"Hearing and Responding: Ep 4: The Power of God's Words"

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Music.

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast with your host,

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Connie Morris, where truth speaks, healing begins, and every word is rooted in faith.

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Before we begin, let us go before the Lord in prayer.

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Father God, we thank you for this moment. We thank you for every listener,

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every heart, and every home represented.

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We invite your presence into this space. As we begin, we stand on the words

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of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4.10.

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And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, So that thou wouldest bless me

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indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me,

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and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.

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And God granted him that which he requested.

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Lord, today we echo that same prayer. Bless us indeed.

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Bless every woman listening. Bless her mind, her body, her relationships,

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her dreams, and her destiny.

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Let your blessing not only surround her, but transform her.

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Enlarge our coast. Stretch us beyond what we thought was possible.

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Expand our influence, our impact, and the reach of this message.

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Not for our glory, but for yours.

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Let your hand be with us. Go before us in every conversation.

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Guide our words, anoint our purpose, and let every episode carry your truth with clarity and power.

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Keep us from evil that it may not grieve us.

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Shield us from harm, from cycles of sorrow, from spiritual attack and emotional heaviness.

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Cover us in your grace so we rise in strength, not in grief,

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in wholeness, not in wounds.

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And just as you granted Jabez what he requested, Lord, grant it unto us.

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Let this podcast be a wellspring of truth, a refuge for healing,

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and a launchpad for purpose. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

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Welcome back to Diary of a Black Woman Faith on the Go series.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris. I'm excited to continue our powerful series, When God Wants to Talk.

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In today's episode, we're talking about when God has something to say.

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Up until now, we've learned that God speaks, right?

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Whether in the stillness of the night, through whispers, or in those divine wake-up calls.

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Cause. But today, we are going to focus on something even deeper,

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the message that he tells us, right?

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God wakes us up. He speaks. What about that message?

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That divine impartation is not just noise.

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His voice isn't just for us to hear, but to act upon.

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I know I've been kind of really getting into that.

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God just don't want you to be a hearer of the word only. He wants you to also be a doer of the word.

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So his voice isn't just for us to hear, but for us to do something, for us to act upon it.

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So every word he speaks carries direction, healing, purpose,

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and sometimes correction.

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I think I spoke about that correction in one of my other episodes.

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God is always fine tuning us into his perfect plan for our lives, right?

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And sometimes it's like, you know, Like a father and a mom, you know,

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when we grew up as children, they were always correcting us, keeping us in line.

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And so God, our Heavenly Father, does the same.

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And the Holy Spirit, who's always around, is a convictor of sin.

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So he keeps us in check all the time. So we're not just listening to feel the silence.

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We're not just doing something. We are actually participating in hearing from

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the Creator who desires to reveal himself.

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His will, and his ways. So today we're going to explore how to recognize the

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weight of the message, how to respond, and why every word that he speaks is for our good.

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There's a song out there, it works for our good. But if you ain't doing what

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God tells you or responding to his voice, it's not going to be for your good. Amen.

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God doesn't waste his breath. He speaks and it changes us.

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God speaks and it changes us.

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So let's dive in. Let's just talk about the weight of his words, right?

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And Isaiah 55, 11 says, so in my word, it's my word that goes forth out of my mouth.

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It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve

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the purpose for which I sin.

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In the quiet moments when God speaks, his word, words carry weight.

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They're not just words. You know, we are allowed to speak as humans.

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And sometimes we just talk to hear ourselves talk. Can I get an amen out there?

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But when the God of heaven speak to us, he is not just talking to hear himself talk.

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He is talking to get you to move into a position, right?

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To respond in obedience. These words are transformative, they're directive,

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and they are life-altering.

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When we hear his voice, we are not just hearing an idea or a

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a suggestion. We're receiving divine instructions.

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So it is my word that goes out of my mouth.

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It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve

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the purpose for which I sent.

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God's words have a purpose, and that purpose is always good.

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His word doesn't just inform us. It shapes us and it shapes the world around us.

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Think about the words God spoke to Jeremiah.

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Here in Jeremiah 1.9, it reads, when the Lord reaches out his hand and touched

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my mouth, he said, I put my words in your mouth.

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So when God speaks, he doesn't just want us to receive his message.

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He wants us to steward it, take action with it, let it transform us.

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And it says, if God has spoken to you recently, whether through a scripture,

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a dream, a prophetic word, or that still small voice, it's not just for you

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to absorb, but for you to act upon it.

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In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel heard the Lord's voice, but it was only after he understood

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the voice of God that he responded.

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When he was able to identify that that was the Lord speaking to him, then he responded.

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He said, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. That's found in 1 Samuel 3.10.

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God's words are life-altering. They call us higher. They correct our path.

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They illuminate the dark places, but in order for God's word to work in your

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life, you must receive it with faith and obedience.

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You hear that? In order for it to work, you must receive it with faith and obedience.

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What do we do with the weight of God's words? You know, you hear this as an

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instructor, if you've ever taught a class or if you've ever been in experience

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of being in training or being a trainer,

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oftentimes you'll hear people say, I've heard that before. I've heard that before.

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And it's like, okay, you heard that before, but what have you done since you

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heard it? Have you used it? Have you applied it?

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And so if you haven't done anything with it, God has a way in life,

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even throughout his scripture, to repeat things.

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And I don't know about you, but he sometimes have to repeat things to us.

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So I don't think we should get the big head and say, I've heard that before.

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Why are you saying it again? Why are you repeating it?

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You ever notice though, when there's a series, maybe your pastor might be on

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a series and he has a foundational scripture that he repeats every time he covers that series of

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Maybe he has a 10-part series, but he has a foundational scripture that he reads

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over and over and over again.

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And sometimes we as parishioners, we check out during that time.

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But until we actually get it, God will have that service,

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that particular series seem like it goes on and on forever because we have yet

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to apply it because we check out because we've heard it before.

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How many know that if God's words carries weight, that means there's so much

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more inside of that word, that scripture, that he's still trying to reveal to us, right?

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And so we have to pay attention when God is repeating himself.

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So what do we do with the weight of God's words?

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First, we receive it by faith. So that's pretty much, you take it.

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It's like when you go, even if you don't like it, you know, back when we were

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younger, we didn't like vegetables.

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And some of us as adults probably still don't like vegetables.

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But as adults, you have an option not to eat them.

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But as children, we had to eat our vegetables.

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So just like some of the words that God gives us, we pretty much might not like

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them, but we have to eat them anyway.

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So we have to receive it by faith. So we receive it. I receive your word by faith, Lord.

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Just receive it. Whether your mind can understand it, whether your heart can

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get it, you receive it by faith.

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Number two, you believe them for their power to change.

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Believe that the word that God has given you has the power to change your circumstances.

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Your mindset, your heart, your family, your boss's life, your situation, anything.

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That when God gives you a word, whether it's one word, where it's a scripture,

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whatever he speaks into your heart, that that word has enough power to change

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whatever you are going through.

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And many times we want, we, you know, sometimes, and I've been guilty of this

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until I began to have my own prayer life, right?

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When you don't have a prayer life, when you don't have a relationship with God,

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when a prophetic person comes into your church and you said,

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prophet so-and-so will be in the building today, right?

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You want to make sure that you're in a front row because you want him or her

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to see you so they will have a prophetic word for you.

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But you don't realize that when God wants to talk, that he is the prophet,

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that he has a word for you.

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It doesn't always have to come from, I call it a stranger, even though they

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have a call on their life. That's awesome. And that's wonderful.

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But God walks in the room and he has a word for you, but you are missing the

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moment because you're expected to come from this person, right?

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And you want it to come in front of everybody and just like name it.

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You want them to wave their hands over you and say this powerful prophetic word

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when actuality God is speaking to you every moment, every day.

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He always has a word for you. So when you get that revelation that God's word

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is, that God, first of all that's always in the room.

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God wants to talk to you and that his words carry weight so that when you have a prophetic word,

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from someone. You're not searching

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for someone to have a word for you because God is giving you words.

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You get what I'm saying? And so you're not the first one in trying to fight

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for the front row so you can be seen, so you can have a word from this person,

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you know, because you already have a relationship with God, right?

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Not saying that that's a bad thing, but it can be a bad thing if that's the

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only way you are getting your word. That was straight off the press.

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Thank you, Lord, for that? That was straight off the press. So receive them in faith.

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Believe that the word that God gives you has the power to change your life.

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And I can tell you that when God gives me a word, it gives you the power to change your life.

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I always think things are not happenstance when you are a Christian.

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And so recently, like I mentioned in the podcast, I was kind of voted in as vice president.

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The president wasn't really doing what she was supposed to do.

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And so we had to do some things and remove her.

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So now I am the president of the HOA.

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Now I got too much stuff to do to be the president of the HOA because it's really out of order.

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It's dysfunctional. But the Lord put me there and he says, I want you to move.

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And he said it to me. He says, I need you to move. I want you to move some things

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around, move some things around.

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And so I'm thinking like, whoa, what moves some things around?

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First thing was move the present out the way.

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Then he started talking about how he wants to get things in order.

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Remember, God is the author and finisher of our faith.

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So remember, if you listen to him, he's telling you how to get things in order.

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And so I told the team, I said, we're getting ready to get some things in order. Are you with me or not?

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And we're getting ready. It's going to be uncomfortable because things have

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been out of order so long.

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And so when you come in putting things in order, you know, people like to resist.

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And so you got to be ready to resist.

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But the Lord told me that I got your back.

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And so that gives you that weight of God's word.

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I received it. I believe that it has the power to change circumstances.

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And right now the president is quiet. it. She doesn't know what to do because

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she thought that all the things she threw at me was going to stop me.

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And I was like, girl, I just getting started because how I know,

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because the weight of God's word has ability to change circumstances.

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It's the weirdest thing, but I want to share with you when you're walking in

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the authority that God has given you, people look at you differently.

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You can see the little demon in their eyes, kind of like, who is,

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who are you? Who gives you that authority?

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And really, if you read your bylaws and your covenants and you understand what

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the contract says, you already can say this person is in violation.

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It's not that deep, right? But it is that deep if you don't move forward in

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what you already see. Amen.

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Another part three of this is you got to act on it with boldness,

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knowing that God who speaks is also who empowers you. I'm not going at this alone.

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It's interesting because as a police officer, we're all trained the same.

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And so we're trained to, whatever position we're in, we're always training.

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But you already know that the person behind you, the person beside you,

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the person in front of you, we all receive the same training.

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So when we enter the home under extreme circumstances, when we stop a car under

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extreme circumstances, when we're fighting with someone, we all have the same training.

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So we have an expectation of what that other person can do in this little fight

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or situation that we're in.

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And that's the same way you should be with God. Knowing you've already had some past battles with him.

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Knowing that you know that when you act, when you partner with God and you receive

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his word by faith, and you believe that these words has power to change your

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situation and you act on it,

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you already know that you are empowered to be victorious in this situation.

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Why? Because you have prior experience with him, right?

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You've been training, God has been training you on what to expect from him.

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And so you don't have to walk in fear or any doubt, just walk.

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And he's with you. Remember he's in the room. If he's whispering,

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I always like to say that he's in the room.

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He said, he'll never leave us or forsake us. So he's not a far off God.

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He's a close and personal God.

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Right? So when he says, go, Connie, go, you know, he's right there running with you.

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You know, if you ever ran track or any sports, you know, you had,

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you ever had your coach running right beside you.

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You know that if he's coaching you and he's able to run with you,

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you know, he, he knows what he's talking about.

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You get what I'm saying? You got a coach who's on a bicycle coaching with you. That's cool too.

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But if he's a coach that's running right beside you, telling you to go,

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go, go as you run around that track, you know, he's already been there before.

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He knows what it takes to win.

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God knows what it takes to win. He knows you have what it takes to win.

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And that's why he wakes you up in the morning, talks to you at night.

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He's your coach, but you can't do it without faith. You can't do it without

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believing in that power.

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You cannot do it without acting with boldness.

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And so when God speaks to you, it's not just a passive experience.

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It's an invitation to move, to change, to become who he is calling you to be.

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The challenge is when God speaks.

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It's not whether, it's not when, the challenge is when God speaks.

00:17:20.752 --> 00:17:23.872
It's not whether he's speaking, it's how we respond.

00:17:24.012 --> 00:17:29.552
We know he speaks. So you got to, how are you going to respond to the voice of the Lord?

00:17:29.752 --> 00:17:32.252
And something about when he speaks is loving.

00:17:32.532 --> 00:17:35.652
It can sound like a coach sometimes, we know.

00:17:35.912 --> 00:17:39.512
And sometimes it can sound like a father. It can sound like a friend,

00:17:39.712 --> 00:17:42.572
depending on what he wants you to do at that time.

00:17:42.872 --> 00:17:45.392
God's voice is powerful, purposeful, and personal.

00:17:45.752 --> 00:17:50.612
God's voice is powerful, purposeful, and personal. But our response determines

00:17:50.612 --> 00:17:53.872
whether we receive what he is saying or not.

00:17:54.052 --> 00:17:59.192
There's a reason the Bible repeatedly says, he who has ears, let him hear.

00:17:59.332 --> 00:18:05.372
Matthew 11, 15 and Revelations 2, 7, God is speaking to us all the time,

00:18:05.412 --> 00:18:12.952
but our response to his voice shapes how his message impacts our life. And that's something.

00:18:13.499 --> 00:18:21.359
God is speaking to us all the time. It's how we respond to his message and that's

00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.699
how it determines how it will impact our lives.

00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:29.419
1 Samuel 3.10, it says, as a powerful example, how to respond to God's call.

00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:34.879
Samuel, after hearing God's voice three times, finally responded with,

00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:38.279
speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.

00:18:38.459 --> 00:18:41.699
You know, as you begin to start a new relationship with God,

00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:49.319
as you begin to want to spend time with him, listening and determining his voice,

00:18:49.479 --> 00:18:53.239
that you will learn that God wants an interaction with you.

00:18:53.479 --> 00:18:56.599
Remember, speak, Lord God. Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

00:18:56.939 --> 00:19:00.559
That response was not a passive response. It was an active response.

00:19:00.739 --> 00:19:03.799
It was a response to what do you want me to do? What do you want me to do?

00:19:04.499 --> 00:19:09.059
Intentional invitation to listen and obey. It's an intentional invitation to listen and obey.

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:12.739
And as I was thinking about that, I realize that sometimes when we call our

00:19:12.739 --> 00:19:17.159
children to do something, they'll know based on the tone of your voice,

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:22.599
if you just need them to come sit with you or if you need them to do something. You ever notice that?

00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:27.979
And I think we will learn God's tone as we begin to listen to his voice.

00:19:28.219 --> 00:19:32.399
Sometimes he needs us to urgently move. And sometimes it's pretty much maybe

00:19:32.399 --> 00:19:34.819
something future or something he's planning.

00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:39.459
And just maybe it's something to encourage us, But we have to be able to respond

00:19:39.459 --> 00:19:41.719
in an active listening way.

00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:43.839
What would you have me to do?

00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:48.239
And you might say, I just want you to listen. I need you to do this.

00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:52.259
But your responding actively means that if you don't have a good memory,

00:19:52.439 --> 00:19:58.179
you might need to write it down or record it into a device so that it doesn't,

00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:01.119
so you don't forget. You're honoring him when you do that.

00:20:01.539 --> 00:20:06.719
In James 1.22, we're told, do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself.

00:20:07.219 --> 00:20:10.239
Do what it says. This is a key point. Hearing is not enough.

00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:12.579
We hear God's voice, but don't act on it.

00:20:12.819 --> 00:20:17.759
We're not fully engaging with the call. Just as Samuel didn't stop at hearing

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:23.839
God's voice, we must act upon it, allowing God's message to transform our action,

00:20:24.219 --> 00:20:25.659
our hearts, and our mindset.

00:20:25.999 --> 00:20:30.519
When we respond to God's voice with obedience, something profound happens.

00:20:30.699 --> 00:20:33.659
His word begins to shape our reality.

00:20:33.879 --> 00:20:36.899
This is how faith and action works together.

00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:43.759
In Luke 11, 28, Jesus said, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.

00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:47.379
The blessing isn't just about the hearing, it's in the doing.

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:49.239
So let's reflect for a moment.

00:20:49.459 --> 00:20:54.659
What has God spoken to you recently? Are you sitting on it, waiting for more clarity?

00:20:55.171 --> 00:20:59.831
Are you actively responding? Are you waiting for the right conditions or have

00:20:59.831 --> 00:21:04.571
you trusted that God's word is enough to move forward?

00:21:04.891 --> 00:21:08.691
There's one thing about my mom says about me, you know, having been a police

00:21:08.691 --> 00:21:11.611
officer and having worked in all kinds of weather conditions,

00:21:11.911 --> 00:21:16.091
whenever I said I'm going to do something, I never look at the weather to determine

00:21:16.091 --> 00:21:18.611
if I'm going to do it based off the weather.

00:21:18.831 --> 00:21:23.231
She already know if it's rain and snow and sleet, Unless it's slippery or something

00:21:23.231 --> 00:21:26.031
really weird happened with the weather that's really unsafe,

00:21:26.111 --> 00:21:28.051
I would kind of call and cancel.

00:21:28.251 --> 00:21:32.971
But if it's just some weather, snow, weather, a weather event that my car can

00:21:32.971 --> 00:21:36.911
make it through, whatever I said I'm going to do, I'm going to be there.

00:21:37.171 --> 00:21:39.771
And that's what we have to kind of trust in God.

00:21:40.191 --> 00:21:45.351
That no matter, sometimes it's never, ever going to be the right condition for you to trust in God.

00:21:45.511 --> 00:21:50.691
Sometimes that trusting in God has to happen right that moment, right in that moment.

00:21:50.691 --> 00:21:56.791
And like I said, I had a real good lesson when I was working this job that was

00:21:56.791 --> 00:22:03.551
almost going to require me to work about almost 60, 70 hours overtime a week.

00:22:03.671 --> 00:22:07.051
And I don't think nobody needs to work that much. I really don't.

00:22:07.191 --> 00:22:11.831
And one thing that the Lord had said to me, he says, what did I tell you to

00:22:11.831 --> 00:22:14.011
do? What was your assignment?

00:22:14.231 --> 00:22:20.151
And I remember my assignment was this podcast. So if I was going to work these

00:22:20.151 --> 00:22:25.191
70 hours a week, there was no way for me to keep track of my podcast.

00:22:25.531 --> 00:22:31.271
And so I had to, in an emergency situation, just resign from that job and trust

00:22:31.271 --> 00:22:36.511
God right then that I had, if I needed a job he provided, if he's not going to provide for me,

00:22:36.911 --> 00:22:40.711
then I'm going to have to trust him in another way.

00:22:40.891 --> 00:22:46.031
But I knew right then and there that that priority that he gave me was this podcast.

00:22:46.736 --> 00:22:55.396
And I was not able to keep up with it because of this potential to work 70 hours a week.

00:22:55.576 --> 00:22:58.516
And I was like, Lord, that's not possible.

00:22:58.816 --> 00:23:02.876
And then he had me and was in the middle of the night, kind of as I was going

00:23:02.876 --> 00:23:06.936
to the bathroom. He says, what did I tell you to do?

00:23:07.076 --> 00:23:10.076
And I remember, I can remember because you're half asleep.

00:23:10.356 --> 00:23:13.836
Trust me, we're humans. And I remember, so what did he tell me to do?

00:23:13.836 --> 00:23:19.136
And then he gave me the answer, the podcast, Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:23:19.476 --> 00:23:23.256
I also have two. It's called The Morris Perspective. I've given you those podcasts,

00:23:23.256 --> 00:23:25.136
and that's your priority.

00:23:25.476 --> 00:23:30.856
Right then and there, I knew that I had to stop working that crazy job.

00:23:31.076 --> 00:23:34.596
And so sometimes that word, that's that weight of that word,

00:23:34.776 --> 00:23:40.076
it never stops working in your life when you use faith. So when he tells you

00:23:40.076 --> 00:23:44.816
one thing, that one thing is something that holds true for everything, right?

00:23:44.996 --> 00:23:48.336
And so I'm just saying, like, if he's told you to do something and you're starting

00:23:48.336 --> 00:23:52.236
to see that that one thing he told you to do, you're not able to do because

00:23:52.236 --> 00:23:58.136
maybe work or, you know, maybe you got a boyfriend or something that's keeping you from that,

00:23:58.296 --> 00:24:04.436
then you have to set your priority on what has God spoken to you? What was that priority?

00:24:04.716 --> 00:24:08.476
And sometimes you have to go back into your prayer closet, right?

00:24:08.676 --> 00:24:14.176
Or listen to those quiet times when God wants to talk because He,

00:24:14.496 --> 00:24:17.816
in that quiet time, will get you back in line.

00:24:18.016 --> 00:24:22.096
And you don't have to even make a big deal about it. You can just go to that

00:24:22.096 --> 00:24:25.876
quiet time, have that moment with God in the morning or in the evening or in

00:24:25.876 --> 00:24:28.076
the middle of the night or during prayer,

00:24:28.216 --> 00:24:33.716
whenever He speaks to you, and you will find out that that one word from God

00:24:33.716 --> 00:24:40.096
carries so much weight that it automatically gives you that confidence to get

00:24:40.096 --> 00:24:44.636
back in line so that you can do what he has told you to do.

00:24:44.816 --> 00:24:50.196
So God doesn't just speak for us to stay still. His voice propels us into action.

00:24:50.356 --> 00:24:54.096
And when you hear God's voice, take that step.

00:24:54.416 --> 00:24:57.696
Maybe take that step forward, take that step backwards.

00:24:57.956 --> 00:25:02.676
It might be a small one or a huge leap of faith, but it's So obedience is the

00:25:02.676 --> 00:25:04.636
key. I remember I just had to stop working.

00:25:04.856 --> 00:25:08.796
I gave a four-day notice. I just had to stop right away because I knew I had

00:25:08.796 --> 00:25:14.516
to get Maid's podcast out, and I couldn't do it in that record time because

00:25:14.516 --> 00:25:17.676
that schedule was getting ready to cause some problems.

00:25:17.856 --> 00:25:23.776
I don't know if that's how that works for you, but many times we have to go

00:25:23.776 --> 00:25:30.876
back to what God originally told us, and that will always be your foundation on what to do next.

00:25:30.876 --> 00:25:36.696
Even when his words are difficult or challenging, remember Deuteronomy 31.8,

00:25:36.956 --> 00:25:40.816
the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you.

00:25:40.936 --> 00:25:43.296
He will never leave you nor forsake you.

00:25:43.540 --> 00:25:48.500
Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. One of the most beautiful things about

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:52.520
God's voice is that he doesn't leave us to figure it out alone.

00:25:52.840 --> 00:25:55.360
God's word comes with confirmation.

00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:59.840
He doesn't just speak once and leave us to wonder, did I really hear that?

00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:04.560
Instead, he confirms his words in different ways, providing peace,

00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:06.120
clarity, and direction.

00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:11.860
So many times with me, probably with you, he'll speak to me in the night hour.

00:26:11.860 --> 00:26:16.380
He'll show me something in the scripture, something will happen in life.

00:26:16.380 --> 00:26:20.260
I'll just have a peace and not even know why there's such a peace.

00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:24.500
And then a boldness will come, you know, and then I'll know this is the Lord's

00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:27.980
doing and it's marvelous in my eyes.

00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:32.380
God gave him a message, a message that would shape his future.

00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:34.960
But that word wasn't just spoken once.

00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:39.220
It was confirmed. Samuel didn't just hear, he received.

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:45.400
And when he began to see how God's words unfold, the same is true for us today.

00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:50.180
So God speaks to us in our spirit. So don't listen for an audible voice.

00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:54.300
You're just a knowing and a knowing that you know. But then what you hear in

00:26:54.300 --> 00:26:56.980
your spirit, you'll begin to see.

00:26:57.160 --> 00:27:01.580
You'll see him at work. So he speaks and then you see. So when God speaks,

00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:06.420
he often sends confirmation through his word, through trusted leaders,

00:27:06.560 --> 00:27:08.800
and even through circumstances.

00:27:09.340 --> 00:27:11.300
Circumstances seem just to line up.

00:27:11.520 --> 00:27:15.320
Because we're aligning up with what's happening with, in our spirit,

00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:19.420
what God has already spoken. I told you his words carry weight.

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:26.240
Psalms 119, 105 tells us, your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

00:27:26.540 --> 00:27:31.320
God's word doesn't just illuminate the next step.

00:27:31.540 --> 00:27:36.940
It often sheds light on the whole journey. God speaks and his words carry weight.

00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:40.600
And I went to the shop and I said, well, this battery is losing,

00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:42.740
it's losing its battery-ness, right?

00:27:43.300 --> 00:27:46.420
And it won't charge to its fullness. So, I only got like two little,

00:27:46.580 --> 00:27:49.660
you know, two little charge lights on.

00:27:49.780 --> 00:27:54.040
And the guy gave me this long story about, you know, need the bike in,

00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:55.480
Lose Splee and all that stuff.

00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:59.960
And I'm like, you know, then the Holy Spirit just spoke to me and says.

00:28:00.520 --> 00:28:02.860
The battery is dead, get a new battery.

00:28:03.340 --> 00:28:07.120
And then I came back and got my battery because I left it there.

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:10.760
And as I was leaving, I was thinking, I should have asked the Lord first before

00:28:10.760 --> 00:28:12.080
I ran in there and dropped that off.

00:28:12.300 --> 00:28:16.440
Because the guy, some people, they just talk a lot and then you're like,

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:18.000
you didn't even answer my question.

00:28:18.300 --> 00:28:21.840
So I ended up getting my battery back, got my new battery, plugged it into my

00:28:21.840 --> 00:28:23.480
bike, and boom, I'm working well.

00:28:23.780 --> 00:28:27.600
Why? Because God's word carries weight.

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:31.620
This guy was, I don't know what he was talking about. So when we listened to

00:28:31.620 --> 00:28:36.400
God's voice, even the battery on my bike was important to him.

00:28:36.800 --> 00:28:39.700
You know what I'm saying? Even that was important to him.

00:28:39.860 --> 00:28:43.540
You know, let's keep going. So remember the words of land to my feet and light

00:28:43.540 --> 00:28:46.240
to my path. You'll be fine. I love God.

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:48.580
I love the Holy Ghost. I love you, Jesus.

00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:53.780
John 14, 26 says, but the advocate, here we go, the Holy Spirit,

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:59.460
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind

00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:01.740
you of everything I have said to you.

00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:04.420
The Holy Spirit serves as our confirmation.

00:29:05.092 --> 00:29:09.192
We look for confirmation, but who's our confirmation? The Holy Spirit.

00:29:09.492 --> 00:29:16.072
He brings to our minds God's promises and guidance, reinforcing what we hear from Him.

00:29:16.272 --> 00:29:20.392
So our confirmation comes from the Holy Spirit.

00:29:20.672 --> 00:29:26.772
2 Corinthians 13.1, every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

00:29:27.212 --> 00:29:31.712
God uses confirmation in our lives, whether through His word,

00:29:32.072 --> 00:29:37.412
prophetic words, or circumstances. he will never leave us doubting his direction.

00:29:37.892 --> 00:29:43.232
And so when you hear his voice, his words carries weight. So you have the Holy

00:29:43.232 --> 00:29:44.892
Spirit that's going to confirm it.

00:29:45.072 --> 00:29:49.472
You have the words that will, his prophetic words or circumstances.

00:29:49.852 --> 00:29:55.852
He's going to, God knows how to confirm his word. And let's look at Hebrews 10, 23.

00:29:56.052 --> 00:30:01.972
And it says, let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.

00:30:02.552 --> 00:30:09.112
God's promises are sure, and he will confirm his word time and time again to

00:30:09.112 --> 00:30:12.792
show you that his plan for your life is unfolding.

00:30:13.012 --> 00:30:17.372
So God is not going to lead you astray. So you don't have to worry about missing it.

00:30:18.872 --> 00:30:23.712
Don't worry about missing it. Just start moving forward with what he tells you to do, right?

00:30:24.072 --> 00:30:28.232
Just try it. Just try it. Whether it's your first time hearing the podcast or

00:30:28.232 --> 00:30:32.272
you've been following me for a while or last year or so, just know that when

00:30:32.272 --> 00:30:36.952
you just step out in faith, God will show up. He will not let you slip.

00:30:37.092 --> 00:30:40.212
He will not let you fall. He will not let you miss him.

00:30:40.552 --> 00:30:45.992
You see, he called for Samuel three times, so he will keep calling.

00:30:46.467 --> 00:30:51.167
Till you recognize his voice. It's easy to second guess God's voice when we

00:30:51.167 --> 00:30:54.347
don't immediately see results or feel his presence.

00:30:54.627 --> 00:30:58.047
Doubt is a natural response when we're unsure of the path ahead.

00:30:58.207 --> 00:31:04.267
But one thing I've learned in my own walk with God is that confirmation is a part of his plan.

00:31:04.607 --> 00:31:10.067
His word will align with scripture. It will be confirmed by trusted mentors

00:31:10.067 --> 00:31:15.867
and even the world around you will begin to echo his promises. That's so true.

00:31:16.027 --> 00:31:20.347
When you walk with God, he and you begin to have this relationship with him,

00:31:20.627 --> 00:31:24.207
even the birds confirms his word, you know, the nature.

00:31:24.407 --> 00:31:27.847
For example, if you've since God's leading you to take a new job or step into

00:31:27.847 --> 00:31:32.007
a new ministry, he may speak you through a scripture that gives you peace.

00:31:32.287 --> 00:31:35.107
Then you might hear a sermon about trusting God's timing.

00:31:35.527 --> 00:31:40.167
And finally, a friend might send you a text with words of encouragement that

00:31:40.167 --> 00:31:42.227
aligned perfectly with what you've been feeling.

00:31:42.427 --> 00:31:45.527
That's not a coincidence. That's divine confirmation.

00:31:46.027 --> 00:31:50.107
As you move forward, be intentional in asking God for confirmation.

00:31:50.347 --> 00:31:55.127
When you feel His words staring in your heart, ask Him to confirm it through

00:31:55.127 --> 00:31:58.807
scripture, through trusted voices, and through circumstances.

00:31:59.267 --> 00:32:02.547
And when you receive that confirmation, act on it with confidence.

00:32:02.887 --> 00:32:06.687
God is faithful to direct your steps. Now, that's good in the beginning,

00:32:07.047 --> 00:32:09.887
right? Asking for confirmation, kind of like Gideon.

00:32:10.167 --> 00:32:13.527
But then sometimes you might have to move faster. He might need you to move

00:32:13.527 --> 00:32:15.507
now. You might have to trust him now.

00:32:15.967 --> 00:32:20.307
So get in that habit of if it's something that you need to plan and get going

00:32:20.307 --> 00:32:25.647
with and it's a big deal, go ahead and get your confirmations in order,

00:32:25.787 --> 00:32:28.047
right? But it's something you have to go now.

00:32:28.707 --> 00:32:31.967
That job that I said I was going to almost have to work 70 hours a week,

00:32:32.087 --> 00:32:36.267
I didn't have three weeks to figure out if I want to work 70 hours.

00:32:36.347 --> 00:32:38.487
I knew right then and there I wasn't going to work 70 hours.

00:32:38.607 --> 00:32:42.887
And I had to believe God right then and there that I had to leave that job right then.

00:32:43.107 --> 00:32:46.447
And so there's different moves. Ask him, how should I go? Should I wait for

00:32:46.447 --> 00:32:49.267
more confirmations, Lord, or should I just go?

00:32:49.427 --> 00:32:51.987
But he knows exactly what you need to move forward.

00:32:52.187 --> 00:32:55.227
Once you feel comfortable, just do it. Act with confidence.

00:32:55.467 --> 00:32:57.427
Once you heard God's voice, recognize God.

00:32:58.449 --> 00:33:02.469
It and receive confirmation, the next step is obedience.

00:33:02.809 --> 00:33:06.809
You know, we hear God's voice. We may even have the confirmation we need,

00:33:06.929 --> 00:33:08.689
but then we hesitate. Why?

00:33:08.949 --> 00:33:11.869
Because faith involves stepping into the unknown.

00:33:12.089 --> 00:33:17.529
We might have all the checks in a row and we still have to trust God.

00:33:17.529 --> 00:33:23.949
I remember moving from Michigan to Lincoln, Nebraska with a promise of being

00:33:23.949 --> 00:33:28.049
a professor for three and a half years, I had to make a decision.

00:33:28.329 --> 00:33:33.769
Do I rent or do I buy a home based off this three-year, three-and-a-half-year contract?

00:33:34.069 --> 00:33:38.789
And I decided by faith to just buy because renting costs a little bit.

00:33:39.549 --> 00:33:42.349
For what I was going to rent, I could have bought. And so I was like,

00:33:42.409 --> 00:33:43.649
I'm just going to trust you, Lord.

00:33:44.069 --> 00:33:48.069
And confirm some confirmation did come to go ahead and buy. So I did buy.

00:33:48.269 --> 00:33:51.289
I figured the contract would be extended, but it wasn't.

00:33:51.409 --> 00:33:56.469
And so I trusted God for the next move. And so I figured, I always say never

00:33:56.469 --> 00:34:01.149
move for a job because jobs are iffy, but always have a God that's not iffy, right?

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And then follow him. Because sometimes you have to step into the unknown because

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sometimes you won't know that.

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Sometimes you won't have all the answers. And sometimes you're really stuck

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on having all the answers. You will stay in that same spot.

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So God really gives us the full blueprint at once. I didn't know what was next

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after teaching. He asked for us to trust Him and to obey Him step by step,

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knowing that He is the one who goes before us.

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So sometimes you might ask for too much, but sometimes you just do what you

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do to be safe. You see how He honored Gideon, and He will honor you the same way.

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As we mature, and then it's like He starts pulling the rug from under our feet,

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He wants us to fly and trust Him.

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You know, let's check out in Matthew 14, 29, when Peter was in the boat and

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saw Jesus walking on the water, Jesus called him to come.

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Peter didn't have a map or a plan. He didn't know how the water would hold him,

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but he got out of the boat, stepped onto the water. It was faith in action.

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God doesn't call us to sit still with what he has revealed to us.

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He calls us to step out even when the path isn't clear.

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That's powerful. 2 Corinthians 5, 7 says we live by faith and not by sight.

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Faith often requires us to move before we see the full picture.

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We step out in obedience.

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Trusting that God's word will sustain us. In the same way, by itself,

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if it's not accomplished, by action is dead.

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Faith without action is stagnant. God speaks. We must act in alignment with

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what he's calling us to do.

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In Hebrews 11, it says here, By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place,

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he would later receive as an inheritance.

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He obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

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God told him to get up that morning and to go, and he went.

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He didn't even pack a lunch. He was obedient.

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Abraham's story reminds us that obedience often comes before understanding.

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Trust the process. Move forward in faith, knowing God will guide your steps.

00:36:13.933 --> 00:36:17.633
It's easy to want guarantees before making a move.

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We want clarity, certainty, and all the answers, but faith doesn't work that

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way. Sometimes the most courageous thing we can do is move forward without knowing

00:36:26.733 --> 00:36:29.293
the outcome. God doesn't ask us to be perfect.

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He just asks us to trust and obey him. Consider the story of the Israelites in the Red Sea.

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God told Moses to stretch out his hand. And when he did, the waters parted. But here's the kicker.

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The sea didn't part until they took that first step.

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They didn't move forward. And when they moved forward in obedience, the miracle happened.

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For many of you, God is asking you to take the first step. Even if you don't

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know what's on the other side, maybe he's calling you to a new job,

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a new relationship, a ministry role, or a personal change, but you don't have

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all the answers. You're not meant to.

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You're meant to trust the one who knows the way.

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Take one step of faith this week. It could be as simple as calling someone you've

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been meaning to reach out to, applying for that job you've been thinking about,

00:37:14.673 --> 00:37:17.933
or deciding to walk away from something that's been holding you back.

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God has already spoken. Now it's your turn to act. Father, thank you for speaking

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to us and revealing your will.

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We're grateful for your guidance and your confidence.

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Help us to step forward in faith, even when we don't have all the answers.

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Give us the courage to move when you say go.

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We trust you, Lord, to make our path straight, guard our steps.

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We know that you are with us every step of the way. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:37:45.453 --> 00:37:47.713
Thank you for joining me at Diary of a Black Woman.

00:37:48.133 --> 00:37:51.233
With our Faith on Go series. I'm your host, Connie Morris.

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With this message that stirred your spirit and reminded you that God is always

00:37:54.853 --> 00:37:57.253
speaking, He is inviting you to respond.

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And as we learned today, God's voice carries weight, purpose, and power.

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And when He speaks, it's not just for information, it's for transformation.

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The challenge is not whether God is talking, but how will we respond.

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As you go through your week, listen for His whispers, receive His guidance,

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and respond with obedience.

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Don't miss your moment. Move forward in faith, trust his timing,

00:38:23.113 --> 00:38:26.953
and watch as he opened doors you didn't even know exist.

00:38:27.353 --> 00:38:31.733
If this episode resonates with you, I encourage you to share with someone who

00:38:31.733 --> 00:38:33.273
needs to hear this message.

00:38:33.433 --> 00:38:38.793
Leave a review and follow us on all the social media podcasts.

00:38:39.313 --> 00:38:43.853
I'm on everything. I'm coming live to Twitch coming in September.

00:38:43.853 --> 00:38:47.333
I'll keep you posted on that. And let us know how God is speaking to you.

00:38:47.773 --> 00:38:52.293
We'll always visit us on our website. There will be some updated devotionals

00:38:52.293 --> 00:38:56.573
for July on Diary of Black Women LLC for more resources, upcoming episodes,

00:38:56.753 --> 00:39:01.573
and all the things related to our mission to empower women in faith.

00:39:01.913 --> 00:39:04.753
Remember, God is speaking. Are you listening?

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Stay alert. Stay obedient. Until next time, keep walking in faith.

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As we close this episode of the Diary of a Black Woman podcast,

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we declare the word of the Lord from Jeremiah 29-11.

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I speak this over every listener.

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You will rise again. You will recover what was lost.

00:39:24.913 --> 00:39:31.233
And you will walk boldly into what God has prepared. With no shame, no fear, and no apology.

00:39:31.573 --> 00:39:34.773
May every broken place become a place of breakthrough.

00:39:35.093 --> 00:39:41.593
May every delay become divine preparation. And may the fire of God stir up every

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gift lying dormant within you.

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This is more than a podcast. This is a call to arms.

00:39:48.013 --> 00:39:50.233
We're not just healing. We're rising.

00:39:50.513 --> 00:39:55.553
We're not just telling stories. We're building an army of women walking in truth,

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in power, and in purpose.

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This has been the Diary of a Black Woman podcast with your host, Connie Morris.

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Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone God is calling higher.

00:40:08.233 --> 00:40:17.873
Visit www.diaryofablackwomanllc.com to stay connected, get resources, and join the movement.

00:40:18.053 --> 00:40:22.853
And I'll see you on the next episode, because God's not finished, and neither are we.

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Music.