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Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000065S
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00:06 Sermon #S034 - "Be Cafeful About Saying I Told You So" - (Part 2)
00:19 Welcome to the Breath of Life Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell! 00:26 In today's episode, Pastor Snell will continue part two of the powerful Message entitled: 00:32 “Be Careful Saying I Told You So.” Now, let's go to the Word of God. 00:40 Pastor Snell: Let me just pause saints and give this quick qualifier 00:44 so that you know quickly how to discern those who are for you and those who are against you. 00:49 I need you to understand this about spiritual people, is that spiritual people don't walk around saying, 00:55 I told you so. 00:57 [ Congregation: Amen.] 00:59 Okay. See, spiritual folk are not invested in their opinion. They're invested in a person. 01:05 And see, when I'm walking around in the anointing, even when what I say comes to pass, I don't follow it up with a boast. 01:13 I don't follow it up with a brag. I just learned how to be still and let the Holy Spirit do its divine and unseen work. 01:22 Are you hearing me today? In other words, those that are under the anointing don't say, I told you so. 01:30 They say, this is what we need to do next. Oh, it's quiet. I must be preaching to some I told you so folk in this house, 01:39 you all, I'm going to stay right here for minute. See, sometimes I told you so is not helpful 01:47 because it adds no productivity to the conversation. In other words, friends, 01:52 don't allow the discernment that God gave you when you are right to cause you to actually lose the person. 02:00 You see, there is a season to give warning, but there is never a season to say, I told you so. 02:07 Because even if you're correct about what you said, 02:11 you got to make sure that you are productive to the point where you don't mess up the relationship. 02:16 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 02:19 [ Congregation: Amen.] 02:21 See, anointed folk don't just say, I told you so. They say, this is what we got to do next. 02:28 So that when your child gets pregnant, that's not the time to say, I told you. Guess what? 02:35 See five months, that baby is coming, whether you keep saying, 02:40 I told you or so or not, we got to figure out what we going to do next in the Lord. 02:44 In other words, when the young person fails, instead of saying, 02:47 I told you so, you need to tell them how the Lord helped you when you failed. 02:52 And you can help them know what they need to get ready to do next. 02:57 When somebody gets sick, don't sit around and say, I told you so, that you should have ate right 03:02 and you should have drunk all that stuff. 03:05 You ought to talk to them about the balm that is in Gilead and let them know that there is still a physician there. 03:12 Understand that when somebody's life collapses, don't walk around saying, 03:16 I told you so, that you ought to been coming to church and you should have been in the Bible. 03:20 You ought to let them know that their help comes from the Lord, the one who makes heaven and earth. 03:26 In other words, when that person's partner walks out the door, it's not time to say, 03:30 I told you so. It's time to say I'm going to stand with you even when nobody else does. 03:37 [ Congregation: Amen. Clapping] 03:39 And see, the problem is sometimes you got to be willing to lose the battle, my God, so that you can win the war. 03:48 But sometimes we'll sacrifice the war to win our little petty ego battles 03:55 because we are invested in being right more than we are invested in their success. 04:01 And see friends, you cannot prioritize your opinion above a person. 04:05 You've got to keep their well-being at the head of the conversation. Are you all with me today friends? 04:11 [ Congregation: Amen.] 04:13 And see, one of the things I want to just encourage somebody today who's dealing with somebody who's saying, 04:16 I told you so, be careful not to move because of a premature I told you so. They're literally telling Moses, 04:26 I told you Moses that we should not have left. I told you Moses, we would be better off in Egypt. 04:31 But see, because Moses has enough discernment to stand still. See, because he doesn't move based upon what they said, 04:41 he literally allows their I told you so to become a lie because he waited on God. 04:48 He didn't move according to the dictates of men. Are you all hearing me today? 04:52 And see, I need you to understand the difference. See, I'm not against spiritual counsel, 04:57 what I'm against is putting what people say above what God says. So I need you to know that when they're saying, 05:05 it's an opinion. But when God says it, it's a prophecy. When they say it, it is just an opinion that carries no weight. 05:14 But when God speaks, it is a prophecy that must come to pass no matter what it looks like today, 05:20 no matter how much money is in the bank, no matter how much money you owe the school, 05:25 no matter how many enemies are against you. I need you to know that if you stand still in God, 05:31 you'll see the salvation of the Lord. 05:35 [ Congregation: Amen.] 05:38 Now and see this thing I need to understand about I told you so people, they're not evil people, Louis, they just limited. 05:47 [ Congregation: Amen.] 05:50 They're not bad, Lamont, they just can't see anything beyond what is right now. 05:56 In other words, for an I told you so person, what they do is they sit back and they essentially exalt caution above faith. 06:05 And they're one of those very cautious people that will never move until they see everything fall in place, 06:11 until they see everything settled just right. They'll never move until they can see everything come together 06:17 and as a result an I told you so person never fails. The reason they never fail is because they never try anything. 06:24 See, I need you to understand this about the journey of faith to all the I told you so folk. 06:31 I need you to understand you can't wait for everything to be still and everything to settle. 06:35 Sometimes you got to move while God is still moving. 06:39 I need you to understand this about providence is that providence ain't going to wait on you. 06:44 Ooh, it is crazy Dekes. I remember probably maybe a couple months ago, I was travelling through the airport late at night. 06:53 And you know how in the airport they have these little mobile walkways that are like escalators, 06:58 but they're on the ground and when you step on them, 07:01 they'll actually help you to get where you're going further than if you are just walking on two feet. 07:06 And so Mark, as I'm walking up on the walkway, there is an older gentleman who is from outside of the states 07:12 and he just stops in front of the walkway and he does not move. And so, man, I wait for him for a minute, 07:18 but he just stays in front of the walkway and doesn't move. And so I say, sir, is there a problem? 07:21 Can I help you on the walkway? He says, no, nothing is wrong, I'm just waiting for it to stop. 07:28 [ Congregation: Laughing] 07:31 I had to let him know that it's not going to stop and wait for you. You going have to move while t's still moving. 07:38 And see, I need somebody to get that providence is like the walkway. It's not going to stop and wait for you. 07:45 You got to move while it's still moving. But how many of us know that if you just take one step on the walkway, 07:53 it's going to carry you the rest of the way. And if you just take one step in God, 08:00 God is going to carry you the rest of the way. But he's not going to wait on you in order to be still. 08:10 Are you all hearing me today friends? 08:13 [ Congregation: Preach.] 08:14 The word says to us here in verse number 13, and Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. 08:30 So since I need you to get this moment, this is the word to somebody today. 08:35 Listen, maybe I'm going the scenic route just to tell somebody, don't be scared. 08:41 [ Congregation: Right. Clapping] 08:46 Play the appeal. No, I'm just kidding, not doing it again. Thursday is teaching us is that no matter what, don't be afraid. 08:56 Have you ever noticed friends that in this moment of chaos and panic, poor Moses is as cool as the other side of the pillow? 09:07 Listen, things could not be worse in this particular occasion. 09:13 Listen, he can literally hear the roar of the Red Sea in front of him. 09:17 He's walled in on both sides and literally death is coming toward him aimed with sword and with spear 09:24 and accompanied by chariot. And it's crazy 09:27 because Moses, man, is not irked by anything that is happening by the circumstances that are going around him. 09:33 He just, man, looks at the people and says, listen man, don't be scared, don't start tripping. 09:39 He literally says to the people in a moment which seems to suggest that fear is warranted, he says to them, guys, 09:45 don't be afraid. 09:48 [ Congregation: Amen.] 09:49 Now, I need you to know that as impressed as I am with Moses in this moment, 09:57 I am wrestling with what Moses says in this moment. 10:02 Because the tension I'm dealing with in my brain is I'm trying to figure out is fearlessness in that moment actually 10:11 attainable? In other words, I'm one of those people that when I read the scriptures, 10:18 I don't want to just be impressed with what they did. It's not meaningful unless I can implement it in my own life. 10:27 In other words, for me, the scriptures are not Sabbath entertainment. 10:31 It's got to have real time consequence or else it ain't really got no value me. 10:36 That's just how I am. And see, I need you to get friends that this situation literally cannot be more tense or more fearful. 10:44 Listen, Pharaoh is not, man, around the block. He is not three days away. He is within sight and is crazy 10:50 because the scripture say that Moses issues the command before he tells them to run for it. 10:56 He says, don't be afraid. 11:00 And friends, have you noticed friends of mine that in the scriptures there are actually 365 times where the Bible actually 11:09 says some version of the phrase, do not fear or don't be afraid, 365 times the word says, don't fear, don't be afraid. 11:19 As as if God is saying, once for every day of the year, stop walking around with anxiety and fear. 11:27 God has said, if I'm on your side, stop being afraid. 11:31 [ Congregation: Amen.] 11:34 I'm trying to figure out is this a real thing? Because doesn't the Bible say be anxious for nothing? 11:44 It doesn't give any exemptions. The scripture gives no exemptions. It doesn't say just don't be anxious about most things, 11:56 but here are few things that you can go ahead and panic about. 11:59 Notice in Psalm 23, David says, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he says, I will fear no evil. 12:12 Notice that Jesus says, man, in this world you going to have tribulation, 12:16 but fear not because I have overcome the world. And I guess what I'm trying to figure out, saints of God, 12:24 aren't these Bible verses just empty calories? Are they wise sayings? 12:28 Or is there a power in God that we've just yet to tap into? Because remember friends, 12:35 I told you that God will never tell you to do something that he has not empowered you to do. 12:45 Now the reason this is critical, because in our minds there are certain fears that are justified. 12:50 There are certain things that warrant some anxiety. There are certain things that warrant some panic. 12:55 In other words, stay with the pastor, shouldn't I be afraid, man, if there is an eviction notice on my door? 13:01 Shouldn't I be a little afraid if the doctor says it may be cancer? Shouldn't I have fear if I've miscarried before 13:09 and I'm pregnant this time? Shouldn't I be afraid if my enemies are greater than my allies? 13:15 And I guess the question to us today is, man, let me just say it this way, I think fear should be your natural reaction. 13:23 It is an understandable reaction, but it's not an acceptable reaction. Can I push a little bit further? 13:32 Can I suggest, saints, that we've got to mature to a place in Christ where there is no fear that is acceptable to a son 13:43 or daughter of the most high God? In other words, to be afraid may be my natural reaction, 13:50 but it shouldn't be my lasting reaction. 13:56 I need us to understand this about fear. One of the things I need somebody to get is that your level of fear is going to be 14:02 directly proportionate to your level of focus. So I need you to see in this moment literally what happens. 14:10 Remember when they leave Egypt, when they're marching toward the sea, where are they focusing? 14:24 As they march through the wilderness, they're looking up at the cloud which represents the visible representation of God. 14:33 The entire time of this journey where they have some courage and they have some resolve, 14:37 it is because the entire time they are looking up at God in the cloud. 14:43 But understand what happens in this moment, when Pharaoh's army starts charging toward them, 14:50 what happens is they stop looking at the cloud and they begin looking at Pharaoh's army. I need you to be clear. 14:59 The problem is not just that they visibly or optically notice Pharaoh's army. 15:04 The issue is that they turn their whole attention away from God 15:09 and they turn their entire attention to Pharaoh and the danger that is headed their way. 15:16 And see, I need you to understand the difference between Moses and the people is this, 15:21 it is not that Moses has a different circumstance or consequence. In other words, if God does not come through, 15:27 Moses is going to die the same death that the people are about to die. 15:32 The only difference between their posture is their focus. Whereas the people are looking at Pharaoh 15:40 and Moses is looking unto God. What I'm saying today, friends, 15:46 is that we've got to get to a place where we learn how to keep our mind stayed upon Jesus Christ. 15:52 It is why the scripture say, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from where cometh my help for my help cometh from God, 16:01 the God who made heaven and earth. Are you all with me today, friends? 16:04 So can we go to the scriptures? You all don't believe. Let's go to Psalm 34 in verse 18, 16:08 Psalm the 34th division in verse 18, I'm almost done. Psalm the 34th division and the 18th chapter. 16:15 When you get there, let me hear you say amen. Psalm 34 and verse number 18. When you get there say, pastor, I'm here. 16:25 [ Congregation: I'm here.] 16:26 Psalm 34 in verse 18, look at what the scriptures teach. 16:30 The Bible says, the Lord is what? Near to those who have a broken heart and he saves such as our contrite in spirit. 16:41 Did you all catch this rinse? The Bible says that the Lord is near to the broken hearted. 16:46 In other words, in the moments where you see the travail of your soul, where there is a crush in your spirit, 16:52 when you cannot see any way, it feels like God could not be further away. 16:58 The promise of God is that, man, when you can't feel him, that's when God is the closest. 17:03 Okay? Some of us still don't believe, go open your Bibles. Isaiah chapter 41. Isaiah 41 in verse number 10, 17:10 let's stay in the book for a minute. Isaiah chapter 41 and verse number 10, hear the word of the Lord today. 17:17 Isaiah chapter 41 in verse number 10, when you get there say, pastor, I'm here. 17:22 [ Congregation: I'm here.] 17:24 Isaiah chapter 41 in verse 10, look at what the Bible says. Isaiah 41 verse 10. The Bible says, fear not. Oh, Jesus. 17:34 Why shouldn't I be afraid? Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. 17:49 Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Did you all catch this today friends? 17:55 See, I need you to understand one of the reasons that a believer is maturing constant motion to the place where no fear is 18:03 acceptable is because we have a devout conviction that no matter where I am, God is still there. 18:11 That I am never alone, but that Christ is with me every single step of the way. 18:17 Are you all with me today friends? Go with me to Isaiah chapter 26 in verse three. 18:22 Isaiah chapter 26 and verse number three, when you get there, let me hear you say amen. 18:27 Isaiah chapter 26 and verse three, write this promise down. Isaiah 26 and verse three, when you get there say, pastor, 18:35 I'm here. 18:36 [ Congregation: I'm here.] 18:38 This is the key to perfect peace in Christ. God says, you will keep him in perfect peace who got a lot of money in the bank. 18:49 You'll keep him in perfect peace that gets promoted on his job every other month. 18:54 He says, you'll keep him in perfect peace that's got a whole lot of friends and no enemies. 18:59 God says, your key to perfect peace is when you keep your mind stayed upon him. 19:07 Which is why we said friends that the level of your faith 19:11 or peace is going to be in proportion with where you keep your focus. 19:17 You see friends, the great discipline of faith is to stop turning and focusing on Pharaoh, 19:25 but to keep your focus on Jehovah. 19:29 [ Congregation: Amen.] 19:31 It's crazy, man. I remember my oldest son, he's 12 now. I remember when he was a baby, 19:35 he would be a really good sleeping child when we were at home. 19:38 But whenever we would go to a hotel or whenever we would go and visit somebody like my parents, 19:44 what would happen is he would get over stimulated by different variables in the room 19:49 and he would struggle to fall asleep because he would be so busy looking around at all of the different stimuli 19:56 and things that were different. It's rough because when that baby can't sleep, guess what? 20:00 The parents don't get to sleep either. So what I did after a little while, brother Frieder, 20:07 is I literally grabbed him and I put him right here in the cradle of my arm and I palmed the back of his head. 20:14 What I did when I grabbed the back of his head, I wouldn't let him look all around at everything. 20:19 I would stiffen his head so all that he could do was look into the face of his daddy. 20:25 The more he just looked into the face of his daddy, the sooner those big watery eyes just fell asleep. 20:33 He found his peace when he stopped looking at everything that was around him and just started looking at his daddy. 20:40 Where you all at today church? 20:42 See, the reason we ain't got no fear is we spend so much time looking all around at who don't like us? 20:49 We are looking all around at the symptoms to the illness. We're looking all around at the problem. 20:57 We are looking all around at the circumstance, we're looking all around at the boss. 21:02 And God is saying, let me hold you in my hand and look into the eyes of your daddy. 21:09 And as long as you've got your eyes on him, you'll find your rest and your peace. 21:19 Are you all hearing the word today friends? 21:22 [ Congregation: Hallelujah.] 21:24 It's so crazy. God says through Moses first thing, don't be afraid. Second thing he says, Abby, is be still. 21:38 Now watch this, I need you to know that the only thing harder for them to hear Moses say, then don't be afraid. 21:45 It's for Moses to tell them, don't move. See, and it's showing us friends, the danger of moving prematurely. 21:58 Army is coming against them, the roar of the water is in the background. 22:02 Do you realize that in this moment they got three basic human instincts? Either for flight, to fight, or submit. 22:14 And Moses says, in this moment, I want you to fight every natural instinct you have. 22:22 He says, I want you to fight the instinct to run away from this problem. 22:27 I want you to fight the instinct to pick up a sledge hammer and fight your way out of the problem. 22:32 I want you to fight the instinct to submit to it. I want you to be still and see the salvation of the Lord. 22:42 Now, one of the reasons, it is very hard for the people to be still in this moment 22:47 because every natural agency within us says, listen man, when I'm about to die, man, I'm going to throw aside all principle. 22:54 I'm about to lay aside all ideology. Man, I either got to run, I just got to yield. 22:59 I'm going to preserve my life at all costs. But the reason Moses is saying to them be still is 23:07 because their steps have been ordered by God. See, this is going to require mega faith. 23:13 Everybody going to shout on this. He's saying, I need you to be still because God has you right where you are supposed to be. 23:25 [ Congregation: Amen. Clapping] 23:27 He's saying, I need you all to be still, keep letting Pharaoh come because I got Pharaoh right where I want him. 23:41 He's saying if you start moving, you going to mess up the whole plan. 23:46 See, the problem is some saw the Red Sea as an escape route. God wanted the Red Sea as a battle plan. 23:54 So if they leave the Red Sea, then guess what? 23:59 They mess up the plan that God put in place to deliver them from the Egyptians permanently. 24:07 And see, this is the difficult part to accept. 24:10 It's hard to accept that I'm where God wants me to be, especially if I'm in a place where I don't want to be. 24:18 [ Congregation: Hallelujah. Praise God.] 24:21 Ooh, Jesus. Is it possible that God wants you in that job with them people you don't like? 24:34 Is it possible, students, that God forced you into that class with the professor you've been trying to avoid? 24:41 Is it possible that God wants you right here with a big bill and no money in your bank account? 24:48 Is it possible that the tensions of the marriage are exactly what God has ordered for the production 24:56 and development of your character? Is it possible that God could have answered the prayer and opened the door, 25:03 but he wanted to teach you through some things through a season of waiting? 25:07 And I guess what somebody needs to pray before you say, Lord, get me out of this. 25:12 You ought to say, Lord, what do you want me to get out of this? In other words, 25:17 I need you to know that you can't just believe that your steps are ordered by God when things are going well, 25:24 how many of us know that he doesn't just order our steps, he orders our stops, he orders our delays, he orders our detours. 25:32 He is in control of every aspect of my life. 25:36 And friends, faith is not just getting to a place where I praise God when the door opens 25:42 and I praise him when the sea opens up and I praise him when the army gets drowned, 25:46 it is getting to a place where I praise God no matter the circumstance I face. 25:52 It is where I get to the place where I say, I'm going to bless the Lord at all times 25:59 and his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boasts in the Lord. 26:05 The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Oh Oakwood, will you magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together? 26:16 It is a place of praise that says, I know how to abound and I know how to be a base, 26:22 but no matter what the circumstance, I'm going to learn to be content. 26:27 It's being like Paul, I won't just praise him at noon, but I'll praise him at midnight. 26:32 I'll praise him when I got money. I'll praise him when I ain't got no money. I'll praise him when I feel good. 26:38 I'll praise him when I got sickness in my body. I'll praise him when I got a job. 26:43 And you can praise him when you are unemployed. You can praise him when you are alive 26:49 and you can praise him in the hospital and you can praise him even on the way to the grave. 26:55 Why would you praise him on the way to the grave? Because if I die in him, 27:11 I'm on the verge of being raised in him. And do I have at least seven or eight folk that say, Lord, 27:20 I'm going to give you unconditional praise? I'm not tying it to a circumstance, not tying it to a situation. 27:28 I'm tying my praise to your faithfulness. Are you all hearing me today friends? 27:34 [ Congregation: Yes.] 27:35 (Breath of Life Theme Music) 28:37 [End] |
Revised 2023-04-24