Just The Opposite

0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:03.240 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:06.400 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:09.080 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:11.800 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:16.040 for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:18.759 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:18.760 --> 0:00:21.200 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:25.320 daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:28.040 come visit us in person. We'd love to have you 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:30.880 be a part of one of our services. Ilight to 0:00:30.880 --> 0:00:33.720 start with something funny, and I heard about this minister 0:00:33.880 --> 0:00:36.959 that died. He was standing at the pearly gates and 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:39.280 the man in front of him was dressed in a 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:43.000 loud T shirt and sunglasses and blue jeans, and Saint 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:47.240 Peter asked his name. He said, I'm Joe Cohen, taxicab driver, 0:00:47.520 --> 0:00:50.920 New York City. Peter checked his list, handed him on 0:00:51.000 --> 0:00:54.040 a gold staff and a silk road, said welcome to Heaven. 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:57.960 The minister stepped up, said I'm Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:01.960 of Saint Mary's Cathedral. Eater checked his list, handed him 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:05.360 a wooden staff in cotton road. He said, wait a minute, 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:08.280 that couldn't be right. The taxicab driver got a goal 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:11.160 staff and this is all I get. Peter said, sir, 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:15.160 up here, we work by results. When you preached, people slept, 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:20.440 But when he drove, people prayed. All Right, y'all say 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:23.360 it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:25.760 am what it says I am. I have what it 0:01:25.800 --> 0:01:28.319 says I have. I can do what it says I 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:31.520 can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:36.360 I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:36.640 --> 0:01:40.480 I will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:44.119 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:48.320 just the opposite. We all have situations that don't look 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.240 like they're going to work. Out doors have closed on 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:55.760 a dream, medical reports not good, a relationship didn't make it. 0:01:56.360 --> 0:02:00.960 All the circumstances say that will always be lonely, always addicted, 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:04.480 always have a child. This off course, But the scripture 0:02:04.520 --> 0:02:10.519 says God turns mourning into dancing. He turns sorrow into joy. 0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:15.760 God specializes in turning things around, turning sickness into health, 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:21.520 turning addictions into freedom, turning lack into abundance. He has 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:26.480 divine reversals, where what looks one way turns out just 0:02:26.560 --> 0:02:30.720 the opposite. My mother should have died with terminal cancer, 0:02:31.160 --> 0:02:34.880 but just the opposite happened. She's lived forty four years 0:02:35.040 --> 0:02:39.600 past that diagnosis. The church should have gone down when 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.800 my father died, that's what all the critics said, but 0:02:43.040 --> 0:02:46.480 just the opposite happened. We've gone to levels we've ever dreamed. 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:50.880 That addiction should have limited your life like it did 0:02:50.880 --> 0:02:54.480 your relatives, But just the opposite happened. God sets you free, 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:57.720 and now you're healthy and whole. When we see this 0:02:57.960 --> 0:03:02.160 all through the scripture, Goliath should have defeated David, he 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:06.320 was twice his size, but just the opposite happened. David 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:10.560 defied the odds brought down a giant. The three teenagers 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:13.680 should have burned up in the fiery furnace, just the 0:03:13.720 --> 0:03:16.840 opposite happened. They came out without a smell of smoke. 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:20.760 Moses should have been stuck in the desert after he 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:24.400 made that mistake and missed his destiny, but just the 0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:28.119 opposite happened. God came in a burning bush and gave 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:31.640 him another chance. He went on to deliver the Israelites 0:03:31.840 --> 0:03:35.600 and become a hero of faith. You may have situations 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:38.200 where all the facts say it's not gonna work out, 0:03:38.880 --> 0:03:41.800 your child's never gonna get back on course, and those 0:03:41.840 --> 0:03:45.600 people at work will always limit you. Can I encourage you. 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:49.080 The same God that delivered the saints of all is 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:52.680 gonna turn things around in your life. You're gonna have 0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:56.480 some of these just the opposite moments. I thought i'd 0:03:56.560 --> 0:03:59.880 be addicted, but now I'm free. I thought I was, 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:04.400 but God catapulted me ahead. I thought I'd always be lonely, 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:07.839 but God sent someone better than I could imagine. It's 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:10.720 going to be just the opposite of what it looked like. 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.880 See the scripture says the enemy is a liar and 0:04:14.920 --> 0:04:18.200 there is no truth in him when he whispers his 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:20.920 lives that you've reached your limits and this problem is 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:24.560 too big. The key is to take just the opposite 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.719 of what he's telling you. You'll never get well. You 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:30.600 saw the report. Thank you now I know the truth. 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:33.760 I will live and not die. God's restoring health back 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:37.640 unto me. We won't always struggle not have enough. That's 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:40.520 just the family you come from. Thank you, now, I 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:44.640 know abundance is coming. I will lend and not borrow. Well, 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.560 your child's always going to be off course, get into 0:04:47.600 --> 0:04:51.479 trouble cause your problems. Thank you now I know. As 0:04:51.520 --> 0:04:53.599 for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:57.640 See the battle is taking place in our minds. The 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:01.039 enemy cannot tell the truth, but if he can deceive 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:04.200 you into believe in his lies, then he can keep 0:05:04.240 --> 0:05:07.800 you from the great things God has in store. There 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:10.919 was a young woman in the scripture named Esther. She 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:15.240 was an orphan being raised by her uncle Mordecai. When 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.200 the King of Persia was searching for a new queen, 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:21.320 she was picked to be one of the candidates in 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:24.919 this beauty pageant. Out of the thousands of girls, she 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.880 was chosen as the next queen. Well, nobody knew that 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:32.480 she was Jewish. Mordecai told her to keep that a secret. 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:36.680 Everything was going great until a man named Hayman got 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:41.440 upset with Mordecai. Hayman was the Prime Minister, second in 0:05:41.520 --> 0:05:45.320 command to the king. When he walked by, he expected 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:49.320 everyone to bow down and show their respect, but Mordecai 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:53.280 wouldn't do it. He only bowed to Jehovah. This made 0:05:53.320 --> 0:05:56.440 Hayman so angry, he decided to do something about it. 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:00.359 He found out that Mordecai was a Jew, and to 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:02.440 get back at him, he thought, I'm not going to 0:06:02.640 --> 0:06:04.560 just get rid of you, I'm going to get rid 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:08.040 of your whole nationality. He went to the king and said, hey, 0:06:08.040 --> 0:06:10.760 there's a group of people that are causing trouble. They 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:13.760 want to obey your decrees. The best thing we could 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:18.680 do is annihilate them, not let them live. Sounded reasonable 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:21.640 to the king. He didn't want to be overthrown, so 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:26.239 he agreed to Haman's request. He took off the ring 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:30.160 on his finger and gave it to Haman represented his authority. 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.400 He said, do as you have said with these people. 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:38.560 So Hayman wrote an official decree that on March the seventh, 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:41.960 one year from then, all the Jews would be killed. 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:46.000 Their property would be given to whoever killed them. He 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:50.279 sent the fastest messengers to deliver this decree throughout the land. 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:54.760 When the Jewish people received it, there was great weeping 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:58.760 and wailing. The scripture says many stayed in bed in 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:04.320 sackcloth and as so depressed. Well. Someone told Esther that 0:07:04.400 --> 0:07:08.680 Mordecai was in distress, crying at the city gates. She 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:12.680 had an assistant to see what was wrong. Mordecai sent 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.440 back a copy of the decree and explained what Hamon 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:18.960 was up to and how she must go to the 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:22.200 king and tell him what was happening to plead for 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.120 the life of her people. You couldn't go to the 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:28.360 king unless he called for you. She hadn't seen him 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:32.000 in a month. She told Haymon, gather all the Jews 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:35.480 for three days, fast and pray, and I'll go see 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:37.880 the king. She put her life on the line and 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:41.480 went to see the king. The king was very gracious. 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:44.600 He said, esther, what do you want? I'll give you 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:47.560 anything up to half of my kingdom. She didn't have 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:50.360 the courage to tell him right then, she said, I 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:53.200 would like for you and Hayman to come to a 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:57.560 banquet that I prepared. The king agreed. Haymon got the 0:07:57.600 --> 0:08:01.280 word felt so honored. At the banquet, The King said, 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:04.120 now asked tell me what do you want. She still 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.240 couldn't find the courage to do it yet. She said, King, 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:09.800 if you're pleased with me, I want you to come 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:13.480 to a banquet with Hayman tomorrow night. Then I'll tell 0:08:13.520 --> 0:08:17.120 you what this is all about. Verse nine says what 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:20.760 a happy man Hayman was as he left that banquet. 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:24.360 He went out of there on cloud nine, having dinner 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:27.800 with royalty, going to do it again tomorrow night. He 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:31.440 bragged to his friends about how honored he was, all 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:35.040 the authority he had been given. Sometimes it looks like 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:38.720 your enemies are being promoted. They're being honored when you 0:08:38.800 --> 0:08:43.240 know they're plotting evil, they're doing the wrong thing. Don't worry. 0:08:43.400 --> 0:08:47.320 Their time is coming. God is your vindicator. You don't 0:08:47.360 --> 0:08:50.520 have to live upset and try to pay people back. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:53.800 He's going to take care of those who are plotting 0:08:53.880 --> 0:08:57.040 against you. They went to the banquet the next night. 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:01.480 Hayman's sitting there so proud the king. He said it again, esther, 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:05.000 what can I do for you? She said, your majesty, 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:08.760 this is my request that you would spare my life 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:12.360 and the life of my people. The king was appalled. 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.720 He said, who would dare try to harm you? She 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:19.040 pointed at Hayman and said he has written a decree 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:23.680 to annihilate me and all my people. The scripture says 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:28.240 Hayman grew pale with fright from honor to dishonor, in 0:09:28.280 --> 0:09:32.199 one second. The king jumped up in such a rage. 0:09:32.720 --> 0:09:36.840 So upset he ran out to the courtyard. Hayman came 0:09:36.880 --> 0:09:39.680 over and fell on Esther and began to beg for 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:43.240 his life. About that time, the King came back in 0:09:43.640 --> 0:09:46.640 and saw him all over Esther. He said, are you 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:48.880 even going to assault my wife? Right in front of 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:52.640 my eyes? And an assistant came over and said, Hayman 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:56.680 has set up some gallows outside to hang Mordecai on. 0:09:57.360 --> 0:10:01.080 The King said, great, use those gallows to hang Haman. 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:04.800 The psawmist said, the trap the enemy sets for you, 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:10.040 they will fall in themselves. Chapter eight says that same 0:10:10.160 --> 0:10:14.320 day the king gave the estate of Haman, the enemy 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:18.440 of the Jews, to Esther. Then the king called up Mordecai. 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:22.480 He took the signet ring, the one he removed from Hayman, 0:10:22.760 --> 0:10:25.360 and gave it to Mordecai. Said, from now on, you're 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:29.199 gonna be in charge. It looked like Esther and Mordecai 0:10:29.440 --> 0:10:32.800 would be wiped out, but it was just the opposite. 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:36.240 Looked like Hayman had the upper hand, all this power, 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:40.800 the ring people bowing down, But just the opposite happened. 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.960 Now Mordecai has the ring. Now Ester owns his estate. 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:48.840 You may have situations like them that seemed like they 0:10:48.840 --> 0:10:52.640 could never resolve, people against you that have more authority, 0:10:52.679 --> 0:10:57.440 in circumstances that seem bigger, the sickness, the addiction. But 0:10:57.559 --> 0:11:00.439 you don't know what God is up to. He has 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:06.240 divine reversals, supernatural turnarounds where you suddenly go from the 0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:10.240 back to the front, from being overlooked to being in charge, 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:14.800 from weeping to rejoicing, from wondering how it could work out. 0:11:15.200 --> 0:11:18.160 To say, and look what the Lord has done. Esther 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:22.920 said in verse five, King, there's one more request. Please 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:27.679 send out a decree reversing Hayman's order to destroy the Jews. 0:11:28.400 --> 0:11:31.439 The King said Esther, you can write whatever you want. 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:34.800 Mordecai has the ring. To seal it with my authority. 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:38.640 They wrote a decree saying that anyone that tried to 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:43.360 harm God's people would be killed. Chapter nine says on 0:11:43.480 --> 0:11:47.000 March the seventh, the day the enemy of the Jews 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:51.280 had planned to destroy them, just the opposite happened. No 0:11:51.360 --> 0:11:56.920 one was harmed. One translation says the tables turned imagine 0:11:56.960 --> 0:12:00.520 what the enemy had whispered to them there's a decree. 0:12:01.280 --> 0:12:04.839 Your days are numbered. It's official. The King sealed it. 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.440 But what the enemy doesn't want you to know is 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:12.319 he doesn't have the final says. He may plan your demise, 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:17.960 bring people against you, circumstances that look impossible, but what 0:12:18.120 --> 0:12:20.840 he means for harm. God knows how to turn to 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:26.280 your advantage. God has these divine reversals where it turns 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:30.000 out just the opposite of what it looks like. It 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:33.400 won't be discouraged by the circumstances. You may have a 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:37.479 hamin in your life, an obstacle that's bigger and stronger, 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:42.280 the medical report and addiction, the debt, the anxiety seems 0:12:42.360 --> 0:12:45.199 like it has the upper hand. You're at the mercy 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:49.120 of what's against you. But God sees what you're going through. 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:52.520 He knows who did you wrong. How you don't see 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:57.680 away those lonely nights like with Esther. Your time is coming. 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:00.839 There will be a day where the tae will turn 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:06.720 divine reversals. Your health turns around. You can't explain it. 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:10.480 It's the hand of God. Your business takes off, or 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:14.120 that dark cloud lists off of you. Lies told you 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:17.439 that you'd always be depressed, But it's just the opposite. 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:21.520 You're full of joy, You've got your passion back. Relationship 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:25.360 didn't work out, someone walked away, and lies will tell 0:13:25.400 --> 0:13:28.400 you just live with a broken heart. You'll never be 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.800 happy again. Can I encourage you? It's going to be 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:35.720 just the opposite. You will love again, you will laugh again, 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:39.400 you will dream again. You're gonna meet someone so amazing. 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:43.200 You don't think about what you've lost, or how about 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:46.840 the lies that whisper You've reached your limits, you've seen 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:50.680 your best days. Quit waiting for things to improve now. 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:54.560 The truth is you haven't seen, heard, or imagine what's 0:13:54.600 --> 0:14:01.439 coming your way. There's uncommon favor, uncoming opportunity, uncommon influence 0:14:01.720 --> 0:14:05.160 that will catapult you ahead. You're gonna look back and say, 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:07.880 with Mordecai, it was just the opposite of what it 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:11.600 looked like. Hayman said, we were doomed. The truth is 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:14.760 he was doomed and we lived on. Hayman said, I 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:18.319 was stuck, had no authority, but God turned the tables 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:22.120 and gave me what Haman had, the authority, the King's ring, 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:26.520 the influence. Are there situations that you don't see how 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:31.240 they can work out? Your health, your relationship, your finances. 0:14:31.920 --> 0:14:35.680 Instead of believing those lies and letting all the negative play, 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:39.600 try a different approach. Lord, I thank you that you 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:43.040 have divine reversals come in my way, that you will 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:46.160 do just the opposite of what it looks like. Father, 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:50.240 turned this sickness into health. Turn this morning into dancing. 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:54.600 Turn this lack into abundance. Lord, turn my child from 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:58.720 poor decisions to his purpose and destiny. Turn my family 0:14:58.760 --> 0:15:02.720 from strife into vision to peace and harmony. Turn these 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:07.520 ashes into beauty. Turn my pain into purpose. Get in 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:12.080 agreement with God, and you'll see some supernatural turnarounds. Not 0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:15.480 where he just brings you out and things resolved. But 0:15:15.560 --> 0:15:18.880 it's going to be just the opposite. It's far better, 0:15:19.440 --> 0:15:23.840 something that you never imagine. That's what happened for Esther 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:29.280 and Mordecai. There was economic reversal. All of Hayman's estate 0:15:29.600 --> 0:15:33.040 was given to Esther. She didn't ask for that. But 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:37.200 when God turns the tables, he's going to exceed your expectations. 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:41.200 The scripture says the wealth of the ungodly will be 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:45.760 transferred to the righteous. The good news is you're the righteous, 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:49.120 part of the just. The opposite is going to be 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:54.360 a transfer of resources, property, opportunities that you didn't see coming. 0:15:55.160 --> 0:16:00.680 Mordecai saw leadership reversal. He had no authority, no influence. 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:04.240 He had to stay outside the palace. Nobody paid him 0:16:04.320 --> 0:16:08.040 much attention. But Mordecai was a man that honored God 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.960 and lived a life of excellence and integrity. He took 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:15.480 his niece Estra in as a little girl, made sure 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:19.120 she felt valuable and loved. He overheard a plot to 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:23.160 assassinate the king, and he secretly sent word to keep 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:26.280 it from happening. He didn't have to do that, but 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:28.840 he was a man of honor. He did the right 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:33.200 thing when he wasn't getting the credit. Nobody was thanking him. 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:35.960 It looked like he would stay in the background, just 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:40.400 watch others be promoted. But when you stay faithful, you 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:45.920 keep being your best each day, serving, giving, loving. Nobody 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:49.120 may notice right now, but there will come a time 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:52.680 where God turns the tables, takes you from the background 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:56.480 to the foreground, from working at that company to owning 0:16:56.560 --> 0:17:00.800 your own company, from always serving others to having others 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:05.879 serve you, where you can rise higher, have greater influence, honor, 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:11.640 and respect. The Israelites saw emotional reversal. When they got 0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:14.520 the bad news, there was all this weeping and wailing, 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:18.280 so distraught that they couldn't get out of bed. But 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:22.760 when the king reversed this decree, Verse sixteen says, there 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:27.080 was great joy and gladness among the Jews in every 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:32.199 province there was feasting and celebrating. Few months earlier there 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:35.480 was sorrow and weeping. But look at how God can 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:40.480 turn things. Now they're laughing, joyful, celebrating with their family. 0:17:41.320 --> 0:17:44.600 You may be in a time of sadness today, dealing 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:48.439 with things you didn't see coming. A breakup, loss of 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:52.399 a loved one, a dream seems like it's died. The 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:56.360 scripture says God is close to the broken hearted. You're 0:17:56.400 --> 0:18:00.439 going through these seasons of sadness and disappointment. God is 0:18:00.560 --> 0:18:04.159 right there with you, says in Psalms. He even collects 0:18:04.200 --> 0:18:07.919 all your tears. The enemy will whisper you never be 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:12.040 happy again. What happened to you. You're a victim. No 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:15.840 weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:19.560 in the morning, just like God did for Esther. You're 0:18:19.560 --> 0:18:22.680 gonna laugh again. It's not gonna turn out the way 0:18:22.720 --> 0:18:26.480 the enemy is telling you. It's gonna be just the opposite. 0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:31.600 Morning turned to dancing, Sorrow turned to joy, Sadness turned 0:18:31.640 --> 0:18:37.080 to gladness. Verse nine says the king reversed his decree. 0:18:37.880 --> 0:18:42.840 They saw legal reversal, an official decree. The law had 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:46.760 been passed. But God is not limited by natural laws. 0:18:47.400 --> 0:18:50.520 God can change a law to get you to your destiny. 0:18:51.320 --> 0:18:54.919 There may be a decree a report that says this 0:18:55.080 --> 0:18:58.199 sickness is gonna end your life. You don't have the 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:02.160 education to reach your dreams. You'll be defined by that loss. 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:06.399 The good news is God has an override button. He 0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:11.600 knows how to supersede laws and change things that look unchangeable. 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:15.480 The scripture says God can turn the heart of a king. 0:19:16.440 --> 0:19:18.919 We may not be able to change people's minds, but 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:23.000 God can. Some friends of mine have a successful business, 0:19:23.040 --> 0:19:26.600 and for many years everything was going great. But one 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:30.680 of their accountants made some mistakes on filing their taxes. 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:34.480 The irs said they owed them one hundred thousand dollars. 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:37.400 They didn't have those funds, and this could put them 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:40.639 out of business. They're faithful members here at Lakewood. They 0:19:40.680 --> 0:19:44.040 know how to pray, believe, and declare. But all the 0:19:44.160 --> 0:19:47.920 facts said they weren't going to make it, thoughts whispered, 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:51.480 You're gonna go bankrupt after all these years of hard work. 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:54.280 You're gonna end up with nothing. They met with the 0:19:54.359 --> 0:19:57.520 representative at the RS and ask if they could have 0:19:57.600 --> 0:19:59.879 some kind of payment plan to pay it off over to. 0:20:01.040 --> 0:20:04.960 But this woman was very harsh and not understanding. She 0:20:05.119 --> 0:20:07.760 demanded that they pay it all in full right then, 0:20:08.600 --> 0:20:11.200 or they were going to be even more legal penalties. 0:20:11.680 --> 0:20:15.000 They left that day so discouraged, not knowing what to do. 0:20:15.760 --> 0:20:18.159 But the scripture says, when the enemy comes in like 0:20:18.200 --> 0:20:21.520 a flood, God will raise up a barrier. You're not 0:20:21.720 --> 0:20:25.639 fighting by yourself. God won't let you get in a 0:20:25.720 --> 0:20:29.280 problem that he can't bring you out of. They didn't 0:20:29.280 --> 0:20:31.840 see a way, but they kept thanking God that he 0:20:31.880 --> 0:20:35.399 would make a way. They went back thirty days later 0:20:35.760 --> 0:20:38.879 for the final judgment. They walked into lady's office and 0:20:38.960 --> 0:20:41.919 sat down and waited for her to come in. In 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:44.520 a few minutes, another woman walked in that they had 0:20:44.560 --> 0:20:47.840 never seen it. They were surprised and asked where their 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:51.679 representative was. She said she had moved to another state 0:20:51.960 --> 0:20:55.000 and now she was in charge of their account. This 0:20:55.080 --> 0:20:58.800 woman could not have been more opposite than the other woman, 0:20:59.359 --> 0:21:04.520 kind understanding, looking for options. She took their material and said, 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:06.960 let me go study this and see if I can 0:21:07.000 --> 0:21:10.200 find a solution. She came back in a half hour 0:21:10.800 --> 0:21:14.120 and said, I don't agree with what the other woman found. 0:21:14.440 --> 0:21:17.680 I don't think you filed your taxes wrong. You don't 0:21:17.680 --> 0:21:20.439 owe us one hundred thousand dollars. She said, I'll make 0:21:20.480 --> 0:21:22.600 a deal with you. If you'll write a check for 0:21:22.680 --> 0:21:26.280 one hundred dollars today, this will be settled right now. 0:21:27.359 --> 0:21:31.400 They didn't see that coming. It was just the opposite 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:36.040 of what they thought. God knows how to reverse things, 0:21:36.640 --> 0:21:39.960 how to turn the tables and move the wrong people 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:43.480 out of your way, put the right people, people that'll 0:21:43.520 --> 0:21:45.800 be for you, people that will go out of their 0:21:45.840 --> 0:21:49.760 way to help you, that want you to succeed. Like 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:52.560 my friends, you may be in a situation doesn't look 0:21:52.600 --> 0:21:55.240 like it's going to work out. Thoughts are telling you 0:21:55.320 --> 0:22:00.000 all the worst case scenarios. You could live, negative, dreading things. 0:22:00.560 --> 0:22:03.120 But can I encourage you? God has some of these 0:22:03.400 --> 0:22:06.760 just the opposite moments lined up for you, things you 0:22:06.880 --> 0:22:11.840 never saw coming, Divine reversals. You couldn't make it happen. 0:22:12.320 --> 0:22:16.199 God turned the tables, God reversed the decree, God changed 0:22:16.240 --> 0:22:20.199 the people's mind. Second King, Chapter six. The King of 0:22:20.440 --> 0:22:25.719 erm has sent hundreds of troops and chariots to capture Elijah. 0:22:25.840 --> 0:22:29.320 They snuck up at night and surrounded his house. The 0:22:29.359 --> 0:22:33.320 next morning, Elisha's assistant went out and when he saw 0:22:33.359 --> 0:22:37.720 the army surrounding them, he was terrified. He ran back, 0:22:37.880 --> 0:22:42.000 woke up. Elisha up said there's a huge army surrounding us. 0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:46.320 We're trapped. We have no way to get out. Elizia said, 0:22:46.320 --> 0:22:49.600 don't worry. There are more for us than there are 0:22:49.680 --> 0:22:53.760 against us. He said, Elisha, are you still dreaming? It's 0:22:53.800 --> 0:22:57.920 just you and me. There are thousands of them. Elisha prayed, 0:22:57.920 --> 0:23:02.200 Lord open his eyes so he can see. He went 0:23:02.240 --> 0:23:05.960 back and to look again. This time he saw hundreds 0:23:05.960 --> 0:23:10.399 of thousands of the heavenly armies, these warring angels, and 0:23:10.600 --> 0:23:15.240 these chariots of fire surrounding the other army. It looked 0:23:15.280 --> 0:23:18.840 like he and Elisha were surrounded. The truth is it 0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:23.399 was just the opposite. The other army was surrounded. It 0:23:23.520 --> 0:23:27.159 may feel like you're surrounded today. What you're up against 0:23:27.160 --> 0:23:31.320 seems bigger, stronger, But if you could see into this 0:23:31.520 --> 0:23:36.400 unseen realm. It's just the opposite. God is surrounding what's 0:23:36.440 --> 0:23:41.200 surrounding you. Feels like that cancer has you surrounded. It's 0:23:41.320 --> 0:23:45.679 just the opposite God has the cancer surrounding Seems like 0:23:45.800 --> 0:23:50.240 that debt la can't get ahead, has you surrounded? Have 0:23:50.359 --> 0:23:54.800 a new perspective, The most High God is surrounding everything 0:23:54.880 --> 0:23:59.720 that's surrounding you. January of nineteen ninety nine, my father 0:23:59.760 --> 0:24:02.480 went to be with the Lord and I started pastoring. 0:24:02.760 --> 0:24:06.080 There's a lot of momentum the church was growing. I 0:24:06.119 --> 0:24:11.040 announced that October that on the first Sunday of two thousand, 0:24:11.520 --> 0:24:14.520 we were going to start an additional Sunday morning service 0:24:14.680 --> 0:24:18.080 at eight thirty. I'd prayed about it and believed it 0:24:18.160 --> 0:24:22.200 was the right thing. All these thoughts started bombarding my mind, 0:24:22.760 --> 0:24:25.639 telling me, nobody's gonna show up, Joe, it's gonna be 0:24:25.640 --> 0:24:29.080 a big mistake. You better change it while you have time. 0:24:30.160 --> 0:24:33.440 The enemy cannot tell the truth. You have to take 0:24:33.480 --> 0:24:36.280 the opposite of what he's saying. But I didn't know 0:24:36.359 --> 0:24:39.080 that back then, and I was so worried and so stressed. 0:24:39.119 --> 0:24:42.560 And one night, a few days before the first Sunday, 0:24:43.080 --> 0:24:47.280 I had a dream. Better description was a nightmare. In 0:24:47.320 --> 0:24:50.400 this dream, it was that first Sunday of our new service, 0:24:50.600 --> 0:24:54.199 and I saw myself walking into the auditorium to go 0:24:54.320 --> 0:24:58.840 up to speak. But nobody was there, not Victoria, not 0:24:59.000 --> 0:25:02.080 my mother, not and us here, not one choir member. 0:25:02.240 --> 0:25:05.880 It was completely empty. I woke up in a cold sweat, 0:25:06.440 --> 0:25:09.280 thoughts whisper, you better cancel it. You still have a 0:25:09.280 --> 0:25:13.480 few days. I didn't tell anyone about the dream. Later 0:25:13.520 --> 0:25:16.199 that day I saw my mother. Thought maybe she'll encourage me. 0:25:16.280 --> 0:25:18.760 US said, Mother, are you going to the new early 0:25:18.840 --> 0:25:22.840 service this Sunday? She said, you mean it starts this week. 0:25:23.320 --> 0:25:25.520 I thought, dear God, we've been announcing it for six 0:25:25.560 --> 0:25:28.840 months and she doesn't even know what's happening. I said, yes, 0:25:28.920 --> 0:25:33.800 it starts, and you need to bring your friends, enemies, neighbors, coworkers, relatives. 0:25:35.040 --> 0:25:38.119 First Sunday of two thousand came and I left early 0:25:38.160 --> 0:25:41.439 to get there, so nervous. I'll never forget. Driving up 0:25:41.480 --> 0:25:44.840 to the building, one parking lot was already full. I 0:25:44.880 --> 0:25:48.679 got inside and five thousand people had shown up. The 0:25:48.920 --> 0:25:53.919 enemy had shown me an empty auditorium. It was just 0:25:54.000 --> 0:25:57.560 the opposite. The place was filled with people, my mother 0:25:57.680 --> 0:26:02.080 even made it. Some of the things that you're worrying about, 0:26:02.600 --> 0:26:05.119 you're thinking they could never work out. You play in 0:26:05.160 --> 0:26:08.720 the worst case scenario. God is saying it's going to 0:26:08.760 --> 0:26:13.440 be just the opposite. Not defeat but victory. Not stuck 0:26:13.480 --> 0:26:16.679 where you are, but catapulted to a new level. Not 0:26:16.920 --> 0:26:22.280 broke but abundant, not depressed but great joy, not lonely 0:26:22.400 --> 0:26:26.320 but an awesome spouse. Now all these lies the enemy 0:26:26.400 --> 0:26:29.879 is whispering. Instead of letting them discourage, you start taking 0:26:30.080 --> 0:26:33.520 just the opposite. Well, Joe, you've done pretty well, but 0:26:33.560 --> 0:26:36.119 you've gone as far as you can. No thanks. Our 0:26:36.240 --> 0:26:39.000 latter days will be better than our former days. This 0:26:39.040 --> 0:26:43.800 will be a year of uncommon favor, uncommon opportunity. You 0:26:43.920 --> 0:26:47.240 have to get in agreement with God. If you'll do this, 0:26:47.359 --> 0:26:51.879 I believe and declare you're about to see some divine reversals, 0:26:52.359 --> 0:26:57.359 supernatural turnarounds, and your health, your finances, your children like 0:26:57.560 --> 0:27:02.200 Esther and Mordecai's going to be just the opposite, bigger, better, 0:27:02.680 --> 0:27:06.879 more rewarding than you ever imagine. I declare it in 0:27:06.960 --> 0:27:09.760 the name of Jesus. If you receive it, can you 0:27:09.840 --> 0:27:14.360 say amen? I'd like to give you an opportunity to 0:27:14.359 --> 0:27:17.120 make Jesus the lord of your lie. Would you pray 0:27:17.160 --> 0:27:21.440 with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. 0:27:22.119 --> 0:27:25.800 Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. 0:27:26.640 --> 0:27:29.200 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:27:29.200 --> 0:27:32.320 born again. We'd love to send you some free information 0:27:32.480 --> 0:27:34.760 on your new walk with the Lord. You can text 0:27:34.800 --> 0:27:37.400 the number on the screen or go to the website. 0:27:37.680 --> 0:27:40.119 But I hope you'll get into a good Bible based 0:27:40.200 --> 0:27:44.639 church and keep God first place. When was the last 0:27:44.680 --> 0:27:47.720 time you asked God to do something that seemed impossible. 0:27:48.280 --> 0:27:52.080 If you only pray small, ordinary prayers, you live a small, 0:27:52.320 --> 0:27:55.479 ordinary lie. I have a new book called Pray Bond. 0:27:55.920 --> 0:27:58.399 I'll challenge you to stretch your faith and believe for 0:27:58.480 --> 0:28:01.600 the big things God puts in your heart. Victoria and 0:28:01.680 --> 0:28:04.280 I used to have seasoned tickets to watch the Rockets 0:28:04.320 --> 0:28:07.560 play basketball here. We never dreamed it could be ours 0:28:08.080 --> 0:28:10.720 when they moved out. Somehow we had the faith to 0:28:10.760 --> 0:28:13.919 pray a bold prayer. God made things happen that we 0:28:13.920 --> 0:28:17.120 could never make happen. It's the same for you, who 0:28:17.160 --> 0:28:19.480 knows what God will do in your life. If you'll 0:28:19.520 --> 0:28:22.960 dare to pray bold, ask him for your dreams, ask 0:28:23.000 --> 0:28:25.960 for your healing, as for your freedom. That's when God 0:28:26.000 --> 0:28:29.200 will show up and do more than you could ever imagine. 0:28:29.600 --> 0:28:31.880 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:31.920 --> 0:28:34.520 of any amount this month, we would like to send 0:28:34.600 --> 0:28:38.080 you a copy of Joel's brand new book, Pray Bold, 0:28:38.440 --> 0:28:42.800 Dare to Ask and Believe Big. Joel shares that when 0:28:42.840 --> 0:28:46.880 we pray, we can tap into God's creative, awesome power, 0:28:47.400 --> 0:28:51.080 something bigger than we have ever imagined. God doesn't want 0:28:51.200 --> 0:28:54.600 us to just pray in our comfort zones. Now. God 0:28:54.680 --> 0:28:58.880 loves when we pray big, believe big, expect him to 0:28:58.920 --> 0:29:03.080 do the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible, 0:29:03.320 --> 0:29:06.920 from history, and personal testimonies of people who dared to 0:29:07.000 --> 0:29:11.240 believe God in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically 0:29:11.280 --> 0:29:14.600 expand your prayers and watch your life move from the 0:29:14.640 --> 0:29:19.760 common to the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be 0:29:19.880 --> 0:29:23.520 sure to request your copy of Pray Bold today, visit 0:29:23.600 --> 0:29:26.560 Joeloustein dot com or call us toll free. 0:29:27.080 --> 0:29:30.320 God has put dreams in your heart. Things He's whispered 0:29:30.320 --> 0:29:33.280 in the nied that seem impossible. But as you pray 0:29:33.360 --> 0:29:35.800 these Bold prayers. You're going to see the goodness of 0:29:35.840 --> 0:29:39.320 God in ways you've never seen victor in our belief, 0:29:39.360 --> 0:29:42.120 and you're gonna have a great twenty twenty five. We 0:29:42.240 --> 0:29:44.920 pray for you and your family every day for God's 0:29:45.040 --> 0:29:47.760 very best. We want to thank you for your prayer 0:29:47.800 --> 0:29:50.959 and your support. You're impacting people all over the world. 0:29:51.280 --> 0:29:54.320 Be sure to request your copy of Pray Bold today, 0:29:54.880 --> 0:29:59.040 visit Joelostin dot com or call us toll free. Finally, 0:29:59.360 --> 0:30:02.840 elevates your personal time with God by requesting the My 0:30:03.040 --> 0:30:07.400 Time with God collection. This beautiful collection contains the pre 0:30:07.560 --> 0:30:11.560 Bold new release, plus the new Living Translation, one year 0:30:11.640 --> 0:30:15.360 Chronological Study Bible, and a beautiful glass mug and throw 0:30:15.400 --> 0:30:19.360 blanket based around the inspiring scripture from Psalm forty six 0:30:19.400 --> 0:30:22.560 to ten. Be Still and Know that I Am God. 0:30:23.120 --> 0:30:25.880 You can learn more about this unique new gift collection 0:30:26.120 --> 0:30:29.440 by calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or 0:30:29.520 --> 0:30:32.280 logging on too Joelostein dot com Today. 0:30:33.320 --> 0:30:36.720 Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 0:30:37.120 --> 0:30:41.520 download our daily podcast Missing on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube, 0:30:42.000 --> 0:30:45.200 and now the new Joel Ostein Network streaming on television 0:30:45.240 --> 0:30:48.560 twenty four hours a day. If you've never been to Lakewood, 0:30:48.720 --> 0:30:52.680 we have a great opportunity. We called it Homecoming Weekend. 0:30:53.200 --> 0:30:56.080 We'd love to meet you and your family. You can 0:30:56.320 --> 0:30:59.120 see the building and attend one of the services. It's 0:30:59.160 --> 0:31:02.000 a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. 0:31:02.080 --> 0:31:04.640 Looking forward to seeing your Homecoming Weekend.