1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless 6 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: you such a joy to come into your homes. We 7 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: love you, and if you're ever in our area, I 8 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: hope you'll stop by and be a part of one 9 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: of our services. These are the finest people in all 10 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: of Houston, Texas, right here at Lakewood, and we'd love 11 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: to have you come out. But thanks for tuning in 12 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: and thank you again for coming out today. And I'd 13 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: like to start with something funny. And I heard about 14 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: this husband and wife. They had been arguing and now 15 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: they were giving each other the silent treatment. The man 16 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: had to catch a plan early the next day, and 17 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: he needed his wife to wake him up. Not wanting 18 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: to break the silence, he wrote a note and left 19 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: it on her side of the bed. It read, please 20 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: wake me up at five am. He got up the 21 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: next morning at eight o'clock. He missed his flight. He 22 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: was so upset he went in to find out why 23 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: she didn't wake him up, and he saw a note 24 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: on his side of the bed. He opened it up. 25 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: It read, get up, it's five. Hold up your Bible. 26 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 27 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: I am what it says I am. I have what 28 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: it says I have. I can do what it says 29 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 1: I can do. Today I will be taught the word 30 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: of God. I'll boldly confess my mind is alert, my 31 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 32 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: God bless you. I want to talk to you today 33 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: about keeping the right perspective. We all face challenges, but 34 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: it's not really the size of the problem that's important. 35 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: It's our perception of the problem. It's how big or 36 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: small we make it in our minds. You remember when 37 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: Moses set twelve men in to spy out the Promised Land. 38 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,559 Speaker 1: Ten of them came back and said, Moses, we don't 39 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: have a chance. There are giants in the land. The 40 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: other two men, Joshua and Caleb, came back with a 41 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: different report. They said, yes, the people are big, but 42 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: we know our God is bigger. We are well able 43 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: to take the land. Let us go in at once. 44 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: Notice both groups saw the same people the same circumstances. 45 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: The only difference was their perspective. One group was focused 46 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: on the side of the enemy, the other group was 47 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: focused on the size of their God. Out of those 48 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: two million people that were camped next door to the 49 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: Promised Land that day, the only two people from that 50 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: group to ever make it in were Joshua and Caleb. 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: Could it be that our perspective is keeping us out 52 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 1: of our Promised Land? If we view our challenges as impossible, 53 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: we go around telling ourselves I'll never get well, I'll 54 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: never get out of debt, I'll never accomplish my dreams. Then, 55 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: just like them, our own wrong perspective can keep us 56 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: from God's best. See what we focus on, we magnify. 57 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: If you stay focused on your problems, what you don't have, 58 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: and how it's never going to work out, all you're 59 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: doing is making that bigger than it really is. When 60 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: we magnify something, we don't change the actual size of 61 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: the object. We change our perception of it. That's why 62 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: David said, magnify the Lord with me. He was saying, 63 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: if you're going to make anything bigger, don't make your 64 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: problems bigger. Don't make the medical report bigger. Don't make 65 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: the opposition bigger, learn to make God bigger. It's interesting 66 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: David never called Goliath a giant. Everybody else did. They 67 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: talked about his size, his strength, his ability, but David 68 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: called him an uncircumcised philistine. David wouldn't even give him 69 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: credit for being that big. Here's the key. He didn't 70 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: deny it, but he didn't dwell on it. His attitude was, 71 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: if I'm going to magnify anything, I'm going to magnify 72 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: the source of my strength. I'm gonna talk about the 73 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: greatness of God. I'm not gonna focus on how big 74 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: my problem is. I'm gonna focus on how big my 75 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: God is. David's brothers and the other Israelites were afraid, intimidated, 76 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: didn't know what they were going to do. When David 77 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: told them that he wanted to face Goliath, they said, David, 78 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: you don't have a chance. You're too small. You're just 79 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: a kid. But David had a different perspective. He knew 80 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: if God before him, who dared be against him, He 81 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: knew he was strong in the Lord. He knew all 82 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: the forces of heaven were backing him up. They tried 83 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: to warn him. They said, David, you better be careful. 84 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: You better not get out there and fight Goliath. He's 85 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: too big to hit. David said, no, he's too big 86 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: to miss. David stood in front of him and said, Goliath, 87 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: you come against me with a sword and a shield, 88 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 1: but I come against you in the name of the Lord, 89 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: God of Israel. What was Dave you've been doing magnifying 90 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: his God, talking about God's greatness. You know the story 91 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: This teenage boy half his size, no military training, defeated 92 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: this huge giant. Why he had the right perspective. Philippians 93 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: one twenty eight says, do not be intimidated by your enemies. 94 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: Some of you, like David, are up against a great 95 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: giant right now. A giant in your health, giant your finances, 96 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: may be a giant in your relationship. It looks so 97 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: big you could easily be overwhelmed and think I don't 98 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: have a chance. Oh God is saying, don't be intimidated. 99 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: Those that are for you are greater than those that 100 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: are against you. Put your shoulders back, hold your head 101 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: up high. You are not weak, defeated, powerless. You are 102 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: a child of the most High God, anointed, equipped, well, able, 103 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: don't you dare drag around thinking, well, Joel, I'm never 104 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: gonna break this addiction. I've had it forever. My property's 105 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: never gonna sell. It's been on the market so long. 106 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: They ever gonna accomplish my dreams. Now, do, like David, 107 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: get the right perspective. You are full of can do power. 108 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: The greatest force in the universe is breathing in your direction. 109 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: There is no challenge too much for you, no sickness 110 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: too great, no dream too big. The same power that 111 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. 112 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: The enemy would not be fighting you so hard if 113 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: he didn't know. God had something great in your future. 114 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: I found the size of the challenge is an indication 115 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: of the size of your destiny. If you've got a 116 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: big problem today, don't be discouraged. That just means God 117 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: has something amazing up in front of you. He's got 118 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: a new level of your destiny. Do you know what 119 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: made David king Goliath? God used the opposition to get 120 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: him to the throne. When you face great difficulty, it's 121 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: because God's trying to get you to your throne. He's 122 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: trying to take you to a higher level. That opposition 123 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: may have been meant for your harm, but God will 124 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: turn it around and use it to your advantage. The 125 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: Giant was never meant to defeat you. It was meant 126 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,679 Speaker 1: to promote you. You may be in a tough time, 127 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: but the right perspective is I'm not staying here. This 128 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: is temporary. I'm not buried, I'm planted. I'm going to 129 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: come back up again, stronger, healthier, wiser, better off than 130 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: I was before. For what it says in Exodus, the 131 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: more opposition, the more they increased. When you face difficulties, 132 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: don't start complaining God, why is this happening to me? 133 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: Joel said twenty eleven was going to be my year. 134 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: I must have heard wrong. No, your declaration should be 135 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: I know this opposition is a sure sign increases come 136 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: in my way. It may look like a setback, but 137 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: I know the truth. It's a set up. It's not 138 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: going to be a stumbling block to hold me down. 139 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: God's going to use it as a stepping stone to 140 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: take me higher. We got to have that vision of 141 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: victory like David did, because sometimes we're talking to God 142 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: about how big our problems are. We should be talking 143 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: to our problems about how big our God is now. 144 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: I love the way David responded. Goliath was laughing and 145 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: making fun of him because he was so small. Goliath 146 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: said to the Israelites and my dog that you'd come 147 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: at me with a stick. Don't you have anything bigger 148 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: than this little runt named David. David looked him in 149 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: the eyes and said, listen here, big talker, this day 150 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: I will defeat you and feed your head to the 151 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: birds of the air. I love his attitude. He didn't say, 152 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 1: I hope, so I'm praying about it. I'm believing for it. 153 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: You know. Our declaration should be I will have a 154 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: blessed twenty eleven. I will live healthy and strong. I 155 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: will break this addiction. I will fulfill my God given destiny. 156 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: You got to have a made up mind. Don't be 157 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,679 Speaker 1: intimidated by the medical report. Don't be intimidated by the 158 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: legal situation. Don't be intimidated by the size of your dreams. 159 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: We're not careful. We can think, man, Joel, I could 160 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: never accomplish what God's put in my heart. I don't 161 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: have the resources, I don't have the education, I don't 162 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: have the connections. I'm such an underdog. I'm so in debt. Friends, 163 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: you can talk yourself into being defeated. You can talk 164 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: yourself in too. Live in an average, mediocre, barely get 165 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: by life. I almost did. A couple of years after 166 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: Victoria and I were married. We're out walking one night 167 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: through this nice neighborhood, looking at the different houses, and 168 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: we came to this beautiful two story home that was 169 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: just finished being built. Victoria said, as confidently as can be, 170 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: just like she was stating it as fact, Joel, one 171 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: day we will live in a house just like that. 172 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: That was so far out in my mind. I didn't 173 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: see any way, And I went on to tell her 174 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: all the reasons why it was impossible, and how we 175 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: were never going to have that much, and she just 176 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: should not get her hopes up. The great men of 177 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: faith that I am see, I was looking at it 178 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: only in the natural. I knew what we made, I 179 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: knew what we could expect. I had it all figured out. 180 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: But Victoria had a different perspective. She knew that we 181 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: served a supernatural god. He's not limited by our job, 182 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: or the economy, the stock market, our education. She saw 183 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: him as Jehovah Jirah, the Lord, our provider. She knew 184 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: it may be impossible with men, but with God, all 185 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: things are possible. She believed Ephesians three twenty that God 186 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: can do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond. Over time, she 187 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: talked me into changing my perspective, and do you know 188 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: a few years later, God supernaturally opened up doors, poured 189 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,839 Speaker 1: out his favor, and we saw that dream come to pass. 190 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: Could it be that your perspective is keeping God from 191 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: doing something amazing in your life? Could it be like 192 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: I did, You've already decided the giants are too big, 193 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: you don't have what it takes, You'll never be at 194 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: that level. No, I'm trying to do for you what 195 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 1: Victoria did for me. You've got to have a new perspective. 196 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: You've got to take the limits off of God. Quit 197 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: telling him what you can't do, and how you don't 198 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: have the connections and how you'll never get ahead. Listen, 199 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: God has ways to increase you that you've never thought about. 200 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: In your future. God has already lined up the right people, 201 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: the right breaks. He has explosive blessings that will catapult 202 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: you to a whole new level. You are not limited 203 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: by your background, by how you were raised, by your education, 204 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: even by your past mistakes. What limits God is our thinking. 205 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: If you think you've reached your limits, than you have. 206 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: If you think the giant is too big, then you're defeated. 207 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: You got to change your perspective. Friends, you were never 208 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: created to be average. You have seeds of great greatness 209 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: on the inside. God did not breathe his life into 210 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: us for us to just barely get by and go 211 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: around intimidated by our dreams and convinced that the giants 212 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: are too big. Now, God's destiny for you is to 213 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: live an overcoming life of victory. God wants you to 214 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: leave your mark on this generation. You may be facing 215 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: a big challenge. I'm not asking you to deny it. 216 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: I'm asking you to not dwell on it. Don't let 217 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: it consume you. Don't think about the problem all the time. 218 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: Don't go look up the sickness on the internet and 219 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: find out twenty seven different ways you can die from it. 220 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: Do like David and downplay it. I met a lady 221 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,839 Speaker 1: after the service not long ago, and she was here 222 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,479 Speaker 1: in town with her husband, and they were so excited 223 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: about being here. After we visited a moment as she 224 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: was walking off, I noticed she had a wristband from 225 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: the hospital. Now, I ask if everything was okay. She said, Joel, 226 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: everything is fine. I'm being treated, but all is well. 227 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: She wouldn't even say the word cancer. She wouldn't even 228 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: give it the credit for what it was. She wasn't 229 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: denying it, but she was choosing not to dwell on it. 230 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: Her attitude was, I'm not intimidated. This cancer is not 231 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: bigger than my God. God created my body. He controls 232 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: my destiny. No weapon formed against me is going to prosper. 233 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: If it's not my time to go, then I'm not 234 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: gonna go. I love the way she wasn't intimidated. I 235 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: read where Martin Luther woke up one time in the 236 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: middle of the night and Satan himself was standing at 237 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 1: the end of his bed. He said, oh, it's only you, 238 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: and rolled over and went back to sleep. Don't be 239 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: intimidated by the thoughts that are telling you it's too big. 240 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: It's never going to change. No. In the battle, more 241 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: than ever, you have to guard your mind. That's the 242 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: enemy's number one target. He knows if if he can 243 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: control your thought life, he can keep you defeated. And 244 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: the scripture says he goes about as a roaring lion. 245 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: Doesn't say he is one, he acts like one. In 246 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: other words, he's got a big bark. Those thoughts will 247 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: come telling you you're never gonna get well. This sickness 248 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: is the end of you. You've seen your best days. 249 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: Here's what I've learned. He's all bark and no bite. 250 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: Just tell him no thanks. I'm not moved by what 251 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: I feel. I'm moved by what I know, And I 252 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: know the creator of the universe has me in the 253 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: palm of his hands. I know all things are gonna 254 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: work together for my good. This is what my mother 255 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: did when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in nineteen 256 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: eighty one. She was given a few weeks to live. 257 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: She told how she would lay in bed at night, 258 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: and those thoughts would come, telling her, you can wear 259 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: that new red dress you bought to your funeral. You 260 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: can have them bury you in those white shoes, thoughts 261 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: telling her the possible scenario. If you don't guard your mind, 262 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: it's very easy to lose perspective and to start magnifying 263 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: the problem rather than magnifying God. We can't keep the 264 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: negative thoughts from coming, but we don't have to dwell 265 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: on them. When they come, we should immediately replace them 266 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: with what God says about us. That thought told my mother, 267 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: you can be buried in that red dress. She said, 268 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: no thanks. With long life, God will satisfy me. Well, 269 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: you're never gonna get well, No thanks, God is restoring 270 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: health back into me. Well this is the end. You're done. 271 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: No thanks. I will live and not die and declear 272 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: the works of the Lord. Today, my mother, she's been 273 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: going strongly nearly thirty years later, do you know? Not 274 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: long ago my mother went to her doctor's funeral, the 275 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: same one that told her that she wasn't gonna make it. 276 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: And I say that respectfully. He was a kind man, 277 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: he loved the Lord. But would you ever have thought 278 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: she would have outlived the doctor? Friends, God has the 279 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: final say. I heard a story about this little boy. 280 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: There was a big bully that lived down the street 281 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: that was always bothering him, and he was trying to 282 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: get his nerve up to stand up against him, but 283 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: he just didn't have the confidence. He was too afraid. 284 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: One day, his father bought him a new telescope. He 285 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: was out in the front yard playing with it, but 286 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: he was looking through the wrong end. He was looking 287 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: through the big end. His father came out and said, no, son, 288 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: you've got it backwards. Turn it around and it'll make 289 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: the object appear bigger, like it was meant to do. 290 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: The little boy said, I know that, Dad, But right 291 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: now I'm looking at this bully, and when I see 292 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: him this way, it makes him so small that I'm 293 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: not afraid of him anymore. Some of you today need 294 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: to turn your telescope around. You've magnified the problem long enough. 295 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: You've thought about how impossible it is and how it's 296 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: never going to work out. But if you could just 297 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: turn it around, you would get the right perspective that 298 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: it's no big deal. All God has to do is 299 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: breathe in your direction that dream coming to pass that 300 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: looks so impossible, so unlikely. If you could just, by 301 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: faith turn your telescope around, you would realize that all 302 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 1: it takes is one touch of God's favor, just one 303 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: phone call, one good break, meeting one right person, it 304 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: all work out. It's amazing what God will do when 305 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: we have the right perspective. In Second Chronicles, chapter twenty, 306 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: King Jehosaphat and the people of Judah were surrounded by 307 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: three major armies that were quickly closing in on them. 308 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 1: In the natural they didn't have a chance. They were outnumbered, 309 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: probably ten to one. But instead of complaining, Jehosiphat got 310 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: all the people together and he began to pray. He 311 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: didn't say, poor old us, God, why is this happening. No, 312 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: he began to talk about the greatness of God. He said, God, 313 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: we know you rule all the nations of the world. 314 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,360 Speaker 1: All power and might is in your hand. Nothing can 315 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: stand against you. Then he began to thank God for 316 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: what he had done in the past. He began to 317 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: remember his victories. He said, God, we know you are 318 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: the one that drove the inhabitants out of this land. God, 319 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: you gave us this city that you promised our ancestor Abraham. God, 320 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: you defeated this enemy. On and on. What was he 321 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: doing in his time of difficulty, making sure he had 322 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: the right perspective, magnifying God and not his problem in 323 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: the same way in our times of difficulty, instead of complaining, God, 324 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 1: the economy is so bad, gas is getting so high. God, 325 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: I don't think my child's ever gone straighten up. God, 326 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: I don't see how I could ever get well. No, 327 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: if you talk defeat. You're going to have defeat. You've 328 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: got to do like Jehosaphat and say God, you are 329 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: an awesome God. You created the whole universe. Nothing's too 330 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: hard for you. God. You said you knew me before 331 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: I was formed in my mother's womb. And so God, 332 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about this problem. I know you're greater 333 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: than this financial difficulty. You make streets out of gold. 334 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: I know you're more powerful than this sickness you created 335 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: my body. When you magnify God, faith rises in your heart. 336 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: When you talk about God's greatness, your problems get smaller 337 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: and smaller. It's good to do, like Jehosipath, look back 338 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: over your life and remember the great things God has done. God. 339 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 1: I remember how you healed my mother when they said 340 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: there was no hope. God. I remember when I walked 341 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: into the jewelry store and met Victoria. I remember God, 342 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: how you protected being on the highway when my car 343 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: was spinning around in the rain that day. God, I 344 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: remember how you gave us this beautiful facility when all 345 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: the odds are against us. When you remember the great 346 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: things God has done, you'll know if God did it 347 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: for you back then God will do it for you 348 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: right now. One time in the scripture, the prophet of 349 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: Elijah was facing a major challenge. Four hundred false prophets 350 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: had come against him, and they decided to have a 351 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: contest to see which God was real. Elijah ended up 352 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: calling down fire from heaven. It destroyed those four hundred prophets. 353 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: Was a great victory, one of the highlights of his life. 354 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: But there was a lady there named Jezebel. When she 355 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: heard what happened to her prophets, she was furious. She 356 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: sent word to Elijah saying, if I don't kill you 357 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 1: by this time tomorrow myself, then I'm gonna take my 358 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: own life. When Elijah heard this, he was so afraid 359 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 1: he took off running. He ran and ran so far 360 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: until he finally hid underneath the tree. So depressed, so discouraged, 361 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: he said, God, I don't even want to live anymore. 362 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: I'm done. God, just take me on home. Think about it. 363 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 1: He had just seen God rain down fire from heaven. 364 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: He had just seen God protect him from four hundred men. 365 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: Now he is allowing one angry woman. I could make 366 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: a joke, but not to cause him to want to 367 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: give up and quit what happened. He lost his perspective. 368 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 1: If he would have just remembered what God did a 369 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: few days earlier, he wouldn't have been so afraid. I 370 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: wonder how many times we do the same thing. We've 371 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: all seen God do great things in our lives. We've 372 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: seen God protect us and show us favor and cause 373 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: us be at the right place at the right time. 374 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 1: But if we're not careful, we'll face a challenge and 375 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: we'll think, oh, this is never gonna change. This enemy 376 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: is too big. No, the same God that brought you 377 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: through last time is standing by your side, ready to 378 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: bring you through this time. The same God that made 379 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: away last year is gonna make away this year. The 380 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: same God that showed you his favor, his mercy, his goodness, 381 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: he has not lost his power. He's still on the throne. 382 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: He's still the great I Am. He's still the God 383 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: who's more than enough. If you will have the right 384 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: perspective and believe that he's bigger, and believe that right 385 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: now he's fighting your battles for you, then you will 386 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,719 Speaker 1: see his power, his goodness, his mercy once again like 387 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: you've seen in the past. Remember your victories. It'll help 388 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: you to not lose perspective. When Victoria and I first 389 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: got married, we lived in a townhouse that backed up 390 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: to the woods, and our family room was at the 391 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: back of the house, and we had this window from 392 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: floor to ceiling, and when you look through the family room, 393 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: it was just like you were outside. Our bedroom was 394 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: right up the stairs, kind of looking down on the 395 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:35,239 Speaker 1: family room. One Saturday, Victoria got up early to go 396 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: to work at the jewelry store with her mom, and 397 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: a few seconds after she walked out of the bedroom, 398 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: she came running back in said, Joel, get up, there's 399 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 1: a squirrel in our family room, right in front of 400 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: the window. I said, no, Victoria, your perspective is off. 401 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,880 Speaker 1: It's an illusion. It looks like he's inside, but really 402 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,159 Speaker 1: he's outside. She said, okay, she went back out. A 403 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,479 Speaker 1: few seconds later she came back in. Her eyes are 404 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 1: this big, Joel, I'm telling you, the squirrel is inside 405 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,479 Speaker 1: our house. My heart started beating, and I walked out 406 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: about halfway down the stairs, and sure enough, there he was, 407 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: the squirrel inside, about twenty feet in front of me. Thought, 408 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:14,479 Speaker 1: oh man, I don't want to deal with this squirrel. 409 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 1: I'm afraid of squirrels. I said, Victoria, come over here 410 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: and help me. And all Victoria could do was laugh. 411 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: When she gets nervous, she starts laughing. I said, Victoria, 412 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: there is nothing funny about this squirrel being in our house. 413 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: And about that time, the squirrel took a few steps 414 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: toward me. I thought, now wait a minute, and I 415 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: backed up. He took more steps towards me. I thought, 416 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,439 Speaker 1: Dear God, do not let this squirrel attack me in 417 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: my own home. I decided I was going to make 418 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: a run for it. With the adrenaline flow, and I 419 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: turned around and I ran up the stairs as fast 420 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: as I could, got to my bedroom, shut the door. 421 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: God is my witness. That squirrel beat me to the bedroom. 422 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: He was right at my feet, looking up at me 423 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: like he had a big grin on his face. I 424 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: nearly passed out. I had a call. I had to 425 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: call Victoria's dad to come get this squirrel out of 426 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: our house. What's my point, I've learned to never question 427 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 1: Victoria's perspective anymore. I forgot my next story, y'all. In 428 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: Second King's Chapter six, the Syrian army had quietly snuck 429 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: up one night and surrounded Elisha's house. Early the next day, 430 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: his servant went out and saw all these enemy forces, 431 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: thousands of troops, chariots, horses everywhere he looked. And the 432 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: servant went back in and said, Elisha, I got terrible news. 433 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: We're surrounded. Get up. What are we gonna do? We 434 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: don't have a chance. And I love Alicia's attitude. He 435 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: had a different perspective. He said in verse sixteen, don't 436 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: be afraid. Those that are for us are greater than 437 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 1: those that are against us. The servant was puzzled. He said, 438 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 1: what do you mean, Elisha, just me and you two 439 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: of us. I saw thousands of them. Elisha prayed a 440 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: very simple prayer. He said, Lord, open his eyes that 441 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: he might see. He was saying, in effect, God, help 442 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: him to have the right perspective, let him know who's 443 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: really on our side. The scripture says that the Lord 444 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: opened the young man's eyes to where he could see 445 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,239 Speaker 1: into the unseen spiritual realm. This time, when he went 446 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 1: out and looked, he didn't just see the Syrian army. 447 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: He saw a vast host of the heavenly armies all 448 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: across the mountain side, hundreds of thousands of these powerful 449 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: warring angels dressed and ready for battle. Once he saw that, 450 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,919 Speaker 1: he wasn't intimidated anymore. He had the right perspective. You 451 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: may be facing a big challenge today. God is saying 452 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,239 Speaker 1: the same thing to you that he said to that 453 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: young man. Don't be afraid. Those that are for you 454 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: are greater than those that are against you. The obstacle 455 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: may be high, but our God is the most high. 456 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: The enemy may be powerful, but our God is all powerful. 457 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 1: Keep the right perspective. Turn your telescope around. Don't focus 458 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: on the size of the problem. Focus on the size 459 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: of your God. He's brought you through in the past. 460 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: He's going to bring you through in the future. I 461 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: speak strength into you today. I speak healing. I speak determination, wisdom, confidence. 462 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: I declare you will not be intimidated. Friends, Today the 463 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: tide of the battle is beginning to turn. You will 464 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: not be overcome. You will be the overcome Earth. You 465 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: will not be the victim, You will be the victor. 466 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 1: God is fighting your battles for you. He's going to 467 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: defeat your enemies. And I believe in declare He's not 468 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: only going to bring you out, He's going to bring 469 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: you out better off than you were before in Jesus' name. 470 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: If you receive it, can you say amen. We never 471 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity 472 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you 473 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jim Jesus, I'll repent 474 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 475 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,959 Speaker 1: my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 476 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,360 Speaker 1: we believe you got born again. Get in a good 477 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: Bible based church. Keep God in first place. He's going 478 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: to take your places that you've never dreamed of. When 479 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: we face challenges, it's easy to feel like God has 480 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: forgotten about us. We don't see anything happening, and thought's 481 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 1: tell us it's not going to work out. But God 482 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: is not called the great I was or the Great 483 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: I will be. He's called the Great I Am. In 484 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: my new book, he is I Am, You'll discover that 485 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: God is with you in every area of your life. 486 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: I Am is always in the present, not at a 487 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: later time. God is working in your life right now. 488 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: I am means I am your healer, I am your provider. 489 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: I am your way maker, whether you're facing a challenge 490 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: or pursuing your dreams. Stay in faith. The Great I 491 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: Am is right there with you. You. 492 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 2: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 493 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 2: of any amount this month, we would like to send 494 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 2: you a copy of Joel's book He Is I Am. 495 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: God Is for you here and now. Are you in 496 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 2: need of protection or provision today? Jesus assures us, I 497 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 2: Am the good Shepherd. Does the path ahead seem uncertain 498 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 2: or dark? Jesus declares, I Am the Light of the world. 499 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 2: Do you feel like your career, calling or marriage just 500 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:34,040 Speaker 2: beyond hope? Jesus promises, I Am the Resurrection and the Life. 501 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 2: With every I Am statement, You'll discover more about who 502 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 2: God is and what He has made available for you, 503 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 2: not someday, but today. Request your copy today and watch 504 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 2: God's promise come alive. No matter what you face, He 505 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 2: is here and now for you. Be sure to request 506 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,479 Speaker 2: your copy of He Is I Am. God Is for 507 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 2: you here and now today. Visit Joe Lostean God or 508 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 2: call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 509 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 1: You're never alone. The Great I Am is behind the scenes, 510 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: making ways, opening doors, turning things in your favor. Victoria 511 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: and I want you to know we love you and 512 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: we pray for you every day. Thanks for your prayer 513 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: and support of the ministry. Your generosity is making a 514 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: difference in people's lives around the world. Special thank you 515 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. 516 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. 517 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 518 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, listen on Serious XM, watch our 519 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 1: YouTube channel and the new Joel Ostein network streaming on 520 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: television twenty four hours a day. But until we see 521 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 1: you next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you. 522 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of he Is I 523 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 2: Am God is for you here and now today. Visit 524 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: Joelostein dot com or call eight eight eight five six 525 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 2: seven Joel for an additional donation. This month we are 526 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 2: offering the IM Collection. It includes a beautiful two piece 527 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 2: scripture walart plus the he Is IM book bundle. The 528 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 2: stretched canvas elegantly features IM and scripture reference John fourteen six. 529 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 2: You can request these unique resources by calling eight eight 530 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 2: eight five six seven Joel. For logging on to Joelostin 531 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 2: dot com today, call or click anytime twenty four hours 532 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 2: a day. Yes, be reminded that the power of IM 533 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 2: is for you each and every day.