‘Listen to God’: Denzel Washington Inspires as He Discusses Personal Walk With Christ
Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington has been open about his faith in the past and revealed how he has relied on prayer during this season of life.
Washington is a believer in Christ and isn’t shy of discussing the biblical principles he brings into his marriage and sharing that he attends church. On the grand stage at America Film Institute’s gala, while accepting his award, he was humbled and declared, “if nothing else, I am living proof of the power of God.” The actor added, “anything you think you see and you think you know where it comes from, the opportunities that I have been afforded, I have been given by the grace of God.”
Denzel Washington Reveals it Was ‘Prophesied’ He Would ‘Travel World and Preach to Millions’
Put God first in everything you do. The Bible says “faith without works is nothing” so destiny is great, fate is great, faith is great – but you still have to work at it. I don’t just sit at home and wait for it all to unfold. At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.
“I speak now and I’m doing what God told me to do from the beginning,” the 62-year-old said during a sit-down interview with reporters. “It was prophesied that I would travel the world and preach to millions of people. It was prophesied when I was 20. I thought it was through my work and it has been.”
“I didn’t always stick with Him, but He always stuck with me.”
“Just because you’re doing a lot doesn’t mean you’re getting a lot done. Don’t confuse movement with progress.” Great advice!! Also, I love “Don’t aspire to make a living; aspire to make a difference.
“At 66, getting ready to be 67, having just buried my mother, I made a promise to her and to God, not just to do good the right way, but to honor my mother and my father by the way I live my life, the rest of my days on this Earth. I’m here to serve, to help, to provide,” Washington shared at “The Better Man Event” Christian men’s conference at First Baptist Orlando in Florida.
“In every prayer, all I hear is: ‘Feed my sheep.’ That’s what God wants me to do,” the famous actor said. “What I found out in the last couple of years is there are all kinds of sheep. So that’s why I talk to experienced shepherds to help guide me.”
Washington continued: “The world has changed. What is our role as a man? The John Wayne formula is not quite a fit right now. But strength, leadership, power, authority, guidance, patience are God’s gift to us as men. We have to cherish that, not abuse it.”
Washington quickly confessed his humanity and said that he struggled to discern God’s plan for his life.
“What I played in the movies is not who I am, it’s what I played,” he said. “I’m not going to sit or stand on any pedestal and tell you about what I had in mind for you or your soul. Because the fact of the matter is, in the whole 40-year process, I was struggling for my own soul.
“It [the Bible] says in the last days we’ll become lovers of ourselves. The number one photograph now is a selfie. So we all want to lead. We’re willing to do anything — ladies and young men — to be influential. … Fame is a monster and we all have these ladders and battles, roads we have to walk in our given lives. Be you famous or whoever’s out there listening, we all have our individual challenges. It’s cliché [but] money, don’t make it better. It doesn’t. Fame just magnifies the problems and the opportunities,” Washington continued.
The famous actor encouraged the men at the conference to rely on God by listening to Him through prayer.
“Stay on your knees. Watch me, but listen to God,” he added. “I hope that the words in my mouth and the meditation of my heart are pleasing in God’s sight, but I’m human. I’m just like you. What I have will not keep me on this Earth for one more day. Share what you know, inspire who you can, seek advice. If you want to talk to one someone, talk to the one that can do something about it. Constantly develop those habits.”
Washington compared spiritual habits to the physical practice of exercise.
“Fear is nothing but contaminated faith,” Washington said. “My chest is sagging right now because I haven’t been lifting weights. I’m losing weight first. So you got to lift them faith weights. You got to do your curls and your squats daily. You may get injured; you may want to throw them down, you may want to give up, you may never be big … you have to refill your bucket every night. You have to refill your bucket every morning.”
Right on brother Washington glad to hear your faith in God is demonstrative and growing stronger each day as you totally seek his strength n direction for your life n encourage others in their journey too,may the lord God forever be with you in the mighty name of Jesus Amen p.s if it is Gods will would love to meet you in person but if not see you in heaven ,be blessed my brother.