Podcast Summary: What’s Your Attention On? Part One | Nancy Dufresne | Jesus the Healer Broadcast

Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Host: Dufresne Ministries
Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Date: May 11, 2022
Episode Theme: Living from the Inside Out—Focusing Your Attention on God’s Kingdom Within

Main Theme

Pastor Nancy Dufresne teaches on the importance of the renewed mind and how every believer, through the new birth, carries the kingdom of God within—specifically righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The episode centers on the significance of directing our attention to the kingdom within, and not to external circumstances, for true spiritual victory and contentment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Renewed Mind and the Kingdom Within

• (00:20) Nancy emphasizes that a renewed mind is vital for a transformed and victorious Christian life. This renewal comes by filling the mind with God’s Word.
• Romans 14:17 is referenced: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
  • Key insight: The kingdom of God isn’t about external, physical things but about the internal reality of righteousness, peace, and joy.
• “The kingdom of God is in you.” (00:54)

2. Living According to What’s in You

• (03:11) The believer is called to “draw out” or yield to the righteousness, peace, and joy inside, regardless of the external situation.
• “That peace is dominating our spirits, dominating our minds. Will things come against our minds? Yes. But the peace in our minds and the peace in our spirits is greater than what comes against us.” (04:55)
• Joy, peace, and righteousness are not circumstantial; they are spiritual realities that can be accessed regardless of what’s happening around us.

3. Living True to the Kingdom—Not Circumstances

• (07:49) “You don’t have to pray for a pastor to give it to you. You don’t have to get in a ministry line if you’re born again. It’s in you. Draw it out. Draw it out. Yield to it.”
• When sadness, fear, or trouble is presented, believers have authority to refuse to accept it.
• Living from the inside out stabilizes mood, relationships, and reactions to adversity.
  • Notable Quote, on consistency:
    • “That gets rid of all moodiness out of our lives. Right. That means your spouse will know what version they’re going to get of you each day. Praise the Lord.” (09:05)

4. Practical Application: Practicing Contentment (Philippians 4)

• (15:00) Nancy turns to Paul’s words in Philippians 4:11 (Amplified):
  • “I have learned how to be content, satisfied to the point where I’m not disturbed or disquieted in whatever state I am.” (16:32)
• Contentment and inner peace are learned through practice, especially in trying circumstances.
  • Notable Emphasis: “You don’t get good at anything unless you practice it. You don’t learn anything unless you practice it.” (16:53)
• Even obeying God can lead to difficult places, but believers are meant to carry their internal kingdom reality into those circumstances.
  • “You take your righteousness, peace, and joy with you in there. Therefore, it’s not hard for you…you brought your own joy to the party.” (13:40)

5. Attention Determines Faith and Experience

• (28:25) Nancy highlights the principle: “Where your attention goes, that’s where your faith goes.”
  • “If your attention goes to the wrong thing, you’ll start believing the wrong thing.” (28:51)
• Changing your attention is an act of will and can shift your internal state instantly:
  • “Can I tell you how quick you can change your attention from the wrong thing to the right thing? … Here I go. That’s how quick.” (29:12)

6. Beware of the Loudest Voice

• (32:09) The devil is described as loud, constantly seeking attention with persistent and negative mental bombardment, whereas God’s voice is described as a “still, small voice”—quiet but substantial.
  • “The devil has to be loud because his goods aren’t any good… People think that because something’s louder, it’s better… Be careful of the loudest one in the room.” (34:28)
• “Just because something’s loud doesn’t mean it’s worthy of your attention.” (36:12)
• Care and discipline are needed to tune out loud distractions and train one’s attention on the Spirit within.

7. Real-Life Testimony: The Power of Attention and the Word

• (41:04) Nancy shares a story of a medical doctor-turned-minister who overcame addiction not by focusing on her struggle, but by turning her attention to God’s Word daily. After weeks immersed in the healing scriptures, her addiction symptoms vanished:
  • “She realized that every addiction symptom was gone. And she said, ‘And I don’t even know when that addiction left.’ Why? Because her attention got off of what was troubling her life. And she absorbed herself with the Word.” (42:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On representing the kingdom within:
  “Let’s not be double agents belonging to one kingdom, but representing another. Amen. Let’s be true to the kingdom of God that is in us.” (12:55)

• On victory:
  “Real victory is not the devil leaving you alone. Real victory is when everything is pressing against you and can’t reach you.” (23:17)

• On attention:
  “People don’t realize your victory is as easy as where your attention is.” (28:43)

• On tuning into the Spirit:
  “You’ve got to get quiet enough and start turning off your attention off of what the devil is doing to even notice what God’s offering.” (36:48)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction & Romans 14:17—Kingdom of God within | | 07:49 | Drawing out righteousness, peace, and joy | | 13:40 | Carrying your kingdom reality into every circumstance | | 15:00 | Philippians 4:11—Paul’s secret of contentment | | 28:25 | The power of attention: faith follows focus | | 32:09 | The devil’s loudness vs. God’s still, small voice | | 41:04 | Testimony: Healing & freedom through attention on the Word |

Takeaway

Pastor Nancy Dufresne urges believers to recognize that true change and victory are a matter of where we place our attention. By choosing to focus on the reality of God’s kingdom within—righteousness, peace, and joy—regardless of external circumstances, believers live from a place of divine stability, contentment, and victory. Regular practice and redirecting attention to the Word of God are essential habits for living out this reality.