Distinctive Favor

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See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:32.880 --> 0:01:34.640 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:34.680 --> 0:01:37.679 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:38.399 the ministry. 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:40.880 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:42.440 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:42.760 --> 0:01:45.480 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:46.680 your life. 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:50.360 God bless you. 0:01:50.520 --> 0:01:52.920 It's great to be with you today, and if you're 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:55.360 ever in our area, please stop buy and be a 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:56.720 part of one of our services. 0:01:56.840 --> 0:01:57.560 I'll promise you. 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:00.480 We'll make you feel right at home to start with 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:03.680 something funny. And I heard about this pastor. He was 0:02:03.800 --> 0:02:07.280 raising money for a new sanctuary, and he told his congregation, 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:10.160 I've got good news and I've got bad news. The 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.720 good news is we have plenty of money for our 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:16.359 new sanctuary. The bad news is it's still in your pockets. 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:20.880 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:23.400 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:25.800 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:28.520 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:32.560 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:37.280 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name. 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:38.240 God bless you. 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.640 I want to talk to you today about distinctive favor. 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:46.480 There's something God has put on you that causes you 0:02:46.520 --> 0:02:50.520 to be different. It's a favor that makes a distinction 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:54.560 between you and those that don't honor God. The scripture 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:58.760 talks about how you've been called out, set apart. You 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:02.359 are a peculiar peace, a better word, a different people. 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:06.359 You're not ordinary, You're not like everyone else. You've been 0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:10.880 marked with a distinction. Says in numbers that God's face 0:03:10.960 --> 0:03:12.040 will shine down. 0:03:11.800 --> 0:03:14.320 On you and cause you to stand out. 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:19.880 This distinctive favor causes you to prosper when others are struggling. 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:24.400 You recover from a difficulty when others get stuck. You 0:03:24.520 --> 0:03:28.040 have protection when others face calamity. 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:31.480 There's a marked difference. You have an advantage. 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.120 You're not doing life just by yourself, just your strength, 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:39.680 your talent, your connections. There is a force breathing behind you, 0:03:40.160 --> 0:03:43.320 guiding you, protecting you, favoring you. 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:47.080 The most High. God has set you apart. 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:50.840 He could have chosen anyone, but he hand picked you, 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:53.680 called you out, said that's one of mine. 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:56.640 Right now. His face is shining down on you. 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.440 Don't go through life thinking that your average you could 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:04.560 never accomplish your dreams. Put your shoulders back, hold your 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:08.000 head up high. You're a part of the called out group. 0:04:08.520 --> 0:04:12.520 God has set you up for a distinctively fevered at life. 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:16.960 That means for blessings that you didn't work for, for 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:20.839 promotion that you didn't deserve, for houses that you didn't build. 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:24.800 The scripture says for vineyards that you didn't plan. It's 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:27.919 not because of who you are, it's because of whose 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:28.400 you are. 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:33.000 You've been marked with favor when you realize this, You'll 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:37.760 pray bold prayers, You'll dream big dreams. You'll expect things 0:04:37.800 --> 0:04:40.320 to happen for you that may not happen for others. 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:44.680 When others are afraid and upset and worried. You'll be 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:48.560 at peace knowing that you've been set apart, that there's 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:51.920 a hedge around you, that the enemy cannot. 0:04:51.560 --> 0:04:53.520 Cross distinctive favor. 0:04:54.560 --> 0:04:58.280 When the Israelites were in slavery, God told Moses to go, 0:04:58.360 --> 0:04:59.919 tell Pharaoh to let the people go. 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:03.240 Pharaoh wouldn't listen. He kept refusing. 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:06.960 God sent plague after plague on Pharaoh and his people. 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:11.680 Their water supply was turned to blood. Millions of flies, 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:16.279 swarms of locusts ate up their crops, destroyed their land, made. 0:05:16.080 --> 0:05:17.040 Their lives miserable. 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:22.039 But what's interesting is the Israelites, some two million people, 0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:27.240 live right next door, but these plagus never affected them. 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:31.440 At one point, there were hordes of frogs everywhere. Pharaoh's 0:05:31.480 --> 0:05:34.640 people looked frogs in their homes, frogs in their food, 0:05:34.800 --> 0:05:38.160 frogs in their bed. They were so frustrated. But on 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:41.839 the Israeli side there were no frogs. Life went on 0:05:41.920 --> 0:05:46.400 as usual. Pharaoh still wouldn't change his mind. God was 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:50.279 about to send swarms of flies into their houses, but 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:54.480 in Exodus chapter eight, God said to Pharaoh, I will 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:57.839 deal differently with the land where my people live. 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:00.840 No swarms of flies will be there. 0:06:01.600 --> 0:06:04.720 I will make a distinction between you and my people. 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:09.400 Millions and millions of flies came into Pharaoh's palace in 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:13.440 all the houses, flies so dense you couldn't see, couldn't eat, 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:17.599 couldn't sleep. Their land was ruined by flies. But right 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:21.640 next door, the Israelites had no flies. I can hear 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:24.159 them saying, I'll let you borrow my flyswater. We don't 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:27.800 need it over here. Didn't make sense in the natural. 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.880 It was the hand of God putting a distinction on 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:35.960 his people. God has put that same distinction on you 0:06:36.640 --> 0:06:40.039 when he breathed life into you. He marked you for favor. 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:43.600 March you for blessing. March you to stand out. What 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:45.160 will defeat others. 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:46.480 Won't be able to defeat you. 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:50.080 This is why you don't have to live worried, worried 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:52.880 about your safety, worried about your future, worried. 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:53.520 About your children. 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:56.479 Where there's so many negative things in the world, so 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:00.360 much crime and violence, it may be happening all around you, 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:02.640 but you have an advantage. 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:05.240 God has put a distinction on you. 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.960 The Psalm has said, a thousand may fall at my side, 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:11.240 ten thousand hit my right hand. 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:12.320 But it will not come near me. 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:17.080 God has a hedge of protection around you and your family. 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.320 For the enemy to get to you, he has to 0:07:20.360 --> 0:07:21.520 ask God for permission. 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:25.280 Now I'm not saying negative things will never happen. That's 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:29.320 not reality. I'm saying you are protected by the one 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:32.760 who controls it all. If God does allow it to happen, 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:35.720 He's promised that somehow he will turn it and use 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.960 it for your good. Fhro still wouldn't let the people go, 0:07:39.120 --> 0:07:42.280 and Moses told him there's about to be a plague 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:45.440 on all your livestock, your horses, camels. 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:45.920 Goats, and sheeps. 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:49.800 But again, like the first time, the scripture says, God 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:53.840 put a distinction on the livestock of the Israelites and 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.640 the livestock of Phoh's people, so that not one animal 0:07:57.960 --> 0:08:03.040 of the Israelites died. Notice a distinction even on your property. 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:05.200 Your house, your car, your belongings. 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.800 The next day, just like God said, all of their 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:13.120 oppressor's life stock died, but not one animal belonging to 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.080 the Israelites, and I'm sure some of. 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:19.560 Pharaoh's people thought, that's it. I'm going to the Israeli side. 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:23.520 These frogs, flies, locus, they're making my life miserable. They 0:08:23.560 --> 0:08:26.920 move over to their land, set up a temporary home, 0:08:27.320 --> 0:08:31.760 but everywhere they go the plagues followed them. It wasn't 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:35.320 where the Israelites were that kept them from the plagues, 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:39.040 it was what was on them, the distinction, the favor, 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:42.280 the blessing that comes from being a child of the 0:08:42.320 --> 0:08:45.880 Most High God. Friends, you and I have that same blessing. 0:08:46.559 --> 0:08:49.120 We may have things around us that could harm us, 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:51.280 keep us from our dreams, bring us down. 0:08:51.760 --> 0:08:52.560 Stay in faith. 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:56.600 There is a distinction on your life, on your property, 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:59.920 on your children, on your career, on your health, put 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.800 there by the creator of the universe. Growing up, a 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:07.640 friend of ours was a successful businessman. He owned thousands 0:09:07.640 --> 0:09:11.200 of acres of orange groves, and one winter it was 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:14.080 predicted they were going to have a hard freeze that 0:09:14.240 --> 0:09:16.080 was unusual in that part of the country. 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:17.880 It never froze there, and he. 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:21.199 Knew that would destroy all of his crops, cost him 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:24.360 thousands of dollars. In the natural there was nothing he 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:28.080 could do. That's what all the circumstances said. But he 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:32.080 understood this principle that God had put a distinction on 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:35.720 his property, that God had a hedge around his business. 0:09:36.400 --> 0:09:39.360 And instead of being defeated, thinking oh, great, bad luck 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:42.760 this year, he went out and walked all around his 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:47.120 orange groves and thanked God that they would live, thanked 0:09:47.160 --> 0:09:49.160 him that they wouldn't freeze, that he would have a 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:52.640 harvest that year. When the other farmers that lived around 0:09:52.760 --> 0:09:56.120 him heard what he did, that he prayed for his trees, 0:09:56.920 --> 0:10:00.400 they thought he was so strange, so far out, They. 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:01.920 Made fun ridiculed him. 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:05.880 The next day, the big freeze came in lasted a 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:09.840 little over twenty four hours. The other farmers were very discouraged, 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.520 trying to figure out how they were going to make 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:13.160 a living. 0:10:13.000 --> 0:10:14.400 Not having a harvest that year. 0:10:15.040 --> 0:10:17.440 But a couple of weeks later, it was the most 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:22.120 unusual sight. Our friends property, hundreds and hundreds of acres 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:23.199 had the most. 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.480 Beautiful, healthy orange. 0:10:25.080 --> 0:10:29.640 Trees, but the properties next to him, on all four sides, 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:33.320 their trees were totally dead. It was like somebody put 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:35.800 a blanket over his property. 0:10:35.840 --> 0:10:38.280 Even the other farmers were so amazed. 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:40.840 Instead of making fun of him, They said, next time, 0:10:41.000 --> 0:10:43.320 will you pray for our crops as well? 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:45.240 And I know some people will think, joy, it's just 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:46.000 a lucky break. 0:10:46.600 --> 0:10:48.880 That's just the way the clouds must have formed that day, 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:51.480 just the way the winds must have blown. Now, that 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:55.000 was a hand of God putting a distinction on his property. 0:10:55.320 --> 0:10:59.480 That was God's face shining down on him. God has 0:10:59.480 --> 0:11:03.880 put this distinction on you. Don't talk yourself out of it. Well, 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.679 business is kind of slow. A couple of my coworkers 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:08.640 got laid off. I don't see how I could get 0:11:08.640 --> 0:11:09.160 out of debt. 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:12.360 Your job is not your source. God is your source. 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:16.160 The economy doesn't determine whether or not you're blessed. 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:20.640 God does. He has already marked you for favor. 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.760 He's already put this distinction on your life. Dare to 0:11:24.880 --> 0:11:29.040 pray bold prayers, believe for unusual favor. 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:32.600 Take the limits off of God. You've been set apart. 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:35.480 A lady told me how she was having her best 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:38.400 year in her career. She works in some kind of 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:41.800 cells and her whole industry in general was down. 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:43.800 They were going through a transition. 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:48.800 Her coworkers were struggling, her competitors were way down, but 0:11:48.920 --> 0:11:51.920 she said, it seems like every time I turn around, 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:55.760 a new account is finding me. She told how three 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:58.559 or four times she was at the right place at 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:03.440 the right time, expectedly business dropped into her lap. She 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.040 made the statement, Jeel, I'm supposed to go out and 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:09.959 find new customers, but it's like new customers are always 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:15.120 finding me. Psalm thirty seven says even in famine, the 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:18.880 righteous will have more than enough, even in a downtime, 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:21.439 because she's the righteous. 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:25.720 Because she has this distinction, she see an increase in favor. 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:26.840 Here's the key. 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:30.480 As long as you stay close to God, as long 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:33.600 as you keep him first place, you are connected to 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:37.840 a supply line that will never run dry. 0:12:36.920 --> 0:12:38.359 Even in a slow economy. 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:41.840 God will cause clients to find you even when the 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:45.120 medical report says no way. You are connected to a 0:12:45.120 --> 0:12:50.200 supply line filled with health, wholeness, restoration. When you don't 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:53.439 see how you could accomplish your dreams, don't get discouraged. 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:57.080 You have a supply line connected with good breaks the 0:12:57.160 --> 0:13:01.280 right people ideas creativity. I have friends that live in 0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:04.080 another state and they were trying to sell their home, 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:07.760 but the housing market in their area was very depressed. 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:10.800 A large company had gone out of business, and that's 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:13.360 where many of the people worked and lived. Now there 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:16.480 was a surplus of homes on the market. On their 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:20.680 street alone, there were twelve houses for sale. The average 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:22.719 time for a house to sell back then was a 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:25.640 year and a half. Their realtor had already told them, 0:13:25.800 --> 0:13:27.760 don't be in a hurry. This is going to be 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:30.600 a long drawn out process and the value could go 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:31.439 down and down. 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:34.360 In the natural. It didn't look good. 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:38.640 But instead of expecting the worst, thinking it would never sell, 0:13:39.280 --> 0:13:43.560 this young couple was bold enough to believe, like the Israelites, 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:47.680 that God had put a distinction on their property. Every 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:50.679 morning they said, Father, thank you that you're causing our 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:53.680 house to stand out. Thank you that people are being 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:56.840 drawn to it. Six weeks after they put it on 0:13:56.920 --> 0:14:01.120 the market, they received a contract and sold it. At closing, 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:04.080 they were talking to the new owners. They told how 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:07.800 they had looked at many different properties, even houses that 0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:11.760 were of better value in a better location. But they said, 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:14.880 when we came to your house, there was just something 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:18.280 different about it. We felt a peace, We knew it 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:23.000 was supposed to be ours. What is that distinctive favor God? 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:24.720 Causing it to stand out. 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:28.000 I wonder what would happen if you would get up 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:31.720 every morning and say, Father, thank you that your face 0:14:31.840 --> 0:14:34.720 is shining down on me, thank you that you put 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:39.720 a distinction on my life. All the circumstances may say otherwise, 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:42.400 you'll never get well, you'll never meet the. 0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:44.320 Right person in your house is never going to sell. 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:45.800 Don't believe those lives. 0:14:46.560 --> 0:14:49.520 You have to have a boldness like this young couple, 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:53.920 to believe that there's something different about you, that you 0:14:54.040 --> 0:14:56.840 have a right to be blessed. You have a right 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:01.480 to see favor, not arrogantly, but in you melody, knowing 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.440 that because of who you are, a child of the 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:08.240 Most High, he has set you apart. He's put favor 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:10.480 on you that causes you to stand out. 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:12.560 Like the Israelites. 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:16.760 God has put a distinction on your life, on your property, 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:17.680 on your career. 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:19.040 You have an advantage. 0:15:19.280 --> 0:15:21.680 If you'll get this down in your spirit, you'll start 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:25.960 praying these Bowld prayers and believing for things that seem impossible. 0:15:26.800 --> 0:15:28.160 This is what my father did. 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:31.400 He tried for many years to build a new sanctuary, 0:15:31.760 --> 0:15:34.040 but every time he tried to move forward, he felt 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:38.800 an unrest knew it wasn't the right time. Nineteen eighty six, 0:15:39.120 --> 0:15:42.200 Houston was in one of the greatest recessions our city 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:46.680 had ever seen. Businesses were going bankrupt, people were struggling. 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:50.400 My father had just been released from the hospital after 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:53.960 having open heart surgery. It's a few weeks before Christmas. 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:57.480 It looked like the worst time to start any project, 0:15:58.040 --> 0:15:59.720 especially the worst time to try. 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:00.400 To raise funds. 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:03.600 But deep down he could hear God telling him to 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:06.480 do it right then, God, that doesn't make sense. 0:16:07.080 --> 0:16:08.320 This is a down time. 0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:12.560 People aren't going to have extra income. How can we possibly. 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:13.400 Raise these funds? 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:17.160 He heard God whisper, son, I want you to do 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:20.320 it now so people will know it's me and not 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:24.920 anybody else. God likes to do unuse your things in 0:16:24.960 --> 0:16:27.840 your life so that he will get the credit. A 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:30.440 year and a half later, they dedicated that new six 0:16:30.560 --> 0:16:35.280 million dollar auditorium, totally debt free, even in a down economy. 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:39.120 Even when critics said, no way, the circumstances said, it's 0:16:39.200 --> 0:16:42.120 not going to happen, God said, don't worry. It may 0:16:42.240 --> 0:16:45.720 be that way in the natural, but I'm a supernatural God. 0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:49.080 I put a distinction on you that will cause you 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:51.800 to defy the odds, to have more. 0:16:51.600 --> 0:16:53.200 Than enough, even in famine. 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.520 In the scripture, Joseph went through a lot of bad breaks. 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:01.720 He was betrayed by his brother, sold into slavery, put 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:05.280 in prison for something that he didn't do for thirteen years. 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:08.080 You could say he was in a famine. He could 0:17:08.119 --> 0:17:08.639 have been better. 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:10.760 Negative, God, why did you let this happen to me? 0:17:11.359 --> 0:17:15.840 But Joseph understood this principle. Despite the opposition, he kept 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.720 being his best, no matter how much people tried to 0:17:18.760 --> 0:17:22.080 push him down, he kept rising to the top. He 0:17:22.119 --> 0:17:25.639 worked for a man by the name of Potterphar. Joseph 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:28.640 was so excellent in what he did. He had such 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:32.320 a good attitude, Potterphar put him in charge of his household. 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:37.360 The scripture says Potterphar noticed the Lord was with Joseph, 0:17:37.960 --> 0:17:40.720 giving him success in everything that he did. 0:17:41.200 --> 0:17:42.920 Potterphar saw the distinction. 0:17:44.080 --> 0:17:46.920 God wants to bless you in such a way where 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:50.640 people notice. He wants to show out in your life, 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:53.600 where people say, you mean you sold your house in 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:55.879 six weeks when it should have taken a year and 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.919 a half. You mean all the orange groves froze. 0:17:58.960 --> 0:17:59.399 But yours. 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:02.520 Didn't You mean you built the sanctuary in the middle 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:05.840 of a recession, Joel, You mean your mother had terminal 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:07.520 cancer in nineteen eighty one. 0:18:07.520 --> 0:18:08.879 But she's still alive today. 0:18:09.359 --> 0:18:12.080 You mean you're having church in the former compact center. 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:15.440 That's what distinctive favor does. 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:17.360 Causes you to stand out. 0:18:18.480 --> 0:18:20.800 You may have seen some of this in the past, 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:22.240 but you need to get ready. 0:18:22.440 --> 0:18:25.720 You haven't seen anything yet. God is about to do. 0:18:25.640 --> 0:18:27.840 Some things in your life that are going to make 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:28.800 you notice. 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:31.159 People are going to see. 0:18:31.520 --> 0:18:34.800 Wasn't just your talent, your ability, your connections. It was 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:38.240 the hand of God opening doors that no man can open, 0:18:38.560 --> 0:18:40.080 taking you where you could. 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:40.840 Not go on your own. 0:18:41.880 --> 0:18:46.200 The scripture says, God begin to bless Potiphar for Joseph's sake. 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:50.960 Because of the distinction on Joseph's life, people around him 0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:54.320 begin to get blessed. Your company should be glad to 0:18:54.359 --> 0:18:56.600 have you at work when you get there. The blessing 0:18:56.640 --> 0:19:00.239 gets there when you show up. Favor shows up. Some 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:03.359 of your friends, relatives, coworkers, they don't even know they're 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:08.080 being blessed because of you. Well, what's interesting is Joseph 0:19:08.280 --> 0:19:11.680 was a slave. He didn't have a prestigious position. He's 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:15.600 taking care of the house, doing repairs, mowing, cleaning. On 0:19:15.640 --> 0:19:18.200 the other hand, Potterphar, he was one of the highest 0:19:18.280 --> 0:19:22.080 ranking military officials of that day. People looked up to him, 0:19:22.160 --> 0:19:26.600 saluted him, did whatever he asked. You would think that 0:19:26.760 --> 0:19:29.760 Joseph would be blessed because of Potiphar's sake. 0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:32.480 It's just the opposite what am I saying. 0:19:32.960 --> 0:19:37.320 The distinction God put on you is more powerful than positions, 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:41.880 than titles, than education. When God's face is shining down 0:19:41.920 --> 0:19:45.960 on you, You'll not only rise higher, but it's so powerful 0:19:46.200 --> 0:19:49.040 that people even around you will begin to get blessed. 0:19:50.040 --> 0:19:52.440 I know a man that used to do some consulting 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:55.160 work with us years ago, and we were a small 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:56.840 client compared to who he worked for. 0:19:57.080 --> 0:19:58.320 He consulted for these. 0:19:58.119 --> 0:20:03.600 Big fortune five hundred companies, really impressive resume. We got 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:05.320 to know each other and went out to lunch a 0:20:05.320 --> 0:20:08.440 couple of times, and about a year in he said, Joel, 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:12.600 ever since I started working for your ministry, my business 0:20:12.680 --> 0:20:15.880 has gone to a new level. He named client after 0:20:15.960 --> 0:20:19.439 client that he had picked up, big impressive names. He 0:20:19.560 --> 0:20:22.160 turned to the associates standing next to us, and he said, 0:20:22.480 --> 0:20:23.760 I like working for Joel. 0:20:23.800 --> 0:20:24.960 He brings me good luck. 0:20:25.800 --> 0:20:28.480 He called it luck, But I know it's the distinction 0:20:28.680 --> 0:20:29.800 God put on our life. 0:20:29.880 --> 0:20:32.040 It's the favor He's placed on you and me. 0:20:33.640 --> 0:20:37.520 One time Abraham moved to a new country with his family, 0:20:37.600 --> 0:20:40.639 his relatives, all his flocks and herds, and he found 0:20:40.640 --> 0:20:45.760 this beautiful piece of land, luscious green pastures, peaceful ponds. 0:20:45.920 --> 0:20:47.240 It looked like a postcard. 0:20:47.920 --> 0:20:50.840 But in a few months he realized the land couldn't 0:20:50.880 --> 0:20:54.600 sustain all the flocks and herds. He told his nephew 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:57.960 Lot to choose where he wanted to live, and Abraham 0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:01.359 would go somewhere else, said he wanted to stay there. 0:21:01.760 --> 0:21:04.919 He chose the best part of the land. Abraham, instead 0:21:04.920 --> 0:21:07.600 of arguing, he took the high road. He moved to 0:21:07.640 --> 0:21:10.680 a different part of the country, but this time all 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:13.320 he could find was a place that was dry and 0:21:13.440 --> 0:21:17.840 barren instead of lush, beautiful green pastures. Now it was 0:21:17.920 --> 0:21:22.520 like the desert, rocks sand, very little water in the 0:21:22.640 --> 0:21:26.800 natural Abraham should have struggled, seen his crops dry up, 0:21:27.240 --> 0:21:30.080 his business go down to nothing, but it was just 0:21:30.119 --> 0:21:34.080 the opposite. It wasn't any time before his flocks and 0:21:34.160 --> 0:21:38.800 herds multiplied so much that that dry barren land was 0:21:38.840 --> 0:21:42.440 turned to a beautiful oasis. In fact, the scripture talks 0:21:42.440 --> 0:21:45.320 about he had so much that he became one of 0:21:45.320 --> 0:21:47.399 the wealthiest men of that time. 0:21:48.240 --> 0:21:48.960 Like Abraham. 0:21:49.320 --> 0:21:52.760 Even if you're in the desert, because of the distinction 0:21:52.920 --> 0:21:56.160 God put on you, you're still going to flourish. Your 0:21:56.200 --> 0:22:00.000 location doesn't determine the blessing. What God put on you 0:22:00.280 --> 0:22:04.000 determines the blessing. When He called you out, he marks 0:22:04.080 --> 0:22:08.560 you for favor. Wherever you go, the blessing goes. Now, 0:22:08.600 --> 0:22:11.800 you may not have the perfect job. People aren't treating 0:22:11.800 --> 0:22:15.280 you right. You're not getting the credit you deserve. That's okay. 0:22:15.520 --> 0:22:19.520 You're not working under people, You're working unto God. People 0:22:19.560 --> 0:22:24.400 don't determine your destiny. God does keep being your best, 0:22:24.880 --> 0:22:28.320 honoring God, And like Joseph, God will cause you to 0:22:28.320 --> 0:22:31.760 be noticed. He'll cause you to stand out. Potiphar will 0:22:31.760 --> 0:22:34.920 come looking for you at the right time. God will 0:22:34.960 --> 0:22:37.880 either turn that around by promoting you, or he'll move 0:22:37.920 --> 0:22:38.720 you somewhere else. 0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:42.359 But the key is don't wait till you're out of 0:22:42.359 --> 0:22:45.479 the desert. Then you're gonna have a good attitude. Then 0:22:45.520 --> 0:22:46.960 you're going to start being your best. 0:22:47.280 --> 0:22:50.240 There's something on you right now that will cause you 0:22:50.359 --> 0:22:54.160 to prosper in the middle of the desert. See, Lot 0:22:54.280 --> 0:22:58.399 wasn't making good decisions, he wasn't honoring God. He was 0:22:58.480 --> 0:23:02.280 blessed as long as Abraham was there. But when Abraham left, 0:23:02.480 --> 0:23:06.840 the blessing left. Lot's fields dried up, his flocks went 0:23:06.920 --> 0:23:10.320 down to nothing. He ended up leaving that place. Abraham 0:23:10.359 --> 0:23:13.879 had to go and rescue him. Like Lot, there are 0:23:13.960 --> 0:23:16.840 people God put in your life right now that are 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:20.879 being blessed because of you. They may never realize it, 0:23:21.280 --> 0:23:22.800 they may never tell you thank you. 0:23:23.160 --> 0:23:26.720 Don't worry. God is keeping the records. Those are seeds 0:23:26.760 --> 0:23:29.439 that you're so in. He'll make sure you are blessed 0:23:29.480 --> 0:23:30.280 in a greater way. 0:23:31.520 --> 0:23:35.439 Back then, they would even pray to the God of Abraham. 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:39.480 When they saw how blessed Abraham was, how he flourished 0:23:39.520 --> 0:23:42.040 even in the desert, they thought, if we can get 0:23:42.040 --> 0:23:45.679 to his God, maybe will be blessed. God wants to 0:23:45.680 --> 0:23:48.679 put such a distinction on you. He wants you to 0:23:48.760 --> 0:23:51.840 stand out in such a way that people want what 0:23:51.920 --> 0:23:54.720 you have. They say, I'm gonna pray to the God 0:23:54.960 --> 0:23:55.600 of those people. 0:23:55.640 --> 0:23:56.320 At Lakewood. 0:23:56.840 --> 0:23:58.920 I'm gonna pray to the God of Robert, to the 0:23:58.960 --> 0:24:00.639 God of Susan, to the God of Maria. 0:24:00.760 --> 0:24:01.239 Look at her. 0:24:01.280 --> 0:24:04.560 She's so blessed, she's so faithful, she's so generous, she's 0:24:04.600 --> 0:24:07.159 so talented. If I can get to her, God, I 0:24:07.200 --> 0:24:10.480 believe I can be blessed. I received an email from 0:24:10.520 --> 0:24:13.679 a lady named Ruby. One night after dinner, she and 0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:17.320 her husband George, took out the leftovers and they were 0:24:17.320 --> 0:24:22.320 playing with different recipes to make gumbo, trying different combinations, 0:24:22.520 --> 0:24:25.800 different spices, just having fun seeing what they could create. 0:24:26.560 --> 0:24:29.200 They came up with a recipe they liked so much 0:24:29.560 --> 0:24:31.480 they started selling it door to door. 0:24:32.119 --> 0:24:34.080 Was a big hit. Everyone loved it. 0:24:34.880 --> 0:24:38.600 One night, they saw on television a commercial where this 0:24:38.720 --> 0:24:42.720 large grocery store chain was looking for contestants for a 0:24:42.760 --> 0:24:46.800 cooking competition. Whoever won would get to put their product 0:24:46.880 --> 0:24:49.919 up on the shelf. They sent their gumbo in and 0:24:50.040 --> 0:24:53.719 out of six hundred applications, they were notified that they 0:24:53.760 --> 0:24:56.359 made it to the top twenty five. They were so 0:24:56.480 --> 0:24:59.800 excited they kept praying and believing. A few months later 0:25:00.119 --> 0:25:03.880 they announced the grand prize winner. Unfortunately, it wasn't them, 0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:06.600 it was like the wind had been taken out of 0:25:06.600 --> 0:25:10.320 their cells. They attend Lakewood and I'd just spoken about 0:25:10.359 --> 0:25:15.440 how God strategically orchestrates our steps, how he doesn't always 0:25:15.480 --> 0:25:18.120 take us in sequence from A to B to see. 0:25:18.480 --> 0:25:21.800 Sometimes he'll take you two steps ahead, one steps back, 0:25:21.840 --> 0:25:24.560 and then five steps forward. The key is you have 0:25:24.680 --> 0:25:27.879 to trust Him in those times where it feels like 0:25:28.040 --> 0:25:32.280 you're going the wrong direction. Several months later, Ruby was 0:25:32.320 --> 0:25:35.359 in our Wednesday night service when she received a phone 0:25:35.400 --> 0:25:38.639 call from her contact at that grocery store chain. 0:25:39.000 --> 0:25:40.320 She went out and answered it. 0:25:40.840 --> 0:25:44.200 They said, even though you didn't win, we like your 0:25:44.200 --> 0:25:46.520 gumbo so much we still want to put it on 0:25:46.560 --> 0:25:50.399 our shelves. They were thrilled. They couldn't believe it. But 0:25:50.560 --> 0:25:55.119 part of this distinction is God wants to accelerate your 0:25:55.200 --> 0:25:58.760 dreams coming to pass. He's going to speed things up, 0:25:59.000 --> 0:26:02.280 make it happen fast than you thought. Two weeks ago, 0:26:02.800 --> 0:26:06.280 the store called back and said, your gumbo is so great, 0:26:06.680 --> 0:26:09.040 we would like for you to create for us a 0:26:09.160 --> 0:26:12.160 whole food line and will help you get it started. 0:26:12.720 --> 0:26:15.639 They went from one night playing in their kitchen with 0:26:15.760 --> 0:26:20.560 leftovers to less than a year later having the availability 0:26:20.840 --> 0:26:23.280 to have a food line in one of the largest 0:26:23.320 --> 0:26:27.040 grocery store chains around. Friends, God knows how to get 0:26:27.040 --> 0:26:30.840 you noticed. His face is shining down on you right now. 0:26:31.160 --> 0:26:35.240 He's put a distinction on your life, your property, your career, 0:26:35.520 --> 0:26:38.440 your children. It's going to cause you to stand out. 0:26:39.160 --> 0:26:41.520 It's going to open doors that you could never open. 0:26:41.960 --> 0:26:46.480 It's going to bring opportunity, the right people, good breaks. 0:26:46.960 --> 0:26:48.359 You're not doing life alone. 0:26:48.760 --> 0:26:52.200 You have the most powerful force in the universe breathing 0:26:52.359 --> 0:26:56.600 in your direction right now. You've been called out, set apart, 0:26:57.040 --> 0:26:59.960 chosen to live a distinctively favored life. 0:27:00.080 --> 0:27:04.119 Now do your part. Pray bold prayers, take the limits 0:27:04.119 --> 0:27:06.400 off of God. Believe for your dreams. 0:27:06.720 --> 0:27:10.280 If you'll do this, I believe and declare, God is 0:27:10.320 --> 0:27:13.159 going to show out in your life in amazing ways. 0:27:13.800 --> 0:27:18.120 Like Abraham. You will prosper in a desert, like Joseph. 0:27:18.280 --> 0:27:20.720 He's going to cause you to be noticed and like 0:27:20.760 --> 0:27:24.119 this last couple, it's going to happen faster than you think. 0:27:24.480 --> 0:27:27.200 In Jesus' name, if you receive it, can you say 0:27:27.240 --> 0:27:31.560 him in today? We never like to close our broadcast 0:27:31.720 --> 0:27:34.840 without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus, the Lord 0:27:34.840 --> 0:27:37.920 of your life. Would you pray with me, Just say, 0:27:38.320 --> 0:27:41.680 Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. 0:27:43.160 --> 0:27:49.400 Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Amen. 0:27:49.840 --> 0:27:52.439 Well, we believe if you prayed that simple prayer, you 0:27:52.520 --> 0:27:55.720 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:27:56.119 --> 0:27:58.920 Keep God first place. He's going to take your places 0:27:59.080 --> 0:28:02.520 that you've never dreamed. Thanks so much for listening to 0:28:02.520 --> 0:28:05.919 today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive 0:28:05.960 --> 0:28:09.440 the latest podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all 0:28:09.480 --> 0:28:10.040 through the week. 0:28:10.200 --> 0:28:10.800 Help us to. 0:28:10.760 --> 0:28:13.120 Continue to share the message of hope with those all 0:28:13.119 --> 0:28:13.919 around the world. 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:17.000 Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 0:28:17.040 --> 0:28:19.199 description to partner with us today. 0:28:19.480 --> 0:28:21.919 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:28:22.000 --> 0:28:23.960 be sure to follow us on social media. 0:28:24.240 --> 0:28:27.560 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:28:27.800 --> 0:28:28.840 We'll see you next time. 0:28:30.880 --> 0:28:33.359 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:28:33.440 --> 0:28:37.160 for their mental health struggles. 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