Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Promise of Life Church Podcasts

Episode: "Extravagant Asking" – Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Date: May 26, 2024 AM (Posted July 17, 2024)
Host: Promise of Life Church

Episode Overview

In this message, Pastor Nancy Dufresne explores the principle of "extravagant asking"—learning to think and believe big concerning God's provision, not just in finances but in every area of life. Anchoring her teaching in scriptural metaphors and historical faith figures, she challenges the congregation to shift from “small thinking” to God-minded, plan-minded asking, underlining that God's supply is only limited by the way we think and act on His Word.

Key Themes & Discussions

1. The Power of Extravagant Asking (00:00–06:10)

• Pastor Nancy introduces the main theme: God wants His people to ask extravagantly according to His limitless supply, not their limited perspective.
• Inspiration from Smith Wigglesworth’s 1927 sermon at Angelus Temple:
  • Quote (02:14):
    “The last days are a time for the true people of God to engage in extravagant asking. Surely you people that have been asking great things from God for a long time would be amazed if you entered into that asking with a clear knowledge of the mightiness of the power of the Father, of your joint union with him, that nothing is impossible of you to ask.”
  • Pastor Nancy unpacks Wigglesworth's analogy (04:40):
    “It’s like if we’re hitting that, we’re not even moving the needle based on the unlimitedness of God’s offer… and we’re asking small. Why do we ask small? Small thinking.”

2. Thinking Shapes Receiving (06:11–18:21)

• Emphasis: “Extravagant asking has to be preceded by extravagant thinking.” (06:25)
• It’s not about money, but about how our thoughts limit or enlarge God’s ability to get things through us.
• Jesse Duplantis’ mindsets and analogies:
  • Quote (09:55):
    “Money is the most disappointing thing when that’s what you’re living for. You have to be superior to money, not driven by it.”
  • Pastor Nancy explains the branch/trunk metaphor:
    (11:03) “The trunk empowers the branch… For you to receive something from God, it’s got to come through you… through your thinking, your speaking, your actions.”
  • Quote (14:07):
    “God doesn’t ask us to do the best we can. He asks us to do the best he can.”

3. Mindsets That Shape Destiny (18:22–38:00)

• Learning from Examples Outside the Church

  • Elon Musk’s story: Not choosing based on scarcity or others' advice, but thinking beyond limits.
  • Quote (22:08):
    “I expect to lose everything, meaning this: It’s not about money. I’m trying to make progress. I’m not trying to make money.”
  • Pastor Nancy’s lesson: “That’s why Christians have so little, because they’re dealing with money… and missing the big picture.” (22:46)

• The “Trunk Mindedness” Revelation

  • The Christian life should be lived connected to the “Trunk” (Christ/God), not branch (self)-mindedness.
  • Quote (28:09):
    “The best way that heaven has to turn us into a blessing is connect us to the trunk and let the trunk produce through the branch.”

• The Difference Between Being a Blessing vs. Giving a Blessing (31:54)

  • Testimony of a woman visiting Heaven—there is literally a place called “being a blessing,” where you learn to be a channel, not a source.
  • Quote (33:30):
    “It’s not about you giving your resources, it’s about drawing on Him so you are being a blessing.”

4. Testimonies and Practical Applications (38:01–55:45)

• The Single Mom & Divine Opportunity (38:10)

  • God required a single mom to pledge $1,000 she didn’t have. Her obedience and channel mindset led to her barrettes being discovered and bought (50,000 pieces) by a Nordstrom’s buyer, launching her business.
  • Lesson: God wasn’t trying to take something from her, but get a future and supply to her.
  • Quote (44:12):
    “If we think wrong when God commands us of something… you miss your future. You miss it.”

• God’s Instructions are About Enlargement, Not Extraction

  • Fasting, serving, or giving are about God expanding your capacity, not denying you.
  • Quote (45:57):
    “He’s not trying to afflict you, he’s trying to elevate. He’s trying to position you for something more.”

5. Plan-Mindedness vs. Money-Mindedness (55:46–1:23:15)

• Branch vs. Trunk Supply

  • God doesn’t need your money: He is the source, and when He asks, He’s trying to get more into you, not take from you.
  • Quote (59:57):
    “Anything God commands of your life, it’s because He’s trying to get greater trunk flowing into the branch. And the branch is limiting the receiving of what the trunk is trying to get into that branch.”

• Jesse Duplantis’ Quotes on Vision and Prosperity

  • Quote (1:04:21):
    “I create my world, then I walk in it… I decide what I will or will not have. When bringing my vision before the Lord for the New Year, I will never present God with something possible, for He is the God of the impossible.”
  • Quote (1:07:09):
    “How much money does it cost to fly my jet? I don’t know. God didn’t ask me to pay for it. He asked me to believe for it.”
  • More money-focused thinking makes money harder to receive; plan-mindedness makes provision flow.

• Practical Application: Don’t Check the Bank, Check the Plan

  • Pastor Nancy’s approach: Be plan-minded, not account-balanced, when God leads. Provision follows plan.

• Challenging Comfort Zones

  • Illustration: Kenneth Copeland’s city bus analogy for traveling; “You get a car to go where you need, why criticize my plane?” (1:12:30)
  • Don’t bring church plans down to the level of your household income—think bigger!

6. How You View “Not Enough” (1:23:16–1:33:56)

• Jesus & the Loaves and Fishes

  • When disciples focused on lack, Jesus gave thanks and blessed what was in hand, resulting in supernatural multiplication.
  • Quote (1:27:11):
    “How you talk about what you do have determines what God can do with it. Because it’s your mindset that’s talking… Your mindset is always talking.”

• Opinions vs. Authority

  • Opinion is “the voice of someone without authority.” (1:29:39)
  • Jesus’ approach: Celebrate what you have—never curse or diminish it.

7. Living Beyond Calculating, Into Obedience (1:33:57–1:49:00)

• Extravagant Ministry Giving

  • Pastor Nancy recounts meeting expenses and giving extravagantly at faith conventions, trusting God to supply what seemed impossible.
  • She learned to follow the Spirit’s leading from the “front edge” of her faith. (1:41:30)
  • Quote (1:45:53):
    “He’ll never keep you living back here… He’s going to cause you to stretch over that stretch over what you think is your limit. He’ll get you stretching over, don’t get off the ground of your faith, but He’ll have you at the very front edge stretching into the next level.”

• Budget Is Not a Limit

  • “Have a budget, not a limit… a budget means a limit in most people’s thinking. An expense is what shows up.” (1:37:29)

8. Conclusion & Encouragement (1:49:01–end)

• Return to the opening theme:
  • Now is the time for “extravagant asking” (not struggling, not calculating).
  • What you ask of God shows how you think about Him; don’t insult God with small requests.
• Quote (1:51:11):
  “Full faith never comes with one hearing. Your insides have to enlarge. The more you hear, the more you hear, the more your heart will grab these things. Until your heart grabs them, you can’t spend them.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Extravagant asking has to be preceded by extravagant thinking.” — Pastor Nancy (06:25)
• “God doesn’t ask us to do the best we can. He asks us to do the best he can.” — Jesse Duplantis via Pastor Nancy (14:07)
• “Should we not, that Jesus is the trunk of this whole thing, should we not be trunk minded?” — Pastor Nancy (23:08)
• “The branch receives its life, its nourishment, its sap, everything from the trunk and just lets it flow through.” — Pastor Nancy (30:33)
• “We’re not called to give a blessing, we’re called to be a blessing.” — Pastor Nancy (33:30)
• “If we think wrong when God commands us of something… you miss your future.” — Pastor Nancy (44:12)
• “You can’t break me. I’ve got too much seed in the ground and harvest all over the place.” — Jesse Duplantis via Pastor Nancy (1:09:19)
• “Have a budget, not a limit. Know your expenses. But expect God to cover the expenses, not your calculated budget.” — Pastor Nancy (1:37:29)
• “Full faith never comes with one hearing... your insides have to enlarge. Until your heart grabs them, you can’t spend them.” — Pastor Nancy (1:51:11)

Structuring for Application

• Think big—God’s supply is unlimited, but your receiving depends on your thinking and asking.
• See yourself as a branch connected to an inexhaustible trunk—God is source, you are conduit.
• When God asks, trust He’s positioning you for more—obedience opens supply and destiny.
• Stop evaluating possibilities by your ability—evaluate by God’s ability and plan.
• Celebrate and bless what you have, speak faith over “not enough,” and trust God for multiplication.
• Be plan-minded (Spirit-led), not money-minded; provision follows obedience, not calculation.

For Further Reflection

• Listen again: “Full faith never comes with one hearing.”
• Challenge: What is God asking you for that stretches your asking, thinking, and obedience?
• Remember: “Let’s not insult God through our asking.” (1:50:41)

End of Summary