Copy of Progress Under Pressure

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:03.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.360 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.040 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:11.760 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:11.800 --> 0:00:14.800 for God's very best in your life. God bless you. 0:00:15.120 --> 0:00:17.560 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:17.560 --> 0:00:19.880 you'll stay connected with us during the week through a 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:23.960 daily podcast or YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:26.400 come visit us in person. We'd love to have you 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:28.920 be a part of one of our services. Not I'd 0:00:28.960 --> 0:00:31.680 like to start with something funny. And one day Adam 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:34.920 was feeling very lonely and God said, Adam, I'm gonna 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:37.800 make you a companion. It's gonna be called a woman. 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:42.440 This person will cook for you, wash your clothes, she'll 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:45.159 bear your children, never ask you to get up in 0:00:45.159 --> 0:00:48.199 the middle of the night. She will always agree with you. 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.040 If you do have a disagreement, she'll be the first 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:54.560 to admit she was wrong. Adam said, wow, God, well, 0:00:54.600 --> 0:00:57.360 will a woman like this cost? God said an arm 0:00:57.400 --> 0:01:00.480 and a leg? Adam said, what can I get for riv? 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:04.480 And the rest is history? All right, y'all say it 0:01:04.520 --> 0:01:07.560 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:10.080 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:01:10.080 --> 0:01:12.760 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:01:13.200 --> 0:01:16.080 Today I will be taught the word of God. I'll 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:20.360 boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:24.600 I will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:28.040 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:33.160 progress under pressure. We all have times when we feel pressure. 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:36.440 We're dealing with a health issue, or people have done 0:01:36.520 --> 0:01:40.480 us wrong, a door closer in our dream. There's pressure 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:44.320 that comes from raising children, and pressure to pay bills, 0:01:44.840 --> 0:01:48.279 pressure from a conflict at work. If we don't handle 0:01:48.320 --> 0:01:51.240 it the right way, pressure will cause us to get 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:55.440 stuck and live worried, feeling overwhelmed. But if you're going 0:01:55.520 --> 0:01:58.280 to reach your destiny, you have to learn how to 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:03.480 make progress under pressure, to keep moving forward despite opposition 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:09.160 and despite uncertainty, and despite being misunderstood. You can't control 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:14.400 everything that happens on the outside traffic, a cranky coworker, 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:18.600 a health issue, but you can control what happens in you. 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:22.720 And often we think, once I get through this tough season, 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:26.079 then I'll get my joy back. Once these people quit 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:29.639 talking about me, or my boss gives me credit when 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.120 I get out from under this pressure, then don't have 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:35.400 a good attitude. But if you're waiting for the pressure 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:38.359 to subside, you're going to be waiting your whole life. 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.359 The enemy would love for us to become paralyzed by 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:45.880 the pressure. We're so focused on what's come against us. 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:49.120 We put everything on a hold, waiting for the pressure 0:02:49.160 --> 0:02:52.639 to go away. Then we'll move forward. But the pressure 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:57.000 is a sign that something amazing is coming. You wouldn't 0:02:57.040 --> 0:03:01.000 be facing pressure if you didn't have something significant in you. 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:05.120 This is not the time to get discouraged strength back. 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:07.919 This is the time to say I've come too far 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:11.480 to stop now. This may be difficult, but I know 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:14.800 I'm armed with strength for this battle. Greater is he 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:18.520 that's in me than what's coming against me. You cannot 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:22.320 only handle the pressure, but you can thrive in that pressure. 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:27.000 God gives you grace for every season. The more pressure, 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:31.280 the more strength you'll have. The more difficult the more determination, 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.480 the more adversity, the more favor you can turn that 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:39.680 pressure into power. Pressure is what turns a black piece 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:43.080 of cold into a diamond. If you'll have the right 0:03:43.120 --> 0:03:47.480 attitude instead of stopping you, that pressure will propel you. 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:50.680 But it's not enough to just endure it. All right, Joel, 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:54.119 I'll try to withstand it. Be in a defensive mode, 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:58.880 weak and worried, will stand strong. Put your shoulders back, 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:03.600 keep shining despite the trouble, Keep taking steps of faith 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:08.680 despite than they sayers, Keep believing despite the doubt. When 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:12.440 you can make progress under pressure, you can't be stopped. 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:16.400 See God is not only using the pressure to refine you, 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:20.760 to develop your character, but that pressure is leading to 0:04:20.800 --> 0:04:26.360 your purpose. You can't reach your potential without pressure. Airplanes 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.400 take off against the wind. You would think they would 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:32.240 want the wind blowing with them to make it easier, 0:04:32.880 --> 0:04:36.920 but to lift off, they need resistance. None of us 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:41.960 like pressure, but pressure is necessary. You need resistance to 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.960 rise higher and soar to the levels God is destined 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:50.760 for you. Are you letting pressure paralyze you, cause you 0:04:50.839 --> 0:04:54.479 to shrink back, live worried, or you letting that pressure 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:58.080 propel you getting up each morning knowing that you are 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:02.600 well able, that you can hand anything that comes your way. 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:06.040 If the pressure was too much, God wouldn't have allowed it. 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:09.960 The fact that you have big pressure that tells me 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:14.560 you're a big persons. God doesn't give big assignments to 0:05:14.680 --> 0:05:18.200 small people. You have great opposition, then you have a 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:22.480 great destiny. Now do your part and keep making progress 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:26.120 under pressure, doing the right thing when you don't feel 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:29.280 like it, being your best when you're not getting the credit, 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:33.520 having a good attitude when you could be complaining. You 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.920 feel that pressure. Instead of letting it weaken, you turn 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:40.040 it into power. Lord, I thank you that I'm strong, 0:05:40.279 --> 0:05:44.040 I'm anointed, I'm equipped that you being for me is 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:47.800 more than what's trying to stop me. Nobody faced more 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:51.200 pressure than the apostle Paul. He used to be called Saul. 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:56.640 He was the greatest enemy of the Church, constantly threatening believers, 0:05:57.200 --> 0:06:00.440 having them arrested and put in jail. But on the 0:06:00.560 --> 0:06:04.520 road to Damascus he was suddenly converted and became a 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:08.760 follower of Christ. The problem was none of the believers 0:06:08.800 --> 0:06:11.880 would accept him. They weren't sure that he had really 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:15.960 changed for fourteen years, they wouldn't have anything to do 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:20.000 with him. He was misunderstood and judged by his past. 0:06:20.920 --> 0:06:25.440 But instead of living frustrated waiting for people to accept him, 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:29.200 he went out to the non Jewish people the Gentiles 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:33.080 and shared the message of Christ year after year with 0:06:33.160 --> 0:06:37.359 no support from the disciples, nobody believing in him. You 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:41.520 may be where Paul was, misunderstood by people. They don't 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:44.360 give you the credit, look down on you. You could 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:49.200 easily slack all live bitter do like Paul. Keep shining 0:06:49.480 --> 0:06:53.640 despite who's not for you. Keep being your best, despite 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:57.000 who doesn't give you the credit. You're not working under people, 0:06:57.200 --> 0:07:00.520 You're working under God. He's keeping the records. You don't 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:04.679 need their approval, You have al Mighty God's approval. Acts 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:08.160 twenty one Paul was in the temple sharing his faith, 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:11.560 and these people got upset and started stirring up trouble, 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:15.040 falsely accusing him, saying that he was trying to start 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:18.800 a riot. All these lies and rumors, and before long, 0:07:18.920 --> 0:07:22.560 this angry mob started attacking Paul and beating him, and 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:26.080 they dragged him out of the temple were about to 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:29.560 kill him. At the time, Paul was put in prison 0:07:29.640 --> 0:07:33.320 for share in his faith. The deepest dungeon is hands 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:37.239 and feet in chains. Imagine the pressure he was under. 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.760 He could have been overwhelmed. This is two muths. This 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:44.760 is not fair. But at midnight sitting in that dungeon, 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:49.480 he wasn't complaining, he wasn't bitter. He was singing praises 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:53.680 to God, thanking him for his goodness. What you do 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:57.280 in your times of pressure will determine whether you get 0:07:57.280 --> 0:08:00.560 stuck there or you see God show up and do 0:08:00.640 --> 0:08:03.520 what you can't do. When you have a song of 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:07.720 praise and you're declaring his greatness, thanking him for what 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:12.440 he's promised, that pressure will turn into power. You will 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:16.120 overcome what should stop you. You'll defeat giants that were 0:08:16.200 --> 0:08:22.360 much bigger, outlast opposition much greater. While Paul was singing 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:26.240 praises at midnight, there was a great earthquake. The prison 0:08:26.280 --> 0:08:29.680 doors flung open, the change came off his feet. He 0:08:29.760 --> 0:08:33.280 walked out a free man. But sitting in that prison 0:08:33.679 --> 0:08:36.600 could have been the end of Paul's story. The pressure 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:40.280 got to him. Couldn't handle it. No, Paul had this 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:44.079 never give up mentality. He knew God wouldn't have let 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:46.920 him get in that pressure if he couldn't handle it. 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:49.920 And we can all have a good attitude when things 0:08:49.960 --> 0:08:53.839 are going our way. People are for us. The family's 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:59.000 healthy business is prospering. That's no problem. The real test 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:02.160 is what do you do when pressure comes? How do 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:05.920 you respond when people do you wrong? The medical report 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.800 wasn't good, set back in your business. How you deal 0:09:09.880 --> 0:09:13.400 with pressure will either cause you to shrink back and 0:09:13.520 --> 0:09:17.760 be overwhelmed, or you can do like Paul and keep 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:21.040 singing praises in the prison, keep doing the right thing 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:25.840 despite being misunderstood, keep taking those steps of faith despite 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:29.040 the opposition. See. I'd love to tell you the pressure 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.600 is going to go away, then you can take new ground. 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:35.520 But the fact is, before you see new levels of 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:40.080 your destiny, there will be new levels of pressure forces 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:42.960 trying to convince you that is too much. You can't 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:46.600 accomplish your dream. You're not gonna get well. Just settle 0:09:46.640 --> 0:09:51.080 where you are. No, keep pressing forward, keep declaring the promises, 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:54.839 keep thanking God that he's working. The pressure is a 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:58.800 sign that's something amazing is in front of you. When 0:09:58.840 --> 0:10:01.640 my father went to be with Lord, that was the 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:05.440 biggest challenge I'd ever faced. I knew I was supposed 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:08.719 to pasture the church, but all these thoughts told me, Joe, 0:10:08.800 --> 0:10:12.720 you're not qualified, you don't have the experience. Nobody's gonna 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:16.680 listen to you. I could have become paralyzed by the pressure, 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:20.840 shrunk back, played it safe. But I took that step 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:24.280 of faith. I discovered that God will never let you 0:10:24.360 --> 0:10:28.320 face pressure that you can't handle. It may feel like 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:31.200 it's too much, but by faith you have to take 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:34.880 hold of His strength. When I did, I felt a power, 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:40.080 an anointing, a favor to do what I had never done. 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:43.400 And the truth is the pressure didn't go away, but 0:10:43.520 --> 0:10:47.480 God sustained me In the pressure. Those lives will come. 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:50.760 It's too much you can't handle, it's over your head. 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:54.960 That's the enemy doing what he does best, trying to 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:59.680 use the pressure to intimidate, overcome to where you shrink back, 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:04.559 miss your destiny. Do like Paul, be bold, be determined, 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:08.600 and move forward under pressure. And That's what I've had 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:12.440 to do. I've seen God's favor, but it hasn't come 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:16.679 without pressure. It was pressure. When my mother was diagnosed 0:11:16.720 --> 0:11:21.840 with terminal liver cancer, felt overwhelming, no way out. We 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:25.080 could have given up and succumbed to the negative report, 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:28.960 but we chose to believe another report that God was 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:33.079 restoring health back unto her. We believed despite the doubt 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:37.280 that was bombarding our mind. When you can make progress 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:41.240 under pressure. That's when God can do miracles. There was 0:11:41.360 --> 0:11:44.319 pressure when that property was sold out from under us 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:48.320 and we couldn't build a new auditorium. There was pressure 0:11:48.480 --> 0:11:51.560 when we were one council member short for the Compact 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:54.800 Center Vogue. There was pressure when a company filed a 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.880 lawsuit to try to keep us from moving in. There 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:01.160 was pressure when I married Victoria that one. There was 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:06.160 There was pressure when we had to raise funds to 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.920 renovate this place one hundred million dollars. There was pressure 0:12:10.320 --> 0:12:13.440 dealing with the critics, and they sayers, what am I saying? 0:12:14.080 --> 0:12:16.840 If you run from the pressure, You're gonna run from 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:20.280 your destiny. If you let the stress and worry and 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:24.280 can't do it thoughts overwhelm you, then you'll shrink back 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:27.560 and miss the greatness that God put in you. You 0:12:27.640 --> 0:12:30.920 have to do it afraid, go forward when thoughts are 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:34.200 telling you there's no way, it's too much, it's never 0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:37.480 gonna change. Those are all lies to keep you from 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.840 your purpose. And this is what happened with the Israelites. 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:44.920 They wandered in the desert for forty years because they 0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:50.079 didn't handle pressure the right way. They complained, it's too hot. 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:52.880 What are we gonna eat out here? Moses? Why did 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:56.040 you bring us in the desert to die? Yes there 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:59.960 was pressure, Yes it seemed overwhelming. But they had seen 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:03.240 God part the red sea. They had seen him drown 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:07.240 their enemies, give them manna each morning for breakfast and 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:11.840 bring water out of a rock. They saw God protect, provide, 0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:15.719 and make ways. But they had a short memory. They 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:20.120 gave him to doubt, fear, and intimidation. When you feel 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:23.360 that pressure is thoughts telling it's never gonna work out, 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:28.120 Shrink back, live defeated. You need to look back and 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:30.920 see what God has done in your life. Look at 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:34.080 the times you were outnumbered, but he made a way. 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:36.800 You should have been harmed. But he kept that car 0:13:36.840 --> 0:13:39.679 from hitting you. He opened doors you couldn't open. He 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:43.240 kept your child out of trouble. He has not brought 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:46.480 you this far to leave you. That pressure is a 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:49.760 sign that a new level of your destiny is coming. 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:54.000 Now do your part and keep making progress under pressure. 0:13:54.720 --> 0:13:57.439 Don't wait for it to go away. Face that pressure 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:00.320 with faith. God. This may be too much of me, 0:14:00.880 --> 0:14:03.400 but I know it's not too much for you. There's 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.640 nothing that can stop what you purpose for my life. 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:10.720 Get your mind going in the right direction. If you 0:14:10.840 --> 0:14:14.520 think weak thoughts, you're gonna have a weak life. If 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:18.240 you think defeated thoughts can't do it, then that pressure 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:22.000 is going to overwhelm. You think victory thoughts, Think well 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:26.520 able thoughts, think more than conquer thoughts. What's interesting is 0:14:26.600 --> 0:14:30.240 the children of the Israelites, the ones that wandered in 0:14:30.320 --> 0:14:33.640 the desert, they had children out there. When they grew up. 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:37.800 They had a different mindset than their parents. They faced 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:42.320 the same pressure, same giants, same opposition, but their attitude 0:14:42.480 --> 0:14:45.720 was we are well able. Their parents came to the 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:50.040 promised land, said the giants are too big. These children said, 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:53.720 we will defeat them. They're no match for us. The 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:57.160 parents saw the walls of Jericho year after year. Man, 0:14:57.200 --> 0:15:00.720 we'll never get around them. These children said, these walls 0:15:00.760 --> 0:15:04.800 can come down. God has promised us that, Lamb, don't 0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:09.000 let the pressure keep you out of your promised land. Yes, 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:13.600 there will be giants, red seas, chariots chasing you. There 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:15.920 will be times you don't think you have the provision, 0:15:16.360 --> 0:15:20.800 the experience, the talent, all these pressure points where you 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:24.400 could shrink back and feel overwhelmed. That's when faith has 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:28.080 to kick in. You can turn that pressure into power. 0:15:28.960 --> 0:15:32.520 This is what David did. He looked at Goliath and said, 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:36.200 this day I will defeat you and feed your head 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:39.920 to the birds of the air. You can imagine the 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:44.600 incredible pressure he fell. Goliath was twice his size. King 0:15:44.680 --> 0:15:48.240 Saul said, David, you're just a boy. All he had 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:51.720 was a slingshot. Every thought said, you don't have a chance. 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:57.119 You're gonna get hurt. Despite the pressure, David ran toward Goliath, 0:15:57.600 --> 0:16:02.440 slung that rock, defeated what everyone told him was impossible. 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:06.840 If you'll move forward despite the pressure, You're going to 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.160 see some giants come down. God's going to do things 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:13.360 that make you an example of his goodness where other 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:17.760 people can see his favor on your life. Goliath was 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:21.440 this huge enemy, but really he was a huge platform. 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:27.000 God used Goliath to display his favor on David. What 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:30.320 looks like a big problem is really a big platform. 0:16:30.880 --> 0:16:34.560 That big challenge is really a big stage. God is 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.440 getting ready to show out in your life. He's going 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:41.680 to use that obstacle to establish you, give you new 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:48.400 levels of influence, favor, and respect. See King Saul disrespected David. 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:51.120 He said, you're just a boy saw him as inferior. 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:54.920 But when he defeated Goliath, Saul said, why don't you 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:58.680 come work for me? Why don't you come lead my army. 0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:01.800 People may call you a boy now, but don't worry. 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.960 When God shows up, they'll call your boss. They'll call 0:17:05.000 --> 0:17:07.480 you a giant killer. They'll call you a history maker, 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:12.040 they'll call your mighty hero. Now, don't let the pressure 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:15.960 talk you out of what God put in your heart. Sure, 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:20.560 at times you're gonna feel overwhelmed, intimidated, outnumbered, You're right 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:24.560 where you're supposed to be. That's where Paul was sitting 0:17:24.640 --> 0:17:29.439 in prison, falsely accused in Chaine. All this pressure. What 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:33.200 did he do? Sing praises God. I know you're still 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:36.880 on the throne. I know you're fighting my battles. That's 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:39.680 what causes the most high God to go to work. 0:17:40.560 --> 0:17:44.000 Not when we welt with pressure, live overwhelming. Joe, I 0:17:44.080 --> 0:17:47.479 got these people at work. They're against men, dealing with 0:17:47.520 --> 0:17:50.960 this bad medical report, had to set back in my finance. 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:53.720 I don't see how it can work out when you're 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:58.399 under pressure. It's very important what you're saying. Don't go 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:01.680 around talking about how big the giant is. I don't 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.040 see how I can get past this illness. And I'm 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:06.720 so in debt. We'll never get ahead. There's not a chance. 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:11.600 That's not only weakening your faith, but you're inviting the negative. 0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:16.600 David said, magnify the Lord with me. He didn't say, 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:20.720 magnify the problem, talk about the bad braind call your 0:18:20.760 --> 0:18:24.680 friends and discuss who hurt you. That's magnifying the wrong thing. 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:28.439 Heard about this man. He saw a guy over on 0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:31.919 the ledge of a bridge about to jump. He was 0:18:31.960 --> 0:18:34.920 so distraught and so despondent. And this man ran over 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:37.679 as fast as he could and said, please, please, don't jump. 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:41.840 Don't jump, It's gonna be okay. Just tell me your problems. 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:44.800 He sat down next to the man. He began to 0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:48.560 tell his problems, and he went on and on and on. 0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:53.120 Two hours later they both jumped. But when were under pressure, 0:18:53.359 --> 0:18:57.199 it's easy to magnify the problem, make it bigger in 0:18:57.280 --> 0:19:01.480 our mind, blow it out of proportion. Try a better approach. 0:19:01.840 --> 0:19:05.320 Magnify our God. Lord. I thank you that you created 0:19:05.359 --> 0:19:09.439 the universe, you flung stars into space, and Father, you 0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:12.080 have me in the palm of your hand. I know 0:19:12.200 --> 0:19:14.879 your plans for me are for good. That You've ordered 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:17.520 my steps that you will get me to where I'm 0:19:17.560 --> 0:19:21.840 supposed to be. As you keep magnifying God, you're gonna 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:25.680 see him do what only he can do. The Apostle 0:19:25.720 --> 0:19:28.720 Paul was on a ship headed toward Rome, and God 0:19:28.800 --> 0:19:32.080 told him he would stand before Caesar. But there was 0:19:32.119 --> 0:19:35.480 this huge storm, and for fourteen days they didn't see 0:19:35.520 --> 0:19:39.600 the sun nor the stars. All this pressure, the boat 0:19:39.760 --> 0:19:43.439 rocking and reeling, thoughts whispering, You're not gonna make it. 0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:46.840 This looks so bad. In the midst of that pressure, 0:19:47.480 --> 0:19:50.399 I can hear Paul saying some of the scriptures that 0:19:50.440 --> 0:19:53.360 he would later write. Thanks to me, to God, who 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:56.639 always causes me to triumph. All things are working for 0:19:56.800 --> 0:20:01.040 good because I love you Lord, no defeat, no intimidation, 0:20:01.600 --> 0:20:05.879 but a victorious attitude. Well, the boat ran aground and 0:20:06.040 --> 0:20:09.399 broke apart, and now Paul found himself in the water 0:20:09.520 --> 0:20:13.680 and shipwrecked, trying to survive and swimming to the shore. 0:20:14.560 --> 0:20:17.359 Finally made it to the land. So relieved, and he 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:19.840 went down to pick up a stick to make a fire. 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:24.600 A poisonous snake bit his arm. Most of us would think, man, 0:20:24.640 --> 0:20:28.040 how could he get any worse? He started off rejected 0:20:28.080 --> 0:20:32.920 and misunderstood, and beaten by a mob, put in prison, shipwreck, 0:20:33.560 --> 0:20:36.440 now bitten by this snake. You know what Paul did. 0:20:36.720 --> 0:20:39.760 He shook it off. He didn't pay any attention to 0:20:39.800 --> 0:20:43.520 the snake. He had seen God's faithfulness so many times. 0:20:43.680 --> 0:20:47.320 His attitude was, snake, you can't stop me. You may 0:20:47.400 --> 0:20:51.320 think you're poisonous, but no weapon formed against me will prosper. 0:20:51.560 --> 0:20:55.520 My God has the final saying. When you're under pressure, 0:20:55.680 --> 0:20:58.160 sometimes the best thing you can do is just shake 0:20:58.240 --> 0:21:02.639 it off. Shake off doubt, shake off the worry, shake 0:21:02.680 --> 0:21:06.160 off what they said. Like Paul, you look back over 0:21:06.200 --> 0:21:09.000 your life and you can see the faithfulness of God. 0:21:09.720 --> 0:21:11.800 You know He has not brought you this far to 0:21:11.920 --> 0:21:14.920 leave you. That the enemy wouldn't be trying to poison 0:21:14.960 --> 0:21:18.160 you if you didn't have something amazing in your future. 0:21:19.160 --> 0:21:21.720 Paul made it to Rome, and he was put in prison, 0:21:21.840 --> 0:21:24.600 and now he was an old man, looked like he 0:21:24.760 --> 0:21:29.840 was finished. Surely now he'd be discouraged, have a sad song. Now. 0:21:29.880 --> 0:21:33.520 His attitude was, you may have taken my freedom, but 0:21:33.640 --> 0:21:37.120 you have not taken my pen. These walls may keep 0:21:37.160 --> 0:21:40.160 me from coming out, but they cannot keep what I'm 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:44.200 writing from going out. Paul wrote many of the books 0:21:44.200 --> 0:21:48.600 in the New Testament in prison, under pressure, not in 0:21:48.640 --> 0:21:52.480 a good environment, people against him. That's where he wrote, 0:21:52.640 --> 0:21:55.200 I can do all things through Christ. I am more 0:21:55.240 --> 0:21:58.399 than a conqueror. In a prison cell, he could have 0:21:58.400 --> 0:22:01.040 been writing, God, where are you? I didn't think it 0:22:01.040 --> 0:22:05.240 in like this. No, he's speaking victory, fulfilling his purpose, 0:22:05.640 --> 0:22:10.159 still making progress under pressure. He summed it up in 0:22:10.280 --> 0:22:14.679 Second Corinthians four. He wrote, we are pressed on every 0:22:14.800 --> 0:22:18.120 side by trouble, but we are not crushed and broken. 0:22:18.760 --> 0:22:21.639 We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. 0:22:22.240 --> 0:22:26.000 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We 0:22:26.080 --> 0:22:28.960 get knocked down, but we get back up again and 0:22:29.080 --> 0:22:33.199 keep going. You may be where Paul was, pressed on 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:37.280 every side. A lot coming against you today, perplexed, not 0:22:37.359 --> 0:22:41.280 sure what to do, hunted down, forces trying to stop you. 0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:45.560 That's the problem. But always follow it up with the promise. 0:22:45.880 --> 0:22:49.880 You are not crushed and broken. God is fighting for you. 0:22:49.880 --> 0:22:52.719 You don't give up and quit. You have can do power. 0:22:53.280 --> 0:22:56.679 You are not abandoned. God never leaves you. He's the 0:22:56.680 --> 0:22:59.920 fourth man in the fire. Yes, we get knocked down, 0:23:00.280 --> 0:23:03.520 but we get back up and keep going. Now, I'm 0:23:03.560 --> 0:23:06.040 not telling you today that you're not gonna have pressure, 0:23:06.560 --> 0:23:10.359 but I am telling you it doesn't have to stop you. 0:23:10.359 --> 0:23:13.600 You have the most powerful force in the universe on 0:23:13.640 --> 0:23:17.400 your side. That pressure is a sign that you're headed 0:23:17.520 --> 0:23:21.400 toward the great things God has for you. Make sure 0:23:21.440 --> 0:23:25.560 you're magnifying the right thing, not the problem, not the betrayal, 0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:29.800 not the sickness. Magnify your God, the Great. I am 0:23:30.320 --> 0:23:34.200 Jehovah Rafa, the Lord, our healer, el Shada, the God 0:23:34.320 --> 0:23:37.520 who is more than enough. Paul went on to say, 0:23:37.880 --> 0:23:42.080 these light afflictions are temporary. You can get to the 0:23:42.119 --> 0:23:45.680 point where, like Paul, whatever comes against you is light. 0:23:46.440 --> 0:23:50.040 You're not moved by the pressure. The trouble doesn't discourage you. 0:23:50.480 --> 0:23:53.920 Then naysayers don't offend you. The bad report doesn't take 0:23:53.960 --> 0:23:57.560 your joy, The giant doesn't scare you. You see it 0:23:57.600 --> 0:24:01.200 as a light affliction. You know that you and God 0:24:01.320 --> 0:24:04.760 are a majority, that He wouldn't have allowed it if 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:08.880 you couldn't handle it. When Jesus was about to be crucified, 0:24:09.359 --> 0:24:12.439 he went to the garden of Gysemone one night to pray. 0:24:13.119 --> 0:24:17.199 Gassimone means the place of pressing. It's where they pressed 0:24:17.280 --> 0:24:20.760 olives and made olive oil. It Jesus was under so 0:24:20.880 --> 0:24:25.280 much pressure that he sweat drops of blood. His capillaries 0:24:25.320 --> 0:24:29.280 burst and the blood flowed. He asked his disciples to 0:24:29.359 --> 0:24:32.359 stay up and pray for him, but they fell asleep, 0:24:32.440 --> 0:24:35.400 and he was in so much agony that he fell down. 0:24:35.480 --> 0:24:38.920 He said, Father, if you can take this cup from 0:24:38.960 --> 0:24:43.119 me but not my will, let your will be done. 0:24:43.200 --> 0:24:47.320 At that point, angels came and strengthened him got up, 0:24:47.320 --> 0:24:50.479 and he told his disciples that they could continue to sleep, 0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:53.440 but he was going to go and fulfill his destiny. 0:24:54.440 --> 0:24:57.919 His greatest place of pressure is what gave birth to 0:24:58.000 --> 0:25:02.080 his greatest power. He was then crucified and rose from 0:25:02.119 --> 0:25:05.800 the dead. We don't like the pressure, but that's what 0:25:05.960 --> 0:25:09.359 gives birth to power. If you'll handle the pressure the 0:25:09.480 --> 0:25:12.439 right way, you'll come out with something you would have 0:25:12.520 --> 0:25:17.080 never had without the trouble, without the adversity, greater power, 0:25:17.520 --> 0:25:22.360 greater favor, opportunity that you've never seen. And it's interesting 0:25:22.400 --> 0:25:26.480 that the disciples fell asleep. Jesus asked for their help. 0:25:27.040 --> 0:25:30.960 He wanted their support, their encouragement, but when he needed 0:25:31.000 --> 0:25:34.320 them the most, they let him down. There are some 0:25:34.520 --> 0:25:38.199 battles that you have to fight alone. People that you 0:25:38.240 --> 0:25:41.560 were counting on won't be there, friends not available, co 0:25:41.760 --> 0:25:46.399 workers busy. This is between just you and God. If 0:25:46.440 --> 0:25:49.320 you'll dig down deep and say, God, this is difficult. 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:53.399 I'm sweating. I don't see how, but I believe that 0:25:53.440 --> 0:25:56.280 you have a way. I know you're fighting my battles 0:25:56.600 --> 0:25:58.560 that you'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. 0:25:59.280 --> 0:26:02.800 That's when the angels will come. You'll feel a supernatural 0:26:02.840 --> 0:26:06.439 strength to keep moving forward. You'll see God do what 0:26:06.600 --> 0:26:10.720 only he can do. How are you handling pressure? Are 0:26:10.720 --> 0:26:14.040 you letting it overwhelm you take your joy cause you 0:26:14.119 --> 0:26:18.000 to shrink back. Try a new approach. Turn that pressure 0:26:18.040 --> 0:26:22.479 into power. Keep making progress despite what's coming against you, 0:26:22.880 --> 0:26:26.320 doing the right thing when it's hard, taking steps of faith. 0:26:27.040 --> 0:26:30.600 The reason that pressure is great is because great favor 0:26:30.680 --> 0:26:35.160 is coming, Great healing is coming, great opportunity. Don't run 0:26:35.200 --> 0:26:39.000 from the pressure. You can handle it. God wouldn't have 0:26:39.080 --> 0:26:42.439 allowed it if you weren't well able. Like Paul, you 0:26:42.480 --> 0:26:46.359 may feel pressure on every side. I believe and declare 0:26:46.760 --> 0:26:49.680 you will not be crushed. You will not be broken, 0:26:50.040 --> 0:26:53.080 You will not be shaken. Things are about to shift 0:26:53.200 --> 0:26:58.960 in your favor. Supernatural strength, doors opening breakthroughs, healing, the 0:26:59.000 --> 0:27:03.240 fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, and if you 0:27:03.320 --> 0:27:07.280 receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give 0:27:07.320 --> 0:27:10.440 you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:27:10.920 --> 0:27:14.480 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:27:14.640 --> 0:27:18.680 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:27:18.720 --> 0:27:22.600 you my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:27:22.720 --> 0:27:25.480 we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 0:27:25.480 --> 0:27:28.080 you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. 0:27:28.359 --> 0:27:30.600 You can text the number on the screen or go 0:27:30.640 --> 0:27:33.239 to the website. But I hope you'll get into a 0:27:33.280 --> 0:27:38.200 good Bible based church and keep God first place. It's 0:27:38.240 --> 0:27:41.080 easy to feel stuck in life, wondering why things aren't 0:27:41.119 --> 0:27:44.399 changing and worrying if it'll ever happen. But there's a 0:27:44.400 --> 0:27:46.600 better way to wait. I'd love to send you my 0:27:46.680 --> 0:27:50.040 new resource called Pray It Forward. This book is a 0:27:50.040 --> 0:27:53.360 collection of prayers and promises from the Scripture to help 0:27:53.359 --> 0:27:57.159 you pray boldly to strengthen your faith. And while you're waiting, 0:27:57.280 --> 0:28:00.840 it's important to keep your mind filled with hope and expectancy. 0:28:01.280 --> 0:28:04.320 When you pray in faith, believe in what God promised, 0:28:04.520 --> 0:28:06.920 that's what moves the hands of God, and that's when 0:28:06.920 --> 0:28:10.520 you'll see doors open, healing begins to come, breakthroughs in 0:28:10.560 --> 0:28:13.040 your family. Don't let doubt hold you back. 0:28:13.320 --> 0:28:16.280 Pray it Forward as our way of saying thank you 0:28:16.400 --> 0:28:19.200 for your gift of any amount, we'd love to send 0:28:19.240 --> 0:28:22.240 you a copy of Pray It Forward Guided prayers for 0:28:22.400 --> 0:28:26.880 faith and breakthrough, inspired by real life answered prayers. Pray 0:28:26.920 --> 0:28:30.040 it Forward will help you speak God's promises over your 0:28:30.119 --> 0:28:33.600 life and over the people you love, trusting that when 0:28:33.640 --> 0:28:37.360 you ask in faith, God is already at work preparing 0:28:37.480 --> 0:28:40.520 victory ahead of you. You can take these prayers and 0:28:40.560 --> 0:28:44.160 scriptures and pray them forward. They'll build a momentum of 0:28:44.200 --> 0:28:48.160 faith that carries you past obstacles and into the promises 0:28:48.280 --> 0:28:51.800 God has spoken over your life. As you meditate on 0:28:51.880 --> 0:28:55.800 these truths, you won't be tossed back and forth by finances, 0:28:56.040 --> 0:29:00.680 health challenges, or relationship struggles. Instead, you'll be able to 0:29:00.760 --> 0:29:04.840 boldly pray with faith that is immovable and strong, and 0:29:04.960 --> 0:29:09.320 you'll be filled with peace, assurance, and joy. Don't let 0:29:09.400 --> 0:29:13.600 circumstances control your future. Pray the truth of God's word 0:29:13.680 --> 0:29:17.080 forward and faith, and watch the mountains in your life 0:29:17.160 --> 0:29:19.240 begin to move when. 0:29:19.040 --> 0:29:22.440 You pray the promises what God has spoken over your life. 0:29:22.480 --> 0:29:25.640 Those are powerful prayers and that's when God shows up 0:29:25.680 --> 0:29:28.360 and does what only he can do. Thanks so much 0:29:28.400 --> 0:29:31.000 for being with us between. I pray for you and 0:29:31.040 --> 0:29:34.960 your family every day and we appreciate your prayer and support. 0:29:35.360 --> 0:29:38.360 Your generosity helps us take this message of hope to 0:29:38.440 --> 0:29:41.320 people around the world. Now. Special thank you to our 0:29:41.440 --> 0:29:43.920 Champion of Hope partners for all you do to make 0:29:43.960 --> 0:29:46.880 the ministry possible. If you're not a partner, I hope 0:29:46.880 --> 0:29:50.160 you'll consider becoming one. But until we meet again Meid 0:29:50.160 --> 0:29:51.840 the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:52.720 --> 0:29:55.640 Be sure to request your copy of Pray It Forward 0:29:55.880 --> 0:29:59.760 Guided Prayers for faith and breakthrough, available this month by 0:29:59.760 --> 0:30:03.320 s please visiting us at Joelostein dot com or call 0:30:03.560 --> 0:30:07.040 eight eight eight five six seven Joel. You can also 0:30:07.200 --> 0:30:10.960 receive the Pray It Forward Companion prayer journal design to 0:30:11.040 --> 0:30:15.120 help you engage in scripture, personalize faith filled prayers, and 0:30:15.200 --> 0:30:19.080 put God's promises into action. With an additional gift, you 0:30:19.160 --> 0:30:22.680 can receive the Pray It Forward Prayers essential collection that 0:30:22.840 --> 0:30:26.560 centers around a prayer bowl with scripture cards design to 0:30:26.600 --> 0:30:29.680 help you physically release what's been weighing on your heart. 0:30:30.000 --> 0:30:33.480 This collection creates a powerful prayer rhythm for your life, 0:30:33.880 --> 0:30:37.880 helping you focus your thoughts, speak God's word boldly, and 0:30:37.960 --> 0:30:42.040 stay anchored in hope when circumstances try to shake you. 0:30:42.040 --> 0:30:45.840 You can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight 0:30:45.840 --> 0:30:49.880 eight five six seven Joel or logging on to Joelostein 0:30:50.000 --> 0:30:53.760 dot com today call or click any time, twenty four 0:30:53.800 --> 0:30:54.480 hours a day.