The New You

0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:03.240 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:06.400 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:09.080 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:11.799 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:15.840 for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:18.439 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:20.760 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:00:20.800 --> 0:00:24.840 daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:00:24.880 --> 0:00:27.200 come visit us in person. We'd love to have you 0:00:27.280 --> 0:00:29.720 be a part of one of our services. But I'd 0:00:29.760 --> 0:00:32.320 like to start with something funny. And heard about this 0:00:32.440 --> 0:00:35.280 lady that was on an airplane reading her Bible and 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:38.199 the guy next to her said, you don't believe all 0:00:38.200 --> 0:00:39.080 that stuff in there? 0:00:39.120 --> 0:00:39.360 Do you? 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:42.800 She said, of course I do, It's the Bible. He said, 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:45.120 what about that guy that got swallowed by a well? 0:00:45.680 --> 0:00:48.080 She said, you mean Jonah. Yes, I believe that too. 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:51.400 He said, well, how could he possibly live all that 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:53.800 time inside of a well? She thought about it in 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:56.280 a moment. I don't know. When I get to Heaven, 0:00:56.320 --> 0:00:58.680 I'll have to ask him. He laughed and said, what 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:01.279 if he's not in heaven? She said, then you'll have 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:06.039 to ask him saying, like you mean it. This is 0:01:06.120 --> 0:01:09.000 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:01:09.080 --> 0:01:11.399 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:01:11.520 --> 0:01:14.399 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:18.640 the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:22.080 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:01:22.520 --> 0:01:26.920 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:30.200 to you today about the new you. We all have 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:33.520 times where it looks like we've reached our limits. We've 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:36.680 gone as far as we can in our career, facing 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:40.440 an obstacle that seems too big to overcome. Or maybe 0:01:40.480 --> 0:01:44.679 we're struggling with bad habits and low self esteem, regrets 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.040 from mistakes we've made, and thoughts tell us you'll always 0:01:48.120 --> 0:01:51.440 be this way. That's just who you are. But God 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:54.360 didn't create you to live with things that are holding 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:59.160 you back, limiting your growth, taking your peace. He didn't 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:02.760 create us to reach one level and stay there. He's 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:06.680 put potential in you that you haven't tapped into. You 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:10.519 haven't seen the best version of you. There's a new 0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:15.960 you coming, a stronger you, a wiser you, a happier you, 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:21.280 are more competent, more powerful, more successful you. The scripture 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:25.040 says God has taken you from glory to glory. You're 0:02:25.080 --> 0:02:28.280 in one level of glory now. The good news is 0:02:28.520 --> 0:02:32.359 there's another level on the way. Don't judge yourself by 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:35.000 where you are today. You don't know what God is 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:38.120 up to. But some of these things we can't change 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:42.160 on our own. We've done our best and tried to resist, 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:46.040 worked hard, but we're not able to move forward. It's 0:02:46.080 --> 0:02:49.480 easy to get discouraged and settle where we are. But 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:52.320 this is when God will step in and do what 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:56.080 we can't do. God knows what's too much for us. 0:02:56.639 --> 0:03:00.600 He knows the limitations, the weaknesses that we can't coming. 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:04.240 He doesn't say too bad, you're stuck. He has these 0:03:04.320 --> 0:03:07.959 moments already planned where He will show up and free 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:11.720 you and open doors and change you into something that 0:03:11.760 --> 0:03:16.359 you've never imagined. The new you. It's easy to accept. Oh, Joel, 0:03:16.639 --> 0:03:20.160 I'll always be insecure, that's just who I am. I'll 0:03:20.160 --> 0:03:24.240 always struggle with being undisciplined. I'll never be in management, 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:27.760 never get into leadership. You're basing things on who you 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:31.240 are right now. What you can't see is the new 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:35.360 you that's coming. There's another version of you that'll break 0:03:35.400 --> 0:03:39.000 out of the box, that'll have the boldness and confidence 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:42.840 to step into your purpose, that will see God open 0:03:42.960 --> 0:03:46.960 new doors, bring new opportunities that cause you to bloom 0:03:47.080 --> 0:03:50.400 and blossom and shere thoughts a whisper. Now, you'll always 0:03:50.400 --> 0:03:54.120 be lonely. You'll always deal with this anxiety. You'll always 0:03:54.120 --> 0:03:57.880 struggle with this addiction. Don't believe those lies. There's a 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:02.520 free you coming, married you coming. There's an abundant you, 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:07.440 a greater you, a more fulfilled you coming. First Samuel, 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.480 chapter nine, there was a young man named Saul, and 0:04:10.760 --> 0:04:13.720 some of his father's animals got loose, and he took 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:16.160 a couple of friends, and they went through the hills 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:19.640 and valleys looking for him, but couldn't find them. They 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:22.800 had heard of a prophet named Samuel that lived near Biden. 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:27.080 They decided to go see him and ask about the animals. Well, 0:04:27.080 --> 0:04:31.120 God had already spoken to Samuel about Saul the day before. 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:36.120 Verse sixteen says, about this time tomorrow, you will meet 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:40.080 a young man from the tribe of Benjamin, annoyed him 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:43.760 as the leader of Israel. He will rescue my people 0:04:43.920 --> 0:04:48.760 from the Philistines. Saul came walking up. Samuel said, don't 0:04:48.760 --> 0:04:51.839 worry about the animals you lost, They've already been found. 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:56.480 Saul nearly passed out. Samuel answered him before he asked 0:04:56.480 --> 0:05:00.400 the question. Samuel went on to say, Saul, all of 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:04.680 Israel's future is in your hands. Saul was so taken 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:07.320 aback he said, what do you mean. I come from 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:10.960 the smallest tribe in all of Israel. My family is 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:14.719 the least important in that tribe. Saul could have never 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:18.000 planned this. This was not something he had trained for. 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:23.680 He was qualified. It was just the opposite. He was quiet, reserved. 0:05:23.920 --> 0:05:27.159 He liked being in the background. He thought, Samuel, you 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:29.839 may have gotten it right about the animals, but you 0:05:29.920 --> 0:05:33.560 got it wrong with me. I'm not a leader. I 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.680 don't have the talent, the personality, the courage. I could 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:41.640 never rescue our people. But Saul was judging himself based 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:47.800 on who he was right then, intimidated, insecure, unqualified, he 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:51.960 didn't realize a new person was coming, a stronger sauce, 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:56.640 a bolder saw, a more courageous saw. See God will 0:05:56.640 --> 0:05:59.520 never ask you to do something and not give you 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:03.400 the ability to do it. When you're in situations over 0:06:03.440 --> 0:06:07.599 your head, the obstacles too big, the dream is too great. 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:11.000 That's a sign that you're about to see the new you. 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:16.560 Samuel anointed Saul as Israel's first king. He told him 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:19.839 that as he traveled back home, when he passed the 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:23.240 Philistine camp, he would see a group of prophets that 0:06:23.320 --> 0:06:27.760 were singing and prophesying. Verse six says at that time, 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:31.000 the spirit of God will come on you with power, 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.640 and you will prophesy with them, and you will be 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:39.320 changed into a new person. Samuel was saying, Saul, I 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:42.920 know you feel unqualified. I know this is over your head, 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:46.080 but don't worry. The Spirit of God is going to 0:06:46.160 --> 0:06:48.880 come and change you into who you need to be. 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:52.919 When he arrived at the Philistine camp, it was, just 0:06:53.040 --> 0:06:57.039 like Samuel said, something rose up in Saul that he 0:06:57.080 --> 0:07:02.040 had never felt, a boldness, a confidence, an anointing to 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:05.320 do what he never dreamed. He was turned into a 0:07:05.480 --> 0:07:09.039 different person. You may feel like you'll always be where 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:12.760 you are right now, always at the same level, always 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.600 feel not enough, always struggle with your temper nor life 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:20.640 With Saul. God has already lined up these moments where 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:24.200 his spirit will come on you with great power, and 0:07:24.240 --> 0:07:28.120 you'll be changed into a different person, into the new you. 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:33.040 The bolder you, the more confident you, the more talented, 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:37.800 the more loving, the abundant you. Don't get discouraged by 0:07:37.920 --> 0:07:41.320 where you are right now. You haven't seen the best 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:44.880 version of you. See, Saul never dreamed that he'd lead 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:48.240 a nation. He never dreamed that he could prophesy like 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:52.480 those other people. It's significant that he didn't come from 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:56.360 a family of prophets. There were no rabbis or religious 0:07:56.480 --> 0:08:00.240 leaders in his background. When Samuel told him he was 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:03.040 going to prophesy, I'm sure he thought, yeah, right, there's 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:05.920 not a chance in the world. But when the spirit 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.040 of God comes on you, the new you will come out, 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:13.000 the prophesy in you, the anointed you, the disciplines you. 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.120 This new you will go where no one in your 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:21.560 family has gone, where there's no history of it, no background. 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:24.480 But God is going to use you to set a 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:29.239 new standard, to impact your family line for generations to come. 0:08:30.320 --> 0:08:33.040 There will be things that God whispers in your spirit 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:35.960 that you don't see how they can happen. How you 0:08:35.960 --> 0:08:39.480 can accomplish your dream, how you can overcome the illness, 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:42.920 how you can raise the children right now, you don't 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:44.880 feel like you have the strength to deal with it. 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:47.920 You don't have the courage to pursue your dream, you 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:51.560 don't have the talent to lead that department. That's okay. 0:08:51.679 --> 0:08:54.760 At the right time, the spirit of God will come 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:58.319 on you and you'll be changed into a different you. 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:03.320 You will discover strength, ability, favor that you've never had before. 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:08.480 When Saul's relatives and friends heard about him prophesying, it 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:13.560 was so far out. Verse eleven says they were totally surprised, saying, 0:09:13.640 --> 0:09:17.600 how on earth has Saul become a prophet? God has 0:09:17.640 --> 0:09:20.120 some of these moments where people are going to say 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:23.600 about you, How on earth did you accomplish that dream? 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.480 How on earth did he marry that girl? How on 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:30.679 earth did you become the CEO? How on earth did 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:33.600 you break that addiction? How on earth are they having 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:37.680 church in a former basketball arena. People will judge you 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:41.720 by who you are right now, your background, your education, 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:46.480 your personality. They're seeing the present version of you. What 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:50.200 they can't see is the new you that's coming when 0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:54.240 God changes you into a different person. Now here's the 0:09:54.240 --> 0:09:57.439 beauty of this. You don't have to make this happen 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:02.880 work harder, perform better put in all this effort. It's 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:05.960 not up to you, it's up to God. And yes, 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.480 it's good to grow and be disciplined. But the new 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:13.560 you is not performance based. It's not dependent on how 0:10:13.640 --> 0:10:16.760 much you can change and how much willpower you have. 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.400 If you'll strain and strive, you can see it. No, 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:23.640 it's not by your might, not by your power. It's 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:27.280 by the spirit of the Living God. His power will 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:31.040 come on you and do what you can't do. Our 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:37.360 part is simply to keep God first place. Live with excellence, integrity, kindness, 0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:41.920 making decisions that honor God. Paul said in Philippians Too, 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:45.720 it is God who works in you to do his 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:51.000 will and act on behalf of his good purpose. God 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:54.480 has a good purpose for your life. He's already planned 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:57.880 before you were born to take your places you've never dreamed, 0:10:58.520 --> 0:11:01.960 to bring out ability. Did know you had to overcome 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:06.920 obstacles that look impossible. The good news is he's working 0:11:07.000 --> 0:11:11.360 in you. He's opening the doors, he's bringing the right people. 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:15.480 He's given you the talent, the wisdom, the courage to 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:19.520 do what He's purpose. When you understand this, it takes 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.520 the pressure off. This is not something you have to 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:26.000 earn and work for. This is God working in you, 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:30.600 acting on behalf of his good purpose, not acting on 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:34.920 behalf of how you were raised, how much education, how 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:37.840 many people are for you, how many mistakes you've made. 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:41.680 This is not based on our efforts. It's the most 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:45.520 high God bring it about what he purposed for your life. 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:49.839 My father was raised during the Great Depression and his 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:53.280 family was very poor. They were farmers, and he went 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:55.920 to school with holes in his pants, holes in his shoes, 0:11:55.960 --> 0:12:00.400 and that was before it was fashionable. But eventually he 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:02.560 had to drop out of school to work on the farm. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:05.720 And his parents were good people, they were hard working, 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:09.480 but they didn't know anything about God, didn't have any 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:12.920 kind of faith. It looked like my father was stuck 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:18.080 in that limited environment, no education, no money, no opportunity. 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:24.160 All the circumstances said this is who you'll always be, disadvantaged, poor, 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:27.800 not significant, And that was all true at the time. 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:31.600 That's who he was. But God has these times where 0:12:31.679 --> 0:12:34.920 his spirit will come on you and change it into 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:39.040 a different person. My father should have been stuck, but 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:43.040 God was working in him to bring about his good purposes. 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:50.080 All the circumstances may say this is who you are, addicted, angry, limited, lonely. 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.520 That may be true, but can I encourage you? The 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:57.200 most High God is at work on your behalf. You 0:12:57.280 --> 0:13:00.560 are not at the mercy of how you were, raged, 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:04.680 what the medical report says, bad breaks that have set 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:08.800 you back. There is a power working in you greater 0:13:09.040 --> 0:13:12.760 than anything trying to stop you. What God is purpose 0:13:12.840 --> 0:13:16.400 for your life will come to pass. No person can 0:13:16.440 --> 0:13:21.600 stop it. No bad break, no sickness, no addiction. God 0:13:21.720 --> 0:13:25.920 controls the universe. He has the power to change you 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:29.520 into a different person, from a broke you to a 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:32.559 blessed you, from a sick you to a health of you, 0:13:33.240 --> 0:13:36.520 from a depressed you to a happy you, from an 0:13:36.520 --> 0:13:39.880 addicted you to a free you, from a stuck you 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:44.040 to a propelled you. Don't believe those lies that this 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:46.840 is who you'll always be. There's a new you coming. 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:50.760 God is working in you right now. You're about to 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:55.160 step into a prosperous you, a happier you, a more 0:13:55.240 --> 0:14:00.800 fulfilled you. Where like Saul, God surprises you gifts you 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:04.360 didn't know, you had, opportunity that you didn't see coming, 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:09.040 influence that catapults you ahead. My father had a friend 0:14:09.080 --> 0:14:11.720 in high school named Sam Martin, and he'd get to 0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:15.640 school early and write scripture verses on the chopboard. He 0:14:15.720 --> 0:14:18.600 is always talking to my father about God and how 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:21.360 he needed to give his life to Christ. But my 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:24.520 father didn't want to hear that. He thought Sam was 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:28.920 far out. But it's seventeen years old. Walking home from 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.840 a nightclub at two o'clock in the morning, for some reason, 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:36.760 my father began to think about God. He looked up 0:14:36.760 --> 0:14:39.320 at the stars and wondering what he was going to 0:14:39.400 --> 0:14:42.400 do with his life. The next morning, he called Sam 0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:45.520 and said he wanted to go to church. They walked 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:48.560 in and sat on the back road. First time in church. 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:52.160 At the end, the pastor invited people to the front 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:55.880 to receive Christ. Daddy wouldn't go. He was too afraid. 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:59.360 Sam said, John, if you'll go, i'll go with you. 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:03.840 They walked down together. My father gave his life to Christ. 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:08.040 He felt this calling to become a minister, but his 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:11.920 parents didn't understand. They told him that if he left 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:14.520 the farm he would fail, that he didn't know how 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:20.640 to minister. They still saw him as limited, mediocre, not talented. 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:25.240 But people don't determine who you are. They can't see 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:29.320 what God is making you into. My father had to hitchhike. 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:31.920 He didn't have any money, but he left home and 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:35.480 he went out and started ministering in prisons and in 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:38.920 the senior citizens' homes, and God began to open doors. 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:43.360 He pastored great churches. He and my mother started Lakewood 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:46.680 and he pastored here for forty years. He broke a 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:50.480 spirit of poverty and limited vision off of our family 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:54.800 and brought us into new levels of God's goodness. But 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:59.280 what caused my father to think about God walking home 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.840 from that night club? That wasn't random. That was God 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:07.280 working in him, bringing about his good plan, drawing my 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:11.920 father into his destiny. Why was Sam Martin so outspoken 0:16:11.960 --> 0:16:14.840 about his faith? Why wouldn't he leave my father alone? 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:18.920 That was God lining up the right people. Why did 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.920 my father want to pastor a church, leave the farm? 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:25.280 It enemy training, that was way over his head. That 0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:29.400 was God putting the desires in him to step in 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:32.560 to what he had planned. You may have areas where 0:16:32.560 --> 0:16:36.800 you feel stuck, you're limited, there's dysfunction. That may be 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:39.880 who you are now. But like my father, there's a 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:44.120 different person coming. There's a new you. A victorious you, 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:48.960 a bless you, a confident you, a powerful you. God 0:16:49.080 --> 0:16:52.520 is working in you right now to bring about his purpose. 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:56.360 He's already lined up the right people, like Sam and 0:16:56.440 --> 0:17:00.560 my father, people that will push you into your destiny. 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:03.760 This is what happened with Peter. Jesus was on the 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:07.280 shore of Galilee teaching the people and was so crowded. 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:11.280 He saw Peter folding his nets, and Jesus asked if 0:17:11.320 --> 0:17:13.520 he could borrow his boat to teach out of him. 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:17.879 Peter had never met Jesus, but he agreed. When Jesus finished, 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:21.440 he told Peter to throw his nets back out. When 0:17:21.440 --> 0:17:24.280 he did, he caught so many fish that his nets 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:27.879 began to break. Peter came to the shore, fell on 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:31.479 his knees, and said, Lord, please leave me. I'm too 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:35.000 much of a sinner to be around you. Peter was 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:39.320 rough fishermen were known for cursing. He was hot tempered, 0:17:39.720 --> 0:17:43.600 he had flaws and weaknesses. Jesus said, no, Peter, from 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:46.959 now on, you're going to be fishing for men. He 0:17:47.080 --> 0:17:51.560 chose Peter as his first disciple. You would think Jesus 0:17:51.600 --> 0:17:56.080 would find someone from the synagogue, a rabbi, a religious leader, 0:17:56.800 --> 0:18:00.520 but God doesn't choose the way we choose. Peter could 0:18:00.520 --> 0:18:03.000 have said, no, thanks, Jesus, not going to follow you. 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:05.960 I don't know anything about faith or religion. I don't 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:09.520 fit into that mold. But the scripture says he left 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:14.600 everything to follow Jesus. One minute he's fishing, the next 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:19.399 minute he's a disciple. Nobody saw this coming. Peter thought 0:18:19.560 --> 0:18:22.800 he would always be a fisherman, but God was working 0:18:22.920 --> 0:18:26.320 in him to bring about the good purpose for his life. 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:31.080 This was the new Peter, not the unworthy Peter, but 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:34.640 the Peter that believed he was chosen. Not the Peter 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:37.520 that would fish for a living, but the Peter who 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:40.159 would tell a crippled man to rise and walk and 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:43.800 they were healed. The Peters whose shadow caused people to 0:18:43.840 --> 0:18:48.280 get well. This was the powerful Peter, the anointed Peter, 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:52.960 the influential Peter. He never saw this coming, but God 0:18:53.080 --> 0:18:57.479 changed him into a different person. There are versions of 0:18:57.520 --> 0:19:01.720 you that you haven't seen. Like with Peter, there's a 0:19:01.800 --> 0:19:06.280 more influential you coming. There's a more powerful you, a 0:19:06.400 --> 0:19:11.919 more gifted you, a stronger, happier, healthier you. This is 0:19:11.960 --> 0:19:14.680 not something that you have to make happen. It wasn't 0:19:14.720 --> 0:19:20.560 Peter's faith, wasn't Peter's determination, Jesus called him, wasn't Saul's 0:19:20.560 --> 0:19:24.280 effort or even Saul's dream to become a king. Samuel 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:28.840 came to him. God has these times where his spirit 0:19:29.119 --> 0:19:31.480 is going to come on you in a powerful way 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:36.159 and change you into a different person. I work behind 0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:39.199 the scenes here at Lakewood for seventeen years doing the 0:19:39.240 --> 0:19:42.879 television production. I never wanted to be in front of people. 0:19:43.440 --> 0:19:46.760 I'm naturally more quiet and reserved, and I thought that's 0:19:46.800 --> 0:19:49.199 what I would do the rest of my life. But 0:19:49.240 --> 0:19:52.640 when my father suddenly passed, I knew I was supposed 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:55.520 to step up and pass to the church. I never 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.560 wanted to before. My father tried to get me up here, 0:19:58.640 --> 0:20:01.200 and I always told him no. All of a sudden 0:20:01.440 --> 0:20:04.480 I had the desire. I wanted to do it, but 0:20:04.560 --> 0:20:07.680 in my mind, these thoughts told me that I wasn't 0:20:07.720 --> 0:20:10.720 talented enough. I was going to get up there and fail. 0:20:11.640 --> 0:20:14.440 But God will always give you the grace to do 0:20:14.520 --> 0:20:17.159 what He's called you to do. He'll never let the 0:20:17.200 --> 0:20:20.840 opposition be so strong or the voice is so loud 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:24.760 that you can't move forward. I was afraid. I was intimidated, 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:29.040 but down in my spirit I could feel a supernatural power, 0:20:29.560 --> 0:20:33.280 a courage, a strength that I had never felt. It 0:20:33.400 --> 0:20:37.919 wasn't just willpower, determination. It was God working in me, 0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:41.720 acting on my behalf. It wasn't just up to me. 0:20:42.359 --> 0:20:45.320 The most High God was doing what I couldn't do, 0:20:46.000 --> 0:20:50.639 empowering me, enabling me. Sometimes when I'm at home, flipping 0:20:50.680 --> 0:20:53.520 through the channels and I see myself on television, I think, 0:20:53.800 --> 0:20:56.000 how in the world did I get up there? Who 0:20:56.119 --> 0:20:58.680 is that person? Friends of mine come back from the 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:01.439 high school. Joel, I thought you'd be a minister. I 0:21:01.480 --> 0:21:04.480 think I can't believe it either. I didn't see this coming. 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:08.199 When my father died, my mother told people that she 0:21:08.359 --> 0:21:12.359 thought it would be anyone except Joel to pass the church. 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:16.000 Maybe my sister Lisa, she's a great minister. My brother 0:21:16.040 --> 0:21:19.080 Paul had two brothers in law. But when I told 0:21:19.080 --> 0:21:21.280 my mother that I wanted to pass her, she looked 0:21:21.280 --> 0:21:25.359 at me and said, are you sure, Joel? God is 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:28.360 going to put you in situations where you feel over 0:21:28.400 --> 0:21:33.760 your head, outnumbered, not qualified. Don't worry. You're not doing 0:21:33.840 --> 0:21:36.959 this on your own. His spirit will come on you 0:21:37.080 --> 0:21:42.359 in a powerful way. You will step into talent ability, confidence. 0:21:42.440 --> 0:21:47.040 You've never seen doors opening that you couldn't open, overcoming 0:21:47.119 --> 0:21:50.040 obstacles that should have held you back. It's going to 0:21:50.080 --> 0:21:54.560 be uncommon, unusual. It's the new you, the better you, 0:21:55.040 --> 0:21:59.240 the more talented you. It's the next level you. You 0:21:59.280 --> 0:22:02.240 wouldn't be here hearing this if God wasn't about to 0:22:02.320 --> 0:22:06.120 do something out of the ordinary in your life. May 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:09.080 feel like this is who you'll always be. Don't get ready. 0:22:09.359 --> 0:22:13.800 There's about to be a supernatural breakthrough or supernatural healing, 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:18.480 supernatural provision where you look back and say, like Saul, 0:22:19.000 --> 0:22:22.240 God changed me into a different person. I never dreamed 0:22:22.280 --> 0:22:25.800 I would be here. That's God working out his good 0:22:25.880 --> 0:22:29.800 purpose for your life. Friend of mine has been healthy 0:22:29.840 --> 0:22:32.960 and hold his whole life, But nineteen years old, he 0:22:33.040 --> 0:22:37.000 started losing weight and had trouble with his digestive system 0:22:37.080 --> 0:22:41.280 and caused terrible nausey and so much pain. They went 0:22:41.320 --> 0:22:45.159 to the best doctors and found the different specialists, but 0:22:45.520 --> 0:22:48.919 they couldn't find out what was wrong. Few months he 0:22:48.960 --> 0:22:52.800 had lost eighty pounds. He was skinning bones in a wheelchair. 0:22:53.440 --> 0:22:57.960 He was finally diagnosed with Crohn's disease, an incurable chronic 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:01.879 illness that affects the immune's system. The doctor said he 0:23:01.960 --> 0:23:04.280 had the worst case he'd ever seen and that he 0:23:04.280 --> 0:23:07.800 wouldn't live much longer. When this young man looked in 0:23:07.840 --> 0:23:12.280 the mirror, he saw a sick, weak, defeated man staring 0:23:12.359 --> 0:23:16.480 back at him. All the circumstances said he was done. 0:23:17.040 --> 0:23:20.359 But God is working in you to bring about his 0:23:20.440 --> 0:23:24.600 good purpose. Sometimes the odds are too much for us, 0:23:25.119 --> 0:23:29.200 the giants too strong. But you're not in this by yourself. 0:23:29.520 --> 0:23:32.920 The most High God is fighting for you. He knows 0:23:32.960 --> 0:23:36.720 how to change you into a different person, from sick 0:23:36.840 --> 0:23:41.160 to healthy, from weak to strong, from struggling to get 0:23:41.200 --> 0:23:45.320 by to thriving in life. And this young man could 0:23:45.359 --> 0:23:48.679 have given up, but he believed that God has the 0:23:48.760 --> 0:23:53.359 final saying that things were changing in his favor. Medicines 0:23:53.400 --> 0:23:57.080 didn't help him, but he changed his diet and God 0:23:57.119 --> 0:24:00.840 began to give him wisdom about what to eat. Understanding 0:24:00.920 --> 0:24:04.840 in nutrition. He began to get better and better. The 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:08.880 doctors were baffled, but by his twenty first birthday, he'd 0:24:08.880 --> 0:24:11.879 gained all the weight back. He weighed one hundred and 0:24:12.000 --> 0:24:16.880 eighty pounds and was completely free from that disease. Now 0:24:17.160 --> 0:24:20.920 you may be fighting in illness today. The medical reports 0:24:20.960 --> 0:24:25.480 not good. Stay encouraged. There's a new you coming, a 0:24:25.520 --> 0:24:30.040 healthy you, a strong you, a vibrant you. God is 0:24:30.119 --> 0:24:33.320 not finished with you, he said, the number of your 0:24:33.400 --> 0:24:39.000 days he will fulfill. Sometimes medical science runs out of options. 0:24:39.240 --> 0:24:42.160 They do the best they can. But God can do 0:24:42.240 --> 0:24:45.879 what medicine cannot do. He never runs out of options 0:24:46.600 --> 0:24:49.760 like he did for my friend. There's a turnaround coming 0:24:49.840 --> 0:24:52.959 in your health where the spirit of God comes on 0:24:53.000 --> 0:24:56.719 you in a powerful way, turns you into a different person. 0:24:57.080 --> 0:25:02.840 No more sick, defeated, weak, but healthy, whole, victorious, the 0:25:03.000 --> 0:25:07.000 new you. When Samuel chose Saul as the King of 0:25:07.200 --> 0:25:10.320 Israel and he was turned into a different person, the 0:25:10.400 --> 0:25:14.119 scripture says that God put a new heart in Saul. 0:25:14.840 --> 0:25:19.000 He gave him new desires, new perspectives, and new ways 0:25:19.040 --> 0:25:24.400 of seeing himself. Sometimes what's limiting us are wrong mindsets, 0:25:25.200 --> 0:25:30.280 holding on to unforgiveness, reliving hurts, traumas from the past. 0:25:30.920 --> 0:25:35.320 There's regrets, guilt from mistakes we've made. We're beating ourselves up. 0:25:36.200 --> 0:25:40.240 These unhealthy thoughts and attitudes caused us to get stuck 0:25:40.359 --> 0:25:45.040 in a negative cycle where often we're self sabotaging, and 0:25:45.119 --> 0:25:48.080 some people have tried to get free, but they weren't able. 0:25:48.119 --> 0:25:52.520 And others don't realize these toxins are poisoning their heart, 0:25:53.200 --> 0:25:58.960 affecting their attitude, relationships, their vision. God, in his mercy, 0:25:59.359 --> 0:26:01.560 is going to do for you what he did for Saul. 0:26:02.119 --> 0:26:04.720 He's going to give you a new heart, put the 0:26:04.800 --> 0:26:08.639 right desires in you, the power to forgive, to be 0:26:08.800 --> 0:26:12.560 positive towards yourself, to love the people in your life, 0:26:12.840 --> 0:26:16.159 to expect good things. It's not going to leave you 0:26:16.280 --> 0:26:20.480 stuck in unhealthy mindsets. Part of this new you is 0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:25.679 a new heart, a new attitude, new self image, new perspectives. 0:26:26.359 --> 0:26:29.760 Now stay in agreement with God. The enemy would love 0:26:29.840 --> 0:26:32.840 for you to live discouraged thinking this is all you'll 0:26:32.880 --> 0:26:36.639 ever be. The truth is you haven't seen the best 0:26:36.760 --> 0:26:40.040 version of you yet. God is at work right now 0:26:40.280 --> 0:26:44.400 to bring about his good purpose in your life. Remember 0:26:44.440 --> 0:26:46.600 you don't have to make it happen. Just keep in 0:26:46.720 --> 0:26:49.800 first place, and His spirit is going to come on 0:26:49.920 --> 0:26:53.680 you in great power and do what you couldn't do. 0:26:54.200 --> 0:26:57.720 I believe and declare the new You is coming. The 0:26:57.760 --> 0:27:02.120 more confident you, the more talented you, the more blessed 0:27:02.400 --> 0:27:06.439 the more disciplined, the abundant you, the stronger you, the 0:27:06.520 --> 0:27:11.720 victorious you, the next level you in Jesus' name, and 0:27:11.800 --> 0:27:15.760 if you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like 0:27:15.840 --> 0:27:18.680 to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord 0:27:18.720 --> 0:27:22.800 of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:27:23.440 --> 0:27:27.040 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:27:27.240 --> 0:27:30.399 make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 0:27:30.480 --> 0:27:33.600 simple prayer, we believe you got born again, and we'd 0:27:33.640 --> 0:27:35.919 love to send you some free information on your new 0:27:36.000 --> 0:27:38.399 walk with the Lord. You can text the number on 0:27:38.440 --> 0:27:41.520 the screen or go to the website. But I hope 0:27:41.520 --> 0:27:44.760 you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep 0:27:44.800 --> 0:27:48.359 God first place. When was the last time you asked 0:27:48.400 --> 0:27:51.880 God to do something that seemed impossible? If you only 0:27:51.920 --> 0:27:56.080 pray small, ordinary prayers, you live a small, ordinary life. 0:27:56.720 --> 0:27:59.560 I have a new book called Pray Bold. I'll challenge 0:27:59.560 --> 0:28:02.480 you your faith and believe for the big things God 0:28:02.520 --> 0:28:05.280 puts in your heart. Victoria and I used to have 0:28:05.359 --> 0:28:09.000 seasoned tickets to watch the Rockets play basketball here. We 0:28:09.119 --> 0:28:12.040 never dreamed it could be ours when they moved out. 0:28:12.359 --> 0:28:14.760 Somehow we had the faith to pray a bold prayer. 0:28:15.280 --> 0:28:18.040 God made things happen that we could never make happen. 0:28:18.320 --> 0:28:21.080 It's the same for you, who knows what God will 0:28:21.119 --> 0:28:23.600 do in your life. If you'll dare to pray bold, 0:28:24.119 --> 0:28:26.959 ask him for your dreams, ask for your healing, as 0:28:27.040 --> 0:28:29.959 for your freedom. That's when God will show up and 0:28:30.040 --> 0:28:32.200 do more than you could ever imagine. 0:28:32.600 --> 0:28:34.880 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:34.920 --> 0:28:37.520 of any amount, this month, we would like to send 0:28:37.600 --> 0:28:41.080 you a copy of Jeel's brand new book, Pray Bold, 0:28:41.440 --> 0:28:45.800 Dare to Ask and Believe Big. Joel shares that when 0:28:45.840 --> 0:28:49.880 we pray, we can tap into God's creative, awesome power, 0:28:50.400 --> 0:28:54.080 something bigger than we have ever imagined. God doesn't want 0:28:54.200 --> 0:28:57.600 us to just pray in our comfort zones. No, God 0:28:57.680 --> 0:29:02.000 loves when we pray big big, expect him to do 0:29:02.200 --> 0:29:07.040 the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible, from history, 0:29:07.280 --> 0:29:10.760 and personal testimonies of people who dared to believe God 0:29:10.880 --> 0:29:14.960 in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically expand your 0:29:14.960 --> 0:29:18.400 prayers and watch your life move from the common to 0:29:18.520 --> 0:29:23.240 the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be sure to 0:29:23.320 --> 0:29:27.640 request your copy of Prey Bold today. Visit Joeloustein dot 0:29:27.680 --> 0:29:29.600 com or call us tool free. 0:29:30.080 --> 0:29:33.320 God has put dreams in your heart, things He's whispered 0:29:33.320 --> 0:29:36.280 in the night that seem impossible. But as you pray 0:29:36.360 --> 0:29:38.800 these bold prayers, you're going to see the goodness of 0:29:38.840 --> 0:29:42.320 God in ways you've never seen victor in our belief, 0:29:42.360 --> 0:29:45.120 and you're gonna have a great twenty twenty five. We 0:29:45.240 --> 0:29:47.920 pray for you and your family every day for God's 0:29:48.040 --> 0:29:50.760 very best. We want to thank you for your prayer 0:29:50.800 --> 0:29:53.959 and your support. You're impacting people all over the world. 0:29:54.280 --> 0:29:57.320 Be sure to request your copy of prey Bold today, 0:29:57.880 --> 0:30:02.040 visit Joeloustein dot com or call us tool free. Finally, 0:30:02.360 --> 0:30:05.880 elevates your personal time with God by requesting the My 0:30:06.040 --> 0:30:10.400 Time with God collection. This beautiful collection contains the pre 0:30:10.560 --> 0:30:14.560 Bold new release, plus the new Living Translation, one year 0:30:14.640 --> 0:30:18.360 Chronological Study Bible, and a beautiful glass mug and throw 0:30:18.400 --> 0:30:22.360 blanket based around the inspiring scripture from Psalm forty six 0:30:22.400 --> 0:30:25.560 to ten. Be Still and know that I Am God. 0:30:26.120 --> 0:30:28.880 You can learn more about this unique new gift collection 0:30:29.120 --> 0:30:32.440 by calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or 0:30:32.520 --> 0:30:35.280 logging onto Joelostein dot com today. 0:30:36.320 --> 0:30:39.720 Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning. 0:30:40.120 --> 0:30:44.640 Download our daily podcast Misten on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube, 0:30:45.000 --> 0:30:48.200 and now the new Joel Ostein Network streaming on television 0:30:48.240 --> 0:30:51.560 twenty four hours a day. If you've never been to Lakewood, 0:30:51.720 --> 0:30:55.680 we have a great opportunity. We called it Homecoming Weekend. 0:30:56.200 --> 0:30:59.080 We'd love to meet you and your family. You can 0:30:59.280 --> 0:31:02.120 see the bill and attend one of the services. It's 0:31:02.160 --> 0:31:05.000 a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. 0:31:05.080 --> 0:31:07.640 Looking forward to seeing your Homecoming Weekend.