The Power of Favor

0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. 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The units 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:14.080 stap makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:17.160 give funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.440 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:21.720 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.280 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.920 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:38.760 leave Inspire. 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:42.000 Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week. 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:45.280 We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:57.440 Enjoy the message. 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:01.800 Oh God, bless you, and thanks for letting us come 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:04.680 into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:06.920 please stop by and be a part of one of 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:10.200 our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:13.040 at home. I let you start with something funny and 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:15.079 I heard about this elderly minister. 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:16.840 He was close to death. 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:20.200 He sent word for two of his members, an ours 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:23.639 agent and a lawyer to come to his house a 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:26.160 port a rival. He motioned for them to sit on 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:27.200 each side. 0:02:26.919 --> 0:02:29.400 Of the bed. The men were very moved that. 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:32.160 They could be with their pastor in his final moments. 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:35.560 One point, the lawyer asked, Sir, why did you choose 0:02:35.600 --> 0:02:39.080 both of us? The minister mustered up some strength and said, 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:41.320 Jesus died between two sinners. 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:44.720 That's the way I want to go. All right, it's 0:02:44.760 --> 0:02:45.880 just a joke. Here we go. 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:49.560 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:52.400 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:55.080 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:58.960 talked the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:02.240 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:07.120 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:07.160 --> 0:03:09.960 to talk to you today about the power of favor. 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:11.760 What God has. 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:15.440 In your future can't be accomplished on your own. The 0:03:15.520 --> 0:03:18.120 places He's going to take you, you can't. 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:19.120 Get there by yourself. 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:24.000 There will be obstacles too, big dreams that seem impossible. 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:26.880 You're going to need assistance for where you're going. 0:03:27.600 --> 0:03:30.639 The good news is God has put something on you, 0:03:30.960 --> 0:03:34.680 that gives you an advantage, something that will open doors 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:37.800 you can't open, something that will make you stand out 0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:38.560 in the crowd. 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:42.800 It's called favor. Favor will cause good. 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:45.680 Breaks to come to you. Favor will take you from 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:50.520 the background to the foreground. Favor will give you preferential treatment, 0:03:50.800 --> 0:03:54.280 things you don't deserve. You weren't next in line, but 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:57.640 you got the promotion. On paper, it didn't make sense. 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.480 But the loan went through. That was so against you. 0:04:01.880 --> 0:04:05.280 For some reason they changed. Now, therefore you that wasn't 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:06.160 a coincidence. 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:07.880 That was the favor of God. 0:04:08.760 --> 0:04:13.520 And we can work hard, be faithful, be diligent, that's important, 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.479 but that will only take us to a certain level. 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:20.280 We'll go as far as our education, as far as 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:21.719 our background allows. 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:25.719 But when God breathes his favor on you, things. 0:04:25.400 --> 0:04:29.200 Will happen that you couldn't make happen, opportunity that you 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:30.200 didn't see coming. 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:32.520 The right people will track you down. 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:36.640 I've heard it said one touch of favor is worth 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:40.720 more than a lifetime of labor. Just one good break, 0:04:41.080 --> 0:04:44.760 one phone call, meeting one right person will catapult you 0:04:44.960 --> 0:04:48.719 to a new level. You've worked hard, you've been faithful. 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:52.640 You've honored God. Now get ready for favor. Get ready 0:04:52.680 --> 0:04:56.479 for God to show out. He's about to do something unusual, 0:04:57.000 --> 0:05:00.160 something that you haven't seen. Good breaks that you you 0:05:00.200 --> 0:05:04.159 didn't work for, Promotion that you didn't deserve. You can't 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:06.599 explain it, you can't take credit for it. 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:07.960 It's the favor of God. 0:05:09.040 --> 0:05:12.640 God told Noah to build an arc about four hundred 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:16.640 and fifty feet long. Noah wasn't a builder, that wasn't 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:20.880 his profession. It seemed impossible. But God will never ask 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:23.080 you to do something and not give you. 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:25.840 The favor to do it. You have favor. 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:29.280 The question is do you have the faith? Are you 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:31.680 going to talk yourself out of it? I don't have 0:05:31.720 --> 0:05:34.360 the resources, I don't know the right people. 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:35.640 I don't have the talent. 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:39.159 That's okay, you have something that makes up for all 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:39.440 of that. 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:42.240 Favor is on your life, and. 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:47.000 It's good to have education. But education alone is not enough. 0:05:47.640 --> 0:05:51.200 Talent alone is not enough. You need favor for where 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.840 you're going. You may not know the right people, but 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:55.520 don't worry. 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:56.479 God does. 0:05:57.240 --> 0:06:01.279 He has already lined up divine connection people that will 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:05.520 come into your life and use their influence to open doors. 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:09.600 To give you opportunity that will push you forward. You 0:06:09.640 --> 0:06:10.280 don't have to. 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:14.720 Manipulate people, try to convince them to like you, compromise 0:06:14.880 --> 0:06:15.720 to get your way. 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:19.840 If someone is not for you, you don't need them. 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:23.320 Don't waste time trying to win them over. The people 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.680 God has lined up for you, they don't have a choice. 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.480 They may not like you, but they will help you anyway. 0:06:29.720 --> 0:06:31.560 They will go out of their ways to be good 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:31.760 to you. 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:36.120 You don't have to find them, they will find you. 0:06:36.120 --> 0:06:40.080 You keep honoring God, believing expecting the favor on your 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:43.640 life will cause the right people to show up. But 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:47.000 the people in Noah's day, they didn't care anything about God. 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:52.040 They were living wild, partying, worshiping idols. God was so 0:06:52.160 --> 0:06:55.400 upset he was about to destroy the earth bring a 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:59.800 great flood. He could have wiped everyone out and started over. 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:03.120 But the scripture says Noah found. 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:04.880 Favor in the eyes of the Lord. 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:08.640 Why did he find favor and not all the people 0:07:08.720 --> 0:07:09.520 around him? 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:11.280 They were about to perish. 0:07:11.480 --> 0:07:16.800 The next verse says Noah continually followed God's will and did. 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:17.920 What was right. 0:07:18.040 --> 0:07:22.160 Noah could a compromise fit in done what everyone else 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:25.800 was doing, but he made the choice to walk in obedience. 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:29.640 When you honor God, when you keep in first place, 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.400 you will find favor in the eyes. 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:32.640 Of the Lord. 0:07:32.920 --> 0:07:35.600 There is a blessing on your life that will push 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:39.480 you up when others are going down. Well, Joel, if 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:42.520 I have favor, why am I having these difficulties? 0:07:42.800 --> 0:07:45.560 Why did these people come against me? Why did business 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:46.160 slow down? 0:07:46.760 --> 0:07:51.080 Having favor doesn't mean you won't have challenges, and favor 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:53.600 is what's going to keep the challenges. 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:54.080 From defeating you. 0:07:55.080 --> 0:07:58.600 Sometimes God will put you in a situation so he 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:02.960 can show you his faith. One definition of favor is 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:07.880 to endorse, to bring the prominence, to give notoriety. 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:08.840 If you ask. 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:12.040 Someone to indorse your book, you find a person that 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:16.960 has more influence, more credibility, a bigger following when they 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:20.360 put their name on your book, because they have such 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:24.360 prominence that instantly gives you more credibility. 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:26.640 Oprah Winfrey used to have her book club. 0:08:26.960 --> 0:08:29.920 When she would endorse a book, the author may not 0:08:30.000 --> 0:08:34.079 have been known, nobody's ever heard of them. Without the endorsement, 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:37.000 the book would sell a couple thousand copies. But when 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:39.160 she got on her talk show said this is a 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:42.880 great book. You should read it. That simple endorsement would 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:45.960 cause it to sell hundreds of thousands of copies. And 0:08:46.000 --> 0:08:49.600 it's great to have people's endorsement. You need to get ready. 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:52.960 The creator of the universe is about to endorse you. 0:08:53.960 --> 0:08:57.960 God is going to make things happen so big, so amazing, 0:08:58.600 --> 0:09:02.200 that people will know it couldn't have been you. The 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:04.079 medical report says you were done. 0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:06.560 How'd you get well? God endorsed you. 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:11.760 His favor caused you to overcome what looked impossible. How 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:14.880 did your business get so successful? How'd you get so 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:16.880 far ahead? We went to the same school. 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:18.080 God endorsed you. 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:22.400 He showed his favor so people would know you belonged 0:09:22.400 --> 0:09:26.199 to him. This is what happened to Daniel in the scripture. 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:30.520 Favor didn't keep Daniel out of trouble. The trouble was 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:34.280 a setup for God to endorse Daniel to bring him 0:09:34.320 --> 0:09:39.120 into prominence. Daniel was a teenager living in a foreign country. 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:41.920 The king made a decree that no one could pray 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:46.679 to any god except the king's god. Well, Daniel worshiped Jehovah. 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:49.800 He made this decision, he wasn't going to compromise, so 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:53.319 he kept praying like normal some people saw him ran 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:56.600 and told the king. The king had Daniel thrown into 0:09:56.679 --> 0:10:00.320 a den of hungry lions. That should have been the end, 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:03.880 but for some reason, the lions couldn't open their mouths. 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:07.080 I can hear those lions talking. I'm hungry. I want 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.600 to eat this God, but my jaws are messed up. 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:14.160 Favor doesn't keep you out of the lions den, but 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:19.040 fab will keep the lions from harming you. The next morning, 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:22.520 the king went to check on Daniel. When he found 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.520 out he was okay, he said, from now on, we're 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:28.920 all going to worship the God of Daniel. Well, Joel, 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:32.400 maybe that was a lucky break. Maybe the lions weren't 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:36.160 hungry that day when they brought Daniel out. The King 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:39.079 had them throw the people in that were against Daniel. 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:41.880 Before they hit the bottom of the pit, the lions 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:42.720 tore them apart. 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:47.200 People saw that they knew the Lord was on Daniel's side. 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.760 God is going to do some things that bring you. 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:56.840 Into prominence, into new levels of influence credibility. People can 0:10:57.320 --> 0:11:01.040 debate what you say, but they can't debate what they 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:05.200 see when they see you running the company, paying your. 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:08.760 House off, graduating with honors, when they see you breaking 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:13.560 the addiction, beating the cancer. When God endorses you, you 0:11:13.679 --> 0:11:14.679 come out of the lions. 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:18.920 Then, unharmed, you accomplish dreams way over your head. They 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:22.880 will know his hand is on your life. God is 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:26.720 about to bring you into greater prominence. You've been in 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:32.359 the background long enough, serving faithfully, helping others with no recognition. 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:33.920 Your time is coming. 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:38.360 David spent years in the shepherd's fields, taking care of 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:42.280 his father's sheep. I'm sure at times he thought, I 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:46.240 don't have favor, I'll never do anything great. I'm stuck 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:49.960 out here. Nobody believes in me. The truth is, you 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:53.040 don't have to have people believe in you. The most tigh, 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:57.800 God believes in you. When David defeated Goliath, that one 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:02.199 good break, that one endororsement, launched him into a new 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.199 level of his destiny, and it made up for all 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:09.200 those lonely years. You may feel like you're falling behind. 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:12.680 It's too late to accomplish a dream you'll never get well. 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:14.720 What God can do for you. 0:12:14.720 --> 0:12:18.160 In one moment will put you fifty years down the road. 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:22.520 That's the power of God endorsing you. You've seen on 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:25.160 certain products a seal of approval. 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:27.960 Maybe on the outside of the box a company has 0:12:28.280 --> 0:12:29.520 stamped it. 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:32.160 It can be a little known product, nobody's ever heard 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:35.040 of it. But when that big company puts their stamp 0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:40.280 on it, their seal, that product has notoriety prominence, not 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.440 because of what it is, but because of who endorsed it. 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:46.880 The creator of the universe is about to put his 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:47.719 stamp on you. 0:12:48.440 --> 0:12:52.920 He's already accepted and approved you, but he's about to 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:56.000 endorse you. He's about to go public. 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:59.400 He's going to show people that you belong to him. 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:03.319 You're going to accomplish what you couldn't accomplish on your own. 0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:05.680 People are going to go out of their way to 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:06.760 help you. 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:07.319 You're going to. 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:11.120 Defeat giants that are much bigger. People don't think you 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.080 have a chance. They don't know what's on you. They 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:17.840 can't see the favor yet. But when God endorses you, 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:21.160 when he shows out, they're not going to have any doubt. 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:23.719 The Lord is on your side. 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:28.120 Joseph's brothers threw him into a pit. They eventually sold 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:32.200 him into slavery. He was falsely accused, put in prison 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:35.640 for something he didn't do. All the odds were against him, 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.800 but the scripture says Joseph had. 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:41.000 Favor in everything that he did. 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.960 One thing I've learned is you can't keep a favored 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:49.000 man down. You can't keep a favored woman down. You 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:52.720 may have some obstacles situations that are not fair. 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:54.720 That doesn't mean you don't have favor. 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:58.719 Challenges come to us all, but favor is why you're 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:01.280 not going to stay down. Favor is why you're going 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.600 to rise back to the top. And Joseph spent thirteen 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:09.600 years in the background, being overlooked, mistreated. There were plenty 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:12.960 of lonely nights. He didn't get bitter. He kept doing 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.719 the right thing. And one day the pharaoh had a 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:19.520 dream that no one could interpret, so they brought Joseph in. 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:22.040 Now he was standing in front of one of the 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:23.960 most powerful people of that day. 0:14:24.680 --> 0:14:26.640 Joseph interpreted the dream. 0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:30.760 The Pharaoh was so impressed he made Joseph the Prime Minister, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:35.320 second in command. I can imagine that meeting took no 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:40.560 longer than an hour. Joseph walked in a slave in prison. 0:14:40.920 --> 0:14:44.400 An hour later he walked out the prime minister. You 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:47.440 don't know what God can do in an hour. He 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:53.320 can take years of heartache years of being overlooked, years. 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:56.040 Of praying, believing, not seeing any good. 0:14:55.840 --> 0:15:00.400 Breaks and in an hour, not just deliver you, not 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:03.640 just bring a dream to pass, but do something that 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:06.640 catapults you to a new level of your destiny. 0:15:07.400 --> 0:15:10.240 How can this happen the fever on your life? 0:15:10.880 --> 0:15:15.320 When God breathes on you, supernatural doors will open, Obstacles 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:18.480 that look permanent will turn around. People that were against 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:23.480 you will suddenly before you. Years later, Joseph's brothers came 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:27.000 to the palace looking for food, the same ones that 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:29.880 threw him into the pit. There was a great famine 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:33.080 in their country and they had traveled to Egypt. Well, 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:36.000 now Joseph was in charge of the food supply the 0:15:36.040 --> 0:15:39.800 prime minister. They did their best to keep him down. 0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:43.520 But God knows how to endorse. He knows how to 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:47.000 put you in a position of prominence. You may kind 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:50.680 of feel like you're in a pit today. Don't get discouraged. 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:54.480 We all have pitstops along the way in life. The 0:15:54.520 --> 0:15:58.800 good news is that is not your final destination. God 0:15:58.840 --> 0:16:03.520 has an endorsement. Now I've learned. The greater the opposition, 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:07.840 the greater the endorsement. The more the enemy tries to 0:16:07.880 --> 0:16:10.360 pull you back, the more you're going to go forward, 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:13.720 just like a bow and arrow. He thinks he's pulling 0:16:13.720 --> 0:16:16.920 you back to hinder you. He doesn't realize he's setting 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:21.240 you up to shoot further than you've ever imagined. When 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:24.239 God says it's time, you're going to shoot into prominence, 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:30.560 shoot into new levels of influence, leadership, respect, income, credibility. 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:34.280 When the brothers saw Joseph and finally realized who he was, 0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:37.640 they nearly passed out. They thought they had gotten. 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:37.960 Rid of him. 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:41.160 But what they meant for harm, God's used for good. 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:45.440 And God is not going to just deliver you, not 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:47.120 going to just bring you out. 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:50.040 He's going to endorse you. He's going to. 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:53.560 Put you in a position of prominence where people can 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:59.400 see you honored, respected and admired. For over forty years, 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.600 lake Would was located in a neighborhood on the northeast 0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:07.000 side of town. Over time, that area became more industrial 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:10.360 and a little more run down. When I was growing up, 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:14.760 Lakewood was in a small metal building, metal folding chairs, 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:16.280 gravel parking lot. 0:17:16.720 --> 0:17:18.480 We had a wood portable. 0:17:17.960 --> 0:17:21.800 Building for the nurseries, and some people kind of looked 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:24.840 down on us, like we couldn't afford much. We were 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:29.080 second class. We were at a disadvantage. When I became pastor, 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:31.960 there were certain people I saw during the week that 0:17:32.040 --> 0:17:34.560 weren't a part of Lakewood. They wouldn't give me the 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:38.200 time of day. They barely even acknowledged that I was there. 0:17:38.960 --> 0:17:42.120 But in December of two thousand and three, the Houston 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:45.080 City Council voted for us to have this building, the 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:49.040 former Compact Center. We went from being in the industrial 0:17:49.080 --> 0:17:52.680 part of town with small roads, back in a neighborhood 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:55.359 that hardly anybody could find you to be in, on 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:59.000 the second busiest freeway in the nation, in one of 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:02.760 the most prestigious buildings. 0:18:02.240 --> 0:18:02.919 In our city. 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:08.400 That one good break catapulted us to levels of influence 0:18:08.520 --> 0:18:11.160 and respect that we couldn't have reached on. 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:13.160 Our own in our whole lifetime. 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:16.320 Those same people that wouldn't give me the time of day, 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:19.000 now they were coming up asking if I could save 0:18:19.080 --> 0:18:21.879 them seats. I told them, of course, I will, right 0:18:22.000 --> 0:18:22.720 up by the flag. 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:25.520 What am I saying? 0:18:26.119 --> 0:18:29.679 God knows how to endorse you, He knows how to 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:33.240 cause you to be seen in a different light. Don't 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:36.960 be discouraged by where you are. God sees what's happening. 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:40.240 He's keeping the records. He's going to make the wrongs right. 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:44.760 He hears the disrespect, he hears them making fun. The 0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:49.920 scripture says God heard Miriam criticizing Moses behind his back. 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:52.680 They may not give you the time of day. Now, 0:18:52.880 --> 0:18:56.960 don't worry, and endorsement is coming, not by people, but 0:18:57.000 --> 0:18:59.760 by the most oi God. He's going to do things 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.479 that are out of your league, things that you couldn't 0:19:02.520 --> 0:19:06.720 make happen. Not only amazes you, but people around you 0:19:06.800 --> 0:19:10.440 are going to be amazed. But people congratulated me for 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:14.480 getting the Compact Center. I thought, if you only knew. Yes, 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:18.080 I prayed, I believed, But God made things happen that 0:19:18.160 --> 0:19:21.359 I could have never made happen. The scripture says, God 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:25.120 will turn the heart of a king. God turned council 0:19:25.200 --> 0:19:28.000 members that had been against us for years. 0:19:28.040 --> 0:19:29.320 Suddenly they were for us. 0:19:30.400 --> 0:19:33.920 Right now, God is working behind the scenes in your life. 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:37.399 He is setting you up for an endorsement, setting you 0:19:37.520 --> 0:19:42.440 up for something that you've never seen. Promotion, influence relationships 0:19:42.520 --> 0:19:43.720 that will thrust. 0:19:43.359 --> 0:19:44.439 You to a new level. 0:19:45.280 --> 0:19:49.119 But that city council vote probably took ten minutes. The 0:19:49.160 --> 0:19:51.679 mayor brought the motion to the floor. There was a 0:19:51.720 --> 0:19:55.040 little discussion, then they went around the table and fourteen 0:19:55.119 --> 0:19:58.960 council members voted. It's amazing what God can do in 0:19:59.040 --> 0:20:02.679 ten minutes. That ten minutes changed the course of my life. 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:06.280 It's amazing what God can do in an hour. Joseph 0:20:06.400 --> 0:20:09.760 meeting with the Pharaoh. It's amazing what God can do overnight. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:13.880 Then you'll protect it in the lions den. God has 0:20:13.960 --> 0:20:18.159 some of these destiny moments already lined up for you. 0:20:18.160 --> 0:20:19.359 You can't see it now. 0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:22.320 If he showed you, you'd think there's no way. But 0:20:22.440 --> 0:20:26.080 when God endorses you, it's not like people show in 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:30.760 your favor. When God does it, it catapults you ahead. It's 0:20:30.800 --> 0:20:33.439 not going to take a long time. Yes, you have 0:20:33.520 --> 0:20:37.560 to be faithful. Joseph was in trouble for thirteen years, 0:20:37.920 --> 0:20:39.880 but it only took him an hour to get out. 0:20:40.680 --> 0:20:43.679 He didn't see it coming. He woke up that morning 0:20:43.720 --> 0:20:45.560 thinking it was another ordinary day. 0:20:45.920 --> 0:20:49.119 He didn't know that was his day to be endorsed. 0:20:49.640 --> 0:20:52.439 He didn't know that day was a destiny moment. 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:56.640 What God has for you is going to happen unexpectedly. 0:20:57.280 --> 0:20:59.320 You're doing the right thing, honoring him. 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:00.000 Out of the blame. 0:21:00.320 --> 0:21:04.440 Someone calls offers you the promotion, the medical report says 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:08.119 no more cancer, the contract goes through, or you bump. 0:21:07.920 --> 0:21:09.600 Into the person of your dreams. 0:21:10.160 --> 0:21:12.960 What would happen if we'd get up each day and say, Father, 0:21:13.359 --> 0:21:15.240 thank you for endorsing me today. 0:21:15.800 --> 0:21:19.440 Let people see that I am your child Joshua. 0:21:19.520 --> 0:21:23.600 Chapter three, God told Joshua today I will begin to 0:21:23.680 --> 0:21:26.720 make you great in the eyes of all the Israelites. 0:21:27.200 --> 0:21:30.639 God was saying, Joshua, this is your moment. I'm about 0:21:30.680 --> 0:21:33.919 to endorse you. People are going to see the greatness 0:21:33.960 --> 0:21:36.640 I've put in you. You've been in the background, Joshua, 0:21:36.880 --> 0:21:41.680 serving Moses, being faithful, But today you're coming into the foreground. 0:21:42.720 --> 0:21:46.159 Not long after that, Joshua led the Israelites into the 0:21:46.160 --> 0:21:47.000 Promised Land. 0:21:47.520 --> 0:21:49.160 The scripture says that. 0:21:49.320 --> 0:21:53.320 Day God made Joshua great in the eyes of all 0:21:53.400 --> 0:21:57.720 the people. God has a that day for you, a 0:21:57.840 --> 0:22:00.720 time where he will make you great, where he will 0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:03.600 cause you to stand out, where you will accomplish things 0:22:03.600 --> 0:22:06.439 you never dreamed you could accomplish. You will know it, 0:22:06.520 --> 0:22:08.120 and the people around. 0:22:07.680 --> 0:22:09.480 You will see the greatness in you. 0:22:10.600 --> 0:22:14.399 Helen Major was a longtime member of Lakewood. She taught 0:22:14.520 --> 0:22:18.880 elementary school for nearly forty years, so faithful pouring into 0:22:18.920 --> 0:22:22.760 the children, she got one promotion after another, assistant principle, 0:22:22.800 --> 0:22:23.520 then principal. 0:22:23.960 --> 0:22:26.960 After a very distinguished career, she retired. 0:22:27.440 --> 0:22:30.240 A few months later, a new school was opening in 0:22:30.320 --> 0:22:34.280 the district. The board voted unanimously to name it the 0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:39.320 Helen Major Elementary School. She never dreamed a school would 0:22:39.320 --> 0:22:42.760 be named after her. But God knows how to endorse you. 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:46.800 He knows how to make your life significant. And this 0:22:46.840 --> 0:22:48.879 is not so we can say, look who we are, 0:22:49.119 --> 0:22:50.480 Look how great we've become. 0:22:50.760 --> 0:22:54.160 It's about letting God's glory be seen through you. 0:22:54.720 --> 0:22:58.320 God wants to make you an example of his goodness. 0:22:58.760 --> 0:23:01.800 If you will walk in human ability and always give 0:23:01.840 --> 0:23:04.720 God the credit, there's no limit to how high He 0:23:04.800 --> 0:23:09.880 will take you. Romans eight says, all creation is eagerly 0:23:09.960 --> 0:23:14.320 waiting for the day when God reveals who his children 0:23:14.560 --> 0:23:19.040 really are. All creation is waiting for you to come 0:23:19.080 --> 0:23:23.280 into that day. The stage has been set, the audience 0:23:23.359 --> 0:23:24.040 is in place. 0:23:24.440 --> 0:23:27.840 You keep honoring God. He's going to show people who 0:23:27.880 --> 0:23:28.640 you really are. 0:23:29.119 --> 0:23:32.560 He's going to bring you into a position of greater prominence. 0:23:33.200 --> 0:23:36.040 Now you may be behind the scenes like I used 0:23:36.040 --> 0:23:39.040 to be, and there's nothing wrong with that. But God 0:23:39.119 --> 0:23:43.160 has something bigger. He's going to use you to accomplish 0:23:43.200 --> 0:23:47.200 something significant, not just be a small part. You're going 0:23:47.240 --> 0:23:50.280 to shine, You're going to stand out. People are going 0:23:50.320 --> 0:23:53.439 to see the greatness in you. And it's good to 0:23:53.440 --> 0:23:57.000 celebrate others. It's good to cheer your friends on. It's 0:23:57.000 --> 0:24:00.160 good to admire those that are ahead. But God, God 0:24:00.240 --> 0:24:04.080 doesn't want you to live in a cheerleader mode, always 0:24:04.119 --> 0:24:06.760 thinking about how great others are. Can I tell you 0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:13.280 there is greatness in you. You have talent, creativity, ability, courage, strength. 0:24:13.400 --> 0:24:16.080 It's going to come out in a greater way when 0:24:16.080 --> 0:24:19.720 you come into that day when God endorses you, people 0:24:19.720 --> 0:24:22.280 are going to step back and say, Wow, I didn't 0:24:22.320 --> 0:24:24.800 know that was in them. I never dreamed they would 0:24:24.800 --> 0:24:27.840 shine that brightly. God is going to show people who 0:24:27.840 --> 0:24:31.240 you really are. There was a young Jewish girl in 0:24:31.280 --> 0:24:35.199 the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan. She had 0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:36.520 lost both of her parents. 0:24:36.920 --> 0:24:40.480 She was living in exile in Persia. Didn't look like. 0:24:40.480 --> 0:24:43.679 She would ever do anything great. But one day the 0:24:43.800 --> 0:24:47.280 king was looking for a new queen. He decided to 0:24:47.320 --> 0:24:49.200 have a nationwide beauty. 0:24:48.760 --> 0:24:51.359 Contest where he would choose the next queen. 0:24:51.960 --> 0:24:55.160 The King sent people out looking for young ladies, and 0:24:55.200 --> 0:24:57.720 they brought Esther back and put her in the contest 0:24:58.480 --> 0:25:01.280 Esther had never been groomed to be a queen, never 0:25:01.320 --> 0:25:04.480 had the training. She didn't come from a prominent family. 0:25:05.240 --> 0:25:07.760 They lined all the young ladies up in front of 0:25:07.800 --> 0:25:10.840 the king. They were all beautiful, all were in the 0:25:10.920 --> 0:25:14.480 latest fashion, all had the best hair in makeup, I 0:25:14.480 --> 0:25:15.200 could imagine. 0:25:15.200 --> 0:25:18.280 The King looked at their resumes. Some of them came 0:25:18.320 --> 0:25:19.879 from wealth and influence. 0:25:20.359 --> 0:25:25.639 Some had impressive resumes, great educations, standouts in their field. 0:25:26.080 --> 0:25:30.080 There were plenty of obvious choices, but for some reason, 0:25:30.560 --> 0:25:35.760 the King chose Esther, an orphan, a foreigner. When God 0:25:35.960 --> 0:25:39.080 endorses you, it will cause you to stand out. 0:25:39.560 --> 0:25:42.440 His favor will cause you to be preferred. 0:25:43.040 --> 0:25:46.439 They could have chosen anyone for the contract. For some reason, 0:25:46.480 --> 0:25:48.960 they chose you. They could have bought any house in 0:25:49.000 --> 0:25:52.520 the neighborhood. For some reason, they liked yours best. There 0:25:52.520 --> 0:25:55.600 were plenty of students that deserved the scholarship. For some 0:25:55.760 --> 0:25:59.760 reason they picked you. God knows how to make you attractive. 0:26:00.160 --> 0:26:03.280 He knows how to make people like you. Sometimes they 0:26:03.320 --> 0:26:06.399 don't even know why. They can't put their finger on it. 0:26:06.480 --> 0:26:10.360 There's just something about you that's God smiling down on you. 0:26:11.040 --> 0:26:13.960 Well, Joel, this sounds good, but I don't have the training. 0:26:14.200 --> 0:26:16.800 I don't have the experience. Neither did Esther. 0:26:17.760 --> 0:26:22.000 Favor is more powerful than your resume. Favor will take 0:26:22.040 --> 0:26:25.399 you where you don't have the qualifications. Favor will open 0:26:25.480 --> 0:26:27.879 doors where you look up and think, how did I 0:26:27.960 --> 0:26:31.920 get here? I was the least likely one. Esther never 0:26:32.040 --> 0:26:35.639 dreamed of becoming a queen. That wasn't even on her radar. 0:26:36.240 --> 0:26:39.720 But when you come into that day when God endorses you, 0:26:40.080 --> 0:26:43.480 he will bring you into prominence that you've never imagined. 0:26:43.920 --> 0:26:47.760 He'll cause opportunity to come to you. Esther wasn't looking 0:26:47.760 --> 0:26:51.160 for that position. The position came to her. She went 0:26:51.200 --> 0:26:55.520 from the background to the foreground. Later, Esther used her 0:26:55.560 --> 0:26:59.439 position to save the Jewish people from a plot to 0:26:59.520 --> 0:27:00.399 destroy them. 0:27:01.000 --> 0:27:02.000 I believe one. 0:27:01.840 --> 0:27:05.720 Reason God gave her such prominence is he knew she 0:27:05.800 --> 0:27:10.600 would use the influence to fulfill her purpose. Favor is 0:27:10.640 --> 0:27:14.320 not about having a bigger house, a better car, more stuff. 0:27:14.480 --> 0:27:17.560 There's nothing wrong with that, but that's not why God 0:27:17.720 --> 0:27:18.720 is going to favor you. 0:27:19.119 --> 0:27:23.200 It's to fulfill your purpose. It's to advance His kingdom. 0:27:23.760 --> 0:27:27.520 When your dreams are tied to helping others, to making 0:27:27.600 --> 0:27:31.000 the world a better place, to lifting the fallen, then 0:27:31.000 --> 0:27:34.359 you will come into some of that days where God 0:27:34.400 --> 0:27:37.920 will shine more than you've ever imagined. When God can 0:27:37.960 --> 0:27:41.960 trust you, he will take you from obscurity to notoriety. 0:27:42.760 --> 0:27:45.800 Now you've worked hard, you've been faithful, you've honored God. 0:27:46.080 --> 0:27:48.520 Get ready. The curtain is about to come up. 0:27:48.960 --> 0:27:51.480 God is about to show people who you really are. 0:27:52.080 --> 0:27:55.760 I believe and declare you are coming into a new 0:27:55.880 --> 0:27:59.679 level of prominence, a new level of influence, a new 0:27:59.720 --> 0:28:03.840 love of income. God is about to endorse you. People 0:28:03.880 --> 0:28:06.439 are going to see the greatness He put in you 0:28:07.080 --> 0:28:10.040 in Jesus's name, and if you receive it, can you 0:28:10.080 --> 0:28:13.399 save him in today? Well, I'd like to give you 0:28:13.440 --> 0:28:16.600 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:17.040 --> 0:28:21.320 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:21.480 --> 0:28:26.200 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:26.240 --> 0:28:27.600 you my lord and savior. 0:28:28.800 --> 0:28:31.280 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:31.320 --> 0:28:34.399 born again. Get in a good Bible based church and 0:28:34.480 --> 0:28:35.919 keep God first place. 0:28:36.760 --> 0:28:40.400 Thank you for listening to the Joelustine podcast. Help us 0:28:40.440 --> 0:28:43.280 continue to share the message of hope with those all 0:28:43.320 --> 0:28:47.400 over the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give Hope 0:28:47.560 --> 0:28:48.760 to give a gift today. 0:28:50.040 --> 0:28:52.480 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:28:52.600 --> 0:28:55.360 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:28:55.400 --> 0:28:58.880 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're 0:28:58.920 --> 0:29:01.560 praying for you. 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