Don't Live For Approval

0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:50.960 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:55.840 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.920 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.720 --> 0:01:02.320 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:05.600 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:08.520 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:08.600 --> 0:01:10.760 be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:20.960 appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:26.240 Well, God bless you. 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:29.039 It's always a joy to come into your homes. 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:31.839 We love you and we know God has great things 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:32.400 in store. 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:34.880 And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll 0:01:34.880 --> 0:01:37.120 stop buying be a part of one of our services. 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:39.399 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:42.000 Thanks so much for coming out today. And I like 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:43.600 to start with something funny each week. 0:01:43.640 --> 0:01:47.800 And you know these are not all doctrinately correct, especially today. 0:01:47.880 --> 0:01:50.200 But I heard about this middle aged woman. 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:53.480 She had a heart attack and on the operating table 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:55.080 she asked God if this was it. 0:01:55.560 --> 0:01:58.440 God said, no, you have forty more years now. 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:01.800 Upon recovery, she decided to stay in the hospital, have 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:05.360 a major face lift, a tummy tuck, life of suction, 0:02:05.680 --> 0:02:09.240 and extreme makeover. Two months later, as she was leaving 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:11.960 the hospital, she got hit by a car and killed. 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:14.200 She got to heaven and said, God, I thought you 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:17.240 said I had forty more years. God said, I'm sorry 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:20.600 I didn't recognize you. 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:24.160 All right, Hold up, your bible. Say it like you 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:27.720 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says. 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:28.079 I am. 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:31.040 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:31.160 --> 0:02:33.800 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.840 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:41.320 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:46.040 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:02:46.080 --> 0:02:49.239 to talk to you today about not living for approval. 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.440 Too many people get their worth and value out of 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:54.800 what other people think. 0:02:55.480 --> 0:02:57.960 Do they like me, do they approve me? 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:02.600 Do they think that I'm important because of their insecurity. 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:07.560 They're constantly playing up to people, trying to win their favor, 0:03:07.800 --> 0:03:11.600 trying to meet every expectation. When we do this, we 0:03:11.760 --> 0:03:16.200 end up being controlled and manipulated. We let people put 0:03:16.240 --> 0:03:18.800 us into a box and make us into something that 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:19.160 we're not. 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:21.000 I know people. 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:25.160 Today, they're not following their dreams because they're so concerned 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:27.760 that if they don't meet the demands of all their 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:31.400 family and friends, they may fall out of their good grace, 0:03:31.639 --> 0:03:33.120 they may lose their approval. 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:35.800 But listen, if their approval. 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:38.840 Is only based on you meeting all their demands and 0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:42.080 you keeping them happy, they're not true friends. 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:44.480 They're manipulators, they're controllers. 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:48.520 There's a real freedom when you realize you don't need 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:54.520 other people's approval, you have Almighty God's approval. Don't spend 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:58.960 your life trying to keep everyone around you happy. 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:01.120 Some people don't even want to be happy. 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:04.440 You've got to be secure enough to say, I love you, 0:04:04.720 --> 0:04:06.200 but I'm not going to let you control me. 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:09.840 You may not give me your blessing, but that's okay. 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:12.360 I have God's blessing and I'm not going to be 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:16.040 a people pleaser. I'm going to be a God pleaser. Well, 0:04:16.080 --> 0:04:17.880 you say, Joel, If I do this, they may not 0:04:18.000 --> 0:04:21.159 be happy. Well maybe it's time for them to not 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:22.920 be happy instead of. 0:04:22.880 --> 0:04:24.440 You not being happy. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:27.960 You got to take charge of your own life. If 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:32.160 you're being manipulated and letting somebody pressure you into being 0:04:32.200 --> 0:04:34.839 something that you're not, it's not the other. 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:36.760 Person's fault, it's your own fault. 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:40.760 You control your destiny and you can be nice, you 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:43.600 can be respectful, but you have to put your foot down. 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:47.440 Quit allowing people to make you feel guilty because you 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:51.880 don't meet all their demands. Quit letting someone run your life, 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:54.120 because if you don't. They're not going to give you 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:57.919 their approval. Friends, life is too short to try to 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.920 keep everyone happy. I have to accept the fact that 0:05:02.000 --> 0:05:06.560 you cannot please every person. Everyone is not going to 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:10.680 give you their approval. If you're going to fulfill your destiny, 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:13.960 you have to stay true to your own heart and 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:17.120 not let the pressures of those around you squeeze you 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:20.200 into their mind. When my father went to be with 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:22.719 the Lord and I stepped up to pastor the church, 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:25.720 there was an older gentleman that I'd known my whole life, 0:05:25.760 --> 0:05:28.680 and he got me aside and said, Joel, if this 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:30.800 is going to work, here's what you're going to have 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:33.840 to do. He told me how to run the church, 0:05:34.360 --> 0:05:37.240 how to minister, how to lead the staff, how to 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:37.960 move forward. 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:39.920 And I listened to his advice. 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:43.520 I was very open, but nothing he was saying to 0:05:43.640 --> 0:05:46.120 me agreed with what was on the inside. 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:47.440 I prayed. 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:50.960 I searched my own heart, but nothing bore witness, and 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:54.320 I had to risk falling out of his good grace 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:58.000 to follow my own heart. It was a difficult decision, 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:01.400 but I knew it was better to have God's approval 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.600 than to have man's approval. I stepped out and followed 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:05.880 my heart, and God blessed it. 0:06:05.880 --> 0:06:06.520 It took off. 0:06:07.040 --> 0:06:09.800 But what's interesting is I did fall out of his 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:13.640 good grace. He wasn't happy that I didn't take his advice. 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.680 And people like that, people that get upset unless you 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:21.279 do it their way, they are not really for you. 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:24.960 They don't have your best interest at heart, because if 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.679 they were for you, they would be mature enough to say, 0:06:28.760 --> 0:06:29.679 even if. 0:06:29.520 --> 0:06:32.440 You don't do it my way. 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:34.719 Even if you don't take my suggestions, I'll support you. 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:37.599 I'll be behind you because i'm your friend and I 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:41.920 want to see you succeed. That's a true friend when 0:06:41.920 --> 0:06:45.200 you're honest with people and you share what's in your heart. 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:49.240 A true friend, even if they don't agree, will be 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:52.040 mature enough to say, you know what you can hear 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:54.839 from God, you have the Holy Spirit on the inside. 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.880 I'll be behind you. But if they just try to. 0:06:57.839 --> 0:07:01.640 Make you feel bad like you have to take their advice, 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:05.160 like you're making a big mistake, that's somebody that's more 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:09.040 interested in controlling you than in helping you fulfill your 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:12.600 god given destiny. When I didn't take this man's advice, 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:16.640 he was no longer on my side. It wasn't something 0:07:16.720 --> 0:07:17.920 big and obvious. 0:07:18.080 --> 0:07:19.280 It's just subtle things. 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:22.280 I'd walk into a room and I could feel his 0:07:22.400 --> 0:07:25.640 sense of disapproval. But thank God, I understand what I'm 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:29.000 telling you. I knew I didn't have to have his approval. 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:32.400 He wasn't God, he wasn't sitting on the throne. He 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:35.440 didn't write the plan for my life. I dug my 0:07:35.520 --> 0:07:38.560 heels in and said, God, he may not before me, 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:39.920 but I know you're for me. 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.280 God. I may not have his approval, but I know 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:45.840 I have your approval. That's all that really matters. 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:49.320 I just kept pressing forward doing what God put in 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:52.920 my heart. God not only brought us through that transition, 0:07:53.240 --> 0:07:55.360 but he brought us out bigger and better and greater 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:56.120 than we ever. 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:58.320 Had it before. God knows what he's doing. 0:07:59.200 --> 0:08:02.240 But I found some people, no matter what you do, 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:05.720 they are not going to be for you. Don't spend 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:09.600 your life trying to win the approval from someone that's 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:12.520 never going to give you their approval. It may be 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.559 a supervisor at the office. You can do your job 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:18.320 plus three others and they're still going to look down 0:08:18.360 --> 0:08:21.800 on you. Don't worry about it. You don't need their approval. 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:24.480 God will fight your battles. God will get you to 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:28.120 where you're supposed to be. Maybe you have a relative 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:30.560 that compliments everyone. 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:32.080 Accept you in the family. 0:08:32.720 --> 0:08:35.360 You could win the super Bowl and they'll ignore you 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:39.040 and brag on everybody else. Don't let them steal your joy. 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.760 You don't need their approval. They can't keep you from 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:46.079 rising higher if you'll keep being your best, spending your 0:08:46.200 --> 0:08:50.319 energy towards your God given dreams and not toward trying 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:52.400 to get them to approve you and to think that 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:54.800 you're good enough and you're talented and you're important. 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:56.960 No, be secure in who. 0:08:56.920 --> 0:08:59.800 God made you to be before you were born. God 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:01.480 stamped his approval on you. 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:03.679 I see too many people. 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:07.000 They're playing up to other people. They're trying to win 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:10.920 their favor and trying to impress them. They're basically trying 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:14.960 to buy their friendship and buy their approval. The problem 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:18.600 with that is if you start a friendship off like that, 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:21.079 that's the only way you'll be able to keep it going. 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:24.600 If you let them control you and just you have 0:09:24.640 --> 0:09:27.880 to meet all their demands. Then one day when you 0:09:28.000 --> 0:09:31.480 wise up and think I'm tired of being manipulated, it's 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:33.040 not worth all the effort and energy. 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:36.360 They'll simply just cut you loose. You won't have their approval. 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:40.080 After all, It's much better to trust God to bring 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:44.120 us divine connections. That men that got upset because I 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:47.320 didn't take his advice. He thought he knew what I 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:50.760 was supposed to do more than I did. But God 0:09:50.840 --> 0:09:54.760 will always give you direction for your life more than 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:59.600 anybody else. Other people may have suggestions, they may have 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:03.800 ideas he is, but bottom line is God speaks directly 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:07.960 to you. The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of you. 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:10.199 He leads you, he guides you. 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:14.280 Yes, it's good to be open and listen to parents 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:17.000 and mentors and friends, but you've got to follow your 0:10:17.040 --> 0:10:20.960 own heart. There is a still small voice, a knowing 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:24.480 right down in here. That's God talking to you. Now, 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:28.240 be careful about people that always have a word. 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:31.559 From the Lord for you. I grew up in church. 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:34.719 I've heard a lot of words from the Lord, some 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:38.040 of them write on, some of them way off. But 0:10:38.200 --> 0:10:42.240 anytime someone gives you a quote word from the Lord, 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:47.640 that should simply confirm what you already know on the inside. 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:50.000 When that man told me how to run the church, 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.320 it didn't agree with anything that I was feeling. It 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:57.640 was totally foreign. I've learned God will not tell you 0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:01.480 something about my life and not tell me. God and 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.280 I are on speaking terms. We talk every single day. 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:11.400 Some people will use the scripture, spiritual things, a word 0:11:11.520 --> 0:11:14.560 from the Lord to try to manipulate and control and 0:11:14.600 --> 0:11:15.280 get their way. 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:17.120 Don't fall into that trap. 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:19.880 The men tell me a few years ago after the service, 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:23.720 it's very well dressed, very successful, that if I didn't 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:27.280 let him start ministering on some Sunday mornings, the church 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:29.679 was going to go down, he said Joel. I saw 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:32.040 it so clearly. God showed me it's not going to 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:35.400 last unless I get involved. That word from the Lord 0:11:35.440 --> 0:11:39.120 went in one ear and out the other, and not. 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:41.160 Because there's not anything in between either. 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:45.440 Since then, we've grown by about twenty thousand people. We're 0:11:45.440 --> 0:11:49.679 doing okay, what am I saying? Don't base any decision 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:53.280 off of what somebody told you that doesn't line up 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:55.120 what you feel on the inside. 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.440 You can hear from God for yourself. 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:00.840 And if I would have been a people please and 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:04.200 run the church like that man wanted and ministered like 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:06.760 he told me to, I wouldn't be where I am today. 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:09.640 I would have his approval, but what good is that 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:12.040 going to do me. I would rather have the approval 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:13.640 of the creator of the universe. 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:14.880 I would rather have. 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:18.480 The God that spoke the worlds into existence smiling down 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:23.600 on me. Sometimes, in order to please God, you're going 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:25.400 to have to displease people. 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:29.360 This was hard for me. My personality is to want 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:32.200 to please everybody. I want people to like me. 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:36.000 When you fall of what's in your heart, other people 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:40.640 may not be happy, They may not understand you, may 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:41.959 fall out of their favor. 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:44.240 You may even lose a friendship. 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:48.360 When my mother was twenty six years old, my father 0:12:48.520 --> 0:12:51.160 decided to leave the church that he had been pastoring 0:12:51.160 --> 0:12:55.400 for many years. The congregation wasn't really behind his new 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:59.240 doctrine of faith and healing and miracles. My mother had 0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:02.480 friends there that she had had for years since they 0:13:02.520 --> 0:13:07.199 were much younger. Those friends instead of celebrating my mother's 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.520 new beginning, instead of being happy for the new chapter 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:13.280 in her life, they wouldn't have anything. 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:13.839 To do with my mother. 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:19.120 Lifelong friends walked away all because my father decided to 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:20.360 launch out on his own. 0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:23.079 I love what Jesus said in Luke eighteen. 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:29.320 He said, if anyone gives up family, friends, houses for 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:33.320 my sake in this life, they will be paid back 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:37.199 many times over. Notice it doesn't say when you get 0:13:37.200 --> 0:13:40.520 to heaven God will bless you. It says right here 0:13:40.559 --> 0:13:44.280 on the earth, if you give up anything for God's sake. 0:13:44.320 --> 0:13:47.079 He will reward you more than you can even imagine. 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:51.240 My mother lost all of her friends, they wouldn't give 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:52.760 her their approval anymore. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.240 But can I tell you God is a faithful God. 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:56.280 My mom got a. 0:13:56.240 --> 0:13:59.480 Whole lot of more new friends, people, more than she 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:03.840 could even imagine. But my parents, it would have been 0:14:03.880 --> 0:14:06.280 easy for them to stay in the boat and play 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:09.760 it safe and keep the approval of family and friends 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:13.080 in the community. But at some point God is going 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:15.760 to ask you to get out of the boat. It 0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:18.640 wouldn't be as difficult if all of our friends and 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:22.520 family members were behind us, cheering us on, encouraging us. 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:25.760 But most of the time, a friend that you've known 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:28.720 a long time, someone that you really look up to, 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:31.320 is going to try to convince you to stay where 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:34.760 you are. Maybe even like my parents, they'll give you 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:39.240 an ultimatum stay here and will support you, don't leave, 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:40.760 and will give you our approval. 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:42.680 But if you leave, you're on your own. 0:14:43.680 --> 0:14:45.920 That's when we have to say with the apostle Paul, 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.680 I would rather please God than be popular with people. 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:54.120 Don't let the fear of people holds you back. What 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:56.800 are they going to think? What are my friends going 0:14:56.840 --> 0:15:01.120 to say? Will my relatives all support me? The truth is, 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.840 like with my parents, some of them may walk away. 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:08.560 But here's what I've learned. If they leave you, you 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:12.360 didn't need them. God said he would never leave us 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:16.360 nor forsake us. So if they walked away, if they 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:19.920 betrayed you, if they left and you needed them, that 0:15:19.960 --> 0:15:23.440 would mean God was forsaken you. We know God can't lie, 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:26.520 so you can draw the conclusion. If they left me, 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.480 they weren't a part of my destiny. If they don't 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:32.440 want to be my friend, I don't need them. If 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:35.240 they won't give me their approval, no big deal. I 0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:36.240 have God's approval. 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:39.720 Friends, life is. 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:44.920 Too short to go through it controlled, manipulated, trying to 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:47.600 please everybody, trying to win their approval. 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:49.760 You don't need people like that. 0:15:50.560 --> 0:15:54.000 If you keep falling into that trap, letting them put 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:57.200 the guilt trip on you, making you feel bad because 0:15:57.200 --> 0:15:59.880 you don't call every time on queue they're up to 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:01.880 now because you didn't take their advice. 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:04.120 You've got to go get them fixed up. That's going 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:05.840 to keep you from your destiny. 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.480 Some of you are allowing the fear of losing approval, 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:13.920 the fear of what somebody will think, the fear of 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:17.240 losing a friendship to keep you in a box. 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:18.880 That's not even you. 0:16:18.880 --> 0:16:21.840 You're so concerned about keeping them happy and winning their 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:24.600 favor that you're missing out on the new things that 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:29.200 God wants to do. And sometimes a well meaning person 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:32.920 can try to hold us back. Jesus told Peter that 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:36.240 he was going to Jerusalem. Peter said, no, you're not, Jesus, 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:36.960 that's dangerous. 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:38.040 You're going to stay here with me. 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:42.480 Peter loved Jesus, he was concerned about him, but he 0:16:42.520 --> 0:16:45.080 didn't understand his destiny. 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:46.880 What God has put in your heart. 0:16:47.240 --> 0:16:52.200 Sometimes well meaning people may not understand. It doesn't mean 0:16:52.240 --> 0:16:54.640 that you write them off you never speak to them again, 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.920 but you do have to be strong and say, this 0:16:58.000 --> 0:17:00.320 is what I believe is a part of my destiny, 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.680 and I'm going to move toward it. You've got to 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:06.960 do it with or without their approval. That's what Jesus did. 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:09.720 He looked at Peter and said, get behind me, I'm 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:13.840 going to Jerusalem. He was strong, he was firm, but 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:15.159 he wasn't disrespectful. 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:17.359 He didn't say I'm never going to speak to you 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:18.600 because you don't agree with me. 0:17:19.119 --> 0:17:22.320 Jesus simply spoke the truth in love and went on 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:28.320 to fulfill his destiny without Peter's approval. In the same way, 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:31.679 you will not become everything God's created you to be 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:36.760 with the approval of everyone around you. I would love 0:17:36.800 --> 0:17:39.640 to tell you that all your family and friends will 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:42.119 be there to cheer you on and encourage you and 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:42.760 support you. 0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:44.040 But most of the. 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:49.600 Time, somebody will get jealous. Somebody won't understand. Somebody will 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:52.520 start talking about you, trying to be little, trying to 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:54.160 discredit you. 0:17:54.160 --> 0:17:55.040 You can either get. 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:57.160 In there and fight that battle and try to prove 0:17:57.200 --> 0:18:00.480 to them that you're right and they're wrong, or you 0:18:00.520 --> 0:18:03.359 can take the high road. A much better approach is 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:06.560 to have the attitude I love them, but I don't 0:18:06.560 --> 0:18:10.360 have to have their approval. It's okay if they don't understand. 0:18:10.840 --> 0:18:13.119 I'm not going to get bitter if they start talking. 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:15.560 I'm not going to lose focus and try to fight 0:18:15.640 --> 0:18:19.560 that battle. I know I have Almighty God's approval and 0:18:19.640 --> 0:18:23.200 he's promised if I give up anything for his sake. 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:24.680 He will reward me greatly. 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:29.160 That's a powerful attitude when you're secure enough in who 0:18:29.200 --> 0:18:33.440 you are, You're confident enough in the destiny in front 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:37.520 of you that even when people don't celebrate you, when 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:42.040 on purpose they overlook you, ignore you, and withhold their approval, 0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:44.879 doesn't matter. You've got a smile on your face. You 0:18:45.000 --> 0:18:47.520 keep moving forward, keep being your best. Let me tell 0:18:47.520 --> 0:18:49.760 you you do that and nothing will be able to 0:18:49.800 --> 0:18:53.160 stop you. The creator of the universe will break down 0:18:53.240 --> 0:18:56.080 every barrier and get you to where you're supposed to be. 0:18:56.920 --> 0:18:57.720 Let me challenge you. 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:03.320 Keep a good attitude, shake off the negative voices. Don't 0:19:03.320 --> 0:19:06.479 pay any attention to the naysayers that are trying to 0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:10.120 discredit you and make you look bad. I've learned if 0:19:10.119 --> 0:19:12.440 you'll stay in faith, the more they. 0:19:12.240 --> 0:19:14.080 Talk, the higher God will take you. 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:18.960 And sometimes we think, you know, I gotta have this person, Joel. 0:19:19.000 --> 0:19:22.600 They're so important and influential, this boss, he has so 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:26.479 much seniority, this family member, they know so many people 0:19:26.920 --> 0:19:30.600 now listen the Scripture says promotion doesn't come from people. 0:19:30.880 --> 0:19:32.359 Promotion comes from the Lord. 0:19:33.480 --> 0:19:39.359 You may not have the approval of someone that's quote important, influential. 0:19:39.960 --> 0:19:43.439 Don't waste your time trying to win their favor. Spend 0:19:43.480 --> 0:19:46.000 your time trying to win the favor of God. 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:47.560 How do you do that. 0:19:47.600 --> 0:19:50.440 By being a person of excellence, by having an attitude 0:19:50.480 --> 0:19:53.680 of faith, by blessing your enemies, by being. 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:54.280 Good to people. 0:19:54.560 --> 0:19:57.240 When you do that, you are currying favor with the 0:19:57.320 --> 0:19:58.680 creator of the universe. 0:19:58.920 --> 0:19:59.960 He will fight your battle. 0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:03.960 God will bring you those divine connections, people that are 0:20:04.000 --> 0:20:07.600 not jealous and critical, but people that celebrate you, people 0:20:07.680 --> 0:20:09.639 that cheer your arm, and some of you. 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:11.480 Today, you need to make changes. 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:15.399 You're spending too much time playing up to people, trying 0:20:15.400 --> 0:20:19.360 to buy their friendship, trying to win their approval. All 0:20:19.400 --> 0:20:22.080 that's doing is causing you to spend your wills. 0:20:22.359 --> 0:20:23.560 You're not going anywhere. 0:20:24.160 --> 0:20:27.480 You need to look inside and discover what God's put 0:20:27.520 --> 0:20:31.479 in you, and then get focused and start moving toward that. 0:20:32.640 --> 0:20:35.520 You don't have time to try to convince everyone to 0:20:35.720 --> 0:20:40.159 like you. Your destiny is too great to waste time 0:20:40.320 --> 0:20:44.680 fighting battles that don't matter. If somebody doesn't celebrate you, 0:20:45.240 --> 0:20:48.920 move on. If they walked away, you didn't need them. 0:20:49.480 --> 0:20:50.560 If they didn't give you. 0:20:50.520 --> 0:20:52.280 Their approval, don't worry about it. 0:20:52.359 --> 0:20:56.320 You have God's approval. Now take the pressure off yourself. 0:20:56.960 --> 0:21:00.320 Playing up to people takes a lot of energy. Trying 0:21:00.359 --> 0:21:03.520 to keep everybody fixed and happy is very draining. 0:21:04.280 --> 0:21:07.800 Wondering what everybody thinks is emotionally exhausting. 0:21:08.480 --> 0:21:11.040 There's a freedom when you realize I don't have to 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:15.040 compete for anyone's approval. I can just run my race, 0:21:15.200 --> 0:21:18.240 focus on my goals, be my best, and God will 0:21:18.240 --> 0:21:21.560 take care of the rest. Joyce Meyer is a good 0:21:21.560 --> 0:21:25.000 friend of ours, great Bible teacher. She told how when 0:21:25.040 --> 0:21:28.000 she first started her ministry, she was in a small 0:21:28.080 --> 0:21:31.800 classroom in a little church. Every week she'd have a 0:21:31.840 --> 0:21:35.080 Bible study and about forty people would come out. Her husband, 0:21:35.160 --> 0:21:37.480 Dave would sit there on the front row supporting her. 0:21:38.280 --> 0:21:41.359 One week after the class, the pastor called them aside 0:21:41.440 --> 0:21:44.560 and said, Dave, this is out of order. You should 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:47.240 be up there teaching, and Joyce should be sitting on 0:21:47.280 --> 0:21:48.720 the front row supporting you. 0:21:49.640 --> 0:21:50.359 They were young. 0:21:50.800 --> 0:21:53.480 They didn't want to disappoint the pastor, didn't want to 0:21:53.520 --> 0:21:56.160 go against what he was saying. After all, he could 0:21:56.200 --> 0:21:58.040 put them out of that church, that's where all their 0:21:58.080 --> 0:22:02.000 friends were. Past He was a good man, but he 0:22:02.080 --> 0:22:04.320 didn't know what God had put in Joyce's heart. 0:22:04.840 --> 0:22:07.520 He didn't know she had that incredible gift to teach. 0:22:08.280 --> 0:22:11.399 To not be disrespectful to the pastor. Dave got up 0:22:11.400 --> 0:22:15.280 and started teaching. Joyce sat on the front row, and yes, 0:22:15.359 --> 0:22:18.040 it was good that they were willing to come under authority. 0:22:18.080 --> 0:22:20.640 And I'm not, by any means saying that if it's 0:22:20.640 --> 0:22:23.200 in your heart, just be rebellious and do whatever you want. 0:22:23.480 --> 0:22:26.200 But I am saying this. We shouldn't let other people 0:22:26.280 --> 0:22:29.400 run our lives. Some people can't even run their life, 0:22:29.480 --> 0:22:34.280 and they're trying to tell you how to run your life. 0:22:35.400 --> 0:22:38.440 Several weeks went by and Joyce was miserable. 0:22:38.800 --> 0:22:41.760 Dave was miserable. He didn't like teaching. That's not what 0:22:41.800 --> 0:22:42.720 he was called to do. 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:45.639 One day, Joyce finally got back up there and started 0:22:45.680 --> 0:22:49.120 teaching again. Sure enough, the pastor asked them to leave. 0:22:49.720 --> 0:22:53.680 He didn't accept them. They didn't have that approval anymore. 0:22:54.040 --> 0:22:56.760 But thank god, Joyce knew that she had God's approval, 0:22:56.800 --> 0:23:01.040 and she's been doing pretty good ever since then. But 0:23:01.200 --> 0:23:03.280 when we come to the end of our life, we're 0:23:03.320 --> 0:23:05.920 not going to stand before people. We're going to stand 0:23:05.960 --> 0:23:08.480 before God, and it's not going to be a good 0:23:08.520 --> 0:23:13.080 excuse to say God, I didn't fulfill my destiny because. 0:23:12.680 --> 0:23:14.080 My friends wanted me to do this. 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:16.840 My co workers pressured me and put me in this 0:23:16.960 --> 0:23:19.840 box God. My family wouldn't give me their approval. I 0:23:19.880 --> 0:23:23.280 was just trying to keep everybody happy. No, run your race, 0:23:23.600 --> 0:23:27.440 fulfill your destiny. It's great when we have the approval 0:23:27.480 --> 0:23:30.639 of others, but we have to accept the fact that 0:23:30.760 --> 0:23:34.760 not everyone is going to understand what you're called to do, 0:23:35.240 --> 0:23:37.560 and they're going to try to put you in their box. 0:23:37.960 --> 0:23:40.639 And if you're a people pleaser, you're going to miss 0:23:40.760 --> 0:23:44.320 the awesome future that God has in store. A few 0:23:44.400 --> 0:23:46.359 years after my father went to be with the Lord, 0:23:46.720 --> 0:23:50.560 our old sanctuary filled up. The church had really grown 0:23:50.680 --> 0:23:54.680 and we needed a bigger place. My father had always 0:23:54.760 --> 0:23:57.320 told how he would never move the church, he would 0:23:57.400 --> 0:24:00.680 keep it at that location, and me, being the new pastor, 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:03.360 I wasn't about to rock the boat and change anything. 0:24:03.920 --> 0:24:06.479 We researched to see if we could build a larger 0:24:06.520 --> 0:24:10.240 facility on that same exact property. Found out the roads 0:24:10.240 --> 0:24:12.920 weren't big enough, so we went out to the freeway 0:24:13.359 --> 0:24:16.520 as close to that other location as possible, but both 0:24:16.560 --> 0:24:19.600 times the property didn't work out. When I got the 0:24:19.640 --> 0:24:22.960 word that this place was coming available, the former Compact Center, 0:24:23.080 --> 0:24:26.679 it's about twenty minutes from our other location, something leaped 0:24:26.760 --> 0:24:29.960 on the inside. I knew this was supposed to be ours. 0:24:30.920 --> 0:24:34.320 Ninety nine point nine percent of the congregation was totally 0:24:34.359 --> 0:24:34.840 behind it. 0:24:35.320 --> 0:24:39.080 The vast majority was very excited. But there was one 0:24:39.160 --> 0:24:40.800 man that was not behind it. 0:24:40.960 --> 0:24:43.960 In fact, he was totally against it, and he made 0:24:44.040 --> 0:24:47.720 sure he let me know. Every week after the service. 0:24:48.080 --> 0:24:52.000 He would confine me in the visitor's reception. He would say, Joel, 0:24:52.119 --> 0:24:56.359 you know your father said he would never move the church. 0:24:56.920 --> 0:24:59.600 You're making a big mistake, and I just want to 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:02.159 let you you know, if you move it, I'm not 0:25:02.280 --> 0:25:08.040 going to come. I said, you promise. I didn't, but 0:25:08.119 --> 0:25:13.119 I thought it. But everybody has a right to have 0:25:13.200 --> 0:25:16.520 their opinion. But he didn't know what I was feeling 0:25:16.560 --> 0:25:19.560 on the inside. He didn't know what God was speaking 0:25:19.600 --> 0:25:22.280 to me. I could have easily let him put me 0:25:22.400 --> 0:25:25.520 in his box and keep us from moving forward. The 0:25:25.600 --> 0:25:27.840 easy thing to do was to stay in the boat 0:25:28.280 --> 0:25:31.280 and just play it safe where we were. But sometime 0:25:31.640 --> 0:25:33.119 God is going to ask you to get out of 0:25:33.160 --> 0:25:33.520 the boat. 0:25:33.800 --> 0:25:34.840 And what I'm saying is. 0:25:34.720 --> 0:25:37.560 Don't be surprised if a friend or a family member 0:25:37.760 --> 0:25:39.880 doesn't try to convince you to stay where you are. 0:25:40.600 --> 0:25:43.480 They may mean, well, but you've got to be strong 0:25:43.760 --> 0:25:46.760 and follow what God has put in your heart. I 0:25:46.760 --> 0:25:50.400 don't like to displease people, but I've learned I may 0:25:50.480 --> 0:25:54.760 have to displease a few people, so I don't displease God. Now. 0:25:54.800 --> 0:25:57.280 I never like to see one person leave the church, 0:25:57.400 --> 0:26:00.000 but I found if I'll stay true to my heart 0:26:00.560 --> 0:26:03.440 for everyone that leaves, God will send me two dozen 0:26:03.520 --> 0:26:08.280 more in return. Now, when somebody complains, when somebody threatens 0:26:08.320 --> 0:26:11.040 to leave, I have a new approach. I just smile 0:26:11.119 --> 0:26:13.600 and say, can I show you the door? The sooner 0:26:13.640 --> 0:26:16.320 the better. I may not say it, but that's what 0:26:16.400 --> 0:26:21.480 I think. Here's my point. You cannot please everybody. You 0:26:21.560 --> 0:26:25.280 have to stay true to your own heart. Usually the 0:26:25.320 --> 0:26:28.800 people that make the loudest noise, the people that take 0:26:28.880 --> 0:26:31.920 most of your time and energy. The moment you hit 0:26:31.960 --> 0:26:33.160 the smallest bump. 0:26:33.040 --> 0:26:33.560 In the road. 0:26:33.680 --> 0:26:36.600 They're the first ones to leave. You would be better 0:26:36.640 --> 0:26:39.640 off to not play up to them. Now, save your 0:26:39.680 --> 0:26:43.280 time and energy for people that you know are behind you, 0:26:43.560 --> 0:26:46.400 people that are with you through thick and thin. I 0:26:46.480 --> 0:26:50.919 love loyal people, I love faithful people. I have people 0:26:50.960 --> 0:26:54.080 in my life right now, friends, family, staff, many of 0:26:54.080 --> 0:26:56.960 you that I know they will give me their approval 0:26:57.240 --> 0:27:00.320 to the day I die. 0:27:04.040 --> 0:27:05.399 I feel like it's every one of you. 0:27:05.480 --> 0:27:08.600 But you know, I know God has put people in 0:27:08.680 --> 0:27:11.840 my life that celebrate me and give me the freedom 0:27:11.920 --> 0:27:13.919 to become who He's created me to be. 0:27:14.359 --> 0:27:15.320 And here's what I'm saying. 0:27:15.680 --> 0:27:18.639 God has put the same type of people in your life, 0:27:18.920 --> 0:27:22.159 the right people. Now, don't waste your time trying to 0:27:22.240 --> 0:27:25.360 win the approval of someone that's never going to give 0:27:25.400 --> 0:27:29.320 you their approval. Your destiny is too great to allow 0:27:29.400 --> 0:27:32.920 someone to manipulate you. Some of you don't realize it, 0:27:33.000 --> 0:27:35.960 but you've been addicted to approval. You've been living to 0:27:36.000 --> 0:27:38.920 please people. But thank God, today is a new day. 0:27:39.280 --> 0:27:43.119 Strongholds or being broken, I can feel a freedom in 0:27:43.200 --> 0:27:43.760 this place. 0:27:46.200 --> 0:27:47.680 You know today that. 0:27:47.520 --> 0:27:50.920 You don't need other people's approval. You have Almighty God's approval. 0:27:51.720 --> 0:27:55.760 If you will be strong and run your race. Stay focused, 0:27:55.800 --> 0:27:58.240 not let others control you. Let me declare it. 0:27:58.359 --> 0:28:01.159 You're going to step into a new level of your destiny. 0:28:01.680 --> 0:28:05.200 You're going to see new seasons of growth, new friendships, 0:28:05.240 --> 0:28:08.760 new opportunities. I believe in declare God is going to 0:28:08.840 --> 0:28:11.239 take your places that you've never even dreamed of. 0:28:11.520 --> 0:28:16.320 If you receive it, can you say amen? Amen? We 0:28:16.440 --> 0:28:17.520 never like to close. 0:28:17.280 --> 0:28:20.600 Our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:20.640 --> 0:28:21.760 the lord of your life. 0:28:21.880 --> 0:28:22.840 Would you pray with me? 0:28:23.440 --> 0:28:28.600 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins, Come 0:28:28.640 --> 0:28:31.439 into my heart, wash me clean. 0:28:32.359 --> 0:28:36.320 I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you 0:28:36.400 --> 0:28:38.960 prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 0:28:39.400 --> 0:28:42.160 Get in a good Bible based church, and stay strong. 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:44.400 God's going to do amazing things in your life. 0:28:44.480 --> 0:28:47.880 Thank you for listening to the juelos Den podcast. Help 0:28:47.960 --> 0:28:50.720 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:50.800 --> 0:28:51.760 all over the world. 0:28:52.040 --> 0:28:55.600 Visit joelous Dean dot com slash give Hope to give 0:28:55.640 --> 0:28:56.479 a gift today. 0:28:57.760 --> 0:29:00.000 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:00.320 --> 0:29:03.040 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:03.120 --> 0:29:06.160 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:29:06.400 --> 0:29:09.240 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:09.480 --> 0:29:10.520 We'll see you next time. 0:29:21.920 --> 0:29:24.719 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:29:24.720 --> 0:29:29.080 for everyone. 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