Be a Rainmaker

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That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.920 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:41.360 leave inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.440 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:45.280 ministry going. 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:58.800 Enjoy the message and. 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:01.640 God bless you. It's a joy that come into your homes. 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:04.320 And if you're ever in our area, please stop by 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.520 and be a part of one of our services. I 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:08.880 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. But 0:02:08.960 --> 0:02:11.240 thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you again 0:02:11.280 --> 0:02:13.880 for coming out. And I like to start with something funny, 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.400 and I heard about these two men named Archie and Jack. 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:21.080 They argued their whole life as to whether Jesus was 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:24.800 white or whether he was black. Archie was certain he 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:27.760 was white. Jack was just as sure that he was black. 0:02:28.240 --> 0:02:30.680 As fate would have it, they died on the same day. 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:34.639 Rushed to the pearly gates, said, Saint Peter, please tell us. 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:38.240 We've been debating our whole life. Is Jesus white or 0:02:38.320 --> 0:02:42.080 is he black? About that time, Jesus stepped up and said, 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:47.959 Buenos Dias, hold up your bible. Say it like you 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:50.799 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:53.120 says I am. I have what it says I have. 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:56.079 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:59.400 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:02.959 My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 0:03:03.000 --> 0:03:06.800 never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:10.760 I want to talk to you today about being a 0:03:10.840 --> 0:03:15.519 rain maker. Rain in the scripture is symbolic of blessings, 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:19.840 favor increase. One place talks about how we should be 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:24.320 like a well watered garden, always in blossom. That's the 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:27.960 way God designed us to flourish even in tough times. 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:31.799 But too many people are in a dry season, they 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:34.720 haven't had a good break in years. They're stagnant in 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:38.280 their marriage, they're not moving toward their dreams. And it's 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:40.800 easy to settle there think well, this is as good 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:42.920 as it gets. I'll just learn to live with it. 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:46.320 But there is a way you can put an end 0:03:46.360 --> 0:03:49.880 to that drought. There's something you can do to cause 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:53.920 it to rain. And it's interesting how a cloud forms. 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:57.840 The sun shines down on water and it produces an 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:03.400 invisible vapor. Vapors condense and eventually rise up into the 0:04:03.440 --> 0:04:08.600 sky and form clouds. When enough vapors go up, the 0:04:08.640 --> 0:04:11.880 water becomes too heavy for the cloud to hold and 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:15.160 it begins to drip out. That's when it sprinkles and missed. 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:19.840 If the cloud gets so full of condensation, so full 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:23.119 of these vapors, then it will open up and begin 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:26.719 to downpour rain. The point I want us to see 0:04:27.200 --> 0:04:30.280 is the water didn't start in the sky. It started 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:33.480 on the ground. The amount of vapors that went up 0:04:33.960 --> 0:04:37.600 determined how much rain came back down. The way we 0:04:37.640 --> 0:04:40.800 can create rain in our own life. The way we 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:44.039 can put an end to a drought is through our praise. 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:48.680 When we go around thanking God for his goodness, talking 0:04:48.760 --> 0:04:53.080 about what he's done. Our praise is the invisible vapor 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:56.000 that goes up into the heavens and forms a cloud. 0:04:56.839 --> 0:05:01.120 When your cloud gets so full of praise, full of thanksgiving, 0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:04.080 so full of you bragging on the greatness of God, 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:07.080 it can't hold it anymore. That's when it will rain 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:11.640 down right back on you. Blessings, favor, increase, healing. You 0:05:11.800 --> 0:05:16.479 can become a rain maker. You've heard the saying, when 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:20.760 the praises go up, the blessings come back down. Now, 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:23.680 if you're not seeing any good breaks, if you're in 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:27.680 a drought, my encouragement is, check up on what you're 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:33.880 sending up. Here's the principle, no praise, no rain, limited praise, 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:39.080 limited rain. You might get a sprinkle, a little drizzle 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:41.080 every once in a while, good break here and there. 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:44.880 But if you want to see a downpour, a Texas 0:05:44.920 --> 0:05:48.800 size rain, the exceeding greatness of God's favor, You've got 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:53.560 to stay full of praise everywhere you go. Under your breath, 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:56.800 you're always thanking God for his goodness. When you wake 0:05:56.920 --> 0:06:00.400 up in the morning, Lord, thank you for another beautiful day. 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:03.479 What's happening your cloud is getting a little bit fuller 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:06.760 when you see your children. Lord, thank you for these 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:10.599 gifts that you bless me with driving to work, not 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:14.800 complaining about the traffic. I can't stand my job. Gasoline 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:16.960 is so high. No, Lord, thank you that I have 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:19.320 a job. Thank you that I have a car to 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:22.520 sit in traffic. Thank you that I have money for gasoline. 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.919 Thank you that I'm healthy enough to go to work. Lord, 0:06:26.040 --> 0:06:28.760 thank you for my gifts and talents. God, I'm just 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:32.320 grateful to be alive. When you live like that, you 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:35.120 better get your umbrella out. It's just a matter of 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:39.400 time before your cloud will open up and unload a 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:45.560 downpour of God's favor. Abundant praise will produce abundant rain. 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:48.840 The amount you send up is the amount that's going 0:06:48.880 --> 0:06:52.400 to come back down. Now, some people only give God 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:56.400 praise on Sunday, Joel, I went to church. I sang 0:06:56.520 --> 0:07:00.560 three songs, stood the whole time, sat through the whole message, 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:03.039 miss the first half of the football game. It was 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:08.039 a big sacrifice. That's great. God sees your efforts. But 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:12.920 here's the problem with only having Sunday praise on Monday. 0:07:13.360 --> 0:07:16.400 When you need a good break on Tuesday, when you 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:20.360 need wisdom, God says to the angel, he needs some rain. 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:24.480 Help him out, give him some favor, increase promotion. The 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:27.960 angel says, we tried, but there's nothing in his cloud. 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:31.360 He got a little drizzle on Sunday, a little sprinkle. 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:34.800 Now it's completely empty. Friends, you got to do your 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.920 part and keep your cloud filled up all through the day. 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:42.960 Instead of thinking about what's wrong, Thank God for what's right. 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:47.440 When you're in a tough time, instead of being discouraged, 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:48.720 instead of complaining. 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:48.840 No. 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:51.560 Lord, thank you that you're turning it around. Thank you 0:07:51.600 --> 0:07:53.840 that you're bigger than this problem. Thank you that you've 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:57.920 given me grace for every season, even in small things. 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:00.920 You get a good parking spot, Lord, thank you for 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.960 your favor. Vapors went up at the mall. You find 0:08:04.960 --> 0:08:07.239 what you are looking for. Lord, Thank you for directing 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:11.040 my steps. More vapors are rising. You see a friend 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:14.320 that's not feeling well after you pray for them. Under 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:17.560 your breath, Lord, thank you that I'm healthy. Thank you 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:20.800 that I can breathe without pain. You walk outside in 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.760 the morning, Lord, thank you for the sunrise. Thank you 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:27.560 for the beauty of your creation. Eating dinner with friends. Lord, 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:29.640 thank you for the people you put in my life. 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:33.000 Thank you for my friends. If you're going to reach 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:36.840 your highest potential, you've got to become a rain maker. 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.880 You've got to develop this habit of constantly sending up 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:44.680 these vapors a praise. Every time I drive up to 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:48.240 this building, I say, under my breath, Lord, thank you 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:52.600 for our beautiful building. I've said it probably ten thousand times. 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:57.120 What am I doing sending up more vapors? Don't let 0:08:57.360 --> 0:09:01.360 what once was a miracle become ordinary. Don't get so 0:09:01.600 --> 0:09:04.360 used to it, but you're not excited about it anymore. 0:09:05.559 --> 0:09:08.920 One time I was driving by the building on the freeway. 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:10.880 We were headed to the airport, and I was on 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:14.320 the telephone. Our son, Jonathan, was about ten years old. 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.240 He said to everyone in the car, since dad's on 0:09:17.280 --> 0:09:19.160 the phone, let me say it for him, thank you 0:09:19.280 --> 0:09:22.560 Lord for our beautiful building. He had heard it so 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:26.959 many times it is become ingrained in him. What has 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:30.240 God done in your life that you could be sending 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:33.880 up vapors of praise? You thanked him for a week 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:36.560 when he gave you that job. Why don't you continue 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:38.960 to thank him? You were thrilled when you moved into 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:42.320 that house five years ago. Have you thanked him lately? 0:09:43.200 --> 0:09:46.079 When your baby was born, you were on cloud nine. 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:49.480 You thank God every day for a month. Now he's sixteen, 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:52.680 you're saying, God, what did you do to me? No? 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:56.960 Thank him again and again? Or how about this when 0:09:57.000 --> 0:10:00.240 God turned that problem around, when he made a way, 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:04.640 when you didn't see away, you were so overwhelmed, so relieved. 0:10:05.360 --> 0:10:09.120 Don't lose the awe, don't lose the amazement. Those are 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:13.200 opportunities to fill your cloud back up. The scripture talks 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:16.360 about how if you will sew to the heavens, the 0:10:16.400 --> 0:10:19.600 heavens will sew back to you. Could it be that 0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:23.040 you're not seeing God's best, You're stuck in a drought 0:10:23.400 --> 0:10:26.320 because you're not so into the heavens. If you would 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:30.040 begin to thank God more often, remember what he's done, 0:10:30.679 --> 0:10:33.760 look for these opportunities to send up vapors of praise. 0:10:34.360 --> 0:10:36.880 Then your dreams would come to pass. Then maybe those 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:40.520 problems would turn around. Well, Joel, I'm living in this 0:10:40.640 --> 0:10:43.800 small house and I don't really like my job, and 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:46.720 my kids won't do what's right. My car's a piece 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:50.479 of trash. When things change, then I'll have a better attitude. 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:54.960 Then I'll give God praise. Now that's backwards. Praise is 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:58.520 what causes the rain. Praise is what allows God to 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:02.800 turn it around. In Matthew fourteen, Jesus had been teaching 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:06.080 the people. Now it was late in the day. Everyone 0:11:06.200 --> 0:11:10.360 was hungry. Jesus told his disciples to feed them. There 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:14.840 were five thousand men there, probably fifteen thousand people in total, 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:20.920 no city nearby, no grocery stores. It seemed impossible. Jesus said, well, 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:23.640 just give me what you have. They went through the 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:26.800 crowd and found a little boy's lunch, five loaves of 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:30.560 bread and two fish. What good would that do with 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:36.000 fifteen thousand people. But what Jesus did next was extremely significant. 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:39.520 Verse nineteen says he took the five loaves and the 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:43.480 two fish, held them up to heavens, and he gave 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:49.080 thanks and blessed them. Notice he gave thanks for what 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:53.440 was not enough. He blessed what seemed to be too little. 0:11:54.200 --> 0:11:58.240 Here's the principle. Until you're grateful for what's not enough, 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:02.320 you won't see the multiple. When Joel, I can't thank 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:05.079 God for my job. I don't like it. The people 0:12:05.120 --> 0:12:06.920 don't like me. They don't treat me right, they don't 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:10.160 pay me enough. You're right where Jesus was. You have 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:13.360 five loaves and two fish. It's not enough. What are 0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:16.800 you gonna do? Complain? God, I've been begging you for 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:19.640 three years to get me out of this place. The 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:23.920 problem with that approach is in three more years, you're 0:12:24.000 --> 0:12:26.880 still going to have five loaves and two fish. It's 0:12:26.920 --> 0:12:29.440 still not going to be enough. But if you will 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:33.360 try a different approach and learn to be grateful for 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:37.360 what's not enough, then one day God will multiply it 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:40.480 and you will have more than enough. If you will 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:43.000 thank God for what you do have, he will give 0:12:43.000 --> 0:12:46.679 you what you don't have. Well, Joel, I don't like 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:50.679 my house. It's too small. My neighbors get on my nerves. Now, 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:54.240 why don't you try sending up some different vapors. Lord, 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:57.040 I want to thank you for this place you've given me. God, 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.240 I'm grateful that i have a roof over my head, 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:02.560 grateful that I'm not out on the streets. It may 0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:05.480 not be enough, it may be small, but I know 0:13:05.760 --> 0:13:08.120 You're the God of more than enough. So God, I 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:12.880 continue to give you praise. That's what brings the multiplication. 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:17.319 Not complaining, not thinking about what's wrong, but thanking God 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:20.800 for what's right, being grateful even when it's not enough. 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:24.880 This is what Elijah did in the scripture. There had 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:26.839 been a drought in the land for three and a 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.520 half years, no rain. The people were barely making it. 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:34.440 There wasn't any sign of it changing. Elijah could have 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:38.200 become sour God, I don't understand it. You said we'd 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:41.120 always be in blossom, but it's just the opposite. We're 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:46.600 drying up. We're struggling to survive. No, Elijah understood this principle. 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:49.720 In the middle of the drought, he went on top 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:52.880 of the mountain and began to thank God for his goodness, 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:55.640 thank him for what he has done, thank him that 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:57.560 rain was on the way, thank him that he was 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:01.920 in control. Six times, his assistant went out to check. 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:06.480 Each time he came back with the same report. There's nothing, 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:09.560 not a cloud in the sky. It's not going to rain. 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:12.800 If you're going to see a drought come to an end, 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:16.680 you have to pass the test of not getting discouraged 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:21.600 when circumstances tell you nothing is happening. The medical report 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:24.840 says you're not getting better. You prayed, but your child's 0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:30.000 not improving. The financial situation isn't changing. Every voice will 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:33.480 tell you it's not going to work out. Elijah heard 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:37.680 this same negative report six times. He didn't get discouraged. 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:41.000 He knew as long as he kept sending up those 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:44.920 vapors of praise, eventually the cloud would form and things 0:14:44.920 --> 0:14:49.560 would change. The seventh time, the assistant came back and said, 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:53.400 this time I saw a small cloud up in the sky. 0:14:54.360 --> 0:14:57.160 Elijah said, you better take off running because I can 0:14:57.200 --> 0:15:01.520 hear the sound of the abundance of rain. It wasn't 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:05.680 long after that before the clouds formed, the heavens opened up. 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.120 There was a downpour. The three and a half year 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:10.920 draft came to an end. If you'll learn to be 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:14.600 thankful for what's not enough, there will be a day 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:18.000 when you have more than enough the abundance of brain. 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.480 But too often, when we're in difficult times, it's easy 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:26.000 to complain and talk about what's not working out. But 0:15:26.120 --> 0:15:30.520 I've learned that God does not answer complaints. Don't go 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:33.640 to God and just tell him all of your problems. God, 0:15:33.640 --> 0:15:36.360 I don't like my job, I don't like my car. God, 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:38.960 my children aren't doing right. God, you know I need 0:15:38.960 --> 0:15:41.360 to lose twenty pounds. God, I've had it up to here. 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:47.480 That's not prayer, that's complaining. Complaining doesn't get God's attention. 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:53.280 Psalm twenty two says God inhabits the praises of his people. 0:15:53.880 --> 0:15:57.560 When you start praising, God shows up. When you have 0:15:57.640 --> 0:16:01.280 a thankful heart and you start talking about God's goodness, 0:16:01.560 --> 0:16:04.640 you start thanking him for his promises. That's what gets 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:09.800 God's attention. When Paul and Silas were in prison at midnight, 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:15.720 they started singing praises and giving God thanks. Suddenly God 0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:19.240 showed up in the prison. Why did that happen? God 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:24.040 inhabits the praises. They were in chains in the deepest 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:27.200 part of the prison, but at midnight there was a 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:30.680 great earthquake. The chains fell off of them, the prison 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:34.560 doors flung open. They walked out as free men. Think 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:39.720 about this. Those same chains had held the roughest prisoners 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:45.120 for years, the strongest, most powerful criminals. Yet when two 0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:50.520 ordinary men showed up and started praising, those chains could 0:16:50.560 --> 0:16:56.239 not hold them. Friends, Praise is powerful. Praise will break addictions. 0:16:56.640 --> 0:17:00.560 Praise can stop a sickness. Praise can turn a problem around. 0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:04.600 Praise is what will give us the victory In Psalm 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:07.960 thirty one, David starts off talking about how bad his 0:17:08.000 --> 0:17:12.399 life is. He said, I'm dying from grief. My vision 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:16.120 is blurred because I've cried so many tears. My strength 0:17:16.200 --> 0:17:21.200 is gone. I'm scorned by my neighbors, hated by my enemies. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:24.800 My friends are spreading rumors, my enemies are plotting to 0:17:24.800 --> 0:17:28.240 take my life. He went on and on, telling in 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:32.040 great detail all of his woes. When I was reading it, 0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:35.919 I started getting depressed. I can imagine God up in 0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:40.040 the heavens, just sitting back, not paying any attention, going 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:43.000 in one ear and out the other, not even phasing him. 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:47.879 At one point, David realizes, I'm sending up the wrong vapors. 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:54.800 God doesn't answer complaints. If you're just sending up discouragement, defeat, self, pity, 0:17:54.960 --> 0:17:57.600 that's what's going to come back to you. I like 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:03.080 this phrase, Complain and you'll remain, but praise and you'll 0:18:03.080 --> 0:18:07.959 be raised. In a few verses, David changed his whole tune. 0:18:08.480 --> 0:18:12.000 He realized that wasn't getting him anywhere. He said, yes, 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:15.200 I've got a lot of things coming against me, But God, 0:18:15.320 --> 0:18:19.840 I know your goodness is great. You have blessings stored 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:24.119 up for me. You protect me, you vindicate me, you 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:27.280 answer me when I call. So I will take courage. 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:29.840 I will be strong knowing that you will give me 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:34.280 the victory. As David begin to brag on God's goodness, 0:18:34.720 --> 0:18:37.400 as he began to send up these vapors of praise, 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:41.280 I can see God come to attention, he says to 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:44.840 the angels. I've got to go someplace. I hear somebody 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:48.600 talking about my goodness. I hear somebody bragging on what 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:52.600 I can do. I've got to inhabit those praises. When 0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:56.840 you praise, God shows up in some battles. The only 0:18:56.880 --> 0:18:59.240 way you'll get out is to praise your way out. 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.280 But I want to thank you that you're turning this around. 0:19:02.600 --> 0:19:05.040 You said your whole victory in store for the upright. 0:19:05.240 --> 0:19:07.800 I don't see away, But God, I know you have 0:19:07.920 --> 0:19:11.960 a way. As you brag on God's goodness, your cloud 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:15.120 is filling up, and at the right time, it's going 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:20.000 to rain down, breakthroughs rain down, healing, rain down, vindication. 0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:24.160 Pay attention to what you're sending up. It may look 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:27.000 like that you could never get out of debt. It 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:30.480 would be easy to get discouraged and complain talk about 0:19:30.480 --> 0:19:33.640 how big the obstacles are. No, don't send that up. 0:19:34.080 --> 0:19:36.320 Turn it around. Lord. I want to thank you that 0:19:36.359 --> 0:19:40.040 I'm blessed. I will lend and not borrow. Whatever I 0:19:40.119 --> 0:19:43.800 touch will prosper and succeed. When you do that, your 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:47.200 cloud is filling up with the right things. If you're 0:19:47.200 --> 0:19:49.520 struggling in your health, Lord, I want to thank you 0:19:49.560 --> 0:19:52.760 that you're Jehovah Rapha, the Lord, my healer, that the 0:19:52.880 --> 0:19:55.919 number of my days you will fulfill, that you're restoring 0:19:56.000 --> 0:20:00.399 health back into me. Maybe you're believing for a spouse. Lord, 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:03.199 you said if I would delight myself in you, you 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.680 would give me the desires of my heart. So Lord, 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:08.240 I want to thank you that you're directing my steps, 0:20:08.520 --> 0:20:11.960 bringing the right person into my life. If you will 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.920 keep sending up the right vapors, if you'll keep thanking 0:20:15.960 --> 0:20:20.840 God for his promises, just like Elijah, your praise will 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:24.600 cause the downpour. It was God's goodness, but you were 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:27.840 the rain maker. It was your praise that filled up 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:30.920 the cloud. And some of you have been thanking God 0:20:31.000 --> 0:20:34.240 for a long time. You've been faithful. When you felt 0:20:34.280 --> 0:20:38.720 like complaining, you praised anyway, like Paul and silas. You 0:20:38.840 --> 0:20:42.320 praised in pain, You praised when it was unfair, You 0:20:42.400 --> 0:20:45.399 praised when you were lonely. You need to get ready. 0:20:45.960 --> 0:20:49.040 Your cloud is about to open up. You're about to 0:20:49.040 --> 0:20:51.879 see God amaze you with his goodness. It's going to 0:20:51.920 --> 0:20:55.960 happen suddenly. The favor of God is going to overtake 0:20:56.040 --> 0:20:58.800 you and amaze you with his goodness. This is not 0:20:58.960 --> 0:21:02.119 the time to get discourage. This is the time to 0:21:02.240 --> 0:21:06.440 turn up your praise. I read about this American Indian 0:21:06.560 --> 0:21:10.159 tribe that was known for their rain dances. They had 0:21:10.160 --> 0:21:13.679 a reputation that anytime they did a rain dance, it 0:21:13.680 --> 0:21:18.280 would always rain. When the neighboring communities needed water, they 0:21:18.400 --> 0:21:23.000 always called on this particular tribe, without fail, it would rain. 0:21:23.800 --> 0:21:28.280 The leader of the community asked the Indian chief, how 0:21:28.359 --> 0:21:31.439 is it every time you guys do a rain dance 0:21:31.800 --> 0:21:36.600 it always rains. He said, It's very simple. We dance 0:21:37.000 --> 0:21:40.840 until it rains. That's the way it is with praise. 0:21:41.200 --> 0:21:44.160 You have to keep praising until you see the victory. 0:21:44.720 --> 0:21:48.240 Praise until you get out of debt, Praise until your 0:21:48.240 --> 0:21:52.359 health turns around. Praise until you meet the right person. 0:21:52.760 --> 0:21:56.480 You don't ever stop praising. Then when The answer comes 0:21:56.840 --> 0:22:00.200 when you get the breakthrough, the healing, the promotion. When 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:03.960 you start thanking God for what he's done. You spend 0:22:04.000 --> 0:22:08.480 your whole life thanking God for your compact sinners, thanking 0:22:08.600 --> 0:22:12.159 him for healing your mother of cancer, thanking him for 0:22:12.280 --> 0:22:16.520 healthy children, thanking him for taking you where you've never dreamed. 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:21.080 You develop this lifestyle, this habit, where you're always sending 0:22:21.160 --> 0:22:25.040 up these vapors of praise. One thing I've learned is 0:22:25.119 --> 0:22:29.919 God will not disappoint a praiser. Just ask Jonah sitting 0:22:29.960 --> 0:22:33.159 in the belly of the well. It looked impossible, but 0:22:33.240 --> 0:22:36.720 he offered up a sacrifice of praise. That well spit 0:22:36.840 --> 0:22:40.520 him out on dry ground. Just ask shad rak me 0:22:40.720 --> 0:22:45.400 Jack Abednego. They were thrown into the fiery furnace full 0:22:45.440 --> 0:22:48.720 of praise, and God showed up the fourth man in 0:22:48.760 --> 0:22:51.399 the fire. They came out without the smell of spoke. 0:22:52.359 --> 0:22:56.440 Just ask Job when he lost everything, when the bottom 0:22:56.480 --> 0:23:00.800 fell out, He said, I know, my redeemer, Li Job 0:23:00.920 --> 0:23:03.760 came out with twice what he had before. You may 0:23:03.800 --> 0:23:08.119 have gone through some bad breaks, some disappointments, our attitude 0:23:08.160 --> 0:23:11.159 should be I may have lost a few things, but 0:23:11.240 --> 0:23:14.440 one thing I'll never lose is my praise. I'm gonna 0:23:14.480 --> 0:23:17.240 keep thanking God for his goodness. I'm gonna keep sending 0:23:17.320 --> 0:23:20.119 up the right vapors. I'm going to live my life 0:23:20.520 --> 0:23:24.360 as a rain maker. The scripture says, out of your 0:23:24.400 --> 0:23:29.040 belly will flow rivers of living water. Notice the water, 0:23:29.560 --> 0:23:32.120 the rain, The favor is on the inside of each 0:23:32.160 --> 0:23:34.520 one of us. How do we get it out through 0:23:34.520 --> 0:23:38.199 our praise? Some people get a sprinkle every once in 0:23:38.200 --> 0:23:41.280 a while, a little missed here and there. But God 0:23:41.359 --> 0:23:45.320 has some downpours, some gully washers in store for you, 0:23:45.720 --> 0:23:49.520 Like Elijah described, an abundance of rain. If you will 0:23:49.760 --> 0:23:54.480 turn up your praise, lose the complaining, zip up the negative, 0:23:54.520 --> 0:23:58.280 defeated talk. Our attitude should be the only thing I'm 0:23:58.280 --> 0:24:00.560 going to let come out of my mouth are words 0:24:00.560 --> 0:24:05.240 of faith, victory, health, abundance. I'm not going to magnify 0:24:05.280 --> 0:24:08.880 my problems. I'm going to magnify my God. If you're 0:24:08.960 --> 0:24:12.399 always sending up praise, then it's always going to be 0:24:12.480 --> 0:24:16.520 raining back on you, driving to work, minding your own 0:24:16.560 --> 0:24:19.359 business out of nowhere. You have a good idea, what 0:24:19.520 --> 0:24:23.360 happened you got rained on? That's God reining down creativity, 0:24:23.640 --> 0:24:27.399 raining down wisdom. At the mall, you find what you 0:24:27.480 --> 0:24:30.399 wanted to purchase, and it just went on seal. You 0:24:30.480 --> 0:24:33.440 got rained on it. Out to lunch with some friends. 0:24:33.680 --> 0:24:36.160 They introduced you to one of their contacts. You pick 0:24:36.240 --> 0:24:39.600 up a new client, and your selves take off more rain. 0:24:40.440 --> 0:24:43.359 When you have this attitude of praise, you won't be 0:24:43.359 --> 0:24:47.040 able to outrun the good things of God. God said 0:24:47.040 --> 0:24:51.040 in psalmighty one, open your mouth wide, and I will 0:24:51.080 --> 0:24:54.720 feel it. The reason some people never see God's best 0:24:55.200 --> 0:24:58.320 is their mouth is barely open. When Joel, this sounds 0:24:58.320 --> 0:25:00.919 good today, but you don't know my story. I've had 0:25:00.960 --> 0:25:03.520 a lot of bad breaks and I'm dealing with this illness. 0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:06.160 My mother's depressed. I don't see how I could ever 0:25:06.200 --> 0:25:09.119 get out of debt. Now, if you have a poor mouth, 0:25:09.600 --> 0:25:12.159 you're going to have a poor life. Why don't you 0:25:12.200 --> 0:25:14.639 open your mouth a little bit wider. You may have 0:25:14.680 --> 0:25:17.800 had that sickness for many years. Dare to say, Lord, 0:25:17.840 --> 0:25:20.680 I believe today is a new day. The tide of 0:25:20.720 --> 0:25:23.320 the battle is turning. I thank you Lord that I 0:25:23.359 --> 0:25:26.840 will live out my days in good health. Maybe that 0:25:26.880 --> 0:25:30.800 addiction has been with you since high school. Dare to say, Lord, 0:25:30.840 --> 0:25:33.840 I want to thank you that no weapon formed against 0:25:33.840 --> 0:25:36.640 me will prosper. This is a new day of victory. 0:25:37.040 --> 0:25:41.160 I am free. Maybe somebody did you wrong, walked out 0:25:41.200 --> 0:25:44.480 of a relationship. Don't sit around in self pity. Don't 0:25:44.520 --> 0:25:47.879 send those vapors up. Dare to say, God, you said 0:25:48.240 --> 0:25:51.240 you'd give me beauty for ashes, joy for morning. I 0:25:51.280 --> 0:25:53.480 want to thank you Lord. My best days are still 0:25:53.520 --> 0:25:56.720 out in front of me. You have to open your 0:25:56.800 --> 0:26:00.720 mouth wide. That's what allows God to do great things. 0:26:01.119 --> 0:26:05.879 Don't limit him with little praise, little prayer, little dreams. 0:26:06.200 --> 0:26:09.560 Thank him for the greatness of his power. Thank him 0:26:09.560 --> 0:26:13.120 for the fullness of your destiny. Thank him for new levels. 0:26:13.760 --> 0:26:16.639 When you brag on the goodness of God, he'll do 0:26:16.720 --> 0:26:17.760 amazing things. 0:26:17.480 --> 0:26:18.959 In your life. 0:26:19.119 --> 0:26:23.000 We've all heard little children before bragging on their fathers, 0:26:23.480 --> 0:26:26.879 saying things like, my dad's stronger than your dad, my 0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:29.119 dad can run faster than your dad. Well, my dad's 0:26:29.160 --> 0:26:31.960 tougher than your dad. A few years ago, my nephew 0:26:32.000 --> 0:26:34.480 Christopher was over at our house and he was five 0:26:34.600 --> 0:26:37.160 years old at the time, and Christopher's as tough as 0:26:37.160 --> 0:26:39.760 can be, solid as a rock, And we were in 0:26:39.760 --> 0:26:42.680 my garage and I was lifting weights and Christopher was 0:26:42.720 --> 0:26:44.560 there with me, and I just kind of play and 0:26:44.640 --> 0:26:47.480 teasing him, and I pointed at my muscle and said, Christopher, 0:26:47.720 --> 0:26:52.600 you do realize that I can whoop your dad. He 0:26:52.640 --> 0:26:54.960 looked at me as stern as can be and said, 0:26:55.040 --> 0:27:00.160 Uncle Joel, my dad could squash you. He said, it's 0:27:00.160 --> 0:27:03.479 so dramatic, so mean. I thought he's gonna come over 0:27:03.520 --> 0:27:06.560 there and whoop me. But that's the way we need 0:27:06.560 --> 0:27:09.639 to be with our heavenly father. Look at that obstacle, 0:27:10.080 --> 0:27:13.960 that addiction, that sickness. Announce to it. My Father can 0:27:14.000 --> 0:27:17.920 squash you. What are you doing sending up the right 0:27:18.000 --> 0:27:21.760 vapors bragging on the greatness of God. This is what 0:27:21.880 --> 0:27:25.439 David did when he faced Goliath. He said, Goliath, you 0:27:25.520 --> 0:27:28.240 come against me with a sword and a shield, but 0:27:28.320 --> 0:27:31.040 I come against you in the name of the Lord, 0:27:31.080 --> 0:27:34.840 God of Israel. When your mouth is open wide, not 0:27:34.920 --> 0:27:37.800 talking about how big the problem is, but talking about 0:27:37.880 --> 0:27:40.880 how big your God is, you better get your umbrella. 0:27:41.240 --> 0:27:44.800 That's when God will unload a downpour of his favor. 0:27:45.200 --> 0:27:48.080 You will defeat giants that are much bigger. You will 0:27:48.119 --> 0:27:53.240 overcome obstacles that look insurmountable. What kind of vapors are 0:27:53.280 --> 0:27:56.760 you sending up? What kind of clouds are you allowing 0:27:56.800 --> 0:27:59.880 to form? Man, Joel, I don't think I'll ever get well. 0:28:00.200 --> 0:28:04.360 Break this addiction. No, start sending up these vapors of praise. 0:28:04.440 --> 0:28:07.960 Start thanking God for his goodness. Don't wait for everything 0:28:08.000 --> 0:28:11.240 to change. Learn to thank Him for what's not enough 0:28:11.760 --> 0:28:14.919 all through the day. Under your breath this attitude of praise. 0:28:15.320 --> 0:28:18.040 If you will do this, you will become a rain 0:28:18.160 --> 0:28:22.639 maker like Elijah. I believe and declare every drought is 0:28:22.680 --> 0:28:25.200 coming to an end in your life. God is about 0:28:25.200 --> 0:28:29.400 to reign down favor, promotion, healing, restoration. As you thank 0:28:29.480 --> 0:28:32.040 Him for what's not enough, you're about to come into 0:28:32.160 --> 0:28:36.040 more than enough, the abundance of rain in Jesus' name, 0:28:36.640 --> 0:28:38.640 If you receive it, Can you say him in today? 0:28:41.080 --> 0:28:43.760 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:43.800 --> 0:28:46.560 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:46.960 --> 0:28:51.120 Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus, I 0:28:51.240 --> 0:28:55.880 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:55.920 --> 0:28:59.840 you my Lord and savior. Frinds, If you pray that simple, 0:29:00.400 --> 0:29:02.800 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:29:02.840 --> 0:29:06.120 Bible based Church, keep God first place. He's gonna take 0:29:06.160 --> 0:29:07.520 you where you've never dreamed. 0:29:08.360 --> 0:29:11.800 Thank you for listening to the joel Ostein podcast. Help 0:29:11.880 --> 0:29:14.600 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:14.720 --> 0:29:18.600 all over the world. Visit Joelostein dot com slash give 0:29:18.680 --> 0:29:20.360 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:21.640 --> 0:29:24.560 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:24.560 --> 0:29:27.960 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:28.040 --> 0:29:31.240 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:31.400 --> 0:29:33.880 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:33.920 --> 0:29:34.520 next time. 0:29:42.960 --> 0:29:45.480 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:45.520 --> 0:29:49.120 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:49.160 --> 0:29:52.240 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. 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