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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you

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Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and

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Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray

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Speaker 1: for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless

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Speaker 1: you always a joy to come into your homes. We

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Speaker 1: love you and we know God has great things in store.

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Speaker 1: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come

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Speaker 1: out and be a part of one of our services.

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Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. I promise you'll We'll make

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Speaker 1: you feel right at home. But thanks so much for

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Speaker 1: tuning in today. I'd like to get started each week

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Speaker 1: with something kind of funny. And I heard about this

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Speaker 1: groom at the wedding rehearsal. He said to the minister,

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Speaker 1: I'll make a deal with you. If you'll change my

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Speaker 1: wedding vows and leave out all that love, honor and

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Speaker 1: obey stuff, I'll give you one hundred dollars. He pressed

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Speaker 1: one hundred dollar bill into the minister's hand and walked

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Speaker 1: away quietly with a big smile. The next day, during

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Speaker 1: the ceremony, the minister said, do you promise to bow

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Speaker 1: down before your wife, take her breakfast in bed every day,

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Speaker 1: fulfill her every desire. He gulped in astonishment, said, in

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Speaker 1: a weak voice, I do. Then he leaned forward and

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Speaker 1: said I thought we had a deal. The minister handed

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Speaker 1: him the money back and said, your wife made me

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Speaker 1: a much better offer. All right, hold up your bible.

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Speaker 1: Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible.

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Speaker 1: I am what it says I am. I have what

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Speaker 1: it says I have. I can do what it says

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Speaker 1: I can do. Today I will be taught the word

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Speaker 1: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my

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Speaker 1: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name,

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Speaker 1: God bless you. I want to talk to you today

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Speaker 1: about living without crutches. A crutch is something or someone

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Speaker 1: we rely on too much. It's supposed to be temporary,

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Speaker 1: just there till we heal up, or until we're able

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Speaker 1: to do it on our own. It's not supposed to

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Speaker 1: be permanent. One of the hardest things for us to

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Speaker 1: except is everyone was not meant to be in our

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Speaker 1: lives forever. Some people are, of course, our husband, our wife,

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Speaker 1: our children. But then there are other people that God

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Speaker 1: brings across our path for a season. They weren't meant

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Speaker 1: to always be there. Maybe for a season, there's somebody

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Speaker 1: there to help mentor you, to help you grow, or

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Speaker 1: to help you raise your children, to help you make

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Speaker 1: it through a difficult time. But too often we think

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Speaker 1: this is the way it's always going to be. They're

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Speaker 1: not going to leave. I couldn't make it without them.

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Speaker 1: What happens is we become too dependent on them. If

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Speaker 1: God didn't move them away, instead of helping us, they

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Speaker 1: would end up actually hindering us. They were good for

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Speaker 1: a time, but now they're limiting our growth. We have

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Speaker 1: to be big enough to recognize when somebody's part in

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Speaker 1: our story is over, does it mean they're not a

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Speaker 1: good person? Does it mean we still can't be friends,

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Speaker 1: love and respect them? But we have to accept the

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Speaker 1: fact that things are changing. This is a new season,

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Speaker 1: and if we're going to go forward, we've got to

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Speaker 1: be willing to let that go. And this is very

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Speaker 1: difficult for most people because we don't like change. We

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Speaker 1: don't like the uncertainty that comes from things being shaken up.

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Speaker 1: But if we could just see change in the right

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Speaker 1: way and realize when God closes a door, it's because

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Speaker 1: he has something better in store. And when a person

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Speaker 1: has served their purpose in your life, if you don't

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Speaker 1: freely let them go, it's going to keep you from

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Speaker 1: the new things God wants to do. I hear people say, well,

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Speaker 1: I couldn't make it without this person that trains me

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Speaker 1: at work, I couldn't make it without this friend that

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Speaker 1: calls me every week and encourages me. Or I don't

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Speaker 1: know what I do without this neighbor that drives me

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Speaker 1: around everywhere. And that's great. Those are divine connections. But

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Speaker 1: what I'm saying is, don't be surprised if that doesn't

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Speaker 1: last forever. If God allowed them to always be there,

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Speaker 1: you wouldn't become everything He's created you to be. And

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Speaker 1: just as God supernaturally brings people into our lives, God

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Speaker 1: will supernaturally move people out of our lives. And if

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Speaker 1: we don't stay open and recognize what's happening, we'll try

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Speaker 1: to hold on to someone that's not supposed to be there.

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Speaker 1: We'll think, why are they trying to leave? I thought

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Speaker 1: they were my friend. Why won't he mentor me anymore?

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Speaker 1: Why doesn't she call me as much? I guess I'm

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Speaker 1: not important enough or have you ever thought that may

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Speaker 1: be God moving them away because they're limiting your growth?

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Speaker 1: Could it be God is saying it's time for you

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Speaker 1: to go to a new level. You don't need them anymore.

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Speaker 1: They have fulfilled their purpose. Now it's time for you

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Speaker 1: to step up. It's time for you to start encouraging yourself.

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Speaker 1: It's time for you to run that business on your own.

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Speaker 1: It's time for you to learn that new skill. You

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Speaker 1: don't need someone to constantly think for you and drive

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Speaker 1: for you, and believe for you and encourage you. You

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Speaker 1: can do that for yourself. And if we're going to

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Speaker 1: continue to grow, we have to get rid of these crutches.

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Speaker 1: God has equipped you with everything you need to succeed.

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Speaker 1: And yes, for a season, God will have people there

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Speaker 1: to help us. But at some point God's going to say,

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Speaker 1: I've given you a pair of eagles wings. I don't

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Speaker 1: want you to be pushed along and just admire everybody

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Speaker 1: that's ahead of you and wish you could do what

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Speaker 1: they were doing. No, it's time to stretch out your wings.

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Speaker 1: You can rise higher than you think. I remember when

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Speaker 1: I came back from college to start the television outreach

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Speaker 1: here at Lakewood. I was nineteen years old. I didn't

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Speaker 1: know a whole lot about television production, and so we

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Speaker 1: hired this gentleman from California. He was in his sixties,

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Speaker 1: very experienced. He'd produced a lot of Major League sports,

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Speaker 1: some of the national morning shows. He was not only

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Speaker 1: extremely gifted, but he had great personality. It was fun

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Speaker 1: to be around, and we hit it off from the

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Speaker 1: very start. I would come in early, back then stay late,

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Speaker 1: go to dinner, hang out together. And I watched very

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Speaker 1: carefully how he put the programs together, and how he

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Speaker 1: chose certain shots, and why did it this way, why

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Speaker 1: did it that way? I was learning so much. He

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Speaker 1: was so good at what he did. I used to

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Speaker 1: think I could never do what he does. He is

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Speaker 1: so creative. He can write, he can direct. I'm just

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Speaker 1: not that talented. Well, one morning he came in, about

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Speaker 1: a year after he started working there, and he said, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I'm leaving next month. I'm going back home. I said,

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Speaker 1: no way, you cannot leave me with this job. I

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Speaker 1: don't know what to do. Everything's going to fall apart.

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Speaker 1: He said, sure you do. You've watched me for a year,

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Speaker 1: and I've watched you. There's no reason you can't do

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Speaker 1: what I'm doing, No reason you can't handle this by yourself.

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Speaker 1: I said that is not true. You're just being kind

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Speaker 1: and I begged him to stay. I said, we'll pay

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Speaker 1: you more money, we'll give you more time off. You

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Speaker 1: can go home, but then come on back again. He said, no,

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Speaker 1: I know this is the right decision. He left. That

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Speaker 1: first couple of weeks, I was so nervous. I didn't

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Speaker 1: know what I was doing. I called him every other hour,

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Speaker 1: asking him questions. But in a month I started to

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Speaker 1: feel more comfortable. In six months, I thought I'm pretty

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Speaker 1: good at this. A year later, I said, what did

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Speaker 1: I ever even need him for? I realize now him

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Speaker 1: leaving was the best thing for me. If he had

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Speaker 1: not left and forced me to stretch, forced me to

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Speaker 1: use my God given talents, then I would have never

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Speaker 1: stepped in to my divine destiny. If somebody walks away

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Speaker 1: in your life, whether it's a business relationship like that

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Speaker 1: or a personal friendship, don't beg them to stay. Don't

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Speaker 1: try to talk people into working for you, or loving

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Speaker 1: you or coming to see you. Here's a phrase you

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Speaker 1: need to remember. Let them go. Your destiny is not

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Speaker 1: tied to the people that walked away. Just like in

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Speaker 1: my case, them leaving somehow, some way is going to

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Speaker 1: launch you into a new dimension of your life. You're

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Speaker 1: not gonna step back, You're gonna step up to who

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Speaker 1: you really are. And understand if they walked away, it

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Speaker 1: wasn't an accident. If you tried to make it work

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Speaker 1: and it didn't happen, accept it as God's plan. Let

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Speaker 1: it go. God is going to open up new doors.

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Speaker 1: You're going to discover new strengths and talents. Perhaps God's

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Speaker 1: going to give you new friends that are more appropriate

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Speaker 1: for where you are in this time in life. After all,

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Speaker 1: things are always changing. The people that were your friends

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Speaker 1: when your children were in school together, they may not

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Speaker 1: be your same best friends when your children are not

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Speaker 1: in school. You know what, That's okay, accept it and

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Speaker 1: allow God to bring you new friends. Too. Many people

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Speaker 1: today are trying to ride a dead horse. They're holding

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Speaker 1: on to something that God's been done with for five years.

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Speaker 1: They wonder why they don't have any joy, why they

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Speaker 1: can't get along. Listen, if the horse is dead, it's

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Speaker 1: time to dismount and allow God to do something new.

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Speaker 1: When that man left my life, I had a choice.

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Speaker 1: I could either sit around in self pity and think

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Speaker 1: it's not fair, look what I've lost. Or I could say, God,

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Speaker 1: I know you would not have allowed him to leave

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Speaker 1: unless you had a plan for me to go forward.

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Speaker 1: So I'm going to step into a new level of

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Speaker 1: my destiny. I've learned since then. Don't try to talk

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Speaker 1: people into staying that want to leave. If you do,

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Speaker 1: you're only delaying the inevitable. They're still going to go,

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Speaker 1: whether it's a week or a year or five years.

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Speaker 1: Because when God is done with something, there's no amount

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Speaker 1: of superglue that can hold it together. There's something called

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Speaker 1: the gift of goodbye some people. You may not realize it,

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Speaker 1: but them leaving you is God giving you a gift.

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Speaker 1: You shouldn't be sad, you should be rejoicing. I know

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Speaker 1: some of you are thinking, God, give me that gift

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Speaker 1: right now. I can tell you their name. I know

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Speaker 1: my father as a pastor. When people would come and

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Speaker 1: tell him they were leaving the church, they would give

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Speaker 1: him their sad story and tell them everything that had

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Speaker 1: gone wrong there. They expected my father to be down

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Speaker 1: and discouraged. They were always shocked. My father was just

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Speaker 1: as happy as could be. He never tried to talk

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Speaker 1: them into staying. He didn't try to convince them they

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Speaker 1: were making a big mistake. Oh please don't leave. I'm

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Speaker 1: sure we'll change. No, he was always very gracious. He

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Speaker 1: always thanked them, prayed over them, and then he walked

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Speaker 1: them to the door. He didn't say it, but I

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Speaker 1: know what he was thinking. The sooner you go, the

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Speaker 1: better off for both of us. You want people in

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Speaker 1: your life that are suppose to be there when God

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Speaker 1: has them there. They don't find fault in everything you do.

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Speaker 1: When God puts them there, you don't have to manipulate

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Speaker 1: them to stay. That's what I love about all of you.

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Speaker 1: I don't even know most of you by name. I

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Speaker 1: can't call you personally. I can't come to your children's ballgames.

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Speaker 1: But you don't come because you need me to stroke you,

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Speaker 1: and you need all this time and attention. You come

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Speaker 1: because God puts you here, and you're mature enough to

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Speaker 1: know you don't need Joel to touch you. You just

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Speaker 1: need God to touch you. When God joins people to you,

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Speaker 1: you don't have to play up to them and do

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Speaker 1: everything perfect, or they're going to leave. I know people

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Speaker 1: that walk on eggshells, trying not to offend their friends,

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Speaker 1: making sure they don't get on the bad side at

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Speaker 1: the person at the office. Well, hell, if I don't

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Speaker 1: go to lunch with them each day, Joel, they'll get

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Speaker 1: upset and probably start talking about me. Listen, you don't

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Speaker 1: need friends like that. That's not a true friend. That's

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Speaker 1: somebody trying to manipulate you. They're trying to control you

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Speaker 1: to do everything they want you to do. Let them

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Speaker 1: walk away. You don't need them to fulfill your destiny.

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Speaker 1: Those kinds of people, if they're not talking about you now,

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Speaker 1: don't let it fool you. It's just a matter of

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Speaker 1: time before they will. You cannot keep people like that happy.

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Speaker 1: The sooner they go, the better off you're gonna be.

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Speaker 1: I think about in my own life how I've tried

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Speaker 1: to win people over, tried to keep them as my friend.

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Speaker 1: I thought the church wouldn't continue without them, so I

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Speaker 1: played up to them, let them control me. One day

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Speaker 1: I realized what I'm telling you, I can't live my

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Speaker 1: life like that. I don't have enough energy and my

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Speaker 1: time is too valuable to try to keep somebody happy

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Speaker 1: that's never gonna be happy. I knew no matter what

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Speaker 1: I did, no matter how hard I tried, they were

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Speaker 1: gonna find some reason to complain, some reason to find fault.

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Speaker 1: They're gonna give me a new problem to fix. I

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Speaker 1: love this scripture. In one John two nineteen. It says

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Speaker 1: they went out from us because they were not a

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Speaker 1: part of us. That tells me when somebody leaves your life,

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Speaker 1: they are no longer a part of your destiny. Their

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Speaker 1: time is over. If you'll stay open, God will give

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Speaker 1: you people that are not just with you, but people

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Speaker 1: that are for you. It's a big difference. When you're

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Speaker 1: with me, you're there as long as I perform perfectly,

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Speaker 1: as long as I give you everything you need, as

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Speaker 1: long as I don't make any mistakes. But when you're

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Speaker 1: not just with me, but you're for me. You believe

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Speaker 1: the best in me. You don't try to control me,

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Speaker 1: you give me room to make mistakes, you don't need

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Speaker 1: my attention all the time. You give more to the

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Speaker 1: relationship than you take away. That's the kind of people

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Speaker 1: God wants to bring into your life. You don't have

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Speaker 1: to try to make this happen. Just be your best

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Speaker 1: each day and God will bring you divine connections. And

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Speaker 1: then when that season is over. You don't have to

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Speaker 1: get upset. You can let them leave with your blessing,

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Speaker 1: continuing to love and respect them. I have people we

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Speaker 1: were friends way back, used to spend all this time together,

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Speaker 1: but now my path has gone a different direction. They've

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Speaker 1: had changes in their life. We may see each other

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Speaker 1: only once every two or three years, but when we do,

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Speaker 1: it's just like old times. You know why. We understand

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Speaker 1: this principle. God had us in each other's lives for

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Speaker 1: a season. We recognize when things were changing. We didn't

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Speaker 1: try to make something work out. When we knew down

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Speaker 1: deep it was over and done, we accepted it, and

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Speaker 1: today we're both better off and we're still friends. That's

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Speaker 1: the way it's supposed to be. Don't fight change. My

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Speaker 1: father used to say, nothing is forever. When you hold

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Speaker 1: on to someone, when you know, down and here God

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Speaker 1: is done with it, it's going to be nothing but

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Speaker 1: a headache. Now I've learned this. God will always bring

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Speaker 1: the right people into your life. But the key is

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Speaker 1: you've got to let the wrong ones walk away. If

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Speaker 1: you don't let the wrong ones go, the right ones

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Speaker 1: will never show up. And sometimes people play up to

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Speaker 1: our weaknesses to try to convince us that we have

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Speaker 1: to have them in our lives. They'll try to make

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Speaker 1: you think that you're not smart enough on your own,

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Speaker 1: you're not talented enough, and you need them to make

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Speaker 1: up for what you're lacking. Don't believe those lives. Years ago,

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Speaker 1: there was a young lady that worked for us here

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Speaker 1: at the ministry. She grew up in a small town,

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Speaker 1: moved here in her mid twenties. She was very smart,

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Speaker 1: very bright, talented young girl. But I noticed that she

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Speaker 1: never drove to work. She always had a young man

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Speaker 1: drop her off every morning. And one day we were

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Speaker 1: just talking and passing. I said, hey, you're thinking about

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Speaker 1: getting a car. She said, oh, Joel, I have a car,

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Speaker 1: and I drove everywhere in my small town. But when

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Speaker 1: I got here, my friend told me, because the city

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Speaker 1: is so big and so complicated, and because I'm not

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Speaker 1: used to driving on the freeways, he would have to

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Speaker 1: bring me to work every day. I thought, all right,

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Speaker 1: that's fine, that's nice for a while, but I said,

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Speaker 1: when are you planning on driving? She said, oh, I

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Speaker 1: don't think I'll ever be able to drive in this city.

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Speaker 1: He said, it's so bad, it's so congested. I looked

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Speaker 1: at her and said, can I tell you something. You

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Speaker 1: are extremely talented. Do not allow some yo yo to

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Speaker 1: convince you that you cannot drive on our freeways. I

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Speaker 1: told her, I know people that are eighteen years old.

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Speaker 1: They are no smarter, no brighter, no more talented than you,

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Speaker 1: and they drive up and down these freeways every single day.

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Speaker 1: She went back and told that young man what I said.

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Speaker 1: He said, I don't know about that. You use the

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Speaker 1: kind of dangers you may get lost. Listen, you've got

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Speaker 1: to be able to see through that. That's somebody wanting

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Speaker 1: you to stay in that limitation so they can have

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Speaker 1: a place in your life. That is not a true friend.

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Speaker 1: That's manipulation. And it's fine.

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Speaker 2: You know.

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Speaker 1: It's great that they want to drive you, but a

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Speaker 1: true friend will not only give you assistance, they'll say,

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Speaker 1: you know what, you can do this on your own.

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Speaker 1: I'll take you out on the weekends and we'll practice

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Speaker 1: driving on the freeways, but you should be able to

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Speaker 1: drive by yourself. About a month later I saw her.

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Speaker 1: She said, Joel, I drove to work today by myself.

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Speaker 1: I said, that's great. I knew you could do it.

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Speaker 1: I asked her how it was driving on the freeways.

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Speaker 1: She said, oh, I don't drive on the freeways. I

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Speaker 1: drive on the side streets. It took her an hour

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Speaker 1: to get here, it should have taken her a half hour,

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Speaker 1: and I encouraged her. That's great, but you keep it

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Speaker 1: up and don't settle for the side streets. A month later,

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Speaker 1: she is driving on the freeways. Today, she goes everywhere.

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Speaker 1: Here's what's interesting. That young man that wanted her to

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Speaker 1: stay off the roads, he's no longer around. He was

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Speaker 1: only interested in her if he could keep her push

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Speaker 1: down so she could feel like she always owed him something.

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Speaker 1: Those are not true friends. They are not helping you.

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Speaker 1: They are hindering you. You don't need people in your

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Speaker 1: life that are enabling a limitation, people that are enabling

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Speaker 1: a dysfunction. If you will let them go, God will

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Speaker 1: bring you the right people. I think about Moses when

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Speaker 1: God told him to go, tell Pharah let my people go.

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Speaker 1: Moses said, God, I can't do that. I stutter. I'm

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Speaker 1: not a good speaker. God. Let me take my brother Aaron.

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Speaker 1: He's a good communicator. He's got a lot more confidence

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Speaker 1: than me. If I have him, I know I'll be

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Speaker 1: able to pull it off. What was Moses saying, God,

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Speaker 1: I need a crutch, I need somebody to make up

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Speaker 1: for my weakness, and so he took Erin with him.

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Speaker 1: But I love what happened when they got before Pharaoh.

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Speaker 1: Just as Aaron was going to step up to speak,

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Speaker 1: something rose up on the inside of Moses that said, Moses,

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Speaker 1: this is your time. You do not need somebody to

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Speaker 1: speak for you. I've given you everything you need. Moses

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Speaker 1: put his shoulders back, held his head up high. He said,

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Speaker 1: hold on, Erin, I've changed my mind. I've got something

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Speaker 1: to say. Pharaoh, Let God's people go. It's interesting the

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Speaker 1: scripture never says that Erin actually spoke for Moses. I

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Speaker 1: believe God is saying that to each one of us.

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Speaker 1: You don't need your friend to speak for you. You

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Speaker 1: don't need your neighbor to drive for you. You don't

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Speaker 1: need your cousin to tell you what to do. You

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Speaker 1: are equipped. God wouldn't have presented you with that opportunity

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Speaker 1: if he had not already given you everything that you

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Speaker 1: need and some of you. Today you're relying on other

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Speaker 1: people to carry you. For instance, let me do the

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Speaker 1: report at the office. You don't write well enough don't

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Speaker 1: believe that lie. Let me drive you everywhere you're not

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Speaker 1: able to. It's just too bad. Let me speak for

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Speaker 1: you at the meeting. You're not very good in front

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Speaker 1: of people. Now, how do they know what God's put

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Speaker 1: on the inside of you? Next time that happens, you

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Speaker 1: need to rise up like Moses and say, Hey, wait

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Speaker 1: a minute, this is my time, this is my moment.

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Speaker 1: I don't need you to speak for me, to write,

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Speaker 1: for me to believe, for me to drive, for me,

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Speaker 1: to encourage me. I don't even need you to pray

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Speaker 1: for me. I can pray for myself. I am getting

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Speaker 1: rid of these crutches. Friends, God has equipped you. You

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Speaker 1: are anointed, you are empowered, you are well able. Don't

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Speaker 1: let people play up to what you think are your weaknesses.

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Speaker 1: And I understand some older people need somewhere to drive

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Speaker 1: for them, But I'm talking about when we shink back

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Speaker 1: and don't do it because of fear, and it's easy

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Speaker 1: to become too dependent on somebody else. And if we

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Speaker 1: don't break out of that rut and get rid of

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Speaker 1: those crutches, we can go year after year allowing other

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Speaker 1: people to keep us from our destiny. Well, you say, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I kind of feel like Moses. I don't feel like

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Speaker 1: I have what it takes. I'm quiet, I'm reserved, I'm shy.

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Speaker 1: That's just how I felt when my father went to

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Speaker 1: be with the Lord back in nineteen ninety nine. I

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Speaker 1: didn't think I could get up here in minister. I

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Speaker 1: was afraid to get up in public, had all these

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Speaker 1: thoughts telling me that I couldn't do it. But down

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Speaker 1: in here I had a strong desire. I knew that

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Speaker 1: I was supposed to step up and pastor the church.

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Speaker 1: And again, God will never give you the desire without

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Speaker 1: giving you the ability. God would have never told Moses

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Speaker 1: to go speak in front of Phaiah unless he knew

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Speaker 1: Moses could do it. And so the first couple of

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Speaker 1: Sundays after my father went home to be with the Lord,

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Speaker 1: I got up in a ministered I did the best

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Speaker 1: that I could do, but I still trying to figure

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Speaker 1: out if I was able to and if I really

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Speaker 1: had what it takes. One Sunday, I was sitting there

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Speaker 1: listening to a guest minister. Now as he was speaking,

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Speaker 1: something rose up in me so strongly that said, Joel,

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Speaker 1: this is your time, this is your moment. But if

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Speaker 1: you shrink back in fear, you will miss your destiny.

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Speaker 1: And some opportunities only come around once. Driving home from

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Speaker 1: that service, I told Victoria, I'm going to pastor the church.

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Speaker 1: I made the decision and I took that step of faith,

407
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Speaker 1: and even though I was nervous, I discovered, like Moses,

408
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Speaker 1: I didn't need anybody to speak for me. I was

409
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Speaker 1: well able to do what God told me to do.

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Speaker 1: You may have some limitations, but let me tell you,

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Speaker 1: you don't need a crutch. Erin may be by your side,

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Speaker 1: and that's great, but you don't need Eron to speak

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Speaker 1: for you. You don't need Aaron to drive for you.

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Speaker 1: You don't need Aaron to tell you what to do.

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Speaker 1: You have been equipped with everything you need to fulfill

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Speaker 1: your destiny. That means you can make your own decisions.

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Speaker 1: God has given you wisdom to run your own life.

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Speaker 1: You don't need somebody constantly telling you what to do

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Speaker 1: and what not to do. And yes, it's good to

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Speaker 1: get other people's opinions. It's good to listen to advice,

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Speaker 1: but understand God talks to you. You can hear that

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Speaker 1: still small voice. You don't have to go through anybody else.

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Speaker 1: You have a direct line to the throne of God.

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Speaker 1: And if somebody is always trying to tell you what

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Speaker 1: to do, just say thanks, but no thanks. Me and

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Speaker 1: God we're on speaking terms. One time, a man came

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00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,119
Speaker 1: up to my father and said, this man prayed for me,

428
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,320
Speaker 1: and he said that God told him to tell me

429
00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,320
Speaker 1: that I was supposed to go to Africa and be

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00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,440
Speaker 1: a missionary. What do you think, my father said, I

431
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,440
Speaker 1: don't know, but I do know this. If you do go,

432
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,760
Speaker 1: make sure you take him with you so he can

433
00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:35,160
Speaker 1: tell you when to come back home. You don't need

434
00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,360
Speaker 1: somebody to tell you what God wants you to do.

435
00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,280
Speaker 1: It's like this young lady came up to me a

436
00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,040
Speaker 1: few weeks back and she said, you'rel This man that

437
00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,960
Speaker 1: I hardly even know he told me God told him

438
00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,639
Speaker 1: to tell me that I was supposed to marry him.

439
00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,800
Speaker 1: She was a beautiful young lady. I kind of laughed.

440
00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,320
Speaker 1: I said, don't worry about that. Every single guy things

441
00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,600
Speaker 1: say hear God's saying that. He's just dumb enough to

442
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:03,119
Speaker 1: tell you. Any time you hear that phrase God told

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00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,119
Speaker 1: me to tell you, an alarm should go off in

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00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,600
Speaker 1: your mind. Something should start blinking. Flake Alert, Flake alert,

445
00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,359
Speaker 1: flake Alert. You can hear from God for yourself. You

446
00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,600
Speaker 1: don't need a crutch. Listen on the inside to that

447
00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,159
Speaker 1: still small voice right down in here. That knowing that

448
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:27,240
Speaker 1: the impression, that's God talking directly to you. In the Scripture,

449
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,919
Speaker 1: a man by the name of Gideon had three armies

450
00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:34,040
Speaker 1: coming against him. As he prepared for the battle, God said, Gideon,

451
00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,000
Speaker 1: you've got too many people with you. If you win

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00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,600
Speaker 1: with this many, you'll be tempted to think you did

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00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,800
Speaker 1: it in your own strength, and I won't get the

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00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,840
Speaker 1: credit that I deserve. And so God told him to

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00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,359
Speaker 1: let everybody go home that was afraid. There were thirty

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00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,960
Speaker 1: two thousand people in his army that day. Twenty two

457
00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,760
Speaker 1: thousand went home. I can imagine Gideon was depressed. God,

458
00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,960
Speaker 1: everybody is leaving. What am I gonna do? It's interest.

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00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:02,800
Speaker 1: God didn't say, don't worry, get in. I'll bring you

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00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,399
Speaker 1: some more people. God said just the opposite. He said, Gideon,

461
00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,040
Speaker 1: you still have too many people. He had him do

462
00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:13,679
Speaker 1: something else. This time, all but three hundred people walked away.

463
00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,159
Speaker 1: Think about it, he went from thirty two thousand to

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00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,359
Speaker 1: three hundred. I'm sure he thought we are going to

465
00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:24,040
Speaker 1: get totally wiped out. Practically, my whole army has gone.

466
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,479
Speaker 1: But no, it's not important how many people you have.

467
00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,920
Speaker 1: What's important is do you have the right ones? That night,

468
00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:37,040
Speaker 1: those three hundred defeated tens of thousands of the enemy troops.

469
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,440
Speaker 1: What am I saying? If you're not willing to let

470
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,720
Speaker 1: people walk away, you'll miss out on God's best. Don't

471
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,920
Speaker 1: be surprised in the coming days if God streamlines things

472
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,639
Speaker 1: and begins to weed out certain people, He's not trying

473
00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,480
Speaker 1: to take you backwards. He's getting you prepared to go

474
00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:59,720
Speaker 1: to a new level. You're gonna see victories that looked impossible.

475
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,119
Speaker 1: You're going to think, like, get in, how did I

476
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,679
Speaker 1: do this? I could understand it if I had my

477
00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,520
Speaker 1: whole army, if I had my neighbor driving for me,

478
00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,919
Speaker 1: and my friend helping me, and my coworker writing the report.

479
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,359
Speaker 1: But I did it all on my own. Yes, But

480
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,320
Speaker 1: you and God are a majority. And what happened is

481
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,439
Speaker 1: you quit depending on others and you stepped into a

482
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,200
Speaker 1: greater anointing. When you put a demand on your faith,

483
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,359
Speaker 1: that's what pleases God, not when we sit back and

484
00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:31,879
Speaker 1: expect others to do it. You don't need anyone to

485
00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 1: make up for what you think are your weaknesses. I

486
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,840
Speaker 1: didn't think I could get up and speak in public.

487
00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,399
Speaker 1: I'm too shy. But yet today, almost every week, I

488
00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,000
Speaker 1: speak to thousands. That tells me God didn't give us

489
00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,880
Speaker 1: half the talent we needed. God never made us dependent

490
00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,960
Speaker 1: on somebody else. Quit relying on another person to pray

491
00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:53,960
Speaker 1: for you, to speak, for you, to believe, for you,

492
00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,520
Speaker 1: to encourage you. Do like Moses and say, Aaron, I

493
00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,639
Speaker 1: appreciate your coming, But you know what, this is my time,

494
00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,680
Speaker 1: this is my season. I'm stepping into my God given destiny.

495
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,800
Speaker 1: Recognize if somebody walked away, it was not an accident.

496
00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:11,639
Speaker 1: It was a part of God's plan to get you

497
00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,120
Speaker 1: to a new level. Don't let people control you. Don't

498
00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,879
Speaker 1: let them manipulate you into thinking you can't do it

499
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,919
Speaker 1: without them. God would not have let them walk away

500
00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,240
Speaker 1: if he didn't know you could do it on your own.

501
00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,880
Speaker 1: And some people are with you, but they're not for you.

502
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,119
Speaker 1: And the sooner you let them go, the better off

503
00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,080
Speaker 1: you're going to be. I'm asking us today to get

504
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,080
Speaker 1: rid of these crutches. Quit depending on somebody else to

505
00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,480
Speaker 1: do what you know you should be doing. For yourself.

506
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,600
Speaker 1: If you'll look inside and tap into the power that

507
00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,800
Speaker 1: God's put in you, then like Moses, you'll rise up

508
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,119
Speaker 1: with a new confidence. Yes, it may stretch you, but

509
00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,360
Speaker 1: you're gonna discover new gifts and talents. God's gonna bring

510
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,239
Speaker 1: new friends, the right people at the right time. And

511
00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,640
Speaker 1: I believe and declare You're gonna become everything that He's

512
00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,200
Speaker 1: created you to be. Amen. Do you receive it today?

513
00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,359
Speaker 1: It's easy to feel stuck in life, wondering why things

514
00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,840
Speaker 1: aren't changing, and worrying if it'll ever happen. But there's

515
00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,040
Speaker 1: a better way to wait. I'd love to send you

516
00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,480
Speaker 1: my new resource called Pray It Forward. This book is

517
00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,639
Speaker 1: a collection of prayers and promises from the Scripture to

518
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,719
Speaker 1: help you pray boldly to strengthen your faith while you're waiting.

519
00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,399
Speaker 1: It's important to keep your mind filled with hope and

520
00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,880
Speaker 1: expectancy when you pray in faith, believe in what God promised.

521
00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,480
Speaker 1: That's what moves the hands of God, and that's when

522
00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:34,080
Speaker 1: you'll see doors open, healing begins to come, breakthroughs in

523
00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,600
Speaker 1: your family. Don't let doubt hold you back.

524
00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,880
Speaker 2: Pray it Forward as our way of saying thank you

525
00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,760
Speaker 2: for your gift of any amount. We'd love to send

526
00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,800
Speaker 2: you a copy of Pray It Forward, Guided prayers for

527
00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:50,000
Speaker 2: faith and break through, inspired by real life answer prayers.

528
00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,400
Speaker 2: Pray It Forward will help you speak God's promises over

529
00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,920
Speaker 2: your life and over the people you love, trusting that

530
00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,920
Speaker 2: when you ask in faith, God is already at war

531
00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:04,000
Speaker 2: preparing victory ahead of you. You can take these prayers

532
00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,520
Speaker 2: and scriptures and pray them forward. They'll build a momentum

533
00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,120
Speaker 2: of faith that carries you past obstacles and into the

534
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:15,200
Speaker 2: promises God has spoken over your life. As you meditate

535
00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,400
Speaker 2: on these truths, you won't be tossed back and forth

536
00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:23,760
Speaker 2: by finances, health challenges, or relationship struggles. Instead, you'll be

537
00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,800
Speaker 2: able to boldly pray with faith that is immovable and strong,

538
00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,680
Speaker 2: and you'll be filled with peace, assurance, and joy. Don't

539
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,880
Speaker 2: let circumstances control your future. Pray the truth of God's

540
00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,200
Speaker 2: word forward and faith, and watch the mountains in your

541
00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:41,360
Speaker 2: life begin to.

542
00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,160
Speaker 1: Move when you pray the promises what God has spoken

543
00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,320
Speaker 1: over your life. Those are powerful prayers, and that's when

544
00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,760
Speaker 1: God shows up and does what only he can do.

545
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,040
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for being with us between I pray

546
00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:57,200
Speaker 1: for you and your family every day, and we appreciate

547
00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,800
Speaker 1: your prayer and support. Your generosity helps us take this

548
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,160
Speaker 1: message of hope to people around the world. Now special

549
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:06,800
Speaker 1: thank you to our champion of Hope partners for all

550
00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,440
Speaker 1: you do to make the ministry possible. If you're not

551
00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,600
Speaker 1: a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. But until

552
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,400
Speaker 1: we meet again, met the Lord bless you and keep you.

553
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,200
Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of Pray It Forward

554
00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:23,400
Speaker 2: Guided Prayers for faith and Breakthrough, available this month by

555
00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,320
Speaker 2: simply visiting us at Joelosteing dot com or call eight

556
00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,120
Speaker 2: eight eight five six seven Joel. You can also receive

557
00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,840
Speaker 2: the Pray It Forward Companion prayer journal designed to help

558
00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:39,000
Speaker 2: you engage in scripture, personalize faith filled prayers, and put

559
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,880
Speaker 2: God's promises into action. With an additional gift, you can

560
00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,800
Speaker 2: receive the Pray It Forward Prayers Essential Collection that centers

561
00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:50,400
Speaker 2: around a prayer bowl with scripture cards designed to help

562
00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,640
Speaker 2: you physically release what's been weighing on your heart. This

563
00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,760
Speaker 2: collection creates a powerful prayer rhythm for your life, helping

564
00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,840
Speaker 2: you focus your thoughts, speak God word boldly, and stay

565
00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,719
Speaker 2: anchored in hope. When circumstances try to shake you. You

566
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,640
Speaker 2: can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight eight

567
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Speaker 2: five six seven Joel or logging on to joelostein dot

568
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Speaker 2: com today, call or click any time, twenty four hours

569
00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:18,040
Speaker 2: a day,