1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:10,120 A religious mindset attempts to replicate results at the price of process. 2 00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:16,800 The religious mindset substitutes inspiration with imitation. 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,560 It replaces revelation with repetition. 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:30,440 Wow, people of God! Grace and peace to you all in Jesus’ mighty name. 5 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,240 Thank You, Lord. 6 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:39,880 You're all very welcome to this Partner Service here at the God's Heart TV Studio. 7 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,560 I want us to begin this time together in a moment of prayer. 8 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,200 Let us pray right now. 9 00:00:48,200 --> 00:01:01,920 Lord Jesus Christ, we are connected here at this moment unto Your glory. 10 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:12,640 Help us to remain spiritually and mentally alert 11 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:20,440 in this time of fellowship, meditation and prayer. 12 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:29,040 Manifest Your strength in our weaknesses. 13 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:35,440 In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. 14 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:42,760 And the people of God said, “Amen!” 15 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:49,160 I have a word of encouragement for you today, a word of exhortation 16 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:57,200 about the dangers of a religious mindset. 17 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,880 And this is going to be taken from a story in the Old Testament actually. 18 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:11,200 It's contained in two passages - in 2 Samuel 5 and also in 1 Chronicles 14. 19 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:16,400 But for today's message, I'm going to read the account from 1 Chronicles 14. 20 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:24,400 So please, I would encourage you to turn with me in your Bibles to this portion - 21 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:35,880 1 Chronicles 14:8-17. 22 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:40,400 And once again, I'm going to read the story and 23 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:51,920 really highlight the dangers of a religious mindset. 24 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:56,680 It is one thing to start in the Spirit, 25 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:03,120 but it is another thing to stay in the Spirit. 26 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,760 As we're preparing to read the Scripture, you can just say that to your neighbour, 27 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,000 or speak it out right now: 28 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:19,440 “Don’t just start in the Spirit; stay in the Spirit.” 29 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,400 Let's keep that in our hearts as we read this portion. 30 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,560 As we read the verses, I'm going to be emphasising some lessons, 31 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:29,400 practical lessons of life from this account. 32 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,040 This is about King David. 33 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:42,200 1 Chronicles 14:8 - “Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king 34 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:50,600 over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. 35 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,760 And David heard of it and went out against them.” 36 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,200 Okay, let's just pause the story here. 37 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,080 Because there's already a very big lesson here. 38 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,720 I want you to think about this. 39 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:15,960 God had been equipping David in private long before anointing him in public. 40 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:29,600 He was being prepared spiritually long before the battle broke out physically. 41 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:37,760 Because anointing attracts attacks. 42 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:45,840 Don't be surprised when blessings are accompanied by battles 43 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:54,920 to remind us just how much we need God. 44 00:04:54,920 --> 00:05:05,120 Ammunition selected by your enemy is a clue to his fear of you. 45 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,720 That’s a deep statement. 46 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:12,440 I'm quoting Prophet T.B. Joshua there. I'll say it again. 47 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:27,400 Ammunition selected by your enemy is a clue to his fear of you. 48 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:34,480 The devil does not waste attention on those who don't threaten his kingdom. 49 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,600 Why am I pausing to emphasise this point, children of God, 50 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,080 before we even get into the main focus of this story? 51 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,720 This is a point of reflection because 52 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:58,560 there are many of us today who fall into the trap of attributing delay 53 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:05,680 to the blockage of the devil, rather than to the building of God. 54 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:12,560 What many of us see as delay - ‘I'm praying for this, but it's not yet come to pass. 55 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,920 I'm expecting this in my career; it’s not yet happened. 56 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,480 I'm expecting this to happen. 57 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,560 I'm seeking God for this, but I have not seen the visible results.’ 58 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:32,160 What you see as delay is God building you, not the devil blocking you - as a Christian. 59 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:40,080 It's common for people today to attribute their delay or their disappointment 60 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,360 to the work of the devil - ‘The devil has blocked me. 61 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:48,040 The devil is behind this. The devil has stopped me from fulfilling my destiny.’ 62 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,000 Whereas rather than the devil blocking you, 63 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:57,800 it is actually God building you, preparing you, equipping you. 64 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:05,800 But if you are so focused thinking about what is the cause of this blockage, 65 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,560 you may miss the process of building. 66 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,920 Why must God build us? Why must God equip us? 67 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:21,880 Because blessings are accompanied by battles. Anointing attracts attack. 68 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:26,560 God's favour draws man's envy. 69 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,520 That's why we must be equipped. 70 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:38,080 The problem today is when, out of impatience or man's ambition, 71 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:48,400 we take actions to jump ahead of God's time or try to skip ahead of God's process. 72 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,840 But in your skipping, you miss equipping. 73 00:07:52,840 --> 00:08:00,920 If you have skipped the building, then you are not equipped for the battle. 74 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:08,840 What many of us are passing through today is the process of God building us. 75 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:14,040 You can say that to your neighbour right now or speak it out if you are alone. 76 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:18,800 “I am being built, not blocked. 77 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,680 I am being strengthened, not stopped.” 78 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:29,440 Say it again, “I am being built, not blocked. 79 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:34,440 I am being strengthened, not stopped. 80 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,840 My delay is not denial.” 81 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:48,160 Just as God was equipping David in private before anointing him in public, 82 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:54,080 as a child of God, what you are going through is part of the process 83 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,040 of building your character. 84 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,480 A word of warning: 85 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:13,040 If you rise by gift, you may fall by character. 86 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,960 Or let me put it even clearer. 87 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:24,600 If you only rise by gift, you will surely fall by character. 88 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:33,680 Don't get carried away by your gift to a place your character cannot carry you. 89 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:38,960 Your gift can lead to greatness of man. 90 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,800 But it takes character to have greatness of God. 91 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,840 Your gift can entertain men. 92 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,800 It takes character to entertain angels. 93 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:56,480 This is just a pause in this story to think about this point. 94 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:06,160 The moment the Philistines learned that David had been anointed, the attack started. 95 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:11,720 Don't be surprised when what you are praying for 96 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:17,240 attracts the attention of what you are praying against. 97 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,640 God must build your character. 98 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:27,760 Because what is being built in private will equip you to face the attacks in public. 99 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,880 Anointing attracts attack. 100 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:34,760 Let's read on - this story: 1 Chronicles 14:9. 101 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:44,760 “Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 102 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:50,480 And David inquired of God...” - this is very important. 103 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:55,760 Before anything else, before setting up his military tactics, strategy and plans - 104 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:00,840 ‘How are we going to face the Philistines’ - his first source was God. 105 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:07,280 “David inquired of God, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? 106 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,280 Will You deliver them into my hand?’ 107 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:17,280 The Lord said to him, ‘Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.’” 108 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:18,640 Thank You, Jesus. 109 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:25,480 “So they went up...” - in accordance with that instruction, that direction. 110 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:31,600 “They went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. 111 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:37,600 Then David said, ‘God has broken through my enemies by my hand 112 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,960 like a breakthrough of water.’” 113 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:44,120 He did not say, ‘I have defeated my enemies by my hands. 114 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:46,720 My tactics have defeated these enemies. 115 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:50,920 My superior military strength has defeated these enemies. 116 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:56,880 The skills and gifts of my men and myself have defeated these enemies.’ 117 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,520 Even though they, of course, will have played a part in the victory. 118 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,080 But David did not say that. 119 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:12,640 He said, “‘God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.’ 120 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:18,160 Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim” - 121 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,120 which literally means, ‘Master of breakthroughs’. 122 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:28,480 1 Chronicles 14:12 - “And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, 123 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,560 and they were burned with fire.” 124 00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:36,560 There's a lot to think about here. Let’s pause a moment. 125 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:44,880 The evidence of the genuineness of David's relationship with God 126 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:53,160 was shown in his attitude before battle and after victory. 127 00:12:53,160 --> 00:13:00,280 Before the battle, David sought God's face. 128 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:06,200 After the victory, David glorified His name. 129 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:13,360 The intensity of the battle and the immensity of the victory 130 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:23,840 did not take his focus from God or his dependence on God. 131 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:30,880 This is a very big lesson for all of us today. 132 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,760 When a battle comes, who do you seek? 133 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,480 Whose opinion do you seek? 134 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,640 Whose direction do you seek? 135 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,560 Whose counsel do you seek? 136 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:49,520 To whom do you entrust your heart when the battle comes? 137 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:53,120 Look, at this time, we know we are talking about a physical battle. 138 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:59,920 I am, of course, referring here to the battles that life can bring. 139 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:06,400 Not just physical - emotional battles, financial battles, marital challenges, 140 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:15,280 challenges in health, work, career - just name it. Battles. 141 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,880 Who do you seek before? 142 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,440 When you know a battle is coming, who do you seek? 143 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:27,600 And when victory comes, who do you ascribe the glory to? 144 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:32,520 The evidence of David's relationship with God - 145 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:37,240 how God had equipped him in private before anointing him in public - 146 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,200 was his attitude before battle and after victory. 147 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,120 Also, I want you to take note. 148 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,720 He did not attribute the victory to his strength. 149 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:54,400 He did not attribute the victory to his skills. 150 00:14:54,400 --> 00:15:02,320 He did not attribute the victory to the strength of his men or himself. 151 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,960 He took no credit for the victory. 152 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:12,280 The spoils of success did not spoil his spirit. 153 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:16,960 His conquest did not give rise to compromise. 154 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:22,440 That is why, immediately after the victory, he glorified God. 155 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:29,360 But not only that, he burned the idols rather than keeping them as trophies. 156 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:35,520 Some of us are busy toying with what is meant to be burning. 157 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:40,640 David knew the source of his victory was God. 158 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:48,920 So that is why he didn't give any space to the devil after the victory 159 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:55,800 by collecting those idols as trophies. 160 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:02,320 He acknowledged God, glorified God for the victory, 161 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,720 did away with any form of idolatry, 162 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:11,720 and the result of this is reflected in what happens next. 163 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,320 So let's read on - 1 Chronicles 14:13. 164 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:20,880 “Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley.” 165 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,280 People of God, this is an interesting story. 166 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:25,840 They had just been defeated. 167 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:31,560 David had won the victory by the hand of God after seeking God's opinion. 168 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:39,320 But the Philistines attacked the very same area. 169 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:46,800 Don't think that victory today automatically assures you of victory tomorrow. 170 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,440 That you overcame today 171 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,680 does not automatically qualify you to overcome tomorrow. 172 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,160 God gives grace for each day. 173 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,160 You must depend on His grace each day. 174 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,600 I hope you follow what I'm saying here, children of God. 175 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,680 They attacked the very same area. 176 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:13,880 That an area of your life is attacked and by the grace of God you overcome 177 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:19,360 does not mean you are automatically immune from attacks in that same area. 178 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:24,760 If David had attributed the success to himself, 179 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:29,920 or he was busy toying with the trophies of past victories, 180 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,240 he would not have had the sensitivity to recognise 181 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,560 the needed revelation for the present decision. 182 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,440 Because if we read what happens, 183 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:48,080 David did not just assume that the tactic he used last time would work this time. 184 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:54,120 He didn't just conclude, ‘Well, the Philistines attacked here. God said I should do this. 185 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:59,240 And so let me repeat the same process and the same victory will ensue.’ 186 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,320 No! What did he do? 187 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:09,800 Let's read 1 Chronicles 14:14 - “Therefore, David again inquired of God...” 188 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:20,560 People of God, don't think that the approach of yesterday will work today. 189 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:25,720 You need to depend on God daily. 190 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:31,360 This is the danger of a religious mindset 191 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:42,600 because a religious mindset attempts to replicate results at the price of process. 192 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:48,560 ‘We did it like this. It worked. We will continue to do it like this.’ 193 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:56,160 The religious mindset substitutes inspiration with imitation. 194 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:02,400 It replaces revelation with repetition. 195 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,840 David did not repeat the same approach to battle. 196 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:10,640 He repeated the same approach to God. Take note of this. 197 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,120 He still ran to God for guidance. 198 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:19,000 He still ran to God for wisdom of how to manage this battle. 199 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,120 He still sought God’s opinion. 200 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:26,600 He didn't just conclude that the guidance he received in the last battle 201 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,040 would automatically be the same for the next battle. 202 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:35,680 In fact, if we read on, God gave him a different tactic. Let’s read. 203 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:40,520 “Therefore David inquired again of God...” 204 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:46,360 Did God say to him, ‘I have already told you what to do. Follow the same path...’? 205 00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:54,760 No. God said to him, ‘You shall not go up after them.’ 206 00:19:54,760 --> 00:20:00,600 In the first battle, the instruction from the Spirit of God was to go up. 207 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,440 If David had succumbed to a religious mindset, 208 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:09,680 he would have taken the same approach and expected the same result. 209 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:14,120 But what did he do? He sought God again. 210 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:18,480 And this time “God said, ‘You shall not go up after them; 211 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:27,280 circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 212 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:33,280 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, 213 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:39,480 then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you 214 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:44,000 to strike the camp of the Philistines.’ 215 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:49,720 So David did as God commanded him, 216 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:57,240 and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 217 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,360 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, 218 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:05,840 and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.” 219 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:10,320 People of God, I hope you understand the lesson 220 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,640 I'm bringing forth from this passage. 221 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:19,000 It’s a practical lesson for each and every one of us today. 222 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:37,400 Look, the religious mindset subtly seeks to disconnect your daily dependence on God. 223 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:42,960 If David had been overwhelmed by the spoils of success 224 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:47,480 or busy toying with the trophies of his past victories, 225 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:53,800 or attributing the results to his own efforts, rather than God's grace, 226 00:21:53,800 --> 00:22:01,920 he would not have been sensitive to seek God's direction when the next battle came, 227 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,840 even though it was in the same battleground. 228 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,520 What am I saying here, people of God? 229 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:15,240 We must be careful of anything that tries to interfere 230 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:20,120 with our total dependence on God for everything. 231 00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:24,920 We need God each and every moment. 232 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:29,720 That you are in the right place with God today 233 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:35,560 does not give you the space to relax in the spirit. 234 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:41,000 If you relax in the flesh, don't relax in the spirit. 235 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:45,560 Victory should not give room to complacency. 236 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:52,960 Your victories today should not breed complacency tomorrow. 237 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,640 ‘Everything was fine. We overcame this. I can relax.’ 238 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,640 If you relax in the flesh, don't relent in the spirit. 239 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,720 You need God each and every day. 240 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,560 This is the danger of the religious mindset. 241 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,000 We reduce the things of God to a formula 242 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:17,880 that we can apply irrespective of the state of our hearts. 243 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:25,160 The religious mindset does not recognise the importance of the heart. 244 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:33,080 That's why we can just follow a plan of man, even if initially it was inspired by God. 245 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:38,240 We now turn it into a blueprint that we adopt irrespective of the heart. 246 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:42,640 You may look at this message and say, ‘Brother Chris, can you be more practical? 247 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,800 How do I apply what you're talking about? I don't think I have a religious mindset. 248 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,680 Be more practical with what we are talking about here.’ 249 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:57,680 If reading the Bible just becomes a routine... 250 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:02,840 Every day I must read my verse, read my chapter. 251 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:16,200 If prayer just becomes a ritual - I say the words but I don't mean them - 252 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:23,920 then the heart is no longer required and the Spirit can no longer inspire. 253 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:29,360 Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. 254 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:34,640 Relationship lies in the heart. 255 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:45,280 Without the help of the Holy Spirit, your prayers can just impress man, not reach God. 256 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:48,600 Without the help of the Holy Spirit, 257 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:54,440 you will read the Bible just to be informed, not to be transformed. 258 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,400 You may read the Bible. The Bible will not read you. 259 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:05,360 Without the help of the Holy Spirit, our fasting is just a hunger strike. 260 00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:15,000 You must be careful to not fall into a religious mindset 261 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:22,720 that sets the mind or the mode above the heart. 262 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:29,640 We just follow tradition, convention, ceremony. 263 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,560 This is a word that calls for self-examination. 264 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:39,280 Even in churches today, when we go to the house of God, 265 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:43,040 from the perspective of you that are attending, 266 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,880 are you just going because it's traditional? 267 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:52,600 ‘On Sunday, I must go to church’ - even if your heart is not in church. 268 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:54,440 That's religious. 269 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:56,840 We may tick the box that we have attended church. 270 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,520 We will not truly receive what will change our lives. 271 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:07,920 Even from the perspective of those leading church, ministries, the work of the Lord - 272 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:16,400 if everything is pre-planned, the heart is no longer required. 273 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:22,240 If the script is already written, the heart can be missing. 274 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:28,320 If the script is present, don't be surprised the heart is absent. 275 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,200 It can become a ceremony. 276 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,760 If everything is prepared before in a script, 277 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:38,360 what's the difference between a service and a show? 278 00:26:38,360 --> 00:26:44,400 I'm not in any way discouraging godly routine or regularly attending church. 279 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:50,120 But that something is regular does not mean it should become religious, 280 00:26:50,120 --> 00:26:58,600 where we just go through the form, the motions without taking care of the heart. 281 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,080 We need inspiration from the Holy Spirit, not imitation of man. 282 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:07,000 We need revelation from the Holy Spirit, not repetition of what has worked in the past. 283 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:12,680 We need relationship with God, not religion. 284 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:17,000 That is a message I take from this story of David. 285 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:22,200 This is a reflection of David's relationship with God. 286 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:26,160 He sought God before the first battle. 287 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,120 He glorified God after the victory. 288 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:33,480 And when another battle came, he didn't automatically conclude 289 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:35,360 that the same approach would work. 290 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:42,960 He still went back to seek God, and this time the approach was given differently. 291 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:48,240 Because David knew the military tactics were not the source of his victory. 292 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:50,880 It was the Source of those tactics. 293 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,320 It was the Source - God. 294 00:27:54,320 --> 00:28:00,040 The source behind it determines the force behind it. 295 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:13,800 This is why we need God every day, every moment. 296 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:21,480 That you took a wrong step in the past does not disqualify you, 297 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:25,800 and that you took the right step in the past does not qualify you. 298 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,640 Many who are first will be last, and last will be first. 299 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:34,760 There is grace for each day. 300 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:43,080 That I was right with God yesterday does not mean it’s guaranteed I am right with God today 301 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,760 because each day has its own battles. 302 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:47,800 Each day has its own challenges. 303 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,160 Each day has its own trials. 304 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,960 That's why I need God each and every day. 305 00:28:53,960 --> 00:29:05,720 The religious mindset is so dangerous because it uses seemingly godly things 306 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:14,600 while disconnecting our daily dependence on the Source, God. 307 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,240 As I said at the beginning of this message, it’s a word of encouragement, 308 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:24,120 but it’s a word of exhortation, a word that calls for reflection, people of God. 309 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,040 It’s not about the way you overcome. 310 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,800 It's about the One who overcomes. 311 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,480 It's all about Jesus. 312 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:40,880 We must be very careful of anything that attempts, whether directly or indirectly, 313 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:49,400 to cut off our dependence on God, our communion with God and our duty to God. 314 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,680 That's the religious mindset. 315 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,720 ‘This approach worked. Let's stick with it.’ 316 00:29:54,720 --> 00:30:01,120 Your approach to battle may change. Your approach to God will not. 317 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:07,520 Approach God and let His Spirit direct your approach. That's the answer. 318 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:12,120 So people of God, this is the message I wanted to 319 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:19,480 share with everyone in today's meeting - the danger of the religious mindset. 320 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:23,000 We must break free from the spirit of religion. 321 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,720 How? Daily dependence on God. 322 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:37,160 Daily dependence on God requires daily settlement of the heart - 323 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:42,280 daily checking your heart, 324 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:48,280 so that we are not toying with things we are meant to be burning. 325 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:54,000 David gave the instruction to burn those idols. 326 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,440 Don't try to build bridges with what is meant to be burned. 327 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:04,600 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off (Matthew 5:30). 328 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:09,120 Some of us are taking trophies of past victories as if, 329 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:12,240 ‘This will help me to understand the world better.’ 330 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:17,080 It will help the world to overcome you, not you understand it. 331 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,920 I will bring this message to a close at this point. 332 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:23,800 I know there is a lot of food for thought in this message, 333 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:30,360 and we are going to have an opportunity now for questions, comments. 334 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:34,200 If you have something from today's message you'd like to ask about, 335 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:38,360 or you have a lesson that you would like to share with fellow people of God 336 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:42,400 here in God's presence, this is an opportunity for you to do so. 337 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:54,520 And I pray that the message you have received today will sink deep into your hearts 338 00:31:54,520 --> 00:32:04,600 to root out every religious mindset, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. 339 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,480 Thank you so much, Brother Chris. 340 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,760 This sermon really touched me. 341 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:26,520 Because I think I've fallen in that rut of depending on past victories. 342 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:31,040 And I would say that in the past I would probably call them principles. 343 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:37,840 But my question to you is this - 344 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:44,320 when we find ourselves in that state, 345 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:51,640 what is the best way that we can settle our hearts? 346 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,760 You said that we first of all need to settle our hearts. 347 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:59,480 What's the best way that we can do that? 348 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:03,200 Okay. Thank you very much, brother. 349 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:09,120 All of us can know - if we are sincere. 350 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:14,360 You can know when your heart is not settled. 351 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,080 Because no one knows you better than you know yourself. 352 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:22,640 You may attempt to attribute it to other factors or forces, 353 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:25,160 but no one knows your heart better than you. 354 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,440 If your heart is not settled, your heart is disturbed, 355 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,800 first of all, we have to identify what is causing that disturbance. 356 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,800 What is behind that ‘unsettlement’? 357 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:46,800 And if we are to be direct, the thing that disturbs our spirits as Christians is sin, 358 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:52,880 in whichever way, shape or form it manifests itself. 359 00:33:52,880 --> 00:34:00,040 If we recognise that the source of our disturbance spiritually is sin, 360 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,640 we must equally recognise that the solution is spiritual. 361 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:11,040 Sometimes we try to mask our disturbance by 362 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:16,040 engaging ourselves in other activities to try and just forget about it 363 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:22,480 or take our mind away from it or try to postpone dealing with it. 364 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,680 But the answer is spiritual. 365 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:34,720 And the answer is not too far from repentance and seeking God’s face for forgiveness. 366 00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:38,360 That's the answer, my brother. There's no formula here. 367 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:40,720 That's the answer. No one is perfect. 368 00:34:40,720 --> 00:34:46,520 That's why we depend on the Blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary for us. 369 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:51,720 But I think one of the big problems people have today is that they delay 370 00:34:51,720 --> 00:34:54,840 in settling the issues of their hearts 371 00:34:54,840 --> 00:35:01,560 because they're not truly ready to deal with the sin that has caused the disturbance. 372 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:05,000 Maybe because there's a fleeting enjoyment of that sin, 373 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,680 or maybe because they have not been alert to recognise what it truly is. 374 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:18,760 I so often talk about, for example, this issue of unforgiveness, bitterness. 375 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,960 It's such an easy trap to fall into because you can be deceived 376 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:26,280 into thinking you are justified in harbouring it because of the wrong done to you. 377 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,240 But what you don't realise is that by harbouring it, 378 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:34,640 you are violating the very command Jesus Christ gave us to release forgiveness. 379 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:40,000 So even though it is the wrong done to you, not that you've knowingly done wrong 380 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:42,080 to someone else, but the wrong done to you - 381 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:46,760 by harbouring it, you're going to cause a disturbance in your heart. 382 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:52,000 So that's an example of something that we often are not alert to recognise. 383 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:57,960 We don't realise that that's the cause of our disturbance because we are clouded by 384 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:59,800 the pain of the wrong done to us, 385 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:06,040 or the feeling that such a response is justified because of what has happened. 386 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:11,480 So the light of God's Word opens our eyes to where we need to repent 387 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,920 and reconcile with God, and that is why we hear a message like this. 388 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:22,640 You hear the Word of God and it brings you to the place of reflection, examination. 389 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:26,240 And the beautiful thing is that when we turn to God with all of our hearts, 390 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:32,680 He’s ready and willing to welcome us, to forgive us and the past is over. 391 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:38,320 That's why I said the wrong steps you took yesterday don't disqualify you. 392 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,800 Satan tries to use guilt from the past 393 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:45,680 to paralyse us in the present from taking the rightful actions. 394 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:50,360 But if you hear a message like this today and right here, right now, 395 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:56,000 identify where you have gone wrong, ask God for forgiveness, reconnect with Him - 396 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,920 the heart can be settled and you continue your journey. 397 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:05,480 But if you delay settlement, then you are building disturbance. 398 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:07,760 It's only going to build up. 399 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:14,120 It's not going to be solved by trying to cover it with hard work or 400 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:19,360 recreational activities or schemes of blaming. 401 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,200 It's not going to work. 402 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,480 You have to get right with God. 403 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:27,920 And to conclude, brother, I really can't emphasise this enough. 404 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:32,240 My brothers and sisters in Christ, I cannot emphasise this enough. 405 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:36,360 We are living in a world where there is no shortage 406 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:41,880 of temptations and distractions everywhere. 407 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,640 And this flesh is weak. We are weak. 408 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:53,440 So we must take actions actively to help us spiritually. 409 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:59,360 Have a place in your house set aside for prayer. 410 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:04,360 When your heart is troubled, go there. 411 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:08,200 When your heart is disturbed, go there. 412 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,720 Go on your knees before God. 413 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:16,560 I tell you, if you seek God sincerely, you will identify what is causing that trouble. 414 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:21,680 And as you bring it before God's presence, the peace and joy will be restored. 415 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:28,640 But so many times something disturbs us and everything around us 416 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:32,760 contributes to that disturbance, rather than helping us to settle it. 417 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:36,400 Sometimes we need to set aside a place. 418 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,520 Look, I talked today about the danger of religion. 419 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:44,680 I am not saying, ‘If I go to that prayer room, automatically my heart will be settled.’ 420 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:50,120 I'm saying find a place on the outside that will help you reconnect on the inside. 421 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:57,680 Have a place which you can set aside for prayer. Life is full of distractions. 422 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:00,640 Life is full of temptations. 423 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:09,840 There's no shortage of things trying to shift our focus, take us away from God. 424 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:13,120 But you know yourself. You know your heart. 425 00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:18,280 Everyone listening right now - we know our hearts. 426 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:22,920 You can know if something's disturbing you. 427 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,640 You can know if your spirit is not settled. 428 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:33,360 And if you are sincere and go deep, the cause of that disturbance is sin. 429 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:38,600 But the Blood of Jesus is enough. Run to Him. 430 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:40,280 To quote Prophet T.B. Joshua again, 431 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:46,040 “If you make a mistake, as we all do, don't run from God; run to Him.” 432 00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:51,520 And that mistake will become a tool to teach you, 433 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:56,080 to mature you, to improve you as far as you run to Him. 434 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:59,440 But that's the issue - running to Him. 435 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:04,160 That's the lesson from David - he ran back to God. 436 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:08,240 In the victory, he ran to God. In the battle, he ran to God. 437 00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:13,760 When the battle happened the second time, he ran back to God. 438 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:18,840 It was the consistency of his running to God that was the source of his victory, 439 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:21,760 not the strategy that God gave him. 440 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:33,120 Blessings! My name is Fabiola from Honduras living in Kentucky, USA. 441 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:37,600 Thank you very much for this message, which has really filled my heart. 442 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:42,560 What happens when we go to God as David did... 443 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:48,240 Because David asked God what he had to do and God’s answer was clear. 444 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:52,760 The first time He said, ‘Go’ and the second time He said, ‘Don’t go’. 445 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:58,840 So, the problem I have is that I ask God but I don’t hear His answer, 446 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:03,440 or I cannot distinguish the answer He has to my question. 447 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:05,600 I’m going to give a simple example. 448 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:09,320 I have been living here in Kentucky for four years 449 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,040 and I desire with all my heart to go to live in Florida. 450 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:17,680 It seems like it is something simple but I want to ask God if it’s His will 451 00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,280 but I don’t hear what His answer is. 452 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:21,920 This is the first question: 453 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,840 How can I recognise God’s voice when He answers me? 454 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:31,520 The very first question you asked is a very common question. 455 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:36,240 And at its root it is - how do I hear the voice of God? 456 00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:41,440 Because it is easy to read this portion and say, ‘Well, it was very easy for David. 457 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:47,240 David just inquired of God. The instruction came. He acted on it. 458 00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:49,280 Why is it not so easy for me?’ 459 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:54,240 Some of us would just like to pray and then we would love a voice from the heavens 460 00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:58,400 to come and say, ‘Go this way’ or ‘Don't go this way.’ 461 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:07,400 And I think it's important to emphasise that this is why we talk about relationship. 462 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:21,440 Because the closer you draw to God, the clearer His voice becomes in your spirit. 463 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:27,800 God is able to speak to us in multiple ways. 464 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:35,840 We cannot restrict God in the way He speaks to His people. 465 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:40,760 Yes, I used the example that people would like to hear a voice. 466 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:46,640 Some people - you can hear a voice audibly. It can happen. 467 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:55,800 Some people may receive a message from God in a dream, a revelation, a vision. 468 00:42:55,800 --> 00:43:01,880 Sometimes God may send someone to you with a message that you needed to hear 469 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:05,920 at that moment - God can use someone to convey. 470 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:13,720 Sometimes the circumstances of life are themselves a message to us. 471 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:24,440 Often, it’s the still, small voice of God’s Spirit in our hearts. 472 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:28,760 What I can say to you, sister, is very clearly this. 473 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:35,120 Although we cannot determine how God speaks to us 474 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:39,560 or the way God will choose to answer us when we pray, 475 00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:47,240 what we can do is take care of the heart to whom God will speak. 476 00:43:47,240 --> 00:43:52,760 Prayer is not just about talking. 477 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,560 It’s a two way conversation. 478 00:43:55,560 --> 00:44:03,280 It's about talking to God, listening to God not with these ears, but with the heart. 479 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:07,160 If I go back to the answer I gave my brother earlier, 480 00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:13,160 the best way to position yourself to hear from God is to settle your spirit. 481 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:20,600 If your heart is disturbed, your heart is troubled, your heart is weighed down, 482 00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:26,520 you will likely be insensitive to what His Spirit is telling you. 483 00:44:26,520 --> 00:44:36,080 This is why we reduce to desiring for our ears to hear the audible voice. 484 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:39,640 Because we want to bypass the process of settling our spirits. 485 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:47,040 Or we want to go to a man of God and just receive a prophecy - ‘You must do ABC.’ 486 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:52,720 God can speak through His servants. Prophecy is real. 487 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:56,960 God can direct people through prophetic words. 488 00:44:56,960 --> 00:45:00,640 But we should not see prophecy as an avenue 489 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:04,960 to bypass God's processing of settling our hearts. 490 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:09,680 I can just go to church and receive a prophecy that I should do this. 491 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:14,200 Even if God speaks to you in prophecy, there must be a confirmation, 492 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:19,200 which is why you must settle your own heart, settle your own spirit. 493 00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:25,840 I would love to say to you today, sister, ‘It's as easy as following this formula. 494 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:28,760 Do this and you'll hear the voice of God.’ 495 00:45:28,760 --> 00:45:33,720 Look, the ways of God are higher than our ways. 496 00:45:33,720 --> 00:45:37,400 God sees the bigger picture always. 497 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,960 And the way in which he communicates to us as His children 498 00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:43,840 can often be mysterious to these senses. 499 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:50,640 But what I can tell you, God does not leave us without direction. 500 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:54,320 If you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. 501 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:57,920 He does not leave us without guidance. 502 00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:02,320 If you seek Him with all your heart, you will find it. 503 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:05,760 You focus on the seeking and the direction will come. 504 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:10,400 You focus on caring for your heart and 505 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:15,520 sometimes events beyond your control will be supernaturally orchestrated 506 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:20,000 from above to take you to where He wants you to be. 507 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:22,160 But take care of your heart. 508 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:29,480 So my question, I think it's pretty straightforward, 509 00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:36,840 but for me, sometimes it tends to be a challenge in the practical sense. 510 00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:45,720 So my question is, how do you depend on God in a practical way, on a day-to-day basis? 511 00:46:45,720 --> 00:46:55,440 And then what example do you have of how you do this yourself daily? Thank you. 512 00:46:55,440 --> 00:47:01,800 All of us need to examine ourselves - ‘Okay, I hear this message. 513 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:10,840 How does this apply in my life, situation, family, marriage, workplace - everything?’ 514 00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:17,480 I think it all comes down to what we prioritise in life. 515 00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:21,960 If you prioritise your relationship with God, 516 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:27,280 then you will structure your daily schedule around time with Him. 517 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:32,440 It doesn't mean you neglect your other assignments and responsibilities. 518 00:47:32,440 --> 00:47:34,120 Of course not! 519 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:39,600 I am sure you are a working man and I believe brother, you have a family, right? 520 00:47:39,600 --> 00:47:43,560 You have a divine responsibility to care for your family when you're at work, 521 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:47,040 as you give your best at your work for the glory of God. 522 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:52,440 These are not things that you neglect, but you must structure 523 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:59,520 your time management around the principle of your relationship with God first. 524 00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:05,120 In other words, time with God is non-negotiable. 525 00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:13,240 It’s not like I can adjust my way of life to manage without investing time with God. 526 00:48:13,240 --> 00:48:17,920 It's essential. Now, how does that work out for you? 527 00:48:17,920 --> 00:48:23,320 You may say, ‘Okay, because of prioritising my relationship with God, 528 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:27,840 I need to get up earlier in the morning and have some time of prayer 529 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:29,920 or time to read the Scriptures.’ 530 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:35,600 Maybe it means in certain areas recognising there will be some sacrifices - 531 00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:39,880 time I would ordinarily spend perhaps in leisure or recreation, 532 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:43,560 I rather want to give that time for the things of God. 533 00:48:43,560 --> 00:48:51,040 That’s why I can't begin to share with you today specifically for you - ‘This is how to do it.’ 534 00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:53,880 You asked me the question - you should give an example of your own life. 535 00:48:53,880 --> 00:49:02,240 And for myself, I am, by God's grace, in full time ministry. 536 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:06,680 Everything about me and everything surrounding me 537 00:49:06,680 --> 00:49:10,520 are things that redirect me to God, which is an incredible privilege. 538 00:49:10,520 --> 00:49:16,920 But you can't compartmentalise your life to think, ‘Well, I have my time at work, 539 00:49:16,920 --> 00:49:18,600 which is just for making money, 540 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:22,000 and then I have my time with family, which is to enjoy fellowship with family. 541 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:23,640 Then I have my time for God.’ 542 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:29,520 No, our relationship with God influences and impacts everything about that. 543 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:32,480 So when my relationship with God is my priority, 544 00:49:32,480 --> 00:49:37,800 how I navigate marital issues is informed by my spiritual principles. 545 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:42,640 As husband and wife, you have a clash, marital misunderstanding. 546 00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:45,520 The evidence of what you prioritise in your life 547 00:49:45,520 --> 00:49:48,440 is reflected in how you react to that misunderstanding. 548 00:49:48,440 --> 00:49:52,400 So if my relationship with God is the most important thing to me, 549 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:56,880 I cannot afford to remain in a state of marital disagreement. 550 00:49:56,880 --> 00:50:03,600 So even if I have to lower my pride, I must do so for the sake of settling that issue 551 00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:05,760 so my heart can be right with God. 552 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:13,720 Oftentimes, marital misunderstandings are prolonged because we, at that moment, 553 00:50:13,720 --> 00:50:21,960 are more concerned about proving ourselves before man rather than being right with God. 554 00:50:21,960 --> 00:50:29,880 So if my relationship with God is my priority, love God above all else, 555 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:35,840 everything else flows from that principle. 556 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:39,880 So I could talk about time with God, reading the Bible, prayer. 557 00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:42,880 These are not things that should just be seasonal or circumstantial. 558 00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:44,240 They should be daily. 559 00:50:44,240 --> 00:50:47,280 But even that, it’s not - ‘Well, I’ve got my...’ 560 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:49,120 That's why I talked about a religious mindset. 561 00:50:49,120 --> 00:50:53,080 ‘I’ve read my five verses. Let me get on with my life. 562 00:50:53,080 --> 00:50:55,720 I have offered my prayer. Now let’s get back to business.’ 563 00:50:55,720 --> 00:51:00,400 No! What I read in those verses guides me through life. 564 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:06,560 What I pray to God guides me in business, family, marriage, 565 00:51:06,560 --> 00:51:13,560 guides me in how I respond when I take a wrong step as we all do, how I handle mistakes. 566 00:51:13,560 --> 00:51:15,960 So there is no formula, my brother. 567 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:19,760 But I would still - you know, you asked me to be personal. 568 00:51:19,760 --> 00:51:25,080 I really encourage everyone to have a place set aside for prayer. 569 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:26,720 I can't emphasise it enough. 570 00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:31,320 On a personal note, when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed at night, 571 00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:35,800 I will go to a place of prayer. 572 00:51:35,800 --> 00:51:39,760 Whether it's for one hour, whether it's for one minute - it’s not about length. 573 00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:45,880 It’s about making sure our heart is right with God. 574 00:51:45,880 --> 00:51:50,520 That does not depend on being in a physical area. Our heart is the prayer room. 575 00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:55,680 But sometimes setting aside a place can be very beneficial, 576 00:51:55,680 --> 00:51:59,640 so you are surrounded by things that remind you of God. 577 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:08,360 Even if the heart disconnects - when you walk by and see it, you are reminded. 578 00:52:08,360 --> 00:52:15,360 So I hope my brother, you take a message from this. 579 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:18,600 So let me even ask you. This is a good opportunity. 580 00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:28,360 I want to ask you, do you have a place in your home set aside for prayer if you can tell me? 581 00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:31,800 So, I pray in the living room. 582 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:37,920 I try to be consistent waking up in the morning, but sometimes it's a challenge. 583 00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:41,960 And the reason why I was also asking this question was - 584 00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:44,120 when the Bible says pray without ceasing... 585 00:52:44,120 --> 00:52:46,920 I think there was also a message where T.B. Joshua was saying 586 00:52:46,920 --> 00:52:49,320 you need to pray in your heart all the time. 587 00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:54,400 So, sometimes I pray in my car. I pray when I wake up. 588 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:57,720 Sometimes, I forget. I get carried away by work. 589 00:52:57,720 --> 00:53:03,120 So, that's why I was asking - how do you keep that engaged? 590 00:53:03,120 --> 00:53:07,280 But I think your answer has been very insightful. 591 00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:08,560 Thank you, my brother. 592 00:53:08,560 --> 00:53:13,600 Look, living room is for living. Dining room is for eating. Bedroom is for sleeping. 593 00:53:13,600 --> 00:53:18,120 Find another place for prayer. Don’t combine it. 594 00:53:18,120 --> 00:53:22,440 I understand that not everyone may have the rooms available, 595 00:53:22,440 --> 00:53:27,720 but what I mean is - have a place set aside, not a place that you combine. 596 00:53:27,720 --> 00:53:30,400 Today it’s like this; tomorrow it’s like that - no. 597 00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:35,640 Even if it's a space within a room, have it dedicated - if you need to corner it off. 598 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:40,080 Even if it's a small space - ‘Oh, this is an altar. This is a place for God.’ 599 00:53:40,080 --> 00:53:44,760 Not that you go there and pray today but tomorrow you are relaxing, watching something. 600 00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:50,600 Don't combine the two. Set it aside - even if it’s just a small part of the room. 601 00:53:50,600 --> 00:53:53,880 It’s a principle. It’s important. 602 00:53:53,880 --> 00:53:59,280 And the question you are asking about - how do we pray all the time in our hearts? 603 00:53:59,280 --> 00:54:03,200 As I said, the closer we draw to God, the more we prioritise Him, 604 00:54:03,200 --> 00:54:09,160 the more time we spend with Him, you will find that spontaneously, 605 00:54:09,160 --> 00:54:15,520 your spirit is engaging in godly things without your mind even being conscious of it. 606 00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:20,040 It’s a process. It doesn't happen overnight. That's why we have to persevere. 607 00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:25,560 We have to press in, and we have to disconnect from those things that contaminate us. 608 00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:31,720 The problem we have today is that we easily give room to things that contaminate our spirits. 609 00:54:31,720 --> 00:54:35,200 And then we wonder why our spirits begin to disconnect. 610 00:54:35,200 --> 00:54:40,720 Look, it can reach a point where your mind can be at work solving a problem 611 00:54:40,720 --> 00:54:43,040 or engaging in a conversation with someone, 612 00:54:43,040 --> 00:54:46,880 and at the same time, there's a song going on in your heart. 613 00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:49,960 There's a prayer going on in your heart. 614 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:54,600 Your brain may not even be conscious of it but your spirit is at work. 615 00:54:54,600 --> 00:55:01,600 Just like when you sleep, this body is dead, but the heart is active, alive. 616 00:55:01,600 --> 00:55:06,080 At the beginning, it may be your mind being conscious 617 00:55:06,080 --> 00:55:10,160 and repeating words or meditating consciously on words 618 00:55:10,160 --> 00:55:13,120 but a time will come where it just becomes part of you. 619 00:55:13,120 --> 00:55:17,800 Your spirit unconsciously goes to God for wisdom, for guidance. 620 00:55:17,800 --> 00:55:21,360 But we have to be careful of what contaminates our spirits. 621 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:25,720 What are we watching? What are we giving attention to? 622 00:55:25,720 --> 00:55:28,240 What are we feeding our spirits with? 623 00:55:32,200 --> 00:55:33,600 Grace and peace to everyone. 624 00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:39,720 My name is Patricia and I am speaking with you from the United States of America. 625 00:55:39,720 --> 00:55:43,120 And I'm in the state of Minnesota. 626 00:55:43,120 --> 00:55:48,000 Thank you. So I have two questions. 627 00:55:48,000 --> 00:55:55,280 So one of them is in regard to the Scripture that we read today. 628 00:55:55,280 --> 00:56:05,200 So I want to ask - if King David did not hear a clear message from God, 629 00:56:05,200 --> 00:56:10,920 telling him to either move forward or not to move forward, 630 00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:18,840 he had been living right with God - would he change his prayer point? 631 00:56:18,840 --> 00:56:23,640 For example, if he didn't hear that he should go and fight the Philistines, 632 00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:26,760 would he have to change his prayer point? 633 00:56:26,760 --> 00:56:32,640 Or would he just assume - ‘Since I’m living right with God, I’m good to go. 634 00:56:32,640 --> 00:56:41,040 Silence is not denial. I can go, overtake them and win the battle.’ 635 00:56:41,040 --> 00:56:49,920 So that’s one question and then, my second question is - 636 00:56:49,920 --> 00:57:00,120 for example, I'm praying about something and I hear from God, ‘Soon, you will have this’, 637 00:57:00,120 --> 00:57:05,280 does it mean that in the meantime while I wait to hear from Him, 638 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:08,960 can I go ahead and do other things? 639 00:57:08,960 --> 00:57:15,760 Or is He saying, ‘Soon but I want you to remain in prayer. Don’t move anyhow.’ 640 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:19,200 So I was wondering if you could help me with that. 641 00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:28,120 Ok, thank you, sister. So, the key principle here is the fact that David, 642 00:57:28,120 --> 00:57:33,960 before concluding on a course of action, chose to seek God and approach God. 643 00:57:33,960 --> 00:57:39,120 Now, if we begin to say, ‘What would happen in Scenario A 644 00:57:39,120 --> 00:57:42,400 if he did not hear from God or there was not a clearcut message 645 00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:44,400 or what would happen in Scenario B?’ 646 00:57:44,400 --> 00:57:48,760 There's so many different scenarios that you could talk about. 647 00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:53,040 That's why we need spiritual sensitivity because situations change. 648 00:57:53,040 --> 00:57:56,400 We need wisdom for each situation, which is why we need God. 649 00:57:56,400 --> 00:58:01,520 So I don't think it would be particularly beneficial to the general message 650 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:06,040 if we began to say, ‘Well, if it was Scenario B where he did not do this, 651 00:58:06,040 --> 00:58:07,120 David would have done that’, 652 00:58:07,120 --> 00:58:11,400 because if an answer does not come in the way you expect, 653 00:58:11,400 --> 00:58:14,320 then there will be another way in which God speaks to you. 654 00:58:14,320 --> 00:58:17,640 I really believe that God will not leave us without direction. 655 00:58:17,640 --> 00:58:22,560 It's not a formula that says, ‘Right, if you don't get Answer A, then let's look for B, 656 00:58:22,560 --> 00:58:25,600 and if it’s B, that means you should do this.’ 657 00:58:25,600 --> 00:58:29,760 No. That's why we talk about relationship with God. 658 00:58:29,760 --> 00:58:36,120 So it's not like when the battle comes - ‘Let me quickly bring out my book. 659 00:58:36,120 --> 00:58:39,920 Ok, let’s try A. If that doesn’t work, then we go to B. 660 00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:43,400 If the answer is B, then we try C’ - like it’s a chart. 661 00:58:43,400 --> 00:58:46,840 No, it's about the overflow of relationship with God. 662 00:58:46,840 --> 00:58:50,920 That's why I talked about David being equipped before this battle. 663 00:58:50,920 --> 00:58:55,080 The attitude he had in the battle was a reflection of the relationship he had 664 00:58:55,080 --> 00:58:57,680 before the battle - relationship with God. 665 00:58:57,680 --> 00:59:01,200 So we need to prioritise caring for that relationship. 666 00:59:01,200 --> 00:59:04,240 Okay, maybe this brings us to the second question you had. 667 00:59:04,240 --> 00:59:09,760 And I want to quote something I said in a recent message that waiting on the Lord 668 00:59:09,760 --> 00:59:14,640 is not a justification for laziness or mismanagement. 669 00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:17,760 If you are seeking something from God and it's not yet come, 670 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:21,200 and you have that prompting of the Spirit that it’s going to come soon, 671 00:59:21,200 --> 00:59:23,800 it doesn't mean you sit back, just relax and say, 672 00:59:23,800 --> 00:59:26,480 ‘Well, when that soon comes, it will come’. 673 00:59:26,480 --> 00:59:29,840 You have to make use of whatever is in your hands today 674 00:59:29,840 --> 00:59:34,120 to do what is right and work hard towards what you believe God has put in your heart. 675 00:59:34,120 --> 00:59:40,640 So, in your particular example, although we don't know specifically the area you're referring to, 676 00:59:40,640 --> 00:59:43,360 what I would just say very simply is this - 677 00:59:43,360 --> 00:59:48,360 satan will do anything to try and stop us from acting faith in the present. 678 00:59:48,360 --> 00:59:50,440 Waiting should not be an idle time. 679 00:59:50,440 --> 00:59:55,720 Waiting is an active time because waiting is also part of preparing. 680 00:59:55,720 --> 00:59:59,200 God is building us, but we have to pay attention to the lesson. 681 00:59:59,200 --> 01:00:04,240 We all know if you go to school but you don't pay attention, you're not going to pass. 682 01:00:04,240 --> 01:00:05,920 You have to pay attention to the lesson. 683 01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:10,680 So the period of waiting may be more about paying attention to what God is teaching you. 684 01:00:10,680 --> 01:00:14,600 Maybe there's an area of your character that needs to be adjusted. 685 01:00:14,600 --> 01:00:17,960 Maybe there's a bad habit that currently you're engaged in - 686 01:00:17,960 --> 01:00:22,480 that ‘soon’ will come when you deal with that habit. 687 01:00:22,480 --> 01:00:27,800 But it's all about recognising, when it comes to the things of God, 688 01:00:27,800 --> 01:00:30,040 we cannot bypass His process. 689 01:00:30,040 --> 01:00:34,080 And as I said, God is more interested in our character than our gift. 690 01:00:34,080 --> 01:00:38,640 So if God sees you are not yet ready for what He's prepared to release to you, 691 01:00:38,640 --> 01:00:44,640 He will rather wait until you are ready spiritually and your character is equipped. 692 01:00:44,640 --> 01:00:50,520 So your focus should be on that, rather than saying, ‘Well, if it's not yet there, let's jump ahead.’ 693 01:00:50,520 --> 01:00:54,160 That's why I said we shouldn’t jump ahead of God. 694 01:00:54,160 --> 01:00:56,360 Vision waits for God's time. 695 01:00:56,360 --> 01:01:00,000 Ambition does not wait for God's time. Vision waits for God's time. 696 01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:05,600 That is why we have to make sure that in our period of waiting, we are not mismanaging. 697 01:01:05,600 --> 01:01:11,280 We are not being idle. We are not just expecting it to fall from Heaven 698 01:01:11,280 --> 01:01:13,880 into our plates without playing our part. 699 01:01:13,880 --> 01:01:17,720 So thank you very much, sister. I hope you understand. 700 01:01:17,720 --> 01:01:19,600 Thank you.