Feed Your Faith

0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:03.200 Thanks so much for being with us today. I know 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:07.000 God sees you taking this time to learn more about Him, 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:10.039 to grow, and to really become all that you've created 0:00:10.080 --> 0:00:13.040 to be. So know today that God is smiling down 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:16.520 on you. We love miss Death. God bless you. It's 0:00:16.560 --> 0:00:19.120 great to be with you today, and I hope you'll 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:22.440 stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:26.200 our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:28.400 us in person. We'd love to have you be a 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:31.040 part of one of our services. But I like to 0:00:31.040 --> 0:00:33.840 start with something funny, and I heard about this scientist. 0:00:34.400 --> 0:00:37.559 He said to God, we've decided we no longer need you. 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:41.720 We can clone people and transplant hearts and do all 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:45.960 kinds of things once considered miraculous. God said, fine, but 0:00:46.040 --> 0:00:48.440 to prove you don't need me, let's have a man 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:51.879 making contest. The only requirement is you have to make 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:55.240 man out of dirt. The scientist said great, and reached 0:00:55.240 --> 0:00:57.480 down to pick up a handful of dirt. God said, 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:01.880 not so fast. Go get your own dirt. Say it 0:01:01.960 --> 0:01:04.840 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.399 what it says, I am, I have what it says 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:10.920 I have, I can do what it says I can do. Today, 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.920 I will be taught the word of God. I'll boldly 0:01:14.000 --> 0:01:18.200 confess my mind is alert, my heart is recepted. I 0:01:18.280 --> 0:01:22.480 will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:26.520 I want to talk to you today about feed your faith. 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:30.520 You get to choose what grows in your life. What 0:01:30.680 --> 0:01:35.160 you're feeding is getting stronger. If you're feeding doubt, thinking 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.840 about what you can't do, and how the obstacles are 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:41.600 too big, and how you're at a disadvantage. Because you're 0:01:41.640 --> 0:01:45.039 feeding it, that doubt is getting bigger, just like you're 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:49.080 giving it vitamins and nutrients, helping it to grow. If 0:01:49.120 --> 0:01:52.360 you're feeding fear, what if I get laid off, What 0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:54.720 if I come down with that illness. I'm afraid for 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:58.960 my children. That fear is growing, you're helping it to 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:04.680 become a reality. Sometimes we're feeding insecurity. I'm not attractive, 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:08.280 I don't have a good personality, I'm not that talented. 0:02:08.680 --> 0:02:11.680 We wonder why we don't have much confidence and why 0:02:11.680 --> 0:02:15.960 we don't feel valuable. It's because we're feeding the wrong things. 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:20.079 You've heard the saying you are what you eat. It's 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:23.200 the same thing in your mind. If you feed fear, 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:27.880 you're going to live fearful. If you feed discouragement, nothing 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:31.240 goods in my future. I have so many problems. You're 0:02:31.280 --> 0:02:35.079 going to live discouraged if you feed the past. Look 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:39.000 what I've been through. They hurt me. I wasn't raised right. 0:02:39.880 --> 0:02:42.840 If you keep dwelling on what didn't work out, the 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:46.799 mistakes you've made, even though God has beauty for the ashes, 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:50.600 even though there are great things in your future, because 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.760 you're feeding the past, you won't see it. You live 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:58.440 bitter in regrets with no passion. Pay attention to what 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:03.960 you're feeding. We all have doubt, fear, insecurity, guilt, but 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:10.040 we also have faith, hope, confidence, value, victory. Don't feed 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:13.400 things you don't want to grow. You have to starve 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:17.720 your doubts and feed your faith. Starve the discouragement and 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:22.600 feed your hope. Starve the inferiority and feed your confidence. 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:26.360 You'll be amazed at what happens if you'll quit giving 0:03:26.400 --> 0:03:30.440 life to the negative and start feeding the positive. The 0:03:30.440 --> 0:03:33.960 scripture says the enemy goes around as a roaring lion. 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:39.040 He has this loud roar. These threats trying to intimidate 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:42.800 bring fear cause us to shrink back. But if you 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:46.960 take a lion, a big, strong, healthy animal has these 0:03:47.000 --> 0:03:51.040 incredible muscles, can run fast and chase down its prey, 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:55.520 jump and attack, has this powerful roar, this growl that 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.840 strikes fear. It's called the king of the jungle. He 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:02.080 rules wherever he goes. But if you were to quit 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:05.200 feeding that lion, you didn't give him any food for 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:08.080 a week, his growl is not going to be near 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:11.240 what it was in two weeks. He's not going to 0:04:11.320 --> 0:04:14.480 have the strength the energy to attack like he used to. 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:18.360 In a month. He's going to be so weak, so famished, 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:21.960 he can't get up off the ground. We couldn't defeat 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:24.599 a lion one on one when he's healthy. He's way 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.920 too big and strong and powerful. But if you quit 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:31.400 feeding him, it's a different story. He loses all of 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:37.159 his power, his strength, his control. In the same way fear, worry, 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:41.640 doubt can seem too powerful. We can't defeat it. It's 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:44.400 like it has the upper hand. But if you'll quit 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:48.039 feeding it, if you'll quit dwelling on it, quit giving 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:51.640 it attention, quit letting it play in your mind, little 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:55.240 by little, it'll get weaker and weaker. You'll get to 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:58.880 the point where it can't control you. Every time doubt 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:02.599 comes saying nothing good is in your future. This sickness 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:05.640 is going to be the end. Your child is never 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:09.040 going to get back on course. That's the roaring lion 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:13.640 trying to deceive, manipulate, and limit. Now you get to 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.119 make the choice. Am I going to feed this lion? 0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:19.520 When you dwell on it, It's like you're giving him food, 0:05:20.080 --> 0:05:24.320 making the doubt stronger, the fear, the discouragement. Do yourself 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:28.560 a favor. Start starving those things. They lose all their 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:32.520 power when you quit feeding them. Instead of feeding your fears, 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:36.640 take that same energy and feed your hope, feed your faith, 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:41.840 feed confidence, feed courage, feed value. I get up every 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:44.240 morning and say, Father, thank you that this is going 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:47.000 to be a great day. Thank you that your favor 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:50.200 surrounds me like a shield. Thank you that I'm anointed, 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:53.560 equipped and empowered, that you've armed me with strength for 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:57.839 every battle. That's not just being positive. That's feeding my faith, 0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:02.880 that's feeding my hope. What you're feeding is growing. I 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:06.960 found that fear can't stay where faith lives, Doubt can't 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:10.920 stay where hope lives, Defeat can't stay where victory lives. 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:14.840 You hear about all these different kinds of diets and 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:18.680 no carb diet. You can't eat any carbohydrates people that 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:22.360 struggle with diabetes, no sugar diet. There's a no red 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:26.119 meat diet, a gluten free diet. I have a friend 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:29.600 that eats no white flour and no dairy. We went 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:31.960 to lunch the other day and I ordered a hamburger 0:06:31.960 --> 0:06:34.520 and French fries, and he ordered a piece of tree bark. 0:06:35.960 --> 0:06:39.360 He can't eat anything. I felt bad about eating my food, 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:42.800 but he's so disciplined about it. I'm not a nutritionists, 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:45.400 I'm not a doctor, but I'm putting you on a 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:50.280 very strict diet. No more worry, no more doubt, no 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:57.880 more insecurity, offense, bitterness, self pity, shame, regrets. Your new 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:02.520 diet is restricted to faith. Food. Feed your faith, feed 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:08.359 your hope, feed peace, feed joy, feed positive expectations. Feed 0:07:08.400 --> 0:07:11.560 the promises God put in your heart, Feed the dreams 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:15.160 He's placed in your spirit. You're going to become what 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:24.760 you're feeding positive, hopeful, confidence, secure, valuable or negative, worried, doubtful, afraid, inferior. 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:28.160 I can be around a person twenty minutes and tell 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:32.240 what they've been feeding by what they're saying, their attitude, 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:36.600 how they respond to pressure, how they handle adversity, enjoy 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:40.120 just my luck seems like trouble follows me around. I 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:47.160 always have these disappointments. They're feeding discouragement. Another person, same circumstances. 0:07:47.480 --> 0:07:49.800 I know what was meant for harm. God's turning to 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:52.920 my advantage. I'm gonna come out better than I was before. 0:07:53.680 --> 0:07:57.880 They're feeding faith. I never get any good breaks. People 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:03.240 at work don't appreciate me, all overlooked. Another person, same situation. 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:06.680 Something good is going to happen to me. Blessings are 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:10.320 chasing me down. The favor of God is on my life. 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.720 I'll always be lonely. I don't think I'll ever meet 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:16.840 anyone and fall in love. This is just my lot 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:21.560 in life. They're feeding doubt. They are what they eat. 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:26.160 They think single, they think lonely, they think unattractive, and 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:30.720 they become that. Another person, same circumstance. The right person 0:08:30.800 --> 0:08:34.480 is headed my way, a divine connection, somebody better than 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:40.280 I've imagined. They're feeding faith. They become attractive, they become favored, 0:08:40.559 --> 0:08:43.839 they draw in the goodness of God. Or how about 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:48.360 this problem will never change? This sickness, this trouble at work, 0:08:48.679 --> 0:08:51.199 this wayward child. I'm always gonna have to deal with it. 0:08:51.640 --> 0:08:56.320 They're feeding the negative. They become more discouraged another person. 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.480 This trouble didn't come to stay, it came to pass. 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:03.560 I know it's only temporary. A breakthrough is coming. Things 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:07.400 are about to shift in my favor. They're feeding hope, 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:11.480 feeding expectancy. That's what causes God to go to work. 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:14.760 Years ago, there was a man that did work at 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:19.760 the other church, some maintenance and landscaping, some repairs, And 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:22.520 I was in the television department back then, and I 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:24.760 would see him from time to time during the week, 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:28.200 and he was very friendly, but he was so negative. 0:09:28.800 --> 0:09:31.600 Every time we would talk, he would tell me how 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:34.920 tough life was and how he was having problems at home, 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:38.400 a leak in the roof, a child causing him trouble. 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:40.320 He didn't know how he's going to be able to 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:44.280 pay his bills. He would constantly use the phrase is 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:49.200 so hard a dozen times in a short conversation. And 0:09:49.240 --> 0:09:52.360 I'm not saying that there were difficulties, but he was 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:56.480 making it so much worse, feeding the wrong things. There 0:09:56.600 --> 0:09:59.840 was faith in him, there was hope. There was victory, 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:04.160 but it never got fed. He starved his faith and 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:08.040 fed his fears. He starved his hope and fed his doubt. 0:10:08.880 --> 0:10:12.720 In his early fifties, he was diagnosed with a terminal disease, 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.480 and he lived a couple more years, and then he 0:10:15.559 --> 0:10:20.959 passed a very sad, discouraging life. I thought about how 0:10:21.040 --> 0:10:24.320 all those years he had told me how hard life was, 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:26.920 and how it was such a struggle. There was so 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:32.079 much disappointment. You become what you eat. If you're always 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:36.480 feeding doubt and discouragement. I'm afraid I'm gonna get sick. 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:40.280 This problem's never going to change. You were drawing in 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:43.880 all the defeat, the struggle, the heartache. You need to 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:47.480 get back on your diet. Quit eating junk food and 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:51.960 start eating faith food. When doubt comes saying you'll always struggle, 0:10:52.520 --> 0:10:56.080 You'll always have difficulties paying your bills, no funds for 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:59.320 your dreams, never get out of debt. Just say no, thanks, 0:10:59.480 --> 0:11:03.160 you're not on my diet. I only eat faith food. Father, 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:06.160 Thank you that you're supplying all of my needs. You 0:11:06.200 --> 0:11:09.040 said I would lend and not borrow, that my cup 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:12.360 would run over, that I live under the open windows 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:17.079 of heaven, blessings that I cannot contain. That's feeding your faith, 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:20.480 not your doubts. That's what allows God to go to work. 0:11:21.240 --> 0:11:24.120 When fear comes trying to get you to worry. What 0:11:24.240 --> 0:11:27.480 about your children? Are they safe in school? What about 0:11:27.480 --> 0:11:31.199 the crime. There's so much violence. What are you gonna do? 0:11:31.200 --> 0:11:34.440 Don't feed that fear. It's not on your diet. Switch 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:37.800 over into faith. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:41.600 not fear. No weapon formed against me will prosper. A 0:11:41.679 --> 0:11:44.640 thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:47.600 right hand, but it will not come near me. You 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:50.720 keep doing that, and fear is getting weaker and weaker, 0:11:51.080 --> 0:11:55.400 and your faith is getting stronger and stronger. You're becoming 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.360 what you eat. You'll have a peace and a trust 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:01.080 knowing that God has you the palm of his hand. 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:06.559 Or when thoughts whisper. You're not that valuable, You're not attractive. 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.680 Look at how beautiful your cousin is. Look at how 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:13.200 talented that coworker is. What happened to you? Just say 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:16.480 no thanks, that's not on my eating plan. I have 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:20.320 a very strict diet. I don't feed insecurity. I don't 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:24.080 feed inferiority. I don't feed shame and guilt, not up 0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:29.160 to par I feed confidence. I feed value. Father, you said, 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:33.640 I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You call me a masterpiece, 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.040 one of a kind. You've crowned me with favor. You 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:40.440 put royal blood flowing through my veins. I know I'm 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.559 not ordinary. I'm a child of the most High God. 0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:47.960 You go around thinking like that, and insecurity cannot stay. 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:52.319 You'll have a boldness, a confidence to put your shoulders back, 0:12:52.720 --> 0:12:55.319 to hold your head up high, knowing that you're a 0:12:55.400 --> 0:13:00.320 son a daughter of Almighty God. In the Scripture, a 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:03.680 young man named Gideon was hiding in a wine press, 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:07.520 afraid of the Midianites. Every time the people of Israel 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:11.040 would grow crops or have any kind of flocks and herds, 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:14.560 the Midianites would come and raid the city and take 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:18.199 whatever they wanted. They were much bigger and more powerful 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:22.040 than the Israelites. Well, Gideon was threshing wheat in this 0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:25.680 cave so he wouldn't be seen. An angel appeared and said, 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:29.200 mighty Hero, the Lord is with you. You are to 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:33.480 deliver the Israelites from this enemy. He said to the angel, 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:36.760 how can I deliver the people. I come from the 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:40.960 poorest family, and I'm the least one in my father's house. 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:46.680 You can tell what Gideon's been feeding insecurity, doubt, fear, 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.760 I'm not talented enough, I come from the wrong family. 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:54.560 We're at a disadvantage. God knew if Gideon was going 0:13:54.600 --> 0:13:57.080 to fulfill his purpose, he had to get him to 0:13:57.200 --> 0:14:01.200 change his diet. That's why the angel showed up and said, 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:05.040 mighty Hero. He could have just said, hey, Gideon, God 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.040 wants you to go do something, just called him by 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:11.240 his name. But when he said mighty hero, something came 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:15.360 alive in Gideon, a spark of faith. He thought, doesn't 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.400 he know I'm poor, that I come from the weakest family, 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:22.160 that I'm not leadership material. Why is he calling me 0:14:22.240 --> 0:14:27.000 a hero? As if am I missing something? He was intrigued. 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.000 Maybe he knows something about me that I don't know. 0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:33.920 After he told the angel these excuses of why he 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:37.160 couldn't do it, and how his family wasn't qualified and 0:14:37.240 --> 0:14:40.760 he wasn't influential enough, God could have said, find Gideon, 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:44.880 I'll go find someone else, someone more confident, more talented, 0:14:45.040 --> 0:14:48.880 more courageous. Oh, God said to him, Gideon, you will 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:53.000 destroy the Midianites, as if you were fighting against one man. 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:57.040 Gideon was at this critical point. Am I going to 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:01.240 keep feeding my doubt, my fear, my in security, or 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:03.560 am I going to get in on new diet? Am 0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:06.480 I going to believe I am who God says I am, 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.040 that I can do what God says I can do, 0:15:09.440 --> 0:15:14.000 That I'm not lacking, unqualified, not able, but I'm a 0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:18.560 mighty hero raised up to leave my mark. Gideon did 0:15:18.760 --> 0:15:22.040 what we all must do. He quit eating the junk food. 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:25.920 He changed what he was feeding. Instead of feeding fear, 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:31.000 he started feeding faith. Instead of feeding intimidation, he started 0:15:31.000 --> 0:15:36.160 feeding courage. Instead of feeding the weak, poor, defeated man 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:40.200 hiding in the wine press, he started feeding the mighty hero. 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:45.000 He changed his attitude from I can't do this to God, 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:47.640 I know you being for me is more than the 0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:50.560 world being against me. He went out with just three 0:15:50.640 --> 0:15:54.760 hundred men and defeated this army of thousands and thousands, 0:15:54.880 --> 0:16:00.280 a supernatural victory. He became what he was feeding. Be 0:16:00.600 --> 0:16:04.800 like Gideon, you're feeding the wrong things. You're dwelling on 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:08.120 what you can't do, how you've made too many mistakes, 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.760 and you come from a limited family or that giant, 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:15.480 the sickness, the addiction, the dream is too big. God 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:18.480 is saying to you what he said to Gideon. You're 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:22.400 a mighty hero. You are destined to do great things. 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:27.280 You are not limited by your background, your education, by 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:31.080 how big the opposition is. What limits us is our 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:37.120 wrong diet, our thinking. Stop feeding the limited average can't 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:40.160 do it you, and start feeding the mighty hero you. 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:43.760 I can do all things through Christ. I am strong 0:16:43.840 --> 0:16:48.200 in the Lord, equipped, empowered, and anointed. This is what 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.360 I had to do when my father went to be 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:53.240 with the Lord. I stepped up to pastor the church. 0:16:53.320 --> 0:16:57.760 But I was very insecure and nervous. I didn't feel qualified. 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:01.200 I didn't have the training. Every thought told me that 0:17:01.240 --> 0:17:04.040 I couldn't do it. Nobody's going to listen to you, Joel, 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:07.040 You're going to get up there and fail. The enemy 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:13.760 specializes in serving junk food, doubt, fear, inferiority, And for 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.080 years I had convinced myself that I couldn't minister. That's 0:17:17.119 --> 0:17:19.920 what I told my dad. I didn't have the right personality. 0:17:20.359 --> 0:17:22.760 I was too quiet. I wouldn't know what to say. 0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:26.919 I had fed those thoughts again and again and I 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:32.199 became what I was feeding, intimidated, insecure, no way. But 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:36.320 when my father died, something changed on the inside. There 0:17:36.400 --> 0:17:39.800 was this boldness, this faith. All of a sudden, I 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:43.280 believed I could do it. I had never felt that before. 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:46.120 It was like God showed up and said, Joel, you're 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:49.719 a mighty hero, this is your time to shine. I 0:17:49.720 --> 0:17:53.800 felt the faith, but the problem was the doubt didn't leave, 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:58.000 the fear didn't leave, the insecurity. I had to make 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.960 a decision. Am I going to keep feeding this fear, 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:05.119 this doubt, this intimidation, or am I going to change 0:18:05.119 --> 0:18:09.919 my diet and start feeding faith, feeding, hope, feeding courage. 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:13.440 I did what I'm asking you to do. When fear came, 0:18:13.480 --> 0:18:15.560 San jol, you're not going to know what to say. 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:18.320 You better not get up there. I said, no, thanks, 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:21.239 You're not on my diet. I am well able. The 0:18:21.280 --> 0:18:23.879 favor of God is on my life. I've been raised 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:26.880 up for such a time as this. But Joe, you're 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:30.119 not qualified. You've never been to cemetery, I mean seminary. 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:33.119 You don't have the degrees. Lord. I thank you that 0:18:33.200 --> 0:18:36.800 you qualified me. You chose me before I was born. 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:41.040 You've approved me you've anointed me, you put your hand 0:18:41.080 --> 0:18:44.560 of blessing on my life. I would not be up 0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:48.040 here today if I had not changed my diet. I've 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:51.200 learned to say, on a very strict eating plan, it's 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:57.600 easy to feed worried. Feed bitterness, feed hurts, betrayals, negative 0:18:57.640 --> 0:19:00.520 things people have said. You need to pay that back. 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:04.200 They're making you look bad. Don't feed that. That's junk food. 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:08.200 You can't feed faith and feed fear at the same time. 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:12.800 You can't feed hope when you're feeding bitterness. You can't 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:16.080 feed peace when you're trying to get even with that coworker. 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:20.480 You can't feed the mighty hero if you're feeding insecurity 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:25.880 comparing yourself to a friend. Life is short. You need 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:29.280 all your energy for the right things. Every time you 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:33.440 feed worry, that's energy you could be using to feed faith. 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:37.919 When you feed doubts, that's taking time away from the 0:19:38.000 --> 0:19:42.560 dreams you could be feeding. Bottom line, don't feed what 0:19:42.720 --> 0:19:46.200 you don't want to grow. If you'll start starving the doubt, 0:19:47.000 --> 0:19:49.040 not dwelling on how it's not going to work out, 0:19:49.560 --> 0:19:53.960 how you'll never get well, starving the insecurity, how you're 0:19:53.960 --> 0:19:57.960 not up to par. You're at a disadvantage, starving the fear. 0:19:58.640 --> 0:20:00.840 What if I get laid off? What if I never 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:05.720 meet someone? Use that same energy to feed faith, feed hope, 0:20:05.960 --> 0:20:10.160 feed victory. Maybe you're struggling with an illness, those negative 0:20:10.160 --> 0:20:13.199 thoughts will come. What if you don't get better? What 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:16.160 if this is more serious? What if it doesn't work out. 0:20:16.840 --> 0:20:19.359 If you feed that fear, it's going to pull you down, 0:20:19.920 --> 0:20:23.880 get your discouraged. It's harder to recover when you're worried 0:20:24.000 --> 0:20:28.080 and stressed. Try a different approach. Don't feed the fear, 0:20:28.600 --> 0:20:31.760 you don't want it bigger. Feed your faith. That's what 0:20:31.840 --> 0:20:35.160 you want to grow all through the day, in your thoughts. 0:20:35.520 --> 0:20:38.720 Under your breath, Father, thank you that you're restoring health 0:20:38.760 --> 0:20:43.360 back into me. Thank you that healing, wholeness, strength, energy, 0:20:43.600 --> 0:20:47.639 vitality is flowing through my body. That's building up your faith, 0:20:48.080 --> 0:20:52.199 building up your hope. In the scripture, several times it 0:20:52.320 --> 0:20:55.960 compares the life of a believer to an eagle. Isaiah 0:20:56.040 --> 0:21:00.280 said they will mount up with wings like the eagles 0:21:00.280 --> 0:21:03.200 are known for soaring and how they can rise above 0:21:03.240 --> 0:21:06.480 the storms. They're known for their keen sense of vision. 0:21:07.040 --> 0:21:09.520 They can spot a fish in the ocean from one 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:14.680 hundred yards away. They're a strong, majestic bird. It's been 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:18.199 said the strength of the eagle is found in its diet, 0:21:19.080 --> 0:21:22.879 and eagle feeds off of live foods. Their main source 0:21:22.920 --> 0:21:26.920 of food is fresh fish and other live animals. They 0:21:26.920 --> 0:21:30.000 don't feed off of dead things nearly as much as 0:21:30.040 --> 0:21:33.680 other animals. It's not a coincidence that God chose an 0:21:33.680 --> 0:21:37.560 eagle to compare us to, and eagle doesn't go around 0:21:37.600 --> 0:21:41.480 eating junk food. It couldn't soar and reach great heights 0:21:41.600 --> 0:21:44.480 if it was feeding on the wrong things. In the 0:21:44.520 --> 0:21:49.160 same way, our strength is found in our diet. We're 0:21:49.200 --> 0:21:55.000 not going to soar if we're eating dead things. Worry, bitterness, doubt, fear. 0:21:55.400 --> 0:21:59.119 That's junk food. That's going to limit your height, cloud 0:21:59.160 --> 0:22:02.639 your vision, stunt your growth. You need to feed on 0:22:02.840 --> 0:22:08.359 live food, faith, hope, favor victory. When you're in tough times, 0:22:08.359 --> 0:22:10.720 it's easy to go get some junk food. Why did 0:22:10.760 --> 0:22:14.720 this happen? God, where were you? I don't understand it. No, 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:18.000 get some faith food. Father, you said, many are the 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:21.080 afflictions of the righteous, but you've delivered me out of 0:22:21.119 --> 0:22:24.040 them all. Lord, I think I'm coming out better than 0:22:24.040 --> 0:22:27.280 I was before. Well, Joe, my child got off course. 0:22:27.560 --> 0:22:30.080 I don't think he'll ever get back on track. That's 0:22:30.119 --> 0:22:33.960 feeding discouragement. That dead food is going to drag you down. 0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:37.439 Feed on live food. Father, Thank you that as for 0:22:37.520 --> 0:22:40.199 me and my house, we will serve the Lord. That 0:22:40.359 --> 0:22:44.920 my children are marked set apart, called anointed, that they 0:22:44.960 --> 0:22:48.560 are mighty in the land, that they will fulfill their destinies. 0:22:49.240 --> 0:22:51.720 Or your dream may seem too big. You don't have 0:22:51.760 --> 0:22:55.720 the connections, no doors have opened. It's tempting to eat 0:22:55.760 --> 0:22:59.040 dead food. It's never going to happen. Was it meant 0:22:59.080 --> 0:23:02.240 to be? Have What it takes that's going to talk 0:23:02.280 --> 0:23:05.480 you out of it. Eating dead food is causing the 0:23:05.520 --> 0:23:10.000 wrong things to grow, doubt, discouragement. You can't do it. 0:23:10.800 --> 0:23:14.600 Change your diet. You're not a chicken pecking around on 0:23:14.640 --> 0:23:17.239 the ground at anything they can find. You're not a 0:23:17.320 --> 0:23:22.480 crow eating roadkill, leftover stinky stell. That junk's going to 0:23:22.560 --> 0:23:26.119 poison your spirit. You're an eagle. You were made for 0:23:26.240 --> 0:23:29.880 live food. The healthiest food you can find is what 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:34.240 God says about you. Father. My dream looks impossible, but 0:23:34.359 --> 0:23:37.119 I know you can do the impossible. That you're making 0:23:37.160 --> 0:23:40.439 ways where I don't see away at your favors, causing 0:23:40.480 --> 0:23:42.919 me to stand out that what you have promised me 0:23:43.200 --> 0:23:47.720 will come to pass. That's feeding faith, feeding hope. That's 0:23:47.720 --> 0:23:50.639 what's going to cause you to soar in gold places 0:23:50.760 --> 0:23:54.560 that you've never dreamed. This is where the Israelites missed it. 0:23:55.119 --> 0:23:57.760 God brought them out of slavery, and they saw the 0:23:57.840 --> 0:24:01.720 Red Sea part and Fadros are me drowned water come 0:24:01.760 --> 0:24:06.560 out of a rock. God supernaturally delivered them and sustained them. 0:24:06.840 --> 0:24:10.160 They were headed toward the promised land. When Moses sent 0:24:10.200 --> 0:24:14.240 twelve men to spy out, ten came back and said, Moses, 0:24:14.680 --> 0:24:17.760 we don't have a chance. There are giants in the land. 0:24:18.280 --> 0:24:22.760 The people are huge. We felt like grasshoppers compared to them. 0:24:23.280 --> 0:24:25.760 After all God had done, you would think they would 0:24:25.800 --> 0:24:29.600 be confident, believe that they could take the land. But 0:24:29.720 --> 0:24:32.439 instead of feeding their faith, they made the mistake of 0:24:32.480 --> 0:24:36.600 feeding their fears. That negative report got back to the camp, 0:24:36.640 --> 0:24:41.720 and before long all two million people were discouraged, afraid, 0:24:41.880 --> 0:24:44.840 say Moses, let's go back to Egypt. Let's just go 0:24:44.920 --> 0:24:49.119 back to being slaves. That's how powerful what we're feeding is. 0:24:49.800 --> 0:24:52.600 If you feed the wrong things, it will keep you 0:24:52.840 --> 0:24:56.119 out of your promised land. There were two other spies, 0:24:56.400 --> 0:25:00.239 Joshua and Caleb. They said, we are well able, let 0:25:00.320 --> 0:25:03.440 us go in at once and take the land. They 0:25:03.520 --> 0:25:07.359 fed their faith, not their fears. They were the only 0:25:07.440 --> 0:25:10.240 two out of all those people that ever went into 0:25:10.280 --> 0:25:14.159 the Promised Land. Are you feeding the grasshopper or are 0:25:14.200 --> 0:25:18.040 you feeding the mighty Hero? They're both in you. You 0:25:18.200 --> 0:25:20.879 determine which one is going to show up by what 0:25:20.920 --> 0:25:24.960 you're feeding, what you're dwelling on, what's playing in your mind. 0:25:25.320 --> 0:25:28.760 Is it faith like Joshua and Caleb, knowing that you 0:25:28.800 --> 0:25:31.560 are well able, knowing that God being for you is 0:25:31.600 --> 0:25:35.080 more than what's against you. Or are you feeding the grasshopper. 0:25:35.600 --> 0:25:38.600 We can't get the compact center, and that other company's 0:25:38.640 --> 0:25:42.320 too big. I can't beat this cancer, Joel. The doctor said, 0:25:42.320 --> 0:25:45.280 it's permanent. I'll never get out of debt. Everybody in 0:25:45.359 --> 0:25:49.159 my family struggles. Do yourself a favor, change your diet, 0:25:50.000 --> 0:25:53.639 quit feeding the grasshopper, the doubt, the worry, the fear, 0:25:54.040 --> 0:25:57.920 and start feeding your faith. Friends, you have an assignment. 0:25:58.240 --> 0:26:01.680 There's a calling on your life. Something God has destined 0:26:01.720 --> 0:26:04.520 you to accomplish. He didn't put you here to just 0:26:04.600 --> 0:26:08.800 take up space, hopefully make it through. He created you 0:26:09.000 --> 0:26:11.919 to leave your mark, to set a new standard for 0:26:12.000 --> 0:26:15.840 your family. He's put greatness in you. There's a mighty 0:26:15.960 --> 0:26:20.640 hero waiting to emerge. Here's the key. The enemy would 0:26:20.680 --> 0:26:26.680 love to deceive us in defeating the grasshopper. Living weak, intimidated, 0:26:26.920 --> 0:26:30.240 thinking you can't do it. No more, eating junk food. 0:26:31.000 --> 0:26:34.199 You can't soar like the eagles if you're eating dead things. 0:26:34.560 --> 0:26:38.600 Stay on this new diet. Faith food, feed your hope, 0:26:38.840 --> 0:26:42.560 feed your confidence, feed the promises God put in your heart. 0:26:43.160 --> 0:26:46.679 If you'll do this, I believe and declare forces that 0:26:46.720 --> 0:26:50.760 have held you back are being broken right now. Like Gideon, 0:26:50.880 --> 0:26:54.080 the mighty hero is about to come out. Like Joshua 0:26:54.119 --> 0:26:57.280 and Caleb. You're going to go into your promised land 0:26:57.640 --> 0:27:01.680 and become all that you were created to be in Jesus' name. 0:27:02.240 --> 0:27:06.600 And if you receive it, can you say amen? I'd 0:27:06.640 --> 0:27:09.320 like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:27:09.359 --> 0:27:13.520 lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:27:14.080 --> 0:27:17.800 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:27:18.000 --> 0:27:21.199 make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 0:27:21.320 --> 0:27:24.639 simple prayer. We believe you got born again. We'd love 0:27:24.720 --> 0:27:27.200 to send you some free information on your new walk 0:27:27.240 --> 0:27:29.560 with the Lord. You can text the number on the 0:27:29.600 --> 0:27:32.200 screen or go to the website. But I hope you'll 0:27:32.200 --> 0:27:35.480 get into a good Bible based church and keep God 0:27:35.800 --> 0:27:36.480 first place. 0:27:37.960 --> 0:27:41.080 When God created the world, he did it specifically with 0:27:41.200 --> 0:27:45.679 you and mind. He used his words. He spoke everything 0:27:45.720 --> 0:27:55.399 into existence, light, oceans and dry land, plans, sun and stars, animals, 0:27:56.640 --> 0:28:01.240 man and woman. Your words have that sin creative power. 0:28:02.400 --> 0:28:03.879 If you want to know what you're going to be 0:28:04.080 --> 0:28:06.919 like five years from now, listen to what you're saying 0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:11.280 about yourself. You are prophesying your future, and too often 0:28:11.359 --> 0:28:15.520 we don't realize we're defeating ourselves with our words. I'll 0:28:15.520 --> 0:28:19.959 never get healthy, I'm not attractive, this dreams impossible. Instead 0:28:20.000 --> 0:28:23.240 of limiting your future, why don't you start blessing your future. 0:28:23.720 --> 0:28:26.359 If you'll change your words, you can change your world. 0:28:27.000 --> 0:28:29.919 I have a new book called Speak the Blessing. It 0:28:30.000 --> 0:28:33.000 want to help you to speak positive, faith filled words. 0:28:33.480 --> 0:28:35.920 There are declarations in it that you can make over 0:28:35.960 --> 0:28:40.120 your family, your health, your finances, and your future when 0:28:40.160 --> 0:28:43.200 you get your words aligned with what God says you'll 0:28:43.200 --> 0:28:45.200 see His favor in greater ways. 0:28:45.760 --> 0:28:48.160 As our thank you for your gift of any amount 0:28:48.280 --> 0:28:50.760 to the ministry this month, we want to send you 0:28:51.000 --> 0:28:54.280 Speak the Blessing. Send your words in the direction you 0:28:54.320 --> 0:28:57.360 want your life to go. You can begin to enjoy 0:28:57.400 --> 0:29:02.760 a life filled with freedom, joy, health, success, and creativity 0:29:03.040 --> 0:29:07.800 as you discover the authority and power of speaking God's word. Yes, 0:29:08.120 --> 0:29:12.480 Speak the Blessing will unlock life changing possibilities that are unlimited. 0:29:13.080 --> 0:29:16.320 When you declare what God says about you. I'm strong, 0:29:16.560 --> 0:29:20.160 I'm healthy, I'm favored. You are blessing your life. I 0:29:20.200 --> 0:29:23.640 hope you'll request your copy today. Remember you can watch 0:29:23.680 --> 0:29:28.360 the services live online every Sunday, download our daily podcast, 0:29:28.720 --> 0:29:32.040 watch on YouTube, listen on serious exam. We'll keep you 0:29:32.160 --> 0:29:33.520 encouraged and inspired. 0:29:33.840 --> 0:29:37.080 Be sure to request your copy of Speak the Blessing today. 0:29:37.480 --> 0:29:41.440 Visit Joelosen dot com or call eighty eight five six 0:29:41.560 --> 0:29:42.440 seven Joel. 0:29:43.640 --> 0:29:47.520 Our homecoming weekend is this Saturday and Sunday. Some of 0:29:47.560 --> 0:29:50.680 you have never been to Lakewood. This is a perfect time. 0:29:50.760 --> 0:29:53.040 We'd love to meet you. We'd be honored to have 0:29:53.160 --> 0:29:54.360 you and your family