Nothing To Prove

0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.880 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global, you 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.080 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:07.400 --> 0:00:11.440 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:11.480 --> 0:00:13.480 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:13.600 --> 0:00:18.439 education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.880 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:25.760 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:26.360 --> 0:00:29.840 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:32.159 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:32.720 his birthday. 0:00:33.080 --> 0:00:34.959 Wow, Thanks Grandpa, but. 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:37.159 He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 0:00:37.200 --> 0:00:41.760 with the units stap. Wow, thanks Grandpa. The unit stap 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:44.280 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:47.040 funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:00:47.159 --> 0:00:49.279 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:51.640 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:54.200 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:57.200 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.960 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at uns dots. 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:03.600 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:05.760 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much? 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:08.480 In taxes, Will I be able to retire? What if 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.080 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.399 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.480 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:24.120 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:26.080 This at a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:28.040 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:30.080 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment, legal 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:30.800 or tax advice. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.920 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:33.959 --> 0:01:36.720 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.840 --> 0:01:39.200 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:40.760 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:43.800 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:51.240 your line. God bless you. It's great to be with 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:54.120 you today, and I hope you'll stay connected with us 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:57.360 throughout the week. We have a daily podcast that you 0:01:57.400 --> 0:02:00.600 can download, You can go to our YouTube chain watch 0:02:00.640 --> 0:02:04.160 the messages anytime, and you can follow us on social media. 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:07.520 I promise you we'll keep you encouraged and inspired. But 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:10.000 thanks so much for tuning in. And thanks again for 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:13.080 coming out today. And I like to start with something funny. 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:16.160 And I heard about this middle aged woman. She had 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:19.640 a heart attack on the operating table. She asked God 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:22.320 if this was it. God said, no, you have forty 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:26.680 more years. Upon recovery, she decided to stay in the hospital, 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:31.280 have a facelift, Tommy Tuck, life of suction, and extreme makeover. 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:35.040 Two months later, as she was leaving the hospital, she 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:38.080 was hit by a car and killed. She got to Heaven, 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:40.919 said God, I don't understand it. I thought you said 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:44.160 I had forty more years. God said, I'm sorry. I 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:49.200 didn't recognize you no spiritual value. But let's say it ready. 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:52.760 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:55.560 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:58.200 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:02.320 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:05.680 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:10.760 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:14.679 to talk to you today about nothing to prove. Too 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:17.240 often we're trying to get our worth out of what 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:21.520 we do, how well we perform. Am I good enough? Mother? 0:03:22.040 --> 0:03:26.720 Am I talented? Enough, strong enough, successful enough. We think 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:31.720 if we work harder, outperform our coworker, outdress our friend, 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:36.000 outdrive our neighbor, then we'll feel good about ourselves. We 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:39.440 live in this proving mode, with this need to impress. 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:43.960 The problem is we're getting our value from the wrong place. 0:03:44.800 --> 0:03:47.960 If you don't know who you are, a child of 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.520 the Most High God, then you'll spend your energy trying 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:55.000 to get other people to validate you. But when you're 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:58.160 secure in who God made you to be, when you're 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:01.800 comfortable with your gifts, you're content with your looks, you're 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:05.520 happy with your personality, then you don't go around competing 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:09.480 with others, jealous of a friend that's more talented, living 0:04:09.520 --> 0:04:13.360 to impress that cousin that's more attractive. You know you're 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:16.880 one of a kind, a masterpiece made in the image 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:20.520 of God. When you know who you are, you won't 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:24.799 live in this proving mode trying to impress people, getting 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:28.400 your value out of what they think. Do they accept me, 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:32.520 do they compliment me? Do they approve me? If not, 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:35.440 let me work harder, Let me prove to them that 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:39.920 I'm good enough. Now you don't need their applause them 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:44.240 validating you is not going to move you towards your destiny. 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:47.680 Them cheering you on is nice, but if you're getting 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:50.599 your worth out of that, if they quit doing it, 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:54.520 then you'll feel devalued, not good enough. You'll have to 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:58.560 work harder, do more to impress them. It's a treadmill. 0:04:59.200 --> 0:05:01.960 You're doing all this this work but not going anywhere. 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:06.479 Take the pressure off. You have nothing to prove. Your 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:11.240 destiny is not contingent on them liking you. Their approval 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:15.160 is not keeping you from your purpose. It's a distraction. 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:20.839 You're spending time and energy trying to impress outperform, to 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:24.240 show them that you're good enough, when in fact you're 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:28.680 already good enough. You've already been approved. God created you 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:32.680 in his own image. Now run your race. They may 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:37.080 be more talented, celebrate them. You're not competing with them. 0:05:37.600 --> 0:05:40.320 You don't have to prove to them that you're talented too. 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:44.520 You have gifts that they don't have. Be confident in 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:47.360 who God made you to bee. I talked to a 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:51.320 man growing up. His father was very hard on him, 0:05:51.440 --> 0:05:54.240 very condescending, told him that he was never going to 0:05:54.279 --> 0:05:57.880 amount to anything. Now, this man is in his forties, 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:01.680 working night and day trying to prove to his father 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:04.880 that he was wrong, Prove to him that he's talented, 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:10.040 Prove that he's successful. His father still doesn't acknowledge his success, 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:13.839 he still doesn't compliment him. I told him what I'm 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:17.039 telling you. You don't have to convince him that you're 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:21.600 good enough. He doesn't control your destiny. That's a distraction. 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.280 You're trying to impress someone that's never going to be impressed. 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.080 No matter what you do, is not going to be 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:33.240 good enough. Your job is not to change people's mind. 0:06:33.640 --> 0:06:37.000 Your job is to run your race. Don't get your 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:42.000 value from people, get your value from God. Anytime we're 0:06:42.000 --> 0:06:47.440 trying to prove something, the root cause is insecurity. Your 0:06:47.560 --> 0:06:51.120 value should come from who you are, and not what 0:06:51.200 --> 0:06:54.880 you do, and not what you have. If not, there 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:58.160 will always be a voice saying you don't measure up. 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:03.400 You need to be stronger, skinnier, taller, wealthier, more talented, 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:07.800 a better mother. It's very freeing when you understand you 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:10.800 have nothing to approve. You don't have to prove to 0:07:10.880 --> 0:07:15.480 others that you're good enough. That neighbor that's a super mom. 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.440 She does everything for her children. After school, they do 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:24.240 arts and crafts, then Little League, then ballet, then singing lessons, 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:28.080 then pilot lessons, then algebra thiie. They do field trips 0:07:28.080 --> 0:07:31.800 on the weekends. She makes all of their clothes. On Fridays, 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:34.840 they learn Chinese. You don't have to keep up with 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:39.000 her to prove that you're a good mother too. She 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:42.920 may have been grace for that. She's walking in her anointing, 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.680 her calling her gifting. Feel sorry for her kids, But 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:51.120 you're not competing with her. If you go into approving mode, 0:07:51.600 --> 0:07:56.160 trying to outperform, feeling less than because you're not like her, 0:07:56.600 --> 0:07:58.840 all that's going to do is wear you out and 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:02.720 take your joy. You're trying to prove something that you 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:06.160 don't have to prove. You've entered a race that you're 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:10.600 not competing in. Walk in your anointing. You don't have 0:08:10.680 --> 0:08:13.520 to keep up with other people. If you're getting your 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:17.200 value on how you measure up to your peers. Am 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:20.360 I as talented as my coworker, Am I as successful 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:24.800 as my cousin? Then you'll live in approving mode, working harder, 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:29.200 trying to impress. That's a never ending cycle. Get off 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:33.040 that treadmill. You have nothing to prove you don't have 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:36.560 to be better than your neighbor, more talented than your friend, 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:40.400 skinnier than your cousin. That's not your race. You're not 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:44.440 competing with them. You're competing with yourself. Be the best 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:48.840 you that you can be. I've seen ladies that are 0:08:48.960 --> 0:08:54.080 naturally a size fourteen. You can meet someone that's naturally 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:59.760 a size six. It's not necessarily about discipline, diet, will power. 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.360 It's about genetics. It's about who God made you to be. 0:09:04.120 --> 0:09:07.040 If you're competing in a race you're not supposed to 0:09:07.040 --> 0:09:10.280 be in, you're going to live frustrated. You could not 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:13.120 eat for three years and still not be a SI six. 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:16.560 Why are you competing in a race that was never 0:09:16.640 --> 0:09:20.360 designed for you? What are you trying to prove that? 0:09:20.440 --> 0:09:24.600 If you get small enough, strong enough, successful enough, then 0:09:24.640 --> 0:09:27.600 you can feel good about yourself. Get out of that race. 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.880 You can feel good about who you are. Right now. 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:35.080 You are in a class all by yourself. When God 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:38.920 made you, he threw away the mold. He stepped back 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:43.080 and said that was good. Another masterpiece. He put his 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:47.640 DNA in you. Who said you don't look good, Who 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:50.680 said you're not talented enough, Who said you needed to 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:55.200 be taller, more creative, have a better personality. Don't believe 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:59.800 those lies. Quit comparing, quit competing, and run your race. 0:10:00.960 --> 0:10:05.160 When our children were small, most of my siblings homeschooled 0:10:05.240 --> 0:10:08.200 their children, and I asked my sister Lisa about it. 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:11.200 She said, when you send them off to school, that's 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:14.880 eight hours a day that they're being influenced by someone else. 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.880 I thought, that's eight hours that I get a break. 0:10:18.880 --> 0:10:22.839 But we felt this pressure to be like them. Sometimes 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:26.520 we do things with the wrong motives. I'm a homeschool 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:29.560 my children, so you won't look down on me. I'm 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:31.800 going to try to prove that I'm a good parent too. 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:35.440 You have to fall of your own heart. When you 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:39.959 compare with others, you'll start competing. The problem is you're 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:43.600 not running their race. The grace on their life is 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:45.960 going to be different than the grace on your life. 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.720 It's not a one size fits all. And if you 0:10:48.800 --> 0:10:51.280 think you have to do what they're doing or you're 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:53.959 going to look less than you have to prove that 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:57.400 you're just as strong, just as committed, just as talented, 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:01.720 then you're going to get distracted from your destiny. We 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:04.400 put our children in school and for the first four 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:07.640 or five years they did great. Eventually, when we started 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:11.120 traveling a lot, we did homeschool them. The point is, 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:15.520 run your race. You have nothing to prove. You don't 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:18.880 have to prove to God that you're worthy. He's already 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:21.760 made you worthy. You don't have to prove that you 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:25.360 deserve his goodness. He knew every mistake you would make, 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:30.560 every fault, every weakness, and he's already accepted and approved. 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:35.080 You quit trying to win over his approval. Thinking if 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:38.760 you read your Bible enough, pray enough, quote enough, scripture, 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:42.800 serve enough, give enough, rest in who he made you 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:47.720 to be. You're not supposed to live striving, pressured, hoping 0:11:47.760 --> 0:11:50.600 you can measure up, hoping you can do good enough. 0:11:51.040 --> 0:11:53.800 Maybe you can earn his blessings. You don't have to 0:11:53.840 --> 0:11:57.000 earn it. When he breathed life into you, he put 0:11:57.040 --> 0:12:01.280 his blessing on you. You're already qualified. Take the pressure 0:12:01.320 --> 0:12:05.160 off and walk in that blessing. We weren't created to 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:10.160 live in this proving mode, trying to impress others, outperform 0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:16.520 your coworker, not feeling good about yourself unless you're achieving, impressing, outperforming, 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:21.440 living to impress people will keep you from your destiny. 0:12:21.520 --> 0:12:24.600 That's time and energy that you need for your dreams, 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:28.600 for your goals. You may impress people, you may win 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:32.400 their approval. They compliment you, man, you look great today, 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:38.000 you sure are successful. Praise from people just feeds our ego. 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:42.000 We should live to impress God, He controls the universe. 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:45.840 Promotion is not going to come from that person you impress. 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:50.840 Proving to your friend that you're talented, you're successful may 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:54.240 make you feel good, but they don't open doors, they 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:58.400 don't part red seas, they don't line up favor divine connections. 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:03.040 Instead of impressing people, we should spend our time impressing God. 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:07.040 When you're secure in who God made you to be, 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:10.440 you don't feel less than because you can't do what 0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:14.520 somebody else does. God has given us different gifts. I 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:18.160 don't feel inferior because my brother is a medical doctor 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:21.600 and I don't have a college degree. I realize he 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:25.400 got the brains, but I got the looks. But my 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:29.520 security is not in how I perform, in what I do, 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:33.360 what I wear, what title is behind my name. My 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:36.320 security is in the fact that I'm a child of 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:40.240 Almighty God. Now I say this with humility. But I 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:47.079 realize I'm a masterpiece. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. I'm equipped, empowered, 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:51.280 approved and anointed. You have to get your value from 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:54.840 who you are and not what you do. Otherwise you 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:58.640 spend your whole life competing with others, trying to prove 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:01.880 your importance to convince him to be for you. Look 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:04.840 at the car I drive, Look at the business I built, 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.719 Look at my position. Look how great a shape I'm in. 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:12.200 That's all good, but it's superficial. If it changes, then 0:14:12.240 --> 0:14:15.760 your self worth will change. I was riding to a 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:19.200 friend's house from the gym. This was years ago. He 0:14:19.280 --> 0:14:22.400 invited us to come over after we played basketball. I 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:25.080 jumped in the car with him. He had this very 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:28.520 nice sports car, really beautiful. As we were driving to 0:14:28.600 --> 0:14:31.800 his house, I noticed we drove the long way. We 0:14:31.840 --> 0:14:34.160 could have saved a few miles, but he went all 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.720 the way around. I asked why he didn't go the 0:14:36.760 --> 0:14:40.480 easy way. He said, my ex girlfriend lives on this street. 0:14:40.880 --> 0:14:43.760 Now I always drive by to make sure she sees 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:47.520 what she's missed out on. They had been broken up 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:51.560 for almost ten years, but still every chance he gets. 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.080 He was going out of his way to prove what 0:14:54.200 --> 0:14:57.680 she was missing out, prove that he was successful, proved 0:14:57.720 --> 0:15:01.240 that he was happy without her. Funny is he found 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:04.200 out later that she had moved across town a couple 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:07.920 of years earlier. All that time he was driving by, 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:12.960 proving his point, she wasn't even there. I wonder how 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:16.160 many times we're trying to prove something and the person 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:20.120 is not even paying attention, trying to impress people that 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:24.560 don't care, competing with someone that doesn't even know we're competing. 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:27.640 And yes, it's good to have goals, good to have 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:31.320 people that challenge us, inspire us to go further. But 0:15:31.360 --> 0:15:34.080 we're not going to be blessed if our motives are 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.360 not pure. When we're trying to prove to people to 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:41.080 feed our ego, to pay them back, to show them 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:43.520 how great we are, or to make up for our 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:46.760 lack of self worth, that's a dead end street. Let 0:15:46.800 --> 0:15:50.120 God fight your battles, let him promote you, let him 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:54.160 vindicate you. His favor is not so we can prove 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:57.360 that we're talented, prove that we're as good as someone else. 0:15:57.640 --> 0:16:01.479 It's to fulfill our assignment. It's to it advance the kingdom. 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:05.320 Who are you trying to impress. Who are you competing with? 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:09.280 How much energy are you spending trying to feel good enough, 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:14.280 talented enough, smart enough, worthy enough. Try a different approach. 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:19.000 Come out from under that pressure, striving working. You have 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:23.280 nothing to prove. What people think about you doesn't determine 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:27.200 in your destiny. Accomplishing more is nice, but it's not 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:30.800 going to make you more valuable. Your income may increase, 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:34.320 but your value is not going to increase. Don't get 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:38.760 baited into being competitive trying to outperform thinking that's going 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:42.320 to give you more worth. Run your race. Stay focused 0:16:42.320 --> 0:16:45.480 on what you'll call to do. Don't live for people's applause, 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:50.360 Live for God's applause. Luke. Chapter three, Jesus was being 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:54.080 baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. When 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:56.640 he came up out of the water, a voice boomed 0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:59.680 out of the heaven saying, this is my beloved son, 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:03.240 in whom I am well pleased. A dove came down 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:07.960 and landed on Jesus, representing the Holy Spirit. What's interesting 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:11.560 is Jesus had not started his ministry. He had never 0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:15.359 healed anyone, never opened a blind eye, never turned water 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:19.400 into wine. Yet his father said, I am well pleased 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:23.560 with you. God was pleased with who he was and 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:27.320 not what he could do. His value didn't come from 0:17:27.400 --> 0:17:31.719 his performance. I could understand God's saying he was pleased 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:35.440 with him after he raised Lazarus, after he multiplied the 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:39.439 five loaves, after he cured the lepers. But God doesn't 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:42.560 base your value on what you do, on how well 0:17:42.640 --> 0:17:46.080 you perform, on how talented you are, how many people 0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:49.159 look up to you. It's based on the fact that 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:52.919 you're his child. He breathed life into you, he made 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:56.040 you in his own image. There's nothing you can do 0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:59.520 that will make you more valuable. No matter how good 0:17:59.600 --> 0:18:04.359 you no matter how successful, it doesn't change how God 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:07.600 sees you. Right now. We think, man, if I could 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:10.960 perform better, if I could be more disciplined, if I 0:18:10.960 --> 0:18:14.199 could become more successful, then God would smile down on me. 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.920 Then he would show me his favor. He's already smiling 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:21.520 on you. He's already crowned you with his favor. And 0:18:21.600 --> 0:18:24.119 sure you may have areas you need to improve in 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:28.320 we all do, but that doesn't change your value. When 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:32.359 God looks at you, he says, that's Charles, that's my son. 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:37.240 In whom I'm well pleased. That's Nancy, that's Maria, that's Ronda, 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:41.600 that's my daughter's in whom I am well pleased. When 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:45.199 you understand, if God is pleased with you, it doesn't 0:18:45.240 --> 0:18:48.840 really matter what other people think about you. They may 0:18:48.880 --> 0:18:51.800 not be for you. They may try to discredit you 0:18:52.119 --> 0:18:56.480 withhold their approval. Big deal. They didn't breathe life into you. 0:18:57.040 --> 0:18:59.240 They didn't know you before you were formed in your 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:03.600 mother's womb. They didn't call you, equip you, anoint you. 0:19:04.480 --> 0:19:06.639 Why are you trying to prove to people who you 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:10.160 are when God has already said he is well pleased 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:13.560 with you. Why are you spending time and energy trying 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:16.520 to impress that neighbor, Prove to that person that walked 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:19.639 away that you really are okay, proved to that coworker 0:19:19.760 --> 0:19:22.840 that you are talented. You don't have anything to prove. 0:19:23.480 --> 0:19:27.240 They don't control your destiny. They can't stop what God 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:31.000 has purpose for your life. Get your eyes off of people, 0:19:31.520 --> 0:19:34.320 off of your faults, off of how you think you 0:19:34.359 --> 0:19:38.000 don't measure up. You are approved, you are accepted, you 0:19:38.040 --> 0:19:44.080 are anointed. Now step into your destiny. After Jesus was baptized, 0:19:44.560 --> 0:19:47.879 after this great moment where God announced that he was 0:19:47.960 --> 0:19:50.720 pleased with him, the spirit came down like a dove. 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:55.920 The scripture says, the spirit led Jesus into the wilderness 0:19:55.960 --> 0:19:59.360 to be tempted. On one side of the Jordan River 0:19:59.480 --> 0:20:03.720 it was love, bush, green, fruits and vegetables, so fertile 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:08.520 and beautiful. On the other side it was barren, dry, nothing, 0:20:08.600 --> 0:20:13.320 growing hot, dusty. You would think, after this incredible moment, 0:20:13.960 --> 0:20:17.600 surely the spirit would take Jesus into the nice, comfortable, 0:20:17.880 --> 0:20:21.040 fertile land so he could start his ministry with ease. 0:20:21.440 --> 0:20:24.360 But it was just the opposite. He was led into 0:20:24.440 --> 0:20:27.800 the desert to be tempted. You can be in the 0:20:27.840 --> 0:20:32.760 desert by design. Sometimes God will lead you into the wilderness. 0:20:33.280 --> 0:20:36.159 The good news is God will not take you into 0:20:36.200 --> 0:20:38.719 something that he's not going to bring you out of. 0:20:39.600 --> 0:20:43.359 Stay faithful in the wilderness, pass the test, keep doing 0:20:43.400 --> 0:20:46.560 the right thing. One of the tests Jesus had to 0:20:46.600 --> 0:20:51.600 pass in the desert was not proving himself. After forty days, 0:20:51.760 --> 0:20:54.560 the enemy came to Jesus and said, if you are 0:20:54.600 --> 0:20:58.159 the son of God, turn these stones into bread. He 0:20:58.280 --> 0:21:01.720 was saying, Jesus proved to us who you are prove 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:04.320 that you're really the son of God. Prove that the 0:21:04.400 --> 0:21:07.920 voice we all heard was really true. Jesus wouldn't do it. 0:21:08.359 --> 0:21:12.080 He said, man doesn't live by bread alone. He was saying, 0:21:12.560 --> 0:21:15.280 I don't have anything to prove. I don't need you 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:18.800 to be for me. I don't need your validation. I'm 0:21:18.840 --> 0:21:21.280 not going to waste my time trying to convince you 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:25.240 who I am. The enemy took Jesus to a high 0:21:25.280 --> 0:21:29.240 place overlooking the temple. He said it again, if you 0:21:29.320 --> 0:21:32.680 are the son of God, jump off this ledge. Jesus said, 0:21:32.720 --> 0:21:35.520 in effect, why do I need to show you who 0:21:35.600 --> 0:21:39.119 I am when just forty days ago you heard my 0:21:39.240 --> 0:21:42.720 father announcing who I am. If I was his child 0:21:42.720 --> 0:21:45.640 in the water, then i'm his child in the desert. 0:21:46.000 --> 0:21:48.480 I don't need to impress you. I'm not going to 0:21:48.600 --> 0:21:51.719 show off hoping you'll be convinced who I am. I 0:21:51.760 --> 0:21:56.200 have a destiny to fulfill. Like Jesus, you have nothing 0:21:56.240 --> 0:22:00.720 to prove. Don't get distracted by the negative chatter people 0:22:00.760 --> 0:22:04.359 that discount you. Don't start competing with someone that's not 0:22:04.480 --> 0:22:08.439 in your race, trying to outperform or impress them so 0:22:08.560 --> 0:22:11.159 they'll be for you. You don't need them to be 0:22:11.280 --> 0:22:16.119 for you. The enemy wanted Jesus to show off so 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:19.239 everyone will see how powerful you are, so you can 0:22:19.320 --> 0:22:23.520 impress all these people. Jesus wouldn't use his power for 0:22:23.600 --> 0:22:27.480 the wrong motives, just to bring attention to himself, just 0:22:27.560 --> 0:22:31.040 to show how great he was before he was crucified. 0:22:31.080 --> 0:22:34.600 He said, I could have called ten thousand angels down 0:22:34.800 --> 0:22:38.159 to turn things around. But I'm not living to impress people. 0:22:38.560 --> 0:22:41.080 I'm not living to prove who I am. I know 0:22:41.119 --> 0:22:45.080 who I am. I'm living to fulfill my purpose. When 0:22:45.119 --> 0:22:48.360 your motives are right and you need favor, you need 0:22:48.359 --> 0:22:52.119 a breakthrough, God will step in and make things happen 0:22:52.359 --> 0:22:55.639 that you couldn't make happen. But if anyone could have 0:22:55.760 --> 0:22:59.560 proved something, it was Jesus. He has all power. He 0:22:59.560 --> 0:23:02.600 could have shut the enemy up. He could have created 0:23:02.840 --> 0:23:05.560 a state dinner in the desert. He could have flown 0:23:05.640 --> 0:23:09.600 down off that ledge like a fighter pilot. Everyone in amazement. 0:23:10.359 --> 0:23:14.760 He was showing us you don't need people's validation. You 0:23:14.840 --> 0:23:18.240 may have the power to prove something. You have the talent, 0:23:18.640 --> 0:23:21.640 the funds you could get, even you could show off, 0:23:21.880 --> 0:23:26.520 you could impress, but you realize it's a distraction, Like 0:23:26.560 --> 0:23:29.840 with Jesus, we're all going to face these tests. Are 0:23:29.840 --> 0:23:32.879 you going to get baited in? Start competing in things 0:23:32.920 --> 0:23:36.720 that don't matter, trying to prove your self worth, trying 0:23:36.720 --> 0:23:39.760 to impress people so they'll think good of you, Trying 0:23:39.760 --> 0:23:43.400 to prove your value when your heavenly father has already 0:23:43.440 --> 0:23:47.120 taken care of that. He's already said he's well pleased 0:23:47.119 --> 0:23:50.159 with you. If we would spend the same amount of 0:23:50.200 --> 0:23:54.080 time that we're normally trying to prove, trying to impress, 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:58.840 trying to feel better about ourselves, pursuing our goals, working 0:23:58.920 --> 0:24:02.639 on our assignment, focused on our purpose, how much further 0:24:02.800 --> 0:24:05.840 alone would we be? How much more of God's favor 0:24:05.920 --> 0:24:09.639 would we see? Takes pressure to live in approving mode. 0:24:10.200 --> 0:24:12.880 If you fall into that trap, the enemy won't leave 0:24:12.960 --> 0:24:17.280 you alone. You'll prove one thing. He'll come again. If 0:24:17.320 --> 0:24:19.800 you won't turn these stones into bread, then at least 0:24:19.840 --> 0:24:23.400 jump off the temple. At least prove that you're mighty. 0:24:23.440 --> 0:24:26.159 Three times he tried to get Jesus to prove who 0:24:26.240 --> 0:24:29.840 he was kept coming back again and again. You have 0:24:29.920 --> 0:24:32.600 to be determined. I am not going to give in 0:24:32.640 --> 0:24:37.520 to this temptation to prove to compete, to outperform, to 0:24:37.600 --> 0:24:41.240 show people that I'm strong enough, smart enough, talented enough. 0:24:41.400 --> 0:24:45.560 I have nothing to prove. Years ago, my father wanted 0:24:45.560 --> 0:24:48.600 to build a new sanctuary. We were in an auditorium 0:24:48.600 --> 0:24:51.800 that held a thousand people. The church was growing and 0:24:51.840 --> 0:24:55.119 we needed a larger place to meet. For several years, 0:24:55.119 --> 0:24:58.199 he had been making plans, saving the funds, but he 0:24:58.320 --> 0:25:01.399 just couldn't get it going. Four or five of his 0:25:01.560 --> 0:25:05.320 pastor friends, men that were much younger than him, were 0:25:05.320 --> 0:25:09.320 building these large sanctuaries. When my father would hear about it, 0:25:09.440 --> 0:25:12.399 he'd get all fired up and tried to make it happen. 0:25:12.920 --> 0:25:15.320 In the back of his mind, he thought, I can't 0:25:15.400 --> 0:25:18.639 let them out do me. I'm getting older. It looks 0:25:18.680 --> 0:25:22.960 like I'm falling behind. There was this underlying pressure to 0:25:23.040 --> 0:25:26.360 try to compete, to keep up, to prove that he 0:25:26.440 --> 0:25:30.080 was successful, prove that he wasn't too old. He was 0:25:30.200 --> 0:25:33.480 tempted to give into it, but he recognized that wasn't 0:25:33.480 --> 0:25:36.840 his race. He wasn't competing with them. He didn't have 0:25:36.920 --> 0:25:40.640 to keep up. He passed the test. Several years later, 0:25:41.040 --> 0:25:44.680 everything fell into place and he built a beautiful, new 0:25:44.760 --> 0:25:49.800 debt free sanctuary. It's important to keep the right motives. 0:25:50.200 --> 0:25:52.840 Why do you want to accomplish the dream? Why do 0:25:52.880 --> 0:25:55.640 you want the bigger house, Why do you want the promotion. 0:25:56.440 --> 0:26:00.560 If your motives are pure, to fulfill your destiny, to 0:26:00.640 --> 0:26:04.160 help more people, to accomplish your assignment, then God will 0:26:04.200 --> 0:26:07.680 bless it. But if it's to keep up with my neighbors, 0:26:08.119 --> 0:26:10.800 not look bad in front of my family, impress the 0:26:10.840 --> 0:26:14.520 people under me, it's going to be a struggle. God's 0:26:14.560 --> 0:26:17.560 favor is not to build our ego, It's to build 0:26:17.560 --> 0:26:21.560 the kingdom. When David went out to face Goliath, his 0:26:21.640 --> 0:26:24.720 brothers made fun of him. His father didn't think he 0:26:24.760 --> 0:26:27.720 had what it takes. King Saul thought he was too small. 0:26:28.320 --> 0:26:30.840 David had all these people that didn't believe in him, 0:26:31.400 --> 0:26:33.960 but he didn't go out to prove to them who 0:26:34.000 --> 0:26:37.399 he was, proved that he wasn't too small, proved that 0:26:37.480 --> 0:26:41.119 he was anointed. It wasn't about proving, it was about 0:26:41.160 --> 0:26:45.840 fulfilling his purpose. He saw Goliath as someone standing in 0:26:45.880 --> 0:26:49.640 the way of the Israelites, a giant defying the armies 0:26:49.720 --> 0:26:53.000 of the living God. If David had gone out just 0:26:53.040 --> 0:26:55.800 to prove to people, to show them who he was, 0:26:56.040 --> 0:26:59.439 to feed his ego, he wouldn't have seen God's favor. 0:27:00.119 --> 0:27:04.040 His motives were to advance the kingdom. He wasn't doing 0:27:04.040 --> 0:27:08.080 it for people's applause, for fame, notoriety. Hey, this is 0:27:08.080 --> 0:27:11.040 going to make me look good. It was about honoring God. 0:27:11.960 --> 0:27:14.719 When you have the right motives, God will take your 0:27:14.760 --> 0:27:18.160 slingshot and cause you to defeat a giant. He'll open 0:27:18.240 --> 0:27:21.119 doors you couldn't open. He'll cause you to look good, 0:27:21.400 --> 0:27:24.760 to be honored, to be admired. You weren't seeking that, 0:27:25.440 --> 0:27:29.680 trying to impress, trying to outperform. You were seeking the kingdom. 0:27:30.800 --> 0:27:35.040 My question today, how much pressure are you putting on yourself, 0:27:35.200 --> 0:27:39.080 trying to prove, trying to measure up, trying to get validation. 0:27:39.640 --> 0:27:42.120 This can be a new day. You can go out 0:27:42.160 --> 0:27:45.840 if you're much lighter. You have nothing to prove. You 0:27:45.880 --> 0:27:48.600 don't have to keep up with everyone. You're not in 0:27:48.600 --> 0:27:52.119 competition with others. You don't have to perform better for 0:27:52.200 --> 0:27:56.240 God to approve you. He's already said, you're my beloved son, 0:27:56.640 --> 0:28:00.720 my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased. Wasn't 0:28:00.720 --> 0:28:03.800 based on what you did or didn't do. It's based 0:28:03.840 --> 0:28:07.399 on who you are His child. You're not supposed to 0:28:07.440 --> 0:28:12.679 live striving, stress, competing. Get off that treadmill, Rest in 0:28:12.720 --> 0:28:15.960 who God made you to be, run your race, focus 0:28:16.000 --> 0:28:19.160 on your goals, and keep the right motives. If you'll 0:28:19.200 --> 0:28:23.120 do this, I believe and declare, you're gonna live freer. 0:28:23.600 --> 0:28:27.720 You're going to see God's favor in greater ways, accomplishing dreams, 0:28:27.960 --> 0:28:33.160 overcoming obstacles, becoming all you were created to be in Jesus' name, 0:28:33.400 --> 0:28:36.439 And if you receive it, can you say amen? Today? 0:28:37.400 --> 0:28:40.280 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:40.320 --> 0:28:42.880 the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:43.720 --> 0:28:48.840 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:28:48.840 --> 0:28:52.560 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:53.760 --> 0:28:56.160 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:56.200 --> 0:28:59.120 born again. We'd love to send you some free information. 0:28:59.520 --> 0:29:01.760 Just text number on the screen, or you can go 0:29:01.840 --> 0:29:04.400 to the website. I hope you'll get into a good 0:29:04.520 --> 0:29:08.360 Bible based church and keep God first place. Thanks so 0:29:08.440 --> 0:29:11.719 much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe 0:29:11.960 --> 0:29:14.680 so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 0:29:14.760 --> 0:29:16.920 encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:17.080 --> 0:29:19.320 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:19.320 --> 0:29:22.760 with those all around the world, Visit Joelosting dot com 0:29:22.880 --> 0:29:25.479 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:25.560 --> 0:29:26.080 us today. 0:29:26.360 --> 0:29:28.800 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:28.880 --> 0:29:31.680 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:29:31.760 --> 0:29:34.880 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:29:34.880 --> 0:29:35.720 see you next time. 0:29:37.920 --> 0:29:40.680 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:29:40.720 --> 0:29:45.200 for everyone. For example, Quand's as he drifts away to 0:29:45.280 --> 0:29:49.000 Nirvana after only the first chapter is different to Maya's 0:29:50.120 --> 0:29:53.280 when she discovered the narrator was in fact the Evil Twin, 0:29:53.880 --> 0:29:57.480 which is also different to Noah's awww anytime the cute 0:29:57.480 --> 0:30:00.880 cyberpunk is mentioned, even though in reality he'd be totally 0:30:00.880 --> 0:30:06.240 out of his league. From two two Amazon books, that 0:30:06.440 --> 0:30:07.600 reading feeling awaits. 0:30:08.800 --> 0:30:12.560 All inclusive vacations make life easy with endless eats, bottomless drinks, 0:30:12.560 --> 0:30:15.040 and never ending fun, so booking at all inclusive vacation 0:30:15.160 --> 0:30:18.400 should be easy too, write. That's where Apple Vacations comes in. 0:30:18.520 --> 0:30:20.800 Book your all inclusive get away with Apple Vacations and 0:30:20.800 --> 0:30:23.880 receive exclusive perks as select resorts. You'll find the best 0:30:23.920 --> 0:30:27.239 deals from Reu Hotels resorts in Mexico, the Caribbean, and 0:30:27.280 --> 0:30:31.160 Central America and enjoy a selection of exclusive NonStop vacation flights. 0:30:31.360 --> 0:30:34.040 Turn on Easymode at Apple vacations dot com or call 0:30:34.080 --> 0:30:35.960 your local travel advisor to get started. 0:30:38.160 --> 0:30:43.240 Nice Buns, soft, fluffy and ultralow netcarbs Discover hero Bread, 0:30:43.320 --> 0:30:47.360 the delicious ultralow net carbbread with incredible taste and texture. 0:30:47.720 --> 0:30:50.520 Hero Bread has zero grams of sugar and is under 0:30:50.520 --> 0:30:53.320 one hundred calories per serving, plus high in fiber and 0:30:53.440 --> 0:30:56.400 up to ten grams of protein per serving. Available on 0:30:56.440 --> 0:30:59.360 Amazon dot com, Walmart dot com, and Hero dot co. 0:31:00.280 --> 0:31:02.960 H e r O dot Co. Order from Hero dot 0:31:02.960 --> 0:31:05.840 co now and get ten percent off your purchase with 0:31:05.920 --> 0:31:07.520 promo code i h M ten