1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you, 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: and thanks for letting us come into your homes. And 7 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: if you're ever in our area, please stop by and 8 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: be a part of one of our services. I promise 9 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: you we'll make you feel right at home. I'd like 10 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: to start with something funny, and I should mention that 11 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,959 Speaker 1: this was sent to me by a woman. But according 12 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both 13 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer, male 14 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: reindeer lose their antlers at the start of winter in 15 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: early November. Female reindeer keep theirs all the way till 16 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: the spring. This means all of Santa's reindeer, from Rudolph 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: to Blitzen had to be female. She goes on to say, 18 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: we should have known only a woman would be able 19 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: to drag around a fat man wearing a red velvet 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: suit all around the world in one night and not 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: get lost. Say it like you mean it. This is 22 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 23 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 1: have what it says I have. I can do what 24 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: it says I can do. Today I will be taught 25 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: the word of God. I'll boldly confess. My mind is alert, 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,919 Speaker 1: my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 27 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 28 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: to you today about the odds are for you. It's 29 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: easy to go through life thinking of all the reasons 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: why we can't be successful, why we won't get well, 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: why we'll never meet the right person. We look at 32 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: our situations in the natural and think the odds are 33 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: against us. Taught to a man that struggles with an addiction, 34 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: he said, Joel, my dad had this same addiction. My 35 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: grandfather struggled with it. The odds don't look too good 36 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: for me. But as long as you think the odds 37 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: are against you, you'll get stuck where you are. You 38 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: have the most powerful force in the universe breathing in 39 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: your direction. God has crowned you with favor. He has 40 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: armed you with strength for every battle. He wouldn't have 41 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: allowed that difficulty if he wasn't going to turn it 42 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: around and use it to your advantage. The odds may 43 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: be against you, but the Most High God is for you. 44 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: He is a supernatural god. He parts red seas, he 45 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: turns water into wine. He opens the eyes of the blind. 46 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: Your circumstances may look impossible, but the God who can 47 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: do the impossible is working behind the scenes, arranging things 48 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: in your favor, turning negative situations around. Since God is 49 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: for you, that means the odds are for you. Don't 50 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: go through life thinking not me, Joel, I come from 51 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: the wrong family. The odds are against me. No, turn 52 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: it around. I've been born into a new family. My 53 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: heavenly Father controls the universe. I have ryal blood flowing 54 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: through my veins. When you know the odds are for 55 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,839 Speaker 1: you, you'll put your shoulders back. You'll carry yourself with confidence. 56 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: You'll expect to do great things all through the day. 57 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: This should be playing in our mind. The odds are 58 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: for me. I'm destined to accomplish my dreams. I'm destined 59 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: to overcome this challenge. I'm a child of the Most 60 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: High God. But don't be surprised when you find yourself 61 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: in situations where it feels like the odds are against you. 62 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: You don't see a way out. There aren't any logical solutions. 63 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: God put us there on purpose, so that when he 64 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: turns it around, nobody will get the credit except him. 65 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: Everyone will know it is the hand of the Lord. 66 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: And when your circumstances seem impossible, instead of being discouraged, God, 67 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: why me, No? Get ready. You're in perfect position for 68 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: God to show out in your life. He is setting 69 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: you up to show his favor in amazing ways. That's 70 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: what happened to a man in the scripture named Gideon. 71 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: The Midianites and two other armies came against him. They 72 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: were about to attack the Israelites. Gideon sent word to 73 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: his men to come and fight. Thirty two thousand warriors 74 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,679 Speaker 1: showed up. Gideon was feeling good. That was several times 75 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 1: more men than his opposition. He liked those odds. But 76 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: just when he was about to attack, God said, Gideon, 77 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: you have too many men. If you defeat the Midianites, 78 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: you'll I think you did it in your own strength. 79 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: He instructed Gideon to let everyone go home that was afraid. 80 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: Twenty two thousand men left. Gideon nearly passed out two 81 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: thirds of his army went home. He didn't like these 82 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: odds anymore. When he thought it couldn't get any worse, 83 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: God said, Gideon, you still have too many. He told 84 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: him to do something else, to eliminate more men. Nine thousand, 85 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: seven hundred men left. Gideon only had three hundred men 86 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,679 Speaker 1: to fight this army of thousands and thousands. These odds 87 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: seemed impossible, looked like he would be wiped out. What 88 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: Gideon didn't realize was God wasn't setting him back. He 89 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: was setting him up. He was about to show out 90 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: in his life. Gideon and those three hundred men went 91 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: to the enemy's camp in the middle of the night. 92 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: They blew their trumpets and let out a loud shout. 93 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: The Midianites got confused and begin to fight among themselves. 94 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: The Israelites defeated them. They didn't have to lift one finger, 95 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: They didn't even have to go to battle. It looked 96 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: like a set back, but the truth was God was 97 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: setting Gideon up. He was putting him in position to 98 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: show himself strong. When the odds seem like they're against you, 99 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: the obstacles look bigger, stronger, more powerful. Don't worry like Gideon, 100 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: it is a setup. God is about to make things 101 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: happen that you could never make happen. He's going to 102 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: turn that situation around without you having to go to battle. 103 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: He's going to heal you without the extensive treatment. He's 104 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: going to promote you without all of the qualifications. Keep 105 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: the right perspective. The odds are for you. You may 106 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: feel like the underdog, but you and God are a majority. 107 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: You don't need everyone to be for you. You don't 108 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: have to have all the support, the encouragement. You have 109 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,679 Speaker 1: the one that matters the most High God is breathing 110 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: in your direction. Later, when the Israelites went to different cities, 111 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: normally these armies would attack, but the leaders said, in effect, Gideon, 112 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: we saw what your God did to the Midianites. They 113 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: weren't afraid of Gideon. They were afraid of the God 114 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: of Gideon. They knew the Lord was on his side. 115 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: God wants to give you victory to where people know 116 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: the Lord is on your side. Maybe you didn't have 117 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: the support growing up, the encouragement, the stability. You should 118 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: have been a statistic. But here you are define the odds, 119 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: leaving your mark, going further than you ever dreamed. What 120 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: happened The Lord was on your side. The medical report 121 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: said you wouldn't make it, But here you are strong, 122 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: healthy and whole. The Lord was on your side. Perhaps 123 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: the odds said you'd be addicted like your father, you 124 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: would struggle like your grandfather. But here you are free 125 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: and clean. You broke the curse, you set a new standard. 126 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: How could this be? The Lord was on your side. 127 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: When we were trying to acquire this facility, the former 128 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: Compact Center, every expert told us that we wouldn't get it, 129 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: that the city wasn't going to let a church have it. 130 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: On the surface, the odds were against us, but we 131 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: understood this principle. When you don't see a way, when 132 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: you feel outnumbered, when the giants look bigger, they have 133 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 1: more resources, more experience, that means God is up to something, 134 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: Like Gideon, He's getting you in position to launch you 135 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: to the next level. God made things happen that we 136 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: could never make happen. And some of the same people 137 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: that were against us, the same ones that said we 138 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: would never forget it, today they are our biggest supporters. 139 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: I saw one of the council members that voted against us, 140 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: a very vocal opponent. He said, Joel, that was the 141 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: biggest mistake of my political career. I watch you every Sunday, 142 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: I bring people to your services. I don't know what 143 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: I was thinking back then. I didn't tell him, but 144 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: he was a part of the setup. God was using 145 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: him to launch us forward. That's what it says in Exodus, 146 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: God caused Pharaoh to harden his heart so that he 147 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: could bring great glory at the expense of Pharaoh. God 148 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: had told Moses to go, tell Pharaoh, let my people go. 149 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: But God knew that Pharaoh wasn't going to let them go. 150 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: He caused him to harden his heart. God was setting 151 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: up the odds to be against the Israelites so he 152 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: could show his favor and some of the people and 153 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: circums stances that have come against you. You may not 154 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: like it. It wasn't fair, but it was ordained by 155 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: God not to stop you, not to defeat you, but 156 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: so that God can show out in your life. Now, 157 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: quit complaining about what didn't work out. Why am I 158 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: facing these huge giants, those obstacles that look like they're 159 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: stopping you. If you'll stay in faith, it's just a 160 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: matter of time before God turns them around and uses 161 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: them to push you forward. The odds are against you 162 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: for one reason, so that God can bring great glory 163 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: out of your life. He wants to make you an 164 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: example of his goodness. You remember when the three Hebrew 165 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: teenagers wouldn't bow down to the king's golden idol. This 166 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: king got so furious he was going to have them 167 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: thrown into a fiery furnace. He told his men to 168 00:10:56,120 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: heat up the fire seven times hotter than normal. What 169 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: was God doing making the odds even greater. God knew 170 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: the fire wasn't going to burn them. He knew they 171 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: weren't going to be harmed, so he had them turn 172 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: it up even hotter so that it would become a 173 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: greater miracle. When these three Hebrew teenagers came out of 174 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: that fire without the smell of smoke, there wasn't any 175 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: doubt that the Lord was on their side. In fact, 176 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: this same king said, praise be to the God of Shadrak. 177 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: Me jack in a bindigo, those three Hebrew teenagers. When 178 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 1: it feels like the odds are against you, the fire 179 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: has been turned up seven times hotter. Pharaoh won't let 180 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,319 Speaker 1: you go. God took your army from thirty two thousand 181 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: to three hundred men don't panic, don't fall apart. It's 182 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: a set up. God is about to show out. He's 183 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: about to make you a testimony. He's going to do 184 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: something that people cannot deny. They're going to know the 185 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: Lord is on your side. I talked to a man 186 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 1: that cut his hand and developed a severe infection. He 187 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: tried for several days to tough it out and hope 188 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: that it would go away, but it kept getting worse. 189 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: He started running a high fever. He got to the 190 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: point where he couldn't eat. He finally passed out. He 191 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: was rushed to the emergency room unconscious. The doctors told 192 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: his family that he had some kind of toxic shock 193 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: and there was only a fifty percent chance that he 194 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: would live. They had to find the right kind of 195 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: antibiotic to treat him. Every hour that went by not treated, 196 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,439 Speaker 1: his chance of survival went down five percent. They didn't 197 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: find something. In the next few hours, the doctor said 198 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: that he probably wouldn't make it, and if somehow he 199 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: did survive, he would become a vegetable. Twelve hours went 200 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: by they couldn't find the antibotic. One day still nothing. 201 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: Two hundred and sixty four hours later, they finally found 202 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: the right treatment. He wasn't supposed to still be alive. 203 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: He was told he would never be able to walk, talk, 204 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: function properly. But today he's perfectly healthy. You would never 205 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: know anything was wrong. But God could have healed him 206 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: the first day, The doctors could have found the right 207 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: treatment the first few hours. That would have still been 208 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: a great miracle. But sometimes God will let the odds 209 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: grow greater to where you don't see a way out. 210 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: Then suddenly God will step in and make things happen 211 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 1: that you could never make happen. Don't let the odds 212 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: fool you. Don't let the fact that you don't see away. 213 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: The financial situation looks too far gone. You've tried to 214 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: break that addiction for years now, you think it wasn't 215 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: meant to be. No, get ready, this is a setup. 216 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: This is not the time to give up. This is 217 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 1: the time to stir your faith up all through the day. Lord, 218 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: thank you that you're bigger than this sickness, greater than 219 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: this addiction, more powerful than these opponents. If you'll stay 220 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:13,239 Speaker 1: in faith like this man, you're going to become a testimony. 221 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: People are going to look at you and see that 222 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: God's favor is on your life. In the scripture, Mary 223 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: and Martha sent word to their friend Jesus that their 224 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: brother Lazarus had died. Jesus was in a different city, 225 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: and they thought that he would come right away and 226 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: pray for Lazarus. They'd seen Jesus heal people before, they 227 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: knew that he could heal their brother. One day passed 228 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: and Jesus didn't show up. I'm sure Martha thought, Jesus, 229 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: where are you? What's taking you so long? Now that 230 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: they went by, still no sign of Jesus. Finally, Lazarus died. 231 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: When Jesus arrived at their house, Lazarus had been in 232 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: the tomb for four days. Mary and Martha were so upset, 233 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: they said, Jesus, if you would have been here, our 234 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: brother would still be alive. The odds weren't that good 235 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: when he was sick, but now that he was dead 236 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: they looked impossible. He was already wrapped in grave clothes, 237 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: wrapped up like a mummy. You know the story. Jesus 238 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: went to the tomb and he spoke to Lazarus and 239 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: told him to come back to life. And when he did, 240 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: Lazarus woke up. Was a great miracle. My point is 241 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: sometimes God will wait on purpose till the odds are 242 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: weigh against us. You're ready to bury the dream, bury 243 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: the promise, bury the relationship. You don't see a way, 244 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: but God's ways are not our ways. Mary and Martha 245 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: were praying for a healing, but God had something better 246 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: in store. He had a resurrection. What you're tempted to 247 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: give up on. You don't see how it could happen. 248 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: Maybe God is not going to do it the way 249 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: you're thinking. Maybe He has something better for you. Twice 250 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: we tried to buy property to build a new sanctuary. 251 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: On both times that property was sold out from under us. 252 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: We couldn't find any more large tracts of land. I 253 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: was discouraged. I didn't think we'd ever have a bigger sanctuary. 254 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: Then one day, suddenly the Compact Center became available. I 255 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: was praying for a healing, but God had a resurrection, 256 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: something better than I'd ever dreamed. The odds may be 257 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: totally against you today, but can I tell you God 258 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: is totally for you. He has not brought you this 259 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: far to leave you. Your circumstances may look dead. God 260 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: didn't show up on time. You've been asking and asking 261 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: dare to trust him. He has you in the palm 262 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: of his hand. You may not see anything happening, but 263 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: he's working behind the scenes. When he speaks, dead things 264 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: come back to life. He's not moved by the odds. 265 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: When Jesus found out that Lazarus was dead, he didn't say, oh, man, 266 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: I waited too long. What am I going to do now? 267 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: God controls the universe. The odds do not determine what 268 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: he can and cannot do. Back in those days, the Sadducees, 269 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: these were the people that were very against Jesus. They 270 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: believed that the spirit left the body three days after 271 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: a person died. It wasn't a coincidence that Jesus waited 272 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: till the fourth day to show up. He did this 273 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 1: on purpose, so when he raised Lazarus there would be 274 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: no doubt about it. Sometimes God will let the odds 275 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: become greater, not just so you, but so your critics, 276 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: so your neighbors, so your relatives, so your co workers. 277 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: They won't be able to deny what God has done. Now. 278 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: I love the fact that from that moment forward, Lazarus 279 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: became a testimony everywhere he went. He didn't have to 280 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: say a word. People pointed at him. You can hear 281 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: him whispering. Look there's that guy. He was dead. He's 282 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: not supposed to be here. He defied the odds. He 283 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: was a living testimony. That's what God wants to do 284 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: for you, show you his favor in such a way 285 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: that people notice that you stand out. You're going to 286 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: become a living testimony. I know a young lady that 287 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 1: applied for a scholarship at a prestigious university. Twenty six 288 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: hundred other students applied as well. The challenge was there 289 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: were only twelve scholarships available. Those odds were less than 290 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: half of one percent. She could have thought, what's the use, 291 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 1: no use even trying. These are impossible odds. Instead, she 292 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: did what I'm asking you to do. She dared to 293 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: believe that God would open the doors that she was 294 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: supposed to go through. It doesn't always have and the 295 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: way we think, God knows what's best. But if you're 296 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: letting the odds talk you out of stretching, out of dreaming, 297 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: out of believing, then you're going to miss the fullness 298 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: of your destiny. If you can accomplish everything in your 299 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: own strength, you don't need God's help. But when the 300 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: odds are against you, you don't see away. You don't 301 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 1: have the connections, the finances, you're too young, too old. 302 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: That's when you have to dig your heels in and say, God, 303 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: I know these odds are no problem for you. I 304 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: know this is a setup for you to show out. 305 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: That's what this young lady did. Several months later, she 306 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,479 Speaker 1: received a letter saying, congratulations, out of the twenty six hundred, 307 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: you're one of the twelve that we've chosen. Are you 308 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: letting the odds talk you out of your dreams, talk 309 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 1: you out of your health, talk you out of your freedom? 310 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: Not long ago, the lottery was at a record amount 311 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: I read where the odds of winning it were one 312 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: in three hundred million. They used this example that if 313 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: you laid pennies on the ground side by side from 314 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: Seattle to Miami, and you marked one of those pennies 315 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: with a special X, the chances of you winning that 316 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: lottery were the same as you choosing that one special 317 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: penny between Seattle and Miami. They were basically saying, forget 318 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: about it, you're not gonna win. In the Book of Genesis, 319 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: it talks about how God created the heavens, and the Earth. 320 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: The word it uses for creation means that he made 321 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: it out of nothing. Every expert would have said, that's impossible. 322 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: You don't have anything to work with. If you had skies, oceans, grass, air, 323 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 1: then maybe you could make something, put it together. But 324 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: you can't do that with nothing. It's one thing to 325 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: have odds of twelve and twenty six hundred. That's not 326 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: so great. It's another to have odds of one in 327 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 1: three hundred million. That's very unlikely. But what about when 328 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: the odds are zero in three hundred million, zero in 329 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: twenty six hundred. It's impossible. There's no chance. Here's how 330 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: amazing God is. He started the universe with odds of zero. 331 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: He had nothing to work with, no way in the natural. 332 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: But God is not moved by the odds. He didn't 333 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: check with accounting and say, I'm about to create stars, galaxies, planets, 334 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: I have nothing to work with. What are the odds 335 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: of this happening? Accounting would have said zero. You have 336 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: no materials, no resources. God would have said, thank you 337 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: for your information. Now let there be light. Light came 338 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 1: at one hundred and eighty six thousand miles a second. 339 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: He spoke worlds into creation. He didn't google to see 340 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: if it was possible. He didn't try to figure out 341 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 1: a way. He is the way. He didn't try to 342 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: open a door. He is the door. He doesn't check 343 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: with the odds to see if you can reach your destiny. 344 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: He speaks and it becomes your destiny. He's not limited 345 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: by your background, by how you were raised, by your education. 346 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: He is all powerful. He can take nothing and make 347 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: something magnificent. Imagine what he can do with you. You are 348 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: his prized possession. He breathed his life into you. You 349 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: have the DNA of Almighty God. There may be odds 350 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: against you in certain areas, but they cannot stop you. 351 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: God has destined you to leave your mark. Don't let 352 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,399 Speaker 1: the odds discourage you. Don't let what you think is 353 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 1: not going to happen talk you out of believing. Even 354 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: if the odds are zero in a million. All God 355 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: has to do his speak, and the odds change in 356 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: your favor. A friend of mine grew up in a 357 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: very dysfunctional environment. His father wasn't around, his mother had 358 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: mental issues. When she wasn't in the psychiatric ward, she 359 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: was either in jail or with different boyfriends. There was 360 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 1: all kinds of violence and abuse in his home. At 361 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: the age of thirteen, his mother left him at a 362 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: bus stop and took off with another boyfriend. For years, 363 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: this young man was in and out of foster homes, 364 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: detention centers. He slept in abandoned buildings in the woods, 365 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 1: any place he could find. He had to steal food 366 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: in order to survive. How could he ever make anything 367 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: out of his life. All the odds were against him, 368 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: and it wasn't his fault. He didn't have a fair 369 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: shot in life. But in the seventh grade, he met 370 00:23:56,040 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: a junior high councilor at a small inner city school 371 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: named Cindy. Cindy could tell this young boy was troubled, 372 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: had no stability. She took a great interest in him. 373 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: But this boy was only in her school for several 374 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: months before he dropped out. Every day for two years, 375 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: Cindy prayed God, please send him back to our school. 376 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: In the ninth grade, he came walking through the doors. 377 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: Cindy was right there waiting for him. Nobody had ever 378 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: been looking for this young man. His home life was 379 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: so dysfunctional. Every morning, Cindy would drive forty five minutes 380 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: to pick him up and bring him to school. Her 381 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: motto was, correction does much, but encouragement does more. That summer, 382 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,880 Speaker 1: he was mowing the lawn of an elderly couple. When 383 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: they learned his story, they opened their home and took 384 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: him in. They discovered this young boy had a gift 385 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: of music, writing and singing. He started before at talent 386 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: shows and community events. Every time, this elderly lady would 387 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: be on the front row with her Bible in hand, 388 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 1: cheering him on. In two thousand and eight, Jimmy Wayne's 389 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: song do You Believe Me Now hit number one on 390 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 1: the country charts. He's toured with Brad Paisley and other stars. Today, 391 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: he uses his country music platform to raise awareness about 392 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: foster care and to help other children in the same situation. 393 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: Like Jimmy, the odds may be against you. You don't 394 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 1: see any way your situation could work out. But God 395 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: has the right people already lined up. The gifts He's 396 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: put in you, the dreams they didn't get canceled because 397 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: you had bad breaks, because somebody did you wrong. They 398 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: are still alive. You can still become who God created 399 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: you to be. And it may feel like the fire's 400 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: been turned up seven times hotter. But don't worry. Your 401 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: time is coming. God is saying the odds are for you. 402 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: Things are about to change in your favor. That problem 403 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: that looks permanent, it's only temporary now. All through the day, Father, 404 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: thank you that the odds are for me. If you'll 405 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: do this, I believe and declare, Like Jimmy, you're going 406 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: to go further than you've ever dreamed, Like these Hebrew teenagers, 407 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: You're going to come out of that fire without the 408 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: smell of smoke, and like Lazarus. God is going to 409 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: make you a living testimony in Jesus's name if you 410 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: receive it. Can you say it? Men? Today, I'd like 411 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 1: to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord 412 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 413 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 414 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 415 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 416 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: a good Bible based church, and keep God first place. 417 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 418 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 2: us continue to share the message of hope with those 419 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 2: all over the world. Visit jolostein dot com slash give 420 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 2: hope to give a gift today. 421 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 422 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 423 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 1: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 424 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 425 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: next time.