Priscilla Shirer: Choosing Dependency on God to Shame the Enemy! | Women of Faith on TBN
Priscilla Shirer: Choosing Dependency on God to Shame the Enemy! | Women of Faith on TBN
Priscilla Shirer shares how you can stand firm in your faith against the enemy by depending on God for your strength. Join us as we explore the transformative power of faith and God’s love in overcoming life’s challenges. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring content!
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I think that’s when God does his best work it’s when we are outnumbered it’s when we’re in over our head it’s when we can’t stand up on our own two feet that we get to see the strength of God perfected in our weakness I was recently in um South Africa and people would ask me they they knew I worked at Lifeway and they knew that LifeWay publish some resources with you and they say do you know Priscilla sh it was like it was like if I did I was like I was in I people liked me then and I like to be liked so tell me how
how is it you got into this this ministry and and tell us the the future a little uh history of the ministry itself yeah well you know it wasn’t my plan to go into Ministry I’m a preacher’s kid and loved Ministry never was adverse to the church or Ministry um but it just was my plan I had other Ambitions and goals and went to college to pursue something completely different and to make a long story short while I was in school folks would call from different churches and things and and just ask if I would come and lead a
small Bible study and you know in my dorm room I’d do that and so there might be you know five women sometimes I’d show up and there’d be 500 women wow and here I was 19 18 19 years old and I would just share with them whatever I was studying right then in my quiet time and to make a long story short 20 years later we just are still being invited to present God’s word so it’s just kind of been something that we’ve been doing as uh the Lord has kind of put the steps in front of us and we’ve been walking on
them and it’s been an adventure that’s what Walking with God is I think it’s just an adventure with him and that’s exactly what it’s been it’s awesome you were um you skipped this part because you were trying to be good to me and but but you were were in in news you were in TV news right and so what did you do there and and did that prepare you in any way for what you’re doing now or just something you need to get out of well it prepared me in the way that the Lord showed me he can take anything even
our greatest messes and he can really use them for something so I did do some television work which is what I went to school for that’s what I wanted to do and I worked a little bit for CBS in Dallas and uh another television station in Chicago and I would fly in and out of Chicago do some work at CBS and to make a long story short listen every television show that I joined in some sort of onair capacity every single one of them was canceled immediately after I a gift that you have gift that I had yes so it was completely successful and I
would get there and to be canceled wow wow and so so you became a Bible study teacher that’s a natural but that hasn’t been canceled that hasn’t been canceled a matter fact your newest Bible study is is Gideon which again is is kind of a maybe an odd character I want you to tell us a little B about why Gideon would be someone you’d want to dig in on and kind of communicate about what did the Lord teach you through Gideon well let me tell you first that when I this is I guess my nth or 10th Bible study
series now that I’ve done kind of a DVD driven resource and when I the very first time I did it I remember being so intimidated by the thought of doing what Beth Moore does basically right sure and uh when I stood in front of those cameras and began to teach God’s word and realized that I was able to do it with some sense of ease yeah because of all those years that I thought were Wasted Years where my self-esteem took such a hit soed all those cancellations those years earlier God brought back to my mind I
remember when I was teaching that very first Bible study he said Priscilla these this is what all that was about I like when you went like this and did that thing there because I’ve seen you teach and you do that thing and I kind of like that so don’t be afraid to do that thing on the show cuz I’ve seen you do that and it’s awesome all right so so tell us about Gideon and how Gideon relates well Gideon is a guy that I can relate to because here’s a guy that was overwhelmed he was in over his head he
just had more on his plate than he thought he could handle 300 soldiers against 135,000 midianites uh the ratio was 450 to1 by the time the battle began and I don’t know anybody who is living right now on planet Earth that cannot relate to that in some capacity whether it’s in their family uh life parenting children in their marriage or their relationship with their spouse or just on their job or in their Ministry we feel like sometimes we are not equipped to handle what it is that is right in front of us
but I think that’s when God does his best work it’s when we are outnumbered it’s when we’re in over our head it’s when we can’t stand up on our own two feet that we get to see the strength of God perfected in our weakness and so that’s what that’s what Gideon’s story encouraged me to remember it’s a story that I remember when I was a little girl but it’s like I saw it again as if for the very first time and this historical character began to remind me about God’s
greatest work being done in my life when I can’t do it myself it seems to me that people hear like the Gideon story or the David and Goliath story and sometimes they they kind of revert to the messages that you should be courageous you should you should and you should be it’s not that’s not that’s not to be be downplayed but but it’s not the totality of the story you know the passage I read at the opening of the show you know that Philippians 3 7-1 talks about that you know that that it’s about well
everything else is rubbish compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ he’s enough he’s more than enough and but so so when we see a Gideon Story how do we not see this as like a fable in the Old Testament times just like like you know the Fable asap’s fables and others that say good guy had courage won the battle outwitted the enemy cuz that’s not what happened I mean there’s a reason that God wanted a small army to take on a big army so that they would know that he’s a bigger God than any
concept that we could even imagin absolutely so so why why why why these stories and how do we not kind of reduce these stories to Simply you know try harder be good be courageous stories but we actually look to the strength of Christ in the midst of that well we have to think about what Redemption what the Redemption story is all about our God um he specializes in uh being in relationship with these beings human beings that are lesser than the Angels uh the least really um David said we are but dust before you and when we rely on
God when we trust him in our weakness when we show what dependence on God can look like we are actually man it is such an affront to the enemy every time one of us human beings who are lesser than even he his power his potential what he is capable of doing the enemy of God what he is capable of doing we don’t have that same capability inate And yet when we TR choose dependence on God and humility before God which is not what the enemy chose every single time we do that and Christ strength is seen in our
life it is an affront to the enemy and all of the demons in Hell quiver at what God can do with a human being that is relying on him that is the opposite of what the enemy do which is the reason why he was cast out of Heaven to begin with because he chose independence from God so every time one of us chooses is to depend on God we are showing the enemy what it looks like uh when God’s strength is perfected we but the the cultures that we’re in and there’s very you know people watch this show in 180
countries around the world and so one of the things that we will find in almost all of those cultures wherever you’re watching is is that there’s actually a desire to be independent and it’s it’s it’s kind of birthed in us it’s you got to do it yourself you got to make it happen there’s some cultures that might go it as a group but they’re still ultimately doing it in their own strength just in a group strength so I mean this is so oppos oppos to the way that in that we are humanly wired so how
do we and maybe just maybe just look look look out there and tell the people who are watching no this is how you di to self and live for Christ this is how you let go of your own strength and Trust in God’s strength talk talk talk we remember we remember what Paul said in in uh 2 Corinthians chapter 12:9 he said I boast in my weakness it’s basically like he’s saying I applauded I get excited when I have this margin this Gap in my life where I cannot in my own skill my own Talent my own ability my
own money my own connections my own education I cannot figure out how I’m going to make it from point A to point B instead of getting nervous about that or uh worried about it or discouraged by it Paul says basically now every time I see that Gap happening that Gap widening between my ability and what it is that I’m supposed to accomplish he says now I just get excited about it I get thrilled because that means God is making room for himself and so I feel like one of the main ways that we can begin to
Relish in um uh our humanness and God’s work in our humanness is to see every single opportunity where we realize we are not enough to see every single opportunity as a chance for God to step into our circumstances and demonstrate who he really is and listen that’s what the world really needs to see they don’t need a whole bunch of Christians who are just talking a good game about how great our God is they need to see somebody’s life that demonstrates that God is indeed great because we once were lost
but now we’re found we once were blind but now we can see we couldn’t accomplish this our marriage was hanging on by a thread but God stepped in and now the two of us are not still just married we’re happily married or my child was lost and wward and was living a a rebellious lifestyle but I have seen Christ step into this there was nothing as a mom or a dad I could do any longer for my child but Christ stepped in and brought my child back back home when we have those stories they are a testament
to the greatness and Grandeur of our God because if we do them ourselves it’s a testament to the greatness and Grandeur of us right and and so so the story of Gideon the story of David the story of all these things is not the story of how clever they were but how great God is how great God that changes and reshapes the way that we think but we get to the place where Paul says I boast in my weakness so how do I go it seems like I’m getting now and may maybe we struggle with I struggle with I’m sure
you do I struggle with actually acknowledging this is this is the time for me to say it’s not about me it’s about God but how do I get to the place where I actually boast on the other side and say you know what it’s all about God it’s all about Jesus that’s even another step on that spiritual journey talk us about that it is another step and I think honestly that it takes a minute to get there I think we’re all on a journey with that because I feel like you have to have a track record with God to to
base that on you have to have had enough experiences where you’ve seen God turn your weakness around and use it in a way that you know was beyond any capability you had you have to have experience with God in that way so that you can look back when the next time comes where you really in faith the next time could we talk about from Faith to Faith that’s trusting in faith seeing God do it again and build that Faith right yeah and listen I’ve got I’ve got this little kind of Journal that I keep it’s on my
on my computer I call it he speaks to me it’s just these times where the Lord either ministers to me some way uh through his word or times I’ve seen him uh come through in my life in some real way that lets me know that was God and I keep a record of it and literally in those times when I are am coming up against something I do not think I can handle or something that is beyond me I call these instances up I read them I remind myself about what it is that God has already done and as I remember that it builds this courage and excitement
and enthusias I I begin to anticipate what God is going to do here I don’t I don’t uh disdain it anymore or want to ignore it or circumvent it or get around it or hope this hurry up and it goes away no no no I am excited and sitting on the edge of my seat because if God did this then I am my eyes are wide open to see what he’s going to do now what an expectation life to say and to know he’s going to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we might ask or think to bring uh bring us through a hard time bring us
through a challenging time give us peace that passes all understanding that’s that’s a kind of Christian Life that well really talk about walking in Victory because we know he wins the victory not of ourselves but come come back to Gideon with me for just a second as you did the study what you what some of the things surprised you as you were looking at studying and teaching about Gideon well something that surprised me was that um I didn’t expect to get a lesson about giving gifts to God our gifts that we give back to God to be
used for his purpose say when G when uh Gideon first meets that angel under the oak tree the angel of the Lord the pre pre-incarnate Jesus Christ and they have an encounter together Gideon says I’ve got some gifts that I want to give to you and the angel of the Lord God himself okay we need to explain pre-incarnate Christ we’re talking about many theologians talk about that that that God the son has always been God has always this is God the Father God the son God the Holy Spirit but we see these pictures in the Old Testament where many
scholars say this is a time when actually uh pre- Incarnation Incarnation being the birth of Christ that that that God the son visited and often the angel of the Lord okay so this is why it’s a remarkable thing we see in Joshua 5 we see in other places okay so come come back to the story and so he brings gifts yes he wants to he he ask Gideon asks this guy he doesn’t know yet quite what is going on and that this guy is the Angel of the Lord but he says listen I’ve got some gifts for you will you
just hang on and we know the reader can tell this is God himself that decides he will wait while Gideon goes and prepares you know home meal in the most homemade meal sense you can ever make a meal I mean he’s got to kill the animal he’s got to make the UNL right he’s got to go through the whole thing this is no quick run down the street to KFC and bring back a meal talking hours that God chooses to wait on a man to bring his gifts back and so it teaches us lessons about giving our gifts to God that that
God values our gifts that every single one of us has something to bring and God is going to use it in his kingdom purposes but not only that it teach tees us the importance of preparing our gifts this wasn’t some fast food meal Gideon had to be willing to go back home and to take the time behind closed doors to prepare that which he was going to present to God how often is it that those of us who want to bring our our gifts into the house of God we we are so um interested in strategizing and planning our preparing our our our
talents for work or for other avenues in our life but but we should also prepare our gifts to bring back to God and not only did he prepare it but at the right time he had to present it there are so many people who have prepared gifts but they’re are too steeped in fear and insecurity to present them uh to God to bring them out from behind closed to doors at the appropriate time and utilize them to edify the body of Christ and then when he gave them to the angel of the Lord you now if I had spent all them hours making a meal I would want
this guy to be nourished by the meal to lick his chops and say that was the most amazing thing I had ever I have ever tasted but that is not what happened the angel of the Lord said said put it down and pour it out that’s not what I want to hear when I when I make this big meal for my family my three boys they better eat every little morsel and be thankful they better be thankful that is exactly right but this is not what the angel of the Lord did he presented this homemade meal to the angel of the Lord and the angel
of the Lord said are you going to trust me with it so that I’m not going to use it the way you thought I would use it I’m going to ask you to put it down and pour it out what will we do when we present our gifts to be used by God and what asks us to do with it basically amounts to putting it down and pouring it out not using it the way that we intended will we respond like Gideon did in obedience to God and uh doing uh what the Lord has asked us to do with our with our gifts and with our talents and
the thing is when Gideon was willing to do that all of a sudden fire came there was a sacrifice it was a sweet smelling Aroma to God because he was willing to do with it what God asked him to so we got to make a decision are we going to use our gifts the way we think uh we should be using our gifts are we going to use it in the way he asks us to which might amount to putting it down and pouring it out but that’s the only way bring GI sacrif God first Peter 4:10 says based on the gift they have received everyone should use it to serve
one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God we have many watching will’ll be in churches and and if they’re not in a church I want to encourage them to get into Bible teaching church but but there’s a place to serve in through and Beyond to ser and use your gifts but in obedience to Christ’s call knowing that God is the one who’s able who gives us the gifts and then calls us he’s we’re gifted with and by the holy spirit for his purposes and speaking of God being able that I
mean that’s the that’s the newest book right you’ve written a book called God is able and uh and and the red is that what you call the red book and and since you say not even that thing your thing the one thing that seems to defile all attempts to defeat it restore it heal it change it overcome it undo it just get through it and you say nothing is impossible with God it seems to me that more and more people are talking about and I like it the sovereignty of God the power of God and the goodness of God so
how does that relate to here how how is it a god- centered reality that ultimately God able when we’re not well it’s something important and is the foundation for all of us as Believers in Christ The Pinnacle of all of Paul’s writing was the book of Ephesians most Scholars say that of everything that he gave us in the New Testament Ephesians is right up there is the most important and um uh semin of all that he wrote and writes mcdb in the middle of this passage this middle of this incredible book as he is talking about um this
impossible circumstance that the Church of Jesus Christ is facing he’s trying to tell the Jews and the Greeks to get along they they can’t even imagine getting along with each other going to church together forming what he called this mystery race called the body of Christ and right in the midst of this looming impossibility he says now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all that you can ask or think it’s almost like he can’t even find the right words do you hear him just kind of vomiting the words
out exceedingly abundantly above and beyond in fact in the original language he’s actually creating words he’s putting prefixes onto words so that basically those words can be on steroids it’s not just awesome it’s like awesomer yeah I mean it’s like just making up new words he’s making up words and um he’s doing the best he can to try to get the church to believe that God can whether or not he will that’s his business his decision but believing that he can that’s our business and I think we live
in a day and age where the church has stopped believing that he is fully capable of doing whatever that need is that is before us there are so many of us me included at different seasons in my life there are some things we’re not even verbalizing in prayer anymore because we’re worried that if we put it out there and God doesn’t do it that maybe that is proof that he doesn’t care as much as we thought he did or it is um uh threatens his uh ability in the face of the world that is looking on uh but
Paul says never for a moment should we ever doubt the the Grand and vast capability the power that God has uh and is able to use in each and every one of our circumstances you I think if we if we talked sometimes the way we worship you know I hear people sing songs about the awesome Grandeur and power and majesty and it’s it’s it’s powerful but sometimes we don’t live as if the songs that we sing are actually true absolutely and and it’s sort of like we falls back to us but that’s I mean back
you know back to Gideon it didn’t fall back to Gideon it fell back to God back to back to this the passage in Ephesians it didn’t fall back to them they had this great mystery but it came back to God so how do we how do we lead how do we lead maybe our families maybe people are watching here maybe our churches how do we lead people again to ReDiscover the awesome Grandeur and power of God you you do that some here tell us tell us why and how from God is able that that emphasis is held forth I I feel
