We Are an Army, Part 2 (cont'd)

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

That's Proverbs 27 verse 17 and this is destined for victory today. Pastor Paul Shepard talks about the vital role that other people play in our spiritual journey in his message. We are in Army. But first he joins me from a studio in California. Pastor, let's take a moment and talk here at the beginning. I know you're grateful for the way God is graciously supplied for our needs. It destined for victory, and we want to say thank you to those who been praying and generously giving even during the pandemic year, but I also know you're concerned.

Along with me that as people emerge from the lockdown that maybe ministries like ours could be forgotten, especially during the summer. Yes sir. First of all, I cannot adequately say thank you to all partners to the occasional donors and to our legacy builders because they have been very consistent for the past 18 months or so. No matter what they heard.

No matter what I was going on in society. No matter what. Panic buttons people were pushing donors seemed to get it that if we want to hear this kind of timeless preaching. We're going to have to make sure that this ministry is supported and they've done it faithfully.

If you're one of those people listening.

I want you to know how grateful I am that you follow the leading of the Lord, and you have been consistent in your giving and I pray that it continues not only in your life, but that we actually pick up new donors because especially when the summer hits all of us who do media ministry we might sound like where faith filled all the time, but some of us have those moments when we say Lord I sure hope these bills are there to be paid because the gospel is free but the plumbing costs and those bills keep coming in every month we can't get this done unless partners come alongside and I'm grateful and I'm praying that the Lord will keep them giving and supporting throughout the summer months.

I love traveling and now that we can all feel like all let's get back in the car. Some people as get back on planes. Whatever grade. Enjoy your summer.

But please don't forget that the gospel has to be supported. All year long, especially in the summer months. I thank you Pastor. That's what it's all about reaching more people with the gospel and that only happens as friends like you stand with us in prayer and with your generous financial gifts when you give today will be glad to send you by request is our thank you Pastor Paul's booklet you're in God's Army now. It's a great companion guide to the messages this week on destined for victory, one that explains how to be an effective soldier in the Army of God that you're in God's Army now about the from Pastor Paul in our gift to you by request for your gift to destined for victory is how you do that, call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to destined for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 again that addresses destined for victory.

Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538, so we have to understand, there is no accountability that we must call ourselves to. It's easy to be independent in your thinking. In today's world, but in the kingdom you're not an independent thinker or person who lives your life alone. You are part of a team and team work is what makes the dream work.

Christianity is a team sport, one which all of us working together to strengthen the church by strengthening its individual members today on destined for victory. Pastor Paul Shepard reminds us that it's up to each of us to be faithful in the role to which we been called, even when they may not feel like were holding up our end of the bargain with his message.

We are in Army years. Pastor Paul give you a hard time you want to go somewhere else.

I've never been met, Pastor, I believe the same Holy Spirit that since you can very well bless you as you go elsewhere. I don't have a problem believing that both are with us, sometimes for season. My problem is a lack of faithfulness. My problem is a lack of faithfulness.

When folks show up properly and leave them properly. That's AWOL. You are absent, and nobody gave you leave. The Saints taught us, because God is watching you watching you remember I was a win-win in those early days when I will play the piano for my church, and what have you to get the most I think it was really good.

Came in handy because I was in those days.

I'm coming out high school you were going to college I need some money and I was I was the PNS and I train the choir and then I played organ on the piano. But remember a time when our church was having a Sunday afternoon service the semiauto known on the back. The way church is to be you can come to a Sunday morning service and you done for the week back in the day sometime that was afternoon service sometime Sunday was all day long all live shot of the think what would be if that was happening in today's world all day.

We started at church 8 o'clock prayer 930 Sunday school, then some school let out a 1030. You had 1/2 hour till service start at 11 and we would run to the store and get handle goodies between 10 30 x 11 you had to be there when the choir and Jesus will come in at 11 o'clock Jesus and the choir came in at 11 o'clock, we love the Lord and let our joys be no marching design whatever sound they were marching in on that particular Sunday as that is what we do a limit, and then my dad had loan services long sir, though he had tersely was done for general auto service. Write down what happens I was auto service and often service will start at 11 and still in there sometime to 130 going on to a man, he was not unfamiliar with 3 o'clock services, but he was happy and we have learned that the way I went.

And so I talk about after that then some folk will go home with others will go down to the Fellowship Hall, you would know that the meal be prepared because while pop is still on his third point the chicken is coming up. Also me know is coming all over the next which are viewed on and you could tell the right people in the kitchen the day is smelling just good getting the chicken and macaroni and cheese and green beans and stuff the service we go down with those of Rabbi sit around and you have this nice meal. What have you, and enjoy that and then they sit around fellowship by 4 o'clock we back it was very remember one time in particular, we had these guess it was a couple and they keep played and he states saying together as a duet and what have you enabled, and it was planned and all that and I was tired of you know, I've been playing all week been playing and so to come in and I knew Ken and Judy and Judy was going play as I talk to snow, yet it would be the right time might not be there for the afternoon service so you go head on and just just let the Lord you should and this one time. I'm chilling out at home alone.

I wanted to say and so service will start at say 4 o'clock. I remember the exact time that particular season and say 4 o'clock before 20. My phone is ringing no quit laughing at the past 5 AM hello father.

Well you know what I wanted to say how cell phone. Y'all gotta realize it was a day. There was no cell phones anything like that so I just sent you pop a little tired been a long week and I started on my song and dance.

He cut me off in the middle of the song and the he said I want you here in 20 minutes and I felt like saying my clothes off.

I'm in my draws unfairly what you have 20 minutes click.

This is not a conversation I'm trying to help somebody. This is not a conversation. We are not going to explore how you feel all how tired you were this week. All my son.

What will happen. My britches come back: all my shirt. Everything jumped in the car ride to church walk in the song service is over no more music when I got to be here in the pics and I just let me think me you can't be all I should have asked him pop is been a long we would be okay if I stay home I know what the answer would've been, which is probably why I can plan. Let's just go with forgiveness when you can get permission get that was an ill-conceived strategy because he called me he wanted me there because I should've never not been there. Not because he needed me to play a particular song that Judy didn't know it was called. I want you here in the next time you think you want to not be somewhere you are accountable to me. I don't get anything. We have to learn that's God's plan for Paul settings that must be so must the soldier's almost all of us who want to get something done about how we think or feel these soldiers just confirm it is about you doing what you're told. You've got to do it knowing that other people are counting on you and so we have to understand, there is an accountability that we must call ourselves to. It's easy to be independent in your thinking. In today's world, but in the kingdom you're not an independent thinker or person who lived your life alone. You are part of a team and to work is what makes the dream work and you gotta learn.

You can't be absent without leave and so if you are going to be a part of a team, then fulfill your obligations do everything humanly possible because the ball when it comes to your service in the army of the Lord will live there here say one day. Well done. That's what I'm living for. That's what I'm working for suburban for doing what I'm doing. Just because it is because I want to hear my commanding officer one day. Well, good and faithful servant. We've got a be faithful. Folks call yourself the faithfulness we gotta learn principles like Connor. These people if I also just to continue talking about their relationship with their commanding officers told us how much they liked their personalities all you know my commanding officer had just best way of engaging people making them feel affirmed the all see how crazy it sounds nice and timely take and making you feel horrible. Why because the teaching your feelings have nothing to do with how good a soldier you are and we just heard when it was time for you not only be with the right attitude and how they don't know what you had to like because it better be on your face so you can have a funky face. No Belize I'm gone so long to don't go away were only about halfway through today's Destin for victory message with pastor Paul Sheppard who is senior pastor of destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Be sure to subscribe to Pastor Paul and YouTube to watch some of his best video clips for more details visit pastor Paul.net they're online. You can also listen on demand or recent messages or find a variety of resources that are online store. Now let's rejoin Pastor Paul with the rest of today's Destin for victory message. We are in our way past the people of different cultures and what have you.

Some people come from a very disciplined culture like a sister said her family. She said so when I got to basic training I was discontinuing family life pretty much because she's learned discipline as he lived a life, but not all of us have done that.

So we all have been human. Taking it easy. You been slacking all your life and this is a season where God's. I'm not going to raise your hand with minute so we all know that have been a slacker.

Pretty much all my life and now I gotta learn to do some things because God calls me in his word to do because spiritual warfare requires it, because the team is telling me we have to get past our thoughts and feelings get to a place where we learn how to be faithful one more thing and I will let you go soldiers relied on each other. We just heard this from boot camp all the way through until they are discharged from duty. I'm here to tell you were going to be an army that successful only because we learn to rely on one another. We have to learn to rely on other people. Now here's the thing I need you to understand in the first part of this we are not. I was talking about the fact that a friend of mine, Bishop Thompson, he pastored for decades.

He's now, semi retired, he turned his church over to one of his sons is doing a marvelous job at all and he just told of the overseer, but for many years as evil as the active pastor of this church in New England. I stayed in touch with him. He was a good friend of mine like a big brother.

All of my life and one of the things he did when he took his pastorate in New England.

He was always physically disciplined ran a lot, stayed in shape and he entered the marathon, the Boston Marathon, a one year did not complete it successfully. Five years later he reentered and he completed successfully. Let me tell you the difference because I asked them I said why were you successful the second time and not the first and he said three basic reasons.

As we talked I wrote down three basic reasons as he just sort of.

I just estimate that three of freelancing is thinking about what happened and I put it down in three major categories one was distracted he got distracted us in the previous message.

How he was running at a pace you trained that doing fine in the first race but this little thin child who was a real experience marathoner. This girl could talk while she ran a marathon and so she came back, I know, but this is first only only the conversation. I'm trying to finish so anyway they talked for a while and then cheated him and he said my pride kicked in my ego's normal things.

I like that run may and so he picked up his pace which he had trained so must the reason why you messing up is because you running with the wrongful. I don't have time to go to and so that was the first mistake, second mistake was he didn't eat properly express marathons had told him if you want to finish well and what you have to do is eat certain things which he said they told me here's what you do eat leading up to the race because a marathon is 26.2 miles, which means you're going to need to eat the things that will lock up your system so that you don't have to answer any calls in the course of running and he said he hadn't quite done what they told him to do, and between mile 10 and 11 of his first marathon attempt that call was too strong. One of his members house was right off the route and he ran down the houses I just go in and handle things get back in the race anyway and he handled things, but as he was leaving her house. His leg said you don't know it but we are done.

This is over.

This is no longer a marathon for you and he with John so those are the first problems distraction and disobedience to what he is told to eat and then he described the third and final reason that he succeeded.

The second time but failed the first and I called the third one he got a destiny connection I wrote that back in the 80s when I'm taken these notes. I did know one that would pastor destiny Christian Fellowship. I did know I would have a broadcast call Destin for victory, but I wrote back then, God gave them destiny connection. What was that he said one of the ladies in my church was an experience marathoner and when she heard pastors going try it again. I got up, told her to bring the dishes, try again. He said she came to me after the service of past I'm so proud of you. I'm so glad I'm excited. She said not pastor, would you mind if I help you, and he said no, no help, help me already and so she said Hartwell I want to help you with some knowledge because I know by being an experience runner that there's something you're going to need at key points in the race. You will need somebody to give you as you said you would mind. I must set up some folks who will give you what you need at the point she said, based on my knowledge, I can pretty much determine when you're going to need this and outstation people and he said okay that is good and so is out there running the second time he did letting thin people mess with his head all day run and pass I go ahead not just about he running at his own pace and in the second thing is, he had eaten properly. There was no call he had to answer I'm doing good.

I don't have that past 12 saw farther than I've ever been before. I kinda pass 13 father than I've ever been before and he said, but right between 13 and 14. I was getting tired I was doing what runners call hitting the wall. He said, but right about the time I think it may and this is on Elmo. If I can do the rest of this race right about that time he heard somebody say he looked over and wanted his members will stand in their head water in one hand and a banana in the and he ran by grant does the pastor and he kept running, drank the water which they have water station that wasn't uncommon at all, but also started eating the banana. I remember him telling me back in 80 when I'm interviewing him he's a man limiting some God was in that banana God was in that banana. He said he gave me the it help me get past that mental block that was developing ran on 15 ran alone and I'm doing good. 16 Randall 17 he said.

By then I started getting tired again. I thought about but I still got a long ways to go 26.2 and I'm 17 and I'm starting to get all man legs again heavy hoe no restart thing like that is the right of these approaches, the 18 mile marker. Here are some different boys past. He said I looked up and it was just another member station. It was a marathon runner herself and she had a second and he said when he came over to her to grab the banana. He noticed that she had her own race number and she began to run with him. At that point she said pastor Ron miss every other year used to run it every year the place now run every other year and this wasn't my year to run it but I was so excited when you announce that you were going to reenter one ball at your first failure.

Stop you from doing what you wanted to do.

She said so you might get a run.

Please run the 8.2 miles past that last part with him just to help him give him a booth, so she gave him a second banana and he start need that you can pass. I'm so proud of you. She started building him up and given him the vision of the finish line will be so excited. We got the chart but will be that way knowing you when you come we all will be singing in sports have been and what have you real demonstrative church and she started painting the picture. When we finish I came to tell you, he said, and as a result of that second way I found myself slide 26.2 now got a definite connection I came to tell you the Army is full of people you meet with you to strengthen you to train with you and to encourage you so that you can make the hardships of life.

One day we all going to hear the Lord say well done good and faithful's thanks so much for joining us for today's message. We are an army to find out more about Destin for victory or to contact us for prayer. Be sure to stop by our website pastor Paul.net that's pastor Paul.net God before you can be against Giants and walled city when God has promised it to you. And so the point here is that you have to stay positive about what God has put in your heart to do. That's tomorrow would pastor Paul Shepard's message stay positive until then. Remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory