Finding Your Place Of Blessing

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:37.120 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.840 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.640 share it with a friends, reappreciate you and pray for 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:51.720 God's very best in your life. 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:56.960 Well, God bless you. 0:01:57.320 --> 0:01:59.520 It's always a joy to come into your homes and 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.400 if if you're ever in our area, please stop by 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:04.600 and be a part of one of our services. I 0:02:04.800 --> 0:02:07.480 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. I 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:09.640 like to get started with something funny each week. And 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:12.919 of course these little jokes are not doctrinally correct. They're 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.240 just to make us laugh. But I heard about this 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:18.000 cat and mouse. They died on the same day and 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:21.240 went to heaven. After a couple of weeks. Peter asked 0:02:21.240 --> 0:02:23.799 the mouse how he liked it so far, and he said, 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:24.600 all Peter, it's. 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:26.080 Great, but it's so big. 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:29.160 Do you think I could get some roller skates. Peter said, 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:31.880 no problem, got the mouse some roller skates. A couple 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.040 of weeks later, he saw the cat and ask him 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:34.880 how he liked it. 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:36.760 He said, all, Peter, I love it. 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:39.040 And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, 0:02:39.400 --> 0:02:44.440 I discovered the meals on wheels. All right, hold up 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:47.200 your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:50.639 my Bible. I am what it says. I am. I 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:53.240 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.080 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:02:56.200 --> 0:03:00.760 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.440 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:10.320 I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living 0:03:10.639 --> 0:03:15.760 seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same, never, never, never, 0:03:16.280 --> 0:03:17.240 I'll never. 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:17.680 Be the same. 0:03:18.200 --> 0:03:22.519 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:03:22.560 --> 0:03:25.480 to you today about the importance of staying in the 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:31.280 right place. God created places before he created people. He 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:35.480 created the oceans, then he created fish, he created land, 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:40.640 then he created animals. Places are important to God. He 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:43.400 didn't create a polar bear to live in the desert. 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:46.680 He didn't create a bird to live in the sea. 0:03:47.360 --> 0:03:50.600 There is a certain place God created for each one 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:54.200 of them to thrive. And in the same way, God 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:57.560 has a specific location for each one of us to 0:03:57.640 --> 0:04:00.760 be blessed. He has a specific ad for you to 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:04.560 work at, a specific neighborhood, for you to live in 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:09.360 specific friends, for you to associate with. Your location is 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:14.000 extremely important. God will not bless you anywhere. He will 0:04:14.040 --> 0:04:17.080 bless you where you're supposed to be. Now, I can't 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:18.800 just pack up and decide I'm going to move to 0:04:18.800 --> 0:04:21.880 another city, thinking I've had some success here, surely it'll 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:26.080 work there. No, the blessing is connected to a certain place. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.000 This is where I feel good about, This is where 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:32.040 I know I'm supposed to be. When we move out 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:35.000 of that place. It's not that God decided to quit 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:39.160 blessing us, It's that we've moved from the location. 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:40.960 Where his blessings for us are. 0:04:41.760 --> 0:04:45.320 In the Book of Acts, Jesus instructed five hundred people 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:47.440 to go to the Upper Room to wait for the 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:50.120 promise of the Holy Spirit. But do you know only 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:53.560 one hundred and twenty showed up. Five hundred could have 0:04:53.640 --> 0:04:56.680 been blessed, but only one hundred and twenty were in 0:04:56.720 --> 0:05:00.479 the right location. You can't just work at any and 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:03.880 hang out at any place, moved to any city and 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:07.560 expect to have God's best. You have to be sensitive 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:11.039 to what you're feeling right down in here. Throughout life, 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:14.600 the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you. I'm 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:17.760 asking you today to pay more attention to your location. 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:21.880 Ask yourself, is this where I'm supposed to be? Is 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:24.719 this the job I feel good about? Is this where 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:28.719 I should be spending my free time? Remember, your blessing 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:32.880 is tied to a specific place. I have a friend 0:05:32.880 --> 0:05:35.880 that owns a mechanic shop, and for years his business 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:38.920 was very mediocre. He was back on a little side 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:42.840 street in an industrial area. He was surviving but not 0:05:42.920 --> 0:05:46.240 really having any real success, and one day while he 0:05:46.320 --> 0:05:49.400 was out, he saw this big building off of a 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:52.560 major freeway had a sign that said for lease, and 0:05:52.640 --> 0:05:55.560 something just jumped on the inside of him. He knew 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:58.520 that was supposed to be his. He made some phone 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:01.640 calls found out it was a available. After he prayed 0:06:01.640 --> 0:06:04.440 about it, he still felt peace. So he moved his 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:08.080 business to that new location. It was less than a 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:11.520 mile from his old place. But that next year his 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:14.839 business increased ten times what it was the year before. 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:18.720 What was the difference his location He had to get 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:22.560 to his place a blessing. Do you know you could 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:25.200 be less than a mile away from major growth. 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:27.039 May not be a business. 0:06:27.520 --> 0:06:30.479 It may be where you're hanging out after work that's 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:32.920 keeping you from your real place of blessing. 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:35.520 It may be the job you go to. 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:38.760 If you don't really like it, you're not growing, you're 0:06:38.800 --> 0:06:42.279 not fulfilled. Don't go there for the next twenty years. 0:06:42.600 --> 0:06:46.320 Just enduring that. Make sure that's where you're supposed to be. 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:49.920 I know people that have worked downtown in a high rise. 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:53.599 They moved from one floor to another. God opened up 0:06:53.640 --> 0:06:56.800 a new position, and now they're happy. They go to 0:06:56.839 --> 0:07:00.839 work with enthusiasm, using their gifts and talents. What happened 0:07:01.160 --> 0:07:04.320 they got to their place of blessing. A lot of 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.440 times we kind of think, well, Joel, I know God 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:09.560 will bless me wherever I go, and in a sense 0:07:09.760 --> 0:07:13.960 that's true. But God has a specific place where He's 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:16.840 commanded you to be blessed. Now, I would hate to 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:19.840 think that I lived my life just a mile away 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:24.000 from my real place of blessing. God opened up doors, 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:26.280 but I was too afraid to go through, or I 0:07:26.400 --> 0:07:29.920 kept hanging around the wrong friends. Now, pay attention to 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:32.320 what you're feeling right down in here. Get to the 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:36.400 right place. When you're in the center of God's perfect will, 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:41.160 there's a peace. Things won't be a constant struggle. Sure, 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:44.400 you'll have some seasons of difficulties and some tough times 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:45.520 you'll have to push through. 0:07:46.120 --> 0:07:48.560 But overall, you should enjoy your life. 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:52.320 You should feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:53.920 When you go to bed at night. 0:07:54.040 --> 0:07:56.360 You should lie there in peace knowing that I'm in 0:07:56.400 --> 0:07:59.440 God's perfect will. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. 0:08:00.160 --> 0:08:03.080 In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had to 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:06.240 follow the cloud by day and the pillar of fire 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:09.320 by night. Sometimes the cloud would stay at the same 0:08:09.400 --> 0:08:12.320 location for two or three months. They would set up 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:15.920 camp and stay there the whole time. Other times, the 0:08:15.960 --> 0:08:19.160 cloud would move every day for a week, but when 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:21.280 they got up in the morning, first thing they had 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.880 to do was check the cloud. I'm sure there were 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:27.320 times that they wanted to move. They didn't like the location, 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.600 they were surrounded by enemies, but the cloud wasn't moving. 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:33.840 Other times, I can imagine they get up in the 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:37.160 morning and see the cloud starting to move, and they think, Man, 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:40.679 we just got camp set up. We like this place, 0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:44.120 We're comfortable, let's just stay here. No, they understood this 0:08:44.280 --> 0:08:47.840 principle that their blessing was connected to being at the 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:48.520 right place. 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:51.280 They knew they wouldn't have the food. 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:55.160 The supplies, the protection they needed unless they followed the cloud. 0:08:55.840 --> 0:08:57.920 They had to do their part and get to their 0:08:57.960 --> 0:09:02.000 place of blessing so they could enjoy God's favor. And 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.120 some of you today, the only thing that's holding you 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:05.880 back is you're in the wrong location. 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:08.199 It may be the wrong job. 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:11.760 God keeps opening up doors, but you're not taking that 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:15.520 step of faith. It may be the wrong friends, You're 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:19.360 spending your free time in the wrong locations that's keeping 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:23.160 you from growing. Could even be the wrong neighborhood. It's 0:09:23.160 --> 0:09:27.800 a negative environment. You keep giving into temptation. It's time 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:31.200 to make some changes. Life is too short to go 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:33.960 through it in the wrong location. You've got to learn 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:37.120 to fallow the cloud for your own life. 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:38.040 I know a man. 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:41.120 He and his wife started a television station in another state, 0:09:41.640 --> 0:09:44.440 and for years they ran the station, built it up 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:48.280 into a successful ministry. This was a dream come true. 0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:52.000 They were so happy, so fulfilled. But they told how 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:55.200 one day that desire to keep building there and that 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:58.920 sense of fulfillment just lifted off of them. They didn't 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:01.840 have the same enthusiasasm, and when they searched their heart, 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:03.520 they realized. 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:05.120 Their time there was done. 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.760 They could have been hard headed and thought, no, we 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:10.520 started this and we're going to finish it, but they 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:14.200 were sensitive enough to recognize that the cloud was moving. 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:17.439 They put the television station up for sale. About a 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.960 year later, they moved to a large city in another state. 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:23.400 They didn't really know what they were going to do, 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:26.920 but not long after that, it just so happened that 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:31.400 a television station in that new city became available. They 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:34.800 were at the right place at the right time, and 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:36.520 with the funds they had from the sale of their 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:41.200 other station, they purchased this new television station. Today, their 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:45.400 ministry has exploded. They have many stations. In fact, they have. 0:10:45.400 --> 0:10:47.240 A network that goes around the world. 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:51.720 What's my point, They followed the cloud, their place of 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:56.160 blessing moved. Had they not been sensitive, had they been 0:10:56.200 --> 0:10:58.840 stuck in a rut and thought, well, we're really not 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:01.960 fulfilled here, but let's just play it safe, let's not 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:02.959 rock the boat. 0:11:03.120 --> 0:11:05.160 No, they would have missed out on God's best. 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:09.200 God has a place of victory in store for every 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.680 one of us, but it's up to us to get 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:16.040 to that place. Location is a huge part of staying 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:19.520 in God's perfect well. My father used to say, learn 0:11:19.640 --> 0:11:21.440 to stay in your sweet spot. 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:24.920 That means you just feel good down in here. You 0:11:25.080 --> 0:11:26.720 know you're where you're supposed to be. 0:11:27.720 --> 0:11:30.679 In other words, don't take a new job just because 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:34.520 somebody offers you more money. Pray about it, search your heart. 0:11:35.000 --> 0:11:37.720 There's more to life than money. They may make you 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:41.400 a better offer. But if the environment's not good, if 0:11:41.400 --> 0:11:43.760 you have to travel all the time, leave your family, 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.760 if you're going to be around negative people, that may 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.560 not be God's best for you. You've got to stay in 0:11:49.640 --> 0:11:53.520 your own place of blessing. Don't override what you're feeling 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:56.000 down in here. If you have an unrest, that may 0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:59.679 mean the cloud is not moving. I have a friend 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:03.160 that just passed up a huge promotion. His company wanted 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:06.480 him to move to another state. After he prayed about it, 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:07.439 he didn't feel peace. 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.079 He didn't want to leave the church. He didn't want to. 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:13.120 Leave his friends and his associates. They just could not 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:16.760 understand it. They couldn't believe he didn't jump at that opportunity. 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:19.600 But he just did not have a release down in here. 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.280 He asked me, Joel, you think I'm making a mistake. 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:25.560 I told him what I'm telling you. No matter how 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:27.400 good the offer, if you don't have. 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:31.120 Peace about it, it's not right for you. It was like. 0:12:31.040 --> 0:12:33.800 A burden was lifted off of him. He seemed so 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:38.640 relieved what was happening. He was following the cloud and 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:42.040 staying in God's perfect will should be one of our 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:46.280 highest priorities. On a regular basis, we need to ask ourselves, 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:49.200 am I in my place of blessing? Is this where 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.200 I know I'm supposed to be and when I say 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:54.679 place of blessing, of course I'm not talking about just 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:59.080 material things. I'm talking about peace. I'm talking about fulfilment 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:03.240 that you're exactly where God wants you to be. I 0:13:03.280 --> 0:13:06.760 know this couple. They live in Botswana, Africa. They have 0:13:06.880 --> 0:13:10.160 several children, and for years they lived in a little 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:15.000 hut with no air conditioning, no running water. It was hot, 0:13:15.480 --> 0:13:19.280 it was dirty, no TV, no grocery stores. But every 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:22.200 time I talk to them they were as happy as 0:13:22.280 --> 0:13:25.280 can be. In fact, one time I asked them, how 0:13:25.280 --> 0:13:27.040 do you do it? Isn't it hard to. 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:28.160 Raise your children here? 0:13:28.920 --> 0:13:31.880 They looked at me, almost confused, and said, Joel, we 0:13:31.920 --> 0:13:33.040 were wondering the same. 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:34.480 Thing about you. How do you stay there? 0:13:35.960 --> 0:13:39.480 What they were saying is we're blessed, We're fulfilled. Why 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:41.480 was that they were in their. 0:13:41.360 --> 0:13:42.480 Place of blessing. 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:45.720 You may be able to make more money somewhere else, 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:48.960 something may look more attractive to you, But when you're 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:52.200 in God's perfect will, there is a peace and a 0:13:52.240 --> 0:13:56.920 fulfillment that money cannot buy. First Kings, Chapter seventeen and 0:13:57.000 --> 0:14:02.120 verse three. God said to Elijah, leave here, go east 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:06.280 down to the brook, for I have commanded the ravens 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.959 to feed you there. Notice there was a place where 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:12.920 God commanded Elijah's needs to be supplied. 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.360 Here's what's important. It was up to. 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:19.040 Elijah to get to that place. He had to be obedient. 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:21.640 He could have said, God, I'm comfortable where I am. 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:24.480 I don't want to go down there. Or the problem 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:27.800 with that thinking is the ravens would have still been 0:14:27.840 --> 0:14:31.320 taken his provision down to the brook. In other words, 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:34.960 God would have been supplying his needs, but he would 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:36.040 have not been where. 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:36.840 He was supposed to be. 0:14:37.920 --> 0:14:40.880 Now, I wonder how many of us have our blessings, 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:45.920 our provision being taken somewhere that we're not. We didn't 0:14:45.960 --> 0:14:49.440 follow the still small voice. Maybe we're still hanging around 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:52.600 friends that we don't feel good about. Or what's happening 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:56.280 is our blessings in favor over here, but we're not 0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.840 where we're supposed to be. Or maybe God opened up 0:15:00.120 --> 0:15:03.400 an opportunity of promotion for you. You knew down and 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:05.480 here you should take it, but you just shrunk back in. 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:07.480 Fear, thinking, man, I can't do that now. 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:09.640 I don't know about you, but I'm gonna do my 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:13.200 best to get and stay in my place of blessing. 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:19.480 I can't stand to think that God could be delivering favor, blessings, ideas, 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:23.600 creativity over here. The only problem is I'm not aware 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:27.560 I'm supposed to be. Now, let's learn to follow the cloud. 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:30.600 Pay attention to what you're feeling right down in here. 0:15:30.960 --> 0:15:35.080 And it may not mean moving or changing jobs. It 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.840 may be something as simple as you know you're supposed 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:41.880 to be volunteering somewhere. God's been dealing with you again 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:46.120 and again about taking care of some elderly neighbors, or 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:49.680 serving in the children's ministry, mentoring a young person. 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:51.040 You know down and. 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:53.120 Here you should be doing it, but you just keep 0:15:53.160 --> 0:15:55.840 putting it off. Man, I'm busy, Joel, I've got so 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:56.680 many commitments. 0:15:56.760 --> 0:15:57.560 I just can't do that. 0:15:58.080 --> 0:16:00.640 No, You've got to follow the cloud. That could be 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:03.600 your place of blessing. How do you know that's not 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:06.800 where the ravens are taking your provision? How do you 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:09.840 know when you get into God's perfect will doing what 0:16:09.880 --> 0:16:12.080 he asked you to do, that that's not where He's 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:14.280 going to bless you in ways you never thought possible. 0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:16.480 That could be where you get the break you've been 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:19.040 waiting for. That could be where you meet the man 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:22.920 or woman of your dreams. What I'm saying is God 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:27.480 has a specific place where he's commended you to be blessed. 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:31.360 Don't just haphazardly kind of apply for this job, Oh 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.680 it looks pretty good, or I'm going to hang out 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:35.760 with these friends they seem okay, or I'm going to 0:16:35.840 --> 0:16:38.080 serve in this ministry for a couple of weeks. Now, 0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:41.000 you've got to be more focused than that. You're not 0:16:41.080 --> 0:16:43.960 going to be blessed everywhere. You're going to be blessed 0:16:44.080 --> 0:16:47.200 when you're at the right place for you. I got 0:16:47.200 --> 0:16:49.920 a letter from a couple last week real find people. 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.600 I've known him a long time. This man had worked 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:55.200 at a certain company for many, many years, and he 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:58.000 was way up there in management, making a good salary. 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:00.840 But down in here he really wanted to start his 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:04.080 own business. He knew that was a dream that God 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.359 put in in his heart, but year after year, he 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.399 just kept putting it off. He was afraid he might fail, 0:17:09.480 --> 0:17:12.440 afraid he didn't have what it takes. One day he 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:15.359 heard me talking about getting out of your comfort zone 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.239 and being willing to take a risk. That lit a 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:22.000 new fire on the inside. He resigned from his company, 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.359 and they took all of their retirement and used it 0:17:25.400 --> 0:17:29.359 to start this new consulting business. Little by little it 0:17:29.440 --> 0:17:32.800 began to grow. They started seeing God's favor in a 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:36.400 greater way his old company. They tried to talk him 0:17:36.400 --> 0:17:38.560 out of it. They told him it would never work, 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:42.280 But today they're his largest client. He went on to 0:17:42.320 --> 0:17:45.040 tell how last year he made three times what he 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:47.520 made working at that other place. And they were so 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:49.960 concerned about their retirement, but now they've. 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:50.840 Already paid it back. 0:17:51.240 --> 0:17:54.240 They said, Joel, We've never dreamed we would see God's 0:17:54.280 --> 0:17:56.080 favor in the way we've seen him. 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:57.360 What happened. 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:00.680 They got to their place a blessing. They got down 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:03.560 to the brook where God commanded them to be blessed, 0:18:04.320 --> 0:18:06.520 and they explained how it was a lot of work, 0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:08.800 but it wasn't a constant burden. 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:10.280 They didn't live with. 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:13.040 A headache day in and day out, wondering how it's 0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:16.920 all going to happen. No, God supernaturally just brought things 0:18:16.920 --> 0:18:20.080 into place. When you follow the leading down in here, 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:22.960 you will never go wrong. And certainly you have to 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:25.720 use wisdom. Don't just jump out and try to make 0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:28.280 things happen. But when you feel good about it down 0:18:28.280 --> 0:18:31.200 in here, when you know it's right, dare to take 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:33.680 that step of faith. Don't come to the end of 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:36.480 your life and have to wonder what would have happened 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:39.800 if you'd been willing to take that risk, follow the 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:42.600 cloud and get to the place of blessing for your 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:46.159 own life. Well, Elijah got down to the brook. He 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:49.040 was obedient, and God blessed him and met all of 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:53.159 his needs. But one day the brook dried up, the 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:57.520 water quit flowing, the ravens quit coming, and so God 0:18:57.600 --> 0:19:00.639 told him, Elijah, I want you to go to the 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:04.919 city of Zarah Path, for I have commanded a widow. 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:06.440 To take care of you. 0:19:06.440 --> 0:19:10.480 Notice once again, God had a specific place where he 0:19:10.600 --> 0:19:14.720 commanded Elijah's needs to be met. The whole key was 0:19:14.720 --> 0:19:17.760 Elijah had to keep following the cloud getting to that 0:19:17.960 --> 0:19:22.720 place of blessing. This tells me that sometimes a brook 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:26.200 will dry up, sometimes a season is going to be over, 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:27.880 and God's going to try to push you into. 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:28.320 A new area. 0:19:28.880 --> 0:19:31.760 You have to stay open and be willing to follow 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:33.200 that leading down in here. 0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:34.680 It's interesting. 0:19:34.800 --> 0:19:37.959 When Elijah was down at the brook, he was hiding 0:19:38.040 --> 0:19:41.879 from an enemy. Somebody had been chasing him. Do you 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:45.800 know where his enemy's hometown was. It was the city 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:49.360 of Zarah Path, exactly where God told him to go. 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:53.280 Think about it. God could have sent Elijah anywhere, but he. 0:19:53.320 --> 0:19:57.040 Sent him right to his enemy's hometown. What's my point? 0:19:57.720 --> 0:20:02.000 Sometimes God leads us to do things that don't make sense. God, 0:20:02.040 --> 0:20:05.160 you want me to leave my position, use my retirement 0:20:05.160 --> 0:20:06.200 to start a new business. 0:20:06.720 --> 0:20:07.480 God you want me to. 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:11.040 Quit hanging around this person. They're the only friend I have. God, 0:20:11.080 --> 0:20:12.960 you want me to bless my neighbors and be good 0:20:12.960 --> 0:20:16.400 to them. They've been so rude to me. Sometimes we're 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:18.800 not going to understand it, but that's what takes faith. 0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:22.040 You have to remind yourself this is God trying to 0:20:22.080 --> 0:20:24.960 get me to my place of blessing. God is trying 0:20:24.960 --> 0:20:27.520 to get me to where He's commanded my needs to 0:20:27.560 --> 0:20:28.200 be supplied. 0:20:28.680 --> 0:20:30.200 I think about my brother Paul. 0:20:30.440 --> 0:20:33.720 For seventeen years, he was a surgeon in Little Rock. 0:20:34.200 --> 0:20:36.879 He had a very successful practice. In fact, he was 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:40.040 the chief of surgery there. He and some of his 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.440 partners were part owners of the new hospital. 0:20:43.000 --> 0:20:43.800 Life was good. 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:47.000 Paul was fulfilling his destiny, helping a lot of people. 0:20:47.480 --> 0:20:50.440 But back in nineteen ninety nine, when my father went 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:53.280 to be with the Lord. Paul was driving home from 0:20:53.359 --> 0:20:57.320 Daddy's memorial service and he heard that still small voice 0:20:57.359 --> 0:21:02.000 telling him to come back home pastor the church in 0:21:02.080 --> 0:21:04.680 the natural, that didn't make a lot of sense here. 0:21:04.760 --> 0:21:07.320 Paul had gone to school some twelve years to become 0:21:07.359 --> 0:21:10.760 a surgeon. His colleagues told him he was just grieving, 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:13.159 he was just having a midlife crisis. 0:21:13.640 --> 0:21:14.600 But Paul knew. 0:21:14.359 --> 0:21:16.800 Down in here he was supposed to come back home. 0:21:17.320 --> 0:21:18.520 He did exactly that. 0:21:19.160 --> 0:21:21.440 We wouldn't be where we are today if Paul had 0:21:21.440 --> 0:21:26.440 not taken that step of faith. And not only that, 0:21:27.160 --> 0:21:30.520 how much more blessed could Paul possibly be than by 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:34.840 being able to work with me every day? But the 0:21:34.880 --> 0:21:38.439 truth is, if Paul had not come, I'm. 0:21:38.320 --> 0:21:39.720 Sure he would have still been happy. 0:21:39.760 --> 0:21:42.600 I'm sure he'd be okay, But I don't believe he 0:21:42.640 --> 0:21:44.200 would have the joy and the. 0:21:44.080 --> 0:21:45.879 Fulfillment that he does here. 0:21:46.040 --> 0:21:48.480 It's not because of us, It's because he's in his 0:21:48.880 --> 0:21:52.840 place of blessing. And again, sometime that brook will drive up, 0:21:53.359 --> 0:21:57.120 a season will be over. Don't fight it, don't struggle, 0:21:57.480 --> 0:22:00.800 just fallow the cloud. And I believe every season will 0:22:00.800 --> 0:22:05.080 get better and better. Let me ask you today, are 0:22:05.160 --> 0:22:10.119 the ravens taking your provision somewhere that you're not. You 0:22:10.160 --> 0:22:13.080 cannot work in the wrong job for twenty years and 0:22:13.160 --> 0:22:16.359 expect to really be blessed. You can't sit in a 0:22:16.440 --> 0:22:20.520 church week after week with people condemning you, telling you 0:22:20.560 --> 0:22:22.600 that you're a weak worm of the dust, filling you 0:22:22.640 --> 0:22:25.359 with doubt and unbelief. You cannot listen to that junk 0:22:25.600 --> 0:22:26.640 and expect to live a. 0:22:26.560 --> 0:22:27.840 Life of victory. 0:22:28.040 --> 0:22:30.359 Well, Joel, my grandparents went to this church, and my 0:22:30.440 --> 0:22:31.720 great grandparents went here. 0:22:31.920 --> 0:22:33.800 This is just where I'm planted now. 0:22:33.840 --> 0:22:37.400 With all due respect, If you're planted in concrete, you're 0:22:37.440 --> 0:22:40.760 not going to grow. You need to find somewhere where 0:22:40.800 --> 0:22:44.560 people will inspire you to rise higher. Find a place 0:22:44.600 --> 0:22:47.679 whereas people will challenge you to become all God's created you. 0:22:47.720 --> 0:22:51.400 To be a place where people will speak of life 0:22:51.440 --> 0:22:56.760 and victory into you. Remember, your blessing is tied to 0:22:56.840 --> 0:22:58.640 being at the right place for you. 0:22:59.520 --> 0:23:01.760 I wouldn't sit in a place where. 0:23:01.520 --> 0:23:06.200 The leadership lacks integrity, or where they are controlling, trying 0:23:06.200 --> 0:23:08.560 to make you feel guilty if you don't do exactly 0:23:08.600 --> 0:23:10.760 what they want you to do. I wouldn't go to 0:23:10.800 --> 0:23:13.679 a place where they're always beating me down, telling me 0:23:13.720 --> 0:23:16.840 I have no future and I'm all washed up. Talks 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:19.960 about in Psalms one thirty three, how when they poured 0:23:19.960 --> 0:23:23.920 the oil on Erin's head, he was the priest, the leader. 0:23:24.200 --> 0:23:27.199 The oil flowed from his head, down his beard, to 0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:31.119 the rest of his body. That symbolized how the anoying 0:23:31.560 --> 0:23:35.239 goes from the leader down to the people. That tells me, 0:23:35.720 --> 0:23:39.040 I'm going to receive the same type of annoying of 0:23:39.080 --> 0:23:47.600 the leadership I put myself under. If that leader is controlling, condemning, arrogant, 0:23:47.640 --> 0:23:50.840 no humility, that's what's gonna flow down. I don't know 0:23:50.880 --> 0:23:53.000 about you, but I don't need that junk in my life. 0:23:53.280 --> 0:23:58.879 Get under good leadership. There are thousands of great churches 0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:04.280 with eight ministers that have hearts of gold. Get connected 0:24:04.280 --> 0:24:08.400 to the right place. And number two, stay faithful. Don't 0:24:08.440 --> 0:24:10.200 run from church to church every week. 0:24:10.440 --> 0:24:11.200 Be committed. 0:24:11.440 --> 0:24:15.240 That's where your place of blessing is. And I say 0:24:15.280 --> 0:24:19.040 this with all humility. God knows my heart, but God's 0:24:19.119 --> 0:24:22.520 favor is on our ministry. And I know as you 0:24:22.680 --> 0:24:28.000 come each week, as you watch each week the same favor, 0:24:28.040 --> 0:24:31.320 the same annoying, the same blessing. This on our ministry 0:24:31.560 --> 0:24:34.800 is flowing right down to you. And as you continue, 0:24:35.560 --> 0:24:38.080 you're going to be more blessed. You're going to be 0:24:38.119 --> 0:24:41.080 more mature, You're going to have more favor, You're gonna 0:24:41.080 --> 0:24:43.840 have a bigger vision, You're gonna be a bigger blessing. 0:24:43.840 --> 0:24:44.560 Wherever you go. 0:24:44.840 --> 0:24:47.919 Your faith is going to increase, not because of me, 0:24:48.400 --> 0:24:51.240 but because of the annoying and favor that God's put 0:24:51.280 --> 0:24:53.920 on our ministry. I was talking to a friend of 0:24:53.960 --> 0:24:57.040 mine the other day. He was telling how blessed he's 0:24:57.080 --> 0:24:59.960 been here and how he was sharing with his wife 0:25:00.400 --> 0:25:03.320 how they have to put themselves in a position to receive, 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:08.040 in their attitude, in their actions, in their faithfulness. That way, 0:25:08.280 --> 0:25:11.280 when the annoying flows from the head, there won't be 0:25:11.359 --> 0:25:13.280 any barriers to stop it. 0:25:13.280 --> 0:25:14.480 It will cling to you. 0:25:14.720 --> 0:25:18.439 Why you put yourself in a position to receive, And 0:25:18.480 --> 0:25:21.760 every time you come through these doors, every time you watch, 0:25:22.160 --> 0:25:24.639 you should say, Father, I want to thank you that 0:25:24.760 --> 0:25:27.160 the same annoying you put in that place. 0:25:27.040 --> 0:25:27.920 Is flowing down to me. 0:25:28.400 --> 0:25:31.639 The favor, the increase, the promotion, the joy, the peace, 0:25:31.720 --> 0:25:35.480 the victory. I receive that by faith. See, don't just 0:25:35.560 --> 0:25:39.040 come to church have the attitude. I'm receiving favor today, 0:25:39.480 --> 0:25:43.280 I'm receiving strength. My faith is growing, I'm coming up higher. 0:25:43.640 --> 0:25:46.520 When you do that, you're just soaking up the annoying 0:25:46.560 --> 0:25:50.399 that's flowing down. So important the leadership you put yourself 0:25:50.480 --> 0:25:53.240 under and who you allow to speak into your life. 0:25:54.000 --> 0:25:58.000 You remember, in the Old Testament, God promised Elisha that 0:25:58.080 --> 0:26:01.280 he would have a double portion of Elijah annoying. But 0:26:01.320 --> 0:26:04.760 God said, Elisha, it'll happen under one condition. Not how 0:26:04.840 --> 0:26:07.200 much you pray, not how many scriptures you can quote. 0:26:07.560 --> 0:26:10.720 You have to be in the right place. You have 0:26:10.840 --> 0:26:15.680 to stay close to Elijah. For years, Elisha was faithful. 0:26:16.160 --> 0:26:19.200 He followed Elijah everywhere he went. In fact, a couple 0:26:19.240 --> 0:26:21.159 times Elijah tried to get rid of him, tried to 0:26:21.200 --> 0:26:23.200 lose him, but Elisha stayed right with him. 0:26:23.280 --> 0:26:27.160 He was determined. Elisha's job was to help take care 0:26:27.359 --> 0:26:29.560 of Elijah. He was an older man. 0:26:30.119 --> 0:26:32.760 He would take him food and water, assist him in 0:26:32.920 --> 0:26:35.440 menial things, and in the natural it looked. 0:26:35.320 --> 0:26:36.320 Kind of unimportant. 0:26:36.880 --> 0:26:39.639 I'm sure some of Elisha's friends said, Elishah, what are 0:26:39.640 --> 0:26:42.439 you doing spending your time following this older man around. 0:26:42.880 --> 0:26:44.800 You've got dreams and desires. You need to go on 0:26:44.920 --> 0:26:48.679 with your life. But no, Elisha knew something they didn't know. 0:26:49.200 --> 0:26:50.080 He knew if he. 0:26:50.119 --> 0:26:52.960 Was at the right place, then at the right time, 0:26:53.440 --> 0:26:56.199 God was going to release double into his life. He 0:26:56.280 --> 0:26:59.560 knew as he stayed close to Elijah, little by little, 0:26:59.600 --> 0:27:03.239 that's say, annoying was flowing into him. And sometimes it 0:27:03.280 --> 0:27:05.840 may be difficult, and you think, man, Joel, I'm serving 0:27:05.920 --> 0:27:09.080 in the children's ministry. Nobody's telling me thank you. I 0:27:09.119 --> 0:27:11.840 came to church, I didn't feel like anything was happening. No, 0:27:11.960 --> 0:27:14.960 whether you realize it or not, the same annoying that 0:27:15.000 --> 0:27:17.280 God's put in this place is flowing down to you. 0:27:18.080 --> 0:27:23.399 And Elisha was faithful because he recognized his destiny was 0:27:23.440 --> 0:27:26.120 connected to being at the right place. He got exactly 0:27:26.160 --> 0:27:29.480 what God promised, a double portion. And when you're at 0:27:29.480 --> 0:27:32.880 the right place, connected to the right people, that's when 0:27:32.960 --> 0:27:36.160 God is going to release great things into your life. Now, 0:27:36.160 --> 0:27:39.480 I'm asking you today to fall of the cloud for 0:27:39.600 --> 0:27:43.400 your own life. Be determined to get to that place 0:27:43.640 --> 0:27:45.320 of blessing for yourself. 0:27:46.119 --> 0:27:48.240 You may not have seen it in the past. Search 0:27:48.280 --> 0:27:48.720 your heart. 0:27:49.400 --> 0:27:53.080 Make sure you're obeying even in smaller areas. And sure 0:27:53.080 --> 0:27:54.880 we all go through difficult seasons. 0:27:55.040 --> 0:27:56.000 Just stay faithful. 0:27:56.440 --> 0:27:59.520 Remember your blessing is connected to being at the right 0:27:59.560 --> 0:28:02.520 place for you, and if you will, staying in God's 0:28:02.560 --> 0:28:06.120 perfect will a priority. I know this God will lead 0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:09.360 you and guide you. He'll pour out his blessings in favor, 0:28:09.640 --> 0:28:12.040 and you'll live that life of victory that he has 0:28:12.080 --> 0:28:12.520 in store. 0:28:12.640 --> 0:28:14.119 Amen, do you receive it today? 0:28:15.359 --> 0:28:18.280 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:18.320 --> 0:28:21.400 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:21.560 --> 0:28:22.520 Would you pray with me? 0:28:23.280 --> 0:28:28.840 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:28:28.840 --> 0:28:29.600 into my heart. 0:28:30.800 --> 0:28:32.400 I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:33.359 --> 0:28:35.879 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:28:35.960 --> 0:28:38.920 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:28:39.320 --> 0:28:42.160 Keep God first place. He's going to take you places 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:43.360 that you've never dreamed of. 0:28:43.600 --> 0:28:47.040 Thank you for listening to the joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:28:47.120 --> 0:28:49.840 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:49.960 --> 0:28:53.840 all over the world. Visit Joelostine dot com slash give 0:28:53.920 --> 0:28:57.720 hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for 0:28:57.800 --> 0:28:59.320 listening to today's message. 0:28:59.440 --> 0:29:02.200 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:02.240 --> 0:29:03.680 podcast to keep. 0:29:03.520 --> 0:29:06.480 You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:06.640 --> 0:29:09.120 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:09.160 --> 0:29:09.680 next time.