Divine Surprises

0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:03.480 Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:05.559 to the podcast and thanks. 0:00:05.240 --> 0:00:07.880 For supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to. 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:12.360 Have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:16.079 God bless you today and enjoy the message. God bless you. 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:19.000 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:19.000 --> 0:00:20.640 you'll stay connected with us during the. 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:21.959 Week through our daily. 0:00:21.760 --> 0:00:25.959 Podcast, YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit 0:00:26.040 --> 0:00:28.240 us in person. We'd love to have you be a 0:00:28.240 --> 0:00:30.880 part of one of our services. I'd like to start 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:33.879 with something funny and I heard about this pastor. He 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:36.279 was walking down the street when he came upon this 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:39.680 group of young boys that were surrounding a small dog, 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:42.239 and he asked what they were doing. They said they 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:45.320 were having a contest that whoever could tell the biggest 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.839 lie would get to keep the dog. The pastor launched 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:51.720 into a ten minute sermon, starting with don't you know 0:00:51.840 --> 0:00:54.840 lying is a sin and ending with when I was 0:00:54.840 --> 0:00:56.800 your age, I never told a lie. 0:00:57.320 --> 0:00:58.880 There was complete silence, and. 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:01.080 Just when he thought he'd got through to them, the 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:03.520 youngest boy spoke up and said, all right, give him 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:03.960 the dog. 0:01:06.120 --> 0:01:07.120 Say it like you mean it. 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:10.480 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:01:10.959 --> 0:01:13.360 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:16.080 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:20.080 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:23.480 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:01:23.600 --> 0:01:28.600 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:33.120 to talk to you today about divine surprises. God has 0:01:33.200 --> 0:01:35.880 moments of favor already lined up for you. 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:37.520 That you didn't see coming. 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:42.119 Unexpected blessings and good breaks that catch you off guard. 0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:45.240 There was no sign of it. You weren't next in 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:48.480 line for the promotion. The medical report said you weren't 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:51.480 going to get well. You've been single a long time, 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:56.160 no indication anything was going to change. Then suddenly your 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:59.640 business takes off, your health turns around, you meet the 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:04.240 right person. It's not just a lucky break, just a coincidence. 0:02:04.760 --> 0:02:09.079 That's a divine surprise, the hand of God showing out 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:13.959 in your life unexpectedly. You couldn't plan it, no reason 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.920 to believe it was going to happen. But God steps 0:02:16.960 --> 0:02:21.000 in and says, surprise, does something out of the ordinary 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:25.880 you never saw coming. Deuteronomy twenty eight says, if you'll 0:02:25.919 --> 0:02:30.120 obey God's word and follow his commands, then all these 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:35.320 blessings will overtake you. One translation of that word overtake 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:37.400 is to catch by surprise. 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:40.919 You may be in a situation that looks permanent. 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:43.440 You've gone as far as you can in your career, 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:46.400 a child that will never get back on course, or 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:47.640 that trouble at. 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:48.960 Work will always hinder you. 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:53.040 What you can't see is God has some surprises come 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:57.720 in your way because you're honoring him. He has blessings 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:01.880 that are going to overtake you that you can outrun 0:03:02.280 --> 0:03:05.680 good breaks that chase you down. I get ready for 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:11.399 some surprises, some unexpected blessings. You look back and think, man, 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.320 I didn't see that door opening, I didn't see that 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:17.720 person showing up. I didn't see me feeling this good. 0:03:18.080 --> 0:03:21.440 I didn't see me running my own business. One surprise, 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:25.760 and you'll go from struggling to overflow, from being lonely 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:29.240 to being with the person of your dreams, from overcome 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:30.800 with problems. 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:32.200 To overcome with opportunities. 0:03:33.160 --> 0:03:36.560 You wouldn't be hearing this if God didn't have surprises 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:41.760 come in your way. He's about to do something suddenly unexpectedly, 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:46.160 favor that catapults you ahead, good breaks that thrust you 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:47.240 into your destiny. 0:03:47.640 --> 0:03:48.800 You couldn't make it happen. 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:53.080 It's not something you worked for, you deserve, you had planned. 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:57.360 It's the favor of God breathing on your line, taking 0:03:57.400 --> 0:04:00.600 you where you couldn't go on your own. And all 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:04.880 through the scripture we see these divine surprises. Paul and 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:09.080 Silas were in prison in the deepest dungeon, their hands 0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:12.760 and feet in chains, no way out. But at midnight 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:16.320 there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:19.719 the chains fell off. They walked out as free men. 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:26.000 What happened, God said, surprise. It looked impossible. The odds 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:29.000 were against them. But God won't let you get in 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:31.400 a problem that he can't bring you out of her. 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:35.200 You may not see away, but that's okay. It's gonna 0:04:35.240 --> 0:04:39.360 be unexpected, It's gonna catch you off guard. This is 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:43.719 what happened with Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a baby, 0:04:43.839 --> 0:04:47.280 but they were way too old. Year after year went by, 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:51.279 still no child. Now it was impossible, no way in 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:55.960 the natural. But when Sarah was ninety years old, God said, surprise. 0:04:57.320 --> 0:05:01.080 Sometimes God waits on purpose, so it'll be a bigger miracle. 0:05:01.960 --> 0:05:05.039 Not only will you know it's him, but other people 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:08.680 will see his blessing on your line. There may be 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:12.080 promises God has put in your heart, but seems too late. 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:16.160 It's not practical now. No, get ready for a surprise. 0:05:16.760 --> 0:05:20.919 What God started, He's going to finish. One surprise and 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:24.839 you'll have the baby. One surprise and chains will break, 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:27.400 that addiction won't control you anymore. 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:33.120 One surprise and doors will open that you never imagine. Now, 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:34.719 thoughts Willy, it's not going to happen. 0:05:35.160 --> 0:05:38.520 It's too late for me, Joel, too hard, too much opposition. 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:40.240 Don't believe those lies. 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:43.679 Turn it around. Father, Thank you that you're a god 0:05:43.760 --> 0:05:47.800 of surprises. Thank you that you have unexpected blessings in 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:50.520 my future. That you will get me to where I'm 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:54.440 supposed to be. John Chapter five. There was a man 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:58.160 who had been crippled for thirty eight years. Every day 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:01.360 he went to the pool of bethesday, when the angel 0:06:01.440 --> 0:06:04.479 troubled the water, the first person in would get healed. 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:06.719 Well. He didn't have anyone to help him. 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:10.960 Year after year he just sat there hoping something would change, 0:06:10.960 --> 0:06:15.120 but nothing was different. One day Jesus came walking by. 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:17.920 He asked the man if he wanted to get well. 0:06:18.839 --> 0:06:21.640 The man told how he didn't have anyone to help 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:24.800 him get in the water, and how impossible it was. 0:06:25.760 --> 0:06:28.039 Jesus simply said, rise, take. 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:31.440 Up your bed, and walk. Instantly the man was healed. 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:35.040 God up for the first time in thirty eight years. 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:39.920 What was that, God saying, surprise. The man thought he'd 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:43.640 be that way thirty eight more years, but suddenly he was, well, 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:46.960 you may be dealing with things that look like they'll 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:50.640 never change your hell, your finances, your family. 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:52.200 Like this man. 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:55.800 You've gone to the pool each day, you prayed, believe, 0:06:56.360 --> 0:06:57.200 done what you can. 0:06:58.240 --> 0:06:59.880 God sees your faithfulness. 0:07:00.400 --> 0:07:02.680 He sees you're doing the right thing when it's hard, 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:07.200 believing when nothing's improving, praising when nothing's changing. 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:09.080 Like with this man. 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:14.880 There's a surprise coming, something unexpected, and it's interesting. The 0:07:14.960 --> 0:07:18.160 man didn't go to Jesus. Jesus came to the man. 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:21.800 You don't know what God has come in your way. 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:25.520 Healing that's going to overtake you, good breaks that are 0:07:25.520 --> 0:07:29.040 going to catch you by surprise. And see, we all 0:07:29.080 --> 0:07:32.960 have things that we're chasing, chasing our dreams, chasing good hell, 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:34.720 chasing a relationship. 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:36.160 There's nothing wrong with that. 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:40.720 But what's even more exciting is what God has chasing you, 0:07:41.560 --> 0:07:44.640 the favor that He's already planned to overtake you. 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:46.800 And here's the whole key. 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:51.520 You don't have to chase the blessing, strive and manipulate, 0:07:51.800 --> 0:07:53.960 force doors to open, make. 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:55.440 People like you. 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:55.480 No. 0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:58.560 If you'll chase God, the blessings will chase you. 0:07:59.320 --> 0:08:02.600 If you'll keep God first place, you won't be able 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.920 to outrun what He has in store. They'll catch you 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:10.160 by surprise. One reason it's a surprise is because what 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:13.920 God has planned is so much bigger, so much more 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:17.560 rewarding than what you have in mind. When I look 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:21.200 back over my life, most of the time I've seen 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:24.400 opportunities blessing the right people. 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:26.640 It's not something I had planned. 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:30.520 I was just honoring God being my best, and his 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:35.040 blessings caught me by surprise. Twenty two years old, I 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:37.959 walked into a jewelry store to buy battery. 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:38.400 For my watch. 0:08:38.920 --> 0:08:42.200 Outwalked the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen to wait 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:42.480 on me. 0:08:42.640 --> 0:08:45.960 It was Victorian. It was like God said, surprise. 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:49.000 I don't know if God said it to her, but 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:51.840 he's sure said it to me, or maybe it was 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:52.440 my flesh. 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:53.520 But I took it as God. 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.880 But we dated a year and a half and she 0:08:56.920 --> 0:08:59.200 couldn't keep her hands off of me, so we got married. 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:01.520 A few years later. 0:09:01.800 --> 0:09:05.679 We bought an old rundown house on a half acre 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:08.320 lot close into the city, and we're gonna fix it 0:09:08.400 --> 0:09:09.160 up and live there. 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:10.959 The day we closed on. 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:13.720 The property, I was in the front yard and this 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:17.000 car pulled over. A lady got out and asked if 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:18.320 I wanted to sell a property. 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:20.480 I said, no, ma'am. We just bought it and we're 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:21.760 gonna fix it up and move in. 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:24.120 She said, how about if you sell it for a 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.520 good profit, maybe ten percent more than you paid. And 0:09:27.559 --> 0:09:31.400 I thanked her but told her no. She said, well, congratulations, 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:32.640 you just bought. 0:09:32.360 --> 0:09:35.040 Your dream house. I don't know what she meant. 0:09:35.040 --> 0:09:37.600 It was an old rundown house, had cracks in the 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:39.480 floor and windows were broken out. 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:41.360 We'll come to find out. 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:44.320 The neighborhood was in the process of changing the deed 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:48.840 restrictions so you could subdivide the property. A builder knocked 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:51.880 on our door. We ended up selling him half of 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:54.960 the property for more than we paid for the whole property. 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.200 He built two new homes there, one for us. It 0:09:58.240 --> 0:10:01.480 was indeed our dream house. We thought we were just 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:06.200 buying an old fixer upper. But God said, surprise, that 0:10:06.400 --> 0:10:08.680 blessing cattle pulled us ahead. 0:10:09.480 --> 0:10:10.280 What am I saying? 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.640 God has some of these blessings that are going to 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:19.000 overtake you because you're chasing him. His blessings are going 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:22.520 to chase you. See, we look at our circumstances from 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:26.600 a natural, logical point of view, and we see limitations 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:30.920 in our career, our finances, what neighborhood we could live in, 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:35.280 or maybe our health, what our children could accomplish. We 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:39.760 made plans and set expectations. But what you can't see 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:44.400 are these divine surprises. Things you could have never planned, 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:49.040 Blessings that will cattle pulled you ahead. Never dreamed at 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:52.160 twenty seven years old we would live in that beautiful house. 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:53.640 Couldn't plan that. 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:58.440 There was no way, logically speaking. But God stepped in 0:10:58.840 --> 0:10:59.920 and did what only he can do. 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:03.400 Who knows what God has planned for you? 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:07.600 He said, you haven't seen, heard, or imagined what He 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:08.440 has in store. 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:12.559 You're going to come into these divine surprises. You didn't 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:16.640 see it coming. You can't explain it. You didn't deserve it. 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:20.000 It's just the goodness of God pushing you into new 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:23.720 levels of your destiny. After my father went to be 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:27.319 with the Lord and I started pastoring, we were looking 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:30.080 for property to build a larger auditorium. 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:33.000 Twice the property we found. 0:11:32.920 --> 0:11:36.160 Was sold out from under us. We couldn't find anymore, 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:39.679 and I was tempted to be discouraged. I didn't see 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:43.040 how we could expand I was looking at everything in 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:47.600 the natural. But God is supernatural. His ways are better 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:51.680 than our ways. Many times, the reason our plans aren't 0:11:51.720 --> 0:11:55.680 coming to pass is because they're too small. If God 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.360 did what we wanted, we wouldn't see the fullness of 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:02.520 our destiny. In six months after that last property didn't 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:05.640 go through, I was just minding my own business and 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:09.080 going through the day. The phone rang a friend I 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:10.840 hadn't spoken to in a long time. 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.400 He said he had to have lunch with me. It 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:15.840 was important. We went to lunch. 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:19.560 He told me that the Rockets basketball team was moving 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:22.240 out of the Compact Center and we should try to 0:12:22.280 --> 0:12:26.240 get this as our facility. It was like God said, surprise. 0:12:27.080 --> 0:12:29.520 I didn't see this coming. This was more than I 0:12:29.559 --> 0:12:33.360 could ever imagine. God caused things to fall into place, 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:36.760 and two years later the city council voted for us 0:12:36.800 --> 0:12:39.800 to have this facility. You know what, this building is 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:45.640 a surprise, God's blessing, chasing us down. I tried to 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:49.480 go after the other properties, but this building came to me. 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:52.680 You can look back in your life. 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:56.600 And see times where God surprised you, opened doors, brought 0:12:56.600 --> 0:13:00.720 the right people, turned the trouble around. The scripture says 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:05.439 in job God is famous for his great and unexpected acts. 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:10.160 There is no end to his surprises. Can I encourage you? 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:13.920 Your best surprises are still in front of you. God's 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:19.240 gonna do things that boggle your mind, explosive blessings, his goodness, 0:13:19.440 --> 0:13:23.640 chasing you down, taking you where you've never dreamed. This 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:26.600 is what happened with David didn't look like he would 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:27.920 do anything significant. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:30.400 He was a teenager. 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:32.920 Stuck out in the shepherd's fields, taking care of his 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:37.199 father's sheep. His brothers had prestigious positions. They were in 0:13:37.280 --> 0:13:37.839 the army. 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.720 People looked up to them. David was the youngest. 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.280 He didn't have the training, the experience, the size. 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:47.920 There were seven brothers in line ahead of him. 0:13:48.760 --> 0:13:52.400 But he was simply being faithful, watching over the sheep, 0:13:52.720 --> 0:13:56.840 being his best where he was not complaining, I'm stuck 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:58.640 out here, it's boring. 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:02.080 I don't like these sheep. He kept doing the right 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:03.720 thing when no one was watching. 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:08.640 Could have slacked off, been lazy, cut corners, but he 0:14:08.760 --> 0:14:12.240 was a person of excellence and integrity. He knew that 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:15.360 people may not be watching, but God is watching. 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:17.640 He sees you going. 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:22.120 The extra mile, working hard without the credit, raising children. 0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:26.320 No one's saying thank you, giving serving, helping when in 0:14:26.320 --> 0:14:29.080 fact you could use the help. That's the kind of 0:14:29.120 --> 0:14:33.680 people God surprises. You're in position for divine favor and 0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:39.000 supernatural increase. While David was taking care of those sheep, 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:42.960 God spoke to a man named Samuel, a prophet in 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:46.560 a different city, and said, go to Bethlehem to the 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.360 house of a man named Jesse. I'm going to show 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:53.360 you the next king of Israel. Samuel started heading toward 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:57.520 Jesse's house. David was out in the fields binding his 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.720 own business. He didn't think anything was going to to change. 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:04.600 Little did he know a surprise was already in rout. 0:15:05.360 --> 0:15:09.360 God had already lined up a supernatural connection that would 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.360 forever change his life. 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:13.640 Many of you are like David. 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:17.640 You've been faithful, You've been keep doing the right thing, 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:21.760 going the extra mile. You can't see it, but there 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:24.000 are surprises already headed your way. 0:15:25.120 --> 0:15:28.720 You don't know who God has spoken to about you. 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:32.840 You can't hear what God has planned. But suddenly Samuel 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:36.080 is going to show up people with influence that will 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:40.600 be good to you, open doors, opportunities. 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:42.520 That you didn't see coming. Now, Joel, I don't know 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:43.560 anybody like that. 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:47.960 I don't have connections to people with great resources, great influence. 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:52.000 David didn't know Samuel. He had never met the prophet. 0:15:52.400 --> 0:15:55.240 What's even more amazing is Samuel. 0:15:54.800 --> 0:15:59.080 Didn't know David. He'd never seen David, never heard of him. 0:15:59.480 --> 0:16:05.000 David's family wasn't prominent, well known. They were shepherds, working class, 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:09.520 ordinary people. God knows how to cause you to stand out. 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:12.600 One surprise, and they'll take you from the background to 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:16.320 the foreground, from being overlooked to being in charge. 0:16:17.200 --> 0:16:19.240 Samuel showed up at Jesse's. 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:22.240 House, knocked on the door, and you can imagine what 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:25.160 Jesse thought when he told him he was there to 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.800 annoint one of his sons as the next king. Jesse 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:32.520 couldn't believe what he was hearing. He called seven of 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:36.760 his sons in, so proud, so excited to see who 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:40.240 would be the next king. Samuel passed on the first son, 0:16:40.320 --> 0:16:44.880 not him, second son not him, three four, all seven sons, 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:48.120 none of them. He asked Jesse if he had any 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:51.480 more sons. He said, yes, my youngest Dave is out 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:55.160 in the fields. But I'm sure it's not him. People 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:58.680 may lead you out and discount you think you're not 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:02.520 king material, but God knows the greatness. 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:02.760 He put in you. 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:06.320 He knows how to cause you to be seen. When 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:08.760 Samuel saw David, he didn't think twice. 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:12.560 He said, that's the one. It's like God said, surprise. 0:17:13.760 --> 0:17:17.119 Not only did David not see it coming, but his father, 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:21.440 his brothers, they didn't see it coming. No matter who 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:26.080 overlooks you, tries to push you down, discredit you, don't worry. 0:17:26.320 --> 0:17:30.200 They cannot stop what God has planned for you. Because 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:33.520 you're chasing after God. His blessings are. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:36.240 Going to chase you down. You don't have to go 0:17:36.280 --> 0:17:38.720 after them. They're gonna come looking for you. 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:44.560 Like Samuel traveling to Bethlehem, knocking on the door by 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:48.680 passing who others expect. God has the right people en 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.320 route to you, the healing to come knocking on your door, 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:56.800 the business to come tracking you down like David out 0:17:56.840 --> 0:18:00.920 in the fields. You didn't see it coming, could planned it. 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:04.800 It's a divine surprise. God doing what only he can do. 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:08.760 I met a young student that's here from another country 0:18:08.800 --> 0:18:12.240 and he completed his undergraduate work and he was in 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:15.360 the process of getting his master's degree, but he had 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:18.399 a problem with his visa. When he went to enroll 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:22.120 for the next school year, he was told he couldn't finish. 0:18:21.960 --> 0:18:24.880 Because of this issue, and it was very discouraged. 0:18:25.200 --> 0:18:28.840 He had studied hard and made great grades, but now 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:31.800 it looked like it wouldn't work out. He called everyone 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:35.159 he knew, did everything he could no success, and he 0:18:35.200 --> 0:18:37.879 had talked to the school several times and met with 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:41.480 different people, but they couldn't help him. He's about to 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:44.359 make his flight arrangements to go back home, and he 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:46.760 decided to go check with the school one last time. 0:18:47.640 --> 0:18:50.840 Went to the admissions office and there was a different man. 0:18:50.680 --> 0:18:54.760 There never talked with him before. He explained his situation. 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:58.560 At one point, the man asked him if he attended Lakewood. 0:18:59.200 --> 0:18:59.880 He said he did. 0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:02.680 The man said, I know you do, because I see 0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:06.280 you there every Sunday. He's one of our faithful volunteers. 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:08.719 Let me tell you, when you get a Lakewood person, 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:12.720 good things are gonna happen. Lakewood people are full of faith. 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:17.160 Lakewood people believe in a God who can move mountains, 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:20.120 a God who can part red seas, a God. 0:19:19.920 --> 0:19:21.560 Who can give you a compact center. 0:19:22.359 --> 0:19:24.399 He went back to the back and begin to work 0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:27.920 and research and talk with some other people. He came 0:19:27.960 --> 0:19:30.439 back an hour later and said, we figured out a 0:19:30.480 --> 0:19:32.480 way to extend your visas. 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:34.320 The student was so thrilled. 0:19:34.640 --> 0:19:37.040 The man said, not only that, we have a fund 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:40.520 to help students, We're gonna award you a scholarship for 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:41.760 your next three years. 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:49.359 What was that God saying? Surprise, unexpected blessings. Who was 0:19:49.440 --> 0:19:51.040 that man a Samuel? 0:19:51.680 --> 0:19:54.879 He was ordained by God to bless to favor to 0:19:54.960 --> 0:19:55.720 point out. 0:19:56.000 --> 0:19:58.000 God has the Samuels lined. 0:19:57.800 --> 0:20:01.000 Up for you, the right people at the right time 0:20:01.320 --> 0:20:02.879 that'll go out of their way to help you. 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:05.399 Surprised as you didn't see coming. 0:20:06.000 --> 0:20:08.720 You couldn't have planned it. It's the goodness of God. 0:20:09.040 --> 0:20:09.960 Overtaking you. 0:20:10.840 --> 0:20:14.080 What he has in mind is far greater. It will 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:18.960 exceed anything you've imagined. One morning, Jesus was teaching the 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:22.040 people at the Sea of Galilee, and it's very crowded, 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:25.760 and he saw a boat over by the shore and 0:20:25.800 --> 0:20:27.520 some men coming in from fishing. 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:31.320 It was Peter. Jesus asked if he could borrow the boat. 0:20:31.680 --> 0:20:36.400 Peter agreed. When Jesus finished teaching, he wanted to thank Peter. 0:20:37.119 --> 0:20:39.240 He told him to go back in the water, throw 0:20:39.280 --> 0:20:42.920 his nets out, and he would catch many fish. Well, 0:20:42.960 --> 0:20:46.040 Peter had fished all night and caught nothing. He was 0:20:46.040 --> 0:20:49.879 a professional fisherman. He knew when to fish, where to fish, 0:20:49.960 --> 0:20:53.320 how to fish. He was tired, ready to go home. 0:20:53.960 --> 0:20:57.199 I'm sure, he thought, Sir, I appreciate your advice, but 0:20:57.240 --> 0:20:59.320 you're a teacher, you're a rabbi. 0:21:00.040 --> 0:21:03.200 I'm a fisherman. You stick to teaching and I'll stick 0:21:03.200 --> 0:21:03.720 to fishing. 0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:07.160 He could have talked himself out of it, but Peter 0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:10.840 did what Jesus asked him to do. When he threw 0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:13.480 the nets out, there were so many fish that the 0:21:13.520 --> 0:21:14.719 nets begin to break. 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:18.159 The boat was so loaded down that it began to sink. 0:21:18.800 --> 0:21:21.879 They had to call for other boats together up the fish. 0:21:22.480 --> 0:21:25.760 The scripture says they were awe struck at the size 0:21:25.840 --> 0:21:30.040 of their catch, never seen anything like that. Few minutes 0:21:30.080 --> 0:21:33.640 earlier there were no fish, but God said, surprise. 0:21:34.680 --> 0:21:36.240 He controls the fish. 0:21:36.640 --> 0:21:41.720 God controls the contracts, the resources, the opportunities. Peter had 0:21:41.760 --> 0:21:46.359 worked all night, strained, strive, put forth. His best effort 0:21:46.600 --> 0:21:50.480 came up empty. But when God says, surprise, the fish 0:21:50.520 --> 0:21:52.119 will find you. 0:21:52.119 --> 0:21:54.240 You don't have to look for them. They'll come to 0:21:54.320 --> 0:21:54.760 your neck. 0:21:55.560 --> 0:21:59.240 You obey what God's telling you, and blessings will chase 0:21:59.280 --> 0:21:59.680 you down. 0:22:00.240 --> 0:22:01.800 The fish will overtake you. 0:22:02.600 --> 0:22:06.879 And notice how God surprises not just a normal average catch, 0:22:07.440 --> 0:22:10.520 but a net breaking boat sinking blessing. 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:11.560 Blessings. 0:22:11.600 --> 0:22:15.040 It not only increase you, but it spills over to 0:22:15.119 --> 0:22:19.879 people connected to you, a running over blessing. Peter was 0:22:19.920 --> 0:22:23.160 so amazed and so in awe he rended. Jesus fell 0:22:23.200 --> 0:22:27.480 on his knees and said, Lord, please leave me. I'm 0:22:27.480 --> 0:22:30.760 too much of a sinner to be around you. This 0:22:30.840 --> 0:22:32.240 could be the end of the story. 0:22:32.800 --> 0:22:33.600 Jesus left. 0:22:33.760 --> 0:22:37.240 They went their separate ways, but Jesus looked at Peter 0:22:37.680 --> 0:22:40.840 and said, don't worry Peter. From now on, you're going 0:22:40.920 --> 0:22:44.639 to be fishing for people. Right then and there. He 0:22:44.800 --> 0:22:49.360 chose Peter as his first disciple. You're talking about surprises. 0:22:50.200 --> 0:22:55.000 This guy is a fisherman, he's rough, he uses bad language. 0:22:55.080 --> 0:22:59.320 He just admitted he's not worthy. But surprise, God doesn't 0:22:59.400 --> 0:23:00.639 choose the way we choose. 0:23:01.840 --> 0:23:04.240 You too, may think that God wouldn't have anything to 0:23:04.280 --> 0:23:05.440 do with you. 0:23:05.440 --> 0:23:09.199 You made too many mistakes, too far off course. You 0:23:09.240 --> 0:23:09.640 don't know. 0:23:09.600 --> 0:23:14.800 Anything about faith, neither did Peter. Your surprise is God 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:18.119 is calling you today. He has a destiny for you 0:23:18.160 --> 0:23:21.719 to fulfill. He's gonna use you to do amazing things. 0:23:22.359 --> 0:23:27.000 You are not disqualified because of your mistakes. Voices will 0:23:27.040 --> 0:23:30.280 tell you, like Peter, you're not worthy. The mercy of 0:23:30.320 --> 0:23:34.360 God is bigger than any mistake you've made. He's already 0:23:34.400 --> 0:23:36.920 taken into account every wrong turn. 0:23:37.400 --> 0:23:38.479 He still wants you. 0:23:39.560 --> 0:23:44.800 The scripture says Peter left everything and followed Jesus. That 0:23:44.960 --> 0:23:47.960 tells me you don't have to get cleaned up enough, 0:23:48.720 --> 0:23:52.000 behave good enough, and get rid of all your weaknesses. 0:23:52.080 --> 0:23:53.040 Then you can follow. 0:23:53.880 --> 0:23:57.399 No. Come just as you are, God is standing before 0:23:57.440 --> 0:23:58.520 you with arms. 0:23:58.240 --> 0:24:02.040 Open, ready to receive you. You don't let this surprise 0:24:02.200 --> 0:24:02.760 go to ways. 0:24:03.000 --> 0:24:06.880 Start following him, like Peter, God will make more out 0:24:06.920 --> 0:24:10.320 of your life than you ever dreamed. I have some 0:24:10.400 --> 0:24:13.240 friends that own their own business, and a few years 0:24:13.240 --> 0:24:17.040 ago one of their employees made some mistakes in the 0:24:17.080 --> 0:24:21.639 accounting and how things were processed. Their tax returns weren't 0:24:21.680 --> 0:24:25.160 filed accurately, and they ended up owing one hundred thousand 0:24:25.160 --> 0:24:28.199 dollars to the irs. They didn't have the funds to 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:31.680 pay in look like this would shut their business down. 0:24:32.040 --> 0:24:35.040 They met with the government officials, but the lady was 0:24:35.160 --> 0:24:38.919 very rude and demanded that all the money be paid 0:24:39.200 --> 0:24:42.800 within a month, that there were no other options. They 0:24:42.880 --> 0:24:46.200 left that day very discouraged, not knowing what to do, 0:24:47.080 --> 0:24:50.600 but instead of living worried, not able to sleep, they 0:24:50.680 --> 0:24:53.720 just kept thanking God that he was making ways where 0:24:53.760 --> 0:24:56.200 they didn't see a way, that he was working behind 0:24:56.240 --> 0:24:59.600 the scenes. A month later, they went back to their 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:03.159 schedule meeting, hoping the lady had changed their mind, and 0:25:03.560 --> 0:25:07.000 they sat in her office and another woman came in. 0:25:07.680 --> 0:25:09.639 She said the lady they had met with the last 0:25:09.680 --> 0:25:12.879 time had moved to a different state because she was 0:25:12.920 --> 0:25:16.560 no longer there. They explained their situation. To this woman, 0:25:16.920 --> 0:25:19.640 she had a totally different view. She didn't think they 0:25:19.640 --> 0:25:22.680 owed the money. She went and met with the supervisors, 0:25:23.119 --> 0:25:25.560 came back in a few minutes. She said, if you'll 0:25:25.560 --> 0:25:28.199 write a check for one hundred dollars, this will be 0:25:28.280 --> 0:25:29.040 settled today. 0:25:30.240 --> 0:25:33.119 They left there saying, we didn't see that coming. 0:25:34.520 --> 0:25:38.840 Like Peter, that was a net breaking blessing. God has 0:25:38.880 --> 0:25:43.959 some of these surprises for you, unexpected blessings, favor that 0:25:44.160 --> 0:25:48.600 catches you off guarden. You may have situations that look impossible. 0:25:49.119 --> 0:25:53.760 No fish out there, medical reports, not good, property sold 0:25:53.760 --> 0:25:54.680 out from under you. 0:25:55.359 --> 0:25:57.000 You don't know what God is up to. 0:25:57.960 --> 0:26:00.840 Like this couple, He's moving the raw people out of 0:26:00.880 --> 0:26:03.280 the way to get you in position. 0:26:02.960 --> 0:26:06.000 For a surprise. Like us in the compact center. 0:26:06.400 --> 0:26:09.560 That door closed because he's about to surprise you with 0:26:09.640 --> 0:26:10.320 something better. 0:26:11.440 --> 0:26:14.320 Like David, you feel stuck out in the fields. No 0:26:14.359 --> 0:26:17.200 one's noticing you. But Samuel is coming. 0:26:17.880 --> 0:26:20.760 God has already spoken to the people that will be 0:26:20.800 --> 0:26:22.120 a part of your surprise. 0:26:23.000 --> 0:26:24.760 Now you don't have to chase the blessing. 0:26:25.200 --> 0:26:27.840 Our job is to honor God, and the blessing will 0:26:27.920 --> 0:26:31.040 chase you. You won't be able to outrun the healing 0:26:31.320 --> 0:26:33.040 the good breaks the right people. 0:26:33.720 --> 0:26:35.720 Now I know you've been faithful. 0:26:35.640 --> 0:26:39.159 You've kept God first place. Now get ready for a surprise. 0:26:39.680 --> 0:26:44.200 I believe in declare unexpected favor on your life, the 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:50.119 goodness of God suddenly overtaking you. Divine surprises that catapult 0:26:50.240 --> 0:26:54.399 you into your destiny in Jesus's name, And if you 0:26:54.440 --> 0:26:55.119 receive it. 0:26:55.040 --> 0:26:56.000 Can you say amen? 0:26:57.880 --> 0:27:00.640 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:27:00.680 --> 0:27:01.760 the Lord of your life. 0:27:02.160 --> 0:27:05.879 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:27:06.000 --> 0:27:10.040 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:27:10.119 --> 0:27:11.640 you my Lord and savior. 0:27:12.440 --> 0:27:14.920 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:27:14.960 --> 0:27:18.080 born again. We'd love to send you some free information 0:27:18.240 --> 0:27:20.600 on your new walk with the Lord. You can text 0:27:20.600 --> 0:27:23.160 the number on the screen or go to the website. 0:27:23.560 --> 0:27:26.119 But I hope you'll get into a good Bible based 0:27:26.200 --> 0:27:28.600 church and keep God first place. 0:27:29.359 --> 0:27:32.200 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:27:32.720 --> 0:27:35.000 I have what it says I have, I can do. 0:27:35.080 --> 0:27:37.600 This is the first Bible that my parents gave me 0:27:38.000 --> 0:27:41.040 I was six years old. They taught me the importance 0:27:41.040 --> 0:27:43.919 of believing what God says about you and letting that 0:27:44.080 --> 0:27:47.440 determine your self image. How through the Scripture you can 0:27:47.520 --> 0:27:50.919 learn to handle challenges and pursue your dreams. 0:27:51.520 --> 0:27:54.520 Some people tell me that the Bible's not practical. 0:27:54.080 --> 0:27:56.920 For them, and how they don't understand it. We've created 0:27:56.920 --> 0:27:59.560 a new resource called how to Read Your Bible and 0:27:59.640 --> 0:28:03.400 in You. It provides twelve distinct lenses that will help 0:28:03.440 --> 0:28:06.040 you see the Bible with fresh eyes so you can 0:28:06.080 --> 0:28:10.520 discover the hidden treasures that increase your faith, practical truths 0:28:10.600 --> 0:28:11.320 that will help. 0:28:11.160 --> 0:28:12.720 You in your everyday life. 0:28:13.080 --> 0:28:15.880 When you tap into the power of God's word, there's 0:28:15.920 --> 0:28:17.560 no limit to where He'll take you. 0:28:18.280 --> 0:28:20.639 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:20.680 --> 0:28:23.440 of any size to the ministry, this month, Joel would 0:28:23.480 --> 0:28:27.600 like to send you this inspiring new resource. Sometimes reading 0:28:27.600 --> 0:28:31.120 the Bible can feel confusing, out of touch, or even 0:28:31.160 --> 0:28:35.359 produce more fear than faith. But now with this new resource, 0:28:35.640 --> 0:28:38.440 how to Read your Bible and Enjoy It, it will 0:28:38.480 --> 0:28:41.360 make the Word of God come alive in new ways. 0:28:41.920 --> 0:28:45.440 You'll discover fresh inspiration on every page of your Bible. 0:28:45.720 --> 0:28:48.920 The twelve lenses give you the power to see the 0:28:48.960 --> 0:28:52.440 Scripture in a whole new light. When you experience the 0:28:52.560 --> 0:28:56.040 right way to approach God's word. It will ignite renewed 0:28:56.080 --> 0:28:57.280 passion in your life. 0:28:57.720 --> 0:29:00.480 When you get God's Word down in you, it brings 0:29:00.560 --> 0:29:04.040 life and victory. This has a great Bible reading plan 0:29:04.280 --> 0:29:08.080 plus introductions to each book. It'll help you enjoy reading 0:29:08.120 --> 0:29:10.760 the Bible. Thanks so much for being a part of 0:29:10.800 --> 0:29:13.440 the ministry. Victoria and I pray for you and your 0:29:13.480 --> 0:29:16.239 family every day and we appreciate. 0:29:15.720 --> 0:29:17.040 Your prayers and support. 0:29:17.480 --> 0:29:20.840 Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 0:29:21.280 --> 0:29:24.920 download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, or we have 0:29:24.960 --> 0:29:28.040 a new Joel Ostein Television network twenty four hours a. 0:29:28.080 --> 0:29:31.360 Day, and of course SYRIXXM as well. Until we see 0:29:31.400 --> 0:29:34.320 you next time. May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:34.920 --> 0:29:37.400 Be sure to request your copy of How to Read 0:29:37.440 --> 0:29:41.560 your Bible and Enjoy It today. Visit Joelostin dot com 0:29:41.720 --> 0:29:45.520 or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel call 0:29:45.600 --> 0:29:48.080 or click anytime, twenty four hours a day