Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome to the World Changers Church Gold Coast podcast. Join us as we listen to today's message. Hallelujah. Thank you, worship team. God bless you.
[00:00:08] Ah, thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
[00:00:11] You know, I just have this sense this morning that God's, God's not finished yet. God's not finished yet. Listen, I believe there's an anointing here this morning for healing. Who believes that?
[00:00:24] I felt that in worship this morning. I just felt that God said, I want to break some strongholds this morning. I want to set some captives free this morning. So do me a favor. I know it's bold. I know that it takes faith. But if you've got any pain physically in your body right now, I want you to stand up right where you are. If you have pain in your body right now, if you're battling with any sickness or any type of anything that comes from the curse, I want you to stand up right where you are.
If you're seated next to this person, if you're standing next to, I want you to stand up with them and I want you to shoulder with them and I want you to pray with them right now. I want you to partner with them right now. Cause thickness has no place in the house of God. Hallelujah. Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from the curse of sickness.
So right now, I prophesy in the name of Jesus, that all sickness must leave this house, that all physical ailments must leave this house. That bodies must be restored.
Right now, in the name of Jesus Christ, I command backs to come into alignment. I command knees to stop being full of pain. I command arthritis to go right now, in the name of Jesus. I command Phlegm on the lungs to go right now, in the name of Jesus Christ, I command colds to go right now, in the name of Jesus Christ, I command shoulder pain to go right now in the name of Jesus Christ. Elbow pain, go right now, in the name of Jesus Christ. Stomach ulcers. Go right now, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Father, I thank you right now that your healing is ministering to these people. Father. Backs come into alignment. Knees come into alignment. Hips come into alignment. Bodies come into alignment. Father, you paid the price on the cross to redeem us from the curse of sickness and disease. Lord God. Everything was placed on the son, on Jesus, Lord God. And we walk in wholeness.
We walk in victory. We walk in prosperity and beloved, I wish above all things that you be in health and prosper even as your soul prospers. In Jesus name. The Bible says that Jesus came and when they came to him, he said he healed them all. No one was left unhindered or unhealed by the love of God. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
[00:02:27] Did anybody feel something in their bodies? Did anybody feel like they were just. Yeah, I can see some ministry going on under there. Did anybody feel anything shift or change in their bodies then?
Yeah? Raise your hand if you felt, if you felt God just come and touch your body. Yeah. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's give it up for Jesus. Let's give it up for Jesus.
Can I tell you that by the authority of God's word that when you ask anything in accordance to his will, he hears you and you have that thing with which you asked. You have it. You have it. Okay. And the walking out of Christianity is not about what we see physically or what we have in our hands right now, it’s about faith in God and who he says he is and what he says he's done.
So you need to just have that faith in you that says, even though I don't see it right now, God said it, God did it. I have it. It's mine. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. And that's what bold faith looks like. Hallelujah. It's trusting in who he is and what he said he has done. Hallelujah. All right, who's ready for the word this morning? Hallelujah. Wow. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, man. Powerful.
[00:03:36] Powerful. Amen. Thank you, Pastor Kyle. Thank you, Pastor Tina for the opportunity to come up here and preach this morning. I just want to give you guys honor for sacrificing of yourselves moving here from the US to plant a church here on the Gold Coast following the call of God on your life for laying down your lives for us. What an example of Christ you guys are to me personally. Thank you for walking out the last seven years with me, nine years with my wife, ten years, maybe even with my wife.
[00:04:07] I just want to honor, can we just give honour to our senior pastors, please? Thank you, Jesus.
[00:04:12] Amen. Amen. All right, hallelujah. Well, before we get into the word this morning, let's just quickly pray. Heavenly Father, God, I just thank you for this time of ministry we've already had this morning. Lord God, I thank you for your presence here. Holy Spirit, I thank you that our ears are open, our hearts are open to hear what you have to say this morning. Lord God, we're surrendered to you. Holy Spirit, have your way. Speak to our hearts, transform us, Lord God, shape us and mould us by your word. This morning, God, help me to articulate this word in a way that brings clarity, freedom. Oh, Lord God. And sets people on the path that you have for them, Lord. It's in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah.
So before I talk about what it is that the Lord's placed on my heart this morning, I just want to let you know that this message is a very, like, it's very personal to me.
This is something that the Lord has been working on in me since I came to Christ, since I got born again, since I gave my heart to Jesus. This is a journey that I've been on with him, and he's been slowly taking me through it. He's been so gracious and loving towards me.
But I want to share a little bit about how God has taken me on this journey. Some of the setbacks, some of the pitfalls, and then some of the successes, because I'm here seven years later after giving my life to Christ. And it wasn't a smooth, easy journey and a ride, okay? It had ups, it had downs, it had mountains, it had valleys. It had times of wanting to quit. It had times of great success.
[00:05:42] But God has been faithful through all of it. Amen. Amen. So I believe that I just want to share some of that testimony because there's power in testimony. There's freedom in testimony. There's hope in testimony, because it brings the word of God to life. It lets you see that it's not just words on a page, but it's words that are written on my heart, and it's changing me and transforming me. And the same thing he's done for me, he can do for you. Amen. Amen.
Who's excited about that? Hallelujah. All right, so it's personal. So help me, Holy Spirit, just to get through it. Amen. So it's something I've been walking out for the past, like, seven years, like I said. And my prayer is that as I speak this morning, you know, when God. So what God always wants to do is he wants to bring things to the light. Yeah, he wants to bring things, because what's hidden in darkness, it just stays in darkness and it festers, and it becomes a bigger issue than what it was ever meant to be.
But when we bring it to the light of Christ, he's able to touch it with his grace, and he's able to transform it for his glory. Amen. That's what we do when we bring things to the light of Christ, he touches it with his grace, and he transforms it for his glory. Amen. So don't keep things hidden in secret and in the dark. Bring it to the light. Let God touch it with his grace.
He's not gonna touch it with his condemnation. He's not gonna touch it with his judgment. He's not gonna touch it with, you're no good, you're unholy, you're unworthy. He's gonna touch it with his grace. He's gonna touch it with his love. And he's gonna say, watch me turn that thing that you thought was so dark and so horrendous and you couldn't get through, watch me turn it into a testimony for my glory. Amen. Come on, man. Hallelujah.
[00:07:14] So this topic that I'm going to talk about this morning, and I'm being really like secret squirrel with you guys, a like, not letting you know what it is, but I believe that this topic, .. I believe it's rooted in, it's made its way into the church, it's made its way into Christianity, and it's something that I think we bring in from the world when we get born again.
And it's something that I don't think we talk about enough and we don't bring to the light enough. And I believe that it really hinders, what God wants to do in our lives. It really stops us from fulfilling all we have to, all he wants to do through us and what he desires for us. And the topic I'm talking about is the topic of comparison and why I feel like this is such a hindrance. All of a sudden, the room just went like, oop.
[00:07:59] Why I believe this is so important that we talk about it and we deal with it and we crush it with the grace of God is because if we're always comparing ourselves to one another, we're always limiting what God wants to do through us, uniquely us. You, the individual, the person that he created, that he jointly knitted on in his mother's womb, you know, in your mother's womb, the one that he formed, the one who he spoke a word over and says, you're fearfully and wonderfully made, your unique self.
When we're comparing ourselves to other people, to the world, to the successes of others, we're limiting God's, what God wants to do, his power in our lives, to bring out who we are in him, because you're a unique expression of him. You're not that person's expression of God. You're your expression of God. You're your unique person in him. So when we compare, it's like we limit God's power in us to do what he wants to do in us and through us. Amen. Do you know the Bible says in Ephesians 2 that you're his masterpiece?
[00:08:59] That you were created by him for good works in advance, that he prepared for you. So before God spoke the world into existence, he went, Matt, I'm gonna bring you into this world. I've foreordained. I've predestined you to be born at this time to do good works and bring glory to my name. And guess what? You're my masterpiece. Like, we look at the world and we look at creation and we look how beautiful it is.
No. You're the masterpiece of God, brother. You're the masterpiece of God, honey. You're the masterpiece of God, Dave. Like God brought before even the word was brought into existence, you were on his heart, and he brought it into existence because he wanted to bring you into this world, to have a relationship with you and see others experience who he is through you.
[00:09:44] Amen.
[00:09:46] So we're all unique. We're all created by God. We're his masterpiece. Created anew in Christ to do the good things he planned for us long ago. The Bible says, predestined so before the foundations of the world.
[00:09:57] And so what comparison does is it actually hinders this, because no longer do you see yourself as God's masterpiece. You're looking at that person and saying, well, I could never be as good as that person. I could never do what they're doing. I could never achieve the things they've achieved. Meanwhile, God's saying, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're my masterpiece. I've created you in Jesus. I've got these works planned for you. Don't worry about the works that they're doing. That's for them. I've got plans for you. Hallelujah.
[00:10:23] So again, this is very personal to me. Remember that this is something that God has been walking me through for seven years. So everything that the Lord and the Holy Spirit speaking to you now, he's been speaking to me.
[00:10:35] So I believe the reason we're not experiencing the fullness of what God has for us is because of this comparison. So the title of my message today is ‘The Comparison Trap’. ‘The Comparison Trap’. You know, the Bible warns us a lot about comparison. There's some certain scriptures on it, but in context, it talks about how it steals from us, how it robs off of our joy, how it takes our peace, how it defers our passion.
It talks about how that has a crippling effect on our relationships, our relationships both with God and with each other. If I'm comparing myself always with other people, then there's, like, a subconscious in me that says, well, maybe God didn't create me.
[00:11:21] Maybe I'm not his masterpiece. Maybe I'm not perfect. Maybe I'm not all these things, whereas God's like, no, wait, hold on. You're worthy, you're chosen, you're holy, you're righteous, you're pure, you're all these things.
And yet you look at other people and you think, well, maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm not as pure as that person. Maybe I'm not as with, look at that person. Look at their life. Oh, my life's not like that. Maybe I'm broken, and that's not what God's saying. But comparison will do that. It'll rob us of our peace. It'll rob us of our purpose.
[00:11:46] And so it's one of those things for me personally. So this is where it gets a little bit personal for me personally.
[00:11:53] I actually struggled a lot with comparison before Jesus. And then it was something that kind of, like, followed me into my walk with the Lord post Christ as well. And now, man, when I got saved, I was so in love with God. Like, just so in love with him, I was consumed, and I'm still in love with him. I'm still consumed by him.
But what I mean, I was in that kind of, like, Christian honeymoon, right? Where just, like, the birds sung differently and the trees looked differently and the colours were more vibrant and the song, you know what I mean? Like, I was in that honeymoon with Jesus, and, you know, I'm still in that honeymoon with Jesus. Like, I'm still in the honeymoon with my wife. But that doesn't mean that life and challenges don't come, right? Like, I'm still in that place with him. I'm still as in love with him as I was the day that I gave my life to him. But, you know, these things through life, they try and quench it.
[00:12:42] They try and resurface. Old hurts, old habits, old hang ups, they try and resurface. And what they try and do is they try and speak more loudly than the blood.
[00:12:51] That's what these things try to do. They're trying to remind you of what you were rather than who you are. And they try and speak louder than the finished works of Jesus and what he did for you on the cross. And that's got to be the loudest voice that we always hear, is what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Because the Bible says that that work that Jesus did on the cross, the finished work of Jesus on the cross, so his life is death, and his resurrection and his ascension back to heaven. The Bible says in Hebrews 1, that God spoke to us in old times through the prophets and through the law. And it says now in the book of Hebrews, it says he's now spoken to us through his son. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
So how God speaks to us now is through Jesus is through the finished works of Jesus, through everything that Jesus accomplished on this earth and in his life. So when you want to know what God says, you got to look at what Jesus did. Because God speaks to us through the son. That's how he talks to us. So what's God saying? Jesus.
[00:13:47] Look at Jesus. What did Jesus do? Who is Jesus? He healed them all, so you're healed. He forgave them all, so you're forgiven. He loved them all, so you're loved. That's how God speaks to us now is through Jesus. Amen. That's good. That's just a little side nugget. It's not even in the notes. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus.
[00:14:07] Oh, that's good. It's really good. So it's one of those things, like. So, like I said, it's something that I carried into my new life in Christ, was this idea of comparison. And so I'll share a quick little story.
[00:14:22] When I was nine, I was at a swimming carnival. I was a nine year old little kid.
[00:14:28] I was at a swimming carnival. And we were all sitting in the line. I can still remember this so vividly, man. And we're sitting next to the pool getting ready for our meet, our swimming freestyle meet. And we're just sitting there chilling out, just as kids do, as nine year olds do, not a care in the world. And the teacher was sitting there and she turned to me and she said, oh, you're pretty chubby, aren't you, Jeremy?
[00:14:50] And do you know that up until that point, I had never even considered my physical appearance? I'd never even thought about how I looked. I'd never even thought about this or that. What's chubby? What's fat? What's thin? What's this? What's that? Right? But that moment, all of a sudden, I became conscious of my appearance and how people perceived, because all the kids laughed as well, so that didn't help.
[00:15:13] And I felt conscious of my appearance. And then all of a sudden, from then on out, I started to compare. I looked at that person. Oh, yeah, I don't look like that person. Oh, wait, yeah, that person's tall. I'm wide. That person's, you know, all of a sudden, comparisons started to come in just because of that moment, right? And I'd never been conscious or aware of it.
And what that did is it started this journey with me where, you know, I was so just consumed with physical appearance, so consumed with body image, so consumed with how people viewed me, even though those people wouldn't even think, probably weren't even looking at what I look like. But in my mind, all I could do think about was how were they viewing me? And I was comparing myself to them all the time, right?
And so I ended up with, like, eating problems. I ended up sort of getting into working out, but in a really unhealthy way. Like in a really unhealthy, like just overdoing it because I wanted to be ripped and I wanted to. I wanted people to see me a certain way. I wanted that because of the comparison mindset that had checked in.
And so all through high school, I came obsessed with working out, comparing myself to others in an unhealthy way. And then as I got older, it kind of manifested differently with, like, things like the approval of man, the things like keeping up with the Joneses, like having that image appearing a certain way, judgmental thoughts about other people. But that's how this kind of manifested through the years, right? Because of that moment and that comparison that kicked in. And you've probably got similar stories and you've probably got similar thoughts as well.
[00:16:48] And what happened is that actually followed me into my life in Christ. Not initially because I was, like I said, I was so in love with Jesus. Like, it just, the world didn't even exist anymore. It was just me and God, and he was just doing these amazing things. But then when reality checked back in, it was like, oh, actually I got some stuff. I got some stuff that Jesus got to help me with, right?
[00:17:10] And comparison was one of them. And it's a really big deal to God because it is a trap. It is a trap, and it will hinder us from fulfilling what God wants to do through us and the unique expression of who God is in you. And I believe that God wants to bring some freedom this morning from this. Is this talking to anyone this morning? Like, am I talking to myself? Yeah. Okay, I'm talking to someone. All right, so God wants us to be free from comparison. Thank you. That motivated me. Praise God.
[00:17:37] All right, well, you know when you share something personal, right? Like it's. Yeah. Just. Anyway. What's that?
[00:17:44] I'm not free from comparison. No. Well, this is the point. This is what I'm trying to say. I'm not free, but I'm more free.
[00:17:50] I'm not free, but I'm more free. I haven't arrived, but I've left. Hallelujah. I haven't made it. I don't have it all together, but Jesus is holding me together. Hallelujah.
[00:18:03] Trust my wife to bring me back to reality. Thank you, Lord.
[00:18:07] So question. Who wants to be free from comparison? Hallelujah. Yeah. Come on. Now, that's what I'm talking about. We're going to go to our first scripture in a minute, and I want you to see the first actual mention of comparison, or the first time we see comparison. Check this out. It's actually in the garden. It's actually in the garden. It goes right back, right back to the Genesis story. So let's go together to Genesis 3, and let's look at this in the scriptures.
So it says, now, the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, the serpent said to the woman, has God indeed said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Next verse. And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the trees of the garden, but the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.
[00:18:57] The serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die.
[00:19:01] For God knows that in the day that you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will know you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:1-4) So check this out. So the first thing the serpent says is, he says, “has God really said?”
[00:19:15] And what that did is it made Eve compare what she had to what God had said.
[00:19:23] And this is where the comparison trap falls in, because the comparison trap falls in when we aren't satisfied with what God said.
[00:19:35] Comparison trap sets in when we are not satisfied with what God said.
[00:19:43] So the serpent came to her and said, has God really said?
[00:19:47] Has God really said, has God really given you those things? Has God really promised you that thing? Is God really that good? No. And actually the serpent said, no, he's holding something back from you.
[00:19:57] So comparison sets in when we don't trust what God has said and what he's given us and who he is. The comparison trap will set in when we value other things more than what he's spoken to us. The comparison trap will set in when we don't understand who he says we are and we're looking for our worth and our value in other things.
[00:20:15] That's when the comparison trap will fill in, when we believe that when we believe or when we aren't satisfied with what God has said. Amen. So the serpent made her look at what she had and feel like that was inadequate, that God was somehow keeping something back and that there was something better. She compared what she had.
[00:20:37] She compared what she had to what the serpent was saying. And in her mind, she doubted the promises of God. She doubted his goodness, and she doubted his love towards her. And that is what comparison will do. It will have us looking everywhere except for the blessing of God that we have right with us right now.
That's what comparison will do. It will have you looking at every other external thing and take your focus off what God's actually given you right now, which is his peace, which is his joy, which is his hope, which is his name, which is his blood, which is his righteousness, which is his purity, which is his holiness. He's given you all those things right now, but comparison will have you going, that's not enough, God. I'm not satisfied with what you've said. I want more, God.
[00:21:17] That's what comparison will do. Amen. And remember, I'm preaching from a place of personal testimony. This is what God has spoken to me. This is what God is dealing of in me. And it might not even be. It might not even be the things that you're thinking about. Cars, houses, all those sorts of things. It might be a ministry, it might be a pulpit, it might be the praise of man, it might be that person recognising you, that girl seeing you and saying, oh, he looks handsome. Whatever it might be, there's something that you're not satisfied with what God has said about you, and you need more. And that is where comparison jumps in. So in order to defeat comparison, we have to be satisfied with what God has said.
[00:21:56] Amen.
[00:21:57] We have to be satisfied with what he has said. And I told you at the start, what's he said? He has spoken to us through his son.
[00:22:04] The Bible says that God showed his love for us in this way and that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.
[00:22:12] The Bible says that if he would not spare his son, how would he also, with him, not freely give us all things? Hallelujah.
[00:22:20] Jesus is the expression of God's love towards you. And he is the only thing that you should ever be comparing yourself to.
[00:22:29] You should only ever be comparing yourself to your worth valued and your worth based on the value that God paid for you, which was his son, which was the blood of his son.
[00:22:40] Why compare yourself to anything else? Why compare your life to the money in your bank account, the girl by your side, the food on your table, the clothes that you wear, the car that you drive? Why compare yourself to all those things when you can compare yourself to the blood of Jesus who died for you and gave himself for you?
[00:22:59] See how freeing that is to live in a place where it's like, you know, Paul writes in Philippians. He writes, I've learned the secret to life.
[00:23:10] He says, whether I have a little or whether I have a lot, I have Jesus and I am sufficient in his sufficiency. (Philippians 4:12-13 AMPC)
[00:23:19] Man, that's so good. Whether I have a little or whether I have a lot, I am sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. I'm sufficient in him. I'm sufficient in his finished works. I'm sufficient in what he did. It is enough. It is more than enough. It is everything.
[00:23:37] He says. That's the secret to life.
[00:23:39] That's pretty cool, you know, that's pretty cool. Hallelujah. So comparison is one of those things that we need to bring to the light so that God can deal with it. And we can see that when we understand that, when we put down comparison, when we stop looking at other people's ministries, other people's churches, other people's lives, other people's jet skis and all those sorts of things that they have, and we simply just say, God, what you've said is enough.
And I'm going to walk in who you say I am. And you've given me a place and a purpose and a life that you want to fulfil and bring your glory to this earth through. When you live in that place. I'm sufficient in his sufficiency. I don't lack anything because I have Jesus. And you start comparing yourself to the cross and you start comparing yourself to the word of God. And you start comparing yourself to what God has said about you.
[00:24:26] Man, that's where freedom comes in. That's where you start to walk in power and authority and blessing. That's when you start to walk in victory and wholeness.
[00:24:37] Oh, that person got healed, but I didn't get healed. Lord, man, that's comparison. Oh, so God must be holding something back from me or maybe, maybe there's sin in my life or maybe I've got unforgiveness. I don't see that in my Bible anywhere.
[00:24:53] But what I do see is that you're comparing the blessings of God on your life to the blessings of God in someone else's life, forgetting that God's no respecter of person. If he did want that for that person, he'll do it for you. And you simply just have to trust in his timing and in his goodness and his love towards you. And you have to understand that right now. Maybe I am healed, but it's not manifesting right now.
Okay, God, but that doesn't change the way I see you. It doesn't change who you are. It doesn't change your word. It doesn't change your love towards me. And I'm not going to compare myself to that person or what they've got because I know you've got something for me and you want to do something through me and something to bring your glory to this earth. Like, it's really freeing. So let's look at, let's go to that scripture. Timmy in 2 Corinthians, says, for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. (2 Corinthians 10:12)
[00:25:46] So, you know, a lot of the times you see these people and they look great on the outside, they look like they got their whole life worked out together. And we start comparing ourselves to them because we're seeing their highlight reel and we're seeing all the good things that are going on in life, not knowing that they're going home.
[00:26:04] They're not having a good time. You know, I was gonna say something. Really not. Yeah. Anyway, they're just. Life is not as good as they're making it out to be. And we're comparing ourselves to that highlight reel, and all that's doing is causing us to live in guilt and shame. All that's doing is causing us to live in a place of condemnation and comparison or the meanwhile.
[00:26:25] Anyway, thank you, Jesus. But they measuring themselves by themselves. Wow, this is a great verse. So they're measuring themselves. They're not measuring themselves to their worth in Christ. They're not measuring themselves to what God has said. They're not measuring themselves based on the word of God and what the word of God says. They're measuring themselves by themselves. Man, I'm great if all I'm doing is comparing myself to myself.
[00:26:48] Actually, I'm not that. Thank you, Jesus. But that's the Holy Spirit saying, well, hang on. Compare yourself to me.
[00:26:54] But if you're always comparing or measuring yourself by yourself.
[00:26:59] Right? So. And then it goes on to say. And comparing themselves among themselves. So there's a group of people that are stroking each other's egos and, oh, man, good job. Meanwhile, they're living in sin. And they're doing all the things they shouldn't be doing. And they're. And they're thinking they've got their life sorted out because they just bought the new whatever, you know, like. And they think, oh, yeah, we'll compare. Oh, man. Yep. Comparing myself to each other.
[00:27:21] But it goes on to say, go back one first verses by themselves. And comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.
[00:27:30] That is not the wisdom of God to be comparing your life to other people's lives or to comparing what you've got. Or comparing yourself and valuing your life based on how successful you are. And negating the word of God and negating what God has said. Negating the blessings of Christ. Negating Jesus. Amen.
[00:27:52] So comparison. So we saw that Eve compared what she had to what the serpent was saying. And then she started to doubt the character of God. And that's what comparison will do. It will have us looking everywhere except for the blessings of God that he's already given us. It'll stop us looking at his goodness, his grace, his willingness to fulfil, to provide, to restore. And instead having us looking at what we don't have, what we're missing, what God is supposedly keeping from us. And it is the trap of the enemy. Cause it stops us focusing on the promise of God and his goodness in our lives. It is how the enemy gets us looking at everything we don't have. And we question God's grace.
[00:28:30] So here's the other thing. Comparison is not something that we're ever gonna be completely delivered from, okay? As long as we're in the flesh, as long as we have a human skin, as long as we're here on this earth, we're gonna be tempted by comparison. We're gonna have that come in and creep in. It's gonna creep in all the time. But what God has given us is he has given us authority, has given us victory. And he has given us his word to be able to overcome these things. Right.
Cause we're never gonna be delivered. And that should actually bring totally freedom to you. Because for me, I was always condemning myself. Cause I'm, like, I'm still dealing with this Jesus. Like, I'm still dealing with the same issue. It's been seven years now. Why am I still dealing with this thing? How come I'm not free from this thing. And it's because that I have the choice all the time to walk in the flesh and the old man, or walk in the spirit in the new man, right?
So comparison lives in my old nature. It lives in the old me. And I'm never going to be delivered from the old me until I go to be with glory with him, okay? Because it says that this mortal body will shed its mortality and put on immortality. It says this corruptible earth suit will take off the corruptible and will put on incorruptible when I go to be with him in glory.
But while I'm here on earth, I'm always going to be dealing with my flesh. I'm always going to be dealing with my humanity. And the only way that that speaks louder than what Jesus does is if I take my focus off of Jesus and I put it onto see, you magnify what you give your focus to. You magnify what you give your focus to. So if I'm always focused on what I don't have, if I'm always comparing myself to your life or your life, if I'm always comparing myself to the blessings I don't have, rather than looking at the blessings that I do have in Jesus, then I'm always going to be walking in that flesh. I'm always going to be dealing with that. But if I can get myself to a position where I'm in the state of thankfulness for who he is and what he's given me and who he is in me, then that completely will nullify comparison in my life.
Cause no longer do I see Phrez and I see the life that he's got and the car that he's driving, and I start comparing. I'm saying, man, God, I'm so thankful for Phrez. What an awesome blessing you've put on his life. Thank you that you take care of your children, God. Thank you, God, that you're a provider. You've provided for him. You're gonna provide for me. This may not look like his life, but you're still providing for me. There's food on my table. There's a roof over my head, Lord. There's clothes on my back, Father, I'm so incredibly grateful, Lord. I just pray that you continue to bless prayers, Lord God, increase him, Lord God, so he can give back to the kingdom, Lord God, would you just keep increasing Phrez, Lord, in Jesus name?
[00:30:51] So thankfulness and changing our heart posture will, instead of comparison, have us be a blessing to other people.
[00:30:58] You know, no longer will I be looking at people's lives and thinking, oh, man, I don't have that. My life sucks. I'll be like, man. God, you are incredibly blessing that person. Lord God, thank you so much for who they are. God. I can see your grace on their life, Father. And Lord God, what you've done for them, you're gonna do for me, Father. It's gonna look so different, Lord Goddess. Cause I'm uniquely and fearfully and wonderfully made. But, God, your blessings aren't limited by my perfection or by my performance. Your blessings are based on who you are and what you've done in Jesus. God and Father, I thank you that you bless me, Lord God, I thank you that I walk in freedom and victory, Lord. Amen. You see what I'm saying, man? It's just a completely different perception and a different change. Comparison kills, whereas thankfulness brings life.
[00:31:41] Amen. Comparison kills, but thankfulness will bring life.
[00:31:46] Man, that is so good. True freedom will come when you stop beating yourself up because of your humanity. But you just trust God to work it out and to bless you.
[00:31:55] Our old nature was dealt with by Jesus on the cross. We've been given a new nature, and our new nature is exactly like Christ. But we have the choice to crucify the old nature and the desires of the flesh every day. That is why Paul wrote, I die daily. And that's why he warned us against that trap of comparison. (1 Corinthians 15:31)
[00:32:13] Can we look at that scripture again? Man in 2 Corinthians 10:12, but in the ESV this time? So this is not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves, but when they measure themselves by one another and are comparing themselves with one another, they are not wise. So we understand that God's wisdom is for us to not live in a state of comparison, but to live in a place of thankfulness. Right. We understand that the wisdom of God is not for us to compare, but to be thankful.
[00:32:44] Not to look at what we don't have, but understand the blessings that we do, the breath in our lungs, the friends by our side.
[00:32:52] Amen. So we've been given a new nature.
[00:32:54] Comparison is something that we have to be aware of because the enemy uses it against us. 1 Peter 5:8 says, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, just like the serpent in the garden convinced Eve that she didn't have the blessing, that she needed more, that she started comparing what she had to what he was saying.
Just like that, that's what the enemy will do with us. He will start to sow that seed into us through comparison, that maybe God's keeping something back from us. Maybe God's not as good as he says he is. It's the same thing that the enemy will do now is what he did. He's got no new tricks, guys. He's got no new tricks. It's the same old trick. Hallelujah. So comparison is definitely one of those ways he tries to infiltrate our lives, our marriages, our homes, our families, our relationships.
[00:33:47] Okay, this is where it gets real. So I got a word from the Lord just to share with some of you married folk, some of you dating folk. Uh oh. Thank you, Jesus.
[00:34:02] All right. Thank you, Lord. Pray for me.
[00:34:06] So, comparison, okay, this is for you married/dating folks.
[00:34:10] Comparison will have you looking at another person's relationship or marriage and say, oh, I wish mine was like that.
[00:34:19] My wife never holds my hand like that.
[00:34:22] She never looks at me like that, that she never says sweet things to me like that.
[00:34:31] It's comparison. Then you go home and you'll be thinking, maybe something better.
[00:34:39] Maybe that's not the one for me.
[00:34:43] Maybe God's got a different plan.
[00:34:46] And then the enemy, man, he’s in.
[00:34:49] He's in through comparison. He's in through comparison. Meanwhile, God's gone. Look at that lady on your shoulder. You better be thankful, man, because I would not marry you.
[00:35:04] I think about that all the time with Michelle. I'm like, man, thank you, Jesus, because I would not marry me. I know how messed up I am.
[00:35:11] So comparison, man.
[00:35:15] So you'll go home and you'll be thinking, oh, maybe there's something about, see, he's got in your head. He's sowing division.
[00:35:21] And get this. Even though that couple or that relationship is going home and they're cussing at each other and they haven't had sex in months. Yeah, I said it. But yet you're seeing their highlight reel. Oh, he didn't hold my hand like that. Oh, he doesn't speak to me like that. He doesn't love me like that. I wish you would whisper in my ear like that. That.
[00:35:46] And you don't even know. You don't even know, man. They're going home and they hate each other, right?
[00:35:52] That's comparison. You could apply that to any area of your life, really, relationships, whatever it might be. Work colleague gets promoted. Oh.
[00:36:05] Anyway, in the cookie jar. I'm in the cookie jar. Hallelujah. But the reason I bring that up is I really feel like God is wanting us to be aware of this trap of the enemy.
[00:36:15] I do believe it. I do believe that God is wanting us to get out of comparison because comparison will bring division. Comparison will absolutely derail unity. Comparison will keep you hindered and stop you from walking in the fullness of what God has for you.
[00:36:32] Comparison put a ceiling on your joy, on your peace. Man, it is deadly, man, it is super deadly. It is super deadly. And like I said, I've been dealing with this for like seven years in various degrees and God's still working on me. But I walk so more free now from comparison than what I did when I came to Christ and before Jesus. Like even when, before Jesus and the fear of man and all those sorts of things and comparison and that kind of stuff. Like even from that until when I got saved, there was like an instant change, man, like there was an instant change. But there was still some things that I need to deal with and I'm still working on those things with the Holy Spirit through the word of God.
But God is continually just reminding me of my value before him and reminding me of the blessings that I have and the restoration that he's done in my life and the family that I have and the family of the body of Christ that I have and just all the blessings. And I'm always continually asking God, God, open my eyes to your blessings. Open my eyes to your goodness in my life. God, I don't want to see the stuff I don't have or the perceived stuff that I don't have. I just want to see what you're doing, what I have in you, God, I just wanna see that. And if you ask that, if you pray that prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to do that, I promise you he will start to show you all the blessings in your life. You'll probably be overwhelmed by it, to be totally honest. You'll fall on your knees and start crying.
[00:37:49] God, is that good. He is so good. I mean, honestly, just take 1 minute. Just take 1 second right now and just think about something good that God has done in your life. Just take 1 second right now and think about, yeah, amen. You could name like ten things right, right off the, but that's not even a scratch in the surface, man. The fact that you're sitting here today, the fact that you have a smile on your face, breath on your lungs, blood pumping through your veins, your heart's, your heart's beating, your lungs are open, you know, the fact that you didn't give up or didn't quit because God carried you through the fact that you're still standing, you're still fighting, you're still believing, you're still in faith, like all of that is God's faithfulness.
[00:38:26] Amen.
[00:38:28] Hallelujah.
[00:38:30] Some counters to comparison that God has taught me over these seven years. So we talked about it already. Number one was thankfulness. So, thankfulness keeps your heart in a posture, in a place of gratitude and opens your eyes to the blessings you have. It helps you to see God's grace in your life.
[00:38:47] Thankfulness will have you looking at the worship on your lips, the breath in your lungs, the Bible in your hands, the wife by your side, the family in your house. Thankfulness will have you looking at all of those things. But most importantly, thankfulness will have you looking at the cross of Jesus and his finished works, the blood that speaks a better word, and the power of his resurrection.
[00:39:07] Thankfulness will have you looking at God's undeserved favour on your life, that every time you've gone through a valley, every time you've been on the mountain, he's delivered you. Every time you've gone through the fire, he's preserved you. Every time you've been through the trial, he brought you through.
[00:39:22] Amen. Amen. Another counter to comparison is the truth, the word of God. Have you ever had thoughts like, I don't hear. I don't hear God? Like Pastor Kyle hears God? Or I don't know the word like Pastor Tina knows the word? Or I can't do what so and so does, or I'll never be as charismatic as this person. Or, you know, I'm just not as outgoing as that person. I could never evangelise, like Jeremy. You know, all of these things that we say, right?
[00:39:50] But when we go to the word of God, we see the truth. You know, in John 10, it says that I'm his sheep, and I hear his voice, so I can hear God. (John 10:1-3) Like Pastor Kyle hears God. You know, it says that I have the Holy Spirit, and he's the teacher, and he brings back to remembrance all things so I can know the word of God. Like Pastor Tina knows the word of God. Right?
[00:40:10] What else? It says that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me in Philippians 4. (Philippians 4:13)
[00:40:16] Right? So what I'm seeing that other person do, I could never do that.
[00:40:20] You can do all things through Christ, your strength. If God puts that on your heart to do it, just do it. He'll strengthen you for it. Amen.
[00:40:26] Oh, I'm not as smart as such and such. The Bible says you got the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
[00:40:32] God's not working in my life like he's working on that person. The Bible says that the Lord is my stronghold. Who shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1-3) It goes, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5) Yea, that I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil because your rod and your staff comfort me. Goodness and mercy followed me all the days of my life. (Psalm 23:1–6) Do you see what I mean?
For every lie of the enemy, there's a counter of God's truth and God's word and God's promises. For every lie, for every lie of comparison, God has the antidote. He has the answer in his word.
[00:40:59] Hmm.
[00:41:01] Here's one for someone this morning. God. Put this one. Isaiah. Put this one. Timmy. Isaiah 43:1-2. Yeah. Let's get this going. I'm nearly done. I'm nearly done. Done. Thank you, Jesus.
[00:41:12] You guys all right? You guys all right? Yeah. Amen. Amen. Amen. This one. Isaiah 43:1-2. But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you, O Israel, the one who formed you.
Do you remember I said at the start that you're all uniquely created by God, predestined to be here right now to do the good works that he prepared for you in advance?
[00:41:35] Says, O Israel, the one who formed you says, do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you the blood of Jesus.
[00:41:44] I have called you by name.
[00:41:46] You are mine.
[00:41:48] So my charge to you this morning, church, let's walk free from comparison by no longer looking at what other people have or the things that we don't have. But let's know who we are in Christ.
[00:41:59] Let's know if we go to that next. Go back one more.
[00:42:05] Let's know that you have been called by name and that you are his. And the only one that you should ever be comparing yourself to. And the only thing you should ever be comparing yourself to is Jesus and the word of God. And let's walk free from this.
[00:42:19] Amen. Amen.
[00:42:22] Each of us is uniquely created by God. The only thing we should ever be comparing ourselves to is his word and the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[00:42:31] The Bible says, because as he is, so am I in this world, that I'm being transformed into his likeness and that his grace is sufficient for me.
[00:42:41] So let's make a choice not to carry worldly concepts of comparison and approval of man into our relationships and our walk with God. But let's walk in thankfulness. Let's walk in the truth, you know, I believe that there's a huge call on my life for soul winning, for evangelism, for street ministry. I believe there's a huge call on my life for that. And, you know, I incredibly honour people like Todd White and Bryce Crawford and Ben Fitzgerald, these people that do this amazing evangelism ministry. But if I look at their life and I see that and I compare myself to that, do you know what that does? That doesn't motivate me, that actually, you know, kind of quenches my fire. I can never be like that. I can never do like that. I can never be like that. But here's what God said to me. He said, I didn't call you to be Todd White.
[00:43:34] I didn't call you to be that person. I didn't call you to be Pastor Kyle. I didn't call you to be that. I called you by name.
[00:43:42] I put my word in your mouth.
[00:43:45] I put my purpose in your heart. I put my plans on your lips. I put my path on your steps.
[00:43:54] Why are you looking at them to define your purpose? Look to me, God says.
[00:44:00] Look to me, God says, amen. Amen. So if you feel like this morning it's gonna be bold again, bold faith this morning, church, if you feel like this morning you've been living in a place of comparison, I invite you to stand up to your feet. I invite you to come forward. I invite you as an act of surrender and humility before God to say, God, I've been walking in comparison. I've been guilty of the trap of comparison. And I want to step forward and I want to walk in freedom, God.
No longer do I want to look at what I don't have or what the enemy is saying or tempting me with. I want to see what you say about me, God. I want to walk in what you have for me, God. I want the revelation of who you say I am God. And I'm gonna walk free from comparison, God, if that's you this morning, in an act of surrender and humility, stand up where you are and say, I want to be free from comparison. I want to be free from judging myself, condemning myself, looking at what others has.
And I want to walk in what you have for me, Jesus. I want to know what you have for me, Jesus. I want to compare myself to you and your word, Jesus. And I want to find my value and my worth and who you say I am and not what others have or not what I see in the world, God. And we tear down every idol in here, this morning church, everything that's tried to exalt itself above the knowledge of Jesus, everything that's tried to define you, put value on you, put worth on you, anything that's tried to tell you that you're not worthy because such and such or so and so, or this or that.
We just rebuke that. Now, in the name of Jesus. God, we ask this morning that you would free our hearts, Lord, of comparison mindsets, that holy spirit, you would rewrite, rewrite, rewrite our thinking, Lord God. Transform our thinking by your word this morning. God, I just ask that you speak to every person in here who is stored up in humility, Lord. Speak to them their value.
[00:45:50] Speak to them who you created them to be. Speak to them their purpose, Lord God, to find their worth in Jesus, Lord God, open their eyes to see the blessings that you've already given them, Lord God, thank you, Holy Spirit. Minister to them now. Let them see the good things that you've given them, every good and perfect gift that's come down from you. God, let them see the breath in their lungs, the worship on their lips, God. Let them see the blessings of a next meal. Let them see the blessings of the shoes on their feet. Let them see the blessing of two working eyes and one working mouth and two working ears. Let them see the blessings, Lord.
[00:46:31] Let them see the blessings of a church community and family that stand beside them. Let them see the blessings of pastors who will give of their lives to come here and speak the word of God in truth into their hearts. Let them see the blessings, Lord God, of fellowship and friendship and community.
[00:46:47] Oh, God, I thank you that we are free people and we walk in what you have for us, what you paid a price to give us, Lord God, thank you, Jesus, that our value is defined by your blood and by your sacrifice.
[00:47:04] I just pray this morning if there's anyone that doesn't know the Lord and they would like to start this journey with Jesus and walk free in him, have victory, have authority, have a new name, be a new creation, and have a peace in our heart, knowing that they will eternally live forever in heaven with him. If that's you this morning and you want to give your heart to Jesus with every eye closed and every head bowed, I just invite you to lift your hand where you are. Lift your hand where you are if you want to say, Jesus, I want to give my life to you. Yes. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for the hands, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.
[00:47:35] Thank you, God. You can put your hands down.
[00:47:39] Well, church, let's join together in a prayer of salvation for someone who's decided to make Jesus their Lord this morning, God. If that was you, if that was you that raised your hand this morning, I want to let you know by the authority of God's word that it says that he who believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he was risen from the dead, that person shall be saved. That person will have an eternal life and a relationship with God. So what we're going to do now is we're going to do that. We're going to pray that prayer. So everyone, church, all together, let's pray with our new brother in Christ.
[00:48:17] Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus died for my sin.
[00:48:25] I believe that by faith in him alone I can have eternal life.
[00:48:33] I believe in my heart, Lord, that Jesus rose from the grave, defeated death and has given me his life.
[00:48:43] And now, Lord, I give him my life.
[00:48:47] Jesus, I want to follow you. I want to know you, and I want to walk in this life you have for me.
[00:48:58] What a day. In Jesus name, amen.
[00:49:02] Hallelujah. All right, thank you, church. I know I went long. I appreciate your, appreciate you. Love you guys.
Thank you for tuning in to today's message. To connect or find out more, you can reach us online at worldchangers.life. Remember to subscribe for more uplifting messages from our pastoral team and may you continue to walk in faith and transformation until we meet again.
