Favor in the Storm

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Now you 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.000 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.600 and get your financial wellness score today. That's facet dot com. 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.720 This ad is sponsored by fast Fast Wealth Incorporated is 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:42.720 an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an offer 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:44.559 to buy your self securities snoor is it investment, legal 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:45.280 or tax advice. 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:49.199 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:52.440 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:56.760 of your story, of your career, of your life. Earn 0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:58.800 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:58.920 --> 0:01:00.680 education employeer respect. 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:02.720 It's time, Your. 0:01:02.640 --> 0:01:05.160 Time, not just to go back to school, but to 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:09.360 come back and move forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:15.160 university for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:19.200 Welcome to the Joe lous Deine Podcast. Help Let's continue 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:21.760 to share the message of hope with those all over 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.880 the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give Hope to 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:36.919 give a gift today. 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:41.520 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:44.440 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:01:44.440 --> 0:01:47.119 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:49.760 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:52.480 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:55.040 about this man that was out walking on the beach. 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.440 God said, son, you've been so faithful, I'm going to 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:02.400 grant you one special wish. The man was so excited. 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:05.480 He said, God, I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, 0:02:05.840 --> 0:02:08.760 but I'm afraid to fly. So my wish is that 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:12.920 you would build me a bridge across the ocean. God said, son, 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:16.320 that's impossible. Think of the logistics of that. Now take 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.679 a moment and wish again. He said, Okay, God, I've 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:22.959 been married four times. All my ex wives say I 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:26.480 am so insensitive. So my wish is that I would 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:29.440 be able to understand a woman. I want to know 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:32.080 why they think like they think, why they feel like 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:35.240 they feel. There was a long pause. God said, do 0:02:35.280 --> 0:02:38.920 you want two lanes or four lanes on that bridge? 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:42.320 All the men said, Amen, say it like you mean it. 0:02:42.639 --> 0:02:45.320 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:48.120 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:50.760 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:54.640 taught the word of God. I'll boldly confess. My mind 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.920 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:03.000 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:06.040 to talk to you today about favor in the storm. 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:10.359 When we think of favor, we think of something good happening. 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:15.120 We received a promotion, we met someone special, the medical 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.760 report turned around. We know that's the favor of God. 0:03:19.639 --> 0:03:23.520 But when we face difficulties and things aren't going our way, 0:03:23.639 --> 0:03:27.720 we're still taking the medical treatment, our finances haven't turned around, 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:31.880 the promotion didn't go through. Doesn't seem like we have favor. 0:03:32.040 --> 0:03:36.560 We have all these obstacles. But having favor doesn't mean 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:40.840 you want to have challenges. Favor is what's keeping those 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:45.160 challenges from defeating you when you're in a difficult time. 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:48.880 You may not see it, but favor is what's pushing 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:53.320 back forces of darkness. Favor is what's keeping that sickness 0:03:53.360 --> 0:03:57.160 from taking your life. Favor is what protected you in 0:03:57.240 --> 0:04:00.960 that accident. If you didn't have favor, you wouldn't still 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:04.320 be here. The enemy would have taken you out. You 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:08.440 may not recognize it, but you have favor in the storm, 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:13.200 Favor taking the treatment, Favor dealing with an addiction. The 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:18.159 scripture says God's favor surrounds you. It doesn't come and go. 0:04:18.520 --> 0:04:20.800 It's with you in the good times and in the 0:04:20.880 --> 0:04:24.679 tough times. When the Israelites were headed to the Promised Land, 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:28.360 they came to the Red Sea. Pharaoh had just let 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:31.440 them go, but he changed his mind, and he and 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:34.960 his army came chasing them. The Israelites were at a 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:38.560 dead end. They had nowhere to go, and Moses held 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:42.279 up his staff and the waters parted. Those two million 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:46.240 people begin to walk through on dry ground. We look 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:50.040 at it today, and in hindsight, it's easy to see 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:54.559 they had favor. The water's parted, But imagine being there, 0:04:55.200 --> 0:04:58.880 having to walk between walls of water, not knowing if 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:02.080 at any moment they were going to collapse, holding your 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:07.400 children tightly, the enemy chasing you, closing in. It was loud, 0:05:07.960 --> 0:05:12.200 people were panicking, all kinds of commotion. I don't think 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:17.520 they walked through calm and collected. They were nervous, afraid, 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:21.080 thinking of everything that could go wrong. What if these 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:23.640 walls of water don't hold up and we all drown. 0:05:24.160 --> 0:05:26.520 What if we won't make it through in time, What 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:29.880 if the Phaiah catches us. There were a thousand things 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:33.279 they could have worried about. It wasn't until they got 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:36.600 to the other side, until they were back on land, 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:41.000 that they begin to rejoice. Then they knew they had favor. 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:45.520 The truth is they had favor the whole time, They 0:05:45.600 --> 0:05:49.200 just couldn't see it. Favor is what was holding back 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.720 the walls of water. Favor is what kept the enemy 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:56.560 from catching them. When we're in the middle of a difficulty, 0:05:56.960 --> 0:06:01.520 sometimes we don't recognize that we have f It's easy 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.520 to focus on all the things that could happen. What 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:07.240 if I don't get well, what if I can't find 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:10.599 another job, What if my child doesn't get back On course, 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:15.920 you could live worried, losing sleep, panic, or stay in peace. 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:20.679 You have favor in the storm. God is pushing back 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:25.080 forces of darkness for you. He's not allowing the sickness, 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:28.320 the addiction, the trouble at work to keep you from 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:32.560 your purpose. There is a force working for you in 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:36.200 the middle of the storm that is greater than any 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:39.960 force that's trying to stop you. When you look around, 0:06:40.279 --> 0:06:45.479 you may see walls of water, You see opposition, trouble, sickness. 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:50.200 It looks frightening, but keep the right perspective. It cannot 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:54.720 defeat you Like the Israelites. The favor God put on 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.320 your life is going to bring you safely through. The 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:02.360 enemy doesn't have the fine I'll say God does, and 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:06.000 what He has purposed for your life will come to pass. 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:09.920 No bad break can stop you, No sickness, no addiction, 0:07:10.320 --> 0:07:15.080 no person. God is in control. Instead of being frustrated 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:18.760 by the problem, worried about your health, upset over the 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:22.440 bad break, turn it around. Father, Thank you that I 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:25.760 have favor in the storm. Thank you that favor is 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:29.760 keeping my enemies from defeating me. It's easy to believe 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:32.800 we have favor when good things are happening. What I 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:36.120 want us to see is we have favor when we're 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:40.080 in between walls of water. We have favor when enemies 0:07:40.120 --> 0:07:44.160 are chasing us. Sometimes we're so focused on the threat 0:07:44.560 --> 0:07:48.280 and what's coming against us, we don't recognize that without 0:07:48.320 --> 0:07:52.120 the goodness of God, we wouldn't still be standing. The 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:56.200 Psalm has said, God has anointed you. He is steadying you, 0:07:56.760 --> 0:08:00.320 making you strong, and your enemies will not get the 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:04.240 best of you. In the middle of that difficulty, you 0:08:04.280 --> 0:08:08.360 need to remind yourself who you are. You are anointed, 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:13.119 You've been handpicked by God. He's crowned you with fever. 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:17.440 He said, he always causes you to triumph. Right now, 0:08:17.760 --> 0:08:21.880 he's steadying you. He's making you stronger. If you could 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:25.640 see behind the scenes, you would see him pushing back 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:30.000 the opposition. You would see him making your crooked places straight, 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:34.840 lining up the right people. Instead of complaining about the storm, 0:08:35.280 --> 0:08:37.880 you need to let the enemy know you are not 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:40.480 going to get the best of me. You are messing 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:43.560 with the wrong person. You may knock me down, but 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:46.320 you can't knock me out when you come against me. 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:50.000 One way, God said he will defeat you and cause 0:08:50.040 --> 0:08:53.440 you to flee. Seven ways. You don't have to live, worried, 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:57.560 focused on the problems, wondering why it happened. You know 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:01.040 a secret, you have fever in the storm. You know 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:04.360 God is fighting your battles. You know what was meant 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:08.160 for harm, He's turning to your advantage. Here's the key. 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:12.120 The enemy wouldn't be fighting you if you weren't a threat. 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:15.760 He wouldn't be trying to stop you, if you weren't 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:19.880 on the verge of something amazing. He knows you're about 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.000 to step into a new level. He knows you're about 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:26.600 to take new ground for your family. You're about to 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:30.240 come into your promised land. You're about to see something 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:34.320 you've never seen. He can sense God's about to exceed 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:40.839 your expectations, so He's working overtime to try to get you. Worried, frustrated, 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:46.120 overwhelmed by problems, not expecting anything good or get ready. 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:50.360 Favor is about to turn things around. Favor is about 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:54.080 to catapult you to a new level. Favor is going 0:09:54.120 --> 0:09:57.120 to help you break that addiction. Well, Joel, if I 0:09:57.160 --> 0:09:59.920 had favor, why did I have these problems in the 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:03.360 first place. Favor is not going to keep you from 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:07.480 the storm, but favor will bring you out of the storm. 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:11.320 God wouldn't have allowed it if he didn't have a purpose. 0:10:11.880 --> 0:10:16.360 We don't understand everything that happens. Sometimes life is not fair, 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:19.839 but you have to trust that God knows what he's doing. 0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:24.560 At the Red Sea, before it parted, the Israelites could 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:27.160 have thought, God, you said we were going to the 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:30.920 Promised Land. You brought us out of slavery. Why did 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:33.240 you change your mind? Why are you going to let 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:37.480 Faedroh and his men recapture us? Didn't make sense to them. 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:42.680 But God's ways are not our ways. When that water parted, 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:47.640 the Israelites went through on dry ground, Fairoh in his army. 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:51.000 The waters closed back up when they came chasing them, 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:55.280 and they all drowned. Sometimes God will take you through 0:10:55.280 --> 0:11:00.200 a difficulty to get rid of what's chasing you. Make 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:03.840 it through the storm. But what you didn't need, what 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:07.000 was going to hinder you for years to come, the addiction, 0:11:07.440 --> 0:11:11.079 the dysfunction, the toxic relationship. It won't make it through. 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:15.480 If those enemies had not drowned, the Israelites would have 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:19.160 lived with a constant threat that any moment Faedah and 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:21.920 his men could show up and try to recapture them, 0:11:22.720 --> 0:11:26.040 and yes, it was nerve racking having to go through 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:29.320 walls of water. I'm sure they didn't like it, but 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:33.200 God had a purpose. You may not like the difficulty, 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:36.000 it may not seem fair, but you're going to come 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:39.560 out of that storm free from things that would have 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:43.160 held you back your whole life. God told the Israelites, 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:46.840 the enemies you see today you will see no more. 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:52.360 God is saying that to you. That addiction that's held 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:55.400 you back for years is not permanent. When you come 0:11:55.440 --> 0:12:00.000 through the storm, you will see it no more. That sickness, 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:04.679 trouble at work, the loneliness is not your destiny. Breakthroughs 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:09.440 are coming, Freedom is coming, healing is coming, Abundance is coming. 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:14.080 What's trying to stop you is only temporary. Don't be 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:17.600 discouraged by the storm. God has you in the palm 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.840 of his hand. He didn't send you into the storm 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:24.880 by yourself. He's right there with you. The enemy cannot 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:28.760 take you out. God has a hedge of protection around you. 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:33.719 He controls the walls of water. It may seem frightening, 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:38.959 but he's pushing back the opposition. Like the three Hebrew 0:12:39.000 --> 0:12:43.040 teenagers that were thrown into the fiery furnace. He's the 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:46.480 fourth man in the fire. You're not in there alone. 0:12:46.880 --> 0:12:50.640 Fever is in the fire with you. When those teenagers 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:54.160 came out of the furnace, unharmed, without the smell of smoke, 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:58.400 all their enemies had a new perspective. They knew there 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:02.080 was something special about them. They knew they were anointed. 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.280 The king even said, from now on, we're going to 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:09.280 worship their God. They didn't like going through the furnace, 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:13.160 but God used that difficulty to get rid of what 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:16.839 would have hindered them their whole life. God changed their 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:21.400 enemies mind and gave them a new respect. What you're 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:25.560 going through may not be all about you. It's about 0:13:25.600 --> 0:13:29.360 God getting rid of what's hindering you. He's putting you 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:33.880 in position to reach the fullness of your destiny. And 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:37.880 the scripture says, do not be intimidated by your enemies. 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:42.160 Don't be intimidated by that cancer. It's no match for 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:46.959 our God, he created your body. Don't be intimidated by 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:52.000 the financial setback, not having enough, lack struggling is not 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:56.560 your destiny. You keep honoring God being your best. You 0:13:56.600 --> 0:13:58.880 will come to a point where you see that no 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:03.319 more there is favor on your life that will cause 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:07.480 you to prosper. Even in a desert, you will flourish. 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:10.960 Even in a famine. You don't have to get out 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:16.200 of the difficulty to succeed. Change jobs, change neighborhoods, change positions. 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:20.040 You have favor in the famine, God will cause you 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:23.840 to succeed in the middle of the trouble. This is 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:27.560 what happened with Isaac in Genesis twenty six. There was 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:30.960 a great famine in the land. Isaac was going to 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:34.240 move away to a different country, try to get out 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:37.920 of the famine, find someplace where he could plant his crops, 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:41.360 have good soil and plenty of water. But God told 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:45.360 him to stay where he was, to not leave that place, 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:50.600 and God would bless him and his descendants. God was saying, Isaac, 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.920 you don't have to go somewhere to try to find favor. 0:14:55.360 --> 0:14:59.000 You have favor in the famine. I'm going to bless 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:02.960 you los for you in spite of what the conditions 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:06.880 look like. Logically speaking, it didn't make sense. The ground 0:15:06.960 --> 0:15:11.600 was hard and dry, not enough water to irrigate his crops. 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:14.840 Isaac could have talked himself out of it, but he 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:19.280 understood this principle that he had fevor in the famine. 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:22.560 He went out in the middle of the drought and 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:27.840 planted his whole field. I can hear his neighbors, the Philistines, saying, 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:31.840 what is this guy thinking? He is wasting his time? 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:36.320 Doesn't he know nothing can grow in a famine. Verse 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:42.200 twelve says that year Isaac's crops were tremendous. He harvested 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:45.920 one hundred times more than he planted for the Lord 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:50.640 blessed him and he became very wealthy. Notice he didn't 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:53.360 have to leave try to get out of the famine, 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:57.840 go somewhere to be blessed. He had fever in the famine. 0:15:58.160 --> 0:16:01.920 God can increase you in spite of what's going on 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:05.720 around you. Don't complain because you don't have the job 0:16:05.800 --> 0:16:09.000 you want, Joel, if my supervisor would give me credit, 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:11.800 if I could move out of this neighborhood, if business 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:15.960 wasn't so slow. There is favor on your life right 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:20.200 now to cause you to prosper. But as long as 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:23.800 you think you have too many disadvantages, you're waiting to 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:26.680 get out of the famine, then you'll start believing, then 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:29.960 you'll start being your best. That will limit you do 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:33.840 like Isaac. Father, Thank you that I have favor in 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:37.200 the famine. Thank you that you're opening doors no man 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:41.480 can shut, causing me to stand out, bringing opportunity. Thank 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:45.560 you that whatever I touch will prosper and succeed. Your 0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:49.800 job is not your source. God is your source. He 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:54.880 can bless you in unusual ways. He's not limited by 0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:59.280 your salary, by your training, by your experience. He has 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:02.920 ways to increase you that you've never thought of. He 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:05.880 can cause people to be good to you. He can 0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:10.879 bring opportunity. He can give you ideas in creativity. A 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:14.680 man told me recently how he received an inheritance from 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:18.160 a family member he had never met. He didn't even 0:17:18.240 --> 0:17:21.920 know they were related, they didn't have the same last names. 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:25.000 At first he thought it was a mistake, but that 0:17:25.200 --> 0:17:28.960 one good break put him into overflow. He didn't see 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:34.720 it coming. God has some unexpected blessings, things you don't 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:38.400 see coming. When Joel, I don't know any relatives like that, 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:42.320 neither did he, but they found him. The scripture talks 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:46.120 about how when you honor God, when you keep him 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:50.680 first place, his blessings will chase you down. You don't 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:53.160 have to go after them. They will come after you. 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:58.760 But too often we're focused on the conditions. I can't 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:02.000 expect anything good. I'm in a famine. God is not 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:06.240 limited by the conditions, by the economy, by your job, 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:09.400 by your family, by your training. He owns it all. 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:13.520 Like with Isaac, one touch of his favor will take 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:17.760 you and your family to a new level. The scripture 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:23.480 says Isaac's wealth continued to increase. He acquired large flocks 0:18:23.480 --> 0:18:27.400 of sheep and goats and great herds of cattle, and 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:32.800 had many employees. This all started from him believing that 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:36.560 he had favor in the famine. He could have focused 0:18:36.600 --> 0:18:40.639 on the conditions, lived with a limited mindset. I can't 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:44.800 plant here, I can't expect anything good. I'm in a drought. Instead, 0:18:45.320 --> 0:18:49.920 he dared to believe, are you letting the conditions talk 0:18:49.960 --> 0:18:53.399 you out of what God put in your heart? Thinking 0:18:53.760 --> 0:18:56.800 one day when you get favor, when you're out of 0:18:56.800 --> 0:19:00.280 the famine, when the company promotes you, when you get 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:04.639 the training. No, you have favor right now. Favor is 0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:08.080 what gives you the advantage. Favor is what's going to 0:19:08.160 --> 0:19:11.720 catapult you to a new level. Favor is going to 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:15.280 make things happen that you didn't see coming. A few 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:19.080 years ago, my sister Lisa and her husband Kevin were 0:19:19.119 --> 0:19:22.800 going to sell their house. Typical houses in their neighborhood 0:19:23.160 --> 0:19:26.920 were taking anywhere from six months to two years to sell. 0:19:27.840 --> 0:19:30.560 They couldn't purchase their new house until they sold the 0:19:30.600 --> 0:19:33.720 old one. They could have thought, too bad, it's going 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:36.560 to be a long wait. We picked the wrong time 0:19:36.640 --> 0:19:41.560 to sell. Instead, like Isaac, they believed they had favor 0:19:41.760 --> 0:19:45.960 in the famine, and they prayed asked God that their 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:48.960 house would not only sell quickly, but that they would 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:52.960 get close to their asking price. The first day it 0:19:53.080 --> 0:19:56.120 was on the market, a lady came in and said, 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.440 I'll buy it, and if you'll take it off the market, 0:19:59.600 --> 0:20:03.600 I'll pay you more than you're asking for it. God 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:08.040 is not limited by the conditions. He's limited by our thinking. 0:20:09.240 --> 0:20:11.880 Why don't you take the limits off of him? Quit 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:14.560 thinking of all the reasons why you can't be blessed, 0:20:14.920 --> 0:20:17.960 can't accomplish your dreams, why you won't get well, not 0:20:18.080 --> 0:20:21.479 meet the right person, you may not see away. But 0:20:21.520 --> 0:20:25.320 God has a way. When you believe all things are possible, 0:20:26.240 --> 0:20:31.119 Isaac was so blessed. The scripture says the Philistines became 0:20:31.280 --> 0:20:35.200 jealous of him. The same people that were making fun 0:20:35.240 --> 0:20:38.320 of him for planning in the famine, the same ones 0:20:38.359 --> 0:20:41.160 that were telling him he was wasting his time, now 0:20:41.200 --> 0:20:45.399 they were upset that he was being blessed. It's funny 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:48.960 how people that won't do what you're willing to do 0:20:49.600 --> 0:20:53.439 will become jealous when you're blessed and they're not. You 0:20:53.600 --> 0:20:56.960 dared to take the step of faith, You dared to pray, 0:20:57.160 --> 0:21:00.600 to stretch, to plant, to believe. Now you're seeing an 0:21:00.640 --> 0:21:05.440 increase in favor. Don't be surprised when the Philistines show up. 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:10.080 The naysayers are not happy when they see you rising higher. 0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:14.480 They'll find fault, criticize, try to bait you into conflict. 0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:18.840 Just run your race. It's not about you, it's about 0:21:18.840 --> 0:21:23.120 the favor on your life. Don't let the chatter distract you, 0:21:23.840 --> 0:21:27.600 the negative comments, the jealousy, the envy. You don't have 0:21:27.720 --> 0:21:31.200 to answer to people. You don't have to prove yourself. 0:21:31.520 --> 0:21:34.600 Stay focused on your goals, and God will take care 0:21:34.640 --> 0:21:37.640 of the philistines. God will take care of the opposition. 0:21:38.960 --> 0:21:42.800 In the scripture, a man named Zaruba Bell was rebuilding 0:21:42.840 --> 0:21:47.280 the temple in Jerusalem, it had been destroyed years earlier, 0:21:47.600 --> 0:21:50.560 and a king had issued a decree to have it rebuilt. 0:21:50.960 --> 0:21:55.040 Everything was going great, laid the foundation, built the altar. 0:21:55.600 --> 0:22:00.280 Then the opposition came. People that didn't want it rebuilt, guarded, 0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:05.119 bribing the workers, paying people to cause trouble, stirring up 0:22:05.160 --> 0:22:09.080 all kinds of turmoil. Zeruba Bel could have thought, God, 0:22:09.640 --> 0:22:12.439 I'm doing what you asked me to do, but I 0:22:12.520 --> 0:22:16.480 have all this opposition. These powerful people are coming against me. 0:22:17.160 --> 0:22:20.000 It didn't look like he had favor. It looked like 0:22:20.080 --> 0:22:23.199 his enemies were getting the best of him. But you 0:22:23.359 --> 0:22:27.199 can't see what God is doing behind the scenes. And 0:22:27.280 --> 0:22:29.960 it may look like it's going to stop you, but 0:22:30.040 --> 0:22:32.960 if you'll stay in faith, God will use it to 0:22:33.040 --> 0:22:37.119 promote you. And the people opposing sent a letter to 0:22:37.200 --> 0:22:42.080 their king lying about Zerubebel, saying, these people that are 0:22:42.080 --> 0:22:45.800 rebuilding the temple are evil people. They're going to try 0:22:45.840 --> 0:22:49.280 to overthrow you. They're not going to pay taxes. It's 0:22:49.280 --> 0:22:52.760 going to be a big mistake. The king asked sirube Bel, 0:22:53.080 --> 0:22:56.600 who gave him permission to rebuild it. He told the king, 0:22:57.080 --> 0:23:00.320 we are servants of the Most High God. There was 0:23:00.359 --> 0:23:03.960 a temple here built by an Israeli king years earlier, 0:23:04.240 --> 0:23:07.520 and he issued a decree to have it rebuilt. The 0:23:07.640 --> 0:23:11.400 king had his men searched the royal archives and they 0:23:11.520 --> 0:23:16.000 found the decree. He called the opposition in and said, 0:23:16.359 --> 0:23:20.440 do not hinder these people. Let them rebuild the temple. 0:23:21.000 --> 0:23:24.440 Not only that, I decree that you are to help them. 0:23:25.080 --> 0:23:27.440 You are to use my funds to pay the full 0:23:27.480 --> 0:23:31.199 construction costs, and you are to take them food and 0:23:31.280 --> 0:23:36.160 supplies every day. They meant it for harm, God turned 0:23:36.160 --> 0:23:40.879 it for good. You may have people and circumstances coming 0:23:40.920 --> 0:23:44.679 against you. God knows how to cause it to backfire. 0:23:45.720 --> 0:23:48.800 They were trying to stop him. They ended up having 0:23:48.840 --> 0:23:53.120 to help him. Without their opposition, he wouldn't have had 0:23:53.160 --> 0:23:56.760 the temple totally paid for. Not only that, they had 0:23:56.800 --> 0:24:02.040 to bring them food every day. He'll prepare a table 0:24:02.119 --> 0:24:07.120 before you in the presence of your enemies. Sometimes he'll 0:24:07.200 --> 0:24:11.160 even have your enemies serve you dinner. I can hear's 0:24:11.200 --> 0:24:13.600 the Rubi bel saying, can I get some ketchup with 0:24:13.640 --> 0:24:18.120 my French fries. God knows how to vindicate you. Those 0:24:18.200 --> 0:24:21.600 people that are trying to hold you down. Stir up trouble, 0:24:21.880 --> 0:24:25.639 stay in peace. It's going to backfire, the Psalmist said, 0:24:26.040 --> 0:24:29.200 the trap the enemy set for you, they will fall 0:24:29.200 --> 0:24:35.000 in themselves. God is working in ways that you cannot see. 0:24:35.080 --> 0:24:38.639 It may look like opposition. The truth is it's the 0:24:38.760 --> 0:24:42.960 hand of God setting you up for promotion. We see 0:24:43.000 --> 0:24:47.399 this with Joseph. He was betrayed by his family, falsely accused, 0:24:47.640 --> 0:24:51.080 put in prison, didn't look like he had favor. But 0:24:51.240 --> 0:24:54.879 all of that opposition, the bad breaks, the unfair situations, 0:24:55.240 --> 0:24:59.680 that was God directing his steps. One day he saw 0:25:00.119 --> 0:25:03.800 what had been happening behind the scenes, how the people 0:25:03.840 --> 0:25:06.960 that had tried to stop him, how all that opposition 0:25:07.520 --> 0:25:12.560 had moved him into his destiny. It was all divinely orchestrated. 0:25:13.440 --> 0:25:17.560 When you face things that you don't understand, difficult challenges, 0:25:17.880 --> 0:25:20.840 that doesn't mean that somehow you've stepped out of favor. 0:25:21.200 --> 0:25:25.359 God's forgotten about you. It's a setup. It's all a 0:25:25.440 --> 0:25:28.320 part of God's plan to take you to the next level. 0:25:29.240 --> 0:25:32.000 Some of the things that are frustrating you, the people 0:25:32.040 --> 0:25:36.000 coming against you, the closed doors, the disappointments. You may 0:25:36.040 --> 0:25:39.520 not like it, but without it you couldn't reach the 0:25:39.560 --> 0:25:44.200 fullness of your destiny. Job would have never received double 0:25:44.840 --> 0:25:47.840 if God had not allowed him to be tested, go 0:25:47.960 --> 0:25:52.159 through it, versity and unfair situations. But he said in 0:25:52.280 --> 0:25:56.680 Job chapter ten, I know God has granted me favor. 0:25:57.560 --> 0:26:01.800 What's interesting is he didn't see things restored until chapter 0:26:01.920 --> 0:26:06.360 forty two, right in the middle of the difficulty, when 0:26:06.359 --> 0:26:10.240 it looked like everything had gone wrong. Instead of complaining, 0:26:10.480 --> 0:26:13.840 he was saying, Father, thank you that I have your favor. 0:26:14.320 --> 0:26:18.680 He understood this principle that he had favor in the difficulty, 0:26:19.240 --> 0:26:24.280 favor when it didn't look like it. Sometimes favor is hidden. 0:26:25.000 --> 0:26:27.879 You can't see it in the storm, in the betrayal, 0:26:28.400 --> 0:26:31.040 in the loss. People could look at you and think 0:26:31.080 --> 0:26:34.520 you don't have favor. You're struggling, You're still dealing with 0:26:34.520 --> 0:26:37.240 that illness. Those people at work are holding you back. 0:26:37.560 --> 0:26:40.560 It may look like you're stuff, but you can't see 0:26:40.600 --> 0:26:43.840 what's happening behind the scenes. You don't know what God 0:26:43.920 --> 0:26:48.000 is up to. Nine months later, Job not only came out, 0:26:48.320 --> 0:26:51.040 but he came out with twice what he had before. 0:26:51.880 --> 0:26:54.880 What looks like it's going to keep you from your 0:26:54.960 --> 0:26:58.840 destiny instead is going to launch you into a new 0:26:58.920 --> 0:27:02.879 level of your destiny. Those obstacles are not going to 0:27:02.920 --> 0:27:06.760 stop you. They're going to promote you. Now. Keep the 0:27:06.840 --> 0:27:11.080 right perspective. You don't have to live worried panic because 0:27:11.119 --> 0:27:14.480 you're in between walls of water. You have favor in 0:27:14.560 --> 0:27:18.960 the storm, favor in the famine. Right now, God is 0:27:19.000 --> 0:27:22.960 pushing back forces of darkness. Favor is keeping your enemies 0:27:23.000 --> 0:27:26.400 from defeating you. It may have been meant for your harm, 0:27:26.600 --> 0:27:30.719 but get ready, I believe and declare, it's about to backfire. 0:27:31.320 --> 0:27:34.760 Like Zaruba bel You're about to see what God's been 0:27:34.800 --> 0:27:38.360 doing behind the scenes. People that were against you are 0:27:38.400 --> 0:27:41.520 suddenly going to be for you. Problems are about to 0:27:41.560 --> 0:27:47.840 turn around. Unexpected blessings are coming your way, breakthroughs, vindication, promotion, 0:27:48.160 --> 0:27:52.960 healing the fullness of your destiny. In Jesus' name, and 0:27:53.040 --> 0:27:55.000 if you receive it, can you say him in today? 0:27:56.800 --> 0:27:59.760 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:00.080 --> 0:28:05.000 Lord of your life. Would you pray with me, Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:28:06.160 --> 0:28:11.000 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll 0:28:11.080 --> 0:28:15.000 make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 0:28:15.000 --> 0:28:18.480 that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 0:28:18.480 --> 0:28:23.000 in a good Bible based church, and keep God first. Place, Victorian, 0:28:23.040 --> 0:28:25.480 I'll be right back to speak a blessing over you. 0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:30.240 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:30.280 --> 0:28:32.879 this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:32.920 --> 0:28:36.520 a copy of Joel's new series, Five Ways to Live Amazed. 0:28:37.160 --> 0:28:40.280 You will discover that there is no limit to God's favor, 0:28:40.520 --> 0:28:45.320 God's goodness, and God's blessings in your life. Get ready 0:28:45.360 --> 0:28:46.800 to live a mazed today. 0:28:47.440 --> 0:28:50.880 God has things in store for you that you've never imagined. 0:28:51.160 --> 0:28:53.520 He can take you where you can't go on your own. 0:28:54.000 --> 0:28:56.280 You may think you've reached your limits, but if you'll 0:28:56.360 --> 0:28:59.960 keep honoring God, He's going to amaze you with his goodness. 0:29:00.000 --> 0:29:02.560 The stream for your life is much bigger than your own. 0:29:02.920 --> 0:29:05.880 Requests this resource. It will lift your faith and help 0:29:05.920 --> 0:29:07.560 you believe for an amazing year. 0:29:08.160 --> 0:29:11.720 Request your copy of Five Ways to Live Amazed today 0:29:11.920 --> 0:29:15.560 at Jeelustein dot com or call eight eight eight five 0:29:15.680 --> 0:29:16.200 six seven. 0:29:16.440 --> 0:29:21.280 Joel, Your support is changing lives. Thanks so much for 0:29:21.360 --> 0:29:24.240 your prayer, for your generosity and being a part of 0:29:24.280 --> 0:29:27.320 the ministry. Special thank you to all of our Champion 0:29:27.360 --> 0:29:29.800 of Hope partners for all you do to make the 0:29:29.840 --> 0:29:33.120 ministry possible. And be sure to stay connected with us 0:29:33.120 --> 0:29:38.160 on social media through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, download our podcast. 0:29:38.400 --> 0:29:40.640 We'd love to inspire you all through the week and 0:29:40.720 --> 0:29:43.200 help you keep your thoughts going in the right direction. 0:29:43.800 --> 0:29:46.760 Victoria and I pray for you and your families every day, 0:29:46.840 --> 0:29:49.320 and we believe you're going to see God's best in 0:29:49.360 --> 0:29:52.960 your life, overcoming problems, and that God's going to exceed 0:29:53.080 --> 0:29:56.600 your expectations in twenty eighteen. Be a believer and not 0:29:56.720 --> 0:29:59.120 a doubter. 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