Podcast Summary: Jesus the Healer w/ Nancy Dufresne – Episode 073 | Words That Work

Release Date: October 12, 2022
Host/Author: Dufresne Ministries
Podcast Title: Jesus the Healer

I. Introduction and Theme

In Episode 073 of "Jesus the Healer," Nancy Dufresne delves into the profound impact of our thoughts and the power of faith in overcoming life's challenges. Opening with a powerful affirmation, Nancy emphasizes the presence of divine power in every moment of need:

"Power is present. That power is there to do a work, believe in what's not. Try to get something, but notice that he's already made it yours." (00:10)

She welcomes listeners with warmth, reinforcing the belief that God has answers for every aspect of their lives.

II. The Power of the Mind

Nancy underscores the significance of the mind in shaping our lives. She references the biblical principle:

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (01:10)

Explaining that our thoughts directly influence every facet of our existence, Nancy stresses the necessity of cultivating right thinking. She highlights the importance of aligning our thoughts with God's Word, which serves as a foundation for sound thinking.

"The amplified classic translation describes a sound mind and says, it's calm, it's well balanced, it's disciplined, it's self-controlled, which shows that we have a responsibility toward our sound mind." (03:08)

III. Handling Opposition

Transitioning to the theme of opposition, Nancy emphasizes that every believer will face challenges requiring a steadfast response. She draws from 2 Timothy 1:7 to illustrate that God equips us with power and love, not fear, to navigate adversities.

Nancy shares a poignant story about Dr. Lester Sumrall, a man of raw faith, who was called to aid a tormented girl in the Philippines. Despite initial reluctance, Sumrall recognized that God had uniquely equipped him to address this specific opposition:

"God is limited by the channels he has available to him. He meant, this is that there were people that were saved. [...] But he had people who knew how to answer the devil." (07:15)

This narrative underscores the idea that as believers grow in their ability to confront and answer opposition, their usefulness to God expands.

IV. Jesus as an Example in Mark 11

Nancy delves into Mark 11:12-27, focusing on the incident of Jesus cursing the fig tree. She illustrates how Jesus responded to unmet needs with decisive action rooted in faith:

"But faith doesn't wait for things to change. Faith answers and brings the change about by the power of God." (04:20)

By addressing the fig tree directly, Jesus demonstrated mastery over circumstances through the power of His words. Nancy explains that Jesus did not linger to see immediate results but trusted His declaration to enact change:

"He answered it and kept walking. [...] You answer things and then you walk off and keep going." (15:00)

This act serves as a blueprint for believers to speak words of faith and then continue their journey without dwelling on the problem, trusting that their declarations will manifest God's power.

V. Faith, Words of Faith, and Action

Exploring further, Nancy elaborates on the "flow of faith," where spoken words aligned with God's Word become the catalysts for change. She highlights the importance of not anchoring one's faith to visible results:

"Hebrews tells us that the word of God, it's alive, it's quick is what the King James says, meaning it's alive. [...] When you speak words of faith, those words are a living thing and you can walk off and leave those words to do the work." (19:24)

Using the example of her husband's ministry, Nancy illustrates how persistent faith—without constantly verifying physical outcomes—leads to miraculous breakthroughs:

"They were checking their body to see if their body gave them permission to be healed. [...] You have faith, words in your mouth. The word of God." (18:02)

VI. The Role of Forgiveness in Faith

A pivotal segment of the episode addresses the relationship between forgiveness and effective faith. Drawing from Mark 11:22-27, Nancy emphasizes that unforgiveness can cripple one's faith:

"What will keep this from working? Unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is an enemy to your faith. It will keep your faith inactive. It'll keep it from producing." (25:00)

She urges listeners to practice forgiveness proactively, not letting grudges impede their spiritual progress or their ability to receive God's promises. Nancy connects this to self-forgiveness, highlighting that harboring resentment—even towards oneself—can hinder divine intervention:

"You need to forgive yourself when you do wrong. Repent for 1 John 1:9. [...] And he's cleansed us once we've confessed it." (26:04)

VII. Conclusion and Call to Action

Wrapping up the episode, Nancy promotes her book "Answer It," which delves deeper into these principles. She encourages listeners to reinforce their understanding by repeatedly engaging with the teachings:

"You got to keep hearing over and over. So you can go to dufrainministries.org and let us know you want your copy and we'll send it to you." (27:02)

Nancy closes with a reaffirmation of Jesus as the ultimate Healer, leaving listeners with a sense of empowerment to implement the discussed strategies in their lives.

Key Takeaways:

• The Mind's Influence: Our thoughts shape our reality; aligning them with God's Word fosters a sound mind.
• Responding to Opposition: Believers must actively address challenges with faith-driven responses.
• Modeling Jesus' Faith: Emulating Jesus' approach of declaring faith and moving forward without fixation on immediate results.
• Forgiveness as a Pillar of Faith: Letting go of unforgiveness is crucial for maintaining an active and effective faith.
• Empowerment Through Words of Faith: Spoken affirmations rooted in Scripture activate God's power in our lives.

Notable Quotes:

• "Hallelujah. So it says again in verse 14. And Jesus answered. And he said unto it, what did he say? The tree. Jesus talked to things. And that's what a sound mind does." (13:00)
• "Things will obey you. Talk to them." (23:25)
• "My words are working on that. My words are working on that. My words are working on that." (20:38)

Further Resources:

• Book Promotion: Nancy invites listeners to obtain her book "Answer It" for an in-depth exploration of these topics. Visit dufrainministries.org to request your copy.
• Additional Support: For prayer requests or further engagement, listeners are encouraged to reach out through the provided channels.

Nancy Dufresne's insightful teaching in this episode equips believers with practical tools to harness the power of their minds, address opposition with faith, and maintain an active, forgiving heart to unlock God's healing and transformative power in their lives.