Letting The Fire Burn w/ Bro. Shawn Hartz | The Spirit Unleashed Podcast Ep. 6

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Brother Shawn Hartz to talk about real encounters with the Holy Spirit and what it truly means to let the fire of God burn in your life.

Brother Shawn shares testimonies, biblical insight, and practical encouragement for believers who are hungry for more of God’s presence. We discuss how the Holy Spirit moves today, how to recognize His voice, and how to stay spiritually on fire while also letting God burn the things of this world off of you.

If you’ve been praying for revival in your heart, deeper intimacy with God, or a fresh infilling of the Spirit, this conversation will stir your faith and challenge you to go deeper.

Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to stay connected with future episodes. Share this with someone who needs their fire ignited!

#christianpodcast #holyspirit #revival #faith #letthefireburn 

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Links for Encounters!
Northwest Florida: https://nwflencounters.com
North Mississippi: https://nmencounters.com
North Alabama: https://naencounters.com
West Kentucky: https://westkentuckyencounters.com
Ohio and Kansas: Links to come!

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Music: Skyline Sparks 
Musician: VN VideoEditor 
Music: Whispers of the River 
Musician: VN VideoEditor

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Spirit Unleashed podcast. We thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you for taking the time today to be with us. I know we're all excited to be here and talk with you guys a little bit about God today. Just we love doing this so much. I know, Dad, we we just have so much fun doing this. Yes, we do. We definitely do. We truly have a blast because we get to come up here and just be in the spirit for a little bit. And uh hopefully the conversations we have today, um, if they don't touch your heart, maybe they'll help you with something. Maybe they'll even transform you. Maybe you'll even allow the Holy Spirit to enter into your heart through this conversation today. Right. And I believe that truly this podcast, I know it's helping me a bunch. I know it's helping people that I've talked with a bunch. So I'm just excited. And our guest today, I'm very excited for Brother Sean Hartz to be with us today. Um, he's the leader of the Northwest Florida branch of the encounters that we've talked about a couple times on the podcast. He's got a ton to offer when it comes to wisdom of God, being in the word, being founded in the word. And we're just gonna let him kind of introduce himself and uh, you know, kind of give us a little bit of your testimony. You know, sure. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

So I'm Sean Hart. I am um so you talked about the encounters. Uh we've I've been doing encounters for 16 years now. So I started in 2010. Uh went through that as a participant in North Alabama, and it was not one of those instances where it was like, hey, this is just gonna be a great weekend, and I'm gonna go be a part of this. No, it was a very, very dark, difficult point in my life. And I swear God said, Come here, I need you to come be a part of something. Yeah. And it really, really just changed my life. Um and from that point, you know, he's done amazing things. I've been a I've been a part of so many things, and now we're we're fixing to launch into two more states this year, uh going into Ohio and Kansas. So we're now at we'll be at six states, but that's just a little bit about an encounter. So, but I mean right now we've been running encounters here, um, eight encounters a year, four men and four women for yeah since 2014. Yeah. So it's it's been awesome to be able to to be a vessel that's willing to allow the Lord to work through me and lead other people to be uh you know, you have an opportunity every day to have influence over somebody. Right. Whether it's somebody in your own home, your children, you know, places of work, and you know, for a long time I've just chose to wake up and when my feet hit the floor, Lord, I just want to be a kingdom influence today. And it takes a lot of work to get there. I mean, it doesn't happen overnight, it doesn't happen with a flick of a switch, but the opportunity to be able to be an influence in somebody's life in a positive way and in a kingdom way is just that's an awesome opportunity that I don't think lightly. I mean both of you know me very well. Yes. I mean, I I I try to be a good steward of the work that he did on the cross. A hundred percent. That's that's that's all we can do, really.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

I mean, you know, we'll never live up to that, but we can try our best to strive for him each and every day. Yeah, and more importantly, we can try our best to get other people to strive for him each and every day. Um, and you've talked about um at the encounters we've been to before in a moment that I it kind of got brought back to my mind while I was driving up here. You've talked about um how the Lord kind of spoke to you to plant uh a seed for the Northwest Florida Encounter Branch. Was that kind of a scary moment to step out in faith like that and be like, you know, Lord, I don't really know what you have planned for this, but I'm gonna obey and I'm gonna be obedient and just plant this seed. Was that kind of just a tough stepping point to take or for most it probably would be.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Sure. And and and had I had he not done so much work in the four years prior, because what I was once I went through my encounter in North Alabama, I was continually going back up there to serve. Right. And there was a lot of work that he was doing. And the interesting thing about it is that when I went through a very difficult season during that time, I didn't have a lot of people, I didn't have a brotherhood around me. I didn't have anybody. I had the word and I had a phone. And I had about one or two people to call. That was it. And I had to trust in what I was reading in the word and really believe and have faith that what that word said was absolute truth. Right. And I just walked in that. So I'm not one that um really has to him and haw about that. I probably I'm more like a Peter, like just go do it, you know, just and and we'll worry about putting the ear on later. But you know, I'm yeah, I'm just gonna go. So I mean, so really in that instance, I was just so hungry and and have been ever since, just so hungry and passionate about what the Lord's doing. Um he was quite clear to me. Yeah, very clear to me, because I'd spent a lot of time in prayer about it, and he just said that there's this is a region that needs to have men changed, and they need they they really need something, some type of reformation, some revival that needs to happen. Men need to get off of the get off their butts and do something. And that's really where he stirred in my spirit to go, okay. And I asked a couple questions and I was like, let's do this.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

And then it's probably it's probably you know a good feeling for you for to see that uh how encounters has expanded, you know, and it's blown up, and now we're you know in four four different states, and to be able to see the evidence of of God just blowing up all across, you know, I would have to say what Northeast, no, no, let's see, Northeast, north, yeah, the Northeast with uh Kansas, with Ohio, with North Alabama, with Mississippi, with with Florida. I mean, it's just the evidence of God working through men and women, yes, you know, and just and just building his kingdom. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

It is. It is. It's been it's been remarkable. I and you know people will say, well, you know, how how how do you just do this? And it's like, well, you just get up every day and say it it's all about what did he do on the cross for me. That's right. Well, if all I can do is just what what he commands me to do, then I'm gonna continue to do that until he calls me home. I mean, yeah, walk out this salvation with fear and trembling. I do not want to be away from him. You trust or obey him. Period. That's it. You know, yeah, yeah. And it's been it's been a lot of work to get to this point. Yes, oh yeah. I mean, there and you know, the rule of 11% comes in. That's right, right, that's right. Right. You know, a lot of people got great ideas, but it's the execution and just trusting in him, right? Yeah, yeah. And that was the interesting thing, is is for the last you know, twelve, twelve years, you know, we've just trusted in the spirit. Yeah there's been lots of learning experiences. Like you just do it and and when you have a mindset like I do, just go do it. Yeah right. And trust that I think this is him, it's gonna bring edification to somebody. And if I trip and fall, then well, I just gotta get back up.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Right. Right. Yeah. So and some of those experiences too that uh he may be speaking to you about, some of those may be meant for you to learn something from. Not all of them may be meant to succeed, some of them might be meant to fail so that you can learn a lesson from them. Especially when you're leading, you know, an event like that taking place four times a year. There's I mean there's not only that, but the amount of support you get, I'm sure, through prayer and people fasting. Yeah, you know, you you have that support system to be able to say, hey, you know, I I'm hearing this right now. It do you have any confirmation? Like in some, I'm sure you've had multiple instances of just getting it confirmed and and everything like that.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

I tell you what, the lessons have have been often more. Yeah. Yeah, because there's when you when you don't have um when you're trusting in the spirit to lead and guide you, and you're trusting in the word and that's what you go by, um, there's a huge learning curve when you come from a place where I was at. I was not I did not grow up in the church. Yeah. I mean, I was I had I had the title belt of heathen for for a long time. You know, I mean I had a lot of I had my fair share. There's a reason why he probably took a lot of lashes because of the yeah, you know, because the I had plenty of sin in my life, and you know, we all do, but you know, when you get to a place where you understand and you believe, and there's not somebody telling you. Right. Right. It's you understanding because of what he gives you, and then you read that word and you say, I need to fully surrender. Well, I mean, I just I guess I was just foolish enough to believe it and just said, okay, here you go.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

Well, I know, I know for me it is definitely I I can't speak for him. I know for me, you know, very apprehensive about, you know, attending. Um I know Brother Sam had, you know, he was on me and Josh both about attending coming to coming encounters, you know, and we were, you know, in our walk, you know, but I will say that it has changed my life tremendously. Um and every single one I go to, I learn something. I get something. I get something more. I get something more. I get deeper in my walk. And it's just, it's just been it's just been a blessing. Things revealed after that. It's just it's been amazing. It really has.

SPEAKER_00 9:36

And you meet people too that can help you in your faith. That's right. That can teach you things that you haven't come across before, but they have. And then you feed off of each other. And that's the beautiful thing about it is how diverse the that group of men or women is. The the walks of life that everybody comes from. Yeah. That's that's what the kingdom of God, that's what the church is meant to be. That's right. Is a diverse people, is a unified bride of Christ that comes from all walks of life that can just literally feed off of each other. Yeah. And we've been feeling it in in church services the past couple weeks. Just I've God has shown me how unified this church has been the past couple weeks. Yes. Just through the way he's moving in service, through the way people are praying for each other. It's just, and he's really been speaking to me about I've been speaking a lot about the Holy Spirit recently. And he's been telling me about how, you know, we are one with him. And I preached a sermon last Sunday about, you know, he's closer than you think he is, because people often strive, well, you know, why do I gotta seek out God? Why can't he just come to me? Why do I gotta get close and close and closer? Right. And I read scripture, it says, you know, who that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. How much closer can he get? Yeah, he's already that he's already as close as he's gonna get to you. So, you know, you have to just sacrifice the flesh each and every day. And that was one of the biggest things that encounters taught me was continue to sacrifice everything that he reveals to you to sacrifice because it you'll get a deeper blessing from that.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Absolutely, absolutely. What's interesting too is that you know, of all of the people that I've been involved with and and and had done ministry with and all through these years is and you two both, man, just bring so much to the table. And it's it's such an interesting thing to see the kind of the the broad span of people that will come through. And and you know, and and just for those listening, this is not a church, no right? This is not one of those things, this is just another tool to advance the kingdom, is all it is, you know. I mean, and it doesn't take away from churches. Actually, the whole purpose was is to try to help the churches, is to try to help pastors because I can't imagine just in the the responsibility and role of a pastor to try to deal with that so much stuff, right? And you're just one person.

SPEAKER_04 11:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Well, these things kind of will hit them hit the nail on the head and hit things in a weekend that you I mean, you spend three days alone with a bunch of guys that are all committed to the Lord and yeah, and just loving on each other in such a a a kingdom way, and really you can't run pretty hard to run away from the Holy Ghost in a place like that, right? Uh yeah, like you talked about being unified, so gathered together in one accord and in one place. That's right. That's right. I mean, yeah, you've got to be pretty hard to get away from that.

SPEAKER_00 12:27

So when you've got like uh I know the last Florida encounter we had, we had, you know, 40 or 50 servers up there. When you've got that many men there for the same purpose, God's gonna move in a minute. It's gonna happen every time, and you can't run from his presence. That's right. Jonah tried to run from his presence, and God did something huge to tell him that he was there no matter where he ran to, and it's kind of the same thing. You're gonna see a mighty move of God. And the beautiful thing about it is that when you get there, you have not just an encounter, you get you get teaching, you get fed, you get all this, but the most beautiful thing about it is that you really have an encounter with the Holy Spirit. That's right. You learn what his presence feels like, you learn how clear his voice can be when you're in that kind of atmosphere. Yeah. And sure, when we're in the world and we're not surrounded by that unified bride physically, it can be a little harder to hear his voice because you've got attacks from all angles. But you understand, okay, this is what I listen for. Yeah, this is what his voice sounds like. And I know, and you've talked about it many times, the voice of the Lord, if it's not glorifying and edifying somebody else, then it's not him. Right. Go a different route. Go to him in prayer because it's something else speaking to you, and it's it's not going to turn out well.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Yeah. I was on my way to work, and it it whether it has something to do with it, it does have something to do with this, actually. The other morning I was on my way to work and they're on 285, they're doing a control burn. Right. So they going down and doing a control burn, it's smoking everything. And this is when what I was telling you, you know, at the very beginning, you know, I was sitting, you know, in my chair this morning before I had had to go to an appointment, and that control burn just kept coming back to me, and I'm thinking, man. So I got to, I get I was praying, and I said the thing about a control burn, when I looked at the you know, control burn, what a control burn is for is to, you know, burn off the dead vegetation, the dead limbs, and you know, make room for new growth, right? See where I'm going? Yeah. So yeah. So this is where it to make room for new growth. You know, sometimes that not sometimes, but that's where, you know, our spiritual lives are. You know, you got to think about it is that sometimes we need to have a control burn to go through the fire, right? To burn the the old things of the world, the things that attack us, that you know, attach to us, and as we go to burn it off of us to where it'll make room for new growth. And man, I I thought about it, I was like, man, come on, man. Yeah, it hit me hard. Yeah, it's those small M's a lot of times too that you need to get off.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

100% because they're not very supportive.

SPEAKER_02 15:08

Well, and you know, in my time, you know, as I you know, through my walking, it, you know, I was in the fire multiple, multiple times. Yeah, multiple times. But I wasn't fully getting burned because I wouldn't, one, I didn't know what it felt like, and two, I didn't know what it'd do. It would help until I fully surrendered and then allow him to burn everything off of me. Man, it's like a it was a transformation, like no other. Yeah. He burned you physically and oh he didn't think that he did that. I had to say that. Yeah, he had to throw that one in there.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yeah, he burned me physically and that's right. Internally, that's right. But that was, but I believe, and I I brought it up as a joke, but that was a real point and that triggered everything. It triggered, you know, you you got physically burnt, and now you can look back at that situation and be like, Lord, you know, I've I've seen you in that, in that even in that day, yes, he was there. Yes. And it's that's the beautiful thing, is that when you go through burning stuff off of you and everything like that, when you sacrifice those things that he's trying to burn off you, the things that the depths he can take you to are just incredible. And and I'll testify to this. I I don't know if I've told you, but I've told it to our church because it truly was like these past couple weeks have been like a I've been getting smacked hard. So I was getting convicted over something very small, and what brought it up when I brought it up to the church, we had a Wednesday night discussion and dad brought up the question have you ever been convicted of something that you don't really understand why you've been convicted of it? And I was like, hmm. And a few days before he asked that question, I was in my truck, and typically in the morning, I'll grab an energy drink, drink it every morning. It's not a big deal. It's just a caffeine boost in the morning, you know, whatever. Didn't think nothing of it. One morning I got one from the gas station, got back in the truck, cracked it open, had a sip, and the guilt that I felt was unbelievable. The conviction that I felt was unbelievable. And I was like, Lord, what what is going on? I thought this was fine, like it's just an energy drink. Like, how is it different than this and this? And he spoke to my spirit and he said, You're beginning to rely on those more than you're beginning to rely on me. And I was like, What are you talking about, Lord? And he was like, if you don't have one of those each morning, you're a different person. If you don't drink that, you act differently. If you don't have that in your system, you're a different person. And then I was like, oh boy. So, and what's crazy is I've tried to I've gone stints without drinking energy drinks before and stuff like that. You know, you get the crazy caffeine headache, it's unbelievable. I threw that drink away, as soon as he convicted me of it, nothing. It was just like nothing. And these past couple weeks, his voice has been so much clearer. His purpose for my life has been a clearer path. He's brought revelation to me that is just unbelievable. And you're talking about that controlled burn. But when he when you sacrifice the small things of the flesh, right, the the depths it can take you to. Because the only reason the flesh is there is to block the spirit, to block the works of the spirit. So when you poke holes in the flesh, yeah, more of the spirit can shine through. And I'm telling you, man, it's been it's been a it's been a crazy ride the past couple weeks.

SPEAKER_02 18:43

I mean, think about how many times that happens to, you know, everybody. Yeah. Just the small things.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

You need that energy drink, or you know, hey, that candy bar or whatever it may be. Because if you think about it, that caffeine is a drug. It it can it's something to be addicted to, right? I mean, I'm guilty of it. I'm just gonna go on and say, I'm you know, I did the caffeine.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

I'm not coming against anybody that drinks any drinks. I'm just telling you what he convicted me of. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 19:11

This isn't a pitch for no no no no parental drug. Right.

SPEAKER_02 19:17

Yeah. But it's the little things, like you said, it's the little things. It's the little things that he convicts us of and pokes you, reminds you, say, hey, maybe you don't need that.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Yeah. Well, it's interesting. You you bring up the fire and you bring up cutting those things out. So when you were talking, I heard the Lord reminding me of uh of a time in prayer, and it's been quite some time ago. And I was in my secret place and I was praying, and the Lord revealed to me, he said, and this this and don't take this in a weird way, but the scenery in my prayer closet and while I'm praying, it was like sitting around a bonfire. And I'm praying, you know, and asking the Lord, and and the fire's there. It's what happens when at night if you have a fire, right? That fire will it puts off a light, and what it does is that pushes back the darkness.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:09

And what was happening is that fire was starting to dwindle down, and it was starting to be ambers. And I said, Man, what's going on here? He said, I need some more kindling. And I instantly knew what he was talking about. So he quickly I I knew he was taking me to John 15. Yeah. And it says that in John 15, he says that he'll prune you. And what it says is that the things that aren't producing any fruit, the limbs that aren't producing any fruit, he puts to the side because they're going to be set to the side to be put in the fire. So when he when I allowed him to prune me, because well, I think that lots of times we feel like, Lord, take this, take this, take this, take. Why would he take anything? He did everything he needed to do on the cross. Right. We have the opportunity given because of what he did on the cross to bring these things to him. Holy Spirit's revealing these things to us, energy drink.

SPEAKER_04 21:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:01

So I'm taking it to him. So I allow, say, please, and I'm and I'm asking to be pruned. Yeah. I think we should ask to be pruned because if there's something that's not producing good fruit in my life, it needs to go.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:13

So that kindling, right? I lot I went through a season of just prune me, prune me, prune me. And then the next thing you know, he's taken that stuff and the fire just he puts it on the fire and it lights up and he says, Now I have some kindling. And what happened was is that in that time, as that fire got bright, what pushed back?

unknown 21:33

The darkness.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

The darkness. So the more you allow him to prune you, you go through seasons where you may feel like it's a thinning process. Like, man, I just feel like there's not much there. Right. It has to happen because in order for new growth to happen, right, you have to go through that season of pruning so that a new branch can be grown and then produce new fruit, good fruit. And the thing about it is that we have to be careful to not allow that fruit to die. Too many times I see people that will, well, this is something that the Lord gave me. I just gotta keep it. No, you don't give it away. Yes. Because the more you give it away, the more he's gonna give you and entrust you with. Because and that's the thing, you know, for for years I just felt like if he gives it to me, I'm just want to give it away as much as possible because I just I trust that what his word says, right? It's he just give you more. And it was interesting because he he brought that back to my memory when he was saying that about being burned. Yeah, you know, sometimes we just need to let the fire burn. Yeah, and there's some things that need to go in that fire, and that's our opportunity to come and surrender these things to him. He's not taking them. That's right. I don't believe for a second that he's taking them. If he says come surrender them, I have one answer.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

Yes, God. Yes. That's right. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

I still have not found a place in the Bible where it went well for anybody that told him no. Talking about Jonah.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

It didn't go well for Jonah. No, it did not. It did not. Sure did not. Wow, man. Yeah. That's unbelievable. That that the seasons he can take you through of pruning and everything like that. I think people take for granted those seasons because it's so easy to um be caught up in a season where you're hearing his voice clearly, where he's revealing things to you so easily, where you're saying prophetic words to people, where you're praying, you're, you know, he he's working through you, doing healings through you, and everything like that. It's so easy to get caught up in those. But then when he brings you to a new season and those things start to dwindle, a lot of people, I believe, a lot of believers will be like, Lord, they'll just panic and be like, Lord, what's going on? What's going on? What's going on? instead of praying for, okay, Lord, reveal to me what this season is so I can walk into whatever it is. Yeah. And those those seasons of just being in that isolated prayer are so important. I mean, look at what what did Jesus do? What did the Lord do after He did all these miracles, He did all these healings? Every time He did something like that, where did He go? Went to isolate, went to pray, went to fast because he knew that he had to recharge. Yeah. And he fasted and he sacrificed the flesh. That's another thing that's been on my heart recently, too, is fasting. How in this world today, fasting is almost seen as something you can do to benefit your relationship with God. That's not what it says in the word. No. He says, when you fast, therefore you have to fast. It's there. You have to do it. And a lot of us get caught up in, all right, well, you know, I'll give up media for a day, no big deal, you know, whatever. But fast is a fasting is a starvation of the flesh. And to truly receive the benefits of it, you have to be doing it for the right reasons. Right. And that's that's one of the biggest things I think we can do when we get into those seasons of pruning or those seasons of burning. Just go into a fasting season.

SPEAKER_04 24:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Just start fasting and fasting. That way he can work on your spirit even more.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

Yeah. Yeah, there's those seasons are difficult. And and if the thing that's important and I've found out over the years is in seasons like that, when you don't know, right, you the one thing that I've learned is that I'm gonna go to him in prayer and ask who to go who to get confirmation from. Because let's face it, I mean, we're humans. We want some type of tangible feedback, whether it be audible or you know, somebody's handing on our shoulder, whatever it is. I mean, you can get, I mean, as a mature believer, you can get to a point where you trust and believe what the spirit's telling you, what you're hearing, you know, all those things because you've spent time confirming in the word what he's told you in the spirit.

SPEAKER_04 25:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Right. But at the end of the day, you're human and you still need something tangible. So that's when I've learned that okay, I'm I'm not really sure about this, so I want to go to you in prayer, but I'm asking him, confirm it through somebody, and that's where the trusted counsel comes in, you know. I don't I don't ask just anybody. Right, right. Right. And and and I have people that will call me it from time to time out of nowhere, and they're like, hey, are you busy? No. And I have somebody real close to me that will call me and he said, he'll just start asking me questions. Yeah. And I usually know what he's doing. Yeah, I have no idea, right? Right. And then he'll say, Oh, there it is. I'm like, what? He's like, Well, I just called you to get confirmation on something. No idea. We're just having a conversation, right, about this stuff. Right, yeah. But he knows. And usually when he calls, I'm like, I have any idea why he's calling. You know, because he but then there's times and it doesn't. But yeah, be be careful. Uh that's the one thing that I I like to tell people is be careful who you allow to speak in your life. Yeah. Yeah. And who do you allow to speak into and over your family? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

Especially as a new dad and oh yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And not just who, but what do you allow to speak into your life? Yeah. You're talking about going to people for confirmation, gathering with that trusted counsel. The world we live in today is a world of instant gratification. If I need to answer to something, we talked about on the last podcast. If I need an answer to something, it's it's right here. Boom. I can ask Siri, I got an answer in two seconds. That's right. But it's a virtue of patience when you're in prayer, when you're seeking an answer. Because most of the time you're not going to get instant gratification. No. That's not what it's about. But when you have that trusted counsel and you're going to people to seek that confirmation, that's what the world was before, you know, technology and media. People to solve problems, people would gather together and put their minds together. And it's the same thing in a relationship with God. When you go to the unified bride with your thoughts, with the prayers that you're having, seeking the confirmation, you'll get it as long as you have the patience because it's not most of the time it's not going to be an instant, yeah, instant gratification.

SPEAKER_01 27:59

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And then and not be so quick to just go ask somebody. Right. It's not a Facebook poll. Hey, let me just go ask so and so. Let me pick them up and and text them. No, make sure that you spend time in the closet.

SPEAKER_00 28:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

And you ask him first. Maybe you sit on it a couple of days, and I mean, it's not like running down of the Tom Thumb to get something. I mean, it's it's more like a crock bot process, you know. I mean it's kind of similar. It's got a slow simmer, it's got to work itself out, you know. And then that's the thing is it's man, it's about that relationship. Like just ask him. Yeah. And keep asking until you get an answer. That's right. You know? So man, it's that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

And I I talked about it uh a couple Sundays ago, how you know having that relationship with having conversations with him, it's like people don't realize that how close he truly is to them. And I I spoke about it on Sunday. Most people pray to a God that they believe is sitting millions of miles away in heaven, looking down upon him, and just he sees all from on high. Right. He's right here. You're talking to a God that is literally living on the inside of you. He's right there. He's right there. He doesn't just hear the prayers, he knows what's going on, he sees what's going on other than the prayers, but he wants you to bring it to him. That's right. Because it shows that you have a dedicated relationship with him, and most importantly, it shows that you love him. That's right. You're willing to be vulnerable for him. And that love after somebody, I find it hard to after somebody truly grasps like there's so many people that go through encounters and stuff that they've probably never been to a church service before. They've probably they don't even know who this Jesus guy is. But when they hear the gospel of Christ and what he did for us, how could you not follow him? Yeah, how could you not love him? How could you not be obedient just because of that sacrifice? That's right. There's nobody in this world that that will sacrifice like that for you. No, that's right. One person. There's not one idol in this world that'll make that kind of sacrifice for you. You got that right. No one. Yeah. Man. His his mercy is just so good. His love is so good. And uh I'm I'm so glad to be involved with the encounters like we are just for not only for uh it's a good time to go out there for a weekend and spend three days in the presence of God for sure. Yeah, but the servanthood that you get from it, it's it it'll only deepen your walk, it'll only deeper your relationship, being a servant just as he was when he walked among us, being manifested in the flesh, becoming a servant, striving after him each and every day, is only gonna deeper your walk. That's right. That's right. And I know it's done wonders for us.

SPEAKER_02 30:49

It's definitely it is it we've gone, we've grown closer. Like it is it is unbelievable. Yeah, it really is. And to be able to go through encounters with your son, it just it it just makes it that much. I mean, it's just awesome, man.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

I mean, it is. We got that old phrase, it just gets better.

SPEAKER_02 31:07

It does get better. It does. Every encounter is different.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Every every encounter is different. Absolutely. And I get something every time. The last one in North Alabama, I got something. And I was like, I got something just from hearing about it. I got it. I was like, I can only oh yes, and it it's amazing. It really is. It's just it's amazing. And you know, and some people don't want to get, you know, if they don't want to get that deep in their walk, that's okay. Yeah, that's quite all right. Yep. I mean, don't worry, but man, when you get when you want to get in that walk and you rely on him, he'll take you as deep as you want to go. Yeah, yeah. And it's amazing, it really is.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

We love it. We've seen so much evidence um lately, so much so much more fruit um because of the unity of the b of the believers and the body of Christ to really come together for one purpose. Because, I mean, we've been in church services, we've been in organizations, whether it be you know where you work or something like that, but when everybody has an agenda, you're not unified in one agenda. Right. But when you'll bring people together in a belief system in one Jesus, one Father God, one Holy Spirit, and it's in their their agenda and their intended purpose. And we know what that is, it's in the word. And when you will bring people together in in a capacity of just tangible the tangible love of Jesus really just draws people together. That's right. And you you commit to a to something that is it's it's about him, it's about what he wants to do. I I lay down and I surrender all of these um reservations and what I think needs to happen, and this and that, and there's a fire pit there, and I'm just gonna put it all there and leave it there. We've seen so much evidence, not just here, but in in other states and other locations. I mean, from time to time in the women's encounter that we just we just started back up in North Alabama, it was the same thing. Yeah, it's repetitive. It's not because of the the process, it's not because of the program, it's not it's none of that stuff. Right. Because you guys have been to it's different every time, right? But what's not different is the tangible love of Jesus, it's his presence there. Yep, and when you commit to that agenda, his plan and his ways alone, I don't mind just go out the window. Right. Yeah. And it's it's one, it's so powerful. You see such great evidence and fruit, and it's so much easier. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:41

Yeah. For a leader, it's so much easier. Yeah, yeah. I don't have to you know have to worry about getting this and that and yeah, what do you want to say?

SPEAKER_00 33:48

I think my favorite thing about watching you lead up there at the encounters when we go is how you're just like, most people, when you're putting on a a weekend event, most people are like here and here and here and here and there, and they're trying to plant do this, do this, do this, do this. And you're just like, Man, I'm staying out of the way. I'm just letting him, I'm just letting him do this, you know. And you talk about that agenda. I compare I am compare encounters a lot um to you know the upper room experience. You had 120 people up there, they were all there for the same purpose because the Lord told them to go and wait. Yes, and they were the ones that stuck it out and they waited and they received the blessing for us. That's right, that's right. And that's that's the feeling that I get. That's the analogy I make whenever I'm talking to somebody about it, because it truly is just a unified body there to worship God and there to show that love, and there to be the vessel of love for for those people there. Because a lot of the people that are coming through the first time, maybe they've never felt that kind of love in their life. Maybe they've never had somebody come up to them, you know, just hug their neck and be like, hey man, I love you. Yeah, you know. And I guarantee you, and I know you've talked about this many times, that's all you got to do sometimes, man. That's it, is just show that love. Yeah. And it'll it'll break somebody harder than you don't want it.

SPEAKER_02 35:08

Sometimes you don't even have to say a word, just stand there beside them, put your arm around them. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. Because the Lord will work through you, even though you hadn't said a word, it's and then they'll melt they all literally it's like they melt in your arm. Because that's all they need, man. They don't need a profound word. They don't all they need is just love. That's all they need. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:27

And that's the interesting thing too, is that it's, you know, you you've been to North Alabama. So we're in Kentucky, North Alabama, North Mississippi, here, I'm fixing to go to Ohio and Kansas, and and I've ministered with people from all of these places, right? Down in South Florida. And the interesting thing is you have people that come from all different walks of life, all different experiences, right? Yeah. And when they come together, and it's it really has been for as long as I've been doing this, I've been doing this for 16 years. The one thing that's evident almost every single time is the tangible love of Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

And it doesn't matter who it comes from.

SPEAKER_03 36:07

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 36:07

Like you said, it's not about a word, it's not about this. It's just simply the tangible love of Jesus expressed through another believer, through another brother in Christ or a sister in Christ. That's right. And it's you can cut through all of the garbage. That's right. And and when that comes to when when that comes to pass, that's when we really see things start to move. You start having an upper room experience. That's right. Yeah. And then and then you can take that and go, let me take that home.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Oh yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

You know, what happens when I get back home?

SPEAKER_00 36:38

That's where the real work starts exactly for sure. That's right. Because it's like we were talking about earlier. It's easy to be obedient and to worship and to praise and to love when you're in that atmosphere. What are you going to do when your back's against the wall? Yeah. You're going to have that same mindset or are you going to cave to a different authority? Right. What are you going to do? And the beautiful thing about the encounters is when you get in that situation, when your back's against the wall, you have that new mindset of I'm not alone. That's right. Not only do I have the Lord with me, but I have a brother or a sisterhood that I can call up that can keep me accountable to this. That can bring me back if I do stray. Because we're not all perfect. That's right. Nope. We're all human. Um we are never going to strive or earn what he did for us. That's right. But we can always seek after it. We can always seek his face, and we can always seek out a brother or sisterhood that'll help us do that.

SPEAKER_03 37:32

That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 37:33

That's a beautiful thing. Yeah, it is. I'll tell you what's another beautiful thing is coming up here and talking about you guys. This has been awesome. This is what I look forward to on my weeks now, other than spending time with the baby and everything in Sierra. But I I love coming up here and just getting in the spirit, letting the spirit flow because truly I say it um with every episode that we don't do this for credit. We don't do this for we simply do this for the glorification of the because without glorifying him, we have no purpose. The purpose of our life is to not only go and make disciples for his kingdom, but it's to bring glory to his name. That's what he did for us, and that's what this is for. And I appreciate you coming on here.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

Well, thank you for having me. This is like I said, beforehand. I mean, I when he told me he was doing this, I was so excited. Like starting this podcast, I was so excited for him because it was it's always kind of been a dream, and I'm like, just run it, man, just do it. So yeah, and thank you for what you do with encounters, man.

SPEAKER_02 38:35

Yeah, I mean, it's just yeah, thank you. Absolutely, yeah. All the glory to him. Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Because we we know they the people listening and viewing may not know, but we know it's not the only thing that you do. No, so absolutely we we know the sacrifice that you make to do that. So absolutely. We appreciate it even more. Absolutely. I think the last thing we're gonna do tonight, we do it every episode. We're just gonna close in prayer. Yes, let the spirit take over, speak a blessing over each and every one of you listening, or if you're watching on the YouTube right now, we're just gonna go before the Lord. Lord Jesus, we love you tonight, God. I thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to gather with these two men, Lord Jesus, and talk a little bit about your spirit, God. Talk a little bit about what you've done for us, talk a little bit about what you're doing right now, the work you're doing now. Lord, I speak to the one that is struggling tonight, God, and I speak love into their heart. I speak your mercy and grace into their life, God. Whether they're struggling with conviction, depression, anxiety, I speak against all attacks of the enemy right now in Jesus' name. I come against them right now, and I proclaim a bloodline over that person struggling tonight, Lord Jesus. Cover them with your blood, Lord God, for your blood is the only thing that washes us truly clean, Lord Jesus. I thank you, God, for the conversations we've had tonight. I pray that they go out and bless somebody, for your word says that the word shall go forth and it shall not return void. I pray that it speaks to somebody. I pray that it marinates in somebody's heart tonight, and I pray that if it be your will, God, it transforms their heart from that heart of stone into that beautiful heart of flesh, Lord Jesus, as your word says. Lastly, God, I just want to thank you for your love and your mercy and your grace. For without those things, God, we truly cannot be saved. And I thank you for pouring those into my life. I know you've poured them into these two men's life, God, and everybody listening, Lord Jesus, you offer that same love, that same mercy, and that same grace. Yes. I speak blessings over each and every person listening and watching the YouTube video right now, Lord Jesus. And I pray this all in your mighty name, God, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Yes. Well, this has been fun, gentlemen. I appreciate you both coming up here. Um, I appreciate you doing this every week. I know you sacrifice time to do it.

SPEAKER_02 40:47

So I'm just, it it's just a blessing being a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 40:51

Oh, yeah. It's not a sacrifice if you like to do it. That's true. Yeah, that's very true. Yeah, absolutely. Well, if you guys enjoyed this episode, um, please leave a like on it, leave a comment down below, comment an encouraging word, comment a question you may have because we can certainly, if we can't answer it here, we certainly have that diverse bride of Christ where we can find that answer for you. And if not, we can always go to the word because that's where the true blueprint of our life is found. Thank you guys for listening tonight. Um, I speak blessings over each and every one of you. Leave a like, comment down below. Please subscribe to the channel, turn the notifications on. We're gonna be posting these podcast episodes every Wednesday. Sorry it was a little late this week, got a little sick earlier in the week, so we weren't able to record until later. But we're gonna be coming out with some beautiful things as well, some Bible studies, some more testimonials, so be on the lookout for that. Subscribe to the channel, share this episode with somebody if you think it can touch their heart. I speak blessings over each and every one of you listening right now, and I pray that God will bless your week. In Jesus' name. Amen.