WEBVTT - Letting Go Of Control | Joel Osteen 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:02.840 What a joy to be with you today. 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.280 If we're praying for you and your family, I know 0:00:05.360 --> 0:00:08.360 God has great things in store. You wouldn't be alive 0:00:08.480 --> 0:00:10.879 if there weren't more victories in front of you. So 0:00:11.240 --> 0:00:13.440 now that we love you, we're praying for you, and hey, 0:00:13.440 --> 0:00:15.200 I hope you'll stay tuned to the very end. We've 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:18.760 got some special resources to help you stay encouraged and inspired. 0:00:19.440 --> 0:00:22.000 Well, God bless you. It's to joy to come into 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:24.919 your homes. We're praying for you, guys, and I hope 0:00:24.920 --> 0:00:27.639 you'll stay connected with us all throughout the week. You 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:31.440 can download our daily podcast or go to our YouTube channel, 0:00:31.480 --> 0:00:34.839 watch the messages anytime, follow us on social media. We 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.680 want to keep it encouraged and inspired. But thanks for 0:00:37.720 --> 0:00:40.360 tuning in. Thanks again for coming out. I like to 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:43.360 start with something funny, and I heard about these elderly 0:00:43.479 --> 0:00:46.559 ladies way up in their eighties. They were driving down 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:49.760 the freeway together when they were pulled over by a policeman. 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.880 The officer asked the driver, ma'am, do you realize you're 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.480 only going thirty five miles an hour? She said, yes, Officer, 0:00:57.560 --> 0:00:59.720 I realize that. He said, well, why are you going? 0:00:59.720 --> 0:01:03.520 So she said, because that's what the sign says. He 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:05.840 kind of laughed and said, no, ma'am, that's the number 0:01:05.880 --> 0:01:09.319 of the freeway. This is Highway thirty five. And by 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:12.240 the way, why did these other passengers look so terrified? 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:15.840 She smiled and said, because we just got off Highway 0:01:15.920 --> 0:01:20.800 ninety five. Say it like you mean it. This is 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.920 my Bible. I am what it says. I am. I 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:26.360 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:01:26.440 --> 0:01:29.160 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:01:29.200 --> 0:01:33.319 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:36.520 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:41.320 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:45.679 to you today about letting go of control. God puts 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:48.720 promises and dreams in all of our hearts. We know 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:51.480 we're going to get well, we know our business is 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:53.720 going to succeed. We know we're going to meet the 0:01:53.800 --> 0:01:57.240 right person. But God doesn't tell us how it's going 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:01.000 to happen or when it's going to happen. And too often, 0:02:01.240 --> 0:02:03.880 if it's not happening the way we thought or on 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:07.480 our timetable, we get frustrated. God, when is this going 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.440 to turn around? When is my health going to improve. 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.680 How come this situation at work is not getting better. 0:02:14.360 --> 0:02:17.040 We put God in a box and tell him how 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:20.000 to do it, when it should happen, and who to use. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.480 If it's not working out the way we think, we 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:26.560 can get discouraged. But once you pray, once you believe, 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:29.959 you have to leave how God does it and when 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:32.680 he does it up to him. If you put a 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.399 time frame on it and the method of how it's 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:39.080 going to happen, You're going to be frustrated because God's 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.640 ways are not our ways. He's working when we can't 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:46.720 see it. Sometimes it's taking longer because He has something 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:50.120 better in store. One of the best things I've learned 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:54.560 is to trust God's timing and trust his ways. What 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.880 God promised will come to pass, but it may not 0:02:58.040 --> 0:03:01.040 happen the way you think. It may not be when 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:04.520 you had planned. If you're trying to control the outcome 0:03:04.560 --> 0:03:07.600 and control the time frame, you're going to live worried. 0:03:08.080 --> 0:03:11.600 You have to release control, release having to have it 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:15.920 happen your way. God already has it figured out. He 0:03:16.040 --> 0:03:19.320 knows the end from the beginning. But here's the key. 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:23.080 He doesn't give us the details. If you knew how 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.840 everything was going to work out. It wouldn't take faith 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:28.960 if he told you three months from now a big 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:32.160 door is going to open. It looks like you're going backwards, 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:34.880 but there's a shortcut. It's going to put you ahead. 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.080 You would relax and say, Okay, it's all going to 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:41.600 work out. Why don't you do that now? God has 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.840 it all planned out. He's doing things you can't see. 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:49.480 There are good breaks coming, healing favor the right people. 0:03:49.800 --> 0:03:54.280 They're already on your schedule. If you'll release control, then 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:57.440 you can enjoy your life while you're waiting for things 0:03:57.440 --> 0:04:01.720 to change. What's upsetting you, what's keeping you awake at night? 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:05.920 God is saying, release it to me. I'm in control. 0:04:06.400 --> 0:04:10.160 I'm ordering your steps. I'm working behind the scenes. It 0:04:10.200 --> 0:04:12.520 may not be good, but I'm going to turn it 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:16.920 for your good. The scripture says, those who have believed 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:20.919 in are into rest. Once you believed, you don't have 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:24.520 to figure everything out. You may not see anything changing. 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:28.000 You'll be tempted to worry. Stay at rest. When you're 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.279 at rest, you're showing God that you trust him. Wow. 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:34.960 Maybe you're believing for your health to improve, but the 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:38.240 medical report is not getting better. You thought it would 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:42.200 have happened by now. You could be worried, complaining, but 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:46.600 instead you're thanking God. You're declaring his promises. You're being 0:04:46.640 --> 0:04:50.479 your best each day. When you're at rest, you're in faith. 0:04:51.040 --> 0:04:54.120 That's what allows God to work. But if you're upset 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:58.599 over what's not changing, worried about your finances, can't sleep 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:02.360 because that child is off, that's a sign that you've 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:06.400 stopped believing. You need to enter into rest, come back 0:05:06.440 --> 0:05:10.039 to a place of peace. You can't trust God and 0:05:10.160 --> 0:05:13.440 be worried at the same time. When you're at rest, 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:16.560 you know God's in control. You know all things are 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.160 gonna work for your good. You know what he's started, 0:05:19.279 --> 0:05:23.640 he's going to finish well. Joel, I'm worried about my finances. 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.360 I'm upset about the medical report. When is this pandemic 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:29.880 going to be over? It's not a surprise to God. 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:33.480 He hasn't brought you this far to leave you. Release 0:05:33.600 --> 0:05:38.120 the worried, release the frustration, release having to know all 0:05:38.160 --> 0:05:43.000 the details. It will always be situations that we don't understand, 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:47.160 and problems that look too big, obstacles that seem permanent. 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:51.280 That's a test will you go through life worried, wondering 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:54.440 if it's going to work out, discourage because it's taken 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:58.200 so long, or will you enter into rest? Will you 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:00.960 believe that God is in control and that he will 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:04.279 get you to where you're supposed to be. My sister 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:07.520 Lisa and her husband Kevin tried to have a baby 0:06:07.560 --> 0:06:11.080 for many years with no success. Lisa took all the 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:16.400 fertility treatments, had a couple of surgeries, but still couldn't conceive. Finally, 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.200 the doctors told her that she wouldn't be able to 0:06:19.279 --> 0:06:23.200 have a baby in Lisa kept praying, kept believing year 0:06:23.320 --> 0:06:26.280 after year. She knew that God has the final say, 0:06:27.080 --> 0:06:30.599 but at one point she realized she was consumed with 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:34.880 having that baby. That was her main focus. And sometimes 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:38.280 we want something so badly it can get out of balance. 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:41.279 We're not going to be happy unless God does it 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:44.200 our way. You have to put it on the altar. 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:47.800 Don't release the dream, don't give up on the promise, 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:51.240 but release control of how God is going to bring 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:54.160 it to pass. He may not do it a traditional 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:58.320 way what you were expecting. Anything, you have to have 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:02.200 to be happy. The enemy can use against you, but 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.479 when you can say God, this is what I want. 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:07.480 But even if it doesn't work out my way, I'm 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:09.640 still going to be happy. I'm still going to give 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:12.720 you praise that takes away the power of the enemy. 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:17.880 Hold tightly to your dreams, but hold loosely to how 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.040 God is going to do it. A few months after 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:25.080 Lisa released control, she received a phone call from a 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.240 friend of ours in another state that has a home 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:31.800 for teenage girls. One of the young ladies was about 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:35.320 to give birth to twins. She asked Lisa and Kevin 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:38.760 if they would be interested in adopting them. They didn't 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:42.000 have to think twice. They knew that was an answered prayer. 0:07:42.240 --> 0:07:45.080 A couple of months later, they were at the hospital 0:07:45.440 --> 0:07:49.160 when the babies were born. Today, they're beautiful young ladies 0:07:49.240 --> 0:07:53.720 in their twenties. God knows how to bring promises to pass, 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:56.640 but you have to stay open to how it's going 0:07:56.680 --> 0:08:00.160 to happen. If you're set in having it one way, 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:05.120 you can be frustrated. God does things out of the ordinary, unusual. 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:08.800 He may not bring your dream to pass a traditional way. 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:12.920 Seemed like Lisa was falling behind, But then one phone 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:16.200 call and she had not one, but two babies. She 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:18.960 didn't have to get pregnant. She didn't have to carry 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:22.480 the baby nine months. God did it an unusual way. 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:26.760 Are you upset about something that's the hand of God. 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.520 It hasn't happened yet, because God's going to do something 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:35.040 better than you think. The delay, the disappointment, the setback, 0:08:35.440 --> 0:08:39.600 it's not working against you, is working for you. Release 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:43.520 control of how it's going to happen. God is about 0:08:43.559 --> 0:08:49.280 to do unusual things out of the ordinary, unprecedented. You're 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:52.440 not falling behind. You're about to receive a phone call, 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:56.480 a good break, a promotion. Your health suddenly turns around. 0:08:57.559 --> 0:09:01.920 I've learned God doesn't always take us down a straight path. 0:09:02.480 --> 0:09:07.240 There will be detours, delays, curves, these times when you 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:10.360 feel like you're going the wrong way. God, I'm believing 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:14.960 to go this direction for promotion, healing, freedom, but I'm 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:18.440 going the other direction. I'm in a pandemic. I'm seeing 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:22.480 just the opposite. Don't get set on the method. The 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:25.320 way you think it's going to happen may not be 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.079 the way God's going to do it. What you can't 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:30.800 see is on that path, there's going the wrong way. 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:34.439 There's another turn. It leads to a shortcut that will 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:38.800 catapult you ahead. Lisa was believing for one child and 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:42.199 came out with two. That's the way our God is. 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:45.280 Where he's leading you is going to be better than 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:49.280 you've imagined. The reason it's taking longer is because it's 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:53.760 going to be bigger than you thought, more rewarding, more fulfilling. 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:57.480 Doors aren't opening yet. You don't know what God is 0:09:57.559 --> 0:10:00.880 up to. You can't see what he's doing by the scenes. 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:05.120 People are against you, the trouble hasn't turned around. Your 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:08.680 family member is still off course. Don't be discouraged by 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:19.840 what's not changing. Your time is coming. The scripture talks 0:10:19.880 --> 0:10:22.720 about how there is a set time for God to 0:10:22.800 --> 0:10:26.079 favor you, a set time to heal you, a set 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:30.280 time to turn the problem around. If there's a right time, 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:34.640 that means there's a wrong time. If it hasn't happened yet, 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:38.240 then it wasn't meant to be. Instead of fighting where 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:42.199 you are, why don't you embrace where you are? God? 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:45.439 I know you're ordering my steps. I'm right where I'm 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:47.959 supposed to be. Lord. I want to thank you that 0:10:48.000 --> 0:10:51.920 my set times are coming. I can promise you this 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:55.560 God is not going to be one second, lad, He's 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:59.600 not going to accidentally miss your set time. And it's 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:05.120 good to be passionate about our dreams and passionate about healing, freedom, promotion. 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.720 But don't be so consumed that you're not going to 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.640 be happy while you're waiting for God to bring it 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:15.400 to pass. Don't put your happiness on hold until everything 0:11:15.480 --> 0:11:19.960 works out. This day is a gift. Enjoy your life 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:25.880 while God is working. Enter into rest, not uptight stressed out. 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:28.559 When is it going to change? You have to pass 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:32.360 the test of being happy where you are before God 0:11:32.400 --> 0:11:35.199 will get you to where you want to be. If 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:38.520 you can only be happy when the problem turns around, 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:42.600 when you have the baby, when your business grows, that's 0:11:42.600 --> 0:11:45.600 going to delay what God is going to do. You 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.959 have to put your foot down and say, I am 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:51.480 going to enjoy this day. This pandemic is not going 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:55.000 to stop me. These challenges, this bad break. God, I 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:58.560 know you're on the throne. I trust your timing, I 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:01.600 trust your ways. In the meantime, I'm going to live 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:06.800 my life happy. Imagine if Joseph had not learned how 0:12:06.840 --> 0:12:10.160 to release control. God gave him a dream as a 0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:13.440 teenager that he would be in leadership that people would 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:16.880 bow down before him. What if he had a preconceived 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:20.160 idea of how it was going to happen. Surely someone 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:22.640 is going to show up at my house like they 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:26.080 did for David and anoint me king, pick me out 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:29.559 of a lineup, show me favor, and I'll step into leadership. 0:12:30.200 --> 0:12:35.760 But God does things unusual ways. He uses adversities, bad breaks, 0:12:35.960 --> 0:12:40.640 disappointments to move us into our destiny. The trouble looks 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:46.040 like a setback, but really trouble is transportation. God uses 0:12:46.120 --> 0:12:48.800 trouble to move you to where he wants you to be. 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:54.520 We think God only uses favor, good breaks, open doors. 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:58.040 We know that's his blessing. We think him when that happens. 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.920 But I've learned God he uses closed doors just as 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:05.320 much as open doors. He uses people that are against 0:13:05.400 --> 0:13:07.960 us just as much as people that are for us. 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:13.840 He uses rejection, betrayals, delays to position us for promotion. 0:13:14.480 --> 0:13:17.600 We can't see it at the time. We don't like it. 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:21.720 It's uncomfortable, but it's the hand of God ordering our steps. 0:13:22.679 --> 0:13:26.200 Joseph had this dream. He knew God's favor was on him. 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:30.440 What happened He was betrayed, by his brothers, thrown into 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:34.720 a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, put in prison, 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:39.439 one bad break after another. But Joseph understood this principle. 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:43.760 He never complained, he never got bitter. I'm sure there 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:48.840 were many lonely nights, times where he felt forgotten, abandoned, 0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:52.760 But deep down he could hear that still small voice 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:56.000 telling him I'm still in control. I've got you in 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:58.280 the palm of my hand. This is all a part 0:13:58.320 --> 0:14:01.719 of your destiny. If he would have tried to control it, 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:04.760 tried to make it happen his way, he would have 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:09.920 lived bitter, frustrated, angry. Every day he had to release 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:14.280 the worry, release the frustration, release how he thought it 0:14:14.320 --> 0:14:18.600 would happen. Thirteen years later, he became the Prime Minister 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:22.440 of Egypt. He saw that dream come to pass. But 0:14:22.520 --> 0:14:29.080 when you study his journey, you see twists and turns, delays, detours, disappointments. 0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:34.160 Proverb says, since the Lord is directing your steps, why 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:38.920 try to understand everything that happens along the way. Are 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:42.920 you frustrated because you don't understand something that's happened to you? 0:14:43.680 --> 0:14:47.240 Upset over a bad break, worried because of a delay. 0:14:48.000 --> 0:14:50.240 How do you know it's not the hand of God 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.440 leading you to your throne? How do you know you're 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:57.200 not a Joseph, that you're not right on course, on 0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:00.840 schedule to see what God promised you. It may not 0:15:01.080 --> 0:15:05.960 happen like you think. God uses difficulties to position us 0:15:06.200 --> 0:15:10.360 for destiny. What you're upset about is a necessary step 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:15.320 that closed door. The delay. It's intrmental in you reaching 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:20.280 your purpose. Don't try to understand everything that happens along 0:15:20.320 --> 0:15:24.360 the way. God works in mysterious ways. If you're trying 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:27.720 to figure everything out, you're going to get confused. There 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:31.200 are things that you're not supposed to understand. That's what 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:35.400 faith is all about. If that adversity was going to 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:39.200 stop your destiny, God wouldn't have allowed it. If that 0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:42.440 disappointment was going to keep you from your purpose, it 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:46.160 wouldn't have happened. God is seeing what you're made of. 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.920 This is your chance to say, like Joseph, God, I 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:53.560 trust you even when I don't understand it. I'm gonna 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:56.400 keep being my best, even when it's not fair. I'm 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:59.359 gonna keep giving you praise when I could be complaining, 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:04.160 Keep moving forward when I feel like going backwards Luke 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:07.920 twenty two. Jesus was about to be crucified. He was 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:11.320 on the Mount of Olives praying. Judas came up with 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.480 a group of soldiers and kissed Jesus. That's how they 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:17.840 knew who to arrest. Now, when they went to take Jesus, 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:20.600 Peter pulled out his sword and cut off one of 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:24.280 the soldier's ears. He was ready to fight. He wasn't 0:16:24.280 --> 0:16:27.640 about to let this go down without opposition. The other 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:31.760 disciples said, Lord, should we fight. We brought our swords. 0:16:32.560 --> 0:16:37.360 Jesus said in verse fifty two, don't resist anymore. He 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:40.120 was saying, this is all a part of my plan. 0:16:40.800 --> 0:16:44.800 I can't reach my destiny without Judas kissing me, without 0:16:44.800 --> 0:16:48.440 this betrayal, I can't rise from the dead. I can't 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:53.640 bring salvation without these soldiers arresting me, without me being crucified. 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:57.280 And it looked like the enemy was in control. The 0:16:57.400 --> 0:17:01.200 soldiers were getting the upper hand taking Jesus away. They 0:17:01.240 --> 0:17:05.840 didn't realize they were taking him into his destiny. When 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:10.320 we face hardships, the bad breaks, the disappointments, it seems 0:17:10.359 --> 0:17:13.520 like the enemy is in control. That's when we want 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:18.320 to fight, resist, get upset live worried. God is saying, 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:23.920 don't resist anymore, don't fight it, don't live bitter, don't 0:17:23.960 --> 0:17:28.000 try to get even. Trust me, I'm in control. I'm 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:33.440 still directing your steps. Yes, resist the sickness, resist the addiction, 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:38.400 but you shouldn't fight everything that comes your way. Live upset, 0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:42.320 can't sleep at night. The enemy didn't get the upper hand. 0:17:43.040 --> 0:17:46.359 He didn't somehow get control of your life. God is 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:50.639 still on the throne. The betrayal wasn't fair. God didn't 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:54.600 stop it because it's leading you to your destiny. You 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:58.440 didn't like the disappointment. Looks like the enemy is prevailing, 0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:02.120 like the opposition is holding you back. But you don't 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:05.040 know what God is up to. What you can't see 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:08.600 is on the other side of that crucifixion, so to speak, 0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:12.000 is a resurrection. On the other side of the betrayal, 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:16.639 the sickness, the disappointment is a new level of your destiny. 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:23.399 Stop resisting and start resting. Sometimes we're trying to play God. 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:28.920 We're straighten everybody out, vindicate ourselves, fix this situation at work. 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:33.200 Why don't you release control. God doesn't need our help. 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:37.800 He's not looking for some advice, Hoping you'll stop those betrayals, 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:42.159 keep those bad breaks from happening. No, don't resist anymore. 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:46.600 Let him be God. You don't have to fight everything 0:18:46.640 --> 0:18:50.440 that comes your way. You can't reach your destiny without 0:18:50.480 --> 0:18:54.320 a Judas kiss. Don't fight Judas, kiss him back and 0:18:54.400 --> 0:18:57.879 move on. You can't become who you were created to 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:02.600 be without a soul being jealous, like with David, without 0:19:02.600 --> 0:19:06.840 a Potiphar's wife, falsely accusing you, like with Joseph without 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:10.480 a king, Nebukanezzar throwing you into a fiery furnace, like 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:14.040 the three Hebrew children, without a pharaoh trying to hold 0:19:14.080 --> 0:19:18.119 you captive, like the Israelites. The good news is the 0:19:18.240 --> 0:19:22.439 opposition is not in control. They are palms in the 0:19:22.520 --> 0:19:26.000 hands of the Most High God. He is ordering your steps. 0:19:26.800 --> 0:19:32.480 Nothing happens without his permission. Nineteen fifty nine, my father 0:19:32.640 --> 0:19:35.879 was pastoring a successful church. They had just built a 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:39.680 new auditorium. He was on the state board for his denomination. 0:19:40.240 --> 0:19:43.200 Life was good, looked like he had a bright future, 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:47.000 but my sister was born with something like cerebral pauls in. 0:19:47.680 --> 0:19:50.719 My father went to a hotel downtown to be alone 0:19:50.760 --> 0:19:53.879 for a few days. He read the Bible like it 0:19:53.960 --> 0:19:56.879 was the first time he ever read it. He saw 0:19:56.920 --> 0:20:00.199 how God is a healer, how he wants to to 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:04.400 live a victorious, bless life. He came back and started 0:20:04.440 --> 0:20:08.960 sharing his new message of faith and victory with his congregation. 0:20:09.880 --> 0:20:13.280 Much to his surprise, some of them didn't like it. 0:20:13.280 --> 0:20:16.479 It didn't fit into their tradition. They ended up asking 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:20.359 him to leave. He was so disappointed. He had spent 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:24.240 years pouring his heart and soul into those people. My 0:20:24.320 --> 0:20:27.720 father could have fought it, made a big fuss, showed 0:20:27.720 --> 0:20:30.400 them that he was right and they were wrong. Instead, 0:20:30.840 --> 0:20:35.359 he didn't resist. He recognized that closed door was the 0:20:35.480 --> 0:20:38.320 hand of God. He and my mother went out and 0:20:38.359 --> 0:20:42.440 started Lakewood in an abandoned fee store with ninety people. 0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:46.000 Critics said it would never last, but sixty one years later, 0:20:46.240 --> 0:20:52.000 here we are still going strong. God knew my father 0:20:52.080 --> 0:20:56.840 couldn't reach his destiny staying in that limited environment. Those 0:20:56.880 --> 0:21:00.199 people that were against him, they couldn't help it. They 0:21:00.200 --> 0:21:03.639 weren't bad people, they were pawns in the hands of God. 0:21:04.560 --> 0:21:07.000 You have to be mature enough to know when to 0:21:07.119 --> 0:21:10.960 resist and when not to resist. You're not supposed to 0:21:10.960 --> 0:21:16.600 fight every battle. God uses betrayals, closed doors, disappointments to 0:21:16.720 --> 0:21:20.040 move you into your purpose. What if my father would 0:21:20.080 --> 0:21:24.040 have been bitter, stubborn, not willing to move God, I 0:21:24.119 --> 0:21:26.560 know you want me to pastor here, he would have 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:32.040 missed his destiny. Don't resist rest, don't try to control 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:35.800 how it's going to happen. Release control, be open to 0:21:35.880 --> 0:21:39.639 what God is going to do. Act twenty seven. Paul 0:21:39.760 --> 0:21:43.440 was a prisoner on a ship sailing toward Rome. An 0:21:43.480 --> 0:21:45.879 angel appeared to him and said he was going to 0:21:45.920 --> 0:21:50.200 stand before Caesar. On the journey, they encountered a huge 0:21:50.200 --> 0:21:54.720 storm with hurricane force winds. For fourteen days, they didn't 0:21:54.720 --> 0:21:58.240 see the sun nor the stars. They tried their best 0:21:58.359 --> 0:22:00.920 to steer the ship to try to keep some kind 0:22:00.960 --> 0:22:04.480 of control, but the winds were too much. Instead of 0:22:04.520 --> 0:22:07.440 fighting it, trying to force where they wanted it to go, 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:12.000 the scripture says they took down the cells and let 0:22:12.040 --> 0:22:15.919 the wind blow the ship wherever the storm wanted it 0:22:15.960 --> 0:22:20.120 to go. When you've done everything you can, you prayed, 0:22:20.480 --> 0:22:23.840 you believed, you stood in faith, there comes a time 0:22:24.119 --> 0:22:27.080 where you have to do like them. Quit fighting it, 0:22:27.760 --> 0:22:30.560 quit trying to force it to work out, Quit losing 0:22:30.640 --> 0:22:35.480 sleep and release control. God will not take you someplace 0:22:35.720 --> 0:22:39.480 where he wants sustain you. How do you release control? 0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:43.399 Quit worrying about it, Quit losing sleep, quit trying to 0:22:43.400 --> 0:22:47.000 make it happen your way. Say God, I trust you. 0:22:47.760 --> 0:22:50.880 I know you're in control of these winds. They can 0:22:50.920 --> 0:22:54.600 blow me forward, backward, left, right, But one thing I'm 0:22:54.680 --> 0:22:58.080 certain of, where you take me is exactly where I'm 0:22:58.119 --> 0:23:02.000 supposed to be. So what my father did. Those winds 0:23:02.040 --> 0:23:05.560 blew him to Lakewood. The same winds that were meant 0:23:05.560 --> 0:23:08.600 to stop you. If you'll stay in faith, God will 0:23:08.640 --> 0:23:11.679 shift the winds and instead of blowing you backwards, they 0:23:11.720 --> 0:23:14.800 will blow you forward. That's what the scripture says. What's 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:17.840 meant for your harm, God will turn to your advantage. 0:23:18.840 --> 0:23:22.640 Are you resisting or are you resting? Are you trying 0:23:22.680 --> 0:23:26.600 to control everything? Upset because it's not happening your way, 0:23:26.840 --> 0:23:29.680 trying to force it? Why don't you take down the 0:23:29.720 --> 0:23:33.199 cells and trust what God is doing. You may not 0:23:33.400 --> 0:23:36.879 understand it now, it may not make sense yet, but 0:23:37.000 --> 0:23:40.480 one day you'll see it was a necessary step to 0:23:40.560 --> 0:23:43.919 reach your destiny. It looked like a setback, but really 0:23:44.119 --> 0:23:47.399 it was a set up. I talked to a young lady. 0:23:47.920 --> 0:23:52.200 Life was going great until she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. 0:23:52.480 --> 0:23:54.879 She was out of work so long that she lost 0:23:54.880 --> 0:23:58.360 her job. She couldn't afford an apartment. A friend gave 0:23:58.359 --> 0:24:00.960 her a place to stay. She ended up getting a 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:04.840 job with the major airlines. She was so excited finally 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:08.199 getting back on her feet. Then the pandemic hit The 0:24:08.280 --> 0:24:11.080 airline cut her work back to only a few hours 0:24:11.119 --> 0:24:14.280 a week. She had to get an additional job working 0:24:14.320 --> 0:24:18.200 with a security company. One night, her car was stolen 0:24:18.280 --> 0:24:22.119 at work. It was one bad break after another. She 0:24:22.200 --> 0:24:25.720 got a rental car and it had serious XM. She 0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:29.200 was so discouraged she said she needed to laugh, so 0:24:29.240 --> 0:24:32.359 she started flipping through the channels looking for a comedian. 0:24:33.000 --> 0:24:36.280 She came across our station, Channel one twenty eight and 0:24:36.320 --> 0:24:39.919 thought I was a comedian. She started listening, found out 0:24:40.000 --> 0:24:43.200 that I wasn't, but she couldn't turn it all. Hope 0:24:43.240 --> 0:24:46.560 began to feel her heart. Dreams started coming back to life, 0:24:46.680 --> 0:24:51.440 fresh vision. She ended up giving her life to Christ. Recently, 0:24:52.160 --> 0:24:56.400 her company offered her the opportunity to transfer to Hawaiian 0:24:57.080 --> 0:25:00.000 She'd always dreamed of living there. It was a manager 0:25:00.320 --> 0:25:03.840 position because she worked for the airline, she can travel 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:06.960