Believing Without A Sign

0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:50.960 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:55.840 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.920 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:02.240 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:02.840 his birthday. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.039 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:06.840 But He'll never forget how you invest it in his 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:11.560 future with the units stapp. Wow, Thanks Grandpa. The units 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:14.080 stap makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:17.160 give funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.440 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:21.720 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:24.280 when you find your account. 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. 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:34.320 Now, people may underestimate you. That's a part of God's plan. 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:40.680 But don't underestimate yourself. Don't discount yourself. Don't talk yourself 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:44.080 out of the greatness God put in you. Joel, all 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:45.560 I have is this slingshot. 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:49.040 All you need is a slingshot. You'll be amazed at 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:49.800 where you can. 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:53.320 Go with a little talent, a little courage, a little faith, 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:54.720 a little determination. 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:57.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:57.240 --> 0:02:00.000 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for support 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:00.960 the ministry. 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.440 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:05.000 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:08.040 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:02:08.080 --> 0:02:08.960 your life. 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:10.119 God bless you. 0:02:10.480 --> 0:02:12.959 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:15.440 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:19.360 daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media. We'll keep you 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:23.280 encouraged and inspired. And I'd like to start with something funny. 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:26.400 And I heard about this pastor. He was raising funds 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:29.919 for a new auditorium. He said to the congregation, anyone 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:32.600 who will give a thousand dollars can pick out the 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:33.760 next three hymns. 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:36.600 Little old lady in the back stood up, said Pastor, 0:02:36.639 --> 0:02:37.160 I'll do it. 0:02:37.600 --> 0:02:40.359 He was so excited. He said, thank you so much. Now, 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.160 which three hymns would you like? She looked over the 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:48.240 congregation said I'll take him and him and him say it. 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:50.560 Like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:02:50.880 --> 0:02:53.280 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:55.840 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:58.560 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:02.680 of God. I'll bold confess, my mind is alert, my 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:07.200 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:11.079 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:16.280 about believing without a sign. We all have dreams and goals, 0:03:16.720 --> 0:03:19.960 promises we're standing on and when we see God's favor, 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:24.680 doors opening, are health improving, the right people showing up. 0:03:24.840 --> 0:03:25.920 It's easy to believe. 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:29.800 We know God's at work, but sometimes we're doing our 0:03:29.840 --> 0:03:34.960 best praying, believing, but nothing's happening. The medical report is 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:39.360 not getting better, doors are not opening, our finances are 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:40.200 not improving. 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:42.440 There's no sign that is going to happen. 0:03:42.480 --> 0:03:45.400 And it's easy to get discouraged and give up on 0:03:45.480 --> 0:03:49.280 what we're believing for. But the scripture says faith is 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:53.640 the evidence of things not seen. If you can see it, 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.720 it doesn't take any faith. If you have the evidence, 0:03:56.960 --> 0:04:00.640 it's easy to stay encouraged. But to reach your destiny, 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:02.880 there will be these times. 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:04.240 Where there is no evidence. 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:09.160 Every circumstance says you'll never get well, never meet the. 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:11.920 Right person, you never accomplished that dream. 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:15.160 You're no better off now than you were a year ago. 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:17.800 We think, God, if you just give me a sign, 0:04:18.279 --> 0:04:20.720 if you just let me know that you're working, if 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:24.120 I just see something improving, This is when you have 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:26.800 to dig down deep and say, I don't have to 0:04:26.839 --> 0:04:30.039 have the evidence. I'm not moved by what I see. 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:32.560 I'm moved by what I know and God I know 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:34.320 you are faithful. 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:34.880 To what you promised. 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:38.840 Just because you don't see a sign doesn't mean God 0:04:38.920 --> 0:04:42.440 is not working. Don't believe those lies that nothing is 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:44.920 happening in the unseen realm. 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:47.800 God is arranging things in your favor. 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:52.120 Lining up the healing, the right people, the promotion, and 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:55.760 the fact that you can't see anything happening. That's God's 0:04:55.800 --> 0:04:58.479 showing you that he trusts you. 0:04:58.480 --> 0:05:01.159 You don't have to see everything. Keep moving forward. 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:04.480 You've matured to the point where you walk by faith 0:05:04.640 --> 0:05:05.599 and not by sight. 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:07.640 Where God is taking you. 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:12.000 The amazing future he has planned is going to require 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:16.080 you to believe without a sign, to trust him when 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:19.479 there's no evidence. If you have to see everything to 0:05:19.520 --> 0:05:21.880 stay encouraged, see it to keep. 0:05:21.720 --> 0:05:24.880 Believing, it will limit how high you can go. 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:28.440 You have to pass this test of staying in faith 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:33.279 when nothing is improving, thanking God when all the circumstances 0:05:33.320 --> 0:05:34.880 say it's never going to change. 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:37.000 You may be there now. 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:40.960 You've been praying and believing, but it doesn't seem like 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:44.599 it's doing any good. You don't see any evidence. Kind 0:05:44.600 --> 0:05:46.080 of feels like God's on vacation. 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:48.120 He doesn't even hear your prayers. 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:53.080 That silence doesn't mean God has forgotten about you. He 0:05:53.200 --> 0:05:56.480 sees your faithfulness. He sees you doing the right thing 0:05:56.560 --> 0:05:59.520 when it's hard. When you could have given up, you 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:00.840 with the extra mile. 0:06:00.760 --> 0:06:03.760 And kept believing when you felt like complaining. 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:07.440 You kept praising when every thought said it was never 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:08.279 going to happen. 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:10.719 You kept thanking God that he was working. 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:14.799 Let me encourage you. Your time is coming. What God 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:15.520 promised you. 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:18.000 Is on the way. Don't get talked out of it. 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:23.280 Don't let people delay, doubt, convince you to give up. 0:06:23.760 --> 0:06:27.800 Your breakthrough is already on the schedule. Your miracle has 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:31.880 already been set in motion. Seems like nothing is happening, 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:36.159 but suddenly it's going to change. Suddenly the dream comes 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:40.800 to pass. Suddenly the right person shows up. Jesus told Thomas, 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:45.040 because you've seen me, you have believed. But blessed are 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:49.440 those who have not seen yet. Believe you haven't seen it, 0:06:49.720 --> 0:06:53.160 but you keep believing. God says there's a blessing coming. 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:57.920 Because you believe without the evidence, believe without the sign. 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:01.760 Favor is coming, is coming, Victory is coming. 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:02.800 Now. 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:05.800 Don't be a Thomas. God show me a sign, then 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:10.280 I'll believe. Let my circumstances improve, then I'll stay in faith. 0:07:10.880 --> 0:07:13.200 Open this door, God, then I'll know you're working. 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:17.320 God is looking for people who believe without a sign, 0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:20.600 who are not moved by what they don't see, who 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:23.520 don't need the evidence to prove to them that God 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:28.720 is working. Sewo Kings, Chapter twenty. King Hezekiah became very sick. 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:32.440 He was close to death when the prophet Isaiah showed 0:07:32.520 --> 0:07:33.360 up at the palace. 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:35.760 I'm sure he was hoping for good news. 0:07:36.280 --> 0:07:39.600 Maybe Isaiah will come prophesy that things are about to 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:41.720 turn around, that I'm about to get well. 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:46.960 But it wasn't what he was thinking. Isaiah said, King Hezekiah, I. 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:49.920 Have a word from the Lord for you. God says, 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:52.080 set your house in order, for. 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:55.560 You will surely die. He didn't say maybe you'll pass. 0:07:56.000 --> 0:07:58.240 There's a chance you're not gonna make it. It's not 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:02.160 looking good. King, He said, there was no doubt. This 0:08:02.240 --> 0:08:05.680 is the end. You will not recover from this illness. 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:09.880 Now Hezekiah could have been depressed, given up on life, 0:08:10.320 --> 0:08:13.720 but he began to pray. He reminded God of all 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:16.400 the good he had done, how he had torn down 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:20.280 the pagan shrines and removed all the idols. He poured 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:23.200 out his heart and asked God in his mercy to 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:28.600 spare his life. Before Isaiah left the palace grounds, God 0:08:28.680 --> 0:08:32.520 changed his mind and told Isaiah to go back and 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:37.079 give him this new report. Isaiah said, Hezekiah, the Lord 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:39.720 says he has heard your prayers and. 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:42.960 He's going to heal you. In three days, you will. 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:45.959 Get out of this bed, and he will add fifteen. 0:08:45.520 --> 0:08:47.480 More years to your life. 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:52.200 You can imagine how excited and how overwhelmed Hezekiah was. 0:08:52.679 --> 0:08:56.520 He just received this amazing promise that this death sentence 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:57.719 had been reversed. 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:00.559 But Hezekiah was kind of like us. 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:04.800 After the excitement wore off, he started thinking, how do 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.360 I know I'm going to get well? I don't look 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:11.199 any different, I don't feel any better, nothing has changed. 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:14.760 Doubts started to come. Is it really going to happen? 0:09:15.200 --> 0:09:19.600 Are you sure that's what God said? Hezekiah said to Isaiah, 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.360 what sign will the Lord give me to prove that 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:26.400 I'm going to get well? He was saying, Isaiah, I 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:30.320 appreciate what you've told me. That's encouraging, but I need 0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:33.800 some evidence. I need to see something so I'll believe. 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:36.600 I need God to prove that he's going to do it. 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:39.640 Isaiah said, all right, God will give you a sign. 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.440 Do you want the shadow on the sundal to go 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:45.319 ten degrees forward or ten degrees backwards? 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:50.160 Heekiah said backwards. They watched as the shadow defied the. 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:54.360 Odds and went backwards. And God is merciful, he'll give 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:55.800 you a sign sometimes. 0:09:56.000 --> 0:09:57.000 But here's my point. 0:09:57.280 --> 0:10:01.000 If you live by this approach, prove that you're going 0:10:01.080 --> 0:10:04.000 to do what you said. God, I need some evidence. 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:06.680 If I don't see something, then I'm not going to believe. 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:10.880 If you're always dependent on a sign, you won't reach 0:10:10.960 --> 0:10:15.440 the fullness of your destiny. Maybe like Hezekiah, you're praying 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:18.760 for a sign, but you're not seeing anything. The sundoll 0:10:18.880 --> 0:10:22.600 is not going backwards. The right attitude is God, I 0:10:22.640 --> 0:10:25.160 don't have to have a sign. You don't have to 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.680 prove to me that you're going to do it. You've 0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:31.200 already proved to me who you are. You've already made 0:10:31.280 --> 0:10:34.320 ways where I didn't see a way. You've already opened 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:38.400 doors that I couldn't open it. You've already defeated giants 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:41.880 that were much bigger you've already broken chains. I could 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:46.040 never break God. I trust you with no evidence. I'm 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:48.240 not a Thomas. I don't have to see it to 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:48.840 believe it. 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:50.400 I'm not a Hezekiah. 0:10:50.760 --> 0:10:53.000 You don't have to prove to me that you're faithful. 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:57.600 You've already shown yourself faithful. And yes, it's great when 0:10:57.640 --> 0:11:00.600 you get a sign, but don't rely on on the sign. 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:05.120 Don't become dependent on seeing. Then you'll believe that doesn't 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:09.040 take much faith. Your faith kicks in when there's no evidence. 0:11:09.880 --> 0:11:12.840 Instead of asking God to prove to you what he's 0:11:12.920 --> 0:11:14.640 going to do, why don't you turn. 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:17.199 It around and prove to God who you are. 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:20.160 Prove to him that you're not going to be moved 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:23.280 by what you don't see. Prove that you're not going 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:26.839 to give up because things aren't changing. Prove that you're 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:30.600 going to stand in faith when every circumstance says it's 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:35.160 never going to happen. What's interesting is right before Hezekiah 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:38.200 got sick, he had just seen the greatest victory of 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:42.320 his life. The Assyrian army was coming against him and 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:45.719 the people of Judah. They were much bigger, they had 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:46.760 more resources. 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:50.000 The night before the Assyrians were going to attack. 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:53.480 The Angel of the Lord went into their camp and 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:57.000 killed one hundred and eighty five thousand of their soldiers. 0:11:57.440 --> 0:11:58.800 The others took off running. 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:03.360 Hezekiah and the people of Judah were spared. You would 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:06.800 think that Hezekiah wouldn't need a sign. He just saw 0:12:06.840 --> 0:12:10.000 a supernatural victory. He just saw God show out. 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:15.240 But how many times do we forget what God has done? 0:12:15.440 --> 0:12:18.720 Like Hezekiah, God has shown up and turned things around 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:22.760 for us. He's healed us, protected us, freed us. 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:23.640 Promoted us. 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.120 If you need a sign, look back at the goodness 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:31.320 of God in your life. Look back at how he 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:34.560 brought you through the pandemic, how he gave you strength 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:37.400 when you didn't think you could go on, How he 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.480 promoted you when you weren't next in line, How he 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.960 turned your child around, how he brought someone great into 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:47.120 your life to love, How that one good break caused 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.680 your business to take off. When you need evidence, look 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:52.600 back at the faithfulness of God. 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:56.080 This is what Elijah did. 0:12:56.559 --> 0:12:59.320 There was a great famine in the land for three 0:12:59.360 --> 0:13:01.800 and a half years that had not rain, no water, 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:06.000 no crops. People were barely surviving. When nothing looked any 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:09.440 different in the middle of the drought, Elijah showed up 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:10.960 and said, I hear the. 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:12.920 Sound of the abundance of rain. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.520 He was so bold he went and told King Ahab, 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:18.600 this drought is coming to an end. 0:13:18.880 --> 0:13:19.960 Rain is on the way. 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:23.320 When he said that, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:27.680 no rain. God will put things in your spirit that 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:32.079 contradict what you see. He heard an abundance of rain, 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:37.640 he saw baring ground, dried up crops, drought, famine. The 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:41.760 key is don't let what you see override what you've heard. 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:43.640 If you're always. 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:46.680 Looking for a sign, you're going to get discouraged. I 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:50.600 heard rain, but I see drought. I heard healing, but 0:13:50.679 --> 0:13:55.160 I see sickness. I heard abundance, but I see light. Joel, 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:59.760 I heard freedom, but all I see is dysfunction, addictions, depression. 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:02.480 When I see something different, then I'll believe. 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:06.280 When I have some evidence, then I'll get my hopes up. No, 0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:07.600 don't be a Heekiah. 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:11.640 Being Elijah, you don't have to have a sign. God 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:14.280 doesn't have to prove to you. He's going to do 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:15.280 what he's promised. 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:19.280 You've seen his faithfulness, you have a history with him. 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:22.080 He's made things happen all through your life that you 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:25.240 could have never made happen. Now do your part and 0:14:25.360 --> 0:14:29.960 believe without a sign. Stay in faith when there's no evidence. 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.480 Don't let what you see talk you out of what 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:37.120 you've heard. It's very powerful when you can say I 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.840 don't see any sign of what I'm believing for, but 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:40.560 that's okay. 0:14:40.760 --> 0:14:43.600 I don't need a sign. I know God's on the throne. 0:14:43.760 --> 0:14:45.040 I know he's in control. 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:48.680 I know what he started he will finish. 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:51.680 Elijah went on top of Mount Carmel to praying. 0:14:52.440 --> 0:14:54.800 He bowed down and begin to thank God that rain 0:14:55.000 --> 0:14:57.560 was coming, that what he heard in his spirit was 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.640 on the way. He asked his assistant to go out 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.160 and look on the other side of the mountain see 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:06.120 if there was any sign of rain. Now he wasn't 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:09.560 dependent on a sign. He was looking for God's goodness. 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:11.400 He was expecting rain. 0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:14.920 That's different than I'm not going to believe unless I 0:15:14.920 --> 0:15:18.680 have a sign. His attitude was, I know God's at work. 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:22.440 It could happen anytime. I know rain is coming. He 0:15:22.480 --> 0:15:27.040 had this confidence, this unshakable faith. This is that came 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:30.280 back says sorry, Elijah, there are no clouds in the sky. 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:34.960 He says, clear as can be, checks the latest radar superdoppler, 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:39.360 nothing in sight. Elijah didn't get depressed. God, I must 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:42.520 have heard you wrong. He kept thanking God that rain 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:46.280 was coming. He didn't let the lack of evidence convince 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:47.840 him that it wasn't going to happen. 0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:49.480 He kept looking for the rain. 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:52.800 He kept talking like it was going to happen. I 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.640 can hear king Ahab kind of laughing, saying, Elijah, where's 0:15:56.680 --> 0:15:59.600 that rain you were talking about? Thought you said there's 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:02.760 going to be in abundance. I haven't felt one little drop. 0:16:03.360 --> 0:16:06.520 Elijah said, heyb I'm not worried. I don't need a 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:09.880 sign to believe. I'm not dependent on the evidence. I 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:13.640 know what God has spoken to me. Elijah sent the 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:16.680 assistant out again, ask him to look see if he 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:19.960 saw any sign of rain. He came back again and 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:24.000 again and again with the same report. Not a cloud 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:29.600 in the sky, perfectly clear. Six times, no sign, six times, 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:33.160 nothing had changed, six times this negative report. 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:36.520 It's not going to happen. Elijah, just accept it. No 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:41.120 rain is coming. You may be where Elijah was. You 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:43.120 know what God has promised. 0:16:42.680 --> 0:16:47.280 You health, freedom, abundance, a spouse, a child. But you've 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:51.920 been looking, standing in faith, thanking God, but there's no evidence, 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:55.120 nothing is improving, no good breaks. 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:58.120 You still can't concede. This is when you have. 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:00.920 To dig down deep and say, God, I'm not moved 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:01.280 by what. 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:03.760 I don't see. I know you're a faithful God. 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:09.480 I'm gonna keep looking, keep expecting, keep praising, keep declaring, 0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:13.399 keep thinking that tis on the way. Don't let the 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:17.000 clear sky fool you. God can change things suddenly. 0:17:17.200 --> 0:17:18.600 He controls the universe. 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:22.159 One touch of his favor and you'll see the abundance 0:17:22.200 --> 0:17:22.600 of rain. 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:26.360 You're not seeing any sign of it. That's a test. 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:27.399 What are you made of? 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:32.000 Are you going to give up, get discouraged, settle for mediocrity, 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:36.080 or you're gonna do like Elijah and keep believing despite 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:39.720 what you're seeing. On the seventh time, the assistant came 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:43.480 back and said, Elijah, this time I saw a small. 0:17:43.200 --> 0:17:46.000 Cloud about the size of a man's hand. 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:49.480 Was it long after that that the heavens opened up? 0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:52.760 There was a huge downpour. The three and a half 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:57.560 year drought suddenly came to an end. Like Elijah, many 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:02.400 of you have been faithful, believed when every circumstance said 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:06.000 it wasn't going to happen. You didn't listen to the naysayers. 0:18:06.240 --> 0:18:08.679 You didn't get talked out of it. You've been looking 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:12.359 for God's goodness. I believe you're about to come in 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:15.480 to your seventh time. You're about to see the open 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:20.200 windows of heaven, something better than you've imagined, more rewarding, 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:25.800 more fulfilling. The scripture says, there was a remarkable rainstorm. 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:29.919 God is going to do something remarkable in your life, 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:34.640 out of the ordinary, that will exceed your expectations. It's 0:18:34.680 --> 0:18:39.760 significant that Elijah's assistant, someone close to him, kept bringing 0:18:39.800 --> 0:18:41.639 him the news that is not going to happen. 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:45.400 There are no clouds. He didn't mean to be negative. 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:49.800 He was just reporting the facts. But sometimes the people 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:52.679 closest to you will try to talk you out of 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:53.960 what God put in your heart. 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:58.320 They may mean well, but they didn't hear what God 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:01.760 spoke to you. You don't keep telling you what they saw. 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:05.359 You can't let that drown out what you've heard. Don't 0:19:05.400 --> 0:19:09.240 let their negative comments their doubt. You still think you're 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:12.240 gonna get well. Man, it's been a long battle. You 0:19:12.320 --> 0:19:14.760 really believe your child's gonna get on course. He's doing 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:17.880 worse than ever. You think you're gonna have a bountiful year. 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:18.600 I don't see it. 0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:23.960 Man, the economy, the gas pricess, inflation, the pandemic. They're 0:19:24.000 --> 0:19:26.399 looking at it in the natural. But we serve a 0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:34.720 supernatural God. There will be seasons like Elijah that you're looking, expecting, believing, 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:36.280 but again and again. 0:19:36.200 --> 0:19:38.560 There's no sign, no improvement. 0:19:39.160 --> 0:19:41.960 What if on the fourth time Elijah would have said 0:19:41.960 --> 0:19:45.200 to the assistant, I guess you're right, it's not gonna rain, 0:19:45.920 --> 0:19:47.960 or on the fifth time he got discouraged. 0:19:48.280 --> 0:19:49.600 God, I know what I heard. 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:52.560 Surely it would have happened by now, at least I 0:19:52.560 --> 0:19:55.920 would see some clouds, some win, a sign that things 0:19:55.920 --> 0:19:59.679 were about to change. Maybe that's where you are on 0:19:59.720 --> 0:20:03.960 your worth time, no evidence, your fifth time, still no sign, 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:06.080 your sixth times, sky's still blue. 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:09.400 Don't give up. Now. Those are tests. 0:20:10.000 --> 0:20:13.880 Yes, it'd be much easier if, like Hezekiah, we always got. 0:20:13.680 --> 0:20:18.199 A sign, but we never grow. We wouldn't reach our potential. 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:22.720 Where God is taking you is going to take unshakable faith, 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:26.840 not move by what you see, not discouraged because of 0:20:26.880 --> 0:20:30.320 a lack of evidence. I know today I'm not looking 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:34.159 at Thomas's Lord, show me and I'll believe. I'm not 0:20:34.200 --> 0:20:37.440 looking at Hezekiah's God. Give me a sign and I'll 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:41.520 trust you. I'm looking at Elijahs God. We believe without 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:44.600 a sign, we keep looking for rain, even though the 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:49.800 skies are clear. We don't let people time delays, what's 0:20:49.880 --> 0:20:52.959 not happening talk us out of what we've heard in 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:53.640 our spirit. 0:20:54.200 --> 0:20:56.600 I'm looking at people that are headed. 0:20:56.320 --> 0:20:59.480 For an abundance of rain, an abundance of joy, and 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:06.399 abundance of favor, an abundance of resources for something remarkable, uncommon. 0:21:06.119 --> 0:21:08.160 That will take your family to a new level. 0:21:09.400 --> 0:21:13.160 Right after we acquired this facility, the former Compact Center, 0:21:13.640 --> 0:21:16.040 a company filed a lawsuit to try to keep us 0:21:16.080 --> 0:21:19.440 from moving in. They were a huge real estate company 0:21:19.600 --> 0:21:22.679 that owns all the property around the building. And we 0:21:22.880 --> 0:21:25.760 just come off this great victory only to find out 0:21:25.800 --> 0:21:27.200 that it was now tied up in. 0:21:27.160 --> 0:21:29.159 The courts and we couldn't move forward. 0:21:29.880 --> 0:21:32.440 Our attorneys told us it could take up to ten 0:21:32.560 --> 0:21:35.600 years to settle. They'd met with the other side, but 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:38.760 they were in no hurry to do something. In fact, 0:21:38.800 --> 0:21:42.080 the more they delayed, the more at a disadvantage we were. 0:21:42.800 --> 0:21:46.040 Our main attorney called and said, Joel, they're playing hardball. 0:21:46.600 --> 0:21:48.960 They don't want to talk, they don't want to negotiate. 0:21:49.080 --> 0:21:49.840 They're stubborn. 0:21:50.440 --> 0:21:54.720 A month went by, nothing happened, two months, nothing, three months, 0:21:54.880 --> 0:21:58.399 four months, five months, Like Elijah, not a cloud in 0:21:58.440 --> 0:22:01.720 the sky that it was ever going to work out. 0:22:02.400 --> 0:22:04.400 I had to do what I'm asking you to do. 0:22:04.960 --> 0:22:07.840 I just kept thanking God Father. I'm not moved by 0:22:07.840 --> 0:22:10.640 what I don't see. I don't need a sign. I'm 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:11.840 not looking for evidence. 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:13.359 I know when it's your time. 0:22:13.680 --> 0:22:17.240 All the forces of darkness cannot sup what you ever 0:22:17.400 --> 0:22:22.200 dating for us. Doubt would try to come negative thoughts. 0:22:22.480 --> 0:22:25.200 People tried to talk us out of it. Our main 0:22:25.280 --> 0:22:28.600 attorney asked me, what if I got them to give 0:22:28.640 --> 0:22:32.359 you enough funds to build a facility like this somewhere else. 0:22:33.000 --> 0:22:36.120 I told him, we don't want somewhere else. This building 0:22:36.240 --> 0:22:40.440 is a landmark in Houston. Two million Eustonians had. 0:22:40.240 --> 0:22:43.159 Come to this building every year for thirty years. 0:22:44.000 --> 0:22:46.840 Don't let a lack of evidence cause you to water 0:22:46.920 --> 0:22:47.840 down your dreams. 0:22:48.400 --> 0:22:51.440 Don't settle for mediocrity. What God has. 0:22:51.240 --> 0:22:56.040 For you is going to take resilience, determination, perseverance. You 0:22:56.119 --> 0:22:58.560 have to have a made up mind. You can't be 0:22:58.720 --> 0:23:02.000 talked out of it, can't be moved by what you see. 0:23:02.200 --> 0:23:05.800 What you see may contradict what God put in your heart. 0:23:06.520 --> 0:23:09.679 You may not see anything improving. I didn't see the 0:23:09.720 --> 0:23:13.320 other side letting up. I didn't see any sign of progress. 0:23:13.960 --> 0:23:14.879 Like Elijah. 0:23:14.960 --> 0:23:16.200 We heard no three. 0:23:16.040 --> 0:23:22.160 Times, four times, five times, no evidence, no budgeting, no movement. 0:23:22.800 --> 0:23:25.280 But if you'll stay in faith, you're going to come 0:23:25.400 --> 0:23:29.040 into your seventh time where things suddenly change. 0:23:29.080 --> 0:23:31.720 Suddenly the door opens, Suddenly. 0:23:31.359 --> 0:23:34.200 The wrong people are moved out of the way, Suddenly 0:23:34.240 --> 0:23:38.960 your health begins to turn around. One day, unexpectedly, almost 0:23:38.960 --> 0:23:42.359 two years later, our attorneys said that the other side 0:23:42.359 --> 0:23:44.840 had called and they wanted to meet. He said, Joe, 0:23:44.920 --> 0:23:47.280 don't get your hopes up. This is probably just a 0:23:47.359 --> 0:23:51.040 ploy to distract us. He didn't realize my hopes had 0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:53.199 already been up for two years. 0:23:53.240 --> 0:23:57.240 I'd been thanking God, looking for his goodness, expecting his favor. 0:23:58.040 --> 0:24:01.439 When we met the CEO of the company, the first 0:24:01.440 --> 0:24:03.919 thing he said was, Joel, I watch you on television 0:24:03.960 --> 0:24:05.640 every week, and my son. 0:24:05.480 --> 0:24:06.920 In law is a youth pastor. 0:24:07.720 --> 0:24:10.399 God knows how to bring the right people at the 0:24:10.480 --> 0:24:14.040 right time. Twenty four hours later, he had agreed to 0:24:14.119 --> 0:24:17.440 let us have the building and to lease us nine 0:24:17.480 --> 0:24:20.760 thousand covered parking spaces so we didn't have to build 0:24:20.800 --> 0:24:21.520 a garage. 0:24:22.400 --> 0:24:25.320 You may not see any sign of what you're believing for. 0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:29.040 You could get discouraged. Let the lack of evidence talk 0:24:29.080 --> 0:24:31.199 you out of it. No, stay in faith. 0:24:31.600 --> 0:24:34.760 God is working behind the scenes. Who knows you may 0:24:34.800 --> 0:24:37.760 be on your fourth time, your fifth time. This is 0:24:37.800 --> 0:24:40.520 not the time to give up. You are closer than 0:24:40.560 --> 0:24:44.159 you think. Your seventh time is coming. It's going to 0:24:44.240 --> 0:24:48.639 happen suddenly. It's going to be supernatural, something that you 0:24:48.680 --> 0:24:49.639 couldn't make happen. 0:24:50.480 --> 0:24:52.760 The truth is that CEO. 0:24:52.760 --> 0:24:55.600 Could have shown up two years earlier. He could have 0:24:55.640 --> 0:24:58.280 come three months in. I wouldn't have had to pray 0:24:58.440 --> 0:25:01.800 and believe and trust. But these times that we have 0:25:01.920 --> 0:25:06.159 to wait, believe, not be moved by what we don't see. 0:25:06.640 --> 0:25:10.119 That's preparing us for the new levels God has in store. 0:25:10.760 --> 0:25:14.440 Don't get discouraged because it's not happening on your timetable. 0:25:15.040 --> 0:25:21.280 Everything is serving God's plan when you're waiting, staying in faith, believing, 0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:22.280 when there's no sign. 0:25:22.920 --> 0:25:23.640 You're growing. 0:25:24.280 --> 0:25:27.720 You're showing God what you're made of. Instead of God 0:25:27.840 --> 0:25:30.760 proven to you who he is, You're proven to him 0:25:30.960 --> 0:25:35.159 who you are. Anybody can get discouraged. Anybody can be 0:25:35.200 --> 0:25:38.400 a Thomis. I'm not going to believe unless I see it. 0:25:38.840 --> 0:25:42.359 But God is looking for Elijah's people that aren't moved 0:25:42.440 --> 0:25:45.400 by the lack of evidence, people that don't water down 0:25:45.400 --> 0:25:51.040 their dreams, people that believe without a sign. Seventeen years old, 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:54.560 God put a dream in my father's heart that one 0:25:54.640 --> 0:25:57.439 day he would pastor a church with thousands of people. 0:25:57.880 --> 0:26:00.480 He was raised very poor, but he God off farm 0:26:00.480 --> 0:26:03.399 and in nineteen fifty nine he and my mother started 0:26:03.480 --> 0:26:07.760 Lakewood on Mother's Day with ninety people. He eventually named 0:26:07.760 --> 0:26:12.639 the church Lakewood International Outreach Center. The fact is it 0:26:12.680 --> 0:26:16.160 was a small neighborhood church, but he called it an 0:26:16.200 --> 0:26:17.400 international outreach. 0:26:17.800 --> 0:26:20.280 That dream was still alive, but. 0:26:20.200 --> 0:26:24.280 For thirteen years Lakewood didn't really grow, had less than 0:26:24.359 --> 0:26:27.800 two hundred people. My father knew what God had spoken 0:26:27.840 --> 0:26:31.399 to him. A church with thousands there was no evidence 0:26:31.960 --> 0:26:33.360 he could have gotten discouraged. 0:26:33.720 --> 0:26:36.200 God showed me a sign, let me know that it's 0:26:36.200 --> 0:26:39.440 going to happen. But year after year, my father. 0:26:39.240 --> 0:26:42.240 My mother, they just kept being faithful, preaching to those 0:26:42.320 --> 0:26:45.080 ninety people, thanking God that what he. 0:26:45.119 --> 0:26:47.000 Heard in his spirit was on the way. 0:26:47.760 --> 0:26:50.119 Be so much easier if we saw a good break 0:26:50.200 --> 0:26:53.080 or little growth there the right person show up. 0:26:53.800 --> 0:26:58.080 Sometimes God will withhold the evidence. He's seeing what we're 0:26:58.080 --> 0:27:01.200 going to do. Are we going to be a God? 0:27:01.240 --> 0:27:04.120 I'll believe. I'll give you my best if you show 0:27:04.200 --> 0:27:04.840 me a sign. 0:27:05.640 --> 0:27:09.280 God is giving you an opportunity to grow, to trust 0:27:09.320 --> 0:27:12.280 him in a greater way, to prove to him that 0:27:12.400 --> 0:27:15.400 you will walk by faith and not by sight, so 0:27:15.440 --> 0:27:19.479 he can entrust you with more. Nineteen seventy two, it 0:27:19.520 --> 0:27:22.800 was like God opened up a fawcet. People started coming 0:27:22.800 --> 0:27:26.440 to Lakewood from all over the city. Lakewood grew from 0:27:26.480 --> 0:27:30.000 a couple hundred to a church of many thousands. He 0:27:30.119 --> 0:27:33.680 saw what God put in his spirit. But God could 0:27:33.720 --> 0:27:36.399 have done that the first year or the second year. 0:27:36.880 --> 0:27:39.920 But we have to pass these tests, and we all 0:27:40.000 --> 0:27:44.639 go through silent seasons where we're believing, praying, but. 0:27:44.520 --> 0:27:47.840 Nothing is changing. You don't see any sign of what 0:27:47.880 --> 0:27:49.560 God promised is going to happen. 0:27:50.200 --> 0:27:53.600 You'll be tempted to walk away from a dream, to 0:27:53.600 --> 0:27:57.440 give up on a child, a spouse, a breakthrough. God, 0:27:57.480 --> 0:28:00.359 if you'll just do what you did for Hezekiah that 0:28:00.400 --> 0:28:02.879 you're going to do it, then I'll start believing again. 0:28:03.640 --> 0:28:07.000 But most of the time it's going to be like Elijah. 0:28:07.440 --> 0:28:10.760 No sign, people saying it's not going to happen, your 0:28:10.760 --> 0:28:12.919 thoughts telling you it's never going to reign. 0:28:13.320 --> 0:28:16.359 Do like he did. Don't be moved by what you see. 0:28:16.920 --> 0:28:20.399 Disguise may be clear right now, but your seventh time 0:28:20.640 --> 0:28:24.720 is coming. God sees your faithfulness, He sees your believing 0:28:24.800 --> 0:28:28.119 when there's no evidence. You are closer than you think. 0:28:28.480 --> 0:28:30.879 The clouds are starting to form right now. 0:28:31.240 --> 0:28:31.359 Now. 0:28:31.400 --> 0:28:34.840 I believe and declare your abundance of rain is on 0:28:34.920 --> 0:28:40.240 the way. What you're believing for is going to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, 0:28:40.680 --> 0:28:47.400 healing favor, breakthroughs, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, and. 0:28:47.400 --> 0:28:52.000 If you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to. 0:28:51.960 --> 0:28:54.840 Give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 0:28:54.880 --> 0:28:55.400 your life. 0:28:55.840 --> 0:29:00.240 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll 0:29:00.320 --> 0:29:05.280 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make 0:29:05.320 --> 0:29:06.760 you my Lord and Savior. 0:29:08.200 --> 0:29:10.520 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:10.520 --> 0:29:13.720 born again. We'd love to give you some free literature 0:29:13.760 --> 0:29:16.040 on your new walk with the Lord if you just 0:29:16.120 --> 0:29:18.720 text the number or go to the website. I hope 0:29:18.720 --> 0:29:21.920 you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep 0:29:21.960 --> 0:29:22.960 God first place. 0:29:23.280 --> 0:29:26.280 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:26.280 --> 0:29:27.680 you'll subscribe. 0:29:27.320 --> 0:29:30.040 So you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 0:29:30.120 --> 0:29:32.280 encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:32.440 --> 0:29:34.640 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:34.680 --> 0:29:38.120 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:29:38.240 --> 0:29:40.840 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:40.920 --> 0:29:41.440 us today. 0:29:41.680 --> 0:29:44.160 WE hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:44.240 --> 0:29:46.200 be sure to follow us on social media. 0:29:46.480 --> 0:29:49.760 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:50.040 --> 0:29:51.040 We'll see you next time.