episode 17 season 2-loneliness pt 2

The Word of Mouth Podcast hosts Nate and Shelby discuss the topic of loneliness. They talk about the different types of loneliness, such as emotional, social, situational, and chronic. They also discuss the role of ego and pride in perpetuating loneliness, as well as the importance of forgiveness and vulnerability in overcoming it. They emphasize the need for authentic connections and the harmful effects of shame and judgment. The hosts reference biblical parables, such as the lost sheep and the prodigal son, to illustrate their points. They criticize religious institutions that perpetuate exclusion and emphasize the importance of tearing down religious barriers. ♪♪ ♪♪ I'll beat you to it. What's up, Nate? What it do, Shelby? Yo, welcome to Word of Mouth Podcast. Welcome to Word of Mouth Podcast with Nate and Shelby. We are back in the building. What it do? It do? Yes, it does. It do, I don't know. Yeah, it did it. It be doing it. It be doing it. Hey, what it do, everyone? Man, we are back in the building hanging out. We want to continue a discussion that we spoke on last podcast to conclude the episode of loneliness. And we wanted to jump into that today. And we just want to have a good time with it. We really want to talk in depth about loneliness because a lot of people really do struggle with loneliness. The struggle is real. Man, it is intense. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the last episode, we did speak about just the foundation of where it can start from. We came out the book of Psalms 25, and we read the entire Psalm. But there was a verse in there that we really wanted to point out that David said. It was verse 16, and he talked about how he was lonely and he was afflicted. And he just needed God to show up. He said, God, I need you. How many times have we sat in that place just like David and cried out to God, hey, I need you. I need you now. Like, show up for me right now. And how many times have we sat in a place and not cried out to him? Oh, my God. Oh, thank you. That's a good one. How many times have we did that? Especially in loneliness. I'm just speaking from my own situation. No, that's good. How many times have I sat in pride and didn't cry out to God, to people, to nobody because I was angry? Island. Don't call me out today. All right. No, calling myself out today. So we're going to jump into this because it is definitely something that we have dealt with. Both of us can honestly say we have dealt with. And it ain't like you won't creep back up. So why not expose the enemy in every capacity and just discuss it? Just discuss it. I looked up the definition of loneliness. Loneliness is sadness because one has no friends or company. Wow. Has no friends or no company. That that's pretty lonely place. Loneliness affects people in different ways. And we spoke last episode about the four distinct types of loneliness. Number one is emotional. You can definitely be emotional, emotionally lonely. And that affects you when you're dealing with people and understanding that it's difficult to improve things without tackling the root of the problem when you're dealing with people. Second one we talked about was social loneliness. And that's typically experienced by those who have problems with social situations, when they're shy or they're awkward or a sense of low self-esteem. Another one we talked about was situational loneliness. And that can result in developing friendships or being awkward in friendships and then make friendships difficult. And then the last one we talked about was chronic loneliness. And that's when you've let it sit for so long that it now becomes a way of life. And that can be turned around, too. Shelby, go back and listen to the last episode. Holy Spirit really spoke through her in dealing with chronic loneliness. So today we want to conclude it with just really putting more foundation on it and just recognizing some of the red flags that may come about when you are dealing with loneliness. Shelby, I'm going to start off with a question. Shocker. OK. In the time that you have dealt with loneliness, did you feel like you stayed in that place too long? I don't think so, but I probably inevitably stayed in it longer than I should have. OK. I don't think I got stuck there, but… OK. I don't know if we can put a time to it because loneliness is just that desolate place. I think one of the definitions said without friends or company. Right. So if it's an hour or if it's ten years. Ten years is way too long. In fact. Way too long. Yeah, I agree. But, you know, I think a lot of people think that, you know, like we talked about the pity party and stuff like that. You get in a place where it's like, well, I don't have any friends and I don't have any this and I don't have any that and I have no outlet and blah, blah, blah. But sometimes it takes you stepping up and stepping out to get those things because life isn't always going to just throw them your way. And so we have to be willing to make a change. Come on, Michael Jackson. I knew you were going to say that. Well, here's scripture behind what you said. Faith without works is dead. You've got to get up and do something. You can't just sit there and wait for a friend to come to you. Even in Proverbs, the Bible says that to obtain friends, you must show yourself friendly. How can you do that if you're sitting in that island all along? Well, and I think we get very comfortable in our complacency and we, you know, and even when we're like thinking, well, yeah, I could probably go to church or I could probably go do this or I could probably step out here or whatever. The enemy comes in and says, yeah, but are you really going to be accepted? Or is it really going to make a difference? Or are they just going to make you feel like crap? You know what I mean? Like the enemy comes in with those thoughts because he knows that we're better for him to be separated. It's much easier. We're much easier prey. And so he's always going to put those things, those stumbling blocks in our way. Sounds like we have to mentally become strong in the beginning process of coming out of loneliness, listening to you. Yeah. Because, of course, it starts now mental. As you said, you know, you're already talking yourself out of going around people, hanging out with people. Or trying something new in order to get out of that situation. So I guess we've got to start mentally. What can we do? What's the first step in starting mentally of coming out of that place of isolation, desolation? Well, yeah, we have to take the first step. But I think something that I wanted to talk about because when we ended last, we were talking about family relationships and how having an issue with one of your family members can bleed out into the rest of the family and then you miss out on events and all that stuff. And the thing that hit me was, is it better to forgive and lay yourself down and come out of that loneliness being the forgiving one? Or is it better to hold on to your pride? And I'm talking from experience. Wow. Pointing the finger back at me. That's powerful. And I think there's a lot of loneliness in that. It's just holding on to our egos and not wanting to forgive the person who hurt us and put us into that possible pit of loneliness. So now I ask the question, and something that I'm hearing you would ask, when do it become an ego? When do it become prideful when you don't address it? I think that it can become ego at any point. But when you've dug your heels in, and a lot of times, like I say a lot, when you're pointing the finger at everyone else, there's three fingers pointing back at you, which is the case. When you're seeing fault in everyone else and in the world around you, but you see no fault in yourself, I think it's a good possibility that your ego has gotten in the way. Wow. And your loneliness might be something that you created. So the ego will prevent you from wanting to be around people, and it will create a bigger space for loneliness to reside. Yeah, that gap gets bigger. And that, as I look back over my life, yeah, I've lived that. Oh, yeah, me too. I think we all do it to a certain degree. But that's just things that I think maybe if you're really stuck in loneliness, if you're really wallowing in that place, maybe you should consider those things. I don't know. I guess if I was to ask a question to you from the viewers, and we're asking both of us, what would you say if you were the family member that was hurt? Like you were the one that was hurt. Why should you have to go around them? Like if someone was to ask you that and say, no, they hurt me. I'm like Joseph. They threw me in the pit. Why I got to go around them? Why I got to go hang out with them? Well, we're supposed to forgive everybody. One hundred percent. I'm with you. We're not supposed to hold a grudge. Our humanness wants us to absolutely. And the enemy then convinces us that it's OK to do. So we cling to that, but we're supposed to be forgiving people. So what I'm hearing you say now, as clear as day, is unforgiveness will keep us lonely. I believe so. It's not the only thing that keeps us lonely, but I'm just saying I think it's a good possibility that we've created loneliness from being in an unforgiving space. I agree. I agree 100 percent. There's a lot of scriptural references that I can give in that. How easy it is for us to remain in that place, especially when pride or ego kick in. And as I've said many times in my mind, even when it comes to family, yeah, I'm good. I don't have to deal with them. I don't want to go. Yeah, no, you're not alone in that. Was it me not forgiving? And not only that, but, you know, when we isolate to protect ourselves. Or to avoid hurt. Which I guess is protection, really. You know, we've kind of created that ourselves, right? So the more we isolate ourselves, the more we are creating the loneliness. I agree. And we have to realize that we've done that to ourselves. It wasn't that other people did it to us. We created a comfortable space. Right. I don't want to do it no more, so I'm just going to stay here by myself. It's been my life for a while. And that loneliness can start to affect you in more ways than we can imagine. If I can really be transparent right there on that part, it began to affect me, say, two, three years ago. Because loneliness became comfortable. Yeah. It became so comfortable that I would have lived forever. It was chronic. But then it becomes really uncomfortable at times. Yes, it is. And very hurtful. Definitely uncomfortable. Yeah. And you sit in there wondering why nobody talks to you, nobody interacts with you. What's wrong with me? Depression and then possibly suicidal things begin to creep. Because they're spirits. Yeah. Of course. Spirit of defeat. Yes. Spirit of unworthiness. That's why I think it's important for us to talk about that. I'm so glad that we have references of actual people in the Bible that can relate. And so we have no reason. I'm not saying that it won't get hard. If I got a person that really can relate to my life, I think I'm going to kind of take what they're saying and say, hey, you know what, if you did it, if you overcome that thing, I probably can too. Yeah. It's a great example. That's how you build relationships. Well, that's also preaching from your pain. That's why we all have a purpose. That's why we all have a ministry. Because whatever situations we've gone through in life and we've lived through become a testimony to those who are coming up through those same situations. And sometimes, you know, I've said this before in a TikTok, some people just need a word. They just need a good word. And you're the one that's supposed to deliver that good word to them in some form or fashion. And if you're so caught up in not feeling worthy of giving that good word, then you allow the enemy to steal that from you. And then you're stealing from them as well because where's that good word that they need to be encouraged? That they need. That they need. That's good. To keep them from spiraling. I want to give scripture reference behind what you just said. In the book of Revelation, they talk about how we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. It's not our lives, even unto death. Like our lives is supposed to be that in which is given to someone else so that they can overcome. If I miss the opportunity of what someone else need throughout my, in your words, my pain, the things that I've been through, then, man, I can imagine standing before God and God saying, well, why didn't you? Why didn't you step up? Why didn't you say this? Why didn't you? There was a person that needed to hear that. Right. Wow. But you were too embarrassed. You were too involved in your own ego. I was praying. I was at—I didn't go to the gym, but I went to the park today, and I was walking. And I got around where the lake is, and I said, God, I cancel the spirit of shame. I believe that the body of Christ has been affected by shame. Absolutely. Like we feel like we're afraid. 100. We feel like we're walking on eggshells or in fear because we're ashamed to be a flawed individual, what we are. Or naked. Well, I don't want to get naked in front of anybody, but that's a whole other story. We're not going to do a podcast on that one. But, yes, that's fact. Absolutely. We get so into our space of I don't want to look like this in front of anybody. I don't want to be spiritually naked. I don't want to be vulnerable. Uh-uh. I don't want to look stupid. I don't want this, that, and the other. But, yes, we absolutely—we do the pretending. We do the I don't have flaws. Well, I do, but I don't want you to see them. I'm going to switch, and I'm going to go back, but the Holy Spirit is pulling on me right now. So do you think, Shelby, do you think that's why the enemy has used so many tactics, tricks, schemes, devices for us as believers, nonbelievers, just people alone, to recreate something else so that we won't show our true, authentic self? Like that's why we live in a filtered world. That's why we live in a—what do you call it? It's all prettied up. Photoshop. We're living in a Photoshop-type season. Like we've got to be this glamorous type of thing for someone to receive us. Yep. Where did that come from? Oh, it's been building for years, decades. So when are we ever authentic? If I have to be perfect to be your friend right now in my mindset, I don't want to be your friend because if you can accept me for my flaws, for my imperfections— But you have to allow me to see those flaws. It goes both ways, right? Exactly. Perfect. But that's where we're creating our own loneliness, right? Yep. Because we don't want people to see our flaws. We don't want to be vulnerable. And when they see those things and we retract because we've been embarrassed in our own spirit, it creates that void. But you know where that's come—you know where that has come from? The spirit of shame or embarrassment—I posted something on my Facebook page. This guy had went to church. His phone went off in church, and his wife looked at him crazy. The pastor started talking about him from the pulpit. The people in the church was like, man, how can you let that happen? They made him so embarrassed. Made him an example. Of just his phone going off. Later on that day, he went to the bar. He was sitting at the bar, and he was just distraught about what happened at church. And his elbow hit a beer bottle, and it fell and it broke. And he thought—again, he felt the embarrassment of what he thought people would do. The bartender came over there, started sweeping up the glass. The waitress came over there and said, hey, everybody make mistakes. You're good. The people in the bar started buying him more drinks. They were embracing him because they said, we all make mistakes. But yet the church was the one that's going to ostracize him for doing something wrong. Oh, wow. That doesn't speak at all to truth, does it? I post a video, and I ask the question, have we become that critical? Oh, you think? Jesus Christ. Why would I want to be authentic in front of you? Why would I want to be real if I know that you're going to judge me? As a matter of fact, you'll probably wait till I leave your presence. But it's sad to say that you're talking about me at your dinner table, but you're hugging me at service. So, Shelby, I want to say it's kind of a two-edged sword. I do want to be authentic with people, man, that I trust their spirit. I hope that they're going to fight with me when we're fighting this spiritual warfare. But then those are the people that are stabbing me in the back. Yeah. I hear you. You're preaching truth right now, and I'm sure almost everybody can identify with that. Yes, ma'am. Yeah. And loneliness comes from not having a connection, because you can be surrounded by people. Like we talked about in the last podcast, you can be surrounded by people, and maybe even people that are close to you. But if you don't have a connection with those people, you're still feeling alone. My God. And connection has to do with vulnerability. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And if we're afraid that we're not going to be accepted for who we are, if we're afraid that someone's going to see our soft underbelly and they're going to expose us for that and out us and shame us for it, then we're not going to be willing to go out there. Not at all. And put ourselves out there. Not at all. And the loneliness is a better option, right? Oh, my God, thank you. Okay, so I'm going to download. Luke, you got your Bible right there. Go to the book of Luke. Chapter 15. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. I think a lot of us, and I'm speaking for a lot of people right here, we've renamed loneliness to isolation or islanders. As we raise our hands. Yes. Right here. Over here. When we say loneliness, we just say, well, I'm just on an island. So I'm killing the spirit right now because I refuse for it to continue. These are parables that Jesus gave in Luke 15. One of the parables I think is there is about the lost sheep, right? Yep, first one. Okay. When I read that parable, I think about if I was the one that got lost, a spirit of shame is on me because everybody's looking at me. Looking at you. The underbelly in which you speak about the flaws, you see everything that it's seen now. So now you're looking at me different. Now you're judging me. Now you're ostracizing me. And I don't want to be around you. I'm going to go hide for a long time because I feel shamed. Yeah. I think another example, a parable that he gave, I love his teaching here. He talked about the lost coin. How amazing is that for him to use just these simple parables and then he goes straight into the prodigal son. That's it. You got it right. The prime example of these powerful parables to me is that no one is excluded. Look, in my Bible in big bold words it says there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people. Come on. Come on. That's Bible. But you know what I was just thinking when you were talking about the lost sheep? I remember, and I'm not bragging, but I was a pretty smart kid in school. But even being a smart kid, when I was called on in class, I didn't want to be called on because I didn't want to be wrong because all the kids tear you apart. Well, even if you're – who wants to raise their hand and give an answer when they aren't sure it's right? It's the same thing because we don't want to be ostracized. We don't want to be – even if we think we know the right answer. So then we question ourselves. And then we isolate because I may be right. I may be wrong. I don't want to be embarrassed. I don't want my soft underbelly showing. I don't want to be shamed. Right, and so that – it starts very young. Wow. I don't want anyone to feel like I'm bashing the church, but I am coming against religion. I want to tear religion apart. And the reason why I want to tear religion apart is because it's killing people. Yep. And it's not what God wants for any of us. No. It's not why his son died on the cross. Everywhere, even if you go back to Luke 14, he had conversations with these groups of people. One group of people was called the Pharisees. One group of people was called the Sadducees. They had groups of people. Of religious people. Uh-huh. And it's sad to say that if you didn't – and I'm going to say it the way I feel it. If you didn't fit their clique, you was ostracized. Well, that never happens nowadays, does it? No. No, don't tell me that. Don't tell me that the Four Walls has a clique. No, no. Come on. Really? Okay. If you don't fit right in, you fit right out. Right outside that door. And it's sad that people would laugh in your face and speak or talk about you behind your back in that way. Uh-oh. Sorry about that. Somebody's not going to talk about you. They're going to talk to you. So in that place of loneliness, what we're trying to do is uproot those negative things that have kept you in that place for so long. Shame may have kept you down there. Being embarrassed may have kept you in that place of loneliness. Shall we talk about whether you're smart or whether you're not smart? Those things, if you don't get it right or if you mess up or whatever, they can put you— Mistakes. Mistakes. Mistakes. Stop holding onto those things. Stop letting those things lord over you. You messed up. We all do. We all do. And we all try and hide it too. Thank you for saying that. Who? Genesis. Genesis. There's all these spirits on Nate today. He's like, whoo, he's going far. Oh, man. Thank you for saying that. Did you—we all saw it right there in Genesis. I want to say it's three. When they knew they messed up, they knew they did. Yes, and they went hiding. But God was looking for them. And he was like, where did you go? Like, I love you so much. Where did you go? Why are you running from me? That's the same thing he does to us. He did it from the beginning. Nothing changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Nothing changes. There's nothing new under the sun. There's no new sin. There's no new mess, mistake. There's no new mess. Come on. Come on. And he was trying to find them. Where did you go? Where are you? Why are you running from me? God. Yeah. But how many of us have done that, Shelby? Yeah, absolutely. And that is a spirit of disappointment. I think, really, we don't talk about disappointment very much. But disappointment is such a big deal. It is. It really is. We get disappointed in people. They let us down. We get disappointed in ourselves. We get disappointed in situations, work, whatever. Yes. But yes, I mean, it all boils down to that. If we understood that God is coming after us, even when we have totally blown it. And I kept my language good. I didn't say anything naughty. Yes, you did. It was real good. It was real good. Totally blown it. Totally blown it. Oh, that's so good. I guess that's why that parable, the last one, the prodigal son is so good because the father never turned his back. Now, here's the kicker. This is what I love about that parable. The people that stayed, the brother that stayed, he said, hey. Yes, what about me? I'm pissed. I've been a good kid this whole time. I've been with you. Yes. Rocking with you all this stuff and you just go, well, I don't matter now. I'm like tough liver. Don't we all do that? Shelby. Shelby. I'm guilty. Oh, my God. How ironic these great passages in the Bible is talking about us today. Today. Yes. We throw away people in a heartbeat. People didn't change. From the moment of creation, people have not changed. We are still wicked and sinful and vile. Yes. All that. And so. Yes. I know you had other words. Yes. With us being that you're right. We don't change. We have to accept the fact, at least try to accept the fact that God is trying to change us. And we can only be changed through him. Yes. Through the Holy Spirit. Thank you, God. First, acknowledge it. I messed up. I made a mistake. I'm not going to be shamed about it. Because that's where condemnation kicks in. And condemnation is only from the enemy. Only. Only from the pit of hell. It is a lie. Come on. Only. Only. The only thing that he can put on you. On you. Not in you. But on you. No. It's like a mantle rests on your shoulders and just keeps you buried. Yes. The spirit of heaviness. Come on. But we don't have to stay there. We can get up. We can get up. Square our shoulders. In Shelby's voice. Which the big boy draws on. Get up and get it right. Try to anyways. And you may screw it up again. And that's okay. That's the best part about it. Like Jesus didn't come for a perfect people. Thank God. I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever make it on that list. This was like, um, no, honey. No. Yeah. Sorry. I couldn't even get on the end of the reserve part of the perfect. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. But he didn't be right there with you. He didn't die for those people. He died because he knew. Thank God. He even gave us a comforter. That's a comforter with us to remind us all the time. Yeah. Get up. Come on. You got this. Don't stay there. But you have to have a relationship with him before you're going to have that comforter and that helper and that force in your corner. Yes. Thank you for saying that. We have to have. Don't wait. Come on. Don't suffer. Don't sit there in your mess. Come on. Just talk to him. Just say, uh, you see me here. Really? I know you do. That's what everyone says, that you see me here. You see me? Here I am. Can you come and help me, please? Please. Please. I'm struggling. David said it in 25. I need you. I am afflicted. I'm afflicted. And I'm lonely. He was reading some other words off Mike about afflicted. Yeah. What were those words? Man, those words got bad. Woo. Heavy. Listen. And I think they were synonyms of the words? Yeah. Oh, listen to these words, y'all. Listen to this. Let's see if I can find it. Okay, here we go. Distress, agony, misery, pain, anguish, discomfort, torment, tribulation, torture, woe, sorrow, excruciation, hurt, travail, pang, sadness, and hardship are just a few synonyms of affliction. That's just a few. Condition of suffering. Oh, my God. We cannot stay in that place. Here's more. She got more. Here's more. She got more. Misfortune, suffering, trouble, trial, disease, pain, distress, grief, misery, plague, curse, ordeal, sickness, torment, hardship, sorrow, woe, adversity, calamity, scourge, tribulation, wretchedness. I was stuck at plague. I know. What? Plague? I'll be stuck at wretchedness because I probably belong there, but anyway. Wow. Man, I refuse to stay in that place. Ladies and gentlemen, we can't stay there. No, it's not your address. Yeah. And you can let the enemy know that, too. Please. Please do because he really needs a reminder. Yeah, that's not my address. That's not mine. I don't live in the pit. I live in the heavenly realms. You know, every time you say that, I'm reminded of a commercial that I saw. They're promoting a product called Mucinex. The green guy? Big green blob of whatever. And he tries to just keep resonance in your body. I'm preaching. Big green blob. Every time I hear you talk about just the resonance of where the enemy tries to reside, I think about that blob and not Mucinex, but we thank God for Jesus. We thank God for the Holy Spirit. You can't reside in the same place where the Holy Spirit is. No, you can't. Y'all won't get along. No. And it even says, the word says that. He cannot stand in the presence of that name. At all. No. That's why when you get that oppressive feeling, you just say, in the name of Jesus, be gone, Satan. Be feet. Because one wants to have domain. Dominion. Yes. And if both of them are powerful, you've got to make a decision. Yeah. And now, of course, we're human. And there have been some mistakes that we have made where we let the enemy stay a little too long. Yes, all the time. Unfortunately, I put up way too much with him. Come on. But that's something that we have to understand in our authority. And we don't I don't think we preach enough about authority. Come on. We don't. Come on. Come on. Talk about it. Well, you have all the authority. He doesn't have any. Yes. He gets to have fun on this little playground that he's been given for these many years. But yeah, he's got no authority. None. Nope. And we need to remind him of that. Every day, I believe. Yeah. Because if we don't, we feel like, you know, it bothers me when I hear and I've heard this phrase quite a bit growing up. Oh, the enemy is busy or he's just he's just wearing me down. He's after me. I refuse to give the enemy that much authority over my life. He's an imp. He is an imp. And why should I give him more authority than what I have? God said, whatever you bind on earth, I'll bind it in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth, I'll loose it in heaven. So there's no way possible that he can have the same authority as me. No. And you can't bind him. Yes, you can. You say I bind you. In the name of Jesus. You know, we should do a podcast on that, like all the different things you can do, like you can cancel things and all that, you know, people don't know that stuff. I don't do it. But we don't discuss the authority because we have authority. That's a good thing. We have authority here on earth. Luke, can you go to Luke real quick? Still there. Amen. Luke 10. Yeah, I think it's Luke. 10. Love the Lord your God with all my heart. Sorry, that's just the one that I just read. Is it 18, verse 18? Oh, don't be talking about Martha and Mary because you're going to get me off. No, 18. 18 or 19, which one is it? I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. That's 18. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, to overcome all the power of the enemy. Come on. Nothing will harm you. He said, I've given you what? Nothing. I've given you all power and authority. Yeah, we're doing a podcast on that. Yes, we should. That's the title. That's it. However, do not rejoice that the Spirit submit to you. Come on. But rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Thank you. That is good right there. That is good. I'm just going to be honest because driving here today, I had a weird something going on in my spirit, like weird. And I'm like, Lord, what is this? What's this about? Why am I feeling this way? And I passed someone we both know on the road, which was odd because he doesn't – he's not usually out here, but I passed him on the road. And he waved, and I wasn't expecting to see his face, so I was like, oh. And at that same time, I started praying for certain men that are in my life right now. And I was listening to worship. Well, actually, worship just happened to come on. It was on my playlist. Can I tell you that my spirit went from completely like in an uncomfortable place to feeling so blessed that I was in tears driving here. Wow. And it was just about shifting the focus off of me and onto other people. But I have to say that because, I mean, I could cry about it right now. That's part of it. When we get so caught up in ourselves and we get so caught up in – and I really don't think I was caught up in myself, but there was just something stirring in my spirit that wasn't right. And I just said, Lord, what's this about? Like what's going on? And he totally shifted it. Like the Holy Spirit totally shifted from – Oh, my God. Yeah. Everybody can experience that. That's not just for me. That's for everybody who believes. Wow. That's so amazing. That's – oh, my God. It's actually encouraging because some of us stay there way too long. Something's stirring. Then you find yourself getting angry. Then you find yourself getting upset. And then you carry it on throughout the rest of the day. Yeah, I was getting anxious. Like what is this? And it was something with you and I. It had something to – so I don't know if there was a presence that was trying to come against whatever we were going to talk about, and maybe so because this has been Holy Spirit led. Yes, Lord. That very well could have been it. But it was – I mean, maybe that's probably what it was. The enemy was trying to stir up thoughts in my head and get me on that loop. Cancel the assignment. And so if I hadn't said to God, what is this about? Like if I hadn't been aware that there was something off and I hadn't asked him, I probably would be in a very different place right now. Talking to you, this podcast would not be what it is, all of that. My God. And I wouldn't have had the revelation of – and I do get it often of how blessed I am and just being thankful and acknowledging the favor and all that because I think that's so important. And it's so humbling. It really is. Yeah. Thank you, Lord. But, yeah, that was my experience on the way here. Wow. The enemy lost again. Can I say that? Thank you. Ding, ding. God. Wow. I could have went the opposite way. Yeah. God, I thank you. But see, I wouldn't even – I only figured that out just now talking about it out loud with you. Because at first I was just like, what is going on? Like there's something. Like I don't like this feeling. Jesus. And I could have just sat there and gone, well, what is this feeling about? Well, it's probably about this and that and then this and then, well, that's because of that. And could have gone on and on and come here with a completely wrong attitude. Jesus. God, I thank you. Yes. If that's not just a lesson, now that's probably one of the most human, human lessons that we can learn. This is something that just happened. Yeah. We can take that and learn from that. We don't have to carry that over into your next 10 minutes, your next two hours, your next day or so. No. But we do. I do it all the time. I do. I mean I'm just giving an example because it happened just now. There's plenty of times I stew in it and I create a whole mess out of nothing. So many of us do. Yeah. Your authenticity for saying that I believe have freed some people. I hope so. Thank you, Jesus. Yes. And that speaks about the authority in which we have because we all fall prey. Satan is still a spirit. So we all fall prey of knowing that that spiritual warfare can either overtake us or we win the battle. Right. Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood. And I wasn't doing nothing. I literally just sat there and said, okay, Lord, what's this about? Like I didn't do nothing. That was all him. God, I thank you. Wow. This has been, man, this has been truly amazing for me. This was kind of all over the place. It really was. It really was. The Holy Spirit's like, no, you guys think you're talking about this? We're going to talk about this. Yeah. We went everywhere. I thank you. Thank you. We got to come back. We really need to talk about all the aspects of authority in which we have spiritually in this world that we live in. I think we think that we are less than instead of more than. Oh, yeah, for sure. The Bible says we are more than conquerors, not less than. Oh, yeah. Then we can do greater works. Greater. Greater is he. Which I think is really what people like they really don't think they can do that. Like why would I be allowed to do more than what he did? Because that's what he said. That's exactly what he said. And that's what he wants you to do. And probably because he knows how evil and perverse this world is going to be. That's why we have to do greater. Right. We have to. Not that not that the enemy has changed and his tactics have not changed. None of that's changed. Right. But just that we have to be. I think we get drawn out of the being the conqueror. And so the further we get drawn out of being a conqueror, then we that all mess starts. And so then, yeah, we have to be that much fiercer in our authority. Bolder. Yes. Bold is a good word. I like fierce. Yeah, I do like that. Lay in the spirit. That's my thing. Lay in the spirit. I do like spiritual brass knuckle. That's it. That's it right there. And we need that. We have to walk in that boldness and that fierceness. We have to. If we don't. Yeah. And I don't want to fall by the wayside. Not to say that everybody have that tenacity. You can. You can possess it. We all start somewhere, though. Absolutely. And I didn't start this way. Believe me. It's taken 43 years to get me here, so. Amen. Amen. And you have to know the word, too. Yes. Because that's what you have to fall back on, and you have to use it as a sword. The word is the only thing that it gets you through. I mean Jesus gave us the best example even when he was tempted. He kept telling the enemy, hey, don't forget it is written. That's all we got. Right. If you look at the weapons, we're in Ephesians. Yeah, we're going to leave in a minute. If you look at the weapons in which Paul wrote by way of a design, spiritual armor that we have. You look at the helmet to protect us mentally. You look at the belt, the belt of truth, because he is the way. The truth. You look at the breastplate. Of righteousness. Oh, my God. I got to protect your heart. I have to. Absolutely. Your mind is going to be everywhere. I got to protect your heart. Let not your feet. So I'm going to give you some feet gear because you got to stay on the path of righteousness for me. And stand strong. And stand strong. I'm going to give you a shield because he's going to throw some darts at you, and those darts are going to be fiery darts. You got to block them. But the only thing he gave us to fight with. I thought we was going to get a nine millimeter. No, which tells you it's close combat. Oh, that's good. Oh, that's real good. Oh, that's real good in so many ways. I can roll. I can roll with that. Close combat. Yeah, buddy. That means he's standing right in your face. Oh, yeah. And he's far off. Okay, that's good. Oh, no. Oh, that's good. Close combat. And that's real good. Wow. That's what we can fight with. I don't have to scream. I got to scream the word. Sometimes you can't even get it out of your mouth. No, seriously. You've been paralyzed in the spirit. You can't even do it. True. You're right. I got to mumble up. No weapon that is formed. I can get it out. It's a done deal. Don't let me get it out. Sometimes, like I've said before, the Holy Spirit, when you can't get it out, the Holy Spirit will give you some kind of utterance. Yes. Might not be in any language that you understand. Come on. The devil knows, so he don't care, and he has to beat feet. My God, the prophetess. Oh, my gosh. Listen, y'all. This has been word of mouth podcast with Nathan Strong. Yes, it has. This has been the Holy Spirit's word of mouth today. For real. For real. I'm not sure he's done yet either, but we'll take a little break. Yeah, we'll have to because, oh, my God. Maybe not. That close combat hit me. Oh, my God. Because it's facts. We think that the enemy is so far off, and he's looking us right in the face, and you got something to fight with, and you're looking around for a bat. You're trying to swing. You're throwing punches. It ain't working. You're just getting yourself more exhausted. Tired. Yes, yes. I gave you something. Me. I gave you me. I gave you me. Give you my word. I refuse. I refuse to fight normal again. Especially I'll take it all the way back, especially in being in that lonely place. I'm going to fight my way out with the tools that he gave me to fight with. Because on the island, when you're on the island, yeah, there ain't a lot of stuff around you. But when you're in a fight, you're fighting alone. You better know it. So you better be prepared. Yes, indeedy. Be using all the tools you got. Come on. In your toolbox. In your toolbox. Ladies and gentlemen, this has been Word of Mouth Podcast with Nate and Shelby. Yes. We'll be back. Yes. Very soon. Yes. Love you all. Love ya. Take care.