Pray For Others

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It's time, Your time, not just to 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:06.199 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:11.080 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:15.160 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:31.920 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:34.960 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:37.640 stop buying. Be a part of one of our services. 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:40.119 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.039 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:46.160 about this lady. She just got out of choir practice 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:48.919 and she was so fired up. She put a hank 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:52.680 if you love Jesus bumper sticker on her car. At 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.800 the intersection, she was digging in her purse and didn't 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:58.640 notice the light turned green. She said, I was so 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:02.120 excited to find out the god behind me loved Jesus. 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:05.680 He started hanking, so I leaned out the window, waved 0:02:05.720 --> 0:02:08.800 at him and said, I love Jesus too. She said. 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:11.360 I found out a whole lot of people love Jesus. 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:18.320 Everybody started honking. One man even screamed Jesus Christ. She said. 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:21.040 After we shared all that love together, I was the 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:24.640 only one to make it through the intersection. I felt 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:27.240 so bad. I pulled over and waved one last time, 0:02:27.520 --> 0:02:30.080 just to let them know how much I love Jesus. 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:34.320 And no she doesn't come to Lakewood. But say it 0:02:34.400 --> 0:02:37.320 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:39.760 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:42.320 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:02:42.720 --> 0:02:45.560 Today I will be taught the word of God. I 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:49.799 boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:53.680 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:02:53.720 --> 0:02:56.960 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:02:57.160 --> 0:03:01.360 praying for others. It's good to pray for yourself, pray 0:03:01.400 --> 0:03:04.639 for your dreams, pray for wisdom. Ask God to help 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:10.040 you overcome difficulties. That's important, but don't stop there. You 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:14.680 have the ability to help someone else reach their destiny. 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.760 There are people God has put in your life that 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:22.000 won't become who they were created to be without you praying. 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:26.080 They don't have the faith to accomplish their dreams. They 0:03:26.120 --> 0:03:30.200 won't break the addiction, they won't overcome the challenge without 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:34.760 you stepping up and asking God on their behalf. The 0:03:34.800 --> 0:03:38.840 Scripture tells us in James to pray one for another. 0:03:39.800 --> 0:03:42.800 You don't have to go to them physically I'm talking 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:47.560 about in your private time, not just focusing on your needs, 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:52.440 your goals, your dreams. Take time every day to pray 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:56.480 for others. Look around at who's in your life. That 0:03:56.560 --> 0:04:01.000 neighbor that seems down, that coworker that's struggling, that person 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:03.920 you heard about that has cancer that didn't come up 0:04:03.960 --> 0:04:08.200 by accident. God brought them across your path. He's counting 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:11.480 on you to lift them up. Well, Joel, I have 0:04:11.560 --> 0:04:15.240 my own problems, my own issues, my own dreams. I 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:19.039 need somebody to pray for me. When you pray for others, 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:21.919 you are sowing a seed for God to help you. 0:04:23.000 --> 0:04:27.560 When Job was overcome with difficulties, his world turned upside down. 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:31.800 He understood this principle. He didn't just pray for himself. 0:04:32.160 --> 0:04:35.880 He went out and prayed for his friends. He turned 0:04:35.920 --> 0:04:39.279 his focus away from his own needs and started praying 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:43.760 for others. The scripture says, when Job prayed for his friends, 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:48.360 his health was restored. Could it be if you would 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:51.599 take time to pray for others, then what you're struggling 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:55.600 with would turn around? Your health, your dreams, your breakthroughs 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:59.799 would show up. Paul tells us in Gulations to bear 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.839 one another's burdens. We weren't meant to carry the load 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:08.200 on our own. We need each other. Life can be heavy. 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:13.760 People are lonely, they've been through disappointments, They're dealing with illnesses. 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:17.400 They can smile on the outside and be hurting on 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:21.520 the inside. They have stress and pressure that we know 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:25.960 nothing about. When you pray for them, it helps lighten 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:30.559 the load. Your prayers cause the angels to go to work. 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:34.920 Chains that are holding them back begin to loosen. Depression 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:38.360 that's trying to sour their life. When you speak victory 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:42.400 over them, the forces of darkness begin to lose their grip. 0:05:43.160 --> 0:05:46.640 And it may not happen overnight, but your prayer is 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:50.960 making a difference. Your prayer may be what's keeping them going. 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:54.400 They don't even know your praying. You may not get 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:58.240 any credit, but what you do in secret, the scripture 0:05:58.320 --> 0:06:02.320 says God will reward you in the open. And when 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:05.359 I meet people, the favorite thing they tell me is 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:08.400 not I like listening to you. You encourage me, you 0:06:08.480 --> 0:06:11.880 help me. That's good. I'm grateful. But my favorite thing 0:06:12.320 --> 0:06:15.640 is when they say, Joel, I'm praying for you. When 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:19.240 you pray for someone, you're not just sending good wishes. 0:06:20.000 --> 0:06:22.280 You're not just saying good luck. I hope it goes 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:26.520 well for you. Prayer moves the hands that rule the world. 0:06:27.160 --> 0:06:30.880 Prayer causes the God who created the universe to make 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.480 things happen that we could never make happen. In the 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:38.200 Book of Revelation, John described what he saw in heaven, 0:06:38.680 --> 0:06:43.360 how there were angels all around the throne, constantly singing, worshiping, 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:47.760 saying Holy, Holy, Holy. But in chapter eight there was 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:52.520 silence in heaven for thirty minutes. During this time, an 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:56.320 angel came to the altar with a jar of incense, 0:06:56.800 --> 0:07:00.960 which represents the prayers coming up from the earth. Verse 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:05.120 four says, the smoke of the incense, together with the 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:09.320 prayers of the saints, went up before God. Here's how 0:07:09.400 --> 0:07:12.960 powerful prayer is in heaven. There was all this singing, 0:07:13.520 --> 0:07:17.200 all this worshiping. Then all of a sudden, the angels 0:07:17.200 --> 0:07:22.120 stopped singing. The heavenly hosts were silenced. What could be 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:27.080 so important that Heaven came to a standstill. Was something wrong? 0:07:27.640 --> 0:07:31.440 Was there an emergency? No, All of Heaven stopped to 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:36.160 hear the prayers coming up from God's people. Your prayers 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:40.080 go up like incense before the throne of God. And 0:07:40.080 --> 0:07:44.000 you may think nobody's listening. Voices whisper God's not concerned 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:47.160 about you. You're wasting your time. No, when you pray, 0:07:47.800 --> 0:07:52.960 just imagine the angels get quiet, the musicians stopped playing. 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:57.600 Gabriel says to God, I've silenced everything because I hear 0:07:57.680 --> 0:08:00.480 a prayer coming up from one of your cheer children. 0:08:01.360 --> 0:08:05.720 Somebody believes you can do the impossible. Somebody's counting on 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.960 you to heal a friend from cancer, to turn a 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:13.600 child around, to break an addiction. When you pray, powerful 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:17.920 things happen. All of heaven stops. The creator of the 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:22.840 universe comes to attention. That's when supernatural things take place 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:26.880 when you pray. Red caes are parted when you pray, 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:30.400 Compact centers show up. When you pray, you can overcome 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:34.520 those illnesses. I'm asking you to not just pray for yourself, 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:39.080 pray for others. Use this power to help somebody else 0:08:39.360 --> 0:08:43.760 reach their highest potential. In Acts, Chapter twelve, King Herod 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:47.520 was against the Church. He had not only arrested believers, 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:51.400 but he had James killed. When he saw how much 0:08:51.440 --> 0:08:54.320 this pleased the people, he was planning on doing the 0:08:54.360 --> 0:08:58.080 same thing to Peter. He arrested Peter and put him 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:01.520 in the deepest dungeon, the most secure place. But on 0:09:01.600 --> 0:09:04.880 the night before Peter was to go to trial, Verse 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:10.240 five says the church was earnestly praying for Peter. The 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:13.480 believers had gathered in a house. They spent the night 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:17.680 asking God to help their friend, to somehow bring him out, 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:21.080 to make a way. While they were praying, in the 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:24.160 middle of the night, an angel showed up at the 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:28.800 prison and woke Peter up. Peter wasn't praying, he was sleeping. 0:09:29.440 --> 0:09:32.840 Maybe he was too tired, too discouraged, but he had 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:36.280 friends who were praying. When the angel woke him up, 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:39.480 the chains fell off his wrist. They walked past the 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.600 first set of guards. Nobody saw them. They came to 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:45.680 the big iron gates. They opened on their own accord. 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:50.520 Peter's life was spared. What's interesting is the scripture says 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:55.959 specifically that people were praying for Peter, but it doesn't 0:09:56.000 --> 0:09:59.840 mention that anyone was praying for James. They were in 0:09:59.880 --> 0:10:04.520 the the same circumstances that had totally different results. And 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:07.960 while we rejoice over what God did for Peter, I 0:10:08.080 --> 0:10:12.040 wonder if James would have had people praying for him, 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:15.520 maybe he wouldn't have lost his life. Maybe the Angel 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:18.120 would have shown up, Maybe Herod would have changed his 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:23.200 mind if somebody had been praying. My challenge is, don't 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:26.920 let there be a James in your life. All your family, 0:10:27.360 --> 0:10:31.040 your friends, your relatives, your coworkers, they should be Peter's 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:35.720 Cover them in prayer. Ask God to strengthen them, to 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:39.960 help them, to protect them. Pray that they'll accomplish their dreams. 0:10:40.320 --> 0:10:44.120 Pray that they'll leave their mark on this generation. Your 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:47.800 prayer can make the difference. Your prayer can cause the 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:51.120 Angel to show up. When you go to God on 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:56.959 somebody else's behalf, Heaven comes to attention. God is concerned 0:10:57.200 --> 0:11:01.320 about what concerns you. People don't have the faith to 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:04.400 believe on their own. They may not be living right. 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:08.720 They don't think they deserve it. But because you're honoring God, 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:12.680 because you took the time to pray, God will bless 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:16.880 them for your sake. You have a gift. You can 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:20.920 help someone else succeed on their own. They can't do 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:24.760 it on their own. They're are James. But when you pray, 0:11:25.080 --> 0:11:28.600 prison doors open, the addiction will be broken. The right 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:32.360 people will show up. Are you using your gift? Are 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:36.120 you praying for others? Life is too short to live 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:40.600 only thinking about my dreams, my goals, my needs. That's 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:44.600 a shallow way to live. You'll never be truly fulfilled 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:48.400 that way because you need other people to stand in 0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:52.080 faith with you. When you develop this habit of praying 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:56.120 for others, God will make sure there will always be 0:11:56.480 --> 0:12:00.840 plenty of people praying for you. The scripture says one 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:04.360 can chase a thousand, but two can put ten thousand 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:08.280 to flight. You are ten times more powerful when you 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:12.720 have somebody praying for you. That's why every morning I 0:12:12.800 --> 0:12:15.760 pray for your dreams. I pray for your goals, for 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:19.720 your family, for health, for freedom, for abundance. I pray 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:23.120 for everyone that's a part of our ministry. I may 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:26.200 not know your name, but God, does you listen for 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:30.199 fifteen seconds, and I'm praying for you. Some nights, before 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:32.840 I go to bed, I go out in my backyard 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:36.000 and pray for all the people that are hurting in 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:40.560 the world. My brother Paul just returned from Araq where 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.960 he was operating on people that were injured in the war. 0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:48.840 It's very horrific, so much heartache and pain. I believe 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:52.840 God brought those people across my path through my brother, 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:56.040 not to just feel sorry for them, not to just 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:59.440 think that's too bad, but to say, God, show them 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:03.480 your mercy, heal their wounds, protect them, let them see 0:13:03.559 --> 0:13:08.160 your goodness. You don't know your prayer may protect a 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:11.800 child from a mortar wound. Your prayer may keep an 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:15.600 accident from happening, or your prayer may lift a heavy 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:20.280 burden from a family that's endured incredible pain. I was 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:23.360 in another city recently and this gentleman came up to 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:27.080 me on the street. He was a foreigner, dressed very nice. 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:30.920 He told how he and his family watch our program, 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:33.720 how they've learned about God and it's helped them to 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:37.400 overcome some difficulties. I thanked him for taking the time 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:40.679 to tell me. As I was leaving, I said, almost 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:44.319 in passing, I'm going to be praying for you. He 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:48.080 looked at me so genuinely, with these tears starting to 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:51.240 come down his cheeks. He said, why would you pray 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.400 for me? You don't even know me. I don't come 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:58.280 from your same faith. I said, none of that matters. 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:03.400 I know God brought you across my path. See, you 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:08.320 don't meet people by accident. God puts people in our lives. 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:12.360 He causes us to notice certain people. Maybe at the 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:15.640 grocery store. You see that person that looks down, They 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:19.640 look lonely. Don't see them as a James turned them 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:24.200 into a Peter Under your breath, Lord, bless them, strengthened them, 0:14:24.280 --> 0:14:28.680 helped them to live in victory. For years, my mother 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:32.360 prayed for an entertainer here in town. She would see 0:14:32.360 --> 0:14:35.640 his name upon the different marquees where he was playing. 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:39.280 My mother had never met him, but she read how 0:14:39.320 --> 0:14:42.640 his parents were missionaries. Growing up. He came from a 0:14:42.680 --> 0:14:47.000 strong family of faith. In his teenage years, he started 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:49.680 running with the wrong crowd and ended up on drugs. 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:53.400 Instead of playing in churches, he was playing in bars 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:57.200 and in clubs. My mother could have thought, too bad, 0:14:57.840 --> 0:15:01.280 nothing I can do about it. He's off course. Instead, 0:15:01.760 --> 0:15:05.680 every time she saw his name under her breath, God 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.560 help him to get back on course. God help him 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:12.600 to fulfill his destiny. Just a simple prayer. This went 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:16.800 on year after year. Didn't look like anything was happening, 0:15:17.360 --> 0:15:20.880 looked like she was wasting her breath. But when you pray, 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:25.320 things are changing. Behind the scenes. God is at work. 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:29.120 Your prayers are going up to the Throne like incense. 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:33.920 And one Sunday, out of the blue, that gentleman showed 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:37.160 up at Lakewood at the old sanctuary. He sat in 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:40.960 the very back. Someone recognized him and told my mother. 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:44.400 She went back and gave him a hog and told 0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:46.800 how she had been praying for him all these years. 0:15:47.360 --> 0:15:51.560 That day was a turning point. He felt loved and accepted. 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:54.880 It was a few months later that our friend Bill 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:58.720 Nash gave his first Christian concert there at Lakewood, and 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:02.200 for the last thirty years he's been using his gifts 0:16:02.360 --> 0:16:06.480 and talents for the Lord. Maybe that wouldn't have happened 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.520 if my mother had not prayed. Maybe Bill would still 0:16:10.560 --> 0:16:14.120 be off course, still going down the wrong path, if 0:16:14.160 --> 0:16:18.400 she had not gone before God on his behalf. Well, Joe, 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:21.440 She's just one person, yes, but you may be the 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:25.720 one that God's counting on. Your faith may be what 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:30.000 causes that young lady at the office to change her life. 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:33.560 Instead of talking about her, instead of judging her, looking 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:36.320 at all she's done wrong, Why don't you take time 0:16:36.440 --> 0:16:39.800 to pray for her? Talking about her is not going 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:43.720 to help her improve, But prayer will break the chains 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:47.360 that are holding her back. And every morning after you 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.120 thank God for the day after you're ask Him for 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:53.800 your dreams, for your needs. Take time to go to 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:58.520 God in prayer for her. Maybe nobody's praying, maybe she's 0:16:58.560 --> 0:17:02.720 a James. To turn her into a Peter. You don't 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:04.480 have to tell her, you don't have to make a 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:07.800 big scene, but in your private time, ask God to 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:12.080 help her. The scripture calls this standing in the gap 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:16.560 for people. Some people are too far off course to 0:17:16.680 --> 0:17:20.040 ever get back on their own. They're too discouraged, they 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.719 have too many obstacles. It's going to take you and 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:26.520 me praying for them. God said in Ezekiel twenty two. 0:17:26.920 --> 0:17:30.239 I looked for someone to build up the wall and 0:17:30.440 --> 0:17:33.480 stand in the gap so I wouldn't have to destroy 0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:37.919 the land. But I couldn't find anyone. Back in those days, 0:17:38.359 --> 0:17:42.440 cities had huge walls around them to protect them from 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:46.280 the enemy, but at times there would be a broken 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:50.119 place in that wall. Something happened that created a gap. 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:53.600 Now the enemy could easily come in, So they would 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:57.920 have an armed soldier, one of their most powerful warriors, 0:17:58.200 --> 0:18:01.600 stand in that gap until the wall could be repaired. 0:18:02.240 --> 0:18:06.760 People all around us have broken down walls like Bill. 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:10.920 They've gotten off course, a relationship didn't work out. They're 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:15.240 fighting an illness, depression, loneliness. There's a breach in their wall. 0:18:16.000 --> 0:18:19.560 God is asking you, will you stand in the gap. 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:22.879 Will you cover them while they're down? Will you not 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:27.359 let the enemy overtake them? When you see somebody in need, 0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:31.800 somebody fighting a battle, don't be passive. Don't think God, 0:18:31.880 --> 0:18:34.560 that's too bad. I feel sorry for them. Be that 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:39.400 warrior that stands in the gap. Speak victory over their life. 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:43.280 Remind the forces of darkness that they cannot have them. 0:18:44.160 --> 0:18:47.080 The right attitude is if you mess with them, you're 0:18:47.119 --> 0:18:50.800 messing with me, and no weapon formed against me or 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:54.159 them is going to prosper. Lift them up in prayer, 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.760 Let them know that they're not alone. Take time to 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:01.879 encourage them. Sometimes it's just a simple text, Hey, I'm 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:04.720 praying for you. You're going to get through this. It's 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:08.200 all it takes to lift their spirits. When my father 0:19:08.400 --> 0:19:10.760 went to be with the Lord and I stepped up 0:19:10.840 --> 0:19:14.280 to minister, my wall was broken down. I didn't see 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:17.160 how this was going to work out, but I could 0:19:17.200 --> 0:19:20.720 feel people praying. When I couldn't do it on my own. 0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:24.080 Many of you covered me. He spoke faith into my 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:28.000 destiny until I could get my wall repaired. Like me, 0:19:28.760 --> 0:19:32.080 you've had people stand in the gap for you. What's 0:19:32.160 --> 0:19:35.640 been given to us, we have a responsibility to give 0:19:35.760 --> 0:19:39.639 to others. Somebody around you has a broken down wall. 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:43.080 Life hasn't turned out the way they thought. That's your 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:46.920 cue to step up and make a difference. Ask God 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:50.960 to lighten that load. I talked to a family last week. 0:19:51.200 --> 0:19:55.000 Their twenty year old daughter had an aneurism and suddenly died. 0:19:55.840 --> 0:19:58.520 The father told me, through tears, I don't think I 0:19:58.560 --> 0:20:01.879 can go on. The pain is not letting up. His 0:20:02.040 --> 0:20:05.719 wall is down. There's a breach, and yes I felt sorry, 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:10.160 Yes it broke my heart. But feeling sorry is not enough. 0:20:10.600 --> 0:20:13.199 That's when you have to make it your mission to 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:17.040 stand in the gap. Every morning. Lord strengthen that family, 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:22.080 heal their wounds, give them beauty for those ashes. One time, 0:20:22.119 --> 0:20:25.680 the Israelites got off course. After all God had done 0:20:25.680 --> 0:20:29.639 for them, delivering them from slavery, parting the Red Sea, 0:20:29.920 --> 0:20:33.400 giving them food in the desert. At one point they 0:20:33.440 --> 0:20:38.280 started worshiping a golden calf, having wild parties getting drunk 0:20:38.359 --> 0:20:43.160 being immoral. God was angry. He was going to destroy them. 0:20:43.680 --> 0:20:47.280 But Moses went up on a mountain for forty days 0:20:47.320 --> 0:20:52.560 he fasted and prayed, asking God for mercy, not for himself, 0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:57.080 but for the Israelites. The Psalmist said, God would have 0:20:57.160 --> 0:21:01.639 destroyed them had Moses not stood in the gap for them. 0:21:02.119 --> 0:21:04.720 You may know people that are off course, a friend, 0:21:04.800 --> 0:21:08.440 a family member, a coworker. They're making poor choices. They 0:21:08.480 --> 0:21:11.720 know better, but they're doing it anyway. That's where the 0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:16.720 Israelites were. God was ready to destroy these two million people, 0:21:17.280 --> 0:21:21.080 but because one man stood in the gap, God changed 0:21:21.119 --> 0:21:25.119 his mind. Will you do like Moses and stand in 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:27.919 the gap for the people around you that are not 0:21:27.960 --> 0:21:32.760 doing right? It's easy to criticize, find fault. You can 0:21:32.800 --> 0:21:35.960 be the one that makes a difference. I want the 0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:39.560 Psalmist to be able to put my name in that scripture, 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:43.480 your name in it. God would have destroyed them had 0:21:43.600 --> 0:21:46.879 Robert not stood in the gap, had Julie not stood 0:21:46.880 --> 0:21:49.720 in the gap, had those people at Lakewood not stood 0:21:49.760 --> 0:21:53.240 in the gap. Now I've learned if you're not standing 0:21:53.320 --> 0:21:57.360 in the gap, most likely you'll be standing in judgment. 0:21:58.240 --> 0:22:01.080 Now I've made up my mind be a gap stander. 0:22:01.440 --> 0:22:03.680 I'm will be a people lifter. I'm going to take 0:22:03.720 --> 0:22:07.840 time every day to help pray people into their destiny. 0:22:09.240 --> 0:22:13.320 Matthew Chapter eight. A Roman army general came to see Jesus. 0:22:13.680 --> 0:22:16.960 He was a centurion, the commander of one hundred troops, 0:22:17.240 --> 0:22:21.920 a very influential and well respected man. He said to Jesus, 0:22:22.640 --> 0:22:26.600 my servant is sick and in so much pain. He 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:30.840 traveled a great distance not to ask something for himself, 0:22:31.480 --> 0:22:34.600 not for his wife, not for another general, but for 0:22:34.720 --> 0:22:39.399 his servant. One translation says, I have a slave that's sick. 0:22:40.520 --> 0:22:45.240 This well respected, influential man was standing in the gap 0:22:45.320 --> 0:22:49.560 for someone that most people back then would have written off. 0:22:50.320 --> 0:22:53.320 They bought and sold slaves all the time. But this 0:22:53.520 --> 0:22:58.280 commander was different. He loved this servant. I can imagine 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:01.400 when he headed out to c G Jesus, people ask him, 0:23:01.680 --> 0:23:04.479 why are you going? Do you need a healing? Do 0:23:04.520 --> 0:23:07.600 you need a miracle? Is something wrong with you? He said, 0:23:07.680 --> 0:23:11.720 Now I'm going on behalf of my servant. He was 0:23:11.800 --> 0:23:15.199 standing in the gap for the least of these, for 0:23:15.320 --> 0:23:19.560 someone that society would have written off, said they're not important. 0:23:20.200 --> 0:23:23.440 When he arrived, Jesus said to him, I haven't seen 0:23:23.480 --> 0:23:27.359 this much faith in all of Israel. Jesus spoke and 0:23:27.440 --> 0:23:32.680 his servant was healed. What's interesting is this centurion wasn't 0:23:32.680 --> 0:23:36.280 a Jew, he didn't come from the same faith. Yet 0:23:36.400 --> 0:23:39.959 Jesus said, you have more faith than all these people 0:23:40.080 --> 0:23:44.119 that have been around me. That shows us that God 0:23:44.320 --> 0:23:47.600 is not looking at what family you come from, how 0:23:47.640 --> 0:23:51.720 you were raised, how religious you are. What gets God's 0:23:51.760 --> 0:23:55.560 attention is when you're concerned about the least of these, 0:23:56.320 --> 0:23:58.960 when you stand in the gap for the less fortunate, 0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:02.600 for people that have been dealt in unfair hand. God 0:24:02.720 --> 0:24:06.040 calls that great faith. That's when he'll show up and 0:24:06.080 --> 0:24:11.200 do amazing things. In the scripture, Joseph was falsely accused 0:24:11.240 --> 0:24:14.359 and put in prison. He'd been there for many years, 0:24:14.400 --> 0:24:17.720 and there were two other main people with him, Pharaoh's 0:24:17.760 --> 0:24:22.280 butler and his baker. One night, the butler had a dream. 0:24:22.640 --> 0:24:25.960 Joseph was able to interpret it. He told the butler 0:24:26.080 --> 0:24:28.040 he was going to get out of prison and be 0:24:28.119 --> 0:24:31.919 restored to his position. The butler was so excited and 0:24:32.320 --> 0:24:36.280 so grateful for Joseph and all of his help. Joseph said, 0:24:36.440 --> 0:24:39.199 do me a favor. When you get out, remind the 0:24:39.280 --> 0:24:43.120 Phaiah that I'm still in here. Just like Joseph said. 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:46.120 The butler got out, he was restored to his physician, 0:24:46.720 --> 0:24:50.760 but he forgot all about Joseph. Joseph helped him. Now 0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:54.199 when he needed help, the butler was nowhere to be found. 0:24:55.400 --> 0:24:58.840 All of us have been where this butler was. Somebody 0:24:58.920 --> 0:25:02.560 helped us, Somebody gave us a good break. Somebody prayed 0:25:02.600 --> 0:25:05.240 for us when we were down. They stood in the 0:25:05.280 --> 0:25:08.560 gap for us. Now, let's don't be like that butler. 0:25:09.080 --> 0:25:13.120 Stand in the gap for somebody else. You're blessed. Now, 0:25:13.200 --> 0:25:16.359 be a blessing. God answered your prayers. Now pray for 0:25:16.440 --> 0:25:20.720 somebody else. The truth is none of us got to 0:25:20.760 --> 0:25:24.520 where we are on our own. I had parents praying 0:25:24.600 --> 0:25:28.959 for me, speaking faith into my destiny. I'm seeing favor 0:25:29.040 --> 0:25:32.879 today because people stood in the gap for me, My 0:25:33.000 --> 0:25:35.760 siblings and I. We never left for school in the 0:25:35.840 --> 0:25:40.160 morning without my mother praying for protection, praying for favor 0:25:40.200 --> 0:25:44.240 over us. Now I not only pray for my children, 0:25:44.720 --> 0:25:47.879 I pray for my grandchildren. They're not even here yet. 0:25:48.240 --> 0:25:51.760 I pray for my great grandchildren, for my seed. When 0:25:51.800 --> 0:25:55.520 my descendants show up they may not realize it, they've 0:25:55.560 --> 0:25:58.400 already been covered in prayer. They're going to see good 0:25:58.400 --> 0:26:04.440 breaks favor because I took time to pray. After David died, 0:26:05.160 --> 0:26:09.240 Solomon's son wasn't making good choices. He got off course, 0:26:09.600 --> 0:26:11.920 God was going to take the throne away from him. 0:26:12.440 --> 0:26:16.440 But God said to him, Solomon, for your father David's sake, 0:26:16.840 --> 0:26:19.360 I will show you mercy, and I will not do it. 0:26:19.960 --> 0:26:22.880 That's how powerful it is when you not only live 0:26:22.920 --> 0:26:26.040 a life that honors God, but you pray for your seed, 0:26:26.440 --> 0:26:30.040 You pray for your children. Victoria, as a little girl, 0:26:30.600 --> 0:26:33.880 would go back to Georgia to see her grandmother. When 0:26:33.920 --> 0:26:37.160 she'd wake up early in the morning, before anyone else 0:26:37.280 --> 0:26:41.520 was awake, she would see her grandmother outside under a tree, 0:26:42.040 --> 0:26:46.440 on her knees, praying, covering her family, covering her children, 0:26:46.680 --> 0:26:50.560 covering her seed in prayer. Victoria never dreamed she'd be 0:26:50.600 --> 0:26:53.720 in the ministry. We never dreamed we'd be this blessed, 0:26:53.800 --> 0:26:58.880 this fulfilled is because people took time to pray. Somebody 0:26:58.920 --> 0:27:02.680 did it for us, Somebody did it for you. Now 0:27:02.760 --> 0:27:06.200 let's do it for somebody else. Look around at who's 0:27:06.240 --> 0:27:09.679 in your life. Are there some James, people that without 0:27:09.720 --> 0:27:13.399 you praying won't fulfill their destiny. I'm asking you to 0:27:13.520 --> 0:27:17.040 turn them into a Peter. Make it your mission to 0:27:17.119 --> 0:27:20.040 pray for them, stand in the gap, ask God to 0:27:20.080 --> 0:27:24.040 bless them. If you'll do this, I believe and declare 0:27:24.440 --> 0:27:27.000 to seed you. So is going to come back to 0:27:27.040 --> 0:27:30.800 you like job as you pray for others. You're going 0:27:30.800 --> 0:27:34.520 to see your prayers answered, your healing, calm, the fullness 0:27:34.600 --> 0:27:38.280 of your destiny in Jesus's name. If you receive it, 0:27:38.480 --> 0:27:42.639 Can you say amen? Today? I'd like to give you 0:27:42.680 --> 0:27:45.720 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:27:46.119 --> 0:27:50.760 Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus, I'll 0:27:50.800 --> 0:27:55.880 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:27:55.960 --> 0:28:00.320 you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:28:00.440 --> 0:28:03.160 we believe you got born again, Get in a good 0:28:03.160 --> 0:28:06.920 Bible based church, and keep God first place. Victorian and 0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:09.680 I'll be right back to speak a blessing over you. 0:28:11.119 --> 0:28:13.560 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:13.560 --> 0:28:16.119 this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:16.200 --> 0:28:19.879 Joel's new exclusive many book collection, Gifts of God. 0:28:22.000 --> 0:28:23.479 What gifts do you need today? 0:28:23.840 --> 0:28:26.679 God offers you the gift of joy, the gift of peace, 0:28:27.080 --> 0:28:30.320 the gift of favor. When you learn to receive these gifts, 0:28:30.440 --> 0:28:33.880 you'll overcome obstacles and live the victorious life that belongs 0:28:33.920 --> 0:28:34.159 to you. 0:28:34.560 --> 0:28:37.840 God has already lined up everything you need to fulfill 0:28:37.880 --> 0:28:41.680 your destiny. Request this resource. You'll be encouraged as you 0:28:41.760 --> 0:28:43.760 discover the gifts God has for you. 0:28:44.720 --> 0:28:48.240 Request the exclusive Gifts of God Many book collection plus 0:28:48.240 --> 0:28:52.040 the special digital download message today at Joelucin dot com 0:28:52.200 --> 0:28:54.920 or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 0:28:57.360 --> 0:28:59.960 In all the years of listening to Joel, the message 0:29:00.040 --> 0:29:02.960 of joy has really impacted my life. He talks about 0:29:02.960 --> 0:29:05.560 how things happen that are not ideal, things that we 0:29:05.600 --> 0:29:08.640 don't plan for, but joy is found in us because 0:29:08.720 --> 0:29:10.960 Jesus is in us. I'm really grateful that I have 0:29:11.000 --> 0:29:13.840 access to the program to encourage and motivate me every week. 0:29:14.040 --> 0:29:17.560 Thanks so much for partnering with our ministry, your prayers, 0:29:17.720 --> 0:29:21.840 your support, your generosity. It's changing lives around the world. 0:29:22.280 --> 0:29:25.120 And special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners 0:29:25.240 --> 0:29:28.400 for all you do to make the ministry possible victory 0:29:28.480 --> 0:29:30.880 and I pray for you and your family every day. 0:29:31.120 --> 0:29:35.400 We're believing for God's best that you'll overcome obstacles, accomplish 0:29:35.480 --> 0:29:38.160 dreams that God will take you. Will you never even 0:29:38.280 --> 0:29:41.800 dream till we meet again next week. Know that you're blessed, 0:29:41.920 --> 0:29:45.200 your prosperous, You're redeemed. You're a child of the most 0:29:45.240 --> 0:29:45.800 high God. 0:29:55.400 --> 0:29:59.560 Nice buns, soft, fluffy and ultra low net carbs. 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