1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victorium. Thanks so much for listening 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: to the podcast, and thanks for supporting the ministry. We 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: believe you're going to have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: God bless you. It's always a joy to come into 6 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: your homes. We love you. We know God has great 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: things in store for each one of you. And you're 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: ever in our area. I hope you'll stop by and 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: see us. I promise you will make you feel right 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: at home. Thanks so much for tuning in today, and 11 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: thank you again for coming out. I like to start 12 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: with something funny each week, and I heard about this man. 13 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: He got caught shoplifting at the grocery store. He was 14 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: at court and the judge said, sir, I understand you 15 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: stole a can of peaches. How many peaches were in 16 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: that can? He said five, Your honor? He said, all right, 17 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to give you one week in jail for 18 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: each peach. You got five weeks. His wife stood up 19 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: and said, your honor, may I say something? He said, yes, 20 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: you may. What is it? She said? Stole a can? 21 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: Appease too? Hold up your Bible and say it like 22 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: it says I am. I have what it says I have. 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: I can do what it says I can do. Today 25 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 27 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you today about freedom from competition. 29 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: It's easy to go through life competing with everyone around us. 30 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 1: When we see someone that's more talented, more beautiful, someone 31 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: that has more gifts. Instead of running our race and 32 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: being comfortable with who we are, so often we feel 33 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: inferior and we think I've got to catch up to them. 34 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: We're always trying to measure up to someone else. We 35 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: lose twenty pounds, but a coworker loses twenty five, celebrating 36 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: their success and staying in our lane. We think I've 37 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: got to do better. They're going to pass me up. 38 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: Or we wear a new outfit and we're just as 39 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: happy as can be until a friend comes in wearing 40 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: a nicer new outfit. They look better than us, and 41 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: now we're discouraged, thinking I wish I look like them, 42 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: or a neighbor pulls up in a brand new car. 43 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 1: On the outside, we're happy for them, it's beautiful congratulations. 44 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: On the inside, we're depressed. We start feeling insecure. I 45 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: gotta work harder. I've got to keep up with them. 46 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: They're making me look bad. The problem with this unhealthy 47 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: competition is it's a never ending cycle. There will always 48 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: be somebody up ahead of us. The very freeing thing 49 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: when you realize I'm not competing with you. I don't 50 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: have to have as big a house as my neighbor 51 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: to feel good about myself. I don't have to look 52 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: like she looks or wear what she wears to feel secure. 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: You don't have to keep up with my coworker, or 54 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to feel less than Now I understand that 55 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: I'm not in competition with my friend. I'm not in 56 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: competition with my neighbor. I'm not in competition with my coworker. 57 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: The only person I'm competing with is myself. And I'm 58 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: going to be the best need that I can possibly be. Now. 59 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: The best you may not be as successful as your neighbor, 60 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: but that's okay. The best you may not be as 61 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: thin as your sister, but that's okay the best. You 62 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: may not be as talented, as dynamic, as outgoing as 63 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: your co worker, but that's okay. You've got to be 64 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: comfortable with who God made you to be. You can't 65 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: get distracted and lose your focus by comparing what someone 66 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: else has, or what they do, or what they drive 67 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: or where they're going on vacation. Now you've got to 68 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: run your own race. Now, I realize I may not 69 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: be the best minister in the world. I'm okay with that. 70 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: But I'm going to be the best minister that I 71 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: can be. I may not be as good a father 72 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: as somebody else, but that's okay. I'm not competing with them. 73 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be the best father that I can be. 74 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: I may not be the ideal husband, don't you say amen, Victoria, 75 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna be the best husband that I can be. 76 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: I have a friend that is so romantic. He plans 77 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: these big weekend getaways with his wife. He writes her 78 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: beautiful poetry. He'll talk to her hour after hour about 79 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: how beautiful she is, on and on. I want to 80 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: tell him, would you quit doing that? You're making me 81 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: look bad? But I've learned I'm not Romeo, I'm Jolio. 82 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: God made us different on purpose, and yes, we can 83 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: be inspired by others. We can be challenged to come 84 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: up higher. But I don't have to go around condemned 85 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: thinking I gotta do what he's doing. He's showing me up, 86 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: he's making me look bad. No, I'm not in competition 87 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,039 Speaker 1: with him. He has strengths that I don't have. You 88 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: know what, I have strengths that he doesn't have. He 89 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: can write some beautiful poems, but I've written some pretty 90 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: good books. And God never created us to go around 91 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: competing and comparing with others. The reason some people are 92 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: not secure and they don't feel good about themselves is 93 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: they're always looking at what somebody else is doing, where 94 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: they're going, what they're driving. Now, stay focused on your 95 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: own race. You're not anointed to do what they're doing. 96 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: God's giving you the grace to be who he's called 97 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: you to be. When we have this unhealthy competition, life's 98 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: a constant struggle. We're never good enough because as soon 99 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: as we catch up to one person, we see somebody 100 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: else that's up ahead. Ladies, you may have a good 101 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: friend that's a size eight, But you know the best 102 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: you is a size fourteen. Your attitude should be I'm 103 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: not gonna go through life beating myself up, feeling inferior 104 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: because I can't measure up to those standards. Now I'm 105 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: gonna wear this fourteen like nobody's ever worn a fourteen before. 106 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna dress it up, paint it, strut it like 107 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: it's the hottest thing going. I've seen ladies before that 108 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: were not particularly attractive. They would normally stand out in 109 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: the crowd. But by the way they carry themselves, the 110 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,799 Speaker 1: way they walk, the way they talk, the way they think, 111 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: they've got so much confidence. They are so secure in 112 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: who God made them to be. After a while, you 113 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: start thinking, you know what they've got it going on. 114 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: You see something in them that you didn't see before. 115 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: Why is that? Because what's on the inside will eventually 116 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: come out to the outside. They are so comfortable in 117 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:49,239 Speaker 1: their own skin. They're not intimidated because they don't look 118 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: like they step out of a fashion magazine. They're not 119 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: inferior because they don't have the perfect shape. They understand 120 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: they're not in competition with all of those others. They're 121 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: being the best that they can be. You've got to 122 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: take what God's given you, the height, the weight, the personality, 123 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: and make the most of it, dress it up and 124 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: wear it proudly. But I see too many people that 125 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: are always frustrated with how they look, their height, they're weighting, 126 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: They're constantly trying to change things and fight against what 127 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: they don't like. And don't get me wrong, I'm all 128 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: for doing what we can to improve staying in shape, 129 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: working out, eating right. I'm not saying we should be sloppy, 130 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: but we have to realize at some point there's something 131 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: called genetics. We have to accept the fact that genes 132 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: have been passed down from our parents, grandparents given by God, 133 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: and these genes, for the most part, determine that ideal 134 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: size and weight, and how tall or short we are, 135 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: how much or how little hair we have, and whether 136 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: we have this strong athletic muscular physique or a physique 137 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: like my brother Paul. But most of that, in general 138 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: is predetermined. And yes, we may be able to adjust 139 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: that weigh fifteen to twenty percent from our ideal weight, 140 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: but if you have genes that say one hundred and 141 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: fifty pounds, no matter what you do, you're not going 142 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: to consistently live at one hundred pounds. That's not who 143 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: God made you to be. But if you're in competition 144 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: with someone that's naturally one hundred pounds and you feel 145 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: bad because you don't look like them, you can't fitness 146 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: size five, and I don't know what's wrong with me. 147 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: Before long, you'll not only lose your enthusiasm, but you'll 148 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: start to feel inferior and less than all because you're 149 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: competing with someone that's not even in your race. Your 150 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: race is made up of one person, you, and God 151 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: is not going to hold you accountable for somebody else's 152 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: gifts or somebody else's genes. He's not going to judge 153 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: you by saying, did you keep up with your coworker? 154 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: Did you drive as fancy as a car as your neighbor, 155 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 1: Were you as successful as your brother? Were you as 156 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: thin as your best friend? Oh, he's going to judge 157 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 1: you by saying, did you run your race? Did you 158 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: make the most with what I gave you? Did you 159 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: live confidence secure knowing who you are? Or did you 160 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: go around thinking I'm just not up to par, beating 161 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: yourself up because you didn't measure up to somebody around you. 162 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: The other day, I watched the Indianapolis five hundred on television. 163 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: Those race cars are incredibly sleek. They're load to the ground, 164 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: extremely aerodynamic. They've got these huge engines. They can go 165 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: two hundred miles an hour on a straight away and 166 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: even take a curve at one hundred miles an hour. 167 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: They're quick, they're fast, they're precise. But in spite of 168 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: all these strengths, do you know they have weaknesses. They 169 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: can only hold one person. They're not that comfortable on 170 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,319 Speaker 1: the inside. It's all metal and equipment, no ac, no luxury. 171 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: Why is that it's designed for a specific purpose so 172 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: it can be the best in the field. That is 173 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: in at home, Victoria and I have an suv, a suburban. 174 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: It can easily hold eight people. It's got a big 175 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: trunk area, put bikes and plenty of luggage, sits up 176 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: high off the ground. You drive it, you feel like 177 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: you're the king of the road. But if you took 178 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: that suv and entered it into the Indianapolis five hundred 179 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't have a chance. It would get laughed again and again. 180 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: If you tried to take a turn in it at 181 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: one hundred miles an hour, you'd be hearing the angels say, 182 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: welcome to Heaven. It couldn't handle it. What's the problem. 183 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: It's competing in a race it was never designed to 184 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: be in. On the other hand, if you trade the 185 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: suv in for the indie race car, you bring it 186 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: home for your everyday use, you would quickly find out 187 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: that even though the race car gets a lot of attention, 188 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: even though it has a lot of sizzle, you couldn't 189 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: take your children to school in it. It's too small, 190 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: only holds one person. Couldn't really go to the grocery store. 191 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: There's no place to put the groceries, no storage. You 192 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 1: could drive it on the freeway, but it's so low 193 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 1: to the ground and the suspension is so tight. If 194 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 1: you hit a pothole, it feel like an earthquake. In 195 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: a few days, you'd be saying, can I get my 196 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: suv back? Here's my point. Each car is designed for 197 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: a specific purpose. The suv isn't going to have a 198 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: chance in the Indianapolis five hundred, and the race car 199 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: is not going to do a lot of good on 200 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: the city streets. They both have incredible strengths. The key 201 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: is to make sure you keep them in the right 202 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: race today. You may be that Indye car with the talent, 203 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: the education, the family, the looks. If that's you, go 204 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: for it. Be the best that you can be. Run 205 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 1: your race. If you're not, don't feel bad about it. 206 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: There's nothing wrong with saying those are not my strengths 207 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,079 Speaker 1: gonna be that fast. I'm never gonna be a SIS five. 208 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: My personality is never gonna be outgoing and dynamic, but 209 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm okay with that. In the New Testament, John was 210 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: baptizing all these people and getting a whole lot of recognition. 211 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: Somebody came up and said, John, are you the Christ 212 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 1: or should we keep looking? Without missing a beat, John said, no, 213 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: I am not the Messiah. John knew what he was, 214 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: but he also knew what he was not. It's just 215 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: as important to know what you're not, because if you 216 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,479 Speaker 1: don't realize your limitations and what you're not good at, 217 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: then you'll get pulled over into areas that may look 218 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: impressed that they may feed your ego, but they're outside 219 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: of your gifting, your calling, of what God anointed you 220 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: to do, and it'll be a constant struggle. I see 221 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: too many suvse out on the endie track thinking this 222 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: is where I belong. I can't be happy unless I 223 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,959 Speaker 1: can run with the fastest, unless I achieve the most, 224 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: unless I look the best. Now, could it be that 225 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: you're competing in a race that you were not naturally 226 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: designed for? In other words, you're still trying to have 227 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: a twenty eight inch waist, feeling bad that you don't 228 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: look like that coworker that's twenty years younger than you 229 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: and has a different set of genes. The truth is 230 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: for you to be that small again. You would hear 231 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: the angel saying welcome to heaven. Not going to happen. Understand, 232 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with not being a race car. There's 233 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with not being the fastest, the most beautiful, 234 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: the most successful, the most talented. In fact, an suv 235 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,199 Speaker 1: has greater versatility, it can hold more people, it can 236 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: carry more luggage, it's got greater strengths. But so often 237 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: we look at the sizzle factor, the magazine covers and 238 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: the soap opera stars and that one coworker that's unusually 239 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: exceptionally talented, and instead of celebrating their success and letting 240 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: their gifting inspire us, we start thinking, I got to 241 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: compete with them. They're making me look bad. I'm starting 242 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: to feel inferior. So we put pressure on us to 243 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: do things we didn't really want to do. We get 244 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: the extra job, work all the time so we can 245 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: buy the bigger house and keep up with our friends. 246 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: We have our children in twenty two extra classes so 247 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: we can keep up with the other mothers, not be 248 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: looked down on. Or we're working out twice a day, tirelessly, 249 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: trying to look like that coworker that's naturally fit and 250 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: never even has to work out. No, take the pressure 251 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: off yourself. You're not in competition with them. You have 252 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: nothing to prove. And when we see someone that's more talented, 253 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: more successful, more gifted, our attitude should be that indy 254 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: car doesn't have anything on me. I'm not in that race. 255 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: I'm in my own race, and I Am not going 256 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: to be frustrated or jealous and think I gotta get 257 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: over there to the indie track. I got to see 258 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: if I can keep up. Now, I'm gonna stay focused 259 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: on my own race and be the best that God's 260 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: called me to be. A lot of times, because of pride, 261 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: because of competition, we have a hard time admitting what 262 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: we're not. It takes a secure person to say I'm 263 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: not an Indy car, but I'm okay with that. I'll 264 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: never be a size five, but I still like myself. 265 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: I'm not gifted in that area, but I don't feel 266 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: bad about it. Or I may never be able to 267 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: preach like Tdjakes, That's okay. One day he'll come around. 268 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: Or when I hear our Spanish pastor Marcos whit Minister, 269 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: we all love him and sometimes at the end of 270 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: his sermons he'll burst out into singing. It's so natural 271 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: to him, so effortless. He's won several Grammys. Heard him 272 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: the other day and it gave me chill bumps up 273 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: and down my arms. My first thought was, God, that's 274 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: not fair. How come he's got two good gifts he 275 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: can minister and sing. Then I realized, I've got two 276 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: good gifts I can minister, plus I'm good looking. I'm 277 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: just kidding it. I didn't get that gift of humility, though. 278 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: But when we compare our gifts so often, we start competing, 279 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: trying to outperform the other person, trying to prove to 280 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: them that we're important so we can feel good about ourselves. Now, 281 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: what I'm saying is you can feel good about yourself 282 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: right where you are. You have an anointing on your life, 283 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: not to be like somebody else. You are anointed to 284 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: be you. The good news is nobody can be a 285 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: better you than you. Quit wishing you were somebody else. 286 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: Quit thinking if I could just sing like them, if 287 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: I could look like them, if I could lead like them, 288 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: then I could feel good about myself. No, if the 289 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: truth be known, those people they probably want to be 290 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 1: like you. I read about this seven year old boy 291 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: named Joey. He never really liked who he was, and 292 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: he always was much more impressed with Billy. He walked 293 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: like Billy and talk like Billy. Well, Billy didn't like 294 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: who he was. He liked Corey. So Billy walked like 295 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: Corey and talk like Corey. Now Joey was copying Billy, 296 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: who was copying Corey. Come to find out, Corey didn't 297 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: like who he was. He was much more impressed with Frankie. 298 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: So he walked like Frankie and talk like Frankie. Now 299 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: Joey is copying Billy, who's copying Corey. He's copying Frankie. 300 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: Come to find out, Frankie didn't even like who he was. 301 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: You know who he liked. He liked Joey. So he 302 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 1: was walking like Joey, talking like Joey. All right, let 303 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: me see if I can do it now. Joey is 304 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: copying Billy, who's copy and Corey, who's copying Frankie, who's 305 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: copying himself. What am I saying? The people that you 306 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: want to be like, very often they want to be 307 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: like you. They see something in you that they admire. 308 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: There's nothing wrong with looking up to people. It's good 309 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: to show respect and admiration, but don't try to be 310 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: like them. Run your own race. You have something great 311 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: to offer. I'll never forget the first time Victoria and 312 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,439 Speaker 1: I went to Billy Graham's home. He invited us to 313 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: come and visit with he and Ruth, and we were 314 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: so honored about it. When we walked in the living 315 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 1: room and saw Billy Graham sitting in that chair, I mean, 316 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: it was like seeing Moses. Here's one of the heroes 317 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: of faith. I've always had the utmost respect and admiration 318 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: for him, looked up to him in a great, great way, 319 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 1: and he's sitting there, bigger than life. The first thing 320 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 1: he said was Joel I love watching you on television, 321 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: and I'm just so admire how you can take that 322 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: message of hope around the world. I thought, that is 323 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 1: so amazing. Here I've admired him my whole life, and 324 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: somehow he's found something in me to admire, and I 325 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: realized that's his personality. He's very gracious. But here's my point. 326 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: Every one of us has something special about us. You 327 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: are anointed in your own unique way. You are gifted, 328 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: you have accomplishments, and we tend to see how great 329 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 1: everybody else is. But let me tell you, there's something 330 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: great about you. Somebody thinks you're amazing, somebody's inspired by 331 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,479 Speaker 1: your life. Somebody even wishes that they could be you. You, 332 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: in your own right, are someone to be celebrated. So 333 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: put your shoulders back, hold your head up high. You 334 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: don't have to compete with anyone else. Just be the 335 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: best you that you can be. A few months ago, 336 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 1: I was out running and I noticed a person in 337 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 1: front of me about a quarter of a mile, and 338 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: I could tell he was running a little bit slower 339 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: than me, and I thought, good, I'll try to catch him. 340 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: I had about a mile to go on my path 341 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: before I needed to turn off. So I start running 342 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: faster and faster, and I could tell that every block 343 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: I was gaining on him. Just a little bit. A 344 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: few minutes later, I was only about one hundred yards away, 345 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: and so I really picked up the pace and started 346 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: pushing it and pushing it. You would have thought I 347 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: was in the last leg of the Olympic Games. I mean, 348 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: I was determined to catch him, and finally I caught him. 349 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: I passed him by, and on the inside, I felt 350 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: so good I beat him. Of course, he didn't even 351 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: know we were racing. But when I got my mind 352 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: back on what I was doing, I realized I had 353 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: missed my turn. I was so caught up in trying 354 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 1: to beat him that I had gone nearly six blocks 355 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 1: further than I was supposed to, and I had to 356 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: turn around go all the way back. But really, that's 357 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: what happens in life when we're trying to catch someone else, 358 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: a neighbor, a friend, caught up in that competition, trying 359 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: to outdo them, outdressed them, trying to prove that we're important. 360 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,360 Speaker 1: We're spending all this time. I'm an energy going down 361 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: that path when we should be using it to move 362 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: toward our own god given destiny. Some of you today 363 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: would see your life go to a new level if 364 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: you would just quit competing with everyone around you. It 365 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: takes a lot of energy, physical and emotional to try 366 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: to impress people all day long. Try to keep up 367 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: with your family member and try to outperform the neighbor, 368 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: and try to look better than your friend, or let 369 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: it go. It's very freeing to say I don't have 370 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: to impress anybody today. I have nothing to prove. I'm 371 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: secure in who I am, and I am not going 372 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: to feel bad if you look better or make more 373 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: money or get more recognition. I don't have to keep 374 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: up with you. I'm not in that race. You're not 375 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: really free until you realize you don't have to impress people. 376 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: You don't have to prove who you are. You're not 377 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 1: in competition with anyone else. This is one of the 378 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: things that God King Saul off track. He was doing fine. 379 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: Samuel had anointed him to be king. His future looked 380 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 1: very bright, but he didn't understand this principle. One day, 381 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: he and David were out in a battle. They defeated 382 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 1: the Philistines and everything was great. Everybody was happy, until 383 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 1: some of the women started saying, Saul has killed thousands 384 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: and David has killed tens of thousands. Says in verse 385 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 1: nine that Saul never looked at David again the same way. 386 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: Saul was so insecure that he let someone else's success 387 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: make him feel inferior. In other words, he wasn't comfortable 388 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: being an SUV. He had to be that indie race car. 389 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: You would have thought he would have been happy having 390 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: somebody like David on his team, somebody that was skilled 391 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 1: in such a great way. But no. It takes a 392 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 1: secure person, a person who really knows who they are, 393 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: to say, even though I'm ahead of you, I'm gonna 394 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: let you shine, I'm will let you rise higher. One 395 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: of the tests that we will all have to pass 396 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: in life is the test of not being jealous and 397 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: critical when someone passes us out. The scripture says, you 398 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: have to accept the gift that God has given you. 399 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: You may be a one thousand level person, but you 400 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: have a friend, a neighbor, a coworker that's a ten 401 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: thousand level person. The real test as to whether God 402 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: continues to promote you is can you handle their success? 403 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: Can you celebrate what God's doing? In their life and 404 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: not get jealous and critical and think that you have 405 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: to compete with them. Saul lost the kingdom in part 406 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: because he could not let anyone become greater. Now, spirit 407 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: of competition, spirit of pride, a spirit of jealousy, It'll 408 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 1: cause us to do things that we never dreamed we 409 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: would do. Saul loved David. He treated him like a son. 410 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 1: He took him into the palace. David would eat dinner 411 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: with Saul and his family every night. Saul never dreamed 412 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: one day he would throw a javelin at David and 413 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: try to kill him. He never dreamed one day he 414 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: would chase him through the wilderness and try to end 415 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: his life. What was his problem? Saul couldn't handle being 416 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: number two. He couldn't stand the fact that David was 417 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 1: a ten thousand level person and he was a one 418 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: thousand level person. If it had just been like John 419 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: the Baptist and said, hey, this is what I am 420 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: and this is what I'm not, and I'm okay with that. 421 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:35,479 Speaker 1: If it had just been satisfied with his gift and 422 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,440 Speaker 1: run his race, he could have fulfilled his God given destiny. 423 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: But instead he got distracted, wasted his time, and energy 424 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: competing with someone that was not even in his race. 425 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: God had already ordained David to go further. We have 426 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: to be big enough to recognize I may not be 427 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: a ten thousand level person. God may have made me 428 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 1: to be a one thousand level person. I can promise 429 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: you this, I'm will be the best one thousand level 430 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: person you've ever seen. And I'm not gonna stop at 431 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: nine point fifty or nine seventy five or nine ninety nine. 432 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:12,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be all God created me to be. When 433 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: you hit a thousand, don't be depressed if you see 434 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: someone else hitting ten thousand. Run your race. Understand there's 435 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with being a one thousand level person. Quit 436 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: thinking that you have to measure up to somebody else 437 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: in order to feel good about yourself. You don't have 438 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: to feel inferior because you're not as successful as your cousin. 439 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: You don't have to be intimidated because you have a 440 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: coworker that's extremely talented. I don't have to feel less 441 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: than because my brother is a skilled surgeon and he 442 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: completed twelve years of college and I just finished my 443 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: first year. We're not competing against each other. You are 444 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: in a class all by yourself. When God made you, 445 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: he threw away the mold. So don't compare yourself, celebrate 446 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: yourself else. You have everything you need to fulfill your 447 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: God given destiny. I want you to be more comfortable 448 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: in your own skin. Some of you are always competing 449 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: with a neighbor, a coworker, a friend, trying to one 450 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:20,119 Speaker 1: up them outdress them outperform them. No, let it go. 451 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: They're not in your race. That's a distraction. Your race 452 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: is made up of one person. You be the best 453 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: you that you can be. Remember you don't have to 454 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: impress anybody. You don't have to prove who you are. 455 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: You know who you are, a child of the most 456 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 1: High God, anointed, equipped, empowered. So keep your shoulders back, 457 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: keep your head held high, be secure in who God 458 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: made you to be. If you will stay free from 459 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: a spirit of competition and just run your race, you'll 460 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: not only enjoy your life more, but you'll see your 461 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,880 Speaker 1: gifts and talents come out to the full. Because when 462 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: you celebrate others, God will celebrate you. He'll pour out 463 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: his blessings in favor. And I believe and declare you'll 464 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: live that life of victory He has in story. Amen, 465 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: do you receive it today? Well, we never like to 466 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,360 Speaker 1: close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make 467 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 468 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 469 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 470 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 471 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 472 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: God first place. He's going to take your places that 473 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: you've never dreamed of. 474 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 2: Sometimes the circumstances of life can be overwhelmingly negative. What 475 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 2: should we do when we experience these kinds of negative 476 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 2: reports and realities. 477 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: Our life is like a container. It can only hold 478 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: so much. When we allow negative things in, like worry, guilt, 479 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 1: and unforgiveness, that's taken up space for the good things 480 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 1: that belonged to you. That's why I wrote my book 481 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: Empty Out the Negative. I'll show you how to get 482 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: rid of what's limiting you so you can live a victorious, 483 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: fulfilled life. 484 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 3: When you make room for joy, peace and faith, God 485 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 3: will fill you afresh. 486 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 2: In a news as our way of saying thank you 487 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,639 Speaker 2: for your gift of any amount to the ministry. This month, 488 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 2: Joel and Victoria would like to send you this powerful book. 489 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,679 Speaker 2: Empty out the negative, empty out fear, and replace it 490 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: with faith. 491 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:36,880 Speaker 1: My doctor, he said, I went in there and there 492 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: is no cancer in your body. 493 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: Empty out a hurt filled childhood, and replace it with confidence. 494 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: So I took what Joel said and I physically replaced 495 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: them with I am strong, I am worthy. I started 496 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: saying those over and over and over. 497 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 2: Empty out broken relationships and find renewed love in a. 498 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 4: World that's just so full of so much noise and 499 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 4: negativity and hatred, and just to come and have so 500 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 4: much encouragement filled into you. You know, it's something I've 501 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 4: never had in my whole life. 502 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: Are you holding onto things that are weighing you down? 503 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: It's time to empty that out so you can live 504 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: a positive, faith filled line. 505 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 3: Joel and I pray for you every day. We're believing 506 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 3: for God's very best for you and your family. You 507 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 3: know we appreciate your prayers and your support. Your generosity 508 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 3: is impacting so many lives. 509 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 510 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, listen on Serious Exam, watch the 511 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: new Joeloastin Network streaming on television. But until we see 512 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: you next week. Now, the Lord bless you and keep you. 513 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of Empty Out the 514 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 2: Negative today. Visit Joelostein dot com or call eight eight 515 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 2: eight five six seven Joel