The Danger of Dry Places

0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.120 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.840 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.680 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:44.800 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:46.920 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:49.600 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:51.840 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.040 and career. Make it count with Perdue Global produce online 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:59.720 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:02.200 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:02.800 his birthday. 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:05.000 Wow, thanks Grandpa, but. 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:07.319 He'll never forget how you invested in his future with 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:08.160 the units stapp. 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.400 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.560 The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.280 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:18.720 a limited time. Download the unit stap and use the 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.120 code iHeart fifty at sign up to receive a fifty 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:23.679 dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code iHeart 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:26.800 fifty when you sign up at unest dot co for 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:29.640 a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:30.080 dot co. 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:34.240 Hi, this is Joel. Thanks so much for downloading the podcast. 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:37.160 I believe you'll be inspired and challenged. I hope you 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:52.400 enjoy the message. Well, God lets you. It's a joy 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:54.720 to come into your homes, and if you're ever in 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.800 our area, please stop buy be a part of one 0:01:57.840 --> 0:02:00.800 of our services. I'll promise you will make you feel 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:03.880 right at home. I like to start with something funny, 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:06.880 and I heard about this elderly couple. They were sitting 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:12.040 in a swing celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary. Feeling romantic, 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:15.520 the husband said to his wife, honey, our love is 0:02:15.639 --> 0:02:19.320 tried and true. She had difficulty hearing it and ask 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:22.160 him to repeat it. He said it louder, I said, 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:26.160 our love is tried and true. She still couldn't hear him. 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:30.160 Said what would you? Please speak up? Frustrated, he shouted, 0:02:30.240 --> 0:02:33.880 I said, our love is tried and true. She said, 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:38.240 well fine, I'm sick of you too say it like 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:41.240 you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.119 it says. I am. I have what it says I have. 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:47.280 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:51.000 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confessed. 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:55.000 My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 0:02:55.000 --> 0:02:59.960 never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:02.720 I want to talk to you today about the danger 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:07.320 of dry places. It's easy to lose our passion for life. 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:10.960 At one time, we were excited. We look forward to 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:14.639 each day. We were believing for our dreams. We love 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:18.480 to laugh. But over time, if we're not careful and 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:22.480 things haven't turned out the way we thought, will become dry. 0:03:22.760 --> 0:03:27.080 When you're dry, life has lost its flavor. You smile 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:30.480 that there's no real joy behind it. You laugh with 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:34.080 your friends, but it's not genuine. You act normal in 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:38.400 front of people, but alone you're discouraged. You wonder what's wrong. 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:43.120 Sometimes we're dry because we're tired. The battles have taken 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.640 longer than we thought. We can be dry because we've 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:50.160 been hurt. Somebody did us wrong. Instead of letting it go, 0:03:50.320 --> 0:03:54.120 we've held onto it. Some people are dry because they 0:03:54.120 --> 0:03:57.960 have the wrong perspective. They think their challenges are too big, 0:03:58.240 --> 0:04:01.360 that they'll never work out. But there's a problem with 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:05.240 being dry. It doesn't just steal our joy, doesn't just 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:09.440 affect our attitude. It's deeper than that. The scripture says 0:04:09.800 --> 0:04:13.800 when an unclean spirit leaves a person, it walks through 0:04:14.200 --> 0:04:19.400 dry places seeking rest. When we're dry, we've stepped into 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:23.960 the enemy's territory. That's where he lives. And sometimes he 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:26.799 doesn't have to come to us. We go to him. 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:31.200 When you feel the blaws, no passion thoughts tell you 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:34.240 nothing good is in your future. You'll never meet the 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:38.440 right person, you'll never get out of debt. Recognize that's 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:42.240 the enemy trying to get you into his territory. When 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:47.640 you're positive, hopeful, full of praise. That's God's territory. The 0:04:47.800 --> 0:04:51.640 enemy can't touch you. He can't cross that line. That's 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:55.320 why he works over time in our thought life. His 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:59.080 goal is to get us down and discouraged. He knows 0:04:59.120 --> 0:05:03.239 when we're dry, we're giving him access. We're coming onto 0:05:03.320 --> 0:05:06.640 his field. That's where he has the right to control 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:10.279 and manipulate. And maybe you have a good reason to 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:13.719 be dry. Life has thrown you some curves. You don't 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:16.919 see anything good up ahead. That's when you have to 0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:20.120 dig down deep and say no, I am not going 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:24.760 to live discouraged, dragging through the day focused on what's wrong. 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:27.920 I know God is on the throne. I know he's 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:30.760 bigger than these problems. I know his plans for me 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:33.120 are for good. So I'm going to live this day 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:37.360 in faith, expecting his favor. You have to take control 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:40.599 of your thought life. That's where the battle's taking place, 0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:44.159 and thoughts will tell you things like you're a victim. 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:47.880 Life hasn't treated you fairly. Your spouse doesn't love you 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:51.520 like he should. That company doesn't appreciate you. If you 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:54.920 let those thoughts play long enough, they'll keep you from 0:05:54.960 --> 0:05:58.720 your destiny, Paul said in the book I Acts I 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:02.640 Think Myself happened. You can think yourself out of a 0:06:02.720 --> 0:06:07.560 dry place. You got into discouragement by thinking about how 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:11.000 wrong something was, thinking about who hurts you, thinking about 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:15.120 how things aren't going to improve. You've thought yourself into defeat. 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:19.720 Now turn it around and start thinking yourself into victory. 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:22.919 What God started in my life, he's going to finish. 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.480 No good thing will he withhold because I walk up rightly, 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.800 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:32.560 of my life. What was meant for my harm? Lord? 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:34.800 I want to thank you right now you're turning to 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:39.279 my advantage. Get your mind going in the right direction. 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:43.799 Think yourself into joy. Think yourself into a good mood. 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:48.799 Think yourself into a positive, faith filled attitude. You cannot 0:06:48.880 --> 0:06:53.400 live on autopilot and just think whatever comes your way. 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:57.360 If you do, negative thoughts will dominate. You have to 0:06:57.360 --> 0:07:01.279 be proactive. Don't wait for thoughts of faith and hope 0:07:01.320 --> 0:07:04.680 to come. Think them on purpose. If you'll fill your 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:07.200 mind with the right thoughts, there won't be any room 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:10.360 for the wrong thoughts. And when you feel the blaws, 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:14.080 you need to get into an environment that's uplifting. Don't 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:16.720 come home from work and sit in a dark room 0:07:17.200 --> 0:07:20.760 and watch sad movies. Listen to sad songs and think 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:23.520 sad thoughts, and eat sad foods, and hang around with 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:29.480 sad people. Sad times five equals real sad. Open up 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:33.280 the windows, let some light in the room, put on 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:41.560 some inspiring music. Maybe go outside and take a walk. Exercise, 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:46.560 get your endorphins kicking in. God has put certain hormones 0:07:46.640 --> 0:07:49.320 in us. When we activate them, they give us a 0:07:49.400 --> 0:07:52.640 boost and make us more passionate. They help to take 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:55.880 away the negativity. But it's easy to live a very 0:07:56.080 --> 0:08:00.720 sedentary lifestyle, so you can't override natural law and expect 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:04.800 to feel good. You need to exercise, You need proper sleep, 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:09.040 You need to eat healthy. Practical things can keep us 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:12.600 from being passionate and having the vision and energy that 0:08:12.680 --> 0:08:16.800 we should. When you're dry, it's important who you spend 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.880 time with. You can't afford to hang around other dry people. 0:08:21.640 --> 0:08:27.560 Misery loves company. Find some friends that are happy, positive, energetic. 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:32.440 You need people around you that brighten your day, that 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:35.640 lift your spirits, people that are fun, people that make 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:39.920 you laugh. Many times we gravitate to people that are 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:44.160 like us. If we're discouraged, we find discouraged people. If 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:47.560 we have addictions, we find others that have addictions. You 0:08:47.640 --> 0:08:50.880 need to spend time with people that have what you want, 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:54.520 not that struggle in the same area. If you have 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:58.040 difficulties in your marriage, don't find someone in that same 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.640 situation and sit around and talk about how bad your 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:06.360 spouses are, how unfair life is. Talking about the problems. 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.079 Reliving the hurts is only going to pull you down. 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:14.560 It's not going to make things improve. The situation may 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:19.240 not change, but you can change how you're responding. Isaiah said, 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:23.520 a rise from the depression in which the circumstances have 0:09:23.640 --> 0:09:28.360 kept you rise to a new life. Sometimes we're waiting 0:09:28.400 --> 0:09:32.079 for God to change how we feel. God make me happy, 0:09:32.480 --> 0:09:35.760 God cheer me up. The truth is God is waiting 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:39.600 on us. You walked into that drive place. The good 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:42.800 news is you can walk out of it. A rise 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:47.040 from the depression, Shake off the blows, shake off what 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:50.800 didn't work out This day is a gift from God. 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:54.960 You may have some difficulties, but most likely there's a 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.720 lot more right in your life than there is wrong. 0:09:58.400 --> 0:10:01.320 Some people would love to trade places with you, they 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:04.440 would gladly take your life. Come out of that dry 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:09.160 place that's given the enemy access. When you arise. What 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:12.680 will happen is God will arise when you come over 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:16.080 to his side. You'll get your joy back, your passion back. 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:21.840 You weren't made to drag through the day, discouraged, enduring life. 0:10:21.920 --> 0:10:26.120 You were made to enjoy life. In the scripture, David 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:29.200 had seen God do amazing things. Take him from a 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:33.839 shepherd boy, no experience, no training, chosen to be the king. 0:10:34.400 --> 0:10:38.959 He defeated Goliath and became an overnight hero. He outlasted 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:42.480 King Saul, took the throne. He led Israel from one 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:47.199 victory to another. No greater leader than David. You would 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:50.800 think he would live on the mountaintop, never have a 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:55.080 down day. That's not the case. We're all tempted to 0:10:55.120 --> 0:10:59.839 get dry Psalm forty two. David was so discouraged he 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:02.320 didn't want to go on. Thoughts told him that he 0:11:02.360 --> 0:11:05.880 had seen his best days, that the opposition was too big. 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:09.960 He made the mistake of believing those lies. He ended 0:11:10.040 --> 0:11:13.240 up in a dry place. He could have stayed there, 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:18.360 lived defeated. Instead, he said to himself, why are you 0:11:18.559 --> 0:11:22.880 cast down? O my soul hope in the Lord. He 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:26.520 was saying, I may feel discouraged, but I'm not going 0:11:26.559 --> 0:11:29.319 to let feelings rule my life. I'm not going to 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:33.960 let these negative thoughts keep playing. He talked to himself, David, 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:38.760 get your hopes up. He understood, when we're dry, we 0:11:38.880 --> 0:11:42.960 stepped into the enemy's territory. We're giving him rights that 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:46.640 he shouldn't have. It's not that God has abandoned us, 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:49.720 not that God stepped off the throne. It's the fact 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:53.520 that we walked over to the other side. I'm asking 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:57.720 you to stay out of dry places. Don't let your 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:01.480 mind think of all the negative, relive everything wrong in 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:04.960 your life. It may be true, but don't go there. 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:09.640 The flesh loves to feel sorry for itself. Think about 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:13.120 what you didn't get, how you weren't raised right. Just 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:16.560 another day, I gotta drag through it. As long as 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:19.840 you think that way, you're going to live defeated. You 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:23.360 have to do like David and make the decision. I'm 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:27.160 coming out of the dry place. It starts by changing 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:31.560 your thinking. God's plans for you are for good. There 0:12:31.640 --> 0:12:36.240 are opportunities in your future bigger than you can imagine. 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:40.720 That sickness is not permanent, That financial difficulty is not 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:44.120 how your story ends. That addiction is not going to 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:48.400 hinder you your whole life. God has the final say. Now, 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:51.720 while you're waiting for him to change things, why don't 0:12:51.720 --> 0:12:54.360 you thank him that it's on the way. Why don't 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:57.160 you be grateful for what's right in your life. We 0:12:57.280 --> 0:13:02.080 have to guard our mind to step over into a 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:02.840 dry place. 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:03.840 Now. 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:06.200 I'm not saying that you're dry because you haven't had 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:10.880 any victories. You haven't been successful like David. You may 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:14.640 have seen God do amazing things, protect you, promote you, 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:19.480 bring great people across your path. You can testify of 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:23.760 the goodness of God, but that doesn't exempt us from 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:29.840 becoming dry. The discouragement test comes to every person times 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:34.560 when we're tired. We've won some victories, we've been our best, 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:37.240 but we don't know if we can keep standing strong. 0:13:38.080 --> 0:13:41.040 If you'll get your fire back, God is going to 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:45.040 renew your strength. He's going to give you passion, energy, 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:49.600 vitality like you've never seen. Your second wind is on 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:52.840 its way. God is about to breathe on your life 0:13:53.000 --> 0:13:55.960 in a new way. The victories you've seen in the 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:59.640 past are going to peale in comparison to what God 0:13:59.640 --> 0:14:04.160 is about to do. Psalm sixty eight says, you sent 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:08.959 and abundant rain, O Lord, to refresh the weary land. 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:13.240 You may be weary, you fought hard, but doesn't seem 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:16.920 like that discouragement will go away. God knows how you feel, 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:20.400 He knows what you're up against. You may not be 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:23.240 able to walk out of the drive place on your own. 0:14:23.680 --> 0:14:27.520 Don't worry. God is about to send an abundant rain 0:14:27.840 --> 0:14:30.920 to refresh you. He's going to make things happen that 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:34.560 you couldn't make happen. You're going to see an abundance 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:38.600 of joy, an abundance of strength, an abundance of health, 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:42.800 an abundance of resources. The forces that have held you 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:46.520 back are being broken right now. The enemies you see 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:50.000 today you will see no more now. When you're tempted 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:53.560 to be discouraged, turn it around. Father, Thank you for 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:57.400 the rain that's coming. Thank you for the healing, the favor, 0:14:57.640 --> 0:15:02.280 the breakthroughs, the right people, your hopes. So start expecting 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:06.520 the abundant rain. That's the way our God is. He 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:09.480 could have just said, I'm going to send rain to 0:15:09.560 --> 0:15:13.600 refresh the weary land. That would be good, we'd be grateful. 0:15:14.160 --> 0:15:17.200 But notice the heart of God. He said, in effect, 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:20.600 I'm going to make the enemy pay for bringing the trouble. 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:23.720 I'm gonna make him pay for making you dry. I'm 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:27.040 going to send an abundant rain. I'm going to send 0:15:27.360 --> 0:15:32.440 more than enough, exceedingly abundantly, above and beyond. Get ready 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:37.120 for overflowing. Get ready. God is about to exceed your expectations. 0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:39.840 You are coming out of that dry place in the 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:44.680 more than enough. But sometimes we want to be passionate, 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.760 but the feeling is gone. We don't have the same 0:15:47.880 --> 0:15:51.160 drive and emotion like we used to have, and we 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:55.560 think something is wrong. But psychologists have discovered what they 0:15:55.640 --> 0:16:00.320 call the happiness curve. Research shows most people are they're 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:04.760 happiest at twenty years old. From there, it goes down 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:08.560 till you're fifty. At fifty, it starts coming back up. 0:16:08.920 --> 0:16:12.160 At seventy, you're as happy as you were at twenty, 0:16:12.640 --> 0:16:16.600 But it doesn't stop there. It continues to rise. After seventy, 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:20.120 you're the happiest and most fulfilled than you've ever been. 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:24.280 That's what God said. Your latter days will be better 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:28.520 than your former days. But we see people that are 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:32.640 going through a midlife crisis. They have no passion, They 0:16:32.720 --> 0:16:35.440 are burned out, they don't feel like going on. That's 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:39.600 at fifty year low. It's not unusual. You're not the 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:42.480 only one that feels that way. Don't give up on 0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:45.960 your dreams. Don't go over to a dry place. Some 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:49.760 of what you're facing is just the natural rhythms of life. 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:53.360 But the people that stay happy, the people that don't 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.200 go down and get discouraged, are the people that rule 0:16:56.240 --> 0:16:58.920 their thoughts, the people that stay full of hope, the 0:16:59.000 --> 0:17:01.920 people that know that God Good is still on the throne. 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:05.520 Don't believe those lies that you've seen your best days. 0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:09.120 You wouldn't be alive if God didn't have something amazing 0:17:09.200 --> 0:17:12.600 in front of you. I have a friend. He was 0:17:12.720 --> 0:17:15.959 raised in a low income family here in Houston. His 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:20.199 father worked as a yardman, mowing people's lawns for thirty 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:23.639 one years. He died when the young man was thirteen. 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:28.600 His mother raised nine children by herself. She worked as 0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:32.400 a maid at the Rice Hotel downtown. She never learned 0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:34.959 how to drive. She'd get up early in the morning, 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:38.000 make her kids breakfast, get them off to school, then 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:40.800 she would take the bus to work. She didn't have 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:43.280 a lot of money, but she had a lot of faith. 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:46.479 When times got tough and didn't look like they were 0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:49.439 gonna make it, she would tell her children, don't worry, 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:54.040 Tomorrow will be better than today. They heard that over 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:57.520 and over. She kept speaking faith into them. She knew 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:00.680 God would make a way where they didn't see anyway. 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:05.200 Against the odds. The young man was able to attend college, 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:08.480 and he excelled in school. He went on to Harvard 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:12.960 University and earned his law degree. He served twenty seven 0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:17.320 years in the Texas House of Representatives. Today, our friend 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:23.720 Sylvester Turner is the mayor of Houston. Mayor Turner's mother 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:27.600 was in a dry place. She couldn't help it. It 0:18:27.720 --> 0:18:30.560 was the hand she had been dealt. But she didn't 0:18:30.600 --> 0:18:33.720 let the dryness get in her. If she would have 0:18:33.760 --> 0:18:38.679 lived defeated, complaining about how unfair life was going to 0:18:38.720 --> 0:18:41.840 work with a sour attitude, he wouldn't be the mayor. 0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:45.960 When the odds are against you, you don't see how 0:18:45.960 --> 0:18:49.480 it can work out. Instead of being discouraged, do like 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:54.440 she did. Keep reminding yourself, tomorrow will be better than today. 0:18:55.119 --> 0:18:58.240 That's not just being positive. That's what the scripture says, 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:02.600 the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter. You 0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:07.000 haven't seen your best days. God has good breaks already 0:19:07.040 --> 0:19:10.560 lined up in your future. If he showed you right now, 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:14.560 you couldn't fathom it. If somebody would have told Mayor 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:20.000 Turner at thirteen, in a single parent home, no father, mother, 0:19:20.080 --> 0:19:23.600 raising nine children, working as a maid, that one day 0:19:23.720 --> 0:19:26.760 you'll go to Harvard. One day you'll lead the fourth 0:19:26.840 --> 0:19:30.159 largest city in America. One day you'll stand before kings 0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:34.200 and presidents, he probably wouldn't have believed it. He could 0:19:34.240 --> 0:19:37.840 have thought, not me, that's impossible. I'm in a dry place. 0:19:38.400 --> 0:19:43.000 I'm in a limited environment. My obstacles are insurmountable. God 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:46.280 is not limited by what you don't have. He's not 0:19:46.400 --> 0:19:49.480 limited by how you were raised. He's not limited by 0:19:49.520 --> 0:19:54.200 the opposition. Mayor Turner kept that phrase playing over and over. 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:58.399 Tomorrow will be better than today. That was fuel for 0:19:58.520 --> 0:20:03.480 his faith, fuel for his dreams. But sometimes we don't 0:20:03.520 --> 0:20:06.840 go to the dry place. The drive place comes to us. 0:20:07.440 --> 0:20:10.520 The key is don't let the dryness get in you. 0:20:11.480 --> 0:20:15.240 Stay full of hope, keep thanking God that the abundant 0:20:15.359 --> 0:20:19.040 rain is on the way, keep expecting things to change. 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:23.359 Have that attitude. I know breakthroughs are coming, I know 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:26.120 healing is on the way. I know doors are going 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:28.879 to open that I could not open. That's how you 0:20:28.960 --> 0:20:31.679 stay out of the dry place. You don't focus on 0:20:31.720 --> 0:20:34.520 how big the problem is. You focus on how big 0:20:34.560 --> 0:20:39.880 your God is. One Kings, chapter nineteen. The prophet Elijah 0:20:40.240 --> 0:20:43.520 had just seen one of the greatest victories of his life. 0:20:44.040 --> 0:20:47.680 Four hundred and fifty false prophets that worship the God 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:51.720 bail had come against him. Elijah called down fire from 0:20:51.760 --> 0:20:55.560 heaven and they were all killed. When the king's wife, 0:20:55.800 --> 0:21:00.400 Jezebel heard what happened, she was furious. She said word 0:21:00.480 --> 0:21:03.520 to Elijah, saying, if I don't kill you by this 0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:08.199 time tomorrow, then I'll kill myself. Elijah took off, running 0:21:08.240 --> 0:21:11.320 for his life. It's funny. He wasn't afraid of four 0:21:11.400 --> 0:21:14.040 hundred and fifty men, but he is scared to death 0:21:14.080 --> 0:21:18.040 of one woman. He ran as fast and as far 0:21:18.119 --> 0:21:21.239 away as he could. He dropped his assistant off at 0:21:21.240 --> 0:21:25.879 the city, traveled another day out into the desert, sat 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:29.719 down under a tree. He was so discouraged, so depressed, 0:21:30.000 --> 0:21:32.679 he didn't want to live. He said, God I'm done, 0:21:32.960 --> 0:21:36.080 take me on home. Here. He had just seen the 0:21:36.119 --> 0:21:40.479 greatest miracle of his life. Twenty four hours later, he 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:43.880 was at his lowest moment. Just because you have great 0:21:44.000 --> 0:21:47.640 victories doesn't mean you're not going to have to fight discouragement. 0:21:48.400 --> 0:21:51.000 You may have a great testimony, but there will be 0:21:51.080 --> 0:21:55.600 other tests. Elijah was in the desert in a dry place, 0:21:56.160 --> 0:21:59.960 so tired he fell asleep, hoping he wouldn't wait back up. 0:22:00.760 --> 0:22:03.720 You would think God would say, Elijah, what's wrong with you? 0:22:04.240 --> 0:22:07.399 Of all people, why are you discouraged? You've seen my 0:22:07.520 --> 0:22:10.920 power again and again. I'm done with you. God never 0:22:11.040 --> 0:22:14.800 gives up on us. While he was sleeping, an angel 0:22:14.920 --> 0:22:19.119 came woke him up and said, Elijah, get up and eat. 0:22:19.440 --> 0:22:22.399 There was a jar of water by his side and 0:22:22.560 --> 0:22:26.840 hot bread baking over some calls. God is so good 0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:30.160 He didn't just bring him food. He cooked him a meal. 0:22:31.320 --> 0:22:36.680 Elijah ate that meal, fell back asleep. He was tired, exhausted. 0:22:37.200 --> 0:22:40.800 That's one reason he felt like giving up. You don't 0:22:40.800 --> 0:22:44.480 make good decisions when you're worn out. The angel woke 0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:47.840 him up a second time till Elijah eats some more. 0:22:48.280 --> 0:22:52.399 There's a long journey up ahead. The first meal was 0:22:52.440 --> 0:22:55.639 for where he had been. The second meal was for 0:22:55.720 --> 0:22:59.520 where he was going. And God never just brings you out. 0:22:59.760 --> 0:23:04.119 He always gives you a provision for what's ahead. You 0:23:04.240 --> 0:23:07.639 may have had your meal for where you've been, but 0:23:07.720 --> 0:23:10.280 get ready, a meal is coming for where you're going. 0:23:10.840 --> 0:23:16.360 New levels of talent, increase, favor vision. Elijah ran for 0:23:16.359 --> 0:23:20.480 forty days, ended up hiding in a cave on Mount Sinai. 0:23:21.040 --> 0:23:24.960 He was still afraid, discouraged, thinking his life was over. 0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:27.960 Verse nine says the Lord came to him in the 0:23:28.040 --> 0:23:32.600 cave and said, Elijah, what are you doing here? Now? 0:23:32.600 --> 0:23:35.400 I don't believe God was just talking about the location. 0:23:36.160 --> 0:23:39.280 He was saying, what are you doing here in your mind? 0:23:40.040 --> 0:23:43.320 Why are you looking at this situation from the wrong perspective? 0:23:43.720 --> 0:23:46.560 Why do you think this lady is more powerful than me? 0:23:47.800 --> 0:23:50.960 Like Elijah, you may not see how your situation could 0:23:51.000 --> 0:23:56.920 work out in your health, your finances, or relationship. You're worried, discourage, 0:23:57.200 --> 0:24:00.800 losing sleep. God is saying, what you do in here? 0:24:01.560 --> 0:24:04.159 Don't you know? I am still on the throne. I 0:24:04.240 --> 0:24:07.280 control the universe. I've brought you out in the past, 0:24:07.400 --> 0:24:10.800 I'm gonna bring you out in the future. Elija say, God, 0:24:10.840 --> 0:24:15.560 I'm discouraged because I'm the only prophet alive. I'm the 0:24:15.600 --> 0:24:18.800 only one that hasn't bowed down to Bell and now 0:24:18.840 --> 0:24:22.080 they're trying to kill me too. When you're discouraged, when 0:24:22.080 --> 0:24:24.600 you're in a dry place, it's easy to have an 0:24:24.640 --> 0:24:28.639 exaggerated view of your problem. I'm the only one that 0:24:28.720 --> 0:24:31.439 has all these bad breaks. I'm the only one that 0:24:31.520 --> 0:24:34.920 has a boss that treats me like this. God said, Elijah, 0:24:35.160 --> 0:24:38.720 you're not the only one. I have seven thousand prophets 0:24:38.800 --> 0:24:42.800 that have not bowed down. Take the pressure off. You're 0:24:42.800 --> 0:24:46.480 not the only one facing what you're up against. People 0:24:46.560 --> 0:24:49.720 have been where you are. God brought them out. He's 0:24:49.720 --> 0:24:52.919 going to bring you out too. God told Elijah to 0:24:52.960 --> 0:24:55.440 come out of the cave, come out of hiding, and 0:24:55.520 --> 0:24:58.359 stand on the side of the mountain. There was a 0:24:58.480 --> 0:25:03.520 huge windstorm like a tornado, so strong that rocks were 0:25:03.560 --> 0:25:06.560 flying through the air, dust so thick you couldn't see 0:25:06.600 --> 0:25:11.120 anything that passed. Then there was a great earthquake, the 0:25:11.119 --> 0:25:15.639 ground shook, rocks came tumbling down that passed. There was 0:25:15.680 --> 0:25:20.680 a huge fire burned everything around him that passed. Then 0:25:20.720 --> 0:25:24.359 there was the sound of a gentle whisper, a still 0:25:24.480 --> 0:25:29.680 small voice. After all those huge signs, God had his attention. 0:25:30.480 --> 0:25:34.800 Elijah leaned in to listen closely. The voice whispered, what 0:25:34.840 --> 0:25:38.200 are you doing here? God asked him a second time, 0:25:38.760 --> 0:25:43.000 Why are you depressed over a problem that's only temporary. 0:25:43.880 --> 0:25:47.439 Elijah thought his life was over, when in fact, in 0:25:47.520 --> 0:25:51.800 just a few days he met Elisha, a young man 0:25:51.880 --> 0:25:57.360 that he mentored. Elisha did twice as many miracles as Elijah. 0:25:57.720 --> 0:26:00.920 Elijah's life wasn't over. He was about to come in 0:26:00.960 --> 0:26:05.159 to double the impact. Those thoughts that are telling you 0:26:05.200 --> 0:26:09.119 it's all downhill. You have too many problems. The obstacles 0:26:09.119 --> 0:26:11.840 are too big. God is going to do for you 0:26:12.280 --> 0:26:15.560 what he did for Elijah. You're coming in to double. 0:26:15.880 --> 0:26:18.639 That's why the enemy is trying to stop you so hard. 0:26:19.680 --> 0:26:24.280 The wind storm, Elijah faced, the earthquake, the fire that 0:26:24.480 --> 0:26:28.199 was the enemy bringing his biggest challenges. But when it 0:26:28.280 --> 0:26:31.399 was all said and done, Elijah was still standing strong. 0:26:32.280 --> 0:26:35.240 We see this principle with Jesus. He was in the desert, 0:26:35.600 --> 0:26:39.399 in a dry place. He was tempted three times by Satan. 0:26:40.040 --> 0:26:43.800 The final temptation was the biggest. Satan said, if you'll 0:26:43.800 --> 0:26:46.880 bow down before me. I'll give you all the kingdoms 0:26:46.920 --> 0:26:50.200 of the world. That was his last attempt to try 0:26:50.200 --> 0:26:54.160 to deceive him. Jesus wouldn't give in. Immediately, an angel 0:26:54.280 --> 0:26:58.320 came to strengthen Jesus. You may feel like you're in 0:26:58.359 --> 0:27:03.440 a desert. The storms, the winds, the challenges. They've done 0:27:03.480 --> 0:27:06.720 all they could to stop you, but you're still standing. 0:27:07.560 --> 0:27:11.159 Jezebel didn't get you. The windstorm didn't harm you. The 0:27:11.200 --> 0:27:14.399 earthquake didn't take you out. You stood strong. You passed 0:27:14.440 --> 0:27:19.119 the test. Now, like with Jesus and Elijah, the Angel 0:27:19.320 --> 0:27:22.639 is coming to strengthen you. Things are about to change 0:27:22.760 --> 0:27:26.680 in your favor. Negative situations are about to turn around. 0:27:27.320 --> 0:27:30.760 What you're praying about is on the way. Now do 0:27:30.880 --> 0:27:34.679 your part. Stay out of the dry places, don't go 0:27:34.760 --> 0:27:38.080 over into the enemy's territory. In your mind. Quit thinking 0:27:38.080 --> 0:27:41.520 about what's not going to work out. All those challenges 0:27:41.560 --> 0:27:44.800 you face, that was the enemy doing his best, but 0:27:44.920 --> 0:27:47.960 his best was not enough. Now you may be tired 0:27:48.000 --> 0:27:51.240 from fighting, but get ready. God is about to send 0:27:51.320 --> 0:27:55.440 an abundant rain to repress you. I believe in declare. 0:27:55.720 --> 0:27:59.720 Breakthroughs are coming, Healing is coming, Promotion is coming. New 0:27:59.760 --> 0:28:04.240 love are coming the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name. 0:28:04.920 --> 0:28:07.160 If you receive it, can you say him in Today? 0:28:08.760 --> 0:28:11.600 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:11.640 --> 0:28:14.119 the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:14.840 --> 0:28:20.240 Just say Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 0:28:20.280 --> 0:28:24.040 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:25.480 --> 0:28:27.880 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:27.960 --> 0:28:31.200 born again. Get in a good Bible based church, Keep 0:28:31.240 --> 0:28:34.640 God first place, Victorian. I'll be right back to speak 0:28:34.680 --> 0:28:35.760 a blessing over you. 0:28:37.880 --> 0:28:41.280 Thank you for listening to the Joelus Deine podcast. Help 0:28:41.360 --> 0:28:44.120 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:44.200 --> 0:28:47.760 all over the world. Visit jolus dein dot com slash 0:28:47.880 --> 0:28:49.880 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:51.160 --> 0:28:54.080 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:28:54.080 --> 0:28:57.440 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:28:57.560 --> 0:29:00.760 keep you inspired all through the week. Praying for you. 0:29:00.920 --> 0:29:03.360 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:03.440 --> 0:29:04.000 next time. 0:29:10.960 --> 0:29:15.280 Be a barbecue Hero with delicious ultralownet carb Hero bread 0:29:15.320 --> 0:29:18.560 buns and tortillas, soft and fluffy, high in fiber, and 0:29:18.640 --> 0:29:21.280 with zero grams of sugar end up to ten grams 0:29:21.320 --> 0:29:24.280 of protein, coming in at under one hundred calories per serving. 0:29:24.520 --> 0:29:27.360 Oh and did I mention they taste like their mouthwatering 0:29:27.440 --> 0:29:31.320 traditional versions. It's enough to have the neighbors asking for seconds. 0:29:31.600 --> 0:29:34.640 Use code IHM ten for ten percent off your first 0:29:34.640 --> 0:29:38.200 hero Bread purchase at hero dot co. That's quote IHM 0:29:38.280 --> 0:29:40.880 ten for ten percent off at hero dot co. 0:29:42.920 --> 0:29:45.440 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:45.480 --> 0:29:49.080 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:49.120 --> 0:29:52.240 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. Join 0:29:52.280 --> 0:29:55.320 nearly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in 0:29:55.320 --> 0:29:58.240 the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped to 0:29:58.360 --> 0:30:01.440 help for limited time. Apply for a full tuition scholarship 0:30:01.520 --> 0:30:03.480 and only pay a one time tech fee of fifty 0:30:03.480 --> 0:30:05.040 four dollars if accepted. 0:30:05.240 --> 0:30:06.360 Apply now at. 0:30:06.240 --> 0:30:10.120 Mentalhealth coach dot org. That's mentalhealthcoach dot org. 0:30:11.640 --> 0:30:13.640 Summer is here and our sleep is just as important 0:30:13.640 --> 0:30:14.560 as our weekend plans. 0:30:14.680 --> 0:30:16.680 So get the sleep you deserve with Lisa for. 0:30:16.640 --> 0:30:18.600 A limited time. Save up to seven hundred dollars off 0:30:18.640 --> 0:30:21.680 select mattresses plus two free pillows during our summer sale. 0:30:21.800 --> 0:30:24.120 Check out our hybrid mattress designed to keep you cool 0:30:24.200 --> 0:30:27.080 during those hot summer nights. Lisa also offers free shipping 0:30:27.200 --> 0:30:29.040 and a risk free one hundred night trial. 0:30:29.240 --> 0:30:30.440 Get the sleep you deserve. 0:30:30.640 --> 0:30:32.560 Shop our summer sale now and save up to seven 0:30:32.640 --> 0:30:35.760 hundred dollars off select mattresses plus two free pillows at 0:30:35.760 --> 0:30:38.480 Lisa dot com. That's l e e s A dot 0:30:38.520 --> 0:30:41.200 Com Exclusions apply. Visit Lisa dot com for details