Episode Overview

Title: I Am A Believer, Part 2
Speaker: Morgan Dufresne
Venue: World Harvest Church, Murrieta, CA
Date: October 25, 2021

Main Theme:
This episode delves into the practical and spiritual foundations of faith, focusing on Mark 11:22-24. Morgan Dufresne teaches that every believer has the assignment and authority to move mountains in their lives through faith-filled words and corresponding actions. The message encourages believers to use their spiritual authority, resist natural limitations, and maintain joy regardless of circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Universal Assignment of Faith

• All believers are called to exercise faith.
  • Morgan emphasizes that Mark 11:23-24 is an assignment given to every believer, not just to those in ministry or with special callings.
    • “We all have the assignment of faith. The call to speak to things, the call to use your authority, the call to be the one operating in full dominion on this earth.” (01:55)

2. Faith Operates According to Divine Rules, Not Human Tradition

• We don't set the rules—Jesus does.
  • The instructions Jesus gave on faith are for everyone and are unchanging, regardless of personal background or tradition.
    • “No more is it okay to think that you can handle things in faith differently than the way Jesus handled them. We don't make up our own rules of faith.” (03:45)
• Results in the life of faith are consistent for those who operate by these spiritual laws.

3. The Holy Ghost's Role in Faith

• The Holy Spirit leads you in words and actions of faith—not in desperation or begging.
  • The Spirit will always point believers back to Jesus’ instructions: speak to the mountain, don’t cry about it.
    • “The Holy Ghost doesn’t lead us into begging. He leads us into operation the way Jesus operated.” (05:16)
  • Faith is released through what you say and what you do, not through feelings or words of defeat.

4. Faith and Obedience—Acting Without Compromise

• Honesty and integrity are essential in faith.
  • Dufresne testifies about choosing not to lie on a loan application for a home, even though it seemed necessary to secure the property.
    • “Faith always has a pure heart and is honest and trusts God completely.” (07:12)
  • Compromise erodes faith and leads to continual cycles of compromise.

5. The Enemy Seeks to Influence What You See

• Satan magnifies challenges to paralyze believers.
  • The enemy wants to intimidate you by making situations look larger than life in order to discourage faith.
    • “You’ll just freeze and won’t even step out in faith because he’s making something look like it’s bigger.” (08:52)
  • God calls believers to go into places that are bigger—to draw out the “largeness” within them.

6. Jesus’ Example: Speaking to the Roots

• Get specific in your faith declarations.
  • Jesus cursed the fig tree from the roots, teaching specificity in spiritual authority gets specific results.
    • “If the words are vague, the results will be vague. He assigned his words to the roots.” (12:26)
  • Believers should address the roots of problems, not just symptoms.

7. Thought-Life and “Mountains”

• Negative thoughts can become mountains if unchecked.
  • The mind's narrative can stop believers in their tracks if they don’t take authority.
    • “Sometimes the mountain is simply a thought that keeps coming up... The devil wants to take thoughts, and you make mountains with those thoughts.” (16:25)

8. The Necessity of Forgiveness in Faith

• Unforgiveness is closely connected to doubt.
  • Holding on to past hurts hinders faith, because it reflects a doubt that God can change others.
    • “Forgiveness in the heart is closely connected to doubt in the heart. If you don’t want to have doubt in your heart, you can’t have unforgiveness in your heart.” (20:55)
  • Faith works by love; unforgiveness blocks the flow of faith.

9. Identity as a “Believer”

• Affirm your nature as a believer, not a doubter.
  • Sometimes faith is simply standing up and declaring “I am a believer”—reminding yourself of your identity in Christ.
    • “Sometimes you just got to say: I’m a believer. I’m empowered to believe.” (24:17)
  • Our new nature in Christ is empowered to believe, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

10. Seeing Through Spiritual Eyes

• Faith requires seeing circumstances through God’s word, not natural evidence.
  • Refers to Abraham and Sarah: Instead of focusing on their aged bodies, they gave glory to God and believed.
    • “They weren’t denying it... He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” (33:10)

11. The Difference Between Joy and Happiness

• Joy is rooted in believing, not circumstances.
  • Happiness depends on the flesh and circumstances; joy is sourced in agreement with God’s promise.
    • “Your happiness has nothing to do with it because there’s... in the midst of facing a mountain... joy is the act of rejoicing with Him in the midst of contrary circumstances.” (39:11)

12. Keeping the Right Focus—Word Glasses

• Filter everything through scripture.
  • Staying in the Word allows believers to interpret circumstances correctly; without it, mountains seem insurmountable.
    • “When you have the Word of God continually in your natural eyes, what your natural eyes see can be filtered immediately through that Word.” (48:50)

13. Taking and Holding Covenant Rights

• Move mountains based on the authority of your covenant.
  • Drawing parallels to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to Pastor Nancy’s testimony about persevering for her home.
    • “Your empowerment comes from your covenant with God. Do not back down.” (46:18)
  • God will remove obstacles as believers stand in their rights and refuse to bow to what they see.

14. Only You Can Do the Acts of Faith

• God performs His Word, but only you can act, speak, and believe.
  • “He cannot do acts of faith for you. My acts of faith engage His performance.” (51:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Universal Call of Faith:
  “We all have the assignment of Mark 11:23 and 24. Amen.” (02:50)

• On the Right Operation of Faith:
  “The Holy Ghost doesn’t lead us into begging. He leads us into operation the way Jesus operated.” (05:16)

• On the Power of Confession:
  “Sometimes you just got to say: I’m a believer. I’m empowered to believe.” (24:17)

• On Forgiveness and Faith:
  “Forgiveness in the heart is closely connected to doubt in the heart.” (20:55)

• On Faith Actions vs. God’s Role:
  “God cannot do acts of faith for you. He performs the work, but not your acts of faith.” (51:44)

Important Timestamps

• 01:55: Faith is everyone’s assignment—not just special people.
• 03:45: Jesus sets the rules for faith.
• 07:12: Testimony about refusing to compromise faith with dishonesty.
• 12:26: The importance of targeting “the roots” with faith, not the surface.
• 16:25: Thoughts can become mountains – take authority over your thought life.
• 20:55: Unforgiveness breeds doubt; faith works by love.
• 24:17: Affirming identity—“I’m a believer.”
• 33:10: Abraham’s example—strong in faith, giving glory to God despite natural evidence.
• 39:11: Happiness vs. joy—joy flows from rejoicing in God’s Word.
• 46:18: Empowerment comes from covenant, not natural conditions.
• 48:50: Filter what you see through scripture—wearing “word glasses.”
• 51:44: Only you can act in faith—God can’t do it for you.

Final Note on Tone & Language

Morgan Dufresne’s delivery is passionate, practical, and rooted in scripture. She combines personal testimonies, biblical examples, and clear instructions, often using direct, encouraging language:
“Don’t back down. If you back down from believing him and speaking, you're backing down out of your covenant with the Most High.” (46:47)

Summary

This episode is a strong, biblically based call for believers to accept responsibility for exercising faith, to see life through the lens of the Word, and to never compromise or back down from what God has promised. By focusing on the authority of the believer, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the covenantal rights we have through Christ, Dufresne encourages listeners to move mountains—not around them—using the joy, authority, and perseverance that come from true faith.