I ALMOST QUIT – A Transforming Leadership Conversation with Doug Stringer and Guest Shane Idleman, Pastor, Author, and Influencer (Ep. 257)

Our Guest: Shane Idleman

 

Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship, in Lancaster, Ca. and now Leona Valley, Ca. He also began the Westside Christian Radio Network – WCFRadio.org – in 2019.  His sermons, books, articles, and radio programs have sparked change in the lives of many.

 

Scriptures and Key Points:

 

Proverbs 22:4 NIV Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.

 

• When you discipline the body, there are spiritual ramifications.
• We fail in the culture to encourage truth.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 NKJV And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.

 

“When Truth is sacrificed for the sake of relating to the culture, the very foundation is destroyed.” – Shane Idleman, I Almost Quit

 

• Shane shares that “We welcome anyone, but we’re not affirming.”
• Our primary concern should be to not offend God.
• The bolder we are, the more humble we need to be.

 

“You’ve got to weep before you whip.” – Leonard Ravenhill

 

“A lot of people want to share the message of repentance and holiness. Many of them do it because it moves people. Rather it’s the place of weeping between the porch and the altar. Before you get up and share a message, you’d better be on your knees weeping for them between the porch and the altar. There’s something different about when the people have been wept for before the altar of God.” –  David Wilkerson

Shane has learned that before a pastor prepares his message, God has to prepare his heart.

 

• You can’t have intimacy with God and hold on to sin.
• It’s through the heart of worship and humility that the power of the Word of God can come forth.

 

Jeremiah 20:9 NKJV Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.

 

“Self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us.” – A.W. Tozer

 

• Live it before you preach it.

 

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV …He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

• Seek until you find it.
• Lord, wherever you want me.
• There is one offering that God will never cast away: a broken and contrite heart.

 

Psalm 51:17 NKJV The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.

 

“God doesn’t answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer.” – Leonard Ravenhill

 

• There has to be engagement of passionate pursuit even when you don’t feel like it.
• Worship is an internal consecration of our hearts.
• The first time the word “worship” is mentioned in scripture it is used in the context of obedience to God.
• Worship is the position of the heart that seeks God.
• The breakthrough often comes after obedience.
• Shane tells us that you can’t fast and pray and not see God clearly.

 

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

• You have to be open to the things of the Spirit.
• It’s our private posture that affects our public influence.
• We serve a perfect God even in our imperfections.

 

Shane encourages us, “When you fall, you get back up and fight again.”

 

“…For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all. And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall…” – Dr. D.H. “Dee” Groberg, The Race

 

• There is an empowerment that comes when we surrender to the Lord.
• “Lord, I want to quit, but I know I can’t.”
• Good things are not always God things.
• Not everyone likes going deeper.
• Sometimes God doesn’t take away every struggle. It could be there to keep you humble.

 

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”…

 

• “I’m not afraid of my failures. God, help me deal with my successes.”
• “Whatever you want, Lord, I will serve you.”
• We need to have a sanctified desire to spread the message of the Gospel.
• Come back to the point of personal consecration.
• Sometimes God keeps us hidden, but that doesn’t mean we are not making an impact.

 

“When God finds someone with courage to pray and live a life of holiness and compassion, He can literally change the face of a nation.” – Winkie Pratney, Revival: Principles to Change the World

 

“Revival is neither more nor less than the impact of the personality of Jesus Christ upon a church or a community.” – Thomas Chalmers

 

• In Shane’s opinion, the biggest thing the enemy will use against believers is either offense or discouragement.
• We must repent of it.

 

Psalm 51:12 CEB Return the joy of your salvation to me…

 

• God rewards passionate pursuit.
• The greater the struggle the greater the blessing.
• The biggest growth is from resistance at a slow pace.
• Discouragement is a powerful drug.

 

Links:

 

• Westside Christian Fellowship

 

Books:

 

• I Almost Quit by Shane Idleman

 

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