Podcast Summary: “God’s Plan For Your Life, Part One”

Dufresne Ministries Podcast | Host: Dufresne Ministries | Guest: Nancy Dufresne
Episode Date: June 8, 2022
Episode Title: God’s Plan For Your Life, Part One | Jesus the Healer Broadcast

Overview

This episode, led by Pastor Nancy Dufresne, delves into understanding and walking out God’s predestined plan for each believer’s life. Using Ephesians 2:10 as a foundation, Nancy discusses how God’s careful design includes paths, provisions, and purposes unique to every individual, encouraging listeners to actively pursue and receive all that He has prepared. The episode is rich in biblical insight, practical encouragement, and personal illustration to inspire deeper trust in God’s detailed providence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. We Are God’s Handiwork – Ephesians 2:10

[00:09 – 04:00]

• Nancy shares the importance of Ephesians 2:10, emphasizing God’s personal involvement in creating and preparing us for good works.
• Quote:

  “God did not leave us to an angel to bring to pass his plan. He took it on himself. We are God's own handiwork.” (Nancy Dufresne, 00:16)

• Explains that believers are “recreated in Christ Jesus” to fulfill specific good works, planned long before our birth.
• Shares a testimony of a man who visited heaven and learned that his works on earth were building material for his eternal home, illustrating that what we do for Christ has lasting value.

2. Good Works – Their Purpose and Place

[04:00 – 08:30]

• Clarifies that while salvation is by grace, “works are everything” after salvation—not as a means to earn, but as fruit of new life.
• God has “planned beforehand” each believer’s path and tasks, which are tied to our destiny and fulfillment.
• Quote:

  “He has already planned that certain works be done through your hands, that certain works be fulfilled through your life.” (Nancy Dufresne, 05:32)

• Our responsibility is to walk in paths God has prepared, as the works He intends can only be found and achieved there.

3. The Significance of Staying on God’s Path

[08:30 – 12:30]

• God’s paths are prearranged, filled with the provision and preparation necessary for “the good life.”
• Quote:

  “Why would we ever want to take an unprepared path, a path of our own forming? Because there’s no preparation on that path. But there’s total provision and preparation on the path that he prepared ahead of time for us.” (Nancy Dufresne, 09:57)

• Emphasizes individual responsibility: “He prepared it, but He cannot walk it for us.”
• Our good life is only assured when we stay within His plan.

4. Faith Is Essential on God’s Path

[12:30 – 16:15]

• The provision, health, peace, revelation, and joy we need are along God’s preplanned path—but require active faith to access.
• Uses the analogy of birds: God provides, but birds must go out and gather what is given.
• Quote:

  “He supplied your paths with his complete provision to live the good life. But now it's up to your...it's your privilege to gather everything with your faith that he has already provided.” (Nancy Dufresne, 15:16)

5. The Danger of Choosing Our Own Way

[16:15 – 18:30]

• Departing from God’s path (choosing a career, spouse, or lifestyle without His input) means stepping away from prepared provision.
• Memorable Moment: Likens life’s journey to a trip—a trip is only successful because it’s prepared for.
• Faith involves not only giving but skillfully receiving God’s blessings.

6. Living Worry-Free in God’s Provision

[18:30 – 21:30]

• Understanding God’s preparation eliminates the need for worry or fear.
• Quote:

  “He has totally prepared for every moment of my life, every circumstance that shows up already has a prepared answer for it.” (Nancy Dufresne, 19:57)

• Calls listeners to be bold in receiving all God has for them, not leaving His gifts unclaimed due to reluctance to receive.

7. God Planned Your Life in Every Detail

[21:30 – 25:28]

• References Hebrews 4:3 (Amplified) — “His works had been completed and prepared and waiting. It's waiting on you.”
• Quote:

  “Every answer you’re going to need for your life is waiting… you’re not waiting on God. He’s waiting on your faith to arrive.” (Nancy Dufresne, 22:15)

• Even if believers veer off course, God has alternate paths to bring them back to His plan—not multiple plans, but multiple opportunities to realign.

8. Psalms 139: God’s Careful Design

[25:28 – 30:20]

• Psalms 139:16 cited to show God recorded all our members and days before we were born—answering profound questions about identity and potential for miracles in our bodies.
• Quote:

  “All my members were written. And I lay hold of every member he authored for me.” (Nancy Dufresne, 27:07)

• God authored intended events, victories, blessings, and fruitfulness—remaining on His path is how we experience them.

9. The Holy Spirit: Guide to God’s Personal “Book” for You

[30:20 – 35:00]

• We can’t read our individual “book” of destiny, but the Holy Spirit has access to its contents.
• John 16:13—The Spirit leads us into all truth and shows us things to come, drawing from what God has already written for our lives.
• Quote:

  “The Holy Spirit will show you things to come. He's not going to go to a different book to show and reveal you your future. He's going to go to the book of your life and show you what's to come, what has already been prepared and planned.” (Nancy Dufresne, 27:24)

• Living mindful and cooperative with the Holy Spirit is essential for walking out God’s best.

Notable Quotes

• “Our works don’t stay on the earth, they go to heaven and they live with us through eternity… so it does matter what we do on the earth.” (Nancy Dufresne, 01:48)
• “You are well planned for. Your parents might not have planned you, but God’s plan is completely in place for your life.” (Nancy Dufresne, 08:22)
• “Nothing of God’s plan is automatic. You will not float into it. You will get there by the walk of faith.” (Nancy Dufresne, 22:52)
• “God didn’t record faulty and missing members. ... All my members were written. ... There's your miracle verse for a body part.” (Nancy Dufresne, 26:25)
• “Every decision, know this: Does it play into what He planned? ... Is it flowing out of what he planned for me?” (Nancy Dufresne, 29:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:09 – Ephesians 2:10 and God’s personal handiwork.
• 03:15 – Testimony about works in heaven as building material.
• 09:57 – The significance of God’s prepared paths.
• 15:16 – Gathering God’s provision by faith.
• 19:57 – Living worry-free with God’s complete preparation.
• 22:15 – Hebrews 4:3: God’s answers are waiting for your faith.
• 25:28 – Psalms 139: God’s record of your members and days.
• 27:24 – The Holy Spirit reveals your “book.”
• 29:15 – Decision-making in light of God’s intentions for your life.

Conclusion

Pastor Nancy Dufresne’s teaching in this episode centers on the profound truth that God has prepared a unique, good life for every believer, mapped out in advance with every provision, opportunity, and victory necessary. However, realizing these blessings depends on choosing His path, walking by faith, and yielding to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Listeners are encouraged to let go of worry, boldly receive God’s preparation, and continually pursue God’s intended plan, knowing that even missteps can be redeemed through God’s multiple paths back into His purposes.

Key Takeaway:
God's plan for your life is already written, prepared, and waiting—but you must take the faith path, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and purposefully gather all He has provided.