Six Invisible Gaps That Wreck Your Life (And How to Close Them)

message title is six reasons people neglect their spiritual lives and how to get it back or how to get back sorry six reasons people neglect their spiritual lives and how to get back now I'm saying six but the list is not exhausted I'm just using six just so that you can also take the time and go and think of your own because your own might be the reason that you where you are where you are your own might be the reason that my son get a dream I said to her go and fetch but I didn't say where go and fit something I didn't say where lo and behold he went to go and fetch it exactly where and the devil was laughing at him almost as if the devil is testing him in the same dream that's how he sees it so these dream have a way of showing him that even if the devil can laugh at you if I give you a direction without the proper direction you know like I give you something to do but I don't direct you you will still be able to get it because when you're looking at it me being a fatherly figure to him it shows that the leadership style that I have sometimes I don't have to give you a thorough step-by-step guide I can just tell you go to Pretoria CBD I don't say to you how but you will be able to manage to get there because of the connection that we have what I mean by the connection please bear with me this is prophetically don't don't listen to it with a what do you call it don't listen with it to it I mean with a natural ear listen with your prophetic ear because we are a prophetic church which I don't like everybody to to keep on saying it's prophetic because some people just come for prophecies therefore I don't do this prophesying on on services I will prophesy behind scenes you see what I'm saying because prophetically when somebody sees I mean prophetically when somebody says to you go and get something and you go and get it without the proper direction you should know there's something prophetically that is connecting your communication lines to that person can you hear the prophetic side so you need a connection of somebody to know a direction that somebody will send you and you know what is the prophetic direction for somebody follow Jesus and doesn't say to you how fast Jesus where is he can how can I follow him you see what I'm saying where how you asked all these questions like where can I follow him how can I follow him and to you it's like literally not not spiritually literally like you need to see him in front of you to follow him wherever he goes that's how you want to follow but not knowing that the direction that Jesus gives is a spiritual direction that comes with another way of following and you know there's another way of following when you follow Jesus you follow in the things that he taught when you follow Jesus you follow in the things that he on he's the one that does things with with action he doesn't it's not talking talking it doesn't just talk you you act upon it so here's today I want to be in your house and eating with you he didn't say okay today we're going to eat in your house and then he wait no he said come down it's an immediate demand for sake is to come down and have some lunch with Jesus you see he put the action before the promise that he gave he literally said to suggest come down me I want to eat by your house today he didn't say to sake is he's going to provide the food he didn't say to sake is but sake is must provide the food he just said so that we can be together sake is spiritually connected know immediately what to do so let me give you the six reasons why people neglect their spiritual lives starting with number one number one is they are too busy and too distracted you are too busy and remember this is busyness in a busyness in a sense that I can say to you what is the use of being busy with the things of God but not being busy with God that's that's what I mean let's do church yes sure let's do it it's the things of God but do we take the time in prayer in church and seeking his face because that's a different busyness so busyness and distraction is stopping you from gaining access to your spiritual life the Bible says in Matthew 6 33 Matthew 6 33 says but seek first the kingdom of his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well so people prioritize work people prioritize work there's so much dust here and while in the morning hours I was cleaning here wait come from my don't like this thing I'm both bare feet barefoot so busyness is showing where your priority priority priority is so what do you prioritize that you neglect your spiritual side are you busy with because if I can say to you the reason you're not in a church this morning it shows where your priorities do you seek money first and therefore you're prioritizing monetary things people prioritize entertainment more than they prioritize the spiritual things people sometimes can even prioritize their family over spiritual things if if there's a question that I mostly ask people now is that if you would like to know where your priority lies look at your bank account and show me where most of that money went to number one like number two look at your time a day what we call it 24 hours a day look at your 24 hours a day and look at the bulk of time where do you spend it that makes you to realize or that makes others to realize where you at so busyness and distraction makes you to neglect your spiritual spiritual side number two do you know that hurt and disappointment also have a way of hurt and disappointment also have a way of allowing you how do you call it to not go to your spiritual side like for argument's sake I just saw some some time ago in the news a girl was raped by a pastor I mean that this is a spiritual figure somebody who is well seen in the community think that that girl would ever want to see anything from God again because that girl will every time whenever she's in a spiritual environment will think of the abuse so hurt sometimes makes us to be able to neglect our spiritual lives but the Bible says that let us not grow weary of doing good that's what the Bible says for in due season we will reap if we do not give up but some have so much other things by hurting getting hurt reap in the the hurt that you don't see the outcome I want to show you something there I want to explain what I mean I I had a problem where they found out that there's a bacteria in my stomach literally eating me from outside inside if I can call it that way and I've been having a problem with the stomach and I couldn't understand what's happening so when I went into this scope or thing of what they call it the thing where you the camera goes in and when I went to that they showed me this is the thing now what that does to me it made me to immediately think of things that I can't be eating so I'm running away because of I think that it can hurt me like for argument's sake chilies just making an example so hurt makes you to think of reasons why you cannot eat chilies so if I can go back and I make it about the church do you know that church hurt makes others not to go to disappointment I was disappointed because the the pastor didn't come to my my sister's funeral I'm disappointed my expectation at the time was that he needed to come to my sister's funeral he didn't come his human being something for in that same time and it might not be that because he's so close to to you is the reason why you are closer to your sister than what he is and that's the reason why you need to have him there but the communication might have been the problem and now you're seeing it as the church hurt me I don't want to go there anymore past hurts make people to avoid such incidents again I take my hand I put it on a stove I burn the oven burnt but after that did you easily went into the oven and just take out the muffins you did it cautiously neck like it was slowly to take it because of the hurt has happened it made you to be moving cautiously first so hurt and disappointment makes you to neglect your spiritual side embrace healing and return embrace healing and return to whatever hurt you hurt you will not allow you to go into the kingdom of God it's like the devil is is two-feeting you the whole time and you looking at the way to fit you not to move forward now you don't want to wake up anymore because he's been two-feeting you too much pass hurts will let your spiritual side stop there's something called complacency as well as apathy now what is complacency that's the other one what is complacency complacency is that I am fine with where I am I don't want to grow anymore near me I'm the biggest b-shop in the church oh you can't tell me nothing but not knowing that where you are there's a higher level somewhere so complacency makes you to feel like you are sharp with your situation spiritually you are lacker you are I you have arrived you are satisfied one each you know what the way I know my bagel I'm satisfied I don't need to read the Bible anymore spiritually if you're not growing you are dying this is period there's no such thing as being stagnant complacency and let me go to the one I said apathy you know what apathy is it's laziness you're just lazy sometimes it might be causing an indifference between you and somebody you just I don't I don't feel like I need to be it's no need for me to be where my spiritual father is he's there let me be sharp with him and just leave it at that the Bible says it that revelations the Bible says in revelations 3 verse 16 revelations 3 verse 16 says so because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold they said to be drap you're on the fence neither hot nor cold I'm about to spit you out of my mouth do you know what what what does complacency or what brought complacency complacency brought that or brings with it a lack of passion Elvin Crouch I think okay you will you will bear with me I can't remember the guy I think is him but he sang a song some years ago take me back you remember that song mommy take me back dear Lord to a place where I first receive you take me back take me back dear Lord where I first believe so complacency is something that makes you to be I'm sharp at first when you came to the Lord you were all fired up you went to preach you went to teach you even went to go and pray for the sick you haven't even went everywhere let me talk to people about Jesus but where are you now spiritually you're not growing that's number three number four which I wanted to make number one but I want you to know I think no okay let me leave it on that number four net just now I confused myself number four is self reliance that is why you're not spiritually growing because you're relying on your own thinking on your own strength on your own mouth that you can talk is the reason why you're not growing spiritually because self-reliance is acknowledging daily that you are dependent on God acknowledging not acknowledging once in a while that you depend on God but acknowledging daily that you depend depending on God and you're not just depending on him but you depend on him for strength for resilience for whatever that is necessary in your life you know that if one rely on his own strength you grow weary like myself relying on my own strength made me to feel I felt weary to go ahead with the with with the church but do you know it's one of the attacks of the devil is to make you think that you're doing everything on your own power on your own strength on your own thoughts but where the Spirit of God is upon you when the Spirit of God comes upon you even pray for you with with utterance that you don't know so that is why you need to sometimes ask Holy Spirit hey me this prayer I'm praying is not make sense can you pray for me isn't that what the Bible says you will come forth we ought not know what to pray for is that scripture so when you say we don't know what we pray for he came with a sudden how words for you sometimes you pray what's the biggest prayer again the Lord is my chef no no what's the prayer man the answer father our father who art in heaven yeah our father sometimes you just pray that our father and you don't know where did you went off from other our father there's suddenly other words that you use and you're not understanding and these are the words that actually comes from the Holy Spirit helping you how to pray so reliance on yourself is not helping you number five number five I want to call it you must place your confidence in past knowledge what I mean by must place your your confidence is that your confidence is in your own things you know you know what what own things you know is like I know electricity to be when I switch it on it will come on that's because every time I've been switching it on it's on it doesn't switch on you know what is the first thing I ask the electricity doesn't want to go on what's what's wrong at least load shedding taught them it might be loaded but now that load shedding is no longer what can it be you know what my kids does they would say electricity is off and not even run to the meter box to see if there's no if the electricity is not finished maybe they won't even go to the distribution box they won't because I'm the one that always makes sure that it's done for them so past knowledge makes them to rely on me and not to know for themselves so they must place their confidence because confidence is supposed to come from yourself and God or from yourself knowing that God has made you uniquely you if I can say it that way God has made you uniquely you there cannot be anybody else that is like you like you there cannot be anybody else that is like you cannot be number six is what we call spiritual blindness spiritual blindness spiritual blindness is literally if I can let me give you the scripture the Bible says in second Corinthians four verse four second Corinthians four verse four says it the following the God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so what is wrong with you your mind has been blinded so it's spiritual blindness spiritual has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel so that they cannot see the light of the gospel so that they cannot see the light of the gospel I want us to read it on the in the King James version as well second Corinthians four verse four says in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe it not lest the light of the gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them and I think I should I should make it an emphasis on I should make it an emphasis on which believe it not so faith come in here and it made you to be blind so it means it influenced you by the worldly ideology what I dollar ideology sorry ideologies worldly ideologies is confusing you so spiritual spiritual blindness it's overcome by praying for God to open your eyes and renew your mind through his word renewing your mind through his word according to Romans 12 verse 3 neck okay I think we by now almost know that one because that one I keep on how do you call it I keep on saying it but let me read it anyway Romans 12 verse 2 and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that there may be may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God that is what you need to do to get your spiritual blindness out but you know also want to give you some things that you should know when your spiritual life is neglected there's two signs the one sign that can show you you are neglecting your your your spiritual life and another sign that can show you at least you're not neglecting your spiritual side so I wanna I want to give you both at the same time I think I should make it or no no let me rather start off by the six ways to show in your life your your your spiritual life has been neglected and remember I've given you six ways to show you your spiritual negligence but there is more the list is still going on and on and on and on there's so many so so much but I don't want to bore you with a problem I want to give you a solution so it's best to have a solution then to have a problem and just sit on the problem I want us to look into a solution to go okay but to be solution driven let's call it that way yeah I'm going to see it show you six ways to prove to you your spiritual side is down number one is anxiety and restlessness what are you anxious for because the Bible says it that cast all your burdens upon me and I will give you rest so why are you anxious don't be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God Philippians 4 verse 6 Philippians 4 verse 6 says don't be anxious about anything so what is it that makes you anxious what is it that makes you restless it shows that spiritually you're not in line number two what makes you to see a my spiritual side is not sharp is poor decision-making people that is spiritually down make mistakes with so many things that instead of them thinking it's a group it will help them grow it helps them to regress and not progress am I using the right English then regress and progress okay to go down and to go up so instead of going up you go down because of your decision-making now when I look at Proverbs 15 verse 1 no sorry not Proverbs there is another one Psalm 119 verse 105 119 verse 105 Psalm 119 verse 105 Psalm 119 verse 105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path so when you make decisions ask God's light to help you no guidance from the Holy Spirit leads to impulsive and harmful choices so ask the Holy Spirit to help you and to guide you that is number two poor decision-making number three now the third reason that show that you're neglecting your spiritual life is broken relationships hey you know this one is say visual fight with the with the wife is a good thing because you can mend it is mended mending mending yeah fight you can mend it but once it's broken it's hard it's hard to get back to that relationship so broken relationship so without the fruit of the spirit relationship suffer do you know your spiritual life is sharp yes I know oh can I ask you you know what the fruit of the spirit is is love so why you hate that one you're like hey no I won't use that hash words but if you don't love what do you do because opposite of love is a no one used you you say to die by fire die by fire what did you say did you say killing is the battle not starting in the beginning say thou shall not kill isn't it love a better arrow not cupid arrow love not that cupid it's a better arrow to fight would love than to fight with it so broken relationships let me go to Proverbs 15 verse 1 a gentle answer turns away rough but a hash word stirs up anger you see when you talk about a relationship and the person is weighing words to you like nobody's business it's hard to mend that relationship because words needs to be chosen nicely gently so that the relationship can get back to God a lack of purpose you know some of us have a tendency oh sorry number four I said number one is anxiety or let me say the six ways remember there's more I'm just giving you six today six is a number that I love today I don't know why but I just love the six so six reasons why your spiritual life I mean six reasons that shows your spiritual lives is not in line it's diminishing so number one is where you get anxious and restless number two is where you make decisions and it's poor number three is where the relationships is broken your relationships keep on breaking number four it's the lack of purpose the lack of purpose without the fruit of the I mean the lack of purpose neglecting God's lead to feeling of aimlessness like you you hit a target that you must and you grow tired there's a there's a rule in boxing let the guy hit the air he will get quickly tired Bishop you know that rule it's like they make sure it's like they move like that so the more you hit must the more you grow tired quickly it's the same when you it comes to your purpose lack of purpose you feel like edge today you're on this boat tomorrow you decide I'm at this boat doesn't have fish you go to that other boat and you realize but this boat I'm on now doesn't catch fish they catch sharks now you go back again because you want fish it gives you direction that you know you want fish even if Jesus need to tell you through your nets on the other side at least there's a purpose I want fish I know I'm looking for fish I don't want something that I can't eat we went to a year-end function and it was next to a damn and then you know you know you know one thing I can tell you now I'm not putting race in the in the thing eating thing but white people know how to fish there is some other color people like colors and whatever whatever I know a guy Indian guy that I'm working with is a what is it called it's like a winner he wins competition in fishing that guy is like wow everything he does is on point so but what I'm saying is that when we went there we caught the fish or not we this guy caught the fish and then he decided because he's not going to use the fish he asked this guy look brah yes two fishes you can take it home do you know that guy is like no bring bring bring I'll take it home you put it in the water every time you just touch the fish and the fish is sharp but Bishop do you know what fish is it it's dirty water fish not fresh water fish so a fresh water fish will not sit in a no no a dirt water let me call them dirty water fish will not survive in fresh water the vice versa so this guy put this dirty water fish in the fresh water he want to eat and do you know what is the first thing the when the when the guy comes he said age bro before you eat the fish put it in milk so that the dirt can go out of the fish this guy's purpose was to eat his purpose was not to waste more money he immediately says I who want this fish I don't want it anymore there's no milk at all his purpose was to have free lunch but not to add more or pay for something more so a lack of purpose will make sure to take a fish and let it die because you don't have you don't want to spend more so lack of purpose for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord in Jeremiah 29 verse 11 I know the plans I have for you to declare the Lord in Jeremiah 29 verse 11 so you need to also know what God knows to be spiritually up that's number four number five number five is literally increasing your sin and guilt that is how you know I'm no longer in line with God I tend to do things easier increase sin and guilt increase sin and guilt is something that distance you from God and it makes it harder to resist it makes it hard for you it's like I want to do certain things it's not make sense increase sense the Bible says Matthew 26 verse 41 Matthew 26 verse 41 says nah watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation watch and pray so it means that you are no longer watching you no longer praying but I'm not going to get into that I'm not I've not made that part of my point but I I'm just showing you there's more where it proves your neglecting of your of your spiritual life number six and this one hey it's it's tough it's called emotional instability emotional instability you know what that what is emotional instability if somebody just said to you you are white like me you think it's a race thing because now I'm colored I'm like hey I'm not a white no I want to fight the emotions is like didn't even make it the race thing he just meant that my color is more brighter me I think is he's talking about wanting to be white you know where we come from our the place where we if somebody says to you but it's best to say it in Afrikaans your who you hurt I don't know how to never never me man it's like somebody is this I'm being high and mighty I keep myself as if I'm high and mighty that's where where we come from so if somebody tells me I'm white I think they say I'm I want to be high and mighty then I start fighting emotional instability as I as 26 as I at 26 verse 3 says you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you so God will keep your will keep in perfect peace those minds are steadfast because they trust so if you don't trust in God it means your mind can wander and it can be instability in instability English is English but it doesn't matter but let me show you some other ways as well and I want to use the opposites of what I just said to you how do you know your spiritual life is in debt number one is an inner peace inner peace you are at peace not just with yourself but with others as well so the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus according to Philippians 4 verse 7 that is now when you know ish me and Jesus sisong on the Sun we are together sisong me and Jesus we are sharp the peace number two clarity in decision-making commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans it means that when you commit to your plans to God you give it to him you say Jesus you know what this we wanna we wanna move the church from from this building to another building you see the decision to move from this building to another building you first speak to him and say brah me I can't do this thing oh from this building to that building I won't be able I want to bring it to you and help me with it please so I committed unto him knowing that it's also in his will it's in his will for us to grow and make disciples of men so it's in his will to move from a smaller building to a bigger building so that is decision-making so he gives you clarity healthy relationships according to Ephesians 3 I'm just rushing fast fast not fast fast but as long as you get the concept man so we said in a piece number one we said clarity in decision-making makes you to know that your spiritual life is is in tech man then we said healthy relationship number three healthy relationship according to Ephesians 4 verse 32 Ephesians 4 verse 32 says be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you it's not to say I had your varam club are you varam club me now I don't want to forgive you for that varam club I can never forgive you my my head went swing when you hit me I can't so healthy relationship number four purpose and direction is their purpose and direction according to Philippians 4 13 purpose and direction according to Philippians 4 13 it says as follow I can do all things to him who gives me strength so whatever I'm putting my purpose to I can do it because he gives me this number five strength in trials whatever I'm going through I'm going to be standing strong whatever punches the devil is bringing to me I can stand strong the moment he hit me and that was a hard hit I can stand strong and say ah was that all I thought you can hit harder than that you're hitting like a sissy it makes you stand strong James 1 verse 2 and 3 James 1 verse 2 and 3 says consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials and many kinds of many kinds consider it joy meaning to say that you must be happy when doesn't go your way because it proves the trials is there number six joyful loving number six I said joyful loving joyful loving Jesus Jesus do you know that this this is science that shows my spiritual cutters is not but can I tell you something the Bible says that my cup overflows surely in goodness and mercy shall follow come on wait wait let me let me go back when your cup overflow sometimes people close to you they think that their spiritual life is power because of you praying for them because of you standing in the so you need to understand that even though it looks like your life or your spiritual life is sharp it still doesn't mean it might be yours it might be the person that is close to you that keep on praying for that makes you to stand spiritual growth is never about you not putting the if you don't put the work in I don't want to put a curse on you it's going to sound like a curse but if you don't cook you can't eat even if somebody else cook and you eat it means that you must eat what the other person is eating you see what I'm saying so you're not trying to say something you're not making the decision what comes in your plate that's what I want to say so your spiritual growth allows you to only receive what others overflowed from so living among spiritual thriving people doesn't make you spiritually strong you may be enjoying the overflow of their blessings you might be enjoying the overflow of the blessings but yourself you lack personal growth you know judas is story is cario whatever judas that kind of pinjaka diamond from Jesus the pinjaka from Jesus you know Jesus friend now Dibra had it all all the everything overflow from Jesus he thought he's the endota of all endotas doesn't know the place where that the the Pompey Pompey that is that is Krann Krann and Engels Pompey the tape the tape man he didn't know the tape that the the where you open it comes from Jesus he didn't know it so every time we open the tape he thought the water is drinking is water that he's providing for himself so when he closes the tape he went thirsty those that thirst for the word is killing themselves like that Pompey when the Pompey went down when it went close he says he says there that Jesus walk literally Judas walk with Jesus but fail to internalize Jesus teachings he failed to to make it his own he failed to to in fact he failed it so much that he betrayed but betray he betrayed Jesus and in fact he's so close to Jesus and yet not know that that was the fountain of grace for him he didn't know it it actually went so far that Matthew 26 verse 24 says in there Matthew verse 26 Matthew 26 verse 24 says woe to that man by whom the son of man is remember one thing Romans 14 verse 12 says the following each of us will give an account of ourselves to God not hey that one didn't come to church because of I was calling him but he didn't want it to it has nothing to do with you can you hear what I'm saying can you hear how I preach to myself I'm saying it loud and clear it's not for me to say to somebody you are not in church it's somebody that needs to say to them so it's been a long time I haven't been in just now I need to see if I'm still in right standing with God and you know what people think that churches is the building that we are here it's not always there church is more about the interaction with somebody that is seeing the same vision as you towards Christ making more disciples of men in line with you making disciples of men not to say hey wherever you are in your party you can dance but at the end of the day make sure that you tell somebody about Christ share your belief so your spiritual growth is your own personal thing that you need to take accountability for it's your own I would have loved make this message what is it called the message topic grooming the groom you know that the Bible says for the bride is prepared but I wanted to make it about grooming the groom so that you can understand as much as every day you wake up and you brush your teeth wash yeah wash yourself the more you wash yourself it shows that you're looking after yourself myself I don't like the this hair thing I don't like it that's why I cut my hair more often than a normal person will do some people will cut their hair after three weeks five weeks me I must make sure it one once a week it must go your brother little be sure little do you know that that guy you won't sit for five hours if you didn't wash his hand somewhere in that five hours he would have washed his hands not even five we can call it two hours now probably within two hours he will wash his hands he's so much of his hands that he doesn't want his hands to be Kyra the moment the hands are dirty same thing and how old is Kyra now four three three three years she knows how to take care of her grooming but do we know how to take care of our spiritual grooming do we do it daily do we do it secondly do we do it our or what do we do imagine if Jesus comes today what would you say I'm not ready yet the Bible says he can come anytime but when he comes will he find you ready is the question you know will he find you ready is the question now I want to quickly run through a few things how to overcome how to overcome fear number one is to trust in God's presence and promises he's always there he's forever there there's never a time that God is not there you might not feel his presence it's just because of your busyness like I've previously mentioned but he's there he has not given us a spirit of fear according to 2nd Timothy 1 verse 7 so how do you overcome that fear is to trust in God so remind yourself that fear is not from God so meditate on his power and love to dispel for to dispel your fear that's how you overcome fear this is just a few things I want you to understand when you spiritually in problems it's what will happen you can overcome that fear you can conquer the temptation stay grounded in God's Word and resist the devil resist the devil and he will flee you remember that scripture so resisting see God's strength in moments of weakness and look for escape routes that he has provided so overcome doubt man how do you overcome that in fact I must give you the scripture for conquering temptation no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind and God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can't pay oh I mean what you can be but when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can do it which is according to Corinthians 10 verse 13 that's how you overcome fear I mean how you conquer temptation sorry overcoming doubt so when you are in doubt when faced with uncertainty with whatever commit your concerns to God and trust his guidance that is when you you overcome doubt strength your faith by focusing on God's faithfulness I'm just rushing through my minutes just to make sure that we don't go over time we already over time but it doesn't matter I'm done just now so number one was overcoming fear is to trust in God's presence and promises number two is conquering temptation which is you need to stay grounded in God's Word and resist the devil neck number three is overcoming doubt is strengthen your faith by focusing on God's faithfulness number four conquering anxiety and worries is to turn your worries into prayers you know what is when it's too much he says give it back to him now do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer that's the scripture of Philippians 4 verse 6 to 7 I didn't see I have so many of them I thought we are going to say quickly there's more but can I can I can I give you all but not explain it too in-depth now number four is conquering anxiety and worry number five is to overcome sin and weakness how do you overcome sin and weakness declare your dependence on Christ's power so I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me that's it so that's how you overcome sin and weaknesses conquering discouragement number six conquering discouragement is focus on God's promises for your future so don't be discouraged focus on God's promises because I know the plans I said I have for you said the Lord Jeremiah 29 verse 11 so focus on God's promises so remind yourself that God's plans are good there's never a time where God will give you something on your way that it won't be good number seven how do you overcome actually the spiritual attacks you know how you overcome spiritual attacks is using Ephesians 6 put on the armor of God full amount of God not just the armor but the full armor which I will not be going into but if you see if you daily equip yourself with truth righteousness faith salvation God's Word prayers those kind of things you will be able to overcome this spiritual attacks go to Ephesians 6 verse 11 you will find it put on the full armor of God Ephesians 6 put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil and his schemes conquering feelings of inequity inadequacy that's number eight inadequacy conquering feelings of inadequacy embrace your identity in Christ inadequacy meaning if I can explain it you're not feeling worthy it's a very explanation there like you're not feeling worthy that's feeling inadequate you feel like you you're not good enough that's that feeling so how do you overcome that it's to embrace your identity in Christ and recognize your worth and purpose of it as a child of God according to 1st Peter 2 verse 9 according to 1st Peter 2 verse 9 but you are chosen people a royal priesthood a holy nation God's special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into the wonderful light that's how you you keep on confessing this scripture number nine overcoming grief and or loss you know grief or loss is a tough one I sometimes find it I need to be taking time to come back to this one as well overcoming grief and loss one day I must preach something about grief and loss so you need to find comfort in God's presence so lean on God's comfort and trust in his ability to heal your heart do you know that when you lose somebody when somebody died for argument's sake you feel like that was the last person on earth that meant something to you it's like no and you forgot that there's people that is so close to you that means even more than that person I'm not going to say anything about it but what I'm saying to you when it comes to grief and loss tell yourself that at least there's somebody behind that can fill the gap when I love when I lost my my voice my daughter was my comfort to say God at least here's somebody that I can it's not a it's not a replacement but it is a way of feeling the loss is lesser because I focused on her being six months at a time Psalm 34 verse 18 says the Lord is close to the broken-hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit who are closed and crushed in spirit number ten which is the last one conquering the fear of failure how do you conquer the fear of failure I feel like I want to do something but I'm afraid I'm going to fail work in God's purpose and strength in fact how do you how do you apply the to conquer that fear of is face challenges knowing God is with you and you will not let you fail just to know that God is with you he will not allow you even to fail you will not allow you to fail according to Joshua 1 verse 9 he says Joshua 1 verse 9 says as follow now he says have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous do not be afraid do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go and just know that conquering is only conquering through Christ Jesus you cannot conquer without him you cannot remember that God's love equips you to overcome any challenges and nothing can separate you from his love nothing according to Romans 8 verse 38 and 39 Romans 8 verse 38 and 39 nothing can separate you from his love did I say 11 encouraged to conquer through Christ sorry I was supposed to say that's number 11 and that is the last one as well so I went through all this and I think I spent two hours now it's not but it's it's needed at a time like this because at a time like this a lot of people neglect this spiritual reality or the spiritual side and think that by January I can just pick up where I left off but I can tell you now the devil will demolish you and there won't be a time to look back and say I can so therefore I'm praying that today as you have heard this word let this word be a encouragement to you that you can conquer you can conquer I'm looking at I'm looking at the online comments must I say my home girl has been preaching with me but I didn't see it she actually gave some good insights but I didn't see it I only see now you know the thing I don't want the outside to to take my focus but sometimes when I ever I preach I I sometimes want to also see what they are saying so that I can I can get help from them because when she says I need to be busy not with the not with the things but with the God of the things not with the things of God but with the God of the things that's why she says spirituality is something if you don't make it a priority your spiritual killing is the priority there's this there's two things if you don't prioritize your spiritual side the inevitable is about to happen you are killing your spiritual side that's it it's like there cannot be a day without the night therefore we know so if you do go through spiritual leg you can see and sense all the things that I've just said to you and you will know I'm off track let me get back heavenly father I want to take this time and thank you for message like this that come at the time like this and also thank you for making this message available to anybody with under the sound of my voice and also making sure that anytime whenever we do preach it's according to your word where your word is here your word is amen and nothing can be added nothing can be subtracted and we know for the card your word cuts through bone and marrow for the God it's a double-edged sword that makes sure that even if we cut to the front and we think we ran away when it come back it still cuts through in the mighty name of Jesus we thank you for your word for the God and we know for the one God whenever your word goes out your word never return to your void and therefore we want to thank you for that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior with much thanksgiving and praise amen and amen now by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest in the bind with us all until Jesus comes surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever in Jesus mighty name amen and amen