The Best Is Next

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This is not an 0:00:57.440 --> 0:00:59.440 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment legal 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:00.640 or taxi by He'll. 0:01:00.480 --> 0:01:02.800 Forget about the video game you gave him on his birthday. 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:04.560 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.840 --> 0:01:06.760 But he'll never forget how you invest it in his 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:08.240 future with the units stapp. 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.760 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.560 The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.280 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:18.720 a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:20.800 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.319 fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:26.320 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:29.280 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:34.559 We may not like the process. It's uncomfortable. We're doing 0:01:34.600 --> 0:01:37.440 the right thing, but the wrong thing is happening. We're 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:40.840 working hard but not see an increase. Thoughts will tell 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:44.319 you it's never going to get better. Don't believe those lies. 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:49.240 That disappointment, the breakup, the slow season didn't stop what 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:52.600 God has for you. It's getting you in position for 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:56.880 favor that you've never seen. Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.800 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:59.840 --> 0:02:00.640 the ministry. 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:03.120 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:04.680 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:07.720 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:14.839 your life. Well, God bless you. It's great to come 0:02:14.840 --> 0:02:17.480 into your homes, and I hope you'll stay connected with 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.440 us throughout the week. We have a daily podcast that 0:02:20.480 --> 0:02:23.200 you can download, or you can go to our YouTube 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:26.040 channel watch the messages anytime, or of course you can 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.520 follow us on social media. But thanks for tuning in today. 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:31.799 We're going to do our best to keep it inspired 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.840 and encouraged. I like to start with something funny, and 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:37.840 I heard about these three pastors that were in a 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:41.160 boat on a lake fishing together. One of them said, 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.160 we never get to let our hair down. Let's each 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:47.200 tell the area that we struggle in the most, our 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:50.200 greatest sin, so we can pray for each other. The 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:52.800 first pastor said, I hate to admit this, but I 0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:55.960 have a problem with gambling. Sometimes I sneak out at 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:59.440 night and gamble. The second pastor said, I'm ashamed to 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:02.320 admit this, but I have a problem with cheating. I 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:06.600 hardly ever pay my taxes. The third pastor sat there silently. 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:10.280 They waited and waited. He wouldn't budge. They said, we 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:13.520 are not leaving until you tell us your greatest sin. 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:17.440 He said, all right, my greatest sin is gossiping, and 0:03:17.520 --> 0:03:20.680 I can't wait to get off this boat. Say it 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:23.760 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:26.200 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:28.639 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:03:29.040 --> 0:03:31.919 Today I will be taught the word of God. I 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:36.160 boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:36.440 --> 0:03:39.960 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:43.440 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:43.600 --> 0:03:47.720 the best is next. It's easy to get satisfied where 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:52.240 we are when we've seen blessing and favor. God's protected us, 0:03:52.400 --> 0:03:55.920 promoted us open doors. We can start thinking that we've 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:59.560 seen our best days. But God never does his greatest 0:03:59.600 --> 0:04:03.920 feats in your yesterdays. They're always in your future. The 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:08.240 scripture says, the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter. 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:11.680 What God has in front of you is more fulfilling, 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:16.320 more rewarding than anything you've seen in the past. But 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:21.080 sometimes before it gets brighter, it gets darker. Before we 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.920 see more than enough, we go through a season of 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:27.840 not enough. There are times the good has to come 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:31.640 to an end to make room for the best. Doesn't 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.400 make sense to us. Why did my business slow down? 0:04:34.880 --> 0:04:38.159 Why did this person walk away? Why did this door close? 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:41.799 It's all a part of God's plan. He's shaking things 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:45.159 up to move you out of the good into the best. 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:48.280 If he didn't close those doors, you wouldn't see the 0:04:48.279 --> 0:04:52.120 fullness of your destiny. We may not like the process. 0:04:52.560 --> 0:04:55.799 It's uncomfortable. We're doing the right thing, but the wrong 0:04:55.880 --> 0:04:59.440 thing is happening. We're working hard but not see an increase. 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.200 The thoughts will tell you it's never going to get better. 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:07.120 Don't believe those lies. That disappointment, the breakup, the slow 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:11.000 season didn't stop what God has for you. It's getting 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:15.320 you in position for favor that you've never seen. Your 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:19.120 relationship didn't work out. God knew it was going to happen. 0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:22.600 That didn't catch him off guard. He's already lined up 0:05:22.640 --> 0:05:27.000 someone better than you can imagine. Your business has slowed down, 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:31.360 the contract didn't work out. That setback is not stopping you. 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:34.599 It's setting you up for new levels. You're going to 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:40.320 come out, not like you were before, but healthier, stronger, promoted, increased. 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:44.360 John Chapter two, Jesus was at a wedding in Galilee. 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:48.480 There was a big celebration with hundreds of people. Everything 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:52.159 was going great until they ran out of wine. His 0:05:52.279 --> 0:05:55.520 mother came and told him about the problem. And Jesus 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:59.120 had not performed any miracles in public up to this point, 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:02.120 but she knew something about Jesus that others didn't know. 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:05.840 She told the staff to do whatever he asked them 0:06:05.880 --> 0:06:09.200 to do. There were six large water pots over to 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:13.520 the side. They held thirty gallons each. Jesus told the 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:16.400 men to go fill them with water. Now I can 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:19.080 imagine them thinking what good is that going to do, 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.320 But instead of talking themselves out of it, they filled 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:25.560 the containers and brought them back to Jesus. He said, 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:28.520 now dip some out and take it to the host 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:31.640 of the wedding, to the man that's in charge. Verse 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:35.599 nine says when the host tasted the water that was 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:39.680 now wine, he called the groom over and said, usually 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:43.560 a host serves the best wine first, then when everyone 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:46.440 is full, doesn't know any better, he brings out the 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:51.000 less expensive wines. But you have saved the best until now. 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:55.560 Notice how God works. If the wine had not run out, 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:58.160 if they had not come to the end of what 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.000 they were used to, they would have never seen the 0:07:01.040 --> 0:07:05.800 best wine. God saves the best for next. You may 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:09.040 feel like you're coming to an end. You're running out 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:13.360 of opportunity, doors are closing, running out of favor. What 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:16.920 used to work is not working, running out of resources, 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:20.720 having a hard time making ends meet. Maybe you're running 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:23.840 out of strength. You're weary, you can't take it anymore. 0:07:24.480 --> 0:07:27.240 This may sound odd, but you're in a good place. 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:31.040 When you come to the end, that's when God steps 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:33.920 in and not just helps you get through it, but 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:38.320 he says, I've saved the best for next, the best physician, 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:42.160 the best relationships, the best in your finances. You have 0:07:42.240 --> 0:07:45.000 more than you've ever had, the best in your health. 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:47.800 You feel better than you've ever failed, the best in 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:51.880 your family. You're happier than you've ever been. The fact 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:55.440 that things are running out doesn't mean God has forgotten 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:58.200 about you. You must have run out of favor, you 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:01.360 must have done something wrong. There's a sign that God 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:05.120 is about to do something that you've never seen. One 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:09.640 translation says she said to Jesus, we have no more wine. 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:13.960 Sometimes we feel like we have no more no more strength, 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.880 no more vision, no more health. That's okay. There are 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.320 seasons when you come to an end, you run out 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:24.560 of a good thing. The first wine the people had 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:29.480 was fine. Nobody complained, they were blessed, having a great celebration. 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:33.160 But the wine was supposed to run out. It was 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:35.960 a part of God's plan. If it didn't run out, 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:39.280 they would have never seen the best wine. And what 0:08:39.400 --> 0:08:42.839 runs out in your life is not a surprise to God. 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:46.680 The relationship that didn't make it, the company that lets 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.560 you go, the loved one you lost, the health that 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:53.199 went down. That doesn't mean you've seen your best days. 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.840 Just sit back and endure it. It means new levels 0:08:56.840 --> 0:09:01.000 of favor are coming, new levels of your destiny, better health, 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:05.920 better opportunities, better relationships. God doesn't bring you out the same. 0:09:06.600 --> 0:09:08.920 You're going to look back and say, like that host, 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:12.839 you've saved the best for now. That person that walked 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:16.760 away don't get better. They had to go so the 0:09:16.800 --> 0:09:20.040 best could show up. When you see what God does, 0:09:20.640 --> 0:09:24.120 who he brings, you'll say, I'm glad that old wine 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:26.800 ran out. I'm glad that old goat left. I mean 0:09:26.800 --> 0:09:29.319 that old boyfriend left. Look what the Lord has done. 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:33.960 Those co workers that played politics kept you from the promotion, 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:37.400 made you look bad. You thought you ran out of favor, 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:41.080 that God had forgotten about you. That had to happen. 0:09:41.800 --> 0:09:44.800 When you see the new door God opens. How he 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:47.560 promotes you in the presence of your enemies, How he 0:09:47.600 --> 0:09:51.240 gives you influence and favor that you've never seen, you'll say, Lord, 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.280 thank you, you save the best for now. You took 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:58.319 me where I couldn't go on my own. Don't be discouraged. 0:09:58.440 --> 0:10:02.000 When something doesn't work, something runs out, you feel like 0:10:02.040 --> 0:10:06.000 you're at the end. You've studied your situation. You've tried 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:08.439 to come up with a solution, but you've run out 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:11.440 of options. You don't see how your business can make it, 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.360 how your marriage will last, how your health will turn around. 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:18.320 When you come to the end, it's a good place. 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:21.880 When you can't figure out a solution, that's when God 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:25.440 steps in. You had to run out of wine before 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:28.079 you could see the best wine. You had to come 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:30.280 to an end. So God can take it to a 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:33.840 new level. So he can open doors bigger than you've imagined. 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:37.440 So he can give you hell, strength, peace, joy like 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:41.400 you've never seen. The best is not behind you. The 0:10:41.440 --> 0:10:45.280 best is next. Now it may look just the opposite 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:48.440 when you're running low. When you come to the end, 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:52.120 thoughts will tell you it's all downhill from here. You're 0:10:52.200 --> 0:10:55.719 running out of time. You can't accomplish your dream, You're 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:59.160 running out of favor. Business is slow, you're running out 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:02.719 of strength. This pandemic is going to sink you. The 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:06.640 only reason you're running out is because God saved the 0:11:06.679 --> 0:11:11.160 best for next. Keep the right perspective, Father, This looks 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:13.840 like the end, but I know it's a sign that 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:17.440 you're about to show out in my life. Weddings during 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:21.200 that time would go on for several days. When Jesus 0:11:21.240 --> 0:11:23.959 showed up, they could have been there enjoying the first 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:28.040 wine for days. They were happy. The first wine was good. 0:11:28.559 --> 0:11:31.679 No one was complaining. But if the good wine had 0:11:31.720 --> 0:11:34.520 not run out, they wouldn't have seen the best wine. 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:38.600 And when life is good for us, we're happy, our 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:42.120 children are blessed, we're seeing favor. We have no complaints. 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:47.000 But sometimes things change. We're facing an illness, a child 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:50.199 gets off course, a friend we're counting on walks away, 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:54.520 it's easy to live discouraged, feel like we're going backwards, 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:57.840 running out of favor, running out of health. But there's 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:01.480 only one reason you're running out. The good is about 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:04.400 to give way to the best. God loves you too 0:12:04.440 --> 0:12:08.040 much to leave you with just the good wine. That's 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:11.000 fine for a season, but at some point you'll come 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:13.600 to the end so He can show out in your 0:12:13.640 --> 0:12:17.960 life in a much greater way. It's significant that God 0:12:18.000 --> 0:12:21.280 could have given them the same wine. That would have 0:12:21.280 --> 0:12:24.120 been a great miracle. We would be telling that story 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:26.800 that God can restore when you run out, he can 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:30.200 give you more. That's good. But God is so loving, 0:12:30.679 --> 0:12:34.200 so merciful, he doesn't bring you out the same He 0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:37.560 gives you the best wine. The best is simply something 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:41.920 that you've never seen. Favor that you've never seen, health 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:46.760 that you've never seen, opportunity, finances, influence, The best is 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:50.120 in front of you. After you see that best, then 0:12:50.160 --> 0:12:52.880 God will give you something better, a new best. That's 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:56.920 what it means. He's taken you from glory to glory. Now, 0:12:56.960 --> 0:13:00.760 in between those glories, there will be these seasons where 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.560 you feel like you have no more, nothing more to give, 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:08.480 no more creativity, no more resources, no more options. There's 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:11.600 nothing wrong with saying, God, I have no more I'm 0:13:11.679 --> 0:13:15.040 running out of wine, so to speak. Jesus said in 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:18.480 Matthew five, you are blessed when you're at the end 0:13:18.600 --> 0:13:21.800 of your rope, with less of you. There is more 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:25.960 of God in his favor. That seems odd. We're blessed 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:28.960 when we're at the end. Why would Jesus say we're 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:33.120 blessed when the contract doesn't go through. We're blessed when 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:36.880 that person walks away. It's because when you're at the end, 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:39.560 when you've run out of options, when you don't have 0:13:39.600 --> 0:13:42.920 any more wine, that's when God shows up and gives 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:45.640 you the best wine. That's when he does more than 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:49.640 you can imagine. A friend of mine played professional football 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:53.440 for many years, and he was a great player, very popular, 0:13:53.640 --> 0:13:56.840 well liked. When he retired, he was hired by his 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.959 team to help develop the players and keep them motive. 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:04.199 For years, he was very successful. The team, the coaches, 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:07.280 the players, they all loved him. You couldn't find a 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:11.640 more talented, kind, loyal person, and life was good for him. 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:16.160 He was seeing favor increased, blessing. But one day this 0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:19.640 team hired a new manager he didn't like my friend. 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:23.440 He saw how popular he was, and he started poisoning 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:27.160 the staff, spreading things that weren't true, and eventually he 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:31.440 fired my friend. It's very unfair, very hurtful. I called 0:14:31.480 --> 0:14:36.120 him to encourage him. He was disappointed, but he wasn't discouraged. 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:40.120 He understood this principle that when the old wine runs out, 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:43.440 that means the best wine is coming, something that you've 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:48.080 never seen. That's why you shouldn't fight every closed door. 0:14:48.720 --> 0:14:52.240 People that do you wrong, seasons that slow down. You're 0:14:52.280 --> 0:14:55.440 not seeing the favor that you once did. These things 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:58.920 have to happen for you to see the best wine, 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:02.960 for you to se greater favor, greater influence. As much 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:05.800 as we don't like it, the people that do us wrong, 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:10.280 the bad breaks, the betrayals, the disappointments, they are all 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:14.160 a part of God's plan. God is not only ordering 0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:18.320 your steps, he's ordering the steps of those you need 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:22.520 to fulfill your destiny. We know God ordered Jesus' steps, 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:27.840 but he also ordered Judas's steps. Without Judas betraying Jesus, 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:32.880 we wouldn't have salvation. Without Goliath coming against David. David 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:36.360 would have never taken the throne without my father going 0:15:36.400 --> 0:15:38.880 to be with the Lord something that I didn't like. 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:41.720 I would have never stepped up to pastor the church. 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:46.120 When things run out in your life, instead of complaining 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.880 being bitter, keep the right perspective. It had to run 0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:52.400 out so you can see the best wine, so you 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:54.760 can step up to who you were created to be. 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:58.680 My friend stayed on the high road the whole time. 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:02.680 His supervisor trying to make him look bad, engage him 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:06.280 in conflict. He wouldn't take the bait. He moved someone 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:09.960 into his office without asking him. My friend didn't say 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:13.520 a word. He left resumes on my friend's desk for 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:17.680 his same position, trying to intimidate him. My friend ignored it. 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:20.600 When he was fired. He wouldn't talk to the press. 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:23.480 He didn't make the man look bad. He let God 0:16:23.560 --> 0:16:27.040 fight his battles. He knew God was his vindicator. He 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:29.960 sent me a list of declarations that he made every day. 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:33.720 No weapon formed against me will prosper. I will look 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:36.200 in triumph at those that have hated me. What was 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:39.200 meant for my harm, God is turning to my advantage. 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:43.760 What you're doing in the running out seasons is very important. 0:16:44.280 --> 0:16:47.400 If you go around, bitter, discouraged, trying to get even. 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:50.680 That's going to keep you where you are in. About 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.520 six months after he was fired, he received a phone 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:57.960 call from the NFL offering him a position doing the 0:16:58.000 --> 0:17:02.000 same thing, not for one team, but for multiple teams 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:06.800 over a whole region. Now the NFL, the biggest sports 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:10.280 league in the world, is behind him. He has incredible 0:17:10.359 --> 0:17:14.680 influence in favor. This would have never happened if the 0:17:14.720 --> 0:17:19.160 old wine had not run out. When doors closed, when 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:22.480 things slow down, when people turn on you, stay in peace. 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:26.120 God knows what he's doing. You're coming to an end, 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:30.320 not because it's over, but because the best is next. 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:34.480 Favor that you haven't seen, opportunity that you didn't expect, 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:40.200 increase strength, creativity, good health, more than you've imagined. When 0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:43.600 the wine ran out at the wedding, Jesus asked them 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:47.640 to fill the pots with water. That seemed odd. They 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:51.919 needed wine, not water. Sometimes God will ask you to 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:56.159 do things you don't understand. He has the best wine ready, 0:17:56.600 --> 0:17:59.720 he has something that you haven't seen, but it's dependent 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:03.679 on your obedience. Will you do what he's asking you 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:07.040 to do. It may be to forgive someone that did 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:10.840 you wrong, that doesn't make sense. They hurt you. You 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:13.359 have a right to be bitter. That will keep you 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:16.600 from the best wine. It may be to step out 0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:20.160 in faith when you don't feel qualified to teach the class, 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:23.800 to start the business, to mentor that young person, or 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:26.760 maybe like my friends. It's to keep a good attitude 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.639 when you're not being treated right to say on the 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:33.280 high road, to let God fight your battles. It's easy 0:18:33.320 --> 0:18:36.120 to try to pay people back, make them look bad, 0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:39.119 do to them what they're doing to you. Trust God 0:18:39.280 --> 0:18:42.800 to be your vindicator. He can vindicate you better than 0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:46.840 you can vindicate yourself. This man that was so against 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:51.560 my friend, so dishonest, not long ago, he was fired 0:18:51.600 --> 0:18:55.199 by the team in a very public way. Everything he 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:58.800 had been doing, the schemes, the backbiting, the jealousy, that 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:02.280 all came to light. Now he's out, and my friend 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:05.359 is in, not in the same position, but in something 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:10.280 much better. People can't stop your destiny. Closed doors can't 0:19:10.280 --> 0:19:13.800 stop your purpose. Bad breaks can't keep you from what 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:17.840 God has ordained. When that wine runs out, keep doing 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.200 what God asked you to do, Keep being good to people, 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:25.800 keep giving, serving, expecting the wine. Wunning out is a 0:19:25.840 --> 0:19:29.760 sign that the best wine is coming. There was a 0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:33.439 widow in the Old Testament. Her husband had died, and 0:19:33.480 --> 0:19:36.720 now she was living alone with her son. They did 0:19:36.800 --> 0:19:40.399 fine for a while, going along no problems. Then a 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:44.480 drought came. Their crops dried up, their income went down. 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:47.960 She used the funds her husband had left. Now those 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:51.320 funds had run out. It was a perfect storm. She 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:56.600 had no income, no savings, no food, no groceries. Everything 0:19:56.680 --> 0:20:00.399 came to an end. She was preparing her last meal. 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:03.040 She and her son were going to eat it. They 0:20:03.080 --> 0:20:05.920 had already accepted the fact that this would be it. 0:20:06.640 --> 0:20:09.720 The prophet Elijah saw her out picking up sticks to 0:20:09.800 --> 0:20:13.240 make a fire. He said, do me a favor. I'm hungry. 0:20:13.720 --> 0:20:16.399 Will you make me something to eat? I'm sure? She 0:20:16.480 --> 0:20:20.000 thought you gotta be kidding. She said, Elijah, I promise you. 0:20:20.240 --> 0:20:23.560 All I have is a little flour, a little oil. 0:20:23.760 --> 0:20:27.200 We've exhausted all of our resources. We just have enough 0:20:27.320 --> 0:20:30.200 for my son and myself. Once I cooked this meal, 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:35.480 we're done. Elijah asked her to do something that seemed selfish. 0:20:35.680 --> 0:20:38.679 He said, go ahead and make that last meal, but 0:20:38.840 --> 0:20:42.760 make me a little loaf of bread first. She could 0:20:42.760 --> 0:20:45.320 have thought we're about to starve to death, and you 0:20:45.400 --> 0:20:48.240 want me to feed you before I feed myself and 0:20:48.320 --> 0:20:51.679 my son. I'm not going to do that. Instead, she 0:20:51.800 --> 0:20:54.879 took a step of faith and cooked him a meal. First. 0:20:55.480 --> 0:20:58.720 Elijah ate that meal and said, the Lord, God of 0:20:58.920 --> 0:21:03.000 Israel says, there will always be plenty of flower and 0:21:03.160 --> 0:21:06.879 plenty of oil in your cabinets until the time the 0:21:06.920 --> 0:21:10.520 Lord sends rain and the crops begin to produce again. 0:21:11.520 --> 0:21:15.280 From that day forward, week after week, month after month, 0:21:15.480 --> 0:21:18.320 for three and a half years, the oil never ran out. 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:23.080 The flower container was never empty. She had supernatural provision. 0:21:23.560 --> 0:21:27.480 She went from running out to running over. The running 0:21:27.600 --> 0:21:31.359 out is a sign that running over is coming. You 0:21:31.440 --> 0:21:35.080 may feel like you're running out of strength today, you're 0:21:35.119 --> 0:21:38.560 weary from everything that's going on. Get ready. Running over 0:21:38.640 --> 0:21:42.480 strength is coming. Strength that you've never felt, energy like 0:21:42.520 --> 0:21:46.800 you've never seen. You're running out of resources. Business has 0:21:46.840 --> 0:21:50.880 slowed down. Get ready, running over resources are headed your way. 0:21:51.520 --> 0:21:54.440 You're running out of favor, not getting any good breaks, 0:21:54.560 --> 0:21:59.000 stuck in your career because you honor God. Running over 0:21:59.119 --> 0:22:04.320 favor is coming, running over blessings, running over opportunities. That 0:22:04.400 --> 0:22:07.720 means you have so many opportunities. You can't take them all. 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:11.639 You have to choose which ones you want. Elijah said, 0:22:12.280 --> 0:22:16.359 make me a meal first. God is saying, keep me 0:22:16.520 --> 0:22:19.720 first place in your life. When you wake up in 0:22:19.760 --> 0:22:23.600 the morning, don't meet with anyone until you first meet 0:22:23.640 --> 0:22:26.760 with God. Take time to thank him for the day, 0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:29.720 Thank him for who he is, Thank him that he's 0:22:29.760 --> 0:22:33.520 the giver of all good things, your protector, your provider, 0:22:33.800 --> 0:22:37.680 your healer, your waymaker. And all through the day, under 0:22:37.680 --> 0:22:40.800 your breath you can talk to God. Lord, thank you 0:22:40.880 --> 0:22:43.520 for watching over my children. Lord, help me to do 0:22:43.600 --> 0:22:47.000 good at work today. Lord, thank you for giving me wisdom. 0:22:47.320 --> 0:22:51.320 The scripture says, if you'll acknowledge God in all your ways, 0:22:51.640 --> 0:22:55.879 he'll crown your efforts with success. And every time God 0:22:55.960 --> 0:22:58.960 asks you to do a hard thing, that means there's 0:22:59.000 --> 0:23:03.119 a big blessing. It was a sacrifice for this lady 0:23:03.280 --> 0:23:07.879 to make Elijah anial first. That took trust, courage, faith. 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:11.320 Wasn't easy for the workers to go fill the water 0:23:11.400 --> 0:23:15.359 pots with water. Thoughts were telling them you're wasting your time. 0:23:16.000 --> 0:23:19.080 They had to fight off doubt, fight off negative thoughts. 0:23:19.640 --> 0:23:22.439 But when you choose to obey, when you do the 0:23:22.560 --> 0:23:26.040 right thing, when it's hard. You're setting yourself up for 0:23:26.080 --> 0:23:29.919 God to show out in your life, to see supernatural favor, 0:23:30.359 --> 0:23:36.520 supernatural healing, supernatural provision. A few years after I started pastoring, 0:23:36.840 --> 0:23:41.160 the church began to grow. We needed a larger auditorium. 0:23:41.359 --> 0:23:43.840 My father said that he would never move Lakewood. 0:23:44.280 --> 0:23:44.960 I was new. 0:23:45.320 --> 0:23:48.000 I wasn't about to rock the boat, so I started 0:23:48.000 --> 0:23:51.719 looking for land around our other location. We found one 0:23:51.800 --> 0:23:55.359 hundred acres that was right off the freeway, about two 0:23:55.359 --> 0:23:58.760 miles from the old location. It seemed perfect. A few 0:23:58.760 --> 0:24:01.359 months later, we went to close on the property and 0:24:01.560 --> 0:24:04.640 sign all the papers. The secretary walked out and said, 0:24:04.680 --> 0:24:09.159 I'm sorry, the owner sold this property last night. I 0:24:09.160 --> 0:24:12.040 couldn't believe it. He didn't keep his word. I was 0:24:12.080 --> 0:24:16.080 so discouraged. I went home and told Victorian. She started 0:24:16.119 --> 0:24:19.760 preaching to me. One of my messages, Joel, this closed 0:24:19.760 --> 0:24:22.800 door means God has something better. We're gonna stay in faith. 0:24:23.200 --> 0:24:25.280 I didn't want to hear that. I wanted the property. 0:24:26.040 --> 0:24:29.240 A couple of months later, we found another one hundred acres. 0:24:29.680 --> 0:24:33.000 It seemed like a better location, had better access from 0:24:33.040 --> 0:24:36.040 the freeway. I knew that's why God shut the other door. 0:24:36.720 --> 0:24:39.080 We went to close on the property and the same 0:24:39.160 --> 0:24:42.719 thing happened. They sold it to someone else. We were 0:24:42.800 --> 0:24:46.000 running out of options. There weren't any more large tracts 0:24:46.040 --> 0:24:49.640 of land off the freeway in that area. But sometimes 0:24:49.880 --> 0:24:53.359 God won't step in until you run out of options. 0:24:53.560 --> 0:24:56.960 That old wine has to run out. I was tempted 0:24:57.000 --> 0:24:59.520 to live, stressed and worried, and I could hear that 0:24:59.600 --> 0:25:03.720 still small voice angel, Trust me, I'm still in control. 0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:07.400 I didn't see how it could happen. But God has 0:25:07.480 --> 0:25:10.960 ways we've never thought of. His plan for your life 0:25:11.240 --> 0:25:14.720 is better than your own. What we think is the best, 0:25:14.960 --> 0:25:18.760 many times is far less than what God has in mind. 0:25:19.640 --> 0:25:22.919 I was hoping to find land to build an auditorium. 0:25:23.320 --> 0:25:26.639 I never dreamed God would give us one already built 0:25:27.160 --> 0:25:31.000 on the busiest freeway, the most visible, the most attended, 0:25:31.320 --> 0:25:34.439 one of the most prestigious facilities in our city, the 0:25:34.440 --> 0:25:38.919 former Compact Center. I was complaining about running out of 0:25:38.960 --> 0:25:42.960 options all the while God had something better than I 0:25:43.040 --> 0:25:46.720 ever dreamed. Can I tell you you haven't seen your 0:25:46.800 --> 0:25:51.320 best days? You may feel stuck. Doors have closed, the 0:25:51.400 --> 0:25:54.680 wine has run out. That all happened for a reason. 0:25:55.359 --> 0:25:57.800 It had to run out, so you could see the 0:25:57.840 --> 0:26:00.639 best wine. The best part of your life is not 0:26:00.760 --> 0:26:03.720 behind you. The best part of your life is the 0:26:03.760 --> 0:26:07.480 next part of your life. You haven't seen, heard, or 0:26:07.520 --> 0:26:12.200 imagine what God has in store. You wouldn't be discouraged 0:26:12.240 --> 0:26:15.280 over that door that closed if you knew what God 0:26:15.400 --> 0:26:18.480 was about to open. You wouldn't be stressed over that 0:26:18.640 --> 0:26:22.200 deal that fell through. If you knew your compact center 0:26:22.320 --> 0:26:25.639 was up ahead, you would put God first place with 0:26:25.760 --> 0:26:28.800 no problem. You would make that profit of Neil. You 0:26:28.800 --> 0:26:34.240 would obey if you knew supernatural provision is coming. Sometimes 0:26:34.240 --> 0:26:37.159 we think that we're running out of time. It's too 0:26:37.280 --> 0:26:40.760 late to accomplish my dream. I missed my chance, Joel, 0:26:40.840 --> 0:26:43.879 I made too many mistakes. I'm too old. That's the 0:26:43.920 --> 0:26:47.400 way Caleb probably felt. He was one of the spies 0:26:47.640 --> 0:26:50.920 that came back from the Promised Land and told Moses 0:26:51.119 --> 0:26:53.639 that they were well able to take the land, that 0:26:53.640 --> 0:26:57.080 they should go in at once, But the negative report 0:26:57.280 --> 0:27:01.120 from the other ten spies caused everyone to get discouraged. 0:27:01.440 --> 0:27:04.760 They turned around and went back into the desert. Caleb 0:27:04.880 --> 0:27:08.280 was forty years old at the time. For forty years 0:27:08.440 --> 0:27:12.120 he wandered in the desert. The interesting thing is. It 0:27:12.200 --> 0:27:16.480 wasn't his fault. He had faith, he was courageous, he 0:27:16.560 --> 0:27:20.399 was obedient. It looked like other people stopped his dream. 0:27:20.880 --> 0:27:24.400 Their negative report kept him from his destiny. The good 0:27:24.440 --> 0:27:28.199 news is what God started. He's going to finish what 0:27:28.359 --> 0:27:31.960 he promised. He's going to bring to pass. At eighty 0:27:32.000 --> 0:27:36.080 five years old, God said Caleb, I haven't forgotten about you. 0:27:36.680 --> 0:27:39.399 I said you'd go into the Promised Land. You're still 0:27:39.440 --> 0:27:42.919 going to go in. There were three giants living on 0:27:43.000 --> 0:27:46.439 that land. Caleb could have said, God, give me another place. 0:27:46.800 --> 0:27:49.879 Those people are too big. I'm too old now. No, 0:27:50.080 --> 0:27:53.439 don't settle for a watered down version of your dream. 0:27:54.000 --> 0:27:57.600 At eighty five, Caleb said, God, I still want that mountain. 0:27:58.119 --> 0:28:01.040 He went out and defeated those jobs and made it 0:28:01.080 --> 0:28:05.080 into the Promised Land. It's not too late for you 0:28:05.160 --> 0:28:08.480 to become all you were created to be. God has 0:28:08.520 --> 0:28:11.320 not forgotten about the dreams he put in your heart. 0:28:11.880 --> 0:28:14.680 You're not running out of time, You're running into time. 0:28:15.280 --> 0:28:19.880 God is ordering your steps opportunities that didn't happen years earlier. 0:28:20.200 --> 0:28:23.040 You didn't miss it. It wasn't the right time. The 0:28:23.119 --> 0:28:26.040 door had to close. The people had to be against you. 0:28:26.359 --> 0:28:29.000 The business had to not make it. It was all 0:28:29.080 --> 0:28:32.399 setting you up for the best wine. God saves the 0:28:32.440 --> 0:28:36.720 best for next. I believe and declare you're about to 0:28:36.760 --> 0:28:42.160 come in to some best, best opportunity, best relationship, best health, 0:28:42.400 --> 0:28:46.680 best resources like that widow woman. Because you keep God 0:28:46.800 --> 0:28:49.560 first place, You're going to go from running out to 0:28:49.680 --> 0:28:52.960 running over, from not enough to more than enough. Your 0:28:53.040 --> 0:28:56.760 latter days will be better than your former days. Get ready. 0:28:57.240 --> 0:29:01.800 The best is next in Jesus, if you receive it, 0:29:01.880 --> 0:29:05.240 Can you say amen? I'd like to give you an 0:29:05.280 --> 0:29:08.760 opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would 0:29:08.760 --> 0:29:13.280 you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent 0:29:13.320 --> 0:29:17.640 of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 0:29:17.800 --> 0:29:21.440 my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:29:21.560 --> 0:29:24.560 we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 0:29:24.600 --> 0:29:27.640 you some free information. Just text the number on the screen, 0:29:27.880 --> 0:29:29.920 or you can go to our website take the New 0:29:29.960 --> 0:29:33.600 Beginning's course. I hope you'll get into a good Bible 0:29:33.640 --> 0:29:37.520 based church and keep God first place. Thanks so much 0:29:37.560 --> 0:29:40.880 for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so 0:29:40.960 --> 0:29:44.120 you can receive the latest podcast to keep you encouraged 0:29:44.160 --> 0:29:45.720 and inspired all through the week. 0:29:45.920 --> 0:29:48.120 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:48.160 --> 0:29:49.640 with those all around the world. 0:29:49.960 --> 0:29:52.720 Visit joeloasting dot com or click the link in the 0:29:52.760 --> 0:29:54.920 description to partner with us today. 0:29:55.160 --> 0:29:57.600 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:57.720 --> 0:30:00.560 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:30:00.600 --> 0:30:03.680 for you. 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