Podcast Summary: Disrupt The Cycle // Triggered (Part 7) // Will Heckenbach
Transformation Church – November 5, 2025
Host: Transformation Church (Pastor Chris & Pastor Errol)
Main Theme:
This episode, part 7 in the "Triggered" series, explores how everyday triggers—small or large—can send us into cycles of emotional and spiritual “crash outs.” Using the stories of Elijah and Jesus, Pastor Chris and Pastor Errol teach how to recognize, disrupt, and surrender these cycles to God instead of being trapped by them.
Episode Overview
- Focuses on the emotional and spiritual "crash out cycles" triggered by life events.
- Uses the biblical narrative of Elijah and the experience of Jesus to illustrate these cycles.
- Provides practical steps to disrupt destructive patterns through surrender to God.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Understanding the "Crash Out Cycle"
[01:26] – [12:05]
- The message begins with the biblical story of Elijah who, after witnessing God’s power (supernatural acts such as fire from heaven and super speed), suddenly falls into despair because of a threatening message from Jezebel.
- Quote: “God showed off through Elijah, but yet we come into this scene right here, seeing that Elijah is running away, he's retreating, he's alone, and he doesn't want to live anymore.” – Pastor Chris [03:33]
- The hosts introduce the Crash Out Cycle—a repeating pattern when we’re triggered:
- Spark: The initial trigger—could be a message, event, smell, or memory that hits an emotional nerve.
- Surge: The rush of emotions and anxiety that follows.
- Spiral: Escalating negative thoughts; analogy of a spinning amusement ride.
- Crash Out: Emotional isolation, withdrawal, and pulling back from God and people.
- Quote: “The first thing that happens in the crash out cycle is a spark. …It ignites a response, whether that be from fear.” – Pastor Chris [08:16]; [08:21]
Elijah and the Trigger
[12:05] – [15:15]
- Jezebel’s message is the spark for Elijah. In modern terms, it could be as small as “one text message, one post, one song lyric, one bad dream, one smell...” [06:51]
- Quote: “One message, can we make it real in today’s terms? One text message, one post that they saw on the Instagram feed … then we see Elijah completely crash out.” – Pastor Chris [06:51]
- Elijah’s surge is panic and flight; his spiral leads him to give up hope.
- God responds with practical care (rest and food) through an angel—sometimes the remedy is simple self-care.
Making It Personal: Identifying Our Sparks
[15:28] – [17:08]
- The hosts encourage listeners to identify their personal triggers.
- Quote: “It would be such a shame to get out of this whole series and not even evaluate the things that you're struggling with, the things that send you to that moment of wanting to give up.” – Pastor Errol [07:20]
- Personal story: Pastor Chris, a former drug addict, shares the importance of avoiding known triggers to prevent returning to destructive cycles.
Why the Enemy Wants You Trapped
[17:08] – [20:55]
- The cycle is not just happenstance; spiritually, the enemy wants believers stuck and ineffective.
- Quote: “The devil wants you in that crash out cycle…He wants you so discombobulated…trapped in this continuation of a cycle and you never deal with it.” – Pastor Errol [17:15]
- The enemy targets people who are a “threat” to his plans—just as Jezebel feared Elijah’s influence.
Missing Our Purpose When We Crash Out
[19:31] – [20:49]
- If we stay internally focused, we miss opportunities to reach others for God.
- Reminder that personal struggles, if unchecked, can limit God’s work through us.
Disrupting the Cycle: Jesus as Example
[20:49] – [29:13]
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Disrupting the cycle means drastically altering and destroying the enemy’s structure.
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Jesus is the ultimate example for breaking the cycle—when faced with his trial in Gethsemane, he feels anguish but doesn't crash out; he surrenders.
- Quote: “We are going to disrupt the cycle with surrender. If you write anything down, write that down.” – Pastor Errol [27:08]
Contrasting Elijah and Jesus:
- Elijah crashes out and needs God to come find him in the cave.
- Jesus, instead, proactively goes to God and surrenders.
- Visual Analogy: “The garden and the cave”—Elijah waits passively; Jesus seeks God actively.
- Quote: “Jesus did not wait, crash out and then God come and be like, ‘Yo, what are you doing?’ … He actually ran over here and retreated and said, ‘God, I need you.’” – Pastor Errol [28:23]
Pastor Chris’ Personal Crash Out Story
[30:20] – [34:32]
- At 18, after learning of a partner’s abortion, Chris cycles through surge, spiral, and crash out (retreating to drug use and isolation).
- Later, by surrendering to God, he experiences redemption, a new family, and purpose.
- Quote: “What would it have been if I would have turned to him and not turned to the bottle, not turn to the pipe?” – Pastor Chris [33:21]
- “Now I’m in this place where every time that spark comes up, it is met directly with surrender.” – Pastor Chris [33:42]
Practical Steps to Disrupt the Cycle with Surrender
[34:33] – [39:17]
- Recognize
- Name and acknowledge the trigger and cycle.
- Quote: “Until we get to a place where we acknowledge and recognize what is happening … we can’t surrender.” – Pastor Chris [35:23]
- Repent
- Sometimes this means turning from sin, but often it means acknowledging where we haven't trusted God.
- Receive
- Accept forgiveness, grace, and the new mercies God freely gives at any point of the cycle.
- Resist
- After surrender, resist the enemy’s attempts to drag you back.
- “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” is only possible after surrendering to God first (James 4:7).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the Spark’s Power: “All that happens is a little spark can take down an entire forest … Please do not discount that one thing in your life that is getting you to a place of in that spiral.” – Pastor Chris [15:28]
- On the Enemy’s Tactics: “You are a threat. The purpose and the call that sits on your life is a threat to what he is trying to do.” – Pastor Errol [18:09]
- On Surrender: “What we see in Jesus in his cycle…when that spark came, he actually ran over here and retreated and said, God, I need you.” – Pastor Errol [28:23]
- Visceral Moment: Pastor Chris recalls God whispering at his lowest, “Are you done yet? Are you tired? Cause I got something better for you.” [41:20]
Key Timestamps
- Elijah’s Story & the Crash Out Cycle Explained: [01:26] – [12:05]
- Identifying & Personalizing the Cycle: [15:28] – [17:08]
- Enemy’s Strategy: [17:08] – [20:55]
- Contrast: Elijah & Jesus’ Responses: [23:00] – [28:23]
- Pastor Chris’ Testimony: [30:20] – [34:32]
- Practical Surrender Steps: [35:23] – [39:17]
- God’s Whisper in the Cave: [41:20]
- Call to Salvation & Prayer: [43:12] – [45:53]
Final Thoughts & Call to Action
- God wants to meet us in our cycles not with condemnation, but with an invitation to freedom through surrender.
- The process doesn’t stop with the crash; it continues with surrender and acceptance of God’s love, leading to renewal.
- Quote: “The story doesn’t stop at the crash. It continues in surrender. No matter where you’re at. He will meet you where you are.” – Pastor Chris [43:21]
For Listeners:
- Identify your cycle, bring it to God, and disrupt it with surrender.
- If you’re ready, surrender your life to Jesus—and experience transformation and freedom.
Note: Timestamps reflect the beginning of content segments or direct quote moments in MM:SS format.