August 13, 2025 • 23 mins
What do you do when that painful thorn in your life just won't go away? Like the Apostle Paul who pleaded with God three times to remove his affliction, many of us find ourselves desperately praying for relief from persistent challenges. Yet sometimes, God's answer isn't removal but rather, "My grace is sufficient for you."
This powerful conversation explores the divine purpose behind life's persistent thorns. Rather than viewing these challenges as punishment or evidence of God's absence, we unpack how they often serve as instruments of humility and spiritual growth, especially for those walking in spiritual authority. Just as eagles don't avoid storms but use them to soar higher, we too can spread our wings of surrender and allow the winds of divine grace to lift us above our circumstances.
We dive deep into what it means to exchange our weakness for God's strength, finding that our areas of vulnerability become the very places where His power is most dramatically displayed. This is true elevation – not the absence of thorns, but the presence of God's enabling grace in the midst of them. There's a wind of wisdom available that shifts our perspective, helping us see our challenges through heaven's eyes rather than our limited human understanding.
The conversation also addresses the shame many believers feel about their thornful situations, and how authentic community requires vulnerability about our struggles. God sends divine connections – mentors and confidants – assigned to walk with us through challenging seasons, offering His perspective rather than condemnation. Perhaps most challenging is our discussion of selfishness within Christian culture and our call to be truly kingdom-minded, supporting one another through life's thorny seasons. If you're facing a persistent challenge that won't seem to go away, this message will help you rise to power through surrender and discover the grace and glory available in the wind of God's presence.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
I heard a word.
I heard a word this morningregarding the thorn that is
pressing in someone's side andsomeone's flesh and someone's
heart.
There's a thorn that's sharp,that's sticking, and it seems to
not want to give up or to letyou go, but there's a thorn that
(00:26):
is pressing you.
There's a thorn that isapplying pressure to you, much
like Paul.
In 2 Corinthians there was athorn.
A metaphor for the thorn is itbeing persistent.
Someone's going through a trial, someone's having a difficulty,
someone's being challenged, butthe thorn is persistent.
The thorn is persistent.
(00:49):
It is painful, it's continuous.
You want God to remove it but,much like Paul, god is not
removing the thorn in your life.
But he said my grace issufficient, my grace is more
than enough to carry you throughthis difficult time.
And what we talked about anddiscussed, shared with you on
(01:10):
last week, is the breath of Godas he blows the storms in your
life.
The breath of God is carryingyou through that difficulty,
carrying you through thechallenge, through the storm.
You're going to make it, youwill survive, you will overcome.
(01:30):
That's a word I heard thismorning Overcome, overcome.
Where we talked about Godlifting you, raising you,
there's an elevation that hastaken place.
This is a series upgrade.
There's an elevation that hastaken place in your life.
There's an elevation, there's alifting.
You've mounted up with wingsbecause you've been waiting on
(01:52):
the Lord.
So you've mounted up with wings, like an ego, an ego in the
storm who rises above thechallenge, who rises above,
who's able to spread his wingsand soar high, into high places,
into high places.
And so I hear that for your lifethis morning, as I begin to
declare a word of life over yourlife, in your life to rise to
(02:16):
power.
Rise to power.
There's a divine power, divinestrength and a divine authority
that is resting on your life.
Yes, the thorn is there, it'spresent.
But then the word of the Lordsay in all things, give thanks,
not for all things, but in allthings.
While you're in it, while thatthorn is in you, give God thanks
(02:39):
in it, give God thanks in it.
I am your host, dr LydiaMichelle Young, here with my
co-host, intercessor, prophetessJanine Nicole, is in the
building, y'all.
She's in the building and wethank God for his presence.
There's a move of the Lord thatis going on here with Sweet
(03:01):
Fire.
Excuse me, sweet Fire, thepodcast.
This is Wednesday midweekrefreshing fire Wednesday
midweek refreshing fire.
God bless you, intercessor.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
God bless you, god bless everyone.
The thorn, the thorn.
Oftentimes we, as believers, weare so quick to pray and ask
God to remove the uncomfortablesituation, to remove that pain,
to remove that person right, toremove ourselves from that thorn
(03:34):
, that painful experience, andall the while, oftentimes, god
is wanting us to just embracewhat he's allowed to take place
in our lives.
Instead of us asking God toremove the thorn, god is saying
how about you stay right therein the midst of that thorn, in
the midst of that situation, andembrace what I have for you,
(03:58):
right there in the midst thereof, because in the midst, you know
, of the thorn, full situations,if you will, there are
treasures, there's, there'sjewels, there's, you know, the
wisdom of the Lord, there'selevation, right, there's higher
heights, there's spiritualgrowth from glory to glory.
But how many of us know we cango from one level of glory to
(04:20):
another level of glory and therenot be thorns?
You know, not all thorns aregoing to be removed away.
There are going to be somethorns that's going to be
allowed to stay in place becauseof what that thorn has to offer
, because of what that thorn hasto offer right, that one
particular thorn that God willnot allow to be removed, like in
(04:43):
the case of our brother Paul.
You know that thorn hassomething to offer.
Right that thorn calls theapostle Paul to cry out even the
more to the Lord.
Right that thorn brings us evenmore, so you know, to the
Lord's feet that thorn producesthe wisdom of God, the mind of
God.
How to soar over thatparticular thorn, amen.
(05:06):
So again, welcome to Sweet Fire, the podcast.
This is midweek refreshing fireand we are definitely glad to
be to hear with you all againfor another Wednesday,
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Absolutely, absolutely, that thorn.
My goodness, the thorn, thethorn, and it's pressing.
I don't know.
I won't say I don't know aboutyou, because that's not really
my terminology.
You know, I speak, but there'sa thorn in my life that God has
allowed to consistently be amajor part of my life.
(05:47):
But you know what, even whenthat thorn and I feel weak,
while that thorn is pressing orwhile I feel the pressure of
that thorn, even in that it's anopportunity.
That trial is an opportunity.
That tough moment in your lifeis an opportunity.
It's an opportunity for us toexchange our weakness for God's
(06:11):
strength.
There's an exchange going on inthe atmosphere.
There's an exchange going onwhere God is applying the power
of God, the divine power of Godin your life, giving us
authority on how we handle thatsituation, how we think about it
, how we discuss it, how we talkabout it, how we feel about it,
and we're taking on again thewisdom and the mind of God while
(06:33):
we're being pressed by thatthorn.
There are many and I'm speakingto some leaders right now those
of you in leadership, those ofyou in ministry, those of you
that walk in an anointing.
You have a calling and apurpose and you've been chosen
by God, my God, you have anassignment on your life to
deliver a word.
(06:53):
We talked about different typesof wins.
We talked about a deliveringwin, a wins of wisdom, the grace
win.
We talked about these differentwins that blow.
They blow through the mouth,they blow through the presence
of God.
So I'm speaking directly toleadership, those of you in
ministry.
(07:13):
God is not going to remove thestorm.
He's not going to remove thestorm, but what's the idea of
the storm?
What's the idea of the storm?
The storm is to allow us toexperience the presence of God.
That's one thing.
But when we look at the thornthat leadership experience, much
like Paul, that thorn thatyou're experiencing is so God
(07:35):
can keep you humble because youare anointed.
So God can keep you humblebecause you do operate in the
gifts.
You have the gifts of prophecy,you have the gift you lay hands
.
I mean, you're anointed, youcall it out, you do the work, my
god.
And so, because of theanointing, the saturation that
you walk in and operate in, asyou're obedient and diligent in
(07:58):
the things of god and the workof god, being not weary and well
doing, my god, not quitting,not fainting We've been talking
about that for these past weeks,not fainting while you're doing
well, but continuing on becauseyour due season is here and
your due time is now.
That thorn is intended to keepleadership humble.
(08:21):
Keep us humble before God.
Don't get pumped up, don't getconceited, don't think it's you.
And that's what happens a lotof time and I don't even intend
to go here In ministry a lot ofpeople in ministry they start
off with the mind of God andthen they start getting puffed
up and then now their vision isno longer God's vision.
(08:42):
But this is a God thing and wehave to remain God reliant.
We have to remain God reliant.
We have to remain operatingwith the mind of God and
allowing the hand of God to moveus forward as we soar above the
challenge, as we soar abovethat thing that is pressing
because of that thorn.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Come on, amen.
I'm glad that the Holy Spiritdid take you in the direction of
humility for a brief moment,because a lot of times you know
that that is what happened.
A lot of leaders they start offwith that level of humility,
you know, not forgetting wherethey've come from Right, having
the mind of God.
You know they heard the voiceof the Lord, they wrote the
(09:24):
vision, they made it plain, andthen they read it and they ran
with it, but then they just wenttoo far.
They went too far, amen, andyeah.
So sometimes you know those,those thorns of leadership and
even lay people, those thornsthat you know that you're asking
to be removed out of your life.
(09:45):
You know there is that oneparticular thorn that God he
won't remove.
He won't remove so that we canremain humbled under his mighty
hand, so that we can remain, youknow, going boldly to the
throne of grace, just as we are,so that we can remain seeking
the face of God, pursuing themind of God, amen, so that we
(10:09):
can always be a people pointingothers to God.
So you know this is this is notsomething that many like to
hear because they just beenthere, they're fasting and and
you know they're praying andthey're just crying out and
asking God to remove that thing,remove that thing of God, and
say and they're just crying outand asking God to remove that
(10:34):
thing, remove that thing of Godand saying I'm not removing it,
I'm not removing it.
Get the mind of God for thesituation, get the clear
perspective right.
Clear perspective equalspurposeful vision.
I's a purpose, there's a reason, there's a purpose why that
thorn is not being removed.
So get the mind of God in themidst of that situation so that
(10:55):
you can gather that clearperspective and run with the
purposeful vision.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Yes, clear perspective.
We talked and shared a littlebit about the wind of wisdom,
the wind of wisdom where there'sa release of the plan of God.
God wants to return his peopleto the plan, right, right, he
wants to return his people tohis plan, his purpose, his
agenda, his strategy, histechnique.
God has a plan.
(11:22):
He's already written the script, my God, and people sometimes
say, oh, he's writing my story,your story's already been
written.
So there is a wind of wisdomfor your life, that you have a
clear perspective, oh, my God,that your eyesight, your
spiritual eyesight, would beshifted, that the lenses of your
(11:45):
eyes, according to the will ofGod and the plan of God, would
be shifted and would align withthe purpose of God for your life
and not only for your life.
We said that you have anassignment on your life, your
assignment.
There are people, souls, hearts, my God men, women, boys and
girls attached to the assignmentthat are part of the assignment
(12:07):
that God has given you.
There are people, my God and Ialso heard this morning that
there are many because of thethorn, who are disturbed,
because it's a prick, it's sharpright, who are feeling
displaced, who are feelingdisplaced, but we're going to
trust god because there's arelease of grace, there's a
(12:29):
release of glory.
We're going to trust god thatyour hope will not be
disappointed.
Your hope will not, my god, bedisappointed.
He said I know the thoughts thatI have toward you, of you,
about you.
This is the lord speak.
I know the thoughts that I haveToward you, said the Lord
Thoughts of good and not of evil.
(12:51):
My God, to give you a hope, togive you a future, to give you
an expected end.
You can expect God to move.
You can expect God to deliver.
You can expect the hand of God,my God, to lift you.
Come on, rise to power, rise tothe occasion.
Expect God to lift you.
As you remain humble, he'lllift you up, my God, you as you
(13:12):
remain humble, he'll lift you up, my god, as you remain home.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Come on, intercessor, god will lift you up, amen, and
that, yeah, look at thedefinition of sword right, right
to rise or increasedramatically.
To rise or increasedramatically to ascend to a
higher or more exalted level.
You know, and going back tothose of you who are dealing
(13:41):
with thorns in your life rightnow, there are many of you who
are feeling ashamed, feelingashamed.
Don't be ashamed about that,what you're dealing with.
Don't feel ashamed, don't holdyour head low.
You know, don't get discouragedbecause of that thorn that
you're dealing with.
You know, get the mind of Godregarding that thorn.
(14:03):
Get the mind of God regardingthat thorn.
And I'm going to say this, anddon't be so quick, because some
of us, we talk too much, some ofus talk too much and with
talking too much, we findourselves talking to the wrong
people.
If you're dealing with thornfulsituations, if you're dealing
(14:23):
with thornful situations, thatthorn that you're just you're
holding your head down, you'refeeling discouraged because of
that thorn.
Get the mind of God, becausegetting the mind of God
regarding all situations, butmore particularly, we're going
to keep it in context with thethorn getting the mind of God
regarding that thorn in yourlife, god, god will send the
(14:45):
divine connections, the mentors,the confidants that he has
assigned to you in that thornfulsituation, and you're going to
be safe there.
You're going to be safe thereto be able to pour your heart
out and express that theweakness before that person that
God has assigned to your life,because that individual that God
(15:08):
has assigned to your lifethey're coming to your life with
the mind of God for yourthornful situation, to encourage
you, to encourage you andpeople of God.
We have to remember that wecannot forget where we have come
from.
We cannot forget where we havecome from because you are unable
(15:29):
to relate to another person'slifestyle, to how another
person's story went, to whatanother person's weakness may be
, to what another person's sinsmay be, because you have no
relatability to that.
It does not mean that you areany better.
Let's remember we are allpeople.
(15:50):
We are all people, we all haveweaknesses, we all have
shortcomings and we cannotforget where we have come from.
We should be encouraging oneanother, standing in the gap for
one another, holding oneanother's hands, interlocking
arms and really supporting andembracing one another.
(16:13):
There's I'm going to say it, I'mgoing to say it's too many
selfish people in the body ofChrist.
It's too many self.
What happened to being aboutGod's people?
What happened to being aboutGod's people?
We have to be more about othersversus ourselves.
(16:34):
What happened to truly lovingGod's people?
Having the mind of God is to beabout our father's business,
and loving his people is ourfather's business.
Supporting and encouraging hispeople, being there for his
people, is our father's business.
There are too many selfishpeople in the body of Christ.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
My God, that's just a say-la right there.
Pause and think about it.
Pause and consider the wordthat's coming forth today.
Take a moment and really giveit some thought.
Are we about our father'sbusiness?
(17:24):
Are we kingdom minded?
Are we doing the work?
Are we keeping our hands to theplow?
Are we working while it is dayfor night cometh?
Are we doing what he called usto do?
Have we answered the call?
(17:45):
Have we accepted the charge?
Do you understand that you arechosen, handpicked, selected?
God calculated who you would bein this life.
He thought about you.
He shaped you.
You are uniquely made for thepurposes of God.
So rise to power, rise to theoccasion.
(18:07):
There is a shifting and ashaking and a sifting that's
going on.
God is saying rise to power.
I've shifted your life, I'veshifted your life.
It's time for us to grow up asa people.
My God, too many underdevelopedfolk in the body of Christ.
(18:31):
But God is saying today gainstrength, gain strength.
Let God blow in your life.
He knows the direction thatyour life should go, he knows
your destiny.
So let him blow, because hewill blow your life in the right
direction.
Rise to power, accept the shift.
(18:52):
There's a height, my God.
That can't be measured, thatcan't be reckoned with, and many
of you, you're higher now thanyou've ever been before.
The higher you go, the Lord issaying, the better you can see,
you'll have a clear mind, you'llhave the right perspective,
you'll have an understanding.
You'll have the rightperspective, you'll have an
understanding, you'll be able tounlock things that have been
(19:13):
confusing to you when you allowGod to rise, to raise, to raise
you up to the height that Godwants to take A position above.
When we talk about overcomingovercoming over is the position
above, but coming is themovement toward where God is
taking you.
(19:34):
So overcoming over and abovethat situation.
Over and above the situation,we have to think about it
differently.
You have the ability, listen,you have the ability to think
about your situation differently, therefore giving you the
ability to change your situation.
So overcoming over, indicatingthe position, the position that
(19:57):
God is lifting you above thatsituation.
All you eagles out there, hearme.
All you eagles, hear me, my god, eagles who soar, you shall
mount up with wings.
Come on, intercessor, as eagles, uh-huh, yeah, you shall do
what run and not be weary.
(20:18):
Walk, walk and not faint.
And a and what the word sayDon't faint, don't faint, don't
faint, but allow God to blow inyour life.
There's a wind, there's abreath of God that is designed
to elevate you, not destroy you.
The thorn is not created todestroy you.
The storm was not created todestroy you.
(20:40):
The trial, the trouble, thedisappointment, the pain, the
chaos, the trauma was notdesigned to destroy you.
The trial, the trouble, thedisappointment, the pain, the
chaos, the trauma was notdesigned to destroy you, but it
was designed to elevate you.
So there's a divineinterruption that's taking place
today, where God is intervening.
He's intervening.
He's not moving the thorn, butGod is in it.
What did we say a couple ofweeks ago?
(21:02):
I see God's hand in yourbusiness, god's foot is in your
business, he's in yourcircumstance.
Come on, intercession, come on.
That's when we get ready toclose.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
That's when we get ready to close.
Amen, rise, rise what did yousay?
Rise higher, rise to power,rise to power, rise to power,
rise to the occasion.
Eagles, eagles.
Think about you know how theeagles?
Right, they soar over thatwindstorm.
Right, and they spread theirwings.
(21:34):
They spread their wings right,the spreading of the wings.
Act of surrender, surrender,surrender, eagles, god's not
going to remove the thorn.
Surrender, surrender, surrender, eagles, god's not going to
remove the thorn.
Surrender, surrender, surrender.
What you need in that situation, what you need in that thornful
(21:57):
experience, is in the wind.
What you need in that thornfulexperience, it's in the wind.
It's in the wind, it's in thewind.
Just spread your wings.
Surrender, surrender, mount up,mount up, rise to the occasion,
rise to the occasion.
(22:18):
What did God tell Paul?
Again, my grace is sufficient,my grace is sufficient, my grace
is sufficient.
Spread your wings and surrenderin that thornful experience,
surrender, surrender.
What you have need of in thatthornful experience is in the
wind Healing and deliverance.
(22:40):
It is yours.
Surrender, mount up and soar,go with.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
God, amen.
Go with God, mount up and soar.
And I hear grace and glory.
Grace and glory, grace andglory for your life, for your
situation, god's grace and theglory of God which is before you
, my God.
And he said, and the word saysthe Lord shall be your rear
regard, the Lord shall be your.
In other words, he's taking upthe back.
(23:09):
So God has you, he has you.
You're surrounded by hispresence, you are surrounded by
his presence.
Again, grace and glory.
And this is the last.
The word that I heard while youwere ministering, intercessor,
is yes, lord, yes, lord, yes,lord.
My soul says yes, my soul saysyes, my soul says yes, my God
(23:32):
say yes, my soul says yes.
Peace be to you, peace be toyour house and peace be to all
you have.
I heard a word.
I heard a word this morningregarding the thorn that is
pressing in someone's side andsomeone's flesh and someone's
heart.
There's a thorn that's sharp,that's sticking, and it seems to
not want to give up or to letyou go, but there's a thorn that
(00:26):
is pressing you.
There's a thorn that isapplying pressure to you, much
like Paul.
In 2 Corinthians there was athorn.
A metaphor for the thorn is itbeing persistent.
Someone's going through a trial, someone's having a difficulty,
someone's being challenged, butthe thorn is persistent.
The thorn is persistent.
(00:49):
It is painful, it's continuous.
You want God to remove it but,much like Paul, god is not
removing the thorn in your life.
But he said my grace issufficient, my grace is more
than enough to carry you throughthis difficult time.
And what we talked about anddiscussed, shared with you on
(01:10):
last week, is the breath of Godas he blows the storms in your
life.
The breath of God is carryingyou through that difficulty,
carrying you through thechallenge, through the storm.
You're going to make it, youwill survive, you will overcome.
(01:30):
That's a word I heard thismorning Overcome, overcome.
Where we talked about Godlifting you, raising you,
there's an elevation that hastaken place.
This is a series upgrade.
There's an elevation that hastaken place in your life.
There's an elevation, there's alifting.
You've mounted up with wingsbecause you've been waiting on
(01:52):
the Lord.
So you've mounted up with wings, like an ego, an ego in the
storm who rises above thechallenge, who rises above,
who's able to spread his wingsand soar high, into high places,
into high places.
And so I hear that for your lifethis morning, as I begin to
declare a word of life over yourlife, in your life to rise to
(02:16):
power.
Rise to power.
There's a divine power, divinestrength and a divine authority
that is resting on your life.
Yes, the thorn is there, it'spresent.
But then the word of the Lordsay in all things, give thanks,
not for all things, but in allthings.
While you're in it, while thatthorn is in you, give God thanks
(02:39):
in it, give God thanks in it.
I am your host, dr LydiaMichelle Young, here with my
co-host, intercessor, prophetessJanine Nicole, is in the
building, y'all.
She's in the building and wethank God for his presence.
There's a move of the Lord thatis going on here with Sweet
(03:01):
Fire.
Excuse me, sweet Fire, thepodcast.
This is Wednesday midweekrefreshing fire Wednesday
midweek refreshing fire.
God bless you, intercessor.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
God bless you, god bless everyone.
The thorn, the thorn.
Oftentimes we, as believers, weare so quick to pray and ask
God to remove the uncomfortablesituation, to remove that pain,
to remove that person right, toremove ourselves from that thorn
(03:34):
, that painful experience, andall the while, oftentimes, god
is wanting us to just embracewhat he's allowed to take place
in our lives.
Instead of us asking God toremove the thorn, god is saying
how about you stay right therein the midst of that thorn, in
the midst of that situation, andembrace what I have for you,
(03:58):
right there in the midst thereof, because in the midst, you know
, of the thorn, full situations,if you will, there are
treasures, there's, there'sjewels, there's, you know, the
wisdom of the Lord, there'selevation, right, there's higher
heights, there's spiritualgrowth from glory to glory.
But how many of us know we cango from one level of glory to
(04:20):
another level of glory and therenot be thorns?
You know, not all thorns aregoing to be removed away.
There are going to be somethorns that's going to be
allowed to stay in place becauseof what that thorn has to offer
, because of what that thorn hasto offer right, that one
particular thorn that God willnot allow to be removed, like in
(04:43):
the case of our brother Paul.
You know that thorn hassomething to offer.
Right that thorn calls theapostle Paul to cry out even the
more to the Lord.
Right that thorn brings us evenmore, so you know, to the
Lord's feet that thorn producesthe wisdom of God, the mind of
God.
How to soar over thatparticular thorn, amen.
(05:06):
So again, welcome to Sweet Fire, the podcast.
This is midweek refreshing fireand we are definitely glad to
be to hear with you all againfor another Wednesday,
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Absolutely, absolutely, that thorn.
My goodness, the thorn, thethorn, and it's pressing.
I don't know.
I won't say I don't know aboutyou, because that's not really
my terminology.
You know, I speak, but there'sa thorn in my life that God has
allowed to consistently be amajor part of my life.
(05:47):
But you know what, even whenthat thorn and I feel weak,
while that thorn is pressing orwhile I feel the pressure of
that thorn, even in that it's anopportunity.
That trial is an opportunity.
That tough moment in your lifeis an opportunity.
It's an opportunity for us toexchange our weakness for God's
(06:11):
strength.
There's an exchange going on inthe atmosphere.
There's an exchange going onwhere God is applying the power
of God, the divine power of Godin your life, giving us
authority on how we handle thatsituation, how we think about it
, how we discuss it, how we talkabout it, how we feel about it,
and we're taking on again thewisdom and the mind of God while
(06:33):
we're being pressed by thatthorn.
There are many and I'm speakingto some leaders right now those
of you in leadership, those ofyou in ministry, those of you
that walk in an anointing.
You have a calling and apurpose and you've been chosen
by God, my God, you have anassignment on your life to
deliver a word.
(06:53):
We talked about different typesof wins.
We talked about a deliveringwin, a wins of wisdom, the grace
win.
We talked about these differentwins that blow.
They blow through the mouth,they blow through the presence
of God.
So I'm speaking directly toleadership, those of you in
ministry.
(07:13):
God is not going to remove thestorm.
He's not going to remove thestorm, but what's the idea of
the storm?
What's the idea of the storm?
The storm is to allow us toexperience the presence of God.
That's one thing.
But when we look at the thornthat leadership experience, much
like Paul, that thorn thatyou're experiencing is so God
(07:35):
can keep you humble because youare anointed.
So God can keep you humblebecause you do operate in the
gifts.
You have the gifts of prophecy,you have the gift you lay hands
.
I mean, you're anointed, youcall it out, you do the work, my
god.
And so, because of theanointing, the saturation that
you walk in and operate in, asyou're obedient and diligent in
(07:58):
the things of god and the workof god, being not weary and well
doing, my god, not quitting,not fainting We've been talking
about that for these past weeks,not fainting while you're doing
well, but continuing on becauseyour due season is here and
your due time is now.
That thorn is intended to keepleadership humble.
(08:21):
Keep us humble before God.
Don't get pumped up, don't getconceited, don't think it's you.
And that's what happens a lotof time and I don't even intend
to go here In ministry a lot ofpeople in ministry they start
off with the mind of God andthen they start getting puffed
up and then now their vision isno longer God's vision.
(08:42):
But this is a God thing and wehave to remain God reliant.
We have to remain God reliant.
We have to remain operatingwith the mind of God and
allowing the hand of God to moveus forward as we soar above the
challenge, as we soar abovethat thing that is pressing
because of that thorn.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Come on, amen.
I'm glad that the Holy Spiritdid take you in the direction of
humility for a brief moment,because a lot of times you know
that that is what happened.
A lot of leaders they start offwith that level of humility,
you know, not forgetting wherethey've come from Right, having
the mind of God.
You know they heard the voiceof the Lord, they wrote the
(09:24):
vision, they made it plain, andthen they read it and they ran
with it, but then they just wenttoo far.
They went too far, amen, andyeah.
So sometimes you know those,those thorns of leadership and
even lay people, those thornsthat you know that you're asking
to be removed out of your life.
(09:45):
You know there is that oneparticular thorn that God he
won't remove.
He won't remove so that we canremain humbled under his mighty
hand, so that we can remain, youknow, going boldly to the
throne of grace, just as we are,so that we can remain seeking
the face of God, pursuing themind of God, amen, so that we
(10:09):
can always be a people pointingothers to God.
So you know this is this is notsomething that many like to
hear because they just beenthere, they're fasting and and
you know they're praying andthey're just crying out and
asking God to remove that thing,remove that thing of God, and
say and they're just crying outand asking God to remove that
(10:34):
thing, remove that thing of Godand saying I'm not removing it,
I'm not removing it.
Get the mind of God for thesituation, get the clear
perspective right.
Clear perspective equalspurposeful vision.
I's a purpose, there's a reason, there's a purpose why that
thorn is not being removed.
So get the mind of God in themidst of that situation so that
(10:55):
you can gather that clearperspective and run with the
purposeful vision.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Yes, clear perspective.
We talked and shared a littlebit about the wind of wisdom,
the wind of wisdom where there'sa release of the plan of God.
God wants to return his peopleto the plan, right, right, he
wants to return his people tohis plan, his purpose, his
agenda, his strategy, histechnique.
God has a plan.
(11:22):
He's already written the script, my God, and people sometimes
say, oh, he's writing my story,your story's already been
written.
So there is a wind of wisdomfor your life, that you have a
clear perspective, oh, my God,that your eyesight, your
spiritual eyesight, would beshifted, that the lenses of your
(11:45):
eyes, according to the will ofGod and the plan of God, would
be shifted and would align withthe purpose of God for your life
and not only for your life.
We said that you have anassignment on your life, your
assignment.
There are people, souls, hearts, my God men, women, boys and
girls attached to the assignmentthat are part of the assignment
(12:07):
that God has given you.
There are people, my God and Ialso heard this morning that
there are many because of thethorn, who are disturbed,
because it's a prick, it's sharpright, who are feeling
displaced, who are feelingdisplaced, but we're going to
trust god because there's arelease of grace, there's a
(12:29):
release of glory.
We're going to trust god thatyour hope will not be
disappointed.
Your hope will not, my god, bedisappointed.
He said I know the thoughts thatI have toward you, of you,
about you.
This is the lord speak.
I know the thoughts that I haveToward you, said the Lord
Thoughts of good and not of evil.
(12:51):
My God, to give you a hope, togive you a future, to give you
an expected end.
You can expect God to move.
You can expect God to deliver.
You can expect the hand of God,my God, to lift you.
Come on, rise to power, rise tothe occasion.
Expect God to lift you.
As you remain humble, he'lllift you up, my God, you as you
(13:12):
remain humble, he'll lift you up, my god, as you remain home.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Come on, intercessor, god will lift you up, amen, and
that, yeah, look at thedefinition of sword right, right
to rise or increasedramatically.
To rise or increasedramatically to ascend to a
higher or more exalted level.
You know, and going back tothose of you who are dealing
(13:41):
with thorns in your life rightnow, there are many of you who
are feeling ashamed, feelingashamed.
Don't be ashamed about that,what you're dealing with.
Don't feel ashamed, don't holdyour head low.
You know, don't get discouragedbecause of that thorn that
you're dealing with.
You know, get the mind of Godregarding that thorn.
(14:03):
Get the mind of God regardingthat thorn.
And I'm going to say this, anddon't be so quick, because some
of us, we talk too much, some ofus talk too much and with
talking too much, we findourselves talking to the wrong
people.
If you're dealing with thornfulsituations, if you're dealing
(14:23):
with thornful situations, thatthorn that you're just you're
holding your head down, you'refeeling discouraged because of
that thorn.
Get the mind of God, becausegetting the mind of God
regarding all situations, butmore particularly, we're going
to keep it in context with thethorn getting the mind of God
regarding that thorn in yourlife, god, god will send the
(14:45):
divine connections, the mentors,the confidants that he has
assigned to you in that thornfulsituation, and you're going to
be safe there.
You're going to be safe thereto be able to pour your heart
out and express that theweakness before that person that
God has assigned to your life,because that individual that God
(15:08):
has assigned to your lifethey're coming to your life with
the mind of God for yourthornful situation, to encourage
you, to encourage you andpeople of God.
We have to remember that wecannot forget where we have come
from.
We cannot forget where we havecome from because you are unable
(15:29):
to relate to another person'slifestyle, to how another
person's story went, to whatanother person's weakness may be
, to what another person's sinsmay be, because you have no
relatability to that.
It does not mean that you areany better.
Let's remember we are allpeople.
(15:50):
We are all people, we all haveweaknesses, we all have
shortcomings and we cannotforget where we have come from.
We should be encouraging oneanother, standing in the gap for
one another, holding oneanother's hands, interlocking
arms and really supporting andembracing one another.
(16:13):
There's I'm going to say it, I'mgoing to say it's too many
selfish people in the body ofChrist.
It's too many self.
What happened to being aboutGod's people?
What happened to being aboutGod's people?
We have to be more about othersversus ourselves.
(16:34):
What happened to truly lovingGod's people?
Having the mind of God is to beabout our father's business,
and loving his people is ourfather's business.
Supporting and encouraging hispeople, being there for his
people, is our father's business.
There are too many selfishpeople in the body of Christ.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
My God, that's just a say-la right there.
Pause and think about it.
Pause and consider the wordthat's coming forth today.
Take a moment and really giveit some thought.
Are we about our father'sbusiness?
(17:24):
Are we kingdom minded?
Are we doing the work?
Are we keeping our hands to theplow?
Are we working while it is dayfor night cometh?
Are we doing what he called usto do?
Have we answered the call?
(17:45):
Have we accepted the charge?
Do you understand that you arechosen, handpicked, selected?
God calculated who you would bein this life.
He thought about you.
He shaped you.
You are uniquely made for thepurposes of God.
So rise to power, rise to theoccasion.
(18:07):
There is a shifting and ashaking and a sifting that's
going on.
God is saying rise to power.
I've shifted your life, I'veshifted your life.
It's time for us to grow up asa people.
My God, too many underdevelopedfolk in the body of Christ.
(18:31):
But God is saying today gainstrength, gain strength.
Let God blow in your life.
He knows the direction thatyour life should go, he knows
your destiny.
So let him blow, because hewill blow your life in the right
direction.
Rise to power, accept the shift.
(18:52):
There's a height, my God.
That can't be measured, thatcan't be reckoned with, and many
of you, you're higher now thanyou've ever been before.
The higher you go, the Lord issaying, the better you can see,
you'll have a clear mind, you'llhave the right perspective,
you'll have an understanding.
You'll have the rightperspective, you'll have an
understanding, you'll be able tounlock things that have been
(19:13):
confusing to you when you allowGod to rise, to raise, to raise
you up to the height that Godwants to take A position above.
When we talk about overcomingovercoming over is the position
above, but coming is themovement toward where God is
taking you.
(19:34):
So overcoming over and abovethat situation.
Over and above the situation,we have to think about it
differently.
You have the ability, listen,you have the ability to think
about your situation differently, therefore giving you the
ability to change your situation.
So overcoming over, indicatingthe position, the position that
(19:57):
God is lifting you above thatsituation.
All you eagles out there, hearme.
All you eagles, hear me, my god, eagles who soar, you shall
mount up with wings.
Come on, intercessor, as eagles, uh-huh, yeah, you shall do
what run and not be weary.
(20:18):
Walk, walk and not faint.
And a and what the word sayDon't faint, don't faint, don't
faint, but allow God to blow inyour life.
There's a wind, there's abreath of God that is designed
to elevate you, not destroy you.
The thorn is not created todestroy you.
The storm was not created todestroy you.
(20:40):
The trial, the trouble, thedisappointment, the pain, the
chaos, the trauma was notdesigned to destroy you.
The trial, the trouble, thedisappointment, the pain, the
chaos, the trauma was notdesigned to destroy you, but it
was designed to elevate you.
So there's a divineinterruption that's taking place
today, where God is intervening.
He's intervening.
He's not moving the thorn, butGod is in it.
What did we say a couple ofweeks ago?
(21:02):
I see God's hand in yourbusiness, god's foot is in your
business, he's in yourcircumstance.
Come on, intercession, come on.
That's when we get ready toclose.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
That's when we get ready to close.
Amen, rise, rise what did yousay?
Rise higher, rise to power,rise to power, rise to power,
rise to the occasion.
Eagles, eagles.
Think about you know how theeagles?
Right, they soar over thatwindstorm.
Right, and they spread theirwings.
(21:34):
They spread their wings right,the spreading of the wings.
Act of surrender, surrender,surrender, eagles, god's not
going to remove the thorn.
Surrender, surrender, surrender, eagles, god's not going to
remove the thorn.
Surrender, surrender, surrender.
What you need in that situation, what you need in that thornful
(21:57):
experience, is in the wind.
What you need in that thornfulexperience, it's in the wind.
It's in the wind, it's in thewind.
Just spread your wings.
Surrender, surrender, mount up,mount up, rise to the occasion,
rise to the occasion.
(22:18):
What did God tell Paul?
Again, my grace is sufficient,my grace is sufficient, my grace
is sufficient.
Spread your wings and surrenderin that thornful experience,
surrender, surrender.
What you have need of in thatthornful experience is in the
wind Healing and deliverance.
(22:40):
It is yours.
Surrender, mount up and soar,go with.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
God, amen.
Go with God, mount up and soar.
And I hear grace and glory.
Grace and glory, grace andglory for your life, for your
situation, god's grace and theglory of God which is before you
, my God.
And he said, and the word saysthe Lord shall be your rear
regard, the Lord shall be your.
In other words, he's taking upthe back.
(23:09):
So God has you, he has you.
You're surrounded by hispresence, you are surrounded by
his presence.
Again, grace and glory.
And this is the last.
The word that I heard while youwere ministering, intercessor,
is yes, lord, yes, lord, yes,lord.
My soul says yes, my soul saysyes, my soul says yes, my God
(23:32):
say yes, my soul says yes.
Peace be to you, peace be toyour house and peace be to all
you have.
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