Not Shrinking Back

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:03.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.360 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.040 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:11.880 share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for 0:00:11.920 --> 0:00:15.360 God's very best in your life. God bless you. It's 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:17.800 great to be with you today, and I hope you'll 0:00:17.800 --> 0:00:21.040 stay connected with us during the week to our daily podcast, 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:24.840 our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit 0:00:24.920 --> 0:00:26.960 us in person. We'd love to have you be a 0:00:27.000 --> 0:00:29.760 part of one of our services. I'd like to start 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:33.040 with something funny and I heard about this minister. He 0:00:33.080 --> 0:00:35.360 was driving down the road when he got pulled over 0:00:35.440 --> 0:00:38.360 by a policeman. The officer came to the window and 0:00:38.440 --> 0:00:42.320 smelled alcohol. He saw a thermis. Says, sir, what are 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:46.360 you drinking. The minister said, just water. Officer, he has 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:49.720 to smell the thermis. He took one sniff, said this 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:52.800 smells like wine to me. The minister said, what do 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:57.560 you know. Jesus did it again. No, Jesus didn't do 0:00:57.600 --> 0:01:01.160 it again. Here we go, y'all. He's my Bible. I 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:03.560 am what it says, I am, I have what it 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:06.160 says I have I can do what it says I 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:09.560 can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 0:01:10.040 --> 0:01:14.479 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:18.440 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:22.080 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:22.160 --> 0:01:26.080 not shrinking back. We all go through times where there's 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:31.240 pressure in things pushing against us. It's easy to let fear, doubt, 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:35.680 intimidation cause us to shrink back to where we quit 0:01:35.800 --> 0:01:40.160 believing for what God promised. But Hebrews ten says, we 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:44.000 do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:48.360 but to those who have faith and are saved. God 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:52.040 didn't create us to have a shrink back mentality. You 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:56.040 don't belong to that family. Your DNA doesn't have give 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:59.680 up too much, can't do it. You belong to the 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:05.640 mood time he's put in you, courage, endurance, favor. You 0:02:05.680 --> 0:02:09.440 are not weak. You are a warrior. Don't believe those lives. 0:02:09.440 --> 0:02:12.440 It is too much and it's been too long, is 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:15.560 never going to work out. That's the enemy trying to 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:19.080 convince you to shrink back. The scripture says, so you 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:23.120 will be destroyed. You will miss your destiny. How you 0:02:23.200 --> 0:02:26.880 respond to the pressure in life will make you or 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:31.280 break you. How you deal with the giants, the opposition, 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:35.440 those times where everything in you says to settle is 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:39.680 not worth it, those are critical times. If you'll keep 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:44.080 pressing forward, believe in despite what's come against you, you 0:02:44.120 --> 0:02:47.920 are passing. The test. On the other side is a 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:52.560 new level of your destiny. David was seventeen years old 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:55.680 when he took lunch to his brothers. They were in 0:02:55.760 --> 0:03:00.600 the army. He heard Goliath taunting the Israelites. Goliath had 0:03:00.639 --> 0:03:03.280 been doing this for forty days, once in the morning, 0:03:03.440 --> 0:03:06.720 once in the evening. When the Israelites heard it, they 0:03:06.760 --> 0:03:11.200 were so afraid they ran in hid. Thousands of soldiers 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.480 had put their destinies on hold at the mercy of 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:19.000 this one giant. Well, David was half his size, a shepherd, 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:23.360 he had no military training. But something rose up in David. 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.600 He said, in effect, I'm not like these other men. 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:29.880 I don't have a shrink backed spirit. I know who 0:03:29.919 --> 0:03:33.960 I belonged to, I know what's in my DNA. While 0:03:33.960 --> 0:03:38.440 the others were hiding the scripture, said, David ran quickly 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.800 toward Goliath. You'd think he'd want to sneak up on him, 0:03:41.960 --> 0:03:44.800 catch him off guard. But when you know who you 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:48.400 are and who you are, you don't run from giants. 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:52.200 You run two giants. David slung that raw and brought 0:03:52.240 --> 0:03:56.120 down Goliath. When you face obstacles that seem too big, 0:03:56.720 --> 0:04:01.240 you feel pressure, thoughts you can't be to cancer. Just 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:04.320 learn to live with it, and you'll never be successful. 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:07.840 Nobody in your family is your child's not gonna make 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:11.960 good decisions. Just accept it. You're right where David was. 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:16.480 Maybe friends, family, they've shrunk back, they're on the sidelines. 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:20.000 Don't be like them. You don't belong to those who 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:23.440 shrink back. That's not who God created you to be. 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:27.520 There's courage in you, there's favor on your life to 0:04:27.600 --> 0:04:30.960 bring down the giants. And the scripture talks about us 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:34.520 putting on the armor of God, the helmet of salvation, 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:39.240 breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, shoes of peace, the 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:43.200 shield of faith, the sword of the spirit. What's interesting 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:47.400 is there's nothing for our backside, nothing to protect us 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:51.159 from the rear. That's because you were never designed to 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:55.720 run from the enemy, to retreat, to live intimidated. When 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:59.600 you shrink back you're leave in yourself open. It's more 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:02.960 danger than it is to face the opposition. That's why 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:07.040 the scripture says, stand firm in your faith and having 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:10.880 done all to stand. When you've done everything you can, 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:15.560 you prayed, believe, taking steps of faith. But the giant 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:19.640 is still there, still shouting insults. You still feel doubt 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:24.919 and uncertainty. Don't turn it round, just stand. Sometimes you 0:05:25.040 --> 0:05:29.080 have to outlast the enemy. God wouldn't have allowed that 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:32.320 giant if it was gonna stop your purpose. It's not 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:35.640 going to keep you from your destiny, like David is 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:40.080 going to launch you into your destiny. Because David didn't 0:05:40.080 --> 0:05:44.200 shrink back, he changed the course of his family line. 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:48.920 They were shepherds out in the desert, taking care of animals. 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:53.880 They had no influence, very little income. I'm sure David 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:56.240 thought there's got to be more to life than this. 0:05:57.040 --> 0:06:00.840 He could feel those seeds of greatness as he looked around. 0:06:01.040 --> 0:06:04.359 He didn't see any way out. This is all he knew. 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:08.000 His seven brothers were in the army that day he 0:06:08.040 --> 0:06:11.120 saw Goliath. They were shrinking back with the rest of 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:13.960 the army. They had been running and hiding for the 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:18.880 last forty days David's father didn't have much vision. He 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:23.160 didn't think David could do anything significant. He discounted him. 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:28.000 But everything changed when one person in that family made 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:32.640 this decision, I'm not shrinking back. Everyone else was afraid 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:37.400 accepting dysfunction. Not David. His attitude was, I am not 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:41.000 a shrink back person. I don't belong to that family. 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:43.720 I have the spirit of the Living God on the 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:47.360 inside of me. I was created to defeat giants, to 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:52.120 take new ground. He had this boldness, this courage to 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:56.200 stand strong and face things that others in his family 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:00.760 turned and head from. They backed away, but move forward 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:04.359 in faith. You can be the David in your family. 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:09.720 Others may have back down. The addictions too strong. Everyone's depressed. 0:07:09.720 --> 0:07:14.040 In my family. We've always struggled in our finances. Nobody 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:17.480 can stay married. That's just who we are. No someone 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:21.920 has to rise up and break the generational bondages. Someone 0:07:22.000 --> 0:07:26.440 has to run to Goliath instead of running away. You 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:30.560 are that someone. You wouldn't be hearing this if God 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:33.800 didn't want you to set new standards. You can be 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:37.440 the first one in your family to be free from addictions, 0:07:38.000 --> 0:07:41.239 to say faithful in your marriage, to raise your family 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:44.760 in church, to start a business, to go to college, 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:49.200 to see your children flourish. You weren't created to shrink back. 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:53.320 You were created to take new ground. But when we've 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:56.840 seen a pattern of people that give up on dreams 0:07:56.920 --> 0:08:02.360 and accept mediocrity, it can become normal to us. Where 0:08:02.400 --> 0:08:06.480 when you encounter a goliath, an obstacle that looks too big, 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:10.960 you hear those threats like David's brothers, You've been conditioned 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:13.840 to shrink back. It's too much. I can't do that. 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:17.840 God is saying to you. You don't belong to shrink 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:21.800 back people. That's not who you are. You may have 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:25.160 been conditioned to think that way. The truth is you're 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:29.200 a David. You're a giant killer. You're a history maker. 0:08:29.480 --> 0:08:32.720 Be strong and go after what God put in your heart. 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:37.320 It just takes one person to break a negative cycle 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:40.800 in your family. You can be the one to affect 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:46.679 generations to come. You may be outnumbered, smaller, have less experience, 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:51.880 less equipment. That's where David was wasn't his size, his strength, 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:54.719 his skill. It was the fact that he had the 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:59.640 courage to move toward the enemy when everyone else was retreating. 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:03.520 God saw his faith and breathe favor on his life. 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:08.240 He became a giant killer. That can be you. I'm 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:11.320 not looking at shrink back people. That's not who you 0:09:11.400 --> 0:09:15.240 belong to. I've seen your birth certificate. You're a child 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:21.679 of the most High in your DNA is courage, endurance, faith, fortitude. 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:25.720 Stand strong, and you'll see God show out in your life. 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:28.760 A friend of mine was raised in a single parent 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:33.120 home in government housing. She didn't know her father and 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:36.240 her mother was never around. She didn't have any guidance. 0:09:36.960 --> 0:09:40.040 She became pregnant at sixteen, had to drop out of school, 0:09:40.120 --> 0:09:43.440 and it looked like this cycle of defeat would get 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:46.840 pass to the next generation. She found a job at 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:51.719 a school cafeteria, punching meal tekets. Every thought told her 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:56.280 this is who you are. You're stuck here, nothing will change. 0:09:56.600 --> 0:10:00.240 But deep down she heard something on the inside, and 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:03.679 you were made for more. This is not your destiny. 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:07.720 The enemy will try to convince you that the obstacles 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:11.320 are too big. There are no options, so just shrink back. 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:15.520 But if you'll listen closely, there's a still small voice 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:19.160 saying you were made for more. You have greatness in you. 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:23.200 You can set new standards. She had every reason to settle. 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:26.840 All the odds were against her, but she decided to 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:30.360 go back to school. Two years later, she got her ged. 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:34.959 That was good, but she wasn't satisfied. She enrolled in college. 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:38.120 She'd work all day, go to school at night. In 0:10:38.200 --> 0:10:42.400 four years, she graduated with honors. She still wasn't satisfied. 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:45.160 She went back to school and got her master's degree. 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:48.880 She was then hired as a principal at the same 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:53.040 school where she worked in the cafeteria. God will do 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:58.160 amazing things if you don't shrink back. Are there areas 0:10:58.200 --> 0:11:02.360 today where maybe you've settled, you quit believing for your 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:06.560 healing doesn't seem possible. Now you're not pursuing a dream. 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:10.560 Too many doors have closed. You've accepted. You won't get married, 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:15.000 won't break the addiction, won't get into college. This is 0:11:15.040 --> 0:11:20.080 a call to action. No more hiding, hiding because of fear. 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:25.320 The giant looks too big. It's intimidating. You and God 0:11:25.440 --> 0:11:28.800 are a majority. He has not brought you this far 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:32.640 to leave you. You have to get your fireback, get your 0:11:32.720 --> 0:11:36.760 passion back, and start pursuing what He's put in your heart. 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:43.000 Those dreams have an expiration date. There are windows of opportunity. 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:47.280 You can't sit around nursing old wounds. And why did 0:11:47.320 --> 0:11:49.760 this happen to me? And why did I go through 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:52.199 this loss? And I don't think I'll ever get out 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:55.520 of this problem. You need to check your birth certificate. 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.880 You don't belong to a shrink backed family if you 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:02.520 don't come from a dear retreat and hiding. Can't do 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:06.800 your DNA is full of courage, full of faith, full 0:12:06.840 --> 0:12:10.520 of can do power. Don't be like all those others 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:13.720 in the army and run away from Goliath. Be a 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:17.320 David and run to Goliath. There was a man in 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:22.000 the scripture named Bartimaeus. He'd been blind since birth. He 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:24.640 was on the side of the road begging and asking 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.680 people for money, like he did every day. He heard 0:12:27.720 --> 0:12:30.960 all this commotion, all this chatter, and asked what was 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:36.400 going on. They said, this teacher named Jesus is passing by. Well, 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:39.079 he had heard about Jesus and how he did all 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:44.800 kinds of miracles. So Bartimaeus started shouting, Jesus, son of David, 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:49.079 have mercy on me. Again and again. The people around 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:53.560 him said, Bartimaeus, be quiet, quit yelling. You're making a 0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:58.400 big scene, but the scripture says Bartimaeus shouted even louder. 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:02.280 He didn't have a drink back spirit. He had a bold, 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:07.080 courageous spirit. About that time, Jesus stopped, turned and looked 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:10.319 right at him. The people thought, all, great, you made 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:13.720 him mad. He's gonna cheer you out. Jesus smiled and said, 0:13:13.720 --> 0:13:16.400 tell him to come to me. They couldn't believe it. 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:20.960 He said, Bartimaeus, he's not upset. He's calling for you. 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:23.360 Jesus said to him, what do you want me to 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:26.720 do for you? He said, Lord, I want to see. 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:30.280 Jesus said, go your way. Your faith has made you 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:34.840 hold Instantly he could see. But here's my point. I'm 0:13:34.880 --> 0:13:37.800 sure there were other blind people on the road that day, 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:42.680 other sick people, those that needed favor and breakthroughs. But 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.840 he was the only one that was healed. Maybe the 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:50.480 others were complacent. Maybe at one time they believed they 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:53.600 took steps of faith, but it didn't work out. Now 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:58.520 they've settled. The difference was Bartimaeus didn't have a shrink 0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:03.360 backed spirit. He kept believing despite being blind his whole life. 0:14:03.960 --> 0:14:07.480 He kept calling out to Jesus despite others trying to 0:14:07.520 --> 0:14:10.959 talk him out of it. Jesus said, your faith has 0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:15.600 made you haul. My question is are you releasing your faith? 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:21.680 Are you stretching, praying, expecting, or have you gotten complacent, 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:27.680 accepting mediocrity, living with dysfunction. Shake off that shrink backed 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:31.160 spirit and start pursuing what God put in your heart. 0:14:32.000 --> 0:14:35.560 My father gave his life to Christ at seventeen years old, 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:39.480 the first one in the family. He felt God calling 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:42.520 him to become a pastor, and this was totally new 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:46.120 to them. They knew nothing about faith. They were very poor, 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.520 they had lost everything during the Great Depression, and he 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:51.800 told his parents he was going to leave the farm 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:55.800 and become a minister. They said, John, you don't know 0:14:55.840 --> 0:14:58.440 how to pastors. All you know how to do is 0:14:58.480 --> 0:15:00.680 work on the farm. You could get there and fail. 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.400 They were good people, but they had a limited mindset. 0:15:06.200 --> 0:15:09.720 People that are living small lives will try to convince 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:13.600 you to live small. Family members that have shrunk back 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:17.160 will try to talk you into shrinking back. You have 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:20.320 to be like Barnabas and break out of that bold 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:24.360 have the boldness to take steps of faith. That's what 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:27.440 my father did. He had to hitchhike, but he left 0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:30.320 the farm and he went out and began to minister. 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:33.680 That was the start to more than fifty years of 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:37.800 pastoring and ministry all over the world. But had Daddy 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:41.840 shrunk back, we wouldn't be here today. Where God is 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:46.720 calling you is going to take greater faith, greater courage. 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:49.680 People may not understand and try to talk you out 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:53.480 of it. There will be giants that look bigger. You'll 0:15:53.480 --> 0:15:57.240 be tempted to retreat. I don't want that pressure. You 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.640 have to be strong. God is raised you up for 0:16:00.760 --> 0:16:04.880 this time. He's empowered you with his spirit. It's not 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:08.760 a spirit to quit, a spirit to settle, a spirit 0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:12.040 to run and hide. It's a spirit of power, a 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:16.360 spirit to outlast, a spirit to bring down giants, to 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:21.080 break generational limitations, to accomplish more than you thought possible. 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:26.720 Think about the three Hebrew teenagers Shadrak, Nijak, a bendigo. 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:29.760 They wouldn't bow down to the king's golden idol, and 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:33.680 they worship only Jehovah. When the king got word, he 0:16:33.800 --> 0:16:36.840 was furious. He said, I'm gonna give you one more chance. 0:16:37.080 --> 0:16:40.120 If you don't vow, if you don't shrink back like 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:44.320 everyone else, I'm gonna throw you into a fiery furnace. Well, 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:49.040 they had emotions just like us. They felt fear, intimidation, 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:53.520 no doubt, panic set in. Man, this is life or death. 0:16:54.320 --> 0:16:58.040 Everything in them said to back down, retreat, it's not 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:01.640 worth it. This battle was taking place in their mind, 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:04.639 and they could have said, all right, King, we changed 0:17:04.680 --> 0:17:08.199 our mind. We're going to bow. It's always easier to 0:17:08.240 --> 0:17:11.720 shrink back. It's easier to get out from under the pressure, 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:16.680 quit believing, not have to stand strong. But to reach 0:17:16.720 --> 0:17:20.520 your destiny, you have to do the hard thing. If 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:24.520 it was easy, everyone would do it. God is looking 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:29.000 for people that won't be intimidated by the threats, won't 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:32.359 back down because of fear, won't give up because of 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:36.840 the disappointment, or because the giant is bigger. Be a David, 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:40.800 do the hard thing. What I found is when you 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:44.919 do what's difficult, there's a grace that empowers you, a 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:48.040 favor that enables you. It won't be as hard as 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:54.160 it looks. God will show up and breathe on your life, strength, courage. 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:56.800 He'll make ways where you don't see a way. He'll 0:17:56.800 --> 0:18:00.920 turn your slingshot into a mighty weapon that brings down giants. 0:18:01.760 --> 0:18:05.080 These teenagers said, we're sorry, King, but we are not 0:18:05.200 --> 0:18:09.320 going to bow down. We know our God will deliver us. 0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:11.720 But here's the key. They went on to say, but 0:18:11.960 --> 0:18:15.880 even if he doesn't, we're still not gonna bow That's 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:20.080 a powerful attitude. God. We would rather honor you and 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:24.399 lose our life than shrink back and keep our life, 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:28.000 because if you shrink back, you can't become who you 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:32.400 were created to be. And this takes trust, because sometimes 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.199 we think I want shrink back. As long as I 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:38.400 know it's gonna work out my way, I'll face Goliath 0:18:38.600 --> 0:18:40.800 as long as I know I'm gonna defeat him. We'll 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:42.800 go after the compact center, as long as we know 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:46.760 we're gonna get it. That doesn't take any faith. God 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:51.400 will ask you to go into the unknown, where there's uncertainty. 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.760 You don't know how it's gonna work out. You're saying, God, 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:58.320 my life is in your hands. I'm gonna keep pressing 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:02.600 forward despite this giant, being so much vigor knowing that 0:19:02.640 --> 0:19:05.480 you have the final say that what you purpose for 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:09.400 my life will come to pass. If the giant would 0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:13.240 have defeated David, David would have finished his course, he 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:17.320 would have died in faith if the fire consumed these teenagers, 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:21.160 they would have fulfilled their destiny. As long as you're 0:19:21.200 --> 0:19:24.960 pursuing God's purpose, doing what He's put in your heart, 0:19:25.400 --> 0:19:28.560 then it's up to him to protect you, to favor you, 0:19:28.880 --> 0:19:32.439 to move you into your destiny. The king heated up 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:35.919 the fire seven times hotter than normal. He wanted to 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:39.679 make sure they were quickly killed. What he didn't realize 0:19:39.920 --> 0:19:42.440 was he was setting them up for a bigger miracle. 0:19:43.320 --> 0:19:47.119 Sometimes the enemy overplays his hand. God will let the 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:50.160 odds be against you in a greater way on purpose. 0:19:51.040 --> 0:19:55.160 Goliath could have been a typical tall man, someone big, 0:19:55.200 --> 0:19:59.040 maybe six foot five, muscular, he still would have towered 0:19:59.040 --> 0:20:04.040 over David was small, But Goliath stood over nine feet tall. 0:20:04.720 --> 0:20:07.960 His armor weighed one hundred and twenty five pounds. He 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:13.080 was almost twice dated size. That wasn't a coincidence. God 0:20:13.160 --> 0:20:16.960 let Goliath be so much bigger. He let the fire 0:20:17.080 --> 0:20:20.320 be seven times hotter, so that when he turned it 0:20:20.400 --> 0:20:23.240 around there would be no doubt. It was the hand 0:20:23.280 --> 0:20:27.960 of Almighty God, his power at work. They threw these 0:20:27.960 --> 0:20:30.760 teenagers into the fire. Of course, they should have burned 0:20:30.840 --> 0:20:34.040 up quickly, but the king looked in and said, didn't 0:20:34.040 --> 0:20:37.120 we throw three men in the fire? I see four men, 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:40.720 and one looks like the son of God. They came 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:44.360 out without the smell of smoke. The king said, from 0:20:44.359 --> 0:20:46.280 now on, we're all going to worship the god of 0:20:46.320 --> 0:20:51.040 shadreck Mijak of Indigo. Amazing things happen when you don't 0:20:51.040 --> 0:20:55.480 shink back. You'll be protected in the fire, you'll defeat giants, 0:20:55.840 --> 0:21:02.120 you'll overcome impossible situations. Act. Peter and John were going 0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:04.960 to the temple one afternoon and there was a crippled 0:21:04.960 --> 0:21:08.280 man lying at the gate, and he asked them for money. 0:21:08.880 --> 0:21:11.359 Peter said, I don't have any silver or gold, but 0:21:11.440 --> 0:21:14.760 I have something better in the name of Jesus, Rise 0:21:14.880 --> 0:21:19.440 and walk. The men was instantly healed. He went around dancing, 0:21:19.640 --> 0:21:24.120 thanking God. Well. It created a big stir. People had 0:21:24.160 --> 0:21:27.879 seen the men there for years, crippled, begging. Now he 0:21:28.040 --> 0:21:32.960 was perfectly healthy. You would think they'd be excited, so happy, 0:21:33.520 --> 0:21:37.600 but the religious leaders didn't like it. There will always 0:21:37.680 --> 0:21:41.280 be people that find fault. You can do a good thing, 0:21:41.800 --> 0:21:46.199 but someone won't understand. They'll be jealous, try to discredit you. 0:21:47.280 --> 0:21:50.399 The leaders had the temple guards arrest Peter and John 0:21:50.440 --> 0:21:53.040 and put them in jail. They brought them out the 0:21:53.080 --> 0:21:57.000 next morning and said, by what power or by what 0:21:57.200 --> 0:22:00.640 name did you do this? They thought they were trapping 0:22:00.680 --> 0:22:04.840 Peter in John. But this was a divine setup. Peter said, 0:22:04.920 --> 0:22:07.960 let me be clear. This man was healed by the 0:22:08.000 --> 0:22:11.680 power of the name of Jesus, the man you crucified, 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:16.199 who God raised from the dead. Those leaders didn't know 0:22:16.240 --> 0:22:18.919 what to do with Peter and John. They've seen a 0:22:18.920 --> 0:22:23.080 great miracle. They couldn't deny it. They said in verse seventeen, 0:22:23.800 --> 0:22:28.280 perhaps we can stop this from spreading any further. We'll 0:22:28.320 --> 0:22:31.400 warn them to not speak in the name of Jesus anymore. 0:22:32.200 --> 0:22:35.879 They called them in, said no more teaching, praying, talking 0:22:35.880 --> 0:22:39.920 about that name. Peter and John had to make a decision. 0:22:40.600 --> 0:22:44.480 Are we going to shrink back be intimidated? Let these 0:22:44.520 --> 0:22:48.520 people silence us. I can imagine the spirit of God 0:22:48.640 --> 0:22:51.919 rising up on the inside, saying, you don't belong to 0:22:51.960 --> 0:22:55.200 shrink back people. You belong to those who have courage, 0:22:55.280 --> 0:22:59.000 who have faith. They said to the leaders, do you 0:22:59.080 --> 0:23:03.199 think God wants to to obey him or to obey you? 0:23:03.280 --> 0:23:06.639 We cannot stop talking about the wonderful things we have 0:23:06.760 --> 0:23:10.520 seen they released Peter and John. They went to the 0:23:10.560 --> 0:23:14.720 other believers and told them what happened. They prayed in 0:23:14.800 --> 0:23:18.920 verse twenty nine, Lord, you have heard their threats. Now 0:23:19.000 --> 0:23:24.000 give your servants greater boldness, send your healing, your miracles 0:23:24.080 --> 0:23:27.760 in greater ways. When they got through praying, the scripture 0:23:27.760 --> 0:23:30.800 says the building where they were meeting begin to shake, 0:23:31.240 --> 0:23:34.399 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. We 0:23:34.440 --> 0:23:37.520 are living in a time where some people don't want 0:23:37.560 --> 0:23:42.960 to hear about God faith hope. They've never experienced his goodness. 0:23:43.359 --> 0:23:47.240 They'll try to silence you and intimidate you, and it's 0:23:47.280 --> 0:23:49.399 tempting to shrink Mac and I don't want to be 0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:53.040 out of place. No, let your light shine. We need 0:23:53.080 --> 0:23:56.560 to pray like Peter. God, give us greater boldness, let 0:23:56.640 --> 0:24:00.800 us see your favor in greater ways. People can try 0:24:00.880 --> 0:24:04.520 to discredit what you say, but they can't discredit what 0:24:04.560 --> 0:24:08.960 they see. Those leaders didn't want to believe in Peter 0:24:09.119 --> 0:24:12.920 and John. They tried to discredit him, but they could 0:24:12.960 --> 0:24:17.520 not deny this crippled man was up walking. When people 0:24:17.600 --> 0:24:20.480 see the miracles, when they see us here in the 0:24:20.480 --> 0:24:24.159 former Compact center, when they saw my mother live forty 0:24:24.200 --> 0:24:28.240 four years after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. They can't 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:32.199 deny that God is going to make you an example 0:24:32.320 --> 0:24:35.720 of his goodness. He's gonna let his favor shine through 0:24:35.760 --> 0:24:39.000 you in a greater way, so there won't be any 0:24:39.240 --> 0:24:43.479 doubt that you belong to him. It's significant that this 0:24:43.680 --> 0:24:47.080 verse about not shrinking back is the last verse in 0:24:47.200 --> 0:24:51.120 chapter ten of Hebrews Well. Chapter eleven is where all 0:24:51.160 --> 0:24:55.160 the heroes of faith are listed. God is saying, if 0:24:55.200 --> 0:24:58.360 you want shrink back, you'll make it into chapter eleven. 0:24:58.840 --> 0:25:03.880 You'll become a hero of faith, breaking generational bondages, setting 0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:08.760 new standards. Are there areas in your life you've gotten complacent, 0:25:09.320 --> 0:25:13.040 become stagnant. This is not the time to shrink back. 0:25:13.480 --> 0:25:16.399 This is the time to take new ground. You have 0:25:16.480 --> 0:25:20.520 to stir your faith, get your passion back. You may 0:25:20.520 --> 0:25:24.920 have gone through disappointments a door closed, but everything good 0:25:25.040 --> 0:25:27.760 in your life is not behind you. It's in front 0:25:27.760 --> 0:25:31.560 of you. Don't settle because of what didn't work out. 0:25:31.680 --> 0:25:34.880 This is a new day. God is doing new things. 0:25:35.280 --> 0:25:38.680 You don't belong to a shrink back family. In your 0:25:38.800 --> 0:25:42.360 DNA is the courage of Esther, a young woman who 0:25:42.440 --> 0:25:46.280 saved the Jewish people. The boldness of David, who brought 0:25:46.320 --> 0:25:50.119 down a giant, the faith of Abraham who believed without 0:25:50.240 --> 0:25:54.280 see the endurance of Sarah who gave birth at ninety 0:25:54.320 --> 0:25:57.600 years old, the favor of marrying who had a child 0:25:57.640 --> 0:26:00.440 without knowing a man, The power of a life Aijah 0:26:00.520 --> 0:26:04.200 who called down fire from heaven. The strength of Senson, 0:26:04.760 --> 0:26:08.880 who defeated a whole army by himself. That's who you are. 0:26:09.640 --> 0:26:14.800 A history maker, a giant killer. Be strong, be courageous, 0:26:15.040 --> 0:26:17.680 and go after what God put in your heart. If 0:26:17.680 --> 0:26:21.680 you'll do this, I believe and declare, like Barnimaeus, your 0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:25.960 faith is going to make you whole, healing favor, breakthroughs 0:26:26.560 --> 0:26:30.359 like David. Giants are about to come down. Like Peter, 0:26:30.760 --> 0:26:34.840 you will see greater favor that people cannot deny in 0:26:35.000 --> 0:26:38.680 Jesus's name. And if you receive it, can you say amen? 0:26:40.920 --> 0:26:43.680 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:26:43.720 --> 0:26:46.119 the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:26:47.000 --> 0:26:51.080 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:26:51.119 --> 0:26:54.560 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:26:55.280 --> 0:26:57.680 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:26:57.720 --> 0:27:01.080 born again. We'd love to send you free information on 0:27:01.119 --> 0:27:03.440 your new walk with the Lord. You can text the 0:27:03.560 --> 0:27:06.439 number on the screen or go to the website. But 0:27:06.520 --> 0:27:09.240 I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church 0:27:09.480 --> 0:27:11.399 and keep God first place. 0:27:13.280 --> 0:27:17.359 God's healing isn't earned, it's received, and you can discover 0:27:17.480 --> 0:27:19.520 how in the next thirty one days. 0:27:20.160 --> 0:27:24.520 Life has a way of wearing us down physically, mentally, emotionally. 0:27:25.000 --> 0:27:28.199 But God didn't create us to just survive, but to thrive. 0:27:28.760 --> 0:27:32.679 I'm excited about our new devotional, Happy, Healthy and Free. 0:27:33.160 --> 0:27:35.840 For thirty one days. I'll take you on a wellness 0:27:35.920 --> 0:27:39.679 journey for your spirit, body, and soul. It's filled with 0:27:39.840 --> 0:27:44.520 daily declarations, scriptures, encouragement. As you get your mind in 0:27:44.640 --> 0:27:49.640 tune with what God says, you'll experience a refreshing, a revitalization. 0:27:50.200 --> 0:27:54.280 You are created to be strong, to be passionate, to live, happy, 0:27:54.560 --> 0:27:55.720 healthy and free. 0:27:56.560 --> 0:27:59.919 When you contact us today, we'll send you Happy, Hell 0:28:00.400 --> 0:28:03.479 and Free a thirty one day wellness journey as our 0:28:03.560 --> 0:28:06.240 way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount. 0:28:06.760 --> 0:28:10.960 This devotional will help you strengthen your faith, declare God's promises, 0:28:11.160 --> 0:28:15.880 and receive the healing He's already made available to you spirit, soul, 0:28:16.000 --> 0:28:19.760 and body. God wants you whole, and this resource will 0:28:19.760 --> 0:28:23.639 help you experience His peace from the inside out. Please 0:28:23.680 --> 0:28:27.680 request your copy today begin a life receiving, life giving 0:28:27.760 --> 0:28:31.520 journey that will transform your spirit, mind, and body. In 0:28:31.680 --> 0:28:32.919 just thirty one days. 0:28:33.560 --> 0:28:36.600 God is going to restore what the enemy tried to steal, 0:28:36.880 --> 0:28:40.560 your joy, your peace, your health. Dectoy and I pray 0:28:40.600 --> 0:28:43.440 for you and your family every day. Thanks so much 0:28:43.480 --> 0:28:47.240 for your prayer and support. Your generosity is bringing hope 0:28:47.320 --> 0:28:50.360 to people around the world. Special thank you to our 0:28:50.440 --> 0:28:53.800 Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. If you're 0:28:53.800 --> 0:28:57.360 not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember 0:28:57.400 --> 0:29:01.440 you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download 0:29:01.480 --> 0:29:05.440 our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new Joel Ostein 0:29:05.560 --> 0:29:08.920 network social media. You can listen on Serious XM twenty 0:29:08.960 --> 0:29:12.360 four hours a day. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired 0:29:12.800 --> 0:29:15.200 until we see you next time. Mid The Lord bless 0:29:15.240 --> 0:29:16.280 you and keep you. 0:29:17.480 --> 0:29:21.360 Be sure to request your copy of Happy, Healthy, and Free, 0:29:21.560 --> 0:29:25.680 a thirty one day wellness Journey. Visit Joelostein dot com 0:29:25.800 --> 0:29:29.520 or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for 0:29:29.560 --> 0:29:32.520 an additional gift. This month, we are also offering the 0:29:32.560 --> 0:29:36.320 Wholeness and Promise Bundle, which includes the Happy, Healthy, and 0:29:36.400 --> 0:29:40.680 Free book plus the Words of Promise Journal, a beautifully 0:29:40.680 --> 0:29:44.480 designed journal where you can reflect, record prayers, and speak 0:29:44.560 --> 0:29:48.640 life over your future. You can also request the Happy, Healthy, 0:29:48.760 --> 0:29:52.680 and Free Collection, featuring the devotional, the journal, and a 0:29:52.680 --> 0:29:57.800 beautifully crafted set of three desktop encouragement blocks. Each whitewashed 0:29:57.840 --> 0:30:02.840 wooden block displays one power word, happy, Healthy, and Free, 0:30:03.040 --> 0:30:06.320 along with a carefully chosen scripture. Place them in your 0:30:06.320 --> 0:30:10.080 home or workspace as daily reminders of God's promises for 0:30:10.160 --> 0:30:14.200 your life. You can request these life changing resources by 0:30:14.240 --> 0:30:18.040 calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging 0:30:18.080 --> 0:30:22.520 on to Joelostein dot com today call or click anytime 0:30:22.760 --> 0:30:25.880 twenty four hours a day. This is your season to 0:30:26.040 --> 0:30:30.160 rise stronger, live later, and walk daily in God's healing 0:30:30.320 --> 0:30:32.959 and peace. Request your copies today. 0:30:33.880 --> 0:30:36.200 If you're a pastor, we'd like to invite you to 0:30:36.280 --> 0:30:39.320 our Pastor's gathering. We'd be honored to spend the day 0:30:39.360 --> 0:30:41.960 with you here at Lakewood. We'll share some of the 0:30:42.040 --> 0:30:45.520 things we've learned, insights and behind the scenes. Be a 0:30:45.600 --> 0:31:01.480 time of inspiration. And encouragement. We love to meet you