From Failure to Purpose: Trusting GOD's Plans when nothing is working out | John Giftah

0:01 Speaker 1: Do you ever look around and think, wow, the world is a crazy place, and it just seems to get crazier and crazier? Ease your mind and take a break. This is Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We're a hub for inspirational Christian sermons, practical keys for Christian living and Christian discussions and interviews. You'll be inspired to live the life that you were created for. Your host is a top ranking podcaster, bestselling author, world record holder, aerospace engineer, life coach, evangelist and founder of John Gifta International.

0:41 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta.

0:46 Speaker 2: Hello everyone, welcome to this edition of the John Gifter podcast show. Even as you know that we're just stepping into this new season of the podcast and we're really looking forward to all that God has in store. I really challenge you to journey with us. I really believe that God is going to do amazing things through this podcast and this week is commemorating not only the 14th anniversary of the ministry, but it also commemorates the 6th anniversary of my debut book, Unveil Your Purpose. So I thought, you know, what better way to celebrate what the Lord has been doing?

1:20 Speaker 2: This book not only became a number one bestseller on Amazon, but this has been such a game changer for me from ministering in different places and avenues to speaking at renowned places like TEDx and book festivals all This book has played a major role in my life and I'm so grateful to God. I really challenge you to check this book out. It's available on Kindle as well as in the hard copy on Amazon. I'm sure it'll be a great asset to your library as well. So... This week, I thought we're going to look at various things that we can take away.

1:54 Speaker 2: I know I can't go deep because I really challenge you to get the book to get more details. But this book is basically talking about finding your purpose in life. And I wanted to talk about a few things that we can take away this week. And probably at the right appointed opportunity, I can talk about more things from the book on practical ways to find your purpose and so on and so forth. But today, one of the things I want to tell you is you may be in a place where you're watching or listening from a place of saying, John, you know what?

2:22 Speaker 2: I've taken steps that I want to find my purpose. I've taken steps into doing what God has called me to do. I have tried this. I knew this is the area that God had put in my heart that I wanted to take a step. But somehow, John, nothing worked for me. It's always ended up in being a failure in my life. You may be feeling like a failure. You may be feeling like things that you took a step with did not work out in your life. Well, I want to just encourage you today. One of the things that really caught my attention is one of my favorite passages in the scripture.

2:53 Speaker 2: In John chapter 5, it talks about a time when there was a man who had been a cripple for 38 years. And this man is at the pool of Bethesda. So just to give you context, if you're new to this, the pool of Bethesda is where thousands of sick folk laid. And they were all waiting there where once in a while, the angel of the Lord would come and stir the water and whoever jumped in first would get healed. So this is what used to happen. And here's the thing. There was a man who has been waiting for this miracle for 38 years.

3:26 Speaker 2: Now think about this. Some of you may be waiting on a miracle for maybe a few days or weeks or months or years or even decades. And you're feeling like, John, it feels like it's never going to turn around. It feels like failure is a portion of my life. It feels like nothing is going to work out. Nothing is going to turn around. Every time I expected it didn't work out for me. I thought next would be my turn, but somebody else took it up. John, I do not understand. Maybe it's regard to a career move.

3:53 Speaker 2: with regard to a business client, with regard to a relationship, with regard to some other area that you've been praying and waiting on the Lord for a long period of time. But can I tell you something very important here? So there is a moment when this man is crippled and he's laying there and Jesus comes to this man. There are a lot of lessons we can take away from this passage. I really challenge you to... Hold on, I'll talk more about it in the days to come. But this is the thing. Jesus asked this man, would you like to get well?

4:22 Speaker 2: And I'm reading to you from the NLT version.

4:24 Speaker 1: All right.

4:25 Speaker 2: In verse number six, Jesus is asking, would you like to get well? And look at what this man is saying. The man is saying, sir, I can't. Look at verse 7. He says, sir, I can't. This is from the NLT version. And he says, for there's no one to help me when the water bubbles up, when the angel stirs the water. And before I go, somebody else gets in before me. So he's talking from a place of failure. He's saying, you know what? I don't have anyone to help me. So I can't get my miracle. And just before me, somebody else always goes ahead and they get the miracle and I'm left behind.

5:02 Speaker 2: So he's talking from a place of failure. Now, I want to tell you something. This man was genuine in what he was saying. He's saying, listen. I've been waiting on this. I've been taking steps. I've been trying. I've been waiting with expectation. But somehow I'm missing my moment. Somehow it's just not working out for me. So I can't. So he was looking at it in a sense like it's just not working out. It's never going to happen. And he doesn't just say, I don't think it will happen. What he says is, I can't.

5:32 Speaker 2: I can't get well. I can't. Maybe today you feel like that, John. I took the step, but I don't think or I can't get this going in my life. I can never see the right person stepping in. I can never see my business flourishing, John. In the natural, it's too late. In the natural, there's no way out. In the natural, it feels like a mission impossible. But I want to tell you something. The same way when Jesus encountered this man, Jesus turned his life around. A man who had been a cripple for 38 years suddenly saw a miracle happening.

6:05 Speaker 2: suddenly saw a turnaround. I want to tell you something, just because things did not work out in the past, just because you always failed miserably in the past, I want to tell you something that does not define your future. God still has a way out. God still has a plan for you. God has a way to suddenly turn things around. So today I want you to have this fresh Hope, knowing that God is a God who can still do a miracle in your life. There are so many things we can take away from this passage, but today I want this to be the cornerstone.

6:42 Speaker 2: Maybe you took steps towards your calling. Maybe you took steps towards your purpose. Maybe you wanted to write your next book and it failed. It's okay. Take it as a learning curve. Nothing works out so beautifully right in the beginning. In fact, this is my second book. I've written four books by now. And the very first book that I wrote, in literal sense, if I were to look at it, it was like a flop because I had to give more complimentary copies than the number of people who were willing to buy my first book.

7:14 Speaker 2: You see, you may go through failures. You may go through moments where things did not work out. People said, oh, your first book didn't do that well. Why do you want to write the next book? You know, I spent so many hours working on this book. I spent around like a 8 to 10 to even 14 hours a day on a weekend or a holiday writing this book and during the weekdays along with my full-time corporate job I used to work till 1 a.m or 2 a.m in the nights so I'm telling you it didn't come just easy I spent a lot of time putting thought into it praying about it and allowing the Lord to lead so what I want to tell you is yes whatever You took steps on, did not work in the past.

8:00 Speaker 2: Certain things you prayed about, maybe it feels like unanswered prayers. Maybe you feel like your hope is crushed. Maybe you feel like things are not working out or never worked out. And you feel like there's no way out in the natural. But I want to tell you something. The same way Jesus came and this man had a supernatural encounter that changed the trajectory of his life. God is going to do it in your life. The only thing I want to close with this segment is this man was hoping for a miracle in a certain way.

8:30 Speaker 2: He was hoping that the way everybody else got the miracle, like jumping into the pool when the angel would stir, was the only norm in which he would get the miracle. He was so caught up looking at that. That when the creator of the universe was walking in front of him and asked him a question, do you want to get well? He was so caught up in the past. He was so caught up in his failure that he almost missed the miracle that was standing in front of him. Today, let that not be you. Maybe you're so caught up in the past.

9:02 Speaker 2: You're so caught up in your failures. You're so caught up in what didn't work out. No. Don't be so caught up in the failure of the past that you forget or miss out on what God wants to do over your life right now. Maybe God is giving you a fresh idea. Maybe the Lord is asking you, why didn't you try this? Maybe the Lord is saying, yes, I know it's painful, but I want you to move on and try this new thing. Maybe he's giving you a new strategy to tackle that business venture. Maybe he's giving you a new clear direction for your life.

9:37 Speaker 2: Don't allow the past failure to stop you from moving ahead to the new thing that God has in store for you. I really challenge you to leave a comment if you're checking this out on YouTube or Facebook and share this with someone. And I want to recommend that each one of you take a time out to read this book. I'm sure it'll add a lot of value to you and let's strive to be the one walking in a God-given purpose. Amen. God bless you.

10:07 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We hope you were blessed and inspired to live the life that God has for you. Make sure to subscribe to the John Gifta YouTube channel for regular uploads of sermons, skits, interviews, and more. Follow John Gifta on Instagram for regular inspirational posts. And don't forget to check out the bestselling books written by John Gifta, Who Am I?, which will help you understand your identity. And the latest number one bestseller, Unveil Your Purpose, helping you discover your purpose and to start walking in it.

10:41 Speaker 1: Make sure to leave a rating and review and be sure to share it with your friends and loved ones. If you'd like to donate, you can find the PayPal link in the description. And if you'd like to invite John Gifta to speak at your event or to get more details, go to the website at www.johngifta.com. See you on the next episode of The Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. God bless you.