Podcast Summary: "I Am A Believer, Part One"

Speaker: Morgan Dufresne
Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Date: October 19, 2021
Location: World Harvest Church, Murrieta, CA

Episode Overview

In this message titled "I Am A Believer, Part One," Morgan Dufresne delivers an empowering teaching on the nature of faith and the believer's authority, focusing on Mark 11. She explores what it truly means to be empowered by God to "move mountains" and dives deep into the believer’s new identity—a believing nature. Through practical examples, scripture exposition, and memorable analogies, Morgan emphasizes the importance of seeing situations (mountains, obstacles) through the lens of faith rather than doubt.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Faith and Speaking (Mark 11)

Timestamps: 01:00–13:00

• The episode begins with Morgan reading and unpacking Mark 11:22–23, where Jesus commands His disciples to "have faith in God" after cursing the fig tree and seeing it wither.
• "[Jesus] demonstrated what that faith can do… Our hearing of the Word is to enable us to live by faith in spite of what we see." (Morgan, 04:03)
• She emphasizes that "we are empowered to move mountains," explaining that faith is meant to shape our reality, not to shrink from obstacles.
• Mountains are used as metaphors for life’s grand, intimidating obstacles. The devil wants believers to be overwhelmed by them, but Jesus gives authority to speak to them.

2. The Believer’s Nature

Timestamps: 13:00–22:00

• Morgan teaches that every believer’s new nature is a "believing nature," irrespective of personality or background.
• She encourages listeners to declare, "I am a believer. I am a believer," as a way to stir up faith, even when answers or clarity are lacking. (17:50)
• The enemy tries to keep people thinking as their "old man," struggling to believe, but in Christ, we are inherently capable of believing.

3. God’s Ability, Not Ours

Timestamps: 22:00–28:00

• Faith is not about our ability but God's ability. "He’s not asking you to believe in your ability. He’s asking you to believe in His ability, His nature." (Morgan, 23:30)
• Jesus Himself went to the cross "in faith," believing that His sacrifice would accomplish salvation for others, modeling what it means to act as a believer even without seeing results.

4. Dealing with Doubt

Timestamps: 28:00–42:00

• Morgan shifts focus to why believers still struggle with doubt, referencing Mark 11:23, which warns against "doubting in your heart."

• Discusses the influence of sensory input—seeing a negative report or situation can introduce doubt. (31:30)

• She recounts a personal teaching moment with her children, explaining that "what goes in your eyes goes into your mind. And what's in your mind can hurt your spirit." (33:25)

• She relates Thomas’s struggle in John 20, who could not believe Jesus had risen because he could not get past what he had seen at the crucifixion.

  • "What Thomas did was settle. It’s not that he didn’t believe Jesus was the son of God. He just got to where he would settle for seeing him in person in order to believe, because what he had seen… was too great for him to get past." (38:30)

5. Protecting Faith—Vision and Focus

Timestamps: 42:00–55:00

• The importance of spiritual "sight": "Our spiritual eyes must be stronger than our natural eyes. I need my spiritual eyes dictating the direction of my life, not my natural eyes." (Morgan, 50:30)

• Uses biblical examples like Abraham considering not the "deadness" of his and Sarah’s bodies (Romans 4) and Joshua facing giants in the land (Joshua 1).

• God’s answer is not natural tools/armor, but to meditate on His Word—to keep the vision, the insight coming from the "eyes of your heart".

  • "You can face any situation, any mountain, knowing, I am a believer." (Morgan, 42:40)

6. Practical Analogy—Blue Light Glasses

Timestamps: 55:00–62:00

• Morgan creatively relates spiritual focus to wearing "blue light glasses" to protect one’s eyes from screen rays at night.
• "When you are full and your eyes are continually on His word... you can look at any opposition, any obstacle, and the doubt that comes with it won’t get in." (Morgan, 58:15)
• Emphasizes that keeping the Word in front of your eyes prevents doubt from getting in, just as blue light glasses prevent harmful rays.

7. How to Keep Doubt Out

Timestamps: 62:00–73:00

• Facing the mountain is not ignoring or denying it, but looking at it through the Word.
  • "Not looking is not faith. Or… I’m just going to pretend like it’s not there. That is not faith. Jesus never denied anything. He always answered and addressed what He faced." (Morgan, 66:40)
• By continually meditating on God’s Word, believers block doubt from entering their hearts and can confidently speak and act in faith.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "We are empowered to move mountains. Our hearing of the Word is to enable us to live by faith in spite of what we see."
  —Morgan Dufresne (04:03)
• "Jesus would never tell you to do something that he has not empowered you to do."
  —Morgan Dufresne (08:20)
• "God's not asking you to speak your faith. He's asking you to speak his faith."
  —Morgan Dufresne (10:05)
• "You’re not an unbeliever trying to believe. You are a believer."
  —Morgan Dufresne (36:44)
• "Faith is not ignoring and not looking. Jesus didn’t say, turn away from the mountain… He said, speak to it."
  —Morgan Dufresne (66:40)
• "The number one way doubt gets in is through what you see."
  —Morgan Dufresne (71:15)
• "When you are full and your eyes are continually on His word… the doubt that comes with it won’t get in."
  —Morgan Dufresne (58:15)

Memorable Story Moments

• Blue Light Glasses Analogy:
  Equates regular exposure to God’s Word to wearing protective glasses that keep out what can harm your spiritual health. (58:00–61:00)
• R.W. Schambach Testimony:
  Illustrates proactive faith with the story of a minister who, in the face of losing his church property, acted in faith before doubt could get in—ultimately securing the building through successive acts of belief. (47:20–53:10)

Major Takeaways

• You are not striving to become a believer; in Christ, you are a believer.
• The greatest threat to faith is doubt, most often introduced through what you see.
• The remedy is to keep God’s Word continually before your eyes—meditation and focus on the Word block doubt from taking root in the heart.
• Faith acts in the face of obstacles, not by denial but by seeing with spiritual eyes and confessing God’s Word.
• Every believer is supernaturally empowered to "move mountains"—issues, challenges, or setbacks—by believing and speaking as God instructs.

Recommended Listening Segments

• Mark 11 and Authority of the Believer (01:00–13:00)
• Identity: “I am a Believer” Affirmations (13:00–22:00)
• Dealing with What We See—Doubt and Sight (28:00–42:00)
• RW Schambach Faith Story (47:20–53:10)
• Blue Light Glasses Analogy (58:00–61:00)
• Practical Strategies to Keep Doubt Out (62:00–73:00)

Summary in One Sentence:
Morgan Dufresne passionately equips believers to face life’s "mountains" by settling their identity as believers, vigilantly protecting their hearts from doubt through continual focus on God’s Word, and confidently acting in faith to see transformation.