The Gracious Hand Of God

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:32.880 --> 0:01:35.600 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:35.640 --> 0:01:38.760 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:41.480 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:41.520 --> 0:01:44.160 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:44.240 --> 0:01:48.840 for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:52.280 you to joy to come into your homes. We love you. 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:55.320 If you're ever in our area, please stop by and 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:57.560 be a part of one of our services. These are 0:01:57.600 --> 0:02:00.200 the finest people in all of Houston, Texas right here 0:02:00.240 --> 0:02:02.800 at Lakewood. We'd love to have you come out. But 0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:05.600 thanks for tuning in, and thank you again for coming 0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:07.880 out today. And I like to start with something funny. 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:10.200 And I heard about this little boy. He was out 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.239 in his front yard playing. This man came walking down 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:16.600 the street kind of frustrated, and he said, son, I'm lost. 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:19.320 Can you tell me how to get to the post office. 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:21.480 The little boy said, yeah, go to the stop sign 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:24.720 and turn left. It's right around the corner. He thanked him. Said, 0:02:24.760 --> 0:02:27.160 by the way, I'm the new pastor here in town. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:30.280 If you'll come to my church this Sunday, I'll tell 0:02:30.320 --> 0:02:33.440 you how to get to heaven. The little boy said, no, thanks, 0:02:33.560 --> 0:02:36.000 you don't even know how to get to the post office. 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:40.000 Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. 0:02:40.400 --> 0:02:43.239 This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:45.920 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:48.520 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:52.320 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:55.560 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:55.639 --> 0:03:00.320 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:03.680 to talk to you today about the gracious hand of God. 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:07.520 There's a popular show on television called The X Factor. 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:11.800 The judges study the different contestants. They try to figure 0:03:11.800 --> 0:03:16.760 out who has that indefinable something that makes them stand out. 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:20.079 You can't necessarily put your finger on it. It's not 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:24.440 just talent, not just looks, not just personality. There's just 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:28.400 something about them that makes them special, something that. 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:29.880 Gives them an advantage. 0:03:30.400 --> 0:03:32.560 I've heard the judges say, I don't know what it is, 0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:33.359 but you've got it. 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:35.280 They call it the X Factor. 0:03:35.840 --> 0:03:38.800 Well, in the same way, when God breeded his life 0:03:38.880 --> 0:03:42.120 into you, he puts something on you to give you 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:46.480 an advantage. There's something about you that makes you stand out, 0:03:47.000 --> 0:03:50.960 something that draws opportunity, something that causes you to overcome 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:55.440 obstacles to accomplish dreams. They call it the X factor, 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:59.280 but the scripture calls it the gracious hand of God. 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:00.880 God's favor. 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:04.520 It's his blessing. You can't put your finger on it. 0:04:04.520 --> 0:04:08.480 It's not just your talent, your education, your hard work. 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:13.000 It's Almighty God breathing in your direction. You could call 0:04:13.040 --> 0:04:14.480 it the favor factor. 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:16.520 Now, I know most of you like me. 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:19.320 When you look back, you think how did I get 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:20.080 to where I am? 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:22.560 This was not just my own ability. 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.320 How did I marry this beautiful girl or like my mother? 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.640 How did I overcome that sickness when the medical report 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:32.400 said no way? How could I be this happy, this 0:04:32.480 --> 0:04:36.560 blessed after all I've been through. That's not just good fortune, 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:40.599 not just a lucky break. That's the gracious hand of God, 0:04:41.040 --> 0:04:45.000 his favor, his blessing, his goodness on your life. Psalm 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:48.719 forty four says it was not their own strength that 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:52.800 gave them the victory. It was because you favored them 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:56.760 and smiled down on them. Just like these people, the 0:04:56.880 --> 0:04:59.960 victories you've seen in the past weren't just your own. 0:05:01.040 --> 0:05:04.159 It was because God favored you. 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:05.200 You wouldn't be where. 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:07.599 You are if the gracious hand of God was not 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:13.640 on your life. Every accomplishment, every good break, every obstacle 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:17.760 you overcame, that was God opening the door, God bringing 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:19.200 the right people, God. 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:19.840 Turning it around. 0:05:20.360 --> 0:05:23.920 It was the creator of the universe smiling down on you. 0:05:24.360 --> 0:05:27.800 His gracious hand is at worth in your life. Now. 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:31.440 You may not have as much education as somebody else, 0:05:31.720 --> 0:05:32.560 but that's okay. 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:35.960 You have an advantage. You have this favor factor. 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:40.479 Maybe you don't come from the most influential family. That's 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:43.680 all right. God's favor can take you where you could 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.560 not go on your own. Deep down, you have to 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:51.839 know there's something about you that is indefinable. It can't 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:55.520 be measured, can't be put on paper, can't be explained. 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:58.120 Other people may not be able to figure it out. 0:05:58.600 --> 0:05:59.960 All they know is you. 0:06:00.000 --> 0:06:00.560 You've got it. 0:06:01.040 --> 0:06:04.640 There's something about you they like, something that causes you 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.640 to overcome, something that causes you to succeed. 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:10.120 That's the gracious hand of God. 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:15.440 When you realize you have this advantage, an edge, you'll 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:19.400 go out each day not intimidated by your dreams, not 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:23.000 discouraged thinking that the problem is too big. No, you'll 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:25.760 put your shoulders back, you'll hold your head up high, 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:29.839 go out with a spring in your step, confident, secure, 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.640 knowing that you've got what it takes. You've got the 0:06:32.680 --> 0:06:37.000 favor of God. Recently someone came up to men. They 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.840 wanted to start this new business. They've done all this 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:44.560 great research. They had a fantastic presentation, but on paper, 0:06:44.960 --> 0:06:49.360 they didn't have the experience. On paper, they weren't qualified. 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:52.000 In their heart, it was telling them, yes, I can 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:54.680 do this, but their head kept telling them. 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:57.400 All the reasons why it wasn't going to work out. 0:06:58.080 --> 0:07:01.440 But you have to remind yourself because you keep God 0:07:01.600 --> 0:07:05.520 first place, because you honor Him with your life. There's 0:07:05.600 --> 0:07:09.480 something about you that can't be put on paper, something 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:15.080 that's indefinable. It's Almighty God breathing in your direction. It's 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:19.040 God causing good breaks to come. It's the right people 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:23.120 being attracted to you. It's the still small voice giving 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:27.160 you inside information, letting you know things that are critical 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:30.720 to your success that can't be measured. In other words, 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:34.920 you can have less talent, but with God's favor, you'll 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.920 go further than people that have more talent. You can 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:42.160 have less experience, less training, but because Almighty God is 0:07:42.200 --> 0:07:45.000 smiling down on you, you'll go further than people that 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:49.600 have more training, more experience. Some of you small business owners, 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:53.160 you may not have all the equipment, all the marketing, 0:07:53.360 --> 0:07:56.640 all the money backing you up as some big competitor, 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:01.200 some big company, But because you honor God, his favor 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:05.320 can cause you to defy the odds and outperform companies 0:08:05.440 --> 0:08:08.720 that should be running circles around you. That's what happened 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:12.400 to one of our members. His computer company made up 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:15.960 of three people, just had a client come to him 0:08:15.960 --> 0:08:18.800 from another company that was more than one hundred times 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:23.680 his size. This other company has a huge staff, offices 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:28.160 all over the world, practically unlimited in resources. But this 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:31.440 client said, we like your work. We're going to move 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:35.240 our account to your firm. Now he is outperforming a 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:39.160 company that is many, many times his size. That other 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:41.840 company is scratching their head thinking what is it with 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:44.320 this man. I'll tell you what it is. It's the 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.800 gracious hand of God. It's God's favor causing him to 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:52.120 stand out. It's God's favor causing people to. 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:53.160 Be drawn to him. 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:58.840 Friends, it's not necessarily how big or influential or educated 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:03.000 someone is. When you have the favor factor that gives 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:07.400 you an advantage. God's favor opens the right doors. His 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:11.120 favor will bring good breaks. The favor of God will 0:09:11.120 --> 0:09:14.120 cause you to accomplish what you could not accomplish on 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:17.720 your own. It gives you an edge. Now, if you're 0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:20.640 going to see the gracious hand of God at work, 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:26.280 you can't go through the day intimidated thinking that you're averaging. Joeli, 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:28.640 I wish I would get some of these good breaks. No, 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:32.520 you have to carry yourself like you have God's hand 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:33.360 on you. 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:34.920 You have to think like you have. 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:38.920 Favor, Talk like you have favor, walk like you have favor, 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:43.280 dressed like you have favor. Not arrogantly, not thinking that 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:47.199 you're better than somebody else, but with this quiet confidence, 0:09:47.600 --> 0:09:50.520 knowing that you have an advantage, you have an edge. 0:09:50.800 --> 0:09:54.240 The gracious hand of God is on your life. That's 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:55.400 what Nehemiah did. 0:09:55.600 --> 0:09:56.360 In the scripture. 0:09:56.840 --> 0:10:00.120 He heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down. 0:10:00.440 --> 0:10:04.040 The people were living there unprotected, and this really bothered him. 0:10:04.040 --> 0:10:07.000 That's where he was from. God put a dream in 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:11.079 his heart to rebuild these walls in the natural. It 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:16.199 was impossible. He was living over a thousand miles away, working. 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:17.600 As a cupbearer to the king. 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:21.440 He didn't have the money, the man power, the influence 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:22.440 on paper. 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:23.920 He didn't have a chance. 0:10:24.240 --> 0:10:27.200 The dream was much bigger than he could accomplish on 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:32.280 his own. But Nehemiah understood this principle. He knew he 0:10:32.360 --> 0:10:35.760 had the favor factor. One day he asked the king 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.880 for permission to take a leave of absence to go 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:43.200 back to Jerusalem and build those walls. Notice his confidence, 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:47.000 his boldness. He wasn't high up in the king's staff. 0:10:47.440 --> 0:10:50.839 He wasn't a cabinet member, an adviser. He was working 0:10:50.880 --> 0:10:55.360 in the kitchen cleaning the tables, not necessarily an influential position. 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:59.760 But when he asked, the King didn't hesitate. He said, 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:02.439 no problem, Meamiah, go ahead and go back and rebuild 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:06.400 those walls. God caused him to have favor. But Neamiah 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:09.720 didn't stop there. He said, King, I need your help. 0:11:10.080 --> 0:11:12.720 I need you to write a letter to all the 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.880 different leaders of the regions. I'm going to be traveling 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:19.640 through telling them who I am and what I'm doing. 0:11:19.600 --> 0:11:22.800 So i'll have protection so they won't harm me. The 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:23.560 king agreed. 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:27.480 Niamiah still wasn't finished. He said, King, one more thing. 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.960 I don't have any money, I don't have any resources. 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:34.280 I need you to write a letter asking the people 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:37.960 that own the timber mills and the supply houses to 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:42.280 give me the materials to rebuild these walls. Once again, 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:45.080 the king said, no problem, Neamiah, I'll do it for you. 0:11:46.080 --> 0:11:50.160 Niamiyah left that day not only with the protection, but 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.760 with the materials he needed to complete the task, and 0:11:53.840 --> 0:11:56.960 Neamiyah two verse eight it tells us why this happened. 0:11:57.160 --> 0:12:02.560 Neamiah said, the King granted me these requests because the 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:07.640 gracious hand of God was upon me. Niamiah recognized he 0:12:07.800 --> 0:12:11.800 had the favor factor. He knew God had put something 0:12:11.880 --> 0:12:16.080 on him, even though on paper he wasn't qualified, he 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:19.520 didn't have the experience, didn't have the resources. He said, 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:22.360 in a fact, I've got something better than that. The 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:25.760 gracious hand of God is on my life. When you 0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:29.960 understand you have this same favor, that like Neemiah, you'll 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:33.040 rise up with a boldness, with the confidence, and you'll 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:36.200 pursue what God's placed in your heart. He got to 0:12:36.280 --> 0:12:39.360 Jerusalem and he saw the place was in total disarray, 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:42.920 much worse than he expected. He found some people and 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:46.319 shared his vision to rebuild the walls, trying to convince 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:49.960 them to help. He said, in verse eighteen, I told 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:53.880 them how the gracious hand of God was on my life. 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:58.760 Notice how Neamiah was always bragging on God's favor, no doubt. 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.559 Some of them said, Neomiah, you can't do this. You're 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:04.720 not a builder, you're not qualified, you don't have the experience. 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:05.679 This is impossible. 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:08.520 He said, no, No, there's something about me. You can't 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:11.760 sing something that can't be put on paper. The gracious 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:15.240 hind of God is on my life. They started rebuilding 0:13:15.240 --> 0:13:18.840 these walls and had all kinds of opposition. The silly 0:13:18.920 --> 0:13:21.760 leaders tried to shut them down, the critics tried to 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:25.040 stop them. These bandits came up and started fighting one 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.840 thing after another, but every time the favor of God 0:13:29.080 --> 0:13:32.440 helped them to overcome. It should have taken them at 0:13:32.520 --> 0:13:35.240 least a year to complete the walls, but they did 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:39.440 it in just fifty two days. When you realize God's 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:42.599 hind of favor is upon you, you will accomplish. 0:13:42.120 --> 0:13:44.480 Your dreams faster than you thought. 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:49.839 You may be facing a situation like Nehemiah that seems impossible. 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:53.440 Don't go around talking about how big the problem is, 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:55.360 how you're never going to make it. 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:57.120 I just don't have the resources. 0:13:57.360 --> 0:14:01.119 No, zip that up and do like he did, start declaring, 0:14:01.440 --> 0:14:04.720 the gracious hand of God is upon my life. How 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:06.000 are you gonna get out of debt? 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:09.680 The gracious hand of God? How are you gonna get well? 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:11.360 The gracious hand of God? 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:14.520 How are you gonna break that addiction? The gracious hand 0:14:14.600 --> 0:14:17.240 of God? How are you gonna accompass your dreams? The 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:21.400 gracious hand of God. The more you brag on God's favor, 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:24.960 the more of his favor you'll see it. If Neelmiah 0:14:24.960 --> 0:14:27.760 would have thought, oh man, I'm just average. I'd love 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:29.960 to rebuild the walls, but I don't have the money. 0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:32.760 My boss will never let me off. I live too 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:36.520 far away, we wouldn't be reading about him today. Some 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:41.359 of you are disqualifying yourself. God's gracious hand. 0:14:41.240 --> 0:14:42.400 Is on you. 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:45.680 You have this favor factor, but you keep dwelling on 0:14:45.800 --> 0:14:49.400 everything you don't have, the mistake you made, and how 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:51.600 somebody else is so much more talented. 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:53.200 You're just looking in the. 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:57.040 Natural at what's on paper. But there's something. 0:14:56.680 --> 0:14:59.080 About you that cannot be measured. 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:03.160 Something that goes bey yond your talent, your education, your ability. 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:05.760 It's the favor of Almighty God. 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:09.600 Now quit telling yourself the wall is too big, the 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:11.040 dream is too great. 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:12.480 The obstacles are too high. 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:15.600 No, it's not going to happen in your own strength. 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.400 It's not going to happen in your own power. It's 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:22.840 going to happen because Almighty God favors you. The victory 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:26.440 is going to come because God smiles down on you. Now, 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.680 let's get in agreement with God. Don't go around thinking 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:34.320 all these negative, self defeating thoughts. Know all through the day, Father, 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:36.880 thank you that your gracious hand is upon me. 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:40.560 I know I have an advantage. I have an edge. 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:43.400 Other people may not see it. They may try to 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:46.720 push me down, disqualify me. But that's okay. I know 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:50.280 the truth. I have the favor factor. I'm well able 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:54.200 to fulfill my destiny. This is what Nehemiah did, and 0:15:54.280 --> 0:15:57.160 today we're reading about him as one of the heroes 0:15:57.200 --> 0:16:01.400 of faith. When you're in difficult times, more than ever, 0:16:01.760 --> 0:16:05.280 you need to declare God's favor. David said in Psalm 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:09.480 forty one, the favor of God keeps my enemies from 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:12.840 defeating me. Notice what's going to keep you from being 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:17.760 defeated the favor of God. In your finances. Business may 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:20.640 be slow. You don't see how you could ever get ahead. 0:16:21.160 --> 0:16:23.760 You need to look at that enemy of debt, that 0:16:23.960 --> 0:16:26.440 enemy of lack, and say, you will not defeat me. 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:29.640 I have the favor of God. Whatever I touch will 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:35.200 prosper and succeed. Speak favor over your finances. In your health, 0:16:35.760 --> 0:16:38.760 maybe you're facing a sickness. The odds are against you. 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:42.440 The medical report says, no way, look at that enemy 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.400 of sickness and say, you will not defeat me. The 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:48.400 gracious hand of God is on my life. Healing is 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:52.000 flowing through me. I'm getting stronger, healthier, better every day. 0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:54.000 This is what Job did. 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.360 He went through a nine month period where everything that 0:16:57.400 --> 0:17:01.280 could go wrong did. He lost his business, he lost 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:04.360 his health, had these big boils all over his body. 0:17:04.880 --> 0:17:07.880 I'm sure it was very painful. His wife said, Job 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:09.480 just cursed God and dies. 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:10.920 It's never going to work out. 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:13.720 This is the end of us. Job had plenty of 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:19.040 opportunities to get negative, bitter, blame God. No Job understood 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:23.120 this principle. He knew the favor of God would keep 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:26.639 his enemies from defeating him. In the midst of the 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:28.760 adversity didn't look good. 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:30.240 He felt bad. 0:17:30.440 --> 0:17:33.639 All the odds were against him. But he said in 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:38.040 Job Chapter ten, God, I know you have granted me favor. 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:42.720 He was basically saying what Nehemiah said, the gracious hand 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:46.679 of God is upon me. Now in the natural, it 0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:49.760 didn't look like Job had any favor. It looked like 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:52.640 every bad break that could have come did. 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:55.840 But this is what faith is all about. 0:17:56.280 --> 0:17:59.360 You can't wait till you see it before you decide 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:01.959 to believe it. You have to believe it first and 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:05.679 then you'll see it. You may be thinking, Joel, I 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:09.320 don't have any of this favor. God's gracious hand is 0:18:09.359 --> 0:18:12.480 not on me. If you knew my situation, if you 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:15.919 could only see my problem. No, you're right where Job was. 0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:19.560 You're right where Neimiah was. What's going to determine the 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:23.600 outcome is what kind of attitude you have. And what's 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:28.520 interesting is Job said God, you've granted me favor in 0:18:28.680 --> 0:18:32.920 chapter ten. He didn't get restored and healed and see 0:18:32.920 --> 0:18:37.679 things turn around until chapter forty two, right at the 0:18:37.720 --> 0:18:40.960 beginning of the trouble, when it hit him the hardest, 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:44.080 he was the most tempted to get down. That's when 0:18:44.119 --> 0:18:47.640 he dug his heels in, lifted his face toward the heavens, 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:50.000 and said, Father, I want to thank you that I 0:18:50.080 --> 0:18:53.560 have your favor. No wonder, Job came out with twice 0:18:53.600 --> 0:18:57.040 what he had before. No wonder, his enemies couldn't keep 0:18:57.119 --> 0:19:00.520 him defeated. A lot of times we think, God, as 0:19:00.520 --> 0:19:02.480 soon as it turns around, then. 0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:05.400 I'll know I have your favor. Then I'll thank you God. 0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:08.200 As soon as I rebuild the walls, then I'll tell 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:10.760 people your gracious hand is upon me. As soon as 0:19:10.800 --> 0:19:14.639 I accomplish my dreams, then I'll brag on your goodness. No, 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:18.640 what causes God to defeat our enemies, what causes him 0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:23.040 to give us breakthroughs and supernatural ability, is when we 0:19:23.480 --> 0:19:26.560 thank God for his favor even though we don't see 0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:29.919 any sign of favor. When you say, Father, thank you 0:19:30.000 --> 0:19:33.160 that your gracious hand is upon me, even though nothing 0:19:33.240 --> 0:19:35.919 is going your way. When you say, Lord, I know 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:40.199 I've got what it takes, even though you feel unqualified inferior. 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:44.159 That's what allows God to do amazing things. And if 0:19:44.240 --> 0:19:46.520 Job would have just sat back and thought, well, I'm 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:49.480 a good person, I love the Lord. I hope God 0:19:49.520 --> 0:19:52.800 will do something about this trouble, he would have stayed defeated. 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:56.679 Job came out with the victory because he kicked his 0:19:56.840 --> 0:20:00.600 faith into gear and started speaking favor in the midst 0:20:00.600 --> 0:20:04.439 of the adversity. Some of you are up against big challenges. 0:20:04.680 --> 0:20:07.600 This is not the time to be passive. More than ever, 0:20:07.880 --> 0:20:11.399 like Job, like Nehemiah, you need to start declaring God's 0:20:11.440 --> 0:20:14.120 favor all through the day. Lord, thank you that your 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:16.960 gracious hand is upon me. Lord, thanke it that your 0:20:17.080 --> 0:20:20.399 favor keeps my enemies from defeating me. Lord thinke it 0:20:20.440 --> 0:20:23.359 that your favor will make a way, even though I 0:20:23.359 --> 0:20:27.400 don't see anyway. All through the scripture there are examples 0:20:27.680 --> 0:20:30.760 where people were in need, but the favor of God 0:20:30.800 --> 0:20:34.919 turned it around. Noah was facing the greatest challenge of 0:20:34.960 --> 0:20:37.919 his life. The earth was about to be destroyed with 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:41.639 the flood, and it looked impossible, but the scripture says 0:20:42.040 --> 0:20:45.600 Noah found favor in the sight of God. He was 0:20:45.640 --> 0:20:49.600 able to build that ark and saved his family. Ruth 0:20:49.680 --> 0:20:52.439 had just gone through the loss of her husband, a 0:20:52.480 --> 0:20:56.200 great disappointment. She was living in another city, barely making 0:20:56.240 --> 0:21:00.400 it in poverty, but Ruth found favor with a man 0:21:00.480 --> 0:21:04.199 named boas he was very wealthy. They ended up getting married. 0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:07.679 Ruth went on to live a life of abundance happiness. 0:21:08.480 --> 0:21:12.240 Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, 0:21:12.760 --> 0:21:16.320 but Joseph found favor with a man named Potterphar the 0:21:16.320 --> 0:21:19.560 man he worked for, he found favor with Fairoh and 0:21:19.720 --> 0:21:22.800 was put in charge over all of Egypt. In each 0:21:22.840 --> 0:21:26.320 of these cases, the favor of God came in the 0:21:26.359 --> 0:21:30.600 midst of life's challenges. It came in a flood, in 0:21:30.680 --> 0:21:34.440 a famine, and when somebody was being mistreated. When you're 0:21:34.440 --> 0:21:38.040 in the tough times of life, we're like Joseph. Something 0:21:38.119 --> 0:21:43.240 unfair is happening, like Ruth. You're having difficulties in your finances, 0:21:43.560 --> 0:21:47.720 like Noah, the whole world is falling apart. Don't get depressed, 0:21:48.160 --> 0:21:51.920 don't start complaining, get all worried, no more than ever. Father, 0:21:51.960 --> 0:21:54.200 I want to thank you that your gracious hand is 0:21:54.280 --> 0:21:57.000 upon me. Lord, I may not see away, but I. 0:21:57.000 --> 0:22:00.879 Know you have a way. If you'll declare God's it 0:22:00.920 --> 0:22:03.200 will keep your enemies from defeating you. 0:22:03.800 --> 0:22:07.439 Those enemies may look bigger, stronger, more powerful, But let 0:22:07.480 --> 0:22:10.280 me tell you God has put something on you that 0:22:10.400 --> 0:22:13.680 will cause you to be the victor. En never the victim. 0:22:13.920 --> 0:22:18.560 Keep declaring his favor in times of need. I was 0:22:18.600 --> 0:22:23.040 reading about this small fish called a Moses soul. It's 0:22:23.080 --> 0:22:26.480 a little flounder that's found over in the Red Sea. 0:22:26.640 --> 0:22:30.480 There are also large sharks in those waters. These sharks 0:22:30.480 --> 0:22:33.480 would typically eat this kind of fish. But back in 0:22:33.560 --> 0:22:38.000 the early nineteen seventies, a group of researchers noticed something 0:22:38.080 --> 0:22:42.000 amazing about the little Moses soul. All the other fish 0:22:42.000 --> 0:22:44.639 in that category, same size and same weight would be 0:22:44.640 --> 0:22:47.680 eaten by the sharks, but for some reason, these sharks 0:22:47.960 --> 0:22:51.480 would not eat the Moses soul. They found out this 0:22:51.560 --> 0:22:56.320 little Moses soul has a very unique defense system. Whenever 0:22:56.359 --> 0:23:00.160 it senses any kind of danger, it naturally secrete eat 0:23:00.400 --> 0:23:05.800 poisonous toxins out of its glands. These toxins literally caused 0:23:05.800 --> 0:23:09.520 the shark's jaws to freeze. It showed a picture of 0:23:09.560 --> 0:23:13.880 this little Moses's soul inside the shark's mouth. He'd obviously 0:23:13.920 --> 0:23:16.000 come in for the kill. All the shark had to 0:23:16.000 --> 0:23:16.880 do was bite down. 0:23:17.000 --> 0:23:17.679 There was dinner. 0:23:18.200 --> 0:23:21.600 The only problem was the shark couldn't do it. God 0:23:21.680 --> 0:23:24.840 puts something on this little fish to protect him, and 0:23:24.960 --> 0:23:26.399 as long as the shark. 0:23:26.200 --> 0:23:27.680 Was there, his jaw was frozen. 0:23:28.000 --> 0:23:30.600 He would have to swim away for a few seconds 0:23:30.840 --> 0:23:33.480 before that jaw would be released and go back to normal. 0:23:34.160 --> 0:23:36.880 That's what the scripture means when it says the favor 0:23:36.920 --> 0:23:40.240 of God will keep my enemies from defeating me. God 0:23:40.280 --> 0:23:43.359 has put something on you that it will cause you 0:23:43.400 --> 0:23:44.360 to be victorious. 0:23:45.760 --> 0:23:49.880 The way you release these poisonous toxins, so to speak. 0:23:50.200 --> 0:23:53.879 To keep the shark's jaws frozen is by thanking God 0:23:53.920 --> 0:23:57.520 for his favor. Every time you say, Lord, thank you 0:23:57.760 --> 0:24:01.600 that your gracious hand is upon me, toxins are released 0:24:01.800 --> 0:24:05.600 that paralyze the enemy. Lord, thank you that I'm surrounded 0:24:05.640 --> 0:24:09.320 by your favor. More toxins, more protection is being released. 0:24:10.080 --> 0:24:12.520 But if you go around talking about how big the 0:24:12.600 --> 0:24:15.480 problem is, how you're never going to make it, that 0:24:15.520 --> 0:24:19.560 does just the opposite, that acts like bait, that attracts 0:24:19.600 --> 0:24:22.919 the enemy, that'll make it more difficult when you're in 0:24:22.960 --> 0:24:27.520 tough times. Remember that little fish. If you get negative, worried, 0:24:27.600 --> 0:24:31.120 start complaining, you're going to attract more difficulty. But if 0:24:31.119 --> 0:24:35.240 you'll dare just declear God's favor, it'll release a power 0:24:35.480 --> 0:24:38.959 that will keep those enemies from defeating you. When you 0:24:39.040 --> 0:24:42.560 really understand that you have God's favor, you won't get 0:24:42.600 --> 0:24:45.800 bent out of shape when trouble comes your way. Think 0:24:45.840 --> 0:24:49.000 about this little Moses soul when it's in the shark's mouth. 0:24:49.480 --> 0:24:52.440 His blood pressure doesn't go up. He doesn't run called 0:24:52.520 --> 0:24:55.240 nine to one one. He doesn't get depressed and say, oh, 0:24:55.280 --> 0:24:56.200 this is not my day. 0:24:56.640 --> 0:24:59.640 No, he just goes about his business. He knows there's 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:01.160 something special about him. 0:25:01.480 --> 0:25:04.800 Before the foundation of the world, God ordained that he 0:25:04.840 --> 0:25:07.840 would be protected from that enemy. So he just rest 0:25:08.160 --> 0:25:09.359 in who God made him to be. 0:25:10.320 --> 0:25:11.080 When you get a. 0:25:11.040 --> 0:25:14.120 Revelation of who you are, a child of the most 0:25:14.200 --> 0:25:19.000 High God, crowned with favor, then when adversity comes, when 0:25:19.000 --> 0:25:22.000 you face difficulties, you won't get worried all bent out 0:25:22.000 --> 0:25:25.960 of shape like this little fish. You'll declare God's favor 0:25:26.000 --> 0:25:29.400 and you'll know that those enemies cannot keep you defeated. 0:25:30.880 --> 0:25:33.840 I saw a report of the news a few years ago, 0:25:34.000 --> 0:25:38.159 as this teenage girl had driven her car into some 0:25:38.359 --> 0:25:41.399 high water on this flooded street, and she ended up 0:25:41.440 --> 0:25:45.520 stranded in her car, and the water was rising extremely quickly, 0:25:45.880 --> 0:25:48.240 in just two or three minutes, is already up over 0:25:48.280 --> 0:25:51.560 her hood. Now she couldn't open the car doors because 0:25:51.600 --> 0:25:52.800 the water pressure. 0:25:52.480 --> 0:25:53.200 Was too strong. 0:25:53.520 --> 0:25:56.679 She couldn't roll down her windows they were electric, and 0:25:56.760 --> 0:25:59.160 her car had stalled, and they were showing this all 0:25:59.240 --> 0:25:59.800 on the news. 0:26:00.160 --> 0:26:01.840 My heart was beating so fast. 0:26:02.240 --> 0:26:05.200 She was in there, just praying and praying. This man 0:26:05.280 --> 0:26:08.119 jumped in the water and swam over there, and he 0:26:08.240 --> 0:26:10.680 started beating on the window trying to break it open 0:26:11.000 --> 0:26:14.880 with no success. The whole time the car was floating 0:26:14.920 --> 0:26:18.119 down the road. I'll never forget seeing this, just like 0:26:18.160 --> 0:26:21.680 in slow motion. At one point the car tilted forward 0:26:22.000 --> 0:26:22.879 and the whole. 0:26:22.680 --> 0:26:24.280 Car went totally underwater. 0:26:24.960 --> 0:26:27.720 My heart sunk. I thought, man, this is just the end. 0:26:28.080 --> 0:26:31.240 About that time, another man jumps in the water and 0:26:31.359 --> 0:26:35.000 he swims toward that car like he's superman. Somehow he 0:26:35.160 --> 0:26:38.560 found the car went under water and disappeared for about 0:26:38.560 --> 0:26:42.200 thirty seconds. Seemed like an eternity. But in a few 0:26:42.240 --> 0:26:44.600 seconds you saw the young girl's arm. 0:26:44.520 --> 0:26:45.440 Come up out of the water. 0:26:45.960 --> 0:26:48.800 I thought, my goodness, how did he get a window 0:26:48.840 --> 0:26:51.240 open or a door opened under there? A few seconds 0:26:51.359 --> 0:26:54.320 later he pulled her whole body out, and he was 0:26:54.359 --> 0:26:56.560 able to help her get to the shore. She was 0:26:56.600 --> 0:26:59.800 perfectly fine, walked off on her own two feet. If 0:26:59.800 --> 0:27:03.240 that wasn't amazing enough. When the wrecker pulled the car 0:27:03.320 --> 0:27:06.119 out of the water, they noticed that no windows had 0:27:06.119 --> 0:27:10.000 been broken, no windows were down, no doors, no evidence 0:27:10.040 --> 0:27:13.840 that any doors had been opened. The newscaster sat there dumbfounded. 0:27:13.960 --> 0:27:16.480 He said, I don't know you figure that one out. Listen, 0:27:16.520 --> 0:27:19.760 when you walk in God's favor, No weapon formed against 0:27:19.840 --> 0:27:25.840 you is gonna prosper No matter how big the obstacle looks. 0:27:26.240 --> 0:27:29.880 The favor of God will keep those enemies from defeating you. 0:27:30.840 --> 0:27:34.360 Just like that little fish. God has put something on you. 0:27:34.840 --> 0:27:37.360 If it's not your time to go, You're not gonna go. 0:27:38.000 --> 0:27:42.080 Start declaring God's favor over your life. Speak favor over 0:27:42.119 --> 0:27:45.520 your finances, over your health, over your family all through 0:27:45.560 --> 0:27:48.840 the day. Lord, thank you that your gracious hand is 0:27:48.960 --> 0:27:53.760 upon me. Friends, you have this favor factor. It can't 0:27:53.800 --> 0:27:57.040 be measured. There's something about you that you can't put 0:27:57.080 --> 0:28:00.760 on paper. Bottom line is you've got what it takes. Now, 0:28:00.840 --> 0:28:03.760 do you a part and activate this favor in the 0:28:03.800 --> 0:28:07.639 tough times. Don't complain. Do like Job. Lord, Thank you, 0:28:07.800 --> 0:28:10.879 I know I have your favor. When the dream looks 0:28:10.920 --> 0:28:12.600 too big, don't give up. 0:28:12.920 --> 0:28:13.959 Do like Namiyah. 0:28:14.320 --> 0:28:17.040 Lord, thank you that your gracious hand is upon me. 0:28:17.960 --> 0:28:21.679 If you'll do this like Job, you'll overcome every obstacle. 0:28:22.160 --> 0:28:25.399 Like Niamiyah, you will accomplish every God given dream. And 0:28:25.640 --> 0:28:29.240 I believe and declare you will become everything God's created 0:28:29.280 --> 0:28:30.760 you to be, and you will have. 0:28:30.720 --> 0:28:32.679 Everything God intended for you to have. 0:28:32.760 --> 0:28:36.439 Amen. Do you receive it today. We never like to 0:28:36.440 --> 0:28:39.760 close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make 0:28:39.840 --> 0:28:41.280 Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:28:41.440 --> 0:28:42.360 Would you pray with me? 0:28:42.960 --> 0:28:48.080 Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 0:28:48.120 --> 0:28:48.880 into my heart. 0:28:50.040 --> 0:28:51.640 I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:52.960 --> 0:28:55.440 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:28:55.480 --> 0:28:58.520 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:28:58.880 --> 0:28:59.960 Keep God first place. 0:29:00.320 --> 0:29:02.560 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:03.120 --> 0:29:06.080 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:06.120 --> 0:29:09.520 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:09.600 --> 0:29:12.440 keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help 0:29:12.520 --> 0:29:14.560 us to continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:14.600 --> 0:29:16.000 those all around the world. 0:29:16.320 --> 0:29:19.080 Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 0:29:19.120 --> 0:29:21.280 description to partner with us today. 0:29:21.520 --> 0:29:23.960 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:24.080 --> 0:29:25.120 be sure to follow. 0:29:24.880 --> 0:29:26.040 Us on social media. 0:29:26.320 --> 0:29:29.640 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:29.880 --> 0:29:30.920 We'll see you next time. 0:29:32.960 --> 0:29:35.440 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:35.480 --> 0:29:39.240 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:39.280 --> 0:29:42.520 been ill equipped to help. That is, until now. 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