Your Life Is Divinely Orchestrated

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. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:50.960 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:55.840 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.920 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:02.240 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:02.840 his birthday. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.119 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:07.280 But He'll never forget how you invested in his future 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:11.840 with the uns stapp. Wow. Thanks Grandpa. The units stap 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:14.360 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:17.160 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. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:33.040 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:36.120 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:36.120 --> 0:01:39.039 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:41.200 be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:56.400 appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.280 God bless you. It's always a joint of coming to 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:02.120 your homes. We love you and we know God has 0:02:02.160 --> 0:02:04.440 great things in store for each one of you. If 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.720 you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:08.960 and be a part of one of our services. I 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:11.400 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. But 0:02:11.440 --> 0:02:13.600 thanks so much for tuning in and thank you again 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:16.240 for coming out today. I like to start with something 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:19.600 funny each week. And I heard about this new police recruit. 0:02:20.040 --> 0:02:22.640 He was taking his final exam and he was in 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:25.919 front of this large classroom. The sergeant said to him, 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:28.880 what would you do if you had to arrest your. 0:02:28.760 --> 0:02:31.800 Own mother in law without missing a beat? 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:36.520 He said, call for back up, Hold up your Bible 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:37.800 and say it like you mean it. 0:02:38.360 --> 0:02:41.359 This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:02:41.840 --> 0:02:44.400 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.160 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:51.200 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:54.760 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:59.480 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:02.520 to talk to you today about how your life is 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:07.720 divinely orchestrated. The scripture talks about how God has already 0:03:07.720 --> 0:03:11.680 written all of our days in his book. He promised 0:03:11.800 --> 0:03:14.959 that his plans for us are for good and not evil, 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:19.239 and that doesn't mean that we won't go through negative situations. 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:20.840 It means that. 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:24.120 God will use everything we go through to move us 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:28.160 toward that good plan. We all have things happen that 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:31.760 we don't understand, and it's easy to think, why did 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:35.280 this friend betray me? Why did this company lay me off? 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:37.440 Why didn't I get that promotion? 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:41.279 Why work? My prayers answered, we have to understand. 0:03:41.960 --> 0:03:46.120 Just because it seems unfair, just because it looks like 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:49.480 a bad break, doesn't mean it's not a part of 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:50.240 God's plan. 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:53.000 Just as God uses. 0:03:52.840 --> 0:04:00.640 Promotion, breakthroughs, loyal people, encouragement, God also uses disappoint ointments, 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:06.080 closed doors, betrayals, persecution to move us toward his divine plan. 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:10.040 One of the best things I've ever learned is nothing 0:04:10.200 --> 0:04:14.280 in life happens to me, it happens for me. In 0:04:14.320 --> 0:04:17.400 other words, God would not have allowed it unless he 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:20.680 had a purpose for it. That friend that walked out 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:23.400 of a relationship, that person that hurts you. 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:26.880 God could have stopped it. He's God. He could have 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:27.960 kept it from happening. 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:31.440 But since he didn't, you have to accept the fact 0:04:31.880 --> 0:04:35.960 this disappointment, this betrayal, this bad break. I may not 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:39.920 like it, it may be painful right now, but I 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:43.599 know ultimately it is not going to work against me, 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:47.000 is going to work for me. I know God has 0:04:47.040 --> 0:04:49.840 already written a good plan for my life, and as 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:52.560 long as I stay in faith. What was meant for 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:56.240 my harm, God will use to my advantage. When you 0:04:56.360 --> 0:05:00.600 know your life is divinely orchestrated, takes all the prayer off. 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:04.480 You go through a disappointment, you don't get upset. Your 0:05:04.520 --> 0:05:07.520 attitude is no big deal. I know this is a 0:05:07.560 --> 0:05:10.320 part of God's plan. This is not happening to me, 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:15.200 It's happening for me. You get laid off. Yes, I'm disappointed, 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:17.600 but I'm not gonna live with a chip on my shoulder. 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:20.520 I know this is not a surprise to God. And 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:23.680 when one door closes, I know God will always open 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:25.119 up a bigger and a better door. 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:28.159 Somebody lies about you, does you wrong? 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:31.200 That's okay. I'm not gonna try to pay them back. 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:35.080 I know nothing can happen without God's permission. So I'm 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:37.599 gonna stay on the high road and pass this test 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:39.719 and let God take me to a new. 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:41.440 Level of my destiny. 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:45.520 What if Jesus would have gotten upset when Judas betrayed him. 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.599 What if he would have said, come on, God, I'm 0:05:48.640 --> 0:05:51.040 your son, How could you let this happen? 0:05:51.440 --> 0:05:53.400 He's my disciple. This is not fair. 0:05:54.320 --> 0:05:58.560 No Jesus even knew beforehand that Judas was going to 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:02.320 betray him, but he still didn't try to stop him. 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:06.560 In one sense, God used Judas more than he used 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:10.920 the other disciples, because if Judas had not betrayed Jesus, 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:14.680 there would have never been a crucifixion. Without a crucifixion, 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:17.680 there wouldn't have been a resurrection. Without a resurrection, we 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:21.640 wouldn't have redemption. What am I saying? The person that 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:26.680 betrayed Jesus played a critical role in Jesus fulfilling his 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:31.320 divine destiny. Quit complaining about someone that walked out on you. 0:06:31.800 --> 0:06:34.960 If they betrayed you, they didn't set you back, They 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:38.080 set you up. If they had not done you wrong, 0:06:38.720 --> 0:06:41.560 you wouldn't see the amazing future God has in store. 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:44.880 You may not have liked it, but God was using 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:47.159 that to get you to where he wanted you to be. 0:06:48.120 --> 0:06:50.680 Anytime we go to a new level, we have to 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:54.160 pass the test of a new level of obedience where 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:55.640 we shake off the wrongs. 0:06:56.080 --> 0:06:57.000 We keep a good. 0:06:56.800 --> 0:07:00.480 Attitude even when we feel like being discouraged. We believe 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:02.839 it's going to get better, even though our mind is 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:04.560 telling us is never going to work out. 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:06.600 Deep down, you got to. 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:09.520 Know that you know that, you know my life is 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:13.400 divinely orchestrated. This is not happening to me. This is 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:17.440 happening for me. God's going to use it to my advantage. 0:07:17.680 --> 0:07:20.200 Remember when I was in college, there was a gentleman 0:07:20.360 --> 0:07:23.960 that was in charge of the television facility. The university 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:28.760 had a big television studio, a big production center. It 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:31.520 was known all over the world, and that was my passion. 0:07:31.560 --> 0:07:34.280 I loved cameras and editing, anything that had to do 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:37.679 with production. And I had met this gentleman several years earlier, 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:40.480 and when I first got to college, he invited me 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:42.840 to come over and see the studios and he was 0:07:42.840 --> 0:07:46.400 showing me around. It was so amazing, the beautiful sets, 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:51.200 the control room, the editing suites, was so exciting. My 0:07:51.400 --> 0:07:54.720 dream was to work there. He said, Joel, no big deal, 0:07:55.160 --> 0:07:57.880 Just fill out an application and I'll make sure that 0:07:57.960 --> 0:08:01.119 it happens. I applied for the job, and a couple 0:08:01.120 --> 0:08:03.120 of weeks went by and I didn't hear anything. So 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:06.119 I called him back, but he was too busy to talk. 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:07.440 I called him. 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:11.880 Again and again and again, day after day, week after week. 0:08:12.000 --> 0:08:15.000 He was always either too busy out of the office, 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:18.280 some reason, he couldn't talk. I even went back to 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:21.280 the studio in person three or four times. Still he 0:08:21.320 --> 0:08:25.280 would not see me. After several months of constantly trying 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:29.200 to get in touch with him, I finally accepted the fact, Hey, 0:08:29.240 --> 0:08:30.560 this just isn't meant to be. 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:32.480 I was very disappointed. 0:08:32.800 --> 0:08:37.600 I couldn't understand it then, But looking back now, I. 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:40.800 Know that that closed door was God's plan. 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:43.959 The man was a good man, but I believe God 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:47.440 caused him to not call me back because if I 0:08:47.480 --> 0:08:51.199 had gotten that position, I would have been so excited. 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.280 I know my personality. I would have been so caught up. 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:57.400 I would have never come back here to Lakewood to 0:08:57.400 --> 0:08:59.480 start the television outreach like I did. 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:03.440 Without that closed door, I don't believe I would be 0:09:03.520 --> 0:09:05.960 standing here today. What am I saying? 0:09:06.280 --> 0:09:10.440 The closed doors have been orchestrated by Almighty God. The 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:14.520 person that wouldn't call you back, the friend that ignored you, 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:18.800 the coworker that betrayed you. Don't sit around in self pity. 0:09:19.080 --> 0:09:21.960 Shake the dust off your feet and move forward with 0:09:22.080 --> 0:09:25.360 your life. If God wanted you to have that job, 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:26.880 he would have given you that job. 0:09:27.200 --> 0:09:29.120 No person can stand against our God. 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:32.800 If God wanted you to marry that man, marry that woman, 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:34.240 you would have married them. 0:09:34.720 --> 0:09:38.839 Quit sulking. God has somebody better in store. If God 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:39.880 wanted them to call. 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:42.280 You back, they would have called you back. Now put 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:45.760 on a new attitude. Their rejection is going to lead 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:49.520 to God's promotion. They didn't happen to you, They happened 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:52.560 for you. It may have looked like a setback, but 0:09:52.720 --> 0:09:54.959 really it was a set up for God to do 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.520 something amazing in your life. 0:09:57.679 --> 0:09:59.680 You may not be able to see it right now. 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:03.319 You may not understand it doesn't make any sense, but 0:10:03.440 --> 0:10:07.040 one day you will understand it. One day you will 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.679 see God's wisdom and be glad that. 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:10.760 He didn't open the door. 0:10:11.400 --> 0:10:14.120 It may be in a month, in a year, or 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:16.920 in thirty years, but one day you'll look back like 0:10:17.040 --> 0:10:20.240 I did, and say, it was good that he didn't 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:20.880 call me back. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:22.280 It was good that the. 0:10:22.280 --> 0:10:24.960 Friend walked away, or I'd have never met my spouse. 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:28.160 It was good that God didn't answer my prayers my way, 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:32.000 or I wouldn't see the amazing opportunity that God's given me. 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:32.280 Now. 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:37.000 My challenge to us is to trust him. Don't live 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:40.679 upset because a friend betrayed you. That's not a surprise 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:44.679 to God. Don't be bitter because your prayers didn't get 0:10:44.720 --> 0:10:46.000 answered the way you want it. 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:47.640 God has something better. 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:50.559 Gonna have a chip on your shoulder because you went 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:52.800 through a disappointment, a bad break. 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:54.840 God is still on the throne. 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.720 He would not have allowed that unless he was going 0:10:57.800 --> 0:11:01.920 to use it to your advantage. Few years ago, myself 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:04.760 and some of our staff were on a plane flying 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:07.400 to another city. And it was a smaller plane that 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:10.840 held about twelve people. There was one seat on each. 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:11.640 Side of the island. 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:14.640 After we took off, I wanted to open up my 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:17.120 tray table so I could write some notes, and the 0:11:17.200 --> 0:11:20.920 table was on the side right underneath my window, and 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:23.960 I pulled and pulled and pulled, but it was stuck. 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:26.920 My friend Johnny was sitting next to me, and he 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:29.920 pulled his out just as easily as could be. I 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:33.320 went back to mine and I jerked, I yanked, and 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:36.120 I finagled and I struggled, but still couldn't get it out. 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:38.880 So Johnny came over and he started pulling on it. 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:41.400 Another staff member came and we were all pulling on it. 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:45.120 About that time I looked up right over the window 0:11:45.520 --> 0:11:48.200 where we were pulling, there was a big sign that 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:49.280 had bold letters. 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:51.000 It said not a. 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:57.640 Tray table, emergency exit only. I said, thank you Lord 0:11:57.720 --> 0:12:03.480 for not answering that prayer. Friends, God has our best 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:07.840 interest at heart. I wonder how many times we're frustrated 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:12.040 because it's not happening our way on our timetable, And 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:14.360 God's up in the heavens with a big smile on 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:17.800 his face, thinking to himself, if you only knew what 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:20.440 you were asking for. I love you way too much 0:12:20.480 --> 0:12:25.840 to answer those prayers. But when you know, when you 0:12:26.000 --> 0:12:31.160 know your life is divinely orchestrated, you don't get frustrated 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.480 and force things to happen. You trust God to do 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:37.720 it his way. You don't get upset when somebody does 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:41.120 you wrong. You know that God can use even your 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:44.960 enemies to keep you moving forward. I was out running 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:47.760 not long ago. I have this two mile path that 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.240 I run through my neighborhood, and this particular day it 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:54.720 had been extremely difficult. I had been traveling a lot, 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:57.199 and I'd just eaten dinner and didn't. 0:12:56.920 --> 0:12:58.120 Really let my food settle. 0:12:58.160 --> 0:13:00.839 And while I was running, my sidestar hurting and kind 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.720 of cramping up, and I was very winded, and with 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:07.560 every step I heard that voice saying, stop, stop, you're 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:09.360 too tired, it's too painful. 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:12.160 Just walk the rest of the way. I'm a very 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:13.200 determined person. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.480 I don't like to stop, but this day I just 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:19.360 didn't think that I could finish, and I was planning 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.840 to run up to the corner and walk the last 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:23.880 quarter of a mile or so to my house. 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:27.000 But about that time, this little. 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:31.520 White poodle with pink bows in her hair came barking 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:35.000 out toward me ninety miles an hour, barking up a storm. 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:37.800 I thought to myself, that dog is so cute, seemed 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:40.839 so happy, so friendly. But when she got up to 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:43.200 me while I was still running, all of a sudden, 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.079 that dog bit my sock and tore part. 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:46.400 Of it away. 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:50.360 Do you know, I forgot all about my side hurting. 0:13:51.640 --> 0:13:55.080 I forgot all about being tired. I took off running 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:59.960 with a new passion, trying to get away from the this 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:05.160 part poodle part pit bull. The whole time she was 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:08.559 chasing me, darting in and out around my feet, trying 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:12.280 to bite me again. Neighbor drove by, and I just smiled, 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:16.400 like everything was okay, But on the inside, my heart 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:20.720 was racing, the adrenaline was flowing. I was so consumed 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:23.560 trying to not let that little dog bite me. I 0:14:23.680 --> 0:14:28.720 ended up running right past my house. I was planning 0:14:28.760 --> 0:14:32.160 on stopping a quarter of a mile earlier. I went 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:36.400 further than I normally would have all because this little 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:39.840 dog distracted me. Caused me to forget about my pain, 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:44.040 forget about my suffering. Friends, God works in mysterious ways. 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:48.440 Don't complain about your enemies. God can use your enemies 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:51.280 to keep you going further when you would have given up. 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:58.720 Sometimes sometimes your enemies will do more to catapult you 0:14:58.800 --> 0:14:59.960 to success than your friend. 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:02.920 A few years ago, when. 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:05.080 Word got out that we wanted to move our church 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:07.720 to this place, one of my good friends was at 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:10.200 a business lunch in here in town. There were several 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:13.240 hundred business leaders there, and there was a gentleman at 0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:18.440 his table, an older man, very well known, very influential. 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:22.080 When he heard that my friend went to Lakewood, he 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:24.880 laughed and he said to the whole table, it'll be 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:28.440 a cold day in hell before Lakewood ever gets the 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.760 Compact Center. And up to that point, I really wanted 0:15:31.760 --> 0:15:34.960 to get the facility. But when I heard that, my 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:38.080 determination went up to a whole new level. I had 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:42.960 a new fire, a new bisolve, a new passion. Anytime 0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:45.960 I even thought about wanting to give up, God would 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.440 let me hear those words. It'll be a cold day 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:51.720 in hell. That man doesn't know how much he helped us. 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.000 If I ever see him, I need to buy him 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.400 dinner McDonald's. 0:15:56.440 --> 0:15:56.840 Probably. 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:02.480 But in the Old test God used a donkey to speak. 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:04.160 And let me tell you, God used him. 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:08.760 He didn't happen to us, He happened for us. 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:11.040 I didn't call him a donkey. 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.440 In the Book of Exodus, when the people of Israel 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:19.960 were trying to leave Egypt, God said, I'm going to 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:24.000 harden Pharaoh's heart and cause him to chase after you. 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:28.320 I have planned this so I will receive great glory 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:33.400 at Pharaoh's expense. Notice God was the one that hardened 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:37.400 Pharaoh's heart. God had already planned for him to cause 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:40.720 them trouble. Why so God could show his power in 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:44.160 a greater way. This tells me two things. Number one, 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:47.480 God is in control of our enemies. And number two, 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:50.640 if we'll keep the right attitude, God will take the 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.280 opposition and use it to show us his favor in 0:16:54.320 --> 0:16:58.120 a new way. God had a great plan for David's life. 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:01.400 He was a shepherd boy, a teenager. Nobody had ever 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:02.960 heard of him. What did God do? 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:06.399 Sent him an enemy, sent him Goliath. 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:10.399 Goliath in David's life was there for one purpose to 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:15.080 promote David. In the same way, every adversity, every challenge, 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:18.080 every enemy is there for one reason to promote you, 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.880 to make you stronger, to develop your character, not to 0:17:21.880 --> 0:17:26.000 defeat you, but to make you better. I think about Joseph. 0:17:26.400 --> 0:17:29.080 God gave him a big dream that one day he 0:17:29.119 --> 0:17:30.200 would rule a nation. 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:31.680 What happened. 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:36.679 His brothers betrayed him, sold him into slavery. Potiphar's wife 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:40.199 lied about him, his cell made in prison. When he 0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:44.000 got out of prison, forgot all about Joseph. But Joseph 0:17:44.080 --> 0:17:48.000 understood this principle. He didn't get bitter, he didn't complain, 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:51.720 He just kept being his best. He knew his life 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:53.600 was divinely orchestrated. 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:56.280 When it was all said and done, Joseph saw the 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:57.440 dream come to pass. 0:17:58.400 --> 0:18:02.879 Too many people get stuck somewhere along the way because 0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:07.280 they don't understand why something happened, Why this person left me, 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:11.800 Why this company laid me off, Why this coworker betrayed me. 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:16.359 No quit dwelling on the wives of life. We will 0:18:16.359 --> 0:18:20.680 never understand all of God's plan. Our mind is much 0:18:20.720 --> 0:18:26.040 too small to comprehend God's infinite wisdom. I can't explain 0:18:26.200 --> 0:18:28.720 every bad thing that's happened, but I can tell you 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:32.040 this God is still on the throne. He's still got 0:18:32.040 --> 0:18:34.960 a great plan for your life. What was meant for 0:18:35.040 --> 0:18:38.000 your harm? God wants to use it to your advantage. 0:18:38.840 --> 0:18:40.760 But you've got to do your part and shake off 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:45.439 the self pity, the blame, the discouragement, the disappointment. No 0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:49.160 enemy is powerful enough to keep you from your destiny. 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:54.439 No injustice, no betrayal, no disappointment. We serve the most 0:18:54.520 --> 0:18:58.080 high God. He controls the whole universe. If you'll get 0:18:58.119 --> 0:19:01.399 in agreement with him, he'll only bring you through the trouble. 0:19:01.600 --> 0:19:04.200 He'll bring you out better off than you were before. 0:19:05.200 --> 0:19:09.440 In the scripture, Philip was living in Jerusalem. That's where 0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:12.320 he and one hundred and twenty other believers had been 0:19:12.320 --> 0:19:15.200 in the upper Room, and they had heard the sound 0:19:15.240 --> 0:19:18.840 of a rushing mighty wind and experienced the day of Pentecost. 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:22.720 God's power and freshness in a new way. Philip had 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:25.760 seen God do many amazing things there in Jerusalem. 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:27.200 He loved being there. 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:33.480 But the scripture says persecution arose in Jerusalem. Notice people 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:38.040 came against Philip. He had trouble opposition, so much so 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:41.920 that Philip got run out of Jerusalem. He had to 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:45.840 leave and go to Samaria. Think about this. God could 0:19:45.880 --> 0:19:50.040 have stopped the persecution. God could have quieted the people 0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:53.960 that were opposing them. After all, earlier God had shut 0:19:54.000 --> 0:19:56.879 the mouths of lions. Why didn't God do it? It 0:19:57.000 --> 0:20:00.560 was because God wanted Philip to go to Samria. He 0:20:00.680 --> 0:20:03.639 wanted him there, but God didn't send an angel to 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:05.760 tell him. He didn't send a prophet. 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:06.880 This time. 0:20:07.200 --> 0:20:11.200 God used people coming against Philip to get him to Samaria, 0:20:11.400 --> 0:20:12.560 where God wanted him to be. 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:15.200 It was in Samaria that. 0:20:15.160 --> 0:20:18.439 Philip saw his greatest days of ministry. That's where he 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:20.080 saw his life really blossom. 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:24.200 What's my point. The persecution was for a purpose. 0:20:24.880 --> 0:20:28.520 God used it to get Philip to his place of blessing. 0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:33.520 Don't fight against every closed door. Don't be depressed when 0:20:33.560 --> 0:20:35.080 people come against you. 0:20:35.080 --> 0:20:35.639 You don't know. 0:20:35.800 --> 0:20:38.919 God may be using that to get you to your Samaria, 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:42.359 to your new place of blessing. This is what happened 0:20:42.400 --> 0:20:44.800 to my father back in the nineteen fifties. 0:20:45.080 --> 0:20:46.640 He was a successful pastor. 0:20:47.080 --> 0:20:50.199 Everything was going great, but one day some of his 0:20:50.400 --> 0:20:53.959 main leaders turned on him, people that had been with 0:20:54.040 --> 0:20:57.400 him for many years. They didn't like his new message 0:20:57.400 --> 0:21:01.520 of faith and hope and victory. Long story short, they 0:21:01.600 --> 0:21:05.679 pressured him into leaving that church. My father had just 0:21:05.720 --> 0:21:09.199 built a beautiful new sanctuary. He had poured his heart 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:13.120 and soul into those people. He could not understand how 0:21:13.160 --> 0:21:16.560 these lifelong friends could all of a sudden be so 0:21:16.760 --> 0:21:17.400 against him. 0:21:17.800 --> 0:21:19.320 Didn't make sense to my father. 0:21:19.840 --> 0:21:22.359 But the truth is that was all a part of 0:21:22.400 --> 0:21:26.840 God's divine plan. My father left that church, but he 0:21:26.880 --> 0:21:30.399 didn't sit around depressed and defeated. He went out and 0:21:30.480 --> 0:21:34.760 found an abandoned feed store and started Lakewood Church on 0:21:34.880 --> 0:21:38.280 Mother's Day in nineteen fifty nine with ninety people. Do 0:21:38.359 --> 0:21:43.080 you know, for the next forty years, my father saw 0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:45.560 God do more than he could even ask or think. 0:21:46.080 --> 0:21:49.440 Here we are now still going strong. Here's my point. 0:21:49.480 --> 0:21:52.400 Had it not been for the opposition, had it not. 0:21:52.359 --> 0:21:54.920 Been for the people coming against him, he would have 0:21:55.040 --> 0:21:58.600 stayed in his boat and missed the fullness of what 0:21:58.720 --> 0:22:03.520 God had in store. Sometimes God will use difficult people 0:22:03.800 --> 0:22:04.679 to push you out. 0:22:04.560 --> 0:22:06.120 Of your comfort zone. 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:10.840 Sometimes God will allow opposition in Jerusalem, so to speak, 0:22:11.200 --> 0:22:13.640 so he can get you to Samaria, where you'll see 0:22:13.680 --> 0:22:14.720 a new level. 0:22:14.480 --> 0:22:16.360 Of his favor in his increase. 0:22:17.160 --> 0:22:20.959 Don't fight against closed doors. Don't be discouraged because a 0:22:21.000 --> 0:22:25.280 friend walked away. God knows what he's doing. He's directing 0:22:25.280 --> 0:22:27.199 your steps. Learn to just flow with it. 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:30.760 See it's easy to have a good attitude. 0:22:30.400 --> 0:22:33.000 When we get a promotion, when we see a breakthrough, 0:22:33.119 --> 0:22:35.760 when our prayers are being answered, we know God is 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:38.680 in control. But what I want us to see today 0:22:39.119 --> 0:22:41.560 is when our prayers aren't being answered, when people come 0:22:41.600 --> 0:22:45.000 against us, when plans don't work out, God is still 0:22:45.200 --> 0:22:50.960 in complete control. Your life is divinely orchestrated, not just 0:22:51.080 --> 0:22:55.200 the good seasons, but even the rough seasons. Now, don't 0:22:55.240 --> 0:22:58.320 complain about what went wrong. Well, Hell, Joel, these people 0:22:58.400 --> 0:23:02.200 the office played politics. They cheated me out of my promotions. 0:23:02.520 --> 0:23:05.920 They pushed me out of my position. Now, if you'll 0:23:05.960 --> 0:23:08.840 stay in faith, you'll discover they didn't push you out, 0:23:09.080 --> 0:23:12.399 They pushed you up. God will use the persecution to 0:23:12.440 --> 0:23:16.000 promote you. He'll use the opposition to make you stronger. 0:23:16.560 --> 0:23:19.399 That closed door will lead to a bigger and a 0:23:19.440 --> 0:23:22.760 better open door. One day you'll look back and say, 0:23:22.880 --> 0:23:25.920 like my father, Lord, thank you for letting them push 0:23:26.040 --> 0:23:28.919 me out. Thank you for letting them come against me 0:23:29.400 --> 0:23:32.440 so I could get out of that narrow, limited environment 0:23:32.760 --> 0:23:35.760 out here into the deep waters where I could see 0:23:35.840 --> 0:23:37.959 the surpassing greatness of your favor. 0:23:38.760 --> 0:23:40.440 See. I used to just thank. 0:23:40.240 --> 0:23:44.080 God only for my open doors, but now I've learned 0:23:44.240 --> 0:23:47.840 to thank God for my closed doors, because that closed 0:23:47.840 --> 0:23:52.640 door means God has something better in story. The opposition 0:23:52.800 --> 0:23:56.440 means a new level is coming. The persecution is a 0:23:56.480 --> 0:23:59.399 sign God is about to release his favor in a 0:23:59.440 --> 0:23:59.960 greater way. 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:03.159 Now. The key is to stay in faith. 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:07.040 If we get bitter and say God, why is this happening, 0:24:07.359 --> 0:24:09.840 we try to pay people back and get revenge, then 0:24:09.880 --> 0:24:12.600 we'll get stuck right where we are. The way you 0:24:12.720 --> 0:24:16.160 pass the test is to say, God, I trust you. 0:24:16.760 --> 0:24:19.399 I believe my life is in your hands. I know 0:24:19.520 --> 0:24:22.720 you know what's best for me. I may not understand this, 0:24:23.280 --> 0:24:25.560 it may not make sense, but I believe it's a 0:24:25.560 --> 0:24:26.399 part of your plan. 0:24:26.840 --> 0:24:28.200 You have a purpose for it. 0:24:28.320 --> 0:24:31.040 So I'm gonna let go of the self pity, the blame, 0:24:31.400 --> 0:24:34.120 the discouragement, and I'm going to get a fresh new 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:38.119 vision for my life, knowing that you promised all things 0:24:38.240 --> 0:24:41.199 are going to work together for my good. When you 0:24:41.320 --> 0:24:45.080 show God you trust him like that, that your faith 0:24:45.119 --> 0:24:48.720 will allow God to do amazing things in your life. 0:24:48.800 --> 0:24:52.639 In the early nineteen hundreds, Alabama cotton farmers were facing 0:24:52.680 --> 0:24:53.840 a major challenge. 0:24:54.400 --> 0:24:56.000 A tiny insect. 0:24:55.600 --> 0:24:59.320 Called the bull weavil had migrated from South America. It 0:24:59.400 --> 0:25:03.359 was quickly destroying their crops. They tried everything they could 0:25:03.400 --> 0:25:08.280 to get rid of it. They exterminated with different pesticides, chemicals, 0:25:08.560 --> 0:25:11.760 they even came up with their own special formula, still 0:25:11.840 --> 0:25:14.960 to no avail. Eventually, all they could do was just 0:25:15.040 --> 0:25:18.520 sit back and watch their livelihood be eaten away. It 0:25:18.600 --> 0:25:22.000 was very discouraging, looked like it was over. But as 0:25:22.040 --> 0:25:26.160 they were sitting around kind of depressed and defeated, one 0:25:26.160 --> 0:25:29.439 of the farmers had an idea. He said, instead of 0:25:29.480 --> 0:25:33.000 planting our normal cotton crops, which we know the bowl 0:25:33.040 --> 0:25:38.359 weevils will destroy, why don't we try peanuts instead. Those 0:25:38.440 --> 0:25:41.000 other farmers looked at him like a cow at a 0:25:41.000 --> 0:25:44.680 new gate, said, peanuts. Can't make a living off of peanuts. 0:25:44.680 --> 0:25:47.320 What are you talking about? He finally convinced them. 0:25:47.680 --> 0:25:48.680 They went to work. 0:25:49.240 --> 0:25:52.600 What they discovered was the bowl weavil did not like 0:25:52.680 --> 0:25:56.359 the taste of peanuts. Those crops took off like nothing 0:25:56.359 --> 0:25:59.560 they had ever seen. The farmers made more money in 0:26:00.240 --> 0:26:03.440 months off of peanuts than they'd normally make in a 0:26:03.560 --> 0:26:06.840 year off their normal cotton crops. Even when the bowl 0:26:06.880 --> 0:26:10.200 weevils left the region, they never did go back to cotton. 0:26:10.320 --> 0:26:11.560 They stuck with peanuts. 0:26:11.840 --> 0:26:14.920 They went on to produce more peanuts than any other 0:26:14.960 --> 0:26:18.000 country in the world. But a lot of times we 0:26:18.200 --> 0:26:20.480 complain about the bowl weevils of life. 0:26:21.200 --> 0:26:24.040 God, why did you let this person hurt me? God? 0:26:24.080 --> 0:26:26.760 Why did you let me lose my main client? God? 0:26:26.800 --> 0:26:29.640 Why did these people treat me so badly? We don't 0:26:29.720 --> 0:26:33.280 realize the bowl weevil is not there to destroy us, 0:26:33.560 --> 0:26:36.400 but to simply show us the new thing God wants 0:26:36.480 --> 0:26:40.320 to do. Just like God caused Pharaoh to harden his 0:26:40.440 --> 0:26:43.440 heart so he could show his power in a greater way, 0:26:44.080 --> 0:26:47.400 God will allow bowl weavils so he can show us 0:26:47.520 --> 0:26:50.760 his favor in a greater way. You may be dealing 0:26:50.760 --> 0:26:53.879 with some bowl weavils right now, maybe at the office. 0:26:54.080 --> 0:26:57.119 Listen, here's my encouragement to you. Stay in faith. 0:26:57.320 --> 0:27:02.000 Peanuts are hitting you away. It may look like a setback, 0:27:02.200 --> 0:27:04.200 but really it is a setup. 0:27:03.760 --> 0:27:05.000 For God to do something new. 0:27:05.520 --> 0:27:09.240 Now, don't you dare drag around depressed complaining about how 0:27:09.280 --> 0:27:10.960 bad they treated you, about how. 0:27:10.760 --> 0:27:12.760 Wrong it was. You know what that is. That's a 0:27:12.800 --> 0:27:13.480 bull weavil. 0:27:13.880 --> 0:27:16.720 It looks like it's there to destroy you, when in 0:27:16.760 --> 0:27:19.080 fact God allowed it so he could take you to 0:27:19.119 --> 0:27:19.760 a new level. 0:27:20.520 --> 0:27:21.760 At the office, that. 0:27:21.720 --> 0:27:24.760 Person is always giving you a hard time, trying to 0:27:24.840 --> 0:27:28.160 ruin your reputation. When you see him tomorrow, just think 0:27:28.200 --> 0:27:31.199 to yourself, he's just a bull weavil. He's trying to 0:27:31.240 --> 0:27:33.439 take me down. But I know the truth. God's going 0:27:33.520 --> 0:27:35.800 to use him to take me up. That's what the 0:27:35.840 --> 0:27:40.640 scripture says. God will cause your enemies to become your footstools. 0:27:41.160 --> 0:27:45.600 In other words, when people come against you, opposition, persecution, betrayal, 0:27:46.200 --> 0:27:48.640 that's not going to be a stumbling block to take 0:27:48.640 --> 0:27:51.760 you down. If you'll stay in faith, God will use 0:27:51.800 --> 0:27:55.199 it as a stepping stone to take you higher. Friends, 0:27:55.240 --> 0:27:59.720 your life is divinely orchestrated. Not just all the good breaks. 0:28:00.200 --> 0:28:04.080 God has even lined up the right enemies, the right Golias, 0:28:04.400 --> 0:28:06.120 the judases, the bull weevils. 0:28:06.359 --> 0:28:08.560 Nothing that happens is a coincidence. 0:28:09.160 --> 0:28:12.240 You may not understand it, it may not make sense. 0:28:12.560 --> 0:28:15.879 But don't get soured, don't start complaining. Stay in faith. 0:28:16.200 --> 0:28:18.600 God wouldn't have allowed it unless he had a purpose. 0:28:19.000 --> 0:28:21.360 One day you will look back and see what God 0:28:21.440 --> 0:28:24.480 is doing. I'm asking you to dare to trust him, 0:28:24.840 --> 0:28:27.000 believe that He's got your best interest at heart. 0:28:27.480 --> 0:28:28.200 If you will. 0:28:28.000 --> 0:28:31.720 Shake off the disappointment, the self pity, the blame, then 0:28:31.760 --> 0:28:35.400 you'll discover nothing in life happened to you, It happened 0:28:35.400 --> 0:28:39.480 for you. I believe in declare you will overcome every obstacle, 0:28:39.560 --> 0:28:43.480 defeat every enemy, and you will accomplish every God given dream. 0:28:43.720 --> 0:28:44.560 If you receive it. 0:28:44.720 --> 0:28:47.000 Can you give the Lord one more shout of praise today? 0:28:49.160 --> 0:28:51.880 But we never like to close our broadcast without giving 0:28:51.920 --> 0:28:54.840 you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:55.080 --> 0:28:59.480 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll 0:28:59.520 --> 0:29:04.400 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:29:04.480 --> 0:29:05.760 you my lord and Savior. 0:29:07.000 --> 0:29:09.320 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:29:09.360 --> 0:29:10.200 got born again. 0:29:10.600 --> 0:29:13.720 Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 0:29:13.960 --> 0:29:16.360 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:16.680 --> 0:29:20.120 Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 0:29:20.200 --> 0:29:22.920 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:23.040 --> 0:29:23.960 all over the world. 0:29:24.280 --> 0:29:25.440 Visit joelus dein. 0:29:25.400 --> 0:29:28.680 Dot com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:29.960 --> 0:29:32.400 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:32.520 --> 0:29:35.280 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:35.320 --> 0:29:36.720 podcast to keep you. 0:29:36.760 --> 0:29:39.840 Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 0:29:39.880 --> 0:29:42.760 know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.