Podcast Summary

Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Episode: Life In The Spirit | Nancy Dufresne | Tuesday PM | Campmeeting 2021
Date: June 9, 2021
Host/Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Topic: Life in the Spirit – Moving Beyond “Checklist Christianity” to Responsive Relationship

Overview

In this episode, Pastor Nancy Dufresne delivers an inspired message about “Life in the Spirit,” emphasizing the importance of living a Spirit-led Christian life. Rather than approaching spiritual disciplines as checklists or obligations, she passionately calls believers to nurture a daily, responsive relationship with the Holy Spirit. Nancy intertwines personal stories, scriptural insights, and memorable anecdotes from respected ministers to illustrate that true spiritual progress and effectiveness stem from enjoying fellowship with God and cultivating ongoing responsiveness to Him.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Call to Live in the Spirit, Not Merely Perform Spiritual Tasks

• Opening Prayer and Kenyon Quote ([00:00–03:40])
  • Nancy quotes E.W. Kenyon to set the tone, highlighting the potential for believers to walk in “the same life and power and divine liberty as Jesus walked, if they understood their privileges. … Let us dare to climb the heights of God.”
  • “Take your place and enjoy your rights.” – E.W. Kenyon (quoted at [03:15])
• Galatians 5:16, 25 ([03:40–08:00])
  • Living “in the Spirit” is not about striving, but yielding. Guidance is always available—it’s about learning to respond.
  • “He can only direct yielded ones. It’s not about getting the Holy Ghost to guide us. It’s about yielding to the guidance that is always available.” ([06:50])

2. Moving beyond Spiritual Routine and Checklist Christianity

• Spiritual Practices as a “Checklist Trap” ([19:30–32:30])
  • Many confuse being in the Spirit with mechanically completing spiritual disciplines: “Gotta pray today. I need to meditate. I need to confess. I need to feed on healing. … I gotta pray for my church, I gotta pray for the nation…” ([21:00])
  • Nancy demonstrates with an illustration of fingers separated vs. fingers together: spiritual life should be “intertwined, a flow,” not isolated checkboxes. ([29:00])
  • “We can’t approach our fellowship like a checklist, a to-do list. People that are very organized tend to do that—they’re more interested in getting things checked off than following here. The Spirit life is a life of intertwined flow.” ([33:40])

3. The True Goal: Responsiveness, Not Spirituality

• Being Responsive to God vs. Being ‘Spiritual’ ([50:40–55:00])
  • Nancy quotes from Sister Patsy Caminiti: “If your goal is to be spiritual, you may achieve it, but miss Me by a mile. … Being spiritual isn’t the goal. Being responsive to God is the goal.” ([51:00])
  • “What Jesus modeled in His life was total dependence and responsiveness to God.” ([53:35])
  • Avoid striving for spirituality for its own sake — even the kingdom of darkness can have ‘spiritual’ people. The genuine goal is attentiveness to God’s voice and direction.

4. Enjoyment & Ease vs. Religious Striving

• Matthew 11:29-30 – The Easy Yoke ([24:30–26:20], [39:40–41:00])
  • “His plan will not weigh you down… If you’re not living a pleasant life, you’re invited to something higher.” ([26:00])
  • “If it’s not light and easy, we’re doing it wrong. … Start out enjoying God every day. Just start out enjoying Him.” ([40:30])
  • Illustration: Spiritual life should not be mechanical, like checking off relationship etiquette (e.g., “tell her she looks nice”); genuine connection matters more ([39:35]).

5. Fellowship and Knowing God as Central

• John 17:3; Philippians 3:10 ([13:10–16:50])
  • Eternal life is “that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.”
  • “Miracles did not take the place of knowing Him. Healings did not take the place of knowing Him.” ([15:45])
  • Paul’s purpose: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…” ([16:30])

6. Remaining Spiritually Responsive Throughout the Day

• Daily Flow vs. Mental Effort ([62:22–65:00]; [64:35–66:30])
  • Practice starting each day in fellowship and “keep your heart turned toward Me all day long.” ([34:02], [37:50])
  • Testimony: Nancy shares how God rebuked her for focusing on praying in tongues for hours, rather than living a life in the Spirit. ([08:57–10:14])
  • “An undisciplined mind will never cooperate with responsibility in your spirit.” ([65:00])

7. Powerful Anecdotes & Quotes

• Dr. Sumrall’s Yoke ([64:35–65:30]):
  • “God, you give me 30 minutes a day to shower and to dress and the 23 and a half hours left are Yours.”
• Smith Wigglesworth ([78:10–80:39]):
  • On why his prayer raised a dying woman when others failed, he said, “You prayed looking at the dying woman; I prayed looking at Jesus.”
• George Mueller ([83:42–86:03]):
  • “Everywhere I go, I talk to my Father… As I’m walking down the road, I’m talking to Him. Basically what he’s saying: He’s walking in the Spirit.”

8. Encouragements, Healings, and Closing Exhortations

• Testimonies & Words of Knowledge ([73:00–78:10], [80:39–88:11])
  • Several spiritual and physical healing testimonies shared—growths healed, hip realignment, blood disorders, organ healings.
  • The message: The miraculous, too, flows from intimacy and responsiveness to His leading, not from striving.
• Final Encouragement:
  • “Practice walking in the Spirit, privately in daily life so that you don’t have to just rely on the corporate anointing…” ([90:58])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Spirit-Led Living:

  • “He can only direct yielded ones. It’s not about getting the Holy Ghost to guide us. It’s about yielding to the guidance that is always available to us.” ([06:50])
  • “Start every day in the Spirit and keep your heart turned toward Me all day long. That’s it… whatever my heart says that day, that’s the component I’m staying with.” ([37:50])

• On the Spiritual Checklist Trap:

  • “You start getting, when you’re occupied with the components, the mind starts kicking in and you get drawn into that mental arena… and you start evaluating how can I get it done?” ([21:00])
  • “If it’s not light and easy, we’re doing it wrong. We need to stop a moment. Say, ‘nope, nope, nope.’ If I’m getting frustrated, if I’m feeling the push, stop. Just stop. That’s not it.” ([38:50])

• On Responsive Relationship:

  • “Being spiritual isn’t the goal. Being responsive to God is the goal.” ([51:00])
  • “Jesus said, I only do what I see my Father do. He didn’t have to come up with the doing. He just responded…” ([53:36])

• On Fellowship as Priority:

  • “Most of my children want what I have, but they don’t want Me. … If they only spend time in fellowship with Me, I will give them words in their heart.” (testimony at [73:00-76:30])
  • “The glory… will overflow our life, day in and day out, as you wake up, as you sleep at night—the glory…” ([77:00])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Kenyon Quote & Opening Prayer: [00:00–03:40]
• Galatians 5: Living in the Spirit: [03:40–08:00]
• Testimony on Praying in the Spirit: [08:57–10:14]
• Isaiah 40: Strength from Fellowship: [10:15–13:10]
• Knowing God (John 17, Philippians 3): [13:10–16:50]
• Checklist Christianity vs. In the Spirit: [19:30–32:30]
• Matthew 11: Easy Yoke & Spiritual Discipline: [24:30–26:20]
• Intertwined Spiritual Life Illustration: [29:00, periodically to 33:40]
• Responsiveness as the Goal (Patsy Caminiti): [50:40–55:00]
• Dr. Sumrall/Yoke Story: [64:35–65:30]
• Smith Wigglesworth Story: [78:10–80:39]
• Miracle & Healing Words: [80:39–88:11]
• George Mueller Story: [83:42–86:03]
• Closing Application & Dismissal: [90:58–END]

Conclusion

Nancy Dufresne’s message challenges believers to rethink their approach to “life in the Spirit.” She urges a release from checklist spirituality and invites all to pursue an ongoing, responsive relationship with God, characterized by joy, ease, and continual fellowship—where everything else flows organically, and the Spirit’s leading becomes the believer’s true north.

“His fellowship is my greatest joy.” ([91:30])