The God Who Exceeds Expectations

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It's time, Your time, not just to 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:06.199 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:11.039 forward with Purdue Global PURDUECE Online University for working adults. 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:15.160 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:19.200 Welcome to the Joe lous Deine Podcast. Help us continue 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:21.760 to share the message of hope with those all over 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.880 the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give Hope to 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:34.959 give a gift today. 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:41.280 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:44.120 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:46.720 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:49.520 These are the finest people in all of Houston, Texas, 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:52.760 right here at Lakewood. But thanks for being with us today. 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:55.920 I like to start with something funny. And I heard 0:01:55.920 --> 0:01:59.960 about this man. He said, I've read so many terrible 0:02:00.280 --> 0:02:04.040 things about how bad eating sugar and junk food is 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:08.280 for you. I've made a firm New Year's resolution, no 0:02:08.360 --> 0:02:13.040 more reading say it like you mean it. This is 0:02:13.120 --> 0:02:16.080 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:18.480 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:02:18.560 --> 0:02:21.280 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:25.360 the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:28.639 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:33.519 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:02:33.560 --> 0:02:38.680 to you today about the God who exceeds expectations. We 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.959 all have things that were believing for dreams to come 0:02:42.000 --> 0:02:46.200 to pass, problems to turn around. We'd be happy if 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:49.960 they worked out our way. But sometimes what we have 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:55.000 in mind is not God's best. We think ordinary. God 0:02:55.080 --> 0:02:58.919 thinks extraordinary. We think, let me have enough to get by. 0:02:59.480 --> 0:03:03.400 God thinks abundance. We think, let me manage this addiction. 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:08.600 God thinks freedom. We're asking for the possible. When God 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:15.200 wants to do the impossible. He specializes in exceeding our expectations. 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:18.840 And what He has in store for you is bigger, 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:24.120 more rewarding, more fulfilling than you can imagine. Paul said 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:29.520 in Ephesians, God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:33.280 all we can ask or think. Now, I believe this 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:37.680 is going to be a year where God exceeds your expectations. 0:03:38.160 --> 0:03:40.839 He's not going to do what you're asking for, He's 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:44.000 going to exceed it. He's going to open doors you 0:03:44.080 --> 0:03:47.160 never dreamed would open. He's going to take you further 0:03:47.360 --> 0:03:50.840 than you can imagine. You're going to look back and think. 0:03:51.120 --> 0:03:54.360 I never dreamed I'd be this blessed, never dreamed I'd 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:57.720 have this position, never dreamed I'd marry somebody this great. 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:02.920 Get ready. God is about to exceed your expectations. He's 0:04:02.960 --> 0:04:05.800 going to make things happen that you didn't see coming. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.240 You didn't deserve it, you didn't work for it. It's 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:13.200 just the goodness of God showing fever on your life. 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:16.000 This is what happened to a man in Acts chapter three. 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:19.800 He'd been crippled his whole life, and every day his 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:22.800 family would carry him to the temple and set him 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:26.560 outside by the gate. As people came in, he would 0:04:26.640 --> 0:04:30.280 ask them for money. He was forty years old and 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:33.640 had done this his whole life. Day after day. He 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:37.080 knew the routine. People would come in, he would beg 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:39.760 for money, and here and there they would throw some 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:44.000 coins in his bag. This is how he survived. One day, 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:47.560 Peter and John came to the temple. The man went 0:04:47.600 --> 0:04:51.000 through his same speech, can you spare some change? Will 0:04:51.040 --> 0:04:55.159 you help me out? Most people ignored him and kept walking, 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:59.200 but Peter stopped and said to the man, look at us. 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:04.159 The scripture says the man looked up, expecting to receive 0:05:04.240 --> 0:05:07.080 a gift. I can see him hold his bag out, 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:10.400 thinking they were going to throw some coins in, But 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:14.159 Peter said, I don't have any silver or gold for you, 0:05:14.600 --> 0:05:18.000 but I have something better in the name of Jesus, 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:21.600 Rise and walk. Peter took him by the hand, pulled 0:05:21.680 --> 0:05:26.000 him up, and instantly he was healed. He started walking. 0:05:26.480 --> 0:05:30.359 He was so excited he took off running, leaping, thanking God. 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:35.200 But notice the man was expecting a few coins. He 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:38.760 was expecting the ordinary, the same thing that had happened 0:05:38.760 --> 0:05:43.040 the last forty years. But God showed up and exceeded 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:47.800 his expectation. He didn't see it coming. He thought he 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:50.200 would have to lay by that gate and begged the 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:54.520 rest of his life. But one moment of favor, one 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:59.440 exceeded expectation, thrust him to a new level, changed his 0:05:59.480 --> 0:06:02.880 whole life. I can hear him saying, I never dreamed 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:05.919 I'd be able to walk, never dreamed I could run 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:08.800 and play with my children, never dreamed I wouldn't have 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:11.960 to beg the rest of my life. God has some 0:06:12.000 --> 0:06:16.400 of these I never dreamed blessings in store for you. 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:18.960 You may not see how it can happen. The medical 0:06:18.960 --> 0:06:21.800 report doesn't look good. You've gone as far as your 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:26.279 education allows. Perhaps you're in a limited environment. The good 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:30.320 news is none of that stops our God. He controls 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:34.800 the universe. One touch of his favor will catapult you 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:38.520 where you could not go on your own. Like Peter 0:06:38.680 --> 0:06:42.240 told the crippled man, I'm telling you, rise up and walk. 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:45.680 It's your time to be free. It's your time to 0:06:45.760 --> 0:06:49.240 break bondages. It's your time to go to new levels. 0:06:49.920 --> 0:06:53.119 And I believe that every force that's holding you back 0:06:53.520 --> 0:06:59.400 is being broken right now. God is releasing, healing, favor, opportunities, 0:06:59.440 --> 0:07:03.640 restorate freedom. This is a new day. God's doing a 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:08.560 new thing. He's about to exceed your expectations. I love 0:07:08.640 --> 0:07:11.840 the fact that this crippled man, even though he had 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:16.000 low expectations, even though all he was expecting was a 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.960 few coins, God didn't say too bad. I had something 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:22.960 much better. But you don't have enough faith. I was 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:25.520 going to let you walk, but you're not expecting enough. 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:30.360 God is so merciful even when we don't have the faith, 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:34.040 Even when we think we've reached our limits, God says, 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:37.080 that's okay, I'm going to show you favor. In spite 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:41.760 of that, The scripture says, when we have faith the 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:46.840 size of a mustard seed, nothing is impossible. A mustard 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:50.440 seed is one of the smallest seeds. God could have said, 0:07:50.600 --> 0:07:53.880 if you have great faith, if you never doubt, never 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.880 get discouraged, then I'll do something big. But God knew 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:01.400 there will be times that we didn't have the faith 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:05.640 we needed to reach our destinies. So he said, if 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:08.840 you have just a little bit of faith, that's all 0:08:08.880 --> 0:08:13.400 you need, then I'll show up and exceed your expectations. 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.800 The fact that you're here today, the fact that you're listening, 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:22.280 that tells me you at least have mustard seed faith. 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:26.600 That means you have the faith you need for God 0:08:26.640 --> 0:08:29.520 to show out in your life. You have the faith 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:33.680 for God to catapult you to new levels. But like 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:37.000 this man, you may feel like you're stuck doing the 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:41.480 same thing. You have some kind of disadvantage. Now you're 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:45.520 expecting a few coins, so to speak, expecting the ordinary. 0:08:45.960 --> 0:08:49.600 That's where he was. Yet God showed up and did 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:53.840 the extraordinary. You may have a good reason to settle 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:57.040 where you are, but God loves you too much to 0:08:57.160 --> 0:09:00.680 let you miss your destiny. It may seem like another 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:05.680 ordinary year same thing. Everything looks routine. No, get ready. 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.160 God is about to show up and do something unusual, 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:13.920 something that you haven't seen. He's going to exceed your expectation. 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:17.720 When the people in the temple saw the crippled man 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:21.680 up walking, running, thanking God, they couldn't believe it. The 0:09:21.679 --> 0:09:26.160 scripture says, they were astonished. And what God is about 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:29.280 to do in your life is going to cause people 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:32.960 to look at you in astonishment. They're going to think, 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:35.600 how could you be so blessed? I know where you 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:39.160 came from. How could you be free when so many 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:42.320 around you are addicted? How could you be so strong, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:46.000 so healthy, so energetic. The medical report said you weren't 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:49.000 going to get well. God is going to make you 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:53.960 an example of his goodness. When he exceeds your expectations, 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:56.520 people are going to take notice. They're going to see 0:09:56.520 --> 0:10:00.240 the favor on your life. When I look back over 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:03.560 my life, I can see time and time again where 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:08.360 God exceeded my expectations. I was twenty two years old 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:12.320 and single when I walked into a jewelry store to 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:15.800 buy a battery for my watch. Out walked the most 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:19.400 beautiful girl I'd ever seen to wait on me. It 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:23.240 was Victoria. I had never met her. She looked at 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:26.000 my watch and said, you need more than a battery, 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:29.360 you need a new watch. Would you like to see one? 0:10:29.880 --> 0:10:32.680 I said, of course I would. I was so smitting 0:10:32.720 --> 0:10:35.360 with her. She could have sold me an electrical plant. 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:39.240 She put that watch on my wrist and said, that 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:42.760 looks really nice. She checked the price and said it's 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:45.440 listed for this amount, but I can sell it to 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:48.840 you for half a price. Do you see how badly 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:54.360 she wanted me. I went in there. I'm not looking 0:10:54.400 --> 0:10:57.800 at her. I went in there to buy a battery 0:10:57.840 --> 0:11:00.920 for my watch. And I walked out not only with 0:11:01.000 --> 0:11:04.120 a new watch, but in one sense, I walked out 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:07.560 with a wife. I walked out with two children. I 0:11:07.600 --> 0:11:09.680 walked out with more than I could ask or think. 0:11:10.160 --> 0:11:15.560 Victoria is an exceeded expectation. I remind her she got 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:19.439 me for a bargain for half price. But I would 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:22.439 love to tell you that I believe for all the increase, 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:26.680 the favor, the promotion, the Compact Centers, all my ideas, 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:30.080 because I had great faith. That's not the case. The 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:35.680 Compact Center wasn't my idea. This was God exceeding our expectations. 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:40.760 I grew up with season tickets watching the Rockets play 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:44.640 basketball here. Never in my wildest dreams what I thought 0:11:44.679 --> 0:11:47.960 one day we would own this facility. If you ever 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:53.080 think that God can't exceed expectations, just look around. You 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:59.640 are sitting in an exceeded expectation. Well, Joel, I don't 0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:03.400 have great faith. Neither did I. All the odds are 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:06.600 against me. Same thing with the crippled man. None of 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:11.280 that stops our God. When he exceeds your expectations. It's 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:14.120 not going to be a little exceeded, a little more 0:12:14.160 --> 0:12:17.880 than you thought, a little blessing, a little increase. God 0:12:18.000 --> 0:12:22.240 is going to exceed it abundantly above what you're thinking. 0:12:22.720 --> 0:12:25.880 His idea of abundance is more than we can ask 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:29.160 or think. When I wrote my first book in two 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:32.320 thousand and four, I found out the publisher was going 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:36.000 to print two hundred and fifty thousand copies. I couldn't 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:39.800 believe it. I called Victorian, said, the publisher must have 0:12:39.880 --> 0:12:44.240 lost their minds. They're making a huge mistake. My father 0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:47.679 would sell about ten thousand copies of each of his books. 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:51.440 I was basing it on that. But God doesn't want 0:12:51.440 --> 0:12:54.439 you to stay at the same level of your parents. 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.960 He wants you to set a new standard. He's going 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:02.840 to exceed your expectation in greater ways than how you 0:13:02.920 --> 0:13:06.439 were raised. And like that crippled man, I was expecting 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.800 the ordinary. I was expecting the way I had grown up. 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.600 But God showed up and did the extraordinary. He exceeded 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:18.200 my expectations in an abundant way. That book went on 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:21.480 to sell millions of copies. Here's what I'm saying. What 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:25.280 God has in store for you is much greater than 0:13:25.320 --> 0:13:29.800 you've imagined. Now. I believe sooner than later you're going 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:33.880 to come in to some of these exceeded expectations. Why 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:36.959 don't you put your faith out there instead of thinking, oh, 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:39.400 it's not going to happen for me. Joy, you're just 0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:42.640 trying to get my hopes up. You can't have faith 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:46.480 if you don't first have hope. Give God something to 0:13:46.559 --> 0:13:49.439 work with. Dare to say, Lord, I want to thank 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:53.560 you that you're going to exceed my expectations. Thank you 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:55.719 that you're going to take me where I could not 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:59.240 go on my own. I heard about this man that 0:13:59.640 --> 0:14:03.240 had kidney problems most of his life. They continued to 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:06.120 go downhill and he got to the place where he 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:10.120 needed a transplant. His wife prayed and believed that she 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:12.760 would be a match. She went in for the test 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:15.320 and found out she was a perfect match, and they 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.640 were both so grateful. They went to the male clinic 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:22.120 to have the transplant. When the surgeons opened up the 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:26.160 wife to take out the kidney, they were pleasantly surprised. 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:31.240 They found she had three kidneys instead of two. This 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:35.200 is very rare, but all of her kidneys were perfectly healthy. 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:39.400 They removed one kidney, gave it to her husband, left 0:14:39.400 --> 0:14:44.080 her still with two. That was God exceeding their expectations. 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:48.560 God hasn't all figured out. He knows what you're going 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:51.840 to need. He knows who you're going to need. He's 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:55.480 lining up the right breaks, the right people. He's directing 0:14:55.520 --> 0:15:01.360 your steps. Paul talked about Inephesians the surpassed seeing greatness 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:05.120 of God's favor. You're going to come into these moments 0:15:05.400 --> 0:15:10.520 where you see God surpass anything you've imagined. You couldn't 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:13.080 have made it happen. It's just the goodness of God. 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.680 I have a friend that's a minister, and she spends 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:20.360 most of her time on the streets helping women that 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:24.080 have gone through abuse and are struggling with addictions. Now 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:28.200 while back, through a series of unusual events, she met 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.840 one of the wealthiest men in the world. He asked 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:34.720 what she did for a living, and she explained how 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:38.400 she helps women in crisis. He said, that's amazing. I 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:41.640 want to support you. He gave her the largest check 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:45.360 that she had ever received. As she was leaving his office, 0:15:45.520 --> 0:15:48.920 this man's friend came walking in. He said to his friend, 0:15:49.400 --> 0:15:52.760 this woman helps ladies that are in trouble. I just 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:54.920 gave her a gift. How much are you going to 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:59.200 give without missing a beat, The friend said, I'm going 0:15:59.240 --> 0:16:02.840 to give the same that you just gave. This lady 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:06.840 walked out amazed, thinking I never dreamed I would have 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.320 two of the wealthiest men in the world supporting my ministry. 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:13.800 What was that God doing more than she could ask 0:16:13.920 --> 0:16:18.080 or think. You may wonder how you're going to accomplish 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:21.200 your dreams, how you're going to get out of that difficulty. 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:24.720 God has the right people lined up. He knows how 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:27.080 to put you at the right place. He's going to 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:30.680 make things happen that you didn't see coming. A few 0:16:30.680 --> 0:16:33.400 months ago, I woke up one morning and I heard 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:36.720 this phrase so strong in my spirit that God is 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:40.880 going to exceed our expectations. Victoria and I were out 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:44.280 of town in another state. We had been trying to 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:47.320 get a project off the ground for several months with 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:51.440 no success, one closed door after another. When I heard 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:55.120 that phrase, I started saying it, Lord, thank you that 0:16:55.160 --> 0:16:58.760 You're going to exceed my expectations. I kept that playing 0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:02.000 in my mind over and over and later that day 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:04.199 we were about to catch a flight back home, and 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:07.160 Victoria said, let's run back and check this one last thing. 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:10.399 We showed up at this business. We were at the 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:14.199 right place at the right time. We needed someone to 0:17:14.240 --> 0:17:17.719 help us. It was a holiday, so we called the number. 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.840 The man answered his phone. He said, I was expecting 0:17:21.880 --> 0:17:25.440 a call from someone else. I thought this was their number, 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.919 Otherwise I wouldn't have answered it. We told him what 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:32.040 we wanted. He said, I'm out with my family, but 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.040 I want to help you. He came to where we were. 0:17:35.400 --> 0:17:38.520 It all fell together in less than twenty four hours. 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:41.640 The whole thing was finished. It was much better than 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:45.600 we expected, and it happened much quicker than we ever dreamed. 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:49.280 I believe when I heard that phrase that morning, it 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:52.200 was a test. Was I going to let that seed 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:56.520 take root and believe that God could exceed my expectations? 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:59.640 Or was I going to dismiss it? Thank God, that's 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:03.359 a nice thought, but it will never happen. God is 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:08.440 saying to you today, I'm about to exceed your expectations. 0:18:08.800 --> 0:18:11.680 I'm about to show you favor in ways that you've 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:16.480 never seen. Now, my challenge is let this take root 0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:20.520 in your spirit. It's easy to dismiss it. It will 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:24.360 never happen. The odds are against me. It's been too long. 0:18:25.160 --> 0:18:27.800 This is what a lady did in the scripture. She 0:18:27.920 --> 0:18:31.119 was a close friend with the prophet Elisha. When he 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:33.879 came through town, he would stay at her house. She 0:18:34.000 --> 0:18:37.919 eventually built him his own room. Elisha wanted to do 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.879 something good for the lady, but she told him she 0:18:40.960 --> 0:18:44.040 didn't need anything. She was well off and had plenty 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:49.000 of resources. Eliza's assistant found out that the lady never 0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:52.639 had children. She and her husband had tried for many years, 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:55.400 and now he was an old man, and she had 0:18:55.440 --> 0:18:59.000 accepted that It just wasn't meant to be knowing this. 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:03.160 They shall called her in and said, by this time 0:19:03.240 --> 0:19:06.879 next year, you're going to have a child. She looked 0:19:06.920 --> 0:19:10.600 at it in the natural and thought, that's impossible. My 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:14.440 husband's too old, I'm past the child bearing years. There's 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:19.040 no way. Deep down, she wanted to believe, but her 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:21.800 mind told her all the reasons why it wasn't going 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:26.320 to happen. She said to Elisha, sir, don't lie to 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:29.400 me like that. She was saying, in effect, don't get 0:19:29.400 --> 0:19:33.040 my hopes up. That's too good to be true. This 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:36.000 was a dream that was close to her heart. She 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:38.959 wanted it so badly, she just didn't have the faith. 0:19:39.800 --> 0:19:43.480 The good news is there are some things even if 0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:46.280 you don't believe, God is still going to do it. 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:50.879 He is so merciful He will override the doubt and 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:53.879 do things you never dreamed, things that will bring you 0:19:53.960 --> 0:19:58.560 more joy, more fulfillment than you can imagine. Just as 0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:02.600 Elisha said, a year later, she was holding a healthy 0:20:02.720 --> 0:20:08.600 baby boy. God exceeded her expectations, even though she didn't believe. 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:12.720 That's the kind of God we serve. There are promises. 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:16.240 God has spoken over you, dreams he's put in your heart. 0:20:16.800 --> 0:20:21.320 Seems impossible. It's been so long you're not expecting it anymore. 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:24.840 God is saying to you what he said to her, 0:20:25.280 --> 0:20:28.520 I'm still going to bring it to pass. Just because 0:20:28.560 --> 0:20:32.600 you gave up doesn't mean God is given up. I believe, 0:20:32.840 --> 0:20:35.639 like with her, some of these things you're going to 0:20:35.680 --> 0:20:39.520 see by this time next year. You may not see away, 0:20:39.880 --> 0:20:43.600 but God has a way. If this lady didn't believe 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:48.080 and saw the promise fulfilled, imagine what God will do 0:20:48.440 --> 0:20:52.000 when you do believe. Put your faith out there. But Joel, 0:20:52.080 --> 0:20:54.680 I've been doing this for a long time, a lot 0:20:54.760 --> 0:20:58.600 more than a year. Nothing's changing. I don't see anything happening. 0:20:59.320 --> 0:21:01.800 You're right where. A young lady was in the book 0:21:01.840 --> 0:21:06.040 of First Samuel. Her name was Hannah. She was married 0:21:06.080 --> 0:21:09.760 for many years, but she too was barren, not able 0:21:09.800 --> 0:21:13.600 to have children. Her husband was married to two wives. 0:21:14.160 --> 0:21:18.120 This other wife had baby after baby. She would make 0:21:18.240 --> 0:21:21.480 fun of Hannah and taunt her. This went on year 0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:25.560 after year. The husband tried to comfort Hannah, don't worry 0:21:25.560 --> 0:21:28.480 about that other wife. I love you. None of this help. 0:21:29.080 --> 0:21:33.200 Hannah was so distraught, so upset. She knew God put 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:36.200 the dream in her heart. She couldn't understand why it 0:21:36.280 --> 0:21:39.879 wasn't happening. One day she went to the temple and 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:43.680 fell on the ground in great distress. She called out 0:21:43.680 --> 0:21:47.119 to God, said, God, if you'll give me a son, 0:21:47.680 --> 0:21:50.240 i'll give him back to you. I'll bring him to 0:21:50.280 --> 0:21:53.760 the temple and let him live there. When the priest 0:21:53.920 --> 0:21:57.360 saw her on the ground crying, he came over and said, Hannah, 0:21:57.560 --> 0:22:00.760 cheer up. The Lord has heard your request. He's going 0:22:00.840 --> 0:22:05.000 to give you a son. She conceived. Nine months later, 0:22:05.520 --> 0:22:09.200 she gave birth to a baby boy that she named Samuel. 0:22:09.800 --> 0:22:12.600 She was so content she had the child that she 0:22:12.720 --> 0:22:15.960 dreamed about. And this could be the end of the story, 0:22:16.520 --> 0:22:20.919 be a great end, another promise fulfilled. But God likes 0:22:20.960 --> 0:22:26.800 to exceed our expectation, the scripture says. The Lord visited 0:22:26.880 --> 0:22:30.960 Hannah again, and she bore three more sons and two 0:22:30.960 --> 0:22:36.080 more daughters. She asked for one son. But notice how 0:22:36.160 --> 0:22:39.760 good our God is, he said, in effect, Hannah, you 0:22:39.840 --> 0:22:43.600 may be satisfied, but I'm not satisfied. I'm going to 0:22:43.680 --> 0:22:47.560 do more than you ask Now. I believe one reason 0:22:47.720 --> 0:22:50.840 God was so good to Hannah was because of all 0:22:50.880 --> 0:22:54.360 the pain she had to endure, having to wait while 0:22:54.359 --> 0:22:57.520 the other wife was having babies, being made fun of, 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:05.280 ridiculed sees, all the heartache, all the tears, the unfair situations, 0:23:05.480 --> 0:23:08.640 the people that did you wrong. What you're believing for 0:23:08.960 --> 0:23:11.840 may not have happened yet, it may be taken a 0:23:11.880 --> 0:23:16.280 long time. But like with her, God is a faithful God. 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:19.520 He's not only still going to bring it to pass. 0:23:20.040 --> 0:23:23.520 That would be good enough, you would be satisfied. But 0:23:23.600 --> 0:23:26.520 God is going to do more than you've asked. That 0:23:26.680 --> 0:23:30.359 means once you have your baby, so to speak, once 0:23:30.400 --> 0:23:34.320 you see the promise fulfilled, can I tell you God 0:23:34.440 --> 0:23:37.320 is not finished being good to you. He's going to 0:23:37.440 --> 0:23:40.800 visit you again. He's going to show out in another way. 0:23:41.200 --> 0:23:44.560 You ask for one baby, God has five more waiting 0:23:44.600 --> 0:23:47.240 for you. He's going to pay you back for what 0:23:47.280 --> 0:23:51.080 you've been through. Our attitude should be Lord. I want 0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:53.600 to thank you that you're going to visit me again. 0:23:54.359 --> 0:23:56.440 Thank you that you're going to do more than I asked. 0:23:56.680 --> 0:24:02.080 Thank you for exceeding my expectations. Second Chronicles, Chapter twenty. 0:24:02.560 --> 0:24:06.879 King Jehasiphat was surrounded by three major armies. They were 0:24:06.920 --> 0:24:11.080 out number ten to one. Didn't have a chance. Johasaphat 0:24:11.200 --> 0:24:15.359 called everyone together to pray. He said, God, we have 0:24:15.480 --> 0:24:19.880 no power against this mighty army without your help, Please 0:24:20.000 --> 0:24:24.400 deliver us. God said to them in verse fifteen. Don't 0:24:24.400 --> 0:24:28.280 be afraid. The battle is not yours. The battle is 0:24:28.320 --> 0:24:33.160 the Lord. Tomorrow, march toward the enemies, but you will 0:24:33.200 --> 0:24:36.760 not need to fight. Stand still and you will see 0:24:36.800 --> 0:24:40.239 the Lord deliver you. They were excited they had this 0:24:40.320 --> 0:24:43.280 promise that God was going to fight for them. As 0:24:43.320 --> 0:24:47.080 they marched toward those enemies. The next day, they started singing, 0:24:47.600 --> 0:24:51.880 thanking God. When the enemies hurt all the noise the commotion, 0:24:52.560 --> 0:24:57.360 they got confused and started fighting among themselves. They ended 0:24:57.440 --> 0:25:01.080 up killing each other. When the people Judah showed up, 0:25:01.680 --> 0:25:04.280 not only did they not have to fight, but those 0:25:04.440 --> 0:25:09.080 enemies left all their supplies. The scripture says they found 0:25:09.200 --> 0:25:14.280 vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables, more than 0:25:14.320 --> 0:25:17.840 they could carry. It took them three days to gather 0:25:18.040 --> 0:25:20.960 up the spoils and take them back to their home. 0:25:21.600 --> 0:25:25.960 Here's my point. Jehasiphat asked for God to deliver them 0:25:26.080 --> 0:25:29.560 from those enemies, and God did. They didn't even have 0:25:29.680 --> 0:25:33.800 to fight. That was a great miracle. Something worse celebrating 0:25:34.200 --> 0:25:37.800 he could have gone back home thanking God. So grateful, 0:25:38.440 --> 0:25:44.080 But our God exceeds our expectations. Like with Hannah, he said, 0:25:44.119 --> 0:25:48.680 in effect, Jehaussiphat, I'm going to visit you again. I'm 0:25:48.720 --> 0:25:51.240 not going to do just what you ask I'm not 0:25:51.320 --> 0:25:53.920 going to just bring you out. I'm going to make 0:25:53.960 --> 0:25:59.320 the enemy pay. I'm going to bring you out increased, promoted, stronger. 0:26:00.080 --> 0:26:03.920 They marched toward those enemies empty handed. They came back 0:26:03.960 --> 0:26:08.439 out loaded down with supplies. You may have obstacles in 0:26:08.480 --> 0:26:12.399 your path and challenges coming against you today in your health, 0:26:12.840 --> 0:26:17.199 your finances, a relationship. You're asking God to turn it around. 0:26:17.600 --> 0:26:21.400 Stay encouraged. God is not only going to bring you out. 0:26:21.720 --> 0:26:24.560 He's going to have some spoils there. There's going to 0:26:24.600 --> 0:26:27.359 be some plunder. He's going to bring you out better 0:26:27.440 --> 0:26:32.200 than you were before. He's going to exceed your expectations. Now, 0:26:32.359 --> 0:26:36.080 don't talk yourself out of it. Sometimes, when we've struggled 0:26:36.119 --> 0:26:39.560 in an area so long, we've gotten comfortable, like the 0:26:39.600 --> 0:26:44.200 crippled man, we're expecting a few coins something to sustain us, 0:26:44.440 --> 0:26:47.399 to help us make it through the year. God is 0:26:47.440 --> 0:26:51.000 about to do a new thing. You're asking for the possible. 0:26:51.359 --> 0:26:54.520 He's about to do the impossible. He's going to take 0:26:54.600 --> 0:26:59.280 you where you've never been. No more coins, no more dysfunction, 0:27:00.160 --> 0:27:03.880 more being barren, no more stuck in your career. You're 0:27:03.920 --> 0:27:08.239 about to come in to some of these exceeded expectations. 0:27:08.680 --> 0:27:11.239 This is a year where God is going to do 0:27:11.400 --> 0:27:15.280 more than you've asked. You've been faithful, You've honored him. 0:27:15.600 --> 0:27:19.560 Now God's about to show out in your life. Every morning. Lord, 0:27:19.600 --> 0:27:22.160 I want to thank you that you're going to exceed 0:27:22.359 --> 0:27:26.720 my expectations. If you do this, I believe and declare 0:27:27.200 --> 0:27:30.879 God is about to visit you again. You've had Samuel. 0:27:31.200 --> 0:27:34.520 He's been good to you, but you haven't seen anything yet. 0:27:34.880 --> 0:27:38.600 New doors are about to open, increase promotion that you 0:27:38.640 --> 0:27:43.399 didn't see coming. Problems are turning around, health is being restored. 0:27:43.920 --> 0:27:49.320 Exceeded expectations are coming your way. In Jesus' name, and 0:27:49.400 --> 0:27:53.639 if you receive it, can you say men? Today, I'd 0:27:53.680 --> 0:27:56.560 like to give you an opportunity before we close, to 0:27:56.640 --> 0:27:59.640 make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray 0:27:59.680 --> 0:28:04.960 with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. 0:28:06.280 --> 0:28:10.520 Come into my heart. I'll make you my lord and savior. 0:28:11.920 --> 0:28:14.520 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:14.560 --> 0:28:18.080 born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 0:28:18.119 --> 0:28:21.000 God first place. He's going to take you places that 0:28:21.080 --> 0:28:24.440 you've never dreamed. Dictorne, I'll be right back to speak 0:28:24.440 --> 0:28:25.520 a blessing over you. 0:28:30.320 --> 0:28:33.159 Start each day off right by having Joel lead you 0:28:33.200 --> 0:28:35.760 in declaring the truth of who you are in Christ 0:28:36.160 --> 0:28:40.760 through this powerful thirty one day audio devotional, Discover Your Destiny. 0:28:41.000 --> 0:28:43.960 God makes things happen that you couldn't make happen. 0:28:44.160 --> 0:28:47.600 Available this month on audio CD or digital download. As 0:28:47.600 --> 0:28:50.360 a thank you for your support of our ministry. 0:28:50.480 --> 0:28:53.680 You know what's in your destiny, something awesome, something that 0:28:53.720 --> 0:28:54.480 you've never seen. 0:28:54.560 --> 0:28:57.600 Each day includes an inspiring short message that you can 0:28:57.640 --> 0:28:59.760 listen to you in your car, at home, or on 0:28:59.800 --> 0:29:00.200 the Yoh. 0:29:01.040 --> 0:29:03.840 When you start your day off making declarations of faith 0:29:03.880 --> 0:29:07.400 over your family, your children, your finances, You're setting the 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:11.520 tone for a blessed, victorious day. As you declare these promises, 0:29:11.680 --> 0:29:13.760 you'll see God's favor in new ways. 0:29:13.880 --> 0:29:16.920 I've written thirty one declarations, one for each day of 0:29:16.960 --> 0:29:19.400 the month. Just takes about a minute. It's a great 0:29:19.440 --> 0:29:22.160 way to start the new year. Request this resource. It 0:29:22.200 --> 0:29:24.280 will help you speak faith into your future. 0:29:24.400 --> 0:29:27.920 To request your copy of Discover Your destiny. Visit us 0:29:28.000 --> 0:29:31.360 at Joelousting dot com or call eight eight eight five 0:29:31.520 --> 0:29:32.080 six seven. 0:29:32.320 --> 0:29:36.480 Joel, your support is changing lives. Thanks so much for 0:29:36.560 --> 0:29:39.720 your generosity, for your prayers and being a part of 0:29:39.760 --> 0:29:43.000 our ministry. We love you, and we especially want to 0:29:43.040 --> 0:29:45.880 thank our champion of Whole Partners for all you do 0:29:45.960 --> 0:29:48.840 to make the ministry possible. We pray for you and 0:29:48.880 --> 0:29:52.040 your family, believing that in twenty eighteen you're going to 0:29:52.080 --> 0:29:55.200 see dreams come to pass and just God's favor in 0:29:55.280 --> 0:29:59.200 new ways that He'll exceed your expectations. Be a believer, 0:29:59.400 --> 0:30:03.200 stay in face. 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