Being Pruned So You Can Bloom

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This is not an 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:29.759 offer to buy your self securities, nor is it investment, 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:30.760 legal or tax advice. 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:36.759 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.240 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.800 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.840 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:58.480 your life. Oh God, bless you. It is always our 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:01.760 joy to come into your home. We love you. We 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:04.280 know God has great things in store for each one 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:06.720 of you, And if you're ever in our area, I 0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:08.520 hope you'll stop by and be a part of one 0:02:08.560 --> 0:02:11.240 of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel 0:02:11.280 --> 0:02:13.880 right at home. But thanks for tuning in, Thanks again 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:16.040 for coming out today. And I like to start with 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:19.800 something funny. And one day Adam was feeling very lonely. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:23.200 God said, Adam, I'm going to make you a companion. 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:27.320 It's going to be called a woman. This person will 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:31.200 cook for you, wash your clothes. She will bear you 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:33.960 children and never ask you to get up in the 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:37.400 middle of the night. She will not nag you. She 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:40.640 will agree with every decision you make, and if you 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:43.320 do have a disagreement, she will be the first to 0:02:43.400 --> 0:02:47.440 admit that she's wrong. Adam said, wow, God, what will 0:02:47.440 --> 0:02:50.360 a woman like this cost? God said an arm and 0:02:50.400 --> 0:02:54.480 a leg. Adam said, what can I get for a rib? 0:02:54.680 --> 0:03:00.400 And the rest is history? All right, Come, all the 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:04.120 ladies are claughing. Say it like you mean it. This 0:03:04.320 --> 0:03:07.119 is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:10.040 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:12.760 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:16.880 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:16.960 --> 0:03:20.280 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:25.079 the same in Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:28.360 to talk to you today about being pruned so you 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:33.160 can bloom. Life is full of different seasons. There are 0:03:33.200 --> 0:03:37.560 growing seasons where we're seeing increase and promotion. We're making 0:03:37.640 --> 0:03:41.240 all kinds of progress. We know God's hand of favor 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:44.800 is upon us. But the truth is, if we stayed 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:49.160 in that season, it wouldn't be healthy. Just like a plant, 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:52.240 if you don't prune it at the proper time, it 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:56.280 won't experience any new growth. It will always be limited 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:59.360 and not reach its full potential. And it's the same 0:03:59.440 --> 0:04:03.520 principle in life. If we're going to become everything God's 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:07.440 created us to be, just as we have growing seasons, 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:11.720 we're going to have pruning seasons. There will be times 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:15.320 when it feels like everything is being cut back. You 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:19.279 lost your biggest client, a good friend moved to another state, 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:23.920 a family member did you wrong. It's easy to be discouraged. 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:26.760 Think why is this happening to me? Why did this 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:30.599 person leave? Why did I get laid off? Now you 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:34.920 have to realize you're in a pruning season. That loss, 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:39.360 that disappointment was never meant to work against you. It 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:42.159 was meant to work for you, and if you will 0:04:42.200 --> 0:04:45.520 stay in faith, that season will come to an end 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:49.000 and you will come into a season of new growth, 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:54.800 new opportunity, new friendships. You are being pruned for one reason, 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:58.400 so you can bloom. So you can blossom, so you 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:01.080 can spread your wings. You may be in a slow 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:03.720 season right now. You haven't had a good break in 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:07.159 a long time, or perhaps you went through a disappointment. 0:05:07.640 --> 0:05:11.800 Something unfair has happened. It seems like you've taken steps backwards. 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:15.159 You could easily just settle there and think too bad. 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.400 I tried, I gave it my best. No, this is 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:21.120 not the time to settle. This is not the time 0:05:21.160 --> 0:05:24.480 to be discouraged. This is the time to get ready 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:29.279 for increase, get ready for God's favor. That pruning season 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:33.520 has put you in position for new growth. Your attitude 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.760 should be yes, I went through a loss. Yes it 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:40.599 was difficult, but I know this season is not permanent. 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:44.960 It's only temporary. God is still in control. He's fighting 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:48.600 my battles, He's directing my steps. He is my vindicator. 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:52.320 So I'm not going to live life discouraged. I'm excited 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:56.120 about my future. I know I'm being pruned so I 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:59.120 can bloom. I have a friend that I used to 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:02.480 play baseball with many years ago. He was always the 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:06.160 star player, the best one on the team. He would 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:09.440 lead the league in hitting and fielding. His dream was 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:13.440 to play professional baseball. One summer, he was invited to 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:17.640 play on this highly competitive team that traveled around the country. 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:21.159 It's a very prestigious thing. You had to be extremely talented. 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:25.239 He accepted and played that year and did exceptionally well, 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:28.320 but some of the team members were jealous of him, 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:32.640 and they started spreading lies and stirring up all kinds 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:36.719 of trouble. And the next season, the coach, even though 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:40.120 he really liked the young man, he believed those rumors 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:43.560 and he did not invite him back to play. My 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:47.800 friend was devastated. He knew it was all politics. He 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:50.120 tried to get on with another team, but it was 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:53.400 too late. They were already full and for the first 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:56.880 time he didn't have a team to play on that summer, 0:06:57.160 --> 0:07:01.680 he missed the whole season, no games, no opportunities. Was 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:05.159 definitely a time of pruney. He could have sat back 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:09.680 and thought, too bad for me, this is so unfair. No, Instead, 0:07:09.920 --> 0:07:12.480 he would go to the batting cages every day and 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:15.400 practice his hitting. He would have friends go hit him 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:19.120 ball so he could improve his fielding skills. He stayed 0:07:19.240 --> 0:07:23.000 in shape, knowing that he was being pruned so he 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:27.920 could bloom that next season. A professional baseball scout saw 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:31.040 him out on the field practicing and noticed how talented 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.440 he was. That scout said to his coaches, I want 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:36.840 to let that young man try out for our minor 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:39.920 league baseball team. He tried out and made the team. 0:07:40.160 --> 0:07:43.560 Long story short, he went on to play professional baseball 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:47.360 had a very long and successful career. What am I 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:51.440 saying When you go through a loss, when somebody does 0:07:51.480 --> 0:07:55.400 you wrong, when it feels like you've taken steps backwards, 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:59.800 don't sit around and sulk. Don't live life defeated. Stay in. 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:04.160 You may not realize it, but you're in a good position. 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:08.360 You're being pruned, not so you can stay there, not 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:10.760 so you can come out the same. No, you're being 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:13.600 pruned so you can go to a new level. You're 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:16.880 being pruned so you can see new growth and experience 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:21.680 new opportunities and discover new potential. I had a gentleman 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:24.840 tell me just last week how his business partner of 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:28.640 twenty one years decided to leave. He was so upset 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:33.080 they were having to divide the business, divide the client list, 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:38.040 divide the assets. He'd convinced himself that his best days 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:42.439 were behind him. He told how his partner was so talented, 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:46.760 such a gifted communicator, He led all the company in sales. 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:49.920 He didn't think he could make it without him. But 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:53.240 I told him what I'm telling you. You're being pruned, 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:57.000 not because it's over, not because it's not going to 0:08:57.080 --> 0:09:01.240 work out. No, you're being pruned because God knows there's 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:05.240 more in you. He knows what you're capable of, and 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:08.000 if he didn't take them away, it would keep you 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:11.559 from rising higher. If you will stay in faith, you're 0:09:11.559 --> 0:09:15.080 gonna come into new growth. You're gonna discover talent that 0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:18.040 you didn't know you had. You're gonna blossom with a 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:23.600 greater confidence. We have to realize sometimes God will remove 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:27.559 a person because they become a crutch. They're keeping us 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:31.560 from spreading our wings. When somebody leaves your life, don't 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:35.440 be discouraged. Your destiny is not tied to the people 0:09:35.440 --> 0:09:40.079 that walked away. You have everything you need. You are equipped, 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:44.120 you are empowered, you have the seed of almighty God. 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:48.199 It may be uncomfortable, it may be a little difficult, 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:51.439 but it's going to cause you to stretch and blossom 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:55.320 in ways you never imagine. It's like how a mother 0:09:55.480 --> 0:09:59.680 eagle teaches the baby eaglists to fly. When they're small, 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:03.079 they stay in the nest where it's warm and soft 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:06.160 and comfortable. The dad goes out and gets the food 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:09.480 and brings it back. All day long, the little eaglets 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:13.319 just sing and play without a care in the world. 0:10:13.679 --> 0:10:16.240 But when they get a little older, the mother eagle 0:10:16.520 --> 0:10:19.560 will grab one of the eaglets by her claws and 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.440 take it way way up in the air. And the 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:25.760 little eglid loves soaring in the air with his mother, 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:29.440 seeing all the beautiful sights, not having to do one thing. 0:10:30.240 --> 0:10:33.840 But about that time, the mama eagle drops the baby. 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:36.720 It starts heading toward the ground ninety miles per hour. 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:40.400 I'm sure that baby eagle thinks, mother, have you lost 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:43.920 your mind? Are you trying to kill me? Don't you 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:47.480 love me anymore? Have you abandoned me? Right before the 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:49.920 little eaglet hits the ground, the mother swoops in and 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:53.240 grabs it. The little baby says, oh, thank you so much, mother, 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:56.240 now take me back to the nest where it's warm 0:10:56.360 --> 0:10:59.360 and comfortable. I don't have this stress, I don't have 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:02.959 all these challenges. What does the mother eagle do? Takes 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:05.400 it right back up in the air and drops it 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:10.600 again and again and again, until finally that little eglant 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:14.120 begins to flap its wings. It discovers something on the 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:16.480 side that he didn't know he had, and he starts 0:11:16.520 --> 0:11:19.640 flapping and flapping, and before long he knows how to fly. 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:23.600 He's soaring all through the air, saying to himself, this 0:11:23.840 --> 0:11:27.000 is what I was created to be. In the same way, 0:11:27.679 --> 0:11:31.280 sometimes in life, it feels like God has dropped us, 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:35.480 feels like we've been abandoned. We think I've never had 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:39.520 so many problems. Why did this business partner leave? Why 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:41.880 did this person lie about me? Why did I go 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:46.600 through this loss? God, I was so much more comfortable before. Now. 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.000 God has not abandoned you. He's not gonna let you 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:53.640 hit the ground. He's got his eyes on you. He 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:58.679 is closely watching. He knows before long, like that little eglant, 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:01.640 you're gonna start stretching in your faith. You're going to 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:05.320 step into a new confidence. You're gonna discover wings that 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:09.000 you didn't know you had. You're going to overcome obstacles 0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:13.959 that looked insurmountable. It seems like you took a step backwards. 0:12:14.320 --> 0:12:18.040 You went through a loss. It was uncomfortable, but because 0:12:18.120 --> 0:12:22.560 you stayed in faith that pruning led to blooming. Now 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:27.760 you're stronger, you're more confident. Increase is coming, favor is coming, 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.080 new doors are opening. It was meant to harm you, 0:12:31.440 --> 0:12:34.800 but God used it to increase you. When you really 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:39.920 understand this principle that pruning leads to blooming, then you 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:44.160 won't get discouraged when somebody walks away or you suffer 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:47.800 a disappointment, you go through a setback. No, you realize 0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:52.800 it's positioning you for increase. I read about this executive. 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:57.000 He'd worked at a large home improvement company for many years. 0:12:57.040 --> 0:13:01.080 Over thirty years, he'd helped build that company from ground up. 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:04.720 They had retail stores all over the country. Now he 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:07.600 was in senior management. But one day they had this 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:11.840 corporate restructuring and he was informed that they no longer 0:13:11.880 --> 0:13:15.800 needed him. Of course, he was disappointed. He didn't think 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:18.600 it was fair at all. But instead of sitting around 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:22.040 thinking about what he lost, he began to dream of 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:25.560 new ideas and dream up new opportunities, really dream a 0:13:25.640 --> 0:13:28.520 new dream. One day he got a group of his 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:32.360 friends together and they started a new home improvement company. 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:36.120 They called it the Home Depot. As you know, it 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:38.840 was successful. They had stores all over the world. Here's 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:43.240 my point. What he thought was his greatest setback turned 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:48.319 out to be his greatest opportunity. Without that adversity, without 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:51.920 that layoff, he would have never stepped into the fullness 0:13:52.080 --> 0:13:55.959 of his God given destiny. And sometimes what we think 0:13:56.080 --> 0:13:58.920 is the worst thing that could happen, one day we'll 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.040 look back and say, Wow, if it were not for 0:14:01.120 --> 0:14:04.080 that challenge, I would have never had this new opportunity. 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:08.959 Pruning always leads to blooming. Here's the key. You can't 0:14:08.960 --> 0:14:12.439 get bitter. You can't get stuck in a rut and think, oh, 0:14:12.480 --> 0:14:15.400 this is as good as it gets. No, stay in faith, 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:20.360 Stay focused on your possibilities, Stay focused on God's promises. 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:23.440 When one dream dies, learn to do like that man, 0:14:23.840 --> 0:14:27.480 dream another dream. Some of you Today, you've went through 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:30.400 a loss, You've just about settled in your mind this 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:32.960 is as good as it gets. Now. I want you 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.400 to have a new perspective. You're in a pruning season. 0:14:36.840 --> 0:14:41.000 That means God is positioning you for increase. He's getting 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:43.520 ready to take you to a higher level. But you've 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:46.680 got to get in agreement with him. Start looking for 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:51.800 new opportunities, new ideas, new friendships. Don't drag through the 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:58.280 day expecting the worst. Start expecting increase, favor promotion. I've 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:02.640 discovered God will never take something away without putting you 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:05.840 in a position to receive something new. And what you 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.440 think maybe the worst thing that could have happened, could 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:10.760 turn out to be one of the best. It's like 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.960 this man I heard about. His boat capsized in the 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:17.440 middle of this huge storm, and he ended up stranded 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:21.760 on a deserted island all by himself. Week after week 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:26.240 went by. He was so miserable, so distraught, barely even 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:29.520 making it. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:32.240 he was out getting some food in the woods one day, 0:15:32.240 --> 0:15:35.200 and when he came back, he noticed the little hut 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:39.160 that he had built somehow had caught on fire. As 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:42.000 he watched his hut burn up, it was like pouring 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:45.440 salt on his wounds. He was so upset he threw 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:48.320 his food down, sat on the ground, said God is 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:51.920 just not fair. In a couple of hours, he noticed 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:55.320 a boat coming toward the island. He couldn't believe it. 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:58.880 It was the Coastguard. He was finally about to be rescued. 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.440 He ran out and gave the captain a big hug, said, sir, 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:05.240 how in the world did you find me? I've been 0:16:05.240 --> 0:16:09.360 out here stranded alone week after week. The captain said, 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:13.120 we saw the smoke coming from the fire that you built. 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:16.600 You may feel like your hut's on fire today, but 0:16:16.640 --> 0:16:19.160 you don't know that may be the very thing God 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:24.360 uses to promote you. Why don't you have a bigger 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:28.000 vision instead of getting down and discouraged. Why don't you 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:31.400 believe that somehow, some way, God's gonna use that to 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:34.960 your advantage. When my father went to be with the Lord, 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:38.200 my hut was on fire. I never dreamed it would 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:42.040 launch me into what I'm doing today. Twice we tried 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:45.320 to buy property to build a new sanctuary on but 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:48.760 both times it was unfairly sold out from under us. 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:51.960 Our hut was on fire. I was convinced that was 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:55.440 the devil stealing our property. Now I know that was 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:59.000 God closing the door. Because we were thinking too small. 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:02.720 God had so something much bigger, much better in store. 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:07.439 What am I saying? When life throws us a curve, 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:11.160 Usually we just look at the surface. We think, Wow, 0:17:11.320 --> 0:17:14.720 I lost my job, this is terrible while they lied 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:16.960 about me and I didn't make the team. No, we 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:20.720 can't see the big picture. We don't know what God 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.640 is up to. It may look like the worst thing 0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:26.399 that could have ever happened, but God is still in 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:30.359 complete control. He has you in the palm of his hand, 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:34.280 and if you will stay in faith, somehow, some way, 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:37.280 God is going to use that to your advantage. I'm 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:40.840 asking you today, when you go through these pruning seasons 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:45.600 where something doesn't work out, you suffer a loss, don't 0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:49.280 sit around in salt, don't get better, don't start complaining. No, 0:17:49.440 --> 0:17:53.199 turn it around. Get ready for increase, Get ready for favor, 0:17:53.480 --> 0:17:56.040 Get ready for the new doors God is about to open. 0:17:57.320 --> 0:18:01.800 I think about the three Hebrew teenage shadrack Mijak in 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:05.239 a Bendigo. They went through a time of pruning. They 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:09.119 were thrown into the fiery furnace that was heated seven 0:18:09.200 --> 0:18:13.199 times hotter than normal. Should have instantly killed them. It 0:18:13.240 --> 0:18:15.880 should have been the end. But have you ever noticed 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:20.000 they went into the fire bound. Their hands and feet 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:24.000 were tied with cords. But the scripture says, not only 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:27.760 did the fire not harm them, but they came out loosed. 0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:31.880 In other words, the only thing the fire burned up 0:18:32.320 --> 0:18:35.800 were the cords that were holding them back. The fire 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:39.640 didn't harm their clothes, didn't singe their hair, didn't melt 0:18:39.680 --> 0:18:44.920 their cell phones. All that fire, all that fire destroyed, 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:49.000 were the chains that were restricting them. When you go 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:52.359 through a pruning season where you feel like you're in 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:55.880 the fire, business has gone down to nothing. Somebody did 0:18:55.920 --> 0:18:59.560 you wrong. Just remember, when you come out of that fire, 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.840 you're not going to be harmed. All that challenge is 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:05.159 going to do is burn up the things that are 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:08.680 holding you back. It's going to burn up limited mindsets. 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:11.840 It's going to burn up limited thinking. It's going to 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:15.960 burn up fear and insecurity. It's not going to harm you. 0:19:16.480 --> 0:19:19.159 It's going to free you. It's going to loose you 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:23.200 into a new level of God's goodness. Our family went 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.000 through the fire in nineteen eighty one when my mother 0:19:26.160 --> 0:19:29.680 was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Didn't look like we would 0:19:29.680 --> 0:19:32.960 make it, But thank God, that fire didn't destroy us. 0:19:33.320 --> 0:19:37.040 It just destroyed the doubt and unbelief. We came out knowing, 0:19:37.119 --> 0:19:39.520 beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God can do 0:19:39.600 --> 0:19:45.080 the impossible. I went through the fire in nineteen ninety 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:47.439 nine when my father went to be with the Lord. 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:49.919 I didn't think I could get up here in minister. 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:54.520 I was afraid, insecure, intimidated. But when I came out 0:19:54.520 --> 0:19:58.520 of that fire, it didn't destroy me. It destroyed my limitations. 0:19:58.760 --> 0:20:03.479 It destroyed the fear, the insecurity. Now I know I 0:20:03.520 --> 0:20:06.439 can do all things through Christ. If God be for me, 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:10.879 who there be against me? Our ministry went through the 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:13.760 fire in two thousand and two when we were trying 0:20:13.800 --> 0:20:17.720 to acquire this new facility, the former Compact Center. Three 0:20:17.840 --> 0:20:22.040 years and two lawsuits later, we came out strong, confident, 0:20:22.240 --> 0:20:27.280 well ableed. It was meant to destroy us, but it 0:20:27.320 --> 0:20:30.320 did just the opposite. All that fire burned up were 0:20:30.320 --> 0:20:34.160 our restrictions. It burned up our limited thinking. Now we 0:20:34.240 --> 0:20:37.800 know nothing can stand against our God, no obstacle. It's 0:20:37.840 --> 0:20:41.000 too big for him. You may be in the fire 0:20:41.080 --> 0:20:43.400 right now, but the good news you're gonna come out 0:20:43.400 --> 0:20:46.960 of that loosed in your thinking, loosed in your finances, 0:20:47.119 --> 0:20:50.280 loosed in your health, That fire is gonna burn up 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:56.280 little dreams and little goals. It's going to burn up fear, intimidation, depression. 0:20:56.760 --> 0:20:59.800 It was meant to destroy you, but it's going to backfire. 0:21:00.119 --> 0:21:03.280 God's gonna use it to destroy everything that's holding you back. 0:21:04.800 --> 0:21:07.359 You may be in that pruning season, but you know 0:21:07.480 --> 0:21:11.080 the truth, You're coming into a blooming season. You're coming 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:14.600 into a season of new growth. That's what David said 0:21:14.600 --> 0:21:17.840 in song four to one. God, you have enlarged me 0:21:18.200 --> 0:21:22.800 in my time of distress, in difficult times. Instead of 0:21:22.800 --> 0:21:25.840 thinking about how bad it is and how unfair it was, 0:21:26.280 --> 0:21:28.960 let's learn to do like David and say God, thank 0:21:29.040 --> 0:21:35.000 you that you're enlarging me. I'm growing, I'm gaining wisdom, strength, confidence, 0:21:35.359 --> 0:21:38.400 And this setback looks like a stumbling block. But God, 0:21:38.440 --> 0:21:41.200 I know you're gonna use it as a stepping stone, 0:21:41.280 --> 0:21:43.560 and I'm not gonna come out the same. I'm gonna 0:21:43.560 --> 0:21:48.280 come out enlarged with a bigger vision, with a new determination, 0:21:48.680 --> 0:21:51.879 with a greater confidence in you. You may have lost 0:21:51.920 --> 0:21:55.040 your hut in the fire, you lost a job, lost 0:21:55.040 --> 0:21:58.720 a relationship, but know this, God's gonna cause the right 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:01.560 people to see the small He's going to open up 0:22:01.640 --> 0:22:04.880 new doors. He's going to bring new friendships, he's gonna 0:22:04.920 --> 0:22:08.359 give new ideas. One day, you're gonna look back like 0:22:08.400 --> 0:22:10.919 this man and say, Wow, what I thought was the 0:22:10.920 --> 0:22:13.600 worst thing turned out to be one of the best things. 0:22:14.119 --> 0:22:17.360 Here's what I've learned. The hotter the fire, the more 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:21.359 uncomfortable it is, the more unfair it gets, the closer 0:22:21.480 --> 0:22:24.919 you are to your victory. It's just like a woman 0:22:25.160 --> 0:22:28.639 having a baby. The greater the pain, the closer she 0:22:28.920 --> 0:22:32.960 is to giving birth. Like those Hebrew teenagers, you may 0:22:33.000 --> 0:22:36.000 feel like the fire has been turned up in your life. 0:22:36.160 --> 0:22:39.160 All kinds of things are coming against you in your family, 0:22:39.560 --> 0:22:43.800 your relationships, your business, your health, your career. But that 0:22:44.000 --> 0:22:47.600 simply means you are close to giving birth to the 0:22:47.600 --> 0:22:50.400 new thing God wants to do. You're going to see 0:22:50.400 --> 0:22:54.199 that relationship that you thought was dead come back to 0:22:54.280 --> 0:22:56.879 life and be better than you ever even dreamed of. 0:22:57.520 --> 0:23:00.840 You're gonna see that legal situation bogged you down for 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:04.720 years totally resolved in your favor. You're gonna see that 0:23:04.880 --> 0:23:08.679 business that struggled and struggled begin to take off and 0:23:08.720 --> 0:23:12.640 really flourish like it should. You've been through the pruning season. 0:23:13.000 --> 0:23:16.800 But because you've stayed faithful and obedient, God is going 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:20.200 to blossom you in ways you've never imagined. You're gonna 0:23:20.200 --> 0:23:23.680 blossom in your health. You're gonna blossom in your finances. 0:23:23.840 --> 0:23:26.840 You're gonna blossom in your career. You're gonna blossom in 0:23:26.880 --> 0:23:31.399 your thinking. God said in Isaiah, Behold, I am doing 0:23:31.400 --> 0:23:34.840 a new thing. Can you not perceive it. I don't 0:23:34.880 --> 0:23:37.080 know about you, but I'm ready for some new things. 0:23:37.359 --> 0:23:40.040 I'm ready for new levels of victory. I'm ready for 0:23:40.119 --> 0:23:44.320 new opportunities. I'm ready for new ideas. I can feel 0:23:44.320 --> 0:23:47.399 it in my spirit. Something is about to break loose. 0:23:47.840 --> 0:23:51.040 Some of you have been discouraged and fought depression for 0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:54.480 a long time that I want to declare that season 0:23:54.640 --> 0:23:57.359 is coming to an end and joy is about to 0:23:57.359 --> 0:24:03.240 break loose. Some of you have struggled in your finances, 0:24:03.440 --> 0:24:06.800 just barely making it. But that season of struggle is 0:24:06.800 --> 0:24:10.000 coming to an end, and abundance is about to break loose. 0:24:10.560 --> 0:24:13.399 God is going to open the windows of heaven and 0:24:13.480 --> 0:24:17.439 pour out blessings you cannot contain. Maybe you've struggled with 0:24:17.480 --> 0:24:21.000 the sickness year after year. Healing and wholeness is about 0:24:21.000 --> 0:24:24.520 to break loose. Perhaps you've just been bound by an addiction. 0:24:25.000 --> 0:24:28.240 Freedom is about to break loose. Maybe you just need 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:31.600 a good break. Well, God's favor is about to break loose. 0:24:32.040 --> 0:24:36.919 Ideas promotion, new levels of victory. I love what it 0:24:36.960 --> 0:24:41.119 says in Psaw one twelve. When darkness overtakes the righteous 0:24:41.720 --> 0:24:45.040 light will come bursting in. And when you go through 0:24:45.040 --> 0:24:47.439 a pruning season, you need to get ready. Not for 0:24:47.520 --> 0:24:51.240 more of the same, not for more lack, more sickness, 0:24:51.520 --> 0:24:54.640 more mediocrity. No, get ready for the light to come 0:24:54.680 --> 0:24:59.920 bursting in. What does that mean? A sudden turnaround, a superna, 0:25:00.040 --> 0:25:05.879 natural breakthrough, an unexpected promotion, a divine connection. Notice it 0:25:05.920 --> 0:25:08.359 doesn't say that the light is going to come trickling in, 0:25:08.800 --> 0:25:11.240 barely going to get there. It says it's going to 0:25:11.240 --> 0:25:15.520 come bursting in like a flood. God's goodness is going 0:25:15.560 --> 0:25:18.159 to overtake you. Now, I want you to get ready 0:25:18.359 --> 0:25:22.359 for some of these sudden outbursts of God's favor where 0:25:22.440 --> 0:25:25.920 suddenly your child gets back on the right track, Suddenly 0:25:25.960 --> 0:25:29.200 you're able to pay your house off, Suddenly you're free 0:25:29.240 --> 0:25:32.240 from that addiction. All of a sudden, you go from 0:25:32.560 --> 0:25:37.119 pruning to blooming a few years ago, we lost one 0:25:37.200 --> 0:25:40.440 of the main networks that carried our Sunday morning broadcast. 0:25:40.680 --> 0:25:43.720 It was our biggest outlet at the time. The network 0:25:43.800 --> 0:25:46.879 was going to all news on Sunday mornings, and unfortunately, 0:25:47.240 --> 0:25:50.679 when they rearranged their schedule, it didn't include us, and 0:25:50.720 --> 0:25:54.199 it seemed very unfair. We've been on this network for 0:25:54.240 --> 0:25:57.600 many years and built up a good audience. It felt 0:25:57.640 --> 0:25:59.960 like the worst thing in the world that could happen. 0:26:00.080 --> 0:26:02.399 It felt like our hut was on fire, like we 0:26:02.400 --> 0:26:06.360 had taken steps backwards. And even though I was disappointed 0:26:06.400 --> 0:26:10.560 on the surface, I knew down deep that setback was 0:26:10.600 --> 0:26:14.639 putting us in position for new growth. We were being pruned. 0:26:14.960 --> 0:26:17.840 But I didn't stop there. I was ready to bloom. 0:26:18.320 --> 0:26:21.080 Darkness had overtaken us, so to speak, but I was 0:26:21.160 --> 0:26:25.439 expecting the light to come bursting in. Several months later, 0:26:25.560 --> 0:26:28.680 we got a call from a much larger network. They 0:26:28.680 --> 0:26:32.240 had never run religious programming before, but they offered us 0:26:32.280 --> 0:26:35.480 a Sunday morning time slot. If that wasn't good enough, 0:26:35.720 --> 0:26:38.639 the cost was less than half of that other network. 0:26:40.840 --> 0:26:43.280 What I thought was the worst thing. Now I was 0:26:43.320 --> 0:26:46.760 thinking God that it had happened. What am I saying 0:26:47.000 --> 0:26:51.000 pruning seasons always position you for new growth. And it 0:26:51.040 --> 0:26:53.399 may be dark, but if you will stay in faith, 0:26:53.480 --> 0:26:57.360 God promises the light is going to come bursting in. 0:26:57.200 --> 0:26:59.240 And some of you right now you are in a 0:26:59.280 --> 0:27:02.320 pruning sea. Your hours have been cut back at the 0:27:02.359 --> 0:27:06.159 office or a relationship. Even though you're doing your best, 0:27:06.240 --> 0:27:09.360 it's very stagnant in your health. You're praying and believing, 0:27:09.640 --> 0:27:13.640 but it continues to go downhill. You could easily be discouraged, 0:27:13.960 --> 0:27:17.040 you could easily live life sour. But I'm asking you 0:27:17.359 --> 0:27:20.680 to put on a new attitude. Start expecting the bloom, 0:27:21.119 --> 0:27:24.640 start expecting the light to come bursting in. It may 0:27:24.680 --> 0:27:27.080 look like the worst thing that could have ever happened, 0:27:27.400 --> 0:27:30.920 but God is still in complete control. Your hut may 0:27:30.960 --> 0:27:33.560 be on fire, but God's gonna cause the right people 0:27:33.600 --> 0:27:36.560 to see the smoke. He's gonna bring the right opportunities, 0:27:36.680 --> 0:27:39.960 the right connections. And what you thought was a setback, 0:27:40.480 --> 0:27:42.960 like God did for me, one day, you're gonna look 0:27:43.000 --> 0:27:45.199 back and say, Wow, if it had not been for 0:27:45.280 --> 0:27:48.320 this challenge, I would have never seen God's goodness in 0:27:48.359 --> 0:27:50.880 such a great way. And remember, when you come out 0:27:50.920 --> 0:27:53.280 of that fire, it's not gonna harm you. It's just 0:27:53.320 --> 0:27:55.879 gonna burn up your limitations. It's gonna burn up the 0:27:55.880 --> 0:27:58.919 things that are holding you back. Like David, God is 0:27:58.960 --> 0:28:02.720 going to enlarge you in your times of distress. When 0:28:02.720 --> 0:28:05.960 you really understand this principle that you're being prune for 0:28:06.080 --> 0:28:09.439 one reason so you can bloom, then no matter what 0:28:09.560 --> 0:28:12.720 comes against you, you won't get down and discouraged. You'll 0:28:12.800 --> 0:28:16.479 rise up in faith and overcome every obstacle. And some 0:28:16.560 --> 0:28:18.840 of you are in that pruning season, but I want 0:28:18.880 --> 0:28:21.320 you to get ready. New growth is coming your way, 0:28:21.800 --> 0:28:27.400 new opportunities, new friendships, new levels are confidence, supernatural breakthrough. 0:28:28.800 --> 0:28:31.200 I want to declare this over each one of you. 0:28:31.200 --> 0:28:35.160 Your finances are gonna blossom. Your health is gonna blossom, 0:28:35.440 --> 0:28:39.560 your relationships are gonna blossom. Your career is gonna blossom. 0:28:39.760 --> 0:28:43.160 Your thinking is gonna blossom. You are going to blossom 0:28:43.280 --> 0:28:46.520 into the fullness of what God has created you to be. 0:28:46.840 --> 0:28:49.680 I believe it and declare it in the name of Jesus. 0:28:49.680 --> 0:28:51.920 Do you receive that today? Can you give the Lord 0:28:51.920 --> 0:28:56.480 a shout of praise today? We never like to close 0:28:56.520 --> 0:29:00.240 our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:29:00.280 --> 0:29:02.480 the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:29:03.080 --> 0:29:08.240 Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:29:08.240 --> 0:29:13.120 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 0:29:13.120 --> 0:29:15.440 if you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:15.480 --> 0:29:18.600 born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 0:29:18.640 --> 0:29:21.280 God first place. He's going to take your places that 0:29:21.360 --> 0:29:22.280 you've never dreamed of. 0:29:23.040 --> 0:29:26.680 Thank you for listening to the Joelustine podcast. Help us 0:29:26.720 --> 0:29:29.600 continue to share the message of hope with those all 0:29:29.600 --> 0:29:30.320 over the world. 0:29:30.640 --> 0:29:32.200 Visit joelostin dot. 0:29:32.000 --> 0:29:35.040 Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:36.320 --> 0:29:39.240 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:39.240 --> 0:29:42.640 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:42.720 --> 0:29:45.920 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:46.080 --> 0:29:48.520 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:48.600 --> 0:29:49.080 next time. 0:29:56.320 --> 0:29:59.040 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:29:59.080 --> 0:30:04.080 for everyone. 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