“Sweet-Fire” - The Podcast
How to survive the flame when what attracts you burns
“Sweet-Fire” - The Podcast
“Embrace That Thorn” Upgrade - The Series
What do you do when that painful thorn in your life just won't go away? Like the Apostle Paul who pleaded with God three times to remove his affliction, many of us find ourselves desperately praying for relief from persistent challenges. Yet sometimes, God's answer isn't removal but rather, "My grace is sufficient for you."
This powerful conversation explores the divine purpose behind life's persistent thorns. Rather than viewing these challenges as punishment or evidence of God's absence, we unpack how they often serve as instruments of humility and spiritual growth, especially for those walking in spiritual authority. Just as eagles don't avoid storms but use them to soar higher, we too can spread our wings of surrender and allow the winds of divine grace to lift us above our circumstances.
We dive deep into what it means to exchange our weakness for God's strength, finding that our areas of vulnerability become the very places where His power is most dramatically displayed. This is true elevation – not the absence of thorns, but the presence of God's enabling grace in the midst of them. There's a wind of wisdom available that shifts our perspective, helping us see our challenges through heaven's eyes rather than our limited human understanding.
The conversation also addresses the shame many believers feel about their thornful situations, and how authentic community requires vulnerability about our struggles. God sends divine connections – mentors and confidants – assigned to walk with us through challenging seasons, offering His perspective rather than condemnation. Perhaps most challenging is our discussion of selfishness within Christian culture and our call to be truly kingdom-minded, supporting one another through life's thorny seasons. If you're facing a persistent challenge that won't seem to go away, this message will help you rise to power through surrender and discover the grace and glory available in the wind of God's presence.
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I heard a word. I heard a word this morning regarding the thorn that is pressing in someone's side and someone's flesh and someone's heart. There's a thorn that's sharp, that's sticking, and it seems to not want to give up or to let you go, but there's a thorn that is pressing you. There's a thorn that is applying pressure to you, much like Paul. In 2 Corinthians there was a thorn. A metaphor for the thorn is it being persistent. Someone's going through a trial, someone's having a difficulty, someone's being challenged, but the thorn is persistent. The thorn is persistent. It is painful, it's continuous. You want God to remove it but, much like Paul, god is not removing the thorn in your life. But he said my grace is sufficient, my grace is more than enough to carry you through this difficult time. And what we talked about and discussed, shared with you on last week, is the breath of God as he blows the storms in your life. The breath of God is carrying you through that difficulty, carrying you through the challenge, through the storm. You're going to make it, you will survive, you will overcome. That's a word I heard this morning Overcome, overcome.
Speaker 1:Where we talked about God lifting you, raising you, there's an elevation that has taken place. This is a series upgrade. There's an elevation that has taken place in your life. There's an elevation, there's a lifting. You've mounted up with wings because you've been waiting on the Lord. So you've mounted up with wings, like an ego, an ego in the storm who rises above the challenge, who rises above, who's able to spread his wings and soar high, into high places, into high places.
Speaker 1:And so I hear that for your life this morning, as I begin to declare a word of life over your life, in your life to rise to power. Rise to power. There's a divine power, divine strength and a divine authority that is resting on your life. Yes, the thorn is there, it's present. But then the word of the Lord say in all things, give thanks, not for all things, but in all things. While you're in it, while that thorn is in you, give God thanks in it, give God thanks in it. I am your host, dr Lydia Michelle Young, here with my co-host, intercessor, prophetess Janine Nicole, is in the building, y'all. She's in the building and we thank God for his presence. There's a move of the Lord that is going on here with Sweet Fire. Excuse me, sweet Fire, the podcast. This is Wednesday midweek refreshing fire Wednesday midweek refreshing fire. God bless you, intercessor.
Speaker 2:God bless you, god bless everyone. The thorn, the thorn. Oftentimes we, as believers, we are so quick to pray and ask God to remove the uncomfortable situation, to remove that pain, to remove that person right, to remove ourselves from that thorn, that painful experience, and all the while, oftentimes, god is wanting us to just embrace what he's allowed to take place in our lives. Instead of us asking God to remove the thorn, god is saying how about you stay right there in the midst of that thorn, in the midst of that situation, and embrace what I have for you, right there in the midst thereof, because in the midst, you know, of the thorn, full situations, if you will, there are treasures, there's, there's jewels, there's, you know, the wisdom of the Lord, there's elevation, right, there's higher heights, there's spiritual growth from glory to glory. But how many of us know we can go from one level of glory to another level of glory and there not be thorns?
Speaker 2:You know, not all thorns are going to be removed away. There are going to be some thorns that's going to be allowed to stay in place because of what that thorn has to offer, because of what that thorn has to offer right, that one particular thorn that God will not allow to be removed, like in the case of our brother Paul. You know that thorn has something to offer. Right that thorn calls the apostle Paul to cry out even the more to the Lord. Right that thorn brings us even more, so you know, to the Lord's feet that thorn produces the wisdom of God, the mind of God. How to soar over that particular thorn, amen. So again, welcome to Sweet Fire, the podcast. This is midweek refreshing fire and we are definitely glad to be to hear with you all again for another Wednesday, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely, that thorn. My goodness, the thorn, the thorn, and it's pressing. I don't know. I won't say I don't know about you, because that's not really my terminology. You know, I speak, but there's a thorn in my life that God has allowed to consistently be a major part of my life. But you know what, even when that thorn and I feel weak, while that thorn is pressing or while I feel the pressure of that thorn, even in that it's an opportunity. That trial is an opportunity. That tough moment in your life is an opportunity. It's an opportunity for us to exchange our weakness for God's strength. There's an exchange going on in the atmosphere. There's an exchange going on where God is applying the power of God, the divine power of God in your life, giving us authority on how we handle that situation, how we think about it, how we discuss it, how we talk about it, how we feel about it, and we're taking on again the wisdom and the mind of God while we're being pressed by that thorn.
Speaker 1:There are many and I'm speaking to some leaders right now those of you in leadership, those of you in ministry, those of you that walk in an anointing. You have a calling and a purpose and you've been chosen by God, my God, you have an assignment on your life to deliver a word. We talked about different types of wins. We talked about a delivering win, a wins of wisdom, the grace win. We talked about these different wins that blow. They blow through the mouth, they blow through the presence of God. So I'm speaking directly to leadership, those of you in ministry.
Speaker 1:God is not going to remove the storm. He's not going to remove the storm, but what's the idea of the storm? What's the idea of the storm? The storm is to allow us to experience the presence of God. That's one thing.
Speaker 1:But when we look at the thorn that leadership experience, much like Paul, that thorn that you're experiencing is so God can keep you humble because you are anointed. So God can keep you humble because you do operate in the gifts. You have the gifts of prophecy, you have the gift you lay hands. I mean, you're anointed, you call it out, you do the work, my god. And so, because of the anointing, the saturation that you walk in and operate in, as you're obedient and diligent in the things of god and the work of god, being not weary and well doing, my god, not quitting, not fainting We've been talking about that for these past weeks, not fainting while you're doing well, but continuing on because your due season is here and your due time is now.
Speaker 1:That thorn is intended to keep leadership humble. Keep us humble before God. Don't get pumped up, don't get conceited, don't think it's you. And that's what happens a lot of time and I don't even intend to go here In ministry a lot of people in ministry they start off with the mind of God and then they start getting puffed up and then now their vision is no longer God's vision. But this is a God thing and we have to remain God reliant. We have to remain God reliant. We have to remain operating with the mind of God and allowing the hand of God to move us forward as we soar above the challenge, as we soar above that thing that is pressing because of that thorn.
Speaker 2:Come on, amen. I'm glad that the Holy Spirit did take you in the direction of humility for a brief moment, because a lot of times you know that that is what happened. A lot of leaders they start off with that level of humility, you know, not forgetting where they've come from Right, having the mind of God. You know they heard the voice of the Lord, they wrote the vision, they made it plain, and then they read it and they ran with it, but then they just went too far. They went too far, amen, and yeah.
Speaker 2:So sometimes you know those, those thorns of leadership and even lay people, those thorns that you know that you're asking to be removed out of your life.
Speaker 2:You know there is that one particular thorn that God he won't remove.
Speaker 2:He won't remove so that we can remain humbled under his mighty hand, so that we can remain, you know, going boldly to the throne of grace, just as we are, so that we can remain seeking the face of God, pursuing the mind of God, amen, so that we can always be a people pointing others to God. So you know this is this is not something that many like to hear because they just been there, they're fasting and and you know they're praying and they're just crying out and asking God to remove that thing, remove that thing of God, and say and they're just crying out and asking God to remove that thing, remove that thing of God and saying I'm not removing it, I'm not removing it. Get the mind of God for the situation, get the clear perspective right. Clear perspective equals purposeful vision. I's a purpose, there's a reason, there's a purpose why that thorn is not being removed. So get the mind of God in the midst of that situation so that you can gather that clear perspective and run with the purposeful vision.
Speaker 1:Yes, clear perspective. We talked and shared a little bit about the wind of wisdom, the wind of wisdom where there's a release of the plan of God. God wants to return his people to the plan, right, right, he wants to return his people to his plan, his purpose, his agenda, his strategy, his technique. God has a plan. He's already written the script, my God, and people sometimes say, oh, he's writing my story, your story's already been written. So there is a wind of wisdom for your life, that you have a clear perspective, oh, my God, that your eyesight, your spiritual eyesight, would be shifted, that the lenses of your eyes, according to the will of God and the plan of God, would be shifted and would align with the purpose of God for your life and not only for your life. We said that you have an assignment on your life, your assignment. There are people, souls, hearts, my God men, women, boys and girls attached to the assignment that are part of the assignment that God has given you. There are people, my God and I also heard this morning that there are many because of the thorn, who are disturbed, because it's a prick, it's sharp right, who are feeling displaced, who are feeling displaced, but we're going to trust god because there's a release of grace, there's a release of glory. We're going to trust god that your hope will not be disappointed. Your hope will not, my god, be disappointed.
Speaker 1:He said I know the thoughts that I have toward you, of you, about you. This is the lord speak. I know the thoughts that I have Toward you, said the Lord Thoughts of good and not of evil. My God, to give you a hope, to give you a future, to give you an expected end. You can expect God to move. You can expect God to deliver. You can expect the hand of God, my God, to lift you. Come on, rise to power, rise to the occasion. Expect God to lift you. As you remain humble, he'll lift you up, my God, you as you remain humble, he'll lift you up, my god, as you remain home.
Speaker 2:Come on, intercessor, god will lift you up, amen, and that, yeah, look at the definition of sword right, right to rise or increase dramatically. To rise or increase dramatically to ascend to a higher or more exalted level. You know, and going back to those of you who are dealing with thorns in your life right now, there are many of you who are feeling ashamed, feeling ashamed. Don't be ashamed about that, what you're dealing with. Don't feel ashamed, don't hold your head low. You know, don't get discouraged because of that thorn that you're dealing with. You know, get the mind of God regarding that thorn. Get the mind of God regarding that thorn. And I'm going to say this, and don't be so quick, because some of us, we talk too much, some of us talk too much and with talking too much, we find ourselves talking to the wrong people. If you're dealing with thornful situations, if you're dealing with thornful situations, that thorn that you're just you're holding your head down, you're feeling discouraged because of that thorn. Get the mind of God, because getting the mind of God regarding all situations, but more particularly, we're going to keep it in context with the thorn getting the mind of God regarding that thorn in your life, god, god will send the divine connections, the mentors, the confidants that he has assigned to you in that thornful situation, and you're going to be safe there. You're going to be safe there to be able to pour your heart out and express that the weakness before that person that God has assigned to your life, because that individual that God has assigned to your life they're coming to your life with the mind of God for your thornful situation, to encourage you, to encourage you and people of God.
Speaker 2:We have to remember that we cannot forget where we have come from. We cannot forget where we have come from because you are unable to relate to another person's lifestyle, to how another person's story went, to what another person's weakness may be, to what another person's sins may be, because you have no relatability to that. It does not mean that you are any better. Let's remember we are all people. We are all people, we all have weaknesses, we all have shortcomings and we cannot forget where we have come from. We should be encouraging one another, standing in the gap for one another, holding one another's hands, interlocking arms and really supporting and embracing one another.
Speaker 2:There's I'm going to say it, I'm going to say it's too many selfish people in the body of Christ. It's too many self. What happened to being about God's people? What happened to being about God's people? We have to be more about others versus ourselves. What happened to truly loving God's people? Having the mind of God is to be about our father's business, and loving his people is our father's business. Supporting and encouraging his people, being there for his people, is our father's business. There are too many selfish people in the body of Christ.
Speaker 1:My God, that's just a say-la right there. Pause and think about it. Pause and consider the word that's coming forth today. Take a moment and really give it some thought. Are we about our father's business? Are we kingdom minded? Are we doing the work? Are we keeping our hands to the plow? Are we working while it is day for night cometh? Are we doing what he called us to do? Have we answered the call? Have we accepted the charge? Do you understand that you are chosen, handpicked, selected? God calculated who you would be in this life. He thought about you. He shaped you. You are uniquely made for the purposes of God. So rise to power, rise to the occasion.
Speaker 1:There is a shifting and a shaking and a sifting that's going on. God is saying rise to power. I've shifted your life, I've shifted your life. It's time for us to grow up as a people. My God, too many underdeveloped folk in the body of Christ. But God is saying today gain strength, gain strength. Let God blow in your life. He knows the direction that your life should go, he knows your destiny. So let him blow, because he will blow your life in the right direction. Rise to power, accept the shift. There's a height, my God. That can't be measured, that can't be reckoned with, and many of you, you're higher now than you've ever been before. The higher you go, the Lord is saying, the better you can see, you'll have a clear mind, you'll have the right perspective, you'll have an understanding. You'll have the right perspective, you'll have an understanding, you'll be able to unlock things that have been confusing to you when you allow God to rise, to raise, to raise you up to the height that God wants to take A position above.
Speaker 1:When we talk about overcoming overcoming over is the position above, but coming is the movement toward where God is taking you. So overcoming over and above that situation. Over and above the situation, we have to think about it differently. You have the ability, listen, you have the ability to think about your situation differently, therefore giving you the ability to change your situation. So overcoming over, indicating the position, the position that God is lifting you above that situation.
Speaker 1:All you eagles out there, hear me. All you eagles, hear me, my god, eagles who soar, you shall mount up with wings. Come on, intercessor, as eagles, uh-huh, yeah, you shall do what run and not be weary. Walk, walk and not faint.
Speaker 1:And a and what the word say Don't faint, don't faint, don't faint, but allow God to blow in your life. There's a wind, there's a breath of God that is designed to elevate you, not destroy you. The thorn is not created to destroy you. The storm was not created to destroy you. The trial, the trouble, the disappointment, the pain, the chaos, the trauma was not designed to destroy you. The trial, the trouble, the disappointment, the pain, the chaos, the trauma was not designed to destroy you, but it was designed to elevate you. So there's a divine interruption that's taking place today, where God is intervening. He's intervening. He's not moving the thorn, but God is in it. What did we say a couple of weeks ago? I see God's hand in your business, god's foot is in your business, he's in your circumstance. Come on, intercession, come on. That's when we get ready to close.
Speaker 2:That's when we get ready to close. Amen, rise, rise what did you say? Rise higher, rise to power, rise to power, rise to power, rise to the occasion. Eagles, eagles. Think about you know how the eagles? Right, they soar over that windstorm. Right, and they spread their wings. They spread their wings right, the spreading of the wings. Act of surrender, surrender, surrender, eagles, god's not going to remove the thorn. Surrender, surrender, surrender, eagles, god's not going to remove the thorn. Surrender, surrender, surrender. What you need in that situation, what you need in that thornful experience, is in the wind. What you need in that thornful experience, it's in the wind. It's in the wind, it's in the wind. Just spread your wings. Surrender, surrender, mount up, mount up, rise to the occasion, rise to the occasion. What did God tell Paul? Again, my grace is sufficient, my grace is sufficient, my grace is sufficient. Spread your wings and surrender in that thornful experience, surrender, surrender. What you have need of in that thornful experience is in the wind Healing and deliverance. It is yours. Surrender, mount up and soar, go with.
Speaker 1:God, amen. Go with God, mount up and soar. And I hear grace and glory. Grace and glory, grace and glory for your life, for your situation, god's grace and the glory of God which is before you, my God. And he said, and the word says the Lord shall be your rear regard, the Lord shall be your. In other words, he's taking up the back. So God has you, he has you. You're surrounded by his presence, you are surrounded by his presence. Again, grace and glory. And this is the last. The word that I heard while you were ministering, intercessor, is yes, lord, yes, lord, yes, lord. My soul says yes, my soul says yes, my soul says yes, my God say yes, my soul says yes. Peace be to you, peace be to your house and peace be to all you have.
