Overcoming Church Hurt & When People Disappoint You | King Hezekiah | John Giftah | Christian Sermon

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 Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta podcast. All through this week, we are looking at various lessons that we can take away from 2 Kings chapter 20 revolving around the story of Hezekiah. Yesterday, I spoke to you about how this King Hezekiah was in a very deadly situation. I really challenge you to go back to it because if you are facing a deadly situation in your life, God has a word for you that will encourage you, bless you. And probably through that word, you might actually receive the miracle that you've been praying and hoping for as well.

1:18 Speaker 2: So the thing I want to talk about is when he is healed, the Bible says that the prophet Isaiah visited him. Think about this. If you are sick, what would you love to see? You would be so happy if a pastor visited you. You would be so happy if a... prophet visited you or even more so if you are sick you would be even more filled with joy if an healing evangelist visited you right for example if you were to say you know like you're sick and you see that suddenly Benny Hinn visits you you'll be like oh my gosh this healing evangelist through whom God has used to bless and heal so many people he's visiting me Or in Indian context, like you're saying, oh, wow, Dr. Paul Dinakaran is coming and visiting me.

2:08 Speaker 2: You'll be so filled with joy, right? So I want you to understand the magnitude at which you look at somebody and say, wow, this minister, this man of God, this healing evangelist, this prophet, that is how prophet Isaiah was. He was a mighty prophet. He was a prophet in this place that he was well known. And this prophet is visiting the king in his deathbed. You may be feeling like, you know what, if the prophet comes, I'm sure I'm going to get some good news. I'm sure the prophet is going to do a miracle.

2:40 Speaker 2: I'm sure the prophet is going to probably pray for me. But here's the thing I want you to understand. The prophet Isaiah went to visit him and he gave the message to the king saying, this is what the Lord says, set your affairs in order for you are going to die. You're not going to recover from this. I want you to understand this. This is so powerful. When Hezekiah was sick, the mighty prophet came. Probably Hezekiah would have felt very happy. Wow, the prophet has come. But when the prophet came, what did he do?

3:21 Speaker 2: He just told him, Mel, you're going to die. I mean, can you imagine how King Hezekiah would have felt at that moment? All his hopes were crushed because he thought, yes, my situation is bad, but God has sent a prophet to me. Maybe God is going to heal me. Maybe the prophet is going to pray for me. Maybe I'm going to receive a miracle that I'm going to talk about. But what happened? The prophet does not even pray for him. Can you imagine the disappointment? Like you would think like Isaiah should have at least on courtesy grounds prayed for Hezekiah.

3:59 Speaker 2: But Isaiah just came and said, you're going to die. I mean, like how mean it would have felt. I mean, on a side note, this is a word for Christian leaders, ministers, or if you're someone ministering to people, this is a word for you, okay? Even if you're praying for the sick or you're praying for somebody in a tough situation and you know by foreknowledge that probably the person is going to die or you know by foreknowledge that they're going to go through tough times, you know, even if you have to speak that word, I pray that God will give you the wisdom to speak it with compassion.

4:33 Speaker 2: The Bible says, speak the truth with love. But that was lacking with this prophet Isaiah. He just came and said, you're going to die, man. I mean, Hezekiah could have felt like, I already know I'm going to die. I didn't want you to come and repeat the same thing to me. I mean, I thought you would give me some good news. Today, I want to ask you this question. Other people in your life that you hoped would bless you, hoped that they would stand by you. You were hoping that they will encourage you.

5:01 Speaker 2: You were hoping that they will at least pray for you. But in reality, they just came and gave you some word which was not even having any sense of compassion. That was not even having any sensitivity to the need that I'm in. And they're just saying something and they're leaving. Do you feel disappointed by that? This is a word for you. If you're feeling disappointed by maybe a pastor or a leader or a Christian, or maybe you're disappointed by people, maybe you're disappointed by your close ones, your family, your friends that you thought would stand by you.

5:35 Speaker 2: But instead of standing by you, they just came and gave you a word saying, hey, you're going to die. And then they just leave. That's what this mighty prophet did. I want to pray in Jesus' name. If you're feeling like that, I pray right now in the name of Jesus that you will be encouraged. That you will understand. That is why we should not look up to man because man can put us down. Like sometimes we look up to certain people and be like, oh, wow, this person is so good. This person is so good.

6:05 Speaker 2: Like I've seen this so many times when you see them on stage and you're like, oh, wow, this person is so friendly. This person is so good. They are so spiritual. They're so this. But when you try to meet them in person, they are so difficult to even have a conversation. I remember just a couple of months ago, I happened to go to a prayer meeting where this particular minister came and she was preaching a very powerful word and she shared about her heart for souls and all of that. And then at the end of the meeting, somebody took me over to meet with her to say that this guy is also having a ministry.

6:39 Speaker 2: He has a heart for souls and all of that. So he took me to her and that lady was like, what is your problem? I was like, what? She's like, what is it? I said, no, I don't have any problem. I just came to say that I have a ministry. She's like, so what? She was so cold to even have a normal conversation. You get what I'm saying? Like at that point. I could have felt like, oh man, what is the point of this? You know, this is why I was telling you guys, you know, if you're into ministry, if you're, you know, into dealing with people, encouraging people, motivating, be sure that you are sensitive to people.

7:18 Speaker 2: Don't be cold. Don't be on that high standard, like, oh guys, you know, looking down on people. Don't do that. Okay. That's what is a lesson from Isaiah. That's another sermon maybe we can cover later. But if you're feeling disappointed today, As an individual, like a Sakaya where you feel like, I was hoping this person would at least pray for me. I was hoping for a miracle, but this person crushed me. I challenge you to stop looking up to people. Stop looking up to people. Because I remember this time when in ministry, when you're growing and as a budding minister, I used to hope that, you know, these ministers would also understand that, you know, we are all building God's kingdom together, right?

8:00 Speaker 2: I always tell people, I'm not here to build my empire. I'm not here to build my name. It's all about building the name of Jesus and his kingdom, right? I'm using my gifts. I'm using the gifts and talents and the revelations God has shared with me to bless the world. But at the same time, I'm not saying I'm indispensable, right? I believe that God has given me certain gifts that you can learn from, be encouraged, edified, and you can see that God is using these to help you in your time of need. But at the same time, God may use somebody else for something else.

8:29 Speaker 2: You know, maybe you want to learn certain things. You may learn through another minister. Maybe you need to grow in fellowship. You need to go through a church. And so there are different things. So there used to be moments I'd be like, I thought these pastors or these ministry leaders would stand by me, encourage me, support me. But the response I would get would be so cold, would be so indifferent. I would feel like, oh my gosh, this is not the way I thought it should be. I thought we were all together to build the kingdom of God.

9:00 Speaker 2: I used to be disappointed till one point I realized, stop looking up to people. People can disappoint you. Ministers can disappoint you. This is a word to tell you that if you're hurt, stop looking after them. You know what Hezekiah did? Hezekiah did not beg Isaiah saying, Hey, Isaiah, please pray for me. Hezekiah did not tell Isaiah, Isaiah, come on, speak to the Lord and change the word from the Lord for me. That's not what Hezekiah did. You know what he did? The Bible says in verse 2, when Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.

9:39 Speaker 2: This is a word for you. Hezekiah did not talk to Isaiah about the problem. Hezekiah spoke to God about the problem. This is a word for you. If you're disappointed by people, if you're hurt because people are not standing by you, instead of still holding on to people and still running behind people, instead of still chasing behind approvals and trying to win their favor and trying to make them to like you, I challenge you to make this conscious decision. Instead of turning to Isaiah, turn up to the Lord.

10:16 Speaker 2: Because When you look up to the hills, from whence your help comes from? It comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Today, I want to pray over you. If you're feeling hurt and disappointed by people, if you're feeling hurt by maybe even church leaders and ministers, and maybe you're hurt by people you looked up to, thinking these friends would have stood by me, but they just abandoned me in my time of need. I want to pray that that this word will encourage you to stop looking at your Isaiahs and start looking up to your God.

10:50 Speaker 2: Because from him will you find the strength, the miracle and the breakthrough you need to fulfill the purpose that God has in store for you. I really challenge you to leave a comment, share this with someone and I will see you back very soon. God bless you.

11:04 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 best-selling 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.

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