19 April 2026 - Your thoughts and your health - Pastor Sylvester Onyemalech

Privilege and the honor to stand before your people and declare your word.

I want to thank you because you're a great God, loving Father, caring and faithful.

I pray that the spirit of revelation will come upon us.

The spirit of quick understanding.

I pray that your word will enter into us and establish your truth in us.

I pray that your word will bring freedom.

Your word will bring healing.

Your word will strengthen our confidence in you.

Thank you, Father.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

I want to thank God for the privilege of being here today.

I want to thank uh Pastor Clarence and Pastor Debbie for the opportunity to once again share the word of God with you.

I give God glory for what God is doing in your lives and how God is prospering the church.

Amen.

And I want to encourage you to continue to support the pastors so that they can fulfill the purpose and the assignment that God has given them.

And at the end of the day, all of you together with the pastors will share in the reward.

The reward is not only for the pastors, the reward is for every person who is a part of this project.

May God strengthen you, energize you, and use you more and more.

Amen.

Before I start, I came with some books, and I want to encourage you to get a copy, at least one copy for yourself.

There are not so many.

Understanding the mind of man is my favorite book.

It's a book that will expose you to the nature of the human mind, our thoughts, the power of our thoughts, how our thoughts create our emotions, help us in making decisions, how our thoughts influence our actions, determine what we say, how we say them, the tone of voice, the passion with which we speak, the very words themselves.

So a man's life is a creation of his thoughts.

And so that book will enlighten you and teach you how to manage your thoughts so that you can live the life of God that God has given you.

And then there's another one: the right to dominion.

The right to dominion will help you understand who you are in Christ, the authority you have, and how to use it to make life say yes to you.

Then you have haunted by the past, which was written to help people deal with negative past experiences.

Some of us have stopped loving because of what we saw, what we had, what we experienced.

Some of us have stopped trusting.

Some of us have withdrawn to our shell.

We are now on our own.

And so, because of the experiences of life, this book will teach you how to handle negative situations so that your past does not become your prison.

And there is a chapter that I love so much, and that chapter deals with prisoners of the past.

That book will enlighten you and help you and teach you to manage negative situations.

Then there's another one.

The title is Keeping the Peace in the Home.

By the grace of God, I have been in relationship ministry since 1988 to date.

And God has been very gracious.

So some of the things that I've learned over the years, I put some of them in that book.

And that book has changed a lot of lives, helped people to, you know, save their marriages.

It's also a good book for those who want to get married.

It will teach you about the things you are going to experience so that you can have peace.

Now, all of these books are the back there.

There are a few more, and I trust God that you will be blessed in Jesus' name.

Now, because of time, let's go straight into the word.

The title of my message today is Your Thoughts and Your Health.

Amen.

And I want to start by showing you from the scripture that it is the plan of God that all of us who believe in Jesus will enjoy divine health, not just divine healing alone.

When we are sick, he's ready to heal.

He wants to heal.

But he wants you to live in a state where you don't even fall sick at all.

That is the plan of God for your life.

And once we establish this, then we cannot go on to how to stay healthy.

Amen.

God bless you.

And I pray that God will truly open your eyes.

Isaiah chapter 33, verse 24.

Isaiah 33:24

No one living in Zion will say, I am ill.

And the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.

Zion is symbolic of the presence of the Lord.

A man who is living constantly in the presence of God.

In other words, you have a walking relationship with the Savior.

You know him as Lord and Savior.

So if you are here, you haven't accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, make sure you do so before you leave.

So when you are in relationship with him and you are actively involved in the relationship, not that you just confess Jesus and continue to live as you used to.

No, you are walking with him.

The Bible says, you will not say, I am ill.

As I prophesy in hundreds of years, about 700 years before Jesus Christ was even born, said this.

So it shows us the heart of God concerning us.

And that's the reason why you notice that when Jesus came, he was in the habit of healing people, delivering people.

Because God wants you to be healthy.

He does not take glory in seeing you being sick or being afflicted by the enemy.

The Bible says how Jesus of Nazareth was anointed with the Holy Ghost and he went about doing good and healing all them that were oppressed of the devil.

Everywhere he saw people sick, he wants to help.

There was one day he saw a woman who, you know, have lost the husband and now has lost the son.

It was a funeral party.

They were going to bury the boy.

And he felt compassion.

He's concerned about you, concerned about me.

And he just stopped them and woke the boy up and then he turned back and left.

You see, I wanted to understand that God cares.

God wants you healthy all the time.

So he said, If you are living in Zion, you will not say, I am ill.

And someone is that possible to live on this earth without being sick?

Yes, it is possible.

There are those who have enjoyed that grace also.

It's all about faith.

And the Bible teaches us that in this relationship that we have with Jesus, this righteousness that we are enjoying is a righteousness that is by faith from beginning to the end, from the first day you gave your heart to Jesus till you concluded, everything about this relationship is by faith.

So you obtain the blessings of God by faith, you you enjoy the grace of God by faith, you enjoy prosperity by faith, you enjoy God's protection by faith.

And so healing is also yours by faith.

Freedom from sin is by faith.

So God wants you to recondition your mind to believe.

Now, this is yours, but you can also reject it.

You can also decide, no, I don't believe it, it's not possible.

Then you will live in that realm.

You will still God's favorite child, He will still love you, care for you, do whatever it is you know you want him to do for you.

But that's the realm you want to live in.

But if you want to live in the realm where you are not sick at all, then you believe it, you confess it, you declare it, you pray it, you look forward to it, then it will be your portion.

So I just want to show you that's the plan of God for us all who believe in him.

And I want to believe that you want to enjoy that.

Now, let's move on a little bit faster.

John chapter 1, verse 12, and verse 13 shows us that God truly wants us to enjoy this because this promise that God made in Isaiah is to be experienced through Christ.

John 1:12

So in John chapter 1, from verse 12 to 13, the Bible says that those who received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God.

John 1 · chapter mention

And once you are a son of God, that means you are going to experience the same life, the same grace, the same health that Jesus Christ experienced.

And there is no record of Jesus being sick one day.

No matter how tough or you know powerful the devil is, he couldn't afflict him with any sickness and disease.

And he was distributing health, distributing healing, setting people free, and he was enjoying it himself.

And that same life, that's what he gave you.

So the life we receive from him is not lower in quality, it's the same life, hundred percent the same life.

In fact, if you read uh Colossians chapter 3, verse 3 and verse 4, verse 3 says, For you died, your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3

When Christ, who is your life, shall appear.

So Jesus is not just in your life, Jesus is your very life, your life.

King James Christian says, When Christ, who is our life, not in our life, our life.

So Jesus is living through you, which means when you look at yourself, you should be seeing Jesus.

So what could not happen to Jesus shouldn't happen to you.

If the devil could not afflict him, he should not afflict you.

So you can reject any affliction, you can reject any sickness, you can reject any disease.

I hope you're getting my point.

You say no, and it will be no.

The Bible, Jesus said, What you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven, what you disallow on earth to be disallowed in heaven.

So it is your choice.

What do you want?

How do you want to experience God?

What is the level of experience that you want to have in Christ Jesus?

If your level is everything that God has for me, I want to see them all, then it will be yours.

So good health is your portion.

Can somebody say good health is my portion?

So you are born of God.

That is the life he wants you to live.

Now please bear this in mind.

Uh, the verse 13 tells us there, this life is this birth that he's talking that God is talking about is not the biological birth, not that which a man and woman come together and say, Let's make babies.

We want to have a son, we want to have it.

No, you are born of God, and you were given this life to live here on earth.

Not just to have it and say, Oh, I'm a child of God.

God wants you to live that supernatural life here.

He wants you to enjoy the same life that Jesus enjoyed.

He wants you to manifest the same things that Jesus manifested, same character, same attitude, same behavior, same authority, same power.

That's why Jesus gave us his name.

That's why he told us, I behold, I give you authority.

So the authority has transferred to us.

So you too can enjoy if you choose to, if you want to.

So you've got to believe it's your portion.

So now we have established that.

Now let's go a little further.

John chapter 14, verse 27.

John 14:27

John 14, 27.

Peace I live with you.

My peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.

So Jesus gave us his peace.

Why?

Now we need peace with God, we need peace with ourselves, and we need peace with other people.

Peace helps you to stay healthy.

I'm gonna show you.

We have already established it's God's design that you be healthy.

So now we're gonna look at the things that take away the good health.

So if you want to stay healthy, then you've got to pay attention.

Praise the Lord.

So the Bible says he gave us the peace, but there's no record of anywhere where he withdrew it.

Because whatever God gives, God doesn't take back.

Satan has power to do what he's doing because God gave him the power when he was still a good angel.

But when he rebelled against God, did God withdraw it?

No.

The Bible said the gift and the call of God is without repentance.

When he gives, he has given.

So what causes us to lose peace?

Worry, anxiety, fear.

That's why he said, Do not let your hearts be troubled.

If you want to keep the peace, do not be afraid.

In other words, show your faith and confidence in me by being at peace all the time.

So we temporarily lose the peace.

It's not that it's taken away when we worry.

We don't feel peace anymore.

When we become afraid, we don't feel peace anymore.

And if you continue like that, your health will be affected.

Let me show you.

Proverbs chapter 14, verse 30.

Proverbs 14:30

A heart at peace gives life to the body.

But envy rots the bones.

A heart at peace gives life to the body.

You want to stay healthy, you want to enjoy good health, then be at peace.

At peace with God, at peace with yourself, and at peace with your fellow men.

That's why he tells you envy rots the bones.

What does that mean?

It kills the stem cells.

It weakens your immune system, it destroys your health slowly and steadily.

A heart at peace gives life to the body.

Your body functions well when you are at peace.

So don't worry.

You will stay at peace when you don't worry.

Be anxious or nothing, the Bible says.

God recognizes we always have challenges and problems.

So the Bible says, When you have problems, cast your curse upon the Lord.

That's why we pray.

And when you have prayed, God is expecting you to step aside so He can take over.

You see, we cast the curse.

If I throw it to you, if I throw this microphone to you, the microphone is off my hands.

It's now with you.

But what do we do?

We say, Lord, we give it to you.

When we are going in, we carry it on our head again and we continue.

And that's why we are way down.

Don't worry.

God is more than able to solve your problems.

There is nothing that has come to you that is not common.

And the Bible says, In every temptation or trouble of life, God will always make a way of escape.

And He promised to be with us till the end.

He said, Lo, I am with you always.

Always in good times, in bad times, in challenging times, I am with you.

Sometimes you don't feel his presence.

So I want to tell you, it's not about feeling.

That's why we have problems.

We think about feeling God, feeling his presence.

I feel it lonely.

I feel God is not a feeling.

You don't feel God.

You know He's with you.

Just as you know who you are and what your name is, who your father is, who your mother is.

So you should know because He said, I am with you.

Moreover, you are the temple of God.

He lives inside you.

So you are never alone and you will never be alone.

And he gave you the assurance, I am with you always, always, always when it gets tough or seems to be getting even tougher.

I am still with you.

So learn to relax.

You have a great God who is on your side.

He won't disappoint you.

The Bible says, Those who look to him, their faces are radiant, they will never be put to shame.

You will not know shame in Jesus' name.

So whatever the problem is, learn to relax.

So be at peace.

Be at peace with God.

Be at peace with yourself.

Determine today that worry is not good for you.

And you don't need it.

And then again, be at peace with your fellow men.

Envy no one.

Envy is dangerous.

Someone else is doing better, you are not happy.

Someone is giving testimony, you are complaining.

Are you with me?

In other words, your heart towards others must be pure.

Impure thoughts towards people, evil mind towards people affects your health.

What did he say?

It dries up the bones.

I don't want to go through that because time is not my friend this morning.

I have a lot of things to share with you.

Amen.

So I want you to go and study on envy.

How envy manifests.

One of the characteristics of envy is resentment.

When you envy someone, you will resent the person.

You will talk down on the person.

No matter what good things you're hearing, you will always have a way of countering it.

So God doesn't want you to have that kind of mind towards people.

The same way He thinks good thoughts about you.

He said, I know the thoughts that I think about, they are for good, not for evil.

That's what he wants you to do because you are his child, like father, like son.

God bless you.

So a heart at peace gives life to the body, but then we rust the bones.

Now let me take it a little further.

Now, Job chapter 5, verse 2.

Job 5:2

The book of Job is a good book, and I like you to read it.

Don't be like somebody who said the book of Job, if you read it, the things that happen to Job will happen to you.

It's not true.

Hallelujah.

This is what it says: resentment kills a fool.

And envy slays the simple.

Who is a fool?

A fool is an ignorant person.

A fool is someone who thinks he knows but he does not know.

A simple person is someone who is ignorant but willing to learn.

Now, what is the Bible saying here?

Resentment kills a fool.

It destroys your health.

Hold no grudges, hate no one.

Because when we're talking of resentment, we're talking about bad thoughts towards another person.

We're talking about holding of grudges, bitterness towards someone.

We're talking about hatred.

And Christians are very fond of it.

I hate that guy.

I don't like to hear his name.

How can you say that?

And the Bible says, He that hates his brother is a murderer.

God doesn't want us hating anybody.

Rather, he said, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

So what is good for you is good for the other person.

You see?

Resentment will kill you, bitterness will kill you.

The Lord taught us to forgive.

Scripture says we should forgive as God in Christ Jesus has forgiven us.

How does he forgive?

He forgives, he never reminds us.

That means he forgives and forgets.

Who amongst you can tell me that God reminded you of the sins you committed before when you came the second time or the third time or the fourth time?

He doesn't do that.

Every case is a fresh case.

He will never remind you of yesterday because it's gone.

Never.

The Bible says he has thrown our sins into the depths of the sea.

That means into the depths of forgetfulness.

He forgets, he doesn't remind anybody.

I am he that blots out your transgressions and I will not remember your sins, he said.

That's exactly what he wants us to do.

And someone says, Pastor, you think I can do that?

I've got a brain, I remember.

Yes, you may remember, but when you remember, you feel no pain.

You feel no resentment.

So if you're still feeling pain and feeling resentment, when you remember, it simply means you haven't forgiven yet.

So what is forgiveness?

Forgiveness means the closing of a case, the conclusion of a matter.

I've reviewed it, I've decided to let go, and I bury the issue.

It's over, it's done with.

I'm not going to refer to it again, and I'm not going to remind you again.

And my relationship with you will be as if it never happened.

If you don't live like this, you keep harboring grudge, keep resenting people, keep hating people.

I tell you, you open yourself to demons to afflict you.

Peter asks the Lord, I'm enlightening you because accuse a fool.

So I don't want you to be a fool.

I just want you to be enlightened.

Praise God.

Hallelujah.

Peter asks the Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother?

When he asks for forgiveness.

And uh the Lord said, 70 times seven.

That's 490 times.

Now, when he said that, he wasn't expecting you to start counting.

Because if you start counting, he hopes that by the time you get to 300, you should have forgotten.

Now, what he's trying to say is make it a habit to always forgive.

As much as you are offended the same way, just keep forgiving.

Even if it's 10 times a day, keep forgiving.

Make it your habit, your lifestyle, not to hold a grudge or be bitter towards someone.

Jesus taught us, blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

If you don't know how to show mercy, you will not find mercy.

In other words, God is committed to showing mercy to those who show mercy.

That's why when he was teaching about prayer, he said, Pray like this, our Father who are in heaven.

Then forgive us our trespasses as we have forgiven.

Then Jesus added, If you do not forgive your brother from your heart, your heavenly father will not forgive you.

Is it in your Bible?

So forgiveness should be part of your life.

And the beautiful part is that love is our nature.

Is Jesus your Lord?

Do you have his life?

And the Bible says, God is love.

So what you received is The love nature of God.

So the capacity to forgive again and again, like your father does, is yours now.

So you have it.

Don't hold grudges.

So when Jesus finished answering Peter, he now told them a story of a man who was who owed the master so much money, some talents of gold.

And when he couldn't pay, the master wanted to punish him, but he begged.

So he forgave him.

As soon as he left the presence of the master, he saw another colleague who was owing him a little change compared to what he was forgiving of.

You know, he grabbed the man and then handed him over to the jailers or tormentors or policemen if you use the modern word, so they can hold him until he's able to pay.

Then his colleagues didn't like it because they know how much he owed the boss.

They were there when the man forgave and cancelled the debt.

How can he do this to this man?

Look at the amount of money.

He was shown mercy.

Why can't he not show mercy to another person?

So they went and reported to the master.

And the master wasn't pleased at all.

He called him back and revoked the forgiveness.

He now handed him over to the jailers.

King James said tormentors.

I like that word.

Because it will help me drive the message into you.

He called them tormentors.

He handed him over to the tormentors to go and torment him, keep him and keep tormenting him, and he's able to pay.

And then Jesus added, So also my heavenly father will do to those of you who refuse to forgive your brother from your heart.

In other words, bitterness opens the door for spirits of darkness to torment a man.

There are many people who are sick, they don't recover because of that.

They are holding a grudge.

They want mercy, they want healing.

But you can't be healed because you have to set another man free to be free yourself.

So your business can be tormented, your job can be tormented, you know, your body can be tormented.

That's why it says resentment kills a fool.

When you lack knowledge, you do these things, you hold grudges.

It doesn't pay you, it has no reward.

I want to say this to you.

When you forgive someone, please don't think you are doing the person a favor.

No, you are doing you a favor because you keep your relationship with God intact and you qualify for mercy.

God will always show you mercy, God will always write, and you need to be forgiving too because sometimes you offend others, sometimes intentionally, sometimes you don't mean it, but then you hurt someone.

And you also want to be forgiven.

Am I communicating?

Now, to end that part, let me tell you a story.

A story that I read from late Dr.

uh Norman VCl's writing.

He told the story of how uh his doctor, his personal physician, called him and said, I'm sending someone to you because this man has been in the hospital, suffering from a particular ailment.

He mentioned it, and he's supposed to have been discharged by now, freed, healed.

But three weeks, no improvement.

Brother, it's getting worse.

So he knows something is eating him up, but he cannot uh identify what it is.

But since it's your speciality, I'm sending him to you.

And so when he arrived, the man welcomed him, gave him a seat, then gave him a sheet of paper, and gave him a pen and said, Write down all those who have offended you that you are holding a grudge against them.

You're bitter towards them.

The man was upset, said that's none of your business.

Said, now it's my business because your doctor realizes you are still in the hospital, you are not improving because something is eating you up inside.

So write.

No man didn't say anything again.

So when he realized the man is not talking, he had no choice but to start writing.

And he said, The guy made a very long list.

Then after writing, he declared, he said, I feel a lot better.

The man hasn't taught him anything yet, he hasn't said any, he has not prayed for him, but he feels a lot better.

Just writing their names down, reviewing the mind all the people whom he's angry with and making a list.

So he one after the other began to talk to him, explain to him how bitterness opens the door for affliction, how he needs to forgive so that he can free himself, showing him that he's carrying a heavy load.

When you add one burden to another burden to another burden, it weighs on you, it destroys you.

After that, he forgave the people, he left.

Three days later, he was discharged from the hospital.

After forgiving, after forgiving.

So resentment kills a fool.

Envy slays the simple.

Envy no one, hold no grudge, hate no one.

That is to say, you must be at peace with your fellow men.

And the Bible told us that our shoe, part of the equipment, the armor of God is what?

The shoe, the sander, the gospel of peace.

The Bible says, pursue peace with all men.

As much as it lies within your power, make sure you are at peace with people.

God bless you in Jesus' name.

And I pray that you will not have feelings towards anybody anymore.

In case you are here, you haven't forgiven and you are holding a grudge.

Please, as I'm talking, please settle it.

Say, God, I forgive so-so-and so I forgive so-so-and so.

It doesn't matter what they did.

Maybe they cheated you, maybe they are the reason why you've been suffering, maybe they are the reason why your business failed, maybe they are the reason why your marriage failed.

I don't know.

Whatever the level of offense, God forgive you.

Forgive them also.

God will bless you, and you will live a healthy life.

Now, Proverbs chapter 17, verse 22.

Proverbs 17:22

So I've talked about peace with God, with yourself, and with people, right?

Now, I want to talk to you about cheerfulness.

You want to stay healthy?

Be cheerful.

Now, all of these things I'm sharing with you.

Have you noticed that this all these things are in your thoughts?

Your mind?

Okay.

Proverbs 17, verse 22.

Proverbs 17:22

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a cross spirit dries up the bones.

Cross spirit speaks of sadness.

When you are cheerful, it works healing.

It works like medicine.

Cheerfulness, joy, being happy.

In the mood of always you are excited about life, you are excited about people.

You don't allow matters to weigh down on your mind.

That's why Apostle Paul kept saying, Be rejoice always.

I say to you again, rejoice.

The scripture says, Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations.

In other words, we're not only to rejoice when things are good.

When we are going through a trying times, God has less us to be joyful.

Again, scripture says, With joy shall you draw water from the wells of salvation.

So even to get help from God, you still need joy.

Because joy is a proof that you trust Him.

When you are happy in the midst of trouble, there must be a reason why you're happy.

Why are you happy?

Because you've got a great God, a good father, a loving father.

You've got backing.

You are assured that you know the heavenly army is on your side, and you are so confident that you're going to win.

And the way you approach God like that, God answers.

Amen.

God doesn't want us to allow situations to weigh on our mind.

That's why all these scriptures about authority, power, everyone born of God overcomes the world.

It's to make you so confident that situations don't take away your joy.

When you're not cheerful, you'll be sad.

And what did he say about that?

He said it will dry up the bones.

That's not what you want.

Is that what you want?

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a cross spirit dries up the bones, kills your stem cells.

Sadness is a burden, it's a weight, it weakens the immune system.

God says so.

Name it.

Sometimes when you become so sad, so burdened and worried and troubled about situations, your temperature rises.

Your blood pressure goes up.

You have migraine.

Seven days, the headache won't go.

Two more weeks, your headache won't go.

It becomes another reason to worry.

And so your worry increases.

So little financial problem now brings health challenge.

You see, that's why God is concerned.

That's why all the scriptures are there.

Don't allow problems to add to the problems you have.

Manage it.

Show that you are a man, a woman of authority.

You have power over them.

You recognize who you are, you recognize what God has given you, and all things are under your feet in Christ Jesus.

Do you think God raised us up to be with him?

You know, we're seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father.

And the Bible says all things are under his feet for fun.

It's not for fun, it's not to make us feel good.

It's for us to know and live it out.

So when problems come, you look down, you don't look up.

You don't magnify the problem in your mind.

From where you are seated, you look down on the problem because it's under your feet.

Far below you.

That means you can handle it, you will overcome.

You see?

Don't be sad.

So, what do you do?

Make yourself happy.

Sing worship songs.

Fill your phone with good songs, songs of praises, songs of worship, songs that draw your mind away from God.

Look at how you felt this morning.

Some of us have bugged ins and we came to church and we left them behind, and then we are focusing on God.

You see how you feel lighter, you feel lifted.

Every time you come to church, even with the weight of the problems you have, you feel lighter.

So you keep coming back.

But not only church time outside, in the car, in the house.

Surround yourself with music, anything that can make you cheerful.

Surround yourself with people who tell jokes too, not dirty jokes, of course.

Good jokes.

Come and listen to things that will make you laugh.

Don't run away from people who make you laugh because you want to frown.

Sadness kills you.

And we are told it takes more facial muscles to frown than it takes to smile.

That means when you are sad, you are squeezing yourself.

Squeezing life.

The tension is building, it increases.

And when the body cannot take it, it starts to cry.

So you walk a little bit, you're feeling tired.

You wonder, ah, why am I always getting tired?

It's a sign telling you you are worrying too much.

The brain is telling you I can't take anymore.

You are going to collapse very soon.

It affects different people in different ways.

Some too much thinking gives you high blood pressure.

Some it gives them stroke, some arthritic pains because the cartilages start to dry up.

And then when you walk, you feel pain.

Some they are they start to have heart problems.

Some they have you know, peptic ulcer, stomach ulcer, all kinds of ulcers.

Because the the toxins be released start to eat the walls of the stomach.

It affects people differently.

But worry is so normal to some people that they don't even regard themselves as people who worry.

Today you need to quit because it's not good for your health.

So if you want to enjoy this health, don't worry.

Don't be sad.

Always remember you are in charge.

Always remember the power of God is upon you, the grace of God is upon you, and you will always win.

Hallelujah.

All right.

Can I can I read it from the amplified version?

The same Proverbs 17 22.

Do you have amplified?

Please, can you show it?

The same Proverbs 17-22.

It says, A happy heart is good medicine, and a cheerful mind works healing.

But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

So cheerfulness, joy, happiness, show of excitement works like medicine.

And of course, you know that when you take start taking medication, healing doesn't happen instantly.

You have to continue taking it before you finish the dose, probably you will see the difference.

Or maybe after you have taken it, you may still take a few more days before you can fully recover.

So keep being joyful, it will help you.

Do you know that even when you are sick, when you are sick, it takes a joyful person to overcome?

Strong spirit, a heart full of faith.

I will show you shortly.

But let's look at this one.

Proverbs chapter 12, verse 25.

Proverbs 12:25

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Now I've talked to you about peace with God, with yourself, and with people.

So no envy, no hate.

I've also talked to you about being cheerful.

Now I want to talk to you about association.

There are people you move with.

They speak to you, they increase your anxiety.

You tell them your problem, by the time they finish talking, the little faith you have disappears.

You become more frightened.

Because they will tell this person's story, that person's story, after spending all the money, he still die.

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Be careful.

It's not everybody who is qualified to hear about your problems.

It doesn't matter whether it's your dad or your mom, your brother, your sister, or friend.

You understand me?

You share with only those who can offer solutions to the problem.

It says a kind word, bring that scripture again.

A kind word cheers him up.

You need people who speak positive words to you.

People who tell you God can do it, God will do it.

They encourage you.

That's why you have a pastor.

The pastor is to pump faith into you, to bring encouragement to you.

So don't expect the pastor to put fear in you.

No, he won't do that.

So that's why he's there.

He's there to encourage you.

And it is your duty to receive the encouragement.

What do we have, church?

It says encouraging one another.

So if you are here, you're not an encourager.

You need to change.

If you are here, you are always speaking negatively to someone about issues.

You need to change.

So you need people who are positive-minded, people who are full of faith, people who speak faith, people who act faith.

You can see you should know someone who is always excited, especially people who are always cheerful.

It's very important.

You never know when they have problems.

Even in the midst of their problems, they're encouraging you.

There are some people you come to them, you feel, oh, they need encouragement.

But while you're talking to them, the words that are coming out from their mouth is even encouraging you.

You are those are the people you need as friends.

So I can be your friend, but I don't tell you things.

Don't be offended.

I I choose what to tell you because I don't want you to weaken my faith.

I need people who will help me hold my hands and say, Together, we make this journey.

Don't worry, we are going to get results.

Things will work, God will do it.

You are going to come out of it.

That's what all of us need to be to each other in the name of Jesus.

May God give you the grace to do that.

Now, how many of you remember the story of the woman the Bible calls the Shunammite woman, the one who helped Elisha?

Did you notice that when the boy died, she didn't tell the husband the boy is dead?

He put the boy on the man of God's bed and then went to sent a message to the husband.

Please send me transportation.

I need to go see the man of God on the mountain.

And the husband said, What's the problem?

He said, It is well.

She knows the husband very well.

That if the husband knows, she's he's going to discourage her and her faith will die.

He said, Don't worry, God gave, God took away.

Bless be the name of the Lord.

She doesn't want to hear that.

He wants the boy to leave.

So she went there and then came back with the man of God because the man of God sent the servant with his staff.

Say, put it on his on his head.

The boy, the man left and went.

The woman said, I'm not leaving you.

So when he saw it was a serious affair, together, they went.

And then the boy left.

Why didn't she share?

Because she does not want the husband's level of faith to affect her own faith.

You need people who boost your faith, who encourage you.

You too, be an encourager.

Be filled with so much scripture that it will flow out of you.

God bless you in Jesus' name.

Are you being blessed?

Now, Proverbs chapter 18, verse 14.

Proverbs 18:14

Now look at this.

The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble.

Proverbs 18, 14.

The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear.

What is he talking about?

Even if you don't have it in Amplified, just give us the scripture, whichever translation you want.

What is it trying to show us?

It's trying to show us that a man, a woman who is full of faith, strong in the Lord, full of faith, have a positive mind.

In times of sickness, in times of trouble, you will be overcome.

Why do you think that the pregnant woman, the hospital will always keep checking the blood pressure, especially when he's getting close to the due dates?

Because if the blood pressure is high, it means she's anxious or something.

They have to bring it now, otherwise, she may not survive.

There are certain surgeries that they need to carry out, but they will first of all look at the state of the mind of the person, whether it's going to come out.

So a clinical psychologist will be called in to prepare the mind of the patient.

Otherwise, the patient may not make it.

Because if you are afraid that you will die, you may eventually die.

If you are worried that you will die, your blood pressure will go up, you may still die.

But if you are full of faith, confident that you are going to come out of life, then you will survive.

That's what the scripture is saying.

So you need a positive mind always.

You need to be filled with the word of God if you want to stay healthy.

God bless you.

My time is almost up.

Pastor, can I take a little five more minutes?

All right.

Thank you, sir.

Uh Proverbs chapter 15, verse 13.

Proverbs 15:13

Proverbs 15, verse 13.

Proverbs 15:13

Now, a happy heart makes the face cheerful.

But heartache crushes the spirit.

A happy heart makes what the face cheerful.

What am I trying to bring out?

I am trying to bring out one good thing here.

And you need to remember it.

It is a state of your mind that reflects on your face.

If you are full of faith inside, it will show.

If you are confident inside, it will show.

If you are happy inside, it will reflect on your face.

So it is the thoughts that you think that determines the countenance that you have.

So be careful how you think.

If you want to stay healthy, don't worry.

Don't fear.

Be at peace with yourself, with God, and with your fellow man.

Have no evil thoughts towards them.

Be always cheerful.

Give yourself the things that make you excited.

Are you hearing what I'm saying?

Don't be anxious, don't be sad.

It will kill you.

God bless you.

Hallelujah.

God bless you.

Because my time is up.

I can go on.

I still have a couple of scriptures, but the time is up.

So okay.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Pastor.

Are we in agreement with the pastor?

Alright, please.

I want to share with you what Jesus thought about worry.

Matthew 6, verse 25 to 34.

Matthew 6:25–34

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air.

They do not sow or reap or store away in bands, and yet your heavenly father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes?

See how the lilies of the field grow, they do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was uh was dressed like one of these.

Now, if that is how God clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?

Oh you of little faith, which means that our worry is as a result of weak faith or no faith.

Now, so do not worry, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear?

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them.

So he's aware, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as.

Well, therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Please go back to verse 25.

I want to show you something that God showed me.

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?

Please think.

Try and meditate on that scripture.

Look at it again.

Now Jesus is saying, Life is more important than food.

Your body is more important than clothes.

So why are you worried?

Now look at this.

Why do we eat?

To stay alive.

Why do we wear clothes?

To cover our body.

So Jesus is asking, You are worrying about food, you're worrying about so that means he is saying that your worry about what to eat can also destroy your health.

And now we have the food.

How do you how does it benefit you?

Because your worry will destroy your health, and at the end of the day, you'll be sick in the hospital.

You cannot eat.

What about clothes?

You're worried.

I don't have clothes.

I need this, I need that, I need that, I need that.

At the end of the day, the clothes is there, but you can't wear it because you're on the sick bed.

So which one is more important?

The body or the clothes?

The life or the food?

So you see, he's trying to show us that our worries destroy our health.

So he now begins to tell us look at the lilies in the field, look at the birds of the air.

Your heavenly father takes care of them.

So don't worry about your niece.

He will take care of you.

Say, your heavenly father knows you need these things.

Just relax.

All you do is pray, and when you pray, don't worry.

Trust that he, your father.

How many of you remember how you used to talk to your parents when you were younger, when you were small?

You just tell them, Daddy, I need this.

Then afterwards, what do you do?

You run off, go and do your own thing.

Do you worry about how your daddy's going to get the money?

All of us here who are parents, when your children demand make demands, do you think they worry about how you're going to get the money?

They don't.

So you are the one who does the running around.

So your father, our God, is your father, is my father.

So when we tell him anything, don't worry.

Let him do the running around.

That's what Jesus meant when he said, You know, come unto me, all you that labor and a heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I take the burden from you, you take rest.

But we say no.

So we do, you know, praying, and then we also carry the burden ourselves.

And so, what does he do?

He folds his hands and just watch and wait till you get tired.

So when you now get tired, say, Lord, I surrender.

Then it starts working.

By this time, you'll suffer more.

Are you hearing what I'm saying?

So Jesus is telling us, don't worry.

Worry doesn't help you.

See, not one of you here can add one hour to your life through worry.

Is there anybody here who can say, Pastor, true worry, I got favors, true worry, I got delivered.

Through worry, I made progress in my career.

True worry, I solved my marital problems.

Anybody?

Worry produces nothing good for you, it only destroys your health.

So stop, trust him.

So take the words of your pastor serious when they are speaking faith over you, telling you, believe the word, believe the word, trust that it is true, it will produce.

It's also for your health.

Hallelujah.

So the question now is how can I how can I, with all these problems, be able to stay calm and be at peace?

Just one scripture and we'll close.

Isaiah 26, verse 3, King James Vash.

Isaiah 26:3

Thou will keep in perfect peace.

He whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee.

If you learn to stay your mind on God, you will have peace.

I don't mean visit God.

We do visit him, but God says, Stay your mind.

Our mind is always on our problem.

So we visit God occasionally.

You come to church now, your mind is pulled away from your problem.

We are focusing on him, right?

We're talking about him.

And then when you leave this place, you go back.

Continue thinking as you're driving, you're thinking.

So, but God said, No.

If you want this peace to function, stay your mind on him, focus on him, focus on the covenant-keeping nature of our God.

God is a covenant keeper.

He said three things I want you to remember.

If you can write it down to help you, he said, I will not forget my covenant.

So he's always mindful that he made a covenant with you.

He said, I will not violate my covenant.

He never goes against his covenant.

Number three, he said, I will not break my covenant.

So God doesn't forget, God does not violate, and God does not break covenants.

That's why it's everything the Lord does is forever.

Every covenant is forever.

What is happening in Israel today?

God is fighting for them because there is a standing covenant, and that covenant is forever.

You see, focus on the fact that God is called the faithful God, He's a promise keeper.

He says what he means, and he means everything he says, and he keeps promises.

Just focus on that, focus on these promises, and if you will do that, the peace of God will keep your heart.

But if you stay your mind on your problem, you will worry, you will panic, you'll be stressed, you'll be sad.

Amen.

God bless you.