You're Not Weak, You're Just in Control. Here's Why That's the Problem

APOC Ministry

Eric Thomas

Spirituality, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 900 Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Are you doing all the right things, working hard, staying committed, putting in the effort, but still not getting the results you know you should have? The problem might not be your effort. It might be your need to be in control. In this message, Pastor Eric Thomas delivers one of the most raw and personal sermons of the Royal Airlines series, a message about what's really standing between you and everything God has for you. The formula is simple: surrender. Not weakness, surrender. Because the same way you board a plane and hand your life to a pilot you've never met, God is asking you to trust Him with everything you've been white-knuckling on your own. Pastor Eric shares the real story behind his books, from selling 5,000 copies while fighting for control, to 300,000 copies the moment he surrendered the process. Then going back to control. Then failing again. The full cycle — nothing held back. In this message you'll discover: Why motion without progress is a sign you're in control — not God The real reason control feels safe — and why it's actually destroying you Why control is a spiritual problem, not just a personality trait How the book story reveals a pattern that shows up in your relationships, finances, and family What it actually looks like to surrender — not as a feeling, but as a decision The formula: unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it remains alone Chapters: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome: The Gift of Today 00:00:40 The Formula: Getting on the Same Page With God 00:04:43 The Plane Illustration: Total Surrender at 35,000 Feet 00:10:09 Motion Without Progress: Why You're Stuck 00:15:22 John 12:24 - Unless a Grain of Wheat Dies 00:16:05 We Don't Want Control Because We're Strong, We Want It Because We're Scared 00:18:11 The Book Story: From 5,000 to 300,000 Copies 00:22:00 Control Is Satanic: The Spirit of Lucifer 00:27:09 The Business Lesson: Letting Dede In 00:38:19 The Cross: Complete Surrender 00:40:35 The Huntsville Story: Obedience Over Feelings 00:44:01 How Do You Feel: I Don't Feel Nothing 00:45:19 Altar Call: Time to Die to Control 📖 Scriptures Referenced: Jeremiah 29:11 — For I know the plans I have for you John 12:24 — Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies Proverbs 3:5–6 — Lean not unto your own understanding Joshua 1:3 — Every place the sole of your foot shall tread 👇 Take your next step: 🙏 Give Online → https://www.apocministry.org/give 📺 Watch More Sermons → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRzMQFmplNd4-H1X5bj1jA?sub_confirmation=1 🎧 Listen on Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apoc-ministry/id1448489948 About A Place of Change Ministry Formed in 2008, A Place of Change Ministry (APOC) is built on the practical application of spiritual principles in everyday life. We are a church for the unchurched — a welcoming home for those outside the mainstream of traditional worship. One thing visitors say time and time again: "Nobody does love like APOC." 📍 Grand Ledge, MI · Virtual Services: Saturdays at 11AM EST 🌐 www.apocministry.org 📧 info@apocministry.org Connect with APOC: ▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRzMQFmplNd4-H1X5bj1jA?sub_confirmation=1 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/apocministry_/ 👍 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/apocministry/

Transcript

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0:00.0	Yo, what's up? It's your boy, E.T. Pastor of a place to change ministries. Thank you so much for
0:06.8	tuning into this podcast. You know, so many people have said to me, E, we love the normal service,
0:11.8	but the podcast, we can wash dishes, wash clothes, work out to it, drive up and down the road,
0:18.9	our commute to work.
0:22.1	And so, guys, thank you so much.
0:27.0	Look, you know, we have one goal here, and that is to meet your spiritual needs.
0:32.2	And so we hope that this message helps you in your everyday walk, helps you in your transformation.
0:38.1	And most importantly, we hope that it helps you to make the rest of your life the best of your life.
0:46.2	I told you, I mean, D take this serious, right? Praise God. And so what I want is from you to get from whatever point you're at, right, to the point where God wants you to be. Amen. I'm going to say that
0:52.6	one more time. The Bible says in Jeremiah 29, 11, for I know the plans
0:57.7	that I have for you, say it the Lord of hosts. Amen. And so there's never been a time where my
1:05.1	vehicle has driven me somewhere I didn't want to go. Praise God. My, my, I bought my vehicle for me. I didn't buy it for it.
1:13.9	Amen. Does that make sense? So God has a plan for you and I would love for you at some point in
1:21.0	your life to get to that plan because all of the joy and the happiness and whatever you see
1:26.9	on Instagram, whatever it is and whatever you see on Instagram,
1:28.3	whatever it is you think you see on Facebook, right?
1:31.9	Like, whatever it is you think you see when you're looking at other people's lives,
1:35.5	God has that for you, but it's in Jeremiah 219-11.
1:39.3	It is for I know the plans that I have for you, say, if the Lord of Hosts. Right. So one of the things that I want to accomplish is that at some point in this year, I want you and God to be on the exact same page. Because if you and God on the exact same page, it's going to be phenomenal. Amen? Hey, man. Who want to get on the same page with God so you can experience your happiness?
2:18.7	Praise God. All right, all right, all right, all right. Because let's just be honest. Hallelujah. Praise God. Before we, I'm going to show you a video. But before we go there, amen. I got it. God gave me the formula for you today for that to happen. Amen. And it's so simple. Amen. Anybody want the formula today?
2:20.0	Anybody want the formula?
2:52.3	Now, I'm going to give you a scripture that's going to break it down. But before I go there, we got to, you know what I'm saying? We got to get ready. Right. So here's what I want you to do for me. I want you to think about an area of your life where you're still like, no, it's not, I'm not where God. No, I'm not where God wants me to be. I want you to think about something in your life that you don't have and say, man, God, I've been praying about this. And listen to me, I guarantee you after today, if you use this formula, you're going to be blessed. Amen? I'm going to say that one more time. I guarantee if you use this formula, you're going to be blessed. Amen. Okay. All right. One more time. Online for me. I guarantee you
	...

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