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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting

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Speaker 2: the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you

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Speaker 2: be a blessing and share it with a friend. We

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Speaker 2: appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life.

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Speaker 1: Well, God bless you.

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Speaker 2: It is always a joy to come into your homes.

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Speaker 2: We love you, We know God has great things in

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Speaker 2: store for you. And if you're ever in our area,

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Speaker 2: I hope you'll stop by and be a part of

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Speaker 2: one of our services. I say it often, but these

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Speaker 2: are the finest people in all of Houston, right here

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Speaker 2: at Lakewood.

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Speaker 1: We'll make you feel right at home.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for tuning in. Thank you again for coming out.

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Speaker 2: I like to start with something funny each week. And

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Speaker 2: I heard about this blonde lady. And you know I'm

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Speaker 2: married to a beautiful, smart, intelligent blonde.

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Speaker 1: This is just a joke.

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Speaker 2: But this blonde was at Target and she saw this

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Speaker 2: thermous up on the shelf. She asked the clerk what

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Speaker 2: it was. He said, that's a thermis. You've never used

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Speaker 2: one of those?

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Speaker 1: She said, no, What does it do?

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Speaker 2: He said, it keeps things hot and it keeps things cold.

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Speaker 2: The next day she showed up at work with it.

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Speaker 2: Her boss said, I've never seen you with the thermos.

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Speaker 2: What do you have in there? She said, two popsicles.

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Speaker 1: And some coffee.

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Speaker 2: All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you

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Speaker 2: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it

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Speaker 2: says I am. I have what it says I have.

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Speaker 2: I can do what it says I can do. Today

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Speaker 2: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly

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Speaker 2: confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I

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Speaker 2: will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you.

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Speaker 2: I want to talk to you today about recognizing what

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Speaker 2: battles to fight. One thing I've learned is not every

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Speaker 2: battle is worth fighting. Many of the challenges that come

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Speaker 2: our way are simply distractions to try to lure us

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Speaker 2: from our destiny. And when we have opportunities to get upset,

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Speaker 2: maybe somebody is talking about us, or a competitor at

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Speaker 2: work is spreading rumors, or our spouse says that they

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Speaker 2: shouldn't have You have to ask yourself, if I engage

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Speaker 2: in this battle and spend my time and energy trying

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Speaker 2: to straighten somebody out, defending myself, arguing with the family member,

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Speaker 2: trying to prove that I'm right. Even if I win

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Speaker 2: this battle, what is the prize going to be? What

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Speaker 2: is this fight going to accomplish? For instance, that person

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Speaker 2: that cuts me off in traffic. If I get upset

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Speaker 2: and cut him back off and let that ruin the

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Speaker 2: rest of my morning, how is that going to benefit me?

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Speaker 2: I don't even know the person. Five minutes later, they're

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Speaker 2: not in my life. What's my point? There are no spoils.

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Speaker 2: That's not a battle that is worth fighting. The reason

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Speaker 2: many people are missing out on God's best is they're

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Speaker 2: distracted fighting battles that don't really matter, trying to prove

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Speaker 2: themselves to people, trying to win over all their critics,

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Speaker 2: playing up to someone trying to get their approval. Those

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Speaker 2: are all all distractions. We need to choose our battles. Wisely,

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Speaker 2: we're not supposed to be in a fight mode all

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Speaker 2: of the time. And I know people every other minute

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Speaker 2: they're upset with their spouse, aggravated at a neighbor, going

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Speaker 2: to straighten somebody out at the office where they're.

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Speaker 1: Talking about me.

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna show them how wrong they are the next

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Speaker 2: six months that consumes them.

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Speaker 1: Their time and their energy.

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Speaker 2: They don't realize that's not a battle worth fighting.

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Speaker 1: There are no spoils.

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Speaker 2: Even if they do win, it's not gonna put them

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Speaker 2: further down the road. If we make the mistake of

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Speaker 2: engaging in every battle that comes along, and we're constantly

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Speaker 2: defending ourselves, proving our point, straightening somebody out, then we're

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Speaker 2: not gonna have the energy we need to fight the

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Speaker 2: battles that do matter. We're supposed to be warriors, but

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Speaker 2: a warrior doesn't just fight any battle. He only fights

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Speaker 2: battles where there is a spoil, a battle that is

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Speaker 2: between him and his god given destiny. I think about

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Speaker 2: David as a shepherd boy. His father asked him to

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Speaker 2: take his brother's lunch that were out on the battlefield.

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Speaker 1: They had a much more prestigious position. David was stuck

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Speaker 1: just taking.

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Speaker 2: Care of his father's sheep, and when he got out there,

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Speaker 2: he heard Goliath taunting the people, making fun of them.

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Speaker 2: He asked the men standing around, what is the prize

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Speaker 2: for the man that defeats this giant. They said, the

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Speaker 2: reward that person will get is one of the king's

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Speaker 2: daughters in marriage, and they won't have to pay any

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Speaker 2: more taxes. Of course, that got David's attention. He knew

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Speaker 2: that was a battle worth fighting. There was spoils, there

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Speaker 2: was a reward there. When David's older brother Eliab heard

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Speaker 2: David talking about fighting the giant, he tried to embarrass

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Speaker 2: him and from all those men. He said, David, what

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Speaker 2: are you even doing out here? And what have you

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Speaker 2: done with those few sheep our father has left you with.

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Speaker 2: He tried to make him feel small. He was saying, David,

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Speaker 2: you're just a shepherd boy. You're not important, You'll never

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Speaker 2: do anything great.

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Speaker 1: I love the way David responded.

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Speaker 2: The scripture says that David turned and walked away from Eliab.

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Speaker 2: One reason David was a champion was he knew which

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Speaker 2: battles to fight. David had feelings just like you and I.

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Speaker 2: I'm sure he wanted to say, oh, Eliab, you think

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Speaker 2: you're something great, you're nothing at all. He could have

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Speaker 2: easily gotten into strife, started arguing, trying to prove to

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Speaker 2: Eliab that he was important. But if he would have

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Speaker 2: engaged in that battle, if he would have taken that bait,

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Speaker 2: he would have gotten distracted, wasted his time and energy,

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Speaker 2: and who knows if he would have ever defeated Goliath.

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Speaker 2: Who knows if he had ever gotten to the battle

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Speaker 2: that really mattered.

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Speaker 1: You have to ask.

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Speaker 2: Yourself, are the battles I'm engaged in worth fighting? Do

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Speaker 2: they have any rewards? Are they furthering me toward my

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Speaker 2: God given destiny? Or am I just fighting to pay

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Speaker 2: somebody back that offended me or fighting to prove to

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Speaker 2: someone that I'm important? Now those are distractions. Now, I

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Speaker 2: dare say most of the frustrations that come our way

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Speaker 2: are not worth fighting for. If it's not between you

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Speaker 2: and your god given destiny, you should simply ignore it.

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Speaker 2: Somebody doesn't want to be your friend. Somebody doesn't accept you.

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Speaker 2: That's not going to keep you from your destiny. Somebody's

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Speaker 2: rude to you at the office. Somebody cuts you off

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Speaker 2: in traffic. That's not worth starting World War three over.

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Speaker 2: Don't engage in that battle. In the big picture, it

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Speaker 2: doesn't even matter. When we get caught up in the

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Speaker 2: petty battles, the non essential ones, we may miss the

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Speaker 2: Goliath that God puts in our path to push us

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Speaker 2: into our divine destiny.

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Speaker 1: The battles that do matter will come.

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Speaker 2: We need to save our strength, save our energy for

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Speaker 2: what's really important. And these days we're too easily offended,

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Speaker 2: we're too touchy. I had a lady tell me last week, Joel,

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Speaker 2: the reason I quit coming to church, the reason I

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Speaker 2: hadn't been here in two months, is because everybody was

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Speaker 2: talking about me.

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Speaker 1: Everybody was against me.

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Speaker 2: I didn't say it, but I thought, ma'am, everybody doesn't

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Speaker 2: know you. If you sit on that side of the building,

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Speaker 2: the people that sit over there probably have never even

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Speaker 2: seen you.

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Speaker 1: What happened. She got engaged in a battle that wasn't

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Speaker 1: worth fighting.

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Speaker 2: One person offended her, somebody said something she didn't like.

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Speaker 2: Instead of letting it go and thinking, this battle doesn't

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Speaker 2: have any spoils. This battle, even if O win's not

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Speaker 2: gonna bring me a prize, she fell into that trap.

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Speaker 1: Well I'm not gonna come to church. Just show them

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Speaker 1: see how they take that.

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Speaker 2: Funny thing is services seem to be just as good

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Speaker 2: as ever, matter of fact, a little bit better than normal.

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Speaker 2: That's what happens when we get involved in a battle

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Speaker 2: that's not important. Things get blown out of proportion, things

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Speaker 2: get magnified. Everybody's against me, everybody's talking about me. I

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Speaker 2: say this respectfully. Everybody doesn't know you. Everybody's not really interested.

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Speaker 2: She got distracted trying to prove her point, and it

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Speaker 2: ended up not hurting anyone except herself. I remember years

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Speaker 2: ago I was at the mall with a friend of

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Speaker 2: mine and we were headed toward our car. It was

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Speaker 2: about fifty or sixty feet in front of us out

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Speaker 2: the doors, and all of a sudden, he stopped and said, now,

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Speaker 2: let's don't go this way, Let's go that way. I said, why,

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Speaker 2: our car's right here. He said, no, I don't walk

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Speaker 2: by that store. They did me wrong, he said. It's

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Speaker 2: so dramatic and so serious. I thought for sure they'd

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Speaker 2: accused him of something terrible, or they'd stolen a lot

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Speaker 2: of money from him.

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Speaker 1: I said, what happened?

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Speaker 2: He said, they wouldn't take back a pair of shoes

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Speaker 2: that had been like twenty years earlier.

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Speaker 1: No doubt the original people were dead and gone.

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Speaker 2: Here he's still trying to fight a battle that has

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Speaker 2: no spoils. The people he's trying to prove a point

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Speaker 2: to are probably in heaven. If not, they're in Florida,

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Speaker 2: sitting on the beach enjoying their life. He's wasting his

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Speaker 2: time and energy trying to pay somebody back. They're not

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Speaker 2: even there to pay back. I want to say, man alive,

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Speaker 2: just let it go. I'll buy you some new shoes.

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Speaker 2: Let me ask you, are you still fighting battles that

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Speaker 2: have no spoils, battles that are taking your time and

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Speaker 2: energy and keeping you from pursuing what's really important, your

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Speaker 2: God given goals, your God given dreams.

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Speaker 1: Choose your battles wisely. We only have so much energy.

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Speaker 2: And when we get caught up in these things that

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Speaker 2: don't matter, upset, offended, holding a grudge, paying somebody back,

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Speaker 2: then when the real giant comes along, a real goliath

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Speaker 2: that's there to push us into our divine destiny, we

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Speaker 2: won't have the focus nor the energy to win that battle.

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Speaker 2: We have to realize some things just don't matter.

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Speaker 1: Don't make a big deal out of it.

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Speaker 2: When I first got married, I'd get so up tight

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Speaker 2: if Victoria didn't turn all the lights off at the

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Speaker 2: house when she left. That was my pet peeve, and

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Speaker 2: I'd give her my speech again and again, Victoria, you

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Speaker 2: gott to be sure and turn all the lights off.

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Speaker 2: When I'd come home and all the lights were on,

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Speaker 2: and I'd get so up tight and go give her

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Speaker 2: my same speech. She didn't do it on purpose. We

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Speaker 2: just have different personalities, different strengths. And after about five

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Speaker 2: years of harping on that I'm a slow learner, y'all,

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Speaker 2: bringing tension into the house, getting up tight, it finally

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Speaker 2: dawned on me, Joe, this is not a battle worth fighting.

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Speaker 2: If it costs you an extra ten dollars a month

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Speaker 2: in electricity, that is well worth keeping the peace in

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Speaker 2: your home.

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Speaker 1: What's my point?

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Speaker 2: The rewards were not big enough for the heartache it

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Speaker 2: was causing me.

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Speaker 1: It is worth ten to have peace in our homes.

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Speaker 2: How many battles are you involved in that do not

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Speaker 2: have big enough rewards? How many arguments are you instigating

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Speaker 2: or how much tension are you bringing into the home

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Speaker 2: that could easily be avoided, which is some minor adjustments.

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Speaker 2: And you may be right, you may be able to

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Speaker 2: win the victory. But a lot of times we win

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Speaker 2: the battle, but we come out so battles guard.

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Speaker 1: We're beat up, wounded.

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Speaker 2: We said things we know we shouldn't have, mad at ourselves,

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Speaker 2: brought tension into the house. We won the battle, but

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Speaker 2: we're sleeping in the garage.

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Speaker 1: We won the battle, but our spouse is not talking

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Speaker 1: to us.

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Speaker 2: Recognize that battle does not have big enough rewards. You'd

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Speaker 2: have been better off to be the bigger person, to

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Speaker 2: overlook it, to let it go.

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Speaker 1: For the sake of peace.

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Speaker 2: I heard somebody say a bulldog can whip a skunk

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Speaker 2: any day of the week, but sometimes he.

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Speaker 1: Realizes it's just not worth the stink.

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Speaker 2: You may be right, you may have all the facts

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Speaker 2: on your side, but is it worth the stink?

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Speaker 1: Is it worth the pressure the tension is going to

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Speaker 1: bring into the home. What are the rewards? It's not

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Speaker 1: enough to just well, I prove that I was right.

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Speaker 2: Now, you'd be better to let someone else think they're

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Speaker 2: right so you can keep peace in your home. Now,

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Speaker 2: I found it's easy to start a fight, but it's

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Speaker 2: hard to end to fight. It's easy to start an argument.

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Speaker 2: It's easy to get offended and say things that we

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Speaker 2: know we shouldn't, but it's hard to stop it. It's

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Speaker 2: hard to let it go. It's much better to never

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Speaker 2: even start it. That's what it says in Proverbs twenty

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Speaker 2: verse three. Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor.

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Speaker 2: If you want God to honor you, if you want

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Speaker 2: to enjoy your life, you need to be a peacemaker.

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Speaker 2: Be the kind of person that will avoid an unnecessary fight,

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Speaker 2: a fight that's not going to produce any good rewards.

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Speaker 2: Your home needs to be a place of peace. You

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Speaker 2: and your spouse need to be in harmony. You are

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Speaker 2: stronger together than you are a part. Not only that,

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Speaker 2: your children need to see a good example. They're gonna

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Speaker 2: treat their family the same way they see you treating

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Speaker 2: each other. Don't make a big deal out of things

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Speaker 2: that are not a big deal. Remember the reason why

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Speaker 2: you fell in love with that person.

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Speaker 1: Focus on their good qualities.

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Speaker 2: I heard somebody say people will leave a marriage. They'll

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Speaker 2: leave somebody that has eighty percent of what they need

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Speaker 2: because they find the other twenty percent in somebody else.

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Speaker 2: But what they don't realize is nobody has it all.

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Speaker 2: And if you leave the eighty to find the twenty

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Speaker 2: that your spouse doesn't have, you'll soon realize that other

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Speaker 2: person is lacking in twenty percent of something else. You're

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Speaker 2: still gonna have something to deal with. It'd be better

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Speaker 2: to just recognize no one person can give me everything

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Speaker 2: that I need. I'm not gonna get frustrated and try

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Speaker 2: to change something I can't change, or try to make somebody.

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Speaker 1: Give me something that they don't have.

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Speaker 2: And yes, the grass always looks greener on the other side,

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Speaker 2: but remember it still has.

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Speaker 1: To be mode. Just stick with what you have.

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Speaker 2: I've known people that have spent years and years trying

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Speaker 2: to win the approval of someone playing up to them,

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Speaker 2: sacrificing their own identity, their own goals, to try to

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Speaker 2: impress a boss, or to try to win over one

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Speaker 2: of their critics. The problem is that person is never

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Speaker 2: going to give them their approval, and if we're going

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Speaker 2: to live in victory, we have to accept the fact

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Speaker 2: that not everyone is going to like us, and not

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Speaker 2: everyone is going to agree with us.

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Speaker 1: I saw an interesting statistic.

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Speaker 2: It said, twenty five percent of the people you meet

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Speaker 2: won't like you and never will twenty five percent won't

285
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Speaker 2: like you but could be persuaded, to twenty five percent

286
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Speaker 2: will like you but could be persuaded not to will

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Speaker 2: like you and stand by you no matter what. Life

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Speaker 2: gets a lot freer when we realize if this person

289
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Speaker 2: doesn't like me, if they don't want to be my friend,

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Speaker 2: if they don't give me the time of day, no

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Speaker 2: big deal. I'm not gonna get upset I'm not gonna

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Speaker 2: spend the next two years frustrated trying to win them over.

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Speaker 2: I realize they're one of the twenty five percent that

294
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Speaker 2: are never gonna like me. I could compliment them every hour,

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Speaker 2: send them flowers every day, mow their lawn every week,

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Speaker 2: but this old go I mean.

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Speaker 1: This person is never gonna like me. Here's the key.

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Speaker 2: You should not waste your valuable time and energy playing

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Speaker 2: up to them, trying to change their mind, trying to

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Speaker 2: convince them that you're important. Those are distractions. You don't

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Speaker 2: need their approval to be who God.

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Speaker 1: Made you to be. You don't have to have them

303
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Speaker 1: accept you.

304
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Speaker 2: If you will let that go and not get involved

305
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Speaker 2: in battles that don't matter, then God will not only

306
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Speaker 2: send you people that accept and approve you, but he'll

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Speaker 2: send people that celebrate you, people that celebrate your talents

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Speaker 2: and celebrate your personality and celebrate your accomplishments. You want

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Speaker 2: to have to constantly be trying to prove yourself, walking

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Speaker 2: on eggshells.

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Speaker 1: Hoping that you're good enough.

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Speaker 2: No, you can just relax and be who God made

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Speaker 2: you to be and they'll think you're the greatest thing.

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Speaker 1: In the world.

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Speaker 2: It's like when I was growing up, my grandmother, in

316
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Speaker 2: her eyes, I could do no wrong. Somebody ate the

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Speaker 2: chocolate chip cookies before dinner. Who was it?

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Speaker 1: Not my darling Joel. It may have been one of.

319
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Speaker 2: His three sisters, but I know Joel would never do that.

320
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Speaker 2: My sisters used to get so aggravated. They'd say, Grandmama

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Speaker 2: thinks Joel is a saint. I can't help it. I

322
00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,800
Speaker 2: even had favor back then. But that's the kind of

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Speaker 2: people God wants to bring you. People that are for you,

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Speaker 2: people that believe the best, people that celebrate who you are.

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Speaker 1: It's something important.

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Speaker 2: Quit wasting your time trying to win somebody over that's

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Speaker 2: never gonna be one over. Quit trying to make somebody

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Speaker 2: love you that's never gonna love you. Quit trying to

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Speaker 2: persuade them to be your friend when they're never gonna

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Speaker 2: be your friend. If you have to constantly play up

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Speaker 2: to them and convince them you're important and talk them

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Speaker 2: into spending time with you, that is a battle that's

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Speaker 2: not worth fighting. You need to have the attitude. I

334
00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,480
Speaker 2: know I have something great to offer. I am one

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Speaker 2: of a kind. I have a great personality. I have

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Speaker 2: the right looks and I'm not gonna live my life

337
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Speaker 2: trying to make people love me, trying.

338
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Speaker 1: To convince them that I'm good enough.

339
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Speaker 2: I'm gonna let that go and start trusting God to

340
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Speaker 2: bring me divine connections, people that will celebrate who I am.

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Speaker 2: Years ago, there was this couple that I knew and

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Speaker 2: I really wanted to be their friend, but they were

343
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Speaker 2: not that friendly to me. They were cordial, they would

344
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Speaker 2: say hello, but it just seemed like there was always

345
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Speaker 2: something that was keeping them from accepting and approving me.

346
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Speaker 2: I just could not understand that. I went out of

347
00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,399
Speaker 2: my way to win their approval. I introduced them to

348
00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,800
Speaker 2: friends of mine. In fact, one connection led to them

349
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Speaker 2: starting a business together.

350
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Speaker 1: You'd think they'd be.

351
00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,000
Speaker 2: Appreciative and it They at least be friendly, but still nothing.

352
00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,919
Speaker 2: And eventually they got transferred and relocated to another city,

353
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Speaker 2: and I found people to help them move and even

354
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Speaker 2: gave them a gift for their new home. But in

355
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Speaker 2: spite of all that I did, they would never even

356
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Speaker 2: give me the time of day. And on top of that,

357
00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,480
Speaker 2: a couple of years later, I got word that they

358
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Speaker 2: were talking bad about me. They thought I hadn't done enough,

359
00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,520
Speaker 2: hadn't treated them right and here there was nobody in

360
00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,359
Speaker 2: the world that I had done more for than that couple.

361
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,000
Speaker 2: I realize now they're just one of the twenty five

362
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Speaker 2: percent that are never going to like me. I wish

363
00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,400
Speaker 2: i'd known back then what I know now. You don't

364
00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,840
Speaker 2: have to play up to people. You don't have to

365
00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,359
Speaker 2: convince them to like you, don't have to buy people

366
00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,480
Speaker 2: off if they don't want to be your friend.

367
00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,440
Speaker 1: Just have the attitude. Too bad for you. You don't

368
00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:11,639
Speaker 1: know what you're missing out on.

369
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Speaker 2: When I quit fighting those battles, that's when God begin

370
00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,639
Speaker 2: to bring people into my life that would celebrate me.

371
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Speaker 1: It wasn't long after that that.

372
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Speaker 2: I met Victoria, And even if she does leave the

373
00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,480
Speaker 2: lights on, I'll still take her. She celebrates me, I

374
00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:34,119
Speaker 2: celebrate her. One reason people will never accept us is

375
00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,879
Speaker 2: because they're so insecure. They'll never give you a compliment,

376
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,320
Speaker 2: never let you in their group because they're intimidated.

377
00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:42,640
Speaker 1: They're threatened by you.

378
00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,080
Speaker 2: And the way they express that insecurity is to try

379
00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,320
Speaker 2: to push you down so they will look bigger. They

380
00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:53,560
Speaker 2: minimize so they can equalize. They'll diminish who you are

381
00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,639
Speaker 2: and what you have to offer and your accomplishments. So

382
00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,399
Speaker 2: they won't look so small. People like that never going

383
00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,800
Speaker 2: to change. That's a battle that's not worth fighting. If

384
00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,920
Speaker 2: you'll let it go, God will bring people into your

385
00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,919
Speaker 2: life that add value, not take away.

386
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Speaker 1: People that will celebrate.

387
00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:14,600
Speaker 2: Who you are and be happy for you when you succeed,

388
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Speaker 2: not people that find fault, not people that get jealous.

389
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Speaker 2: We shouldn't waste our time in battles that are not winnable.

390
00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,440
Speaker 2: Some people, no matter what you say or do, they're

391
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:27,720
Speaker 2: never going to change their mind.

392
00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,879
Speaker 1: Really, all they want to do is argue. They just

393
00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:31,680
Speaker 1: like to fight.

394
00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,080
Speaker 2: If they're not fighting with you, they'll be fighting with

395
00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,040
Speaker 2: somebody else. One thing I've especially learned is don't argue

396
00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:43,080
Speaker 2: the scripture. Don't debate doctrine. Right after I first started ministering,

397
00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,080
Speaker 2: this older gentleman came up to me, and he was.

398
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Speaker 1: Very very serious.

399
00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,560
Speaker 2: He said, Joel, I need to know what you believe

400
00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,040
Speaker 2: about the second dispensation of the spirit. I thought, Dear God,

401
00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,000
Speaker 2: I must have missed the first one.

402
00:20:58,160 --> 00:20:59,040
Speaker 1: I said, Sir, I.

403
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,080
Speaker 2: Don't really know all about that. He said, well, Joel,

404
00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,520
Speaker 2: I believe this and this and this. I said, you

405
00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,400
Speaker 2: know what, I think you're right. I agree with you.

406
00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,120
Speaker 2: He looked at me kind of puzzled. He said, yeah,

407
00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,200
Speaker 2: but I believe this and this and this. I said,

408
00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,080
Speaker 2: I agree exactly. He looked at me more confused, got

409
00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:17,879
Speaker 2: a little bit redder in the face. Yeah, but Joel,

410
00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,240
Speaker 2: I believe this and this here. He had won the

411
00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:24,200
Speaker 2: argument three times, but he wasn't happy, He wasn't satisfied.

412
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:28,680
Speaker 2: He wanted to keep arguing. He was in that fight mode. Finally,

413
00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:30,840
Speaker 2: he was halfway convinced.

414
00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:32,080
Speaker 1: That I agreed, and he walked away.

415
00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,640
Speaker 2: And when he got about ten steps from me, I said,

416
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,000
Speaker 2: excuse me, sir, I'm not sure I agree with that

417
00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,439
Speaker 2: one thing. He turned back around. I said, I'm just kidding.

418
00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:41,400
Speaker 2: I'm just playing.

419
00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:43,600
Speaker 1: He's ready to fight again.

420
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,919
Speaker 2: People like that that always want to argue.

421
00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:48,960
Speaker 1: That's a battle that's not worth fighting.

422
00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,080
Speaker 2: Even if you do win over one of your critics,

423
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,360
Speaker 2: you know what, I found, two more are gonna pop up.

424
00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,439
Speaker 2: The best way to answer your critics is not with

425
00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,560
Speaker 2: your words, but with your action. The best way to

426
00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,400
Speaker 2: answer them is to let them see the fruit.

427
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,040
Speaker 1: Of a well lived life.

428
00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,080
Speaker 2: A reporter asked Bill Cosby the secret of success. He said,

429
00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,600
Speaker 2: I don't know the secret of success, but I do

430
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,240
Speaker 2: know the secret of failure, and that is.

431
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,560
Speaker 1: To try to please everybody. You have to accept that

432
00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,920
Speaker 1: not everybody's going to like you, not everybody's going to

433
00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:22,760
Speaker 1: understand you. But that's okay.

434
00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:25,760
Speaker 2: Just run your race, be the best that you can be,

435
00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,880
Speaker 2: and God will take care of your critics. I think

436
00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:33,040
Speaker 2: about when Niamiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. There

437
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,560
Speaker 2: were two men at the bottom of the mountain named

438
00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,160
Speaker 2: Sanballat and Tobias. They were his biggest critics. The whole

439
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,840
Speaker 2: time he was up there working, they were hollering, Neamiah,

440
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,920
Speaker 2: come down here and fight with us. You are never

441
00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,200
Speaker 2: going to finish that wall. You don't have what it takes.

442
00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,960
Speaker 2: But I love the fact that Niamiah was focused. They

443
00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,920
Speaker 2: were making a lot of noise, threatening him, calling him names,

444
00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:01,000
Speaker 2: but he recognized there was no benefit to fighting with them.

445
00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,800
Speaker 2: That was not going to accomplish anything. He knew they

446
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,439
Speaker 2: were simply a distraction. When God puts a dream in

447
00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,439
Speaker 2: your heart, there will always be the sand Ballants and

448
00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,679
Speaker 2: Tobiases trying to engage you in battles that don't matter.

449
00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,920
Speaker 2: They may talk a mean talk, say things behind your back.

450
00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,520
Speaker 2: They'll try to lure you into strife, but you've got

451
00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,919
Speaker 2: to be disciplined enough to recognize when it's.

452
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,600
Speaker 1: A battle that's even worth fighting. Just like David.

453
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:36,200
Speaker 2: Recognized that Elieb was simply a distraction, Niamiah realized these.

454
00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:37,399
Speaker 1: Two men were one as well.

455
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,320
Speaker 2: You have to evaluate that situation and only get involved

456
00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:44,480
Speaker 2: in battles that will bring you a prize. I'm sure

457
00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,840
Speaker 2: Niamiah could have come down off the wall and put

458
00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,000
Speaker 2: a stop to those two men. I'm sure he could

459
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,240
Speaker 2: have defeated them, But Niamiah understood this principle of not

460
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,359
Speaker 2: wasting time and energy fighting battles that don't really matter.

461
00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,200
Speaker 2: One time in the Old Testament, a prophet was walking

462
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,480
Speaker 2: down the street and this young man started making fun

463
00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,040
Speaker 2: of him, calling.

464
00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,560
Speaker 1: Him names, even throwing rocks.

465
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,840
Speaker 2: He followed him everywhere that he went, just pestering him,

466
00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,760
Speaker 2: trying to pick a fight, trying to aggravate him. Finally,

467
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,119
Speaker 2: the men with the prophet said, do you want us

468
00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,160
Speaker 2: to put a stop to him?

469
00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:19,680
Speaker 1: Do you want us to shut him up? He is

470
00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:20,560
Speaker 1: a real pain.

471
00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,960
Speaker 2: I love the way the prophet answered. He said, no,

472
00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,439
Speaker 2: let him keep talking. Maybe God will hear him and

473
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,639
Speaker 2: bless me for it. That's the attitude we need to

474
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,639
Speaker 2: have when somebody's talking about us. Instead of getting upset

475
00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,120
Speaker 2: trying to defend ourselves, let's believe God will hear them

476
00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,960
Speaker 2: and bless us for it. That takes all the pressure off.

477
00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:44,879
Speaker 2: We don't have to try to pay people back. We

478
00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:49,080
Speaker 2: don't have to get involved in battles that don't really matter.

479
00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,800
Speaker 2: We know God is our vindicator and he's gonna bless

480
00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,080
Speaker 2: us because of what they're saying. That means if somebody's

481
00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,399
Speaker 2: trying to make you look bad, spreading rumors, telling life eyes,

482
00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,680
Speaker 2: really they have done you a favor. What they mean

483
00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,560
Speaker 2: for your harm, God is going to use to promote you.

484
00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,919
Speaker 2: And I know this to be true because we have

485
00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,280
Speaker 2: never tried to answer our critics. The more they talk,

486
00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,080
Speaker 2: the more God promotes us. The more they talk, the

487
00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,920
Speaker 2: higher we go. When you're pursuing your goals and dreams

488
00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,600
Speaker 2: in life, there's gonna be the critics in the naysayers

489
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:25,760
Speaker 2: telling you you can't do it, threatening you, trying to

490
00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,520
Speaker 2: distract you. But understand, you don't have time to come

491
00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,480
Speaker 2: down off that wall. You don't have time to convince

492
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,199
Speaker 2: your critics. You don't have time to argue you have

493
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,600
Speaker 2: a destiny to fulfill. You have an assignment to accomplish.

494
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,000
Speaker 2: Those are battles that are not worth fighting. Learn to

495
00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,800
Speaker 2: ignore the sand, balance and tobiases. Before long, like Nehemiah,

496
00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,399
Speaker 2: you'll complete your wall and your actions will answer your

497
00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:52,720
Speaker 2: critics and.

498
00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:53,520
Speaker 1: Some of you today.

499
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,840
Speaker 2: If you just get a little more focused and not

500
00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,480
Speaker 2: get involved in battles that don't matter, you would see

501
00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,840
Speaker 2: God bring the golias across your path. In other words,

502
00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,440
Speaker 2: you would see God bring the battles that are there

503
00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,680
Speaker 2: to bring you greater opportunity, to bring you greater promotion.

504
00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:13,479
Speaker 2: When things don't go your way, you're tempted to get upset.

505
00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,000
Speaker 2: You need to ask yourself is this a battle worth fighting?

506
00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,879
Speaker 2: Is it between me and my destiny? Or is it

507
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,800
Speaker 2: just another distraction to waste my time and energy. If

508
00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,280
Speaker 2: I engage in this conflict, is it going to be

509
00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,840
Speaker 2: worth it? Remember, we don't have to fight battles to

510
00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,640
Speaker 2: prove to people who we are, or try to win

511
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,199
Speaker 2: over our critics, or to play up to someone to

512
00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,879
Speaker 2: get them to like us. Those are all distractions. Just

513
00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,720
Speaker 2: stay focused on the main goals that God has put

514
00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,400
Speaker 2: in your heart. Learn to not make a big deal

515
00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:46,920
Speaker 2: out of things that are not a big deal.

516
00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:49,159
Speaker 1: Let it go for the sake of peace.

517
00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,240
Speaker 2: And if you'll be disciplined to fight the battles that

518
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,919
Speaker 2: do matter, then you'll see God do amazing things. Like David,

519
00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,600
Speaker 2: you will defeat your giants like Deemaiah, you will complete

520
00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:03,560
Speaker 2: your wall. That means you'll accomplish your goals, you'll overcome

521
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,919
Speaker 2: your obstacles, and you'll see God.

522
00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,480
Speaker 1: Bring every dream, every desire He's put in your heart.

523
00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:11,399
Speaker 1: It will come to pass. Amen. Do you receive it today?

524
00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 1: I know you do.

525
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,200
Speaker 2: Many people believe that God can heal, but when nothing

526
00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,639
Speaker 2: is improving, our prayers are not being answered, it's easy

527
00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,240
Speaker 2: to think, will God heal me?

528
00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,480
Speaker 1: The truth is God still loves to heal.

529
00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,560
Speaker 2: I've witnessed God's healing power firsthand in my own family.

530
00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:34,320
Speaker 2: When situations seemed impossible and medically speaking, there were no options,

531
00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,240
Speaker 2: God stepped in and made away. Now. I love to

532
00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:40,359
Speaker 2: send you our new devotional God still loves to heal.

533
00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,120
Speaker 2: It's filled with scripture and encouragement designed to strengthen your

534
00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,439
Speaker 2: faith and help you believe for healing even when you

535
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:48,160
Speaker 2: can't see it.

536
00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:49,520
Speaker 1: God is still working.

537
00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,320
Speaker 2: As you stand firm and declare his promises healing is

538
00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:53,920
Speaker 2: on the way.

539
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,960
Speaker 1: The same God who healed in the Bible is still

540
00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:57,840
Speaker 1: healing today.

541
00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,920
Speaker 3: Your generous support is so important to help us share

542
00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,600
Speaker 3: the message of hope and as our way of saying

543
00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,720
Speaker 3: thank you for your gift of any amount, Pastor Joel

544
00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,119
Speaker 3: would like to send you a copy of God Still

545
00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:14,600
Speaker 3: Loves to Heal seventy days to receive, reflect and rest

546
00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,719
Speaker 3: in the finished work of God. This new seasonal devotional

547
00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,600
Speaker 3: will guide you through a weekly rhythm where you'll be

548
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Speaker 3: encouraged by life changing insight that will strengthen and encourage

549
00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:29,840
Speaker 3: you in your faith. Jesus cares about you physically, mentally,

550
00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:34,680
Speaker 3: and emotionally. He forgives us, delivers us, and he heals

551
00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:39,040
Speaker 3: us and makes us whole. With this inspiring devotional resource,

552
00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,680
Speaker 3: you'll go on a healing journey. You'll enter into God's

553
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:47,680
Speaker 3: rest and restoration knowing his promises are true yesterday, today,

554
00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,960
Speaker 3: and forever. Receive your copy of this powerful new book

555
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,240
Speaker 3: and experience God's goodness and healing power. Be sure to

556
00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:59,760
Speaker 3: request your copy of God Still Loves to Heal available

557
00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,880
Speaker 3: this month by simply visiting us at Joeloasting dot com

558
00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,520
Speaker 3: or call eight eight eight five six seven, Joel.

559
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:12,080
Speaker 2: My mother was miraculously healed from terminal cancer. My sister

560
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,720
Speaker 2: Lisa was healed from a birth injury similar to cerebral palsy.

561
00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,480
Speaker 1: What God did for us, he can do for you.

562
00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:20,680
Speaker 2: Nicktoy and I are going to be praying for you

563
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,280
Speaker 2: this month, especially for healing for you and your family,

564
00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:28,480
Speaker 2: not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, that you will

565
00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:29,840
Speaker 2: be completely whole.

566
00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:32,600
Speaker 1: We appreciate your prayer and support.

567
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:37,040
Speaker 2: Your generosity is impacting people around the world, and special

568
00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,480
Speaker 2: thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all

569
00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:42,880
Speaker 2: you do to make the ministry possible. Until we meet again,

570
00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,320
Speaker 2: May the Lord bless you and keep you.

571
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,920
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of God Still Loves

572
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,479
Speaker 3: to Heal available this month by simply visiting us at

573
00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,480
Speaker 3: Joeloasting dot com or call eight eight eight five six

574
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Speaker 3: seven Joel and you can fill your year with strength,

575
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Speaker 3: features God's Word for every season, a guided four part

577
00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,960
Speaker 3: journal series to help anchor your heart to his promises.

578
00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,000
Speaker 3: Plus God Still Loves to Heal, and the blessing of

579
00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:18,600
Speaker 3: taking communion together. They'll strengthen your faith, renew your hope,

580
00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:22,480
Speaker 3: and remind you that Jesus still heals and restores. Today,

581
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,880
Speaker 3: you can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight

582
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Speaker 3: eight five six seven Joel or logging on to joelostein

583
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Speaker 3: dot com Today. Call or click any time, twenty four

584
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Speaker 3: hours a day. Request your copies today