Steadfast people:

recovering the anguish of Ruins

Sunday Round Up 01/03/2026 – Joel Dorman

This message hit me hard in a way I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just a good sermon—it was a mirror held up to my own heart. As Joel spoke about joy, anguish, rebuilding, and steadfastness, I felt the Lord exposing places in me that had grown dull, places where passion had faded, and places where comfort had quietly taken the lead. There was a seriousness in the room, a sobriety that demanded attention. And I knew God was speaking directly to me.

The Process to Joy

Joy isn’t shallow or circumstantial. God brings us to a place where we finally see the truth—about ourselves, our world, and our need for Him. Just like the laver in the tabernacle, where the priests saw their reflection in the bronze bowl, we too must look honestly at our own reflection and recognise our need for a Saviour. Wales needs a Saviour. We need a Saviour.

But instead of taking our need to the Father, we often try to fix it ourselves. Pride resists dependence. Yet the Father invites us to humble ourselves so He can minister to us—and then send us out.

“Heroes of God come out of the cave and stop hiding.”   Proverbs 28:28

A Life That Isn’t Easy

God has not called us to an easy life. He has called us to a life that requires His overcoming power. A life that demands faith, hope, and endurance.

Joel reminded us of three identities God is forming in His people:

• People of Faith — steadfast, fixed in direction, unwavering.

• People of Hope — hope that never disappoints.

• People of Endurance — able to withstand hardship without wilting.

  
  

Seeing the Ruins

Nehemiah didn’t rebuild until he saw the ruins. He let the reality break his heart, and God gave him a strategy. If we were truly dead to self, obedience wouldn’t be such a battle. But comfort has become the crisis of our generation.

Isaiah 61 declares that the Spirit of the Lord anoints us to bring good news and rebuild ruined cities. But rebuilding begins with honesty—seeing the ruins in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our nation.

And like Nehemiah, we ask: “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Does the ruin move your heart to action?

Coming Out of the Cave

There is a stirring to step out of hiding. To taste and see that the Lord is good. To stop wasting time on petty arguments because time is too short. To endure like good soldiers. To run the marathon, not the sprint—trusting God to give us stamina and accountability.

And with that comes a personal declaration:

I will not deny You. I will move when You say. I will pray when You say. I will stop when You say.

Steadfast and Unshakeable

Steadfastness is more than a feeling—it’s a posture:

• Fixed in direction

• Resolute

• Purposed

• Faith-filled

• Unwavering

He has called us to this because lives are at risk. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but turning our eyes to Him causes the world to fade into its proper place. It’s not based on our effort but His strength.

Learning to Endure

Endurance is formed through hardship. Soldiers are trained by being hardened to difficulty. The church must stop collapsing under pressure. We are in spiritual combat—so we stand, not roll over.

We are the spiritual Jerusalem, yet the church is falling asleep and being infiltrated. Real love is receive judgement now, today—because eternal judgement will be too late.

A Season of Miraculous Power

The first step of obedience is always the hardest. The enemy wants you passive, silent, and still. But you are the light in the darkness. Humility is the key—pride must be nailed to the cross so nothing stands in the way.

The church in Ephesus was praised for its works but rebuked for forgetting its first love. We must return to ours. Love yourself because Jesus loved you first—only then can you love others well. And stop reopening wounds God has already healed.

There is only one hope: Jesus—your strength, your bread, your provision, your joy, your life, your sound mind.

Growing Up in Love

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that without love, everything is just noise. Good works without love are empty.

And in verse 11, he calls us to put away childish things:

• gossip

• arguing

• criticism

• laziness

• procrastination

God is calling us to grow up—to become who Jesus died for us to be. Stop giving up because it’s difficult. There is a cost - desperation, discomfort, and pain often become the very things that push us toward Him.

Will you remain steadfast and endure, no matter what happens? There is a weight to that question.

Strength Restored

You are not defeated. You are not lame. You are victorious and strong. No more opinions or self‑inflation. You are strong because He is strong. You don’t deserve any of it, yet He gives it anyway. He is restoring purpose.

A Call to Anguish

We watched a clip from David Wilkerson’s A Call to Anguish. The message was piercing:

• Joy comes from sharing the anguish of God’s heart.

• Nothing in this world will ever bring true joy.

• Do you see the ruins of the world?

• Do you feel anguish over lost lives?

• Does that move you to obey?

• Will you seek Him and find Him?

  
  

A Personal Realisation

As I listened, I realised something painful but necessary: I have lost the anguish and passion I once had for the lost—for Neath.   I used to cry in pain for them. I used to feel the weight of eternity for this town. Somewhere along the way, that fire dimmed. Comfort crept in. Distraction took root. And my heart drifted from the Lord’s heartbeat.

But this message was a wake-up call. A reminder. A realignment.

I must return to the anguish of God’s heart.  

I must realign my heart with His—especially in this season.

Because without His burden, there is no rebuilding.

Without His compassion, there is no mission.

Without His heart, there is no true steadfastness.

How did this message impact you? What do you see reflected in the laver?