God Can Turn Back Time

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The units stap 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:14.360 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:17.160 funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.440 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:21.720 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.280 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.000 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:36.800 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.280 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:40.840 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.880 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:59.040 your life. God bless you such a joy to come 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:02.240 into your homes. We love you and we know God 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:04.480 has great things in store for each one of you. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:06.760 And if you're ever in our area, I hope that 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:08.760 you'll come out and see us. We give you a 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:11.000 personal invitation, but we love to have you be a 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.480 part of one of our services. Thanks for tuning in 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:15.720 to day I like to get started each week with 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:18.720 something funny, and I heard about this man. He was 0:02:18.760 --> 0:02:22.960 the only Protestant in a large Catholic neighborhood, and every 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:26.280 Friday during Lent, when all of his neighbors were eating 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:30.040 cold fish, he would be gwilling a steak in the backyard. 0:02:30.760 --> 0:02:34.000 And the neighbors just couldn't stand the temptation. They decided 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:36.040 to try to convert him to Catholicism. 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:37.440 He finally agreed. 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:40.520 The pre sprinkled water over him, said you were born 0:02:40.560 --> 0:02:43.239 a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, but now you're 0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:46.520 a Catholic. The next year, on the first Friday of Lent, 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:49.760 they smelled the same smell of steak in the air. 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:52.880 They rushed to his house. They saw him in the backyard. 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:56.160 He was sprinkling water over his steak, saying, you were 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:58.520 born a cow, you're raised a cow, but now you're 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:04.240 a fish. All right, Hold up your Bible, say it 0:03:04.320 --> 0:03:05.040 like you mean it. 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:08.560 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:10.560 I have what it says I have. 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:13.960 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:17.000 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:21.560 confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 0:03:21.600 --> 0:03:25.839 will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:29.000 I want to talk to you today about how God 0:03:29.080 --> 0:03:32.600 can turn back time. Every one of us has had 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:37.000 opportunities that we've missed, chances that we've blown. We can 0:03:37.040 --> 0:03:39.680 all look back and think, why didn't I put more 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:43.360 effort into that relationship, Why didn't I take that job? 0:03:43.920 --> 0:03:46.360 Or why did I spend all those years running with 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:50.000 the wrong crowd, partying when I should have been getting ahead. 0:03:50.800 --> 0:03:53.080 I had a man tell me last week, Joel. 0:03:53.200 --> 0:03:55.520 I'd love to believe that I was coming into new 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:59.400 seasons of increase, but I really think I've missed my season. 0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:03.880 But God always has another season. God always gives us 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:08.480 another chance. Sometimes it's not our fault. I know people 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.600 that didn't have a good childhood. They were raised in 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:15.720 an unhealthy environment, they weren't treated right, and it's tempting 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:18.679 to think too bad for me, I'll never get that back. 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:21.640 But God said here in the Book of Joel two 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:26.200 twenty five, I will restore the years that have been stolen. 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.200 That means God can make up years of your life. 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:34.120 God can turn back time. You may not be able 0:04:34.120 --> 0:04:37.039 to relive your childhood, but he can make the rest 0:04:37.080 --> 0:04:40.920 of your life so rewarding and so fulfilling it makes 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:44.440 up for it. You may feel like you've wasted years 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.919 in a relationship that didn't work out, years on a 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:50.560 job that turned out to be a dead end, but 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:55.680 don't get discouraged. God controls time. You need to believe 0:04:55.720 --> 0:05:00.360 that every opportunity you've missed, every chance you've blown, God 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:03.800 will turn back time and bring that across your path 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:08.200 once again. I think about Hezekiah. He was very sick 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.080 and close to death. The prophet said he only had 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:14.560 a little while to live. Hezekiah prayed and asked God 0:05:14.600 --> 0:05:18.000 for his mercy, and God spoke to the prophet and said, 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:21.240 tell Hezekiah, I'm going to add fifteen years to his life. 0:05:21.720 --> 0:05:24.520 And Heekiah was so excited when he got the news. 0:05:24.839 --> 0:05:26.680 Was almost too good to be true. 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:29.760 And he said, God, I really believe you, but will 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:32.520 you give me some kind of sign so that I 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:36.920 know it's true. Since they were dealing with time, God said, 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:40.000 all right, Hezekiah, go out and watch the sun dial. 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:43.200 They didn't have clocks like we have today. They had 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:46.520 these markings on the ground and where the shadows from 0:05:46.560 --> 0:05:48.039 the position of the sun fell. 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:51.920 That's how they knew what time it was. And Heekiah said, God, 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:52.560 if this. 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:55.000 Promise is really going to come to pass, if you're 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:56.320 going to really add years to. 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:59.200 My life, don't just stop time. I know you can 0:05:59.240 --> 0:05:59.560 do that. 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.440 I want you to do something more difficult, something even 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:06.440 more out of the ordinary. God, I'm asking you to 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:09.880 make the shadow go in the wrong direction. I'm asking 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:14.760 you to turn back time. Think about how bold Hezekiah was. 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.800 Took a lot of nerve to say, God, I believe 0:06:17.880 --> 0:06:21.240 you love me so much. I believe you're so concerned 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:25.120 about me that you'll do something that's never been done before. 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:29.080 You'll interrupt the whole solar system, just to prove to 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:30.599 me that I heard you right. 0:06:31.440 --> 0:06:33.640 Friends, God is moved by our faith. 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:38.560 Sure enough, the next forty minutes, Hezekiah watched the shadow 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:43.000 go counter clockwise. The scripture says the sun went in 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:47.359 reverse ten degrees. I believe that's what God is saying 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:50.560 to us. I can turn back time in your life. 0:06:50.960 --> 0:06:54.720 I can restore the years that you've lost. You may 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.200 think you've blown it and you've wasted so much time, 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.880 But God has new opportunities in front of you. He 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:04.200 wants the rest of your life to be. 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:05.480 Better than the first part. 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:08.599 And if you will stay in faith, a shift is 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:12.040 going to happen. What was it, God's turning back time. 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:15.480 He's going to restore the years that you were mistreated. 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.200 He's going to present you with opportunities that you missed 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:20.400 because you weren't in. 0:07:20.360 --> 0:07:21.120 The right position. 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:24.880 The fact is it was our fault. But God is 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:28.120 so good, he's so full of mercy. He's going to 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:32.680 give us another chance. And it's interesting how light is formed. 0:07:32.920 --> 0:07:37.280 All these tiny molecules come together. They're red in color, 0:07:37.600 --> 0:07:40.520 and their shape is a perfect circle. Of course, we 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:43.640 can't see them with our natural eye, but what causes 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:47.280 light is they start rubbing together very very fast, and 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:51.040 all of a sudden, light breaks forth. I can imagine 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:53.640 when Hezekiah asked God to turn back time. 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:56.600 God thought, that's no problem for me, and. 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:59.600 He took those molecules that were supposed to be a 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:03.240 complete circle, and he said, watch this, Hezekiah, I'm going. 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.600 To bend them just a little bit. I'm going to 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:07.600 adjust them just ten degrees. 0:08:08.320 --> 0:08:12.680 When he made that small adjustment, that small shift, that's 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:16.400 when the light bent backwards. You may have wasted years 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:20.280 of your life on drugs, years in a bad relationship, 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:24.280 years in depression. But God is saying, watch me bend 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:28.040 the clock, watch me turn back time. I can restore 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:29.840 those years that you've wasted. 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:32.199 Why don't you get a vision for it. 0:08:32.880 --> 0:08:34.920 Some of you think that it's been too long, and 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:37.760 you've been through too much, and you're never going to 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:41.640 see these new seasons of increase. But the same God 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:45.280 that stepped out of eternity and turned the clock back 0:08:45.280 --> 0:08:48.520 for Hezekiah is saying to you, I can make up 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:49.319 for lost time. 0:08:49.520 --> 0:08:51.160 I can restore those years. 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:55.360 A man told me the other day how the first 0:08:55.440 --> 0:08:57.559 forty years of his life he was. 0:08:57.480 --> 0:08:58.680 A cocaine addict. 0:08:59.320 --> 0:09:02.360 He came from a good family, he was a bright man, 0:09:02.600 --> 0:09:05.280 had all kinds of opportunity in front of him. But 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:08.000 he said, Joel, I don't even really remember the first 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:10.960 part of my life. I was so high and so 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:14.880 messed up, and I ruined my marriage, I blew my education. 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:16.439 He thought it was over. 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:20.120 But today he's in his early fifties, he has a 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:22.800 good job, his family is back together. 0:09:23.240 --> 0:09:25.320 He volunteers for us every weekend. 0:09:25.760 --> 0:09:28.480 He said, I never dreamed God would give me another chance. 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:31.000 I never dreamed I could be this fulfilled. 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:33.760 What happened. God turned back time. 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:39.480 God is restoring those years, and his latter days are 0:09:39.480 --> 0:09:41.720 going to be better than his former days. 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:43.400 That's the way our God is. 0:09:44.280 --> 0:09:47.760 Why don't you be bold like Hezekiah and say, God, 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:52.160 I'm asking you to give me back every opportunity that 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:52.760 I missed. 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:55.600 It may have been my fault, I may have blown it. 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:58.640 But God, I know you are so full of mercy. 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:01.959 I believe you love me so much you can turn 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:06.240 back time and give me another chance. That gets God's attention. 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.560 But some of you have given up on your dreams. 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:13.080 You're dragging around thinking about the years you lost in 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:16.120 that first marriage, and how you weren't treated right on 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:19.400 the job, and how you made poor decisions here and there. 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:22.600 Now you have to get out of that defeated mindset. 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:26.880 God is saying I control the whole universe, and if 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:29.920 I stopped the solar system for one man, I can 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:33.360 turn back time in your life. Well, you say, Joel, 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:35.440 I don't see how it could happen. I've been through 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:38.840 too much. No, you don't have to know how all 0:10:38.880 --> 0:10:42.200 we have to do is believe God can give you 0:10:42.320 --> 0:10:45.720 one idea that can make up for everything that you've lost. 0:10:46.480 --> 0:10:50.320 Colonel Sanders started Kentucky fried Chicken when he was sixty 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:54.280 six years old. He ran a small gas station in 0:10:54.360 --> 0:10:57.320 a little town. For years, he would sell chicken to 0:10:57.400 --> 0:10:58.240 his customers. 0:10:58.679 --> 0:10:59.840 It God's so popular. 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:04.000 He opened a little restaurant across the street and everything 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.480 was going great. But just when he thought it was 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:09.200 going to take off, the state put in a major 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:13.439 freeway to bypass his small town. His business went down 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:16.400 to nothing. God so bad he had to close up. 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:19.400 And it looked like he had wasted all those years. 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:23.480 Looked like all that hard work, that blood, sweat and 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:25.959 tears had just gone down the drain, and a lot 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:28.600 of people would have just given up. Thought too bad 0:11:28.679 --> 0:11:31.880 for me, depressed and defeated. But not Colonel Sanders. 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:34.520 He knew God is a god of restoration. 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:37.840 He knew God still had a way to bring those 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:41.800 dreams to pass. And after he sold his business he 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:45.240 only had one hundred and five dollars. He didn't sit 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:48.760 around in self pity. He started going from town to 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:52.160 town with his chicken fryar in the back of his truck. 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:57.720 Selling his chicken with eleven herbs and spices to any 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:01.400 restaurant that would buy it. He met one man and said, boy, 0:12:01.440 --> 0:12:04.760 this chicken's good. Matter of fact, it's finger licking good. 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:07.560 Colonel Sanders said, I like that. That's going to be 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:08.440 my new slogan. 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:09.439 Today. 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:12.960 There are over eleven thousand KFCs all around the world. 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:15.640 No doubt every one of us has had a piece 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:17.079 of Colonel Sanders chicken. 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:19.840 Some of you look like you've had too many pieces. 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:25.000 But really it seemed unfair. 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:28.000 It seemed like he got the short end of the stick. 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.360 But God knows how to turn back time. God knows 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:35.560 how to restore the years. Our daughter, Alexandra, was born 0:12:35.559 --> 0:12:37.840 a month and a half before my father went to 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:41.160 be with the Lord. During that time, my dad was 0:12:41.160 --> 0:12:43.840 on dialysis and often I would take him up to 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:45.560 the clinic and bring him home. 0:12:45.760 --> 0:12:47.880 It's a very busy season in my life. 0:12:48.520 --> 0:12:51.800 Then, when Daddy died, I was thrust into this and 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:54.720 I was doing my best just to stay above water. 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:59.480 And really, looking back, I don't remember very well the 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:03.920 first cup years of Alexandra's life. We were in such transition. 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:07.400 I was learning how to minister and trying to figure 0:13:07.400 --> 0:13:08.000 everything out. 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:09.280 It had just consumed me. 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:13.120 One day, I realized I don't have the same early 0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:17.160 childhood memories of Alexandra as I do Jonathan, and I 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:20.360 was just praying, almost in passing. I said, God, I'm 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.600 asking you to make up for that lost time where 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:27.080 I'm so busy and so preoccupied with other things. Do 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:30.040 you know today Alexandra and I are as close as 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:33.680 we can be. She likes to do everything with her dad. 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:37.320 She would rather us go outside in the backyard and 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:39.719 let me watch her do cartwheels, then she would go 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:45.000 over to her friends. Sometimes I need a break, I say, Alexander, 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:46.880 don't you go to your cousin Joe and go swimming 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:49.000 or something. Aren't you have some friends over? No, Daddy, 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:49.560 I just want. 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:50.360 To stay here with you. 0:13:51.200 --> 0:13:57.560 And I realize I'm somewhat irresistible, but I really believe 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.080 that's God turning the clock back and making up for 0:14:01.080 --> 0:14:06.000 those lost years. And you may feel like today, you 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:08.319 may feel like you weren't as. 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:09.760 Good a parent as you should have been. 0:14:10.480 --> 0:14:12.920 You were busy doing your own thing, dealing with your 0:14:12.960 --> 0:14:16.439 own issues, and now your relationships with your family are 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:19.320 not what they should be. You're attempted to feel guilty 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:21.880 and think, man, if I just spent more time with them, 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:24.680 if I'd have just made them a higher priority. 0:14:24.760 --> 0:14:26.680 But you need to ask God like I did. 0:14:27.120 --> 0:14:31.640 God, give me another chance restore this relationship. God, let 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:33.920 me put everything into them that I should have put 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:36.720 in them, anything that I missed God because it was 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:39.800 my fault or because of some other circumstances. 0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:42.960 God, I'm asking you to make up for lost time. 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:44.160 If you'll be. 0:14:44.240 --> 0:14:47.200 Bold enough to ask, then God can turn back time. 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.560 I was at a book signing in another city several 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:54.200 years ago. I met this lady and she later told 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:56.480 how she hadn't been the best mother in the world. 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.000 She and her daughter were as strange. They hadn't spoken 0:15:00.160 --> 0:15:03.120 in years. She had reached out to her several times, 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:05.960 but the daughter wouldn't have anything to do with her. Now, 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:09.720 this mom was very discouraged, feeling guilty like she had 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:10.880 failed as a parent. 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:12.560 Finally, she just gave. 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:14.880 It to God and said, God, only you can turn 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:18.920 this situation around. And her prayer was one day at 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:22.120 least she and her daughter could have a cordial relationship. 0:15:22.720 --> 0:15:25.160 But God doesn't want to just bring you out. He 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:28.080 wants to bring you out better off than you were before. 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:31.560 He doesn't want to just restore, he wants to make 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:35.320 up for those lost years. There were several hundred people 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:37.520 in the line, and I had been signing books for 0:15:37.560 --> 0:15:40.680 an hour or so, and this lady and her daughter 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:44.080 stepped up to the table. They had tears streaming down 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:46.920 their faces. Of course I didn't know what was going on, 0:15:47.400 --> 0:15:50.320 but the mother told how they had not spoken to 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:53.920 each other in thirteen years. And what they didn't both 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:57.600 know was they had been watching us on television, and 0:15:57.600 --> 0:16:00.840 that evening they decided on their own and individually to 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:03.440 come out to the book signing. And when they saw 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:06.560 each other standing in the line, it was like God 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:10.040 tore down the walls that had kept them apart. All 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:13.920 the hurt, all the pain, all that resentment. 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:18.240 In a split second, it was melted away. That night 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:19.480 was a turning point. 0:16:19.880 --> 0:16:23.600 The relationship was restored, and today they're making up for 0:16:23.720 --> 0:16:27.760 lost time. Maybe you're dealing with family members where the 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:32.640 relationship has been strained, there's been hurts and conflicts. You're 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.560 not enjoying that other person, you're not adding value to 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:39.040 their life. But don't make the mistake of just settling 0:16:39.040 --> 0:16:42.040 where you are and think we'll never get along. 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:46.000 We're just not compatible. No, keep believing, keep praying. 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:49.280 If you'll stay in faith, God is not only going 0:16:49.360 --> 0:16:52.800 to restore, He's going to make up for those lost years. 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:55.160 God wants to turn back time. 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:56.440 But you have to do you. 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:59.280 A part and get a vision for it. You can't 0:16:59.320 --> 0:17:02.360 get complace and just settled for mediocrity. 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:06.160 I know this man. He went through a legal battle 0:17:06.320 --> 0:17:09.199 for three and a half years. It was hell on earth. 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:13.200 Had to do with his business and some competitors stirred 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.000 up trouble and he was having to defend himself from 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:19.120 things that weren't true. And at first he was strong, 0:17:19.320 --> 0:17:22.400 he was determined, he was doing his best. But as 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:25.720 it drug on, month after month after month, he lost 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:26.399 his joy. 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:28.240 He got run down. 0:17:28.440 --> 0:17:31.760 The fact is he got tired of fighting, and he 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:35.119 made a statement that really got my attention. He said, Joel, 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:39.159 I don't really care anymore. This thing has about run me. 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:41.680 It's about run my business. I don't think it's ever 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:45.639 going to change. It's very unhealthy to have an I 0:17:45.720 --> 0:17:50.000 don't care attitude. That's when people make major mistakes and 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:53.000 do things that they regret. Later on, and I told 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:57.320 him what I'm telling you. God wants to restore those years. 0:17:57.920 --> 0:18:00.360 You may not see how it can happen, but God 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.760 is a supernatural god, and if you'll stay in faith, 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:07.080 he'll not only bring you out, he'll turn back time 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:09.639 and he'll make up for the joy. He'll make up 0:18:09.640 --> 0:18:11.879 for the peace. He'll make up for the victory that 0:18:11.920 --> 0:18:14.520 you've lost. That's exactly what happened. 0:18:14.880 --> 0:18:18.920 Several years later, he came through it. God vindicated him. 0:18:19.240 --> 0:18:22.840 Today he's stronger, happier, more blessed than he's ever been. 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:27.800 But maybe, like him, you're in a difficult situation. It's 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:29.960 been going on so long you don't know if it'll 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:34.080 ever change. It's stolen your joy, stolen your peace. Let 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:36.840 me encourage you. You've got to dig your heels. 0:18:36.520 --> 0:18:39.399 In and just to clear it by faith. This thing 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:40.919 is not going to defeat me. 0:18:41.440 --> 0:18:44.000 I may have lost years, but I know God's going 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:47.200 to restore these years. He's not only gonna bring me out, 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:49.879 He's gonna bring me out better off than I was before. 0:18:50.280 --> 0:18:51.480 Get a vision for it. 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:56.200 I think about David when he was seventeen years old. 0:18:56.359 --> 0:18:59.320 The prophet Samuel anointed him to be the next king 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:04.280 of Israel. But David didn't take the throne immediately. Thirteen 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:08.200 years went by when he didn't see much happening. At 0:19:08.200 --> 0:19:11.399 one point he was living on the run, hiding in 0:19:11.480 --> 0:19:14.680 the caves from King Saul, who was trying to kill him. 0:19:15.080 --> 0:19:17.920 And year after year went by, and you can imagine 0:19:18.080 --> 0:19:23.120 David is tired, he's discouraged, and those voices start whispering 0:19:23.119 --> 0:19:26.360 in his ear. It's never gonna happen. You didn't hear 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:30.320 God right, Samuel must have been wrong. It's been thirteen years. 0:19:30.600 --> 0:19:34.399 He's fighting discouragement, trying to stay in faith, trying to 0:19:34.440 --> 0:19:38.160 shake it off. And during this time, six hundred men 0:19:38.160 --> 0:19:41.880 had joined David, and they would spend their days protecting 0:19:41.920 --> 0:19:45.479 the vineyards of Israel. Nobody asked them to do it. 0:19:45.760 --> 0:19:47.640 They just took it upon themselves. 0:19:48.119 --> 0:19:49.280 Now, all they asked for. 0:19:49.320 --> 0:19:53.080 In return from the families they protected was food, and 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:56.639 everyone had agreed. One day, David told his men to 0:19:56.680 --> 0:19:57.960 go ask Mabel. 0:19:57.720 --> 0:19:58.920 For some food and water. 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:02.760 After all, they had protected him and his family for years. 0:20:03.440 --> 0:20:07.239 But Nabel's very name means fool, and he lived up 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:09.919 to his name. He told David's men, what are you 0:20:10.000 --> 0:20:12.359 talking about? You kid, and I'm not gonna give you 0:20:12.440 --> 0:20:15.440 any food. I never ask you guys to protect me. 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:18.520 And who is this man David anyway, He's just a 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:22.960 servant of Saw. When David's men told him how he 0:20:23.000 --> 0:20:26.119 had been insulted by Nabel, David was furious. 0:20:26.680 --> 0:20:30.480 You got to understand, David was already tired. 0:20:31.000 --> 0:20:34.040 He was already kind of aggravated because his dreams weren't 0:20:34.080 --> 0:20:37.560 coming to pass, and Nabel was the straw that broke 0:20:37.600 --> 0:20:40.720 the camel's back. He said, get up, men, we're gonna 0:20:40.720 --> 0:20:44.119 go attack Mabel. We're gonna wipe him out and everything 0:20:44.320 --> 0:20:49.959 he holds there. David almost made a major mistake because 0:20:50.000 --> 0:20:53.600 he did not have his future on his mind. We 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:57.160 get into trouble and make poor decisions when we don't 0:20:57.240 --> 0:21:00.520 keep God's promises on the forefront of thinking. 0:21:01.240 --> 0:21:04.560 The truth is deep down, David knew. 0:21:04.400 --> 0:21:07.280 God has spoken to him. He knew he was annointed 0:21:07.280 --> 0:21:10.080 to be king. He knew new seasons of favor were 0:21:10.119 --> 0:21:13.920 on their way. But David let his guard down. He thought, 0:21:13.960 --> 0:21:16.879 I'm tired, I'm discouraged. I'm just gonna do what I 0:21:16.920 --> 0:21:20.359 feel like doing. In a nutshell, he had that I 0:21:20.359 --> 0:21:24.160 don't care attitude. It's easy to think, Joel, I'm never 0:21:24.200 --> 0:21:27.600 gonna get married. I've been single for three years, five years, 0:21:27.680 --> 0:21:28.320 six years. 0:21:28.560 --> 0:21:31.240 I'm never gonna get well. I've had this sickness my 0:21:31.280 --> 0:21:31.879 whole life. 0:21:32.000 --> 0:21:33.760 I'm never gonna get out of debt. I don't see 0:21:33.760 --> 0:21:37.080 how it could happen. No, you have to keep God's 0:21:37.160 --> 0:21:39.800 promises on the forefront of your thinking. 0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:41.200 Have the attitude. 0:21:41.560 --> 0:21:44.119 I may not feel like I'm gonna get well, but 0:21:44.200 --> 0:21:47.119 I know God said I will live and not die. 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:50.360 He's restoring health unto me. I may not see how 0:21:50.359 --> 0:21:52.200 I could ever get out of debt, but I. 0:21:52.160 --> 0:21:56.080 Know God says I am blessed. Whatever I touch prospers. 0:21:56.640 --> 0:21:58.800 Learn to meditate on God's word. 0:22:00.119 --> 0:22:03.200 Viewer. At that point, like David, where you could easily 0:22:03.240 --> 0:22:04.760 give up and heaven, I. 0:22:04.680 --> 0:22:07.320 Don't care, what's the use attitude? 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:12.080 And that's a very critical place where your destiny is 0:22:12.160 --> 0:22:16.480 hanging in the balance. You could either give up and 0:22:16.600 --> 0:22:19.920 lose all that ground that you've gained, or you could 0:22:19.960 --> 0:22:22.600 dig your heels in and say no, I'm going to 0:22:22.720 --> 0:22:26.080 keep my future on the forefront of my mind. I've 0:22:26.119 --> 0:22:29.399 come too far to quit now. I believe too long 0:22:29.760 --> 0:22:31.080 the promise is too real. 0:22:31.160 --> 0:22:33.640 I've worked too hard. I am not going backwards. 0:22:33.680 --> 0:22:36.439 I'm not going to make a foolish decision and lose 0:22:36.520 --> 0:22:38.760 this ground that I've already gained. 0:22:39.400 --> 0:22:42.760 And you got to know, all heaven is pulling for you. 0:22:43.440 --> 0:22:46.640 The saints of old are cheering you on, the heroes 0:22:46.680 --> 0:22:50.640 of faith are saying stay strong, stay focused, to keep 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:55.199 believing the promises will come to pass. David's at this 0:22:55.320 --> 0:22:59.000 breaking point. He's trying to hold on, but Old Abel 0:22:59.080 --> 0:23:01.879 has just kind of ticked Tim off. He's just about 0:23:01.920 --> 0:23:04.480 to say forget it. I know I've been chosen to 0:23:04.560 --> 0:23:07.160 be king, but I'm mad and I'm gonna finish him off. 0:23:07.880 --> 0:23:10.919 In other words, he's about to make a decision that 0:23:10.960 --> 0:23:14.720 will hinder his divine destiny. It would delay the promise 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:17.840 from coming to pass. And really it wasn't so much 0:23:17.880 --> 0:23:21.680 that Nabel was rude. It was the fact David had 0:23:21.840 --> 0:23:26.320 thirteen years of frustration pin up on the inside. Don't 0:23:26.359 --> 0:23:29.879 you know, Again and again, he could hear those voices, David, 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:31.480 you're a failure man. 0:23:31.520 --> 0:23:33.960 You're supposed to be a king. You're out here living 0:23:34.040 --> 0:23:34.879 like a caveman. 0:23:35.080 --> 0:23:38.040 It's never gonna happen. We've all heard those kinds of 0:23:38.080 --> 0:23:42.159 lies before. Now He's headed to Nabel's house with a 0:23:42.160 --> 0:23:45.800 bunch of his men, and along the way he meets 0:23:45.800 --> 0:23:48.240 a young lady by the name of Abigail. 0:23:48.880 --> 0:23:50.200 This is Nabel's wife. 0:23:50.880 --> 0:23:54.800 She knows what Nabel has said to David. Abigail's name 0:23:54.920 --> 0:24:00.159 means quick thinker. She's a smart lady. She says, David, 0:24:00.280 --> 0:24:04.119 my Lord, can we talk. She called him my lord, 0:24:04.200 --> 0:24:07.200 not to worship him. She knew the promise that had 0:24:07.200 --> 0:24:10.760 been spoken over David. She knew he was destined to 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:14.159 be on the throne. Even though David didn't look like 0:24:14.200 --> 0:24:17.200 a king, even though he looked like a street person. 0:24:17.840 --> 0:24:22.000 Abigail looked past all that, and she saw David the 0:24:22.040 --> 0:24:23.240 way God saw him. 0:24:23.640 --> 0:24:24.919 She said, my Lord. 0:24:25.320 --> 0:24:29.080 She was speaking faith into him. She was reminding him 0:24:29.160 --> 0:24:32.240 of the promise. She was saying, in effect, David, I 0:24:32.400 --> 0:24:35.880 wasn't there when Samuel anointed you. I didn't see him 0:24:35.960 --> 0:24:38.720 choose you. I didn't hear it with my own ears. 0:24:39.040 --> 0:24:42.119 But I believe what God has said about you. I 0:24:42.200 --> 0:24:46.360 believe the promise is in you. All at once, David 0:24:46.400 --> 0:24:50.359 starts thinking about his future. I can imagine him in 0:24:50.400 --> 0:24:53.920 his mind replaying that scene over and over when Samuel 0:24:53.960 --> 0:24:54.760 anointed him. 0:24:55.600 --> 0:24:57.320 Now Abigail has his attention. 0:24:57.960 --> 0:25:00.880 She says, David, why are you You're gonna mess with 0:25:00.920 --> 0:25:04.760 my husband. You're the next king of Israel. That's like 0:25:04.880 --> 0:25:09.800 swatting a little fly. Don't get distracted, don't lose your focus. 0:25:10.200 --> 0:25:13.119 You don't want to blow your kingdom by making a 0:25:13.160 --> 0:25:17.080 poor decision just because my husband is a foolish man. 0:25:17.880 --> 0:25:21.880 She spoke sense into David. She encouraged him to. 0:25:21.920 --> 0:25:25.159 Keep thinking about his future and to stay the course 0:25:25.640 --> 0:25:29.280 and not give up on his dreams. I believe God 0:25:29.359 --> 0:25:33.360 sends us an Abigail anytime we're about to delay our 0:25:33.400 --> 0:25:38.520 divine destiny. I'm asking you today keep God's promises on 0:25:38.600 --> 0:25:42.119 the forefront of your mind. Every one of you have 0:25:42.359 --> 0:25:46.920 dreams and desires. You know, one day you're gonna accomplish 0:25:46.960 --> 0:25:50.120 your goals. One day you're gonna be well, one day 0:25:50.160 --> 0:25:52.000 you're gonna be out of debt. One day you're gonna 0:25:52.040 --> 0:25:57.080 be vindicated from that problem. But maybe right now, like David, 0:25:57.240 --> 0:26:00.760 you're in one of those wilderness periods. You don't see 0:26:00.800 --> 0:26:05.200 anything happening. It's very tempting to think, what's the use 0:26:05.760 --> 0:26:08.560 it's never gonna change. I've been believing for five years, 0:26:08.960 --> 0:26:13.200 ten years, fifteen years. People are coming against me. I'm frustrated. 0:26:13.320 --> 0:26:14.639 I'm just gonna do what I want to do. 0:26:15.680 --> 0:26:18.919 No, let me be the voice of Abigail in your life. 0:26:19.240 --> 0:26:21.560 Stay the course, keep believing. 0:26:22.119 --> 0:26:26.560 You may be tired, discouraged, frustrated, but don't give up 0:26:26.600 --> 0:26:29.880 on your future. It may be taken a long time, 0:26:30.240 --> 0:26:33.880 but stay focused, stay on the high road, and keep. 0:26:33.720 --> 0:26:34.840 Doing what you know to do. 0:26:35.960 --> 0:26:39.560 Like Abigail, I wasn't there when God spoke the promise 0:26:39.640 --> 0:26:42.480 to you. I didn't hear it with my own ears. 0:26:43.080 --> 0:26:46.280 But I believe what God has said about you. I 0:26:46.359 --> 0:26:49.159 believe each one of you can overcome any office to 0:26:49.280 --> 0:26:53.080 car I believe you can break any addiction. I believe 0:26:53.119 --> 0:26:56.520 you can live an abundant life. I believe new seasons 0:26:56.560 --> 0:26:59.680 of favor and increase are come in your way. I 0:26:59.720 --> 0:27:03.440 know God can restore the years, He can turn back time. 0:27:04.000 --> 0:27:08.560 Keep believing, stay the course, don't sell out on your future. 0:27:09.520 --> 0:27:11.600 And I know some of you have been through a 0:27:11.600 --> 0:27:14.080 lot of heartache and pain. You've had a lot of 0:27:14.119 --> 0:27:19.080 disappointments and unfair things in life. But understand the depth 0:27:19.280 --> 0:27:22.479 of your past is an indication of the height of 0:27:22.520 --> 0:27:25.800 your future. When a building's gonna go way up tall, 0:27:26.160 --> 0:27:27.480 they have to first go way. 0:27:27.320 --> 0:27:29.240 Down low to dig a deep foundation. 0:27:30.080 --> 0:27:32.520 It may be taking a long time, but if you'll 0:27:32.560 --> 0:27:36.400 stay in faith, God's getting you prepared. Don't have the attitude. 0:27:36.400 --> 0:27:37.440 I can't take it anymore. 0:27:37.480 --> 0:27:38.160 I've had enough. 0:27:38.600 --> 0:27:42.480 No stick with that marriage, stick with that child. Don't 0:27:42.560 --> 0:27:45.720 let your guard down and compromise. You have too much 0:27:45.800 --> 0:27:49.959 to lose. Your destiny is hanging in the balance. It 0:27:50.000 --> 0:27:53.560 may not be fair, but God is fair. It may 0:27:53.560 --> 0:27:56.080 be taking a long time, but God can make up 0:27:56.119 --> 0:27:56.959 for lost time. 0:27:57.720 --> 0:27:59.000 The scripture says. 0:27:59.240 --> 0:28:02.480 Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord your 0:28:02.520 --> 0:28:05.919 God is with you. I'm asking you to dig your 0:28:05.960 --> 0:28:09.640 heels in and fight the good fight of faith. One time, 0:28:09.720 --> 0:28:12.960 Neamiyah was rebuilding the walls of the city. He had 0:28:13.000 --> 0:28:16.639 all kinds of opposition. He was discouraged and ready to 0:28:16.680 --> 0:28:20.320 give up. But God said, Nehemiah, if you will fight, 0:28:20.840 --> 0:28:24.240 then I will fight for you. God is saying, if 0:28:24.280 --> 0:28:27.480 you will dig your heels in and persevere even though 0:28:27.480 --> 0:28:31.480 it's difficult, and believe even though you don't see anything happening, 0:28:31.920 --> 0:28:34.560 then I'm gonna step in and do what you can't do. 0:28:35.040 --> 0:28:37.560 I'm gonna make up for lost time, and I'm going 0:28:37.640 --> 0:28:40.280 to propel you to new levels. I'm going to bring 0:28:40.400 --> 0:28:44.560 supernatural opportunities. I'm going to open up new doors. I'm 0:28:44.560 --> 0:28:46.880 going to cause the right people to be in your path. 0:28:47.240 --> 0:28:50.200 I'm gonna heal sit bodies. I'm going to release you 0:28:50.320 --> 0:28:54.040 from debt and lack. The chains of addictions and wrong 0:28:54.200 --> 0:28:57.120 thinking are going to be broken off of you. God 0:28:57.200 --> 0:29:00.600 is saying the promises I've put in you, I will 0:29:00.760 --> 0:29:03.320 bring them to pass. Why don't you get a vision 0:29:03.360 --> 0:29:07.719 for that today? Friends, God can turn back time, every 0:29:08.160 --> 0:29:12.840 opportunity that you've missed, every chance that you've blown, all 0:29:12.880 --> 0:29:16.280 those years you may have wasted. I declare over you, 0:29:16.360 --> 0:29:20.520 restoration is coming your way. God's going to restore those years. 0:29:20.960 --> 0:29:24.440 Things are changing in your favor. Your latter days are 0:29:24.480 --> 0:29:27.040 going to be better than your former days. I declare 0:29:27.240 --> 0:29:30.000 the rest of your life will be better than the 0:29:30.000 --> 0:29:31.040 first part of your life. 0:29:31.040 --> 0:29:34.320 If you receive it. Can you say amen? We never 0:29:34.480 --> 0:29:37.360 like to close all broadcast without giving. 0:29:37.040 --> 0:29:40.000 You an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:29:40.280 --> 0:29:44.080 Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus, I 0:29:44.240 --> 0:29:45.320 repent of my sins. 0:29:46.400 --> 0:29:49.640 Come into my heart. I make you my lord and 0:29:49.720 --> 0:29:50.080 save you. 0:29:51.000 --> 0:29:53.400 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:29:53.440 --> 0:29:56.320 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:29:56.600 --> 0:29:57.760 Keep God first place. 0:29:58.000 --> 0:30:00.200 He's going to take your places that you've never. 0:30:00.120 --> 0:30:04.120 Dream Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. 0:30:04.480 --> 0:30:07.120 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:30:07.240 --> 0:30:11.200 those all over the world. Visit Joelostin dot com slash 0:30:11.280 --> 0:30:13.280 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:30:14.560 --> 0:30:17.000 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:30:17.120 --> 0:30:19.880 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:30:19.920 --> 0:30:23.400 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're 0:30:23.440 --> 0:30:26.080 praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:30:26.280 --> 0:30:27.360 We'll see you next time.