Strong Faith Podcast

Fear Won’t Steal My Assignment

People of God, I want to take just a moment and pour something into you—because I feel like the Lord is dropping this into my heart right now. I literally just walked out of a prayer moment, and I can’t shake this sense that a message needs to be released. In this present moment where we live, it seems like the enemy of our soul will do anything he can to knock us off course—to cause us to veer off track—anything to keep us from fulfilling the plan of God for our lives. But I want to encourage you: don’t fall for it. He’ll try tactics of fear. He’ll try intimidation. He’ll try to confuse you, wear you down, and make you second-guess what God has said. But friend, you don’t have to live in fear and intimidation—because greater is He that lives in you than he that’s in the world. The God on the inside of you is so much greater. And I’m telling you… right now is a prime time. Men of God, women of God, remnant people of God—this is the moment to pick up the mantle God has placed on your life. This is the hour to be a voice. To be a watchman on the wall. To be a prayer warrior—somebody who prays into existence the plans and purposes of God. The Lord has been bringing this back to my heart over and over: we are to be people of prayer, first and foremost. Above everything else, we’re to seek His face. We are called to co-labor with God—to bring into existence what His heart desires. And I know some of you are dealing with fear. You’re afraid. You lack clarity. You don’t know what to do. But let me reassure you: if God has given you a word, you keep pressing into that word. You keep doing what He’s called you to do—what He’s planted in your heart. For some of you, God has called you to pray over your cities and your towns. And you need to do it with relentlessness. You need to do it with a heart that refuses to back down or give up. Because every time the enemy tells you, “What you’re doing doesn’t matter,” you need to answer that lie with truth: it does matter. Your prayers matter in the Kingdom of God. You’ve got to be willing to be a voice and press out, instead of listening to the enemy. I was thinking about Elijah—how he ran at Jezebel’s taunting words. You know the story. He ends up in a cave, discouraged, despairing, wishing life could be different. And praise the Lord, God met him in that still small voice. But here’s what I was thinking… what if there was more for Elijah than what Elijah ended up doing? Right after that moment, God speaks and tells him to go anoint the next prophet—Elisha. Elijah obeyed, yes. And we know Elijah ended up in heaven. We know Jesus spoke with Elijah at the Transfiguration. I truly believe he’s probably one of the two witnesses in the book of Revelation. So hear me: I’m not knocking Elijah at all. What I’m saying is this: what if there was more potential on the earth that he could’ve walked in… but fear and intimidation pulled him back from it? That’s my opinion. I don’t think the Bible says that anywhere. But it’s a thought that grips me—because it connects directly to you and me. Friend, we live in a pivotal moment. You live in a pivotal moment. And you may not consider yourself on the level of Elijah, but I’m telling you: your prayer matters. Your call from God matters. Your obedience matters. You listening to His voice and doing what He says—that matters so much in the Kingdom of God. And we don’t want to throw away our potential because of fear or intimidation—because of the things the enemy whispers to our mind. No. We want our hearts in tune with heaven. We want to listen to the sound of heaven. And we want to be the kind of remnant warriors who say, “I’m not leaving anything on the table.” * No, I’m going to pray for my community until my community sees revival. * I’m going to pray for my family until my children and grandchildren are saved. * I’m going to pray for my spouse until my spouse is saved. * I’m going to pray for my church and the leadership of my church. * I’m going to pray a protective hedge around my church. * I’m going to plead the blood of Jesus over my church and its leaders—because they need it right now. * I’m going to plead the blood of Jesus over my town. One of the things my wife and I have grown accustomed to doing is taking prayer drives around our community. We love it. God prompted our hearts to do it. But I’ll be honest—when we first started, I felt silly. I thought, “Is somebody going to see me driving around here, raising one hand, praying?” Then I began to realize something: the One who is inside of me is so much greater than every enemy planted in my town. So what do I have to do? I have to pray over this ground. I have to claim it for the Kingdom of God. I have to declare that everywhere my car drives belongs to Jesus and the Kingdom. I have to declare that men and women in my town are going to be saved and experience the presence of God and the revival of God—that they’re going to be touched and healed. And I’m telling you—there have been times on those prayer drives where things would drop into my spirit. I’d start praying against addiction. Against alcohol. I remember one time being in a certain spot and out of nowhere I began to pray, “God, destroy every spirit of witchcraft that tries to operate in my town.” And we live in a small town. It’s not some massive city where you’d think, “Oh yeah, that kind of stuff happens there.” But friend, I’m telling you: there is more demonic oppression and agenda of the enemy operating around you where you live than you might even stop to consider. So if God lays something on your heart—do it. For us, it’s driving around and praying. For you, maybe it’s praying for your church. Maybe it’s being a voice on social media. Maybe it’s writing blog posts or articles. Maybe you’re a pastor or preacher, and your call is to stand up in that pulpit unashamed, bravely, courageously declaring the Word of the Lord. Maybe God has put prophetic words in your heart, and you haven’t done that before. That’s been happening to me lately—and I’ve had to say, “Lord, give me courage to release what You put in my heart.” So I’m encouraging you: put your faith and trust in Jesus. Rise. Be a voice. Be a warrior. Because Satan will always try to tell you what you’re doing doesn’t matter. He’ll implant thoughts that say, “You’re not doing anything valuable. You’re not doing anything important.” Friend, that is absolutely untrue. God has a plan for you. He causes all things to work together for your good. And this relationship you have with Him—it’s not just so you can get to heaven when you die. No, no, no. This is an hour for men and women of God to rise with boldness—to go against the grain of their fears, to go against the grain of their apprehensions, and courageously lift up truths that matter in this timeframe we live. Your voice is necessary. There have been times God has moved on me to take stands against certain lifestyles or activities, and I’ve done that. But more often than not, one of the main things He’s impressed me to do is not only release prophetic words—but call the remnant into action. Call other prayer warriors into action. And let me say this about prayer. Prayer gets a bad rap sometimes because if you do it the way Jesus prescribed—go into your closet, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing—it’s not visible. It’s in secret. But hear me: what’s done in the invisible place is not only rewarded openly—its effects are felt openly. I’m telling you, demons tremble when you walk into your prayer closet. So you may be reading this and thinking, “What could I do?” Friend, prayer is an ultimate weapon. The Lord is looking for men and women who will give themselves to it. And I’ll be transparent… I do podcasts and videos and writing, and I feel called to do it. I try to be obedient. But deep in my heart, I also know it’s visible. And that can conflict me sometimes—for right or wrong. But I know this: when you go into your prayer closet and it’s just you and Jesus, and nobody sees or hears… it’s the most freeing time there is. Because you have an audience with your Father. You have an audience with heaven. And what you do in that unseen place changes realms and territories. It changes outcomes. It changes what the enemy meant for bad into something God can use for good. So the point of this episode is simple: I want to call out the remnant. I feel like there are grandmas and grandpas who feel like you’ve missed your day—or you’ve outlived your usefulness. That is a lie of the devil. I feel like there are young people caught in tension: “I don’t have time. I don’t have space. I don’t have visibility. I don’t have experience.” That’s a lie too. Every believer has something to offer the Kingdom of God. You and I just have to be obedient to the Lord—do what He says, and release what He wants us to release. If it’s a word—release it. If it’s prayer—pray it. If it’s to boldly declare—do it. If it’s to pray for somebody in the grocery store—do it. If it’s to pray over your children, your grandchildren, your family, your spouse—do it. Whatever it is… do it. That reminds me of that passage where Jesus is about to turn the water into wine. Mary comes to Him and basically says, “They need you to do this.” Jesus is like, “My hour hasn’t even come.” And then Mary turns to the servants and says that famous line: “Whatever He tells you to do, do it.” Because she had seen enough to know: when we’re obedient to Jesus, amazing things are going to come forth. Friend, no matter what He tells you to do—do it. I believe there are some Elijahs listening to this. There are some people God has an amazing plan for your life, and you feel stuck in obscurity right now—but God is setting you up. He’s going to use your voice. He’s going to use your prayers to impact Kingdom realms. And there is authority placed in you by Jesus that will accomplish His purposes. A Prayer Over You Father, thank You for the opportunity to speak to Your people. I pray encouragement would be released into them. Let the fire of God pour from heaven onto their lives. Give them boldness to openly declare what You long to declare through their lips. And Lord Jesus, I pray that You would work all things together. Let clarity come where it’s needed. Let these words be confirmation to people. Lord, as I’m trying to be obedient to You, let these words confirm what You’ve already been saying. Use it. Put it where it’s supposed to be. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thanks for being with me on this episode. You know what you’re supposed to do. Subscribe—then share. Help me reach more people. Thanks for reading StrongFaith.co! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strongfaith.co [https://www.strongfaith.co?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

18 de feb de 2026 - 15 min

We Owe the Next Generation an Encounter With God

There is a cry rising in my spirit in this hour: It’s time to wake up. It’s time to rise up. It’s time to encounter the living God again. Not just for ourselves—but for the next generation. Recently I heard Pastor Russell Johnson say, “We owe the next generation an encounter with the living God.” When I heard those words, something leaped inside of me. I found myself saying out loud, “Yes, Jesus. That’s what we need.” Those words have not left me. They have pushed a question deep into my heart that I can’t shake: What am I doing—personally—to make room for an encounter with the living God so the next generation can encounter Him too? That’s what this whole conversation is about. We Owe Them More Than Stories I grew up around the move of the Holy Spirit—Pentecostal roots, the gifts of the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, healings, the presence of God. None of that was strange to me. As a teenager, when Jesus saved me at fourteen, I had a burning hunger for His presence. I used to read old books I found from my great-grandmother—testimonies of miracles, healing, evangelistic crusades where people were saved, delivered, filled with the Holy Spirit. Those stories stoked the fire in my heart. But somewhere along the way, something shifted in the wider church. We went from powerful moves of God—salvations, healings, mass repentance, deliverance—to… almost silence. Not because God stopped moving, but because many stopped pursuing what it takes to live in continual encounter. A generation stopped tending the fire. We stopped putting wood on the altar: * Sacrificial prayer * Costly obedience * Persistent hunger for God’s presence And when you stop feeding the fire, the embers begin to die. We cannot do that to the generation coming behind us. They don’t just need our sermons, our nice church services, or our Christian culture. They need a living example of what it looks like when a man or woman truly encounters God. The Secret of Encounter: Travail and Obedience John Hyde—known as “Praying Hyde”—once said: “The secret of revival is travailing prayer.” I believe that. If we want a genuine encounter with God, it ultimately comes down to this simple question: Am I willing to pour my guts out in prayer before God? Not a token prayer. Not “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer. But the kind of prayer that consumes you. Prayer that lays your life on the altar as a living sacrifice—holy and acceptable to God. Prayer that refuses to be conformed to this world but is transformed by the renewing of the mind. Prayer that positions you to discern and live out the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. And true prayer always leads somewhere: * To obedience * To surrender * To humility * To a pre-decided “Yes, Lord” Not “Yes” after I hear the assignment. “Yes” before I even know what it will cost. That is where encounters are born. Seek First the Kingdom—For Real Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God…” It sounds simple, but it cuts deep. Seeking the Kingdom first means: * Asking, “Lord, what are You doing right now?” * Letting His priorities rearrange my priorities * Saying, “Use my life to speak to this generation. Let me be a voice, not just an observer.” People are hungry for truth. They are starving for the real thing. The truth sets people free—but someone has to speak it. So I have to ask myself—and I invite you to ask with me: * Am I seeking God first, or fitting Him in? * Am I seeking what He wants above what I want? * Am I willing to say, “Here is my yes. Use me however You want”? Because Jesus also said: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst… for they will be filled.” Not might be. Will be. The real issue is not, “Will God fill me?” The real issue is, “Am I actually hungry enough to pursue Him?” Stop Comparing Your Walk—Start Obeying One of the enemy’s favorite tactics is comparison. “I don’t pray like them.” “I can’t get up as early as them.” “I’m not as bold, as smart, as deep, as spiritual…” I’ve been there. I’ve looked at men and women I respect—intercessors, revivalists, pastors—and thought, I could never do what they do. Social media amplifies this. We see highlight reels of other people’s devotion and feel disqualified in our own. One day, God confronted that in my heart. In prayer, I sensed Him say: “I don’t want to have someone else’s relationship with you. I want to have My relationship with you.” That changed me. I can never be Lou Engle. I can never be Lester Sumrall or Smith Wigglesworth. And I’m not called to be. But I can be fully mine—fully His. I can be a man who walks in obedience with the exact measure God has placed on my plate. Whatever God puts on your plate—that’s what He’s asking you to steward. Don’t disqualify yourself because you don’t pray exactly like someone else, fast like someone else, or serve like someone else. Start where you are. Be obedient with what you can do right now. God isn’t asking for perfection. He’s asking for your yes. What Is an Encounter, Really? We make the word “encounter” sound mystical and complicated. But at its core, an encounter with God is simply: Drawing near to Him—and letting Him draw near to you. Scripture says: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” That is encounter. Sometimes that looks like a deep, quiet awareness of His presence as you read His Word. Sometimes it’s tears while you worship. Sometimes it’s electricity in your body or overwhelming joy. Sometimes it’s conviction and repentance. We don’t get to script how God moves. But we do get to choose this: Will I draw near? Prayer is the ignition point. Not the length, not the method, not the perfect structure. Just this: Go be with Him until you sense His release. For me, I’m on a personal quest: “How much prayer will it take to live in continual personal breakthrough and personal revival?” That’s not about earning God’s presence. It’s about aligning my hunger with His heart. If that means getting up earlier, lingering longer, or praying with more intensity—I want to do it. Not to impress God, but to posture my life for encounter. Everyone Is Needed in This Hour This part has been burning in me: Every age, every race, every tribe, every tongue is needed to build the Kingdom of God. You are needed. * Where are the praying grandmothers and grandfathers? * Where are the praying moms and dads? * Where are the aunts and uncles who will stand in the gap? We need you. The Kingdom of God needs your voice, your intercession, your example. The next generation needs to see what it looks like when a 16-year-old burns for Jesus—and what it looks like when a 76-year-old is still contending in prayer. I can look back at multiple moments—encounters with God that have marked my life. Those encounters have held me when I wanted to quit. They’ve reminded me, “If God did it before, He can do it again.” They’ve anchored me in seasons of shaking. Your encounters will do the same—not just for you, but for those who watch your life. When you encounter God, you are never the same— and the people around you can’t stay the same either. Jesus is coming. Sooner now than ever before. This is not the hour to sit back and coast. This is not the time to believe the lie, “They don’t need me. My voice doesn’t matter.” If you don’t say what God puts on your heart—who will? A Practical Challenge: Do Something With This You can read all of this and say, “Amen, that’s good,” and still stay exactly the same. But I believe the Holy Spirit is pressing us in this hour: Wake up. Rise up. Do something. So here’s a simple challenge: This week, intentionally pursue an encounter with God. Pick at least one of these and actually do it: * Set aside extra time for prayer.Go beyond your normal. Ten more minutes. Thirty more. An hour. Whatever God leads—but stretch. * Change your environment.Get alone with God in a room, your car, a park—somewhere you can focus and be honest. * Pray the Word.Take a passage (Psalms, Ephesians, Romans 8) and turn it into prayer line by line. * Turn on worship and fully engage.Don’t just listen—sing, lift your hands, kneel, weep, rejoice. * Pray in the Spirit.If you have a prayer language, use it. Let the Holy Spirit pray through you and set your heart on fire again. The point is not the method. The point is movement. If you will move a little toward God, He will move much toward you. He is incredibly faithful to respond to hunger, obedience, and simple, childlike faith. If You Don’t Know Jesus Yet Maybe as you read this, something in your heart is burning, but you’ve never actually surrendered your life to Jesus. An encounter with God starts here: * Believe that Jesus died for your sins. * Believe that He rose from the grave on the third day. * Confess Him as Lord with your mouth. * Turn from your old life and begin to follow Him. You don’t have to have perfect words. Just a sincere heart. Start where you are. Call on His name. Ask Him to forgive you, save you, and lead you. Then find a Bible-believing church that loves Jesus and begin building your life on Him. If you have questions or need someone to stand with you, you can reach out to me at larry@strongfaith.co. I’d love to connect. Final Word We owe the next generation more than good church services and Christian clichés. We owe them a living example of what it looks like to know God, walk with God, and encounter God. So here’s my prayer—for you and for me: Lord, let a raging fire from Your Holy Spirit burn in us. Birth a hunger for Your presence that we cannot control. Wake us up. Use us as living sacrifices that burn with Your love and glory. Make our lives an encounter that points the next generation straight to You. If this resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to be reminded: You are needed. Your prayers matter. Your yes matters. If this episode has encouraged or inspired you, please help us reach other people with it! This is our mission: To raise, build, and encourage Strong Faith in the Remnant and see them rise up with boldness and pursue the mission of God for their lives. Help us in this mission by SHARING this episode on your social media. Follow on Apple Podcasts ➡️ Strong Faith Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strong-faith-podcast/id1751344525] Follow on Spotify ➡️ Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0jzUxxuSkvqdG3TWUEDbIb?si=C6K-c5t4SIyb0vGDxoMkSA] https://open.spotify.com/show/0jzUxxuSkvqdG3TWUEDbIb?si=C6K-c5t4SIyb0vGDxoMkSA Thanks for reading StrongFaith.co! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strongfaith.co [https://www.strongfaith.co?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

29 de nov de 2025 - 26 min