1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: for God very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: It's a joy to come into your homes, and if 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: you're ever in our area, please stop by and be 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: a part of one of our services. I promise you 9 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: we'll make you feel right at home. I like to 10 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: start with something funny, and I heard about this mother. 11 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:32,959 Speaker 1: She had two young boys that were known for their 12 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: mischievous behavior. Anytime trouble occurred, they were certain to be 13 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: a part. She decided to take them one at a 14 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: time to see their pastor. The pastor said to the 15 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: first young boy, son, where is God? He sat there silently. 16 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: He asked again, where is God? Still no reply. The 17 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: third time the pastor asked, the young boy bolted out 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: the door, ran home and said to his brother, God 19 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: is missing. And they think we did it. Say it 20 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 21 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: what it says, I am, I have what it says 22 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: I have, I can do what it says I can 23 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: do today. I will be taught the word of God. 24 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 25 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 26 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: bless you. I want to talk to you today about 27 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: ease is coming. We all go through seasons of struggle 28 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: when it feels like it's uphill. There's pressure raising children. 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: Maybe you're believing for your health to improve, but it's 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: not getting better. Too often we get discouraged and think 31 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: that's just the way life is. In Matthew chapter eleven, 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: Jesus talked about how the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: and you have to take it by force. He was 34 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: telling us there will be seasons where you have to 35 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: stand strong and really fight the good fight of faith. 36 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: Verses later in the same chapter, he said, my yoke 37 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: is easy and my burden is light. He was saying, 38 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: there will be times of struggle, pressure, difficulties, but don't 39 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: get discouraged. That's not permanent. What I'm putting on you. 40 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: My yoke it's easy, it's light. You may be struggling now, 41 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: you feel pressured. You think that's the way it's always 42 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: going to be. You'll always struggle with your health, struggle 43 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: in a relationship, struggle in your finances. No, you're going 44 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: to come in to an anointing of ease. And when 45 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: you come into this ease, what once was a struggle 46 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: won't be a struggle anymore. You're going to have a 47 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: supernatural grace of favor that will lighten the load and 48 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: take the pressure off. God is going to make your 49 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: life easier. He said he would go before you and 50 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: make your crooked places straight. That means he's going to 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: smooth things out. You're coming into a season where things 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: are going to fall into place. You're going to get 53 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: breaks that you didn't see coming. Problems that you thought 54 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: were permanent are suddenly going to turn around. You are 55 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: not going to go through life constantly struggling, pressured, weighted 56 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: down by problems. This is a new day. Ease is coming. 57 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: David said. God anoints my head with oil. Oil makes 58 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: things flow. When there's friction, things that are stuck. Oil 59 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: is used to lubricate it to make it more fluid. 60 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: God is going to oil your life. This anointing is 61 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: going to cause things to be easier. You're going to 62 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: accomplish more with less effort. What stopped you in the past, 63 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: what's caused friction, is not going to stop you anymore. 64 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: You're gonna flow right past that. You're going to accomplish 65 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: goals and think that was easier than I thought. Never 66 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: dream it happened that quickly. That's this anointing of ease. 67 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: There's a large company that has a slogan that says 68 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: that was easy. A few years ago, a friend of 69 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: mine sent me their big red button. When you push it, 70 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: it says that now I keep this by my bathroom 71 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: sink there on the counter. Every so often I reach 72 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: over and push this button. I like to get that 73 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: phrase down in my spirit because it's easy to go 74 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: through life looking at our problems, focus on our obstacles, thinking, 75 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: oh man, this is going to be so hard. I 76 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: dread dealing with this. It's never going to work out. 77 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: That's mindset is not only stealing our joy, but it's 78 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: keeping us from seeing God's favor. When my dad went 79 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: to be with the Lord and I first started ministering, 80 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: it took everything I had to write a message for 81 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: that weekend, all my focus, my creativity, my energy. I 82 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: was pressured, stressed. When I finally finished. I felt like 83 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: that's the last one that I could ever do. And 84 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: if I wasn't careful, I was tempted to dread it 85 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: and think this is too hard. I'm not going to 86 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: know what to say. I can't do this anymore. I 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: had to turn it around. Father, Thank you that your 88 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: yoke is easy. Thank you that I'm well able. Think 89 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 1: you that you've equipped me and empowered me. I got 90 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: my mind going in the right direction. I went through 91 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: seasons of struggle, strained difficulty, but I didn't let it 92 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,239 Speaker 1: become permanent in my thinking. One day I came into 93 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: this anointing of ease. What once was a struggle is 94 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: not a struggle anymore. Every week when I finish a message, 95 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: I hit this button just to remind me that it 96 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: was easy. Quit telling yourself this is so hard. I'll 97 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: never accomplish my dreams. I'll never get out of debt. 98 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: This is a new day. You are going to have 99 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 1: a strength that you did not have before. God did 100 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: not create you to struggle your whole life. His yoke 101 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: is easy. You may have had that addiction for a 102 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: long time. It's going to be easier than you think 103 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: to break it. You're going to have a supernatural power. 104 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: Maybe you're struggling in your finances, pressure to pay the bills, 105 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: pressured to get ahead. I believe that pressure is coming 106 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: to an end. God is going to cause good breaks 107 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: to find you. New doors are going to open. Your 108 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:31,919 Speaker 1: gifts and talents are going to come out in a 109 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: new way. It's going to be easier than you think. 110 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: A couple of years after I wrote my first book, 111 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: a man was walking by Madison Square Garden one evening 112 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: there in New York. He was an executive at one 113 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: of the largest publishing companies in the world. He saw 114 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: my name on the marquee and people waiting in line 115 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 1: to get in. He'd never heard of me, and he 116 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: went home and did some research. He called my literary 117 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: agent and said that he wanted to publish my next book. 118 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: She told him that we already had a publisher and 119 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: we were happy. He asked if he could make an offer. 120 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: She said, of course you can. He offered an amount 121 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: more than I ever imagined. When she called and told me, 122 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: I nearly passed out. I said, boy, you sure do 123 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: great work. She said, actually, Joel, I didn't go to him. 124 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: He came to me. I thought to myself. That was easy. 125 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: That was God lining up the right people, having him 126 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: at the right place at the right time. If he 127 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: had not left work late that night, he wouldn't have 128 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: seen those people in line. If he had not taken 129 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: that train home, he wouldn't have been in that area. 130 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: If he'd have been preoccupied, he could have walked by 131 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: the arena just thought it's another ballgame, another concert. All 132 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: these things had to fall perfectly into place. That was 133 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: the hand of God making my life easier. God has 134 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: the right people lined up for you. He has the 135 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: right breaks, the right opportunities. You may not have seen it, 136 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: yet you keep honoring God being your best. He's going 137 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: to take you into overflowd You are not going to 138 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: go through life pressured by bills, pressured to make ends meet, 139 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: pressure to send your children to college. God is going 140 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: to do something unusual, something unexpected, something that you couldn't 141 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: make happen. I know a single parent mother. She was 142 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: working hard raising her children, trying to make ends meet. 143 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,199 Speaker 1: Every month, she barely had enough to pay her bills. 144 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: She told how she dreamed of taking a vacation, but 145 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: every time she saved up extra funds, something would break 146 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: That had to be repaired. She was being her best, 147 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: but couldn't get ahead. It seemed like she would struggle 148 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: her whole life. When you keep doing the right thing, 149 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: you keep passing these tests, you're going to come in 150 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: to this anointing of ease. God is going to make 151 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: things happen that will lighten the load. He's going to 152 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: take the pressure off. One day, her supervisor unexpectedly took 153 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: an early retirement and she was given that position. With 154 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: it came a significant increase in salary. She was very grateful. 155 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: Several years later, her manager, one of the vice presidents 156 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 1: of this large company, suddenly resigned and she was given 157 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: that position. Today, she makes more than ten times what 158 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 1: she made when she started. She doesn't live under constant pressure. 159 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: She can take vacations whenever she wants. She supports other 160 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: single parent families. She said, Joel, I don't really know 161 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: how this happened. Everything just fell into place and here 162 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: I am. What she is really saying was that was easy. 163 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: That's what God is going to do for you. He's 164 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: going to put you at the right place at the 165 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: right time. He's going to open doors that no man 166 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: can shut. He's going to cause people to want to 167 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: be good to you. You may be struggling in some areas, 168 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: but don't get discouraged. That is not permanent. Ease is coming. 169 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: I talked to a young man. He was finishing up 170 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: his Masters. He had one final exam left. It was 171 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: the hardest class on his schedule, and he is very 172 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: stressed out and concerned that he wasn't going to pass. 173 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: And we prayed and asked God to give him wisdom 174 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: to help him to excel. He came back last week 175 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: so excited he had passed the test. Now I asked him, 176 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: how was it. He said, it's funny because all of 177 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: my classmates thought it was very difficult, but to me, 178 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: it was easier than I expected. He did his part, 179 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 1: he studied, he prepared. Then God stepped in and made 180 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: it easier than he thought. Quit thinking I'll never pass, 181 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: I'll never get out of debt. This is too hard. 182 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: Sometimes we're expecting to fail, we're expecting to struggle, we're 183 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: expecting it to be difficult. Turn it around. Father, Thank 184 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: you for your anointing of ease. Thank you that you're 185 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: causing me to excel. Thank you that you're breathing in 186 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: my direction. Some of the things that you're worrying about. 187 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: You don't see how it could ever work out. It's 188 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: not going to be what you think. God is going 189 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: before you right now, making those crooked places straight. You're 190 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: going to look back like him and say it was 191 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: easier than I thought. The Book of First Samuel, the 192 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: Philistines had just defeated the Israelites in a battle. They 193 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: captured the Ark of the Covenant. That's where the presence 194 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: of God was back then. The Israelites were so distraught. 195 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: When the prophet Eli heard this bad news, he passed out, 196 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: fell backwards, and broke his neck. All of Israel was 197 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: in mourning. They had not only lost the Ark of 198 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: the Covenant, their most important possession, but thirty thousand men 199 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: had been killed in that battle. It looked like the 200 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: Ark was gone forever. The Philistines took the Ark to 201 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: their temple and placed it next to their god, Dagone. 202 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: He was a stone statue that they worshiped. In the 203 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: middle of the night, Dagon fell over. They thought it 204 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: was a coincidence, maybe the wind or something. They stood 205 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: him back up. The next night, Dagon not only fell 206 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: over this time, he broke into pieces. They realized their 207 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: god couldn't stand in the presence of Israel's God. Plegs 208 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: begin to break out in the camp. People started getting 209 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: boils and tumors. They finally realized, it's because we have 210 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: the Ark of the Covenant. They decided to move it 211 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: to another city just to make sure. The same plegus 212 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: and boils started afflicting those people. They panicked and said, 213 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: we have to get rid of this ark. They can't 214 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: mess with the God of Israel. Seven months after they 215 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: captured it, they built this wood cart, placed the Ark 216 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: of the Covenant on it, hooked it up to two 217 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: young cows. They turned it loose and let those cows 218 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: go wherever they wanted. They started heading straight toward the 219 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: Israelites camp in a few days. When the Israelites saw 220 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: the Arc coming, they couldn't believe their eyes. They started celebrating. 221 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: They never dreamed they would see the Ark again. They 222 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: not only got it back, but they didn't have to 223 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: fight for it. The arc came looking for them. If 224 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: they would have had one of these red buttons, they 225 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: would have pushed it. That was easy. But during those 226 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: seven months, I'm sure the Israelites came up with plans 227 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: and strategies how to get the art back. They had 228 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: lost thousands of men. They knew they were going to 229 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: lose more. Then they saw the cows come walking up. 230 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: Suddenly their life got much easier. They were so relieved. 231 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: Some of the things that you're worrying about, trying to 232 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: figure out how it's going to work out, how you're 233 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: going to get well, how you're going to get out 234 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,319 Speaker 1: of debt, how your family is going to be restored. 235 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: God is going to do for you what he did 236 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: for them. He's going to cause those things to find you. 237 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: You're not going to have to fight those battles. Good 238 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: breaks are going to come after you. The right people 239 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: are going to search you out. What you're believing for 240 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: is going to track you down. God is saying, get ready, 241 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: the cows are coming. What belongs to you is headed 242 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: your way, the health, the freedom, the abundance, the contracts, 243 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: the spouse. God is going to make things happen that 244 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: you could have never made happen. Those cows could have 245 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: stayed there grazing. They could have wandered aimlessly month after month. 246 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: But God controls the universe. That means God controls the cows. 247 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: He knows how to get what you're into your hands. 248 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: People can't stop him. Bad breaks can't stop him. Cows 249 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: can't stop him. Enemies can't stop him. The Philistines took 250 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: the arc, but I love the fact they couldn't keep it. 251 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: It made them miserable. That tells me nobody can keep 252 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: what belongs to you. The enemy may take your health 253 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: for a little while, but he can't keep it. Doesn't 254 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: belong to him. You are God's properties. God will send 255 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: it back. He may distract your child, get them off 256 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: course for a season, but he can't keep them there. 257 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: Quit worrying, Quit losing sleep. They're coming back. He may 258 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: have taken your dream temporarily, had bad breaks, disappointments, Stay encouraged. 259 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: What has your name on it is going to find you. 260 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: Some of you. Your cows are going to show up. 261 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: Sooner than you think. What you thought was over and done, 262 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: it would never work out. Suddenly things are going to 263 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: fall into place. You don't have to fight, you don't 264 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: have to struggle. Just get up every morning. Father, think 265 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: you that Macaw's are coming. Isaiah said to the Israelites, 266 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: your swords will be turned into plowshares, your spears into 267 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: pruning hooks. God was saying, you're coming into a season 268 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: where you're not going to need your swords and your spears. 269 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: You're not going to have to fight, not going to 270 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: have to struggle, try to make things happen. Instead of 271 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: a sword, you're going to need a plow together of 272 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: the harvest. You can put down your spears. You're not 273 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: going to have to go attack, try to get back 274 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: what belongs to you. God is fighting your battles. He's 275 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: putting pressure on those that have what's yours. You need 276 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: to get ready, not for a fight, not for a battle, 277 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: get ready for a harven, get ready for a breakthrough, 278 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 1: get ready for healing. You're coming in to this season 279 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: of ease. Have a friend that I grew up with 280 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: that struggled with an addiction for a long time, got 281 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: mixed up with the wrong students in high school, and 282 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 1: twenty years later he was still addicted. He'd gone through 283 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 1: rehab and all kinds of treatment, but it never worked. 284 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: Like the Israelites, he looked defeated. That addiction looked so 285 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: much bigger, like nothing he could ever do. I saw 286 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: him a couple of years ago. He told how after 287 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: twenty one years of being addicted. He is now totally free. 288 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: He looks better than he looked in high school. Skin 289 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,959 Speaker 1: had cleared up, he gained some weight, had a smile 290 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: on his face. I asked him how he did it. 291 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: I thought he went through some type of special rehab, 292 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: he said, Joel, I didn't do anything different. I can't 293 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: really put my finger on it. It was just like 294 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: something broke on the ends. Now I felt a shrimp 295 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: that I've never felt before. What was that God causing 296 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: his cows to find him. God gave him the victory 297 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: without him having to fight. Friends, Freedom belongs to you, 298 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: Wholeness belongs to you. Quit believing those lies that you're stuck. 299 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: You'll never get well. It's been too long, it's too hard. 300 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: This is a new day. That yoke of bondage is 301 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: being broken. You're getting a new yoke, a yoke of ease, 302 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: a yoke of freedom, a yoke of victory. You're going 303 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: to break habits that looked permanent. It's not going to 304 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: happen just by your might, by your power. It's going 305 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: to happen because the Most High God is breathing in 306 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: your direction. It may have been difficult in the past, 307 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: you tried and it didn't work out. Try again. You're 308 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: in a new season, you've come into harvest. You can 309 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 1: put those swords down. You don't have to do it 310 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 1: in your own strength. God is fighting your battles. Dare 311 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: to declare, I am free, I am whole, I am 312 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: victorious like this man. God is going to surprise you. 313 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: What you thought would never turn around, Suddenly you're going 314 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: to see it happen. Several years before my father went 315 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: to be with the Lord, we came across a construction 316 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: permit for the last full power television station in Houston. 317 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: The transmitter was going to be out north. We needed 318 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: a place to put the station here in the city. 319 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: A few months earlier, a man had called me out 320 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: of the blue, left a message saying that he was 321 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: in commercial real estate that if we ever needed anything, 322 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: he would love to help. Normally I would have erased that, 323 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: not thought much about it, just another sales call. But 324 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 1: for some reason I wrote his name and number down 325 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: put it in my desk drawer, never realizing in a 326 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: few months we were going to need a place to 327 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,199 Speaker 1: put the station. I called him. It was like we 328 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: were old friends. He was so likable, he took us 329 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 1: to different office buildings. They were nice, but our challenge 330 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: was we needed a cell phone tower close by so 331 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: we could microwave our signal down to the transmitter site. 332 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: We looked for several weeks and couldn't find anything. One day, 333 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: he took us to this big office complex about fifty acres, 334 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 1: very beautiful trees and lakes. There were new owners and 335 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: they were very excited about the possibility of having a 336 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: television station there. They told us we would be their 337 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 1: main tenants. They would give us the signage out front. 338 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: They showed us offices overlooking this lake. They wanted us 339 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: so badly. Their price was about half of anything we'd seen. 340 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: We loved it. We wanted to be there. The only 341 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 1: problem was we had to see if there was a 342 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,679 Speaker 1: cell phone tower close. We went on top of the 343 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: build and looked around, and we didn't see anything. I 344 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: was disappointed. I thought that would have been a perfect location. 345 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 1: Everyone left, but Victoria and I stayed and we walked 346 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: around the property for about thirty minutes. As we were 347 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: coming up the parking lot on the side of the building, 348 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: about forty yards from the place they showed us, I 349 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: could hear construction behind this wooden fence. I climbed up 350 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: on the fence and looked over. They were pouring a foundation. 351 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: I asked one of the men what they were building. 352 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: He said a cell phone tower. I nearly fell off 353 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: that fence. I said, is there room for other clients? 354 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,120 Speaker 1: He said, yeah, it's brand new. I called the company 355 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: the next day. We had a contract to microwave ar signal. 356 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: What was that God causing things to fall into place, 357 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: going before us making crooked places straight. Well, Joel, that 358 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 1: is just a lucky break. Can I tell you the 359 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: lucky breaks you've been having. That's the hand of God. 360 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: That's the yoke of ease. When you recognize God's favor, 361 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: when you take time to say Lord, thank you for 362 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: making my life easier, thank you for your goodness, then 363 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 1: you will see more of God's favor. And what's interesting 364 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: is this man. I met this realtor when we learned 365 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: that the Compact center was coming available. He was one 366 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: of the first people I called. He worked hand in 367 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: hand on our behalf with the city. He was very 368 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: instrumental in us getting this place. What are the chances 369 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: of him calling me out of the blue, me keeping 370 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: his number, him taking us to an office building where 371 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: they were building a self power. That wasn't random, that 372 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,719 Speaker 1: wasn't a coincidence. That was God causing our cows to 373 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: find us. God is in control of your life. He 374 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: knows what you need and he knows how to get 375 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: it to you. Yes, we all go through seasons of struggle, 376 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: seasons of pressure and difficulty, but that is not your 377 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: permanent home. You were coming in to this anointing of ease, 378 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: like with me. You're going to see things fall into place. 379 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: You're going to know it's the goodness of God. A 380 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: friend of mine grew up very poor. His family lived 381 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: in public housing. There was crime and drugs. His parents 382 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: were migrant farmers and had no education. Didn't look like 383 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: this young man would ever amount to too much. His 384 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 1: mother saw that he had a love for music and 385 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: encouraged him to join the band. In school, he became 386 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: one of their top tuba players. In the sixth grade, 387 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: he already stood six foot six inches tall. He was 388 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 1: the star player on the basketball team. When he graduated 389 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: from high school, he received thirty scholarship offers to play 390 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: in college. He was headed to the Portland Trailblazers to 391 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,479 Speaker 1: play professionally when he suffered a career ending injury. He 392 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 1: ended up back at home in the projects, no money, 393 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: no education, working for the city as a dog catcher, 394 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: making a little more than minimum wage. During his lunch hour, 395 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: he would go up to the local music store and 396 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: play the keyboards that were out on demo. Wearing his 397 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: dog catcher uniform. Customers would gather around to listen to 398 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: him play. They were mesburized at his ability. One day, 399 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: a customer told the owner she wanted to buy the 400 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: keyboard that the dog catcher was playing. This happened again 401 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: and again. The owner said to this young man, people 402 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: aren't buying my pianos, They're buying the dog catcher sound. 403 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: They love what you do. He offered him a full 404 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 1: time job to come in and play the piano all day. 405 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 1: That was the first step in his musical career. Today, 406 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: my friend Ben Tankard has become known as the Godfather 407 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: of gospel jazz. He sold millions of albums pastors a 408 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: great chirt goes around the world sharing his music. Like 409 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: with then, God is working behind the scenes, lining up 410 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: what you need. You're coming into a season where you're 411 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 1: not going to have to struggle you're not going to 412 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: have to fight. You can put those swords down. You 413 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: are coming into a harvest season. You're going to see 414 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: the goodness of God making your life easier. You may 415 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,360 Speaker 1: be in a difficult time. God is about to take 416 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: the pressure off. You're going to have a strength that 417 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: you didn't have before. People are going to go out 418 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: of their way to be good to you. That yoke 419 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: of bondage is coming off, The yoke of ease is 420 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: coming on. What's hindered you in the past is not 421 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: going to hinder you in the future. I believe and 422 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: declare you're going to overcome obstacles easier than you think. 423 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: You're going to accomplish dreams easier than you think. Like 424 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 1: the Israelites, those cows are going to find you. Ease 425 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: is coming your way. In Jesus' name, if you receive it, 426 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,120 Speaker 1: Can you say him in today? I'd like to give 427 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 428 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say Lord, Jesus, I 429 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 430 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:29,479 Speaker 1: you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 431 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: we believe you got born again, Get in a good 432 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: Bible based church, Keep God first place. Thanks so much 433 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so 434 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: you can receive the latest podcast to keep you encouraged 435 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: and inspired all through the week. Help us to continue 436 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 1: to share the message of hope with those all around 437 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: the world. Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link 438 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: in the description to partner with us today. We hope 439 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: you'll share this message with a friend and be sure 440 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 1: to follow us on social media. We're praying for you. 441 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 1: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 442 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: next time.