Stepping In Faith

Favor Over Influence

• Stepping In Faith • Season 1 • Episode 11

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What if your quest for success has been guided by the wrong voice all along? Walter and Shanea invite you to explore the profound impact of choosing divine favor over worldly influence in our latest episode of Stepping in Faith. As we journey through the stories of Adam and Eve and Jesus' temptation, we unravel the constant tug-of-war between the Spirit of God and the seductive pull of worldly wisdom. Understanding which voice steers your thoughts and actions can unlock a life of true spiritual fulfillment.

Join us as we reflect on biblical narratives featuring Joseph and Daniel, illustrating how genuine favor with God leads to influence free from manipulation and deceit. We contrast divine favor with the hollow pursuit of power driven by selfish motives, often resulting in destructive behaviors. Through personal testimonies and scriptural insights, our conversation emphasizes the transformative power of aligning every aspect of life with God's will, underscoring the significance of spiritual guidance over worldly recognition.

In this episode, we encourage you to cultivate a personal relationship with God, fostering a life rich in spiritual fulfillment and free from self-indulgence. From discerning God's influence over worldly deception to understanding the importance of obedience and media consumption, we tackle the crucial aspects of maintaining a strong foundation in faith. We invite our listeners to share their journeys and experiences, offering a supportive community committed to spiritual growth and connection. Be inspired to prioritize God's favor and embrace a path of true divine influence.

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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Walter:

Welcome back to another episode of Stepping in Faith, where together we explore the importance of having a relationship with God and how that can impact the relationship you have with others. I'm your host, Walter. I'm joined alongside my lovely wife.

Shanea:

Shanea.

Walter:

This is episode 10 or 11?

Shanea:

11. This is episode 11. 11. 11.

Walter:

So episode 11. You want me to do the title or you want to do the title? What's the title?

Shanea:

What's the title for this week's?

Walter:

episode. The title for this week's episode is Favor Over Influence Favor. Over Influence.

Walter:

Yes, Before we get started, let's go ahead and just make it clear that we are believers, so we always like to start these podcasts out in prayer, these episodes out in prayer. I believe, baby, it was your. You prayed last time, so it's my turn, right, mm-hmm, okay. Heavenly Father, as we come before you today, we are so grateful for your love, your mercy and your grace. We thank you that, even in the midst of everything going on, you are still in control. We thank you that you are God and God alone. We yield and we submit ourselves to you. We surrender to you. We place our trust and our reliance on you, in you, and we ask that your perfect will will be carried out in this week's episode.

Walter:

Allow this to touch the heart of those that you've called for it to touch. Allow this to bring forth change. Allow this word to convict God. Holy Spirit, we yield to you and ask that you would speak through us. Lord Jesus, we welcome you, we acknowledge you. Allow your presence to be experienced. Allow your presence to be felt like never before. We submit this back to you even now. It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen.

Walter:

That was a long ride, okay, so favor over influence. Interesting I will yield to you, babe, because this is what God gave you. So why? How did you get this?

Shanea:

Well, usually God will let you know what we're talking about, but this time, when I asked, I heard possession and I'm like possession, I'm like God. I know you don't want us to talk about demons, just get. I know you don't want us to talk about demonology.

Walter:

That's your department.

Shanea:

Yeah, I know you don't want us to talk about demonology, so what do you mean by possession? And then I was like, okay, influence. I was like, okay, influence. What do you mean by influence? I was like, okay, influence. What do you mean by influence?

Shanea:

And then what was coming to me was you know the decisions we make. What are they being influenced by? How are we? Because our last episode we were talking about obedience and it's how are we being obedient? What drives us to be obedient or disobedient? And the thing that came to me was influence. So who's influencing your thoughts? Is it the spirit of God or is it?

Shanea:

the spirit or wisdom of this world, and so that's the only way you could be. The reason why people are disobedient is because they don't listen to what God is saying. They have all these other influencers meaning spirits, demonic spirits influencing their thoughts. And then other people culture, tradition, which is also influenced by demonic spirits say, yeah, right to get people to stay in bondage well, we was talking about this earlier.

Walter:

Uh, simply put, we think there's multiple voices we're dealing with, but it's just two. And we see that example with adam and eve in the beginning and I always go back to adam and eve because this is where it all began. And so in the beginning we see that adam, initially, when he provided eve with the information that god gave him, which was not to eat from the tree, because if she ate from that tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, then they would surely die, that was the command that God gave to Adam. The voice that was influencing what Adam gave to Eve was God. Yet we see another example of the enemy going to Eve and saying that you won't surely die and I'm paraphrasing, but he was saying that God would know. God just knows that you would be like God. Right.

Walter:

Being able to know the difference between good and evil, essentially, being able to make the choice for yourself.

Shanea:

Being able to make decisions for your own, like you can make your own decisions Exactly.

Walter:

And so we saw in that there was two voices that was influencing them there was the voice of God versus the voice of the enemy. And now, when you begin to peel back the layers, you'll see that the serpent was there. You'll see that Eve was there. So Eve was influenced by the serpent. And then you have Adam. That was influenced by Eve, and this is why we start saying oh well, who's influencing you? Is it your voice? Is the voice of God, Is the voice of the enemy? Right, is it the?

Walter:

voice of culture? Is it this? Is that? No, there's two voices. That's always influencing you.

Shanea:

Yeah, but your voice is influenced by.

Walter:

The enemy.

Shanea:

Yeah, by whatever it is that you're taking on?

Walter:

Yes.

Shanea:

So influence. The definition of influence is the ability to affect others, shape opinions or gain recognition, which is what we're talking about. And then I have a definition of favor. Favor is divine grace that positions you for impact according to God's will. And initially what I got was influence. But then you asked me what God wants us to title the episode, and I heard favor over influence. I kept hearing favor over influence. I'm like what do you? What does that mean? Favor over influence, right. What does that mean favor over influence? Right, because we know favor will bring you influence, right. But then you came up with the idea, or what was coming to you was that the enemy can give you favor also which provides you with influence.

Walter:

Yeah, that's what was dropped in my spirit. It was from when he was speaking to Jesus, when Jesus was being tempted.

Shanea:

Right, which is something given to you that will position you.

Walter:

Yeah, he said that the Bible says Matthew 4, matthew four, verse seven, where we can say verse eight, and this was during the time where Jesus was in the wilderness. The Bible says that he was ushered into the wilderness by the Holy spirit to be tempted by the enemy, fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. Uh, and verse eight. It says next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. I will give it all to you. He said, if you will kneel down and worship me, get out of here, satan. Jesus told him, for the scripture says you must worship the Lord, your God, and serve only him, and this is the NLT version Only him. And this is the NLT version.

Walter:

So that was given to me, and what God was really dropping in my spirit is that, just like there's a favor that you can receive from God, there's also a favor that you can receive from the enemy, and this was an example of the enemy showcasing that I can give you favor. Yet something that God dropped in your spirit is what, when the enemy brings favor to you or something that you you we was talking about yesterday is what happens when the enemy brings you favor.

Shanea:

Yeah, and and if we? If you can scroll down, babe, I literally already have it there. Okay, yeah, so you can receive favor from the enemy. And then I have Matthew 4, 8 through 10, which you just read and jumped ahead. Yeah it, uh. Satan can offer influence satan can offer influence, but it comes at a cost, a cost of cost of being obedient to god. Right um being disobedient to god and the key difference between.

Walter:

It's so simple. Um, we say this all the time the key difference between favor from god versus favor from satan is, when it comes with favor from satan, it always glorifies self, yeah, and when it's favor from god, it always glorify god. So we have here, uh and I guess we're already touching on it the difference between favor and influence. Uh, favor versus influence. Right, you touched on that. We have Proverbs 3 and 4.

Shanea:

Yeah, because when you asked me because you were getting something different, I was. When you asked what we should be talking about.

Walter:

And we will talk about that.

Shanea:

Yeah, but what God confirmed to me that we should be speaking on influence is Proverbs 3, 4. Then you will find favor in high regard in the sight of God and man. So favor in high regard in the sight of God, but also favor with man. Favor with man also means influence right also means influence right. So the things that I do will influence a man to decide whether or not he's going to follow me or respect me right, Based off the favor that God has given me.

Walter:

And the example of that and we was discussing this what came to you and came to me was Joseph. And let's see.

Shanea:

It genesis 41 genesis 41 yeah, and then I put in genesis 41 um 16 genesis 41.

Walter:

So all of this is good, but all of genesis 41 genesis 41. It literally touches on the fact that pharaoh had two dreams and he didn't know what the dreams meant. He was puzzled, like there were it. The dream seems scary to him. It seemed like nightmares.

Shanea:

Yeah.

Walter:

And he wanted to know what these dreams meant. And his chief cupbearer remember that when he was in prison, joseph, a Hebrew boy or Jew, actually interpreted the dreams that he had and it came to pass just like he said it was. So he brought him back up to his attention and Pharaoh sent for Joseph and he's telling Joseph the dreams and Joseph one of the key things, because people get this misconstrued too. So you said verse 16, this is key. Joseph said it is beyond my power to do this. Joseph replied but God can tell you what it means and set you at ease. Yeah.

Walter:

So this was Joseph saying that I don't have the ability to interpret your dreams. Right. So that's going to kind of touch on what people who say that they can interpret dreams and they can do this and they can do that and it's like Joseph said that it's not through his own power, it's only through the power of God.

Walter:

But Joseph interpreted the dreams right and further on it, he even provided wisdom, and I guess we could read some of this. Let's see. You can read what the dreams were. Yet Joseph explained the dreams and he explained how to handle the dreams. So Joseph said this, verse 25,.

Walter:

Joseph responded both the Pharaoh's dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain withered by the east wind represent seven years of famine. This will happen just as I have described it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt, but afterward there will be seven years of famine, so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt.

Walter:

And Joseph went on to explain to Pharaoh how to approach it.

Walter:

He said, verse 33, therefore, pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt, then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one fifth of all the crops during the seven good years, have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh's storehouse, store it away and guard it, so there would be food in the cities. So he went on, and then, after that, the Bible says that Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. And then, further on, it said so. Pharaoh asked his officials can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court and all my people would take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have rank a rank higher than yours.

Walter:

So that was an example of what you just said higher than yours, so that was an example of what you just said. Joseph had the favor of God upon his life and that favor of God is what led to him being in the place to gain influence, in a way to where, even when Pharaoh said that he was going to place Joseph in his position, because Joseph went from being in prison and being a slave before being in prison to being the second man in charge- but Joseph also had favor.

Shanea:

while he was in prison he had favor with the warden.

Walter:

He had favor everywhere he went. There was no place that Joseph went that he did not have favor.

Shanea:

And because he had favor, he was successful and he had influence it went that he did not have favor and because he had favor, he was successful and he had influence. You know, he had influence over the prisoners, he had influence over the people of Egypt.

Walter:

Yeah, yeah, when we think about favor, the way that you actually receive the favor of God, I would say this favor is simply put God knows who you are and it's because when we think of favor, it's recognition, right, right. So it's basically saying that God knows who you are and God recognizes you. So when God recognizes you, man will too. Right.

Walter:

And that comes by way of relationship with the Father. This doesn't come from religion, right? Of relationship with the father. This doesn't come from religion, this doesn't come simply by reading your word, this doesn't come simply by praying. No, this comes from actual relationship with God.

Walter:

Because when we look at the scriptures and it explains what Joseph did Joseph not only knew how to access God, not only did Joseph have the heart of God and the mind of God, he had direct access to God. To say I don't know how to interpret dreams, but I have access to the God, the one and only true God that give you the dreams.

Walter:

So, since I have access to him, he can interpret the dreams, then give to me what the dream mean. Then, on top of that, not only did Joseph interpret the dreams by way of the Spirit of God, he also, by way of the Spirit of God, provided Pharaoh with instructions on how to prepare for what God had forewarned him of. Right. That's the difference. When you think about it, when you think about what it is. That's the difference.

Shanea:

Yeah, the difference is that having a right relationship with God will give you favor, but it will lead to influence with man. And when the enemy comes, in order to gain influence with man, you have to keep chasing, chasing after power. You have to keep doing things outside of God's will.

Walter:

Demonic things.

Shanea:

Yeah, you have to keep doing. You manipulate people into thinking that you have some type of power.

Walter:

Whether that be through lying, cheating, it's a different type of situation and and we see so many examples of it within the world.

Shanea:

And it's like who are you being faithful to?

Walter:

Exactly, and their desire, those who the enemy gives power to. If you look at it, it's different. Their desire and their obsession is more power. It's never enough power and because of you being obsessed with that, you will do anything to keep that power. You are unalive people, you will lie, you will cheat, you will manipulate yourself. So what begins to happen is you begin to take on the characteristics of the prince of this world, versus when you are focused on relationship with God and God has given you favor. The influence doesn't matter to you. No. It's just something, joseph didn't care about the influence.

Walter:

It just happens he cared about the relationship with God. Even when we think of Daniel and I think we have him in here as an example Daniel never cared about the influence. There are instances where Daniel was like I don't care about this. He cared about the favor of God. He cared about the relationship with God. Shadrach, meshach and Abednego the Bible touches on how they were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace. I think that's in Daniel. What is that?

Shanea:

Daniel, I have it on here, if you scroll further down. Okay, I'm going to stop moving ahead because I'm we are just going go ahead.

Walter:

No, it's cool you have that in here as well yeah, I got.

Shanea:

I have all of this in here.

Walter:

Daniel three yeah okay, so where are we at? Because I'm, I'm, I'm jumping in no, you're good, so we we went past that. We're looking at the two sources of favor.

Shanea:

Let's's false the two sources of favor.

Walter:

Yeah, so the two sources of favor you have down here. That, and we touched on this you can receive favor from the enemy too. And we was just talking about that, and we touched on Matthew 4, 8 through 10. That's when the devil took him to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and he said that all this I will give you if you bow down and worship me. So I want you to. Satan can offer influence, but it comes at a cost of obedience to him.

Shanea:

Right.

Walter:

Which is disobedience to God.

Shanea:

Exactly. That's why, even though Jesus was hungry, he was like I'm not. I'm good, I'm good Cause, I don't. I don't take orders from you he said I'm not.

Walter:

No, the bible says yeah, you should only worship god exactly but once this digs back into what we touched on with counterfeits, we touched on there being two kingdoms, how the enemy mimics the kingdom of god, because one of the specific things that the enemy said to to jesus, he said if you will bow down and worship me, yeah. That's what he said to Jesus right Matthews 4, 8 and 10. He said if you will bow down and worship me, I will give you everything.

Shanea:

Yes, I will take you to the highest mountaintops.

Walter:

Exactly. All I want you to do is bow down and worship me, yeah. And Jesus said to him the scriptures say you must worship the Lord, your God, and serve only him. And the issue is that we struggle with the fact of we don't serve only God. We serve God and the enemy.

Shanea:

Exactly, and if we're serving the enemy, we're not serving God at all.

Walter:

The Bible calls you lukewarm.

Shanea:

Yes.

Walter:

And the Bible says that God will spit you out of his mouth.

Shanea:

Exactly.

Walter:

And so that's really important and I would say that we could argue right. There are certain instances where, within people life, where they submit that to God and they're obedient to God in those particular areas. Yeah. But there are other areas within people lives that they are still yielded to the wisdom of this world and the influence of this world. Yeah. And the influence of Satan, or they seek glory for themselves.

Shanea:

Right, they seek self-promotion, that's why, you're out going out on all these interviews applying for jobs and dating.

Walter:

You seek, you want what you want, which is why you're dating so many people, and the world teaches you to do that, because, of course, the world teaches you Because you need to.

Shanea:

you need to think about yourself and how you feel.

Walter:

So it's the new thing as well. It's the new thing as well. Unfortunately, you even have certain leaders within the body of Christ that will tell you that you should date as many people as you can so you can get to know yourself, you can get to know what it is that you like.

Shanea:

Exactly. You should get to know what you like. This is how you learn things about yourself by being around other people, you getting to know them, you being around people will bring out some of your flaws, bring out some of your good characteristics. Or you know, you go out and and if this person does something, then you know that, no, I can't date anybody that acts like this or does this. And it's like how will you know if you, if you like this person or not if you've never experienced any of these experiences?

Walter:

before and that that's the unfortunate thing and we are missing it.

Shanea:

I don't know if we're getting off subject but no, I think we're still on topic even when you dig into that, we are always being influenced by something yeah, and I know you had wrote down here what the greatest deception is is promoting the idea of do as thou wilt. Yeah.

Shanea:

And that is you going out and pursuing. A person is doing as thou will. You going out and pursuing stuff without consulting with God, no matter what it is. It could be your career, it could be um a relationship. It could be literally anything. A relationship it could be literally anything. You could go out and buying a car or a house without consulting with God.

Shanea:

Moving to a different, location without consulting with God, and I'm I'm trying, that is doing as thou will, which is a phrase that comes from a Satanist Yep, I think it's. Uh, his name is Crowley. Crow'm looking at mine right now Crowley and then the other one is. Crowley was the originator. Yeah, it's Crowley. Crowley is the originator. So the idea of do as thou wilt is a phrase from a Satanist.

Walter:

He felt, do as thou wilt shall be the whole law. Yeah, and it directly opposes God's will Do as thou will, which is basically be your own God.

Shanea:

Exactly.

Walter:

And we. It's so dangerous because, as believers, we take upon that idea of just like hey, within these particular areas, we can do what we want to do and when the Bible lets us know that we are to submit our entire life to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Walter:

Yeah, we're to lay down our lives, we're to die to self, and so, with that being the case, it goes contrary to the wisdom of this world, and we I think I don't know if we've spoken on this, we probably did, but we touched on this before and we said the key thing that we have to keep in mind is that, from the beginning, it was always a battle between the wisdom of this world versus the wisdom of God.

Shanea:

Life and death.

Walter:

Yes, the wisdom of the light versus the wisdom of the darkness, and so that does not change, and I think it becomes a challenge because we don't realize that that plays into every different sector, every different area of our lives.

Shanea:

Yeah and well, people, people, even the people in the church, would say well, you're doing too much, you don't have to consult God on everything.

Walter:

And it's like yes, you do, because Galatians five you do Like being a believer is some is a serious walk. The road is very narrow well, see, we have to remember that in the beginning, adam and eve's entire lives were submitted unto god. We dealt with this before, based on how god gave it to me before, uh and babe, am I talking too loud?

Shanea:

I can't really tell with these headphones on.

Walter:

We dealt with this before with Adam and Eve, and what God was giving us the revelation on is that Adam and Eve's subconscious was connected to the spirit of God that was intertwined with their spirit.

Shanea:

Right, which is what was leading them.

Walter:

It was what was leading them. It was what was leading them. Yet the minute that they ate from the tree, it disconnected their subconscious from the spirit of God that was connected to their spirit and it connected them to the wisdom of this world.

Shanea:

Because you have a choice to choose on who is going to lead you. To choose on who is going to lead you.

Walter:

But you got to think about this because they went from a point of being led by the Spirit of God to being led by their own subconscious that was intertwined with the wisdom of this world, and so when we think about this.

Walter:

But they listened to the enemy, yes which led to that, exactly Now what Jesus did, and this is why the Bible talks about us having our mind renewed. Jesus came to undo all of that. Yet you have to go through the process. You have to go through the wilderness experience. You have to go through the process of having your mind renewed. And having your mind renewed is really just allowing God to chip away at all of those things that are not of him and teach you and walk you through the process of reconnecting your subconscious, or the Bible would say, your heart, back to the spirit of God that is intertwined with your spirit, so that every single decision you make consciously is driven subconsciously by the spirit of God Exactly, and so it's like you have to be very careful about who is influencing you.

Shanea:

Who are you choosing to lead you? So that means who you're listening to, who you're around and when you're in, when in part of the wilderness season is isolating you or redirecting you out of what put you there in the wilderness in the first place. The wilderness is there to help you renew your mind and restore your relationship with God, and that means dropping everything that means dying to yourself, meaning it means dying to everything that you once were prior to knowing God, and the only way that Jesus, this is not something that you can do within your own strength.

Walter:

The only way that you can do this is by the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit. That's what separates those that have a relationship with God from those who practice religion. Those who practice religion tries to do this within their own strength. Those that have a relationship knows. It's impossible for me to do this in my own strength.

Walter:

The only way that I can do this is through the power of God, and I can speak to this. I can testify to this personally because I was that person that was religious at one point. I was that person that tried to do it within my own strength, and I felt it was only after my encounter with Jesus. It was only after my encounter with God November 26, 2022, that he showed me how powerful he really is, and he's so powerful that he can shift desires in you. He's so powerful that he can remove things out of you that was there, that he can deliver you, that he can set you free from the bondage of sin and you can be free from lustful thoughts and lustful desires and selfish thoughts and selfish desires. You can be free from depression and anger.

Walter:

You can be free from depression and anger, from suicidal ideation and all of these different things that people struggle with. You can be free from those things, and so, with that being the case, I think it's very important that we understand the importance of relationship, the importance of relationship, which will once again tie back into what influences you. Right.

Walter:

If you make it your duty, within certain areas of your life, to have a relationship with the enemy, you will receive influence from the enemy Right, which leads to self-gratification. If you make it your duty to cultivate a relationship with the father and truly submit every area of your life to him, you will receive favor from the father that will provide influence in all different areas of your life. Right. All different areas.

Shanea:

Right All and when you receive favor from the enemy, that means you are being faithful to him, he recognizes you, and this ties back to the controversial they don't like to hear it but me recognizing you is not saying that I, I see you. I it can mean I see you, but recognizing someone is providing them with favor, you know. So satan can recognize you and say hey, you, you know what, I recognize what you're doing I like what you're doing. You know I'm going to elevate you here's the.

Walter:

Thing.

Shanea:

I'm going to elevate you.

Walter:

We hear this all the time Um, we hear this all the time All of the rappers, all of the R&B singers, all of these people say God. I just want to thank you for this.

Shanea:

So let me get this straight You've been waiting to say this for a long time.

Walter:

Let me get this straight you just created an entire song centered around self-gratification, lustful desires, sexual immorality, drugs. You've belittled women. You've done all of this mess. You've belittled men. You've promoted violence. You promoted everything you made yourself into a god I mean, you create you in that song. You put everything in there. That is not god murder.

Walter:

That goes completely contrary to the life that god has called us to live like you literally promotes flesh, and then you think that that is God is blessing you, and then people think that it's God that's blessing you and promoting you. God can give you the gift, but the gift can be used to glorify the enemy. The gift can be used to glorify this world. The gift can be used to glorify your flesh. So there is a difference between. We have to look at the fruit of the people too. What are your fruit? Right.

Walter:

If God is truly the one behind it, we will see it within your fruit. We will see it within your character.

Shanea:

The thing. The problem is people don't know what God looks like.

Walter:

That's true, because very few people that we actually look to to lead us know God. No God.

Shanea:

And how you know and we're telling you, this is why we have this podcast, Mm-hmm. When people glorify God, that is God. Mm-hmm. When they don't use I statements that is God. Mm-hmm.

Walter:

Like Joseph, this is not me who is interpreting these dreams. He made it clear both times. This is God.

Shanea:

He said it clear both times.

Walter:

This is God. He said it to the cupbearer and the army bearer. I don't interpret dreams.

Shanea:

God interprets dreams. He uses me. Oh see, I'm trying to see if I'm too loud.

Walter:

No, but that's true. And to you what you stated earlier in Matthew 7, 21,. It says Not everyone who calls out to me, lord, lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day, many will say to me Lord, lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply I never knew you Right. Get away from me, you, you who break God's laws, or you work of it, worker of iniquities, as New King James Version. So I'm sorry. What Jesus just said is I saw what you did, right, but I don't recognize you.

Shanea:

Exactly.

Walter:

So I'm sorry for those who feel like every marriage that you choose Let me say it in the camera I'm sorry for those who feel like every marriage that you choose and the people that you chose to be with outside of God is something that God is going to bless and recognize. Jesus just told us that you don't, you're not, you're not recognized.

Shanea:

I don't give you any recognition. I don't give you any recognition?

Walter:

He said turn away from me those who break. God's laws and then, before that, he said this is for those. Let's say this again not everyone who calls out to me, lord, lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my father in heaven will enter. When Jesus is saying the will, he is referring to every single area and every single part of your life Right the will. You think Jesus wanted to die on that cross from a fleshly perspective? He didn't. We saw that he was struggling.

Shanea:

He did not want to die.

Walter:

Yet he did it because it was the will of the father. So he submitted himself to the will of the father to be crucified even though he knew everything that he was going to deal with. And I'm sorry, if you want to come to us, no disrespect, and cry to us about the fact that you don't get to choose who you want to be with and be blessed by God, I don't know what to tell you. Talk to me about how Jesus actually went through the whole crucifixion.

Shanea:

Exactly.

Walter:

Talk to me about how Jesus was beat. Talk to me about how he was beat beyond recognition.

Shanea:

He could have chose not to.

Walter:

Talk to me about what Jesus went through, how Jesus gave up his life for us and went through all of that pain. Then you want to talk to me about you wanting to pick who you want to be with because you want to be moved by your flesh. This is the wrong podcast. This is the wrong situation for that, because we teach you to be led by the spirit of God, and the spirit of God alone.

Shanea:

Yeah, we don't teach self-indulgence. Wrong place, wrong place there's plenty of podcasts.

Walter:

For that. There's plenty of people that you can go and listen to. There's plenty of people that you can go and listen to.

Shanea:

For that there's plenty of people that will tell you you should indulge in behaviors that's going to bring you pleasure. Exactly. That's going to bring you joy. Exactly. Jesus dying on a cross didn't bring him pleasure. It did not but pleasing his father brought him pleasure.

Walter:

It brought him pleasure and joy and it impacted the lives of so many to come, so many that existed prior and those that existed during that time Because of what Jesus did.

Walter:

It led way to us being able to have access to the Holy Spirit. It provided us direct access to God. It restored that broken relationship. Paul said that we are in the business of reconciliation. All of us should be in the business of reconciliation. All of us should be in the business of reconciliation.

Walter:

Part of reconciling man back to God, part of that is also teaching man that you don't get to do what you want to do. You want to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide every single part, in every single area of your life. It ain't easy, it's not I get it. It's hard, it's challenging. We all have to go through this. Yet if you want to have a fulfilling relationship with the Father, you have to submit so that you can experience God's favor. Because the biggest thing that we look at, even with Joseph, because of who Joseph was and how he submitted himself to God and how he had the relationship he had with God and the fact that he cultivated that said relationship, it prepared Joseph, so he was ready for the moment when not only God yet men needed him the most Imagine if Joseph was not in that place to be able to interpret that said dream and provide Pharaoh with the said wisdom, in order to preserve half of the world from a famine that was not going to change.

Walter:

The famine was going to come, which is why he had two dreams. Joseph said this was God's way of telling you that this is finalized. He's forewarning you.

Shanea:

That's right.

Walter:

So your relationship with God is not just about you. You've said this before, all right, so we literally just had a little situation happen to where everything went off because of what we were about to say.

Shanea:

Literally lights off, cameras off, mics off, lights off, everything off.

Walter:

And it was not a power surge, because those lights didn't go off.

Shanea:

Yes, they did.

Walter:

Those lights went off too. They went off the living room lights too, everything went off.

Shanea:

Okay, it was pitch black in here.

Walter:

It was not a power surge.

Shanea:

No, because nothing tripped.

Walter:

Nothing tripped.

Shanea:

We would have had to go back downstairs to the breaker.

Walter:

And reset the breaker.

Shanea:

So so that means we have to absolutely say what we were.

Walter:

And we are going to say it, we were going to talk about it and come against every single demonic force that is tied to them.

Shanea:

Exactly.

Walter:

So here's the thing we are touching on and this is what we're saying the mindsets, this mindset of what, and this is what we're saying the mindsets, this mindset of what so?

Shanea:

the idea of doing as thou will is a satanic phrase. So, you doing what? You want, doing as thou will, doing as thou pleases, is demonic, it's satanic. And it promotes self-indulgence. It promotes selfishness. It leads people to believe that they can have influence without accountability. Exactly.

Walter:

Which is very dangerous.

Shanea:

You can't do what you want.

Walter:

No.

Shanea:

Because when you do, you hurt other people. Exactly. And you're in direct disobedience to God.

Walter:

And the modern example of this I'll say this is Elon Musk's son. We came across a video recently where him and his son was in an interview and his son said something that was so interesting, and I don't blame the son, because the son is a child.

Shanea:

He's a child. He's learning it from his father.

Walter:

He's being influenced and he said we will quietly do what we want. He said we would do what we want to do quietly.

Shanea:

We will quietly do what we want.

Walter:

And this is very dangerous because this echoes this deception of choosing self-will over God's will. And so I'm going to go ahead and speak on it, and I don't care. There are those out here who firmly believe that our current leadership is under the influence of God.

Shanea:

In deep waters.

Walter:

And let me tell you something God is righteous, god is holy.

Shanea:

That's right.

Walter:

God don't pick and choose when he's going to be righteous and holy.

Shanea:

That's right.

Walter:

God is not going to say that I'm against the LGBTQ+, I'm against abortions, I'm against all of these things. Yet your character, you can do whatever you want. I'm cool with you lying. I'm cool with you stealing. I'm cool with the chaos that's associated with you. I'm cool with racism. I'm cool with all of these things. No, he's against it all.

Shanea:

I'm cool with you banning foreigners, even though that's exactly what Jesus told us not to do. Exactly. I don't remember what verse it is. I think it's in Isaiah.

Walter:

The whole Bible is centered around the fact of you assisting those who are less unfortunate, so it is very ungodly for you not to, and I'm so sorry. God is not on either side. God is not a Democrat and God is not a Republican. God is God. So stop trying to make it appear as if God is this conservative or God is this liberal person. He's neither. The system itself in general is corrupt. Both parties of the system is corrupt. So stop saying one is a Satanist and another is glorifying God, when everyone can see who knows God that they're not. And I am sorry that we have people out here who are leaders who are literally up for the highest bid. The reality of the fact of the matter is this right here, there have always and there will always be prophets of men, and they have always and they will always be prophets of men, and there have always and there will always be prophets of God.

Walter:

That's right and the prophets of God has always stood on the side of righteousness, holiness and sanctification.

Shanea:

No matter the persecution, no matter the persecution, no matter the persecution.

Walter:

Daniel was not friends with King Nebuchadnezzar Shadrach. Meshach and Abednego was not friends with King Nebuchadnezzar? No, shadrach, meshach and Abednego was not friends with King Nebuchadnezzar. No, because even when they came to them and told them to do something that went against God, we have this in here. I think that's Daniel 3. It's Daniel 3.

Shanea:

Daniel 3.

Walter:

King Nebuchadnezzar wanted everybody to bow down and worship him. Sound familiar.

Shanea:

Well, daniel, one and two and three.

Walter:

They wanted everybody to bow down and worship him. He created a gold statue. He said I want you to worship me. Whenever you hear these trumpets, whenever you hear these sounds, whatever you're doing, you stop and you bow down and you worship me and you worship my gods. Interestingly, because I'm doing this? Because the enemy did not want us to speak on this, which is why he's trying to shut everything down, but he don't understand that God is greater.

Walter:

And we're not scared, and we're never scared because we serve God. We serve God, whether you like it or not, I don't care. I'm not here for you to like me. They said this is verse 16, after he wanted them to bow down. Let's read all of this. Let's see Verse 12.

Walter:

But there are some Jews, shadrach, meshach and Abednego, whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, your majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up. Verse 13. Verse 13. I would give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what? God will be able to rescue you from my power?

Walter:

Verse 16, shadrach, meshach and Abednego replied O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, your majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, your majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up. The Bible says later on that he threw them into the furnace. He made it seven times hotter, to the point to where the soldiers that threw them in died. Right.

Walter:

And then it says verse 24, verse 23. So Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames Verse 23. Four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed, and the fourth looks like a God. The Bible lets us know later on that he actually had them removed and he said that it looked like it was an angel that was walking with them. Right. They were unbound when they got out the fire. It says verse 27,. Then the high officials I'm sorry officials, governors and advisors crowded around them.

Walter:

Verse 27. Then Nebuchadnezzar said praise to the God of Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defiled the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any God except their own God. Therefore I make this decree If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb and their houses will be. That's right.

Speaker 4:

The problem with the church, the body of Christ is you don't know God.

Walter:

There's very few that really do know God, because if you do know God, you could see the enemy a mile away, right, and you will stop saying that people who are not of God is of God, because we're talking about influence and we're talking about favor, right, and what we fail to realize is, just like God can provide favor, the enemy can provide favor.

Shanea:

Right, the enemy can provide favor Right. The only difference is God's favor is eternal.

Walter:

God's favor is eternal and it is connected to relationship, and relationship brings forth change of character. You can't say that you have a relationship with God yet you are still a horrible person, right? Because the first thing that God does before he elevates you this is scriptural the first thing that God does before he elevates you is he changes you, because God is drawn to a person with a humble heart and a broken spirit. That's who God is drawn to. That's why the Bible said David was a man after God's own heart. And yes, david struggled with things, but it's post David. Now we have the spirit of God. Right.

Walter:

So the Bible tells us. Paul says that now you are empowered to be free from the laws of the power of sin. So if you want to know if someone is being led by the spirit of God, listen to what comes out of their mouth.

Shanea:

Look at their fruits.

Walter:

Look at their fruit, look at their character.

Shanea:

Are they throwing everyone who goes against them into a burning fire? Exactly. Are they anyone that goes against their word? Exactly. Are they throwing them into a furnace? Exactly.

Walter:

Is it chaos that follows them? Is it corruption that follows them? Is it?

Shanea:

lies and deception. Is it chaos that follows them? Is it corruption that follows them? Is it lies and deception? Is it?

Walter:

deception that follows them. Because even when you look at Jesus because people like to do this with men who are corrupt men Jesus never had someone say, oh oh, he's out here having sex with this person. He's out here having sex with that person. He's out here sleeping with this person. He sexually assaulted this person. He did this. He's lying about this, he's lying about that, he's doing this. They told Jesus that he had demons assisting him.

Shanea:

That's it.

Walter:

They had an issue with Jesus' doctrine, not Jesus' character. His character was never defamed. It was clear what his character was. They were questioning what he was doing because he was doing things they never seen before. Spiritually, he were performing miracles. Right. And he was here saying that I am the son of God and he was going against their theology he was going against their religious theological views. So please stop saying that people who are corrupt, men who are corrupt, are of God, when clearly they are not Do with it as you may.

Shanea:

And God is not going to place someone in a position who is corrupt.

Walter:

Unless he's passing judgment upon you Unless he's passing judgment.

Shanea:

And he's giving you over to your idols.

Walter:

Even in that God didn't give them Saul, they chose Saul Right. God gave them David. Right. You see the difference, you can go and you can read on the difference between Saul and David. Mm-hmm. Even when God made David king, the first thing God did with David is he took him through the process. He processed David. He processed David. He didn't throw David out there when David was not prepared.

Shanea:

Right.

Walter:

The people chose Saul, god chose David. Right. The people chose Saul based on the statue of how he looked and how it seemed to be. God chose David based on the inward parts, his heart, his subconscious, his inward being. So stop saying that God has called corrupt men that the people have chosen.

Shanea:

And that God can change anyone. Yes, he can, but he's not going to put someone who is corrupt to lead his people. No. This is why he's not on either side.

Walter:

So, whether you like it or not, this entire system has been created by a demonic occult system.

Shanea:

Yes, the system is occultic.

Speaker 5:

It goes all the way back to Babylon. So the system is a cultic. So this system goes all the way back to babylon.

Walter:

Corrupt okay, the system has always been corrupt. The only difference is you had a moment in time where you had the daniels, you had the ezekiels, you had the zacharias you had the jeremias, but they never went alongside the king. They always went with the voice of god, which is why many people did not like the prophets of god because, they said that you're bringing me bad news or you're bringing me good news.

Shanea:

sometimes You're mostly bringing me bad news. That's why I don't like going to you. I only want to hear people. Who is going to validate my thoughts?

Walter:

Exactly.

Shanea:

My opinion.

Walter:

So anything void of consecration, holiness and sanctification is not God. Anything void of consecration, holiness and sanctification is not God. I'm sorry, that is who God is. It's not by your own power. No. But that is who God is. So just because the enemy didn't want us to say that, we said it. We are currently in a situation right now where we are seeing so many people in the church and in the world that is misconstruing the favor of the enemy for the favor of.

Walter:

God and it is very dangerous because people are choosing their God. I see so much stuff that is just disgusting. It is disrespectful to the spirit of God, it is disrespectful to our father, it is disrespectful to our Lord and savior, and I am disgusted with it. The fact that you are worshiping people, the fact that you are idolizing people and the fact that you are leading people astray to do the same thing you should be ashamed of yourself. You should be ashamed as leaders. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Shanea:

Right, because we were listening to a man of God and he was going over a video and I was like, okay, well, what does this man say about what this lady said? And I was like, well, what did god say about what the lady said? What did god say? Because?

Walter:

I don't care about what men say. I care about what god says and the issue, what you're going to begin to see. First of all, there's going to be very few people that we can listen to absolutely we already know this and there is very few leaders that has not been corrupt.

Walter:

There are very few prophets. Very, very, very, very, very, very, very few prophets I know of personally. I would count on one hand. That actually is truly still saying what God is saying. And the reason you know they're saying what God is saying is because they're not saying that we're just this is not a political podcast, but we're just speaking in general. They're not saying oh, god is with Kamala Harris. They're also not saying oh God is with Trump. They're also not saying, oh God is with Kamala Harris.

Shanea:

They're also not saying oh God is with Trump. They're also not saying Kamala's a Satanist. They're also not saying Trump's a Satanist, exactly.

Walter:

They're saying that God is. He's not in neither this is what God told me. God is on God's side.

Shanea:

Right.

Walter:

And we know that to be true because we also know what God told us.

Shanea:

God is on God, god's side. The thing that God dislikes is when you idolize something. So if God has elevated this person, this person would let everyone in the world know that it was God.

Walter:

But, more importantly, their character was showcased, that God is doing a work in them. So the things that you said, like when I encountered God and this is the beauty, this is what grace and people get grace misconstrued and prayerfully, god allowed us to do a podcast or episode on grace because there's different types of grace, there's different grace for different things and we got to get ready to go, but there's different types of grace, so there's grace for you to come to God as you are. Yeah.

Walter:

There's grace to say okay, I'm out in the world, I'm doing all of the crazy things and God saves me. And God says you don't change nothing. You come to me as you are filthy and disgusted and all of this mess, and just focus on having a relationship with me and I will change you. We saw this grace with Jesus and his disciples. He called them from where they were and they did life with him and he discipled them and they begin to shift and change their ways as they walked with him.

Shanea:

Right, but they had to come up from among everyone, including their families, Even when their family members died. Jesus said you can go, but you should probably stay here with me if you want to be my disciple. And they didn't go.

Walter:

Yet one of the key things that we have to remember, and this could be an episode in itself when God won't let us speak on it. He's letting us speak on this, so we are, but this can be an episode when, in itself, if you are a leader, the greatest leaders are the most humble leaders, and the greatest leaders are actually servants, the leaders that serve the people. And if God has called you, god would never call a man that is prideful. God would never call a woman that is prideful. He will always call someone that is humble. God will allow you, as the people, to choose a prideful leader.

Shanea:

Right, because he's not a dictator.

Walter:

Exactly Because he is not a dictator. So why in the world, if God is not a dictator, he will call a dictator to lead you. He forewarned the people about Saul. They still chose him. He let them succumb to their own devices. They suffered for some time.

Shanea:

Then God said now I will send you my leader and, and the thing is, while we have prophets and some people are calling them false prophets, we're not always going to get it right. Right? No, because we're being influenced.

Walter:

But Shanae, there is a difference.

Shanea:

Yes.

Walter:

Between outright. Oh, absolutely Saying to people that God is for something that is not wholly consecrated and sanctified.

Shanea:

I'm talking about how they're interpreting, how they're coming to this conclusion. But there is a difference. They're coming to this conclusion through dreams or visions and through other people.

Walter:

Nope, there is a difference. You are a prophet. I'm sorry, I'm not going to give you a pass with this. There is a difference between you telling the, telling people that my daddy, that my father is for corruption, that my, because it's twisting the truth.

Shanea:

I know I'm not. I'm not disagreeing.

Walter:

It's twisting the truth.

Shanea:

It's definitely a deceptive spirit, for sure.

Walter:

It's twisting the truth, it's a lying spirit.

Shanea:

You're trying to get people to believe, but that's because they've been open to it, because of who they have been around. What? They have been listening to.

Walter:

Well, paul said this. Paul said never think more highly of yourself than you really are.

Shanea:

Oh yeah, because you don't know everything.

Walter:

So Paul was really consistently reminding us you have to humble yourself, you have to remain in a state of humble being humble humility. The minute that pride seeps in, you begin to have some issues you should always be in a state of learning.

Shanea:

Even if that, even if it's something that you don't agree with, you shouldn't be offended by it. If you get offended by something, that's something in you that's saying ah, I need to go to god about this.

Walter:

Why am I? I need to go.

Shanea:

I need to go to god about this. Why am I being offended?

Walter:

and this went left real quick.

Walter:

But I think it's because I mean, but we're almost, we're almost done but this is all actually dealing with influence, because we misconstrue the influence of god, we misconstrue the favor of god and we we think something that is of the enemy is the favor of god, because we we move away from who god is at the core, and the bible lets us know at the core of who God is. God is holy. That's why, even when we approach God, we have to approach God. The Bible tells us to take upon the identity of Christ, because if God looks at sin, he will destroy it, and we have this grace message that we're preaching that is not of God. Grace doesn't say that you can do whatever you want to do.

Walter:

Grace doesn't say that you can get out here and live the way you want to live and that, oh, I'm still able to come before God and I'm good Because Paul teaches us that if you keep sinning, you can put yourself right back under the control of the law.

Shanea:

Yeah, this is true, this is very true.

Walter:

We see the example of what God has called us to in Jesus himself. Mm-hmm we see the example in him. So I'm sorry people, we got to be careful, we got to be careful. So, babe, where do we go at from here? Because we got caught up and people are going to be influenced.

Shanea:

I was trying to find where you know I was talking about yesterday how, when you have faith from God and you get influence, that comes naturally with the favor of God, it brings it births forth, blessings, blessings to other people, yeah, and when you have the favor of the enemy, it just only serves you.

Walter:

It serves you and it creates chaos.

Shanea:

It doesn't really bless other people.

Walter:

It destroys them?

Shanea:

Yeah, because they have to keep coming back to you to get a fix. They have to keep coming back to you but more importantly they have to keep coming back to you, to get something.

Walter:

It destroys them because the bible says the enemy come to steal, kill and destroy yeah, because it's drawing them away from the truth exactly it's drawing them away from from god.

Walter:

It's pulling them into a deeper level of darkness, whatever within whatever that area may be. You know there's certain songs that we would listen to, and I won't speak to the artists, but there are certain songs that we would listen to that was very over sexualized, I know for me personally, and it would literally put a rise in my flesh to make me want to do things that was not good.

Shanea:

That's what it does when you and they had influence, you didn't need to call.

Walter:

Exactly, they have this influence Go in places you didn't need to go, it's because of the influence that the enemy has given them.

Shanea:

Yeah.

Walter:

And this is in all regards I never understood. Right now, we are in a time and space of just complete chaos. It is chaos, it is chaos and I think it's so dangerous what we are doing in general, people we got to get back to. We have to know god for ourselves holiness and consecration and it's holiness, consecration, sanctification and being set apart and it's hard, it's not, it's not easy. It's not.

Shanea:

It's not easy, but it's not meant to be, because we're trying to get to the kingdom of God. You have eternal life, and who wants to burn in hell? I don't.

Walter:

The Bible says that narrow is the road that leads to God or the kingdom of God.

Shanea:

And I'm paraphrasing and very few people find it. Very few people find it.

Walter:

That's what Jesus said, that he and very few people find it. Very few people find it.

Shanea:

That's what Jesus said that. He said very few people find it, and when you do find it, it's hard.

Walter:

That's why you have to yield to the Holy Spirit, to be guided by him to keep you on that path, and we cannot become distracted by all of this foolishness out here. Let's say another thing Racism at the core is division. It's a spirit of division, people, the reason that you have not been able to do anything with racism is because you have not been attacking it in the spirit realm, that is a principality that is as old as we could ever think, even with people attacking us with what we're saying about marriage.

Walter:

That is a principality, because we don't. Why is it so hard for us to understand that the same structure that God have within the kingdom of God is the same structure that the enemy have within the kingdom of darkness Right, and that he literally took two thirds of heaven with him when he fell, after he got kicked?

Shanea:

out by Gabriel. What do you think those angels are doing? It's a whole government system, just like our government system mimics the system of God.

Walter:

There is a court in heaven. There's courts, there's legal contracts in heaven. It is handled. How do you think the people of this world came up with the government system? You think they came up with it by themselves? There is nothing that happened in the natural that does not come from the spirit. Exactly the Bible also says what there is nothing new under the sun.

Shanea:

Right.

Walter:

This is why you need to know your word. This is why you need to have a relationship with God.

Shanea:

You have to.

Walter:

This is why you have to be led by the spirit of God, and my prayer to all of us is that we have a heavy spirit of discernment upon us, because the enemy is very conniving. The enemy is very conniving and we got to be really careful. Yeah, okay, babe, go ahead. I'm sorry.

Shanea:

No, you're good. I don't even know where we at.

Walter:

We touched on everything. We were talking about the two sources of favor, but I think we went through, joseph. Yeah.

Shanea:

I think right now you want to touch on the Antichrist real quick.

Walter:

What do you want to do?

Shanea:

Where are you at?

Walter:

The two sources of favor. The two sources of favor.

Shanea:

The two sources of favor We've already went through that.

Walter:

We can touch on the Antichrist if you like. Revelations 13 and 2.

Shanea:

Oh, Satan's false favor or God's favor? We touched on with Joseph, right, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Walter:

And this is the thing about trying to pump all of this into a podcast and then got the Holy Spirit moving. You go in a completely different direction.

Shanea:

Right and then I also had Esther's story in here as well Gave her favor, which gave her influence Right To help the Jews. So God's favor is always going to bless other people.

Walter:

Yes, and it's always going to be recognized, because when you look at Daniel, when you look at Joseph, they always actually point back to God. Daniel and Joseph made it clear that it's not me, but it's.

Walter:

God and the Pharaoh and King Nebuchadnezzar, even with Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. They also took notice that it was God that did it. So anytime it's something that is favored from God, it never so. It's as simple as this. When God is in it, glory is always given to God. Now we have to be really careful, because there is God and then there is the quote unquote lowercase g God of this world, the prince of this world. So you still have to look and say, okay, what type of life you're living, because people say I want to give glory to God, but, at the core, does what you do point people back to God? It wasn't just glory being given to God with King Nebuchadnezzar or glory being given to God with the Pharaoh. They recognized this has to come from God. Yeah.

Walter:

King Nebuchadnezzar got to the point of saying y'all are going to respect their God.

Shanea:

Because the God, even the gods I serve, wouldn't be able to do this Exactly. Even though he still served them. He did, but it's just the recognition.

Walter:

Yeah, he did humble them. It's just the recognition of that being the case, and so we have to. Really, it's so deep, shania.

Shanea:

It's supernatural, it's something that you can't even really explain.

Walter:

No, and it's so deep and there's so many different intricate layers in it. The only way that you get through all of this is by having a relationship with God, because it's so easy. The enemy is so conniving, and the thing is we got to understand that there's two systems at play here. Shania, the enemy has two systems at play. He has the system at play that keeps the world going those that are not in the church and he also has a system at play in the church.

Walter:

Oh, absolutely, and it started with the church and the challenge becomes this.

Shanea:

It started with the Pharisees at the very beginning.

Walter:

We have the church thinking that they are being led by God Right, not realizing that they're still being led by the prince of this world. Right. Which is why they can't see something Right, which is why they can't see something. When they look at something, they don't know the difference between it being God or the enemy, ie Jesus. When he came Right, they didn't recognize that they were literally there, within the Son of God.

Shanea:

Well, they recognize it, but they lack knowledge, and wisdom that can only come from God.

Walter:

Yes, Well, john, this is so perfect and I know we got to get ready to go. John said this. Let's see. The Bible says this, john 1,.

Walter:

In the beginning the word already existed. The word was with God and the word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him. The word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. Verse 10 says he came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. During that period of time they didn't recognize the word. No.

Walter:

They didn't recognize the Son of God. Right. Even today, in 2025.

Shanea:

It's still prevalent.

Walter:

Even today, in 2025, they still don't recognize the word. No. They still don't recognize the son of God.

Shanea:

No, because they don't know spirit. Exactly. God lives in the spirit realm. You can't know God without being in the spirit.

Walter:

And this went into a completely different direction, but I think we have to. How would you end this out? Because we'll we have to. How would you end this out? Because we'll keep on going. How would you end this out? We can.

Shanea:

Well, I just want to get to this point right here.

Walter:

Okay, I'm listening.

Shanea:

Where. What happens when we chase influence without God? Right, it's temporary, it leads to destruction. You see many, many powerful men and women who have a lot of influence, but they have no soul, they don't have any good fruits, they don't have any peace, they don't have any joy, and we hear that all the time. Money can't buy you happiness, it's only temporary right. All these leaders, all these people who are influential, their lives are crappy and you are putting them all on pedestals, all on pedestals. So what do you benefit by gaining the world if you lose your soul? Exactly Matthew 16, 26. And Satan offers short-term gains and long-term losses. We see in 2 Thessalonians 2, 9-10,. It says this man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction because they refuse to love and accept the truth that will save them. Mm-hmm.

Shanea:

So God will cause them to be greatly deceived and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. And this goes along to say that God will let you be deceived. He will give you over to your idols, because you can just go straight to him, but you choose not to.

Walter:

And God is the perfect gentleman. He's not going to force anything upon you. He didn't force it upon Adam and Eve. He told them he gave them a choice, they chose, they dealt with the consequences and I think even as you're dealing with this, can we go over how to seek God's favor over influence real, quick Obedience and integrity. James 4 and 4.

Shanea:

James, do you have it?

Walter:

I can get it real quick, James. Unless you already have it, I can get it right there.

Shanea:

No, I don't have it right now.

Walter:

Okay, let me see James 4 and 4. Mm-hmm. James 4 and 4 says you, adulterous, don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Mm-hmm, you adulterous don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God. I say it again If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Shanea:

Right. So you have to align your actions with God's word, not with the world. You have to do the complete opposite of what the world is doing. So if what we're saying goes completely contrary to your thoughts, maybe you should check where your thoughts are coming from.

Walter:

Because you're being influenced by something. Right. You're being influenced by something. And then humility and trust. Luke 2, 52.

Shanea:

Yeah, and I want to say that we don't listen to secular music.

Walter:

Oh yeah, let's put that out, we don't.

Shanea:

We don't listen to anything that oh yeah, let's put that out we don't. We don't listen like we don't listen to anything that isn't of god are you going to go to hell for listening to secular music?

Walter:

no, but it will influence you to do things that can lead you on a dark path. Yes, because secular music here's the thing. Music in general, it's a frequency yes right. You're worshiping something. They're worshiping something when they create those songs. Something is influencing them to create those songs, just like you can sense the presence of God sometimes when you're listening to different worship songs and things of that nature, because it's a frequency.

Shanea:

You can touch the frequency of heaven, or you could touch the frequency of second heaven.

Walter:

Of hell. Yes frequency of hell, second heaven of hell. Yes, so you um, you gotta be real careful.

Shanea:

Is hell second, second heaven? I don't think hell is in heaven.

Walter:

No, it's not, so you can touch the frequency of heaven. Second heaven is just the spiritual realm but you do have the spiritual realm too. Now we're getting into different stuff too.

Shanea:

Yeah, so yeah. Third heaven is heaven. That's where God dwells.

Walter:

Okay, so you got to be careful of what you're listening to, but once again, even with music, god had to deliver us. He delivered me from that to where I had no desire or passion for it, and even if I hear it playing like when we go into a store, it just grieves the Holy Spirit within me.

Shanea:

We also don't watch movies anymore that has a ton of sexual or explicit content Content cursing, all of that stuff, yeah, if it's mature, we fast forward through all that type of stuff.

Walter:

We take it very serious when people are partaking in witchcraft and movies. Yes, magical stuff.

Shanea:

If we ask God, should we watch this movie?

Walter:

We yield it to the Holy Spirit. But they're going to say say, you're doing too much, I don't care, we don't care. Because it keeps us at peace in our home. Exactly it keeps us at peace. So humility and trust. Luke 2, 52,. It says Jesus grew in favor by submitting to God's process. When you're obedient and follow God's decrees, you obtain favor from the Lord, and so yeah and so, yeah.

Shanea:

so Luke 2 52 talks about how I believe it's when Jesus, when he comes home, after his mom and dad had been looking for him, and and by his obedience, mary took that in place in her heart, and so it's in. And it goes on to say I don't know if you have pulled it up.

Walter:

No, I didn't, Because we're running through it now. I just wanted to touch on some points Luke 2, 52.

Shanea:

Yeah, Luke 2, 52. Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all people. So that's with favor with God and man, yes, but it's the obedience, so that's with favor.

Speaker 3:

But it's the favor of God that leads to favor with man.

Shanea:

Yes, but it's the obedience that leads you to favor in the people, because, directly before that, jesus was being obedient to his parents.

Walter:

But Jesus' only concern was being obedient to the Father.

Shanea:

Exactly, but he was showing that he was obedient to his Father. By being obedient to God's Word meaning obeying your parents.

Walter:

Yeah, which is why, once again, your number one priority is just really that relationship with God, exactly. Jesus was always concerned with his relationship with the Father.

Shanea:

Exactly Pleasing his Father.

Walter:

Which digs into seeking God, not status, exactly. Favor comes from him, from seeking him not chasing platforms Right and and the favor comes from him from seeking him, not chasing platforms Right and then.

Shanea:

That's Proverbs 14, 12.

Walter:

Faithfulness in the small things Matthews 25, 23. Influence comes as a byproduct of stewardship, so I think all of this is good. Yeah, takeaway, because we've touched on a lot of stuff.

Shanea:

Yeah.

Walter:

What would you say your takeaway would be with this babe, because we've touched on a lot of stuff.

Shanea:

Yeah, what would you say your takeaway would be with this babe? Literally, my takeaway would be to build a relationship with God.

Walter:

Everything. Everything, every podcast episode ends with that building a relationship with God, because it's what's going to lead you to everything else. So my final thought would be influence without God. Building a relationship with God, because it's what's going to lead you to everything else.

Shanea:

So, like I have a final, my final thought would be influence without God is an empty pursuit, but favor from God brings influence that changes lives.

Walter:

So choose wisely.

Shanea:

Yeah, you should choose. Do you want to change lives or do?

Walter:

you just want self gratification, and if you want self gratification, that's fine. I mean, it's your choice to make. Which is, once again, like we're not telling people oh, you got to do this, and I don't know why people are getting upset. We're just saying that if you want to have a relationship with God and you want God to bless what you do, you have to submit your entire life to God. Yeah.

Walter:

You don't have to. You don't have to we, for me and my household. We will serve the Lord, we will serve the Lord, but, as for you, you can either choose to serve the Lord or choose to serve any God you want to serve yeah, that's my ending. Serve yeah, that's my ending. And how?

Shanea:

that, how you make that decision, will determine who provides you with the favor that you're seeking Right and what type of influence you have. Do you want eternal influence? Do you want eternal favor with God or with man?

Walter:

For me, it's more important to God, for God to look at me and say well done. Exactly, it's more important for the heavens to rejoice because I'm doing the will of the Father. Exactly, it's more important for the heavens to look like, even if no one knows your name, it's just like I know, I'm doing what God has told me to do in every area.

Walter:

God knows my name God knows my name, which is so important. Yeah, it's more important that he knows you, not you know him. You know of him, but does he know you?

Shanea:

that's favor yeah that's god recognizing you oh, absolutely, god saying, I know you exactly job. He recognized job yes, have you seen my servant?

Walter:

he wrecked. He spoke of job. Okay, we're gonna end, so if this uh episode has been a blessing to you, please like, share, comment, subscribe.

Shanea:

Yeah, please share your testimonies on how God has favored you, or if you're struggling with anything, please send us a DM. We can probably answer some questions.

Walter:

Yeah, we can. We still have to be led by the spirit of God, and one of the, I think, the the greatest things that we want to teach people and want people to take away from this is you have to have your own personal relationship with God.

Shanea:

This is what this podcast is for. Yes, for you to build and build a relationship.

Walter:

Cultivate your relationship with God. So I think that's it, and we will see you all next week.

Shanea:

Be blessed have a one, have a good one, I'm a one.