The Power To Obey

0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:03.840 Hope you're having a great summer. Know that we're praying 0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:06.960 for you, and we know God has awesome things in store. 0:00:07.280 --> 0:00:10.280 So great having you with us. Enjoy the message today. 0:00:10.600 --> 0:00:13.240 God bless you. It's great to be with you today, 0:00:13.320 --> 0:00:15.920 and I hope you stay connected with us during the 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:19.600 week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:22.520 and you can come visit us in person. We'd love 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:24.680 to have you be a part of one of our services. 0:00:25.239 --> 0:00:27.320 I'd like to talk with something funny and I heard 0:00:27.360 --> 0:00:30.280 about this little girl. She asked her mother how the 0:00:30.360 --> 0:00:34.840 human race got started. She explained how God created Adam 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.479 and Eve and they had children on and on here 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:40.159 we are today. A few weeks later, she asked her 0:00:40.200 --> 0:00:43.840 father the same question. He explained, how many years ago 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:47.040 there were monkeys, and little by little they became more 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:49.959 like people, and here we are. Confused. She went back 0:00:49.960 --> 0:00:52.920 to your mother and said, Mom, you said God created people. 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:55.520 Dad said, we came from monkeys. How can that be? 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:58.560 The mother said, oh, honey, that's easy. I told you 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:00.920 about my side of the family day have told you 0:01:00.960 --> 0:01:05.880 about his. All right, y'all say it like you mean it. 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.240 This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:12.120 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:14.720 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:18.759 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:18.880 --> 0:01:22.200 is alert, my heart is recepted. I will never be 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:27.360 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:30.160 to talk to you today about the power to obey. 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:34.160 Sometimes God asks us to do things that are hard, 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:38.160 to forgive someone that doesn't deserve it, to take the 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:42.440 management position. But we're not qualified to quit hanging around 0:01:42.440 --> 0:01:45.920 a friend that's pulling us down. Deep down, we know 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.480 we're supposed to. We feel that nudging, but we don't 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:53.320 think we can. We don't have the discipline. It's easy 0:01:53.360 --> 0:01:56.520 to talk ourselves out of it. But Paul said in 0:01:56.560 --> 0:02:00.800 Philippians too, God is working in you, giving you the 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:04.640 desire to obey him and the power to do what 0:02:04.800 --> 0:02:08.680 pleases him. God will never ask you to do something 0:02:09.040 --> 0:02:11.919 and not give you the ability to do it. He 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:15.840 not only gives you the desire, the nudging, the challenge, 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.560 but he gives you the power to obey. Now, quit 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:23.240 telling yourself. I can't do this, Joy, I can't start 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:27.040 my business, I can't control my temper, I can't quit 0:02:27.080 --> 0:02:30.760 eating six bowls of ice cream each night. The reason 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:33.639 you're not able is you're telling yourself the wrong thing. 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.920 You're defeating yourself with your own thoughts. You have to 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:41.760 have a new mindset. This may be difficult, but I 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:45.480 have the power to obey. Yes, they hurt me, but 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:49.080 I have the power to forgive. This dream seems over 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:51.920 my head, but I have the power to accomplish him. 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:55.400 My family all deals with these bad habits, but I 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:59.280 have the power to overcome. Don't talk yourself out of it. 0:02:59.639 --> 0:03:02.799 Get an agreement with God and talk yourself into it. 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:05.640 If you've ever been to the store and bought a 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:11.799 small electronic device flashlight, a clock, often it says batteries included. 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.360 The device on its own won't do you any good 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:19.080 unless you have those batteries to power it. In the 0:03:19.160 --> 0:03:23.200 same way, when God gives you instruction, when you feel 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:26.800 that still small voice telling you to do something, the 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:30.760 good news is you don't just get the instruction. Batteries 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:34.760 are always included. God always gives you the power to obey. 0:03:35.720 --> 0:03:39.080 Now here's the key. You activate the power by acting 0:03:39.120 --> 0:03:42.000 on it. As long as you're waiting, you're not going 0:03:42.040 --> 0:03:45.200 to tap into it. When you make a move, you 0:03:45.240 --> 0:03:48.680 will feel the grace, the strength, the favor to do 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:52.480 what God's asking you to do. Any time you obey, 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:56.600 there's a blessing that follows. God is not asking you 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:59.640 to do something hard for his benefit. It's for your 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:03.560 bil so He can release more favor and influence in 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:08.880 your life. Whenever you feel that prompting, that knowing telling 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:11.880 you to call a friend and encourage them, or stop 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.120 staying up so late at night you need the rest, 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:18.400 start treating your spouse better, quld being so harsh and condescending. 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:22.719 That's not you just thinking up things. That's God putting 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:25.799 the desire in you, wanting you to come up higher. 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:29.640 The beauty is He not only gives you the challenge, 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:34.000 but with that instruction comes the power and the anointing 0:04:34.120 --> 0:04:38.359 to accomplish it. The batteries are always included, but you 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:41.680 have to act on it. Every thought will tell you 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:44.640 you don't need to give them a gift. They're doing fine. 0:04:44.800 --> 0:04:47.839 It's okay to stay up. It's not hurting anything. You've 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:51.719 always had a temper, You've always been sarcastic. You'll never change. 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.880 Don't believe those lies. There is power in you to 0:04:56.000 --> 0:04:59.440 do what God's asking you to do. The enemy doesn't 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:02.440 want you to hear this. He wants us to stay stuck, 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:07.200 defeated with the weak mindset. I'll always be hot tempered, 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:11.320 I'll always be out of shape, Joel, I'm quiet and reserved. 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:14.040 I can't reach out to others. You don't know what 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.640 you can do until you take that step. That's when 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:21.520 you'll discover the power to break the addiction, the power 0:05:21.560 --> 0:05:24.480 to get out of your comfort zone and accomplish that dream, 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:29.680 the power to treat your spouse with kindness and respect. See, 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:31.880 it's one thing to know the right thing to do. 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:34.880 We feel God speaking to us, calling us to come 0:05:34.960 --> 0:05:39.680 up higher, but often we feel inadequate, like we're not able. 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:42.919 But when you understand that God didn't just give you 0:05:43.000 --> 0:05:46.680 the desire, He gave you the power to obey, that's 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:49.919 when you'll have the boldness and confidence to take steps 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:53.440 of faith. Is God asking you to do something that 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:58.680 seems hard over your head, To forgive someone, to not 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:02.080 be so critical and judge mental, to start the business, 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:05.240 to teach the class, to get back in shape. But 0:06:05.360 --> 0:06:08.560 you keep making excuses, thinking of all the reasons you 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:13.200 can you're not qualified, you don't have the discipline, Your 0:06:13.240 --> 0:06:17.320 metabolism's too slow. Nobody will support you. Get rid of 0:06:17.360 --> 0:06:20.920 those excuses. This is a new day. There is power 0:06:21.040 --> 0:06:25.000 in you right now, just waiting to be energized. If 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:29.440 you'll make a move, you'll activate that power. Philippians too, 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:33.479 in one translation, says, for God, who is working in 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:37.320 you both to will and to do his good pleasure. 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:41.520 You have the most powerful force in the universe working 0:06:41.600 --> 0:06:45.280 in you to do his good pleasure. I get rid 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:48.280 of a weak mentality. I can't break the addiction. I 0:06:48.320 --> 0:06:52.000 can't quit complaining, I can't lead my department. No turn 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:55.240 it around. Father. Thank you that you are working in 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:58.039 me right now. This may be too much for me, 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:00.240 but I know it's not too much for you you. 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:05.480 I am strong, bold, confident, well able to do what 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:08.760 you're telling me to do. See, the real battle takes 0:07:08.800 --> 0:07:11.920 place in our mind. If you think you're stuck and 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:15.080 limited and you don't have the discipline, you'll never get 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:18.280 off dead. Sinner. You have to have this new perspective 0:07:19.160 --> 0:07:23.320 because sometimes God puts things in our spirit that don't 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:27.320 make sense to our mind. It's not logical. We don't 0:07:27.320 --> 0:07:31.360 have the training it's never happened in our family. This 0:07:31.440 --> 0:07:33.680 is when you have to trust that God knows what 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:37.480 he's doing. He wouldn't have given you the desire without 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:40.800 the ability to do it. And at times you have 0:07:40.840 --> 0:07:44.440 to turn your mind off. Yes we should use wisdom, 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:48.280 but sometimes it's not going to make sense. If you 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:52.840 reason it out, rationalize it, and get advice from four friends, 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.080 you'll talk to yourself out of it. Where God is 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:59.440 taking you is bigger than you can go on your own. 0:08:00.240 --> 0:08:03.120 The doors he's going to open, the dreams you're going 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:06.040 to accomplish. The gifts in you that you're going to 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:10.400 discover are much greater than you can imagine. When He 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:14.240 whispers something in your spirit, it may seem impossible. You 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:17.840 have to bypass your mind and let that seed take root. 0:08:18.640 --> 0:08:21.360 The power is there to obey, but you have to 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:25.400 tap into it. This is what Noah did. God told 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:27.200 him there was going to be a great flood that 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:30.120 would cover the whole earth, and that he was to 0:08:30.120 --> 0:08:33.559 build an arc, a huge boat to save his family. 0:08:34.520 --> 0:08:37.760 Back in those days, it had never rained. The dew 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.719 came up from the ground to water the earth. They 0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:43.960 had never seen water coming down from the sky. The 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:47.199 concept of a flood and kneading a boat would have 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:51.160 been so unusual and so illogical. And this was no 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:55.600 small boat, something common you see down at the local lake. 0:08:56.040 --> 0:08:58.680 It was to be four hundred and fifty feet long, 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:02.439 a football field and a half, big enough to house 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:06.800 thousands of animals. On top of that, Noah wasn't by 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.000 a lake, by river, by big ocean. He was out 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.280 in the desert. There were no large bodies of water. 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.920 Every circumstance said, this doesn't make sense. You must have 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:21.920 heard God wrong. He had plenty of good excuses to 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:25.840 ignore it. But God doesn't give you the desire without 0:09:25.840 --> 0:09:29.080 giving you the power to obey. He won't ask you 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.480 to do a hard thing and then not give you 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:34.840 the faith and the courage to do it. Now, there 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:38.560 will be voices that tell you all the reasons you can't. Noah, 0:09:38.559 --> 0:09:42.080 you don't have the tools, the supplies, the manpower. You 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:44.800 didn't hear from God. You had too much pizza last night. 0:09:45.600 --> 0:09:48.480 Noah had to tune all that out. God. I may 0:09:48.520 --> 0:09:51.600 not understand how this is going to happen, but I 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:54.320 know you have it all figured out. You wouldn't have 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:57.320 given me this assignment and not given me the power 0:09:57.400 --> 0:10:01.520 to obey. He took that stuff of faith and started building. 0:10:02.280 --> 0:10:05.920 You can imagine people coming by saying, look at that fool, 0:10:06.640 --> 0:10:09.680 he's building a boat in the desert. Doesn't he know 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:13.920 it doesn't rain. He was ridiculed, made fun of the 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:17.679 talk of the town. And this wasn't a three week project. 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:20.640 It took one hundred and twenty years to build the boat. 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:25.360 Some historians say he planted the trees before he could build. 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:28.840 When they grew big enough, he cut them into pieces 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:32.560 to construct the art. How could Noah have that kind 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:35.960 of fame to not talk himself out of it, not 0:10:36.080 --> 0:10:39.199 be swayed by the ridicule of others, and how impossible 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:43.319 it looked. It's because when God gives you the assignment, 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:46.680 when he plants that dream in your heart, he also 0:10:46.800 --> 0:10:50.440 gives you the anointing, the faith, and the power to 0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:55.280 accomplish it. The batteries are always included. Now it's up 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:59.120 to us to activate that power. There would be forces 0:10:59.160 --> 0:11:01.680 trying to convince us to settle where we are. It's 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:05.840 too big. It's never happened in your family. You've always 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.800 had that addiction. You must have heard God wrong. No, 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:11.840 don't talk yourself out of it. Do like Noah and 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:15.520 take that step of faith. The reason we think it's 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:19.200 amazing and how could he do that? I could never 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:23.120 have that much faith and confidence. It's because we're looking 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.520 at it from the outside. God didn't give us the 0:11:26.559 --> 0:11:29.360 power to obey what he told someone else to do. 0:11:30.280 --> 0:11:33.880 But when God gives you the instruction, when he challenges 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:37.120 you to do something that your family has never done, 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:41.720 there will be a power in you, a strength, a confidence, 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:46.359 a knowing that you've never experienced, a power to break barriers, 0:11:46.720 --> 0:11:51.199 a power to set new standards, to accomplish what seems impossible. 0:11:52.280 --> 0:11:55.200 Has God asked you to do something that doesn't make sense. 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:58.120 May not be to build a big boat, but how 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.960 about to forgive that person that did you wrong. You've 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:05.680 held that offense for years. It's not hurting them, it's 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:09.839 poisoning your life. The reason you're stuck is you're telling 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:13.280 yourself you can't do it. You have to change the mindset. 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:16.760 You have the power to forgive. This is the time 0:12:16.800 --> 0:12:19.680 to step into that grace. You have to activate the 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:23.600 power by acting on it. Is God asking you to 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:26.480 not hang around those friends that are pulling you down. 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:30.920 Causing you to compromise, bringing out the worst in you. 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:33.679 You keep putting it off, thinking you're not gonna have 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:37.040 any friends, You're going to be lonely. Well, you may 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:40.360 be lonely for a season. But what will happen is 0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:43.160 God will bring you new friends, friends that will lift 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:45.960 you up and not pull you down. Friends that will 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:49.120 bring out the best in you and cause you to blossom, 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:52.199 not bring out the worst. But you have to get 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:55.320 rid of the wrong people before you meet the right people. 0:12:55.880 --> 0:12:57.920 You make a move and God will go to work. 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:02.120 Is God asking you to have a better attitude. Quit 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:05.920 being so contentious, so argumentative, hard to get along with, 0:13:06.600 --> 0:13:10.240 always having to be right. I've heard it said a 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:14.240 woman always has the last word in an argument. Anything 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:18.280 after that is a new argument. Do you hear that 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:22.800 still small voice saying keep your mouth closed, be more respectful, 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:26.720 be more loving, more considerate. The power is there to 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:31.040 zip it up. The self control is in you, the discipline, 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:35.160 the grace. Now start tapping into it. Don't go the 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:38.319 next twenty years with things you know are hindering you, 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:43.120 limiting your potential. On the other side of obedience is 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:46.199 the blessing. On the other side of doing the hard 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:49.920 thing is a new level of your destiny. Now here's 0:13:49.920 --> 0:13:53.320 the key. It seems harder than it is because you 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:57.680 haven't activated the power. But think I can't forgive them, Joel, 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:01.120 that was so wrong. But when you say, help me 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:05.280 to forgive, I'll release this into your hands. Lord, I 0:14:05.320 --> 0:14:09.320 know you're my vindicator. You'll make my wrongs right. That's 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:11.960 when you'll feel the power and the ability that you've 0:14:12.000 --> 0:14:16.320 never felt. I can't break this addiction. Everyone in our 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:20.320 family struggles with alcohol. Try a new approach. Father, Thank 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:23.160 you that greater is he that's in me than what's 0:14:23.200 --> 0:14:26.320 trying to stop me. Father, thank you that no weapon 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.640 formed against us will prosper. That whom the sun sets 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:34.360 free is free. Indeed, when you activate that power, you're 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:37.280 not doing it by yourself. The most how God is 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.760 working in you. Maybe the hard thing for you is 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.200 what it was for me to get out of your 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:46.640 comfort zone. Step up and write that book that God 0:14:46.640 --> 0:14:50.640 put in your spirit, teach that class, expand your business. 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:54.200 You hear God whispering, there's more in you. Greater things 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:58.160 are ahead, but you're afraid you don't have the connection, 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:02.520 the experience, the funding. It's much easier to play it safe, 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:06.960 but you can't reach your destiny staying comfortable all the time. 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:11.480 God will, on purpose put things in your spirit that 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:15.000 are over your head, Like Noah, You'll think, I can't 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:18.400 build the boat, I can't start the business, I can't 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:21.520 pass through this church. We can't get the compact center. 0:15:22.160 --> 0:15:25.160 God wouldn't have given you the desire if he had 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:28.440 not given you the power to obey. You have to 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:32.560 push past the doubt, push past the fear, Push past 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:35.440 that can't do it thoughts. You are well able, you 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:38.640 are strong in the Lord. God has surrounded you with 0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:42.720 his favor. He's going before you, making your crooked places straight. 0:15:43.360 --> 0:15:46.440 Now when you activate that power, you will go places 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:50.520 you've never gone and accomplish more than you ever thought possible. 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:54.480 When I heard the compact Center was coming available and 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:58.720 we needed a larger auditorium, everything in my mind said, 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:01.960 there's no way. The city's not gonna let a church 0:16:02.040 --> 0:16:04.840 have it. We don't know the right people, it's going 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:08.840 to be too expensive, the opposition's too strong. I thought 0:16:08.840 --> 0:16:13.160 of one hundred good excuses, compelling reasons why it wasn't 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:17.880 going to happen. All this doubt and discouragement bombarded my mind, 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:21.560 but down in my spirit I could hear a still 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:25.800 small voice saying that building is ours. God is making 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:29.200 a way. Joel, you are well able. I didn't just 0:16:29.280 --> 0:16:32.720 have the desire. I had the faith to believe for it, 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:36.720 the faith to go after it. Like Noah, I had 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:40.040 to turn my mind off. Logically speaking, we didn't have 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:43.320 a chance. The opposition the people that wanted it were 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:46.880 so much bigger. But when you believe the most High 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:50.440 God goes to work, you and God are a majority. 0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:54.800 The good news is he has everything you need. He 0:16:54.880 --> 0:16:58.400 has the good breaks, the right people, the funding. He 0:16:58.520 --> 0:17:02.760 will make ways. I don't see your way. Hebrews eleven 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:08.080 says Noah, being divinely instructed of things not yet seen, 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:13.200 moved with reverence for God preparing an art. Notice. God 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:16.800 spoke to him about things not yet seen. Never been 0:17:16.840 --> 0:17:20.760 a flood before, never had rain from the clouds. God's 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.720 going to do things in your life that your family 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:27.520 hasn't seen. He's going to open doors of influence in 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:31.160 favor greater than what's happened in the past. There are 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:34.000 things you're about to step into that are going to 0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:38.320 seem beyond your capability illogical, too good to be true. 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:42.480 Don't talk yourself out of it. With that dream comes 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:45.679 the power to obey. You don't have to figure it 0:17:45.720 --> 0:17:49.359 all out. All you have to do is believe. Maybe 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:52.480 there's been dysfunction in your family. You've just learned to 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:54.480 live with that thing. And this is just who we are. 0:17:55.119 --> 0:17:58.199 That's not who you are. God created you to be 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:02.720 free and healthy and joy. Others may have talked themselves 0:18:02.760 --> 0:18:06.239 out of it, but you're the difference maker. You know 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:09.520 this truth that you have the power to obey. You 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.320 can set a new standard. You can be the one 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:16.240 to affect generations to come. That's what Noah did. He 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.439 didn't just save himself by building the art. He saved 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:25.480 his family, his children, future generations. It says Noam being 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:30.960 instructed about things not yet seen, moved with reverence. The 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:34.320 whole key is when he heard the instruction, he moved, 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:38.600 he acted on it. Sometimes we hear God speaking to us, 0:18:38.640 --> 0:18:41.840 but we put it off. I know I should forgive, 0:18:42.600 --> 0:18:45.680 I know I should eat healthier. I know this addiction 0:18:45.920 --> 0:18:48.240 is harming me, but you know I'll deal with it later. 0:18:49.320 --> 0:18:52.560 Are you putting something off, waiting to move for some 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:56.879 other time waiting to be more disciplined, waiting to treat 0:18:56.920 --> 0:19:00.000 your family better, waiting to get out of your comfort zone. 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:05.359 There's power in being prompt. The longer you wait to 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:08.360 do what God's asking you to do, the more difficult 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:13.480 it's going to be. When David saw Goliath taunting the Israelites, 0:19:14.240 --> 0:19:17.000 he heard God speaking to him, telling him to go 0:19:17.080 --> 0:19:22.240 defeat the giant. The scripture says, David ran quickly toward Goliath. 0:19:23.160 --> 0:19:25.840 If David would have put it off and gone back 0:19:25.880 --> 0:19:28.360 home and let me think about it for a few months, 0:19:28.640 --> 0:19:32.200 he's really big, and I don't have the experience. There 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:34.960 are others that are more qualified. What if I get hurt? 0:19:35.880 --> 0:19:38.439 If he would have delayed, he would have talked himself 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:41.880 out of it. When God speaks, do it right, then 0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:45.800 there's a grace for it. There's a window of opportunity 0:19:46.040 --> 0:19:48.600 where you'll have the strength and the favor to act 0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:52.119 on it. Well. Joe, Man, I think I missed my chance. 0:19:52.800 --> 0:19:55.800 I know I should have been more disciplined. I shouldn't 0:19:55.800 --> 0:19:58.480 have quit compromise, and I should have gone back to school. 0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:01.400 I put off a lot of things. The reason you're 0:20:01.440 --> 0:20:05.040 hearing this is because God is giving you another chance. 0:20:05.680 --> 0:20:09.240 There's a window of grace opening to do what he's 0:20:09.280 --> 0:20:12.959 telling you to do. He's not holding against you the 0:20:13.000 --> 0:20:15.840 fact that you haven't done it. But this is the 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:18.960 time to make things right. This is the time to 0:20:19.080 --> 0:20:22.280 act on it. God didn't just give you the desire, 0:20:22.760 --> 0:20:25.919 He gave you the power to obey. It may not 0:20:26.040 --> 0:20:29.560 make sense, may feel over your head. It's never happened 0:20:29.600 --> 0:20:33.480 in your family. This is a destiny moment. If you 0:20:33.520 --> 0:20:36.840 will make that move, God will step in and help 0:20:36.880 --> 0:20:40.160 you do what you couldn't do. The scripture says, when 0:20:40.200 --> 0:20:43.960 you hear his voice, do not harden your heart for 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:48.119 today while there is still opportunity. Listen to what he's saying. 0:20:49.359 --> 0:20:52.960 Acts Chapter twenty four. Paul was brought to Cessarea to 0:20:53.119 --> 0:20:56.200 stand trial for sharing his faith, and he was standing 0:20:56.240 --> 0:20:59.960 before the governor a man named Felix, presenting his case, 0:21:00.240 --> 0:21:03.960 and Felix was very intrigued by Paul. The main trial 0:21:04.040 --> 0:21:06.480 was going to start later, so he had Paul taken 0:21:06.560 --> 0:21:09.960 into custody, but in a few days he sent for 0:21:10.000 --> 0:21:13.480 Paul to come visit with him. Paul discussed his faith 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:16.000 and what it meant to be a believer, how to 0:21:16.040 --> 0:21:20.560 live a godly life. Felix felt convicted. He knew he 0:21:20.640 --> 0:21:24.440 was compromising and not having integrity, and there were these 0:21:24.520 --> 0:21:27.399 areas he needed to change, but he didn't want to 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:30.679 deal with it. He didn't want to be uncomfortable, have 0:21:30.800 --> 0:21:34.200 to be more disciplined. He said to Paul, go away 0:21:34.240 --> 0:21:38.080 for now, for when a more convenient time comes, I'll 0:21:38.080 --> 0:21:42.000 call for you. Two years later he was out of office. 0:21:42.520 --> 0:21:46.440 We never read anything more about Felix. We don't know 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:50.480 if a more convenient time ever came. Who knows what 0:21:50.600 --> 0:21:53.600 he could have become if he had just tapped in 0:21:53.640 --> 0:21:56.560 to that power to obey, if he'd have been willing 0:21:56.640 --> 0:21:59.680 to make changes and deal with what God was bringing 0:21:59.720 --> 0:22:03.399 to life. Don't be like him. Don't put off what 0:22:03.560 --> 0:22:06.960 you know. God is speaking to you about, whether it's 0:22:06.960 --> 0:22:10.520 to come up higher in your character and not compromise, 0:22:11.040 --> 0:22:13.640 or to take that step of faith. Go after your 0:22:13.680 --> 0:22:17.960 compact center, build your boat like Noah. You activate the 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:22.040 power by taking action. When I was a young boy, 0:22:22.680 --> 0:22:26.119 Lakewood was still meeting in the original building. It was 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:29.440 a small Rundown feed store that we had cleaned up 0:22:29.480 --> 0:22:32.560 and made into a sanctuary that would hold the ninety 0:22:32.600 --> 0:22:36.000 members a few years had passed and the church started 0:22:36.040 --> 0:22:39.000 growing and we had over two hundred people coming and 0:22:39.240 --> 0:22:42.879 needed a larger place. My father told the congregation that 0:22:43.080 --> 0:22:44.960 in a few months he was going to take a 0:22:45.000 --> 0:22:48.480 special offering to build a new auditorium. He encouraged the 0:22:48.520 --> 0:22:52.200 people to stretch their faith and get behind the vision. Well, 0:22:52.240 --> 0:22:55.400 that Sunday came and people were so generous. They gave 0:22:55.480 --> 0:22:59.000 about twenty thousand dollars just back in the seventies and 0:22:59.080 --> 0:23:02.639 it's like ten times amount today, and they were so excited. 0:23:02.880 --> 0:23:06.959 That was enough to pour the foundation get the building started. Well, 0:23:07.000 --> 0:23:10.120 there was a Spanish speaking church about half a mile 0:23:10.200 --> 0:23:12.959 down the road from Lakewood and they had started a 0:23:12.960 --> 0:23:16.120 new building several years earlier, but they had run out 0:23:16.119 --> 0:23:19.359 of funds. Every time we drove to church, we would 0:23:19.480 --> 0:23:22.880 drive by it. One day, as my father was passing by, 0:23:23.359 --> 0:23:26.199 he heard God speak to him, not out loud, but 0:23:26.359 --> 0:23:29.119 just an impression, saying, I want you to give that 0:23:29.320 --> 0:23:32.959 offering for your new building to the Spanish church so 0:23:33.000 --> 0:23:37.159 they can finish theirs. His first thought was get behind me, Satan. 0:23:37.520 --> 0:23:42.120 That could not be God. But sometimes God will ask 0:23:42.160 --> 0:23:45.760 you to do things that don't make sense. It's a test. 0:23:46.400 --> 0:23:49.480 On the other side of that obedience is a level 0:23:49.560 --> 0:23:52.640 of your destiny that you've never seen. This is where 0:23:52.640 --> 0:23:56.480 faith comes in. God, I don't understand this. We need 0:23:56.520 --> 0:23:59.399 the funds for our building. You want me to build 0:23:59.400 --> 0:24:02.360 a boat when it's never rained. You're saying, go fight 0:24:02.400 --> 0:24:04.919 a giant twice my size. You want us to go 0:24:04.960 --> 0:24:07.120 after the Compact Center. Do you know how much that's 0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:10.840 going to cost? Seem far out to my father. But 0:24:10.960 --> 0:24:15.160 when God gives you the desire, with that instruction, always 0:24:15.200 --> 0:24:18.359 comes the power to do it. My father told the 0:24:18.400 --> 0:24:21.600 congregation they were going to sow that offering as a seed. 0:24:22.080 --> 0:24:25.199 He drove down, gave them the funds, and they finished 0:24:25.240 --> 0:24:28.920 their building. Wasn't long after that that people started giving 0:24:28.960 --> 0:24:31.919 for Lakewood's new building. The money came in for the 0:24:31.960 --> 0:24:35.480 foundation once we poured the concrete, money came in for 0:24:35.520 --> 0:24:38.240 the steel we got that up. Money came in for 0:24:38.280 --> 0:24:41.840 the walls, the chairs, the sound system. He built the 0:24:41.880 --> 0:24:46.680 whole building totally debt free. Not only that building, but 0:24:46.720 --> 0:24:50.760 my father went on to build six more sanctuaries, including 0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:54.520 one that seated eight thousand, all debt free. Here we 0:24:54.560 --> 0:24:58.879 are today in the former Compact Center, but It all 0:24:58.920 --> 0:25:03.480 started with that act of obedience, doing something that he 0:25:03.520 --> 0:25:08.440 didn't understand, that seemed illogical. Who knows what God will 0:25:08.480 --> 0:25:11.520 do in your life. If you'll tap into that power 0:25:11.560 --> 0:25:16.040 to obey, Who knows how your children will benefit Because 0:25:16.080 --> 0:25:19.040 you did a hard thing. You gave when it didn't 0:25:19.080 --> 0:25:22.680 make sense. You broke the addiction that kept getting passed down. 0:25:23.000 --> 0:25:26.080 You forgave the wrong. You shook off the doubt and 0:25:26.119 --> 0:25:30.240 went after your compact center. No more, I can't do this. 0:25:30.840 --> 0:25:34.480 I'm not disciplined enough, strong enough, focus enough, nor try 0:25:34.520 --> 0:25:38.200 a new approach. I have the power to obey. God 0:25:38.320 --> 0:25:41.280 is working in you right now to do his will 0:25:41.720 --> 0:25:45.119 and to bring about his good pleasure. Have that attitude 0:25:45.119 --> 0:25:47.760 of faith. That's how you're going to reach your destiny. 0:25:48.240 --> 0:25:51.200 That's how you're going to defeat your golias. That's how 0:25:51.200 --> 0:25:53.840 you're going to break the dysfunction. That's how you're going 0:25:53.840 --> 0:25:57.840 to build your boats. Not weak, defeated. You are a 0:25:57.960 --> 0:26:01.439 can do person. You are well to do what God's 0:26:01.480 --> 0:26:04.600 called you to do. No more putting it off, no 0:26:04.720 --> 0:26:08.600 more waiting for more convenient time. This is your time 0:26:08.640 --> 0:26:12.360 to move. If you'll do this, I believe and declare 0:26:12.960 --> 0:26:16.920 like with Noah. You're gonna accomplish dreams that look impossible. 0:26:17.240 --> 0:26:20.320 You're gonna break addictions that have held your family back. 0:26:20.720 --> 0:26:24.919 Freedom is coming, healing is coming, Abundance is coming, the 0:26:25.080 --> 0:26:29.520 fullness of your destiny in Jesus's name, and if you 0:26:29.600 --> 0:26:34.040 receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give 0:26:34.040 --> 0:26:37.280 you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:26:37.680 --> 0:26:41.480 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:26:41.640 --> 0:26:45.640 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:26:45.680 --> 0:26:49.439 you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:26:49.480 --> 0:26:52.320 we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 0:26:52.320 --> 0:26:54.920 you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. 0:26:55.160 --> 0:26:57.440 You can text the number on the screen or go 0:26:57.480 --> 0:27:00.040 to the website. But I hope you'll get into a 0:27:00.200 --> 0:27:03.879 good Bible based church and keep God first place. 0:27:04.760 --> 0:27:08.400 Our negative thinking can short circuit God's power and blessing 0:27:08.440 --> 0:27:11.879 in our lives. When you say, I always seem to worry. 0:27:12.800 --> 0:27:15.600 I can't forgive what was done to me. I pray, 0:27:15.760 --> 0:27:18.679 but it feels like God doesn't hear. I won't have 0:27:18.800 --> 0:27:21.720 enough to provide for me and my family. How do 0:27:21.760 --> 0:27:24.560 you overcome this type of negative thinking? That limits you 0:27:24.640 --> 0:27:25.560 from God's best. 0:27:26.720 --> 0:27:30.359 Our thinking sets the limits for our life. Every morning, 0:27:30.440 --> 0:27:32.880 you have to power up your mind, get it going 0:27:32.920 --> 0:27:35.760 in the right direction, but dwelling on what God says 0:27:35.760 --> 0:27:39.840 about you. When you think thoughts of faith, hope, and victory, 0:27:40.200 --> 0:27:44.040 you'll tap into blessing and favor that belongs to you. Now, 0:27:44.040 --> 0:27:46.120 I'd love to send you my newest book. It's called 0:27:46.160 --> 0:27:49.480 Power Up. I'll show you how to delete negative thoughts 0:27:49.640 --> 0:27:52.560 and focus on the promises rather than the problems. 0:27:53.280 --> 0:27:57.160 You can discover God's unprecedented power in your life. As 0:27:57.200 --> 0:27:59.399 our way of saying thank you for your gift of 0:27:59.480 --> 0:28:02.760 any amount to the ministry, this month, Joel and Victoria 0:28:02.840 --> 0:28:06.440 would like to send you this life altering resource, power Up, 0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:10.560 a twenty one day action plan to transformative thinking. God 0:28:10.600 --> 0:28:16.840 wants to power up every area of your life, your relationships, career, finances, health. 0:28:17.119 --> 0:28:20.479 He wants to bless it all. But sometimes negative thinking 0:28:20.560 --> 0:28:25.040 can short circuit the truth. This resource reconnects those power lines, 0:28:25.240 --> 0:28:30.000 providing the free flow of God's eternal promises. Remember, wherever 0:28:30.040 --> 0:28:33.159 you're at, whatever you're facing, you can make the choice 0:28:33.200 --> 0:28:35.879 to power up and access God's promises. 0:28:36.840 --> 0:28:39.560 When your mind is going in the right direction. Your 0:28:39.640 --> 0:28:42.880 life will go in the right direction. Start powering up 0:28:42.960 --> 0:28:46.280 each day and watch what God will do Victory and 0:28:46.320 --> 0:28:48.240 I want you to know that we pray for you 0:28:48.320 --> 0:28:52.200 and your family. We appreciate your prayer and support. Your 0:28:52.280 --> 0:28:56.760 generosity is impacting so many lines. Remember you can watch 0:28:56.800 --> 0:29:01.680 the services live online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, 0:29:02.080 --> 0:29:06.080 watch our YouTube channel, listen on Serious Exam. But until 0:29:06.120 --> 0:29:09.160 we meet again, May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:10.200 --> 0:29:12.920 Be sure to request your copy of power Up, a 0:29:12.960 --> 0:29:16.840 twenty one day action plan to transformative thinking today. Visit 0:29:16.920 --> 0:29:25.080 Joeloustein dot com or call us Told free