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Don't talk yourself 35 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 5: out of the greatness God put in you. Joel, all 36 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 5: I have is this slingshot. 37 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 4: All you need is a slingshot. You'll be amazed at 38 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 4: where you can. 39 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 5: Go with a little talent, a little courage, a little faith, 40 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 5: a little determination. 41 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 42 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for support 43 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 5: the ministry. 44 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 6: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 45 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 6: blessing and share it with a friend. 46 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 5: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 47 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 5: your life. 48 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:10,119 Speaker 4: God bless you. 49 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 5: It's great to be with you today, and I hope 50 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 5: you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 51 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 5: daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media. We'll keep you 52 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 5: encouraged and inspired. And I'd like to start with something funny. 53 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 5: And I heard about this pastor. He was raising funds 54 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 5: for a new auditorium. He said to the congregation, anyone 55 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 5: who will give a thousand dollars can pick out the 56 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 5: next three hymns. 57 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 4: Little old lady in the back stood up, said Pastor, 58 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 4: I'll do it. 59 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 5: He was so excited. He said, thank you so much. Now, 60 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 5: which three hymns would you like? She looked over the 61 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 5: congregation said I'll take him and him and him say it. 62 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 4: Like you mean it. This is my Bible. 63 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 5: I am what it says I am. I have what 64 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 5: it says I have. I can do what it says 65 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 5: I can do. Today I will be taught the word 66 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 5: of God. I'll bold confess, my mind is alert, my 67 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 5: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 68 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 5: God bless you. I want to talk to you today 69 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 5: about believing without a sign. We all have dreams and goals, 70 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 5: promises we're standing on and when we see God's favor, 71 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 5: doors opening, are health improving, the right people showing up. 72 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 4: It's easy to believe. 73 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 5: We know God's at work, but sometimes we're doing our 74 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 5: best praying, believing, but nothing's happening. The medical report is 75 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 5: not getting better, doors are not opening, our finances are 76 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 5: not improving. 77 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 4: There's no sign that is going to happen. 78 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 5: And it's easy to get discouraged and give up on 79 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 5: what we're believing for. But the scripture says faith is 80 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 5: the evidence of things not seen. If you can see it, 81 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 5: it doesn't take any faith. If you have the evidence, 82 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 5: it's easy to stay encouraged. But to reach your destiny, 83 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 5: there will be these times. 84 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 4: Where there is no evidence. 85 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 5: Every circumstance says you'll never get well, never meet the. 86 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 4: Right person, you never accomplished that dream. 87 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 5: You're no better off now than you were a year ago. 88 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 5: We think, God, if you just give me a sign, 89 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 5: if you just let me know that you're working, if 90 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 5: I just see something improving, This is when you have 91 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 5: to dig down deep and say, I don't have to 92 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 5: have the evidence. I'm not moved by what I see. 93 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 5: I'm moved by what I know and God I know 94 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 5: you are faithful. 95 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 4: To what you promised. 96 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 5: Just because you don't see a sign doesn't mean God 97 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 5: is not working. Don't believe those lies that nothing is 98 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 5: happening in the unseen realm. 99 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 4: God is arranging things in your favor. 100 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 5: Lining up the healing, the right people, the promotion, and 101 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 5: the fact that you can't see anything happening. That's God's 102 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 5: showing you that he trusts you. 103 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 4: You don't have to see everything. Keep moving forward. 104 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 5: You've matured to the point where you walk by faith 105 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 5: and not by sight. 106 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 4: Where God is taking you. 107 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 5: The amazing future he has planned is going to require 108 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 5: you to believe without a sign, to trust him when 109 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 5: there's no evidence. If you have to see everything to 110 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 5: stay encouraged, see it to keep. 111 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 4: Believing, it will limit how high you can go. 112 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 5: You have to pass this test of staying in faith 113 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 5: when nothing is improving, thanking God when all the circumstances 114 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 5: say it's never going to change. 115 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 4: You may be there now. 116 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 5: You've been praying and believing, but it doesn't seem like 117 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 5: it's doing any good. You don't see any evidence. Kind 118 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 5: of feels like God's on vacation. 119 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 4: He doesn't even hear your prayers. 120 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 5: That silence doesn't mean God has forgotten about you. He 121 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 5: sees your faithfulness. He sees you doing the right thing 122 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 5: when it's hard. When you could have given up, you 123 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 5: with the extra mile. 124 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 4: And kept believing when you felt like complaining. 125 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 5: You kept praising when every thought said it was never 126 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 5: going to happen. 127 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 4: You kept thanking God that he was working. 128 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,799 Speaker 5: Let me encourage you. Your time is coming. What God 129 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 5: promised you. 130 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 4: Is on the way. Don't get talked out of it. 131 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 5: Don't let people delay, doubt, convince you to give up. 132 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 5: Your breakthrough is already on the schedule. Your miracle has 133 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 5: already been set in motion. Seems like nothing is happening, 134 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 5: but suddenly it's going to change. Suddenly the dream comes 135 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 5: to pass. Suddenly the right person shows up. Jesus told Thomas, 136 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 5: because you've seen me, you have believed. But blessed are 137 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 5: those who have not seen yet. Believe you haven't seen it, 138 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 5: but you keep believing. God says there's a blessing coming. 139 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 5: Because you believe without the evidence, believe without the sign. 140 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 5: Favor is coming, is coming, Victory is coming. 141 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 4: Now. 142 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 5: Don't be a Thomas. God show me a sign, then 143 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 5: I'll believe. Let my circumstances improve, then I'll stay in faith. 144 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 4: Open this door, God, then I'll know you're working. 145 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 5: God is looking for people who believe without a sign, 146 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 5: who are not moved by what they don't see, who 147 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 5: don't need the evidence to prove to them that God 148 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 5: is working. Sewo Kings, Chapter twenty. King Hezekiah became very sick. 149 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 5: He was close to death when the prophet Isaiah showed 150 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 5: up at the palace. 151 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 4: I'm sure he was hoping for good news. 152 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 5: Maybe Isaiah will come prophesy that things are about to 153 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 5: turn around, that I'm about to get well. 154 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 4: But it wasn't what he was thinking. Isaiah said, King Hezekiah, I. 155 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 5: Have a word from the Lord for you. God says, 156 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 5: set your house in order, for. 157 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 4: You will surely die. He didn't say maybe you'll pass. 158 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 4: There's a chance you're not gonna make it. It's not 159 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 4: looking good. King, He said, there was no doubt. This 160 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 4: is the end. You will not recover from this illness. 161 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 5: Now Hezekiah could have been depressed, given up on life, 162 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 5: but he began to pray. He reminded God of all 163 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 5: the good he had done, how he had torn down 164 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 5: the pagan shrines and removed all the idols. He poured 165 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 5: out his heart and asked God in his mercy to 166 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 5: spare his life. Before Isaiah left the palace grounds, God 167 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 5: changed his mind and told Isaiah to go back and 168 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 5: give him this new report. Isaiah said, Hezekiah, the Lord 169 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 5: says he has heard your prayers and. 170 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 4: He's going to heal you. In three days, you will. 171 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 5: Get out of this bed, and he will add fifteen. 172 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 4: More years to your life. 173 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 5: You can imagine how excited and how overwhelmed Hezekiah was. 174 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 5: He just received this amazing promise that this death sentence 175 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 5: had been reversed. 176 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 4: But Hezekiah was kind of like us. 177 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 5: After the excitement wore off, he started thinking, how do 178 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 5: I know I'm going to get well? I don't look 179 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 5: any different, I don't feel any better, nothing has changed. 180 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 5: Doubts started to come. Is it really going to happen? 181 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 5: Are you sure that's what God said? Hezekiah said to Isaiah, 182 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 5: what sign will the Lord give me to prove that 183 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 5: I'm going to get well? He was saying, Isaiah, I 184 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 5: appreciate what you've told me. That's encouraging, but I need 185 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 5: some evidence. I need to see something so I'll believe. 186 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 5: I need God to prove that he's going to do it. 187 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 5: Isaiah said, all right, God will give you a sign. 188 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 5: Do you want the shadow on the sundal to go 189 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 5: ten degrees forward or ten degrees backwards? 190 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 4: Heekiah said backwards. They watched as the shadow defied the. 191 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 5: Odds and went backwards. And God is merciful, he'll give 192 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 5: you a sign sometimes. 193 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 4: But here's my point. 194 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 5: If you live by this approach, prove that you're going 195 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 5: to do what you said. God, I need some evidence. 196 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 5: If I don't see something, then I'm not going to believe. 197 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 5: If you're always dependent on a sign, you won't reach 198 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 5: the fullness of your destiny. Maybe like Hezekiah, you're praying 199 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 5: for a sign, but you're not seeing anything. The sundoll 200 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 5: is not going backwards. The right attitude is God, I 201 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 5: don't have to have a sign. You don't have to 202 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 5: prove to me that you're going to do it. You've 203 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 5: already proved to me who you are. You've already made 204 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 5: ways where I didn't see a way. You've already opened 205 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 5: doors that I couldn't open it. You've already defeated giants 206 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 5: that were much bigger you've already broken chains. I could 207 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 5: never break God. I trust you with no evidence. I'm 208 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 5: not a Thomas. I don't have to see it to 209 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 5: believe it. 210 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 4: I'm not a Hezekiah. 211 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 5: You don't have to prove to me that you're faithful. 212 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 5: You've already shown yourself faithful. And yes, it's great when 213 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 5: you get a sign, but don't rely on on the sign. 214 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 5: Don't become dependent on seeing. Then you'll believe that doesn't 215 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 5: take much faith. Your faith kicks in when there's no evidence. 216 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 5: Instead of asking God to prove to you what he's 217 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 5: going to do, why don't you turn. 218 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 4: It around and prove to God who you are. 219 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 5: Prove to him that you're not going to be moved 220 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 5: by what you don't see. Prove that you're not going 221 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 5: to give up because things aren't changing. Prove that you're 222 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 5: going to stand in faith when every circumstance says it's 223 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 5: never going to happen. What's interesting is right before Hezekiah 224 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 5: got sick, he had just seen the greatest victory of 225 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 5: his life. The Assyrian army was coming against him and 226 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 5: the people of Judah. They were much bigger, they had 227 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 5: more resources. 228 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 4: The night before the Assyrians were going to attack. 229 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 5: The Angel of the Lord went into their camp and 230 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 5: killed one hundred and eighty five thousand of their soldiers. 231 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 4: The others took off running. 232 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 5: Hezekiah and the people of Judah were spared. You would 233 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 5: think that Hezekiah wouldn't need a sign. He just saw 234 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 5: a supernatural victory. He just saw God show out. 235 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 4: But how many times do we forget what God has done? 236 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 5: Like Hezekiah, God has shown up and turned things around 237 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 5: for us. He's healed us, protected us, freed us. 238 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 4: Promoted us. 239 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 5: If you need a sign, look back at the goodness 240 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 5: of God in your life. Look back at how he 241 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 5: brought you through the pandemic, how he gave you strength 242 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 5: when you didn't think you could go on, How he 243 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 5: promoted you when you weren't next in line, How he 244 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 5: turned your child around, how he brought someone great into 245 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 5: your life to love, How that one good break caused 246 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 5: your business to take off. When you need evidence, look 247 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 5: back at the faithfulness of God. 248 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 4: This is what Elijah did. 249 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 5: There was a great famine in the land for three 250 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 5: and a half years that had not rain, no water, 251 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 5: no crops. People were barely surviving. When nothing looked any 252 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 5: different in the middle of the drought, Elijah showed up 253 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 5: and said, I hear the. 254 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 4: Sound of the abundance of rain. 255 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 5: He was so bold he went and told King Ahab, 256 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 5: this drought is coming to an end. 257 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 4: Rain is on the way. 258 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 5: When he said that, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, 259 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 5: no rain. God will put things in your spirit that 260 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:32,079 Speaker 5: contradict what you see. He heard an abundance of rain, 261 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 5: he saw baring ground, dried up crops, drought, famine. The 262 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 5: key is don't let what you see override what you've heard. 263 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 4: If you're always. 264 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 5: Looking for a sign, you're going to get discouraged. I 265 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 5: heard rain, but I see drought. I heard healing, but 266 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 5: I see sickness. I heard abundance, but I see light. Joel, 267 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 5: I heard freedom, but all I see is dysfunction, addictions, depression. 268 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 5: When I see something different, then I'll believe. 269 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 4: When I have some evidence, then I'll get my hopes up. No, 270 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 4: don't be a Heekiah. 271 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 5: Being Elijah, you don't have to have a sign. God 272 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 5: doesn't have to prove to you. He's going to do 273 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 5: what he's promised. 274 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 4: You've seen his faithfulness, you have a history with him. 275 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 5: He's made things happen all through your life that you 276 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 5: could have never made happen. Now do your part and 277 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 5: believe without a sign. Stay in faith when there's no evidence. 278 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 5: Don't let what you see talk you out of what 279 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 5: you've heard. It's very powerful when you can say I 280 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 5: don't see any sign of what I'm believing for, but 281 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 5: that's okay. 282 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 4: I don't need a sign. I know God's on the throne. 283 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 4: I know he's in control. 284 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 5: I know what he started he will finish. 285 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 4: Elijah went on top of Mount Carmel to praying. 286 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 5: He bowed down and begin to thank God that rain 287 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 5: was coming, that what he heard in his spirit was 288 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 5: on the way. He asked his assistant to go out 289 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 5: and look on the other side of the mountain see 290 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 5: if there was any sign of rain. Now he wasn't 291 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 5: dependent on a sign. He was looking for God's goodness. 292 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 4: He was expecting rain. 293 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 5: That's different than I'm not going to believe unless I 294 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 5: have a sign. His attitude was, I know God's at work. 295 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 5: It could happen anytime. I know rain is coming. He 296 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 5: had this confidence, this unshakable faith. This is that came 297 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 5: back says sorry, Elijah, there are no clouds in the sky. 298 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 5: He says, clear as can be, checks the latest radar superdoppler, 299 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 5: nothing in sight. Elijah didn't get depressed. God, I must 300 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 5: have heard you wrong. He kept thanking God that rain 301 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 5: was coming. He didn't let the lack of evidence convince 302 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 5: him that it wasn't going to happen. 303 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 4: He kept looking for the rain. 304 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 5: He kept talking like it was going to happen. I 305 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 5: can hear king Ahab kind of laughing, saying, Elijah, where's 306 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 5: that rain you were talking about? Thought you said there's 307 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 5: going to be in abundance. I haven't felt one little drop. 308 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 5: Elijah said, heyb I'm not worried. I don't need a 309 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 5: sign to believe. I'm not dependent on the evidence. I 310 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 5: know what God has spoken to me. Elijah sent the 311 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 5: assistant out again, ask him to look see if he 312 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 5: saw any sign of rain. He came back again and 313 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 5: again and again with the same report. Not a cloud 314 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 5: in the sky, perfectly clear. Six times, no sign, six times, 315 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 5: nothing had changed, six times this negative report. 316 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 4: It's not going to happen. Elijah, just accept it. No 317 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 4: rain is coming. You may be where Elijah was. You 318 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 4: know what God has promised. 319 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 5: You health, freedom, abundance, a spouse, a child. But you've 320 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 5: been looking, standing in faith, thanking God, but there's no evidence, 321 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 5: nothing is improving, no good breaks. 322 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 4: You still can't concede. This is when you have. 323 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 5: To dig down deep and say, God, I'm not moved 324 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 5: by what. 325 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 4: I don't see. I know you're a faithful God. 326 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 5: I'm gonna keep looking, keep expecting, keep praising, keep declaring, 327 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 5: keep thinking that tis on the way. Don't let the 328 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 5: clear sky fool you. God can change things suddenly. 329 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 4: He controls the universe. 330 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 5: One touch of his favor and you'll see the abundance 331 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 5: of rain. 332 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 4: You're not seeing any sign of it. That's a test. 333 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 4: What are you made of? 334 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 5: Are you going to give up, get discouraged, settle for mediocrity, 335 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 5: or you're gonna do like Elijah and keep believing despite 336 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 5: what you're seeing. On the seventh time, the assistant came 337 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 5: back and said, Elijah, this time I saw a small. 338 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 4: Cloud about the size of a man's hand. 339 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 5: Was it long after that that the heavens opened up? 340 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 5: There was a huge downpour. The three and a half 341 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 5: year drought suddenly came to an end. Like Elijah, many 342 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 5: of you have been faithful, believed when every circumstance said 343 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 5: it wasn't going to happen. You didn't listen to the naysayers. 344 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 5: You didn't get talked out of it. You've been looking 345 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 5: for God's goodness. I believe you're about to come in 346 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 5: to your seventh time. You're about to see the open 347 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 5: windows of heaven, something better than you've imagined, more rewarding, 348 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 5: more fulfilling. The scripture says, there was a remarkable rainstorm. 349 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 5: God is going to do something remarkable in your life, 350 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,640 Speaker 5: out of the ordinary, that will exceed your expectations. It's 351 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 5: significant that Elijah's assistant, someone close to him, kept bringing 352 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 5: him the news that is not going to happen. 353 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 4: There are no clouds. He didn't mean to be negative. 354 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 4: He was just reporting the facts. But sometimes the people 355 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 4: closest to you will try to talk you out of 356 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 4: what God put in your heart. 357 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 5: They may mean well, but they didn't hear what God 358 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 5: spoke to you. You don't keep telling you what they saw. 359 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 5: You can't let that drown out what you've heard. Don't 360 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 5: let their negative comments their doubt. You still think you're 361 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 5: gonna get well. Man, it's been a long battle. You 362 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 5: really believe your child's gonna get on course. He's doing 363 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 5: worse than ever. You think you're gonna have a bountiful year. 364 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 4: I don't see it. 365 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 5: Man, the economy, the gas pricess, inflation, the pandemic. They're 366 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 5: looking at it in the natural. But we serve a 367 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 5: supernatural God. There will be seasons like Elijah that you're looking, expecting, believing, 368 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 5: but again and again. 369 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 4: There's no sign, no improvement. 370 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 5: What if on the fourth time Elijah would have said 371 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 5: to the assistant, I guess you're right, it's not gonna rain, 372 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 5: or on the fifth time he got discouraged. 373 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 4: God, I know what I heard. 374 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 5: Surely it would have happened by now, at least I 375 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 5: would see some clouds, some win, a sign that things 376 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 5: were about to change. Maybe that's where you are on 377 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 5: your worth time, no evidence, your fifth time, still no sign, 378 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 5: your sixth times, sky's still blue. 379 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 4: Don't give up. Now. Those are tests. 380 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 5: Yes, it'd be much easier if, like Hezekiah, we always got. 381 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 4: A sign, but we never grow. We wouldn't reach our potential. 382 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 5: Where God is taking you is going to take unshakable faith, 383 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 5: not move by what you see, not discouraged because of 384 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 5: a lack of evidence. I know today I'm not looking 385 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 5: at Thomas's Lord, show me and I'll believe. I'm not 386 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 5: looking at Hezekiah's God. Give me a sign and I'll 387 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 5: trust you. I'm looking at Elijahs God. We believe without 388 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 5: a sign, we keep looking for rain, even though the 389 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 5: skies are clear. We don't let people time delays, what's 390 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,959 Speaker 5: not happening talk us out of what we've heard in 391 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 5: our spirit. 392 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 4: I'm looking at people that are headed. 393 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 5: For an abundance of rain, an abundance of joy, and 394 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 5: abundance of favor, an abundance of resources for something remarkable, uncommon. 395 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 4: That will take your family to a new level. 396 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 5: Right after we acquired this facility, the former Compact Center, 397 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 5: a company filed a lawsuit to try to keep us 398 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 5: from moving in. They were a huge real estate company 399 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 5: that owns all the property around the building. And we 400 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 5: just come off this great victory only to find out 401 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 5: that it was now tied up in. 402 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 4: The courts and we couldn't move forward. 403 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 5: Our attorneys told us it could take up to ten 404 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 5: years to settle. They'd met with the other side, but 405 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 5: they were in no hurry to do something. In fact, 406 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 5: the more they delayed, the more at a disadvantage we were. 407 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 5: Our main attorney called and said, Joel, they're playing hardball. 408 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 5: They don't want to talk, they don't want to negotiate. 409 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 4: They're stubborn. 410 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 5: A month went by, nothing happened, two months, nothing, three months, 411 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 5: four months, five months, Like Elijah, not a cloud in 412 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 5: the sky that it was ever going to work out. 413 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 4: I had to do what I'm asking you to do. 414 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 5: I just kept thanking God Father. I'm not moved by 415 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 5: what I don't see. I don't need a sign. I'm 416 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 5: not looking for evidence. 417 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 4: I know when it's your time. 418 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 5: All the forces of darkness cannot sup what you ever 419 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 5: dating for us. Doubt would try to come negative thoughts. 420 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 5: People tried to talk us out of it. Our main 421 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 5: attorney asked me, what if I got them to give 422 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 5: you enough funds to build a facility like this somewhere else. 423 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 5: I told him, we don't want somewhere else. This building 424 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 5: is a landmark in Houston. Two million Eustonians had. 425 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 4: Come to this building every year for thirty years. 426 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 5: Don't let a lack of evidence cause you to water 427 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 5: down your dreams. 428 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 4: Don't settle for mediocrity. What God has. 429 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 5: For you is going to take resilience, determination, perseverance. You 430 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 5: have to have a made up mind. You can't be 431 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 5: talked out of it, can't be moved by what you see. 432 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 5: What you see may contradict what God put in your heart. 433 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,679 Speaker 5: You may not see anything improving. I didn't see the 434 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 5: other side letting up. I didn't see any sign of progress. 435 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 5: Like Elijah. 436 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 4: We heard no three. 437 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 5: Times, four times, five times, no evidence, no budgeting, no movement. 438 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 5: But if you'll stay in faith, you're going to come 439 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 5: into your seventh time where things suddenly change. 440 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 4: Suddenly the door opens, Suddenly. 441 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 5: The wrong people are moved out of the way, Suddenly 442 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 5: your health begins to turn around. One day, unexpectedly, almost 443 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 5: two years later, our attorneys said that the other side 444 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 5: had called and they wanted to meet. He said, Joe, 445 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 5: don't get your hopes up. This is probably just a 446 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 5: ploy to distract us. He didn't realize my hopes had 447 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 5: already been up for two years. 448 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 4: I'd been thanking God, looking for his goodness, expecting his favor. 449 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,439 Speaker 5: When we met the CEO of the company, the first 450 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 5: thing he said was, Joel, I watch you on television 451 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:05,640 Speaker 5: every week, and my son. 452 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 4: In law is a youth pastor. 453 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 5: God knows how to bring the right people at the 454 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 5: right time. Twenty four hours later, he had agreed to 455 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 5: let us have the building and to lease us nine 456 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 5: thousand covered parking spaces so we didn't have to build 457 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 5: a garage. 458 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 4: You may not see any sign of what you're believing for. 459 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 4: You could get discouraged. Let the lack of evidence talk 460 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,199 Speaker 4: you out of it. No, stay in faith. 461 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 5: God is working behind the scenes. Who knows you may 462 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 5: be on your fourth time, your fifth time. This is 463 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 5: not the time to give up. You are closer than 464 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 5: you think. Your seventh time is coming. It's going to 465 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 5: happen suddenly. It's going to be supernatural, something that you 466 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 5: couldn't make happen. 467 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: The truth is that CEO. 468 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 5: Could have shown up two years earlier. He could have 469 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 5: come three months in. I wouldn't have had to pray 470 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 5: and believe and trust. But these times that we have 471 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 5: to wait, believe, not be moved by what we don't see. 472 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,119 Speaker 5: That's preparing us for the new levels God has in store. 473 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 5: Don't get discouraged because it's not happening on your timetable. 474 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 5: Everything is serving God's plan when you're waiting, staying in faith, believing, 475 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 5: when there's no sign. 476 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:23,640 Speaker 4: You're growing. 477 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 5: You're showing God what you're made of. Instead of God 478 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 5: proven to you who he is, You're proven to him 479 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 5: who you are. Anybody can get discouraged. Anybody can be 480 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 5: a Thomis. I'm not going to believe unless I see it. 481 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 5: But God is looking for Elijah's people that aren't moved 482 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 5: by the lack of evidence, people that don't water down 483 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 5: their dreams, people that believe without a sign. Seventeen years old, 484 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 5: God put a dream in my father's heart that one 485 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 5: day he would pastor a church with thousands of people. 486 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 5: He was raised very poor, but he God off farm 487 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 5: and in nineteen fifty nine he and my mother started 488 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 5: Lakewood on Mother's Day with ninety people. He eventually named 489 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 5: the church Lakewood International Outreach Center. The fact is it 490 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 5: was a small neighborhood church, but he called it an 491 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:17,400 Speaker 5: international outreach. 492 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 4: That dream was still alive, but. 493 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 5: For thirteen years Lakewood didn't really grow, had less than 494 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 5: two hundred people. My father knew what God had spoken 495 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 5: to him. A church with thousands there was no evidence 496 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,360 Speaker 5: he could have gotten discouraged. 497 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 4: God showed me a sign, let me know that it's 498 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 4: going to happen. But year after year, my father. 499 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 5: My mother, they just kept being faithful, preaching to those 500 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 5: ninety people, thanking God that what he. 501 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 4: Heard in his spirit was on the way. 502 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 5: Be so much easier if we saw a good break 503 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 5: or little growth there the right person show up. 504 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 4: Sometimes God will withhold the evidence. He's seeing what we're 505 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 4: going to do. Are we going to be a God? 506 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 4: I'll believe. I'll give you my best if you show 507 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 4: me a sign. 508 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 5: God is giving you an opportunity to grow, to trust 509 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 5: him in a greater way, to prove to him that 510 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 5: you will walk by faith and not by sight, so 511 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,479 Speaker 5: he can entrust you with more. Nineteen seventy two, it 512 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 5: was like God opened up a fawcet. People started coming 513 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,440 Speaker 5: to Lakewood from all over the city. Lakewood grew from 514 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 5: a couple hundred to a church of many thousands. He 515 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 5: saw what God put in his spirit. But God could 516 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 5: have done that the first year or the second year. 517 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 5: But we have to pass these tests, and we all 518 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 5: go through silent seasons where we're believing, praying, but. 519 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 4: Nothing is changing. You don't see any sign of what 520 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 4: God promised is going to happen. 521 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 5: You'll be tempted to walk away from a dream, to 522 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 5: give up on a child, a spouse, a breakthrough. God, 523 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 5: if you'll just do what you did for Hezekiah that 524 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 5: you're going to do it, then I'll start believing again. 525 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 4: But most of the time it's going to be like Elijah. 526 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 5: No sign, people saying it's not going to happen, your 527 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 5: thoughts telling you it's never going to reign. 528 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 4: Do like he did. Don't be moved by what you see. 529 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 5: Disguise may be clear right now, but your seventh time 530 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 5: is coming. God sees your faithfulness, He sees your believing 531 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 5: when there's no evidence. You are closer than you think. 532 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 5: The clouds are starting to form right now. 533 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 3: Now. 534 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 5: I believe and declare your abundance of rain is on 535 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 5: the way. What you're believing for is going to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, 536 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 5: healing favor, breakthroughs, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, and. 537 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 4: If you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to. 538 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 5: Give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 539 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 5: your life. 540 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll 541 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 4: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make 542 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 4: you my Lord and Savior. 543 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 5: If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 544 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 5: born again. We'd love to give you some free literature 545 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 5: on your new walk with the Lord if you just 546 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 5: text the number or go to the website. I hope 547 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 5: you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep 548 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 5: God first place. 549 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 550 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 4: you'll subscribe. 551 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 5: So you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 552 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 5: encouraged and inspired all through the week. 553 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 6: Help us to continue to share the message of hope 554 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 6: with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 555 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 6: or click the link in the description to partner with 556 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 6: us today. 557 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 5: WE hope you'll share this message with a friend and 558 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 5: be sure to follow us on social media. 559 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 4: We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 560 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 4: We'll see you next time.