes.
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Jesus said, the spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach the gospel or the good news to the poor.
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Now stop right there. Listen to that. The Poor do not need money. They need to the gospel.
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They need the gospel.
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Money is not the cure for lack. The gospel is the cure for lack. I'm not saying don't be generous and I'm not saying don't help people. But if you give them money without giving them the gospel, you've not helped them give them both.
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He had sent me to heal the brokenhearted.
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Ah, what's that mean? When he arrives the brokenhearted, it changes because he shows up. I want you to know he's in the room tonight for that purpose. Go ahead, Pastor.
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To preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind.
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Notice this. Preach deliverance to the cap. Preach. He didn't say lay hands for deliverance. He said preach it. Preach it. What is it? When you learn something, you quit being a captive. People are held captive because everyone that belongs to Christ here, he made them free. But they're held in captivity, maybe to addictions, bad habits, bondages, troubling thoughts, depression, fear. They're held in bondage to that. Why? Because they need to be taught something. They need to know how free Jesus already made them. And until they get their minds renewed to learn what the Word says, you can lay hands on them and they can get temporary help. But if you're going to give them lasting help, you have to preach. You have to proclaim to them you are the free. You're not trying to get free. You are the healed. You're not trying to get healed. You are the prosperous. You're not trying to get prosperous. You are too. It's to be proclaimed to you who he already made you to be. And until we are, understand that we'll struggle trying to be who we already are. And that doesn't work. We don't have to try to be in Christ. Go ahead.
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In recovering of sight to the blind.
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Yeah.
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To sit at liberty them who are bruised.
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Yes.
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To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
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Of the Lord. To set at liberty. To set at liberty. Wow. There's all kinds of things that can bruise words can bruise. Not just physical bruises. Words can bruise experiences can bruise. How somebody treated you can bruise. But what's that mean? Then he's ready to free you from that. Amen. So if that describes you, and I say especially. Especially those who maybe because. And I wouldn't even say that you have to be in latter years, but especially if you've just lost hope in life, we're going to minister to you. You ever in this part of the country, you ever get so cold that you go out to start your car and it won't start because the. The battery is drained, you know? And what do you do? I don't know if you can do it today with all the computer junk they got in the cars, but, excuse me, computer stuff. And they'll pull up a car in front of the car with the dead battery and they'll hook it up. And what happens? They transfer power from the dead bat from the live, the good battery to the dead battery. And then you know what they tell you? My dad, he jumped my car before, and he said, honey, don't turn the car off. You gotta let it run a while for that battery to keep the charge. So tonight, jumper cables right here. Jumper cables. Jumper cables. But when you leave, don't turn off, don't turn. Stay hooked up to that power that flows to you. Amen. So if you say Pastor Nancy, that describes me. Listen, if we called for someone who had a condition, maybe with their leg or an organ in their body, they would not be embarrassed to walk up here, right? They would not be embarrassed because they want to receive well, even this. There's so much that comes against the mind of man to get them to think wrong. Don't be embarrassed by the strategy that the devil's used against you, because there's help for that tonight. So if you say, Pastor Nancy, a sense of the loss of hope to where it just doesn't seem like it even matters if I'm here anymore, I want you to know it matters to heaven. I said it matters to heaven, and it matters to us, and it matters to the body of Christ. It matters to the plan of God. But I'd love to minister to you if you'll let me, because Jesus came with the anointing of God on him for this purpose, and he has shared that anointing with us for that purpose. To minister to the brokenhearted. Amen. To set at liberty them that are bruised. So if that describes you, come up here real quickly, David. Let's sing something. If you would anoint us with fresh.
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The anointing upon us. That we may cease to be weary and go for with our strength.
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Me, I want to encourage you be in as many of these services as you can this week, because you get in the atmosphere of the anointing and it starts breaking off things that try to trouble you. Just being in the right setting and you'll realize something went in you. Amen. So will you do that for me? As much as you can be in the services.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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I'm just going to let y', all, those that may be in the aisle waiting to come up here, let's let him take a moment. Just raise your hands. Worship him right now. Get your attention on him, because I want you receiving. We worship you, Father. We worship you, Father. We worship you, Father. All right, this is. This is the way I want to do this. I'm going to come and minister to each of you, but before that happens, I want some of those. Pastor Angela, Pastor Edwin, the Rogans, the Parkers, Pastor Michael, Stephen, Morgan. I want y' all to come up. A woman, grab a woman. A man grab a man and just put your arms around them. Just let them know that somebody here notices. And we're so interested in the plan of God. Just come up and minister, speak whatever you want to speak to them. Encourage them. Just let them know you notice.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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Yeah, we thank you. You, Father, Pastor Amber, Pastor Chris, if y' all would come up. There's some ladies here. We need a few more ladies. Where's Ms. Re? Reba, go down there. Go down there. God uses you so much in this capacity. Ms. Cindy, go down right there to Pastor Carol. Right here, Right here. Yeah. Just work your way over this. It.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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Father, we thank you. We thank you for a fresh anointing. But more than that, the first action heaven ever took toward any human was a love action. And I want you to know heaven loves you. God loves you, and you've never done anything that could dismiss from that. And I want you to know in his love there's a purpose for you and a plan. And the body of Christ needs what's in you. And the earth needs what's in you. And heaven needs you. So heaven can flow through you. Heaven needs avenues and channels to manifest. Heaven needs you and needs you here. Heaven is in great working order, but earth needs more of heaven in it. And you're the ones that still is so needed by heaven in this earth. Father, we thank you. We thank you for Free in Jesus name. Refreshed.
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There.
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There goes that anointing. Free and refreshed in the plan. There you go, love. Free and refreshed. The plan of God is so great for you. Free and refreshed. Oh, in what you're born for. Free. Free and refreshed in what you're born for. We thank you for it, Father. We thank you for it, Father. Free and refreshed in what you're born for. We thank you for it. Father Free and refreshed to run with him to be the vessel he needs.
D
Hallelujah.
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Satan. You take your hands off the minds of these people. You take your hands off of them. In Jesus name. In Jesus name.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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We thank you, Father. Come here. Lord. We thank. Be free. Be refreshed in the plan of God for your life. Be free out there. Free and refreshed in the greatness of God's plan for your life.
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Love you free like well in this place. Omipotent Father of mercy and grace. Thou art welcome in this place. Praise Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, the one welcome in this place.
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Thank you for coming.
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Morning. This place. Holy Spirit. My God.
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Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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There it goes. There goes Holy Spirit. Now are welcome in this place. Holy Spirit, my heart welcome. Of mercy and grace. Now I will.
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Can we all sing.
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Right with you?
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Father of mercy and grace. Holy spirit. Now my. Holy spirit, Grace Thou art welcome in this place. Be free and older and refreshed in the plan. Be free and refreshed in the plan.
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Hallelujah.
A
Be free and refreshed.
C
Ah, there goes him.
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There goes that anointing you.
D
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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Be free and refreshed in his name. There it goes in your love.
D
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
C
Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we praise you.
D
Hallelujah.
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Can I tell you this? If you're born again, him, you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. The devil is afraid of who's in you. And he would love to not have to deal with you, because he knows who's in you. And whenever there comes opposition, just know this. The one who who's on the inside of you is more than enough to put you on the other side of that opposition. So especially those of you who are ministered to tonight, you answer those thoughts. The devil's not robbing me of the joy of the plan of God in my life. He's not robbing me of my season of harvest. I've spent past season, decades and future decades worshiping God, obeying God. And there's a joy and a harvest in that. And the devil will not minimize that. And I don't care if anybody else doesn't recognize it. I recognize it. Amen.
D
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
A
Is there anything else you want to add to that, Ms. Reba? Okay.
D
Hallelujah.
A
Well, I so appreciate the way God meets the needs of every person in the room. Amen. And I want you to know that the hope of glory is in you.
D
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
C
Hallelujah.
A
Glory to God. And as I said, a especially those of you who were ministered to tonight. But everyone be in as many services to get filled up, to get in the atmosphere of the anointing, because it will give you a head start. And when you leave this place this week, that it rewrites how you live from this day on out. Amen.
D
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
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We need you. Heaven needs you.
D
Hallelujah.
A
We trust you've enjoyed this message. Visit us@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.
Title: Free From Hopelessness | Nancy Dufresne | Paducah, Kentucky | JTH Crusades 2025 | Sunday PM
Date: May 27, 2025
Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
In this heartfelt and faith-filled episode, Pastor Nancy Dufresne addresses the issue of hopelessness, especially as it impacts people in their later years or in times of spiritual transition. Drawing from personal anecdotes, biblical examples, and passionate exhortation, she encourages listeners to reject the lie that their value diminishes over time or through changing seasons. Instead, Pastor Nancy insists that the plan of God never expires, and every believer’s latter days can be vibrant, fruitful, and filled with purpose.
Personal Story of Hopelessness: Nancy shares a personal account of an elderly relative who, after feeling undervalued and ‘in the way,’ sadly lost hope and died prematurely. She warns that “the path of the righteous is to grow brighter and brighter, not more hopeless.”
“The devil will imply that if a latter season doesn’t look like a former season, it’s not as important. And that’s absolutely not true.” (02:45)
Biblical Examples of Vibrant Old Age:
On Authority and Destiny:
Memorable Quote:
“You decide when the body is done. The body doesn’t decide when you’re done.” (06:00)
John the Baptist’s Transition:
Pastor Nancy uses John the Baptist as a case study, showing how even spiritual leaders face voices saying their role is finished, or their ministry devalued (08:10–12:20).
Spiritual Jealousy and Manipulation:
John’s disciples and others tried to make John jealous of Jesus’ rising ministry, suggesting “your ministry is on the decline.” Nancy refutes this carnality:
“The assignment fulfilled is my success. Therefore, you’re not going to rob me of my joy of obedience.” (20:00)
Guarding Your Thinking:
John protected his mind from the toxic thinking others tried to sow, never taking offence but instead rejoicing in the fulfillment of his divinely assigned season (14:10–18:00).
Notable Quote:
“If John was offended, do you think Jesus would follow that up with calling an offended man the greatest that had been born of a woman?” (23:30)
Value Comes from God, Not People:
"It’s not people in your life that give you your worth. It is the author of your life that gives you your worth and who you belong to." (26:30)
Spiritual Contribution Is Not Limited:
Even if physically limited, believers can “shake nations from a bedroom” through prayer and faith (27:00).
Call to Reject Hopelessness:
A strong exhortation not to let the enemy steal any season through thoughts of uselessness or despair:
“We’re not talking about you doing it perfect. We’re talking about you not letting the devil rob you of any season in your life... I want you to know every day that the greater one is on the inside of you.” (27:21–27:57)
Reading from Luke 4:18:
Pastor Chris is asked to read Jesus’ mission statement regarding ministry to the poor, brokenhearted, and captives, sparking further teaching about the Gospel as the real solution to lack and bondage.
Preaching, Not Just Laying Hands:
Nancy underscores the importance of teaching the captive their freedom, not just praying for momentary relief:
“People are held captive because they need to be taught something. They need to know how free Jesus already made them.” (31:16)
Hope and Healing for the Bruised:
Recognizes that not only physical but also verbal/experiential wounds can bruise, and Jesus is present to heal (32:40–36:07).
Altar Call and Activation:
Listeners and attendees struggling with hopelessness or feeling devalued are invited forward for ministry. Nancy frames it as “jumper cables”—a transfer of spiritual power to recharge hope (34:00–36:07).
Personal Ministry and Encouragement:
Pastors and leaders embrace and pray over individuals, declaring freedom and refreshment from brokenness, and restoration to God's purpose.
“Heaven needs you, and needs you here. Heaven is in great working order, but earth needs more of heaven in it, and you’re the ones.” (40:39)
Corporate Affirmation:
Multiple moments of affirmation and worship, declaring spiritual reality over feelings or circumstances.
Believer’s Authority & God’s Indwelling:
“The devil is afraid of who’s in you. And whenever there comes opposition, just know this: the one who’s on the inside of you is more than enough to put you on the other side of that opposition.” (52:09)
Guarding the Joy of Your Season:
A final encouragement for those ministered to: answer demonic thoughts, refuse to let the joy of your obedience and God’s plan be stolen, no matter who fails to recognize your value (53:00–53:21).
The Hope of Glory:
“The hope of glory is in you... We need you. Heaven needs you.” (53:30–54:21)
Pastor Nancy speaks compassionately, directly addressing those who are struggling with feelings of uselessness, insignificance, or spiritual stagnation. Her tone is faith-filled, declarative, and encouraging, punctuated with vivid stories and scriptural grounding. There’s a strong unction of corporate ministry, loving practical wisdom, and spiritual impartation throughout.
This episode is a profound exhortation to everyone—especially those in transitions or latter seasons—not to relinquish hope nor define their worth by changing roles or others’ opinions. The plan of God, she insists, has no expiration date, and the Lord brings significance, authority, and fruitfulness to every season of a believer’s journey.
**“We need you. Heaven needs you.” (54:21)