Now playing

New Seasons of Increase

Joel Osteen
September 29, 2022 30m 24s

About this sermon

God is a God of increase. Even when you don't see anything changing, He is working behind the scenes to shift things in your favor.  Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visit  JoelOsteen.com/GiveHope See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Source: Joel Osteen

Transcript

0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.120 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.840 or military e

Read full transcript

0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.120 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.840 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.680 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:44.800 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:46.920 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:49.600 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:51.840 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.040 and career. Make it count with Perdue Global produce online 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:59.720 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:02.200 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:02.800 his birthday. 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:05.000 Wow, thanks Grandpa, but. 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:07.200 He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 0:01:07.240 --> 0:01:08.240 with the units stapp. 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.400 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.560 The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.280 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:18.720 a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.120 code iHeart fifty at sign up to receive a fifty 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:23.679 dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code iHeart 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:26.800 fifty when you sign up at unest dot co for 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:29.640 a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:30.080 dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:36.759 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.240 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.800 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.840 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.880 --> 0:01:58.000 your life. Oh God bless you. It's a joy to 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:00.800 come into your homes each week, and we love you. 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.680 We know God has great things in store. If you're 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:05.880 ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:08.080 be a part of one of our services, because we 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:10.680 would love to have you. I like to get started 0:02:10.680 --> 0:02:13.000 with something funny each week. And I heard about these 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:17.920 three men, a Hindu priest, a Jewish rabbi, and a televangelist. 0:02:18.240 --> 0:02:21.280 They were traveling together and they stopped at this small 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:24.440 farmhouse for lodging. The farmer said, I only have room 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:26.480 for two. One of you will have to stay out 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:28.680 in the barn. The Hindu priest said, I'll do it. 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:30.680 A few minutes, there was a knock on the door. 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.320 He said, I can't stay out there. There's a cow, 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.720 and cows are sacred in our religion. The Jewish rabbi 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:38.639 I said, okay, I'll do it. A few minutes there 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:40.840 was a knock on the door, said I can't stay there. 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:44.639 There's a pig and that wouldn't be kosher. The televangelist said, 0:02:44.639 --> 0:02:46.880 all right, I'll do it. A few minutes there was 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.040 a knock on the door. It was the cow and 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:53.760 the pig. All right, hold up your Bible. Say it 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:57.200 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:02:57.320 --> 0:02:59.800 what it says, I am, I have what it says 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:02.440 I am, I can do what it says. I can 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:05.680 do today. I will be taught the word of God. 0:03:06.120 --> 0:03:10.880 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:15.040 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:15.080 --> 0:03:18.240 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:22.280 new seasons of increase. It's easy to get stuck in 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:25.720 a rut to where we're not expecting anything better. We're 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:29.320 not growing, we're not pressing forward, and that's when those 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:33.839 negative thoughts come telling us we've reached our limits. We're 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:37.440 never going to accomplish our goals. It's all downhill from here. 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:41.640 But don't ever believe those lies. God is a god 0:03:41.680 --> 0:03:46.360 of increase, not decrease. He never wants us to go backwards, 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:50.240 only forward. Well, you say, Joel, God said to Job, 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:53.880 the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. And yes 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.640 that's true. But when it was all said and done, 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.920 Job ended up with twice what he had before God 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:04.000 restored back to him double. And sure, there are seasons 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:07.200 where we're not seeing a lot of growth, seasons where 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:09.400 we have to dig our heels in and fight the 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.400 good fight of faith. But I can sense in my 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:16.960 spirit that we were entering into new seasons of increase, 0:04:17.520 --> 0:04:21.120 new seasons of favor. You have to do your part 0:04:21.400 --> 0:04:24.720 and let this seed take root. You have to believe 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:27.680 that no matter what's come against you, no matter how 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:32.800 unfair it was, things are shifting in your favor. Every 0:04:32.920 --> 0:04:37.200 setback is simply a setup for a comeback. God not 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:39.640 only wants to bring you out, he wants to bring 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:42.760 you out better off than you were before. In fact, 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:47.560 God said he would make your enemies your footstools. That 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:51.680 means the obstacles in your path, instead of being a 0:04:51.720 --> 0:04:55.240 stumbling block to hold you back, God will use them 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:58.440 as a stepping stone to take you to a higher level. 0:04:59.120 --> 0:05:01.440 It's like somebody's stuck out their foot to trip you, 0:05:02.000 --> 0:05:04.440 but God caused you to step right on top of it, 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:07.680 and instead of going down, you went up. You may 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:10.800 be facing a sickness today. It was meant to harm you. 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:13.800 It was meant to bring you down. But let me 0:05:13.880 --> 0:05:17.680 speak faith into you that sickness is not going to 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:21.600 defeat you. You have been armed with strength for every battle. 0:05:22.240 --> 0:05:25.120 The forces that are for you are greater than the 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:28.160 forces that are against you. I want to declare over 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:32.960 you a new season in your health. The winds are shifting. 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:36.320 It may have held you down for a little while, 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:39.080 but it's not going to last forever. When it's all 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:42.360 said and done, you're not going to be decreased. You're 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.040 going to be increased. You're going to step on top 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:48.800 of it and come out stronger, more determined, with a 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:51.840 greater faith than you've ever had before. Get a vision 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:56.359 for it. Let these seeds take root. New seasons in 0:05:56.440 --> 0:06:00.720 your health, new seasons in your pocket book, the seasons 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:04.239 in your relationships. Oh Joe, my business is so slow. 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.880 The economy's really hurting me. No. God's not limited by 0:06:07.880 --> 0:06:11.599 the economy. God's not limited by our education or lack 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:14.280 of it. God's not limited by the environment we were 0:06:14.360 --> 0:06:18.760 raised in. God's limited by our thinking. Now I'm asking 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:22.719 you today to start believing that things are shifting in 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:26.760 your favor. Says in Psalm one O two, verse thirteen. 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:31.200 How there was a set time for favor. There was 0:06:31.240 --> 0:06:34.800 a set time people would receive increase, a set time 0:06:34.839 --> 0:06:38.239 they would see blessings. It's the same way today. God 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:43.280 has seasons where supernatural doors will open, seasons where you'll 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:47.320 accomplish things you never thought possible, Seasons where you'll get 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:51.160 breaks you didn't deserve. What I'm saying, is I believe 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:55.040 we've entered into one of those seasons, a set time 0:06:55.200 --> 0:06:57.880 for God's favor. Well, hey, you say, Joel, I don't 0:06:57.880 --> 0:07:01.400 believe that you're just getting everybody's hope. Then this is 0:07:01.440 --> 0:07:04.920 not for you. This is for believers. This is for 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:08.000 people that will rise up and say, you know what 0:07:09.400 --> 0:07:12.800 that bears witness with my spirit. This is my season, 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:15.720 and I'm going to take hold of it. Jesus said, 0:07:16.000 --> 0:07:18.680 the spirit of the Lord is on me to help 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:22.320 the poor, to comfort the hurting, and to announce the 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:27.840 acceptable year of the Lord. One translation says to declare 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:31.920 the year of God's favor. Up to that point, there 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:36.080 had been years of famine, years of fighting, years of judgment. 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:40.120 But God was saying, this is your season of favor. 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:43.520 He announced it to people just like I'm announcing it 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:46.640 to you. But do you know, not everyone took it. 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:50.360 Some people thought, oh, I've been through too much. I'll 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:53.120 never get well, i'll never get out of debt, I'll 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:56.880 never accomplish my dreams. You know what happened. They missed 0:07:57.000 --> 0:08:00.680 their season of favor. Don't let that be you. Some 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:03.840 of you feel like you've been rowing upstream. Life's been 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:06.680 a constant struggle, all kinds of things coming against you. 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:11.000 But God is saying things are about to start shifting 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:14.440 in your favor. You're about to enter into an annoying 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:18.520 of ease. You may have had disappointments in the past, 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:21.040 but God's going to turn it around and open up 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:24.400 new doors. And for the unfair things that have happened. 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:27.360 People talking about you at work, trying to bring you down, 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:32.120 don't get discouraged. This is your season of vindication. The 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:36.439 scripture says, the trap the enemy set for you, they 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:39.640 will fall in themselves. You don't have to worry, you 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:42.200 don't have to fight. Stay on the high road. This 0:08:42.360 --> 0:08:45.640 is your season of increase. Well, you say, Joel, when 0:08:45.640 --> 0:08:47.720 I look out into my future, I don't see any 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:50.440 of this. I don't see how it could ever get well. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:53.080 Or I've had this addiction my whole life. I don't 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:56.280 know how it could overcome it. The problem is you're 0:08:56.320 --> 0:09:00.800 only looking in the natural. We serve a supernatural God. 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:05.079 The scripture says, we walk by faith and not by sight. 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:09.480 That means you have to believe it before you see it. 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:12.520 Doesn't take any faith if you can already see it now. 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:15.560 I dare say every one of you, when I announce 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:20.000 it's your season. Down in here, something resonates down inside, 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:22.360 something says, yes, this is for me. I know there 0:09:22.360 --> 0:09:26.200 are good things in store. That's your spirit person agreeing 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:30.079 with God. But too often we allow our mind, our 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:32.920 natural reasoning, to talk us out of it. But we 0:09:33.000 --> 0:09:35.280 got to learn to listen to what we're hearing down 0:09:35.280 --> 0:09:38.240 in here. That's God talking to us. I read something 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:41.880 interesting about a certain kind of spider. It has eight 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:45.160 eyes all over its body. But in spite of all 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:48.880 these eyes, it has very poor vision. It can't see 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:52.960 far off and even up close. It's not clear and sharp. 0:09:53.520 --> 0:09:58.640 But this spider is a very precise hunter. He's known 0:09:58.720 --> 0:10:02.640 for his ability to tack and kill other insects. Well, 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:05.640 how can he be so precise and so accurate with 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:09.080 that poor vision? The way God made it. It's its 0:10:09.160 --> 0:10:14.119 legs are filled with hairy follicules that are extremely sensitive, 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:18.440 and even though it can't see something coming, it can 0:10:18.679 --> 0:10:22.640 sense it long before it gets there. It's an extremely 0:10:22.880 --> 0:10:27.360 perceptive little insect. That's the way we have to be. 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:31.440 Sometimes when we look out into our future, we don't 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:34.400 see anything good. We don't see how we could ever 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:36.920 get out of debt. We don't see how our child 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:40.400 could ever get back on the right track. In the natural, 0:10:40.559 --> 0:10:45.120 it looks impossible, but deep down in here we can 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:49.120 sense that somehow, some way it's going to work out. 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:53.320 That makes sense to my mind. Business is slow, cells 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:57.160 are down, but I can sense increase is on its way. 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.640 I can sense this is my season of fame. I 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.160 can sense my best days are still out in front 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.679 of me. Growing up, we used to sing a song 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:09.959 It says I've got a feeling everything is going to 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:13.360 be all right. That means my health may not look good, 0:11:13.760 --> 0:11:17.160 but I've got a feeling I'm coming back strong. I 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:20.640 got passed over for that promotion. I should be discouraged, 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:23.440 but I've got a feeling God has something better in store. 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:26.160 I don't see how I could ever get out of debt. 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.080 On paper, it doesn't look possible, but I've got a feeling. 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:35.679 Seasons of increase, seasons of promotion, supernatural opportunities, they're coming 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:39.640 my way. Well, you say, Joel, that's just a feeling. No, 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:43.320 that's God talking to your spirit person. And like that 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:46.960 little spider, you've got a sense it long before it 0:11:47.000 --> 0:11:50.400 gets here. When you look out into your future, don't 0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:52.600 just look at what you can see in the natural. 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:55.559 Don't just look at what you don't have and how 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:58.640 impossible it is. All that's going to do is talk 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:02.040 you out of it. To what you're hearing down in here. 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:06.440 Learn to walk by faith and not by sight. I 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.840 love what Elijah did. There had been a drought in 0:12:08.880 --> 0:12:11.360 the land for three and a half years, and people 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.839 were in desperate need of water. He went to King 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:18.400 Hayhab and said, Ahab, I hear the sound of the 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:23.000 abundance of rain. The fact is, there wasn't a cloud 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:25.880 in the sky when he said that, There wasn't rain 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:30.320 in the distance, it wasn't thundering. But Elijah could sense 0:12:30.480 --> 0:12:34.079 what was coming long before it got here. I can 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:37.640 imagine Ahab looking at him and thinking, what's wrong with him? 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:40.600 There's no rain, it's not thundering. The heat must be 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:44.200 getting to him. No, Elijah didn't hear it physically. He 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:47.160 heard it down in his spirit, and he was bold 0:12:47.280 --> 0:12:51.080 enough to announce it. When you since it's your season, 0:12:51.480 --> 0:12:55.560 you need to declare it. Words have created power. You 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:58.120 not only need to hear it, but the enemy needs 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:00.760 to hear it. You may not feel well, but it's 0:13:00.760 --> 0:13:04.080 good to just announce. Health is coming my way. I 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:07.360 will live and not die. People may look at you 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:10.480 like a have looked at Elijah and think what's wrong 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:13.120 with them? They don't look well, they look sick, but 0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:16.439 they can't hear the sound. They can't sense what you're sensing. 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:20.240 They're just looking in the natural. But like that little spider, 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:23.560 you can sense what's coming long before it gets here. 0:13:24.440 --> 0:13:27.480 And don't be surprised if your mind tells your things 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:31.040 like you're just kidding yourself. You're never gonna get well. 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:34.280 Just answer back, Oh yes I will. I can hear 0:13:34.320 --> 0:13:36.960 it down and here. You'll never get out of debt. 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:40.160 Oh yeah, I can hear the sound of abundance. You're 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:42.559 never gonna get married. Sure I will. I can hear 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:45.480 the sound of God's favor. I may not be able 0:13:45.520 --> 0:13:49.880 to see it, but I can sense victory, promotion, divine connection, 0:13:50.080 --> 0:13:54.080 supernatural opportunities. They're coming my way. Hey, you say, Jorde, 0:13:54.120 --> 0:13:56.400 I don't see how this could happen for me. Well, 0:13:56.400 --> 0:13:59.920 that's the problem. You're sensing the wrong things. You're sensing 0:14:00.160 --> 0:14:04.280 feet failed, your mediocrity. All that's gonna do is drawed in. 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:07.960 It's just like you're inviting that into your life. You 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:10.920 need to listen to these new sounds I can hear 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:14.520 over every one of you. An abundance of favor, an 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:18.719 abundance of good breaks, an abundance of health, and abundance 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:23.680 in your finances, an abundance of victory. Friends, God is 0:14:23.720 --> 0:14:28.600 a god of abundance. He's saying today, this is your season, 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:32.120 this is your set time for favor. Why don't you 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:35.200 let that seed of hope take root in your heart. 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:38.480 My father had a sister by the name of Mary. 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:43.280 For years, Aunt Mary struggled with epilepsy. She'd have convulsions 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:47.920 and terrible headaches. It was literally crippling her life. It 0:14:47.920 --> 0:14:50.320 had gotten so bad at one point she had an 0:14:50.320 --> 0:14:53.440 infection and it was causing her to hallucinate, and her 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:56.200 mind wasn't clear, and she had been in the hospital 0:14:56.240 --> 0:14:58.840 for a long time. And now she was at home, 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:03.160 bedridden in some kind of coma. She couldn't recognize people, 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:05.880 she couldn't feed herself, she had to have twenty four 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:10.080 hour care. And my father, living in another city and 0:15:10.240 --> 0:15:14.280 traveling so often, he didn't really know how sick Mary was. 0:15:14.920 --> 0:15:18.320 One day, his mother, my grandmother, called to tell him 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:21.400 of Mary's condition. Daddy was scheduled to go out of 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:24.320 town for a week or so, but that next morning, 0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:27.800 while he was praying, he heard God speak to him, 0:15:28.280 --> 0:15:30.840 not out loud, but write down in here this very 0:15:31.040 --> 0:15:37.200 distinct phrase. The hour of Mary's deliverance has come. Notice. 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:40.760 There's a set time for favor, a set time for increase, 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:44.600 even a set time for deliverance. After my father got 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:47.440 through praying that morning, he opened his Bible and he 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.440 just flipped through it and randomly pointed to a scripture, 0:15:50.840 --> 0:15:53.560 hoping that God would give him a sign. We've all 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:56.760 done this before and certainly doesn't always work. But this 0:15:56.880 --> 0:16:00.800 day he pointed to Luke one verse thirty. It says, 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:04.480 fear not Mary, for you have found favor with God. 0:16:05.040 --> 0:16:09.440 He knew God was saying, this is Mary's season. He 0:16:09.520 --> 0:16:12.280 drove that morning two hundred and forty miles from Houston 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:15.400 to Dallas. When he went in Mary's room, it was dark, 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:18.560 the lights were off, the shades were pulled, and Mary 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.440 didn't even recognize him. Her hair was all matted, her 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:25.800 eyes were glossy. And my father told how holy anger 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.560 came over him. He went over to the window shades 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:31.800 and opened them and said, God is light, Let light 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:34.560 in this room. He looked at Mary and said sternly, 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:37.800 don't tell me God did this to my sister. He 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.400 began to pray and pray, and then he just kind 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:43.080 of whispered, Mary, I want you to get up out 0:16:43.120 --> 0:16:46.960 of this bed. She immediately sat up. She hadn't walked 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:49.680 in months, but that moment she got up out of 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:53.440 the bed and walked around the house. Her mind became clear. 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:57.960 She was able to talk with my father. That day, 0:16:58.240 --> 0:17:01.560 she sat at the dinner table and fell herself. That day, 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:04.280 she no longer needed her medicine. She didn't need the 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:08.639 twenty four hour care. What happened, God shifted things in 0:17:08.760 --> 0:17:13.480 Mary's favor. Her set time for deliverance had come. My 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:15.920 father asked Mary, why did you get up out of 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:18.720 bed so quickly. She said, because I heard God tell 0:17:18.760 --> 0:17:20.800 me to get up. He said, no, Mary, I told 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:22.640 you to get up. She said, no, I heard God 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:25.000 tell me to get up. Daddy said no, Mary. I 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:28.040 was standing over you. I said, Mary, get up. She said, 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:31.240 listen here, John, I heard the creator of the universe. 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:36.439 I heard Almighty God. He told me to get up 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:38.840 out of that bed. And when I heard his voice, 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:43.760 every fiber of my being came alive. It was God's voice. 0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:47.040 What's my point? When you stay in faith, God will 0:17:47.040 --> 0:17:50.080 cause you to hear what you need to hear. Later, 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:53.480 Mary told she wrote it in a book, how even 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:57.240 though her mind was unclear for months, and even though 0:17:57.240 --> 0:18:00.240 she was going in and out of consciousness, deep down 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:04.359 in here she could sense something good was coming. Like 0:18:04.440 --> 0:18:08.159 that little spider, she could sense that one day she 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:11.359 would be totally free. One day she would live a normal, 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:14.800 healthy life. And if you will listen way down on 0:18:14.840 --> 0:18:18.480 the inside, even in your dark hours, you will hear 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:22.719 God whispering something better is on the horizon. Even when 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:26.600 it looks impossible, you'll hear that still small voice telling 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:29.480 you I can turn it around. I can do what 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:33.040 men can't do. When everybody else is saying you're done, 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:36.360 it's over, it's never gonna get better. Down in your spirit, 0:18:36.840 --> 0:18:39.800 God will be saying things like I've got a new beginning. 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:43.200 I can resurrect those dead dreams. Your best days are 0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:46.480 still out in front of you. Mary. Since what was 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:50.640 coming long before it got here, she heard the abundance 0:18:50.680 --> 0:18:53.960 of rain even when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:57.679 She was walking by faith and not by sight. And 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:01.600 I believe it's these little rays of hope. It's these 0:19:01.680 --> 0:19:04.879 little thoughts of faith that allow God to work in 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:08.960 our lives. You don't have to have great faith, you 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:11.880 don't have to understand all the theology and have all 0:19:11.920 --> 0:19:15.360 the answers, if you will just let a little seed 0:19:15.600 --> 0:19:19.720 of God's hope take root in your heart. Jesus said, 0:19:19.960 --> 0:19:22.959 if you have faith the size of the grain of 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:26.520 mustard seed. That's one of the smallest seeds. But that's 0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:29.760 all God needs to work with. I got a letter 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:31.919 a while back from a lady that had been in 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:35.760 an automobile accident and broken her neck. She had had 0:19:35.800 --> 0:19:39.040 several surgeries, hoping that it would get better, but it 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:42.000 continued to just get worse. She was in constant pain, 0:19:42.600 --> 0:19:44.919 and her husband had stayed home with her for months 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:47.520 and months to take care of her. She felt bad 0:19:47.520 --> 0:19:49.800 that he had been home that long, and she finally 0:19:49.800 --> 0:19:53.040 talked him into going back to work. He reluctantly agreed, 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:56.080 and one day while she was at home alone, she 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.200 was feeling so depressed and she was in so much pain. 0:20:00.720 --> 0:20:03.640 To end her life. She couldn't walk on her own, 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:05.800 but she thought she could scoot out of the chair 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:09.119 and crawl over to the gun cabinet. Her husband was 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:12.360 a big hundred. He had all these firearms. But when 0:20:12.400 --> 0:20:14.520 she got out of the chair, she lost her balance 0:20:14.600 --> 0:20:17.960 and fell. She knocked over the end table and ended 0:20:18.000 --> 0:20:20.920 up lying flat on her back, not able to move. 0:20:21.680 --> 0:20:25.080 The remote control for the television she was watching fell 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:27.840 over and hit the ground, and the batteries came out. 0:20:28.200 --> 0:20:31.359 When they did, it just so happened. It changed channels, 0:20:31.640 --> 0:20:34.040 and it flipped to a station where I was ministry. 0:20:34.560 --> 0:20:37.840 And that lady told how at one point she believed 0:20:37.880 --> 0:20:40.080 she was going to get well. At one point she 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.720 had that seed of hope. But he'd been so long, 0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:46.040 and she'd been through so many setbacks. She felt like 0:20:46.240 --> 0:20:48.960 she had lost her faith. But I love the fact 0:20:49.200 --> 0:20:52.080 that God never gives up on us. We may write 0:20:52.160 --> 0:20:54.880 him off, but He never writes us off. And even 0:20:54.960 --> 0:20:58.320 when she didn't think God was working, her set time 0:20:58.520 --> 0:21:01.679 for deliverance was on its way, Her set time for 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:04.920 favor was coming. She was lying flat on her back, 0:21:05.080 --> 0:21:08.000 not able to move. Her first thought was, oh great, 0:21:08.359 --> 0:21:10.520 I'm dying here, and now I got to listen to 0:21:10.560 --> 0:21:14.000 this TV preacher to add to my misery. But God 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:17.879 works in mysterious ways. That day I was talking about 0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:21.320 how God can turn any situation around, and how he 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:24.560 can take your darkest hour turn it into your brightest hour, 0:21:24.800 --> 0:21:27.960 and how nothing's too hard when we believe. She began 0:21:28.080 --> 0:21:31.480 to feel a peace that she'd never felt before. She said, 0:21:31.480 --> 0:21:34.480 I couldn't move my body, couldn't open my eyes, but 0:21:34.520 --> 0:21:38.760 I could feel tears of joy running down my cheeks. Later, 0:21:38.840 --> 0:21:41.520 her husband came home and found her in a deep, 0:21:41.640 --> 0:21:44.520 deep sleep. After he got her up and checked her out, 0:21:44.840 --> 0:21:47.520 he made the comment, it looks like you had an 0:21:47.720 --> 0:21:51.040 accident with the remote control. She smiled and said, no, 0:21:51.560 --> 0:21:55.640 it was no accident. That day was a turning point. 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:58.960 That day she began to get better. A new hope 0:21:59.040 --> 0:22:03.840 filled her heart. Friends, God has your set times for deliverance. 0:22:04.119 --> 0:22:07.240 He has your set times for favor, your set times 0:22:07.240 --> 0:22:10.560 for increase. You may not have seen it in the past, 0:22:10.920 --> 0:22:14.680 but don't get discouraged. It's on its way. God's already 0:22:14.680 --> 0:22:18.120 lined up the right people, the right opportunities, the right 0:22:18.200 --> 0:22:21.240 breaks that you need. He's got it all planned out. 0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:24.200 And when those negative thoughts come telling you that it's 0:22:24.240 --> 0:22:27.120 never gonna change, You're never gonna get well. Never get 0:22:27.119 --> 0:22:30.360 out of that mess. Just do like Elijah and learn 0:22:30.440 --> 0:22:33.960 to announce it. No. I can hear the sound of abundance. 0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:36.960 I can hear the sound of health. I can hear 0:22:37.000 --> 0:22:40.240 the sound of restoration. I can hear the sound of promotion. 0:22:40.560 --> 0:22:42.960 I may not be able to see it, but that's okay. 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:45.600 I can sense it down in here. I know my 0:22:45.720 --> 0:22:48.800 set time for favor is coming. I know my hour 0:22:48.920 --> 0:22:51.480 of deliverance is on its way. I may have a 0:22:51.480 --> 0:22:54.359 lot of turmoil, but bottom line is, I got a 0:22:54.400 --> 0:22:57.840 feeling everything's gonna be all right. I think about a 0:22:57.880 --> 0:23:01.280 man in the Old Testament. His name was was Hezekiah. 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:04.520 He had been very sick. He had something like we'd 0:23:04.520 --> 0:23:08.320 call shingles today. They didn't have the medicines and antibiotics 0:23:08.359 --> 0:23:11.399 that we do now. His health was going downhill. In 0:23:11.440 --> 0:23:14.639 a hurry. He asked Isaiah, the prophet, to come in 0:23:14.960 --> 0:23:18.080 and tell him what was going to happen. And Isaiah said, Hezekiah, 0:23:18.400 --> 0:23:21.040 here's the word of the Lord to you. Set your 0:23:21.080 --> 0:23:24.480 house in order. You will not live, you will die. 0:23:25.280 --> 0:23:28.320 That's not exactly the word he was hoping for. But 0:23:28.400 --> 0:23:31.439 I love the fact that Hezekiah didn't give up and 0:23:31.560 --> 0:23:35.560 accept defeat. He could have thought God's God, and he said, 0:23:35.600 --> 0:23:38.200 I'm gonna die. I guess it's over for me. But no, 0:23:38.359 --> 0:23:42.119 the scripture says he turned his face toward the wall, 0:23:42.680 --> 0:23:45.960 and he began to remind God of everything good he 0:23:46.000 --> 0:23:49.280 had done. He said, God, my father didn't serve you. 0:23:49.720 --> 0:23:53.240 My grandfather didn't serve you. But God, I tore down 0:23:53.280 --> 0:23:57.679 their altars, I destroyed their idols. And I haven't lived perfect, 0:23:57.920 --> 0:24:00.560 But God, I've always done my best to please you. 0:24:00.800 --> 0:24:04.400 He begin to plead his case. When you're in difficult times, 0:24:04.720 --> 0:24:08.280 it's good to remind God what you've done. God. I 0:24:08.400 --> 0:24:11.480 kept my family in church. God, I've gone the extra 0:24:11.520 --> 0:24:15.240 mile to help others. I've given, I've served, I've been 0:24:15.320 --> 0:24:18.760 faithful in your time of need. That's when you can 0:24:18.800 --> 0:24:22.199 call in all those seeds that you've sown. If you 0:24:22.280 --> 0:24:26.720 have other family members, parents, grandparents that loved God, just 0:24:26.800 --> 0:24:29.760 remind God, God, you know my mother, she was a 0:24:29.800 --> 0:24:33.520 praying woman. You know that lady honored you. God. You 0:24:33.600 --> 0:24:36.200 know my grandparents they had a heart after you. What 0:24:36.240 --> 0:24:39.760 you're saying is God. We have a history with you. 0:24:40.480 --> 0:24:42.919 That's why in the Old Testament they would pray to 0:24:42.960 --> 0:24:45.680 the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God 0:24:45.720 --> 0:24:49.720 of Jacob. They were reminding God, here's how we've honored you. 0:24:50.680 --> 0:24:53.840 Every time you come to church, every time you watch, 0:24:54.240 --> 0:24:57.480 you are storing up mercy for you and your family. 0:24:58.040 --> 0:25:00.879 Even today, every one of you can look back and 0:25:00.960 --> 0:25:05.119 remind God. At this particular weekend, I was at Lakewood. 0:25:05.720 --> 0:25:08.600 I was busy, had a lot to do, worked hard 0:25:08.640 --> 0:25:11.080 all week. But God, I brought my family to church, 0:25:11.440 --> 0:25:14.639 spent the gas money, took time to honor you. It 0:25:14.800 --> 0:25:18.720 makes a difference when you put God first in your life. 0:25:18.760 --> 0:25:22.639 This is what Hezekiah was doing. He turned his face 0:25:22.680 --> 0:25:25.240 toward the wall and he began to ask God for 0:25:25.320 --> 0:25:29.840 his mercy. And before Isaiah left the temple, before he 0:25:29.920 --> 0:25:33.720 even left the building, God spoke to him again and said, 0:25:33.760 --> 0:25:36.480 I want you to go back to Hezekiah and tell 0:25:36.560 --> 0:25:39.320 him I've changed my mind. Now. I'm not gonna give 0:25:39.359 --> 0:25:41.760 him another year. I'm not gonna give him five years. 0:25:41.800 --> 0:25:43.880 I'm not gonna give him ten years. You tell him 0:25:44.000 --> 0:25:47.959 I'm gonna add fifteen years to his life. Friends, God's 0:25:48.040 --> 0:25:52.920 in the increase, not decrease. This tells me, with our faith, 0:25:53.200 --> 0:25:56.879 we can change God's mind. Think about it. One moment, 0:25:57.200 --> 0:26:00.439 Hezekiah has a death sentence, not from a doctor, but 0:26:00.480 --> 0:26:05.200 from Almighty God. Then five minutes later, things have shifted. 0:26:05.720 --> 0:26:08.600 God made an adjustment. Now, all of a sudden, he's 0:26:08.640 --> 0:26:12.520 got fifteen more years. What happened He entered into a 0:26:12.560 --> 0:26:16.320 new season, a season of increase. When did it happen? 0:26:16.880 --> 0:26:20.440 When did his set time for favor come? When he believed? 0:26:20.760 --> 0:26:25.080 When he started expecting God's goodness. The scripture tells how 0:26:25.359 --> 0:26:28.240 when he got the good news, Hezeki took off his 0:26:28.359 --> 0:26:32.399 grave clothes and he put on his praise clothes. He 0:26:32.480 --> 0:26:34.960 began to thank God that health was on his way, 0:26:35.080 --> 0:26:38.040 and thank God that he was entering into a new season. 0:26:38.760 --> 0:26:41.720 And I'm sure people looked at him, said Hezekai, you 0:26:41.840 --> 0:26:44.720 sure look happy, but you don't look any different to us. 0:26:45.280 --> 0:26:47.960 You still look sick, you still look weak in pal 0:26:48.160 --> 0:26:50.439 he said, No, I may not look any different, I 0:26:50.480 --> 0:26:52.879 may not feel any different, but I can sense it 0:26:53.000 --> 0:26:56.119 down in here. I've got a promise from Almighty God, 0:26:56.440 --> 0:26:59.840 and I know the winds have shifted in my favor. 0:27:00.520 --> 0:27:03.359 I can imagine him walking through the temple, singing that 0:27:03.440 --> 0:27:07.120 old song. I've got a feeling everything's gonna be all right. 0:27:07.640 --> 0:27:10.680 People are thinking wise he's singing. Doesn't he know he's 0:27:10.720 --> 0:27:14.480 about to die. No, he's got a different report. He knows. 0:27:14.840 --> 0:27:18.760 God has made an adjustment, The winds have changed directions. 0:27:19.040 --> 0:27:23.080 His set time for favor has come. Isn't it interesting? 0:27:23.280 --> 0:27:26.040 God could have added a year that'd been nice. God 0:27:26.080 --> 0:27:28.439 could have added five years that had been great. But 0:27:28.560 --> 0:27:32.239 God is a god of abundance. He said, Hezekiah, I'm 0:27:32.280 --> 0:27:35.000 gonna give you fifteen more years. I'm gonna do more 0:27:35.280 --> 0:27:37.840 than you can even ask or think. And some of 0:27:37.920 --> 0:27:41.400 you today you thought it was over. You've been through 0:27:41.440 --> 0:27:44.280 the fire, you've been through the flood. But God is 0:27:44.320 --> 0:27:49.639 saying favor is coming your way. He's making adjustments. Things 0:27:49.680 --> 0:27:52.760 are shifting. You may not see how it can happen 0:27:52.840 --> 0:27:56.040 in the natural, you may not be able to explain it. 0:27:56.320 --> 0:27:59.480 But deep down in here, the seed has taken root. 0:28:00.160 --> 0:28:03.760 Like that little spider. You can sense something good is coming. 0:28:04.040 --> 0:28:07.359 You know everything's gonna be all right. Let me declare 0:28:07.359 --> 0:28:11.359 it over you. New seasons of increase, new seasons in 0:28:11.400 --> 0:28:15.720 your health, new seasons in your finances, new seasons in 0:28:15.760 --> 0:28:20.080 your relationships. God is saying, this is your set time 0:28:20.240 --> 0:28:23.479 for favor. You may have been rejected in the past, 0:28:23.840 --> 0:28:26.840 but you're going to be accepted in the future. You 0:28:26.920 --> 0:28:29.720 may have been pushed down in days gone by, but 0:28:29.840 --> 0:28:33.200 you're gonna be lifted up. God's gonna make your enemies 0:28:33.359 --> 0:28:37.280 your footstools. You may have struggled for years, but you 0:28:37.280 --> 0:28:40.200 were about to enter into that annoying of ease. Why 0:28:40.400 --> 0:28:44.560 this is your season. The winds have changed direction. Now 0:28:44.600 --> 0:28:48.120 what don't you do? Like Hezekia, take off those grave clothes, 0:28:48.520 --> 0:28:51.960 take off that negative, defeated, not gonna happen mentality, and 0:28:52.000 --> 0:28:56.720 put on an attitude of faith, expectancy, Praise, thanksgiving all 0:28:56.800 --> 0:28:59.640 through the day. Thank God that new seasons are on 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:02.640 their way. Thank Him that your set time for favor 0:29:02.680 --> 0:29:05.840 is here. Thank Him that your hour of deliverance has come. 0:29:06.760 --> 0:29:09.320 If you do this, you will see the wind of 0:29:09.360 --> 0:29:12.600 God's blessings and favor blow in your life in a 0:29:12.640 --> 0:29:16.640 greater way. You'll rise out of mediocrity. You'll defeat every enemy, 0:29:16.920 --> 0:29:20.040 overcome every obstacle, and you'll live that life of victory 0:29:20.200 --> 0:29:22.360 God has in story. Amen, do you receive it today. 0:29:23.680 --> 0:29:26.400 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:29:26.440 --> 0:29:29.320 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:29:29.560 --> 0:29:33.760 Would you pray with me, say Lord Jesus, I'll repent 0:29:33.800 --> 0:29:38.360 of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 0:29:38.480 --> 0:29:42.720 my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 0:29:42.960 --> 0:29:45.280 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:29:45.320 --> 0:29:48.560 Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's going to 0:29:48.600 --> 0:29:50.360 take you places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:50.960 --> 0:29:53.800 Thank you for listening to the Joel O's Dean podcast. 0:29:54.160 --> 0:29:56.800 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:56.920 --> 0:30:00.840 those all over the world. Visit Jolosdean dot com slash 0:30:00.960 --> 0:30:02.959 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:30:04.240 --> 0:30:07.160 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:30:07.160 --> 0:30:10.560 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:30:10.640 --> 0:30:13.840 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:30:14.000 --> 0:30:16.440 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:30:16.520 --> 0:30:17.040 next time.