Expecting Far And Beyond Favor

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What if 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.080 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 five minutes with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.399 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.480 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:24.120 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:26.080 This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:28.040 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:29.839 offer to buy yourself security s noor is it investment, 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:30.800 legal or tax advice. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.039 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.200 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.880 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:42.600 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:57.200 put God's very best in your life. Will God bless 0:01:57.240 --> 0:02:00.560 you always? Our joy to come into your home. We 0:02:00.680 --> 0:02:03.560 love you, We know God has great things in store 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:05.240 for each one of you. And if you're ever in 0:02:05.280 --> 0:02:07.600 our area, please stop by and be a part of 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.200 one of our services. We promise it. We'll make you 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.840 feel right at home. But thanks for tuning in, Thanks 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:15.360 again for coming out today. I like to start with 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:18.440 something funny, and I heard about this minister that died. 0:02:19.000 --> 0:02:21.640 He was standing in line at the pearly gates, and 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:24.160 in front of him was a man dressed in a 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:29.080 loud shirt wearing blue jeans and sunglasses. Saint Peter asked, 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:32.320 what's your name, sir? He said, my name is Joe Cohen, 0:02:32.840 --> 0:02:37.280 taxicab driver, New York City. Peter checked his list and 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:41.040 handed him a gold staff and a silk robe and said, 0:02:41.040 --> 0:02:44.040 welcome to Heaven. The minister stepped up and said, I'm 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:48.760 Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor of Saint Mary's Cathedral. Peter checked 0:02:48.760 --> 0:02:51.920 his list and handed him a cotton robe and a 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:55.160 wooden staff. He said, hey, wait a minute, it's not fair. 0:02:55.360 --> 0:02:58.800 The taxicab driver got a gold staff and a silk robe. 0:02:58.800 --> 0:03:01.840 How could that be? Peter said, sir, up here, we 0:03:01.880 --> 0:03:05.679 work by results. When you preached, people slept, but when 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:11.480 he drove, people prayed. All right, hold up your bible, 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:14.519 say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:17.240 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:19.720 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.480 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:03:22.520 --> 0:03:26.640 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:31.200 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:34.920 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:40.000 about expecting far and beyond favor. As we enter into 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:43.240 a new year, it's very important to set the tone 0:03:43.320 --> 0:03:47.360 right at the very beginning. How we start so often 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:50.960 will determine how much of God's favor we're going to see. 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:54.600 We're not only beginning a new year, but we're beginning 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:59.000 a new decade. A major magazine named the last ten 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:03.440 years the decade from Hell. They cited all the terrible 0:04:03.480 --> 0:04:07.280 things that had happened nine to eleven, the economy going down, 0:04:07.600 --> 0:04:11.839 investment fraud, wars. They summed it up by saying, it's 0:04:11.880 --> 0:04:15.840 the decade we'd like to forget, and if we're not careful, 0:04:16.080 --> 0:04:19.400 we'll go into this new year expecting more of the same. 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:23.400 But the scripture talks about how the darker it gets 0:04:23.400 --> 0:04:26.240 in the world, the brighter it's going to be for 0:04:26.279 --> 0:04:29.479 God's people. And things may get bad all around you, 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:34.360 people negative, complaining, discouraged. Don't let that spirit rub off 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.360 on you. The worse it gets, the brighter you're going 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:40.520 to shine. Now, I want to help set the tone 0:04:40.680 --> 0:04:43.600 for the new decade. I'm going to speak words of 0:04:43.640 --> 0:04:47.320 faith over you and your future, and if you'll let 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:51.120 them sink into your spirit, it's going to enlarge your 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:55.320 vision and allow God to do amazing things. I realize 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:57.960 some of you have had a rough year or even 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:01.720 a rough decade, but I want to announce the tide 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:05.480 of the battle is turning. A shift is taking place. 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.240 You are entering into a new season. Just like the 0:05:09.320 --> 0:05:13.080 Whims can shift directions, in this new decade, things are 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:15.880 going to shift in your favor. Some of you have 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.039 been stuck at the same level year after year. You 0:05:19.160 --> 0:05:21.560 think you've reached your limits, gone as far as you 0:05:21.560 --> 0:05:24.320 can go, but you need to get ready. God is 0:05:24.360 --> 0:05:27.080 about to do a new thing. You have not even 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:30.320 touched the surface of what He has in store. He 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:34.600 has explosive blessings that can catapult you to a new level. 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:37.440 Some of you, it's going to be like you shifted 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:40.920 from first gear into second year. You're going to pick 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:44.400 up speed. You're going to make more progress. Things are 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:47.479 going to be accelerated. Some of you, it's going to 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:51.480 be like you shifted from fourth gear into overdrive. Things 0:05:51.520 --> 0:05:54.080 are going to get easier. Things are going to start 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:58.200 falling into place, the right people, the right breaks. But 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:00.320 for some of you, it's going to be like your 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:04.000 turbo boosters kicked in. God is going to thrust you 0:06:04.320 --> 0:06:07.760 further than you imagine. He is going to open doors 0:06:08.040 --> 0:06:11.320 that you never even dreamed possible. You're going to look 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:14.040 back at the end of the decade and say, Wow, God, 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.400 you have done amazing things. That's what I feel so 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:21.480 strongly in my spirit. It's going to be an Ephesians 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:26.320 three twenty decade. It says God is able to do 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:32.720 exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all we can imagine. Let 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:35.320 that take root on the inside. It's going to be 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:40.320 a far and beyond decade. Here's what that means. You're 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:43.680 going to come into opportunity that will boggle your mind. 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.279 You're going to see your career take off like a rocket. 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:50.520 You're going to meet the right people that will help 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:55.279 further your dreams. You're going to accomplish goals much quicker 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:58.560 than you imagined. You're going to come out of debt 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:01.560 and pay that house off even though it looked impossible. 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:04.839 You're going to get well even though the medical report 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.520 says there's no way, and things may be dark and 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.680 gloomy around you, but keep your head held high. You 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.800 have an advantage. You are a child of the most 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:19.280 High God. His face is shining down on you. God 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:22.960 is saying it's not going to be an average decade. 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.000 It's not going to be a barely get by decade. No, 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:27.920 you need to get ready. It's going to be a 0:07:27.920 --> 0:07:31.800 decade of favor, a decade of increase, a decade where 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:36.040 you accomplish your God given dreams every day. You need 0:07:36.080 --> 0:07:40.040 to declare this over you and your family. Father, thank 0:07:40.080 --> 0:07:45.000 you for an exceedingly abundantly above and beyond decade. I 0:07:45.040 --> 0:07:47.360 know some of you can look back and think, while 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:50.560 two thousand and nine was kind of rough, business was slow. 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:54.040 I had some disappointments. Things didn't go my way. But 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:57.760 here's the key. Don't allow what you've been through or 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:00.320 what didn't work out, to set the tone for the 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:04.160 new year. God promised in Psalms he would make our 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:08.520 enemies our footstools. You may have had some enemies come 0:08:08.520 --> 0:08:13.960 against you in two thousand and nine. Bad breaks, financial difficulties, sickness, 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:18.240 even people. Those challenges were meant to stop you. They 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:21.760 were meant to discourage you and steal your vision. But 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:25.200 if you stay in faith, instead of being a stumbling 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:28.280 block to stop you, God will turn them into a 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:31.720 stepping stone to take you to a higher level. Just 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:33.600 like if someone were to put out their foot to 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:36.520 try to trip you, but you stepped on top of 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:39.600 it and instead of going down, you went up. It 0:08:39.679 --> 0:08:42.440 was meant to decrease you, but God caused it to 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:47.520 backfire and instead you increased. Everything you've been through up 0:08:47.520 --> 0:08:51.000 to now is to get you prepared for what God 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:55.040 is about to do. Nothing in your life has been wasted. 0:08:55.440 --> 0:08:59.800 Every disappointment, every setback, every person that did you wrong, 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:05.280 every lonely night that deposited something on the inside. God 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:08.400 didn't send it, but he used it to get you prepared. 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:11.280 It's helped make you and mold you into who you 0:09:11.360 --> 0:09:15.680 are today. We grow in the difficult times. That's when 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:19.720 our faith is stretched and our character is developed. Without 0:09:19.760 --> 0:09:23.560 those adversities, you wouldn't be prepared for the great things 0:09:23.559 --> 0:09:26.480 that God has in store. Now, don't go into a 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:32.040 new year discouraged, offended, bitter, mad at a neighbor, mad 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:35.559 at yourself, in self pity, Let it all go start 0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:40.199 afresh and anew. You cannot drag around the baggage from 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:44.200 the past and expect to have God's goodness in your future. 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:47.440 You may have had a tough two thousand and nine, 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.120 but your attitude should be this is a new day. 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:54.080 Things are shifting in my favor. This difficulty is not 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:57.280 gonna stop me. It's gonna promote me. It was meant 0:09:57.320 --> 0:09:59.839 to bring me down, but I know the truth. God's 0:09:59.840 --> 0:10:02.680 go to use it to lift me up. This is 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:07.080 what David said. I am confident of this. I will 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:10.800 see the goodness of God in the land of the living. 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:14.720 David was in tough times. Things weren't going his way, 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:18.480 but he said, in effect, I'm not worried, I'm not upset. 0:10:18.880 --> 0:10:23.520 I am confident I will see God's goodness. In other words, 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:26.760 two thousand and nine may have been rough, but that's 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:29.240 not going to steal my vision. That's not going to 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:31.960 cause me to give up on my dreams. I am 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:36.120 confident in twenty ten, I will see God's favor in 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:38.920 a new way. Well, hell, Joe, you just don't know 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:42.079 what the medical report says. No, but I do know 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:45.080 what our God says. Well, you don't know what my 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:48.240 finances look like. No, but I do know what our 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:52.800 God looks like. He's all powerful, He controls the universe. Well, 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:55.600 you don't know how big my obstacles are, No, but 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:58.320 I do know how big our God is. He's the 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:02.120 most high God. There's nothing too difficult for him. But 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:05.680 too often we allow our circumstances to set the tone, 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.880 and all that does is create more of the same. 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.440 In the Old Testament, there was a woman about to 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:16.000 give birth. She was an Israelite, and she just got 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:19.080 word that the Ark of the Covenant had been stolen. 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.600 That was where God lived, and she was so upset 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:25.959 and so distraught. When she gave birth to her baby boy, 0:11:26.360 --> 0:11:32.280 she named him Ichabod. Ichabod means the Glory has departed. 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:36.880 Notice what she did. She named her future by what 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:40.040 was happening in the present. She could have just as 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:43.880 easily named him the Glory will return instead of the 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:47.600 Glory has departed. But she was so focused on the negative, 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:50.320 so caught up in where she was right then and there, 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:54.520 that she tainted her whole future. What's my point. Don't 0:11:54.600 --> 0:11:59.280 ever name your future by your present day circumstances. Two 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:01.720 thousand and nine may have been rough. But don't you 0:12:01.840 --> 0:12:05.200 dare go into twenty ten thinking, oh man, it's gonna 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:07.720 be another hard year. I'm sure I'm not gonna get 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:11.520 any breaks again. No, get that Ichabod spirit off of you. 0:12:12.160 --> 0:12:21.240 Let me tell you what to name your future. Blessed, prosperous, successful, victorious, healthy, whole, strong, talented, creative. Wise, 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:24.640 it may look like you're stuck in a rut. You 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.160 don't really see how you can ever rise any higher. 0:12:27.559 --> 0:12:30.880 Don't speak defeat over your life. Don't go around saying, well, 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:33.840 I've reached my limits. I just don't have the education, 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:37.640 I don't have the connections. No, name your future by 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:41.200 saying God's face is shining down on me. God is 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:44.480 opening up doors that no man can shut. My greatest 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:47.040 victories are not behind me, They're still out in front 0:12:47.080 --> 0:12:50.679 of me. When you do that, you're calling in increase 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:55.400 blessing favor. When we think about our future, there should 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:58.800 be an enthusiasm on the inside. It should be so 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:01.680 ingrained in us. It's like a fountain that's just trying 0:13:01.720 --> 0:13:05.760 to bubble up over. We're constantly looking for God's goodness. 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:08.800 We don't drag around thinking, oh man, it's so hard. 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.360 I never get any breaks. No, we go around thinking 0:13:11.720 --> 0:13:15.000 something good is gonna happen to me. God's far and 0:13:15.040 --> 0:13:18.720 beyond favors on my life. It's gonna be in Ephesians three, 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:22.560 twenty decade, I am confident, just like David, I'm gonna 0:13:22.600 --> 0:13:26.480 see the goodness of God in amazing ways. This is 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:29.200 what it says in the Book of Deuteronomy. When you 0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.400 live a life that honors God, when you obey his 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:36.319 word and you're a person of excellence and integrity, then 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:40.520 the scripture says that God's blessings will chase you down 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:44.160 and overtake you. You won't be able to outrun the 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:47.319 good things of God. Really, we don't have to chase 0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:51.000 the blessings. Just chase after God and the blessings will 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:56.640 automatically follow. Make pleasing the Lord your highest priority. Let 0:13:56.720 --> 0:13:59.680 go of any weights or sins that you know or 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:03.160 hold you back. Be willing to deal with the issues 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:06.160 that God is bringing to light. Don't give in to 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:10.360 compromise and temptation. All that's doing is keeping you from 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:13.560 God's best. If you'll make a decision that you're going 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:16.200 to keep your heart pure before God and you're going 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:19.320 to do your best to honor him. Then God promises 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:23.040 that his far and beyond favor is going to chase 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.600 you down. A friend of ours was at home the 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:30.760 other day refinishing a piece of furniture. She was using 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:34.120 this electric sander to sand off the old stain. It 0:14:34.200 --> 0:14:36.560 was a piece of equipment she had had for some time. 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:39.760 It wasn't in that great shape now she was working. 0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:42.760 One of the main parts broke off and it would 0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:46.280 work anymore. So she put the sander and the broken 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.680 part into a lakewood church bag that she just happened 0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:51.920 to have at home. She went up to the hardware 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:55.160 store and this gentleman came over to help her, and 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:57.280 she showed him the broken part and ask if he 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:00.800 had it. He looked at her in the just way, 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:05.040 almost like this glaze came over him, and he said, no, 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:08.320 we don't have that part. We don't even carry that model. 0:15:08.840 --> 0:15:10.800 But he reached up on the shelf and got a 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:14.480 brand new top of the line sander and said, here, 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:17.160 I want you to have this. It's our gift to you. 0:15:18.000 --> 0:15:21.240 Irene had never even met the man, never seen him before. 0:15:21.280 --> 0:15:23.440 She was totally taken back. She said, are you sure 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:25.560 you want to give this to me. He said, yes, 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:28.160 I'm positive, just go up to the counter and give 0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:31.280 them my number, five five five. So she went up 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:34.520 to the counter, almost in disbelief, and there were three 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:37.720 registers open. They had five or six people in each line. 0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:39.680 She stood at the back of the line, and all 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:42.480 of a sudden, the lady working the register looked over 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:44.480 and said, hey, lady, come up here, I want to 0:15:44.560 --> 0:15:48.120 check you out right now. Irene pointed at herself and said, 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:50.400 do you mean me? She said, yes, I mean you, 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:55.560 the highly favored woman. Irene was kind of embarrassed. She 0:15:55.880 --> 0:15:58.480 didn't want to cut, but the lady insisted, so she 0:15:58.560 --> 0:16:01.040 went up there and showed her the sandron said. This 0:16:01.080 --> 0:16:03.800 man said he wanted to give this to me. She said, well, 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:05.640 I don't know if he can do that. Who was it? 0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:07.920 Irene said, I don't know, but he said his number 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:10.680 was five five five. She said, well, he can do 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:14.920 whatever he wants. He's the regional manager. Just as Irene 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:16.880 was about to leave, she said to the lady, by 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:19.360 the way, why did you call me up in front 0:16:19.400 --> 0:16:22.600 of all these people. The lady said, I saw your 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:26.560 Lakewood Church bag, and I watch every Sunday and I 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:30.200 know anybody that goes to Lakewood has to be highly favored. 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:37.240 That's what I believe I am looking at today, people 0:16:37.360 --> 0:16:41.400 that are highly favored by the most High God. You 0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:45.240 need to get ready to have an exceedingly abundantly above 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.120 and beyond decade. A decade where people go out of 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:52.000 their way for no reason to be good to you. 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.480 A decade where you get promoted even though you weren't 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:58.880 the most qualified. A decade where you find yourself at 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:01.880 the right place the right time. What is that the 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:05.679 favor of God? It's his blessings chasing you down and 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:09.119 overtaking you. Well, you say, Joel, that never happened for me. 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.240 I never get any good breaks. I always get the 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:15.120 short end of the stick. No, you are naming your 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:20.160 baby Ikabod. You are speaking defeat and mediocrity over your future. 0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:24.840 You need to change your baby's name. Ichabod is hard 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:30.720 to spell anyway, it's not in style. His nickname's gonna 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:34.639 be icky. You need to get in agreement with God 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:38.240 and start declaring this is my decade of favor. This 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:41.879 is my decade to accomplish my dreams. This is my 0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:46.159 decade to go above and beyond her Psalm thirty one 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:51.240 nineteen says God has blessings stored up for those that 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:54.719 honor him. One thing I can tell you about Irene 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:58.360 and her family is they honor God. They are givers. 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:02.080 They're always volunteering and here at the ministry, always looking 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:05.160 for somebody to help. Her husband's been out of work 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:07.719 for some time, but you would never know it. They 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:11.560 don't go around complaining discourage. They've always got a report 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:15.359 of victory. They're always declaring the favor of God. Just 0:18:15.400 --> 0:18:18.720 like the scripture says, God's blessings are chasing them down 0:18:18.960 --> 0:18:23.080 and overtaken them. And in the coming decade, God wants 0:18:23.119 --> 0:18:28.119 to exceed your expectations. You have no idea the amazing 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:32.400 things God has already stored up for you, the places 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:35.000 he's going to take you, the people you're going to meet, 0:18:35.359 --> 0:18:37.960 the breaks you're going to get. For some of you, 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:41.080 that blessing that's stored up is the husband or the 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:43.959 wife that you've been dreaming about. For some of you, 0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:48.080 it's a child coming back home, a relationship being restored. 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:52.000 For some it's going to be a new opportunity. Things 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:54.600 are going to fall into place to where you can 0:18:54.640 --> 0:18:58.119 accomplish what God's put in your heart, even the hidden 0:18:58.200 --> 0:19:01.720 dreams that you've given up on. God is not giving up. 0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:05.199 He's gonna bring the right people, the right breaks, the 0:19:05.320 --> 0:19:08.760 right ideas. They're going to come chasing you down to 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.840 where you look back and say that was far and 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:16.720 beyond favor. That was Ephesians three twenty God doing exceedingly 0:19:16.920 --> 0:19:20.960 abundantly above and beyond. Now, listen, your mind is going 0:19:21.040 --> 0:19:23.200 to try to talk you out of it. It'll tell 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.040 you this is never gonna happen for you. But if 0:19:26.119 --> 0:19:31.000 you'll listen down in here on the inside, something, they'll say, no, No, 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:35.479 this is for you. That's God speaking to your spirit person. 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:39.879 It'll resonate on the inside. It's because this is God's 0:19:39.920 --> 0:19:42.879 dream for your life. He wants to amaze you with 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:47.840 his goodness. It's very easy to get discouraged and think, well, 0:19:47.920 --> 0:19:50.439 it's been too long, and I've been at this level 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:52.880 just so many years. I don't think I'm ever gonna 0:19:52.880 --> 0:19:55.080 meet anybody to get married. No, you got to shake 0:19:55.160 --> 0:20:00.280 that off, it says in Isaiah. A rise, shine, for 0:20:00.359 --> 0:20:03.480 the glory of the Lord is on you. Friends. It's 0:20:03.520 --> 0:20:07.080 time to arise. This is a new day put on 0:20:07.119 --> 0:20:11.119 a new attitude. Don't go into a new decade down 0:20:11.160 --> 0:20:15.800 in the dumps, discouraged. No dreams, no goals, no enthusiasm, 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:19.359 no make up your mind. I'm gonna arise, I'm gonna 0:20:19.440 --> 0:20:22.440 shine this year. I'm going to be my very very best. 0:20:22.920 --> 0:20:25.719 Here's why we can do it. The glory of the 0:20:25.760 --> 0:20:29.480 Lord is on you. It doesn't say that the glory 0:20:29.560 --> 0:20:33.359 is going to come one day, maybe next year, if 0:20:33.400 --> 0:20:36.280 the economy gets better, maybe in the future, if you 0:20:36.320 --> 0:20:39.639 get the break you need. No, it says the glory 0:20:39.800 --> 0:20:43.840 of the Lord is already on you, whether you realize 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:47.760 it or not. You are covered with God's glory. That 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:53.439 word glory in the original translation implies God's favor, God's honor, 0:20:53.800 --> 0:20:58.680 and God's splendor are heavy upon you. Remember in the 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:01.800 old days, hippies used to say, heavy, man, heavy, Let 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:04.800 me tell you you are heavy with God's favor. You 0:21:04.840 --> 0:21:10.600 are dripping with God's goodness. No wonder that man wanted 0:21:10.640 --> 0:21:13.800 to be good to Irene. She was heavy with the 0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:17.439 glory of God. Friends, we're not supposed to be heavy 0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:21.800 with burdens, heavy with trials, heavy with worry, just so 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:24.879 concerned about our family, our fine. You know the only 0:21:25.080 --> 0:21:28.080 thing we're supposed to be heavy with is the favor 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:30.600 of God. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm 0:21:30.600 --> 0:21:33.720 gonna go into this new decade with the right perspective. 0:21:34.040 --> 0:21:38.240 I know I am extremely heavy. Not because I ain't 0:21:38.280 --> 0:21:41.440 too much at Christmas, not because of that New Year's dinner. No, 0:21:41.560 --> 0:21:45.080 I am heavy with the favor of God. This is 0:21:45.119 --> 0:21:48.119 the one time I can encourage you to be overweight. 0:21:49.359 --> 0:21:51.800 But for some of you, when it comes to favor, 0:21:52.440 --> 0:21:54.959 it looks like you hadn't eaten in five or six years. 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:57.879 You're so skinny you got to jump around in the 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:02.120 shower to get wet. It's time to put on some weight. 0:22:02.400 --> 0:22:05.800 Change your perspective. You are a child of the Most 0:22:05.880 --> 0:22:11.520 High God. His favor is heavy on you. Our attitude 0:22:11.560 --> 0:22:14.359 should be. There's no telling what's gonna happen in this 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:17.800 new decade. I am dripping with God's goodness. I am 0:22:17.880 --> 0:22:21.440 heavy with his favor. Heard a story about a couple 0:22:21.480 --> 0:22:24.560 that attends our church. They were believing to have children. 0:22:25.080 --> 0:22:27.640 One day, the lady found out that she was pregnant 0:22:27.680 --> 0:22:32.000 with triplets. They were so excited about it. During the pregnancy, 0:22:32.040 --> 0:22:35.679 there were complications and she had to be hospitalized for 0:22:35.760 --> 0:22:39.479 nearly three months. When the babies were finally born, they 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:43.680 were extremely premature. The doctors weren't sure that they were 0:22:43.680 --> 0:22:47.080 even going to make it. The parents they put scripture 0:22:47.200 --> 0:22:50.359 verses up over each of their incubators. I will live 0:22:50.400 --> 0:22:53.280 and not die. God is restoring healthon to me. With 0:22:53.480 --> 0:22:57.200 long life, God will satisfy me. They kept praying and believing. 0:22:57.800 --> 0:23:00.680 After six months of being in the hospital, the little 0:23:00.720 --> 0:23:04.119 babies were able to come home, and today everybody is happy, 0:23:04.240 --> 0:23:08.080 healthy and whole. But a few months later, this couple 0:23:08.480 --> 0:23:11.600 got a bill from the hospital. They had insurance to 0:23:11.640 --> 0:23:14.280 cover part of it, but not all of it. After 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:17.280 the mother being in the hospital for nearly three months 0:23:17.720 --> 0:23:20.879 and then three babies being in the hospital for six 0:23:20.920 --> 0:23:24.560 months each, their part of the hospital bill was two 0:23:24.680 --> 0:23:29.880 million dollars. I'm sure that's what they thought too in 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:32.359 the natural. They didn't know how they would ever pay 0:23:32.400 --> 0:23:35.320 that off. Looked like they'd be paying their whole lifetime. 0:23:35.720 --> 0:23:38.760 But they didn't get discouraged. They didn't get negative and 0:23:38.800 --> 0:23:42.760 start complaining. Their attitude was God, it's in your hands. 0:23:43.080 --> 0:23:45.239 You've taken care of us in the past, and we 0:23:45.320 --> 0:23:48.240 know you'll take care of us in the future. One day, 0:23:48.280 --> 0:23:51.760 they received a call from the hospital administrator. He said, 0:23:51.800 --> 0:23:54.480 we've never done this before, but we have just made 0:23:54.480 --> 0:23:57.640 the decision. We are going to totally cancel your two 0:23:57.640 --> 0:24:04.240 million dollar death. That's far and beyond favor. That's God 0:24:04.680 --> 0:24:09.439 doing exceedingly abundantly, above and beyond. They were happy just 0:24:09.440 --> 0:24:14.240 to have healthy children, but God likes to exceed our expectations. 0:24:14.800 --> 0:24:18.000 Let me tell you a key. These people like Irene, 0:24:18.160 --> 0:24:21.840 they are faithful people. They honor God. They would send 0:24:21.920 --> 0:24:25.480 their tithes and offerings into the church from the hospital 0:24:25.960 --> 0:24:28.400 even though they couldn't come. They didn't want to miss 0:24:28.440 --> 0:24:32.240 an opportunity to obey God. When you honor God with 0:24:32.320 --> 0:24:35.520 your life like that, he says, his blessings are gonna 0:24:35.600 --> 0:24:38.880 chase you down and overtake you. That two million dollar 0:24:39.040 --> 0:24:42.199 debt being forgiven, you know what that was, That was 0:24:42.440 --> 0:24:45.800 heavy favor. I want you to see yourself the same way. 0:24:46.040 --> 0:24:49.840 You are not a lightweight. You've been crowned with God's favor. 0:24:50.240 --> 0:24:53.840 You are weighted down right now, not with burdens, worries, 0:24:53.920 --> 0:24:57.199 fear get rid of that. You are weighted down with 0:24:57.320 --> 0:25:00.360 the goodness of God. As you go out each day, 0:25:00.760 --> 0:25:04.440 doing your best to honor him than God's promises. Everywhere 0:25:04.480 --> 0:25:08.320 you go, his face is shining down on you. I 0:25:08.320 --> 0:25:11.960 love the promise that God gave to Joshua, he said, Joshua, 0:25:12.440 --> 0:25:16.439 today I will begin to make you great in the 0:25:16.480 --> 0:25:20.840 eyes of all the Israelites. He was saying, today, I'm 0:25:20.840 --> 0:25:25.160 going to start releasing more of my favor, my blessings, 0:25:25.359 --> 0:25:29.440 my increase. Notice, there was a set time God began 0:25:29.560 --> 0:25:33.399 to release favor in a new way. Not long after that, 0:25:33.800 --> 0:25:37.200 Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. 0:25:37.840 --> 0:25:43.359 The scripture says, this day God made Joshua great in 0:25:43.440 --> 0:25:46.920 the eyes of all the people. Friends, That's God's dream 0:25:47.000 --> 0:25:51.000 for you. He wants to release his blessings, his favor 0:25:51.119 --> 0:25:54.560 in such a way that it makes you a great parent, 0:25:55.040 --> 0:25:58.600 a great spouse, a great leader, a great employee, a 0:25:58.640 --> 0:26:02.439 great friend, a great business person. God wants you to 0:26:02.480 --> 0:26:06.639 be respected, to be admired, to be looked up to, 0:26:06.640 --> 0:26:10.640 to have incredible influence. He's going to cause your good 0:26:10.680 --> 0:26:15.040 reputation to both precede you and to follow you. Just 0:26:15.119 --> 0:26:18.640 like with Joshua, there was a set time that favor 0:26:18.960 --> 0:26:21.840 began to be released in a new way. I believe 0:26:21.880 --> 0:26:25.119 you and I have entered into that moment, a set 0:26:25.200 --> 0:26:29.280 time where God is saying, twenty ten is your year. 0:26:29.880 --> 0:26:33.480 You've been faithful, you've honored me, you've given, you've served. 0:26:33.640 --> 0:26:36.919 Now I'm about to make your name great. Can you 0:26:36.960 --> 0:26:39.359 get a vision for it? Can you make room in 0:26:39.400 --> 0:26:42.439 your thinking? Well, hey, you say, Joel, I'm just a 0:26:42.440 --> 0:26:45.960 business person. I'm just an accountant. I'm just a stay 0:26:45.960 --> 0:26:48.159 at home mom. I'm just an architect. I'm just a 0:26:48.160 --> 0:26:52.560 school teacher. No, you're not just anything. You're a child 0:26:52.720 --> 0:26:55.560 of the Most High God, and at some point in 0:26:55.600 --> 0:26:59.800 your life, God is going to help you accomplish something 0:27:00.080 --> 0:27:04.000 significant that will give you a new level of influence, 0:27:04.080 --> 0:27:07.080 a new level of respect, to where you can say, 0:27:07.200 --> 0:27:11.479 like Joshua, this day God has honored me more than 0:27:11.520 --> 0:27:15.000 I can imagine. This day God has made my name great. 0:27:16.080 --> 0:27:19.600 One of our longtime members is named Helen Major. For 0:27:19.640 --> 0:27:23.040 nearly forty years, she was an educator. She's a person 0:27:23.040 --> 0:27:27.600 of excellence, integrity, so faithful. Year after year she taught 0:27:27.600 --> 0:27:31.399 elementary school, doing more than she had to pouring into 0:27:31.440 --> 0:27:36.200 those children. She continued to get promoted assistant principle, even 0:27:36.240 --> 0:27:41.879 principal after a very distinguished career. She retired. Not long ago, 0:27:42.040 --> 0:27:44.440 they were opening up a new school in the district. 0:27:44.760 --> 0:27:48.920 The board voted unanimously to name it the Helen Major 0:27:49.080 --> 0:27:53.600 Elementary School. You know what that was? That day God 0:27:53.680 --> 0:27:56.439 made her name great in the eyes of all the people. 0:27:57.160 --> 0:28:01.080 Just a quote ordinary person that God God promoted in 0:28:01.119 --> 0:28:04.879 an extraordinary way. Friends, God wants to do the same 0:28:04.960 --> 0:28:08.320 thing for you. He's saying to us what he said 0:28:08.359 --> 0:28:11.920 to Joshua. This day, I'm going to begin to make 0:28:11.960 --> 0:28:15.199 your name great. This day, I'm going to begin to 0:28:15.240 --> 0:28:18.280 release my favor in a new way. This day, I'm 0:28:18.280 --> 0:28:21.320 going to open doors that no man can shut. Receive 0:28:21.400 --> 0:28:25.520 that by faith, things are shifting in your favor. God 0:28:25.640 --> 0:28:27.919 is about to shift you to a whole new level. 0:28:28.480 --> 0:28:32.320 Get ready to have a far and beyond decade. Make 0:28:32.480 --> 0:28:35.040 room for what God wants to do in your thinking. 0:28:35.320 --> 0:28:39.760 Remember you are heavy with God's favor. Declare it every day. 0:28:40.120 --> 0:28:43.200 Twenty ten is my year. I'm going to have an 0:28:43.200 --> 0:28:48.520 Ephesians three, twenty decade and exceedingly abundantly above and beyond decade. 0:28:48.600 --> 0:28:52.040 If you do this, God will amaze you with his goodness. 0:28:52.280 --> 0:28:54.920 He'll make your name great. Take in your places you've 0:28:54.920 --> 0:28:57.680 never dreamed of, and you'll live that life of victory 0:28:57.840 --> 0:29:00.480 he has in story. Amen, do you receive that today? 0:29:02.320 --> 0:29:04.840 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:29:04.880 --> 0:29:07.560 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:29:07.760 --> 0:29:11.520 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:29:11.640 --> 0:29:16.000 repent on my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:29:16.040 --> 0:29:19.560 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:29:19.640 --> 0:29:22.440 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get into 0:29:22.480 --> 0:29:25.560 good church, keep God first place. He'll take your places 0:29:25.640 --> 0:29:26.720 that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:27.560 --> 0:29:30.960 Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:29:31.080 --> 0:29:33.800 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:33.880 --> 0:29:37.800 all over the world. Visit joeloustin dot com slash give 0:29:37.880 --> 0:29:39.560 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:40.840 --> 0:29:43.760 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:43.760 --> 0:29:47.120 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:47.240 --> 0:29:50.440 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:50.600 --> 0:29:53.040 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:53.120 --> 0:29:53.600 next time. 0:30:00.840 --> 0:30:03.560 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:30:03.600 --> 0:30:08.600 for everyone. For example, Raquel's Whoa when she first entered 0:30:08.600 --> 0:30:12.840 the Kingdom by Dragonback is different to Ari's whoa when 0:30:12.880 --> 0:30:15.720 he found out there was more than one crime scene, 0:30:16.160 --> 0:30:19.160 which is also different to Ava's whoa. 0:30:20.280 --> 0:30:21.000 The moment when the. 0:30:21.000 --> 0:30:26.959 Stable boy became a stable man. 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