Soul Food
Soul Food
The Fast of Daniel: Renewing Your Spirit (Day 3)
What if the choices you make today could completely transform your life in just 21 days? Join us as Bishop Joshua and Pastor Isaac take us on a spiritually enriching journey that emphasizes the power of choice. This episode unpacks the crucial steps to separating from evil and embracing a rejuvenated life led by the Holy Spirit. Explore how letting go of old, harmful habits can turn you into a new vessel ready to receive the Divine Spirit, and hear our heartfelt guidance on becoming a person illuminated by God's light.
We have a gripping testimony from Ms. Victoria, whose early life was marred by severe neglect and abuse, illustrating the deep scars childhood trauma can leave. Her story is a poignant reminder of the importance of empathy over judgment, and why the Universal Church focuses on healing those with troubled pasts. Listen to how Victoria found faith and renewal, despite her turbulent beginnings, and understand why offering support can make a substantial difference in someone’s life.
Additionally, we delve into the symbolic significance of old and new wineskins in the spiritual journey, featuring insights from Pastor Valdo and Bishop Joshua through the Word of God. Learn about the Fast of Daniel, a 21-day spiritual detox designed to deepen your relationship with God. We also share a heartfelt prayer for anyone feeling hopeless, inviting the Holy Spirit to bring peace and transformation. Don't miss our announcement about the upcoming Bible study on Wednesdays at every Universal Church, where we encourage you to free yourself from worldly distractions and embrace a life filled with divine love and guidance.
Now streaming on all major podcast platforms, edifying your mind, body and soul. We welcome you to listen now to Soul Food with your main host, Bishop Joshua. Here we are always ready to share a word of faith. Unpack powerful testimonies and divinely inspired music to enhance your faith. Walk, Feed your faith wherever you go, Quench your spiritual hunger, quench your spiritual hunger, give the food that lasts forever.
Speaker 2:here on the soul food podcast in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it's easy to lose sight of the spiritual connection that grounds us. But now it's easy to lose sight of the spiritual connection that grounds us. But now it's time to pause For 21 days. Let's separate ourselves from this world.
Speaker 4:Starting now the 21-day program for the Holy Spirit with Bishop Bira Joshua 21 days to be closer to God, 21 days to separate yourself from all evil. Some people always ask and they always say why then evil always follow me? Actually, job in the Bible, he said I waited for good and evil came. I waited for light and I have found darkness. Does it click in your mind? Does it resemble you? It seems like you are always looking for light and only darkness comes to you, only evil. That's when people say, pastor Isaac, they say I suffer from bad luck, I don't have a good luck, I have bad luck. But it's not about good or bad luck, it's about choices. If you choose evil, evil will follow you and many are living an evil life or devil life because one day they chose the evil ways and now they are reaping the bitter fruits. Hi there, pastor Isaac.
Speaker 5:Hello, bishop, and hello all the listeners. It is very true, many people, as you say, they think like this that they've been suffering from bad luck. But the truth is, our choices is what make our lives, and when we choose to live according to our own will, to chase or save the pleasures of this world, what happens? The results, as you say, what we plant, we reap, these results of destruction. That's why, bishop, we are at this moment, the moment that we are seeking to separate from evil so that we can come to the light, because people need the light. But we need to separate from evil so that we can come to the light, because people need the light, but we need to separate from evil so that we can come to the light.
Speaker 4:The scripture says no one puts new wine into the old skin. So everybody wants to be new, right, everybody wants to be new. However, no one puts new wine into the old skins. Which skin are you? Or else the new wine will burst the wine skins and be spilled and the wine skins will be ruined. So how can you be new, a new person? In a few I'm going to talk to my guest, that is, miss Victoria. How are you?
Speaker 6:I'm wonderful Bishop.
Speaker 4:She said I'm wonderful, just stay tuned, stay here with me, you are going to see, because she was the old wine skin. That's why comes depression, anxiety and many other problems, the problems that you have. You have them because you are the old wine skin. When you receive the Holy Spirit, you become new, as the Scripture says. But the new wine look over there. The new wine must be put into the new wine skin and both are preserved. So how can God put inside of a person a new spirit if this person is the old one? That's why we spoke yesterday and this week we are talking about the new birth, the new person. Yesterday we spoke about how to enter the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God, pastor Isaac. Today we are talking about the new wine skins. So it says that the new wine or the new spirit must be put into the new person or the new wine skins.
Speaker 5:Yes, which means that if someone wants to have a new life, the first thing that the person has to do is to do away with the old life. You know, bishop, the biggest problem that human beings have, that people have, is that they want to accommodate the old life and the new life at the same time, which is impossible, as the Bible says that you cannot mix the new and the old.
Speaker 4:It is impossible. You said it's impossible, which means we cannot have both.
Speaker 5:We cannot have both, because either you lose one to gain the other, and this is what our listeners have to understand today that for you to have a new life, you must be ready to give up, to do away, to abandon the old one.
Speaker 4:Yes, so the new wine. I'm reading the Bible here, luke 5, from verse 37, 38. He said new wine must it's a must must be put into the wineskins, and both are preserved. So the holy spirit inside of you preserves your life. As we are saying, you cannot have both. You cannot be the new. Why, kings, if you still keep the old one, to have the new one? Hey, hey, give up on everything that is old, old habit, old mentality, old behavior. Else, god will never put the new spirit inside of you. If you want to understand it better, by my side I have Mrs Victoria, who had this old life, and you are going to understand, ms Victoria, what was your old life? Can we go back to the past? Yes, indeed, yes, just to talk about your old life. How was that? Wow.
Speaker 6:The old life. As a matter of fact, finding out about the old life is when I came actually to the Universal Church church I was.
Speaker 4:I've went through a lot of. If I may, yes, go ahead, I went through listen the mic is yours, we are live.
Speaker 6:As I say always show time. Wow, I've been through a lot of things that I was not cognitive of. I was born when it wasn't, let's just say I was not wanted in the sense of I was mistreated from a little child and that was the old life. Naturally, the old life which God, just remembering it is just driving me nuts, just to remember and from one to the other to the other, it was very, very devastating Went through death and a whole lot. I stepped from that life into another and there was no changes. Instead of that, it just succeeded a whole lot more. Even I knew God, I did not understand how to make that change, I didn't know and of course, the pain, the bitterness, it just kept on. But now that I have come now, two years ago, I was introduced to come here Two years ago. Two years ago I was one of my co-workers, knew about my life and a whole lot and of course I'm sorry, my life and the whole lot and of course I'm sorry.
Speaker 4:We always say in our shows, even the episodes on the TV, on the tablets, for the inmates over there, people who are in prison, that we do not judge, we help, because when they see people that are in suffering they blame the person, like when they see black, white, pink, blue, homosexual lesbians, criminals, people behind the bars. They do not understand. But a person came through a lot, through a lot in life. You were saying that your childhood was not easy.
Speaker 6:It was terrible. I found out that my mother really didn't want me, no, so she tried to abort me. And so seven months, I was seven months born, and after seven months.
Speaker 4:So you were born of seven months.
Speaker 6:I was seven months, months, okay, I am eight we did not want to wait for nine yes, and then, after my mother wasn't keen to have me, so what she did and even after the birth, everything just went perfectly well she decided I'm going to get rid of her. So she gave me away to her sister in another country that I cannot remember exactly what occurred or just as I was told that and in another country and give me to her aunt, her sister, which is my aunt, and for whatever reason, she was a very brutal woman and she beat me. Your biological mom, my mom, gave me away.
Speaker 3:Because she didn't want me around.
Speaker 6:I didn't fit the profile of the child she wanted. So sister says well, give her to me. I don't have a girl, Give her to me. And my mother was glad enough to give her, give me away to her. And to my consciousness is I remember in beaten and I was treated as a slave. Really my auntie was very mean and one day, because I didn't understand why she was so mean to but I'm sorry, but he did not know she was not your mom.
Speaker 6:I didn't know who this lady was because I was given away as a baby. So that early part of the stage in my life I don't have a sense of what actually happened then If I was a baby and was spanked, I wasn't quite, I didn't know because I didn't have that knowledge.
Speaker 6:But when I did become conscious of what was going on at the ages of three or four and I saw her yelling at me and her two sons was not doing anything and I was like a slave to her and I remember her saying you remind me of your mom, I hate your mom.
Speaker 4:And they were sisters.
Speaker 6:And they were sisters. Yes, and she hated her sister, hated her, and then I carried the yes and she hated her sister Hated her, and then I carried the personality of my mother.
Speaker 4:My goodness.
Speaker 6:Yes, I had. I didn't know a lot of things that my mother we are talking about a generational curse Generate.
Speaker 6:That's how I found out. I didn't even know until I came here and she was so mean she was very mean. I got slapped and beaten and had to do the work when her sons were relaxing all the whole time. I remember one day I was at the age of six and when I was six, a certain part of Trinidad where my auntie lived we were not supposed to. No one actually crosses that part of the area or the village because there's lots of crime happening there. Plus, the river has alligators and for whatever obvious reason. Well, I was almost afraid to say no. I don't ever say no to my auntie. If I make a move of anything, she would give me a good slap, a running slap behind the head. So many of the times when I see her coming I will quickly run away. I was not allowed to speak to anyone. I was not allowed to keep company with anyone.
Speaker 4:just do as I say so you were very uh oppressed yes, very, very much.
Speaker 6:So I didn't know my mom until one day when I visited um. They took us to one of my cousin's place and I saw this lady with a baby. So I asked my cousin who is that? She said it's your mom. So I said my mother? Yes, why is she? She didn't come to see you. I said no, that day I cried so much. But then to get back to the story, when she told me that I had to go to the store and get some groceries and it was about six o'clock At that time the alligators comes out of the river and of course the area and I was only six Now she's got an older son and she said I needed to go and get some sugar.
Speaker 6:So I said where? And she said up there. But that's the time the alligators comes out of the river. What, what? Then she said you better, and she stumped at me. So I quickly run off because I know I'll be getting that beating. So as I run to the store, the man in the store asked what are you doing here, little girl? What are you doing here? Because there's people who's been murdered. And then in the evening the alligators usually come out. They come out and they're on the bridge looking for food and stuff to eat and he said little girl, you're not supposed to be here. But of course I couldn't tell them. I says my auntie wanted me to come. He said you've got to get out of here, little girl.
Speaker 6:So after I purchased the stuff with fear in my spirit and I was coming back to the area where people were being murdered in the whole lot, I quickly ran as light as I could, of course malnourished, because many times I couldn't eat. She would knock the food out of my mouth and the staff. And while in the distance I looked to the bridge. No cars comes at that time because the alligators are usually out, so no one comes there. And I did see the alligators began to come, began to come out. I couldn't turn back. There was so much of pain. I couldn't turn back because where am I going to go? And the alligators are in the river. They're taller, longer than me.
Speaker 6:I was a little chooker so I began crying but for some reason I leaped on the bridge. The bridge was a narrow bridge and the alligators saw me when I leaped onto the bridge and they turned around and the others were coming up from the bridge and I just crawled across on that bridge and leaped and tried not to fall off because if I fall I was going into the river. I just crawled across on that bridge and leaped and tried not to fall off Because if I fall I was going into the river. If I fell this way, I'm going to go on the road itself and the alligators that are already on the road will eat me. And the others were snapping at my feet and they were snapping at me.
Speaker 6:And then when I reached the other end of the bridge now to jump off I'm only six and to jump off of the bridge there was an alligator with its mouth open waiting for me. And I remember and, believe me, I always have the same vision. I remember just lifting in the air and lift over that alligator. So you were only six, only six.
Speaker 4:So you were rejected by your mother, given away. Now you were only six, only six. So you were rejected by your own mother, yes, given away. Now you are there risking your life, no protection, no, no father, no mother. Almost lost your life that day. So, Miss Victoria, that's why in the Universal Church, we do not judge, we help, because people like you. Prison are full of people like this. I had a conversation last time in prison with many people that were rejected like you. They were in group homes, juveniles on the streets, because they suffered, like you as a kid, the rejection. Let me ask you, growing up, become a teenager, teenagerhood, adults, because you had no mother, no father, no family. You were beaten by your aunt because she was taking care of you and you resemble her sister. So you grew up with this inside of you as a teenager, going into adulthood. What happened?
Speaker 6:Well, after in the company quarters where we lived, we had to move from there. We were moved into another place where my uncle I have an uncle who lived there we were moved into another place where my uncle I have an uncle who lived there and he saw what was going on, even when, also, I was electrocuted, where she sent me to the kitchen and the lightning came and I was locked out for a whole day. My uncle saw what was going on and I was then about 13. I was just about 13 and uncle saw and he said what is going on and he got his. He said you going home to meet your mom, because he didn't know, because I was the one to carry the big bucket of water on my head and the water cause I was so slender, weak, the water will fall over and wet me up and when I tried to go back and I reach home late and I'll be getting beating because I didn't bring enough water home in the house.
Speaker 6:So my uncle, when my aunt left the house and went away, sent his wife over to take me away from her and they got a boat. My uncle was affiliated, or his wife was affiliated with somebody who captained a boat and they prepared clothes for me, because I had no clothes or anything. And they sent me to the islands where the boat brought me, and I was so sick because, of course, I wasn't eating anything. So I reached home at the age of 14. When I me, and I was so sick because, of course, I wasn't eating anything, so I reached home at the age of 14. When I reached home, I was introduced to my mother, which I thought, my god is so wonderful and I even said, oh, she's a little better looking than my auntie. Oh, I was so happy to meet my mom because every so you thought, that when you met your mom, your life would change.
Speaker 6:I thought she would receive me and I thought it was a new life.
Speaker 4:And what happened.
Speaker 6:And she. When I tried to greet her, she wasn't much of a huggy type, but nevertheless she was there. That's all I cared about.
Speaker 4:So you were 14?.
Speaker 6:I was 14 when I was sent home with the boat and I saw my mom for the first time, First time yes, the first time. First time, yes, the first time my heart was happy because I thought great, wow. So as we got home and my auntie one of another auntie, another sister of my mom, was there also, and I think when she said, Vicki, I was the one who took you to meet the other sister, but I didn't know they were going to. So I said it's all right, I'm with my mommy now, but every time I touch my mommy, my mommy will you know so. Nevertheless, when I went home, there was a valley of cousins and everybody there, but I was very much introverted because I was not told, I was not allowed to speak to anyone, I couldn't keep friends with anyone and while that was your upbringing but yes, my auntie.
Speaker 6:She raised me with a strict head so I was not allowed to keep company. All I do is to make sure clean the house, make sure that I bring the pail and make sure I do, to make sure I do, make sure I do. If I were to open or pass by the window and a boy is passing up there, she would just slap him behind the head. I'm like I didn't even notice. He was there.
Speaker 4:She just slapped you.
Speaker 6:Yeah, she just slapped me and I was like I have here the description of your story.
Speaker 4:It says that at the age of 19, somebody chose a husband to you.
Speaker 6:My mother, your mother, yes, my mother, because I did not. I was raised to not have attachment or attraction to men at all. Even when I passed, she said no, no, you learn to clean the house and learn to cook some food before you look for a man. So I didn't have, I didn't know about intimacies of the sort, and when I got home to my mom it was the same thing. I didn't know. I see a male, I saw a female, and I believe that's just the way God made his earth and there was nothing else to find out what goes on between the man and the female, and she chose a man to marry you.
Speaker 6:Yes, an older man my mom chose. And when she asked, when she said you're going to marry you? Yes, an older man my mom chose. And when she asked, when she said you're going to marry this? No, actually she brought the man home.
Speaker 6:He was my supervisor and my stepfather worked at the very place where I worked and he got to him because I would never speak to a man like that. No man I would speak to because I was afraid, raised that way, you don't speak to men, men don't come to you. You don't go to men, it belittles you as a girl. So you just don't do it, it doesn't happen. So then one day, when myself and cousin came home, he was in the house with my mom, this man in the house. So I'm like what is he doing up here? So I went to the room good evening mom, good evening daddy, stepfather, whatever. And I went to the room because that's where I usually be.
Speaker 6:I was very introverted, was not raised not to be with people, don't accompany. So I went in. So then, after my mom called me out and she said Vicki, come out here. So I went out yes, mom, I want you to sit here and speak to Mr Brooker and my sister heard and she said, vicki, no, don't do that. My sister has a little bit more smart than me. She's smaller than me, so why am I? And she looked at me like that.
Speaker 4:You're mad, then yes.
Speaker 6:When I said, why do? Did I do something wrong on the job? Why do? And she so when she gave me the eye.
Speaker 4:And that eye was the bombastic.
Speaker 6:And she gave me the eye. I said all right, mommy, I'll sit down. So I moved up and he sat there and I sat there and I'm like, excuse me, could I get you something to eat, sir? Do you want something to eat? And this is the chair I pulled up there very far away from him.
Speaker 4:You did not know what was going on. I had no idea. Miss Victoria, I know that you have a lot to tell us. It's a long story until you get the point where we want to be. So, Pastor Valdo, we are going to continue, if you don't mind, tomorrow.
Speaker 6:All right, so then I'll come back tomorrow.
Speaker 4:Good, there you go. That's how we talk. This is the Universal Church at the spot. So, Pastor Valdo, we are talking about today the old wineskins and the new wineskins. You are going up to the altar right now and we are talking about the old wineskins. That was Miss Victoria's life, the past life. She had this old life, but, praise God, she's here to share her story, because there is this young girl that was rejected by her mother, raised by her aunt or a neighbor, a grandmother somebody else her aunt or a neighbor, a grandmother somebody else and God has chosen this person to become a new wine skins.
Speaker 7:Yes, bishop, god has chosen them, and here the altar is the place for the trade in. Here is the place where they can place this old life, this life that they don't want no more, this life that they are being so rejected or abused. They can place this old life here and receive the new life. This is what we are talking about. To receive the new, they need to let go of the old, and here is the place for this to happen is the altar. It's not a stage, it's not a place for performance, but this is a place where they can uh approach, they can come to God himself to receive this new life, just as it happened to Miss Victoria, bishop, and to so many others who have come to the altar, who have left the old life and today they have a new life. Do not forget.
Speaker 4:Tomorrow she's going to be here with us to share her story with you over there. I want you to understand more about the fast of Daniel, and we are going to be back with Pastor Isaac all the way from Florida to pray with us and seek together the Holy Spirit. Give up, get rid of the old wine skins and you are going to be made a new one. God is going to pour the new wine in the new wine skin. We are talking about new birth, to be born again, game.
Speaker 1:Every day, we dedicate ourselves to what truly matters Our bodies, our homes, our work, our families. But amidst the hustle and bustle of life, do we forget about nurturing our inner selves? We often let in a flood of destructive information, unwittingly poisoning our souls, and in our frantic search for relief, we dive deeper into meaningless distractions. But what if there's a way out of this cycle, A way to detoxify our minds and nourish our spirits? Join the Fast of Daniel, a transformative journey of 21 days. It's a chance to focus, to renew and to prepare ourselves for a deeper connection. 21 Days where we step away from secular distractions and immerse ourselves in the Word of God. Discover the power of the Fast of Daniel to cleanse your spirit and receive the Holy Spirit in your life.
Speaker 5:Our Lord and our Father, my God, many are those who are at this moment, my Lord. They've been abused by this life. Many, my God, are those who have even chosen their own life. They've chosen the life of crime. They've chosen the life of violence, hatred, bitterness, because of what they went through, and they find this as a reason. Maybe, my God, they did not even know that they can change. But, my Father, we see that there is nothing that you cannot do, my Lord. For this reason, we are here praying together, my God, with those people who are connected to us, my Lord, those who are in prison. This man, this woman who is there in her cell alone, my God, thinking that the life is over because of how he or she has been mistreated. This person, my God, who is listening to us, who is watching us right now, and, my God, has been mistreated by her own family, by his own family, by friends, by those who are supposed to protect her. My Father, lord, come at this moment to give life to this person. My lord, come to change this person, making this person to become this new wineskin, so that your spirit can enter inside of them. Oh, holy spirit, only you, my god, can renew those who have been suffering, those who have been going through pain, those, my God, who have been hopeless. So, my Father, I invite you at this moment to enter inside of this house, this room, this life where this person is right now. Enter, my Father, holy Spirit, enter inside of this person who has got no peace, this person, my God, who does not believe in anything anymore, does not believe in herself, in himself. Because, my God, the world has been so cruel to this person. Holy Spirit enter to change to this person. Holy Spirit enter to change because, my God, you are the spirit that changes, that transforms. My God, help this person who has been choosing, has been making mistakes, choosing a wrong way of life, making wrong choices because of the past. Help this person today to be made a new person, to lay down, to give up whatever that has been wrong. My God, those who, maybe because of suffering they've been unable to forgive, they've been carrying inside of them bitterness of the soul, anger, sentiments of revenge. Oh, my God, let your spirit come now, at this moment, to wipe this away. Yes, my God, wipe this pain away, wipe away this bitterness of soul. Wipe away, my God, the evil that has been invading the life of this person and make this person to be new.
Speaker 5:My dear friend, wherever you are right now, you are today receiving from God the opportunity to be a new person, as the Holy Spirit has chosen you. As you are participating with us in this prayer, the Holy Spirit chose, chosen you. As you are participating with us in this prayer, the Holy Spirit chose you to rebuild you, to renew you, to make you a new person, to give you his spirit. Yes, god wants his spirit to dwell inside of you. So receive, right now, wherever you are you have been thinking that your life will never be, the will never change, you'll never be anyone in this life receive the spirit of life, receive the new life, receive the power from above, the power of the holy spirit, as right now, you, you are there, the Holy Spirit is working inside of you. Be new, my friend. Be a new person. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
Speaker 3:Down the Via Dolorosa In Jerusalem that day. The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street but the crowd pressed in to see the man condemned to die on Calvary. He was bleeding from a beam, there were stripes upon his back and he wore a crown of thorns upon his back and he wore a crown of thorns upon his head and he bore with every step the scorn of those who cried out for his death down the Via Dolorosa, all the way of suffering Like a lamb paid for a sire, christ the King.
Speaker 4:But he chose to walk that road cross. For me, for you, for all of us, you don't need to suffer anymore. For all of us, you don't need to suffer anymore. You heard the story of Mrs Victoria since she was born. It seems like she was born to suffer. However, tomorrow, tune in again for you to know more about her story. Perhaps it resembles you a lot. Perhaps it resembles you a lot before you were born, or even after the suffering, persecutes you pursues. You goes after you wherever you go. Well, tomorrow you are going to learn how she did change her life by the power of Jesus Christ. As you read over there, jesus Christ is the Lord. You came to this church two years ago.
Speaker 6:Yes, indeed yes, I did Two years ago.
Speaker 4:And somebody introduced you to this church. A member.
Speaker 6:One of my co-workers. Co -workers.
Speaker 4:So tune again tomorrow to know more about her story. All right, do not forget, new wine is put into a new wine skins and this Wednesday, at every Universal Church, the Bible study. It is going to be 7 pm for all the members and open for the visitors as well. Bring your Bible, come to learn how to get read, to be free from the world. And we are going to continue the 21-day fast, 21 days fast of Daniel. May the God of the Bible bless all of you.
Speaker 3:I'm going to see you tomorrow Down the Via Dolorosa All the way to Calvary. Down the Via Dolorosa All the way to Calvary.
Speaker 2:For 21 days, let's separate ourselves from this world. A 21-day program for the Holy Spirit.