The Value Of A Spiritual Mentor I Lions, Giants & Bears, But God I Brandon Dumas

What good is it if we leave material possessions for our kids, but we don't leave the wisdom on how to follow God to help them keep it? It's more valuable that you begin writing notes. Notes. It's more valuable that you begin putting things on paper so that when I'm gone, you have something to follow. You have testimonies. You have a book of remembrance of where I was so that when you find yourself in that same situation, the same God that rescued me is the same God that will rescue you. And he understood this. He understood this. [00:44:27] (36 seconds)  #LeaveWisdomNotWealth

I don't know where you work. I don't know what your occupation is. Some of you may be in school, but let me tell you something. Don't be paralyzed by fear. Don't allow the fear of the unknown from keeping you from going forward. I'm talking to my students in this room. Whether you're in high school, whether you're in college, sometimes, and it and it's and it's a blessing because we wanna do the will of the Lord. And we wanna be submitted to him, and we want his blessings to be upon our life. But sometimes, you gotta start moving, and the Lord will reveal in time. [00:29:38] (31 seconds)  #StartMovingInFaith

And the question is, are you hungry? Are you desperate for God? Have you reached a place where you've said to yourself, Lord, I know there's so much more. I know that I've just scratched the surface of what you wanna do, not just in my life, but in the life of those I'm trying to reach. The Bible says, the harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. There are more souls to be saved. There is more territory to take over. There is more generational curses to see broken over people's lives, and he wants to use us. He wants to use us. [00:24:06] (33 seconds)  #BeLaborers

This happens to be one of our foundational scriptures for my family and I, and the reason being is you should never get to a place where you think you have anything completely figured out. I could always learn more as a pastor. I could always learn more as a father. I could always learn more as a husband. I could always learn more as a basketball player. I could always learn more in any area of my life. And the same is true of you here in this room. Are you hearing what I'm saying? The truth is when it comes to mentorship, some things are better caught than taught. [00:13:58] (34 seconds)  #AlwaysBeLearning

But even though he was commissioned to ministry, he was able to draw from the well of mentorship that he had received from Elisha. So he knew who he was. And he knew, even though I'm stepping into this, I know my God is with me, but I also have the witness of a mentor, and what he has gone through in his life as a way of encouragement for me right now in this season. But bald head in the Hebrew, it was a word used against Elijah, and it was a severe insult. [00:49:16] (32 seconds)  #DrawFromMentors

Some things are hard to convey in words, but when you observe and follow somebody, you pick up on things along the way. That's why Jesus said, follow me. Follow me. Even he told his disciples, you may not understand everything that I'm telling you right now. But when the Holy Spirit comes, he will reveal all things to you. So keep following me. Keep trusting me. Keep remaining in the word of God, and all things will be revealed in time. Because the Holy Spirit searches the deep things of God, and we understand through the spirit. [00:14:33] (37 seconds)  #FollowAndLearn

I knew that I was called to full time ministry, and I'm not saying that's everyone's calling. But at the time, I had to make a decision. Am I gonna finish the degree that I was pursuing when I was in college, which was a business degree? Am I gonna move on from this? And the Lord told me, no. I want you to finish that. And then I also met a fine young Saint Lucian woman over here to my left. And so I was about to get married, and I had to take care of her and provide. But I knew that the Lord had called me. But even though the calling was there, I still had to work what he gave me. [00:30:10] (32 seconds)  #WorkWhileYouWait

After a while, when you're serving God, when you're walking with God, you should get to a place where you know your weaknesses. I know the hour. I know the day. I know the time where I'm susceptible. These are questions that you should be able to answer. And you know what? I'm not trying to see how far on the edge I can live and not sin. Come on, somebody. I'm not trying to see like, woah woah woah, like, is this okay? Is that okay? First of all, if there's a check, it's not okay. [00:36:27] (31 seconds)  #KnowYourWeaknesses

But one of the worst things that you can do, whether you are a spouse or a parent did you hear what he just said? Did you hear what she just said? You just cut off the legs of the Holy Spirit in that person's life. Just let the Lord work, swallow your pride, and if it comes through somebody else, the job is still getting done. Amen? Am I talking to somebody? [00:13:05] (20 seconds)  #DontQuenchTheSpirit

Have you ever noticed you can receive good news in one breath, and be commissioned in one instance, and then be denied or have people deny or speak against or not believe that it's true in another breath. Right after this mantle was passed down to Elijah, that's where this occurrence is where he's going up to Bethel, and these youths come out, and they begin mocking him and saying, go up, you bald head. But the reason why they were mocking him was because they came from an area that was heavily infiltrated by idolatry. [00:47:07] (44 seconds)  #DontMockGodsMessengers

And this is something you must always understand when you read the Old Testament. God always gave people an opportunity to repent. Even though some scriptures are hard to read, you must understand through context, the practices of some of these false gods. Some of them had their kids pass through the fire as a form of worship unto their false deities. Always read in context. So they thought, I bet you Elijah's gonna be the same way. So they begin to ridicule him. Go up, you bald head. But what did bald head really mean? I wanna know. Come on, somebody. [00:48:08] (44 seconds)

Little side note here. Just because you are called to min to ministry doesn't mean your offspring is automatically called to ministry. Amen. Amen. There still has to be a call of God on their life. There still has to be a commissioning. It is not just assumed. Even with my own children, if this is what the Lord has for them, great. But Lord, whatever you have called them to do, help me to help them get there. Help me to pour into them, and help them become who you have called them to be. [00:46:19] (32 seconds)