1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: for God's very best in your life. God bless you. 6 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: It's great to be with you today, and I hope 7 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: daily podcast, YouTube channel, social media, and you can come 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: visit us in person. We'd love to have you be 10 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 1: a part of one of our services. I'd like to 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: start with something funny, and I heard about this wealthy man. 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: He was known for being very eccentric. He's having a 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: big party at his house and in his backyard he 14 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: had a huge swimming pool filled with sharks and alligators. 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: He announced his guest, anyone that will swim across my pool, 16 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: I'll give you anything you want. In a few minutes, 17 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: there was a big splash and a man was in 18 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: there going ninety to nothing, dodging sharks and maneuvering around 19 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: alligators and made it to the other just in the 20 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: nick of time. I wander said, Wow, you're the for 21 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: evest person I've ever met. Now, what do you want? 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: The men said, what I want more than anything else 23 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: is the name of the person that just pushed me 24 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: in saying like you mean it. This is my Bible. 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: I am what it says I am. I have what 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: it says I have. I can do what it says 27 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: I can do. Today I will be taught the word 28 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 29 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 30 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: God bless you. I want to talk to you today 31 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: about getting unstuck. There are times that we all feel stuck. 32 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: We've had a disappointment, we get stuck in a bad mood, 33 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: or we've made mistakes, stuck in guilt. We can feel 34 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: stuck in our career, stuck being single, stuck raising a 35 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: difficult child. Thought's whisper It's never going to change, this 36 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: is permanent. Those are all lives. God did not create 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: you to live stuck, to be limited by your circumstances 38 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 1: and restricted because of what people have done. He created 39 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: you to rise higher, to reach new levels, to break 40 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: barriers of the past. And yes, there are seasons of waiting, 41 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: times of testing where we go through struggle, but that's 42 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: not how your story ends. There are seasons of harvest, coming, 43 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: seasons of breakthrough, seasons of uncommon favor where God steps 44 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: in and does what only he can do. You may 45 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: feel stuck in some area of your life today and 46 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: all the circumstances say it's not going to change. That 47 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: God must have forgotten about you. No, here's the key. 48 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: God shows up when you're stuck. Just as Paul in Silence, 49 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: they were stuck in prison, their feed in chains. It 50 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: looked permanent. But at midnight, as they were seeing and 51 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: praise is, God showed up. There was a great earthquake, 52 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: the prison doors flung open. They walked out as free men. 53 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: Jonah was stuck in the belly of a well. He 54 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: had made mistakes, was his own fault. But God doesn't 55 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: abandon us when we get off course. That well suddenly 56 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: had indigestion, went to the shore and spit Jonah out. 57 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: God gave him another chance. Hannah in the scripture, she 58 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: felt stuck. She had been trying to have a baby 59 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: for years, but she was barren. She watched her sister 60 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: have child after child and didn't seem fair. She went 61 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: to the temple and prayed. The prophet Eli said to her, 62 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: God heard your prayer, and you will have a child. 63 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: She not only had one baby, but God gave her 64 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: six children. This was after years of her feeling stuck, 65 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: thoughts telling her that she would always be barren. Don't 66 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: believe the never lies. Never get well, never get married, 67 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: never accomplish your dream. You may be stuck now, but 68 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: you're not gonna stay stuck. God's about to show up. 69 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: Job thought he was stuck. He went through great difficulties, 70 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: lost his health, his family, his business. He was so 71 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: depressed he said, I hate my life. I wish I 72 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: had never been born. His wife joined in and said, 73 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: I agree. Job, just curse God and die. It's good 74 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: to have supported people and all the circumstances said. Job 75 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: was done. But God shows up to stuck people. He 76 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: not only restored what Job lost, but Job came out 77 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: with double. God makes the enemy pay for bringing the trouble. 78 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: And we all go through difficulties and things that are 79 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: not fair. And those thoughts will tell you it's never 80 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: gonna change. But you have to keep this down in 81 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: your spirit. Stuck is not your destiny. God came to 82 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: loose the captives came to free you from what has 83 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: you restricted. Joseph thought he was stuck in a pit. 84 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: His brothers left him there to die. A caravan of 85 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: Ishmaelites came. He was sold into slavery in Egypt, where 86 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: years later he would become the Prime Minister. Looked like 87 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: he was stuck, but it was all a set up 88 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 1: to move him into his purpose. The enemy won't tell 89 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: you that God's working behind the scenes that is leading 90 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: you to your purpose, that being stuck is only temporary. 91 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: He'll whisper all you're done, it's never gonna change. Don't 92 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: believe that God's purpose for your life cannot be overridden 93 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: by a bad break, a delay, a loss, a hardship. 94 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: And sure there'll be times we feel stuck, but you 95 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: have to remember God is still in control. He's still 96 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: ordering your steps. At the appointed time, he will loose you. Suddenly, 97 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: doors will open, the well spit you out. Suddenly you 98 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: have that baby, Suddenly you've become the Prime Minister, so 99 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: to speak. You step in to a new level of 100 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: your destiny, and the scripture says, lift up your head 101 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: and the King of Glory will come in. If you're 102 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: going to get unstuck. You can't go around with your 103 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: head down focused on your problems, thinking you've reached your limits. 104 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: As long as your head is down, you're going to 105 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: stay where you are. Do yourself a favor, lift up 106 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: your head, have a new perspective. You may be stuck, 107 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: but we serve a God who knows how to get 108 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: you unstuck. He did it for all those people in 109 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: the Bible. He's going to do it for you. You 110 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: may have tried everything you can. You've done your best, 111 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: but nothing improved. You don't have any more options. The 112 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: good news is God never runs out of options. You 113 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: don't see a way, but God has ways that you've 114 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: never thought of. Instead of having defeated, mind said, well, Joe, man, 115 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: I never get any good breaks. I can't get through 116 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: this addiction. I don't think I'll ever get well or 117 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: turn it around. I may be stuck now, I don't 118 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: deny that, but I know this. I am coming out. 119 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: Something good is gonna happen to me. Blessings are chasing 120 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: me down. The battle is taking place in our mind. 121 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: It's easy to become complacent to where we're comfortable with mediocrity. 122 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: You had big dreams, but it's been so long, nothing 123 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: has worked out, so you water down your dreams. I 124 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: can live with this addiction. I'll never have more than 125 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: enough all my family struggles. I don't deserve to be blessed, Joel, 126 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: I've made so many mistakes. There has to be a 127 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: change on the inside before there will be change on 128 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: the outsides. Victory starts in our thinking. When you've been 129 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: stuck a long time, it can create strongholds that keep 130 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: us from God's best. You need to lift up your head, 131 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: have a new vision. You may be stuck now, but 132 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: can I encourage you? Where you are is not where 133 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: you're staying. You will beat the sickness, you will break 134 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: the addiction. You will meet the right person. You're about 135 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: to become unstuck. Where what's held you back is broken 136 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: off of you. There's going to be a release where 137 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: God thrust you into your purpose, favor blessings that you've 138 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: never seen. This is what my mother did when she 139 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer back in nineteen eighty one. 140 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: There was nothing more the doctors could do. They send 141 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: her home saying that she had a few weeks to live. 142 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: And it was around Christmas time and our whole family 143 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: felt stuck. Medically speaking, they had run out of options, 144 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: and my mother told how in the middle of the night, 145 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: thoughts would come saying, you can be buried in that 146 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: new pink dress that you bought. The enemy would love 147 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: for you to start planning your demise, planning your going down, 148 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: living lonely, addicted. His goal is to keep you focused 149 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: on the problem, how impossible it looks, how long it's been. 150 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: The scripture says, look away from all that distracts under Jesus, 151 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: the author and finisher of our faith. In difficult times, 152 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: more than ever, you have to look away from the 153 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 1: distractions and look up. Fix your thoughts on what God 154 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: says about you. He's the author and the finisher. What 155 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: he starts, he's going to complete. You may be stuck now. 156 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: The good news is God is not finished. He's still working. 157 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: Keep looking up, keep thinking him, keep declaring what he promised, 158 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: keep talking like it's on the way. And despite the 159 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: negative report, I would hear my mother going through the 160 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: house saying, Father, thank you that you're restoring health back 161 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: into me, that I will live and not die. That 162 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: the number of my days you will fulfill. You know 163 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: what happened. The King of Glory came in. God did 164 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: what medicine couldn't do. That was forty four years ago. 165 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: From a few weeks to live to over four decades. 166 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: You're never too stuck for God to free you. You're 167 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: never too addicted to depressed, medical report, too bad, child, 168 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: too far gone. Lift up your head and chains will break. 169 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: Healing will come, supernatural turn around. There was a man 170 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: in the scripture that had been crippled for thirty eight years. 171 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: Every day his family would carry him to the Pool 172 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: of Bethesda. They'd lay there hoping to be healed. They 173 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 1: believed that an angel would trouble the water, the first 174 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: person in would be made well. There were hundreds of 175 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: sick people and disabled gathered at this pool, But of 176 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: all the people, Jesus came to this man who had 177 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: been stuck for thirty eight years. It's not a coincidence 178 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 1: that the scripture tells us how long he's been laying. 179 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: Many of the people Jesus healed, we don't know how 180 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: long they were blind or how long they had leprosy. 181 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: We just know they got healed. But this link was 182 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: included on purpose, so we would know that no matter 183 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: how long you've been stuck. It's not too late for 184 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: God to turn it around. Jesus asked the man, do 185 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: you want to get well? Seemed like an odd question. 186 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: Of course he did, That's why he came to the pool. 187 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: But Jesus wanted to see his frame of mind. Was 188 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: he looking up, was he believing he could get well, 189 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: or was he looking down thinking it had been too long. 190 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 1: He said to Jesus, I don't have anyone to help 191 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: me get into the pool. He was saying, in effect, yes, 192 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: I want to get well, but I'm at a disadvantage. 193 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: Jesus could have said, man, you didn't answer right, you'd 194 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 1: have said, yes, healed you. God's full of mercy. The 195 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: fact is Jesus knew the man went to the pool 196 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: every day. He saw his faith every morning, the man 197 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: getting out of bed, putting his clothes on, being carried 198 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: to the pool. He could have been at home laying 199 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: in bed self pity. Life's not fair. Every day he's 200 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: out there hoping to get well, expecting the waters to move, 201 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: believing for a supernatural touch. Jesus said to him, rise, 202 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: take up your bed and walk. Some people say the 203 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: man didn't have much faith, but if you've never walked 204 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: in your life, someone tells you to get up, do 205 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: you know how much faith that would take? The man 206 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: could have said, Jesus, what do you mean, I'm crippled. 207 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: I've been this way my whole life. Or this man said, 208 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: in effect, if you say I can walk, then I 209 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 1: believe I can walk. If you say I'm not stuck anymore, 210 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: then I believe it. As he started to rise up, 211 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: suddenly strength and healing flowed into him, energized his legs. 212 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: He stood up, walked out of there first time thirty 213 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: eight years. What's interesting is this all happened on the Sabbath. 214 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: The religious law said that you can't do any work 215 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: on the Sabbath. Jesus knew this, but he broke the 216 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 1: rules to get the man unstuck. God will break rules 217 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: to get you to your destiny. He'll break protocol. He'll 218 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: do things that are unusual. Heal you without the treatment, 219 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: like my mother. Choose you to be a pastor when 220 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: you don't have the training. Give you the compact center, 221 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: a sports arena for a church. Uncommon. How did the 222 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: ordinary something you weren't expecting to get you unstuck, to 223 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: release you into your purpose. You don't have to figure 224 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: out how this is going to happen. All you have 225 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: to do is lift up your head, activate your faith. 226 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: Saw one three, David talks about all kinds of opposition 227 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: he was facing and how people were treating him very badly. 228 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: This is when King Saul was chasing him through the desert. 229 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: He was living on the run, stuck in an unfair situation, 230 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: stuck with someone trying to get rid of him that 231 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: he had been good to. He said in verse three, 232 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: my enemy has chased me. He's knocked me to the 233 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: ground and forced me to live in darkness like those 234 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: in a grain. I'm losing all hope. I'm paralyzed with fear. 235 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: When you have doubts, fears, and uncertainties, don't get so 236 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: down on yourself. Here's David, a man after God's own heart, 237 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: a hero of faith. Yet he had times of discouragement, 238 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: times where he felt like he was stuck, didn't see 239 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: how it could ever change. The key is don't stay there. 240 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: At some point you have to look up. David listed 241 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: all these bad things that were happening. Then in the 242 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: next chapter, when he still felt overwhelmed, still didn't see 243 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: a way he said in verse nine, I will sing 244 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: a new song unto the Lord. He was saying, I'm 245 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: done talking about defeat. I'm gonna lift up my head. 246 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: I'm going to get a new perspective. Listen to how 247 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: he changed verse three. Great are you, o Lord. I 248 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: will meditate on your awe inspiring deeds. For you help 249 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: the fallen, you lift those under heavy load, You protect 250 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: those who trust in you. He went from poor, oh me, 251 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: I'm stuck to God. I think you that you are 252 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: fighting my battles, that you're my vindicator, that you're bigger 253 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: than what's trying to stop me. When you feel stuck, 254 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: it makes a difference what you're focused on. Are you 255 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: dwelling on the problem or are you dwelling on the promises? 256 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: Are you focused on how big the oppostion is or 257 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: on how big our God is. If you'll lift up 258 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: your head, the King of Glory will come in. God 259 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. A 260 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: couple of years after we were married, Victoria and I 261 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: were walking through this neighborhood close to where we lived. 262 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: We came to this new house that was almost finished 263 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: being built in the last stages of construction. Nobody was around, 264 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: so we walked up to it was this nice two 265 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: story house and was so beautiful, this spacious entry and 266 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: big windows in the back and high ceilings. The kitchen 267 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: was open to the den. It was amazing. As we 268 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: were leaving, walking down the front porch, I'll never forget this, 269 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: Victoria stopped and said, Joel, one day, we're going to 270 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: live in a house just like that. She might as 271 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: well have said one day we're going to go to 272 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: the moon. We were living in an old, one story house. 273 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: We could barely afford that. And being the great man 274 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: of faith that I am, I started telling her all 275 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: the reasons that it wasn't possible, how I worked for 276 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 1: a church. I'm never going to have that income. If 277 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: we saved one hundred and twenty four years, we won't 278 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: have enough. That went in one ear and out the other. 279 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: She acted like she didn't hear me. She said, no, Joe, 280 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, we're going to live in a house 281 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: just like this. That made me mad. I did my 282 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: best to convince her. We're stuck, we're limited, we're at 283 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: a disadvantage. The difference was I had my head down, 284 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: she had her head up. I was looking at what 285 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 1: we could do. She was looking at what God can do. 286 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: I was focused on all the facts, the numbers, what's logical. 287 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 1: I didn't see a way. But God is not limited 288 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: by what you don't have. He's not limited by your 289 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: bank account, by the medical report, by what family you 290 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: come from. He controls the universe when you believe, all 291 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: things are possible in the natural. We may be stuck, 292 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: but God is supernatural. He makes streams in the desert, 293 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: He brings water out of a rock, He parts red seas. 294 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: Peter caught a fish that had a coin in it 295 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: to pay his taxes. God is not scratching his head 296 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how to get you unstuck. He's 297 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: going to do things that you never saw coming, that 298 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: exceed your expectations, explosive blessings that catapult you into your destinies. 299 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,719 Speaker 1: Don't do like I did. Come up with all the reasons. 300 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: You can't get out of debt, and you can't get well. 301 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: Your dreams too big, and that child of yours will 302 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: always be off course. Do yourself a favor. Lift up 303 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 1: your head. God. I don't see away, but I know 304 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: you have a way Victoria finally convinced me to get 305 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: in agreement with her. We were living in this old 306 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: rundown house, had foundation problems, crooked floors, some of the 307 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 1: interior doors wouldn't shut. But it was on a nice 308 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: half acre lot close into the city. The neighborhood changed 309 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: the deed restrictions to where you could subdivide the property. 310 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:20,919 Speaker 1: A builder knocked on our door. A couple months later. 311 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: He bought half of the property for more than we 312 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: paid for the whole property. He built two homes there, 313 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: one for us, just like that house that Victoria had seen. 314 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: I could have never made that happen. I couldn't have 315 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: put that on paper. What am I saying? God is 316 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: going to do things that are uncommon that you didn't 317 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: see coming. You may be stuck in some area, but 318 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,959 Speaker 1: here's a key. Being stuck is a set up for 319 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: God to show out in your life, to do something 320 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: out of the ordinary. Don't believe that lie that is 321 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: permanent has been too long, Your dream's too big. No, 322 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: like the lame man that was there for thirty eight years, 323 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: your time is coming. Keep looking up, keep believing, keep expecting. 324 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: That's your faith being released. Second King, Chapter seven, the 325 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: Syrian army had surrounded the city of Samaria, cutting off 326 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: its food supply. The people were starving. There were four 327 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:27,880 Speaker 1: lepers living outside the city gates. Leprosy was contagious. They 328 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: weren't allowed to be around people. Not only were they outcast, 329 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: but when the enemy army came, they would be the 330 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: first ones to be killed. They had no protection, talk 331 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: about stuck, no future, no food, dreaded disease. But sitting 332 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 1: by the gates, one of them said to the others, 333 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 1: why are we just gonna sit here like this till 334 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: we die? They thought, if we stay here, we're gonna 335 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: start to death. We have nothing to lose. Let's go 336 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: to the enemy's camp and see if there's any there. 337 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: They started walking toward the other camp. God multiplied the 338 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: sound of their footsteps. It sounded like a huge army 339 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: was coming. The enemy army panicked and took off, running 340 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: as fast as they could, where they left behind all 341 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: the supplies. The lepers showed up. Couldn't believe it, a 342 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: whole camp full of food, clothing, equipment. They went back 343 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: and told the Israelites all their lives were spared. But sometimes, 344 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: like these lepers, we get stuck at a gate. We've 345 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: had bad breaks, gone through a disappointment. Now we're stuck 346 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: in self pity, in holding onto hurts, made mistakes. We 347 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: have regrets, stuck in guilt, stuck in shame. We can 348 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: get stuck in an addiction, incompromise. We tried to do better, 349 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: but we keep falling back. The challenge is we can 350 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: get comfortable at the gate. We can learn to function 351 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: in dysfunction. We have to ask ourselves what the leopers ask. 352 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: Why am I going to sit here till I die? 353 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: Why am I going to stay this way? Offended? Guilty, insecure, 354 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: no passion. We're waiting for God to change things, but 355 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: God's waiting for us. When you make a move, it 356 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: sets off a chain reaction. That's when God begins to 357 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: work open doors, bring healing, new relationships. A small act 358 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: of obedience can lead to a big blessing. It may 359 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: be forgiving that person that did you wrong, or forgiving 360 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: yourself for the mistakes you've made. It may mean getting 361 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: up in the morning and emptying out all the low 362 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: self esteem, the insecurity, and reminding yourself who God says 363 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: you are. A small act can get you unstuck. Maybe 364 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: it's to quit hanging around that friend causing you to compromise, 365 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: or not listening to the news, driving to work all 366 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: day has causing you to be mad at the world. Instead, 367 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: put on something inspiring, uplifting that feeds your faith. Don't 368 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: go the next twenty years stuck at the gate. Do 369 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: what you can, and God will do what you can. 370 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: You make a move and he'll multiply your steps. You 371 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: lift up your head and he'll turn things around that 372 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: you thought were permanent. There was a man we knew 373 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: growing up that could play the piano so beautifully. He 374 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: taught lessons to people and served at the church. But 375 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: over time he developed rheumatoid arthritis, kept getting worse and worse, 376 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: and he had trouble using his hands, and finally got 377 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: to the point where his fingers were all shriveled up 378 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: and he could no longer play the piano. Was so 379 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: discouraged over it all. Well, twenty years went by and 380 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 1: he had accepted that his these days of playing the 381 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: piano were over. But one day he heard my father 382 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: speaking about forgiveness and how important it is to let 383 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: things go. For years he had been estranged from his parents. 384 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: He felt like they hadn't raised him right, they'd let 385 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: him down, and all these offenses had built up to 386 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: what he pushed them out of his life. When he 387 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: heard that message, he felt something so strongly telling him 388 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: to forgive, to make things right. The next day he 389 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: went to his parents' house and knocked on the door. 390 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: They answered and couldn't believe it was him. They hugged 391 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: and wept, and there was healing and forgiveness. The relationship 392 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: was restored when something interesting happened. Little by little, the 393 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: men's fingers began to open up. He started having more flexibility, 394 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: and the pain in his joints began to lessen it. 395 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: He kept getting better and better. Six months later, he 396 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 1: could sit down and the piano like you did twenty 397 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: years earlier, like he had never missed a beat. He 398 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: was stuck all those years, but a simple act of 399 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:14,479 Speaker 1: obedience caused him to get unstuck. Like those lepers, he 400 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: was comfortable at the gate. He had learned to function 401 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: with the problem. He didn't realize the offense was holding 402 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: him back. When he made a move. God did what 403 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: he couldn't do when he said, I'm not gonna sit 404 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: here like this till I die holding on to something 405 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: that's poisoning me. That's when God stepped in and brought 406 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: healing and restoration. If you're stuck in some area, you 407 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,439 Speaker 1: need to look inside and say, God, what do I 408 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: need to do? Show me anything that's holding me back. 409 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 1: If you'll take that step of faith, your act of 410 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: obedience will start a chain reaction of the goodness of God. 411 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: Life may not have treated you fair, and you've got 412 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 1: a good reason to stay where you are, but stuck 413 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: is not your destiny. What happened to you did not 414 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 1: stop your purpose. Mistakes you've made did not cancel your assignment. 415 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: There is still a beautiful life, a blessing, fulfillment, abundance 416 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: that belongs to you. It's time to arise. Shake off 417 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 1: the guilt, forgive the people that hurt you, let go 418 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: of the self pity, lift up your hair, get that 419 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: fresh vision. God didn't bring you this far to leave you. 420 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: Being stuck is not permanent. It's a setup for God 421 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: to show out in your life. You may be stuck now, 422 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: but I believe and declare this is a new day. 423 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: You're about to become unstuck. God is releasing you from 424 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: whatever is holding you back. Chains are being broken. Strongholds 425 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: are coming down, Freedom is coming, Restoration, divine connections, the 426 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name. If you receive it, 427 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 1: can you say amen? I'd like to give you an 428 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 1: opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would 429 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent 430 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 431 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: my Lord and savior. If you pray that simple prayer, 432 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 433 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. 434 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 1: You can text the number on the screen or go 435 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: to the website. But I hope you'll get into a 436 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: good Bible based church and keep God first place.