Bryden just gave a testimony today - I can't wait until next week to hear the second part - but his boss gave him an assessment of his current physical situation, and instead of accepting that diagnosis he stood up, got a word from God, a rhema from God, began to declare it over the workplace, declare it over his life, and then applied himself to fulfil it - and then it all changed. This year he was recognised as the top organic farmer in the district. Now what changed it? A word from heaven! [Applause] A word from heaven. Well it's alright if it happened with Jeremiah, but it happened with someone here, sitting next to you - and if it happened for him, it can happen for you too. The question is whether you will do what Jeremiah did, and respond to what God says, so let's have a look how Jeremiah responded.
This is what Jeremiah said, Verse 6. Ah, no! I can't do it! I'm just a little youth! - and that would be the response of the majority of Christians, when they begin to hear what God called them to do. When you get a grasp of what God has called you to do, in your own sphere of influence in the community, you begin to see that God has planted you there, to bring a difference - AAAH! I can't do it! I'm too young. I'm only just a new Christian. You know what God says? [Zzz!] [Laughter]
Yeah, made him stop. Stop talking that way. This is what God made him do first. First he had to have a change inside him, then he could change what was outside him. So what he was saying - I can't do it. I can't do it! It's too big! It's too hard! You're not fair, asking me to do these things. He had to change inside, so he needed a change in his internal world, before he got a change in his external world, but you see the same thing that would change his external world, would change his internal world, a word from God. God said just cut out that negative kind of talk, that limiting talk, that actually causes you to minimise what you could do. It causes your potential to be locked up. It causes my plan to be frustrated! Stop talking that negative stuff. You're stopping Me working in you! That's what He's saying to him and He's saying the same to us today.
Two years ago we had a prophet come. He said negative words are limiting what you can do. Change. We've been speaking, done a series on negative words. I hope you took a note of it - that was God speaking to us the second time. A-ha! And now He's going to say, how to get into the flow, see, so Jeremiah had to make some changes. Now notice what happened. He stopped making excuses, embrace what God called you to do. Just stop making the excuses. Stop excusing yourself that you can't. If God says you can, you can. If God says you can, you can. Stop making excuses. The second thing, stop speaking negatively. We've already been through that; stop speaking negatively, or speaking limitations around your life. Some people, the reason they're staying where they are, and have stayed where they are all these years, is because they keep speaking limitation, because limitation is in the heart. You have to change your inner world, see?
Don't be ruled by fear. So you notice what he was afraid - the Lord said this to him, Verse 8. Do not be afraid. Don't be afraid. Get faith in your heart, not fear. Don't approach 2008 afraid to step out. Approach 2008 - I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to step out! There's new things God has for me. See, approach it with that kind of attitude, approach it with that kind of way see. Connect with God, connect with God, relationships. Verse 9, the Lord touched me, so we need to connect with God. If you have no connection with God, then God can't put His words inside you, and it's His words inside you that will change your world, so personal relationship, personal connection, personal intimacy, the touch of God. Oh, the touch of God, how I keep needing the touch of God see, because with the touch of God, then comes the words of God. That's why we worship. That's why we engage God, because we want to prepare ourselves, so we can hear the words of God.