Pastor Samuel Rodriguez joins us on the podcast today to discuss his new book Fresh Oil, Holy Fire, and New Wine. He provides wisdom and insight on living a life in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Send questions for Back Channel with Foth to aaron.santmyire@agwmafrica.org

Greetings and welcome back to the Clarity podcast. So excited to be here with a friend of the podcast, Dick Foth, for another session of Back Channel with Foth.

And then we're going to jump into our question or interview with Dr. Samuel Rodriguez on the power of the Holy Spirit. Dick, welcome back to the podcast.

Absolutely. My joy. It's always, it's always good to be speaking to you and listening to you. So here I get a chance again.

Here we go. Here we go again. Here we go again. So, Dick, two questions for you. How did your life in Washington change how you prayed for politicians?

It might have been when I started praying for politicians, sure, I, I know it says to pray for those in authority, but I didn't usually include folks I didn't like very much, you know, or so. But to be more, more, more serious. That's a serious statement.

But, but when I started seeing political leaders or government leaders as human beings instead of someone in a category, categories kill us. I mean, you know, I have a friend who says, what, as I age, I don't want to get hardening of the categories.

Wow.

That. The way we demonize people is by category. And I don't want to be in the category where people say, well, you know how those old bald guys are.

You know, I don't, I don't want to be there. So.

So I think when you start seeing them like Jesus sees them, which is as individuals, not as a category, not as a cluster of opinions or convictions or policies. That's a big thing.

Here we are, 30. I'm sure glad it's better now.

Calm and cool now.

Yeah.

And it was interesting because on the way back from the event, we were taking the train from D.C. and, you know, that part of the country from D.C.

to Philadelphia and then bus to Hershey, Pennsylvania, for this and 250 members of Congress and their wives. Kids went to this for three days.

And on the way back on the train, I was talking to a fellow who's very strong in his convictions and very, you know, I said, so just call him John. I said, john, what did you think about that? And he, his comment was, it's very hard to hate A guy, when you've seen him with his wife and kids.

Wow.

And when you, you, when you walk with these fellows and hear their concerns for their families, it's a, it's a big deal.

Yeah.

And then spending time with them in a variety of environments.

You know, when, because we walked with folks in this arena, whether it was in Commerce or the Pentagon or wherever it was, you know, people say, what did you do there?

I said, well, sometimes you're just having lunch and sometimes you're an ambulance driver and sometimes you're a therapist and sometimes you're a golf buddy. And it depends on what's needed.

So spending time with them, seeing them as humans, not as categories, hearing their concerns for their families and those things happen when you spend time with them.

And so the second question the listener sent in was, in what ways are you praying for politicians in this political season?

I think the thing that I hear the most from people across the board is a sense of hopelessness, that we're in a morass of tensions across lines and categories.

So I, I pray that, that however they present themselves as servants to the public, that's why we call them public public servants, that they bring us authentic hope. Not just talk, but how do they communicate? Hope, secondly, that they give us less theater and more substance.

You know, it's just in a, in a, in a time of sound bites and tick tock samples and you know, interview. We're going to do this interview with this person on a news program and it's three minutes. That's, that's not an interview.

That's clearing your throat. You know, that's not, but, but, and, and I think many people are interested in substance and it varies from region to region.

And you know, whether you're blue collar or green collar or white collar, whatever your role is. But, and then I think thirdly that, that they somehow come to understand that it's your tone that communicates more than your words.

Okay.

I think anywhere between 50 and 80% of communication might be tone. You know, the difference between I love you and I love you.

Yeah.

Is light years, isn't it?

Sure.

So I think those would be the three things that come to mind immediately in terms of, of how they communicate.

I think the other piece, and I don't want to elongate this, but I think the other piece is that, that, that they, that the individuals would understand that, that they need to depend on someone other than themselves and their paid consultants to come to a space of truth and understanding about whatever the issue is.

Yeah.

And you know, my fallback is the one that I think everybody needs and that's God Almighty himself, you know.

Yeah, that's. Good word, good word, Dick.

Really appreciate you sharing your wisdom and insight from your years of being in those political spaces and engaging with those political people.

And as you said, understanding that they are human beings and engaging and seeing them with their families makes us react, makes us recognize there are people and created in God's image and given them the dignity and honor in that. Well, we're going to go ahead and jump into our interview with Pastor Samuel Rodriguez on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Well, there's no time better than now to get started. So here we go. Greetings and welcome back to the Clarity podcast. Excited to be here today with a new friend of the podcast, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez.

Pastor Sam, welcome to the podcast.

Thank you for having me.

I've gotten to get to know you a little bit because I've gotten to read a lot about your bio, did a little bit of research in the background. But for those who might not know you yet, could you share a little bit about yourself before I start asking you some questions?

Yeah. Well, Sam Rodriguez was raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Hence my messianic complex. Raised to hardworking blue collar workers.

My dad was a Mack truck worker and instilled in me a good Calvinistic work ethic. So I love work, I enjoy work. And I was raised in an evangelical home with a strong affinity for mathematics.

Still believe that calculus is God's language. So if you never pass algebra, you should probably repent. I'm kidding. I'm a part time comedian, so please forgive me. So no.

And God called me into ministry. Had a very powerful encounter that from a mathematical probability standpoint cannot be denied. It was God.

And I started preaching when I was young, very young, 14 years of age. Received my first ministerial credentials when I was 17.

Wow.

And graduated from Lehigh University. Went to Penn State. Lehigh University. So I pursued secular education. Still wanted to be a computer engineer for IBM.

But God really called me out and said, no, sunshine, it's not going to happen. So here I am, you know, all these years later and on your podcast for such a time as this.

Wow. And so Beth, that's not too far. I grew up in a town, Wally Ford, West Virginia.

So we're not too far from our roots, not too far from each other, but good, good, good stuff. And so you're now a pastor on the West Coast, Correct?

I'm the pastor on the West Coast.

He passed through a multi site, multi Campus church called New Season, very multi ethnically diverse, looks like heaven strong on the millennial side and generation Z side.

So it's a younger church, but people committed to biblical truth, to biblical Orthodo, a Christ centered, Bible based, spirit empowered, multiethnic kingdom culture church.

Wow. Wow. Good deal. And that shows a lot of intentionality behind what you just shared. So excited to have our conversation today.

So we're going to be talking about fresh oil, holy fire, new wine. Can you share just what inspired you at this time this season where we're at, to write a book on focusing on the Holy Spirit?

Sure. It's about being light in the midst of darkness.

We are bombarded constantly, not just post Covid, but during COVID and even before COVID but right now, living in a officially what has been deemed now by scholars and theologians around the world as a cuckoo for cocoa puff season. Every time you think things can get crazier, they get crazier. It's not just in America, it's literally around the world.

So I really felt driven by the Lord to write a book that speaks about. Hey, I want to remind everyone, the most powerful spirit on the planet is not what you read or what you see on social media.

The most powerful spirit on the planet is not the spirit of decadence and hedonism and perversion and relativism. These things are alive and well. We don't deny them.

But the most powerful spirit on the planet is not the spirit of the Antichrist or Jezebel or Bao and so forth. It's the Holy Spirit of God. The most powerful spirit on planet Earth is still the Holy Spirit. Yeah. And hence fresh oil, holy fire, and you wine.

They are all biblically substantiated iterations, metaphorical and prophetic, of the presence of the Holy Spirit active today, alive in our lives, through our lives, for the glory of the risen Savior. Hence, fresh oil, holy fire, new wine.

Good word, good word. So you mentioned that it's the greatest. It's the Holy Spirit, the power of that.

And I think, you know, probably a majority of the listening audience would say yes, they understand that.

Maybe theoretically, but practically, what does that look like to that actively living in the recognition of what the Holy Spirit is, how it works in our lives, and the power that comes with the Holy Spirit.

Oh, I love the fact if you look at Genesis and you juxtapose it, Genesis 2 and 3, and you juxtapose it with John chapter 20, we have this great encounter, right? So God makes man in Genesis and he breathes his breath into man, right? The ruach of God, the pneuma of God.

And then you go into Jesus, dying on the cross, shedding his blood, resurrected, he encounters his disciples behind closed doors, arrives there, and then he does what he breathes again. Because every time he creates something new, he unleashes his breath. It's the breath that activates you, hence the Holy Spirit.

What does that look like? When you're born again, there is this supernatural occurrence that you as a life are filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. That's beautiful.

It's not just any spirit. It's what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:11. The same identical spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you.

So what does that look like? It is. It is a life of power. Acts 1:8. Where the Spirit of God is present, there is power. So what does that look like?

To have the Holy Spirit to live a powerful life. Not a narcissistic, self absorbed about me life, but a powerful, serving, authentic life of integrity and righteousness for the glory of Christ?

It is. There's freedom. What does it look like? It looks like freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Where the Spirit of God is present, there is freedom.

There is righteousness or integrity or holiness. I'm using biblical terms here. Galatians 5:16. Do not be led by the desires of the flesh, rather be led by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16. There is victory.

I just referenced it. Romans 8:11. And there is anointing. That's a theological term. First John 2:27.

You have received the anointing, the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you. And in that context, John, the Apostle John writes that anointing gives you wisdom, knowledge and understanding to live in this very troubled world.

What a spirit empowered life looks like.

Ah, it's a good word. And in a very integrated understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So I got to serve in Madagascar for 14 years.

And when the London Missionary Society, they translated the Bible and when they translated the, the word for Holy Spirit in Malagasy came out as discipliner. And so the understanding of was when they read the Bible any place that there was the Holy Spirit, it was discipliner.

So it was a very narrow understanding.

Right?

The Holy Spirit does convict us, convict us, but it gives you a narrow understanding. What you just shared is it's further and broader encompassing of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And so what a. What an encouraging word.

What an encouraging word. So, so you've had a Remarkable career. You've, you, you're a pastor, obviously, author.

You are an aspiring computer engineering, wanted to work for IBM. You've produced films. You've. You're a cultural influence. You're. You're an, you've been an activist.

How of all, how have all those experiences helped you as you've written this book and, and brought it to this place today?

David was anointed three times. David, King David. He was anointed three times on three different occasions. He was anointed privately.

He was anointed over Judah, subsequently over Israel, all of the different iterations.

What we do, be advising people in the White House, be it producing films, be it pastoring churches, leading networks or conference speaker or writer, whatever it may be. My name is Samuel. So the way that I look at it is I'm not a David, I'm a Samuel. So just like the prophet Samuel.

And I'm using this metaphorically, but for the sake of context, my mom did name me Samuel because I was an answered prayer. But like a Samuel, my assignment on this planet is to fill the earth with the glory of Jesus.

How do I do that for Samuel Rodriguez, just like Samuel, my assignment is to find the Davids out there and to speak truth into them, to share the gospel and to do the work of the Holy Spirit.

Just unleash through prayer and impartation, meaning to just be the mentor, release an anointing, guide him, and to be obsessed with the earth, being filled with the glory of God, just like Samuel. So, yeah, I find it interesting.

He was anointed three times, and I'm anointed for each of those respected by the grace of God and for the glory of his name. Samuel Rodriguez has learned a long time ago that humility is the wine skin that manages the favor of God.

That when your integrity is greater than your influence, nothing can stop it.

Wow.

When you are driven by anointing rather than ambition, nothing can stop you. When my hunger for righteousness is greater than my fear of criticism, nothing can stop you.

And when my praise is louder than my pain, when my praise speaks louder than my pain and doesn't negate the pain, but when my praise is louder into pain, nothing can stop me. So, yeah, I discover that wherever I go, Holy Spirit is with me. Me.

And I'm anointed for that season, for that particular assignment, I'm anointed to serve before I'm anointed to lead. I'm anointed to wait before I'm anointed to win. Just like David Was I'm anointed over Judah before I'm anointed over Israel.

So God will anoint you over a portion of it and say whether or not you can manage it, of integrity, whether or not you can be a good steward, whether or not you continue to give him the glory. He doesn't share his glory with anyone or anything.

And if you meet the rubric and through the grace field work of Christ, we're talking about ministry on this planet, then you get Israel. And Israel means the fulfillment of your entire assignment, what God ordained you for, what he designed you for, for such a time as this.

Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10.

Wow, wow, wow. And so you mentioned about being a Samuel and speaking in the lives of David.

So I'm going a little off script, but I'm going to ask you a good question as you talked.

So this idea that how I would imagine you're a person of great influence and you have a lot of people that would want you to be speaking into their lives. How do you walk? How does the Holy Spirit guide you?

And how do you discern this is somebody that this is a David that I'm going to spend my life investing in or investing in this season? Does that make any sense, Pastor?

Totally, totally, totally, absolutely. Listen, let's not forget, you know, Samuel also spoken to a soul.

Yeah, that's true.

So, hey, you know, and that's what you have to be aware of, that some, some of the people you speak into hopefully and prayerfully won't turn out like Saul, more like David. But if they turn out like Saul, it shouldn't surprise you because what they do with the deposit is totally up to them.

We call that free will, what they do with God's deposit, you know, they become self absorbed like Saul did. They become a narcissist like Saul did. He was the epitome of testament narcissism. And if it's all about mirrors and less about windows, right.

If it's all about looking at yourself, then, you know, as Samuel, you're going to have to really shake your feet and shake the dust off and go like, hey, because I, you know, Saul, that didn't come out right. I'm going to stop speaking prophetically into people. I'm going to find a baby.

Matter of fact, Samuel was called by God to find a David while Saul was still alive. So you have to have this sermon.

One of the greatest gifts, we talk about the Holy Spirit and different denominational streams have different emphasis and focuses and I respect that. However, if There's a gift that is directly proportional to spirit infilling. If you're looking for a gift. Discernment. Discernment, my friend.

The power to discern those who are around you, who you speak into, who you work with. And because you are, who surrounds you. You really are. So you really have to be careful.

Yeah. And I can imagine, like I said, is in your level of influence.

You know, there's people that I'm sure there's a lot of people that want to be around you and then walking, as you said, in that discernment, at least in my season, this season of life, that really resonates with me, and I think it will only continue more as we walk in the necessity for discernment.

So the book talks about, obviously, the Holy Spirit, but you mentioned we're in the season of Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, I think is kind of what you mentioned. So how does it speak into the cultural and society societal shifts that we're facing and the challenges that we're facing in the.

In the present day, where that spirit.

Of God is present? I gave you the five deliverable outcomes. He is what you referenced, by the way. He is the. He is the one who convicts, but he is the one who comforts.

The same Holy Spirit, the same God who convicts will always comfort. And he is a sanctifying, purifying God. Right. And that spirit is responsible. First, Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 23 and 24.

May God make you holy mind, body and spirit. He who called you is faithful to do it. Through whom? Through the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is the seal. The Bible calls him the seal.

The guarantee, the promise. Right. The gift. So in this cuckoo for Cocoa Puff season, the Spirit of God is there to build a firewall against certain things that are happening.

And let me lay out a rubric for your audience to consider. Today's complacency is tomorrow's captivity. Today's complacency is tomorrow's captivity. We are what we tolerate.

We are in our mind, body, souls and spirits, in our atmosphere and our families and our ministry. We are what we tolerate. Number three, truth must never be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. Ever.

Number four, there is no such thing as comfortable Christianity. And number five, we as followers of Christ must in these troubled days reconcile our eschatology of our missiology, which means while.

While we're waiting for Jesus to come down, he is waiting for his church to stand up, and he's not coming back for a defeated church, a Whining church, a church in a fetal position, sucking her thumb or hidden in a basement with supplies for the next six months, for the next Armageddon.

Yeah.

He is coming back for a glorious church, a thriving church, a powerful church.

So the Holy Spirit's job is to ignite the church, to rise up to be light in the midst of darkness, to occupy God's promises, to be the head and not the tail, to preach the word in and out of season, to fulfill the Great Commission, to make disciples and worship God in spirit and in truth. That's the work of the Holy Spirit.

Wow.

Pastor Sam, as you walk in spaces and, you know, for some people listening in, they're having conversations as they're leading people to Christ, they're sharing the love of Jesus Christ. And then to have this conversation about the Holy Spirit, some people, you know, right away, they don't know how to navigate the conversation.

They might feel uncomfortable.

And I would imagine some of the circles that you run in when you mentioned the Holy Spirit, people begin to think, I don't know what, Jesus, yes, God, but Holy Spirit, I don't know what to do with that. In a basic level, when you're having conversation with somebody and you begin to talk about the Holy Spirit, how do you navigate that?

So it doesn't come off as cuckoos for Cocoa Puffs or something odd, but rather it's an empowering force and something that is fresh oil, holy fire, new wine. Does that.

Is that a fair question? It is a fair question. The Holy Spirit doesn't make you weird. He makes you wired. He makes you wired.

Yeah.

He literally. The Holy Spirit connects you to the fullness of the finished work of Christ. I'll repeat that.

The Holy Spirit connects you to the finished work of Christ, to the fullness of the finished work of Christ. It is impossible for you to experience the fullness of the finished work of Christ.

About the indwelling and the active ministry of the Holy Spirit in you, with you, for you, and through you, you for the glory of Jesus, it's impossible. You matter of fact, biblically speaking, theologically speaking, Theology 101, you can't be a Christian without the Holy Spirit.

It's impossible, can't happen. So I, I, we get involved in, in the different, you know, iterations, or better yet, what are the priorities when the Holy Spirit is present.

And that's, that's, that's wonderful.

Every denomination has its own different optic, but the things that we all agree upon is the presence of God in us for us through Us for the glory of Christ. I love that. You know, we, we have this verse that we quote referenced in, you know, frequently. Second Corinthians 3:17 that I referenced.

Where the Spirit of God is present, there is freedom. Guys, go to the next verse. Context is everything, right? Great. Hermeneutical rules. What's the next one?

It is the Holy Spirit who takes us from glory to glory in the image of Christ. So we grow, we become more like Jesus because the spirit of Jesus makes us more like Jesus. And so I. You live a life of the Spirit every single day.

And I mean every single day, being led, that Holy Spirit will quicken you. He'll convict you, he'll protect you, he preserves you, he prunes you, he purges you.

On occasion, he'll make you feel uncomfortable because that's who he is. Yeah, and he's fire. You know, we talked about holy fire. Talk about oil, David. Holy fire. That's just. That's Matthew 3:11.

He'll baptize you with the holy spiritual fire. Some hasn't have interpreted that as judgmental fire. No. Holy Spirit and fire, that's a sanctifying fire. It's a purifying fire. It's a purging fire.

It doesn't necessarily make you dance and shout for joy initially, maybe as the outcome. Amen. As a praise expression, but it's the kind of fire that makes you repent. And repentance is a good word. Word.

It's actually like thank God for repentance, you know, and that's Holy Spirit. I can't imagine my life without the Holy Spirit. I really can't. Because you know, it.

I mean, come on, right before you're about to just deviate from, from what's righteous or, or whole or even good for you, you get that little touching your heart and in your mind where you feel that and, and you know, is that, is that my instinct? Is that my self conscious. No, that's. That's actually a living person, believe it or not. Hence the mystery and the power behind it.

A living person that is deposited through the finished work of Christ. When you become a born again believer, when you receive the fullness of Christ and that's the Holy Spirit, man, your best hashtag.

Best friend forever.

Yeah, no, that's good stuff. And you know, I. Many of the people listening in are living in context where they're coming in to direct interaction with the powers of the enemy.

Right. And I can time and time again, I can tell you of being.

Whether it was in Burkina Faso and seeing somebody levitate or being in the bush of Madagascar where they're worshiping their ancestors and you can feel the darkness, but also the realities of. As you said, we're not weird, we're wired.

And knowing that you're walking into those situations with the power of the Holy Spirit gives you the boldness to speak into dark, dark situations and not, not be hesitant to do it because a logical mind would say, hey, let's just turn and go the different way. But it gives you boldness. And as you said, it's, it makes you, doesn't make you. It might make you a little bit different to be willing to go there.

I don't know.

That's weird. It makes you different. It does make it different. Forgive me for interrupting because it's different. But.

So Peter is writing now and Peter says, you know, we are different and, and one iteration is peculiar. We are different, but, but we're not weird. Meaning the, this idea that, you know, as spirit empower Christians, we have to be weird.

No, man, we're, we're wired. We're wired. We really are wired. And you talked about the fact that that's Ephesians 6, 12 and 13.

You know, the Apostle Paul's writing is talking about, you know, we're not battling against flesh and blood. It's about principalities and powers of darkness in high places. We're fighting spirits.

Apostle Paul saying, we're fighting some spiritual entities that are legit, ladies and gentlemen. Real stuff, not made up stuff.

Yeah.

And he says, therefore, put on the armor of God. Right.

And what you show me holy fire and I will show you a snake free zone.

Wow.

When your life is filled with God's holy fire, who is the Holy Spirit? When you're filled with holy fire, I'll show you a snake free zone.

The vipers and the snakes that want to just poison and suffocate your God ordained purpose, your joy and your peace, they will never survive. When there's holy fire in your life.

Wow.

And you have to ignite that fire every single day. Put some, you know, you know, put some shrimp on the bobby, like you have to put some, some new wood every single day. You renew your mind daily.

It's a daily Discipline, you know, get. Pray every day, do your devotions every day.

It sounds simplistic, but put some more wood, some more logs on that fire because show me holy fire and I will show you a snake free zone. Because there is a battle and you referenced it. The battle is between your mind and your mantle.

Your number one battle is between your mind and your mantle. Your number one battle is between your memories and your imagination.

The battle has already been won. Has already been won.

Good. Good word. So I grew up in an ag church. So they said, you know. Yeah, I grew up raised in Pentecost.

So I've been, I've seen all the iterations, you know, I mean I've, you know, my, one of my teachers at school, he said, you know, you go to that church where there's no corner so the devil can't get you in the corner, you know. So it's just that's, that's my upbringing is the, is the ag world obviously and now an ag missionary, but it's a man. I am thankful for my heritage.

I am thankful for the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm thankful for camp meetings and kids camps and youth camps where the infilling and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was emphasized and encour.

And seeing people walk most importantly in my family living the Spirit filled life. And as you, you talk just to the things that you just mentioned, what the demonstrations of that look like. Yeah, just. I'm thankful for it.

I am very, very thankful for it. So.

And you should be. And I'm grateful for that. My children likewise the ag background, DNA.

My children already grown up, but my children are spirit empowered young men and women.

Yeah.

Who are highly educated who are likewise spirit empowered and who, who can't live without the presence of the Holy Spirit. We, you know, are we. I pray in the Spirit, but I walk in the Spirit and, and I, I live and I'm guided by the Spirit.

And again I, I wouldn't be where I'm at. I'll give you a little, little anecdote sort of.

I've had the God ordained privilege because in an AG church, a guy named Bernie Galo, when I was 12 years old came in and called me out by name. Call me Sammy, Sammy guys by name.

A couple of hundred People witnessed it, including a young lady who saw it and said, if this is true, I'm going to wait for that boy to grow up. That's my wife of 35 years.

So it's pretty cool because it's been well documented and even just shows out there and television programs, TBN and daystar, all that, they have that footage on Bernie Gillow's testimony. But point being, I ended up advising George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump. I'm in the White House on multiple occasions and I'm about to speak.

I'm walking out and I go, holy Spirit, listen. And I'm talking to God. I'm walking through the.

I'm in the West Wing by myself, going to the restroom, coming back to the old, you know, to the West Wing and just talking to God, going, I'm not going to say one thing unless you tell me to speak. Matter of fact, I'm not even going to raise my hand.

If you want me to speak, have the president or the chief of staff or whoever call upon me and I'll speak. But I'm not going to speak without failure, I promise you. You know, Sammy, we haven't heard from you at all.

Matter of fact, we can't leave here until you tell us what's in your heart. And that's where Holy Spirit says, I got you. Boom. Say this, you know, to live a spirit, empower life, it's pretty amazing. It's about your outcomes.

You know, what you say that day, who you minister to, you know, again, being light in the midst of darkness, it's. It's powerful. It really, it really defines you. It truly does. I love it. Can't think for I can't live without the Holy Spirit.

And we need more spirit empowered missionaries, influencers and leaders for such a time as this.

That's a good word. Good word.

So one of the things that stuck out to me too is you talked about the importance of praising God, not based on our feelings, but based on the feeling. Can you share maybe about the distinction you're making there and how worship and our relationship with God and the Holy Spirit, how that.

That all works in unison?

Yeah, Our praise expression. We are very uberly inundated with this idea of feeling and emotions.

And these are all legitimate realities that are embedded in our creative design, in our nefesh. Bless the Lord. All my soul, all that's within me.

In the Hebrew exeget of that passage, it includes your mind, body, soul and spirit, your emotions, your actions, your will.

So it's all encompassing if anyone in your audience is a former Trekkie or a Trekkie, it's, you know, we want to think that Christianity should look like Spock, and some think it should look like Kirk. You know, super unbridled emotionalism. It should be both, you know, Kirk and Spock.

Yeah.

And it's the heart, the head of the head. So it's inspiration, information, impartation. That. That's what the Holy Spirit does. Right. He ministers to the heart, in the head of the head.

Our praise expressions. This is going to be very interesting. Should be the coming together of all three. What does that mean? It should be a cognitive expression.

So we should pray because of what we know. Be still and know that God is God, not what you feel, hope or aspire. Your praise should be directly proportional to what you know.

And what you know is that Christ died on the cross, he resurrected, he ascended and sent his Holy Spirit for you and me to live. Spirit, empower lives and fill the earth with the glory of Jesus.

And then based on a nefesh expression, not a feeling, based on trauma, but on testimony, not on drama, but on destiny. So it's feelings that have been filtered, that have been processed, and then our actions should praise God.

So therefore, it's not necessarily based primarily on what you feel. Praise. I've stated this explicitly in different conferences and I've written about it.

The size of your praise is directly proportional to the magnitude of the hell that God took you out of.

Wow.

It's a mathematical equation. So your praise expression should be directly proportional to the hell that God took you out of.

And it should be unbridled, it should be beautiful, it should be unstoppable. And of course, we know that God inhabits the praises of his people. So every single time you praise God shows up. So, yeah, absolutely. It should be.

One final thing on that. Yeah. The apostle Paul, writing again, Ephesians 6, verses 10 to 18, comes along about the whole armor of God. He says, the helmet of salvation.

Does anyone ever question that? Like, what does it make more sense to St. Paul, who wrote in Romans 10, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, should it be like.

Like this area for your salvation? Because. Right, right. This is where you like. Aha. The apostle Paul says, you really want to defeat the enemy.

Cover your mind with the fact that you're saved. Remind your mind every single day that you're a byproduct of the finished work of Christ, that you are saved.

Your mind, hence, this is the battlefield, your mind, renew it daily. Romans 12:1 and 2 do not conform to this world.

So again, your pray should be more a cognitive expression with an affective undergirding, with a practical implementation to give God all the glory.

Wow, that's a good word.

So Pat John Gordon on the podcast a few times, and he talks about talking to ourselves, rather listening to ourselves and speaking, as you said, into our mind and reminding ourselves of that, of our salvation. You know, in the last few months of my life, it's been Psalms 27, you know, you are my light and my salvation, in whom shall I fear?

You're the stronghold of my life, in whom shall I be afraid.

And this, that reminder, as you said, protecting our minds, guarding our minds, that he is our light, he is our salvation, he's the stronghold of our life. In this season, man, it's been critical as you. Back to your point of cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

When we live in a world that just makes you wonder least for me, reminding myself that he's my light, he's my salvation, and he's my stronghold. And being able to hold on to that has been vital.

When my feelings or what I see going on in the outside world might make me think a little bit otherwise. A little bit otherwise.

Amen.

One or two more questions for you.

So when you talk about producing, what does it look like to produce, prune and pick spiritual fruit in today's world, where things seem to be going all over the place?

Yeah. No, the. The bearing of that, of that fruit, it goes. It goes through a process.

So God will prepare you, and then God will prune you, and then God will preserve you. So it's that preparation, that pruning and that preservation, that. It's all a byproduct of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

That preparation season is critical. He'll prepare you. Prepare your mind, your body, your soul, your spirit. You have to be prepared. You have to make room. That's Mark 2:22.

Can you a new wine skin for the new wine. Talking about the new covenant. That's what Jesus referencing. But in life we need to be prepared. Isaiah 54, verses 1, 2 and 3. Sing, shout, make room.

Make room. Right? So we have to be ready for what's coming. Hence, renew your mind daily. And he'll prepare you. So we have to be prepared.

Don't expect to receive what you have not made room for. So that's just simple rule. Do not expect to receive it if you haven't made room for it. And then once you receive it, expect God to prune it.

So we go through seasons, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we will go through seasons. Pruning is part of our Christian journey, without a doubt. So. Right. And it's not what you think. Right.

People are thinking, you know, things were out of alignment in my life. When things are thriving in your life, when you're.

When your tree is blossoming, then the Holy Spirit comes along and says, are you enjoying this season? You're going, yes, hashtag, best three months ever. And then he goes like, I want to prune you. And you go like, huh? What do you mean?

Well, no, no, I'm going to prune you because I want you to bear even more fruit next season. If you want to just bear what you just did this season and produce what you just produced, then don't receive my pruning.

But if you want to, you know, produce more, you're going to have to let me prune you. And that's again, it's a beautiful, sanctifying, purifying, redemptive work of the Holy Spirit.

It's uncomfortable because it could be removing from us actions, words, deeds and thoughts, expressions on occasion, to be honest, he may even remove people from around you that would have held back his divine purpose in you, with you, for you, and through you, for the glory of his name. So it's an interesting season, but once it's done and you start bearing greater fruit, you're gonna go, yes, it was uncomfortable.

Thank you for last March. But now I forget. And then, of course, he preserves you. And that preserving power is what the Bible calls.

The apostle Paul writes and says, he is the seal, the guarantee of the finished work of Christ in you. So, yeah, it's beautiful. I write about it extensively in the book because it's who he is.

It's his nature to preserve, to prepare, to prune, to preserve you.

Wow.

And so in those seasons of pruning, is that something your faith and trust in God just grows in those seasons as you see the fruit that comes from of it?

Because I think going through, at least in my life, in those times of pruning, man, you're thinking, this is not the plan I would had or the way I thought this would go when things are getting pruned off, as you talked about it, sometimes it can be thoughts, words. Sometimes it could be people in your lives. It can be maybe roles or opportunities.

That seem to be getting through.

And how have you found that your faith and trust grows in those seasons? And any words of encouragement, maybe for somebody listening in, that's Going through one of those pruning seasons as they listen in.

Absolutely. Faith is trusting God when life makes no sense. That's faith.

Yeah.

Faith is trusting God when life makes absolutely no sense. And in that season, this is maybe counterintuitive to some and sacrilegious, maybe to one or two. You. God is not afraid of your queries.

God is not afraid of your questions. Ask, ask. Go ahead, have conversations with God.

We have one of the greatest conversations I've, I've written about and I, I preached about because it really took me, was iconically one of the top. If maybe number one was Job with God. Okay, you can't beat that conversation.

It's Job and, you know, and God giving Job permission, which I think is beautiful, by the way, because if God gave at that time, the enemy Satan access to have a conversation, why not his own creation, Joe? And. And his, His. His righteous creation, Joe. So Joe comes along and you know what I mean. I'm speaking parenthetically now.

I served you, I was faithful. I did everything right. And, you know, you took it all away. Yeah, I know. I'm, you know, I get you. You're. I, you know, I, I. But, yeah.

And he begins this iteration of basic complaining in a very nuanced way. He tried to be as respectful as possible, but he laid it out. And then God comes along. Read it. So beautiful. And God says, hey, Job, are you done yet?

Okay.

Are you done? Let me know when you're finished. I, I'll wait. Are you done yet? Okay. And then he says this. Take a seat. It's my turn now. Oh, wow.

And then God says, where were you, Job, when I designed the heavens and the earth? Where were you when I orchestrated the beautiful. Oh, my goodness, what a great exchange.

Feel free to have a conversation with God whenever you're going through struggles. Conversations with God are the most productive, healthy, therapeutic, transformative, anointed exchanges in all of creation.

A conversation with God will change absolutely everything. Talk to God, especially in your season of pruning, where things don't make any sense. Don't just. You know what?

I'm just gonna take it and just go, like, without making one little comment, talk to God. Not on social media. It's you and God in your place of intimacy. He is not afraid of your questions. He can handle your questions.

And then hear his response. And I promise you, your faith will grow to a new level.

It's a good word. Pastor Sam, you're probably thinking, if Aaron was a good podcast host, he would have asked this Question.

Is there a question you think I should have asked? Obviously, you've written this book.

You can feel your passion for the love of Christ, for people to come to know and for people to be connected and living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Is there a question you think maybe, Aaron, you should have asked that one.

Then I'm going to ask you how people can connect with you and get a connection with.

You're amazing. And the only question that you miss is Pastor Sam, how much caffeine do you take in every single day?

How much is that?

It's three cups of coffee, but. But with great intentionality, because do your due diligence. It is a preventive measure against any and all neurodegenerative diseases.

This is Mayo Clinic in Stanford. So do your due diligence. It's more for health reasons and rather than getting, you know, super excited and anime. But it works. It works.

I'm on both sides.

Thank you for having me.

You've been amazing. Honored to be with you.

How can people connect with you, Pastor.

Pastorsam.com okay, that's how easy it is.

Pastorsam.com and follow me on Instagram, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, Facebook, Pastor Sam Rodriguez YouTube channel, and on X, formerly known as Twitter, on threads. You can watch us on television and different networks across, you know, America and so forth, and even in Africa and Europe and so forth.

So, Pastorsan.com Pastor Sam, will you pray for us?

You pray that God will use this book that you've invested in that he's spoken into you to write, and that our conversation will encourage those who listen in to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in their everyday life.

Heavenly Father, thank you for fresh oil, holy fire and new wine in every single life, every family, home, marriage, and ministry in every calling, in every geographical area. Thank you for a fresh outpouring of your Holy Spirit. First John 2:27. Lord, we pray in the name of Jesus for an impermeable hedge of protection.

We pray that every single person interacting with this podcast will be filled with your power, your freedom, your righteousness, your victory, and your anointing.

For such a time as this, help us never to quench or turn off precious Holy Spirit, to live A Life Ephesians 5:18, filled with the fullness of the finished work of Christ, embodied in the person and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Do it, God. For such a time as this, you'll get all the glory. Amen.

Amen.