March 11, 2025 • 54 mins
The spiritual battlefield of our hearts is often fought not between obvious good and evil, but between God's perfect will and seemingly good alternatives that lead us astray. In this powerful exploration of discernment, Walter and Shanea tackle the subtle difference between divine appointments and dangerous distractions.
When the Oxford Dictionary defines distraction as "a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else," it perfectly captures how even good things can pull us away from God's purpose. The hosts carefully distinguish between what God sends versus what merely distracts, revealing how our unhealed traumas create a distorted lens through which we view potential relationships, career choices, and life decisions.
Perhaps most challenging is the revelation that the enemy's greatest desire isn't to prevent marriage altogether but to prevent us from entering God-ordained marriages. "The most dangerous distractions are those that seem perfectly fine," Walter notes, challenging listeners to examine whether their comfortable relationships might actually be keeping them from God's best. Shanea adds that "your trauma will make decisions for you that you don't even realize," highlighting how childhood wounds unconsciously drive adult choices.
The solution, they explain, lies in healing, renewed mental frameworks, and complete submission to God's timing—even when it means facing difficult truths about our current situations. For those wrestling with important life decisions, this episode offers both compassionate understanding and courageous challenge to pursue God's perfect will above all else.
Ready to dive deeper? 🎧 Join us on YouTube for the full video podcast where we explore faith, love, and relationships through a Christian lens. Whether married, single, or seeking spiritual growth, our episodes offer practical advice and profound insights to strengthen your walk with Jesus. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss a powerful episode. Let’s grow together in faith and purpose!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Walter (00:00):
Welcome back to another episode of Stepping in Faith,
where, together, we explore theimportance of having a
relationship with God and howthat relationship with God can
impact the relationship you havewith others.
I'm your host, walter.
I'm joined here alongside mylovely wife.
Shanea (00:14):
Shanea.
Walter (00:16):
This is episode 15, right, let me adjust this.
Shanea (00:21):
I guess so Is it.
Walter (00:23):
Yes, 15.
15 episodes, I guess.
So Is it?
Yes, 15.
15 episodes, wow, okay.
So I guess the first thing wecan do is open it up with prayer
.
You prayed last time, right?
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Father, god, as we come beforeyou this afternoon, we thank you
(00:43):
for your love, your mercy andyour grace.
We thank you, father, that youare in full control.
We submit to you, we surrenderto you, we yield to you and ask
that your spirit will guide us.
Allow your spirit to lead us inall that we do.
Holy Spirit, we yield to you.
We thank you for your presenceflowing through.
(01:03):
We thank you for your gloryfalling down like never before
and allow this podcast episodeto reach those that you've
called for it to reach.
Open their ears, theirspiritual ears, open their
spiritual eyes to hear and seewhat it is that you have to say.
Father, we thank you even nowfor everything you've done and
everything you're going tocontinue to do, and it's in
(01:24):
Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Okay, so we say this everyepisode.
We are believers, right?
Yes.
We say this every time, sowe're going to say it again we
are believers, believers,believers, believers, and in
(01:51):
this week's episode, the titleis God Sent Versus Distractions.
God Sent Versus.
Shanea (01:54):
Distractions Okay.
Walter (01:57):
I don't know what I was doing when it came, but it came,
was it last week?
Yeah, you didn't even tell me.
No, it was when we was up superlate and I woke up and God just
started speaking to me.
And I started writing everythingdown.
(02:18):
So, yeah, I did not tell you mybad, but I think we had fell
asleep.
We woke up, you was in hereeither reading your Bible or
praying or something, and I wasin there, the bedroom.
God just began to speak to meabout distractions and it just
(02:39):
went from.
Shanea (02:40):
There.
Walter (02:42):
Okay, so God sent versus distractions and it became
something I didn't think itwould become.
What do you think of when youthink of that, without looking
at the notes?
Shanea (03:03):
God sent versus distractions without looking at
the notes God sent versusdistractions.
Well, at first I thought youwere talking about, you know,
like relationships like whenwe're talking about counterfeits
and how God can send yousomething and the devil can send
you something, but when hesends you something it's to
distract you or to get you offof the pathway of God's perfect
(03:26):
will for you.
Walter (03:28):
So yeah, it's just.
I think this episode we'redigging more into distractions.
I guess you could counterfeit.
Shanea (03:38):
You mean distractions like like tedious, being busy
Like tedious?
Walter (03:44):
being busy, Distractions like we don't think of, whether
it be relationships or whateverthe case may be.
It distracts you away from whatit is.
The Bible talks about having asober mind, so it moves you away
so.
Shanea (04:07):
I guess it could be, seen as a counterfeit, but we're
digging more into thedistraction of it because you
said god sent yes versusdistractions right.
Walter (04:13):
So if it's not god sent, then it's a distraction or a
counterfeit, but let's dig intoit.
So, um, I was looking up whatdistraction meant the Oxford
Dictionary, right, and it says athing that prevents someone
from giving full attention tosomething else, and extreme
(04:37):
agitation of the mind oremotions.
So the biggest thing withdistractions it shifts our focus
, like even when we think of,like, if you're watching tv a
lot, if you're playing your gamea lot and you have things to do
, your focus shifts because allyou're thinking about is what
you're doing outside of whatyou're supposed to, and so the
(05:04):
thing about that is agitation.
Shanea (05:08):
Agitation.
Walter (05:11):
I didn't look that up.
The agitation is a state ofanxiety or nervous excitement,
the action of briskly stirringor disturbing something,
especially a liquid.
But we'll look at that anxietyor nervousness.
So when you think ofdistractions, it put us in a
situation where we're justconstantly going, going, going,
(05:32):
going, going.
Your mind is consistently going,and your mind is so important
because, of course, that's howyou interpret what God speaks to
you what God gives to you, whatGod speaks to you, what God
gives to you, and so, when wethink of distractions, the
biggest thing about it is thatit can cause us to lose track of
(05:53):
our purpose, and assignmentfrom God.
And so, or it is shift ourattention and make us react
impulsively rather thanpatiently waiting on God's
timing.
So when you think aboutdistraction, distraction digs
into seasons.
When you're distracted, youaren't able to properly
(06:15):
understand the seasons and howGod operates in seasons.
We think about Jesus.
Jesus was moving, always havingan understanding of timing.
He never moved before histiming.
He never allowed his emotionsor his feelings to get him into
a position of moving before histimings, his time.
So what do you think about that?
Shanea (06:34):
I think that, um, the the purpose of the enemy keeping
you distracted is to, yeah,lose track of time.
I mean, when you get distractedwhen you're supposed to be
doing something, what do you do?
You lose track of time.
Walter (06:54):
Time flies.
Shanea (06:55):
Yeah, so like I can want to clean the house all day, or
like I have plans to clean thehouse, clean this room, do the
laundry, but if I'm on my phoneI'm being distracted and I If
you're scrolling on Pinterest,yeah, don't put my business on
like that.
Walter (07:13):
Well, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to convict you.
Shanea (07:16):
No, there's no conviction.
I mean, I scroll on Pinterestso that I can find recipes to
cook you dinner, so-.
I'm just saying distraction,but yeah, but anyway it's a
distraction, so like I lose anhour or two or three that day?
Yeah, depend not.
I mean not like in a row, butsometimes maybe, yes, in a row.
But that's anybody or you like.
(07:38):
You know, when you scroll onyoutube looking at camera stuff
well, we use the camera stuff.
Uh-huh.
Walter (07:45):
But yeah.
Shanea (07:46):
So we lose track of time .
Walter (07:50):
So it causes delay.
It does, and that's the enemy'sdesire.
And we're looking at it fromthe perspective of just stuff
that you do on a day-to-daybasis.
We're not looking at it fromyou making a decision to be with
someone, or you making adecision to choose a particular
career path, or you making adecision to choose a particular
career path or live in aparticular area that God hasn't
(08:10):
called for you to live, and howthat can be negatively impactful
.
Shanea (08:13):
No, seriously, because you'll be in a relationship or
in a job for X amount of yearsand then when you get out of it
you're like dang, I wasted mytime exactly.
Walter (08:25):
So I have one here, john 11.
Right, because we are we'retrying to gain an understanding
of everything happening in god'stiming, and so the the thing
that we have to understand inGenesis 1 shows us this right.
(08:46):
The Bible says in the beginning, God created the heavens and
the earth, and we talked aboutthis before and it's right there
in front of us.
It says and I'm in an NIV, letme go to NLT it says in the
beginning, God created theheavens and the earth.
The earth was formless andempty and the darkness covered
(09:35):
the deep waters.
It says so.
The biggest thing and this issomething that God was dealing
with me on before is that whenwe think of time, god created
time to maintain this universe.
Because of the to maintain thisuniverse, this entire universe
that we have, it's held up bytime, it's all held up by time,
and so God created time tomaintain this universe.
(09:56):
Yet we already know God existsoutside of time, he exists
outside of, he exists ineternity.
So there's no time.
He sees everything as it is.
He sees the beginning and theend and the middle, all at the
same time.
He sees all of the differentops.
(10:18):
It'd be almost like a superheromovie.
I think U-verse is a primeexample or not encouraging
people to look at Dr Strange,but Dr Strange actually is a
better example because there'sso many different alternate
options realms and so manydifferent things happening
within all of those differentrealms.
Shanea (10:36):
Right, but they're all happening at the same exact time
, but in different times.
So past, present, future ordifferent dimensions, and
they're all happening at thesame time.
Walter (10:46):
So God sees eternity as it all, just being so with Jesus
.
Jesus operated within this timeframe as well, as he operated
in both.
He operated within eternity.
in this he understood how tooperate in both, which is
something that we have to seekout.
(11:08):
Learning to do is operate inboth in eternity and within this
timeframe.
Of course, that's only by thepower of God, the guidance of
the Holy Spirit.
So I have on here the story ofLazarus, right, and when we look
at, I think that's John 11,it's a lot here.
(11:31):
Read it.
We read this before.
Jesus heard about Lazarus beingsick, right, verse 4 says but
when Jesus heard about it hesaid Lazarus' sickness will not
end in death.
No, it happened for the gloryof God, so that the Son of God
will receive glory from this.
So although Jesus loved Martha,mary and Lazarus, he stayed
(11:55):
there.
He stayed where he was for thenext two days.
Finally, he said to thedisciples let's go back to Judea
, further down.
He said verse 9,.
Jesus replied there are 12 hoursof daylight every day.
During the day people can walksafely, they can see because
they have the light of thisworld, but at night there is a
(12:17):
danger of stumbling because theyhave no light.
Then he said verse 11, ourfriend Lazarus has fallen asleep
, but now I will go and wake himup.
And so you read this entirestory.
Jesus knew what happened toLazarus.
He knew he was sick.
He could have went and healedhim, but he stated no, I can't
go and do that, because it's agreater glory that God wants to
(12:42):
receive from this, so he has todie.
It's a greater glory that.
God wants to receive from this,so he has to die.
And so this is an example ofJesus understanding time.
(13:05):
This is an example of Jesusoperating within eternity and
within, was struggling with thefact that Lazarus was sick, and
he grieved over the fact thatLazarus was sick as well.
The point that this is makingright.
(13:32):
Jesus understood, of course,both the internal perspective
and the timing within thepresent moment, and so this
comes from an intimacy with God.
There was a level of intimacythat Jesus had that, even though
his flesh wanted to dosomething different, he still
submitted himself to the will ofGod.
He still submitted himself tosaying I know that God is going
to heal Lazarus.
Yes, I know God is going toheal Lazarus.
(13:54):
Yet I understand that I have towait on God.
Yeah, I can't make this happenwhen I want it to happen.
Yeah.
I have to allow God's perfectwill to be carried out.
And so I think a lot of timeswith us when we think of
distractions we've talked aboutthis so many times in so many
(14:14):
different episodes the greatestthings that distraction does, or
the greatest thing that it does, is put us in a position of
trying to rush God.
And when you try to rush God,that's when you get caught up
and get set up with quoteunquote a counterfeit.
Shanea (14:30):
Well, I don't even think it's even rushing God, it's.
You want what you want.
You want it because the worldtells you that you can have it.
Walter (14:38):
But it's also rushing him because he's going to give
it to you and you know it'sthere for you, right?
Shanea (14:44):
I mean, as long as you know what his perfect will is
for you.
Walter (14:48):
Yeah, well, I mean in the context of marriage.
We know that.
Shanea (14:51):
God has called us to be married.
Yeah, we know.
God has called us to be married.
Walter (14:53):
Yes, we know that God has called for us to work
somewhere.
Shanea (14:55):
Yes.
Walter (14:55):
We know that God has called for us to live somewhere.
We know that God called you tobe a multimillionaire, whether
he's called you not to be one,whether he's called you to live
in a quote unquote mansionestate or a regular house or
apartment or condo, we knowthese things are the case.
Shanea (15:16):
But if you don't ask God , he's not going to tell you.
Walter (15:18):
And even when you do ask , sometimes you rush it or you
go and do what you want to dobecause you want it right then
and there.
Shanea (15:26):
Yeah, because you know.
The bible says you know, a manwho finds a wife finds a good
thing and obtains favor from thelord.
But you have to wait on god tohelp you find that wife.
You can't just go out and do iton your own.
Walter (15:39):
Exactly galatians 5 and 25.
So here's the challenge, right?
We don't understand that.
We talked about obedience.
We discussed obedience so manyExactly Galatians 5 and 25.
So here's the challenge, right?
We don't understand it.
We talked about obedience, wediscussed obedience so many
times.
Obedience is submitting toGod's plan, even when it
contradicts our desires,emotions or understanding.
The way that you don't allowyourself to succumb to
(16:03):
distractions is by once againagain dying to self.
Jesus showed the example ofthis with Lazarus.
Shanea (16:11):
Yeah, he wanted to go.
Yes, that was his friend.
He loved Lazarus.
Walter (16:14):
Yes, the Bible says that he loved him.
He wanted to be there, but heknew he could not, even though
he knew that Lazarus was goingto die and it was going to cause
a great amount of suffering tolazarus sisters yeah, and the
relationship between him and hissisters, because they're
looking at it like, okay, you'rejesus, you're healing everybody
else yeah why weren't you herefor your friend?
Shanea (16:36):
yeah, you're like family .
Why weren't you here?
Do you not care?
Walter (16:43):
and so I think, when we think of distractions, or even
when we're looking at obedience,right that's I think that's one
of the biggest issues that westruggle with, what if you
desire to be married, you're 30.
(17:04):
You're a woman, you know youhave a certain time period,
technically, where you want tobe, you want to have a child.
No prospects are coming.
How obedient are you going tobe in submitting to the timing
of God, understanding that heknows what's right, or even as a
(17:26):
man?
Shanea (17:26):
It's hard because you have people telling you that you
are on a time crunch.
You also have telling peoplethat you know something must be
wrong with you because you'renot married.
Walter (17:35):
Or you're getting old.
Shanea (17:36):
Or you don't have any children, or something must be
wrong with you.
Walter (17:41):
Yeah, and these are some of the things that we struggle
with Must be wrong with you.
Yeah, and these are some of thethings that we struggle with.
These are even within yourcareer options.
Not submitting it to God andjust knowing for men.
I know we struggle withproviding resources, so the
(18:06):
biggest thing that we look atwhen we're going to look for a
career path is what is going tobring us the most money, not
what is it that God has calledus to what's going to make us
the most financially secure?
What if God has called you to alife of challenges?
What if God don't want you tobe as wealthy as you thought you
should be or think you shouldbe, or as wealthy as society
says you should be?
Shanea (18:23):
Or he doesn't want you wealthy until you're like 40, 50
years old.
Walter (18:27):
Exactly, and now you have to struggle with the fact
of understanding that, and sothese are the things that we
deal with.
Shanea (18:34):
Yeah.
Walter (18:35):
Yet I want to get into this right the role of trauma
and past hurt and distractions.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Mm, hmm, the role of trauma and past, hurt and
distractions.
Walter (18:50):
So a lot of times trauma will distort our perception of
God's will for our lives.
Childhood trauma, trauma fromrelationships.
What it does is it distortsyour lens, it distorts how you
look at life, it distorts howyou view life.
(19:10):
What are your thoughts on that?
Shanea (19:17):
life.
What are your thoughts on that?
I believe that it distorts youyour perception of what choices
and decisions you should bemaking for yourself, which means
you make those decisions foryourself based off of your
experiences.
So it's like I'm not reallygonna go to god and ask, because
this has already happened.
So I know like, in order forthis not to happen again, I
gotta do this, or I gotta dothis, or got to be in a certain
(19:37):
place.
Walter (19:38):
Oh, once again it makes you impulsive.
Shanea (19:41):
Yeah.
Walter (19:41):
And when you become impulsive, you become.
You get into a place whereyou're making decisions that
aren't aligned with God or hiswill, and you turn blessings
into distractions.
Shanea (19:53):
Yeah Well, the enemy likes to keep you in your past,
Even when you convert over tothis new life that God has
promised you, that Jesus haspromised you, even if, as your
new conversion as a believer,the enemy will try to get you to
(20:15):
think about your past, shameyou so that you don't even make
decisions that God wants you tomake.
You know, share your testimony?
No, I can't, because thishappened to me in my past.
Walter (20:31):
You become fearful.
Yeah, you become very fearful.
Shanea (20:33):
No, I don't want to get married, because I already did
that before or because I sawwhat my, my family went through.
Right my parents went through amarriage so he can, through
your trauma, deter you fromgod's purpose, because he
altered what god's original planand intent was.
So a lot of people don't wantto get married because they see
(20:55):
what people have gone through intheir marriages.
Walter (20:58):
Or he can put you into a situation where you get into
this place where you don't wantto submit to God because you
don't realize it, but you havemommy and daddy issues and so
you don't know how to submitthat and you start making
decisions on your own, puttingyourself directly in the same
situation that you grew up in.
Shanea (21:17):
Or you have church hurt.
You have church hurt and youassociated the people with the
church, with the characteristicsof God.
Walter (21:26):
Yeah.
Shanea (21:27):
And then you don't submit to him at all.
Walter (21:31):
That's true.
Shanea (21:32):
And completely puts you out of God's plan for your life,
your purpose.
Everything just kind of justgoes out of the window Because
you are reminded, staying inyour past, from the enemy,
reminded of things that happenedto you.
Walter (21:50):
These are all serious issues that we deal with, which
is why, once again, we have togo through the process of being
healed.
And renewing our mind andrenewing our mind and the
scripture.
That comes to me right, or thatwhat came to mind when all of
this stuff was kind of beingwritten down John 14 and 30.
(22:10):
Do you want to read that NLT?
Shanea (22:14):
If you already have it pulled up, go ahead.
Walter (22:16):
So Jesus said I don't have much more time to talk with
you or talk to you, because theruler of this world approaches.
He has no power over me, but Iwould do what the father
requires of me so that the worldwould know that I love the
father.
Come, let's be going.
We touched on this before.
Yeah, jesus said he had nopower over him.
(22:38):
The reason why it's soimportant that we go through the
process of healing from ourpast wounds, being set free and
delivered, is so that when theenemy comes, he has nothing that
he can find in you.
Other translation says that hehad nothing that he could find
in Jesus.
(22:58):
There was nothing he could findin him.
Shanea (23:02):
Yeah, so that the enemy won't use your past hurt to
either shame you or fear you.
Walter (23:08):
Hold you in bondage.
Shanea (23:09):
Yeah, out of doing what God called you to do because
you're fearful or because you'reshameful, and so digging
further into this right Out ofdoing what God called you to do
because you're fearful orbecause you're shameful, you
know?
Walter (23:21):
And so digging further into this right.
Samson we don't have time toread it, but Judges 13 through
16.
What people don't and God usedit but what people don't realize
is that we knew that God hadalready made Samson's mother
aware and Samson's father thatSamson was to be set apart.
He couldn't eat certain things,he couldn't do certain things
(23:41):
because he was holy and he couldnever cut his hair.
The strength of God lied withinthe hair, but it was a covenant
that God made.
As long as no one ever cut hishair, Samson would be extremely
strong, and so that covenant iswhat kind of kept that power in
place, their obedience to thatsaid covenant.
(24:02):
We all talk about Delilah, butwe don't talk about the fact
that Samson got married prior toDelilah and there was a woman
that he was taking to be hiswife.
Let me see, we'll go there.
It's Judges 13.
There was a woman that heinitially met that he wanted to
(24:23):
be his wife with Saul, and hetalked to his family, or his
mother and his father, about herbeing his wife.
They made him aware that shewas unclean because she was a
Philistine, and he did not wantto listen.
(24:45):
He wanted to do what he wantedto do, and so he pressed them
for her to be his wife.
Yet what ended up happening isthey used that the ph encourage
him to share his secret.
He shared his secret with herbecause she kept nagging him.
They used that against him tobasically solve his riddle, and
(25:09):
he ended up destroying the man.
Shanea (25:11):
Well, he figured it out.
He didn't tell them whathappened.
Walter (25:16):
He didn't, he didn't tell them right no, he tricked
them he knew, like he knew, itwas a setup he knew it was a
setup, but he did still tell her.
Oh, he did tell her, and so hetold her what it was and he
figured out, once they knewbecause it was no way that they
could have ever solved theriddle outside of them finding
(25:37):
out from her and he, heapproached them about it and he
destroyed them.
But the thing that we saw wasthe same thing take place with
Delilah.
Well, they did the same thing,they.
The only difference is with theyoung lady.
They were telling her that theywas going to destroy her entire
family, burn everything up ifshe didn't help them Delilah.
(26:01):
They offered to pay Delilah.
And so the reason that's soimportant and you can go and
read it, everyone can go read it.
Judges 13, chapter 13 throughchapter 16.
The thing that I wanted tofocus on there and what was
coming to me is how Samson'scomfort with deception,
(26:22):
beginning with his first wiferight and then Delilah, was a
major distraction.
His own fleshly desires led himto disregard God's purpose,
which led to his downfall.
So sometimes with us, we don'trealize that we fall into a
(26:44):
pattern and the enemy would usethat very pattern to keep us in
bondage or destroy us.
There was a pattern that Samsonhad.
First of all, it startedbecause Samson was disobedient
to God.
He was never supposed to marrythe first young lady.
He wasn't even supposed to belooking her way like that.
His parents tried to forewarnhim even though god utilized it
as a way to get him to destroythe philistines, he still was
(27:06):
disobedient to god originalcovenant for him yeah, well,
samson, he had a, he had a lustproblem heavily because he like.
No matter what his mom and dadsaid.
He said I don't care what yousay, I have to have this woman
no, he want what he want.
Shanea (27:21):
I mean he even slept with a prostitute.
Walter (27:23):
Yeah, after this and so I think this is so important.
Right and people may not likethis.
We have to be careful not tolet comfort with the wrong
person become a distraction forGod's design.
Mm-hmm.
Shanea (27:44):
Yeah, because that's all it was Well, and it's feeding
your sinful nature, your naturaldesires to become a distraction
.
Mm-hmm your natural desires tobecome a distraction.
So your desire for attention,your desire for love, your
desire for pretty much almostanything, money will keep you
(28:05):
distracted from what God hascalled you to do, or from what
he's trying to show you.
Walter (28:08):
And the greatest thing is this right here, we don't
realize that when doing so right, we don't realize that when
doing so right um suddenly forthe wrong person or the wrong
relationship can cause us tomiss out on god's true will for
our lives.
It can call.
It calls us to abortassignments that god had given
(28:31):
to us, that he wanted us tocomplete.
Shanea (28:33):
Or delay.
Walter (28:34):
Or delay those set assignments.
And I think I have this in hereand we talked about this before
the greatest deception of theenemy is making us think that
his greatest desire is for usnot to get married.
It's false.
(28:55):
It's not his greatest desirefor us not to get married.
It's false.
It's not his greatest desirefor us not to get married.
His greatest desire is for usto not get married to whom God
called for us to be with.
Shanea (29:04):
Right, because people always say Satan hates marriages
and it's like he don't hatemarriages, he hates God, he
hates humans in general.
Walter (29:13):
But he hates God-ordained marriages, right,
because when you have aGod-ordained marriage, it takes
it back to the beginning, whenthe Bible told Adam and Eve to
be fruitful and multiply.
So he wanted them to createother people like them, children
like them that worshiped andwalked in close in community
(29:34):
with God Right, they had anintimate relationship with God.
Right.
Create children that learn howto love me, do life with me,
walk with me and move the wayI've called you to move and
populate the earth with that.
Shanea (29:48):
Right, he doesn't want more population of godly people,
of chosen people.
Walter (29:55):
Yes, because it's a direct slap in his face, because
he despises how much god lovesus.
And so that's the challengethat we deal with, because we
think, oh, I got married.
The enemy don't want me to getmarried, so I'm blessed.
Now you might be in a situationin many cases, you are in
marriages that God neverdesigned so you are in a
(30:16):
situation where you're walkingin disobedience to God, exactly
what the enemy wants you to beyeah, or you think that your
attack on your marriage is fromthe enemy, when in fact it's not
.
Shanea (30:28):
It's just the consequences of your actions
well, the challenge becomesright.
Walter (30:33):
We get into relationships and marriages.
It's so easy to know that amarriage is not of God when you
are dealing with this personwho's being abusive to you,
who's mistreating you, who'scheating on you and all of these
things.
The greatest challenge is whatabout those marriages where
everything seems fine?
Right marriage is whereeverything seems fine, right.
(30:58):
What about those marriages thatyou're in where there's no
problems outside of like normal?
Shanea (31:00):
disagreements.
No, but you're not walking yourpurpose.
You're still trying to findyour identity.
Walter (31:05):
Yeah, and you never submitted it to God.
You never came to God and saidGod, is this where you want me
to be?
And there's a bunch ofmarriages out there where people
are just kind of living andbeing comfortable in not truly
knowing who God has called themto be doing what God has called
them to do, and they're notsubmitted.
Shanea (31:28):
You're content with the behavior of your partner and now
you're fine.
Your relationship's fine.
It was rocky in the beginning,but now it's fine because you
have settled for their behavior.
Walter (31:39):
They're not going to like that.
They're not going to like that.
But you have to really look atthis and understand that the
greatest thing that the enemycan do is get you outside of the
perfect will of God.
And if God would send a Delilahto Samson, why would I mean not
God?
If the enemy would send aDelilah to Samson, why would the
(32:03):
enemy not send you one, a maleversion or a female version of
Delilah?
Shanea (32:10):
Well, that's because I'm in Christ, no weapon formed
against me shall prosper.
Walter (32:16):
By all accounts, Samson was raised up to submit to God.
Shanea (32:20):
He was.
Walter (32:21):
That don't mean anything .
Shanea (32:23):
Samson was, by all accounts, a believer.
Yes, he was, he was a believer.
Walter (32:28):
You have the Holy Spirit , yet it still doesn't stop the
fact that you still do what youwant to do, because you have a
choice, right exactly.
God don't force himself on you.
Shanea (32:37):
Right, and God's not going to stop what's going to
happen, because you chose to doit.
Walter (32:42):
So why do you think that you are free, or there is this
freedom that you don't have toworry about a Delilah being sent
your way?
Delilah, by the time she wasfinished, the Philistines used
her to cause I mean, at the endof the day, she caused Samson to
(33:07):
fall out of covenant with God,which took away the anointing
that was on Samson's life, thegrace, the glory that was upon
his life.
Samson ended up being blindedand chained and in bondage.
He ended up becoming weak.
This man that was great, doingthe things of God, all of that
(33:33):
was taken away just like that,simply because he decided to
accept a Delilah in his life.
And that came from the fact thatSamson didn't deal with the
issues that was already therethat set him up in such a way.
Samson didn't deal with the sinthat was knocking at his door,
(33:56):
as Jesus told Cain in thebeginning.
He didn't deal with this fact.
The sin was right there at hisdoor.
It started with the young ladythat he saw that he wanted to
marry.
It only grew into a point towhere they ended up destroying
them and, even though Samsoneventually grew his hair back,
(34:20):
asked God for one last time todestroy the Philistines and he
did.
Samson also still ended uplosing his life.
He died blind.
He did take out quite a fewPhilistines.
Shanea (34:33):
Yeah, he did.
Walter (34:34):
But still he didn't go out the way that God called him
to go out.
Shanea (34:40):
No, I mean God still used him.
Walter (34:42):
He did use him.
Shanea (34:44):
But Samson had to deal with the consequences.
Walter (34:46):
Yes.
Shanea (34:47):
Of his actions.
Walter (34:48):
Yes.
Shanea (34:49):
So just because you get into a relationship and people
say, well, god can turn anythingaround and turn it around for
his good, yes, he can use yoursituation for good, but that
doesn't mean you're blessed.
Walter (35:04):
At the end of the day.
Shanea (35:05):
That very much means that you're still going to deal
with the consequences.
Walter (35:09):
At the end of the day, we have to understand this.
There is no way around lookingat it from the perspective that
if you are somewhere God has notcalled you to be, you are in
direct disobedience to God.
Shanea (35:26):
And even after your conversion and you say you know
what I'm going to give my lifeto Christ, you still got to deal
with those consequences of thedecisions that you made prior to
walking in the light again.
Walter (35:38):
And you have to ask God, god, am I?
You got to take that to God,something that we don't want to
do, because the church speaksagainst divorce.
Right, and I get it, andthere's going to be people
that's going to spew me downwith this or argue me down.
It is what it is.
Yet, when you think of divorce,when Jesus was referring to
(35:59):
divorce, he was referring to inthe context.
He said what God put togetherwhat.
God put together, not what manhas placed together.
This has nothing to do with thecovenants you made, which is
why we consistently try toencourage people stop making
covenants outside of God.
We got to get back tounderstanding that marriage is
(36:20):
something that's very serious,that you don't walk into lightly
, that you don't walk into priorto having a relationship with
God.
You need to know without ashadow of a doubt that you are
where God has called for you tobe, that this person is whom God
has called for you to be with.
If you don't have arelationship with God, you just
got to deal with theconsequences.
Shanea (36:40):
Yeah, because marriage is not just about you and your
husband.
Walter (36:43):
No.
Shanea (36:44):
And your kids.
It's about your kids' kids andyour kids after that.
Walter (36:47):
Generations to come.
Shanea (36:48):
We're talking about generations of people.
Walter (36:51):
And.
Shanea (36:52):
A whole bloodline.
Walter (36:54):
I think it's just ultimately because this, let's
make this clear this is forbelievers.
This is not for people in theworld, Unless you have a tug in
your heart of coming to God.
And if you do everything whenyou come to God, you have to
submit everything to God.
Jesus told the rich young ruler.
(37:15):
You have to sell everything youhave, Give it to the poor and
follow me.
You literally have to die toself.
The problem that we have inthis society is that people
don't want to die to self.
Shanea (37:24):
That's why they become so distracted because you don't
want to die to your own selfwell, I think your own desires
world, and they could be in theworld and not in the world at
the same time.
Walter (37:37):
Well see, we got to really touch on this right,
Because you have to understandthe most challenging
distractions, that we have to becareful with, distractions that
we don't recognize asdistractions, because it seems
(38:02):
okay.
That's not just in marriage,that's in ministry, that's in
your business, that's in yourfinances, that's everything
because it seems okay.
But is it a distraction?
Is it pulling you away from God?
Is it pulling you away from thewill of God?
Is it pulling you away from thewill of God for your life,
god's purpose for your life?
(38:23):
We have to dig into this andunderstand that the most
dangerous distractions are thosethat seems perfectly put Like
there's no problem, we got noissues.
Shanea (38:40):
But I never submitted this to God, I just did what I
wanted to do.
Well, I think the thing thatthe dangerous thing is that
distractions could be exactlywhat god called you to so before
it's time yeah, before it'stime.
Um so, yes, you know god wantsyou to get married, but now you
got married to somebody withoutconsulting with God first.
That's a distraction, or yougot married to the person.
Walter (39:02):
God called you to get married to, but you got married
to them before time.
Yeah, that's a distraction.
It can still become adistraction because you are
outside the timing, the will ofGod.
God wanted Lazarus healed.
Yeah.
If Jesus would have went priorto God telling him to go, that's
still disobedience.
Shanea (39:24):
Yeah, and I mean his glory wouldn't have been shown.
Walter (39:26):
No, it would have acted as a distraction towards the
will of God for Lazarus life andfor that situation.
So we also have to be carefulwith being in situations where
you've moved before God, whetherthat be in your marriage, your
career, your ministry.
So we also have to be carefulwith being in situations where
you've moved before god, whetherthat be in your marriage, your
career, your ministry, right oryou got a prophecy.
Shanea (39:41):
You know you're a prophet and god's called you to
start going out and prophesyinggod's called you to ministry,
but you started before he calledyou to go, and so now you're.
You're moving outside of hiswill, doing things on your own,
and now you got to maintain iton your own actually so,
sometimes even in marriages.
people get into marriages beforeGod has called them with the
(40:02):
people that God has called themto be, and they go through hell
yeah, you're trying to maintainsomething that either wasn't the
time for you to start or youweren't called to that marriage
at all.
But you're trying to maintainit on your own, and the way that
you do that is listening topeople in the world doing what
people in the world do, orlistening to people in the
church that don't know God, thatdon't have a relationship with
(40:25):
God Because they listen topeople in the world.
Walter (40:27):
Yeah.
Shanea (40:29):
When it comes to relationships.
Walter (40:32):
We have to get back to the basics.
We talk about this all the time, and so here's the thing, right
, and I think is this scripturein here Because I think it's so
important?
Yes, so we talked about 1 Peter5 and 8.
(40:54):
1 Peter 5 and 8.
And I don't think the otherscripture I want to look at is
in here too.
1 Peter 5 and 8.
And I don't think the otherscripture I want to look at is
in here too.
1 Peter 5 and 8.
1 Peter 5 and 8, it says andthis is NIV it says be alert and
of sober mind.
Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy, the devil, prowlsaround like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
(41:16):
The greatest thing withdistractions is it places us in
a place where we can't recognizethe attacks or schemes or plans
of the enemy.
We can't even hear from Godwhen God is trying to forewarn
us.
You know, even in our situationI know for me specifically, the
(41:36):
last situation I was in Godtried to forewarn me on multiple
occasions from so manydifferent people.
Shanea (41:42):
He didn't try Stop.
Walter (41:43):
He did.
He even used my pastor at thetime to say bruh, bruh, don't do
this, this ain't it.
I can't even do this with y'allDon't.
And so, as I look back on allof that, I'm like God, you were
so good because you kept tryingto forewarn me and I didn't
listen.
Whether it be the unction in myspirit, whether it be that what
(42:06):
people would say, a bad feelingor don't have like a peace
about it, just a concern andjust knowing that this is not
something that should be done.
Shanea (42:15):
Right, or you're thinking about things that's
going to happen in the futurebased off of what's happening
right now in the present.
Walter (42:20):
Yeah, and so that's why it's so important.
But my trauma, my lack ofhealing, the demonic forces I
had that was within me wasliterally working against God
trying to keep me and save me.
Yeah.
Because I didn't have a sobermind.
I was distracted by so manyother things that I walked
(42:44):
myself right into something thatnegatively impacted my life.
Shanea (42:49):
Or kept yourself distracted from dealing with
what it is that was actuallygoing on which was even more of
a distraction.
Walter (42:56):
It took time, it took all of these things.
It created all of these otherissues that could have been
avoided if I would have justbeen in a different space to
really hear God, which is why wetell you all it's important
that you be in that space.
This is why it's so importantthat you have this relationship
with God.
This is why it's so importantthat you clear everything out
(43:17):
when you're making majordecisions like this.
When you have a desire, hey,let that be submitted to God.
If you feel like you'refocusing so much on getting
married and all of those things,you need to take a step back.
That shouldn't be your focus.
Your focus should be yourrelationship with God.
Shanea (43:34):
Right and healing.
Walter (43:36):
Because it's very dangerous.
The enemy, he will mess yourlife up.
He will mess your life up, andso I think there's a few
mentions here.
Right, there's because there'spower in living the distracted
free or a distraction free ordistracted.
Shanea (43:58):
Is it Distraction?
Walter (44:00):
Distraction free, a distraction free life.
So there's a few things we havehere.
Right, we have John 2, 1through 4.
That's when Jesus turned thewater into wine through four.
That's when Jesus turned thewater into wine and specifically
within that scripture, he mademention to his mother that it
(44:27):
wasn't his time yet, once againshowcasing that Jesus understood
seasons.
He understood how to operatewithin this time constraint as
well as within eternity.
That's first.
We have john 7, 25 through 30.
Uh, they wanted to kill jesus,but they couldn't because it
wasn't his time yet right and sothe point that it was making is
(44:48):
that there's divine protectiondespite opposition.
When operating in adistraction-free life, you
automatically have divineprotection because you're where
God has called you to be, whenGod has called you to be there,
and nothing is hindering yourfocus from the assignment.
(45:11):
Jesus was operating within theassignment.
Right.
Jesus was operating within theassignment, so there was a
particular moment in time thathe did have to leave.
He did have to go through thecrucifixion, the death the
burial and the resurrection.
He had to fulfill a prophecy,but because of where he was in
God, his relationship in God,his understanding of time, his
(45:34):
understanding of living life insuch a way where he was
completely submitted to theFather, obedient, not allowing
anything to distract him, evenwhen Peter was like coming at
him.
Shanea (45:45):
I don't want you to die on the cross.
Walter (45:47):
Get thee behind me, Satan.
Yes.
Shanea (45:49):
Even though and people will look at that's innocent
Peter just didn't want him todie.
But at the end of the day,peter was used as a distraction.
How many people do you have inyour life saying, no, don't do
that, I don't want you to dothat, that's not going to be
good for you.
I don't think that's a goodidea.
And you're like you know what.
You're right it's probably nota good idea.
Walter (46:07):
And it messes you up.
Right.
Because once again, let me saythis again, there's divine
protection, despite oppositionwhen you live a distraction free
life and you and you're able tounderstand the seasons and the
timing yeah, so you don't moveoutside of no matter how you
(46:29):
feel, that's the ultimate thing.
that's why we can't becomedistracted, because it takes our
time.
The enemy wants your timebecause we talked about this
before.
The enemy also exists outsideof time.
He understands eternity.
He existed outside of timeprior he did.
(46:51):
The fall from heaven happenedbefore God created the heavens
and the earth.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
The war in heaven happened before he created the
heavens and the earth.
Walter (47:00):
The war in heaven happened before he created the
heavens and the earth.
This happened before and sothat was something else.
That's what God was dealingwith me on.
The enemy was there when allthat was created.
He knew all of that was created.
We have to be really carefulbecause we don't understand how
conniving the enemy is, howcunning the enemy is.
Shanea (47:27):
How smart he is, how smart he is and all the other
fallen angels and the fact thathe's been here for quite some
time.
I mean if he could convincetwo-thirds of heavenly angelic
beings to turn against theCreator.
You don't think he has controlor influence over your decisions
(47:55):
.
Walter (47:56):
Which is why you have to .
Paul said don't think so highlyof yourself.
That's what Paul said.
And you have to consistentlysubmit yourself to the spirit of
God.
Shanea (48:07):
Because you have Christians walking around.
Oh, I don't have no problem.
There's no problems in my life.
I don't have no demons.
Walter (48:14):
No, I understand that you do.
Shanea (48:16):
Yeah, but you don't have any problems.
It doesn that you do.
Yeah, you don't have anyproblems.
It doesn't seem like you haveany problems because he already
has you.
Walter (48:21):
And I don't think people understand how your body is a
temple and how that works.
You got to understand thetabernacle and they're like okay
, well, I have the spirit of Godliving in me.
There's no way that I can beunder the influence of demons
too.
Shanea (48:36):
You got to understand what the temple looks like.
Walter (48:39):
And where the spirit of God resides.
There are different areas ofthe temple and the difference
between the spirit of God andyour soul, and so, and that's we
, get carried away.
Shanea (48:51):
Yeah, that would be too deep.
Walter (48:52):
Yeah, so to just kind of wrap everything up.
Or would you want to wrap it up?
Shanea (49:09):
Why do you want me to wrap it?
Walter (49:09):
up.
I can wrap it up.
Shanea (49:12):
I mean, what do you mean ?
Walter (49:14):
I'm thinking, I see what's there and what I'm
thinking.
Oh so, when we think ofdistractions, let's go back to
this point, and I have this here, I have my notes here too.
First, let's remember this theright person, situation or move
(49:36):
can be a distraction if obtainedin the wrong season.
We also have to understandseasons, we have to understand
how to operate in both eternityand the constraints of time
simultaneously, and we also haveto look at it from this
(50:03):
perspective.
Just to kind of end this upTrauma, deal with your trauma,
get healed.
Deal with your trauma, gethealed, be delivered and set
free, renew your mind, becauseif you don't, your lens is
(50:29):
tainted, and so every singledecision that you make in your
life, you're making it, as youview your life, through a dirty
lens.
Shanea (50:42):
Right and we talked about this before is who's
influencing your decisions, andthe only way you can know that
is what have you been feedingyourself and who have you been
around?
That all influences yourdecision.
Yeah, so if you've always beenaround trauma, you will make
(51:03):
decisions based off of yourtrauma.
Yeah.
If you have been in God'spresence more than you've been
in the enemy's presence, youwill make decisions based off of
the wisdom of God and not thewisdom of this world, but the
only way to get rid of yourtrauma and some people don't
(51:24):
even know they have trauma.
Walter (51:27):
There's so many things that you can deal with and we
won't dig into because it isjust extended.
But rejection come in differentforms.
Shanea (51:35):
Depression comes in different forms.
Walter (51:37):
Oppression comes in different forms.
Depression comes in differentforms.
Shanea (51:38):
Oppression comes in different forms.
Walter (51:39):
We're all functioning people, something as simple as
your mom and dad saying no toyou as a child could be
something that created rejection.
The way the enemy enter, theway the enemy enter your life
and the plan that he has and howhe enters your life, is through
trauma.
That's how those spirits attachto you is through trauma.
Shanea (51:59):
And it starts when you're young.
That's why we have to become anew creation.
Walter (52:05):
Our minds have to be renewed and we have to go
through the wildernessexperience, so every single
thing can be chipped away thatis not of God.
But once again, let's say thisagain Deal with your trauma,
because your lens is tainted ifyou have not dealt with your
trauma.
Shanea (52:23):
Right, and you go to God and you say God, I want to be
cleaned, I want to be cleansed.
If there's anything in metrauma that I don't even
remember that I had, because Iknow for me there was some
things that happened to me thatI didn't even know that had
happened, that God had revealedback to me and brought back
memories and I'm like dang, Ididn't even know.
Walter (52:44):
But God is so amazing that he revealed it to you.
Shanea (52:46):
So I made decisions based off of memories that I
didn't even remember I had.
Yeah.
Walter (52:52):
Yeah, that's why it's so important that we deal with our
trauma, submit it all into godbefore we start making decisions
that can negatively impact ourlives yeah because that's what
the enemy wants.
And remember we say this allthe time you are always being
influenced by something.
Every single decision you makein your life, you're always
being influenced by something.
We see that it started in thebeginning, with adam and eve.
(53:16):
It started there.
So, um, babe, you want to closethis out?
Shanea (53:25):
with what part?
Walter (53:26):
no, just like you know no, I mean.
Shanea (53:30):
I.
I mean, I think I said what Ineeded to say.
I think the most importantthing is renewing your mind, but
you can only do that in Christ,when you are thinking about
making big decisions like whatare you going to do with the
rest of your life?
Walter (53:47):
The biggest is who you're going to get married to.
Who?
Shanea (53:49):
you're going to get married to.
Walter (53:51):
Don't be out here just dating to date people.
It's not good.
You will mess your life up.
Shanea (53:57):
The biggest thing you can do, or the most important
thing you can do, is go to godfirst.
Yes, make sure he chips awayanything in you that will make
you, that will have you make adecision that will keep you out
of his perfect will yeah thatwill keep you away from him.
Walter (54:11):
Yes, and that is what we're going to say.
We'll leave it there.
We will leave it there becausewe'll keep going, and so we hope
this has helped you.
We appreciate you.
Let us know how this is being ablessing to you.
Any questions you alldefinitely feel free to reach
out.
If this is blessing you.
Share it, like it, comment,subscribe.
(54:34):
Listen to the other podcasts.
Hopefully, those can be ablessing to you.
Listen to the other podcasts.
Hopefully those can be ablessing to you as well.
The other episodes, yeah, andwe are so appreciative for
everyone that's been followingand kind of sharing their
testimonies and sharing theirstories.
Shanea (54:46):
Yeah.
Walter (54:47):
So until next week.
Shanea (54:49):
See ya.
Walter (54:50):
Bye.
Welcome back to another episode of Stepping in Faith,
where, together, we explore theimportance of having a
relationship with God and howthat relationship with God can
impact the relationship you havewith others.
I'm your host, walter.
I'm joined here alongside mylovely wife.
Shanea (00:14):
Shanea.
Walter (00:16):
This is episode 15, right, let me adjust this.
Shanea (00:21):
I guess so Is it.
Walter (00:23):
Yes, 15.
15 episodes, I guess.
So Is it?
Yes, 15.
15 episodes, wow, okay.
So I guess the first thing wecan do is open it up with prayer
.
You prayed last time, right?
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Father, god, as we come beforeyou this afternoon, we thank you
(00:43):
for your love, your mercy andyour grace.
We thank you, father, that youare in full control.
We submit to you, we surrenderto you, we yield to you and ask
that your spirit will guide us.
Allow your spirit to lead us inall that we do.
Holy Spirit, we yield to you.
We thank you for your presenceflowing through.
(01:03):
We thank you for your gloryfalling down like never before
and allow this podcast episodeto reach those that you've
called for it to reach.
Open their ears, theirspiritual ears, open their
spiritual eyes to hear and seewhat it is that you have to say.
Father, we thank you even nowfor everything you've done and
everything you're going tocontinue to do, and it's in
(01:24):
Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Amen.
Okay, so we say this everyepisode.
We are believers, right?
Yes.
We say this every time, sowe're going to say it again we
are believers, believers,believers, believers, and in
(01:51):
this week's episode, the titleis God Sent Versus Distractions.
God Sent Versus.
Shanea (01:54):
Distractions Okay.
Walter (01:57):
I don't know what I was doing when it came, but it came,
was it last week?
Yeah, you didn't even tell me.
No, it was when we was up superlate and I woke up and God just
started speaking to me.
And I started writing everythingdown.
(02:18):
So, yeah, I did not tell you mybad, but I think we had fell
asleep.
We woke up, you was in hereeither reading your Bible or
praying or something, and I wasin there, the bedroom.
God just began to speak to meabout distractions and it just
(02:39):
went from.
Shanea (02:40):
There.
Walter (02:42):
Okay, so God sent versus distractions and it became
something I didn't think itwould become.
What do you think of when youthink of that, without looking
at the notes?
Shanea (03:03):
God sent versus distractions without looking at
the notes God sent versusdistractions.
Well, at first I thought youwere talking about, you know,
like relationships like whenwe're talking about counterfeits
and how God can send yousomething and the devil can send
you something, but when hesends you something it's to
distract you or to get you offof the pathway of God's perfect
(03:26):
will for you.
Walter (03:28):
So yeah, it's just.
I think this episode we'redigging more into distractions.
I guess you could counterfeit.
Shanea (03:38):
You mean distractions like like tedious, being busy
Like tedious?
Walter (03:44):
being busy, Distractions like we don't think of, whether
it be relationships or whateverthe case may be.
It distracts you away from whatit is.
The Bible talks about having asober mind, so it moves you away
so.
Shanea (04:07):
I guess it could be, seen as a counterfeit, but we're
digging more into thedistraction of it because you
said god sent yes versusdistractions right.
Walter (04:13):
So if it's not god sent, then it's a distraction or a
counterfeit, but let's dig intoit.
So, um, I was looking up whatdistraction meant the Oxford
Dictionary, right, and it says athing that prevents someone
from giving full attention tosomething else, and extreme
(04:37):
agitation of the mind oremotions.
So the biggest thing withdistractions it shifts our focus
, like even when we think of,like, if you're watching tv a
lot, if you're playing your gamea lot and you have things to do
, your focus shifts because allyou're thinking about is what
you're doing outside of whatyou're supposed to, and so the
(05:04):
thing about that is agitation.
Shanea (05:08):
Agitation.
Walter (05:11):
I didn't look that up.
The agitation is a state ofanxiety or nervous excitement,
the action of briskly stirringor disturbing something,
especially a liquid.
But we'll look at that anxietyor nervousness.
So when you think ofdistractions, it put us in a
situation where we're justconstantly going, going, going,
(05:32):
going, going.
Your mind is consistently going,and your mind is so important
because, of course, that's howyou interpret what God speaks to
you what God gives to you, whatGod speaks to you, what God
gives to you, and so, when wethink of distractions, the
biggest thing about it is thatit can cause us to lose track of
(05:53):
our purpose, and assignmentfrom God.
And so, or it is shift ourattention and make us react
impulsively rather thanpatiently waiting on God's
timing.
So when you think aboutdistraction, distraction digs
into seasons.
When you're distracted, youaren't able to properly
(06:15):
understand the seasons and howGod operates in seasons.
We think about Jesus.
Jesus was moving, always havingan understanding of timing.
He never moved before histiming.
He never allowed his emotionsor his feelings to get him into
a position of moving before histimings, his time.
So what do you think about that?
Shanea (06:34):
I think that, um, the the purpose of the enemy keeping
you distracted is to, yeah,lose track of time.
I mean, when you get distractedwhen you're supposed to be
doing something, what do you do?
You lose track of time.
Walter (06:54):
Time flies.
Shanea (06:55):
Yeah, so like I can want to clean the house all day, or
like I have plans to clean thehouse, clean this room, do the
laundry, but if I'm on my phoneI'm being distracted and I If
you're scrolling on Pinterest,yeah, don't put my business on
like that.
Walter (07:13):
Well, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to convict you.
Shanea (07:16):
No, there's no conviction.
I mean, I scroll on Pinterestso that I can find recipes to
cook you dinner, so-.
I'm just saying distraction,but yeah, but anyway it's a
distraction, so like I lose anhour or two or three that day?
Yeah, depend not.
I mean not like in a row, butsometimes maybe, yes, in a row.
But that's anybody or you like.
(07:38):
You know, when you scroll onyoutube looking at camera stuff
well, we use the camera stuff.
Uh-huh.
Walter (07:45):
But yeah.
Shanea (07:46):
So we lose track of time .
Walter (07:50):
So it causes delay.
It does, and that's the enemy'sdesire.
And we're looking at it fromthe perspective of just stuff
that you do on a day-to-daybasis.
We're not looking at it fromyou making a decision to be with
someone, or you making adecision to choose a particular
career path, or you making adecision to choose a particular
career path or live in aparticular area that God hasn't
(08:10):
called for you to live, and howthat can be negatively impactful
.
Shanea (08:13):
No, seriously, because you'll be in a relationship or
in a job for X amount of yearsand then when you get out of it
you're like dang, I wasted mytime exactly.
Walter (08:25):
So I have one here, john 11.
Right, because we are we'retrying to gain an understanding
of everything happening in god'stiming, and so the the thing
that we have to understand inGenesis 1 shows us this right.
(08:46):
The Bible says in the beginning, God created the heavens and
the earth, and we talked aboutthis before and it's right there
in front of us.
It says and I'm in an NIV, letme go to NLT it says in the
beginning, God created theheavens and the earth.
The earth was formless andempty and the darkness covered
(09:35):
the deep waters.
It says so.
The biggest thing and this issomething that God was dealing
with me on before is that whenwe think of time, god created
time to maintain this universe.
Because of the to maintain thisuniverse, this entire universe
that we have, it's held up bytime, it's all held up by time,
and so God created time tomaintain this universe.
(09:56):
Yet we already know God existsoutside of time, he exists
outside of, he exists ineternity.
So there's no time.
He sees everything as it is.
He sees the beginning and theend and the middle, all at the
same time.
He sees all of the differentops.
(10:18):
It'd be almost like a superheromovie.
I think U-verse is a primeexample or not encouraging
people to look at Dr Strange,but Dr Strange actually is a
better example because there'sso many different alternate
options realms and so manydifferent things happening
within all of those differentrealms.
Shanea (10:36):
Right, but they're all happening at the same exact time
, but in different times.
So past, present, future ordifferent dimensions, and
they're all happening at thesame time.
Walter (10:46):
So God sees eternity as it all, just being so with Jesus
.
Jesus operated within this timeframe as well, as he operated
in both.
He operated within eternity.
in this he understood how tooperate in both, which is
something that we have to seekout.
(11:08):
Learning to do is operate inboth in eternity and within this
timeframe.
Of course, that's only by thepower of God, the guidance of
the Holy Spirit.
So I have on here the story ofLazarus, right, and when we look
at, I think that's John 11,it's a lot here.
(11:31):
Read it.
We read this before.
Jesus heard about Lazarus beingsick, right, verse 4 says but
when Jesus heard about it hesaid Lazarus' sickness will not
end in death.
No, it happened for the gloryof God, so that the Son of God
will receive glory from this.
So although Jesus loved Martha,mary and Lazarus, he stayed
(11:55):
there.
He stayed where he was for thenext two days.
Finally, he said to thedisciples let's go back to Judea
, further down.
He said verse 9,.
Jesus replied there are 12 hoursof daylight every day.
During the day people can walksafely, they can see because
they have the light of thisworld, but at night there is a
(12:17):
danger of stumbling because theyhave no light.
Then he said verse 11, ourfriend Lazarus has fallen asleep
, but now I will go and wake himup.
And so you read this entirestory.
Jesus knew what happened toLazarus.
He knew he was sick.
He could have went and healedhim, but he stated no, I can't
go and do that, because it's agreater glory that God wants to
(12:42):
receive from this, so he has todie.
It's a greater glory that.
God wants to receive from this,so he has to die.
And so this is an example ofJesus understanding time.
(13:05):
This is an example of Jesusoperating within eternity and
within, was struggling with thefact that Lazarus was sick, and
he grieved over the fact thatLazarus was sick as well.
The point that this is makingright.
(13:32):
Jesus understood, of course,both the internal perspective
and the timing within thepresent moment, and so this
comes from an intimacy with God.
There was a level of intimacythat Jesus had that, even though
his flesh wanted to dosomething different, he still
submitted himself to the will ofGod.
He still submitted himself tosaying I know that God is going
to heal Lazarus.
Yes, I know God is going toheal Lazarus.
(13:54):
Yet I understand that I have towait on God.
Yeah, I can't make this happenwhen I want it to happen.
Yeah.
I have to allow God's perfectwill to be carried out.
And so I think a lot of timeswith us when we think of
distractions we've talked aboutthis so many times in so many
(14:14):
different episodes the greatestthings that distraction does, or
the greatest thing that it does, is put us in a position of
trying to rush God.
And when you try to rush God,that's when you get caught up
and get set up with quoteunquote a counterfeit.
Shanea (14:30):
Well, I don't even think it's even rushing God, it's.
You want what you want.
You want it because the worldtells you that you can have it.
Walter (14:38):
But it's also rushing him because he's going to give
it to you and you know it'sthere for you, right?
Shanea (14:44):
I mean, as long as you know what his perfect will is
for you.
Walter (14:48):
Yeah, well, I mean in the context of marriage.
We know that.
Shanea (14:51):
God has called us to be married.
Yeah, we know.
God has called us to be married.
Walter (14:53):
Yes, we know that God has called for us to work
somewhere.
Shanea (14:55):
Yes.
Walter (14:55):
We know that God has called for us to live somewhere.
We know that God called you tobe a multimillionaire, whether
he's called you not to be one,whether he's called you to live
in a quote unquote mansionestate or a regular house or
apartment or condo, we knowthese things are the case.
Shanea (15:16):
But if you don't ask God , he's not going to tell you.
Walter (15:18):
And even when you do ask , sometimes you rush it or you
go and do what you want to dobecause you want it right then
and there.
Shanea (15:26):
Yeah, because you know.
The bible says you know, a manwho finds a wife finds a good
thing and obtains favor from thelord.
But you have to wait on god tohelp you find that wife.
You can't just go out and do iton your own.
Walter (15:39):
Exactly galatians 5 and 25.
So here's the challenge, right?
We don't understand that.
We talked about obedience.
We discussed obedience so manyExactly Galatians 5 and 25.
So here's the challenge, right?
We don't understand it.
We talked about obedience, wediscussed obedience so many
times.
Obedience is submitting toGod's plan, even when it
contradicts our desires,emotions or understanding.
The way that you don't allowyourself to succumb to
(16:03):
distractions is by once againagain dying to self.
Jesus showed the example ofthis with Lazarus.
Shanea (16:11):
Yeah, he wanted to go.
Yes, that was his friend.
He loved Lazarus.
Walter (16:14):
Yes, the Bible says that he loved him.
He wanted to be there, but heknew he could not, even though
he knew that Lazarus was goingto die and it was going to cause
a great amount of suffering tolazarus sisters yeah, and the
relationship between him and hissisters, because they're
looking at it like, okay, you'rejesus, you're healing everybody
else yeah why weren't you herefor your friend?
Shanea (16:36):
yeah, you're like family .
Why weren't you here?
Do you not care?
Walter (16:43):
and so I think, when we think of distractions, or even
when we're looking at obedience,right that's I think that's one
of the biggest issues that westruggle with, what if you
desire to be married, you're 30.
(17:04):
You're a woman, you know youhave a certain time period,
technically, where you want tobe, you want to have a child.
No prospects are coming.
How obedient are you going tobe in submitting to the timing
of God, understanding that heknows what's right, or even as a
(17:26):
man?
Shanea (17:26):
It's hard because you have people telling you that you
are on a time crunch.
You also have telling peoplethat you know something must be
wrong with you because you'renot married.
Walter (17:35):
Or you're getting old.
Shanea (17:36):
Or you don't have any children, or something must be
wrong with you.
Walter (17:41):
Yeah, and these are some of the things that we struggle
with Must be wrong with you.
Yeah, and these are some of thethings that we struggle with.
These are even within yourcareer options.
Not submitting it to God andjust knowing for men.
I know we struggle withproviding resources, so the
(18:06):
biggest thing that we look atwhen we're going to look for a
career path is what is going tobring us the most money, not
what is it that God has calledus to what's going to make us
the most financially secure?
What if God has called you to alife of challenges?
What if God don't want you tobe as wealthy as you thought you
should be or think you shouldbe, or as wealthy as society
says you should be?
Shanea (18:23):
Or he doesn't want you wealthy until you're like 40, 50
years old.
Walter (18:27):
Exactly, and now you have to struggle with the fact
of understanding that, and sothese are the things that we
deal with.
Shanea (18:34):
Yeah.
Walter (18:35):
Yet I want to get into this right the role of trauma
and past hurt and distractions.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Mm, hmm, the role of trauma and past, hurt and
distractions.
Walter (18:50):
So a lot of times trauma will distort our perception of
God's will for our lives.
Childhood trauma, trauma fromrelationships.
What it does is it distortsyour lens, it distorts how you
look at life, it distorts howyou view life.
(19:10):
What are your thoughts on that?
Shanea (19:17):
life.
What are your thoughts on that?
I believe that it distorts youyour perception of what choices
and decisions you should bemaking for yourself, which means
you make those decisions foryourself based off of your
experiences.
So it's like I'm not reallygonna go to god and ask, because
this has already happened.
So I know like, in order forthis not to happen again, I
gotta do this, or I gotta dothis, or got to be in a certain
(19:37):
place.
Walter (19:38):
Oh, once again it makes you impulsive.
Shanea (19:41):
Yeah.
Walter (19:41):
And when you become impulsive, you become.
You get into a place whereyou're making decisions that
aren't aligned with God or hiswill, and you turn blessings
into distractions.
Shanea (19:53):
Yeah Well, the enemy likes to keep you in your past,
Even when you convert over tothis new life that God has
promised you, that Jesus haspromised you, even if, as your
new conversion as a believer,the enemy will try to get you to
(20:15):
think about your past, shameyou so that you don't even make
decisions that God wants you tomake.
You know, share your testimony?
No, I can't, because thishappened to me in my past.
Walter (20:31):
You become fearful.
Yeah, you become very fearful.
Shanea (20:33):
No, I don't want to get married, because I already did
that before or because I sawwhat my, my family went through.
Right my parents went through amarriage so he can, through
your trauma, deter you fromgod's purpose, because he
altered what god's original planand intent was.
So a lot of people don't wantto get married because they see
(20:55):
what people have gone through intheir marriages.
Walter (20:58):
Or he can put you into a situation where you get into
this place where you don't wantto submit to God because you
don't realize it, but you havemommy and daddy issues and so
you don't know how to submitthat and you start making
decisions on your own, puttingyourself directly in the same
situation that you grew up in.
Shanea (21:17):
Or you have church hurt.
You have church hurt and youassociated the people with the
church, with the characteristicsof God.
Walter (21:26):
Yeah.
Shanea (21:27):
And then you don't submit to him at all.
Walter (21:31):
That's true.
Shanea (21:32):
And completely puts you out of God's plan for your life,
your purpose.
Everything just kind of justgoes out of the window Because
you are reminded, staying inyour past, from the enemy,
reminded of things that happenedto you.
Walter (21:50):
These are all serious issues that we deal with, which
is why, once again, we have togo through the process of being
healed.
And renewing our mind andrenewing our mind and the
scripture.
That comes to me right, or thatwhat came to mind when all of
this stuff was kind of beingwritten down John 14 and 30.
(22:10):
Do you want to read that NLT?
Shanea (22:14):
If you already have it pulled up, go ahead.
Walter (22:16):
So Jesus said I don't have much more time to talk with
you or talk to you, because theruler of this world approaches.
He has no power over me, but Iwould do what the father
requires of me so that the worldwould know that I love the
father.
Come, let's be going.
We touched on this before.
Yeah, jesus said he had nopower over him.
(22:38):
The reason why it's soimportant that we go through the
process of healing from ourpast wounds, being set free and
delivered, is so that when theenemy comes, he has nothing that
he can find in you.
Other translation says that hehad nothing that he could find
in Jesus.
(22:58):
There was nothing he could findin him.
Shanea (23:02):
Yeah, so that the enemy won't use your past hurt to
either shame you or fear you.
Walter (23:08):
Hold you in bondage.
Shanea (23:09):
Yeah, out of doing what God called you to do because
you're fearful or because you'reshameful, and so digging
further into this right Out ofdoing what God called you to do
because you're fearful orbecause you're shameful, you
know?
Walter (23:21):
And so digging further into this right.
Samson we don't have time toread it, but Judges 13 through
16.
What people don't and God usedit but what people don't realize
is that we knew that God hadalready made Samson's mother
aware and Samson's father thatSamson was to be set apart.
He couldn't eat certain things,he couldn't do certain things
(23:41):
because he was holy and he couldnever cut his hair.
The strength of God lied withinthe hair, but it was a covenant
that God made.
As long as no one ever cut hishair, Samson would be extremely
strong, and so that covenant iswhat kind of kept that power in
place, their obedience to thatsaid covenant.
(24:02):
We all talk about Delilah, butwe don't talk about the fact
that Samson got married prior toDelilah and there was a woman
that he was taking to be hiswife.
Let me see, we'll go there.
It's Judges 13.
There was a woman that heinitially met that he wanted to
(24:23):
be his wife with Saul, and hetalked to his family, or his
mother and his father, about herbeing his wife.
They made him aware that shewas unclean because she was a
Philistine, and he did not wantto listen.
(24:45):
He wanted to do what he wantedto do, and so he pressed them
for her to be his wife.
Yet what ended up happening isthey used that the ph encourage
him to share his secret.
He shared his secret with herbecause she kept nagging him.
They used that against him tobasically solve his riddle, and
(25:09):
he ended up destroying the man.
Shanea (25:11):
Well, he figured it out.
He didn't tell them whathappened.
Walter (25:16):
He didn't, he didn't tell them right no, he tricked
them he knew, like he knew, itwas a setup he knew it was a
setup, but he did still tell her.
Oh, he did tell her, and so hetold her what it was and he
figured out, once they knewbecause it was no way that they
could have ever solved theriddle outside of them finding
(25:37):
out from her and he, heapproached them about it and he
destroyed them.
But the thing that we saw wasthe same thing take place with
Delilah.
Well, they did the same thing,they.
The only difference is with theyoung lady.
They were telling her that theywas going to destroy her entire
family, burn everything up ifshe didn't help them Delilah.
(26:01):
They offered to pay Delilah.
And so the reason that's soimportant and you can go and
read it, everyone can go read it.
Judges 13, chapter 13 throughchapter 16.
The thing that I wanted tofocus on there and what was
coming to me is how Samson'scomfort with deception,
(26:22):
beginning with his first wiferight and then Delilah, was a
major distraction.
His own fleshly desires led himto disregard God's purpose,
which led to his downfall.
So sometimes with us, we don'trealize that we fall into a
(26:44):
pattern and the enemy would usethat very pattern to keep us in
bondage or destroy us.
There was a pattern that Samsonhad.
First of all, it startedbecause Samson was disobedient
to God.
He was never supposed to marrythe first young lady.
He wasn't even supposed to belooking her way like that.
His parents tried to forewarnhim even though god utilized it
as a way to get him to destroythe philistines, he still was
(27:06):
disobedient to god originalcovenant for him yeah, well,
samson, he had a, he had a lustproblem heavily because he like.
No matter what his mom and dadsaid.
He said I don't care what yousay, I have to have this woman
no, he want what he want.
Shanea (27:21):
I mean he even slept with a prostitute.
Walter (27:23):
Yeah, after this and so I think this is so important.
Right and people may not likethis.
We have to be careful not tolet comfort with the wrong
person become a distraction forGod's design.
Mm-hmm.
Shanea (27:44):
Yeah, because that's all it was Well, and it's feeding
your sinful nature, your naturaldesires to become a distraction
.
Mm-hmm your natural desires tobecome a distraction.
So your desire for attention,your desire for love, your
desire for pretty much almostanything, money will keep you
(28:05):
distracted from what God hascalled you to do, or from what
he's trying to show you.
Walter (28:08):
And the greatest thing is this right here, we don't
realize that when doing so right, we don't realize that when
doing so right um suddenly forthe wrong person or the wrong
relationship can cause us tomiss out on god's true will for
our lives.
It can call.
It calls us to abortassignments that god had given
(28:31):
to us, that he wanted us tocomplete.
Shanea (28:33):
Or delay.
Walter (28:34):
Or delay those set assignments.
And I think I have this in hereand we talked about this before
the greatest deception of theenemy is making us think that
his greatest desire is for usnot to get married.
It's false.
(28:55):
It's not his greatest desirefor us not to get married.
It's false.
It's not his greatest desirefor us not to get married.
His greatest desire is for usto not get married to whom God
called for us to be with.
Shanea (29:04):
Right, because people always say Satan hates marriages
and it's like he don't hatemarriages, he hates God, he
hates humans in general.
Walter (29:13):
But he hates God-ordained marriages, right,
because when you have aGod-ordained marriage, it takes
it back to the beginning, whenthe Bible told Adam and Eve to
be fruitful and multiply.
So he wanted them to createother people like them, children
like them that worshiped andwalked in close in community
(29:34):
with God Right, they had anintimate relationship with God.
Right.
Create children that learn howto love me, do life with me,
walk with me and move the wayI've called you to move and
populate the earth with that.
Shanea (29:48):
Right, he doesn't want more population of godly people,
of chosen people.
Walter (29:55):
Yes, because it's a direct slap in his face, because
he despises how much god lovesus.
And so that's the challengethat we deal with, because we
think, oh, I got married.
The enemy don't want me to getmarried, so I'm blessed.
Now you might be in a situationin many cases, you are in
marriages that God neverdesigned so you are in a
(30:16):
situation where you're walkingin disobedience to God, exactly
what the enemy wants you to beyeah, or you think that your
attack on your marriage is fromthe enemy, when in fact it's not
.
Shanea (30:28):
It's just the consequences of your actions
well, the challenge becomesright.
Walter (30:33):
We get into relationships and marriages.
It's so easy to know that amarriage is not of God when you
are dealing with this personwho's being abusive to you,
who's mistreating you, who'scheating on you and all of these
things.
The greatest challenge is whatabout those marriages where
everything seems fine?
Right marriage is whereeverything seems fine, right.
(30:58):
What about those marriages thatyou're in where there's no
problems outside of like normal?
Shanea (31:00):
disagreements.
No, but you're not walking yourpurpose.
You're still trying to findyour identity.
Walter (31:05):
Yeah, and you never submitted it to God.
You never came to God and saidGod, is this where you want me
to be?
And there's a bunch ofmarriages out there where people
are just kind of living andbeing comfortable in not truly
knowing who God has called themto be doing what God has called
them to do, and they're notsubmitted.
Shanea (31:28):
You're content with the behavior of your partner and now
you're fine.
Your relationship's fine.
It was rocky in the beginning,but now it's fine because you
have settled for their behavior.
Walter (31:39):
They're not going to like that.
They're not going to like that.
But you have to really look atthis and understand that the
greatest thing that the enemycan do is get you outside of the
perfect will of God.
And if God would send a Delilahto Samson, why would I mean not
God?
If the enemy would send aDelilah to Samson, why would the
(32:03):
enemy not send you one, a maleversion or a female version of
Delilah?
Shanea (32:10):
Well, that's because I'm in Christ, no weapon formed
against me shall prosper.
Walter (32:16):
By all accounts, Samson was raised up to submit to God.
Shanea (32:20):
He was.
Walter (32:21):
That don't mean anything .
Shanea (32:23):
Samson was, by all accounts, a believer.
Yes, he was, he was a believer.
Walter (32:28):
You have the Holy Spirit , yet it still doesn't stop the
fact that you still do what youwant to do, because you have a
choice, right exactly.
God don't force himself on you.
Shanea (32:37):
Right, and God's not going to stop what's going to
happen, because you chose to doit.
Walter (32:42):
So why do you think that you are free, or there is this
freedom that you don't have toworry about a Delilah being sent
your way?
Delilah, by the time she wasfinished, the Philistines used
her to cause I mean, at the endof the day, she caused Samson to
(33:07):
fall out of covenant with God,which took away the anointing
that was on Samson's life, thegrace, the glory that was upon
his life.
Samson ended up being blindedand chained and in bondage.
He ended up becoming weak.
This man that was great, doingthe things of God, all of that
(33:33):
was taken away just like that,simply because he decided to
accept a Delilah in his life.
And that came from the fact thatSamson didn't deal with the
issues that was already therethat set him up in such a way.
Samson didn't deal with the sinthat was knocking at his door,
(33:56):
as Jesus told Cain in thebeginning.
He didn't deal with this fact.
The sin was right there at hisdoor.
It started with the young ladythat he saw that he wanted to
marry.
It only grew into a point towhere they ended up destroying
them and, even though Samsoneventually grew his hair back,
(34:20):
asked God for one last time todestroy the Philistines and he
did.
Samson also still ended uplosing his life.
He died blind.
He did take out quite a fewPhilistines.
Shanea (34:33):
Yeah, he did.
Walter (34:34):
But still he didn't go out the way that God called him
to go out.
Shanea (34:40):
No, I mean God still used him.
Walter (34:42):
He did use him.
Shanea (34:44):
But Samson had to deal with the consequences.
Walter (34:46):
Yes.
Shanea (34:47):
Of his actions.
Walter (34:48):
Yes.
Shanea (34:49):
So just because you get into a relationship and people
say, well, god can turn anythingaround and turn it around for
his good, yes, he can use yoursituation for good, but that
doesn't mean you're blessed.
Walter (35:04):
At the end of the day.
Shanea (35:05):
That very much means that you're still going to deal
with the consequences.
Walter (35:09):
At the end of the day, we have to understand this.
There is no way around lookingat it from the perspective that
if you are somewhere God has notcalled you to be, you are in
direct disobedience to God.
Shanea (35:26):
And even after your conversion and you say you know
what I'm going to give my lifeto Christ, you still got to deal
with those consequences of thedecisions that you made prior to
walking in the light again.
Walter (35:38):
And you have to ask God, god, am I?
You got to take that to God,something that we don't want to
do, because the church speaksagainst divorce.
Right, and I get it, andthere's going to be people
that's going to spew me downwith this or argue me down.
It is what it is.
Yet, when you think of divorce,when Jesus was referring to
(35:59):
divorce, he was referring to inthe context.
He said what God put togetherwhat.
God put together, not what manhas placed together.
This has nothing to do with thecovenants you made, which is
why we consistently try toencourage people stop making
covenants outside of God.
We got to get back tounderstanding that marriage is
(36:20):
something that's very serious,that you don't walk into lightly
, that you don't walk into priorto having a relationship with
God.
You need to know without ashadow of a doubt that you are
where God has called for you tobe, that this person is whom God
has called for you to be with.
If you don't have arelationship with God, you just
got to deal with theconsequences.
Shanea (36:40):
Yeah, because marriage is not just about you and your
husband.
Walter (36:43):
No.
Shanea (36:44):
And your kids.
It's about your kids' kids andyour kids after that.
Walter (36:47):
Generations to come.
Shanea (36:48):
We're talking about generations of people.
Walter (36:51):
And.
Shanea (36:52):
A whole bloodline.
Walter (36:54):
I think it's just ultimately because this, let's
make this clear this is forbelievers.
This is not for people in theworld, Unless you have a tug in
your heart of coming to God.
And if you do everything whenyou come to God, you have to
submit everything to God.
Jesus told the rich young ruler.
(37:15):
You have to sell everything youhave, Give it to the poor and
follow me.
You literally have to die toself.
The problem that we have inthis society is that people
don't want to die to self.
Shanea (37:24):
That's why they become so distracted because you don't
want to die to your own selfwell, I think your own desires
world, and they could be in theworld and not in the world at
the same time.
Walter (37:37):
Well see, we got to really touch on this right,
Because you have to understandthe most challenging
distractions, that we have to becareful with, distractions that
we don't recognize asdistractions, because it seems
(38:02):
okay.
That's not just in marriage,that's in ministry, that's in
your business, that's in yourfinances, that's everything
because it seems okay.
But is it a distraction?
Is it pulling you away from God?
Is it pulling you away from thewill of God?
Is it pulling you away from thewill of God for your life,
god's purpose for your life?
(38:23):
We have to dig into this andunderstand that the most
dangerous distractions are thosethat seems perfectly put Like
there's no problem, we got noissues.
Shanea (38:40):
But I never submitted this to God, I just did what I
wanted to do.
Well, I think the thing thatthe dangerous thing is that
distractions could be exactlywhat god called you to so before
it's time yeah, before it'stime.
Um so, yes, you know god wantsyou to get married, but now you
got married to somebody withoutconsulting with God first.
That's a distraction, or yougot married to the person.
Walter (39:02):
God called you to get married to, but you got married
to them before time.
Yeah, that's a distraction.
It can still become adistraction because you are
outside the timing, the will ofGod.
God wanted Lazarus healed.
Yeah.
If Jesus would have went priorto God telling him to go, that's
still disobedience.
Shanea (39:24):
Yeah, and I mean his glory wouldn't have been shown.
Walter (39:26):
No, it would have acted as a distraction towards the
will of God for Lazarus life andfor that situation.
So we also have to be carefulwith being in situations where
you've moved before God, whetherthat be in your marriage, your
career, your ministry.
So we also have to be carefulwith being in situations where
you've moved before god, whetherthat be in your marriage, your
career, your ministry, right oryou got a prophecy.
Shanea (39:41):
You know you're a prophet and god's called you to
start going out and prophesyinggod's called you to ministry,
but you started before he calledyou to go, and so now you're.
You're moving outside of hiswill, doing things on your own,
and now you got to maintain iton your own actually so,
sometimes even in marriages.
people get into marriages beforeGod has called them with the
(40:02):
people that God has called themto be, and they go through hell
yeah, you're trying to maintainsomething that either wasn't the
time for you to start or youweren't called to that marriage
at all.
But you're trying to maintainit on your own, and the way that
you do that is listening topeople in the world doing what
people in the world do, orlistening to people in the
church that don't know God, thatdon't have a relationship with
(40:25):
God Because they listen topeople in the world.
Walter (40:27):
Yeah.
Shanea (40:29):
When it comes to relationships.
Walter (40:32):
We have to get back to the basics.
We talk about this all the time, and so here's the thing, right
, and I think is this scripturein here Because I think it's so
important?
Yes, so we talked about 1 Peter5 and 8.
(40:54):
1 Peter 5 and 8.
And I don't think the otherscripture I want to look at is
in here too.
1 Peter 5 and 8.
And I don't think the otherscripture I want to look at is
in here too.
1 Peter 5 and 8.
1 Peter 5 and 8, it says andthis is NIV it says be alert and
of sober mind.
Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy, the devil, prowlsaround like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
(41:16):
The greatest thing withdistractions is it places us in
a place where we can't recognizethe attacks or schemes or plans
of the enemy.
We can't even hear from Godwhen God is trying to forewarn
us.
You know, even in our situationI know for me specifically, the
(41:36):
last situation I was in Godtried to forewarn me on multiple
occasions from so manydifferent people.
Shanea (41:42):
He didn't try Stop.
Walter (41:43):
He did.
He even used my pastor at thetime to say bruh, bruh, don't do
this, this ain't it.
I can't even do this with y'allDon't.
And so, as I look back on allof that, I'm like God, you were
so good because you kept tryingto forewarn me and I didn't
listen.
Whether it be the unction in myspirit, whether it be that what
(42:06):
people would say, a bad feelingor don't have like a peace
about it, just a concern andjust knowing that this is not
something that should be done.
Shanea (42:15):
Right, or you're thinking about things that's
going to happen in the futurebased off of what's happening
right now in the present.
Walter (42:20):
Yeah, and so that's why it's so important.
But my trauma, my lack ofhealing, the demonic forces I
had that was within me wasliterally working against God
trying to keep me and save me.
Yeah.
Because I didn't have a sobermind.
I was distracted by so manyother things that I walked
(42:44):
myself right into something thatnegatively impacted my life.
Shanea (42:49):
Or kept yourself distracted from dealing with
what it is that was actuallygoing on which was even more of
a distraction.
Walter (42:56):
It took time, it took all of these things.
It created all of these otherissues that could have been
avoided if I would have justbeen in a different space to
really hear God, which is why wetell you all it's important
that you be in that space.
This is why it's so importantthat you have this relationship
with God.
This is why it's so importantthat you clear everything out
(43:17):
when you're making majordecisions like this.
When you have a desire, hey,let that be submitted to God.
If you feel like you'refocusing so much on getting
married and all of those things,you need to take a step back.
That shouldn't be your focus.
Your focus should be yourrelationship with God.
Shanea (43:34):
Right and healing.
Walter (43:36):
Because it's very dangerous.
The enemy, he will mess yourlife up.
He will mess your life up, andso I think there's a few
mentions here.
Right, there's because there'spower in living the distracted
free or a distraction free ordistracted.
Shanea (43:58):
Is it Distraction?
Walter (44:00):
Distraction free, a distraction free life.
So there's a few things we havehere.
Right, we have John 2, 1through 4.
That's when Jesus turned thewater into wine through four.
That's when Jesus turned thewater into wine and specifically
within that scripture, he mademention to his mother that it
(44:27):
wasn't his time yet, once againshowcasing that Jesus understood
seasons.
He understood how to operatewithin this time constraint as
well as within eternity.
That's first.
We have john 7, 25 through 30.
Uh, they wanted to kill jesus,but they couldn't because it
wasn't his time yet right and sothe point that it was making is
(44:48):
that there's divine protectiondespite opposition.
When operating in adistraction-free life, you
automatically have divineprotection because you're where
God has called you to be, whenGod has called you to be there,
and nothing is hindering yourfocus from the assignment.
(45:11):
Jesus was operating within theassignment.
Right.
Jesus was operating within theassignment, so there was a
particular moment in time thathe did have to leave.
He did have to go through thecrucifixion, the death the
burial and the resurrection.
He had to fulfill a prophecy,but because of where he was in
God, his relationship in God,his understanding of time, his
(45:34):
understanding of living life insuch a way where he was
completely submitted to theFather, obedient, not allowing
anything to distract him, evenwhen Peter was like coming at
him.
Shanea (45:45):
I don't want you to die on the cross.
Walter (45:47):
Get thee behind me, Satan.
Yes.
Shanea (45:49):
Even though and people will look at that's innocent
Peter just didn't want him todie.
But at the end of the day,peter was used as a distraction.
How many people do you have inyour life saying, no, don't do
that, I don't want you to dothat, that's not going to be
good for you.
I don't think that's a goodidea.
And you're like you know what.
You're right it's probably nota good idea.
Walter (46:07):
And it messes you up.
Right.
Because once again, let me saythis again, there's divine
protection, despite oppositionwhen you live a distraction free
life and you and you're able tounderstand the seasons and the
timing yeah, so you don't moveoutside of no matter how you
(46:29):
feel, that's the ultimate thing.
that's why we can't becomedistracted, because it takes our
time.
The enemy wants your timebecause we talked about this
before.
The enemy also exists outsideof time.
He understands eternity.
He existed outside of timeprior he did.
(46:51):
The fall from heaven happenedbefore God created the heavens
and the earth.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
The war in heaven happened before he created the
heavens and the earth.
Walter (47:00):
The war in heaven happened before he created the
heavens and the earth.
This happened before and sothat was something else.
That's what God was dealingwith me on.
The enemy was there when allthat was created.
He knew all of that was created.
We have to be really carefulbecause we don't understand how
conniving the enemy is, howcunning the enemy is.
Shanea (47:27):
How smart he is, how smart he is and all the other
fallen angels and the fact thathe's been here for quite some
time.
I mean if he could convincetwo-thirds of heavenly angelic
beings to turn against theCreator.
You don't think he has controlor influence over your decisions
(47:55):
.
Walter (47:56):
Which is why you have to .
Paul said don't think so highlyof yourself.
That's what Paul said.
And you have to consistentlysubmit yourself to the spirit of
God.
Shanea (48:07):
Because you have Christians walking around.
Oh, I don't have no problem.
There's no problems in my life.
I don't have no demons.
Walter (48:14):
No, I understand that you do.
Shanea (48:16):
Yeah, but you don't have any problems.
It doesn that you do.
Yeah, you don't have anyproblems.
It doesn't seem like you haveany problems because he already
has you.
Walter (48:21):
And I don't think people understand how your body is a
temple and how that works.
You got to understand thetabernacle and they're like okay
, well, I have the spirit of Godliving in me.
There's no way that I can beunder the influence of demons
too.
Shanea (48:36):
You got to understand what the temple looks like.
Walter (48:39):
And where the spirit of God resides.
There are different areas ofthe temple and the difference
between the spirit of God andyour soul, and so, and that's we
, get carried away.
Shanea (48:51):
Yeah, that would be too deep.
Walter (48:52):
Yeah, so to just kind of wrap everything up.
Or would you want to wrap it up?
Shanea (49:09):
Why do you want me to wrap it?
Walter (49:09):
up.
I can wrap it up.
Shanea (49:12):
I mean, what do you mean ?
Walter (49:14):
I'm thinking, I see what's there and what I'm
thinking.
Oh so, when we think ofdistractions, let's go back to
this point, and I have this here, I have my notes here too.
First, let's remember this theright person, situation or move
(49:36):
can be a distraction if obtainedin the wrong season.
We also have to understandseasons, we have to understand
how to operate in both eternityand the constraints of time
simultaneously, and we also haveto look at it from this
(50:03):
perspective.
Just to kind of end this upTrauma, deal with your trauma,
get healed.
Deal with your trauma, gethealed, be delivered and set
free, renew your mind, becauseif you don't, your lens is
(50:29):
tainted, and so every singledecision that you make in your
life, you're making it, as youview your life, through a dirty
lens.
Shanea (50:42):
Right and we talked about this before is who's
influencing your decisions, andthe only way you can know that
is what have you been feedingyourself and who have you been
around?
That all influences yourdecision.
Yeah, so if you've always beenaround trauma, you will make
(51:03):
decisions based off of yourtrauma.
Yeah.
If you have been in God'spresence more than you've been
in the enemy's presence, youwill make decisions based off of
the wisdom of God and not thewisdom of this world, but the
only way to get rid of yourtrauma and some people don't
(51:24):
even know they have trauma.
Walter (51:27):
There's so many things that you can deal with and we
won't dig into because it isjust extended.
But rejection come in differentforms.
Shanea (51:35):
Depression comes in different forms.
Walter (51:37):
Oppression comes in different forms.
Depression comes in differentforms.
Shanea (51:38):
Oppression comes in different forms.
Walter (51:39):
We're all functioning people, something as simple as
your mom and dad saying no toyou as a child could be
something that created rejection.
The way the enemy enter, theway the enemy enter your life
and the plan that he has and howhe enters your life, is through
trauma.
That's how those spirits attachto you is through trauma.
Shanea (51:59):
And it starts when you're young.
That's why we have to become anew creation.
Walter (52:05):
Our minds have to be renewed and we have to go
through the wildernessexperience, so every single
thing can be chipped away thatis not of God.
But once again, let's say thisagain Deal with your trauma,
because your lens is tainted ifyou have not dealt with your
trauma.
Shanea (52:23):
Right, and you go to God and you say God, I want to be
cleaned, I want to be cleansed.
If there's anything in metrauma that I don't even
remember that I had, because Iknow for me there was some
things that happened to me thatI didn't even know that had
happened, that God had revealedback to me and brought back
memories and I'm like dang, Ididn't even know.
Walter (52:44):
But God is so amazing that he revealed it to you.
Shanea (52:46):
So I made decisions based off of memories that I
didn't even remember I had.
Yeah.
Walter (52:52):
Yeah, that's why it's so important that we deal with our
trauma, submit it all into godbefore we start making decisions
that can negatively impact ourlives yeah because that's what
the enemy wants.
And remember we say this allthe time you are always being
influenced by something.
Every single decision you makein your life, you're always
being influenced by something.
We see that it started in thebeginning, with adam and eve.
(53:16):
It started there.
So, um, babe, you want to closethis out?
Shanea (53:25):
with what part?
Walter (53:26):
no, just like you know no, I mean.
Shanea (53:30):
I.
I mean, I think I said what Ineeded to say.
I think the most importantthing is renewing your mind, but
you can only do that in Christ,when you are thinking about
making big decisions like whatare you going to do with the
rest of your life?
Walter (53:47):
The biggest is who you're going to get married to.
Who?
Shanea (53:49):
you're going to get married to.
Walter (53:51):
Don't be out here just dating to date people.
It's not good.
You will mess your life up.
Shanea (53:57):
The biggest thing you can do, or the most important
thing you can do, is go to godfirst.
Yes, make sure he chips awayanything in you that will make
you, that will have you make adecision that will keep you out
of his perfect will yeah thatwill keep you away from him.
Walter (54:11):
Yes, and that is what we're going to say.
We'll leave it there.
We will leave it there becausewe'll keep going, and so we hope
this has helped you.
We appreciate you.
Let us know how this is being ablessing to you.
Any questions you alldefinitely feel free to reach
out.
If this is blessing you.
Share it, like it, comment,subscribe.
(54:34):
Listen to the other podcasts.
Hopefully, those can be ablessing to you.
Listen to the other podcasts.
Hopefully those can be ablessing to you as well.
The other episodes, yeah, andwe are so appreciative for
everyone that's been followingand kind of sharing their
testimonies and sharing theirstories.
Shanea (54:46):
Yeah.
Walter (54:47):
So until next week.
Shanea (54:49):
See ya.
Walter (54:50):
Bye.
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