The Burden of Belief

About The Burden of Belief

The Burden of Belief is a podcast for people of faith who have obeyed God in places where it costs everything. Hosted by Sheena Hoyer Ward, a justice advocate and prophetic voice to government systems, drawing on over a decade inside state government, this podcast speaks to the weary, the waiting, and the bold — those carrying faith through persecution, policy battles, and spiritual warfare. Whether you’re a believer in transition or an intercessor standing in the gap for your community, state, nation, or the world, this is your reminder that God sees, speaks, and is still at work.

Publisher

Sheena Hoyer Ward

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Oct 2025

Latest episode

21 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Aug 2026

   Ep. 11 Stand Fast

   The prophecy of God is this—we are now witnessing a great falling away — and the spirit of the antichrist operating in high places, threatening to destroy everything. But Paul gives us the antidote in 2 Thessalonians 2: TRUTH. Not a doctrine to memorize, but a Person to hold onto. The Holy Spirit is our Good Gift and the Great Restrainer — and in Episode 11 Stand Fast, we unpack the pattern Paul lays out that will occur before Christ’s return: the falling away, the man of lawlessness, and the restraining force still holding the line. This isn’t about a political party. It’s about where you stand — with God, or apart from Him. “You know Him.” Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

2. 

   14 Jun 2026

   Ep. 10 The Good Gift

   We are living in a moment of unprecedented overload - war, economic fragility, political chaos, misinformation, environmental collapse, and more - all accessible from the phones in our pockets. Every crisis, every headline, every fear, all at once. And when it all becomes too much, we glitch. In this episode, I break down what it means to glitch spiritually and why it is happening to so many of us right now. We were never intended to carry so much. And the enemy is using the overload and our fear to divide us - the unified Body of Christ - the very weapon designed to restrain him. Drawing from Jesus' teaching on prayer in Luke 11:9-13, I unpack why God's answer to every threat we face isn't a strategy, a political solution, or a self-help plan - it's the Holy Spirit. It's, "The Good Gift," that Jesus Himself promised would be our Advocate, our Counselor, our Comforter, and our Guide. But the episode goes even deeper. Pulling from Paul's sobering word to the church at Thessalonica in 2 Thessalonians 2, I reveal that what we are witnessing in our world today - the erosion of truth, the normalization of lawlessness, the rise of authoritarian impulses - has a name in scripture. And the only force capable of holding it back it the Holy Spirit, who chooses to move through a unified, Spirit-filled, truth-telling, justice-seeking Body of Christ. This is why your life matters. Your voice matters. Your unity matters. Your VOTE matters. This one will shift something in you. Tune in. Follow @sheenhoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

3. 

   24 Apr 2026

   Ep. 9 Don't Hurt Yourself

   In this episode of The Burden of Belief we move from individual testimony into the deeper reality of what it means to be the Body of Christ. Building on the last episode's question, "Can I Get a Witness?", this episode confronts a hard truth: the enemy is not just fighting individuals - he's fighting unity! Through scripture, personal testimony and the real-world story of Kansas, we see a pattern that stretches from Genesis to today - what affects one of us ultimately affects all of us. At the heart of this episode is 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, where the Apostle Paul writes that the church is one body with many members, and that if one member suffers, all suffer together. This is not just a metaphor; it is a divine blueprint for how God designed us to be interconnected, interdependent and accountable to one another. This episode explores why the church is called the Body and what that really means in practice; how disunity becomes a weapon that turns us against ourselves; the spiritual and real-world consequences of ignoring injustice; and why unity is not optional - it is essential for survival. And then it lands on this simple, piercing command: “Don't hurt yourself." Because when we neglect the suffering of others, when we allow systems and policies that harm the vulnerable to continue, we are not just hurting them, we are hurting ourselves.

4. 

   16 Mar 2026

   Ep. 8 Can I Get A Witness?

   What does it mean to carry a testimony - not as a personal story, but as a public declaration? Episode 8 of The Burden of Belief, "Can I Get A Witness?", challenges believers to turn personal testimony into public action amid oppression and forgotten covenants. I explore the original meaning of the word "martyr" in the Book of Revelation and a cosmic courtroom where the truth of God is being testified to the world. Jesus wasn't killed because He was weak, He was killed because He was a threat to power that had forgotten its purpose. He touched the untouchable, fed the hungry, welcomed the rejected, healed the sick, and flipped tables! Every miracle was an indictment and when He was killed darkness unwittingly participates in the very thing it sought to silence - the expansion of God's Kingdom, the Gospel, the Good News! I draw a direct line from Stephen, Peter, Paul and John to my own experience speaking truth to power and being targeted for it. My testimony. But this episode doesn't stop at testimony, it searches for proof. Drawing from James 2 and Matthew 25, I deliver a prophetic charge: Your vote is the proof. If your faith has ever demanded receipts - this one's for you. Subscribe. Share. VOTE.

5. 

   3 Feb 2026

   Ep. 7 The Eternal Covenant

   In this episode of The Burden of Belief, I explore the name of God revealed in Exodus 3 - YHWH, "I AM" - and what it means for those living under the New Covenant today. Tracing God's self-revelation from Moses at the burning bush to Jesus' "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John, this episode reveals how God's eternal name is inseparable from His covenant character: a God who sees oppression, hears the cries of His people, and acts to deliver them. Through Scripture, theology, and prophetic insight, I am unpacking how God's covenants are not separate contracts but progressive revelations of the same redemptive promise - culminating in Christ and the Eternal Covenant sealed in His blood. This episode also confronts a sobering truth: when people forget who God is, they forget what He cares about. Forgetting the covenant looks like ignoring injustice, dismissing suffering, and treating grace as permission to remain unchanged rather than a call to transformation. This is a call to remember: The God who said "I AM" still is. The God who made covenant still keeps it. And the God who heard Israel's cries is still speaking. If you are carrying a prophetic burden, wrestling with obedience, or sensing God calling His people back into alignment - this episode is for you!! Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

6. 

   15 Jan 2026

   Ep. 6 The Theology of Weakness

   What if weakness isn't a failure of faith - but the very place where God releases His power? In Episode 6 of The Burden of Belief, I explore the The Theology of Weakness - the biblical framework that reveals how God works not through dominance, certainty, or control, but through surrender, vulnerability, and dependence on Him. Drawing from the Garden of Gethsemane, the writings of the Apostle Paul, and deeply personal testimony, this episode examines why God so often meets His people at the end of themselves. From moments of public humiliation and spiritual exhaustion to encounters with God's unmistakable presence, this episode reframes weakness as holy ground. I share how God strengthened Jesus not by removing the cup, but by giving Him the strength to drink it - and how that same power, dynamis, is released when human strength runs out. This episode is an invitation to reconsider how we understand power, leadership, faith, and calling - especially when obedience is costly and outcomes remain unseen. If you've ever felt exposed, overwhelmed, misunderstood, or powerless while still trying to remain faithful - this episode is for you! Because God's power is not proven in our strength. It is perfected in our weakness. Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

7. 

   17 Dec 2025

   Ep. 5 Between Two Verses

   What happens when obedience to God costs you everything—your career, your reputation, your sense of safety—and the outcome still isn’t clear? In Episode 5 of The Burden of Belief, I explore what it means to live Between Two Verses—the space where God has spoken, but fulfillment hasn’t arrived. Drawing from scripture, public policy, and deeply personal testimony, this episode weaves together faith, justice, leadership and survival. I reflect on childhood loss, poverty, violence, shame, and resilience—and how God met me in the in-between. This episode challenges simplistic narratives about personal responsibility, wealth and compassion, and calls leaders to see people—not just numbers—when making decisions that shape lives. If you’ve ever felt unseen, misunderstood, or crushed by systems that were supposed to protect you—this episode is for you. Because God still speaks. And He meets us in between. Follow me @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who is walking through their own burden of belief.

8. 

   17 Dec 2025

   Ep. 4 Go Back the Way You Came

   Sometimes, God calls us to return - back to where we left Him, back to the purpose we left behind, back to His presence. In this episode of The Burden of Belief, I unpack what it means to face fears, confront foreseen suffering, and embrace the call God placed on your life - even when it feels costly or impossible. We dive into prophetic insight, biblical patterns of divine intervention, and the urgent call to protect the vulnerable in our society. Through the story of the Prophet Elijah and the ongoing battle for justice and mercy, you'll hear encouragement for the prophet, the believer and anyone wrestling with doubt, fear, or the weight of their assignment. This episode is for those who've said yes to God without knowing the cost and for those who need the courage to step back into the assignment He's trusted them with. Follow me @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

9. 

   4 Nov 2025

   Ep. 3 - God's Plan

   What do you do when the assignment God gave you costs you everything? When obedience feels like exile, and your faith is the only thing keeping you upright? In this episode of The Burden of Belief, I am taking you deeper into the places where calling meets conflict - recounting the spiritual and political battles that shaped my journey through Kansas, faith, and the prophetic call on my life. Drawing from the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, I unpack two words that changed my understanding of divine purpose: Must Needs - a phrase meaning something that must happen because it's part of God's plan. This message isn't just about politics, it's about people, purpose, and prophecy. It's about the moments we wish would end but can't, because God is still writing. If you've ever wondered why your calling feels heavy...this episode will remind you: It's not punishment - it's purpose. It's not random - it's required. It Must Needs. Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

10. 

    1 Nov 2025

    Ep. 2 - In the Beginning

    In this episode of The Burden of Belief, I'm taking you back to the moment my prophetic assignment began - a Word from God that would change everything. Set against the backdrop of my career in Kansas state government and the fallout of the 2012 Brownback Tax Experiment, I share how speaking out for justice became the catalyst for spiritual warfare, political retaliation, and divine encounter. This episode is for anyone who has ever received a Word from God that activated darkness, opposition, or isolation - and wondered if they heard Him right. But what if the attack on your beginning is proof of the weight of your call? What if the Word you're carrying is exactly what hell is afraid of? Listen in for prophetic encouragement, spiritual truth, and strength for your journey. Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

11. 

    20 Oct 2025

    Ep. 1 - It's Justice

    In this first episode, I share a glimpse into the story behind this podcast - the weight of carrying a prophetic call, the price I paid for obeying God, and why I'm still standing. The Burden of Belief wasn't an idea, it was a Word. It isn't something I created, it is something I carried. And in many ways it carried me. It became a burden that stretched my belief, broke me open and ultimately birthed something I could have never imagined. So you see, this isn't just the start of a podcast. This is testimony, it's obedience, it's promise. It's the continuation of my prophetic assignment yet it's just the beginning. It's reclaiming my voice...it's justice. Follow @sheenahoyerward Subscribe & share this with someone who's walking through their own burden of belief.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

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