Don’t allow old wounds to limit your future. If you’ll let go of the hurt, God will restore everything you’ve lost.
>> VICTORIA: HALLELUJAH, AND
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE
HOUSE OF THE LORD THIS
MORNING.
YOU MAY BE SEATED.
YOU GUYS NOT ONLY SOUND GOOD,
BUT YOU LOOK AMAZING.
YOU LOOK LIKE CHAMPIONS.
MY FRIEND HAD FOOT SURGERY,
AND THE DOCTOR TOLD HER THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE TO STAY OFF OF
HER FOOT FOR ABOUT A MONTH.
SO, AFTER A MONTH OF
RECOVERY, I SAW HER, AND
IMMEDIATELY, I WANTED TO
KNOW, “HOW IS YOUR FOOT?”
SHE SAID TO ME, “I’M NOW
GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY,”
AND THEN SHE BEGAN TO TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER
PHYSICAL THERAPY SESSIONS,
AND SHE SAID TO ME, “WHEN I
FIRST GOT TO PHYSICAL
THERAPY, MY THERAPIST SAID
THIS: ‘DOES YOUR FOOT HURT
RIGHT NOW?'”
AND SHE STOPPED
AND SAID, “NO, I’M NOT IN ANY
PAIN RIGHT NOW,” AND SHE
SAID, “SHE LOOKED RIGHT AT ME
AND SAID, ‘IF YOU’RE NOT IN
PAIN, WHY ARE YOU LIMPING?'”
IT KIND OF TOOK HER ABACK FOR
A MINUTE, AND SHE SAID,
“WELL, I’M TRYING TO PROTECT
MY FOOT.
I DON’T WANT TO HURT IT
AGAIN.
I DON’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING
THAT’LL CAUSE ME ANY MORE
PAIN.”
CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT LINE
OF THINKING TODAY?
I CERTAINLY CAN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE IN
PAIN, THE LAST THING YOU WANT
TO DO IS START ACTING LIKE
YOU NORMALLY DID.
THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS STEP OUT IN BOLDNESS.
THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS GO OUT ON A LIMB BECAUSE
YOU CERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO
HURT YOURSELF AGAIN.
THAT PHYSICAL THERAPIST
LOOKED AT HER, AND SHE SAID,
“I NEED YOU TO QUIT LIMPING.”
SHE SAID, “IF YOU DON’T BEGIN
TO DO AND WALK LIKE YOU
NORMALLY DO, YOUR FOOT WILL
NOT STRENGTHEN.
THOSE LIGAMENTS WILL NOT GO
BACK IN PLACE, AND YOU WON’T
BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT
TO DO.
YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO WALK
LIKE YOU DID BEFORE.
YOU’LL ALWAYS WALK WITH A
LIMP.”
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE
EVERY ONE OF US TO NOT ALLOW
PAIN, HURTS, DISCOURAGEMENT
TO CAUSE US TO WALK WITH AN
EMOTIONAL LIMP.
PAIN COMES TO ALL OF US.
DISCOURAGEMENT IS A PART OF
LIFE, BUT WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS BIGGER
THAN ALL OF THOSE THINGS
COMBINED.
YOU SEE, MY FRIEND DIDN’T
EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT SHE WAS
WALKING WITH A LIMP.
SHE HAD TO HAVE HER THERAPIST
TELL HER.
YOU SEE, WHAT SHE HAD DONE IS
SHE HAD FORMED WHAT THE BIBLE
CALLS, “A STRONGHOLD,” IN HER
MIND, A WRONG WAY
OF THINKING.
SHE WAS ON THE THINKING
PATTERN THAT SHE COULD NEVER
WALK ON HER FOOT THE WAY SHE
USED TO, THAT IT WOULD ALWAYS
BE LESS THAN, THAT THIS FOOT
WOULD ALWAYS BE WEAKER THAN
THE OTHER FOOT.
SHE HAD TO UNDERSTAND THAT
SHE COULD BE STRONG AGAIN.
THEN SHE HAD TO WORK THROUGH
THE PROCESS.
SHE HAD TO BEGIN TO BELIEVE.
SHE HAD TO BEGIN TO DO THE
WORK.
SHE HAD TO BEGIN TO STEP OUT
AND WATCH THINGS CHANGE.
YOU SEE, NOW SHE IS WELL ON
HER WAY TO RECOVERY BECAUSE
SHE MADE THE CHOICE TO WALK
THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND
RECOGNIZE SHE COULD BE
STRONG, AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE ALL HAVE TO BREAK THOSE
BARRIERS OF THE PAST.
WE HAVE TO BREAK THOSE
MINDSETS THAT SAYS, “IT’LL
NEVER BE GOOD AGAIN.
YOU’LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER
HUSBAND.
THE ONE YOU HAD LEFT YOU.”
THOSE WOUNDS, THEY HURT,
THEY’RE REAL, BUT THEY’RE
A LIE.
THEY’RE A LIE.
YOU’VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT
YOU CAN BE STRONG AGAIN.
IF YOU FEEL YOURSELF
SHRINKING BACK IN FEAR,
SHRINKING BACK BECAUSE YOU’VE
BEEN HURT, AFRAID TO TRY
AGAIN, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH
REALIZE THAT IS THE ENEMY
LYING TO YOU BECAUSE GOD
NEVER DECREASES.
HE ALWAYS INCREASES.
GOD IS THE GOD OF INCREASE.
BUT IT TAKES COURAGE.
IT TAKES DETERMINATION, AND
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO CHECK
OUR SELF TO MAKE SURE WE’RE
NOT WALKING WITH A LIMP.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT RESPONSE WASN’T OUT OF
PAIN, THAT RESPONSE WASN’T
OUT OF DEFENSE, THAT THAT
RESPONSE WAS OUT OF STRENGTH,
CONFIDENCE, AND LOVE, SO THAT
WE CAN KEEP WALKING THIS WALK
OF FAITH.
LISTEN, DON’T ALLOW YOUR PAST
TO DEFINE YOUR FUTURE.
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO SET THE
PACE FOR YOUR FUTURE.
A FRIEND OF MINE WAS TELLING
ME ABOUT HER YOUNG
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, AND HOW SHE
HAD JUST FOUND OUT THAT SHE
WAS PREGNANT.
THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS SO
EXCITED.
HER SON WAS JUST THRILLED.
THE YOUNG GIRL HAD WANTED A
CHILD, SO IT WAS JUST THE
BEST NEWS SHE COULD EVER
THINK OF.
AS EVERYONE WAS CELEBRATING
AND ALL HAPPY, IT WAS ONLY A
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE
SHE REALIZED SHE MISCARRIED
THE BABY.
YOU SEE, SHE WAS DEVASTATED.
HER CELEBRATION TURNED INTO
HURT AND PAIN.
SHE BEGAN TO QUESTION GOD.
SHE BEGAN TO DOUBT HERSELF.
SHE BEGAN TO THINK, “AM I
EVER GOING TO HAVE A BABY?
MAYBE I’M NOT CAPABLE OF
HAVING A BABY.”
SHE TOLD HER HUSBAND, SHE
SAID, “I DON’T WANT TO TRY
AGAIN.”
SHE SAID, “I DON’T WANT TO GO
THERE.
I’M AFRAID THAT I CAN’T MAKE
IT THROUGH ANOTHER PAINFUL
SITUATION LIKE THAT.”
YOU SEE, SHE BEGAN LIMPING.
SHE BEGAN LIMPING.
SHE SHRUNK BACK.
SHE DIDN’T ACT LIKE HERSELF.
SHE WASN’T THE LIVELY,
VIBRANT WOMAN THAT SHE ONCE
WAS.
IT BEGAN TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE
FAMILY.
YOU SEE, SHE WAS LIMPING
BECAUSE OF A PAIN THAT SHE
HAD FELT.
IT WASN’T LONG AFTER THAT,
SHE FOUND SIRIUS XM 128, AND
SHE BEGAN TO LISTEN TO THE
MESSAGES OF HOPE, OF A
FAITHFUL GOD, OF A LOVING
GOD, A GOD OF STRENGTH, A GOD
OF PURPOSE.
DAY AFTER DAY, SHE LISTENED
TO THESE MESSAGES, AND IT
BEGAN TO BREAK DOWN THAT
WRONG PATTERN OF THINKING.
IT BEGAN TO BUILD COURAGE IN
HER AND DETERMINATION.
SHE BEGAN TO THINK, “CAN I DO
THIS AGAIN?”
IN FACT, THE DEFEAT AND THE
DOUBT TURNED INTO HOPE,
FAITH, AND VICTORY.
SHE TOLD HER HUSBAND, “I WANT
TO TRY AGAIN TO HAVE A CHILD.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES ME.
I BELIEVE THAT I CAN DO IT
AGAIN,” AND DO YOU KNOW,
RECENTLY, KRISTY AND HER
HUSBAND, JOSH, JUST GAVE
BIRTH TO A BEAUTIFUL BABY
NAMED MIA?
SHE FOUGHT THROUGH THAT
BARRIER THAT WOULD TRY TO
STOP HER, THAT WOULD TRY TO
DEFEAT HER, THAT WOULD TRY TO
CHANGE THE COURSE OF HER
DESTINY, HER RELATIONSHIP
WITH HER HUSBAND,
AND HER FAMILY LINE.
LISTEN, SHE HAD TO MAKE THE
CHOICE TO WALK THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
PAIN IS REAL, AND IT HURTS,
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, GOD IS
THE MENDER OF BROKEN HEARTS.
HE CAN HEAL WHAT HURTS.
HE CAN MAKE YOU STRONGER THAN
YOU’VE EVER BEEN BEFORE.
YOU CAN’T ALLOW A BAD
EXPERIENCE TO TRICK YOU INTO
THINKING YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE
A BAD LIFE.
YOU’VE GOT TO RISE UP IN THE
STRENGTH OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND
RECOGNIZE, “HEY, THIS IS A
LIMP.
I WASN’T DESIGNED TO LIMP.
I WAS DESIGNED TO RUN.
I WAS DESIGNED TO MOVE.
I WAS DESIGNED TO MOVE
FORWARD IN THE THINGS OF GOD.
MY LITTLE NEPHEW CHRISTOPHER,
HE’S A BIG OLD KID.
I’M TELLING YOU, THAT BOY IS
SO BIG.
HE PLAYS HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL, AND WHEN HE
STARTED, HE PLAYED THE
DEFENSE, AND THAT’S A REALLY
ROUGH, TOUGH SPOT TO PLAY,
AND WHEN HE WOULD COME HOME,
THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES,
HE’D REALIZE THE NEXT DAY
HE’D HAVE BRUISES ON HIM,
AND HE’D THINK, “OH, MAN,
THESE BRUISES.”
BUT HE’D GO BACK OUT THERE
AGAIN.
HE’D COME HOME.
HE’D SAY, “I GOT THESE
BRUISES, BUT I DID MY BEST.
I DID GOOD.”
THE NEXT DAY, HE’D GO BACK
OUT THERE.
HE’D COME HOME.
HE’D SAY, “I DON’T CARE ABOUT
THESE BRUISES.
WE WON, WE WON.”
YOU SEE, HE REALIZED FROM
EXPERIENCE THAT THOSE BRUISES
DIDN’T HAVE TO STOP HIM.
THOSE BRUISES MAY BE PART OF
THE GAME, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
HE’S ON THE WINNING TEAM, AND
I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY,
THERE MAY BE BUMPS.
THERE MAY BE BRUISES.
THEY COME TO ALL OF US.
BUT LISTEN, YOU’VE GOT ONE
MORE POWERFUL ON YOUR SIDE.
YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
GOD, THE WINNING SIDE OF GOD.
YOU’VE GOT TO SAY, “THESE
BRUISES DON’T MATTER.
THEY’RE NOT STOPPING ME,
BECAUSE I AM GOING TO WIN.
I’M GOING TO COME THROUGH.
I’M GOING TO BREAK THROUGH
THE BARRIERS THAT ARE TRYING
TO HOLD ME DOWN.”
DO YOU KNOW, GOD SAID, “I
HAVEN’T GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF
FEAR”?
EVERY SETBACK RELEASES FEAR,
EVERY PAST HURT PROMOTES
FEAR.
FEAR IS NOT OF GOD.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU WON’T DO
COMES FROM FEAR.
EVERY EXCUSE YOU MAKE COMES
FROM FEAR, FEAR OF BEING
TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, FEAR OF
BEING LAUGHED AT, FEAR OF
BEING HURT AGAIN.
IT’S A ROOT OF FEAR, AND GOD
SAID, “I HAVEN’T GIVEN YOU
FEAR.”
SO WHEN YOU FEEL FEAR, YOU’VE
GOT TO UNDERSTAND, THAT’S THE
ENEMY TRYING TO MAKE YOU
LIMP.
HE’S TRYING TO MAKE YOU NOT
REACH THE FULLNESS OF YOUR
DESTINY.
GOD SAID, “I’VE GIVEN YOU
POWER.”
YOU’VE GOT THE POWER OF THE
MOST HIGH GOD ON THE INSIDE
OF YOU.
YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
HE SAID, “I’VE GIVEN YOU
LOVE.”
CAN I TELL YOU THAT HIS LOVE
BROKE THE CURSE OF SIN AND
DEATH, THAT HIS LOVE IS THE
ONE THAT BREAKS THE CHAINS?
THERE’S NOTHING GREATER THAT
YOU CAN HAVE THAN THE LOVE OF
ALMIGHTY GOD.
HE SAID, “I’VE GIVEN YOU A
SOUND MIND, A BALANCED MIND,
A MIND THAT IS ABLE TO
DISCERN TRUTH FROM A LIE,
TRUTH FROM A LIE, FEAR FROM
FAITH.”
TODAY, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO
DISCERN FEAR AND FAITH, AND I
BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO
WALK IN FAITH.
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED A
REMINDER THAT WE CAN BE
STRONG AGAIN.
LISTEN, DON’T LIMP THROUGH
THIS LIFE, NOT WHEN YOU CAN
RUN THROUGH THIS LIFE, NOT
WHEN YOU’VE GOT THE FORCE OF
THE MOST HIGH BEHIND YOU.
YOU ARE ON THE WINNING TEAM,
AMEN?
AMEN.
.