Stephen Samuel's Podcast

Easter Sunday may be behind you—with unforgettable worship, joyful celebrations, and time with family—but what if the real resurrection power is meant to start now?Yes, we remembered what Jesus did and spoke of the salvation He purchased. But how do you move forward from Easter into the miraculous life He offers?Jesus didn't endure the cross for you only to honor His sacrifice—He rose to invite you into a life marked by healing, freedom, and supernatural power. His resurrection wasn't only an event but an open door to a new way of life.The early Church walked in it—they healed the sick, cast out demons, and lived as evidence of the risen Christ. We must live in this same power. In this message, hear how you can boldly step beyond an Easter tradition and into your after-Easter life. Come expecting Jesus to heal, deliver, and give you freedom.

That one extraordinary Sunday morning changed everything. And yet, maybe for you, Easter feels more like a distant tradition than a present-day hope. Maybe the heaviness of life—the stress, the heartache, the weariness—makes it hard to connect with feelings of hope. If that's you, I want you to know you're not alone. And you don't have to pretend everything's okay. This season isn't about performing or pretending. It's about healing. It's about Jesus, who rose not to prove something, but to offer something: a new way of overcoming all that life throws at you. You may find yourself in a place of serving God out of tradition, out of necessity, or even out of a place of frustration. However, wherever you are, you can move to the place of knowing and loving Him more. In this message Pastor Stephen teaches on how you can move to experiencing God as a lover. 

During the final week of Jesus' passion, the atmosphere in Jerusalem was thick with tension, emotion, and expectation—especially among the Jewish people living under Roman occupation. Their feelings toward Rome were complex, often simmering with resentment and frustration. Jesus enters into similar complexities in our lives, and He only waits for us to cry out for His transforming help. In this message, journey with Pastor Stephen into the Palm Sunday story to discover how you can access God's help for your life.

Forgiving is a God-given command to follow. There isn't another option that leads to a healthy outcome. Forgiving is not forgetting and does not excuse or justify sin. There are many critical principles about forgiving, but ultimately, we make a choice to give people what they don't deserve. In this message, Pastor Stephen discusses this difficult and needed truth to empower you to forgive. 

Biblical traditions can lead us to an awareness of God's homeland or kingdom. Though we long for His kingdom to come, there is an evident tension of living contrary to a culture of pride. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches how humility will move your soul to connect with the Father's land and how to sustain it in your daily life.

From the day you were born, you've asked these questions like, “Who can I trust? Where can I be safe? Who loves me? Who can I love? Each question reveals a fundamental need that we sing about, write poems about, and build monuments about. We need love. In this podcast, join with Pastor Stephen as he teaches on the fundamental need we have for love and how you can find its fulfillment.

In this message, Pastor Stephen continues his teaching on the mandate every believer has to make disciples. Though our default is selfishness, we can change who we are by yielding in obedience to follow Jesus' model of selflessness.

Our nature is selfish, and if we don't directly choose behaviors that oppose our selfishness, we will become self-absorbed by default. If you find yourself in a season of disillusionment, criticalness, or confusion, consider if you've laid down the commission to make disciples. Even "Christians" who aren't about loving and making disciples can quickly default to a critical and unsettled disposition. It is blatant blindness to think you can grow in a love relationship with Jesus while you neglect those around you who are headed to an eternal Hell. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches on the mandate every believer has to make disciples.

Worship does a few powerful things for us. Worship enables us to glimpse Jesus. Experiencing Him empowers us to fulfill our purpose and cultivate our lives, families, and communities. In worship, we also hear God's wisdom, and He strengthens our hearts to obey Him. In worship, we are broken of our selfishness and can feel the God's heart for the lost. All these dynamics can happen in the act of worship. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen unfolds how the regular practice of worship can impact and transform your life.

Something feels off. You've sensed it—a recurring hesitation deep within your soul, like hitting an invisible wall of despair. You've tried to piece together the patterns of struggle, searching for answers, longing for relief. You're not alone in this, and there is hope. Healing and freedom from the wounds you carry are possible. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen dives into the dynamics of healing soul wounds. It's time to break free from the darkness holding you back and step into the light of freedom.

It's not a secret. Giving what you cherish most to the ones you love cultivates a deep connection. As your heart can be moved by the ones who sacrifice much for you, God's heart is moved when you meet Him at the altar of personal sacrifice. When you meet Jesus daily at the altar of self-denial, you can provoke a Biblical dynamic that has proven to attract His presence, power, and blessing into your life. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches how approaching the altar of self-denial can transform your relationship with Jesus and draw you closer to His greatness.

Every follower of Jesus is part of a greater story that extends beyond their personal salvation. From His miraculous advent to His proclamation as His ministry began, there was no doubt about the work Jesus came to fulfill. He came to usher in His kingdom. From the calling of His disciples to His calling today, you are invited to enter through the same process of passage. In this teaching, Pastor Stephen unfolds how to enter the kingdom life by being "poor in spirit."

Every follower of Jesus desires to experience more of His presence. He draws close as you practice His kingdom reign (or way of thinking) in your daily life patterns. When you experience a glimpse of His closeness, you'll find your heart longing for Him to work through you. How does He work through you? Discover a few simple and presence-driven practices to experience more of Jesus.

When we begin to experience God in our relationships, it is a doorway to sustaining His presence not only in our Church but also in our homes and places of work. Close relationships serve a two-fold purpose. They are a mirror by which we see ourselves. The closer we get to people, the more we know about ourselves. They are also the lenses through which we understand and experience God. In this message, Pastor Stephen will unfold how you can experience God's presence in close relationships. 

When we say, "I'm following Jesus," where exactly are you following Him? Heaven? Many feel they follow Jesus with good behaviors because they hope for a good life today and a subsequently good eternal life. As we all know, our good behavior cannot earn or purchase this everlasting life. Still, we feel that wrong or immoral behaviors can jeopardize the immediate and potential eternal reward of following Jesus.  Is this work-for-reward arrangement in the Scriptures? In no place do we hear Jesus or His apostles offering followers a faith-laced idea of this sort. Jesus didn't provide followers a pathway to be "good people" to enjoy a "good life" and gain a good afterlife. In a seemingly different context, He made declarations about His coming Kingdom. The proofs of those who advance into His Kingdom would consist of, according to Matthew chapter 5, mourners who needed comfort, gentle and submissive ones who would inherit the earth, those who hunger and were thirst-driven for righteousness, and ones who obtain mercy by being merciful. His followers were to be peacemakers amidst calamities. Jesus also noted that His followers would be persecuted. They would be derided for His sake. However, they would experience a greater reward in His Kingdom.  Is this the life you experience? Are you in this Kingdom? It's easy to minimize the life Jesus came to deliver to mere religious adherence, but what if there is more to following Him than you've been experiencing? Listen in as Pastor Stephen discusses this in this message.

As an immigrant to the United States, I'm moved by the founding fathers' dedication to creating a “more perfect union” and the foresight they had to lay the foundation of a “nation under God.” The revolution's leaders were families who worked the principles that sustained their lives into a government for future generations. Just as they prayed for God's great wisdom, we as a nation now need His intervention in our land. In this message, I'll share how you can bring the influence of God's Kingdom into your family and community and intercede for our nation.

Almost without fail, a few end-time predictors hope to ride the waves of false fervor and doomsday drama each Fall. Blindness to God's greater work of redemption and ignorance of the Bible's story leaves much room for rampant and useless anxiety.  What is the Bible's story? It is a history of God's desire for a people. His purpose has continued since the dawn of creation and continues to this age. He calls His followers to live with His passion for redemption. It's easy to wander into the weeds of erroneous beliefs that can close your eyes to this simple kingdom-cultivating purpose.  Shutting out the noise of end-time delusions, divisive theologies, and outright useless drama, the Church must return to the role of bringing Heaven's culture to Earth. In this message, we'll unfold this powerful truth that can help you pull the good news of God's kingdom into your home and our community.

A struggle was mounting for your affection and devotion long before you realized it. There's a tension in every soul between God's Spirit and one's human nature. As the Holy Spirit offers fulfillment in following Jesus, turning from the undercurrent of momentary pleasures is difficult. Even as a Christian, you may feel the taunting of wealth, popularity, security, and other allurements that aggressively pull for your affection and attention. How can you push against the waters of this age and sustain in the strength of being led by the Holy Spirit? Only through humility can you find the strength to discipline your soul. The practice of humility empowers the weakest of men and draws them into the fullness of the Divine nature. In this message, Pastor Stephen discusses the easily neglected but essential practice that can open God's favor and supernatural grace in your life.

Repentance is a simple practice. A change happens when you turn from broken thinking, attitudes, and behavior. Reaching beyond an emotional response, when you identify and change your mind about the wrong beliefs and behaviors you've held, you will experience a spiritual shift. The scriptures define this moment as not "giving place to the enemy." The practice of repentance, though often overlooked, is a key to gaining victory in your life over the assaults of the enemy against your home, finances, and emotional life. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen discusses the deliverance you can experience through the practice of repentance.

You may be familiar with missions and the need to support missionaries worldwide. Too often, we can minimize the work of global evangelism to a monthly financial commitment. However, missions stand to be the most vital part of Christ's calling to His Church. From supporting local ministries to international missionaries, we must grow stronger with the task before us. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen shares how we must regularly return to Jesus's compassion for the lost and be moved to work and live with compassion, a compassion that empowers us to continue the labor of reaching the lost.

When we discuss the challenges of raising children in this current cultural climate, we can agree on this- It seems harder now than in previous generations to raise our kids as healthy, godly, and successful parts of our family and community. We feel the fight against forces that we cannot clearly define. Yet they are there influencing our children. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen shares on fundamental truths that can aid you in your journey as a parent or grandparent to raising the generation to come. 

It's a hidden practice in the Christian faith that empowers believers. The practice of sacrifice is often neglected at a time when indulgence, self-promotion, and a need for perpetual praise are celebrated. Amidst these strong undercurrents, Jesus calls us to this simple yet powerful practice of sacrifice. As you lay down your life, those valuable things or areas by which you feel validated, you will see the character of Jesus forming in you. As you become like Him, you will find your souls returning to the altar to sacrifice and value what He loves. This Sunday, we will discuss the practice of sacrifice and how you can grow through it.

Every soul longs for a realm void of conflict, suffering, and fear. This desire spans beyond a collective yearning to escape pain; it is a deep-seated hope to live in God's unmitigated presence. Though some have had life-altering glimpses of God's realm, which transform their lives, how can you develop a practice of regularly encountering God face-to-face? Is there a proven pathway you can follow? Yes, there is. From the Old Testament patterns of worship to truths given to us by the first-century apostles, we can develop a practice of frequently meeting Jesus. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches the “Practice of Worship,” which can aid you in having greater experiences with Jesus.

The greatest bondage you can fall into begins when you modify and see God‘s word through the lens of your pain and broken experiences. When you feel vulnerable in moments of turmoil, the enemy, as an angel of light, will offer you permission to live contrary to God's life-giving truth. The enemy will always offer false freedom from God's law to bring you deeper into shame and despair. But there is a better pathway to healing, and it begins with humility and the rejection of deceptions that aim to redefine God's desires for you. In this message, Pastor Stephen continues with part two of “The Practice of Healing” to address the deeper issue of soul wounds.  

We all fight the battle. When sickness plagues our homes, we are shaken by fear, uncertainty, and financial stress. But what if there's a better way of fighting disease and sustaining health? We know Jesus, above all other activities, healed the sick. What truths can we hold and practice to experience a life of healing and wholeness as He promised? In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches “The Practice of Healing” and unfolds how to exercise the free gift of healing in your own life.

When hope rises and falls with every triumph and difficulty, it's not uncommon to find your soul fatigued, even in times of success. However, there are life-giving practices through which you can strengthen your soul. In this message, discover how you can enjoy and extend God's favor through your life.

Everyone knows they have a longing for connection. This desire cannot be satisfied by any other but God, our Father.  Jesus introduced a unity with God as Father which is often ignored because of the deficiency of good fathers. However, even in our brokenness, we know that only the Father of all creation can satisfy and bring purpose to a life. In this message, join with Pastor Stephen as he unfolds the Father heart of God that you can experience.

Too often, we can find ourselves fatigued in our pursuit of following Jesus. Weariness can become a norm whether our struggle is with temptations, being Christ-like under challenging circumstances, or even cultivating healthy relationships. Yet, Jesus offers us the power to be His witnesses. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches about the gift of the Holy Spirit and how you can receive Him and live with His power in you.

It is no coincidence that a mother's birthing of a child is termed a time of “delivery” because moms nurture, develop, and lead as agents in the deliverance of many from the oppression of the enemy through their influence and maternal strength. In this Mother's Day message, Pastor Stephen gives a glimpse into the Biblical narrative of how three mothers impacted a nation's soul and humanity. We can take the revelations they exercised and make them a life-giving discipline in our lives.

Continuing his series on grace, Pastor Stephen shares how God's grace gives us the gift of righteousness. Leaving behind the religious traps of earning God's favor, discover how you can easily apply the goodness of God's righteousness in your day.

We hear often about God's grace. However, with the frequent use of the word, it's easy to miss the full meaning and impact of it. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen teaches on how you can receive and experience the richness of God's grace, and how you can change your view of yourself, God, and others because of grace.

Following Jesus involves difficult decisions. One of the hardest is choosing not to return to the man or woman you once were. The false hope of living as you desire and finding fulfillment will always sell you out to the slavery of shame, fear, and disappointment. In this message, Pastor Stephen shares how Jesus' resurrection gives believers the power to never return to a broken life. 

When Jesus came to his disciples on that first Resurrection Sunday, He gave them a pathway out of the trauma they had just experienced in watching His death. He offered to them the same hope and power we are given today to deal with wickedness done against us. He gave them the power to forgive. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches how Jesus' death and resurrection can empower you to forgive those who have hurt you. 

In the compelling rush of daily living, you may find yourself thirsty and needing nourishment. As water is vital to our physical stamina, Jesus offers His living water for our soul's strength. Even if you've been following Jesus for years, the lost discipline of daily drinking in encounters with the Holy Spirit is needed. On this Palm Sunday, Pastor Stephen unfolds Jesus' call to all who thirst for life and strength.

In this podcast, Pastor Stephen Samuel teaches how we are wired with thinking and behavioral presets. We have a default setting of behaviors that shape who we are. This dynamic of possessing a default emotional home or behavior is the Biblical idea of “abiding.” Who or what we abide in the most makes us the person we are. To this reality, Jesus offers us a "Way" of abiding with Him. He promises lasting peace and true life fulfillment if we choose to abide with Him.

How can you effectively transfer the lifestyle of following Jesus to your children and the generation that will follow them? I've heard that the methods of faith may change, but the message does not. I'm realizing that neither the method nor the message has changed. Jesus‘ disciple-making lifestyle remains the only conduit by which we can transfer the richness of the faith. In this message, Pastor Stephen teaches the critical and often unrealized meaning of what it means to follow Jesus.

We've heard the stories of God answering prayer in spectacular ways. But we often struggle to prioritize a discipline of prayer. Prayer time can frequently fall secondary to other pressing demands. What if there was a way to efficiently work prayer into your schedule and see the perpetual work of God's response to your prayers? Join Pastor Stephen in this message as he continues with part two of “The Prayer of Faith.”

Prayer is a discipline that we all need to do more. However, it's easy to neglect prayer in the busyness of our week and find ourselves in a crisis. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen shares about the levels of prayer that we can engage in our lives and simple truths that will inspire you to pray.

Hitting the walls of stress, turmoil, and relational tensions while hoping to discover your eternal purpose? Maybe you've resorted to merely avoiding difficulties by hiding under an overloaded schedule. But deep down, you know that you're born for more. You hope for fulfillment and a life of purpose and meaning. The journey out of your current situation into a life of significance is the same story of every Biblical hero. So how do you find the pathway Jesus has for you to become the man or woman He created you to be? It begins with a word we often talk about but have little experience with- faith. In this message, Stephen discusses the power and practice of Saving Faith.

In times of turmoil, sickness, loss, or devastation, powerful lies can be forged in our souls. Lies that fault God for our pain leave us with little faith in what He has said concerning our lives. But there is a way to escape from the pit of despair. Jesus, in His great love for us, invites us to listen and believe in His healing power. This Sunday, we'll be teaching how your faith can open the healing and delivering power of Jesus in your life. 

The phrase “first love” is easy to define in the context of romantic love, but there is a deeper eternal longing that every man, woman, and child has to be loved by the God who made them. When we return to this innate desire to make God the first love of our life, this is the beginning of the fulfillment that every soul is searching to find. 

In the fast pace of our schedules, it's easy to lose sight of our direction, purpose, and feelings of fulfillment. This struggle to keep an eternal and meaningful perspective has affected every generation. Although the enemies that foster emotional exhaustion differ from those of the past, the strategies remain the same: they keep your mind busy, preventing you from regularly connecting with your Father and experiencing His life-affirming voice. In this message, Pastor Stephen shares the simple and effective steps that can aid you this year in staying connected to the presence of Jesus.

One of the biggest obstacles to personal growth is the belief that we cannot achieve the purpose that God has intended for us. We often fall into the trap of thinking that we are not worthy of a fulfilling relationship with Jesus. However, to truly fulfill our God-given purpose, we must have the confidence that we are beloved children of God. How can we achieve this confidence? In this message, Pastor Stephen unfolds the truths that can help you step confidently into your destiny.

God's desire has always been to live with communities of those who honor and value His nearness. Knowing this, the value He places on relationships must impact the relationships we cultivate. Join Pastor Stephen as he teaches how you can open the door of God's purpose in your life by closing the door of bitterness and opening the door of forgiveness.

“Peace on earth, goodwill to men,” angelic voices proclaimed above the grazing grounds outside of the quaint town called Bethlehem (Luke 2:14). Their proclamation was heard by only a few and understood by less. This supernatural moment marked the beginning of the well-known Christmas story. Though picturesque moments of Christmas are often a part of our experience, Christmas today is a far reality from the world into which the angels announced Jesus' arrival. Did peace truly come to earth?    This question concerns us as much today as it did the communities of ancient Israel. If the peace wasn't delivered by liberation from oppressors, then how did it enter our world? The peace that the angels spoke of was not a political peace, rather it was an offer extended to a restless humanity.

When the stability of our routines and foundational relationships are shifted, uncertainty and anxieties can become overwhelming. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen Samuel shares the principles that can secure you when you endure difficult seasons in your life.

We can easily become overwhelmed with the many difficulties that impact us and the lives of those we love. Sometimes, the excess of demands can push us to shut down our heart of compassion. However, it is through compassion that we can be the doorway through which Jesus can make Himself known. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen teaches about every believer's eternal purpose in becoming a conduit for the touch of God in our community. 

As we often realize, healing can extend beyond one's need for a physical miracle. What if this realization is a key to sustaining a life marked by God's presence? In the atonement of Jesus, we are given access to experience healing within our body, soul, and spirit. This three-fold revelation of healing is key to the fullness God desires for us to experience and to deliver a lost world. In this podcast, Pastor Stephen continues his teaching on "Jesus Heals."