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Nov. 10, 2021
Overcoming Obstacles, Pt. 1
An obstacle is something that impedes progress or achievement. Such impediments show in various forms targeting every aspect of life, which can't be avoided or exempt. However, you can overcome them whenever they show up. In part one of this episode, Prophet Johnson provides listeners with principles and strategies to overcome life's deterrents.
Obstacles addressed in this episode:
- Getting Started
- Procrastination
- Lack of Support
- Frustration
- RESOURCES
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Transcript
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Welcome to a Biblical Perspective Podcast where God's point of view matters.
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I'm your host, Prophet CT Johnson.
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This podcast is designed to expand you beyond the mind's cultural and theological limitations
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about the Bible and what it teaches.
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Prepare for the challenge of becoming a critical thinker, analyzing life from God's perspective.
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Boldly and unapologetically, I'll address the ills and issues of our day using scripture
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as the frame of reference.
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Get ready to empower your thinking and change your life.
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Now let's hear what God has to say.
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Greetings.
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Welcome to another episode of a Biblical Perspective Podcast, the podcast designed
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to expand you beyond the mind's cultural and theological limitations about the Bible
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and what it teaches.
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I'm your host, Prophet CT Johnson.
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What joy it is to have this opportunity to empower your thinking and change your life
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from God's perspective.
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Today we're dealing with the subject of overcoming obstacles.
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Regardless of your pedigree, your ethnicity, your age, your financial status, all of us
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face obstacles.
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And even though we can't exempt ourselves from them, we can overcome them.
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And so we're going to teach you how to overcome your obstacle whereby you are able to accomplish
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and achieve that assignment, that goal, that desire that you have in your heart.
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But before we dive into the teaching, I want to encourage you to go to my website, ctjohnson.org
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and request to receive your free monthly empowering thought e-letter.
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The e-letters will provoke you to expand your thinking beyond life's limitations.
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So right now while I'm talking and while you're listening, go to ctjohnson.org and sign up
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to receive for free your monthly empowering thought e-letter.
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Every month I'll be in your inbox empowering your thinking and changing your life.
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So I want you to download for free the Charisma Plus app and subscribe to the magazine.
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And you can do it again all from my website, ctjohnson.org.
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Once you're there, click the CPN affiliate tab.
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Doing this supports and enables a biblical perspective podcast to continue empowering
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lives all around the world.
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So now get ready to think critically.
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That's right, put on your critical thinking cap.
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We're dealing with the subject overcoming obstacles.
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As we go through today's teaching, I want you to write down two empowering points, two
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things that is going to stand out, two things that deal specifically with what you're facing,
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what you're going through, two things that the Holy Spirit spoke to you as it pertains
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to today's teaching.
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I want you to write down a minimum of two empowering points and I want you to email
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them to me.
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I want to engage with you as it pertains to obstacles that you're facing or obstacles
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that you have overcome.
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So email me your two empowering points and you can send them to the email address admin,
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admin at ctjohnson.org or you can post your two empowering points in our Facebook group,
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a biblical perspective podcast group.
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So all you have to do if you're already on Facebook, search the name, a biblical perspective
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podcast group and answer a few questions.
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Click the join button and answer a few questions and you will be accepted into our group and
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you can post your two empowering points there or you can email them to me at admin at ctjohnson.org.
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Overcoming obstacles.
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What is an obstacle?
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First let's identify what an obstacle is and allow me to begin by saying this.
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An obstacle is not always a what, but an obstacle can be a who.
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An obstacle can be a person, an obstacle can be a relationship.
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So I don't want you to just relegate an obstacle to being a thing.
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An obstacle can be a person, but in general an obstacle is something that impedes progress
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or achievement or I should say by definition rather.
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By definition an obstacle is something that impedes progress or achievement.
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So before you can overcome the obstacle you must identify the obstacle.
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Write that down.
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Before you can overcome the obstacle you must identify the obstacle.
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You can't overcome what you don't identify.
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Now let's look at the meaning etymologically of the word overcome.
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So we know what an obstacle is.
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Now let's understand what it means to overcome that obstacle.
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So etymologically overcome is to reach, overtake, move or pass over.
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It also means to conquer, prevail over or my favorite defeat in combat.
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Now that's the operative word combat.
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So again overcome is to reach.
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Now let's dig further or dig deeper into that particular breakdown of the word overcome,
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to reach.
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In other words you must engage whatever the obstacle is.
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Many of us are passive as it pertains to what's confronting us, what's threatening us, what's
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taunting us, what's intimidating us.
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But you hear me pull close, you will never overcome what you don't confront.
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Let me say that again, you will never overcome what you won't confront.
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Being passive will always prohibit you from overcoming the obstacle.
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It will always prohibit you.
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Passivity will keep you in the posture and position of a victim.
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Passivity will keep you in a victim's posture and keep you with a victim mindset and or
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mentality.
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We have to move from the position and posture and place of passivity to the point where
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we engage what is intimidating, what is threatening because you won't get rid of it by ignoring
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it.
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You won't get rid of it by just again passively dealing with it.
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No, you have to aggressively engage what that obstacle is.
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Whatever is impeding your progress, whatever is keeping you stagnant, keeping you complacent,
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you have to engage it.
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So to reach, to overcome something, etymologically is to reach it, to engage it and then to overtake
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it.
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You can't overtake what you won't confront.
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You can't defeat what you won't engage.
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So stop running, stop dodging, stop sticking your head in the proverbial sand.
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No, greater is he that's what in you than he that is in the world.
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So remember the first two points that you need to write down, these are noteworthy,
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is number one.
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You cannot overcome an obstacle until you first identify it.
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You have to identify it so that you can overcome it.
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You have to know that it is impeding progress.
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You have to know that it is an obstruction.
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You have to know that he is, that she is, that that environment is prohibiting you from
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moving to the next level, moving to the next dimension.
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It is stopping you from progressing.
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So many of you have to be honest with yourself as it pertains to what your obstacle is because
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some of you are in denial.
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That's one reason why you can't overcome the obstacle because you refuse to identify it
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as that.
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You refuse to categorize that relationship that you're in as an obstacle.
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So you can overcome the obstacle until you identify it.
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Secondly, you can't overcome what you don't confront.
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So once you identify, hey, this is an obstacle, now you have to confront it.
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Now you have to engage with it.
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Now you have to address it.
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All right.
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So I want to now progress us forward into obstacles that we all face.
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We've learned what an obstacle is.
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We've learned how to overcome it.
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We've learned that we have to identify it as an obstacle in order to conquer it, in order
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to defeat it.
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So identity, then engagement as it pertains to overcoming whatever is your obstruction,
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whatever is impeding your progress, whatever is prohibiting you from moving to the next
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level, the next dimension of success.
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You have to identify it as a problem.
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You have to identify it as the issue, as the impediment.
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Then you have to engage it.
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You have to confront it.
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So I want to deal with seven obstacles that we all deal with, we all face, and you can
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overcome.
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The first obstacle is the obstacle of getting started.
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Now this one, all seven of them, all of us have experience or will experience, let me
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say it in that manner.
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But I would venture to say that the obstacle of getting started, everybody listening under
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the sound of my voice, you have came up against this obstacle more than once.
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Then it's time for us to move to the next task, move to the next assignment, whether
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it's the next level of education, whether it's pursuing another position in your current
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occupation or company, whatever it is, the obstacle of getting started is that number
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one hurdle that pops up more often than not.
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However, again, even though we can't avoid it, we can overcome it.
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I want to look at Genesis chapter 12 verses one through four, and it says, and I will
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make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt
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be a blessing.
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And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them, rather, and curse him that curseth
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thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
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So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was
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seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
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Now all of what we read in verse two were the promises of God to Abraham, the prophecy
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of God to Abraham.
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God prophesies to Abram directly, face to face, tells him what he purposed for his life,
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him and Sarah, tells him what he desires to do for him, what he desires to do through
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him, and God wants to establish him as the father of faith, and all of this wonderful
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stuff.
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However, none of what God spoke to Abram would have materialized if Abram did not overcome
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the obstacle of getting started.
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Listen to verse four again, so Abram departed, the obstacle was there, the obstacle was present,
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however he overcame it, he got started, and many of you are tripping up over this obstacle
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of getting started.
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You're tripping up because of fear, you are fearful of failing, you're fearful of getting
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out there and being disappointed.
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Well, news flash, you may fail, you may be disappointed, however you cannot allow what
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could happen, what may happen, what might happen, prohibit you from stepping out on
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what God said, stepping out based upon what God has shown you, stepping out upon his will
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for your life.
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You have to identify your fear of failing.
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Remember I told you that you have to identify the obstacle, you have to label it as the
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impediment, then you have to confront it, you have to engage with it so that you can
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overcome it, so that you can conquer it, so that you can defeat it, so that you can prevail
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against it, so that you can pass over it.
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So yes, the possibility of failing is there, the possibility of promises by family, friends,
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people being broken, not fulfilled, yes, all of that is possible, however I'm not going
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to remain stagnant.
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I'm not going to, listen, I'm not going to allow what might happen, stop me from achieving
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what I know I can do for I can do all things through Christ, nor am I going to stop what
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could happen, prohibit, I'm not going to allow what could happen, keep me complacent, that's
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basically what I'm trying to say, I'm getting excited, therefore I'm getting tongue-tied.
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So Abram got up, verse 4 again, Abram departed, he got up, you have to get started, write
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this down, you will never finish what you won't start, you can pray about it, you can
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see it in the spirit, you can have dreams every night for 30 days concerning it, you
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can be taken up into the third heaven and shown in great detail what God wants to do
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and all of that and come down with the revelation like Paul and John, however if you don't depart,
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if you don't move from your current, you will never seize or see the future, you have to
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get started.
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Obstacle number 2, the obstacle of procrastination, whoa, that's a big one for some of us, the
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obstacle of procrastination, what is it that you are twirling your thumbs over, what is
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it that you are literally halt concerning, why is it you have not moved?
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So for some they have progressed or overcome, overcame the obstacle of getting started,
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you started the business, you got your EIN number, you initiated the 501C3 process, you
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got started but now you are stuck, now your mobility is impaired, you are procrastinating,
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you know what the next step is but instead of you taking it, you are sitting, instead
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of you taking it, you are waiting or whatever it is you are doing, you are not moving to
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the next level, you are not moving to the next stage.
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So procrastination is another obstacle that will confront and face all of us.
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Proverbs 12 and 24, listen to this, the hand of the diligent, the diligent shall bear
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rule but the slothful shall be under tribute.
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Proverbs 13 and 4, the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soul of
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the diligent shall be made fat.
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So in order for whatever the agenda is, accomplishing it takes place when we move forward and many
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people are procrastinating for various reasons.
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You have to take inventory, you have to initiate a self-assessment, you need to take an introspective
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look at yourself and find out what is going on in my head, what is going on psychologically
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that is causing me to procrastinate, what is going on emotionally that is causing me
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to procrastinate.
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See it is not always something frivolous, it is not always something childish, sometimes
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it is something significant, it is something important, however it is still an impediment,
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it is still an obstacle and for many it is the obstacle of procrastination.
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But again I want you to hear what the scripture says, being slothful, being lacking enthusiasm
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because many people are procrastinating because they are lazy.
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You need to be delivered from laziness, you need to be delivered from slothfulness, you
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need to be delivered from a lack of enthusiasm, a lack of passion.
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And so for many it is that that is feeding your procrastination.
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You need deliverance from that spirit of slothfulness, that spirit of laziness because it says again
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in Proverbs 12 and 24 also in Proverbs 13 and 4, the diligent shall bear rule.
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That is what it says in Proverbs 12, 24 and then in Proverbs 13 and 4 it says that the
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soul of the diligent shall be made fat, the soul of the diligent shall prosper, the soul
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of the diligent shall be successful.
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You have to shake yourself from whatever the cause of procrastination is and overcome that
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hurdle.
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The second, the third obstacle is lack of support.
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Lack of support.
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Now there are many people that are tripping up over this obstacle.
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You can't move forward because those who promise to be there with you, they didn't make good
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on their promise.
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They aren't able to move forward or in some cases they're not willing to move forward
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in their promise to you so you're refusing to move forward because you don't have the
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support that you need, the support that you want, the support that was promised.
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You're now tripping up over and over and over again over the fact that they left or over
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the fact that they never showed up or over the fact that they showed up but they weren't
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consistent.
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They had no stability.
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They couldn't last.
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They could not fulfill the promise.
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And so now you find yourself tripping over this obstacle.
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Note, you're going to identify the fact that I'm hurt as it pertains to the broken promise.
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I'm disappointed as it pertains to having been let down.
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However, I am not going to sit here and make a career out of licking my wounds.
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I'm going to cry if I need cry but at the end of the day I'm going to dry my eyes, encourage
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myself because weeping endures for a night.
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But joy comes in the morning.
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Let's look at John 6 and 66.
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From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
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Now John chapter 6 deals with Jesus giving revelation.
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They didn't know it as it pertains to fellowship with him, as it pertains to relationship with
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him.
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He began to talk to them about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.
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Because of their carnality, thought that he was supporting endorsing cannibalism, the
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Bible says that many of his disciples they departed from him.
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They disconnected from him.
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And the text is not referring to the initial 12.
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It's referring to other disciples, other students of Jesus that followed his ministry.
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And so they could not receive this saying.
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It was a hard saying.
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They couldn't digest it.
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And so many of them abandoned him.
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And in reality they abandoned themselves through their disconnecting from Jesus.
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But that's a whole another podcast.
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So the support that Jesus once had in that moment it diminished.
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It decreased.
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And then of course if you know the story he asked the 12, will you leave me also?
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The point is Jesus did not succumb to this obstacle of lack of support.
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He did not allow the fact that disciples left him support that he once had, he no longer
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had in a matter of minutes.
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However he continued to persevere and push forward toward the fulfillment or fulfilling
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of his destiny.
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He continued to push toward his purpose which was the cross.
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Even when he after he got after he was incarcerated after he was taken into custody and by Judas
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betraying him.
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Another one bit the dust but Jesus kept pushing forward.
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He lost support in that instance.
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When Peter denied him he lost support in that instance.
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Come on are you seeing that obstacles cannot be avoided?
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Jesus could not exempt out of he could not exempt himself out of obstacles.
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He could not exempt himself out of life's obstacles.
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However he overcame them and after Judas after Peter finally now he is on the cross.
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The Bible declares unto us that the disciples scattered.
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Everyone left him except John the beloved.
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Everyone else left him.
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However he never allowed himself to be tripped up by this obstacle lack of support.
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That's obstacle number three.
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So far we've covered the obstacle of getting started, the obstacle of procrastination, the
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obstacle of lack of support.
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Now number four the obstacle of frustration the last one for today's podcast.
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The obstacle of frustration.
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Now this one I'm thinking back over my own life right now in this moment and this obstacle
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pops up I don't know five times five times out of out of a day five times a week.
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In other words the obstacle of frustration presents itself consistently.
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I'm telling you it seems as though the slightest thing can be used as a frustrating instrument
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or instrument of frustration a tool to frustrate and if we're not careful this obstacle right
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here can cause great casualties.
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This obstacle can cause setback not only to happen in your life but giving in being defeated
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being overcome by this obstacle by the obstacle of frustration can cause a ripple effect.
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Let's look at numbers 20 verse 11 and Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he smoked
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the rock twice and the water came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their beasts
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also and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctify me in
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the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into
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the land which I have given them.
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Don't allow frustration to alter your destiny to alter your purpose don't allow what people
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are doing what they're not doing don't allow their complaining to seep into your spirit
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to seep into your heart don't allow their ungratefulness to affect you to the point
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where their issue with God becomes your issue and you frustrate yourself because of their
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ingratitude and now you're disobeying the instruction the direction God gave you and
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hence your frustration or you being or you allowing frustration to control you has now
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altered the will the purpose the assignment the destiny of God and you have to watch catch
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this you have to watch the people who frustrated you walk into a promise that was also for
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you is not that powerful Moses forfeited the promise of God because he tripped up over
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this obstacle of frustration and had to watch the very words that frustrated him go into
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a promise that was meant for him as well however he was not able to see what was promised to
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him up close and personal he wasn't able to touch it he only could see it from a distance
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and it was all because he did not overcome this obstacle of frustration don't let Moses's
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story become yours overcome these obstacles the obstacle of frustration the obstacle of
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lack of support the obstacle of procrastination and the obstacle of getting started well we
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have three more obstacles to go and we will pick it up on the next episode were you empowered
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were you challenged to think critically are you seeing and understanding this subject
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matter from God's perspective I want to hear your answers to those questions I want you
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to email me at admin at ctjohnson.org that's admin at ctjohnson.org or join the Facebook
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group come on over to the group via Facebook a biblical perspective podcast group and post
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your responses there post your thoughts I want to engage and I want to discuss with
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you what your thoughts were what obstacles you're facing what obstacles you're overcoming
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I want you to make sure that you send me your two empowering points as you wrote them down
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while listening today and you can do that again by emailing me at admin at ctjohnson.org
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or join the Facebook group biblical perspective podcast group and place your comments your
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thoughts your two empowering points there let's engage let's dialogue let's discuss
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visiting the show notes in the podcast description will provide you with the email address and
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all other pertinent information to contact me in case you could not write fast enough
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in regards to all that information thank you so much for listening know that I greatly
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appreciate every listener would you consider partnering with CTJM international and a biblical
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00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:44,400
perspective podcast enable us to continue empowering lives go to ctjohnson.org partnership
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00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:51,320
and sow your best seed today tune in next time as I continue to empower your thinking
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from God's perspective be empowered
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Thank you so much for joining me today on a biblical perspective podcast did today's
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episode empower you if so rate and subscribe to the podcast at cpn shows.com apple podcast
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or wherever you listen to learn more about me and CT Johnson ministries international
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visit the website at ctjohnson.org or text the letters ctjm to 855-686-1201 also connect
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00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:37,360
with me on Instagram and Twitter at ctjmintl and Facebook at ctjohnson ministries tune
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00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:46,240
in next time as I continue to empower your thinking from God's perspective be empowered
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,720
Welcome to a Biblical Perspective Podcast where God's point of view matters.
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I'm your host, Prophet CT Johnson.
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This podcast is designed to expand you beyond the mind's cultural and theological limitations
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about the Bible and what it teaches.
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Prepare for the challenge of becoming a critical thinker, analyzing life from God's perspective.
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Boldly and unapologetically, I'll address the ills and issues of our day using scripture
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as the frame of reference.
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Get ready to empower your thinking and change your life.
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Now let's hear what God has to say.
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Greetings.
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Welcome to another episode of a Biblical Perspective Podcast, the podcast designed
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to expand you beyond the mind's cultural and theological limitations about the Bible
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and what it teaches.
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I'm your host, Prophet CT Johnson.
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What joy it is to have this opportunity to empower your thinking and change your life
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from God's perspective.
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Today we're dealing with the subject of overcoming obstacles.
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Regardless of your pedigree, your ethnicity, your age, your financial status, all of us
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face obstacles.
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And even though we can't exempt ourselves from them, we can overcome them.
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And so we're going to teach you how to overcome your obstacle whereby you are able to accomplish
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and achieve that assignment, that goal, that desire that you have in your heart.
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But before we dive into the teaching, I want to encourage you to go to my website, ctjohnson.org
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and request to receive your free monthly empowering thought e-letter.
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The e-letters will provoke you to expand your thinking beyond life's limitations.
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So right now while I'm talking and while you're listening, go to ctjohnson.org and sign up
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to receive for free your monthly empowering thought e-letter.
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Every month I'll be in your inbox empowering your thinking and changing your life.
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So I want you to download for free the Charisma Plus app and subscribe to the magazine.
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And you can do it again all from my website, ctjohnson.org.
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Once you're there, click the CPN affiliate tab.
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Doing this supports and enables a biblical perspective podcast to continue empowering
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lives all around the world.
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So now get ready to think critically.
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That's right, put on your critical thinking cap.
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We're dealing with the subject overcoming obstacles.
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As we go through today's teaching, I want you to write down two empowering points, two
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things that is going to stand out, two things that deal specifically with what you're facing,
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what you're going through, two things that the Holy Spirit spoke to you as it pertains
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to today's teaching.
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I want you to write down a minimum of two empowering points and I want you to email
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them to me.
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I want to engage with you as it pertains to obstacles that you're facing or obstacles
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that you have overcome.
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So email me your two empowering points and you can send them to the email address admin,
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admin at ctjohnson.org or you can post your two empowering points in our Facebook group,
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a biblical perspective podcast group.
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So all you have to do if you're already on Facebook, search the name, a biblical perspective
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podcast group and answer a few questions.
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Click the join button and answer a few questions and you will be accepted into our group and
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you can post your two empowering points there or you can email them to me at admin at ctjohnson.org.
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Overcoming obstacles.
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What is an obstacle?
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First let's identify what an obstacle is and allow me to begin by saying this.
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An obstacle is not always a what, but an obstacle can be a who.
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An obstacle can be a person, an obstacle can be a relationship.
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So I don't want you to just relegate an obstacle to being a thing.
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An obstacle can be a person, but in general an obstacle is something that impedes progress
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or achievement or I should say by definition rather.
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By definition an obstacle is something that impedes progress or achievement.
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So before you can overcome the obstacle you must identify the obstacle.
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Write that down.
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Before you can overcome the obstacle you must identify the obstacle.
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You can't overcome what you don't identify.
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Now let's look at the meaning etymologically of the word overcome.
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So we know what an obstacle is.
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Now let's understand what it means to overcome that obstacle.
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So etymologically overcome is to reach, overtake, move or pass over.
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It also means to conquer, prevail over or my favorite defeat in combat.
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Now that's the operative word combat.
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So again overcome is to reach.
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Now let's dig further or dig deeper into that particular breakdown of the word overcome,
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to reach.
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In other words you must engage whatever the obstacle is.
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Many of us are passive as it pertains to what's confronting us, what's threatening us, what's
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taunting us, what's intimidating us.
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But you hear me pull close, you will never overcome what you don't confront.
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Let me say that again, you will never overcome what you won't confront.
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Being passive will always prohibit you from overcoming the obstacle.
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It will always prohibit you.
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Passivity will keep you in the posture and position of a victim.
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Passivity will keep you in a victim's posture and keep you with a victim mindset and or
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mentality.
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We have to move from the position and posture and place of passivity to the point where
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we engage what is intimidating, what is threatening because you won't get rid of it by ignoring
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it.
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You won't get rid of it by just again passively dealing with it.
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No, you have to aggressively engage what that obstacle is.
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Whatever is impeding your progress, whatever is keeping you stagnant, keeping you complacent,
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you have to engage it.
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So to reach, to overcome something, etymologically is to reach it, to engage it and then to overtake
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it.
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You can't overtake what you won't confront.
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You can't defeat what you won't engage.
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So stop running, stop dodging, stop sticking your head in the proverbial sand.
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No, greater is he that's what in you than he that is in the world.
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So remember the first two points that you need to write down, these are noteworthy,
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is number one.
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You cannot overcome an obstacle until you first identify it.
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You have to identify it so that you can overcome it.
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You have to know that it is impeding progress.
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You have to know that it is an obstruction.
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You have to know that he is, that she is, that that environment is prohibiting you from
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moving to the next level, moving to the next dimension.
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It is stopping you from progressing.
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So many of you have to be honest with yourself as it pertains to what your obstacle is because
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some of you are in denial.
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That's one reason why you can't overcome the obstacle because you refuse to identify it
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as that.
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You refuse to categorize that relationship that you're in as an obstacle.
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So you can overcome the obstacle until you identify it.
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Secondly, you can't overcome what you don't confront.
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So once you identify, hey, this is an obstacle, now you have to confront it.
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Now you have to engage with it.
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Now you have to address it.
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All right.
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So I want to now progress us forward into obstacles that we all face.
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We've learned what an obstacle is.
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We've learned how to overcome it.
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We've learned that we have to identify it as an obstacle in order to conquer it, in order
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to defeat it.
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So identity, then engagement as it pertains to overcoming whatever is your obstruction,
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whatever is impeding your progress, whatever is prohibiting you from moving to the next
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level, the next dimension of success.
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You have to identify it as a problem.
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You have to identify it as the issue, as the impediment.
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Then you have to engage it.
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You have to confront it.
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So I want to deal with seven obstacles that we all deal with, we all face, and you can
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overcome.
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The first obstacle is the obstacle of getting started.
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Now this one, all seven of them, all of us have experience or will experience, let me
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say it in that manner.
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But I would venture to say that the obstacle of getting started, everybody listening under
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the sound of my voice, you have came up against this obstacle more than once.
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Then it's time for us to move to the next task, move to the next assignment, whether
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it's the next level of education, whether it's pursuing another position in your current
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occupation or company, whatever it is, the obstacle of getting started is that number
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one hurdle that pops up more often than not.
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However, again, even though we can't avoid it, we can overcome it.
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I want to look at Genesis chapter 12 verses one through four, and it says, and I will
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make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt
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be a blessing.
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And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them, rather, and curse him that curseth
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thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
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So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was
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seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
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Now all of what we read in verse two were the promises of God to Abraham, the prophecy
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of God to Abraham.
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God prophesies to Abram directly, face to face, tells him what he purposed for his life,
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him and Sarah, tells him what he desires to do for him, what he desires to do through
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him, and God wants to establish him as the father of faith, and all of this wonderful
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stuff.
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However, none of what God spoke to Abram would have materialized if Abram did not overcome
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the obstacle of getting started.
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Listen to verse four again, so Abram departed, the obstacle was there, the obstacle was present,
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however he overcame it, he got started, and many of you are tripping up over this obstacle
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of getting started.
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You're tripping up because of fear, you are fearful of failing, you're fearful of getting
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out there and being disappointed.
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Well, news flash, you may fail, you may be disappointed, however you cannot allow what
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could happen, what may happen, what might happen, prohibit you from stepping out on
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what God said, stepping out based upon what God has shown you, stepping out upon his will
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for your life.
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You have to identify your fear of failing.
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Remember I told you that you have to identify the obstacle, you have to label it as the
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impediment, then you have to confront it, you have to engage with it so that you can
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overcome it, so that you can conquer it, so that you can defeat it, so that you can prevail
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against it, so that you can pass over it.
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So yes, the possibility of failing is there, the possibility of promises by family, friends,
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people being broken, not fulfilled, yes, all of that is possible, however I'm not going
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to remain stagnant.
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I'm not going to, listen, I'm not going to allow what might happen, stop me from achieving
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what I know I can do for I can do all things through Christ, nor am I going to stop what
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could happen, prohibit, I'm not going to allow what could happen, keep me complacent, that's
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basically what I'm trying to say, I'm getting excited, therefore I'm getting tongue-tied.
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So Abram got up, verse 4 again, Abram departed, he got up, you have to get started, write
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this down, you will never finish what you won't start, you can pray about it, you can
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see it in the spirit, you can have dreams every night for 30 days concerning it, you
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can be taken up into the third heaven and shown in great detail what God wants to do
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and all of that and come down with the revelation like Paul and John, however if you don't depart,
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if you don't move from your current, you will never seize or see the future, you have to
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get started.
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Obstacle number 2, the obstacle of procrastination, whoa, that's a big one for some of us, the
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obstacle of procrastination, what is it that you are twirling your thumbs over, what is
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it that you are literally halt concerning, why is it you have not moved?
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So for some they have progressed or overcome, overcame the obstacle of getting started,
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you started the business, you got your EIN number, you initiated the 501C3 process, you
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got started but now you are stuck, now your mobility is impaired, you are procrastinating,
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you know what the next step is but instead of you taking it, you are sitting, instead
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of you taking it, you are waiting or whatever it is you are doing, you are not moving to
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the next level, you are not moving to the next stage.
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So procrastination is another obstacle that will confront and face all of us.
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Proverbs 12 and 24, listen to this, the hand of the diligent, the diligent shall bear
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rule but the slothful shall be under tribute.
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Proverbs 13 and 4, the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soul of
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the diligent shall be made fat.
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So in order for whatever the agenda is, accomplishing it takes place when we move forward and many
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people are procrastinating for various reasons.
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You have to take inventory, you have to initiate a self-assessment, you need to take an introspective
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look at yourself and find out what is going on in my head, what is going on psychologically
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that is causing me to procrastinate, what is going on emotionally that is causing me
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to procrastinate.
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See it is not always something frivolous, it is not always something childish, sometimes
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it is something significant, it is something important, however it is still an impediment,
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it is still an obstacle and for many it is the obstacle of procrastination.
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But again I want you to hear what the scripture says, being slothful, being lacking enthusiasm
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because many people are procrastinating because they are lazy.
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You need to be delivered from laziness, you need to be delivered from slothfulness, you
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need to be delivered from a lack of enthusiasm, a lack of passion.
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And so for many it is that that is feeding your procrastination.
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You need deliverance from that spirit of slothfulness, that spirit of laziness because it says again
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in Proverbs 12 and 24 also in Proverbs 13 and 4, the diligent shall bear rule.
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That is what it says in Proverbs 12, 24 and then in Proverbs 13 and 4 it says that the
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soul of the diligent shall be made fat, the soul of the diligent shall prosper, the soul
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of the diligent shall be successful.
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You have to shake yourself from whatever the cause of procrastination is and overcome that
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hurdle.
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The second, the third obstacle is lack of support.
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Lack of support.
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Now there are many people that are tripping up over this obstacle.
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You can't move forward because those who promise to be there with you, they didn't make good
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on their promise.
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They aren't able to move forward or in some cases they're not willing to move forward
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in their promise to you so you're refusing to move forward because you don't have the
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support that you need, the support that you want, the support that was promised.
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You're now tripping up over and over and over again over the fact that they left or over
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the fact that they never showed up or over the fact that they showed up but they weren't
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consistent.
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They had no stability.
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They couldn't last.
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They could not fulfill the promise.
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And so now you find yourself tripping over this obstacle.
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Note, you're going to identify the fact that I'm hurt as it pertains to the broken promise.
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I'm disappointed as it pertains to having been let down.
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However, I am not going to sit here and make a career out of licking my wounds.
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I'm going to cry if I need cry but at the end of the day I'm going to dry my eyes, encourage
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myself because weeping endures for a night.
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But joy comes in the morning.
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Let's look at John 6 and 66.
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From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
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Now John chapter 6 deals with Jesus giving revelation.
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They didn't know it as it pertains to fellowship with him, as it pertains to relationship with
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him.
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He began to talk to them about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.
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Because of their carnality, thought that he was supporting endorsing cannibalism, the
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Bible says that many of his disciples they departed from him.
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They disconnected from him.
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And the text is not referring to the initial 12.
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It's referring to other disciples, other students of Jesus that followed his ministry.
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And so they could not receive this saying.
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It was a hard saying.
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They couldn't digest it.
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And so many of them abandoned him.
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And in reality they abandoned themselves through their disconnecting from Jesus.
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But that's a whole another podcast.
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So the support that Jesus once had in that moment it diminished.
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It decreased.
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And then of course if you know the story he asked the 12, will you leave me also?
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The point is Jesus did not succumb to this obstacle of lack of support.
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He did not allow the fact that disciples left him support that he once had, he no longer
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had in a matter of minutes.
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However he continued to persevere and push forward toward the fulfillment or fulfilling
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of his destiny.
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He continued to push toward his purpose which was the cross.
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Even when he after he got after he was incarcerated after he was taken into custody and by Judas
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betraying him.
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Another one bit the dust but Jesus kept pushing forward.
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He lost support in that instance.
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When Peter denied him he lost support in that instance.
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Come on are you seeing that obstacles cannot be avoided?
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Jesus could not exempt out of he could not exempt himself out of obstacles.
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He could not exempt himself out of life's obstacles.
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However he overcame them and after Judas after Peter finally now he is on the cross.
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The Bible declares unto us that the disciples scattered.
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Everyone left him except John the beloved.
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Everyone else left him.
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However he never allowed himself to be tripped up by this obstacle lack of support.
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That's obstacle number three.
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So far we've covered the obstacle of getting started, the obstacle of procrastination, the
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obstacle of lack of support.
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Now number four the obstacle of frustration the last one for today's podcast.
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The obstacle of frustration.
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Now this one I'm thinking back over my own life right now in this moment and this obstacle
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pops up I don't know five times five times out of out of a day five times a week.
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In other words the obstacle of frustration presents itself consistently.
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I'm telling you it seems as though the slightest thing can be used as a frustrating instrument
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or instrument of frustration a tool to frustrate and if we're not careful this obstacle right
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here can cause great casualties.
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This obstacle can cause setback not only to happen in your life but giving in being defeated
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being overcome by this obstacle by the obstacle of frustration can cause a ripple effect.
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Let's look at numbers 20 verse 11 and Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he smoked
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the rock twice and the water came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their beasts
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also and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctify me in
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the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into
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the land which I have given them.
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Don't allow frustration to alter your destiny to alter your purpose don't allow what people
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are doing what they're not doing don't allow their complaining to seep into your spirit
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to seep into your heart don't allow their ungratefulness to affect you to the point
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where their issue with God becomes your issue and you frustrate yourself because of their
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ingratitude and now you're disobeying the instruction the direction God gave you and
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hence your frustration or you being or you allowing frustration to control you has now
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altered the will the purpose the assignment the destiny of God and you have to watch catch
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this you have to watch the people who frustrated you walk into a promise that was also for
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you is not that powerful Moses forfeited the promise of God because he tripped up over
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this obstacle of frustration and had to watch the very words that frustrated him go into
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a promise that was meant for him as well however he was not able to see what was promised to
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him up close and personal he wasn't able to touch it he only could see it from a distance
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and it was all because he did not overcome this obstacle of frustration don't let Moses's
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story become yours overcome these obstacles the obstacle of frustration the obstacle of
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lack of support the obstacle of procrastination and the obstacle of getting started well we
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have three more obstacles to go and we will pick it up on the next episode were you empowered
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were you challenged to think critically are you seeing and understanding this subject
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matter from God's perspective I want to hear your answers to those questions I want you
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to email me at admin at ctjohnson.org that's admin at ctjohnson.org or join the Facebook
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group come on over to the group via Facebook a biblical perspective podcast group and post
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your responses there post your thoughts I want to engage and I want to discuss with
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you what your thoughts were what obstacles you're facing what obstacles you're overcoming
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I want you to make sure that you send me your two empowering points as you wrote them down
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while listening today and you can do that again by emailing me at admin at ctjohnson.org
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or join the Facebook group biblical perspective podcast group and place your comments your
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thoughts your two empowering points there let's engage let's dialogue let's discuss
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visiting the show notes in the podcast description will provide you with the email address and
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all other pertinent information to contact me in case you could not write fast enough
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in regards to all that information thank you so much for listening know that I greatly
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appreciate every listener would you consider partnering with CTJM international and a biblical
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perspective podcast enable us to continue empowering lives go to ctjohnson.org partnership
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and sow your best seed today tune in next time as I continue to empower your thinking
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from God's perspective be empowered
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Thank you so much for joining me today on a biblical perspective podcast did today's
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episode empower you if so rate and subscribe to the podcast at cpn shows.com apple podcast
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or wherever you listen to learn more about me and CT Johnson ministries international
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visit the website at ctjohnson.org or text the letters ctjm to 855-686-1201 also connect
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with me on Instagram and Twitter at ctjmintl and Facebook at ctjohnson ministries tune
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in next time as I continue to empower your thinking from God's perspective be empowered
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