Podcast Summary: Looking Unto Jesus | Nancy Dufresne | Jesus the Healer Broadcast

Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Host: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Episode: Looking Unto Jesus
Date: May 15, 2020

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and spiritually rich episode, Pastor Nancy Dufresne focuses on the foundational theme of “Looking Unto Jesus,” drawing from Hebrews 11 and 12. She emphasizes the imperative of maintaining a deep consciousness of God over mere fulfillment of His plans. Through scriptural reflection and personal experience, Nancy explores the joy of obedience, the pitfalls of focusing too much on “the plan” rather than the Person, and encourages believers to hold out for God’s full victory rather than settling for temporary relief. Compassion, living in God’s presence, and developing intimacy with the Father are highlighted as keys to running the race of faith with endurance and joy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Knowing Him Is the Goal

• Main Idea: The purpose of the Word, the blood covenant, and God's plan is fundamentally to know Him and become like Him, not just to execute tasks or ministry.

• Quote:

  "I was born to know Him. I was born to be like Him. It doesn't get any sweeter than that..."
  (Brother Copeland, quoted by Nancy, 00:20)

• Insight: Nancy repeats the importance of “living with a deep consciousness of God Himself” and not getting distracted by the activities and plans that God gives us (02:00–03:45).

2. The Danger of Focusing on the Plan Instead of the Person

• Discussion:

  • It’s easy to become absorbed in doing God’s work—business, family, church—while losing sight of God Himself.
  • Nancy likens this to marriages where people focus on the “doing” and neglect each other (05:00–07:45).
  • She encourages believers to revisit the fundamentals because “the blessing is in the pleasing”—pleasing God, not just completing assignments.

• Quote:

  “How could He be pleased if we forget Him in the doing of it?” (03:45)

3. The Joy (Not Hardship) of Obedience

• Main Story: Nancy recounts how, after obeying God in a specific way, the enemy tried to trouble her mind to rob the joy of obedience (09:00–16:00).

• Lesson: Obeying the Father is not a torment or hardship; it is thrilling and joyous. The devil seeks to make us treat God’s instruction as regrettable or as a burden.

• Quote:

  “Obeying our Father is pure joy and not hardship and not struggle. And it’s not a torment. And I refuse to be tormented in my obedience to my Father.” (11:30)

• Scriptural Reference: Jesus’ baptism and wilderness temptation—after the Father’s pleasure is announced, Satan tries to harass and rob joy (10:30).

4. Deep Consciousness of God Is the Place of Victory

• Insight: Living in a continual awareness of God protects us from harassment and temptation.

• Nancy’s Personal Word:

  “If you would get in My presence and stay there, you wouldn’t even have to listen to that.” (17:10)

• Advice: Cultivate the habit of turning toward God throughout the day; this is how to avoid being troubled and to live in joy and power.

5. Victory vs. Relief (The Example of Paul and Silas)

• Key Point: God isn’t just offering us relief from troubles; He offers full victory (20:20–27:00).

• Narrative: Paul and Silas, imprisoned, praise God and see an earthquake open the doors. They don’t just run for “relief” but stay, leading the jailer and family to Christ—achieving victory, not just escape.

• Quote:

  “What would be relief? Paul and Silas getting up and running out as soon as the doors open. That’s relief. But victory is – get the jailkeeper saved, get his house going, establish a church. Now we’re talking about… see, victory is the whole picture.” (23:45)

• Key Principle: Don’t settle for temporary or partial blessings (“relief”); hold out for full victory by staying aware of God.

6. Manifestation vs. Temptation in Trials

• Insight:

  • When facing tests, what comes may either be the true manifestation (God’s answer) or a temptation to settle early.
  • Discerning this requires a consciousness of God’s heart and purpose (27:30–30:00).

• Quote:

  “If you look for relief, you’ll marry wrong. If you look for relief, you’ll take the wrong job. But if you look for victory, you don’t settle. You don’t settle.” (29:00)

7. Presence Fuels Compassion and True Ministry

• Topic: Real ministry flows from genuine love and compassion for people, which grows only in God’s presence.
• Examples: John G. Lake’s compassion leading to healing; difference between being a good teacher and a good minister (32:00–37:00).
• Warning: Loving the “work” of ministry without loving people misses the heart of God (35:00).
• Quote:

  “Ministry is people. And if you don’t love people… you’ll never reach the fullness of what God has for you.” (34:40)

8. Revival, Mercy, and Welcoming All

• Teaching: In last-day revival, many will come to God who don’t fit familiar religious molds; only God’s compassion—not criticism—will reach them (38:00–41:00).
• Prophetic Word:

  “Ed said, this last day revival is going to be a revival of God’s mercy. He said God is going to heal people you never would have healed. He’s going to deliver people you never would have helped. How are we going to recognize that flow of mercy? By being in the presence of the Father, living with a deep consciousness of God.” (39:50)

9. The Faith Race: Looking Unto Jesus

• Scripture Focus: Hebrews 11:39—12:3. The “race” is run best by looking away from distractions and fixing your gaze on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (42:00–end).
• Application: Running with endurance and pleasing God is only accomplished by continually looking to Jesus, not just to faith heroes, plans, or works.
• Quote:

  “Just think of Him. There’s other things offered to think of. But he said, just think of Him. When you’re running, think of Him.” (45:10)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Why We’re Repeating the Basics:

  “Pastor Nancy, that’s just fundamental and basic. Yeah, that’s why we’re visiting it again. Because it is fundamental and it’s the basis [of] everything we do...” (07:50)

• On the Blessing of Pleasing:

  “My husband used to say this. The blessing is in the pleasing—when He's pleased, the blessings of God just meet us everywhere we go.” (08:35)

• On Obedience, Joy, and Mindset:

  “God loves a cheerful, joyous, prompt-to-do-it giver. And it’s not just about money—it’s about the giving of obedience.” (16:20)

• On Real Ministry:

  “Just because you can teach it doesn’t mean that the flow is ministering to people.” (36:00)

• About Last Day Revival:

  “They’re going to need love, not somebody with a critical eye… You get that compassion and that interest and that concern for people in the presence of the Father.” (40:50)

• On Why We Keep Our Eyes On Jesus:

  “It didn’t say think of Moses. It didn’t say think of Caleb or Joshua. It didn’t say think of Elijah. Why? Because Jesus ran to perfection.” (46:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:20 – Brother Copeland’s statement: “I was born to know Him. I was born to be like Him.”
• 03:45 – The imperative of deep consciousness of God, not just His plan.
• 11:30 – Personal testimony: enemy trying to steal joy after obedience.
• 17:10 – God’s word about living in His presence to avoid harassment.
• 23:45 – Paul and Silas: distinction between relief and victory.
• 29:00 – Principle: looking for victory versus just relief.
• 34:40 – Genuine ministry stems from love for people.
• 39:50 – Prophecy: last day revival centers on God’s mercy.
• 45:10 – Hebrews focus: “Just think of Him.”
• 46:15 – Why Jesus, not just faith heroes, is our example.

Conclusion

Pastor Nancy Dufresne’s message is a passionate call back to the basics: making Jesus Himself, not His assignments or our works, the focus of our faith journey. Through surrender, compassion, and deep daily consciousness of Him, believers can not only walk in the fullness of blessing but also become conduits of revival, mercy, and genuine care for others. The episode is an invitation to trade religious routine for intimate relationship, and to refuse to settle for anything less than the victory Jesus ran for and now offers us.

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