You Are Equipped

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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. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.000 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:36.800 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.280 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:40.840 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.880 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:59.280 your life. God bless you such a joy to come 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:02.160 into your home. We love you, and if you're ever 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.520 in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:06.720 a part of one of our services. But thanks for 0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:09.520 tuning in today. I like to start with something funny, 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:12.840 and I heard about this minister that died and he 0:02:12.919 --> 0:02:15.400 was standing at the pearly gates and in front of 0:02:15.480 --> 0:02:19.280 him was a man dressed in a loud shirt, blue jeans, 0:02:19.360 --> 0:02:23.240 and wearing sunglasses. Peter said, what's your name? He said, 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:27.160 my name's Joe Cohen. I'm a taxicab driver, New York City. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:31.079 Peter checked his list and handed him a gold staff 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:34.280 and a silk robe, and said, welcome to Heaven. The 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:38.440 minister stepped up and said, I'm Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor 0:02:38.520 --> 0:02:42.320 of Saint Mary's Cathedral. Peter checked his list and handed 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:45.799 him a cotton robe and a wooden staff. He said, 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:48.480 wait a minute, that's not right. The taxicab driver got 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:50.720 a silk robe and a gold staff. How could that be? 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:54.280 Peter said, sir, up here, we work by results, and 0:02:54.320 --> 0:02:58.520 when you preached, people slept, But when he drove, people prayed. 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:04.000 All right, hold of your bible. Say it like you 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:07.320 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:09.960 says I am. I have what it says I have. 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:13.320 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:17.000 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 0:03:17.480 --> 0:03:21.280 My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 0:03:21.320 --> 0:03:25.000 never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.280 I want to talk to you today about how God 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:33.280 has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your destiny. 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:37.760 The scripture tells us we are anointed. The word anointing 0:03:37.960 --> 0:03:43.240 is defined as courage, strength, and ability. That means you 0:03:43.320 --> 0:03:45.760 are well able to do what God has called you 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:50.680 to do. You can accomplish your goals. You have the ideas, 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:55.920 the creativity, the talent to be successful. You can overcome 0:03:56.080 --> 0:04:00.520 any obstacle. You've been armed with strength for every battle. 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:03.880 The forces that are for you are greater than the 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:08.240 forces that are against you. Being anointed means that God's 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:11.800 already lined up the right people to come across your path. 0:04:12.280 --> 0:04:16.560 He's already lined up the right breaks. You have everything 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:21.560 you need to live a victorious life, not an average life, 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.839 not a barely get by mediocre life. You were created 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:30.120 to excel. You have seeds of greatness on the inside. 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:33.800 We were never supposed to drag around barely making it. 0:04:34.160 --> 0:04:37.839 We're supposed to live an abundant life. You may not 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:40.159 have seen it in the past, but if you'll stay 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:42.800 in faith, it's just a matter of time. It's on 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:46.560 its way. Don't settle where you are. Don't have a weak, 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:51.360 defeated mentality, No, put your shoulders back. Have the attitude. 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:55.880 I am anointed. I can accomplish my dreams. I can 0:04:55.960 --> 0:05:00.599 overcome any obstacle. I've been equipped and empowered by the 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.880 creator of the universe. Now you say, Joel, I've had 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:07.159 a lot of disappointments. I've tried and failed. I think 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:10.200 I've reached my limits. No, you may have been through 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:13.360 a lot. You may have had some bad breaks in life, 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.800 but it's not over until God says it's over. The 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:20.360 enemy always fights you the hardest when he knows God 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:23.280 has something great in store. You may have been through 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:26.400 tough times, but let me announce to you you're coming 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:30.839 into a new season. The winds are changing in your favor. 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:34.440 The breath of Almighty God is blowing in your direction. 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:38.480 And if you'll release your faith and believe, then you're 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:41.880 going to see new seasons in your health, new seasons 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:46.600 in your finances, new seasons in your career. You've been faithful, 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:50.000 You've seen it happen for others. But God is saying, 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:53.040 this is your time to shine, this is your time 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:55.719 to come up higher. Why don't you let that seed 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:59.080 take root? In Mark chapter five, there was a woman 0:05:59.200 --> 0:06:02.240 that had been sick for twelve years. The doctors had 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:05.320 given her no hope. She was very down and discouraged. 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:08.320 But one day she heard that Jesus was coming through 0:06:08.320 --> 0:06:12.240 her town, and something deep on the inside said to her, 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:15.440 this is your season. This is your time to get well, 0:06:15.720 --> 0:06:19.040 this is your time to be free in the natural. 0:06:19.160 --> 0:06:22.440 When she saw all the people around him, she thought, 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:26.440 I'll never get to it. It's so crowded and I'm weak. 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:28.760 I don't feel well. I just don't think I can 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:33.000 do this. She almost missed her season, but instead of 0:06:33.080 --> 0:06:37.080 dwelling on those negative can't do it thoughts, she started 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:40.839 reminding herself, I am annoyed. I can do what I 0:06:40.920 --> 0:06:44.239 need to do. I've been armed with strength for this battle. 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:47.839 She got her mind going in the right direction, and 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:51.720 she started pressing her way through the crowd, moving people 0:06:51.800 --> 0:06:54.760 out of the way. I can imagine hearing her say, 0:06:54.800 --> 0:06:58.080 excuse me, but this is my season. Pardon me. I 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:00.200 don't mean to be rude, but this is my time 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:03.599 to get well. She finally got to Jesus and touched 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:07.640 the edge of his robe, and instantly she was made whole, 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:12.040 and Jesus said to her, they're in Mark five. Thirty four, daughter, 0:07:12.680 --> 0:07:17.400 your faith has made you well. Notice it's our faith 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:20.960 that activates God's power. And it's easy to sit back 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.480 and think, Oh, Joel, it's not going to be my season. 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:26.840 I haven't had anything good happen in three years. I've 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:29.880 missed all kinds of opportunities. Now you have to shake 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:34.680 off that defeated mindset and dare to believe. Dare to 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:38.000 rise up and say, this is my season, this is 0:07:38.080 --> 0:07:41.440 my time to be free. I was thinking about how 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:44.040 in a few months, in May of two thousand and eight, 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:48.880 Lakewood will enter into our fiftieth year. And in the scripture, 0:07:49.400 --> 0:07:54.480 the fiftieth year is very significant. It's called the year 0:07:54.720 --> 0:07:59.200 of jubileeve It was the year all the debt was canceled. 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.680 It was the year that the slaves were released and 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:05.840 all the property was returned back to the original owners. 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:09.920 The year of Jubilee was a great time of celebration 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:13.680 where people were set free and restored. And I know 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:17.040 it's just symbolic, but I'm bold enough to believe that 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:20.160 you and I are coming into our year of Jubilieve 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:23.960 it's going to be a time where you see God's 0:08:24.000 --> 0:08:28.160 favor in a greater way. You're going to get supernatural breaks, 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:32.480 supernatural opportunities. The Year of Jubilee is when you're going 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:35.640 to be released from debt and lack. You're going to 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:40.000 be set free from bondages of addictions and wrong mindsets. 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:42.800 It's going to be a time where health is going 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:45.840 to flow through you in a new way. The sicknesses, 0:08:45.880 --> 0:08:48.440 the pains that have held you back for years. In 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:52.480 the Year of Jubilee, everything is restored now. I know 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:54.880 some of you have had a lot of negativity in 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:57.680 your past, and it's easy to just settle where you are. 0:08:58.120 --> 0:09:01.160 But I'm asking you to dig your heels in and 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:04.280 have the attitude this is a new day. I am 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:08.559 coming into my year of Jubilee. Every bondage, every limitations 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:10.959 being broken off of me. I am annoying a I 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:13.560 am equipped. I'm not staying where I am. I'm coming 0:09:13.640 --> 0:09:16.679 up higher. This is my season. I love to think 0:09:16.720 --> 0:09:20.679 about the fact that God has already equipped us with 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.720 everything we need. We don't have to struggle and try 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:27.280 to make things happen. It's already in you. The strength, 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:32.000 the creativity, the ideas. God's already lined up the right people. 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:35.200 It's already given you the breaks you need. I was 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:38.960 reading about a small spider. We've all seen how spider 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:42.680 spins the web to try to capture other insects. The 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:46.280 web is filled with a very sticky substance. When another 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:50.520 insect comes in contact with it, it doesn't just get tangled, 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.680 it actually gets stuck. And that's why sometimes a big 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:57.200 dragonfly can get caught in a small web. A spider, 0:09:57.240 --> 0:10:01.160 maybe one hundred times smaller than that dragonfly captures him 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:03.600 and will have him for dinner. But have you ever 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:07.280 thought about if the web is so sticky, how can 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:10.720 the spider that even made the web walk across it 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.960 without getting stuck. Seems like he would get caught in 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:17.480 his own trap. But the way God made the spider 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:21.760 is it naturally produces an oil that flows down to 0:10:21.840 --> 0:10:25.360 its legs, and it makes it possible to just glide 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:29.240 across that web. In other words, the reason the spider 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:32.200 doesn't get stuck is because of the anoying that's on 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:36.520 its life. Some of you, in the natural you should 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:39.200 have given up a long time ago. You've had so 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:43.640 many obstacles to overcome. Other people in your same situation 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:45.920 just settled right where they were. But not you. You 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:49.040 just kept on keeping on. Why because you know you're 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:53.480 anointed and like that little spider, the anoying is the 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:58.080 oil that lubricates us and keeps things from sticky. People 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:01.360 talking behind your back at work, trying to ruin your reputation, 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:03.400 trying to make you look bad. A lot of people 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:05.240 get mad, a lot of people try to get even. 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:08.120 Not you. It just glides off of you. Why, because 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.320 you're all oiled up. When you walk in your annoying, 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:15.280 nothing's gonna stick to you, nothing's gonna pull you down. 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:17.760 I remember, growing up. I used to go to the 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:20.720 beach and play football with a bunch of my friends, 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:24.200 and back then I would put that Hawaiian tropic oil 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:27.720 all over me to keep from getting a sunburn. And 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:30.960 I'm already kind of fast, but with that oil, nobody 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:35.360 could tackle me. Big guys twice my size, they would 0:11:35.360 --> 0:11:38.600 grab me. I'd slip right out of their hands. I 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:42.280 had an advantage. I was all oiled up. That's the 0:11:42.280 --> 0:11:44.800 way it is with you. When you walk in your annoying. 0:11:45.080 --> 0:11:47.800 Things that should bring you down walth Maybe you get 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:51.000 laid off from the job, you should be discouraged, you 0:11:51.040 --> 0:11:53.480 should be down, But you stay in faith and you 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:57.080 end up getting a better job. Maybe a relationship comes 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.240 to an end. It was unfair. You should be or 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.800 you should be upset. But you stay in faith and 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:06.040 God opens up another door, And when you face tough times, 0:12:06.120 --> 0:12:08.719 you have to remind yourself, I've been anointed for this. 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:11.560 I'm not gonna get negative, if I'm not gonna lose 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:14.400 my joy, I'm gonna stay full of praise. I know 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.600 God is in control, and I believe He can take 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.360 what was meant for my harm and turn it around 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:23.559 and use it to my advantage. Many of you, when 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:26.520 you look back in life, you can think, I shouldn't 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:29.200 be where I am today. How did I make it 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:32.320 through those difficult times? How did I make it through 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:34.600 the loss of my loved one? How did I make 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:37.680 it through that sickness? It was the anoying God put 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:40.400 on your life. He gave you strength when you didn't 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.199 think you could go on. He gave you joy when 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:46.199 you should have been discouraged. He opened up a door 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:49.120 when you didn't see any way out. Now you can 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:51.640 look back and say with me, where would I have 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:54.240 been if it had not been for the goodness of 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:58.880 God in my life. When I first started ministring, I 0:12:58.880 --> 0:13:01.760 didn't really know if I could do this. There were 0:13:01.800 --> 0:13:05.400 times I was tempted to be discouraged. My personality is 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:08.520 to try to please everyone, and I'd hear one complaint 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.000 or one criticism and I think, oh, no, I've got 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:14.080 a change. And at times it felt like so much 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.560 was coming against me, and I was just tempted to 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:19.880 give up. But one night I had a dream. It 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:22.480 was very clear, very vivid. I knew it wasn't a 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:25.800 normal dream. This has only happened twice in my life. 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:29.040 And in this dream, I was running through a large field. 0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:33.959 These planes were flying very low overhead, dropping bombs all 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:38.000 around me, so like is right out of a movie scene. 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:41.000 These bombs would hit so close and I would brace, 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:43.839 just waiting for the shrapnel to hit me. They must 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:47.480 not have been fifteen feet away, and the noise was deafening. 0:13:47.920 --> 0:13:51.040 I thought it was the end. But every time, somehow 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.360 those bombs would miss me. This happened four or five times, 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:56.640 and in my dream, I was so amazed to still 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.440 be alive. And I ended up running to this little 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:03.040 house and hiding in a room, so afraid I could 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:06.160 hear the soldiers going by, and I hoped they didn't 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:08.360 see me. I hope they wouldn't check in there. But 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:11.840 then my worst nightmare came true. They burst through the doors. 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:14.720 They had their guns drawn, pointed right at me, and 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.800 I thought, well, that's it, I'm done, it's over. But 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:21.520 much to my amazement, they turned around and went out. 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:24.480 It was like I had been invisible to them. And 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:27.200 I woke up and I felt a peace like I 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:30.080 had never felt before. And deep down in here I 0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:33.800 heard God saying to me so strongly, Joel, things may 0:14:33.800 --> 0:14:36.920 be exploding all around you, but I've got you in 0:14:37.000 --> 0:14:42.080 the palm of my hand. He said, if you will 0:14:42.160 --> 0:14:46.200 keep your trust in me, no weapon formed against you 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:50.440 will ever prospering. Now, every time things come against me, 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.840 I just remind myself I am annoying. This is not 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:56.760 going to stick to me. God is guiding and protecting 0:14:56.800 --> 0:15:00.800 me right now. In your life, God's go before you, 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:04.960 making your crooked places straight. He's making your rough places smooth. 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:08.040 You may be in a difficult time, but it's not 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:11.760 the end. It's only the beginning. A thousand may fall 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:14.960 at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:18.040 God says it's not gonna harm you. I've equipped you, 0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:22.680 I've empowered you. You are annoying. You may feel like 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:25.440 you're in a dry season. You haven't seen a lot 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:28.360 of God's goodness. But if you'll get your joy back, 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:32.480 if you'll start speaking words of faith, God promised He'll 0:15:32.520 --> 0:15:35.760 anoint your head with oil and your cup, we'll run 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:39.240 over some of you need some fresh oil. Starts with 0:15:39.280 --> 0:15:43.040 your attitude. Don't go around complaining, don't go around focused 0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:46.480 on the negative. Put on that attitude of praise. You 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:49.200 may have some big problems. Let me tell you. We 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:51.960 serve a big God, and the good news is He 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:55.760 has already equipped you with what you need to overcome. 0:15:56.680 --> 0:16:01.440 I saw something fascinating about a little fish called a Moses' soul. 0:16:01.920 --> 0:16:04.720 It's a little flounder that's found over in the Red Sea, 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:09.200 and also in those waters are large sharks. These sharks 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:12.360 would typically like to eat this kind of fish, but 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:16.200 back in the early nineteen seventies, a group of researchers 0:16:16.240 --> 0:16:21.000 noticed something interesting about this little Moses soul. All the 0:16:21.080 --> 0:16:24.040 other fish in this category the same size and weight 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:27.320 would be eaten by these sharks, but they found the 0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:31.000 sharks would not eat that Moses soul, and the reason 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.960 why they discovered was the Moses soul has a unique 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:39.200 defense system and when it senses any kind of danger, 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:44.880 it releases poisonous toxins from its glands, and these toxins 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:49.240 literally caused the shark's jaws to freeze. It showed a 0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:51.960 picture of this shark with his mouth open. The little 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:54.880 Moses soul was right in the middle. All the shark 0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:56.720 had to do was bite down and there was dinner. 0:16:57.120 --> 0:17:00.880 The only problem was it couldn't do it. Put something 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:04.760 in that little fish to protect it. As long as 0:17:04.840 --> 0:17:07.280 it was around, the shark could not close its jaws. 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:09.320 The shark had to get away for a few minutes 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:12.320 before the jaws would be released. And I was thinking 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:15.399 about when that little fish is in the middle of 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:19.159 the shark's mouth, his blood pressure doesn't go up. He 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.760 doesn't run call nine to one one, He doesn't get 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.520 depressed and say, just my luck. That preacher told me 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:29.000 it's going to be my year. Do you believe I 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:30.440 should have known it's gonna be the sharks? 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:30.640 Hear? 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:34.520 As you believe? He just goes about his business. He 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:38.240 knows he's annoyed it, he knows he's special God ordained 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:41.320 before the foundation of the world that that little fish 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:44.000 would be protected from that type of enemy. So he 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:46.639 just rest in who God made him to be. If 0:17:46.680 --> 0:17:48.879 you can ever get a revelation that you are a 0:17:49.000 --> 0:17:52.160 child of the most High God, you don't just have 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:55.800 a unique defense system. God's breathed his very life into you. 0:17:56.400 --> 0:17:59.719 He's crowned you with his glory and honor. He surrounded 0:17:59.720 --> 0:18:02.720 you with his favor like a shield. He said, when 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:05.840 the enemy comes against you one way, he will defeat 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:08.920 them and cause them to flee seven different ways. When 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:11.680 those thoughts come telling you you're never gonna come into 0:18:11.680 --> 0:18:14.480 your season, You're never gonna be well, You're never gonna 0:18:14.520 --> 0:18:18.040 rise any higher. You know how to release the poisonous 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:21.879 toxins to defeat the enemy. You start speaking God's word. No, 0:18:22.040 --> 0:18:24.000 I know I am more than a conquer I am 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:27.000 the head, not the tail. I am a victor and 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:29.960 not a victim. Well, it looks like you hadn't been 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.879 feeling well. Yes, that's true, but I know God's restoring 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:35.800 health under me. Well I heard they may lay people 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:38.440 off at your office. Yes, but I know if one 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:41.600 door closes, God's gonna open up another door. Well, I 0:18:41.640 --> 0:18:43.560 heard somebody say, you're gonna try to teach out in 0:18:43.600 --> 0:18:46.000 the children's ministry. You really think you can do that. 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:49.400 I don't think so. I know so I'm annointed, I'm equipped, 0:18:49.400 --> 0:18:53.199 I am well able. If you'll stay in faith like that, 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:58.720 meditating on God's words, speaking his promises, Just like that shark, 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:02.520 the enemy can't harm you. God always causes you to triumph. 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.359 I think about a young lady in the Bible. Her 0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:09.040 name was Esther. She had a lot of obstacles to overcome. 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:12.920 Estra was an orphan. Her parents were no longer alive, 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:16.600 and now she was living in poverty. In the natural, 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:19.800 she didn't have much of a future. But Esther had 0:19:19.840 --> 0:19:23.679 a relative by the name of Mordecai. Mordecai was a 0:19:23.680 --> 0:19:27.720 godly man. For years he had spoken faith into Esther, 0:19:28.560 --> 0:19:32.119 even though Estra had all these disadvantages, even though the 0:19:32.160 --> 0:19:35.440 odds were against her, he would say things like, Esther, 0:19:35.800 --> 0:19:38.480 You're going to do great things in life. God's got 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:42.080 his hand on you. You are special, you are equipped, 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:46.480 you are anointed. Year after year Esther heard those words 0:19:46.520 --> 0:19:49.720 of faith, and they got down on the inside. It 0:19:49.840 --> 0:19:53.280 became ingrained in her thinking. One day, the king was 0:19:53.320 --> 0:19:56.159 searching for a new queen. He had his men go 0:19:56.320 --> 0:20:00.159 out and find the most beautiful girl in each the 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:03.119 one hundred and twenty seven provinces that he was in 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.720 charge of. They were going to have a beauty pageant 0:20:05.840 --> 0:20:09.280 and choose the next queen. It just so happened they 0:20:09.400 --> 0:20:13.160 chose Esther as one of the one hundred and twenty seven. Well, 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:15.640 you say, Joel, I just don't have the right connections. 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:18.959 Neither it, Esther. I don't have the money, neither it, Esther. 0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:22.280 I don't have the education, neither it Esther. Well, Joel, 0:20:22.320 --> 0:20:25.520 I'm living in the projects, So was Esther. What am 0:20:25.520 --> 0:20:29.520 I saying? We're thinking so often about what we can't 0:20:29.560 --> 0:20:32.080 do while God's trying to tell us what we can do. 0:20:32.880 --> 0:20:37.879 We're thinking ordinary while God is planning extraordinary. Let me 0:20:37.960 --> 0:20:42.280 challenge you. Don't water down your dream, don't accept less 0:20:42.320 --> 0:20:45.320 than what God's put in your spirit. Dream big dreams. 0:20:45.840 --> 0:20:48.520 Dare to believe you can do something great in life. 0:20:49.359 --> 0:20:52.679 Like Esther, you may have a lot of disadvantages. The 0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:57.200 odds may be stacked against you, but understand, with God, 0:20:57.520 --> 0:21:00.920 there's no such thing as a disadvantage. So they had 0:21:00.960 --> 0:21:04.159 this big Beauty pageant one hundred and twenty seven girls there. 0:21:04.480 --> 0:21:08.560 But God calls the King to choose Esther. If you 0:21:08.680 --> 0:21:11.800 stay in faith, God will give you the breaks you need. 0:21:12.240 --> 0:21:15.680 He'll cause the right people to like you. His favor 0:21:15.720 --> 0:21:18.680 will make you stand out in the crowd. I don't 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:21.960 believe it was just physical beauty that caused the King 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:24.960 to choose her. There were other beautiful girls. It was 0:21:25.000 --> 0:21:29.160 because of her inner beauty. Esther believed that she was anointed. 0:21:29.640 --> 0:21:32.800 She believed she was something special. She had been taught 0:21:33.040 --> 0:21:36.159 about the goodness of her God, and the scripture says 0:21:36.640 --> 0:21:39.359 the heart of the king is in the hand of 0:21:39.400 --> 0:21:43.440 the Lord. That means other people don't control your destiny. 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:47.439 God does. He's already lined up the right breaks, the 0:21:47.520 --> 0:21:50.040 right people that you need. But you have to do 0:21:50.160 --> 0:21:54.159 your part and believe that you're anointed. Believe that you 0:21:54.280 --> 0:21:58.000 have favor. When one door closes, don't just sit back 0:21:58.040 --> 0:22:01.120 and say too bad. Believe that God open up another door. 0:22:01.480 --> 0:22:04.000 Believe that God will get people in the right position. 0:22:05.040 --> 0:22:07.480 About a year ago, I was meeting with one of 0:22:07.480 --> 0:22:10.520 our staff members. He was going over some of the 0:22:10.560 --> 0:22:13.240 interviews we were going to do concerning my new book, 0:22:13.440 --> 0:22:16.240 and I noticed this one national newspaper on his list. 0:22:16.480 --> 0:22:19.040 He had it crossed off. And I made the comment 0:22:19.280 --> 0:22:22.000 how they had never written anything about us before, and 0:22:22.040 --> 0:22:24.800 he said no, and they never will. I said, really, 0:22:24.800 --> 0:22:27.639 why not? He said, well, the man in charge doesn't 0:22:27.680 --> 0:22:31.000 particularly like you, and he told me straight up he 0:22:31.119 --> 0:22:34.919 will never do an article on our ministry. Well. I 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:37.919 saw that as a challenge, and I told my friend, 0:22:38.280 --> 0:22:40.520 you watch, I'm gonna believe that we're going to have 0:22:40.560 --> 0:22:43.080 favor with that newspaper and one day we're going to 0:22:43.160 --> 0:22:46.119 get a good article. Well about two months ago, my friend, 0:22:46.160 --> 0:22:48.600 the staff member, called me and said, I've got an 0:22:48.600 --> 0:22:51.959 interview lined up with this very newspaper. I said, well, 0:22:52.000 --> 0:22:54.280 I thought you said they'd never do that. He said 0:22:54.320 --> 0:22:57.560 I did. But the man in charge got moved to 0:22:57.640 --> 0:23:04.840 another division, and he said, now, this new reporter really 0:23:04.880 --> 0:23:07.520 loves you. I got on the phone with her. It's 0:23:07.600 --> 0:23:09.359 like talking to my mother. She thought I was the 0:23:09.359 --> 0:23:12.960 greatest thing in the world. She watches every program, reads 0:23:13.000 --> 0:23:16.440 every book. Listen. If you'll stay in faith, God will 0:23:16.480 --> 0:23:19.000 move people out of the way to get you to 0:23:19.080 --> 0:23:26.600 your divine destiny. Understand, no other person can keep you 0:23:26.880 --> 0:23:30.000 from becoming all God's created you to be. You may 0:23:30.040 --> 0:23:33.200 feel like there's somebody in your path right now that's 0:23:33.200 --> 0:23:35.600 holding you back, like that old goat in mind, I 0:23:35.640 --> 0:23:39.480 mean that man in mind. That person cannot stop you 0:23:39.760 --> 0:23:43.480 from your divine destiny. The scripture says no person can 0:23:43.520 --> 0:23:47.119 stand against our God. Don't get bitter, don't try to 0:23:47.119 --> 0:23:51.320 make things happen. Just keep believing, keep declaring God's favor, 0:23:51.520 --> 0:23:54.199 and He'll fight your battles for you and get you 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:58.040 to where you're supposed to be. A young man told 0:23:58.119 --> 0:24:01.119 me just the other day how he applied for a 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:04.479 scholarship at a certain college, but the man in charge 0:24:04.600 --> 0:24:08.600 wasn't very friendly to him. Academically, he was very qualified, 0:24:08.640 --> 0:24:12.119 he had great grades. But this man, it was up 0:24:12.119 --> 0:24:14.440 to him, and he just decided to turn him down. 0:24:14.880 --> 0:24:17.960 And my friend, this young man was so discouraged, said Joel, 0:24:18.000 --> 0:24:20.800 I just don't understand why it didn't work out. I 0:24:20.920 --> 0:24:23.720 told him what I'm telling you. It's not over until 0:24:23.760 --> 0:24:26.520 God says it's over. I said, every day you need 0:24:26.520 --> 0:24:29.440 to say Father, thank you that you have the right 0:24:29.520 --> 0:24:33.040 people in my path, and I have favor with everyone 0:24:33.119 --> 0:24:36.639 that I meet. Several months later, I saw him he 0:24:36.760 --> 0:24:40.280 was so excited. He said, Joel, I got a better scholarship. 0:24:40.560 --> 0:24:42.760 I said, really, what are you going to school? He said, 0:24:42.760 --> 0:24:45.720 I'm going to the same school. But he told how 0:24:45.760 --> 0:24:49.080 that man called him back and said, I cannot get 0:24:49.119 --> 0:24:51.919 you off my mind. I wake up in the middle 0:24:51.960 --> 0:24:54.600 of the night thinking about you. I drive to work 0:24:54.640 --> 0:24:57.600 thinking about you. I eat dinner thinking about you. He said, 0:24:57.600 --> 0:24:59.960 I'm going to give you a scholarship, but we don't 0:25:00.000 --> 0:25:02.520 won't have any of those left. Like we talked about, 0:25:02.640 --> 0:25:05.399 they were partial scholarships, So he said, I'm gonna go 0:25:05.400 --> 0:25:10.640 ahead and give you one of our full scholarships. Friends, 0:25:11.119 --> 0:25:14.600 God knows how to turn the hearts of people, and 0:25:14.680 --> 0:25:17.080 if he doesn't turn them, he can certainly move them 0:25:17.119 --> 0:25:19.520 out of the way. But bottom line is God is 0:25:19.520 --> 0:25:22.760 in control. He's got the right people, the right breaks, 0:25:22.920 --> 0:25:25.800 the right opportunities lined up for you. This is what 0:25:26.000 --> 0:25:29.800 happened to Esther. She went from being an orphan in 0:25:29.920 --> 0:25:33.080 poverty with no real future. Now she's in the palace. 0:25:33.200 --> 0:25:36.440 Now she's royalty. What am I saying with God? There 0:25:36.480 --> 0:25:39.760 are no disadvantages. You may have been through bad breaks 0:25:39.800 --> 0:25:42.800 in life, you may have had some disappointments, but let 0:25:42.840 --> 0:25:47.000 me encourage you. Don't stay on that page. There are 0:25:47.080 --> 0:25:51.399 new chapters up ahead. The scripture talks about how God 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:55.280 has recorded every day of our life before we were 0:25:55.359 --> 0:25:59.639 ever even born. That means there's a book already written 0:26:00.040 --> 0:26:02.840 with your life story in it. The good news is 0:26:03.200 --> 0:26:05.920 it has a great ending. But a lot of people, 0:26:06.200 --> 0:26:09.840 when they face setbacks, or like Esther, they go through disadvantages, 0:26:10.160 --> 0:26:12.720 they just accept it. They think, oh, this is my 0:26:12.840 --> 0:26:15.600 lot in life. I'll never get out of this mess, 0:26:15.680 --> 0:26:19.119 never rise any higher. What's happening. They're getting stuck on 0:26:19.200 --> 0:26:22.399 that page. But if you'll get your fire back and 0:26:22.480 --> 0:26:28.359 start pressing forward, believing, expecting, somewhere in your future, you'll 0:26:28.359 --> 0:26:30.919 come to a new chapter that'll pull it all together. 0:26:31.640 --> 0:26:35.159 Even those dark times you don't understand right now, it 0:26:35.240 --> 0:26:38.639 will cause it to all make sense. Stay in faith. 0:26:38.760 --> 0:26:41.639 The next chapter is coming, a new season is on 0:26:41.720 --> 0:26:45.760 its way. Here's the key. Esther was taught about the 0:26:45.800 --> 0:26:50.800 goodness of her God. Mordecai was constantly speaking faith into her, 0:26:51.240 --> 0:26:54.439 saying things like Esther, you may be an orphan, you 0:26:54.520 --> 0:26:56.520 may not have a nice place to lay your head, 0:26:56.600 --> 0:26:58.679 you may not be wearing pretty clothes, but let me 0:26:58.720 --> 0:27:01.960 tell you you're something special. Girl. God's got his hand 0:27:02.040 --> 0:27:05.120 on you. You're going to do great things. And as 0:27:05.280 --> 0:27:08.800 she heard that over and over, she started believing it 0:27:09.359 --> 0:27:12.400 got down on the inside. She started thinking, I am anointed, 0:27:12.920 --> 0:27:16.479 I am equipped. This is my season. The truth is 0:27:16.840 --> 0:27:20.760 every one of us needs someone speaking faith over us. 0:27:21.200 --> 0:27:23.679 Victoria told me I was going to pasture this church. 0:27:24.040 --> 0:27:26.040 When I was afraid to get up in front of anyone. 0:27:26.480 --> 0:27:29.280 She told me I was anointed when I didn't feel annointed. 0:27:29.480 --> 0:27:32.160 She said, one day, you're going to stand before great leaders. 0:27:32.359 --> 0:27:35.159 When I was working behind the scenes running camera, she 0:27:35.280 --> 0:27:39.600 spoke faith, victory, increase into me. Somebody has to stir 0:27:39.720 --> 0:27:45.919 up your seeds of greatness. Joshua had Moses, Elisha had Elijah, 0:27:46.040 --> 0:27:50.320 Timothy had Paul. You may not have anyone speaking victory 0:27:50.359 --> 0:27:52.800 in your life right now, but allow me to be 0:27:52.880 --> 0:28:00.440 your Mordecai. Let me tell you you were created for greatness. 0:28:00.960 --> 0:28:04.440 You have the seed of Almighty God in you. There 0:28:04.480 --> 0:28:08.159 is no obstacle that you cannot overcome. There is no 0:28:08.320 --> 0:28:11.200 disadvantage that can hold you back. You're in the palm 0:28:11.240 --> 0:28:15.480 of God's hand. He has equipped you, he has empowered you. 0:28:15.920 --> 0:28:19.320 The right people are already in your path. He's already 0:28:19.359 --> 0:28:22.680 released favor into your future. You'll come in into new 0:28:22.800 --> 0:28:26.720 seasons of increase. The dreams that you've given up on. 0:28:27.200 --> 0:28:30.880 God's gonna resurrect those dead dreams. The family members you've 0:28:30.880 --> 0:28:35.280 written off. God's gonna restore those relationships. He's gonna breathe 0:28:35.400 --> 0:28:39.320 new life into your health, new life into your finances, 0:28:39.680 --> 0:28:42.920 new life into your career. I can hear God saying, 0:28:43.160 --> 0:28:45.920 you're coming into your year of jubilee. This is your 0:28:45.960 --> 0:28:48.280 time to come up higher, This is your time to 0:28:48.320 --> 0:28:51.680 be free. Why don't you do like that lady that 0:28:51.760 --> 0:28:54.280 press through the crowd and rise up and say, yes, 0:28:54.360 --> 0:28:56.960 this is for me, this is my season. If you 0:28:57.080 --> 0:29:00.160 do that, you'll see God's goodness in a greater way 0:29:00.880 --> 0:29:03.560 like esther. God will take your places you've never dreamed of. 0:29:04.160 --> 0:29:06.760 And my prayer is that every one of you will know, 0:29:06.920 --> 0:29:09.640 beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you are equipped, 0:29:09.880 --> 0:29:12.960 you are anointed, and your best days are not behind you. 0:29:13.200 --> 0:29:15.040 They're still out in front of you. Amen. Do you 0:29:15.080 --> 0:29:20.120 receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast 0:29:20.480 --> 0:29:23.400 without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 0:29:23.440 --> 0:29:27.400 of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:29:28.440 --> 0:29:32.920 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:29:33.040 --> 0:29:36.520 make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 0:29:36.520 --> 0:29:39.400 that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 0:29:39.400 --> 0:29:42.360 in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 0:29:42.600 --> 0:29:45.080 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:45.800 --> 0:29:49.240 Thank you for listening to the Joelo's Den podcast. Help 0:29:49.320 --> 0:29:52.080 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:52.160 --> 0:29:53.120 all over the world. 0:29:53.440 --> 0:29:57.080 Visit Jolosdean dot com slash give Hope to give a 0:29:57.160 --> 0:29:57.840 gift today. 0:29:59.120 --> 0:30:02.040 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:30:02.040 --> 0:30:05.400 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:30:05.520 --> 0:30:08.680 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:30:08.880 --> 0:30:11.320 I know God's best to steal ahead. We'll see you 0:30:11.400 --> 0:30:11.880 next time.