Hold On To Your Peace

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:32.960 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:36.080 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:39.000 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:41.800 be a blessing and share it with a friends, reappreciate 0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:51.760 you and pray for God's very best in your life. 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:58.960 Oh God, bless you. It's always a joy to come 0:01:58.960 --> 0:02:01.720 into your homes. We love you, We know God has 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:04.520 great things in store, And if you're ever in our area, 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:06.720 I hope you'll stop by and be a part of 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:09.320 one of our services. I promise you we'll make you 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:12.000 feel right at home. And thanks so much for tuning in. 0:02:12.040 --> 0:02:14.519 And again thank you for coming out today. And I 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:17.040 like to start with something funny each week. And I 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:20.440 heard about this minister. He was finishing up a fiery 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:24.639 sermon on self control. He said, with great passion, if 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:27.280 I had all the beer in the world, I would 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.560 take it and throw it in the river with a 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:32.600 greater fervor. If I had all the wine in the world, 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:35.160 I'd throw it in the river, almost. 0:02:34.840 --> 0:02:36.000 To the top of his lungs. 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:38.240 If I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:39.160 throw it in the river. 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:40.440 He sat down. 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:44.000 Song leader God up said for a closing song, let's 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:45.520 sing him three sixty five. 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:47.280 Shall we gather at the river? 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:49.679 All right? 0:02:49.760 --> 0:02:52.040 Hold up your bible, say it like you mean it. 0:02:52.600 --> 0:02:55.519 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:58.600 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:01.320 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:03:01.400 --> 0:03:05.239 taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:08.640 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:13.480 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:16.720 to talk to you today about holding on to your peace. 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:21.560 We all have opportunities to get upset, live stressed out. 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:26.160 The storms of life come to every person. The scripture says, 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:27.760 the rain falls. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:29.520 On the just and the unjust. 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:32.760 No matter how good of a person you are, you're 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:33.799 going to have some rain. 0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:36.000 Can't pray away every difficulty. 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:39.040 Now, a lot of times we're using our faith to 0:03:39.120 --> 0:03:43.360 try to control our circumstances. But I've found it's better 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.920 to use my faith to try to control myself in 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:50.600 the midst of those circumstances. I know if I can 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:54.480 just remain stable in the storms of life, if I 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:57.160 can just stay in peace, that's what allows God to 0:03:57.280 --> 0:04:01.360 change things. God never said that we wouldn't have difficulties, 0:04:01.720 --> 0:04:04.800 but he did promise we could have peace in the 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:08.480 midst of the storms. When you face adversities, one of 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:13.200 the most powerful things you can do is simply stay calm. 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:16.760 When you are at peace, you are proving to God 0:04:16.839 --> 0:04:20.120 that you trust in By your actions. You're saying God, 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:23.120 I know you're still on the throne. I know you're 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:28.000 bigger than this problem. I've been through several hurricanes. The 0:04:28.040 --> 0:04:31.680 storm can be huge eighty or ninety miles wide. The 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.159 winds blow in one hundred and twenty miles an hour, 0:04:34.640 --> 0:04:40.080 knocking down trees, telephone poles, blowing the roofs off of houses, all. 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:41.080 Kinds of damage. 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:45.159 But do you know, right in the center, there's something 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:49.200 called the eye of the storm. In the eye, it's 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:51.640 just as calm and peaceful as can be. 0:04:52.520 --> 0:04:54.760 The winds, the rain, the damage. 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:57.280 It can be all around you, and if you went 0:04:57.320 --> 0:04:59.720 out a few miles it could be dangerous. But if 0:04:59.760 --> 0:05:03.839 you stay in the eye, everything will be okay. Same 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:08.040 principle in life. The storm may be raging your health, 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:12.840 your finances, your family. You could easily be torn apart. 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:16.400 But in the center of that storm there is a 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:20.440 place you can enter where you can find rest. God 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.599 may not deliver us from every storm, but if we 0:05:23.640 --> 0:05:26.440 can learn to stay in the eye, we can have 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:29.280 peace right in the middle of it. Some of you 0:05:29.320 --> 0:05:34.520 are facing major challenges right now. You're constantly wrestling with 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.560 that problem. You're so worried you can't really sleep good 0:05:37.600 --> 0:05:40.800 at night. You're trying to fix this person, trying to 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:43.480 pay somebody back that did you wrong, trying to pray 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:45.400 long enough to show God you mean business. 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:46.440 You're all wrought up. 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:51.920 But the scripture says those who have believed enter into 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:55.080 the rest of God. If you want God to take 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:57.400 care of that problem, you've got to come back to. 0:05:57.320 --> 0:06:00.680 That place of peace. That's what shows you're really belie 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:01.600 And here's the key. 0:06:02.160 --> 0:06:05.039 You may be in the storm, but don't let the 0:06:05.080 --> 0:06:08.599 storm get in you. In other words, somebody may be 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:13.279 aggravating you, somebody may be trying to get on your nerves. Listen, 0:06:13.320 --> 0:06:16.640 don't let that get on the inside. Don't give away 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:19.719 your power. That's just what they want. Just shake it 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:23.200 off and move on. Maybe a situation in your health, 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:26.680 your family, your finances, you could easily worry about that 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:27.720 night and day. 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:31.200 No, just do your best and then trust God to 0:06:31.279 --> 0:06:33.560 do the rest. You can't stop. 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:35.680 Every storm, but you can keep it from getting on 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:39.840 the inside. I think about Daniel. He was thrown into 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:43.560 the lions den. He didn't get upset. He didn't stay 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:47.680 up all night praying, rebuking, begging God please. 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:50.400 Help me, please protect me. He just stayed in peace. 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.719 I can imagine he walked into the lions den, laid down, 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:58.160 went to sleep right in the middle of the storm. 0:06:58.760 --> 0:07:02.960 His attitude was, God, I know you're still on the throne, 0:07:03.040 --> 0:07:05.240 and if I die tonight, I'll come to heaven and 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:05.800 be with you. 0:07:06.320 --> 0:07:07.840 But if it's not my time. 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:10.720 To go, I know all the forces of darkness cannot 0:07:10.720 --> 0:07:13.920 take me. So I'm just gonna relax, keep my peace, 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:17.640 get some sleep, and enjoy my life. He was in 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:20.560 the storm, but he didn't let the storm get in him. 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:25.040 He remained stable. That's what allows God to work. But 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:29.520 when we're worried, living, stressed out, and fighting against everything, 0:07:29.800 --> 0:07:33.720 we tie the hands of Almighty God. One time, the 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.440 people of Israel had just come out of slavery. 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:37.840 They were headed toward the. 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:42.680 Promised Land, so happy, finally free, But then Pharaoh changed 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:46.160 his mind and came chasing after them. They came to 0:07:46.200 --> 0:07:49.080 the dead end at the Red Sea. They had nowhere 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:52.880 to go. It looked impossible, and instead of staying in faith, 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:56.440 knowing that God had delivered them before and he would 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:59.960 do it again, they got all upset started come plum 0:08:00.240 --> 0:08:03.160 and God afraid, Moses, why did you bring us out 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:03.920 here to die? 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.160 Look what you've gotten us into. Moses. 0:08:07.000 --> 0:08:09.720 See, they were in the storm, but they made the 0:08:09.760 --> 0:08:13.880 mistake of letting the storm get in them. Moses knew 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:16.640 he had to get them out of that negative mentality 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:21.080 or they would be defeated. He said in Exodus fourteen thirteen, 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:25.640 stand still and you will see the deliverance of the Lord. 0:08:26.280 --> 0:08:29.080 He went on to say, the Lord will fight for 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:33.240 you if you hold your peace and remain at rest. 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:36.920 That's a powerful principle. God will fight your battles if 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:40.320 you'll stay calm and remain in peace. This is what 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:42.720 a friend of mine did. He was a mechanic at 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:45.320 one of these big diesel shops where they work on 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:46.319 eighteen wheelers. 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:50.440 For years there, he wasn't treated right. They made fun 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:51.200 of him. 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:54.040 They thought he was stiff because he wouldn't go party 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:57.480 with them after work. Year after year. He had to 0:08:57.480 --> 0:09:02.400 put up with their ridicule, injustice, sarcasm. They treated him 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:05.840 like he was second class, like he was inferior. The 0:09:05.920 --> 0:09:10.280 truth is he was the top producing mechanic seven years 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:13.120 in a row, but he had never once had a raise, 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:17.360 a promotion, any kind of bonus. It was because his 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:22.480 supervisor didn't like him. He could have easily lived stressed out, angry, 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:25.480 chip on his shoulder, But I told him what I'm 0:09:25.480 --> 0:09:29.000 telling you don't lose your peace. Don't let those people 0:09:29.000 --> 0:09:31.839 get on your nerves. You're not working under them, You're 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:32.760 working under God. 0:09:33.320 --> 0:09:35.720 He just shook it off and kept being his best. 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.040 It was bad all around him, but he found the 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.160 eye of the storm where he knew God was in 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:46.680 complete control. One day, the owner of this business, out 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:49.840 of the blue called him. He had never met this man. 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:53.360 The owner wasn't involved in the day to day operations. 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:57.200 The owner told how he wanted to retire and he 0:09:57.280 --> 0:10:00.160 was looking for someone to sell the company to, and 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.120 he offered it to this man. This man said, I 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:04.920 don't have the money to buy your business. 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:06.040 I'm just an employee. 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.520 The owner said, you don't need the money. I'm going 0:10:08.559 --> 0:10:11.360 to loan it to you. Long story short. He took 0:10:11.400 --> 0:10:15.120 the offer, and today he owns that company. It's very successful, 0:10:15.320 --> 0:10:18.559 has nearly eighty employees. He said, Joel, it's funny. They 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:21.240 used to call me names, but now they call me boss. 0:10:23.400 --> 0:10:27.040 When you stay in peace, God will not only fight 0:10:27.120 --> 0:10:29.360 your battles, but he will pay you back for the 0:10:29.440 --> 0:10:32.640 enemy bringing that trouble into your life. Now I've learned 0:10:32.679 --> 0:10:36.199 some people are just peace stealers. They feel like it's 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:39.640 their calling in life to aggravate you, try to make 0:10:39.679 --> 0:10:41.960 you look bad and tell you what you can't do. 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:45.559 They'll try to bait you into an argument to get 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:50.200 you upset, annoyed, frustrated. Listen, don't take their bait. They're 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:53.600 not worth you losing your peace over. They may think 0:10:53.640 --> 0:10:56.320 they're getting the best of you, but in the end, 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.400 because of what they've done, God will take you higher. 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:02.839 They think they're pushing you down, but because you stayed 0:11:02.880 --> 0:11:04.640 in peace, what they're really doing is. 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:05.360 Pushing you up. 0:11:06.280 --> 0:11:08.480 Had a young man tell me last week how the 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:12.040 people it is company treat him like he's nothing. They 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:15.120 talk down to him constantly. They act like he can't 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:18.800 do anything right. His self esteem was down to nothing. 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:21.840 I said, listen, they're just peace stealers. You are not 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:24.439 who they say you are. You are who God says 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:27.200 you are. And if you will stay in peace and 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.840 just keep being your best, God will promote you in 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:34.720 front of them. God said he would prepare a table 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:38.920 before us in the presence of our enemies. That means 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:43.560 God will elevate you so that all those that tried 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:47.520 to keep you down will clearly see it. Like this, mechanic. 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:50.600 God will put you on display. There will be no 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:54.840 doubt about it. They will clearly see you promoted successful, 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:59.240 a victor and not a victim. Now, quit trying to 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:02.000 win over some body that's never going to like you. 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:03.800 Some people don't want. 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:05.280 To be at peace with you. 0:12:05.280 --> 0:12:07.520 You've got to come to the place where you can say, 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:10.920 I'm at peace with you not being at peace with me. 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:14.080 In other words, I don't need your approval to feel 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:16.640 good about myself. I don't need to be in your 0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:20.640 group to enjoy my life. I'm at peace with you 0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:23.920 not liking me. I'm at peace with you even trying 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:26.800 to make me look bad, because I know a secret. 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:30.360 When I remain at rest, the creator of the universe 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:33.839 will show up to fight my battles. He'll be my vindicator. 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:37.400 He'll get me to where I'm supposed to be friends. 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:40.400 God has seen every wrong that's been done to you, 0:12:40.920 --> 0:12:45.400 He's seen every unfair situation. He told the people of Israel, 0:12:45.760 --> 0:12:49.800 I have seen your affliction. I have seen how badly 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:52.440 you were treated those four hundred and thirty years that 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:55.520 you were in slavery. God went on to say, I 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:59.640 have come down to deliver you. When God brought them out. 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:03.520 They didn't come out empty handed. God made their enemies 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:07.160 give them their gold, their silver, everything they asked for. 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:10.959 Somebody may have done you wrong, and you could easily 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:14.040 live bitter and angry and spend your life trying to 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.280 pay them back and trying to prove to them who 0:13:16.320 --> 0:13:19.160 you are. Now, if you will let God do it 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:22.400 his way, he'll pay you back with much more than 0:13:22.440 --> 0:13:24.480 you lost. He'll make it up to you in a 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:28.880 much greater way. Remember when our daughter Alexandra was about 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:31.520 three or four years old, I just bought her an 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:34.560 ice cream cone. We walked out of the store and 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:37.480 we saw some friends there on the sidewalk and started 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:40.440 visiting with them. And there were some kids out here playing, 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:42.880 and Alexandra went over there and a bunch of them. 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:44.640 They all had their ice cream cones. 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:47.400 As we were talking, I noticed out of the corner 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:50.440 of my eye, this one little boy was playing. 0:13:50.280 --> 0:13:51.840 Very rough with everybody. 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:54.480 I thought to myself, now, he's got to be careful. 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:56.719 That's my little girl over there, and I don't want 0:13:56.760 --> 0:13:59.120 her to get hurt. But sure enough, and he didn't 0:13:59.160 --> 0:14:02.920 mean to hit her very hard, and Alexandra fell down 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:06.440 and lost her ice cream cone. He began to laugh 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:08.960 and laugh and make fun of her because now she 0:14:09.080 --> 0:14:11.920 was the only one that didn't have that ice cream. 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:15.839 Alexandra headed straight toward me. She was as serious as 0:14:15.880 --> 0:14:18.640 could be, all business. She said, Daddy, come on, let's 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:22.360 go get another one. She knew that I would make 0:14:22.400 --> 0:14:25.840 things right, and normally I would get her one scoop. 0:14:25.960 --> 0:14:28.880 But I said, Alexandra, I'm gonna get you three scoops, 0:14:29.120 --> 0:14:32.880 so you'll have more than everybody else. She went out 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:35.400 of that store and went and found that little boy 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:37.920 and started waving that ice cream cone. 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:40.800 Just like she was saying, Look what you did. 0:14:40.840 --> 0:14:43.600 You caused me to get three times what I had before. 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:47.440 See, he meant it for harm, I minute for good. 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:53.000 That's the way our heavenly father is. Somebody may have 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:54.280 done you wrong. 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:56.320 But if you will stay in peace, if you will 0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.320 stay on that high road, God will make sure that 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:02.320 you come out with more than you had before. He's 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:04.120 not going to give you a single scoop. He's going 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.040 to give you one of those triple scoops. I know 0:15:07.120 --> 0:15:10.480 this man. He's an executive with this big oil company. 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:13.360 He had a very good position, worked there for over 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:16.600 twenty five years. One day the company sold and they 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:19.920 had this corporate restructuring and they was told that they 0:15:19.960 --> 0:15:23.320 didn't need him anymore. He had all this seniority and 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:26.320 he'd been very loyal, but they just cut him loose. 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:29.400 He's a faithful member here at Lakewood. He serves as 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:32.840 one of our volunteers. I wondered how this was going 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:37.680 to affect him. Was he going to be upset, discouraged, angry, 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:41.240 drop out of church, bitter. No, you couldn't even tell 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:46.600 anything was wrong. Every service there with a smile, serving, giving, 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:51.320 helping others, week after week, month after month. Six months later, 0:15:51.440 --> 0:15:53.960 after he'd lost that job, he said, Joel, I just 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:57.280 got a new position. Is closer to my home, I 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.480 don't have to travel, has better benefits, and I'm going 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:04.960 to be making just about twice what I was making before. Friends, 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:07.640 if you will stay in peace, God will pay you back. 0:16:09.520 --> 0:16:12.000 And it's one thing to come through a trial with 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.480 everybody praying for you, everybody. 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:16.920 Cheering your own. That's great. We need people to. 0:16:17.040 --> 0:16:21.000 Encourage us, but I believe it's a greater testimony to 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:24.400 come through a trial and nobody even knew you went 0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:28.280 through it. You're so consistent, so stable, You've got so 0:16:28.440 --> 0:16:29.280 much peace. 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:31.760 Nobody could even tell anything was wrong. 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:36.000 No matter what comes our way, our attitude should be 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:39.880 I know God is in control and everything is going 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.880 to be all right. You need to let that phrase 0:16:42.920 --> 0:16:46.160 sink down into your spirit. Everything is going to be 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:49.200 all right. Somebody says, well, I heard they're laying off 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:52.280 people at your company. Yes, that's true, but I know 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:54.560 Jehovah Jirah is still on the throne. 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:56.000 Everything's going to be all right. 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:59.280 Well, your child chair is acting up, yes, But as 0:16:59.320 --> 0:17:01.360 for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:04.080 Everything's going to be all right. Well I heard you 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.960 got a bad report from the doctor. Yes, but I've 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:10.880 got another report. It says that God is restoring health back. 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:14.600 Unto me, Everything's gonna be all right. If you will 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:19.840 meditate on that simple phrase, no matter how big the challenge, 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.880 it'll help you to stay calm. And some of you 0:17:22.920 --> 0:17:26.719 have been wrestling with the situation month after month in 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:32.159 your mind, worried, anxious, uptight. God is saying, be still 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:35.640 and know that I am God. Get your peace back, 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:39.240 get your joy back. It may look dark and gloomy, 0:17:39.520 --> 0:17:42.800 but right above those dark clouds, the sun is shining. 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:46.080 God has you in the palm of his hand. Now 0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:49.720 turn it over to him. Quit worrying about it. Everything 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:52.040 is going to be all right. See. 0:17:52.080 --> 0:17:55.880 Sometimes God doesn't deliver us from the storm, he will 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:59.480 take us through the storm. There are two kinds of faith, 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:04.520 of delivering faith and the sustaining faith. Delivering faith is 0:18:04.560 --> 0:18:07.560 when God instantly turns it around. Of course we all 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:11.200 like that, but most of the time God gives us 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:15.000 sustaining faith. That's when we have the grace to walk 0:18:15.040 --> 0:18:19.320 through the difficulty. And if you don't understand this, you'll 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:22.600 try to pray away every challenge, try to fight against 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:26.520 everything that you don't like. You'll end up frustrated. This 0:18:26.600 --> 0:18:29.560 is why I love Joseph. Even though it wasn't fair, 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:33.440 he didn't fight it. He embraced it. He kept being 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:34.680 his best, stayed in peace. 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:37.960 God brought him out on top. That's that sustaining faith. 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:43.320 The three Hebrew teenagers, Shadrak, Mejak, and Abdigo, they were 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:45.760 told they had to bow down to the king's golden 0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:48.640 idol or they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:51.720 They said, no, King, We're not going to bow down. 0:18:52.080 --> 0:18:56.119 We know our God will deliver us. Their attitude was, 0:18:56.280 --> 0:18:59.919 we're not worried about it. We have inside information. We know, 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:03.440 so everything is gonna be all right. Notice they didn't 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:07.200 fight it. They weren't upset, they weren't complaining. They were 0:19:07.240 --> 0:19:11.639 at peace. They knew nothing could happen without God's permission. 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:14.840 The guards threw them into the fiery furnace, and you 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:18.119 know the story, they came out without the smell of smoke. 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:22.360 God didn't deliver them from the fire, He took them 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:25.439 through the fire. If you're going to stay in peace, 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:28.960 you have to let God do it his way, because 0:19:28.960 --> 0:19:31.280 if you're only going to be happy, if it happens 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:34.960 your way on your timetable, you're probably going to end 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:39.159 up frustrated. Because God's ways are not always our ways. 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:43.320 His timetable may not line up with our timetable. But 0:19:43.400 --> 0:19:46.680 I found God's way is much better than my way. 0:19:47.119 --> 0:19:49.520 It may take a little longer, I may have to 0:19:49.600 --> 0:19:52.879 stretch and go through some difficulties, but when it's all 0:19:52.960 --> 0:19:57.679 set and done, you're gonna come out promoted, increased, elevated, restored, 0:19:58.040 --> 0:20:01.479 better off than you were before. The scripture talks about 0:20:01.600 --> 0:20:04.960 how when you've been through the fire, through the flood, 0:20:05.440 --> 0:20:07.960 through the famine, then you need to get ready. The 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:11.320 fourth f is favor. God is about to turn it around. 0:20:11.560 --> 0:20:15.040 He's about to amaze you with his goodness. I know 0:20:15.119 --> 0:20:18.560 this young couple. They were on their honeymoon riding horses 0:20:18.600 --> 0:20:20.600 on the beach, and they were with a group of 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:23.679 eight or ten riders and having a great time. But 0:20:23.760 --> 0:20:27.680 then at one point the lady's horse got spooked, reared. 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:30.560 Up, and bucked her off. She didn't get hurt, she 0:20:30.720 --> 0:20:31.240 was okay. 0:20:31.320 --> 0:20:35.560 But when she fell, she flung her arms and unfortunately, 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:39.960 her brand new diamond wedding ring flung off into the sand. 0:20:40.000 --> 0:20:42.440 And this is right where the waves were washing up 0:20:42.560 --> 0:20:44.960 on the ocean. Of course, they all got off and 0:20:45.080 --> 0:20:48.520 started looking for it. But hour after hour and nobody 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:52.359 could find it. It seemed impossible finding a ring out there, 0:20:52.400 --> 0:20:55.440 and plus it could have washed out back to the ocean. 0:20:56.160 --> 0:20:59.520 They went back to their hotel room, very discouraged and depressed. 0:21:00.200 --> 0:21:03.960 Later that evening, the young lady was sitting there discouraged, 0:21:04.000 --> 0:21:06.680 and she had a change of heart. She thought, I'm 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:09.440 not going to let the loss of this wedding room 0:21:09.840 --> 0:21:12.760 ruin my honeymoon. I'm not going to let this be 0:21:12.920 --> 0:21:16.119 my main memory. And she simply said, God, I'm turning 0:21:16.160 --> 0:21:18.360 it over to you. I'm not going to worry about 0:21:18.400 --> 0:21:22.159 it anymore. I know you're in control. She quit fighting it. 0:21:22.600 --> 0:21:25.080 She came back to that place of peace, she would saying, 0:21:25.119 --> 0:21:29.160 in effect, everything is going to be all right. Three 0:21:29.240 --> 0:21:31.800 days later, she and her husband were out taking a 0:21:31.800 --> 0:21:35.840 walk on the beach, enjoying a beautiful sunset. She stepped 0:21:35.880 --> 0:21:38.680 on something hard. Thought it was a rock, a seashell. 0:21:38.880 --> 0:21:40.600 She looked down. Wouldn't you know it? 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:43.360 It was her diamond wedding ring. It had washed back 0:21:43.480 --> 0:21:46.800 up on the ocean. What are the chances of that? Friends, 0:21:46.840 --> 0:21:50.680 God is in complete control. When you remain at rest, 0:21:51.000 --> 0:21:53.320 God will do for you what you could not do 0:21:53.440 --> 0:21:58.640 for yourself. You may be in the fire, but remember 0:21:58.880 --> 0:22:02.199 favor is coming. You may be in a famine, but 0:22:02.280 --> 0:22:05.240 if you'll hold your peace, favor is headed your way. 0:22:05.960 --> 0:22:09.360 Perhaps even like Joseph, you're in a situation where you're 0:22:09.400 --> 0:22:12.639 not being treated right. But if you will just stay calm, 0:22:13.040 --> 0:22:17.040 I can assure you something good is coming. Favor is coming, 0:22:17.160 --> 0:22:21.520 Vindication is coming, breakthroughs are coming. Weeping may endure for 0:22:21.600 --> 0:22:24.200 a night, but joy is coming in the morning. 0:22:24.720 --> 0:22:27.080 Be still and know that he is God. 0:22:27.760 --> 0:22:29.680 This is what I had to do when my father 0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:32.560 went to be with the Lord. All these thoughts were 0:22:32.600 --> 0:22:36.119 bombarding my mind. It's never gonna work out. Church is 0:22:36.119 --> 0:22:38.919 gonna go down to nothing, Joey, you can't step up 0:22:38.920 --> 0:22:43.920 and pasture. You don't have what it takes. Thoughts of fear, worry, anxiety. 0:22:44.720 --> 0:22:48.480 In my imagination, I could see every worst case scenario, 0:22:49.119 --> 0:22:52.359 the church, you know, just being boarded up, nobody coming, 0:22:52.600 --> 0:22:56.920 a big embarrassment. My emotions were telling me you should 0:22:56.960 --> 0:23:00.680 be upset, distraught. This is gonna be really, really bad. 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:03.879 I was in the storm, but I did just what 0:23:03.960 --> 0:23:06.520 I'm asking you to do. I didn't let the storm 0:23:06.560 --> 0:23:09.040 get in me. I came back to that place of 0:23:09.119 --> 0:23:12.800 peace and said, God, I know you're still on the throne. 0:23:12.920 --> 0:23:15.040 I know my father going to be with the Lord 0:23:15.359 --> 0:23:18.320 is not a surprise to you. And you said no 0:23:18.480 --> 0:23:21.520 weapon formed against me would prosper. You said I can 0:23:21.560 --> 0:23:23.040 do all things through Christ. 0:23:23.440 --> 0:23:24.400 You said that. 0:23:24.400 --> 0:23:27.639 I've been armed with strength for every battle. So Father, 0:23:27.680 --> 0:23:29.720 I just want to thank you that I'm not going 0:23:29.760 --> 0:23:31.720 to just come out. I'm going to come out better 0:23:31.760 --> 0:23:34.520 off than I was before I was in the fire. 0:23:34.720 --> 0:23:37.359 It was a difficulty, but I can tell you God 0:23:37.400 --> 0:23:40.679 brought me out with favor. He promoted me, he increased me. 0:23:40.960 --> 0:23:44.720 He's taking me places that I've never dreamed of. Some 0:23:44.760 --> 0:23:49.040 of you today are in the fire right now. You're 0:23:49.040 --> 0:23:55.639 in a difficult time. You could easily live angry, upset, bitter, worried, frustrated. No, 0:23:55.840 --> 0:23:59.480 come back to that place of peace. God has favor 0:23:59.600 --> 0:24:04.200 in your future. He already has the solution. Isaiah said, 0:24:04.600 --> 0:24:09.320 in quietness and in stillness shall be your strength. You're 0:24:09.359 --> 0:24:12.040 going to have a greater strength when you get quiet, 0:24:12.800 --> 0:24:16.080 when you're at peace, When you're calm, you think better, 0:24:16.600 --> 0:24:19.520 you make better decisions. You're going to feel better and 0:24:19.560 --> 0:24:22.560 have more energy. You're not going to just endure life. 0:24:22.640 --> 0:24:25.440 That's when you'll enjoy life. Well, you say, Joel, I'm 0:24:25.480 --> 0:24:28.840 stressed because my child's acting up. I'm worried because my 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:33.120 finances are low. I'm uptight because my health situation. 0:24:32.760 --> 0:24:33.520 Doesn't look good. 0:24:34.160 --> 0:24:36.800 Now, I'm not doubting that you're in a storm. I'm 0:24:36.840 --> 0:24:39.280 simply asking you to come into the. 0:24:39.240 --> 0:24:42.560 Eye of the storm. Believe that God has you in 0:24:42.600 --> 0:24:43.560 the palm of his hand. 0:24:44.160 --> 0:24:47.960 Believe that right now God is fighting your battles. Believe 0:24:48.040 --> 0:24:50.399 that God's gonna take what was meant for your harm 0:24:50.680 --> 0:24:53.800 and use it for your good friends. Life is too 0:24:53.880 --> 0:24:58.640 short to live uptight, frustrated, worried, shape. 0:24:58.359 --> 0:25:00.560 That off and come back to the place peace. 0:25:01.800 --> 0:25:04.640 One time the Disciples were in a boat and out 0:25:04.640 --> 0:25:08.480 on the lake a great storm arose. The winds were blowing, 0:25:08.800 --> 0:25:12.080 the waves were crashing. God so bad they thought the 0:25:12.080 --> 0:25:14.960 boat was going to capsize. They thought it was over, 0:25:15.000 --> 0:25:17.040 and they were very upset, very afraid. 0:25:17.720 --> 0:25:21.480 The whole time. Jesus was underneath in the boat asleep. 0:25:22.160 --> 0:25:25.680 They finally said, somebody, go wake up Jesus, or we're 0:25:25.720 --> 0:25:29.159 going to die. Jesus got up, spoke to the storm, 0:25:29.400 --> 0:25:34.159 everything calmed down. The scripture describes Jesus as the Word 0:25:34.400 --> 0:25:39.120 made flesh. You could say the disciples in this storm, 0:25:39.680 --> 0:25:43.439 they woke up the Word in your storm. If you 0:25:43.480 --> 0:25:45.960 want to see God's favor, if you want to see 0:25:45.960 --> 0:25:49.480 God turn it around instead of complaining, instead of worrying, 0:25:49.840 --> 0:25:50.520 you too. 0:25:50.600 --> 0:25:52.160 Are going to have to wake up the Word. 0:25:52.640 --> 0:25:55.960 You've got to start speaking victory to that storm. 0:25:56.680 --> 0:25:59.080 If you don't talk to the storm. The storm will 0:25:59.119 --> 0:25:59.680 talk to you. 0:26:00.280 --> 0:26:02.560 It'll tell you you're not gonna make it. The enemy's 0:26:02.600 --> 0:26:04.000 too big. You're never gonna. 0:26:03.720 --> 0:26:06.359 Get well, nor wake up the word. Father. 0:26:06.440 --> 0:26:09.520 You said, when the enemy comes against me like a flood, 0:26:09.840 --> 0:26:12.520 you would raise up a barrier. You said, you are 0:26:12.560 --> 0:26:14.159 my light and my salvation. 0:26:14.320 --> 0:26:15.359 Whom shall I fear? 0:26:15.920 --> 0:26:19.760 You said that I will live and not die. 0:26:19.760 --> 0:26:20.280 Some of you. 0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:23.000 If you would start waking up the word, your storm 0:26:23.000 --> 0:26:26.160 would calm down. If you would start declaring what God 0:26:26.320 --> 0:26:29.320 said about you, you would not only have more peace, 0:26:29.720 --> 0:26:32.560 but God's word coming out of your mouth is alive 0:26:32.800 --> 0:26:36.480 and active. When you speak God's word, all of Heaven 0:26:36.600 --> 0:26:40.840 comes to attention, the angels go to work, Favor is released, 0:26:41.359 --> 0:26:42.159 and in a storm. 0:26:42.440 --> 0:26:43.600 You can't be passive. 0:26:44.200 --> 0:26:47.480 If the disciples would have waited much longer, they might 0:26:47.520 --> 0:26:50.680 not have fulfilled their destiny. You can't just sit back 0:26:50.800 --> 0:26:53.639 and let negative thoughts play in your mind all day long. 0:26:53.880 --> 0:26:54.600 It's too bad. 0:26:54.680 --> 0:26:57.159 You're never gonna make it. It's never gonna change. No, 0:26:57.320 --> 0:27:01.240 get on the offensive. Your declaration be. I may be 0:27:01.400 --> 0:27:04.600 in the fire, but I know favor is coming. I 0:27:04.720 --> 0:27:08.040 may be infamine, but I know increase is headed My way. 0:27:08.680 --> 0:27:10.680 I may be in the flood, but I know. 0:27:10.760 --> 0:27:14.760 Breakthroughs are in my future. Friends, you can have peace 0:27:14.960 --> 0:27:18.080 in the midst of the storm. I'm asking us today 0:27:18.280 --> 0:27:21.200 to hold on to our peace. It may be bad 0:27:21.280 --> 0:27:24.040 all around, but you've got to find the eye of 0:27:24.080 --> 0:27:28.040 the storm, find that place of rest. That's when God 0:27:28.119 --> 0:27:30.760 says he will fight your battles. He will make your 0:27:30.800 --> 0:27:32.240 wrongs right now. 0:27:32.320 --> 0:27:35.919 Quit letting other people upset you. Shake that off and 0:27:36.000 --> 0:27:37.439 let God be your vindicator. 0:27:37.960 --> 0:27:41.560 Remember, God doesn't deliver us from every storm. He may 0:27:41.640 --> 0:27:45.120 take us through it. Don't fight it. Embrace where you are, 0:27:45.560 --> 0:27:48.120 Stay calm. That's how you prove to God that you're 0:27:48.160 --> 0:27:52.520 trusting Him in those storms. Wake up the word, declare 0:27:52.560 --> 0:27:55.919 what God says about your situation. If you will be 0:27:56.119 --> 0:27:59.440 still and know that He is God, I can assure 0:27:59.480 --> 0:28:01.800 you everything is gonna be all right. 0:28:02.440 --> 0:28:03.440 Just like with Joseph. 0:28:03.520 --> 0:28:06.280 God will bring you out just like the mechanic. God 0:28:06.320 --> 0:28:08.880 will vindicate you, just like the girl in the ring. 0:28:08.920 --> 0:28:12.000 God will give you favor just like the Hebrew teenagers. 0:28:12.160 --> 0:28:14.280 You'll come out without the smell of smoke. 0:28:14.600 --> 0:28:18.400 And I believe and declare you will overcome every obstacle, 0:28:18.640 --> 0:28:22.880 defeat every enemy, accomplish every God given dream. You're gonna 0:28:22.880 --> 0:28:26.240 see no eye has seen, heard or imagine. Blessings come 0:28:26.240 --> 0:28:28.240 in your way in Jesus' name. 0:28:28.680 --> 0:28:30.359 Amen, do you receive that today? 0:28:32.800 --> 0:28:35.440 Well, we never like to close our broadcast without giving 0:28:35.480 --> 0:28:38.360 you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:38.600 --> 0:28:42.640 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:42.760 --> 0:28:47.360 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:47.440 --> 0:28:48.760 you my Lord and savior. 0:28:50.200 --> 0:28:52.600 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:28:52.640 --> 0:28:55.520 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church, 0:28:55.840 --> 0:28:57.080 Keep God first place. 0:28:57.320 --> 0:28:59.720 He's gonna take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:00.680 --> 0:29:03.560 Thank you for listening to the joel Osteine podcast. 0:29:03.920 --> 0:29:06.520 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:06.640 --> 0:29:08.000 those all over the world. 0:29:08.320 --> 0:29:09.880 Visit jolostein dot. 0:29:09.680 --> 0:29:12.719 Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:14.000 --> 0:29:16.440 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:16.560 --> 0:29:19.320 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:19.360 --> 0:29:20.760 podcast to keep you. 0:29:20.800 --> 0:29:23.840 Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 0:29:23.920 --> 0:29:26.760 know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.