This One Thing

Teaching summary

In "This One Thing," Pastor Leonard Rola boldly addresses common teachings about healing, faith, and Christian living that often leave believers in guilt, shame, and condemnation. He clarifies that while many concepts—such as confessing the Word, commanding mountains, and standing in faith—are true, they are not the truth. The one supreme truth that gives power to all others is God’s unfailing love for us. By fostering a deep relationship with the Father and standing firmly in His love, all other truths find their proper place as expressions—not conditions—of our righteousness in Christ.

Bible verses referenced

Mark 4:8: "And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred."
Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Mark 11:23: "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
Ephesians 6:13: "Wherefore take unto you the armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
Mark 9:23-24: "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
Hebrews 3:1: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 4:14: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
Proverbs 23:7: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."
Proverbs 18:21: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
Mark 11:22: "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."
Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Acts 8:4-8: "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city."
Matthew 28:18: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth."
Philippians 2:8-11: "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Acts 3:6: "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise and walk."
John 14:13-14: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 17:23: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Romans 5:5: "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Ephesians 1:4: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
Ephesians 1:6: "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
Ephesians 3:17–19: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
1 John 4:10: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Luke 15 (Parable of the Prodigal Son): [Referenced in full summary below]
Psalm 18:2: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."
Psalm 91:4: "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."
Romans 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Teaching notes

1. Introduction: Sacred Cows and Spiritual Guilt
2. The Lesser Truths vs. The One Supreme Truth
3. Misapplied Truths That Cause Guilt

- Planting the Word
- Commanding the Mountain
- Standing in Faith
- Believing Without Doubt
- Watching Our Confession
- Using Your Authority

4. The One Supreme Truth: You Are Loved
5. Foster a Relationship with the Father
6. The Parable of the Prodigal Son: God's View of You
7. Communion and the Finished Work of Christ
8. Invitation to Salvation

Introduction: Sacred Cows and Spiritual Guilt

Pastor Leonard Rola begins by warning that he’s about to “smash some sacred cows.” These are teachings that, though widely accepted in Christian circles, may unintentionally burden believers with guilt, shame, or condemnation. He emphasizes that the title of the message—“This One Thing”—refers to a singular, supreme truth that surpasses all other spiritual truths. He clarifies that many things taught in church are true, but they are only expressions of a higher truth. When this one truth is rooted in our hearts, it transforms how we perceive and walk in the others.

The Lesser Truths vs. The One Supreme Truth

Pastor Leonard explains that many biblical principles are indeed true—like planting the Word, confessing scripture, or commanding healing. However, these truths are only effective when they are flowing from the one supreme truth. Without this foundation, they often lead believers to blame themselves when healing or results don’t manifest. The result? Guilt, shame, and condemnation—which are never from God.

Misapplied Truths That Cause Guilt

Planting the Word
Many teach that healing only comes by “planting the Word” based on:
Mark 4:8: "And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred." Yet, Jesus healed thousands who never had time to plant the Word. While planting the Word is a truth, it is not the truth. When believers are told their healing didn’t come because they didn’t “plant enough,” it leads to self-condemnation.

Commanding the Mountain
Mark 11:23: "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
Believers are often told they must command consistently to be healed. Yet Pastor Leonard notes that his family, including his daughter, commanded for years without result. Again, this truth leads to guilt if healing doesn't come.

Standing in Faith
Ephesians 6:13: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Many are told to "stand" and that if healing hasn't happened, they’re not standing enough. But this also often leads to condemnation, despite being a partial truth.

Believing Without Doubt
Mark 9:23-24:
"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." This passage shows that belief and unbelief can coexist. Jesus didn’t reject the man—He healed his son. Grace overcomes unbelief. The teaching that doubt cancels healing misrepresents grace.

Watching Our Confession
Hebrews 3:1: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 4:14: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
Proverbs 23:7: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."
Proverbs 18:21: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
These verses emphasize the power of confession. Yet, the teaching often morphs into a works-based mindset, causing believers to fear saying the wrong thing. Again, this is a truth, but not the truth.

Using Your Authority
Matthew 28:18: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth."
Jesus never said, “Now I give it to you.” He said all power is given to me.
Philippians 2:8-11: "And being found in fashion as a man… at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…"
Our authority is not our own—it’s in the name of Jesus.
Acts 3:6: "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
The phrase “in the name of Jesus” appears 34 times in Acts. This is the apostles' true source of authority, not their power.
John 14:13-14: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."

The One Supreme Truth: You Are Loved

John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
This is the core truth—knowing the Father through Jesus and resting in His love. Pastor Leonard teaches that understanding God’s love is the foundation for every expression of truth. From this love, healing and power flow.

Foster Relationship with the Father

He explains that fostering your relationship with Abba Father is the most important thing a believer can do. This comes not by works, but by acknowledging and thanking Him for His unconditional love daily. He recounts how every morning, he thanks God for loving him completely.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son: God's View of You

Pastor Leonard reflects on Luke 15, explaining that God is like the father in the parable—running to the son, not pointing out his sins or shaming him, but restoring him. The elder son, focused on performance, missed the truth: “All that I have is yours.”

Additional Scriptures on God's love:

John 3:16, John 17:23, Romans 5:5, Romans 5:8
Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 1:6, Ephesians 3:17–19
1 John 4:10: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Communion and the Finished Work of Christ

Pastor Lori leads the congregation in communion, reflecting on Romans 10:9-10, salvation, and healing. She reminds the church that Jesus said “It is finished”—meaning He accomplished all, and we now rest in that work.
She also references:

Psalm 18:2: "The Lord is my rock… my high tower."
Psalm 91:4: "He shall cover thee with his feathers…"

Invitation to Salvation

The message closes with an invitation to receive Jesus, using:

Romans 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart… thou shalt be saved…"
They encourage new believers to reach out via email and celebrate their salvation, reminding everyone: "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."

We hope this article blessed you. Share this teaching with someone who needs to be reminded that they are loved, accepted, and complete in Christ—not because of their works, but because of Jesus’ finished work. Rest in His love, and let all other truths be expressions of that unshakable foundation.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.