Progress Under Pressure

0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.600 Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:07.200 to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. We 0:00:07.320 --> 0:00:11.160 believe you're gonna have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:15.080 and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. 0:00:15.480 --> 0:00:18.079 God bless you. It's great to be with you today, 0:00:18.160 --> 0:00:20.599 and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:24.720 week through a daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, 0:00:24.840 --> 0:00:27.480 and you can come visit us in person. We'd love 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:29.600 to have you be a part of one of our services. 0:00:30.240 --> 0:00:32.720 I'd like to start with something funny. And one day 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:36.120 Adam was feeling very lonely, and God said, Adam, I'm 0:00:36.159 --> 0:00:39.240 gonna make you a companion. It's gonna be called a woman. 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:43.880 This person will cook for you, wash your clothes, she'll 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:46.600 bear your children, never ask you to get up in 0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:49.680 the middle of the night. She will always agree with you. 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:52.520 If you do have a disagreement, she'll be the first 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:56.080 to admit she was wrong. Adam said, wow, God, well, 0:00:56.080 --> 0:00:58.840 will a woman like this cost? God said an arm 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:01.480 and a leg? Adam said, what can I get for 0:01:01.560 --> 0:01:05.440 a rib? And the rest is history? All right, y'all 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:08.240 say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:11.039 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.640 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:16.440 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:01:16.480 --> 0:01:20.640 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:25.319 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:01:25.800 --> 0:01:29.120 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:01:29.160 --> 0:01:33.760 about progress under pressure. We all have times when we 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:37.520 feel pressure. We're dealing with a health issue, or people 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:41.080 have done us wrong, a door closer in our dream. 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:45.800 There's pressure that comes from raising children, pressure to pay bills, 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:49.360 and pressure from a conflict at work. If we don't 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:52.400 handle it the right way, pressure will cause us to 0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:56.760 get stuck and live worried, feeling overwhelmed. But if you're 0:01:56.760 --> 0:01:59.600 going to reach your destiny, you have to learn how 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:04.200 to make progress under pressure, to keep moving forward despite 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:10.040 opposition and despite uncertainty, and despite being misunderstood. You can't 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:15.880 control everything that happens on the outside traffic, a cranky coworker, 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:20.079 a health issue, but you can control what happens in you. 0:02:20.960 --> 0:02:24.160 And often we think, once I get through this tough season, 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:27.240 then I'll get my joy back it once these people 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:30.320 quit talking about me or my boss gives me credit 0:02:30.919 --> 0:02:33.480 when I get out from under this pressure, then don't 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:36.400 have a good attitude. But if you're waiting for the 0:02:36.440 --> 0:02:39.840 pressure to subside, you're going to be waiting your whole life. 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:43.799 The enemy would love for us to become paralyzed by 0:02:43.840 --> 0:02:47.320 the pressure. We're so focused on what's come against us. 0:02:47.680 --> 0:02:50.600 We put everything on a hold, waiting for the pressure 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:54.079 to go away. Then we'll move forward. But the pressure 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:58.440 is a sign that something amazing is coming. You wouldn't 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:02.480 be facing pressure if you didn't have something significant in you. 0:03:03.280 --> 0:03:06.560 This is not the time to get discouraged strength back. 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.359 This is the time to say I've come too far 0:03:09.440 --> 0:03:12.960 to stop now. This may be difficult, but I know 0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:16.240 I'm armed with strength for this battle. Greater is he 0:03:16.360 --> 0:03:20.000 that's in me than what's coming against me. You cannot 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:23.800 only handle the pressure, but you can thrive in that pressure. 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:28.440 God gives you grace for every season. The more pressure, 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:32.720 the more strength you'll have. The more difficult the more determination, 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.960 the more adversity, the more favor you can turn that 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:41.160 pressure into power. Pressure is what turns a black piece 0:03:41.160 --> 0:03:45.200 of cold into a diamond. If you'll have the right attitude, 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:49.960 instead of stopping you. That pressure will propel you. But 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:52.120 it's not enough to just endure it. All right, Joel, 0:03:52.400 --> 0:03:55.600 I'll try to withstand it. Be in a defensive mode, 0:03:55.800 --> 0:04:00.000 weak and worried. Well, stand strong, put your shoulders back, 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:05.080 keep shining despite the trouble, Keep taking steps of faith 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:10.160 despite the they sayers, keep believing despite the doubt. When 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:13.920 you can make progress under pressure, you can't be stopped. 0:04:14.680 --> 0:04:17.880 See God is not only using the pressure to refine you, 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:22.200 to develop your character, but that pressure is leading to 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:27.840 your purpose. You can't reach your potential without pressure. Airplanes 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:30.880 take off against the wind. You would think they would 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:33.680 want the wind blowing with them to make it easier, 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:38.360 but to lift off, they need resistance. None of us 0:04:38.720 --> 0:04:43.440 like pressure, but pressure is necessary. You need resistance to 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:47.400 rise higher and soar to the levels God is destined 0:04:47.440 --> 0:04:52.240 for you. Are you letting pressure paralyze you, cause you 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.960 to shrink back, live worry, orre you letting that pressure 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:59.520 propel you? Getting up each morning knowing that you are 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:04.080 well a that you can handle anything that comes your way. 0:05:04.120 --> 0:05:07.520 If the pressure was too much, God wouldn't have allowed it. 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:11.440 And the fact that you have big pressure that tells me. 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:16.039 You're a big persons. God doesn't give big assignments to 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:19.640 small people. You have great opposition, then you have a 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:23.920 great destiny. Now do your part and keep making progress 0:05:24.160 --> 0:05:27.560 under pressure, doing the right thing when you don't feel 0:05:27.600 --> 0:05:30.719 like it, being your best when you're not getting the credit, 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:34.960 having the good attitude when you could be complaining. You 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:38.400 feel that pressure. Instead of letting it weaken, you turn 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:41.520 it into power. Lord, I thank you that I'm strong, 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:45.520 I'm anointed, I'm equipped. That you being for me is 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:49.279 more than what's trying to stop me. Nobody faced more 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:53.040 pressure than the apostle Paul. He used to be called Saul. 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:58.080 He was the greatest enemy of the Church, constantly threatening believers, 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:01.919 having them arrested and put in jail. But on the 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:05.960 road to Damascus he was suddenly converted and became a 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:10.240 follower of Christ. The problem was none of the believers 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:13.960 would accept him. They weren't sure that he had really changed. 0:06:14.440 --> 0:06:17.880 For fourteen years, they wouldn't have anything to do with him. 0:06:18.480 --> 0:06:22.960 He was misunderstood and judged by his past. But instead 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:27.359 of living frustrated waiting for people to accept him, he 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:31.159 went out to the non Jewish people, the Gentiles, and 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:34.719 shared the message of Christ year after year with no 0:06:34.839 --> 0:06:39.040 support from the disciples, nobody believing in him. You may 0:06:39.120 --> 0:06:43.160 be where Paul was misunderstood by people. They don't give 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:46.240 you the credit, look down on you. You could easily 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:51.520 slack all live bitter do like Paul. Keep shining despite 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:55.320 who's not for you. Keep being your best, despite who 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:58.480 doesn't give you the credit. You're not working under people, 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:02.000 You're working under God. He's keeping the records. You don't 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:06.760 need their approval. You have Almighty God's approval. Acts twenty one, 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:10.280 Paul was in the temple sharing his faith, and these 0:07:10.280 --> 0:07:14.760 people got upset and started stirring up trouble, falsely accusing him, 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:17.720 saying that he was trying to start a riot. All 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:21.480 these lies and rumors, and before long, this angry mob 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:25.440 started attacking Paul and beating him, and they dragged him 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:28.760 out of the temple, were about to kill him. An 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:31.480 at the time Paul was put in prison for share 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:35.240 in his faith. The deepest dungeon is hands and feet 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:39.600 in chains. Imagine the pressure he was under. He could 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:43.000 have been overwhelmed. This is two months. This is not fair. 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:47.760 But at midnight, sitting in that dungeon, He wasn't complaining, 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:52.360 he wasn't bitter. He was singing praises to God, thanking 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:56.080 him for his goodness. What you do in your times 0:07:56.120 --> 0:08:00.000 of pressure will determine whether you get stuck there or 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:02.400 or you see God show up and do what you 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:06.040 can't do. When you have a song of praise and 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:10.080 you're declaring his greatness, thanking him for what he's promised, 0:08:10.480 --> 0:08:14.560 that pressure will turn into power. You will overcome what 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:18.280 should stop you. You'll defeat giants that were much bigger, 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:25.120 outlast opposition much greater. While Paul was singing praises at midnight, 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:28.679 there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:32.000 the chains came off his feet. He walked out a 0:08:32.040 --> 0:08:35.600 free man. But sitting in that prison could have been 0:08:35.600 --> 0:08:38.760 the end of Paul's story. The pressure got to him. 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:43.959 Couldn't handle it. No, Paul had this never give up mentality. 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:46.240 He knew God wouldn't have let him get in that 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:49.800 pressure if he couldn't handle it. And we can all 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.200 have a good attitude when things are going our way 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:57.439 and people are for us. The family's healthy business is prospering, 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:01.200 that's no problem. The real test is what do you 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:04.959 do when pressure comes. How do you respond when people 0:09:05.000 --> 0:09:09.120 do you wrong? The medical report wasn't good, set back 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:13.160 in your business. How you deal with pressure will either 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:17.160 cause you to shrink back and be overwhelmed, or you 0:09:17.160 --> 0:09:20.720 can do like Paul and keep singing praises in the prison, 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:25.440 keep doing the right thing despite being misunderstood, Keep taking 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:29.560 those steps of faith despite the opposition. See. I'd love 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:31.400 to tell you the pressure is going to go away, 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:34.800 then you can take new ground. But the fact is, 0:09:35.400 --> 0:09:38.800 before you see new levels of your destiny, there will 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:42.520 be new levels of pressure forces trying to convince you 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:46.440 that is too much. You can't accomplish your dream. You're 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:49.199 not gonna get well. Just settle where you are. No, 0:09:49.400 --> 0:09:53.840 keep pressing forward, keep declaring the promises, Keep thanking God 0:09:53.920 --> 0:09:57.600 that he's working. The pressure is a sign that's something 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:01.000 amazing is in front of you. When my father went 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:04.199 to be with the Lord, that was the biggest challenge 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.400 I'd ever faced. I knew I was supposed to pastor 0:10:07.520 --> 0:10:10.400 the church, but all these thoughts told me, Joe, you're 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:14.120 not qualified, you don't have the experience, nobody's going to 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:18.120 listen to you. I could have become paralyzed by the pressure, 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:22.280 shrump back, played it safe, but I took that step 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:25.720 of faith. I discovered that God will never let you 0:10:25.840 --> 0:10:29.800 face pressure that you can't handle. It may feel like 0:10:29.880 --> 0:10:32.640 it's too much, but by faith you have to take 0:10:32.720 --> 0:10:36.319 hold of His strength. When I did, I felt a power, 0:10:36.760 --> 0:10:41.520 an anointing, a favor to do what I had never done. 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:44.880 And the truth is the pressure didn't go away, but 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:48.920 God sustained me. In the pressure. Those lives will come. 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:52.199 It's too much you can't handle, it's over your head. 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:56.440 That's the enemy doing what he does best, trying to 0:10:56.520 --> 0:11:00.760 use the pressure to intimidate, overcome to where you shrink 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:04.800 back and miss your destiny. Do like Paul, be bold, 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:09.640 be determined, and move forward under pressure. And That's what 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:13.280 I've had to do. I've seen God's favor, but it 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:17.280 hasn't come without pressure. It was pressure. When my mother 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:22.439 was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, felt overwhelming, no way out. 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.520 We could have given up and succumbed to the negative report, 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:30.440 but we chose to believe another report that God was 0:11:30.480 --> 0:11:34.600 restoring health back unto her. We believed despite the doubt 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:38.720 that was bombarding our mind. When you can make progress 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:42.720 under pressure, that's when God can do miracles. There was 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:45.720 pressure when that property was sold out from under us 0:11:45.800 --> 0:11:49.800 and we couldn't build a new auditorium. There was pressure 0:11:49.920 --> 0:11:53.000 when we were one council member short for the Compact 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:56.240 Center vote. There was pressure when a company filed a 0:11:56.320 --> 0:11:59.360 lawsuit to try to keep us from moving in. There 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.880 was pressure when I married Victoria. I mean not that one. 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:06.920 There was There was pressure when we had to raise 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:10.600 funds to renovate this place one hundred million dollars. There 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:14.240 was pressure dealing with the critics, and they sayers, what 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:17.640 am I saying? If you run from the pressure, you're 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.959 gonna run from your destiny. If you let the stress 0:12:21.000 --> 0:12:24.719 and worry and can't do it thoughts overwhelm you, then 0:12:24.760 --> 0:12:27.960 you'll shrink back and miss the greatness that God put 0:12:27.960 --> 0:12:31.640 in you. You have to do it afraid, go forward 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:35.200 when thoughts are telling you there's no way, it's too much, 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:38.560 it's never gonna change. Those are all lies to keep 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:41.400 you from your purpose. And this is what happened with 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:45.480 the Israelites. They wandered in the desert for forty years 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:49.800 because they didn't handle pressure the right way. They complained, 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:54.040 it's too hot, What are we gonna eat out here? Moses? 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:57.240 Why did you bring us in the desert to die? Yes, 0:12:57.320 --> 0:13:01.240 there was pressure, Yes it seemed overwhelmed. But they had 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:04.320 seen God part the red sea. They had seen him 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:08.360 drown their enemies, give them manna each morning for breakfast 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:13.319 and bring water out of a rock. They saw God protect, provide, 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:17.160 and make ways. But they had a short memory. They 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:21.559 gave him to doubt, fear, and intimidation. When you feel 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:24.840 that pressure is thoughts telling it's never gonna work out, 0:13:25.520 --> 0:13:29.560 Shrink back, live defeated. You need to look back and 0:13:29.640 --> 0:13:32.400 see what God has done in your life. Look at 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:35.520 the times you were outnumbered, but He made a way. 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:38.240 You should have been harmed, but he kept that car 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:41.120 from hitting you. He opened doors you couldn't open. He 0:13:41.360 --> 0:13:44.720 kept your child out of trouble. He has not brought 0:13:44.760 --> 0:13:47.959 you this far to leave you. That pressure is a 0:13:48.000 --> 0:13:51.200 sign that a new level of your destiny is coming. 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:55.480 Now do your part and keep making progress under pressure. 0:13:56.160 --> 0:13:58.920 Don't wait for it to go away. Face that pressure 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.720 with faith. God. This may be too much for me, 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:04.800 but I know it's not too much for you. There's 0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:08.760 nothing that can stop what you purpose for my life. 0:14:09.040 --> 0:14:12.160 Get your mind going in the right direction. If you 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:16.000 think weak thoughts, you're gonna have a weak life. If 0:14:16.000 --> 0:14:19.680 you think defeated thoughts can't do it, then that pressure 0:14:19.840 --> 0:14:24.280 is gonna overwhelm. You think victory thoughts, think well able thoughts, 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:28.720 think more than conquer thoughts. What's interesting is the children 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:32.280 of the Israelites, the ones that wandered in the desert, 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:35.720 they had children out there. When they grew up. They 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:39.360 had a different mindset than their parents. They faced the 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:44.040 same pressure, same giants, same opposition, but their attitude was 0:14:44.200 --> 0:14:47.960 we are well able. Their parents came to the promised land, 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:51.800 said the giants are too big. These children said, we 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:55.720 will defeat them. They're no match for us. The parents 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:58.880 saw the walls of Jericho year after year. Man, we'll 0:14:58.880 --> 0:15:02.360 never get around them. These children said, these walls can 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:06.440 come down. God has promised us that, Lamb. Don't let 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:10.520 the pressure keep you out of your promised LAMB. Yes, 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:15.040 there will be giants, red seas, chariots chasing you. There 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:17.359 will be times you don't think you have the provision, 0:15:17.800 --> 0:15:22.240 the experience, the talent, all these pressure points where you 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:25.840 could shrink back and feel overwhelmed. That's when faith has 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:29.520 to kick in. You can turn that pressure into power. 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:33.960 This is what David did. He looked at Goliath and said, 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:37.640 this day I will defeat you and feed your head 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:41.400 to the birds of the air. You can imagine the 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:46.080 incredible pressure he felt. Goliath was twice his size. King 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:49.680 Sauw said, David, you're just a boy. All he had 0:15:49.800 --> 0:15:53.200 was a slingshot. Every thought said, you don't have a chance. 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:58.560 You're gonna get hurt. Despite the pressure, David ran toward Goliath, 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:03.920 slung that raw, defeated what everyone told him was impossible. 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:08.280 If you'll move forward despite the pressure, You're going to 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:11.600 see some giants come down. God's going to do things 0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:14.840 that make you an example of his goodness where other 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:19.200 people can see his favor on your life. Goliath was 0:16:19.240 --> 0:16:22.920 this huge enemy, but really he was a huge platform. 0:16:23.800 --> 0:16:28.440 God used Goliath to display his favor on David. What 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.680 looks like a big problem is really a big platform. 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:36.040 That big challenge is really a big stage. God is 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:38.920 getting ready to show out in your life. He's going 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:43.160 to use that obstacle to establish you, give you new 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:49.840 levels of influence, favor, and respect. See King Saul disrespected David. 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.600 He said, you're just a boy saw him as inferior. 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:56.400 But when he defeated Goliath, Saul said, why don't you 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.440 come work for me? Why don't you come lead my army. 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:03.200 People may call you a boy now, but don't worry. 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:06.399 When God shows up, they'll call your boss. They'll call 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:08.959 you a giant killer. They'll call you a history maker, 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:13.480 they'll call your mighty hero. Now, don't let the pressure 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:17.400 talk you out of what God put in your heart. Sure, 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:22.000 at times you're gonna feel overwhelmed, intimidated, outnumbered, You're right 0:17:22.040 --> 0:17:26.080 where you're supposed to be. That's where Paul was sitting 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:30.879 in prison, falsely accused in change all this pressure. What 0:17:30.920 --> 0:17:34.640 did he do? Sing praises God. I know you're still 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:38.359 on the throne. I know you're fighting my battles. That's 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.160 what causes the most high God to go to work, 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:45.440 not when we wilt with pressure, live overwhelming. Joe, I 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:48.919 got these people at work. They're against men dealing with 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:52.400 this bad medical report. Had to set back in my finance. 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:55.000 I want to see how it can work out when 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:59.720 you're under pressure. It's very important what you're saying. Don't 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:02.919 go around talking about how big the giant is. I 0:18:02.960 --> 0:18:05.000 don't see how I can get past this illness. And 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:07.679 I'm so in debt. We'll never get ahead. There's not 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:11.800 a chance. That's not only weakening your faith, but you're 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:16.560 inviting the negative. David said, magnify the Lord with me. 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:21.000 He didn't say, magnify the problem. Talk about the bad Brad, 0:18:21.720 --> 0:18:25.439 call your friends and discuss who hurt you. That's magnifying 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:28.919 the wrong thing. Heard about this man. He saw a 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:32.560 guy over on the ledge of a bridge about to jump. 0:18:33.080 --> 0:18:35.920 He was so distraught and so despondent. And this man 0:18:36.000 --> 0:18:38.440 ran over as fast as he could and said, please, please, 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:42.280 don't jump. Don't jump, It's gonna be okay. Just tell 0:18:42.320 --> 0:18:45.520 me your problems. He sat down next to the man. 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:48.240 He began to tell his problems, and he went on 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:52.000 and on and on. Two hours later they both jumped. 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:57.160 But when we're under pressure, it's easy to magnify the problem, 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:00.840 make it bigger in our mind, blow out of proportion. 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:05.760 Try a better approach. Magnify our God. Lord. I thank 0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:09.600 you that you created the universe, you flung stars into space, 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:12.560 and Father, you have me in the palm of your hand. 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:15.679 I know your plans for me are for good. That 0:19:15.720 --> 0:19:18.560 You've ordered my steps that you will get me to 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:22.520 where I'm supposed to be. As you keep magnifying God, 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:25.480 you're gonna see him do what only he can do. 0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:29.280 The Apostle Paul was on a ship headed toward Rome, 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:33.159 and God told him he would stand before Caesar. But 0:19:33.240 --> 0:19:36.479 there was this huge storm, and for fourteen days they 0:19:36.480 --> 0:19:40.080 didn't see the sun nor the stars. All this pressure, 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:44.520 the boat rocking and reeling, thoughts whispering, You're not gonna 0:19:44.520 --> 0:19:47.639 make it. This looks so bad. In the midst of 0:19:47.680 --> 0:19:51.080 that pressure, I can hear Paul saying some of the 0:19:51.160 --> 0:19:54.439 scriptures that he would later write, Thanks me to God, 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:58.000 who always causes me to triumph. All things are working 0:19:58.040 --> 0:20:02.480 for good because I love you Lord, no defeat, no intimidation, 0:20:03.040 --> 0:20:07.320 but a victorious attitude. Well, the boat ran aground and 0:20:07.480 --> 0:20:10.840 broke apart, and now Paul found himself in the water 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:15.159 and shipwrecked, trying to survive and swimming to the shore. 0:20:16.040 --> 0:20:18.840 Finally made it to the land. So relieved, and he 0:20:18.880 --> 0:20:21.280 went down to pick up a stick to make a fire. 0:20:21.760 --> 0:20:26.080 A poisonous snake bit his arm. Most of us would think, man, 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:29.480 how could he get any worse? He started off rejected 0:20:29.520 --> 0:20:34.400 and misunderstood, and beaten by a mob, put in prison, shipwreck, 0:20:35.000 --> 0:20:37.920 now bitten by this snake. You know what Paul did. 0:20:38.200 --> 0:20:41.199 He shook it off. He didn't pay any attention to 0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:45.000 the snake. He had seen God's faithfulness so many times. 0:20:45.160 --> 0:20:48.760 His attitude was, snake, you can't stop me. You may 0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:52.760 think you're poisonous, but no weapon formed against me will prosper. 0:20:53.040 --> 0:20:56.960 My God has the final saying. When you're under pressure, 0:20:57.160 --> 0:20:59.639 sometimes the best thing you can do is just shake 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:03.600 it off. Shake off the doubt, shake off the worry, 0:21:03.800 --> 0:21:07.360 shake off what they said. Like Paul, you look back 0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:10.440 over your life and you can see the faithfulness of God. 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:13.280 You know He has not brought you this far to 0:21:13.359 --> 0:21:16.360 leave you. That the enemy wouldn't be trying to poison 0:21:16.440 --> 0:21:19.600 you if you didn't have something amazing in your future. 0:21:20.600 --> 0:21:23.240 Paul made it to Rome, and he was put in prison, 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:26.080 and now he was an old man, looked like he 0:21:26.240 --> 0:21:30.320 was finished. Surely now he'd be discouraged, have a sad song. 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:31.240 Now. 0:21:31.359 --> 0:21:34.960 His attitude was, you may have taken my freedom, but 0:21:35.080 --> 0:21:38.560 you have not taken my pen. These walls may keep 0:21:38.600 --> 0:21:41.600 me from coming out, but they cannot keep what I'm 0:21:41.640 --> 0:21:45.640 writing from going out. Paul wrote many of the books 0:21:45.680 --> 0:21:50.040 in the New Testament in prison, under pressure, not in 0:21:50.119 --> 0:21:53.960 a good environment, people against him. That's where he wrote, 0:21:54.080 --> 0:21:56.640 I can do all things through Christ. I am more 0:21:56.720 --> 0:21:59.800 than a conqueror in a prison cell. He could have 0:21:59.840 --> 0:22:02.320 been right in God, where are you? I didn't think 0:22:02.359 --> 0:22:06.680 it in like this. No, he's speaking victory, fulfilling his purpose, 0:22:07.119 --> 0:22:11.639 still making progress under pressure. He summed it up in 0:22:11.720 --> 0:22:16.119 Second Corinthians four. He wrote, we are pressed on every 0:22:16.280 --> 0:22:19.600 side by trouble, but we are not crushed and broken. 0:22:20.200 --> 0:22:23.080 We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. 0:22:23.680 --> 0:22:27.479 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:30.439 get knocked down, but we get back up again and 0:22:30.520 --> 0:22:34.639 keep going. You may be where Paul was, pressed on 0:22:34.720 --> 0:22:38.800 every side. A lot coming against you today, perplexed, not 0:22:38.840 --> 0:22:42.719 sure what to do, hunted down, forces trying to stop you. 0:22:43.520 --> 0:22:47.000 That's the problem. But always follow it up with the promise. 0:22:47.359 --> 0:22:50.600 You are not crushed and broken. God is fighting for 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:54.159 you. You don't give up and quit. You have can do power. 0:22:54.720 --> 0:22:58.119 You are not abandoned. God never leaves you. He's the 0:22:58.160 --> 0:23:01.400 fourth man in the fire. Yes, we get knocked down, 0:23:01.720 --> 0:23:05.000 but we get back up and keep going. Now, I'm 0:23:05.000 --> 0:23:07.480 not telling you today that you're not going to have pressure, 0:23:08.000 --> 0:23:11.840 but I am telling you it doesn't have to stop you. 0:23:11.840 --> 0:23:15.040 You have the most powerful force in the universe on 0:23:15.080 --> 0:23:18.840 your side. That pressure is a sign that you're headed 0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:22.840 towards the great things God has for you. Make sure 0:23:22.880 --> 0:23:27.040 you're magnifying the right thing, not the problem, not the betrayal, 0:23:27.160 --> 0:23:31.240 not the sickness. Magnify your God, the Great. I am 0:23:31.760 --> 0:23:35.680 Jehovah Rafa, the Lord, our healer, el shady, the God 0:23:35.760 --> 0:23:39.000 who is more than enough. Paul went on to say, 0:23:39.320 --> 0:23:43.560 these light afflictions are temporary. You can get to the 0:23:43.600 --> 0:23:47.119 point where, like Paul, whatever comes against you is light. 0:23:47.920 --> 0:23:51.520 You're not moved by the pressure. The trouble doesn't discourage you. 0:23:51.920 --> 0:23:55.200 Then they sayers don't offend you. The bad report doesn't 0:23:55.200 --> 0:23:58.880 take your joy, the giant doesn't scare you. You see 0:23:58.920 --> 0:24:02.239 it as a light affliction. You know that you and 0:24:02.359 --> 0:24:05.880 God are a majority, that He wouldn't have allowed it 0:24:06.080 --> 0:24:09.520 if you couldn't handle it. When Jesus was about to 0:24:09.560 --> 0:24:12.920 be crucified, he went to the garden of gysemone one 0:24:13.040 --> 0:24:17.840 night to praying gassimone means the place of pressing. It's 0:24:17.880 --> 0:24:21.600 where they pressed olives and made olive oil him. Jesus 0:24:21.680 --> 0:24:25.159 was under so much pressure that he sweat drops of blood. 0:24:25.720 --> 0:24:29.800 His capillaries burst and the blood flowed. He asked his 0:24:29.920 --> 0:24:33.000 disciples to stay up and pray for him, but they 0:24:33.040 --> 0:24:36.159 fell asleep, and he was in so much agony that 0:24:36.200 --> 0:24:39.520 he fell down. He said, Father, if you can take 0:24:39.560 --> 0:24:43.120 this cup from me, but not my will, let your 0:24:43.160 --> 0:24:47.920 will be done. At that point, angels came and strengthened him. 0:24:48.359 --> 0:24:50.840 Got up, and he told his disciples that they could 0:24:50.920 --> 0:24:53.520 continue to sleep, but he was going to go and 0:24:53.600 --> 0:24:58.520 fulfill his destiny. His greatest place of pressure is what 0:24:58.680 --> 0:25:02.560 gave birth to his greatest power. He was then crucified 0:25:02.800 --> 0:25:06.200 and rose from the dead. We don't like the pressure, 0:25:06.680 --> 0:25:10.119 but that's what gives birth to power. If you'll handle 0:25:10.160 --> 0:25:13.320 the pressure the right way, you'll come out with something 0:25:13.480 --> 0:25:17.240 you would have never had without the trouble, without the adversity. 0:25:17.680 --> 0:25:23.119 Greater power, greater favor, opportunity that you've never seen. And 0:25:23.119 --> 0:25:27.159 it's interesting that the disciples fell asleep. Jesus asked for 0:25:27.359 --> 0:25:31.960 their help. He wanted their support, their encouragement, but when 0:25:31.960 --> 0:25:35.520 he needed them the most. They let him down. There 0:25:35.520 --> 0:25:39.399 are some battles that you have to fight alone. People 0:25:39.440 --> 0:25:42.800 that you were counting on won't be there, friends not available, 0:25:42.960 --> 0:25:46.879 co workers busy. This is between just you and God. 0:25:47.720 --> 0:25:50.760 If you'll dig down deep and say, God, this is difficult. 0:25:51.320 --> 0:25:54.840 I'm sweating. I don't see how, but I believe that 0:25:54.920 --> 0:25:57.760 you have a way. I know you're fighting my battles 0:25:58.040 --> 0:25:59.919 that you'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. 0:26:00.720 --> 0:26:04.280 That's when the angels will come. You'll feel a supernatural 0:26:04.320 --> 0:26:07.919 strength to keep moving forward. You'll see God do what 0:26:08.040 --> 0:26:12.160 only he can do. How are you handling pressure? Are 0:26:12.200 --> 0:26:15.480 you letting it overwhelm you take your joy cause you 0:26:15.560 --> 0:26:19.480 to shrink back. Try a new approach. Turn that pressure 0:26:19.520 --> 0:26:23.960 into power. Keep making progress despite what's coming against you, 0:26:24.320 --> 0:26:27.760 doing the right thing when it's hard, taking steps of faith. 0:26:28.480 --> 0:26:32.080 The reason that pressure is great is because great favor 0:26:32.119 --> 0:26:36.640 is coming, Great healing is coming, great opportunity. Don't run 0:26:36.680 --> 0:26:40.439 from the pressure. You can handle it. God wouldn't have 0:26:40.520 --> 0:26:43.879 allowed it if you weren't well able. Like Paul, you 0:26:43.960 --> 0:26:47.840 may feel pressure on every side. I believe and declare 0:26:48.240 --> 0:26:51.160 you will not be crushed. You will not be broken. 0:26:51.480 --> 0:26:54.560 You will not be shaken. Things are about to shift 0:26:54.640 --> 0:27:00.360 in your favor. Supernatural strength, doors opening, breakthroughs, healing, the 0:27:00.480 --> 0:27:04.720 fullness of your destiny in Jesus's name, and if you 0:27:04.760 --> 0:27:08.760 receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give 0:27:08.760 --> 0:27:11.919 you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:27:12.400 --> 0:27:15.920 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:27:16.080 --> 0:27:20.120 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:27:20.200 --> 0:27:24.080 you my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:27:24.200 --> 0:27:26.880 we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 0:27:26.920 --> 0:27:29.560 you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. 0:27:29.800 --> 0:27:32.040 You can text the number on the screen or go 0:27:32.080 --> 0:27:34.679 to the website. But I hope you'll get into a 0:27:34.720 --> 0:27:38.520 good Bible based church and keep God first place. 0:27:44.359 --> 0:27:47.720 It's a new year, an opportunity for a fresh start. 0:27:48.240 --> 0:27:51.240 It's a new year, time to forget the struggles of 0:27:51.280 --> 0:27:54.439 the past and make room for new blessings. It's a 0:27:54.560 --> 0:27:58.280 new year, the perfect time to build expectation and faith 0:27:58.520 --> 0:28:00.000 for an amazing new season. 0:28:00.880 --> 0:28:03.080 The beginning of the year is a great time to 0:28:03.119 --> 0:28:06.440 start afresh and anew to let go of negative things 0:28:06.440 --> 0:28:08.960 of the past and to get ready for the new things. 0:28:09.000 --> 0:28:12.760 God has in store. Every January, we create a new 0:28:12.800 --> 0:28:16.479 devotional calendar. When you start off each day in faith, 0:28:16.840 --> 0:28:20.960 grateful for what God has done, making positive declarations over 0:28:21.000 --> 0:28:24.080 your future, you're setting the tone for a blessed day 0:28:24.320 --> 0:28:28.159 and a victorious year. This devotional calendar will help you 0:28:28.200 --> 0:28:31.040 get your mind going in the right direction so you 0:28:31.080 --> 0:28:34.040 can live in faith expecting the goodness of God. 0:28:34.760 --> 0:28:37.160 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:37.200 --> 0:28:39.760 of any amount this first month of the year, we 0:28:39.800 --> 0:28:41.960 would like to send you a copy of our brand 0:28:42.040 --> 0:28:45.160 new twenty twenty five three hundred and sixty five day 0:28:45.240 --> 0:28:50.040 devotional calendar. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, 0:28:50.160 --> 0:28:54.800 two three. One wake up with an expectancy in your heart. 0:28:55.120 --> 0:28:58.960 Two reflect on the daily scripture, verse and devotional from Joel. 0:28:59.240 --> 0:29:03.120 Three capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines 0:29:03.160 --> 0:29:04.480 for writing and reflection. 0:29:05.280 --> 0:29:07.320 This is going to be one of your best years. 0:29:07.600 --> 0:29:10.600 Our twenty twenty five devotional calendar is going to help 0:29:10.640 --> 0:29:13.120 you stay in faith and see the goodness of God 0:29:13.360 --> 0:29:16.560 in ways you've never seen. Victoria and I pray for 0:29:16.640 --> 0:29:19.240 you and your family every day, and thank you so 0:29:19.360 --> 0:29:23.400 much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting 0:29:23.480 --> 0:29:26.320 lives around the world. And a special thank you to 0:29:26.400 --> 0:29:29.680 our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. If 0:29:29.720 --> 0:29:32.440 you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. 0:29:32.840 --> 0:29:36.840 Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning, 0:29:37.280 --> 0:29:41.240 download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube now the new 0:29:41.320 --> 0:29:44.360 joelost Network twenty four hours a day, and of course 0:29:44.440 --> 0:29:47.600 listen live on Serious XM as well. But until we 0:29:47.640 --> 0:29:50.560 meet again, met the Lord bless you and keep you, 0:29:50.800 --> 0:29:53.360 may show you his favor and watch over you. 0:29:54.080 --> 0:29:56.760 Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty 0:29:56.800 --> 0:30:01.360 five devotional calendar today. Visit joelos dot com or call 0:30:01.480 --> 0:30:03.600 us toll free. 0:30:06.040 --> 0:30:06.440 Mhmm