By His Grace
Dr Stella Emmanuel: A Wake Up Call to the Church

Dr Stella Emmanuel: A Wake Up Call to the Church

This podcast contains material for entertainment/informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your own doctor about medical questions.

The episode features an interview with Dr. Stella Emmanuel, who gained recognition for her views on COVID treatments and her speech on the steps of the Supreme Court. She shares her story and perspectives on spiritual and physical preparedness for difficult times. The conversation touches on biblical references, concerns about digitalization, the state of the church, and the urgent need for waking up and repentance.

On this episode of By His Grace, join host Misty Philip as she interviews Dr. Stella Emmanuel, a passionate physician and minister of the gospel living in Houston. Originally from Cameroon, Dr. Emmanuel shares her personal journey and experiences in the medical field throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During the episode, Dr. Emmanuel discusses the importance of Christians living with eternity in mind and emphasizes the need for the church to wake up and disciple believers. She highlights the prevalence of sin and iniquity within the church and the need for repentance and preparation for difficult times.

Dr. Emmanuel also delves into her concerns about the global economic landscape, discussing the digitalization of the world economy and the introduction of central bank digital currency (CBD). She shares her belief that these developments may align with the prophecy in Revelation 13 about a required mark for buying and selling. The conversation further explores Dr. Emmanuel’s experiences advocating for alternative treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, for COVID-19. She discusses the opposition and attacks she faced when speaking about the effectiveness of these treatments and encourages individuals to be physically and spiritually prepared amidst the ongoing challenges.

With a focus on the need for revival and a return to the true gospel, Dr. Emmanuel appeals for Christians to take responsibility and stand against the moral decline in society. She urges the church to cry out to God for mercy and emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the persecution and pain that may precede the Lord’s return. Throughout the episode, Misty Philip engages with Dr. Emmanuel’s insights and experiences, offering a thought-provoking discussion that encourages listeners to examine their own faith and readiness for the times ahead. Be sure to tune in to this powerful episode of By His Grace.

Topics Covered


1. Living in Sin and the Call to Wake Up:– Many people in the church are living in sin and iniquity, which will prevent them from entering heaven.– Christians need to wake up and start living with eternity in mind.


2. Being Prepared for Difficult Times:– It is important to be prepared for difficult times by stocking up on food, water, medication, and other essentials.– Unbelievers will come to the church for support during challenging times, and the church needs to be prepared to provide both physical necessities and spiritual guidance.– Some people may compromise their beliefs, such as taking the mark or getting vaccinated, for convenience or to provide for their families.


3. Concerns about Digitalization and Centralization of Money:– World Economic Forum is discussing digitalizing the world economy.– Central bank digital currency (CBD) is being introduced, which will centralize money.Bill Gates has proposed a quantum dot tattoo that can store biometric information and money.– This system is launching on July 1.– It is believed to align with the prophecy in Revelation 13 about a mark required for buying and selling.


4. Speaking Out and Facing Opposition:– Dr Stella realized that the COVID-19 response was not based on science and believes COVID-19 was used as a cover for promoting the vaccine and transhumanism. She decided to speak out about their beliefs and went to Washington, DC and demanded that Anthony Fauci provide evidence for his claims. The speech with the Frontline doctors went viral, gaining 20 million views within a few hours.– They were subsequently attacked by CNN and others. Dr Stella started a tele-health service and treated over 150,000 people with hydroxychloroquine, successfully keeping many out of hospitals.


5. Importance of Being in the Word of God and Repenting:– Dr Stella emphasizes the importance of being in the word of God and having a relationship with Jesus.– Repenting from sins is highlighted as a way to avoid shame when God returns.– The excerpt discusses the importance of reading and understanding the Bible for Christians.– There is concern about Christians being distracted by media and technology, leading to a lack of desire for God.– Churches are accused of becoming more like entertainment centers rather than places of worship.


6. Preparation for the End Times:– Dr Stella mentions a ranch in Texas where revival programs are held to help people reconnect with their faith.– The speaker also discusses a 100-day prayer program and claims that there are non-human creatures among us.– The focus is on praying for God’s mercy and waking people up to the truth before it’s too late.– There is skepticism about the belief in a pre-tribulation rapture in the church.– She expresses concern about the moral state of many Christians and questions how many will be raptured if it were to happen today, and argues that the rapture will happen after the tribulation and not before. She mentions that God’s wrath will be released after the church is raptured.– Dr Stella emphasizes the need for people to be prepared for the times and encourages reading books like Revelation, Matthew 24, Daniel, to understand eschatology.


7. The Story of Dr. Stella Emmanuel:– The speaker is a physician and minister of the gospel living in Houston.– They went to medical school in Africa and are originally from Cameroon.– They discovered that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin were effective in treating COVID patients.– They faced opposition and attacks when speaking about the effectiveness of these treatments.– In July 2020, they attended a pro conference in Washington DC organized by Symongo.– During this conference, they had a moment on the steps of the supreme court where their voice was used to break fear and panic worldwide.


8. Spiritual and Physical Preparedness:– The speaker emphasizes the importance of being spiritually and physically prepared.– They encourage people who have taken the COVID vaccine to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness, claiming that God can regenerate them.– They do not believe that the vaccine is the mark of the beast, but suggest it is a precursor to accepting surveillance technology.– The speaker criticizes pastors who accepted money from the government to open vaccine centers, accusing them of corruption.– They call for a return to the true gospel and a time of revival and crying out to God.


9. Urgency and Responsibility for Christians:– The speaker expresses frustration and sadness over the state of the current generation and urges Christians to take responsibility for allowing the devil to take over.– The host, Misty Philip, is interested in hearing about Doctor Stella Emmanuel’s story and what led her to that moment.– COVID did not hit Africa, particularly Sub Saharan Africa, because malaria is endemic and people take over-the-counter medicines for fevers.– The CDC and FDA are refusing to give accessible and inexpensive medicines for COVID, resulting in unnecessary deaths.– The speaker advises people to be prepared and take necessary precautions.– The battle has moved beyond COVID, and people should focus on their jobs and the challenges they face.– The speaker discusses biblical references to COVID and the need for the church to wake up and disciple believers.– Humanity is facing an existential threat and needs to cry out to God for mercy.– There will be persecution and pain before the Lord comes to take out the church. The church needs to be aware and prepared.– The speaker advises stocking up on food, water, and medicines for when things get worse.

Pray for America

Vax Detox

Scripture References

Revelation 13 ESV – The First Beast

13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
    to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
    with the sword must he be slain.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The Second Beast

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,[c] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of[d] the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[e] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.[f]

Matthew 24 ESV – Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

24 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away[a] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,[b] but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,[c] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[d] and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Transgenderism: A Biblical Perspective

Transgenderism: A Biblical Perspective

On this episode of By His Grace, host Misty Phillip discusses the complex issue of transgenderism with guests Riley Gaines and Pamela Garfield-Jaeger. Misty introduces the topic by looking at scriptures. Riley shares her experience of competing against a biological male in the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship, which inspired her to fight against gender denying ideologies. Pamela talks about the dangers of affirming care and mental health services, which can harm people who struggle with gender identity issues. The episode also covers the physical and emotional harm caused by harmful content, and the importance of standing firm and not compromising.

Biographies

Riley Gaines, a 12 time All-American swimmer with 5 SEC titles was a successful female swimmer at University of Kentucky with ambitions to pursue a dental degree. That post-graduate ambition and her entire life was changed when she was forced to share a locker room and then compete against biological male Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship.This uneven challenge, not just for Riley but for every woman competing in the pool that day, was made even more traumatic when the NCAA officials insisted on giving Lia Thomas the trophy, despite tying Riley down to the hundredth of a second in the event. Riley can recall wondering why no one was standing up for her or for any women in the room. This moment became her call to action – to defend and protect America’s daughters against the woke left and their gender-denying ideology. Biological men should not take opportunities for success in sports away from women. Biological men should not share locker rooms with women. Join Riley today and help Protect America’s Daughters.

Connect with Riley Gaines on Twitter

Pamela Garfield-Jaeger is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience in community based agencies, home visits, hospitals, and schools. She obtained her degree from New York University in 1999. Unfortunately, in 2016, Pamela was diagnosed with a rare health condition that left her disabled and unable to work for four years. During this time, our country became more divided. Despite the setback, Pamela remains dedicated to helping others through her work as a social worker.

Connect with the Truthful Therapist on IG

[00:00:14] Podcast discusses transgenderism, women’s sports challenges.
[00:04:00] Trans athlete wins, causes tie, controversy.
[00:08:07] Don’t get discouraged, majority supports athletes.
[00:11:12] Therapist speaks out against woke ideology.
[00:15:33] Lupron: Reversible or irreversible side effects?
[00:17:04] Docusrama on harmful effects of transgenderism.

Biblical References

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 1:27-28 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality. – 1 Corinthians 6:9 ESV

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV

But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. – 1 Corinthians 7:2 ESV

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. –Romans 1:18-32 ESV

A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God. – Deuteronomy 22:5 ESV

Topics:

Swimming Competition and Transgenderism

Riley had plans to compete at national championships while in college, when she competed against a male athlete who had recently transitioned from men’s to women’s team. Although they tied, Leah Thomas won 200 freestyle, and the NCAA official gave trophy to Leah Thomas for pictures.

Female Athletes and Unfair Advantages

Many female athletes get discouraged when facing unfair advantages. We need to stand firm and not compromise despite the challenges. Overwhelming support for female athletes facing this issue. 

New Docudrama on Gender Transformation

Gender Transformation: The Untold RealitiesThe transgender movement has recently gained national attention; from the recent controversy of big corporations like Budweiser and Target over their support for the transgender movement, to transgender competitors outperforming female athletes and male prisoners identifying as trans to transfer into female prisons. A new trend has emerged among children who are being taught at young ages that they can choose their own gender. What is behind the rise of transgender movement today? And what are the implications on our children and youth? Coming out on June 19th on Epoch TV Reenacts real-life stories and shows the harm 

Parents Guide to Mental Health

Pamela has created online classes for parents. Encourages parents to speak out against CRT, gender ideology, and victim mentality.

Criticism of Gender Ideology

Effects of hormones and surgeries for transition are being dismissed. Use of puberty blockers can lead to sterilization and physical problems. The Truthful Therapist is an advocate for parents, families, and therapists who oppose gender ideology.

Speaker’s Personal Journey

Experienced a health problem that forced her to leave work. Came back to work in 2021 and noticed changes in gender ideology and victim mentality. Displaced again for choosing not to get the COVID vaccine.

Keywords:

docusrama, harmful content, reenactment, emotions, harm, families, individuals, young people, society, documentary, swimming, national championships, Leah Thomas, transgenderism, mental health, parents guide, online classes, woke ideology, CRT, affirming care, discrimination, puberty blockers, gender ideology, therapy, Lupron, physical problems, female athletes, unfair advantages, media portrayal, health problem, surgeries, COVID vaccine, hijacking of profession, masking.

Doris Swift:  Rediscovering Jesus’ Joy: Surrendering Joy Stealers

Doris Swift: Rediscovering Jesus’ Joy: Surrendering Joy Stealers

“On this episode of By His Grace, host Misty Phillip interviews Doris Swift at the NRB conference about her new book, “Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You.” Doris talks about the importance of finding joy even during difficult times and how it can help us share our love for Jesus. Misty and Doris discuss surrendering our joy stealers to God and finding strength in Jesus’ joy. The episode also delves into the Fierce Calling podcast, the personal relationship with Jesus, and the importance of surrendering everything to God, using our experiences for God’s glory.”

Doris Swift

In ministry for over 30 years, it’s Doris’s joy to encourage and equip women to walk deeper in God’s word and take action where their PASSION, COMPASSION, and CONVICTION intersect, in other words, their Fierce Calling. I’m an author, speaker, founder of Fierce Calling MInistires, and host of the award-winning Fierce Calling Podcast.

Book

Topics Covered

The Importance of Joy, The Book of John’s Approach to Joy, Finding Joy in Difficult Times, The Surrendering of Joy Stealers, The Fierce Calling Podcast, Abiding in Jesus for Joy, Building a Personal Relationship with Jesus, The Value of Transparency and Overcoming Shame

Joy can shift perspectives and help others share their love for Jesus.

The Book of John emphasizes surrendering joy stealers and abiding in Him.

Author’s book on joy includes a foreword by Suzanne Eller and encourages readers to find more information about its author.

Speaker expresses gratitude for Misty’s endorsement and encouragement during hurricane season.

Speaker “lives through” their book on joy after their home floods and finds strength despite feeling exhausted.

 “Joy of the Lord is your strength” message encourages seeking refuge and building strength in Jesus’ joy.

Sharing stories of personal struggles and surrendering joy stealers to Jesus is key to finding renewed joy and peace.

Fierce Calling podcast seeks to inspire and provide listeners straightforward application of biblical truth. 

Abiding in Jesus’s love and pruning by the Father helps bear more fruit and experience the joy of Jesus.

Building a personal relationship with Christ is essential to abide and experience Jesus’s joy.

Surrendering everything to Jesus can redeem all messes for God’s glory. 

Overcoming shame and finding transparency can brighten any situation and bring us closer to Jesus.

Time Stamps

Live from NRB conference, interviewer excited to speak with Doris about her new book “Surrender the Joy Stealers” and her resilient attitude despite life’s obstacles.

At an event, women anonymously shared their joy stealers and surrendered them to God. The speaker was moved by the struggles they faced and inspired a study to work through their issues and surrender them to God.

“Fierce Calling” podcast features guests sharing stories of their passionate and compassionate work, offering practical biblical truths to inspire listeners to pursue their own calling for God’s kingdom.

Abide in Jesus to experience his joy; pruning leads to more fruit; joy is not dependent on circumstances.

 Don’t hide secrets, surrender to God, and use experiences for his glory; woman had a teen pregnancy and felt shame until meeting Jesus.

Confessing junk is freeing; care what Jesus thinks, not people; the enemy isolates us but Jesus can redeem messes.

 Choose joy even in difficult times, read Doris’ Book of John study for love and Jesus. Endorsed by Suzanne Eller. Find Doris and more about the book online.

Full Transcript

Misty Phillip

Doris Swift. Welcome to the By His Grace podcast. My friend. I’m so excited to have you here.

Doris Swift

Thank you so much for having me, Misty. I’m really excited to be here today.

Misty Phillip

Yeah. So if you all hear a little noise in the background, I don’t know if we’ll be able to edit it out. But we are live at the NRB conference and I was so excited to see that Doris was going to be here because I wanted to interview her about her new book surrender the Joy. Stealers rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And I had the incredible honor of getting a sneak peek at this before it hit the shelves when she asked me to endorse it. So if you all don’t know Doris, she is just so bubbly and full of joy, and the Jesus joy in her is just so evident. And I know that it’s not just because life’s always been super easy. The fun, funny thing about that is Doris has been working on this Bible study for a while, and she’s gone through a lot of things that could steal her joy, but she’s surrendered those joy stealers. And so I’m thinking, Doris, about you’re in the middle of writing this study and going through that and your entire home floods. Like, how do you have joy when that happens?

Doris Swift

Yes. First, I want to thank you so much, Misty. It was just such an honor for you to endorse the Bible study, so thank you for that and all those sweet, encouraging words. As always. It was definitely a challenge going through having our home flood after Hurricane Ian came through, and I just was living the book. Oftentimes you hear authors say when they’re writing a book, they’re living through it. And I can honestly say that regardless of what was happening, no matter what, I grabbed hold of the fact that Jesus told us that his joy would be in us, that our joy would be full. And I always grasped hold that my joy was full no matter what, because I had Jesus joy in me to make my joy full. So regardless of how I felt or how exhausted I was, I knew that the joy of the Lord was my strength and that it’s the strength of others. And I want to share that message and encourage other people in that as well.

Misty Phillip

Absolutely. That’s so good. And you’re right. I don’t know what it is. I’m always leery when I start a new book. Like, do I really want to write about that and what’s going to happen with that? Yeah. Because that can be a whole thing right there. But I love that you said, the joy of the Lord is our strength. It’s our strength. And I think the enemy comes at us in so many different ways and life circumstances and things happen that really try to eat at that joy and try to just take away from our joy. But if we can focus on Jesus and study His Word and get in His Word, that changes our perspective on everything.

Doris Swift

Amen. And I have spoken with so many women who feel like where they’ve been, what they’ve done, what’s been done to them, or perhaps they’re going through a really challenging or difficult season and just can’t see past it, can’t see that God can use them even in the midst of the difficult seasons in their lives. And I just felt compelled by the Lord to write this study, to encourage women. It’s a six week study, six week Bible study. And the weeks begin with revealing what threatens to steal our joy, because before we can surrender it, we need to name it and we need to recognize what it is. And then we need to respond, which is the second week, by surrendering it to the Lord. And then we need to receive the joy openly and know that we have that joy that Jesus has given us. So to receive what God has for us, and then we are renewed. We want to renew our minds. We want to be renewed and refreshed, and then we want to rest in Him and find rest because we have work to do.

Misty Phillip

Absolutely, yes.

Doris Swift

And then the last week is reach because God produces the fruit in and through us, and he wants us to bear abundant fruit and be fruitful. And so what is all that floor? It’s not for us to keep to ourselves. A vine dresser doesn’t plant a vineyard so that he can keep it all to Himself. It’s for others. And so that’s what the Lord wants to do in and through us. And so it is a strategic six week Bible study rooted in John 15, that helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills them, empowers them, and ripens the fruit that God produces in their lives.

Misty Phillip

That’s so beautiful. What inspired you to write this study?

Doris Swift

There was an event that I spoke at some years ago, I believe it was 2014, and I was speaking on joy, and I asked women to write on little slips of paper what threatened to steal their joy that day. And it was all anonymous. They could write anything they want, and they deposited them into this box up front. And then they took a white carnation as like a symbolism of, yeah, I’m going to release this to God. I’m going to surrender this joy stealer today, and I’m going to take up the joy that Jesus gave me and the peace that he offers. And I don’t really think much about it. I figured there’d be things in that box, like busy schedules and different things that might overwhelm us throughout the day. But when I brought that box home and I just planned to read them and pray over them that the women wouldn’t take them back once they surrendered them. And when I read through each one. By the time I got to the last one, it was like a full on ugly cry because I just was so overwhelmed with compassion for these women who were going through such difficult seasons, and they felt safe to be honest about it, because their name wasn’t on it, but God knew who they were. There were so many things that they were dealing with addictions and marriage struggles and things with their kids and all kinds of things like that. So it just inspired the study so that women can work through their joy sealers, release them to God, because surrender is so key. And so once they can surrender those, it doesn’t mean their circumstances will even change from what they can see. But God is always doing something that they can’t see, and he wants to use them for his glory.

Misty Phillip

Yeah, absolutely. I’ve experienced that in my own life. Some of the biggest things that I held secret or private that I didn’t want to know anybody to know. But once I released that and was able to speak about it, then, now I have total freedom over it where I didn’t have that before, but now I do. And God’s brought so much healing in my life, but I had to say it, I had to admit it, I had to confess it, I had to surrender it, and then let the Lord do what only he can do. So I have a question for you. What do you hope women are going to get out of this study?

Doris Swift

I would hope women would grow closer to Jesus and that they would throw off any shame that they’re wearing right now because there’s so many women walking around with shame and the things that threaten to steal their joy. So I would hope that through this book that they can discover what their joy stealers are, what is holding them back, and then surrender it and then walk forward in their purpose and their calling. Their fierce calling.

Misty Phillip

Yeah, absolutely. We didn’t even touch on this. But Doris, you are the host of the Fierce Calling podcast, and tell everybody about your show if they don’t know your show.

Doris Swift

Thank you. Yes. On Fierce Calling, I talk with guests who are taking action where their passion, compassion and conviction intersect, which is my definition of a fierce calling because we all have something that we’re passionate about. And I want the guests to come on, share their stories, how God is using them, provide practical ways to apply that biblical truth to their lives, the lives of the listeners, so that then they can step out of any doubt they have and walk in their fierce calling. And the guests come from all walks of life. They come from all different types of ministry, service, and different things in their lives that they’ve experienced. But we’re all connected by our stories, so it is so precious to hear the stories of so many of these guests, and I would usually say women, but I’ve had a few male guests on too. So it’s been really fantastic to see how women have really been able to experience transformation just by hearing how God has brought not only the guests through, but they can look back in their own lives and see, oh yeah, God has brought me through this or that, and I do have something to offer. And what I’ve been through or what I’m going through is something that God can use for the furtherance of the kingdom.

Misty Phillip

Absolutely. Revelation says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

Doris Swift

Amen.

Misty Phillip

And so every time we tell our story, we’re overcoming, and we can help other people to overcome as well. Well, you mentioned shame is one of the big things that people hold on to, whether it’s shame or maybe it’s anger or maybe whatever those particular struggles are that they’re dealing with that really want to rob them of their joy. If someone is struggling with that, what would you tell them? How do they surrender the joy?

Doris Swift

What is so important, and as we read in John 15, is that Jesus tells us he gives us the keys to experience the joy that he has given us freely, and that is to abide in Him. And abide simply means remain. I know sometimes we can try to make things more difficult or complicated or confusing, but abide means remain, and he tells us to abide in Him. He abides in us, abide in his love as he abides in the Father’s love. And he is the vine, the true vine, and we’re the branches. And the Father is the vine dresser. And a vine dresser intricately and very personally prunes the vines so that they can bear more fruit. And it’s very delicate, it’s very intimate, and it draws us into this beautiful picture of the Trinity of God that we’re part of that. And when we abide in the vine, we will experience the joy that Jesus has already given us, which is what really the Bible study is about, is about the fact that Jesus gave us his joy, gave it to us already. It’s ours. And joy is not dependent on circumstances. It can exist simultaneously with difficult seasons in our lives. It’s not the same as happiness. It’s not based on how we feel. It’s truth. It’s God’s truth, his promise. And we can stand on that. And each day when we awaken, his mercies are new. Every morning, as the Word says.

Misty Phillip

I hold on to that one every morning.

Doris Swift

Yeah.

Misty Phillip

So let’s talk about remaining for a minute. So maybe we have somebody listening who doesn’t really know. They don’t know John 15, they don’t know what we’re talking about. How does someone remain in Christ? How do you stay connected to the vine?

Doris Swift

Yeah, well, it’s so important to have that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So if you have not yet surrendered your life to Him, that is the first step and it is a beautiful thing. So many of us may have grown up in churches that never talked that way, that never mentioned anything about a personal relationship. Growing up, I knew who God was. I knew who Jesus was. I knew who the Holy Spirit was. I loved them. I knew who they were about them, but I didn’t know them personally. I didn’t know that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus and that he was my friend, that he was my Lord, and that he was my Savior. So the very first step is to surrender our lives to Christ and just admit we’re sinners. We’re all sinners saved by grace.

Misty Phillip

All of us are sinners. And it doesn’t matter how big your sin is, because I am, like Paul says, the chief of sinners. And even in the midst of our sin, jesus died that we might have life. He came while we were sinning. So don’t let your sin hold you back, because I think that goes along with that shame. We commit sin. We know it’s wrong. The enemy is our accuser and comes against us, accusing us. And so we feel like we can’t come to the Lord, but that’s where we experience freedom when we come to the Lord, and we just confess our sins.

Doris Swift

Yeah. And it’s just so freeing for us to do that. And I even wrote a post years ago entitled what if Everyone Found Out? Or something like that. What if everybody found out? Because so many of us have had things buried in the back of our closets and we don’t want anybody to know. And it takes so much energy to keep those things hidden. And we carry so much shame and worry that people would find out the truth. And if they found out, they wouldn’t like us or they would judge us. But the truth is that God knows everything, and we can surrender it all to Him. And he loves us. And maybe we’re not supposed to share it with everyone at once. We don’t want to cast our pearls before swine or what the Bible says, but God will give us opportunities to share our stories with others. And our experiences, good and bad, can be used for his glory. I had a teen pregnancy and I was a teen mom. And for years I carried shame. I wasn’t ashamed of my baby, but I was ashamed because, honestly, you can’t really hide that sin very long. It’s going to come out, people are going to notice. So instead of trying to hide the sin, I hid myself. And I didn’t want to come out. I didn’t want to see any of my friends. And that was a really challenging time in my life. I didn’t know where I fit in. I didn’t feel like I was really still a teenager, couldn’t hang out with my friends. And then I really wasn’t like a mom going to mom’s groups and those kind of things. So it was a difficult season. I had a very hard relationship. The person I was with, I was supposed to marry this person, and he did not turn out to be who he said he was. And it was a really tough time for an 18 year old girl to be going through those things. And for years I carried the shame until I met Jesus.

Misty Phillip

When you meet Jesus, it changes everything.

Doris Swift

It changed everything. It just transformed my life. And I threw off the shame. And I even actually, later on, began volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center because I had been through experience like that. I had a supportive family, but some women don’t, and they’re lost as I felt lost. So I could understand that not all of our stories are going to be the same, but we can use those experiences to minister to the hearts of others. And God really uses it in amazing ways.

Misty Phillip

That is so amazing. And I have my own closet full of junk that you can actually listen to podcasts all over the Internet and find out, because I got to the point with all my stuff, too, that once I confessed it, it was so free. And now I don’t really care what people think because I care what Jesus thinks and he’s the one that I want to please and the one that I want to serve. And so that’s beautiful. And we do have to remember that the enemy doesn’t want that for us, right? So he’s going to isolate us like you were isolated, right? The shame, the guilt, whatever tactic that he has to try to make us feel like people aren’t going to like us or the Lord won’t understand. And I just want to say, and I know you echo it, that that’s bull, right? It’s we need to bring it to Jesus and he can take our biggest messes and turn them into our message and redeem it all.

Doris Swift

Absolutely.

Misty Phillip

Well, I want to ask you a question about the Bible. What is your favorite book in the Bible and then why there are so many currently?

Doris Swift

It’s John. This is the Bible study.

Misty Phillip

They’re all good. And when you do a Bible study, speaking from personal experience, like, you dive deep into something and it really speaks to you. And John is so rich. I listen to the audible. I listen to Max McLean read the Bible every night before I go to bed. And sometimes I listen longer. It depends on how long it takes me to settle my brain down, but that’s just my sort of way to be calm and quiet and focus on the Lord. And I’ve been listening to John lately, and the Gospels are so rich, so much goodness.

Doris Swift

They really are. And I love so many of the books. There’s so much good nuggets of truth all throughout that we tend to grab hold of. We’ll quote verses from Philippians and Ephesians. My verse in Ephesians, I believe it’s four. One is to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. And I love that verse. John is just amazing because, of course, I’ve been studying a lot with a study, but I also love the fact that if you have a new believer or someone that’s just coming to the faith, we can point them to John and say, read John. And you really can get to know Jesus through the Book of John. I also love Esther, which is amazing because the providence of God is all over that book, but yet he’s not mentioned.

Misty Phillip

I know. Is that amazing?

Doris Swift

Yeah, it’s so amazing, and it kind of reflects the fact that we can be Jesus to the world and even we want to speak his name, but in some arenas, we might not have the opportunity right then to do it. But the way that we live our life is a living sacrifice to the Lord, and it will bring others to Christ through our grace story, through the way we actually live it out. Because, let’s face it, Christians often are called hypocrites tell us to do this, but you’re not doing it. So the way we live our life, people are watching, and then it opens doors for opportunity to meet with people on a personal level and begin relationships that way.

Misty Phillip

Yeah, and I would totally agree with that. And even the fact of having joy, just being joyful right now, our world is really crazy and people are very selfish and self centered and in their own world. And even when we’re going through difficulty, we can still show up with joy. And that radically shifts people because they don’t understand how can you have joy in the midst of name it XYZ, right? A million different things that could steal our joy, but when we just carry joy, it opens up the door for us to share our love of Jesus. So I am so excited for the women to read your words, Doris, and to do this study to really dig into the Book of John and what the Lord has to say about abiding in Him and surrendering everything that causes us to the things that want to rob us of our joy. And the book is there’s a foreword by Suzanne Eller, who wrote a book on joy. She’s been on the podcast, and so that’s a great endorsement for the book right there as well. And so I’m just so excited for you. Please tell people where they can find you and find out more about you.

Doris Swift

Thank you. Well, the best way would be to go to my website, Doriswift.com, and you will find all of my social media links. You’ll find my podcast page and about the book where you can grab the book book and how you can be a part of this amazing journey to surrender your joy, stealers to God and rediscover the Jesus joy in you.

Misty Phillip

Yeah. That’s so great. We’ll put all of the links in the show notes. So, Doris, thank you so much for sharing your joy with me. I’m so glad to call you my friend and for sharing about your book on the podcast.

Doris Swift

Thank you so much for having me.

Kim Allen: Unleashing Your Spiritual Gifts for Effective Ministry

Kim Allen: Unleashing Your Spiritual Gifts for Effective Ministry

On this episode of By His Grace, Kim Allen talks about the importance of understanding our spiritual gifts and talents to find our place in ministry. She also emphasizes the significance of having the right people around us to guide and encourage us like a shepherd with a staff. Misty Phillip shares about the community coming together during Hurricane Harvey and how one can use their God-given gifts to help others in unexpected ways. The episode also touches upon insecurities and lack of confidence which are common struggles for women and how leading small groups has been life-changing for everyone involved. Kim Allen encourages listeners to fight insecurities and seek God’s guidance in fulfilling the works He has planned for them.

 

Kim Allen is a motivational speaker and author who has experienced firsthand the effects of lacking confidence and security in her own life. Throughout her career in pastoring and leading small groups, she noticed that many women struggled with feeling confident in their abilities despite being competent and well-educated. This inspired her to write about her own journey to self-discovery and share her personal stories in hopes of helping other women overcome their own insecurities. With her relatable and empowering message, Kim Allen aims to inspire women to become their best selves and achieve their dreams.

 

– Topic: Spiritual Gift Tests
– Discussion on commonly given spiritual gift tests by churches
– Story shared about how wrong positioning within the body of Christ can hinder one’s effectiveness
– Importance of understanding one’s gifts and talents to use them effectively
– Emphasis on having guidance from others to be in the right place in ministry

– Topic: Understanding Spiritual Gifts
– Discussion on how everyone has gifts that come in different measures
– Methods to learn about spiritual gifts like seeking help and getting into the Word
– Importance of using gifts for the glory of God

– Topic: Hurricane Harvey Relief
– Guest, Misty Phillip, shares how she used her skills to help those affected by the hurricane
– Importance of using one’s gifts to help others in unexpected ways
– Community coming together in times of need

– Topic: Mentoring
– Discussion on individual meetings based on personal needs
– Focus on building trust and encouraging others with scripture
– Bible stories and personal experiences used as encouragement
– Passion for helping others in their transformation, including spiritual growth

– Topic: Pursuing Dreams and Trusting God’s Plan
– Emphasis on being in the Word daily and the significance of community
– The importance of pursuing dreams and skills
– The idea that God has a plan for everyone and is working everything together for good
– Encouragement to prioritize meaningful connections over career advancement

– Topic: Kim Allen’s Career Path
– Kim Allen’s career path from IT to education
– Various roles in IT and education including developing curriculum and teaching technology to women
– The discovery of a passion for small group teaching

– Topic: Lack of Confidence in Women
– Observation of women struggling with confidence and insecurity
– Sharing personal stories to help others
– Emphasis on fighting insecurities to fulfill purpose and destiny

– Topic: Small Groups and Relationships
– Kim Allen’s passion for small groups and bringing people together
– Teaching more women’s events at her local church to create lifelong relationships and grow together
– Insecurities as an enemy of purpose and destiny

 

Kim’s links

Website | Book | Twitter | Facebook | Pintrest | Instagram

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