Divine Detours

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See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:32.880 --> 0:01:35.600 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:35.640 --> 0:01:38.399 our podcast and thanks for supporting 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 --> 0:01:48.640 your life. Well, God bless you. It's great to be 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:51.680 with you today. I hope you'll stay connected with us 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:55.000 during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:58.560 social media, and you can come visit us in person. 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:00.640 We'd love to have you be a part of one 0:02:00.640 --> 0:02:03.240 of our services, but I like to get started with 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:05.960 something funny. And heard about this man that got a 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:09.480 new dog and he was having a terrible time training him. 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:13.160 On the verge of despair, he came across a charismatic 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:16.440 evangelist who said, leave the dog with me. I have 0:02:16.520 --> 0:02:19.840 him trained in no time. The next week the owner returned. 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.040 The evangelist picked up a stick through it said fetch. 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:26.200 The dog took off, picked it up, brought it right back. 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:30.360 The evangelist said drop. The dog immediately dropped it. The 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:33.480 owner was so impressed he said, can I drive? The 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:36.360 evangelist said sure. The owner looked at the dog and 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:39.440 said heal. The dog lifted up his paw placed it 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:42.120 on the men's forehead. Said I command you, sickness to leave. 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:46.720 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:49.480 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:52.120 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:52.200 --> 0:02:56.079 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:59.440 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:04.720 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:08.799 to talk to you today about divine detours. We all 0:03:08.840 --> 0:03:13.240 have times in life where things go wrong, unexpected challenges, 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:17.359 closed doors, people that walk away. It's easy to get 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:20.000 discouraged and think we must have missed it because it 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:23.959 didn't work out. But God uses the wrongs to move 0:03:24.080 --> 0:03:28.160 us into our purpose. What looks like a setback is 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:32.359 really a divine detour, the hand of God taking us 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:36.600 through wrongs that are leading us to rights. We don't understand. 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:40.440 It doesn't make sense to us. The door closed. That 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:44.520 was wrong. They lied about me, that was wrong. The 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.680 pandemic hit Joel right when my business started. That was wrong. 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:51.280 Now I know it seems unfair. I know it doesn't 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:55.120 feel good. But the wrongs are necessary to get to 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:58.800 the rights. They're a part of God's plan. You couldn't 0:03:58.840 --> 0:04:02.080 become who you were heated to be without the wrongs. 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:05.720 And if you don't understand this, you'll fight everything that 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:09.800 goes wrong. Upset over that coworker that left you out, 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:14.720 bitter because that person walked away, discouraged over that plan 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:18.240 that fell through. But what if you knew it had 0:04:18.279 --> 0:04:22.120 to happen, that God was using the wrongs, that what 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:25.839 you thought was a setback is really a divine detour. 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.640 Then you'd stay in peace. You'd say, God, I don't understand. 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:32.800 It feels wrong to me. But God, I trust you. 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:36.120 I know you're ordering my steps. I know you know 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:40.000 what's best for me. Jesus was on the Mount of Olives, 0:04:40.440 --> 0:04:44.120 about to be arrested and crucified. The soldier showed up 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.120 Judas kissed him on the cheek. So that's the one. 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:51.360 They went to apprehend Jesus. But Peter said, I don't 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:54.800 think so. This is wrong. He got his sword out 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:58.279 and cut off the soldier's ears. Said take that. You're 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:02.120 not taking my messiah. It was wrong that Jesus was 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:06.520 falsely accused, was wrong that people mocked him, was wrong 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:09.360 that he was betrayed. Peter had a good point. I'm 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:12.880 going to do something about these wrongs. The other disciples 0:05:12.920 --> 0:05:15.880 were about to fall a suit. They said, Lord, should 0:05:15.880 --> 0:05:19.680 we fight them too. We brought our swords. Jesus said 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:24.160 to them, don't resist anymore. He was saying, put down 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:27.800 your swords. Quit fighting these wrongs. They're a part of 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:31.799 my destiny. What you can't see is all these wrongs 0:05:31.839 --> 0:05:35.640 are leading to a right. The wrongs are necessary to 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:40.120 get us into our purpose. Without the betrayals, the rejection, 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:43.839 people not accepting him, Jesus would have never gone to 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:48.160 the cross. We wouldn't have salvation. It wasn't the enemy 0:05:48.320 --> 0:05:51.919 leading him into the wrongs. It was the hand of God. Now, 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:54.200 I'd love to tell you that if you'll honor God, 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:58.760 keep him first place, you'll only see favor, promotion, good breaks. 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:04.279 That's not real. God uses the wrong. There will be delays, 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:09.080 set backs, things you don't understand, and like Peter, you'll 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:13.520 be tempted to fight, get upset, live frustrated God. Where 0:06:13.560 --> 0:06:16.800 are you now? God is saying, put down your sword, 0:06:17.640 --> 0:06:21.560 Quit fighting everything you don't like, Quit being frustrated by 0:06:21.560 --> 0:06:26.080 the wrongs. God is in complete control all those wrongs. 0:06:26.240 --> 0:06:28.840 I can assure you. They're leading you to a right. 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:31.880 You have to get through the wrongs to see the 0:06:31.960 --> 0:06:35.480 awesome things God has in store. But too many people 0:06:35.520 --> 0:06:38.080 get stuck in the wrongs. Why did they leave me? 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:40.919 Why didn't the loan not go through? Why didn't I 0:06:40.960 --> 0:06:44.600 get that position? Here's a good thought, don't fight it. 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:49.400 Flow with it. Yes it's wrong, Yes it's painful, but 0:06:49.480 --> 0:06:52.400 God wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't leading you 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:57.240 to the right thing. It's a divine detour. Every wrong 0:06:57.480 --> 0:07:00.960 is not the enemy. Sometimes it's God, God working out 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:04.600 his plan for your life. How you handle the wrongs 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.280 will depend on whether you see the right. If you 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:12.120 see every wrong as the enemy, get up set, try 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.720 to pay people back. I can't believe this happened. Then 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:19.360 you'll get stuck. But when you understand that God has 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:24.080 divine detours, that he uses the wrongs things we don't 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:28.560 understand to move us into our destiny, you won't fight it. 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:32.200 You'll flow with it. This is what the apostle Paul did. 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:35.800 He was doing the right thing, going to different cities 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:39.720 and building churches, writing the New Testament. When he was 0:07:39.840 --> 0:07:43.080 arrested for sharing his faith. He was on a boat 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:46.400 headed toward Rome. In the middle of the journey, there 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:49.960 was a huge storm. For fourteen days. They didn't see 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:53.160 the sun or the stars. The waves were so high 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:56.080 and the wind so strong, got to the point where 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:59.520 they couldn't steer the ship. God had promised Paul that 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:02.760 he was going to stand before Caesar. Now the captain 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:06.160 of the ship, the crew, they'd all given up. They 0:08:06.200 --> 0:08:09.800 were throwing the cargo overboard, trying to keep the ship 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:13.120 from sinking. Paul told them not to worry that their 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.480 life was not going to be lost. The scripture says 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:20.320 the captain took down the cells and let the wind 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:24.720 blow the ship wherever the storm wanted it to go. Now, 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:27.840 I know we stand against sickness, we stand against addictions, 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:31.880 but there are some storms that you don't fight. You 0:08:31.960 --> 0:08:35.040 have to take down your cells. Quit trying to make 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:38.199 it work out your way, Quit trying to fix it. 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:42.800 It's a divine detour. You fighting that storm is fighting 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:46.200 the purpose of God. You're not going to win. What 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:50.200 you can't see is the wrong. The storm is leading 0:08:50.240 --> 0:08:53.520 to a right. It's taking you to where God wants 0:08:53.559 --> 0:08:58.960 you to go. Sometimes trouble is transportation. It's moving you 0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:02.440 one step further to where you're supposed to be. The 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:06.080 ship crashed on some rocks. He and all those on 0:09:06.200 --> 0:09:09.160 board swam to an island. There were a bunch of 0:09:09.280 --> 0:09:12.760 natives living there. Paul shared the good news and some 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:16.439 became believers. There were sick people. Paul prayed for it. 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:20.320 They were healed. It wasn't a bad break, it was 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:24.040 a divine detour. The storm was a part of God's 0:09:24.080 --> 0:09:28.240 plan to move Paul to an island in need, and 0:09:28.280 --> 0:09:31.600 instead of fighting the wrongs, look around at who's in 0:09:31.640 --> 0:09:35.000 your life. Who can you be a blessing to, Who 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:37.959 can you encourage? Who can you pray for? Who can 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:42.360 you Mentor maybe that storm was God moving you into 0:09:42.400 --> 0:09:46.720 position to impact someone else. How about putting your sword down? 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:51.600 How about not resisting everything? Instead of fighting it, try 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:55.800 flowing with it. God will never allow something that he's 0:09:55.840 --> 0:09:58.640 not going to use for your good. And we know 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:01.040 God will take what the enemy he meant for evil 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.520 and turn it for good. But what I want us 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:07.200 to see is many things are not the enemy. God 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:11.560 uses wrongs to move us into our purpose. If you 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:15.640 see every setback, every betrayal, every negative thing as the enemy, 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:19.560 then you'll live frustrated, wondering why God let it happen? 0:10:20.120 --> 0:10:24.240 Maybe I did something wrong? Or could it be? Like Paul, 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.000 you're in the perfect will of God, but you're on 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:31.440 a divine detour. See Joseph was a teenager when God 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:33.559 put a dream in his heart that one day he 0:10:33.600 --> 0:10:36.559 would be in leadership, that he would do great things. 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:42.000 What happened, doors opened, good people showed up, promotion. You know, 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:46.319 his brothers became jealous and threw him into a pit. Betrayal. 0:10:46.640 --> 0:10:50.200 That was wrong. He was sold as a slave, went 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:54.160 to a foreign country, didn't speak the language. That was wrong. 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:58.560 He was working hard, being his best. When the owner's 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:01.920 wife lied about him, falsely accused him, he was put 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:06.440 in prison. Another wrong. One night, the Pharaoh, the leader 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:09.520 of the country, had a dream that he didn't understand. 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:13.800 Someone told him that Joseph, this prisoner, could interpret dreams. 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:18.000 The scripture says, they brought Joseph quickly to the palace. 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:21.600 All these wrongs, now he's about to meet the most 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:26.360 powerful person of that day. He interpreted the dream. Pharaoh 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:29.600 was so impressed he made Joseph the prime minister of 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:33.920 all of Egypt, second in command. Only to him. Notice 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:37.640 how all the wrongs were leading to a right. Without 0:11:37.679 --> 0:11:40.360 one of the wrongs, he'd never gotten to the palace 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:44.040 if he'd skipped the betrayal, If his brothers wouldn't have 0:11:44.080 --> 0:11:47.200 been jealous, the whole plan wouldn't have worked. If he 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.880 hadn't have been sold as a slave, if the lady 0:11:49.920 --> 0:11:53.000 hadn't lied about him, we wouldn't be talking about Joseph. 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:58.680 All the wrongs were necessary to get to the right place. Now, 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.840 maybe you're having some wrong in your life. People that 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:05.480 didn't keep their word. The pandemic sets you back, the 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.319 door closed on that dream you worked so hard for. 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:12.080 How do you know you're not a Joseph? Do you 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:15.320 think somehow that when God was planning your life he 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:19.319 was having a bad day. No, those are divine detours. 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:23.120 You are still in the palm of God's hand. Now 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:26.400 what you do in the detour, what you do in 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:29.800 the wrongs, will determine whether you come out or whether 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:34.240 you stay there. If Joseph was bitter, upset God, I 0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:37.480 can't believe it. I know you promised me this. Why 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.079 did you let my brothers do this to me? If 0:12:40.120 --> 0:12:42.520 he had been trying to get revenge, he wouldn't have 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:46.400 made it to the right place. Joseph's attitude was, I 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:49.440 don't like it. It's not fair, but I'm not gonna 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:51.840 fight it. I'm gonna flow with it. I know God 0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:54.480 is still on the throne and what He's purpose for 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:58.520 my life will come to pass. Are you fighting or 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:02.079 are you flowing? Do you have your sword out trying 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:06.480 to straighten people out, fix this problem, manipulate this situation, 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.360 worn out, trying to get rid of the wrongs. Try 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:14.160 a different approach. Put your sword up, quit fighting, and 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:18.000 start flowing. That storm is leading you to your destiny. 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.200 God wouldn't have allowed it if it was going to 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:25.120 stop your purpose. If that person that walked away could 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:28.600 stop your destiny, they would be more powerful than God. 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:33.440 If that betrayal, disappointment, the closed door could keep you 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:37.400 from your purpose, then it would be stronger than God. Yes, 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:40.679 it was wrong. I'm not saying it wasn't hurtful. I 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:43.480 know it didn't feel good, But you have to understand 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:48.520 it's leading you to a right. It's not random, it's strategic. 0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:52.120 It's not the enemy. It's the hand of God leading 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:56.960 you into something more amazing than you've ever imagined. Joseph 0:13:57.040 --> 0:14:01.000 said to his brothers Genesis, chapter fifty. You did this 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:04.520 for evil, but God meant it for good so I 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:09.319 could save the Israelites. That phrase meant it means God 0:14:09.400 --> 0:14:12.959 put me in this position. We think God is always 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:16.439 just fixing what the enemy does, working overtime, trying to 0:14:16.520 --> 0:14:20.480 keep up. Oh man, what happened? Joseph got betrayed? You 0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:22.520 me and his brothers threw him into a pit. What 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:25.800 am I gonna do? What'd you say. Paul's in a storm, 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.040 about to lose his life. I thought he was going 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:32.440 to Rome. Red alert. Jesus is being arrested. Like all 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:37.000 these alarms are constantly going off, God's having to play catchup. No, 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:40.840 God is not caught off. God many of these things 0:14:40.840 --> 0:14:43.640 we think is the enemy. The truth is it's the 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:47.680 hand of God moving us into our purpose. The wrongs 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.520 are leading to a right. But if you don't know 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.920 how to go through the wrongs with the good attitude, trusting, 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:58.000 knowing that God is still in control, then you'll be frustrated. 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:03.840 Have a new perspective. The detours aren't random, they're divine detours. 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:09.040 No more fighting, start flowing, no more resisting. Put down 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:11.920 your sword. You can live out of a place of 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:15.920 rest knowing that the wrongs, the things you don't understand, 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:19.720 they're not stopping you. They're leading you into the perfect 0:15:19.720 --> 0:15:23.120 plan that God laid out for you. A few years 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.560 after I began pastoring, the church started to really grow 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:30.440 and we needed a larger auditorium. We found this one 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:33.920 hundred acre tract of land on the freeway about two 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:36.800 miles from the other church, and I talked to the owner. 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:39.080 He said it had been on the market for over 0:15:39.160 --> 0:15:42.240 twenty years and he had never had one offer. I 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:44.960 thought God saved this just for us. It was perfect. 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:48.880 The owner said, you can do your preliminary drawings and 0:15:49.240 --> 0:15:52.800 soil samples. What were drawing up the contracts? No big hurry. 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.720 Several months later we went to close on the property. 0:15:57.040 --> 0:16:00.400 The men's secretary came out said, I'm sorry, but the 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:04.240 owner sold the property to someone else last night. I 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:08.360 couldn't believe it. Didn't keep his word. I was so disappointed. 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:11.960 I just knew that was the devil taking our property. Well, 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:14.560 a couple of months later, we found a better piece 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:18.320 of property, had more space for parking. They were building 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:21.480 a new off ramp from the freeway give it better access. 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:24.640 I knew that's why the other property didn't work out. 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.480 We went to close on it, believe it or not, 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:30.840 the same thing happened. They sold it to someone else. 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:35.240 I was discouraged. I didn't understand it. I had to 0:16:35.280 --> 0:16:37.800 do what I'm asking you to do. I said, God, 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:40.680 I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to fight it. I'm 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:44.120 gonna flow with it. I know these closed doors mean 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:47.720 you have something better, so I'm gonna take down mysels, 0:16:48.240 --> 0:16:50.720 and let these winds blow us to where you want 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:55.320 us to go. Six months later, a friend called hadn't 0:16:55.320 --> 0:16:57.520 spoken to him in a long time, and he told 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:00.600 me how the Houston Rockets basketball team was going to 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:03.200 move out of the Compact Center. The city was going 0:17:03.240 --> 0:17:05.640 to put it up for self. When I heard that, 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.600 something came alive on the inside. By the grace of God, 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:13.360 things fell into place. Three years later it was our building. 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.080 The reason our plans don't work out many times is 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.800 because they're too small. What God has in your future 0:17:22.040 --> 0:17:27.879 is bigger, better, more rewarding than you can imagine. Don't 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:31.600 fight the wrongs. The wrongs are necessary to get you 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:35.320 to the fullness of your destiny. Was wrong that the 0:17:35.440 --> 0:17:38.240 first man didn't keep his word, was wrong that the 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:41.679 second group sold the property out from under us. But 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:45.320 I've discovered in this case, two wrongs were leading to 0:17:45.359 --> 0:17:48.080 a right. It was all a part of God's plan. 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:52.639 I don't fault that first man anymore. It wasn't his choice. 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:55.280 He was a pawn in the hand of God. He 0:17:55.400 --> 0:17:59.080 had to say no. He couldn't override God's purpose. That 0:17:59.240 --> 0:18:02.399 second group, they had to turn us down. God wanted 0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:07.199 that door closed. That wasn't rejection. That was protection. That 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:10.200 was to keep us from missing the best plan God 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:13.240 had for us. And there may be things in your 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:16.960 life right now that you're disappointed over that weren't fair. 0:18:17.080 --> 0:18:20.080 You don't understand. One day you're going to look back 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:23.680 and say, like me, it had to happen. They had 0:18:23.720 --> 0:18:27.080 to say no. Judas had to betray me. My brothers 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:29.480 had to throw me into the pit. The door had 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:33.160 to close, the storm had to come. All these things 0:18:33.320 --> 0:18:35.600 had to go wrong so you could get to the 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:39.960 right place. It's not just a detour, it's a divine detour. 0:18:40.400 --> 0:18:44.520 It's the hand of God ordering your steps. Years ago, 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:49.159 Victoria lost her wedding band. This ring was very sentimental. 0:18:49.800 --> 0:18:52.400 It had been passed down from her grandmother to her 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:56.200 mother and now to Victoria. For months, we looked everywhere 0:18:56.280 --> 0:19:00.240 for that ring, in every drawer, underneath every cushion, in 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:03.840 her purse, her pant pockets. We combed the house, but nothing. 0:19:04.400 --> 0:19:08.399 I finally gave up, just thought it's gone. Three years later, 0:19:08.680 --> 0:19:12.920 one Sunday, after service, we drove to Victoria, Texas, where 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:14.880 I was going to speak for my sister and brother 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:18.760 in law. That night, to two hour drive. After the service, 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:21.920 I was tired and ready to get back home. There 0:19:22.000 --> 0:19:24.840 wasn't a car on the road out there in the country. 0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:28.840 Eleven o'clock at night. The speed limit was sixty, but 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:31.800 I was going a little bit over. I would tell 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:33.840 you how fast, but my mother's on the front road. 0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:37.359 Victoria said, Joe, you better slow down. You're gonna get 0:19:37.400 --> 0:19:40.920 a ticket. Said Victoria, there's nobody out here. It's wide open. 0:19:41.240 --> 0:19:43.960 About that time, I saw these flashing red lights behind 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.440 me and I looked over at her, and she just 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.760 shook her head like I told you so, no mercy whatsoever. 0:19:51.400 --> 0:19:54.440 This officer came to my window, a young man, was 0:19:54.560 --> 0:19:57.959 very nice, and I handed him my driver's license. He 0:19:58.000 --> 0:20:00.439 looked at it and said, you're that minister, aren't you. 0:20:01.040 --> 0:20:04.320 I said, with a big smile, Yes I am. He said, 0:20:04.359 --> 0:20:07.760 my father is the head usher where you spoke tonight 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:11.560 at Faith Family Church. I said, that's amazing. I talked 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:16.040 to him. He's such a fine man. Lord, forgive me. 0:20:16.280 --> 0:20:19.520 He has to see our insurance card. He wanted the 0:20:19.560 --> 0:20:23.200 insurance cards, so Victoria started digging around the glove compartment. 0:20:23.480 --> 0:20:27.080 Couldn't find him anywhere. It was dark, couldn't see anything. 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:30.640 She finally pulled everything out, had it on her lap 0:20:30.720 --> 0:20:33.960 going through it. Then she reached deep into the back 0:20:34.000 --> 0:20:38.159 of the glove compartment and felt something hard, something strange. 0:20:38.440 --> 0:20:41.159 She maneuvered a little more, pulled it out, lo and 0:20:41.200 --> 0:20:45.240 behold it was Harim. She shouted like she had won 0:20:45.280 --> 0:20:49.200 the lottery. I thought, girl, you'll rejoicing. I'm about to 0:20:49.240 --> 0:20:53.240 go to jail. She was like, I got my rien back. 0:20:53.440 --> 0:20:57.320 I'll come get you in two weeks. We told the 0:20:57.359 --> 0:21:00.920 officer and he was very happy for us. He said, hey, 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:03.679 I've been wanting to come to your church. If I do, 0:21:03.800 --> 0:21:06.240 will you get me a seat? I said, officer, I'll 0:21:06.280 --> 0:21:10.160 get you a whole section. He handed me my license 0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:14.320 said I'll see you next week. That was a divine detour. 0:21:15.160 --> 0:21:18.199 I didn't like getting pulled over. The fact is I 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:21.520 was in the wrong, but even my mistake was leading 0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:26.760 to a right. That's how good our God is. Mary 0:21:27.080 --> 0:21:31.000 was a teenager living in Nazareths. She was engaged to 0:21:31.040 --> 0:21:33.800 get married to a young man named Joseph. You can 0:21:33.880 --> 0:21:37.360 imagine how excited she was. She was planning a wedding, 0:21:37.800 --> 0:21:41.000 picking out her flowers, her girlfriend's giving her a shower. 0:21:41.600 --> 0:21:45.520 Joseph was a great catch, fine upstanding man. This was 0:21:45.560 --> 0:21:48.320 one of the best times of her life. Then an 0:21:48.400 --> 0:21:51.159 angel came and told her she was going to have 0:21:51.200 --> 0:21:54.280 a baby without knowing a man, that he would be 0:21:54.359 --> 0:21:58.480 the Messiah. She couldn't believe it. This was amazing news. 0:21:58.680 --> 0:22:01.080 Out of all the women in the world, she had 0:22:01.080 --> 0:22:04.880 been chosen to carry Jesus. What the angel didn't tell 0:22:04.960 --> 0:22:08.040 her was there were a lot of wrongs going to 0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:11.919 take place before the right came. In a sense, she 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:15.600 was pregnant at the wrong time. She wasn't Mary yet 0:22:16.160 --> 0:22:18.879 when she told Joseph she was going to have a baby, 0:22:19.440 --> 0:22:22.320 but it wasn't another man, it was the Holy Spirit. 0:22:22.960 --> 0:22:25.600 He said, yeah, right, what are you joining the real 0:22:25.640 --> 0:22:29.679 Housewives of Nazareth. I don't think so. He was so 0:22:29.880 --> 0:22:33.760 upset he was about to break off the engagement. He 0:22:33.880 --> 0:22:37.639 wasn't going to be embarrassed humiliated his fiance having a 0:22:37.760 --> 0:22:41.760 child that wasn't his. The angel had to come to Joseph. 0:22:42.320 --> 0:22:44.920 He said, I know this seems wrong, I know it's 0:22:44.920 --> 0:22:47.520 out of the ordinary, but Mary is telling the truth. 0:22:47.680 --> 0:22:51.000 Stay with her. I could hear people in town begin 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:54.280 to talk. Look at Mary, Look at her she's pregnant, 0:22:54.320 --> 0:22:58.760 not even married. Gossip, slander. That was hurtful. Another wrong. 0:23:00.080 --> 0:23:02.800 Month's in she was about to have the baby, and 0:23:02.920 --> 0:23:06.520 King Herod called for a census, said everyone had to 0:23:06.560 --> 0:23:10.200 travel to Bethlehem to be accounted for. Was the wrong 0:23:10.280 --> 0:23:14.920 time to travel. She was tired, can't sleep, feet swollen, 0:23:15.000 --> 0:23:17.760 back hurts, and Joseph, you want me to get on 0:23:17.800 --> 0:23:22.399 a donkey and travel ninety miles to Bethlehem bouncing up 0:23:22.440 --> 0:23:25.040 and down. You better go back and pray again. That 0:23:25.119 --> 0:23:29.600 word was not from God. They arrived in Bethlehem late 0:23:29.640 --> 0:23:32.800 one night. Joseph went to a hotel and asked for 0:23:32.840 --> 0:23:38.560 a room. The innkeeper said, sorry, no room tonight, We're full. Please, 0:23:38.640 --> 0:23:41.239 can't you do anything. My wife was about to have 0:23:41.280 --> 0:23:44.760 a baby. We've traveled a long time. Sorry, sir, we 0:23:44.840 --> 0:23:50.119 have nothing closed door. Another wrong. I'm sure Mary wanted 0:23:50.119 --> 0:23:52.800 to tell that angel. You said I was going to 0:23:52.840 --> 0:23:56.360 give birth to Messiah. You said something awesome was going 0:23:56.400 --> 0:23:59.400 to happen, but you didn't tell me about all these 0:23:59.440 --> 0:24:03.000 other things God was showing us. You have to go 0:24:03.080 --> 0:24:06.840 through the wrongs before you get to the right. God 0:24:06.880 --> 0:24:09.439 will give you the promise He'll drop the dream in 0:24:09.520 --> 0:24:12.320 your heart. But if you don't know how to handle 0:24:12.359 --> 0:24:15.399 the wrongs, if you don't realize the wrongs are all 0:24:15.440 --> 0:24:18.439 a part of his plan, that the wrongs are leading 0:24:18.480 --> 0:24:21.920 you to rights, then you'll get discouraged along the way, 0:24:22.359 --> 0:24:26.119 give up on the dream. Joseph located a barn, the 0:24:26.200 --> 0:24:29.359 only place he could find. Mary went in and gave 0:24:29.400 --> 0:24:33.360 birth to Jesus in a manger. The wise men showed up, 0:24:33.800 --> 0:24:36.800 the Eastern Star was over their head, and the Messiah 0:24:36.960 --> 0:24:41.199 was born. We see the Christmas card, so beautiful the 0:24:41.240 --> 0:24:46.040 manger seene there's Mary holding baby Jesus with a pleasant smile, 0:24:46.560 --> 0:24:50.560 the wise men standing by the stars shining so brightly. 0:24:51.280 --> 0:24:55.399 We think, what a peaceful, glorious night. But if Mary 0:24:55.440 --> 0:24:58.639 were here, she would tell you, don't let the postcard 0:24:58.680 --> 0:25:02.520 fool you. Yes, it was a glorious night. Yes I'm 0:25:02.600 --> 0:25:05.520 honored to have been the mother of Christ. But there 0:25:05.520 --> 0:25:08.840 are a lot of things you didn't see. You're seeing 0:25:08.920 --> 0:25:13.320 the right moment, you're seeing the culmination of God's faithfulness 0:25:13.359 --> 0:25:16.800 and purpose, but you're not seeing all the wrongs that 0:25:16.840 --> 0:25:20.439 were necessary to get me here. I got pregnant at 0:25:20.480 --> 0:25:23.879 the wrong time. My fiance wanted to put me away. 0:25:24.400 --> 0:25:27.600 People tried to ruin my reputation. Had to travel on 0:25:27.680 --> 0:25:32.000 a donkey while I was pregnant. But without all these wrongs, 0:25:32.240 --> 0:25:35.440 she wouldn't have fulfilled her destiny. The wrongs were all 0:25:35.480 --> 0:25:38.120 a part of God's plan. If she had not been 0:25:38.200 --> 0:25:41.399 faithful through the wrongs, she would have never made it 0:25:41.440 --> 0:25:45.200 to the rights. When you're dealing with these wrongs, know this, 0:25:45.720 --> 0:25:49.280 God has graced you for everything you will ever face. 0:25:50.160 --> 0:25:53.720 God won't allow a wrong and not give you the strength, 0:25:54.040 --> 0:25:57.920 the favor, the endurance to go through it. Don't complain 0:25:57.960 --> 0:26:01.200 about what comes against you that it had happened. God 0:26:01.320 --> 0:26:04.679 is too much. It's not fair. No, stand strong. You 0:26:04.760 --> 0:26:08.520 are well able. You've been equipped and empowered for every 0:26:08.640 --> 0:26:12.560 season that comes your way. This scripture says in Matthew, 0:26:13.160 --> 0:26:16.840 all these things that Mary went through was to fulfill 0:26:16.920 --> 0:26:22.040 the prophecy that was spoken long ago. Isaiah prophesied that 0:26:22.119 --> 0:26:25.600 a virgin would conceive. She had to get pregnant at 0:26:25.600 --> 0:26:29.800 the quote wrong time. It was prophesied that Jesus would 0:26:29.800 --> 0:26:33.119 be born in Bethlehem. Herod had to call for a 0:26:33.240 --> 0:26:36.399 senses at the quote wrong time to get them from 0:26:36.480 --> 0:26:41.840 Nazareth to Bethlehem. All these wrongs were necessary. Can I 0:26:41.880 --> 0:26:45.520 tell you there is a prophecy over your life. There 0:26:45.520 --> 0:26:47.960 are things that God has ordained for you to do 0:26:48.320 --> 0:26:51.879 that He's already written in his book before time began. 0:26:53.080 --> 0:26:56.680 Like Mary, you're not going to understand everything that happens. 0:26:57.320 --> 0:27:00.359 This feels wrong, This isn't fair, this is not the 0:27:00.400 --> 0:27:04.840 right time. It's all necessary. It had to happen. It's 0:27:04.960 --> 0:27:07.960 leading you to the birth, to the promise, to things 0:27:08.000 --> 0:27:12.760 bigger than you can imagine, favor, influence, opportunity like you've 0:27:12.760 --> 0:27:17.040 never seen. And it's significant that the Angel had to 0:27:17.040 --> 0:27:20.080 come to Joseph and say, in effect, stick with her. 0:27:20.680 --> 0:27:23.320 I know it looks wrong, but what you think is 0:27:23.359 --> 0:27:27.080 wrong is really the purpose of God. Maybe God sent 0:27:27.200 --> 0:27:31.159 me like that angel to tell you stick with it. 0:27:31.160 --> 0:27:34.520 It may feel wrong, it may be unfair, but God 0:27:34.640 --> 0:27:39.200 is up to something. Those wrongs are not random, they're strategic. 0:27:39.800 --> 0:27:42.359 It may be a big wrong. That's because there's a 0:27:42.400 --> 0:27:45.720 big right in your future. You're gonna see the plan 0:27:45.800 --> 0:27:51.160 of God unfold. Now do your part. Don't fight the wrongs, 0:27:51.400 --> 0:27:55.760 flow with it. Put your sword down, quit resisting, and 0:27:55.840 --> 0:27:58.199 let those winds blow you to where God wants you 0:27:58.280 --> 0:28:01.679 to go. He's in control. Yes, you may be on 0:28:01.760 --> 0:28:06.240 a detour. My encouragement is it's a divine detour. The 0:28:06.400 --> 0:28:09.359 enemy didn't get in control of your destiny. God is 0:28:09.520 --> 0:28:12.639 ordering your steps. He has not failed you in the past. 0:28:12.800 --> 0:28:15.680 He's not going to start now. You keep going through 0:28:15.720 --> 0:28:19.200 the wrongs with a good attitude. I believe and declare, 0:28:19.760 --> 0:28:22.800 like Mary, you're going to see favor that you've never seen. 0:28:23.520 --> 0:28:28.160 Like Joseph, Suddenly new doors are going to open, negative situations, 0:28:28.200 --> 0:28:33.399 turning around, promotion, healing the fullness of your destiny in 0:28:33.560 --> 0:28:37.080 Jesus's name, and if you receive it, can you say amen? 0:28:39.120 --> 0:28:42.040 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:42.080 --> 0:28:44.440 the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:45.120 --> 0:28:50.400 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:28:50.400 --> 0:28:54.360 into my heart. I'll make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:55.880 --> 0:28:58.200 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:58.240 --> 0:29:01.240 born again. We'd love to give you some free information 0:29:01.360 --> 0:29:03.400 on your new walk with the Lord. You can text 0:29:03.400 --> 0:29:06.280 the number or go to the website. I hope you'll 0:29:06.280 --> 0:29:09.560 get into a good Bible based church and keep God 0:29:09.800 --> 0:29:13.600 first place. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:13.680 --> 0:29:16.480 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:16.520 --> 0:29:20.000 podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:20.160 --> 0:29:22.400 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:22.400 --> 0:29:23.880 with those all around the world. 0:29:24.200 --> 0:29:26.960 Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 0:29:27.000 --> 0:29:29.160 description to partner with us today. 0:29:29.440 --> 0:29:31.880 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:31.960 --> 0:29:34.760 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:29:34.840 --> 0:29:37.960 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:29:37.960 --> 0:29:38.800 see you next time.