Pouring Out Where I’m Not Being Filled
Sub-Title: Protect Your Peace, Guard Your Gifts, and Watch Your Heart
Scripture Foundation:
Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Matthew 7:6 – “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine…”
Galatians 6:7 – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
Introduction:
There comes a time when you must stop emptying yourself into things and people who are not invested in your restoration.
Can I just be honest? People…………Will drain you, exhaust you, or spiritually dehydrate you—because you kept pouring into places and people who had no oil for you? You gave your time, your love, your energy, your gifts, and your wisdom—but got no healing, no help, no harvest in return.
You need to hear me today: God never called you to bleed out for what won’t bandage you.
We always talk a lot about lost sheep, but what about the bleeding sheep? The ones who are faithful but fractured… anointed but aching… visible but still invisible in their pain.
They show up Sunday after Sunday, serving, singing, sowing—while silently bleeding from wounds nobody’s treating.
Too many are spiritually hemorrhaging while the church claps over their performance.
To the Bleeding you are not a bottomless cup. You are not a public faucet. You are not a spiritual vending machine. God gave you treasures in earthen vessels, not to be wasted—but to be stewarded.
Prophetic Insight:
There’s a sound coming from the pasture—it’s the cry of bleeding sheep. And heaven hears it.
God is raising up shepherds after His own heart who will not shout over your brokenness but will sit with you, restore you, and remind you: You were never created to live wounded.
You can’t keep giving from a place that’s not being replenished.
It’s not selfish to say “no” when your “yes” is costing you too much peace.
Jesus didn’t heal everybody. He moved based on faith and alignment.
Relationships, ministries, jobs, and friendships should be mutual—not parasitic.
Galatians 6:7 – Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
But if all you do is sow into others and never reap, check the soil.
Sometimes the problem isn’t your gift—it’s the ground your sowing into.
We’ve all been guilty of:
Pouring into people who had no intention of pouring back. You gave them time, energy, love, wisdom—and when your cup ran low, they were nowhere to be found.
Showing up for folks who disappear the moment you need someone to lean on. You were their 911, their midnight call, their lifeline—but when your heart was heavy, they ghosted.
Investing in situations that left you emotionally and spiritually bankrupt—spending peace you couldn’t afford, paying the price for loyalty that wasn’t mutual.
But here’s the turning point:
This is the season where God says, “No more withdrawals without deposits!”
You are not a dumping ground for dysfunction. You are not a spiritual ATM for users with no PIN to your purpose.
You’re coming into a season of reciprocity, recovery, and restoration.
You have got to protect your peace. Guard your oil. Preserve your gift. There’s a difference between serving and being used up.
Point 1: Don’t Waste What’s Holy in Matthew 7:6
Jesus said, “Give not that which is holy to dogs.”
That means there are some environments and relationships that can’t handle the weight of the Glory that’s on you.
Let me tell you something powerful:
Everybody can’t carry the weight of the glory that’s on your life.
Some relationships, some environments, even some churches—can’t handle the oil you walk in.
They loved you when you were low-key, but now that God is raising you, the room feels different.
Scripture Reference:
In 2 Samuel 6:6-8 – When Uzzah touched the ark of God, he wasn’t authorized to handle the weight of His glory.
In Matthew 17:1 – Jesus didn’t take the whole crowd to the Mount of Transfiguration—just Peter, James, and John.
Why? Because not everybody is equipped to witness glory moments.
See…….Glory will make insecure people feel exposed.
It’s not that you changed, it’s just that your light revealed their shadows.
I have found out that you can’t cast kingdom vision into carnal minds.
I have found out that you can’t sow excellence into people who are addicted to being average.
I have found out that you can’t give the oil of your anointing to people who just want your benefits but not your burden.
Illustration:
Did you know that a doctor doesn’t perform surgery in a junkyard? Why? Because the environment has to match the gift.
You don’t do delicate, life-saving work in a place contaminated with chaos. You don’t open up somebody’s chest where rust, rats, and wreckage surround the table.
The gift demands a clean space. A sterile space. A set-apart space.
And likewise—God didn’t put all that glory on you for you to operate in toxic, unqualified environments.
Your calling is too precise… your anointing is too potent… your mantle is too sacred to be mishandled by people who don’t even recognize what’s on the table.
Jesus had to leave some towns to do miracles. Why? Because the atmosphere was contaminated with doubt.
He didn’t downgrade the glory to fit the room—the room had to rise to the glory.
Point 2: Proverbs 4:23 says , Guard Your Heart—It’s the Wellspring of Life
Your heart is the control center. Everything flows from it—your love, your worship, your creativity, your discernment. If your heart is broken, your vision gets blurry. If your heart is bitter, your gift gets contaminated. If your heart is tired, you start pouring out of fumes, not fullness.
This is why it’s so important for you to guard your heart. This verse is not talking about building a wall—it’s talking about using wisdom in who gets access to you!
Don’t ever confuse availability with assignment.
Just because something is available doesn’t mean it’s anointed.
Just because a person is willing doesn’t mean they were called.
Just because a door is open doesn’t mean it’s your God-ordained entrance.
Some of us are tired, not because we’re out of oil, but because we’re trying to be assigned to places God only allowed temporarily.
Availability can be a distraction if you don’t discern divine alignment.
Biblical Example:
1 Samuel 16 – David had seven older brothers available, standing in line with stature, appearance, and seniority. But God said, “I have not chosen these.”?
**The oil wouldn’t flow until the right one—**the assigned one—showed up.
I’m done saying yes to every request that comes my way!
I’m not chasing need—I’m following assignment!
Point 3: Protect Your Peace and Your Pour
Galatians 6:7 says, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
You can’t reap peace if you’re constantly sowing into chaos. You can’t harvest rest if you’re planting in drama.
Some of you are overextended, overcommitted, and underappreciated.
You’re doing the right thing in the wrong place, or for the wrong people.
Say this out loud: “I’m not being selfish. I’m being a steward!”
Stewardship isn’t just about managing money—it’s about managing you… your time, your gifts, your mental health, and your peace.
1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”
Listen:
We are in a season where opportunities are everywhere—connections, platforms, promotions, invitations. But let me warn you: options without oil will lead you to burnout, not breakthrough. Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it’s God. You don’t need another option—you need oil. The Bible says in Isaiah 10:27, The Yokes shall be destroyed because of the Anointing!
Tell your neighbor it’s the oil that makes the difference!
Your Gift may get you in the room, but it’s the oil that will keep your lamp burning when the lights go out. Your gift might open doors. Your talent might put your name on programs. Your skills might get applause, likes, and recognition.
But when the crowd leaves… when the stage is empty… when the lights go out….
It’s the oil that will keep you burning.
You can’t be everything for everybody and still be whole for yourself.
Closing:
Jesus poured Himself out for people—but even He would withdraw to the mountain to recharge. Even He told the disciples, “Let us go to the other side.” Even He said “It is finished”—and then rested.
Stop trying to resuscitate what God said is finished.
Stop laying your pearls in front of pigs.
Stop dying on altars God never told you to build.
Call to Action:
This week, do a pour-check.
Who are you pouring into?
Is it draining you or building you?
What’s the return on your spiritual investment?
Protect your peace.
Guard your gifts.
Keep your heart.
Stay full, not foolish.
