[00:00:00] Hi everyone and welcome back to the Expect Change Podcast. I know it's been a minute, but no worries we are back. We took a step away just to live life and learn lessons. And now we are back and I'm super excited for the guests we'll have this season.
[00:00:20] But for today it is just me and the topic today is something that I have been thinking about as been heavy on my heart for the while that I had been away from this podcast.
[00:00:32] And that is the subject of faith and more so the subject of being a faithless generation. Now, that's not to say that I believe that we are faithless generation. I'm actually really hopeful for this generation.
[00:00:48] I see all the time people rising up for Jesus and so many people putting their faith in Christ and even publicly like in Christ. In the celebrity realm, like in Hollywood and all that.
[00:01:01] But in our day to day, what are we struggling with in regards to not having faith? And in regards to actually believing that God can and will do what He says He will do. So what am I even referring to? What do I mean?
[00:01:21] This episode is really for the people who struggle with jealousy, who struggle with comparison and who struggle with envy. I'm a young girl in my 20s. So I am not out of this fear of struggling with all those different things.
[00:01:42] But I've definitely found a really good way out of a lot of these things but with social media and pressing. On all of us so much, it can be really, really hard to escape from jealousy, to escape from comparing yourself.
[00:01:59] Even in the day-to-day and the grander schemes of life and all and all. Let me give you an example. For example, in regards to dating. Let's say that you've been believing in God for a husband or a wife and everybody else around you is getting married.
[00:02:21] Or settling down, having children, starting families, and you feel like things aren't working out for you. You're struggling with jealousy, you're struggling with bitterness, and you're struggling with envy, anger with God, with your... The people around you and what does that all boil down to?
[00:02:44] It truly is just a lack of faith. But it starts with just the little seeds that the enemy plants, like, well, didn't she just get saved yesterday? God, why is she getting a man? And she just got saved like, she's a baby in the faith.
[00:03:06] Where is my man? I've been, you know, planting the seeds, you know? I've been out here, started when you lowered it for decades. Where are you at? Those small little seeds that the enemy plants in your head, like, oh, she got it before you.
[00:03:26] That's, like, so unfair of God. Why would he do that? After all your hard work, does he not see her sacrifice? Does he not care? About your sacrifice? Is all you're fasting, in your praying and your crying and pain?
[00:03:43] And this is whether it's not even just stating, whether it's for a job, whether it's for something to do with, like, your career, with getting into school,
[00:03:54] with a child, wanting a child, or maybe something is going wrong with your child, like, you're in a season where your kids are just, basically the prodigal child. They're out and about, you're praying, Lord, bring my kid back.
[00:04:07] Everybody else's kid is acting right, but my kid out here in the streets. You know, bring him back, Lord, and the enemy is just planting these seeds and planting these seeds, and they grow. And that is why we have to kill it right when it comes.
[00:04:24] And this has what has helped me be able to stay in friendships and not let envy and bitterness or anger overwhelm me and overtake me, because I've learned that the key is to kill it right at the beginning.
[00:04:40] So the minute I hear that little seed that the enemy is trying to plant, the minute I hear, like, oh, well, what about my praying? What about your praying, really? Like, have you been, you been praying in fast and where he,
[00:04:53] like, what is this, like, where is your intrapure? This person only been praying for two days. Where is your intrapure? The minute I hear anything along those lines, I immediately go to God and I say, God, I know you have something for me.
[00:05:07] Because your word says that you are a covenant keeping God. Your word says, you are not man that you shall lie.
[00:05:16] Nor are you son of man that you should change your mind. So that means Lord, that what you told me, you told me that I would have the career of my dreams.
[00:05:29] You told me that I would have this child. You told me that I would have this husband. You told me I would have this PhD word. So I believe you in what you say and I believe that it is coming to me.
[00:05:42] Immediately, you have to fight those seeds of doubt and those seeds that the enemy is trying to plant with the word of God. You can't let it fester because 10 years from now, that thing will grow into extreme bitterness, anger and envy that you just can't shake.
[00:06:04] You'll lose friendships over it, you'll lose relationships over it. It will grow into insecurities and it will ruin everything around you. There's a Bible verse that says that envy or slash jealousy is as murderous as the grave.
[00:06:24] And I've seen that to be true in my own life because I've seen the way that envy and jealousy kills friendships. I've seen the way it kills relationships. And nine times at a ten, it feels like to that person like you just can't stop.
[00:06:43] Even I've heard people say like when envy ruins jealousy ruins their relationship, their romantic relationship they will say things like I just can't help it. Like it just can't shut it off.
[00:06:56] Yeah, babe, that's a spirit. You can't let it grow because the minute you hear those teeny tiny little voices you got to kill it. And I think one thing that has helped me with this is that growing up.
[00:07:11] My mom used to always tell me whenever I would come to her and ask her things.
[00:07:17] I would just for example, something random if I would be like, oh let me get can I please mom can I please have this baby doll? Let me have this baby doll please.
[00:07:28] I won't be like okay, um ask your father and heaven. You pray and you ask him.
[00:07:35] Now I used to think like just do it like you know like why can't you just do it like but she was instilling in me to learn that ultimately yes I have parents here on this earth or I have family on this earth.
[00:07:54] But God is my father, he's my mother, he's my all and all because my parents on this earth will pass away one day. Family will wither away friends may fall away as well through seasons in life even relationships may fall away as well.
[00:08:13] But God ultimately is my father. So when I'm feeling those seeds of jealousy when I'm feeling those seeds of envy and comparison I have to run back to my father because that does also stem from the thought of God can't provide this for me as well.
[00:08:35] If God is blessing her then it means he can't bless me the same way because for as a human it's hard for us to wrap our minds around the fact that God can and will bless our friends, our family and us.
[00:08:51] When we see other people getting it before us we start to scramble like a fire alarm is going off in our heads and we start to scramble when we think oh my gosh like
[00:09:03] Lord when is it going to matter and like are there any good men left like are they're going to have are they're going to be able to accept me into this program like I need a chat when is like by the time I have a kid everybody else is going to have a kid and nobody's going to care about me like nobody's going to celebrate me because they'll be too busy with their children like
[00:09:20] it won't be the same I won't I won't feel the same I won't get the same excitement and joy because everybody else already got it before me and now people won't even remember me.
[00:09:32] It's those thoughts and those feelings that we have to run and take to God and say God no you are my father and the word of God says that even men humans who are evil in their own heart will give if their child comes to them and asks for a bread they wouldn't give their child a stone they wouldn't give them a child
[00:10:00] they wouldn't give their child a scorpion and the Bible says that even us who are like evil and heart if we know how to give good gifts how much more can our father have in good gifts
[00:10:13] So ultimately I learned as a young girl that my father was in heaven and he is the ruler of the earth he has unlimited funds
[00:10:24] My God has everything the whole world in his hands that means whatever I want I can ask of him so when people are being blessed around you
[00:10:34] It's not to say all of a sudden now your anger you're upset and you're feeling jealous because God like what is it going to be my tune because God didn't give you God didn't give them excuse me God didn't give them your blessing
[00:10:51] God has your blessing when when your bestie is getting married and you ain't got no man God didn't give you a bestie your man He got your man waiting on you being molded and prepared for you
[00:11:10] So no need to worry you have no need to worry and also since I learned that God was my father I quickly I quickly started to say oh you're my dad right so I'm going to talk to you
[00:11:27] Like my father this is a father daughter relationship that's what's going on here so um Lord you got me waiting a little long for this promise So it must be really good so I'm asking you for more now since you know you taking your time
[00:11:47] You know I guess I got to take my time with the pruning and the process and the trials and the tribulations. Okay I understand you know we got to things right But now I'm asking God in this season like Lord actually like add this it's not too late
[00:12:05] It's not too late. Lord add this Lord when I blessing comes can you actually add this to it Yeah, like can you add I don't even know an example because I can't tell y'all my examples please like if y'all could hear my best friend's talk you would know
[00:12:24] But yeah for example Let's say you want to get accepted into a PhD program or a master's program and it's just you've been denied denied denied denied from everything
[00:12:36] And you tell God because he's your father. So go ahead be open and honest with him just like Joe was open and honest with how he felt
[00:12:43] You go to God and you say God like this is taking forever like I know I can ask you of anything because God says we have not because we ask not so I'm going to be a little deludio here I'm a little crazy faith right here
[00:12:57] I'm asking you to be accepted into a master program, but not only am I asking you to be accepted into this master program that I feel you calling me to
[00:13:07] I'm now going to add on to that because you've given me a little time to think with all of these rejections Lord So now I'm going to add to that and now I'm asking for a full ride
[00:13:20] Not only that I'm going to ask for scholarships that would be over the amount per semester and it's going to add funds back into my account Since I can ask for anything because you're my father So go ahead ask And here is what I want to really like
[00:13:43] Emphasize on you have these lists You have these things that you're asking God for and God hears you 100% he does and even the word there's a there's a verse in Isaiah That says that just as The snow and the rain come from the ground and do not return
[00:14:15] They do not get sucked back into the clouds. That's never happened the rain comes down the snow comes down and it doesn't return just like that God's word And his covenant will not return to invoid So whatever he promised you Can't return to invoid
[00:14:40] Whatever he told you was going to happen He has to keep his promise because that's what his word says He's a covenant keeping God God can bless you just like he blessed your friends And baby he can bless you with greater
[00:14:59] And right now I want to especially talk to Man and young men and women who are settling in relationships Because this is what breaks my heart. I see so many young Christians Getting divorced in their mid to late 20s because they got married early 20s
[00:15:19] Or even just settling in relationships Because when they got married They didn't believe that God had anything better than that person right then and there Isn't that crazy? But God who literally parted their edsy The God who sent fire down from heaven
[00:15:44] The God who shut the mouths of the lions That same God is my father and is your father as well If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior and you're walking in obedience Right? So if that same God did all of those things
[00:16:06] Baby you think that he can't bless you with the husband That's fine to you and is a man of God and lead to you And loves you like Christ loves the church Like be so serious right now be serious
[00:16:24] I need you to be okay with being left out I need you to be okay with looking crazy for Christ Because Noah looked crazy for the name of the Lord He looked crazy for God talking about always going to flood
[00:16:44] It's going to flood but we never even seen rain They even know what rain was and he's talking about a flood He's building an ark they called him delusional They called him crazy they lacked a him they mocked him But who had the last laugh he did?
[00:17:01] Adiena Day God says that he is our ultimate vindicate There's a Bible verse which I love this by verse I repeat it like almost every day It says my vindication will shine as bright as the new day My righteous reward will shine as bright as the dawn
[00:17:21] And that is a great example for Noah's story He was being mocked he was being brutalized he was being just That does not feel good no one wants to feel like that But he was vindicated And his reward shined as bright as the dawn
[00:17:42] And God silenced the markers God silenced Jesus's markers And he does so again and again and again in the Bible It's okay get comfortable The Bible calls us to familiarize ourselves To be okay with being mocked Being made fun of being brutalized for the name of Christ
[00:18:10] The Bible tells us that that will happen And now it's not a lot of us are not dying for the name of Christ Where we are like if you're in the US Some people are but the vast majority are not
[00:18:26] So what we're discussing here is what being made fun of Because you're holding on to a promise that God spoke to you And people are telling you you're crazy People are telling you like girl just you need to just be okay with whatever
[00:18:45] God sins like even though they know that that's not what God sent to you They're just trying to convince you and they're being used by the enemy to convince you to settle for something that is not of God We all just need to learn how to say
[00:19:03] Okay, oh girl you to picky Okay You just need to go ahead and settle for this program like at this program You need to know what this program is like And even tell you to go to but just settle for this like they accept okay
[00:19:21] You don't have to explain yourself God will do it for you Leave it to God He's your father Leave it to him No matter what they say to you No matter what people say My answer is okay
[00:19:36] Girl, why don't you just settle for this like just go for this man like he's nice Okay Couple weeks later Oh, did you know Why not girl like see that's all due to you just okay Nobody deserves an explanation
[00:20:01] God didn't call you to explain to everybody every little detail that he told you every dream He told you that's not what he called you to do when actually if God gave you a promise It's best if you keep it to yourself
[00:20:13] Honestly because the more people speak against it, they're just trying to curse you It's just a bunch of word curses honestly So it's just safer to keep it to yourself It's safer to pray and secret to fast and secret God will bring to fruition
[00:20:33] What he promised you but one thing he requires of us is faith The word of God in Hebrews 11 One says now faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen What God calls us to come to the throne of grace with
[00:20:56] Our money in the kingdom of heaven When we are asking for something when we are coming to the throne of grace, God's requirement is that we come with faith in our hands God
[00:21:09] I really need you to do this from here. I really need you to show up in this area. I really need financial breakthrough I need to job I need I need hope again I need friendships, I need godly friendships He's requiring that you come with faith
[00:21:25] So you come to the throne and you say, Lord, my friend, you just bless my friend in this area And I just wanted to say thank you Lord for blessing my friend in this area Because when you bless my friends, I know that means you're in the neighborhood
[00:21:43] I know that means that you're coming to me next And I wanted to say thank you and I also thank you for blessing my friends But I also want to say thank you for blessing me, thank you for my blessing
[00:22:08] Thank you for giving me this X Y and Z Even if it's not here right now in the physical I know it's already happened in the spiritual realm
[00:22:23] So right now I decree and declare in the name of Jesus that the kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven I believe in you, Lord And I wanted to praise you in advance for the thing that you have already done
[00:22:42] And that is how we come to the throne of grace It's not easy When you've been left out for years, when you've been made a fund of four years And I'm so, so sorry that you feel so let down and you feel so many disappointments
[00:23:03] But God is your father in heaven And we've got to start believing that he can bless us Just like he blessed our friends Just like he blessed the people we see on social media There's no need to envy them because God has something for you too
[00:23:25] And who knows it might be better than what everybody else got It actually will be better because it'll be yours It will be what you prayed for they got what they prayed for But not in times I'd tell my friends pray for is not even what I want
[00:23:41] Specifically because I want my own thing I want it to be mine with my name on it Only for me hand picked and delivered to me So please if you're waiting for something If jealousy and envy is creeping up Please run back to God
[00:24:02] Tell him how you feel Tell him how this hurts And if those feelings keep coming up If the jealousy keeps coming up If the comparison keeps coming up If those thoughts are ringing through your mind And it just feels like oh my gosh It just won't stop
[00:24:17] Put down your plate in fast Fasting is the most powerful tool you have You do not want to roll in The blessings that God will put in your life Because you could not store it well Because you allow those spirits to run ramp it in your life
[00:24:34] Put down your plate in fast Take scriptures, take five to ten scriptures From the Bible that is related to having faith and God Keeping his promises and him coming through And take stories in the Bible where God came through for people And repeat those scriptures
[00:24:53] Put your name in it Repeat those scriptures For example Luke It's a Bible verse in Luke It says, um, blessed is she that believed For there shall be a perform there shall be a fulfillment Of those things spoken to her from the Lord If I'm struggling
[00:25:16] I take a verse like that While I'm fasting And I put my name in it I say, blessed is more than leaner that lead For there shall be a fulfillment Of the, and then I insert whatever I'm believing God for That the Lord had spoken to Nourlina
[00:25:37] Repeat that over and over and over It will, those feelings will subsign And you will be okay again And you will find joy again for the people around you And it won't hurt as much When other people are being blessed You'll feel joy you'll clap for those people
[00:25:57] And it won't be a fake clap God And also, it won't be a fake clap But then people will be clapping for you too So get ready Whatever you are praying and wishing and asking God for it Get ready Whatever it is
[00:26:14] Start picking out the dressing would wear Start picking out your graduation dress Start picking out the pens and the notebooks That you want for your new program That you're going to be accepted into Start getting baby clothes Start whatever it is Whatever God is impressing on your heart
[00:26:31] Go ahead and do it Because make the way That is your faith that you are coming To God with your coming to the throne of grace with Lord I believe you, I'm already preparing I already got the book bag The notes, the pens, the paper
[00:26:45] I even bought a book or two Based on the subjects that I'm going to be learning In this program, this master's program You're going to accept me in two lords I'm preparing, I believe you Now I just need you to do your part And he 100% will
[00:26:57] So that's all for this episode Thank you guys so much for listening We will be back sooner than you think I'm super excited for this season And I'm super excited for this new journey Of the expect change podcast As always we are The expect change podcast
[00:27:19] Because we believe that God is going to do something big And he's still doing big things We are a podcast about faith And we are expecting change Because God is always moving All right family, I hope you have a great day, night, wherever you are
[00:27:39] And thanks for listening