A Sound Mind

0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.200 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks so much for 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:06.800 listening to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:00:07.120 --> 0:00:11.160 We believe you're going to have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:16.200 and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:18.720 God bless you. It's great to be with you today, 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:21.360 and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the 0:00:21.400 --> 0:00:25.400 week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel on social media, 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:28.320 and you can come visit us in person. We'd love 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:30.560 to have you be a part of one of our services. 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:33.199 And I'd like to start with something funny. And I 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:35.640 heard about this lady. She had just gotten out of 0:00:35.720 --> 0:00:38.880 choir practice and she was so fired up she put 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:41.760 a hank if you love Jesus bumper sticker on her car. 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:45.040 Now at the intersection, she was digging in her purse 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:48.040 and didn't notice the light had changed. She said, I 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:50.479 was so excited to find out the God behind me 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:54.120 loved Jesus. He started hanking, So I rolled my window 0:00:54.120 --> 0:00:56.640 down way real big and said, I love Jesus too. 0:00:57.320 --> 0:00:59.320 She said, I found out a whole lot of people 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:04.560 love Jesus. Everyone started honking. One man even screamed Jesus Christ, 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:08.120 she said, after we shared all that love together, I 0:01:08.240 --> 0:01:10.240 was the only one that made it through the intersection. 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:14.160 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:01:14.560 --> 0:01:16.920 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:19.360 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:22.119 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:01:22.160 --> 0:01:26.160 of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 0:01:26.280 --> 0:01:30.640 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:01:31.080 --> 0:01:34.520 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:38.800 about a sound mind. There are so many opportunities to 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:43.480 live worried, afraid, wondering what's going to happen. You watch 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:48.120 the news and see all the violence, suffering division. Someone 0:01:48.160 --> 0:01:50.640 texted me last week and said, this is such a 0:01:50.680 --> 0:01:54.960 scary time to be alive. People are on edge thinking 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:58.240 what if the economy goes down? What if the medical 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:01.960 report doesn't improve? How can I accomplish my dreams. I 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:05.160 don't have the connections. It's easy to let our mind 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:09.880 be filled with negativity and doubt, fear. That's the enemy's 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:13.400 favorite area to work in. He knows if he can 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:17.600 control your thoughts, he can control your life. But Paul 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.080 said in second Timothy. God has not giving us a 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:24.920 spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:29.560 of a sound mind. A sound mind is a positive mind, 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:33.840 a hopeful mind. It's a mind that's at peace, a 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.040 mind that knows that God's in control, that he's ordering 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:41.480 your steps. A sound mind is not focused on the problems. 0:02:41.680 --> 0:02:44.799 It's focused on the promises. It's not looking at how 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:47.720 big the challenge is. It's looking at how big our 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:52.040 God is. A sound mind is not discouraged over the 0:02:52.120 --> 0:02:55.400 bad break. It's expecting God to open a new door. 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:59.200 It's not bitter over who walked away. It's knowing God 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:03.120 has someone better coming. That's the way God created us 0:03:03.120 --> 0:03:08.120 to live, positive, peaceful, trusting. But so many people go 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:10.840 around with the troubled mind. I don't see how this 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:14.600 problem is gonna work out. A worried mind. What if 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:18.200 my company has layoffs? Doubting mind, I'll never meet the 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:21.639 right person. A negative mind. I can't break this addiction. 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:24.880 I've had it for years. What kind of mind do 0:03:24.960 --> 0:03:28.000 you have? What are you thinking about all through the day. 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:31.560 Your life is going to follow your thoughts, and the 0:03:31.639 --> 0:03:35.240 scripture says, let this same mind be in you that 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:39.200 was in Christ Jesus. This is an amazing promise. You 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:42.800 can have the same mind, the same thinking patterns as 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:46.440 Jesus dead. He had all kinds of problems, but he 0:03:46.480 --> 0:03:49.760 didn't have a worried mind. He had people betray him, 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:53.880 he didn't have a bitter mind. He stood before Lazarus, 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.080 a man that had been dead in four days, and 0:03:56.240 --> 0:03:59.360 called him back to life. He didn't have a doubting mind. 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:03.520 He trusted that his father was in control. He believed 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:07.040 that he was called equipped and empowered. He had a 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:10.960 sound mind. He would have never fulfilled his destiny with 0:04:11.080 --> 0:04:15.320 the wrong thoughts playing all day long. Pay attention to 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.800 what's playing in your mind. The enemy would love for 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:21.800 us to go through life with a doubting mind, a 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:26.080 fearful mind, a worried mind. Don't fall into that trap. 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:30.360 You control the doorway to your mind. You can't stop 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:34.240 negative thoughts from coming, but you can decide whether or 0:04:34.279 --> 0:04:37.360 not you're going to dwell on them. God is not 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:39.880 going to do this for us. This is something we 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:43.560 all have to do. Take control of your thought life. 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:47.640 Be selective in what you're dwelling on. If the thought 0:04:47.760 --> 0:04:55.000 is negative, discouraging, bringing fear, doubt, confusion, dismiss it, don't 0:04:55.000 --> 0:04:58.039 give it the time of day. Replace that thought with 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:02.640 a positive thought. Replace with what God says about you. 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:06.000 You've seen your best days. It's all downhill from here. 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:09.120 No thanks, My latter days will be better than my 0:05:09.200 --> 0:05:12.039 former days. God, I thank you that you're taking me 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:16.080 from glory to glory. Then my path gets brighter and brighter. 0:05:17.040 --> 0:05:19.720 Or you're never going to accompass your dreams. You don't 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:23.880 have the funding, the connections, the experience. Father, Thank you 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.039 that you're opening doors that no person can shut. Thank 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:29.599 you that the right people are tracking me down. That 0:05:29.720 --> 0:05:33.440 good breaks are headed my way. This is our choice, 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:37.760 a doubting mind or a faith filled mind. Thoughts will 0:05:37.800 --> 0:05:41.080 whisper This sickness is permanent. Your health is going to 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:44.520 keep getting worse. You saw the medical report. If you 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:49.080 dwell on that, it's going to create fear, negativity, drain 0:05:49.160 --> 0:05:53.400 your energy, take your joy. Why don't you dismiss those thoughts. 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:57.120 You're in control of what you think about. Turn it 0:05:57.160 --> 0:06:00.520 around and dwell on what God says about you. Father, 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:04.039 you said that you're restoring health back into me. You 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:07.120 said the number of my days. You will fulfill that 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:10.760 with long life. You will satisfy me. That's how you 0:06:10.839 --> 0:06:14.520 have a sound mind by being selective in what you 0:06:14.600 --> 0:06:19.400 think about. The scripture says to take every thought captive 0:06:19.880 --> 0:06:23.440 that goes against what God says. Get a picture of that. 0:06:23.720 --> 0:06:30.240 A negative thought comes, fear, worry, doubt. You can't be passive, complacent. 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:34.640 You have to arrest that thought. It's an intruder. It 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:37.000 has no right to stay. You need to get your 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:40.160 handcuffs out, so to speak, lock it up and send 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:46.640 it away. Take it captive indicates force, aggressive, being on 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:50.000 the offensive. Could have said just don't think about it, 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:54.320 don't pay it any attention. But God was showing us 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:58.560 how important it is that we be proactive. That if 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:00.719 we're going to have a sound mind, and it's not 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:03.960 going to happen automatically, we're going to have to start 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:07.960 locking up some things. The apostle Paul said, give no 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:12.200 place to the enemy. Are there some intruders in your 0:07:12.240 --> 0:07:15.840 mind that you're allowing to stay? Are you giving place 0:07:15.920 --> 0:07:21.440 to negative, discouraging thoughts? Imagine that worry, that doubt, that fear, 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:25.160 sitting on your couch, feed up in the air, making 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:28.680 themselves at home. How would you feel if a burglar 0:07:28.800 --> 0:07:31.480 came into your house and started eating your food and 0:07:31.600 --> 0:07:35.080 sleeping in your bed, sitting on your back porch watching 0:07:35.120 --> 0:07:39.160 your television. He wouldn't be there five seconds before you 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:43.040 would say, excuse me, you are not welcome here. This 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.440 is my house. You have to leave right now. If 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:48.920 he didn't leave on his own, you'd call your wife. 0:07:49.040 --> 0:07:52.480 I mean, you call nine one one. That's how you 0:07:52.600 --> 0:07:57.560 need to see. These negative thoughts. They're intruders. They're trying 0:07:57.600 --> 0:08:02.240 to keep you from your destiny. Worry, fear, doubt, that's 0:08:02.280 --> 0:08:05.960 gonna limit your vision, cause you to give up on dreams, 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:10.200 live stressed out where you don't enjoy your life. It's 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:14.200 time to make some arrest, lock up some negative thoughts. 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.080 Get those intruders out of your mind. They're not gonna 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:20.480 go on their own. You have to force them out. 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:25.280 Refuse to dwell on them, Refuse to let the negative play. 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:28.679 It's interesting when God says we don't have a spirit 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:32.520 of fear. That word fear in the original language is 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:36.080 only used one time in the scripture. All the other 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:40.200 times it says fear. That word is talking about not 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:44.040 dreading something bad that's coming. It's referring to what we think, 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:48.560 not anticipating the negative. But when God said you don't 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:52.319 have a spirit of fear, that word for fear implies 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:58.240 being passive, complacent, not putting forth effort that's required, and 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:01.640 a sound mind in several verse since is translated a 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:07.160 disciplined mind, it refers to self control and self discipline. 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:10.439 God is saying, if you're gonna have this sound mind 0:09:10.520 --> 0:09:13.200 that I'm giving you, if you're gonna stay in peace, 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:18.239 full of faith, expecting my favor, then you can't be passive, 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:23.120 complacent and just think whatever comes into your mind. You 0:09:23.240 --> 0:09:27.040 have to be disciplined. You have to exercise self control. 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:32.000 God has already provided us a sound mind, a peaceful mind, 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:36.199 a believing mind. The question is are you going to 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:40.000 keep the intruders out and think about what He's promised? 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:43.760 Are you gonna lock up those destructive thoughts and not 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:48.320 give the enemy any place? Some people are allowing way 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:52.319 too much worry. Those worrisome thoughts have their own bedroom 0:09:52.480 --> 0:09:55.319 in your mind, so to speak. They eat dinner with 0:09:55.400 --> 0:09:58.400 you every night, they greet your first thing in the morning, 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:01.520 They ride to work with you, go on vacation with you. 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:05.960 Why don't you send them an eviction. Notice. I'm sorry, 0:10:06.120 --> 0:10:09.079 but your time here is up. I've let you stay 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:11.720 way too long. Now you're going to have to leave. 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:15.920 No more waking up with worry. Try a different approach 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:18.960 and wake up with hope. Wake up with faith, wake 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:22.560 up with gratitude. You get up in the morning instead 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.520 of letting those worry thoughts play. Father, thank you for 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:28.880 another beautiful day. Think you that I'm alive. Thank you 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:31.679 for my family, thank you for good Hell Lord, I'm 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:36.240 excited about this day. Worry can't stay in a house 0:10:36.320 --> 0:10:40.040 full of faith. Discouragement can't stay in a house full 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:44.199 of gratitude. Negativity can't stay in a house full of hope. 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:48.480 Maybe you've allowed doubt a place in your mind. It's 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:52.000 been there so long it's taking up residence. You don't 0:10:52.040 --> 0:10:55.480 think that you can accomplish your dreams. The obstacles are 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:59.840 too big. You're not talented enough. That doubt is causing 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:03.280 you to settle for mediocrity and quit believing for what 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:06.679 God put in your heart. It's time to serve doubt 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:11.560 and eviction. Notice. Start locking up those thoughts. Your mind 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:15.120 is the enemy's playground. He's gonna feed you all kinds 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:18.560 of defeat lack and can't do it. You've made too 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:23.200 many mistakes. You've missed your chance. Quit giving him a place. 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:27.199 Take control of your thought life. Program it with what 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:31.760 God says. I am blessed, I am talented, I am forgiven, 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:35.360 I have a bright future. When you think like that, 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:40.600 you're evicting doubt, fear, worry. You're giving a room for faith, 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:44.520 for hope, for victory. Make sure you have the right 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:48.280 tenants living in your mind. I don't know, Joel. I 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:51.480 never get any good breaks. I'm not good in math. 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:55.200 I'll never pass this course. I can't pay my house off. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:59.160 I'm so worried about my children. And I know those 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:03.240 are valid concerns, and I'm not making lighted them. But 0:12:03.320 --> 0:12:07.440 I also know that giving a place to fear, doubt 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:11.600 and worry doesn't do anything productive. It'll cause you to 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.719 get stuck and not see the great things God has 0:12:14.760 --> 0:12:17.520 in store for you. Now. I know people that are 0:12:17.559 --> 0:12:22.240 so disciplined when it comes to their career. They're productive, excellent, 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:25.920 and on time. I know people that are disciplined when 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:29.520 it comes to parenting. They're always there for their children, 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:33.360 making sure they have everything they need at their ballgames, 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:37.439 great supporters. I know people that are so disciplined when 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:40.800 it comes to their physical health. They eat right, exercise, 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.640 they are always at the gym. We can be so 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:47.720 disciplined in all these other areas, which is great, But 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.559 when it comes to our thought life, sometimes we're undisciplined. 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:57.240 We let any thought in. We end up living worried, insecure, troubled. 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.760 What if you had that same discipline in your thinking. 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:05.280 You're so responsible in your career, your parenting, your health. 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:10.000 Be responsible in your thought life. Quit giving space to 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:14.199 thoughts that are limiting you, causing you to live worried, afraid, 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:18.320 and intimidated. When my father passed and I stepped up 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:21.280 to pass to the church, I had never ministered before. 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:25.080 I'd spent those seventeen years behind the scenes, but deep 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.400 down I knew I was supposed to do it. But 0:13:27.559 --> 0:13:31.920 all these thoughts flooded my mind. You're not qualified, you 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:35.040 don't have the training. Nobody's going to listen to you, Joe, 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:38.880 You're not like your father, you don't have that big personality. 0:13:39.360 --> 0:13:42.040 The enemy is not going to let you move forward, 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:47.840 take new ground without opposition. His main battlefield is the mind. 0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:52.280 He'll whisper lies hoping that you'll take the bait and 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:55.560 start dwelling on them. I had to make a decision. 0:13:56.080 --> 0:13:58.720 Was I going to give those thoughts access to my mind? 0:13:59.400 --> 0:14:02.120 Was I going to keep dwelling on them, let them 0:14:02.120 --> 0:14:06.000 take up residence and limit my future? Or was I 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:08.520 going to lock them up? Was I going to see 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:11.280 them as an intruder and not give them the right 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:14.640 to stay? And I did what I'm asking us to do. 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:18.400 Instead of believing those lies, I said, no, thanks, You're 0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:23.080 not welcome here. You say I'm weak, unqualified, not enough. 0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:25.640 But I know who I am. I am strong in 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:30.200 the Lord. I can do all things through Christ. I'm equipped, empowered, 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:33.760 and anointed. I have royal blood flowing through my veins. 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:37.240 I've been crowned with fever. The Most High God is 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:41.360 breathing on my life. When you think like that, doubt 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:46.040 can't stay. Inferiority has to go, Fear has no place. 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:49.680 But had I allowed those lies, I wouldn't be up 0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:54.160 here today. Don't miss your destiny because you're giving place 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:57.960 to the wrong things. Our mind is like a house. 0:14:58.360 --> 0:15:02.000 It has all these different rooms in something is occupying 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:06.480 each room. Imagine there are four bedrooms. One has fear 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:10.040 living in it. It moved in during the pandemic. Another 0:15:10.120 --> 0:15:12.360 has guilt living in it. It's been there since you 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:16.880 made that mistake. So down on yourself. Another room, there's inferiority. 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:20.120 It's been there since you were a child, when people 0:15:20.160 --> 0:15:23.360 made you feel less than, told you how you weren't attractive. 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:28.160 You would never do anything significant. What would happen if 0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:31.960 you would start evicting those wrong tenants? How much higher 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:35.720 will you go if you'll evict the doubt, those thoughts 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:39.040 telling you that you'll never get well, never break the addiction, 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:43.600 never see your family restored. Those are lies. You have 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:47.360 to lock them up. They're intruders, they have no right 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:51.240 to stay. How much more will you accomplish if you'll 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:55.440 evict the unworthiness thinking you don't deserve to be blessed, 0:15:55.920 --> 0:16:00.080 You've made too many mistakes. What could you become if 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:04.680 you'll evict the not qualified thoughts, not talented enough. I 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:07.760 don't have what it takes. Get those thoughts out of 0:16:07.800 --> 0:16:12.720 your house. Your mind is valuable real estate. It's time 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:16.800 to send the eviction notice. I'm sorry, but you're done here. 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:20.840 I have some new tenants moving in immediately. It's faith 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:25.000 it's hope, it's victory. See here's the key. You will 0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:28.560 go no further than you think you can go. You 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:32.160 will be no more valuable. You will live no more secure, 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:35.920 no more confident than how valuable you think you are. 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:39.440 The truth is you are made in the image of 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:43.800 Almighty God. He calls you a masterpiece, one of a kind, 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:48.120 a prize possession. But if you let the wrong intruders 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:52.520 in your mind, if you let infuriority, not good enough, 0:16:52.880 --> 0:16:57.120 not attractive, if that occupies a room, you won't discover 0:16:57.400 --> 0:17:00.760 who you really are. When we belad to lie for 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:04.680 a long time, the scripture calls it a stronghold. It's 0:17:04.680 --> 0:17:08.239 a thinking pattern that's keeping us from our destiny. You 0:17:08.320 --> 0:17:11.680 have to pull down the stronghold. You have to evict 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:15.480 the intruder. And it's good to ask yourself, why do 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:18.919 I feel this, wife? Why do I feel like I'm inferior, 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:23.800 not up to par, not qualified. Maybe it's because the 0:17:23.960 --> 0:17:27.000 enemy told you what he told me. But you let 0:17:27.080 --> 0:17:30.960 the line take root. You gave the intruder permission to stay. 0:17:31.640 --> 0:17:34.359 Now he has a room in your house. The good 0:17:34.440 --> 0:17:38.560 news is you're the landlord. You get to decide who 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:43.600 stays inferiority or confidence, not good enough or a masterpiece, 0:17:44.000 --> 0:17:48.360 unqualified or well evil. Maybe you need to ask yourself, 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:51.280 why am I so worried? Why am I so afraid 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:54.600 and on edge thinking something bad is about to happen. 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.840 That's a room you've let the enemy occupy in your mind. 0:18:00.320 --> 0:18:03.840 With letting fear and worry in, it's not only taking 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:07.840 your peace, but you draw in what you constantly think about. 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:11.920 Faith works in the negative just as it does the positive. 0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:15.520 That negative frame of mind is going to draw in defeat, 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:21.200 bad breaks, disappointments. Why don't you evict that tenant God 0:18:21.280 --> 0:18:24.360 has you in the palm of his hand. Nothing can 0:18:24.400 --> 0:18:27.479 snatch you away. A thousand may fall at your side, 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.439 ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:33.600 come near you. You can say with David, the Lord 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:36.680 is my light in my salvation. I will not fear. 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:40.240 The Lord is the strength of my life. He's fighting 0:18:40.280 --> 0:18:44.239 your battles right now. His angels are surrounding you. He 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:47.800 holds victory in store for the upright. When you let 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:52.480 those thoughts occupy a room, you're going to be peaceful, calm, secure. 0:18:52.760 --> 0:18:56.960 You're gonna enjoy your life. Take inventory of what's occupying 0:18:57.040 --> 0:19:02.439 your house. Some of us have faith, hope, trust, that's good, 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:05.679 but we still have that one room of worry. Worry 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.800 doesn't want to leave. He's stubborn. We know God's on 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.679 the throne, but we're still a little on edge. What 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:15.160 if my business goes down? This medical report's not changing. 0:19:15.480 --> 0:19:18.320 I thought i'd have the promotion by now. Can I 0:19:18.400 --> 0:19:21.679 encourage you? God has never failed you in the past, 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:24.919 and he's not going to start now. All that worry 0:19:25.040 --> 0:19:28.960 is doing is causing you to be uptight, not sleep well, 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:33.040 run your immune system down. It's time to serve worry 0:19:33.160 --> 0:19:37.960 and eviction. Notice, let peace in, let faith in, and 0:19:38.000 --> 0:19:41.399 every time worry comes back, use that as a reminder 0:19:41.680 --> 0:19:45.159 to thank God that he's working on what you're concerned about. 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:49.240 You'll hear that knock on the door. Hey it's me again, worry? 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:52.919 What about that child? There's still of course, what are 0:19:52.920 --> 0:19:55.480 you going to do? Father? Thank you that as for 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.200 me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Thank 0:19:58.240 --> 0:20:03.000 you that my children will fulfilled their purposes. When worry knocks, 0:20:03.520 --> 0:20:07.160 enter back with faith. What if there's a recession, man, 0:20:07.440 --> 0:20:09.640 what if you don't get that contract? What if your 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:12.920 company downsizes, how are you gonna make it? Sorry, fear, 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:17.280 you're not welcome here. Father, Thank you that you're Jehovah Jihrah, 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:20.240 the Lord, my provider. Thank you that you're supplying all 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:23.240 of my needs, that I will lend and not borrow. 0:20:24.080 --> 0:20:29.160 See Philippians four says the peace of God, which passes understanding, 0:20:29.600 --> 0:20:33.800 will guard your heart and mind. In Christ Jesus, peace 0:20:33.840 --> 0:20:36.800 should be one of the rooms in our mind. When 0:20:36.800 --> 0:20:40.880 you have peace, it's guarding you, it's keeping you from fear, worry, 0:20:40.960 --> 0:20:44.840 and doubt. One time in the scripture, Peter was arrested 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:48.680 and put in prison for sharing his faith. King Agrippa 0:20:49.119 --> 0:20:52.760 had already killed James, one of the apostles. When he 0:20:52.800 --> 0:20:55.840 saw how that pleased the people, he had Peter arrested. 0:20:56.480 --> 0:20:59.560 He was in the deepest part of the dungeon, hands 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:02.679 and feet in change. The next day he was going 0:21:02.760 --> 0:21:05.880 to be brought to trial. Peter knew his life could 0:21:05.880 --> 0:21:09.000 be over in twenty four hours. He saw what they 0:21:09.000 --> 0:21:11.520 had done to James. Now he was next in line. 0:21:12.400 --> 0:21:16.040 You would think he would be so worried, panic pacing 0:21:16.080 --> 0:21:20.840 the floor, But Peter understood this principle. Fear came knocking 0:21:20.880 --> 0:21:23.280 at the door. He said, no, thanks, I'm going to 0:21:23.359 --> 0:21:26.040 stay in peace. I know God is still in control. 0:21:27.160 --> 0:21:29.760 God won't let you get in a problem that he 0:21:29.800 --> 0:21:33.359 can't bring you out of. The scripture says while Peter 0:21:33.560 --> 0:21:38.200 was sleeping, an angel came and woke him up. How 0:21:38.200 --> 0:21:41.120 could he be sleeping knowing the next day he could 0:21:41.200 --> 0:21:45.840 lose his life. That's peace that passes understanding. That's what 0:21:46.040 --> 0:21:49.720 happens when you take control of your thought life. You'll 0:21:49.760 --> 0:21:53.240 have peace in the midst of the storm. When you 0:21:53.320 --> 0:21:57.560 stay calm, when you could be worried, stressed out, can't sleep, 0:21:57.840 --> 0:22:01.320 you're showing God that you trust him. That's when they'll 0:22:01.359 --> 0:22:05.160 make things happen that you couldn't make happen. The angel 0:22:05.359 --> 0:22:08.240 opened up the prison doors, chains fell off his feet. 0:22:08.440 --> 0:22:11.600 Peter walked out a free man. But when you're in 0:22:11.640 --> 0:22:17.000 a difficult situation, your health, your finances, or relationship, you 0:22:17.040 --> 0:22:21.600 can be sure worry will come knocking at the door. Panic, fear. 0:22:21.800 --> 0:22:24.520 What are you going to do? This is bad. There's 0:22:24.560 --> 0:22:28.080 no way out if you let fear in, if you 0:22:28.160 --> 0:22:30.879 give place to the enemy. He'll tell you all the 0:22:30.960 --> 0:22:34.560 worst case scenarios that sickness is going to be fatal. 0:22:35.280 --> 0:22:38.600 That contrast you lost is going to sink you. You'll 0:22:38.640 --> 0:22:43.440 never recover from this breakup. In those challenging times, more 0:22:43.480 --> 0:22:46.439 than ever, you have to be disciplined in what you 0:22:46.560 --> 0:22:51.200 allow in. Don't let the negative play. Don't start envisioning 0:22:51.280 --> 0:22:54.960 everything that could go wrong. Don't spend four hours googling 0:22:55.000 --> 0:22:58.360 that sickness, finding all the bad reports. You don't need 0:22:58.400 --> 0:23:02.680 that negativity in you keep the door closed. You need 0:23:02.760 --> 0:23:06.040 your mind filled with faith, with hope. Father, Thank you 0:23:06.119 --> 0:23:08.800 that you're fighting this battle. That you be infor me 0:23:08.840 --> 0:23:11.159 is more than the world being against me. Thank you 0:23:11.200 --> 0:23:13.760 that what you have purpose for my life will come 0:23:13.800 --> 0:23:17.520 to pass. I talked to a young couple. They'd been 0:23:17.520 --> 0:23:20.159 trying to have a baby for many years, but she 0:23:20.240 --> 0:23:23.960 couldn't conceive. They had been to several doctors and everything 0:23:24.040 --> 0:23:27.359 seemed fine. The doctors were puzzled as to why she 0:23:27.400 --> 0:23:31.280 couldn't get pregnant. She was so discouraged, she said, Joel, 0:23:31.720 --> 0:23:35.399 my mother had a terrible time conceiving. My grandmother had 0:23:35.440 --> 0:23:38.119 the same problem, and from the time I was a 0:23:38.160 --> 0:23:41.399 little girl, I was always afraid that I wouldn't be 0:23:41.440 --> 0:23:45.240 able to have a child. Job said. The thing I 0:23:45.359 --> 0:23:49.560 feared came upon me. When we give fear a room 0:23:49.600 --> 0:23:54.520 in our mind, when we let those destructive thoughts become strongholds, 0:23:55.040 --> 0:23:59.480 what we're fearing can become a reality. That thought I'll 0:23:59.480 --> 0:24:03.480 never have a child was an intruder. That's the enemy 0:24:03.600 --> 0:24:08.879 doing what he does the best, trying to plant lies, doubts, fears, 0:24:09.119 --> 0:24:11.520 hoping that you'll give it a place in your mind. 0:24:12.560 --> 0:24:16.440 Victory is one or lost in our thinking. You may 0:24:16.480 --> 0:24:19.320 have negative things in your family line, but you have 0:24:19.400 --> 0:24:23.120 to say, father, thank you that I'm the exception. Thank 0:24:23.160 --> 0:24:26.040 you that this buriedness is not staying in my family, 0:24:26.640 --> 0:24:30.720 this addiction, this lack, this depression. Father, thank you that 0:24:30.800 --> 0:24:34.240 I'm a difference maker, that I'm a burrier breaker, that 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:39.320 you're doing a new thing, that I will live whole free, victorious. 0:24:40.240 --> 0:24:44.040 Clear out those negative rooms, get those intruders out of 0:24:44.080 --> 0:24:48.480 your mind. Put some new tenants in faith, hope, and victory. 0:24:49.080 --> 0:24:51.639 That's what I told this young woman. She had to 0:24:51.680 --> 0:24:54.919 get rid of that strongholding, quit going around thinking that 0:24:54.960 --> 0:24:58.920 she couldn't have a baby. Instead, she tried a different approach. 0:24:59.359 --> 0:25:02.840 She started dwelling on what God said about her father. 0:25:02.920 --> 0:25:05.800 You said the fruit of my womb is blessed. You 0:25:05.920 --> 0:25:08.760 said you'd make me the happy mother of children. You 0:25:08.880 --> 0:25:11.800 said that no good thing would you withhold, because I'll 0:25:11.840 --> 0:25:14.800 walk up rightly. So Lord, thank you that our baby 0:25:14.960 --> 0:25:19.240 is on the way. Just as fear can draw negative 0:25:19.280 --> 0:25:23.480 things in, faith can draw positive things in. About a 0:25:23.560 --> 0:25:26.399 year later, she walked into the lobby up there, holding 0:25:26.440 --> 0:25:30.120 this beautiful baby girl in her arms, beaming from ear 0:25:30.160 --> 0:25:35.600 to ear. Are there some intruders occupying your mind? Are 0:25:35.640 --> 0:25:39.760 there tenants you need to evict? Don't let a stronghold, 0:25:40.160 --> 0:25:43.640 a lie that's taken root keep you from your destiny. 0:25:43.680 --> 0:25:47.840 Pay attention to what you're giving room to. When negative 0:25:47.880 --> 0:25:51.800 thoughts come, don't be passive, be disciplined in what you 0:25:51.920 --> 0:25:55.439 think about. Start locking up those thoughts. You have a 0:25:55.560 --> 0:25:59.720 destiny to fulfill. There's a calling on your life, God 0:25:59.800 --> 0:26:03.440 has that's an assignment for you to accomplish. The enemy 0:26:03.480 --> 0:26:06.439 wouldn't be fighting you if he didn't know there is 0:26:06.560 --> 0:26:10.040 greatness in you. He's gonna do his best to get 0:26:10.040 --> 0:26:14.840 you worried, doubting, fearful, discourage. That may be the way 0:26:14.840 --> 0:26:18.000 it's been, but this is a new day. Some rooms 0:26:18.040 --> 0:26:21.840 are being cleaned out right now. In our mind. Strongholds 0:26:21.880 --> 0:26:26.560 are coming down. Wrong tenants are being evicted. I believe 0:26:26.640 --> 0:26:30.440 and declare you have a sound mind, like Peter. You're 0:26:30.480 --> 0:26:34.159 gonna sleep through the storms like this young woman. Things 0:26:34.160 --> 0:26:37.760 that have hindered your family line are being broken. You're 0:26:37.800 --> 0:26:42.800 about to see promises come to pass, healing favor, breakthroughs, 0:26:43.200 --> 0:26:47.640 the fullness of your destiny in Jesus's name, And if 0:26:47.680 --> 0:26:51.439 you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to 0:26:51.480 --> 0:26:54.199 give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of 0:26:54.240 --> 0:26:58.040 your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:26:58.680 --> 0:27:02.680 I repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I 0:27:02.880 --> 0:27:06.159 make you my Lord and savior. If you've prayed that 0:27:06.280 --> 0:27:09.680 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love 0:27:09.720 --> 0:27:12.160 to send you some free information on your new walk 0:27:12.200 --> 0:27:14.359 with the Lord. You can text the number on the 0:27:14.359 --> 0:27:17.240 screen or go to the website. But I hope you'll 0:27:17.240 --> 0:27:20.639 get into a good Bible based church and keep God 0:27:20.960 --> 0:27:28.399 first place. It's January. Time to renew my faith. It's January. 0:27:29.080 --> 0:27:33.359 It's time to start a new season. It's January. 0:27:33.680 --> 0:27:35.760 There is no better time than now to set the 0:27:35.760 --> 0:27:36.879 course of our year ahead. 0:27:37.920 --> 0:27:40.199 The beginning of the year is a great time to 0:27:40.240 --> 0:27:43.200 start afresh and a new to let go of negative 0:27:43.240 --> 0:27:45.439 things of the past and to get ready for the 0:27:45.480 --> 0:27:49.400 new things God has in store. Every January we create 0:27:49.480 --> 0:27:52.840 a new devotional calendar that will help you throughout the year. 0:27:53.400 --> 0:27:56.119 When you start the day off in faith, grateful for 0:27:56.200 --> 0:28:00.880 what God's done, making positive declarations over your future, you're 0:28:00.960 --> 0:28:04.440 setting the tone for a blessed day and a victorious year. 0:28:04.920 --> 0:28:07.600 This devotional will help you get your mind going in 0:28:07.640 --> 0:28:10.320 the right direction so you can go out each day 0:28:10.400 --> 0:28:13.520 in faith knowing that God is in control that His 0:28:13.640 --> 0:28:16.600 plans for you are for good. I'd love to send you. 0:28:16.560 --> 0:28:19.639 A copy as our way of saying thank you for 0:28:19.760 --> 0:28:22.480 your gift of any amount this first month of the year. 0:28:22.760 --> 0:28:24.640 We would like to send you a copy of our 0:28:24.720 --> 0:28:27.760 brand new twenty twenty four three hundred and sixty five 0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:31.399 day devotional Calendar. Do you want to set a faith 0:28:31.440 --> 0:28:33.920 course for your life in twenty twenty four? Do you 0:28:34.000 --> 0:28:36.400 want to see your life take off in new directions 0:28:36.400 --> 0:28:40.240 of influence, favor, and provision in the year ahead? Using 0:28:40.280 --> 0:28:45.200 this devotional calendar is as easy as one two three one. 0:28:45.600 --> 0:28:49.160 Wake up with an expectancy in your Heart. Two, reflect 0:28:49.200 --> 0:28:52.720 on the daily scripture, verse and devotional from Joel. Three 0:28:53.080 --> 0:28:56.560 Capture God's promises to you on journaling lines for writing 0:28:56.680 --> 0:29:00.280 and reflection. Be sure to request your copy of the 0:29:00.280 --> 0:29:04.160 twenty twenty four devotional calendar available this month by simply 0:29:04.280 --> 0:29:07.680 visiting us at Joelostein dot com or calling eight eight 0:29:07.760 --> 0:29:09.560 eight five six seven Joel