Why Not You? Believe Again - In God, in Yourself, and in What’s Possible with Benjamin Lundquist - RAL 99

In this episode - Benjamin confront one of the most dangerous lies people live with: God can do incredible things…just not for someone like me. And for others, the belief sounds like this: Other people grow, lead, and succeed - but I’m the exception - I'm just going to settle, because what's possible for other people is not possible for me.  He's going after both. This episode is about learning how to believe again or believe for the first time.Believe in what God can do. Believe in who you’re becoming. Believe that there is no invisible line separating you from the people who write the book, launch the podcast, build the platform, step into purpose, and show up for the relationships that matter most. Through powerful biblical case studies (Gideon, Peter, the woman with the issue of blood), practical psychology, and straight-up truth, you’ll discover why self-disqualification is costing people their calling and how to break free from the mindset of “not me.” If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, delayed, or unsure whether you’re allowed to step into more, this episode is for you. Because there is no difference between you and them - except belief, consistency, and the courage to take the next step. So let me ask you the question that might change everything: Why not you?

Episode Quote: 

"God rarely gives you confidence before obedience. Confidence is the reward of movement. It’s competence, from repeated action, that builds confidence. You become confident because you do it again and again. Each time you step forward your faith grows because you see God show up."

This episode, like all Rise and Lead Podcast episodes, is highly practical and motivating. Don't forget to subscribe to the Rise and Lead Podcast to ensure you get notified when new episodes release every month.  When you share about the podcast, make sure and tag @benjaminlundquist, and he'll always try and give you a re-post. Remember, the best time to rise and lead is now!

Transcript

Confronting The “Not Me” Lie

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If you believe success isn't for you, you won't prepare. And unclaimed promises always look like unanswered prayers. But scripture never teaches us to disqualify ourselves. It teaches us to trust God, be obedient, use what He has already given us, and follow where He leads. Welcome to Rise and Lead. I'm Benjamin Lundquist, and this podcast is all about personal growth and leadership. Thank you for listening and for being a part of our Rise and Lead community. We are a community of leaders who are passionate about growth, leadership, and expanding our impact on the world. In this episode, we confront one of the most dangerous lies people live with. God can do incredible things, just not for someone like me. And for others, the belief sounds like this other people grow, lead, and succeed, but I'm the exception. I'm just going to settle because what's possible for other people is not possible for me. We're going after both. This episode is about learning how to believe again or believe for the first time. Believe in what God can do. Believe in who you are becoming. Believe there is no invisible line separating you from the other people who write the book, launch the podcast, build the platform, step into purpose, and show up for the relationships that matter most. Through powerful biblical case studies like Gideon, Peter, and the woman with the issue of blood, practical psychology, and straight up truth, you'll discover why self-disqualification is costing people their calling and how to break free from the mindset of not me. If you've ever felt overlooked, underestimated, delayed, or unsure whether you're allowed to step into more, this episode is for you. Because there is no difference between you and them except belief, consistency, and the courage to take the next step. So let me ask you a question that might change everything. Why not you? The Rise and Lead Podcast is designed specifically to motivate and equip you to live your greatest life with maximum impact. We are going to find out what makes great leaders great and how you can start growing yourself, rise, expanding your impact lead, and living the life you have been created to live. We are stronger together. That's something I'm always coming back to. And I want to personally invite you to be a rise and lead partner in spreading the word about this podcast and all the episodes that will follow, so together we can reach more people. Thank you for being here. The fact that you give your time and attention to this podcast means more than you know. If these conversations and teachings are helping you grow, find clarity, or feel less alone in the process. One simple way you can help multiply the message is by following the podcast and leaving a rating and review. I'm always shooting for a five-star rating. And if you feel like the podcast deserves five stars, I would greatly appreciate that. It makes a difference and helps the show to find the people who need it most. And if you know someone in your world who is feeling like their life is missing purpose and impact, share this episode with them. And when you share on your socials, make sure you tag me and I'll always try and give you a repost. This podcast exists because of you. We are impacting over 155 countries so far, and I'm deeply grateful to be on this journey together. All the ratings, reviews, and shares help our team to continue creating a better podcast experience to serve great leaders like you. This teaching matters, so we're going to pause and invite God into this moment. God, today we come with open hearts. Forgive us for the ways we've disqualified ourselves from what you want to do in and through us. Help us to release fear, doubt, and limiting beliefs, and replace them with faith, courage, and obedience. Remind us that your power is not reserved for a select few, but available to all who trust in you. Give us the boldness to ask, the humility to surrender, and the faith to take the next step. We choose to believe again. We choose to say yes, and we trust that if you did it before, you can do it again, starting with us. In your name we pray. Amen. Let me start with this question that might make you uncomfortable, but it just might change your life. Why not you? Why do you believe healing is possible for them, but not for you? Why do you believe breakthrough happens for other people, but somehow skips your address? Why do you celebrate miracles God does for others, but quietly disqualify yourself when it's your turn to believe? Somewhere along the way, many people didn't lose faith in God. They lost faith that God would do it for them. And I want to confront this lie head on in this episode, because the most dangerous belief you can carry is not that God can't do miracles. It's the belief that God does miracles, but not for someone like you. And that belief is costing people their calling, their courage, and their future. Here's one of my core convictions. The gap between where you are and where God wants to take you is rarely a lack of faith in God's power. It's a lack of belief in your permission. You believe God is able. Let's talk research. There's a concept in psychology called learned helplessness. It happens when people experience repeated disappointment, failure, or loss. And over time they stop trying, even when opportunity is readily available. In other words, the door could be unlocked, but they won't reach for the handle. Studies show that people who believe outcomes are for others, but not for themselves, are significantly less likely to take risks, pursue growth, stay persistent, or step into leadership opportunities. Not because they lack talent, but because they lack expectation. And here's the key insight. Your beliefs don't just reflect your past. They quietly shape your future. Let me say that again. Your beliefs don't just reflect your past. They quietly shape your future. If you believe breakthrough isn't for you, you won't pray bold prayers. If you believe healing isn't for you, you won't ask. If you believe success isn't for you, you won't prepare. And unclaimed promises always look like unanswered prayers. But scripture never teaches us to disqualify ourselves. It teaches us to trust God, be obedient, use what He has already given us, and follow where He leads. I want to take you through a few biblical case studies. The woman with the issue of blood, Gideon, and a little bit later, Peter walking on the water. First, the case study of the woman with the issue of blood, twelve years of pain, twelve years of disappointment, twelve years of unanswered prayers, and yet she still believed. But notice something powerful. She didn't believe generally, she believed personally. She didn't say Jesus can heal people. She said, If I touch him, I will be healed. That's a shift from theology to expectation. And Jesus didn't rebuke her for reaching. He didn't say, Who told you this was for you? Instead, he said, Daughter, your faith has made you well. Let me say this slowly. Jesus never scolded people for believing too big. He only challenged people for believing too small. Your faith doesn't offend God. Your unbelief limits your experience. Most people don't say God can't. They say quietly to themselves, God won't from me. And here's why. You've made mistakes. You've failed before. You've waited too long. You think others are more qualified. You think your past disqualifies your future. But let me give you one of the most important truths I can offer. God has never once consulted your past to determine your purpose. Let me say that again. God has never once consulted your past to determine your purpose. Your resume does not intimidate God. Your scars don't surprise him. Your delay does not derail him. If anything, God specializes in using the very thing you're ashamed of as the platform for your greatest breakthrough. Case study number two, Gideon. Gideon is hiding, afraid, insecure, calling himself the weakest from the weakest family. And God calls him a mighty warrior. That's not flattery, that's identity. God didn't speak to who Gideon was, he spoke to who Gideon was becoming. And Gideon's biggest struggle, it wasn't the Midianites. It was believing God meant him when he called him. So God keeps showing up, keeps reassuring, keeps inviting Gideon to step forward. Why? Because God is patient with people who struggle to believe just like you and just like me. But he won't stop calling us forward. If God is calling you, he's already accounted for your insecurity. At some point, every leader, every believer, every person chasing growth and impact has to make a decision. Will I keep explaining why it can't happen? Or will I start asking, why not me? Why not me stepping into healing? Stepping into leadership, stepping into purpose, stepping into God's abundance, stepping into obedience. Why not me becoming the exception? Why not me breaking the cycle? Why not me becoming the answer to my own prayers? Faith is not pretending you're ready. Faith is moving because God said He is. And that brings us to case study number three. Peter walking on the water. Peter didn't have certainty. He had a question. If it's you, call me. And Jesus didn't say, wait until you're more confident, or wait until you're really ready. He said, Peter, come. And the miracle didn't happen in the boat, it happened in the step. Here's the principle. God rarely gives you the confidence before obedience. Confidence is the reward of movement. It's competence from repeated action that builds confidence. You become confident because you do it again and again. Each time you step forward, your faith grows because you see God showing up in faithfulness. From one leader to another, you don't need more assurance. You need more action aligned with trust. If you feel like your belief is shaky and your courage is lacking, I want you to listen to these six declaration statements. I remind myself of these on a regular basis. If God planted the desire, he anticipated the responsibility. Your obedience unlocks rooms, your talent never could. You don't need permission from people when you already have a calling from God. Breakthrough often lives one decision past your comfort zone. God's power is not reserved for special people. It's released through surrendered people. The moment you stop asking, who am I, and start asking why not me, your life begins to shift. Let me dismantle one of the most damaging lies people carry. There is no special category of human beings who get to do meaningful things, and then the rest of us who just watch. There is no invisible line that separates the people who write the book, the people who launch the podcast, the people who build the platform, the people who lead movements, the people who change lives from you. Here's the truth. Nobody tells you. There is no difference between you and them, except belief, consistency, and action. That's it. They're not more chosen, they're not more anointed, they're not more gifted, they're not more fearless. They are just people who stopped assuming they were the exception. The people you admire are not braver than you. They just acted before they felt ready. They didn't wait to be confident. They decided to be committed. Some of you keep thinking they're different. They have connections. They had it easier. They were discovered. No, they showed up. They practiced. They failed forward. They stayed consistent when nobody else was watching. And let me say this clearly, especially for a person of faith. God does not play favorites. He partners with availability. Let me say that again. God does not play favorites. He partners with availability. And for the skeptic listening, success is not a personality trait. It's a pattern of decisions. Let me pull back the curtain. The people who wrote the book, launched the podcast, built the brand, stepped out onto the stage, grew the platform, stewarded relationships and their family well. They started with zero followers, shaky confidence, imperfect clarity, limited resources, just like you. You're not behind. You're not late, and you haven't missed your opportunity. You're at the beginning. And beginnings always feel smaller than destiny's. They didn't wake up one day ready. They woke up one day willing, willing to look foolish, willing to be seen, willing to be bad before they got better, willing to be misunderstood before they were respected. And that's the real dividing line. Not talent, not calling, tolerance for discomfort. Some of you say, I should have started years ago. Let me help you reframe that. You didn't miss your moment. You're standing in your moment right now. Delay does not disqualify you. It clarifies what matters. Timing is not about speed. It's about obedience. You don't need permission to begin what God put on your heart. Why not you starting the business, leading the movement, stepping onto the stage, applying for the position, finishing the degree, going back to school, breaking the cycle, healing from the past, building generational wealth, mentoring the next generation, planting the church, launching the nonprofit, writing the curriculum, creating the course, coaching the leaders, speaking to the athletes, sitting at the executive table, starting the YouTube channel, publishing the devotional, creating the app, inventing the product, hosting the conference, leading the team, running the marathon, adopting the child, restoring the marriage, buying the house, getting out of debt, building the dream home, stepping out in faith, praying bold prayers, believing again, becoming the healthiest version of yourself, disciplining your mind, mastering your craft, finishing what you started, becoming the example, raising world changers, becoming a voice of wisdom, walking in purpose, multiplying your impact, building something that outlives you. Because the only thing separating you from the life you admire is the decision to stop waiting and start building. Other people didn't become them because they were chosen. They became them because they showed up again and again. Here's the line I want you to sit with. If someone else can do it, it proves it's possible. If it's possible, you're allowed to try your. Because you're no different than anyone else. You're just as called, just as worthy, and just as chosen. As you start fueling your belief in what God can do in your life, and you start fueling your belief in your real potential, I want to give you three practical next steps. Step number one, change your language. Step number two, take one obedient step. And step number three, pray bold again. Step number one, change your language. Pay attention to how you talk about yourself. Stop saying that's not for people like me. I'm not that kind of a person. Maybe someday and replace those statements with these. If God did it before, he can do it again. I'm available and I'm willing. Why not me? Your words are either reinforcing your fear or activating your faith. Step number two, take one obedient step forward. Not ten, not a five-year plan, one step. Apply, reach out, start, ask, show up. Faith that stays theoretical never becomes transformational. Let me say that again. Faith that stays theoretical never becomes transformational. And step number three, pray bold again. Not safe prayers, not polite prayers, honest prayers, big prayers, expectant prayers. Say things like, God, I am done disqualifying myself. If this is possible, and I believe it is through you, I'm here, I'm willing, and I'm available. And let God do what only He can do. Let me leave you with this. Somebody has to be the story people point to and say, only God could have done that. Somebody has to be the evidence that prayer still works, obedience still matters, and surrender still unlocks what striving never could. Somebody has to be the reminder that God is still in the business of rewriting stories. Why not you? You don't need a different God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. You don't need a different calling. Yours was spoken on purpose for this very season and assignment. You don't need a different life. This is the ground God chose to move in. What you need is a different belief about what's possible when you stop limiting a limitless God. Stop sitting out miracles you were meant to walk into. Stop standing on the sidelines waiting for permission you already have. Stop watching from the boat when Jesus is inviting you out onto the water. Stop assuming you're the exception to grace, healing, provision, and purpose. You are not disqualified by your past. You are not delayed by your doubts. You are not overlooked by heaven. Why not healing for you? Why not restoration in your family, clarity in your calling, and courage in your leadership? Why not God using your obedience, your consistency, your yes to impact more lives than you could ever imagine? Faith is not passive, faith moves. Miracles don't meet spectators, they meet people who step forward. Breakthrough doesn't come to the perfect, it comes to the willing and the surrendered. So don't shrink back. Don't play small. Don't settle for survival when God has called you to abundance and impact. So let me ask you again, slowly and boldly, why not you? I hope this episode impacted and inspired you. Send me a DM and let me know. I read every message that comes in. Make sure you screenshot this episode, share it with someone, and post it to your social media accounts. Don't forget to tag me so I can give you a repost. I know there is someone you know who needs to hear this episode. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, and rating the podcast. Seriously, that means the world to me. Look for new episodes to release every month. You won't want to miss those. Thank you for taking the time to invest in yourself. You are worth it. Remember, the best time to rise and lead is now.