Even Now Faith

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That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.920 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:41.360 leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.440 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:45.280 ministry going. 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:57.840 Enjoy the message. 0:01:59.440 --> 0:02:02.200 Oh God Black than you always a joy to come 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.559 into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:06.560 please stop by and be a part of one of 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:09.280 our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:11.640 at home. But thanks so much for tuning in, and 0:02:11.800 --> 0:02:14.440 thank you again for coming out. I like to start 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:17.720 with something funny, and I heard about this scientist. He 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:21.200 said to God. We've decided we no longer need you. 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:25.760 We can clone people, transplant hearts, and do all kinds 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:29.160 of things once considered miraculous. God said, well, that's fine. 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:31.760 But to prove that you don't need me, let's have 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:35.760 a man making contest. The only requirement is you have 0:02:35.840 --> 0:02:39.080 to make man out of dirt. The scientist said, great. 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:41.480 He reached down quickly to get a handful of dirt. 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:44.400 God said, not so quick. Go get your own dirt. 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.440 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:52.240 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:54.640 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.440 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:02:57.480 --> 0:03:01.400 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:03:01.480 --> 0:03:06.320 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God, 0:03:06.400 --> 0:03:09.600 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:09.919 --> 0:03:14.320 even now, Faith. We all face situations that look like 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:17.119 they're never going to work out. We don't see how 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:19.639 we could get well, or how we could get out 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:22.680 of debt, how we could accomplish a dream. It's been 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:26.440 too long. The odds are against us. Too often we 0:03:26.600 --> 0:03:29.600 settle where we are and just accept the fact that, Hey, 0:03:29.680 --> 0:03:33.079 it wasn't meant to be. In the scripture, there's a 0:03:33.160 --> 0:03:37.160 lady named Martha that faced one of these impossible situations. 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:42.640 Her brother Lazarus was extremely sick. Martha and her sister 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:46.120 Mary were very close to Jesus, so they sent word 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:50.160 for Jesus to come to their house and pray for Lazarus. Well, 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:53.360 Jesus was in another city, and he kept getting delayed. 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:57.400 A day went by. Martha said to her assistant, did 0:03:57.440 --> 0:04:00.480 you tell Jesus it was me asking for him? The 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:03.200 assistant said, yes, I told him it was you. Well, 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:04.880 did you tell him it was an emergency? 0:04:05.440 --> 0:04:05.680 Yes? 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:08.840 I told him it was urgent. Another day went by, 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:12.680 and they're waiting and waiting. Night falls and still no 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:15.920 sign of Jesus. They wake up early the next morning 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:20.400 looking out the windows, knowing that any moment Jesus would arrive. 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:24.680 After all, it's been three days since they first asked 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:28.520 for him. Every hour that goes by, they're getting more 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:29.640 and more upset. 0:04:29.960 --> 0:04:30.560 Where is he? 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:35.240 I can't understand what's taken him so long. Finally, their 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:41.640 worst nightmare comes true. Lazarus died. They're distraught, upset they'd 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:45.840 just lost their brother to make matters worse. They knew 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:49.800 that their good friend Jesus could have healed Lazarus. They 0:04:49.839 --> 0:04:53.719 had seen him open blind eyes, cure the lepers, turn 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:56.799 water into wine. It would have been no big deal 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:02.240 for Jesus to heal their brother. Days after Lazarus had died, 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:05.600 Jesus showed up, knocked on the front door, said here, 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:08.760 I am, what can I do for you? Has it 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:12.760 ever seemed like God showed up too late? You prayed, 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:16.840 you believed, but the problem didn't turn around. The medical 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:21.080 report wasn't good, the business didn't make it. Martha was crying. 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.080 She went up to him and said, Jesus, if you 0:05:24.120 --> 0:05:27.000 would have been here sooner, my brother wouldn't have died. 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:30.800 She was saying, Jesus, how could you do this to us? 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.599 We're your friends, we hang out together, we have you 0:05:34.680 --> 0:05:37.760 over for dinner. The least you could do is show 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:41.839 up when we have an emergency. Martha could have turned 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:46.080 and walked away, bitter, angry, complaining that would be the 0:05:46.200 --> 0:05:48.880 end of the story. We wouldn't be talking about it today. 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:53.360 But in that dark season, when it looked like it 0:05:53.440 --> 0:05:58.960 was too late, too far gone, Martha did something extremely significant. 0:06:00.080 --> 0:06:04.400 He to seeing negative situations turn around. She said, if 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:06.799 you would have been here sooner, he wouldn't have died. 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:12.320 But I know even now, whatever you ask, God will 0:06:12.320 --> 0:06:16.200 do it for you. Notice those two simple words. Even 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:20.760 now it looks impossible, but even now you can turn 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:24.360 it around. He's been dead for four days, but even 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:28.000 now you can raise him back up. I don't see away, 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:32.000 but even now you can make a way. There will 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:35.599 be times in life, like with Martha, you have to 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:40.559 have even now faith God. The medical report doesn't look good, 0:06:40.920 --> 0:06:44.479 but I believe even now you can heal me. My 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:47.800 business is hanging by a thread, but even now you 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:51.279 can prosper me. My marriage looks like it's over, but 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:55.480 even now you can restore me. When it looks impossible, 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:58.200 the odds are against you. You don't see how it 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.680 could work out. Don't complain, don't get bitter, dig your 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:05.960 heels in and have this even now faith God, Even 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:09.679 now you can turn my child around. Had this addiction 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:12.640 for years, but even now you can set me free. 0:07:13.480 --> 0:07:16.760 Been believing to have a baby. The medical report says 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:19.840 it's not going to happen. But God, I'm bold enough 0:07:19.880 --> 0:07:23.760 to believe, like Martha that even now in spite of 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:26.760 how long it's been, In spite of what I've been told, 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:29.640 in spite of what I feel, I know you have 0:07:29.800 --> 0:07:34.040 the final say. You control the universe. Nothing's too hard 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:36.760 for you. I may not see away, but I know 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:41.160 you have a way. When you have this even now, faith, 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:45.040 God will move heaven and earth to do what he promised. 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:48.840 And whatever you think is too far gone, the dreams 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:51.800 you've given up on, the promises you've let go of, 0:07:52.360 --> 0:07:55.320 God is saying I can still bring them to pass. 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:59.680 I can still restore the relationship. I can still prosper 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:03.000 you and put you into overflow. I can still give 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:06.400 you the desires of your heart. I know a young 0:08:06.480 --> 0:08:10.040 lady named Vanessa. She's a medical doctor that attends here, 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:15.560 and years back, she started experiencing terrible pain in her joints. 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:18.760 It got so bad she could hardly stand it. She 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:22.480 ended up having surgery on her knees, but unfortunately it 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:26.160 didn't help. It continued to get worse. She got to 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:28.680 the place where she was so crippled she had to 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:31.160 walk with a cane when she would come to church. 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:34.240 It would take her forty five minutes to walk from 0:08:34.280 --> 0:08:37.880 the parking lot to her seat in the auditorium. During 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:40.080 the week, she would get up at three o'clock in 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:44.160 the morning to start getting her joints loosened up so 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:47.040 she could be at work at eight. This was a 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:50.080 gene that had been in her family line that kept 0:08:50.120 --> 0:08:54.160 getting passed down. Her father had the same illness in 0:08:54.200 --> 0:08:58.079 his early twenties. He died from complications of it at 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:02.920 forty three. Mother was a paraplegic, had the same problem. 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:07.559 It looked like this was Vanessa's destiny. She could have thought, Hey, 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:10.840 too bad for me. It's in my DNA. Can't do 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:16.080 anything about this. No, Vanessa was like Martha. She had 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:20.440 this even now faith. Her attitude was, even though it 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:24.520 looks impossible, even though medical science says there's nothing they 0:09:24.600 --> 0:09:28.320 can do, even though daddy had it and grandmother had it, 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:31.920 this is a new day. The buck stops with me. God, 0:09:32.000 --> 0:09:36.640 I believe even now, in spite of what's been passed down, 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:40.520 in spite of what the experts have told me. I 0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:44.000 know you made my body. You can correct what's wrong. 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:47.080 You said you would restore health and to me and 0:09:47.200 --> 0:09:51.080 heal me of my wounds. It didn't happen overnight, but 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:54.680 little by little she kept getting better and better and better. 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:58.440 Today she's perfectly healthy and whole. She can walk without 0:09:58.520 --> 0:10:03.240 pain and without that. You don't have to learn to 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:06.640 live with things that keep getting passed down. Well, Joe, 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:10.680 everybody in my family is depressed. Maybe so, but you 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.440 can be the turning point. Why don't you rise up 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:16.720 and say, God, I believe even now you're freeing me 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:20.160 from this depression. When you do that, the creator of 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:25.000 the universe breathes in your direction, he dispatches angels. You'll 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:28.160 feel a strength, a joy, a freedom that you didn't 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:32.599 have before. Addictions may have been passed down to you. 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.440 You can't do anything about that part, but you can 0:10:35.679 --> 0:10:39.120 put an end to it. God, I believe, even right now, 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:42.720 you are freeing me from these addictions. Well, Joel, my 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:46.320 family we're poor, defeated. We never get any good breaks. 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:49.040 I come from the wrong side of the tracks. No, 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:51.840 there's no such thing as the wrong side of the tracks. 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:56.200 The most High God breeds his life into you. He's 0:10:56.280 --> 0:10:59.840 crowned you with his favor. He puts seeds of greatness 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:04.400 on the inside. Don't accept lack and defeat as your destiny. 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.319 It may have been that way in the past, but 0:11:07.400 --> 0:11:09.880 God raised you up to put an end to it. 0:11:10.240 --> 0:11:13.720 You're the difference maker. Your attitude should be God. I 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:17.000 want to thank you that even now you're prospering me. 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:22.080 Even now, you're opening up new doors, bringing opportunity, Divine 0:11:22.160 --> 0:11:27.160 connections increase across my path. He's an even now God. 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:31.040 But you have to have this even now faith. Here's 0:11:31.080 --> 0:11:35.520 why God meets us at the level of our expectations. 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:38.960 If you don't expect to get well, then you won't 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:42.520 get well. If you don't expect to accomplish your dreams, 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:46.240 you don't expect to overcome the addiction, to be free 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:48.840 from that depression, then you'll get stuck where you are. 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:52.880 Why don't you take the limits off of God? Dare 0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:55.800 to say, like Martha, God, I don't see how this 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:58.640 can happen in the natural. My brother's been dead for 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:02.680 four days, already in the tomb. In other words, the 0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:06.000 medical report says I won't get well. Business is slow, 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.480 my marriage is on the rock. But God, I believe 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:13.800 even now, in spite of how bad it looks, in 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:17.480 spite of the setbacks I've suffered, I know your power 0:12:18.000 --> 0:12:20.400 is greater than any power that's trying to stop me, 0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:24.080 you said, what's meant from my harm you would use 0:12:24.160 --> 0:12:26.480 to my advantage. So Lord, I want to thank you 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:29.360 that I'm not only coming out, that I'm coming out better. 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:34.760 Even now, Faith says, I still believe, even though the 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:38.440 medical report is not good. I still believe that my 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:42.040 children will be mighty in the land. I still believe 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.840 that I'll live debt free, pay off my house, and 0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:47.880 be a blessing to others. I still believe that I'll 0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:52.720 accomplish my dreams, build that orphanage, start my business, step 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:56.800 into the fullness of my destiny. This is what Moses 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.920 did when he and the Israelites came to a day 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.679 at the Red Sea. They had nowhere to go Froh 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:08.000 and his army was quickly closing in. It looked like 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:11.880 they would easily be captured and returned as slaves. But 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:16.439 Moses didn't panic. He didn't complain. He understood this principle. 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:20.720 He said, God, it looks impossible, but I know even 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:24.080 now you can deliver us. He held up the rod, 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:27.320 the Red Sea parted, they went through on dry ground. 0:13:28.120 --> 0:13:31.320 How about Abraham. God gave him the promise that he 0:13:31.360 --> 0:13:34.079 would have a baby. He and his wife Sarah were 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.920 way too old, almost eighty. This would defy the laws 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.880 of nature. I can hear Abraham every morning. God, all 0:13:41.960 --> 0:13:45.280 the odds are against us. It's not possible in the natural. 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.679 But God, I believe even now you can give us 0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:51.880 this baby, in spite of how old we are, in 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.400 spite of what our natural reasoning is telling us, you 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:58.240 can make away. One day, when they were almost one 0:13:58.320 --> 0:14:01.920 hundred years old, had that baby. The promise came to pass. 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:06.800 My sister Lisa was born with something like cerebral palsy. 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:10.480 The doctors told my parents that she would most likely 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:13.440 never be able to walk or to talk, but she 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:16.640 would need constant, twenty four hour care. And of course 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:20.520 my parents were devastated. They never dreamed they'd be dealing 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:24.360 with an unhealthy baby. But they didn't get bitter. They 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.720 didn't start complaining. They did what I'm asking you to do. 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:31.760 They said, God, this doesn't look possible in the natural. 0:14:32.480 --> 0:14:36.280 Medical science says that she will be disabled. But God, 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:40.080 we know you can do what medicine cannot do. God, 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:44.440 even now, we believe you can heal our daughter. And again, 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:48.480 like Vanessa, it didn't happen instantly, but Lisa kept getting 0:14:48.520 --> 0:14:51.320 better and better, and today she's as healthy as can be. 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:54.560 One of the ministers here on staff, seventy seven years old, 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:59.960 still going strong. So but you know, I think about 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:03.640 how different life would be if my parents would have 0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:06.560 just accepted it and thought, hey, too bad, this is 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:09.600 our lot in life. No, if you want to step 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:12.520 into the fullness of your destiny, if you're going to 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:16.800 overcome these challenges, see the greatness of God's favor. You've 0:15:16.840 --> 0:15:21.000 got to have this even now. Faith when it looks impossible. God, 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.840 I know you can do the impossible when you don't 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:26.920 see away. God, I know you still have a way 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:29.560 when your natural reasoning is telling you it's never going 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:33.200 to work out. God, I know you're a supernatural God. 0:15:34.280 --> 0:15:38.160 It's significant that Jesus waited four days to go pray 0:15:38.200 --> 0:15:41.840 for Lazarus. He knew he was sick. In fact, Jesus 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:44.640 knew he was going to die. He could have gone 0:15:44.680 --> 0:15:48.120 on the first day healed Lazarus saved them all of 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.160 that trouble, or at least he could have arrived on 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.520 the second or third day and they wouldn't have had 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:57.200 to go through so much. But there's always a reason 0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:02.000 for a delay. We may not understand. Sometimes it's just 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:04.640 a test of our faith. Are we going to get 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:10.160 discouraged and give up? If Martha would have gotten bitter, complained, angry, 0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:13.040 she could have stopped the miracle. And this is where 0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:17.560 many people miss God's best. While you're waiting for the 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:21.120 problem to turn around, waiting for your health to improve, 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:23.800 waiting for a child to get on the right course, 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:28.640 that's a very critical time. Can you pass the test 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:32.800 of staying in faith when you don't see anything happening? 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:36.880 Can you keep a good attitude when God is silent? 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:41.200 You're calling out to him, like Martha, you sent word, 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:45.760 you're praying, but he's not coming for some reason, He's delayed, 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:50.480 he's not answering. The situation is not improving. This is 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:53.440 when many people get discouraged and think, well, too bad, 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:56.840 it wasn't meant to be Joel. I believe five years 0:16:56.840 --> 0:16:58.640 ago that I could get out of debt, but man, 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:02.160 not now I'm way my head. Or I used to 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:05.199 believe that i'd get healthy again, that i'd meet the 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:07.920 right person, that I'd accomplish my dream. But it's been 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:12.200 too long, had too many setbacks. Now how you wait 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:17.360 will determine whether or not that situation changes. When Jesus 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:20.320 arrived at Mary and Martha's house, he said to them, 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:24.640 take me to the place where you buried Lazarus. Take 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:28.880 me to the tomb. He was saying, in effect, take 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:33.080 me to the place where you quit believing. Take me 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:35.480 to the place where you gave up on your dreams. 0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:38.600 You decided that you wouldn't get well, that you wouldn't 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:41.760 meet the right person. If you don't go back to 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:45.640 that place and stir up your faith and get your 0:17:45.720 --> 0:17:49.520 passion back, it will tie the hands of Almighty God. 0:17:49.840 --> 0:17:51.879 You've got to go back to that place where you 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:57.080 quit believing and ask yourself, is my God bigger than 0:17:57.080 --> 0:18:01.320 this problem? Is my God greater than this addiction? Is 0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:05.120 my God more powerful than this sickness? Is he still 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:09.879 Jehovah Jahrah, the Lord my Provider? Is he still Jehovah Rapha, 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:13.960 the Lord my healer? Is he still? Elshaday, the God 0:18:14.000 --> 0:18:17.640 who is more than enough? When you remind yourself who 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:21.640 your God is, the all powerful creator of the universe, 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:25.919 something comes alive on the inside. One angel in the 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:30.040 Old Testament destroyed one hundred and eighty thousand of the 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:33.800 enemies of God. He's all powerful. He can turn any 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:37.920 situation around. He's got you in the palm of his hand. 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:41.440 He knows how to get you to your destiny. When 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:46.040 Jesus said take me to the tomb, roll away the stone, 0:18:46.160 --> 0:18:49.320 I can imagine Martha said, no, Jesus, I don't want 0:18:49.320 --> 0:18:53.399 to go there. It stinks. He's been dead for four days. 0:18:54.560 --> 0:18:58.040 Maybe something has died in your life. You went through 0:18:58.080 --> 0:19:02.760 a divorce, a bankruptcy, a friend betrayed you, and now, 0:19:02.960 --> 0:19:07.720 like with Lazarus, it stinks. It's a mess. But unless 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:11.000 you're willing to deal with your stinky stuff, you probably 0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:15.399 won't get you a miracle. We make excuses. Jove hurt me, 0:19:15.560 --> 0:19:18.160 he walked out of a relationship. It wasn't my fault. 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:20.639 That's why I'm angry and bitter. Now you've got to 0:19:20.680 --> 0:19:23.440 do your part and let go of the bitterness. You've 0:19:23.480 --> 0:19:25.720 got to forgive the people that have done you wrong. 0:19:26.000 --> 0:19:30.000 Deal with the stinky stuff. Or maybe my business didn't 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:33.280 make it. I went through bankruptcy. I tried, but man, 0:19:33.320 --> 0:19:37.280 I'm a failure. No failure is an event. It's not 0:19:37.320 --> 0:19:40.240 who you are. Don't put that label on you. You 0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:43.440 are a child of the most high gods. If one 0:19:43.560 --> 0:19:47.160 dream dies, you have to dream another dream. A young 0:19:47.200 --> 0:19:50.840 man I met a few years ago had taken the 0:19:50.920 --> 0:19:54.000 state bar for his law degree for the second time 0:19:54.160 --> 0:19:56.840 and failed. It'd been over a year and he was 0:19:56.880 --> 0:19:59.960 working as a legal assistant. You could tell he wasn't 0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:02.800 fulfilled it. I asked him when he was going to 0:20:02.840 --> 0:20:06.280 take the state bar again. He kind of laughed. He said, oh, man, Joel, 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:08.960 I'm done with that. I've already failed it twice. That 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:11.800 just wasn't meant to be. I told him what I'm 0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:15.080 telling you. If God is going to resurrect that dream, 0:20:15.359 --> 0:20:18.280 if you're going to step into the fullness of your destiny, 0:20:18.840 --> 0:20:22.800 you've got to roll away the stone. Those two failures 0:20:22.840 --> 0:20:26.000 may stink, it may not be pretty, but that is 0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:29.320 not the end of your story. God didn't put the 0:20:29.440 --> 0:20:32.840 dream in you to lie dormant. He didn't give you 0:20:32.880 --> 0:20:34.880 the promise to just kind of tease you and take 0:20:34.880 --> 0:20:39.000 you halfway there. You may have had some setbacks, may 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:42.040 not have happened on your timetable. The heavens may have 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:45.520 been silent when you prayed, but don't take that as 0:20:45.560 --> 0:20:50.120 a sign that God is not there. He's closely watching you. 0:20:50.840 --> 0:20:53.400 This is a test. What are you going to do? 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:57.040 Settle where you are, get discouraged better. It wasn't meant 0:20:57.080 --> 0:21:00.320 to be. Now you've got to do your part. Hold 0:21:00.320 --> 0:21:03.440 away the stone, deal with the stinky stuff, and get 0:21:03.480 --> 0:21:07.040 your passion. Battle God. I fail this test two times. 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.639 All the odds are against me. But I know even 0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:13.960 now you can help me to pass. Even now, you're 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:15.520 changing things in my favor. 0:21:16.359 --> 0:21:16.439 Now. 0:21:16.520 --> 0:21:18.440 Three or four months ago, I saw that young man 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:21.000 out in the lobby, had a big smile on his face. 0:21:21.280 --> 0:21:23.480 Put his hand up for a high five, said Joel. 0:21:23.520 --> 0:21:25.760 I did it the third time. Was a charm. I 0:21:25.840 --> 0:21:31.040 passed that test. God has Lord agreed. Friends, God knows 0:21:31.440 --> 0:21:35.240 how to resurrect dead dreams. Don't talk yourself out of it. 0:21:36.000 --> 0:21:39.600 We make excuses. Jesus, he's been dead for four days. 0:21:40.119 --> 0:21:43.000 They've already wrapped him up like a mummy. Or I've 0:21:43.000 --> 0:21:45.840 taken the test twice and failed. No use taking it again, 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:49.919 or like Vanessa is in my DNA, I'll never get well. 0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:55.600 No get rid of the excuses. We serve a supernatural God. 0:21:55.800 --> 0:21:58.119 It may be taking a long time. The odds are 0:21:58.200 --> 0:22:01.919 against you, but keep in the test, keep doing the 0:22:02.000 --> 0:22:05.320 right thing. If you will do what you can, God 0:22:05.359 --> 0:22:09.040 will show up and do what you can. What's interesting 0:22:09.320 --> 0:22:13.000 is back in those days, the Saddescees, these were the 0:22:13.000 --> 0:22:16.080 people that were against Jesus. They were always doubting him. 0:22:16.560 --> 0:22:20.320 They believed that the spirit left the body after the 0:22:20.400 --> 0:22:23.560 third day when a person had died. It's not a 0:22:23.600 --> 0:22:27.400 coincidence that Jesus waited till the fourth day to show up. 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:30.919 He wanted to make sure that when he raised Lazarus 0:22:30.920 --> 0:22:33.640 from the dead, there would be no doubt about it. 0:22:34.720 --> 0:22:39.080 Sometimes God will delay in your life on purpose, not 0:22:39.200 --> 0:22:41.479 only so that you will know that it's his favor, 0:22:41.800 --> 0:22:45.560 but so that all of your critics, friends, relatives, coworkers, 0:22:45.800 --> 0:22:48.520 they won't be able to deny the great thing God 0:22:48.560 --> 0:22:53.880 did in your life. Mary and Martha were upset at 0:22:53.960 --> 0:22:57.639 first that Jesus didn't get there in time to heal 0:22:57.840 --> 0:23:01.560 their brother. Their prayer didn't get answered the way they wanted. 0:23:02.160 --> 0:23:05.360 But all along God knew what he was doing. He 0:23:05.440 --> 0:23:09.000 wasn't planning a healing. He had something better in mind, 0:23:09.280 --> 0:23:12.600 a resurrection. And if it hasn't worked out your way 0:23:12.720 --> 0:23:16.199 on your timetable, don't get upset. That doesn't mean that 0:23:16.280 --> 0:23:19.800 God has failed you. It's just the opposite. It means 0:23:19.840 --> 0:23:24.240 God is planning something even better. Few years after my 0:23:24.320 --> 0:23:26.639 father went to be with the Lord, the church was 0:23:26.680 --> 0:23:30.960 really growing and we needed a larger auditorium. My father 0:23:31.080 --> 0:23:33.960 told how he would never move the church. I was 0:23:34.040 --> 0:23:37.040 knew the young pastor. I wasn't about to rock the boat, 0:23:37.240 --> 0:23:39.800 and so I found a one hundred acre tract of 0:23:39.880 --> 0:23:43.439 land about two miles from the other location, right on 0:23:43.480 --> 0:23:46.040 the freeway. I thought, this is perfect, we'll build a 0:23:46.080 --> 0:23:49.959 new sanctuary. The owner of the property told how that 0:23:50.000 --> 0:23:52.880 had been for sale for over twenty years and they'd 0:23:52.920 --> 0:23:56.320 never had one offer on the property. I knew God 0:23:56.359 --> 0:23:59.600 saved that property for us. He said, you don't even 0:23:59.640 --> 0:24:01.720 need to draw off a contract now. Just go ahead 0:24:01.760 --> 0:24:05.040 and do your preliminary drawings and soil studies, and then 0:24:05.080 --> 0:24:08.560 we'll draw off the contract. Four months later we went 0:24:08.640 --> 0:24:11.240 to close on the property. We had an eight o'clock 0:24:11.280 --> 0:24:14.080 in the morning meeting. We showed up at seven forty five, 0:24:14.240 --> 0:24:18.280 so excited about our new property. His secretary walked out 0:24:18.320 --> 0:24:21.560 and said, I'm sorry, he sold the property last night 0:24:21.800 --> 0:24:25.320 to someone else. I was so disappointed. I knew that 0:24:25.440 --> 0:24:29.520 was the devil stealing our property. A couple of months later, 0:24:29.760 --> 0:24:32.479 we found another large piece of property. We thought, this 0:24:32.560 --> 0:24:35.480 is even better, But do you know the same exact 0:24:35.520 --> 0:24:38.960 thing happened? They sold it out from under us. Thought, God, 0:24:39.040 --> 0:24:42.120 what is going on? You know we need a larger building. 0:24:42.720 --> 0:24:45.399 There weren't any more large pieces of property over in 0:24:45.400 --> 0:24:47.879 that area, and I was tempted to get discourage and 0:24:48.280 --> 0:24:51.080 quit believing. Think, well, I guess this is good enough. 0:24:51.600 --> 0:24:54.680 We tried, it just wasn't meant to be. About six 0:24:54.720 --> 0:24:58.040 months later, I could feel something stirring on the inside. 0:24:58.160 --> 0:25:00.800 I knew I had to get my passion back. And 0:25:00.840 --> 0:25:04.359 it's as if I went to that stinky place where 0:25:04.359 --> 0:25:08.080 the dream died been turned down two times. Said God, 0:25:08.480 --> 0:25:11.120 it hasn't worked out my way, but I know you're 0:25:11.160 --> 0:25:14.240 still on the throne. I don't see any land available, 0:25:14.400 --> 0:25:17.119 but I know even now you have the right place 0:25:17.200 --> 0:25:21.439 for us. A few weeks later, I received a phone 0:25:21.440 --> 0:25:25.440 call that this place, the former Compact Center, was coming available. 0:25:25.600 --> 0:25:28.960 When I heard that something leaped on the inside, I 0:25:29.040 --> 0:25:31.440 knew it was supposed to be ours. Three and a 0:25:31.480 --> 0:25:34.280 half years later, we moved into it. We didn't have 0:25:34.400 --> 0:25:37.960 to build a new sanctuary. God gave us an auditorium, 0:25:38.080 --> 0:25:42.080 already built, the premier facility in the fourth largest city 0:25:42.080 --> 0:25:47.320 in America. My point is, I was praying for a healing, 0:25:47.840 --> 0:25:51.680 but God had something better in mind, a resurrection. If 0:25:51.720 --> 0:25:55.320 it's not happening your way on your timetable, don't get upset, 0:25:55.560 --> 0:25:58.760 stay in faith. God knows what he's doing. He can 0:25:58.800 --> 0:26:02.000 see the big picture for your life. He always has 0:26:02.040 --> 0:26:05.600 your best interest at heart. I heard about this lady 0:26:05.680 --> 0:26:08.640 that was losing her home. She had been laid off 0:26:08.720 --> 0:26:11.600 and she prayed and prayed that sheuld somehow be able 0:26:11.640 --> 0:26:15.760 to make her payments, but unfortunately she couldn't do it. Eventually, 0:26:15.800 --> 0:26:18.879 her house was foreclosed on and the bank took it 0:26:18.960 --> 0:26:21.880 and put it up for auction. And she had already 0:26:21.960 --> 0:26:24.680 accepted the fact that her house was gone and this 0:26:24.760 --> 0:26:27.919 chapter in her life was over, but deep down she 0:26:28.080 --> 0:26:31.240 was heartbroken. This is where she had raised her children, 0:26:31.280 --> 0:26:34.680 a single parent mom. Just to get some kind of closer, 0:26:35.119 --> 0:26:37.920 she went to the auction where they were selling off 0:26:37.960 --> 0:26:42.480 these foreclosed homes, including her own. While she was there, 0:26:42.600 --> 0:26:45.720 she couldn't help but weep seeing her house up on 0:26:45.760 --> 0:26:49.560 the docket to be auctioned off. A lady nearby noticed 0:26:49.600 --> 0:26:52.600 that she was upset, came over and asked what was wrong, 0:26:52.640 --> 0:26:55.320 and she explained how she had lost her job and 0:26:55.400 --> 0:26:57.879 now her home was about to be auctioned off. And 0:26:58.400 --> 0:27:00.879 the lady asked which one it was, she pointed to 0:27:00.920 --> 0:27:04.000 the picture. When it came up to be auctioned, this 0:27:04.080 --> 0:27:07.600 lady started bidding on it. She kept bidding, bidding, bidding, 0:27:07.680 --> 0:27:11.199 eventually won the bid. Now she owned her house. She 0:27:11.320 --> 0:27:13.760 turned to her new friend, the one that was weeping 0:27:13.800 --> 0:27:17.040 that she just met. She said, I came to buy 0:27:17.119 --> 0:27:20.720 a house from my son, but I know now God 0:27:20.760 --> 0:27:23.360 sent me here to buy your house and to give 0:27:23.400 --> 0:27:26.240 it back to you. She handed her the deed. The 0:27:26.359 --> 0:27:31.040 lady couldn't believe it. She had been praying to make 0:27:31.080 --> 0:27:34.639 the payments for a healing, but God had a resurrection. 0:27:35.280 --> 0:27:38.520 Now she owns it, free and clear, no more payments. 0:27:39.080 --> 0:27:42.360 Is there something you've given up on? You think it's 0:27:42.400 --> 0:27:44.960 been too long. You don't see how it could ever 0:27:45.000 --> 0:27:48.639 work out. All it takes is one touch of God's favor. 0:27:49.359 --> 0:27:51.159 You've got to go back to that place where you 0:27:51.240 --> 0:27:54.880 quit believing. God is saying, even now I can turn 0:27:54.920 --> 0:27:58.920 it around. Even now I can restore your health. Even now, 0:27:59.000 --> 0:28:02.679 I can help accomplish your dreams. Now, pass the test 0:28:03.080 --> 0:28:06.520 of staying in faith when God is silent. Keep a 0:28:06.520 --> 0:28:10.280 good attitude even when it's not happening on your timetable. 0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:13.240 God knows what he's doing. You may be praying for 0:28:13.280 --> 0:28:16.280 a healing, but He has a resurrection come in your way. 0:28:16.920 --> 0:28:20.960 If you'll tap into this even now faith Like Martha, 0:28:21.040 --> 0:28:24.760 I believe and declare, God is about to resurrect what 0:28:24.880 --> 0:28:27.840 you thought was dead. He's going to breathe new life 0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:31.960 into your health, your dreams, your finances, your relationships. You're 0:28:32.000 --> 0:28:35.800 going to see problems turn around, dreams fulfilled, a new 0:28:35.920 --> 0:28:39.840 level of your destiny in Jesus's name, if you receive it, 0:28:40.000 --> 0:28:44.040 Can you say him in today? Well, we never like 0:28:44.120 --> 0:28:47.240 to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to 0:28:47.320 --> 0:28:50.280 make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray 0:28:50.320 --> 0:28:55.240 with me? Just say Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. 0:28:56.360 --> 0:28:59.600 Come into my heart. I make you my lord and 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:04.080 save friends. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe 0:29:04.080 --> 0:29:07.040 you got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:10.280 Keep God first place. He's going to take your places. 0:29:10.400 --> 0:29:11.480 That you've never dreamed. 0:29:12.520 --> 0:29:16.200 Thank you for listening to the Joelstine podcast. Help us 0:29:16.240 --> 0:29:19.080 continue to share the message of hope with those all 0:29:19.120 --> 0:29:23.200 over the world. Visit joelostin dot com slash give Hope 0:29:23.360 --> 0:29:24.560 to give a gift today. 0:29:25.840 --> 0:29:28.760 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:28.760 --> 0:29:32.120 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:32.200 --> 0:29:35.400 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:35.600 --> 0:29:38.040 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:38.120 --> 0:29:38.600 next time. 0:29:47.160 --> 0:29:49.680 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:49.720 --> 0:29:53.280 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:53.360 --> 0:29:56.440 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. 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