00:00Hey guys, this is Troy Black. Today I want to talk about the lie that keeps us from being
00:12faithful. And the lie that I'm talking about is simply this, I would be happier if. And you can
00:20fill that in with anything. I mean, it's easy for us to think, I would be happier if I had this,
00:26or if I had more of this, or if I was over here instead of where I am, or I would be happier if
00:32I was with this person, or I would be happier if I had this job, or this amount of money,
00:38or I would be happier if I had a different past. But the problem with thinking that way is that I
00:44believe it's a lie from the enemy, and it's not from God. And the reason the enemy wants you to
00:49think that you would be happier if you had this, and to focus on that, is because it'll keep you
00:54from fulfilling the calling and the destiny that God has for you to fulfill. And the reason I
00:59believe it can stop us from fulfilling that purpose that God has called us to fulfill is because
01:04God has called us to be faithful in the little things. And we see that in Scripture that God
01:11expects us to be faithful in the little things before He'll put us in charge of much, or before
01:15He'll give us much. But if we keep focusing on, I wish I had that, or I wish I was there, or I wish
01:21that things would be different, and then I would be happy. And then maybe I would be able to get
01:27around to doing whatever it is that God wants me to do. If we keep focusing on that, then we're
01:32actually going to miss out on the journey that God wants us to be on right now. And we're going to miss
01:36out on whatever it is that He has called us to be faithful at right now. And what's crazy is,
01:43even if we got that thing that we thought would make us happy, even if we got whatever it is that
01:48that lie is telling us we need, we still wouldn't find happiness because happiness in and of itself
01:54is temporary. It's not eternal. But there's something that's stronger than happiness, something
02:00that's more fulfilling, more complete, and it's called joy. And it's something that comes directly
02:06from God. Galatians 5, 22 through 23 is pretty well known. It says,
02:13But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
02:21gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. The second fruit of the Spirit is joy.
02:28And that's something that we can only obtain, only get if we're walking in the Spirit,
02:33if we're spending time with our Savior. But when we start listening to that lie that says,
02:39this is what would make you happy, what ends up happening is we miss out on the joy that we could
02:45be experiencing right now if we were only walking with Him, and if we were only relying on Him
02:51to help us be faithful where we are. And the crazy thing about trying to go and get what you want on
02:58your own is that God has set up this life in such a way that when we're seeking Him first, Jesus said,
03:06seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
03:09He set it up in such a way that when we are seeking Him first, He's going to provide everything
03:14that we need. But we think we need what that lie tells us we need so badly that we're willing to give
03:21up the one thing that could actually give us what we need, and that's the Father. That's a personal
03:26relationship with Him. A verse that I really love is Psalm 1611. It says,
03:33You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand
03:42there are pleasures forever. And another translation actually talks about the pleasures forever being
03:49based on the fact that we're going to live with God forever, which is amazing that He says,
03:55in your presence is fullness of joy. All the joy we could ever need, want, or even experience is in,
04:03it's found in God's presence. And we're going to be in His presence for all eternity if we know Him.
04:10And so whatever it is that that lie is telling you to seek, just remember that it is a lie.
04:17God's presence is so much more rewarding in eternity and now than anything else we could get on this
04:27earth. It's God's job to take us where we need to be. So don't keep thinking that you need to be
04:34somewhere else. It's our job to be faithful where we are right now.
04:47God is so much better.
04:52God is so much better.
05:08God is so much better.
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